Josef Omorotionmwan
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Articles by Josef Omorotionmwan
OPINION | All in the Jungle, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan
In the collision of criminology and victimology, we are quickly reminded that in the beginning, crime was regarded as a wrong to the individual; and this individual and his family sought revenge and retribution in whatever way they deemed necessary. As time went by, it was thought that this uneven way of retribution was atavistic. That was when society stepped in to wear the toga of the Injured and help him obtain a more uniform retribution.
The Late Rose Agbonlahor Igbinedion – Nee Aisagbohin (Mama): Tribute By Josef Omorotionmwan
William Shakespeare (1582-1616) remains essentially relevant, “What the great ones do, the less we prattle of”. Even at the other extreme, we have no problem with society eulogizing the great ones beyond their life time. What may be unfair is the present attitude of remaining stoically silent on some lesser mortals who were impactful within the little spaces they occupied during their lifetime.
OBASEKI’S NEEDLESS WAR OF ATTRITION ON THE PALACE
We have maintained that when an organization looses focus and is bereft of ideas on what to do, it resorts to doing everything. That is where the loss of one genuine purpose invariably leads to the pursuit of a dozen pseudo purposes. That exactly is where Governor Godwin Enogheghase Obaseki is, at this point. From the very inception of the current administration in Edo State, Obaseki has been at war with himself.
Philip Shaibu's Gallant Gamble ... (l), By Josef Omorotionmwan - Metrowatchonline
. The impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, is doomsday foretold. Many saw it coming. For Hon. Okogbe Donald Ojemeh (Akoko-Edo II), it was an opportunity to further demonstrate that in the worst of times, even a witch could have friends. Hear Hon. Ojemeh: “The Secrecy Oath Law of Edo State was cited. Because it is a law written down, it makes it a crime. … Only a court of law can convict for crime. And Section 6 of the Constitution vests judicial powers on the courts.
Who wants to pay ransom?
WE have maintained, perhaps with monotonous regularity, that in times of increased problems, people would look in every direction for possible solutions. When people get confused and no longer know what to do, they begin to do everything. That is where the loss of one genuine purpose invariably leads to the pursuit of a dozen pseudo purposes. We are already there. Anini and Osunbor came before their time. Remember them?
Rivers: Terrible rumbles in the jungle
WHEN we think of Rivers State, we are quickly reminded of The Everly Brothers, particularly in one of their chart bursters of the mid-1960s, “So sad to watch good love go bad”. Essentially, Rivers State can only be meaningfully discussed within the context of Greater Rivers – the geographical expression that has been loosely separated into Rivers and Bayelsa states. This is one small space in Nigeria where God left a large deposit of the good things – both human and material.
PARTY PRIMARIES AND THE VISSISSITUDES OF POLITICS
NIGERIANS are peculiar people, people unique in every sense. They are simple and easy to satisfy. All you need is to earn their trust and you are good to go. In their simplicity, they could occasionally scramble for everything – even the mundane and not so useful. The outsider would easily see political life as exciting and alluring, hence the average Nigerian politician is seen as a tax-eating parasite – under-worked and over-paid.
Abuja: Bulkanization or reorganization?
WE saw it coming. We know that the issue of Abuja as a Federal Capital would always be a source of friction. Has anyone ever sat down to calculate the cost of building Abuja, our nation’s capital, to its present state? Pray not to be given that assignment, because you will never come out of it. The hidden costs far outweigh the open ones. At the inception of the Second Republic in October 1979, this writer was the Secretary of the House Committee on Appropriations, among other committees.
OPINION | Tit Bits from Assemblies Past, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
Today, we take a break from normal politics, and bring your way, what passes for comic relief as they are known in the literary world, realizing that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. At the inception of the National Assembly in the Second Republic in 1979, this writer was a CAT – not the m-e-w crying type, in onomatopoeia, though, but a Clerk-At-Table in the House of Representatives.
Telecom Indicators: Nigeria sees steady increase in active voice and internet subscriptions, drop in teledensity
Nigeria has witnessed a steady increase in active voice and internet subscriptions, including a drop in teledensity as contained in the latest telecommunications statistical indicators released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which have been adjusted to reflect the latest population growth figures and align with international best practices.
OPINION | The Emerging Judiciary, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
The Nigerian Judiciary is today at crossroads but even when comments on the Nigerian Judiciary are far from salutary, we shall resist rushing to the conclusion that all judges are bad. All one might say is that times are hard and the bad eggs in the judiciary must have increased commensurately. From ages past and up till today, there have been judges in Nigeria who, no matter how hard times have been, would never be corrupted.
The emerging judiciary
The Nigerian Judiciary is today at crossroads but even when comments on the Nigerian Judiciary are far from salutary, we shall resist rushing to the conclusion that all judges are bad. All one might say is that times are hard and the bad eggs in the judiciary must have increased commensurately. From ages past and up till today, there have been judges in Nigeria who, no matter how hard times have been, would never be corrupted.
The NASS Cars: A displaced aggression
By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan December 19, 2023 CONVENTIONAL wisdom dictates that if you give a man a piece of job, you are under moral obligation to provide the basic implement to do that job. For the duration of that job, the labourer deserves some basic comfort. In our local farming situation, for instance, where the farm owner is not in the farm, he must tell the labourer where the yams are for him to roast and eat when he becomes hungry.
What role for the opposition?
EVERYONE has a way of descending a slippery slope. Peter Gregory Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party at the 2023 election, has long accepted Nigeria as a unit of development. In coming to grips with the bitter decision of the Supreme Court over the outcome of the election, Obi quickly assigned to himself and his party the enviable role of the Official Opposition to Government. Obi does not intend to stand against the government on every issue.
OPINION | Full Disclosure in Government, By Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
“OSONDI OWENDI”. This is an Igbo expression that approximates to Different Strokes for Different Folks. It is also one way of explaining that many Israelis and Palestinians would readily agree that one man’s terrorist could be another man’s freedom fighter. Here and everywhere, many people would do anything to get a government appointment. For such people, public life is exciting. The excitements are many: At the highest echelon of government, it could come from blaring the siren.
OPINION | INEC and the Neutrality Question, By Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
Nigeria once had an electoral body in the name of the National Electoral Commission (NEC). Suddenly, we decided that was not enough. It must be independent. So, we opted for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Since then, we have had more questions than answers: Who wants an independent electoral body? How truly independent will that body ever be? What purpose was independence meant to serve?
OPINION | Corruption Made Easy, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
DELIBERATE EFFORT is made to restrict our analysis to modern times. At independence in 1960, Nigeria was a perfect place to be. There was peace everywhere. Discipline flowed from the home to the school, the church, and the workplace. At home, the virtues of honesty were constantly inculcated in us. This was carried over to the school where the first motto of every pupil was “honesty is the best policy”, which people parroted everywhere, even before they knew what it meant.
Corruption made easy
DELIBERATE EFFORT is made to restrict our analysis to modern times. At independence in 1960, Nigeria was a perfect place to be. There was peace everywhere. Discipline flowed from the home to the school, the church, and the workplace. At home, the virtues of honesty were constantly inculcated in us. This was carried over to the school where the first motto of every pupil was “honesty is the best policy”, which people parroted everywhere, even before they knew what it meant.
Open letter to Nyesom Wike
We write to congratulate you on your appointment as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is no escaping the inevitable conclusion that you worked hard enough to earn the appointment. Admittedly, our nation is today in a very precarious situation. A time like this certainly calls for hard work and honesty of purpose from everyone; and some time, some day, we shall overcome. You are making a difference in your generation.
OPINION | Where Failure is Preferred, By Hon Josef Omorotionmwan | METROWATCH
This friend of mine was a Permanent Secretary in the service of the defunct Bendel State. He built a house in that part of Benin City that was underdeveloped at the time. Of course, that was the natural habitat of mosquitoes. The first night they moved into their new home, my friend and his family could not sleep because of the mosquitoes. The mosquito netting and all the fans and air-conditioning provided were not useful either. Around mid-night my friend came out to see what outside looked like.
WOMEN IN POLITICS: Affirmative Action, The Only Option
By HON. Josef Omorotionmwan July 2, 2023 Which country ever short-changes itself the way Nigeria does? We approach every major election by constructively eliminating more than 50% of our potent population (women) from the contest. Which country goes to war by first killing off 50% of its fighting force? Wittingly or unwittingly, that’s what Nigeria does. In the 2023 Election Cycle, Nigeria almost produced its first female State Governor, albeit by default.
How not to benefit from your crime
From very early in life, attempts were made to inculcate in us, some virtues of life. Our parents maintained that the commission of crime was bad; attempting to benefit from your crime was worse; and ruining others and the rest of society with your crime was worst.
Between Democracy and ‘Judiciocracy’
In our last piece, we embarked on the process of showing that in Nigeria, the Doctrine of Separation of Powers as enshrined in the nation’s Constitution has been hopelessly skewed in favor of the Judicial Branch of Government, to the utter consternation of many Nigerians.
Chief of Army Staff lauds NDA on strategic repositioning
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor has said the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), will rank among top ten universities by the time its strategic plan starting from 2023 – 2030 will be fully implemented. The CDS said this is achievable alongside the institution’s Mission, Objective and Plan of Action which is currently being executed by the Commandant of the Academy, Maj-Gen. Ibrahim Manu Yusuf.
As Judges displace our electorate
By the Division of Labour arrangement in our Constitution, Nigeria stands on a tripod – the Legislature makes policies; the policies are executed by the Executive Branch; and any matter of interpretation is referred to the Judiciary. These divisions are, however, not made into a watertight compartments – one branch occasionally performs roles that are otherwise reserved for another branch.
Ex-governors as coats of many colors
In the latter day Governors, the country has lost a fortune. Look at the scenario: Originally, they were vibrant young men whom the nation looked upon for future presidents and leadership. Invariably, they steal so much during the tenure. As soon as the tenure is over, the ruling party turns its attack dog on them. They capitulate and melt down. A Master-Servant relationship springs up; and the erring governor begs to be admitted into the ruling party. Rather than go to jail, he would jump and pass.
The Stolen Crown And The Raw Impunity of “Go To Court”
IN Nigeria, every major election is rigged, big time! That also explains why every election year has become a year of war, a big war! It’s simply a survival of the fittest in which the major political parties end up rigging themselves into big trouble and these things must keep happening so that the big political parties can have their fun.
OPINION | We Are Out of School, By Josef Omorotionmwan
In times like these it is not easy to forget the old argument that has still not been resolved to finality. It is an argument between the Ancient and the Modern. In Ancient, the young have grown. He recollects, with nostalgia, that when he was in standard one of the time, he could write letters that moved. In Arithmetic, he was already getting immersed in the Lacomb and was beginning to solve complex problems. But in the Modern, the young were still growing.
We are all out of school
By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan In times like these it is not easy to forget the old argument that has still not been resolved to finality. It is an argument between the Ancient and the Modern. In Ancient, the young have grown. He recollects, with nostalgia, that when he was in standard one of the time, he could write letters that moved. In Arithmetic, he was already getting immersed in the Lacomb and was beginning to solve complex problems. But in the Modern, the young were still growing.
OPINION | A Conversation with the Undecided Voter, By Josef Omorotionmwan
Today, we come your way with a conversation between two friends — This writer (hereinafter called PADDYMAN) and the undecided voter (hereinafter called UNDECIDED). UNDECIDED: Paddyman, good morning sir. Long time no see. PADDYMAN: Good morning, my dear. How are things? UNDECIDED: Fine, Oga you de write o! So, na from this head all the grammar de flow, eh? You de try. PADDYMAN: Thank you, my brother. Remember what they say: Monkey smart, monkey smart, na because tree near tree.
OPINION | A Tale of 2 NDDC Boards, By Josef Omorotionmwan
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) would easily have reminded us that these are the best of times; and the worst of times. It is the age of hope and the age of despair. It is the age of belief and the age of incredulity. We perhaps do not need Dicken’s oxymorons to remind us that we have always believed that when an organisation no longer knows what to do, it begins to grapple with everything. That is when the loss of one genuine purpose leads to the pursuit of a dozen pseudo purposes.
OPINION | When Big Brother is Unaccountable, By Josef Omorotionmwan
MAN is basically hedonistic – he seeks pleasure and avoids pain. That partly explains why he remains in his original state where only the fittest continue to survive. In the process, the strong trample on the weak at will; even without intending to do so. The Federal Government would have none of that. In its usual characteristic of picking and choosing which laws and court orders to obey and which to disobey, the Federal Government has since pushed the order on the Excess Crude Account aside.
OPINION | The Golden Spare Tyre, By Josef Omorotionmwan
OUR focus today is on an aspect of a Government functionary – the office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which the former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in his usual manner and the character of academia, lifted to the front burner lately. In this discussion, reference to the Vice President shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the Deputy Governor of a state and the Vice Chairman of a Local Government.
OPINION: How Not to Campaign for Your Opponent, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan
Dateline: November 11, 2022 AUTHORITIES in the New Christiandom have been busy getting their members to ascribe less powers to the Satan and his works. Naturally, every life has its ups and downs. We all make mistakes sometimes. Those who think that the devil is responsible for everything that happens to them on the down side of life – the devil is a liar, the devil is at works again; the devil is under my foot; and all that, will end up giving the devil all the powers that he does not have.
Use of Government House ‘as a Con Game’
Opinion | By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | 02. 08. 2021 A short excursion into the field of Elementary Criminology will provide an introduction to today’s piece. In criminology,con-game is a short form of Con Game – a crime situation in which the person who should have reported the crime is part of it. Should he approach the police to report that a crime had been committed, he would be held as the first culprit before the police would proceed to pick up the offender being reported.
Hunger in the Land: Your Vote is Worth One 'Akpu'
Yes, there is hunger in the land. And there is a direct correlation between hunger and mismanagement. Everywhere we go, we are told to our faces that we are hungry people. The thing, though, is that if the story of hunger comes around success, we may simply gloss over it. Recently, we beat the US to its own game – the game of basketball. Naturally, that was a good source of joy for our people in the US.
JAMB: Qualifying Test Turned Shylock?
*Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan - How Deep is this Anti–graft War? Opinion | By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | 13. 07. 2021 Nigeria is a peculiar country – a country in which people applaud every situation – good or evil. In our first encounter with elementary English Literature, we came across Robin Hood. This was a man in Nottingham in one rural part of England *JAMB candidates in the exam centre. , who showed himself allergic to corruption.
Still Borrowing to Finance Fraud? What a Height of Duplicity!
*Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan - How Deep is this Anti–graft War? There is politics everywhere – in schools, churches, the workplace; and, indeed, in every aspect of human existence; and more so in the family. This friend of ours was brutally frank the other day when he delivered a lecture on the politics in the family. He took his text from the experiences of his father and himself.
Pay Ransom and Go to Jail – A Festering Wound! - METROWATCH
In times of increased problems, people are bound to look in every direction for possible solutions. Insecurity in Nigeria is now at a crescendo and people are at work looking for a way out. Right now, the National Assembly has before it a very good example of a very bad Bill. The Bill sponsored by Senator Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East Senatorial District) seeks to criminalize the payment of ransom to kidnappers. Evidently, he who has not seen it has not reached where it is.
Random Thoughts for the Week
Opinion | By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan | 19. 05. 2021 I. Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. We hope we do not make this begin to sound like another lesson in elementary geometry. For some time now, we have attempted to beam the search light on the depth of the anti-graft war of this administration. It is beginning to appear that the war is on very shallow grounds. Advertently or inadvertently, we may have eavesdropped on a conversation between two friends – the APC and the PDP.
OPINION | The Obaseki Vituperations, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan - METROWATCH
*Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan - How Deep is this Anti–graft War? Truly, when the President sneezes, the State Governors catch cold. This is what we are worried about. However, Governor Godwin Enogheghase Obaseki has just taken the bull by the horn and it is to be seen if his vituperations will provide another cheap example of how good ideas die in Nigeria.
N4.2Bn RUGA Project Advances in Borno Despite Insurgency Challenge
By Sam Kayode The N4.2billion special intervention by the Presidency on Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) aimed at settling the perennial crisis between crop farmers and herders in Nigeria has reached advanced stage in Borno state.
New Record! Woman from Mali Gives Birth to 9 Babies
*The Malian woman and new mother nine babies with smiles and the medical personnel. Rabat, May 6, 2021 (dpa/NAN) A woman from Mali who gave birth to nine babies – known as nonuplets – is doing well despite complications during delivery. The babies will need medical care for up to three months, a spokesman from the Casablanca clinic where the woman gave birth told dpa late Wednesday. She had been transferred to the clinic in Morocco at the end of March.
OPINION | How Deep is this Anti–Graft War?, By Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan - METROWATCH
*Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan. We are back on track. We took some time off to give our departed father, Pa Moses Lokutor Omorotionmwan, a befitting burial. To God be the glory, that burial, for a long time to come, shall remain a reference point for a successful event. Let me use this opportunity to thank all of you for your enormous contributions towards this great success. May God bless you abundantly. Anything that affects all must be approached by all.
Nigeria: Insecurity - State Police to the Rescue?
Benin City — It is time for state police. We remember Alexander Pope (1688-1744). He remains the most quoted English poet after William Shakespeare. He also cannot be easily ignored when it comes to evaluating systems. Based on his assessment of governmental systems, if he were asked to assess the Police System in Nigeria, he would easily have come up with something along this line: "for forms of policing in Nigeria, let fools contest; that which is most favourable is best".
UBA to Support Businesses on Budgeting and Forecasting, Holds Workshop March 17
*The UBA Plc corporate headquarters, Lagos. (News Release) As part of its continuous effort to catalyse the growth and sustainability of Small and Medium-Scale businesses in Nigeria and Africa, Pan Africa Financial Institution, United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Plc will be hosting its next Business Series on Wednesday, March 17th, 2021.
Conference on Patriotism Calls for State Police, Diaspora Voting Rights, Citizens Affairs Office
By Simon Ibe State Police has been identified as the best option out of the pervasive state of insecurity in Nigeria. This is the consensus reached at an International Conference on Patriotism, Security, Governance and National Development held recently.
PHOTOS: Army Eliminates 33 Boko Haram Fighters, Loses 2 Soldiers in Borno
*The war assets recovered from the Bomo Haram fighters. By PR Nigeria Troops of Special Forces Brigade in Borno State have eliminated 33 Boko Haram fighters at Chikingudu, a community in Marte local government. PRNigeria gathered that the terrorists were killed after troops clearing Missene, Hausari and Chikungudu communities in Marte, engaged them in a gun battle, on Tuesday. The troops, however, lost two soldiers during the battle with the terrorists.
IWD: Peter Obi Makes Case for Greater Opportunities for Women
The 2019 Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, has called for more opportunities for the women in society, while encouraging them to aspire for greater heights in life. Obi made this call in his message to mark the International Women’s Day. He explained that the human person, irrespective of the gender, is capable of achieving great potentials in life with the right mindset, efforts, focus and discipline.
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