USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: [NaijaPolitics] Boko Haram would have struck in South West but for OPC – Gani Adams [ISLAMIC TERRORISM IN NIGERIA]

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From: abiodun KOMOLAFE <ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Subject: [NaijaPolitics] Boko Haram would have struck in South West but for OPC – Gani Adams

 

Boko Haram would have struck in South West but for OPC – Adams

Adams

National Coordinator of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Oodua People's Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, in this interview with journalists, including Correspondent, TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, speaks on state of the nation, amnesty for Boko Haram, and government's fight against corruption. Excerpts:

Looking at the state of Insecurity in the country, on what side is your faction of OPC as regards the issue of amnesty for the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, by the Federal Government? Are you for or against it?

It is an option to attain peace. When a situation like this happens, amnesty to Boko Haram is an option for us to achieve lasting peace in the society. There is a reference point here. And I am talking about what happened in the Niger Delta when late President Umaru Yar'adua was in power. So, definitely what transpired in that region has to happen to the North. If the Niger Delta militants can be granted amnesty when there are hostilities in that region, definitely the Northerners also deserve the right to be granted amnesty. OPC as an organization supports the call for amnesty for Boko Haram not because of fear, but because Nigeria is losing in terms of human and material resources. People are dying and scores of other citizens are fleeing the north. But in the face of all these, nothing is happening to Northerners here in the west. This is because the Yoruba are known to be very hospitable and accommodating.

Now that Boko Haram has outrightly rejected that offer, what do you think can be done towards achieving peace? Do you think the government should apply violence?

The strategy has to continue. We have to look for ways to accommodate their views. We have to explore that option because definitely the sect may not trust the federal government. They may believe that the federal government is not sincere with granting them a pardon based on the atrocities they have committed and damages and collateral damages involved in their struggle. So, if some members of the Boko Haram sect are being given amnesty with sincerity of purpose from the government, I think other groups will join suit and embrace it.

It is not every group in the Niger Delta that accepted amnesty when the offer was presented by the government in the beginning; it started with just about 20 to 30 per cent of them. But when they saw sincerity and level of seriousness from the government, others followed suit and peace was achieved in the Niger Delta. It is just of recent that we began to hear about threats by the Movement of Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) to resume hostilities. But prior to that, we have witnessed peace in that region for two to three years now based on the amnesty offered to them.

Now let us look at the issue of privatization of government assets, especially that of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)? Are you satisfied that the whole arrangement has been transparent so far?

There are lots of errors in the privatization of public assets by the federal government. We are talking of the privatization in some ministries and parastatals of the federal government; especially the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN); we are not happy about it at all. Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, invested a lot of money in the power sector, but there is nothing to show for it, no tangible result. The same thing was done by his successor, the late Umaru Yar'adua, and there were still no results.

But President Goodluck Jonathan on assumption of office has kept promising us that there will be uninterrupted power supply within the next two to three years. Now we are reminding the government that it is over three years now, yet there is no result, no improvement in power supply in the country. And now let us compare that with what is happening in the telecommunication sector. I must tell you that we are quite satisfied with what we have seen in the telecommunication sector, because before the coming of GSM into the country, the ordinary Nigerian did not have access to telephones.

I remember that in the 80s and 90s, hardly would you find one person amongst 100 Nigerians who have access to telephone. Cellular phone was only concentrated in the hands of the elite while the average Nigerian went through untold pains to make calls within and outside the country. But with the coming of GSM, the story has changed. So, we are highly impressed with what is happening in that sector. But what is happening in the power sector is not encouraging, at all. I think the federal government needs to do a serious overhauling of that sector because the amount of corruption that happened during the privatization of the power sector is uncalled for.

Looking at the recent pension fraud and the subsequent judgement, do you really think we are serious about the fight against corrupt practices?

That is another thing entirely. It is unfortunate that the kind of sentencing given to the pension thief, John Yakubu, can only happen in our country, Nigeria. Just imagine the scenario. Somebody that stole over N23billion and pleaded guilty was sentenced to two years imprisonment with option of fine of N750,000. It has never happened in any responsible society in the world. And at the end of the day the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) took an action to re-arraign the culprit but he was eventually granted a bail which would allow him the opportunity to truncate those charges. So the whole scenario that transpired during the pension fraud is uncalled for, especially in an organization like the police, an organization saddled with the maintenance of peace and order in the society.

For the pension of those ones who have laboured for the safeguarding of lives of Nigerians to be embezzled, what do we say about other organizations that do not have the power to arrest and prosecute, I mean an organization with purely civilians? It is an ugly incident, a blight and shame on our nation which has further cast a dent on our image in the international arena.

Just of recent, the State Department of the United States alleged that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is enmeshed in corruption. I believe that that is a serious one for the government of the United States to have said something like that, especially the Department of States. It means they have their facts. So, I think it is food for thought for the Federal Government to act fast and do something about the alarming rate of corruption in Nigeria. It is highly imperative so that he does something about it because for the international community to have alleged that your administration is corrupt, what that simply means is that you cannot wash yourself clean from corrupt persons, you are part and parcel of them.

The issue of crime and kidnapping recently reared its ugly head in Lagos when a council chairman was abducted recently. What is your organization doing towards ensuring that this ugly incident is reduced to the barest minimum?

If the governments of the South West give us the much needed encouragement, we will be able to assist in the reduction of crime and kidnapping in the region. But I think we have done enough towards ensuring that the South West is crime-free. Psychologically, the existence of our group has greatly assisted Yorubaland and the entire South West region on the issue of insecurity. But the stage we are now, talking of bombing, kidnapping, South West governors have to encourage us. We cannot begin securing you and you are getting security vote and at the end of the day, you don't want to recognize us and show appreciation for our efforts. As a governor, you have the capacity to encourage every well-meaning organization towards ensuring that our society is crime-free.

It is time to tell them that our group needs encouragement; our group has a major responsibility to play in terms of security. Could you imagine the Lagos government involving security operatives under various names in the provision of security and neglecting the place of OPC? The government seems to have neglected the fact that police alone cannot provide security; it needs members of the community and this is where OPC comes into the picture. But the Lagos State government has not taken cognizance of this fact and we are watching. Nevertheless, this does not mean we are praying for evil to happen.

When Bola Tinubu was in government, if anything of such happened, he would call me and Dr Fasehun. I am not saying this because I want money from the government. This is not about money, it is about telling the present government not to be nonchalant to issues of security. If not for OPC, I can assure you, Boko Haram infiltrators would have struck South-West a long time ago. What I am saying in essence is that we condemn a situation whereby you will call upon us during times of distress and the dump us after the objectives have been realized as if we are not even in existence. So, if there is no cooperation from the government in terms of collaboration towards ensuring a secure environment, I don't think we have enough to do. That does not imply that we will not play our own part as an organization based on our capacity.

Talking of recognition from the government, in what areas do you really want the government to recognize you? Through award of contracts?

When we are talking of recognition, what I mean is that when you are calling a meeting with major stakeholders on the need for improved security, our group has to be involved. Even if we are not involved in the decision-making process, we believe the governor has to give us suggestions on areas we can assist in making our environment crime-free. Look at developed countries in the world, even the aged and elderly ones assist the government with information. Information and gathering of intelligence is crucial towards achieving effective security. But when you do not want to recognize an organization, if it has information that is important it would be reluctant to divulge it. In some situations, you don't even trust the law enforcement agents to provide them with needed information. Recently, the Deputy PRO in Lagos State said that the OPC has been banned and that the ban is still effective. Can you just imagine that? Despite the enormous contributions we have made towards the attainment of peace in the society. Most of these Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders are being assisted by our boys to make sure that crime is reduced to the barest minimum in our environment.

Now, he said OPC is banned. Maybe the guy is not even abreast of what has happened after Jerry Gana made that pronouncement in 2001. Maybe he does not have adequate information about the progress made by OPC. Maybe he is unaware of our rapport with the Federal Government and how the Federal Government has invited us on several fora on how to improve security in the country. When you are talking of ban, it goes beyond pronouncement by any individual or government agencies. An organization that is not registered by you cannot be said to be banned by you. We are not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This is an organization that is fighting for the cause of Nigerians in general. So, nobody has the right to say that OPC is banned. And let me tell you, the judgement by Justice Anwuli Chikere in 2005 have already resolved the issue of ban or no ban. Part of what we were charged with in 2005 was that we were an unlawful organization, an unlawful assembly; an unlawful association, and this was dispensed with by Justice Anwuli Chikere in 2005.

There has been a serious allegation, especially from the Youruba Unity Forum (YUF), that the Yoruba people are being marginalised in this present administration? Do you really share that view?

Of a truth, the Yoruba people are being marginalised. I complained about this to the president the last time I had the opportunity of meeting him and he promised to make corrections. But strangely, I couldn't even interact with Obasanjo when he was the president. It is sad to note that in Jonathan's one to ten in hierarchy, no Yoruba person is included.

Also, the conspiracy to deny Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola in the House of Representatives the opportunity to become Speaker attests to the fact that the Yoruba people are marginalised. But we don't deserve this, because in recent history, the Yoruba played a major role in the agitation that led to President Jonathan being made a substantive president of the country after the death of President Umaru Yar'dua. Also, in the past general election, the Yoruba voted en masse for Jonathan based on the principle of equity and justice.

Therefore, it is only fair if he reciprocates our gesture by ensuring that his administration ceases to marginalise the Yoruba because we worked for his success story. However, it is sad to say that we the Yoruba  people are also playing a role in this and as such, we are hurting ourselves. The Yoruba may not know how to build themselves, but they sure know how to destroy. It is only among the Yoruba that someone would stand up against his kinsman and deny him his rights and privileges.

 

abiodun KOMOLAFE, AMNIM,

020, Okenisa Street,
PO Box 153,
Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.

 

Tel:- +234 803 361 4419

        +234 809 861 4418

Alternative E-mail: ijebuijesa@gmail.com

 

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