Amen

Thanks for the interest…

I’m all ears and ready to explore ideas that will improve governance in Ondo State. However, you may want to refer to my last email for an appraisal of the constraints and challenges involved.

Nonetheless, there is always room to to explore possibilities, and this is best done offline, via the usual channel.

Many thanks for your support!

Best,

Full text at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Ghanaian-Parliament/

We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans.

I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world…

In many places, the hope of my father’s generation gave way to cynicism, even despair. Now, it’s easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense helped to breed conflict. The West has often approached Africa as a patron or a source of resources rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father’s life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many.

Now, to realize that promise, we must first recognize the fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends on good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That’s the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

And today, I’ll focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments.

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.

This is about more than just holding elections. It’s also about what happens between elections. Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves or if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end.

In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges; an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives.

Now, time and again, Ghanaians have chosen constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. (Applause.) We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously — the fact that President Mills’ opponents were standing beside him last night to greet me when I came off the plane spoke volumes about Ghana ; victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition in unfair ways. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage, and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we’ve seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop post-election violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three-quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of Apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person’s vote is their sacred right.

Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. ..

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity. Witness the extraordinary success of Africans in my country, America. They’re doing very well. So they’ve got the talent, they’ve got the entrepreneurial spirit. The question is, how do we make sure that they’re succeeding here in their home countries? The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or a single export — has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

So in Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure — ; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs…

Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck. Now, we all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God’s children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified — never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon — (applause) — and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. (Applause.) We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed…

As I said earlier, Africa’s future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We’ve done so despite a difficult past, and we’ve drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare…

You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King travelled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: “It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice.”

Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.

And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can — because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won’t be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way — as a partner, as a friend. (Applause.) Opportunity won’t come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart…

HOW TO GO ABOUT THIS COULD BE DYNAMIC, BY WAY OF INPUT FROM PEOPLE RULED AND ALSO INTERVIEWS OF OUR POLITICIANS AND QUARTERLY ADDRESS BY THEM. WE COULD ALSO HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS, POINT OUT AREAS OF WEAKNESSES AND WHERE THERE COULD BE INPROVEMENTS. ALL THESE OF COURSE WOULD NEED TO BE DONE CONSTRUCTIVELY.

ONDO STATE COULD BE A MODEL STATE. I LISTENED TO OBAMA’S ADDRESS IN GHANA TODAY AND FELT SAD THAT MOST OF THE NEGATIVES HE MENTIONED ARE THE NORM IN NIGERIA AND ALL AREAS OF STRENGHTS ARE BEING IGNORED. HAPPILY IN ONDO STATE AT PRESENT A LOT OF THE STRENGHTS MENTIONED ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE. IN THE AREAS OF DEMOCRACY, OPPORTUNITIES, HEALTH AND PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICT, ONDO STATE IS NOW DOWN VERY WELL.

CHANGE FROM THE BOTTOM UP SHOULD NOW BE OUR FOCUS. GOVERNOR MIMIKO IS DEFINITELY TRYING HARD TO MAINTAIN A CAPABLE, RELIABLE AND TRANSPARENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE, WHICH ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT OBAMA IS KEY TO SUCCESS. WE NEED EVERYONE FROM BOTTOM UP IN ONDO STATE TO SUPPORT HIM. ALSO YOUTH PARTICIPATION IS KEY TO SUSTAINING A GOOD GOVERNMENT SO THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO POSITIVELY AND MATUREDLY PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNANCE WITH A VIEW TO CHANGING THINGS FOR THE BETTER IN THE FUTURE OF ONDO STATE.

ONDO STATE NEEDS TO DEEPLY LOOK INTO GOVERNANCE IN OTHER STATES IN NIGERIA AND AT FEDERAL LEVEL ESPECIALLY WITH A VIEW TO AVOIDING THE ILLS AND EVILS THEREIN WHILE EMULATING THE GOOD SIDE. MY PEOPLE LET US JOIN HEAD AND HANDS AND HEARTS TO MAKE ONDO STATE A PLACE OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION, PRIDE &COMMENDATION.

PLEASE ADMIN, LET US DEVELOP THIS SITE. IT IS NOT THAT ACTIVE NOWADAYS AND MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER NIGERIA KNOW THIS SITE AND VISIT IT BUT ALAS, THEY WILL STOP IF THE SITE IS NOT PROACTIVE.

WE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR FUTURE (OBAMA) AND FOR POSTERITY. LET US IN OUR OWN LITTLE CORNERS IN ONDO STATE EVEN VIA THE WEB KEEP THINGS GOING. I WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING POSSIBLE EITHER FINANCIALLY OR PHYSICALLY TO GET OUR SUNSHINE DREAM GOING.

AMBITION MY PEOPLE IS MADE OF STERNER STUFF. ALLUTA CONTINUA.

PEACE.

Secret accounts contain N500m, govt insists
From James Sowole in Akure, 07.10.2009
Friday, July 10, 2009

Ondo

Ondo State government yesterday insisted that it discovered secret accounts containing N500million, allegedly being run by administration of former governor Olusegun Agagu, despite several denials.

Commissioner for Information, Mr Ranti Akerele, said the current administration would be ready to present documents to back up the claims next week.

Appearing before Public Accounts Committee of the state House of Assembly that summoned him and Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa, Akerele said a panel set up by the state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, to reconcile state accounts, would conclude its assignment today.

According to him, the state governor would present an address through the Assembly, on the state of the state finances next week, since information were still being gathered by the new administration, “which does not have the benefit of a hand-over note or smooth transition of political power, we have to wait until we put all the pieces together, so that we don’t misinform the good people of this state.”

Under about two-hour cross-examination by the committee members who insisted on knowing the full facts of signatories to the accounts, names of banks and places of domiciliary, as well as the balance contained therein, Akerele pleaded with the lawmakers to “please tarry till next week, when all these would be made available.”

He said information about discovery of the accounts did not emanate from him, as he was only reacting to a question posed along that line by a reporter during an interview session.

He said, “I did not seek to distort facts, malign personalities or give wrong information, I was only divulging facts that were available to me.”

The committee were, however, angry with Akinterinwa, who despite the 72-hour notice of summon given him, neither attend nor send any representative, an action that the lawmakers described as “an affront on authority of the legislature.”

He was, however, asked to appear on Tuesday, alongside the State Accountant-General and Auditor-General, “with all relevant papers pertaining to the allegation, failure to which necessary action would be taken against the Ministry.”

Home News Details
O D S G Uncovers Secret Account in Lagos (Jun 18,’09)
http://ondostate.gov.ng/news_details.php?id=2270

Secret accounts allegedly operated by the erstwhile Dr. Olusegun Agagu’s administration in Ondo State have been discovered by the state government, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele, disclosed yesterday.
But in a swift reaction, his predecessor, Chief Eddy Olafeso, denied the allegation and dared the state government to publish the alleged secret accounts.
Making the disclosure in an interview with THE HOPE, Akerele said that the alleged secret account were not officially listed by the Agagu administration.
According to him: that is one of the reasons we cannot rush. They should not be in a hurry.
There were a lot of illegal things done by the Agagu government to deliberately hide the resources of Ondo State from the incoming government.
This is why they should not put pressure on us. They had all the time in the world to properly document the accounts. But they did not do that.
If they had morals especially at the Nabaruma after they lost woefully tribunal and the Appeal court they should have done so.
Thank God, they could not buy the judiciary.
The commissioner said that it was unfortunate that the former governor and the former Finance Commissioner disagreed on what was left in the state’s treasury.
He said: They are telling us Chief Tayo Alasoadura, (Former Finance Commissioner) operated the accounts. But it is Dr. Agagu that we voted for. These are all mumbo junbo.
According to Akerele; the truth is that the Agagu’s administration was a disaster to Ondo State particularly his illegal occupation of the Government House after the Nabaruma – led tribunal sacked his government.
He accused official of the former Agagu administration of making desperate attempts to incite the people of Ondo State against the new administration with their statements.
Akerele however assured: but the people of Ondo State won’t be incited.
But the information, Orientation and Mobilsation Commissioner in the former Agagu’s administration, Chief Eddy Olafeso said that he was unaware of any scret accounts operated by administration during its six years tenure.
He said that the Agagu’s administration during its six years tenure.
He said that the Agagu administration never did anything under the table.

Iroko’s victory was won for the people of Ondo State but we all now have an obligation to further reempower the polity by showing that governance is measured through the elevation of the governed (not just the governing). We need to truly support (rather than distract) our governor with specific credible viable solutions to the challenges of Ondo State.

The governor’s familiarity with the Real Sector is bound to impact development in the State. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) seems the way to go in a State whose GDP ranks 13th in Nigeria. We can thus hope Ms Omotaylor’s bent on transportation is taken on alongside tourism, energy/power, et al.
Among other things, Ondo State prides itself as the intellectual capital of Nigeria. It would like to great to start seeing “Islands of Competence” emerge from these sectors so can can truly contribute our quota to the development of our glorious state in waiting.