CMYK
Friends Of Nelson Mandela “FRIENDS of Nelson Mandela Initiative seek to harness the leadership virtues of Nelson Mandela, tap lessons from his leadership virtue and raise leaders with his virtues and leadership qualities thereby transforming the attitude of present and future leaders which research has shown is greatest challenges of leadership in Nigeria.” - Rev. David Ugolor of ANEEJ First of all I sincerely wish my numerous readers on this column a great and fulfilling new year 2014! Really, there are so many things to write about as events are occurring in quick succession. Most especially at this crucial period of the year when stocks are being taken here and there, both locally nationally and internationally. Late last year, members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) rose from a national Executive Meeting and reminded the presidency of the urgent need to do something drastic and comprehensively about the health sector or risk a nationwide strike anytime from now. I think NMA has a big point in their present demands. Simply, the health sector in our country is faced with mountains of challenges, like mass exodus of Medical Doctors out of this country going outside our shores for greener pastures, because things are still not done properly here. I am not holding brief for the Medical Doctors but as a patriot, the Federal Government should look positively at their demands, so as not to experience something like the recent crisis that engulfed the educational sector. Come to think of it, must we embark on threats and actual strikes before the authorities will listen or try to do something about the neglect, rot
and wastages that dotted almost all sectors of the country? As I pen this article, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and
was certainly not the promise handed down to the new buyers of our electricity sector: that of not retrenching any workers not due for retirement or sack. Regrettably, here in our country things are done recklessly and ruthlessly without recourse to official promise, procedures or modus operandi attached to certain situation. Today,
still going on in that sector. What I am trying to state here in essence is the fact that impunity is being institutionalized in our dear nation today. There is lack, of budget transparency in Nigeria, necessitating leakages and huge fraud; corruption in the aviation sector; N255m car scandal as House of Representatives indict
protest in Abuja on November 21 2013 e.t.c. This numerous cases of impunity in Nigeria has finally brought me to the friends of Nelson Mandela Initiative, (FONMI), which was launched on December 19th, 2013 in Benin City.
Late Nelson Mandela, former South Africa President
Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have indicated their readiness to combat the federal Government over the planned sales of Nigerian refineries. Now, why would the federal government want to embark on the sales of our gigantic refineries without seeing to be adequately carrying NUPENG along in this sensitive national exercise? Today a chunk of the electricity workers are being victimized brow beaten and outrightly retrenched since the dissolution of Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (PHCN). And this
electricity workers are groaning and writing in pains, now tell me why NUPENG will not shout their voices hoarse so that they will not fall into a precarious situation if the federal government goes ahead with the planned sales of our refineries? Even, as we have made it to 2014, numerous issues of national importance are begging to be attended to. The Governor of the Central Bank has told all of us that a chunk of proceeds from oil sales is unaccounted for in year 2013. that is to say that mind boggling stealing is
Stella Odua and NCAA, yet Odua remains Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation; huge investment by the Nigerian Government in turn around maintenance of our refineries, yet such refineries are still comatose, with those involved in such fraudulent activities are still celebrating in town. There is procurement corruption across government agencies; large scale fuel subsidy fraud, till today no marketer has been convicted; killing of antisubsidy protesters in January 2012; police disrupted anti-corruption
If we have leaders like Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5th 2013 at the age of 95, all over Africa, especially in our country, such heinous cases of impunity that we experience would have been brought to a very low margin? Rev. David Ugolor, the convener of friends of Nelson Mandela Initiative (FONMI) said at the historic occasion that: the virtues that Mandela displayed throughout his life were Justice, Restraint (Temperance), Faith and Hope. It is these virtues that first Edge Book Café intend to
study, explore and inculcate into younger generations and generations yet unborn to promote true and healthy leadership in Nigeria and Africa as a continent. Candidly, if we get it right at the centre that is if we allow cerebral and dynamic statesmen to wear the mantle of leadership, everything will change? Everything will change because people oriented leaders such as we have seen in Julius Nyerere, Fidel Castro, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Mao Tse-tung, Obafemi Awolowo etc will always try to live by example and make sure that the system is not b a s t a r d i z e d , traumatized and abandoned to faith. If we get it right in 2015, things will actually take a drastic turn for the better? If our electoral Act is revisited by inserting digital voting system the level of election rigging will come to barest minimum? And if that is done, honest, brilliant and visionary personalities will be attracted to the political stage to slug it out with bandits, drug barons and common criminals calling themselves our leaders today. And that is why we must encourage the likes of Rev. David Ugolor, the convener of friends of Nelson Mandela Initiative (FONMI) not to rest on his magnificent idea. Every lover of justice, greatness and responsibility should join this noble initiative. A Nelson Mandela is absolutely possible in Nigeria.
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