By Dele Sobowale
“A society can be judged by the way it treats its children” – Nelson Mandela, 1913-2013.
Few Nigerians now harbour any hope that this country would produce a Mandela among its present crop of old politicians. And, if the young member of the House of Representatives, from Abia State, exhibiting delirium of power, as well as all the young Ministers, just sacked, represent the next generation of power seekers, then, we might have to wait until those in nursery school grow up.
Press Release
Achebe Masterworks Announces Development Deal with A24 for TV Series Adaptation of Things Fall Apart
Published in 1958, Things Fall Apart established African literature on the global stage and remains the most widely read African novel, with over 30 million copies sold and translations in more than 60 languages.
By Dan Onwukwe
Often
missing from debates on why a governing party after years or decades in
power suddenly failed to win majority seats in parliament or lost outrightly.
History of politics offers an array of arguments why this happens in many
democracies. It’s about not learning the lessons in power, the hard way.
*Tinubu and
Ramaphosa
Learning
the lessons the hard way begins when that gripping listlessness sets in, when
political power begins to slip away from a governing party. The endgame begins
the very moment the party leadership feels over-confident, and those who
surround the President feel their man has got enough power, and don’t need
anybody anymore.
By Owei Lakemfa
The loss of majority in parliament by the African National Congress, ANC in the May 29, 2024 South African elections was a sunset for the continent. It means that the unrepentant Pan Africanist organisation with its vow to the mass of the people and unrepentant commitment to humanity as manifested in its unprecedented war against genocide in Palestine, might be compromised under a coalition.
*Ramaphosa and Zuma
The uniqueness of the ANC in South African and international politics is that it has never really been a political party. Rather, it is an all-comers movement of people dedicated to freedom and social justice. It is built on a tripod: coalition of people with different ideologies and religions, the South African Communist Party which espouses socialism, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU. The current President Cyril Ramaphosa is from COSATU.
By Dele Sobowale
“All political parties die at last of swallowing
their own lies” – Dr
John Arbuthnot, 1667-1735.
By Owei Lakemfa
President Bola Tinubu on September 2, 2023 recalled all Nigerian career and non-career ambassadors across the universe from their duty posts. His action, he said, is to transfuse his renewed hope agenda into foreign policy and ensure service delivery to all. He, however, made two exceptions: the country’s United Nations, UN, Permanent Representatives in New York and Geneva.
Generally, foreign relations can be quite slippery, so an ambassador is the eyes and ears of his country. Therefore, his recall is a serious matter. But making two exceptions tells of the importance of both missions.
By Jideofor Adibe
July 18 of every year, which is Nelson Mandela’s birthday, is celebrated across the world as Mandela Day. It should be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly declared in November 2009 that July 18 of every year should be commemorated as Mandela International Day in recognition of the contributions of the late South African President to the culture of global peace. The Mandela Day was essentially aimed at honouring the late anti-Apartheid activist’s lifelong commitment to social justice, reconciliation, and human rights.
The day also encourages individuals and communities worldwide to engage in acts of service that will make a positive impact in their communities. In December 2015, the UNGA extended the scope of the Mandela Day to also include promoting humane conditions of imprisonment, raising awareness about prisoners being a continuous part of society and valuing the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance. The UNGA adopted the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and approved that these should be known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules”.
By Dele Sobowale
“Fish rots from the head.”
If you want to know how good or bad a country is, just take a look at the top politicians. It is now becoming an axiom of political science, that it is almost impossible to have a great country with absolutely atrocious leaders in charge. It all starts from the President or Prime Minister.
Was there an African or black person anywhere who was not proud when Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa? Who else among the mob that was elected and ruled in Africa who has given us that sense of pride in being African and black? Mandela achieved everlasting fame, universal acclaim and respect in just five years. See what we have got in Nigeria after seven and a half years of Buhari. Surely nobody would be dishonest enough as to call him a great leader – given the legacies he and the First Lady, FL, are likely to leave behind.
By Dele Sobowale
“Fish rots from the head.”
If you want to know how good or bad a country is, just take a look at the top politicians. It is now becoming an axiom of political science, that it is almost impossible to have a great country with absolutely atrocious leaders in charge.
It all starts from the President or Prime Minister. Was there an African or black person anywhere who was not proud when Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa? Who else among the mob that was elected and ruled in Africa who has given us that sense of pride in being African and black?
Mandela achieved everlasting fame, universal acclaim and respect in just five years. See what we have got in Nigeria after seven and a half years of Buhari. Surely nobody would be dishonest enough as to call him a great leader – given the legacies he and the First Lady, FL, are likely to leave behind.
By Ayo Oyoze Baje
“While other nations are faced with the challenges of the 21st Century,we are bogged down by the avarice of the elite. Every time we believe we have seen the worst from our country, the shameless, opportunistic power grabbers take us back to a new low” – Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum, NDLF New York (June, 2010)
Looked at, over the past six decades the statistics have been simply scary, shocking and scandalous! One is talking of course, about the inexcusable social inequality and injustice that still persist between the few rotten-rich citizens and the long-suffering led majority, here in my dear fatherland, Nigeria. With the knowledge that we live in a country abundantly blessed by God with vast and varied natural resources, it is a crying shame that we are still enmeshed in the deepest pit of pitiable poverty, globally.
By Rasheedat Shuaib
Nothing can be more shocking than learning that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has embarked on not less than 16 industrial actions between 1999 and 2022.
For those who may not know, a major factor prompting our
university lecturers to be laying down their tools intermittently is the
failure of government to fulfill an agreement it once entered with the academic
union.
*Buhari receiving an honorary doctorate degree from the Kaduna State University
Another factor is the failure of the lecturers to reinvent themselves and face current realities, and find fresh ways of resolving their incessant disputes with the government.
Each time the ASUU strike rears its ugly head, one is forced to conclude that both the government and our lecturers lack empathy for us the students. Better put: they don’t have our interest at heart.
The recurrence of ASUU strike has numerous negative impacts on us, something the government and ASUU don’t consider when they fail to come to an agreement. We lost a whole session to this same madness two years ago. The same thing is already happening now, with the ongoing strike.
By David Osiri
“E go better” is a common phrase used in Nigeria to affirm our inner aspiration of a better future. Popular artistes turned it into songs. We say it when we want to reassure ourselves of a better tomorrow, hoping that the nation will live up to its potential one day.
*Nigerian leaders
The
wise are beginning to realize that hope is not enough, a byproduct of faith.
Faith is a risk, and we need to put it in the right leaders who can lead the
nation into a prosperous future. We need leaders who are trained and prepared
for a moment like this. We need to identify such people to escape the burden of
untrained leaders that has beguiled Nigeria and Africa at large.
A little disclosure before I proceed: this article might read like leadership 101. Learning new things without mastering the fundamentals is like building a house on a sinking foundation. If the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do? A nation’s destiny and its people depend on its leadership; therefore, it is serious. And in critical moments like one where our nation has found itself today, we cannot afford to hand the steering of our wheels to an untrained leader.
By Babs Onabanjo
Peace will continue to elude Nigeria if the fraud in the 1999 constitution is not expunged forthwith. The Nigerian 1999 constitution has created a failed state and is at the point of no return according to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States.
Long before this devastating assessment, I have written many
articles warning about the potential crises of enormous proportions should the
government ignore the signs and the call for restructuring through regional
autonomy. I also stressed the urgent need to rewrite the constitution with the
intent to address the fundamental issues regarding restructuring and the
overbearing power and influence of the Federal Government.
The
constitution with its exclusive list is counterproductive to development,
growth and the ability of regions, states and local governments to function
effectively. This is designed to slow down growth and development in order to
create perpetual dependency on the Federal Government begging for crumbs and
scraps thereby making it impossible for states or local governments to do what
they can do for themselves.
Nigeria is now classified as a failed state unable to protect the
citizens from internal conflict, violence Fulani jihadist incursion, Boko Haram
insurgence and various groups demanding for self-determination and fast on the
precipice of a total collapse.
The Nigerian 1999 constitution must be abolished and rewritten in
line with the 1963 constitution which was suspended by the military coup of
1966. The current constitution was imposed by the military transition
government with the intent to create a master-slave relationship between the
centre and other branches of the government.
The
constitution starts with a preamble – we the people – this is fraud and false.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated that truth crushed to earth shall rise again.
Until we fix the constitution from which our laws are derived, there can be no
justice. Hence the freedom of the citizens to exercise their inalienable right
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will be nonexistent and
impossible.
If Nigeria is to avoid disintegration, there is need to heed to
the demand of the South and Middle Belt Peoples Sovereign Movement (SOMPSOM)
that there should be no election in 2023 until the constitution is abolished
and rewritten by the people using as a reference the 1963 constitution. Indeed,
there can never be peace without a just constitution. Likewise, there can never
be peace without justice. The law of the land is governed by the constitution
and when the constitution is flawed the laws will be flawed because the laws
are derived from the constitution. Therefore, by implication, the unjust laws
become the laws of the land.
The youth were fed up with the status quo and decided to do
something about it by demanding for change which is their fundamental rights in
a civilised society. However, to the world’s surprise the government unleashed
terror of unimaginable dimension on peaceful protesters holding Nigerian flags
and singing the national anthem. A civilised government would enter into a
dialogue with the youth to find a common ground and proffer solutions through
negotiation and sincere means. However, the world witnessed the horror of our
lives displayed on various platforms across the world. Young children were
massacred in cold blood using live ammunition at close range by the government
who ought to protect them.
There
must be consequences for the barbaric act committed against humanity and
confirmed by the panel set up to investigate what happened on October 20, 2020,
at the Lekki tollgate.
Dr. King believes that non-violent strategies are means to
advocate for issues by using the principles of nonviolence. We are committed
more than ever to continue to train the youths with the strategies of nonviolent
principles as a way of life. It is not without risk; however, nonviolent
strategies are only for the courageous. It assumes that the arc of the universe
bends towards justice and that the higher power is always at play. With faith
all things are possible. The Soviet Union crumbled without a shot, Berlin wall
came down without a shot, Apartheid in South Africa was brought down by the
power and will of persuasion and struggle of ideas through Mandela and ANC.
The #EndSARS taught us a lesson that when people come together in
unison and are committed to that which is just and they are willing to
sacrifice for it, there is no turning back but victory. The #EndSARS will
regroup, reorganize, identify potential saboteurs (government-sponsored),
remove their influence, engage industries, companies, civic organisations,
churches, mosques, people of a good conscience, artists, students, all and
sundry to join in the struggle for freedom, good government, and justice across
ethnic and religious differences.
Meanwhile,
Nigerians in Diaspora must be ready and willing to support #EndSARS in the
struggle to demand for good governance, freedom and justice. We must continue
to demand the following:
1. Total compliance with and implementation of the Lagos State Judicial Panel
of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS related Abuses and Other matters
recommendations.
2. Imposition of visa ban on top officials of the Nigerian
government and their family members.
3. Freezing of the assets of the top officials of the Nigerian
government.
4.
Funding of NGOs and activists who are committed to free speech and non-violence
in Nigeria.
5. Granting of asylum to activists who are being victimised by the
Nigerian government.
6. Monitoring current and future sales of weapons to Nigeria
(there should be stoppage of further sales temporarily).
7. Charging the government of Nigeria with human rights violations
and crimes against humanity.
*Prof.
Onabanjo is president, Nigerian Alliance for Democracy (1993-1999) and
president, AD King Foundation, USA.
In 1958, Chinua Achebe’s first novel, Things Fall Apart, established African literature on the world stage. More than 60 years later, it remains the most widely read African novel.
It has sold more than 20 million copies in English alone and has been translated into more than 60 languages. Time Magazine named it “One of the 100 greatest novels of all time,” and Encyclopedia Britannica, one of the “12 novels considered the greatest books ever written.”
In 2020, as the world confronts systemic racism and battles the COVID-19 pandemic, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and his two other novels—Arrow of God, and No Longer At Ease—that make up The African Trilogy, remain relevant, profound and crucial.
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| *Professor Pius Adesanmi |
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| *Bola Ige |
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| *Peter Obi |
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| *Mandela |
