October 11, 2006

Shame!: Nigerian Universities in Shambles

by Oyeyemi Olodo, Esq. (London, England) --- A quick tour around Nigerian universities and one will fully understand why students are no longer students but yahoo boys, advanced prostitutes and home-bred robbers. I was sickened by the state of students living conditions and studying environment during my short visit to Nigeria recently.

Without naming the institutions visited, I cannot understand why any vice-chancellor and even the government will permit students to study under these unbearable conditions especially if it is the intention of the government that the individuals will become leaders of the nation one day.

Why I understand the reasoning behind the flourishing private universities which our beloved president Olusegun Obasanjo is a "share-holder" but I assume that Nigerian Ministry of Education should be wise enough to know that 90% of its youth in the range of university education cannot afford the N350, 000 (Naira) fees that most of these private universities charge per session. This then beg the question, what is the strategy thinking of Nigerian government on getting the next generation ready for the task ahead?

As we approach 2007, parents and students of high institution need to start asking 'want-to-be presidents' their plans for the future leaders of this great country. This is not the time for parents to receive few Naira and sell their children's future to the highest bidder with no strategic approach to one of the greatest potential challenge confronting our nation to date. Students need to stop acting like spoilt brat and becoming more responsible to attract the attention of political parties in the country interested in 'valuable or potential voters' especially knowing that they fall within the voting age.

Why should our daughters on campuses becoming professional prostitutes in order to survive the campus hardship? and why should our future men need to rob innocent Nigerian citizens for their daily bread?.......It is definitely unnecessary and it is time to stop these nonsense. However, the task ahead is the responsibility of all, from parents to students and even the student unions on campuses across the nation. They need to organise themselves and start asking questions about their future plans of leaders.

One thing is certain, a benchmark of Nigerian universities with others in Europe makes one wonder when in the future things will never get better but students in Nigerian high institutions now hold the key in the forthcoming election to make demands from the government on better life. I think it is time to demand the execution of the TEN COMMANDMENT for students in Nigerian universities:
What will be the ten most important demands; I can only guess but a better condition in universities will be one on the list and there is no point asking for things without looking inward to stop some childishness that is common practice on campuses like rioting, cultism etc.

A word is enough for the wise.......

Oyeyemi Olodo, Esq.
Director/Publisher
The Integrity Magazine
www.theintegritymagazine.org.uk
http://www.theintegritymagazine.org.uk/aboutthepublisher.htm

Posted by Administrator at 08:31 AM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2006

War Against Terror: PM Tony Blair Speaks on Terrorism in Africa

by Oyeyemi Olodo, Esq. (London, England) --- As the ongoing crisis in the Niger Delta of Nigeria continues to worsen, Nigerian Government is under pressure to put its house in order or risk regional military intervention. The attacks on Offshore and Onshore oil facilities which the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claim responsibility for have cut Nigeria’s daily exports of 2.5 million barrels by 500 million barrels.

As a result, the country which is a major player in oil export is contributing to the high oil prices presently at a record breaking of $70 a barrel. The instability and kidnapping of oil workers by fully armed militia fighters which the Nigerian authority seems unable to contain is creating concerns in the western world.

The US government recently provided logistics support to the Nigerian government by supplying special boats to help tackle piracy, arms and oil smuggling including a joint military training exercise by troops from both countries focussing on strategies for combating militias more experienced on manoeuvring creeks battle.

Nevertheless, it is becoming apparent that more is needed to address the issue of the Niger Delta crisis especially in light of lessons learnt from the ongoing war against terrorism around the world; particularly Iraq.

The Publisher of The Integrity Magazine, a U.K monthly magazine, was among the prominent elite magazine editors invited to the state Dining Room of No. 10 Downing Street, for a question and answer session the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Oyeyemi Olodo, asked the PM a probing question on the spill over effect of the Niger Delta saga. The Prime Minister, not going into details, has revealed that a British military tailored pro-active stand by force option is in the pipeline to checkmate crisis that threatens democracy and the peace, not only Nigeria, but Africa.

TIM Publisher: I would just like to know your opinion with regard to the Niger Delta crisis going on presently, and taking from lessons learned from Iraq what other support do you think you could give to the Nigerian government in trying to deal with this issue in a diplomatic and appropriate manner, especially taking into consideration that most of these so-called terrorists or rebels are watching telly and learning some bad examples from what is happening in Iraq and ... that part of the region?

Prime Minister: Well what we are trying to do in the Niger Delta is to work with the Nigerian government, both to build their capacity to keep the peace, and we do a lot of work with the Nigerian government on the capability they have got, and in addition to that we are working for a standby force in Africa as well to try and intervene where there are difficulties, particularly when there are difficulties that have got religious and ethnic overtones, as those in the Niger Delta. But in the end the best answer to these problems is to encourage development, to give stability and also to defeat those, including those in the Niger Delta, who want to split religious groups from each other. And I am afraid this is a worldwide phenomenon of global terrorism that is based on a perversion of the true doctrine of Islam, but it is there and we need to deal with it wherever it raises its head. And we have been working very hard with the Nigerian government on this, and Nigeria is an interesting example of a country that is basically 50/50 split between Christians and Muslims and therefore it would be very sad indeed if that type of tension came in there. So we are working on it and it is something I have discussed with the Nigerian President a lot.
Thanks.

Oyeyemi Olodo Esq., Oyeyemi Olodo Esq.,
Director/Publisher
The Integrity Magazine
www.theintegritymagazine.org.uk
http://www.theintegritymagazine.org.uk/aboutthepublisher.htm

Posted by Administrator at 11:53 AM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2006

Two Sides of a Coin: A Private Soldier Lectures Nigerian Commander-in-Chief, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Nigerian Military History

by Oyeyemi Olodo, Esq. (London, England) --- Nigerian Army Day celebration was as colourful as America Army recent celebration of its 231st Birthday in existence which reflected on U.S soldiers’ contribution to making the world a safer place to live. However, far away from the continent of Africa, another event was unfolding, which was of a different kind.

A one man protest outside the Nigeria High Commission seeking a change in the date the Army Day is held. The Integrity Magazine brings you an exclusive interview with a retired soldier of the Nigerian Army that wants the Federal Government of Nigeria to recognise the role of servicemen who answered, a Call to Duty, over 143 years ago and yet remain unrecognised and unvalued.

As Nigerian Government works on making the nation relevant and fit for purpose in the 21st Century, it is becoming apparent that the ignorance of the past need to be acknowledged and history rewritten to give credit "..to whom it is due". Nigerian Army has played a significant role in the development of Nigerian entity and if any institution should be appraised for keeping the nation together, then the military remain undoubtedly a major player in the new Nigeria that we are looking forward to.
There are many good things about Nigerian military that makes them at least far better than the kleptocratic politicians (though some few military officials were bad) and the untamed police personnel (trigger-happy policemen), though this is not the time and place to elucidate on that, the bottom-line remains and many political commentators have argued that the military should never be allowed to rule but civilian administration need some of the best-practice embedded in the military to operate effectively in Nigeria.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY

What could be regarded as the nucleus of the NA started in 1863 when the Imperial Governor of Lagos, Lt Glover of the Royal Navy gathered 18 Northern Nigerians to mount punitive expeditions to protect British trade routes around Lagos. This small force metamorphosed into the Hausa Constabulary and later formed part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF). The visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Nigerian in a 1956 led to the renaming of the Northern and Southern Regiments to the Queen’s Own Nigerian Regiment (QONR). When later in that same year, Britain granted military autonomy to her dependencies, the QONR was re-designated the Nigerian Military Force (NMF), and at independence in 1960, the name changed to the Royal Nigerian Army. The present designation, Nigerian Army (NA), came into use when Nigeria assumed a Republic status in 1963.

From this brief history culled from the internet from the Nigerian Army website www.nigerianarmy.net , one thing stands out, the Day and Month of 1863 remained unknown to the Nigerian Army history writers. But for patriotism a retired soldier, and a university graduate of History has taken the pains to voluntarily research this gap at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, and communicated the actual date to Army authority. Rather than appreciate his singular effort, he was labelled a rebel and had his monthly pension confiscated since 2002.

If Nigerian Army refuse to acknowledge that the proper date for the celebration of Nigerian Army Day should be 24th January, 1863, then all these brave men that answered the call to duty in both the first and Second World War, died in vain. In the U.K, the nation celebrate the role of their military and acknowledge their contribution but in Nigerian, we pay them back by not releasing their pension and allowing them to be true professionals that they are really tailored to be.

It is time to stop messing with history and give the children of these slain Nigerian heroes the recognition they deserve. Olusegun Oyewole, a soldier turned Minister of the gospel and editor-in-chief of the Nigerian Defence Times, explained why he was protesting outside Nigerian Embassy in London on the 6th of July 1967, the date the Nigerian Civil War began, which the military adopted as “Nigerian Army Day” instead of 1863 when the Nigerian Army was born. Army Day should connote Army Birthday, which should be 24th January, 1863, Olusegun argued:

TIM: Tell us briefly about yourself?

Olusegun: My name is Olusegun Olaniyi Oyewole, a retired soldier of the Nigerian Army with a B.A (Hons) History, PG Diploma in Journalism and presently a Law student at University of Teesside.

TIM: Have you ever participated in any military operation like peace-keeping force etc in the past?

Olusegun: Yes! I was in Liberia in 1990 with the ECOMOG troops from 21 Battalion, Minna attached under 1 Mechanised Brigade HQ.

TIM: Why are you protesting outside the Nigerian High Commission in London on the 6th July, don't you have anything better to do?

Olusegun: This is more important to me. I have been advocating a change in the Army Day Celebration since I wrote my B.A History dissertation in 1994. I published this in articles and memoranda to the Minister of Defence and the Army Chief. But they refused to acknowledge this error simply because I am an ordinary soldier who supposed not to think, much of holding opinion.

TIM: You mentioned that you are retired military personnel, are you still receiving your benefits for your service to your country?

Olusegun: That is another story. Immediately the Army received my memorandum my pension was stopped that I have query to answer at home.

TIM: Had you tried to convey this information to Nigerian government?

Olusegun: Yes. I have and my effort has been interpreted as an affront to the intelligence of the officers.

TIM: What will you like to see Nigerian Army look like in 10 years?

Olusegun: I want to see an Army well professionalized, well catered for and highly mobile, mechanised with modern weapons with sufficient training and international exposure trained in the best military institutions abroad and participating with the best armies in the world in global peace keeping: anti-terrorism campaign. And above all able to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and win the confidence of Nigerians.

TIM: Would Nigerian Army have been equipped to perform at conflicts such as Iraq etc if drafted?

Olusegun: The politicisation of the military makes it less ready for such high tech warfare.

TIM: How will you advise Nigerian Army to tackle the Delta Crisis?

Olusegun: I think dialogue is the best option. The choice of gun diplomacy might not work because even a senior military officer- Director of Defence Operations confessed our Army can be over run by Niger Delta militant because of lack of modern weapons and training.

TIM: What is your message to the military and Nigerian Commander-in-Chief?

Olusegun: Professionalism and reward for individual in-put will make the military a pride for the youth. The pensioners and heroes should be accorded recognition and national honours for them. Post Service Schemes and insurance and housing should be in place after all, we are a rich oil producing nation.

It is a sad sorry that Nigerian Government refuses to recognise our military and I think it is necessary........

The protester, Olusegun Oyewole sent a chilling message to the commander-in-chief, Olusegun Obasanjo. Although namesake with Nigeria president, the private soldier was not shy to give the one-time “General” in the Nigerian Army, history lesson on Nigerian Military.

The military adviser at Nigeria High Commission, London was asked for comment but nothing was received.

Oyeyemi Olodo Esq.,
Director/Publisher
The Integrity Magazine
www.theintegritymagazine.org.uk

Posted by Administrator at 08:34 AM | Comments (0)