Opinions
Borno Council: Saving the impending impeachment
Borno Council: Saving the impending impeachment
By, Sam Kayode
The recent WRONG committed due to breaking down of communication between comrades of the Nigerian Union of journalist NUJ Borno state Council and its Exco as a result of a clandestine land racketeering deal has spilt a lot of bad blood in the land.
It is now obvious from strong feelers in at least six chapel’s out of seven that it’s only a change of guard that can assuage the anger of colleagues who were left out of such a bad deal which involves their COMMONWEALTH.
The SECRET sale of land estimated at about N13m was a clear manifestation of the very corruption committed by partisan politicians we always point our index fingers at when writing our editorials and this brings big SHAME to some of us who have seen decades of experience of how to do the right thing in this profession. This is the kind of offence that the Borno Police command will invite colleagues to come and cover and some of us will wrongfully film the face of a suspect yet to be arraigned in a court of law.
Imagine parading our chairman, secretary and auditor before their own colleagues and then some unprofessional colleagues filming before arraignment. Dog eat dog you will say but that is what happens when the state council is not in liaison with the zonal officers. God forbid! I can preempt some colleagues saying.
But when you once had a zonal officer who will never attend our congresses even when so close in the information chapel, what precedent does that leave the unguided executive then and now? If the NUJ must have a future beyond what our forefathers left us we have to stop taking congress for granted the way this council has been treating us since the assumption of duty.
Secrecy was a legacy of the last failed zonal Vice President and we are not surprised it’s affecting the state council and some veterans as an index of development. No SEC member has a right to keep secrets from congress. It’s not permissible not even by a failed zonal VC who felt she was above the congress.
SECRET SALE OF NUJ LAND AT KANO ROAD JUST AFTER THE DEFUNCT BAKASSI IDP CAMP
The articles of the NUJ constitution are tied around truth which is why secrecy is not tolerated in any ramifications in our union. Not even by the SEC. But secrecy is very official in the Borno NUJ council even by those who claim to know. It is also worse when they refuse to call for congress.
When we started using diplomacy to make them call congress, they gave “Corona” as an excuse. Long after the Corona was managed, they are still asking what do we have to discuss in congress? That to me is a very stupid question knowing full well that journalists are the wrong people to ever offend by hoarding information.
This is because they are different types of people both exposed and grossly unexposed even after answering the title of editor in his organization. When you hear some so-called editors talk, you will wonder if they went to school. And this happens because they jumped into editing ignorantly after the university without practising. So ” you need to be able to recognize which type you’re dealing with and respond appropriately”.
The secret sale of our land along the defunct Bakassi IDP camp is also an indication of the clear failure of the zonal Vice President of the NUJ who was in office than when Governor Kashim Shettima awarded 20 plots of land to the NUJ which was meant for our own good.
If not how can Governor Kashim give 20 plots of land and I will not be informed as to the representative of the NUJ President in this place? I will demand so many answers and the onus will be on the state council to furnish me with answers. The last zonal official was a clear failure on this which is why so many wrongs still persist. Even the eight plots they claim is remaining cannot be verified properly until we call a congress.
IRREVERSIBILITY OF THE RESIGNATION OF THE FOUR
And of course, how do you stick around in this financial mess if you were the Vice-chair who is next to the chair and the assistant secretary? I will resign and resist the temptation to be bought by any means to return to the status quo. I salute the courage of the four comrades who have done a very honourable and commendable thing by bowing out.
For some of us, the four comrades who resigned have a pedigree to protect and they did the right thing which nobody in congress can tell them to reverse with the gravity of the stench involved. Looking at the list of officers who resigned, two key finance officers, the treasurer and the financial secretary could have been badly rubbished if they had not done so.
Who knows they may dare to re-contest when the dust dies down one day. For now, only Satan himself can tell them to return now. And no right-thinking comrade will take instructions from Lucifer.
OUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE.
While the heat and pressure were being mounted on our remaining comrades to stand down and apologize publicly for doing wrong, I received a phone call from one of our zonal officer’s name withheld stating that they will arrive in Maiduguri today to stop the stray of the bad blood into the hands of the Police and EFCC who have a right to dabble into it if it results to violence.
In as much as the National office has informed us that they will be here, we believe it’s for good and not to rubbish the statutory camaraderie they enjoy from the congress of states. Basically, issues for tackling by the expected colleagues from the national office who would be meditating and bringing a sound solution to the mess created by the council is well known to all.
There are so many expectations from members already over what they feel would be the final solution to the myriads of mistakes made by this council.
- Primary among these challenges which we expect to be sorted out is creating a soft Landing for the remaining three Exco members to leave honorably without too much disgrace. I wish use this medium to salute the secretary, Moh Ibrahim who has owned up that a mistake has been made and was willing to tender his own share of the loot of about N4m which was given to him to build the fence by direct labour as we were informed . He also knows that his tenure as the secretary is over until a new Exco is elected. We are watching the remaining two.
- Pending mistakes of Borno council: Correction of some of the lapses in the way things are done in the council. It is because of this lapses that the treasurer Hawa Bata is not a signatory to the account. How can a chairman of any council in Nigeria be the only signatory to our joint account? That is wrong and it’s a dangerous precedent that should be corrected by the representative of NUJ President before leaving town. It is fraudulent, criminal and a complete breach of the principles of transparency, truth and trust which we all stand for. This should be stopped even before the care taker committee takes over. So in summary:
A. You don’t decide on your own as the chair to sell land without telling congress. It’s wrong. This must be knocked into the heads of the next caretaker Exco.
B. You do not approach the National office about any information concerning the commonwealth of comrades without telling them first it’s wrong. SEC is not congress, congress was called only once last year and that is an insult to our collective responsibilities and freedom of association. Comrade chairman Baba Shek tried this and almost got impeached for bringing a letter from Abuja without talking to his own people. God used some of us to save his records that day by creating a safe landing for him and he is grateful to this day. If congress is supreme, you must massage the supremacy of congress before informing Abuja. No chairman in any council has the right to curtail the freedom of association of any member by such actions. It’s wrong.
C. It is not permissible for Exco to even have been involved in building a fence on a piece of land belonging to us as it stands. It must be given to a committee. From all the articles of the current constitutions I have seen and read since the era of comrade Sani Zoro when I registered as a member, such a matter should be handled by a committee. If the committee deems it fit to invite a Julius Berger so be it. If they must use the direct method, so be it.
- Payment of our ground rent of both properties of the NUJ: This and any other outstanding dues owed Bogis should be handled speedily so we do not become breakers of the law. We should pay some cash to show we own the ground and are not above the law. And above all we must have a transparent accountability of where our dues are being spent.
- Preparation for election of next set of officers who will maintain the sanity and unite the congress. This role must be placed on the front burner by the care taker committee soonest.
I believe the representative of Mr President will be in a sound mind and will surely do the needful to ensure that this LINGERING break down of communication will not repeat itself after this time ar
Opinions
THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW
THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW.
By: A G Abubakar
The Biu Forum was a child of circumstances. It was born in response to the fall out from the August 1991 state creation exercise by the Babangida military regime which initially located Biu in Yobe but removed same after a couple of days. To push for a redress or for an answer, the Forum was initiated. Its drivers came from the entire spectrum of the present day Biu Emirate and Shani Chiefdom, who were then resident in Lagos, the former federal capital.The first meeting was held in October 1991 at Block 4, Flat 3, the Bar Beach Towers, Victoria Island.
The inaugural and subsequent meetings of the forum were attended by such personalities as Shettima Saleh, Saidu Pindar, Tahir A.Musa, PC Abdullahi Mohammed, Musa Yamta, Hassan Bdliya, John Balami, Audu Shettima, Sanda Usman, Adamu Abdullahi, Musa Shani, Major (now Gen) Usman, Muhammad Dili, Ahmed Kuru, Jibrin A.Jibrin, A.G.Abubakar (Convener along with Musa Yamta), Mamman Audu, Paul Mari, Ishaku Abdullahi, Sale Mari Maina, Major. Ibrahim Bantam, Samaila Mamman, Sule Usman, C.D.Gali, and many more. These foundation members nurtured the Forum for years in Lagos before the seat of government was formally moved to Abuja.
Some of them are of blessed memory (may the Almighty grant them His mercy, Ameen), though a lot more are still living. The major objective of the forum at inception was to build a unity of purpose to tackle the challenges facing Biu Emirate, particularly its excision from the then newly created Yobe State. Plus, the need to call for attention to the brazen discriminations visited upon Biu people in the state’s civil service, while also pursuing the creation of a Savannah State. Same, with extending moral and material supports to victims of natural disasters and others like the then Waka-Biu crisis.
It would be recalled that after the Babangida military government decided to split old the Borno State, late General Abacha, then the Chief of Army Staff and the defacto number “two” man, who happened to be of Borno extraction, was assigned to consult with the Shehu as well as other opinion leaders on the government’s proposal to curve out a new state out of Borno. Late Bunu Sherrif, a son of the soil (Goniri), who was then serving as Minister of Labour among others, was to serve as a facilitator. The rough edges were therefore smoothened.
Eventually, Yobe was created. The configuration of which comprised three emirates, namely Biu, Fika, and Bade. Borno and Bama emirates were to remain as the New Borno State. The number of local governments was equally balanced at 22 each. Now, it is lopsidedly 17 and 27 LGAs for Yobe and Borno, respectively.
Along the line, some forces opposed to the inclusion of Biu emerged. The first one was the supposed friction between the Emirs of Biu and Fika regarding the order of protocol. A smokescreen, however, because the real reason was that Fika Emirate was promised the State capital (precisely Potiskum), but that was if Biu wasn’t part of the equation. The other reason was that Biu and Borno Emirates had a historical tie that made the duo almost conjoined. This was also untenable in that Ngazargamo that served as the capital of the old Kanem-Borno was severed into Yobe State. In the end, Biu remains part of Borno.
This development polarised the citizens of Biu Emirate into two. The Elders were not so favourably disposed towards leaving Borno, while the larger youth groups were at home with Yobe.
The advantages they averred included the possibility of playing more dominant political and economic roles in the new state, given the fact that Biu used to hold and still holds the Deputy Governor portfolio in Borno. The emirates (Fika and Biu) equally serve as the manpower base of the region . State politics could turn out to be like Adamawa, where all ethnic groups and/or stripes of faith can become the number one citizen of the state. The Emir of Biu would naturally be the most senior, in addition.
Based on the foregoing, Biu made a case for inclusion or, better still, a re-inclusion into Yobe. A move that was resisted vehemently by certain quarters under the umbrella of BEDA. Others who lent their voices included the Birma, Galadima Stanley Balami, PC Ali Biu, and Alhaji Ibrahim Damchida, all of blessed memory.
The Biu citizens who were pushing for the readjustment initially got the support of His Royal Highness, the Revered Mai Umar, who gracefully endorsed the demand document titled, “A Call For the Adjustment of Biu Emirate into Yobe State.” Or rather agreed for the document to be endorsed on his behalf, which was done. However, under pressure from all corners, His Royal Highness had to reconsider his support, as the Emirate found itself in a difficult situation. It was this development and regardless of the push back that the Biu Forum was formed as an alternative platform to still pursue the inclusion of Biu and Shani into Yobe State.
A petition to the government, was subsequently produced and forwarded. And to get a wider publicity and forestall suppression the Forum’s document was sent to the press . The rested influencial national newspaper, the Sunday Concord of 6th October 1991 carried the entire document. Yours faithfully picked the bill.
One of the the committed and highly articulate members of the Forum at the time, Alh. Muhammed Shehu Birma had his relationship with his principal, the Hon. Minister, Bunu Sheriff strained because of his role and support. Alh. Birma was one of the Special Assistants to the Minister who worked tirelessly to obtain the concurrence of major stakeholders to buy into the Forum’s activities.
When the misunderstanding so created on account of the state creation seemed unabating, formal meetings were called by the late elder statesman Alh. Damcida at his Probyn road, Ikoyi, home to sort things out. The “family” gathering enjoyed the presence of late Dr.Saidu Muhammad, PC Ali Biu, A.G.Abubakar, Muhammad S.Birma, Amb. Saidu Pindar, Alhaji Madu Biu, Shettima Saleh, with apologies from Dr.Bukar Usman.
One of the resolutions that came out of the series of dialogues was an undertaking by Mallam to seek an audience with General Abacha for possible reconsideration of the petition. The outcome was the creation of Hawul and Kwaya Kusar LGAs, while Biu as a whole stayed in Borno State.
As time went on, moves got started to merge the activities of the Forum to those of the senior Biu Development Association, BDA. The BDA is now BEDA (Biu Emirate Development Association). The move never materialised and the activities of both slowed down. It took the efforts of patriots like Engineer Ibrahim Usman, Dan Masani Muhammad Ibrahim, Adamu Abdullahi, Amb. Saidu, Ibrahim M.Kwajaffah, Muhammad Buba, Mai Musti, Bukar Umar and a host of others to revive the Forum and keep it going.
So for all intents and purposes the Biu Forum was not a Biu Local Government outfit. It was initiated to protect and promote the interest of Biu and Shani Emirates. And indeed every Aburwa on the planet. How it became a Forum exclusively for Biu Local Government Area was maybe a later development to give the Forum a sharper focus. And maybe to ensure a seamless coexistence with the senior BEDA.This has been a short story of the now, 33-year old (1991 to –) initiative.
A.G.Abubakar agbarewa@gmail.com
THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW
Opinions
Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.
Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.
By: Dr. James Bwala
History should teach us lessons. And we have so many examples that are part of the history of some countries around us. Protests as being engineered and called for are never in the interest of the young Nigerian; rather, they are a way to further suppress and darken the future of young ones, and therefore, I see this as another evil rising on Nigeria, which I hope the youths will see as reasons not to be tempted to join those who do not mean well for them and for Nigeria. Those who want to cash in on the protest to their advantage are pushing their own evil interests to deny the young Nigerian his or her own hope for the future.
I followed many calls on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listened to many voices calling on the Nigerian youths to join them on the days to demonstrate and show their displeasure to the government over hunger in the land. They claimed it was about a policy, and I did not really understand the truth about such claims. Some pointed to the issue of insecurity that people cannot go to their farms and blamed the present administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, and on this too, they are not speculating on facts that are leading them to want to express anger through protest.
I could not understand why all the things they are pointing to have been on their doorsteps for over 10 years and they would not protest until now. Does it mean that their eyes are now open to the situation we all found ourselves in? I have lived in northeastern Nigeria, and I have seen situations created by insecurity where children, young men, and adults hold each other’s hands and cry out for help to have a drop of grain and for one cut of a handful of mold grain flour to go through their mouths and down their throats for the day, but they could not have the assurance of such a meal. No one came to the rescue; no one called for a protest, and the people built their resilience until the heavens brought succor.
READ ALSO:https://newsng.ng/the-plight-of-farida/
The situation in which certain individuals are coming to tell young Nigerians to protest or to demonstrate against the administration requires a deeper look into their motives. It may not be about hunger in the land afterwards, for we have endured many hungers and we did not protest, so why now? Politics is still in the play, and a few individuals—I mean, very few individuals—who are not happy with the Tinubu and Shettima administration are orchestrating the wind horses. Some young Nigerians may think otherwise, but believe me, there are many more evils behind the call for protest than what you are hearing on social media, and these are about destroying a whole lot of what you have hoped for.
I will suggest that no Nigerian youth should join or listen to calls from those who have sent their children abroad for you to continue to be their foot soldiers, and in the end, they achieve something and you achieve nothing. Take a look at the protests or demonstrations in the past. Not outside Nigeria, but within. Some of you have participated, and you are still on the street after that protest. Your peace and happiness have been taken. Those you fought for—have they come to salvage your situation? Unless you want to remain perpetually a fool on the street with very little to gain and no knowledge of what you are bargaining, then you may choose to go with the evil callers; otherwise, say ‘NO’ to protest as it is not actually in your interest.
This administration, which you are being instigated to demonstrate against, has won many battles in the last year. The latest in the Hope initiative are the achievements of the court ruling on local government autonomy. This government has achieved free imports for drugs and rice and brought peace through the establishment of the livestock ministry. These are a few achievements from the last six months. We have waited for eight years in hope through the Buhari administration, and no one has seen positive changes, but we waited. Herein, with the Tinubu and Shettima administrations, we are seeing the moves and the results. Can we not hold on to this renewed hope since we are seeing the changes coming?
Nigerian youths, let no one deceive us into doing their bid. They have places to go; we only have Nigeria, which is all we have. When they moved out, we remained here. They cannot come from Europe and America to ask us to set our houses on fire while they go back to their second homes and leave us in the shackles that we used our own hands to perpetuate their desires against us for their selfish and evil interests. No, we must not come to the level they want us to reach. We must rise with renewed hope and join this administration to build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign, just as we pledged to build in our re-engineering calls for a better tomorrow.
Dr. James BWALA, PhD, writes from Abuja.
Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.
Opinions
Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration
Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration
By: Yusuf Adamu
Unfortunately, the lack of electricity and shortage of water in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, have continued to turn some sections of the state against the government. While many are thinking it is the government job to provide electricity and water, a lot of people are not looking at the efforts the government is putting in during the phase of challenges from saboteurs and terrorists as it affects the issues of electricity in the state, particularly.
Borno State has been in darkness for the last two weeks, and the governor spoke with concern from faraway Saudi Arabia, where he went to worship, and he was informed of the electricity issue back home. Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has done tremendously well in ensuring that Borno State overcomes the issue of electricity, to the extent that he went beyond his jurisdiction to ensure that he solved the problem.
He went further to collaborate with the NNPC, which informed the setting of a gas plant in Maiduguri to support the epileptic power supply as a result of the continuous attacks on the electricity supply lines feeding Maiduguri. However, the activities of saboteurs, who would rather, out of their greed, overload the gas plant, have constantly resulted in the disruption of the gas plant’s capacity to provide adequate supply.
Rather than people condemning the government for some of this man-made distraction, I think the people of Borno State should pray for an end to the activities of terrorists and the saboteurs who continuously take advantage of the situation to speak ill of the government. If the opposition is speaking, we would understand, but when citizens say otherwise, we would like to remind them that the governor of Borno State has been doing everything possible to make Borno State great.
The collaboration with NNPC and the purchase of electric vehicles to ease pain for people are things to see and agree that the governor meant well for his people. This is aside from the numerous projects he was able to achieve in the state. We are also lucky to have the Vice President, who is our own and whose focus is also to see Borno State become great again.
Just yesterday, he was speaking on the issues affecting the state when he arrived in the state for the sallah celebration. He gave hope for a better Borno state and spoke well of the collaboration the federal government is having with Borno state to end the perennial challenges facing the state at the moment. Let us continue to uplift our leaders in prayer and support their dream of making Borno one of the best things that happens to its people in the current administration.
***Yusuf Adamu writes from Maiduguri and is the former political adviser to Kashim Shettima.
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