Obododimma Oha
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B.A.,First Class Honours (English & Literary Studies);
M.A., Ph.D. (English Language);
M.Sc. (Legal, Criminological & Security Psychology);
Professor of Cultural Semiotics & Stylistics,
Department of English,
University of Ibadan.
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Personal Blog: http://udude.wordpress.com/
Anthony Akinola
HomeLatest NewsIn response to Ortom: Buhari accuses leaders of setting regions, religions against one another
In Response To Ortom: Buhari Accuses Leaders Of Setting Regions, Religions Against One Another
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By Leon Usigbe | Abuja On Apr 30, 2021
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PRESIDENT Muhammdu Buhari on Thursday chided present-day Nigerian leaders of setting region against region, religion against religion, ethnic group against ethnic group and community against community.
In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president, who said Nigerians had earlier accused colonial rulers of the policy of divide and rule, said attempts to sharpen the divide between northern and southern Nigeria, between Christians and Muslims and between communities that have coexisted for centuries should be frowned upon and resisted.
He was saying this in response to the accusation by Governor Sam Ortom of Benue State, following the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Benue people. The governor had accused President Buhari of having no interest protecting the people as he is allegedly intent on working for the Fulani alone.
The statement said: “The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the president for those killings by Governor Ortom. “President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring.
“Those citizens, regardless of their affiliations, who either incite, sponsor or are proven to be abettors of these atrocities will face the law squarely and be answerable for their crimes against our fellow citizens and nation.”
The president stated his disappointment and sadness to hear Ortom “make a litany of accusations against his person and his government, following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state.”
The statement added: “No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.”
The statement noted that President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.
“The future of Benue State and indeed that of the entire country lies in harmony and the respect for law, order and the constitution. It is the only way to achieve progress and development.
“While the president will continue to keep security, police and the armed forces on their toes to be on top of their act in troubled parts of the country, the situation in the states will greatly be helped by everyone working together, because that is the foundation on which progress and prosperity can be achieved.
“Benue under the Ortom administration ought to cooperate with the Federal Government in the implementation of a number of national strategies programmes in addressing underlying issues militating against peace, progress and development.
“This can still get done when the interest of the people is placed above all other interests. A government voted into office by the people should treat the people as its masters and not as its servants,” it added.
The president, however, expressed his condolences to the families of citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in the state
https://tribuneonlineng.com/in-response-to-ortom-buhari-accuses-leaders-of-setting-regions-religions-against-one-another/
Anthony Akinola
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Matthew Kukah
Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, seemed to knock out secessionist calls on Saturday when he said the cost of staying together as a nation is cheaper than the cost of dividing Nigeria.
He, however, blamed the All Progressives Congress government of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for making people feel alienated from governance through inequality in power distribution at the highest levels.
Kukah spoke virtually at the 2021 edition of The Platform, an annual conference organised by Pastor Poju Oyemade of the Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos.
The programme was themed, ‘Is Devolution of Powers The Solution To Nigeria’s Problems’.
The fiery cleric said, “The challenge now is how do we connect back because all the things we are hearing now, nobody would have expected to hear them and now everybody wants to go home.
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“Yes, it may be right for everybody to want to go. Yes, it may be right for people to want to feel so dissatisfied that they want an end to what we have today. But the cost of staying together is far cheaper than the cost than the cost of everybody going his way.
“The most important thing here is that the government must give us a reason – the body language – we need to be inspired as a country to inspire ourselves that this country is worth the psychological, the spiritual and the cultural engagements.”
Lately, secessionist calls have increased across the country especially in Southern Nigeria. From the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra to agitators of Yoruba Nation, amongst others, the separatist calls rise, fueled by the unprecedented insecurity in the country as well as the supposed nepotism and unequal distribution of economic resources by the Buhari government.
“Anybody who loves this country would have to accept the fact that the APC as a government and the President must take responsibility for the fact that the way power has been distributed in Nigeria has created a sense of alienation and it is the underlining factor why people feel the way they feel, why people feel so disenchanted, why people don’t feel a sense of psychological, emotional, cultural or even economical involvement in their country and there is the need to reclaim all of those things back,” Kukah added.
Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM
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Anthony Akinola
One of the leading Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, has alleged that the government was behind the attack on the residence of Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye’s son.
The group also claimed that the gunmen attacked the don’s daughter-in-law at her residence in Agbor, Delta State, last Saturday.
The group made the allegations in a statement on Saturday by its Media and Communications Secretary, Maxwell Adeleye.
Akintoye, who is at the forefront of the Yoruba self-determination struggle, is the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, which is the umbrella body for all Yoruba self-determination groups.
Ilana Omo Oodua also accused government agents of being responsible for the burning down of the don’s son’s house and claimed that government agents had started attacking Akintoye’s relations.
The group said the attacks were a calculated attempt to intimidate Akintoye so that he could stop the struggle for Yoruba self-determination.
The statement read, “We are alerting all Yoruba people within and beyond the horizon of Nigeria that the agents of the Nigerian government have started a satanic move to oppress our leader, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, out of the struggle of the Yoruba people for self-determination.
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“It started some weeks ago, but we ignored the threat in order not to cause tension and panic in a territory already enveloped by tension. But we are forced to speak out now because these satanic agents have intensified their efforts.
“To say it succinctly because we won’t be going into details and we won’t be mentioning names for security reasons, the wife of the son of our leader was attacked in her residence at Agbor, Delta State a week ago.
“She escaped being assassinated because of the vigilance of her neighbours who raised the alarm. Three guns were pointed at her, as the men of the underworld queried her for information on the Yoruba’s struggle for liberation. She was traumatised, harassed and intimidated, but the courageous woman refused to buckle.”
Ilana Omo Oodua further alleged that the “government agents returned to the property three days later and exterminated everything found there.”
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Oluwatoyin Adepoju
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Anthony Akinola
In defence of Buhari’s change agenda
[FILES] Buhari. Photo: TWITTER/NIGERIAGOV
Predictably, every election year, politicians irrespective of party affiliation claim to be guided by the belief that power belongs to the people and get in the way of the masses to advance their political ambition. They do everything humanly possible to win the heart and vote of the masses by professing not only as true democrats but progressives or comrades. In continuation of their guises and disguises, politicians captivate the people with laudable promises that seek to change the masses living conditions. Behind these ‘Greek meekness’, is the politicians’ desire and concern to win elections into political leadership positions. Once in office, the advance to cause better life for the people no longer deserves greater attention until another electioneering period.
Notwithstanding, politicians constant denials of democracy dividends to the people, let us take a moment to salute the wisdom of the Nigerian masses who voted President Muhammadu Buhari into office in 2015. For many, it was the best thing that happened to Nigeria by electing a priceless and resourceful man of honour who is incongruous to corruption. Ever since he assumed office, he has displayed an unerring instinct for doing the right thing at the right time and seemed to be incapable of doing wrong. However, given the numerous challenges facing the nation and people, it is saddening that President Buhari seldom talks about burning national issues just to bring relief and reassurance to a nation abused and traumatised by Boko Haram, insurgents and bandits. This is ominous as Buhari presidency and his body language has provided immunity for many to act above the law. Of course, this brings to bear the fear of the unknown and the continued interrogation of the national question with huge concern about the threat to our democracy and the corporate existence of a united Nigeria. In this context, many have asked the million dollar question: how can Nigeria recalibrate its existence, is it through restructuring or separation?
However, to judge by the push for reforms and the narratives about the change slogan that brought the ruling government to power, President Buhari administration must rank as one that took the project Nigeria seriously than its predecessors. Indeed, the Buhari administration is a promise kept even as the stark reality facing Nigerians provides a dramatic illustration of how a beautiful change agenda can be murdered by a gang of brutal facts. The ruling government challenged itself to provide basic human necessities like 24 hours electricity, halt the senseless killings across the country by Boko Haram and insurgents, stop the ‘fraud’ called subsidy and make fuel not only available but cheaper among others. To buttress the above, Nigerians were re-assured by former governor, Lagos state and the national leader of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu during campaign in 2014 that the only way to have steady electricity and fuel supply is to remove the then President Goodluck Jonathan from office. His Excellency, Tinubu, noted: “I promise you in six months, Nigeria will be swimming in crude oil and fuel. Buhari will pay you all 5,000 naira monthly for being jobless. Our youth will be gainfully employed with 3,000 jobs a year…” But what are the facts today six years after?
Without any provocation, Nigerians are constantly reminded how the country was poorly administered economically by the previous government and the ruling government blamed it virtually for everything. Under President Buhari watch Nigerians were provided their first major lesson, tuition free, in the sociology of Nigeria that the livestock business of cattle rearing is much more valued than one can imagine. Several communities across the country were still being ravaged by herdsmen as farm produce are destroyed and lives lost for questioning herders’ right of passage in farmlands. To resolve the herders/farmers crisis, after the ruling government woke up from a protracted slumber, it tried to initiate several programmes to earn free lands for herdsmen across the country through grazing reserves, RUGA, cattle colony among others to no avail. Again, the change agenda exposed Nigerians to see the huge melting pot that the country has become in recent times as our borders were thrown open to allow ‘fellow citizens’ from across Africa come in to register in the National Identification Number (NIN) and become Nigerian just like that.
Of course, it made no difference to the ruling government that bandits and common criminals could use the opportunity to enter the country and cause mayhem. Beyond opening the border, the Buhari government is running a trans-Saharan gas pipeline to Niger Republic and other North African countries instead of first allowing charity begin at home to provide employment for our teeming youth. Indeed, many policy decisions of the ruling government seem to divide Nigerians and tear the people far apart along ethnic, religious and tribal lines. It would be recalled that justice Walter Onnoghen and Kemi Adeosun were relieved of their appointments without hesitation for their past mistakes. But, the minister of communication and digital economy, Isa Pantami’s ugly past views for supporting terrorist groups like Taliban and Al-Qaeda is to be over looked as the ruling government professed a theory that Pantami made those submissions as a young man and has apologised and recanted.
The current government seems to serve and treat a constituency who are supposedly the closest thing in capitalist society to an egalitarian structure, class or tribe distinctions were all too evident in the Buhari administration. As it were, the President’s inauguration speech in 2015 where he said: “… I belong to everybody and belong to nobody …” is now obvious as mere statement; certain people are much better treated than others. The other day, the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, maintained that the body language of the president shows that he is the president of the Fulani people. Despite the ringing of alarm bells by well meaning Nigerians who continue to call on the government to arrest the insecurity situation, not much has changed.
In the past six years or so, the president’s body language and tone deaf has funneled a remarkable increase in insurgency attacks across the country, in photographs and footage of carnage, the Nigerian people are mourning and distressed. So pathetic are some of the horrific sights that governors Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno state and Ortom of Benue state cannot hold back tears. It is high time the president match his words with action regarding the fight to end insurgency in the country. Many regard the government claim of degrading the insurgents as both nebulous and distant. In a weakly-managed administration, the blunt geopolitical reality confronting Nigerians today is that a combination of political incompetence and the ruling government intransigence has created an impossible problem.
Oluwatoyin Adepoju
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Oluwatoyin Adepoju
the writer also refuses to refer to the herdsmen as Fulani herdsmen, which is what they are, the activation of extremist fulani imperialism being the core of Nigeria's current crisis?