Opinion!!! Resilience [Forging Ahead] Part XXXVI

By Bashorun J.K. Randle

Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America has been unrelenting in his efforts to ingratiate himself with the retired Partners of KPMG (who are still awaiting their gratuity and pension) the promoters of Resilience Television which is the brain-child of John Cleese and Baron Sacha, regardless of the channel’s declared editorial policy – it will not air any news or reports about COVID-19 virus/pandemic. The only concession it is willing to grant is the Surgeon-General’s warning:

“No Smoking. Cigarettes kill you SLOWLY
But if you are in a hurry, try something else.
Put on your mask; wash your hands; use
only genuine sanitizer and maintain social
distancefrom smokers.”

Anyway, Donald’s problem is that he wants Americans NOT to know that the COVID-19 virus is playing games while being mischievous. It has already emerged and re-emerged in various mutations and the latest one is being bred in Wuhang province in China and parts of Asia which are loyal to the American Democratic Party. The new model is under the code name 007/G614.
It is far more lethal than anything we have witnessed so far.

Donald Trump is absolutely obsessed with being re-elected as President of the United States of America on November 3, 2020. He is a very worried man in spite of his daily bravado on Fox News:

“The only way I can lose the election is if it is rigged through votes cast by mail instead of the “Option A40” which Nigeria has patented. Voters must line up behind their presidential candidate – either me or Joe the Forbidden.”

Most bizarre and bewildering is Donald Trump’s avowed love for Nigeria and Nigerians !!According to a White House spokeswoman (KayleighMcEnany).

Nigeria is Donald’s flavour of the month. He denied ever including Nigeria as one of the “S…hole countries” or ever slagging off Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt”. That was David Cameron’s (Prime Minister of Britain) auditors’ report. He also emphatically denied ever referring to Nigeria as a country for wild savages and friendly people.

So what does Donald Trump want from Nigeria? In his desperation to totally obliterate any prospects of rigging in the forthcoming presidential he stumbled on the supernatural powers of His Royal Highness Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin.

Resilience Television had aired a documentary captioned: “OBA GHA TO KPE E” in which His Royal Highness was decked in his full regalia – majestically intimidating. Through an interpreter, the Oba (King) of Benin announced that he was fed up with the escalation in crime and the trafficking of females mostly to Italy where the King (as a prince) has served as Nigeria’s Ambassador.

The Royal wrath matched the flaming red garments/robes of the priests, magicians, snake charmers, native doctors whose dexterity and proficiency in curing COVID-19 virus is a closely guarded secret.

It was a propitious occasion to display the magnificence and majesty of ancient weapons which had been in the royal armoury for almost a thousand years. They were clearly intimidating as they showed neither signs of decay nor obsolence. Through an interpreter the King placed a curse on anyone disturbing the peace and tranquillity of the kingdom; or plotting against the king; or engaging in kidnapping or human trafficking. The King made a majestic exit and left the rest of the work to the Town Criers. It was like magic. Going by the testimony of the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki and the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Professor YinkaOmorogbe, the bandits left town never to be seen again. The crime wave was over in the twinkle of an eye !!

It was after watching in awe the feat performed by the King on Fox News, that Donald Trump twitted: It if works against human traffickers, it is just the right curse for those who are planning to rig the election of the President of the United States of America on 3rd November 2020.

Unfortunately, Donald Trump failed to do his homework. Impulsively, he despatched “Air Force One” to pick up the monarch. He was dumbfounded when the plane was not allowed to land in Benin talk less of his emissaries being allowed into the hallowed palace of the King.

The King (speaking through interpreters even though he is fluent in English, French, German and Italian) insisted on CNN that he owed no apologies to anyone. “Benin tradition and culture do not permit anything other than strict adherence to ancient rites otherwise it would be an invitation to pestilence (e.g. COVID-19 virus) to invade the Kingdom.”

Regardless, Donald would not give up. He has resorted to pulling strings in Abuja, the seat of power.

However, what was strange was that from the moment Resilience Television announced that it would air the report of Donald Trump’s encounter with His Royal Highness, it was immediately knocked out !! No signal whatever. It was not until late in the evening, after several hours off the air, that it received a message that it must offer its profound apologies for daring to contemplate airing the story without the prior consent of the King – otherwise severe penalties (curses not excluded !!) would follow.

It took the intervention of the retired partners of KPMG, who are still awaiting their gratuity and pension, to calm frayed nerves and thereby avert a monumental disaster.

Matters were not helped by the big bold headlines of Nigerian newspapers:

(i) Front page of “Daily Sun” on August 25, 2020
“FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECLARES BAYELSA, KATSINA, KEBBI,
BORNO, TARABA, BANKRUPT.”

(ii) Front page of “Vanguard” on August 25, 2020
“ECONOMY SINKS TO 3-DECADES RECORD LOW”

(iii) Front page of “The Guardian” on August 25, 2020
“COVID-19 PANDEMIC LINGERS”

(iv) Front page of “Daily Trust” on August 25, 2020
“NIGERIA’S ECONOMY RECORDS WORST DECLINE IN TEN YEARS”

• COVID-19, others responsible – Report
• We’re suffering from unemployment, price hikes – citizens
• Rescue efforts not enough – experts.

(v) Front page of “The Punch” on August 25, 2020
“FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WON’T BE ABLE TO SERVICE RISING
DEBTS, FUND BUDGET” — Manufacturing Association of Nigeria

(vi) Front page of “The Nation” on August 25, 2020
“UNITED NATIONS TO BUHARI: JOIN (sic) DIALOGUE WITH FORCE
TO END INSECURITY.”

(vii) Front page of “Nigerian Tribune” on August 25, 2020
“HOW COVID-19, OIL PRICE CRASH WORSENED NIGERIA’S ECONOMY”

Resilience Television took advantage of the interval to switch to paying well-deserved tribute to the legendary Ray Charles.
He was at his sublime best with:

“HIT THE ROAD JACK”
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more

Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more

Woah, woman, oh, woman, don’t treat me so mean
You’re the meanest old woman that I’ve ever seen
I guess if you say so
I’ll have to pack my things and go (that’s right)

Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more

Now, baby, listen, baby, don’t ya treat me this-a way
‘Cause I’ll be back on my feet some day
(Don’t care if you do ’cause it’s understood)
(You ain’t got no money, you just ain’t no good
Well, I guess if you say so
I’ll have to pack my things and go (that’s right)

Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more
Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road, Jack
And don’t you come back no more

Well (don’t you come back no more)
Uh, what’d you say? (Don’t you come back no more)
I didn’t understand it! (Don’t you come back no more)
You can’t mean that! (Don’t you come back no more)
Oh, now, baby, please! (Don’t you come back no more)
What you tryin’ to do to me? (Don’t you come back no more)
Oh, don’t hurt me like that!”

Trouble is clearly brewing for (and in) Nigeria, going by the petition lodged at ICC (International Court) by S. Momodu. Regardless, of the fact that the court is more familiar with cases of genocide, it had no choice but to formally acknowledge receipt of Momodu’s damning evidence:

“Fellow Nigerians, I am at pains to point out that our failing country is a crime scene. I am not kidding. There is no better description for what our beloved fatherland has become. For emphasis, the entire Nigerian landscape of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq m), making it the world’s 32nd-largest country is a mammoth crime scene. Some would agree with me this is unarguably the biggest crime scene in the world. There is no denying that what we have on our hands is a country that had receded from those basic values that make other countries tick; that have put them on an enviable pedestal such that they are now reference points for others to emulate.

The country has become the land of gangsters, buccaneers, kidnappers, cultists, devilish terrorists (some of whom have been caught and released by a government too eager to downplay their atrocities), thieving politicians, government officials, security agents and their collaborators who steal without a care in the world; and sadly, we have a totally inept, incompetent and directionless government that indulges their bad behaviour.

Today, Nigeria is in pure confusion and chaos, with mind-boggling revelations of the mess in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). With the complete lack of outrage from a government that has consistently beaten its own worse record of indifference to public anger, it is obvious nothing will come out of the various probes. I dare say, what we know so far is just a tip of the iceberg. The intervention agency is a cesspool of corruption, massively inflated contracts, influence peddling, and abuse of the noble objective for which it was established which was to make the impact of the oil revenue felt in the oil-producing areas by way of infrastructure development.

Prominent sons and daughters of the region have become the greatest threats to the progress and development of that zone. It is one of the most heart-wrenching paradoxes for a region so rich, and yet so poor. It is difficult to understand the leaders of this zone. A commission established to somewhat midwife the rebirth of their zone is being roundly looted!!

The sons and daughters of the region have sadly in collusion with the power brokers and people from other regions frustrated the realisation of the noble goals for which the commission was created.

It was Charles F. Kettering (1876 to 1958) who pleaded that the court should allow mercy to prevail over justice (temper justice with mercy):

“You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are
thinking about yesterday all the time.”

However, the court was minded to disregard the unsolicited intervention of Lao Tzu
(unknown, 6th century – 4th century BC).

“If you look to others for fulfilment, you will never be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself.
Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When
You realise that there is nothing lacking, the world belongs to you.”

As confirmation that justice comes in different dimensions, (sometimes as jungle justice !!), the “Nigerian Tribune” newspaper of February 11, 2016 carried on its front page:

Headline: (i) “NIGERIA PRISONS ARE “HITLER GAS CHAMBERS” – Ikimi
“Worried by the disclosure made by chairman of the Senate Committee for Interior, UsmanBayeroNafada, on Tuesday, that N130 is spent per meal for each inmate in Nigerian Prisons, a human rights activist, OghenejaborIkimi, has likened the reformatory centres to the Gas Chambers of Hitler.

Ikimi, who is the national coordinator for the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged (CENTREP), made this remark on Wednesday, in Warri, Delta State, during an exclusive interview with Nigerian Tribune.

Ikimi said the amount per meal for every inmate is far below N130 as claimed by Nafada on Tuesday, in Abuja.
“The N130 is even distorted. It’s less than that. I go to prisons. The state of prisons is reminiscent of the Gas Chambers of Hitler.

“That they (inmates) are even alive is a miracle. They’ve gone to the level of starvation.

Even if it is N130 being spent per meal, is it enough to feed a child let alone a full adult?

It’s not enough for a breakfast let alone to feed an inmate for a day. This means a meal is about N40 per inmate,” he lamented.

The fiery activist decried a situation whereby Nigerian prisons have transmuted into centres for recruiting and recycling of hardened criminals as against the reformatory role they should play.

“The prison is supposed to be a reformatory centre, so what kind of human beings are we now reforming?
Or what kind of people are we recycling? These prison inmates are worse off when they come out of the prison.

You hear of criminal gangs being formed in prisons. So, prisons have become a recruiting ground for criminal gangs. We have a lot to do in our prisons,” he stated.

He wondered why the present government is folding its arms, but expressed optimism that with the ongoing rigorous fight against corruption, the situation would be redressed.”

(ii) “MAN IMPREGNATES 13-YEAR-OLD STEP-DAUGHTER IN ONDO”

“A man identified as Femi Orojo has allegedly raped and impregnated his 13-year-old step-daughter, Odunayo in Okitipupa town in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo state.
Mother of the girl, Mrs Bunmi Joshua, who said she had been married to Orojo for six years, said he took to his heels immediately after confessing to the crime.
She said she discovered that Odunayo was five months pregnant following her incessant sickness in recent times.

Her words: “It was one of my neighbours who called my attention recently that my girl was pregnant and anytime time I asked her who was responsible for the pregnancy, she would be crying that she would die if she disclosed the identity of the father.
I then took her to my pastor and after much pressure; she confessed that it was my husband.

She told my pastor that when I was not around, my husband entered into her room with a machete and threatened to kill her if she did not allow him to sleep with her.

After forcing her to have sex with him, my child said he brought out a red handkerchief and warned her not to tell anybody or else she would die. That is why she did not tell anyone.”
When contacted over the incident, Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr Femi Joseph said the police had started investigating the matter.

Joseph added that the suspect was yet to be arrested and he has been added to the list of those wanted by the command.”

On January 27, 2016, the “Daily Sun” newspaper carried on its front page in big bold headlines:

“HAUNDED MPAPE”
(ABUJA COMMUNITY FAMILIAR WITH POLICE EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLINGS

“Residents of Mpape, a satellite town of Abuja, are fast becoming an endangered species in the hands of trigger-happy policemen who kill them at will. The trend, which did not start today is becoming worse by the day. Remember the gruesome killing of a pregnant woman, Doris Okere, a staff of Bank PHB by a mobile policeman attached to Zenith Bank at Mpape.
Already, this year recorded it’s first casualty when on Saturday January 9, a 32-year-old father was gunned down right in front of his compound by a notorious police officer identified as Inspector Akin popularly known as “Man of God” (what an irony?).

Allegations by the residents say that the policeman involved in the killing had been involved in such incidents in the past whereby he was linked with extrajudicial killings in the area but never got punished.

The victim of the recent incident, SegunOluwasomi, a plumber was said to have knelt down with his hands up in surrender, pleading with his killer to arrest him if he had committed any offence rather than to take his life and leave his young family without a father. His plea fell on deaf ears as his assailant, baying for his blood allegedly shot him with his service pistol in the stomach at close range.

When Abuja Metro visited the scene of the crime located at the Katampe axis of the town, nobody could fathom any reason for the murder of the deceased as everybody who spoke on the issue described him as a man of peace who was not involved in any act of criminality.

Indeed, his peaceful nature and acts of benevolence earned him the name “Ogume” which means a jovial and peaceful man.

No wonder, the incident triggered serious protest by youths in the area who are demanding that only the arrest and prosecution of the police assailant could appease them.

The youths are angry particularly because the perpetrator of the alleged crime who is popular and dreaded in the town had allegedly committed similar offences in the past and got away with them.

Eyewitnesses who confided in Abuja Metro but refused to be named for security reasons said the victim, was working at a site close to his compound and decided to come home to refresh when the incident occurred.

“Ogume” was working in a site very close by (pointing to a bush path) when he came out to have some rest. I saw him and we greeted.

I even overheard him telling the girl selling oranges that he had not eaten since morning and he collected an orange from her and was heading home.

Suddenly, the Inspector (man of God) arrived on a bike with his colleague, a Corporal. They alighted from the bike and started running after Ogume firing at him. He ran to his compound, dodging the bullets but not for too long as the other police officer allegedly blocked his way.

It was at this point that Ogume knelt down with his hands in surrender begging that they should arrest him if he indeed committed any crime. But the Inspector pointed his pistol at his stomach and shot him at close range leaving him in the pool of his blood and threatened to shoot whoever tries to rescue him.

Most people, particularly the youths who spoke on the matter narrated the same story as they could not explain the circumstances of the killing.

However, another resident told Abuja Metro that the slain plumber had complained to him and other close friends bitterly that someone was after his life just because he dug a borehole for another resident and it is affecting his water business.

Although this allegation was not confirmed, Abuja Metro learnt that some residents were prevented from returning to their places of abode by some angry youths who accused them of having a hand in the murder of their colleague.

It took the intervention of the DPO and another respected member of the community before they were allowed into their homes.

It was further gathered that the killer cop and his colleague had run to the home of a serving security personnel to help them cover up the case but he refused to cooperate with them.

After the trigger happy cops left the scene thinking that their victim was dead, some good neighbours took him to the Wuse General Hospital from where he was given first aid treatment and further referred to the National Hospital.

At the National Hospital, however, the victim, the only child of the family from Kabba in Kogi State died at about 5 pm of the same day leaving behind his wife, a nine-year-old son and an aged mother.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of A Division Mpape, Mrs A.B. Garba who described it as unfortunate noted that the case had been transferred to the FCT command.

She declined further comments on the matter of directing other inquiries on the matter to the Police Public Relations Officer.

Also confirming the incident, the Area Commander in charge of Maitama metropolitan, Mr Alamutu Abiodun, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) said the police officer had been arrested and the case transferred to the Homicide Department.

Since the heart breaking incident, residents of Mpape situated some four kilometres from the city centre have been in pains and are in mourning mood. They are yet to recover from the shock that came with the death of their beloved son.

Meanwhile, a niece of the deceased, Mrs. Helen Afeme has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase. She is demanding N5b as compensation for the breach of fundamental rights to life and for the upkeep of the family of the victim.

In the petition written by her lawyer, ToluBabaleye, Mrs.Afeme is demanding for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the police officer for homicide. The petitioner who slammed a seven-day ultimatum on the IGP to meet with her demands equally asked for comprehensive autopsy to be carried out and for the police to give the deceased befitting burial at his home in Kabba according to Christian rites.

The petition dated January 12, 2020 was equally served on various arms of the police, the National Human Rights Commission, the Public Complaints Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

In 2008, global human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI) released a report titled: Nigeria Police kill at will, which documented cases of torture and shooting of suspects in custody. The group said the police were notorious for shooting suspects in custody. The group said the police were notorious for shooting suspects, and torturing them to death.

AI said: “The Nigerian Police is responsible for hundreds of unlawful killings every year. Police don’t only kill people by shooting them; they also torture them to death, often while they are in detention.

The majority of the cases go un-investigated and the police officers responsible go unpunished. The families of the victims usually get no justice or redress. Most never even found out what happened to their loved ones.”

The situation seems to have worsened. Not only do the officers kill innocent citizens, they also shoot their colleagues.

A former NBA president, OluwarotimiAkeredolu (SAN) said the fact that other ranks in the police have become a threat is no news. According to him, their pastime has always been to turn their guns on taxpayers they are paid to protect and whose monies are used to procure the ammunition. He said officers need re-orientation.

“A lot of work needs to be done to make officers and men of the NPF (Nigeria Police Force) appreciate their role as the people’s police and not a police force. The word ‘force’ is certainly a misnomer in the present democratic dispensation.

Periodic psychiatric test is only desirable for suspicious officers and men. But how well placed is the institution itself to detect derelicts among its rank? An important question. Officers and men who are at the brink of flipping to the other side sure need great assistance.

Does the institution care for them? Are they well placed to do the needful in ensuring that they operate under minimum favourable conditions that will support stable mental disposition? These are posers to ponder on.”

Akeredolu said where officers or other ranks run foul of the law, they should be properly indicted and tried. Their prosecution, he said, should not be left to the ordinary and usual police prosecutors, who are more likely to compromise.

The Office of the Federal Attorney-General in collaboration with the Police Service Commission must set up a special prosecution unit to handle grave matters of this nature involving the police and the people. Proper prosecution and commensurate conviction would certainly deter future occurrence.

“Above all the Nigeria Police no doubt needs full re-orientation from head to toe, starting from their recruitment criteria,” he added.

For Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), the reason for the incessant killing of civilians by armed officers and, lately, policemen is the direct consequence of impunity and the failure of professional value system within the police.

He said it is unfortunate that policemen, who by their training, ought to apply themselves and their disposition towards the protection of lives and property now pose a risk and challenge to lives and property.”

At the stroke of midnight, Resilience Television aired a report based on the four page story of “Daily Trust” newspaper of January 29, 2016.

Headline: “POLICE NAB SUSPECTED ROBBERS WITH FOUR PISTOLS
AND FOURTEEN LIVE CATRIDGES.”

Federal Capital Territory [FCT] police command has arrested five suspected robbers between the ages of 15 to 30 years and recovered from them four locally made pistols, 14 live cartridges, wraps of Indian hemp and other stolen items.

A police source informed our reporter that an informant made an anonymous call to the police patrol team that a suspected armed robber who was injured by the window glass he broke during a robbery operation in Lugbe had been sighted by residents.

The source said: “As soon as the said suspect saw our men, he started running and our men gave him a hot chase but he escaped. Our men went back to his house and searched. Two black bags were found in the room of the principal suspect (Dauda). A bag containing two locally made pistols with 13 live ammunition was also picked. The officers decided to search another room next to that of the suspect’s and another black bag with two locally made pistols, a cartridge, wraps of marijuana and other items were discovered.”

The FCT police spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent AnjuguriManzah, confirmed the report.

He said that five suspects have been arrested, among them a woman who claimed to be a cousin of one of the suspects.

“What happened was that a robbery incident occurred. A robber escaped and his hands were injured. We started looking for him until an anonymous caller informed us that he was seen at LugbeZone 7. We traced his house but he escaped. All efforts to catch him proved abortive and we decided to search his room. When the officers entered his room, they saw a lady two claimed to be his cousin. We arrested her instantly and searched the rooms. Four locally made pistols, 14 live cartridges, wraps of marijuana and other stolen items were recovered.”

He said that investigations would continue to get the principal suspect.”

Bashorun J.K. Randle is a former
President of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former Chairman of KPMG Nigeria and Africa Region.
He is currently the Chairman, JK Randle Professional Services