LET US TALK, NOW IS TIME! - By John Danfulani, Ph.D.

LET US TALK,NOW IS TIME!

                               By

                     John Danfulani,Ph.D
                   Jondanfulani@gmail.com

"A stitch in time saves nine" Ancient Proverb


Even before the lowering of the Union Jack on 1st October 1960,certain  forces have asked pertinent questions bordering the 1914 political solemnization of Northern and Southern protectorates by representative of the Crown Lord Legard.The colonial master's amalgamation hatched a federal entity that its experience can't be found in any pre-existing federal structures in developed and less developed worlds.More to that, reasons that instigates units and constituents to hem a federal political setting are totally absent in Nigeria experience.

Because reasons that gingered the  colonial master's welding of Southern and Northern protectorates were centred on their exploitative economic interest and administrative conveniences, dissenting voices were surprised. After every round of protestation, colonial masters merely convocated constitutional conferences at home and abroad- not with intention of sincerely addressing concerns raised but to cool down tension in other to have a conducive atmosphere for their business of economic exploitation, cultural subjugation, and political domination. After gaining the so-called  political independence in 1960, the political and economic  caste that succeeded the colonial masters ignored commentaries and agitations asking for a dialogue to settle multifaceted questions related to the structure, allocation of powers to layers of authorities, and even existence of Nigeria as a single political entity.

Advocates of this position coined names like National Conference, National Dialogue,True Federalism, and Sovereign National Conference. On each occasion,opponents of this advocacy innovate technical mechanism of evading poignant issues. If communiques of groups included words like Sovereignty and True Federalism, Nigeria unpatriotic and compradorial ruling caste and their apologists dodged through running commentary on technical grounds like; you can't have two sovereigns in a body polity, and there is nothing like True Federalism. While folding up their opposition, they arrogantly pique; Nigeria is indissoluble and indivisible political entity.


The refusal of Nigeria political class and their exploitative and unpatriotic business caste to accept the impeccable realism that there are questions to ask and answer to provide about the entire Nigeria project indirectly triggered a 30 months civil war that annihilated almost a million Nigerians and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira. Till this day, claims from the federal and Biafran sides on whether certain policies that looks genocidal were part of the overall war strategy of leaders of the Federal Government of Nigeria( FGN) are making the rounds. One last major controversy associated with Nigeria civil war narrative came through a book one of the world's greatest writer Chinua Achebe published before his demise.Truth be told, conscious and deliberate refusal to address centrifugal agitations that emanated from political and military brass from South Eastern Nigeria contributed in no small measure to the destructive civil war.

After the civil war in 1970 people with the long history of this agitation muted.Their muteness wasn't masterminded by the fact that the  old questions of the corporate  existences of Nigeria and related matters like the structure of Nigeria's federalism had been settled by the boom-boom of bombs and zing-zing of riffles between 1967-1970. Even though open advocacy was a rarity, academicians in ivory towers and other research centres  busied themselves writing, researching and publishing opinions on the structure of Nigeria Federalism and other national questions thereof. Occasionally, a few media outlets do remind the nation of the existence of uncleared national questions through their editorial opinions.

To say the truth,no region hasn't agitated  for one form of national dialogue or the other, or openly threatened to breakaway from Nigeria. In 1957 the then northern region threatened to permit other regions proceed on self rule if the motion tabled by Action Group for self rule in 1957 materialized. Before this period, the leader of South West region threatened to end the political wedlock if the colony of Lagos is not added to the area under the control of his region.These few instances cited vividly demonstrated that centrifugal disposition was not only displayed by South East region alone.The difference is, others merely issued threats but South East walked their threat through a declaration of a separate republic in 1967.

Having gone through  this compressed analogy of how Nigeria was created,reason for its creation, and persistent calls for restructuring; a careful reader will accept the impeccable and incontrovertible reality that the leadership of Africa's most populous and endowed nation have been playing the ostrich,all along.Nigerians have been swimming in a dangerous pool of deceit through a delusional pretense that they are a country that its existence as corporate entity is unnegotiable.No "Solomonic" wisdom is needed to discern that this pretentious tantrum of the country's solidness and indivisibility is astronomically detached from the realities on ground.

How long can Nigerians cling on these straws of pretense and falsehood? Are Nigerians not wasting  time and consciously postponing evil days that will surely come- sooner or later? From the looks of things, the country is approaching the tip of a perilous cliff, why can't the leaders and the led garner courage and tackle these aged concerns of these assembly of various ethnic nationalities and people of assorted faiths and tongues embedded in a ramshackle political contraption called Nigeria? Nigerians better know that the  only thing they will lose is colonial master's political conjugal ring that is not giving those involved happiness. The more time the country waste the more problems they will confront in due course.

Nigerian's unwillingness to square off with contending issues right now will lead to apocalyptic disaster that the world don't have  capacity to handle due to the country's heavy  population and the nature of its borders. Without claiming to posses mesmerizing  long view of a futurologist, the extensive and intensive nature of the crisis that will germinate from refusal to talk will spread to most West and Central African nations Nigeria shares long porous borders with. And all and sundry knows that Nigeria's  neighbours don't have the economic muscle and sufficient infrastructure to host refugees or immigrants that will flood their small political geographies.

Pretending not to see or hear resource control agitations and environmental challenges of  various communities of Niger Delta will never make them give up.No amount of alliances and giving of political offices to the States of South West will stop their advocacy for a return to a regional political structure akin to the regional order of the First Republic.Nothing will stop Hausa-Fulani Muslims of Northern Nigeria from advocating for incorporating Shariah legal system in Nigeria.No explanation will eliminate the quest of a Southern Kaduna man to have a their own state out of the present Kaduna State.Nothing will stop middle beltern communities of Northern Nigeria from advocating for the right to bear arms because of the activities of the Fulani janjaweeds killing them in their villages and farms like ants. Noting will stop people from South East from advocating for their Biafra Republic despite suffering serious setbacks during the civil war.

Most of the agitations enumerated in proceeding paragraph appeared on the political radar in this dispensation that commenced on 29th May  1999. People will continue to use Boko Haram, Niger Delta Avengers, Odua Peoples Congress, Bakassi Boys, Miss World riot, Refusal of a films Village by Kano people,beheading of a woman under the guise of blasphemy,creating conspiracy theory around polio vaccine, burning of a church because members  prayed on a Friday,killing of a preacher, and others as a reminder that they  have questions desiring answers and aspirations that must be made in Nigeria.

What is to be done? Where do we go from here? The first solution is for members of the National Assembly(NASS)to discard their party differences and set up an inter-party committee to prepare for a serious and sincere constitutional amendment exercise. The exercise must have a timeframe so that the exercise wouldn't be rendered a nullify because of expectoration of the life of the 8th Assembly. Before swinging to action, all the 36 state assemblies be put on notice of these development for their quick response.Members of NASS should rollback to their constituencies to discuss with their constituents  so that they can find a way of including their aspirations in the amendment document. I know that consulting with constituents could generate laughable ideas,with some of their thoughts quite  anachronistic, but that is the beauty of democracy.Democracy has enough space for the good, bad and ugly ideas.

The second option is for the president to send an executive bill to NASS asking them for a permission to directly organise internationally supervised referendum that will ask all Nigerians of 18yrs and beyond questions related to our continued existence,revenue sharing formula and restructuring of the existing political structures. Since real sovereignty lays with the people, their decision stands. And such decisions must not be subjected to further discussions by either the NASS or executive branch. Or any legal interpretation by the highest court of the land. Thankfully, NASS has a tradition of midwifing resolutions under a broader caption called THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY. When former President Umar Musa Yar'Adua left the country in 2010 on a medical tourism to Saudi Arabia without an official handing over note to the Vice President, the senate invented a doctrine that saved Nigeria from a constitutional crisis. That can also hold on at this instance!

I have to restrict myself to these two arms of government to block the usual excuses of saying  there can't be two sovereignties  concurrently existing in the same political scape. This short proposals are capable of  blocking all legal gymnastics and similar excuses taunted by ultraconservative and reactionary forces that are converting this dysfunctional and hopeless situation to their parochialistic political and  economic aggrandizements. Unfortunately, these wicked political and economic class will never witness backlashes of their act of refusing all efforts towards nip-budding these serious national questions.

It's time to talk. Now is the right time!

ANARCHISM AND DICTATORSHIP IN KADUNA - BY JOHN DANFULANI, Ph.D

ANARCHISM AND DICTATORSHIP IN KADUNA

                                   By
                         John Danfulani, Ph.D
                         Jondanfulani@gmail.com

"Rebellion to tyranny is obedience to God" Thomas Jefferson

A few months after delivering his inaugural speech in Murtala Square Kaduna, pronouncements and actions of Governor Nasir Ahmed El-rufa'i started signaling the beginning of a strange political culture premised on executive orders, instead of legislations by Kaduna State House of Assembly(KDSHA). Hiding under the canopy of reforms and quests for a slimmer and efficient government,many unethical and unprofessional decisions were taken without pondering on the short and long term negative consequences of his actions.

Take a look at these actions by His Excellency Nasir Ahmed El-rufa'i since assumption of office on 29th May 2015.

1. He retired Permanent Secretaries without observing the State's civil service rules like ;paying them their entitlements,number of years left before hitting their retirement time, and when they were appointed. Interestingly, the purging exercise was not guided by any standard other than irredentism, nepotism and sectionalism.

2. For over a year now he has been screening civil servants by using all sort of consultants. So far, they have not been able to get  a breakthrough. His verification exercise led to non-payment of salaries for some staff for over ten months, and labeling genuinely employed workers ghost workers.Similarly most retirees have 12months arrears to clear from the State Government.

3. In October of 2015, he told critics to head to famous Kufena Mountain in Zaria LGA in Kaduna North Senatorial District and jump down if they can't  accept his definition of the truth. Knowing the altitude of Kufena Mountain, his marching order simply said; go and die if you don't agree with me. His order has every feature of a hate speech....an internally condemned crime.

4. Sometimes in the first quarter of 2016 he told the newly sworn in caretaker of 23 LGAs in the state not to have any dealings with PDP members in their LGAs because they are like viruses. This aptly fits into what is known as hate speech. But sometimes in January, the conclave called State Security Council under his leadership milled a resolution against hate speech.

5. In the second quarter of 2016 he called members of APC factional branch called APC AKIDA ants...and that, he will crush them. He spewed this venom  while holding town hall meeting in Giwa headquarters of Giwa LGA in Kaduna Central Senatorial District. That was akin to the type of speech former Governor of Katsina State gave in 2014. He was adjudged of committing the sin of hate speech. Using the same yardstick,Mr. El-rufa'i too committed the same sin.

6. Some days ago,  he visited a disputed settlement in the southern part of Kaduna city called Gbagyi Villa. While there, he assured his will be victims that he will demolish thousands of structures there. After displaying his dictatorial credentials, he was reminded that there are cases before courts; a kind of reminding him that his action must wait for the the adjudicator(s) to decide who owns the land. Instead of thanking them for drawing his attention on the position of law, he  called them thieves and said no-going-back on his demolition plan.

A survey of issues raised from 1 to 6 hereinbefore shows that, the  tap-root of dictatorship and autocracy has shot down the political soil of Kaduna State. The most dangerous is his disposition of disregarding matters before courts. Those who read George Owell's award winning book titled ANIMAL FARM can see a symbiotic relationship between the narration in the book and what is happening in Kaduna State.

Now that Mr. El-rufa'i through his action and pronouncement has  demonstrated that he is above the law, what are the options left for those he is leading cum victims? Are the people to obey unabashed whims and caprices of a tyrant in a democracy or resist it using means accepted by the constitution? Is there justice for people to resist anarchy using constitutional means while what they are resisting isn't legal? From all indications, there is no easy way out for the vulnerable and helpless masses. This situation can be liken to a title of a book called The Devil's Alternative by Frederick Forsyth. 

For those onlookers on the fence, for those timid cold feet, for those weak souls, and for those with the privilege to speak the truth but prefer not seeing or hearing this evil, there turn is lurking at the corner. Lest they forget lessons of famous poem SPEAK OUT by a priest during the Nazi era in Germany. Let nonchalant not also forget Dante's sermon that says the hottest part of hell is reserve for those who mutes in times of moral crisis. For their good and that of democracy they better join all resistance movements against this evil spreading apocalyptic disaster horizontally and vertically in Kaduna State.

Now is time, I mean time to act against this political madness called EL-RUFAISM.

Un Suspends humanitarian aids in Nigeria's North - East after attack.

The United Nations has suspended its humanitarian assistance mission in the North East epicenter of Boko Haram terrorism following a bloody attack on humanitarian convoy by the Boko Haram insurgents, which left several officials of aid groups seriously wounded.
The suspension will be in place pending the review of the security situation in the Northeast.
A statement issued by the UN reacting to the attack said, “Today (Thursday) unknown assailants attacked a humanitarian convoy that included staff from UNICEF, UNFPA and IOM.
The convoy was traveling from Bama to Maiduguri in Borno State, Nigeria, returning from delivering desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
“UNICEF can confirm that a UNICEF employee and an IOM contractor were injured in the attack and are being treated at a local hospital. All other UNICEF, IOM and UNFPA staff are safe.
“The convoy was in a remote area of northeastern Nigeria, where protracted conflict has caused extreme suffering and has triggered a severe malnutrition crisis.
“This was not only an attack on humanitarian workers. It is an attack on the people who most need the assistance and aid that these workers were bringing.
“The United Nations has temporarily suspended humanitarian assistance missions pending review of the security situation.”
Continuing the statement said, “UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org.
The Army headquarters while confirming the attack on the UN bodies in a statement titled “Boko Haram Terrorists Ambush Humanitarian Escort Convoy” said, “Troops returning from Bama on humanitarian escort duty, were ambushed enroute Maiduguri by suspected remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hiding in Meleri village, a few kilometres from Kawuri.
“The gallant troops however, successfully cleared the ambush and exploited up to Afunori.
“Unfortunately, 2 soldiers and 3 civilians were wounded in the ambush, among who were staff of United Nations agencies and other international humanitarian organizations.
“The wounded have been evacuated to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri and they are in stable condition.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to sympathize with our wounded colleagues, the United Nations and other Non-governmental organizations whose personnel were also injured in this sad incident.
“We wish to reiterate our determination and commitment to ensuring safety and security in the North East and safeguarding the lives of all persons.
In another development, the Army said early today that Multi-National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF), has finally captured and occupied Damasak town.
Damasak is a boundary town between Nigeria and Niger Republic and is located in Northern Borno. It is one of the last frontiers of Boko Haram terrorists.
A statement signed by Public Information Officer and spokesperson of MNJTF, Colonel Muhammad Dole, said that the troops have also cleared the terrorists from the surrounding villages
“In continuation with clearance operation of the towns and villages by MNJTF, the troops of the Sector 4 in Diffa Niger Republic have successfully cleared Sure village, captured and occupied Damasak town today by 1000hrs.
"The forces are coordinating to stabilize the immediate environs. The gallant troops fought their way into the town with Close Air support by combined Air Operation from MNJTF member states."
He added that: "While Operation Lafiya Dole is conducting operation to link up with Sector 4 at the location, the troops' morale remains very high."
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is the combined multinational formation, comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. It is headquartered in N'Djamena, Chad and is mandated to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Flashback: July 29, 1966 counter-coup: Africa's bloodiest coup d'etat - By Chucks Iloegbunam.

The first shots shattered the peace of the night at the Abeokuta Garrison of the Nigerian Army a few minutes after midnight on July 29, 1966.
Three casualties lay instantly dead in the persons of Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Okonweze, the Garrison Commander, Major John Obienu, Commander of the 2nd Reece Squadron, and Lieutenant E. B. Orok, also of the Reece Squadron. It was the beginning of the much-touted revenge coup of Northern Nigerian army officers and men against the regime of Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By August 1, when Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon assumed power in Lagos as Nigeria’s second military Head of State, the bullet ridden bodies of both Ironsi and his host, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, the military Governor of Western Nigeria, lay buried in shallow graves at Iwo, outside Ibadan.
“Within three days of the July outbreak, every Igbo soldier serving in the army outside the East was dead, imprisoned or fleeing eastward for his life”, observed Professor Ruth First in The Barrel of a Gun: The Politics of Coups d’Etat in Africa [Allen Lane The Penguin Press, London, 1970, p317.]
But Africa’s bloodiest coup did not stop at that stage, despite the shooting deaths of 42 officers and over 130 other ranks, who were overwhelmingly Igbo. The killing sprees and ever-expanding killing fields spread like wild fire across most of the country. There were three phases to the coup – the Araba / Aware massacres in northern Nigeria pre-July that called for northern secession, the July Army bloodbath, and the ethnic cleansing that went on for months after Ironsi had been assassinated and his regime toppled. The maelstrom prompted Colonel Gowon into making a radio broadcast on September 29, 1966.
This was the kernel of what he said: “You all know that since the end of July, God in his power has entrusted the responsibility of this great country of ours into the hands of yet another Northerner. I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in the North are being killed and molested, and their property looted. I am very unhappy about this. We should put a stop to it. It appears that it is going beyond reason and is now at a point of recklessness and irresponsibility.”
Salutary intervention
But Gowon’s salutary intervention changed nothing, as the massacres continued unabated. Northern soldiers and civilians went into towns, fished out Easterners and flattened them either with rapid gunfire or with violent machete blows, leaving their properties looted or torched.
According to the Massacre of Ndigbo in 1966: Report of the Justice G. C. M. Onyiuke Tribunal, [Tollbrook Limited, Ikeja, Lagos] “…between 45,000 and 50,000 civilians of former Eastern Nigeria were killed in Northern Nigeria and other parts of Nigeria from 29th May 1966 to December 1967 and although it is not strictly within its terms of reference the Tribunal estimates that not less than 1,627,743 Easterners fled back to Eastern Nigeria as a result of the 1966 pogrom.”

Counter-coup

This is contemporary Nigerian history, only 50 years old. But when experts like Dr. Reuben Abati and Professor Jonah Elaigwu write about it, they lose all sense of numeracy and statistical acuity, and glibly state that the July 29, 1966 counter-coup cost “many” Igbo lives.
Well, the truth is that the July 29 counter-coup appears to be the bloodiest in the world’s recorded history because the casualty figures it posted far outstrip those registered in decided bloody coups like the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which King James II of England was overthrown by an invading army led by William III of Orange-Nassau; the 18 Brumaire of 1799 coup in which General Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory on November 9, 1799; the Wuchang Uprising of 1911 that overthrew the Qing Dynasty and led to the establishment of the Republic of China; the Bolsheviks October Revolution of 1917 that led to the creation of the Soviet Union; and the Iraqi coup d’état of 1936, the first among Arab countries. Each of these coups/revolutions led to war. But none of them managed anything near the sea of blood occasioned by July 29, 1966.
Giving their interest in posting photographs and videos on the Internet by Instagram and Snapchat, and advertising mostly poor language on Facebook and other such portals, today’s Nigerian youths may know next to nothing about what led to the catastrophe of July 29. But the details follow here for those of them interested in learning.
The problem sat rigidly on the superficiality of Nigeria, a geographical expression contrived by colonialist Britain. At Independence in 1960, the country operated a federal system of government with three powerful regions that didn’t take dictation from Lagos, the nation’s capital. A fourth region, the Midwest, with capital in Benin City, was created in June 1963.
But destroying the very fabric of the artificial political entity were tribalism and corruption, corruption which by today’s standards, would seem like cloistered nuns delightfully engaging in a game of Ping-Pong!

Controversial census

There were the 1960 and 1964-1965 uprisings in the Tiv country of the Middle Belt, and fractious elections in Western Nigeria in 1964 and 1965. There was the highly controversial national census exercise of 1963, and there was the military action of Isaac Boro’s Niger Delta Volunteer Force.
Then, the military moved in on January 15, 1966, having contracted the germ of the idea of military putsches running riot across the world. In Algeria, for instance, Colonel Houari Boumediene and Ahmed Ben Bella overthrew Benyoucef Benkhedda on July 3, 1962.
Three years later, on June 19, 1965, Boumedienne overthrew Ben Bella. More: In Argentina, General Eduardo Lonardi overthrew President Juan Domingo Peron on September 16, 1955. On March 29, 1962, General Raul Pogi overthrew President Arturo Frondizi. In Brazil on March 31, 1964, Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco overthrew João Goulart to set up a 21-year-long dictatorship. In Indonesia General Suharto overthrew President Sukarno on September 30, 1965.

First West African coup

Inside Africa itself, coups were also trending. Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser had overthrown Muhammad Naguib as far back as February 27, 1954. The first coup in West Africa was on January 13, 1963, when Etiene Eyadema overthrew Sylvanus Olympio. Colonel Joseph (later Mobutu Sese Seko) toppled Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba on September 14, 1960 and “neutralized” all political parties in Congo-Kinshasa. In neighbouring Benin Republic, Christophe Soglo overthrew Hubert Maga on October 28, 1963. Soglo carried out another coup on November 27, 1965, toppling Sourou-Migan Apithy.
Both coups happened when the country still bore the name of Dahomey.
On New Year’s Day of 1966, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa overthrew his cousin, President David Dacko in Central Africa Republic. Two days later, Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana overthrew President Maurice Yaméogo in Upper Volta, which was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984 by Marxist revolutionary Captain Thomas Sankara.
But there was a difference between the rash of coups that occurred elsewhere and the one of January 15, 1966 in Nigeria. The Nigerian coup took an immediate ethnic colouration, and for reasons that were all too obvious. Of the five Majors that formed the innermost circle of the plotters, four were Igbo – Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna, Donatus Okafor, and Chris Anuforo. But there was also among them Major Adewale Ademoyega, a Yoruba. Then, there was also the more disturbing fact that most of the coup’s casualties were non-Igbo, like Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Northern Premier Sir Ahmadu Bello, Western Premier Chief Samuel Akintola, and Federal Finance Minister Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh. No Igbo politician had lost his life in the bloody action.
Further, in executing the coup, the military had turned against itself in the killings of the following Northern military officers: Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari (Commander 2 Brigade), Colonel Kur Mohammed (Chief of Staff, Army Headquarters), Lieutenant Colonel James Yakubu Pam (Adjutant-General), and Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Abogo Largema (Commander 4th Battalion, Ibadan). Two Yoruba officers were also victims: Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun (Commander 1 Brigade), and his deputy, Colonel Ralph Sodeinde. The coup was, in effect, as bloody as they come. Its very nature fanned the fiction that it was an Igbo coup.


Chuks Iloegbunam (iloegbunam@hotmail.com ), is the author of Ironside , the biography of General Aguiyi-Ironsi.

KANO FILM VILLAGE: A LESSON FOR OTHER NIGERIANS - BY JOHN DANFULANI

KANO FILM VILLAGE:A LESSON FOR OTHER NIGERIANS

                                 By

                    John Danfulani,Ph.D
                   Jondanfulani@gmail.com

Not long ago,the old and new media told Nigerians that the Federal Government of Nigeria(FGN) is nursing the ambition of establishing a film village in Kano( North Western Nigeria).It must be part of FGN's effort to support the infant film industry to enable it compete( in quality not quantity) with the U.S.Hollywood and India Bollywood film industries.That goes with the anticipation  that the industry will provide employment opportunities to Nigerians and open a stable source of revenue to Governments.

Kano was chosen because there is already a crawling Hausa movie industry there called Kaniwood. Kaniwood  is competing with other films milling centres of South Eastern and  Western Nigeria.Today, DSTV through its portal called AFRCA MAGIC is broadcasting Yoruba films from South West, Ibo films from South East and Hausa films from North.Statistic shows that most of the films from the north were produced  and promoted by  Kano based industries.

On hearing the news of the FGN's intention, a thick mushroom cloud of opposition rose from some Kano elites in league with some powerful Islamic clerics and feudal lords.Their opposition was not premised on legal or economic grounds but faith related factors.The summary of their position is;such a centre will breeds attitudes that are unislamic.On hearing the rumples of opposing voices, the FGN folded its tail in between its two legs.There was no single effort from FGN to school the people of Kano the economic and social values of the vision. FGN took to the tallest political grasses.

Once more,Kano people have demonstrated the awesome power of a people in a democracy.Even before the lowering of the Union Jack on 1st October 1960 Kano is always a history making zone and a clime with the capacity to rebel against the status quo.In the First Republic(1960-1966),most northerners supported NPC but Kano people were with NEPU. History repeated itself in the Second Republic(1979-1983)...most of the northern Nigeria states went to NPN but Kano went to PRP. KANAWA(Kano people) simply have a reputation of saying NO to what they don't like.

Now,the KANAWA'S rejection of a proposed films village has opened the eyes of others communities/states in Nigeria.The point yours sincerely is labouring to establish is; any community/state  with an FGN project that isn't palatable to either their economic, social or cultural mores and values is at liberty to kick against it.For example, all the middlebeltern and Southern Nigeria States opposed to FGN's intention of creating grazing reserves for Fulani wanderers, they now have a golden opportunity to oppose without fear of the Leviathan.The oil producing communities now have the moral courage to protest against some decades old drilling of crude oil that is spillaging their environment and causing health related illnesses to them.

If others don't seize this good opportunity to make their case(s) against everything under the political sun of Nigeria-especially now that PMB has a listening ear,they better hold their peace because some of us will never believe their "tantrums" anymore. The KANAWA'S  have set the pace(as usual), therefore there shouldn't be any problems if people choose to disagree with any proposed policy of the FGN. The KANAWA'S  decision was a kind of democratic revolution that expanded the frontiers of freedom and liberty for all and sundry.

However, I make bold to tell PMB and his surrogates that, on no account should he threaten any community/state with the use of force should they decide to also benefit from the freedom of rejecting what they don't want like the KANAWAS. PMB must know that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

EMPEROR DEMOLITION'S VISIT TO GBAGYI VILLA - By JOHN DANFULANI, Ph.D

"Every despot must have one disloyal subject to keep sane" BERNARD SHAW

On 21st July 2016 Governor Nasir Ahmed El-rufa'i of Kaduna State rolled his motorcade to a Southern Kaduna people's dominated settlement called GBAGYI VILLA to tell the residents of the community his resolution to turn all structures there to debris. While stating his commitment, he said; no amount of pressure and appeal will make him renege on his mission.

After his fascistic and autocratic display of might, some of his will be victims summoned courage and drew his attention to the fact that, the land in question is a subject of litigations in various courts in the State. And closed their candid observations with the point that, is it not commonsensical to allow the courts to rule before embarking on an action that has apocalyptic consequences? Because of his malnutrition in democratic ethos and civility, he sarcastically said; you can't steal something and rush to court for protection. His statement is simply saying, he isn't a  respecter of provisos of the constitution and natural justice that piqued; parties in a dispute must stay action when their case is before a court for adjudication.

Mr. El-rufa'i's decision and action is akin to a contempt of court and a direct assault to the  1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His pronouncement is also a catalyst for anarchy and lawlessness because once leaders go lawless followers will resort to self help. Still,his action signaled the arrival of dictatorship and autocracy because the setting has shifted from the basic tenets of rule of law - a principle that said all men are equal before the law. Mr. El-rufa'i's action has collapsed the trust between leaders and the led in the state. It wouldn't be extreme if one asserts that his action is tantamount to a coup against the constitution.

Where is it stipulated in Nigeria's 1999 constitution that a State Governor has the right to act on a property belonging to federal government? Cases in courts are between residents and management of Kaduna Polytechnic- a federal government school located in Kaduna. Apart from the land been in Kaduna, where is the link between the Busy-body Governor and the land? Is Mr. El-rufa'i the Minister of Education or Director of National Board for Technical Education? This is indeed a classic paragon of busy body. There is no reason whatsoever for him to delve into what doesn't concern him. He isn't even a party to any of the suits institutes in the courts.

Here is a man who promised much to the people of Kaduna State and is yet to take a first step towards redeeming his pledges. Instead of focusing on how to deliver on his promises or untangle himself out of quagmires his actions and inactions crested, he is busy creating novel troubles for himself. When shall his hands get full of troubles? It's on record that he advertised and awarded contracts for construction and renovation of clinics in all the electoral wards in the state. Nothing has been done for lack of take off grant. It's on record that all other contracts that aren't services providing in nature have not started. One can state without any fear of contradiction that he is yet to flag off one single peoples oriented project in the state. The only project stating on his record is: CONTROVERSY.

In spite of these glaring failures and monumental letdown, he wants to add salt to injury by pulling down structures people toiled and used their life savings and put in place. Over 95% of GBAGYI VILLA'S residents are retirees that rendered various services to the nation in their prime. Among them are people that fought the 30 months old civil war that saved Nigeria from balkanization. How can a man who haven't raise a single structure since assumption of office on 29th May 2015 take delight in pulling down structures? Is there any better situation for one to deploy the word saddism? While inventing the word saddist his irks must have been existing in that era.

Since he has turned Kaduna State to a Hobbsian State of Nature, residence of Gbagyi Villa and surrounding settlements like Romi, Television, Sabon Tasha, Buwaya, Trikaniya, Highcost, Nafdac, Ungwan Boro, Sabo GRA, Mahuta, Ungwan Sunday, down to Mararaban Rido better come out and resist this move.They must resist any attempt by whosoever to pull down a single block  off another. If he succeeds in Gbagyi Villa, he will roll down his bulldozers to other areas like Nepa Field Romi, Federal Housing Abuja Road, Nafdac in Narayi, etc.

This is no time for timidity and fearing of a diminutive dictator.All lovers of democracy, liberty, and freedom must square off with this bullyism and brazen dictatorship. On 11th April 2015 people voted for freedom and nothing more. Saddistic pulling down of structures-for the joy of seeing accompanying sorrows, tears and blood wasn't part of the social contract the good people of Kaduna State entered with Mr.El-rufa'i.

Enough of this madness in Kaduna State.

NIGERIA'S PRESENT PREDICAMENT &THE CHALLENGE OF EXCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE- BY MIKE MAIKARFI

Why are we here? I mean, why is our country where it is now?
In my own view, four major factors are responsible for this sorry state of our nation. Startled by the current situation staring us at the face, many pundits have tried to examine the state of the nation from various angles and to proffer solutions.
We all know how we have most often than not being engaged on discussions over national affairs in various fora. Yet, it is clear our nation is daily drifting far away from our desired destination.
I was making a trip to a town where one of the ancient railway stations was located in North-Western Nigeria. The day was cool and cloudy as I navigated my way on the tarred road with thick forest on both sites enveloping the whole atmosphere into a serene and calm climate for meditation. This happened to be the day that Mr. President flagged off the Abuja – Kaduna modern railway line service.
As I meditated along that trip, then it got dawned on me that these four factors have been key forces that have dragged our nation to where it is now. These are the things I set out to discuss here. And they all revolve around President Muhammadu Buhari and his style of leadership.
The first is the campaign on the war against corruption, not the war itself. Immediately after the swearing in ceremony at the Eagle square Abuja on 29 May, 2015, Mr. President declared a war against corruption which he set out to fight.
Corruption is a social and economic cancer that has the potency to destroy and ruin nations. It is a monster that should be detested and fought with every muscle a leader could muster. However, the fight needs to be total, tactful and systematic.
Unfortunately, the style of President Buhari’s war against corruption which has now affected the nation adversely has been his international publicity of his anti-corruption war as he traversed transnational boarders which have only succeeded in portraying Nigeria and Nigerians as the most corrupt nation and people of the world. Mr. President has ended up sending such awry signal across the globe and now only the stench of Nigeria is felt everywhere. With this, which multi-national corporation would like to come invest in a nation that is infested with high profile corruption like Nigeria? This is why we are here now in the world of business and investment.
The second factor has been Mr. President’s utterances and body Language. When he mounted the saddle of leadership as a president, he immediately declared that, “I am for everybody and I am for nobody”. But no sooner than later, he reneged on this statement by stating that, he will give 97/5% preference and treatment to regions according to the way he was voted.
Many pundits have adjudged the above utterance as unsavoury, undemocratic and a prime factor that has triggered the militancy that erupted in the Niger Delta.
As a matter of fact, the Igbo council of elders, Ohanieze at a time viewed such statement from Mr. President and other utterances he made as a Military general who is still fighting a Nigeria - Biafra war. His body language as a leader and looking at the type of people he chooses and brings around him also betrayed him. With this, we now have a serious situation at the Niger Delta that has drastically reduced our crude oil production capacity as a nation.
Thirdly, is the case of exclusive & sectional governance which is closely linked to the 97/5% selective treatment. Mr. President’s mode of appointments have attracted outcry from regions and ethnic groups across the nation. It is no news that primordial sentiments bordering on ethnicity and religion have been, among other factors, the president’s guide to his appointments. And with all these outcries the trend has continued. Federal character has been thrown to the wind and Nigeria is been governed like a monarchy or an enclave for a selective few.
The delay in appointing ministers in this administration was another factor that has dragged our economy to its present sorry state. The time that the campaigns were on to the time the presidential election was held and won; and down to when Mr. President was sworn in was enough time to have assembled those who should be part of his cabinet. This would have set the ball rolling well for the good of the nation if capable hands were engaged earlier to craft a financial blueprint for our nation. Unfortunately, it took us six months to have our ministers in place who, up till now, don’t seem to know where our nation is headed economically. All these have been factors that have dragged us to where we are now as a nation.
In summary therefore, Mr. President has over time been engaged in a negative publicity of fighting corruption on one hand, while on the other hand frustrating our economy by faulty economic decisions and inactions as he stands on an elevated platform of polarized government that is fueling the disintegration of the nation through nepotism and exclusive governance where some sections are to a very great extent, estranged from the affairs of the state.
For us to make any meaningful progress towards development as a nation at this time therefore, the ruling class must take a look at the factors enumerated herein and take drastic steps to urgently address them.

Flood will affect Lagos, Imo, ,Yobe and 11 others - NIHSA

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency on Monday announced that there would be flooding in 14 states and urged residents living in flood-prone areas of the states to relocate.
According to the agency, most cities would experience heavy floods due to the rise in sea levels and tidal surge.
The agency added that Lagos, Rivers, Calabar, Benue, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Cross River, Yobe, Ogun, Osun, Kaduna, Oyo and Yola were the states that would be affected by flooding this year.
The Director-General, NIHSA, Mr. Moses Beckley, said this during the public presentation of the 2016 Annual Flood Outlook in Abuja and warned that this year’s flooding would be higher than the one experienced in 2015.
He said, “The expected inflows in the country for this year will be lower than that of 2012. Meanwhile, the predicted probable flood area coverage in 2016 is expected to be higher than the predicted probable flood as well as the observed value of 2015.
“The expected areas of river flooding this year are located in the following river basins, Niger, Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Anambra-Imo, Cross River, Niger Delta, Komadougu-Yobe, Ogun-Osun and several other sub-basins of the country.
“Some coastal areas such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, etc, are expected to experience flooding due to rise in sea level and tidal surge, while flash and urban flooding are likely to occur in Sokoto, Ibadan, Kaduna, Yola, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Hadejia and settlements/cities along the Nigeria coastal line.”
NIHSA urged those living along those places to keep safe distances and “those in the areas where you have dams constructed to also be careful about erecting structures close to where the dams was.”



Credit: The Punch

Buhari scraps N3b Kannywood film village.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration may have cancelled its plan to build a massive film village in Kano State, following social media outcry and opposition from Muslim clerics, reported the BBC.
More than N3 billion was budgeted for the project as part of the government’s efforts to improve the Hausa language film industry known as Kannywood. The government argued that the village would create thousands of job opportunities and promote cultural activities.
But Muslim clerics argued that it would promote immorality and people on social media also called on the government to stop the plan.
An aide to Buhari said the president has listened to the people’s concerns by deciding to scrap the project.