Clay Richie

Two weeks after I asked rhetorically that what do we do with the Nigerian Army, it is with sadness and pain I return to another issue concerning our soldiers. This time around, it has to do with the bloodbath at the 157 Task Force Battalion, Metele, Abadam local government area, Borno State.

That there has been no public reprimand or manifest sanctions on the top echelons of the Nigerian Army as we speak is a disheartening indication of the failure of ethics and the lack of respect that the country has for those gallant men and women adorning its military uniform. And that is not just because two soldiers who claimed to be part of the number that survived the recent horrendous Boko Haram attack on Melete, Borno State opened a can of worm that should worry us all, it is because the loss of one soldier, let alone about a number put around 200 should be a major concern to the leaders and citizens of any country that incurs such. But this is Nigeria!

“Ha Officer! How did Boko Haram insurgents kill, in one fell swoop, over 70 soldiers of the 157 Battalion, Metele, Borno State right in their barracks? I had thought those anarchists had long been, to borrow a presidential language, “technically defeated” since you showed them your mojo early to mid 2015. Are you allowing them turn you into Boy Scouts, once again? What is going on?”

The news that South East Governors and other major political office holders stayed away from the installation of former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the Waziri Adamawa on November 22, 2018, in Yola, has sparked concerns about possible disaffections within the PDP following the selection of Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate. Earlier, the South East political leaders were also conspicuously absent when Igbo elders and leaders from across party lines - including President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chief Nnia Nwodo, renowned constitutional lawyer Professor Ben Nwabueze and former President of Nigerian Bar Association Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and a host of orders - endorsed the Atiku/Obi ticket. As if these signals were not enough, on November 21, a day before the installation of Atiku as the Waziri Adamawa, the South East Governors, together with the Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa where they were reportedly tol

Although we still don’t know the actual number of gallant men and officers of the Nigerian army that we lost or the operating environment that allowed the Boko Haram insurgents to exact such tragic fatalities, the main lesson from last week attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State is that those who sacrifice their lives in defence of our country deserve better treatment. And despite megawatts of excuses from the military high command, it is obvious that those at the helm have serious questions to answer.

From the earliest history of America, there has been a recognition—albeit slowly and imperfectly acted upon—that higher education must be an “engine” of both their economy and democracy. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of America—advocated public higher education to foster an informed citizenry and also as an investment in the nation’s economic future. This is what makes America and Americans thick on earth. They value education and they are heavily bankrolling it. You want to understand the secret behind the prosperity of 1st world countries? Go and peruse the quality of their education. Any nation that does not value education cannot but be poor.

By definition, University, as a community of teachers and scholars, is an institution of higher education and research. ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities), is the umbrella of academic staff of Nigerian universities, committed towards ensuring the adequate provision of resources and facilities necessary for achieving the missions and visions of the Nigerian Universities.

The much-anticipated Atiku Abubakar policy document to make Nigeria Work Again has been launched and now available for public scrutiny. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former customs officer, a consummate politician and successful businessman was for eight years, the Vice President of the federal republic of Nigeria (1999- 2007). Atiku has been a constant feature in all-presidential elections since 2007 but this is the first time l can recall him issuing such an elaborate and detailed policy statement on his dream of making Nigeria work.

Oby Ezekwesili caused quite a stir on Sunday on Abuja streets. Even as the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP continued to trade insults days after individually presenting their election manifestos ahead of what promises to be a grudge “rematch” in 2019, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria opted to share pamphlets to folks gathered probably more out of curiosity than solidarity.

Goodluck Jonathan’s greatest call to enduring fame is the fact that he was the first Nigerian to ever concede victory to his opponent in a major federal election. Before his now historic concession – and even since then – the tradition has been for a loser to proceed to the election tribunal and do everything to tarnish the legitimacy of his successor. Jonathan behaved nobly by conceding to Buhari. Nothing can snatch that trophy from him.

“Iya Kabiru must be the luckiest woman in Nigeria today” “Who is that? I don’t know anybody so-called” “You don’t know Iya Kabiru? But you know Baba Kabiru?” “Do they know me?”

We must continue to write about the reckless killings of Nigerian troops in large numbers by Boko Haram until the government of President Muhammadu Buhari does the needful and end the insurgency in the North-East. You will recall that in the past, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, it was this same Mr Buhari who was shouting on top of his voice that the attack on Boko haram was attack on the entire Northern Nigeria.

One week after the official kick-off of campaigning for the 2019 presidential election, there is little action yet by most contenders known to have signified interest in the race. For an activity that the law provides a 90-day window, could it be they are yet warming up to hit the tracks?

I know many of my former colleagues in the banking industry and my fellow students of Economics will be up in arms against me for holding the view I will be expressing in this article. I know this because I am going to be departing from conventional wisdom and norms in this discussion of foreign reserves. Well, I am also prepared for the attacks.

The struggle of Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to mount the horse as the country’s President has been legendary and sustained. Since 2003, when he deputized former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), the ambition to lead Nigeria has refused to quench like a candle in the wind.

The biggest folklore in town today is the myth of a supposed impostor named Aminu Jubril El Sudan masquerading as Nigeria’s president. While I sympathize with President Buhari on this, I will quickly add that he is not and will not be the first victim of dubious conspiracy theory. There are always proponents and followers of crazy conspiratorial theories.

It is very easy to live with the fact that Jimi Agbaje, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party who is the main opposition to Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of All Progressives Congress in the race for the Alausa government house did not just fall from the sky.

I have a story to tell. In the 1970s, three governments set up national oil companies to engage in exploration, production and refining. Nigeria created the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Norway set up Statoil, and Malaysia established Petronas. Today, Statoil — now renamed Equinor ASA — and Petronas are among the biggest state-owned oil and gas companies in the world. Equinor ASA and Petronas declare profits in billions of dollars and are among the most valuable companies in the world. Equinor ASA operates in 36 countries while Petronas is doing business in 35 countries. They are doing well home and abroad.

In June 2018, a report by the Brookings Institute showed that Nigeria has the highest number of poor people in the world–with over 80 million Nigerians living on less than 1.90 dollars a day. It also means that over half of Nigerians live from hand to mouth. It means that they live on less than N700 every day. This statistic is paradoxical: Nigeria is not a poor nation; Nigeria is wealthy only that its wealth is stuck in a few hands.  In the coming days, as elections beckon, things will be worse, existing inequality will be more obvious.

His steps and moves have, so far, been measured and calculated. He has been taking deliberate and conscious steps to ensure that he puts his hand where his mouth is. That is Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections. After his overwhelming victory at his party’s National Convention of 6th October, 2018, Atiku has left no one in doubt that he is prepared for the journey ahead.

Mr Goodluck Jonathan, I love you, but whoever told you to put this part blaming Obama and Cameron and Western leaders for your electoral loss in your book does not love you. You have lost a little of your sheen as a statesman and as a leader.

The drama ensuing after the release of videos alleging that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State solicited and received bribes from contractors is an unmitigated shame. It is indicative of the country’s backwardness on two fundamentally important fronts and should worry everyone who desires a democratic and corruption-free country.

Politics is in the air and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is at it again. The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke has become a pawn in the politics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid. Obviously, this failing government has nothing to sell as its achievement to promote its re-election bid. So as the elections draw near, it’s scrambling desperately in search of how to sell its re-election bid to the people.

Back in the Athenian garden where the tradition of public debate was first documented in antiquity, the danger had long been recognized. Logicians call it red herring. Those in the habit of artfully diverting an argument in order to obfuscate the question prefer this kind of fallacy.

Every election season in countries well-governed, citizens expect that the policy documents of the leading candidates will contain not only promises but also what would come from their pockets to fund such plans. That is basically what the phrase, “no taxation without representation” connotes since it also presupposes that there can be no effective (and accountable) representation without taxation. But in Nigeria, our people have been conditioned to believe that government is a Father Christmas that dispenses the goodies of life free of charge without demanding anything of citizens.

As the nation quietly throttles towards the 2019 elections, the daily prelude to the elections is on the high rise with series of political activities. An adage says - 'When you put one leg to test the depth of a river and crocodile feasted on it, it will take a blind risk to put the other leg' -- this unifying narrative best describes the dilemma of the masses who are faced with another electioneering process especially with a constrained choice of choosing a worthy winner out of the record of 79 candidates in the race for the Nigeria's presidential election scheduled to hold in February, 2019.

With great disappointment and distaste, I read the above-titled piece supposedly written by one Abdullahi Haruna. It was indeed like a tour of a lunatic asylum. What are his contentions? It was clearly sponsored by those who are dismayed that the Vice-Presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi has no common fault that are observed among many Nigerian politicians and in desperation concoct tales, which defy all logic.

The build-up to the next general elections should reach boiling point any moment now. That’s a quadrennial given, so there should not be any prize for guessing or too much fuss about it. However, as we approach the electoral eve crescendo, a window opens that offers the Nigerian masses a golden opportunity that’s been consistently missed since 1999. Perhaps, the country has endured the perennial political miasma because citizens fail every time to do the needful.

The major problem of this Policy Document is that it fails to address the most fundamental issues faced by most other previous similar documents – i.e. the ‘how’ issues! We all know the problems; we know why we’ve the problems; and we also know what to do to solve these problems.

The phrase “lame duck” is used cautiously in this piece. One, we don’t have a new governor yet in Lagos State as Akinwumi Ambode remains our governor until May 29, 2019. But, for many of us residents of the state, our dear governor is dozing; no, he’s actually sleeping.

“There was no bitterness in him after he left power. He did not look back. He did not look down. Instead he looked up and after looking up, he looked forward and went on pressing ahead. That forward movement has resulted in this work of statecraft and statesmanship of which I am privileged to write the foreword. Though there are many themes in this book, My Transition Hours, the theme that most excites me is the one on youth and the next generation” – John Dramani Mahama, President, Republic of Ghana, 2012 -2017.

With their intimidating antecedents of desperation, nothing is too grave for them to sacrifice on the altar of selfish ambition. They love war, especially with harmless innocent Akwa Ibom people. They do not pretend about it.

By statutory timelines spelt out for the 2019 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the lid is formally off stumping by the political class towards the forthcoming poll. Campaigns for presidential and national assembly elections slated for February 16th got off the starting blocks on November 18th, while December 1st is the official flag-off of campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections coming up on March 2nd.

I have now listened to Bukola Saraki’s new soundcloud audio of an address in Yoruba to his supporters in Ilorin. It is indeed a galling tell-all, a compelling compendium of his grievances and animus against President Buhari.

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation"- Oscar Wilde The metamorphosis of President Buhari is one that is almost impossible to notice especially due to his continued relevance in the scheme of Nigerian governance, military and politics. He has maintained this visibility since the late 1960's and the transition from a young military officer and Head-of-State into the thin, visibly weak and aged image has not escaped the eyes of the Nigerian public. Buhari has always been with us. Is he still?

Apart from his popular refrain that claims he belongs to nobody and belongs to everybody, one key quote associated to President Muhammadu Buhari is linked to corruption. He had repeatedly said: If we don’t kill corruption in Nigeria, corruption will kill us.

On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, the Face of Democracy in Africa, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, will be 61 years old. On that same day, he will be presenting his brilliant book, My Transition Hours, to the public.

Dr. Yemi Kale, the Statistician General of the National Bureau of Statistics of Nigeria (NBS), recently tweeted that the bureau’s unemployment report was being delayed by funding issues. He was reacting to insinuations that the delay was because the Buhari administration wanted to hide the current unemployment figures, given the implications for the 2019 elections. However, those familiar with the state of the nation’s finances know that it is much more than that. NBS reports are classified as capital expenditure and most government agencies have received only about 10% of their capital allocation so far this year. By the way, this year ends next month.

Fellow Nigerians, today’s epistle was inspired last minute by an encounter I had last night with a Buharideen. I had been contemplating what to write about this week when I ran into a staff of Indomie Noodles, the most popular noodle-processing company possibly in Africa, at a restaurant in Ikeja, Lagos. The gentleman had walked up to me for a quick chat, which was perfectly in order, as far as I was concerned. Indeed, this is a regular occurrence most places I go. It is always likely that I run into those who usually walk up to me to request selfies or general discussion. And so, this young man announced himself as my fan. He did not stop there, he said he follows me on Twitter and enjoys my tweets but added matter-of-factly, so to say, that he does not always agree with me. I responded that I was grateful for his appreciation of me and his following, but I added that two people can never agree on everything, all the time.

Tomorrow, according to the schedule of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is the day electioneering campaigns towards the February, 2019 general elections will start nationwide. With our fixation and seeming adoration for the election year, and all its accompanying drama, exaggerations, shenanigans, revelries, and many other lying arts…our politics, players and “back-up singers” are priming their bayonets and wet blankets to bestride the country as if all is well…or all shall be well as long as we vote for them!

Background This report is a snapshot of Africa’s current energy industry using data from the recently published BP Statistical Review of World Energy as well as the data banks of the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) and Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)) aimed at highlighting trends, challenges and possible long-term solutions.

This week’s reflection is on a trending story that began when Buhari returned from his 104-days of medical treatment in the UK in 2017. Many were surprised that on his return,  Buhari, who was a subject of several extremely negative rumours during his medical sojourn in the United Kingdom, came back looking younger and more boisterous.

When the advocacy for the constitutional review of Nigeria towards achieving the objective of devolution and decentralisation of power (aka restructuring) is cast as ‘meaning different things to different advocates’ the clear insinuation is that the debate is mired in confusion. Often, those who take recourse to this admonition are ideologically hostile to any progressive review of the political status quo of Nigeria in the first place. But there are others who raise this reservation in good faith. This is an indication of a communication gap between the advocates and the Nigerian audience. The practical way to bridge this gap is simplification and clarity of definition and terms; and the identification of an irreducible minimum principle to which all Nigerians can potentially subscribe.

It matters a lot to our politicians what the foreign press or agencies say about them, especially about their electoral chances. If foreigners, particularly those in London or New York, say something nice, our politicians take it to heart and repost as far and wide as they can. If not, they get mad. 

It should actually be worrying to genuinely concerned Nigerians that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with impunity is manifestly going into apostasy against every known principle of honesty as concerns budgeting and accounting in all the streams of the nation’s oil business.

Sitting at meetings with former President Olusegun Obasanjo is almost akin to attending an advanced class in government and politics and if you pay attention, you are going to learn a lot. That has been my experience in the past three years on the Advisory Board of the African Initiative for Governance (AIG) being promoted by Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede. Last Friday, at the meeting which preceded the Saturday and Sunday sessions for the selection of the next cohort of Oxford University scholarship candidates, we spent time reviewing the initiative and the prospects for meeting set objectives.

Even by the sheer reason of venture, the number and quality of aspirations to Nigeria’s Presidency in the 2019 elections should excite and give a sense of satisfaction that democracy is gradually taking roots in the country.

For a week, yours faithfully traversed the entire South Eastern states of Nigeria during a private visit to my Countryside. South East of Nigeria is home to Igbo Nigeria’s strategic member of the national tripod just as others are Yoruba and Hausa.

Discussions could be illuminating when issues are situated in a global context. It is also a good thing that Nigerian public intellectuals are wont to summon examples from other parts of the world to support their arguments. After all, Nigeria should adopt the international best practices, as they say.

The narrow-minded would probably view the futility of the entire visit only by a fleeting wardrobe malfunction. In the amusing picture that had trended in the social media, visiting Prince Charles of Wales buttoned his suit wrongly. Flanked by wife Camila and a Nigerian general in full ceremonial attire in the blazing sun, his sunglasses would have accentuated his grey-colored ensemble, but for the misaligned button.