Nigeria is famously renowned (unfortunately so) as a country where we celebrate and shower accolades, honorary doctorate degrees, and national honors on the totally undeserving. A nation where we immortalize the same group of people that put us in the mess we are in today. We revere and worship those highly placed in society and subconsciously consider them to be our heroes. But are they truly the heroes of our beloved nation?
The answer is simple. The real and true heroes of our nation are the brave men and women that put themselves in harm’s way everyday for our sake. However, we do not celebrate and honor them enough as a nation; so I would like to use this medium to do just that.
The insurgency in Nigeria has claimed thousands of innocent lives, destroyed cities and is threatening the unity of our nation. The insurgents do as they please and the government, politicians and we, the citizens, play the blame game on who is responsible and who sponsors the terrorists, instead of gearing our efforts towards finding a lasting solution. Among all the madness and imprudence going on, the brave military personnel are in the frontlines battling to defend and protect us.
I want use this opportunity to thank the courageous military men and women for fighting to protect our country’s future and unity everyday. We honor and salute you for securing our future and the future of generations to come.
On December 17th 2014 we lost a hero in Major SK Umaru during a battle with Boko Haram. He was my Camp Commandant when I was doing my NYSC in 2010 at Jigawa State. I had not maintained contact with him since leaving camp but I remember clearly how kind-hearted and approachable he was. He was always smiling and trying to get to know us as friends even though he was the Camp Commandant. Major SK Umaru, you are gone but will never be forgotten.
I believe as Nigerians, we have been de-sensitized to a dangerous level. I can’t start to imagine what it feels like knowing your loved ones are in harm’s way for our country, knowing fully well that they can be killed anytime in the line of duty. To the heroes we lost and the families that have lost a loved one in line of duty for our country; we appreciate and applaud the sacrifice you have made for our dear nation.
Accordingly, we remember Major SK Umaru, Captain Kenneth Onubah, Lieutenant Shitu Kyom Leo, Lance Corporal David Usman, Major Samuel Jega, Major Abdullahi Kanoma, Staff Sergeant Keku Adebayo, Corporal Ahmed Usman, Corporal Matthew Ade, Lance Corporal Adamu Ibrahim, Lance Corporal Suleiman Gimba, Lance Corporal Saduaki Salisu, Lance Corporal Olusola Ajani, Wing Commander Chimda Hedima, Colonel Kabiru Salisu and others we lost. I pray Almighty Allah have mercy on their souls and may He give their families the fortitude to bear the loss (rest assured its not a personal loss but a nation’s loss).
“They are dead; but they live in each Patriot’s breast, And their names are engraved on honor’s bright crest.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To those still serving and their families, our gratitude and admiration of your courage and bravery knows no bound. We say a big thank you for your continuous sacrifice to our fatherland. Those that have served us well and are retired now; we thank you for your service and role you played in keep our country united and free.
As we get into the final week of the year, I want to wish my fellow countrymen a happy holiday season of joy, peace and continuous progress. May the New Year be better than 2014 for our nation.
Poverty has been widely accepted in terms as general scarcity or dearth, or state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possession or money. Absolute poverty or destitution as Nigerian women have been subjected to enforcing the patriarchal human nature refers to deprivation of basic human needs, which commonly includes food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter, health care and education. While feminization of poverty describes a phenomenon in which women represent disproportionate percentages of the world’s poor, the ‘burden of poverty borne by women especially in developing countries’.
Though in recent times policies have been adopted to address the wide spread of poverty amongst women in Africa’s most populous country, they have largely failed to address the issue. Various factors are at play here, first let’s explore the traditional gender role enforced on women, which claims the sole aim of women is family raising. This confines women to the home depriving them of basic education, limiting their ability to participate in both the informal and formal sectors of the economy, resulting in lack of income for them and dependence on spouse of family for livelihood. In Nigeria where 70% of the population live on an average 2 Dollar per day women are thought to constitute approximately 49% of the total population. Participation in industrial sector stands at 11% compared to 38% for men, federal civil service 24% are women compared to 76% for men, also literacy levels amongst men and women shows 59.4% to 74.4% respectively.
These alarming figures shows the extent to which women are been marginalized in most developing countries where Nigeria is not an exception, until recent times women barely held high profile political offices, executive position in corporate organizations amongst others, though there is an upward trend regards that. More need to be done to curb the continuous increase of wide spread abject poverty in Nigeria, not just amongst women but the population in general. Lastly, the notion of assigning gender roles to women in our traditional contemporary society needs to be revisited as recent study conducted by Times magazine in 2013, shows women are better managers than men. Thus, there is need to encourage subsidized education to encourage parents send their female children to school, effective and efficient skill acquisition programs nationwide, revisiting the proportional figures of women to be employed in the civil services, amongst other policies that could be adopted but to mention a few.
Allow me a space to call on the national chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to please kindly release our voter's card in Katsina state. Since the start of the release of the Permanent voter's card (PVC) this month, the exercise was mired with disappearance of many PVC here in Katsina and other places. The exercise is also mired with other irregularities like fighting, lack of adequate materials e.t.c It is sad that despite over four years since the time the temporary voter's card was registered, the INEC did not make any adequate arrangement for releasing the PVC across the nation. It will be recalled that over 100 billion naira was said to have been spent on the commission in 2011 - in order to make all arrangements ready for a free, fair, credible elections in 2015. In katsina for example, the releasing of the PVC was postponed three times before it was started. Now that I has started, over 1.5 million PVCs are said to be missing or at least, unaccounted. When the exercise started, they only spent four days. And now that registration for those that lost their own and fresh registrars have started, it is only been carried out in four places, and all the places have long queues of people aggressively waiting to be registered. The INEC and all other relevant stake holders in the PVC should get together and solve this problem. Already people are insinuating that the INEC is planning to rig elections in 2015, and is dis franchising Nigerians by deliberately causing difficulties in the exercise and limiting participation. I call on professor Attahiru Jega who is a credible person, and has been promising Nigerians better elections in 2015, to please find away to quickly solve this problem before any uncalled for action happen. I also call on Nigerians to be patient and law abiding.
Abuja entertainment awards (AEA), a profound and prestigious event with the sole objective of uplifting the entertainment industry in Abuja, by appreciating and honoring all those who are or had ventured in all aspects of entertainment, ranging from music, arts, fashion designing, pageantry,event promoting, radio and television presenters, bloggers and so much more. The coming and commencement of Abuja Entertainment Awards would stand as a significant form of change in Abuja and its entertainment Industry.
The prestigious idea of this massive event (ABUJA ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS) was nursed and introduced by FRESHEST ENTERTAINMENT in the early months of 2014, Freshest entertainment allied with its sister body GMCY FOUNDATION and DOPE MUSLIM DUDE GROUP in showcasing this fresh idea with a lunch on the 1st of August 2014 and are now preparing for the main event by 17th January 2015 and also the opening of voting poles for all categories of the award by 1st January 2015. Although it is sad to note that this greate and remarkable idea (ABUJA ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS) is yet to secure any co-operate sponsor but on the other hand is delighted to have incredible partners and supporters such as;
*Raypower
*Google+
*ITV
*Drumstix
*Onemic
*Arewa magazine
*NTA and few others
For more information on AEA, sponsorship, partnership or supporter cantact ; AEA hotline 08177247910 or ustaz pharuk 08101680825. Email: Abujaentertainmentawards@Yahoo.com. Twitter: @its_aea. Facebook: facebook.com/Abujaentertainmentawards
The supreme court is expected to deliver its judgment on President Jonathan's eligibility on whether he can run for President come 2015. The judgment is expected to be delivered between 16th to 18th of this month. The case which is giving a special attention and accelerated hearing, if passed will solve the issue of eligibility, and will solve many issues surrounding the heated elections of 2015. Already, many legal practitioners and bodies have challenged President Jonathan not to run for President again, considering the fact that, security challenge has been escalating, corruption is at its unprecedented level, and some say his practical in ability to control the government of the state. Looking critically at all the scenarios, three things are likely going to happen after the passage of the judgment whether in favor of the President, or against him. Firstly, if the judgment is passed in favor of President Jonathan, many people, legal bodies, opposition and professions may further loss hope on the judicial system as many people believe section 137 (a) was explicit. That may see many people trying to use that land mark judgment for extending their tenures also. While if the judgment is passed against President Jonathan, then that is the end of his political good luck. The PDP will have to fill in another candidate, or give the other contender that lost the primaries to President Jonathan. That May help see a more cleaner election as Jonathan and his people will not commit so much to the election. Secondly, if the judgment clearly stop Jonathan from contesting, Namadi Sambo may jump in to the race for the Presidency. That may bring back the PDP zoning agreement, but that will further bring mis calculations in party positions, and perhaps the south south may trump their support for the opposition. If the judgment will allow the President additional tenure, that will see addition effort from the President to win the election. That will further Push inflation higher, and perhaps, the economy may further collapse. Lastly, the people's reaction will further shape and trail the out come. The kinsmen of the President may try to show their grievances, already some are calling for war. The people of the north will definitely receive the news with jubilation. Some national figures will be put in dilemma as to which party to support since the court has stopped the President. What ever the come is, election must hold in 2015. The election must be free, fair and credible. Whether the court stop or allow President Jonathan, he still have a responsibility to Nigerians till 29 may 2015.
What will the new global order look like? What implications will it have for Nigeria’s foreign policy options? How should Nigeria orient itself in this emerging world order?
President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Office. Whoever emerges as Nigeria’s President after the 2015 elections should set as one of his priorities the formulation of a new conceptual doctrine to guide Nigeria’s relations with the major world powers.
Historic changes are taking place in the international system that should command our attention. The tectonic plates of world history are moving. Shifts in the global balance of power, barely perceptible 10 years ago, have gathered pace. The unipolar era, characterised by America’s unrivalled primacy in global affairs, is drawing to a close. The contours of an emerging multipolar world, with its multiple competing sources of global power, are becoming more clearly visible. How Nigeria apprehends and responds to this emerging multipolar world, and the shifts in global power which birthed it, will have far reaching consequences for our country’s prosperity and role in the 21stcentury.
The Face of a Changing World
These are transformational times. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 left the US as the sole Superpower in world politics, and gave the international system its unipolar structure (a system with a single power centre). In the years following this, the US enjoyed unparalleled freedom – unique for any Great Power in the modern era – to shape global order according to its values and interests. By most accounts, this era of unipolarity is fading. Several powerful trends are eroding its foundations and heralding the onset of a multipolar world. I will focus my remarks on what I believe to be the three most important.
The Rise of New Powers
The leaders of the 5-member BRICS pose for a photo-op for the 2014 summit in Fortaleza in Brazil.(Wikipedia)
The first major trend is the rise of new economic and geopolitical centres of power; the most consequential of which are the so-called BRIC group of countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Brazil, India and China especially, having posted impressive growth rates for the past few decades, have leapt from the margins of the international system to become significant actors in both the global economy and in global governance institutions, such as the G-20. Russia similarly, coasting on the oil boom of the 2000s and determined to restore its status as a world power, has become increasingly assertive on the diplomatic stage.
In 2003 only China (6th), of the four BRIC countries, ranked amongst the 10 largest economies in the world. 10 years later, from World Bank’s estimates for 2013, not only has China moved up to 2nd place; Brazil now sits in 7th, Russia in 8th, and India in 10th. From most forecasts, by 2050 India will have broken into the top three largest economies, Brazil into the top five, whilst China will have occupied the summit for about a decade. According to projections put out by such firms as the Economist Intelligence Unit and Goldman Sachs, China could actually equal the US in nominal GDP sometime in the 2020s, and thereafter pull ahead. Whereas IMF GDP estimates based on Purchasing Power Parity (a method now increasingly favoured by analysts because it factors in differences in cost of living between countries) shows China surpassed the US as the world’s largest economy in October this year.
Though frequently categorised as a rising power, China however is undeniably a rising Great Power. The National Intelligence Council (NIC), the premier institution for strategic thinking within the US’ intelligence community, reflecting on the remarkable speed of China’s climb up the ladder of world power, commented in its latest report: “China’s power has consistently increased faster than expected”. Indicative of the quickening pace of change, by 2025 the World Bank forecasts the Dollar will lose its solitary dominance of international trade and we will transition to a three currency world – with the Euro and China’s Renminbi joining the Dollar as the world’s principal reserve currencies. China’s growing economic size and the “rapid globalization of its corporations and banks” constitute the main factors driving the internationalization of the Renminbi, notes the World Bank.
The processes of change are similarly at work transforming the geopolitical landscape of our continent. The NIC report suggests, “Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nigeria have the potential to approach or surpass South Africa in overall national power”.
Egypt of course, despite its potential for growth, remains mired in the tumult shaking its domestic and regional environment. Ethiopia on the other hand has made giant strides in unchaining itself from the shackles of underdevelopment and economic dependence – and aspires to become a middle-income country by 2025. It is now not uncommon to hear Ethiopia referred to as a “developmental state” in the same mould as the “Tigers” of East Asia. Nothing reflects Ethiopia’s progress and ambition to become an African Power than the ongoing construction of its controversial “Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam” – expected to be completed in 2017, at a of cost $4.1 billion and wholly financed internally (through the sale of treasury bonds to its citizens). When completed the GERD will be the largest hydroelectric station in Africa, generate sufficient energy to meet Ethiopia’s need and for energy export to regional neighbours. The deputy head of the GERD project defended the government’s decision to shun international funding thus: “We have finished with the syndrome of dependence”.
Nigeria similarly, despite the growing intensity of the insurgency in its northeast, has continued to enjoy reasonably robust macroeconomic growth (though this may now be threatened by plummeting oil prices). The country’s revised GDP estimate released earlier this year merely confirms what has been the case since 2010: Nigeria ($520 billion) has eclipsed South Africa ($350 billion) to become the continent’s economic colossus. An historic development as this will be the first time in the post-colonial era that South Africa has lost its economic lead on the continent. By World Bank figures Nigeria actually briefly climbed to the top in 1976, only for South Africa to swiftly reclaim its mantle the following year. The gap between the two economies is now sufficiently large enough for Nigeria’s stay at the summit this time around to be more durable. Furthermore, the IMF forecasts that by 2017 South Africa may slip further down the African rankings; with Egypt replacing it as the continent’s second largest economy.
Economic size however, though vitally important, is not the only determinant of national power. Other constitutive elements include such factors as economic competitiveness, productivity, industrial capacity, military strength, political stability, quality of leadership and governance effectiveness, quality of institutions and infrastructure, the quality of human capital, and technological innovativeness. These are areas in which Nigeria continues to score poorly both in global and continental comparisons. Improving on these factors will be the key to Nigeria actualizing its growing economic potential. Our internal weaknesses will always be a barrier to us wielding the diplomatic influence we feel our growing economic importance entitles us to. As Adebayo Adedeji, the country’s Minister of Economic Development and Reconstruction in the 1970s said: “No country that is confronted with a long period of political instability, economic stagnation, and regression, and is reputed to be one of the most corrupt societies in the world, has a moral basis to lead others. If it tries to, it will be resisted”.
Hence in 2010 when it became desirable that an African country join BRIC to make the forum more reflective of the diverse emerging world it aspires to represent, South Africa was chosen – thereby transforming the name to BRICS. Nigeria’s boasts of being the “Giant of Africa” counted for nought. Even after Nigeria’s revised GDP was released in April this year showing the country now stands the economic leader in Africa by some margin, there were no substantive discussions of Nigeria being called to join, much less replace South Africa in, BRICS or G-20.
Geopolitical Competition and Parallel Institutions
Russian and Chinese Armoured Personnel Carriers prepare for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s 2014 annual Peace Mission military exercises. This year’s was the largest in the organization’s history and involved 7000 troops from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.(Eurasianet)
The second major trend is the increased intensity of geopolitical competitionamongst the major powers and the growth of parallel global institutions. The four most consequential rising powers – Brazil, Russia, India, and China – have each expressed their preference for a multipolar world order; and are actively taking steps to accelerate its emergence.
Russia, most dramatically, by opting for direct confrontation with the US and its western allies over the fate of the belt of countries along its western border. In the mid-2000s, Russia feeling disappointed and threatened by the continued eastward expansion of NATO despite what it felt had been assurances no such thing would happen, abandoned its western leaning foreign policy and instead since then has worked to re-establish itself as anindependent Great Power. It has stepped up its use of the hard and soft power mechanisms at its disposal – coercive diplomacy, economic incentives, energy restrictions, and military force in Georgia in 2008 and now in Ukraine – in a bid to assert its primacy in its “near abroad”; the first step, it believes, in regaining full-fledged Great Power status. Another feature of Russia’s attempts to “organize” its neighbourhood is through the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union, a parallel to the EU, to integrate the economy of its neighbours into its own – and thereby lessen the economic and geopolitical pull of the EU. The country whose efforts are posing the most comprehensive challenge to global order is China.
China has similarly utilized its own coercive mechanisms – such as increased military activism short of outright force – to assert its claims in its region. It is also using its growing economic and diplomatic clout to construct alternative china-centred international institutions through which it hopes to reposition global order onto a foundation more reflective of the multipolarity it desires. These so called “parallel structures” – such as the Chiang Mai initiative, to parallel the IMF in Southeast Asia; China UnionPay, which aims to rival Visa and MasterCard’s global footprint; or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a NATO-like China and Russia co-led regional security institution for Central Asia – whilst intended to complement rather than overturn current institutions, nevertheless highlights the realignment of global order now underway.
The most significant development in this parallel institution building, particularly from the view of Nigeria’s foreign policy, is the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) in July this year. The NDB – a BRICS initiative – aims to complement, and eventually counterbalance, the World Bank in development finance. It also aims to serve as an alternative source of credit for member states’ facing short-term balance of payment deficits – a role that parallels the IMF. With a starting capital of $50 billion (to eventually rise to $100 billion), and an aim to lend up to $34 billion per year, primarily to finance long-term infrastructure projects in developing countries, the bank is set to begin lending in 2016.
The establishment of the NDB is a positive development for Nigeria, and other developing states. The proliferation of regional (Africa Development Bank, Asia Development Bank, Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank etc.) and global development finance institutions (World Bank and NDB) obviously means an enlarged and diverse resource pool from which developing states can draw on to fund their developmental projects. Similarly, the World Bank and the NDB, though eventual competitors, need not necessarily be seen as direct rivals as both institutions have different emphasis: NDB aims to focus on financing infrastructural projects, whereas the World Bank has traditionally focused on financing social projects such as health, education etc. Both institutions, from the point of view of Nigeria’s foreign and economic policy, should therefore be seen as complementary avenues for acquiring development finance.
The Return of Asia
For much of the past 2 thousand years, China and India had, by some distance, the largest share of global GDP. The balance turned in the 1800s as the western countries underwent their industrial revolution.Source: CIA World Fact Book, based on data from Angus Maddison’s The World Economy: Historical Statistics.
The third major trend foreshadowing the coming multipolar world is the return of Asia to the centre stage of the world economy. Angus Maddison’s monumental study of world economic growth over the past 2000 years tells us that for the first one thousand eight hundred years of the past 2 millennia, the two Asian titans, China and India, were the largest economies. In the 1800s however, the west – broadly speaking Europe and the US – achieved industrial take-off and vaulted ahead of the east; subsequently spreading its political power and cultural influence to encompass the globe.
In the 18th century, during its period of industrialization, the west’s share of world manufacturing output witnessed a meteoric rise.Source: Paul Kennedy’s The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, p. 149.
In 1800 for example, Europe and the US constituted 29% of world manufacturing output; whilst China, India and Japan alone constituted 56.5%. A 100 years later, in 1900, Europe and the US, now fully in the grip of their industrial revolution, had swelled their share to 85.6%; whilst that of the three Asian nations, stuck in agrarian backwardness and had either been colonised (India) or were in the process of being colonised (China), had drastically shrunk to 10.3%.
In 1960, the year of Nigeria’s birth, the world looked unmistakably western. The dominant currents in world politics – economic dynamism and innovation, military and technological pre-eminence, political and cultural influence – all radiated from the west. Two European offshoots, the US and the USSR, stood atop the summit of world power – their globe-girdling rivalry giving the international system its then bipolar structure.
This trend is now being reversed. The rise of new powers is taking place amidst the backdrop of an historic shift of the world’s economic and geopolitical centre of gravity back to Asia. Hence some now speak of a “coming global turn” to describe the eastward shift in wealth and power. UN Conference on Trade and Development’s table for world manufacturing output in 2012 (the latest figures I could get my hands on) show that of the top 10 countries, 6 were from the west (US, Germany, Italy, UK, France, Mexico) and the other 4 from Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, India). The 6 western countries constituted 39% of world manufacturing output; whereas the 4 Asian nations constituted 34%. A gap that is rapidly closing. The NIC report referenced earlier suggests that by 2030 Asia will have surpassed North America and Europe combined in terms of GDP, technological investment and military spending. By 2050, the only western country expected to still enjoy a place in the ranks of the five largest economies will be the US.
The west’s two centuries long material and cultural primacy is irreversibly on the wane. This should not be mistaken for precipitous decline however, as the west will remain a dynamic force in world politics in the 21st century. On the other hand Asia is unquestionably in the ascendance. The region will likely remain the main locomotive of global growth in the 21st century, but this should however not be mistaken for a coming era of unchallenged Asian predominance. Instead what we are witnessing is a diffusion of power to areas much broader than one region alone. The emerging world order now taking shape will be one where the dynamic centres of growth and power will be dispersed across the industrialized world and the newly industrializing one. We stand on the cusp of a multipolar world.
What are the implications of a multipolar world order for Nigeria’s foreign policy?
The Case for “Multivectorism”
An Enlarged Diplomatic Space
System structure (unipolar, bipolar, multipolar etc.) shapes the foreign policy options of states. During the Cold War (1945-1989) the international system was bipolar as there were only two Great Powers – the US and the USSR – contending for global influence. Their globe-wide rivalry narrowed the diplomatic space and forced states into aligning with one or the other polar power. Even India, a foundational architect of the “non-aligned” concept, tilted towards one pole as confirmed by its 1971 treaty on strategic cooperation with the Soviet Union.
After the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the fall of the USSR in 1991, the international system became unipolar – with the US as the sole Great Power. During this period the diplomatic space narrowed further as states faced a stark option: bandwagon with the US (which most countries, including Russia, chose to do in the 1990s and the early 2000s) or lay low and shun an assertive global role (which China and India chose to do during the same period). Those that chose otherwise – e.g. Slobodan Milosevic’s Serbia and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq – brought disaster upon themselves.
Despite the rhetoric of being “non-aligned”, Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust during these two periods (Cold War and Post-Cold War) was similarly very much aligned, and largely pro-western; at times unabashedly so, such as during the First and Second Republics (1960-1966 and 1979-1983). Whilst there have been periodic tensions over the decades between Nigeria and its western partners (primarily the US and the UK), the reality of economic and technological dependence on the west and the system’s structure meant Nigeria was firmly lodged in the western orbit. The fact of the country’s chronic underdevelopment, poor leadership and internal instability has also ensured that Nigeria’s role in the global system has never risen above being a peripheral actor, and an oil terminal for the industrialized economies.
One big advantage of multipolarity is that Nigeria now has the opportunity to free itself from dependence and diversify its strategic partners. The enlarged diplomatic space, which a multipolar distribution of power affords, means states can now manoeuvre between the multiple competing power centres to pursue their national interests. Given the fluidity of multipolarity, and the multiplicity of major geopolitical actors within it, diplomatic dexterity and flexibility will once more be a valued skill-set for states to possess. As Barry Posen, a scholar of International Relations, said when discussing the advantages of multipolarity: “Diplomacy becomes a respected career again under multipolarity”.
How should Nigeria orient itself in a multipolar world order? What foreign policy doctrine will enable it to harness the opportunities of multipolarity?
Away from Nonalignment and Towards a Multivector Foreign Policy
A Multivector foreign policy essentially means that Nigeria should seek to develop a pragmatic and balancedrelationship with all the major geopolitical and economic powers – basically the US, China, EU, Russia, India, Japan and Brazil. The breadth and depth of the strategic relationship along a particular vector – i.e. with a particular power, or group of powers – should depend on at least three factors:
The national interest
Developments in the international arena (e.g. An international crisis forcing Nigeria to lean towards or away from one vector. In any case, developments in the international arena shouldnever be allowed to lead to a substantial deterioration in strategic cooperation with a major power except when the issue concerned is of fundamental importance to Nigeria’s national interest.)
Quality of the developmental resourcesgained from the relationship (such as technical training, loans and lines of credit, foreign direct investment, technology transfers in joint ventures etc.)
Multivectorism has at least two advantages for Nigeria: (1) Nigeria will gain some measure of strategic autonomy – i.e. it will free itself from undue dependence on a single external power and acquire greater space to forge its own path and pursue its own interests. (2) By having multiple strategic or developmental partners, Nigeria will acquire the flexibility that comes with having a diverse range of consequential strategic partners.
Nonalignment has been, at least rhetorically, the basic principle guiding Nigeria’s relations with the major world powers. It essentially committed Nigeria to forswearing a comprehensive strategic relationship with any major power centre; and instead to maintain a position of neutrality whilst pursuing its national interests. Like nonalignment, multivectorism also eschews entering into alliances with a world power or a coalition of such powers. But there is an important difference between the two concepts. Multivectorism, unlike nonalignment, sees the goal of maintaining a neutral and equidistant position between the major powers at all times as unattainable. All the major third world countries, with the possible exception of Yugoslavia, that proclaimed nonalignment as the basis of their engagement with the two world powers during the Cold War fell way short of adhering strictly to its principles.
As international politics is fluid (especially under conditions of multipolarity), there will always be times when geopolitical necessity or a convergence of interests tilt states one way or another. Therefore Nigeria should jettison nonalignment as a relic of the Cold War and embrace a multivector foreign policy. The three factors outlined above should be the basis for assessing which world power, or group of powers, Nigeria tilts towards at any given time. Nonalignment, though conceptually attractive, is an unachievable goal.
In a globalizing world where the social and economic links between states are thickening and in a multipolar order where the global power centres are dispersed; the only responsible foreign policy for a regional power like Nigeria that aspires to play a dynamic role in international politics, is to proactively seek out profitable relationships with all the major power centres. As the senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment’ South Asia programme said when commenting on India’s evolving foreign policy doctrine: “Nonalignment is an impossible dream … for states with big aspirations”.
“The old road is rapidly aging … The order is rapidly fading ... For the times, they are a-changin’”
The world around us is changing. Whilst we remain deeply consumed by our internal challenges there is the danger that by the time we lift our gaze to reflect upon the state of things in the world the geopolitical landscape spread out before us would have already changed in unrecognisable ways. The curtain has dropped on an era. The contours of a new one are still being formed. If Nigeria desires to shape and determine its destiny within the emerging multipolar world, these are the times in which to act: when the new world order is in its formative stages.
Dan Allah a bani dama in mika sakona na taya murna ga talakan Najeriya da kuma ga Janar Muhammadu Buhari murnar lashe zaben fidda gwani na jam'iyyar shi ta APC da akayi ranar 11 ga Watan Disamba 2014. Ko shakka babu zaben Janar Buhari da akayi, anyi shi ne akan cancanta da kuma kyautata tsammani da Jama'a suke yi mashi akan zai kamanta adalci, gaskiya da kuma tsoron Allah akan shugabancin Kasar Najeriya idan Allah ya bashi dama. Ina kara taya talakan Najeriya murnar tsaida Janar Buhari da sukayi. Ba ma wannan kadai ba, Janar Buhari yayi rawar gani a wasu mukamai daya taba rikewa a can baya kamar su; asusun albar katun man fetir (PTF), Ministan man Fetir D.S.S. Janar Buhari yayi kokari sosai domin kamanta gaskiya da rigon amanar jama'a da adalci da gaskiya, wanda hakan ne ma yasa jama'a ke ta fata, da kuma kokarin ganin cewa ya dawo, la'alla ko an samu sawaba akan yanayin da ake fama da shi na; Talauci, rashin tsaro, rashawa, da kuma cin hanci. Mutane dole suje su anshi katin zabe, kuma su fita suyi zabe, idan an gama zaben kuma, a kasa a tsare, a raka kuri'un kuma kamar yadda akayi a 2011. Dole kowa yayi bakin kokarin shi domin aga an samu chanjin da ake bukata. Ina kira ga Jama'ar Najeriya da kuma Janar Buhari da su kara sanya Allah Mataukaki a matsayin jagoranshi, ya kuma zabi mataimaki mai halin na gari irin nashi koda musulmi ne kuma, kada ace wai dole sai wanda ba musulmi ba. Ubangiji Allah ya shige mana gaba, Allah ya bamu lafiya da zama lafiya. Allah kuma ya zaba mana shuwagabanni masu tsoron shi, kuma masu adalci.
It is today 10th of december 2014 that over 8000 delegates of the APC will meet in Lagos to select a candidate that will fly the parties flag in 2015. That is coming at a time when Nigeria needed peace the most as many people have been dis franchised as a result of the on going conflict in the country. The delegates who have been chosen from all the states of the federation will in no doubt be representing the party members and sympathizers to select a single person out of the 5 aspirants ahead of 2015 elections. The way and manner the APC primary election is going to be handled will serve as a litmus test of the party's promise of; free elections, transparency, and fairness. Shall for any reason the APC failed to ensure fairness and transparency in its primary election, that will tell the Nigerian people that the party is not committed to developing Nigeria under the rule of law. Therefore, the party must ensure that all the delegates, aspirants, and other people there at have abide by the party's bye laws and did the right thing during the primaries. Even after the primary election, the winner should not try to hijack the party. He should carry others along. While those that failed should remember their promise that they will support the winner, they should stick to their promise and never should they turn it down for the sake of peace in Nigeria and humanity. In Nigeria, winning elections whether primary or general, money is the most important factor. All eyes are now on the APC, that must be avoided and prevented. For the APC to earn the trust of Nigerians, they must distinguish them selves as humble, objective and upright. Any thing like money distribution will only mock the party and its members. That will mock their motto, CHANGE as it is written, that must be avoided. I pray there be peaceful presidential primary election for the APC. There shall be no victor nor vanquish. I am also extending my optimism and hope for peaceful primary election for the PDP and all other political parties in advance. I call upon them to be humble, have faith in God, and defend on him for success and salvation.
Five out of 11 federal constituencies aspiring for the seat of House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP) in Sokoto state, including the Chairman House committee on Interior, Hon. Umaru Bature, who emerged by consensus in Saturday’s primaries.
Bature was elected unopposed by no fewer than 89 delegates of the party at the premises of St. Paul Primary School in Sokoto and their decision was rectified in a voting pattern.
Speaking on his election, Bature thanked the party leadership as well as delegates for the trust and confidence reposed in him to fly the flag of the party in the general elections, assuring that his party would emerge victorious in the election.
The party state chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma told Journalists that the party has succeeded in having an incumbent senator, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Maccido as its candidate for Sokoto Central zone.
Maccido’s emergence, Milgoma explained followed Alhaji Ibrahim MagajiGusau’s withdrawal last night (Friday) from the race. “Gusau sent in a letter withdrawing his aspiration to us and we acknowledged and thank him for simplifying our work”, he explained. ( Daily Trust)
Almajiri (singular), Almajirai (plural), as they are called in Hausa land has been a long tradition of learning Islamic by leaving your locality to another far away Hausa state to learn. Usually, Almajiri is sent away at childhood, he will be handed to his teacher at a very young age. His father will send him with his sustenance to the school. Nigeria is not the only country to having Almajirai in the world. Sudan, Niger, Egypt, Tibet, Burma, India etc all have Almajarai with different names they are called in their locality. What makes Nigerian Almajirai totally different from all others is because of the fact that, government and all other relevant stake holders have not been giving then the necessary attention and assistance they needed. Until the coming of President Jonathan, I don't know if there was any other federal regime whether civil or military that approach them with any assistance. It will be recalled that, since ending 2012, President Good luck Jonathan has promised to assist the Almajirai by building special schools that include both Islamic and western education fro them. The sum of over 1 billion was said to have been directed for that purpose. Unfortunately, two years after, that has not been achieved. The Almajirai are still rooming about scavenging for food, shelter and clothes. Even the schools constructed in Katsina near Army barrack, and Sokoto near Rima basin development commission are not put to use. The buildings have been completed, but the schools remain closed and locked. According to some Almajiri teacher in Katsina, both the local, state, and federal government have not shown any genuine intention to help the Almajirai. He also lamented that they don't want to be moved outside their cities as intended by the government. The situation of Almajirai is treble. Their rooms are over crowded. Over 5 hundred of them share a single toilet. They walk bare footed. They hardly have food twice a day. The people and government in northern Nigeria should make it in their budgets, a special allocation for Almajirai and how to better their lives. I call on the states, federal government to investigate the stalemate and ensure that the voted money are utilized judiciously.
Nigeria is the largest country in Africa. Out of the nearly one billion people of Africa, Nigeria accounts for over 170 million people of the continent. That is nearly about twenty percent of the people of the continent. Nigeria got it independence in 1960. It is now fifty four years since our independence. Nigeria is fortunate as Nigerians did not fight for their independence. That was/is why Nigerians are/have not been appreciating independence and self rule. It is unfortunate that despite many years of self rule, oil boom, and economic prosperity; due to corruption, and long years of military dictatorship, Nigerians have no sense of patriotism or nationalism in it. Tribal and regional inclinations have been dividing Nigerians for a very long time. Instead of Nigerians to unite against their common problems, they choose to remind divided. The political class are enjoying this division to take advantage of Nigerians. Example, the consistent power (electricity) failure is not common to the north or south alone, even the south, the Yaruba's, Igbo's, and even Jonathan kinsmen the Ijaws are suffering from it. Instead of Nigerians to unite and pressure the government, the Ijaw's will say Jonathan is their kinsman and they will not join other Nigerians in pressuring him. The .issing 20 billion dollars, is the money stolen against northerners alone? Is for all Nigerians. Likewise the current insurgency in the north east. The money budgeted is for all Nigerians not just for people of the north east. Nigerians should unite against it. If one argues that Hausa Northerners are against President Jonathan and that is why the bombings, then why will they kill them selves? Why will there be a bomb blast in a mosque? Why will they do it in their own land? The Nigerian masses are at the receiving end of Nigeria. They are at the mercy of those evil, devil nurtured, renegade, traitors and satanic politicians. They have enslaved us. They steal our money, we work for them as their securities, our parents as their drivers, our mothers as their nannies, sisters as their prostitutes, when are we living this useless life? Is that how Nigerians wants to end? Why don't we fight a revolution; of the mind, against corruption, and to demand a better life? Our predecessors lived that life, we are living it, do we want our children to inherit this life? Woe unto Nigerians. The 2015 general election is by the corner. Nigerians are still divided. What sort of people Nigerians are? Nigerians are becoming dumb, un learned, and the most un wise people in the world. With all this kind of killings, what will a muslim-muslim ticket will do to you? For those calling on Buhari-Fashola ticket as mainly muslims, how will that affect you? If Jonathan is fielding David Mark, if they are competent why don't you go for them? The current government has failed and Jonathan should be blamed. This man is incompetent and a incapable. He does not even have a strategy nor did he have a sense of humor. Nigerians must rise above this nonsense and irrational inclination and choose leaders base on competence and ability to deliver. General Buhari himself has said that no body can Islamanize Nigeria, so will anybody be afraid?. Let me also say that no body can Christianize Nigeria. This is because Nigeria is a country for all not for a certain group. Nigerians should swore and stay battled ready for 2015. Elections must be free, fair and credible. Elections must hold. Periodic election is the major feature of democracy as stated by Obasanjo. Elections must hold in the North, elections must hold in North east, elections must hold in Borno state, elections must hold in Gwoza local government. Jega should tell them again. Elections must hold. Our useless parliamentarians should know that Nigerians are resolute this time around. If the President can threaten the national assembly, let them know he cannot intimidate the people. This is our country, our dream, and our land. I call on all Nigerians to emancipate themselves from the useless life style the are living now by voting the right leaders in 2015. Especially now that Nigeria is facing a very difficult time. Finance and Petroleum ministers should resign. They are agents of the west. Nigeria is for the masses and only them can design its fate. Arise o compatriots! Arise
