com ment 15 free
The subsidy question: Wickedness, propaganda, and distrust (6) always ahI~ld Irlns-fencel themRlvn from the palM and Ihiekl us from the pinL The 1981 JlItMidy war was ftfJ brutal and thl..- was how It wenL -nte wurd IUbt;kty RKkIenly re:swraced and ttl wtlhdnwal became our only nviow.. Opposttlon was
unanimoul and biller. 8uI the
. " "'" O
~d ""'.... queltlon we did not
asitlutllltftk.and whk:h captures the lubsldy Ibl.adabra was why 0\If sublWy magkialu W'eTt Import· lnKo payins lor and 'subskiWnl' 59 mllIlon """'" dolly ""'" ..,aboul """ own admiMion. we Consumed 35 million? 1hil can only happm in NIgt!ri. and the answn. If/ when b comes, must abo be uWy Nigerian! But lodlY, belnS • veleran of the various !Ilibsldy ~~ lpattldpatln& monlllllinK. _nn/yZ1nSl, my concern "to t'Dmine how the 2012IUbaidy war tornpafes wflh ~'ef'II1 othen before it. ·the rUIty Is thai the more lhlJ18S appe;ilr tD ch..O«'t, Ihe lnOI'e IMrruWntht'tame..1heeyiwue In the c:wrl!ut ~Jar is that Nlgoerianl cannOI be furlhl!r pluperiz.ed by gm'el1UllL-n1 po k:&etwhiletheeUles II" IibJArablan princes and conup· lion Is moving un aU fou .... But thai did nol $lUt tOtlay. Abou t 30 ve.n .go, Shebu Shapri Impol"d ' frusterity' (_usterity-Induced frustration) on J'IIl~. riana, and thecumJ'lainI wasthal in I COWlD'y whem fTauds an r!!pOrted daily, wher~ I.... SlNemments h",'e thrown Hnlndal prudence 10 the dop, and where pubUc functionar· lea 1i'1!! In outr::lgeous opulence, It Is the heishl of m.n'l inhwnanity 10 man for Ihe mlllSCli 10 be subtected 10 thb hanh and smotherinA lustmt(. Ilk Muo, -n,e Shagarian B~ 01 hulten'Y': RnandaI Punch. 18/ 1184. p.3 11hiJwlIIJ -oua1Jywrfl. len on 28/ 12/83, and before II was published, Buh.rI and his ' fellow countrymen' were on bo_ld. The rulen and 'rubll!!rS' 01 thill counlrJ
~entwhlcbknewwhalwu
1Il00d for
UJ fl' always) in.lsted
Ihalsut.kiymUilp TheNLChad
lock: and IDUS IUpport; the p-
emment had JXI"ftI and ' nadonal lnl~ .. _NNPC.uddentybecame IUlonomOW and coWd fb: prices .~ the marbt dlctlted. lhen one mornln" I ' mere' 2.5 kobo increment look effect, unannounced. DemonAn.tions unlimited Muted, from the hitherto docile UN1JDS..lhe whole nation caJlhl tire. Some appealed. some threalened, .ome
phony and funny argwnenll; Iabow will relecc II outriRht and the cUcus show will ber;in.. Sevual meetlnp. COnsultldons. ' Iobbytna' Ires lobby· in«I, blackmaik, lhreats, intimidation. sabOtage and divide and rule tac:dca wID follow. There win also be 'appeall from well meaning Nigerllni and oiMouUy IpOnIOred IOI.lda.rIty ralllleI UIJl.ngthe gomnmenlto ,,"ore the iKoorantdettKtonand cart')'oo with the aood worb. Aller all thIt.. new prke will be annowu:,f'd whk:b will
The 2012 subsidy war was aimllar to the ODell before: It was hasty and sneaky and the same
--
argumenlin support. lhere was offidal hard Iy (how many srudmu own carsT aU worken OIlltrike sad.ed!1.Some line position [arresl and Innlplor. were blamed.... C.lm detention); the governreturned but be.fore then, there were anHIS, delentJolU. charges ment used its favourof treason. n~tIont, communiques. Meanwhile, the prk:et 01 able balance or terror vinualty everything ioaeased seaeffectively metrically. And we keep wahine
-""""".,.",,,",,
for the happy days.' Illt Muo~ !he stAle orlhe nation: A OM' <IIct ",ay:
Democrat. 12nf88, p.81.
In January20J2.11 was lhesarne ambuscade by an 'Independenl' PPPRA. PoUtidaru were blamed; there were a rJUmen ts like ' the poot" did not m}oy thesubsld(. and pi"Kes of ~ wt"rIt up. and \IOe are still wallin ... AnotMr fuel war was foushl In 2003 and this Is the report card: 'One thing Is obvious: this sub· sldy being preached In Nigeria is I 'strange doctrlne ... We have placed ourselves In a curious. no· wiD situation. where we do the same thing for the ume public reasona. and In the same WIY, ~ry dme, and expect dllrerenl OUICOmes. Well, II shall come 10 pass. follOwing the Uluallaugh· able cycle.. The government will lUll announce an outrageous price ~mLsupponingllwith
satisfy neither party, and we shaIJ aU bnwsiahsolre.lid. BUL,.tbe.u,hsof ...eIkfwiDonlybe lemporarybecause Uke the vw Beetle, the.ubskfy doc· trine has refused to die.. II wIfI only SO on a brief mJeat and return with a kichtenlnlrecrudeacena. and thlt wiUnotus~altytakemuchlDOfelhan
12 months.: Ilk Muo, -uw too ah.aIJ p'" IWI;y'; BuslnessOay, 917/031. 1hIs was euctJy whal hlppened lo January20l2I Beyond the uamples above, the 2012 subskty war was si.m11ar 10 the onn bdore:.lt WH hasty and snealr:y and the MIDe arswnent In support. There was ofBdal hard line pocIlion IIfffl3I and detendonl; the sewern· ment used Its favounlHe balance of ~r effectivety '1 the poUce who could DOl protect us asalnll rob ben and the Boko· Hanmusu were unJeuhed on innocml and peaceful 'occupier..: Pricet lnaeased .. Nip· r1ans espioJled tbemse:tvea; govern. menl .nempl 10 foil II throush the court failed IS usu.l; arnnsed pro· sovernment d~monlU1lIOf'l emerged while the proposal was preserJled on a TINA m.mework (TINA - There II no alternatM!l. 1.here are. btrwevcr. !IOmellUk dif· fe~ 1here wu acule !.ad of cui· Iaboration betwec!ll ~nl departmtnlS .nd officials, accusadonl and counler·accusations. contradk:· tory submlMkms and, figures. ~(fort ~ atlelf-eJempllon I II wasn t me ~melwlilleSanIUi'sviewsKl~ ' alty did damage 10 the govunmenll position.lnfKl,,~loffidab
.nd offices were fightinS aK.lnsl Ihemaelve5 Iii appeared as If God has put mmlty .mong lhem (Judgu 7:22am! 20tr0nldIel2O'.22-23»).lhe 'occupy' forces ~e . n use:mbty of Alnls and sinners, Including A-class celebrities, certl6ed reve.rends; those who had lnI1icted pealer pain on the peop&e; those who IhouId be in jail; andthosewhotecredlbllityac:counts were In the red.. 1he 20 12 subsidy war ~ .., frealHt · I. no, p-cree· .1' sembJy 0 Nismans Iince June 12; It laS1ed more than I week-lhe cMIsodety organluLions were very visible and It had lolenationa.i dimensloll" as Nigerians also occupied foreign
Iand.J and unlike before, IlleTe were apedficrrolestsquunlthe&et:dom aqUlftS . The 2012 war also lnYoh-ed lIate&!FG alllancr. there was I hur. r1edty ~ and DOW ~red SUREdocument' andthlawuthefirst In ddl BB and ~er . . NI~ unJled by poverty, pain .na Inger Iplolt their traducers. were ready 10 obey the blbUc:aJ Intunction; 'Oc. cuP7 till I come'lLuke 19:13). It WH abo pe:~fulJOf'Ckrty and reLad¥dy leu deadty. The war abo assumed I resource. control dlmenllon with B.yella women aupponin& Iheir 'son; Carke .dvlainS those who loll poUdca1ty to lab It In r;ood file, theOccuPJNlger ~Ita ~ pvup wamtng th.at If Goodluck is nor sood lor ~ 'thera ow oD Is DOl r;ood for you. and Assart Dolrubo threatenLnr: 10 chase PENGASSA.N OUI of the delta. This rnlnd5et Ignored the fact thai the war has been on for the pasl 30 fUrs: lxaJnst Itau... Yoruba, mllit.ryord. vtUan leaderships. 1he war a1!1O wt!Ill beyond subsidy 10 dbcuss Issues in lO"ftl1ance: conurdon, feden.Hsm .nd loverrunenl. hypocrisy The wuaI argumenl th .. t IUbsidy Is a richl was downpl .. yed. 1h~e were abo lOme surprises. Those for .nd .Slln.51 .sreed on several IuUIeI like the dereauJation Impendve, dealing with omctallyordalned corruption. reHnery managemtnt,anddetermlni.ngtheeucuub$Idyo II was al!lO a shock!nglW'J)rlse whtn Prince Tony Momoh dedaJed thai he felt ' fuJfllIed as. Niserian looldn, at the surrouodinS us today (Sun. 15/1/12, p.51. One of the grhtHl IUrprises was thai most of thoIeprolC~SIers, now termed mbae. ants, cordoned off with sokllel"l and bathed with tea'gas were the Slme people who demonstrlted In 2009 .pinst the cabal (political] but for Jonath.n. Toda.y, they .re demon. stradna: both .pinll Jonlthan and anochft CABAl- Thel.ble has Iurned.
mao.
• TobeamdudftL...
Rebranding farming in Nigeria 10 Intenshoe Irrigation splem thll en_bles them 10 produce cropa all yrar round. For them, fuming Is not about culd.... tin' crops during rainy II!!IIOO and W1IllJns il out during the ,.,.,=~_ sec:WId half of the ye.." 1hm, they have OW'rgtOWR the c:apad7.llmitarionsimposedbynalureon nnin&0fuIJ", is ..... nag.np Parmer at We were laid thai In lummer, lor Ofuani MaJdoh & Co (Charlefed InJt.na, lhey grew summer ~"heat, Ind In w!.nler, the,. IIfew wlnlel Acc:oooranrs) and .bmer Senfor whelL Imong mlny other crops. Special Assrst.ll1l' k) the President (Poley) at 01 the Chief 01 SlaIr In Iddldon. the brmI we MW were highly mechan~ - they were no4 to ... " ' " - ' NJgena. bein« WOIked on by hoe and cutlasswield Ins poor folb bUI by fairly educated and WOttMd farmhands ometime: In 200-4 , I vililed who managed the farm machinery, Zimbabwt!. h wa.s.t the heighl (rom tractOR 10 the Willer "muLien. 01 the Blltish·lnsplred intl!mI' Then ....e vtslted I caltle ranch tional sanctiOnll ~ the toUfIlr}'. Ind laW Ih.1 caltle belns nd5l!!d for All! the Ufdons were _150 sanc· bee{ _led on I difterenl vuietyof tIoned by the .lmisbry, the COUDD'y pg from the cattle bdn& ~a,ed fof was espetiendn!. droughL II had milL This was. product of agricuI. nOI rained In • mOil four years.. lural research in which Unlverllity From~·hl.rare. we drove !hrouSh of1Jmt.bwe had DCdIed.Indeed. kiJomer:era 01 the counuyside and we were to find out th.t II was bebekI acres aJld KfU oflush peen romptJbory tor every 7Jmbabwean MkU under culti\'1ltion.. undergradu.le of the untYel"lfry 10 Zimbabwe II eully the food tAU coursa 10 IlIficuIlUre for the basket: of the reston and they tab flrat two yean before majoring in farming very~, IS we were whaleYft fItold of study. And It re· 10 find OUL The country has conI! Oected In the people we inleracted befond raln · led .""culture thai wtlh at lhe r.rm.. 1bey took intense depends Dn the vaprin 01 RIMe pride In their fannioC whk:h dkited
omce
S
envr from UI the vtsJI0f5. One Olher lesson we look a ...._y (rom the ranch WIllI the Ippliadon 01 KUflOmla 10 attle rearing. We were Wormed that '" confinlnS the aide to lhe ranc:het, II "''IlI mote efficienl 10 grow dM! variety of paw belt sulled 10 each set of calOe. In addition., the Clllie were led to lIaln welghL llJe meal WilIlSOkt In IdJogJammes, which meantlhll the hea'ller dte a/tie, die more rl!!Yftlue theyooukt realize from lIS ..Ie.. Callie th.1 r'Ulfle OYer lonl distances for 8JV.InI: kJlewdlJhtln the
""""''''-'''.......,,,,,,fining the calde to the nncbeI, there· fore, Ihey cnnU!rved their welllht. which lI'InIIated 10 profits. Our villt 10 _ chlchn farm WIS eW'en more revNJing. The anndpar. entllock. the palentllock. the I.yers .nd the broilerl were separated by phyakal dist.nc:a of nOI leY Ihan one kilometre due to concftnI.bout
bio-6ecu~~_somethIn&that
W1lSKlU enbad "'thepemmenL 1he ~t enforced farming rqul.donl ft'rJ se:riouJly, __ were loId.. The apedes of chkhn in the farm wu called "Roll: and we _It! lold thlt the mono of the farm was ·Ross II boq and boss Is Rou': Whaleve, mlde Ron beller ruled ther.rrn .. ~~ thai lbeir employment: and Indeed rweraIJ
wcl!.bI!!lng wallied 10 the weD-being orRoss. Once apln. we _re Introduced 10 another Interesting application of economks 10 the farmins. The broIJen were reared for meaL whkh depended on thdr wri&hL The r-b were fonnulaled 10 enh.nce .nd .chleve precise welghl gains. and once th.t weigll was achiewd. the chicken had 10 be sllughtered all continued feeding .rler dler had lualned the desired Wel&hl was •
_ ......
In out Inleractkmll with P'em' ment mlnbl~rl Ind even the ¥Ice presidenl. I wu struck by their m · thuslum for apiculIUJe. No mailer what the 10pk: 01 dllcus5ion ....... the talk Invariably veered orr 10 f.rm · int. Ind you couJd nolke the gJim in their eyn as dley dexribed their farms. their crops. and their h.r· WSIS. Goftnunenl mlnistel"l were obviouaty ¥er)' proud 10 Idmtifywlth thdr flf'1llinc popuiaLion. and this percoIaled to the ordinarydtiunl. All rrOected on the Nit, I could nOI but complre Zimbabwe with our own country, Nigeri .., where
~~~~=~~:a~~
Niseri. Is bleued with .bundlnl .... ble I.nd .nd p lenle(lu. onler ~ whidllocether repJeH:nI
potentia! wealth through agricuJIWe. AU the faCUNli seem 10 be In pJace 10 pnJfIKJle food production and creale jobs for the leemlng unemployed popuJ.tion. Despite this. the rul Iry of the NIgerIan .Jlllldon Is thai hunger "alb the I.nd and acule WIftIIploymenl Is prenJenl In the economy. SucceHive Idmlnlstrations have atwap expressed desires to make us self-sufficient in lood production.nd (Rale employmenL ~ the desire _nd Ktuai OUI· come. ~ Is_ wide gull I hal'e come 10 the conduaon that we need 10 rebrand fumlna In N~so thai peop&e can perceive II as • buIineJs Of enterprise: from which wealth can be created I! acnsi"'e RlIRlFJTletll practicu are depkJyed. Ullenlng to the mlnllter for ap-iculture on Channell 1V a few dJIys ago apounding on this theme .nd ..Iue chain development in ICfk:uIIure. I had renewed hope In our country that perhap' we can 6nalty set It richL 1he InltWiYeJ to rebnmd fannin&: mUIC thadore be SUlI.lned fOf U.IO .tta.ln food.wc:u · rIty in our land.