THE NATION FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2012
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EDITORIAL/OPINION
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IR: I’ve never cease to be amazed at the penchant Nigerians have for crying wolf just to attract attention. On my mind is a report published in Thisday newspaper of June 7, and titled ‘Probe Telcos on Promos, EFCC, ICPC told.’ In the report, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) ‘called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Crimes Commission (ICPC) to jointly probe fraudulent promos frequently engaged in by telecommunications providers all over the country.’ Firstly, the report lacks seriousness. Its author, Senator Iroegbu, must have meant the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and not Independent Corrupt and Crimes Commission (ICPC). Also,
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The call for probe of telcoms promos the students must have meant to castigate the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) for its role in regulating ‘promos’ in the country, though it referred to the body as National Lottery Commission. Singling out the recently concluded Etisalat FC Barca promo, the NANS’ Senate President, Comrade Kolade Olaoluwa, in a signed release said, ‘we are reliably informed that there are some collaborators working in the National Lottery Commission with some of
these communications companies to defraud Nigerians in the name of promos.’ While the students’ sense of probity is commendable, concluding that telcommunications companies and the NLRC are culpable, without concrete facts being provided, smacks of irresponsibility. It must be noted that while irresponsible companies abound, ripping customers off in the name of ‘promos’, complaints must not be vague or preposterous. Does NANS have proof of under-
dealings as it concerns any promo? Then, it would do well to seek redress in court. If it has no proof, accusing staff of Etisalat and NLRC on newspaper pages is simply outrageous. In this wise, the onus falls on the students to get facts that winners of the promos were in fact dubious. NANS’ leadership must understand the logic behind operating a lottery - to get more ‘suckers’ to participate. It’s all about profit what all businesses want. And right now, companies in major sectors of
The right way to honour MKO Abiola
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IR: Many Nigerians might have been deceived into thinking that President Jonathan has made up his mind to do what his predecessors failed to do by officially declaring June 12 a public holiday to honour the martyr of democracy, Chief MKO Abiola. Most disappointing, only states of the South-west geopolitical zone put up platforms geared towards commemorating this significant day in the destiny of Nigeria, thereby making it seem a regional affair. If May 29, a day that the country returned to civil rule was made a public holiday, why can’t June 12, a day that served as the foundation for the actualisation of the May 29 date be made Democracy Day? June 12 is not a day for only Chief MKO Abiola; it is a day that depicts what Nigerians can achieve if they decide to work in unity. June 12, 1993 marked the moment when Nigerians rubbished tribal, religious, and ethnic barriers for the enthronement of a strong force geared towards securing better standard of living for the citizens. The insensitive and irrational annulment of the election adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the annals of the country is still being remembered till date.
It is a sheer pretense claiming to honour a martyr when his tenets and ideologies are being stifled. Chief MKO Abiola sacrificed his life to ensure the amelioration of the suffering of the masses, provision of quality education, health services, and other dividends of democracy. Have these ideals been realized? The best way to honour the man is to transform his beliefs and aspirations to reality. It has been argued that the President’s attempt to rename UNILAG was to gain cheap popularity in the South-west; if it is not so, why can’t he declare June 12
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a public holiday? It is obvious that renaming UNILAG is not basically to honour the late democrat, but rather, a smart political calculation. It is a terrible thing to play politics with honouring of a patriot like the late Chief Abiola. Besides, why can’t the President officially announce him as winner of the election and allow his family members to enjoy the benefits derivable there-from? The fact is that Chief MKO Abiola is already immortalized in the heart of rightthinking Nigerians. Whether the President honours him or not, his memory and those of the evil
geniuses that masterminded his untimely exit are forever resonant in the heart of Nigerians. The President will only do himself favour by properly immortalising him in a decent way devoid of any form of protest. Chief MKO Abiola left virtuous footprints on the sand of time in such a way that 19 years after the injustice against Nigerians, the echo continues to reverberate. Indeed, Chief MKO Abiola is an immortal as his legacies live on. • Simon Godwin Iretomiwa University of Lagos
the economy engage in one form of lottery or the other. But, NLRC was set up with the mandate of regulating lotteries, making sure they are transparent. A face-off even occurred in 2010 when the NLRC confronted promos run by the telecommunication companies. The companies are still on its radar. And beyond, only in March, it was also reported in newspapers that NLRC shut down Sojette Nigeria Ltd based in Benin City, Edo State, over alleged illegal lottery promotions. It would be sad if NLRC is not living up to its expectation. The truth of the matter is that losers would always feel aggrieved and cheated. And while any lotto organiser can easily manipulate outcomes, to the telcom companies, rubbishing their integrity on the basis of manipulating prizes of funded trips to any part of the world, SUVs worth millions of Naira, or running rolling N1billion promos, while not impossible, is unthinkable. Should one ever try to compute the revenue telcom companies rake in per second, during or after the promos, he or she might appreciate why using a N15m Range Rover SUV as bait is a win-win situation they would involve in regularly. Hence, any accusation levelled on staff of Etisalat or NLRC by NANS should involve bolder lines of action for it to hold any water, else, serious minded people would be apt to quickly discard such positions as stemming from ignorance. • Kehinde Agbekorode, Agege, Lagos.
Nigerians should not lose hope
IR: Despite the current challenges Nigeria is facing, like threats to security, social injustice, youth unemployment, political killings, labour unrest, bombings, among others, there is hope and Nigerians should not lose hope. Nigerians should pray to God to redeem and deliver our country, for, only God can redeem the nation from the present fears of insecurity and poverty in the land. Only God can heal our wounds,
so that, there would be peace. I want to assure Nigerians, that, with the prayers of the saints, all will be well, as, God is ready to intervene and heal our land, if we humble ourselves and fear God. With the potentials available in the country, if we repent our sins and do the will of God, from the leaders to the followers, there is hope for Nigeria and Nigerians in all spheres. There is also greater tomorrow for Nigeria, if we pray fervently and put all hands on deck,
to move the nation forward. Nigeria had faced many difficult situations in the past, but, God had always proved faithful. As the problems facing Nigeria presently are big, God would come to our rescue once, we keep relying on Him. The current security challenges in the nation could be attributed to high level of corruption and bad governance on the part of the leaders. Since government has forfeited the trust of the governed,
the people had lost the trust in those holding offices in government, while the situation has created the environment of political killings, poverty, unemployment, insecurity among others. Nigerians desire political leaders that will turn our bad situations to better, and whose primary concerns are to build institutions and empower the powerless. • Prophet Oladipupo FunmiladeJoel (Sekunderin), Lagos.