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Beyond new service chiefs: Nigeria needs a truly professional military
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By Olu Fasan
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari rejected National Assembly resolutions and public demands to sack his utterly inept service chiefs. Suddenly, on January 26, President Buhari tweeted: “I have accepted the immediate resignation of the service chiefs.” But, akin to a “golden handshake”, he promptly nominated them as “non-career ambassadors”. Was there a special relationship between the ex-service chiefs and the president, or were they simply outstanding?
The Presidency said it’s the latter. In his tweet, President Buhari thanked the former service chiefs for “their overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to Nigeria”. And, in a statement justifying their ambassadorial nominations, the Presidency said: “The President is rewarding hard work and exceptional sacrifice by a set of military leaders who gave their best to the nati
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Jonathan’s about-face and twisted logic on restructuring
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By Olu Fasan
SINCE leaving office in 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s stock has risen sharply. Deeply unpopular in office, he is widely feted out of power. The main reason, of course, is that he wisely conceded defeat in an election he lost. Given how, recently, a defeated American president refused to concede but, instead, incited insurrection against the US Capitol, Jonathan’s decision was significant. Had he not conceded defeat in 2015, he would have set Nigeria on fire. His decision to concede earned him a post-defeat sainthood.
The second reason for Jonathan’s popularity is that his nemesis, President Muhammadu Buhari, who denied him a second term in office, has turned out to be even worse. In a recent piece titled “Buhari makes a hero of Jonathan”, the renowned columnist Sonala Olunhense wrote: “The more incompetent Buhari’s government has proved to be, the
Civil war has not united Nigeria, but a political settlement will vanguardngr.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from vanguardngr.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Gambari wants to help secure Buhari’s legacy, but time is running out!
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By Olu Fasan
WHEN Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari was appointed as President Muhammadu Buhari’s new Chief of Staff in May last year, he pledged total dedication to the president. In fact, in response to a journalist’s question, he said: “I don’t report directly to the nation, I report to the president.” He then set out what he saw as his task: “To give a very loyal, dedicated and efficient service to the president in terms of his priorities and legacy.”
Nearly one year on, we can all agree that Professor Gambari has been very loyal and dedicated to President Buhari. The president himself attested to this in a tribute to Gambari on his 76th birthday last year. President Buhari said: “I am proud to testify that he is one of the most brilliant, dedicated, patient and humble public officials I have ever met.” So, we can agree that Professor Gambari has been
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2021: Nigeria needs massive jolt of reforms to escape its fragility
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By Olu Fasan
THE year 2020 is gone, unsung! The year 2021 is here. But what will it bring? I mean, what will the new year mean for Nigeria? For the entire world, we already know, sadly, that COVID-19 is mutating and still ravaging.
But, despite the 101,331 cases and 1,361 deaths, as of January 12, Nigeria, a country of 200million people, is not in the grip of COVID-19, and it would be misguided to let the pandemic to mask the far greater existential threats that this country faces.
Truth be told, without fundamental reforms, Nigeria is at serious risk of being trapped in permanent decline or stasis. This country’s fragility and systemic weaknesses are simply too deep to be sustainable. Its institutions risk crumbling, and majority of its people are in danger of becoming permanently locked in extreme poverty and utter misery. So, when I asked what 2021 would mean for Nigeria, what I’m reall