Editorial
Need For S’South Dev Commission
President Muhammadu Buhari, on April 9, 2019, inaugurated the Maj-Gen Paul Tarfa-led 11-member board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), established on October 25, 2017, with the mandate to coordinate the rebuilding of the insurgency-ravaged North East region. The National Assembly had in October, 2016 passed the bill while the president signed it into law in October, 2017.
The NEDC is charged with the responsibility to, “among other things, receive and manage funds from allocation of the Federal Account, local and international donors for the settlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency as well as tackling menace of poverty, illiteracy level, ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the North-East states” of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
Modelled along the management structure of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with a governing board, comprising a chairman; a managing director and chief executive; three executive directors (one from each member-state not being represented by the chairman of the board, the managing director and the representative of the North-East zone); one person each to represent the six geo-political zones of Nigeria; and one person to represent the Federal Ministry of Finance; and Budget and National Planning.
Similarly, the Senate on December 12, 2018, passed a 30-clause bill sponsored by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and designed to establish the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to receive, manage and administer funds from allocation from the federation for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and reparation for lost houses and businesses of victims of the Nigerian Civil War, and also address any environmental or developmental challenges as well as other related matters in the geo-political zone, comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.
The House of Representatives concurred to the bill on May 16, 2019. And both chambers curiously failed to consider the fact that all South-South states also suffered devastating impacts from the ravages of the civil war, including dislocation and destruction of properties and businesses, in addition to loss of loved ones.
Designed to lay to rest incessant agitations from various quarters of marginalisation and neglect of the zone and ensure the unity and oneness of the country as encapsulated in the Yakubu Gowon initiative for the area which was abandoned, the commission, when signed into law, will function just like the NDDC and the NEDC.
The Tide is aware of the clamour in certain quarters for establishment of development commissions for other geo-political zones to address the peculiar needs of their people and environments. We also reckon with another argument for the creation of Nigerian Development Commission as a clearing house for synthesizing, managing and coordinating the development needs of each zone in the country rather than encumbering the nation with development commissions in each geo-political zone.
While we are not opposed to concerted and integrated efforts to secure the development of each of the zones, we must caution politicians to be careful not to politicize everything in the country.
We acknowledge that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander, but both the National Assembly and the Federal Government must realize that the NDDC, which every politician is struggling to replicate in their zone, was informed by centuries of fears of marginalization, neglect, oppression and deprivation of minority groups in the Niger Delta, which did not include the South-East and South-West regions.
While we appreciate the establishment of the NDDC in 2000 with the mission of facilitating the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful, we regret to state that the commission, as currently structured and constituted, does not represent the interest and concerns of the age-long deprived people of the South-South.
We say so because with the political definition of the Niger Delta, as contained in the NDDC Act, which added Abia and Imo from the South-East, and Ondo from the South-West zones as members and beneficiaries of the commission’s policies and programmes, the core South-South states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers have been glaringly short-changed, and the main purpose of the NDDC clearly defeated, ab initio.
Indeed, when the colonial administration ventilated the concerns of the minority groups in the Niger Delta, and held several conferences before Nigeria’s Independence to agree on workable structures to manage the peculiar development needs of the people, the present configuration was not in the picture, as the now South-East and South-West regions were comfortable with the status and pace of development in their communities.
We think that the creation of SEDC, and possibly, South West Development Commission in future, will give such states as Abia, Imo and Anambra in the South-East, and Ondo and Lagos in the South-West, as well as Bauchi and Borno in the North-East, where crude oil have been found, and is being exploited or exploration is ongoing, undue advantage over the South-South states, because they will still benefit from the NDDC.
This is why we insist on the establishment of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to frontally tackle the environmental and development challenges of the impoverished people. We believe that if there is any zone in this country that requires special development agenda and institution to harness its challenges and drive development of affected communities, it is the South-South. If for nothing, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report recommendations have set the groundwork for the establishment of such commission, with dedicated funding, for addressing the social, economic, environmental and developmental issues in the zone.
We, therefore, challenge National Assembly members from the six states in the zone to come together, articulate and formulate a bill to establish the SSDC, specifically tailored to resolve the resolutions and recommendations of the 1958 Willinks Commission. Perhaps, the lawmakers would also need to synergise with political leaders in the zone, especially governors, to frame a structure and institution that would be sustainable and address the people’s concerns, in the long run. This step, we think, will assuage frayed nerves in the zone, who feel disadvantaged by the subsisting NDDC Act, coverage, management structure and mandate.
It began as a seemingly minor in- flight disagreement. Comfort Emmason, a passenger on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, reportedly failed to switch off her mobile phone when instructed by the cabin crew. What should have been a routine enforcement of safety regulations spiralled into a physical confrontation, sparking a national debate on the limits of airline authority and the rights of passengers.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) wasted no time in condemning the treatment meted out to Emmason. In a strongly worded statement, the body described the incident as “a flagrant violation of her fundamental human rights” and called for a thorough investigation into the conduct of the airline staff. The NBA stressed that while passengers must adhere to safety rules, such compliance should never be extracted through intimidation, violence, or humiliation.
Following the altercation, Emmason found herself arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court and remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, a location more commonly associated with hardened criminals than with errant passengers. In a surprising turn of events, the Federal Government later dropped all charges against her, citing “overriding public interest” and concerns about due process.
Compounding her woes, Ibom Air initially imposed a lifetime ban preventing her from boarding its aircraft. That ban has now been lifted, following mounting public pressure and calls from rights groups for a more measured approach. The reversal has been welcomed by many as a step towards restoring fairness and proportionality in handling such disputes.
While her refusal to comply with crew instructions was undeniably inappropriate, questions linger about whether the punishment fit the offence. Was the swift escalation from verbal reminder to physical ejection a proportionate response, or an abuse of authority? The incident has reignited debate over how airlines balance safety enforcement with respect for passenger rights.
The Tide unequivocally condemns the brutal and degrading treatment the young Nigerian woman received from the airline’s staff. No regulation, however vital, justifies the use of physical force or the public shaming of a passenger. Such behaviour is antithetical to the principles of customer service, human dignity, and the rule of law.
Emmason’s own defiance warrants reproach. Cabin crew instructions, especially during boarding or take-off preparations, are not mere suggestions; they are safety mandates. Reports suggest she may have been unable to comply because of a malfunctioning power button on her device, but even so, she could have communicated this clearly to the crew. Rules exist to safeguard everyone on board, and passengers must treat them with due seriousness.
Nigerians, whether flying domestically or abroad, would do well to internalise the importance of orderliness in public spaces. Adherence to instructions, patience in queues, and courteous engagement with officials are hallmarks of civilised society. Disregard for these norms not only undermines safety but also projects a damaging image of the nation to the wider world.
The Emmason affair is not an isolated case. Former Edo State Governor and current Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, once found himself grounded after arriving late for an Air Peace flight. Witnesses alleged that he assaulted airline staff and ordered the closure of the terminal’s main entrance. This is hardly the conduct expected of a statesman.
More recently, a Nollywood-worthy episode unfolded at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, involving Fuji icon “King”, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1. In a viral video, he was seen exchanging heated words with officials after being prevented from boarding an aircraft.
Events took a dangerous turn when the aircraft, moving at near take-off speed, nearly clipped the 68-year-old musician’s head with its wing. Such an occurrence points to a serious breach of airport safety protocols, raising uncomfortable questions about operational discipline at Nigeria’s gateways.
According to accounts circulating online, Wasiu had attempted to board an aircraft while he was carrying an alcoholic drink and refused to relinquish it when challenged. His refusal led to de-boarding, after which the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, imposed a six-month “no-fly” ban, citing “unacceptable” conduct.
It is deeply concerning that individuals of such prominence, including Emmason’s pilot adversary, whose careers have exposed them to some of the most disciplined aviation environments in the world, should exhibit conduct that diminishes the nation’s reputation. True leadership, whether in politics, culture, or professional life, calls for restraint and decorum, all the more when exercised under public scrutiny.
Most egregiously, in Emmason’s case, reports that she was forcibly stripped in public and filmed for online circulation are deeply disturbing. This was an act of humiliation and a gross invasion of privacy, violating her right to dignity and falling short of the standards expected in modern aviation. No person, regardless of the circumstances, should be subjected to such degrading treatment.
Ibom Air must ensure its staff are trained to treat passengers with proper decorum at all times. If Emmason had broken the law, security personnel could have been called in to handle the matter lawfully. Instead, her ordeal turned into a public spectacle. Those responsible for assaulting her should face prosecution, and the airline should be compelled to compensate her. Emmason, for her part, should pursue legal redress to reinforce the principle that justice and civility must prevail in Nigeria’s skies.