Prof. Nwabueze recommends government of National Unity as panacea to save Nigerian democracy

Success Damian:

Internationally renowned lawyer and Human Right Activist, Professor Ben Nwabueze has recommended Government of National Unity as panacea to save Nigerian Democracy.

Nwabueze made the recommendation at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday during the launch of two books which he authored.

While decrying insecurity ravaging the country and the refusal of the President to change the service chiefs Nwabueze said “President Buhari’s blunt refusal to resign, which is accompanied by the equally blunt refusal to change the service chiefs, raised the issue as to what alternatives are left for the Nigerian people in order to save themselves from the scourge of insecurity that threatens them with ruination.

 “I venture to suggest that a government of National Unity composed of the candidates of the political parties, and headed by a person chosen by them, may be the alternative for us. The details of such arrangement will need to be worked out and will require compromises on all sides,” Nwabueze said.     

   

In a paper titled “In a Situation of Worsening Insecurity Threatening the Lives and Property of All of Us and Where President Buhari has Bluntly Refused to Resign for Reasons Quite Untenable, What Alternative is Left for the Country to Save Itself?”, the erudite scholar decried a position where a call for the president’s resignation is treated with utter disdain and is scoffed as “foolish”.

He however sounded optimistic that the call for resignation received attention “The new position where the call is recognized as worthy of presidential response represents a certain progress. 

“The response has come in the form of a categorical statement by the Honourable Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to the effect that “Mr president will not resign”, because “he has the overwhelming mandate of Nigerians to preside over the affairs of the country till the expiration of his tenure in May 2023” 

He stated that the reason given by the minister is untenable on two main grounds. “First the so-called overwhelming mandate derived from the February 2019 Presidential Election is disputed by European Union Election Observation Mission Report; International Republic Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) in their final report; It is also disputed by the Coalition of NGOs Report; and by the Centre for Democracy and Development post-mortem Report.”

Professor Nwabueze maintained that the Nigeria people themselves are not deceived by the rhetoric of overwhelming mandate.

“The reason given by Hon. Minister is untenable more because it ignores the obvious fact that the worsening incidents of insecurity as aggravated by the everyday and continuing holocaust of killings by Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers, and cultists not to mention the slaughter of thousands by Boko Haram terrorists is a post February 2019 presidential Election phenomenon,” he said.

Nwabueze said the aggravated insecurity occurring after the election could not have been mandated by the votes of the people cast at the said elections. “If anything, the votes cast at the election are a clear repudiation of the claim of mandate based on them,” he said.

He spoke further “What is happening in Nigeria is heart rendering, The Nigeria we all fought for, none of us had thought that what we are seeing today would ever happen. It is a great lamentation for me; I was almost moved to tears.”

On question of how to save the country from bad governance, he said, “How do we get out of this? We must tell ourselves that this country must be saved; we must do everything within our power to save the country,” he said.

Dignitaries at the occasion include former Secretary-General of the Common wealth, Dr. Emeka Anyaoku; Chief Segun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State, Alhaji Buba Galadima and a host of crème de la crème in Nigerian legal and political firmaments.

Galadima decries bad governance in Nigeria, says we are in ‘one chance bus’

Success Damian:

Alhaji Buba Galadima, has decried the bad governance system in Nigeria, saying that Nigerians are in a ‘one chance bus’.

Galadima made the disclosure while speaking to the media at the launch of two books by the internationally acclaimed constitutional Lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.

The books were ‘President Buhari’s Distinctive Legacies to Nigeria’, and ‘Further Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution and Polity’

Galadima who was a special guest of Honour at the event, called on Nigerians of all sheds of opinion to come together to proffer solution so as to get the bus to stop so that Nigerians could disembark.

“Nigerians are in one chance bus, we need opinions on how to stop the bus so that Nigerians can disembark. The Northeast and Northwest have since disembarked. We have to do so because the bus is auto-piloted.”

Speaking further on what he meant by Nigerians have entered one chance bus he said “You don’t know that Nigeria is trouble? You can’t walk on the street without looking at your back, no security, no hunger in your house? Do your children go to school? Do they go to hospital and get drugs? He queried.

He said that the assignment to get Nigeria liberated is not a one man show, “It is for every Nigerian, Nigerians must come together, it is our fight, not one person, it involves you and I.”

On how best to fight the present bad governance in Nigeria, Galadima threw back the question by asking, “How did we fight the previous fights, General Babangida, General Abacha, President Obasanjo and President Jonathan, how did we fight them?

On El Rufai’s comment that power should shift to the south he said that El Rufai has the right under the constitution to make such comment. “We are running a constitutional democracy, supposedly, so every Nigerian is entitled to their opinion, every Nigerian is entitled to the leadership of the country. All we need is a leader with a large heart, foresight, a leader with a vision that can take Nigeria to the Next level, not the APC type.”

Galadima also spoke on the issue of regional security, saying “That is a vote of no confidence on this government, if there is no security challenge, will the southwest dream or think of a security outfit from which they would throw away resources that would have been used for development?”

On the issue with AMCON he said, “That is not an issue, because it is the least I expect would happen to me. I could be killed, I could be incarcerated, so if they didn’t do all these and they just took my property, I am still alive, I can still fight back. How are they sure they can be there forever? How are they sure I will not be somewhere, have they discussed with God? 

“So they can go ahead, this is not the first, two months ago, they went and took over my residence in Kano, sacked everybody, remove everything movable from the house, for a debt they said they owe a political party of which I was the secretary, but the respondents in the case were General Muhammadu Buhari, his minister of Justice today, his minister of Humanitarian Services today were all as respondents, but they picked on me, the weakest link,” Galadima stated.

Recalled that the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) recently seized properties belonging to Buba Galadima over N900 million debt.

Buba Galadima is a Nigerian politician who was appointed National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change party, formed in the run-up to the 2011 national elections as a leading platform for former military ruler and President of Nigeria General Muhammadu Buhari.

Lenten season: Catholic Bishops call for prayer, penance for peace, security in Nigeria

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Catholic Bishops of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on all Catholics in Nigeria as well as other Christians and persons of goodwill to unite in prayer and penance for peace and security in Nigeria.

In a press statement jointly signed by Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze and Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, president and Secretary of the association respectively, the call was in response to repeated barbaric executions of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists which have traumatised many citizens.

“Today is Ash Wednesday. On this day, Christians all over the world begin a spiritual journey of repentance marked by prayer, penance, almsgiving and other forms of charitable works. We do this to participate more intimately in the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, in preparation for the celebration of the solemn feast of his Resurrection at Easter. 

“As we begin the Holy Season, we, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, invite all Catholics in Nigeria as well as other Christians and persons of goodwill to unite in prayer and penance for peace and security in our country. The level of insecurity in Nigeria today is such that whether at home or on the road, most Nigerians, in all the parts of the country, live in fear. The repeated barbaric executions of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists have traumatised many citizens.

“That the perpetrators of these heinous crimes make public shows of them on social media and Nigerians, do not hear of any arrests or prosecution of the criminals raises grave questions about the ability and willingness of the government to protect the lives of the ordinary Nigerians. To make matters worse, many communities are constantly threatened, harassed and sometimes even sacked by herdsmen, as they seek to take over more territories to graze their cattle forcefully,” the statement read. 

The group said it was aware of its moral responsibility hence the need to remind government of her duties, “Aware of our moral responsibility, may we, once again, remind all the arms of Government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace and without peace there can be no development or national growth.

“We, therefore, appeal to the Government to immediately put a stop to this unprecedented wave of violence and brutality aimed particularly at Christians. We also call for the arrest and prosecution of all those behind these senseless killings that sow the dangerous seeds of hate and distrust among the various segments of the Nigerian society,” the group maintained. 

It continued “We are sad. We are in sorrow and grief. But we are confident that the light of Christ, which shines in our hearts, will brighten the dark corners of our Nigerian society. As a mark of mourning for all our brothers and sisters who have been victims of the most recent wave of violence against Christians, we are all dressed in black today and offer our prayers and penance for their repose.

“We invite the universal Church and all Christians to join us in prayers for our dead brothers and sisters and for peace and security in Nigeria. We equally appeal to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in the fight against these daredevil terrorists, who want to graze our country. The consequences, should they succeed, will be grave not only for the West African sub-region but also for Africa as a whole.” 

Family Planning reduces maternal mortality by 30%, enhances nation building, says Johnson

Success Damian:

Dr Taiwo Johnson, Director, Post-Pregnancy Family Planning Project (PPFP), has disclosed that family planning reduces maternal mortality rate among women by 30 percent, adding also that it plays an important role in nation building.

Johnson made the disclosure at a Post Pregnancy Family Planning Project media Sensitisation at Devcoms Office in Surulere, Lagos on Friday.

“Family planning reduces maternal mortality rate among women by 30 percent, it also plays an important role in nation building,” Johnson said.

She also canvassed for the involvement of men in the family planning to reduce maternal mortality among women in Nigeria.

Johnson urged men to encourage their wives to adopt family planning method suitable for them soon after delivery, saying “A woman could get pregnant even when she is breastfeeding if adequate caution is not take”

The PPFP Director said “For breastfeeding to be an effective family planning method, a woman must ensure that her menstrual period has not returned after delivery and also ensure that the baby put to breast on demand excluding water and food supplement.”

Johnson added that PPFP has plan to cover 240 private health facilities in Lagos State before the expiration of the project and currently has presence in 193 private health facilities across 19 local government areas in the state.

She disclosed that Lagos State government needs to work more with private health facilities if the state would attain its goal in achieving quality health for citizens.

1 billion rising raises the vibration, sensitizes Ajegunle, Nigeria against rape, slavery

1Billion Rising, the Nigerian partner of Irise, an internationally recognized Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) devoted to fighting institutional slavery and Exploitation of the girl-child and women, on the 18^th of February took its sensitization campaign to Ajegunle Roundabout in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government where the group talked to market women, children and general public. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

 

Ajegunle unarguably a city known for its good, bad and ugly definitions and brandings due to crimes such as rape, area boyism, hawking, girl-child molestation, child abuse, environmental dirtiness, school dropout syndrome, teenage pregnancy, parents sexually assaulting and harassing their children, suicide, among other crime is also prominently known as a place where illiteracy scores high marks due to poverty, unbridled unplanned family leading to population explosion in the area.

With the theme ‘2020 Raise the Vibration’ while at Ajegunle, the group called on all Nigerians to Rise against all forms of violence against women and girls, as it observed an intensified rising trend of killing, Rape, Displacement in crisis area in Nigeria, police brutality, men raping women and children with impunity, among others.

The campaign which the group is taking to different parts of Nigeria commenced February 14 would run through 17,18, 20, 21 and ultimately come to a successful end on March 8, 2020.

Omodele Ibitoye, Coordinator, I billion Rising, Executive Director, Irise spoke on reason for the campaign in Ajegunle. “Year 2020 Rising, we are raising the vibration, this is the fifth year we are doing it in Lagos, Nigeria, we have been holding indoor workshops, symposia, organizing campaigns, and now we decided to bring this campaign to a popular ghetto known as Ajegunle in Lagos State. It is the most popular ghetto in Nigeria. This place has produced a lot of prominent people, but still has lots of stories of infamy and stigma. So it is not all about going to the halls and talking but talking to the people who really need to listen to us: Market women, school children, bike riders, men going and coming back from work, the community people.”

She spoke further on the choice of method to be able to pass their message to the people, “We thought about talking to the community people, like a street campaign, where we would pass our message to the people through dance, drama and music, and it has been striking, outstanding, it is beautiful.”

Ibitoye spoke on the reason for choice of Ajegunle as venue for the sensitization, saying it was her way of giving back to the community to raised her. “Ajegunle is a beautiful community, it has produced a lot of prominent people like I said, Ajegunle is like a de facto Lagos in Lagos; it is difficult to walk around Lagos and not finding somebody from Ajegunle. This community has giving so much, but people find it difficult to come and give back, we don’t have this culture of giving back, this is my way of giving back to the society, to the community.”

She then spoke on what can be done to stop rape, slavery and other crimes in Nigeria and Ajegunle particularly, “Rape could be stopped through educating the society, by educating people, by letting people know that humans are humans, we should think about humanity first, before thinking of religion, culture and other needs. Rape dehumanizes, it destroys, so for us to stop rape, is for us to be educated, for us to understand that we are humans and we have to act like humans and not animals.”

On her vision for the organization in the next five years, she said “In the next five years we must have educated the whole of Nigeria, and we are going international, 1billion Rising is an international Organisation, it is taking this campaign to the 36 states of the country and more, I am excited, I am delighted.” 

Maryjane one of the coordinators of 1 billion Rising speaking on the successes of the NGO, said “The success story is numerous, you know when people call and say 1billion Rising, I thank you people, I encountered domestic Violence, I know exactly where to go, and I got my sucour, you know, that encourages us. We are also rising to ensure women have their body autonomy, their reproductive rights, with the campaign also, people no longer keep quiet, they call and say, my neighbor’s child was raped and all that, people are beginning to be aware, information they say is power.”

Maryjane further disclosed that Nigerian Government has not supported the group, adding “This is a good cause, lets pursue it, the government, everybody should come out together, it is a collective responsibility. We alone cannot do it, so we are pleading with government, please support this cause, even if not financially they can support giving us other things, like asking us to come to do our campaign and all of that. 

On the group’s mission to Abuja she said, “Expectation is very very high, this time around we are taking the campaign to the IDP Camp, we want to let those women there know that we care for them, After the Boko Haram menace chased them out of their homes, they are now in the camp in Abuja, so we are going there too. We know they are passing through so many things there.”

Breaking: Rio Production Fashion Week debuts in Africa-Nigeria

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 Port-Harcourt Audition

Rio Production Fashion Week, organized by Rio Production India, an internationally acclaimed top brand in fashion shows, in collaboration with Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide, is set to make a debut in Africa-Nigeria come June, 2020.

In a press statement released to the media by Charles Umege, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide, the fashion show which is designed to attract the crème de la crème in fashion industry, top designers and models from different parts of the world will be LIVE in Nigeria.

The release disclosed that Final audition for Lagos Models will take place on the 15^th of February, 2020 at Le Paris Continental Hotel, 16 Babatunde Badiri, Off Akwuuzu, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, time 10am, while those in Port-Harcourt axis of Nigeria have already completed their own Final audition.

Described as the biggest fashion show in the African continent, the show is aimed at projecting African fashion designers to the global fashion industry and also raising African models from obscurity and turning them into global stars.

Also the international fashion week is already getting media attention from different parts of the world.

According to the press statement the show is designed for African designers and Models to rise to the international scene.