Fuel Subsidy Removal Not Nigeria’s Problem; Corruption Is

The State Governments and Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria: Which way forward?

Why are we deceiving ourselves? Let the constitution be reviewed to reflect the desires of the people according to their socio-economic and cultural practices in ways that it would not translate into discrimination against anybody.

Why is it that the State governments cannot be allowed to codify the laws either through the national Assembly in the Nigerian Constitution or in their state laws in such a way that revenue allocation laws may encourage the absolute or partial autonomy of the local government councils.

Yes! Let any state that wants to go autonomous with the local government do so and those that do not want this should stay the way they are clogged together in revenue generation and allocation.

By the-way, the federation/ federal system of government is all about the centre federal and state governments, while the state governments are in charge of the local governments. In other words, revenue allocation to the local government is not supposed to be the business of the federal government, but that of the state government, and this is the only way things would work well.

Let me ask? Why do we have State Ministries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs? Why do we have local government Service Commissions in the various states?

Local Government Autonomy should not be played with. Nigeria(ns) must recognise this as one way of devolution of powers.

***This is just my thought.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Invisible, Unavailable Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC)

I was just wondering; what’s wrong with registered voters who could not collect their PVC using their Temporary Voter Card to vote in the upcoming 2023 Presidential Election?

I have listened to several live programmes and interacted with many people who complained that they go to the Wards/Community Centres, even INEC Offices to collect their PVBCs but would not be able to collect same because of one or some of the following reasons:

• INEC Staff not available to issue the card;
• PVC not yet Printed/Not available in the said offices;
• INEC overwhelmed by the crowd who want to collect card as only a few personnel are sent to these areas, so they could only do so much until closure.

What then must prospective voters do? Is the card being hoarded as insinuated in some quarters because it is obvious that the youth are ready to get it right and vote wisely this time around, whether or not they collect the vote-buyers’ monies? Is it not just for the TVC holders to be allowed to vote once properly accredited with such cards as Identification?

The e-Naira: A Great Cryptocurrency in the Making

What do you think or know about the new Nigerian digital currency, the e-Naira recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria? Does it give you any ray of hope for Nigeria on her drive to economic growth and development? Or, do you take it as one of those monetary policies of the country as none has ever succeeded in revamping the economy, given the continued nosediving of the regular currency, Naira notes?

Generally, taking a systematic assessment of global trends today, one would obviously see a great future in the e-Naira for individuals and for Nigeria as a country. Yes! To me, it is advisable for anybody who has some savings to sign up and start funding their wallets now according to their capacity, for future use.

Security Guaranteed: The truth is that one’s e-Naira account/ money is safer than the cash in one’s bank account because it is a direct liability on the CBN, while one’s regular account is a liability on one’s bank account. What does that mean? Your bank depends on the CBN for reparation as much as you do in relation to your e-Naira account. Again, the e-Naira wallet is free, comes with no charges, unlike your regular bank account.

Flash back to the ban on Cryptocurrency: Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in a circular distributed to banks and financial institutions across the country on the 5th of February, 2021, banned Cryptocurrency transactions in the country, promising to come up with its own version. Why did the government of Nigeria ban Crypto trades in the country? Was it just because it was helping people to launder money or was it because it posed risks to anybody? Would it make any difference to you if the ban had been placed in order to till the soil for Nigeria’s entry into the Cryptocurrency world and establish a solid base for others who would eventually come in later to append their roots? Were Nigerians not already making huge sums of money from cryptocurrency? Perhaps you should find out? Don’t you think the proprietors and operators of the existing cryptocurrencies were spinning and raking in a lot of profits already?

Project Tomorrow: From the look of things, the e-Naira may eventually become Nigeria’s future Cryptocurrency. The e-Naira is still a new and developing baby, building up, as well as preparing and waiting for offers from established Cryptocurrencies around the world for linkages. The market is way too large and can interact perfectly with the world, but there is need to build a formidable background in order to interact competently with the established cryptocurrencies around the world. Therefore, the e-Naira would not have gone to the global market immediately. Are you still in doubt? This will surprise you in the future.

Think about it now! People are already downloading the App. It may be a good time to register/ create a wallet and start funding your e-Naira Wallet. But if you remain in doubt, then watch and see how the Nigerian digital currency unfolds. Personally, I have a strong feeling that public executives, corporations and informed individuals are already signing up to the e-Naira and are funding their wallets futuristically because one can save peacefully with the e-Naira.

 – Egwuatu U. ONYEJELEM is a Monitoring and Evaluation practitioner.

The Nigerian government should return History to Schools

#BringBackHistoryInNigeria – Today, there is a lot of false narratives concerning Nigeria among some ethnic nationalities/cultures. These narratives are targeted at promoting certain lifestyles and cultures while condemning others. People are living in falsehood and not telling their people-descendants the truth about who they truly are and who others are. Where is this taking Nigeria? It is very regrettable that History, as a subject, was removed from secondary education curriculum in Nigeria. And no one seems to be concerned. Some people may claim that Social Studies still has elements of history in its content. Yes; but that is too primary; there is need to go beyond basic education in this regard.

This situation gets worse by the day, especially as the high school subject, ‘History’ is no longer offered/taught in secondary schools across the country. I cannot stop imagining what kind of education policy this is? I do not understand. Even scientists do study history – It is not just about the arts/humanities/social sciences. It only takes a development-minded person to understand how important the study of history can be to a society – Again, it is unarguably one of the most interesting of secondary school subjects. I did not study history in the secondary school myself, but honestly, I regret it.

I am doing this piece as a call for the study of history to be returned to the Nigerian education system/ secondary school curriculum. If this policy is not reversed, then Nigeria may be heading to oblivion. Axing the study of the past/ Nigeria’s past may, therefore, translate into annihilating a people. If the development process is so relegated, then Nigeria cannot make any headway. Unless the truths about the country and the globe is told the level of ignorance will continue to increases. This is one key aspect of humanity that can create proper understanding in both national and international and help project the future.

Nigeria must trace its past correctly in order to be able to address its contemporary and future (developmental) challenges. I had in the past talked about taking the challenge of Biafra to the country’s advantage, but unfortunately, it seems the authorities do not care and no one does. I wonder what great societies of the world today that never had such challenge, or rather, if you will, ‘opportunity’ of war as Nigeria; and they did well to take advantage of same to facilitate their development, which is why they are where they are today

It is very unlikely that Nigeria would be able to correct its mistakes unless the past is talked about, and the knowledge of the past imparted to future generations both formally and informally. This is one sure way of collective and individual development evaluation. Nigerian children should be told about the precolonial and colonial era; they need to be told about the early/postcolonial era, too and every event of the country. Nigerians should be told about the good old days as well as the bad.

In summary, therefore, I am using this medium to plead with the government as they restructure the system to consider the return of ‘History to Nigerian schools and let it be written in both the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Please, #ThinkHistory, #BringBackHistoryInNigeria BringBackTheHistoryBooks !!!

That Cancellation of POST-JAMB UTME Examination — egwuatu

I have just seen POST-UTME screening advertisements for UNILAG and FUTO; and I am wondering if anything is wrong with the ads. Would it be wrong to screen candidates in order to ascertain their preparedness/ capacity to study in the institutions where they have applied to study? What fault would the federal government find with […]

via That Cancellation of POST-JAMB UTME Examination — egwuatu

That Cancellation of POST-JAMB UTME Examination

I have just seen POST-UTME screening advertisements for UNILAG and FUTO; and I am wondering if anything is wrong with the ads.

Would it be wrong to screen candidates in order to ascertain their preparedness/ capacity to study in the institutions where they have applied to study? What fault would the federal government find with this step? They had claimed that the Post-UTME examinations in individual universities were a means of extortion. Now that the real examination may no longer take place, but the screening will still not be free, would the antagonists be satisfied as it would just be enough for anybody to pay the screening/ processing fee and await their admission?

Look at these:

1. Federal University of Technology, Owerri 2016/2017 Admission Screening Exercise – Eligible candidates would be required to pay a processing fee of Two Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N2,500.00);
2. University of Lagos Post UTME Screening Exercise for 2016/2017 Academic Session – Screening Fee: N2,500.

I wonder what Nigeria is building on! What exactly is the government encouraging? Is it sacrificing merit on the altar of mediocrity? Hopefully the government will withdraw from the politicisation of the education sector. The government has to be cautious!

African Union and the New African Passport

Talking about African integration is an unrealistic tall dream. Having a unified passport system as recently launched by the African Union (AU) does not translate into integration or oneness. African countries should think about themselves first as individual entities and work out their liberation from bad governance and poverty, and by extension put their individual houses together before looking at the bogus regional integration policy.

What benefits would individual African countries get from their neighbours when a great majority of them have remained economically and technologically dependent on America, Europe (especially their colonial masters) and Asia? The idea of introducing one passport makes no sense as it would still not eliminate travelling hitches on the continent for African citizens, even as mere visitors.

At the moment, I believe it is better to have that immigration arrangement more at sub-regional levels such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which currently has a single passport system that works relatively well as holders of the passport do not need visa to travel across West Africa at least for a few months. Despite, the sub-region’s successful effort at creating and adopting the ECOWAS passport, it is still battling with issues of trade liberalisation and currency issues as well as resident permits for West African citizens who wish to settle, live and work in countries other than theirs. How easy can it be for the AU?