Thursday, 17 May 2012
Beyond, and Beneath, N65 By Sonala Olumhense
Protester at the UN
Columnist:
Sonala Olumhense If I were a swearing man, I would have sworn that had Mr. Goodluck Jonathan ever imagined that the word “transparency” would come to Nigeria’s street lexicon, he would not have hungered for the presidency.
"I do not make empty promises in my campaign because whatever I promise to do, I had already carried out adequate study to make sure I can accomplish it in the next four years" he told the people of Nigeria in Onitsha on February 27, 2011.
The proof does not support that claim, but at the time, some Nigerians seemed to agree with Jonathan that if he, once shoeless, could “do” it, so could they. Many said they hated his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which had historically demonstrated poor faith and form, but they followed Jonathan, swearing they were voting for the man, not the party.
Think about it: for 12 years, through his predecessors, the issue was about control of power, which is why there are two Ps in PDP. It is only fair to assume that Jonathan calculated no differently for his four or seven years.
He took office only on May 29, 2011, but by last week, many of his supporters were left hanging only to guilt and embarrassment. By callously and casually eliminating the phantom subsidy on oil, Mr. Jonathan tore Pandora’s Box open to reveal a side of Nigeria he did not know to exist. That is the one armed with the battle cry of transparency.
Let us be clear: there isn’t one Nigerian who does not believe that the subsidy, if it is genuine, should be retained. Not one. The issue is that the amateurish and insensitive handling of it in the face of wholesale corruption, and the implications of that approach.
In a matter of days, against the background of some of Mr. Jonathan’s fiendish 2012 budget proposals, his own supporters were cursing his ancestry, ripping down his pictures and calling him the vilest of names. Rare it is in modern political history that “popularity” can turn to loathing so quickly; Mr. Jonathan has somehow managed it in seven months.
Other factors were at play: Before the entire world, Mr. Jonathan was setting aside for himself and his family a life of luxury and opulence, while throwing his beloved people to the wolves. He was surrounding and protecting himself with sophisticated security and armoured cars, while feeding his voters to Boko Haram. The President himself was making it clear: this was not a government of the people; this was a government for itself, by itself and in itself.
That is why it also became quickly obvious to the ordinary man that, beyond the so-called oil subsidy, this conflict is really about the way we are, and how we became this way. We prosper together or crumble together.
That is how, as Jonathan prepared to spend millions of Naira per day on food and gifts and toys, he found he had inadvertently educated Nigerians that the fuel subsidy is a byword for a terrible, more destructive disease: an ailment so fearsome that all the arms of the government are infected.
This ailment is responsible for an irresponsible executive that places no limits on absurdity; one with no commitment so strong it would actually implement an undertaking or a report.
This ailment is why the legislative arm of the government, established to make law, has become a law unto itself, its members arrogantly sitting not only atop Titanic salaries and allowances, but on “constituency” loot that violates the divide between the executive and the legislature.
In other words, the crisis in Nigeria is that those who rule Nigeria have lost all credibility in the eyes of the people. It took Mr. Jonathan only seven months to make this point clear.
Mr. Jonathan is said to be a man of “good luck,” although in the past two weeks, I have heard that name shredded creatively. If his government survives, he would have to understand that government-as-usual is over; Nigerians are insisting that the political power relationship must change so that those who rule do not expect to be served, or serve themselves.
Nigerians are asking for a true war against corruption. The evidence before us all is that Mr. Jonathan cannot offer such a commitment because his government is corruption itself. To begin with, Mr. Jonathan himself has refused to declare his assets, which is in many ways a confession of a dark secret. He has also failed to define his so-called transformation agenda; he talks about that agenda all day when all he has is a concept. An agenda, Mr. Reuben Abati would have told him in another life, has form and substance.
Take a look at his cabinet and special advisers, and the assortment of integrity-challenged personnel tells you that this is a government founded on rhetoric and hypocrisy. The paradox of Nigeria comes down to the fact that the people who are being asked to enthrone transparency do not know what transparency is.
Mr. Jonathan claims he wants to fight corruption, but he investigates nobody, arrests nobody, prosecutes nobody. No reports submitted to him are implemented.
This is particularly worrying when you consider his paranoia. Unable to fulfill his promise to bring Boko Haram to its knees, he has now declared it to be present in all arms of the government and the security agencies. Still, the President names nobody, arrests nobody, prosecutes nobody.
This confirms what some of us have been saying for a long time: there is nothing in the character or track record of Mr. Jonathan that makes him suitable to embark on the most fundamental demand Nigerians are making: the arrest of corruption. And yet, if we do not get that, the future will be outlined and defined by greater discontent and violence.
What next? The first thing is that the people must continue their rallies and protests, and insist that their efforts lead to substantive changes. If they do not, not only would all the suffering and deaths of the past two weeks have been for nothing, the Jonathan government will become worse, not better. Evil would have triumphed.
The challenge before us is that the social contract is broken and must be renegotiated. To that extent, the Labour Movement must be clear about one thing: this is a mass protest, not a labour strike. Labour must therefore be careful not to overestimate its role or overreach itself. It is making a wonderful contribution, but the protests preceded Labour intervention. Labour lacks the authority to speak for the people, some of whom are wary of a possible sell-out.
What Labour and others can help to do is help the government to understand that in 2012, the people want a government which locates its mandate in the electorate, not atop, or beyond. They want a government which implements the rule of law, not one which sides with criminals or hides them.
As a result of all this, the Labour Movement would be making a terrible error to assume anyone can turn off the rallies if Mr. Jonathan simply reverses his subsidy policy. If this is clear to Labour, they must work to broaden its discussion with the government to include all facets of society.
Only on such a table can the future, in terms of a meaningful peace deal be fashioned, and must include:
• Defining a true offensive against corruption to include independent bodies;
• Restructuring the government’s anti-corruption bodies so its principal officers are recruited using the same criteria developed by the Justice Uwais commission, through a competitive hiring process mediated by the judiciary;
• An independent Ombudsman who publishes quarterly corruption-related reports and monitors public petitions;
• A judiciary restructured to undertake corruption prosecutions swiftly and publicly;
• A Loot Recovery Initiative for Development (LURID);
• A law to protect and reward whistle-blowers;
• An Office of Budget and Public Projects Review; and
• Election Campaign Finance Law.
We are not going back to 2011.
Comments
57 comment(s)
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Skiny is good for you
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 19, 2012 - 00:48.
I can say that minkyu is so cool. Thanks for the helpful post.
continued! Why must we have
Submitted by Odiri C. Oghre (not verified) on January 16, 2012 - 12:07.
continued!
Why must we have 42 ministers plus a 10-12 Presidential Advisers, who themselves must have a coterie of advisers too? Again, putting an end to the unconstitutional and criminal scheming of our collective patrimony under the guise of the amorphous security and constituency vote will be another major contributor. Governments at all levels must display probity and accountability and show responsibility towards the people if we are to trust them ever again.
I agree completely with your
Submitted by Odiri C. Oghre (not verified) on January 16, 2012 - 12:06.
I agree completely with your submissions and would like to add a few comments. It is interesting to note that all government calculations on the so-called fuel subsidy removal are based on import. This presupposes that the government is intent on keeping the refineries at their epileptic operating level. Apparently, the government has not explored other potential sources of revenue to fund the phantom subsidy, which, in my opinion, can be managed and sustained until government can provide electricity and effective and efficient public transportation services (rail, road and water). For one, NNPC can take over directly the importation and distribution of petrol to meet the shortfall from the local refineries which we are told currently operate at about 30% installed capacity. At the very least, this will eliminate the need for profit margin! Cutting down the cost of governance can also be a significant contributor to the funding required.
Thanks, SO, for courageous commentary!
Submitted by Okey Ndibe (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 23:20.
This is a brilliant piece by Nigeria's finest, most eloquent columnist. I'm proud of the Nigerian people, and proud of kindred spirits like Achebe, Soyinka, J.P. Clark, Ogaga Ifowodo, and Sonala for championing the cause of our much-abused, long-suffering people!
Re: @Sonala Olumhense: Edit the two statements below before we r
Submitted by Hamiltonatlarge.blogspot.com (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 22:12.
Re: @Sonala Olumhense: Edit the two statements below before we read, submitted by Greg Madu
(1) "Let us be clear: there isn’t one Nigerian who does not believe that the subsidy, if it is genuine, should be retained. Not one."
Interpretation: Every Nigerian wants the subsidy to remain, even though no one can say for sure whether or not the subsidy does exist.
(2) "The issue is that the amateurish and insensitive handling of it in the face of wholesale corruption, and the implications of that approach."
Interpretation: Our major problem is corruption and not the retention or removal of oil subsidy. The removal of the subsidy by the President was poorly handled – communication wise and timing, and in complete disregards of the feelings of the generality of the civil society.
Forfeiture Clause
Submitted by Hamiltonatlarge.blogspot.com (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 22:09.
Mr. Olumhense, if you oblige me, I would like to add a clause to “A Loot Recovery Initiative for Development (LURID)” – A Forfeiture Clause.
Normally in criminal cases, the onus of proof is on the state to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt; however, in cases of egregious fraud and embezzlement, e.g. Bode George, Debrieye, Balogun, Ibori, etc., that burden should be lower - it should be a preponderance of the evidence. In that case, once the state establishes it case, the burden of persuasion should shift to these guys to convince the court about the source or sources of the money in their bank accounts or what they do with the money allocated to their office. It saves time and money.
Let's Pay great attention to the budget
Submitted by Adenike Oyalowo (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 21:31.
Sonala Olumhense is very much on point. However we all need to pay great attention to the individual appropriation in the 2012 budget and see the obscene high amount of money proposed to be spent by the presidency in a country said to be going broke.
Rehabilitation of presidential/ministerial chalet at Nnamdi Azikiwe airport is supposed to cost N 112 million, what happens if they need to build a new one if they're spending that much just to rehabilitate? They're spending N116 million to install UPS facilities in the VP's house. What kind of UPS Are we talking about here? We really need to start asking some serious questions here.
We have to be serious about our demand for accountability from those who rule us. Why should they expect us the people to go keep tightening our belt when they leave much larger than leaders in the most prosperous of nations?
calling a man backward or a
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 20:37.
calling a man backward or a fool is not the best way to explain civilization or your view to him. You should try to apologize for this because both of you are only interested in good governance and not words of aggression.
thanks
DERI YOU ARE LOSING THE WAR
Submitted by ibrahim saad (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 19:15.
IT IS OBVIOUS FROM THE RESPONSE YOU GET THAT YOUR INCOHERENT,CLONED AND DISJOINTED POSTINGS ARE HAVING THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. FIRST THEY IRRITATE THE PEOPLE, THEN THEY LEAD THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE CLUELESS ONE. I WILL SUGGEST YOU GET A SCHOLARSHIP ( SOUTH AFRICA) FOR A CRASH COURSE IN BELIEVABLE PROPAGANDA AND DOUBT SEEDING!
@ Deri you know the truth about the death of corpers during last
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 18:02.
@ Deri you know the truth about the death of corpers during last Election. Your conscience will continue to prick you as you read this now. The plan to cause havoc in the North in order to whip sentiment against cpc in the North was chaired by David mark who provided the tool and military/police uniform used. Why was nobody prosecuted for the evil?When the time come the whole Nigerian will have access to the full information. The same strategy was employed recently during the Lekki toll gate pretest. Who were the thugs who invaded the area with police uniform, why did Adeboruwa with the level of technology could not show picture or video of the thugs and police? It was part of the game. Be sure Gej and Mark the killer will be brought to book like Munarak is in Egypt now, not far from now again.
@Deri. Who told you opposition don't have right to protest?
Submitted by Yom Yom on January 15, 2012 - 17:45.
@Deri. You're very backward. In Britain it's the job of the oppostion party to makesure govt of the day is running the country properly, the oppostion are the first to come out in england when the coalition goes wrong, same as when barack obama goes wrong on any policy the republicans will be the first to come out, that's democracy. Nothing wrong with that, they are nigerians first and politicians second. Because they lost election doesn't mean they should keep quiet if the govt is doing wrong, why are you so stupid deri? Maybe you should be watching the parliament debates in england to help open your up your villager's brain, you know nothing and i can't blame you it's an ijaw thing. You suprised the way people are waking up hey? its time for you to wake up too and fight for ijaw land instead of selling your soul to the thieving nigerian politicians, does that crowd look like rented? Fool.
@ Deri
Submitted by EMEKA OKAFOR (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 17:17.
Deri,
NLC & TUC owes you no explanation as you are a member of both group, the explanation you are referring to is only for bonafide members. Go and ask Goathead Jonathan to give us explanation on who the cabal is, what he is doing about the cabal, the state of Nigerian refineries etc.
Was it the NLC, TUC and Civil
Submitted by deri (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 14:39.
Was it the NLC, TUC and Civil Society organizations that dipped their hands into their bank accounts to finance the entire thing Nigerians saw on television during the protest in some of these states that must have gulped very handsome amount? The labour leaders owe workers an obligation to make public how much they spent to finance the protest and, if indeed, they bankrolled everything. Our labor leaders are always in the forefront calling on the government to open the books for Nigerians to see and they must do same anytime the dust settle on the anti-subsidy protests.Nigerians are equally aware that some politicians that could not make it through the ballot box, including those that inflicted unbearable wounds on the people in the not too distant past also at a point practically took over the anti-subsidy protest for obvious reasons
Re: Beyond & Beneath N65 - by Sonala Olumhense
Submitted by Dr Olusegun Fakoya (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 13:10.
If the ongoing social struggle needs a defined guidance, one has been provided by Mr Olumhense. If they need a reason for continuation of the ongoing struggle, here is a compendium. I really do not think that there is much to add.
To Jonathan and his cohort, I recommend this as a comprehensive read. If I had access to Aso Rock mailing details, I would have posted this article. It is great and may be able to change the thinking of the dense lots presently occupying the seats of power in Nigeria today.
The People own d govt
Submitted by Akin Akinyemi (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 13:00.
Just in case Jonah and co av forgotten, the people own d govt and d money u are contolling. The pple has d right to tell u, Ngo-subsidy, Sanu-bokoharam and co how to spend it. Leave Subsidy or RESIGN NOW!!!
Spot on!
Submitted by Olugu Orji (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 12:47.
Sonala, wish I could steal your mind. As usual, your submission is succint and I couldn't agree more. This struggle is way beyond subisdy. Please keep on writing and may your tribe increase! May you never be lured with the position of Special Assistant on Media!!
NATIONAL CONFERENCE IT IS
Submitted by Aremu Adetoro (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 11:45.
Or a vice- president who wanted to supplant is boss who was sometime ago talked gleefully of a meeting where a section of the polity where the boss was been disparaged.
Is it in the PARTY component of our democracy do we say the party system is functioning ?, the presidential system in bleeding and impoverishment our land
Even elite settlement as it happened in South Korea after military rule has not work. PLS LET DIALOGUE TO SAVE NIGERIA or else we SELF IMPLODE
Here we go again
Submitted by emeka k duru (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 11:43.
It will be helpful if the NLC and Civil societies would look into the 2012 budget and advise the government on things that could be trimmed,things that can be postponed and how to raise the $8billion dollars to finance SURE,from the budget.
I think constituency allowance to NASS could be taken over by SURE with members nominating projects they want implemented in the constituencies,within the approved ,equal constituency funds.This will restore confidence in politicians. Secondly I think the Presidency has to half its security vote. There is no greeter security as that offered by the polity.The people have to feel like protecting the leadership.to give information on activities around them.Allowances need further cuts and NLC should help fight corruption by encouraging whistle-blowers.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE IT IS
Submitted by Aremu Adetoro (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 11:32.
Nigeria is DYING all patriots should come out to the deck before the ship of state is sunken with all on board.
Nigeria as a country is not working, the state is fragile, the ruling elites are only concerned wealth sharing, a statistics of those in the forefront of the occupy nigeria movement, save nigeria group etc are of the same ilk, what can you say of a former minister who was not in position the government that he served in at 2 capacities for 8 yrs, took flight when under heat and now under a more clement environment of TRANSFORMATION IS TALKING WE WE, who are the we.
Hi
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 11:15.
The writer of this article has done a fantastic job. Cost of governance should also be reduced by 50% from presidency,governors,senators,honourables down to councillors.
May God Almighty bless Nigeria, amin.
@Sonala Olumhense: Edit the two statements below before we read
Submitted by Greg Madu (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 11:05.
@Sonala Olumhense;
Edit please:
(1) "Let us be clear: there isn’t one Nigerian who does not believe that the subsidy, if it is genuine, should be retained. Not one."
(2) "The issue is that the amateurish and insensitive handling of it in the face of wholesale corruption, and the implications of that approach."
Sonala Olumhense needs to make himself clear in the two paragraphs above before we read him further here.
THE SEEDS ARE SOWN!
Submitted by ibrahim saad (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 10:51.
A WONDERFUL ARTICLE. GEJ LOST ALL RESPECT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED SINCE HIS BROWL WITH TURAI. THEN CAME THE TWO YEARS OF LACK LUSTER LEADERSHIP. I WAS AMAZED AT HOW NIGERIANS WILL BE TAKEN IN BY HIS PERSONALITY AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE AT LEAST SOME RECORD AND CREDIBILITY. BUT I ASSUMED THAT MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS MUST BE SMARTER THAN ME. UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT AND HERE IS WHERE WE LANDED. MARK MY WORDS IF GEJ REMAINS IN POWER NIGERIANS SHOULD GET READY FOR MORE TROUBLES IN THE DAYS AHEAD. HE HAS ALREADY PLANTED THE SEEDS OF NIGERIAS DESTRUCTION BY ENTICING MERCHANTS OF DEATH BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA WITH LUCRATIVE DEFENSE CONTRACTS. IT WILL TAKE MAJOR EFFORT TO STOP THEM.
where is the subsidy?
Submitted by Abdallah (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 10:33.
1. Crude Oil production/day - 2.5M barrels
2. Current Price = $113/barrel
3. Daily Sales = 2.5M x 113 = $282.5million
4. Monthly Sales = 282.5M x 30days = $8.475billion
5. Yearly Sales = $8.475billion x 12 = $101.7billion
6. Naira Equivalent = 101.7billion x #160 = 16.272trillion naira per year.
7. Nigeria's budget for 2012 = 4.5trillion naira.
Now d question is: Where is d surplus going? PLS PASS ON THIS ENLIGHTENMENT ON TO OTHER NIGERIANS!
are these from the niger delta or kogi state
Submitted by deri (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 09:13.
Nigerians who have stolen and benefitted from the oil subsidy, causing pains and hardship to ordinary Nigerian citizens with Oando, owned by Wale Tinubu, younger brother of former Lagos Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Sayyud Dantata MRS oil topping the list.
Mike Adenuga’s CONOIL and construction companies, one of them suspected to be Julius Berger were named as the culprits.
Among the names reeled out by the Senator Abe led Committee are; Oando Nigerian Plc. – N228.506 b, MRS – N224.818 billion, Enak Oil & Gas – N19.684 billion, CONOIl – N37.960 billion, Bovas & Co. Nig. Ltd. – N5.685 billion, Obat N85 billion and AP; N104.5billion.
Irresponsible and Irresponsive government
Submitted by Benson, Switzerland (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 09:02.
As usual, a great piece! More ink to your pen.
However, I'm afraid if this govt can ever carry out the 8 assignments you gave them at the end of the piece. GEJ isn't just ready, nor capable. Unfortunately, these are what we need to make our nation great. God save Nigeria!
Lastly, I fervently hope that Nigerians would be able to stay through this nation-wide strike until GEJ bends: we need to let govt know who truly owns the Nigerian farm: the mouse or the trap!!!
The current government lacks credibility.
Submitted by Makossa (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 08:41.
The current leadership, like its predecessors, lacks credibility and has therefore lost it's legitimacy to continue to govern Nigeria. It would be better if all current political office holders from the local governments, up through the governors to the offices of the president, his vice and their cronies be made to resign so we can replace them with credible, competent and accountable individuals, that way we could hope for a better future and the sacrifices of Nigerians past and present would not be in vain.
Sonala
Submitted by kenyatta (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 08:16.
I cannot but agree with you.I support a full
Deregulation(probably phased after due consultation.$
We should carryout non cripplying and sustained
Protests against corruption and other reforms
U skillfully outlined.
Great article, articulate,
Submitted by Akin Otiko (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 07:49.
Great article, articulate, punchy and stylish. When issues need to be analysed and interrogated with patriotic candour and fluidity of language, Solana is one of our very best. E KU ISE.
Compare the increase of fuel
Submitted by deri (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 07:33.
Compare the increase of fuel price by over 900% in just under 2yrs in 1994(from 23 kobo per litre under Ernest Shonekan to N11 per litre under Abacha), which enjoyed the support of BUHARI, with this present increase of about 110% in 5yrs, from N65 per litre in 2007 to N141 per litre in 2012. Buhari did not see the WiCKED increase of over 900% in 1994,over 2yr period, under Abacha as DECLARATION OF WAR on 9jas. He did not feel any MORAL BURDEN in heading the PTF to manage the proceeds from that murderous increment. But Buhari and his CPC has described the 110% increase of fuel price, in 5yrs, under President Jonathan, as DECLARATION OF WAR on 9jas. SHAME on those who have been CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT. He truncated democracy in 1983 only to come back to contest elections in 2003,2007 and 2011. He vowed not to go to court after 2011 elections but we later found him in court. Again he said he'll quit politics but he is still LOITERING around politics. SHAME!ify
Compare the increase of fuel
Submitted by deri (not verified) on January 15, 2012 - 07:32.
Compare the increase of fuel price by over 900% in just under 2yrs in 1994(from 23 kobo per litre under Ernest Shonekan to N11 per litre under Abacha), which enjoyed the support of BUHARI, with this present increase of about 110% in 5yrs, from N65 per litre in 2007 to N141 per litre in 2012. Buhari did not see the WiCKED increase of over 900% in 1994,over 2yr period, under Abacha as DECLARATION OF WAR on 9jas. He did not feel any MORAL BURDEN in heading the PTF to manage the proceeds from that murderous increment. But Buhari and his CPC has described the 110% increase of fuel price, in 5yrs, under President Jonathan, as DECLARATION OF WAR on 9jas. SHAME on those who have been CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT. He truncated democracy in 1983 only to come back to contest elections in 2003,2007 and 2011. He vowed not to go to court after 2011 elections but we later found him in court. Again he said he'll quit politics but he is still LOITERING around politics. SHAME!ify
