Living in fear
By
Abdullahi Dahiru
Nigerian society is recently experiencing deterioration in security situation in the country leading to proliferation of some criminal activities that were not common in the society.
Some of these criminal activities include high profile murders of prominent personalities and common people, kidnappings in demand of ransom, armed robbery, ritual killings and ethno-religious conflicts.
Recently, I read a story in one of the national dailies of a man butchering his father with an axe to death, and another frightening and absurd one in which a man killed his own wife and son. Several politicians, journalists and high ranking government officials have been murdered without the perpetrators been identified and punished.
Ritual killings have also become rampant in many parts of Nigeria. Young children and sometimes even adults are killed and parts of their body like the eyes, tongue and genitalia used for ritual purposes.
I recently managed a case of a 10 year girl who was abducted by unknown stranger in front of their house and was found by a Good Samaritan raped and abandoned by the abductor. Sometimes even toddlers are raped by adults; and some of them become infected with diseases like HIV and hepatitis or even lose their lives in the process. The father of the girl later told me that he now live in perpetual fear because he is afraid that the girl or his 2 other young daughters may be abducted and raped again.
We all now live in fear like the father of this poor girl because we are afraid of what may happen to us. We live in fear of armed robbers attacking us in our own houses in the night. Politicians, wealthy businessmen and high ranking public officials, and their relations are afraid of being kidnapped in demand of ransom. Travellers on dilapidated Nigerian roads are also afraid of falling victims of armed robbery attack or loosing their lives to road traffic accidents, because the roads have become death traps where thousands lose their lives annually.
We also live in fear of ethno-religious and civil disturbances. Several Nigerians have lost their lives and their properties looted or destroyed due to ethno-religious conflicts that have become common because of increasing intolerance and deep-seated hatred among Nigerians .A minor misunderstanding or altercation between 2 people of different ethnic or religious belief can lead to loss of several lives and properties.
I believe these criminal activities continue to happen because of deteriorating security situation in the country; and also because the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are not usually identified and punished. When ethno-religious crisis occur for example, probe panels are constituted by governments; the recommendations of the panels are not utilized and the perpetrators go scot-free.
Government should ensure that the security agencies are empowered to pre-empt and prevent the occurrence of some of these atrocities like the ethno-religious conflicts because mostly there are security reports indicating possibility of occurrence of these conflicts which are not utilized to prevent their occurrence. Perpetrators of all these criminal activities should be identified and punished to serve as a deterrent to other people. Dilapidated roads should also be repaired to reduce the carnage on our roads. Nigerians should also have the courage to free their minds from deep-seated hatred, animosity, excessive greed and avarice; menaces that have shackled the country for several years.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Mid-term assessment of Yar'adua administration
Mid-term assessment of Yar 'adua administration
By
Abdullahi Dahiru
Being a opinion submitted for publishing in African Renaissance journal.
President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was sworn in as Nigeria’s president on 29th May, 2007 to succeed Olusegun Obasanjo after an election widely regarded as flawed. The administration since its inception is therefore faced with strong challenge of credibility from the Nigerian citizens and the international community.
This challenge led the president to constitute a committee under Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais to suggest ways of reforming the electoral process. However, one of the key recommendations of the committee that seek to transfer the power of appointing electoral commission chairman to judicial service commission was jettisoned by the government; and the government insist on appointing the electoral commission chairman. There is also not much enthusiasm towards implementation of other recommendations of the committee. Re-run elections in several states like Ekiti were still marred by widespread rigging. Where results of election are cancelled by election tribunals and fresh elections conducted, the ruling party wins in majority of the states.
One of the cardinal programmes of the administration is the vision 20:2020 which aims to make Nigeria to be among the 20th most industrialized nations by the year 2020. However, apart from repeating the same mantra time and again by government officials, there is nothing on the ground to suggest implementation of programmes aimed at achieving that objective. The promise of generating 6000MW of electricity before the end of 2009 remains illusive. The administration has also not taken concrete step to repair the dilapidated transport system. Nigerians are daily losing their lives in road traffic accidents.
The administration has also promised to respect rule of law and fight corruption. But less than one year from its inception, the erstwhile chairman of Economic and Financial crimes Commission [EFCC], Mr Nuhu Ribadu was posted in a controversial circumstance for a course at National institute of policy and strategic Studies [NIPSS] and replaced by Mrs Farida Waziri. Mr Ribadu was later dismissed from the Nigeria Police on charges of insubordination. The removal of Mr Ribadu and subsequent dismissal from the Nigeria Police has made many people sceptical about the administration’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Industrial actions by several workers unions in demand for salary increment have become incessant since inception of the administration. Academic staffs of Nigerian universities have been on strike for 4 months now leading to suspension of academic activities in most universities. However, the President visited Saudi Arabia to grace the occasion of opening a university when the nation’s universities remain closed due to strike action by university lecturers.
Foreign relations has not been given much importance by the Yar’adua administration as the President was absent at this year’s United Nations summit, a summit he should have attended but decided to visit Saudi Arabia instead.
The nation is also facing serious security challenges like kidnappings in demand of ransom, armed robbery and religious crisis like the recent Boko haram crisis in Northern Nigeria.
With all the problems bedevilling the administration, I believe President Yar’adua has taken some steps to address the lingering militant actions in the Niger delta by declaring an amnesty to the militants. Thousands have accepted the amnesty and surrendered their arms.
The recent sanitization of the banking sector by the central bank governor is also a positive step in improving the nation’s economy. The EFCC was able to recover over N 100billion from the non performing loans granted by several banks.
I believe the administration has performed below expectation of most Nigerians because it has failed to address much of the problems bedevilling the nation; but we expect the administration to make an improvement before the next general election in 2011.
The administration should implement all the recommendations of the Uwais panel because that is the first step that will reform the electoral process and ensure that the nation conducts a free and fair election in 2011 and subsequent elections. Steps should also be taken to improve power generation and repair critical infrastructure like roads and railways. Government should also try and resolve the lingering industrial action by university lecturers and all other unions and prevent future occurrence of similar strike actions. The government should also improve security situation in the whole country. It should also give more emphasis to foreign relations and better collaboration with International community.
It is our expectation that the election of 2011 will give Nigerians the opportunity to elect the people that will lead them, not an election that will be marred by rigging and violence.
By
Abdullahi Dahiru
Being a opinion submitted for publishing in African Renaissance journal.
President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was sworn in as Nigeria’s president on 29th May, 2007 to succeed Olusegun Obasanjo after an election widely regarded as flawed. The administration since its inception is therefore faced with strong challenge of credibility from the Nigerian citizens and the international community.
This challenge led the president to constitute a committee under Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais to suggest ways of reforming the electoral process. However, one of the key recommendations of the committee that seek to transfer the power of appointing electoral commission chairman to judicial service commission was jettisoned by the government; and the government insist on appointing the electoral commission chairman. There is also not much enthusiasm towards implementation of other recommendations of the committee. Re-run elections in several states like Ekiti were still marred by widespread rigging. Where results of election are cancelled by election tribunals and fresh elections conducted, the ruling party wins in majority of the states.
One of the cardinal programmes of the administration is the vision 20:2020 which aims to make Nigeria to be among the 20th most industrialized nations by the year 2020. However, apart from repeating the same mantra time and again by government officials, there is nothing on the ground to suggest implementation of programmes aimed at achieving that objective. The promise of generating 6000MW of electricity before the end of 2009 remains illusive. The administration has also not taken concrete step to repair the dilapidated transport system. Nigerians are daily losing their lives in road traffic accidents.
The administration has also promised to respect rule of law and fight corruption. But less than one year from its inception, the erstwhile chairman of Economic and Financial crimes Commission [EFCC], Mr Nuhu Ribadu was posted in a controversial circumstance for a course at National institute of policy and strategic Studies [NIPSS] and replaced by Mrs Farida Waziri. Mr Ribadu was later dismissed from the Nigeria Police on charges of insubordination. The removal of Mr Ribadu and subsequent dismissal from the Nigeria Police has made many people sceptical about the administration’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Industrial actions by several workers unions in demand for salary increment have become incessant since inception of the administration. Academic staffs of Nigerian universities have been on strike for 4 months now leading to suspension of academic activities in most universities. However, the President visited Saudi Arabia to grace the occasion of opening a university when the nation’s universities remain closed due to strike action by university lecturers.
Foreign relations has not been given much importance by the Yar’adua administration as the President was absent at this year’s United Nations summit, a summit he should have attended but decided to visit Saudi Arabia instead.
The nation is also facing serious security challenges like kidnappings in demand of ransom, armed robbery and religious crisis like the recent Boko haram crisis in Northern Nigeria.
With all the problems bedevilling the administration, I believe President Yar’adua has taken some steps to address the lingering militant actions in the Niger delta by declaring an amnesty to the militants. Thousands have accepted the amnesty and surrendered their arms.
The recent sanitization of the banking sector by the central bank governor is also a positive step in improving the nation’s economy. The EFCC was able to recover over N 100billion from the non performing loans granted by several banks.
I believe the administration has performed below expectation of most Nigerians because it has failed to address much of the problems bedevilling the nation; but we expect the administration to make an improvement before the next general election in 2011.
The administration should implement all the recommendations of the Uwais panel because that is the first step that will reform the electoral process and ensure that the nation conducts a free and fair election in 2011 and subsequent elections. Steps should also be taken to improve power generation and repair critical infrastructure like roads and railways. Government should also try and resolve the lingering industrial action by university lecturers and all other unions and prevent future occurrence of similar strike actions. The government should also improve security situation in the whole country. It should also give more emphasis to foreign relations and better collaboration with International community.
It is our expectation that the election of 2011 will give Nigerians the opportunity to elect the people that will lead them, not an election that will be marred by rigging and violence.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
A new representation of the origins of inhabitants of Hausa cities of Kano and Zaria
A new representation of the origins of inhabitants of Hausa cities of Kano and Zaria
By
Abdullahi Dahiru
A fictional response to Ibraheem Waziri’s essay “The break through”
Royal Journal of Humanities,London
01/08/2052
A team of professional forensic scientists, archaeologists, medical scientists, excavators and anthropologists led by Professor Abdullahi el Kanawiy, a Nobel prize winner, and professor of African history and Egyptology from Madabo Metropolitan University, Kano, working with other scientists from the International Institute of African history, London has presented a paper in Arewa House Kaduna titled “A new representation of the origins of the Inhabitants of the Hausa cities of Kano and Zaria” in which he reviewed past works especially that of Professor Umar El Zakzaky el Bahausiy. He analysed the same fossils excavated by Professor Elzakzaky and his team and also excavated new fossils from some sites in Kano and Zaria and concluded that the inhabitants of Hausa city of Kano descended from known saints, sharifai and reknown scholars. This finding has refuted the earlier claim of Professor El Zakzaky that the pharaoh of Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses originated from the ancient city of Kano and the traits of the Pharaoh is what is reminiscent in the genes of Kano people.
Professor of el Kanawiy and his team have used an ultramodern ultrasound to scan some of the fossils discovered close to renowned cemeteries in Kano; Turunku and Zaria city and subjected them also to DNA analysis. The result proved that the traits of most of the people of Kano are those of sharifai “descendants of the holy prophet”, those of known Wangarawa preachers and those of descendants of known Kano saints. The genes of Zaria people however resemble those of the Gwari and Igala tribes.
The above findings did not come as a surprise to most scientists since it is known that renowned descendant of the Prophet; Sheikh Al-Magili came to Kano during the reign of Sarkin Kano Rumfa. According to historians, Sheikh Al-Magili had a dream while in Medina in which he was instructed by the holy prophet to come westwards and spread Islam. Al-Magili took the sample of the soil in Medina and tied it in a handkerchief. He use to match it with the soil of any town he visited till he reached Kano and cross matched the Kano soil with that of Medina and found out that they are similar. He settled in Kano and had many descendents. The finding of traits of the Wangarawa was also not surprising since their delegation led by Sheikh Abdulrahman Zaite in company of scholars like Modibbo Sheshe, Mandawari, Limamin Madatai and Limamin Jujin ‘yan labo came to Kano during the reign of Sarki Yaji. These Wangarawa scholars settled in Kano and have several descendents now. The researchers were also not surprised to find some of the traits to be compatible to those of known Saints because Kano had many saints; in fact most of them were buried in Wali Maigiginya and Goron Dutse cemeteries.
Professor el kanawiy added “It is not surprising that Kano people are very intelligent since we know that they have inherited the genes of these great sharifai , saints and renowned Islamic scholars”
He also said “It is wrong to link the origin of the pharaoh to Kano since the mummified body of Merneptah,son of Ramesses ll, the pharaoh of the exodus was discovered by Loret in 1898 at Thebes in the King’s valley and was later transported to Cairo, and the genes from the mummy resemble those of Egyptians not Kano people”.
“Genetic link of Zaria with Gwari did not come to us as a surprise since it is known that their Hausa is not fluent and resemble that of Gwari” remarked Professor El kanawiy and went further to say “that their link with Igala is not a surprise since we know that Queen Amina went for expedition in Igalaland and was killed there and many of her soldiers may have marry from Igala tribe or have captured some concubines from Igalaland.
This research has affirm earlier works by Alhaji Abubakar Dokaji renowned author of “kano ta Dabo cigari” and other workers in Bayero university kano. The findings also did not come as a surprise to Kano people since they believe that the prayers from these known saints and scholars has contributed in making their city prosper in education, business and other endeavours.
Zaria Emirate is disturbed that the result will vindicate earlier claims by several academics that the research by Professor el Zakzaky el Bahaushiy is a fabrication and that the professor wrote in deference to the wishes of his Zaria kinsmen who want a valid reason to continue to be accepted for marriage by beautiful Kano girls. The Professor is presently facing an audit panel to ascertain how he plagiarized other people’s academic publications to be appointed a professor. Renowned Zaria people including their kinsmen in Abuja [renamed Suleja] have been summoned to assist Professor El Zakzaky to avoid being humiliated by the university community and the International academia. Daily Mail newspaper reliably confirmed that Professor El Zakazaky is under pressure from prominent Zaria indigenes to resign his position to avoid further embarrassment to Zaria people.
Prominent Kano indigenes have called on their people to continue their generosity of marrying off their daughters to any suitable Bazazzagi, not minding the outcome of the research; so that they can continue to get blessings from the traits of great Kano people.
Historical links of Kano to Medina has been acknowledged by Shata thus:
Tunjimin gari mai dala da gwauron dutse
Kanon Dabo birni,
Kano madinar shata
Facts:
1] Mummified body of Merneptah,son of Ramesses ll the pharaoh of exodus was discovered by Loret in 1898 at Thebes in King’s valley.
2]Sheikh Abdulrahman Zaite and other Wangara scholars came to kano during the reign of king Yaji.
3]Sheikh Abdulkarim Al Maghili came to Kano during the reign of King Rumfa.
4]Wali Maigiginya and Goron Dutse cemeteries contain the tombs of Known saints
By
Abdullahi Dahiru
A fictional response to Ibraheem Waziri’s essay “The break through”
Royal Journal of Humanities,London
01/08/2052
A team of professional forensic scientists, archaeologists, medical scientists, excavators and anthropologists led by Professor Abdullahi el Kanawiy, a Nobel prize winner, and professor of African history and Egyptology from Madabo Metropolitan University, Kano, working with other scientists from the International Institute of African history, London has presented a paper in Arewa House Kaduna titled “A new representation of the origins of the Inhabitants of the Hausa cities of Kano and Zaria” in which he reviewed past works especially that of Professor Umar El Zakzaky el Bahausiy. He analysed the same fossils excavated by Professor Elzakzaky and his team and also excavated new fossils from some sites in Kano and Zaria and concluded that the inhabitants of Hausa city of Kano descended from known saints, sharifai and reknown scholars. This finding has refuted the earlier claim of Professor El Zakzaky that the pharaoh of Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses originated from the ancient city of Kano and the traits of the Pharaoh is what is reminiscent in the genes of Kano people.
Professor of el Kanawiy and his team have used an ultramodern ultrasound to scan some of the fossils discovered close to renowned cemeteries in Kano; Turunku and Zaria city and subjected them also to DNA analysis. The result proved that the traits of most of the people of Kano are those of sharifai “descendants of the holy prophet”, those of known Wangarawa preachers and those of descendants of known Kano saints. The genes of Zaria people however resemble those of the Gwari and Igala tribes.
The above findings did not come as a surprise to most scientists since it is known that renowned descendant of the Prophet; Sheikh Al-Magili came to Kano during the reign of Sarkin Kano Rumfa. According to historians, Sheikh Al-Magili had a dream while in Medina in which he was instructed by the holy prophet to come westwards and spread Islam. Al-Magili took the sample of the soil in Medina and tied it in a handkerchief. He use to match it with the soil of any town he visited till he reached Kano and cross matched the Kano soil with that of Medina and found out that they are similar. He settled in Kano and had many descendents. The finding of traits of the Wangarawa was also not surprising since their delegation led by Sheikh Abdulrahman Zaite in company of scholars like Modibbo Sheshe, Mandawari, Limamin Madatai and Limamin Jujin ‘yan labo came to Kano during the reign of Sarki Yaji. These Wangarawa scholars settled in Kano and have several descendents now. The researchers were also not surprised to find some of the traits to be compatible to those of known Saints because Kano had many saints; in fact most of them were buried in Wali Maigiginya and Goron Dutse cemeteries.
Professor el kanawiy added “It is not surprising that Kano people are very intelligent since we know that they have inherited the genes of these great sharifai , saints and renowned Islamic scholars”
He also said “It is wrong to link the origin of the pharaoh to Kano since the mummified body of Merneptah,son of Ramesses ll, the pharaoh of the exodus was discovered by Loret in 1898 at Thebes in the King’s valley and was later transported to Cairo, and the genes from the mummy resemble those of Egyptians not Kano people”.
“Genetic link of Zaria with Gwari did not come to us as a surprise since it is known that their Hausa is not fluent and resemble that of Gwari” remarked Professor El kanawiy and went further to say “that their link with Igala is not a surprise since we know that Queen Amina went for expedition in Igalaland and was killed there and many of her soldiers may have marry from Igala tribe or have captured some concubines from Igalaland.
This research has affirm earlier works by Alhaji Abubakar Dokaji renowned author of “kano ta Dabo cigari” and other workers in Bayero university kano. The findings also did not come as a surprise to Kano people since they believe that the prayers from these known saints and scholars has contributed in making their city prosper in education, business and other endeavours.
Zaria Emirate is disturbed that the result will vindicate earlier claims by several academics that the research by Professor el Zakzaky el Bahaushiy is a fabrication and that the professor wrote in deference to the wishes of his Zaria kinsmen who want a valid reason to continue to be accepted for marriage by beautiful Kano girls. The Professor is presently facing an audit panel to ascertain how he plagiarized other people’s academic publications to be appointed a professor. Renowned Zaria people including their kinsmen in Abuja [renamed Suleja] have been summoned to assist Professor El Zakzaky to avoid being humiliated by the university community and the International academia. Daily Mail newspaper reliably confirmed that Professor El Zakazaky is under pressure from prominent Zaria indigenes to resign his position to avoid further embarrassment to Zaria people.
Prominent Kano indigenes have called on their people to continue their generosity of marrying off their daughters to any suitable Bazazzagi, not minding the outcome of the research; so that they can continue to get blessings from the traits of great Kano people.
Historical links of Kano to Medina has been acknowledged by Shata thus:
Tunjimin gari mai dala da gwauron dutse
Kanon Dabo birni,
Kano madinar shata
Facts:
1] Mummified body of Merneptah,son of Ramesses ll the pharaoh of exodus was discovered by Loret in 1898 at Thebes in King’s valley.
2]Sheikh Abdulrahman Zaite and other Wangara scholars came to kano during the reign of king Yaji.
3]Sheikh Abdulkarim Al Maghili came to Kano during the reign of King Rumfa.
4]Wali Maigiginya and Goron Dutse cemeteries contain the tombs of Known saints
Sunday, August 23, 2009
We are all guilty
We are all guilty
By
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
Nigeria is a nation bedevilled by numerous problems. It is very common for Nigerian masses to blame their leaders as the cause of the nation’s woes, little did they ponder to reflect on their contribution to the genesis of these problems.
I believe Nigeria is not a poor nation; but is a nation poorly managed by its leaders and the ordinary citizens.
The greatest problem facing Nigeria today is corruption that has became a deep-seated menace in the minds of Nigerians; it has even become a way of life to most Nigerians from top government officials, politicians down to the lowest ranking civil servant. Most of the corruption by top government official is perpetrated with the collaboration of a junior cashier who raises a bogus cheque and receives a paltry amount from the loot; oblivious of the fact that by that collaboration, he has denied his child access to quality education or good health care for his family members and his community at large.
The masses are also the greatest collaborators of politicians in election rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and thuggery during political campaigns and elections. A party delegate may be bribed to impose an incompetent candidate on the electorate or rigged an indolent legislator into office wittingly or unwittingly doing a great disservice to his community and his nation at large. Where elections are rigged the masses destroy and burn government buildings and properties in protest.
The masses are the ones that kill and destroy each others’ property during civil disturbances on trivial reasons. It doesn’t matter to them that they have lived in the same neighbourhood for a long time; as far as there is a religious or ethnic difference between them, because they don’t seem to believe that they share the same humanity with one another.
Nigerians generally do not like obeying rules and regulations; they perceive most laws as punitive. That is why most motorists will not wear seat belts while driving. They don’t view those laws as safety measures to safeguard their lives; but just something to make them uncomfortable.
The negative behaviours of our leaders are reflections of the general behaviour of our society; because the leaders have emerged from the larger Nigerian society. Our society teaches our children to respect only wealth and affluence; hence we don’t value honesty and transparency in our daily activities. Teachers and parents now even collaborate with students to cheat during examinations. Having emerged from this type of background, do we then expect our leaders to behave differently from the larger Nigerian society?
Nigerian leaders have mismanaged the resources of the nation to the extent that the country cannot provide essential services like pipe borne water, electricity, education and effective health care delivery to its citizens. The leaders continuously siphon money from the treasury because they know that their wealth and affluence determines the respect they earn from the society; it may even earn them chieftaincy titles from their communities or even an honorary degree from a university. They can sponsor their children’s education in expensive foreign schools, maintain their generators at home and afford to pay for their health care in foreign hospitals.
If truth must be told, Nigerians are all guilty; both the leaders and the ordinary citizens, because they have all contributed to the genesis of these problems. It is high time we realise that we have been doing great disservice to our nation. We should collectively change our attitudes and choose the path of progress instead of retardation.
I believe we can change the way our country is governed by collectively embracing honesty, hard work, patriotism, transparency and respect for rule of law as our values rather than respect for wealth and affluence.
DR Abdullahi Dahiru writes from Kano.
By
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
Nigeria is a nation bedevilled by numerous problems. It is very common for Nigerian masses to blame their leaders as the cause of the nation’s woes, little did they ponder to reflect on their contribution to the genesis of these problems.
I believe Nigeria is not a poor nation; but is a nation poorly managed by its leaders and the ordinary citizens.
The greatest problem facing Nigeria today is corruption that has became a deep-seated menace in the minds of Nigerians; it has even become a way of life to most Nigerians from top government officials, politicians down to the lowest ranking civil servant. Most of the corruption by top government official is perpetrated with the collaboration of a junior cashier who raises a bogus cheque and receives a paltry amount from the loot; oblivious of the fact that by that collaboration, he has denied his child access to quality education or good health care for his family members and his community at large.
The masses are also the greatest collaborators of politicians in election rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and thuggery during political campaigns and elections. A party delegate may be bribed to impose an incompetent candidate on the electorate or rigged an indolent legislator into office wittingly or unwittingly doing a great disservice to his community and his nation at large. Where elections are rigged the masses destroy and burn government buildings and properties in protest.
The masses are the ones that kill and destroy each others’ property during civil disturbances on trivial reasons. It doesn’t matter to them that they have lived in the same neighbourhood for a long time; as far as there is a religious or ethnic difference between them, because they don’t seem to believe that they share the same humanity with one another.
Nigerians generally do not like obeying rules and regulations; they perceive most laws as punitive. That is why most motorists will not wear seat belts while driving. They don’t view those laws as safety measures to safeguard their lives; but just something to make them uncomfortable.
The negative behaviours of our leaders are reflections of the general behaviour of our society; because the leaders have emerged from the larger Nigerian society. Our society teaches our children to respect only wealth and affluence; hence we don’t value honesty and transparency in our daily activities. Teachers and parents now even collaborate with students to cheat during examinations. Having emerged from this type of background, do we then expect our leaders to behave differently from the larger Nigerian society?
Nigerian leaders have mismanaged the resources of the nation to the extent that the country cannot provide essential services like pipe borne water, electricity, education and effective health care delivery to its citizens. The leaders continuously siphon money from the treasury because they know that their wealth and affluence determines the respect they earn from the society; it may even earn them chieftaincy titles from their communities or even an honorary degree from a university. They can sponsor their children’s education in expensive foreign schools, maintain their generators at home and afford to pay for their health care in foreign hospitals.
If truth must be told, Nigerians are all guilty; both the leaders and the ordinary citizens, because they have all contributed to the genesis of these problems. It is high time we realise that we have been doing great disservice to our nation. We should collectively change our attitudes and choose the path of progress instead of retardation.
I believe we can change the way our country is governed by collectively embracing honesty, hard work, patriotism, transparency and respect for rule of law as our values rather than respect for wealth and affluence.
DR Abdullahi Dahiru writes from Kano.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Towards improving Nigeria's health sector
Towards improving Nigeria’s health sector
By
DR. Abdullahi Dahiru
Kano
1st May,2009
Nigeria’s health sector is today bedeviled by many problems that have lead to reduction in quality of service delivery in most health institutions.
One of the major problem is the inadequacy of health care facilities in most part of the country especially in the rural areas. We can classify the health facilities into basically 3 types i.e. public [government], private and mission health facilities. The public health facilities can be further categorized into tertiary health institutions [teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres and specialized centres like National Orthopaedic, Eye and Psychiatric hospitals],the secondary health centres [comprises the specialist and the General hospitals],and the primary health centres [PHC]. The primary health centres manage minor ailments and refer complicated cases to secondary and tertiary health centres. The tertiary health centres are referral centres receiving referrals from secondary and primary health facilities. The PHCs and the General Hospitals mostly have dilapidated structures. Most of these centres, apart from the tertiary health centres, do not have the necessary equipment and manpower to make effective diagnosis and treatment of most ailments possible. Often a patient with minor ailment like malaria, has to seek for treatment in the tertiary health centre; a case that should have been treated at the PHC and the General Hospitals. This has lead to congestion and overcrowding in many Specialist Hospitals and tertiary health centers. Sometimes, a patient from a government health centre has to be referred to a private clinic for investigations like ultrasound scan, laboratory tests before diagnosis is made; just because the government health facility does not have that diagnostic equipment.
Most medical personnel have poor remuneration compared to their colleagues working for non governmental and private organizations. This has lead to incessant strike actions in the health sector in demand of salary increase.
The attitude of the patients or his relations towards the medical personnel has vitiated service delivery in most hospitals. The relationship between the medical personnel and patient or his relations is supposed to be of harmony and not confrontation. I have seen several instances where a minor misunderstanding between the medical personnel, and the patient relations have lead patient relations to call the medical personnel “heartless doctor” or “useless nurse”
The situation has deteriorated to a level where patient relations have caused serious havocs and wanton destruction to hospital properties like doors and windows. The patient relations sometime become furious if they are not allowed into the wards to visit their relation during working hours.
The medical personnel sometimes waste much time asking the patient questions that may not be relevant at the time of presentation to the hospital for example, why has the patient not presented early to hospital or why his wife is not attending antenatal care? This attitude has lead to several confrontations and arguments between the health personnel and the patient or his relations.
A pregnant woman may not be attending antenatal care. She went into labour without prior knowledge of what to expect during labour. A nearby local birth attendant or an elderly woman in the family is called to deliver the woman. Several manouvres may be tried at home. If she is lucky she delivers without problem. Otherwise, she presents to hospital with serious complications like obstructed labour, eclampsia or severe bleeding and management becomes complicated and difficult.
Most of the decisions taken by the medical personnel are perceived as being based on avarice and pecuniary reasons, not on professional knowledge. When a decision is taken for a patient to undergo surgery, the doctor sometimes has to make several lengthy discussions with the patient relations before consent is given .Patients usually presents to the hospital very late and consent is given at a delayed time, when not much can be done to save the patient’s life.
A bleeding patient may be accompanied to the hospital by many relations. When the relations are asked by the medical personnel to donate a single pint of blood to transfuse to the patient, many of them will disperse from the hospital. The few ones that remain will give flimsy reasons as to why they cannot donate the blood and the patient may die in the process; because most of our hospitals do not have functioning blood banks.
The prevailing economic hardship in the country has made many patients not able to pay the hospital fees. Consider a situation where the parents of a child with severe malnutrition are asked to deposit N5000 before being admitted to a paediatric emergency unit. We all know that the parents may not be able to pay this sum of money, because ab initio poverty may have contributed to the development of the ailment.
The cumulative effect of all the factors I have mentioned above has lead to resignation of many medical personnel from their appointment with public health institutions in Nigeria in search for better opportunities either in western countries and the Middle East, or joining international Non Governmental Organisations [NGOs].
This has set in a dangerous vicious cycle of resignation of medical personnel from government hospitals, leading to more congestion and work overload, and further resignation of more medical personnel. Most public hospitals are now becoming more understaffed everyday thereby reducing the quality of service delivery in most government health centres.
We should not forget the huge contribution of the traditional healers to mortality and morbidity in our hospitals. They use many medical jargons to cajole gullible client’s to buy their medications. They make advertisements on radio, television, newspapers, and in many streets of most towns in Nigeria. They can make whimsical claims of curing many ailments like diabetes, hypertension, impotence, pile etc. We know that many of these on concoctions are toxic to vital organs like the liver and kidneys. Equally harmful, is the practice of hawking orthodox drugs by illiterates in baskets under the blazing sun. It is customary for many patients to consult these people before presenting to hospital. Often the patient presents with complications and diagnosis is difficult, because the clinical features of the disease are masked by the effect of these drugs or concoctions. When the patient dies in hospital as a result of complications of ingestion of these medications, it is the medical personnel that is blamed not the herbalist or the drug hawker.
Perhaps, the best solution out of our present predicament in the Nigeria’s health sector is to try and address some of the problems mentioned above.
Construction of more comprehensive health institutions by the government especially in the rural areas and providing them with adequate equipment and trained personnel will reduce the congestion in General hospitals and tertiary health centres. The primary health centres should be able to treat minor ailments and refer complicated cases to higher centres for further management. Philanthropists, wealthy individuals, faith-based and corporate organizations should help government in this regard.
Government should improve the remuneration of medical personnel in public hospitals, and provide them with other welfare packages like good accommodation. Scholarships should be given to deserving personnel for further training to improve both their knowledge and skills. Funding should be increased for research and continuous education. This will help in reducing the brain drain from the health sector.
The coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme should be extended up to the local government level to make more people benefit from the programme; so that patients do not have to deposit money before being admitted to hospital. Even a small firm employing ten people can have a retainership account with a reputable hospital, so that their employees can always have consultation and even admissions without necessarily being asked for deposit any amount of money. Treatment for accident cases should be made free by the government.
We need to view decisions taken by the medical personnel on the patient’s problem as been based on scientifically proven evidence, and in the best interest of the patient, not on avarice or pecuniary reasons. Patients should not hesitate to seek for further clarification from the medical personnel when they are not clear with any decision.
Paucity of health education has led our people to seek for remedy from traditional healers and drug hawkers. We need to enlighten our people more on the dangers of these drugs and concoctions, and people should also develop better health seeking behaviours like presenting early to hospital when they are sick, having regular medical check-ups, regular antenatal visits by pregnant women and prompt immunization of children. All drug hawking should be banned.
The relationship between the patient and his relation on one hand, and the medical personnel on the other hand, should change from that of confrontation to that of harmony. Both of them must see themselves as partners trying to solve the patient’s problem.
Finally, we must all know that effective health care delivery is not the responsibility of the medical personnel alone, but rather, it is the responsibility of all members of the community to make sure it is realised.
By
DR. Abdullahi Dahiru
Kano
1st May,2009
Nigeria’s health sector is today bedeviled by many problems that have lead to reduction in quality of service delivery in most health institutions.
One of the major problem is the inadequacy of health care facilities in most part of the country especially in the rural areas. We can classify the health facilities into basically 3 types i.e. public [government], private and mission health facilities. The public health facilities can be further categorized into tertiary health institutions [teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres and specialized centres like National Orthopaedic, Eye and Psychiatric hospitals],the secondary health centres [comprises the specialist and the General hospitals],and the primary health centres [PHC]. The primary health centres manage minor ailments and refer complicated cases to secondary and tertiary health centres. The tertiary health centres are referral centres receiving referrals from secondary and primary health facilities. The PHCs and the General Hospitals mostly have dilapidated structures. Most of these centres, apart from the tertiary health centres, do not have the necessary equipment and manpower to make effective diagnosis and treatment of most ailments possible. Often a patient with minor ailment like malaria, has to seek for treatment in the tertiary health centre; a case that should have been treated at the PHC and the General Hospitals. This has lead to congestion and overcrowding in many Specialist Hospitals and tertiary health centers. Sometimes, a patient from a government health centre has to be referred to a private clinic for investigations like ultrasound scan, laboratory tests before diagnosis is made; just because the government health facility does not have that diagnostic equipment.
Most medical personnel have poor remuneration compared to their colleagues working for non governmental and private organizations. This has lead to incessant strike actions in the health sector in demand of salary increase.
The attitude of the patients or his relations towards the medical personnel has vitiated service delivery in most hospitals. The relationship between the medical personnel and patient or his relations is supposed to be of harmony and not confrontation. I have seen several instances where a minor misunderstanding between the medical personnel, and the patient relations have lead patient relations to call the medical personnel “heartless doctor” or “useless nurse”
The situation has deteriorated to a level where patient relations have caused serious havocs and wanton destruction to hospital properties like doors and windows. The patient relations sometime become furious if they are not allowed into the wards to visit their relation during working hours.
The medical personnel sometimes waste much time asking the patient questions that may not be relevant at the time of presentation to the hospital for example, why has the patient not presented early to hospital or why his wife is not attending antenatal care? This attitude has lead to several confrontations and arguments between the health personnel and the patient or his relations.
A pregnant woman may not be attending antenatal care. She went into labour without prior knowledge of what to expect during labour. A nearby local birth attendant or an elderly woman in the family is called to deliver the woman. Several manouvres may be tried at home. If she is lucky she delivers without problem. Otherwise, she presents to hospital with serious complications like obstructed labour, eclampsia or severe bleeding and management becomes complicated and difficult.
Most of the decisions taken by the medical personnel are perceived as being based on avarice and pecuniary reasons, not on professional knowledge. When a decision is taken for a patient to undergo surgery, the doctor sometimes has to make several lengthy discussions with the patient relations before consent is given .Patients usually presents to the hospital very late and consent is given at a delayed time, when not much can be done to save the patient’s life.
A bleeding patient may be accompanied to the hospital by many relations. When the relations are asked by the medical personnel to donate a single pint of blood to transfuse to the patient, many of them will disperse from the hospital. The few ones that remain will give flimsy reasons as to why they cannot donate the blood and the patient may die in the process; because most of our hospitals do not have functioning blood banks.
The prevailing economic hardship in the country has made many patients not able to pay the hospital fees. Consider a situation where the parents of a child with severe malnutrition are asked to deposit N5000 before being admitted to a paediatric emergency unit. We all know that the parents may not be able to pay this sum of money, because ab initio poverty may have contributed to the development of the ailment.
The cumulative effect of all the factors I have mentioned above has lead to resignation of many medical personnel from their appointment with public health institutions in Nigeria in search for better opportunities either in western countries and the Middle East, or joining international Non Governmental Organisations [NGOs].
This has set in a dangerous vicious cycle of resignation of medical personnel from government hospitals, leading to more congestion and work overload, and further resignation of more medical personnel. Most public hospitals are now becoming more understaffed everyday thereby reducing the quality of service delivery in most government health centres.
We should not forget the huge contribution of the traditional healers to mortality and morbidity in our hospitals. They use many medical jargons to cajole gullible client’s to buy their medications. They make advertisements on radio, television, newspapers, and in many streets of most towns in Nigeria. They can make whimsical claims of curing many ailments like diabetes, hypertension, impotence, pile etc. We know that many of these on concoctions are toxic to vital organs like the liver and kidneys. Equally harmful, is the practice of hawking orthodox drugs by illiterates in baskets under the blazing sun. It is customary for many patients to consult these people before presenting to hospital. Often the patient presents with complications and diagnosis is difficult, because the clinical features of the disease are masked by the effect of these drugs or concoctions. When the patient dies in hospital as a result of complications of ingestion of these medications, it is the medical personnel that is blamed not the herbalist or the drug hawker.
Perhaps, the best solution out of our present predicament in the Nigeria’s health sector is to try and address some of the problems mentioned above.
Construction of more comprehensive health institutions by the government especially in the rural areas and providing them with adequate equipment and trained personnel will reduce the congestion in General hospitals and tertiary health centres. The primary health centres should be able to treat minor ailments and refer complicated cases to higher centres for further management. Philanthropists, wealthy individuals, faith-based and corporate organizations should help government in this regard.
Government should improve the remuneration of medical personnel in public hospitals, and provide them with other welfare packages like good accommodation. Scholarships should be given to deserving personnel for further training to improve both their knowledge and skills. Funding should be increased for research and continuous education. This will help in reducing the brain drain from the health sector.
The coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme should be extended up to the local government level to make more people benefit from the programme; so that patients do not have to deposit money before being admitted to hospital. Even a small firm employing ten people can have a retainership account with a reputable hospital, so that their employees can always have consultation and even admissions without necessarily being asked for deposit any amount of money. Treatment for accident cases should be made free by the government.
We need to view decisions taken by the medical personnel on the patient’s problem as been based on scientifically proven evidence, and in the best interest of the patient, not on avarice or pecuniary reasons. Patients should not hesitate to seek for further clarification from the medical personnel when they are not clear with any decision.
Paucity of health education has led our people to seek for remedy from traditional healers and drug hawkers. We need to enlighten our people more on the dangers of these drugs and concoctions, and people should also develop better health seeking behaviours like presenting early to hospital when they are sick, having regular medical check-ups, regular antenatal visits by pregnant women and prompt immunization of children. All drug hawking should be banned.
The relationship between the patient and his relation on one hand, and the medical personnel on the other hand, should change from that of confrontation to that of harmony. Both of them must see themselves as partners trying to solve the patient’s problem.
Finally, we must all know that effective health care delivery is not the responsibility of the medical personnel alone, but rather, it is the responsibility of all members of the community to make sure it is realised.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The boko haram crisis in northern Nigeria
The “Boko haram” crisis in Northern Nigeria
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
28th July, 2009
The recent simultaneous attacks by renegade Islamic group called “boko haram” in many states in Northern Nigeria is unfortunate and is another pointer to the deteriorating security situation in the country.
The militants attacked mainly government establishments especially police stations in Bauchi, Yobe, Borno and Kano states.This is not the first time that this type of heretic Islamic groups have caused violence and destruction of properties in Northern Nigeria. It started with Maitatsine riots in Kano in 1980, then Jimeta in 1984 and has occurred in many similar incidences afterwards. Recently in April, 2007 a group of alien militants attacked a police station in Sharada killing police men, then attacked road safely corps office and then besieged Panshekara, a Kano suburb killing many policemen.It has to take the combined effort of mobile policemen and soldiers to dislodge them from their stronghold after fighting for about 2 days and the militants just disappeared into the air. They were claiming to avenge the murder of Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam who was killed few days earlier.
The militants are said to have wage a war on the government and the west; and have declared that attending modern western schools is an act prohibited by Islam.
This type of heretic belief can be linked to profound ignorance of Islam and its teachings on the parts of the militants. Islam enjoined its followers to seek for knowledge as evidenced by the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad who was commanded by Archangel Gabriel to read. The prophet is also known to have commanded Muslims to seek for knowledge even if it is in China.
Poverty is also another cause of this type of heretic behaviour; because most of the militants are known to be unemployed youth or engaging in petty jobs like itinerant manicuring and cobbling. Most of them believe that the government is not just and have declared a jihad against it in order to establish a just government.
We also know that security situation in the country has deteriorated, and even after similar occurrences the government just form committees to investigate; the result is not made public or recommendations by the committees implemented.
Muslims should condemn this act and also dissociate themselves from this type of activity because the militants are using Islam as a red herring to perpetrate their evil acts; their belief is not known to be in conformity with any form of orthodox Islamic teaching. Muslim scholars should also educate people on the evil activities of these miscreants; so that Muslims will not be deceived into joining these types of deviant activities. We should also condemn the gruesome murder of the leader of the sect and innocent civilians that lost their lives in the crisis.
Government should improve the security situation in the country, because there appears to be a monumental intelligence failure; the security agencies should have pre-empted this type of simultaneous attacks by the militants and prevented it.
The government should also improve the welfare of the citizens in terms of job creation and poverty alleviation, so that the less privileged will not fall victims of joining this type of militant groups.
Recommendations by committees investigating this type of clashes should be implemented to avoid future occurrences and the murder of the leader of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf and his followers should be investigated and perpetrators of the gruesome murder be punished.
Certainly, this type of clashes need intense evaluation to determine the security lapses and some of our socio-cultural values that made our society vulnerable to proliferation of these heretic sects and their activities, so that we can avert similar occurrences in the future.The crisis should also serve as a wake-up call on the northern leaders to wake up from their slumber and address the region's problems like poverty and ignorance that predispose to proliferation of these type of crisis in Northern Nigeria
DR Abdullahi Dahiru writes from Kano
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
28th July, 2009
The recent simultaneous attacks by renegade Islamic group called “boko haram” in many states in Northern Nigeria is unfortunate and is another pointer to the deteriorating security situation in the country.
The militants attacked mainly government establishments especially police stations in Bauchi, Yobe, Borno and Kano states.This is not the first time that this type of heretic Islamic groups have caused violence and destruction of properties in Northern Nigeria. It started with Maitatsine riots in Kano in 1980, then Jimeta in 1984 and has occurred in many similar incidences afterwards. Recently in April, 2007 a group of alien militants attacked a police station in Sharada killing police men, then attacked road safely corps office and then besieged Panshekara, a Kano suburb killing many policemen.It has to take the combined effort of mobile policemen and soldiers to dislodge them from their stronghold after fighting for about 2 days and the militants just disappeared into the air. They were claiming to avenge the murder of Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam who was killed few days earlier.
The militants are said to have wage a war on the government and the west; and have declared that attending modern western schools is an act prohibited by Islam.
This type of heretic belief can be linked to profound ignorance of Islam and its teachings on the parts of the militants. Islam enjoined its followers to seek for knowledge as evidenced by the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad who was commanded by Archangel Gabriel to read. The prophet is also known to have commanded Muslims to seek for knowledge even if it is in China.
Poverty is also another cause of this type of heretic behaviour; because most of the militants are known to be unemployed youth or engaging in petty jobs like itinerant manicuring and cobbling. Most of them believe that the government is not just and have declared a jihad against it in order to establish a just government.
We also know that security situation in the country has deteriorated, and even after similar occurrences the government just form committees to investigate; the result is not made public or recommendations by the committees implemented.
Muslims should condemn this act and also dissociate themselves from this type of activity because the militants are using Islam as a red herring to perpetrate their evil acts; their belief is not known to be in conformity with any form of orthodox Islamic teaching. Muslim scholars should also educate people on the evil activities of these miscreants; so that Muslims will not be deceived into joining these types of deviant activities. We should also condemn the gruesome murder of the leader of the sect and innocent civilians that lost their lives in the crisis.
Government should improve the security situation in the country, because there appears to be a monumental intelligence failure; the security agencies should have pre-empted this type of simultaneous attacks by the militants and prevented it.
The government should also improve the welfare of the citizens in terms of job creation and poverty alleviation, so that the less privileged will not fall victims of joining this type of militant groups.
Recommendations by committees investigating this type of clashes should be implemented to avoid future occurrences and the murder of the leader of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf and his followers should be investigated and perpetrators of the gruesome murder be punished.
Certainly, this type of clashes need intense evaluation to determine the security lapses and some of our socio-cultural values that made our society vulnerable to proliferation of these heretic sects and their activities, so that we can avert similar occurrences in the future.The crisis should also serve as a wake-up call on the northern leaders to wake up from their slumber and address the region's problems like poverty and ignorance that predispose to proliferation of these type of crisis in Northern Nigeria
DR Abdullahi Dahiru writes from Kano
Annotating:When Nigeria finally disintegrates
Annotating: when Nigeria finally disintegrates
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
Kano
22nd July 2009
In my several discussions with our compatriots from southern Nigeria, I have come to realise their perception of the north; that the north and northerners especially those from the Hausa/Fulani origin are the cause of the nations problem and Nigeria will only progress by disintegrating so that the other regions will prosper and the north losses.
I am a medical doctor. In the cause of my interaction with patients I came to realise that treating patients goes beyond giving medicines and injections; perhaps we have to change their behaviour and also help in changing the way the country is governed, because most of the diseases that are affecting our people have poverty and ignorance as a precipitating or aggravating factors. Poverty and ignorance are attributable to bad governance and misappropriation of public funds.
One of the behaviours that need change is ethnic hatred and bigotry which has become deep-seated in the mind of Nigerians. That is why a small altercation or misunderstanding between people of different tribes or religion can lead a serious pogrom and spree of looting and destruction of properties.
I believe Nigeria will not disintegrate because of the reasons I earlier mentioned. Even if Nigeria disintegrates, we have not solved the problem. The nations that will emerge will still be ruled by the same oligarchy. I think the best way is to change the system, to change how the country is governed and our perception towards each other.
My earlier article was a rejoinder to a dentist who predicted the doom of Nigeria and northerners loosing, because I knew he was misguided by prejudice and ethnic bigotry to write that piece. We should not allow ourselves to join that bandwagon of ethnic bigots and chauvinists. The learned should strive to show the difference between an ethnic bigot and his opposite.
I a not a Muslim cleric but drew my inspiration from this verse of the noble Qur’an and even non-Muslims can have the same inspiration from the verse:
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and females and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Indeed Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. Qur’an 49:13
I think it is ethically wrong to hate somebody or criticize him purely based on his tribe, religion or state of origin. But it is only right to criticize him on what he does.
We should have the courage to free ourselves from the bondage of ethnic bigotry and chauvinism; a menace that has shackled the country for several years. I believe “yes we can”.
DR Abdullahi Dahiru
Kano
22nd July 2009
In my several discussions with our compatriots from southern Nigeria, I have come to realise their perception of the north; that the north and northerners especially those from the Hausa/Fulani origin are the cause of the nations problem and Nigeria will only progress by disintegrating so that the other regions will prosper and the north losses.
I am a medical doctor. In the cause of my interaction with patients I came to realise that treating patients goes beyond giving medicines and injections; perhaps we have to change their behaviour and also help in changing the way the country is governed, because most of the diseases that are affecting our people have poverty and ignorance as a precipitating or aggravating factors. Poverty and ignorance are attributable to bad governance and misappropriation of public funds.
One of the behaviours that need change is ethnic hatred and bigotry which has become deep-seated in the mind of Nigerians. That is why a small altercation or misunderstanding between people of different tribes or religion can lead a serious pogrom and spree of looting and destruction of properties.
I believe Nigeria will not disintegrate because of the reasons I earlier mentioned. Even if Nigeria disintegrates, we have not solved the problem. The nations that will emerge will still be ruled by the same oligarchy. I think the best way is to change the system, to change how the country is governed and our perception towards each other.
My earlier article was a rejoinder to a dentist who predicted the doom of Nigeria and northerners loosing, because I knew he was misguided by prejudice and ethnic bigotry to write that piece. We should not allow ourselves to join that bandwagon of ethnic bigots and chauvinists. The learned should strive to show the difference between an ethnic bigot and his opposite.
I a not a Muslim cleric but drew my inspiration from this verse of the noble Qur’an and even non-Muslims can have the same inspiration from the verse:
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and females and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Indeed Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. Qur’an 49:13
I think it is ethically wrong to hate somebody or criticize him purely based on his tribe, religion or state of origin. But it is only right to criticize him on what he does.
We should have the courage to free ourselves from the bondage of ethnic bigotry and chauvinism; a menace that has shackled the country for several years. I believe “yes we can”.
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