Book Review...
Nzeribe's views on the Buhari regime
Title: Nigeria, Another Hope Betrayed
Author: Francis Arthur Nzeribe
Published by KilimanjaroIn many ways, Francis Nzeribe has been most unlucky in the timing of the recent coup in Nigeria, for General Babangida by his action and pronouncements has neutralised much of the fire from Nigeria, another Hope Betrayed.
It will be recalled that the flamboyant Nzeribe was one of the winners of senatorial seats in the 1983 Nigerian elections and by his own account was in the last plane to have left Nigeria before the coup of December 31 1983. A few days later he made a much publicised welcome of Gen Buhari and his colleagues, promising them among other things help to recollect Nigeria's stolen billions stashed away in foreign accounts.
As it turned out, all the many efforts of Chief Nzeribe in trying to drum up support for the Buhari regime did not achieve much; it seems he did not even win any kudos from the people he tried so valiantly to help.
This book is in some ways, Chief Nzeribe's expiation for having supported the coup in the first place.
He documents most vividly his efforts and the students of factional politics will find a lot to educate them in the book.
The coup makers, Chief Nzeribe asserts, are the "NPN in uniform, the military wing of the NPN and the armed faction of the Kaduna Mafia which he describes as "that anonymous but powerful group of the Northern elite whose religious, political, economic and social objectives are dictated by Hausa- Fulani interests."
His theory of the reason for the December 31 coup is that it was organised by "those in the Mafia who fiercely opposed the resolute commitment of Shagari (supported by Umaru Dikko) to the NPN's zoning policy which would have meant the next elected leader coming from the south.
He then proceeds to document many instances of disparity between the treatment meted out to the Northern and Southern politicians.
He asserts that definite charges have been laid against Shagari by the investigation committee but he has not been tried because of his Northern origins. In much the same way, he asserts that if only Umaru Dikko had not challenged the regime openly, he would have been left alone like other Northern politicians or dealt with leniently, for he explains that Dikko as a product of Barewa College, is well connected within the Military and the Kaduna Mafia and his explanation of the Dikko position against the 31 December coup is that Dikko saw it as a factional, ethnic, personal defeat in an epic feud."
There are searing indictments against Buhari and Idiagbon, the famous '53 suitcases' scandal is told with flourish, the Alhaji Alhaji Austrian hotel incident is recounted.
The underlying theory in the book is that the Buhari regime is a fraud bent on perpetuating Northern hegemony in Nigeria and their accession to power has meant a worsening of the situation of the average Nigerian and especially those from the South.
Since the Babangida coup, every- body now openly talks about the repression and chaos under Buhari and thus steals the thunder from the book. There is no doubt that if Decree 4 still existed this is a book that would not have made it to the stands in Nigeria.
Nzeribe makes some very audacious claims in his book and sounds ready to take on all challengers as there will doubtless be many.
A.A.
Guide books on Africa to aid agricultural experts
By J.P. Owusu-Ansah
Work to provide relief for Africa's starving millions should go more smoothly in the future, thanks to a Hesterman said. special set of agricultural guidebooks being prepared by University of Florida experts.Sponsored by the US Agency for International Development, the project brings together UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and its Centre for African Studies.
"Unfortunately, specialists have gone on short-term consultancies to Africa without knowing very much about the countries they are visiting," says Dr Hunt Davis, director of the Center for African Studies.
Bob Hesterman, IFAS Tropical Agriculture expert, said: "It's absolutely vital for agriculture officials to be adequately informed on the countries they are visiting and the present agricultural programmes among the people, particularly programmes that deal with food pro- duction, distribution, and social life of the people.
"For example, rice is the staple food for many Sierra Leoneans. It's not sufficient for US agriculture consultants to know about rice diseases and new rice technology. Rice is part of the social life of the people.
"Knowing and understanding the social life, customs, and food distribution systems of the people especially those engaged in agricultural production, can make all the difference in the work of consultants,"
In view of this, Davis said that the Center for African Studies is compiling an orientation notebook on each country that receives US technical advice on agriculture, among them Sierra Leone, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Zaire, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi and Mali.
"The operating assumption behind the project is that agricultural officials going on short-term consultancies in Africa need to have as much informa- tion as possible," said Davis.
"The notebooks are a good way to provide orientation for visiting US agriculture consultants involved in the administration of USAID projects in farming systems. They provide special- ists with a broad picture of the development, a little background of the history of the country, and a general view of the people among whom they will be working," Davis added.
"Understanding the people, the economic, social and political conditions is a major step toward economic and agricultural development in Africa. We hope the notebooks will help equip consultants with the in- formation they need so that they can be more helpful than ever before," he said.
