President Buhari's First Media Briefing

Here are some key comments by President Muhammadu Buhari in his first Presidential Media Chat on Wednesday where he fielded questions about some of the key issues in the country - from the whereabouts of the Chibok girls, the Nigerian Army-Shiites clash and pressure to devalue the naira. See the highlights, courtesy of my cousin, Osahon Omole.

On the clash between Shi’ites and the Nigerian Army in Zaria and his silence

i. I have allowed the army and the Kaduna State government to come up with their reports before I come out to speak on the clash. This does not mean that the police and the DSS are not doing their part.

ii. The situation in Zaria is very serious… How can one group create a state within a state?

On the state of tertiary institutions

I don’t like the idea of University students sitting on windows to receive lectures.

On whether he actually promised to pay unemployed youths N5,000

I cannot come here and deny that.

Foreign exchange restrictions

I. We need power, railways, roads… These are our priorities; not people looking for money to bring in rice (to the country).

II.Foreign exchange will be made available to the productive sector of the economy and not for luxury items.

On calls for the devaluation of the naira

I need to be convinced about devaluing the naira.

On asset declaration

I declared my assets four times… I don’t have to ask them (Code of Conduct Bureau) to give you the asset declaration… You have a constitutional right to the documents.

On the continued bomb attacks in parts of the North-East

I. The Hijab will have to be banned if this (the suicide bombing) continues.

On the debate about fuel subsidy

By the end of the next quarter, we will not be talking about subsidy. How much is the price of fuel (in the international market) now?

Reported plans by the National Assembly to spend billions on cars

I cannot see the National Assembly spending N45bn to buy cars on top of the transport allowance they collect.

On the pace of the anti-corruption war

I. Our major constraint is that accused person must go to court first and under such circumstances, we cannot prejudge what the courts will do but there are documents and how the government will react through the Ministry of Justice will determine what we will do because what we are going so we cannot determine issues while they are still in court.

II. If any member of my cabinet is corrupt, I will sack the person.

III. Members of the cabinet are supposed to declare their assets.

On whether funds have been recovered from looters

I. Money has been recovered but the fact that whatever we recover will end up in court because Nigerians will always want to know the truth and the truth will be what the courts have discovered by the submission made to them in terms of bank statements where money was recovered, where money was lodged, when it was lodged, how it was lodged whether it was money from petrol, customs and excise or money directly from the Central Bank. When we do that I think Nigerians will feel a bit better.

II. It is a very nasty situation that we are in, but we cannot fold our hands and not do anything; we are doing our best.

Chibok girls

We are keeping our options open. We are prepared to negotiate with Boko Haram for the girls… There is no firm intelligence where those girls physically are and what conditions they are in but what we learnt from our intelligence is that they (terrorists) kept on shifting them around so that they are not taken by surprise and they get freed. And a whole lot of them are not in one place and we don’t know how many divisions they have and where they are. There is no intelligence to say that the girls are alive and in one place. That is the honest truth.

On the agitation for Biafra over alleged marginalisation

We have Boko Haram and then Biafra. Help me define the extent of marginalisation. Who is marginalising them? Why? How? Do you know? … The constitution said there must be a minister from each state. Who is the Minister of Petroleum? Is he not Igbo? Who is the Governor of Central Bank? Is he not Igbo? Who is the Minister of Labour? Who is the Minister of Science and Technology? Who is the junior minister of education?

On the continued detention of suspected looters and alleged violation of court orders by the DSS

You can see the type atrocities that those people committed against soldiers and the country. The former president goes to the governor of the Central Bank and say, ‘give N40bn to so, so, so… And then he fails to account for it and you allow him to go and see his daughter in London while and you have two million people in IDPs, half of them don’t even know their parents. Which kind of country do you want to run?

And the one you are calling Kanu. Do you know he has two passports – one Nigerian, one British – and he came to this country without any passport?… There are criminal allegations against him and I hope the court will listen to the case.

Merry Christmas: Remembering Jesus Christ, His Life and His Teaching.

From the depth of my heart, I want to wish everyone of you who find the time to visit this Blog: A Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2016 in advance.

On our part and as a people, let's strive to be Christ-like in all that we do. As an individual or as a group, whenever you are confronted with difficulties in your decision making process, or you are in a situation where the probability of you compromising in your judgement is certain and imminent, always remember to ask yourself the simple question: what would our Lord Jesus Christ have done? And that is the beginning of wisdom and statesmanship.

We should not refrain from His teaching, if we truly believe on why he came and died for us. Our Lord's Prayer is fundamental in knowing about Christ, his teaching and his expectations of us. It is more than a prayer.

What happened to the teaching of tolerance, peace and harmony? Of love thy neighbor and to do to others as you would expect them to do unto you? What happened to thou shalt not steal, nor convert their neighbor’s goods? What happened to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God? It is about obedience and observance of the law.

Indeed, we are created in the image and likeness of God - imbued with holiness, of sanctity and reverence. But do we cherish that image, live it and project it in what we do?

Time was when it was all about the gospel, the teaching, and of faith, atonement and repentance of sin. Yes, it was about the healing and forgiveness of sin - your faith has saved you; go in peace.

Today, at Churches, at home, offices and political gathering, we devote so much quality time and energy invoking Holy Ghost fire, and wishing die, die, die and destructions upon our imaginary enemies and political opponents. At the end, so little quality time is spent on perfecting the gospel and the teaching of acceptance, tolerance, peaceful co-existence, and empowerment.

Yes, it is no longer about knowing Christ or his teaching, but how loud and effective the new Men of God are in imploring thunder and fire to vanquishing known and unknown worldly adversaries and imaginary spiritual tormentors.

Yet, Jesus Christ ate with the one who was to betray him. He acknowledged the windows mites and appreciated Mary, who selflessly, and with rare grace, washed and anointed the Lord's feet with an expensive perfume. Yes, it's about piety, exemplified here by both the recipient (Christ the Lord) and the giver (Mary). Where is your humility, and the humanity in you?

As per population, we worship God or Allah more than any country on earth, but we know who we are as a people, as a society and as a nation-state. There is no denying the facts that there is a total disconnect between the Holy Books and the Nigerian realities, our existence and life style as believers and propagandists of the faiths.

Call this soul searching; I really don't know the answer, but what I do know is that Jesus Christ would definitely have indicted us of apostasy and perversion of the gospel long ago. There is no doubt, there is more to living the message than in teaching it.

Search your soul, brother; search your soul, sister; search your conscience, friends. Are you behaving Christ-like? Are you really living true to the teaching and the gospel? This is not about being born again. It doesn’t require any spiritual component or spiritual reawakening for it to manifest. It’s about you and your conscience, expressed in your actions and pronouncements.

If you are in doubt or at a loss about his teaching and his expectations of you and I; read the Sermon on the Mount and the Transfiguration. Do a reflection. And you will be, in the image of the man who built his house upon a rock, be solidly grounded in the teaching and the life of Christ.

On my part, I have resolved long ago to be Christ-like in all I do, in all I say and in all I Blog and write about. How about you, friends? That’s a first step towards redeeming the image of God in us; and towards remaking our home and our world. Yes, it's more than being born again. It is about remembering to be Godly, living the life of Christ and what he represents.

Once again, Merry Christmas.

 Barr Alex Aidaghese
0909 247 5320,    0708 695 1511
alexaidaghese@gmail.com

Of Regulatory Mechanisms and Enforcement Questions.

When an over-hyped, yet unproven Body Language is unmatched with commensurate action during trying times, or when tested, unmitigated lawlessness will evolve. Indeed, body language does matter, but only to the extent that the wavering and the culpable minds feel the impulse of sanction. It is a mind game, being apprehensive of a purposeful action and paying for the crime committed. Therefore, when the people have cause to doubt the integrity of those trusted to lead the battle, dissatisfaction would come to play. Resistance and insurrection would come to play. And defeat and failure (business as usual) would have a strong footing.

So, Body Language, like its twin sister, change mantra, is an abstraction - a conceptual process. It cannot fly and it cannot reason. Its meaning is in usage. Its essence is in action and performance. And it can only be a deterrent, not by the will of the people - certainly, not Nigerians - but by the grace of the crusader who wields the almighty gavel

When a fuel attendant, at his discretion, unilaterally set the gas price per liter, and knowingly disregards the calculations or the readings of the gas meter as set by regulators, you know a non-complimentary verdict has been pronounced on the Body Language. And when a fuel marketer determines when to load and off-load his load, and dare the government and the regulators to a fight, you know the tangle is a no contest.

You know the government is not ready for prime time when power and electricity regulators cannot overcome the mischief of power distributors who unrepentantly bill where they did not supply.

Above all, you know the government is adrift in the tides, when regulators spent more time defending and deliberating on legitimate actions they have not taken, instead of taking such actions and daring the consequences. EFCC derives pleasures from inviting big names for a question, without taking further concrete action or actions with a view to recouping the embezzled funds. EFCC and ICPC appeared engaged, without having the quality result to showcase. 

Take for instance the indictment and purported trial of the Senate President, Mr. Sola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for non-compliance with the asset declaration formalities, when he was the Governor of Kwara State. The law setting up the Tribunal stated without ambiguity that a panel of three judges shall sit during a trial. Not one, not two or four, but three. Contrary to that clearly stated provision, the Chairman of CCT, knowing and without reasonable explanation commences the trial of the Senate President, the first high profile case for that matter, with two judges. 

Today, the Saraki's trial is on appeal at the Supreme Court, not on the question of guilty or innocent of the accused, but on the justiciability of the tribunal sitting two judges instead of three. So far, no one has questioned the busybody Chairman to give an account of his deliberate misconduct. That is how our high profile law enforcement agents, trusted and employed to fight official corruption squandered our financial resources achieving nothing. 

A few days ago, they planted this headline in the news: "Arms Scandal: EFCC plans to write ex-President Jonathan" - The Punch Monday, December 21, 2015. Now, you ask me, what is newsworthy about that? Nothing. Just nothing, but to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that they are after the big guys. On the other hand, a headline like this, “EFCC has written ex-President Jonathan, demanding an explanation for his alleged involvement in the ongoing Arms Scandal”, would have made a big difference.  But not in Nigeria and not in the life of our EFCC. That superficial headline at Punch newspaper is exemplifying EFCC and ICPC modus operandi in the history of its war against corrupt political leaders in Nigeria. 

It's about actions you've taken, not a cause of action you are contemplating. You're cheapening your institution, dampening the clout of this administration, and eroding the efficacy of the brand the Commander-in-Chief commands. The narrative we should be marketing is the tough guy image; not superficial headlines. It doesn’t fit the Buhari brand. 

The campaign is over. The election is over. President Jonathan wasn't good enough, and the Progressives won. If the EFCC and the office of the AG cannot find probable cause to indict him for criminal wrongdoing, he should be left alone, 

And to my friends and fans calling for an extended grace period for the President, I would like to point out that you do not need a new budget to execute or ensure regulatory compliance. It is a mind thing - in your face attitude by the President. That is not dictatorial. It is taking the fight to the road, to the oil marketers, and to the people; the Obama style. 

The President is the Minister of Petroleum and he has been around the industry for decades. He is expected to be the face and the voice of reason against the oil marketers - the moral authority. But he is at this moment not living any of the above. 

Mr. Buhari is the President of Nigeria and the Minister of Petroleum Resources. If he wasn't the Minister of Petroleum and another person is in the position, what would have been his reaction so far in the face of the lingering fuel hoarding and price distortion? Summon the Minister for explanation or voluntary resignation? Mr. President, this is the first test as a Minister of Petroleum, and without any doubt, it is not a passing grade.

Finally, there was a body language at the inception, but its efficacy was dissipated in foreign lands. The President was not at home to take full advantage of the unprecedented surge in his relevance to maximize the potency, real or imagined, of the much-celebrated body language. What was required was a trip around the country, thanking the people for their votes, reassuring them that the change mantra is real, but that they must be willing to persevere with him. He never did. President Jonathan's failure was his inability to communicate. Sad to say, this administration is not doing anything different. President Buhari can only market his body language purposefully, while on the road. Not at Aso Rock. You cannot enforce or regulate what you don't know. Nigerians need a leader. You cannot provide that leadership by mandating your Press Boys to issue Press Release. 

Buhari Approves NNPC’s Unbundling into Four Autonomous Units, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Buhari Approves NNPC’s Unbundling into Four Autonomous Units, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

Here's To The Crazy Ones...

Here's to the crazy ones - the misfits, the rebels, the trouble-makers, the round pegs in the square holes ... the ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. And the only thing you can't do is ignore them ... because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones ... we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world ... are the ones who do. - Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)  

The Role of The Press in Overcoming Mediocrity in Nigeria!

During the screening of the Ministerial nominees, it was widely reported that Mr. President told his subordinates and the emerging Ministers to always tell him the truth, no matter how unpalatable. Specifically, I saw Barrister James Ocholi (SAN), one of the Ministerial nominees emphasizing that demand from the President, while speaking with a TV Reporter. In light of the not so encouraging developments surrounding the appointment of new Ministers, I would like to ask what would happen, if those in position to advise the President as per the truth, lack the intuitive capital to read and interpret the situation on the ground and advice the President accordingly.

When that happens, as it is always the case in Nigeria, the President is denied useful information. In that case, there is a vacuum in the system that no one in the Presidency is aware of. And that is the evolution of mediocrity - our bane as a society.

For instance, there was a noticeable improvement in power supply immediately President Buhari came into office. Thanks, of course, to the much hyped "body language." Today, power supply is at its worst since my arrival in Nigeria about six months ago. As I write the lines at the gas pump are getting longer. Boko Haram is once again on the rampage with brazen bravado, undaunted. And it is no doubt, worse than six months ago.

Indeed, we did embrace the new slogan in town: "no more business as usual." Yet, nothing has changed. In hindsight, the solution is not just the rejection of the culture of "business as usual," but defining a new benchmark for performance evaluation and raising the standard of engagement across the board. 

In other words, what is the nature of change desirable at this present time? That leads us to the next question. It is about benchmark - evaluation of benchmark and standard of engagement.

How do you raise the standard of engagement or define the new benchmark, when those who are strategically placed to define new policy frameworks (make changes) are ignorant of the existence of a lacuna in the system? That is the problem. That is our problem as a nation-state. And that is where the press must step in. Yes, the press, through constructive criticisms, supported by the people, through mass protest.

On the other hand, if indeed the President has credible and audacious Nigerians around him, with the requisite background to read and interpret the situation on the ground and advise the President accordingly (telling him the truth), but the change as understood by the President and acceptable to the President and his core counsellors is inconsistent with emerging trends or what obtains in advanced climes, then we have a problem at hand - the making of a dictator. It is the same as not having advisers at all.

By the way, President Jonathan, honest as he might have been, didn't grab the mood in the country and the expectations of a modern Nigerian nation-state. And that should have been the responsibility of his kitchen cabinet, who turned out to be bunch of local DJs.

And that brings us to the second question: how do we eliminate a vacuum created by a recalcitrant President? First, the Advisers should remain steadfast and be consistent in standing for what they believe is right - the truth. They should not be docile about confronting the President's kitchen cabinet openly with facts and figures on issues where there are differences. However, in the absence of any substantial improvement on the part of the President (unwilling to be convinced), the affected Advisers should not hesitate to do the ultimate: resign.

Given the fact that resignation by Advisers or Ministers is not a Nigerian corporate culture; the press, once again, must step into the void, through consistent and constructive criticisms, supported by the people, through mass protest. Yes, for the Change to be meaningful and result-oriented, the Press and the Nigerian people must be ready to reject packages clothed in deceit aimed at suffocating informed views.

So, it is my conclusion that raising the benchmark shouldn't just be about slogan. It is about actions and the nature of such actions. And that is what this essay is about - defining a purposeful benchmark, with the support of the press. It requires visions, audacity and creativity. And that's why President Obama is a success story, today.

He started by asking question another President would not have asked. How come ordinary Americans cannot afford quality and affordable healthcare? And what must we do to ensure availability and affordability? How can we simplify educational funding to make it accessible to poor American families? What is more important to do: fighting two wars and depleting the national resources, and be lauded and be vilified at the same time as the Policeman of the world, or stay away from war without end and invest the saved resources at home? You know the answer. And today, the American economy is better off for it.

Still on Obama - he did not bail out American State Governors or supported them in paying any outstanding workers salaries and wages as President Buhari just did in Nigeria few months ago. His bail out was to the Auto Industry, the Wall Streets and the Mortgage sector, knowing full well that a vibrant auto industry and a buoyant, but regulated Wall Street, will go a long way in creating synergy that will spiral to other sectors of the American economy and catalyze sustainable growth along the chain. And it happened. That was common sense integrated with a daring will to act and to succeed. First is the ability to know that something isn't right, and then, ask questions. Awareness matters. Visions matter. And audacity matters, as well.

"God Favored Me "HEZEKIAH WALKER LYRICS