AfricaWorld News - 1-15 February 2016

www.africaworldnews.net @AfricaWorldNews 1-15 February 2016

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ZIKA FEVER

Dar es Salaam — The government's directive to all doctors in Tanzania to keep a sharp eye on the threat of the Zika virus has come at a time when the public is less informed of many issues about the mosquito-borne illness.

In the 1980s, the virus was also isolated in humans in Tanzania, Central African Republic, Egypt, Gabon, Uganda, Sierra Leone as well as in parts of Asia, according to studies done over the years and published in various journals.

The Zika virus, which was isolated from monkeys in Uganda about 70 years ago, has prompted worldwide concern after it recently began spreading very fast in the Americas.

Now the World Health Organisation (WHO) is estimating that at least 3 to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next one year.

ANALYSIS

Nnamdi Azikiwe: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow -Page 3

In Tanzania, the government said yesterday it would monitor the disease, advising people to stay put and rush to the hospital any time they experience symptoms of the disease.

But according to a survey carried out yesterday by The Citizen, not many people in Tanzania are informed about the health risks, signs and symptoms and how to keep away from being infected by the virus.

WHO OWNS THE OIL? THE FAILURE OF FEDERALISM IN NIGERIA - M.M.Mbanaja

-Page 12

- Cont. Pg 16 Ireland: The Dáil Has Been Dissolved at Áras An Uachtaráin -Page 15

THE 4TH PAN-AFRICAN LECTURE AND COMMUNITY AWARDS 2015 IN PHOTOS

EDITORIAL

E S L L E E IL T VO U W ET IT YO G R E R

F

rom the result of last elections, it is crystal clear that something is wrong with immigrants attitude to elections in the republic of Ireland.

The fact is many care less about voting yet they complain endlessly. The question I ask immigrants particularly Africans is - If you do not vote in elections, how do you effect the change you so much desire or sustain policies that favour you? People should stop complaining new policy trust

if they are not willing to participate. When will you stop the 'blame game' and use your voting power.

Trends in Irish politics should serve as eye opener to immigrants.

There is need for vigilance and participation. There is need also, to support those who encourage proper integration. Immigrants must wake up from the slumber of political apathy lest policies detrimental to their well being will

be the order of the day.

Election is around the corner and not voting will be detrimental to you and your family. Support a candidate and change the system if you so desire.

We are back.

Come in.

Uka

Get the next edition

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Topic: Nnamdi Azikiwe: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Mazi Azukaoma Uche Osakwe, PhD Candidate, MDI – Dublin City University 4th Pan-African Lecture, Irish Writers Centre, 12th December, 2015.

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his paper deals with four key concepts, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow Introduction This paper deals with three key concepts, yesterday, today and tomorrow. It first examines Nnamdi Azikiwe's yesterday, and takes a look at what Azikiwe's Pan-African view on today's African world and finally discusses what can be learned from Azikiwe's political thoughts for the future generation of

Africans. This work is analytical and I tend to rely on hermeneutic and meta-narratives as a framework of my analysis.

Background/Education Nnamdi Azikiwe throughout his human existence was a public myth, and as such was seen by different persons from diverse sides. Thus, in the roles he played while still active, admirers, friends and foes had different understandings of his contribution; particularly in the development of the Nigerian state, the decolonization process and his

participation in the politics of Nigerian post-colonialism. Even his activities in journalism, which he was among the forerunners in Africa with his group of newspapers was also misunderstood. The Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, OwelleOsowa-anya of Onitsha, and Zik of Africa was born on November 16, 1904 in Zungeru, Niger State into the family of Obededom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe and Racheal Chinwe Azikiwe. His father was a Government worker, a clerk, and his mother was a trader. He 3

attended various schools in Nigeria, including CMS Central School, Onitsha (1911); Methodist Boys High School, Lagos (191518); Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar (1920-21). He was also a pupil teacher at St. Jude's CMS Central School, Orafite, and CMS Central School, Onitsha (1919). He was a third class clerk with the Treasury Department, Lagos (1921). Living all over Nigeria facilitated him to know how to speak the three main languages in Nigeria, Igbo, his mother tongue, Hausa, and Yo r u b a . A s a respecter and upholder of the culture of his people, he was inducted into the prestigious Agbalanze Society of Onitsha in 1946 with the title of Ogbuefi Nnayelugo, which represents “your father has glorified you�.

Similarly, in 1963, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the then Obi of Onitsha, Paramount Chief Onyejekwe appointed him a Second rank red cap Chief (Ichie Okwa) of the Onitsha Chieftaincy hierarchy, as the Oziziani. Zik became a full-fledged First Class Red Cap Chief of Onitsha in 1970, when he was installed OwelleOsowa-Anya of Onitsha. This position made him a nobleman in Onitsha, as well as a member of the

king's cabinet. Despite his many years in the United States, Zik did not forget his roots and the culture and traditions of his people, Onitsha, as well as the Igbo culture.

Thus, he married former Miss Flora O. Ogoegbunam from his home town, Onitsha in 1936 based on the cultures of his people, even though he resided many years in the United States

However, after a fruitless effort to move away to America in 1924, his father saved some money, and that enabled him to travelled to America. Though, Marcus Garvey factor and the role of Marcus Garvey on Pan-Africanism, influenced his decision to study in United States of America. Zik was exposed to Garvey's ideas that emphasized empowerment of Africans, redemption of Africa by Africans and Africa's racial pride.

It was from this premise that Nnamdi Azikiwe questioned the legitimacy of European domination over Africa. Zik was

also inspired by United States' philosophical symbolism. Recall that to many people across the world, the United States symbolised an anti-colonial power, having liberated itself from the jaws of British colonialism. Thus, it became necessary for those countries still under colonial oppression, especially in Africa and Asia to single out the United States. Zik was also attracted to American Higher Education due to the existence of assistances for poor students, which did not exist in England during that era.

Nnamdi Azikiwe left for the United States in the late 20s, as he put it, "in search of a Golden Fleece."

While in the US, he worked as a dishwasher, coal miner, potato peeler, car wash attendant, elevator boy, kitchen hand, and waiter, to pay his way through college. He attended Storer College in West Virginia for two years (19251927). Due to financial difficulties, he left for Howard University, DC, where he was for two years (19271929). In 1929, he entered Lincoln University, PA. In 1930, he received his BA degree in Political Science. In summer 1930, he was admitted to Columbia University to read journalism, with a scholarship from the Phelp Stokes 3

Fund. He obtained an MA degree in Religion and Philosophy at Lincoln University (1932). While still at Lincoln University, he was employed as a Graduate Assistant in summer 1930. In 1933, he concluded two Master's degree programs, in Anthropology and Political Science at University of Pennsylvania, PA. He was appointed a full-time lecturer in Political Science in 1933. Azikiwe taught ancient, medieval, modern and English history, as well as African history. While still pursuing his Master's at Columbia University, he registered for the Doctor of Philosophy degree at the school. In 1934, his Ph.D. Thesis, “Liberian Diplomacy, 1847-1932” was published as “Liberia in World Politics.” Since his attendance at these schools, he has received many honorary degrees from them, including two from Lincoln University. After achieving his academic dreams,

he knew it was time to go back to his motherland, to join in the fight to free Nigerians from the clutches of British colonialism, imperialism and neo-colonialism.

Nnamdi Azikiwe left the shores of United States to his motherland, Africa. As he aptly captures his decision to return to Africa in these words: Then I made my decision to return to Africa. I was ready to continue suffering personal inconvenience, if need be, in order to do for Africa what that continue needed for a renaissance in thought and action…………. Motivated by an inner force to succeed thus far, I was resolute in my determination to press forward towards a new Africa (Azikiwe, 1970).

Career in Journalism While in the United States, the whole thoughts of Nnamdi Azikiwe was how to make conditions in Africa to be better.

The life of Nnamdi Azikiwe was not one filled with bed of roses. He had his challenges, especially in acquiring higher education, which took him to the shores of the United States. He witnessed his odyssey in the United States as a result of great challenges he faced in sourcing fund for his education, to the extent that he desired to commit suicide, but for divine intervention (Azikiwe, 1970). He was denied job by the colonial government when he returned to Africa, but by dint of hard work and his personal ingenuity he excelled in the risk he took by editing a newspaper as its pioneer staff in Accra, Ghana. To actualize this, Azikiwe, full of youthful zeal and Pan-African idealism took up appointment in the Gold Coast in late 1934 as the editor-in-chief of The African Morning Post, a daily newspaper, which was financed

by Mr. A.J. Ocansey, the renowned Gold Coast entrepreneur of the period. The launch of the newspaper in Accra marked “a new beginning” to many literate and semi-literate Africans resident in Accra and beyond. This was as a result of the fiery language and radical outlook of the newspaper, whose editorials mostly against the colonial administration in West Africa impacted positively on many members of the reading public. In 1936, while still the editor-inchief of the African Morning Post,

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Nnamdi Azikiwe was prosecuted for sedition by the colonial administration with Mr. Wallace Johnson, the writer of an article titled “Has Africa a God”, published on Friday, May 15, 1936 edition of the newspaper.

The fallout out from this incident was a contributory factor to the return of Nnamdi Azikiwe to Nigeria in 1937. However, it should be stressed that The African Morning Post under the guidance and shrewd supervision of Azikiwe was financially stable. Other than this, the newspaper was used by Azikiwe to promote his philosophy of “a new and liberated Africa”. In the opinion of Agbafor Igwe (1992) argues that The African Morning Post fervently attacked imperialism at the national and continental levels and so greatly attracted Africans to the nationalist struggle to free Africa from the encumbrance of foreign subjugation.

On his return to Nigeria in 1937, Nnamdi Azikiwe founded The West African Pilot, published in Lagos, which he was editor-in-chief from 1937 to 1945.

He was also the Managing Director of Zik Press Limited, which by the 1940s he had invested more than five thousand pounds in the development of the Zik group of newspapers (Aluko, 1974). Zik Press printed and published the following newspapers: West African Pilot (Lagos), Eastern

Guardian (Port Harcourt), Nigerian Spokesman (Onitsha), Southern Nigerian Defender (Ibadan), Daily Comet (Kano), and Eastern Sentinel (Enugu), etcetera. Azikiwe was described as a foremost Nigerian pioneering newspaper proprietor and journalist, whose newspapers directly influenced the struggle for independence and inspired many Nigerians to support the demand for self-rule (Uwechue, 1996).

Political Evolution in Nigeria Politics Cum Nigerian/Biafran War Zik returned to Nigeria in the mid30s and got involved in politics forming the NCNC party. He was actively involved in Nigeria's fight for independence. His dream was finally realized on October 1, 1960 when Nigeria became an independent nation and he was sworn in as her first indigenous Governor-General and Commander-in Chief of the Federation. In 1963, Nigeria became a republic, and he was then made the First President.

Many scholars and commentators share the view that Nnamdi Azikiwe was the foremost Nigerian nationalist. Michael Crowder shares this view and asserts that Azikiwe founded the first true nationalist party in Nigeria, the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroon [NCNC] (Crowder, 1978).

Similarly, in the immediate post-

World War II era, especially with the agitations against the provisions of the Richards Constitution of 1946; Azikiwe's status as a true nationalist leader rose so high, as J.S. Coleman contends: Although blind devotion to Azikiwe was more pronounced among the Igbo, he was likewise the idol of many politically inarticulate groups such as Cameroonians, Nupe, Tiv, Igbirra, Birom, and Idoma and indeed of most of the Middle Belt, and a growing number of Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri youths looked up to him as the national leader (Coleman, 1986).

The above, no doubt showed that during the decades of decolonization, when Nigerians from various backgrounds were very patriotic on the need to attain independence; for many, especially the youths, Zik was the rallying point. It was this that made him to be elected in 1947 as a member for Lagos in the Federal Legislative Council of Nigeria, where he served from 1947 to 1951. Equally, many scholars and commentators also wrote on the positive contributions of Zik to the Nigerian nationalist struggle and attainment of political independence. G.O. Olusanya (1980) notes: Between 1944 and 1951 Azikiwe and the NCNC dominated the political scene and the NCNC membership spread across the various groups in the south. The party could lay claim to strong

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support from a large articulate section of the Yoruba population Zik was believed to be the “man of the moment” in Nigerian politics during the post-WW 11 years, even up till the early 1950s, when he was the leader of opposition in the Western Region House of Assembly.

Unambiguously, Bola Ige (1995) stated that after the death of Hebert Macaulay, there was no Nigerian who could claim to be more nationalistic than Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Zik was so revered and highly respected and his activities were Pan-Nigerian and Pan-African, especially his intellectual contribution to the nationalist struggles across the African continent. He was a role model for youths across Africa, especially through the use of his natural skill- as he used his oratory skill in his campaigns against colonialism (Aluko, 1974).

Largely, many Nigerians, living and dead revere him as a true and foremost nationalist. Specifically, the renowned nationalist and living orator, Maitama Sule argues that the fact that Nnamdi Azikiwe, with the introduction of the Macpherson Constitution, won an election and represented Lagos as Leader of Opposition in the Western House of Assembly from 1952 to 1953 showed Zik as a true Nigerian because he was accepted to represent Nigerians in the area he resided.

Maitama Sule concludes that Zik became the first and indeed, the only Nigerian leader who was popularly

and democratically elected by the masses outside his home town, outside his own locality, outside his own region; and above all in a Constituency, which did not comprise of his ethnic group (Sule, 1997).

Nnamdi Azikiwe was a major participant in Nigeria's politics for the greater part of his life during the twentieth century, and during those decades in politics he was committed to the survival of Nigeria as a nation-state. From 1947, when he became an elected member of the Legislative Council of Nigeria till November 16th 1960, His dream was finally realized on October 1, 1960 when Nigeria became an independent nation and he was sworn in as her first indigenous Governor-General and Commanderin Chief of the Federation. In 1963, Nigeria became a republic, and he was then made the First President.

He was untiring in his service to Nigeria, he sacrificed much to realize its political independence. It was perhaps this unwavering to service, which the British government noticed, and thus pronounced him the first Nigerian named to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on the same day he was appointed the GovernorGeneral of Nigeria. His devotion to Nigeria made Zik so passionate, as can be seen from aspects of his Inaugural Speech as Nigerian Head of State on November 16, 1960: As for me, my stiffest earthly assignment is ended and my major life's work is done. My country is

now free, and I have been honoured to be its first indigenous Head of State. What more could one desire in life. I thank God for sparing my life to witness the independence of my native land. I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve and I hereby pledge solemnly to render faithful and loyal service to my country (Azikiwe, 1960).

In all his public service, as Premier of the Eastern Region in the 1950s, as the first indigenous President of the Nigerian Senate in the early 1960s, as the President and Commander-in- Chief, as well as Head of State from October 1963, when Nigeria attained Republican status up till his overthrow from office by the military in January 1966, Zik showed absolute devotion in the service to Nigeria.

Though, Zik part in the Nigerian/Biafran civil war was misunderstood by many observers, especially his critics. At the beginning of Nigerian crises in 1966, which escalated to the eruption of the civil war from July 1967, Zik at first supported Igbo succession, due to the killing and maiming of NdiIgbo mostly living in Northern Nigeria.

Also Zik acted as Biafra “roving” Ambassador, and played an influential role in convincing some African presidents who recognized Biafra. Notwithstanding this, he supported peaceful resolution of the war, an advice, which was turned down by Biafra leaders, a situation that made him withdraw and resign from his role as a roving ambassador

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of Biafra in February 1969 when the London Peace Talk between the Nigerian Government and Biafra representatives failed. Zik's stand at the Peace Talk was for a just settlement of the Nigerian conflict under the umbrella of “One Nigeria “(Uwechue, 1996). This change of fidelity depicted Zik in bad light to some Igbo people on whose territory the Nigerian civil war was fought, specifically to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (the leader of Biafra), whose opinion on Zik was that though he was an indefatigable fighter for freedom and equity, but his politics of compromise left the Igbo naked.

However, Zik contributed immensely to put an end to the slaughtering of innocent Igbo men and women, during Nigerian/Biafra.

Though, he was seen by some Igbo as a coward and saboteur, but anyone that knows Zik, knew that he never subscribed to violence, instead he believed that dialogue could solve any problem. He saw that Biafrans did not have a chance against the firepower of the Nigerian military, propaganda and Allied collaborations, so he intervened. If he did not intervene, I wonder what would have become of the Biafrans. The Nigerian military might have used the Biafran War as an excuse to exterminate the Igbos off the surface of the Earth.

Although, in the view Dr Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, Zik had a messianic outlook like Mahatma Ghandi of India in certain respects.

However, unlike Ghandi who said he was the light and the way, Zik only showed the light for people to find the way . Perhaps, Mbadiwe made this remark based on the belief that Zik 'abandoned' the Zikists when it mattered most, during the late 1940s. Another commentator also observed that during the period of radical campaigns of violence against the colonial Government mounted by

the Zikist Movement in the name of Zik, he saw their actions as “the youthful impetuosity of the Zikist” (Aluko, 1974). Lending credence to that sentiment was Ikenna Nzimiro, (1996) who criticized the leadership style of Zik and felt that he betrayed his followers particularly the Zikists when his services were seriously needed.

Ikenna Nzimiro, went further to claim that Zik was virginally inconsistent in some political actions he took during his many

years in Nigerian politics (Nzimiro, 1996). But to the likes M.T. Mbu (1997) argues that the sum total of Azikiwe's philosophy was independent “in all things and neutral in nothing affecting the welfare of Africa; and that Azikiwe believed in the dissemination of light to his people, leaving them to find their ways.” Don't forget that Zik inspired and assisted many Nigerians to study in higher educational institutions in the United States, which includes Lincoln University, his alma mater.

Among those assisted by Zik to study in the United States were; C.A. Bolaji M a c a r t h y, E y o I t a , Asuquo Idiong, Abdul Disu, Nwafor Orizu, Mbonu Ojike, Nnodu Okongwu, George Mbadiwe, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, Reuben O. Ikejiani etcetera and others who followed Zik's footprints to obtain American education (Ogbeidi, 1997). It was his unquenchable desires to established an indigenous university modelled like Lincoln University that the dream for the establishment of a University of Nigeria later materialized when he was the Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria. The birth of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka can be traced to 1954, when an Economic Mission of the Government of Eastern Region of Nigeria led by the 7

Premier, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe embarked on an economic mission to Europe and America. A major result of the mission which lasted from May 5 to July 11, 1954 was the clear articulation of the idea for a genuinely African university charged with the responsibility of freeing the African intellect and serving as a fortification against colonial mentality, which Zik felt was a major impediment to genuine development (Obasanjo, 2012).

That mission gave birth to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the first truly indigenous university in Nigeria, the handiwork of Zik, inaugurated on October 7, 1960.

The motto of the University of Nigeria founded by Zik is “to restore the dignity of man”. This summarizes Zik's view on education, that it should be used to uplift man and his world view.

At the end of the war in January 1970, Zik was happy that a nation he struggled for its independence was united again. He continued his writings based on politics, national and global issues, and argued in one of his works titled Democracy with Military Vigilance, in which he felt Diarchy was the best system of government for African countries (Azikiwe, 1974). He was also a p p o i n t e d C h a n c e l l o r, a n d Chairman of the Council of the University of Lagos in 1972, a position he held till 1976. When the ban on civilian politics was lifted, Zik joined the Nigerian Peoples

Party (NPP) and due to his vast political experience was the party's Presidential candidate in the 1979.

However, Zik's incursion into politics in Nigeria's Second Republic was not as successful and rewarding as his glorious years as Nigeria's foremost nationalist and renowned politician, which spanned more than two decades from the 1940s to the first military coup d'état in January 1966.

Though, he contested the position of president of Nigeria in 1979 and 1983, respectively, but failed. Like in Nigeria's First Republic, his political party – Nigerian Peoples' Party (NPP) entered into a political alliance with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), which won majority votes in the National Assembly and Presidential elections held in 1979 to form the government in October 1979, when the military administration under General Olusegun Obasanjo handed over power to the civilian democratically elected President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari on October 1, 1979. That alliance calmed the polity for a while, but later collapsed before the conclusion of President Shagari's first term of four years.

In preparation for the 1983 General Elections, Zik's party entered yet into another political alliance with other opposition political parties in a bid to defeat the NPN. It was at this stage that the vociferous Nigerian Press dubbed Zik, “the beautiful bride of Nigerian politics”. Perhaps,

this tag was labelled on Zik because of his politics of compromise, as his party entered into what the Nigerian Press termed alliance of 'strange bed fellows'. The Press was doubtful on who between Nnamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo would be the Presidential candidate of the alliance of 'progressive parties'.

Like earlier alliances, the Progressives failed to present common candidates who could have matched candidates of the ruling NPN, while the election ended in favour of the ruling party amid riggings, violence and corruption. Few months after the 1983 General Elections, Zik resigned from participation in active politics and withdrew to his country home in Nsukka where he lived until May 11, 1996 when he passed away at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. He was buried on November 16, 1996, at his country home in Onitsha. Nigerians from all nooks and corners came to pay their last respect to the man who was known to all as The Great Zik of Africa. He may be gone, but his legacy lives on.

Despite Zik's shortcomings, there were also many others, who were fervent followers of Zik, who considered him as the great Zik of Africa, who demonstrated confidence in the search of social justice on any path he judged to be right. To this group, despite Zik's weaknesses as a human being, he was the father of African independence who was endowed with the political Pan- Africanist vision (Achebe, 2012)

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CURRENT POLL NRM leads with 65%-New poll

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he ruling NRM party remains Uganda's dominant political party according the latest Afrobarometer survey.

Of the 2, 400 respondents interviewed countrywide in May this year 65% favoured NRM compared to 15% for the opposition.

According to the poll, NRM support is more pronounced in the Western region at 84%, Northern region at 80%, Eastern region at 74%, Central region at 51%, while in Kampala the opposition leads with 37% and the NRM scores 35%.

The Afro-barometer is an Africanled, non-partisan research network that conducts surveys on g o v e r n a n c e , d e m o c r a c y, economy in over 30 African states.

The research also shows that 69% of women prefer NRM compared

Dr. Fredrick Golooba-Mutebi, the lead researcher said that he discovered during the survey process that many Ugandans support the idea of having many political parties and also think that

to 10% for opposition. On the other hand, 61% of men also prefer NRM compared to 19% for opposition.

According to Francis Kibirige, the national coordinator of Hatchile Consult Ltd, the firm behind the Afro-Barometer survey, respondents was asked: "If presidential elections were held tomorrow, which party's candidate would you vote for?" The respondents were required to reply either ruling party or opposition political parties.

The survey shows that 71% of Ugandans believe that multiparty is a viable system of governance compared to 41% in 2002 before pluralism was reintroduced in 2005.

The survey also reveals that trust in opposition political parties in the last decade has doubled from

the opposition should work with Government to develop the country.

52% of the 2, 400 respondents sampled in Western, Eastern, Northern, Central and Kampala

16% in 2002 to 31% today.

Despite increased support for multipartism, citizens are dissatisfied with the practice of multiparty politics especially with regard to competition

regions, believe that once elections are over, opposition parties and politicians should accept defeat and cooperate with government to help it develop the country.

Explaining NRM's popularity, Golooba-Mutebi said that although poll results mainly tackle preferences and not why people prefer such choices; the current crop of opposition doesn't provide tangible answers to the electorate.

"When you look at the survey, it seems that people are stuck with NRM, especially in rural areas and among women. The trouble with poll results is that they tell us what and not why. We have not done an in-depth research to find out why people support NRM. However, my view is that the state of the opposition doesn't provide a credible alternative to NRM," he said.

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Humility is Strength -Vitamins for the mind Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.

- Rick Warren Humility is not cowardice.

Meekness is not weakness.

Humility and meekness are indeed spiritual powers.

- Swami Sivananda It's all about humanity, humility, and integrity.

- Debra Wilson Pride makes us artificial, and humility makes us real.

- Thomas Merton The ego lives by comparisons...

The ego cannot survive without judgment.

- A Course in Miracles Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other, on the contrary they are twin sisters.

- Jean Baptiste Lacordaire A man's pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

- Proverbs 29:23 Talent is God-given; be humble.

Fame is man-given; be thankful.

Conceit is self-given; be careful.

- John Wooden

- Nathaniel Branden Comparisons are odious.

- Old English Saying We take refuge in pride because we are afraid to tell the truth to ourselves.

- Kakuzo Okakura It comes down to the way you treat people.

When you treat people with dignity and respect all the time, you can work through anything.

- John Bacon Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect.

We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.

- U. Thant Every good relationship, especially marriage, is based on respect.

If it's not based on respect, nothing that appears to be good will last very long.

- Amy Grant As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others.

- Robert H. Schuller There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.

There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.

- Henri Frederic Amiel Be modest, be respectful of others, try to understand.

- Lakhdar Brahimi Once you respect yourself, there is no longer any reason to disrespect anyone else.

Once you are confident of your own worthiness, the worthiness of others ceases to be an issue.

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie There is magic in respecting others.

Respect customers, vendors, bosses, employees, co-workers.

Respect parents, spouses, sons, daughters.

Respect the trash collector, the mayor, the bank teller, the truck driver.Cab driver.

Respect the president. the lawyer.the dancer.

Respect all human being.

-Jonathan Lockwood Huie Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other, on the contrary they are twin sisters.

- Jean Baptiste Lacordaire

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POEM

By Ukachukwu Okorie

SMILING DUN LOAGHAIRE Strewn on the habours of the wharf Clean amidst the massage of sea breeze Blowing the unguarded hair through the roots to fluff around Standing lonely yet buzy Meditating as well as looking Counting the movement of sky on the bay of the sea town I smile for there's nothing Not even the waters can offer me Even with the Wharf town looking I smile like a handbags owner.

Stood the test of time In the struggle for freedom You are a living withness Blood and flesh splattered Tears and anguish chorused You saw the courage of men You're a harbinger of thoughts Faiths converge on thy corridor Men walk past in reverence History rever you Cos you counted the cost When the city of Dublin Fought a sprawling empire.

THE GPO

SATURDAY MARKET A smile at the odd ones out Hope that restores confidence From household to all You answer the multi purpose call When the cock crows To the tune of the second grub Quenching the lure of Henry and Grafton Giving hope to the hopeless Soul and gong of Cumberland You are a true raft To the place for all nations

Like a dream in a tempest sea The eyes hallucinates The ears bubbled The air smelt ignorance It was a journey Born on dairy premier Nurtured with dry milk A rainforest survival To serve and inform To whom it may concern And to delete the debris For the dignity of man

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WHO OWNS THE OIL? THE FAILURE OF FEDERALISM IN NIGERIA - M.M.Mbanaja.

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ollowing the comment on the 1st of February 2016 by Mr president on the ownership of oil in the Niger Delta, i invite you to examine with me the validity of his claim. It is a distraction in the sense that the nation woke up on that morning to hear the news of the massacre of 300 men, women and children on Saturday night in the village of Dalori in northeastern Nigeria. Being expected to issue a presidential statement on the burning alive of children, diverted the nations attention to the same oil politics that has consumed the lives of millions of people, especially people of of the eastern region in the 30 months of civil war.

The definition of federalism by scholars rest on the fundamental principle that - federalism is a form of governmental and institutional structure, deliberately designed by political 'architects', to cope with the twin but difficult task of maintaining unity while also preserving diversity, Livingston (1787 American constitution).

Federalism, also can be defined as the method of devolving power so that regional and central governments are each within a sphere, and independent of one another. K.C Wheare's proposition posits that the federal principle essentially entails a legal division of powers and functions among levels of government with a written constitution guaranteeing and reflecting the division.

K.C

Wheare will be used here as a template to determine the Nigerian federalism and the extent to which Nigeria has fulfilled the basic tenets of federalism.

The basic tenets according to him are: a) There must be at least two levels of governments and there must be constitutional division of powers among the levels of governments. b) Each levels of government must co-ordinate and independent. c) Each levels of government must be financially independent. He argued that this will afford each levels of government the opportunity of performing their functions without depending or appealing to the others for financial assistance. d) There must be Supreme Court of the independent judiciary.

He argued that in terms of power sharing, there is likely to be conflict hence, there must be independent judiciary to resolve the case. e) In terms of the amendment of the constitution, no levels of government should have undue power over the amendment process.

He maintained that, once a country is able to satisfy these conditions, such country is said to practice federalism.

EVOLUTION OF NIGERIAN FEDERALISM Historically, the structure of Nigeria federalism can be traced far back to 1914 when the Northern and Southern protectorates were amalgamated though with unitary form of administration. Since then, governmental power that existed in Nigeria started to be shared between the central government headed by the Governor-General and the governments of Northern and Southern protectorates headed by the lieutenant Governors.

Therefore, with the existence and recognition of the two autonomous parts of Northern and Southern provinces, the administrative system of Nigeria wore an outlook of a federation.

The further division of the country into three regions by the then Governor of Nigeria Sir Authur Richards under the Richard constitution of 1946 gave more support to the emergence of Nigeria as a federal state. The Macpherson constitution of 1951 gave further concrete support in the sense that, the constitution appointed lieutenant Governors to head these three regions and granted legislative power to the legislative and executive councils that were e s t a b l i s h e d . T h e Ly t t l e t o n constitution of 1954 removed the final shade of a unitary system of government from Nigeria by establishing a true federal state in the sense that it shared powers between the central and the regional 12

g o v e r n m e n t s . To a v o i d constitutional conflicts that might arise between the central and regional governments, a supreme court was established to handle such conflict.

After independence, Nigeria constitution has continued to retain the federal system imposed by the departed colonial Britain but with some minor modification. Based on the forgoing, the analyses of the evolution of Nigeria federalism can be based on three fundamental reasons. a) The British deliberately imposed the federal system on Nigeria in order to maintain a neocolonial control of the country after independence. Since federalism is more or less an evidence of some form of disunity, political weakness and uneven economic development, the British deliberately wanted to keep the federating units as apart as possible so as to meddle in the internal affairs of Nigeria to their own economic and political advantage after they would have granted her independence. b) The second aspect emphasizes the fact that historical and geographical factors determined the political evolution of Nigeria.

Nigeria being a large and culturally distinct country could not have been governed from one centre. This interpretation is much more objective than the former. But it must be pointed that while the historical and geographical factors determined the constitutional evolution of Nigeria, these factors did not determine the shape and form of the federation that the British helped to create in Nigeria. c) It was not a question of a country that was originally unitary, being broken into federating units, but of formerly totally independent kingdoms, empires, nations and autonomous communities being brought together, and ending up in a federal union.

In line with this historical evolution of Nigerian federalism, it should be

noted that, the choice of federalism as the preferred system of government for Nigeria was not accidental. Given the heterogeneity of Nigerian polity, the founding fathers of Nigeria adopted the federal system as the most viable option of protecting the core interest of the federating units. This was demonstrated in the federal constitution, especially in the 1963 federal republican constitution, that clearly defined the jurisdictions of the federating units. For example, each of the federating units had its own constitution, one of the key properties of federalism. It should be noted that, before the attainment of independence by Nigeria in 1960, the federating units – East, North Nigeria and Western Nigeria – were, in all intents and purposes independent entities. That the three federating units attained their independence in 1957 (Eastern and Western) and 1959 (Northern) further buttressed their respective sovereignty. If they had wanted, there was nothing preventing any of them to go their separate ways as independent states in the international community in 1957 and 1959 respectively. Thus, when some contemporary analysts of Nigerian politics blame the British amalgamation of 1914 as the source of Nigeria problems, they should be reminded of the lost opportunity by Nigerian leaders especially Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who saw himself as 'Zik of Africa' as such needed to transform his pan-Africanism into pan-Nigerianism in entirety as against Chief Obafemi Awolowo w h o u rg e d h i m t o g o f o r independence since the North was not yet ready, to disengage from the forced amalgamation when they had the choice in 1957.

Like Nigeria, the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was also a creation of British rule. It is significant to note that, unlike Nigeria, the constituent units of Rhodesia and Nyasaland elected to go their separate ways by becoming

the independent state of Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi respectively.

Despite the introduction of federalism since the British left, Nigeria political system has been characterized by series of instability and backwardness. It is on this basis that we shall consider some of the problems that bedevil Nigeria federal system and find out if the president of the federal government of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari was right when he said that the Niger Delta region has no right to claim the oil in their region because it belongs to the federation.

It is evident that the most consummate student of federalism in Nigeria is Chief Obafemi Awolowo who wrote in his book, Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution p.48 & 49: 1. If a country is bilingual or multilingual like Nigeria, the constitution must be federal, and the constituent state must be organized on linguistic basis; 2. Any experiment with a unitary constitution in a bilingual or multilingual or multi-national country must fail, in the long run.

Let us now place it to Nigeria situation and see whether Nigeria has been living up to the federal arrangement as explained by K.C Wheare and Obafemi Awolowo. It is surprising that Nigeria only operates federal system on paper.

The federal structures have never existed in Nigeria society. The reasons are not far fetched; first, the federal government, ever since the intervention of the military in government has always assumed superiority over the state government, because military federalism had been more common than civilian federalism, this model made the federal government the 'master in relation to the dependent' state governments. At independence, largely autonomous regions possessed the residual 13

powers in the federation and functioned almost independently.

The regions had independent revenue bases; separate constitutions, foreign missions, and the primary and secondary education were under the residual list while the university education was under the concurrent list. All these changed under military rule.

Attempts by the state governments to reassert their autonomy during the second republic were aborted by the return of military rule. Some state governments that were controlled by parties other than the NPN took the NPN-controlled federal government to court many occasions over matter of jurisdiction and competence. This trend reccured during the third republic when the Lagos state governor in person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu took the federal government to court over the issue of local government creation in Lagos state. This act, where the federal government sees itself as superior to the state governments does not make federalism work perfectly. Federalism is therefore, an arrangement whereby powers within a multi-national country are shared between a central authority and a number of regionalized governments in such a way that each unit, including central authority, exits as a government separately and independently from the others. As Wheare put it "the fundamental and distinguish characteristics of a federal system is that neither the central nor the regional governments are subordinate to each other, rather the two are coordinate and independent." Each government exist, not as an appendage of another government but as an autonomous entity in the sense of being able to exercise its own will on the conduct of its affairs free from direction by any government.

Thus, the federal government on one hand and the state governments on the other hand are autonomous

in their respective spheres.

However, this autonomous entity has never being found in Nigeria federalism and this has continue to hamper the political stability in the country.

Secondly, the issue of financial autonomy as proposed by K.C Wheare. It should be noted here that this financial autonomy has never been achieved in Nigerian federalism. The high level of intervention of the federal government through national financial policies, grants- in-aids among others, increases the power of the federal government and makes the federating units subordinate to the federal government. The reason is not far fetch- the increased revenue from oil boom has made the federal government to be more financially powerful over the state governments than before. As a result of this financial power, the federal government now embarks on some projects which were meant to be in the state residual list.

The universal basic education board project is an example of this.

Similarly, this increased revenue from oil boom enables the federal government to give financial support to the state governments.

In this sense, any state governments that proves ''stubborn'' or a state not controlled by the party at the centre is not likely to get financial support from the federal government. Vivid examples are Lagos and Yobe states among others.

In practice, this act does not make federalism work perfectly as proposed by K.C Wheare. In a federation, each government enjoys financial autonomy. This will afford each levels of government the opportunity of performing their functions without appealing or begging for financial survival as we have seen in Nigeria

since the return to civil democratic rule.

Another issue to look at, is the bolstering of local governments as a third tier of government. This process began with the 1976 local government reforms, which introduced a uniform local government system; Although these reforms were embodied in the 1979 constitution and also strengthened in the new 1999 constitution, State governments in the third and fourth republic refused to allow local governments any measure of autonomy, The state governments want to claim their superiority over the local governments just as the federal government is claiming their superiority over them. These disputes have barred the masses at the third tier level from enjoying the dividend of democracy and further added to the unending problem of administration. Uptil this day, the state governments are still struggling to reclaim their autonomy from the federal government.

When we translate these into the constitutional provisions on 'fiscal federalism', the federating units own and manage their resources and revenues but make a contribution to the central government to fund federal responsibilities. Resource control is also defined in terms of the right to control or manage the revenue accruing from oil and other natural resources in line with the tenets of true federalism.

Therefore, it is the duty of our lawyers to come forward to use the constitution operating in Nigeria to challenge the claim by the president that the people of Niger Delta and other federating units in Nigeria have no power to control their resources.

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Ireland: The Dรกil Has Been Dissolved at ร ras An Uachtarรกin

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East/West Africa: What Tanzanians/Nigerians Need to Know About Zika Fever ANALYSIS Dar es Salaam — The government's directive to all doctors in Tanzania to keep a sharp eye on the threat of the Zika virus has come at a time when the public is less informed of many issues about the mosquito-borne illness.

The Zika virus, which was isolated from monkeys in Uganda about 70 years ago, has prompted worldwide concern after it recently began spreading very fast in the Americas.

In the 1980s, the virus was also isolated in humans in Tanzania, Central African Republic, Egypt, Gabon, Uganda, Sierra Leone as well as in parts of Asia, according to studies done over the years and published in various journals.

Now the World Health Organisation (WHO) is estimating that at least 3 to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next one year.

–strains that are also prevalent in Tanzania. But unlike some of those viruses, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika or medicine to treat the infection.

person with an active infection, it picks it and then spreads the virus by biting other humans. These other humans become carriers during the time they have symptoms.

Zika has now gained worldwide attention because of its alarming connection between the virus and a neurological disorder that results in babies being born with abnormally small heads. This causes severe developmental issues and sometimes death.

In most people, symptoms of the virus are mild, including fever, headache, skin rash and possible pink eyes. In fact, 80 per cent of those infected never know they have the disease.

Reports show that since November last year, Brazil has seen 4,180 cases of microcephaly in babies born to women who were infected with Zika during their pregnancies.

That, according to doctors, is especially more of a concern in pregnant women, as this virus has now been shown to pass through amniotic fluid to the growing baby.

How is the virus transmitted and what are the symptoms?

In Tanzania, the government said yesterday it would monitor the disease, advising people to stay put and rush to the hospital any time they experience symptoms of the disease.

“What we now know,” said Dr Lyle Petersen, director of the Centre for Disease Control's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, “Is that fetuses can be infected with the virus. That's not new for infectious diseases, but it is new for this virus.”

In addition, the CDC says there have been documented cases of virus transmission during labour, blood transfusion, laboratory exposure and sexual contact. While Zika has been found in breast milk, it is not yet confirmed it can be passed to the baby through nursing.

But according to a survey carried out yesterday by The Citizen, not many people in Tanzania are informed about the health risks, signs and symptoms and how to keep away from being infected by the virus.

Where is the Zika virus now?

Here are the things you need to know about Zika: What is Zika and why should people be concerned about it?

The Zika virus is in the same family as the yellow fever virus, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue

When an Aedes mosquito bites a

The Zika virus is now being locally transmitted in Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Dominican R e p u b l i c , E c u a d o r, E l Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, 16

Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and Venezuela, says the CDC. What can you do to protect yourself against Zika?

Because there is no treatment or vaccine available, the only protection against Zika is to avoid travelling to areas with an active infestation.

If you travel to a country where Zika is endemic, the CDC advises strict adherence to mosquito protection measures: Use approved repellents over sunscreen, wear long pants and

doors is critical to preventing entry to homes and hotel rooms.

What's being done to stop Zika?

Globally, researchers are hard at work in laboratories trying to create a Zika vaccine. A clinical trial for a Zika virus vaccine could begin this year, according to Dr Anthony Fauci at the CDC. Until those efforts bear fruit, health officials are implementing traditional mosquito control techniques such as spraying pesticides and emptying standing water receptacles where mosquitoes breed The Pan American Health

long-sleeved shirts thick enough to block a mosquito bite, and sleep in air-conditioned, screened rooms, among others.

O rg a n i z a t i o n ( PA H O ) , t h e regional office of the WHO has already advised people to protect themselves from the mosquitoes, which also spread dengue fever and chikungunya.

How do we keep away mosquitoes with Zika.

In Tanzania, the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Children and the Elderly says that local authorities are monitoring the entry points while the government would work on curbing the spread of the virus to Tanzania, as per the WHO guidelines.

If you have Zika, you can keep from spreading it to others by avoiding mosquito bites during the first week of your illness, says the CDC. The female Aedes aegypti, the primary carrier of Zika, is an aggressive biter, from daytime to dusk and indoors to outdoors.

Keeping screens on windows and

Nigeria: What We Should Know

About Zika Virus OPINION The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus held a meeting yesterday. It was organised by WHO DirectorGeneral, Dr Margaret Chan to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern or not.

Arrival of the virus in some countries of the Americas, notably Brazil, has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-BarrĂŠ syndrome, a poorly understood condition in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in paralysis.

We are thrilled already that the WHO DirectorGeneral had briefed the Executive Board of the international agency on Zika situation on 28th January 2016. Briefing the board she said “distinguished members of the Board, representatives of Member States, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this briefing on the Zika situation. I will give you a brief history of this disease and explain why WHO is so deeply concerned. The Zika virus was first isolated in 1947 from a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda. Its historical home has been in a narrow equatorial belt stretching across Africa and into equatorial Asia.For decades, the disease, transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquito, slumbered, affecting mainly monkeys. In humans, Zika occasionally caused a mild disease of low concern. In 2007, Zika expanded its geographical range to cause the 17

first documented outbreak in the Pacific islands, in the Federated

States of Micronesia. From 20132014, four additional Pacific island nations documented large Zika outbreaks. In French Polynesia, the Zika outbreak was associated with neurological complications at a time when the virus was cocirculating with dengue. That was a unique feature, but difficult to interpret.The situation today is dramatically different.�

She rounded up her briefing by talking about an issue that every local agency all over the world should adopt and implement. She itemized why WHO is concerned as follows: 1. The possible association of infection with birth malformations and neurological syndromes.

2.The potential for further international spread given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector.

3. The lack of population immunity in newly affected areas.

4. The absence of vaccines, specific treatments, and rapid diagnostic tests.

The meeting yesterday was aimed at advicing on the appropriate level of international concern and for recommended measures that should be undertaken in affected countries and elsewhere.

Zika virus is an emerging mosquitoborne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys t h r o u g h a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow f e v e r. I t w a s subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. The vector is the Aedes mosquitoes.

Signs and Symptoms The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days.

Transmission Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedesaegypti in tropical regions. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. Zika virus disease outbreaks were reported for the first time from the Pacific in 2007 and

2013 (Yap and French Polynesia, respectively), and in 2015 from the Americas (Brazil and Colombia) and Africa (Cape Verde).

Diagnosis Zika virus is diagnosed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and virus isolation from blood samples. Diagnosis by serology can be difficult as the virus can crossreact with other flaviviruses such as dengue, West Nile and yellow fever.

Prevention Mosquitoes and their breeding sites pose a significant risk factor for Zika virus infection. Prevention and control relies on reducing mosquitoes through source reduction (removal and modification of breeding sites) and reducing contact between mosquitoes and people.During outbreaks, health authorities may advise that spraying of insecticides be carried out. Insecticides recommended by the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme may also be used as larvicides to treat relatively large water containers.Travelers should take the basic precautions described above.

Treatment Zika virus disease is usually relatively mild and requires no specific treatment. People sick with Zika virus should get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids, and treat pain and fever with common medicines.

If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical care and advice. There is currently no vaccine available

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