IF STATES WERE AUTONOMOUS: RUGA SETTLEMENT WAS AFFRONT!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System From a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church Kpeyegyi Abuja Nigeria {Vol. 8.NO 308. 7th July, 2019.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

IF STATES WERE AUTONOMOUS: RUGA SETTLEMENT WAS AFFRONT!

NIGERIANS can again enjoy a fresh breath of air following Federal Government's decision to suspend the controversial RUGA Settlement Plan which it proposed to alleviate the aggravated herders/farmers clashes but bungled by incompetent official marketers who failed to disseminate the document's well-intended content in a universally-acceptable language to all stakeholders!

The proposal was greeted with misconception/public outcry instead of applause and totally condemned by most Nigerians, except by some Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) who have given 30 days ultimatum to the Federal Government to rescind its decision or SOUTHERN non-indigenes be faced with QUIT ORDERS from their territory as they did in August, 2017!

Although cattle rearing is big business and generates lots of revenue into the national coffers, it had attracted lots of security challenges which government could not afford to overlook and should not allow to rubbish all economic gains recorded by President Buhari's APC Change Administration in the past FOUR years through the mismanagement of a good idea that turned sour!
Should the lives of Nigerian citizens be sacrificed to protect mere animals which only exist to satisfy human economic needs and consumption?

Will the Federal Government ever get its act right over this very sensitive issue which has thrown up tribal, religious, nepotic sentiments, connotations/interpretations because the President's public relations officers bungled the advocacy of the RUGA idea which came out of the blues to confuse Nigerians who neither understood the nomenclature nor the real purpose/intention of the administration?

Some said that RUGA, translated to mean "Fulani Settlement", was the President's hidden agenda to "fulanise" Nigeria, since such settlements were proposed to be established in all 36 States of the Federation, without similar provisions for the FARMERS whose lands were being destroyed by nomadic Fulani’s cattle, but government said that RUGA was for every Nigerian whose vocation is animal husbandry, irrespective of tribe, State or language!

NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL (NEC), PROPOSED NATIONAL LIVESTOCK TRANSFORMATION PLAN!
Following a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), of 18th January, 2019, chaired by the Vice President, Prof. 'Yemi Osinbajo, the establishment of a National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), was proposed to encourage RANCHING and mitigate the escalating crisis between pastoralists and farmers. NLTP was open to all interested States without compulsion to Governors who have opted to enact the Anti-Open Grazing Law to solve the imbroglio.

But a statement on 2nd July, 2019, from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the acronym of the proposed plan of government was "RUGA", and not "NLTP" adding that it was just a matter of semantics; a position that was diametrically opposed to the Vice President's statement! The NLTP which was backed by ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments since 2005, would have attracted at least N2 trillion naira to the economy if there had been consensus among all States in the implementation process!

MILITATING FACTOR OF THE LAND USE ACT OF NIGERIA!
The Constitution of the Federal Republic, 1999, confers on State Governors, the right to adjudicate over land matters but also allows the Federal Government to acquire land in any part of the country through due process according to the Land Use Act. Chapter 202 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, of the Act is relevant in this respect; but it must be noted that the law emanated from an unfriendly Military Decree, signed into law on 27th March, 1978, during the tenure of retired General Aremu Obasanjo! Therefore Governors cannot be forced to part with State lands by the Federal Government, except by mutual agreement!

IN THESE TRYING TIMES, BEING A NIGERIAN FULANI PRESIDENT COULD BE VERY TASKING!
Of all Nigerian Heads of State, military or democratic, none had shown more patriotism and love for the downtrodden like President Muhammadu Buhari. His love for the under-privileged/poor masses, popularly called, "Talakawas", could only be rivalled by late NORTHERN ELEMENTS PROGRESSIVE UNION (NEPU). Leader, Mallam Aminu Kano, of blessed memory. When Buhari could not succeed to sanitize the socio-economic life of Nigerians as a military Head of State, he was elected after three failed attempts to eventually become the democratic president from 2015, through divine intervention!
When the Fulani herders/farmers clashes escalated on his assumption of office in the first term, the social media attributed the audacious/puff-headed attitude of Fulani’s to the fact that their kinsman became the numero uno citizen, of the country and would protect their selfish interests!
Sandwiched between the Red Sea and the Pharaoh's Army, President Buhari brainstormed with his advisers, security/economic teams to first introduce COLONY Settlements in all States of the Federation to contain nomadic movements of the Fulani’s and their animals!
The Scheme was aborted because it was virtually opposed from the proposal stage by most Governors and their citizens except for some Northern States and the confrontations between the two camps escalated to murderous proportions which resulted in loss of several lives to further aggravate/compound security challenges of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, and overstretch operational engagements of the security forces!
In his quest to finding a lasting solution to the compounded security challenges, the President and his team suggested the RUGA Settlement Plan, which also turned out to be unpopular, because  government failed to employ massive articulate advocacy that would have convinced all and sundry of the sincerity of the administration in proffering permanent solution to the incessant clashes once and for all!

SHOULD IT NOT BE RANCHING INSTEAD OF RUGA? THE WAY FORWARD!
Global nations - including Nigeria's West African neighbours which are also into animal rearing do not record human casualties through herders/farmers constant clashes because their pastoralists and cattle are ranched - not nomadic! A RANCH is a  large area of land equipped with multiple structural facilities needed to raise livestock - especially cattle - and is actually similar to RUGA or CATTLE COLONY and should be improvised  through consensus between Federal and State governments to alleviate incessant bloodshed between the herdsmen and farmers, permanently!
The Nigerian experience which is a complete opposite of what obtains in other climes, needed to be quickly addressed now that President Buhari has been given a second chance  by the electorate to turn the security/economic fortunes this great nation around for the citizens to dwell in peace together in spite of tribal diversity.
Before the controversial RUGA Plan, there was the CATTLE COLONIES Programme earlier mooted by the Federal Government as A ONE STOP SHOPPING MALL where all basic necessities/amenities of stakeholders ( provender, grass, water, health facilities, schools, markets) etc, which government believed would keep the offending animals off other people's farms and green pastures! BUT the people cried against RE-COLONIZATION of Nigeria by the FULANIS! Thereafter, some dissenting State Governors proclaimed the Anti- Open Grazing Law to solve the challenge in the best way suitable to them!

DID BENUE AND EKITI GET IT RIGHT?
It is on record that Benue State, farmers and citizens in North Central Nigeria were viciously attacked by Fulani herders when the Governor proclaimed the Anti-Open Grazing law inspite of the threat of non-compliance by the MIYETTI-ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (MACBAN) and their herders resident in the State, and scores of lives lost! Though they denied the attack, evidences were adduced by government to prove that they were culpable!
In spite of the mayhem inflicted on innocent citizens, the association headed to the Court in 2017 to challenge the anti-grazing law, but in a judgement of Thursday, 4th July, 2019, lost the case with costs awarded against them!
Ekiti State, South West Nigeria, which also proclaimed a similar law, had close shave of atrocities from the branch of the Cattle Association, until several moves of conflict resolutions were organised to douse tension!
EL RUFAI'S PAYMENT TO FOREIGN FULANI HERDSMEN AND PMB'S CLAIM THAT HERDSMEN INVADERS WERE FOREIGNERS FROM LIBYA/NIGER: are confirmations that FOREIGN FULANI’S ARE CULPABLE FOR THE MAYHEM AND NOT THEIR NIGERIAN COUNTERPARTS! BUT WHO CONTRACTED THEM? BECAUSE THE CASUALTIES WERE MOSTLY FARMERS AND NOT FULANI’S!
NIGERIA'S POROUS BORDERS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO BE SHUT AGAINST RAVAGING BANDITS BY THE PRESIDENT who instructed that modern technology be employed by security agencies to stop further illegal migration of foreigners into Nigeria!
THE SUREST WAY FORWARD IS - RANCHING AS WE HAD ALWAYS ADVOCATED!

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psa 133:1)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. G-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

EMIR SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI IN THE EYES OF THE STORM AGAIN!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System From a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church Kpeyegyi Abuja Nigeria {Vol. 8.NO 307. 30th June, 2019.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

EMIR SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI IN THE EYES OF THE STORM AGAIN!

Royal thrones and ancestral stools in Nigeria are no longer the exclusive preserve of grassroot elders of the communities who from time immemorial had been custodians of culture, customs and tradition, bequeathed from one generation to another.
In a deliberate and determined move to spread the gospel of civilization to the nooks and crannies of the nation, the academia, professors, technocrats, professionals, captains of industry, accomplished and articulate educationists etc, had invaded royal palaces of the six geo- political zones to effectively represent the voice of their subjects and ensure fair share of the socio-economic equation in the Nigerian project!

Standing shoulder high above the multitude of those traditional patriots is Muhammadu Sanusi II, (CON), the 14th Emir of Kano, who bluntly told President Buhari that Nigeria would become bankrupt if the outrageous payment of 70% of the total generated revenue on debt servicing persisted because no nation could survive in an economy where expenditure on basic social infrastructure depended on a paltry 30% of its total income!
He made this assertion at the 3rd National Treasury Workshop organised by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation held on 25thJune, 2019 in Kano, North West Nigeria!
Although the Accountant General of the Federation believed that maintenance/servicing of the nation's debt profile which was put at N 24.4 trillion, a sharp rise of 12.5 % increase from the 2017 status, was sustainable, the Emir maintained that the country's balance sheet was already overstretched! He also said that if the President would keep his promise of June 12, 2019, to lead millions of Nigerians out of poverty, all of the common patrimony being appropriated as subsidies on petroleum and electricity should be diverted to education, health and other critical infrastructures!
In his words, the nation could soon witness the worst case of insolvency unless the Federal Government eliminated the huge resources being spent on the subsidy of petroleum and other commodities!
The very outspoken Emir, who was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009-2014, vehemently opposed the subsidy regime and opined that "subsidies must be totally removed”, for such monies to be diverted to education, health facilities, employment, and shelter for the masses!

THE EMIR'S STAND ON BOKO HARAM TERRORISM!
Being an Islamic scholar, Sanusi condemned the Boko Haram false indoctrinations and urged his followers to resist such! The terrorist reacted violently to the new Emir's advocacy and bombed the Kano Mosque (the seat of the Emirate), in which 150 faithfuls lost their lives in November 2014! The terrorist commander, Abubakar Shekau accused Sanusi of deviating from Islam and threatened the Emir's life but he was undaunted and told Shekau that he (Sanusi), was "safe with Allah" and likened Shekau's statement to those of heretical Islamic preacher, Maitatsine!

SHOULD TRADITIONAL LEADERS GET INVOLVED IN PARTISAN POLITICS?
There is a general consensus that traditional institutions headed by monarchs, should be completely insulated from partisan politics in view of the highly revered and influential positions over their subjects to whom they owed absolute neutrality in the dispensation of social administration, justice and equity consistently.
Although, there are no hard and fast rules nor specific constitutional clauses to check traditional rulers disposition to politics, State Governments in Nigeria have established, ministries for local government and chieftaincy affairs, to properly administer processes of choosing traditional heads from among the people according to their customs through orderly procedures that would ultimately enjoy the blessings of State Governors, who hands over "Staffs of Office", to successful candidates during official coronations!

State governments play pivotal roles in chieftaincy affairs through payment of regular salaries/allowances, provision of vehicles for smooth administration through the traditional rulers at the grassroots more! And in view of this intervention, most traditional rulers have been nothing else other than partisan to the one who pays the PIPER!

KANO STATE AS A CASE STUDY OF THE PIPER WHO DICTATES THE TUNE?
It is not in contention that the Kano Emirate is funded through taxes and subventions by the Kano state government who pays salaries, allowances, and other emoluments that were legitimate monthly/annual expenses of the monarch and his retinue of palace workers!
During his first tenure, APC Governor Umar Ganduje, tried unsuccessfully to DETHRONE, Emir Sanusi through some trumped up accusations that he wasted public funds through extravagant/opulence lifestyle; and through Federal Government's diplomatic interventions, all charges and inquisitions were dropped!
But, back in the saddle for a second tenure as governor, Ganduje took up the gauntlet again and on Wednesday, 8th May, 2019, he decided to whittle down the Emir's powers when he signed into law the creation of FOUR new Emirates: Gaya, Bichi, Karaye, and Rano. The new Bill stated that the Emir of Kano would henceforth preside over TEN Local Government Areas, instead of the former 44 LGAs!
But the Kano State Kingmakers who were aggrieved by Ganduje's high-handedness had filed a suit against the governor, Kano State House of Assembly, the Attorney General and four others over the creation of new Emirates, in Kano State. They claimed that action was aimed at decentralizing the main Kano Emirate led by Sanusi and condemned his decision to sign the Kano State Emirs Appointment and Deposition Amendment 2019 Bill into law. There had been public outrage against the action which the Kano State High Court ordered Ganduje to suspend. The case was adjourned till 16th July, 2019.

SANUSI 'S ROLE IN GOVERNANCE AND AS A TRADITIONAL LEADER!
His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, (CON), the highly revered 14th Emir of Kano, North West, Nigeria, born Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is blue blood; a noble aristocrat, a man of sterling, impeccable and untainted character, an outstanding personality with exemplary charisma and laudable traits that are traceable to his antecedent and pedigree! The 57-year-old was crowned on 8th June, 2014, following the death of his granduncle, Ado Bayero.
A very intelligent banker and brilliant economist who attended the prestigious Kings College, Lagos, where he graduated in 1977; proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1978-1983 and obtained both Bachelors and Masters degrees; taught for two years in the school and later studied Islamic Law at the International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sanusi did not allow the silver spoon to becloud his ambition for relevance among the highly educated and in the course of time distinguished him as a worthy ambassador in his chosen discipline!
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, even as a prince, did not count himself better than his peers but worked assiduously to reach the pinnacle of his profession in the banking industry as he was first crowned Governor of the Central Bank, before he received the Kano Royal Crown as birth-right!
As Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), between 3rd June 2009 and 20th February2014, he was not just the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but also doubled as the official "Watchman/Whistle Blower" over the enormous funds that were dispensed on daily basis for smooth execution of the nation's foreign and local policies of the economy, like none before him had ever done! He had a blue print predicated on "enhancement of quality of banks, establishment of healthy/financial stability and the imperative contribution of the financial sector to the REAL SECTOR!" Sanusi has to his credit several local and international awards of distinction, which singled him out not only as a very outstanding scholar but also as a banking guru!

He did not waste time to sanitize the banking industry through radical anti-corruption strategy following Mrs. Cecilia Ibru's mismanagement of the OCEANIC BANK, in which billions of naira of public  funds were fraudulently looted and could not be accounted for! During his tenure, several bank managers, including CEO, Mrs Ibru, were convicted by the law courts and sent to prison terms!

SANUSI ACCUSED JONATHAN'S GOVERNMENT OF $20 BILLION US DOLLAR FRAUD!
For the very first time in the history of Nigeria's financial transactions at the apex level of the Executive Arm, in 2014, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, moved against the norm and the protocol, to blow the whistle over UNREMITTED/MISSING FUNDS from the vaults of the apex bank under his watch and that audacity, caused him his plum job, because ex-President Ebele Jonathan, did not waste time in relieving him of the exalted post without completing his five-year tenure!
HIS OFFENCE: He accused Jonathan's Government of a $ 20 billion US-dollar-fraud in the Oil Sector of the economy under the watch of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in 2014. Sanusi had earlier disclosed in 2013 that, Nigeria lost one billion dollars on monthly basis due to diversion of funds under the ex-president's watch while American and British stakeholders in the oil industry were quoted to have disclosed that former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison Madueke, might have organized a diversion of $ 6 billion US dollars, an equivalent of N 1.2 trillion, from the NIGERIAN TREASURY! Allison-Madueke was arrested in London on 2nd October and still facing interrogation and prosecutions for sundry financial offences at the British courts, though the present Change APC Administration has put up pressure for her extradition to Nigeria to face several financial crime charges!
As an economist, Sanusi had always favoured removal of subsidies - citing the high level of corruption engendered by the practices, the inefficiency of subsidizing CONSUMPTION  instead of CONSUMPTION, (leading to slower economic growth), and the fact that government borrows money to finance the SUBSIDY - thereby, taxing  future generations so that present Nigerians can consume more fuel!  Like other economists and development practitioners, Sanusi believes that SUBSIDY was biased in favour of the middle/upper classes who consume most of the fuel to personal advantages - including illicit commercialisation of the product in neighbouring West African States!
QUOTE FROM SANUSI: "IF YOU WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO SPEAK MY MIND, DON'T INVITE ME AGAIN!"

RIPPLE EFFECTS OF TOTAL REMOVAL OF PETROLEUM SUBSIDY - WITHOUT CREATING PALLIATIVES?
Poverty ratio would increase; the products will become out of reach (too exorbitant), for the masses to access; unemployment percentage will rise as employers lay off workers; labour sector would demand for more salaries and allowances for government employees and resist of any form of down-sizing or right-sizing by the administration!

Governments would come and go but the royal traditional thrones remain permanent because the traditional stools must not be polluted with any form of political partisanship. Military governments used to curry favours from traditional rulers for the purpose of reaching out to citizens at the grassroot to deepen socio-economic development - but politicians MUST not convert the sacred custodians of culture/tradition to politicians for any reasons!
TRADITIONAL STOOLS MUST BE INSULATED FROM POLITICS FOR THEM TO EARN THE HONOUR AND RESPECT DUE TO THEM AT ALL TIMES!
But being critical of government would not amount to political partisanship especially by monarchs who love their subjects and are determined to keep them abreast with the social amenities of the civilized world. 
We encourage more professional to mount the royal stools to make the difference!  ‘’By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.’’  (Prov 8:15)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. G-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.