Ayo, I am feeling great pain. Indeed, I've moaned about this before. In various forms. Please forgive me for moaning again.When one has shifted mind and heart up into the Horizon Future—the simple future of the Civil Commons where Light has long been dominant, and that Light within each one of us has been hugely actuated—it is a severe and savage shock to drop back down into the fire/ fury/ savage devastation of the Corridors of Darkness of this our present day—no different I might add from the brute top-down Ethic operative since the start of our existence as Socially Ordered Groups some 10,000 years ago. …Mmmm. "Social" indeed.Your past two columns have stirred me greatly.In last week's column, Canada's 1950s/ 60s PM, "Dief the Chief" (John Diefenbaker) was highlighted; and through an appropriate quote from Dief, linked to the importance of a vigorous Opposition. …I knew a good deal about Dief. My family were knee-jerk Tories. Yes, Dief spoke forcefully in favour of Freedom/ Individual and Group. And in Parliament there was indeed much fire and fury between Govt and Opposition. …But, when pared down to Ethics and Issues; the differences between the two dominant parties? It was (and is) about the thickness of a cigarette paper. Any concerned person/ politician who spoke beyond these parameters—for instance, regarding alternative fundamental values/ ethics/ structures of economy and social order/ society—was regarded as "speaking the unspeakable/ the unmentionable/ the unbearable".In basic terms, Canada's "Ship of State" has ploughed on with but little deviation since 1820s—albeit with a change of Ship's Captain, from Brit to Canadian in 1867; then from Canadian back to another Imperial Master, effectively the Americans, in the early 1900s. It is where Canada is now—though to peruse the mainstream meedja you could be forgiven for being totally ignorant of these basics. …The same can be said of nearly all our Western, and indeed now Non-Western States that proudly operate beneath the flag/ mantra, of "freedom and democracy"/ "free and fair elections", etc.If you care to reflect on Western systems, there has been little difference in terms of resource/ rewards, control and sharing since days of Absolute Rule. One can perhaps only say that the few who today secure principal benefit, are more numerous than 400 years ago. And the 98ers in the West have certainly gained a slice of the cake. But the signs are now that the few/ our oligarchs are using their powers to increase their hugely dominant shares, while relentlessly reducing the slice of us 98ers. Ideology no longer plays a role ( See Daniel Bell's 1962 classic, End of Ideology; where he "postulated that the older humanistic ideologies derived from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were exhausted, and that new parochial ideologies would arise.")And corruption? Corruption has been repeatedly shown to be an oft-used device. Use of cyber systems of today, has meant that beliefs of wrongdoing formerly based on speculation have been increasingly validated by fact—fact profoundly embarrassing to our rulers/ oligarchs. Consideration of ordinary folk—either in targeted lands/ economies/ societies; or at home—gains scant regard. Short-term objects/ use of power and influence/ maximum acquisition, are dominant/ rule all.So? Relevance to Africa and Nigeria?Well, re absence of Ideology and Opposition that goes much further than what may secure/ retain a place on the "gravy train"; and using whatever methods will assist in securing these ends; is Nigeria not merely mirroring what has gone on and is—seemingly—increasingly going on now in the "civilised Free and Democratic States" of the West?And is corruption—often on a massive scale—not a shared feature?Have Cameron and Obama owned up to the huge corruption long operative in their own systems? In government/ business/ higher realms of banking/ investment and finance?Has not President Buhari acknowledged this feature? And has he not said he will do something about it? And has he not already taken steps? And will he not make his contribution to the Anti-Corruption Conferences—present and future? Has he not stressed that Banks/ Investment institutions in Western countries have a vital role to play in anti-corruption activity by refusing to accept money they know has been stolen from the peoples of many non-Western countries?And can we expect him, with the Nigeria "Ship of State" ploughing on through the heavy seas of these our present days, to make more than a start to shifting course? Does he not need support/ encouragement; indeed all the elements we can muster to encourage a course of correction and Inclusion; a course which will take even longer, given that Western countries tend to point the finger of corruption at Nigeria and other Non-Western countries, and not at themselves?In fact, do not all our proto-democratic systems, operating under their respective rulers/ oligarchs worldwide, dance to a very similar tune?Finally regarding the Pharmacy grads and PhDs/ and abstracted figures/ info re Nigerian success and high achievement in the US higher education system; in this I would suggest lies the still-embryonic future of the country."In the past fifty years, … Africa has been working hard, and moving fast—though from modern media coverage one could be forgiven for believing the reverse. Natural gifts and talents in growing numbers have been realized and actuated. In all areas of business and commerce, in the many branches of the academy, in science and technology; Africa folk have joined specialists from the Western and developed world at the very pinnacle of brilliance, invention and accomplishment. It is a fantastic record of achievement. And it continues at ever growing pace."Thus the “Engine Room” of Africa is only just starting to produce serious thrust. It is a thrust rooted in great reservoirs of energy and ravenous hunger for all things. And while “primitive accumulation” by most Africa oligarchs is the current norm—a practice that has turned many of its most brilliant and productive citizens into exiles; and that also is holding back a massive range of vitally important development throughout the continent—release and actuation will come. There is a limit to the time that growing multitudes of Africa folk of high talent, energy and intelligence can be ignored/ excluded/ suppressed. The huge and ever-growing force, the thrust from below grows daily. Eventually it will become too much. It will breach the “oligarchical dam.” There will be a huge release. Folk from distant diasporic lands, and from all levels in Africa society, will flood forward. Africa will come into its own." (On Wings of Light …, pp.22-24)Anyway, Ayo, you'll get my point. Nigeria, indeed all Africa countries continue to pass through a Dark Valley. But so also are the countries of the Western/ Developed world.There is however a difference. No matter how Oligarchs of the Western world—Our Dave, being but one; and probably acting on American Orders—seek to denigrate Africa rulers/ oligarchs and their governments, Africa folk are very much on the move. Knowledgeable Western officials, if not always their rulers, are well aware of this. They know Africa—with Nigeria and its high-achieving/ hard-driving folk making amazing/ astonishing progress—is moving up. The tide is rising. Fast.One other observation: The other night on BBC, I watched Gareth Malone and his Invictus Choir—comprising Brit Military, with some added American vets, who have suffered severe physical and mental/ spiritual damage—performing at the Opening of the Invictus Games in Orlando. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKje5CHKQhg .If one has any doubts about the heart and soul—and the toughness/ intelligence/ humour/ natural rooted caring/ sharing/ compassion—of the ordinary 98er; yes Brit and American, but indeed all countries/ races/ colours and creeds—see this. Tis all our lessons; all our hopes for our fellow man, in one.BBC, one might add, has not pleased Our Dave/ oligarchs. You see Dave and our fellow oligarchs try hard to keep us on a constant diet of assorted trauma/ cha-cha-cha/ celebrities/ fantasy/ hollywood/ nollywood and the like. Tis the modern way of keeping us busy. After all, should it ever occur to us that we, the world's folk are ONE/ that we are NOT divided; this could spell disaster. Oligarchs have always been crucially dependent on Exclusion and Division/ folk and Groups divided from one another. Only this way can WAR, the most profitable activity for ALL oligarchs—at least the winners—be kept on an ever sharpened edge.Quite enough. Time to move back up to this higher region. And as I move up; yes I can see the flame/ rolling tsunamis of fire and smoke spewing forth from those deep Corridors of Darkness on our Earthly planet. But Gareth and his Invictus Choir has awakened/ provided me with the reassurance that one is grateful occasionally to receive.And that is that the Creator HAS, in this creation called humankind—despite so many "design faults"—safeguarded this essential element at the core of us all. I have been greatly moved. Tis truly wonderful to see how brightly it can burn. My Pain is much-eased. My Hope for my fellow humankind is greatly strengthened. I thank them all, and indeed the BBC for this stunning statement of Light and Inclusion, regardless of disquiet caused poor Dave and our understandably uneasy oligarchs.Best, Baba Mike
From: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, 12 May 2016 20:50
To: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>, Prof Toyin FALOLA <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>, USA-AFRICA dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>, Tade Aina <tadeakinaina@yahoo.com>, Prof Taiwo OWOEYE <sistertees@hotmail.com>, takehinde <takehinde@yahoo.com>, Tayo Balogun <tbalogunoo@yahoo.com>, Tiwa <tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>, Tunji Olaopa <tolaopa2003@gmail.com>, Prof Richard JOSEPH <r-joseph@northwestern.edu>, "Dr O.A. DOSUMU" <toksx@yahoo.com>, Attahiru Jega <attahirujega@yahoo.com>, Oluwayomi D ATTE <david_atte@yahoo.com>, Akinjide OSUNTOKUN <josuntokun@yahoo.com>, Akinlawon Mabogunje <mabogunje1931@yahoo.com>, akin osuntokun <akinosuntokun@yahoo.com>, SEGUN GBADEGESIN <gbadeg2002@yahoo.com>, Segun Awonusi <segunawo@yahoo.com>, Michael VICKERS <mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>, Nduka Otiono <Nduka.Otiono@carleton.ca>, Ngozi <mediaworldintl@yahoo.com>, Niyi Osundare <oosunda1@uno.edu>, Noel Ihebuzor <noel.ihebuzor@gmail.com>, Gabriel Ogunmola <gbogunmola@yahoo.com>, Deji Olaolu Haastrup <DejiHaastrup@chevron.com>, Dele Layiwola <delelayiwola@yahoo.com>, Dr Banji OYEYINKA <boyeyinka@hotmail.com>, Dr Florence Falola <bisifalola@gmail.com>, BGI Legal <bgilegalservices@gmail.com>, olukotun bob-kunle <bobkunle@yahoo.com>, Bolaji Akinyemi <rotaben@gmail.com>, Chibuzo NWOKE <chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com>, Christian Ogbondah <chris.ogbondah@uni.edu>, Emmanuel Remi Aiyede <eaiyede@yahoo.com>, Francis Egbokhare <foegbokhare@yahoo.com>, Ephraim Aor <rainbowtumise@gmail.com>, Pa Uoma <pauoma@gmail.com>, Prof Dipo Kolawole <profkolawole@yahoo.com>, Prof Bayo ADEKANYE <profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com>, "Prof. Lere Amusan" <lereamusan@gmail.com>, Mamora <senatormamora@yahoo.com>, Mayortk <mayortk@yahoo.com>, Meda <medaton@yahoo.com>, Obadiah Mailafia <obmailafia@gmail.com>, Odia OFEIMUN <odia55@yahoo.com>, Dr Olajumoke YACOB-HALISO <jumoyin@yahoo.co.uk>, Ladipo ADAMOLEKUN <dipo7k@yahoo.com>, <fademolaadeoye@gmail.com>, Femi Falana <falanalagos@yahoo.com>, Femi Osofisan <okinbalaunko@yahoo.com>, Francis Irele <abiolairele@gmail.com>, Funmi Soetan <funm_soetan@yahoo.com>, "Ugbabe, Padma" <P.Ugbabe@fordfoundation.org>, Glory Ukwenga <gloryukwenga@gmail.com>, "S.O. UWAIFO" <so_uwaifo@yahoo.co.uk>, Kayode Soremekun <paddykay2002@yahoo.com>, Ibini Olaide <ibini_olaide@yahoo.com>, Innocent Chukwuma <I.Chukwuma@fordfoundation.org>, "Nwulu, Paul" <p.nwulu@fordfoundation.org>, Vincent Adugbe <vadugbe@yahoo.com>, Omatsola Edema <charlieedema@yahoo.co.uk>, Omo Adugbe <omoadugbe@gmail.com>, omotayoagunbiade2014 <omotayoagunbiade2014@yahoo.com>, Grace Omoshaba <gmso2002@yahoo.com>, Yomi Layinka <yourme5@yahoo.co.uk>, <jgsanda@gmail.com>, Jibo <jibo72@yahoo.com>, Jide Oluwajuyitan <joluwajuyitan@gmail.com>, Jide Owoeye <babsowoeye@gmail.com>, Tunde Bewaji <tunde.bewaji@gmail.com>, <twasaolu@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Fw: prof olukotun column
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.From: Dayjee Harkande <dayjeeharkande44@gmail.com>Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 14:43:58 +0100To: <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>; <joelugon@yahoo.com>Subject: prof olukotun column
CONTRASTING NARRATIVES OF NIGERIA’S IMAGE.
AYO OLUKOTUN
“The two quite different events, one in Washington D.C , the other in London suggest that if Nigerian are fantastically corrupt, they also are demonstrably brilliant”. Tiwa Olugbade, 11th may 2016.
Two recent events of global resonance, one at Howard University in Washington D.C, the other in London venue of the ongoing anticorruption summit provide contrasting narratives of Nigeria’s image abroad. On Saturday, at Howard University in the full glare of the world, 43 Nigerians out of a total graduating class of 96 clinched the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Astonishingly, for a nation starved of good reports 16 out of 27 award winners are Nigerians reinforcing a recent observation by distinguished Political Science Professor, Richard Joseph that Nigerians are one of the highest achieving immigrant groups in the United States. The second event, indicated in the opening quite sourced from Tiwa Olugbade, a Professor of Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University, was triggered by reference to Nigeria by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, in the course of a meeting with Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday that “Nigeria is fantastically corrupt”.
The scathing remark although moderated subsequently in the course of a conversation in the House of Commons, sparked widespread consternation coming as it did when President Muhammadu Buhari had already arrived in London for both the preparatory commonwealth meeting and the anticorruption Summit being hosted by Cameron. Regarding the obviously undiplomatic statement by Cameron who, given his involvement in the recent Panama Papers Scandal is not exactly an exemplar of probity, Buhari’s pregnant riposte that what he needed was not an apology but for Britain to assist Nigeria in recovering assets looted by Nigerian politicians is statesmanlike. It broaches, without directly making the point that Britain, as indeed other western countries are complicit in the stashing away of huge fortunes in British and American banks, by Nigeria’s monumentally corrupt leaders.
There is growing evidence that corruption is on an increasing scale in Britain and the European countries as a recent report commissioned by the EU testifies. That notwithstanding, the fact that corruption is a matter of scale suggests that, as many have observed Cameron’s remark is in substance correct even if highly undiplomatic. If we raise the question why Cameron made his controversial remark at the time he did, we get a couple of answers ranging from Punch Columnist Abimbola’s afro-pessimist stereotype of a pervasively corrupt Nigeria to Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose’s argument that Buhari started it all by “demarketing Nigeria” through constantly referring to it as a heavily corrupt country.
There is another dimension to the matter however as a close readikng of British newspapers in the last one month suggests. Early in April, the UK based Telegraph came down hard on Buhari’s reformism by alleging that his government is “misusing British funds to persecute political opponents”. British funds in this context refers to the funding given to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission as well as British aid to Nigeria’s security infrastructure to more effectively combat Boko Haram. The Telegraph article quoted a senior United States official as saying “there is no doubt the growing strength of Boko Haram is because President Buhari is far more interested in settling scores with political opponents than concentrating energy on defeating terrorists”. It went on to lament that Nigeria has taken on some of the features of a police state. In a quick rebuttal, the presidency decried the article as “full of inaccuracies and betrays a shocking sense of ignorance of Nigeria and the ongoing war against terrorism.
That statement however did not put the matter to rest considering that the Mail Online a few days ago described Nigeria’s reforms as a witch hunt alleging that Buhari committed 26,000pounds a year to educate one of his daughters in an English school and another 15,000pounds to paying the fees of another daughter at the University of Surrey. The tabloid even went so far as to mock Buhari as “a self-proclaimed people’s president”. If we situate Cameron’s comment within this narrative of the ambiguities of the Nigerian government’s reformism then it can interpreted as growing anxieties in British official circles about the character, direction and possible lopsidedness of Buhari’s reform program.
In other words, there are international resonances in the global public sphere about some aspects of Nigeria’s reformism. To be sure, Nigeria should not need to be bound by the opinions of western leaders but it must take them to account especially as it depends on the west in critical areas. Although adversarial and irritating, Cameron’s comment can be used to refine and redefine Buhari’s anticorruption strategies by addressing criticisms made of it both at home and abroad. The government can also consider a wider strategy of institutional reforms in order to free it from fixation on particular cases and individuals belonging to the opposition.
The second narrative constitutes an elixir because it puts Nigeria in the global spotlight by showcasing the aptitude and distinction of students who bagged a doctor of pharmacy degree, several of them award winning at Howard University. Given that the degree is a professional postgraduate one in pharmacy, the event signals the coming of age of a Nigerian Technocracy in the United States. As known, Nigeria has the highest enrolment of University students from Africa in the United States a trend which has been accentuated in the last five years. For example two years ago, one-quarter of Black Students at the Harvard Business School were of Nigerian ancestry while Nigerians increasingly feature in diverse areas of human learning and achievements.
In other words, Nigerian bustle and achievement orientation are increasingly released in the propitious, knowledge driven climes of the diaspora. The challenge however, is to leverage on this development to fast track Nigeria’s entry into modernity as the Chinese and Indians have done. There is the additional challenge posed to the Nigerian project, namely; how to build a motivational environment where the Nigerian dream can be actualized. The current situation where dysfunction in our educational system have turned Nigerians who can afford it to migrants abroad should be reversed. We should aim at building systems which attract nationals of other countries rather than become the site of a hemorrhage of talents abroad.
All too often potential stars in our country are frustrated out of the ladder of success by inclement environment, just as it takes too much heroism to stay on course or make a mark. A topical illustration of this disabling trend is the ripple effects of the raising of the price of petroleum by 100%, to #145 per litre. Whatever the merits of this high jump it will become more difficult for Nigerians who are already browbeaten to survive. We cannot expect outstanding achievement, innovation and productivity where the country increasing resembles an economic war zone.
In conclusion, the two narratives on Nigeria one sobering, the other uplifting suggest that more attention and better imagination need to be paid by the current government to governance and the welfare of the people. The anti-corruption struggle, noble in intention must be reimagined and reinvented while we should pursue policies that will optimize Nigerian productivity not just abroad but at home as well.
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