Thatcher was Britain’s first woman premier, a right-wing colossus and key figure in the Cold War. She led Britain from 1979 to 1990. Since her exit from power, the “Iron Lady” had been experiencing varying health which included dementia that caused her to make a rare appearance in public in recent years.

She was last in hospital in December for a minor operation to remove a growth from her bladder. The former Conservative Party leader remains the only female premier in British history and was the 20th century’s longest continuous occupant of Downing Street.

Shocked by the news of her death, several world leaders sent in tributes. Elisabeth, the Queen of England, put her condolence across in the following words:

“The queen was sad to hear the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher. Her majesty will be sending a private message of sympathy to the family”

British Prime Minister, David Cameron said: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Lady Thatcher. We have lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton.” United States of America President, Barak Obama, condoled the government and people of Britain and described Thatcher as a great friend of US.

Michael Howard, the leader of late Thatcher’s Conservative Party between 2003 and 2005 also said in his condolence message: “It is terribly sad news. She was a titan in British politics. I believe she saved the country, she transformed our economy and I believe she will go in history as one of our very greatest prime ministers”.

President Goodluck Jonathan also joined world leaders in mourning the death of the former prime minister. In his condolence message, Jonathan described Thatcher as one of the greatest world leaders of our time.

“Having already attained a legendary status in her lifetime after positively transforming Britain in her eleven and half years as prime minister, Baroness Thatcher will, with her passage today, formerly take her place in history as one of the greatest world leaders of our time”, said the Nigerian leader.

Right- Wingers, particularly her Conservative Party members, hailed her as pulling Britain out of the economic doldrums. However, the left wing disagreed and accused her of dismantling traditional industry, claiming her reforms aided in unpicking the fabric of society.

Much as the opinions of both the Right and Left wings on the late prime minister’s administration may count for something, one thing is clear and that is that Thatcher built a closer tie and “special relationship” with late US President Ronald Reagan which helped to bring the curtain down on Soviet Communism.

Her enduring legacy can be summed up as “Thatcherism” which represents a set of policies that her supporters claim promoted personal freedom and broken down class divisions that had characterised Britain for centuries. She was also known for her tough policies which pitched her government into a string of tough battles.

One of such policies was her stand on Falkland Islands. When Argentina invaded this remote British territory in 1982, Thatcher dispatched troops and ships and secured victory in two months.

The late Baroness showed early signs of strong inclination towards partisan politics in her student days. She will especially be remembered for her first recorded political speech while she was a student of Oxford University in June 1945.

“…. I speak as a very young Tory and we are entitled to speak, for it is the people of my generation who will bear the brunt of the change from the trials of the past into calmer channels.”

One thing that characterised the late Baroness was her tough stand on issues which eventually earned her the sobriquet, “Iron Lady” by a Russian journalist. She was very controversial. Indeed controversy was but a stimulus for her to stick evermore strongly to her moral and political convictions. This is not strange because she was born into an old tradition. She came from a family that was embedded in the old traditions and heritage that once made Britain truly great.

Her moral stance, her personal habits of thrift and hard work all stemmed from a sound schooling by her father in the basic conservative approach to issues.

It is interesting to note that Britain’s initial launching into its period of greatness, its consummation as the greatest empire in history, and its latter-day revival from economic doldrums to a tour de force were all accomplished under the influence of late Margaret Thatcher among other women.

Queen Victoria reigned over the British empire throughout its period of greatness, giving the crown the stability it attained. However, in the later half of the 20th century, the rise of Thatcher in the political ranks of the Conservatives in Britain primed her for her role as a three-term Prime Minister.

Between the time of her election in 1979 and her forced resignation from the office of Prime Minister in 1990, Mrs Thatcher’s economic policies transformed the British economy from its 1970s state of listless drifting to one of the strongest of global economies.

NATO’s Secretary- General, Anders Fog Rasmussen, summed up Mrs Thatcher’s leadership of Britain in the following terms:

“Baroness Thatcher was an extraordinary politician who was a staunch defender of freedom, a powerful advocate of NATO and the transatlantic bond. She strongly supported NATO values and principles, believed in a strong defence and played a leading role in ending the Cold War. Throughout her tenure as Britain Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher stood on principle and showed great courage, vision and leadership.”

Thatcher was born Margaret Hilda Roberts on October 13, 1925 in Grantham eastern England. She was the daughter of a grocer. After her secondary education and a degree in chemistry at Oxford University, she married businessman Denis in 1951 and two years later had twins, Carol and Mark.

She was first elected to the House of Commons in 1959 and succeeded former Prime Minister Edward Health, as opposition Conservative leader in 1975 before becoming premier four years later.

The “Iron Lady,” had been adjudged the best leader Britain has ever produced after Winston Churchill. Now she is dead. With her dies the final slice of real, courageous British political leadership. But the questions many ask are, will her exit mark the end of the quality of Britishness? Has she died with the age of true leadership in Britain? Time will tell.

Ezekwesili specifically accused the regime of late President Yar’Adua and the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of squandering the stated amount with no evidence of their proper utilisation. The former World Bank Vice President observed that despite the prodigious sums left by the Obasanjo regime, no development could be seen in any sector of the nation’s life. Thus, she asked, “where did all that money go? “Where is the accountability for the use of these resources? “Were these resources applied or more appropriately, misapplied?” These and other queries were raised by the woman once regarded as one of the cream in Obasanjo’s cabinet.

However, and anticipatorily, the former minister’s enquiry raised intense discussions and rattled the Jonathan administration. It was swift and combative in its reaction. The spokesman of the government and Information Minister, Mr Labaran Maku, fired salvoes at the accuser, describing her claims as “curious, outlandish and fictitious.”

Then, he reeled out figures to substantiate the government’s own side of the story contradicting Ezekwesili’s case. Surprisingly, Maku put off his gauntlet and admitted that since the exit of President Obasanjo, the nation’s foreign reserves had witnessed some variations. Regardless of the federal government’s denials, Ezekwesili withstood her ground and challenged the government to a public debate which it promptly declined.

In a system where sanity prevails and where accountability and transparency are taken for granted, the former World Bank boss’ assertions would not have ignited needless indignation and the name-calling that attended the allegation. Given the status of the woman as one who had served in Obasanjo’s cabinet and very knowledgeable about the Nigerian economy, I believe her observations were made in good faith. Besides, it is unthinkable that a woman of this standing would make uninformed claims in this respect knowing full well her proximity to the performance of the nation’s economy then.

Eminent Nigerians as well as financial institutions both within and outside the country had expressed similar fears about the failure of past and present administrations to utilise effectively monies realised from excess sale of crude oil. Such monies which ought to be used to enhance productivity nay the economy, usually end up causing additional sorrow to the average Nigerian. The N12.4 billion Gulf War windfall which the nation earned under military President Ibrahim Babangida is a case in point. The whereabouts of that money remains a mystery till date.
So, if the government considered Ezekwesili’s claims as weighty and with grave implications, the best way to respond was not to politicise it. Rather, the government should have furnished curious Nigerians with hard facts, beyond the ones provided by her.

In this matter, a dispassionate view, tempered by courteous language should have been the best approach. Government is not the property of an individual. Much as it holds in trust the right of the citizens, this does not include the right to voice their opinions. If a government is accused in a subject of this nature, the appropriate thing to do is to act responsibly, not being surly.

If indeed Ezekwesili’s assertions are right, then the federal government has a case to answer in the people’s court. Certainly, there is no gain saying the fact that these grave accusations are an indictment . Conversely, if the government thinks the monies were properly applied, where is the evidence? Has the education sector improved? Do we have functional infrastructure? What about our health institutions? Are they better than they were before the alleged misappropriation?

Similar actions of various governments in the country either go unnoticed or not questioned. We have always been highly indebted in loans to both local and international creditors with nothing to show for them. Unfortunately, these loans are often repaid with monies that could provide basic amenities for the average Nigerian and better his life.

I think the most credible thing to do in the circumstance is for the federal government to accede to the challenge by the ex-minister to a public debate. This will afford Nigerians the opportunity to examine all the facts thoroughly and determine the truth. Until this is done, Ezekwesili’s challenge remains an enduring issue awaiting clarification.

I am astonished at the manner Nigerians persist in most of their endeavours in spite of the odds that prevail. Indeed, to most Nigerians, the word “guilt” is eccentric and missing in their lexicon.
The common Nigerian believes that he will succeed whenever he attempts a project. He is prepared to put in all to ensure that he is not counted a failure in the end.

Recently, I was in the company of a group of young boys. In the conversation that ensued, one of them, who had just returned from Australia, narrated how in that country, graduates commit suicide for their inability to secure jobs upon graduating from school. Others perpetrate suicide for their disability to gain admission to the university.

Compare the scenarios to what obtains in Nigeria, where thousand and one reasons exist for one to terminate one’s life. Young Nigerians make repeated attempts to succeed in the unified tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTMs) without success, but don’t give up.
Think about the rising spate of unemployment in the country which has caused unimaginable frustration to our youths and turns the knowledge they acquire from school into utopian ideals. Some Nigerians leave the university or higher institutions with high grades but remain for more than ten years without jobs. These youths are still in search of jobs without giving up.

The apparent frustration faced by the jobless youths causes them to enroll in unsolicited post graduate programmes and become burden to their parents or guardians. This, nevertheless, does not alter the situation. For them life must go on unhindered, job or no job.
Undoubtedly, it was this same spirit that informed Nigerians’ rating as the happiest people in the world in a global survey conducted few years ago. What weighs down people in other countries and occasion them to terminate their lives, hardly has impacted on the average Nigerian given the same variables. Die-hard spirit you would call it, you can’t be wrong.

However, as there are advantages, to these personality traits, so are there disadvantage. But first, the advantages, just as the adage goes: “There is always the tunnel” so are there some sure rewards for one’s ability to persevere.

A case that readily comes to mind is that of Elijah and Elisha as recorded in the Holy Books. Elijah was Elisha’s master.
When it became clear to the latter that the former would soon be transfigured, he made sure they were in one accord. Even when Elijah repeatedly told Elisha to wait for him till his return from his journey, Elisha declined the offer and rather clung to his master, because he knew he was about to be blessed by his master, but o n one condition. The condition was that he must witness Elijah’s translation to heaven.
His perseverance, however, paid off as he was eventually rewarded with the double portion of his master’s anointing in a befitting proportion.

This is an example of what accompanies perseverance. Let me point out that as one perseveres, one must not lose focus. These qualities are pre-requisites to success. On the other hand, when perseverance is not regularly appraised and received it could lead to hallucination. Psychologists see it as something that could make one fixated both in thought and action.
Unfortunately, our leaders abuse these traits of the Nigerian. They interprete these resilience as weakness, docility and naivety. Is that not the reason corruption thrives as our leaders stare us in the face and stash the people’s money meant for development without question. Is that not why GSM service providers could afford to render poor services to Nigerians and the heavens do not fall? Is it not for the same reason the government has failed to fix the power problem of the nation many years after the inception of democracy?
But in the midst of these, I have one worry. If a global survey has rated Nigerians at 70 points for optimism and by contrast Britons deeply pessimistic 44, won’t we be denied aids or grants by the industrialised nations? This is because happiness presupposes contentment and if this logic can be sustained, won’t it mean that the Nigerian is at ease at home?

For the purposes of dialectics, abject poverty in which most Nigerians live and happiness ought to be universally related. But this is Nigeria where anything goes and usually contrary to established norms. This might be why the nation is seen as a summary of a wasted potentiality and extravagant opportunity.

If one looks harder, one may be tempted to conclude that a Nigerian’s optimism is misplaced. This is a country seen as a place where corruption thrives. The newspapers are filled with sensational allegations of croked officials and mind-boggling haul. Sectarian violence is steadily on the increase. Then, there is grading poverty. To cap it all, there are the advance fee “419” scams richly embedded in the business life of many citizens.

In the visage of these, what in the world makes Nigerians so happy, so optimistic and undoubting in spirit? It is the spirit of entrepreneurship which fuels their optimism.

A Yoruba proverb says: “Jimoh to ma I’oyin, Alamisi le yanma ti mo.” It translates as: “If Friday is to be sweet, you will know by Thursday.” It might not seem that Nigerians have much to be happy about, but they have already seen what Friday holds and this reinforces their resolve and ambition. This is the spirit of a true Nigerian. Let’s us not give up. God dey.

While it is correct that historically Marx’s work must be seen in a predominantly western context originating in the Age of Enlightenment, his ideas underwent the three fold influence of German philosophy, English political economics and French Utopian socialism. Above all, Marx concentrated his efforts on a critical analysis of modern capitalism precisely in that part of the world where it first came into being.

This is why Marx tended to see the rest of the world through the prism of his own society, and simply held it as a section of mankind which had not yet reached the stage of capitalism, and which, though lagging historically behind Europe, was bound to follow its footsteps eventually.

Several generations of European Marxists believed that it was their privileged role to blaze a trail for the peoples of the world, and to show them the one and only way forward. But such attitudes are now irrelevant. The peoples of the developing world have taken their fate in their oven hands.

They now attempt to define their further themselves, and in order to do so, they look with a fresh eye at theories elaborated elsewhere and attempt to relate them to their oven experience.

It is no exaggeration to state that in a number of cases, Marx’s ideas made notable contributions to this shift of perspective inherent in the new relationship between former colonized peoples and their colonizers, which means that the various religions of the world can at last establish dialogue with each other and benefit mutually from their respective contributions to human civilisation.

Marx’s ideology was originally conceived by many third world countries first as a philosophy of change, as a method of thinking not only about action but in order to act so as to transform the reality of their daily lives. But the question arises that why did a philosophy so deeply rooted in the history of 19th century Europe, became, in the majority of cases, embodied in ventures embarked upon in the 20th century third world?

Perhaps because the movement of the most blatant contradictions engendered by rampant capitalism was from its centres towards its periphery, and because the revolutionary dialectic it set in motion, came to a head at backyards of individual society rather than at its headquarters.

During the century that elapsed between the communist Manifesto and the Chinese Revolution, capitalism gradually spread as a net work of interest girdling the whole world, and whose contradictory dynamics had global repercussions. It attracted towards the nerve centres of industrial society an increasing proportion of resources produced else where, thus creating social, economic, cultural and political tension in colonized or dependent countries or aggravating any tension that was already appearing.

In these societies where certain traditional structures had been severely disrupted and which were underging alienation and exploitation, many intellectuals felt the certainty that made up their universe had become shaky. They then sought a direction in a world that had been imposed on them, penetrating the innermost recesses of their, universe and subverting it from within.

They strove to find new existential bearings and moorings in an ever changing situation, new levers to enable their peoples to regain destinies. In that context, Marx’s thought was perceived by those intellectuals above all as a system by which they could obtain a comprehensive understanding of reality and a reality in which they would no longer be the victims of history, but become one of the driving forces.

It interests me to ask why it is Marx’s thought in particular that Third World intellectuals are most interested in when several of its basic tenets are also found in the thinking of philosophers who were his precursors or contemporaries? Why did they not turn to Hege whose methods were initiated by Marx, and who based his philosophy of, history on a dialectic of master and slave which eventually led to the victory of the slave.

It would seem that in the eyes of the Third World two decisive factors distinguish Marx’s historical vision from all others. First , it was no longer the sole property of the Western world, it became universally valid.

Secondly, Marx’s vision shared in the scientific effort of his time, relating the laws of history to those of nature and conferring on them a rational and universal character accessible to people of the most diverse mentalities. When Marx moved the arena in which historical conflicts are resolved from the metaphysical to the economic , he simultaneously created the setting in which men could act and take a hand in forging their own destiny.

Pleasantly, after the second World War, Marxism became even more attractive as it embodied in the particular experience a model for Third World Countries. Therefore, those developing nations struggling with poverty could take a look at Marxism for the solution to their myriads of problems. I believe Marxism can answer the multitude of questions they face, especially concerning the forms of political organisation to be installed, economic structures to be established, investment priorities to be set and social, reforms to be carried out.

Surprisingly, those who have practical knowledge of financial management simply save money without adequate investments. It is doubtful if what they spend as money are profitable ventures.

Many end up expending their savings and get into arduousness when it is rainy day.

Apart from acquiring funds through the development of a sound savings and investment culture, individuals and culture, individuals and organisation’s can raise money at some point for different reasons. For instance, a company quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange to raise funds from the capital market for the purposes of re-capitalisation, project financing, debt servicing, among others, into new areas of business.

In undertaking this task, the company must have done some estimates well enough to embolden the capital market and its investors that such steps would yield some dividends and would ultimately result in success for the organizers. It was for this reason, Godswill Nwese, a financial expert based in Port Harcourt said that:

“The Stock Exchange, daunts any expenditure that will stunt the budget and hamper the objective of the funds. No wonder the NSE discourages an ever-stretched budget on publicity, and other sundry necessities capable of hampering the target of the money being raised”.

For individuals as in corporate bodies, the case is not different as money can be raised through informal contribution, co-operative society, bank savings, account, trade association welfare arrangement, religious and social associations. These efforts to acquire and plan one’s finances inform of co-operative actions have existed informally for sometime.

Mr. Anthony Dappa, an accountant, claimed that “informal co-operative actions had been in existence for long involving the pooling of resources, often meager, in an effort to obtained what is needed by members but which cannot be obtained by the use of an individual’s resources or efforts”.

There are many ways funds can be raised particularly in traditional societies. The ways include mutual aid or assistance. Such assistance comes in the form of child birth, deaths, naming ceremonies, among others. It was common to secure any kind of assistance from neighbours in the traditional societies.

There are also forms of traditional co-operatives which are demonstrated in savings and lending or joint possession of land. This creates access for the individual’s money. Mr. Ibifubara Tyger, a financial expert says.

“Low priority in finance management results from ignorance by the people to think assets, not liability”.

This means that funds should be raised not primarily to save or spend on frivolities but to invest. We have to be more asset-minded when we make substantial money not liability-minded. The error many commit is to acquire liabilities in the guise of assets.

For instance, when someone saves money over a period of time and it is used in purchase of a car not designed for commercial transportation, the car is a liability.

This nation operates an economy which prompts everyone to have a stable source of income in order to live comfortably. So it is expedient that workers adopt delayed gratification style in their choice of what to do with the lump sum of money they realise.

Mr. Moses Inowa, a trader, who deals in shoes and men’s wears in Port Harcourt, recounted his experience saying:

“I belong to a trade association that helps me gather N10,000 every two months by contributing some amounts of my earnings with some other traders in the market place”. This translates to N160,000 for Inowa.

Inowa was happy that over a period of time he had been able to open a provision/cosmetic shop in the old township axis. It had also enabled him to purchase a piece of land at Mile four, Diobu area and improved his standard of living. He now owns a truck which enables him to transport the items he trades in with ease.

But, the level of comfort Inowa sought to provide might diminish with time if he failed to invest properly. Everyone has to invest properly in areas that are beneficial in future when it may no longer be possible to work as hard.

Many businessmen or women and workers gather money but lack the understanding that it should be re-invested to bring a greater yield. One has to be sure that investment decision are taken wisely by consulting professionals. Those who seek to invest in the capital market will have to consult stock brokers.

There are respective forms of government, but on close examination of them it is apparent that democracy is the only one which needs propitions leaders and followers.

When great leaders are borne by good followers, what results is support to the leaders to perform better. But this is probable when the followers are at franchise to agree or disagree with such leaders where it is inevitable.

The theory which says leaders are self-made is presumptive.

In fact, leaders, good leaders, are proceeds of good followership by those who lend brace and selfless service to them.

Those who lead decoy commendation or criticism from their subjects, and this is missed, as same. When criticism or eulogy is constructive, leaders are edified. It is not odd to criticise or praise a leader whose performance is deserving of praise or criticism. To quote Lord Bryce, they are: “Visionaries who instincts for their nation’s future have a course to steer, a part to seek a nation to lead and people to mould”.

In Africa, nay Nigeria, it is knotty to be on the side of truth and stick out one’s neck for those in authority.

This is particularly worse in Nigeria where such attempt might court altercation. Many Nigerian leaders are consistently inconsistent, selfish and hardly stand for the truth or at least for principles. Because of the unprincipled stand of the leaders, some of them find themselves thoroughly messed up when the chips are down.

But it has also been discovered that some leaders take unprincipled stand because of poor followership and lack of gratitude by the led. When leaders are encouraged, they tend to lead aright. This was the practice even in the ancient era.

They muster democratic energies and boldness to damn anti-people and undemocratic policies. Such leaders are not desperate when new leaders are emerging and so will not bar or run them down.

There are some sycophants, who don’t see anything good or bad will attempt to hoot at emanating visionaries and selfless heads.

In Africa, leadership is fast becoming a thing of hereditary.

A man will seldom relinguish leadership position to someone outside his family, his circle of friends or those in his poltical cliques, who share similar interest with him.

Those who benefit from this system and feed fat on it would want to entrench it deeply.

There were occasions where some politicians who could hardly afford three square meals before assuming office, now have their children and wards in expensive schools in Europe and America.

In this circumstance, does one expect the progenies of these politicians to accept new leaders that may not guarantee their continuous indulgence in the ill-gotten wealth?

Sycophancy is all about selfish gains. But it is wrong for anyone to view every positive write-up or opinion about a leader as sycophantic.

Those who commended late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his party for their principled stand against the Tafawa Balewa government’s attempt at signing a military pact with the British in the First Republic were no sycophants. In fact, by their commendation they gave great encouragement to these leaders who today have been acknowledged for their various roles in their struggles for the nation’s independence.

Men like Amos, the Isreali writer, who extolled David Ben-Gurion for providing the needed leadership for the emergence of the modern Israeli state, was not a sycophant. General VO Nguyen, who with his inspiring articles in the newspapers applauded the Vietnamese leader, Ho Chi Mihn, was not a hired praise singer, but a soldier. Ghanshyam Das Birla, who abetted Mohandas Gandhi in his struggles for India’s independence and the early stages of his leadership was not a sycophant. Several writers or followers, who have foreborne no lengthy panegyric in describing good leaders are no fawners.

Leadership is not a simple task. In a time of crisis when some refuse to be identified, true leaders emerge and take principled stand. Take, for instance, during the debate on the constitutional amendment and the controversial tenure elongation in former President Obasanjo’s era, it took people of conscience and principle to take a stand either for or against. This threw up some potential leaders who would manifest in dew course.

Hence, those leaders who because of ulterior motives or fear of their political masters remain silent in the visage of crises are cowards. Good leaders, would make their positons known despite intimidation or threats from the powers that be. Winston Churchill describes these courageous leaders as those who “will take a decision to protect civilizations even though at great risk to themselves”.

A leader’s authority normally derives from the public’s belief in the need for his services and in his ability to rule; in the willingness of the individuals to suspend their own judgement and accept their leader because they trust him and the system he represents.

Sometimes the relationship between a leader and his followers may not be as smooth as it ought to be or undergoes periods of distrust or tension, and there is a drifting part not always result from a simple case of less of popularity by the leader but rather of credibility when the people discover that their leader deceives and lies to them regularly, thus creating a credibility gap between what he says and what he does, between what is reported and what eventually turns out to be the truth.

Like the shepherd boy in the fable who had his fun in deceiving his community that wolves had come to take his sheep when in fact nothing of the kind happened, a government that too readily rationalises its right to lie in a crisis will never lack for either lies or crises when it least expects them.

Nigeria is a state that comprises diverse ethnic groups, and it will be critical if a government fails to acknowledge this fact. It was in recognition of this that the old national authority placed a high premium on it: “,,,,though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand”.

As leaders continue to emerge, the best way to identify them as good or bad leaders is their reaction during crisis. They can also be identified in the way they respond to criticism. As Harry Truman would say: “Handling criticism if it’s untrue, disregard it; if it is unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it’s justified, learn from it”.

Good leadership is based on trust and principles and should be by example. For right example is contagious and induces imitation.

When a leader leads by right examples he will earn respect and loyalty. And even if he falls short on occasions, his good example will put him on an invincible position. No one can accuse him of hypocrisy.

A first-hand knowledge of the feud may make one wonder what
really is the truth as the tension that characterised the crisis was palpable. The Zonal Organising Secretary of NUEE, Comrade Temple Iworima, declared that the union was not against moves to privatise the PHCN. Its grouse with the Federal Government was over concerns arising from their
severance entitlements. A major point of disagreement is the whereabouts of money the PHCN management deducted from
salaries of workers over the years in the name of disengagement package.

The other point of contention is the workers’ aversion to
the amount the Federal Government intends to sell the PHCN with its assets and liabilities, which they have described as a gross under-valve of the entire assets.

But the main issue is the sudden disappearance of the super
annuation funds contributed by the workers which allegedly was about N300 billion. But the government’s position on the matter leaves one in a more confused state as to what the real questions are. The government thinks PHCN workers are a cog in the wheel of progress of the privatisation process. What this implies is that the NUEE members are fighting against efficiency.

A further stance of the government is to the effect that the
workers were not denied any entitlements neither were their salaries slashed. However, the conflict worsened when the Federal Government on August 15, 2012, drafted soldiers and mobile policemen to PHCN premises in Abuja. The action resulted in the shutting of the company to the workers who
were there to collect their severance packages.

I wonder why government at all levels uses soldiers to intimidate Nigerians. This development is becoming our own version of democracy. What was government’s intention for drafting those soldiers if not to intimidate the workers? The use of soldiers or mobile policemen in situations like this is unnecessary, particularly when lives and property are not threatened.

If the reasons for drafting soldiers to PHCN premises was to compel the workers to sign their severance package as it was rumoured in some quarters, then I think the government has some explanations to make. Soldiers, who are sustained with tax payers’ money, have a duty to protect Nigerians from the numerous security challenges they face daily and not to be used to intimidate them. PHCN workers, like other Nigerians, have the fundamental rights to protest against injustice and unfair treatment.

Any government policy that is inhuman is bound to impoverish
the people. If both the government and NUEE positions on the prevailing contention will be taken for what they are, why then the dispute? I think the whole issue degenerated to this point
because there was no communication flow between the two parties. Misinformation was rife.

The truth Chairis that the 60,000 PHCN workforce is unwieldy. The organisation has far more support staff than the actual technical people needed. And this was so because in the past, each time PHCN advertised vacant positions for qualified engineers, the powers-that-be would end up employing those who had nothing to do with engineering. That is why the company has always suffered dearth of qualified engineers. The situation was that bad. But do we heap the blame on the workers, who did not employ themselves?

I am really concerned about the pervasiveness of the struggle
of PHCN staff. The workers’ restiveness is not limited to Abuja alone. Some other PHCN formations have also witnessed protests. Many of these protests bore placards with unpalatable messages.

In Port Harcourt, employees of PHCN began an industrial
action on August 10, 2012. Workers and customers were prevented from gaining access to the company’s premises. Although the strike has been called of, it is hard to predict when the next one will occur.

The Federal Government should have acted in time to prevent the conflict. It ought to have addressed all pending issues before embarking on the privatisation move. It is erroneous to begin the privatisation when the workers had not got their dues.

It is immoral for the government to overlook the missing super annuation fund to which over N300 billion has allegedly been contributed by the workers. Investigations have to be conducted to determine its whereabouts.

I agree with the Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji, that such amount was unlikely to be contributed by the workers. It is either the funds were not contributed or they have been misappropriated.

However, I think all labour-related matters should be settled in order not to stall the laudable privatisation programme of the
sector which has advanced considerably. Indeed, government’s undemocratic action in the last few days casts aspersions on its sincerity with the programme.

The controversial package remains the most important issue
in the government/NUEE negotiations which has lasted more than 14 months. Therefore, this administration cannot afford to fail in that respect.

Why have we not heard the voices of our leaders or representatives both at the state and national levels on the massive closure of
factories and the resultant unemployment that follows? Are they waiting for Nigerian youths to shout hoax about the unbearable economic situation in the country?

The current poverty level that ravages Nigeria permeates most African countries and indeed the continent. Between 2005 and now, for instance, the number of the poor in Africa doubled, despite the fact that since the end of the Cold War, the global economy has effectively raised millions of people around the world out of poverty. Sadly, the number of those bailed out of poverty indicates that those of us in Africa are not part of the good news because the number of the poor keeps increasing appreciably instead.

As a result of the alarming downturn of the economies of most African nations occasioned by profligacy and political irresponsibility, most donor countries have recently begun to resist demands in aid to Africa
with the excuse of a “Western malady” which is known as “aid fatigue.” This suggests that the condition of poverty in Africa defies any curative intervention. Africa is just becoming in the minds of all, a bottomless pit. This is one source of the so-called Afro-pessimism, the view held among donors that Africa is a basket case, and beyond repair. Be it as it may, poverty is a global phenomenon. The reason
billions of people around the world are found in the bottom of the economic pyramid is that the rest of the world think very little of the poor. The poor are only seen as victims, people who are only fit for occasional philanthropy.

It is for this reason I support the “creative capitalism” model propounded by Bill gate, founder of Microsoft Corporation, which
emphasises the need for companies to be driven by not just profit alone, but by compassion for the poor. We can adopt this model in our nation. One way to do that is for the National Economic Team to set up a sub-committee to study investment opportunities among the poor. The global economic situation should inspire us to look inwards and identify areas where we have comparative advantage. I think agricultural input could do a lot more for our economy if only our government can pay adequate attention to it and make the subsidy of fertilizers to farmers more effective. It is much cheaper to subsidise fertilizer to avoid food crisis than to improve food or have food aid from else where.

Also, adequate attention should equally be paid to housing, water, education, sanitation and unemployment. Education is particularly important because the more educated a person is the more likely he is to take care of his health and be self-employed as well. Unfortunately, no infrastructure or services is in adequate supply in this country. The development has completely eroded Nigerians confidence in their leaders. The future looks very black. No one should be afraid of it
anymore, because we are all in trouble. Nothing can trouble us more. There is no greater pain that we can experience in the course of fighting than the consequences of watching our children inherit a life that has no future. A life that is devoid of hope.

By Arnold A. Alalibo | NNP | Nov. 11, 2012 |

But later the suggestion became clearer to me. I now understand why my friend specifically mentioned church and school. These are the two major institutions in this country which proliferation is hardly regulated. Both institutions enjoy many things in common. The difference is that one is spiritual, while the other is mundane. Talk about church, it is found everywhere, even in the streets. So are schools, particularly privately owned schools.

But if churches are established to usher us into a healthy spiritual relationship with our maker and grant us good morals in return, what is the unregulated accretion of schools designed to achieve in our society? Cheap education quality? I think so.

This remains the albatross of the education sector in Rivers State. There are too many illegal private schools in the State, many of which simply offer illiteracy, not education. My pain is that the government does very little or nothing about the unfortunate situation.

These sub-standard schools emerge on daily basis, while the authorities (I mean the government) watch the trend helplessly. Because the owners of the schools operate in unregulated environment, they site the institutions at squalid or unsightly locations, which are unconducive to learning. They often refer to those locations as temporary. But the truth is that many of them spend longer time than necessary at such places. They eventually convert them to  permanent sites.

Unfortunately, these so-called school sites are without space and playground. Some of them are glorified one room accommodation. During
break time, the children have nowhere to exercise themselves. For this reason, their teachers force them to remain in the class all the time.

Just imagine that kind of situation. Your child or ward goes to school at 7am or 8am as the case may be. And he remains on his seat till 4pm, which is the time many of the private schools close after having what they call lesson (another trick to extort money from parents).

Is that not the reason many of these children cry bitterly each morning they are woken up and prepared for school? Yes, they cry hard because they remember the several hours of confinement in the class. When they
recall how their teachers visit their frustration on them, especially in those
schools where caning  holds sway, they give their parents or guardians literal fight each day before they depart for school.

Play is natural to children. I cannot imagine a school where children lack sufficient space to play. It tantamounts to suffocating them. But the question is who approves these schools? If they are unapproved, why has the government failed to clamp-down on their owners? Or even close down the schools outrightly? I think something must be wrong somewhere. Somebody must be making a quick deal with the registration or unregistration of schools in the State.

I don’t have to remind any one that Rivers State has clear legal provisions on how private schools should emerge in the State.

Section 1, sub-section (1) of Education (Private Schools) Law in the Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999 is explicit on that. That section reads thus:

“No person shall establish, carry on, conduct or keep a private school or institution unless the school or institution has been duly registered under this law”.

It, therefore, beats my imagination why a clear legal provision on how privately owned schools should be established in the State is ignored by both school proprietors and the approving authorities. Is this not a
sufficient ground for the State Education Ministry to descend on these illegal school owners that dot every nook and cranny of the State?

Those who have discerning eyes don’t need to be told the reason for the inaction of the supervisory authorities. Illegal schools don’t thrive in the State without the conspiracy of some Ministry of Education officials. I have no doubt that these officials are compromised by desperate proprietors to overlook some of their lapses, particularly those which the law prescribes as mandatory before registration. That is why illegally operated private schools flourish.

I am sure if the State government is taken to task on how many private schools that operate in the State, we may get the shocker of our lives. The implication of this is that it is hard to determine the quality of
education they offer.

Owing to poor supervision by the government, some private schools have already become centres for examination malpractices and are commonly referred to as “miracle centres”. Parents are always willing to pay
any amount to these “centres” to ensure that their children obtain their
results at a sitting. Such is the level of decadence prevalent in some of these
schools.

Private schools in Rivers State are taking so much for granted. This is because the State Education Ministry is weak and has failed to live up to expectation. For instance, is it not the responsibility of the Ministry to ensure that school calendar is harmonised. Why has it left these schools to run the calendar the way they wish? Why has the ministry not done anything about the poor remuneration private schools owners pay their staff, particularly when it is understood that there is a nexus between remuneration and output?

May be I should open a school as my friend advised and stop agonising.

By Arnold A. Alalibo | NNP | Oct. 31, 2012 -

For 40-year old Nyeduko Mbapari (not real names) a housewife
based in Port Harcourt, August 15, 2012, was a day she will ever live to
remember.

On that day, three hefty men lured her daughter into an
uncompleted building in the neighbourhood and gang raped her.

After discovering the horrible incident, Mbapari ensured
that the culprits were arrested and prosecuted, but her efforts were frustrated
by her husband. His reasons? The name and honour of the daughter and the family
must be safeguarded.

“My husband warned me that, I should not tell the thing to
anybody so that it will not bring shame to our house. When I said no, that I
will report the case to the police and the army people at the junction near our
house, he threatened to drive me away that he will not marry me again,” Mbapari
recounted her ordeal in tears.

Mrs Mbapari’s plight is indicative of the auguish of many
others in Port Harcourt and the nation, where rape cases are downplayed and
swept under the carpet owing to fears of the victim’s stigmatisation in the
society. Such fears are founded, as there are many stories about the stigma
which hapless victims of rape face in the society.

A housewife, who chose to be simply identified as Abarasin,
a mother of five, narrated to The Tide the tale of a rape incident in her
neighbourhood which spelt serious consequences on the victim after it was
disclosed to the public.

“People run away from her (the victim) like a leper because
her image has been tarnished by what happened to her. Since then, the girl has
been living in shame,” Abarasin said.

In addition, a furniture maker, Mr. Christopher Barile,
recounted how a 60-year old man raped his six-year old niece. He recalled how he
tried to convince his brother (the girl’s father) to report the matter to the
police to no avail. He said, virtually all the family members then kicked
against his suggestion vehemently, insisting that the disadvantages of
reporting the matter to the police far outweighed the advantages.

Some observers maintain that the situation has tacitly
encouraged rapists to go on  perpetrating
the crime because they might get away scot-free.

“When these rapists move about as free as the air, what do
you expect? They will always look for unfortunate girls and women to rape,
since, they knew that nothing would happen,” said Azuatalam Ikedia, a student.

Despite the development, many people in Rivers State and
beyond regard rape as a heinous crime which should not go unpunished. Without
prejudice to this view point, little or nothing can be achieved in efforts to
curb the menace of rape in the State if people prefer to keep silence and
refrain from reporting rape cases because of extraneous factors, including the
victim’s stigma.

However, the people’s attitude regarding the concealment of
rape cases and the stigmatization of rape victims had been a source of concern
to a young youth corper, Mr. Boma Kuro.

According to him, rape victims were stigmatized because they
were regarded as women of easy virtue who are vulnerable to the deadly
HIV/AIDS.

“Rape victims are stigmatised because men of the society
usually regard them as people who have acquired sexually – transmitted diseases
like HIV/AIDS. They would not like to associate themselves with them. If you
marry them as a man, everyone will see you as marrying one who has been used by
other men”, Kuro declared.

Kuro noted that stigmatisation of rape victims could only
end when those who were raped declared it in the open. Correspondingly, he
said, rapists must be prosecuted and punished according to law.

“To end the stigmatisation, the first thing is for those who
have been raped to come out and say they have been raped. Secondly, they should
take action against the rapists and make sure that they are punished in
accordance with the law, “ Kuro advocated.

Available police records show that reported rape cases were
just a tip of the iceberg as there were several unreported cases. Such cases,
according to the source, had to do with minors, whose parents and relations
prefer to conceal the incidents for fear of stigmatization in the society.

This underscores the need for society’s resolve to tackle
the stigmatization of rape victims in order not to give a Leeway to
perpetrators of the crime. The frustration of people on the issue should give
sufficient pep to lawmakers in the country to enact stringent laws and prison
terms for proven cases.

A retired police officer, who chose to remain anonymous,
noted that the failure of the people to report rape cases to the police had
been making efforts to stamp out the crime some what futile. He said while he
was a serving officer in the force, so many rape incidents were heard, but only
few of them were reported. He attributed this development to stigmatization
which he stated prevented victims of rape from exposing perpetrators.

The retired police man urged value re-orientation as well as
immediate commencement of sensitization campaigns as quick solutions.

“From experience, most parents of the victims are reluctant
to report incidents of rape. Their reason has always been that their daughters
may find it difficult to find suitors who want to marry them in future.

“What I am saying in essence is that most men would not want
to associate with a lady who has been raped: it should not be like that because
whoever is raped did not do it out of her own volition.

“If these rapists know that women would come out to talk
about the act and expose those who raped them, then we  have gone halfway,” he said.

Investigations by The Tide revealed that even in situations
where culprits are arrested and charged to court, parents pressurize the police
to withdraw the case for fear that the matter, may tarnish their image. This
often results in culprits getting away with their acts only to repeal the same
crime shortly.

However, some analysts described the situation as extremely
worrisome and contend that the dangers inherent in concealing heinous crime
such as rape can never be underestimated. They nonetheless, advocated mounting
public sensitization camp aligns on the issue through workshops and public
awareness activities, particularly at the grassroots.

They also insisted that society must decide on encouraging
victims to expose rapists and ensure that they were duly sanctioned to serve as
a deterrent to others.