Television Nigerian

By Tolulope Adebayo

I was elated by a piece of news I stumbled on recently about the proposed National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund (NYSC-TF). Initially, I thought it was the usual government rush in proposing policies to attract media attention without any clear cut direction regarding benefits that are accruable to the nation. But I was wrong.
This was different hence my excitement. Brilliant is an understatement because of the positives that could be derived if the proposed NYSC Trust Fund is appropriately implemented. We are looking at a potential game-changer in addressing youth unemployment in the country, and for the first time, I saw hope for this country.

The future of young Nigerians has finally been considered in proposing a trust fund that would serve as that medium where young Nigerians can actualize their potentials and enrich the economic space with businesses and innovations that would change things for the better.

The impact would be felt across the board, so much so that Nigeria would be better for it. This is indeed a plus for the promoters of this laudable initiative that caters for young Nigerians involved in the mandatory service year and even after they have concluded their service year.

To put it simply, any country that does not initiate measures towards harnessing the potential of its youthful population is doomed. Such a country would continue to live on the brinks till it collapses because the strategic importance of the youths to socio-economic development cannot be overemphasized.

It is a well-known fact that the youth of any country is a great asset. They are indeed the country’s future and represent it at every level. The role of youths in nation-building is more important than you might think. In other words, the intelligence and work of the youth will take the country on the pathway of success. As every citizen is equally responsible, the youth is too. They are the building blocks of a country.
The youth can bring social reform and improvement to society. We cannot make do without the youth of the country.

Furthermore, the country requires their participation to achieve the goals and help take the country towards progress. If this remains factual, then it behoves the government to initiate policies and programmes to help the youth of our country achieve their potential.

The NYSC-TF perfectly fits the narrative of addressing unemployment, youth restiveness and other issues that bring about socio-economic stagnation and with the benefit of hindsight, one could imagine the gains that would have been recorded in the country if this policy had been introduced some years back. I recall during my service year in 2016, we had amongst us brilliant chaps that were innovative and industrious but with no support to take their enterprise to the next level, and I suppose most of them have caved into the pressure of making ends meet in the society and the elusive search for white-collar jobs.

I also recall that the reward for exceptional performance during our service year was automatic employment into the civil service, and that was it. Emphasis was not placed on harnessing the entrepreneurship potentials of this subset of active and energetic people burning alive with ideas and innovations that can move mountains.
I am glad that with the coming of the NYSC-TF, the country’s leadership seems to have woken up from its slumber. As much as I will commend the leadership of the NYSC, particular emphasis must be made on the critical support provided by the Muhammadu Buhari administration through the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

We might not fully grasp the endless opportunities inherent in the NYSC-TF yet. From what I have read, it is guaranteed to churn out entrepreneurs who would create jobs and take the country to the next level. And some of us could only wish that such initiatives were introduced during our time. Nonetheless, it is a good one for every young person in Nigeria.

The multiplier effect of this brilliant initiative would be felt across the board. And the country would experience tremendous improvement in our socio-economic wellbeing. That this is also coming when countries are looking at creative ways to bring about meaningful development is a testament that a lot is going on within the administrative and policy drive of the government.

Governments must do more to ensure young people have the opportunities and tools necessary to succeed. NYSC Trust Fund has all it takes for the government to change the narrative. The future is indeed bright, and I urge all young people in Nigeria to see this as that golden opportunity to maximize towards translating their hopes and aspirations into tangible realities.

Nigeria’s burgeoning youth population provides a huge social, economic and political capital required to drive the nation’s development. This much should guide our efforts towards seeing to the actualization of this laudable initiative. The National Assembly must show commitment in ensuring that the bill is passed into law.

I can only imagine the enormous benefits that would accrue to the country when the NYSC-TF takes shape. I can only imagine the smiles on the faces of our teeming youthful population whose burgeoning spirit is ready to take flight given the right atmosphere. And the NYSC-TF is indeed positioned to provide that atmosphere that is required.

I urge all stakeholders to lend their voices to this laudable initiative because we all would be beneficiaries in one way or the other. The urgency now requires all hands to be on deck as we begin the march towards sustainable growth and development. This is indeed a victory for every young person in Nigeria.

Tolulope is a postgraduate student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

By Gideon Unazi

The Yahaya Bello phenomenon is blowing across the country. The effect is massive, young people are excited, and they have converged in large numbers to push for the actualization of an ambition that is hinged on taking Nigeria to the next level. I can say that the time is ripe for a new Nigeria. The individual that is positioned to lead this movement is Yahaya Bello.

The unity of young Nigerians towards his aspiration is tremendous. From the north to the south, from the east to the west, the message is the same-a new Nigeria is possible with Yahaya Bello. I recall at one of such gatherings; you could feel the pulse of the people in the sincerity of heart and purpose. I can only equate such excitement to a movement in the quest to make Nigeria great again.

The question thus is who is Yahaya Bello, and why does he command such large followership amongst the teeming youths in the country? Your guess is as good as mine. He is the White Lion and the solid rock on which the country’s teeming youths have built their hopes and aspirations for a new and better Nigeria. Quote me anywhere.

His dexterous display of leadership reminds one of the tenets of developmental politics as seen in the first republic. The rot in Kogi state before he came onboard was mainly underreported. People were used to saying Kogi was an eyesore, but they forgot other aspects that made the state a mess.

Those institutionalized patrons of the commonwealth of the state still can’t believe their eyes. They mocked him just like some are doing with his presidential ambition in recent times, and that is what will happen to those who have discountenanced his presidential ambition.

Just like a wind, he churned out policies and initiatives across the state. He was not afraid to step on toes. He was not scared to do the right thing. He was not afraid to call the bluff of those who think as a young man he was not in the position to make life meaningful for the generality of Kogi people.

For the records, Kogi state is no longer that enclave where a few would constitute themselves into institutions that decide who gets what and how. Today, Kogi is in a state of absolute bliss, courtesy of the fearless posture of Governor Yahaya Bello.

I like to look at the state as a reflection of Nigeria, which needs a courageous leader who would confront those obstacles that hinder our progress. And Yahaya Bello fits this bill. We are aware of how he stood his ground on some critical decisions that turned things around in the state.

I have no reservations that Nigeria needs a leader like Yahaya Bello. His style of politics was unique hence the feats he recorded in governance in the Kogi state. The summation of Yahaya Bello is that of when focus meets commitment. This is what Nigeria needs at this critical point of our existence.

The issues that have held us down are not different from what he met on the ground in Kogi state. I take every opportunity to salute his courage in leadership. I do not doubt that his aspiration to lead this country is borne out of a burning passion for setting the country on a high pedestal in terms of socio-economic advancement.

He might not be a heavyweight name because he doesn’t play to the gallery. His type is rare because of the emphasis on putting issues in proper perspectives. I can bet that Nigerians would be surprised to learn about some of the challenges he faced in reclaiming Kogi state from the cankerworms that fed fat from the rot in the system.

The same can be said of Nigeria, and it is imperative that we get it right in 2023. And Yahaya Bello has what it takes to put things right should he actualize his political ambition. Nigerians must come to terms with the fact that the race is not for the weary but for the strong-hearted—the lionheart with the courage to challenge our adversaries without a blink.

The race is for that individual who is not afraid to call a spade a spade. That individual who knows no tribe or religion but one Nigeria. That individual who would match his words with action. That individual who is ready to withstand the rigours inherent in our plurality. That individual who would unite Nigerians more than ever before. That individual who would place a premium on every human life in Nigeria. That individual who would churn out policies and plans that would stand the test of time. That individual that Nigerians would be proud of, and that individual who would reclaim our pride of place amongst the commit of Nations.

I can go on non-stop regarding the capacity and the desire of Yahaya Bello to change things around in this country and make the country great again. He is a reincarnation of the focused leadership of the first and second republics in Nigeria. His ideas about governance are the politics of development. This is why every Nigerian desirous of a new Nigeria with endless possibilities should rally support for the Yahaya Bello presidency.

They say he is young and inexperienced. I say age is nothing but a number. They say he doesn’t have what he takes to lead Nigeria. I say his credentials are intimidating, and his heroic exploits in Kogi State are there for all to peruse.

We must begin the march towards national rebirth with Yahaya Bello, enough of the recycled hands that have been in our faces for donkey years and yet, the country is still comatose. We need change, which is what Yahaya Bello offers for Nigeria. You might not like his face. You can also detest his boldness, but you cannot deny that with Yahaya Bello, a new Nigeria is possible.

Unazi is a public affairs commentator based in Abuja.

By Philip Agbese

“The rule of law is the basis for any democracy. And without the rule of law in any democracy, you have chaos” –Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian soldier and politician.

Nigerians are exciting lovers of equity, justice and the rule of law. It is the reason, Nigeria’s statute books are replete with laws, which are periodically reviewed. The campaign for justice among Nigerians usually gain ascendency under democratic settings in the country. In the nation’s recent history, ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua was a strong advocate of justice and the rule of law.

The then Attorney -General and Minister for Justice, Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, was the poster boy of the rule of law mantra under the Yar’Adua Presidency. After the expiration of that government, the rule of law seemed to have gone extinct to the angst of Nigerians. Does it therefore mean, the rule of law no longer exists in Nigeria? The answer is No!

Today, the emphasis on the rule of law is replicated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. From the onset, President Buhari left no Nigerian in doubt about his avowal to run a Government of Nigeria premised on the words and letters of the rule of law.

President Buhari, like the retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of America, Justice Sonia Sotomayor clearly discerned and firmly believed, “… in the rule of law as the foundation for all of our basic rights.” He has been a stickler to this dictum in his leadership of Nigeria.

This mindset pulsated President Buhari’s advocacy and declaration in his inaugural day speech May 29, 2015 that; “The Federal Executive under my watch will not seek to encroach on the duties and functions of the Legislative and Judicial arms of government. The law enforcing authorities will be charged to operate within the Constitution…The judicial system needs reform to cleanse itself from its immediate past…It is only when the three arms act constitutionally that government will be enabled to serve the country optimally and avoid the confusion all too often bedeviling governance today.”

There is no gainsaying, President Buhari has walked his talk on the “Rule of Law” mantra, in his near seven years reign in Nigeria’s Aso Rock, the seat of power. Unlike his predecessors, Nigerians have experienced Mr. President’s due recognition and observance of the constitutional independence of the other arms of government in a democracy. His sermons are always centered on the non-interference with the operations and rights of other arms government as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria. That’s why he does not wear the toga of President and leader of his Party.

Buhari is tenaciously upholding the sanctity of the rule of rule, even where the people’s offensive indulgence into lawlessness bruises the pride of nation and defames or undermine his Presidency. And the enabler of Buhari’s towering heights in the compliance with the rule of law and the redefinition of the Nigerian Justice system is the current Chief Law Officer of the Federation.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Barrister Abubakar Malami, SAN is law personified. He has fruitfully proven his mettle as an effective chief law officer of the federation. He has created innovative paths in ensuring the smooth administration of justice in Nigeria for effective governance based on the tenets of law as practiced by all democracies globally. He is strengthening old laws and engineering new legislations in areas where there are none.

Abubakar Malami is a translucent compliant with the rule of law. His office is active in offering genuine legal advice to government and appropriate interpretations of legislations in resolving thorny national issues. Minister Malami is silent or less vociferous about his assignments, but has many pluses to his credit. The justice minister has operationalized grandeur institutional reforms in the Nigerian Judiciary which have placed Nigeria in top ranking among nations in Africa attuned to the rule of law.

Barrister Malami has instituted solid sector reforms which have placed the Nigerian justice system on the path of expeditious dispensation of justice for the benefit of Nigerians. The Ministry of Justice has formulated multiple policies, and through the executive, it has sponsored fresh legislations to close up gulfs in existing laws and it has been relentless in offering appropriate legal advices in the prosecution of civil and criminal cases which have saved the FGN several trillions of naira in judgment debts these past six years.

Malami’s reforms in the justice sector reflects in the strengthening of the laws of anti-graft agencies, which have repositioned them for optimum performance. The result is the amazing volume of cases investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC and ICPC under the Buhari Presidency.

Under Minister Malami, Nigeria has domesticated legislations and international agreements, which have led to the passage and signing of Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2019 by President Buhari. And through Malami’s professional guidance, Nigeria has signed Agreements and MOUs with numerous countries to ginger international cooperation for the investigation, tracking, freezing and return of stolen assets which is actively operating.

In the area of prisons, the Minister of Justice has constituted a committee with the mandate of formulating policies and strategies for prison decongestion throughout the country. This is besides, the multiple legislations it has instituted before the National Assembly to backup the decongestion of prison formation process. The committee is working assiduously in clearing the backlog of cases of awaiting trials and those who have spent years in incarceration because of failure to pay minor fines imposed on them by the courts.

The Ministry of Justice under Malami has equally prosecuted various civil and criminal cases diligently. And through its sheer expertise, it has saved the FGN trillions of naira that would have been expended on judgment debts.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Nigeria has sustained a culture of interminable duration of cases before the courts. Therefore, Barrister Malami is working hard to end the reign of limitless court trials by defining a reasonable time-frame for justice delivery in Nigeria. What he is contemplating is restricting or pegging a 12-month time limit on the hearing of criminal cases from the High Court to the Supreme Court. Similarly, the succor to Nigerians will also extend to hearing and conclusion of all civil cases within 15 months from the day of its initiation across all the tiers of courts.

The initiation of the whistle blower policy of the Federal Government among other adjudgments effected in Nigeria’s legal system under the Buhari Presidency have strengthened the Nigerian judiciary. Therefore, delivering to Nigerians, an effective, trustworthy and flawless legal system are Malami’s salient reforms in the Judicial sector. Surely, it is another legacy, the Buhari Presidency will bequeath to Nigerians when its tenure eventually runs out in 2023.

Barrister Abubakar Malami will be remembered in Nigeria’s history as an incorruptible law officer who stood and defiantly defended the Constitution of Nigeria. He is likened to the likes of Justice Brenda Marjorie Hale, the Baroness Hale of Richmond, who served as the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (2017-2020) and famed for defending the Constitution. Malami is also famed for defending and protecting the Constitution at all times.

Agbese LLB(UK), MBA(UK),LLM(UK) a human rights activist wrote this piece from the UK.