Victor Unuigwe,
Bro,
U just nailed it. The guy is full of ethnic sentiments n can simply be describe as a BIGOT!
He is just doing medicine afta death with his indirect half hearted apology.

Bro,
U just nailed it. The guy is full of ethnic sentiments n can simply be describe as a BIGOT!
He is just doing medicine afta death with his indirect half hearted apology.

The saying, ‘a golden fish has no hiding place’ best describes the personality of Malam Yushau Abdulhameed Shuaib. A fine gentleman, certified Public Relations expert, professional pen pusher, astute manager and thoroughbred public affairs commentator.

Through his syndicated write-ups mostly in the print media and online sites, Yushau has not just become readers delight, but has earned for himself the sobriquet of a consistent, fearless and meticulous social commentator. Yushau dishes humanity with the meal of fertile and virile news, his own humble contribution to Nigeria development, peace and harmonious living. His versatility in contemporary discourse and sagacity in people-based advocacy is never in doubt as he comments deeply on issues relating to the economy, politics, security, science and technology, culture, maritime as well as issues of general interest with relative ease. According to his close friends, Yushau derives unquantifiable satisfaction when people around him are well informed on the happenings in the country especially issues that are largely for the well being of the masses. This, they say accounts for why he has committed his entire being and resources to the business of writing right from his undergraduate days.

Long before our paths crossed in 2011 courtesy of my bosom friend and award winning Agricultural reporter, Mohammad Baba Kandi, I’ve always enjoyed Malam Yushau’s critical but very incisive opinions in national issues and online sites. It is always a huge delight reading his well-researched, objective and balanced views on burning national and global issues. He belongs to the class of journalists and professionals whose writings are driven by passion for humanity and love for arts. Little wonder his write ups are devoid of sentiments and bias. Unlike other writers, Yushau has proven times without number that he cannot be bought over, neither can he be intimidated or pushed aside for daring to stand on the side of truth. At a time several of his colleagues are compromising the highly respected ethics of the journalism profession mostly for pecuniary gains, Yushau remains steadfast, incorruptible and professionally-minded. Material or monetary inducements are very insignificant to influence his decisions or make him to suppress the dictates of his conscience. The Yushau Shuaib that I know attaches less importance to things with ephemeral value, rather those things with enduring values catches his fancy. At a time many pen pushers and other public affairs commentator have shamelessly become tools for peddling lies, falsehood and penning stories aimed at boosting the egos of their paymasters, Yushau has chosen to tow the path of honour. You cannot call him a blind or mercantile writer. His conscience cannot be bought, not even with dollar, pound sterling, Euros or gold.

Our society is plagued by myriad of challenges because those who know are not willing to assist others who don’t know. And without doubts, no meaningful development can ever be achieved in a society where people don’t share information or are not disposed to preparing others to confront life challenges. He is a firm believer in the saying that ‘stooping before a dwarf won’t cost you your height’. Giving others reasons to be happy won’t deprive you of your personal joy or happiness. These are his guiding principles.

It takes more than mere interest and passion for one to be devotedly committed to a course. Writing is such a demanding and herculean task that many people prefer voicing their views than putting pen to paper. Its very boring and requires patience, determination and discipline to adopt it as a trade. It is a trade that comes with its own peculiar challenges. It takes someone who is really set to undergo the rigours of reading, reading, writing, writing and endless trials to master the trade. In the writing business, perfection is a question of constant practice. And it is in this regards that many aspiring and ambitious writers get consumed rather amateurly. For someone to have remained consistent in this less travelled path in the last 20 unbroken years is a feat worth celebrating.

Malam Yushau Shuaib, though a senior Federal Civil Servant is a government official with a difference. Eye service, laziness, indolence, red tapism and other known vices which have all become features of public service in Nigeria cannot be found in his activities. He handles official assignments as though there were his father’s. Little wonder, he has continued to churn out several articles to educate Nigerians on the merits and demerits of government’s programmes and policies. Driven by extraordinary patriotism, he has continued to portray government in positive light in virtually all his articles. Despite the fact that he is not in the media team of President Goodluck Jonathan, this patriotic Nigerian has taken it upon himself to purge Nigerians of erroneous views about government activities through his barrage of articles in national dailies and on his Blog. If it were for others, such assignments must be rewarded with cash, but not Yushau.

When I recently read about Malam Yushau’s alleged clash with Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over an article the minister allegedly felt the writer wasn’t fair to her and several moves to ‘punish’ him, I became so worried. My worries are not because of threats of either redeploying him to another office or completely suspending him from service, but the mere fact that someone up there is trying hard to use her office to maltreat a patriotic Nigerian of Yushau’s standing. A man who has continued to shape peoples opinion through his brilliant writings should be celebrated and not tolerated. In saner climes where leaders attach values to extraordinary activities of their citizens, Yushau would have long been drafted into the President’s Media Team and not to be so treated like an ordinary citizen. What is Yushau’s alleged offence? When has it become a crime for any citizen to comment on issues capable of causing disaffection among Nigerians if left untouched? Nigeria, being a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and politically polarised nation certain issues require to be handled with extreme caution. For instance, appointment into government establishments remains a major issue that must be handled with utmost care. It is gravely dangerous to maintain sealed lips on complaints of lopsidedness in appointments to federal establishments. It is the right of all Nigerians of working age, irrespective of tribe, religion, colour or political leaning to be given the opportunity to work. So, if it is discovered that a particular part of the country is getting more attention in terms of federal appointments at the detriment of others, it is the duty of those concerned to cry out loud and clear until the issues are resolved. And that is exactly what Yushau has done. Obviously, his resolve to draw public attention to the alleged ‘Biafranization’ of our public service is not to either incite others against the Igbo nation or portray the minister as an ethnic jingoist. Instead of being shouted at and threatened, Yushau should be praised for using such a legitimate and responsible avenue (media) to draw attention to a looming problem. We are quite aware of the obvious fact that most of our problems are as a nation are fuelled by disagreements arising from sharing of our wealth and access to positions of authority. We need not turn deaf ears and blind eyes to those things which have the potency of destroying the bond that connects us. Instead, we should put our all in ensuring that we are constantly at peace with each other. It is instructive to note that if we allow greed and selfish tendencies to be the underlining motives behind our actions, then we are preparing for doom. Where is the sense in one part of the country developing and recording earth-shaking progress at the detriment of other regions? Such a prosperous region cannot possibly enjoy its ‘wealth’ while other regions are held down by excruciating poverty and lack. A popular Yoruba adage posits that, ‘A rich man in the midst of a poverty stricken people is himself a poor man’.

As Nigerians, what should pre-occupy our minds should be what can we do to collectively address the plethora of challenges trying hard to ‘Somaliarize’ or ‘Sudanize’ our dear nation? Clamping down on supposed dissenting voices isn’t the solution. Wielding the big stick on innocent citizens who dare to address perceived injustice won’t do us any good, rather would only complicate our woes.

Madam Finance Minister, Malam Yushau isn’t a fifth columnist, not a spoiler neither is he a mercantile writer seeking for prominence by ‘damaging’ the hard earned reputation of others. By every sense of it, he is an accomplished and successful man. He doesn’t need to defame or drag others to the mud to be heard and appreciated. It is normal for anyone to feel bad when his or her reputation is being questioned, but above all it very okay when such a move is aimed at correcting some obvious anomalies.

This is not a paid write up. As a matter of fact the last time this writer saw this perfect gentleman called Yushau was in 2012 in his office. Since then, our meeting has always been on phone (we’ve spoken twice this year and exchanged two different text messages). So for those who think this writer is working for his money should have a rethink. Celebrated and iconic writers like Malam Yushau Shuaib doesn’t have to pay anyone to defend his course. He has paid his dues.

He is an invaluable asset to Nigeria. Let me at this juncture recommend that this erudite PR man be drafted into the President Goodluck Jonathan’s media team. He has what it takes to properly, professionally and intelligently manage Mr President’s media matters. For very obvious reasons, the duo of Doyin Okupe and Reuben Abati are professionally disadvantaged to do a pristine job. Yushau has demonstrated his huge and unrivalled PR and media acumen in notable federal establishments in the past. The records are there. He was at the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and now at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) where has taking media awareness on natural disaster management and preparedness to an unprecedented heights. Those who want him out of circulation should look beyond the personality of Yushau and weigh the consequences of his exit if shown the way out. We cannot afford to lose a thoroughbred information and media man to sentiments and parochial interests.

ABDULLAHI YUNUSA, Minna, Niger State
Meetprofwills@yahoo.com

It does not require any special wizardry to know that Nigeria’s economy is tottering on the edge, no matter what our neo-liberal economic experts tell us. Resources from oil, the mainstay of the nation’s economy, are dwindling, no thanks to mismanagement, pervasive insecurity, lack of proper monitoring of the activities of oil majors and bunkering or theft of crude oil, which is put at 150,000 barrels a day. (The minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at a World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring meeting in Washinton DC, last Wednesday put the figure at 300,000 barrels per day). Out of the projected 2.48 million barrel per day crude oil
production, output has since dropped to 2.1 million barrel per day.

Only last week, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in a statement, said Nigeria lost N191 billion to oil theft and vandalism in the first quarter of this year. The second quarter is already looking bleak. Now, for an economy premised on N11.34 trillion revenue target in 2013 to lose this much in one quarter, means that the budgetary provisions for agencies and parastatals are already threatened. Besides production and forecast variables threatening the nation’s survival, the NNPC acting Group General Manager, Ms Tumini Green, in the same statement said that due to these negative trends, the NNPC/Shell Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture declared a force majeure (shut-in declaration) on Bonny Crude over 53 break points along the 97kilometre Nembe Creek Trunkline. Nigeria loses $7 billion annually to oil theft according to International Energy Agency.

With these alarming rates from dismal statistics, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has her job already cut out for her. Apparently this is not grave enough to worry her. Instead of preoccupying herself with the shortfall in revenue, non remittance to the federation account by revenue generating agencies, and inefficient tax collection that should make up for the loss, and how to fix all the loose ends in the economy, the minister is engaged in petty squabbles with an innocent citizen of Nigeria who
happens to be a civil servant.

The latest in the minister’s petty bickering is the newsbreak in both online and local media last week that she masterminded and recommended the redeployment and subsequent sacking of NEMA spokesperson, Yushau Shuaib over a so-called anti-government article he published in his blog and newspapers sometime back. Since then, Okonjo-Iweala had been breathing down, on her co-minister, Labaran Maku, which culminated in the redeployment of Shuaib from NEMA. Presently, Shuaib’s job is on the line. More sanctions in the form of query or sack are likely. Part of the article that drew the minister’s ire reads: “For those of us who still respect the Hon Minister of Finance, we strongly advise she should dissociate herself from current allegations of ‘biafranization’ of top public offices in Nigeria. We are in a democratic government where policy issues should not be done in a dictatorial manner of ‘we-are-now-in-power’.

“I, therefore, urge her to ensure that appointments into important positions should be done in credible and transparent manners that can withstand public scrutiny. I believe strongly that only those that mean well will dare to tell her the truth on the general feelings in the country”. However, instead of listening to the voice of reason and or ‘dissociate herself’ from this perception (wrong or right), the minister’s reaction of instigating Shuaib’s redeployment exposed her aversion to opinions other than hers? It also says a lot about her tolerance threshold and somewhat a confirmation of the veracity of the matter.

Under the pretext that civil servants are not expected to write negative stories about government, Okonjo-Iweala is acting like an imperial minister in a democratic setting. Her lame defence as stated by her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, that the minister is “a victim of serial campaign based on lies sponsored by people, who are angry, that due process rather than politics is upheld in recruitment” has no force of conviction. We have it on good authority that the minister called the poor chap several times to heap invectives on him and to even threaten fire and brimstone,
just because he is a civil servant who is not expected to have an opinion of his own. This is worrisome. Yet, she failed to address the main issue of bias and favouritism based on ethnic consideration.

The point of Shuaib’s status as a civil servant is of uppermost interest. A middle level civil servant is the one giving the all powerful Okonjo-Iweala sleepless nights. Surely, there is more fire to the smoke. Perhaps that is the reason why she now wants to descend on this ‘small fry’ with a sledge hammer, forgetting that there is Freedom of Information Act in place, and freedom of expression as guaranteed by the constitution. For someone who prides herself as a scholar of international repute and who the country is proud of because of her global financial laurels;
never mind that her prowess serves the West better than her motherland, (remember her N18 billion payment to Bretton Wood institutions to exit Nigeria from debt trap only for our woes to return), the minister’s attitude is out of sync with such persons of distinction. She comes from arguably an open society, where the rights of individuals to freely express themselves are not
infringed upon by any (so called) minister of government.

Out there the Okonjo-Iwealas praise the West and their system that puts leaders in constant check to be able to serve the people well. But back home, they play God and loathe fair comments and criticisms. The kind of challenge Shuaib threw at Okonjo-Iweala is what Obama and Cameron are faced with daily. But they do not harass their citizens for it. Instead, they try to offer explanation to convince the skeptic; they do not gag them or oppress them with their positions.
This is nothing but double standard. She should rather confront Shuaib’s challenge with proof or evidence of her fair-mindedness and not try to gag or deprive the poor chap of his means of livelihood. People like Okonjo Iweala who try to project a positive image always, should just do what is right; to earn her legitimate praise or reward, and not sponsor promotional stories about her famed efficiency, transparency and honesty. Surely, Shuaib’s comment pales into insignificance when compared to the economic mess confronting the nation, which is what should reoccupy Okonjo-Iweala.

WHEN the story broke last week, that Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had ORDERED Information Minister, Labaran Maku, to punish Yushau Shuaibu, spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), for daring to criticise her, I wasn’t too surprised really.

The story was that Ngozi not only insisted that the young man be removed from NEMA, he must be posted to one of the Boko Haram areas of the North, as punishment for the “temerity” of criticising the “super minister”, Ngozi! Shuaib’s offence was to have written an open letter to Ngozi, but the super minister’s grouse was located in the last paragraph of the letter: “For those of us who still respect the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development, we strongly believe she should dissociate herself from the current allegations of ‘biafranization’ of top public offices in Nigeria.

We are in a democratic government where policy issues should not be done in dictatorial manner of ‘we-are-now-in-power’. I therefore urge her to ensure that appointments into important positions should be done in credible and transparent manner that can withstand public scrutiny”.

Just to be double sure, I called Yushau and he confirmed that he had received a call from Ngozi, who complained that he had not been fair to her; she then demanded that he must write a rebuttal of the original piece.

He was not prepared to do so. It was in anger that Ngozi allegedly reported directly to President Jonathan, bypassing the Information Minister at first, before her subsequent demand that Shuaib be removed from NEMA and sent as a Federal Information Officer in either Borno or Yobe.

By late last week, the first leg of Ngozi’s wish was fulfilled with Yushau’s removal as NEMA spokesperson. The allegation of Ngozi’s alleged ‘biafranization’ project has gone viral on the web and it was actually an issue that she confronted in a lecture she gave to the Ola Ndi Igbo symposium recently in Lagos.

Her presentation was titled “Values, Mindsets and Culture”; and it was significant that she acknowledged that there were allegations that “I have come to prosecute an Igbo agenda (in respect of public service appointments)”. In response, Ngozi said: “my point is, I don’t give a damn. If the people got there on merit, they deserve it and we will stick with it as long as we know they didn’t get it through the back door”.

She then went on a triumphalist ride: “by the way, when you think of merit and competition Igbos don’t do badly and that is the problem, we do rather well. Somebody said everybody in the financial sector is Igbo; then they begin to list people like the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Director General of Stock Exchange, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Director General of Debt Management Office, myself and Sovereign Wealth Fund”.

Lionised guru

As THE NATION newspaper’s HARDBALL column of Monday observed “Not only did she miss the import of the complaints against her style, especially on the issue of her interpretation of merit, she incredulously gave the impression that merit could not be compromised by subjectivity and that given Nigeria’s ethnic pastiche, public officials did not need to be more sensitive and more restrained in public service promotions.

Worse, it beggars belief that a minister of her standing could sound so ethnically triumphant by gloating that ‘when you think of merit and competition, Igbo don’t do badly, and that is a problem, we do rather well’.

How smug!” And how smug indeed! This ULTRA- REACTIONARY agent of imperialism can afford to gloat because she has been so lionised as some kind of guru by the Jonathan administration. And since she is the “super minister”, she can go as far as ordering the removal of a spokesman of a body that she does not directly supervise.

One of the tragedies of the transition to a civilian regime in 1999, is the manner that characters who never participated in the struggle against dictatorship and do not share the aspirations of the Nigerian people, have come to occupy a central place in the policy making establishment, starting with Obasanjo.

These reactionary “experts” come mainly from US-based imperialist institutions; the most prominent of them is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. That she is ordering the removal of a public servant from position, gives an indication of their mindset. They cannot tolerate criticism, yet they force down the throat of our country, policies that serve the interest of imperialism and a tiny elite.

These are policies that they did not submit for national debate anyway! They can only thrive in settings that stifle debate or where state power is controlled by a ruling elite sworn to the implementation of the unpatriotic and unpopular policies of the Washington Consensus that they espouse.

The removal of Yushau Shuaib at Ngozi‘s behest, underlines the danger which these Made-in-Washington “experts” constitute to the health of Nigeria; and where they are also openly implementing an ethnic agenda, then the trouble becomes compounded!