Buhari and the state of the Nation

And The Truth Shall Make President Buhari Free

By Reno Omokri

President M. Buhari

Having worked twice at the Nigerian Presidential villa and once at the British Parliament, if there is anything I have learned, it is that it is impossible to over inform a leader. You can under inform him, but no matter how much information you give a leader, you cannot give him too much information.

In today's world, strength and weakness are gauged differently than they were, say in 1984. In the millennial age in which we live in, information is power and lack of information is weakness.

My concern is that there are a lot of weaknesses in Nigeria's seat of power because not enough information is being given to President Muhammadu Buhari.

I, like other Nigerians, have heard or read reports of ministers in President Buhari's cabinet being afraid to challenge him or disagree with him. Perhaps unawares, the minister of state for petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, corroborated these reports in a recorded YouTube video now circulating where he revealed that the President ignores his ministers when they bring up issues that he does not want to discuss.

Having such anodyne personalities around you just means that you are living in a bubble, seeing things as you want them to be and not as they are.

On Friday, May 20th, 2016, Dr. Yemi Kale, the Statistician-General of the Federation and head of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics revealed that Nigeria's economy had not grown in the first quarter of the year but had rather shrunk by 0.36%, the worst contraction in 25 years!

Since the announcement was made, there has been various reactions with pundits pointing at this or the other as being the cause of this setback.

But I am convinced beyond any reasonable doubts that this negative trend owes more to President Muhammadu Buhari's utterances on our economy and polity than to any other single causative factor.

The bigger problem is that even though I suspect that his ministers know that what I have just said is true, they would rather pander to the President and like Dr. Chris Ngige, say that Nigerians are lucky to have President Buhari (obvious Ngige does not know the meaning of luck).

In the last eleven months, the President had traversed the globe and has spoken about Nigeria's economy as if he was the chief undertaker of our polity rather than the chief marketer that he is meant to be.

Of what benefit is it to the President's agenda or to Nigeria's economic well-being for him to go to foreign nations and instead of highlighting the positive things that are happening in Nigeria, he begins to regale his hosts with the most unsavory stories about Nigeria.

And some of the stories the President tells are just that tales. They are not factual. At best they can be argued.

You go to India for a summit where other world leaders are competing with you for the attention of venture capitalists and foreign investors and while your counterparts are talking about how great their countries are, you tell the audience how everybody in your country is corrupt except you and oh, can they come and invest in your country?

Only a foolish investor would go and invest in a country whose President thinks his citizens are 'criminals' (as the President said to the Telegraph of UK in February) and whose officials are 'fantastically corrupt' (as the President said in agreement with British PM David Cameron when questioned by Sky News, BBC News and CNN Amanpour).

The President speaks on the Nigerian economy and polity without any filters and his comments are causing his chickens to roost with devastating consequences for all of us.

Never in the history of Nigeria has there been such a divestment of investment as we have seen in the past year.

Truworths has pulled out of Nigeria, Virgin Atlantic has closed up shop, Iberia is pulling out, RenCap is pulling funds from Nigeria, both Alquity Investment Management Ltd. and, Duet Asset Management Ltd. are divesting their Nigeria holding.

Zenith Bank laid off 1,200 staff, FCMB sacks 700 employees, Ecobank sacked 50% of its top management staff. The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tony Ejinkeonye revealed that in just two months 50,000 staff were laid off in Abuja alone.

The results are telling. A little over a year ago, Nigeria was projected by CNNMoney to be the third fastest growing economy in the world behind China and Qatar yet just two weeks ago the International Monetary Fund released its World Economic Outlook and Nigeria is not even among the top 15 fastest growing economies in Africa let alone the world!

And when you try to raise the alarm, the refrain from the government and its horde of unofficial spokesmen is that the downturn is caused by the fall in crude prices.

Yet this logic is flawed. The government's own economic monitoring agency, the National Bureau of Statistics itself reported that the exponential growth Nigeria enjoyed especially from 2012 to its 2014 climax (when our economy overtook South Africa to be Africa's largest economy) was spurred not by the oil sector, but "this growth was largely driven by improved activities in the telecommunications, building and construction, hotel and restaurant and business services" to quote the NBS.

Yes, oil accounts for something like 90-95 percent of our foreign exchange revenues but it only accounts for a mere 15% of our GDP.

The service sector and the commercial and real sector are the engine or used to be the engine of our economic growth. But these sectors are heavily capital and technology intensive and require cooperation with foreign investors and when you consistently bad mouth your economy and its regulator's investor confidence tanks and the result is what we are seeing today.

I support President Buhari's anti-corruption war but it should not be a substitute for sound economic ideas or policies.

And the way the President has carried out his anti-corruption crusade is in itself self-sabotaging and feeds the narrative of those who say that Nigeria is far too complex and dynamic a country to be run by someone who should be quietly collecting his pension.

And President Buhari's behavior is flowing down the pyramid. There is a contagious effect in the utterances of major figures in his administration.

For instance, when Vice President Osinbajo tells the world that the Jonathan administration looted $15 Billion in security contracts, many people in the West who like to read such stories to justify their hidden opinion that the Black man cannot govern himself, will clap for him.

Coming from the nation's own Vice President, the Western press will report the news as a fact. At that level, such a statement carries the weight of an admission.

But then ask yourself, what was the entire security budget for the five years that Jonathan was President of Nigeria?

In 2011, defense and security had a budget of ₦348 billion or just over $2 billion. In 2012, it skyrocketed to ₦921 billion or $5.7 billion. It grew to ₦1.055 trillion in 2013 or $6 billion. In 2014, ₦968 billion was budgeted for defense and security or $5.8 billion. The 2015 budget was passed in April and President Jonathan handed over to President Buhari a month later so I cannot see how the previous administration could have 'chopped' that money.

So of the $19 billion budgeted for defense and security while former President Jonathan was in office, how could $15 billion have been looted when more than half that amount went to paying salaries?

Did Vice President Osinbajo think this accusation through?

The President and his vice with their cabinet and their political appointees are not a court. They cannot convict anybody. As such when they speak this way, what it amounts to is propagandized activity.

In an anti-corruption war, one must separate activity from results. Results are convictions from a court after due and diligent prosecution. And when you look at it from that perspective, this administration has been delivering activity and not results.

For instance, then candidate Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress, had called the subsidy payments made by the Jonathan administration a fraud!

They claimed that the amount was too high at ₦1.1 trillion in 2014.

Well if fuel subsidy had been a fraud, the first thing that should have happened naturally when President Muhammadu Buhari took over was that the amount should have reduced, but it DID NOT reduce. As a matter of fact, Nigeria spent over $5 billion on fuel subsidy in 2015 and President Buhari was in power for most of that year!

The point I am making here is that the elections are over. President Buhari and his administration should stop tarnishing the image of Nigeria in the mistaken belief that they are rubbishing the person of former President Jonathan.

The President should take in the big picture and realize that you need to be underneath somebody in order to pull him down.

One year has come and gone and has seemingly been wasted pointing fingers in blame instead of at solutions. The time for blame games has gone.

Only last month, President Buhari complained that the Sahara desert was advancing southward. He should also realize that that is not the only thing going south. The Nigerian economy is going south at perhaps a faster rate and blaming others for it will never stem the tide.

The President should focus on marketing his plans and policies when he travels abroad instead of de marketing the plans and policies of former President Jonathan's administration.

It has been said that if you want a conversation with a habitual complainer to end abruptly, just ask him how he intends to fix the problem. That is the question Nigerians want answered by President Buhari.

Under former President Jonathan, Nigeria's economy exploded and became the largest economy in Africa and the 24th largest economy in the world. Let it not be said that under President Buhari that economy collapsed like a pack of clouds because the hand that should have steered the ship was too busy pointing an accusing finger.

Singapore's Economic Development ‘A model Nigeria should adopt’

Fifty years ago, the city-state of Singapore was an undeveloped country with a GDP per capita of less than US $320. Today, it is one of the world's fastest growing economies. Its GDP per capita has risen to an incredible US $60,000, making it the sixth highest in the world based on Central Intelligence Agency figures. For a country that lacks territory and natural resources, Singapore's economic ascension is nothing short of remarkable. By embracing globalization, free market capitalism, education, and strict pragmatic policies, the country has been able to overcome their geographic disadvantages and become a leader in global commerce.

Photos of the Old State of Singapore

Singapore Independence

For over a hundred years, Singapore was under British control. But when the British failed to protect the colony from the Japanese during World War II, it sparked a strong anti-colonial and nationalist sentiment that subsequently led to their independence.

On August 31, 1963, Singapore seceded from the British crown and merged with Malaysia to form the Federation of Malaysia.

Although no longer under English rule, the proceeding two years Singapore spent as part of Malaysia were filled with social strife, as the two sides struggled to assimilate with one another ethnically. Street riots and violence became very common. The Chinese in Singapore outnumbered the Malay three-to-one. The Malay politicians in Kuala Lumpur feared their heritage and political ideologies were being threatened by the growing Chinese population throughout the island and peninsula. Therefore, as a way of ensuring a Malay majority within Malaysia proper and to phase out communist sentiments within the country, the Malaysian parliament voted to expel Singapore from Malaysia. Singapore gained formal independence on August 9, 1965, with Yusof bin Ishak serving as its first president and the highly influential Lee Kuan Yew as its Prime Minister.

Upon independence, Singapore continued to experience problems. Much of the city-state's three million people were unemployed. More than two-thirds of its population was living in slums and squatter settlements on the city's fringe. The territory was sandwiched between two large and unfriendly states in Malaysia and Indonesia. It lacked natural resources, sanitation, proper infrastructure, and adequate water supply. In order to stimulate development, Lee sought international assistance, but his pleas went unanswered, leaving Singapore to fend for itself.

Globalization in Singapore

During colonial times, Singapore's economy was centered on entrepôt trade. But this economic activity offered little prospect for job expansion in the post-colonial period. The withdrawal of the British further aggravated the unemployment situation.

The most feasible solution to Sinagpore's economic and unemployment woes was to embark on a comprehensive program of industrialization, with a focus on labor-intensive industries. Unfortunately, Singapore had no industrial tradition. The majority of its working population was in trade and services. Therefore, they had no expertise or easily adaptable traits in the area. Moreover, without a hinterland and neighbors who would trade with it, Singapore was forced to look for opportunities well beyond its borders to spearhead its industrial development.

Pressured to find work for their people, the leaders of Singapore began to experiment with globalization. Influenced by Israel's ability to leap over its Arab neighbors who boycotted them and trade with Europe and America, Lee and his colleagues knew they had to connect with the developed world and to convince their multinational corporations to manufacture in Singapore.

In order to attract investors, Singapore had to create an environment that was safe, corruption- free, low in taxation, and unimpeded by unions. To make this feasible, the citizens of the country had to suspend a large measure of their freedom in place of a more autocratic government. Anyone caught conducting narcotic trade or intensive corruption would be met with the death penalty. Lee's People Action Party (PAP) repressed all independent labor unions and consolidated what remained into a single umbrella group called the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), which it directly controlled. Individuals who threatened national, political, or corporate unity were quickly jailed without much due process. The country's draconian, but business-friendly laws became very appealing to international investors. In contrast to their neighbors, where political and economic climates were unpredictable, Singapore on the other hand, was very predictable and stable. Moreover, with its advantageous relative location and established port system, Singapore was an ideal place to manufacture out of.

By 1972, just seven years since independence, one-quarter of Singapore's manufacturing firms were either foreign-owned or joint-venture companies, and both the U.S. and Japan were major investors. As a result of Singapore's steady climate, favorable investment conditions and the rapid expansion of the world economy from 1965 to 1972, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) experienced annual double-digit growth.

Akwa Ibom 2015: Election Petition Tribunal

Wednesday, July 22, 2015, did not go as desired for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Umana Okon Umana at the Akwa Ibom State Election Petition Tribunal as he watched in anger as the witnesses whom he had procured to help his case made some blunders which may cost him the case.

By Prince Uduak Pedro 23/7/2015

Mr Umana O. Umana frowned uncontrollably, making gestures to his lawyer at the tribunal as his witnesses committed unpardonable mistakes that the lawyers for the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel may capitalize on to cause the Tribunal to dismiss his case.

According to the reporter, the common trend among the witnesses hired by the APC was to insist that there was no election in Akwa Ibom State. At Wednesday’s hearing where APC witnesses were cross-examined by the lead counsels of the PDP governorship candidate, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the testimonies of the witnesses crumbled under legal scrutiny.

Departing from the popular refrain that there was no election in Akwa Ibom State, APC witness, Engr Emmanuel Alfred contradicted the position of his party by insisting that election actually took place, which he participated in by voting. When reminded by Counsel to PDP, Mr Tayo Oyetibo, SAN that his position contradicted his sworn affidavit, he revealed that the affidavit was prepared by the APC lawyer, maintaining his position that there was election. He maintained that anyone who said there was no election was a liar.

His submission corroborated the submission of another APC witness, Mr Nkereuwem Okpok of Ikot Asat Nsit of Nsit Ibom Local Government Area who also confirmed that INEC in the Local Government Area had distributed some materials on the Friday preceding the election and that he had participated and voted in the election. He mentioned some wards in the Local Government Area which he said election had taken place.

Akwa Ibom State Governor-Elect Udom Emmanuel, Set Up Transition/Handover Committees

Udom Emmanuel AKS Governor-Elect

As the May 29 hand over date approaches, the Governor-Elect of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has set up a 21-member transition committee, with Chief Sunny Akpadiaha as Chairman and Mr Udeme Ufot as Vice Chairman.

A statement by the Chairman, Publicity Committee of the Divine Mandate Campaign Organization, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, who is also the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, indicates that the Committee, which has Barr Emmanuel Enoidem as Secretary, will be inaugurated by the Governor-Elect on Thursday 30th April 2015 by 2.00pm at the Banquet Hall of the Government House. Other members of the Committee are Rt. Hon. Esio Oquong Udoh, Bishop Andrew Unwanta, Dr. Chris Akpan, Barr Jerry Akpan and Professor Ibe Bassey.

The statement also indicates that Dr. Chris Nyong, Barr. Goddy Umoh, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan, Mr. Kennedy Akwaowo, Professor Maria Ikorok, Hon. Mrs Serah Esitikot and Barr. Comfort Etuk are to serve on the Committee. Also to serve on the Committee are Dr. (Mrs) Majorie George Abasiodiong, Mr. Unyime Usoro, Mr. Ese Umoh, Rt. Hon. Kenneth Okon, Mrs. Ekaette Ebieteobong Usip and Mr. Bernard Duncan.

Similarly, Mr. Umanah said Governor of the State, Chief Godswill Akpabio has also constituted a transition to handover committee, with the Head of the Civil Service, Mrs. Cecilia Udoessien as Chairman.

According to the statement by the Information Commissioner, Mr. Enobong Uwah as Secretary while Mr. Don Etim, Prince Uwem Ita Etuk, Dr. Ememabasi Bassey and Sir Adasi Ubulom will serve as members. Other members appointed to serve on transition committee of the out-going administration are Dr. Glory Edet, Professor Ibe Bassey, Obong Senas Ukpanah, Mr. Akan Okon and Mr Aniekan Umanah.

The Committee also include Professor Atim Antai, Rt. Hon Ignatius Edet, Hon. Monday Uko, Engr Etido Inyang, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk, Hon. Ibanga Etang, Obonganwan Grace Ekong, Barr. Mercy Isang, Sir Udo Isobara, Elder Bassey Essang and Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko.

Members of the two committees are to work harmoniously to ensure a smooth transition from the present administration of Chief Akpabio to the incoming government of Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

Courtesy:

Idris Mabadeje
Information Officer

MEET THE AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNOR CHIEF GODSWILL OBOT AKPABIO

From early childhood, providence honed the leadership acumen of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON, with an innate passion for helping people expand their imagination and maximize their potentials. This passion did not only deepen in him a strong sense of justice and a great passion for excellence, it led him to positions of leadership in the different stages of his life. Like an diligent coach, destiny prepared him painstakingly for impact and influence.

Driven by the same passion and popular acceptance, he became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State in May 2007, and commenced a revolution in the state, which has excited the imagination of the people, and has been aptly described as “uncommon transformation.” He has been widely honored and celebrated within and outside the state because of his great investments in human and infrastructural development. He has emerged as one of the most honored men in our country today, and a treasure in Akwa Ibom State. His visionary leadership style has motivated and shaped an entire generation of Akwa Ibom people and it has become a metaphor for administrative excellence.
 

PERSONAL DETAILS
The son of Chief Obot Akpabio and Madam Lucy Obot Akpabio (nee Inyangetor) of Ukana Ikot Ntuen in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Governor Godswill Akpabio was born on December 9, 1962. He lost his father early in life and was raised by his mother, who inculcated in him the values of hard work, discipline and honesty.

He was educated at Methodist Primary School, Ukana, Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State; the prestigious Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; and the University of Calabar, Cross River State, where he obtained a Degree in Law. He was called to the Nigerian bar in 1988.
 

A MIRROR ON A LIFE OF SERVICE
At Federal Government College, his leadership style shone like a star and he was appointed the General Senior Prefect. In the University of Calabar, his charisma endeared him to the students and he was elected the Speaker of the Students’ Parliament.

He had a brief stint as a teacher and as an associate partner with Paul Usoro and Co., a leading law firm in the Country. In 2002, Governor Akpabio rose to the position of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of EMIS Telecoms Limited, a pioneer fixed wireless telecommunications company in Lagos. In this position, he helped in shaping the future of the burgeoning telecoms industry. He had earlier served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria, (ATCOM), while a director of EMIS.

THE CALL TO SERVICE
In 2002, he was appointed the Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries (Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Lands and Housing) because of the indelible imprints of competence and efficiency associated with his stewardship.

Governor Akpabio-taking-the-oath-of-office-for-a-second-term-in-office

His admirable attributes, charisma and virtues led to a mass, statewide agitation for him to seek higher office. His Governorship bid in 2007 was anchored on the unselfish premise, “let God’s will be done.” With this mass support, he defeated 57 aspirants in the hotly-contested primary election to emerge the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2006. On April 24, 2007 he was elected Governor. And in 2011 he was re-elected Governor, after running a campaign anchored on the same slogan “Let God’s will be done again.”
MILESTONES OF GOVERNANCE
Indeed, God’s will has been done in all facets of life in Akwa Ibom State. God’s will has been done in the free and compulsory education programme initiated by the Akpabio administration from primary to senior secondary school. This has curbed the house help syndrome, which the State was hitherto known for. It has also helped in combating kidnapping and vices by providing proper direction for children in the state. This programme codified into law, pays subvention to Secondary School principals at N300 per student per term and to primary school head teachers at N100 per pupil per term. It has tripled school enrollment in the state; and over 4,560 classroom blocks have been built or rehabilitated in 1,183 schools to support the programme.

 

The development agenda of the Akpabio administration has turned the State into an indelible testimony of uncommon transformation.  Some highlights of the unquantifiable giant strides of Governor Akpabio include the following:

Godswill Obot Akpabio wins Ikot Ekpene ticket

Akpabio wins Ikot Ekpene ticket, Ita Enang loses to OBA in Uyo senatorial district.

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, polled 423 votes to beat Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo and Chief Inibehe Okorie in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

Ekpo and Inibehe Okorie scored no votes.

The incumbent Senator representing the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Mr. Aloysius Etok, withdrew his aspiration to drum support for Akpabio.

Former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert, emerged winner in Uyo Senatorial District.

Albert emerged winner with a total of 363 votes, followed by a former State House of Assembly member, Mr. Usenobong Akpabio, who scored five votes. The incumbent senator, Ita Enang, had only three votes.

Enang is the Senate Committee Chairman on Rules and Business.

Nelson Effiong, former Speaker of the Akwa-Ibom State House of Assembly had the upper hand in Eket Senatorial District.

Distinguished Senator Helen Udoakaha Esuene turned 65

Senator Helen Esuene @ 65

The Management of Villa Marina Hotel, Eket, Celebrate with Senator Helen Esuene on her 65th Birthday.

Like the vintage wine that gets testier and more valuable with age, Our Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Distinguished Senator Helen Udoakaha Esuene turned 65 on Sunday, 23rd November 2014.

Our amiable Chairman who is imbued with grace, poise, elegance, charming wisdom and natural comeliness took time to thank God for His infinite mercies and blessing on her family, businesses and the good people of Eket Senatorial District whom she ably represents in the Red Chambers of the Nigerian's Senate.

Senator Helen Esuene, a former President of the Rotary Club of Eket, a former Minister in the Obasanjo regime and recently, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development had not lost the common touch as she strives in her desire to serve the people of Akwa Ibom State as the Governor in the immenient elections of 2015.

APC holds rally in Abuja, says Nigeria democracy under threat

APC Chieftains

The All Progressives Congress, APC, led by its National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun as well as some Chieftains like Muhammadu Buhari and few hand picked individuals have currently taken to some major streets in Abuja, in what is tagged, Salvation Rally, which the APC described as a warning rally.

Chief Oyegun, national chairman of the APC said the party is disturbed by the level of insecurity in Nigeria; manipulation of the Permanent Voters Card, PVC, issuance process in APC-controlled states as well as the current dwindling state of the nation’s economy.

Oyegun said the rally was organized because the leadership of the APC considered that it was time to give the government of Goodluck Jonathan a public warning and to call the attention of every Nigerian to the looming dangers ahead.

His words: “It is now clear that the PDP government of President Jonathan is exploiting the lives and shedding the blood of our children in the entire northeast of the country for purely simple political reasons. How can Boko Haram move into Mubi without one single shot of resistance? How did it happen?

“Our military men have proven themselves worldwide; they shed their blood for the survival of Liberia and Sudan. Why is it that all of a sudden in their own nation, they would be unable to fight these terrorists? This is not guerilla warfare, because these terrorists come in trucks and bikes. Have our armed forces so deteriorated into such a mess?  No.”

“The Nigerian government has virtually become the armorers of the insurgents.  Why would the army during retreat leave behind all its weapons and ammunitions? We have implicit confidence in our armed forces, but the PDP is sacrificing the lives of our brothers, sisters, mothers and children for selfish political gains.”

Meanwhile, the former head of state and APC presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari said the PDP is corrupt, inefficient and indiscipline as such the party’s concern is the lack of concern of the federal government.

“The PDP cannot escape the blame of the position they have put Nigeria in terms of security and a failing economy.  Today, this country is going bankrupt. We will stabilize the system if we vote the PDP out,” Buhari said.

Report reaching Nigeria Politics Online explained that APC is being followed by hundreds of its supporters in the rally.

Courtesy; nigeriapoliticsonline

Is NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) Scheme still fulfilling her purposed of creation?

Is there any tangible proof that over the years, the NYSC scheme has been and still is fulfilling the purpose of its creation?

The NYSC scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. The unfortunate antecedents in our national history gave impetus to the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by decree No.24 of 22nd May 1973 which stated that the NYSC is being established "with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity".

Having lasted for about 38 years, many Nigerians opine that the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) program may have outlived its usefulness. Several corpers have died in the course of their service either as victims of violent outbreaks in the region where they served or due to the poor living conditions they face in the places they are posted to. Many families are still grieving the loss of their loved ones, mothers have buried the children they labored for, chest fed and invested so much time, care and money in.

The question is: is there any tangible proof that over the years, the NYSC scheme has been and still is fulfilling the purpose of its creation; that is to ensure national integration and co-existence? Are there any testimonies to this effect? Should the program continue simply because it provides employment for those in charge of supplying kits and other accessories for the NYSC programs while some of the NYSC members don’t live to see the end of the program? Is it actually even possible to secure the Youth corpers when it is on record that some NYSC members were murdered at a police station after a female corporal was beheaded and the police station itself was incinerated? Can the NYSC be a means of fostering national unity after all the grief it has already caused? Has any of one of those who think the program should remain ever lost a loved one in the course of the program? For how long will young vibrant Nigerians die senselessly at the hands of ignorant, illiterate brutes because the Government does not provide adequate security for its citizens? 

To continue...