The state of Adamawa lies in the northeastern part of Nigeria, with its capital at Yola. It was carved out in 1991 from part of Gongola State, with four administrative divisions, namely Adamawa, Ganye, Mubi and Numan. It is one of the largest states in Nigeria and occupies about 36,917 square kilometres.
The great people of Adamawa State are mostly renowned as farmers. This is reflected in their two notable vegetational zones, sub-Sudan and northern Guinea Savannah zone. Their cash crops are cotton and groundnuts, while food crops include maize, yam, cassava, guinea corn, millet and rice. The village communities living on the banks of the rivers engage in fishing, while the Fulani are cattle rearers. Little wonder that all these have been encapsulated in the slogan of the state, ‘The Land of Beauty.” A visit to the state will not be complete without going to Mubi. Mubi’s clement weather is scintilatingly accommodating for human habitation and Nuhu Auwalu Wakili’s Palace will keep your memory of the state at all times.
Adamawa now a shadow of itself
The history of violence in Adamawa preceded, but was accentuated by, the menance of blood-letting and violence perpetrated by Boko Haram terrorists and the equally fatal counter-insurgency response by the Nigerian Army. These cumulatively stamped ugly scars and horrendous devastation in Nigeria’s North East. This is evident in the fact that about 2.5 million people are now in dire straits and lack. There is gnashing of teeth. Record has it that Adamawa is the second most affected state in this horrific Boko Haram’s conflict zone. This had led President Goodluck Jonathan (2010 – 2015) to declare a state of emergency in Adamawa, along with neighbouring Borno and Yobe states, due to the bloody activities of Boko Haram.
The state has also seen sustained serial Fulani herders’violent attacks and bloody inter-communal conflicts. For example, clashes between Fulani and agrarian communities in late 2016 and early 2017, in Demsa Local Government Area (LGA), left over 35 people dead and hundreds displaced. Similarly, herdsmen had attacked over 10 villages in central Adamawa between January and July, 2016. The orgy of violence continues.
Recent crisis bedevilling the state
Only recently, the valiant people of Numan, Adamawa State, woke up to behold wanton destruction of human lives, after a temporary reprieve, when the state was beginning to enjoy relative peace and security. There is high level tension within the Numan city centre, where riot policemen, who were deployed to the area, are carrying out routine patrol of flashpoints. There is great apprehension among residents of nearby and even far-flung communities from Numan town, as to what fate might befall them. Though details are still sketchy, sources said the late night killings occurred as police tried to arrest some community leaders in Dowaya. The Adamawa State Police Command, however, countered that violence erupted due to overnight clash between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Safere and Kodomti villages, in Numan LGA, where about 27 people were feared dead. Meanwhile, Adamawa State chapters of Muslim Council and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), have since condemned the killings and called for the arrest of the perpetrators.
My humble plea
I add my voice to that millions of Nigerians to publicly condemn this wanton destruction of life and property, as same are unacceptable, barbaric, cruel, inhuman, primitive and intolerable. These inter-ethnic violent activities of insurgents are drawing us back to the dark days of Thomas Hobbes, when life was short, nasty and brutish. I enjoin government at all levels to immediately bring the perpetrators of the heinous crimes to justice to serve as deterrence. Otherwise, recidivism will rear its ugly head again and again.
Are Nigerians not really
fantastically corrupt?
Introduction
A writer, Fela Durotoye, once rightly opined that a nation is not defined by its borders or the boundaries of its land mass. Rather, a nation is defined by her adverse people who have been unified by a common cause and value system and who are committed to a vision for the type of society they wish to live in and give to future generations to come. With regards to the usual anti-corruption deodorisation policy (with sweet smelling “sasarobic” perfume), of cronies of this present government and UK’s former Prime Minister, David Cameron’s statement that Nigerians and Afghans were fantastically corrupt, can their views be faulted? Are Nigerians truly cursed or are we the cause of our problems, or is it simply in our stars or destiny? With the case of Abdulrasheed Maina as a case study, we shall examine some of the recent window-dressing efforts of PMB’s government in the now profane name of “fighting corruption”. The media has been agog with the news of the re-instatement of the former chairman of the Presidential Pension Reforms Taskforce, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina. Many Nigerians have since been fingered in the “Mainagate saga”. Some of these Nigerians have denied their involvement, while some others have been singing like parrots over Maina’s re-instatement. This is even as the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the Nichodemus disappearance, appearance and re-instatement of embattled Maina, has commenced hearing.
After listening to the recent damning interview granted by Maina on Channels TV, it has become increasingly clear that the PMB government is neck-deep in this oozing grandfather of corruption scandal. Nigerians are eagerly watching to ascertain if the whole messy scandal will be fumigated and swept under the carpet with the usual APC broom, as is now common with this government. For the records, Maina in his interview on Channels maintained that he did not gatecrash, nor force his way back to office, but that PMB gave a clean bill of health for his automatic reinstatement and promotion. Maina further narrated how he had helped the present government recover N1.3 trillion through the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). Maina further added that the process of his re-instatement started after the AGF visited him in Dubai. The AGF, on his part, in the recent House of Representatives ad hoc committee hearing, has denied ever signing any letter for Maina’s re-instatement, even as he admitted, curiously, that the letter emanated from his office. Is this another way of passing the buck or reneging from responsibility? I remember the phrase, “the buck stops here,” meaning “responsibility does not go beyond this point.” It was popularized by the former U.S President, Harry S. Truman, who had the sign with this inscription on his desk. I also have this energising sign on my table in all my offices. This meant that Truman would not ‘pass the buck’ to anyone else, but accept personal responsibility for the way and manner his country was governed. Let us even assume that the letter ordering Maina’s re-instatement was signed by an officer in the AGF’s office; the buck must stop at his table. The AGF must take full responsibility for this “penkelemesi” (“peculiar mess”, with apologies to Chief Adegoke Adelabu), because the signatory to the letter is presumed to be signing for and on behalf of the AGF.
Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years
Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, in her 37 years, Nigeria had Shagari, Buhari, Babangida, Shonekan, Abacha, Abdulsalami, Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. Mugabe gave his country 24 hours power supply, but our nine Presidents could not give us power supply. Mugabe did not borrow (na who go even borrow am money), but we borrowed despite resources, but still no light. If other counties are celebrating the fall of Mugabe, no be Nigeria. I would rather have a Mugabe in Nigeria than the bunch of never-do-wells we’ve had in 37 years. Zimbabwe remains the most educated nation in Africa.
People who speak down on education … have you seen what education has done to Zimbabweans?
No car burnt. No house burnt. No buildings destroyed and no life lost (in short, they were also praying and shouting fire … without tinder … no reports of violence and fires).
Yet they removed a President from office without violence! I totally understand why they say these are the most educated people in Africa. The effect of their education shows. It may not make everyone a millionaire or rich, but it certainly produces rich minds.
We need to learn from Zimbabweans.
There is a lot to learn from Zimbabwe! No military in human history has managed to ensure the facilitation of the removal of an incumbent President without any spill of blood, while respecting all democratic processes and institutions. General Constantino Chiwenga, the man at the helm of this operation, holds the following qualifications:
1. B.Sc, Defense and Security Studies, University of Zimbabwe;
2. M.Sc, Security Studies, Oxford University; and
3. PhD, Cyber Security, UNISA.
This demonstrates that when you have educated and experienced people in critical positions, they can manage chaos better than uneducated and quota system cadres.
(As written by, but copied from, a discerning critic).
Some african Presidents are exceptionally educated
The now ousted President Mugabe is reputed to be one of the most educated heads of state and Presidents in Africa, sharing the badge of academic honour with the likes of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), Faure Essozima Gnassingbe (Togo), Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali), DrAmeenah Gurib (Mauritius), Dr Mulatu Tshome (Ethiopia), Alassane Quattara (Ivory Coast), Peter Mutharika (Malawi), and King Mohammed VI (Morocco).
One of Africa’s ever longest serving President and arguably, one of the most ruthless leaders in the world, Mugabe is an intellectual giant.
Behold these: BA, Bachelor of Administration and Bachelor of Education (University of South Africa), B.SC, LL.B (Hons), M.SC, LL.M, all from the University of London (External programme). The two law degrees were obtained whilst in prison; while the M.SC was taken during his premiership of Zimbabwe. He studied in Universities in Fort Hare, London, Oxford, Salisbury, Gwelo, and Tanzania.
King Mohammed V1 (Morroco)
BA (Law). CES (Political Science), Diploma Public Law; Ph.D (Law).
Alassan Quattara (Cote d’Ivoire)
B.SC (Philadelphia), M.SC and Ph.D (Economics, University of Pennsylvania).
Dr. Peter Mutharika (Malawi)
LL.B (London), LL.M, Ph.D (Law, Yale University).
Dr. Mulatu Teshome (Ethopia)
B.SC (philosophy) and Ph.D (International Law).
Dr. Ameenah Gurib (Mauritus)
B.SC (Chemistry, Surrey); Ph.D (organic Chemistry, Exeter University).
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali)
M. Sc (political science), M.A. (History) (poris)
B. Sc (political science and International law, Dakar).
Faure Gnassiagbe (Togo)
B.B.A. (Business), MBA (George Washington University, USA).
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia)
BEc (Eons), M.A. (Public Administration)
M.P. Admin; AA (Accounting)
Whither Nigeria? Nigeria, we hail thee.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
(Mark Twain).