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Not A Hair Must Fall From Kukah’s Head! by Femi Fani-Kayode
It is most disconcerting when a handful of mischievous, reckless dangerous and hopelessly misguided religious zealots and ethnic bigots that ought to know better like the Sokoto-based Muslim Solidarity Forum issue threats and give quit notices and ultimatums to leading members of the Christian community like Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
This is disappointing and unacceptable and, if not handled properly, has the potential of leading to a major religious conflagration and crisis. I say this because Kukah is deeply loved by millions from all over the country and the Christian community rever and adore him.
The Muslim Solidarity Forum are seeking to undermine the great work that the Sultan of Sokoto has achieved in creating peace in the Caliphate between Christians and Muslims over the last few years.
I oppose those Muslims that issue such quit notices and threats against Christians and their fellow Nigerians just as I am against any Christian or Christian group that issue quit notices and threats or give ultimatums to members of the Muslim community. We must all learn to get on with one another and avoid any inflammatory language or unnecessary confrontations.
I say this because Nigeria belongs to us all. No-one has the right to tell another to leave his territory simply because he delivered a sermon which sought to highlight the failings, dangers and evil of the Buhari government. As a matter of fact no-one has the right to ask his fellow Nigerian to leave his territory for ANY reason.
Bishop Kukah made a lot of sense in his homily and he spoke for millions. For anyone to now describe it as an attack or insult on Islam is dishonest, disingenuous and deceitful.
For them to go a step further and threaten him and say he must apologise or leave Sokoto is not only highly provocative but also extreemly reckless and dangerous. And the truth is that those that have threatened him are playing with fire.
Let me be clear, nothing must happen to Kukah because if it does the consequences will be grave, horrendous, calamitous, catastrophic, devastating and unimaginable and the entire country would not only be set on fire but would also explode into a thousand pieces.
No-one wants that and no-one prays for it but if Kukah is harmed or killed Nigeria will not survive it and she will be left in ashes.
I do not wish or hope for such a terrible thing to happen and I pray it does not but that is the sad and bitter truth. We must endeavour to ensure that such an apocalyptic scenario never unfolds in our nation by always preaching peace, restraint and understanding and always insisting on non-violence and mutual respect.
The truth is that Christians are fed up with being treated like the whipping boy and second class citizens in their own country and we demand to be accorded the same respect that we offer and accord to the Muslims.
That is the only way to guarantee peace because no one faith has the monopoly of violence. When you keep pushing a man to the wall and spitting in his face, one day he will stand up, call your bluff, say “enough is enough”, damn the consequences and defend himself.
We must all calm down before it is too late. We must seek to ease the tension and take a deep breath before the whole matter degenerates any further. We must all choose the path of peace, love and mutual understanding.
We must not allow the extremist on either side of the religious, ethnic and political divide to push us any further apart.
We must make it clear to our Muslim brothers that an attack on Buhari is not an attack on Islam and neither does Buhari represent Islam. He represents only himself and his sinking, incompetent, wicked and evil Government.
I call on the reverred and respected leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, a man for whom I have the deepest affection and whom I hold in very high esteem, to call those that are issuing these threats against Kukah to order and to counsel them to desist from doing so.
I call on him to continue to provide the voice of wisdom, love, restraint, mutual understanding and peace that he has provided over the last few years and that we so desperately need today.
Most important of all I call on Bishop Kukah to remain courageous and strong and not allow himself to be intimidated and I call on the Christian community in Nigeria to maintain the peace and to reach out to our Muslim brothers with love and understanding.
The most important thing for us to do in Nigeria today is to ensure that we do not let ethnicity and religion divide us any further.
Mutual respect is important and we must build bridges of understanding, trust and love between Christians and Muslims and between northerners, Middle Belters and southerners.
Buhari has burnt many of those bridges over the last five years and divided us badly but we must not allow him to go any further and end up pushing us into a second civil war.
Two weeks ago in a widely published essay titled “Who Is Squeezing Bakare’s Balls” I analysed the Buhari administration with the following words and described them in the following terms. I wrote,
“Quite apart from being a conglomeration and alliance of ill-bred touts and ill-mannered idiots, it is also a Government that can best be described as an unadulterated aberration and a cancerous affliction.
It is a cruel, inept, bumbling, abrasive, vicious, obnoxious, chaotic, toxic, sociopathic and paranoid Government which is undergirded by ineptitude and incompetence, which has divided and destroyed our country and which Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a handful of others (many of whom have since recanted, apologised and repented) helped to bring to power.
Quite apart from being anti-the Nigerian people, it is also the most anti-Christian Government that our country has ever known. It is a Government that has nothing but contempt for Christians and that does not shy away from displaying it.
It is a Government that has impoverished it’s people, terrorised them, humiliated them, tormented them, insulted them and turned them into second class citizens, grovelling slaves, beggardly field-hands and pitiful serfs.
It is a Government with a hideous and hateful ethnic and religious agenda which seeks to disempower, discredit and destroy all but its own.
It is a Government that has pampered terrorists and rewarded them with massive ransom payments and it is a Government of desolation and destruction that thrives on wickedness and injustice.
It is a Government that has turned a blind eye to the activities of the herdsmen and bandits and that has fought Boko Haram and ISWA with kid gloves.
It is a Government of hate, double standards and deceit that has murdered its own citizens and that seeks to intimidate and silence contrary and dissenting voices.
It is a Government that has cowered the civil society groups, members of the opposition and the entire political class into silence because it is so vindictive, brutal, barbaric, relentless and ruthless.
It is a Government that has turned its back on humanity, that despises the Living God and that has nothing but contempt for His counsel and His purpose.
It is a Government of calamity and sorrows that loves darkness and that hates light. It is Government of hardship and oppression and one that has ushered in more corruption, more recession, more suffering, more injustice, more calamities and more plagues than ALL the previous Governments in our entire history put together.
It is a Government that has done more damage, poured more venom and unleashed more vitriol and scorn on the elders of the South West in Afenifere, the elders of the South East in Ohaeneze, the elders of the Middle Belt in the Middle Belt Forum and the elders of the South South in PANDEM, than ANY other.
It is a Government that has demonised the various self-determination groups like IPOB, MASSOB, OPC, IYC, MEND and others in our country and has sought to intimidate and destroy them more than any other.
It is a Government that hates and despises anything or anyone that is wholesome, honorable, pristine, erudite, learned and clean more than any other.
It is a Government that has shamelessly indulged in such a high degree of nepotism, religious bigotry and ethnic chauvinism and that has so “northernised” the country that even level-headed, rational, reasonable, respected and responsible voices like that of the courageous, insightful and irrepressible Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, has had cause to assert that had Buhari been from the South there would have been a military coup d’etat by now.
Permit me to share the Bishop’s exact words. In a Christmas day sermon titled ‘A Nation In Search Of Vindication’ he said,
“Every honest Nigerian knows that there is no way any non-northern Muslim President could have done a fraction of what President Buhari has done by his nepotism and got away with it. There would have been a military coup a long time ago or we would have been at war. The President may have concluded that Christians will do nothing and will live with these actions! Pastor Adesina was right to call us wailers. On the sad situation in Nigeria, the United Nations has wailed. The Pope has wailed. Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Pastors have wailed. Emirs have wailed. Politicians have wailed. The Sultan has wailed. The north that the President sought to privilege has become a cauldron of pain and a valley of dry bones”.
Kukah hit the nail on the head. It is no wonder that the Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Forum have risen up in his defence and publicly commended him for his insight and courage. I am also glad that the Catholic Church and the northern wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has backed him too.
It is a Government that has consistently ignored the admonitions and warnings and closed its ears to the counsel of moderate voices in the core Muslim North led by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and the likes of forward-thinking, bridge-building and progressive northern leaders like Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and many others who do not share the supremacist mindset or hegemonist disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Finally it is a Government that has been rejected by God and that will ultimately face His judgement”.
I stand by every word that I have written and permit me to add the following.
The sheer depravity and high level of psychosis, paranoia, delusion, insanity, delusion and deceit of the Buhari administration is best reflected by the asinine response that Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, offered to Bishop Kukah in which he accused the cleric of wanting to destabilise the country.
Since then some reckless and misguided Government-sponsored groups have called for the arrest and detention of Kukah. They have also insulted and condemned him and threatened his life.
Be warned that if Kukah is harmed, injured, maimed or killed Nigeria will not survive the mayhem that will befall her.
If any of the above happens to him the Biblical ‘east wind of destruction’ will be unleashed on this country and no-one will be able to stop it.
I pray that the Government and its surrogates maintain the peace and that they do not do anything to provoke a reaction that they will not be in a position to contain.
The anger and frustration in the land today is unprecedented and the people are looking for the slightest reason to take to the streets. Few would survive it if they did.
The blood of Kukah must NOT be spilled, he must NOT be killed, he must NOT be kidnapped and he must NOT be arrested or detained otherwise the consequences will be unfathomable and unimaginable.
A word is enough for the wise.
Permit me to end this contribution with the following. On January 13th I tweeted,
“Bishop Hassan Kukah did not attack Islam and has nothing to apologise about. He has always sought for religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims. Those that demand that he “must apologise” or “leave Sokoto” must mind their utterances and keep the peace. If anyone can provide me with a video of Kukah calling for violence against Muslims or inciting people against Islam I will give him one million naira”.
My offer still stands.
Femi-Fani-Kayode (FFK), former Minister of Aviation writes from Abuja, Nigeria.
Osinbajo to Public Health Agencies & Experts: COVID-19 Pandemic Opportunity to Improve Healthcare Delivery
| *Local vaccine production, enforcement of non-pharmaceutical measures against virus & testing modalities reviewed at interaction with health & medical experts |
| Just as COVID-19 poses one of humanity’s greatest public health challenges, the pandemic provides an opportunity to ramp up public health infrastructure in Nigeria including the training of required experts even as governments should be doing more in the area of funding, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Prof. Osinbajo stated this Thursday at a virtual meeting with top government officials and a group of Nigerian scientists who have been working on some of the public health dimensions of the pandemic. The interaction which focused on Nigeria’s response and the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, featured presentations by one of Nigeria’s leading virologists, Prof. Oyewale Tomori; Infectious Diseases Scientist, Prof. Philip Onyebujoh, and the Director, African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Prof. Christian Happi. On the government side at the interaction were Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; the Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Aliyu Sani; and the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu. This is the second interaction the Vice President is holding this week with professors and scientists on the medical and public health dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier on Tuesday, he met with a group of scientific investigators into the possible usefulness of Ivermectin medication in the treatment of COVID-19. “We are at a point where we can gain tremendously as a people from this pandemic and a lot of what has been said will really help in putting this in perspective for us as government, so we can actually go out and resolve many of these problems and improve the environment for ourselves, and for the coming generations in particular,” Prof. Osinbajo said after listening to the experts at the over 2 hours long meeting. Acknowledging the significance of the interaction with the scientists especially in providing valuable suggestions in addressing the country’s public health challenges, the Vice President noted that “this has been an inspiring intervention and discussion. I say inspiring because it is evident that our experts (whether they are directly engaged or not) are also paying attention not just to an unfolding public health problem but also the very many opportunities that this problem provides for us, the many opportunities to ramp up our public health capacities in various ways.” Speaking further about leveraging the pandemic to address challenges in Nigeria’s public health infrastructure, Prof. Osinbajo added that “I think that we must focus on those opportunities and make the best of this situation.” According to the Vice President, “I think that we must be talking now about local vaccine production, improving the training of laboratory scientists, and generally improving our capacity to respond in various ways. “We must really focus on the opportunities that this period really gives us. What I have noticed is that unless something like this happens, we are very frequently relaxed and just hope for the best. I think we are in a position now where we can do a lot. In fact, there is the opportunity to do more in terms of government funding.” “So, I think this is a major responsibility for us, the government, at this time, to really look at how we can, at least, do much better in terms of preparing young men and women for the challenges ahead. This point was also made about the quality of laboratory scientists and the quality of medical personnel and paramedics and all that.” Earlier in his presentation, Prof. Tomori emphasized the need for authorities across different levels to leverage the opportunities created by the COVID-19 pandemic to overhaul the entirety of the country’s health system, noting that “we cannot let this pandemic go without starting the production of vaccines here in Nigeria”. Stating his desire to help authorities resolve lingering issues in public health management, the renowned virologist noted that he has benefited so much from the country hence his love and desire to see a better society. In the same vein, Prof. Happi emphasized the need for a closer collaboration between the public and private sectors to transform Nigeria’s health sector not only in providing the necessary infrastructure but in making possible the local manufacture of medical consumables. On his part, Prof. Onyebujoh advocated improved coordination especially in the States in the areas of identification, isolation and clinical management of infected persons, for the country to effectively manage the current rate of transmission. He added that the acquisition of sufficient doses of vaccines would also go a long way in containing the transmission rate, calling on authorities to put in place effective strategies to manage the storage, distribution and the actual vaccination of persons. Addressing some of the concerns raised at the forum, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the country was expecting about 10 million doses of the COVID-19 viral vector vaccine. The minister added that the 10 million doses is aside the 100,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine being expected in the country, noting that both types of the vaccine would be received, sometime in March 2020. Dr Ehanire noted that the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with other stakeholders had already put in place mechanisms for the management of the vaccines, but emphasized that Federal Government was encouraging the use of IVERMECTIN, while expecting more research done on the prophylactic use of the medication. While commending the efforts of Nigerian scientists, especially in proffering solutions to the management of the pandemic, the Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu said there was need for the strengthening of enforcement of COVID-19 protocols, calling on state governments to work more closely with the Federal Government. He also assured that public testing was available for free to Nigerians. On his part, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu disclosed that in ramping up testing across the country, the NCDC has adopted rapid testing. He said rapid testing was deployed for the last orientation programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He said the NCDC in collaboration with stakeholders was currently working on building the capacity of medical personnel across the country as part of measures adopted by the Federal Government to boost the country’s infectious disease response capabilities. |
Remarks By Chief Olusegun Obasanjo On The Visit of PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to Abeokuta on Thursday October 11, 2018
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar with former President Olusegun Obasanjo exchanging pleasantries in Abeokuta on Thursday after the meeting
October 11, 2018
I am happy to welcome the distinguished leaders of goodwill who have led the PDP Presidential Candidate and my former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, to my humble abode and I welcome the Presidential Candidate himself.
Let me start by congratulating President-to-be, Atiku Abubakar, for his success at the recent PDP Primary and I took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here.
Yes, when it started, it was meant for Atiku to succeed Obasanjo. In the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today, let me say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of Atiku. And in all honesty, my former Vice-President has re-discovered and re-positioned himself. As I have repeatedly said, it is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you did against the Party, the Government and the country.
I took the stand I had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited in the position you found yourself. I strongly believe that I was right. It was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take such a position.
From what transpired in the last couple of hours or so, you have shown remorse; you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.
Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks for God’s forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you. Obviously, you have mended fences with the Party and fully reconciled with the Party. That’s why today, you are the Presidential Candidate of the Party. In addition to appreciating all that the Party has done for you, may I advise you to work together with all those who contested for the Party’s flag with you as a team for your campaign.
There are still areas, nationally and internationally, where you have to mend fences and make amends. You will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out by the opposition. But, I am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared. And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.
Pastor David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) after the meeting of PDP’s presidential flagbearer Atiku Abubakar with former President Obasanjo on Thursday
I am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding, cooperation, support and mandate – all at the national level. With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence. It will be with the hope or assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all, change and conversion are of man. I believe that with a contrite heart, change is possible in everybody’s life and situation.
For me, relatively and of all the aspirants in the PDP, you have the widest and greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead through. From what I personally know of you, you have capacity to perform better than the incumbent. You surely understand the economy better; you have business experience, which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.
You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs. You are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways. As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent President said, “You are a wazobia man.” And that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.
As you know, along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard.
On your behalf, I thank them all. May their coast continue to be expanded. And when you become Nigerian President which, insha-Allah, you will be, remember what we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin. Although some time and ground have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and recover some lost ground, if not time.
Please uphold truth, integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and insurgency.
Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kuka, the host, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP presidential flagbearer, Alh. Atiku Abubakar and Islamic Cleric, Ahmed Gumi (L-R)
The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I need you to say before God and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding ALL the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency.
Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and faith in the survival of all against none.
The fundamentals for our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure. Remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women.
All the authorities involved with the preparation, all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.
Once again, congratulations and I wish you well.
My distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen. I will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take Nigeria to the level God has created it to be – autopilot level.
God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.
News Bytes – @newsbytesnow
South Africa: Prison Authorities Apologize after Strippers Entertain Inmates
South African prison authorities apologised on Monday after pictures circulated on social media showed inmates being entertained by women dressed in knee-high boots and lacy lingerie while wardens looked on.
In one image two women can be seen pulling at the trousers of a shirtless inmate, while another shows a scantily-clad woman embracing a grinning man in orange prison-issue clothes.
Wardens in full uniform and more than a dozen inmates can be seen watching on in a prison yard.
The saucy show took place on June 21 at the Johannesburg Medium Security Prison during . . .read more
FG’s Homegrown School Feeding: Over 1.2m Pupils Benefitting, 14,000 Cooks Hired In 9 States
A total of N3, 770, 688, 144 have been released for the feeding of 1, 287, 270 school children in nine states under the HomeGrown School Feeding Programme (a Social Investment Programme) of the Buhari presidency.
The benefiting states comprising Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta and Abia at the last count have received various sums in tranches while 14, 574 cooks have been engaged in the communities were the schools are located.
(The money is paid directly from the FG’s coffers to the cooks, with a slight variation in Osun State where some of the food items like eggs are bought centrally by an aggregator.)
The overall payments to each of the nine states and the breakdown figures of how many children are being fed so far are as follows: . . . read more
Ag. President Osinbajo To Kick-off Multi-Billion Naira Grain Distribution To IDPs In Nigeria’s North-East
In a major and significant move by the Buhari administration to address the food crisis fallouts of the insurgency in the North-East, the Federal Government is now embarking on a multi-billion Naira provision and distribution of food grains especially for Internally Displaced Persons in the region.
In a comprehensive effort to deal with the situation, about 1.8m people would be reached regularly starting from. . . read more
2 Prostitutes Arrested in Ogun for Killing Customer (Viewer’s Discretion Advised)
The men of Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday 30th of May 2017 arrested two prostitutes for killing a middle aged man in an hotel situated in Ifo area of the State. The two suspects Kudirat Raji a.k.a (Angela) and Esther Basiru are at KS Hotel Ifo where the victim one Adeyinka Olayinka who was supervising a construction work going on in his building site decided to pass the night on the fateful day.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim . . . read more
Osinbajo Signs Two New Laws To Ease Access To Credit For MSMEs, Inaugurates Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has signed into law two bills from the National Assembly that will ultimately facilitate access to more affordable credit for Nigerians.
The bills which have now become ‘Acts’ are the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act, 2017 (otherwise known as Collateral Registry Act) and the Credit Reporting Act, 2017.
‘The Collateral Registry Act’ ensures that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria can register their movable assets such as motor vehicles, equipment and accounts receivable in the National Collateral Registry, and use same as collateral for accessing loans. This in turn will increase their chances at accessing financing and tackle one of the major obstacles faced by MSMEs.
On the other hand . . . read more
Flash: NBTE Approves Open Distance and Flexible Learning in 25 Polytechnics
As part of efforts towards improving access to quality education, the National Board for Technical Education ( NBTE) on Wednesday May 24, 2017 approved the implementation of Open Distance and Flexible Learning (ODFL) for 12 programs including Science and Laboratory Technology, Computer Technology, Statistics, Accountancy and Quantity Survey in 25 polytechnics across Nigeria.
Dr. Masa’udu Adamu Kazaure mni, Executive Secretary of the NBTE, made this disclosure at a meeting of rectors and the ODFL Steering Team on Flexible Skills Development (FSD)/Tertiary Institutions E-Learning Resource (TIER) at the NBTE Headquarters in Kaduna.
Pointing out that polytechnics are hard pressed to meet the demands of . . . read more
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