Dr. Baba J Adamu who is the CEO/President of iNetworks Canada, Director Arewa-and the National Secretary of the New Democrats (ND) paid a courtesy visit to the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust newspaper Mallam Kabiru A. Yusuf in Abuja yesterday. Below are some questions Dr Baba J Adamu answered during the visit.
Q: Tell me more about your business
A: I am the CEO & President of iNetworks Canada. Integrated Networks Canada provides information technology infrastructure services to assist customers achieve business-led IT innovation. iNetworks Canada is focused on helping companies become "Adaptive Enterprises," balancing the needs of rapid change and stability while maximizing the return on investment in existing and new technologies. We provide state-of-the art Internet, software development & communication technology and global support services to empower businesses, organisations and government institutions with the ability to communicate securely, and rapidly with the domestic and international marketplace, while actively supporting the integration and deployment of emerging technologies.
Q: How do you manage being a business man as well as a politician?
A: As a professional, I believe that business can only grow if there is political stability. Where there are policies for sustainable economic growth and opportunities. But being a business man as well as a politician is indeed a difficult task especially when you are torn between those who make decisions that effect your business (politicians) and those that use your services or products (the consumers). But when a business man feels that he is obligated to the society that he wants to give something back to the community, that business man can’t help being a politician. I still remember when my father would say son: do not allow anybody to pull you so low as to make you hate them. And at the same time do not allow anybody to cause you to lose your self-respect to the point that you do not struggle for justice - how ever young you are. You have a responsibility to seek to make your nation a better nation in which to live. You have a responsibility to make your city liveable. You have a responsibility to seek to make life better for you, your family and your neighbours. And so you must be involved in the struggle for freedom, justice progress. With this thought hanging constantly on my mind, I can’t help being a business man as well as a politician.
Q: How are you involved in the New Democrats (ND)?
A: Well the fact that I am the ND National Secretary is no coincidence. As you know, the New Democrats (ND) was officially founded in April 26th, 2002 and registered in December 2002 by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a Political Party in Nigeria. However, the ND is an ambitious campaign intended to help establish lasting institutional democracy in Nigeria that extends beyond 2020. I have always being an advocate for positive change and the renewal of thinking. Back in 1997 in Poland, I and Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Jimeta launched CCC, “The Committee of Concerned Citizens”, as a concerted plan of action to ameliorate the bad impression about Nigerians abroad especially in Europe and the Americas, correct the orchestrated negative campaign against Foreign Investments in Nigeria, and assume advocacy role and articulate policies geared towards sustainable economic development, political stability, consistency in policies and a private sector oriented economy. I believe that was a major attempt by Nigerians in Diaspora to react to issues and politics in Nigeria.
Three major events occurred among many others that alerted my interest into taking such bold measures to fight for a better, unified Nigeria. To most Nigerians and most of the world, they seemed utterly disconnected. They were, in fact, intimately related. The first was the inauguration of the Constitutional Conference on June 27, 1994, after June 12, 1993. For the first time ever, Nigerians participated and deliberated on fundamental issues that have been debilitating and undermining the unity, peace and stability of the nation. Fundamental issues that have been subverting and undermining the basic principles of democracy were looked into. One year later, a draft constitution, and recommendations were submitted that would ensure unity, peace, stability and security of the nation. I observed for the first time that the serious nature of the political deadlock that threatened our unity was merely "old-style democracy" and its reliance on “voodoo” politics and "ethnic fundamentalism, contrary to believe that Nigerians cannot live together.
Having observed the voodoo political reform strategy, I looked at the economic reform, and even helped in drafting development strategies in the popular Vision 2010 headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, which was inaugurated on November 27, 1996, and widely applauded by Nigerians. As you know, the purpose of Vision 2010 Committee was to formulate and recommend guidelines to sustain economic development, political stability; consistency in policies and to achieve a vibrant, lasting and efficient capital market by the year 2010. Obviously, by the year 2000 the Recommendation was still in a vault.
Another such attempt was made by the ND current Chairman Professor Isa Odidi with the Liberal Party back in June 1989 in UK. These three dramatic events, among others clearly made us to realize that Nigerians in Diaspora MUST take initiatives toward shaping Nigerian future. Having conceived this simple yet inspiring idea, we decided to marry the struggle stated in UK with that of Poland and born a revitalized version in North America for the sake of National Unity. All along believing that there were no fundamental divisions in Nigeria nor were there irreconcilable differences, as otherwise assumed. We, Nigerians come from many different backgrounds with different ethnic origins, religions, philosophies, and political persuasions. Nevertheless, most of us have one thing in common, even though we rarely mention it. We love Nigeria and we believe we are extraordinary citizens, and have the ability and potential to create a better country. A country where there is a shared vision of Nigeria, a vision that has been pathetically absent in so many years in far too many of our political and corporate leaders. We need a new vision of a free, democratic, and independent Nigeria, a Nigeria where we are able to maximize our abilities to determine our own future. Absent of this sparked a debate about how much power should rest with the central government, zoning system, tenure of office and the issue of serious economic disparities that exist among regions or states.
As we analyzed the events, we reached a conclusion that these are real serious issues, but they are not irreconcilable differences, neither singly nor together. None is so fundamental that it should cause a country like ours to fail, to disintegrate – particularly not a country that, by any objective standard, has the ability and potential to serve its citizens well. Nor does the sum of those differences warrant breaking up the country I consider “the best place on earth”, and embarking on the gamble of trying to build something new in the bitter wake of failure.
With all these, we took a stand knowing fully well the reality of the situation: the perceptions are wrong, but the anger is real. The best way to lance the anger is to correct the impression. And the best way to do that is for individual Nigerian to become actively involved. Because it is about a country – a country that belongs to all of us, and whose future will be decided by what we do – or what we fail to do.
Now having made our decisions, we made a commitment knowing that: Unity and togetherness means strength and progress. And remembering college physics, if we put enough atoms together the right way, we will create a nuclear reaction that feeds on itself and just keeps going. We have to pave the way to deliver that critical mass of atoms. Nigeria needs solid foundation for it to sustain its leadership role in Africa and give every Nigerian a realistic hope for the future by restructuring and reconstructing its economy and acquiring a lasting democratic structure.
Now, having participated in the last general election, we have come to believe that the future is even brighter for Nigerians and ND. Come 2007, we shall introduce a modern progressive political tradition, a new politics for the next decade to reflect new realities bringing all Nigerians on board, joined in common cause to save our nation's future. What we say, we will do, and what we will do now is to engage and empower the people even if it means forming a shadow cabinet. Now you know the extend I am involved with ND.
Q: You talked about empowering the people, how do you hope to do that?
A: You see, today, Africa is called "THE DARK CONTINENT" by the West; but for most Africans, and indeed Nigerians, there was hope and a bright future when we fought and negotiated our way out of the colonial political snare decades ago. Even better, was the thought of being in full control of our economies and lives. We have now entered the new millennium and have just realized that we have not even emerged from the below sea-level, where we can clearly visualize the options available to us and to further chart a course in a beneficial direction. Perhaps, we are now beginning to see clearer, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. We must all do our part to protect and preserve our heritage. Our natural heritage should be a legacy we pass on to our children and grandchildren, not a burden for them to bear. That is why we must work harder to have clean water, constant power supply, safer streets, clear-cut strategies to attract investments into the country and to make everyone understands that certain rights entail responsibility. It the right of every Nigerian to benefit from being a Nigerian and every Nigerian has a responsibility to contribute to the society.
I feel I am obligated to contribute, and it is my duty to help in any way possible for a better, prosperous Nigeria. This inspiration has led me to form www.Kaduna-ITtrainingonline.com, a fusion of partnership between Arewa-online, iNetworks Canada and Chezola.com Inc. The first of its kind in the whole Nigeria. Kaduna-ITtrainingonline.com is a one stop information technology online learning center. The mission is to empower students, teachers and professionals with free Information technology training by providing a free online Information technology learning center for Nigerians, using Kaduna as the starting point. Kaduna-ITtrainingonline.com is a computer training resource, an Internet portal, fully interactive and scalable website that will greatly benefit Nigerian IT education system and business sectors. This project is the phase one of what we living abroad plan to do. Already there is a full-scale program that can be deployed which will create a better Information system atmosphere in Nigeria. The website is free, easy to use and professional flash based, and will be updated regularly to meet demands. There is a dedicated tech support online for people that have trouble getting started and the idea is to be able to train some students locally to be part of the online tech support supervised and trained. The site also has a live instant messaging support where users can post questions and experts from abroad can answer their questions instantly (real-time).
There is a plan down the road to organize high tech seminal for students were they will be able to do some simple networking and even come up with advance networking technology. Our group has a wireless technology developed in-house and will expose gifted kids to explore and take it to a greater level. This, I believe will culminate to creating an entire IT solution for the whole Nigeria. We have a wireless solution fully encrypted to make Nigerian banks and other businesses go online.
Also, I am also an executive member of the Arewa Network Group, providers of the Award winning Web sites: www.arewa-online.com (online News Media), and www.nipofo.com (online political News). Arewa-online brings daily news and information, and provides facts and general information about Nigeria. I highly recommend the both the sites for news and any other information on Nigeria. We plan to have Arewa TV online to provide NTA News live over the Internet for our brothers in Diaspora. Despite all this, I will continue to seek other ways to help all Nigerian Communities.
Q: Will you be willing to serve if called upon under the present administration?
A: Nigerians have demonstrated for the first time that they want to give democracy a chance despite the first uncertainties. I will be willing to follow that clarion call especially since the present government believes that every child in Nigeria deserves an excellent education and every man and woman an equal opportunity for success in life, regardless of economic circumstances, geographic location, ethnic background or religious belief. It will be the continuation of my quest to give something back to the community.
Q: Any other advice to the nation
A: I would like to call the attention of the government to look at the act of governing as a work in progress. It should be dedicated to the principles of: individual freedom, responsibility and respect in the framework of a just and prosperous society and political freedom. The government should strengthen and broaden public sector accountability and transparency. Fiscal responsibility requires that everything government does, it does efficiently, while offering citizens the best service. Government should continue to find internal savings and enshrine the practice of zero-based budgeting. I will also advice the government to remain committed to finding new ways to improve and modernize our democratic institutions by reinventing government initiatives, which means transforming public agencies into performance-based organizations focused on bottom-line results.
And to my fellow country men and women: by origin mankind were a single people or nation. That being so, God could have kept us all alike, with one language, one kind of disposition, and even one set of physical conditions to live in. But in His wisdom, He gives us diversity in these things, not only at any given time, but also in different periods and ages. This tests our capacity for unity and accentuates the need of unity and self esteem. Since geography has made us neighbours, let freedom make us friends and let us understand that the real issue now, then, lies on the question of whether we can collectively make sufficient unanimous, efficient declaration of unbreakable unity, stand by our declaration, rally behind common goals and understand our differences even during rough rides, which surely will be the price to pay but so negligible will they be compared to the surplus of economic and political growth to come afterwards. Let us rally behind our leadership whose true commitment towards lasting peace and economic progress is impeccable, let us understand the government innovative consultation process with a simple goal in mind: to let the citizens of this great state guide its plans and priorities for the years ahead. Let us support a government that is guided by following the very simple, four-step formula that has guided great leaders of the world. It will ask for citizens' input. They will answer. It will listen. It will take action. Here is a government that believes that this approach is the heart of democracy and the soul of leadership. Only by working together can we realize the benefits of our strong economy, identify and invest in the priorities that matter and realize the promise of our founding fathers. Nigeria has always known about that promise. Let us work together to feel and see the promise fulfilled.
Finally, a Plea for Consideration: There was a time, not too long ago in Nigeria when despair and hopelessness was the bane of existence, a time when all problems seemed to defy all solutions, and everything seemed to head for collapse. Indeed, there was a time, when as it appeared, like the historic Israelites in the land of Egypt, or the idol worshippers in the land of Mekkah, the worst had to be experienced before God would send a messenger to take them to freedom. Even in those simple days, there was obvious need for a ‘Miracle’ to come to the rescue. Now, new times are setting in, Nigeria, and indeed the whole worlds are getting even more complex, yet smaller. There is an even greater demand for leaders with greater courage, vision and godliness to find solutions where non-seems to exist. In the Nigerian situation, more than at any time before, there is greater need for a leadership with potentials and capabilities to channel the path of economic development and provide the peace and stability required for sustainable growth; a political platform that is capable of formulating workable economic policies that can sustain high standards, and provide tools of empowerment to the youth including women. Nigerians need visionary leaders, New and prosperous Nigeria – New Nigeria.
