Features
‘We Need A New Political Culture In Rivers’
While many states in the country which came out from the April 11, 2015 gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly elections have hit the ground running, Rivers State is yet to attain a smooth running of governmental affairs because of the ongoing legal tussles arising from the said elections. In this chat with our Chief Correspondent, Opaka Dokubo, the Rivers State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Oliver Wolugbom bares his mind on the situation and offers some advice. Excerpts.
What is your reading of the political situation in Rivers State?
I am not too happy with what is happening in Rivers State. If you remember, we had our presidential election on March 28 this year, and after then, on April 11, we had the governorship election. If you check from 11th of April till today, Rivers State has not had peace. Before, during and after the election, we are still bickering while other states have settled down to governance. I did say before the election that everyone should comport themselves and put their acts together and go to the electorate, and that at the end of the day, one party will emerge and when that happens and other parties do not feel comfortable, there are avenues of ventilating their grievances through the tribunals and the law courts. And that is going on. I think that is a good one instead of resorting to self help.
But what is painful to the National Orientation Agency is that while that is going on, there is always one media issue or the other that is distracting the people and even governance. Sometimes I ask myself, as Rivers people, when did we degenerate to this point? I believe that everyone has a right to ventilate their anger through the constitutional process. But I think that whoever is on the saddle now should be allowed to run his course as the constitutional process continue and whatever decision is reached at the end of the day, so be it.
On a daily basis, I am inundated with calls from the police and other security agencies, and people outside the state “director, National Orientation Agency. What is happening?” they think that we are fighting in the state and that is because of what is churned out to them through the media, that there is so much tension that we can hardly walk on the streets, all because of the political situation in the state.
My advice is that actors are to look at what is happening in other states, they are on the fast lane of development now. I know that development projects are going on in Rivers State but if you look at the tempo as compared to other states, we are far behind. We need to put our differences behind us, let the legal process go on and allow governance to continue. I think it is time for everybody to have peace.
How Is The Situation Affecting The Masses
It is obvious that what is happening is affecting us on all fronts. Let me start with what has happened since after the election. If you look at the situation in the State, there was a period schools couldn’t even resume. Every day what you hear is “governor has not done this, governor has done this.” These are distractions.
Lagos State also went through the same legal process but Lagos State was functioning. Everyone concentrated their attention on the battle in the courts while day to day running of the state went on smoothly.
The situation here is affecting the state negatively. For instance, there are no caretaker committees now and there is no one manning the councils, apart from the civil servants and I am aware that many of the councils have not received their pay for one or two months because there is no one in charge. Even if you go to the ministries, because the commissioners are not there, many things are not happening.
Even our House of Assembly members are always in Abuja in pursuit of their cases and because there is no way they can be in Abuja and also be here at the same time, the day to day running of the affairs of the state is greatly hampered. Even when civil servants do what they ought to do, because of the absence of the policy makers to give the authorisations, things don’t get fully done and this is affecting the common people.
Advice For Government, the Opposition And The People
I think we need to understand that party is different from government. I keep educating our people on that. Yes, we know that those in government came to be on the platform of a party, but we must differentiate between party and government to the extent that once you come to power, you no longer talk as a party man. You now talk as government official.
If you compare the number of people that are registered as political party members, you will discover that they are very few when compared to the vast majority of people who don’t belong but form part of the electorate. The point is that once a government is formed, those in parties should go ahead and do what they are doing but our people will always look up to those they have brought into power to do those things they promised the people. So, I expect that, no matter what, they should be focused, let them not be distracted because they made promise before they came and it is that promise the people are expecting to be fulfilled.
If you look at what is happening in the state now, many people are saying that they are happy. Some people who are staying in Borokiri are saying that for a long time they had to put with the difficulty of driving into their place but today they find it much easier. The same thing is happening with those in Diobu. So these are some of the infrastructures the people expect and because this is what you promised to do and you are doing it. They are happy.
I think that those in the opposition have a right to challenge what they don’t like but in challenging it, I say do it with love. Criticism is good but not criticizing for the sake of it. In fact, the work of an opposition is to put the government in power on its toes.
Those in government should be focused and deliver on their promise both at the state and federal levels. At the moment, youths are already agitating that they should be paid the five thousand naira unemployment allowance they were promised by the government at the centre. I don’t believe this is politics because the promise was made. On the other hand, you came and promised a number of things you will do for Rivers people, you should focus on delivering on those promises.
The people want to see the benefit of those things that made them give you their mandate but if you derail, they will not be happy. Democracy is all about the people and that is why we at NOA discourage statement that personalise government performance. The resources deployed to execute the projects belong to the people and the government functionaries only execute what has been expressly approved by the people through the mandate given.
It is unfortunate that everything that happens in Rivers State now is given a political meaning.
Do We Need a New Political Re-orientation In Rivers State?
We need a new political culture in Rivers State.
I said it before the election that it was not proper to say that you had won the election even before the contest. And if you didn’t win, you now believe that there was something wrong and that is part of why we are having this problem.
You could see people who were following you, you could see crowd who were singing your song but you couldn’t tell where they stood, whether they would vote for you or not; you couldn’t even tell whether they had the pre-requisite to vote: whether they had their cards or they could even get to their polling units to vote. It is wrong to make projections from the crowds that turn up at campaign venues. You must allow the people to make their decision.
When we were in school, you could never tell. Whether you would win election or not until the manifesto night because it is your performance that day that will determine whether even the people who had been following you will vote for you or not. But these days politicians make projections by the crowd that follow them around.
I don’t want to stop anybody from following through with the legal process of seeking redress but if at the end of the day you’re not victorious, or if they do another election and you’re not victorious, wait and prepare for the next election. Look at the president himself, he kept trying until he succeeded, so why would you pull everything down because you did not succeed now?
People should be applauded for the good things they do and if there are anything they have not done so well, you can also point them out without being antagonistic about it. There is a way you point out things about somebody, the person will see it and understand. So, I think that there is something we need to change about our political culture in the state. The culture that if I don’t win, let nobody go is what is happening now because we have allowed people from other states to begin to determine what happens here. You can see people who have no business in Rivers State making statements and taking decisions over Rivers State matter. It is because of the way and manner we are playing the politics now. Why should people who are not part of Rivers State say this must happen or this must not append in Rivers State? We, did we go and talk like that in their own issues? But it is happening because we have given them the chance.
We must remember that elections will come and go and somebody will be at the helm of affairs at a time and if for whatever reason you didn’t get, it means that at this particular time, the people said hold on.
The point I am making is that when people go into politics they should know that there is failure and there is success. So, if failure comes, accept it. You shouldn’t think that you must succeed.
The political culture now is that if it is not me or us, no other person. Thank God, most of the people contesting in Rivers State are young and that means they have time to come back in the future. That is the culture I advocate in Rivers State.
I want to thank God we are getting over this upland-riverine dichotomy issue. Unfortunately we now have “if it is not me or us, we must make things impossible.” It didn’t start now, it has been happening for the past eight to twelve years. Every group seems to believe that if we don’t get elected now, heavens will fall. It will not fall. The only thing is that you will be making the place uncomfortable for the people.
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku