SV: Good day Comrade Vivian
Welcome Comrade
Who is Comrade Vivian Ebele Bello?
Vivian Ebele Bello is a Nigerian Woman. She is a one-time Journalist and Rights
Activist who has devoted her life to the cause of the emancipation of the
downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalized of the Society. She believes
strongly in the cause of Justice, Freedom and Equity and respect for the Rights of
members of the society and of course the Environment. And let me add that she
doesn't just hold these beliefs, but she acts these beliefs in real life.
What are the things you think is responsible for the suffering of ordinary
people in Nigeria?
I think the sufferings the ordinary people are going through in Nigeria today to a
very large extent has Corruption at the root of it all, and then of course lack of the
fear of God. This is because some people are wont to quickly say, oh it's our
leaders, the leaders of the country, etc etc well, to me that is facing a problem
from the surface. Because the thing is; these leaders did not emerge from the
moon; how did we end up with successive leaderships under whose watch Nigeria
has remained constantly in the bleak in all the Development Indicators? In
Standard of living, in Education, in Healthcare both maternal and neonatal, in
Security, name it. For every single process we circumvent in the electoral process,
right from Party primaries, to election proper, etc. For every kobo, favour or
sentiment one takes or deploys to compromise the system and or the qualified
persons in the electoral process in the country, (be it even by taking two or three
thousand Naira to exchange for votes), we are willfully lowering the lids to let in,
into the leadership, individuals, characters and systems that act purely on the basis
and after the manner of the system that brought them in. That's where we are, that's
the debacle we are facing today, that's whats largely at the root of the woes
Nigerians face today.
Ahead of 2023 you’ve declared intention to run
for president of Nigeria.
SV: What are your motivation?
My motivating factor in declaring to run for President is simply Nigeria and
Nigerians. I am irrevocably convinced that Nigeria can work for Nigerians. The
woes that we face today with widespread poverty across the land, collapsed
educational system, crippled healthcare, industries, infrastructures etc, does NOT
have to be this way, it shouldn't be this way, and God helping my emergence as
President, it will no longer be this way.
Nigeria can work again for Nigerians. Time was when our public schools were
beautiful brides, courted by students and parents from different countries of the
world, today, they're merely shadows of themselves, gasping for breath. The same
goes to our health facilities; why do countries like United Kingdom, UAE (Dubai),
Germany, U.S etc have to be making fortune on us, on our resources drawing our
elite country men and women in droves to access quality healthcare there while
leaving the teeming ordinary masses to their fate with largely poorly equipped
hospitals with equally poorly motivated and remunerated and medical workers who
you do not expect to perform any magic in the circumstances. Ordinary Nigerians
die in droves for ailments that are ordinarily treatable but for which many of the
hospitals lack the requisite equipment, and where they manage to be, are priced out
of their reach and access. Many deaths recorded in this country today are purely
avoidable. Again I say, it doesn't have to be this way; we have got the resources,
we have got the men, we have got the capacity. All we need is summon the WILL, roll
up our sleeves and get to work; without fear or favour, dispense good and service
and we will see a reset of our country. I am here for this, and by the mercies of
God and support of Nigerians, this country will once again work for Nigerians.
What program do you have that’s different from the present arrangements?
My Blueprint is hinged on a Six-Point Program of Action;
- Educational Revolution
- Industrial and Infrastructural Revolution
- Security Restoration
- Restructuring along the lines of True Federalism
- Addressing Insecurity and the Vulnerabilities of Women and Youth
- Climate Change and Green Economy.
These six focal points will see deliberate, sustained and measurable actions in all,
that will both in the immediate as well as in long term, have perceivable impact in
the quality of lives and living standards of the masses. There is no reason for
instance, why Nigeria should appallingly be designated as the country with the
highest number of out-of-school children, (as over 11 million), as the U.N has just
recently so designated the country. This is a calamitous failure of the system and of
which the entire country with pay dearly for. We are already doing so as it were, in
the hands of some of our young people, who left uncared for by the society, have
taken to criminality and all sorts of anti-social vices, which still falls back on
virtually every member of the society.
As a developmental expert, what can you say about the pro women bill
rejected by the
National Assembly members?
The posture of the national assembly towards that gender bill is very
disappointing. If anything, it throws up again and this time in a very potent and
glaring manner, the manifest bias that still exists against the woman in Nigeria.
The defeat of the bill was a very sad event and day in the annals of the history of
Women struggle in Nigeria. But I'm glad some reasonable second thought is being
given to it now.
Do you think that women should reject this attack on women with their votes?
Of course you have clearly seen that women with our voices loudly and clearly
rejects this anti-gender action by NASS and come 2023, I believe that as women
we have learnt our lessons and will stand as one to use our votes to further express
this by putting our votes where our mouth is.
You seem to be involved in climate change and environmental degradation, do
you think this can be welcomed positively in our country
There is no question of whether Environment and Climate change issues will be
welcomed in the country, the Environment as everyone knows is the forbearer, the
mother of all lives. It follows therefore that every effort to nurture, safeguard and
protect it MUST be accorded priority attention. Toying with this is as good as
toying with lives, and the Environment supports life en mass and so any careless
action towards it will also lead to mass destructions. We have seen these occur in
many parts of the world, including even our own society, with the flood disasters,
desertification and etc we have been having to deal with.
I have been in the frontline for the struggle for Environmental Protection. I believe
that you do not have to destroy mother Earth and poor local communities
livelihoods in your quest to exploit mineral resources. I believe in going Green. I
believe in shifting our orientation and practices away from resources that pollute
the environment and destroy bio-diversity, towards Clean and Pro-Climate
Alternatives that works for both Humans and the Environment. These principles
and solutions I will actively pursue if elected, and there is no question of "Will it
be welcomed" it is an action that needs to be taken, and decisions on issues of the
Environment will not be put off to a later time.
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