Readers’ comments, by Prof MK Othman
Deep Thoughts with Othman
I am still on break to allow my esteemed readers to air their views on the various issues presented in this column. Some of the views are edited for clarity and space limitations. Happy Reading.
Electoral Reform in Nigeria: Light at the end of the tunnel?
The argument advanced by the NCC does not hold water as far as I am concerned. Telecom regulators should know how best to approach such challenges. If you claim that Telecom MNOs have not covered more than 55% of the country 3G-wise, whose responsibility is it to do it? Engr Aminu or Saidu who are struggling daily to put a meal on their tables?
I recall way back in 2007 when President Obasanjo was leaving the office for late Yaradua, I was involved in the deployment of Vsat from state INEC offices to local governments and connected directly to HQ in Abq. The installed capacity was solar-powered with battery backup, a LAN port to connect your laptop and a port to connect to a regular phone. I remember I did about 36 local government offices in Katsina, Kano and Jigawa. To commission the site you have to establish a voice conversation with Abuja and identify your location. Why can’t NCC in conjunction with other stakeholders revive such facilities since Nigcomsat is there to carry the traffic? Unfortunately, though we lack a maintenance culture, only God knows what has become of such facilities now.
Engr Sa’du Hamdullahi, Abuja.
Basic Education in Nigeria: North, Profusely Hemorrhagic
We are actually sitting on a time bomb. If things don’t change for the better, then Arewa (the northern region) will be doomed. Thank you very much, Prof, for the concern and enlightenment.
Prof Abdulhameed Umar Yusuf BUK, Kano.
Well, we are at the crossroad while abject poverty is looming over the clamours of our land and the land owners are not doing anything to alleviate the situation. My Prof kudos to your columns all the time, in fact, you have rung the greatest bell of alarms signalling the current educational decadence! But where are the sages? It is high time for the northerners to devise a new system of education or rush to rumbles and shackles. Northerners must wake up to revive their education by selecting leaders that have future dreams and not naira mania leaders who are graduates of political sycophants and dragons. Thus, my Prof has got all the score marks required by the sages to ring a new bell of hope.
Yakubu Yunusa Sakpe, Bida.
Very commendable observations for our leaders to rise up to our expectations. May we and our leaders wake up to the expectations and realities of the moment.
Magajin Rafin Tambuwal Danzabo.
Thank you Prof for your objective and open-minded accommodation of the views of others in the quest for making your contributions to improving the public image of the nation in the handling of sensitive issues of common interests.
Dr Hammed Olabanji Kolawole, Lagos.
World Food Day: Is Nigeria Food Secured?
World Food Day celebration has become an annual ritual. The various themes which are meant to stimulate and address the issues of food security have been downplayed. Many state governments do not even observe the World Food Day celebration. Agriculture is no longer taken seriously. Most agricultural institutions are comatose. Until agriculture is seen as a profession and experts are allowed to manage the sector, the situation will continue to remain the same. Let us continue to advocate for it. Happy World Food Day celebration.
Mr Apapa Apapa, Portharcourt.
Using these comprehensive definitions and assessments, the only people that are probably food secure in Nigeria will be those in Aso Rock and the ‘environ’. We are looking forward to the concluding part of the article.
Dr Yele Akinbamowo, Akure.
Masha Allah here we are again jubilating as we celebrate world food day. But the question here is, is Nigeria capable of facing the agricultural needs in terms of security, aids to the farmers and providing the channels of transforming the agricultural sector to world standard.
Nuradeen Salisu, Abuja.
Thank you, Prof, for posting the final part of your column on the level of food security in Nigeria. Your suggestions are excellent, except that probably they’ll only be implemented in an ideal society, i.e. in a country where we have leaders that really care about their masses. But for Nigeria, we only have to continue to pray for good and selfless leaders that will bring the needed change.
Prof Abdulhameed Umar Yusuf.
The great columnist and the hunger fighter. You have been working day and night to fight hunger, and malnutrition in Nigeria, Africa and globally. wish you more wisdom and good health.
Alh Sani Lawal, Burdugau.
The leaders in Nigeria are the most heartless beings you can find on the face of the Earth. Ours is a democracy by the few and for the few. Just to list a few, all their kids and wards are schooling abroad. They post pictures of graduations of their kids from Ivy schools in Europe yearly meanwhile they have killed all the schools in Nigeria from primary school to university.
The health sector is crippled, so, medical tourism to India, Dubai or Europe is non-negotiable. Resident doctors called off their strike due to poor numerations but many of jetted out of the country, so, the nation lost highly valuable human capital, what a pity!
For the poor state of our roads, trust our politicians they drive SUVs so they don’t feel the potholes. The power supply is perpetual darkness for the poor voter but the leaders have Mikano generators to checkmate the darkness.
Nearly 400 companies were shut down between 1990 and 2015 due to a lack of power. Some were brutally sold off to cronies or people that have no business in such companies at a miserable price. They simply took over the asset of the company and sacked the workers without pension or gratuity. Fertilizer is not available and insecurity has stopped the common man from accessing his farm. Hunger will kill more people this year. One can list so many ills in this country caused by our so-called leaders. Sadly the electorates will still vote for the moneybags come 2023. The same people that ruined this nation will be elected to continue the bastardisation of the nation.
Anonymous.
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