Yeah, I mean, I thought that … because you may remember that we discussed it a month ago, at the end of February, and we talked about the issue of trust, and how, because we have an Integrity, Ethics and Accountability deficit, that we have this trust deficit. But I think that since then, events on the Corona virus front have really moved on apace, if I can put it like that, in the sense that we seem to be having

Well, technology is what allows us to stay in touch, even though I have a bit of an echo behind me. But … It’s been a very instructive period since we last talked about the issue of trust and belief in what our government authorities are telling us Rotimi, because it seems to me that the issue that we want to discuss today, which is the Abule Ado explosions … comes in with some of the same issues actually.

And good evening everybody in the studio, because we’ve got a lot to discuss. Obviously what I really wanted to discuss with you guys from BudgIT, Damilola and Olaniyi, are some of the IDEAS issues that arise from the Budget, but I thought that in light of the disclosure, or the confirmation as Aghogho said, that we have a confirmed case of Coronavirus in the country, that there are some IDEAS issues that arise before we get to the budgetary aspect of it.

You’re welcome. Ier, as I was saying, what IDEAS tries to look at in issues of moment, are Integrity, Democracy, Ethics and Accountability. Now it comes under the general heading of anti-corruption, but as we always say, corruption is not just about the money and where that’s gone. Because in … when a report of this nature comes out, I think – I mean, before I get into the issues of who is accountable for it –

The BBC report is about a particular form of torture used by the security agencies in Nigeria called ‘Tabeh’. But it … it speaks to … they focused on a particular form, but it actually speaks to the wider issue of Accountability, and that’s why IDEAS, which as you know is about Integrity, Democracy, Ethics and Accountability, that’s why IDEAS is asking this question: Who is being held Accountable where the security agencies breach the laws against torture?

Yeah, I mean I think Rotimi, the first thing that we need to, when we’re talking about IDEAS, this is not … people have been talking about this as though it is a political decision by INEC, or as though it is a subjective matter within the discretion of INEC. And so I think that if we are trying to see: Is INEC behaving … with … in an Ethical manner, behaving with Integrity and so on, we need to emphasise that actually, at this point in the proceedings,

Well, as I said, there are … this matter raises IDEAS issues, because as you know IDEAS is about Integrity, Democracy, Ethics and Accountability. And one of the issues, one of the questions that has been raised, is that: Where does this come from? … And the Government, in its publicity, is saying: It is the 2018 law, Transport Sector Reform Law of Lagos State, that we are merely enforcing. Ok? So that’s one aspect of it.

But before I get into the discussion with Joshua about the role of the creative arts in public awareness, education and so on, I should say that one of my … our correspondents on Twitter did express some sorrow that the programme only lasts for such a short while, and that we should have some phone-in. And so I was sort of saying: Yes! You see! My listeners are keen to have me! Then he said: Yes, because I wanted to correct a mistake that you made in your last programme! So I think I should correct that mistake, which was that I was talking

Hello Rotimi. But I always like to try and accentuate the positive, so I would rather say that rather than saying we’re going to look at abuse, we are going to look at the IDEAS issues in the use of public property and the use of public power generally. I mean, the one that springs to mind immediately, the one that I put out on the Twitterfeed, was the question of so many people who were trying to register for JAMB (the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board) examinations, and they were instructed that they would not be able to register unless they had their National Identity Card.

Well, it’s in the same stand … it stands in the same shoes as the Hisbah in Kano, because I notice that the … the National Congress of Northern Youths, or some similar group, had complained … National … Northern Youth Council of Nigeria … had berated the South West Governors for establishing Àmọtẹkùn, and I’m just thinking to myself that the issue should not be that because the Governors have joined up together.