[Opinion] The Nigeria Curse Called ‘Julius Berger’ By Adekoya Boladale

Ask anyone around to name individuals who have contributed to the
putrefaction state of our country Nigeria, people who at one time or
the other have been in power and used such position to siphon the
collective wealth of all. You will get names like Ibrahim Badamosi
Babangida the one they call ‘Maradona’, names like Sani Abacha the
dreaded military junta whose looted loots we are yet to discover
fully, James Ibori a onetime governor of the oil rich Delta State
currently on vacation in the United Kingdom prison, Tafa Balogun the
former police chief who was disgraced by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC), Diepreye Alamieyesigha the former governor
of Bayelsa state who suddenly transformed into a woman to escape
judgment in the United Kingdom only to be given a pat-at-the-back
sentence in Nigeria and later a jumbo presidential pardon.
Yes, these men are part of the reasons why Nigeria is where it is
today, but before them was a man greater in corruption and
embezzlement, he was the signature for fraud and blueprint for
bribery. He was a minister of labour, minister of finance, a leader of
the defaulted NCNC party, a business mogul and a trusted allay of the
west. This man once increased the import duties on imported shoes in
other to monopolize the then thriving leather industry. He was one of
the few who sold our national wealth to the colonial rulers in other
to cut corners. This man was High Chief Festus Okotie Eboh.
But I will rather save my anger on Festus Okotie Eboh for another day
and concentrate on one of the landmark achievement historians have
over time claimed he made in Nigeria, this is the bringing into our
country the construction company who over the years has continue to
promote injustice, corruption and bribery. The advent of the curse
called ‘Julius Berger’
For a very long time Nigeria have been at the mercy of Julius Berger
Plc, a low level construction company in Germany who through Nigeria
metamorphosised into a gigantic pillar. Looking at Julius Berger as
just another company will be under estimating its strength. To say the
least this company has proven over time to be bigger than Nigeria or
any leader ever appointed or elected in our nation’s history.
In 1975, when the capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja the federal
government contracted the construction and design of the Aso Villa to
Julius Berger, the project was so financially demanding that the
government couldn’t pay fully in cash but with crude oil, that is just
one. The security codes and access to the most secured house in
Nigeria was entrusted to this alien company, you may not believe this
but ask Al Mustapha about the event of 1993 when Abacha took over as
the Head of State and how Julius Berger locked him out of Aso rock by
refusing to give him the security codes to access the villa. Not that
this is a bad development in face of politics bearing in mind Abacha
came in by force but it is in the face of national security and a huge
threat to our sovereignty as a nation. The interpretation of this is
that Julius Berger can wake up one day and decide President Jonathan
would not leave the villa by shutting the security system down or
simply take over the government as its staff is granted access to the
most secured area in the Villa without questioning under the disguise
of maintenance.
The Villa is just one out of the lots; Julius Berger constructed the
renowned International Conference Center (ICC) and was paid also with
crude oil, JB as fondly called constructed the magnificent palace of
the former head of state Ibrahim Babangida in Minna at a figure kept
under oath.
In all of these one would have expected the German company to respect
Nigerians but this is far different from what is at play; JB continue
to belittle the Labour law and subject its staff to various degree of
hardship and unfriendly treatments one of which is the transportation
of its staff in a jam-packed ‘Molue’ like bus. It freely operates the
disbanded Apartheid policy with construction of discriminatory health
facilities, one for the whites, with adequate skilled personnel and
drugs and the other for the common blacks (Nigerians) with quack
doctors and limited drugs, in fact NAFDAC once closed done this
section of the hospital for administering fake drugs to patients
(Nigerian staff).
These are few of the tales of disservice of JB to its Nigerian staff;
the greater ones are the massive fraud and continuous bribery, the
company flows in. Name any big financial fraud in Nigeria and the name
Julius Berger comes up.
In the famous Halliburton $180million fraud Julius Berger played an
important role by helping to distribute the bribe to government
officials, a fact it confessed to and later got a plea bargaining for
at the tune of $26million. That is not all; JB was also involved in
the Siemens bribery scandal where it acted as a channel for Willbros
in distribution of $6.3million bribe to various government officials.
In the aviation sector Julius Berger also carved a niche for itself in
corruption. In May 2009, FAAN contracted the supply of three CAT
generating set to Julius Berger at a whooping sum of N228.258 million
which the company failed to supply even though it got full payment for
it and an additional N45million for fuelling equipments it never
bought. Prior to that contract Julius Berger was paid N8.406 million
for the top overhaul of generating sets 2 and 4 of the Airport, a
service it never rendered.
In recent corrupt practices, Julius Berger inflated the expansion of
the Abuja Airport Road and Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) Project by
N2billion claiming the margin was a mathematical error, in a similar
scenario it suddenly increased the Vice President’s House contract
already awarded to it for 7billion naira to a whopping 16billion naira
with a huge margin of 9billion naira. That is not all; Julius Berger
was awarded the refurbishing contract for the National Stadium
recently for another mouthwatering 96million naira, a job the Super
Eagles coach described as “a disaster” hard and sandy pitch, unable to
withstand rainfall as the pitch becomes water logged”.
In all these it is evident Julius Berger is a vehicle of corruption in
Nigeria. To be fair the blame shouldn’t be on this company alone after
all none of these frauds would have been possible if we have a
reasonable and accountable government but the truth is that we don’t
have such and we know it.
These are not tales known to myself or any other individual in the
media alone. More fact revealing evidence lies with the
anti-corruption agencies and top government officials up to the
presidency. But it is obvious the power that dines with Julius Berger
is more powerful than that which dines with the president.
The government must standup against this curse and redeem what is left
of our sanity. Our country may indeed be in bad shape, it may have a
bad reputation far and wide but we don’t need another alien to
rekindle our furnace of  corruption, the footprints of our colonial
masters is still very much evident in our social, economic and
political lives. We won’t have another ‘master’ pull us down for their
self benefit.
Government must take necessary actions against Julius Berger for these
cruel acts against Nigerians and Nigeria and not award contract to it.
The agony of Julius Berger’s fraud and inconsistency is better
recounted by men and women, young and old, who ply the recently
awarded Lagos-Ibadan Expressway every day. Ever since the jamboree
kickoff and the payment of the Lagos end of the road to Julius Berger,
commuters experience on the road is better felt than said, but this is
a matter for another day.
This curse must be cured no matter the might of the devil pulling the
hypnosis. Julius Berger must shutup or shutdown!

Adekoya Boladale is a political scientist and wrote via
[email protected]. Please engage on twitter @adekoyabee

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