Amina Mohammed, UN’s Deputy Secretary-General, has opposed the Taliban’s policies limiting the freedom of girls and women in Afghanistan.
Ensuring all Afghan girls can be educated must be “a zero condition” for the Taliban before international recognition of their de facto authority, the UN deputy secretary-general said on Friday.
Ms Mohammed said this during a panel discussion on supporting a future for girls’ education in Afghanistan, held on the margins of the ongoing UN General Assembly.
Prominent women advocates from Afghanistan and the international community also participated in the discussion, held online and in-person from the UN headquarters in New York.
Asked if international aid to Afghanistan could be conditional on education for women and girls, Ms Mohammed responded “absolutely,” stating that the issue “continues to remain upfront” in ongoing discussions with the de facto authorities.
“This is where we have to have resolved: that recognition comes with your ability to be part of a global family. That has a certain set of values and rights that must be adhered to. And education is upfront and centre, especially for girls and for women,” she added.
The deputy UN chief urged the international community to draw on Afghan women’s expertise and support them in preventing a reversal of two decades of gains in girls’ education.
Ms Mohammed also reminded Afghan women that the UN is still on the ground, delivering for the people.
“You can be assured that we will continue to amplify your voices and make it a zero condition that girls must have an education before the recognition of any government that comes in,” she said.
The Taliban seized power in August and recently confirmed that while secondary schools were reopening, only boys would be returning to the classroom. Women teachers in the country are also unable to return to work.
This week, the administration’s spokesperson said a “safe learning environment” would need to be established before girls could go back to high school, according to media reports.
A Boerboel dog, named Charlie, has been arrested by men of the Nigerian Police Force for biting the private parts of a student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko in Ondo State.
The dog was said to have bitten the student on Thursday evening at a popular off-campus hostel around the institution’s permanent site.
The dog owner was said to be training it with the aim of making it mate with another friend’s own.
It was in the process of training that Charlie got aggressive and aimed at the friend’s private part.
The victim was subsequently rushed to the hospital where doctors are currently battling to help him.
The Police were later called in to arrest dog.
A picture circulating on social media showed the dog being chained to a Police van.
The Taliban says it would revive punishments like executions in its new rule over Afghanistan, warning the world against interfering with the extremist groups new rule.
“Everyone criticised us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments,” Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, one of the founders of the extremist group, told The Associated Press, “No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran.”
Turabi added that judges, including women, would preside over cases, but the basis of Afghanistan’s laws will be the Quran.
His comments come amid the exclusion of women from the country’s interim government.
Turabi was the Minister of Justice and Head of the religious Police when the Taliban first ruled in the 1990s; he is now in charge of prisons.
Under initial Taliban rule, convicted murderers were killed by a single gunshot to the head. The killing of a murderer was carried out by the victim’s family, who could accept “blood money” and allow the culprit to live.
For convicted thieves, the punishment was amputation of a hand and for robbery convictions, the punishment was the dismemberment of a hand and a foot.
These punishments were carried out before large crowds at a stadium or mosque and the judiciary favoured Islamic clerics, whose knowledge of the law was limited to religious injunctions.
In August, the Taliban took control of Kabul and rapidly captured Afghanistan. In reconstructing the country, the extremist group has said it is ready to build relations that serves both United States and Afghan interests though countries like China have vocally supported the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan.
BEING THE ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 76TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK, USA ON FRIDAY, 24TH SEPTEMBER, 2021
Protocols:
Mr. President,
Let me, on behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, congratulate you on your well-deserved election as President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. I would like to assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Nigerian delegation throughout your tenure.
2. I would like to commend your predecessor, His Excellency, Mr. Volkan Boskir, for the many remarkable achievements recorded during his tenure, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Permit me to congratulate the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on his re-election and commend his strong commitment to making the UN more alive to its responsibilities.
4. I also want to express my gratitude to him for re-appointing Ms. Amina Mohammed, as the Deputy Secretary General to assist him in discharging his heavy responsibilities.
Mr President,
5. The theme of this year’s General Assembly – “Building resilience through hope – to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of the people, and revitalise the United Nations, sums up our common desire to rescue our planet, recover our economies, and restore hope to all the peoples of the world.
6. In this regard, my delegation will continue to support the United Nations, as the indispensable forum for international cooperation and the cornerstone of the multilateral system, rooted in respect for international law, including international human rights law and predicated on a rules-based order.
Mr President,
7. I want to thank the international community for the concerted response to COVID-19. The solidarity and drive to contain the first truly global health emergency of our time is a pointer to the many things we can achieve if we work together.
8. On our part, Nigeria has made strenuous efforts to contain the virus and halt its deadly onslaught on our people. Our efforts have been rewarded with moderate success.
9. At the outset, we recognised detection and contact tracing to be important tools in combating the virus. In this connection, from a mere four laboratories with testing and detection capacities, we ramped up the facilities to over 140 centres today.
10. Similarly, we built isolation centres and emergency hospitals wards in record time all over the country. We carry out genomic sequencing in designated laboratories across the country with a view to detecting variants in circulation.
11. In addition, over 40,000 health care workers have recently been trained on Infection, Prevention and Control measures with the support of various partners. Through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, we have established 16 infectious disease treatment centres located within our teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres.
12. Nigeria remains grateful for the assistance received from our partners and friends all over the world. Vaccination is the key to our safe emergence from the pandemic. We fully support the COVAX initiative from which we have benefitted. We also thank the United States of America, Turkey, India,China, European Union, and others for the vaccines provided.
13. Despite the acknowledgement however, I would like to reiterate my call for a fairer and more equitable distribution of vaccines to all countries so that, together, we can fight and contain the pandemic. The rising wave of newer and more contagious strains, makes this even more urgent. No country can afford the socio-economic implications of prolonged shutdown. It is imperative to underscore that no one is safe until everyone is safe.
Mr President,
14. Nigeria remains deeply concerned over the illicit trade, transfer, and circulation of small arms and light weapons. Their excessive accumulation and uncontrolled spread in many regions of the world are having devastating humanitarian and socio-economic consequences, especially on the continent of Africa.
15. It is on this note that my delegation calls for the world wide application of the Arms Trade Treaty to codify accountability in conventional arms trade, which is critical to the security of nations. This is in recognition of the need for a broad-based global partnership in the on-going battle against trans-border crimes, including terrorism and piracy.
Mr. President,
16. We must deal not only with the symptoms of conflict but also the immediate causes that fuel conflicts in the first place. These include poor and undemocratic governance, human rights abuses, poverty, ignorance, injustice and inequalities.
17. There are no easy solutions to these conditions. They require long term investments and more effective international cooperation. In this connection, my delegation underscores the importance of promoting peaceful, unfettered, and inclusive participation of states in global actions towards conflict prevention. This will facilitate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063.
18 In West Africa especially, our democratic gains of the past decades are now being eroded. The recent trend of unconstitutional takeover of power, sometimes in reaction to unilateral changes of constitutions by some leaders, must not be tolerated by the international community. Nigeria fully supports the efforts by ECOWAS to address this growing challenge and appreciates the support of both the African Union and the United Nations. In this regard, I would like to reiterate that as leaders of our individual Member-States need to adhere to the constitutional provisions of our countries, particularly on term limits. This is one area that generates crisis and political tension in our sub-region.
Mr President,
19. Nigeria is fully committed to nuclear non-proliferation and has always supported the view that it should involve all States.
20. Disarmament Conventions deserve the support of all states, small, large, nuclear or non-nuclear. Nuclear weapons remain the ultimate agents of mass destruction, and their total elimination should be the final objective of all disarmament processes within the broad spectrum of goals being pursued by the United Nations.
21. In this regard, Nigeria would participate actively in the forthcoming Review Conference of the Nuclear Prohibition Treaty and also the First Meeting of states Parties to the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, scheduled to take place within the first quarter of 2022.
22. Nigeria regards these upcoming events as important steps towards the realisation of a world free of nuclear weapons. We are, therefore, supportive of any diplomatic efforts in this direction. We hope that the upcoming NPT review conference would lead to a successful outcome that would facilitate the denuclearisation of the world. We would do our part to ensure such an outcome.
Mr. President,
23. Terrorism continues to dominate security discourse worldwide. In Nigeria, Boko Haram terrorist group, though fragmented by internal strife and weakened by our defence forces, is still active and preying on soft targets. Nigeria will continue to work closely with UN Counter-Terrorism bodies and entities with a view to bringing this scourge to an end.
24. Nigeria has spared no effort in addressing the challenges of terrorism posed by the activities of Boko Haram in north-East Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, as well as banditry in the north-West and North-Central Nigeria. The Nigerian Security Forces have recorded considerable success in the fight against terrorism. As a result of the renewed vigour of our military, many terrorist fighters are voluntarily surrendering to our security forces.
25. I and three other Nigerian Heads of State served actively as peacekeepers and Nigeria continues to support peacekeeping efforts. We know the sacrifice involved, we also know how important peacekeeping is for those in vulnerable situations. Nigeria will continue to play its part fully in supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations within Africa and beyond.
Mr. President,
26. The impact of climate change is already with us in Nigeria, manifesting in various ways: conflicts trigger; food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood, and youth migration, among others. The trend is the same in many other countries that are threatened by forest fires, rising sea levels, drought and desertification.
27. In the circumstances, we intend to build a climate-resilient economy that effectively aligns with the SDGs and that has great potentials to unlocking the full opportunities in different sectors of the economy, while protecting the resources for present and future generations. I know, in several ways, this is also a familiar story in many countries.
28. As leaders, we must create inclusive and gender-sensitive policies that address all issues connected to climate action, from mitigation to resilience.
29. Nigeria believes that protecting our planet and its biodiversity and climate are important to our collective survival. That is why, we are working on a transition to low carbon economy, consistent with achieving the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr. President,
30. Combating illicit financial flows and ensuring the recovery and return of illicitly acquired assets have the potential to provide resources in the immediate term for financing development in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
31. Similarly, corruption across national borders has huge negative impact on the stability, peace, and economic prospects of millions, particularly in developing countries.
32. It deprives national governments of resources needed to provide adequate and meaningful sources of livelihood for their citizens. The latter gives rise to more irregular migration patterns, with unwholesome consequences for inter-state and human relations.
33. I, therefore, call on all leaders to demonstrate the much-needed political will by supporting their commendations for systemic reforms made by the FACTI Panel.
34. We support establishing modalities for a global coordination mechanism at the United Nations Economic and Social Council to systematically monitor illicit financial flows and strengthen financial integrity for sustainable development, with the participation of all relevant stakeholders.
Mr. President,
35. On the issue of debt, we have seen that developing countries have been faced with unsustainable debt burdens even before the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of new wave of deepening debt, where vital public financial resources are allocated to external debt servicing and repayments at the expense of domestic health and financing for critical developmental needs.
36. I must commend the current initiatives by the international financial institutions and the G20 aimed at significantly mitigating the economic situation of the indebted countries and urge for more efforts in this regard.
37. Therefore, there is an urgent need to consider expansion and extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative to include all Developing, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States facing fiscal and liquidity challenges. In addition, a review of the eligibility criteria for debt suspension, including outright cancellation, is needed for countries facing the most severe challenges.
Mr. President,
38. Nigeriareaffirms that international trade is an engine for development and sustained economic growth, as well as the global eradication of poverty.
39. My delegation would like to reaffirm the critical role that a universal,rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system can play in stimulating economic growth and development.
40. Fair and equitable trade would eventually eliminate the need for aid. My country and indeed all African countries do not intend to stay indefinitely looking for aid. All we need is a fair and equitable system of international trade.
41. We, therefore, call for a reform agenda that will engender better recovery from this crisis, build resilience to future shocks and pursue transformative development strategies that can deliver the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr. President,
42. The global food system has, in recent times, been impacted by several factors such as population growth, availability and accessibility of arable land and water resources, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.
43. Increased competition for resources such as land, water, and energy, has affected food access and supply, particularly in developing countries. Climate change and unpredictable shocks, such as the current global pandemic, further exacerbate vulnerabilities in the global food system, requiring the UN’s urgent attention.
44. The Government of Nigeria remains determined to improve the productivity and incomes of small-scale farmers by promoting equal access to land, technology and markets, sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices.
45. At the heart of Nigeria’s post-COVID-19 response is the Economic Sustainability Plan, which hasa major component, called the Agriculture for Food and Jobs Programme where we seek to leverage suitable technologies to build a resilient food system for the country.
46. An integral part of our food systems’ transformation strategy is to create an enabling and supportive environment to implement these policies in a participatory manner.
47. Global efforts to mitigate and sustain food systems must involve key stakeholders, including governments, farmers, investors, multilateral organizations, regional bodies, international financial institutions, private partners and civil society organizations.
Mr. President,
48. Nigeria has been steadfast in safeguarding human rights, including the advancement of women, the protection of children, the protection of the rights of people living with disabilities, the treatment of migrants, refugees, returnees and displaced persons as well as, the promotion of fundamental freedoms through all legitimate means. In this regard, my delegation commends the positive example of leaders like Prime Minister Jacinda Arden of New Zealand.
49. In this context Nigeria calls for collective global action through a Treaty to end all forms of violence against women and girls of all ages.
50. Nigeria remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the advancement of human rights within its shores and beyond. This is so even in the context of a vicious decade-long onslaught by terrorists against Nigerians, quite contrary to unwholesome reports by some who hardly verify what they state against us.
51. The recent rise in hate related crimes globally underscores the urgent need to continue our engagement about racism, racial discrimination,xenophobia and other related intolerance. It is sad to note that the issue of racism remains alive globally.
52. We are beginning to forget our affirmation of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of every individual as enshrined in the UN Charter. No society can claim to be free or just if it deprive anyone of these rights.
53. Nigeria has long been a principled fighter against racism and all forms of discrimination inspired by its African experience. In the past, racism oiled the machine of slavery and colonialism. Today, racism drives hate crimes and institutional discrimination. In all this, Africans and people of African descent are among the major victims.
54. Cognizant of these, I commend Member States for adopting by consensus the resolution on the Establishment of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent on 2nd August 2021. I am confident that this forum will make significant impact in the quest to end race-related vices and injustices.
Mr. President,
55. No reform of the United Nations system is more urgent than that of the Security Council. Stakeholders around the world are asking how such power could be concentrated, with scant representation. The intergovernmental negotiations have taken too long, some 15 years. We must avoid going in cycles. Consensus has been achieved in some of the elements of this reform, especially that of the representation of Africa on the basis of the Elzuwini consensus and the Sirte Declaration. It is unreasonable to expect unanimity in this matter. The issue, indeed, is about justice, not unanimity. Without justice, the legitimacy (even efficacy) of our Organization is called to question. We can and must make substantial, irreversible progress on Security Council reform in the current session.
Mr. President,
56. Connected to this, is the question of justice, fairness, and equity in respect of the Palestinian people. The situation in the Middle East is long-standing and gives cause for concern. Nigeria encourages Israel and Palestine to re-engage in dialogue based on relevant UNresolutions and Initiatives. The two-state solution has the support of the international community and is widely acknowledged as the path to lasting peace.
Mr President,
57. Our organization is at the peak of the multilateral system. It is also the pre-eminent body for solving our current and emerging challenges, and developing norms that are protective of us all. We need to re-commit to it, rejuvenate it to better serve us. Nigeria re-affirms its faith in the UnitedNations and is further resolved to continue to work with all Member-States for peace and security, development and the protection of human rights. In the current moment, hope for these, is dependent on how we assist each other to get COVID-19 out of all countries, regardless of their classification. We can and must do so.
58. In this regard, let me close my statement by paying special tribute to a great and humane internationalist, and an exemplary practitioner of multilateral cooperation. I am speaking of Chancellor Angela Merkel of theFederal Republic of Germany. As she exits the stage, we wish her well.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria will spare no efforts at getting rid of Boko Haram terrorists, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.
Buhari also said that though the insurgent group has been weakened by the defence forces, it is still active in the country and reigning on soft targets.
He stated this on Friday while addressing over 80 world leaders at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Addressing the world leaders including the new UNGA President, Abdulla Shahid of Maldives, Buhari said, “Mr President, terrorism continues to dominate security discourse worldwide. In Nigeria, Boko Haram terrorist group though fragmented by internal strife and weakened by our defence forces is still active and reigning on soft targets.
“Nigeria will continue to work closely with the United Nation Counter-Terrorism Office with a view to bringing this group to an end.
“Nigeria has spared no efforts in addressing the challenges of terrorism posed by the activities of Boko Haram in North-East Nigeria, the Lake Chad region as well as banditry in the North-West and the North-Central.”
The President lamented that Nigeria was concerned about illicit trading and movement of small arms which was increasing criminality and insurgency in the country.
Buhari also said that the democratic gains recorded in West African are now being eroded by the activities of power grabbers in the region, a thinly veiled to recent military takeovers in Mali and Guinea, both in West Africa.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has admitted that copies of its pamphlets containing security tips for staff and corps members contain the “embarrassing” clause that advises corps members to prepare for ransom payment if abducted.
It also advised them to “establish a personal relationship with your abductors as soon as possible”.
The organisation, however, noted that it realised that different copies of the pamphlets are in circulation with some containing the clause and others not.
The NYSC spokesperson, Adenike Adeyemi, told Premium Times on Friday that an investigation had already been launched into the situation.
Adeyemi wrote, “We realised different copies are in circulation. We are investigating.”
On Thursday, the page containing the advice for the corps and staff on reaching out to the family and friends when plying “high-risk” roads flooded the social media.
The handbook, which is titled; “Security Awareness and Education Handbook For Corps Members and Staff,” on its page 56, advised both corps members and (and staff) travelling on “high-risk” roads to alert their “family members, friends and colleagues to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded” in case they are kidnapped.
The document lists such roads to include “Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene, or Aba-Port Harcourt” roads.
The document is produced by Watchcon Security Consultancy Services – a private security outfit, in collaboration with the headquarters of the National Youths Service Corps.
The pamphlet, on page 57, advises both the staff and corps members on how to conduct themselves when kidnapped, saying; “Do not antagonise your captors, be polite and operate with reasonable regards.”
It also advises the corps members and its staff to show reasonable cooperation to the abductors, and that they should “establish a personal relationship with your abductors as soon as possible.”
It further added; “The kidnappers may ask for contact persons, do not mention your place of work, but your close friends and parents. They will reach them to negotiate for your release.
“Advise your friends involved in the negotiations, they should be friendly with the captors.
“Take no risk by attempting to escape,” it also says.
“Make no statement to the media after your release without official clearance but share your experience with close associates,” it further counsels.
But in a statement released earlier on Friday, the NYSC denied including the piece of advice even though it issued the handbooks to youth corps members.
The reads in part; “The attention of Management of the National Youth Sevice Corps has been drawn to a fake release making the rounds on the social media to the effect that Corps Members travelling on “high risk roads” should alert their families, friends and colleagues in order to have somebody to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in the event of being kidnapped.
“Management wishes to emphatically state that the clause mischievously quoted is not embedded in NYSC Security Tips pamphlet which was put together by a highly respected retired security expert.
“Management wishes to appeal to the general public to always clarify issues with the Scheme.”
The organisation, therefore, advises Nigerians to always verify things before sharing them on social media, saying it “has offices in all the states of the federation, as well as the 774 Local Government Areas in the country for enquiries.”
“Please, be wary of falling prey to the antics of mischief makers out to ridicule the Scheme,” it added.
Following the discovery of the clause, Nigerians have flooded the social media including Twitter, to condemn the document.
Many also described the rebuttal by the organisation as an “open lie”, saying they were shocked that a public organisation would be so bold to continue its defence in the face of clear evidence to the contrary.
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday (today) address the 76th session of the high-level general debate of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.
The Nigerian leader would deliver his address around 9:00 a.m. (around 2:00 p.m. Nigerian time) to other world leaders during the morning session.
Buhari will speak to the theme of the Assembly and other global issues.
The theme for the 76th session is, “Building Resilience Through Hope – To Recover from COVID-19, Rebuild Sustainably, Respond to the Needs of the Planet, Respect the Rights of People and Revitalise the United Nation.’’
Friday’s session will also include speeches by leaders from The Gambia, South Sudan, Republic of Benin, Senegal and Germany, among others.
The Nigerian leader has participated in some bilateral meetings with a number of leaders of other countries’ delegations and heads of International Development organisations.
Buhari has met with the President of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, held a meeting with Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and also attended the UN Food Systems Summit.
On Thursday, Buhari held a bilateral meeting with Maxima Zorreguieta, Queen of The Netherlands, where he begged for support from the European nation. He also participated in a hybrid high-level event, tagged “Transformative Actions for Nature and People”.
In addition, the Nigerian delegation had participated in other high-level meetings such as the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action on Reparations, Racial Justice and Equality for People of African Descent.
The delegation also attended a high level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, among others.
A Chief Superintendent of Police, Kazeem Abonde, has been killed during a clash between Policemen and motorcyclists in the Ajao Estate area of Lagos State.
The incident, which happened at Ajao Estate Junction Bus Stop, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, started around 11 am on Thursday when the officers stormed the area to raid a criminal hideout.
Trouble started after the officers seized some motorcycles and put them in their mini trucks. Subsequently, the commercial motorcyclists (popularly known as okada riders) went berserk. The situation degenerated when Policemen began to shoot sporadically into the air to scare them away.
It was gathered that Kazeem, who had less than eight months to retire from the Force, went to restore calm when he learnt his men were having issues with the commercial motorcyclists.
A photo circulating online shows the bloodied remains of the policeman as he lay motionless by the roadside. His head appeared to have been smashed.
An eyewitness said the Policemen involved in the incident were attached to the Ajao Police Station.
Meanwhile, the former Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, noted that the victim had already set up a law firm, K.S Abonde & Co as part of his retirement plans before the unfortunate incident.
He wrote, “He had this in preparation for his retirement in the next few months. So sad. Man proposes, God disposes. Be upright and live as if there is no tomorrow.”
Special Adviser to the President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has explained why his principal hosted an unsparing critic of the regime and former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in Aso Villa following his defection to the ruling All Progress Congress.
Adesina wrote:
Not a small ruckus has been caused by the defection of former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last week.
An icing on the cake, or the salt added to injury (depending on which side you are), was his reception at the Presidential Villa by Muhammadu Buhari, father of the nation. The development has been rocking the polity for many days.
FFK is by no means a miscellaneous personality, and whatever he does, or does not do, attracts loads of attention.
He was a founding member of the APC, before he ported back to the PDP. And he did not leave quietly. He ruffled feathers and stirred up the mud. He became a rabid hater of his former party and its members.
Between last week and now, vitriol poured by FFK on anybody with the slightest affinity to APC has been dug up serially. He has said things straight from the gutters, things that the natural man would call unforgivable and unpardonable. Against President Buhari, the first family, Yusuf Buhari whom he wished had died when the latter had an almost fatal bike accident, APC as a party, the government, leaders of the party, groups and individuals. Even this writer has suffered horrid descriptions from FFK in many write-ups.
Yes, he even said he would rather die than return to APC, but last week, he returned—well and alive.
Naturally, a lot of loyal APC members are hopping mad that FFK was readmitted into the party. And not only that, he got back at the highest level. Not at his ward in Ile-Ife, Osun State, but the triumphal entry was at the Presidential Villa, with President Buhari himself as the host.
I understand the umbrage taken against the development by teeming APC supporters. It’s the natural thing to do. But then, having vented spleen, raised dust and almost brought down the roof, the next thing is to isolate the issues dispassionately.
With the bile displayed towards President Buhari and his family over the years, how did the man find the grace to have received FFK? How was he convinced? Who did the convincing? What were the extenuating factors? How? When? Why?
By agreeing to the readmission of FFK to APC as the leader of the party, and hosting him at the Villa, President Buhari displayed amazing capacity to forgive, to show mercy, and let bygones be bygones. How many of us can do that? Not many.
Remember William Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice:
“The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blessed him that gives and him that takes… It is an attribute of God Himself.”
That was what Buhari did to FFK. He showed him mercy, dropping like gentle rain from heaven, when he could have otherwise spat into the sky, collecting the spittle with his own face. Was that not what me and you would have done? Confess. We would have told FFK to go to hell, and stay there. But Buhari didn’t. He displayed an attribute of God: forgiveness.
One of the lies that had been serially told against the President was his alleged unforgiving spirit, a falsehood sold to Nigerians by anti-Buhari forces since the days of military rule. The lie traveled for so long, till it was eventually overtaken by the truth in one day. Nigerians saw through the facade, and elected Buhari as President in 2015. Re-elected him with wider margin in 2019.
I have worked with the President for over six years. And I have seen amazing things in terms of accommodation and capacity to forgive. I have visited him at home many times in the evenings, only to find at dinner table with him people who had been abusing his forefathers on television earlier in the day. This President has a capacity to forgive, and forget. And make peace. That was what he displayed in the case of FFK. Nothing short of divine attribute, which me and you should covet and seek to approximate.
True, the brother of the prodigal son in the Good Book was unhappy, after his sibling had engaged in riotous living, squandered his inheritance, and came back home in penury. And the father received him with glee, and slaughtered the fatted calf in celebration.
The brother was indignant. He accused the father of bad faith, saying he had remained faithful and loyal, and not once did the father give him a goat to kill, and make merry with his friends.
That is the case of the APC members who have been unhappy at the reception given FFK. He did not deserve it, they claim. True. But how many things don’t we deserve, but which eventually come our way? That is the inscrutable nature of God, and we should not begrudge ourselves, or anybody else. How many things have come your way, which you really don’t deserve? But God gave those things to you, nevertheless. Same with FFK.
I think those screaming blue murder and lamenting the injustice and unfairness of it all should hold their peace. They have made their points, and should let things be. Enough! FFK is back, let sleeping dogs lie. He may stay this time round, as he claims to have had a Damascus road experience, which turned Saul to Paul.
Many times, FFK has used unprintable words against me. He has deployed phrases from the nether region against me. But after writing those things, and we met in public places, he would embrace me, calling me his “friend and brother.” I agree, we are brothers, though I should hold giant sized grudges against him. President Buhari has shown us the way . To err is human, to forgive, divine.
And come to think of it. Is it pleasant to swallow one’s vomit? Nah. But that was what FFK did. All those foul words against the President, the APC, the government, many people in government. He has swallowed them. Delicious? By no means. Pueh! You would feel like retching. So, let’s salute the courage of his conviction. It is rare, and not many people would do it.
I welcome FFK back to APC. And I pray it is for an enduring time. I thank President Buhari for showing an astounding large heart. That’s how to be a father. He has confounded all those who peddle lies about him, and the balderdash about not forgiving.
The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. It has dropped upon FFK. May it always drop on us, for “it blesses him that gives, and him that takes.” Amen, somebody!
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has accepted the role of Professor of Cybersecurity based on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This decision is sequel to my briefing to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Friday 26th march, 2021 and his permission for me to go ahead and share my knowledge and experience in the academia, which is a form of community service to our citizens,” Pantami said.
This statement is contained in documents signed by Pantami himself and uploaded online by Professor Farooq Kperogi.
Pantami had accepted the post of Professor at the Imo-based institution before it had been formally offered to him, based on the available documents. The Islamic cleric accepted the position in March. However, the appointment letter offering the professorship post to Pantami has August 20 as its date.
Pantami also erroneously said described the school as being in “Imo, Owerri State,” rather than Owerri, Imo State.
Though Buhari had named Pantami as a political appointee in 2016, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri defended its decision to appoint Pantami as a Professor, saying it was based on his research at the National Information Technology Development Agency.
The registrar of the school, John Nnabuihe, said that the promotion was “based on his qualification which he merited through long years of research works.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it would investigate the controversial appointment and has directed its FUTO chapter to look into the circumstances under which Pantami was promoted to the highest academic rank in the institution.
It had been reported that the Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, placed commercials in newspapers congratulating Pantami on his promotion to a Professor of Cybersecurity, kickstarting the speculation and criticism around Pantami’s appointment.
