Sunday, December 27, 2009

Flight 253 Jet Bomber.

Let me start by condemning every act of terrorism and urge the world to unite in the fight against terrorist(s) acts. My special thanks go to the passengers on board Northwest Airline Flight No 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit , who managed to overpower a suspected bomber named, Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab from Nigeria . The Nigerian suspected bomber tried to ignite a device as the plane began its approach to landing. The suspect took off from Lagos Nigeria with a KLM flight and connected a Northwest Airline Flight from Amsterdam en route to Detroit . This incident happened on Friday 25th December 2009, as the entire world was busy celebrating Christmas with their loved ones. The suspected bomber suffered burns as a result of the fire which emanated from the device he tried to ignite. Unfortunately the suspect was an engineering student at university college London from 2005 to 2008.

This is a serious security concern for all, especially with the fact that the suspect had links with Al Qaeda or other terrorist(s) networks. The other concern is also the fact that he is a Nigerian and he originated his ill fated journey from Lagos , Nigeria . Now the question is? how did he manage to board at Lagos and Amsterdam airports? Perhaps this is a new device that the airport securities could not detect. Three days before the attempt to blow the transatlantic airlines, that is on the 22nd December 2009 a bomb exploded on a man in a particular area of Lagos city ( Ikorodu Road ). Reports had it that a man walked into a building housing Superscreen Television Station carrying some parcels which contained bombs, one of which exploded blowing off his finger and burnt his face. Luckily this suspect did not die.

The FBI, Metropolitan Police, and Nigerian security agencies should extend their investigation to the incident at the Superscreen Television Station in Lagos Nigeria . There might be links with the transatlantic attempt to blow off Northwest Airline since it was only three days interval. While the suspected bomber (Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) took off from Lagos airport, Superscreen Television bomb attempt took place also in Lagos . Another concern would be, if there are terrorist(s) groups in Nigeria . One might be tempted to think in the affirmative due to incessant religious crises in Nigeria .

In July 2009, Nigeria witnessed one of her worst religious crises named Boko Haram. Boko Haram in English Language translation means western education is a sin. In that crisis over 300 people died. A year before (2008), there was also a religious riot in Nigeria (the Jos Crisis). The Jos Crisis claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians. Religious crisis occurs regularly in Nigeria . The big one came in November 2002, when some Moslem youths that were opposed to Miss World contest in Abuja led to its cancellation and subsequent relocation of the show to London . About 100 people lost their lives in that incident. Ironically, a lady from Turkey (a Moslem country) won the contest in London .

Authorities in the United Kingdom (the Commission on National Security in the 21st Century which was sponsored by the Institute for Public Policy Research in the UK ) have expressed serious concern about Nigeria . Their concern was reported on the Guardian Newspaper of Thursday November 27 2008 page 23. Part of the report said thus; “The list of 20 failed states is headed by Somalia, where drought and al-Qaeda influences are now compounded by the increasing threat of piracy, and includes Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria”.

The report went further to say that “Weak, corrupt and failing states have become bigger security risks than strong states and will remain a highly visible feature of the security landscape for decades to come. They are targets of transnational criminal networks which are expanding their drugs, arms and people trafficking operations”. On reading the above reports, I quickly wrote a letter to the British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) on the 3rd December 2008, in the letter I proffered some solutions towards supporting Nigeria to elect credible leaders, which is what Nigeria need. Credible leadership will be able to steer Nigeria out of the ship of failed states and thus ensure the proper fight against global terrorism and crimes.

My letter titled; Letter to the British Prime Minister was published on my blog (http://briefsfromak uta.blogspot. com/2008/ 12/letter- to-british- prime-minister. html). I am also attaching the responses that I got from the office of the British Prime Minister on the issues that I raised. Perhaps this incident might give America and European Union an opportunity to ensure necessary political reforms are carried out in Nigeria . America and Britain insisted that Afghanistan should conduct a credible election. The British Prime Minister even threatened sanction against President Hamid Karzai’s government. America , United Kingdom and the European Union should support and insist that Nigeria reforms her political process. It’s only then, that the Western nations will have a popular and credible Nigerian leader to deal with.

Furthermore, I will also appeal to America , European Union and United Kingdom to support the Nigerian people in their fight against corruption. High level corruption is part of the reason why Nigeria was grouped among the failed states. The Western government can render this help by freezing the accounts of suspected corrupt Nigerian officials in their various countries. They should also reveal the properties acquired by corrupt Nigerian officials. There are quite a number of Nigerian organizations both at home and abroad which the Western countries can work with to ensure changes happens in Nigeria. May God bless Nigeria.

Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Seasonal Greetings To Nigerians.

Let me start by wishing Nigerians who are Moslems a belated Barkar De Salah. To those Nigerians who are pagans, may the almighty God bless you people this Christmas Season. To Nigerians of other faith(s) and religion, may God bless you people as well. To the Nigerian Christians, of which am one of them, I wish you all a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year (2010). Please permit me to also pray for all Nigerians using Psalm 91 verse 11, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways”. May the good God continue to give his angels charge over our great country.

A lot of activities take place every Christmas period, especially the fact that people at home and abroad visit loved ones. This involves a lot of traveling either by road, sea or air. For those people that will be driving this period, please kindly drive with care and more importantly, avoid drink driving. The state of our road network should be a recipe for careful driving. I expect the Federal Road Safety Commission to do more work in enforcing road safety measures this Christmas period. There is need for the enforcement of road safety measures; this is in order to ensure compliance with the rules or deterrence from committing traffic offences.

For those traveling by the water ways, I urge total compliance with all safety measures. For our airline pilots, please be kind enough to observe all safety rules including observing the alcohol limit. Many airline pilots have violated the alcohol limits. In October 2008, a pilot working for United Airlines was arrested on a flight heading from Heathrow airport (United Kingdom) to San Francisco (America) for having over the limit alcohol level in his system. In May 2009, an American Airlines pilot bound from Heathrow to Chicago was arrested for failing a breathalyzer test. Alcohol can impair pilots’ abilities to operate an aircraft effectively. In the United Kingdom, the alcohol limit for pilots is the equivalent of a glass of beer. It is stricter in the United States of America.

Many airline operators in the developed countries maintain strict alcohol policies. United Airlines claims its alcohol policy is among the strictest in the airline industry. These and many more other safety measures should be replicated by the Nigerian airline operators and pilots. Safety should be the watch word especially now that a lot of people are traveling. Pilots should avoid being under pressure.

This season (Christmas) usually call for reflections on the year (2009) that is almost ended and resolution(s) for New Year (2010). For the New Year (2010) resolution(s), I will urge Nigerians to love one another. Let us love each other and above all, let us love our neighbor like our self. There is so much animosity and hatred in the land. We need to love one another, because love begets love, and love brings peace. Lets preach peace wherever there is misunderstanding. The nation and the people can only prosper in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Same should apply to various communities/villages that are at war with each other.

I will also advocate togetherness among Nigerians. There are more to gain by being one big country. Nigeria is in no way near the population or the complexity of China and India, yet these countries have not broken up. United States of America is also a multi cultural country but still remains one country. I also know the case of former Yugoslavia and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Ironically, most former countries of Eastern Europe/USSR (Poland, Czechs, Hungary, Romania, etc) and Yugoslavia have joined the European Union. The European Union is a typical example of what togetherness can bring. European Union is made up of twenty seven (27) countries, with headquarters in Brussels. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is also an example of togetherness in the making. Late Kwame Nkrumah (former President of Ghana) propagated one Africa, whereas late Nnamdi Azikiwe (first Nigerian President) preached one Nigeria.

There are free movement of goods, services and personnel within the European Union. There is a common monetary union and the use of common currency (the euro). Many more countries like Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, etc have applied to join the European Union, but politics and other strategic considerations are hindering the admissions of these aspiring nations. The European Union remains the main trading partner of all African countries including Nigeria. While advocating togetherness, I will not fail to point out that our togetherness should not be at the detriment of one group/tribe/region or the other. I will want to see justice, fair play, and equity in our togetherness. I had earlier called for the abolition of quota system and federal character. We cannot make a head way as a nation with those systems in place.

I want to see more synergy among Nigerians in business, researches, community services, etc. I believe two heads are better than one, and three should be better than two. I want to see more Nigerians cooperating to build massive business conglomerates so as to create employment opportunities for our brothers and sisters who are unemployed. It will be a good idea to have business mergers that will survive, than having a sole proprietor that will close business. Let us work together to offer community services to our people. There are a lot we can do for our people without the government. Synergy should also apply to our political parties. Let like minded and “true” political groups merge together to form a formidable opposition party. As it is, the opposition parties have not truly taken its position in Nigeria.

I will also propose the United Kingdom form of shadow cabinet for all third tier system of government in Nigeria, that is the local, state, and federal government. I will suggest that all opposition parties should form shadow cabinets in all the 774 local governments, 36 states and also at federal level. The idea will be to provide constructive criticism and provide alternative and better policy framework. Opposition parties/groups are an essential part of every democracy. Lets challenge and change those things that are hindering our development and progress as a people. Let us stop complaining and put efforts together to change our society. Every little effort counts. Let us also remember that its better for us to try and fail than fail to try.

Finally, I wish to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming. Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year (2010) to all Nigerians. May God bless Nigeria.

Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Health Checks.

Experience is the best teacher and we have no reason not to learn from our past, except we want to play tricks on ourselves. I am writing this piece in respect to the acknowledgement by Aso Rock/Presidency that our president is suffering from acute pericarditis. This has taken the Presidency almost two and half years to admit or to tell Nigerians that their President is ill. Yet this same administration preaches transparency and openness. The health of a leader is not something to be hidden from the people. Every leader or aspiring leaders should understand that, their lives (health, family, finances, etc) will be in public domain. In the United Kingdom, almost every one knows that Gordon Brown (British Prime Minister) has an eye problem. This was an injury he sustained while playing Rugby sports. The dates of all his medical examinations since he became prime minister are reported by the press.

Agreed that the President can be ill just like any other human being, but when the sickness affects his ability to discharge his presidential duties, then something has to be done. The constitution is clear on this. Nigeria is too big, too fragile and too complex not to have an able president. Be that as it may and in view of the fact that our presidents ill health has costs the nation a lot (delays in performing government duties, the costs of which cannot be quantified in monetary terms). I will propose to all the political parties to always do a comprehensive health check in future, before giving any aspirant their ticket/nomination to contest election. Though there is no guarantee against ill health, but an idea of one’s medical history is important. This should be applicable to all elective positions in the country, starting from the ward councilors to the president.

Let President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua,s case be the last for our country. Nigeria witnessed similar episode during the tenure of late General Abacha. Late Abacha was sick and declined to relinquish power to enable him undergo treatment, till he died in office. The national interest should be considered first. The slow down in government activities largely caused by the ill health of our president, should be a big lesson for all political parties to learn in choosing a candidate. However, the leadership of the political parties themselves deserves a health check (mental fitness, etc), because some of their actions (internal party crises, etc) shows that, all might not be well with their health system. It is possible also that they are not normal.

The National Assembly should apply same methods whenever they have to approve ministerial and ambassadorial nominations. All government (local, state, and federal government) advisers should also undergo a health check. Our President might not be the only sick person. It’s possible that some advisers might not be mentally fit to advise him. One wonders the kind of advices that he receives. In an article I wrote to Mr. President titled; My Christmas Present to President Yar’Adua, I challenged his advisers to make public what they have been telling Mr. President in private, with the exception of security issues. The next in line of leaders that need health checks are the present members of the National Assembly. The actions of our lawmakers (inability to pass the freedom of information bill, etc) are reasons why they too deserve health checks.

The private sector (companies, villages, communities, banks, churches etc) should not hesitate to carry out a health check for all their leaders. Banks in particular needs to have their managing directors/directors undergo health checks. Playing with depositors fund is an indication that bank directors deserve health checks. Perhaps a health check would have been able to spot mental fitness or otherwise of the following bankers; Dr Mrs. Cecilia Ibru (former CEO Oceanic Bank Plc. Standing trial for about N160.2Billion mismanage/looted fund), Dr Bartholomew (Former CEO Union Bank Plc), Bassey Ebong, Henry Onyemem, Niyi Albert Opeodu (Ex Directors of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc facing trials for fraud), Erastus Akingbola of Intercontinental Bank Plc(currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for money laundering cases) etc. It is the writer’s view that more agony can be saved the nation, if the banks can starts health checking immediately and removal of unfit bankers. Prevention is better than cure.

The next question becomes which hospital/laboratory in Nigeria will carry out these checks. Do we have “hospitals” in Nigeria? The answer is no, otherwise our President would not have gone to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He used to visit German hospitals, but it appears that he prefers Saudi Arabian hospital this time. I think the choice of Saudi Arabian hospital was a ploy to deceive Nigerians that he goes there on religious grounds. But their lies could no longer hold water, thus the Presidency had to open up.

Yar’Adua is not the first leader that abandoned Nigerian hospitals. Babangida use to go to France for his medical treatments. Just recently, it was all over the news that Maryam Babangida was seriously ill in a cancer specialist hospital in Los Angeles, America. Late Stella Obasanjo (wife of our former President) died in a Spanish hospital. The list is endless. Perhaps the federal government should also sponsor my friends who are in Nigeria to come for a medical check up overseas. After all Mr. President (Umaru Musa Yar’Adua) approved foreign medical treatment (German Hospital) for ex-governor Turaki of Jigawa State and a serving senator, when he was involved in a road accident. Therefore, if Mr. President can approve oversea medical treatment for Turaki and goes overseas for his own medical treatments, he should also sponsor my friends, after all they are Nigerians. What is good for him (Yar’Adua) should also be good for other Nigerians.

The action(s) of people (Musa Yar’Adua, Maryam Babangida, and Late Stella Obasanjo) mentioned above, shows that the federal ministry of health does not exist. These people are, and have been members of the Nigerian first families (Presidents or wives of Presidents). Therefore, if the first families can’t treat themselves in Nigeria, then it is an indictment on the ministry of health (ministry against health). Perhaps, overseas medical trips are a good avenue to launder money. In that case, those Nigerian first families that went in the past and are still going now are guilty of corruption. Nigerians should hold them responsible for siphoning all the money meant for the ministry of health. Can the authorities (Ministry of health, Senate Committee on Health etc) explain what happened to all budgetary allocations to health ministry at least since the last 10 years? Can the federal minister of health (minister against health) tell Nigerians why no hospital in Nigeria can treat our president. Is it not better that he (minister against health) resigns?

May I use this medium to ask God to heal our President so that he can declare a state of emergency at the Ministry of Health. Let us equip at least one hospital that can treat our leaders and hence stop this national embarrassment. Finally, I wish to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming. Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. May God bless Nigeria.

Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/