Global Political Correctness or Error?

Taking a look at Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Libya and Syria, will it have been better leaving the nations unperturbed and silently follow the tenets of power change?  We all shout the need for democracy, where in the world in democracy sincerely genuine?  Agreed, it is the best form of Government.  Elections alone do not define democracy, especially when the needed structures, to sustain it, are not in place.

If you allow the people of Libya to honestly select between the relative normalcy of the Gadhafi days and now that even Libyans are running from their country in modes known for the West and Central African blacks alone, which will they vote for?

An Iraqi situation where Christian and minority tribes were slaughtered like animals and the world silently watched without uttering words for fear of reprisals and/or to be politically / diplomatic correct. I ask again, will this minorities prefer the interventions that brought Iraq to this state or the Saddam Hussein days?

Syria, Samaria, Damascus, in memory, I remember some of my class mates, leaving Amman, Saturday nights, drive to Damascus for night clubbing and return very early Sunday mornings for classes (sorry, wont mention names, if any is reading). Many more transverse those terrains for pilgrimage, study and work.  A very wonderful set of hospitable people, I may say.  Will the people have preferred a yesterday Syria with the bad ruler, than a country with lives, ancient histories, buildings, technologies and businesses destroyed and majority of the citizenry becoming refugees of no nation, as all are afraid of accepting them for fear of ISIS?

Cases without counts, we have, where interventions, even those well intended end up being hijacked by others who for long where unable because of the same persons termed evil by the interveners.  A very disappointing fact is, like Oscars Arias put it long time ago, that the weaponry used are always from the same nations preaching peace/better world.  Some are of the opinion that these nations go into their Military Laboratories / Research Facilities and Industries to create weapons of mass destruction only to come to nations of low intellect and use the leadership, their opponents as laboratory rats for their experiments.  (True or False?  I do not know.).  But ear to ear talks are common of CIA Agents gone rogue, like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.

The issue of migration has now so beclouded our judgement, that it is hard to place the line between what is right / wrong.  When Black Africans were traversing the ancient Sahara Desert Trade routes to North Africa for access to Europe through especially Spain.   The world turned deaf ears to our cries for a rethink of the nuances that cause persons to leave their comfort zones for a greener pasture that is more of a mirage than reality.  The number of deaths by natural causes and the inhumane treatment by people of nations along the routes are best not mentioned.     These migrants formed villages in off the grid locations, known to uniformed Government officials for only harassments and collection of illegal dues for such illegal stays.   Transient families emerge, villages with hierarchal structures like self preservation and order.  The cost if you ask me is not worth the story.

I have waited to hear of the Global (as UN) support for the wealthy Egyptian who bought an Island for a particular group of refugees, I am still waiting.  I am also waiting to hear other wealthy Arabs follow the example, I am still waiting to hear.  With the bombings in France, Brussels, Germany and the near coup in Turkey, I am waiting for the American Government, whether Democrat or Republican that will truly open their doors for migrants in the true American Story and Spirit.

My great worry is, the merchants of war will not stop now.  With Drone technology and the Internet becoming an increasingly fearful phenomenon, the future is increasingly bleak for the average and below average persons.  African states have are not learning from the past, brothers killing brothers and neighbours destroying each other are still the norm.  The usage of religion, tribe, regions have becoming increasingly sophisticated that, even infant nations that should be learning to crawl are fine-tuning the blood letting skills on the same people they joined hands to get independence.  Something is terribly wrong, because the war lords and sponsors are in far away safe havens with their families and will be the same persons that will be called to discuss reconciliations after the poor masses without names / numbers are buried in mass or unmarked graves.  When this man’s inhumanity to man stop?

If anybody is hearing, let for once, the United Nations and Region Unions and Association call a spade a spade, by fingering the direct or remote sponsors of these conflicts and let them face the peoples’ court.  The creators of these killing machines be made accountable for there safe keep / misuse.   The rulers of regions and their security be called to face their ability or otherwise to do the right thing at the right time.  Inter / Intra National peer reviews to include possible sanctions on persons and not innocent citizens.  Southern Sudan must not be allowed to go inflames again.

If something is not done fast, I see a time when everybody will arm him/herself for defence against their neighbours and system.  Then the chaotic situation you now see will be a child’s play.  Because computer games will be played live in our neighbourhoods, schools, places of worship and homes.   A global survival reality show will not a beautiful story, a stitch in time saves more than nine.

Federal Character And Its Discontents – By Reuben Abati

reuben-abati

There has been so much concern about how the Federal Character principle has since its introduction in 1979, promoted mediocrity within the public service, and retarded national growth and progress. Introduced after the civil war to promote national integration, and to address the fears of sections of the country which felt marginalized, the Federal Character principle was meant to ensure that public service appointments reflect the country’s diversity: religious, ethnic, geographical and linguistic, and by extension, that resource allocation reflects the fact that this is a federal system and not a clan.

It is thus an ethnic balancing mechanism. The assumption is that if the public service is truly representative, this will promote a sense of national loyalty and inclusion. Sections 14 (3-4) and Third Schedule, Part 1(c) of the Constitution spell out the principle in clear terms and in 1996, a Federal Character Commission was established to ensure compliance.  But today, the general impression is that Federal Character as applied has resulted in an erosion of merit, and that the observed inefficiency in the state bureaucracy is traceable to it, and in other areas of national life, it has not necessarily brought better spread of opportunities.  The oft-recommended solution as was again reportedly argued at a recent colloquium in Lagos, in honour of Professor Anya Anya, is to abolish the Federal Character principle and replace it with a merit-based system.

Merit is important, no doubt; indeed, this was a key outcome of the Vision 20:2020 process. The quality of human resource in any organization determines the quality of inputs and outputs. That is why organizations look for the best and the brightest. And if the public service in Nigeria can be taken as an organization, the kind of people who run, lead and manage it have not necessarily been the best and the brightest that the country should have. But I am tempted to argue that the problem is not the Federal Character principle or quota system.

In fact, in many parts of the world today, diversity and inclusiveness are actively encouraged in recruitments and other processes. In a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country such as ours, the Federal Character principle can help promote our diversity and strengthen otherwise marginalized, less populous groups such as the minorities. The 50 wise men in the 1978 Constitution Drafting Committee who proposed the principle were right in seeking to make more Nigerians have a sense of belonging.  In applying the quota system however, we have over the years, abused and ignored best practices.

Where the problem lies is when people hide under the Federal Character principle to lower standards so that their kinsmen can have opportunities, or when in the name of Federal Character, needless cost is incurred and room is created for the incompetent to rise. That is not how the principle is applied in other parts of the world. There must be certain benchmarks, below which a responsible system should not descend. The story is often told about how the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and some universities, for example, have different cut off points for students from different parts of the country. It is this kind of story, if it is true, that raises questions about how the Federal Character principle is an assault on merit. If the required score for any prospective student of Medicine is 290, then all applicants must score 290 in the qualifying examination before they can gain admission.

Equal opportunity must be given and standards must be the same.  A quota principle may then be applied in filling the available slots to ensure diversity.  In the public service also, it is often said that certain less qualified persons are often promoted beyond their level of competence. That is unacceptable. The Nigerian Constitution says for example that there must be a reflection of Federal Character in the appointment of Ministers, and because of that we have ended up with a bloated Federal Executive Council.  These are some of the ways in which the quota system has generated so much discontent.  There is even a tendency among certain Nigerians to look down on people from other parts of the country as products of quota, whereas it has not been proven that any Nigerian group has a monopoly of competent and intelligent people.

What we need to insist on is not an abolition of a deliberate attempt to ensure diversity and inclusiveness, but that any such system in place must not negate merit and standards. Before 1979, there were serious issues about marginalization and exclusion in the Nigerian public space. There was tension between majority and minority groups over access to power and opportunities. The military made everything more complex due to a Northernization principle that defied the idea of Federalism. It is ironic, however, that today more Nigerians feel more marginalized than was the case before 1979 and 1999. If there was no Federal Character law, the situation could even have been worse. Poorly implemented as it may have been, it is still a major restraining force against the tendency of the average Nigerian leader to reduce everything to his or her own narrow interest.  It is perhaps better to have a system where people in authority pretend to be nationalistic, than to have a system where nepotism and favoritism predominate.

The big problem is that we are not yet a nation. We are not yet Nigerians in the sense in  which a country is propelled by love and patriotism.  We are a country of villagers, of ethnic champions, locked in a primordial mode, largely incapable of thinking as Nigerians, an imperfect union. When people are in positions of authority, they do not think of the best for the system, but how they can use that position to promote ethnic and sectarian interests. The people outside the system also expect to be patronized by their kinsman in position and power. There is a “Na-my-brother-dey-there” mentality that has made nepotism the driving force of the public service system, making the problem and the associated guilt collective.

I recall a high-ranking public official boasting that he was able to get over 200 people from his state into the public service! These would be qualified persons of course, but they had the opportunity only because their brother was within the system, and if every influential person loads the system with their kinsmen, certainly better qualified or equally qualified persons  who do not know anybody will have no access. When there are vacancies in certain government departments, the first group that would most likely know would be the kinsmen of the influential persons in charge. And the people who do this are very shameless about it. No matter how educated, most Nigerians only feel comfortable with people from their parts of the country or those who speak the same language with them. They find it difficult to relate with other Nigerians.

I once attended an event organized under the auspices of the office of a certain big man. It turned out that the keynote speaker was from his ethnic group, the Master of Ceremony, the Chair of the occasion, nearly all the lead paper presenters too, and when we checked, they all came from his state of origin! And yet there is a Federal Character principle in place. If there had been none, the fellow probably would have invited the audience from his village too. It is precisely that kind of attitude that makes a Federal Character principle useful. The event in question was a Federal Government event! But it didn’t matter to the man in charge. All the speakers were knowledgeable by the way, and the Master of Ceremony did a good job. Nobody could question their performance. But certainly there must be people from other parts of the country who could have discharged the responsibility just as well, and if the organizer had been a bit sensitive, he would have ensured some degree of diversity.

It may be difficult to know how offensive nepotism can be until you actually encounter it. It is a fact that people in power and position use that privilege to develop their own village and state as a mater of course.  Their first instinct is to use public funds to set up infrastructure in their own states and villages, before they think of other Nigerians. From the village and the state, they may then think of their region. The contractors are either their friends or agents. This is the case because the average Nigerian sees public service as an opportunity to serve and please his own people, and not Nigerians. I have been in situations where public officials, surrounded by their kinsmen, will suddenly stop a conversation and relapse into their mother tongue, leaving you to start screaming “Speak English, speak English, don’t shut the rest of us out of this conversation”. Most Nigerians see anyone who does not speak their mother tongue as an outsider and when it comes to the distribution of opportunities, they will treat you exactly as an outsider.

Have you not noticed how the pattern of dressing and attitudes in Abuja, the Federal Capital, reflect the changes in the leadership of the country?  When a Yoruba man is in power, the Yoruba are all over the city. When it is the turn of a Northerner, every Northerner stumps the floor of Abuja with greater ease and confidence. If anyone didn’t have Ijaw friends before President Jonathan became President, they had to seek out one and befriend. Our governance process is terribly driven by a certain “It-is-our-turn” mentality, which influences everything else. Even in the states, a Governor is first and foremost, the Governor of his constituency, and he seeks to please that constituency before any other part of the state.  “If I don’t develop my area, another governor from another area will not bring development to my people”.  Such a system as we run where people are not held accountable on the basis of ideas and principles, can only promote division.

Religion is part of the equation. Some people are so unscrupulous, when they head a department, they would insist on surrounding themselves only with their church members or adherents of their faith. The result is an occultic system that stands in the way of performance and efficiency.  I believe that the existence of a Federal Character principle is the only reason why some people still manage to pretend to be Nigerian. It should be retained, if only to keep reminding people that this country cannot be run at the level of a village and that it belongs to over 450 nationalities, but greater emphasis should be placed on merit and standards.

To rise gradually above it all, we must grow an enlightened society. We must develop a sense of Nigerian-ness, build a nation, such that people will be given opportunities, and promoted, not on the basis of affiliations, but their ability and the content of their character.

courtesy – https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/abujaNig/conversations/messages/101672

Why ICC – African Court of Justice, ECOWAS Court of Appeal and Other Regional Courts, Where are you?

Ethiopia has just gathered the crème de la crème of the African Continent, Buhari the Nigerian President went to Ethiopia through Kenya.  On all the talks, we expected a talk on Judicial African issues especially the ICC, Kenya and Cote de Voire (Ivory Coast) saga.

We would have expected ECOWAS to be handling issues regarding Cote de Voire, like the Boko Haram attempts in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.  The same for the Kenyan saga.  If the regional courts cannot, then the issues can be raised to the African Court of Justice. 

When will Africa wake up from sleep?  There is need to revisit the history books and rethink the Nubians, Noks, Carthage, Zulus and the Ancients of Africa, even as the world’s resolve to dissolve borders.  African can only bargain from an angle of strength, if it comes on a platform of One Africa and not on the dissenting fragments of yester colonial divides.

Of all the Corruption, Political, religious, ethnical violence in Africa, go and look under the surface, you will find external influences from the same persons that Africans run to for judicial respite.  When will we call the Europeans, Americans, Chinese, Lebanese, Indians involved in the ills of the land, to come to our African Courts and also face our judiciary?  Instead of making them diplomatic issues and swept under carpets. Then only will people (not Africans) think twice before instigating our very own to carry cases to ICC and call in American, European lawyers for cases that should have been African start to finish.

If you think your national court will not give you justice, because of Government involvement, then take the case to the regional court.  If the regional court refuses to hear you out, the African Court could then be approached.  African Union has been so demoralised by its own members to a near silence on all issues that should have been theirs, but taken over by interfering others.  Correct me, would the Libyan, Egyptian, Kenyan, Cote de Voire (Ivory Coast), cases been handled differently, if it was the absolute resolve of the African Union?  A personal question for our reasoning.

Africans steal monies, and invest them in other African, Middle Eastern, Asian, European, American Countries.  If the African States, can come together as one and demand, like the Jewish Representative did, for repatriation of any African stolen wealth in African, Europe, America, Asia, Middle East, Africa will turn to be the wealthiest Continent on the globe.  There is need to have a United African Voice on hidden / dark treasures of Africa in Swiss Banks and the off Shore accounts and request for return, like Nigeria is doing with the Abacha funds.  Let us have a return of the living and dead owners stolen funds back to land.  We can, if we try, but we must first stand to try.

Politically, it is time to reduce the bargain for posts, in the European, American, Asian, Chinese and Indian Courts. Because, when the Chinese sponsor you to office, you will be made to sing their tunes, so will it be if the Indians, Europeans or Americans do the same.  Africans should let their electorate truly elect worthy persons, and the winners should learn to carry the losers along, because we all have something to contribute and it is always the losers/disgruntled elements that are tempted to counter the good of the leaders.

Do not get me wrong, I am of the humble opinion, that if the Boko Harams felt the Nigerian Government did them wrong by killing the leaders, instead of becoming insurgents, they went to the ECOWAS Court and sought redress, we will not have been talking of US$2.1Billion misguided/directed funds and the colossal wastes in the North East will not have arisen..  The same is for the Biafra, Malians, Somalia’s, South Sudanese, Burkinabe’s, Libyans and Egyptians instead of going underground in Europe, America and the Middle East or Chinese for arms.  Africa will have used less to resolve issues and the huge bleeding of Africa’s lean resource for arms will have been redirected to better developmental projects.

My is a plea for the Secretariat of the African Union and other Regional groupings to come out of their citadels/high towers and engage Africans on the streets, villages, rubbles of wars/crises, schools, hospitals et. al. Let Africans begin to feel Africa and know that they are covered on all fronts.  May this year see African Trade increasing between African States, and African Banks, handling Afican Monies, beginning from the Central Banks of especially Franco – African States. There may be some need to return the Liberian, Kenyan, Ivorian cases back to African Courts, instead of ICC that seem to be made solely for African Leaders past and serving(present).  May we see before this year ends, African Leaders, travelling to other African states, for Medical, historic or leisure tourism.  As a Continent, Africa has the needed critical mass/minimum for success in any area, so why won’t we exploit it?  Start from the courts?  May be, it will reduce most crises that are still unborn.

Bauchi Tourism–Gets a Presidential mention.

I was privy by virtue of work to be at the Convocation Square of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi Nigeria.  The list of attendees was impressive, with so much support from  Co – Heads of Educational Institutions, Research and Agencies, Traditional Leaders, Politicians and a number of well wishers amidst the gradaunds and the families.  The Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors, Prof. A. Daramola of FUT Akure, must be a fulfilled man, that V.C.’s are having convocations by the numbers during his tenure.

The Governor’s speech in relations to the university, at least will give the University the needed road leading to the permanent site, it is my sincere wish that it will not only be to the school, but will be made to pass through the villages near the university, so that the villagers will start reaping the dividends of their allowing the university to be domiciled in their locale.  For land/estate speculators, this is the very best time to start buying and developing buildings in the villages near the University.  If Samara Zaria, my town,  is any testimony to go by, the Airport / University axis might grow to be the most cosmopolitan area of Bauchi. 

The contributions of the Executive Secretary, was of a very mindful father and Academic Leader, advising the University to stick to the mandate of Technological advancement and beautiful was the suggestion of securing the University area, for the safety of the students and staff. A father indeed.  TETFUNDs announcement of the approval for the fencing work, showed the Governments readiness to advance any good course that will be beneficial to the academic community.  I have in the few months of this Vice Chancellor seen a lot of projects springing up from the University, some of the projects show the University taking the lead as it should in the development of the immediate community.   A mention must be done of the new Leadership of ATIL – the Consultancy/Investment outfit of the university, they need to be commended.

The Visitor’s Speech as delivered by the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, who seems to be the Presidents Special Ambassador for Education, made my day.  He referenced the State with the Yankari Game Reserve as a leading Natural Tourism Trap, comparable with any in the Continent.  He made the university to think towards the proactive looking at synergies with the State Government and other stake holders to make Yankari take it’s place on the map of reserves and am sure a lead Revenue Generator for the State and the Nation, with the resultant creation of jobs for the citizenry.

The Federal Polytechnic, has done well developing resources for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Bauchi and the environs, so also NIHOTOUR the Government agency for the development of resource for the Industry.  The Governor in his love for education, mentioned the link of the State Polytechnic to the University, so that they can start offering Degree programs, good news.  I  will suggest, so humbly, that now is a right time for the Government, Universities (Federal/State), Federal/State Polytechnics/NIHOTOUR to look at ways for jump starting various modern Hospitality/Tourism resource development programmes.  This is the time to follow the lines of Ahmadu Bello University and start First/Post Graduate Degree programmes in Hospitality and Tourism.    National University Commission will definitely accredit such programmes as the Executive Secretary was the Emissary of the President and Visitor to the University.

On an immediate front, what can we as Hospitality / Tourism concerns do to encourage the Government and Academia to jump start this?  I will think it is time for stakeholders to drop all their differences and form linkages at Owners, Managers and Workers levels for the betterment of the state and region as one.  The more we are together, the happier we’ll be.  And if I have a listening ear, the Government at National and State Levels, should seek to encourage the sector, unifying taxes (reducing multiple taxations), assisting with Power (PHCN) stability and creating patronage by bringing and hosting big events in the state.  

In closing, respectfully, my domicile in Bauchi is opening my eyes to a sleeping giant, waiting to wake up from it’s slumber.   Bauchi is the place for Sport’s Tourism, Eco-Tourism, Mountaineering, Safari / Wild life, Religious Tourism, Educational / Historical, Culinary Tourism (Kilishi, Dambun nama & Masa), Medical and leisure Tourism.  All these with global appeals, the time to wake up is more now, I am looking again, more hopefully, for Yankari Games Reserve to be the Camp David of Nigeria (Buhari / Osibajo, need to be given a Natural place to get refreshed).  I long to see the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Guest House in Bayara, be made a sacred reserved place for Leadership/Historical Research in sync with the Tomb.  Whatever is the reason for the neglect of the Museum near Zaranda Hotel, need a rethinking.  

I feel elated now, I can say the near absence of Tourism in the Ministries and earlier talks of the Government, was not an un-mindfulness.  Responsible Tourism has a good consideration in this government.  God bless Nigerians and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adamu Ayuba

Fariah Suites Bauchi Nigeria.