Dr Dalhatu Tafida
Nigeria’s High Commissiner to the United kingdom, Alhaji Tafida has hinted that soon, the Embassy would embark on home visits services for the elderly and disabled.
All disabled citizen who are seeking for passport renewal or visa applications would enjoy the privilege of being served at home and such services would be rendered free of charge.
Alhaji Tafida was a guest of TV presenter, Kayode Akintemi recently in London.
According to the Ambassador, the Embassy was aware of the plight and the agonies many less endowed Nigerians pass through while seeking the embassy’s services and therefore would be extending such privileges to their doorsteps.
“Services would be taken to the doorstep of those people because of their circumstances”, the Ambassador said..
He attributed the current overcrowding at the embassy to staff shortage and cut in budget by home government as the economic downturn took a turn on all Embassies budgets.
He said the Embassy has applied for mobile machinery that would facilitate home visit to hundreds of such citizens particularly physically incapacitated and elderly people who are too fragile to embark on long distant journey to the Embassy.
He was at the studio of the Television station for a live broadcast in which many Nigerians were given the opportunity of calling live to the station while the Ambassador answered their questions live.
According to Alhaji Tafida, the Embassy operates an open door policy and therefore said all Nigerians are welcome to get their requiresd
services without any hindrances.
There had been fears of unrealistic deadline as all Nigerians are required to change their International passports by December 31, 2010.
Situation at the Embassy has warranted a major review of the deadline as, with the Embassy having commenced the renewal and review services, only 100 visitors are attended to everyday and there are estimated over one million Nigerians in the United Kingdom.
Related stories:
http://emnnews.com/featured/new-e-passportsnigerians-in-europe-at-a-fix-over-december-deadline/
http://emnnews.com/editorial/tears-angers-and-frustrations-as-nigerians-queue-for-new-e-passport/
Related Posts
]]>
EX-President Babangida
Former military president and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, yesterday said he was planning a come-back to office because of the non-availability of capable younger people who can steer the ship of the state.
Speaking to the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Kaduna, Babangida said: “Because we have seen signs that they are not capable of leading this country and so we feel we should help them. May be they are not given the proper education that is why. I have spent 17 years since I left office.
“But a country like Nigeria cannot be ruled by people without experience. People like the (President Barack) Obama that you are speaking about have the experience. He started from the state House of Assembly to the House of Represen-tatives and to the Senate. If our youths are like this, we will say they have the requisite experience. But we have not reached that level. Honestly, it is our wish that God will bring the younger people that will take over from us if they are available.”
Babangida, who answered questions from the BBC on almost every aspect of his administration during his eight years in office, said he was seeking a return to the Presidency, if elected next year, to contribute his quota in taking the country to the next level.
The former military President in the 15 minutes interview also absolved his eight year tenure of promoting corruption. He said the level of corruption in the country today is a far cry from what was witnessed during his time.
Asked what was attracting him to run for the office of president this time around when he declined to run in 2007, Babangida said, “I gave my reasons for not contesting in 2007 and it was published in many newspapers in the country. Therefore, Nigerians know my reasons for not contesting at that time. But now, Alhamdudillahi, things have changed.
“My position as a Nigerian. Anything that God wants me to do to help this country, I will do it. If I am given the chance, I will know what to do and by the grace of God, I will do it. Nigeria is a country of 150 million people and any of this 150 million people can be president.
Babangida told the BBC that his godfather in Nigeria was the masses when he was reminded by the BBC that the June 12, 1993 election was made possible by the masses but he still went ahead to annul it.
He then said: “But what you should take into consideration is that there has never been an election like that before. That election convinced not only Nigerians, but even the international community that it is possible to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria,” he said adding that as head of the government at that time he takes responsibility for annulling the election.
The following is the full text of the interview:
You wanted to contest for the Presidency in 2007, but at the end of the day you didn’t submit your papers, how can you assure Nigerians that this time around, you will contest?
I gave my reasons for not contesting in 2007 and it was published in many newspapers in the country. Therefore, Nigerians know my reasons for not contesting at that time. But now, Alhamdudillahi, things have changed.
Don’t forget we are talking of helping the country. What we are talking about, is something that happened some 16 years ago. We should be thinking of what we can do to make progress.
Nigeria is facing a lot of problems, if by the grace of God; you become the president again, what are these new things you never did in the past that you will want to employ in tackling these problems.
God in His infinite mercy gave me the leadership of this country for 8 years…. Remember the Nigerian people have not changed, and since they have not changed, we are in a position to tell them that we can do it again.
There are speculations that the United States of America (USA) wants you to contest for the presidency. What do you have to say about this?
How can that be possible since it is not Americans that will vote? It is Nigerians that will vote.
But America is an influential country in the world and it has its interests in Nigeria.
Nigeria is an influential country too. If somebody wants something in Africa and he hears the voice of Nigeria, it is like he has heard the voice of Africa.
But they said the American Assistant Secretary of State paid you a visit.
Yes, he came to greet me. He is somebody I have known. He came to condole with me over the death of my wife. When we were in the hospital in America, he was coming to greet us…
The issue of the dwindling Nigerian economy is blamed on your administration. You invited former World Bank Economist in charge of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), Prof. Joseph Tigris, who you used to ruin the nation’s economy. Why did you do that?
…Today, we are talking of exactly 24 years, but SAP has not changed, they keep on modifying it. If the economy was ruined, by now, we would have been history. The Nigerian economy was not ruined.
But they say Nigerians are going through serious hardship as a result of your economic policies.
I want you to know that if you read all the books on the economy of Nigeria, you will find out that from 1960 to 1995, Nigeria made far-reaching progress. I left office in 1993. You should be asking what have those who came after us done.
Your administration was accused of massive corruption. If you become the president again, how would you address the problem of endemic corruption in Nigeria?
If you compare what is happening now with what happened during my administration, you will commend me. I sacked a governor for embezzling N300, 000 during my regime, but now, what do you see? During our time we were not enmeshed in this kind of things we see today.
During your time, there was this $12 billion made from the sales of oil. What happened to the money?
The $12 billion was the money realised from the sale of oil for 8 years. Let me repeat, it was money made from the sales of oil in 8 years. It was money that we saved in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) within those 8 years. There was an additional $1.2 billion… So all they are saying about this money are lies. If you read the Okigbo report, you will see that the money was made in 8 years.
But the Financial Times reporter who published the story was sent out of Nigeria because of the report. If it was not true, why was he sent away?
Frankly speaking, I can send the Okigbo report to you to read. I have been explaining this over and over. What I realised from oil in eight years is what somebody makes in one year.
You have been a major player in the leadership of this country for a longtime.
Don’t you think it is time to allow the younger generations take over from you the older ones as it happened in America and other parts of the world?
Honestly, it is our wish that God will bring the younger people that will take over from us if they are available. I was the one who introduced the politics of new breed in this country.
Why didn’t you step aside and give the younger generation a chance to lead since they are fresh and strong.
Because we have seen signs that they are not capable of leading this country and so we feel we should help them. May be they are not given the proper education that is why. I have spent 17 years since I left office.
Haba! The younger generation is supposed to be in charge by now.
But a country like Nigeria cannot be ruled by people without experience. People like the Obama that you are speaking about have the experience. He started from the state House of Assembly to the House of Representatives and to the Senate. If our youths are like this, we will say they have the requisite experience. But we have not reached that level.
If by the grace of God, you become the president what new thing will you do which you did not do during your eight years in power.
Which are the mistakes you would want to correct?
The politicians are asking me what I forgot in the Presidential Villa that I want to go and pick. When I left power, the naira was N22 to the dollar. Petrol was selling at 70 kobo per litre. So there are things that I did that will make me come back.
These things were not like that when you came to power. You were the one that devalued the naira.
How? During my time, the naira did not exceed N22 to the dollar. Now it is N150 per dollar.
But how much was it before you came to power?
It was N4.5 to the dollar.
So you devalued the naira.
Some people destroyed the value of the naira…
Source: This day
Related Posts
]]>
Mr Olufemi Adefolaju is the Co-ordinator of Ekiti Patriotic Forum (EPF); a UK based Human Rights and Socio Cultural group. In this interview Femi Adefolaju talked to our correspondent on the role of EPF and their plans for the future of Ekiti State.
Excerpts.
Q. What motivated you and other members in forming the EPF?
Ekiti like the rest of Nigeria is besieged with ‘cancer’ which has destroyed every good legacies we had. I think only Lagos and recently Edo states are lucky.
EPF is very concerned about the stagnation in Ekiti which has denied her of her full potentials and functioning capacity.
In April 2009, the whole world witnessed the shameful and disgraceful rerun election that took place in some parts of Ekiti State thereby putting our state in a wrong side of history.
There were strange people who invaded Ekitiland to do weird things. They should be reminded that Ekiti remained unconquered in history.
Ekiti people has paid supreme price in building Nigeria.
We are always proud of the gallant and brave role played by late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi in the 1960s (is there any army officer in Nigerian history that deserves more national honors more than late Col. Fajuyi?) We also cherish the achievements and progress other Ekiti sons and daughters have made over the years in their different fields.
Many of them motivated us not to sit on the fence but stand for the truth and stand alone if needs be. EPF is not interested in who rule Ekiti state but much interested in the process of election or selection based on fairness and justice.
Q. What has been your achievements so far?
EPF has played many prominent roles in rebranding Ekiti in particular and Nigeria image in general in diaspora.
This we embarked on by playing public roles, granting interviews and making presentations on Radio and Television debates, sharing information and giving advice and counselling to service users. EPF make representation and give advocacy services to Ekiti people. We are an active partner with local and international organisation providing humanitarian services. EPF has become point of reference to the international community seeking accurate, balanced and unbiased information and provide consultancy services to major organisation on policy and strategic issues on African affairs. EPF organised a successful International Day of Prayer & Service for Ekiti last December and despite the severe bad weather conditions experienced that day in Europe and America, it was well observed in lager number world wide.
EPF has grown beyond boarders with wider outlook and membership in all the world continents making it more interactive especially among the youths.
Perhaps our major achievement is that members of EPF plays leading role in redeeming the bad image of our nation especially in their role in groups like “Nigerian Against Fraud”, “Say No To Anti Social Behaviours”, “Ambassador of Peace”, “Nigeria is not Terrorist Nation” etc and now serves as role model and standard that every one wants to associate with.
Q. How does your organisation intend to assist in the development of Ekiti people?
The Ekiti people are known for their passion for education, honorability, honesty and integrity. Right now we have moved away from these values and we do not want the Ekiti people to fold their arms and watch the legacy of our fore fathers being destroyed.
If Papa Obafemi Awolowo could see what is happening in present day corrupt Nigeria, he would weep in his grave.
He has a vision. He was not selfish, but was very sensitive and caring for our future. EPF will always be on the side of the masses we are encouraging them not only to know their rights but to also ask and go for them. EPF play host to Ekiti people in the Diaspora and will continue to represent Ekiti people who need support. Information is power.
We need to create more awareness programme and empower our people.
Ekiti has been put on the wrong side of history through election violence, kidnapping and assassinations and needs rebranding.
Let me say here that Ekiti will rise again and we urge our people not to look back in pain and anger, nor look forward in fear of intimidation but look around in awareness of hope and believe that the Almighty God will not cut off our expectations as a united people.
Ekitiland needs healing and unification efforts needs to take place. Ekiti state is the only state in Nigeria who speaks one dialect with same culture and traditional history. United we stand.
Q You said your organisation is not partisan but you invited Mrs Funmi Olayinka to your last anniversary celebration which demonstrates your partisanship?
EPF is a neutral organisation who has engaged many well meaning Ekiti sons and daughters like Barrister Femi Falana, Prof Sam Aluko etc. EPF has participated in teleconference with Senator Ayo arise, Mr Ajetunmobi, Ayo Fayose, Chief Afe Babalola, Hon.
Femi Odeyemi Speaker Ekiti House of Assembly etc. These people are all Ekiti people who cut across all political parties in the land. It is not about political parties but it is all about Ekiti people.
It is about meeting every Ekiti people and ensure in making Ekitiland consistently progressive. Where is NPN, UPN, GNPP, NPP, SDP, NRC etc today? Remember Parties come and go but Ekiti people remain forever.
EPF is committed to meet, serve and have meaningful interaction with all Ekiti people, and as lovers of good things and progressive people, it was nice to celebrate Mrs. Funmi Olayinka who is another illustrious daughter of Ekiti to grace our anniversary on the 7th of March 2010 as Special Guest.
Femi Adefolaju during the protest
Q It is being rumoured that your organisation is being sponsored by a political party in Nigeria, what is your comment and which party is sponsoring your organisation?
Here we go again. Thousands of our members cuts across many political organisations so which of the parties will be responsible for its sponsorship? Consequent to the negative news coming from Ekiti since the state of emergency was declared, group of concerned people came together to see what they could do to give Ekiti a face lift and that was how EPF was formed.
Like I said earlier on we have members who are from outside Ekiti. One of our founding members is from Ogun State.
Our patriotism was borne out of genuine love for Ekiti and that is why even in far away Europe, we are very concerned about the plight of Ekiti people in particular and Nigerians in general. To answer your question, no group of person or political party is responsible for sponsoring EPF. Infact we do not have a sponsor.
Q As an activist, do you intend to partake in politics in the near future?
There should be no short cut to any place worth going. The truth about service is that a time will come you will not sit on the fence, because those who stand for nothing fall for everything. That does not mean you want to be a politician but I believe we all have a role to play in the development of Ekitiland.
Q I believe you came from Ekiti, for the past three years the tribunal have been sitting to settle the election dispute, what was wrong and how do you think we can resolve the problems for the future?
It is a known fact that people are worried that INEC failed woefully to conduct a rerun election in just few local governments in Ekiti state. The federal government who had never visited the state for meaningful engagement or for progressive adventure now suddenly invaded Ekiti making provocative utterances.
Ekitiland used to be the most peaceful state in Nigeria but lately has been portrayed as a violent land.
Ekiti people are no fools. Ekiti people are civilise and have their pride; they strongly believe in the power of their votes and waited patiently for the Election Day to exercise their civic right, however, before the glaring eyes of the international observers, civil societies, press media, their votes were stolen away from them.
There were shooting and killing, people’s legs were cut off yet Ekiti people defied them.
This shows the bravery, honesty, truthfulness and determination of Ekiti people who can not be intimidated.
The leadership of this great nation should start doing things as they are supposed to be and not as they selfishly want it to be. Nigeria belongs to all of us.
What concerns the president in visiting Ekiti just for a rerun election? Federal government failed to differentiate between national issues and party issues; hence suffice me to say that if you are not in the ruling party, PDP, you are a lesser Nigerian.
This is not in the spirit of federalism and certainly not right within a federal set up of government.
Yar Adua has more important issues of electoral reform, the Niger Delta issue, uninterrupted electricity supply, the lecturer’s strike etc where empty promises have been made, all these were ignored and unattended till today. A nation that conducts the worst election in Africa such as we saw in 2007 needs urgent electoral reforms.
Electoral body should truly be headed by an independent person; there should be a thorough voter’s registration; there should be other bodies responsible for monitoring electoral malpractices. In fact Justice Uwias Report did address these issues and should be passed into law and subsequently implemented.
Q What is your comment on the dissolution of the Executive council by the Acting President, do you think the newly selected members can perform in moving Nigeria forward?
The problem of leadership is hanging on our neck like an albatross. Over the years, our leaders who were constitutionally charged with the responsibility of providing services have failed us in all areas.
In Nigeria our leaders who are supposed to provide medical facilities and are allowed to go abroad for medical treatment every year.
It is only in our nation that a minister in charge of education would invite all his children studying abroad, spend millions of naira and throw a lavished party which was broadcasted on a national television while unpaid lecturers are on strikes fighting for our decayed educational system.
It is in our Nation that public officers will refuse to resign when glaring evidences of corruption and incompetence are staring them in the face. Looking at our health system, educational system, transportation system, employment, electoral system and power supply; we can only say that our leaders have consistently failed and these have brought abject poverty and untold hardship to Nigerians.
Recently hundreds of people were killed in Jos repeatedly and nothing tangible was done by the leaders to prevent the re – occurrence.
It was John F. Kennedy that says that if a society cannot help many who are poor and vulnerable, it can not save the few who are rich.
Nigeria is a country where leaders are not sensitive to the needs of the ordinary people and yet displayed an attitude of bullying, intimidation and become defensive when confronted to be accountable and this is raising serious concern to all Nigerians.
That is why some people believe Nigeria is showing indices of a failed state.
Q. The National Assembly recently amended some areas of the constitution; do you think the amended areas can have an effect on the electoral process n Nigeria?
Like I said earlier on, the problem of our leaders is that they do not see things as it ought to be seen but see thing from their own selfish angle. This selfish attitude is very dangerous and cannot move our country forward.
They have made themselves very powerful and because we can not control the wind now, the civil society and other concern groups are now planning on how they can adjust the sail.
Major attention should be honestly given to make sure decamped politician lose their position when cross carpeting while in service.
This is weakening our democracy. Stopping public officers from undergoing overseas medical check ups when under probe.
Why is it that it is when they are under probe that they fall ill and need to go abroad for medical treatment? PLEASE let us stop this escape route! They should make law to ban public officer who are saddled with the responsibility of making our hospital works from patronising private hospitals.
Moreover, public officers should not be allowed to send their children to private schools in Nigeria and abroad.
Every criminal offences should be investigated and offenders given deserving punishment to serve as deterrence.
Q Your organisation recently participated in the demonstration On Yar Adua must resign, what are the gains of such demonstration to an average Nigerian?
EPF is a member of Save Nigeria Group, Nigerian Liberty Forum, and other human right organisations. We do all these so that we can tell our children what role we played when things are going wrong in our land. Already, our own children are asking us embarrassing questions about the deplorable situation of things in Nigeria.
They could not understand why Nigeria is been govern the way is been govern.
Through our awareness programmes and demonstrations, we draw the attentions of the whole world into Nigerian affairs there by putting pressure on our obstinate leaders.
Over here if terrorists who kill and destroy people lives are demonstrating seeking to be relevant, what stops peaceful and progressive groups like EPF from demonstrating asking for better change?
Q. Do members of your organisation support the idea of completing all litigations on electoral dispute before the swearing in ceremony of the declared winner?
It was because elections were flawed that calls for litigations. If INEC could organise credible elections, then there will be few legal challenges.
But as things are now whereby it takes over three years to resolve electoral fraud as it is right now in Ekiti State, Osun State etc election petitions or tribunal are still on and another election is around the corner.
In the light of the above issues raised, every legal challenge should not last for more than three months and these three months should be before anybody is sworn in. Otherwise, we are in for another joke in 2011.
Q What are your personal aspirations for the future?
My future aspiration is simply to continue to play more public roles, representing vulnerable people and giving voices to the voiceless. We should bear in mind that those who bring sunshine to the lives of others can not keep it away from themselves.
I want to be happy and make other people happy as well. Thank you.
Source: Tribune Newspapers.
Related Posts
]]>
Jeremiah Useni
By JIDE AJANI, Vanguard Deputy Editor
Lieutenant General Jeremiah Timbut Useni (rtd), aka JERRY BOY, is the Sardauna of Plateau and Nasarawa but he is one unusual individual who has a split personality. One is that his mien could be so fierce that everyone around him would sit up. Yet, this Langtang born army officer loves to enjoy and does enjoy life, might we add, to its fullest. A sampler: “There is this saying that says work, work, work and no play makes a man a fool. You can not be serious all the time. When it comes to work you have to get it done and after that you have to relax and enjoy and play with people as if nothing has happened. When I’m working, I do my job. “My name is Jeremiah and the short form is Jerry so I added Boy to it so I’m Jerry Boy, which means I’m young. I’m not Jerry Man, I’m still Jerry Boy and that’s how my colleagues know me. But when we got to work, everyone must do his best and after that, it’s a different ball game.”
And as if to demonstrate the split nature of his personality, Useni’s countenance changed when the coup plot of 1995 allegedly involving former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was raised: “Whatever anybody says, Abacha never gave orders that people should be wiped out and killed, but for the Ogoni issue where a tribunal was set up and a documented judgment was given. But we are living witnesses to the massive killing of villagers during the last civilian regime of Obasanjo. Abacha didn’t kill people for planning coup but we know Obasanjo ordered people to be killed for coup plotting during his reign as Head of State; he killed. Abacha had all the opportunity to shoot and kill Obasanjo for the coup plot of 1995 but he didn’t. Today they are saying Abacha was the one that was bad. “If Abacha wanted to kill Obasanjo for that coup he would have killed him”.
For a man who served as state governor, multiple minister, pioneered the creation of Nigeria’s National War College in 1992, and one who was the closest human being to late General Sani Abacha, Useni’s office in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, is oddly modest for his accomplishments the Nigerian style: A simple, nondescript, detached duplex without the trappings of modern architectural facelift. This writer actually missed his way because the expectations were high regarding Useni’s quality of life. But again, those who know Useni very well say he’s just a happy-go-kid from Langtang, Plateau State. This is just the first part of this encounter with Jerry Boy. In part two, be prepared to read the truth surrounding Abacha’s death, the Jos killings and the way out, as well as the multiple autopsy carried out to determine the cause of Abacha’s sudden death. It is explosive. This is a bumper; we’ll serve the next bumper next week. Excerpts:
This is amazing and unbelievable?
What is amazing?
Your life style! This office accommodation! I mean, where did all the money go?
Which money?
Okay, I’m trying to relate this office accommodation of yours to the money you were said to have made during the Sani Abacha years when you and the late head of state were in charge? Over 30 years in service, multiple ministerial positions, state governor? Are you hiding here or something?
(Laughs) Thank you very much. This is how I am. I come from a very humble background.
(The tone of his voice recedes) Nothing! Nothing!!
I actually missed my way trying to locate this office; I was looking for a magnificent building befitting the right hand man of the late Gen. Abacha?
People thought so. Even when I was in government, people said I amassed so much wealth. I had a running battle with Obasanjo when he became President. They said I had mansions everywhere – in Jos and Langtang, Plateau State. When they got to Langtang they were investigating and asking people ‘where is General Useni’s mansion’ and people started laughing, ‘which mansion’? They became disappointed. I am not after material things.
Yes! I was here in FCT as minister for five years. No construction company ever built a house for me. Some people were minister of FCT for just months, the company built mansions for them here, their state capital and even their village.
It was after I left government that I completed my four bedroom bungalow that I am staying in now.
-bedroom bungalow?
Yes! If you go to ministers’ hill, that is where I built it, not some thing magnificent! I finished it after leaving office. I had all the opportunities to do anything I wanted to do having served for five years. I am just a simple person. Whatever I have I share with people and because of that most people thought I had plenty. All I’ve always wanted is to make people around me happy. Because I laugh and joke with people and I feel happy always, some people thought I must have amassed so much for me to be always happy – ‘Oh! Useni has everything’. Well, that has always been my life style.
You have seen for yourself now that I couldn’t have left office and I’ll have this rented office in this estate.
Rented? You mean it’s not yours?
No! It’s mine but this is an estate.
Let’s pick these things one by one. You were the first Commandant of the National War College, NWC and even that pioneering engagement, in today’s Nigeria, would make millionaires out of many. What was the philosophy behind it?
You’re right but that was not me. I was the pioneer commandant. There were many reasons why we set it up. We wanted our officers to be professionally efficient and, therefore, we sent our officers overseas but the vacancies were limited.
There were times you had only two vacancies abroad and when you send officers in that manner, some officers would never have the full training because after the Staff College training which you attend as a major, what happens to you as a colonel and brigadier so we decided to have our own.
After all the argument – pros and cons about two attempts were made but it did not succeed and my own was the third and I was determined to make it work. We could have chosen other names because only America goes by the name War College – some of our officers were trained in Britain, India and America. When we started we got assistance from Britain; America wanted to give us retired officers but we turned them down. Britain gave us officers from the Navy, Army and Air Force from the rank of Group Captain which is equivalent to a Colonel.
We also sent some of our officers to Britain for orientation for one month and they joined the other expatriates.
Some people say you have a spilt personality: That you could be very brutish and yet when you want to catch your fun, it is fun unlimited – drinks, women. Would you agree with that?
There is this saying that says work, work, work and no play makes a man a fool. You can not be serious all the time. When it comes to work you have to get it done and after that you have to relax and enjoy and play with people as if nothing has happened. That has been my life. When I’m working, I do my job. But once I finish my work, then you see Jerry Boy in action. I can play. Jerry Boy! That’s me.
How did that name come about?
My name is Jeremiah and the short form is Jerry so I added Boy to it so I’m Jerry Boy, which means I’m young. I’m not Jerry Man, I’m still Jerry Boy and that’s how my colleagues know me. But when we get to work, everyone must do his best and after that, it’s a different ball game.
You fought during the civil war. With what we have as Nigeria today, would you agree that that war to save Nigeria was really worth it?
Yes, it was; otherwise Nigeria would not have existed anymore and only God knows whether if Biafra had been allowed to go, others too would have followed. It was worth the trouble, inspite of all the nonsense that is going on in the country today. Most of those who are there today do not know what happened so they can talk any how and misbehave in government.
There would have been some very horrific moments for you during that time?
Oh yes! I remember a place called Okehe, after Nsukka, there was this hospital there. Two of our governors Audu Bako and Usman came around and we were conducting them round and they saw somebody dead on the floor there and we moved on as if nothing happened and then there was another one who wasn’t dead but was near death because of his injuries and it was Bako who asked him ‘my friend, with all these charms you have round your waist and body you still got wounded?’ He was an ex-soldier and he responded thus: ‘my son, if not for these charms I would have been dead’. So, inspite of the injury, he still believed in his charm.
The other governor then said ‘let’s leave this place because of all these dead. The whole place was littered with human bodies but what do you do? Stop the war because people are dead or because people are dying? No! You have a duty to perform so you perform your duty but we have a lot of leaders today who do not know what it took, may be they witness armed robbery, that’s all. When you see war, you see people’s bodies shattered, legs broken.
Jeremiah Useni
Which event affected you directly during that war?
My friend, war is war. It doesn’t matter what happens to you or the next person. War is war, whether you kill one or you kill 100. You’re there to kill or likely to be killed but at the end of the day it is about winning the war. What made me fear most was the beginning of the war, we had nothing. Biafra, too, had nothing but the people were creative and they improvised so that really got us worried. Even when we were in Enugu, the type of propaganda they were using was excellent and it scared the hell out of people but after a while we got used to it.
We got some of our fighter jets from Russia but our so called masters, Britain and America didn’t give us any. Russia came to our aid during the war. While Gowon was calling for Police action, the Biafrans were stockpiling arms. We captured some of them around Ogoja and seized machine guns from them, sophisticated machine guns which we never had. Lagos was surprised too and that was before the war and even when the war started, Gowon was still talking of police action. It was after that that we declared total war. To me, it was scary in the beginning.
We had a meeting one evening in Enugu around a coal mine, we were working on information we got. I wanted to go to one area not knowing that the information we got and the people we were looking for were actually going to operate in the area I was heading for and I came under fire, heavy fire where I sustained injuries and I was taken away for treatment. The scars are still there till today and if I had known I would have been more prepared because I would have died.
If Britain which had just given Nigeria independence did not support Nigeria, what reasons were adduced?
It was best known to them. You know they always discuss with one another. At first America gave some equipment but when we asked for more, they didn’t give us again.
Some people believe that the incursion of the military into governance was an error and it has dragged Nigeria backwards? Where were you in 1966 during that first coup?
1966 I was a Second Lieutenant. Yes it was a big error but the unfortunate thing about it is that those who say it was an error are the same politicians who ask for coups to be carried out.
That coup of 1966 was an Igbo coup because when you look at the list of those who carried it out they were Igbos and if you look at the killings, Yorubas and Hausas were killed – Akintola in the West; General Maimalari, Brigadier Kur Mohammed, Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and his secretary from Itsekiri was also killed. None from the East was killed, so this pointed in that direction. And even after the coup, we had this unitary government at that time which further suggested something else at that time, especially when you look at the way the coup went. That was not all. Even having done that, they felt that they had not done enough, another plan was in the offing to eliminate more officers from the North.
I didn’t get that clearly: Who were those who had another plan in the offing to eliminate more people from the North, the same coup plotters of January 1966?
Yes, the same coup plotters, the same people and that elicited the counter coup. Before the counter coup, we were told that the officers who carried out the first coup were under arrest, under lock and key but in fact they were just enjoying; some of them had even been given ranks, ready to put them on if they had succeeded in the second coup. They regarded them as heroes.
So that was the justification for the Gowon coup of July, 1966?
Yes, there had to be a counter coup.
What you’re saying appears strange?
Yes, we’ll write the memoirs at the appropriate time. People just rush and rush and write memoirs but you have to wait. You write memoirs at a ripe age. People have been urging me to write memoirs but I keep saying I will write it at the appropriate time.
When Gowon took over as head of state he was a lieutenant-colonel but he was fair to everybody. Today’s Nigeria is different and even our people blame us that we did not do anything for them. At that time, we had all the opportunities in the world to do everything selfishly. At that time everybody was more interested in working for the country.
Today, once you are there, you look after yourself first. As a minister you look after your people first. If you are governor, every project must be pushed to your people and your place.
But there are those who insist that had the military left the politicians to continue with their nonsense then, they would have worked out a way to correct the wrongs of that era?
Which people? Killings were going on and the same civilians came around to say won’t you people do something? Do you want everybody to be killed before you do something?
Let me tell you, there was never a time that the military set out to do a coup, civilians would always be the ones who would come with the idea because they will benefit. Look at the states, just the military governor, all the commissioners are civilians, local governments are made up of civilians. It is only at the federal level that you have a mix but on the whole the civilians are still there. If you get good advice you succeed; if you get bad advice you fail. And it is this same people who would come around and instigate. If you put your feet down they say you are a dictator. But today, we have seen the worst happening in our country Nigeria. They say it is only during military regimes that you remove people in the air (sudden broadcast) but we have seen that during civilian regimes too people get to know of their sack in the air. Civilians too do not follow due process and the constitution.
You talked about putting your feet down, during the Sani Abacha regime, of which you were more or less the Head of State’s right hand man, putting your feet down was something else, against NADECO?
We stood firm. During that time people thought we were shouting NADECO down. We have seen the worst in a civilian regime. At least we shouted them down, what happened during Obasanjo’s regime to the opposition? Even now we see some governors with private armies to do away with their opponents.
Abacha was a Muslim from Kano State; you are a Christian from Plateau State. How did you, too, come about this relationship which existed before his death?
People say they are surprised by our relationship because they saw us as people who were apart geographically but yet were the closest. Let me say this today: nothing is impossible before God Almighty.
Our relationship was not based on material things, just that we were of like minds and that was it. We first met after the counter coup of 1966. That was our first meeting and from that moment even till death, we remained good friends. Government wanted to give more confidence to the civilians, it said the military personnel in Kaduna should move to Ibadan and the one in Ibadan should move to Kaduna, the same thing happened in the East and even in Benin.
I was the logistics officer in Ibadan and we had to move to Kaduna. I could not move ahead because I had to oversee that. The trains were working and we sent our people to Kaduna and when it was returning, it would bring the people from Kaduna and Abacha’s people would be brought. When my people were leaving Ibadan, they left me in charge and when their own advance team was coming to Ibadan, Abacha was in charge and that was how we met in 1966. When he came I showed him the accommodation and we had to work together and any time the train was coming, we went there together to receive his people and through that we forged a bonding.
Some people thought we became close because of his becoming head of state and I being the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, that brought us closer; no. At the time I am referring to in 1966, we never knew we would become what we became. We were just lieutenant or captain at that time.
Later when I was transferred to Benin, I was transport officer, he was a staff officer, later Brigade Commander, and we had Garba Duba in Asaba and every weekend we visited each other and we moved round like that and we maintained this friendship up till today and even with Abacha in the grave, he remains my friend.
When Abacha took over on November 17, 1993, could you please let us into the inner workings of the last 48 hours before Abacha struck?
Well, the way things were going on at that time I knew it would not last after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, the issue was such that Ibrahim Babangida could not continue and he had to step aside.
We had expected that while stepping aside, he would put the most senior officer in charge but instead, it was given to Shonekan, who was a civilian. We had Admiral Aikhomu, who was Vice President; we had General Sani Abacha who was chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Minister of Defence; (I think Aikhomu was made to step aside with Babangida). But Abacha was not given, Shonekan was given and they said Interim Government. But there were questions: One, was Shonekan going to organize the fresh elections? Two, what was the motive behind skipping Abacha and giving Shonekan? There were thick clouds.
Why was Abacha skipped?
No reason was given to us. At least, I was a senior officer then and I was attending senior officers meeting but no reason was given. The reason was best known by those who did it. The country was so fragile then. And then there was this confusion about stepping aside: One, were you stepping aside so that somebody would pass and then you follow him? Two, are you stepping aside permanently?
Or are you stepping aside so that somebody else would just get out of the way and you come back?
Then what does stepping aside mean (laughs).
But nobody will accuse Babangida of not knowing what he was doing. In an interview I conducted in 1991 with General Domkat Bali, the latter said Nigerians played into IBB’s hands and that when he came with the issue of military presidency, he knew what he wanted to achieve by supporting military authority with executive powers of the president?
Well, to me it doesn’t matter really what the name is all about. Military regime you can be called anything and I don’t know where the minus or the plus comes in. There is nobody ahead of you so whatever name you give yourself does not really matter. As Head of State, you don’t need a prime minister.
Some say you have a Chief of Staff, some say Chief of General Staff. Even when Babangida was calling himself President, he still had Chief of General Staff and it was when he was trying to move towards civil rule that he said okay, his Chief of Staff should put on civilian dress and address him as Vice President but even then, the question should be asked: Why didn’t he from the word go as President, address his deputy as Vice President but he allowed his deputy as Vice President to drop his uniform. These are just names. You are in charge, you are in charge.
So, when he stepped aside, why give Shonekan? What was it that led to the take over by Abacha, what was the last straw which broke the back of the Interim National Government, ING?
Well, I wasn’t part of the ruling body then so I would not know the last 48 hours as you put it or what actually happened then. I had my job to do but whenever senior officers were meeting I was invited.
Back to the relationship with Abacha, you talked about putting your feet down but Abacha’s style was not liked by many?
Some Nigerians who said they didn’t like the Abacha government, people like Wole Soyinka, who said the Abacha government was bad turned round to say that Abacha’s government was better than Obasanjo’s own, Soyinka said so. They protested during Abacha’s time but they were repeatedly stopped during Obasanjo’s government which was a civilian regime where people should be freer. Why bring Police to arrest people? By that time, we had our challenges but as they say you still have to marry two wives to know which one is better (laughs).
But whatever anybody says, Abacha never gave orders that people should be wiped out and killed, but for the Ogoni issue where a tribunal was set up and a documented judgment was given. But we are living witnesses to the massive killing of villagers during the last civilian regime of Obasanjo.
Abacha didn’t kill people for planning coup but we know Obasanjo ordered people to be killed for coup plotting during his reign as Head of State. He killed. Abacha had all the opportunity to shoot and kill Obasanjo for the coup plot but he didn’t. Today they are saying Abacha was the one that was bad. If Abacha wanted to kill Obasanjo for that coup he would have killed him.
But that coup of 1995 was said to be a phantom coup, that Abacha merely set people up and forced some to give evidence?
GET DETAILS OF JERIMIAH USENI’S RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION IN PART TWO AND THE REAL STORY BEHIND ABACHA’S DEATH.
Related Posts
]]>Sex by 16 ‘can harm academic prospects’ because teens grow up too quickly
Teenagers who have sex before GCSE age are less likely to go to university, say researchers.
The students ‘grow up too quickly’ as a result and want to stop studying, according to a major new study.
The findings reveal both boys and girls think they are more adult after losing their virginity, and this alters their ambitions.
The six-year Glasgow University study of 5,000 students investigated the ‘negative effects’ of early sex on youngsters’ plans for further education.
It comes after international research revealed that early sex doubled the chances of girls developing cervical cancer.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Adolescence, involved asking boys and girls aged between 14 and 18 if they intended staying on at school, and their aspirations were then compared with the numbers who actually did so.
Altogether, 39 per cent of those who had – in the words of researchers – ‘gone all the way’ by the age of 16 did not go on to further education, compared to 24 per cent of virgins.
Research leader Alison Parkes said those who had sex at that age were more likely to spend more and have a boy or girlfriend, ‘which may both act as precursors to early transition to adulthood’.
Related Posts
]]>- Why I allowed Aondoakaa to take up the job of briefing on Yar‘Adua’s health
- Some aides have wounded President more than 100 million political enemies
- This is not the Yar‘Adua we know- Dora Akunyili.
Akunyili."My eyes are opened"
The Big Interview By Vanguard Newspapers.
Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili caught the nation’s attention with her unrelenting campaign against fake and adulterated drugs in the country in her immediate past employment as Director General of the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Where many before her dreaded to dare, she simply plainly overwhelmed as her anti-counterfeit campaign literally uprooted the merchants of death from their fortresses. Her campaign came at a great cost including a miraculous escape from an assassination attempt. Her promotion as a Minister was generally applauded as a befitting reward for diligence in public service. Her efforts as Minister of Information and Communication have, however, not been the success many expected.
Controversies with some subordinates and a determination to repaint the negative perception of Nigerians in the global community have been some of her major challenges. Buried in this imaginative campaign to re-brand the standing of Nigeria and Nigerians nothing exceptional was heard from Mrs. Akunyili until the controversy over the ill-health of President Umaru Yar‘Adua enraptured the polity. Her memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) seeking to empower Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President caused a tremor that shook the consciousness of many Nigerians. The National Assembly resolutions and the coherence of elder-statesmen for the empowerment of Dr. Jonathan as Acting President soon followed.
Following reports of the sneaky return of President Yar‘Adua to the country in the wee hours of last Wednesday, the emotions were again stirred in the Information Minister who was compelled to now inform a trio of inquisitive newsmen the truth of how a few have turned the ill-health of the President into a desperate game for political merchandise.
By Emmanuel Aziken
How would you describe the state of affairs of the country with the President’s return to the country?
The President’s return in the early hours of Wednesday, February 24, 2010 has actually exaggerated uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, fear and concern, not just by Nigerians but by the international community. These are the very sentiments Nigeria cannot actually afford, if we really want to build a modern nation. We have had uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, fear and concern reverberating across the country and even beyond.
Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili
Why do you think this uncertainty is there?
Well, it is there because things have not been properly managed by some people around our dear President. We were not told officially that our president was coming back. It was even Al-Jazeera that broke the news, but I didn’t hear it because I had slept. They broke the news that he was leaving Saudi Arabia for Nigeria. They also broke the news of the arrival. But I heard it on CNN. For the fact that it was not officially announced that our dear President was coming back and the Acting President was not even aware, from his interaction with Ministers yesterday (Wednesday), we knew that he was not aware.
That created a lot of concern among the populace and the tension is so high that even United States of America made a comment today (Thursday), which I don’t need to repeat of how afraid they are about the situation in Nigeria. Our Council did not hold yesterday (Wednesday). We were there at 10.00 am and waited till 12 noon, and as we were waiting, there was tension.
Whatever the council members feared was exposed when we got the Press Release from the Presidency, referring to the Acting President twice as Vice President.
Bone of contention - President Yar'Adua
That heightened the tension in the system because what it actually means by referring to him as Vice President is that whatever he has done in the past few weeks to stabilize the sinking ship of the nation did not mean anything to the people around the President. Otherwise, why would they even release that kind of press statement? We have gone through a lot in the past few weeks, which actually culminated in the legislative resolution that pronounced Dr Goodluck Jonathan as the Acting President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. So, it was very inappropriate for the presidency, on return of our dear President, to refer to Dr Ebele Goodluck Jonathan as Vice President. Dr Jonathan should be addressed as Acting President. There was no need for that tension. It was unnecessarily generated.
After the National Assembly resolution the Federal Executive Council supported the resolution and this was widely publicized. Across the world, this was praised. Our ship was stabilized and was stopped from sinking. The ship of the nation was stopped from sinking.
We are not yet stable because we are still working towards stabilizing the system. And since President Yar’Adua came back, we were expecting that he would, in one way or the other – knowing the type of person he is because the President Yar’Adua I know is very peace loving. He preached the rule of law and I believe he preached it from his heart. I never saw him as somebody that will come back to bring instability.
So, it is not President Yar’Adua. I believe that it is people around him that are gaining from the confusion; people around him that are doing to him today what 100 million political enemies cannot do to him. If President Yar’Adua were to be my father or my brother, I would not allow anybody to do to him what they are doing to him today. This is the President of a country. This is a man so loved by Nigerians. At least, he is humble. He is from a rich family, but his humility is disarming. He is sincere. Look at what he did with Niger Delta. He has done a lot for this country and suddenly, a few people are rubbishing it. They stole him into this country in the night.
This is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I think it’s something that is unnecessary and uncalled for and should be decried by all who sincerely love the President. When people now claim that they love President Yar’Adua, I laugh because very few of them actually love him and his family as much as I do. I remember when I worked for him with all my heart and I’m still working for him. He’s still our President. We have a President and we have an Acting President.
About four months or thereabout before he travelled, I went to the Publisher and Chief Executive of Leadership. After meeting him and his staff, he didn’t really know why I came. He thought it was just a courtesy visit because he’s my professional colleague. I said my brother, I beg you, the way you are bashing our President in your paper is too much.
How can we be re-branding when we are literally saying our President died or is a criminal. We cannot go on this way and I beg you in the name of God. I can’t remember exactly how I said it, but I really pleaded with them.
But it’s not good to discuss anything with journalists because he exposed it about two weeks ago. I guess he got angry when people were abusing me about memo and no memo. He got angry and said this woman is so misunderstood and this is how she came to my office. When people brought the paper to me, I said it’s not good to discuss secrets with journalists, because I went to him secretly and as soon as I finished with him, I was happy. I asked him if I could get audience for him to speak with Mr. President. I want you to become friends. Criticize him constructively, but manage the negative stories about Nigeria and about us. I went to one of the President’s close aides and told him that I want you to help fix a meeting for Nda Isaiah to see oga because there are misunderstandings here and there. He said he would but he never did.
Coming back to what you said about the way he was brought in, if he were brought in like a President and Nigerians had information that he was coming back, we would all go to receive him and he would be brought in as a President with honour and dignity and then when he comes in, prayers will continue. It doesn’t matter his state. He did not choose to be ill. There is no state of any human being that should call for anybody to feel happy or to gloat over. Anybody can be sick and people don’t even die because they are sick. We have an Igbo proverb that says people don’t die due to how long they are sick. You can be healthy today and tomorrow morning, you won’t wake up. You can go out and be shot. You just cannot hold life in your hand and boast of it. But what is important is the way we handle these issues. It has been so mishandled that it has made us a laughing stock and created all this confusion.
Power play - National Assembly
The international community is watching. They have started making statements and we don’t want it to degenerate. We have suffered too much in this country, right through the civil war and the various levels of political instability and I believe that it is time we settled down to nation building.
Here is a Minister of Information who will manage information in respect of the Presidency and the government of Nigeria and here you are saying certain things that may not go down well will them. What would you explain spurred you to be outspoken in this manner?
You manage information if you have information. We did not have information that our President was even traveling to Saudi Arabia until we saw it in the news, and when he was in Saudi Arabia, we hardly got information. I only got information once from Mr. Segun Adeniyi and that was what I reported in Council, that the doctors in Saudi Arabia said he was getting better and it’s only the doctors that would determine when he would come back and I reported it like that.
That was the only information. When I asked him who told him, he said it was one of the aides of the President that gave him the information. Thereafter, it was they said, they said and they said. We never had a comprehensive channel of getting information that we are sure of and most of the information, sometimes, they don’t add up and it get’s very disturbing. When they don’t add up, you feel very awkward reporting such information.
I believed the information, even though I kept wondering how things can be done better, until when I found that stories told by some of the presidential aides were not adding up, especially stories that are changed when they are told from one person to another. That was when I started feeling uncomfortable and that was when I now decided that I would go on holidays. People felt it was strange that I was going on holidays in the first week of January.
But I traveled because I needed to rest a little, have a retreat, pray and attend a two-day meeting in India. But I went out for about three weeks and I decided that by the time I return, I would never again report about Mr. President’s illness until I sit down with people that will tell me the truth and nothing but the truth, so that I will not be involved in deceiving Nigerians. I know that most Ministers are credible people. But some Ministers also complained openly that they had no information and that’s why they were handicapped. But I had a peculiar position of being Minister of Information to inform the people. So, I was even more handicapped than everybody.
When I came back from my holidays, I made up my mind, as I said earlier that I will not report about his health again and that was why the Executive Council meeting a day after my return, at the end of the meeting, I did not argue when the Attorney General came to brief.
I did not say he should not brief because it’s the Minister of Information that should brief, because I had earlier made up my mind that I would not brief on our President’s health anymore. He came and did the briefing and I was stunned when he was talking.
He convinced everybody that the President was capable and I was getting worried. I was getting worried in that I asked myself that if he were capable, why could he not speak to Nigerians through our own channels. Why could he not speak to Nigeria through our NTA? Why speak to BBC? After that briefing, I really felt very miserable.
I got really very depressed and I asked myself: now that Chief Aondoakaa has briefed, what do I say about the President’s health next Wednesday? That depression went so deep that I used to take Lexotan twice at night to sleep and I would not sleep. I kept asking myself what I would say.
How can I say I don’t want to say anything about the President’s health. Would it not look as if I’m disloyal to the President? Would it not look unfair to the Federal Executive Council? So, I was caught in a very bad situation.
Before even I travelled, because some Ministers said why didn’t I even consult; I called three Ministers differently. I just called and said what do you feel about what is going on? Don’t you think that we need to tell the public the truth? How do we get the truth?
The reaction I got from these three different Ministers, I will never forget. One of them said don’t you think he has a reason not to hand over to Dr Jonathan. I never said let him resign. I said it is better to find a way to encourage him to hand over to Dr Jonathan so that the system will be stabilized and our hard earned democracy will not be truncated.
But for each of the Minister that I found a way of introducing it, so that we could hold a discussion for us to mobilize more Ministers, I did not get a single support from one of the three. In fact, the reaction of one of them, as I said earlier is that he had a reason not to hand over. You don’t even go there. I said which reason? He said he must have had a reason. I talked to the second one.
He said those people that were all around Yar’Adua are now going to Jonathan. I didn’t see logic. The third one said be very careful about the way you talk. This your big mouth will land you into trouble. Don’t you ever try it because if you talk to somebody that doesn’t like you, they will go and tell them. I just felt that this is getting ridiculous.
I needed to bring this because some people have variously said why didn’t you consult. When you consult three people and you get deadlocked, how can you continue?
There was no way I could continue, just before I traveled. When I came back and couldn’t really live with myself, on Monday before that meeting, I was in the church doing my usual morning mass. I took so many tough decisions during mass. I said I must talk on Wednesday.
But I will say my mind constructively. Then, from that morning, I started praying over it. But by that Tuesday evening by 6 pm, I decided to jot down what I wanted to say and as I was jotting down, I said if I use talking points, people will misquote me.
Nigeria is still walking while others are running
Some people that don’t like me will even say that I want President Yar’Adua to die. Some will say I want him to resign. Why don’t I put it down as I did during Abdulmutallab; as Ojo Maduekwe did during Abdulmutallab.
We put down our discussions on paper and circulated to council. I said let me put it down so that as I talk, I will not be misquoted. I started writing and when I finished writing about quarter to seven, I called my PA and said let’s go. We came home and we started typing and correcting. At about 10 pm, I called my Special Assistant and said I want you to go through something that I have for Council.
He came and read it and when he finished reading it, he said this is suicidal. I said if I die, I die. I can only die once. Don’t worry yourself. I just want you to cross the “t”s and dot the “i”s. Then he added that it’s not just about you. Our job is also on the line. I said then you go and look for another job because if the military comes in tomorrow, your job will still be on the line.
So, he felt very bad. He came back in the morning and said what of Goodluck Jonathan; is he not going to be embarrassed. I said if I tell him about this and he heard about it yesterday, he will discourage me. He said did you consult anybody and I said who else should I consult except my God, because I talked to three Ministers and they rebuffed me.
But I felt that if we cannot continue waiting for who will talk. I just felt at that point that I needed to submit it. The next day, I circulated it. But even that morning, I talked to a few people. I didn’t say I brought a memo. I said don’t you think that we have to do something about what is going on. They said no, leave it. So, I didn’t have support. I told a few Ministers in that hall that I wanted to talk, but again, I didn’t have any support. So, I stopped. You know you will continue talking about something if you have support and you will get to the extent of saying this is what I want to say. But I didn’t get to that level because I was not encouraged.
So, when I circulated it, by the time I started reading, of course, people had all read it and there was crisis. It was clear that nobody wanted it to be discussed. I felt very bad, but I felt a bit comfortable that I had gotten relieved of a big burden that had been weighing me down and not allowing me to sleep.
I came back to the office. I called my media people and said read it. After reading it, keep it. I’m not giving it to anybody because since they said it was not properly tabled. But I’m happy that I reminded everybody in council that Abdulmutalab’s case was also not circulated and discussed and what they said that day was that Abdulmutallab’s case was urgent. But when I look back, I wish we discussed it because the Council might have taken a position that day. But everything happens as God wants it.
When my people finished reading it, they said so this is what you went to Council with today. What happened? I said I won’t give you this paper until after Council next week. That was what I did with all of them.
Then, at about 4.00 pm or 5.00pm, somebody called me and said one of the internet blogs had it. When we read it we saw the second to last draft. You remember the one that has 145. But my final memo didn’t have it. When I saw it, I was embarrassed. The only difference between that particular one and the final is the removal of a section, and it was actually my S.A. that said remove this section because you are getting too legal. You are not a lawyer. He told me that morning to remove that section so that lawyers will not abuse you that you don’t understand the law. But the only thing we can arrive at now is that my Council box was forgotten in that council hall.
Maybe I was so harassed that I forgot my box. It was at about 4.00pm that my Chief Detail, noticed that I did not come back with my box and he went back to collect it. But I cannot say whether it was during those few hours that somebody took it because I had a draft and the final in that box.
When we saw it on the internet blog I now called all my media aides and said take copies. If it’s on the internet and I’m saying that you people should not have copies, then it doesn’t make sense. That was how it happened.
In your statement yesterday (Wednesday) you said the Acting President had only been briefed by the President’s aides. Then the second part of it said the Acting President is even hoping to see the First Lady, from whom he hopes to get briefing on the President’s health.
The Acting President said he had been briefed by the President’s aide. He also heard that the President returned as we heard. He had been briefed by the aides of the President. He would try and see the First Lady yesterday evening (Wednesday) and that on Wednesday next week during Council, the Ministers that went to Saudi will brief us. He also added that when he sees Mr. President and gets briefed, he would call us back.
As at now, has he seen the President?
As of 4.00pm today (Thursday), he had neither seen the President nor the First Lady. As the Information Minister, I called one of his aides and asked if oga had seen the First Lady and he said no. Has he seen the President? He said no and I was worried.
Have you seen the President yourself as the spokesman of the government?
Am I more important than the Acting President? I think it would be too forward of me and it would be wrong if as the spokesperson, I go to see the President before the Acting President. I don’t think it’s right. Even if he is my father or my brother, I will say please see the Acting President before briefing me.
Going to see Turai for instance, should that be the normal line of communication?
I think that going to see Turai is very informal and there’s nothing wrong with it. This is the wife of the President. No matter the mistakes and whatever the aides have done, we should still face the truth. This is the wife of Mr. President. If he is very ill, we don’t even know. If he is too ill to see him, at least the wife would see him and discuss with him. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. It’s not the normal channel, but the things that are happening these days are also not normal.
My problem is that there is no provision in the Constitution that talks about First Lady. Would you take directives from Turai if she instructs you to do something today?
The Acting President did not say he was going to get directive from her. Even if a husband is ill and people come to the hospital and the wife takes care of her husband, there’s nothing wrong in seeing the wife first. I think he said something informal that probably shouldn’t have been reported. But I think it’s also okay that it was reported. But he said when he sees the President, he would call us and brief us.
As the spokesperson of this government, what would be your reaction if journalists or a section of the media confront you and tell you that the President did not return, since nobody has seen him?
Actually, my mind skipped today when I read different people saying different things in the newspapers today. It all revolves around the people around the President who are doing to him what a million political enemies cannot do to him. The rumours around our President are very discomforting. One group said he never came back because they have shrouded everything in secrecy, and when there is a vacuum, rumours take over. Another group said that he came back and he’s still in the ambulance. Another group said that he had been carried into the house. There are three different stories and as at today, it is difficult to argue with anybody to say you are lying because I don’t know the truth. What I do when I hear these things is to keep quiet. When I read it, my heart really skipped a bit. I said God please, I hope this is not correct and I don’t want to believe it is correct because it’s not good for us and those people that are writing this story should still remember that no matter what mistake our President may have made, he still remains our President and a symbol of this country. So, there are certain things we should not even talk about, so as not to continue ridiculing ourselves before the international community.
Nigeria Constitution - Does it mean anything today?
If you as a Minister, you’ve lost certain aspects of your private life, it means that the President of a country has no private life, more so when he had been away for some days. The photographer who got the picture of the ambulance took the risk of his life because he was on top of a tree and the soldiers almost shot him dead and all this because you want to cover a President who had been away for over 90 days and…
(Cuts in) I don’t think they wanted to cover the President. They wanted to continue the too many lies they told in the past because the lies beget lies and this was done for personal gains and for people to gain fame, power and money.
We are talking about the journalists who came to cover the arrival of the President and the risk they took with their lives.
Journalists take risks all over the world. They are in war places all over the world and every job has it’s own risk. I believe that’s the risk of being a journalist and many of them succeed. A few lose their lives or get maimed, but that is the risk of the job and that is why some of us really appreciate the job they are doing for this country.
Have your recent steps and actions brought any consequences to you as a person?
I don’t want to indulge in self praise, but sometimes it’s good to say the truth. The steps I have taken in this matter is to relieve myself of a great burden. I was having a heavy load in my heart and in my brain. But I’m happy that I did because I believe, possibly, that the memo was a turning point in the politics of Yar’Adua’s illness, unfortunately. It was a turning for people to be sensitized and be goaded into action at various levels.
I’m grateful to God about that. It’s not about me. How can it be about me? I don’t know any of the Ministers that is closer to President Yar’Adua and his wife as I am. I’m very close to them and it was not even easy for me to come out with that stand. It’s because I saw that we needed to do something I have been like that all my life, even as a child. If there was a problem between any two people, I would come out and say the truth.
Were they comfortable with that memo?
Very uncomfortable. My son called my P.A. from America and said I read mummy’s memo. What is wrong with mummy? Is she on drugs? My P.A. said she doesn’t even drink alcohol. So, how can somebody who doesn’t even drink alcohol think of being on drugs? The only drug that I take is Multivite.
But I want to ask what is it you want?
What I want is for us to stabilize this country because it is the only country we can call our own. I’m passionate about Nigeria and I didn’t start today. I literally took a bullet for this country when I was fighting drug counterfeiters for almost eight years. They nearly killed me in the village. I missed death by the whiskers. So, anybody who is saying why is she doing this, I say why are they saying this?
But why are you not discouraged because it appears not many people are following you?
It may not be as encouraging, but I will always remember what our Bishop said that somebody must speak up in the face of evil; that even if one of the Jews had shouted when they were saying crucify him, if somebody had said no, the person would have heard others saying no. After all, after the memo, did people not start talking? This time around, I feel like saying a few things to say let us do something.
Those that are supposed to talk let them talk. Let those that are hearing what is wrong speak up because we have gotten to a point that if we all keep quiet, things will keep going down until we find ourselves in a situation that we may not feel comfortable about. There is need for Nigerians individually and collectively to come out in one way or the other to do the right thing, to tell people that are doing the wrong thing to right their wrongs and to find a way of stabilizing this ship that we have succeeded in keeping afloat because some five weeks ago, we were sinking. In fact, some people were even lobbying the army to take over.
Some army chiefs impressed everybody by coming out – I saw it on the pages of newspapers – and warning politicians to desist from lobbying them. It happened in this country in the last weeks. After our soldiers have shown us such level of professionalism, why can’t we do something as citizens of this country. It’s not about us. Your children will grow in this country. Even if they are abroad, they will still come back.
Nigeria is important in the comity of nations and therefore, we have a very important role to play. We cannot carry on as if we are an island because we are not. Bilateral, multilateral international relationships are all critical to the survival of Nigeria as a nation. Our national integrity is of great importance and when we think of what happened in the past and what can happen in future that can severely damage; I’ve actually become a laughing stock around the world.
It is very important that both the players in the unfolding confusion and the people in leadership who ought to speak up and boldly take a stand against the orchestrated confusion and anarchy, take the time to seriously think of the roles they are playing and the roles they ought to play because posterity will certainly judge us all. Whatever we do, we should think of Nigeria before our individual interests because what is happening now is that some people are thinking of their own interests.
If we allow things to go on properly, we are no longer going to be in control. It’s not about President Yar’Adua. Presidency is an institution. The President is in the Presidency. Look at what Condoleezza Rice came to tell us here. I’m not angry with her. We made ourselves mouse for the cat to eat us. If you make yourself mouse, the cat will eat you; I know that she is fantastic but many Nigerians are fantastic too, if not better, for her come to tell us to our face that what Nigeria needs are strong institutions and not strong leaders. I think that what she said, the statement America had made and looking at the tension in the system, Nigerians should individually and collectively think of what to do for us to come out of this impasse.
Has the frustration around you reached the point where you can walk out on the job? If not, why?
I think that you should know that before anybody can bring up that type of memo, the person has weighed his or her risk. In fact, some Ministers asked me if I weighed my risk. I said yes I weighed my risk. Some even came out to support me privately. Some that came to abuse me, I said is there anything in that memo that is not in the public domain? They will say it’s true but for you to just come and say it like that.
It’s only one of them that came and said yes, there is something in that memo that I didn’t know. He said that aspect you said that the Vice President cannot take documents to National Assembly. I said it means you know over 90 percent of what is in that memo.
Coming back to what you said about my job, that’s why my staff told me that it’s not just about me but that their job is also on the line. So, when they tell you their job is on the line, it means that you can lose your job. I was not born as Minister. My life is not tied to the job. Anybody whose life is tied to a job is under bondage.
So, I’m not desperate for any position. This is a very good position because my salary here is four times my salary in NAFDAC. My allowances are ten times my allowances in NAFDAC. But the money, the perk of office and everything is not enough to make you see evil and keep quiet because you will not be able to live with yourself. I am not so tied to this job as to keep quiet in the face of evil so that I will save my job. If my leaving this job will bring stability to Nigeria, then it’s the best thing that can happen to me.
Why don’t you throw in the towel now?
If it will be of the benefit of our fledgling democracy, if it will stabilize the system and you can rationalize it for me, I will. Tell me what good it will do to the system if I resign today and I want you to be honest.
You are a lone voice.
You are not a lone voice when you make statement and you have people that will support you. People may not support you openly out of fear. But you will still have supporters. By the time I came in to submit my memo the second time, if people were allowed to vote, most Ministers would have voted for me to present. I believe it’s better to work from inside. But if anybody comes up tomorrow to explain to me why it is necessary for me to resign so as to help stabilize the polity, I will not waste one minute.
People believe that your recent action is a kind of volte face; a kind of 360 degree turnaround because initially, you were for Yar’Adua and by extension, the whole FEC members. Suddenly that your memo was a turnaround. What do we expect now that Yar’Adua is back and why did it take you so long to do this memo?
I think I explained it. It would have been insensitive, wicked and disloyal of me to start saying it’s better to hand over to Jonathan three weeks after the travel of my boss. What does that mean? I saw things degenerating and I started noticing that there were lies.
In the first few weeks, I didn’t suspect there were lies and I had not seen that there were problems in the system because there was no President or Acting President.
The problem started unfolding with time. I didn’t notice any vacuum in the first weeks until I started hearing stories of the Vice President cannot submit documents to National Assembly. In the case of Jos crisis, people came to say why did he send soldiers? Things were coming up one after the other. That statement about why he sent soldiers shocked me to my marrow. I said so this man cannot really do much for us.
They queried why we were holding Federal Executive Council meetings and that it’s illegal. We were all reading the papers and listening to commentaries. It was the unfolding scenario that made me feel that we needed to encourage our President to hand over to Dr Jonathan as the Acting President. People didn’t even read that memo well. They just say crucify her. I didn’t say he should resign. I still love him as my President.
I knew that man from the campaign period. He has a beautiful spirit. I’m telling you this from the bottom of my heart. What is happening cannot be from him because a sick person that God helped to recover cannot conceive plans to manoeuvre over a whole country because if you have serious malaria, you are only praying of how to get well, not how to remain or how to make sure that nobody is there to act fully for you.
So this question of why did it take her so long, would you not check my mental balance if I came out two weeks after my President traveled, when we had not started seeing problems. We were not seeing problems in the first few weeks until the Jos crisis and when people started talking about FEC as illegal. MEND started making statements that they were going to attack facilities. If all these things had not happened, I believe we would have still all relaxed that the Vice President was doing very well.
But I noticed that if he carried on without being Acting President, the system would collapse because people were even going to court. So it didn’t start degenerating from the day he left. It happened gradually and it came to a point where I felt that if nothing was said and done, we could find ourselves in a very ugly situation. That’s why I talked. And before I talked, I tried to consult some Ministers so that we could form a critical mass, but I did not succeed.
You also said why sudden. How can you say sudden? Did I not stake my life for almost eight years in this country? And if you say sudden, when I came to the Ministry of Information and Communication, it was a different job all together. I started rebranding. What is evil about saying that we are basically good people and that this is a great nation; for those of us that are not doing well, let us change the way we behave, so that we can live up to that good name as good people and great nation.
What is wrong with it? Is it deceit? Is it a lie? Did I ever say Nigeria doesn’t have criminals? Let us project our country positively and responsibly manage our negatives. So, where is it that people can look at and say volte face, as if I started deceiving people at any point in time? Which deceit? People have so abused me. When people were saying look at what they are writing in the internet, I said if not for the fact that Nigerian journalists are very understanding, we would have had more because the level of money that some of these people that are orchestrating this evil have, they can put in any amount just to be abusing me everywhere. Some people have even said in the internet that I should go and handle Halliburton and Ekiti.
What is this? I’m not from Ekiti. I didn’t go for campaign in Ekiti. I didn’t vote in Ekiti. I’m not in INEC. So, where is my own? As the Minister of Information, I remember you people abused me so much after the Ekiti elections and your reason of abusing me is because I announced government’s position. There was nothing I didn’t hear and it’s been repeated these days on the internet through various sources. When you report government’s decision, it is not support for government. It’s a report. I want to also tell you that I will have to believe in a report for me to report it.
That’s why when I stopped being in the story of our President, I decided to stop. The report of Ekiti, I believed in it and the report was that Mrs. Ajoke should come out and conclude the election she started. There is no Minister of Information in this world that would say that statement is bad. They are just looking for anything to malign me and to rebrand my name. What is important is for me to do something that will make me to be able to live with my conscience, to work from morning till night and lie down and be able to sleep, and to know that I have done my best. That’s it.
How do you respond to suggestions that you could be affected in a possible cabinet shake-up?
Quite frankly I will if given the opportunity like to remain in the Ministry of Information and not to just go anywhere else with just about one year to the end of the life of the administration. What can anybody seriously achieve in one year? Even if I can, it will be too stressful and I am already used to where I am.
The rebranding project has suffered a serious setback because of the Abdulmuttalab fiasco and the politicization of the health of the President and other things, but then I can still pick the bits and pieces and move on to consolidate the programme if it is the will of God.
Some Nigerian political watchers say you are being teleguided by Obasanjo.
Do I look like somebody that anybody in this world can teleguide? Some people said Obasanjo and others said Ojo Maduekwe. I found it funny because it all boils down to the fact that people don’t know me. As a regulator under President Obasanjo, I never referred to him for any case. I know that regulators refer to the President on cases.
But I never referred to him on any case, and because I believe he also knows my character, he never interfered. When I closed down Dangote’s factory, have you forgotten that Dangote was one of his close friends. I didn’t even remember President Obasanjo when I was doing what I did. I didn’t talk with him before the memo. I did not talk with him after the memo and he did not ask me.
Has anybody commended you after the memo for being courageous?
People have commended me variously but Obasanjo didn’t commend me. But many leaders have commended me. Many people you cannot expect have commended me. Even people around the Presidency have commended me to say God bless you when you are saying the right thing.
In the circumstance, what would you offer as an advice to stabilize the polity? My advice to stabilize the polity is for people that are raising this unnecessary dust around our dear President to cease fire, to know that this country is bigger than all of us and to know that if we destroy the system, we will all lose, and for people to advise them and people that can help in one way or the other to come out and help. If you can talk, you should come out and talk.
If you can write, then write, so that people that are not doing the right thing will stop because our dear President may not be in a position to control what they are doing. That is the situation on ground now. They are being very unfair to Nigerians and utterly unfair to him and his family and they are not in line with what he stands for because he has always stood on the rule of law.
Madam, who do you take instructions from now?
It depends on what I want to do. I take instructions from the Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and I will revert to taking instructions from the President when he recovers and comes back to work.
If you are given instructions allegedly from the President and you have not seen the President, will you oblige?
I will not oblige.
