ON THE $2BILLION ARMS PURCHASE FUNDS

Constitutionality should be a priority concern for all true lovers of democracy. But we have a problem. Nigeria has official corruption entrenched in its Constitution and convention of governance called Security Vote. A carryover from the inglorious military era when the Military Head of State sent his minions to states as Governors and were given a stipend to administer their "barracks", the Security Votes were given to the Governors to expend as they wished and ensure nothing unwholesome happened under their purview to ruffle their Commander-in-Chief in Dodan Barracks, Obalende, Lagos, and after the failed Orkar Coup of April, 1992, Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

When we returned to Civilian Administration (and Democratic Governance?) in May, 1999, we continued the time-worn tradition with our civil President and Governors gleefully acting as the new Lords of the Manor.

The "Security Votes" run into hundreds of billions of Naira per annum at the Federal Government level or tens of billions of Naira at the states level depending on how rich or poor the state is. Actually, the prefered currency is the U.S. Dollars. And it is disbursed in cash. Successive Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria have dutifully ensured that the President and the Governors always get their Dollar Fix whenever and wherever they want it.

The Security Votes are not subject to budgetary appropriation by the National Assembly and the States' Houses of Assembly. Physical records are not kept and expenditures are strictly at the discretion of the President and the Governors or whoever they entrust with the disbursement of the funds. Very often that trusted aid is the National Security Adviser at the Federal Government level and the Chiefs of Staff at the states level. The Local Government Chairmen have since devised a way to keep their own Security Votes without the knowledge of their State Governors. In essence, the Security Vote is the President's and Governors' "Pocket Money".

I was on Radio Continental's Kubanji Direct on Thursday, 3rd December, 2015, and our topic of discussion was Col. Sambo Dasuki and the alleged $2.1Billion Arms Purchase Scandal. Throughout the programme, my emphasis was that Justice and the Rule of Law must not be sacrificed in our zeal to fight corruption. Dasuki is innocent till found guilty. We must stop the media lynching of people accused of corruption. The cases should be thoroughly investigated and diligently prosecuted. And let the guilty be duly punished.

Clearly much went wrong in our security services. The NSA's Office has no business buying arms and ammunition. But that is how it has been done since 1966.

I am looking forward to an exposè on how the Security Votes of the Governor of Lagos State has been utilised since 1999 to date. I would also like to know how former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State used his Security Votes between 1st January, 2012, and 29th May, 2015.

Bottomline: Time has come for us to stop this official corruption we call Security Votes.

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

STATE POLICE VIA THE BACK DOOR?

STATE POLICE VIA THE BACK DOOR?

I applaud Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for donating new crime-fighting equipment to the Lagos State Police Command, including helicopters, armoured personnel carriers, motor vehicles, trucks etc. He has done very well. Other State Governors should emulate him.

But have you noticed that the vehicles do not bear the usual blue, yellow and green colours of the Nigeria Police Force? The cars are white with red and blue stripes. They even have a new logo and not the Nigeria Police Force insignia.

Is the Lagos State Government starting its State Police through the backdoor? It is unconstitutional and illegal for the Lagos State Government to unilaterally change the colours and logo of the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force. It is worrisome that this affront happened in the presence of the Inspector General of Police and a Federal Minister who launched the vehicles as a representative of President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is a dangerous precedent and the Lagos State Government should be called to order. All the vehicles should be repainted and bear the logo of the Nigeria Police Force.

WHY? WHY, PRESIDENT BUHARI?

Why is there a Conspiracy of Silence among Nigeria's social critics, human rights activists, "progressives" and the media?

Why is there a Conspiracy of Silence among Nigeria's social critics, human rights activists, "progressives" and the media?

Why is the media silent while Nigerians are suffering fuel scarcity, regular power outages and increased terrorist attacks?

Why is the media silent while Nigerians are suffering fuel scarcity, regular power outages and increased terrorist attacks?

President Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria's President. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has had his day. He will not be held responsible for government and governance of Nigeria today.

Why is President Buhari so slow?

Why is President Buhari carrying on as if he has forty year tenure and not four years?

Why is there no sense of urgency?

Why? Why, President Buhari?

President Buhari must awake, arise and been to govern. He should stop foreign trips for a season and allow the Minister of Foreign Affairs to represent him at the international fora he is due to speak. He needs to sit down and work.

President Buhari must work very hard so as to fulfil his numerous Presidential Campaign Promises, including:

1. Payment of N5,000 Monthly Unemployment Allowance to our 25million Vulnerable Youths;

2. One Meal Each School Day to all our Primary School Pupils nationwide;

3. Defeat of Boko Haram before the end of December, 2015;

4. Stabilisation of the international market for crude oil. And I am not being cynical on this one. President Buhari has the moral authority as an elder Head of State and his standing as Nigeria's President to host a meeting of all Crude Oil Producing Countries (including the United States of America, Russia, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and the OPEC countries), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and China, the major Crude Oil Consuming country, and impress on all of them the danger to the world economy if the price of Crude Oil continues to slide. He can actually stabilise the international market for the commodity;

5. Zero-Tolerance for corruption. President Buhari should refrain from perpetually talking about how corrupt Nigerians are and what he plans to do to bring corrupt public officials to book. He should just do it. He should prove that he actually belongs to everyone and that he belongs to no one. He should demonstrate in no unmistakable terms that no Nigerian, including former military rulers and retired military officers, who revel in obscene wealth which they cannot account office w they acquired same, is a sacred cow. The President should use his good office to pressure the National Assembly and ensure passage into law of the "Forfeiture Of Assets Which Cannot Be Accounted For Act" and the "Protection Of Anti-Corruption and Anti-Money Launderers Whistle-Blowers Act"; and, ultimately

6. Make the value of the Naira to the U.S. Dollar 1:1. Again, I am not being cynical here. If President Buhari really works hard, combats corruption without fear or favour, he could eventually be the President who actually achieves a Foreign Exchange Rate of One Naira to One U.S. Dollar ($1:N1) by 29th May, 2019.

God bless President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!!

NIGERIA'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2016

The 2016 Budget will be the first Budget to be formulated and implemented by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Given the numerous campaign promises the President made and the change mantra of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), public expectations about the impact of the Budget on the economy and the social status of the average Nigerian are understandably at an all-time high. Never has so much been promised by a Nigerian President and never have there been such great hope created in the hearts of Nigerians regarding the good government can do and will do to lift their living conditions.

The enormous weight of the expectations is already being felt by the President and his party. Soon after assuming office, President Buhari said Nigerians would stone him if he fails them. But the consequences of his failure may be much worse for him than he anticipates. Nigerians are in a hurry and are tired of platitudes from their leaders. Already cynicism is so soon returning to public discourses about the Federal Government's intentions and actions from a people who were so optimistic about the new government just four months ago.

Efforts by the spokesmen of President Buhari and the APC to manage the public expectations engendered by the flowery campaign promises have been tepid and unconvincing. Doubts about the sincerity of the President and APC are no longer muted. Even the First Lady (or the Wife of the President as we are told she should be called) has, uncharacteristically, waded into the matter. On Tuesday, 10th November, 2015, she issued a press statement calling on her party to fulfil its campaign promises regarding the payment of the N5,000 monthly Unemployment Allowance to the "25 million most vulnerable Nigerian youths" and the daily feeding of all Nigerian Primary School Pupils. I believe she must have already persuaded her husband to implement the promises and that he must have given her permission to go public with her advocacy on the matter. Other than the APC Senators who recently rejected the motion moved by the PDP's Senator Phillip Aduda that the Federal Government should commence payment of the N5,000 monthly Unemployment Allowance, might there be other elements in the ruling party who are opposed to the fulfilment of the campaign promises such that the First Lady/Wife of the President felt impelled to intervene in the matter and even do so publicly?

The Vice President, Pastor Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has been indicating the Federal Government's plans regarding the 2016 Budget which is being prepared. Firstly, he said it would be a Zero-based Budget; meaning that the expenditure estimates would not be mere increments on the previous year's figures, as have often been the case in our past Budgets, but projected amounts for each expense head would be computed in isolation and justified given consideration to the actual essential needs and the government's policy priorities. This is a salutary development and I applaud the Buhari Administration for this. It portends good for our budgeting process if well implemented.

Last week, while speaking at the Retreat for Ministerial Nominees in the State House, Abuja, the Vice President said that the Federal Government is working on the 2016 Budget and that the Total Expenditure would be between N7Trillion and N8Trillion. He also indicated that the proposed Capital Expenditure would be N2Trillion. This means that the Federal Government is planing to spend about N5Trillion/N6Trillion on Recurrent Expenditure even though it has now rationalised the Ministries to just 25. The proposed Recurrent Expenditure in the 2016 Budget is more than the entire
Federal Government Budget for the 2015 Fiscal Year.

Clearly, there are no plans to prune the size of the civil service. It also appears that the huge sum being set aside for Recurrent Expenditure may include provision for the payment of the N5,000 monthly Unemployment Allowance and the Lunch-For-School-Pupils programme promised by the President. Alhaji Lai Muhammed had said that the reason the APC was yet to implement the Unemployment Allowance is because "the Jonathan Administration did not make allowance for it in the 2015 Budget". Maybe Alhaji Lai Mohammed expected former President Goodluck Jonathan to have included it in his government's 2015 Budget in anticipation of his losing the 2015 Presidential Election. LOL!!!

The Buhari Government needs N900Billion per annum just to pay the N5,000 Unemployment Allowance to our "25million vulnerable youths". With a population of about 170million people and in the absence of authentic demographic data, I suspect the number of our "vulnerable youths" may be nearer 100million! The amount needed to feed our Primary School Pupils nationwide would be much more than that required to pay the Unemployment Allowance. And it would depend on the quality of lunch being planned for our children. It sum required could be as much as N1.5Trillion per annum.

How is the Federal Government of Nigeria going to fund a N7Trillion or N8Trillion Budget in 2016 given our present economic realities? Does it expect another Oil Boom? What is the likelihood of the price of crude oil leaving the sub-$50 per barrel level it has been at and rising to even $60 per barrel within the next 14 months considering the fundamentals and dynamics of the international market for hydrocarbons?

Yes; of course, the Federal Government could borrow to fund the 2016 Budget. But is this desirable, even if feasible, given that our nation's Total Debt Stock (FGN plus States) as at 30th June, 2015, stood at US$63.81Billion or N12.12Trillion? The Federal Government's Domestic Debts as at 30th June, 2015, was US$42.63Billion or N8.40Trillion. Our External Debts (FGN plus States) was US$10.32 or N2.03Trillion. With our External Reserves reportedly standing at just US$30.13 as at 27th October, 2015, our declining Foreign Exchange Inflows and our unabated demand for imported products, Nigeria is no longer attractive to private foreign lenders as it had been in recent years.
The Federal Government cannot find cheap foreign private debt financing for the proposed 2016 Budget especially since we have been delisted from the prestigious JP Morgan Government Bond Index. A couple of days ago, Barclays Bank equally anounced that it would soon delist Nigeria from its own Government Bond Index. Both Indices are concerned that our debt instruments are no longer liquid in view of the foreign exchange transfer restrictions imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in its futile efforts at defending the Naira without the robust Foreign Exchange Reserves level required to do so.

Except there is an unexpected positive development in our economic fortunes, the Effective Yield Rate of Nigeria's Federal Government Bonds will no doubt rise shortly and it could become as high as 9% or even 12% in the near term since Nigeria is now considered a high risk market given our new Foreign Exchange Transfer Risk. This also has negative implications for the Eurobonds issued by our corporates. Domestic debt funding of the 2016 Budget is not feasible in view of the sheer volume of money we need to source and the lack of liquidity in the market to absorb it. But if the Central Bank of Nigeria pushes it through using its regulatory leverage with Nigerian financial institutions, our private sector borrowers would be further crowded out of the domestic debt market and the cost of funds would rise concomitantly. In addition, the expansionary fiscal stance signaled by the 2016 Budget proposal would also exacerbate the inflationary trend which is already worrying on account of the impact of the depreciation on the value of the Naira.

I hope that the Buhari Administration rethinks its expressed Budget plans 2016. Nigeria should cut its coat according to its cloth. The country is virtually in a recession and it can ill afford spending money it does not have. The 2016 Budget should be austere. May God help us Jesus' Name. Amen.

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

PRESIDENT BUHARI'S CAMPAIGN PROMISES: TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

All around the world politicians say a lot of things while campaigning for office. They make many promises in a bid to woo voters to side with them. Most electoral promises weigh less than the air that conveys the words from the speaker's lips. The euphoric polical rallies serve only one purpose: get votes whatever it takes. When politicians speak extempore few expect them to even remember what they said much less make good on their verbal promises.

 

But when electoral campaign promises become codified as a written document and articulated in diverse official campaign and promotional literature of the political party of the politician aspiring for office, it is a different matter. The assumption is that the politician is actually sincere and, to prove his bona fide, he/she has reduced the promises into writing thereby indicating that a contract with the electorate is in effect if he/she wins the election and assumes office.

 

As the 100 Days Benchmark drew near last August, Nigerians were treated to the shocking denial by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that President Muhammadu Buhari "never promised to do anything within 100 days" just as Mr. Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, tried in vain to distance the President from the widely circulated Buhari Campaign document titled "My 100 Days Covenant With Nigerians". It was a comical but failed effort to manage the high public expectations of a President who had been elegantly robed in grand Messianic Couture by his party and political handlers.

 

On Wednesday, 4th November, 2015, another drama played out in the Senate. Senator Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT) moved a motion for the payment of N5,000 (Five thousand Naira only) monthly allowance to unemployed youths across Nigeria. The motion was greeted with shouts of “No! No! No!” when Sentor Aduda tried to explain the basis of his proposal. Attempts by the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to second the motion were disrupted by the rowdiness. Intervening, President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, put the question to a vote but the Senators responded along party lines. While the PDP members yelled ‘’Aye’’ in favour of the motion, the APC Senators, who were in the majority, shouted "Nay" and defeated it.

 

Hmmmm......

 

Now, what is one to make of this development? Are the APC Senators unaware that President Muhammadu Buhari had made the promise to pay unemployed Nigerian youths such an allowance a major part of his electoral campaign? Do they realise that the promise resonated with many youths and that it may have influenced how they voted in the last Presidential election? Did the APC Senators consider the effect their vote would have on the morale of the youths who have been eagerly anticipating the payment of the Unemployment Allowance? Was the manner in which the APC Senators cut down the motion the best way to deal with such a sensitive matter? Do the APC Senators care about the sensibilities of the Nigerian youths?

 

It is pathetic that the same APC Senators, who recently rejected the recommendations of a committee which they set up to review their overly generous salaries, their obscenely huge allowances and their scandalous perks, would reject a motion to pay an allowance of just N5,000 to unemployed Nigerian youths in line with their party's campaign promise and despite their "change" mantra. Evidently, their self-interest supercedes national interest. Sad.

 

But I am in no doubt that the APC Senators have also woken up to the reality of the economic state of our nation and the impracticality of the promise to pay unemployed youths an allowance. That was just another pie-in-the-sky campaign promise which would never have been made had the APC actually expected to win the Presidency. The One-Meal-A-Day-For-School-Pupils is another. Even at the best of times, Nigeria does not have the financial resources to cater for the sheer number of our unemployed youths and Primary School children in the manner promised. Doing so while our economy is now virtually in a recession is totally impossible.

 

Should the APC Senators not have used the opportunity of Aduda's motion to painstakingly explain to Nigerians why the payment of the N5,000 Unemployment Allowance is no longer feasible (contrary to their plans) and what measure their party intends to implement to make it possible in due course? Do they not realise the damage they have done to the President's credibility by making a circus of such an important economic and social issue? Was this not a golden opportunity to deflect whatever political point Senator Philip Aduda and the PDP might have intended to score in raising the motion by elaborating on the APC agenda for jobs creation, youth empowerment, diversification of the economy and the development of the employment capacity of our micro, small and medium enterprises? In fact, the APC could have seized the day and come out smelling of roses had their Senators not taken the low road of engineering an uproar in the hallowed chamber of the upper legislative house.

 

As I have said before, the Presidential Election has been won and lost. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is now President Muhammadu Buhari. It is now irrelevant who one routed for and voted to be President. The serious business of governance, good governance at that, must be the priority. While it is not easy to eat humble pie and acknowledge where one erred, it is imperative that the President and the APC jettison the campaign promises which are unworkable, apologise to Nigerians for making them, and focus on those ones which can be actualised given our present economic realities. Nigerians are very forgiving. Nigerians want President Buhari to succeed. And succeed he must.

 

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

PRESIDENT BUHARI AND THE SPIRIT OF JEHU

Once again, President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption while speaking to the Nigerian Community in India. It is becoming wearisome hearing the President announcing his anti-corruption stance. Five months into his administration, the signals are becoming clear that the President's commitment to dealing with corruption us doubtful. At best, it is selective and focused on those who are perceived as enemies of the President and key members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The romance of President Buhari with former President Olusegun Obasanjo is one such clear signal. The refusal of the President to reopen the Halliburton case in which the United States Government has already established prima facie culpability of Obasanjo in the bribery scandal is rather unfortunate. Why is OBJ untouchable? If indeed he is guiltless, why is he being shielded from prosecution and eventual absolution by the courts? What message is the President sending to Nigerians? That some people are sacred cows?

Another case is that of Chief Timipre Sylva, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, who was being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corruption. Even in the absence of an Attorney General of the Federation who has the constitutional discretion to withdraw criminal cases being prosecuted by the Federal Government and its agencies from court, the EFCC suddenly made a U-Turn and dropped all the charges against Chief Sylva without bothering to explain its action to the Nigerian people. Today, Chief Sylva is the APC Candidate for the upcoming Gubernatorial Election in Bayelsa State.

Much has been said about the nomination of former Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Babatunde Fashola as Ministers despite the many petitions against them which the EFCC has not even bothered to invite them for preliminary interview as it is the Commission's practice. For a government which continually restates its avowed commitment to fighting corruption, would it not have been better to only nominate Nigerians without any moral baggage to such high office? Of course, allegations and the submission of petitions do not mean guilt on the part of the accused. But the President is losing in the realm of public perception when he closes his eyes to these matters while others (like Mrs Deizani Allison-Madueke, Col. Sambo Dasuki and Senator Bukola Saraki) who have similarly been accused of corruption are being vilified and appear to have been adjudged guilty until they are proven innocent. This sends mixed signals which make many cynical about the President's readiness to stamp out corruption.

As the President has often said, corruption will kill Nigeria if Nigeria does not kill corruption. But if he is to succeed in this war, he must take on the Jehu Anointing. Jehu was anointed by God to execute judgment against the house of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, the wicked and idolatrous Queen who had defiled the nation with abominations. Jehu was merciless in fulfilling his assignment. President Buhari must equally be merciless in his war against corruption. He must not mind whose ox is gored. There must be no sacred cows. It must be evident to his friends and foes that he indeed has zero-tolerance for corrupt practices and corrupt people. May God help him to truly rid our land of the abomination of corruption.

Oh LORD, please endue President Muhammadu Buhari the Spirit of Jehu and help him to wield the Sword of Judgment against any and all who have plundered our nation without fear or favour in Jesus' Name. Amen.

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

I KNEW MR. GAMALIEL ONOSODE

Mr. Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode, OFR., a Man of God, a Deacon and elder in the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Board Room Guru, Corporate Titan, Scholar, Sage, Orator, Wordsmith, Teacher, Statesman, Politician, Icon of Integrity, Apostle of God in the Market Place, Husband, Father of my brother, fellow Kingsmen and friends, Ese Onosode and Dr. Chris Onosode, and their siblings, the Treasurer of the Parents-Teachers Association of King's College, Lagos, in the 1978/1979 Academic Session, the Special Adviser on Economic Affairs to Former President Shehu Shagari during his three-month second term which was cut short by the coup d'etat of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Former President of the Nigeria Institute of Management, Former President of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers of Nigeria, Doyen of the Nigeria Banking Industry, Doyen of the Nigerian Capital Market, Doyen of the Practice of Professional Management, the Czar of Corporate Governance, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of several quoted and unquoted companies, my Life Coach, my All-round Mentor and elder Friend, one of the seven Promoters and the the largest Shareholder of Pharez Ltd. in our early years, Pioneer Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pharez Ltd., Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Giant of Africa, a Servant of the Most High God, a Gentleman, a Real Man who served generations according to the Will of God.

I first met Mr. Onosode sometime in October, 1997. God had led me to resign my job as a Senior Bank Examiner at the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation to start Pharez and I felt led of Him to invite Mr. Onosode to invest in the Company and be the Chairman of our Board of Directors. I went to his home which also served as his office at 44, Adelabu Street, Surulere, Lagos, and requested that his Secretary should give me an appointment to see him.

Mr. Onosode was a very busy man even in retirement. It is unbelievable how many people regularly sought audience with him for diverse reasons. He was the Choice Pick to chair company boards, University Councils, Weddings, Seminars, Lectures, Conferences, and all sorts of business, corporate, governmental, religious, political, community and social events. He was also popular as the Keynote Speaker at Lectures, Conferences and Seminars. And many Churches across several denominations eagerly sought him to minister God's Word to their congregations.

By divine favour, I was given an appointment to see Mr. Onosode by his Secretary despite his tight schedule. Every day in his diary was taken up by some activity. His wife, Mummy Sarah Onosode, was in effect his Chief "Security" Officer: she tried her best to stop him from committing to the engagements her husband was always being called upon to be involved in. She obviously did not succeed much despite her best efforts. Mr. Onosode was a "junkie" to helping people and pouring himself into anything that was worthwhile. I am sure his dairy has programmes scheduled for him for 2017 and beyond! I guess many people did not quite believe he was actually mortal!! He was so full of life.

Meeting Mr. Onosode for the first time was like entering the presence of some Grand Monarch. One felt like it would be appropriate to take off one's shoes in reverence! As I stepped into his office, he stood up and stretched his hand to shake mine. "Good morning sir", I said. "Good morning", he replied in that his peculiar voice that never was affected by age. He motioned for me to take a seat.
His office is on the top floor of his one-storey Boys Quarter. It is a three-room suite; the outer room served as the reception, the inner room is the Secretary's office and the innermost room was his L-shaped office which adjoined his residence. His desk faced the door from the Secretary's office and there was a conference table on the right-side corner of his office. A huge book-shelf lined the entire left-side of the conference area which had a door at the end leading to his residence. All the times I met with him over the seven year period he served as our Board Chairman and many years thereafter, I do not recall him ever sitting at his desk. He preferred holding his meetings in the conference section of his office.

After a little chit-chat, he asked me why I wanted to see him. I gave my best performance marketing the business concept of Pharez and the Unique Selling Point. He listened without interrupting. When I was done he was quiet for a while as one in deep thought. Finally, he spoke. He was fascinated by the name Pharez. As a Bible Student and Teacher, he knew all too well the story in Genesis 38 about Judah and Tamar, his daughter-in-law, and the circumstance which resulted in Tamar becoming the mother of the twin sons of her father--in-law. He knew that Pharez miraculously became the first-born even though his twin brother, Zarah, had initially brought out his hand at birth thus compelling the midwife's presumptuous declaration that he was the first child upon whose outstreched hand she tied a scarlet thread to so indicate. But by Divine Orchestration, Zarah withdrew his hand and Pharez mysteriously exited the womb first. The midwife exclaimed out of surprise, "How have you broken forth for yourself!" and she named the child "Pharez". Pharez means "Break forth" in Hebrew.
Mr. Onosode said the Business Idea of Pharez which I had shared with him was interesting but he would like me to meet with him again in the company of one of the other persons I had approached and who had already committed to invest as a co-Promoter and Director. He would tell me his decision after that meeting. I went to see him some days later with my close elder friend and brother, Dr. Austin Ebhomielen. Interestingly, one of those I invited to invest in Pharez was so cynical that he told me that if Mr. Onosode did invest in the company I should call him and he would do so too. Mr. Onosode took up 20% of our start-up equity capital and we appointed him the Chairman of the Company during our Inaugural Meeting of the Board of Directors held in April, 1998. My cynical friend did not make good his "promise" to follow Mr. Onosode's lead.

I cannot now write all I have to say about Mr. Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode. He so influenced my life that at a time I parted my hair in the middle like his for a couple of years! I wanted to look like him. I wanted to be him! He taught me so much. I had the privilege of writing some of his speeches and representing him at some events. For someone who was a perfectionist, it was very fulfilling to be entrusted with such assignments especially when he never had cause to even edit the speeches which I wrote for him. I spent many hours in private with him in his office and in his home. We spoke for many hours via the telephone when we could not meet physically. He treated me like one of his sons. He was my father. I drunk directly from his Fountain of Wisdom.

Mr. Onosode's involvement with Pharez conferred instant market recognition and even fame on the Company from Day One. My proudest moments were when he attended meetings in our office and participated in our public events: Seminars and Workshops. People wondered how I succeeded in persuading him to buy shares in Pharez and chair our Board knowing how hard it was to impress him with business ideas.

Mr. Onosode came to personify our core twin values: Integrity and Excellence. Pharez has never paid a bribe to secure business from inception till date. Curiously, Mr. Onosode had such an unusual sense of integrity that he turned down my several requests that he should introduce me to his numerous corporate contacts for business patronage. He said to me: "Eghes, just go and say 'I am from Mr. Onosode' and I have a business proposal that would interest you". I told him: "Sir, things do not work that way in Nigeria" (as if he did not know!). LOL! I told him he should give me a written note to the people I wanted to solicit business from and that he should leave the rest to me. I would follow up aggressively to prove our competence to deliver on mandates. He refused. He said it was immoral for him to exploit his name and reputation for monetary gain. He wanted me to go about our business development professionally and secure patronage on the merit of our value proposition. Recall he held 20% of our shareholding; I never understood what was immoral about leveraging one's relationships to generate business for one's Company. I still do not. But that was vintage Onosode.
Mr. Onosode is a unique breed. His being called "Mr. Integrity" was not for nothing. In life, Mr. Onosode was a Phenom: a Living Legend. In death, he is a Colossus.

Mr. Onosode aspired to be Nigeria's President in 1999 using the platform of the All Nigeria's Peoples Parry (ANPP). He passionately campaigned all around the country. Many people across tribal, religious and political divides expressed support for him. He sold his Vision for Nigeria which he had documented in his Presidential Manifesto. Most of the people felt he was the best candidate........but "if only the political class would support him" and "if only his political party would give him the Presidential Ticket".

When he failed to win the ANPP Presidential Primaries, many of us who were close to him were apprehensive how he might take it. He had given his campaign his utmost. But Mr. Onosode was unperturbed. He said: "God told me to join a political party and aspire for the Presidency of Nigeria. That I have done. Before I entered the race, many people did not think a born-again Christian should get involved in politics. They believed that politics is dirty and not for decent people. But how do you expect "dirty" people to clean up politics. Jesus said 'a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit'. But we somehow expect that bad politicians would deliver good governance for us. God has somehow used my aspiring to be President of Nigeria to substantially change the mindset of most people that good people should not be involved in politics. Maybe that was God's intent. Maybe God just wanted to use me to influence and change how Christians perceive politics. I believe that is the case. So I have obeyed God and I am happy I have done His will".

The leadership of the All Nigeria Peoples Party requested that Mr. Onosode should lend the party N10,000,000 (Ten million Naira only) to finance its activities in with a promise to repay him within a short time. Mr. Onosode took a loan from his bank and lent the money to the ANPP. But the party reneged and did not meet its debt obligation to Mr. Onosode till he died. Now, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and his peers in the leadership of the ANPP owe it as a sacred duty to ensure that the money owed to Mr. Onosode is paid to his estate. It is the very least that they can do to redeem themselves for betraying the trust of such a noble man.

MR. GAMALIEL OFORITSENERE ONOSODE WAS THE BEST PRESIDENT NIGERIA NEVER HAD AND CAN NEVER HAVE.
What a shame. What a pity.

Mr. Onosode rested in peace over six decades ago when he made Jesus Christ his personal Lord, Saviour, King and God. He fought a good fight. He kept the faith. Now he has received his Crown of Glory and he is in Glory. He has entered the Joy of his God. He has joined the Saints Triumphant! Praise the Lord!! HALLELUYAH!!!

Waoh! What a Man!!

I am blessed indeed. I knew Mr. Gamaliel Onosode.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN HAS MY VOTE

This Saturday, 28th March, 2015, by God's Grace, I will be voting for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Ph.D., GCFR, to continue in office as Nigeria's President till 2019.

In the last few months, I have written extensively on why I am fully persuaded that it is in our best interest as Nigerians to support the re-election of President Jonathan. I have spoken about his commendable performance in office, his character, his leadership style and his democratic credentials.

I have also spoken about the grand attempt of the main opposition political party to deceive Nigerians by creating a mythical personality about its Presidential candidate which bears no relationship with the person we know him to be and its hollow slogan of "change" which is not supported by actionable programmes. Thank God the veil is removed and most Nigerians can now discern the truth regarding the options before us.

President Goodluck Jonathan remains our best choice to deliver the Nigeria of our dreams: a peaceful, united and prosperous nation where truth and justice reign. We are on course. We shall remain on course.

I encourage all eligible voters to go out this Saturday and re-affirm our mandate for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to continue the Transformation Agenda.

God bless Nigeria.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

MY #GEJWINSIT SPEECH

Last Sunday, 15th March, 2015, I was at the ‪#‎GEJWINSIT‬ event in Abuja. Below is the speech which I was to deliver at the programme but could not due to time constraint; I had only five minutes and decided to just speak from my heart.

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

Our nation, Nigeria, is truly unique and special in several ways. Our uniqueness lies in our natural resources, history, culture, diversity, the exuberance of our great people and, most importantly, our peculiar God-ordained destiny as a country.

The popular saying today that Africa is shaped like a pistol pointed down with Nigeria positioned as its trigger was actually part of a Prophecy given the last missionary to Nigeria in the 1930s, Pa S. G. Elton of blessed memory. Pa Elton was a British Missionary who lived for over fifty years in Ilesa, Osun State. He spoke those words in 1983 at a Conference in Limuru, Kenya.

The renaissance of Africa is tied to the destiny of Nigeria. Nigeria is the Trigger of Africa. The rising of Nigeria will affect the entire continent. And the reverse is also true. This sobering thought is one more reason why Nigeria must not fail.

The Grace of God is manifestly upon Nigeria. It is God’s Grace that has kept us one despite the many challenges that have threatened to break the country apart. We survived a civil war; we survived the June 12 Crisis; we resolved the militancy in the Niger Delta; and we are overcoming Boko Haram. We have put the years of military rule behind us and democracy has come to stay. But we have a duty not to frustrate the Grace which God has so abundantly bestowed on us. There are evil forces contending for the very soul of our nation and their satanic agenda must be defeated.

The emergence of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as Nigeria’s President was by Divine Providence. He rose to leadership of the nation in 2010 manifestly not by dint of his personal efforts. His electoral victory in 2011 was also relatively an easy ride. Understandably, the Presidential contest this time is more intense but there should be no doubt as to whom most Nigerians would have sworn-in as President on 29^th May, 2015: President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Ph.D., GCFR.

There is empirical evidence that President Goodluck Jonathan has performed remarkably well. No one can in good conscience deny the enviable strides he has attained in many areas despite the huge obstacles he has had to overcome. The positive outcomes of the Transformation Agenda are manifest in several sectors of the economy. Take, for instance, the issue of roads development and maintenance. Those of us who often travel on the Ore-Benin Road know the difference. Gone are the days when one had to make detours through the bush to avoid huge portions of the road which were not passable. I still recall a particular trip where I spent about fifteen (15) hours to get from Lagos to Uromi in Edo State. Now, I can make the journey in about five hours. And this is the case in many areas around the country.

The giant strides in the agricultural sector cannot be overlooked. We have seen tremendous increase in the local production of food crops such that our import bill has reduced considerably. From a total food import bill of N1.1Trillion ($6.9Billion) as at 2009, Nigeria’s food import bill reduced to N684.7Billion ($4.35Billion) as at December, 2013. Progress is being made in the power sector which has undergone reforms. Nigerians now see the prospects of stable electricity supply such that in a couple of years we can actually take it for granted. The rejuvenation of our long abandoned railway sector is another area of amazing transformation which must be applauded. The improvements in our airports are equally evident. In the education sector, one can readily point to the establishment of more universities and the introduction of the Almajiri Model Schools as some of the more noteworthy initiatives of the Jonathan Administration. 

Perhaps an often-overlooked but compelling argument for the President’s second term is his impact in stabilising and entrenching democratic practice in Nigeria. Since 2011, the electoral process has been free of manipulation by the Federal Government. President Jonathan has shown that he is not interested in influencing the outcomes of elections and he has been quick to congratulate candidates of opposition parties who won Gubernatorial elections conducted during the period. It is obvious that for him, winning elections is not a “do-or-die” affair and he has said so many times. It is indeed interesting that it is this atmosphere for credible elections shaped by the President’s disposition that has emboldened the major opposition party to even think it has a chance to win the upcoming Presidential Election.

Today, we have come to take for granted the liberties we enjoy as Nigerians. No one is afraid to air his/her views. Freedom of speech (and freedom after speech!) is a reality in Nigeria. It is to President Jonathan’s credit that no one is harassed or intimidated for holding opinions which are at variance with the government’s.  The President’s unusual capacity to tolerate opponents is alien to our political history and culture. And no civilian government in Nigeria has ever had more vocal opponents as is the case today. Indeed, some of the views of the opponents of government actually border on sedition and were clearly orchestrated to be provocative. 

What has engendered this clement atmosphere is the President’s persona. Decades of militarisation had foisted on Nigeria a political leadership which is essentially domineering and authoritarian. Political leadership became synonymous with bravado and forceful expressions of power. Indeed, to be perceived as a strong leader, many politicians have felt they needed to be loud, impetuous, abrasive, manipulative, and even brutal. Leadership was about the “strong man”.

President Goodluck Jonathan has redefined the essence of what it means to be a Nigerian leader. He has shown that humility is not a weakness. His humility is genuine; evidently not pretentious. Even his opponents acknowledge this much. He has no airs. He is authentic. He is down-to-earth. He is real. It takes uncommon character not to succumb to the temptation of pride induced by the vestiges of power. 

The President’s cool and calm nature has had  a salutary effect on the polity. He has maintained steely calmness in many trying situations when it appeared things would fall apart. He is a peaceful man and a man of peace. He is a worthy model to our youths and all who aspire to lead. He is an asset to our nation.

Nigeria needs a leader like President Jonathan even more at this critical juncture in our march to greatness. We should be grateful that we have a leader at the helms who God has gifted with sure, stable and safe hands, who can keep our ship of state on course. Nigeria must continue to go forward with confidence. And with God’s help, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will keep Nigeria moving forward.

Ladies and Gentleman, fellow countrymen, let us ensure that come Saturday, 28^th March, 2015, we give our President the votes to keep our great nation on the path of peace and progress.

God bless President Goodluck Jonathan.

God bless Nigeria!

NIGERIA DI FURE!

IT WILL BE WELL WITH NIGERIA!!

BUHARI AND THE COLLAR

Many Buharists cannot stand President Goodluck Jonathan worshipping in Churches and were particularly irked by his visit to Winners' Chapel, Canaan Land, Otta, for a Sunday Service, and the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God for its last Holy Ghost Night. Yet it matters not to them that Pastor Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has been actively gathering some Christian clergymen in various cities around the country campaigning that Christians vote for Mr. Muhammadu Buhari. He has held such meetings with some Pastors in Kaduna, Makurdi and Warri.

The latest gathering happened on Thursday, 12th February, 2015, in Abuja. Mr. Buhari and Pastor Prof. Osinbajo met with a previously unknown group of "Northern Eagles Christian Elders" or something like that. The group endorsed Mr. Buhari and even gave him a gift....a Bible. Yes, a Bible. The Sword of the Spirit! smile emoticon

Mr. Buhari made a rather awkward, tongue-in-cheek, speech about how/why religion should not be brought into politics. LOL! Mr. Buhari had met with Catholic Bishops the previous day.

Interesting.

The New Mr. Buhari must now genuinely love Christians. So has Mr. Buhari recanted? Has he renounced his call for Muslims to vote for only a Muslim who would protect the interest of Islam? Is he no longer committed to ensuring that Sharia Law is implemented in the entire country?

I don't expect Gov. Rotimi Amaechi to reveal how much these Pastors might have been paid by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Or maybe these Buharist Pastors must have been thoroughly screened to ensure that they are more righteous than their N6Billion-collecting Pro-Jonathan peers. Surely, Mr. Buhari, the Corruption-killing Changer, must not be seen in the unholy company of non-Halal Pastors!

* Sigh *

I almost cannot wait for Sunday, 29th March, 2015; the day after the Presidential Election. Hopefully, all the irritating, nauseating, and hypocritical drama of the All Progressives Congress would have been over by then.

NIGERIA DI FURE!

DISSIMULATION

"1 Meal A Day for children in public primary schools. That is real Change".

The above statement is one of the many promises that Mr. Muhammadu Buhari has made in his bid to be our President, the fourth time around.

I had not noticed the bill-board carrying that promise till a few minutes ago in the Gbagada area of Lagos. I was actually on the watch for it this time because a friend called me last night to draw my attention to it. This is what he said about it:

"It is either that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress have not done their home-work or they are sure most Nigerians do not critically analyse electoral promises. At a meager N100 (One hundred Naira only) per meal for each child and at the current School Enrolment Level nationwide, an APC-led Federal Government would require at least N700,000,000,000 (Seven hundred billion Naira only) per annum to fund the One Meal A Day Promise. And we know that no Nigerian government would award a contract of N100 per meal".

Anyone who is familiar with public finances in Nigeria can immediately see that the One Meal Per Day Promise is not worth the billboards that carry it! With a Federal Budget that now averages N5Trillion per annum, it is clearly impossible to commit about 14% of the total budget just to feed primary school pupils once a day. And no child can be fed at N100 per meal even if it is Soaked Gari and Sugar that the APC plans to give the children!

The APC knows it will not keep this promise. It is just about sloganeering. It's pretty much like its promise that it would "not tolerate corruption" when public funds are being used blatantly to finance Mr. Buhari's electoral campaigns.

So why does the APC make such irrational promises? Simple: DECEPTION. The party's strategy to take power is to deceive the people. The David Axlerod strategists have told the APC that all it need do to win over most Nigerians (and especially the young, educated, patriotic, middle-class types) is to speak about "change". After all, who does not want some change? Who does not aspire for something better? Life is about aiming higher, achieving more faster, better and more efficiently. Every product or service provider knows the power of offering more, faster and better. You can't fail with your customers with such hype.

And the APC has adopted that strategy. But it is not offering anything better. It is merely about packaging or, more accurately, REPACKAGING. So Mr. Muhammadu Buhari has been repackaged into a suave, sharp-dressing, urbane, metrosexual, alpha-male....much like something air-brushed and which you would ordinarily see in a magazine like Gentleman's Quarterly, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Men's Health or Ebony. His history is revised. His past is forgotten. His hideous sins are forgiven. The APC would have Nigerians believe that old things have passed away and all things about Mr. Buhari have become new. He is now "born-again"! A New, Improved Buhari. LOL!

So they ensure Mr. Buhari does not speak much. They know if he opens his mouth too much and too long as he used to do, the packaging will fall apart. He will speak from the abundance of his heart and it will be evident that he has not changed and so cannot offer change. This is why he speaks for no longer than two (2) minutes even at campaign rallies in the north where he can speak in his native tongue (Hausa) and not make the Queen squirm at his spoken English. And this is why he cannot be part of any Presidential Debate. He would have to speak for more than two (2) minutes and the facade of repackaging would fall apart for the entire world to see the Real Buhari.

Deception is a powerful thing. Lucifer uses it to great effect. He is the Father of Lies and he knows how to deploy lies effectively. It worked with even God's Angels. A third of them followed his rebellion against God! It worked with Eve. It worked with Cain. It even worked with Abraham, God's Friend and the Father of Faith. Abraham almost lost his beautiful wife, Sarah, to Pharaoh and King Abimelech because he was deceived into thinking he needed to lie about their relationship so as not to lose her. The age-long contention between the Jews and the Arabs is also a consequence of Abraham succumbing to the sincere but deceitful counsel of his wife when tarrying for God's Promised Child didn't seem to make any more sense to her.

There is a panacea for deception. There is an irrefutable answer for lies. TRUTH.

Nigerians must insist on truth from the APC. And from the PDP too. We must no longer countenance deceit in our politics. Do not make promises you have no plans to keep. Of course, because men are imperfect and only know in part at any given time, men can be sincere and make promises which they may eventually become unable to fulfil due to extraneous factors outside their control. With the best of intentions, men still fail. That is understandable. Only God is infallible. Only God's Promises are Yea and Amen. God cannot lie. He is not a man.

But we are talking about political promises which are bare-faced lies ab initio. Promises conceived from wicked hearts which were never meant to be kept. We must shine the Light of Truth on such lies and such liars.

Nigerians, Beware of Lies!

NIGERIA DI FURE!

NIGERIA AND PERCEPTIONS

Last night (Thursday, 5th February, 2015), I watched "Quest Means Business" on CNN. Richard Quest spoke with Dr. Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, our Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, and a Senior Fellow in a Washington-based Institute which seeks to "defend democracy". 

As always, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala did us proud as she answered every question intelligently, eloquently, articulately and convincingly. I wish she were also our Minister of Defence, Minister of Information, Minister of Foreign Affairs....all at the same time! LOL!

But it is worrisome how the international community has been misled, misinformed and disinformed about Nigeria and the performance of  President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Ph.D., GCFR, regarding the war against Boko Haram's jihadist Islamist terrorism. The American chap who was interviewed by Richard Quest said that he is told by those he speaks with in Nigeria that things are "very dark" or something to that effect. His impression from these folks is that things are very gloomy. Even while acknowledging the failure of the international community to take the threat of Boko Haram as seriously as that of ISIS, he still blamed President Jonathan for nor containing Boko Haram. Any wonder who he speaks to in Nigeria? Are we living in the same Nigeria with those folks? If I were resident elsewhere, I probably will also believe that Nigeria is actually what Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Nasir El Rufai and  Sahara "Reporters" and their ilk say it is.

The damage that the All Progressives Congress has done to Nigeria through its massive propaganda machinery is unspeakable. 

But one cannot sow the wind and expect not to reap the whirlwind. 
Selah!

NIGERIA DI FURE!

GOV. ROTIMI AMAECHI'S SMOKING GUN

I can't remember who now, but someone wrote in an article sometime ago that many Nigerians have lost their sense of "shockability". Many things happen and many things are said these days that Nigerians take for granted. However novel, absurd, incredulous, obscene, vain, ridiculous, ludicrous, rude, awkward, superfluous, fallacious, untrue....etc. a matter is, there are some Nigerians that would not bat an eyelid or even question its veracity. Truth has become endangered. 

Nowhere else is this the case as in our politics. And in this Elections Season, there are lies aplenty. If it is in the media, especially social media, it most be true. A popular refrain these days is "focus on the message and not the messenger". I don't know how this became Received Wisdom. I grew up knowing that the credibility of a message depends on who the messenger is. Why would anyone believe what a known liar says?! And why do journalists refer to "usually credible sources" to give credence to a tale they know many would need more than a pinch of salt to believe?

It was the Facebook post of a Buharist that I first read the claim that the Federal Government had given N6,000,000,000 (Six billion Naira only) to some Nigerian Pastors to campaign against Mr. Muhammadu Buhari and project him as an Islamic fundamentalist who is out to Islamise Nigeria if he becomes the President. I even shared the post on my Facebook Timeline and said it was the latest fabrication from the propaganda machinery of the All Progressives Party (APC) which is unlikely to gain traction since it was not first published by Sahara "Reporters". That was the night of Tuesday, 3rd February, 2015. I was wrong.

The following morning, all the major newspapers carried it as a major news item: "FG BRIBED PASTORS WITH N6BILLION~ GOV. ROTIMI AMAECHI"!! Oh! So it is official then? The Governor of Rivers State and the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress' Presidential Campaign Committee, the Right Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi made the disclosure(?) at an APC Campaign Rally last Tuesday in Rivers State.

The Governor equally revealed(?) that the Pastors were mandated by the Federal Government to distribute some literature about Buhari's Islamisation Plan to Christians. The Governor, as a devout Catholic, exonerated Roman Catholic Priests from the conspiracy and made it clear that it was the Commercial, Mammon-loving Clergymen  (and Clergywomen?) outside of his Church who were guilty of this un-Christ-like conduct. He dutifully appealed to the sinning Pastors (apparently of the Protestant fold) to repent and return our money to the National Treasury.

Hmmmm.....

Very impressive. Ehmm....but is this not a crime which His Excellency just uncovered? Should there be no consequences for this blatant case of stealing....and corruption? Since Gov. Amaechi is so highly placed, his uncovering of this illegality should not be sneered at. Surely, as a two-term Governor, he has the contacts and requisite connections to get at the root of the matter. He couldn't be saying this openly at a Campaign Rally if he didn't have his facts and figures.

I hope I am not being preemptive here; the Governor most certainly must have compiled the names of those wicked Pastors and obtained the details of how the monies were surreptitiously paid to them. It has never been easier to trace payments as it is today. N6Billion is unlikely to have been disbursed by cash. Or was it? Anyway, the Governor knows.

He probably already has his legal folks working on a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC). This kind of whistle-blowing is easier for a Governor: he has immunity from prosecution by anyone who would attempt to detract Nigerians from the issue by filing a libel suit and he needs no Whistle-blower Protection, thanks to his new Governor-friendly State Police Commissioner.

I have no doubt that Gov.  Rotimi Amaechi knows that he has a civic duty to assist our anti-corruption agencies with all relevant information to deal with this crime. Moreover, as the Campaigner-in-Chief of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, the Corruption Burster, nothing less can be expected.

This Pastor-bribing episode now makes me suspicious of those Pastors who recently met with Pastor Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in Kaduna and Makurdi when the APC Presidential Campaign Team was in those cities. How much might they have also collected from the APC to campaign for Mr. Buhari? Since Mr. Buhari's Islamic fundamentalism is well known because of utterances he made himself about his commitment to entrenching Sharia nationwide and his urging Muslims to vote only for Muslims so as to protect the interest of Islam, it would appear more plausible that his Campaign Team may be more motivated to recruit and induce Pastors to sell his candidacy to Christians in Nigeria.

It would seem that Muslim clerics do not love money. Unlike their Protestant Christian peers, many Imams are happily and zealously promoting Mr. Buhari in their Mosques up north as Allah's Candidate gratuitously. But if that be not the case no one has a smoking gun such as Gov. Rotimi Amaechi has on the conniving Pastors.

Finally, here is our chance to make an example of all those thieving Pastors. Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, we are counting on you. Don't let us down, sir.

NIGERIA DI FURE!