28042019 - No delaying minimum wage, go ahead and pay, FG tells MDAs, states, others

PAGE 36, SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 28, 2019
Inadequacies in
democracy inspired
me to propose
tradocracy —Odion
In this interview, Odion Obumese, author of “Tradocracy:
An alternative and better system of government to
democracy” explains his motivations for the proposal:
What inspired you to
propound this new system
of government you call
tradocracy?
I propounded Tradocracy because of
the inadequacies of democracy
visible in its structures and
institutions. Allowing only one
profession – the law profession – to
serve as the only arm of government
in exclusion of other professions –
is one of such inadequacies. Another
flaw of democracy is the
disallowing of a larger part of the
population from completing for
political positions because of the
huge amount of money a candidate
needs to contest election.
Was that why you developed a
fourth arm of government you
called ‘researchure’ alongside other
three existing arms?
Yes, researchure is a new arm of
government that will bring equity
and equality to all professions. In
reality and in practice in most
democracies, the Chief Justice of the
Federation is regarded in
government as the fourth or fifth
most powerful man in a country just
by being a legal practitioner. The
Attorney-General also has the same
power as the Chief Justice. This
arrangement discredits all other
professions that also contribute
meaningfully to the service of a
nation. So the researchure was
developed to address that
inequality. The researchure arm is
a body of professionals excluding
the law profession because law
profession belongs to the judiciary
arm.
In your book you proposed that
contestants in elections shall not be
charged money. How is election
and electoral process going to be
run without money?
The main reason for election is to
By Emmanuel Elebeke
he atmosphere at The New M &
TM Event Centre, beside Nicon
Luxury Hotel, Abuja on Easter
Monday was charged and full of
performance by some popular
Nigerian solo artists.
It was a festival of solo performance
tagged Africa Solo Awards, ASA,
organised by an art enthusiast,
Awayitoma Agoma, a theatre Art
lecturer at University of Abuja.
The event featured special
performances such as: Molue
(Classic) by Tunji Sitimirin; The
Prime Minister’s Son by Greg
Mbajiorgu; Karenas Cross (first
female Solo in Africa) by Benedict
Binebal; the best of stand-up
comedy, Spoken words,
Storytelling, Music and Dance by
Awaritoma Agoma.
Also featured at the show were the
Solo awards which had Tunji
Somitirin, Greg Mbajiorgu,
Alibaba, Benedict Binebai and Dike
Chukwumerije as recipients for
their outstanding display in the solo
world. Late Funsho Alabi (aka, King
of Solo) acting and Mohammed
Danjuma were also honoured
posthumously at the event.
Speaking on the concept, the
coordinator of the festival,
Awayitoma Agoma said the idea
came as a response to revive the
sleeping theatre which had not been
acknowledged and celebrated as it
should in the Nigerian art industry.
With the solo performance reenacted,
he expressed optimism that
the theatre would take its rightful
select competent and
capable leaders that will
rule over the affairs of
people of a nation. These
leaders that shall be
selected must understand
the basic ingredients of
governance, for example,
issues of economy,
development and welfare.
They also need to embrace
innovations for the purpose
of technology. Putting a tag
of money to electoral
competition only selects
the rich and middle class,
disallowing major population that
may have competent individuals
from competing for political
positions.
Sovereign electoral commission
shall generate revenue from
electoral taxation or levies to run
election and electoral processes. It
shall also have its own facilities and
media houses, both print and
electronics. All candidates shall
For arms of
government to
have full
separation of
powers they
must have
independent
police forces
ASA was born to awaken the
sleeping theatre — Agoma
place in the art industry as itself
does not need too much publicity
with the kind of performances.
He said: “it is a festival of solo
performance, performance by one
person. We noticed that the theatre
that has been sleeping had this kind
of spectacular performance and it
has not been acknowledged,
recognised or celebrated.
“It was once muted that we should
be able to project the solo form and
see how we can use it to support the
rebirth of the sleeping theatre. With
the solo form, we believe the theatre
itself does not need too much
publicity with this kind of
performances we have seen today
from Tunji Sotimirin, Greg
Mbajiogu, and Benedict Binary.”
Agoma who described the solo form
as high economical and a minimal
theatre, said, “theatre is for one, who
can move out any time and perform
anywhere, there is space enough
from carpet. So, we believe that that
one man actor does not need the
appurtenances, that load a theatre
craves for in elaborate lightening,
costume, sound.
“That one man up there can be able
to conjure that image he wants his
audience to see in his performance
and I believe everybody should be
able to let that happen and make
sure that the solo actor is given
prominence in the business theatre
all over the nation.
“The performance is quite
economical, it is unlike convention
drama with 20 to 30 casts, elaborate
sound, consumes, scenery, all these
we do not see in solo performance.”
•Odion
Obumese
make use of these facilities free for
purpose of campaign. Electoral
registration forms shall be given out
free to interested candidates.
What will be the function of this
researchure, and how will the
members be elected?
Four members shall represent each
profession – the health profession,
engineering, arts, etc., for example.
Candidates contesting for health
positions in the house of researchure
shall only be voted for by health
professionals, and all other
professions follow the same pattern
of voting. Researchurers
representatives of the house of
researchure are sent to agencies of
their own professions for research
and creativity and also to monitor
daily activities of the establishment
and the work processes. The
researchurer writes down his
findings and methodology of work
processes including research
patterns and take the write-up to
house of researchure for approval.
Once approved by the house of
researchure, it shall be binding on
the establishment to which the
researchures were sent. This action
will create rapid economic growth
and industrial development.
Researchurers shall spend three
weeks on the field and a week in
the house of researchure for
deliberation and approval of
findings.
In your book, you mentioned the
parliamentary police force,
researchure police force and judicial
police force. Could you please
explain what they are?
For arms of government to have full
separation of powers they must have
independent police forces. This will
prevent dominance of one arm of
government over the other. All arms
of government must also be
financially independent. Heads of
police forces for arms of government
shall be appointed by heads of each
arm of government. For example, the
President of Senate shall appoint
commissioner of parliamentary
police. National Police force has no
function or jurisdiction with other
arms of government because
national or state police is under the
control of the executive.
Lastly, in your book, you talked
about the power of the President
and National Onogie. What is that?
The President shall be the head of
government and Commander-in-
Chief of the Armed Forces, while the
National Onogie (National Leader)
shall be second in command to the
president. Both the President and the
National Onogie shall sign all bills
from Parliament into law. The
National Onogie shall be elected
from and by upper arm of the
legislature, and he or she shall have
executive mandate.
The National Onogie shall control
traditional ministries like ministries
of arts and culture, agriculture,
health, and police affairs. But all
other ministries shall be controlled
by the president including the
treasury department and Central
Bank. Only the President can create
new ministries.
EDITED BY
osaamadi@yahoo.com
08070524223
Teaching my
first German
students
The German Managing Director & Chief
Executive Officer of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr.
K.P Waschmut was a good man, an extremely good
man. Shortly after he arrived in Nigeria, he sent
his driver to the music school of Musical Society
of Nigeria (MUSON Centre) to scout for a
competent classical music piano teacher who
would teach him and his family.
His driver met my friend, Solomon Akwudinma,
secretary to the pioneer Director of MUSON
Music School, Mr. James Adekunle. The driver
had explained to Solomon that his master wanted
a good piano teacher. Solomon asked him to leave
his master’s residential address; that he would
send him a good piano teacher.
The MUSON Centre was our rallying point in
those days as piano teachers. Even though I was
not permanently employed to teach at the Music
School, I made it a point of duty to be there at
least once a week. I used to prepare my private
students for the graded music exams (both theory
and practical) and then register them for the
examinations which held at six-month intervals.
That week, when I came to MUSON, my friend
Solomon gave me a piece of paper containing an
address at Senari Daranijo, Victoria Island.
Solomon had gathered from the driver that the
man who needed the piano teacher was a white
man, but the driver did not reveal the true identity
of his master as the MD of Nestle.
I took the piece of paper containing the address
and set out in search of Senari Daranijo. I located
it behind the Zenith Bank head office, Ajose
Adigun.
The luxury in the house told me instantly that I
was in the home of a very rich man. The wife (whom
I later came to understand to be one of the wisest
women I had ever met) and the two children came
out to watch me as Mr. Waschmut took me to his
glittering upright piano. I inspected it as a medical
doctor would inspect a patient who had come for
a routine medical check-up. It was a splendid piece
of an instrument and I told him so.
“This piano is good,” I said softly, pulling out
the stool and the wooden black panel covering
the keys. I sat on the stool and started playing
“Fur Elise” by Beethoven. The wife drew nearer
her husband. When I looked up I saw mirth of
smile on their faces. It was the magic effect “Fur
Elise” always has on even the uninitiated in
classical music. Just by watching and hearing me
play that piece of music, the Wachsmuts became
convinced they had gotten the type of teacher they
needed.
Mr. Wachsmut and I sat down and negotiated
my fee. It was year 2003 and my fee then generally
was N3, 000 per hour. We began the lessons
immediately. I spent 2 hours that day in the family
– one hour for Mr. Wachsmut and one hour for
Mrs. Wachsmut. Before I left the house, Mr.
Wachsmut paid me N6, 000. He also gave me his
call card.
When I saw his job title written on the card as
MD/CEO of Nestle Nigeria Plc, I was stunned.
How could such a young man be an MD of a multinational
conglomerate like Nestle? I should have
charged him more if I had known, I told myself.
But I was very happy that I was taking something
home after a long period of drought in my career
as a piano teacher. My wife had a new baby and
we needed every kobo we could get. Soon, other
opportunities started coming. God never leaves a
hardworking family man empty handed!
See you next week by God’s grace.