DEMUREN: A VICTIM OF POLITICAL MANOUEVERING

Nigerians woke up to the news this morning of the sack of the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren.  In a less than satisfactory statement released from the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the reason for the sack was given as “pressure from aviation stakeholders”.

I am extremely disappointed in the Federal Government for taking this decision which, in my sincere and humble opinion, will set back the numerous achievements of Dr. Demuren. Demuren is an experienced Aeronautical Engineer. He was retired in 1995 as a Director of Safety Services in NCAA because of his strict adherence to safety. He went on to float Afrijet, where he served as the MD/CEO of the cargo airline. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Dr. Demuren DG of the NCAA after the Bellview and Sosoliso Airlines crashes to restore sanity to the aviation Industry. Dr. Demuren went on to help Nigeria attain the US CAT 1 status after those incidents. I honestly believe he has done well for the aviation Industry and he deserves a better treatment.

Furthermore, one wonders if this sack is as a result of the vote of no confidence passed on Dr. Demuren by the House of Representatives committee on aviation recently. It will be unfortunate if the Federal Government bowed to pressure from a group of political contractors and aviation illiterates parading themselves as legislators whose past time these days is blaming everyone else for Nigeria’s problems except themselves.

Many blamed the Demuren led NCAA after the Dana airline crash but the Ogun-state born technocrat and his agency were duly exonerated by the committee led by renowned aviation expert, Group Captain Obakpolor, who was appointed by the Aviation Minister, Mrs Stella Oduah.

There is no doubt that Dr. Demuren revamped, repositioned and restored confidence in domestic air travel in Nigeria. After his appointment, he immediately took on the challenge of reforming the Nigerian Aviation sector and restoring the lost confidence to the Industry, drawing up a strategic short, medium and long term plan anchored on Safety, Security and Satisfaction (consumer) in that order of priority. Dr. Demuren introduced a safety reform Agenda which enthroned professionalism, integrity and transparency in the conduct of Aviation business.

Demuren will remain one of the best DGs in NCAA’s history. He is competent and well experienced in the field. About a year ago, He was going to step aside honorably after his first tenure, but was reappointed to carry on.  Demuren was a silent achiever who knows his onions. He would be surely missed by those who have the nation’s aviation sector’s interest at heart. I want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank Dr. Demuren for his selfless service to this nation, and I wish him successes in his future endeavours.

Is Don Jazzy the right ambassador for loya milk?

Loya milk is one of the products under the stables of Promasidor Nigeria Limited. The product has been around for a while except that it didn’t really come into the consciousness of Nigerians until after the company decided to pick celebrity music producer and CEO of Mavin Records, Micheal Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, as the face of the loya milk brand.

Disclosing reasons for choosing Don Jazzy as brand ambassador for Loya Milk, the Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr Kachi Onubogu, said a brand ambassador assists the brand further in reaching its target audience.“Our choice of Don Jazzy as brand ambassador is driven by the brand essence and its proposition to its target audience. Loya premium milk is a brand with class and taste; it is a brand with distinction and excellence that constantly rewards its loyal consumers,” he said.

Mr Kachi made it known that “Don Jazzy is recognised for his charitable works. He is a multi award winning Nigerian record producer,singer/song writer and current CEO of Mavin Records and was rated recently as the 36th most powerful celebrity in Africa by Forbes magazine,” He concluded.
I. agree with Mr Onubogu on the fact that “a brand ambassador assists the brand further in reaching its target audience,” but what I do not agree with is if Don Jazzy is the ideal person to carry-out that assignment effectively. Don’t get me wrong - I do not have any personal issues with Don Jazzy; I have never met him before neither do I have any problem with Promasidor for that matter. In fact, I am one of the biggest admirers of Don Jazzy’s works..
My reasons for disagreeing with the choice of Don Jazzy?

1. There is no synergy between the brand and its ambassador. While the brand is targeted at the general public with emphasis on the family, Don Jazzy is a ‘hippy’ personality that only appeals to the youths with little or no buying power or time, as they are pre-occupied with other activities. The few of them who do have time to patronize this product already grew up with older brands like Peak milk and Cowbell milk already entrenched in their sub-consciousness.

2. Don Jazzy has just come out from a well-publicized brick-bat with his erstwhile partner, D’Banj. The bad blood generated from the constant back and forth in the media by both of them has rubbed off on them negatively. An allegation of Don Jazzy cornering all the financial benefits accrued from a deal with Samsung is still fresh in my memories. The proceeds from the deal, according to D’Banj’s media representatives, were supposed to be shared by both personalities – D’Banj and Don Jazzy - as it was obtainable before then. Despite the allegations being unverified, Don Jazzy has never openly denied them.

3. Don Jazzy is not a known talker. Many Nigerians will remember how Don Jazzy used to whisper into Dbanj’s ear in major concerts and award ceremonies while Dbanj ‘interprets’ to the audience. Despite his massive presence on Twitter, Don Jazzy is not known to be sociable; he is media shy, never attends events, and is hardly seen in major shows except when his artistes are involved. This is very much unlike serial brand ambassadors like BankyW and Kate Henshaw, who use every little opportunity to push their brand. Methinks Don Jazzy will just recoil back to his studio, tweet about Loya Milk, go for photo-shoots and attend their events when called upon. He simply can’t push the brand.

Ok! This is where I have to stop before I’m termed a HATER! I might be wrong in my analysis as I am not a brand expert. But it is my opinion and I have made my point. After all, it is my blog. *smiles*

THE GOODLUCK OF JONATHAN

Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is arguably Nigeria’s luckiest citizen alive. His parents would probably be thanking their stars for naming their son, Goodluck. A native of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Dr. Jonathan, who is a PHD holder in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt and a former Lecturer in the same University, comes across as a perfect gentleman.

One of Nigeria’s foremost magazine, TELL, in one of its recent edition profiled Dr. Jonathan. This writer read the article, and looking at his political history, it will be safe to say, the Acting President is not a typical Nigerian politician. Infact, almost every position he has found himself in the past practically fell on his laps with little or no effort or desperation from Dr. Jonathan. Seemingly contented with his job as a Lecturer and a Board Member of a regional government agency that concerns itself with Oil and Minerals development in Oil Producing Communities.

Jonathan was reportedly approached by all the traditional leaders in his local government advicing him to seek a political platform to contest the council’s chairmanship seat and be assured of their support.

According to the magazine, Jonathan was initially reluctant but later bowed to the severe pressure mounted on him. While preparing to slug it out in grass root politics, Dr. Jonathan was approached by former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepriye Alameseigha to run alongside him in a joint ticket for the Governorship/Deputy race in the 1999 Gubernatorial Election. They won the election and enjoyed a cordial relationship, as Jonathan was said to be 100% loyal to his boss and the then governor trusted him too. Midway into their 2nd term in office, the wave of anti-corruption led by the indefatigable Mallam Nuhu Ribadu birthed in Bayelsa and consumed the former governor as reports in the media then suggested that the Economic and Financial crimes commission (EFCC) actually gave the British Metropolitan Police the tip off that Alameseigha was in possession of large sum of money in Foreign Currency and he was consequently arrested in Heathrow Airport, London and charged with money laundering.

Alameseigha later jumped bail, dressed like a woman, he returned to Nigeria Unnoticed by both British and Nigeria Airport and Security Authorities. Shortly after his return, he was impeached by the Bayelsa State house of Assembly for gross misconduct, financial misappropriation, bringing ridicule to the State e.t.c. The responsibility of steering the ship (State) naturally tell on Jonathan, who was again initially reluctant before he was advised that his taking over was constitutional and not an act of betrayal as he envisaged. Jonathan regretted the circumstances in which he became governor, while reading out his acceptance speech when he was being sworn-in as governor.

He pledged his continued loyalty to his former boss and this was made manifest when he refused to dissolve the cabinet, even though, he was under intense pressure to do so by the powers that be in the State.

Jonathan contested the 2007 gubernatorial election in the State and won, but he was picked by the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to run on a joint ticket with Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua for the Presidential election after the initial favourite, Dr. Peter Odilli was dropped due to corruption related issues. Coming from the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria (the ijaw nation).

Jonathan’s emergence was as a result of the struggles and agitation of the Niger Delta people for the control of their resources and higher government positions. Before assuming the role of Acting President, Jonathan was reportedly ineffective in key government policies, but visible in ceremonial capacity and duties. Jonathan’s Goodluck was once again brought to the fore when on the 9th of February 2010, a resolution was passed at the National Assembly empowering him to be the Acting President and assume presidential powers pending the return of Yar’adua.

Yar’adua traveled to Saudi Arabia on November 23, 2009 to attend to his health at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and research centre, Riyadh. He is said to be nursing acute pericardetis (An inflammation of the membrane around the heart). Yar’adua was away for over 70days without adhering to the constitutional provision which stipulates transmission of a written declaration to the National Assembly that he is on vacation (in this case, attending to his health), and properly handing over to Jonathan, as acting president, as enshrined in section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Yar’adua’s absence heated the polity, caused panic and tension and was a clear invitation to Chaos, as it was politically dangerous to have vaccum in the seat of power especially in a democratic dispensation in this part of the world. Although, the National Assembly’s decision is practically not backed by law, it was out of necessity and political expediency in other not to put the country’s cherished democracy in danger.
Jonathan’s first task as acting president was to use his goodluck to uproot the badluck of the Yar’adua administration, Chief Micheal Kaase Aondoaka (S.A.N) from the sacred position of the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of Justice to the ministry of Special duties is a step in the good right direction. The Benue born lawyer was no doubt a clog in the wheel of progress of the Yar’adua administration. This writer wish Jonathan continues with the goodluck cleansing of the ideas-lacking and inactive cabinet of the go- slow and indecisive Yar’adua. On a lighter note, knowing most Nigerians for who they are, I will not be surprised if new born babies are named Goodluck either in English or their native language by their parents. Need I say more………………. GOODLUCK, MR JONATHAN.

Al Jazeera English - Africa - Horror of Nigeria clashes uncovered

Al Jazeera English - Africa - Horror of Nigeria clashes uncovered

THE JOS CURSE

Plateau state in the north central zone of nigeria is known for its tourism potentials all over the country.the state known for its mountains,hills and cold weather used to be the toast of many nigerians because of its peaceful ambience and its european-like friendly weather.

Unfortunately,all that is in the past now as the state is now known as the battle field for recurrent ethno-religious crisis and beginning to be a no-go area for non-residents of the state.The plateau/north frequent crisis has become an embarrasment to successive nNigerian governments and its people because of the impression it gives to the outside world that the Nigerian state tolerates religious bigots and extremists.This writer thinks government should take the large portion of the blame for this recurrent crisis.Both state and federal government usually set up kangaroo panels to look into the causes of this crisis and come up with suggestions on how to proffer solutions.But,these panels resolutions are not implemented by the government that is if at all the panel comes up with one.It is high time government,at all levels take bold and critical steps to nip this crisis in the bud.

Government should make sure that perpatrators of these heinuos crimes are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others who would contemplate toeing that path in future.Government should also create jobs for millions of jobless youths roaming the streets,as they are willing tools for unleashing violence on innoncent Nigerians.Religious leaders should also call their subjects to order and make them understand that violence is alien to both islam and christianity.Deploying troops and imposing curfews after every cricsis is a fire brigade approach and will only serve as a short term solution to each crisis.Prof. Akunyili's army of re-branding experts could also come in handy,if they unleash all their vital communication techniques at their disposal on the people of plateau and make them realize this country belongs to us all.

Elder statesmen and political leaders of plateau descent like Yakubu Gowon,Ibrahim Mantu,Damishi Sango e.t.c should also take necessary steps to educate their followers on the implications of these crises on plateau state's image and Nigeria in general.It is my sincere hope that this recent crisis would be the last in jos and indeed every part of northern Nigeria.The northern elites should do something about these frequent clashes,as most southeners are beginning to have sentimental views about northerners and their religion.Already,most fresh graduates from the southern part of the country dread going to the north for their one year compulsory youth service.While an average youth in southern nigeria thinks all northeners are violent.All these perceptions and mistrust are not good for the country's unity.

UMARU:WHERE IS THY RULE OF LAW

When President Umaru Musa Yar'adua assumed office on the 27th of may 2007,he promised nigerians among other things,his administration's respect for the rule of law.Nigerians commended the president for making that promise,especially considering his predecessor's penchant for disregarding judicial pronouncements mostly towards the end of his tenure.

Yar'adua traveled to saudi arabia on the 23rd of november 2009 to attend to his health at the king faisal specialist hospital and research centre.he is said to be nursing acute pericarditis(an inflammation of the membrane around the heart).Yar'adua,like every other human being can fall ill.But,as i write this piece,he has been away for 64 days.The vacuum created by his absence is politically dangerous and an open invitation to chaos.one would have thought the rule of law apostle would have transmitted a letter asking that vice president Goodluck Jonathan should act for him to the national assembly,as enshrined in section 145 of the constitution,which says,"Whenever the president transmits to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office,until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the vice president as acting president".

If there is any time the president needs to prove his sincerity as regards his rule of law sermon,it is now.To say Yaraua's administration has been a disaster is an understatement.Although that is not the purpose of writing this article.Obviosly,the president is surrounded by professional sycophants who have refused to advice him to do the right thing.People whose selfish interests is more important to them than the nation's interest.kudos to the save nigeria group and other human rights groups led by the ebullient prof wolle soyinka,tough talking pastor tunde bakare,combative barrister femi falana and ever consistent mrs odumakin and others for pouring out on the streets of lagos and abuja to express the feelings of majority of nigerians.Indeed,enough is enough.

This writer expects the national assembly to commence an impeachment process against this go-slow president for breaching the constitution,but here in nigeria,it's a known fact that it is easier for a needle to pass the camel's eye than for those lousy,un-elected 'People Destruction Party'(PDP) members to boot out this lethargic leader.All well meaning nigerians should join the clarion call for Yaradua to handover to Jonathan.The stability of this nation is threatend and we cannot afford to keep quiet.Pastors,imams,traditional rulers,elder statesmen,youths and women associations,professional buisness men and women and nigerians in diaspora.This is the time to speak with one voice and not allow religious and etnic sentiments to becloud our sense of judgement.Nigerians should not allow one desperate ailing man,his greedy wife and kleptomaniac retinue of friends to hold this nation to ransome.We must all say GO UMARU,GO.

EGWU:CELEBRATING AMIDST STRIKES

Not a few Nigerians were taken aback when images of the Minister of Education,Dr Sam Egwu and his wife,Eunice were shown on TV dancing and smiling in their recent wedding anniversary party and the minister's 55th birthday bash.

Egwu,a former university don threw morality to the wind by a staging a party when his primary constituency was virtually grounded because of the stay-at-home order of his former colleagues association to their members.

The academic staff union of universities[ ASSU],senior staff association of nigerian universities [SSANU]and non-academic staff union of [NASU] are all on strike,thereby bringing to halt academic activities in government owned universities.Egwu just didn't care.

In other climes,Egwu's appointment with the government would have been history but not in Nigeria where morality and politics are like the biblical Esau and Jacob.[ask Senator Satty Gogwim].It is a pity that Egwu,who is a product of public educational institution here in Nigeria made a mockery of the profession that brought him fame by staging an unnecessary party when his former colleagues were protesting negotiated wages,poor funding of universities,payment of monetisation arrears,university autonomy amongst others.

It is a sad commentary on the nation's edducation sector that less endowned nations like south africa[7.9%],Kenya[6.5%],Malawi[5.4%]Angola[4.9%] and Ghana[4.4%] invest more of their GDP in education compared to Nigeria's 0.79%.The ever-confused Yar'adua administration which claims education is one of the critical points of its 7-point agenda have resulted in propaganda to save its battered image,instead of honouring its earlier agreement with the unions.

By staging that party ,Egwu is simply telling ASUU,NASU,SSANU,Nigerian students and their parents to go to hell.In developed countries,the likes of Egwu would have been in political oblivion because of his role in obasanjo's infamous third term agenda,but he was undeservedly rewarded with a ministerial appoinment,Nigeria is indeed the headquarters of oddities.

THE INSENSITIVITY OF SOME NIGERIAN SENATORS

"We cannot take money from education and health to build roads.it is only human beings that can use roads."

The above statement sums up the frustration of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba(PDP,Cross river central)when the majority of his colleagues last week removed N6.2billion from the budget meant for education and health for Abuja residents to fund the N25billion expansion on two major roads in the country's capital.

Led by the controversy-friendly Senator Iyiola Omisore,Chairman senate commitee on appropriation,he unashamedly said the cuts were done because the funds meant for education and health could not be exhausted this year.He went further to say,funds for these two key sectors could be sourced later through a supplementery budget,if need be.This same Senator is reportedly oiling his political machinery for his governorship ambition in osun state.

It is a pity that nigerians are 'represented' in the national assembly by mostly insensitive,uninformed and self-serving individuals who are only interested in their own welfare.This writer can not but wonder if the senators actually think expanding a road is more important than the already moribund education sector and the mere 'consulting clinics' called hospitals in Abuja.

Although,some senators protested against the move,majority still approved of it.Any keen observer of the polity would not be surprised because most of the senator's children school in america and europe and they fly to these countries even when they have a slight headache.

Finally,let me end this piece with the words of the seasoned Thisday Newspaper columnist,Simon Kolawole,"Yes we may end up building those ten lanes,but we still have a long way to go"

NYSC:FG,STOP THIS MADNESS

The national youth service corps was introduced by the Yakubu Gowon regime in 1978 after the nigerian civil war.The aim of its establishment was to further promote peace and unity amongst its citenzery after the bloody war.

The regime was applauded by nigerians and foreigners alike for taking the initiative.But,i dare say,the programme has outlived its relevance and should therefore be scrapped.WHY? The nigerian factor is gradually rearing its ugly head in this scheme and it is now a man-know-man situation.Imagine a student graduating from the University of Ibadan and posted to oyo state,imagine a randy corper impregnating an ss2 student in taraba state,imagine three young corpers murdered in a religious crisis in jos,imagine corpers wasting away in death traps called in nigeria.These and many more is why the federal government should put a stop to this scheme.

Also,the number of private universities in every nook and cranny of nigeria is putting the scheme under immense presssure as this means more students will be introduced into the scheme,even when facilities at the various camps are overstrecthed.The conditions of living in these camps is nothing to write home about because of the lack of maintenance culture in this country.

Even the stipends accrued to the corpers are sometimes delayed,and in some cases not payed,not to talk of what the corpers go through in the hands of some organisations they are posted to.Recently,the national association of monotechnic students staged a near-violent protest at the headquarters of NYSC in abuja,requesting for them to be part of the scheme,because they are denied jobs if they do not present their NYSC certificates,they threathened to go violent if theit demands are not met.

One hopes the government listens to the voice of reason and scrap this agonising scheme graduating students go thriugh after four,five and six years they spend in their various higher institutions.

REBRANDING:AKUNYILI'S GOT IT ALL WRONG

Minister of information and communication,Prof Dora Akunyili in a recent visit to the newly installed Gbong gwom jos;HRH Jacob Buba Gyang,said rebranding is more bimportant than infrastructural development.

Akunyili,a pharmacist,who was appointed to her current position by the visionless and confused government of Umaru musa yaradua last year has built a reputation for herself over the years as a commited,courageous,dogged,passionate and transparent public servant because of her achievements at NAFDAC.Unfortunately,she is graadually soiling her hard earned image in the mud with her rebranding mantra.

There is no denying the fact that prof akunyili means well for the country with her rebranding campaign,but she has refused to heed the advice of majority of nigerians who have called on her several times to halt the campaign and instead put pressure on her non-performing political colleagues and her go-slow boss to deliver the dividends of democracy to the nigerian people.

Nigeria does not need rebranding,the leaders should focus on providing stable electricity supply for its citizens,provide jobs for million of youths roaming the streets and invest massively in infrastructural development,health,education,housing,manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

If there is any set of people that needs rebranding,it is the leaders themselves,with their penchant for embezzling funds meant for the people's welfare,i dare say nigeria will rebrand itself if the leaders are sincere.i rest my case.