Opinion
Cost Of Women Emancipation
The current clamour for a unisex world by women emancipation apostles all over the world is now a topical issue. The clamour has gained so much ground. Its popularity was made possible by its patronage by the United Nations and some other countries of the world, especially the developed world. Considering a unisex world from human angle might be plausible but what kind of world is it going to bequeath to us? A world which is completely unisex in which one has to look very closely before knowing whether a human being is a male or female, to me, is going to be a very strange world full of confusions and negativities.
History has it that a wife’s name was recorded in her husband’s ledger book which made her husband’s property. In those days, the relationship between man and woman was cordial and harmonious. Men were actually the breadwinners, while women used to support their husbands in obedience and humility. The warmth of women at home when their husbands returned from their daily toils was always felt. In a nutshell, a deep exploration of available antecedents proves that public life has not been the lots of women. But today, the case is surprisingly different. Modern women today tend to rise from a sudden realisation and have rejected their naturally assistant position. Instead, they opt for public life and have chosen to rub shoulders with men. It is now a popular jingle to hear that whatever a man can do a woman can do, even better.
Armed with this belief, women are aggressively demanding for equal space in the governance of their various societies. Nigerian women, in order to toe the lines of Western women in their agitation, have degenerated to doing things that were hitherto anathemic to our moral and cultural values. Nigerian women today are not only involved in politics but want to edge the men out. It is no longer uncommon to see women attending late night political meetings, leaving their husbands at home with children. For all I know, it is not our culture that a woman becomes a soldier and carries arms, or a police man that runs night duties. I have also never heard where a woman was a taxi driver in the good old days. But today, we have a lot of them as taxi drivers and bus conductors. That women want to be like men, talk as men, sit as men, dress as men, work as men, think and behave as men, to me, portends doom.
Recorded women agitations started in America in the 1840s. In a conference held by women in New York, they called for the amendment of the American Constitution to reflect the existence of women. They argued that the then American Constitution did not recognise women in national life. During this period, American women were disenfranchised and therefore took no part in the politics of America .In Europe, the German experience gives the picture of women struggle. The Welmer Constitution therefore gave equal political class to both genders. The German women were also granted legal rights to acquire land and own property. Also in 1970, Britain passed the Property Act to law which gave British women the right to own property like their American and German counterparts.
In the fourth international conference held in Beijing, in 1995, women recorded another milestone in their emancipation struggle. Their request for reservation of 30 per cent of positions in governments all over the world was granted. Nigeria too, during the Second Republic, adopted the UN Human Rights clause through the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, and the 1979 Constitution subsequently granted equal rights to all.There is nothing wrong in granting some rights to women. Women are human beings and so should not be treated otherwise. But the clamour for equality of men and women is unacceptable.
From the Christian point of view, man is older than the woman. God gave man the charge over everything including woman. This makes sex differences a natural factor that cannot be done away with. Unisex world, therefore, is grossly destructive and shamefully anti-nature. Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher, emphatically stated that the woman is cut out to be rated by man. He stated that “the relationship between the male and the female is naturally that of the superior to the inferior, of the ruler to the ruled”.
Another author, Hegel, whose works have helped greatly in shaping the human community said inter alia that the place of the woman is in the home and that the spheres of politics and the state belong to the man.
The intense longing for equality with men by women has grave consequences. We must admit that the moral decadence and chaotic nonsense we are facing today is traceable to this agitation. Today, public and social life has taken women out of their family responsibilities as they struggle to gain a good chunk of the economy and this has created a yawning gap at home with its great consequences on the children. If something is not done fast to check the excesses of our women in public life, the brunt will be gross lack of good leaders tomorrow.
By: John Ordy
Ordy wrote in from Port Harcourt.
Opinion
The Rantings Of Rivers ALGON
For the first time in the last eight years , one can observe a moribund and toothless, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter trying to lull the people of Rivers State in believing that it exists, that it is versed and abreast with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), knowledgeable about subsisting judicial pronouncements on the Local government administration matters by courts of competent jurisdiction, and it has workers and. the people’s welfare at heart.
These wrong impressions can be deduced from the text of the Press Conference delivered by the Association last week.
Despite the window dressing and cosmetic posture that the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Rivers Sttate chapter wants to impress on the people and residents of Rivers State, it is crystal clear that workers at the Third Tier of Government have not fared well in the last eight years of the repressive and workers unfriendly immediate past administration in the State.
While workers at the State were fortunate to have a controversial minimum wage paid to them, local Government workers did not benefit from the N30,000 Minimum Wage which became a legal instrument about six years until March 2024, following a directive by the Executive Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to Local Government chairmen in the State to immediately implement the minimum wage, wage award and promote workers.
Where was.the Legal Adviser of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, whose statutory responsibility it was to advise the former Rivers State. Governor that it is an affront on the sensibilities of workers and fragrant.breach of extant law to not pay minimum wage to workers at.the 23 Local Government councils.
Civil servants at the State and Local Government councils were not promoted and did not benefit from the annual incremental credit for about ten years. The incremental credit is a paltry and very insignificant amount compared to the inputs of workers to drive implementation of government policies and programmes and what elective office holders take home within the comparable period.
I had expected a “concerned and workers-friendly ‘ Association of Local Government in the State to midwife the promotion of workers, implementation of Minimum wage and fulfill their statutory obligations to the workers and the people at the local government areas whose resources they hold in trust and on whose behest they are in power.
It therefore beats my imagination that Local Government Chairmen of ALGON, who are products of the ballot and not appointees of the former governor lost their “Executive” status and played the second fiddle role. Even when there was unconfirmed tampering of local government funds, they could not protest or raise an eye brow.
How the people who were cowardly and timid before the former administration in the State suddenly cultivated and imbibed the effrontry and temerity to hold a Press Conference attempting to disparage the performing and conscientious Sir Siminalayi Fubara-led administration leaves much to be desired and a bad taste in the mouth of all patriotic and truthful Rivers people.
I expected the self serving chairmen under the aegis of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria to brace up to the challenges of seeming derecognition and denial of their right of expression as elected chairmen by the former administration in the State.
While the ALGON has the legitimacy to contest violation of, or infringement on their interests, such protest should not be seen as selective. Between 1999 and 2003, the Association of Local Government of.Nigeria in Rivers State was vociferous and so alive to its onus that they rejected allocations that did not reflect the true figures of what the local government councils deserved from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC). That was when ALGON was keen and committed to the essence of its formation. That was a real workers-friendly ALGON.
However, with the advent of crude and uncivilised godfatherism that circumvented real democratic processes for manipulative and coercive selection that ultimately produced unpopular candidates of the godfather, chairmen were reduced to puppets, playing subservient roles for their benefactors instead of protecting the interest and welfare of workers and the people of their local government areas, who they ought to represent.
Having therefore failed to speak up for workers and defend the welfare of the people of their local government areas, at a time they were oppressed, the association in my candid opinion does not have the moral justification to cry fowl against the present administration in Rivers State whose policies and programmes so far, reveal that the governor understands that the legitimacy of his administration is derived from the people, so he is accountable to them by putting in place infrastructure that will give fresh breath to a people who are recuperating from the suffocation of repressive and coercive governance.
Sir Siminalayi Fubara is today a messiah to workers in Rivers State. Local government. workers are .being paid minimum wage, promoted and duly placed at their appropriate levels after 10 years of no promotion.
Civil servants in the State are sure of receiving their pensions immediately after retirement from service which was a marked. departure from previous administration.
Rather than vilifying or demonising the present administration in the State, the Association of Local Government of.Nigeria, Rivers State should thank the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for doing in less than one year what their grand master could not do for them and workers in eight years.
Remember, everyone will stand in the court of history and posterity to account for their actions and inactions in office.
Igbiki Benibo
Opinion
Kidnapping: Need For Govt To Address The Monster
Kidnapping, a heinous crime, cannot be condoned in any circumstances. The situation in Nigeria, characterised by various security challenges, including the presence of militant groups and criminal organisations, requires a multifaceted approach to address its root causes.
A report by the Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, a security risk management and intelligence company based in Abuja, stated that at least 2,583 people were killed and 2,164 kidnapped in the first quarter of this year.
The record carries the number of killings and abductions across the country from January to March, indicating that 80 percent of the killings and 94 percent of the abductions occurred in the Northern part of Nigeria.
This report, however, varied with the position by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who said that the casualty figures were going down, the consulting firm’s report showed that an average of 28 persons were killed and 24 kidnapped.
The Nigerian government, through the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, during the maiden edition of the annual lecture series organised by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, said the security situation was under control.
The casualty figures in zones, according to the data from the Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, revealed that out of the people killed during the period, 793 were from the North-West, 681 from the North-East and 596 from the North-Central. The casualties were recorded from bandits’ attacks, farmers/herders’ conflicts and communal clashes.
The South-West recorded 194 killings, the South-South, 161 people; and South-East, 158. The five states with the highest number of killings were Borno, 517; Benue, 313; Katsina, 252; Zamfara, 212 and Kaduna, 206. The data showed that out of the 2,164 persons abducted within the period, 1,297 were kidnapped in the North-West, 421 in the North-East, 330 in the North-Central, 30 in the South-West, 66 in the South-South and 20 in the South-East.
Kaduna State recorded the highest number of abductees with 546; Zamfara, 447; Borno, 340; Katsina, 252 and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 102. Experts hope that the present government under President Bola Tinubu will do the needful.
Firstly, addressing the socioeconomic factors that contribute to kidnapping is crucial. High unemployment rates, poverty, and lack of economic opportunities push individuals towards criminal activities. Investing in education, job creation programmes, and infrastructure development can help alleviate these issues and provide alternatives to crime.
Secondly, strengthening law enforcement and judicial systems is essential. Improving police training, equipping them with necessary resources, and enhancing collaboration between security agencies can help in apprehending criminals and ensuring justice for victims. Additionally, enhancing the efficiency of the judicial process and holding perpetrators accountable through swift and fair trials can deter future criminal activities.
Furthermore, enhancing intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities can help in preempting kidnapping attempts and dismantling criminal networks. Cooperation between government agencies, intelligence services, and international partners can facilitate information sharing and coordination in combating organised crime.
Moreover, addressing corruption within the government and security forces is imperative. Corruption undermines efforts to combat crime by facilitating criminal activities and eroding public trust in institutions. Implementing anti-corruption measures, promoting transparency, and holding corrupt officials accountable can help in restoring trust and integrity within the system.
Community engagement and empowerment play a vital role in preventing kidnapping and other crimes. Building strong community relationships, fostering trust between residents and law enforcement agencies, and promoting community-based initiatives can help in identifying and addressing security threats at the grassroots level.
Finally, kidnapping in Nigeria is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach. Addressing socioeconomic factors, strengthening law enforcement and judicial systems, enhancing intelligence capabilities, combating corruption, engaging communities, and promoting international cooperation are all crucial components in combating kidnapping and improving security in the country. However, it is important to remember that any strategy must prioritise human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of innocent lives.
Badamasi Junaidu
Junaidu writes from Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi.
Opinion
Local Government As Agent Of Nation Building
Development is regarded as sequential changes or growths that occur in a society or country over time. It remains a product of good governance, which mostly lies in the hands of those at the helm of affairs at a particular time and process that led to the emergence of such leaders.
The local government is universally found in contemporary societies, both in the developed and developing countries. It is a vital political institution, such that modern politics and administration revolves around it. Today, most countries across the globe have adopted democratic system of government, being the government of the people, by the people and for the people. In these countries, governance is centered on three tiers with constitutional backing to aid rapid development. A country like Nigeria has three tiers of government, Federal, State and Local Governments. Each tier has constitutional roles, aimed at complementing each other. The mother of them, that is, the Federal Government, plays significant roles in nation building, and this is one of the reasons why citizens always look unto the presidency and participate actively during presidential elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It is an established fact that citizens also perform their civic responsibilities as expected during the governorship elections, while there is a lot of apathy during the chairmanship and councillorship elections, forgetting that without a solid foundation, the longevity of structure or building is in doubt.
Citizens’ nonchalant attitude to the process that produces public administrators at the grassroots is quite alarming, and this usually results into having the wrong peg in the right hole.
Findings revealed that voter apathy associated with local government council elections was due to non-performance of some previous elected administrators, lack of security of lives or property and lack of trust in States Independent Electoral Commission (SIECs). Others include introduction of caretaker committees to man the affairs of the councils, do-or-die approach of political soldiers to the council’s polls, interest of the incumbent governors, choice of political godfathers, influence of respected monarchs and many more. The local government is a tier of government that provides essential services to the public, such as health and safety, transportation, sanitation, environmental, and utilities.
Also, it is the tier of government that ensures grading of rural roads, management of basic schools, local markets, among others. Public administrators play a crucial role in the delivery of these services and the management of local government organisations. Some time ago, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, at the swearing-in ceremony of chairmen and vice chairmen of Nsit Ibom and Urue–Offong / Oruka Local Governments, compelled chairmen of the local government councils in the state to reside within their areas of jurisdiction for effective delivery on their mandate and development of rural areas.
Also, the ongoing campaign or demand for financial autonomy for local government by relevant stakeholders in the country further attests to how important this tier of government is in building a prosperous and self-sustained nation.
This development led to the conduct of local government council election in the 33 local government council areas of the state in 2021 by the current leadership of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), headed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju. About 30 percent of registered voters took part in the election, a result that further attest to the long-time nonchalant attitude of citizens and residents to local government council elections. According to records, the feat attained by the commission in terms of voter turnout was the highest in recent times.
No doubt, democracy provides opportunity for people to choose their leaders and enables citizens to make their opinions known to those in power, enjoy good governance and interface with the authorities, especially those at the grassroots.
Adegoke writes in from Ibadan, Oyo State.
By: Adedamola Adegoke
-
News4 days ago
FG To Receive $2.25bn World Bank Loan, June 13
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
PDP Belongs To All Of Us, Oborevwori Assures Protesters
-
Featured2 days ago
2026 World Cup, My Immediate Task -Finidi
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
Solar Panels, EV Batteries To Be Manufactured In Nigeria – Tinubu
-
Health2 days ago
RSG Harps On Family Planning As SFH Unveils Injectables For Women
-
Sports2 days ago
‘Nigeria Set For Paris 2024 Olympic Games’
-
News4 days ago
EFCC Arrests 26 Internet Fraudsters In Rivers
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Delta LG Polls: Oborevwori Seeks Gender Inclusiveness