Very excited here; our Facebook-like learning ecosystem is ready. Our goal is to remove more frictions in the relationships between our faculty and our members. It looks amazing. Our next edition would be great. Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA with a dedicated learning platform and a social community engineered for learning. BEGIN https://www.tekedia.com/programs
Tekedia offers an innovation management 12-week program, optimized for business execution and growth, with digital operational overlay. It runs 100% online. The theme is Innovation, Growth & Digital Execution – Techniques for Building Category-King Companies. All contents are self-paced, recorded and archived which means participants do not have to be at any scheduled time to consume contents.
It is a sector- and firm-agnostic management program comprising videos, flash cases, challenge assignments, labs, written materials, webinars, etc by a global faculty coordinated by Prof Ndubuisi Ekekwe.
Hardware is no more fashionable in the world of technology. It is slow growth and there is no leverageable marginal cost improvement with scale, unlike software which gives a positive continuum near-zero marginal cost efficiency. The implication is huge: Wall Street does not like purveyors of hardware and broad infrastructure that much. And companies have the memos: spin hardware off and focus on where the alpha is. That alpha lives in software and technology services.
HP did it many years ago, spinning off its printing and broad hardware business to focus on the soft things of technology – consulting, services, and more. IBM is runningthat playbook as it breaks into two publicly traded companies. It is what it is – IBM does not want to be left behind.
In an unprecedented decision, International Business Machines (IBM) is splitting itself into two public companies. The computing company announced on Thursday it’s spinning off some of its low-margin lines of business into a new company which will be named later. The move is part of its attempt to focus on the more lucrative cloud computing.
“We divested networking back in the ‘90s, we divested PCs back in the 2000s, we divested semiconductors about five years ago because all of them didn’t necessarily play into the integrated value proposition,” IBM’s CEO Arvind Krishna said during an investor call.
IBM hopes to become a leader in hybrid-cloud software and services that allow clients to store data. That looks promising in this age of digital evolution of markets and industrial sectors. It is what it is – invent, adapt or perish.
But do not be confused, IBM would not have followed this path if the stock is doing well. Over the last few years, IBM has returned the worst results in big tech despite top-grade assets under its control. IBM is worth about $113 billion while Facebook is valued at $753 billion. For years, IBM has used many tricks to boost its market cap but nothing has worked.
This one is expected to boost shareholder value. Yes, you can unlock more multiples in the AI & cloud business than a company with the hardware business. Magically, the two parts will become better than a standalone IBM. More than 90% of the time, it works. For IBM shareholders, this is the right call as investors will stop considering the “machine” in IBM (International Business Machine) name and see the firm as a leverageable growth tech firm with nothing holding it.
They’ve tried but its time to retire. In less than 10 years TCS has pushed them from 1st to 3rd place. This indicates that the consumer no longer sees them as being progressive innovators
My Response: It remains an enterprise company. But IBM has many legacy systems. A great company. But that does not mean it is a good place to invest money. Like BBNaija, we are in the age of fashionista. If you list BBNaija in the Nigeria Stock Exchange, you may be surprised its market cap will topple our best banks! Why? Young people will invest in it. It is what it is.
Looking at the 2021 Budget Proposal placed before the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, October 8, 2020, a number of issues, very grave and perhaps disturbing issues arise.
I could bring up several of them, but for the sake of its direness and consequence to our economy, permit me to address one very important issue.
The budget deficit in the proposal is 5.21 trillion. This amount is just over 3.5% of Nigeria’s 2019 GDP. This is contrary to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, which provides in Part II, Section 12, subsection 1 that: “Aggregate Expenditure and the Aggregate amount appropriated by the National Assembly for each financial year shall not be more than the estimated aggregate revenue plus a deficit, not exceeding three per cent of the estimated Gross Domestic Product or any sustainable percentage as may be determined by the national Assembly for each financial year.”
Nigeria had a GDP of approximately $447 billion in 2019. Three percent (3%) of this amount is $13. 3 billion, which at the current official exchange rate of 379 to $1, gives you a figure of 5.07 trillion.
So clearly, the budget deficit of 5.21 trillion, as announced by President Muhammadu, is above 3% of our GDP and is therefore in contravention of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.
Even more disturbing is the fact that our GDP has fallen sharply from its 2019 figures, and has been projected by the World Bank and other multilateral institutions at somewhere between $400 billion and $350 billion. Meaning that in actual sense, the 5.21 trillion budget deficit is actually far above the 3% threshold stipulated by the FRA.
Presenting the budget proposal
That this escaped the notice of the Buhari administration shows a glaring lack of rigour in the formulation of the Budget. A very disturbing development.
Furthermore, this deficit shows the precarious state of our national finances, which have since been overburdened by excessive borrowing on the part of the Buhari administration.
It has not escaped my attention that the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 makes provision for the National Assembly to raise the threshold of the budget deficit from 3% to a higher figure. However, if this is done, they will be serving this administration’s interests, not Nigeria’s, because the Act says that such a threshold must be sustainable. Is it sustainable when our budget makes almost as much provision for debt servicing, as it does for capital expenditure?
As such, I call on the President, to recall this budget, and recalibrate it to reflect the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, and the current economic realities of the nation. To do otherwise will not only be unpatriotic, it will also be catastrophic for our nation’s economy.
EldaDavid Kehinde Samuel is a Resident Policy Fellow of the Nigerian Global Affairs Council – A Technology-based and Digital Media-driven Public Policy and Evidence-based Research Think-Tank. He shared his thoughts and policy recommendations on what the Federal Government could do to fix the tactical squad popularly called FSARS with Rasheed Adebiyi. The FSARS is under serious fire as Nigerians have been on the streets in the last four days demanding it is disbanded. However, a voice of caution from Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe had called for reforms in place of total disbandment. Elda seems to have responded with not less than 15 policy suggestions to make the tactical squad of the NPF more community-oriented and citizen-friendly. Here are his thoughts
The FSARS despite the negative publicity and baggage that has damaged their brand identity, they remain an active force committed to rooting hardened criminals and kidnappers, trust us, there are dare-devil elements that live around us all over Nigeria. They will have a field day if the FSARS were banned even for a day, you cannot call on the Military to defend our roads and streets for criminal elements that reside amongst us, that’s the sole responsibility of the Nigerian Police Force and the special tactical squads set up for such purpose.
Some Nigerians have sold their souls to the darkest part of the earth and virtues such as empathy or positive emotions are far-removed from their hearts and souls… The FSARS was created to tame these monsters of hardened criminals so not every Police Officer signs up to become a part of the SARS particularly those without a strong heart that fears no death.
There is no verified or reliable data though to back up the number of robberies or kidnappings they have foiled, there is no data to back-up how many officers they have lost to dare-devil armed robbers or kidnappers. This lack of sufficient data or information makes it a hard nut or cause to defend or commend the impact of the FSARS.
Nigerians have clamoured for the ban of FSARS, that’s the easy part because yes we agree that the brand identity FSARS is damaged but don’t forget that even if a new Taskforce is created with a more polite and community-friendly brand name, the same elements that make up our Police Force will be recruited or volunteer themselves to take on this dangerous job of ensuring that hardened criminals and kidnappers don’t have a field day in Nigeria.
Whilst we are clamouring for the BAN and scrap of the FSARS, keep this in mind, the FSARS isn’t the original problem, the original problem is the make-up of our Police Force, FSARS is simply a victim of the culture that the Nigerian Police Force has indirectly instituted, the FSARS are no different from the regular policemen or women we deal with everyday who are bribe loving and gun trotting elements that damage the brand identity of the Police Force.
The Nigerian Global Affairs Council (NIGAC) is calling for proactive measures to be taken and we will enumerate some of the proactive policy measures Government and the Police Hierarchy can implement. Here are the suggested policy measures the NIGAC proposes to our Federal Government and the Nigerian Police Force:
Retire the FSARS Brand: Like we have postulated at the top, the FSARS brand is damaged, the Federal Government and the Nigerian Police Force Hierarchy must realize that for the populace to believe that any change has taken place, it must start with the rebranding of the Tactical Squad in charge of tough operations. Any change short of a change in name is simply cosmetic and Nigerians will not believe that her Government is ready to effect any serious change.
Select a New Brand Name for this Tactical Squad: The Nigerian Global Affairs Council posits that the new name should reflect a community-oriented and citizen-friendly Police Force that projects its strength as one that works with the citizens to reduce crimes after all Police can work more effectively if the citizens trust them to share intelligence with their Internal Machineries. The brand name to a more community-oriented and citizen-friendly one will also impact on the psyche of the men of that squad as they seem to feel that every Nigerian is a potential fraudster, armed-robber or kidnapper – this has enabled them to recklessly target young people, maim young people and even kill a lot of young people. We believe that a change in brand identity to a community-oriented and citizen-friendly one doesn’t change the objectives of the tactical squad but it will set the pace for a total reset of the mindset and heart of Officers of the Police Force who join or are recruited into this Tactical Squad. One name suggestion we have is: FEDERAL COMMUNITY PROTECTION SQUAD or whatever better names Nigerians can muster.
Offsite Learning and Development Program: All Police Officers to join the newly reformed Tactical Squad must undergo a one year offsite Learning and Development Program – It should not be called Training as the word has been abused and it has become a routine word in the minds of our Police Officers and all the trainings they have gotten has obviously not shown forth their designed results. Our proposed Learning and Development Program for Tactical Squad members should focus on teaching them Community Relations Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Effects of Substance Abuse (Practical) and its Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Crisis Management, Citizen-oriented engagements and Communication Skills etc., if our Officers of this newly reformed Tactical Squad undergo this level of Learning and Development in one year, we can be rest assured that their mind-set and orientation will change because they will be able to see our citizens from a different lens, this approach might not stop the bad eggs but it will have broad-based impact and ripple effect on the entire Police Force Culture.
Quarterly Test for Substance Abuse: To be admitted into the newly reformed Tactical Squad, all Police Officers must be tested for substance abuse. Only a sane and stable mind can effectively and efficiently carry out their Jobs in a Professional Manner expected of a Security Operative. The National Assembly and Police Hierarchy must institute a LAW that makes it mandatory for Officers of all Special Tactical Squad to be tested once every quarter for substance abuse and alcohol level consumption over the period, we won’t advocate against a ban on drink on alcohol but don’t drink whilst at work and if you are going to drink off-duty then ensure it is at a minimum if anyone wants to remain in the Tactical Squad.
Incentivize Good Motivation: Whilst we advocate for reforms, we must also realize that HUMANS are incentivized to do better when there are clearly defined reward systems in place for good behaviour – let’s not forget that the Job they do as Police Officers and as Members of a Special Tactical Squad is very dangerous because they can be Killed-in-Action (KIA) at anytime. A Life Insurance of 20 – 100 Million Naira dependent on years of service should be paid-up for each member of our Special Tactical Squads. Any Officer killed in action in a honourable manner should automatically know that their families will be well-compensated, but this is only if the officer did not get up to 10 strikes throughout his membership of the tactical squad. Strikes should occur when there is serious breach of professionalism or there is proof of dereliction in duties as a Tactical Squad Member. If an officer honourably retires from the Tactical Squad and Police Force, that officer should also have access to that Life-Time Insurance Premium so long they did not get 10 Strikes on their records. This will foster good behaviour.
Call for Disciplinary Action: 10 Strikes means disciplinary action or outright dismissal if offense is criminal in natural as a Member of a Special Tactical Squad.
Welfare: To motivate and engender good behaviour, we must give incentives to maintain decorum as the reward and benefits for acting responsibly as a Member of a Special Tactical Squad is more enticing. All members of a Special Tactical Squad must reside in a largely residential and dedicated estate outside the Barracks that comes with complete and respectable amenities. Members of these Special Tactical Squad must be given decent housing as those are one of the basic determinants of how a human being behaves, if he lives in a decent environment, he acts as one and if he lives in a dungeon looking barracks then they reflect the behaviour of the environment they reside in. Children of Special Tactical Squad should also be provided with Guaranteed Scholarship up to their University Education, this will help reduce the incidence of crimes perpetuated by Officers of the Special Tactical Squad. They enjoy these benefits for the duration of their service as members of the Special Tactical Squad so long they don’t get disqualified by virtue of getting 10 strikes.
Commanders Made to Take Responsibility: Commanders who manage these Special Tactical Squads must provide written approvals for RAIDS to be carried out – a special notice draft note can be implemented across the compound so ORDERS are quickly signed if the attention of the Special Tactical Squad is urgently required. This note can be signed on or immediately after a successful or unsuccessful raid. Any officer who carries out unauthorized raids should be suspended from the Squad and if they don’t carry on 5 more times, they must be disqualified from the special squad and assigned desk duties never to touch a weapon again. Commanders must be promoted or demoted based on the actions and inactions of their subordinates. This will instill DISCIPLINE in the rank and file of the Special Tactical Squad.
Need for Special Operative Uniform: All members of a Special Tactical Squad must ADORN a special BULLET PROOF Uniform, it doesn’t have to be the full regalia of the Nigerian Police Force but it must be a clear cut UNIFORM that makes it easier to recognize them and they must be on their active duty special bullet proof outfit once on duty be it off or on the road. It should be an offense that earns a STRIKE if Special Tactical Squad Members are not on their special outfit, except in rare cases where the commander approves and it is written on the approval notice, tactical squad members can wear plain clothes but with a clear badge that differentiates them. All members of Special Tactical Squads must have their ID cards on full display except in rare cases where they go on raids.
EntireEnforcement of the Banfrom Routine Patrols: Special Tactical Squad Members should only be FOUND on the road when there is a serious breach of peace and security in times of robbery, kidnapping, arson, and destructive rioting that regular Police Officers cannot curtail.
Continuous Learning and Development: Continuous classroom learning and development must be instituted as a measure to inculcate the community-friendly and citizen-oriented approach, special tactical squads should take going forward. We do not want Police Officers who see every Nigerian as a potential criminal, it takes conscious and intentional efforts to reset such a mindset.
Ban on Alcohol and Substance Usage: As Members of a Special Tactical Squad, there must be a certain level of alcohol consumption permitted off-duty and they should NEVER DRINK, SMOKE or even be drunk or intoxicated whilst on duty. As suggested above, Police Officers in these squads must undergo quarterly SUBSTANCE ABUSE test that checks for drugs and alcohol consumption levels. Officers found wanting should be dismissed from the Special Tactical Squad and cease to enjoy its benefits.
Well-kitted Special Tactical Squad Members: Officers who belong to a Special Tactical Squad must be well-kitted as per the advice above, excellent vehicles with unremovable trackers that must be active always must be fixed on each vehicle alongside modern communication gadgets. The movements of special tactical vehicles must be reviewed on a monthly basis and unauthorized movements of these vehicles must be red-flagged and queried as part of the Risk Management Function of the Nigerian Police Force.
Well-paid and well-compensated Tactical Squad: Members of a Special Tactical Squad should be well-paid and compensated way above other Members of the Police Force, this is to ensure that they are not tempted to break their OATH to the Nigerian Constitution and their commitment to protect Nigerians. We need a Special Tactical Squad Unit of high-earning Officers who are not intimidated by wealth or riches on display by Nigerians.
Creation of a Risk Management Department: Lastly, the Nigerian Police Force should create a Risk Management Department within its Special Tactical Squad Unit – this Risk Department should be managed by Risk Professionals within the Security Architecture that identifies risk behaviours and actions that can destroy the reputation of the Nigerian Police Force and Special Tactical Squads if not dealt with immediately. This Department should report directly to the Inspector General of Police and National Security Advisor in all its dealings, recommendations, and findings.
If the Nigerian Government applies these recommendations alongside implementing and enforcing the changes that the Police Reform Act 2020 has made, we will have a robust community oriented and citizen-friendly police force that is respected, loved and admired by all Nigerians.
#EndSars! A call that has been heard over and over again in Nigeria from helpless youths, who have become victims of their supposed protectors, started ringing high once again in October.
The reason for the call has always been the same each time; the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), whose mandate is to protect the Nigerian people from armed robbery, has turned out to be what they were designed to fight.
The last time the call was near this loud was in 2017, when the horrifying stories of SARS activities became unbearable to the Nigerian people. The End SARS hashtag became top of trends on Twitter and people took to the streets to express what they can’t put out in 280 characters.
The outcry yielded results, and the government promised to reform the unit. In 2018, while acting in the capacity of acting president, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical trip to London, Nigeria’s Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo gave marching orders to the then Inspector General of police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to carry out reforms that will ensure a service-driven anti-robbery police unit.
Idris went to work, initiating some measures that were geared toward taming the beasts in the men of SARS.
“The Inspector General of police in compliance with the presidential directives has ordered the immediate overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to address complaints and allegations on human rights violations against some of the personnel of SARS from members of the public in some parts of the country,” statement from the police said following Osinbajo’s orders.
Among the reform measures taken by the IGP were the change of name for the squad from SARS to FSARS (federal special anti-robbery squad), a new uniform that would include identity tags, medical/psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel.
According to the reform orders; “FSARS personnel will not perform Stop and Search duties except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping offences only.” There was also an arrangement for a training program for the unit, in collaboration with civil society organizations, local and international NGOs and other human rights organizations.
Following this announcement by the Nigerian Police Boss, the voices died down and the hashtag disappeared.
Armed with the belief that the future has come when SARS will not harass, extort or kill anyone for having dread, tattoo, iphone or laptop, Nigerian youths went their daily business with their heads high. But it didn’t last; once again, the reform was short-lived.
The IGP Idris reached retirement age and was succeeded by Mohammed Adamu, who upon ascension to the throne rescinded all the reform measures apart from the new name – FSARS. The squad went back to streets, the outcries began once again and the #EndSARS hashtag crawled back to trends.
It has become a norm of occasional outbursts, emanating from culminating stories of brutality, extortion, killings, and most of all, impunity.
At each of the four times of the major outcries dating back to 2015, there has always been the government’s promise to reform SARS.
So on October 4, 2020, when IGP Adamu, in response to the fresh outcry of Nigerians, issued the ritual orders banning SARS and some other tactical squad units from conducting themselves unprofessionally, the words of the orders were all familiar because Nigerians have heard them many times before.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, has banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other tactical squads of the force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc – with immediate effect,” the orders partly said.
It is not different from the orders given in the past that were flouted with all impunity, consequently enabling more sad tales of atrocities from members of SARS.
“I lived in the North for years and never lost a finger. Then I came back here (Southern Nigeria) and they (SARS) killed my son. No war. No fight. He wasn’t involved in armed robbery. Just cold blooded, they wasted this boy for me,” cried a man who SARS killed his teenage son.
This was just a tip of the iceberg among the horrifying stories that triggered the current events. The orders from the police chief were supposed to calm the online End SARS campaign, but it instead spurred the youth to hit the streets in united throng, for protests that have unprecedentedly become a global movement.
As the rest of the world lend their voice to the campaign, Buhari who is seen as too slow in responding to domestic matters, was believed to have been forced to make a statement addressing the chaos more than 72 hours after the protests broke out.
“I met again with the IGP tonight. Our determination to reform the police should never be in doubt. I am being briefed regularly on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the Police are fully accountable to the people.
“The IG already has my instructions to conclusively address the concerns of Nigerians regarding these excesses, & ensure erring personnel are brought to justice. I appeal for patience & calm, even as Nigerians freely exercise their right to peacefully make their views known,” the president said in a statement.
But like the orders of Adamu, the statement failed to calm the avalanche of tweets coming now from all corners of the earth and the accompanying street protests. And the reason could be found in some tweets put out on Twitter in response to the statement.
“There are currently checkpoints in Lagos being manned by SARS while the president is meeting the IG of police to discuss “reforms.”
“Also remember that SARS was banned 2 days ago by same president and IG of police, the 4th ban in 5 years. Enough of empty talks. #EndSarsNow,” Kelvin Odanz wrote on Twitter.
“Show me one SARS operative in prison for killing a citizen?” Henry Shield asked.
The decision of Nigerians not to back down this time stems not only from the ineffective orders in the past, but also current views from members of the president’s circle and the Police, which suggest that the ordered SARS’ reform is all ‘window dressing.’
The president’s media aide, Lauretta Onochie, in response to the campaign said she has no doubt that what is “going on now is a coordinated attack by cyber criminals joined by unsuspecting innocent citizens,” adding that this is not the first time.
It was also a stand taken by the Police spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, who in his defense of the Nigerian Police decision not to scrap SARS, said the unit is also being used in the fight against banditry in Nigeria’s North.
But cyber-related offenses are under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the protestors are not calling on the government to end the Commission. On the other hand, there are rarely cases of SARS misconduct coming from Northern Nigeria, where the police spokesman claimed the unit is being used to combat banditry.
In Southern Nigeria, there is the everyday story of abduction, disappearance, maiming and killings. Amnesty International documented over 82 cases of atrocities committed by SARS between January 2017 and May 2020, outside the many more cases that didn’t come to light.
“Repeatedly, Nigerian authorities failed to end atrocities of SARS. This is hardly surprising when many of these officers have bribed their way to SARS in the first place. The police chiefs in charge are themselves entwined in the corruption,” Amnesty said.
The human right organization noted that financial gain, not service, has been the force driving recruitment and posting of the unit personnel, and many of them have criminal records.
“Officers sometimes pay superior officers responsible for transfers as much as N300,000 to influence their posting to SARS, as it is seen as a means of earning a substantial amount of money in a short time,” Amnesty said in a report.
All Nigerian authorities’ promises of reforming SARS have, so far, proven to be empty and ineffective. Restructuring SARS is not enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians. The report added.
Some had suggested ReformSARS
Concerned Nigerians believe that the government’s failure to take drastic action to address SARS’ highhandedness and police malpractices once and for all times means endorsement of the rot in the police. And it stems from the belief that the Nigerian Police as it is was designed to serve the interest of a privileged few, mostly those in the corridors of power.
Therefore, having been overdosed by the consequences of ineffective reform promises, Nigerians seem to have had enough, and are pushing for one line of action they believe will end it all.
Among the nine demands the protestors are making is that all tactical squads formations across board of the police be scrapped and their responsibilities be transferred to proper structures within the police.
“You cannot build on nothing. Neither can you reform what’s not willing to be reformed. Nigerians want what’s best for Nigeria, and the most important at this time is to #EndSARS,” former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce wrote on Twitter.
His assertion that the Police are unwilling to be reformed was traced to the streets and confirmed to be true.
The number of video clips showing police’s use of excessive force on people protesting against police brutality, including the fatal shooting of one protestor, Jimoh Isiaq, indicates that SARS reform is far from the answer to SARS’ menace.
“You see, when an organization has lost credibility in the eyes of the public, it is almost impossible to recover,” former DG of Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Joe Abah wrote on Twitter.
“Now when an organization has gained international notoriety for brutality and criminality, you should not be talking of reforming it. You should dismantle it and start afresh. The need for an anti-robbery squad may always be there. The need for SARS, as we know it, isn’t anymore.”
