Immunity for distinguished, honourable lawmakers

Casmir Igbokwe

First published in Sunday Punch, Oct. 11, 2009 

In November 2008, our distinguished Senators had their second retreat in Kano. In his address at that retreat, President Umaru Yar’Adua appealed to the lawmakers to urgently review relevant laws to reform our electoral system. The President further urged the Senators to find constitutional solutions to the nation’s most intractable problems such as infrastructural decay, institutional corruption and the culture of impunity.

 Almost one year after this presidential exhortation, can we say that our legislators have lived up to expectation? I don’t think so. What we have seen over the years are supremacy battle between the Senate and the House of Representatives; arrest of some honourable members for corruption; bickering; intrigues and unnecessary shouting match in the hallowed legislative chambers.

 As if unperturbed by the prevalent sombre mood in the nation, the lawmakers have continued to exhibit symptoms of acute legislative catarrh. And since this phlegm is infectious, the majority of Nigerians have been coughing and hoping that it shall be well.

 The present perfidy came in the form of a bill. The bill aims at preventing the arrest and prosecution of members of the federal/state legislature. And it scaled through second reading at the House of Representatives last Wednesday. It is called “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative Houses and Privileges Act, Cap L12 2004, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and other Related Purposes, 2009.” Honourable Henry Dickson from Bayelsa State sponsored the bill.

 The major interest of Dickson is to protect the lawmakers and hence deepen democracy. According to him, since members of the legislative Houses are honourable men and women, there is need for extra measures to be taken in arresting them. In other words, no security agent should ever attempt to arrest any legislator unless they catch the lawmaker committing the crime or they have a warrant of arrest.

 This is laughable. Apparently, the lawmakers are jealous of the President, the Vice-President, the governors and their deputies who currently enjoy immunity as enshrined in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution. They want to protect their members who occasionally engage in a free-for-all and even seize the mace, the symbol of authority of the House. They want to protect legislators who slap security guards for the flimsiest of reasons.

 As the 2011 approaches, they probably want to lay the foundation for the constitutional protection of their inordinate desire to rig themselves into office. But they will not succeed because the moment one evil is allowed to sail through in a decent society, different other evils will manifest.

 To be fair to the lawmakers, they had done some things that could engender the sustainability of this democracy. They had instituted probes into the mismanagement of funds in the power sector. They had investigated Abuja land allocations and revocations. There was also an enquiry into the mismanagement of the N19.5bn aviation intervention fund.

 Now, the House of Representatives Committee on Works is reportedly ready to probe the non-remittance of the five per cent accrual from the pump price of petrol to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency. Besides, the committee members will soon move round the country to check the state of our roads.

 Without prejudice to whatever will be the outcome of their state-of-the-road tour, it is worthy to note that the good intentions of our legislators do not necessarily produce good fruits. We saw it in the power probe jamboree. We witnessed it in the Abuja land scam investigations and we observed it in every other probe that the lawmakers had instituted.

 How are we sure that the current probe will not end up like others? How do we guarantee that the merry-go-round to see the state of the roads will not gulp millions of taxpayers’ money for nothing? In this country, there are more questions than answers. But we will keep asking, believing that one day, we will find genuine answers to some of the questions.

 My scepticism about the genuine intentions of our legislators stems from the fact that they always give the impression that all they are after is to serve their selfish interests while in office. Early last year, for instance, these same members of the House of Representatives reportedly demanded that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission should increase their pay to befit their status.

 It is this status, perhaps, that is pushing them to make laws that will place them above the laws of the land. If we don’t shout now to stop this nonsense, the next move may be to pass laws that will give immunity to their wives and concubines.

 Our lawmakers should rather occupy their minds with noble aspirations. They should be thinking of how to restore the sanctity of lives and property of Nigerians. They should be debating how to tackle unemployment problems in the country. They should legislate on what will be of benefit to the generality of the populace.

 The way things are going, I’m beginning to think that the psychiatric test the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, recommended for public office-holders should start from the legislators. Remember that some of them, especially in the state assemblies, have exhibited traits bordering on psychotic disorder.

 Or how else do we explain that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly went to Australia for a capacity-building retreat last year to create a scene? Some females among them reportedly fought a principal officer of the House for abandoning them for a younger and more beautiful lady.

 These are the type of people they want immunity for. With such people, we don’t need any soothsayer to tell us why passing the Freedom of Information Bill has remained jinxed.

 Note: This column is going on break for about four weeks.

Yar’Adua’s independence gift and Onovo’s movies

Casmir Igbokwe

First published in Sunday Punch, Oct. 4, 2009 

President Umaru Yar’Adua is a man of few words. He is also a man whose outward appearance denotes humility. As a private person, these are virtues some people will likely admire and cherish. But as a public figure, these same qualities may present some problems for him.

 Last Thursday, for instance, the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr. Ateke Tom, was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. His mission was to accept the amnesty offered Niger Delta militants by the Federal Government.

 As Tom put it in Pidgin English, “Immediately you announced the amnesty, I be the first person wey embrace the amnesty because I like the amnesty. But things wey we talk wey dey worry us make una try do am for us because we dey suffer for Niger Delta…”

 It was an elated President who said, “I would like to praise and thank God almighty for this afternoon visit. Chief Ateke Tom has just given me my 49^th independence gift. This independence anniversary gift you have given me, I cherish it very much because, of all those things I cherish, one of them is peace and security in the Niger Delta.”

 The president had expressed similar sentiments some two months ago when another militant, Mr. Victor Ben Ebikabowei, a.k.a. General Boyloaf, visited the Villa to announce his own acceptance of the amnesty. Boyloaf was even reported then to have warned the Federal Government not to ever renege on its promises.

 No doubt, Mr. President’s pursuit of peace in the Niger Delta is quite commendable. Pardoning repentant militants and inviting them to Aso Rock to cement the new found relationship is also noble. Even the courage by the militants to surrender their weapons and embrace peace is praiseworthy. But with all due respect, the President should speak and carry himself with more dignity.

 True, Yar’Adua emulated the father of the Biblical prodigal son who threw a party to welcome his hitherto lost and forgotten son, but did he need to pour such eulogies on the militants, knowing the circumstances that led to the amnesty? How will the innocent victims of the activities of some of these militants perceive the statement of our President? Of all the things that happened on our independence day, the visit of Tom was the greatest gift Yar’Adua cherished most. And, perhaps, will cherish forever.

 This ‘humility’ also came to play against him when he visited the United States in December 2007. To the then President George Bush, he said, “I feel highly honoured and privileged to be here and have the opportunity to share these few moments with you. This is a moment I will never forget in my life…I thank you very much Mr. President, this is a rare opportunity.”

 Granted that everybody can’t be an orator, but every public officer is expected to think over what he says in public. From the way some of our government functionaries speak, the impression is created that they don’t really think about what they say.

 This brings us to the statement credited to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, last Tuesday in Abuja. It was at a meeting with senior police officers. Speaking on the efforts of the police to apprehend the killers of the Assistant News Editor of The Guardian, Mr. Bayo Ohu, Onovo said Nigerians wrongly believed that assassination cases could be solved in a few days.

 Hear him: “Nigerians want everything quick, maybe because we watch so many movies. You know in the movies, everything will start and end in one hour…I think we are watching too many movies, forgetting that movies are acted and are not true stories.”

 Mr. IG sir, this is too simplistic. And it’s rather unfortunate that this came too soon after your recent statement that you didn’t believe Nuhu Ribadu visited Nigeria because you didn’t see photographs of the visit in the newspapers. Was it movies that stalled investigations into the murder of the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige? Could this love for movies have made it impossible to unravel the mystery surrounding the assassinations of Chief Aminasoari Dikibo, Chief Marshal Harry, Mr. Dele Giwa, Bagauda Kaltho and many others?

 Certainly, nobody is expecting the police to perform magic. But if the history of unresolved murders in this country is anything to go by, nobody should blame Nigerians if they want speedy solution to their nagging security problems.

 It is worthy to note that leadership goes beyond sitting down in the office to sign documents. What leaders say or do goes a long way to motivate or demotivate their subjects. Great speeches had engendered some popular revolutions in the world.

 Sometimes, what we say in public remains indelible. During the military era, incumbent Senate President, David Mark, said telephone was not meant for the poor. Up until today, people have not forgotten that statement. Also, people still remember some words of wisdom by such leaders as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy, and Winston Churchill.

 What quotable quotes can we attribute to our current leaders? Independence Day is usually a day for great and memorable speeches. What did we hear on our last anniversary? Dour and uninspiring speeches! Somebody like the Governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni, said, “We have not been stealing your money. It is not as a result of shortage of ideas and tricks to employ. It is because of the covenant we have with God, who gave us the grace to be where we are.”

 What nonsense! Was he elected to steal or to make the life of his people better? So, if not for the so-called covenant with God, he would have stolen his state dry.

 I think our public officers need to learn the art of public speaking. They should think about what they say; or better still, they should keep silent if they don’t know what to say.

Still chasing rats at 49

Casmir Igbokwe

First published in Sunday Punch, Sept. 27, 2009 

A friend, Dr. Chidi Okpaluba, forwarded a story circulating among Nigerians on the Internet to me yesterday. It is about a purported new kidnapping method in town. The incident reportedly happened at a popular shopping mall in Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The story is that a woman, after shopping, noticed that she had a flat tyre. She was about to change the tyre when a man dressed in business suit and carrying a suitcase walked up to her and requested to change the tyre for her. She thanked him immensely. The man changed the tyre and then asked her to give him a lift to the other side of the mall where he purportedly parked his car. 

The woman was said to be unease. But since one good turn deserves another, she did not object to his request. He put his briefcase in the trunk of her car. Being suspicious of the man, she told him she just remembered one last thing she needed to buy.

She hurried into the mall, and told a security guard what had happened. The guard accompanied her to the car. But the man, probably out of fear, had left. They reportedly took his locked briefcase to the police station.  The police opened it ostensibly to look for his identity card so they could return it to him. 

But then, “What they found was a rope, duct tape, and knives.  When the police checked her ‘flat’ tyre, there was nothing wrong with it; the air had simply been deflated most likely by the suspect.  It was obvious what the man’s intention was. It is clear that he had carefully thought it out in advance.” Whoever got the message was urged to share it with their loved ones so that they wouldn’t fall victims.

The veracity of this story is immaterial. To me, it is a reflection of the phase we are passing through now as a nation. The state of insecurity has never been this bad. Last Thursday, a friend, Gbenga, called to inform me that armed robbers snatched his jeep at gunpoint about 9pm in front of his house at Ikeja. Luckily for him, the car has been recovered. But many other victims could not recover theirs. Some did not even survive to tell their stories.

 The nation is still mourning the assistant news editor of The Guardian murdered last Sunday by unknown gunmen. There are many other high-profile murders, the mysteries of which our security agencies are yet to unravel.

Unfortunately, the police seem ill-prepared and incapable of ever solving the problem. Or how else do we categorise a police force, for instance, whose leader claimed not to be aware that the former anti-graft czar, Nuhu Ribadu, sneaked into the country to pay a condolence visit to the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s family?

The best illustration of the current state of our nation is the recent trip of President Umaru Yar’Adua to Saudi Arabia. The President was a guest at the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. While he was smiling and shaking hands with Saudi kings and princes, some other world leaders were at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the 64^th UN General Assembly meeting. Our President, as the cliché goes, has chosen to pursue rats while his house is burning. 

This undue pursuit of rats permeates all through our national life. And as the nation clocks 49 years of political independence next Thursday, it has become imperative again to ask our leaders some pertinent questions.

 Perhaps, we should start with education. The President of the school where Yar’Adua visited in Saudi Arabia said they had recruited the very best minds from around the world and that they had students from over 60 countries. Here, our own best minds are being frustrated out. We used to have many foreigners in our universities. Today, the reverse is the case. At present, lecturers are on strike. Students have idled away for over three months now. Even public primary and secondary schools in some states have joined the strike.

 Somehow, the rot in our school system manifests in the employment market. You will realise what I’m saying here if you are a manager saddled with the responsibility of recruiting new workers. Most times, you are left sad and depressed because of the poor quality of the job seekers.

 Some of these people who cannot find jobs anywhere are the ones who have found in kidnapping, a veritable source of livelihood. Nobody is spared anymore. In my state, Anambra, the problem is such that people dread visiting home these days. Christmas is usually a period of mass return and reunion with family members. This year may not witness such reunion.

 Many people will likely prefer to stay back in the cities. Relatives of some Nigerians abroad have warned their loved ones to remain where they are even when some of them are finding it difficult to survive. In China, over 700 compatriots are in prison.

In any case, life here for most people is even worse than living in prison. As I was writing this, information filtered in that a truck killed about five people on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, by Cele Bus stop in Lagos yesterday. Five others were rushed to the hospital. Elsewhere in the country, bad roads have continued to claim lives and cause unnecessary delays for travellers.

There is no country that is problem-free. The major difference between us and many others is that we don’t place much premium on finding truthful solutions to our own problems. For instance, President Yar’Adua is said to have identified insecurity and power supply as our greatest challenges. At the 48^th National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, held in Abuja last Thursday, Yar’Adua (represented by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan), gave us his usual we-will-do hope.

He said, “We believe we will be on top of it very soon. The issue of power is also there and some other major challenges are there but we believe that by the time he (President) would give his last quarter address, a comprehensive briefing on all these issues would have been addressed.”     

 Note that it’s a comprehensive briefing and not solution that we have been promised. It’s obvious we are not in a hurry to leave this we-will-do mentality. Talk of pursuing rats!

PDP’s N5m question

Casmir Igbokwe

First published in SUNDAY PUNCH, Sept. 20, 2009 

Anambra State will never cease to draw attention. It is a state where contradictions and ironies romance high ambitions. The state has produced many intellectuals and astute businessmen. But it also boasts of young men who borrowed the art of kidnapping elsewhere but have now turned it into a lucrative trade. It is a state that has not been able to conduct local government elections because many people want to be chairmen and nobody is ready to concede defeat. The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has been embroiled in different squabbles mainly because many individuals want to be at the helm of affairs at the same time.

 Last week, this uncanny character of the state manifested again. The ruling party had advertised its intention to pick a candidate for the governorship election coming up in the state in February 2010. Up to 48 aspirants rushed for the nomination forms. Media reports indicated that the screening committee cleared 31 of the aspirants and disqualified 17 others. These 31 fellows will slug it out in October when the party will conduct primaries for the governorship position.

 One issue that has sprouted from this contest is the commercialisation of our democracy. The aspirants, for instance, reportedly paid N5m each for the nomination forms. This is outside the N250, 000 reportedly paid for the expression of interest forms.

 To the aspirants and to the ruling party, this is no big deal. The money may not be up to what some of them spend in one outing with their girlfriends.

 It is worthy to note that democracy is not cheap. For instance, in the run-up to the United States Presidential election last year, the campaign organisation of the Republican Presidential candidate, John McCain, reportedly spent over $200m on campaigns. President Barack Obama and his team spent over $500m.

 The difference between the American system and ours is that while the source of funding for US candidates is known and easily verifiable, ours remains mired in secrecy and corruption. For instance, Obama lovers made donations to fund his campaigns. Even our own Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke was so moved that she also organised a fund-raiser for Obama in Nigeria.

 Here, rich godfathers play prominent roles in the funding of candidates. Chris Uba, for instance, sponsored the fraudulent election of Chris Ngige as the governor of Anambra State in 2003. To Uba, that was an investment. And many attempts to recoup from his investment set him on a collision course with Ngige. Now, the same Uba is said to be favourably disposed to the immediate past governor of the Central Bank, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next few months.

 In Oyo, the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, was instrumental in the emergence of Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja as the governor of the state in the last dispensation. His overbearing attitude and his quest to have at least 15 per cent of the security vote of the state engendered serious quarrels between him and Ladoja. 

 Now the question for the PDP is, if the governorship aspirants could pay N5m just to obtain a form, how much will the candidates spend when the real campaign starts? Nigerians also need to know the source of income of these aspirants and how they intend to fund their campaign programmes.

 Those who are already in government need not fret as the source of funding can never be a problem. State treasury never runs dry. They can easily hire thugs and buy over some electoral officers to rig out their opponents.

 Money politics has continued to pose a serious problem in our quest to attain genuine democracy. Those who have the leadership skills to move the country forward usually find it difficult to occupy positions of authority because they may not have the financial muscle to match dubious politicians.

 The most unfortunate thing is that efforts to correct some of the problems of our electoral system appear to be doomed. The former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammed Uwais, chaired a panel that recommended good measures to right some wrongs inherent in our system. Some powers that be decided to twist the report of that panel. Now we seem to be back to square one.

 To move our country forward, we need to learn certain values from other countries. For instance, last week in Kenya, parliamentarians threw out a proposal by President Nwai Kibaki to reappoint the country’s anti-corruption boss, Aaron Ringera, for a second five-year term. The lawmakers took a cue from Kenyans who had criticised Ringera for not doing enough to fight corruption.

 Penultimate week, former Taiwan’s President, Chen Shui-bian got life jail for corruption. A Taipei Court found the man guilty of embezzlement, money laundering, and bribe taking while in office between 2000 and 2008. Chen’s wife, Wu Shu-chen, did not escape the hammer of the court as she got a life sentence for corruption. The court also fined them $15m.

 Court spokesman, Huang Chun-ming reportedly said, “Chen Shui-bian and Wu Shu-chen were sentenced to life in prison because Chen has done grave damage to the country and Wu because she was involved in corruption deals as the first lady.” Some of the couple’s relatives including their son and daughter-in-law were also sentenced to some years in prison for money laundering. 

 We should begin to clear any virus that will endanger our match to an ideal democracy. The first of such virus is an overbearing influence of money in our politics. Billions of naira will likely go down the drains in Anambra next year. Other states will follow the trend in 2011. But the questions for our ruling elite remain, for how long will we continue like this? And when will we begin to give the Chen treatment to whoever is found guilty of frolicking with ill-gotten funds?

Aondoakaa must go to confession

Casmir Igbokwe

First published Sept. 13, 2009 

Rev. Father Frazer is said to be Chief Michael Aondoakaa’s school principal at Mount Saint Gabriel Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. In a recent report, TheNews Magazine quoted the priest as saying that Aondoakaa was a destined child of God. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Frazer added, took his religion seriously and showed good example to others.

 I’m not sure if Aondoakaa is a Catholic. But since he is a Christian and since his secondary school principal is a Catholic priest, he needs to go to confession as the Catholic tradition demands.

 Though I’m not competent to judge him, it is apparent from the controversies trailing him since his appointment in 2007 that he has committed some form of sins. What I’m not sure is if his sins are mortal or menial.

 Last Thursday, for instance, Aondoakaa reportedly said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had cleared former governors of Akwa Ibom, Victor Attah; Delta, James Ibori; and Lagos, Bola Tinubu over the sale of their states’ shares in Vmobile now called Zain in 2007. The allegation was that the three governors sold the shares through African Development Funds Incorporated in a non-transparent manner.

 Hardly had this information hit the newsstands on Friday when the EFCC denied it. According to the commission, it has not at any time or in any way cleared the three ex-governors of complicity in all the matters concerning them which are either in court or still under investigation.

 The former Chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, did not spare Aondoakaa either. He denied the treason allegation the Attorney-General levelled against him even as he noted that the minister was using cheap blackmail to deceive President Umaru Yar’Adua.

 To many other Nigerians, Aondoakaa’s role in the fight against corruption since he assumed office has been a cause for serious concern. In August 2007, Aondoakaa wrote the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom exonerating Ibori from the money laundering allegations against him. The Court had requested information that would help in prosecuting a case of money laundering preferred against Ibori’s wife, Nkoyo.

 At a point, Aondoakaa decreed that anti-graft agencies must get clearance from his office before prosecuting anybody. His apparent attempt to exemplify this resulted in a mild drama at Abuja High Court in the case involving former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State and the EFCC. Without prior information to the EFCC, the Attorney-General’s office attempted to take over the prosecution of Kalu. Counsel to the EFCC and the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice appeared the same day in the case as prosecutors.

 A few weeks ago, I had wondered about the quality of advice he gives to the President. A typical example was his take on the controversial sale of the 2.3GHz radio frequency by the National Communications Commission. The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, had said the licensing did not follow due process. But Aondoakaa did not see anything wrong with it. In spite of this, the President cancelled the sale, saying the letters and spirit of the stipulated rules were not adequately complied with.

 So far, the role the AGF has played on the Halliburton scam probe, the Muhammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Panel report, the recent controversy over the creation of new local council development areas in Lagos State and so on, leaves much to be desired.

 Elsewhere in the world, leaders who have some question marks on their integrity do not waste time to resign their appointment. This is because what is paramount at all times is the common interest of the people. Just last week, Taiwan Premier, Liu Chao-shiuan, resigned over the slow response of his government to Typhoon Morakot, which devastated the country early August. Over 600 people died in that tragedy.

 Liu’s resignation notwithstanding, about 90 per cent of the victims have reportedly received relief payments while about 92 per cent of the homeless were quartered in military barracks and other official facilities. In a press conference hastily called to announce his resignation, Liu said, “Someone has to take political responsibility.”

 The questions for us in Nigeria are: How many people have taken responsibility for the killing of innocent people in some parts of the North in the recent Boko Haram crisis? How many people received relief payments for this human-induced mayhem? How many people have voluntarily resigned for neglecting to do their duties in Nigeria?

  Most of us have eulogised the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, for his fight against all forms of injustice and oppression. How many of us supported him in our own little way towards achieving his aims? Now that he is gone, we are all crying and looking for another person who will wear his shoes and stake his neck for the salvation of Nigeria.

 That salvation does not lie in any one individual. It lies in all of us, particularly those parading the corridors of power as leaders. People in authorities must take responsibilities for their actions or inactions. If former Health Minister, Adenike Grange, could be forced to resign; if the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, could be forced out of office, I don’t see why Aondoakaa should not honourably bow out from the ministry of justice.

 More disturbing is the fact that the AGF seems not to be bothered about controversies surrounding him. Like Catholics who are barred from receiving Holy Communion when they are not in a state of grace, the AGF must be barred from further polluting the country’s justice system. He should put a stop to his unpopular actions or resign from that position. Why Yar’Adua has not summoned courage to call him to order remains a topic for another day.

Customs and the sale of second-hand cars

Casmir Igbokwe

First published Sept. 6, 2009

There is a book, published by the London-based Catholic Truth Society, which contains prayers that couples are expected to say before sex. Part of the prayers urges God to place within couples, love that truly gives, self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive, loving physical union that welcomes…

Though this is not about couples or sex, I wish to recommend the spirit behind the prayers to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, and other officers and men of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Last week, I narrated my experience in the hands of fraudsters who advertised cars for sale in THISDAY Newspaper of August 24, 2009. After the publication, I got over 200 reactions from those who had suffered the same fate and some other Nigerians. Some of these reactions wondered why the authorities of Customs had not deemed it necessary to make a public statement about this issue. Some are actually of the opinion that some men of the paramilitary service cannot be totally exonerated from the scam. (See readers’ court page).

The silence of the Customs has made me think along this line. For one, this scam did not start today. According to the testimonies of some readers, it’s been on for over two years now. And even after my write-up last Sunday, the same advert appeared on page 10 of THISDAY of September 1, 2009.

The format is the same but with different phone numbers. In the August 24 edition of the advert, a Toyota Prado 2004 model went for N1.5m while a Toyota Highlander 2005 model went for N1.4m. In the one published last Tuesday, the advertisers further reduced the prices apparently to attract more preys. Prado was reduced to N1.3m while Highlander now goes for N1.3m. The price change also affected other cars.

I detailed a female colleague of mine to call the advertised numbers (07037096556, 08050707959) for purchase enquiries. At first, the man who received the call said the cars had been sold out. But when the lady showed much interest, he wanted to know who she was. She told him she was Jumoke, a banker. Apparently feeling that his trap has caught a mugu, he told her to apply for allocations to the same Customs Area Controller at Federal Secretariat building, Bodija Ibadan. When the lady wanted to know his name, he introduced himself as Samuel Enai, personal assistant to the Area Controller. His email address, he says, is samuelenai@yahoo.com.

Further enquiries with the Customs in Ibadan indicated that there was no such personal assistant named Samuel Enai. What worries me is why the Customs hierarchy has not bothered to alert the public about this scam.

Perhaps, the Customs boss, Dikko, is still preoccupied with the case involving him and one Olajide Ibrahim over certificate forgery. Olajide had sworn an affidavit at Ikeja High Court alleging that Dikko approached him sometime in 1995 and 1999 to help him forge some certificates, which he allegedly needed to get rapid promotion. Though Dikko, in an advertorial placed by his counsel, Chuks Nwanna & co. refuted the allegation, Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the outcome of this latest case.

Just as Dikko came out publicly to deny forging any certificate, his organisation also needs to let Nigerians know its involvement in this advertised sale of cars.

The Customs boss should also endeavour to bring sanity into his agency. Many banned goods have found their way into the country. Smugglers seem to be having a field day, though occasionally, Customs officers display some rotten frozen fish and textile materials seized from some unfortunate smugglers. The International Centre for Reconciliation in England recently estimated that there were about one million firearms in civilian hands throughout Nigeria. Lagos, the centre noted, was the major clearing point for these illegal arms. And this is with the connivance of Customs officers.

Even when some of these goods, especially second-hand cars, are successfully smuggled into the country, the same Customs officers erect checkpoints on major roads to either impound them or collect huge sums of money from the owners.

Dikko needs to find practical solutions to the problems of his men. Since Nigerians believe so much in prayers, he may take a cue from the prayer for couples and kneel down to pray for inspiration and courage to tackle the rot in the Customs.

Goodbye Gani

Like a thief, death came yesterday to snatch the fiery Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi from the shores of this planet. His death at 71 has left a vacuum in the struggle to salvage Nigeria from the clutches of oppression, bad governance and injustice.

He was one man who was willing to lay down his life for the good of the country. He was moved from one detention centre to another by successive military regimes in Nigeria. Ironically, Ibrahim Babangida who gave him much of the troubles was among the first to shed crocodile tears on his death.

Hear him, “It is disheartening and utterly discomforting to learn of the death of our own indefatigable, irrepressible and highly principled social crusader Chief Ganiyu Fawehinmi, who devoted better part of his life fighting for improved standards, good governance and rule of law. He was a man who lived his own peculiar life and fought battles without boundaries. Surely, there can never be another Gani Fawehinmi in Nigeria in the near future…”

True. But Gani could have lived longer if not for the dictators who were not comfortable with his crusades. It’s possible, as has been suggested by those close to Gani, that they sprayed some chemical on him while in detention, which now engendered the cancer that led to his death.

No doubt, many Nigerians will miss this dogged fighter of our time. As Nigerians grapple with the problems of existence, there is need for another Gani who will fight selflessly for the people of this country. Can we still get somebody like that?

Until such a person emerges, goodbye Gani.

In the name of money

Casmir Igbokwe

First published August 30, 2009 

The following cars are for sale: Mercedes ML350 2006 model, N2.1m; Toyota Prado 2004 model, N1.5m; and Toyota Highlander 2005 model, N1.4m. Lexus GX470 2005 model is N1.6m while a Honda Accord I-VTec 2004 model goes for N1.3m. Some 2000 and 2002 models go for between N500, 000 and N800, 000. 

 I am not a car dealer. But I considered these prices fantastic. And so, I called 08037575099 to make enquiries as the advertisement published on page 12 of THISDAY, August 24, 2009, stipulated. The man who picked the call said I should apply for allocation to the Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Customs House, Federal Secretariat Building, Bodija, Ibadan.

 I discussed this with a few of my colleagues who were excited and wished to apply as well. Not wanting anybody to beat me to this mouth-watering offer, I quickly sent my application through THE PUNCH office in Ibadan. There is no need telling you the one after my heart. But my wife, a woman with eyes for good things, preferred the Highlander.

 The following day, my colleague in Ibadan called from the office of the Public Relations Officer of the Customs. At first, he thought I made a mistake as there is no Customs office at Bodija, Ibadan. Besides, the Area Controller is in Lagos and not Ibadan.

 To clear my doubts, he gave the phone to the PRO who emphasised that the advert was not from the Customs. In the recent past, he said, some people had actually come to collect some cars after certain payments in the banks only to discover that they had been conned. He noted that any such advert from the Customs would have the agency’s logo as well as the name and phone numbers of the officers in charge.

 Just as I was trying to figure out what was going on, I got a text message on my MTN phone. It reads, “You are a winner of (N1, 000, 000 & a free ticket to the W/CUP). Visit (WWW.YELLOFIFA.COM) immediately for verification: code: 462070 (expires after 24hrs.)”

 I know that many people might have fallen victim to this scam. For one, it looks genuine because the message comes with no particular phone number. All you see on your screen is MTN NG. When I called the Corporate Services Executive of MTN, Akinwale Goodluck, to sound him out, he simply said, “It’s those boys (swindlers). They have come again. We have done everything possible to stop them. But they keep formulating new tricks.”

 This same quest to obtain money by tricks is partly behind the current loan crisis in the banking industry.  Sequel to the recent sacking of the managing directors of five banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria over non-performing loans, some big players in the crisis have regaled us with further explanations, outright denials and some comic relief.  

 For instance, the former MD of Union Bank, Barth Ebong, received his spiritual director in detention penultimate Saturday. The former MDs of Intercontinental and Oceanic Banks, Erastus Akingbola and Cecilia Ibru, had been active prayer warriors before the crisis. But while Ibru has surrendered herself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after some days of hide-and-seek, Akingbola remains at large.

 Among those contesting their debt profile with the banks, I find the denial of the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange more interesting. In an advertorial in some national dailies last week, Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke said she was “not a debtor to any bank worldwide.” This looks more like what I see in business cards of traders at Alaba International Market, Lagos. Something like, “Okwy ventures worldwide limited.”

 Like a woman in the dock, she declared, “In the public interest, I, Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, solemnly declare that I do not owe any bank in Nigeria or abroad. As a thoroughbred professional, I earn a monthly salary from The Nigerian Stock Exchange and so do not engage in any business whatsoever; therefore, I do not need to borrow money to finance any business…”

 In any case, it’s not a sin to borrow money to finance business. It becomes a crime when the borrower has ulterior motives. From what I have gathered, for instance, some of the debtor companies are not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Some, which started with a capital base of about N1m less than a year ago, got a loan of over N2bn. (See our cover story today.)

 The questions are: Why would a bank approve this type of loan? What collateral did the companies provide? What is the credit history of these companies? Does this not smell like an advanced 419?

 This is why I find the ethnic colouration of the CBN’s action amusing. In spite of the obvious lapses in the conduct of some of these banks, some individuals are ready to swear by Ogun that the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido, is only interested in northernising the Nigerian banking system.

 I don’t think this is the correct picture. The tragedy of our situation is that whenever an individual or a group is in trouble, they employ different tricks to divert attention. We seem to have been condemned like Sisyphus to keep rolling a stone up a mountain. The more we try to solve our problems, the more we meet stumbling blocks on the way.

 But we shall not relent because the more we allow some of this perfidy, the more the civilised societies see us as a people whose only business is obtaining by tricks. The sanitisation should go beyond the banking industry.

Traffic thieves, social security and other stories

Casmir Igbokwe

First published Aug. 23, 2009 

I had an encounter with a hoodlum last Thursday. I was returning from the National Theatre, Lagos, where I attended the book launch of former Information Minister, Prince Tony Momoh. I was stuck in traffic between Sheraton Hotels and the flyover bridge on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja. It was about 3pm. After a while, I switched off the engine and wound down my side window.

 I was enjoying Faze’s music, Originality, when suddenly a young man with bloodshot eyes emerged. He was holding an umbrella. He bent towards me and commanded, “Give us money for food.”

 Sensing danger, I quickly dipped into my pocket and brought out some money. It was mainly in N1000 denomination. But I had N500 and N200 in-between the notes. I gave him the N500.

 He collected the money, and with a guttural voice, made some signs as though he was calling some other people. He bent towards me and commanded again, “Give us money for food.”

 I was praying silently that traffic should move. It didn’t. I wondered why the man kept on saying “us” when I saw only him. “I have given you N500 and you are still disturbing me. Is it not only you?” I asked.

 Pointing behind me, he said, “It’s not only me. The rest are over there.”  While this was going on, nobody bothered to find out what was amiss. Everybody stayed glued in their vehicles.

 I felt like giving the idiot a punch. But I checked myself because I have heard many stories of how bandits rob in traffic in Lagos. For instance, a few weeks ago, a colleague of mine became a victim on Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja. He was going home from work about 6pm when two men on motorcycle pulled up. They showed him their gun and forced him to wind down. They not only took his phones and those of other two people with him in the car, but also collected all the cash on them.

 There is apprehension in many parts of Nigeria today. Nobody feels safe anymore. Politicians, who embezzle public funds, sleep with one eye. The average man who struggles to live a comfortable life, drives with trepidation on the streets. The hoi polloi who have nothing to offer, risk falling victims of ritual killers.

 This type of scenario usually occurs in a nation where there is extreme hardship. The global financial meltdown has not only melted the finances of the poor away, it has also put even the very rich in a state of confusion. The sacking of managing directors of five banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria penultimate week led to the revelation that the near downfall of these banks resulted from bad debts owed by those we call rich men. I never knew that some of them were living large on borrowed money.

 Part of the reasons people indulge in criminal activities is fear of the unknown; the fear of living from grace to grass.

 This is why I support the comments credited to the Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan, last week. He said that corruption was due to insecurity as most people accumulated wealth for fear of the future. Assuring that the Federal Government would provide social security safety net for Nigerians, Jonathan said, “People have to pay school fees for their children, provide food and other essentials. Some people may not want to be corrupt. But because they want to secure their future, they go the extra mile to get out of the way. If the future is certain, I’m sure some people will not be corrupt.”

 I sincerely hope that this is not part of the mere rhetoric this government has come to be known for. This social security, I guess, was behind the Pension Reform Act enacted during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2004. Every month when I get an sms credit alert from my pension fund administrator, I develop some feeling of safety; that at least, something is being kept aside for my retirement.

 If all Nigerians have this feeling of safety, it will go a long way in reducing crime to the barest minimum. Just last week, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, said her commission recovered over N50bn from corrupt politicians within the last one year. This is incredible.

If Jonathan and his colleagues in public office could pledge to serve Nigeria with all their hearts; if they could reduce the amount of money they give their wives for jewellery, there will be more than enough to take care of this social security.

 Even as I pieced this together yesterday, the Bayelsa State people were suffused with militants’ disarmament ceremony. When ‘Field Marshal’ Boyloaf entered the arena, there was wide jubilation. He was ushered in with the royal splendour that even President Umaru Yar’Adua may not have received anywhere in Nigeria. One of the leaders of the militants said he had 20 graduates in his camp. What they want mainly is employment.

 Shortly before the ceremony, I had watched T.B. Joshua’s show on Africa Independent Television. The Synagogue Church prophet gave out Emmanuel TV rice, wheel chairs and N50, 000 each to some disabled people. The way the man and his congregation celebrated the thing made me feel that there was more to the gifts than meets the eye.

 Nevertheless, I wished that the thief who waylaid me in Ikeja were there to collect his own largesse. He was probably driven to do what he did by extreme hunger. When he collected my N500 and still wanted more, I gave him extra N200. He was still not satisfied. I prayed that he should not ask for my phones. But luckily for me, the traffic moved at that point. I sped off. He pursued me to a point, flagging me down with the N200 I gave him saying, “Take, take, take!”

 Good Samaritan! Traffic stopped again at a point. But it was a bit far from the young man. I kept on looking back, hoping and praying that he doesn’t surface again.

 I have since learnt not to put all my money in one pocket. I am also thinking of getting an inferior phone which I could easily give away should I be asked to do so. I hope you have also learnt one or two lessons here. What a country!

Bank tremor and radio frequency freeze

Casmir Igbokwe

First published August 16, 2009 

Last week, the Niger Delta women reportedly threatened to go on a special strike. At a roundtable to discuss the problems of the region, the women, at the instance of a group called Gender Action Group, expressed disgust at the plight of the region 53 years after white men discovered crude oil at Oloibiri.

 They advised the Federal Government to exchange every weapon surrendered by militants with jobs, scholarships and other forms of development. Failure to do this, they threatened, “women will have to surrender their pots, pans, buckets of pepper, grinding stones, mortar, pestles etc, as weapons of their warfare.”

 Since we are in a season of strikes – lecturers’ strike, lawmakers’ hunger strike and now women’s strike – I was also tempted to down tools this week. Not that I’m on a negotiation table with anybody, but the speed at which bad news develops and spreads in Nigeria got me sad and confused.

 Last week alone, there was the cancellation of the sale of 2.3GHz radio frequency by President Umaru Yar’Adua. Just as I was ruminating over this and Hillary Clinton’s clincher about corruption and transparency in Nigeria generally, the news came that 14 Nigerians are on death row in Libya for murder, armed robbery, and 419. On top of these were the removal of Bauchi deputy governor from office; the blowing up of  the gas plant in Delta State by suspected militants and the removal of five bank managing directors by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

 At the bottom of all this is lack of transparency. Take the issue of the cancelled 2.3GHz licences, for instance. The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, had literally cried her eyes out, saying the sale of the frequency did not follow due process. The Nigerian Communications Commission, which supervised the sale, believed it followed due process. At a point, it became a battle of supremacy between Akunyili and the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

The battle latter shifted to the press. Columnists, opinion writers and sundry analysts wrote for and against the two combatants from Anambra State. In the heat of the problem, I noted on this page (see “Akunyili, Ndukwe and the sale of a radio frequency”, June 21, 2009) that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, should have interpreted what the law says and advised the President on what to do. I wondered the quality of advice the A-G was giving to the President and called for the direct intervention of the Presidency to halt the problems trailing the sale of the band.

Aondoakaa did advise the President afterwards. Media reports indicated that he posited that the NCC did not breach any law on the sale of the frequency. Hence, according to Aondoakaa, the transaction should be upheld.

In spite of this advice, the President cancelled the licensing of the band. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Olusegun Adeniyi, said, “Having carefully reviewed official reports and representations from stakeholders, and after availing himself of competent advice on the recent licensing of the 2.3GHz Spectrum Band, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has come to the conclusion that the letters and spirit of the stipulated rules and guidelines were not adequately complied with.”

Which competent advice did Mr. President avail himself of? Certainly, it can’t be Aondoakaa’s. Why he is still keeping him as the A-G leaves much to be desired. This same A-G in August 2007 wanted the anti-graft agencies to get his approval before prosecuting any suspect. That did not work out. He had also wanted to merge the EFCC with other anti-graft agencies. That also failed. He played some ignoble roles in the prosecution of former governors Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, Peter Odili of Rivers State and James Ibori of Delta State. Ironically, he bases some of his actions on the “rule of law.”

Mrs. Clinton summarised our problems in her remarks when she visited last week. She faulted our anti-corruption crusade, spoke of the need for transparency in government and urged Nigeria to learn how to tackle corruption and enthrone good governance from Botswana. Rather than heed her advice, the principal functionaries of our ruling party dismissed her with a wave of the hand.

It is dishonesty on the part of those condemning Clinton when it is glaring that Nigeria is tottering. And it is this sort of attitude that has almost undermined the banking industry. Most Nigerians know that all is not well with some of our banks. Some of these banks were busy gathering fake awards from some institutions abroad. They made noises about these awards, but loathed any form of negative mention in the media. It was when the new CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido, came on board and directed that an audit of these banks be done that the fowl’s rump became exposed.

The outcome of that was the sacking of managing directors of five banks – Erastus Akingbola of Intercontinental Bank, Cecilia Ibru of Oceanic Bank, Sebastian Adigwe of AfriBank, Barth Ebong of Union Bank and Okey Nwosu of Finbank.

There is wisdom in Sanusi’s statement that it’s not a crime to make a loss, but that it’s criminal to lie about it. It’s better, he told bankers, to disclose truthfully that they made a mistake than to deny that there was a problem.

For any individual or organisation that cherishes credibility, this is the right path to follow. And until we resolve to do this, there may not be any end to troubled banks, a troubled nation and incessant strikes of different hues.

Boko Haram, insecurity and lily-livered police

Casmir Igbokwe

First published Sunday August 9, 2009

Reacting to my piece on David Mark’s seductive patriotism last week, a reader sent what I consider an interesting text message. He calls it tips for your survival.

It goes thus: “If you want to be angry, watch Obasanjo talk. If you want to be drowsy, listen to Yar’Adua’s speeches. If you want to be bored, watch David Mark’s Senate. If you want to waste a whole day, attend Bankole’s House probes. If you want comedy, tune to Akunyili’s rebranding. If you are allergic to lies, avoid Aondoakaa and Farida’s anti corruption crusade. If you’re disgruntled, join el-Rufai and Ribadu. If you’ve kids learning English, avoid Turai whenever she talks.”

This is called characterisation. And, to borrow from the above tips, if you are allergic to fear and poor performance, avoid the Nigerian Police. I’m not the originator of this particular tip. The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Mr. Olusegun Efuntayo, is.

Recall that at the meeting called by the immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, to find solutions to armed robberies and kidnappings in the South-East, Efuntayo described his men as lily-livered. According to him, when they hear the bursting of a vehicle exhaust, they run away.

But are these policemen to blame? Are armed robbers, kidnappers and sundry criminals not getting more sophisticated by the day? Look at the Boko Haram incident, for instance. For days, these Islamic fundamentalists, who believe western education is sin, unleashed mayhem in different parts of the North. Close to 1000 people, if not more, perished in that crisis. Understandably, soldiers intervened to bring the situation under control.

Just as the Boko Haram members were harassing innocent citizens, armed robbers were having a field day in different parts of the country. These days, they are becoming more daring and conscienceless.

Last Wednesday, robbers who were up to 60 in number invaded Ogbomoso in Oyo State. They not only robbed three banks, they also killed and maimed. At the last count, seven people were confirmed dead.

Different gang of bandits waylaid fellow citizens who were on a night travel on Sagamu-Benin Expressway penultimate week. The robbers commanded them to lie on the road while they operated in the bus unhindered. The traumatised victims were obviously pondering over their fate when a truck sped along and crushed them to death. This did not stop the bandits who came back to complete their heinous act. 

In the Niger Delta, criminal elements have infiltrated the ranks of militants. Kidnapping for ransom, which is rampant in the country now, started from there. What started as a just struggle to emancipate the people of the region has turned into a lucrative source of income for some individuals.

The Federal Government has offered them amnesty. Some have taken it. Some have not. Some want N300, 000 paid for each AK-47 riffle they wish to surrender. Some want the government to rent comfortable flats for them. I’m optimistic that peace will eventually reign in that region. But whether this amnesty package will bring that enduring peace remains to be seen.

Generally, the state of insecurity in the country has not been this bad. Many sophisticated arms and ammunition are in wrong hands. This calls for eternal vigilance from every Nigerian.

The task before the new IGP, Ogbonna Onovo, is enormous. He has started well by ordering over 100, 000 policemen attached to private individuals to return to the police headquarters for redeployment or risk dismissal. It is ridiculous that a Force with a total strength of about 312, 223 had almost half that number guarding private individuals. One individual is even reported to have up to 21 police details attached to him. How many of these policemen are in the streets to do the real job they are paid to do?

In any case, employing a police escort does not totally guarantee the security of an individual. One or two policemen attached to a politician, for instance, may never prevent hardened criminals with sophisticated weapons from successfully carrying out their operations.

A friend of mine who is an oil magnate in Port Harcourt had cause to use police escort early this year. Robbers ambushed them on the way and killed the police escort. The police and the deceased family turned round to accuse the oil dealer of killing their man for ritual purposes. He went through a series of detentions and interrogations. Now, he is breathing an air of freedom because the police seem to have discovered that their allegations are baseless. Former Justice Minister, Bola Ige, also had police escort but that did not stop those who assassinated him in his home.

Surely, Onovo knows what to do with the over 100, 000 extra policemen coming back to the police headquarters. He knows that training and retraining of his men are essential ingredients of effective policing. He knows that good welfare packages will enhance their job. He knows that acquiring sophisticated weapons to match the firepower of criminals is desirable. He knows that they need to do more in the areas of crime detection and prevention. He knows that adequate funding is cardinal if the police must move forward.

What Onovo may not know yet is how and where such funding will come. The Federal Government is there no doubt, but with dwindling resources, the prospects of giving more to the police may be a mirage. State governments should help. Wealthy individuals should help. This is the time to say, if you want to hear big donations, attend a police equipment fund-raiser.