29092019 - 2023: Controversy over Pastor Tunde Bakare's prophecy on Buhari's

PAGE 40–SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Viewpoint
Why local g<strong>over</strong>nment autonomy is non-negotiable
By Busari Faiza Taiye and
Busari Hamidah Kehinde
Local g<strong>over</strong>nmentadministration
in Nigeria has undergone several
reforms, for various reasons,to achieve
certain objectives since 1954 when this
tier of g<strong>over</strong>nment receivedstatutory
approval by virtue of the Native Law
Ordinance of that year.
For instance, the 1967 reform arose
from the need to effectboundary
adjustments after the creation of new
states by the then militaryg<strong>over</strong>nment
which set up an Advisory Committee
to look into the boundaries ofthe then
Native Authorities (NA) and to advise
on the devolution of power tothem from
the provincial system of
administration.
The committee recommended the
replacement of the term
‘NativeAuthority’ with that of ‘Local
G<strong>over</strong>nment.’ Additionally, it
recommended thesplitting and
regrouping of former Native
Authorities.
One major effect of the 1967 reform
was that it substantiallywhittled down
the influence and power of traditional
rulers who hitherto hadoperated as
highest authorities at that level of
administration.
The 1967 reform could not take effect
due to the civil war whichbroke out that
year.
Another round of reform was
initiated in 1976. The basic ideabehind
The Dasuki Committee
had identified one of
the primary
responsibilities of the
local g<strong>over</strong>nments as
the exercise of
democratic
self-g<strong>over</strong>nment close
to the local level of our
society
the 1976 reform was the need to
democratize administration at
thegrassroots. This led to the setting
up of a technical committee,
popularlyknown as the ‘Dasuki
Committee’ to look into how best the
proposed reform couldbe carried
out.
The Report of the Dasuki Committee
marked a conscious attempt
tovisualize the structure and functions
of local g<strong>over</strong>nments in the country.
Thecommittee recommended that the
following functions, among others,
should begiven priority by the local
g<strong>over</strong>nments:
a. Basic environmental sanitation
and other aspects of
preventivehealthcare;
b. Maternity centres, dispensaries,
leprosy clinics and healthcentres;
c. Roads and drain, excluding
Federal and State roads;
d. Construction and maintenance of
primary schools; and
e. Maintenance of law and order.
The committee also identified the
primary responsibilities oflocal
g<strong>over</strong>nments to include the following:
a. Making appropriate services and
development activitiesresponsive to
local wishes and initiatives by
devolving or delegating them tolocal
representative bodies;
b. Facilitating the exercise of
democratic self-g<strong>over</strong>nment closeto
the local level of our society and
encouraging initiatives and
leadershippotentials; and
c. Mobilizing human and material
resources through the involvementof
members of the public in their local
development.
One of the striking
recommendations of the Committee
was that the independentexistence of
the system of Local G<strong>over</strong>nment should
be guaranteed by theConstitution.
G<strong>over</strong>nment accepted these
recommendations and anchored
the1976reform substantially on them.
Accordingly, the establishment,
structure,composition, finance and
functions of the local g<strong>over</strong>nment
councils wereembodied in the 1979
Constitution. Thus, for the first time the
autonomygranted to the
administration of Local G<strong>over</strong>nments
in Nigeria was addressed in1976.
The Dasuki Committee had
identified one of the
primaryresponsibilities of the local
g<strong>over</strong>nments as ‘the exercise of
democraticself-g<strong>over</strong>nment close to
the local level of our society.’ In
accepting therecommendations of the
panel, the military g<strong>over</strong>nment
approved theestablishment, structure,
composition, finance and functions of
the localg<strong>over</strong>nment councils as a
separate tier of g<strong>over</strong>nment. This was
reflected insection 7 (1) of the 1979
Constitution. The same provision is in
section 7 (1)of the 1999 Constitution.
In some countries that operate a
federal system, local
g<strong>over</strong>nmentcouncils are granted
enough powers by the federating units
to establish andmaintain their own
local courts, fire service and even police.
The generalpractice in federal systems
all <strong>over</strong> the world is that the councils
are oftengranted enough autonomy,
especially financial, which enables
them to managetheir affairs, establish
schools, build roads, clean the
environment, build andmaintain
parks, and provide necessary
developmental projects, just as
theamended 1999 constitution of
Nigeria provides
This is in line with the general
recognition of the role of
localg<strong>over</strong>nments as engines of
grassroots development.
In line with its tradition of talking to
the heart of federalism,the Federal
G<strong>over</strong>nment taking development to
the grass root the g<strong>over</strong>nment
ofPresident Muhammadu Buhari
recently re-emphasised the
constitutional financialautonomy to
local g<strong>over</strong>nments in Nigeria.
This was contained in a media
release by the Nigerian
FinancialIntelligence Unit (NFIU) to
the effect that from June 1st, 2019,
disbursementfrom the joint state/local
g<strong>over</strong>nment accounts in relation to
local g<strong>over</strong>nmentallocations would be
exclusively done by local g<strong>over</strong>nments
and that stateswould cease to
participate in the disbursement.
•Taiye and Kehinde can be
reached via faizataiye@gmail.com
Read more on
www.vanguardngr.com
By Bolu Adeosun
It is the dawn of a new era in Ogun
State where efforts are in top gear to
achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
Under the three and a half months old
administration of G<strong>over</strong>nor Dapo
Abiodun, the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme
is also targeted at easing the problem of
youth unemployment in the sense that the
initiative has the capacity to take thousands
of idle persons off the streets.
For a start, 2, 000 persons have been
enlisted under the scheme which signals
the commencement of what can aptly be
described as agricultural revolution in
Ogun.
The icing on the cake for the beneficiaries
of the scheme, called Agro-preneurs, is that
each of them will get a hectare of land free
from the state g<strong>over</strong>nment.
There cannot be a better way to encourage
our youths to go into farming.
While flagging off the scheme at the June
12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Abiodun
said his g<strong>over</strong>nment plans to turn the state
into an agricultural hub capable of feeding
itself and other states across the country.
According to him, the Anchor Borrowers’
Scheme is another avenue to boost the
nation’s self-sufficiency in agricultural
production in line with the Federal
G<strong>over</strong>nment’s agenda on food security, and
to save foreign exchange spent annually on
importation of food items that could be
produced locally. The 2, 000 beneficiaries,
he announced, would be given Certificates
Ogun Agro-preneurs: Inside Dapo Abiodun’s scheme to feed nation
of Acceptance and Leasehold.
This is not a new scheme altogether in
the country as it was started by the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) some years ago as
a tripartite scheme with state g<strong>over</strong>nments
and beneficiaries.
What is new, however, is that the previous
Ogun administration failed to take full
advantage of it while several other states
keyed into it with the benefits now glaring
for everyone to see.
The g<strong>over</strong>nor expressed surprise that
his predecessor shunned the funds
available under the scheme to help
farmers improve their production.
The g<strong>over</strong>nor called on the recipients to
be committed and responsible in their
repayment plan.
“Outside of the one hectare of land that
we are giving out free to each of the
beneficiaries, we will also provide clearing,
seedlings, fertilizers, extension services and
we will pay upkeep allowances until the
first harvest,” Abiodun added.
The g<strong>over</strong>nor disclosed that the Africa
Development Bank (AfDB) is set to site the
largest Agro-Processing Zone on the
continent in Ogun.
According to him, the development was
the result of several engagements by his
administration with officials of the AfDB
who had been in his office twice in the last
two and a half months.
AfDB is headed by a former Minister of
Agriculture and an indigene of Ogun, Prof.
Now imagine the
multiplier effect as
youths who otherwise
would have taken into
social vices like
robbery, cyber crime or
even prostitution will
have prospects of
employment
Akinwumi Adesina.
“The bank decided that they were going
to have two Agro-Processing Zones in
Nigeria and Prof. Adesina decided that the
biggest must be sited in Ogun State. This is
the result of our constructive engagements
with the Bank <strong>over</strong> the last 70 days or so,”
the g<strong>over</strong>nor said.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent
Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of
Agriculture, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye,
described agriculture as a viable sector that
could absorb the teeming unemployed
youths, expressing delight that the state has
signed its counterpart fund and keyed into
the scheme. Head of Developing Finance,
Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Oluyemisi
Olukoya, said Ogun had not done well in
accessing the scheme as only 5,249 farmers
in the state were in the scheme as against
20,000 from Kebbi State.
Chairman, Ogun State Anchors
Borrowers’ Scheme, Prof. Bola Okuneye,
said the programme was designed to link
off-takers of agricultural products with
producers so that farmers would know that
there was demand for their products at an
agreed and beneficial price to improve
production so as to guarantee abundant
agricultural products in the nation.
“Ogun State is leveraging on its
advantages in cassava, rice and maize value
chain. There is a guarantee of off-takers,
which means it is profitable from Day One,”
Okuneye said.
The Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme is a winwin
development for not only the
beneficiaries, but also for the state that is
hungry for economic development and
residents. For the 2, 000 beneficiaries, many
of whom may have been graduates of
many years standing but without job, it is a
chance to make a decent living in line with
the welfare agenda of the Abiodun
administration. And they are only the first
batch of the scheme as other batches will
come in quick succession. This is a well
thought-out scheme that recognises the fact
that the beneficiaries are farmers and will
ultimately require the market to dispose of
their produce. Whereas there is already a
market for those among them that may
choose to go into cassava production, as a
factory has said it can buy off their entire
produce, the state g<strong>over</strong>nment is said to be
setting up a board for others as an avenue
to prevent the selling of their produce at a
loss. There is no doubt that the Anchor
Borrowers’ Scheme will ultimately boost
food production in Ogun but when that
happens and there is excess, it is incumbent
on the authorities to put in a place a system
to ensure that beneficiaries don’t sell their
produce at a loss.
Meanwhile the scheme has the potential
to create more job opportunities. The
current beneficiaries and successive ones
will sooner or later break even and this will
pave the way for employment in their
different businesses.
Now imagine the multiplier effect as
youths who otherwise would have taken
into social vices like robbery, cyber crime
or even prostitution will have prospects of
employment.
G<strong>over</strong>nment also benefits as successful
beneficiaries inevitably will have to pay
tax to its coffers for the developmental
agenda of the state administration.
In the end, G<strong>over</strong>nor Dapo Abiodun not
only realises his dream of ensuring food
security, but also solving the problem of
youth unemployment and growing Ogun
economy.
•Adeosun is resident in Abeokuta
By Kenny Okotie
nly recently, when the first batch
Oof 187 Nigerian returnees from
South Africa, as a result of the
Xenophobic attacks in that country
returned to their fatherland – Nigeria,
there was something spectacular about
the unity and oneness of this country
that I carefully observed which also
drew tears from my eyes.
The Chairman of Air Peace Airline,
Allen Onyema, out of Patriotism,
extreme loyalty and dedication to this
country put Air Peace Aircraft on motion
to evacuate those willing Nigerians in
South African homewards. This “big
hearted” Nigerian must be highly
commended and appreciated for this
magnanimous stride. He did it for free
and nobody paid him a dime. He said
he put together <strong>over</strong> N280 million in
order to bring these people back. What
a sacrifice! what a love for our
fatherland!!.
What touched me most was this
paragraph culled from Vanguard
Newspaper, Friday September 13, page
41 Onyema said, “When I Stepped
inside the aircraft to welcome them, they
mobbed me and started singing the
Nigerian National Anthem, there was
nobody there singing about Separation,
they felt proud to be Nigerians, they rose
There’s strength and unity in diversity…
in unison, that drew tears from me”.
There is strength and unity in
diversity. The Supreme God that put
us together with diverse cultural
heritage, tribes, tongues and religion
is not an ordinary god. He is infact, a
master planner who sees the end from
the very beginning. He calls forth those
things that were as though they be not.
Imagine another scenario, when our
National team, the Super Eagles are
engaged in a football tourney with
another country, moreso, probably
when we are winning, you will see
palpable joy in the atmosphere and
the utmost feelings of being proud to
be a Nigerian.
Those who have money at that
moment in time and are in a bar would
declare “booze” for everybody. That
is the Nigerian spirit. It’s so amazing.
So what has suddenly come <strong>over</strong> us
that we are no longer our brother’s
keepers. Why don’t and can’t we seek
means to strengthen this unique bond
that binds us all as Nigerians
irrespective of being in the North,
South, East or West. I have often said
without times and number that no
human being is completely useless.
There is always the good and the
bad sides of every individual no matter
how thorough that person might seem.
What is important is to know the
weakness of such an individual.
Whether PDP or APC or any other party
for that matter is totally irrelevant and
inconsequential. We should work with
any person. Be it any tribe and religion,
it doesn’t really matter.
The euphoria that more ministers at
the federal level or commissioners at
the state level all come from a
particular geo political zone or Local
G<strong>over</strong>nment shouldn’t be “a big deal
after all”. It’s myopic in thinking to
suggest otherwise. As long as those
appointed serve the common good of
the people/ masses should be okay. For
example, when Ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan was in the saddle of the
rulership of this country, his
programmes tilted to favour the
Northern parts of the country more
than the south.
So what happened? Did he win the
2015 general election? When late
Abiola contested for the most allegedly
acclaimed free and fair elections in
1993, he picked his running mate from
the Muslim North. He being a Muslim
was voted for throughout the nooks
and crannies of this Nation. At that
time, nobody thought of his Muslim/
Muslim ticket. So in effect, what I am
trying to lay credence to is that no
matter the political party in power be it
at the Federal, State or Local
G<strong>over</strong>nment level, the occupier of that
office must be supported by all, bearing
in mind his or her strength and
weaknesses. If this advice is in sync with
the majority of our elites, then Nigeria
and her future would be a better place
to live in.
Who can categorically say the major
difference(s) between one political
party or the other? Because there is no
or minimal difference, that is probably
why our politicians cross carpet from
one political party to the other
effortlessly. The Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs to mention but a few in this
dispensation, Senator Godswill
Akpabio did remarkably well during
his tenure in Akwa Ibom State as a
PDP G<strong>over</strong>nor. So many
transformational initiatives were
introduced and completed. Today, he
is in the APC. Do you have a problem
with that? It will be foolhardy to have
one because what obtains in advanced
countries of the world might be
different from what obtains here in
Nigeria. We must at all times
understand the peculiarities of our
diverse cultural backgrounds and
religion as Nigerians and must be
careful and mindful of the things we
import from abroad.
Nigeria is a great country irrespective
of who is in the helm or saddle of affairs
both Federal, State or Local
G<strong>over</strong>nment levels. God in His infinite
mercies has blessed this country
tremendously. Is God a liar? and made
a mistake? NEVER AND NEVER!!
Our leaders at these various state
should indulge mostly in those things
that inevitably bind us as a people
rather than divide us.
This holistic truth should be passed
on to their followers who inevitably
look up to them for direction and
guidance. We are one big indivisible
country. Let us eulogize in our diversity
and have utmost respect for one
another’s religion.
The gentry of patriotic Nigerians like
the Allen Onyema, Dangote, Femi
Otedola, Tony Elumelu, Jim Ovia,
Mike Adenuga and so, so many others
performing one form of philanthropy
or the other need the prayers and
encouragement of every right thinking
Nigerians.
•Okotie is Founder/Chairman
Abadingo Abadango Foundation
(AAF) kenneyokotie@yahoo.com
08062193311