Why defeat of Boko Haram sect delays, by Donald Duke

• Labels politicians job seekers, hustlers
Former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State has attributed the prolonged ‘inability’ to defeat the Boko Haram sect by the Nigerian Army to early retirement.

Delivering a speech at the pre-retirement seminar for assistant directors, deputy directors and directors of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) organised by the Chief Executive Officer of African Theme Consults Limited, Mrs. Annabelle Adeyemi, and sponsored by the service in Calabar, Duke took a swipe at the nation’s politicians, saying they are “job seekers and hustlers.”

On the economy, he said “our disposable income is zero as unemployment is currently running at 85 per cent while employment is only 15 per cent given the large population of over 190 million people today.”

He decried the policy of “early retirement in our military system as most retirements in the Army are about 55 years and this is prime and that is why the military is faulty.”

Duke went on: “The Boko Haram (sect) we are fighting now is more expensive than the civil war and the troops there are learning on the job because most of the troops or officers like the ones who fought in Liberia that should be there have been retired and today there is no mentoring for the new ones.

“Our nation today is going through a very difficult phase and we are not getting richer but poorer considering our large population and the activities of Boko Haram and kidnappings which are now for economic interest.”

He advised the participants to be careful in whatever business endeavours they to go into, noting: “Beware of sugar-coated tongues and anything that sounds so good. Be careful as the more attractive a deal is, the more sceptical you should be as it does not matter if one stays for two to three years before he finally opts for what business to do because Nigeria is a very difficult environment to do business.”

The former governor pointed out that “our biggest problem today as a nation is Boko Haram and the pressure on us as a growing population is phenomenal and if we do not change the trajectory of the country today, we have problems in our hands.”

He went on: “The only way you can enjoy your money is to be productive because the government will not protect you. That 85 per cent of Nigerians today are not working and are depending on the 15 per cent that are working and with this kind of scenario, we do not have disposable income in Nigeria.”

Duke advised the retiring audience not to “go into politics with your gratuity. But if you go into politics, don’t seek elective positions except you are being sponsored because the problem with our politics is that we do not put our best foot forward. Our politicians are job seekers and hustlers. They get there because you and I are not serious. Get involved in your community.”