Professor Ikechukwu Onyebuchi Igbokwe

Looking for allies in the "Fuel War" in Nigeria

2011-10-08T16:59:00.002+01:00

I am gladdened each time I remind myself that Nigeria is a great Nation because we have the people and human resources with the potential to positively transform the nation. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi made my day when I read his thoughts expressed long ago. The build-up of his argument was intellectual and agreed with my economic reasoning. I wonder whether the members of the Economic Council have good background in Economics of Developing Countries. They should really be given some books to read. Meanwhile they could start with the Sanusi piece by clicking on the excerpt highlighted below!!!!!

"Economic policies aimed at reducing subsidies, unraveling the welfare state, widening income distribution inequalities and increasing the suffering of our masses to fuel obscene profiteering must be resisted. However, we ought to applaud debt repayment/cancellation, due diligence and increased transparency, a fight against corruption and drug trafficking, and those steps taken by the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, Mansur Muhtar, Nasir el-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Oby Ezekwesili and Dora Akunyili to improve our image as a nation and reform the economy and society."

Making a sense of OBJ

2011-08-29T11:11:00.000+01:00

"I have never participated in any coup, but I have been a beneficiary of a coup. I believe, for instance, that we in Nigeria, on the whole, we would have been better off without coups. We keep learning, and we keep improving. I believe that this is the third election we have in this dispensation. I believe we are improving in the quality of people that are coming up. The first election in 1999, many people didn’t believe it would work, so, they kept away. Some even told me I was a fool." OBJ

The interview of OBJ in a recent newspaper publication was an interesting reading to me. Nigerian leaders like OBJ must keep the history of Nigeria outside the realm of conjecture. There are many lessons to be learned from him. Perfection is achieved by adding positively and removing the militating factors.

Housing Sector Development in Nigeria

2011-08-10T21:57:00.002+01:00

Kindly read this article:

How to reduce dearth of Nigeria’s housing stock

It provides insights as to what government must do now to solve the problem of housing deficit, slum development and crowded cities. After the GRAs, there are no decent places to live in Nigeria.

What is happening?

2011-03-20T23:16:00.001+01:00

Transporting Chichens

2011-03-20T23:00:00.002+01:00

Opposition: Who is covering the milestones and road signs?

2011-03-20T22:04:00.003+01:00

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Opposition: Who is covering the milestones and road signs?

Why Vote GEJ?

2011-03-20T21:47:00.003+01:00

1) He represents a paradigm. An impossible permutation made possible by a transformational evolution of fresh values in politics. It speaks eloquently about minority rights in country attached to the dominance of three tribes.
2) He is a personality I can trust with the future of democracy.
3) He has responded to trade unions and taken favourable actions on issues that bother me. Other candidates have historical traits that will negate GEJ's current position.
4) He is unassuming and can accept the position of the weak in a struggle. Quite poised to see another side of the argument. He listens and acts, with a research orientated approach to national problems.
5) He has a national outlook and believes in the slow tangible progress we make as a nation. He preaches peace and advocates an inclusive government.
6) He is fighting corruption under the law by creating an environment for the flow of information and strengthening institutions that will adjudicate in breaches of the law.
7) He has displayed better emotional balance than other candidates.
8) He is an academic and can accept intellectual challenge from Nigerians here and abroad.
9) He is our hope to break away from the past, so that history does not repeat itself ingloriously. 10) .........etc.
If you research and look at all the issues, you will vote GEJ. PDP has a problem, yes! All the parties do. Do your best for Nigeria.

Reflection on Nigerian Politics of Opposition

2011-03-19T19:26:00.004+01:00

The essence of the opposition in politics is NOT to cover the milestones and road signs on the highways built in a democracy. The opposition is, rather, expected to highlight and point out the clearer paths to greatness of a nation.

A good road for the journey in a democratic process is built by politicians who play by the rules and have true sense of patriotism without inordinate taste for power.

Politicians must not love power and hate to lose it. Those who truly love Nigeria will always have the power to govern because they will be called or beckoned to serve.

Opposition in politics is not about creating crises for the sake of relevance. Opposition is creating visions that remove illusions in the minds of people to make better choices.

My Response to Bakare's Interview

2011-03-17T15:59:00.001+01:00

The wisdom that comes from experience guides us to great heights. One of them says: No one learns how to use a left hand in old age. And a left-handed man cannot become efficient as a right-handed man in old age.” Nigeria lost many football matches when left players were featured on the right wing. That is, round pegs in square holes. Bakare’s interview comes to mind as a contradiction of wisdom even against his initial best judgement. An advocate of an ascetic and hard-line disciplinarian, he claims. Being an ascetic and deprived individual was virtuous in the eastern tradition, but it never eliminated discontent in those who practiced it because of the innermost inadequacy it engenders. Such an individual is driven to find fulfilment in a class revolt as an effort to find a new vista of fulfilment. This is the basis of social revolution fired by crisis of unequal access to economic resources.

The struggle for change or transformation of our political fortunes should come from the recognition of ideals that are foundations for development. One of these ideals is the practice of truth which must come from the realization of certain facts of life. Bakare, as a pastor, knows this. The paradigms in Bakare’s interview are inconsistent with his struggle for order.

The paradigm that he has found the anti-corruption magnet in his ally is faulty on moral grounds. The reason is simple: “You cannot fight corruption with corruption as your insignia”. Dictatorship is a corruption of democracy. A successful coup is the highest crime against democracy and it is a corrupt practice!!!!! Ruling with draconian force with no respect for civilian rights is corruption. Accepting to serve a dictatorship, not working to disengage the dictator and usher in democracy is corruption. All dictators have undemocratic traits. Dictators have a way of generating blind faith in them and can mobilize support undemocratically through surrogate manipulations of propaganda and subtle coercion.

Obasanjo was our first democrat with a history of dictatorship. He did not hide his background even when he chose to be addressed as a chief and not a military general. We survived his intrigue to be high-handed from time to time and to abort the third term agenda which could have perpetuated him in the Aso Villa. Obasanjo was a reluctant coupist, dragged into military rulership by the circumstances of his time, but he slightly vindicated himself by handing over to civilians and joining forces with pro-democracy compaigners during the era of Nigeria’s discomfiture in the grips of dictatorship. Obasanjo was in a grade of dictators less malignant than those that took over power, were hesitant about democratization and hobnobbed with avaricious dictators.

Nigeria must beware of dictators in democratic garbs with eloquent advocates. Dictatorship is a trait once learnt never ever cleans out. Like a recessive gene, it manifests in a homologous association which is guaranteed when power is tasted. We have not forgotten that “power corrupts” Those who have sought power corruptly know the corruption of power and have used power corruptly. I have given researched evidence of this. A lot of opinions are pointing that Bakare’s ally is capable of controlling politicians with “absolute power” in order to checkmate their excesses. There is a snag in this advocation. It is not about fear, but a caution that we may lose the political freedom that was hard won. Anyway, those who have their passports, multiple visas to privileged parts of the world and money in foreign accounts have no fears, since they are on notice to vacate the country before the ombudsman arrives. He may know how to stay long enough to repeat the Tunisian and Egyptian saga which he predicts.

Bode George left the prison and celebrated. Those who celebrated with him were vilified. Today, those who committed a successful crime against democracy, a crime punishable by a death sentence, have become heroes of our time. Where is the deterrent that will dissuade the young “academists” and young armed officers from engaging in this act against the state? We must have some reasonable abhorrence of anti-democratic events and persons in order to build a stable democracy in future. We need to understand the meaning of corruption. It is an illegality against the state infrastructure or process. If we intend to fight corruption, we must stand on a pedestal that can be morally trusted. Let’s dissociate with that past history.

The Bakare argument is weak and cannot win any case for the future of democracy in Nigeria.

Note taken from President Shehu Shagari

2011-03-11T21:45:00.003+01:00

"Corruption is now rampant in our country. Everybody is corrupt, and it is taken for granted. Everybody accepts it as a necessary evil. The people who should work against corruption, who are on the frontline are the police. But the police are now the most corrupt body in the entire country. There is nothing you can do about it, unless you can do away with them, and perhaps only the military remains. Gen. Buhari tried to do so, but he did not succeed. He became ruthless as a person. But you need to tackle this problem of insecurity, which is caused by corruption. The people who are supposed to check all these things are also corrupt! So, what do you do? That is the entirety of the problem."

"I was telling some people, the other day, that each time I travel on the road I am disgusted with the behaviour of the Road Safety men. Everyday, I find the police and Road Safety men on the roads; however, I have not seen them arresting anybody, even if they are driving vehicles that are overloaded. They are just ordered to park on the roadside, as if they were being arrested, but, instead, I have seen them give the police and Road Safety men money in plain sight of the public! Everybody can see what is happening! The drivers all know that all these people want is money, so they just throw money at them like you throw things to a dog. They (the drivers) don’t even stop. They just slow down, take ten Naira, and throw it at the policeman. And shamelessly, the policeman would stoop down to take it! I have seen it with my own eyes! So when we have come to this stage, what do we call it?"

"We are not progressing as fast as we would wish; but we are, indeed, making some progress. The pace may not be to my liking or to yours, but the fact is that we are making progress in some areas. Normally, for countries to progress, it is a struggle." Click here to read the full interview

Criterion for Presidential Candidates in Nigeria

2011-03-10T10:21:00.004+01:00

"A man should never be appointed to a managerial position if his vision focuses on people’s weaknesses rather than on their strengths. The man who always knows what people cannot do, but never sees what they can do, will undermine the spirit of the organisation. Of course, a manager should have a clear grasp of the limitations of his people, but he should see these as limitations on what they can do, and as a challenge to them to do better." Anonymous from Okoroa4forum

Leading is just like being a manager. Most cynics stand by and think that our politicians are corrupt. They have the mindset of saviours, and will always meet head bouts in power struggles. That I know. He who can work with the weakness of people in mind and harness the best from them is the best leader for Nigeria. We should screen our presidential candidates with this criterion.

Good leaders must run very open government and respond to genuine public interests. This is why any good leader must support freedom of information within the law. Has the President Jonathan responded to public interests? Are we able to query the high and mighty on moral issues in governance? Can due process and financial impropriety be investigated? Is there equity for the common man. Do Nigerians resist corruption and despise it?????? Answer these questions.

Thinking about Voting

2011-03-09T18:35:00.003+01:00

The article was a stimulating thing to read in the NATION newspaper. The article cleared my thoughts about voting in the forthcoming presidential election. This was how I thought:

If Nigeria must thrive and grow, we have no other choice than to throw away sentiments and look at hardcore analysis seeing what will strengthen the nation. The development of Nigeria will derive from basic evolutionary changes without rash pushes and impulsive strong-personality leadership. Nigeria is too big for any self-righteous autocrat and every responsible Nigerian must avoid any leader with such trait or tendency, because it a good recipe for anarchy. Sam wrote what I read and he did a good write-up. He has told the truth in much rhetorical sarcasm. The Arab uprising is not for Nigeria. If IBB dogged it, no ruler in Nigeria will wait for it to happen. My choice is clear and I know it can never be a former soldier, who loved to hate trade unionism (Journal of Politics and Law Vol. 4, No. 1; March 2011), who protected public officers with decrees while fighting corruption, who did not understand the systematic evolution of social infrastructure, who thought soldiers were "holier" than politicians and who thought we could be organized with a whip on our backs. I am old enough to have seen it all. In a democracy, we decide how we are ruled. But if we are indolent in our creativity, we may choose wrongly and hate what we have done. Most strong-minded former coupe-ists have little faith in the final triumph of democracy as shown in the statement: ......democracy stands in danger of failing in Nigeria How could democracy be failing when we are moving forward in various areas of articulation of public will? The autocrats usually promised a better life for Nigerians, but often left us disgruntled. Nigerians need to know their history and respect its lessons.

Taking a step to a New Nigeria

2011-01-26T13:24:00.004+01:00

A story about Taking a step to a New Nigeria

The states and geopolitical zones should have more relevance in politics than the the old regions because the old regions created Nigeria's historical problems. Devolving the regional powers has taken care of the minor interest groups that were smouldered by regional monstrosities. Minorities must converge at majority positions. This is the new Nigeria we have been waiting for and we are on the threshold of its emergence. The country is unfolding and transforming to a new one with paradigm shifts. This was the goal of state creation and a positive impact of the military era of that time. Thanks to Gowon and his group.

Refresher Course Presentation for Veterinarians in Borno State

2011-01-16T23:56:00.002+01:00

NSBMB conference in Kebbi State

2011-01-16T23:37:00.003+01:00

Link to subsequent slides

Leadership in Nigeria: comments.

2011-01-02T16:04:00.003+01:00

Why I withdrew from Presidential race – IBB

My responses to comments of readers of the above article:

"We are looking for new perspective to leadership: knowing what is right for Nigeria and having the will to do it. What is right is intellectually and experientially distilled from data-based investigations of our national events and peculiarities. This kind of leadership comes from reflective politicians like..........."

"Our elders deserve respect and kind words as we give them words of advice. They have done their best which we may not conceive to be good enough. How I wish those who have tasted power could write or get writers to bring out their thoughts about the past, the present and future. This

is the stuff about leadership. You must think it before you can do it. We accept leaders from the value of their consistent thoughts and actions. All leaders are honourable!"

Back to old tricks in NNPC

2010-12-05T11:44:00.003+01:00

The fuel stations are getting dry again. The recurring December national disease is on the prowl. Thanks to the tanker drivers and the recent meeting of the retired GMD with the current GMD in NNPC. I can't wait to see GEJ do something immediately.

Re: Charge Northern leaders for treason – Okpozo

2010-10-27T15:49:00.001+01:00

Arresting anybody on the basis of unaltruistic utterances is not a mark of democracy. Let our leaders speak and run their campaigns. That is how we can know who are ethnic chauvinists and who are true nationalists. If Nigeria will survive, nobody who rides on ethnic or sectarian salvo must get anywhere close to national authority or control. Democracy must ensure that such people are excluded from national leadership positions. Awareness of the need for a new brand of leaders is clear and obvious. If you don't allow the politicians to speak, how are we going to know them? The national sovereign conference is already taking place. Every Nigerian is redefining his or her stake in Nigeria. If there is no national etiquette, there won't be a nation. Who is a Nigerian and who is a slave in Nigerian? We are getting to know and the freedom of all Nigerians must be won peacefully

We have bursted the fuel cartel (Vanguard Newspaper)

2010-10-18T07:45:00.002+01:00

This is a wonderful revelation that the fuel cartel was bursted. The cartel is bursted, but not dead. These enemies of the Nigerian economy who are fired by their greed must be carefully watched and managed. They never relent and often employ new strategies to achieve their goal. The new approach is to build a debt burden in the sector and later call for servicing of the debt from increased internal revenue from downstream sector. The President wants to fall for it by going for the loan when it is only a trap. The loans will be mismanaged certainly and the burden will fall on the Nigerian people. The sector is looking for foreign investors who will be committed to optimum utilization of their funds and realization of operational efficiency of the project.

The new antic is to build up debt in the sector.Foreign development partners only need to come in as investors in joint ventures. Government cannot manage any loans on our behalf because of corruption. GEJ will not take any loan if he wants our votes.

Wisdom from your old friend!

2010-09-30T13:19:00.003+01:00

Emma Okoro sent this by e-mail. Enjoy it with me.

Reading in the dark: The pictorial story of our university

2010-09-27T22:59:00.005+01:00

I took these pictures today at 8.30 pm when I visited students reading for examinations. There has been a persistent power outage on campus for several days and I wondered how the students were coping with the situation. They were calm and looked determined to overcome their limitations. They were reading with candle lights and battery-powered lamps in crowded hot classrooms invaded by mosquitoes. Some of them were seen outside sitting on concrete slabs with torches or lamps and burning mosquito coils.

See the other pictures: Click Here

» Atiku accuses Jonathan of polarizing the nation::Vanguard (Nigeria)

2010-09-23T21:33:00.000+01:00

Beating regional and ethnic drums cannot elicit national integration. We should find common grounds and seek solid political arguments that favour developmental politics. What do we do to transform Nigeria to a virile state? A politician that cannot answer that question is missing the spirit of a new Nigeria. The new face of Nigeria must become visible, not as a battered monster, but as a lovely figurine embraced by all irrespective of tribe or religion. ".....our tribes and tongues may differ, but in brotherhood we stand....." We are bound in freedom, peace and unity.

» UBEB blames lack of textbooks for mass failures in NECO::Vanguard (Nigeria)

2010-09-23T14:07:00.000+01:00

Researches into the reasons for poor academic performances in Nigerian educational system are rare. Everything about institutional or system evaluation should be empirical. We are always guessing the answers. This is a wrong approach. Answers should come from repeated and reproducible studies so that we can find lasting solutions. UBEB should have a database and monitoring system in order to pre-empt anticipated failures with concerted actions to achieve success. No need for medicine after death. A post-mortem approach must have a diagnostic component with the mind to formulate new strategies.

» Jega, party chiefs okay polls for April::Vanguard (Nigeria)

2010-09-22T08:59:00.002+01:00

Any changes in time line by INEC must be made legal in order to avoid issues of voiding the actions of INEC for illegality. Let us not give room for legal mischief-makers. Remember June 12, IBB, Humphrey Nwosu and those judgements that challenged the election giving a devious justification for its annulment. We must get it right this time.

Training for ICT-enabled teaching and learning: a call for action.

2010-08-22T02:08:00.007+01:00

LINK TO FULL DOCUMENT

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is increasing in Nigerian universities. Communicating via e-mail and accessing information over the Internet are now key elements of academic life. This has brought enormous benefits to the academic and research communities in our universities where the internet resource is available and efficient. Unfortunately, many senior academics have missed out on the opportunities provided by the internet because of poor understanding of the applications of the computer and the internet for research and updating lecture contents. Also, creative use of ICT-related facilities to improve learning opportunities and effectiveness has eluded a lot of lecturers in universities. The National University Commission (NUC), therefore, should engage in a policy of deployment of ICT training of senior academics, especially the professors, to enable them adapt to this digital technology. The need for an ‘e-learning action plan’ is obvious if higher education in this country must open up to the global virtual information system, harvest from it and contribute to it through digital networking. The “E-Learning Action Plan” defines e-learning as: “the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning by facilitating access to resources and services as well as remote exchange and collaboration”¹. The plan presupposes that there is a pool of competent academic staff to create the teaching ‘resources and services’ in the digital national network. Nigerian universities have a low population of self-trained senior academics that can drive the digital e-learning revolution which entails delivering updateable learning resources or materials through the use of computer technology (e.g, intranet, internet, interactive TV, CD-Rom). There is, at present, no deliberate attempt to train senior university teachers on the pedagogical use of ICT. The professors are, undoubtedly, the pivot of dynamic pedagogy and must be the instruments of transformation of the universities as trained trainers in content teaching and transmission. ICT-enabled teaching implies that teachers and learners have some specific ICT-related skills. Students are offered ICT courses in General Studies in the first two years of their curriculum, but long-standing senior academics who had no such training as students are faced with ICT illiteracy. Without ICT-enabled learning system supported by trained hands, we lose its potential to allow larger numbers of students to enrol and attend classes. The NUC should recognise that the quality of university education depends on the internal capacity of academics to engage in virtual research, learning and teaching. This is the time for an e-learning action plan for our universities. The place to start is in staff training:

“Staff development for effective use of e-learning has been identified by almost all studies of the challenges in e-learning implementation as the most important barrier to progress. All universities will develop more comprehensive and effective training and support mechanisms and processes to ensure that they deploy staff efforts (both from support as well as academic staff) in the most efficient way.”¹

¹ ICT in European universities: trends and perspectives. Directorate General for Education and Culture of the European Commission. http://www.spotplus.odl.org/downloads/Context_report_final.pdf

Which type of police do we want?

2010-08-20T13:34:00.006+01:00

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/20/deaths-plus-n20b-from-police-check-points/

I saw the kind of discomfort caused by police checkpoints on Lagos street and Bama road during hours when traffic was heavy and wrote the poems appearing on this blog about Nigeria's tokens at 50. I am busy to write a long essay now, but watching the news and reading the Vanguard Editorial on this issue, I believe we need to address this topic. The national assembly and police service commission are keeping quiet. Even Goodluck has not shown we might be lucky to see some action. At 50, is this our brand of Police Force?

What Nigeria wants: Benevolent dictatorship?

2010-08-15T19:55:00.005+01:00

The case for benevolent dictatorship in Nigeria(3)

Benevolent dictatorship? No way! We want firm, assertive and forceful democrats who know how to act with resolve when popular consensus is reached. Nigeria is complicated and too politically alive for a dictator to emerge without being shot in the foot. I have waited for the meat of the argument for benevolent dictatorship, but have not found any flavoured munch so far. We have survived dictatorship, and as a united Nigeria, any ill-conceived benevolent imposition will be an anachronism destined to annihilation at conception.

Nigeria's tokens in the east (at 50)

2010-08-12T23:39:00.000+01:00

We cannot swallow saliva

because the jaws are in

stationary parade of decadence

openly begging for trifles

when the mobile force of swift agility is required

to bring coarse behaviour to a fine one

In the east

we must stop going

to check the teeth at 50

In the east

the teeth are not baby's

and must not pretend again

In the east

wise men come

at the golden time of 50

In the east

aren't we weary of checkpoints

when we wale for agile force

In the east

shall we give the cheetah

so that our peace keeper may move with blazing eyes

In the east

shall we give the digital tokens to communicate

not the crumpled tokens for the grumbling belly

Nigeria's tokens at 50

2010-08-12T22:58:00.006+01:00

You don't see

a new born baby

empty-handed

You don't see

a baby's new teeth

empty-handed

You don't grow

teeth that don't bite

only to champ

At road blocks

we go with tokens

for the teeth of babies

A token of chicken

A token of soft liver

With eyes to see dissidence

Born 50 years ago

the teeth are milk

not strong for the bone

A token for the teeth

never mobile for the crunches

only stationary for open menace

The teeth have come

of age but presumed young

because of stunted growth

May the jaws

move and bite with teeth

grown with 50 years strength

May the jaws

forsake and lose the milk

for wisdom teething to crush

A token for the wise ones

an honour to them bestowed

for they are the heroes to emulate

P. h . D

2010-07-28T20:36:00.003+01:00

Fine poetry on Nigeria

I have a P. h. D.

Persistent hope Developing

Jega is here now

digging out the jiggers in our feet

so that we can stand painless

NNPC and the national threat.

2010-07-26T21:05:00.004+01:00

Shadowy Oil (I)

Senate: NNPC Fails to Submit 10-Year Annual Budget

When the heart of a nation has a threatening tamponade from a suffocating malfeasance, everything (to the rescue) must be thrown into the emergency room. NNPC cannot be allowed to toy with Nigeria's destiny. This is possible with a very meticulous legislative oversight. Over to the National Assembly!

NNPC is a national threat when its operations fail to guarantee a sustainable future for Nigerians.

The price for more refineries in Nigeria

2010-07-18T13:38:00.002+01:00

The word "deregulation" has come again and the merchants of linguistic abuse have not relented. We hear it is the price for more refineries in this country. Those with clear eyes will see the surrogates of international leeches in the 'oil' waters. These sophists are trying every possible trick to offer our sovereignty on a golden platter to whom they wish for their personal benefits. These controversies are foretastes of the deceits in NNPC. I still believe we have a clout holding NNPC in recurrent pin-fall. Either this clout gets a re-grafted brain or is compelled to have a robotic thinking pattern for Nigeria as a nation. Jonathan will certainly fail if he has weak handle on NNPC. The way NNPC is 'regulated' determines the survival of Nigeria and the national policy defined by law will check the excesses of psychopathic deviants in the oil sector. Let's know what PIB contains!

Read this: NNPC Insolvent? Never! Says Levi Ajuonuma.

Some points to note in the report that stimulated my comment:

“……you will agree that NNPC is the most efficient and transparently set-up in Nigeria.”

“Do you realize that for more than 12 years, the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) on the Kaduna refinery was not done because of bureaucracy?”

“…..the Russians are here for our gas, the Germans are here for power, and the Chinese are investing about N8 billion to establish three refineries in the country.”

“Importation is important but we need more refineries to be built, and the only way more refineries can be built is if the prices are right.”

CBN and Petroleum Subsidy!

2010-07-05T20:40:00.003+01:00

On these blog pages, I analysed some of the issues around international politics of oil subsidy. Goodluck dismantled the mafia at NNPC and we have fuel in every filling station. I see the Nigeria of my dream again in that sector with fuel availability. What about the sustainability of the policy? With resistant strains like the CBN boss (LS) in a thinly walled sequestration, a recrudescence of the fuel infamy may be possible. Jonathan will lose his good-luck with unrestrained and unrepentant extremist neo-capitalist ideologues on his flanks. Nigeria must survive with the thoughts of real Nigerians.

Post-UTME: a backward journey!

2010-06-24T17:29:00.006+01:00

Post-UTME, antidote to exam malpractice – UNILAG Parents’ Forum

Can we really justify Post-UTME examinations. When JAMB cannot be strengthened to increase our confidence in the institution, the poor confidence will spread to NECO and SSE and finally lead to the deprecation of all public institutions conducting examinations. Universities are not free from examination malpractices and it is not a haven to run to. The Post-UTME examination is a move in the backward direction, and it is illegal. Universities can only screen candidates to ensure genuine qualifying certification before admission. The reason for falling standards is associated with poor entry qualifications before admission: fake POST-UTME, UTME, NECO, SSE, two or three credits in two sittings with undertaking to pass others after university admission, lack of interest in the course of study, etc. We should fund researches into institutional performance and higher education strategies in Nigeria. A lot remains to be uncovered regarding why higher education is failing.

The lawmakers should insist on the correct position of the law and be more pro-active in studying the problems of the Nigerian educational system in order to provide lasting solutions.

Up Covenant University!

2010-06-24T17:17:00.003+01:00

I love what you are doing through your proprietors. Setting good standards and engaging the people to rise to the occasion! A development-oriented university is research-driven so that students understand problem investigation and seek knowledge-based solutions. A grant system that ensures persistent funding of researches on individual or group basis addressing local issues and problems will guarantee a sustainable future for Nigeria. Teaching from internal knowledge generation and not only from textbooks is what Nigerian universities lack. We teach preconceived concepts without clear validation from local content. Our graduates fail from this standpoint, because they often have tools that don't march local challenges. Your interview did not espouse this viewpoint. Anyway, I believe in your Covenant project- training the new generation that will create and sustain the changes in our dreams.

In defence of Prof. Akunyili

2010-03-31T21:43:00.002+01:00

Uproar as Senate screens Akunyili Vanguard

If honest people become the villains in Nigeria, there is no future. In public poll recently, Dora's action and statements were endorsed by a majority of Nigerians. Any member of Senate who plays in a different direction is unpatriotic. Even when Dora was loyal, she was honest. Living by the National Pledge is a lesson senators must learn and they can't afford to fail Nigerians.

Deregulation for who?

2010-03-25T20:28:00.001+01:00

Jonathan must move with clear eyes and goals. Deregulation in the petroleum sector is a scam. The sector must be regulated for meaningful sovereignty and national dignity. If Barkindo has no tenacity of purpose on the side of the people who own oil, he should back out. De-monopolizing the sector can commence and continue, but the policy of government to enforce standards and benchmarks in this sector is what regulation is. We cannot watch the international conglomerates exploit Nigerians in a deregulated regime. Let the laws spell out the deregulated landscape and we will know how deregulation can cater for our interests within the law; that is, when the laws are enforceable. Jonathan must not be goaded into putting the cart before the horse. Where is PIB? Can we know the details? Where are the regulations that will make “deregulation” a boon. I am yet to see them.

Jonathan backs deregulation, says NNPC boss

Xmas without fuel in Nigeria: personal experience.

2009-12-24T22:55:00.001+01:00

December 24, the eve of Xmas. The need for fuel to move around called for frantic search. I heard earlier from the Information Minister that the fuel scarcity was because of hoarding of fuel by marketers awaiting government’s announcement of opportunities to make more money. I thought that driving 10 km from my location to NNPC mega-station at Madugu would provide succour. Usually, hoarding would not be an issue and pumps would be working at NNPC stations. I met a short queue on arrival at the station. After a while, the cars started to leave the queue. I went to the operatives to ask what the situation was. I was told the remaining fuel was on reserve for some selected cars and they were dispensing into a few ‘jerry cans’. Nine fuel tankers were parked around the premises. I asked whether the tankers were going to discharge their fuel so that I could wait or come back later. I was shocked to hear that they were empty and could not go back to the fuel depot because there was no diesel for them to drive back. I gave up my effort. Now, I hear that NUPENG is probably on strike.

Goodluck! Have a pleasant holiday.

GTZ on international fuel pricing: Nigeria's discomfiture

2009-11-19T08:25:00.005+01:00

Dr Metschies reporting from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH:

In response to the current increases in world market prices for oil, the GTZ started a flash survey (prices of premium grade petrol, 95 octane) in the most heavily populated developing Countries and concluded as follows:

“An international harmonisation of fuel prices seems important. However, this requires a national energy pricing policy in developing countries covering the following points:

· eliminating fuel subsidies

(in countries with premium grade fuel prices at the pump below € 0.40/l)

· introducing and raising fuel taxes

(in countries with premium grade fuel prices at the pump from € 0.40-€ 0.80/l)

· harmonisation with EU fuel prices

(in countries with premium prices at the pump from € 0.80 to €1.20/l)

Because renewable energies can only establish themselves if traditional energy

sources (and specifically fuels) are appropriately taxed.

Note: For more data on international fuel prices collected by the GTZ for 165 countries, see

www.worldbank.org/transport or www.zietlow.com/docs/engdocs.htm .”

MY COMMENT

IF NATIONAL AGENCIES IN COUNTRIES LIKE NIGERIA RESPECT THE THOUGHTS OF EU COUNTRIES WITHOUT CONSIDERING INTERNAL PECULIARITIES, WE ARE IN FOR ANOTHER PHASE OF NEO-COLONIALISM.

Rising oil price is harmful!

2009-11-16T09:20:00.000+01:00

"The International Energy Agency yesterday revised its 2010 world oil demand forecast slightly higher, but warned that rising crude prices, if sustained, risk smothering the fragile economic recovery under way.

The Paris-based agency said it expects global oil demand to rise to 86.2 million barrels a day next year, representing an upward revision of 140,000 barrels a day from its previous monthly oil market report in October" Vanguard, Nov. 6, 2009

The primary reason for insisting on deregulation and free market economy in the oil sector is to protect the energy sector in developed countries. The OPEC countries and independent producers must taste their own pills for contributing to the surging aggregate demand and increase in crude oil price. Increasing pump price is designed to force elasticity on the demand for local consumption. If local consumption drops at the expense of local productivity dependent on favourable energy cost, the local economy goes into recession. That is not the business of IEA. Afterall, when we suffer, they gain by our expanded dependence on them and brain-drain into their thriving economies. And Mr President has said Nigerians need to suffer as if that is the reason we voted for him. WE MUST define our interests from our needs for sustainable development. Anything that allows price of fuel to freely rise under greedy cabals supervised by weak government infrastructure, is dangerous to the Nigerian economy.

If rising oil price is harmful to the developed economies, it is dangerous to emerging economies without any internal protection. This is very obvious to me, but is it obvious to the Federal Government of Nigeria?

Deregulation and Regulation Campaigns

2009-11-11T19:27:00.003+01:00

"If government under the “regulation” system is impotent to regulate the conduct of the mafia in the oil sector despite its numerous regulatory agencies, including the Department of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) is it when the market is deregulated that it would develop the political will to regulate their conduct? Everywhere I turn, I see government throw its hands in the air claiming to be helpless to tackle basic challenges of governance such as sanitising a system or even calling its employees to order". By Owei Lakemfa in Vanguard Nov., 11, 2009

We have leaders who think with the brain of colonial masters, who are slaves of economic doctrines and know very little of the political economy of emerging nations. Our leaders who preached and executed SAP are back again and they know our economy could not be structured along any western model. They have sucked in the so-called national economic council and the economic summit group. I have searched everywhere and could not find any convincing document analyzing the issues from the national perspective. We must go to the next higher level, not the vicious cycle of the 80s and 90s. I want to read something about the govt definition of deregulation and the model which presents a clear framework. I want to read the blogs of Nigerian economists with dispassionate analyses. We must be knowledge-driven to build a great nation. Labour must not relent. We do not have a Legislature in this regard. Nigerians on the street are left to their own devices.

ON WHOSE AGENDA IS DEREGULATION OF FUEL PRICE?

2009-11-07T20:28:00.006+01:00

After reading this piece, you will understand why our leaders are fighting us to deregulate the downstream oil sector and remove subsidies where they exit; you will see why our people must cry so that their people can laugh. We are not free from the colonial magnate with our leadership. Read on.

The picture of unfavourable market forecasted by the developed countries concerning future price of oil is captured by this statement:

“The price of oil is likely to soar to an average of US$150 /bbl by 2010 and continuing to rise to over US$200/bbl by 2012”, said Jeff Rubin and Peter Buchanan, analysts with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The CIBC report says this will translate into steadily rising prices at the gas pumps, rising to as much as US7 a gallon by 2012”

The reason for the pressure for price increases was thought to arise from the aggregate demand for fuel generated in the OPEC and independent producer countries, which subsidize fuel prices. The increasing local demand for oil would reduce the available oil quota for export, assuming oil production does not increase, and the reduced supply would instigate increase in international market price. See how the issues were raised:

“……there is little evidence to suggest that there is any compensating reduction in global demand growth. Instead, aggregate crude demand remains robust as burgeoning demand for crude oil outside of the OECD, and in major oil-producing countries in particular, has more than offset demand destruction in OECD markets. Juxtaposed against more limited supply gains, the resilience of demand in developing countries points to increasing global competition for increasingly scarce oil resources”

"Car purchases in Russia, for example, are exploding as US sales stagnate, while in India the advent of the Tata Nano, a car that will sell for as little as US$2,500 will allow millions of households in the developing world to own automobiles when they otherwise could not. It is the savings necessary to buy a car, not the price of gasoline that poses the greatest obstacle to fuel demand growth in those countries.

"For the most part, soaring rates of domestic fuel consumption, particularly in OPEC countries, can be traced to egregiously low pump prices. Gasoline in the 25-cents/gal range in Venezuela and in the 50-60 cents/gal range in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran, have not, surprisingly, spurred enormous fuel appetites in those countries. Not only is the demand for fuel there price-inelastic but the elasticity has the wrong sign. In other words, higher world oil price only serves to boost demand, because they bring even more money chasing massively subsidized fuel”

In Nigeria, the use of personal cars increased in the past 10 years and recently, importation of fuel-inefficient cars from USA and Europe is in vogue among the political class and elite businessmen. This is apparent, although data are usually unavailable in our setting. The growing economy is stimulated by heavy use of oil for energy generation and transportation. The increasing demand for oil products in the country is expected in the circumstance, but can be reduced if the policy direction encourages alternative energy generation. Until sustainable cheaper alternative energy resources are available to the industries, it is not advisable for the government to create new strictures in the energy chain. We can take China and the Asian countries as good examples. They used subsidies in fuel price to drive their economies and now my computer, fridge, torch etc are either from China or Asia and the prices are affordable. Growing from economic dependence to economic independence and interdependence is only possible with nationally motivated decisions. Those who advocate absolute free market are already in a position to gain from it because they have instruments to control the market forces. Where they are not able to do so, they use political forces that are loyal to them. They cannot agree that China and several other countries have used subsidies to give leverage to their economies and achieve good fiscal balance sheets. What are the fears that surround fuel subsidy?

"The more oil is consumed in oil-producing countries, the less oil will be consumed in the OECD. Since oil-producing countries effectively have first call on their own oil, the balance is the residual which the price mechanism must ration.”

“But by distorting fuel prices, China is encouraging fuel consumption and discouraging the use of new energy.”

“Fuel subsidies have exaggerated inflation in the developed world, while understating inflation in the developing world. China's inflation could well hit 15 percent if Beijing were to free up caps on energy prices, Morgan Stanley estimates.”

"If China is not able to take away the subsidy and cut down its demand, it will have huge implications for the world,"

“……many emerging economies employ subsidies that keep domestic fuel prices far below the world price. As a result, these countries consume far more fuel than they would otherwise. By one estimate, countries with fuel subsidies accounted for virtually the entire increase in worldwide oil consumption last year. Without this artificial demand stimulus, world oil prices would have been significantly lower.”

“Subsidizing fuel does nothing to reduce the inevitable suffering, and actually makes it worse. The problem is that when the price of a good is below its cost, people use it wastefully.”

(Frank, 2008)

The above statements show why the developed world is unhappy with countries like Nigeria. What are we expected to believe? The West does not care about socio-economic pressures in the developing countries, since financial aids from their gains will be given to ameliorate them. Their concern is more about socio-economic stability in Western world and little attention is paid to what it costs the developing world. See how it is scripted:

"Giving out subsidies is an easy and popular thing to do, but getting rid of it is like hell….. While the West is critical of China's energy policy, there is little outcry for change within the country.”

“Subsidy proponents cite the firestorm of political protest that would erupt if fuel were to sell at the international market price. That fuel subsidies are wasteful, however, implies that there must be less costly ways to keep the peace”

The foregoing referenced statements clearly show the insensitivity of the West to socio-economic stability in the developing countries. The West has fully studied their economic needs and is using every agency to promote the satisfaction of these needs. Calling it an economic war against the developing countries may be an overstatement, but it sounds to me an insensitive aggression against the socio-economic sensibilities of these struggling nations, which the West has not studied their internal dynamics.

Some truth should be faced about increasing international fuel price and it is acknowledged by a Western writer:

To be sure, subsidies are not the only cause of high crude oil prices. Strong global economic growth, particularly in Asia, is requiring a lot of energy. Political tensions between the United States and Iran and market psychology have played a role (Bradsher, 2008).

The fact that other factors may be responsible for propping the oil price, other than the steep demand for oil in oil-producing nations with fuel subsidy, was clear when oil price collapsed with changes in the fiscal climate in the West. The stalling demand in the West, because of credit crunch, drove the price down, even when the oil demand in the oil-producing nations had not abated. The Western demand was apparently propelled by excess fiscal liquidity from foreign reserves in the hands of market speculators. Also, it was this liquidity that encouraged banks in the West to give outrageous loans to home owners. This makes it possible for the dollar to depreciate without the naira appreciating despite our growing foreign reserve. But we do not have any choice. The reason is that our wealth can only be secured in the institutions of rich nations in the West. Economics is so mixed with politics that what is done is frequently what is expedient.

The solutions suggested are the use of cars consuming less fuel and electric cars using cheap electricity. These cars are not likely to reach the poor countries in subsidy band until their second-hand rates make them affordable.

Elimination of fuel subsidies, IMF claims, will ensure public spending is directed to more productive uses, encourage efficient use of energy and target social assistance at those that are truly poor, by increasing access to or improving the quality of education and health care services, improving physical infrastructure, or reducing taxes.

The education and health sectors are areas the West is not uncomfortable if the government does not embark on any deregulatory policy of subsidy removal.

A productive sector worthy of the governments’ attention like in USA is the productive energy sector that generates more fuel through their refineries or provides alternative energy that will make crude oil less significant. A substantial assistance was offered to private energy companies in USA to the tune of $6 billion dollars through Bush-Cheney Energy Bill, as a form of subsidy.

WE NEED POLITICIANS WHO THINK AND ACT FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE. WE MUST HAVE KWONLEDGE-DRIVEN DECISIONS

The entire subsidy as it is now in Nigeria goes essentially into the productive sector either directly or indirectly to entrepreneurs who need fuel for transportation to move people, goods and services, small-scale to large-scale industries that use energy to maintain some level of productivity. We have not had public power supply for more than a week in my part of the town and I have had to burn a gallon of petrol to be productive for my sake and for the sake of all Nigerians. I stop for today.

Loretta Okafor’s article can provide more information

CBN and DEREGULATION

2009-11-04T17:19:00.004+01:00

“Briefing the press on the outcome of the 66th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, the CBN governor, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, said various monetary and fiscal measures had reduced the average headline inflation to 10.4 per cent in September, lower than the 12.6 per cent in the preceding month but that this trend could be impacted upon negatively by deregulation.” By Emma Ujah, Vanguard

Sanusi is now making a lot of sense to me. It appears he and his team have given a lot of thought to several issues. The will to support and implement the policy guideline herein to stem inflation and restore investor confidence is required. Let's see the country grow with minimal socio-economic upheavals. The faith in democracy needs to grow and Sanusi has much to do about building the credibility of Yar'Adua's administration. The macro- and micro-economic failures and policy instability of 1980s and 1990s should never repeat itself, because we have learnt from history.

FROM DEREGULATION TO REFORMATION

2009-11-03T23:47:00.001+01:00

The lexicons of manipulation ring in the ears of Nigerians, from deregulation to reformation. I do not believe anyone representing the government in the petroleum sector. The loss of faith derives from their double-speaking and incoherence. They have lost the national flavour and are speaking in tongues of men in the dark, like the Speaker standing on the yogic head, confused about the intricacies of the sector. They are stooges trained in the poor management of the sector for the comic ending of our national pride. Management of subsidy requires transparency, sense of purpose and a clear direction to the national target. These individuals evidently continue to say they have lost the handle. The Yar’Adua administration began to fail with the infiltration of buy-out and buy-over mongers with experiences in sell-out strategies, who understand the interplay of supply and demand and how to use it against helpless Nigerians. Today, I spent more than two hours to buy fuel to run my kids to a distant private school (passing by a nearby “dead” public school in a deregulated Universal Primary Education) and run my power generating set at night. I am writing this piece in order to sleep well, knowing that I have bared my heart to Nigerians who practice the “blunders of the world” in order to leave no enduring legacy as building blocks of our nationhood

_________________________________________________________

Mahatma Gandhi’s list of the “Seven blunders of the world”

(1) wealth without work

(2) pleasure without conscience

(3) knowledge without character

(4) commerce without morality

(5) science without humanity

(6) worship without sacrifice and

(7) politics without principles.

____________________________________________

We need to redefine our paradigm. Saving money to help Nigerians has never been a sincere testament. If it is so, why has Nigeria continued to degrade in public execution of people-oriented policies (created militants)? If it is so, we won’t be having trans-regional (within Nigeria) high-ways that are not “motorable”, etc, since the time of PTF and DFFRI. We see high-ways with gullies and hospitals with new dysfunctional equipment and increasing failure of public service infrastructure, like FERMA roads that degrade in months. We continue to hear sermons of degradation to make us think of the past with nostalgia in some respect.

I have not lost faith in my President and may his silence reward him with inspirational touch to continue to direct the affairs of the nation creditably.

LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND BE FINE!

2009-11-01T22:39:00.005+01:00

“The price of petrol per litre, for which a proposal of ₦103 has been sent to the Nigerian president by the regulators in the petroleum industry to be announced by the Federal Government in December, is aimed at totally deregulating the downstream sector of the oil industry” By Festus Owete

“The atmosphere, as it were, shows that huge sums of money were expended by government to subsidise fuel which was imported by selected oil licensing companies in Nigeria, and 70 per cent of such imported products were exported to other African countries to make profit” ……“It would be absurdity for government to continue to subsidise fuel for a few oil dealers to enrich themselves, so the earlier the market is thrown open for competition, the safer for the Nigerian people, though government is anticipating a drop in the price of pump price soon after the sector is fully deregulated,…” By Iwuanyanwu, Imo State

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5472554-147/story.csp

“In a recession you do not have the luxury of striving to profit by raising prices for goods and services. The only thing that will achieve is to alienate customers and employees, kill any goodwill and bring business to a standstill.” By Debbie Ogunjobi

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/01/night-and-day-surviving-an-economic-meltdown/

>>>>>>>A broad look at the entire issue in Guardian newspaper!!!

D-E-R-E-G-U-L-A-T-I-O-N: Distilling Facts From Fiction
By Alabi Williams (Assistant Political Editor)

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sunday_magazine/article04//indexn2_html?pdate=011109&ptitle=D-E-R-E-G-U-L-A-T-I-O-N:

>>>>>>Let us do what is necessary to build a great nation by reducing poverty in Nigeria, standing at over 70% of the population (Population below PPP $1 per day) ………>> http://www.mdgmonitor.org/factsheets_00.cfm?c=NGA&cd=566#

STOP DEREGULATION AND START RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE

IT IS SAD THAT POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE TAKEN POSITION. NO TANGIBLE OPPOSITION AMONG POLITICIANS. BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WILL SEND THEM SCAMPERING. NO POLITICIAN SURVIVES THE DISPLEASURE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN THEIR DESTINY.

Failing in the national call

2009-10-29T17:33:00.003+01:00

Failing in the national call

“When the Nigerian National Anthem was played before the commencement of the World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Mozambique in Abuja on Saturday, October 10, 2009, rather than obeying Nigeria ’s call, a large section of the football fans booed.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/29/“arise-o-compatriots…”-booooo/

Is this the formation of the National Social Resistance Brigade?

A government that cannot bend to reason will break. When it does, the splinters hurt the ruled like fragments of an exploded bomb. The defence minister should watch out for assault to our national prestige by internal dissidents who shun the symbols of our nationhood. This is a build-up of resistance to bad governance and may culminate in a national social constipation. It shows that the National Orientation Agency is doing little and Akunyili's campaign is yielding negatively. Where do we go from here? The national anthem is laden with statements about where we are heading as a nation, but the words are meaningless in the actions of our national actors and operators. You can refuse to cheer a team that is failing in a national call, but you can’t refuse a call to our national ethos. That is an issue which must be made clear to the citizenry. The trait of unalloyed loyalty to the ideals of a nation is learnt in the formative years of human development. We must go there to revalidate the basis of our nationhood. I am not saying that the older ones are a lost generation. It is a well known fact the use of the right hand can’t be learned by left-handed individuals in adulthood. Reformation from left-handedness is always possible when you are young. I am a good example. I can use both hands and either of them equally. In my culture, this linguistic expression portrays me as a double-dealer full of ambiguities, but I can make wise choices of what is good for me and others. The youth development programmes should be given attention and streamlined towards achieving our national goals by instilling the compelling desire to work for our national greatness.

Several people are failing in national calls because they are square pegs in round holes. In great nations, people who lack purposeful convictions in an arena or area of performance refuse national calls because they do not want to fail the nation in such calls. Mohammed Ali refused the call of his nation to serve in the army during the Vietam war, because he wouldn’t be a good soldier in a war he did not believe in. In Nigeria, people hardly refuse a call even when they have a great chance of failing or performing below the expected target for national growth. It is irrelevant because national development is an undefined quantity. What has a clear definition is the self- interest or group-interest that must be protected. It is the failing in national calls among the “servants” in government that neo-colonialism crystallizes. Those who are true nationals now see the country as a colony exploited by cabals wearing Nigerian gabs.

This is a country of antitheses. We know what national development is. We control developmental processes so that there is no lopsidedness. We want to balance the nation on a tripod and not on a fulcrum. We remove outright competition and structure opportunities to favour those with obvious disadvantage in a fare competition. It is executed everyday because it is lawful. We see this in federal character policy for employment, university admissions, rotation of offices to balance power of national administration. Those who are stronger often have been conceding to the weaker so that the nation may thrive. These are few of the regulations that are nationally expedient. Now, the neo-colonialist among us has remembered that the quality of competition and the survival of the fittest would invigorate a nation in the threshold of greatness. We are reminded that competitive pricing is the hallmark of great nations. Are we going to move from here to consider the competitive pricing of human resource and allow Nigeria to grow heavy in the head even as tall as we are as a nation, in order to be caricatured as a heavy-headed giant who spun and fell on tiny feet?

Deregulation, as an instrument of testing competitive prowess or as an opportunity to invite more players, is not an attribute of this nation. Those we are inviting to come and compete do not believe us. Our policies are ambivalent and inconsistent. They cannot trust us fully with their investment funds. A foreign investor cannot trust a country that boasts about shareholders losing their money without caring to help with supporting instruments; a country with various institutional malfeasances. Who will trust a country that nationalized foreign investments in the oil sector some decades ago? Any investor you see is going for a pound of flesh when the going is good. Give them the pricing fluidity they want, they will come with as little infrastructural commitment as possible. In fact, the neo-colonial structure is the best for them; like the crude from our country and the refined products from theirs and the pricing mechanisms will balance the scale so that they lose less from crude oil price surge. These facts are very clear that they are not only in the imagination. Without bilateral agreements having structures that offer protection to the weak through concessionary pricing of fuel like it is obtainable in crude oil-rich nations, there is no guarantee for any foreign investors’ funds, because I would be one of those that would frustrate any contrary arrangement that is not in our national interest.

As I am writing I am watching workers like me walk on the streets of Abuja, telling those with ossified will of punishing the poor in a rich nation, like they did in the Niger Delta, that we are no fools even if they go against our will. They can be neo-colonialists, but we are more comfortable being nationalists, because those who founded this nation were like us. Our patrons wrote, they marched the streets, they called for national development and they knew our exigencies which we reiterate for the present government. Those patrons dug deep to reinforce the foundation of this nation and we do the same looking out to mend the frailties that may jeopardized the future viability of our nationhood.

Artificial scarcity of fuel in Umuahia

2009-10-29T12:34:00.000+01:00

Fuel scarcity paralyses Umuahia:

“Investigations by Vanguard showed that petroleum marketers in the city were creating artificial scarcity, as they only sell at night at inflated prices of between N85 and N120.” By Anayo Okoli

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/29/fuel-scarcity-paralyses-umuahia/

There is an official connivance any time when fuel scarcity occurs. People are making profit through official mandate. It means PPRA has been bribed and the State government is comfortable with it. PPRA must pretend not to be watching. It means failing the nation so that the cabals of the Nigerian economy can enjoy a free market at the expense of the powerless economic slaves. Do we have a government that cares for the people? This is God’s own State where God will do it after all.

In Maiduguri 2,000 Km from the coast, there is no queue because the government is working by insisting that all the agencies are closely monitored and supervised and black market rate is as low as 70-80 naira/litre. The South-East is a big question mark. It is a clear sign of what a deregulated regime will bring because it will be gangsterism and confusion. The Umuahia saga should not happen in a regulated system where laws are expected to be obeyed, and in a deregulated system, you expect PPRA to do anything to protect Nigerians from profiteering. Shame to us who cannot look after ourselves.

Is government telling the truth about the downstream oil sector?

2009-10-28T11:44:00.003+01:00

The NTA Tuesday Live yesterday, October 27, 2009 was about understanding the problems of the downstream oil sector and the panellists were a number of government stooges who had limited information about the issues on the ground. Those who phoned in and the audience were better informed than the government officials. I did not waste my time and money watching the programme, because I came to a greater realization. Information is power and the power is still with the people. I was very interested in this topic and had to keep awake and fuel my electric power generator. I believe most Nigerians did the same. What the government does not know is that Nigeria has a very large population of highly educated and well informed people, but unfortunately, these people hardly act until the crisis point because of patience and hope in the ability of insensitive rulers. The honourable member on the panel believed that Nigerians are not knowledgeable enough and he was guiding them with his euphemisms and sophisms, thinking he had a platform for good arguments. A cautionary note here, however, is that history repeats itself. When the government does not know its people, and thinks it knows the manipulative instruments of public will, things happen in ways that the ruler and the ruled will regret. It is not far behind us that the government fixed gate fee that excluded Nigerians from watching our football team play in Abuja. The politics of exclusion is staring us in the face and a member of the Economic Summit Group is a protagonist. What baffles me is that those who should have information do not seem to have it, or they have it but refuse to work with it out of selective discountenance. The politicians we have now are going to mess up the oil sector, if we are not doing something within our capacity to redirect them. Our legislators seem not to have research workers who bring contents to their thoughts and therefore, alienate themselves from the people they rule. We cannot progress without reformation of the individuals that must rule us in the direction of knowing the real needs and feelings of the people.

The honourable member of the house on the panel said the leadership was taking decision on the oil sector for our own good because we do not have the facts. He positioned the argument that price of fuel will be the incentive for private sector participation. That is untrue. The government guidelines and the operational incentives that facilitate business are the stimuli. Lower cost of doing business, guarantee for policy stability, tax waivers and crude cost discounts are some of the incentives refinery entrepreneurs are looking for. When government has created several operational bottlenecks that have nothing to do with fuel price, the refineries will not be established; and foreign producers of fuel will not co-operate with Nigeria without bilateral agreement that will be favourable to them in the long run.

The oil cabals have worked well to sustain the skewed operation of the sector, but their operation will eventually end in favour of public good. I know this because we have great hearts for goodness. My reassurance came this morning during rush hours when a Nigerian motor cyclist in business suit stopped to control traffic in a messy hold-up. What a gracious thing to do! Nigerians know what is good for us. Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigerians call obey……. The workers in Nigeria and the general public must stand up to the issues now or never.

A different perspective on DEREGULATION as a word in economics

2009-10-28T00:16:00.000+01:00

I am not an economist by training, but I understand its principles by seeing economic factors playing out everyday as a tangible reality. Besides, I read a lot of economics in my public secondary school that is now dilapidated with no motivated teachers. Having cleared the premise for discussing an economic issue, I would like to add that I know the word, DERGULATION, as an animal doctor with a specialist understanding of disease. I have slept and woken with this crazy word, because I have been thinking of it as a virus deserving attention and requiring an urgent vaccine like the Swine fever virus. I have tried to understand this word as a neo-colonial virus being created as a mutant from institutions in imperial economies. It is as dangerous as you want to see it depending on where you are; that is, if you have protective gears or you are a highly susceptible immunologically naïve juvenile economy.

Deregulation has become a phenomenon urgently called for in the downstream oil sector. Several reasons are given to justify that it is the cure for the ills of this sector. The danger signals flash from my test apparatus and tell me Nigeria wants to play with a fulminant invasive and malignant infective agent. The economic disease of the world is caused by deregulation, which is defined as unmitigated capitalism without welfarist impulse and with no protection for the defenceless poor in a deregulated regime and have no strength to find the potential richness embedded in everyone.

Deregulation is an impotent pill for weak economies brandished by experienced economies which know the theories and experiment them on the poor nations without good results. President Bush defended capitalism very well before he receded into ineffectiveness that caused economic recession. President Obama told us that capitalism failed because of irresponsible governance and failure to apply the necessary regulations required for sustainable execution of business activities. The West is coming out of the recession, but Nigeria is just going into it and trying to preach what Bush practiced and failed in a developed nation. Can we be less stupid to think that senseless deregulation will do us any good, when it has been the cause of misery in the homes of its protagonists?

Deregulation means abdication of responsibility by government in power. It means the punishment of the people by the people’s inaction. It is an uncontrolled romping of profit-driven capitalists who destroy gullible people with weak sense of self-protection. It no longer means removal of public monopoly. It has become institutionalization of private monopoly with ultimate destruction of increasingly weakened public governance, and enthronement of a faceless imperialism of cabals in strategic sectors.

The oil sector is the core of Nigeria’s existence and to consider trifling with it, is contemplating national suicide. Any decision in this sector should be carefully taken. In terms of strategic importance, the oil sector is far above the deregulated water and telecom sectors which enjoy little government interest and operate in haphazard manner reminiscent of the blinking lights. What is necessary now is to allow private refineries to spring up in Nigeria where crude oil is sold to them at a discount so that they can sell fuel to Nigerians at adjustable of retail price that is in congruence with per capita income of Nigerians. This is because we have been told that NNPC is corrupt and self-destruct, and about to be privatized like NITEL because of failure of government instruments.

Meanwhile, the government needs to find foreign refineries to import fuel from at concessionary prices in exchange for crude oil at discount rates, provided their cost of production is low and their home governments concede some export tax wavers to us through bilateral agreements. We can look for refineries in emerging economies that understand our problems and are eager to go into a synergy. Co-operation of countries with histories of similar political economies and targets may bring us the succour we are looking for. Let’s run away from economic lords with high-sounding theories because we can’t afford to continue in economic slavery in the 21^st century.

Re: Let us deregulate now! Vanguard Newspaper

2009-10-27T11:15:00.017+01:00

"It makes no sense insisting that a government that has demonstrated its inability to repair and operate the refineries must continue to spend our money in that direction.Government has also confessed its powerlessness to deal with the so-called cabal that freeloads on the over N600 billion it spends every year to subsidise fuel imports. Government has admitted its own failure. What is the need of insisting it must keep trying?" By Ochereome Nnannahttp://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/26/let-us-deregulate-now/

Deregulation is not merely the answer. The operators have a skewed definition of deregulation as free market for profiteers and enemies of our national economy called cabals and freeloads. The "government has admitted its own failure", but must that government fail to look at itself for correction in the area of failure or be corrected. An inefficient government that cannot be moved or removed is the cause of democratic instability in Nigeria.

It must be understood that the validity of a government is based on its functionality. The government wants to function in default like a man with fire extinguisher watching a match fire burn down his home. That is incredible for a sane society. The cabals have made the establishment intractable and inscrutable to goad us to a free market for the freeloads that will ensure a free flowing profit out of the exuberant tears of the owners of the black crude oil. We cannot wait for the worst thinking it can benefit us in the long run. Obasanjo co-operated with the cabals, but Yar'adua seemed not to have done so. The resolve to go beyond resistance is necessary for us to see important pro-active measures. If a poor country like Mozambique is thinking about its poor people by having concessionary fuel price in Africa, it is evident that good democracy can foster an emerging great nation built by good people in government ( http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-07-24-mozambique-to-pay-stations-keep-fuel-price-low ). We cannot make excuses for an outright deregulation. If we think well, we can come up with a model of deregulation in the downstream oil sector that would sustain development in Nigeria. What the government proposes now can only put us in strait-jacket and it is not our wishes 0r my wish.

Is fuel cheap in Nigeria? No!

2009-10-25T23:24:00.006+01:00

Nigeria is not among nations with cheap fuel. We are among the top producing nations in crude oil. What is there to show in dividends. The little we have NNPC goes shopping with it! See what other counties are enjoying!

Cruisin'

Where gasoline is cheapest

Rank	Country	Price/gal
1.	Venezuela	12 cents
2.	Iran	40 cents
3.	Saudi Arabia	45 cents
4.	Libya	50 cents
5.	Swaziland	54 cents
6.	Qatar	73 cents
7.	Bahrain	81 cents
8.	Egypt	89 cents
9.	Kuwait	90 cents
10.	Seychelles	98 cents
44.	United States	$3.45
155 countries surveyed between March 17 and April 1, 2008. Prices not adjusted for cost of living or exchange rates.
Correction: Due to data errors, previous versions of these charts were incorrect. The charts have been updated.

Source:AIRINC

NNPC is deceiving Nigerians. The leadership should go!

2009-10-25T22:10:00.006+01:00

NNPC is abdicating and failing in its goal, allowing the industrial recolonization of Nigeria. We have lost the real gain made by the Military administration. NNPC tells Nigeria that fuel prices cannot be kept low as a matter of government policy for the sake of the people from whose land the crude comes. We import fuel from countries where it is heavily taxed. We end up paying taxes to developed countries and under-develop our country in the process. What a shame! See the link below

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp

See where we were in the past and the reason for it:

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

Deregulation without functional refineries in Nigeria is a disservice to the nation and no government or its parastatal advocating that deserves the respects of Nigerians. The ultimate failure of our government will emanate from being hoodwinked by self-serving Nigerians and industrial imperialist to sell the rights and dignity of Nigerians which the soldier-politicians and nationalist politicians gave to us.

How to keep fuel price low:

Read through the link: http://www.google.com.ng/search?hl=en&q=How+to+keep+fuel+price+low&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=o&oq=

Do we have the capacity to keep fuel price low in a deregulated demand-driven regime? NO! See the link

http://www.ehow.com/how_4608092_keep-fuel-prices-low-nationwide.html

Is fuel price falling abroad? YES! and will continue to fall in great nations with good people! See the link

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/petrol-price-to-keep-dropping-economist-20091012-gtjt.html

THE TRUTH SHOULD BE TOLD:

NNPC is deceiving Nigerians. Without the efficiency to run any refinery and for hoisting deregulatory platform as the only means of developing the downstream sector, Nigerians should demand the resignation of the leadership for abdication of their core responsibilities. If this does not happen democracy has failed us and as a people, we have not accepted our true destiny.

Deregulation of fuel price in Nigeria

2009-10-25T22:01:00.001+01:00

Deregulation of fuel price is for mature nations that have robust energy infrastructure, not Nigeria. Since Nigeria is a paediatric nation with signs of emergence from childhood to adolescence, any deregulation is like deregulating sexual intercourse for children. A responsible government looking for evidence-based policy for human and social development of this nation should move with caution in deregulation. It is well known now that the economic downturn visited the world because of deregulatory policies. If mature nations were caught napping, an immature nation like Nigeria will be in a coma. A government is a mandate to regulate the economic landscape of a nation among other things. Obasanjo’s administration mounted campaigns and had an experiment with deregulation which was a colossal failure. The present administration redressed the policy and maintained policy stability in the sector, although with few challenges. Moving in a tangent now is sentencing the people to a policy that has nothing to improve their life style because there are no avenues to evade the brunt. Besides, there is no guarantee that the policy will enliven the downstream sector which is infested with lethal corruption. For example, the fuel price has never been 65Naira/liter in the South-East over these years despite the so-called regulatory policies of government; because the cabals connived with the authorities to hijack the benefits accruable to the people. If this was and is still happening, nobody knows what kind of havoc that a deregulated price regime will cause to the people
Price deregulation is a knife in the hand of an immature nation which does not know its domestic use; and in the throes of carelessness can inflict deep cuts into her social sanity. Oil barons want to make money at the expense of Nigerians, by cutting our veins and exanguinating the life-giving energy of the nation. Fuel price is a factor that affects transportation, private electric power supply for homes and industries and the prices of all commodities. The workers in Nigeria must resist this unpatriotic move in the face of devalued naira and increased national petro-dollar income. They must rise and resist those politicians and politicised civil servants who want to make us pay more than what is necessary for services which we give them the mandate to deliver.
If the government thinks that deregulation is the panacea, let us operate it successfully with the water and electric power supply and road sectors. The government has failed to do this because the barons, who understand self-serving economics more than developmental economics, will reap less from these sectors than the oil sector. Can we deregulate price for a strategic commodity in a country where businessmen commit crimes against the people by importing sub-standard goods and fake drugs, politicians freely and openly short-change the people, banks are run down under the “watchful eyes” of the Central Bank after deceitful unregulated recapitalization, and rule of law is not institutionalized?
No social or economic research document could be reached by me to see the critical evaluation of the impact of Obasanjo’s deregulations in the downstream sector. What is the basis of broaching the issue again? Notice that the government “deregulated” the water supply sector long ago and we are not complaining. We have got used to government’s increasing non-involvement in public water supply. With deregulation, the private people have taken over the “upstream and downstream” water sector, digging their wells, sinking their boreholes, setting up their water treatment factories and selling ‘pure’ water in water tankers, sachets and bottles. Visible robust water supply system is yet to emerge from that deregulation.
In the proposed fuel supply deregulation, the government holds the upstream sector, sells crude oil at competitive price and wants to deregulate the downstream sector to have another competitive price for a commodity with an inelastic demand. Reasons? The government wants profit in both sectors so that the money can be used for social infrastructure that is not available. The country has no cheap and efficient mass transit system, no unemployment benefits, no real free education, no free health care services, and no full scholarships. The government has no moral strength to argue that only price deregulation can revitalize and expand the oil downstream sector, because it has not done so in the water downstream sector. Obasanjo’s government argued that bottled water was more expensive than fuel. Despite the open playing field for water producers and the increasing number of water companies, the price of bottled water has not dropped, but has increased by over 40% and government commitment in the water sector has continuously declined. Again, the sophistic comparison of water and fuel price is laughable because the structure of water demand is so different from fuel demand. Ordinary Nigerians do not drink bottled water, otherwise we should not be talking about cholera for months now in several parts of Nigeria, which seem to defy control measures, because portable water is not available and the ordinary people still depend on wells, ponds and streams.
In mature nations, policies are people-oriented and driven by the desire to serve people’s interests. The workers in Nigeria who pay for fuel have not heard politicians debate the issue so that facts can come to the open. The information bill that can facilitate investigation into the facts of this issue so that they are subjected to public evaluation and analysis is swept under the carpet. A government that hides facts for the advantage of those who trade in power cannot fulfil the yearning of the people. Nobody has answered the South African who asked the question in Yola about why Nigerians continue to be impoverished by politicians in a country that is rich in petro-dollars. Nigerians want to know the truth about the deceit concerning deregulation of fuel price.
Stop leading us with tethers on nose notches. Good people, great nation!

Re: Troubled banks’ Shareholders have lost their banks – Sanusi

2009-10-24T10:42:00.009+01:00

SHAREHODERS AND CBN

“Shareholders need to understand what we are doing and we are merely being charitable when we talk about shareholders. Look, you’ve lost your money. If your capital is zero or negative, you no longer have a bank. That is the truth people do not want to hear. Somebody says he’s speaking on behalf of shareholders. If we publish what we have, they will see; there is no capital, it’s been gambled away- that is the truth. But we’re trying to have discussions so that the shareholders would still have something” -by Sanusi in Vangard Newspaper, Oct 24, 2009

It is like making a mess of this country that nobody will believe in it. We have controlled the militants who have been losers because of bad governance. We may be creating another set of economic militants among the shareholders. These were people who thought they were building a national economy by laying down their hard earned funds. A country of losers has no place in 20-20-20. Losers have no future and nothing to hope for, but the gradual dissipation of what ought to be theirs which they couldn't have.

Sanusi, you need to build hope for Nigerians who are striving for a good future for this country where they can have a share. Let the debtors pay. Restructure the debt that cannot be paid now. Allow for debt buy-back or equity swap. Hold those that made mistakes accountable with the purpose of correcting the mistakes using available economic tools. You can build the economy by cleaning up the mess and making the old and new investors smile at the end. The steps you take must build investor confidence. All of us must become richer. Do not allow the shareholders to lose out while you find new winners. We must all be winners if you want to succeed in this job. May God guide you.

Statement to avoid:

“Look, let me tell you, the same people whose name you see on the list of bad debtors are the same people messing up the polity, messing up the petroleum sector, messing up the power situation in the country, they are the same people who are going to rig elections so we have to deal with them. That is true. Is that the mandate of the CBN governor? It is not. But it is the mandate of Nigeria and I am a Nigerian” by Sanusi in Vangard Oct. 24, 2009

Sanusi, solve the problem like a technocrat, please, and all Nigerians will remember you as a hero. As a technocrat, you solve the problem looking at the big picture at the top of professionalism. Talking politics as seen above is being pedestrain. It makes me wonder whether your agenda are purely economic. I believed in you, but you need to strengthen the faith

Original newspaper article at:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/24/troubled-banks-shareholders-have-lost-their-banks-sanusi/

Nigerian Scholarships

2009-10-15T20:13:00.002+01:00

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/15/chevron-to-give-860-varsity-students-scholarship/

To encourage academic excellence and give opportunities to those with financial disadvantage, scholarships should be available to Nigerian students at all levels of education. We are yet to see that happen in Nigeria. No clear policy is on the ground in this respect to get the private sector actively involved. The involvement of government in the scholarship awards is dwindling and may disappear.

Nigerian Senate and Bad roads

2009-10-14T13:30:00.001+01:00

I watched the debate of the Senate today on NTA as the Senate President presided. The issue was about bad roads and accidents. The debate was undermined in the direction of calling for a state of emergency regarding the condition of some major roads linking State capitals and the various geo-political regions of Nigeria. There is urgency about road rehabilitation. When I travelled on Ubolor-Afor to Oturkpo road, I was worried that the Senate President had not been able to get work to be done on this important road in his senatorial zone. This is the most direct link road between the Benue-Plateau and South-East. This road has been in disrepair for several years, having failed portions with deep potholes that cannot allow a sane driver move at more than 30 km/hour. Action is required soonest. The President seemed to dilute the argument to engage the Minister of Works to focus on some roads quickly. The Senate President cannot afford to fail in this aspect.

Kerosine and Firewood

2009-10-06T22:06:00.002+01:00

Today, kerosine sold for 200 naira per litre. Ten hundred naira per gallon. This is a country that the poor has no place, even when there is an agency charged with poverty eradication (NAPEP?) and Ministry of Poverty Alleviation in some States. What is going on?

In this town, kerosine is hardly seen in filling stations and you cannot buy the commodity at the official pump price of 50 naira per litre. Only the black market thrives and everybody that can do something watches.

Our government that has every reason to help has failed to help, even after NTA has broadcasted the news of our problems to the nation. The FGN has neither ears nor hands in it.

We live in a town where the trees are treasured for the shades under the blazing sun that can drive the ambient temperature above 40^oC. In desperation, people cut our shady trees in search of firewood. No kerosine, no cooking, but the trees come to our rescue.

As the trees disappear, the wind breakers give way to the fast moving winds from the north of Africa. The desert encroaches as fast as we create the enabling environment. I guess the government expects the scenario in order to have reason to set up a commission for the prevention of desert encroachment and mount campaigns for tree planting.

FGN watches as the sahel is threatened by sand duns which take over the farmlands and bring famine to the doorsteps of those they have sworn to cater for. Anyway, if there is no food to cook, no firewood burns. A country in a vicious circle because of stupid politics. Can we rebrand?

Re: ASUU vs FG: A national tragedy

2009-09-27T17:19:00.003+01:00

....In fact trying right now to appeal to both sides in this great conflict ruining our nation’s future is worse than talking to a wall; it amounts to talking to two walls at the same time.......Dele Sobowale (Vangard, September 27, 2009)

The strike is being sustained by the inaction of FGN. We have a government that failed to think up a solution to a problem. Without a solution, we wait on God and pray. Remmber we are very religious. Dele, you did not offer any opinion on the way forward. The wall you face is fragile and can collapse with the sound of sweet music. The melodious voice of reason transcends the seemingly impevious wall of bigotry and sophism. Sing to the wall in the tone of a flute and you will hear the echo. ASUU and FGN may come to the dancing floor and we shall see the hostile hug of friendly enemies. We are waiting to give a begrudging standing ovation.

FGN and Governor Oshiomhole, the mediator

2009-09-26T20:17:00.004+01:00

Recently, Governor Oshiomhole visited the Minister of Education, Dr Sam Egwu to mediate on the ASUU labour conflict with FGN, proposing a win-win!

I hope the mediator understands a win-win situation.

Egwu thinks: I am in charge and I have the power. Hang on until I defeat you.
ASUU thinks: This is our country and in our constituency, we call the shots. Not Egwu.

This is a time bomb for our demoncrazy or democracy. We wait to see the outcome. Any government that cannot generate relevance from consensus-building mechanisms is planning the beginning of its end. That is the law of politics except it employs dictatorial instincts of the power-driven maverick, which can only be transitory in effect.
Our hope lies in a government that knows the tenets of democracy, the rule of law and the proper use of state power on behalf of the people.

Acting for the people means speaking to ASUU until a consensus is reached (ie democracy) , finding ASUU to be in breech of the law (ie using the court properly) and not using state power to weaken a democratic institution like ASUU (ie against the people). Let them analyse the options. This strike has the destiny of making or unmaking a political ruling class that Nigerians have been thinking about its future.

The python and the hunter story

2009-09-16T19:27:00.002+01:00

Nobody knows how the python basks in the sun
Nobody dares to see how the gaping mouth swallows
The hunter’s meat is dry
Dried enough to fill the mouth
Tough enough to defy the teeth
Though the barking canines can grab
They cannot chew a morsel
Tell ASUU, we see no python
Tell Mr President
The hunter is dead
Let’s find a place to meet and tell our stories

ASUU Vs FGN

2009-08-29T21:54:00.002+01:00

ASUU strike has been on for more than two months and FGN has been watching with "no-work-no-pay" threat. That's no solution to the problem on the ground. This is a test of our democracy. Let's have a win-win situation and get over this logjam. Is it a wait-and-see situation? If we cannot resolve this as giants of African politics, we need to invite experts and consultants on conflict resolution. We can find them in Nigeria like we found Sanusi. Without this approach, FGN is risking loss of confidence and political suicide especially with an attempt to cripple the union. There is no political future for this country if the only avenue of workers to ventilate their position through the trade union is crushed. A government that cannot handle the governed in a manner to retain public respect and relevance is ultimately going to have a weak foundation. I have faith in this government, but I am beginning to question the basis of that faith. This slow motion is creating a notion of ineptitude. Let's move forward and have the universities reopened with all issues in proper perspective.

What do we pledge to Nigeria?

2009-08-02T07:16:00.002+01:00

Nigeria has become an orphan. A kind of destitute. Everybody takes a kick and feels an exaggerated sense of patriotism for being verbally poignant. What Nigeria needs now more than anything is the enacting of the Nigeria pledge in words and action. It will be to our utmost interest to see that Nigerians understand the true meaning of patriotism and nationalism. We are driving in diverse directions and at the same time want to have a national destination. If Nigeria must survive, we have to live our national lives in the spirit of the Nigerian pledge. Thanks to that guy who wrote it. I hope the legislators and other political leaders start every action on our behalf with its recitation. It should be their mantra. The National Orientation Agency has a big job to do. I miss the MAMSER? times. The rebranding campaign is a scratch on the surface.

Milking the Nigerian Cow

2009-07-26T07:40:00.003+01:00

Milking the Nigerian Cow

If the cow is dead without the calf

Because the milk is not in the cistern for the calf

There will not be a herd

And the kingdom of cattle

Will have the future of the dead in eternal sleep

Let the cow live through the struggle for milk

The struggle continues even in our fears for the cow

Our fears abate that the guns will shoot and heads will roll

Have we not got the defence minister who is a General

And the militants are no longer military

But civil in their civilian demand for equity

The struggle continues even with IAP

The equity that justifies the worker is with us

Though we fight for future

We are neither at war nor in battle

We are inflamed to heal the wound

We are not engaged in suicide

Reminiscent of a malignant fever

Reacting to heal by boiling over

To cause a systemic halt and death

Department of Veterinary Pathology

University of Maiduguri

Maiduguri.

July 23, 2009.

The arm's swing

2009-07-26T07:08:00.005+01:00

The arm’s swing

When the arm’s swing goes with a fist

It is a fight to injure and not a walk to reach out

Your right to swing your arms should be the swagger of your walk to the destination

When it goes with a fist the cacophony to stop the fight is the stalling of your destiny

Swing the arm in salute to a great nation

Swing the arm for a hand shake with your destiny in a nation of great people

Swing the arm to hang the gun and not to take position for the trigger

Throw neither grenades nor hand bombs to your people

Because their limbs are your limbs, their injuries are your scourge

Swing no arms into the alcove and bequeath no ammunitions in your will

Your will should be the joy of a nation where you have made a difference

Like the night and day

The desert and the mangrove

On the landscape of a nation on the journey of self discovery

Swing your arms above the head with victory sign for good choices you made

And wave of goodbye to the deprecated inglorious past

Professor Ikechukwu Onyebuchi Igbokwe

Department of Veterinary Pathology

University of Maiduguri

Maiduguri

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dszc9zj_41s24hdbf2

Agenda for Nigerian University Education

2009-07-23T05:46:00.006+01:00

Agenda for Nigerian University Education

The Global Report on university education which appeared in NEWSWEEK (www.newsweekinternational.com) of September 15, 2003 is an excellent reference material for the Committees on Education in the Nigerian Houses of Assembly. The essays in that report stimulated my thinking to reflect on the agenda for Nigerian university education. The ASUU struggle is underpinned by a determination of the leadership to take the bull by the horns and strive in the direction of developing a road map for university education. The pertinent issues are recurrent because of the drawback of “gastric” thinking incessant in the national polity. Our politicians need serious proactive thoughts and action to move educational issues in the appropriate direction for national development. This is why I recommend they read the global report and attempt to situate the Nigerian scenario in the global picture.

No nation develops without its universities. The ability to solve national problems is gauged by the preparedness of the citadels of learning to engage in systematic appraisal of national issues and face them like the dynamite before the rock. No problem gets solved without good thinking and research-based solutions. Empirical and data-driven analytical researches will take Nigeria to heights most sceptics have never imagined. A lot of Nigerians seem to have given up being Nigerians in the national sense except where the posture provides individual sustenance. Who will bail the nation from automatic self-destruction from political ineptitude? Where is our hope in the future? Is it in the “rebranding propaganda”? No! It is in the educational revolution that is sustained by ASUU. The people in the education sector are mobilizing and revolting recurrently and persistently against the status quo. ASUU is thinking for the nation. “Good thinking, good product”. Good research oriented nation will beget a resourceful, progressive, great nation! The gimmick of a great nation evolving from goodness of its people is unflavoured and bland on the palate. The mundane goodness practiced by our political class will certainly not lead to the emergence of a great nation. The national culture has exalted those who grab the national cake and dole out crumbs as gifts to feed their sense of goodness. People of knowledge and competence are sidelined, frustrated and prevented from participating in national renewal. They are turned into political self-seeking individuals whose only joy stem from how much can be extracted from the national inefficient systems. The national “cow” is milked without care of the teat, the udder and the entire body. The national “cow” is ill and I called in the veterinarian. The evaluation of the clinical condition demands that we engage the theses of BARBARA KANTROWITZ (“Learning the Hard Way”) and VARTAN GREGORIAN (“The Secret of Our Success”) in NEWSWEEK (September 15, 2003). These theses did not assess the Nigerian background of educational “milk fever”, because of the “cow’s” hopelessness and seeming appearance like a “carcass” deserving of only a “post-mortem examination”.

By my thinking, the Nigerian university education is on a stalled ascendancy. The sector is populated by competent, well trained and self-motivated academics without adequate national drive and focus. The political cabals are imprisoning them in non-intellectual barricades where they lose their resourcefulness and sense of national direction and commitment. To help revamp university education through an understanding of our commitments, I examined the issues raised by the NEWSWEEK writers and identified cardinal points to be included among the agenda for university education:

This nation will never achieve any pre-eminence without a network of universities.
The path to sustainable development is created by the capacity for research.
The federal government has the responsibility to provide adequate funds for basic research.
The federal government should promote private philanthropy by private sector motivation.
The universities should be given more autonomy without outright privatization.
Democratization of the universities should ensure that diversity is promoted so that no one suffers disadvantage because of political, economic, ethnic or religious identity.
Teaching should be integrated with research and the culture of research imbibed at all levels.
The universities should engender intellectual competition and strive for excellence.
University teachers should never be turned into unmotivated public servants.
Our universities should be where the best professors want to stay and the best qualified students seek admission because of the available facilities and hands-on experiences.
The university system should have the vibrancy to generate new ideas and allow the best ideas to win.
International students should be attracted to our universities to help export our national image and encourage international co-operation.
Administration of the universities should evolve a template for governance that promotes national ideals.
The university should impact the society through community service.
Our university graduates should be prepared to meet the challenges of a developing nation with the capacity to understand problems and find solutions.
The effectiveness of our universities to achieve identified national goals should not be guesswork and therefore, a longitudinal product/system analysis is needed.

We ought to have universities where skills are thought and acquired for national development and this is important if vision 20-20-20 is to be realisable. Our “brand” emanates from the universities. This is where to start the campaign. “Good product, good thinking”. Who and what our universities produce make us the “brand” we are.

As ASUU engages the federal government, we as a people should be clear in our understanding of where we are heading to. The above agenda can help us clarify our mission in the universities and help build a nation we are proud of. Our pledge is not to destroy what we cannot rebuild. In a poetic expression:

If the cow is dead without the calf

Because the milk is not in the cistern for the calf

There will not be a herd

And the kingdom of cattle

Will have the future of the dead in eternal sleep

Let the cow live through the struggle for milk

The struggle continues even in our fears for the cow

Our fears abate that the guns will shoot and heads will roll

Have we not got the defence minister who is a General

And the militants are no longer military

But civil in their civilian demand for equity

The struggle continues even with IAP

The equity that justifies the worker is with us

Though we fight for future

We are neither at war nor in battle

We are inflamed to heal the wound

We are not engaged in suicide

Reminiscent of a malignant fever

Reacting to heal by boiling over

To cause a systemic halt and death

Professor Ikechukwu Igbokwe

Department of Veterinary Pathology

University of Maiduguri

Maiduguri.

July 23, 2009.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dszc9zj_40d29gp9c4

NEPA and PHCN

2009-07-20T00:13:00.002+01:00

NEPA was starry-eyed
with rapid blinking reflex
and occasional bright stare.
She developed a genetic maleficence
because of radioactive gas pipelines.
The genes were mad,
and in convulsive fit, struck her dead blind
seeing neither light of day nor night illumination.
NEPA's child was born blind, unaccepted
and destined for an accident of birth
where giants in the neighborhood
with malignant brains would heal her with
scalpels and stitches and not blown apart
in hatred with explosive patriotism and apathy.
This child, PHCN!
you need a new name and personalty
A new name to give you sight.
Let's wait and see
Is it called a rebrand?
Even idiots have brains
By Prof. Ike Igbokwe

STARCOMMS: Slow Internet Speed in Maiduguri

2009-07-20T00:00:00.005+01:00

OPEN LETTER TO STARCOMMS NIGERIA

Sir,

I am writing from Maiduguri. I use your internet service through a MobiLink network device. For a few days now, I experience an abnormally slow speed during late morning to late night. The speed gets below 1 MB per sec (500-900 byte/sec) such that I could do nothing with the connection. I get a speed of 7-15 MB/sec from 4.30-7.00 am for easy downloads. I appreciate your effort to extend your service to Maiduguri and when I got the 3G connection, I thought my internet worries were over. I believe in your company and its "call to freedom". I hope I can depend on you to do something soonest.

Thanks.

Your loyal customer

Lessons from June 12

2008-07-14T16:04:00.001+02:00

Power resides with the people. We understand this to be true in democracy. Nigeria has tried to evolve its home-grown democracy to satisfy the peculiarity of our political environment. June 12 election was the end of an experiment to develop a party system and an electoral process in a political laboratory. The principal researcher was Prof. Humphrey Nwosu and the sponsor was General Ibrahim Babangida. I expected Nwosu’s book to contain all the results and any conclusions derivable from them. The amount of intellectual and material resources that went into this experiment could not be allowed to be wasted. Those who have tinkered with our political genres need to think through this matter properly to understand deeply how things are shaping up for a greater tomorrow. Prof. Nwosu is morally bound to provide all the information and fill in the gaps so that all the lessons of June 12 may be fully understood. The Head of State that annulled the election called to an end the experiment; his goal or purpose and the reasons for suspending things in the direction they were moving are yet to be made public. Our political historians have not asked the right questions and that is why there is too much haziness around June 12. Those who fought to bequeath a united Nigeria claim they were still fighting for the survival of this country as a polity.
If June 12 was a military coup, as it seemed, that was open to political analysis, we have failed to do a thorough job. We have only called names and tried to apportion blames for the annulment, but have not considered the reasons for the action. Who was to gain by the action; the masses, the nation or some unseen self-centered group in or outside the military establishment? We are searching for good answers. If the cabal who played the game of power can not realize the folly of any justification, let history glorify them if the truth in decades’ time will be a balm. The wild goose chase should stop and be replaced by visionary effort for Nigeria.

ON BISHOP OKONKWO’S THOUGHTS

2008-07-14T15:59:00.001+02:00

Bishop Okonkwo’s interview with Sam Eyoboka on Sunday Vanguard, 22nd June 2008, contained statements that evoked feelings of doubt as to whether he should not leave politics for those who are cut out for it and face the expounding of the scriptures. He jumped on shaky ropes and I hope he didn’t get thrown off balance. He called for the resignation of Prof. Iwu without offering a better alternative and telling us why he failed as well as what his successor should do to succeed. He advocated for the use of extraordinary force in the Niger Delta region by the Federal Government to dismantle and suppress the interest groups there. I expect that legitimate interest groups actually should build a firm political foundation for us. Forceful intimidation of the people who have clear ideas about their needs and expectations is the killer of our collective national aspirations. I hope the Bishop is asking for neither another Odi saga nor the incarceration of leaders of thought calling for change in the Niger Delta. He should ask for good roads, portable water, service-oriented hospitals and other development programmes or keep quiet and pray. With love in our hearts, we ought to go into the Niger Delta with the power to listen and act with compassion.

To Professor J.D. Amin

2008-06-16T12:37:00.016+02:00

Your Watch and Time

Take this watch
As we watch in appreciation.
See this watch
As we see your worth.
Check your time
As it's bullish in stock term.
Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack!
In seconds, time writes you a cheque
In minutes, time defines your value
In hours, time declares your legacy
In days, time reveals your will
In time, we shall know who inherits your seal
Watch the time, as the events unfold
Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack!
Step by step
Strides into the future
As fame greets your adventure
And we watch in the hall of heroes
Welcome and embrace the time
Enjoy and use the time
Thanks for the time you wear on your wrist
For reminding you
For its call for the head of a giant over the mountain top
To roll into the valleys of wild hilarious ovations and waving hands
In the boisterous silence of this time, listen to the watch
Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack! Tick! Tack!
Tick like the ticking watch on your wrist
A message from your colleagues in standing ovation

Class slides for VPT 511

2008-04-29T21:08:00.002+02:00

Practical Slides For VPT 321- 2007

2007-11-16T16:52:00.000+01:00

My Online DVM Class

2007-11-15T21:46:00.003+01:00







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On-going Research

2007-11-15T18:50:00.000+01:00

Interdisciplinary Workshop

2007-09-08T23:21:00.001+02:00

Interdisciplinary Workshop:
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dszc9zj_17cqwrqh

---
You are invited to join us in this workshop on the Sahel goat

Hold Your Peace

2007-09-08T22:24:00.001+02:00

When you prepare a tincture

for the eye to see peace
you need not add any pepper.
Why raise the peppery dust
which places no friendly finger
on the face of your eyes.
Your tears are signs of your stir.
You wrote and stirred our thoughts.
With tearing eyes, we saw you as a left-hand writer.
With a tongue like a blade and a fist of punching words
you scattered the congregation with pebbles of words from your dump
The thunderous one with flying tongue and wild mind like a virgin forest,
Hold your peace and look through the tenth door in silence to see clearly.

Arise and shine, pupils of AMS (Abande Memorial School)

2007-08-16T17:47:00.003+02:00

Arise and shine, pupils of AMS (Abande Memorial School)

(Speech by Professor Ike Igbokwe on the occasion of the 4^th graduation ceremony of ABANDE MEMORIAL SCHOOL)

________________________________________________________________________

The honourable Chairman of the occasion,

Distinguished invited guest,

The proprietress and Chairperson of the School Board,

Members of the School Board,

The Head teacher and her Team,

Ladies and Gentlemen

I was startled by the invitation to be a guest speaker on this occasion. I wondered whether I was the most appropriate person. As a University teacher with a long-standing experience, I may understand University teaching and administration, but I am not an expert in preprimary and primary education. I tried to stretch my imagination to encompass what my intellectual reasoning would consider an appropriate topic for me to speak on, but failed until my daughters, who are pupils of AMS were rehearsing in the sitting room some days ago. They called my attention for audience as they matched briskly, up and down, singing: “Arise and shine, and give God the glory, children of AMS”. They were talking to me with golden tongues about my topic today, in a most dramatic way. I got up from my seat to match along with them, to enliven the rehearsal and expand the sense of drama. My action was actually a gesture of gratitude for an insight into a question my brain failed to give a ‘pop-up’ answer.

Today, I speak to you on the topic: “Arise and shine, pupils of AMS”. I am going to attempt to address us on some vital issues which add up in the cocktail required to produce AMS pupils who will usually ‘arise and shine’ on occasions like this. The first place to reach out to in this talk is my heart and the heart of other parents and guardians gathered to witness this ceremony. Our hearts are filled with immense and overflowing gratitude to the proprietress of AMS, the School Board, the head teacher and her team of dedicated, competent teachers and auxiliary staff, who have prepared the grounds for this occasion like this.

When my wife and I chose AMS for our children’s education, it was because the school met certain standards in terms of infrastructure, child care and teaching quality. “A good product sells itself” is a germane proverb to illustrate this point. We are encouraged by what we see and hear about this school. As the AMS pupils ‘arise and shine’ today, they give credence to the glorious path that AMS has envisioned for the children for this generation. The school authority is not resting on its oars in improving infrastructure as we can see in the new buildings being added to accommodate more pupils. The School Board has not failed to ensure that competent teachers and auxiliary staff are employed and paid motivating salaries. This was done without jacking up school fees. Certainly, an aspect of the philanthropic posture of ABANDE family and their cohorts is being witnessed today in these developmental projects of the school.

This school has helped our children to enjoy the learning experience, to gain confidence in themselves, as well as to understand and appreciate healthy relationships across ethnic and religious boundaries. We appreciate the teachers’ roles in loco parentis as they attend to the psychological demands of their pupils, an added responsibility to the academic demands. We accommodate your efforts as you reinforce learning experience by your scolding, reprimands, praises, encouragements and mild punishment of the pupils to influence their behavioural traits. I remember a situation, about two years ago; when my daughter elected to refer a matter I was contesting with her to her teacher. Anytime there was a perceived unkindness from us as parents, she referred us to her teachers’ standards which were high in her perception. It was Auntie Rose, Avala, Betty or some other Auntie or Uncle. The school is an extension of the family, in a sense. So, there is need to build the school like we build the family.

Our pupils are ‘shining’ today because they have learnt many new things about books, reading, singing and playing. They have learnt about neatness, promptness, courtesies, attentiveness and hard work, among others. The cordial relationship between parents and teachers make these learning experiences achieve utmost effectiveness. Thanks to all parents and teachers who co-operated to achieve these onerous objectives.

Although I am yet to see the vision and mission statements of AMS, I believe this school is matching ahead and singing with her pupils: ‘Arise and Shine’, after taking stock. Let the vision and mission of the school be articulated to reflect the broad objectives set by the School. Let them be our standards. Let them influence our choice of AMS for our children.

Finally, I wish to congratulate our children for their successes and I urge them to commit to meaningful vision of the future with AMS as their springboards.

Like I usually tell my children, let the name of the Almighty God be with you always and never fail to call on the only Benefactor of all that live and express life. May the blessings be with us.

Thank you for listening to me.

i.o.igbokwe - Publications List

2007-08-16T17:36:00.000+02:00

i.o.igbokwe - Publications List
You can read my publications through this link

Whispers

2007-01-30T17:16:00.003+01:00

We met on the corridors of power
chewing mouthful of contemporary issues
We laughed with pursed lips
emitting mouth farts and pebbles
We whispered to those with sharp ears
hoping we said the songless verses we know

By Professor Ike Igbokwe

Copyright: 2000

The mutely dance

2007-01-22T21:11:00.002+01:00

Let's count our teeth with our tongue
The child in the storm accepts a drenched overcoat
Where are we now, the mute people of this nation
We are on the dance arena,
Where a step is double its cost
Where a step is not an ovation
But a pain in the striding foot
Just one litre of petrol for my grumbling car belly
Just a step to reach this glittering diamond
On this land littered with the priceless stone
A piece for no fixed price
A market madness with a lever
Driven into the bottom platform
Jacking the system to the heights

We are in the market arena
Chosen as our dancing stage
With hands folded on the chest
With mouth agape with no applause
Mute that we may save our sanity
As gorillas steal our dance
And ask us to clap in silent approval
We cannot be a failed nation
Where grass is found in the lexicon of grace
Let the constipated visit the clinic for
A laxative to move the bulk of filt of inefficiency
And discover a nation with good digestion
Let's forget that she is mute to our cajoles
Let's wage a war against her deafness.

(c) By Professor Ike Igbokwe

The national feast 1

2007-01-22T20:40:00.001+01:00

Imagine;
On the day of the feast
No food nor drink on the table
Or a limited supply of the tantalizers
The grumbling mouths stampede to raise the stakes

See;
The kitchens are full of unruffled chefs
With no foodstuff, condiments and spices
The pipelines to our kitchens are broken
From the taps of our dream
And our nation is depleted of energy

Expect;
No cracking of cream eggs
That failed the candle test
In our national kitchen
No more untested chefs
No good meal without a recipe
Let's rusticate chefs that lack taste

By Professor Ike Igbokwe
Website: http://ikeigbokwe.blogspot.com

Reaching the Heights

2007-01-21T13:54:00.002+01:00

Reaching the Heights
I am reaching for the heights
With grumbling belly on high gear
I know there is something there for me
Lend me your shoulder, the giant in the sun
That I may climb up to the heights
To find the scarce street petrol
To escape the stationary extorting patrol
To police hope into this place
My milk of humanity is soured
By the yeast of my internal strength
Wasted so far on a waste land
Rich in everything, but no will to stop
The drooling saliva of desperation from
The mouth agape with the surprises of
An oil-rich country with greaseless joints
And wobbling weak-boned limbs
If I take after this country
I will jump with fixed joints
And friable fractured bones
That spill the marrow of a nation
And deny her of a life-giving blood
I weep after each jump
When it seems my failing strength
Sets the height farther towards the heavens
Your fluty whisper tells me
My strength is not in the jumpy limbs
But in the flaying gas of my breath
I have chosen to fly even wingless
Beyond the skyless heavenly destiny
With a nation that has defied anarchy

(c) By Professor Ike Igbokwe

My Biodata

2007-01-21T13:43:00.002+01:00

PROFESSOR IKECHUKWU ONYEBUCHI IGBOKWE was born on the 11th October 1958 in Jos, Plateau State to Mr and Mrs Ezekiel Echewendu Igbokwe, who are indegenes of Umuso-Eluama in Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State. After his Primary Education in June 1973, he continued in Isuikwuato High School, Isuikwuato where he obtained his West African School Certificate in Division One with an aggregate score of thirteen. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to graduate in 1983 as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with Distinctions. He joined the Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, in December 1984, rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Pathology (in the subspecialty of Clinical Pathology / Laboratory Medicine) in 1998, served as Head of Department in 2000-2002. He had enjoyed the University of Maiduguri Staff Development Fellowship to obtain a Master of Veterinary Science degree from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, in 1986 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1997 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He has researched and published extensively on the pathogenesis of trypanosomosis. His innovative researches were in areas of erythropoietic response, oxidative stress, peroxidative injury and intracellular glucose delivery in trypanosomosis. His authoritative reviews on the disease were commissioned and published by the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International, Oxon and one of them is on CD-ROM and online as a component of an Animal Health and Production Compendium ( www.cabicompendium.org/ahpc). He researched and reviewed information on the pathophysiology of water deprivation in ruminants, published by CABI, Oxon. He led a research on bovine tuberculosis in the northeastern Nigeria partly supported by NARP-NVRI programme and maintains interest in this area. His scientific publications are more than sixty. He was nominated for the award of International Man of the Year and International Scientist of the Year for 2003 by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England and Man of the Year for 2005 by American Biographical Institute, Raleigh, USA. He is a published poet and is attracted to an uplifting spiritual life. He is married to Dr (Mrs) Nanacha Afifi Dagwannah Igbokwe.

Article

2007-01-15T19:08:00.001+01:00

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