Saturday 31 May 2014

Nigeria Wins Football Gold at the African Youth Games


Nigeria’s highly skillful U-15 team beats Swaziland 3-1 at the ongoing Africa Youth Games to win the gold medal at the event.

The young stars played with a mastery that was unmatchable all through as they scored ten convincing goals in five matches during the games but only conceded once. 

Young Elisha and Ali Musa were amongst the players that ensured Nigeria finished with ten points leaving Tanzania and Mali to pick up the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Commenting at the end of the game, coach of the team, Danladi Nasidi says “I’m a happy man today and I must say the one month camping exercise we had in Abuja before the tournament really helped us.”

The Nigerian squad is expected back home immediately after the closing ceremony of the African Youth Games.

Friday 30 May 2014

Niger To Be Among Top 3 Developed Economies By 2020 – Gov Aliyu

Niger State governor, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday declared that necessary institutional framework has been put in place to make the state attain its vision to be among the top three most economically developed states by the year 2020.

Aliyu stated this while delivering a keynote address at a two-day interactive democracy conference held in Abuja, to mark his seventh year in office. The event was organised by Civil Society Alliance of Nigeria as part of the Democracy Day celebration.

Represented by his deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, the governor noted that the state’s Vision 3-2020 has laid the foundation for good governance, as it is the guiding principle and barometer with which the state measures its programmes and projects in every sector.

He said, “It is significant to highlight that the Vision 3-2020 document has since laid the foundation for good governance in Niger State, within the wider context of our overall development aspirations.

“Indeed, not only has the Vision 3-2020 Law been passed by the State Legislature to ensure sustenance of development projects even beyond our tenure, other institutional frameworks for good governance have also been put in place.

“In this regard, the Niger State planning, public procurement, fiscal responsibility and audit laws have all been passed by the State Assembly”.

The governor revealed that the state is also investing substantially in security to guarantee the safety and protection of all citizens and creating the convenient climate to attract the much needed foreign investors.

http://leadership.ng/news/372664/niger-among-top-3-developed-economies-2020-gov-aliyu

Okonjo-Iweala Now Ranks 44 On Forbes Most Powerful Women List



The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has moved 39 steps up in the latest Forbes list of Most Powerful Women in the World.

She moved from last year’s ranking of number 83 to 44.

Malawian President, Joyce Banda and her Liberian counterpart, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Shirleaf, ranked 40 and 70 respectively as well as Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija (90) are other African women on the Forbes latest list of Most Powerful Women in the World.

In an addendum accompanying the list, Forbes said since Okonjo-Iweala’s comeback as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) had displayed a 6.8 per cent robust growth between 2012 and 2013, particularly given the relatively sluggish global recovery.

It stated that: “Okonjo-Iweala was key to developing the reform programmes that helped stabilise Nigeria’s economy and improve governmental transparency,” adding that “she has now turned her attention to Nigeria’s 14 per cent unemployment rate.”

In the newest Forbes ranking, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Janet Yellen, recently appointed the first woman to head the United States Federal Reserve Board (Central Bank) occupy the number one and two spots respectively.

Melinda Gates, President Dilma Roussef of Brazil, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama also featured prominently on the list.

Okonjo-Iweala has continued to haul local and international honours and awards. In April alone, she emerged one of the three recipients of the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Awards.

She was also featured among the world’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ by the popular Time Magazine, in the ‘Leaders Category’ of the list, which she shared with Chinese President, Xi Jinping; Secretary of State, United States of America, John Kerry; Russian President, Vladmir Putin; Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe among others.

This Day.

Retail Sector In Nigeria Has A Promising Future- Oduoza

Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, has stated that Nigeria’s retail sector holds huge potential for growth.

Oduoza said this in a keynote address at the 2014 ‘Retail Leaders Conference held in Lagos.

The UBA boss, represented by the bank’s Director of Consumer Banking, Mr. Ilesanmi Owoeye, listed several factors driving the growth of Nigeria’s retail industry.

These factors, according to him, include the ongoing reforms in key sectors of the Nigerian economy aimed at bridging infrastructural gap, reducing unemployment levels, improving literacy level and improving access to funding by SMEs, which will significantly impact the level of disposable income and effective demand in the near future, affording the sector unprecedented growth opportunity.
He also identified increasing technology penetration in Nigeria as another factor driving the growth of the retail sector as this is giving retailers access to valuable market information about purchasing trends as well as segment preferences, making it increasingly easy to adapt sales and marketing approaches and improve consumer experiences.
Another factor is the increasing penetration of the informal sector by retailers.

“Without doubt, the continuous rise in mobile technology will be pivotal to the next stage of the retail market development, fuelling its integration with the global retail trade economy and significantly increasing its ease of doing business. This prospect is already becoming evident in the rising trend of online retailers are increasingly gaining traction and matching the emerging sophistication of Nigerian consumers’ changing demand and payment patterns.” Oduoza said.

He called on banks to adopt on more collaborative financing mechanisms to enable retailers develop their capacities, expand operations and adopt innovative practice production standards to reduce operating cost and optimize value.

He said innovative partnerships among retail financial service providers will increase focus on the funding of retail-based infrastructure development and product distribution projects.

“In an environment of collaborative partnerships, banks will partner retailers in promoting the acceptance and mobility of innovative payment platforms. For example, cheaper mobile-based point-of-sales will replace the expensive terminals currently in use, and we will see mobile-to-mobile funds transfer added to the bouquet of payment platforms,” he stated.

“UBA recognizes the growth potential of the Nigerian economy and the retail sector in particular, so we have and will continue to intensify our support for the sector through provision of innovative payment, cash management solutions and appropriate funding options along the entire value chain.”
He disclosed that the banking sector is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria to deploy an industry-wide biometric system which will significantly improve consumers’ access to both secured and unsecured financing, thereby increasing the retail market potential.


http://www.dailytimes.com.ng

D'banj Wins Africa’s World Best Male Artiste 2014

The World's Music Awards 2014 went down May 27 at Sporting Monte-Carlo in Monte-Carlo, Monaco and D’Banj took home the award for Africa’s World Best Male Artiste.

Kokomaster beats hands down heavy weights like 2face Idibia, Akon, Banky W, Darey, Davido, Dr. Sid, Fally Ipupa, Femi Kuti, Fuse ODG, Ice Prince, Iyanya and others.

D'banj who wore a white bathrobe, raised up the plaque in jubilation, announced the news over a plate of rice and stew at breakfast.

World Music Awards honours the best-selling recording artists from every continent. D’Banj also performed at the event alongside others like Miley Cyrus, Jason Derulo, Mariah Carey and Rocky Martin.

Source: Daily times

Keshi Ridicules Match-Fixing Allegation

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi launched a furious defence of his players following Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Scotland in a match whose build-up had been disrupted over a match-fixing investigation being revealed.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, said his World Cup finals-bound players were not gamblers they were footballers and ridiculed allegations that anything sinister had taken place.

The game was threatened after Britain’s serious crime squad the National Crime Agency were called to investigate a possible threat of match-fixing linked to illegal betting rings ahead of the game at Fulham’s ground in London.

But Keshi, who coached Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations title last year, said his team were not affected by the off-field issues before the kickoff.

“We did (talk about it) because it’s something ridiculous, something that we don’t know where it’s coming from. We’re not gamblers, we are football players,” Keshi was quoted as saying by AFP.
“I don’t even know where that is coming from, we don’t know what happened, match fixing or no match fixing.

“This is the first time I’ve been a coach or been a player and the first time I’m hearing this, match-fixing. I don’t think it had anything to do with our build-up or the game.”

On the pitch, Charlie Mulgrew opened the scoring for the Tartan Army after 10 minutes before Michael Uchebo equalised with four minutes left of the first half.

The Scots regained the lead through a bizarre own goal by defender Azubuike Egwuekwe who appeared to flick the ball into his own net from James Morrison’s cross in the 52nd minute.

But super-sub Uche Nwofor converted an equaliser in stoppage time.

http://www.dailytimes.com.ng

Made In Nigeria Cars For Export Soon – Jonathan



President Goodluck Jonathan said on Thursday that the vision of his administration to revamp the capability of Nigeria’s automobile sector to export locally manufactured cars is near realisation.

Jonathan stated this at the 2014 Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Jonathan, who inspected locally assembled Nissan Saloon cars, Pick-Up Van and SUV at the venue of the programme, said the administration had proved doubting Thomas wrong.

The President explained that when he made the disclosure in 2013 that made-in Nigeria cars would be rolled out in the country in April and that Nigeria would soon be exporting cars, he was lampooned on the pages of newspapers.

He commended Nissan Group for keying into the new automotive policy of the federal government and urged other multinational auto companies to take a cue from Nissan.

The President also used the occasion to present his administration’s third anniversary report of the transformation agenda. The report gave the accounts of the administration’s stewardship in every sector of the economy in the last one year.

Jonathan said the report, which was also rendered in multimedia video clip to the audience, authenticated that things are working in the country inspite of security challenges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the administration’s mid-year score card was presented by the President during the 2013 Democracy Day celebration.

NAN reports the 2014 Democracy Day celebration was dedicated to the Nigeria Youth.

http://leadership.ng/business/372703/made-nigeria-cars-export-soon-jonathan

Thursday 29 May 2014

Food Security Through Agricultural Transformation Agenda

As the nation marks democracy day today, the minister of agriculture and rural development, Mr Akinwumi Adesina, recounts how the Agricultural Transformation Agenda is steadily moving Nigeria towards food security

Potentials:
Nigeria’s immense agricultural potential is a great asset for the nation and Africa, with promises for food security when fully harnessed. Only 40 per cent of Nigeria’s 84 million hectares of arable land is presently cultivated. Nigeria’s endowment of 263 billion cubic metres of water, a bulk of which comes from two of the largest rivers in Africa, represents a great agricultural benefit.

A population of 167 million provides Nigeria a large pool of cheap labour to support agricultural intensification while also offering a huge market for agricultural produce. But this must not be a market for others or a dumping ground for indiscriminate importers. We must grow our own food to feed ourselves and to export. The task of creating markets locally for our own farmers is an urgent one.

What we are doing:

To this end, we are unlocking the potential of agriculture to once again drive the economy. We are doing a rapid transformation of key agricultural value chains – from the farm to the table. In 2011, President Jonathan launched the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, with the goal of adding an additional 20 million MT of food to the domestic food supply by 2015 and stimulating the creation of 3.5 million jobs along the agricultural value chains.

To achieve these, we are working to create ecosystems in which small, medium, and large-scale farming systems not only co-exist but also flourish. We are focusing on creating value added products from staple crops – through an aggressive import substitution programme and other policy reforms to accelerate food production and agricultural resilience.

The various commodities and areas under consideration in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda are:

Rice transformation:

We are making remarkable progress towards achieving our target of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. What started as a determined effort in 2012, has started yielding remarkable impacts on farmers field. Our first task was to ensure that we raise the yields on farmers’s field and replace low yielding traditional varieties with high yielding improved varieties.

The Federal Government began a massive programme to subsidise the cost of the new rice varieties for farmers, providing them free of charge. Today, almost all rice farmers cultivate the new varieties, Faro 44 and Faro 52, which meet the quality requirements of rice millers. Average yields on farmers’ rice fields increased from 1.5 metric tons per hectare to 4 to 5 metric tons (MT) per hectare. Paddy rice production is accelerating than at any time in Nigeria’s history.

In 2012, total wet season rice production yielded 339,078 MT of rice or 220,400 MT of milled rice. In 2013 wet season, a total of 1,739,322 MT paddy was produced, which translated to 1,130,559 MT of milled rice. In 2012 alone, the dry season rice farming introduced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development added 1,070,364 MT of paddy, enough to generate 695,737 MT of milled rice, which brought a total production to 1,409,442 MT of paddy rice and 916,137 MT of milled rice.

These increased significantly in 2013, as the dry season rice farming intervention produced additional 1,220,634 MT of paddy, which translates into 793,412 MT of milled rice. The total rice production in 2013 rose to 2,959,956 MT of paddy, which translates into 1,923,971 MT of milled rice, which is enough to mill close to the 2.1 million MT of milled rice Nigeria annually imports.

The milling capacity for rice is expanding rapidly. Within two years, the number of integrated rice mills expanded by 300 per cent, with 15 new integrated rice mills established, with total capacity of 520,000 MT per year. But more impressive has been the rapid rise in the number of small scale rice mills, who are processing a bulk of the rice paddy in the country, stimulating jobs all across rural areas. The number of small scale rice mills is estimated to be rising by 29 to 40 per cent annually. Several now have de-stoning machines and compete fiercely for paddy with the large integrated rice mills. High-quality Nigerian rice are now in the market, including Umza rice, Ebony super rice, Eko rice, Mikap rice and several others. In Enugu State, young graduates have produced “coal city rice”.

Olam, a global conglomerate, is investing over $70 million in a 6,000 ha fully mechanised rice farm in Nasarawa State and is about to complete a 210,000 MT integrated rice mill that will process Nigerian paddy rice into finished milled rice. The mill, which will be completed by July 2014, will be the largest rice mill in Africa. A new privately-zoned rice mill, Quarra rice, was established in 2013 and has rolled off its high quality rice into local markets. Unknown to many Nigerians is that these well-packaged high-quality rice brands are all locally produced and milled in Nigeria. Stallion, a large rice importer, has started producing locally milled rice, Stallion Shinkafa”. The era of stony, poor quality rice, which was often called “local rice” is gone. That consumers cannot differentiate local and imported rice based on quality, is a major achievement, which will deepen as more of the locally produced paddy is milled.

To further boost our rice production, Nigeria is working closely with state governments. The number of states that participated in the rice transformation agenda increased from 10 to 22 between 2012 and 2013. Nigeria is partnering with China to introduce hybrid rice varieties, which have yield potential of up to 12 tons per hectare. The decision by President Jonathan. to launch the dry season farming in 2014 – a first in the history of the country – has dramatically turned around farm production, as farmers can now grow food crops in both wet and dry seasons. Over 360,000 jobs have been created through the rice transformation agenda.

Fertiliser:

The backbone of any agricultural revolution is access of farmers to modern agricultural inputs, especially fertilisers and seeds. For four decades the government operated a system of government direct purchase and distribution of fertilisers. The system displaced the private sector and was riddled with corruption and massive rent seeking. As a result, only about 11 per cent of farmers got the subsidized seeds and fertilisers distributed by the government. With strong support of President Goodluck Jonathan, we ended the corruption of four decades, within 90 days.

To reach farmers directly and cut off the middlemen and rent seekers who for decades have dis-empowered farmers, we turned to the power of mobile phones and launched the Electronic Wallet (E-Wallet) scheme for farmers. Under the E-wallet scheme registered farmers get electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilisers on their own mobile phones, which they use to purchase farm inputs directly from the private sector companies.

The e-wallet has been a remarkable success. Within two years, the e-wallet system reached over 8 million farmers directly through the mobile phone farm input delivery system. This has helped to improve the food security of 40 million persons in rural farm households. Women farmers, who never got seeds and fertilisers under the old system, have a new fortune, as the e-wallet system empower them and raise their food production. Dignity has been restored to the farmers.

Nigeria is the first country in Africa, and in the world, to develop the electronic wallet system for reaching farmers with subsidised farm inputs on mobile phones. The impact is reaching well beyond Nigeria. Several African countries, India, Brazil and China have expressed interest in adopting the electronic wallet system in their own countries.

Horticulture:

Nigeria is the second largest producer of citrus in the world, the largest producer of pineapples, mangoes and tomatoes in Africa. But we import orange juice and concentrates from South Africa and tomato paste from Latin America and China. That is now changing.

A number of private investors now invest in horticulture. Teragro, a local private firm, has established a $ 6 million plant to process oranges into concentrate. Dansa Foods, another local private firm, is investing $35 million in the establishment of a tomato processing plant. The company is also investing $45 million to set up a 6,000 hectare pineapple plantation and processing plant.

To develop the export market for fresh produce from Nigeria into Europe, a fresh produce value chain development programme has been launched in partnership with the Ministry of Aviation, entailing the building of cargo airports to enhance our competitiveness in the export of fresh produce.

http://leadership.ng/business/372565/food-security-agricultural-transformation-agenda

THE MAN - ALIKO DANGOTE


By Abiyamo

Young Aliko was born in the ancient city of Kano of the famed groundnut pyramids. Kano has been a commercial center for centuries with it being a focal point for all kinds of economic activities ranging from the sale of slaves in exchange for salt to the trade in spices, kolanuts, leather, cotton, sugar and gold. Alhassan Abdullahi Dantata (named for Tata, the nurse who raised him, Dantata means ‘the son of Tata’) was his maternal great grandfather and he also learnt the art of business and making money from his own father.

By 1913, he was the largest exporter of kolanuts in West Africa. The coming of the colonial masters with the railway was too good an opportunity for him as he took advantage of the rails to move his kolanuts along the Lagos-Kano route. With time, he became the sole distributor for the Lever Brothers (later Unilever) and add the profits of the groundnut boom, he was already super-rich, the richest in Nigeria, and by 1955 when he died, he was clearly the richest in West Africa.

The children of the late polygamous merchant swore to an oath by the Holy Qu’ran with their father on the deathbed to work together and not split the family’s business empire. Till today, the Dantatas run things in Nigeria -without any noise. Groundnut trader, Sanusi Alhassan Dantata, Nigeria’s first millionaire, was the eldest of the siblings and was the overseer of the family’s business activities.

Dangote grew up in the loving care of his maternal grandfather, Sanusi who took Aliko, his first grandson, into his care after the untimely death of his father. Sanusi transformed the family business even beyond the wildest dreams of their late dad. This grand old rich man died in 1997, and left many children, one of whom is Mariya, his eldest daughter and Umm Aliko (the mother of Aliko).

Rewind to the 1950s and we meet a man named Mohammed Dangote, a businessman, fellow Qadirriya sect member and ally of Sanusi Dantata. This man would later ko-enu-ife-si (‘toast’) Mariya, the daughter of his friend, through her father and his business associate, Sanusi Dantata. Mohammed Dangote dabbled into politics and was even a Member, Northern House of Assembly and belonged to the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. By the mid-50s, the two lovebirds were joined together in holy matrimony in Kano. That was the fusing point of the Dantatas and the Dangotes.

On the 10th of April, 1957, a bouncing baby boy weighing just a little above three kilogrammes was born in Kano. The radiant mother was Mariya and the small baby boy of that day is the reason you are reading this. A week after, he was named after his father while his overjoyed grandfather, Sanusi Dantata gave him the name ‘Aliko’ which means ‘The Victorious One Who Defends Humanity’.

His middle name, Mohammed, named for the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) is a common one in the Islamic faith and it means ‘The One Who Is Worthy of Praise.’ Dangote did not grow up with his mother and did not know much of his father (he met him on very rare occasions) as he died in 1965 when he was just eight years old, and he was raised by his maternal grandfather who was very fond of him and made sure he lacked nothing while growing up in their expansive Koki Quarters in Kano. Dangote later said:

From his own mother’s side, Dangote has three siblings: Sani, Bello and a younger brother who died in an air crash in Kano with Ibrahim Abacha in 1996. Dangote’s mother, who became a widow in 1965 is still very much alive, was honoured with a degree by the Bayero University, Kano (BUK), runs one of the largest charities in Nigeria but is protected from the public eye. When Dangote bought his recreational boat, he named it after his Abiyamo (Mother), calling it Mariya.

For someone who grew up in Kano, a city of knowledge, it was no surprise that Dangote took to educating himself. Like many of his peers growing up under the great influence of Islamic scholars of the old city, he took off to one of the oldest universities on earth, Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.

-1964: Kano Capital Elementary School (during break time in the high-brow primary school with other schoolkids who wanted sweets, Aliko would bring out a handful and told his jolly good friends that they could have one for a dime. He was that sharp.)

-1964: Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa (Arabic School): He attended the Quranic school when he returned from the primary school, a pattern that is common with many Nigerian Muslims.

-1970s: Capital High School, Kano.

-1970s: School of Economics & Business, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, where he bagged a degree in business studies and administration. In addition to all these forms of formal education, he also got a great deal of informal education from his grandfather, which he makes use of till this day. Hear him: ‘All my business acumen and instincts I inherited from my maternal grandfather. As his first grandson, he poured his business wizardry into me. I would not have been where I am today without him; a very great man, loving and caring.’

Before I proceed any further, I must make it abundantly clear that although Dangote was born with a platinum spoon and onto the laps of luxury, influence and power, he defined his own path to greatness and carved a niche for himself by becoming a man of independence, detaching from family business, setting up his own enterprise in 1978 and transforming it into a global success.

This writer strongly believes that even without his privileged background, Dangote has all it takes to reach the capstone of the financial pyramid. For someone who grew up in a business environment, Dangote took interest very early in entrepreneurship ventures. He says: ‘I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so much interested in business. Even at that time, I was very used to buying and selling. It is in my mind all through. I did that on a part-time basis. I usually bought packets of sweets and gave some people to sell for me. I would join them whenever I closed from school. I would collect my profit and give them something out of it. And we continued like that.’

When he left for Lagos as a 20-year-old in 1977, Nigeria was enjoying stupendous oil profits and the military government of the day decided to spend some of it on FESTAC’77. There was massive construction going on in various parts of the country and it was at that moment Dangote went to his beloved grandfather to ask for a loan so he could import cement which will be used for some of the FESTAC buildings. He narrates:

‘For me, I started small as a trader in cement. Then I left cement around 1978. Because there was this armada and cement was difficult to get at that time. I had my own money which my grandfather gave me free, but then he gave me also an additional loan of N500,000 (about $3,000) which was big money in those days. At that time (1978), you could purchase ten Mercedes Benz cars with that amount as each was sold for N5,000 while a Volkswagen Beetle went for N900 to N1,000. The money was quite a substantial amount then. The loan was supposed to be paid back whenever I was okay-maybe after three or four years. But I paid the loan back within six months.’

The real genius of Dangote is his ability to transform that seed money of yesterday into the billions of dollars today. The crux of the matter here is not that he got a helping hand from his rich grandfather but what he did with the assistance.

Throughout the Obasanjo regime down to Shagari, Buhari and IBB, there were vast construction projects: estates, federal universities (like UNILORIN) and so on. And cement was obviously needed. Obasanjo and Dangote, who was still working with his uncle, first met in the 1970s when he was the federal commissioner (minister) of transport. Also, while he was in Lagos, he learnt a lot from his uncle, Usman who had already formed solid ties with the military governments and got rice importation deals in 1970 at the end of the 30-month Nigerian Civil War. When their fellow Kano man, the late Murtala Mohammed came to power, his 27-year-old uncle was one of those contracted to decongest the Nigerian seaports in Lagos and made huge fortunes. With time, Aliko was brought on board, following them to business meetings in the dead of the night. It was during this time in Lagos he began to learn how to speak the Yoruba language.

While working with his uncle in Lagos, ‘squatting in his office’, he learnt a lot. He said of those times: ‘I started with the business of cement, which was giving us a lot of money because at that time, Nigeria was making so much money and we were doing a lot of constructions. On a vehicle which I normally get from my uncle, I was making about N1,350 to N1,400 per day, and I had an allocation of about 3-4 trucks including Saturdays and Sundays. Later , I realized I was making a lot of money though then I didn’t have a lot of ideas of what to do. It was only cement business that I knew and I was stuck to it up till 1980, when I started knowing Lagos, becoming a Lagosian, understanding where to go and finding people to buy import licenses from. Within three months, I paid my grandfather back because I had no further need of his money.’

Like other billionaires out there, Dangote is a very smart dude. He knows that you have nothing to gain and the whole world to lose if you decide to fight or oppose the government as a businessman.

When Nigeria became independent in 1960, Dangote’s maternal grandfather adopted the policy of being friendly with the government and that paid off hugely. Like Otunba Mike Adenuga, the Apesin of Ijebuland and Nigeria’s second richest man, Dangote has no business in politics but he is friends with the politicians who have the power to make him rise or destroy all he has been building all his life in a matter of minutes. All it takes is just a signature. Dangote later revealed:

‘I happened to be the first grandson of Sanusi Dantata. I learnt a lot from his hard work, from his simplicity. People always talk about my humility but nothing can compare with him. When you see him you would think he doesn't have anything. His humility is the type I have never seen anywhere. He was a very humble person. He never looked down on anybody. He is always a respecter of authority. He always advises us: No matter what you do, you must always respect the authority of the day. Do not fight government. You must be an obedient person. And that’s something I learnt and took seriously. I inherited my business skills from my grandfather. They were also business people -the Dantatas.

Before his great grandfather, Alhassan Dantata died, he called his children to his deathbed and clearly spelt out four main rules one of which was for none of his descendants should dream of or even think of opposing the government. Others included marrying within the family to maintain the purity and business advantage, not to enter partnerships with another family or lineage and to ensure survival and continued progress of the dynastic business.

Dangote and his other family members have stuck to all these rules with all the seriousness of a brain surgeon. Even though he is not directly involved in political activities, Dangote is not an ote (nincompoop) and he takes keen interest from the background as to the type of government in power, which he also subtly and surreptitiously influences ensuring ‘mischievous and evil-minded’ politicians do not come to power. He explained:

‘I am close to the people in power because I am one of the big businessmen in Nigeria. If we have the wrong people there, then all the money I have is useless. I do not want Nigeria to become another Zimbabwe so I am concerned about the political direction of my country, because if bad and inexperienced politicians control power in Nigeria, my wealth may turn into poverty and I am not ready to become a poor man.’ -ALIKO DANGOTE.

As for partnerships, he later elucidated: ‘I don’t like business partnerships or joint ventures. They create a lot of problems. When you enter into business partnership with any one, there is always room for suspicion. When you buy a new car, your partner’s wife would tell him it is the business money and company funds you have used. This is why I don’t enter into business partnership. I prefer to mind my own business.’

It can sound like a bitter pill to swallow but the fact is that billionaires cannot survive without political power . It is clearly a case of mutualism. You scratch my back, I rub your craw-craw. Former President Obasanjo said of him:

‘If after 50 years of our cement business in Nigeria we could not get it right and under four years, Dangote has gotten it, we have to support him.‘

And former president Obasanjo was true to his words as he placed a ban on the importation of bagged cement and even ordering that a newly-built cement bagging plant be closed down, stating that only those who have invested in cement production in Nigeria before will be allowed to do that.

It took Dangote three decades to amass one billion US dollars. His journey is a very interesting one, showing all the features of luck, opportunity, hard work and divine providence. Under the Shagari regime, there was an unprecedented importation of essential commodities and products. Dangote’s company, then named Alco Company was one of the major importers. He also supplied huge tonnage of cement to the governments at different levels embarking on construction of vast housing projects.

When the Shagari government decided to also pay more attention to the construction of Abuja, the proposed new Federal Capital Territory, Dangote’s cement was also on point. When General Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 1983, he clamped down on all the importation .

Businessmen and tycoons like Dangote were not too happy with the new style of the regime but he played it calm and quickly adapted. Being the smart dude that he is, while other businessmen were complaining and groaning under the iron fists of Buhari and Idiagbon, his Ilorin-born no-nonsense deputy, Dangote veered and formed Dangote General Textiles Products Enterprises and focused on what the government of the day wanted: exportation of local products such as gum arabic, cotton, millet, cocoa, leather products, cotton and cashew nuts.

Some years later, Dangote paid a visit to Brazil where he saw the wonders of manufacturing. He was inspired and motivated at the same time. He thought that even though Brazil was hugely indebted as a nation, their manufacturing sector was vibrant enough to support the economy. He made up his mind to go into manufacturing, continued exportation and reaped huge profits until IBB came unto the scene.

He said of his trip to the Latin American nation: ‘The first company I visited was called Arisco, and the company produced 503 different items. I was impressed when I went to one of their factories. They had over 4,000 workers. Even though in Nigeria at that time, we were not in manufacturing, the only manufacturing company we had at that time was textiles. Going to Brazil I thought that we were at the same level with Brazil because I used to hear of Brazil as a debtor nation owing so much money. But when I went there, I saw massive industrialization, it was unbelievable. I started thinking that how come they have these things in Brazil and we don’t have it in Nigeria. So with that now, when I came back, I said okay, fine, I want to venture into industry.’

NARROW ESCAPE:
Dangote has had very close shaves with death. In 1983, while he was cruising in his first aircraft, the plane crash landed in London and went up in flames. He narrowly escaped death but his pilot was not so lucky as his nervous system was crushed, leaving him paralyzed. The second one was in his home state of Kano and he also escaped death by the whiskers. That would not be the last.

Not long after Forbes announced him as Africa’s richest man in 2008, his private jet almost crashed when he left South Africa after an executive meeting. The jet was about to enter Angola when the pilot’s voice boomed throughout the aircraft: one of the engines had started misbehaving.

Strings of sweat formed on Dangote’s face even in the cool interior of the luxury jet but he was calm. Others in the jet too were visibly apprehensive. At thousands of feet above sea level, the last thing anyone will wish for is engine trouble. Dangote talked of that terror-filled moment: We were returning from South Africa. The engine problem developed about 138 miles from Luanda (capital of Angola) as we were crossing over the Angolan airspace to Nigeria. The plane was vibrating. It was terrible. It was a very bad experience. The pilot was calm. We were all calm.

But fortunately for the business magnate, the pilot was able to make an emergency landing at the Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport, Pointe Noire (PNR/FCPP), Republic of the Congo. Just two minutes after the plane landed, the second engine stopped functioning. Yes, Dangote was that close to death. But he took the whole thing with a calm philosophical mien saying death does not make him apprehensive that when the appointed time comes, that’s it. He stated that instead of getting jittery in these scary circumstances, all he did was to pray to his Creator.

Not a few people are intrigued with the stupendous success of Dangote and are understandably curious to know how he did it and learn one or two things from his methods. Dangote has hinged his secrets on these main cardinal points:

FAITH & BELIEF IN GOD:
Although this writer emphatically believes that whatever you believe in is your private issue and your personal business , the deep-rooted importance of faith (or hope) cannot be underestimated. Born into a devout Muslim family and raised along Islamic tenets, Aliko Dangote never fails to ascribe much of his success to his Creator.

FORESIGHT:
One of the very best decisions Dangote ever made was leaving Kano for Lagos. Although at that time, Kano was still a bubbling commercial center and many members of the family felt comfortable doing business there, Dangote knew that the future of business was in Lagos, where he operates today and owns one of the most palatial residences in Africa. In 1977, he followed his late uncle, Usman Amaka Sanusi Dangote to Lagos when he was just 20. He thought the patriarch would oppose the move at first, feeling they might think Lagos life would corrupt him but he had to risk it any way. He said family business was good but you have no independence and one cannot make it much there so he had to map out his own path to greatness, all by himself. Dangote states:

‘Having come from a rich family does not give you an automatic license to riches. You just have to create your own idea and work hard. I have never seen any Nigerian that has really made money from inheritance. It is very, very difficult. And that is why I always encourage my own children to work very hard especially when it comes to making their own money. I am not saying they shouldn't rely on the fact that yes, they come from a rich home. But sometimes, it can be a great disadvantage. Because there are some certain businesses that you wouldn't like to do because your name is so and so.‘

He also said: ”I did not really inherit anything from my father, apart from maybe two buildings. I had three Benz 911 (10-tonner trucks) which my grandfather bought for me and they were working and he was keeping the money for me at that time. So by the time I came out, I had about N127,000 or so. And then my grandfather also gave me a letter to collect N500,000 as loan to be paid back in two years but there was no interest.’

In an interview with Forbes in September 2012, he stated: …although I came from a rich home, I did not use my family’s money to reach where I am today.

Dangote also said of family business: ‘Working with the family, you hardly ever succeed because you have other children. You know it is difficult when you come from a large family.’

PASSION FOR SERVICE:
The very interesting with the Dangote story is that, like many other billionaires across the globe, they actually did not set out to be billionaires in the first place. However, they had a burning passion and desire for a dream, service or product. For Bill Gates, it was to place a computer in every house on earth, for M Zuck, it was to ensure more connection for all of humanity, for Adenuga, it was to revolutionize the telecommunication sector and link more people seamlessly while for Dangote it was to do something spectacularly great for his nation by identifying the needs, creating useful products and placing it at the doorsteps of his people. Making money was not initially his principal goal but a deep desire to have a positive and tangible impact on his immediate society.

PRUDENCE:
 Let me quote Dangote here in his own words: ”I do not spend my money any how.” It was a few years ago while reading The Millionaire Next Door that I really understood the difference between being ‘rich’ and ‘wealthy’. Footballers like Didier Drogba, Lionel Messi  are rich while people like Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, Aliko Dangote, Amancio Ortega and Prince Abdulwaleed al-Talal are obscenely wealthy.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT NICHE:
Today you hear of Dangote noodles, Dangote spaghetti, Dangote salt, Dangote sugar, Dangote flour, Dangote cement, Dangote juice and all those brands which all relate to the basic needs of mankind. Dangote said he will never dabble into a business he knows nothing or little about.

TAKING CALCULATED RISKS:
Most people are comfortable in their present states and would rather die like that than take any form of risk. But the truth be told, the greater the achievements, the greater the risks. Dangote, is a consummate risk taker. He knows that life is full of many battles, some you win, and some you lose, but the most important thing is not to drop the sword. Fortune favors the bold and courageous. When he came down to Lagos, his biggest fear was failure but he still took the plunge. He said of those early beginnings: ‘I had that fear of being totally on my own because if there is a failure, it will show immediately but if you are with somebody and there’s a little failure, you’d still have a cover up because they’ll be looking at that bigger signboards.’

DANGOTE TODAY:
Like a raging bull in a china shop, Dangote seems unstoppable and it is a matter of time before he dominates the global scene. Right now, he is setting his eyes on one of his most ambitious goals ever: building a refinery and entering the very lucrative oil and gas sector of Africa’s most populous market. This is not the first he would make his foray into the sector. Towards the end of Obasanjo’s second tenure in 2007, Dangote bought the moribund petroleum refineries in Kaduna and Port Harcourt with plans to construct another one with a 300,000 bpd (barrels per day) capacity in Lagos. However, In May 2008. President Yar’adua gave an executive directive clamping down on the sale stating that vital national assets should not be sold off to a few individuals who could hold the entire nation to ransom . However, Dangote was not deterred by and is already making plans to build his own private refinery at a cost of $8 billion.

RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION:
Dangote is a Sunni Muslim and takes his religious beliefs with all seriousness praying five times a day despite his maddening schedule, fasts regularly and has gone for the Holy Pilgrimages repeatedly. Also, because of the fact that Islam prohibits interest-based banking, he is not into the conventional interest-based banking system. He actually opened a bank, named Liberty Bank, but he later closed it down and never re-opened it. He is a solid backer of Islamic banking and personally gives out loans without collecting interest, again, according to the dictates of his faith. He gives hefty financial support to various religious-based institutions (both Islamic and Christian, I don’t know who the traditional worshippers have offended…lol!) and sponsors many on Hajj and Umrah (the Holy Pilgrimages) on a regular basis. During Sallah, he tops it up at his various residences where hundreds of cows are killed for people to consume and merry freely in addition to the foods his company supplies to those fasting throughout the month of Ramadan.

Worth an estimated $20.8 billion USD, Dangote is the 43rd richest man on earth and that puts him far ahead of many popular billionaires, some of which are listed as follows:

-RINAT AKHMETOV, Ukraine’s richest man, $15.4 billion. (I sha admire Akhmetov too sha).

-MICHAEL DELL, USA, Chairman/CEO, Dell Computers, $15.3 billion.

-STEVE BALLMER, USA, CEO, Microsoft, $15.2 billion.

-PAUL ALLEN, USA, Microsoft Co-Founder, $15 billion.

-DHANIN CHEARAVANONT and family, richest in Thailand, $14.3 billion.

-SUSANNE KLATTEN, Germany’s richest woman, $14.3 billion.

-LUIS CARLOS SARMIENTO, Colombia’s richest man, $13.9 billion.

-MOHAMMED AL-AMOUDI, Saudi Arabia’s 2nd richest man, $13.5 billion.

-TADASHI YANAI and family, richest in Japan, $15.5 billion.

-MARK ZUCKERBERG, USA, Facebook founder, $13.3 billion.

-HENRY SY and family, richest in the Philippines, $13.2 billion.

-ROBERT KUOK, richest in Malaysia, $12.5 billion.

-MIUCCIA PRADA, Italy’s third richest and owner of Prada fashion label, $12.4 billion.

-RUPERT MURDOCH, USA, Chairman/CEO, News Corp (Fox News, Twentieth Century Fox and The Wall Street Journal, The Sun (United Kingdom), The Times (United Kingdom) and the Sunday Times (UK)), $11.2 billion.

-ERNESTO BERTARELLI, richest person in Switzerland, $11 billion.

-CHARLENE DE-CARVALHO HEINEKEN, richest person in Switzerland, $11 billion.

-ROMAN ABRAMOVICH, Russia, $10.2 billion (Baba Olowo Chelsea force).

-GIORGIO ARMANI, Italy’s fourth richest and fashion designer, $8.5 billion.

-RALPH LAUREN, American fashion designer, $7billion.

-SILVIO BERLUSCONI, Italian media magnate and former prime minister, $6.2 billion.

-RICHARD BRANSON, United Kingdom, Virgin Group, $4.6 billion.

-MALCOLM GLAZER and family, USA, Manchester United FC owner, $4.4 billion.

-STEVEN SPIELBERG, American moviemaker, $3.2 billion.

-DONALD TRUMP, USA, $3.2 billion.(He even trumped Trump upon all the ariwo).

-PATRICE MOTSEPE, South Africa’s only black billionaire and 4th richest, $2.9 billion.

-OPRAH WINFREY, USA, media entrepreneur, $2.8 billion.

-DAVID ROCKEFELLER, SR., USA, oil merchant, $2.7 billion.

-MARK CUBAN, USA, online media tycoon, $2.4 billion.

-PETER THIEL, USA, PayPal co-founder, $1.6 billion. (with all of PayPal’s shakara for Nigerians, shhhooo!)

-MOHAMMED IBRAHIM, United Kingdom (of Mo Ibrahim Foundation), $1.1 billion.

HIS MOST HEART-TOUCHING STORY?
When asked of what touched his heart the most, he talked of a time he was called upon to donate for some needy communities who had no water and other basic provisions of life. He gave them a sum of ‘just’ $500,000 and out of that amount, around $200 was taken and given to a woman. Unknown to him, this lady had five children whom she could not afford to send to school and feeding was hell for her family. She took the money (that’s a little over N30,000) and started a small business selling some food on the street. After two years, the woman reported back to them, and Dangote was so thrilled to know that from that little $200, she was able to feed her kids, send all of them school, take care of herself and her husband. This is one story that Dangote said really touched his heart and encouraged him to do even more. You can feel the emotions in his voice as he narrated this particular story.

DANGOTE FOR PRESIDENT?
Well, he has made it known and in very clear terms that he has no business being a politician and has absolutely no intention of joining politics . He stresses this point: ‘We cannot all be the same thing. It is much better for me as a person to run my business because everybody cannot be in business.’

WHEN ASKED HOW HE FELT BEING THE RICHEST AFRICAN:
I've never even really thought of making it even to the Forbes List. That is to start with, but I am really grateful to God that I am there. You know it is also tough to be there and when you are there, you really really have to make sure you don’t get thrown out of the list (general laughter).

THE KEY TO HIS SECRETS?
-Hard work and hard work. We are a very focused company. Any business I do not understand very well, I don’t go into it at all. And that is really why we are successful.

What Dangote Has To Tell You:
‘The problem with our youths today is that they just want to jump and see themselves up there overnight. It doesn’t really happen that way. What you need to do is to be very focused as a person, and be dedicated to whatever it is that you are doing. It is not really good for you to now go and try something and after a month, you just say no, it doesn't work. You jump into something else. I think you need to be very focused. You do not need to take your job or your profession as a work but as a part of your hobbies. That is when you do it better'.

ABOUT NIGERIAN GRADUATES COMING INTO THE LABOR MARKET WITHOUT JOBS
It is true there are very few people that are offering jobs but I know that Nigeria too is a place where people also want to be their own bosses. And that is what I keep saying: if there is enough power, today you will see about 60% of young graduates, they are very creative, they can start their own businesses and can even succeed better than working for others. Mr. Dangote believes the government should create an enabling environment and he places a lot of emphasis on steady production and supply of electricity.

'Always know that once there is life there is hope. And you can also make it to the top. In fact, you guys even have a better future than us because you are well-educated and not only that, I mean today, talking of IT, which makes things a lot easier. When we were growing up, there was even no mobile phone at all but right now, you have Facebook, you have Twitter. Everything is there are your fingertips. What you need (for those studying abroad) is to also come back home and contribute your own quota. If you do not come back and contribute, Africa will never grow'.

If you want to be the next Dangote, you need to have a large heart, be honest, have a very good name and make sure that you tell yourself and believe that nothing is impossible. You need a bit of luck too and hard work is very important.

At this point, the words of a former US President, Woodrow Wilson comes to mind, piercing it like an arrow flying through the chilly wind: ‘All big men are dreamers; they see things in a soft haze of spring day or in the red fire of a long winter’s evening. Some of us let our dreams die, but others nourish and protect them through bad days till they bring them to sunshine and light, which always come to those who sincerely believe their dreams will come true.‘

'Money is something that is really funny. You can have it today and it might not be there tomorrow. You really need to respect it. You just don’t spend it anyhow, and I do not really spend my money anyhow. However, the most expensive ‘toy’ that I have ever bought is my aircraft which cost me about $50 million'. -ALIKO DANGOTE

One thing that sets Dangote aside from many other tycoons is that he ploughs back his profits into the local economy for expansion and to create more employment opportunities in the process. Like or hate this titan of African economic history, there are three features that have endeared millions of Nigerians to his products: high-quality, affordability and an unbridled sense of patriotism. About 25,000 Nigerians are employed in his Group and many more are indirectly employed. There is virtually no aspect of a Nigerian’s life that Dangote is not involved. You drink Coke? He supplied the sugar. You did wedding? The jollof rice was cooked with his salt. You are launching a new house in Magodo Estate? Dangote cement produces it.

CRITICISM:
Like every other capitalist, Dangote is the subject of vociferous criticism from many quarters. From competitors who lost out in the hard tussles of the business world , Dangote has learnt to cope with the endless barrage of criticism with a philosophical calm, and he also defends himself whenever the opportunity for such arises. 

AFRICAN NATIONS:
Aliko Dangote is not limiting his influence to Nigeria but all over Africa and the following nations are where he has successfully made solid in-roads. He is in the following countries:

1-Algeria

2-Ghana

3-Senegal (In 2011, he bought 100,000 acres of land for his sugar ambitions. Isn’t that sweet?!)

4-Sierra Leone

5-Cameroon

6-Tanzania

7-Gabon

8-Sao Tome and Principe

9-Congo Republic

10-South Africa

11-Uganda

12-Democratic Republic of Congo

13-Ivory Coast

14- Zambia

15-Togo

16-Benin

17-Liberia

18-Ethiopia

19-Guinea

20-Mali

21-The Gambia

22-Equatorial Guinea

All this in addition to the fact that he has plans of expanding into and taking over the Asian (his subsidiaries, Dangote Industries Senegal and Dangote Industries Zambia have already entered into a $228 million contract with Sinoma International Engineering of China) and European markets. The world may be looking at the very first trillionaire, right from Africa. That’s not too tall a dream. After all, the richest man of all time, Mansa Kankan Musa (1280-1331), King of the ancient Mali Empire, came from the same continent. The 14th-century king amassed a fortune of $400 billion.

A prodigiously wealthy and luxuriantly blessed human, Aliko Dangote said that it took him 30 tortuous years to become a billionaire!

I leave you with the immutable words of JK Rowling, writer of the Harry Potter series: “There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.” That is not all. The legendary French writer and philosopher who rejected the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964, Jean-Paul Sartre also said: “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give life a meaning!!

Acknowledgement: Naijaarchives.com, Abiyamo 

DEMOCRACY DAY 2014 SPEECH BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Fellow Nigerians,
1. I greet and felicitate with you all, today, as we mark 15 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in our beloved country.

2. Our dear nation, Nigeria, has certainly come a long way and made notable progress since our first Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when the military finally relinquished power and handed over to a democratically-elected government, marking the true beginning of a government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

3. Although I have ordered a low-key commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day in deference to the current mood of the nation, there can be no doubt that the past 15 years, the longest period of sustained democratic governance in our country, have been a blessing to us, as a people.

4. As we commemorate 15 years of our Fourth Republic today therefore, I believe that it is fitting that we pay tribute once again to all those who played a part in restoring our nation to the true path of democratic governance, built on the foundations of rule of law and freedom of expression.

5. As a result of our collective efforts since 1999, democratic governance is now entrenched in our nation and institutions. I wholeheartedly believe that our people are the better for it. The scope of fundamental rights and liberties enjoyed by our people over the past 15 years has been expanded beyond measure.

6. On my watch, we have witnessed high national economic growth rates, steady improvements and expansion of national infrastructure including airports and roads, the restoration of rail transportation, the efficient implementation of a roadmap for improved power supply, a revolutionary approach to agricultural production, as well as advances in education, sports, youth development, healthcare delivery, housing, water supply and other social services.

7. In the oil and gas sector, our promotion of a sustainable local content policy, continues to guarantee equity and better opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs and skilled personnel.

8. Significant increase in mobile telephone and national broadband penetration, making Information and Communications Technology (ICT) one of the fastest growing sectors of the Nigerian economy. We have also developed strong financial markets and regulatory institutions. Our banks now have regional and global footprints.

9. Nigeria has also gained recognition as the largest economy in Africa, the most preferred investment destination in the continent and in terms of returns on investment, the fourth in the world. We are pleased that the world has noticed, as global leaders converged in Abuja early this month for the World Economic Forum in Africa.

10. The event not only witnessed a record attendance, it brought the prospect of an additional flow of investment into the Nigerian economy estimated at over $68 billion over the next few years.

11. In foreign relations, our country has equally done well within this period, by establishing and strengthening strong partnerships with all ECOWAS countries and the rest of the world. This has helped to deepen Nigeria’s leadership role in multilateral institutions including the United Nations.

12. Furthermore, under this administration, we have made consistent progress in improving the standard of elections in our country to ensure that they are ever more credible and truly representative of the people’s free choice. The National Conference we initiated to deliberate and make recommendations on the best ways of resolving our current political and socio-economic challenges is on-going. It is our expectation that its outcomes will help to further consolidate the gains we have made from democracy in the past 15 years, and place our dear nation even more firmly on the path to greatness.

Dear Compatriots,
13. It is a sad fact that as I address you today, all the gains of the past 15 years of democratic governance in our country are threatened by the presence of international terrorism on our shores. Our dear country, Nigeria is facing a new challenge. A war has been unleashed on us. Extremist foreign elements, collaborating with some of our misguided citizens, are focused on an attempt to bring down our country and the democracy and freedom we cherish and celebrate today.

14. The despicable abduction of school girls from Chibok in Borno State has brought to the awareness of the entire world, the heartless brutality of these terrorists who want to instigate a descent into anarchy and balkanize our nation.

15. In recent years, terrorist attacks have claimed the lives of several of our compatriots, many have been injured or maimed, whole villages and communities have been destroyed and the economy of some of our states is in jeopardy.

16. There can be no doubt that what we are witnessing in Nigeria today is a manifestation of the same warped and ferocious world view that brought down the Twin Towers in New York, killed innocent persons in Boston and led to the murder of defenceless people in the Southern Russian city of Volgograd. Terrorist activities have brought war and pains to Mali, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. These agents of evil continue to brainwash and incite ignorant young men and women to attack the innocent. We cannot allow this to continue.

17. I welcome the statements of solidarity from patriotic citizens and the global community in support of our efforts to stamp out terrorism. I applaud the understanding that in a democracy, such as we are building, people can have differences while sharing worthy values and standing together in opposition to the scourge of terrorism. Nigeria is the only country we have and we must all work to preserve it for present and future generations.

18. Despite the challenges we face, we must commend our security forces. We must not forget their gallantry and successes in liberating nations and in peacekeeping, from Liberia to Sierra Leone, Congo, Sudan, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and many places in Africa and beyond. Our forces have paid the supreme price in several places at several times.

19. Today, they face a different challenge, an unconventional war by terrorists. They are adjusting and are being equipped to tackle the new menace of terrorism. We must show confidence in their ability. I have no doubt that, with the support of Nigerians, our neighbours and the international community, we will reinforce our defence, free our girls and rid Nigeria of terrorists.

20. It is now 45 days since the horrifying abduction of the college girls of Chibok. I share the deep pain and anxiety of their parents and guardians and I assure them once again that government will continue to do everything possible to bring our daughters home.

21. I am determined to protect our democracy, our national unity and our political stability, by waging a total war against terrorism. The unity and stability of our country, and the protection of lives and property are non-negotiable. I have instructed our security forces to launch a full-scale operation to put an end to the impunity of terrorists on our soil.

22. I have also authorized the security forces to use any means necessary under the law to ensure that this is done. I assure you that Nigeria will be safe again, and that these thugs will be driven away – it will not happen overnight, but we will spare no effort to achieve this goal.

23. For our citizens who have joined hands with Al Qaeda and international terrorists in the misguided belief that violence can possibly solve their problems, our doors remain open to them for dialogue and reconciliation, if they renounce terrorism and embrace peace.

24. My government, while pursuing security measures, will explore all options, including readiness to accept unconditional renunciation of violence by insurgents, and to ensure their de-radicalization, rehabilitation and re-integration into the broader society.

Dear Compatriots,
25. We must remain united to win the war against terrorism. Christians, Moslems, farmers, fishermen, herdsmen, teachers, lawyers, clergy or clerics, the rich, the poor and Nigerians from all sections of the country must work together with our security agencies and armed forces to overcome the terrorists who now threaten all that we hold dear.

26. The war against terror may be difficult, but the days of peace will come again. Terror is evil; nowhere in history has evil endured forever. The menace of Boko Haram will surely come to an end. I believe that because of your prayers, your courage, hardwork, faith and sacrifice, we will ultimately prevail over the terrorists and all other evil forces.

27. We are a strong, resilient and courageous people. We will continue to partner with the civilized world, to confront international terrorism and every other challenge that comes our way with patriotic zeal and determination.

Fellow Nigerians,

28. Yes, we have challenges but we will surely overcome. Nigeria is our country. Nigeria is blessed. We will all collectively protect, defend and develop this country for ourselves, and our children.

29. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

30. Thank you and God bless Nigeria.

Inaugural Speech of President Olusegun Obasanjo, May 29, 1999

Your excellencies, other former heads of state, my lords – spiritual and temporal – distinguished senators and honourable members of the House of Representatives, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, fellow Nigerians: We give praise and honour to God Almighty for this day specially appointed by God himself. Everything created by God has its destiny, and it is the destiny of all of us to see this day. Twelve months ago, no-one could have predicted the series of stunning events that made it possible for democratic elections to be held at the local government level, the state level, and culminating in the National Assembly elections. Thereafter, you the good people of Nigeria elected me, a man who had walked through the valley of the shadow of death, as your president as your president to head the democratic civilian administration. I believe that this is what God Almighty has ordained for me and for my beloved country, Nigeria, and its people.I accept this destiny in all humility and with the full belief that with the backing and support of our people, we shall not fail. I wish at this point to thank all you good Nigerians for the confidence reposed in me. I wish to pay tribute to the great and gallant Nigerians who lost their lives in the course of the struggle for liberty, democracy and good governance. They held the beacon of freedom and liberty high in the face of state terrorism and tyranny. We thank God that their sacrifice has not been in vain. We will surely always remember them.

Our thanks go also to the friends of Nigeria in many lands for the commitment and unrelenting support they gave throughout the dark ominous days of the struggle. Nigerians living in foreign lands deserve special tribute for not forgetting their fatherland, and for making their voices heard persistently in defence of freedom; and I must commend you, my home-based fellow Nigerians for the way you bore unprecedented hardship, deprivation of every conceivable rights and privileges that were once taken for granted.I commend Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar and members of the Provisional Ruling Council, PRC, for the leadership they gave the country in the last 11 months, and for keeping meticulously to their announced time-table of handing over to a democratically elected government today. As officers and gentlemen, they have kept their word. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, also deserve the thanks of all of us. In the face of doubt and scepticism and great time constraints, the chairman and his commissioners conducted the elections, right from local government level to the presidential level. They acquitted themselves creditably and they deserve our gratitude.

Nigeria is wonderfully endowed by the Almighty with human and other resources.It does no credit either to us or the entire black race if we fail in managing our resources for quick improvement in the quality of life of our people. Instead of progress and development, which we are entitled to expect from those who govern us, we experienced in the last decade and half, and particularly in the last regime but one, persistent deterioration in the quality of our governance, leading to instability and the weakening of all public institutions. Good men were shunned and kept away from government while those who should be kept away were drawn near. Relations between men and women who had been friends for many decades and between communities that had lived together in peace for many generations became very bitter because of the actions or inaction of government. The citizens developed distrust in government, and because promises made for the improvement the conditions of the people were not kept, all statements by government met with cynicism. Government officials became progressively indifferent to propriety of conduct and showed little commitment to promoting the general welfare of the people and the public good. Government and all its agencies became thoroughly corrupt and reckless. Members of the public had to bribe their way through in ministries and parastatals to get attention and one government agency had to bribe another government agency to obtain the release of their statutory allocations of funds. The impact of official corruption is so rampant and has earned Nigeria a very bad image at home and abroad. Besides, it has destructed and retrogressed development.Our Infrastructures – NEPA , NITEL , roads, railways, education, housing and other social services were allowed to decay and collapse. Our country has thus been through one of its darkest periods.

All these have brought the nation to a situation of chaos and near despair. This is the challenge before us. Fellow Nigerians, let us rise as one to face the task ahead and turn this daunting scene into opportunities in a new dawn. Let us make this the beginning of a genuine renaissance.Fellow Nigerians, the entire Nigerian scene is very bleak indeed; so, bleak people ask me: Where do we begin? I know what great things you expect of me at this new dawn. As I have said many times in my extensive travels in the country, I am not a miracle worker. It will be foolish to underrate the task ahead alone. You have been asked many times in the past to make sacrifices and to be patient. I am also going to ask you to make sacrifices and to exercise patience. The difference will be that in the past, sacrifices were made and patience exercised with little or no results. This time, however, the results of your sacrifice and patience will be clear and manifest for all to see. With God as our guide and with 120 million Nigerians working with me with commitment, sustained effort and determination we shall not fail.On my part, I will give the forthright, purposeful, committed, honest, and transparent leadership that the situation demands. I am determined, with your full cooperation to make significant changes within a year of my administration. Together we shall take steps to halt the decline in the human development indices as they apply to Nigeria. All the impacts of bad governance on our people that are immediately removable will be removed while working for medium and long-term solutions. Corruption, the greatest single bane of our society today, will be tackled head-on at all levels. Corruption is incipient in all human societies and in most human activities, but it must not be condoned. This is why laws are made and enforced to check corruption so that society will survive and develop in an orderly, reasonable, and predictable way.

No society can achieve anything near its full potential if it allows corruption to become the full-blown cancer it has become in Nigeria. One of the greatest tragedies of military rule in recent times is that corruption was allowed to grow unchallenged and unchecked even when it was glaring for everybody to see. Rules and regulations for doing official business were deliberately ignored, set aside, or by-passed to facilitate corrupt practices. Beneficiaries of corruption in all forms will fight back with all at their disposals. We shall be firm with them. There will be no sacred cows. Nobody, no matter who and where will be allowed to get away with the breach of the law or the perpetration of corruption and evil. Under this administration, therefore, all the rules and regulations designed to help honesty and transparency in dealing with government will be restored and enforced. Specifically, I will immediately reintroduce civil service rules and financial instructions and enforce compliance. Other regulations will be introduced to ensure transparency. The rampant corruption in the public service and the cynical contempt for integrity that pervades every level of the bureaucracy will be stamped out. The public officer must be encouraged to believe once again that integrity pays and self-respect must be restored and his work must be fairly rewarded through better pay and benefits – both while he is in service and in retirement.I am very aware of the widespread cynicism and total lack of confidence in government, arising from the bad faith, deceit and evil actions of recent administrations. Where official pronouncements are repeatedly made and not met by action, government forfeits the confidence of the people and their trust. One of the immediate acts of this administration will be to implement quickly and decisively measures that will restore confidence in governance. These measures will help to create the auspicious atmosphere necessary for the reforms and the difficult decisions and the hard work required to pull the country back on the path of development and growth.

The issue of crime requires as much attention and seriousness as the issue of corruption. Although the police are in the forefront of fighting crimes and ensuring our security, it is our responsibility to help the police to be able to help us. The police will be made to do their job, all Nigerian citizens and residents in our midst are entitled to the protection of life and property. A determined effort will be made to cut down significantly the incidence of violent crimes. I believe that this administration must deal with the following issues even in these difficult times of near economic collapse: the crises in the oil-producing areas, food supply, food security, and agriculture, law and order with particular reference to armed robbery and cultism in our educational institutions, exploration and production of petroleum, education, macroeconomic policies, supply and distribution of petroleum products, the debt issue, corruption, drug, organized fraud called 419, and crimes leading to loss of lives, properties, and investment; infrastructure, water supply, energy, telecommunications, ports, airways, national shipping and Nigeria railway; resuscitation of the manufacturing industry, job creation, poverty alleviation, housing both for civilian population and barrack refurbishment and new constructions for the armed forces and the Police; ECOMOG , health services, political and constitutional dialogue, women and youth empowerment.
In pursuit of these priorities, I have worked out measures which must be implemented within the first six months. Details of the focus and measures of this administration on these and other matters will be announced from time to time. I shall quickly ascertain the true state of our finances and the economy and shall let the nation know. In the light of resources available, I shall concentrate on those issues that can bring urgent beneficial relief to our people. I will need good men and women of proven integrity and record of good performance to help me in my cabinet. I appreciate that the quality and calibre of the members of my cabinet and top appointments will send a positive or negative signal to Nigerians and the international community as to the seriousness of the administration to make salutary changes. In a difficult and abnormal situation, great care and circumspection are called for in appointments to the cabinet and high public positions.
To be appointed a minister, or to any other public office is not a license to loot the treasury. It is a call to national service. It is one of the best ways of rendering dedicated service to humanity. In this administration, being a minister or holding any other public office will not deprive you of what you have before you come into office, but you will not be allowed to have conflict of interest, abuse of office, or illicit acquisitions. Service to be satisfying must entail certain amounts of sacrifice. A regular weekly meeting of cabinet will be reintroduced to enrich the quality of decisions of government through open discussions of memoranda in council. Before any issues are introduced to the cabinet, the time-tested procedure of inter-ministerial consultation will have been made.
The conclusion of council, circulated to all ministers and permanent secretaries, will, as used to be the practice in the past, be the authority for executive action and for incurring expenditure of public fund. This will help the cohesion of the government, ensure discipline, and hinder corrupt intentions since all major contracts must go to council for open consideration.

A code of conduct for ministers and other public officers will be introduced. Other measures for individual and collective self-control and self-discipline of ministers and other public officers will also be introduced. I am determined to stretch my hand of fellowship to all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations. I intend to reconcile all those who feel alienated by past political events and I will endeavour to heal divisions and to restore the harmony we used to know in this country. A bill will be forwarded within weeks of the inception of the administration to the National Assembly for a law providing for 13 per cent derivation in revenue allocation to be used for ecological rehabilitation, infrastructure, and other developments. A competent group will be set up immediately to prepare a comprehensive development plan for the Niger Delta area. Dialogue will be held at all levels with the real representatives of all sections of the oil-producing communities to improve communication and better mutual understanding. Responsibility and initiative for resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta rests with the government.

Nigeria has over the years played a very active role in the ECOMOG for the restoration of peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Our national interests require the establishment and maintenance of peace and stability in the West African sub-region. Specifically, in the case of Sierra Leone, we shall endeavour to ensure a quick resolution of the crisis by dialogue and diplomatic means, by increasing activity on the second track of peace and reconciliation. This will enable us reduce our commitments in both theatres, but particularly in Sierra Leone. Nigeria, once a well-respected country and a key role player in international bodies, became a pariah nation. We shall pursue a dynamic foreign policy to promote friendly relations with all nations and will continue to play a constructive role in the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, the Commonwealth, and other international bodies. We shall continue to honour existing agreements between Nigeria and other countries. It is our firm resolve to restore Nigeria fully to her previous prestigious position in the comity of nations.

Let me once again thank our international friends who fought for democracy alongside with us. Today, we are taking a decisive step on the path of democracy. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure sustenance of democracy because it is good for us, it is good for Africa, and it is good for the world. We call on the world, particularly the Western world, to help us sustain democracy by sharing with us the burden of debt which may be crushing and destructive to democracy in our land.

The incursion of the military into government has been a disaster for our country. The esprit de corps among military personnel has been destroyed. Professionalism has been lost. Most youths go into the military now not to pursue a noble career but with the sole intention of taking part in coups and to be appointed as military administrators of states and chairmen of task forces. As a retired officer, my heart bleeds to see the degradation in the proficiency of the military. A great deal of re-orientation has to be undertaken and a redefinition of roles, retraining, and re-education will have to be done to ensure that the military submits to civil authority and regains its pride, professionalism, and tradition . We shall restore military cooperation and exchanges with our traditional friends and we will help the military to help itself. It is my resolve to work harmoniously with the legislature and the judiciary to ensure that Nigeria enjoy good and civilized governance.

I am also determined to build a broad consensus amongst all parties to enhance national harmony and stability and, thus, ensure success in the long struggle ahead. Politicians have a duty in whatever capacity they may find themselves, whether as legislators or ministers, to be committed and be seen to be committed to the public good. Politicians must carefully examine the budget to ensure that public funds are judiciously spent. They must avoid damage to their own credibility and not vote for themselves special privileges. They must join in the campaign against corruption and help re-establish integrity in the conduct of public affairs. I assure you all that it is the policy of this government to ensure fair remuneration in service and in retirement to public servants, which includes legislators, civil servants, the police, and members of the armed forces, parastatals and public-owned educational institutions. I call on all Nigerians, but particularly our religious leaders, to pray for moral and spiritual revival and regeneration in our nation.

I shall end this address by stressing again that we must change our ways of governance and of doing business on this eve of the coming millennium. This, we must do to ensure progress, justice, harmony, and unity, and above all, to rekindle confidence amongst our people, confidence that their condition will rapidly improve and that Nigeria will be great and will become a major world player in the very near future. May the Almighty help us all.

The Speech Declaring Nigeria’s Independence by Nigeria’s First Prime Minister Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa – October 1, 1960

Today is Independence Day. The first of October 1960 is a date to which for two years, Nigeria has been eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent Sovereign nation.

Words cannot adequately express my joy and pride at being the Nigerian citizen privileged to accept from Her Royal Highness these Constitutional Instruments which are the symbols of Nigeria’s Independence. It is a unique privilege which I shall remember forever, and it gives me strength and courage as I dedicate my life to the service of our country. This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now, we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well-built upon firm foundations.

Today’s ceremony marks the culmination of a process which began fifteen years ago and has now reached a happy and successful conclusion. It is with justifiable pride that we claim the achievement of our Independence to be unparalleled in the annals of history. Each step of our constitutional advance has been purposefully and peacefully planned with full and open consultation, not only between representatives of all the various interests in Nigeria but in harmonious cooperation with the administering power which has today relinquished its authority. At the time when our constitutional development entered upon its final phase, the emphasis was largely upon self-government: We, the elected representatives of the people of Nigeria, concentrated on proving that we were fully capable of managing our own affairs both internally and as a nation. However, we were not to be allowed the selfish luxury of focusing our interest on our own homes.

In these days of rapid communications, we cannot live in isolation, apart from the rest of the world, even if we wished to do so. All too soon it has become evident that for us, independence implies a great deal more than self-government. This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave international issues. This fact has of recent months been unhappily emphasised by the startling events which have occurred in this continent. I shall not belabour the point but it would be unrealistic not to draw attention first to the awe-inspiring task confronting us at the very start of our nationhood. When this day in October 1960 was chosen for our Independence, it seemed that we were destined to move with quiet dignity to our place on the world stage. Recent events have changed the scene beyond recognition, so that we find ourselves today being tested to the utmost. We are called upon immediately to show that our claims to responsible government are well-founded, and having been accepted as an independent state, we must at once play an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilisation.

I promise you, we shall not fall for want of determination. And we come to this task better-equipped than many. For this, I pay tribute to the manner in which successive British governments have gradually transferred the burden of responsibility to our shoulders. The assistance and unfailing encouragement which we received from each Secretary of State for the Colonies and their intense personal interest in our development has immeasurably lightened that burden. All our friends in the Colonial Office must today be proud of their handiwork and in the knowledge that they have helped to lay the foundations of a lasting friendship between our two nations. I have indeed every confidence that, based on the happy experience of a successful partnership, our future relations with the United Kingdom will be more cordial than ever, bound together, as we shall be in the Commonwealth, by a common allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, whom today we proudly acclaim as Queen of Nigeria and Head of the Commonwealth. Time will not permit the individual mention of all those friends, many of them Nigerians, whose selfless labours have contributed to our Independence. Some have not lived to see the fulfilment of their hopes – on them be peace – but nevertheless they are remembered here, and the names of buildings and streets and roads and bridges throughout the country recall to our minds their achievements, some of them on a national scale. Others confined, perhaps, to a small area in one Division, are more humble but of equal value in the sum-total.

Today, we have with us representatives of those who have made Nigeria: Representatives of the Regional Governments, of former Central Governments, of the Missionary Societies, and of the Banking and Commercial enterprises, and members, both past and present, of the Public Service. We welcome you, and we rejoice that you have been able to come and share in our celebrations. We wish that it could have been possible for all of those whom you represent to be here today. Many, I know, will be disappointed to be absent, but if they are listening to me now, I say to them: ‘Thank you on behalf of my countrymen. Thank you for your devoted service which helped to build up Nigeria into a nation. Today, we are reaping the harvest which you sowed, and the quality of the harvest is equalled only by our gratitude to you. May God bless you all. This is an occasion when our hearts are filled with conflicting emotions: we are, indeed, proud to have achieved our independence, and proud that our efforts should have contributed to this happy event. But do not mistake our pride for arrogance. It is tempered by feelings of sincere gratitude to all who have shored in the task of developing Nigeria politically, socially and economically.

We are grateful to the British officers whom we have known, first as masters, and then as leaders, and finally as partners, but always as friends. And there have been countless missionaries who have laboured unceasingly in the cause of education and to whom we owe many of our medical services. We are grateful also to those who have brought modern methods of banking and of commerce, and new industries. I wish to pay tribute to all of these people and to declare our everlasting admiration of their devotion to duty. And finally, I must express our gratitude to Her Royal Highness, the Princess Alexandra for personally bringing to us these symbols of our freedom and especially for delivering the gracious message from Her Majesty, The Queen. And so, with the words ‘God Save Our Queen’, I open a new chapter in the history of Nigeria and of the Commonwealth, and indeed, of the world.

Acknowledgement : maxsiollun.wordpress.com