Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ghost workers and national minimum wage
Within the past two weeks, there
have been no fewer than three
reports of discovery of ghost
workers fleecing the public treasury
of badly needed funds. Ghost
workers, for those who may not be
familiar with the Nigerian parlance,
are non-existent workers collecting
salaries from public institutions.
These ghosts are not the bodiless
spirits that scared children in the
folktales of old, but non-existent
characters for whom bank accounts
are opened and operated by some
unscrupulous people who pay
salaries into them in grand theft
schemes that have been an
albatross for government over the
years.
The public offices at which ghost
workers have been detected of late
are the National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC),
which confirmed that 4000 of its
10,300 workers are ghosts. This
problem came to light after
completion of the commission’s
biometric data capture system. The
Director General of the Commission,
Mr. Chris Onyemenam, said apart
from the 4000 ghost workers, 800
employees could also not show up
during a staff identification process.
Elimination of the ghost workers is
expected to save the Commission
millions of naira that would have
been paid out as salaries.
The Rivers State Universal Basic
Education Board (RSUBEB) has also
discovered 1,477 ghost workers in
the state’s Ministry of Education. The
chairman of RSUBED, Mr. Ali
Oruitemeka, said about N200 million
would be saved monthly following
the deletion of names of the ghost
workers from the ministry of
education payroll.
Also, Olusegun Aganga, former
finance minister now minister of
trade and investment, said about
43,000 ghost workers were
detected and removed from
government payroll in the last one
year. He explained that the fictitious
names were padded into the payroll
of 36 government ministries,
departments and agencies (MDAs)
but were discovered through the
newly introduced Integrated
Personnel and Payroll Information
System (IPPIS).
He said the problem led to a
situation in which personnel costs in
the Federal civil service increased to
N1.3 trillion from N850 billion
between 2009 and 2010. About N12
billion, he said, was recovered as a
result of the discovery. The
Inspector General of Police, Hafeez
Ringim, also sometime ago
disclosed that about 30 per cent of
the entire police workforce of
337,000 are ghost policemen who
have been collecting salaries from
the government for many years.
He said an audit of police personnel
revealed that there are no fewer
than 107,000 ghost policemen in the
country.
With so many ghost workers in the
public service, it is no surprise that
all tiers of government are
complaining that they cannot fund
the wage increase.
To free funds for higher wages, all
tiers of government should
embrace the new Integrated
Personnel and Payroll Information
System used by the federal
government to detect ghost
workers at the federal level.
Ghost workers should not be
allowed to cripple the nation’s
payment system. If ghost workers
are dealt with, it will leave more
funds that could assist in payment
of the National Minimum wage to
workers, and also fund
development of infrastructure
It is, however, necessary to go
beyond the frequent identification of
ghost workers on the government
payroll. It is also important to ask
how names of those ghost workers
got on the payroll in the first place.
For example, we have been told that
N200 million is being saved
following the discovery that that
amount was being paid to ghost
workers monthly at the Cross River
State Ministry of Education. But
now that the ghosts have been
detected, is it not possible to detect
the public officers, bank officials and
others that put these ghosts on the
payroll, and benefited from their
inclusion?
These ghost paymasters must be
brought to book to ensure that they
do not engage in such bad
practices, henceforth. It is necessary
to clean up the payroll system to
ensure that only genuine workers
take salaries. This should be done in
conjunction with reduction of waste
in public expenditure. Everything
should be done now to end the era
of ghost workers in the public
service.
The mass murder in Norway
My heart goes out today to Norway,
where a crazed man identified as 32-
year old Anders Behring Breivic
detonated a bomb in a government
office in the country’s capital, Oslo,
killing 7 people. He put on police
uniform and headed to a Labour
youth camp where he shot
indiscriminately into a crowd of
about 500 youths attending a youth
league meeting. At the end of the
crazy rampage of the man who
described himself as a “moderate
agnostic” who went on to become
“moderately religious”, an additional
85 people were dead, 96 injured
and many are still missing.
The mass murderer reportedly shot
many who tried to escape his
shooting spree by swimming away
from the island where the youth
programme was going on, with
many dying in the sea. A total of 92
people died.
This sordid incident has drawn
reactions from across the world,
including from America’s Barack
Obama and Nigeria’s Goodluck
Jonathan
The world is still seeking for
answers to the mass murders,
which the killer described as
“gruesome, but necessary.” What
could have gone wrong? What
button went loose in this killer’s
brain?
While the world searches for
answers, one can only condole with
the families of the dead. It is so sad
for them to lose loved ones who
were neither ill nor known to be
engaged in any risky activity. The
youths were only participants in a
youth camp when they were
gunned down by Breivic who has
confessed to being solely
responsible for the attacks.
At the time of writing this, he had
not given any reason for the callous
murder of 93 people. But, he
promised to do so in court. One
lesson that this saddening
murdering spree, and similar cases
of mass murders and suicides
across the world has thrown up is
the need for sensitivity to the
emotional status of people,
especially those who have access to
guns and other weapons.
Obviously, the man did just go
from being a good, moderately
religious man to a mass murderer.
There must have been signals that
were missed by those around him.
While the effort to make sense of
the dastardly killings continues, I
condole with the families of the dead
and ask God to grant them strength
to pass through this very difficult
time of their lives.
have been no fewer than three
reports of discovery of ghost
workers fleecing the public treasury
of badly needed funds. Ghost
workers, for those who may not be
familiar with the Nigerian parlance,
are non-existent workers collecting
salaries from public institutions.
These ghosts are not the bodiless
spirits that scared children in the
folktales of old, but non-existent
characters for whom bank accounts
are opened and operated by some
unscrupulous people who pay
salaries into them in grand theft
schemes that have been an
albatross for government over the
years.
The public offices at which ghost
workers have been detected of late
are the National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC),
which confirmed that 4000 of its
10,300 workers are ghosts. This
problem came to light after
completion of the commission’s
biometric data capture system. The
Director General of the Commission,
Mr. Chris Onyemenam, said apart
from the 4000 ghost workers, 800
employees could also not show up
during a staff identification process.
Elimination of the ghost workers is
expected to save the Commission
millions of naira that would have
been paid out as salaries.
The Rivers State Universal Basic
Education Board (RSUBEB) has also
discovered 1,477 ghost workers in
the state’s Ministry of Education. The
chairman of RSUBED, Mr. Ali
Oruitemeka, said about N200 million
would be saved monthly following
the deletion of names of the ghost
workers from the ministry of
education payroll.
Also, Olusegun Aganga, former
finance minister now minister of
trade and investment, said about
43,000 ghost workers were
detected and removed from
government payroll in the last one
year. He explained that the fictitious
names were padded into the payroll
of 36 government ministries,
departments and agencies (MDAs)
but were discovered through the
newly introduced Integrated
Personnel and Payroll Information
System (IPPIS).
He said the problem led to a
situation in which personnel costs in
the Federal civil service increased to
N1.3 trillion from N850 billion
between 2009 and 2010. About N12
billion, he said, was recovered as a
result of the discovery. The
Inspector General of Police, Hafeez
Ringim, also sometime ago
disclosed that about 30 per cent of
the entire police workforce of
337,000 are ghost policemen who
have been collecting salaries from
the government for many years.
He said an audit of police personnel
revealed that there are no fewer
than 107,000 ghost policemen in the
country.
With so many ghost workers in the
public service, it is no surprise that
all tiers of government are
complaining that they cannot fund
the wage increase.
To free funds for higher wages, all
tiers of government should
embrace the new Integrated
Personnel and Payroll Information
System used by the federal
government to detect ghost
workers at the federal level.
Ghost workers should not be
allowed to cripple the nation’s
payment system. If ghost workers
are dealt with, it will leave more
funds that could assist in payment
of the National Minimum wage to
workers, and also fund
development of infrastructure
It is, however, necessary to go
beyond the frequent identification of
ghost workers on the government
payroll. It is also important to ask
how names of those ghost workers
got on the payroll in the first place.
For example, we have been told that
N200 million is being saved
following the discovery that that
amount was being paid to ghost
workers monthly at the Cross River
State Ministry of Education. But
now that the ghosts have been
detected, is it not possible to detect
the public officers, bank officials and
others that put these ghosts on the
payroll, and benefited from their
inclusion?
These ghost paymasters must be
brought to book to ensure that they
do not engage in such bad
practices, henceforth. It is necessary
to clean up the payroll system to
ensure that only genuine workers
take salaries. This should be done in
conjunction with reduction of waste
in public expenditure. Everything
should be done now to end the era
of ghost workers in the public
service.
The mass murder in Norway
My heart goes out today to Norway,
where a crazed man identified as 32-
year old Anders Behring Breivic
detonated a bomb in a government
office in the country’s capital, Oslo,
killing 7 people. He put on police
uniform and headed to a Labour
youth camp where he shot
indiscriminately into a crowd of
about 500 youths attending a youth
league meeting. At the end of the
crazy rampage of the man who
described himself as a “moderate
agnostic” who went on to become
“moderately religious”, an additional
85 people were dead, 96 injured
and many are still missing.
The mass murderer reportedly shot
many who tried to escape his
shooting spree by swimming away
from the island where the youth
programme was going on, with
many dying in the sea. A total of 92
people died.
This sordid incident has drawn
reactions from across the world,
including from America’s Barack
Obama and Nigeria’s Goodluck
Jonathan
The world is still seeking for
answers to the mass murders,
which the killer described as
“gruesome, but necessary.” What
could have gone wrong? What
button went loose in this killer’s
brain?
While the world searches for
answers, one can only condole with
the families of the dead. It is so sad
for them to lose loved ones who
were neither ill nor known to be
engaged in any risky activity. The
youths were only participants in a
youth camp when they were
gunned down by Breivic who has
confessed to being solely
responsible for the attacks.
At the time of writing this, he had
not given any reason for the callous
murder of 93 people. But, he
promised to do so in court. One
lesson that this saddening
murdering spree, and similar cases
of mass murders and suicides
across the world has thrown up is
the need for sensitivity to the
emotional status of people,
especially those who have access to
guns and other weapons.
Obviously, the man did just go
from being a good, moderately
religious man to a mass murderer.
There must have been signals that
were missed by those around him.
While the effort to make sense of
the dastardly killings continues, I
condole with the families of the dead
and ask God to grant them strength
to pass through this very difficult
time of their lives.
Complacement government and bogey of insecurity
Today, despite interdependence of
nations on economic and other
spheres of life, a sovereign state is
expected not only to be independent
in her relationship with other
countries in matters crucial to her
survival but also competent to
handle her affairs without resorting
to others.
Limitation to the interdependence of
nations becomes obvious in matters
on which a sovereign state cannot
compromise. The most important
of such matter is security. Without
security, there cannot be a
conducive atmosphere for
economic, commercial activities, not
to talk of learning, industrial
progress and development.
The government, as the agent of the
state, is charged by the 1999 Federal
Republic of Nigeria Constitution to
guarantee security of lives and
property. On Boko Haram sect
threatening national security, the
authorities responsible for internal
security and police routine duties
have woefully failed.
It appears the Federal Government
is complacent on issues of security.
The authorities are unrealistically
optimistic that nothing untowards
would happen. When it does, the
unprepared Federal Government
shivers, trembles and scampers to
other countries for assistance and
rescue.
After the bombing of Abuja last
October to scare away people from
attending the independence golden
jubilee of Nigeria at Eagle Square in
Abuja by the South-South militants,
the government sought assistance
of Mossad, Israeli security agency.
The Boko Haram, an Islamic sect,
opposed to Western education,
bombed the police headquarters,
Louis Edet House, in Abuja and the
Federal Government shamelessly
invited the United States (US) Federal
Bureau of Investigation to unravel
those behind the dastardly act that
claimed many lives and property.
Now, that the Customs and Excise
House in Maiduguri, Borno State,
has been bombed, which country is
the government running to for
solution? Complacence is the
mother of myopia in state’s affairs.
It, undoubtedly, begets perdition.
Complacence has infected the
gamut of Nigerian security agencies
and even political bosses.
Roman empire began its march to
collapse when the emperor and his
military subordinates resorted to
fighting their war with auxiliary
soldiers, who were not Romans. To
farm out Nigeria’s security
challenges is the worse crime
reasonable government will commit
against its people. Have the clowns
in the corridor of power forgotten
that the US has predicted that
Nigeria will fall apart in year 2015?
Last year, the south-south militants
invaded Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos.
If the buccaneers were an invading
legion, they would have overrun
and occupied a large expanse of the
country’s hinterland before the
complacent Nigerian Navy and its
Air Force and Army counterparts
would wake up from their slumber
to confront the enemy.
When the Boko Haram came out of
its lair in Bauchi 2009, killing,
maiming and vandalising property,
the police checkmated the sect’s
leader, Yusuf, and indiscretionally
killed him extra-judicially. What the
police did is wrong and indefensible.
Yusuf’s followers felt aggrieved.
Now, as a phoenix, the sect has
risen from the doziness of last
pummeling of the police. Its
members have adopted guerrilla
tactics riding motorcycles to unleash
murder and arson on the people.
Today, Boko Haram has created
fear, insecurity and uncertainty. The
sect has proved that its snake’s head
was scotched not cut. Surprisingly,
the army is mounting road blocks
and adopting conventional method
to fight them.
Robert Watt in an Essay on the
Polity, defines polity as a people and
a constable. The constable, which in
this instance, represents all the state
security agencies is to ensure order,
peace and good governance. The
Federal Government which controls
the army and the police should be
held responsible. May be. The
President gets his too and the heads
of the three tiers of government are
not accountable to the public on
how they spend the monthly
security votes. Have they been
spending the vote on security or
pocketing it as their cut of the
national cake?
nations on economic and other
spheres of life, a sovereign state is
expected not only to be independent
in her relationship with other
countries in matters crucial to her
survival but also competent to
handle her affairs without resorting
to others.
Limitation to the interdependence of
nations becomes obvious in matters
on which a sovereign state cannot
compromise. The most important
of such matter is security. Without
security, there cannot be a
conducive atmosphere for
economic, commercial activities, not
to talk of learning, industrial
progress and development.
The government, as the agent of the
state, is charged by the 1999 Federal
Republic of Nigeria Constitution to
guarantee security of lives and
property. On Boko Haram sect
threatening national security, the
authorities responsible for internal
security and police routine duties
have woefully failed.
It appears the Federal Government
is complacent on issues of security.
The authorities are unrealistically
optimistic that nothing untowards
would happen. When it does, the
unprepared Federal Government
shivers, trembles and scampers to
other countries for assistance and
rescue.
After the bombing of Abuja last
October to scare away people from
attending the independence golden
jubilee of Nigeria at Eagle Square in
Abuja by the South-South militants,
the government sought assistance
of Mossad, Israeli security agency.
The Boko Haram, an Islamic sect,
opposed to Western education,
bombed the police headquarters,
Louis Edet House, in Abuja and the
Federal Government shamelessly
invited the United States (US) Federal
Bureau of Investigation to unravel
those behind the dastardly act that
claimed many lives and property.
Now, that the Customs and Excise
House in Maiduguri, Borno State,
has been bombed, which country is
the government running to for
solution? Complacence is the
mother of myopia in state’s affairs.
It, undoubtedly, begets perdition.
Complacence has infected the
gamut of Nigerian security agencies
and even political bosses.
Roman empire began its march to
collapse when the emperor and his
military subordinates resorted to
fighting their war with auxiliary
soldiers, who were not Romans. To
farm out Nigeria’s security
challenges is the worse crime
reasonable government will commit
against its people. Have the clowns
in the corridor of power forgotten
that the US has predicted that
Nigeria will fall apart in year 2015?
Last year, the south-south militants
invaded Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos.
If the buccaneers were an invading
legion, they would have overrun
and occupied a large expanse of the
country’s hinterland before the
complacent Nigerian Navy and its
Air Force and Army counterparts
would wake up from their slumber
to confront the enemy.
When the Boko Haram came out of
its lair in Bauchi 2009, killing,
maiming and vandalising property,
the police checkmated the sect’s
leader, Yusuf, and indiscretionally
killed him extra-judicially. What the
police did is wrong and indefensible.
Yusuf’s followers felt aggrieved.
Now, as a phoenix, the sect has
risen from the doziness of last
pummeling of the police. Its
members have adopted guerrilla
tactics riding motorcycles to unleash
murder and arson on the people.
Today, Boko Haram has created
fear, insecurity and uncertainty. The
sect has proved that its snake’s head
was scotched not cut. Surprisingly,
the army is mounting road blocks
and adopting conventional method
to fight them.
Robert Watt in an Essay on the
Polity, defines polity as a people and
a constable. The constable, which in
this instance, represents all the state
security agencies is to ensure order,
peace and good governance. The
Federal Government which controls
the army and the police should be
held responsible. May be. The
President gets his too and the heads
of the three tiers of government are
not accountable to the public on
how they spend the monthly
security votes. Have they been
spending the vote on security or
pocketing it as their cut of the
national cake?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
AMERICAN-NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY
The meaning of the abbreviation ICT, I am sure, you know too well (Information and Communication Technology), but how about CS? You have no idea of what it means? Well, for the pregnant mother waiting in a labour room to be delivered of her baby through surgery or medical operation, it may mean caesarian section (CS) but at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, CS stands for Community Service. Tagged SSS, abbreviation initials it shares with Nigeria’s State Security Service or Senior Secondary School, at AUN, SSS stands for Students Serving Society. A totally new concept in the university- community relationship, endorsed by the President of the university, Dr. Margee Ensign, the spirit behind it seems to be driving every student and staff that you see on the university campus to go looking for whatever help they can offer to make themselves relevant in the lives of the people of their community. Such services include teaching the local school pupils, painting their schools, coaching them on some sporting skills, and lending financial help to indigent students where necessary, etc. “There was one school we went to, Miss Hashiya Sanusi-Bayero, grand- daughter of the Ado Bayero of Kano, recalls in a chat with Education Review. “The teachers there did not have enough chalk to write with. In fact, the situation was such that the whole school had only one packet of chalk, to which the teachers returned the rest of the chalk they wrote with at the end of the school day; otherwise they would not see the chalk to write with, the following day. We bought for the school enough packets of chalk to go round the classrooms. Coming from a fairly comfortable environment, this community service of a thing has opened my eyes to see the sufferings that others are going through and to see the way I can help. I find the experience very exciting.” “For me it is very exciting to see our students take to a programme that says you are not here in this planet just for yourself; you are here to share with others what you have,” Dr. Margee Ensign, President of AUN, remarks. “The vision here is to never have a separation between knowledge for own sake; the knowledge we have should be applied to make things better. So we are talking about reorienting our programmes to connect the theory with the application. The Social Entrepreneurship programme is a vehicle for doing that. “When I first came here I was told, ‘oh, Nigerian students didn’t do community service.’ It is not something they might be interested in. To the contrary, once we really opened up opportunities for AUN students they liked it. I think it is one of the exciting things on campus – our students serving society. They go into the community on Fridays. Last semester 270 students worked half of the day every Friday for the entire semester.” In Yola, the natives are grateful for the much-needed help they’ve receiving through the AUN’s community service. It was such Macedonian call for help that propelled Ebuka Ukwa, majoring in Communications, to, in October, last year, donate over N30,000 to 15 indigent orphans studying at Government Day Secondary School, Yola. Ukwa told AUN NEWSLETTER, an in-house publication of the university, that he was inspired to make the donation following a trip to the school where he was moved by the inability of the orphaned students to pay their school fees standing in arrears for two years. The beneficiaries, who are all in the Junior School cadre (JSS), were on the verge of withdrawing because of their parents’ incapacity to pay their fees. Ukwa said the donation was meant to clear the outstanding fees and pay in advance for another full academic session. “I think the community is really thrilled with these new initiatives,” Ensign said. “We have tremendous economic power in this community. We need to reach out more and I think the community is responding very favourably. So I see very positive reactions in what the students are doing.” “Impressions about us are beginning to change as they see a lot of our students going to do community service,” Abubakar Abba Tahir, Director of PR and Communications, adds. There’s another angle to the Social Entrepreneurship or the SSS philosophy and that is the angle of fellow students engaging in whatever menial job they can do or social services they can render, this time, for a fee, in order to raise money to, collectively, take care of the financial needs (including tuition and boarding fees) of indigent students among them. Sometimes, the more buoyant ones task themselves to raise some money from their pocket money, in order to help. “We are like one big family here,” Sanusi-Bayero, quips. Education Review discovered this to be true the week it visited the campus. Pasted by AUNHS (American University of Nigeria Honours Society), on one of the notice boards in Peter Okocha’s Hall was this notice. “Members of the AUN Faculty will be cycling from Numan to Yola on the 26th of February, in order to raise money for the AUNHS Scholarship fund for AUN students”, a part of it read. “Join us in creating the AUNHS SCHOLARSHIP FUND!!! 1 mile = 1.609km =N500. Then it adds that “donations are accepted per mile. No contribution is too small.” In case you don’t understand what you’ve just read, what the notice is saying in a nutshell is that financial proceeds from the “Cycling for Charity” event will be used to take care of the financial needs of indigent AUN students. In fact, sources say 10 per cent of the internally gen
UNN: Visitation panel decries poor academic standards in varsities, extols Zik
The 2010 visitation panel set up by
the federal government to the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has
commenced sitting at the Nsukka
campus. The chairman of the 11-
man panel, Prof. Nuridin Adedipe,
said the panel was set up to look
into the activities of the university
between 2004 and 2010 and how it
has implemented the white paper
of the previous visitation panel.
Addressing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof
Bartho Okolo, and other principal
officers, during a visit, the panel
chairman said the main duty of the
panel was to see how much the
university has implemented the
White Paper issued by the Federal
Government during the previous
visitation panel and added that the
way it was implemented would
determine the progress made by
the university within the period
under review.
The chairman decried the poor
academic standards in Nigerian
universities which he said was at
variance with the academic
qualityexperienced with the old
generation universities when they
came on board in the 60s and in
early 70s.
The panel, Adedipe said, would
under the terms of reference,
determine the administration’s
relationship with vital organs of the
university as well as government
agencies and the private sector. The
panel would also, look into the
university’s relationship with the
host community, the unions, staff
and students as well as the council.
“We are on a fact-finding mission to
make UNN a better place than we
met it,” the chairman assured and
commended the Vice-Chancellor for
his wonderful achievement within
his short tenure in office especially,
in the area of environmental facelift
of the university.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor
urged the members of the panel to
assist the university in its efforts to
be one of the best in the world and
in Africa. Prof Okolo said his
administration has done much in
the area of collaboration with other
foreign universities especially in the
United States, adding that this has
yielded great dividends.
He said the UNN has the best ICT
infrastructure in Africa. Prof Okolo
expressed the hope that the panel
would discharge its function
dispassionately without engaging in
witch-hunting. Meanwhile, the panel
has called for memorandum from
stakeholders and members of the
university community.
Meanwhile, the panel has visited the
traditional ruler of Aji, Igwe (Dr.)
Simion Osisi Itodo in his palace, in
Aji in Igbo-Eze North Local
Government Area, Enugu State.
Speaking during the visit, Prof
Adedipe told Igwe Itodo that every
five years the Federal Government
sets panels to look into the activities
of its universities to take stock of
development there within a period
of six years. “In this case, we are
looking into the activities of UNN
between 2004 and 2010.”
He said that the panel will look into
the funding of the university; the
money released to them and how it
was used. He said that the panel’s
term of reference that brought them
to the Igwe’s palace was the
determination of the kind of
relationship that exists between the
host community and the university.
“We want to find out whether or
not the community has benefited
from the university,” he said.
“Secondly, how peaceful is the
interaction between the host
community and the university? We
would look into the historical
evolution of the university, in other
words, how did the university start,
how did the university evolve, if
possible why Nsukka was chosen
for the establishment of the
university? We would also want to
know how the community has
benefited from the university’s
agricultural department, how it has
impacted on the rural farmers by
way of extension services including
making available technical assistance
on modern agricultural method to
farmers.”
Welcoming the panel, the royal
father who is the deputy chairman,
Enugu State Council of Traditional
Rulers, paid glowing tributes to Dr
Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President
of Nigeria and the Owelle of Onitsha,
who, as the Premier of Eastern
Region, founded the university at
Nsukka. It will be recalled that the
traditional ruler of Eha-Alumona in
Nsukka Local Government, Eze Igwe
Dr Charles Abangwu, had earlier
praised the Great Zik when the panel
visited him in his palace. Abangwu,
who is also a former pro-chancellor
of Enugu State University of Science
and Technology (ESUT), expressed
his delight at the foresight that gave
birth to UNN.
Tracing the history of UNN, Igwe
Itodo said: “I have been on this
throne for about 28years. I know
everything about the university, its
origin and who made it possible. It
started in 1960 and I know
everything about its history from
inception till date; both during the
military administration and the
civilian regime. Our place was a
remote and backward area but Dr
Azikiwe in his magnanimity decided
to open up the area by bringing the
university to us. His colleagues in
the Eastern House of Assembly
were opposed to this and called him
names. Today, the university
remains the only federal
governments presence in our area
and the greatest employer of labour.
We owe the great Zik a big debt.
We know how to receive strangers.
Zik lived all his life here at the Onuiyi
Haven. We will never forget him.
His name has been immortalized
here.”
Speaking on the community’s
relationship with the university, he
said: “There was a time when we
did not have cordial relationship
with the university authority but the
relationship between the host
community improved greatly
during the tenure of the immediate
past Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chinedu
Nebo and has continued to improve
more and more under the current
one, Prof Bartho Okolo.”
On how the host community and
the university can maintain cordial
relationship, Itodo pleaded with
Professor Adedipe to “please, help
us to ensure that the employment
quota allocated to the host
community is not tampered with”,
noting that “we are asking for
employment of our people in
positions other than higher
academic positions as a
compensation for offering our land
to the Federal Government.”
The DVC Administration, Prof
Egbeke Aja, who led the panel
members to the Igwe’s palace,
thanked the Igwe for his hospitality
and for receiving them even at short
notice.
the federal government to the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has
commenced sitting at the Nsukka
campus. The chairman of the 11-
man panel, Prof. Nuridin Adedipe,
said the panel was set up to look
into the activities of the university
between 2004 and 2010 and how it
has implemented the white paper
of the previous visitation panel.
Addressing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof
Bartho Okolo, and other principal
officers, during a visit, the panel
chairman said the main duty of the
panel was to see how much the
university has implemented the
White Paper issued by the Federal
Government during the previous
visitation panel and added that the
way it was implemented would
determine the progress made by
the university within the period
under review.
The chairman decried the poor
academic standards in Nigerian
universities which he said was at
variance with the academic
qualityexperienced with the old
generation universities when they
came on board in the 60s and in
early 70s.
The panel, Adedipe said, would
under the terms of reference,
determine the administration’s
relationship with vital organs of the
university as well as government
agencies and the private sector. The
panel would also, look into the
university’s relationship with the
host community, the unions, staff
and students as well as the council.
“We are on a fact-finding mission to
make UNN a better place than we
met it,” the chairman assured and
commended the Vice-Chancellor for
his wonderful achievement within
his short tenure in office especially,
in the area of environmental facelift
of the university.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor
urged the members of the panel to
assist the university in its efforts to
be one of the best in the world and
in Africa. Prof Okolo said his
administration has done much in
the area of collaboration with other
foreign universities especially in the
United States, adding that this has
yielded great dividends.
He said the UNN has the best ICT
infrastructure in Africa. Prof Okolo
expressed the hope that the panel
would discharge its function
dispassionately without engaging in
witch-hunting. Meanwhile, the panel
has called for memorandum from
stakeholders and members of the
university community.
Meanwhile, the panel has visited the
traditional ruler of Aji, Igwe (Dr.)
Simion Osisi Itodo in his palace, in
Aji in Igbo-Eze North Local
Government Area, Enugu State.
Speaking during the visit, Prof
Adedipe told Igwe Itodo that every
five years the Federal Government
sets panels to look into the activities
of its universities to take stock of
development there within a period
of six years. “In this case, we are
looking into the activities of UNN
between 2004 and 2010.”
He said that the panel will look into
the funding of the university; the
money released to them and how it
was used. He said that the panel’s
term of reference that brought them
to the Igwe’s palace was the
determination of the kind of
relationship that exists between the
host community and the university.
“We want to find out whether or
not the community has benefited
from the university,” he said.
“Secondly, how peaceful is the
interaction between the host
community and the university? We
would look into the historical
evolution of the university, in other
words, how did the university start,
how did the university evolve, if
possible why Nsukka was chosen
for the establishment of the
university? We would also want to
know how the community has
benefited from the university’s
agricultural department, how it has
impacted on the rural farmers by
way of extension services including
making available technical assistance
on modern agricultural method to
farmers.”
Welcoming the panel, the royal
father who is the deputy chairman,
Enugu State Council of Traditional
Rulers, paid glowing tributes to Dr
Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President
of Nigeria and the Owelle of Onitsha,
who, as the Premier of Eastern
Region, founded the university at
Nsukka. It will be recalled that the
traditional ruler of Eha-Alumona in
Nsukka Local Government, Eze Igwe
Dr Charles Abangwu, had earlier
praised the Great Zik when the panel
visited him in his palace. Abangwu,
who is also a former pro-chancellor
of Enugu State University of Science
and Technology (ESUT), expressed
his delight at the foresight that gave
birth to UNN.
Tracing the history of UNN, Igwe
Itodo said: “I have been on this
throne for about 28years. I know
everything about the university, its
origin and who made it possible. It
started in 1960 and I know
everything about its history from
inception till date; both during the
military administration and the
civilian regime. Our place was a
remote and backward area but Dr
Azikiwe in his magnanimity decided
to open up the area by bringing the
university to us. His colleagues in
the Eastern House of Assembly
were opposed to this and called him
names. Today, the university
remains the only federal
governments presence in our area
and the greatest employer of labour.
We owe the great Zik a big debt.
We know how to receive strangers.
Zik lived all his life here at the Onuiyi
Haven. We will never forget him.
His name has been immortalized
here.”
Speaking on the community’s
relationship with the university, he
said: “There was a time when we
did not have cordial relationship
with the university authority but the
relationship between the host
community improved greatly
during the tenure of the immediate
past Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chinedu
Nebo and has continued to improve
more and more under the current
one, Prof Bartho Okolo.”
On how the host community and
the university can maintain cordial
relationship, Itodo pleaded with
Professor Adedipe to “please, help
us to ensure that the employment
quota allocated to the host
community is not tampered with”,
noting that “we are asking for
employment of our people in
positions other than higher
academic positions as a
compensation for offering our land
to the Federal Government.”
The DVC Administration, Prof
Egbeke Aja, who led the panel
members to the Igwe’s palace,
thanked the Igwe for his hospitality
and for receiving them even at short
notice.
THE IDEOLOGY OF N'DIGBO POLITICS.
Alhaji Kashim Shettima,
Governor of Borno state is in
a dilemma. His attention is
torn between delivering upon
his promises to the people
and resolving the security
challenges facing his state.
The Federal Government has
waded in with full military
might, yet the situation looks
grim, and the citizenry is
being stretched to a point of
despair. Kashim Shettima has
opted for the carrot option as
he strives daily to win the
hearts of members of the
Yusuffiya or Boko Haram to a
roundtable. He has initiated
some other moves in the
hope that peace will be
restored in Borno, hitherto
acclaimed as the home of
peace.
From his pronouncements
and actions, the young
Governor has very good
programmes for the people
of Borno state, but the
security situation occasioned
by the activities of Boko
Haram has even made it
more imperative for him to
insist on his first line of duty,
which is the protection of
lives and property of citizens.
With the public apology
tendered to Boko Haram
members by the trio of
Danjuma Goje, Isa Yuguda
and Ali Modu Sheriff,
Nigerians expected the
situation to abate, but
contrary to that expectation,
Boko Haram seems to have
defied all logic and has
continued to grow in
sophistication, no thanks to
the political dimensions the
crisis seems to have
assumed. For sheer political
reasons, those who are
supposed to sympathize with
the governor by making
reasonable inputs towards
resolving the crisis have been
busy plotting further
mischief, if only to rubbish
the All Nigeria People’s Party
Government in the state.
It is true that Kashim
Shettima came in when the
citizenry is at a point of
despair, as killings and
bombings become the
orders of the day, even as
fear becomes a mode of
perception in the minds of
everyone. The challenges
seem to be growing by the
day to both Government and
the security agencies. To
most Nigerians, Boko Haram
seems to be winning the
war. What started like a
minor insurgence against the
Government of Borno state
has metamorphosed into a
national calamity, capable of
undermining the security of
the entire nation.
Perceived inmjustices
Six weeks in the saddle, not
many people are giving
Kashim Shettima a chance,
yet he looks determined to
redress all perceived
injustices and give a listening
ear to all aggrieved persons,
including adherents of the
Boko Haram. Shettima’s offer
of dialogue with leaders of
the Boko Haram, was a
departure from the
combative approach of the
past, and has attracted
commendation from a
variety of other leaders. In
the same vein, Sherrif’s
public apology was
considered a statesmanlike
response.
Kashim may have opened a
new chapter in the
management of the crisis by
not only offering to dialogue,
but going ahead to offer
amnesty to those willing to
lay down their arms. I do not
have any cause to doubt his
sincerity of purpose when he
first muted the idea, and he
has remained consistent in
his call for Boko Haram
members to give him the
benefits of doubt. Reports in
the media gave the
impression that Kashim’s
proposal is getting attention.
And as tough as the
conditions for dialogue as
given by the sect may be, it
is indicative that for the first
time there is the tendency for
parties in the conflict to
correspond.
Whether the Governor’s
overtures are acceptable or
not, and or whether his offer
of amnesty is the appropriate
thing to do or not, are issues
for another day. What is
paramount at this juncture is
the fact that there is a
significant change in
approach from the
authorities, and it should be
given a chance. Comments
from international and local
analysts indicate that the
option of dialogue has a wide
appeal, and it may be the
magic wand needed to
resolve the imbroglio. Recent
events point to the fact that
physical force may only give
a temporary respite. So far,
the incidents recorded show
that physical force is
becoming less fancied.
What appears more
worrisome to the Governor
is perhaps the fact that,
whether as members of the
sect or victims of their
strikes, those affected are his
citizens, whom he has the
primary duty to protect.
More than every citizen,
Governor Shettima is worried
by the growing sophistication
in the operations of Boko
Haram and the attendant
casualties, and he appears
prepared to do anything if
only for peace to return to his
state. What Governor Kashim
may not be prepared for is
perhaps a dialogue with
political marauders and
criminals who hide under
Boko Haram to perpetrate
atrocities in the state.
Political vendetta
The State Security Service
recently confirmed to the
world that Boko has elements
of political vendetta. The
disposition of opposition
political parties in the state,
coupled with the curious
finds where political party
insignia and posters of
politicians were found on the
vehicles of some suspected
bombers, nothing could be
more factual that the Boko
Haram menace has gone out
of the seeming religious
realm, and has assumed the
colour of political vendetta
war. To this end, one may be
right to attune that Governor
Kashim’s quest for peace
may be frustrated, unless
members of Boko Haram
clear the air on the perceived
politicization of their
struggles. As much as
Nigerians cherish a quick
resolution of the crisis, using
Governor Kashim’s
approach, the political
coloration to the conflict
seems to suggest that, any
peace achieved under the
circumstances is peace of the
graveyard.
For now, it is on record that
Governor Shettima of Borno
state is offering to negotiate
peace with real adherents of
Boko Haram amidst
competing threats from
politicians and criminals.
It is also on record that
members of the sect have
offered to negotiate on
conditions. It is unmistakable
that the Governor’s desire for
peace outweighs all other
plans for the development of
Borno state. What the world
is waiting to see is the day
Borno will return to take its
place as the citadel of peace.
How soon that comes is the
thing to worry about.
Governor of Borno state is in
a dilemma. His attention is
torn between delivering upon
his promises to the people
and resolving the security
challenges facing his state.
The Federal Government has
waded in with full military
might, yet the situation looks
grim, and the citizenry is
being stretched to a point of
despair. Kashim Shettima has
opted for the carrot option as
he strives daily to win the
hearts of members of the
Yusuffiya or Boko Haram to a
roundtable. He has initiated
some other moves in the
hope that peace will be
restored in Borno, hitherto
acclaimed as the home of
peace.
From his pronouncements
and actions, the young
Governor has very good
programmes for the people
of Borno state, but the
security situation occasioned
by the activities of Boko
Haram has even made it
more imperative for him to
insist on his first line of duty,
which is the protection of
lives and property of citizens.
With the public apology
tendered to Boko Haram
members by the trio of
Danjuma Goje, Isa Yuguda
and Ali Modu Sheriff,
Nigerians expected the
situation to abate, but
contrary to that expectation,
Boko Haram seems to have
defied all logic and has
continued to grow in
sophistication, no thanks to
the political dimensions the
crisis seems to have
assumed. For sheer political
reasons, those who are
supposed to sympathize with
the governor by making
reasonable inputs towards
resolving the crisis have been
busy plotting further
mischief, if only to rubbish
the All Nigeria People’s Party
Government in the state.
It is true that Kashim
Shettima came in when the
citizenry is at a point of
despair, as killings and
bombings become the
orders of the day, even as
fear becomes a mode of
perception in the minds of
everyone. The challenges
seem to be growing by the
day to both Government and
the security agencies. To
most Nigerians, Boko Haram
seems to be winning the
war. What started like a
minor insurgence against the
Government of Borno state
has metamorphosed into a
national calamity, capable of
undermining the security of
the entire nation.
Perceived inmjustices
Six weeks in the saddle, not
many people are giving
Kashim Shettima a chance,
yet he looks determined to
redress all perceived
injustices and give a listening
ear to all aggrieved persons,
including adherents of the
Boko Haram. Shettima’s offer
of dialogue with leaders of
the Boko Haram, was a
departure from the
combative approach of the
past, and has attracted
commendation from a
variety of other leaders. In
the same vein, Sherrif’s
public apology was
considered a statesmanlike
response.
Kashim may have opened a
new chapter in the
management of the crisis by
not only offering to dialogue,
but going ahead to offer
amnesty to those willing to
lay down their arms. I do not
have any cause to doubt his
sincerity of purpose when he
first muted the idea, and he
has remained consistent in
his call for Boko Haram
members to give him the
benefits of doubt. Reports in
the media gave the
impression that Kashim’s
proposal is getting attention.
And as tough as the
conditions for dialogue as
given by the sect may be, it
is indicative that for the first
time there is the tendency for
parties in the conflict to
correspond.
Whether the Governor’s
overtures are acceptable or
not, and or whether his offer
of amnesty is the appropriate
thing to do or not, are issues
for another day. What is
paramount at this juncture is
the fact that there is a
significant change in
approach from the
authorities, and it should be
given a chance. Comments
from international and local
analysts indicate that the
option of dialogue has a wide
appeal, and it may be the
magic wand needed to
resolve the imbroglio. Recent
events point to the fact that
physical force may only give
a temporary respite. So far,
the incidents recorded show
that physical force is
becoming less fancied.
What appears more
worrisome to the Governor
is perhaps the fact that,
whether as members of the
sect or victims of their
strikes, those affected are his
citizens, whom he has the
primary duty to protect.
More than every citizen,
Governor Shettima is worried
by the growing sophistication
in the operations of Boko
Haram and the attendant
casualties, and he appears
prepared to do anything if
only for peace to return to his
state. What Governor Kashim
may not be prepared for is
perhaps a dialogue with
political marauders and
criminals who hide under
Boko Haram to perpetrate
atrocities in the state.
Political vendetta
The State Security Service
recently confirmed to the
world that Boko has elements
of political vendetta. The
disposition of opposition
political parties in the state,
coupled with the curious
finds where political party
insignia and posters of
politicians were found on the
vehicles of some suspected
bombers, nothing could be
more factual that the Boko
Haram menace has gone out
of the seeming religious
realm, and has assumed the
colour of political vendetta
war. To this end, one may be
right to attune that Governor
Kashim’s quest for peace
may be frustrated, unless
members of Boko Haram
clear the air on the perceived
politicization of their
struggles. As much as
Nigerians cherish a quick
resolution of the crisis, using
Governor Kashim’s
approach, the political
coloration to the conflict
seems to suggest that, any
peace achieved under the
circumstances is peace of the
graveyard.
For now, it is on record that
Governor Shettima of Borno
state is offering to negotiate
peace with real adherents of
Boko Haram amidst
competing threats from
politicians and criminals.
It is also on record that
members of the sect have
offered to negotiate on
conditions. It is unmistakable
that the Governor’s desire for
peace outweighs all other
plans for the development of
Borno state. What the world
is waiting to see is the day
Borno will return to take its
place as the citadel of peace.
How soon that comes is the
thing to worry about.
BOKO HARAM 4
Alhaji Kashim Shettima,
Governor of Borno state is in
a dilemma. His attention is
torn between delivering upon
his promises to the people
and resolving the security
challenges facing his state.
The Federal Government has
waded in with full military
might, yet the situation looks
grim, and the citizenry is
being stretched to a point of
despair. Kashim Shettima has
opted for the carrot option as
he strives daily to win the
hearts of members of the
Yusuffiya or Boko Haram to a
roundtable. He has initiated
some other moves in the
hope that peace will be
restored in Borno, hitherto
acclaimed as the home of
peace.
From his pronouncements
and actions, the young
Governor has very good
programmes for the people
of Borno state, but the
security situation occasioned
by the activities of Boko
Haram has even made it
more imperative for him to
insist on his first line of duty,
which is the protection of
lives and property of citizens.
With the public apology
tendered to Boko Haram
members by the trio of
Danjuma Goje, Isa Yuguda
and Ali Modu Sheriff,
Nigerians expected the
situation to abate, but
contrary to that expectation,
Boko Haram seems to have
defied all logic and has
continued to grow in
sophistication, no thanks to
the political dimensions the
crisis seems to have
assumed. For sheer political
reasons, those who are
supposed to sympathize with
the governor by making
reasonable inputs towards
resolving the crisis have been
busy plotting further
mischief, if only to rubbish
the All Nigeria People’s Party
Government in the state.
It is true that Kashim
Shettima came in when the
citizenry is at a point of
despair, as killings and
bombings become the
orders of the day, even as
fear becomes a mode of
perception in the minds of
everyone. The challenges
seem to be growing by the
day to both Government and
the security agencies. To
most Nigerians, Boko Haram
seems to be winning the
war. What started like a
minor insurgence against the
Government of Borno state
has metamorphosed into a
national calamity, capable of
undermining the security of
the entire nation.
Perceived inmjustices
Six weeks in the saddle, not
many people are giving
Kashim Shettima a chance,
yet he looks determined to
redress all perceived
injustices and give a listening
ear to all aggrieved persons,
including adherents of the
Boko Haram. Shettima’s offer
of dialogue with leaders of
the Boko Haram, was a
departure from the
combative approach of the
past, and has attracted
commendation from a
variety of other leaders. In
the same vein, Sherrif’s
public apology was
considered a statesmanlike
response.
Kashim may have opened a
new chapter in the
management of the crisis by
not only offering to dialogue,
but going ahead to offer
amnesty to those willing to
lay down their arms. I do not
have any cause to doubt his
sincerity of purpose when he
first muted the idea, and he
has remained consistent in
his call for Boko Haram
members to give him the
benefits of doubt. Reports in
the media gave the
impression that Kashim’s
proposal is getting attention.
And as tough as the
conditions for dialogue as
given by the sect may be, it
is indicative that for the first
time there is the tendency for
parties in the conflict to
correspond.
Whether the Governor’s
overtures are acceptable or
not, and or whether his offer
of amnesty is the appropriate
thing to do or not, are issues
for another day. What is
paramount at this juncture is
the fact that there is a
significant change in
approach from the
authorities, and it should be
given a chance. Comments
from international and local
analysts indicate that the
option of dialogue has a wide
appeal, and it may be the
magic wand needed to
resolve the imbroglio. Recent
events point to the fact that
physical force may only give
a temporary respite. So far,
the incidents recorded show
that physical force is
becoming less fancied.
What appears more
worrisome to the Governor
is perhaps the fact that,
whether as members of the
sect or victims of their
strikes, those affected are his
citizens, whom he has the
primary duty to protect.
More than every citizen,
Governor Shettima is worried
by the growing sophistication
in the operations of Boko
Haram and the attendant
casualties, and he appears
prepared to do anything if
only for peace to return to his
state. What Governor Kashim
may not be prepared for is
perhaps a dialogue with
political marauders and
criminals who hide under
Boko Haram to perpetrate
atrocities in the state.
Political vendetta
The State Security Service
recently confirmed to the
world that Boko has elements
of political vendetta. The
disposition of opposition
political parties in the state,
coupled with the curious
finds where political party
insignia and posters of
politicians were found on the
vehicles of some suspected
bombers, nothing could be
more factual that the Boko
Haram menace has gone out
of the seeming religious
realm, and has assumed the
colour of political vendetta
war. To this end, one may be
right to attune that Governor
Kashim’s quest for peace
may be frustrated, unless
members of Boko Haram
clear the air on the perceived
politicization of their
struggles. As much as
Nigerians cherish a quick
resolution of the crisis, using
Governor Kashim’s
approach, the political
coloration to the conflict
seems to suggest that, any
peace achieved under the
circumstances is peace of the
graveyard.
For now, it is on record that
Governor Shettima of Borno
state is offering to negotiate
peace with real adherents of
Boko Haram amidst
competing threats from
politicians and criminals.
It is also on record that
members of the sect have
offered to negotiate on
conditions. It is unmistakable
that the Governor’s desire for
peace outweighs all other
plans for the development of
Borno state. What the world
is waiting to see is the day
Borno will return to take its
place as the citadel of peace.
How soon that comes is the
thing to worry about.
Governor of Borno state is in
a dilemma. His attention is
torn between delivering upon
his promises to the people
and resolving the security
challenges facing his state.
The Federal Government has
waded in with full military
might, yet the situation looks
grim, and the citizenry is
being stretched to a point of
despair. Kashim Shettima has
opted for the carrot option as
he strives daily to win the
hearts of members of the
Yusuffiya or Boko Haram to a
roundtable. He has initiated
some other moves in the
hope that peace will be
restored in Borno, hitherto
acclaimed as the home of
peace.
From his pronouncements
and actions, the young
Governor has very good
programmes for the people
of Borno state, but the
security situation occasioned
by the activities of Boko
Haram has even made it
more imperative for him to
insist on his first line of duty,
which is the protection of
lives and property of citizens.
With the public apology
tendered to Boko Haram
members by the trio of
Danjuma Goje, Isa Yuguda
and Ali Modu Sheriff,
Nigerians expected the
situation to abate, but
contrary to that expectation,
Boko Haram seems to have
defied all logic and has
continued to grow in
sophistication, no thanks to
the political dimensions the
crisis seems to have
assumed. For sheer political
reasons, those who are
supposed to sympathize with
the governor by making
reasonable inputs towards
resolving the crisis have been
busy plotting further
mischief, if only to rubbish
the All Nigeria People’s Party
Government in the state.
It is true that Kashim
Shettima came in when the
citizenry is at a point of
despair, as killings and
bombings become the
orders of the day, even as
fear becomes a mode of
perception in the minds of
everyone. The challenges
seem to be growing by the
day to both Government and
the security agencies. To
most Nigerians, Boko Haram
seems to be winning the
war. What started like a
minor insurgence against the
Government of Borno state
has metamorphosed into a
national calamity, capable of
undermining the security of
the entire nation.
Perceived inmjustices
Six weeks in the saddle, not
many people are giving
Kashim Shettima a chance,
yet he looks determined to
redress all perceived
injustices and give a listening
ear to all aggrieved persons,
including adherents of the
Boko Haram. Shettima’s offer
of dialogue with leaders of
the Boko Haram, was a
departure from the
combative approach of the
past, and has attracted
commendation from a
variety of other leaders. In
the same vein, Sherrif’s
public apology was
considered a statesmanlike
response.
Kashim may have opened a
new chapter in the
management of the crisis by
not only offering to dialogue,
but going ahead to offer
amnesty to those willing to
lay down their arms. I do not
have any cause to doubt his
sincerity of purpose when he
first muted the idea, and he
has remained consistent in
his call for Boko Haram
members to give him the
benefits of doubt. Reports in
the media gave the
impression that Kashim’s
proposal is getting attention.
And as tough as the
conditions for dialogue as
given by the sect may be, it
is indicative that for the first
time there is the tendency for
parties in the conflict to
correspond.
Whether the Governor’s
overtures are acceptable or
not, and or whether his offer
of amnesty is the appropriate
thing to do or not, are issues
for another day. What is
paramount at this juncture is
the fact that there is a
significant change in
approach from the
authorities, and it should be
given a chance. Comments
from international and local
analysts indicate that the
option of dialogue has a wide
appeal, and it may be the
magic wand needed to
resolve the imbroglio. Recent
events point to the fact that
physical force may only give
a temporary respite. So far,
the incidents recorded show
that physical force is
becoming less fancied.
What appears more
worrisome to the Governor
is perhaps the fact that,
whether as members of the
sect or victims of their
strikes, those affected are his
citizens, whom he has the
primary duty to protect.
More than every citizen,
Governor Shettima is worried
by the growing sophistication
in the operations of Boko
Haram and the attendant
casualties, and he appears
prepared to do anything if
only for peace to return to his
state. What Governor Kashim
may not be prepared for is
perhaps a dialogue with
political marauders and
criminals who hide under
Boko Haram to perpetrate
atrocities in the state.
Political vendetta
The State Security Service
recently confirmed to the
world that Boko has elements
of political vendetta. The
disposition of opposition
political parties in the state,
coupled with the curious
finds where political party
insignia and posters of
politicians were found on the
vehicles of some suspected
bombers, nothing could be
more factual that the Boko
Haram menace has gone out
of the seeming religious
realm, and has assumed the
colour of political vendetta
war. To this end, one may be
right to attune that Governor
Kashim’s quest for peace
may be frustrated, unless
members of Boko Haram
clear the air on the perceived
politicization of their
struggles. As much as
Nigerians cherish a quick
resolution of the crisis, using
Governor Kashim’s
approach, the political
coloration to the conflict
seems to suggest that, any
peace achieved under the
circumstances is peace of the
graveyard.
For now, it is on record that
Governor Shettima of Borno
state is offering to negotiate
peace with real adherents of
Boko Haram amidst
competing threats from
politicians and criminals.
It is also on record that
members of the sect have
offered to negotiate on
conditions. It is unmistakable
that the Governor’s desire for
peace outweighs all other
plans for the development of
Borno state. What the world
is waiting to see is the day
Borno will return to take its
place as the citadel of peace.
How soon that comes is the
thing to worry about.
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