Thursday, October 31, 2019

Civil Engineering 101 and the Needs for Accountability in Nigeria.

Written for my Facebook Audience

This is what they do overseas. And that is why their roads last for about 30 years. When the specified lifetime is reached, whether or not the road is damaged, they would simply remove the entire top (the cement, coal tar, and asphalt, leaving intact the rods as you are seeing in the picture, and start a new tarring all over again. The rods fixed into the concrete underneath are permanent features - unremovable. We don't do that in Nigeria. We simply pour the coal tar and cement or gravel on top of the graded red soil, as you saw in some of the pictures I shared a few days ago. If we do in Nigeria what they are doing in the picture, especially on the Benin/Auchi road, you would put a smile on the face of travellers for the next twenty to thirty years. And I do hope and pray that the Government of Lagos State, which is reported to have taken over some federal roads in the state, adopts the same standard in the reconstruction of the Lagos/Badagry International Highway and the Mile 2/Apapa Interchange.
Please, I want to state upfront: I am not doing this - writing stories and sharing videos and pictures - because I want to be noticed or given a job in Nigeria. That is far from the truth. I am doing it because Nigerians deserve better. I am doing it because I want to prove that it doesn't take rocket science to govern Nigeria and make it a World-class global empire. We have the brainpower and the natural resources to do them. A President cannot even give an account of the humongous budget for his Aso Rock (not even the Aso Clinic), yet he is jetting abroad looking for money to borrow to fix our infrastructural facilities. For a start, cut your budget for your Aso Villa and aircraft. Then cut the salaries and emoluments of our National Assembly members. Then, eliminate the Security votes for all our Governors. You will have enough funds to put the Lecturers back to work.
I am not naive; If I need your job or appointment, I won't be writing or having an opinion on our national issues. I am a minority of the minorities, and I have a good understanding of what marginalisation is marginalization. Just do the right thing, and I will stop talking.

Kolade Larewaju
Road construction in Germany. Tell me, how can this road develop potholes even in 100 years?
Uyi Precious A and 1 other
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  • Ibrahim M. Augie, Am waiting for a civil engineer to comment on this photo. One thing for sure is that this must be a challenging portion geologically to warrant this over-engineering work. A correctly measured/prepared hardcore layer topped by recommended asphalt or plain concrete surfacing can last for decades. What we lack in Nigeria is respect for engineering specifications, and that is defined by our poor education, corruption and cultural attitude to plain hard, honest work
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  • Ibrahim M. Augie Even airports that take heavy toll of aircraft landings arent surfaced this way.
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  • Ibrahim M. Augie Most likely this portion has a deep clay layer underneath ..
  • Alex Ehimhantie'Aiyo Aidaghese There is permanent layer of concrete underneath the rods. Once the steel rods are laid on the top, they become permanent features. What they do is to deposit another set of mixed asphalt, coal tar, and cement on top of the rods. In Nigeria, we don't have the underneath rods and concrete. We deposit ours mixed cement, asphalt and coal tar on top of the graded ground floor.
  • Gideon Odion Ataya Based on my experience, this method of road construction might not be suitable for Nigeria terrain based on the available geotechnical data. As you you know, Reinforcement slab concrete would crack due to linear and cubic expansion of steel in relation to the temperature increase. You know Nigeria Climate. Moreover, the best option would be a minimum layer of improved soil which should be tested as per ASTI or any similar standard, followed by sufficient layer of road base, wet mix macadam, sub base and the final wearing course as per standard requirements.
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  • Alex Ehimhantie'Aiyo Aidaghese Interesting. Thank you, Mr. Gideon Odion Ataya, for adding your expertise to the discussion. We analyze what we see from a layman point of view. I thank you for your insights.
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  • Gideon Odion Ataya Moreover, this method would require expansion joints for steel expansion which would be rather expensive or might affect the road evenness. Check bridges, expansion joint is provided at regular intervals.
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  • Alex Ehimhantie'Aiyo Aidaghese, when you say "Reinforcement slab concrete would crack due to linear and cubic expansion of steel about the temperature increase," initially, it sounds complicated to me. However, given my observations of Highways in Houston, TX, and the intense hits over the years, your comment began to make sense to me. What they do in Texas, which I have not seen on the East Coast of the US, is create space or open along the highways. When I asked a colleague the reason for those openings, I was told, as you rightly said, that concrete does expand and crack during an intense hit. And to avoid the crack, they create openings the size of a pencil, vertically and horizontally, all over their Highways. So, whenever there is expansion induced by a hit, there is space available for the expansion to spread into. And that is how they preempt cracking. I understand now what you are talking about. But, in the US, they have already devised methods to take care of it. And that is what, I suppose, you called "expansion joint," which I described as "openings."
    • Alex Ehimhantie'Aiyo Aidaghese Glad to talk to you. Ewohimi has great guys and ladies. I'm excited. Stay in touch, bro. The Lord is your strength.
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  • Alex Ehimhantie'Aiyo Aidaghese Please, Gideon Odion Ataya, with all due respect, I am not trying to be an Engineer. I am able to understand and respond to your comment, based on my observations and the innocent questions I have asked in the past. So, you are very correct in your theory, based on what I observed on Highways in Houston, TX.
  • Elder Ovis Ulekhue You won't stop talking. I won't stop talking, either. No one for that matter will stop talking. Let's talk it out, let's talk about it and let's talk to have all various issues resolved. Power Holding Company doesn't supply light but distributes bills and ensures that whoever delays payment or fails to pay gets disconnected : nobody talks about it. Workers get tax deductions on their salaries and nothing to show for it : nobody talks about it. Nigerians, both in paid employment and self employed pay triple taxes, at highway checkpoints, where motorists are fleeced of their left over disposal income, this fact is re-emphasized : nobody talks about it. Nigerian workers are owed salaries of up to 17 months, and Governors get, in additions to unaudited monthly expenses, security votes running into billions of hard earned currencies, Federal House of Assembly members get as their monthly allowances and pay that are enough to settle arrears of pay for civil servants : nobody talks tough about it. If nobody talks about all these, how will the problems be solved? Now to the serious matter of road construction in Nigeria. Building collapse and cases of road accidents involving motorists are direct results of negligence and corruption in governments and amongst agents of Authorities and contractors. If "laymen" could understand what materials are needed to build roads to satisfaction and longevity, how much more should the experts know? Very much. But why do roads get eroded six months to two years after construction? Error of judgement? Knowledge gap? Neither. It happens because someone had compromised on the minimum standard of operation and specifications. New roads, you won't believe this, are still being constructed by foreign contractors without regard to globally accepted standards. Underneath water channels, where necessary or compulsory, gutters or drainage and provisions for electrical connections and plumbing works are flagrantly ignored in constructing major roads. The result is cutting and breakage of some roads to allow for passages of pipes, wires and cables, and avoidable interventions had proper attention been paid to the contract agreement as the work progresses or before the works ever started. All these anomalies are not unintended; someone somewhere somehow has figured in billions of naira that would roll into private pockets from substandard works, which cost the same amount as though standards and prescriptions had been adhered to. The same laxity in governance makes it possible for certain office holders and the people's reps to allocate so much pay, allowances to themselves without checks and balances, no accountability, no nothing. Let them call us the names that they seem fit for standing up and raising our voices for justice and equality or equity. The Bible says wisdom is justified by its fruit. Let the wise enjoy his wisdom and leave the fool to bask in his folly.
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    Of Greed, Insecurity, and the Marginalization of Southern Radicals and Social Activists in Nigerian Political Leadership

    The Greed, Insecurity, and Timidity of Southern Politicians and Political Leaders are responsible for the colonisation of the South by a Few Northern Political Leaders. No matter the political party in power, or the geographical, tribal, or religious background of the President in power, they are there, in control, permanently entrenched. When push comes to shove, they go for the best among them to do the job, irrespective of his antecedents, political views, or the curses and yabbies he has unleashed on anyone in the past. Just as a quick example, there is no Nigerian living on earth today who has labelled President Buhari in a most derisive and disdainful manner as Mallam El-Rufai. However, when El-Rufai joined ranks with the Progressives and contested the Kaduna State Gubernatorial race, thanks to the intervention of President Buhari, El-Rufai won the nomination and also won the Governorship race. That cannot happen in the South. They will blacklist you for life.
    Now, back to the main story.
    Have you ever pondered how and why authentic radicals like Femi Falana (SAN), Tai Solarin, Professor Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehimi (SAN), Professor Claude Ake, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Professor Festus Iyayi, Professor Awojobi, Odia Ofeimun, Barrister Clement Nwankwo, just to name a few, were never considered for any Advisory role, or Commissioner at the State level, or as a Minister at the Federal level? 
    I do remember, though, that IBB appointed Dr. Tai Solarin the Chairman of the People's Bank and also made Professor Soyinka the Chairman of the newly formed Federal Road Safety Corps at the time. But the two gentlemen were already at an advanced stage in life when the appointment came, and they didn't function actively. By the way, Dr. Solarin and Professor Soyinka were appointed by a Military Head of State who is a Northerner. That is very important. What I am driving at is that most Northern political leaders are never intimidated or resentful of the radicals and intellectual activists among them. Even if the Northern President doesn't know them, someone who does will recommend them.
    Name any known radical from the Northern region, Abubakar Rimi, Dr. Bala Mohammed, Dr. Attahiru Jega, Dr. Haroun Adamu, Kwankwaso, Junaid Mohammed, Shehu Sani, Dr. Bala Muhammed, Nuru Ribadu, Malam El-Rufai, Alhaji Sule Lamido, etc., they have either served as advisers, governors, or heads of MDAs. I know some of you might not remember or know who some of these guys are or were. For instance, the late Dr. Bala Mohammed was a young leftist radical from Bauchi State. One of the finest intellectuals this country has ever produced. He was a lecturer at ABU and became an Adviser to the late Governor Abubakar Rimi of Kano State, himself a radical and a protégé of the late Aminu Kano. Aminu Kano was also a populist radical who resisted any attempt to be under the radar or control of Ahmadu Bello.
    By the way, rioters burned Dr. Bala Mohammad alive in his house in 1981 following a protest, sparked allegedly by the query issued by Emir Ado Bayero of Kano by Governor Abubakar Rimi. Governor Abubakar Rimi was also the Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt before he came back home to join forces with Aminu Kano to radicalise the Northern voters. On his part, Dr. Attahiru Jega was a radical lecturer at the University of Sokoto when he took over the reign of ASUU from the late Festus Iyayi of Uniben. He was a tough-talking ASUU Boss during the Shoneka Interim Wahala and Abacha Dictatorship. He later became a Professor and was appointed Chairman of INEC under President Jonathan.
    On the flip side, Dr. Festus Iyayi and his wife and kids were brutally evacuated from their Uniben Quarter by Agberos from the popular Iyaro Motor Park, hired by Vice-Chancellor Alele Williams, allegedly at the prompting of President Ibrahim Babangida. He was later reinstated. But he died a few years ago in a ghastly motor accident at Lokoja, Kogi State, on his way to Kaduna State for an ASUU meeting. He was vibrant, outspoken, a rare gem of a radical, who wanted the best for Nigerian Universities and our children. I met with him in 1986 at his Uniben residence. How come President Jonathan did not bring him immediately into his Aso Rock Team as an Adviser or Minister of Education?
    Chief Obafemi Awolowo was different. He gravitated towards fierce, outspoken, independent-minded intellectual giants when he was the Premier of the Western Region - Bab Fafuwa, Chief S.O. Awokoya, the Ondo State native, Samuel Aluko, Anthony Enahoro, and Bola Ige, just to name a few. These gentlemen were not only loyal, but they brought their academic best to the table to help bring Awo's thinking to fruition. Indeed, they were loyal, but they were never Awo's stooges. Take, for instance, the story of the appointment of Ishan Mr. Odia Ofeinmu as Papa Awo Secretary. During the interview, Odia was reported to have told Papa Awo that he knows what is expected of him as a Secretary, but that Awo must NOT tell him how to do his job. And he was hired. You can say that to a Northern political leader of the old and present generation and still get the job. But you cannot say that concerning any of the present generation of Southern political leadership. Papa Awo was different. And his kind is rare.
    Does it mean we have never been fortunate to have Southern activists at the helm of affairs at some government agencies? Of course, there were a few of them. But what they do is that when they are there, they don't remember where they are coming from, their activist background, or consider it germane to bring in their colleagues into the system. It takes enlightenment to know the enlightened. It is the responsibility of these fortunate few in the system to recommend qualified candidates to the Governors or the President, as the case may be. Sad to say, some of these guys strive to integrate into the elite groups by any means necessary whenever the opportunity to serve knocks on their doors.
    The reverse is the case in the North. Radicals and social activists think first of their colleagues and how to escalate their ascendancy to a more substantial political and leadership position. And they do it legitimately. For instance, the present Emir of Kano, towards the end of his reign at the Central Bank, gave Malam El'Rufai, when he returned from exile, about One Billion Naira Contract to execute a certain project for the Central Bank. Today, both of them are national leaders. One as an Emir and the other as Governor. Professor Attahiru Jega is now at Bayero as a lecturer. Professor Yadudu of Abacha's regime and the author of the 1999 Constitution is now a lecturer at Bayero. How many Southern lecturers who have been appointed to political office have gone back to the classroom? The lure of the office is great, no doubt.  
    Moving Forward.
    Politics, according to opinion leaders, is a dirty game. However, some modern thinkers hold the view, and fervently so, that politics is not dirty; it is only dirty to the extent that the clean and honourable and credible men and women of refined integrity remain unwilling to get into the game and get dirty in the search for power. And until that is done, politics cannot be made whole.
    On that theory, I want to make this bold statement and a challenge to myself (the author of this essay) and all the young men and women of Edo State to join me to start a new political movement and turn a new page in Edo State's leadership structure. A charity must begin at home, and according to the renowned Congressman from Massachusetts, Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill Jr., all politics is local. Therefore, if we must change Abuja, we must start at home.
    Today, we have an outsider or a non-conformist in charge of affairs in Edo State. We must sustain the momentum he establishes and embrace his approach. It doesn't mean we have to all move to APC or the government in power. We should endeavour to uphold our political beliefs and at the same time, rally to join forces with any candidate who represents what is good about us as a people and Edo State in general, irrespective of the political party of the candidate.
    Finally, none of the Senators currently serving should be returned to the Senate when their terms end. In a similar vein, none of the members of the House of Representatives should be returned to Abuja. I made this declaration in light of what has become of Edo State in terms of federal presence and the appalling state of our road transportation networks. Measured by any standard, they do not represent us or our interests. That they are not as smart and politically sophisticated as their Northern colleagues has been well documented. We must vindicate the spirit of Chief Anthony Enahoro. Because his audacity is missing in what our representatives bring to the table at the national level and at the National Assembly. Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to invite all my friends to join the bandwagon - Edo State can no longer remain a backbencher in our national affairs. It is time for a new paradigm. All Edo State Senator Must Go. All Edo State House of Rep Members Must Go. Thank you, and God bless the good people of Edo State and the good people of Nigeria. From time to time, I will be revisiting this topic on the way forward. 


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