COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A COLLOQUIUM HELD IN HONOUR OF COMRADE DEBO ADENIRAN AS PART OF ACTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE HIS 60TH BIRTHDAY.

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF DEBO DISCUSSIONS – Dialectical Extrapolation on Babelian Oddities

THEME: LAUNDERED LOOT AS POTENTIAL FOREIGN RESERVE FOR AN ECONOMY: WHAT LESSONS FROM NIGERIA’S ABACHA

DATE: 15th May, 2020       TIME: 12 NOON

PREAMBLE

The colloquium was held at the Talk Hall, Angle 1706, Sango- Otta in honour of the Comrade Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) as he marked his 60th birthday. Due to the need to observe social distancing and other protocols introduced by the Federal Government’s to prevent the spread of the dreaded Corona virus only about 15 participants were at the Venue. Most of the discussants joined the colloquium online via Zoom. DEBO Discussions is a regular interactive forum inaugurated on the day and is meant to hold at regular intervals as a retirement engagement by the Celebrant. The forum is meant to find meeting point on what is said, promised or meant by duty bearers (ruling elites) and what is understood, expected or desired by right holders (the citizenry) on socio-economic and political issues at different levels of government in Nigeria.

During the discussion, some observations were made by participants concerning the looted funds in Nigeria.

OBSERVATIONS

1. That there had been too much emphasis on the late dictator Gen. Sani Abacha’s loot whereas there are still many more looted funds stashed away in foreign banks while the culprits are moving about freely just because they are still alive.
2. That other past heads of state who are suspected of looting public treasury during their tenure in office should also be probed and their loot equally recovered
3. That such recovered loot could be used to provide critical infrastructures for the country.
4. That it is unfortunate that some of the petitions submitted to anti-corruption agencies by civil society organizations were not investigated.
5. That foreign countries that received these looted funds always paid back such funds without interest despite using them to develop their economies but give stringent conditions to repatriate the recovered loot.
6. That our foreign reserve is denominated in U.S dollars while America’s reserve is denominated in Gold which makes it less volatile like the U.S dollar.
7. That the youth of today are not showing much interest in assuming leadership positions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Participants at the colloquium recommended as follows:

1. That the various petitions against corruption submitted by civil society organizations should be investigated while indicted culprits be properly prosecuted, their loots recovered and adequately punished.
2. That our leaders must be responsible, transparent, accountable and be just while holding public offices.
3. That anyone who has been accused of any corrupt act should not be allowed to contest public offices in any part of the country.
4. In view of number three recommendation above, the participants were of the opinion that our judicial system should be empowered to facilitate quick dispensation of justice especially on corruption matters so as not to deny innocent people their democratic right.
5. There is an urgent need to give the right education to Nigerian youths and re-orientate them so as to sharpen their leadership skills and prevent them from being perpetually enslaved by the ruling class.
6. The participants also encouraged the youths to know and bn always aware of their roles in the society.
7. It was also recommended that the discussion should not be limited to an online event and that it should be held at regular intervals.
8. That those guilty of corruption charges should be seriously punished and sanctioned so as to serve as deterrent to others.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, participants at the colloquium commended the organizer of the colloquium for using the occasion of his birthday to discuss an issue that is so germane to national development and congratulated him on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

PARTICIPANTS AT THE COLLOQUIUM

1. DEBO ADENIRAN
2. RT. HON. ADEYEMI IKUFORIJI (Former Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly)
3. Mrs. ABIMBOLA JUNAID
4. COMRADE DIDI ADODO
5. BARRISTER FEMI FALANA (SAN)
6. COMRADE MARK ADEBAYO
7. COMRADE OLAWALE ISMAIL
8. MRS. ABIMBOLA ADEGOKE ADEBAJO
9. MR AKIN AWOKUNLE
10. AREMO KAYODE MICHAEL
11. BABAJIDE
12. COMRADE (BARR) FEMI ABORISADE
13. JULIET ISI IKHAYERE
14. KOMOLAFE TEMITOPE
15. OKECKUKWU NDIRIBE
16. PELUMI FAULKNER
17. EGBINOLA BUKKY
18. ADESANMI ADEJOKE
19. AWE OLUWASEUN
20. TOLA ORESANWO
21. LANRE LEGACY ADELEKE
22. COMRADE LEKE ADEBANJO
23. Ms GBADEBO OMOTAYO
24. MR MUIDEEN OYEWOLE
25. COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
26. MR FAWOLE RAPHAEL
27. CAPTAIN OGUNBIYI ABIODUN
28. OYEDEJI BOLADALE
29. EDU ALFRED
30. ALFRED AKEREJOLA
31. MR IDOGA ISAAC
32. MOTONI TAYE
33. OYEDOKUN FLORENCE
34. KOLA ARE
35. TOPE SOYOMI
36. OGBENI KOLAWOLE ISOLA (Represented Rt Hon Olakunle Oluomo, Speaker Ogun State House of Assembly)
37. OLASUPO OMOLUABI
38. TAJUDEEN O ANIMASHUN
39. HON KEHINDE JOSEPH (Represented Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly)
40. COMRADE TUNDE ABIOYE
41. ADENIRAN BOLANLE
42. MAJOR JIMOH OLEGBILE
43. MR MUSIBAU OGUNLADE
44. MR OLAWALE SHOROYEUN
45. MR AKINNIYI SUNDAY
46. MISS TITILAYO KOLAWOLE
47. MR CHRISTIAN JOHNSON
48. MISS OMOLARA ABDULATEEF
49. MRS ADIJAT
50. MR TAIWO DAVID
51. ALHAJI WAHAB NIRAN ADEWOYIN
52. COMRADE OLA AGBOOLA
53. MR KABIRU
54. CHIEF JELILI ADELEKE
55. MR ARISE ADELEKE
56. MISS SAIDAT IDOWU
57. ALHAJI ABIODUN OLAJIDE
58. MRS OLUYEMISI ABIODUN

Tola Oresanwo

On Behalf of the Organizing Committee