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Protest, Too Nugatory …Unearthing Boko Haram Agenda
Ask an average Nigerian, what the agenda of the notorious terrorist group, Boko Haram is, nine in every ten would most likely list aversion to Western education as a key grievance and the need to lslamise the Nigerian state as a major goal. That response might have been informed partly by the group’s threat to President Goodluck Jonathan to denounce his faith as a Christian and embrace Islam or be forced out of office.
Yet, a handful may probably suggest poverty as the driving force behind the now annoying menace, which the Islamist extremist group today represents, and hastily blame government for the Boko Haram’s nugatory insurgency, which from all indices, is terror-based.
This is indeed why it is sad and very unfortunate that some Northern political elements , in a bid to rebrand the Boko Haram terror group and use it as a bargaining template for their political ends are now attempting to dress the body in the robes of Niger Delta insurgents, and are now, actually proposing that whatever was good for the latter be good for the former. Simply , that all members of the Boko Haram sect, including millions of sympathisers and would-be entrants be granted amnesty, as freedom fighters, a special Ministry for North-East development created and specific projects be pursued as a precondition for cessation of hostilities against their own people.
Ordinarily, that attempt to liken, the Niger Delta struggle to the Boko Haram’s senseless killings, through suicide bombings daily unleashed on the Nigerian state by Boko Haram, should be laughed off, but in a country where, there is no telling when what is white, and black, black, it is important, to paint clearly, how parallel both lines of insurgency are.
In fact, the Niger Delta struggle for economic integration, political relevance and indeed socio-cultural identity, was everything, the obtuse Boko Haram campaign of terror, was not and could never be .
Even so, were Nigerians not in the habit of feigning temporary, even permanent amnatia on issues affecting oil producing minorities, a recall of the past years of horror and deprivation would be unnecessary even wrong. It is even more so, when, viewed from the worrisome direction the ominous Boko Haram rebranding is going. And with tacit support same is receiving from the hitherto indifferent Northern political elite, a new history of the Niger Delta struggle may be re-written.
But perhaps, the most compelling need for this appraisal can be found in the expressions by a supposed fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mallam Rufai Ibrahim, who in a paper, he delivered at the just concluded All Nigerian Editors’ Conference (ANEC) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, laboured in futility to insist that the Boko Haram group, is a body of freedom fighters and proactive insurgents who should not be labeled as terrorists.
In his paper titled Reporting Right, Reporting Safe, Mallam Ibrahim literarily condemned the Nigerian editor for branding Boko Haram, a terrorist group, while, in his own view, the group is indeed peopled by vibrant young and educated Nigerians protesting against systemic neglect, poverty and worthlessness of their academic certificates.
Ibrahim expressed clearly discernable angst over what he called the mass media’s penchant of under-reporting the long list of extra judicial killings allegedly orchestrated by Nigeria’s Joint Military Task Force in the North East region and instead spent ample space publishing casualties of the Boko Haram’s ‘just’ struggle. To buttress his point, the speaker released records of deaths, which he claimed he sourced from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital mortuary. In 2010, according to him, 60 dead bodies of Boko Haram ‘freedom fighters were deposited daily, in addition to other defenceless men, women and children.
On his count, 7,016 males and 1,603 females, totaling 8,619 people were killed by the Nigerian army in the name of fighting the Boko Haram insurgents. He infact, fell short of arguing if Niger Delta militants could be granted amnesty as legitimate insurgents, why not the Boko Haram? But Ibrahim did not end there.
Even with, ‘Nigeria Editor and National Security’ as theme of the conference, the speaker, imputed that President Goodluck Jonathan is what he is today because of the rewarding terrorist activities of the Niger Delta militants and the desperation of the then Federal Government to prevent attacks on oil and gas production facilities and attendant fall in national earnings.
In his estimation, it was that singular reason that informed the consessioning of the Vice Presidential slot to the South-South geopolitical zone and which resulted in the choice of Jonathan as Vice President, and later, upon death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, acting President and today, President and Commander In- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Bottomline: the only way the Presidency could return to the North, is to frighten Jonathan out of any second term bid, using the Boko Haram terror network to facilitate its deadly agenda. Ibrahim’s was indeed an attempt in futility, for the history of the Niger Delta struggle is a well-known one.
Fortunately, Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, touched the nucleus of the Niger Delta struggle, albeit in a comical manner when, he said, for over 50 years of oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta, the youth and people of the oil bearing areas remained marginalised in terms of gainful employment, education and indeed provision of basic infrastructure. Without electricity, good drinking water, hospital and modest homes, the people lived side by side oil company workers whose estates enjoyed uninterrupted power supply provided by gas turbines along with other modern amenities including jumbo take-home pay.
So well paid, the so-called expatriates and their Nigerian cohorts became predators to the vulnerable girl-child of the Niger Delta, who was frequently induced, tricked and forced into early prostitution.
All these were in spite of more than 50 years rigorous non-violent and indeed intellectual protest to the Nigerian state for socio-economic integration and political accommodation.
Unfortunately, where all forms of intellectual protests failed, with each at best attracting the response, “something is in the pipeline for the Niger Delta”, what was ordinarily a non-violent protest, moved to youth restiveness and later insurgency, with the promised content of the ‘pipe-line’ as target, Jang joked. But it was much more than that. The Niger Delta story is indeed a clear example of Federal Government’s deliberate neglect, victimisation and oppression, after more than 50 years of being the nation’s food basket.
The resolve to pronounce amnesty on the other hand is the acceptance of the guilt that the Nigerian state had indeed been unfair and responsible for the new attitude and response of the Niger Delta youth. This is because , the youth’s demands were unambiguous, the protest well defined and targets, clear.
That the Federal Government along with its multi-national collaborators, could no longer subject citizens of the Niger Delta to early deaths, disease, hunger, joblessness and economic slavery, while, left to continually suffer the near frequent pollution of their swamps, rivers and farmlands, as well as put to great risk, their people’s traditional occupations of fishing and farming.
More importantly, since earlier economic powers in Nigeria enjoined between 50 and 100 per cent on derivation from the cash crops, and other minerals, then the Niger Delta people should also, and be allowed control of its own natural resources. It was that clamour for resource control, as different from the senseless suicide bombings by the Boko Haram that indeed hastened the resolution of the conflict.
Prior to that, the South-South geopolitical zone was the only region that has not had a political chance to superintend over the federation either as Head of State or President which was perhaps why the approval of a paltry 13% derivation could be subjected to a Constituent Assembly deliberation and approval, while Major-General Mohammadu Buhari as Head of State could unilaterally slash the then 3 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
These together not only earned the approval of all well-meaning Nigerians but also that of the international community which pressed its weight behind the Niger Delta project. It is indeed unlike the Boko Haram agenda of imposing Islam on the entire country and for same reason, targeting Christians, religious places of worship, in the Northern parts of the country.
My Agony is that some Northern politicians are not secretly fueling the Boko Haram terror activities and undermining national security efforts, only to blame Jonathan for the seeming invincibility of Boko Haram, they are in no hurry to abandon the terrorists.
Methinks, the distinctions must be made, and very clear too that Boko Haram, unlike Niger Delta militants, is not just an Islamist extremist sect, it is , by law and disposition, a terrorist group.
Soye Wilson Jamabo
Mohammadu Buhari and President Jonathan
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.