At long last, our Senate last Thursday seemed to have woken up to some meaningful deliberation and engagement for which they were elected and upon which much of our national resources gets invested.The occasion was the raising of a motion sponsored by Olubunmi Adetunmbi, senator representing Ekiti North. The motion, appropriately titled, "Looming danger of bankruptcy in states," blew the alarm on the spectre of bankruptcy and collapse facing many of the military-created incongruities called states within the sham federation.Unlike the frivolities that have characterised most of the past deliberations of the otherwise hallowed chamber, the motion was an exercise in intellectual effort and candour, underlying the legendary reputation of Ekiti State as the bastion of intellectualism.With figures and statistics, the motion drew a picture of looming insolvency on most of the states. But perhaps the more shocking was the grouping in the verdict. Whilst Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Jigawa states are deemed "healthy," Lagos, Delta, Imo and Kwara states are listed as barely so. Unhealthy states include Oyo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Bayelsa and Gombe; while those in distress are Kano, Sokoto, Niger, my Osun, Zamfara and Katsina. States virtually hanging on life support machine, according to the verdict, include Adetunmbis Ekiti; others are Plateau, Benue, Borno, Edo, Adamawa, Cross River, Enugu, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Yobe, Ebonyi, Ondo and Kaduna.There is no doubt that the classification suffers from the fallacy of uni-factor (percentage of revenue going on wages) consideration, which may not stand the test of detailed financial analysis. But the point being made is clear to allthe country needs reworking urgently, lestBut the story, like the verdict, is only half told. And the attendant cries from the floor of the Senate largely for increased share of the national cake to the states and less to the centre and even calls for merging of states, still miss the point: restructuring and fiscal federalism are inevitable if the country is to stand any chance of surviving, let alone emerging into a viable developed nation beyond the mere mouthing of some meaningless Vision 20-20.Redistributing the national income may be a start, with its concomitant reduction in the "burden" the centre is to carry; but in the final analysis, the fundamental issue of workability of the constituent nationalities, resource control, and empowered regional-integrated units within a true federalism would have to be addressed and embraced.In any event, it must be realised that the trouble with the states, even as presently constituted, is not in their number or size but in the constitutional arrangement and constraints. Even the smallest of the states, either in land mass or population, still has many countries of the world that are far less in size or population, and these countries manage to hold their heads high and invent means of surviving as independent nations.Time for us to face up to the dictates of commonsense or, indeed, we are doomed!For Raymond Dokpesi at 60It wasnt until a couple of years ago that I got to meet Chief Raymond Dokpesi in person and at close quarters. I was visiting Abuja on one of my infrequent trips and an old schoolmate of mine, Layi Oke, called, urging me to come for a rendezvous with him and some friends of his. To leave me no room out of it, he sent down a car to pick me up from where I was staying.The driver took me to some nondescript apartment in an innocuous area of town. There were only four or so of them there, quietly enjoying the evening. To my utter amazement, Dr. Dokpesi recognised me as soon as I walked in, but my greater shock was his flattering welcome of me as he got up in salutation. "Welcome, Egbon," he said, "you are one of the few credible voices left in the business."That I was "egbon" to this media giant was flustering enough, but the comment was the most flattering and humbling I had ever received, and from someone that big for that matter. If I could, I would have captured those words, cast them on marble, and take them to my banker for safe deposit. They were like a million dollars!I made to protest what I felt was a hyperbole if not outright flattery, but he gently yet firmly assured me he is not one for giving praise where it is not due. Whereupon his friend, Supo (who I later learnt is perhaps his closest), went inside a room to bring out one of the choicest cognac he said they had kept for an "appropriate occasion" to do justice to. But how did he know I love cognac'I say these things not about me, but as a testimony to the intrinsic humility and cultured nature of this icon of broadcast business in Nigeria, nay, Africa as a whole as he turns 60.I have always noticed and followed Dokpesis emergence from the distance, in consternation and admiration. Way back in the 80s was when the name Raymond Dokpesi burst onto the consciousness of the business world in Nigeria when young Raymond, on the strength of his doctorate in Marine Engineering and strong vision, persuaded a few business magnates, including Bamanga Tukur and late MKO Abiola, to invest in starting what was considered the first indigenous shipping line in Africa, Africa Ocean Line. It was a bold venture that, unfortunately, didnt last long. But it signalled Dokpesis visionary and pioneering "effrontery" in big time business.Come 1994, he launched what was also regarded as the first Nigerian private FM radio station, Raypower FM, followed by pioneering the first privately owned 24-hour broadcast TV stationalso considered Africas first ever satellite TV station, African Independent Television, whose signal today is received in a number of countries worldwide. Simple and self-effacing, it is hard to see Raymond Dokpesi and think him capable of so much dare and acumen. But he is imbued with a strong sense of loyalty that now and then throws him headlong into the political arena rooting for one character or another, oft casting shadows on his otherwise monument in business.I stand in salute of a great Nigerian who, through his intellect, dint of hard work, perseverance and commitment, has brought glory to his fatherland and bread to the table of thousands his businesses have employed over the years; a man who, through his philanthropy, has brought tears of joy to many a pained heart and succour to many a destitute fellow. Sixty hearty cheers to Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, High Chief of Agenebode in Edo State and Chairman of Daar Communications worldwide!
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