Education At The Primary and Secondary School Levels In Nigeria Are Rubbish-Prof. Olagoke

 

Parents all over Nigeria have continued to express worry over the declining standard of education. In this interview, the founder Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke speaks on the reason behind the current trend. Excerpts :

Are you comfortable with the declining standard of education in the country, presently ?

We have to clarify issues, curriculum wise, the standard is rising, but at the implementation level, because of the sharp practices , by the stakeholders at all levels, most especially on government part, the performances of students in various examinations, shows that there is a decline.

Institutionalizing education in any society, demands for some basic things to be on  ground. At the primary school level, the construction of buildings, standard enough to accommodate students, well Trained Teachers, who periodically go for capacity building exercises, all these things are no more. Even when you have an oppurtunity for the Teachers, government officials make them look as if that they are been done a favour. And so, selectively, they will pick some of their favoured ones for the training, the training will be so shabby and shallow, and at the end of the day, the budget for such a training would be cut., to the extent that those who are to give the training, wiil receive a token, and the Teachers that go for training, they would also be given a token. And a great proportion of the largess would go to the government officials, who are supposed to reallly implement all these things. You can see the abysmal level to which corruption has gone in the society and has destroyed the fabric of all senses of responsibility in the polity. So, when you get to primary schools, what you find are  features of dilapidated buildings, I mean public schools, students with wretched looks and torn clothes, because government itself knows that education   at this level is not well funded. They will never allow their children to go to such schools, even their grand children. So, education at this level is rubbish. It is true that we should challenge the parents to contribute, but the kind of parents that have their children in all these public schools are the wretched types, who can hardly make ends meet.  So what kind of contribution do you expect from such parents  ? Except to say that their children should return home and hawk their goods for  them. Sociologically, our management of education at this level is nothing to write home about.
Unfortunately, our government leads by propaganda. They will dress up very few schools, showing this over the Television and telling the whole world that they have funded education. At least, we can all attest to the fact that Teachers' salaries are always pranked on.  When Teachers are not well motivated, what do you expect  from their performances. When parents, who have children in all these schools have little or  very low education,  what do you expect from such parents, regarding imparting, monitoring and motivating their children. So this is why we have a lot of mushroom schools, in the name of private schools, you will see some dilapidated buildings of a primary school and the name will bear something, something international school. We are fooling ourselves. And until we really know what we are doing, the future of our children is in jeopardy.  Although  government officials have a substitute, they have their own children, overseas and some selected schools that are well funded, that are very private, so that is why they are comfortable. But when Bola Ige was alive, he used to say something, that always terrified me.  He said '' If those of you who are rich, find comfortable  and very good schools for your children and you neglect the course of the future of the poverty ridden masses, when their children grow into thugs, these are people who will never allow, your over pampered, children to live well''. And this is what we are experiencing in the country today. If you neglect a section and you fund very few people, those few people, in future, they will not necessarily find it easy, because the environment, we live in, matters most and contributes a lot to the quality of life we lead. So, when it comes to secondary schools, the same bad stories are repeated, most of the secondary schools, most especially, where they offer science subjects, they are nothing to write home about.  Look at their laboratories, look at their workshops. All we have on paper, are the ideals of the curriculum, which is internationally recognized. Even Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities, nothing is been done.  Entrepreneurship education is on paper, theoretically taught, most of them do not have centers as expected and where they have, what is the impact of their products ? Products, in terms of the graduates, they are turning out, as well as the products in terms of  what they are really making, out of the entrepreneurship centers So, there is  the need to overhaul education centers, as well as the way we manage and implement our programs. UNESCO opines that 20% of the national budget of every nation, should be the minimum allocation to education. Nigeria, up till date, on the average, since 1990s, we've never been able to get 10% on the average. Even when there was no Boko Haram, when there was no war, the security vote was given so much recognition, and what did they do with such money,  they lavished it, they spent the money on unprofitable ventures. So, I don't know, we are now in an era of change, whereby Buhari our President, could be regarded as somebody that is very serious and who believes in reshaping the course of the future of Nigeria-economy, politics and security.
 And Osinbajo happens to be an academic guru, a lawyer of high repute, a personality of high legal standing. And both of them a Muslim and a Christian now, if you look at this people, because of the passion, religion enforces on the people, the governed, I believe, they will be able to turn around. But education in Nigeria, today, is fraught with agitations by the concerned citizens in the name of ASUP, in the name of ASUU, there is need to overhaul everything, so that the future of Nigeria does not collapse today.

By overhauling, do you mean a state of emergency should be declared ?

It is not about collapsing the sector, if you collapse the education sector,  everybody becomes an illiterate and before you say, you are awakening them, political campaigns will come again and you forget about everything. And the whole country will be in jeopardy.

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Stand on the Dictates of the Law to Succeed-Prof. Olagoke to President Tinubu

 

Attitudinal change is a major prerequisite for the present crop of political office holders to achieve sustainable development in Nigeria.

This assertion was made by the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke in his Ed el Fitri Message titled Democracy and Hope 2023.

''The attitudinal change for those in power and the people in general can only be achieved under strategic re-orientation for re-birth and re-branding. For the government of President Bola Tinubu to succeed, it needs to stand on the dictates of the law for regulation and growth through the appropriate arms of the law-Judiciary, EFCC, ICPC, SERVICOM, ACTU,NDLEA, NAFDAC and other anti-graft agencies. Corrupt government officials in these agencies and those in the corridor of power must be sanctioned as appropriate. A stitch in time saves nine!'', Prof. Olagoke concluded.

SWOT Analysis : A Tool for Achieving Religious Uprightness by Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

Presently, all over the world, the debate is on the relevant status of religion in the present era of moral decadence. It is surprising to see the defectiveness of the rule of law or sharia in the developed world as it is measurable through a high degree of orderliness and productivity. It is equally surprising to note that religion is never a dominant factor in these countries. Objective observers from Islamic perspectives submit that in this context, Islam by the scripture is at work in the developed world with low or no number of Muslim population, but in countries where religion dominates to determine the politics, economic and social affairs of the people; Musilms dominate without Islamic tenets via the stand of the cripute protending no Islam. People erroneously conclude that religion has failed humanity, whereas it is mankind that treats religion with impunity to the detriment of the expected benefits of offering just worship. The common factor for the lapses is falsehood in place of truth. If we are to go by the dictates of the Holy Quran 2 : 42-44, ''Cover no Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know what it is. And be steadfast in prayer, give zakaat and bow down in worship. Do ye enjoy right conduct in the people, and forget to practise it yourselves, and yet ye study scripture? Do ye not understand?''

There is a need for all of us to SWOT analyze ourselves and identify our class for ease of adjustment into adaptive learning for maximum development of our body and soul. The Holy Bible Mark 4 : 11-12 is a good reference to this with the implication of fatal consequences on any act of disobedience to the command of God via scripture upholding the religion of one's choice, realizing that no religion teaches evil. ''11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.'' All of them are to correct aberrations and set us on the path of righteousness driven by moral discipline, I and you to achieve due process with zero tolerance for corruption and institutional indiscipline. Finally, therefore, the Holy Quran 2 : 45-46 must become our watchwords to walk the talk to maximally achieve our socio-spiritual desires. ''Nay seek Allah's help with patient perseverance and prayer : It is indeed hard except to those who are humble, who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him.''

Walk The Talk on PWDs by Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

The government at all levels and people must not waste or bury talents, most especially Persons With Disabilities(PWD). Let us enact anti-discrimination and other disability-specific laws. All stakeholders must get organized on this-governments, parents, international donors, the media, the JONAPWD, Human Rights Groups, philanthropists, among others. It is only through appropriate policy stands that we can raise the hope of the hopeless, mitigate the cause of disabilities and prevent causative factors from increasing the fold of PWDs. Nigeria needs to implement all international instruments to which it is a signatory, on the issue of having due respect for the fundamental human rights of the people. For example, women's rights through the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW), Child Rights and Inclusion Rights of the PWDs through appropriate domestication for ease of local adaptation. We have to walk the talk of the challenges confronting disability, democracy and the rule of law, to be able to raise the hope of the people for realizable prospects of the positive impact of democracy driven by the rule of law. This can only be possible through voting in credible leaders who are visionary and selfless in governance with a high passion for the people they are to govern through the promotion of an inclusive society where no one is marginalized, including women and the PWDs. Above all, let us integrate the PWDs for them to naturally manage themselves with happiness and hope for destiny realization because there is ability in disability.

Causative Factors of Insecurity : The Antidote by Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

The antidote to all forms of insecurity is a functional democracy run through high regards for fairness, justice and equity. Any alteration to a functional justice system and equitable distribution of material resources to the people without marginalization of any kind will ever hurt the polity. The Holy Quran 30 : 41-42 refers, ''Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of the need that the hands of many have earned, that Allah may give them a taste of some of their deeds, in order that they may turn back from evil. Say : Travel along the earth and see what was the end of those before you. Most of them were idolaters(driving agents of indiscipline and corruption). If the past is bad, sense and sensibilities demand that there must be damage control to correct today's anomalies. The failure to set up this appropriate measure in that respect will impede development. Leaders of thought must proceed with sanity promotion exercise using the due process of the culture of integrity, education for civility and development, religion for discipline, moral regulation and control to be able to promote credible leadership, good governance for the wellness of the people in an orderly manner expected of every decent society. To say the least, the arrest of offenders must proceed towards the diligent prosecution of their cases. For example, murder should ordinarily attract the death penalty to curb and prevent future murderous activities under any guise. In Nigeria, for example, no culprit once apprehended must be transferred to Abuja, where often times they are never tried but released to embark again on their aborted missions. . If arson, murder, kidnapping and other related crimes are committed in Yorubaland, there is no justified cause to transfer such suspects to Abuja, most especially when it involves indigenes of other states outside the states of the committed crimes. If there is a constitutional bottleneck on it, let it be resolved, restructured and amended immediately. The judiciary in a democracy must be made to be alive for the survival of this political philosophy already adopted to rule over the people. The Holy Quran 5 : 8 refers,, ''O ye who believe! Stand out firmly to Allah as witnesses to fear thee, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety : and fear Allah is well acquainted with all that you do. '' Causative factors of insecurity, therefore, such as hunger and poverty have damaged the fabric of democracy for our leaders to go crazy, soaking their hands in indecent acts to promote the culture of timocracy, kelptocracy and ego-centeredness of the medieval times, making the people resort to bestial styles of lfie that has already threatened the glorious peaceful co-existence. There is therefore, a dire need for effective damage control based on doing things accordingly and rightly too, through the fear of Allah as the only antidote.

Nigerians No Longer Trust Their Leaders-Prof Olagoke

Banditry, killings, kidnapping, armed robbery and violence now characterize daily living in different parts of Nigeria.
The feeble response by government has further aggravated the almost helpless situation.
The impression Nigerians have, is that the present administration does not have the know how to restore normalcy.
In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says Nigerians no longer  trust their leaders who neither transparent nor accountable, which has resulted in the clamour for secession. Excerpts :

Banditry, killings, kidnapping, armed robbery and violence are the signposts of living in Nigeria, what do you think is the way out ?
 Naturally, in a system of mankind, poverty takes the most  percentage of what can fuel crisis and violence.
This is why the major challenges to be managed by government, revolve on the provision of basic amenities and  functional infrastructure. As regards this, successive governments have failed.
For example the Boko Haram issue would have been a thing of the past, if not for the accumulated destitution among  most of the youth in the Northern part of the country.

The same fundamental enabling environment  for violence and impatience cuts across all states of the federation, with varying degrees of poverty, gaining prominence.
Secondly, since the inception of democracy, we  have been running governments that have been insensitive to the peoples' plight, contrary to the dictates of  section 16 of  the 1999 amended constitution, which harps on the responsibilities of government to the welfare of Nigerians.

Apart from this, our political management has assumed an extreme dimension of ethnic and tribal coloration, where nepotism is the basis for getting jobs and contracts.
When government fails to manage the issue of corruption effectively, the wealth of the land goes into the hands of the privileged few in positions of power.

Unfortunately, the mitigation measure on ground, rests with our security agencies, which are being weighed down by lack of motivation.
Furthermore, capacity building in the areas of training with modern equipment is equally lacking, which would have enabled them to stem the ugly tide of insecurity.
 The world standard of work ratio of all the security agencies to the population, they are supposed to serve, is extremely low.

This is why the clamor for state police may hold water, although with reservations.

Are we civilized enough to the level of upholding professional ethics in this respect ?

Certainly, the answer is no, because all tiers of government in Nigeria are still vindictive on the opposition, hence the security agencies may be manipulated for selfish purposes by any government in power. We need to work on this area of civility challenge.
Dearth of adequate personnel and professional training requirements, need to be addressed with utmost urgency to avoid wasting the  lives of the few that are ready to stop further bloodshed that would have been found to be highly unwarranted.
Running an inclusive government, rather than the winner takes all syndrome, will not only promote amity and memorandum of understanding, between the President and the governments at the state and local levels, but will also allow for timely intervention to quell riots or any acts of violence.
Nigeria is  presently enjoying, a graveyard peace.
The people do not trust their leaders who neither transparent nor accountable, this has caused a lot of disaffection to the point of hiding under restructuring motives to achieve secessionist agenda.
Most of the regions are waiting for Nnamdi Kanu to achieve his aim, for others to say '' to thy tents Oh Israel''.

 With the foregoing as the situation on ground, Nigerians should naturally expect pockets of killings and anti-societal acts inimical to any reasonable development.
However, making the country ungovernable for the government in power, is never a solution, but an act of retrogression, that all Nigerians must condemn.
Nigeria ought to learn from the civilized way the issue of BREXIT is being handled.
Dialogue is the best option to adopt to further the peaceful co-existence that still keeps the country together.
The service chiefs and the Professors of conflict resolution, would continue to be indicted for incompetence and lack of patriotism, if the the President could not be rightly advised to do the needful, with all sincerity of purpose.
What is government doing with the reported $1 Billion it collected for the purchase of arms and equipment for the military ?

What are the security agencies doing with the reported N 350 million worth of arms and ammunition intercepted at the nations' borders ?
We must know fully well that a cracked wall, would ever harbour reptiles, to the detriment of the people in the house.
 Inter-religious and ethnic  disaffection been promoted by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government must stop, because government needs the support of all Nigerians.

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2019 Budget is Extravagant and Wasteful Considering the Poor State of the Education and Health Sectors-Prof. Olagoke

Nigerians have began asking questions on the allocation of one Billion Naira for President Muhammadu Buhari's travels in 2019 and 98 million Naira for his feeding for the same period. They argue that millions of people have for several years contended with hunger, poverty and  lack of basic amenities, with reprieve still not yet in sight.
In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the 2019 Budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly is extravagant and wasteful. Excerpts :

The President is to spend One Billion Naira for his travels and 98 million Naira for his feeding in 2019,  don't yout think these figure are outrageous ?

Nigerian leaders, generally, since  independence till date, have not been  able to offer us good governance, if the depreciation profile of the Naira, the increasing profile of the poverty indices, decreasing profile of the citizens' life span, uncontrollable unemployment rate, the increasing wave of insecurity and attendant anti-social antics, are to be considered.
We have clamoured over the years on the need to stem down, with effective control mechanism, wastages in governance and the need for commensurate adjustment to replace the gap between workers' allowances and that of political office holders, their retinue of aides and entourage.
In  order that approrpiate funding would  be able to get  allocated to the education  and helth sectors.
To reduce poverty, we equally need to look inwards, to impress all, the rich echelon of the society, to practice the culture of giving  or philantrophy, following the examples of  individuals such as Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and a host of others, including the Sudanese Mo Ibrahim, who is funding the course of good governance in Africa, with $5 Million to the winner country and $200,000 to the winner President. Is this not a motivation for African nations to practice good governance on the basis of need assessment as well as risk control ?
Nigeria is yet to get motivated and follow the part of wisdom.

It should remind us of the Ethiopian experience under Emperor Haile Selassie who ruled a poverty ravaged nation, but fed his Lion with an amount of money that could easily go round to save thousands of people per day. Critically looking into the 2019 budget, wherein One Billion Naira is to go for the Presidet's travels and 98 million Naira for his feeding for a year, coupled with a host of embarrassing figures to the poor, whose salaires while in service could never total up to One million Naira, not to talk of the meagre pensions and gratuties which may never be paid on time or even perhaps to be   forfeited, if the pensioners happen to die, due to the frustrating bureucratic process, it is unfortunate.

It is unfortunate that the figures are in the open at a time when the Academic Staff Union of Univerisities(ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics(ASUP) agreements failed with the attendant follow up strike actions forcing our children to take to the streets, roaming about aimlessly.
It is equally unfortunate to come to terms with the figures, at a time when pensioners can no longer support their failing health conditions due to paucity of funds, emanating from unpaid gratuities and pensions-which in most cases could be less than 5 million Niara after the mandatory 35 years  of meritorious service for their fatherland. One can now see why the politicians are in a mad rush to get into Aso Rock as President or Vice President at all costs, with no passion for the people who will give them the mandate, but who shall and have always been neglected in return. When they ought to benefit from the dividends of democracy through goal oriented service expected of the political office holders. When politics is made to be less attractive in terms of renumertion, then wisdom and sanity would prevail.
For example there is the need for a downward review of the allowances of political officed holders, Senators, Presidents, Vice Presidents and others. There is also the need  to remove the immunity clause for the state Governors and the President for the purpose of effective control of corruption in the land.

A cut down in the number of advisers and entourage of political office holdrers, will ever drastically minimize and curb wasteful spending
The Bi-cameral Legistlature has not really favoured the country in terms of quality lawmaking. If the impact level on the people is to be placed on the scale of measurement, the cost of running the National Assembly would equally be reduced, while attracting serious minded politicians that would be patriotic enough to the nation, by delivering quality legislation, once lawmaking is made part-time.
Above all, thereis the  need to critically review through the  MINIMAX formula of advantage and benefit at cost effective level- a better alternative between Parlaimentary and Presidential system of democratic government.
For the poverty level of the nation and its people, the budget proposal is too extravagant and wasteful, in the area of political office holder consumption profile and the renovation effect of their buildings when one considers the very poor rating in the area of capital project for infrastructure, provision of basic amenities to alleviate poverty, education and health sectors in particaular as they directly affect the people.

My final poser, is on questioning the  competence level of the politicians for system control, with this final question : Is the opportunity to serve the people more for affluence and influence or a determination to impact on the lives of the people positively ?
Only selfless service based on altruitic philosophy can turn around Nigeria for better, through visionary, purposeful leadership and functional democratic due process of justice and equity

Nigerians Should Turn to God for the Choice of Candidates in Elections-Prof Olagoke

For over three and a half years now, Nigerians have contended with  hunger, poverty, unemployment and insecurity. Sadly, government at all levels have done little  to address these hydra like challenges which have not only demoralized the citizenry, but  also prompted them to continually and relentlessly rein curses on the country's political office holders. A cross section of civil society groups  allege that the three tiers of government have deliberately impoverished the populace, as a way of compelling them to sell their votes in the 2019 general elections.
Interestingly,a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar(rtd) has advised Nigerians to stop complaining about their pitiable condition, but vote out leaders who have not met their expectations .  In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says Nigerians should seek God's guidance in the choice of candidates they will vote for. Excerpts :
The insinuation is that the Federal and State Governments have deliberately impoverished Nigerians   for the purpose of ensuring that vote buying is the trend in the 2019 elections. What are your views ?
The history of poverty in Nigeria started in 1960, when our poverty index was 15 per  cent,  followed by the second republic in 1979 to 1983 at 28 per cent. The military interventions worsened the situation as it rose from 42 per cent to 65 per cent.
Then, in 1999, it rose to 70 per cent almost till this moment.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo campaigned against impoverishing the poor masses, because according to him, Nigerians irrespective of their tribes and social class must have access to free education which would eventual liberate  the children of the poor from the clutches of poverty. From his time to that of Bola Ige education took a large chunk to support structure, facilities and books, while having a good plan of allowing children to trek to and from school. One could  imagine the then government was  for all Nigerians, most especially the impoverished masses, whom the government intended to emancipate. Unfortunately, the dedication and commitment of our founding fathers, on the issue of the growth and development of the nation and general welfare of the people suffered a great set back during the civil war as well as the attendant agitations for true reconstruction, reconciliation and rehabilitation which was poorly managed to warrant the present insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and damages to the ecology of the oil producing areas, which were agitating for resource control and the South East's secession call.
 It is unfortunate that this government inherited an already failed and recessed economy, which they were unable to manage at par  with their campaign magic of the change mantra.
The bastardized environment, bad economy and disorganized society now continue to groan under poverty, which had been artificially introduced due to the  era of endemic corruption and institutionalized indiscipline.
Under this condition, the political class,  derailed from the focus of the goal of Democracy as a need to enthrone credible leadership for the purpose of institutionalizing justice and equity concepts in order that there would be peace and sustainable development.
The attendant consequence of gross mismanagement of the economy, the people and the environment, thereafter has resulted in the worrisome situation of insecurity and unbearable poverty tending to the abject level for many.
The 2019 general elections ought to focus on how best we would be able to vote in patriotic  Nigerians with outstanding leadership qualities that would be able to arrest the menace of the present social upheaval, starting from  working on the psyche of all Nigerians for better attitude in an environment  of strict institutional discipline that would only be achieved through leadership by sacrifice, integrity and service.
Nigerians therefore, need to be mindful of God, without emphasis on religion in order that credible candidates, who will have passion for the restoration of our core values and see human rights issues as the ability to provide equal opportunities and equal access to the people of Nigeria, the downtrodden ones inclusive

Stable Electricity and Good Roads : Fashola Can Do Better-Prof. Olagoke

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola(SAN) recently disclosed that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has delivered on its promises it made on electricity and infrastructure, Nigerians insist that Mr. Fashola is being economical with the truth. The Minister's claim is coming just a few months to the general elections, even though recently President Buhari kicked off his re-election campaign rally with a promise to take Nigerians to the next level. But Nigerians lament that their present level is characterized by exploitation and extortion by the Electricity Distribution Companies, while they still contend with bad road networks across the country.  In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says that the Federal Government has not done enough in the areas of stable electricity supply and good road network. Excerpts :

The Minister for Works, Power and Housing has said that the Federal Government has delivered on its promises on stable electricity supply and good road network. Do you agree with his claims ?

The main responsibility of Government has functionally distributed among the three arms, Judiciary, for quick and accurate dispensation of justice. However, there is a shortage in the number of Judges and the courts, with the challenge of the criminal tendencies of Nigerians, with the rising cases of crime and prison congestion, informed by the delay in attending to and the dispensation of trials and judgments.
The Bi-cameral legislature, is a legislature for fortune making, rather  than that of passion for the people. And members happen to be a conglomerate of unskilled personnel in the areas of policy formulation and plans for  effective implementation.
A mono-cameral legislature  would have been better under the necessary prerequisites of experience, wisdom and readiness to work for the nation through committed personal sacrifices, that may not attract jumbo salaries and less work that have been draining the national purse.

The core  responsibility of the executive is to provide  basic amenities via modern technology for mass production of the basic needs of man-Food, Shelter and Clothing, as well as the establishment of functional infrastructure to ensure sustainable development, where  climate change may not necessarily affect the environment because of the proactive  measures militating against  the causes.
Under this condition of sustainable development, the social scene, is expected to be naturally safe and secure.
In the area of the economy where the Minister of Works, Power and Housing belongs, infrastructural standards become a measuring gauge. The claim of the Minister is in order, when measured through political propaganda and the fact that he is a Lawyer  rather than an Engineer.
Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and Saudi Arabia have been having uninterrupted power supply for several years up till this moment.
In Nigeria, the giant of Africa, the supply of  electricity might have been claimed to have improved, but it remains epileptic.
A visit to the three countries earlier mentioned,  would show that these countries favourably and comparably compete with the network of good roads in the developed countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom to be precise.
If what the Minster has been able to do till date , is satisfactory to his political  party, innocent citizens believe that it is not enough.
Generally, the environment is not yet safe , feasible and conducive for reasonable investment.
Our economy is not yet viable to promote living wages and Nigerians continue to panic in the face  of insecurity. These must have been the major conditions necessitating the call for restructuring and the extreme call for secession, characterized  by insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and terrorism.
It is unfortunate that the three tiers of government are dislocated through poor economic formula as it is reflected in our revenue allocation ratio, 56% for the Federal Government, 24 % for the State Governments and 20 % for the Local Governments. The largest chunk is received by the Federal Government.

The state Governors  who are representatives of the Federal Government  in their states and the Chief Supervisors of the local governments have been hiding under the shortcoming of the strong centre and weak states, to dance in joy, in their under performances.

A review in this direction to favour  calls for restructuring and resource  control is timely necessary.
Roads in many states extended to the level of good transportation, are negatively affected by pot holes and other damages, which quickly wear off the vehicles, with the consequent high level of risk passengers and pedestrians pass through.
Environmental pollution is equally at its worst, while  prices of commodities, essential and otherwise have gone up astronomically to the embarrassment of the poor masses through whose mandates the politicians found themselves in power, which they misused to favour their selfish desires only.
The Ivory Tower needs to train our leaders, Commissioners, Governors, Ministers and the members of the National Assembly, including the President and Vice President on the essence of astute management, classical administration for good governance. Minister sir, your Ministry can do better.

New Minimum wage will Prevent Politicians and the Elite from Enslaving Nigerian workers-Prof Olagoke

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that he was committed to a new minimum wage for workers in the country. Nigerian workers are  demanding for N30,00 as the new national minimum wage, but the Minister of Information has insisted that the President was yet to come out with a specific figure, just as he stressed that the Federal Executive Council, the National Economic Council and the National Assembly would determine the eventual figure that workers would receive as the new national minimum wage. However, state Governors have warned that they do not have the capacity to pay N30,000, while workers have blamed their union leaders for suspending the indefinite strike action, when the  Federal Government  is yet to accede to the workers' demand. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head  and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says a new minimum wage would prevent politicians and the elite from using workers as puns in the looting game. Excerpts :

The actual figure for the new national minimum wage is still not known, even though State Governors have warned  that they do not have the capacity to pay N30,000. What are your views  ?

We need to appreciate the labour unions'  efforts in daring the politicians and government  on the issue of the over belated minimum wage palava,. this is because the labour unions are already polarized, with the air of politics of deceit on the cause of the masses by the various governments, we have given the mandate to rule.

The All Progressives Congress(APC)led government must avoid a repeat of history on the ides of March, symbolically interpreted by the late Dr. Tai Solarin, as the beginning of the end for the then military regime of General Yakubu Gowon. The government must be reminded that their slow motion in taking decisions and carelessness in managing the economy which has direct bearing  on the lives of the people, resuscitated the ''dead' Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become the beautiful bride and sorrowful possible alternative for the poor Nigerians, come 2019 elections.
The government must equally be reminded that in the game of election manipulation the PDP takes the lead, with greater technology, not withstanding the power of incumbency.
Nigerians are afraid, afraid that the APC and PDP might tear Nigeria apart, during the 2019 general elections, taking into cognizance  the already  overheated polity-militancy, insurgency and terrorism- that have already resulted in the loss of lives and the destruction of property running into millions of Naira.

However, increase in salaries after any meeting agreements  need to pass through the due process of law, wherein the National Assembly has  to ratify, to be able to justify its inclusion in the budget, this come before the execution of the terms  of agreement.
There are also fears that the State Governors might not be willing to pay  as experienced in the Paris Club Refunds palliative issues. The labour would have been wholesome with national acceptance, if their demands had included the payment of pension arrears, gratuity and salary arrears of workers and the need to avoid been indebted to workers by government at all levels. There is also the need to step down the salaries of political office holders, most especially  the salaries of Senators, the highest paid leaders in the world, would have added feathers to the cap of the agitation. The resolution of the crucial sources of impoverishment  of the masses at this  critical period of another election would have yielded timely results because the industrial action would have been all encompassing in the face of government's deaf ears.
My appeal to the APC  led government, headed By President Buhari, is that they should avoid bureaucratic  delay in resolving this issue of workers' interest because the people are dying of hunger and avoidable ailments due to paucity of funds. Any salary received  timely by government workers goes directly to the people, right from the market place to the extended   families of the Nigerian workers.
Then timely intervention of government on this issue of minimum wage will not only motivate workers, but also boost their morale and efficiency at work for higher productivity.
It will further discourage workers been used as puns in the hands of politicians and their elite allies in the game of kleptocracy, consequently, it will create an environment for the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Crimes Commission(ICPC) in the government's crusade to exterminate corruption in the land.

The Corrupt Class Funded President Buhari’s Election-Prof Olagoke

As Nigerians continue to knock the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s selective fight against corruption, the Founder  andspiritual Head  of Shafaudeen worldwide, Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke, in this interview with, says that the present administration’s corruption fight,  has the traces of  the corrupt class who funded its emergence. Excerpts: Nigerians are expressing worries  over the present administration's continued selective corruption war, what do you think is wrong ? It is unfortunate that the All Progressives Congress(APC) was formed on the basis of looking for credible people, they were able to get that in President Muhammadu Buhari, but how to win the election depended mainly on who could fund the party. Unfortunattely, most of those people, who have the strenght to do it,  belong to the corrupt class of the nation. It happened in Singapore, when Lee  Kuan Yew wanted to moun the reign of power, he had nothing, but was sponsored by those  who had amassed ill gotten wealth. Fortunately for them they were able to have a memorandum of Understnading(MOU) and they agreed with him, to suppor the cause of sanitizing the country in order that Singapore would be great again . That was how they were able to have their way. Singapore today, is a country that competes with the developed world, but in the case of Nigeria, the same scenario of change is not in play. Unfortunately, the big wigs in the pary are not ready to, let go of their ill gotten wealth. At a time the President became ill, the illness was not natural, it was not, from God.  And that is why he cried out. When you fight corruption, corruption may want to fight back. If not for God, the illness would have c onsumed him and that would  have been to the advantage of the cabal and cartel, who would have returned to their free meal of ill-gotten wealth,amidst the turbulence surrounding this Government of President Buhari. Despite the fact that he survived the death threat and fire, his manliness began to fail him into mortgaging his conscience. By now, dily dallying with the cabal, in taking some decisions, most especiallt the delayed ones. It is unfortunate, that his people are not helping him to succeed in the anti-corrution war, because they are damned to many and  too powerful.  Unfortunately, nobody wants to die again for the antion.  A comparative analysis of Nigeria and some  other nations, shows Nigeria as a  nation that has failed the test of corporate governance, leading us into the stage of building strong individuals, rather than strong institutions.

Soon after the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC)Comrade Ayuba Wabba met with the Chief of Staff to the President at the presidential villa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Mallam Garba Sheu disclosed that the Federal Government would resume talks with organized labour on Thursday, 4 October, 2018. On Sunday, labour suspended the strike action, which it had described as indefinite. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the labour unions in Nigeria today can only bark, but cannot bite. 
Excerpts :
Not long ago, labour proceeded on an indefinite strike action, over the new national minimum wage issue, but a few days into the strike it called it off. What are your views ?

Since the time of the late Michael Imoudu to the era of Hassan Sunmonu, labour unions were found to be very dynamic in effecting the necessary changes for workers in Nigeria.
This antecedent along the line of history made Nigerians to believe that the salvation of workers would be  in the hands of the labour unions as pressure groups and that it would pay Nigeria to have a labour party as well, while labour leaders strive for power.
However, contrary is the case, in the era of Adams Oshiomole, he was a down to earth labour leader, but disappointedly lived below the expectation of the people as a politician opportuned to be in a sensitive position of State Governor and as a Chairman of a crumbling mega political party, which weeps everyday for people to rescue it, in the face of fierce opposition.

Against this background, the present labour unions, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress(TUC) are more of a polarized union system, whose dynamic members are made to operate in cloudy atmosphere of the political parties, that know the art and craft of what can easily weaken any pressure group.
Structurally, the demands of the unions are not holistic and too narrow, the direction would rather have been  compelling the government to pay pension arrears to retirees as well as salary arrears to workers, two, ensuring that government at all levels do not owe workers anymore, three, ensuring that the political office holders' salaries and allowances are pruned  down, foe example what Senators receive is too ridiculous to be imagined, N13.5 million compared to the minimum wage of N18,000, in the same environment where inflation and the prices of commodities are above the bearable level.
Once the workers are paid regularly, they would go to the market to buy, thereby making the currency to serve its purpose. A situation whereby workers are owed by government, demoralizes, demobilizes and weakens the morale to boost production activities.
Nigerian workers, generally, deserve to be motivated in the spirit of achieving the desire of Democracy as a  goal in attending to the welfare of the people through justice and equity for peace and sustainable development.
The calculation of the unions is that, with the fast approaching  general elections, most especially as it concerns those who intend to retain themselves in power, government may expectedly bow down to their pressure, but without curbing the wastages in government spending and regularizing the salary packages in the country to be without too much of a gap between political office holders and civil servants, it would be difficult for government to accede to the demands of trade unions.
Structurally, Nigeria's socio-economic and political scenes have been dysfunctional for any government to perform well and meet up with addressing the plight of the masses.
Integrity is a moral challenge in our democratic dispensation and Nigeria has been misruled over the years, to the extent that the core values have been eroded.
At the spiritual scene, Nigerians are hypocrites, dining with the devil, but deceiving themselves by hiding under the cover of religion.
When people without conscience get into power, all equations and formula, political, economic and mathematical, would surely, fail, making governance to impoverish, rather than build the people.
This will continue to lead to building strong individuals through corrupt enrichment with consequent fall out of weak institutions that would always add to the burden of the masses.
The present government as well as the opposition are one and the same and will remain impervious to the plight of the masses, in the face of indecisive unions, excerpt we are all out to make sacrifices for Nigeria, to be able to build it and give it to the youth as an enduring  legacy.
All arms of government, the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature, as well as the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, must act according to their functional mandates and decide to build a virile nation.
When workers are motivated aright, productivity would be enhanced into a higher Gross Domestic Product for appreciable human development index.

Let us all submit ourselves for assessment and evaluation through  the Corporate Governance Perception Index.
By this, the true statistics of our situation would be transparently mapped our for government to be able to make amends in the weak areas.

There is a need for government and the labour unions to strike a balance between their demand of N65,000 and government's  present minimum wage which had put Nigeria as one of the most poverty ridden nations, in the eyes of the international community.
Dialogue failure at this time, may be very disastrous to the economic activities of the nation. Government must stop toying with the lives of the masses in Nigeria.