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By Aliyu Ammani Junior

Leadership has been one of the common unbalanced difficulties in Nigeria’s political space since independence: 1964 Federal Election Crisis, January 1966 coup, 1966 counter-coup, Nigeria/Biafra civil war, Gideon Orkar’s failed coup, post-June 12 political crisis, and more. All in one way or another—linkable to one part’s sentiment of being marginalized, omitted, or denied the sense of representation.

Ideally, merit, competency, integrity, and capacity are the benchmarks in selecting a leader, not a power rotation or sharing formula. Nevertheless, the situation in Nigeria, a complex country of multiethnic and multi-religious organizations with uneven federalism that is almost consolidated, is not about competency, merit, integrity, and capacity.

A centralized structure ravaged by agitation, deep suspicion of fear of ethnic and religious hegemony demands a rotating power between north and south to accommodate the emotions and sentiments of these regions and their people. Providing a rotation formula would go a long way in sustaining a united Nigeria considering the existing deep divisions among Nigerians. It will produce fairness, equality, equity, justice, a sense of possession, and identification.

Unless a requisite equate is attained, where every part and tribe has developed a sense of possession, identification, and the federalism is no longer leaning; Nigeria will always require a practical formula for unifying the diverging segments that formed ‘The Federal Republic Of Nigeria.’

The fault of power rotation is theoretical and unrealistic; some argue that it is ‘undemocratic’ because it deprives certain people with competence, capacity, and experience the right to be voted—for when zoning does not favour their locus. There is no universal structure of democracy; what is universal about democracy is the basic principles that guide it. The focus of democratic practical demands remains locally confined. As a substantial social value, democracy has complex and diverse considerations and needs. Therefore, it should be hacked to suit local conditions and circumstances.

It is deceiving and tricky to limit the democratic system to mechanical conditions (popular will) without referring to instrumental conditions like the blanket sense of identity—inclusiveness—possession from every component.

Another narrowed argument against the rotating formula is that it is ineffectual and of no help – since a typical citizen from the leader’s zone is not better comforted ‘materialistically’ than other citizens from distant zones. Realistically, it is restricting, reducing, and neo-Marxist to limit the decisive quest of political aspirations and struggles to ‘distribution of resources’ without appreciating other factors; recognition, possession, and sense of identification. In a heterogeneous populace, it is significant to feel represented and connected by having someone from your spot and its experience, occupying a high post (including the office of the President) at least—in a while.

As earlier acknowledged, in usual events—merit, competency, integrity, and capacity should be ‘benchmarks’ in deciding a leader, not a formula. Undeniably, the merit, competency, integrity, and capacity test is a dubious and probable trial.  With a power rotating procedure, the questionable and possible trial remains untouched. Except that something is going to be fixed, every portion will develop a sense of possession, identification, and responsibility “I played: it’s time for someone.”

Aliyu Ammani Junior

Kaduna, Nigeria.

By Muhammad Sabiu

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has on Tuesday, 30th November 2021, ordered Kano state government to formally apologize the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sunusi (II), in two national dailies.

The court judgement was delivered by Justice Anwuli Chikere, and had described Sanusi’s forceful banishment from the state after his dethronement as illegal, unconstitutional and in gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

However, it was gathered that the court has awarded damages against Kano state, in favour of the deposed Emir, to the tune of N10million.

Recall that Sususi was accused of disloyalty and insubordination by the Kano State Government which led to his dethronement on March 9, 2020.

Speaking before the court, Sunusi’s Lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, stated that: “My lord, this is not a chieftaincy matter.

“The Applicant is not before this court to challenge the Respondents’ actions with regards to his removal as Emir of Kano, but the way he was bundled to Abuja and banished to a remote location.”

The Attorney General of Kano State, represented by Musa Mohammed, also challenged the jurisdiction of the court in Abuja to entertain the case.

However, he urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety for want of jurisdiction and competence.

The Kano State AG, through the lawyer that represented him in court, Abdulsallam Salleh, said: “We will look at the judgement critically and consult with our client (Kano state government) on whether we will appeal against it on not.”

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Kaduna State Government will commence a transition to a four-day working week in the state. The government will begin implementation of the transitional arrangements in the public service of the state from 1st December 2021.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the government said, “all public servants, other than those in schools and healthcare facilities, will work from home on Fridays. This interim working arrangement will subsist until the government is ready to move to the next stage of the transition which will culminate in the four-day week across all MDAs in the state”.

Mr. Adekeye further stated that “the state government expects the required legal and regulatory framework to be in place by January 2022. This will also enable the organised private sector to engage with the process and agree a longer transition period to a four-day working week”

By Muhammad Sabiu

No fewer than 26 insurgents of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have been eliminated in Gajiram town, Borno State, after the Nigerian military launched airstrikes on them.

Reports show that the military made the attacks after the insurgents, who came on their gun trucks, made an attempt to invade the town.

A military officer in the know of the incident, whose identity is made anonymous, reliably told journalists that 26 bodies of the insurgents were counted.

Confirming the heavy casualty inflicted on the terrorists, he said, “The aircraft arrived timely and bombarded the locations of the terrorists and burned some of them beyond recognition.

“We have so far counted 26 bodies of the terrorists, but unfortunately, we lost two gallant soldiers while tackling other fleeing enemies.

By Amara Sesay

We have heard the stories of hate. And they all come in different textures and tenors. There is the hate for a tribe, the hate for a race and then the hate for a country. But anytime we want to sit down and talk about hate, people get really emotional. As if it doesn’t exist!

I think the problem arises from our native perspective on hate. This makes it effortless to hate but embarrassing to admit it. So people get emotional when others develop the courage to analyse their hatred politely. It makes them feel sad. And the person who did the exposè sometimes ends up feeling guilty.

But what if every child had the basics of hatred right from primary school?  Such tough preparation for the future makes it easy to confront and respond to hate in a more calculated and strategic way.

Children deserve to know their historic enemies. And how new enemies are formed both online and offline. And how sometimes they themselves unwittingly recruit their own enemies by the things they say or show (read: show off)

Already, we teach them in nuanced and more pernicious ways. But schools can do the job better, I believe. Because with schools, there is respect for taxonomies, hierarchies and references or evidence. The affective domain should not be entirely left to homes, especially where bitter and frustrated bigots or extremists parade as parents.

Children deserve to know that their competitive nature will attract hatred and enmity; that their relentless strides towards excellence will attract a few more enemies. Every milestone they hit attracts more assassins with buckets of stones waiting for the perfect time and angle to pelt them. They should learn that for every change or significant reform they spearhead, friends will become enemies, and enemies will become arch-enemies. This might not always be the case, but they should learn and prepare for such eventualities.

When we leave hate studies to parlour talk and swathes of private histories taught at night, the wounds of centuries continue to rot unhindered. And nations stagnate while others are progressing.

Let’s be more intentional about teaching hate. And let our children learn this early. Late awareness of such an important issue is always costly, if not fatal.

Amara Sesay wrote from Lagos. He can be reached via amarasesay.amir@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government has said that Twitter has agreed to abide by the laid down conditions for its operations in the country.

Appearing on Channels TV, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, disclosed.

Recall that On June 5, 2021, the Buhari administration had slammed an indefinite suspension on Twitter.

Keyamo was a member of a committee the government set to dialogue with the microblogging site.

He disclosed that the committee had made significant progress, adding that: “The reason why the President took that step is to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter and not to drive them away from our country. That recalibration we have started it.

“We also set up a technical committee to interface with Twitter and come up with a lot of conditions for them to fulfil for us to lift the suspension.

“It was Twitter that reached out to the Federal Government to say they want to know what and what they can do to straighten up the relationship with the Federal Government and so, we have gone far, but I may not, at this forum, let out a lot, but we gave them a lot of conditions, and they have agreed to all the conditions.”

The conditions were: “Twitter paying attention to national security and cohesion; registering its physical presence and representation in Nigeria; fair taxation; dispute resolution and Local content.”

This indicates that the ban on Twitter will be lifted soon.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, has charged officers and soldiers of the newly formed 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army to exhibit professionalism and discipline in their operations and other engagements in their area of responsibility.

A release issued to journalists by the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed that Gen Yahaya gave the charge on Sunday, November 28, 2021, during a visit to the Headquarters 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Jalingo.

The statement described his visit as part of the operation and assessment to formations and units of the Nigerian Army across the country.

The release partly reads: “Presented with a security brief on the Brigade’s area of responsibility by the Commander 6 Brigade, Brig-Gen Hillary Mabeokwu, the COAS proceeded to address the troops, charging them to demonstrate professionalism and discipline in the discharge of their duties.

“He pledged to provide requisite logistics for the full take-off of the nascent Brigade.

“The COAS later commissioned newly constructed 6 Brigade Garrison office and Quarter Guard before proceeding to inspect the proposed permanent site of the Brigade.

“He expressed appreciation to the government and people of Taraba state for providing the Nigerian Army with a parcel of land to build the Brigade,” the statement added.