Nigerian politics is of global concern. That is why donors generously support our elections, as they do our census and many other projects.
As the campaigns pick up this week, political parties must embrace the INTERNET as part of their multimedia outlets and interactive channels. This is useful both for internal communication and for external interactions.
For a start, they can promptly, cheaply, creatively and honourably engage both the Nigerian and African Diaspora, solicit interest and publicity in the global community, and cutely position our country for positive consideration by discerning investors. By being honest and courageous, they earn high marks for party and nation - the giant of Africa!
The feedback is equally prompt and invaluable, if well managed. This is one reason the present administrations nationwide should have truly embraced e-government and taken this oil-rich Nigeria out of the digital-dungeon, beyond the digital-defeat, all these EIGHT years of democratic governance!!!
Let the leap into cyber-campaign rev up with verve! Now.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Mr President, Sign the FOI Bill right away!
Finally, the National Assembly has passed the Freedom of Information, FOI, bill - after 4 years! Knowing this administration and its track record, we must still acknowledge the feat!!
Indeed, because of such huge skepticism, I advise that President Obasanjo signs the bill into law as soon as it lands his desk. There is no doubt that many are nervous about this new instrument in the hands of both the media and critical segments of civil society.
Well, as you lay ya bed may you sleep on it, ba? Let the crooked panic for aye! It is their due, it be their portion. Stay firm.
This law was long overdue. No openness, no anti-corruption! Period.
Indeed, because of such huge skepticism, I advise that President Obasanjo signs the bill into law as soon as it lands his desk. There is no doubt that many are nervous about this new instrument in the hands of both the media and critical segments of civil society.
Well, as you lay ya bed may you sleep on it, ba? Let the crooked panic for aye! It is their due, it be their portion. Stay firm.
This law was long overdue. No openness, no anti-corruption! Period.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Caution To ALL
I am not pretending that things are normal in the land. I do not dismiss the basis of mistrust, distrust and disgust pervading the political terrain. Oh, I fully understand the basis for worry and apprehension in our homes and in our hearts. I do.
But I also know that no one, no matter how damned, daring or devious has ever succeeded in winning the last fight of the final battle for the soul of our country NIGERIA. Think back, dear Compatriots, and check. Nigeria go survive o...Nigeria go better!
We must plead and appeal to all gladiators, godfathers, gold-diggers, gadflies and gluttons for reason-above-treason. Love your country, lead with justice. Let it be said of us that we came, we served, we prospered - in soul, our spirit, and for nation. Materials be not all.
Despite all provocations - brazen and subtle - may we keep our nerves, our steel and Nigeria's soul. Indeed, because of such provocations, must we now resolve and so triumph!
My caution to us ALL this day is peace, perseverance and painstaking patience. It's our duty and our pronounced dignity as a nation. The future is bright and assured. Yes. Believe.
May 29 be round the corner! Be glad.
But I also know that no one, no matter how damned, daring or devious has ever succeeded in winning the last fight of the final battle for the soul of our country NIGERIA. Think back, dear Compatriots, and check. Nigeria go survive o...Nigeria go better!
We must plead and appeal to all gladiators, godfathers, gold-diggers, gadflies and gluttons for reason-above-treason. Love your country, lead with justice. Let it be said of us that we came, we served, we prospered - in soul, our spirit, and for nation. Materials be not all.
Despite all provocations - brazen and subtle - may we keep our nerves, our steel and Nigeria's soul. Indeed, because of such provocations, must we now resolve and so triumph!
My caution to us ALL this day is peace, perseverance and painstaking patience. It's our duty and our pronounced dignity as a nation. The future is bright and assured. Yes. Believe.
May 29 be round the corner! Be glad.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
INEC on the WEB
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has an inadequate presence on the world wide web. The Internet is too powerful, to important and too helpful to be underused or ignored. Not in the 21st century. This needs to be corrected right away!
Here are some thoughts:
1) Full official info about Nigeria should be given, including geography, demography, religion, economy, foreign policy, etc
2) Present political state of the nation, including data on old and new parties
3) Full details of all the registered political parties, their candidates for various offices, pictures, manifestoes, full contacts, etc
4) Summarised details of the registration exercise and the critical voter education info for 2007 Elections
5) Gender-support Action
6) Youth mobilisation Agenda
7) Multimedia Networking, including the Nigerian Blogging Community, as is now the trend worldwide (INEC needs to accredit credible Bloggers for the elections promptly).
8) All legislations governing and guidelines shaping the elections and the electoral process
9) Full info on INEC and its offices nationwide
10) Qualitative INEC Publications and user-friendly eDocuments
It is time for time for the Chairman's Office to properly engage the Nigerian Public and get the VOTERS on the commission's side! Is there an INEC Press Office up to the task?
Get to work, folks, time is short!
Technorati Profile
Here are some thoughts:
1) Full official info about Nigeria should be given, including geography, demography, religion, economy, foreign policy, etc
2) Present political state of the nation, including data on old and new parties
3) Full details of all the registered political parties, their candidates for various offices, pictures, manifestoes, full contacts, etc
4) Summarised details of the registration exercise and the critical voter education info for 2007 Elections
5) Gender-support Action
6) Youth mobilisation Agenda
7) Multimedia Networking, including the Nigerian Blogging Community, as is now the trend worldwide (INEC needs to accredit credible Bloggers for the elections promptly).
8) All legislations governing and guidelines shaping the elections and the electoral process
9) Full info on INEC and its offices nationwide
10) Qualitative INEC Publications and user-friendly eDocuments
It is time for time for the Chairman's Office to properly engage the Nigerian Public and get the VOTERS on the commission's side! Is there an INEC Press Office up to the task?
Get to work, folks, time is short!
Technorati Profile
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Niger Delta: To Whom It May Concern!
CNN has just aired a Pulitzer-grade exclusive on the oil-rich Niger Delta region which must be as chilling as it is instructive. It is a timely and clear call to conscience.
We must ask all presidential candidates to get a tape of this report for dispassionate analysis and contemplation for compact-building. We ask same of all our South-South Governments, as well as the home offices of all the multinationals operating in that region. It is time for a global response to the crises in the oil fields and the looming dangers they unquestionably promise the world. We must all study this tape!
Let the Nigerian Media rise up to this challenge...in this election year.
And for ultimate corroboration, we ask the BBC, ITV, ABC, CCTV and CBS to get on board this very global issue as well. It will help cage the politicians on all sides, and, more importantly, help galvanise public opinion and catalyze civil society & shareholders' actions worldwide.
We must pray that DW TV will help the German Chancellor to better appreciate her urgent and decisive intervention, through both the G8 and EU instrumentality, by conducting independent exclusives like CNN's. With Germany's commendable role in bringing the peaceful UN-assist 2006 elections to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the DRC's subsisting crises over its rich natural resources, the media house has its job well cut out for it! Time is short.
Thank you, Jeff: That was some daring, I tell ya!
We must ask all presidential candidates to get a tape of this report for dispassionate analysis and contemplation for compact-building. We ask same of all our South-South Governments, as well as the home offices of all the multinationals operating in that region. It is time for a global response to the crises in the oil fields and the looming dangers they unquestionably promise the world. We must all study this tape!
Let the Nigerian Media rise up to this challenge...in this election year.
And for ultimate corroboration, we ask the BBC, ITV, ABC, CCTV and CBS to get on board this very global issue as well. It will help cage the politicians on all sides, and, more importantly, help galvanise public opinion and catalyze civil society & shareholders' actions worldwide.
We must pray that DW TV will help the German Chancellor to better appreciate her urgent and decisive intervention, through both the G8 and EU instrumentality, by conducting independent exclusives like CNN's. With Germany's commendable role in bringing the peaceful UN-assist 2006 elections to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the DRC's subsisting crises over its rich natural resources, the media house has its job well cut out for it! Time is short.
Thank you, Jeff: That was some daring, I tell ya!
The EFCC "Name & Shame" List
The 137-strong list of "investigated" and "indicted" political gladiators put out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was a bombshell of sorts. The BBC reported it as name and shame while highlighting Vice President Atiku Abubakar's presence on the infamous list.
Not surprisingly there is an uproar. There will be more. And it will be messy.
My worry is that the commission is asking the world to take its word for it! No way! Let them do the right and proper thing: put facts & figures behind the charges. That way, we can exercise our full discretion and wait for further action.
My advice is that the presidency should stay completely out of this. The EFCC doesn't need any megaphone. Let Nuhu Ribadu take his case to the COURTS. So should those who fell aggrieved.
Meanwhile, the political parties need to honour this list with due process and integrity. We in the public domain, especially through the independent media, must insist on hearing all sides of the story. Yes.
We are the voters!
Not surprisingly there is an uproar. There will be more. And it will be messy.
My worry is that the commission is asking the world to take its word for it! No way! Let them do the right and proper thing: put facts & figures behind the charges. That way, we can exercise our full discretion and wait for further action.
My advice is that the presidency should stay completely out of this. The EFCC doesn't need any megaphone. Let Nuhu Ribadu take his case to the COURTS. So should those who fell aggrieved.
Meanwhile, the political parties need to honour this list with due process and integrity. We in the public domain, especially through the independent media, must insist on hearing all sides of the story. Yes.
We are the voters!
Monday, February 05, 2007
Campaigns: What Content, What Substance?
Enough of people-bashing, mob-frenzy politics and politicking! Let the content be out, and real substance subsist. This be the season of ideas, the reason for change. Period.
Considering that we've had elections? in 1999 and 2003!?, it is expected that our electioneering efforts this time will be robust and will resonate with Nigerian voters. My informal survey shows that our people are fed up with this whole politics of bitterness, acrimony and scare-mongering. And this is the colour so far! Do these guys think they will be voted in without us knowing what they stand for, or merely on the sentiments of disappointment and disillusion with extant state of affairs? Do they think abusing the ruling parties is enough to get them elected???
Where are the options, where are the alternatives? Not too late, but now pretty urgent.
My take: Political parties should publish their manifestoes in local languages and in multimedia. Candidates should publish their Compacts plus Action Plans in same manner. Take the SEVEN most critical areas of concern and articulate a budget-based response, then challenge all your opponents to do same - for a proper debate.
The media should summon the courage and patriotism to call all wayward contestants to order, or promptly and comprehensively BLACKLIST them!
Enough of these tendentious jokes and roller coaster jokers.
Considering that we've had elections? in 1999 and 2003!?, it is expected that our electioneering efforts this time will be robust and will resonate with Nigerian voters. My informal survey shows that our people are fed up with this whole politics of bitterness, acrimony and scare-mongering. And this is the colour so far! Do these guys think they will be voted in without us knowing what they stand for, or merely on the sentiments of disappointment and disillusion with extant state of affairs? Do they think abusing the ruling parties is enough to get them elected???
Where are the options, where are the alternatives? Not too late, but now pretty urgent.
My take: Political parties should publish their manifestoes in local languages and in multimedia. Candidates should publish their Compacts plus Action Plans in same manner. Take the SEVEN most critical areas of concern and articulate a budget-based response, then challenge all your opponents to do same - for a proper debate.
The media should summon the courage and patriotism to call all wayward contestants to order, or promptly and comprehensively BLACKLIST them!
Enough of these tendentious jokes and roller coaster jokers.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Our Foreign Missions
As we prepare for change, and I mean sea change, come May 29, it is time to talk about our foreign representation in the new millennium. We have seen a barrage of articles, and press reports about the state of our foreign service, starting with its very unedifying headquarters in Abuja (Not very impressive, is it?). And the news is bad! Pity.
Anyone who studied or had serious business abroad will know the huge disservice that most of our missions have done to both nation and nationals over the decades. But we must move on. Many of the dramatis personae have either moved or were moved on, already. The past be now gone, let's move on.
Our foreign service needs to be totally overhauled, revamped and restructured. We need the very best in all respects, and must pay for it. Nigeria cannot and must not be second rate DIPLOMATICALLY, nor can we load the place with mere bureaucrats. It should be dynamic, multidisciplinary, multisectoral, and fully ICT-compliant. We need balance in demography and geography as well. Plus a solid LINK between the Home and Foreign services.
But most of all, we need PATRIOTS not opportunists and selfish public hands or political fronts for the ruling/thieving elite! We must make our postings to serve and honour our country. Yes.
Finally, I think it is good to have career and specialist officers as well as non-careerists. It must be possible to move readily between home and foreign services for the right calibres and cadres of personnel. The previous dichotomy was unduly restrictive. We need well rounded people in all our services, including the armed services. To further strengthen them, secondments and work placements to the private and NGO/CSO sectors will be absolutely crucial. That way, ALL our missions will better serve the legion of travellers, officials, students, workers and crusaders who need their attention around the globe. No more no less, please.
Our new parliament must see to this. It is a new and ruthlessly competitive world out there!
Anyone who studied or had serious business abroad will know the huge disservice that most of our missions have done to both nation and nationals over the decades. But we must move on. Many of the dramatis personae have either moved or were moved on, already. The past be now gone, let's move on.
Our foreign service needs to be totally overhauled, revamped and restructured. We need the very best in all respects, and must pay for it. Nigeria cannot and must not be second rate DIPLOMATICALLY, nor can we load the place with mere bureaucrats. It should be dynamic, multidisciplinary, multisectoral, and fully ICT-compliant. We need balance in demography and geography as well. Plus a solid LINK between the Home and Foreign services.
But most of all, we need PATRIOTS not opportunists and selfish public hands or political fronts for the ruling/thieving elite! We must make our postings to serve and honour our country. Yes.
Finally, I think it is good to have career and specialist officers as well as non-careerists. It must be possible to move readily between home and foreign services for the right calibres and cadres of personnel. The previous dichotomy was unduly restrictive. We need well rounded people in all our services, including the armed services. To further strengthen them, secondments and work placements to the private and NGO/CSO sectors will be absolutely crucial. That way, ALL our missions will better serve the legion of travellers, officials, students, workers and crusaders who need their attention around the globe. No more no less, please.
Our new parliament must see to this. It is a new and ruthlessly competitive world out there!
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Pain of our Sports
Let's congratulate Congo Brazzaville for winning their very first African Youth Championship in Football against a lacklustre Nigerian team, who are the defending champions! Bravo to the Congolese Red Devils!! The Nigerian delegation should join their host-brethren in celebrations: Congo deserved the win.
If it is any consolation, the Nigerian Flying Eagles have however earned their ticket for the FIFA World Youth Championship, Canada 2007.
For my country, what we saw in Congo is a disgrace and betrayal of our 140million hope in junior soccer! We have far better young legs than the FA sent to the tournament. We certainly have better and smarter materials than the joke which the managers represent. Pity.
Nigerians don't mind losing; but doing so with our Best Eleven is a task that must be done.
This team, warts and all, must be disbanded. Berti Vogts should help put one together right away, and hand it over to a new foreign coach. After May, we must look at Nigerian SPORTS again. This country deserve more and better than the extant convulsion and debasement of our national heritage, our national pride.
MTN or Celtel or Dangote or UBA or Zenith or Zenon or NBL should proudly pick the tabs.
Or NNPC or NICON or Transcorp or...
If it is any consolation, the Nigerian Flying Eagles have however earned their ticket for the FIFA World Youth Championship, Canada 2007.
For my country, what we saw in Congo is a disgrace and betrayal of our 140million hope in junior soccer! We have far better young legs than the FA sent to the tournament. We certainly have better and smarter materials than the joke which the managers represent. Pity.
Nigerians don't mind losing; but doing so with our Best Eleven is a task that must be done.
This team, warts and all, must be disbanded. Berti Vogts should help put one together right away, and hand it over to a new foreign coach. After May, we must look at Nigerian SPORTS again. This country deserve more and better than the extant convulsion and debasement of our national heritage, our national pride.
MTN or Celtel or Dangote or UBA or Zenith or Zenon or NBL should proudly pick the tabs.
Or NNPC or NICON or Transcorp or...
Friday, February 02, 2007
Time for Niger Delta Manifesto
We congratulate the Action Congress and its presidential campaign for advertising outlines of their goodies for the Niger Delta Region. It looks and sounds good. The devil, as they say, is in the details!
Other parties should please do same, and these should cover both their national, state and local initiatives. Let's have a clear private sector opportunities window tied to them. Parties should be more specific, timelined and budget-based. This way, quality analysis can take place.
As in all things political, it is easy to build castles in the air by ignoring previous initiatives. This time, they should show what was and why it failed. Then tell us what will work and how.
We wait.
Other parties should please do same, and these should cover both their national, state and local initiatives. Let's have a clear private sector opportunities window tied to them. Parties should be more specific, timelined and budget-based. This way, quality analysis can take place.
As in all things political, it is easy to build castles in the air by ignoring previous initiatives. This time, they should show what was and why it failed. Then tell us what will work and how.
We wait.
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