News
Stop Congratulating Tinubu, Set Agenda, Cleric Advises Nigerians
An Islamic cleric and educationist, Dr Mustapha Bello, says Nigerians should stop congratulating the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, but rather set agenda for him.
Bello, a lecturer, Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), made the remarks at the 9th Ramadan Lecture of Anwar-Ul Islam College, Agege, Old Students’ Association (ACAOSA), last Saturday in Lagos.
The guest speaker delivered a lecture titled: “Islamic Perspective of a Good Governance: Any Lesson for Nigeria?”
Bello described the topic as apt and imperative because of the concern every discerning Nigerian now had about the state of affairs in the nation.
According to him, the nation will by May 29, experience 24 years of uninterrupted democratic rule being led by the PDP and APC, but the question is whether Nigerians have enjoyed good governance or not.
He said Nigerians could not be said to have enjoyed good governance in the light of prevailing socio-economic challenges they were faced with.
”Good governance is the responsibility of all Nigerians. Those who have been elected, we congratulate them but Nigerians should put them on their toes.
”We must set agenda for them, we must tell them what we want in terms of education, infrastructure, environment, health and others. We should not leave them, we should advise them.
”It is not enough for us to be congratulating them. Sen Bola Tinubu has emerged President-elect, and he will be inaugurated, we must set agenda for him.
”Stop doing congratulatory messages now, let us set agenda on education, environment, public morality.
“Look around, there is so much indiscipline in the society. We must also pray for them,” he said.
The cleric said that the President-elect, his deputy and all elected public office holders should be commended if they do well and criticised if they misbehave, for the nation to get good governance.
Bello said that when there is good governance, there would be peace, prosperity, plenty for everybody and less insecurity.
“The President-elect and Vice President -elect have enormous responsibility to unite our minds together. We are so divided as a people by religion, ethnicity and social classes.
“The first task before them is to find a way of assuaging our feelings and unite us; It is when we have a common objective with our mind united that we can move forward,” Bello said.
He said that good governance according to United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), relates to the political, institutional processes and outcomes that are necessary to achieve the goals of development.
Bello said the UNHRC identified transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation, and responsiveness as key attributes of good governance.
“Good governance in a layman language is the provisions of abundance of goodness by a government to its citizens which is the fundamental objective of the state as entrenched in the Nigerian constitution.
“Good governance is the major determinants of how stable, prosperous and peace a society or a country is.
“In essence, wherever you find poverty, crisis and they are on the rise, the only reason for the absence of prosperity is the absence of good governance.
“Virtually, all parametres used in measuring good governance as it relates to Nigeria is negative,” he said.
The educationist noted some policies of government have impoverished the citizens beyond imagination.
Bello said that principles of good governance in Islam include trusteeship, mutual consultation, accountability, fair dealing and justice.
He also noted that Muslims as well as adherent of other faiths were guilty in the preponderance of evil in the society.
“One of the basic requirements for good governance is justice; Every citizen should be treated on the same level. A country cannot grow where their is lopsidedness in justice system.
“We should internalise the principle in our governance; Nigeria has got into a stage that everyone must be involved in politics and governance.
“We must all change a bad situation at our own level.
Also delivering a lecture on Health Benefits of Ramadan, Alhaja Sukurat Olaniyan, a Nutrition Dietitian, noted that fasting helped in weight loss, sugar level reduction, inflammation decrease and heart cleansing.
Olaniyan urged Muslims to take enough water and relax.
She, however, counselled Muslims to pay attention to their body and obey it so as not to jeopardise their health while trying to observe the fast.
Earlier, Alhaji Lawal Pedro (SAN), the President General, ACAOSA,noted that the 9th Ramadan lecture of the college was an improvement on the previous ones.
Pedro, who described Ramadan as time for sober reflection and to get closer to God, said that the theme of the lecture had become necessary to provide a way forward in the nation’s governance system.
According to him, the country has been following the Western style of government, trying all types of governance without making sustainable progress.
He stated that the nation’s form of democracy had not delivered good governance to the people adding that there was need to take a lead from other developed countries.
“The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries are not running democracy but making progress because of Islamic perspective to governance.
“Democracy does not guarantee good governance, it is a matter of number. Leaders who emerge because they have majority votes, can only give what they have.
“In democracy, the majority will have their way, the minority which may be the most ideal will only have their say.
“That is why we are saying, is it high time we looked at Islamic perspective of good governance. We are not saying we are running the country with shari’a law or using Islamic jurisprudence,” he said.
Pedro urged government to embrace Islamic banking which frowned at interest, bribery, and corruption.
He added that ACAOSA has contributed a lot to the college in terms of provision of e-Library, infrastructure, Clinic and Solar system among others.
Alhaji Abubakr Adenle, the Chairman, ACAOSA 2023, Ramadan Planning Committee, commended the zeal of the people and their commitment to serve their alma mater.
Adenle, a retired Deputy Director, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, said that Ramadan was a month of forgiveness, goodness and mercies and these should continue even after the period.
He urged government across levels to implement 25 per cent UNESCO prescribed budget for education to create a pathway for sustainable development.
“We will be deceiving ourselves if the government fails to play according to the rule. We need focus on education;we need road map.
“Things do not work because we cut corners a lot in this country,” he said.
The Tide source reports that the annual lecture had in attendance various alumni of the college including Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, former Lagos APC Chairman.
Others included civil servants, technocrats, entrepreneurs, legal practitioners among others.
The Tide source reports that the association presented prestigious Life Time Awards to some of its members for their contributions to their alma mater.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.