"MY LORD, PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO KEEP YOUR BRIBE" A POEM BY PROF: NIYI OSUNDARE

Prof, Niyi Osundare

My Lord, Please tell me where to keep your bribe?

Do I drop it in your venerable chambers

   Or carry the heavy booty to your immaculate mansion

Shall I bury it in the capacious water tank

    In your well laundered backyard

Or will it breathe better in the septic tank

     Since money can deodorize the smelliest crime

Shall I haul it up the attic

    Between the ceiling and your lofty roof

Or shall I conjure the walls to open up

    And swallow this sudden bounty from your honest labour

Shall I give a billion to each of your paramours

    The black, the light, the Fanta-yellow

They will surely know how to keep the loot

     In places too remote for the sniffing dog

Or shall I use the particulars

     Of your anonymous maidservants and manservants

With their names on overflowing bank accounts

     While they famish like ownerless dogs

Shall I haul it all to your village

     In the valley behind seven mountains

Where potholes swallow up the hugest jeep

     And Penury leaves a scar on every house

My Lord

     It will take the fastest machine

Many, many days to count this booty; and lucky bank bosses 

     May help themselves to a fraction of the loot

                    

My Lord

     Tell me where to keep your bribe?

My Lord

     Tell me where to keep your bribe?

The “last hope of the common man”

     Has become the last bastion of the criminally rich

A terrible plague bestrides the land

     Besieged by rapacious judges and venal lawyers

Behind the antiquated wig

     And the slavish glove

The penguin gown and the obfuscating jargon

     Is a rot and riot whose stench is choking the land

Behind the rituals and roted rigmaroles

     Old antics connive with new tricks

Behind the prim-and-proper costumes of masquerades

      Corruption stands, naked, in its insolent impunity

For sale to the highest bidder

    Interlocutory and perpetual injunctions

Opulent criminals shop for pliant judges

     Protect the criminal, enshrine the crime

And Election Petition Tribunals

     Ah, bless those goldmines and bottomless booties!

Scoundrel vote-riggers romp to electoral victory

     All hail our buyable Bench and conniving Bar

A million dollars in Their Lordship’s bedroom

     A million euros in the parlor closet

Countless naira beneath the kitchen sink

     Our courts are fast running out of Ghana-must-go’s*

The “Temple of Justice”

     Is broken in every brick

The roof is roundly perforated

     By termites of graft

My Lord

     Tell me where to keep your bribe?

Judges doze in the courtroom

     Having spent all night, counting money and various “gifts”

And the Chief Justice looks on with tired eyes

     As Corruption usurps his gavel. 

Crime pays in this country

     Corruption has its handsome rewards

Just one judgement sold to the richest bidder

     Will catapult Judge & Lawyer to the Billionaires’ Club

The Law, they say, is an ass

     Sometimes fast, sometimes slow

But the Law in Nigeria is a vulture

     Fat on the cash-and-carry carrion of murdered Conscience

Won gb’ebi f’alare

     Won gb’are f’elebi**

They kill our trust in the common good

     These Monsters of Mammon in their garish gowns

Unhappy the land

     Where jobbers are judges

Where Impunity walks the streets

     Like a large, invincible Demon

Come Sunday, they troop to the church

     Friday, they mouth their mantra in pious mosques

But they pervert Justice all week long

     And dig us deeper into the hellish hole

Nigeria is a huge corpse

     With milling maggots on its wretched hulk

They prey every day, they prey every night

     For the endless decomposition of our common soul

My Most Honourable Lord

     Just tell me where to keep your bribe.

*   Large, extremely tough bags used for carrying heavy cash in Nigeria

** They declare the innocent guilty

   They pronounce the guilty innocent

VACANCY: FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE INCLUDING DPR VACANCIES FOR EMPLOYMENT

The Nigerian Federal Civil Service has listed over 90 Jobs including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR as having vacancies for recruitment or employments.To apply for a vacancy in any of the jobs, applicants must go through the Federal Civil Service Recruitment Portal.
Below is the breakdown of affected ministries that require applicants.
– Bureau of Public Procurement.
– Federal Ministry of Education.
– Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity.
– Federal Ministry of Finance
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
– Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
– Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
– Federal Ministry of Transport.
– Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
– Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation.
– Presidency
Completion/submission of application online is free and at no cost to applicants in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
The completion/submission will run for six (6) weeks from the date of this publication.
Updates:
Notice – 22/09/2016: The below information applies to new registration only. If you receive a successfully registered message after you click “Register” you will be automatically logged in and can proceed to available jobs, select and apply. Make sure your Email and Phone are accurate, this only means the FCSC will use in updating you about the status of your application.
Notice 20/09/2016: We’re now sending emails to all those who successfully completed the registration process. However, due to a significant backlog of emails, it may take up to 24 hours for you to receive your activation notice email.
Notice: 16/10/2016: All Registered Accounts have now been activated. If you registered and did not receive an activation email prior to yesterday, you can now use your email and password to log in and complete and application.
New Guidelines
For those having problems filling up the forms, the following guidelines should be followed:
– This recruitment portal has been optimised and is responsive to Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, PCs, etc. Therefore, you can complete your application using any of the above devices.
– However, take notice that your ability to connect and navigate the portal depends largely on the type of browser and internet/data services you have on these devices, including internet speed at a Cyber Café.
– If you seem to be having problems completing the form, you may need to switch to another device.
Suitably qualified candidates with character and integrity who are interested in making a career in the Federal Civil Service are invited to complete and submit the application on-line on FCSC Website – https://www.vacancy.fedcivilservice.gov.ng for any of the posts indicated in each of the MDAs.
Copyright @ Vanguard News.

VACANCY: FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE INCLUDING DPR VACANCIES FOR EMPLOYMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nigerian Federal Civil Service has listed over 90 Jobs including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR as having vacancies for recruitment or employments.To apply for a vacancy in any of the jobs, applicants must go through the Federal Civil Service Recruitment Portal.
Below is the breakdown of affected ministries that require applicants.
– Bureau of Public Procurement.
– Federal Ministry of Education.
– Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity.
– Federal Ministry of Finance
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
– Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
– Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
– Federal Ministry of Transport.
– Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
– Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation.
– Presidency
Completion/submission of application online is free and at no cost to applicants in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
The completion/submission will run for six (6) weeks from the date of this publication.
Updates:
Notice – 22/09/2016: The below information applies to new registration only. If you receive a successfully registered message after you click “Register” you will be automatically logged in and can proceed to available jobs, select and apply. Make sure your Email and Phone are accurate, this only means the FCSC will use in updating you about the status of your application.
Notice 20/09/2016: We’re now sending emails to all those who successfully completed the registration process. However, due to a significant backlog of emails, it may take up to 24 hours for you to receive your activation notice email.
Notice: 16/10/2016: All Registered Accounts have now been activated. If you registered and did not receive an activation email prior to yesterday, you can now use your email and password to log in and complete and application.
New Guidelines
For those having problems filling up the forms, the following guidelines should be followed:
– This recruitment portal has been optimised and is responsive to Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, PCs, etc. Therefore, you can complete your application using any of the above devices.
– However, take notice that your ability to connect and navigate the portal depends largely on the type of browser and internet/data services you have on these devices, including internet speed at a Cyber Café.
– If you seem to be having problems completing the form, you may need to switch to another device.
Suitably qualified candidates with character and integrity who are interested in making a career in the Federal Civil Service are invited to complete and submit the application on-line on FCSC Website – https://www.vacancy.fedcivilservice.gov.ng for any of the posts indicated in each of the MDAs.
Copyright @ Vanguard News.

Many say there has never been such an election as this.
Whether that’s the case or not depends on when you lived. John Adams felt that if the country elected Thomas Jefferson as President, it was all over. Much of the country felt in 1860 that if Abraham Lincoln was elected, the nation could not survive. It almost didn’t. And throughout FDR’s four terms, people spoke of him in the bitterest of ways, calling him a dictator, saying whoever assassinated him was doing the nation a favor. We’ve always had tough elections and flawed candidates.
And now—in 2016—we have the latest incarnation of flawed candidates: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
An evangelist friend said this week that he finds both candidates repulsive. He plans, however, “to hold my nose and cast my vote” on November 8.
Clinton and Trump generate more negative responses than positive. Clearly, the country wants neither in the Oval Office. But it’s about to be stuck with one. For four long years.
Anyone who has spent any time on social media throughout this campaign knows how dangerous it is to speak out, supporting either candidate. The hate-mongers on the other side—those who see their point of view as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but—are quick to react. Try to introduce a sane note into the discussion and both sides attack. I’ve almost quit trying, but today, October 20, will try one last stab at it.
Subject: “What pastors can say to their people regarding this election, even though they must not and should not declare for a candidate.”
Why not go public with one’s choice? Therein lies a story.
My dad was in his 80s and was visiting in the church my brother pastored. A well-known evangelist was preaching, one we all liked a great deal. When he got up to preach, the guest spent a good 10 minutes telling jokes and put-downs about President Clinton, who was in office at that time. Dad was offended.
Dad, the coal miner and lifelong union member—which in most cases made him a Democrat—said to Ron and me, “What if a lost person in the congregation was offended by the preacher’s remarks because he liked Clinton? Because of this bit of foolishness by the preacher, this fellow hardens his heart and goes out into eternity lost! Where is the sense in that?”Indeed.
There is, however, much the preacher can say on the subject. Here are some thoughts…
The pastor must help his people keep a godly perspective.
Listen to proponents of either side and you come away believing the fate of the country is in jeopardy. Elect that one and it’s all over. Even God won’t be able to save us if this one gets the votes.
God is not limited. Let’s say that again: God is not limited.
…God is not limited to our two choices. I keep remembering something the disciples did after the Lord ascended into Heaven but before Pentecost. As they gathered for prayer in the Upper Room, they decided to go ahead and fill the vacancy left by Judas. So, they prayed, “Lord, show us which of these two men You have chosen to fill Judas’ place” (Acts 1:24). Scholars debate this, but for my money, the Lord wanted nothing to do with their coin toss. He had already ordained that Saul of Tarsus would be the 13th apostle, not someone named Matthias whom we never hear of again.
…God is not limited by the faith or the unbelief of our officials. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the Lord’s hand; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Read your Bible. God used all kinds of people to achieve His purposes.
…He is not limited by our choices, by our unbelief, by our elected officials. In Isaiah 45, God mentions Cyrus, king of Persia. “I have taken him by the right hand to subdue nations,” God said. “I will give (him) the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places.” However, Cyrus was no believer. Twice God says of this pagan ruler, “You have not known me” (45:4,5).
God is sovereign. He is in charge.
“Behold, the nations are like a drop (in) a bucket,” said God in Isaiah 40:15, “and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales. Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.”
“Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him; They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless” (45:15-17).
The Psalmist said, “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
We preachers have often gone to seed on 2 Chronicles 7:14 (the well-known “if my people” passage) as though that were the manifesto for revival for God’s churches. And it’s a great passage, don’t get me wrong. However, there is one thing more that must not be overlooked when we are calling God’s people to repent and humble themselves before Him: God is sovereign and requires nothing from no one before He can act. My unbelief does not limit Him if He had planned to do something. Now, it sure does limit me! But it does not shackle God.
So, God’s people must always be faithful in prayer.
In prayer, we are calling on God to do His will, whatever that is and however it would work.
We are not claiming to know His will in every case. As many have pointed out, in this crazy election, God may have chosen to given America the kind of weak or wayward or wavering President we deserve, not the one we need.
But whether this is God’s holy purpose or His permissive will for this country, we will drop to our knees and pray, “Father, may thy will be done in the United States of America as it is in Heaven.”
I like to remind God’s people that nothing tells the story on your faith like your praying.
Nothing is more of faith than prayer. In prayer, we talk to One we have never seen and cannot prove exists. We pull aside day after day, year after year, to tell Him the most personal things in our lives. And we do so believing that He is there, that He hears and cares, and most amazing of all, will answer. And the kicker is this: 95 percent of what we ask for, we will never know whether God answered it or not or how He did.
And yet we keep praying. That is faith.
But there’s one other thing: After an election where the “wrong person” was put into office, the one you despise and campaigned against, you are expected to pray for him. Or her. And to believe that your prayers make a difference. Without knowing in this lifetime whether or how they did.
Can you do that? Will you do that?
“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority…” (I Timothy 2:1-2).
It’s not optional. It’s a command of holy scripture.
Only the faithful will keep this. The carnal and foolish will be so angry that God allowed that person to be elected, they will not pray. And that tells the story on our faith—or lack of it—like few other things.
Beloved, let us pray for America. And let us persist in prayer.

Copyright © 2016 ChurchLeaders.com.

Kalahari Reporters: Names of Rescued Chibok girls revealed.

Kalahari Reporters: Names of Rescued Chibok girls revealed.:  names of the 21 Chibok girls who were released on Thursday have been made public by the Federal Government. The names wer...

Names of Rescued Chibok girls revealed.

 names of the 21 Chibok girls who were released on Thursday have been made public by the Federal Government.

The names were posted on the official Twitter handle of the Office of Digital Engagement in the Presidency.

See full list below:

    Mary Usman Bulama.       
    Jumai John
    Blessing Abana
    Luggwa Sanda
    Comfort Habila
    Maryam Basheer
    Comfort Amos
    Glory Mainta
    Saratu Emmanuel
    Deborah Ja’afaru
    Rahab Ibrahim
    Helin Musa
    Maryamu Lawan
    Rebecca Ibrahim
    Asabe Goni
    Deborah Andrawus
    Agnes Gapani
    Saratu Markus
    Glory Dama
    Pindah Nuhu
    Rebecca Mallam

Kalahari Reporters: VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVED 21 RELEASED CHIBOK GIRLS

Kalahari Reporters: VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVED 21 RELEASED CHIBOK GIRLS:    Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja The Presidency on Thursday confirmed that 21 of the over 200 girls abducted from their school in Ch...

VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVED 21 RELEASED CHIBOK GIRLS

   Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

The Presidency on Thursday confirmed that 21 of the over 200 girls abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 have been released.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed this in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu said the released girls were currently in the custody of the Department of State Services.

He said the Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, briefed President Muhammadu Buhari of the development shortly before the President left for Germany.

The presidential aide added that Daura wanted the girls, who were very tired, to rest before he would hand them over to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

He attributed the release of the 21 girls to negotiations between the government and the Boko Haram sect brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government.

He said, “The release of the girls, in a limited number is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the the Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The negotiations will continue.

“The President welcomes the release of the girls but cautioned Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism.

“Lawal wants the girls to have some rest, with all of them very tired coming out of the process before he hands them over to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

“The President takes off shortly on a trip to Germany for a state visit. The names of the released girls follows shortly.

$2.1bn arms scam: Buhari may release Dasuki from detention soon By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

After being detained for close to one year, there were indications last night that President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer comfortable with the continued detention of former National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd).

A top aide of Buhari, who dropped the hint in Abuja, said Buhari had already given instructions to the relevant organs handling Dasuki’s corruption case to take steps to recover the huge cash allegedly mismanaged by him and set him free.

“I can tell you that the President is not comfortable with the continued detention of Dasuki despite the offences he allegedly committed against Nigeria and its people,” the aide said.

“The only condition Mr. President has asked Dasuki to fulfil is to refund the huge sum of public funds which were allegedly diverted under his watch as the NSA.

“And I want to tell you that we have the approval of Mr. President to release him (Dasuki) from detention as soon as he brings the money,” the official said.

Answering a question, the source explained that there was no truth in the claim that Buhari was interested in keeping Dasuki in detention as long as possible to settle some scores.

“I can tell you that it was Mr. President, who even asked us the other day why the former NSA was still being kept in detention and we told him that the three cases he had in court were responsible for the incarceration.

“He then said we have to take necessary steps to recover the money Dasuki is said to have mismanaged and allow him to return to his house,” the security aide quoted Buhari as saying.

Buhari-Dasuki

Answering a question on the arrests of seven judges in relation to corrupt practices, the source asked rhetorically “If the judges were not taken in by DSS, who then has more authority to do so?

“Look, let me tell you that none of the existing Nigerian security agencies is more qualified to do what we did at the weekend because tackling corruption is a crucial step to ensuring the security and well being of the people.

“As you may or may not know, we are under oath to prevent the commission of heinous crimes, including looting of public funds, that may cause untold security problems for the generality of Nigerians.

“And let it be known to all Nigerians that we have no fear of anyone over what we did because it was done in the overall national interest of Nigeria,” the top official explained.

It will be recalled that apart from the charges preferred against Dasuki over the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for the acquisition of arms for battling the Boko Haram insurgents, the former NSA also faces two other charges in the FCT High Court.

However, in an apparent bid to resolve the matter, the Federal Government last week, moved to consolidate all the charges against Dasuki, a move hailed by legal luminaries as a means of quickening the prolonged trial.

Judges are not immune from investigation and prosecution by Eric of The Nation

Attorney-General justifies arrest of judges

•’No one immune to investigation’

CRITICS of the night raid in some judges’ homes got an official reply yesterday.

It was all part of an investigation, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), said.

The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested some judges after storming their homes at night last weekend. The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) condemned the raids, which the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) described as “saddening” and “unfortunate”.

Malami argued that the judges’ fate was mere investigation of criminal allegations.

He contended that no one is immune to investigation under the law, noting that once an allegation of criminality was raised, it was the duty of the investigating agencies to carry out a probe.

The AGF spoke in Abuja shortly after inaugurating the “country expert review committee for the second cycle of the review of implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).”

Malami, who was asked by reporters to comment on the arrest of judges, said: “The fundamental consideration is whether there is an allegation of the commission of a crime; whether there is the need for investigation, and whether the relevant provisions of the law and indeed, all circumstances, as provided in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) are put into consideration in our conduct as regard the fight against corruption.

He said: “The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to fight corruption. Corruption is a crime and nobody, regardless of how highly placed, is exempted as far as issues that border on crimes and criminalities are concerned.

“The limited exceptions as we know constitutionally are the exceptions of immunity. And to the best of my knowledge those exceptions do not apply to investigation.

“For those that are conferred with the immunity, the right to investigate has not been taken away constitutionally.

“So, I think the framework and the circumstances within which we are operating are clearly whether there exists the right to investigate or not, and whether the action borders on criminality.”

“Once crimes and criminality are concerned, nobody is an exception. I think the undertone should be exclusively the consideration of the existence of a prima facie case; existence of reasonable grounds for suspicion of commission of a crime.

“And if there are, no member of the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive can definitely be exempted from investigation. I think where we are now is the point of investigation and that is what is taking place,” Malami said.

Inaugurating the committee, Malami expressed confidence in its members’ ability to execute their responsibilities.

Members of the committee are drawn from 22 agencies of the Federal Government

THE PROFLIGACY OF A NATION'S CENTRAL BANK By Henry Boyo

The report of 14 Nigerian banks which were appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria as ‘Asset managers’ of Nigeria’s reserves was carried on the back page of The Guardian newspaper of October 5, 2006.  Festus Odoko, the CBN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, confirmed in the report that “already, deposits worth $7bn representing part of the CBN’s ‘share of foreign reserves’, presently estimated at about $38bn, had been released to the banking consortium”.

Although Odoko confirmed that the appointment of the 14 banks was ratified by the Investment Committee of the CBN on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, the $7bn had apparently been quickly shared out the next day!

Thus, the CBN made good its promise to invite Nigerian banks with up to $500m consolidated capital base to a ‘foreign reserves banquet’, if they could also provide evidence of existing collaboration with internationally credible financial houses.  The Guardian report however failed to clarify if the expected collaboration included management oversight or was simply a formalisation of a glorified foreign correspondent banking arrangement!

“Nonetheless, critics have wondered if 14 banks which laboriously raised their capital base to N25bn could also quickly raise an additional N35bn to meet the $500m benchmark required to manage the CBN’s reserves. On hindsight, it seems the apex bank may have quietly dropped this steep requirement so as to pursue its earlier declared agenda!

“Nigerians are generally unaware that with a stroke of the pen, the CBN committed our country to possibly its largest single venture ever! The question however is, who will benefit from this huge upfront payment for an anticipatory promise to grow our economy with active support from beneficiary banks?  Yes, you have got it, the same 14 banks will smile broadly to their overseas partners’ vaults, since these banks recognise that the related cost, if any, of the $7bn largesse will certainly not exceed the usually very modest below three per cent prevailing international yield on such placements!

“Incidentally, the 14 favoured banks are not constrained to restrict application of the $7bn to address our own critical domestic infrastructural deficit, and they are therefore at liberty to invest internationally!  It is disturbing, however, that while we go cap in hand in search of foreign exchange inflow from foreign investors, we are, simultaneously inexplicably, exposing our precious $7bn, for minimal or nil return, to a consortium of Nigerian banks which have a consolidated capital base of less than $3bn, without demanding some measure of collateral/audit/managerial control or equity participation.  Curiously, the tenure and other details of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding this transfer of our vital asset have not been made public.

It will be foolhardy to expect that the largesse of an uncollateralised $7bn deposit or low interest credit will change the attitude of banks to supporting real sector investments, particularly the significant funding deficit of the SMEs.  The bizarre strategy of a minimal return below three per cent on a $7bn ‘placement/investment’ is clearly amplified by the CBN’s willingness to conversely, simultaneously, pay between 12 and 17 per cent interest on funds it borrows from these same banks!

“Nonetheless, even if the 14 banks are willing to repatriate all or part of the $7bn back to the Nigerian capital market, it is not difficult to predict where their interests would lie: yes; the obvious destination would be further patronage of government’s Treasury Bills and bonds on which they can earn returns of up to 17 per cent, even when ultimately, the CBN simply sterilises hundreds of billions of naira it borrows from any socially impactful use. Thus, we may ultimately be paying oppressive interest rates to the same creditors whom we gleefully ‘gifted’ our savings for minimal consideration. This may probably be seen as the ultimate strategy in worst central banking practice!

“Odoko, the CBN mouthpiece, also claimed, in the same Guardian report under reference, that, ‘The $7bn represents the apex bank’s share of Nigeria’s foreign reserves!’  I beg your pardon!  Apart from the very lucrative business of substituting naira for federally allocated dollars to build up reserves, what business did the CBN specifically do to earn $7bn? Evidently, Section 162 of the constitution does not distinguish any share of dollar reserves, strictly for the CBN. Our crude oil revenue belongs to the Nigerian people as constituted by the three tiers of government; thus, the National Assembly would have defaulted in their constitutional duties if the CBN is not invited to defend why $7bn of our reserves should be liberally advanced to 14 banks without oversight approval, while we still go cap in hand to beg for external loans!”

The preceding are excerpts from an article titled, “14 Nigerian banks to enjoy $7bn reserve”. The piece was first published in the Vanguard newspaper on October 9, 2006.  Not surprisingly, barely two years after Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s “celebrated” banking consolidation and confident assurances to the National Assembly that Nigerian banks were insulated from the global economic meltdown, most of our banks actually tittered on the verge of collapse.  There is yet no confirmation that the 14 banks have repaid the $7bn given away in October 2006 by the CBN before the banking crisis erupted in 2008. Consequently, it is possible that Nigeria’s $7bn reserves may have ultimately “gone with the wind” during the ensuing financial crisis!

Nonetheless, between 2009 and 2010, during Lamido Sanusi’s tenure as the CBN Governor, such probable default still did not stop the banking sector from receiving additional largesse in excess of N5tn ($30bn) liberally created by the CBN and channelled through its surrogate, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria as interventions to rescue the banking sector.

Thus, the CBN’s misguided generosity notwithstanding, the banking community has remained resistant to providing the SMEs access to cheap funds to stimulate industrial rejuvenation, economic growth and increase employment opportunities.  Incidentally, the CBN’s self-styled “own reserves” subsequently expanded well beyond $40bn to support the apex bank’s sporadic multi-pronged uncoordinated cash interventions to various groups. Paradoxically, soon after AMCON’s interventions, the banking sector bounced back with bountiful profit postings, despite a still largely comatose real sector. Consequently, unemployment, oppressive mass poverty and increasing national debt, unexpectedly have become increasingly burdensome! Ironically, in 2015, the banks also became prime beneficiaries of N600bn bonanza interest charges paid by the CBN for borrowing back excess naira balances which were earlier placed with zero interest by government and agencies in these same banks.

In the light of the severe economic implications of the current forex deficit, it is necessary for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to take a closer look at the circumstances and ultimate fate of the CBN’s extraordinary “deposit/loan/placement” of $7bn to 14 banks in 2006. Nigerians surely have a right to know. After all, if the $7bn largesse to banks was a widely reported media affair, one should also expect that the refund or the successful liquidation should have been heralded by a much more “in your face” media blitz to assure Nigerians of the exemplary sectoral competence, so that the wisdom of the CBN’s provision of this facility to the banks in the first place, would be appreciated.

Regrettably, however, despite the $7bn CBN’s largesse and $36bn AMCON interventions, there are indications that with non-performing loans now in excess of the precarious threshold of 50 per cent, the banks may again be in trouble without having fulfilled the public expectations of powering growth of the real sector or promoting the creation of more jobs. Worse still, the CBN may be again compelled to soak up more toxic debts and create fresh cash injections to once more bail out these banks, even when recent history shows that such interventions may fail to recharge the economy.

Copyright PUNCH.

PRESIDENT BUHARI ALSO BEHOLDEN TO LEGAL TECHNICALITIES

In this interview with GBENRO ADEOYE, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), speaks about Nigeria, the economy, the law profession and other issues

You were at one time the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, looking back now, how well do you think the law profession has done since that time?

Before I became the NBA president, I was Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, but I thank God for the NBA. But to me, the NBA should illuminate the darkness of Nigerians. It must act as the voice for the voiceless and the oppressed. To be the NBA leader is not a tea party; it is not like going for a picnic. I cannot see any NBA leader as good if he does not want to step on toes. When I was NBA president, it was under a democratic regime, which was supposed to be rooted in the constitution and constitutionalism. But before then, I belonged to the Alao Aka Bashorun (also a former President of the NBA) dynasty within the NBA. I was one of his boys and I stood by him and with him for the two years that he was president. And I liked his courage and appreciated his carriage. One day, while Femi Falana and I were at his office in Ebute-Meta, the telephone rang. There was no GSM at the time. He pressed the speaker button and from the other end, the person said ‘President’. Then Bashorun asked, ‘who is that?’ The person said ‘my name is Ibrahim’. Femi and I had known by that time that it was General Ibrahim Babangida’s voice. The person then said he was Ibrahim Babangida. Unconsciously, Bashorun stood up. That was reflex action. He said you are the President, sir. But IBB said the President of the NBA is the President of Nigeria. He said the fear of Alao Aka Bashorun was the beginning of wisdom. I’m telling you this so that you understand what the NBA presidency meant to a military dictator, for him to have said that. Babangida then said you are doing well for the NBA but we want you to come and serve. But Bashorun said, Mr. President, forget about that, I’m satisfied being the President of the NBA. He said, but one thing I will request of you. All the decrees that you churn out every day, please can you allow the NBA to have inputs? Can you send us the drafts of the decrees before you sign them? Babangida said Alao, take it as done. And from then on, every decree that Babangida wanted to pass, he would send to the NBA and we would debate it. So I became the NBA president, I knew the background I was coming from. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the President but I knew he was a military dictator. He had and still has military traits and tendencies- the military’s ‘know it all’ attitude. So I knew what I was prepared for. Some people thought that because he was a Yoruba President and I was Yoruba NBA President, I would be treating him with kid gloves, no. When we needed to respect him, we respected him and when we needed to criticise him, we criticised him. There was a time we visited him in his office in Aso Villa and he was harassing me while I was reading my speech, he did it three or four times, interjecting me and banging his fist on the table. But I didn’t want to be rude to him. Gen. Abdulsalami Abukakar and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN) were there. Obasanjo didn’t allow the press to come in. He was banging the table, saying No! No! No!

What did you say that made him do that?

We suggested to him to spend a term in office; to see how we would nurture our democracy. We pleaded with him. We said, for our democracy to have a smooth take-off, spend one term of four or five years in office and that the NBA was ready to assist him to see how we could amend the constitution. We made a lot of suggestions but he could not tolerate me any longer, he banged his fist on the table; it was bad. He said what kind of law are you talking about? Then it got to a stage, I said Mr. President Sir, I have a speech which I want to read, if you don’t want us, can we take our leave? At that time, I was packing all my files. Members of my executive were there. You could have heard a pin drop. Then Agabi and Abdulsalami had to come in and said the President would no longer interject you. After we left, I understand Obasanjo asked them who made that rascal the President of the NBA and that Agabi said he is not a radical, he is one of the best we have in the profession. That is why till tomorrow, I will always respect Agabi. I learnt that he defended us, the NBA. When a lawyer was being arrested, I gave Obasanjo 24 hours to release him, he released him. While I will commend NBA presidents that have come after me, I want to say that the NBA should not and never be for ‘bread and butter’ or ‘Yes people’. Although, we should not be rude to the government, the NBA president must be able to pick up courage because he has lawyers behind him. When an NBA president speaks, he speaks for all the lawyers in Nigeria, whether we like it or not. So I see no reason why NBA presidents will not be able to talk on issues relating to fundamental human rights, criminal prosecution, justice sector, economy, and so on. The NBA must always take a position; always. We are too big to hibernate. When Obasanjo increased the price of petrol, Adams Oshiomhole (former President, Nigeria Labour Congress) approached the NBA to defend him. Obasanjo took them to court; I went as NBA president, leading Falana and others to stand in for the NLC. Everybody has his own style; that was my own style. Today if an NBA president goes to defend the labour union, people may start lambasting him but the NBA president must first of all do it. You must be on the side of the masses. Ghali Na’Abba (former Speaker of the House of Representatives) could not believe what we did when the House of Representatives wanted to impeach Obasanjo. I left Lagos and sought audience with him. He said but this man (Obasanjo) does not like the NBA, I said NBA is above pettiness. It is a question of Nigeria and the stability of our democracy. He showed me all the allegations and in fairness, they were not just out to embarrass Obasanjo; they were not frivolous allegations. Some of them were provable but the NBA said no, don’t do it because of our young democracy that needed nurturing. So comparing then and now, I will say the NBA has been on the quiet side, even on matters that concern lawyers.

Recently, the Federal Government and some members of the public have accused the NBA and the judiciary of aiding corruption with delay tactics to frustrate the anti-graft law. Do you agree with that?

Nowadays, you see people talking about lawyers defending some people. A lawyer is at liberty to defend any person that briefs him. So you should not condemn the lawyers because it is Mr. A, it might be you tomorrow. Frankly speaking, the government and those condemning lawyers are very unfair to lawyers. Have they cast some people aside as lepers that are untouchable? A lawyer must muster sufficient courage whether in criminal or civil actions, to take up the defence or the case of his client without compromising it and without minding whose ox is gored, but it must be done within the ambit of law. He must not go outside that to do what is criminal simply because he wants to save his client or win a case for him. But within the ambit of the law, a lawyer has sufficient room to meander. And a lawyer must be fearless and resolute but he must not be rude. Otherwise, don’t come to the profession. Some people don’t know and some pretend not to know that law has its technicalities-both civil and criminal proceedings. They talk of technicalities and say that lawyers delay cases, look, without being immodest; I have been involved in a lot of cases in this country. I have defended a lot of people. During the run-up to the 2015 elections, I was one of the lawyers hired on pro bono basis to defend the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Muhammadu Buhari. We employed all the tactics available, employable and allowable in the legal profession; why didn’t they blame us then? If we didn’t, the election would not have held. If you do that today, some people, even within the profession, will blame you. I know what I’m talking about. The election was to hold on a Saturday and Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, said he was going to deliver his judgement on whether or not card readers should be used by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday, two days to the election. We filed preliminary objection, he overruled it. I was in court with Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Akin Olujinmi (SAN), and Kola Awodein, (when) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu sent an aircraft to pick me in Akure, saying that if we were not in court, the election would not hold. There are things that need to be unveiled in this country. Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola (former Lagos State Governor), the Vice President (Prof. Yemi Osibajo), Lai Mohammed, the AGF (Abubakar Malami) were in the know. And Kolawole overruled us. Then he called the plaintiff and said, can you go ahead with originating summons? I will deliver my judgement tomorrow. Like someone who was possessed, I rose up and said I was applying for stay of proceedings. Then the other lawyer interjected and asked for my formal application. I gave him two authorities offhand that I could apply orally. That was two days to the election. Kolawole said well, whatever it is; I would want to listen to you. He listened to me. We did it pro bono in the sense that the APC hasn’t paid us. Nobody even wrote a letter to say thank you. Then thereafter, he wrote a ruling and granted stay of proceedings 48 hours to the election. The Supreme Court later held that, though the card reader was a good innovation, it was not yet in the law. Would Buhari have been President if we had not done that? What could be more technical than that? They filed action against Buhari, we looked at it; we raised objections and we were dragging that. Is that not technicality? And some people will now accuse me when I do it for other people that I’m defending looters. But when you do it for them, it is right; that is double standard. And what baffles me is that some high lawyers, who should know better, also accuse some lawyers of defending looters? To hell with anybody who has looted the treasury. I believe in my profession and I thank God for what I am. I am a fulfilled person and don’t want any position from any government, but then government should allow those of us who are privately engaged to do our work. In our offices in Lagos and Abuja, we have over 75 members of staff- professionals and supporting staff. We pay more than what the government pays and don’t owe workers. A cleaner in my office earns far more than what government calls minimum wage. And when you say someone is a looter, who is a looter? Anybody who loots will have his day in court and God will punish looters, but at the same time, judge not, so that you are not judged. And let the accused person defend himself. All religions give room for fair hearing. I grew up to know that when people came to my father to settle disputes, he would say ‘e je ko so tie, agba ti o gbo ejo enikan dajo, agba osika ni’ (let him say his side of the story; an elder who bases his judgement on only one side of the story is wicked). I grew up to know that. So you don’t want people to be heard? If that is the case, change the constitution. So once someone is accused, he is arrested and taken to prison. Then, abolish the courts. That is my position. And what goes around comes around. You may be the accuser today, tomorrow; it may be your turn to face accusations. Let the law take its course. It is tyrannical, dictatorial and smacks of militarism when you start accusing lawyers who defend people. You cannot have democracy without free speech and people having access to courts. You cannot be the accuser, the lawyer and the judge. They say lawyers and judges delay the prosecution of looters, then if they have already been adjudged looters, don’t prosecute them. It is only a court of law that can come to the conclusion that someone has looted the treasury after evidence has been produced.

So where does a lawyer find balance? How do you decide who to defend or who not to defend?

A lawyer is at liberty to defend any case and once he takes up the case, he must do it uncompromisingly to the best of his ability. No lawyer can be condemned for defending any person. But as for me, at times, I might decide not to take some cases because of the extenuating circumstances. Today, I have rejected a particular brief, but I won’t mention names because of the parties concerned. I cherish my independence. A lawyer must not be under the control of any person. My clientele cuts across tribal, ethnical, religious boundaries. Once I take up a case, I take it that there is an unwritten covenant between that person and myself supervised by God and I must not compromise his interest. That is at the bottom line for me. I don’t care what anybody says, I owe a duty to that client just as I did to Gen. Buhari as a candidate without seeing him. Some people briefed me on his behalf and I loyally served him.

Some people will wonder how you are able to handle briefs from people from opposing sides like when you defended Tinubu at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and by 2.30pm on the same day, you were defending former President Goodluck Jonathan in another court. How do you quickly shift allegiances?

What I give my clients is my knowledge, I don’t sell my conscience. I retain my conscience and independence. I cherish my liberty. I keep it. No client will tell me not to represent others, I will tell that client to go. Let me give you an example. Tinubu is not just my client, he is also my friend. I respect him and he respects me but he cannot say he wants to control me. He does not even discuss my professional jobs with me. The day you just referred to, I was at the CCT in the morning in a suit. Jonathan’s election petition was stood down till about 2 pm and immediately I finished addressing the CCT on Tinubu’s matter, I had to go and change for Jonathan’s matter. Jonathan would dare not ask me why I was defending his foe. But one thing I knew then was that there was no Nigerian that Jonathan’s government feared more than Tinubu.

Why do you think so?

I know. In fact, his camp believed they were contesting election against him, that he was the arrowhead of the opposition but they dared not ask me anything about his case. One thing I also noticed was that Jonathan’s team started withdrawing from me gradually because of the Tinubu factor. And I won’t go to anybody to beg for briefs. A lady, whose name I don’t want to mention, called me one day and said these people are in trouble, why are they running away from you? Who cares? I can be very committed to my clients. Former President Umaru Yar’Adua is dead; I was his lawyer since his days as Governor of Katsina State. He was a gentleman per excellence; he would have been the best president Nigeria ever had but he was overwhelmed by his illness. He was so humble, intelligent, honest and frugal. He was the one who appointed me as Pro Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and he told me, Wole, I know you are going to help me revive and revamp that place. Thank God we did that eventually. We changed the entire face of the university. Anytime Tinubu wants to make jest of me, he will say when it comes to law, nobody talks to you, I will say thank God you know that. He knows that when it comes to his case, I will not compromise his interest. Also, I defended Tinubu when the late Funsho Williams took him to the tribunal. He has been my client over the years. And if you are talking of technicality, we had a plan when we handled his CCT case. We had even planned against the ruling and ahead of the ruling. I had already prepared notice of appeal. I had prepared a notice of appeal, a motion for stay of proceedings, and that if the ruling went against us, we would say okay, let’s take a short adjournment, argue that motion for stay of proceedings. Would you say that is technicality? Is that not allowed in law? Today, if I do it for somebody else, would you now want to shoot me down? When people are in government, they appropriate all knowledge to themselves. And it is only they that are patriotic; that can’t be right. It is only God that is always right. I see a lot of us now, who believe that government is always right, that can’t be right. We must objectively critique the government, not to bring it down but to make it perform. Nobody has the divine right to govern over me, you do so through democratic means, therefore, you owe me a duty to do well and listen to me and my complaints. When government says 2 plus 2 equals 10, we clap. We don’t take the government up any longer; we must not be like robots. It is not in the interest of the government, it is not in our own interest and it is not in the interest of our children.

The Federal Government recently proposed the sale of some assets, which was largely condemned by Nigerians. What is your take on it?

I’m not an economist but I think I have some rudimentary knowledge of economics and what is commonsensical, reasonable and just and not hasty and scandalous. I’m a bit worried about how it came to the national front burner as a discourse. Who first hinted the idea? It was the business mogul- Aliko Dangote. Later, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, supported it and later on, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. As someone who has a stake in this country, I ask, was it accidental or were they acting in concert? I’m not happy with the way things are going on in my country. Dangote is a successful businessman but what is his leverage in economics? Saraki is a medical doctor by training but now a politician by vocation and practice. The Yoruba will say the witch cried yesterday, the child died today, who would not know that it was the witch that killed the child. Is it not a case of people trying to position themselves to buy the assets? We must not allow it to happen. We must not behave like prodigals. Does it make any sense to say you have kidney problem, someone now advises you to remove your brain to solve your kidney problem. Does it make any sense? Is it not nonsensical? Is it not stupid? We are talking about core national assets that are not even failing like the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, which fetches us billions of dollars annually. May the time not come when they will sell off Aso Villa and lease it back to us. I hope the time will not come when they will be selling off Nigerian citizens. I read that Obasanjo said that he agreed that they should sell off the assets but not to the cabals. Who constitute the cabals? They should let us know the beneficiaries of the assets that they have sold in the past. Let us have the list; let us know those who bought directly and those who bought through proxies. They are cheating this country and taking us for a ride. And I heard someone saying government will put a repurchase clause in it; they are insulting our intelligence. What an insult? Is there no law again? I sell this building and put a repurchasing clause that after 10 years, I will buy it back. Who will buy that from you? And which court will enforce it? Enough is enough. They are selling dummies to us every day and insulting the mentality of Nigerians. The CBN governor also said recently that the worst was over as regards recession; that is also insulting. People are hungry and angry and you are saying the worst is over. I have some questions to ask when you say that: are you now saying that before the end of the year, the naira will be restored to the position it was before the crisis? Are you going to give people, who have lost their jobs, the jobs back? Obasanjo must reveal the members of the cabals. And let government stop talking about corruption every day.

Don’t you believe in the anti-corruption fight?

I believe in anti-corruption, you know, I said earlier that woe betide anybody who has looted the treasury or any person who uses his position to amass wealth. But when you keep on describing Nigeria as a country that is corrupt, investors will stay off. And if you know some judges are corrupt, deal with them, but don’t go to another country to say that the judiciary in your country is corrupt; nobody will come there because it is about investment and the rule of law. And when you talk of corruption among lawyers, who are the people? It takes two to tango. Let every politician in Nigeria swear by the god of thunder that he has not tried to induce a judge. Let the President take a cue from the United States President, Barack Obama. George W. Bush squandered American funds on the Gulf War as President of the US because he wanted Saddam Hussein by all means –dead or alive- after the September 11 attack. The economy of the US was comatose when Obama took over, but did you hear him say any bad thing about Bush? He had his own agenda. He started issuing presidential orders and proclamations and within two or three years, the economy was revived without him condemning anybody. To me, government is a continuum. I’m not in the Peoples Democratic Party or the APC; I don’t even see any difference between the two of them when it is so easy for the PDP people to move to the APC and immediately become progressives. You don’t sell that to me. Mr. President should have an inclusive government.

Copyright PUNCH.