NIGERIA's INSTITUTE OF PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION; A MIASMA OF ROT AND DECAY

NIGERIA's INSTITUTE OF PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION; A MIASMA OF ROT AND DECAY

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) was established in February, 2000 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It's objective is primarily a research centre, a think-tank and an agency to strengthen Nigeria's capacity for the promotion of peace, conflict prevention, management and resolution.

Special investigation has revealed that the institute in the last few months has become a national shame and been filled with pervasive rot thus it's failure to fulfill its mandate and objectives as prescribed by its setup aim and objectives.

The alarm bells began to ring when there were accusations that Nigeria's First lady Dame Patience Jonathan had taken over the facility hosting the institute at its central area office in Abuja. This happened prior to the first lady's international conference for first ladies of fellow African countries recently held in the nations federal capital.

An investigation was carried out which revealled that initial feelers coming from the institute was only a tip on the ice berg as the management of the institute under Dr. Joseph Golwa has lost focus and intentionally been gradually leading the institute astray.

A member of  staff of the institute who spoke on condition of anomity however exonerated the high handedness of the office of the first lady claiming, the institute had gotten to where it is because of a failure in management.

Another member of staff was not so civil as he claimed that the rot in the institute did not start immediately but had been festering over the years. Though he disputed that the office of the first lady did not take over the whole facility and admitted that some part of the facility was taken over, He said that in fact the management invited the office of the first lady in a bid to save their face after discovering that the growing discontent among staff was becoming manifest and thus the need to attract favor from personalities in high places.

A chat with another staff who was visibly angry at how the institute had turned out revealed much more, she claimed that it is time for federal authorities to investigate the management style of the leadership, she also added that over the last few years, promotion of staff has been stalled and selective. She disclosed that there has been no training for any member of staff unless you are in the good books of Dr Joseph Golwa , who has also used promotion and retrenchment as a tool of vendetta to frustrate all that dare oppose his style of leadership.

She cited examples of some Ass. Directors and Directors that were rendered redundant and later sacked in the last few years and gave their names as Dr Ojiji and Mr Obafemi. Ojiji was demoted from Director to Ass. director and later dismissed for dare challenging the leadership style of Dr Golwa while Mr Obafemi was first rendered redundant before he was later dismissed.

She says it is time Nigerians and the federal government, hold Dr. Golwa accountable as the institute is not his private business.

While some claim that Nigeria is currently facing an insurgency war against dreaded terrorist organization BOKO Haram and others argue that finding a lasting solution to this national malaise falls under the immediate purview of the core mandate of the institute, there are many who think that a thorough reorganization is necessary by the oversighting ministry; the ministry of foreign affairs.

Auwal Rafsanjani from the Zero Corruption Coalition however thinks that the office of the first lady is culpable and maintains that the happenings within the agency is a reflection of the intensity of corruption within the country. 

Rafsanjani maintains that occupation of any government facility by the first lady is illegal and an abuse of public resources claiming that her office is not recognized by the Nigerian constitution. He maintains that putting the blame alone on the failure of Dr Joseph Golwa's management is justifying an illegality.

Jaiye Gaskia from the United Action for Democracy (UAD) when commenting on the issue stated that the eviction of a statutory government agency by an NGO is not only illegally but a further demonstration of impunity of this government and manifestation of corruption at the highest level. He states that the UAD's information on this issue reveals that even adjourning car parks of the institute were also confiscated.

Gaskia wants this impunity urgently stopped and monies spent in renovations which according to the UAD runs into the tune of billions of naira investigated. This is since the first lady's NGO is a private organization and not owned by government. 

Calls made to the mobile phone of Dr. Golwa was not answered and text messages also sent was also not replied. Investigations also revealed that in recent months he has been traveling around Africa, doing the bidding of the NGO of the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

This piece was written by Uyi Amadin Joseph, an Abuja based Journalist. He can be reached via amadin2000@yahoo.com

OLYMPIC SHAME: ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY BEGGING...

OLYMPIC SHAME: ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY BEGGING...

The recent performance of NIGERIA's athletes in the just concluded London Olympics is another opportunity begging President Jonathan to redeem himself.

A nation that in the last few years has been characterized by mediocrity and bad governance is indeed in need of selfless leaders with a clear cut blueprint to solve nigeria's numerous challenges. It is clear that indeed the waters of failure has manifested itself in our everyday life trickling from those in governance to the people they are mandated to govern.

Out of excuse for our national leaders of thought, one might be tempted to say that the leadership did not perform in the Olympics but the athletes, who should be blamed. However, we will not be quick to insist that preparation for national competitions does not begin with the athletes but those who have been saddled with the responsibility of choosing them using scarce national resources which would have been channeled to other uses.

The nigerian Olympic performance is truly a reflection of everything that has satirically become Nigeria. Even success in national exams like the recently released school certificate examination and the popular jamb exams has become a pipe dream. A situation where less that 35% success rate in notable exams receives a victory shout, displays the level the nation has descended. Will we be quick to forget the recent Oteh saga where cries about her style of administration and its attendant effects on the stock market fell to deaf ears, and government still reinstated her to continue her governance of shame. Time will let me to continue to cite different examples as it is evident to all that Mediocrity has indeed taken over our national and moral consciousness.

Nigeria has become a conundrum that has defied even the most intelligent and most resolute of thinkers.

Other sectors of the nation has not been able to escape the pervasive rot evident in all sectors of the country. This is because of the proverbial African adage which says that the head cannot be sick with the body unaffected by the disease. 

It is time to begin to appraise leaders by their performance and not by empty promises and assurances. Those who are given mandates to perform must live up to the expectations or be shoved out of the door. The days of giving national awards to people based on political affiliations and not on performance must come to an end.

While many Nigerians groan about the lackluster and dismal performance by team Nigeria in the just concluded Olympics, it is another opportunity begging President Jonathan to redeem himself and his government. This is not time to set up committees with fat budgets to probe the failure at the Olympics, which will in turn follow the norm of their predecessors by summiting the usual white paper that will not be touched by government, but to reappraise the selection process of individuals in all national assignments.

This administration has given one excuse too many and governance in Nigeria has now became what many call, a travesty.

With loads of unkept promises waiting to be fulfilled by this administration and many Nigerians expecting the minister of sports to be given a pat on the back, President Goodluck Jonathan must remember that he will no longer be judged as the young boy that walked to school without shoes but as a leader elected by popular majority saddled with the responsibility of taking Nigerians to the promised land.

Written by Amadin Uyi, an Abuja based Journalist. He can be reached on amadin2000@yahoo.com

BOKO HARAM: WE WILL KILL GOVT. OFFICIALS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIM PRETENDERS - ABU QAQA

BOKO HARAM: WE WILL KILL GOVT. OFFICIALS, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIM PRETENDERS - ABU QAQA

Abu Qaqa, the spokesman of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, yesterday warned that the sect would continue to attack government functionaries, security agents, security informants, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim.

“We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but goes behind to assist security agents to arrest us,” he warned.

A statement sent to journalists in Maiduguri yesterday evening believed to have been authored by the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, also claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks in Sokoto, Zaria and Damaturu.

Bellow are excerpts from the statement:

“All praises go to Almighty Allah. This is a very important message from the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. We wish to extend our profound gratitude to Almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity to fulfill the promise we made on launching spontaneous attacks in Sokoto. “We have reasons for all our activities and we only kill those who wronged us. We attacked Sokoto because many of our brethren have been incarcerated there.  

“We are gladdened by the successes we recorded at the office of the AIG in Marina and the police divisional office at Unguwan Rogo as well as the police station at Arkila.

“We wish to reiterate that our crusade is not for personal gain; it is meant to ensure the establishment of an Islamic state by liberating all Muslims from the excesses of the infidels. “We strongly believe that Almighty Allah will reward us with his famous paradise in the hereafter as he rightly said in Chapter 9, Verse 111 of the Holy Qur’an.

“We wish to strongly warn people to desist from collaborating with security agents. The fact is that we are the warriors of the Almighty and even the security forces are finding it difficult to contain our activities.  

“We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engages in assisting security agents to arrest us.

“We are also aware of the activities of some women who have been recruited to spy on us. This is a final warning to all of them. By God, whenever we catch any woman spying on us, we would slaughter her like ram.  

“We are responsible for the attacks in Bauchi and at the residence of Namadi Sambo in Zaria as well as the one in Damaturu where we bombed a patrol vehicle. “We equally dealt a big blow on JTF operatives in Maiduguri who, out of frustration, went back and killed innocent and defenseless citizens.

“It is erroneous to say that we are killing Muslims. We don’t kill innocent Muslims. The fact and the bottom line of our struggle is to set the Muslims free from enslavement. We only kill the unbelievers.” 

Culled from Elombah.com