My February 2013 column, ‘Public Service in Private Interest’, related how our public service has proven incapable of mobilizing scarce resources for the advancement of the common good. “While the world is tending towards smaller and more efficient government, what we have in our country today is a behemoth that largely serves its own interest”, I argued in the piece, drawing attention to the fact that sacrifice is alien to the average Nigerian politician. On Tuesday, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deputy governor, Dr Kingsley Moghalu spoke for many Nigerians with his crisp X (formerly Twitter) post: “There is a real problem when Nigeria is set to borrow another $1.5 billion from World Bank for budget support, and SUVs worth N160 million each are reportedly to be bought for 360 members of the house of representatives. We are not yet serious as a country.”

This recurring issue touches on transparency and accountability in the Nigerian public space. But we will never be able to address it until we stop being selective in our approach. That’s the main challenge. Following a similar controversy four years ago, after the National Assembly voted to procure SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) for each of the 479 members, then Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, responded rather angrily. “To say that a senator of the Federal Republic cannot ride a jeep in Nigeria is an insult. The outcry over it is very unnecessary and insulting to the institution of the National Assembly and status of the federal lawmakers,” Abdullahi argued at the time.

However, it is in his justification that we can understand the mindset of the lawmakers. “When I was a Permanent Secretary, I know what ministers get. Each of the ministers move in convoy of three to four utility vehicles without anybody raising any eyebrow while some people, either because of ignorance or mischief, always cry to high heavens anytime management of the National Assembly wants to buy just one utility vehicle for a lawmaker,” said Abdullahi in 2019. “The work that we do at the National Assembly is more than the work of ministers and as representatives of the people, the money we spend on daily basis to all forms of indigent people, far outweighs whatever they, as ministers, or executive officers spend.”

This clear case of ‘Whataboutery’ is a tactic used to draw attention away from an issue by pointing fingers elsewhere, especially when accountability is demanded—an art perfected by Nigerian politicians. But Abdullahi also made a point that we should not ignore if we must deal with this vexatious issue that borders on insensitivity to the public mood. The entire National Assembly annual budget is a fraction of the funds being managed by Director-Generals in several federal government agencies. Unlike the lawmakers, these are people who did not go through the rigour of expensive elections. The same goes for Ministers. That these public officials are given a free pass on issues of accountability is why our federal lawmakers usually feel irritated whenever they buy their expensive cars and Nigerians make a fuss about it.

In August, for instance, it was reported that each of the 48 Ministers appointed by President Bola Tinubu would be given four official vehicles likely to include a Landcruiser, a Prado Jeep and two Hilux trucks. At the current market rate, everybody can do their arithmetic. That report has not been denied, yet it is not generating uproar like that of the lawmakers. So, effectively, the federal lawmakers are saying that focus should not only be on their Prado Jeeps—Nigerians should also look at those who add Hilux Vehicles to their own official fleet! In the United States from where we photocopied the presidential system of government, federal cabinet members aspire to be in the Senate. In Nigeria, Senators forfeit their seats to take ministerial appointments. We can connect the dots on where the ‘juice’ is.

I sympathise with our Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members for the way Nigerians pick on them, without holding ministers to the same standard. But I must say very quickly that they are missing the point. Lawmakers are expected to exercise oversight over the functions of the executive. And they cannot do that effectively with a mercantile approach to their job. Besides, many of our lawmakers compromise their authority with the way they relate with those over whom they should ordinarily serve as a check. At a made-for-Nollywood session three years ago, current senate president, Godswill Akpabio (who was then Niger Delta minister) told members of a House of Representatives committee to their faces that they are no better than legislative contractors. When a female lawmaker interrupted by questioning his claim, Akpabio dismissively retorted: “I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly…”

The ‘Honourable Minister, please off the Mic’ retort that followed is not only etched in the memory of many Nigerians, but it also prevented Akpabio from further spilling the beans, although the ‘uncommon transformer’ must have forgotten all that now. The people can also recall that in 2005, Haruna Yerima, then a member of the House of Representatives, made a public confession after highlighting how members extort heads of the MDAs (ministries, departments, and agencies) they are expected to oversight. “Most of us come here to make money,” Yerima charged. “Most of our debates are beer parlour debates. No research. We argue like ordinary people on the streets.” Despite explaining that he did not mean to impugn the integrity of the whole House but rather to expose some individuals who were giving the legislature a bad name, Yerima was suspended with recommendation that he be taken to “a psychiatric hospital for examination.”

Whatever may have been the outcome of that psychiatric evaluation assuming the ‘legislative mandate’ was carried out, the issues Yerima raised eight years ago have refused to go away. So, the National Assembly must understand that this controversy goes beyond the acquisition of some expensive Jeeps, it is about whether public officials should continue to revel in ostentatious lifestyle at the expense of millions of Nigerians who are going through harrowing times. It is also about the moral authority to demand further sacrifice from the people. “We have an audacious vision of accelerated revenue collection and achieving an 18 per cent tax-to GDP ratio in the next three years to ensure financial sustainability and reduce the nation’s reliance on borrowing,” the new Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Chairman, Zach Adedeji said on Monday. But how do you expect citizens to pay tax when the revenues so generated would be spent to feed the vanities of some political fat cats? How many of our public officials would expend as much as a hundred million Naira of their own resources to purchase a vehicle for themselves, even if they have the money? By sanctioning such a jumbo amount of money just for one car, has the National Assembly not unwittingly endorsed legislative ‘ways and means’ (in their oversight of the MDAs) for members to keep up with their high maintenance status?

However, I subscribe to the notion that we cannot continue to pick only on the lawmakers about a problem that is also widespread within the executive, and at all levels. For instance, one of the newly elected governors has decided to spend between N3 to 5 billion to erect a new office because, as he argued, “It’s when you make your abode or office befitting that will add value and appeal to investors. Filthy environments and poor architectural outlook can discourage.”

In my column four months ago, ‘My convoy is longer than yours’, I concluded that while human nature often predisposes people to act mostly in pursuit of self-interest, the essence of government is to subordinate the personal convenience of individuals to the imperatives of the common good. In saner climes, rolling back conveniences, no matter how little, are usually some of the first steps public officials take when their country battles the kind of socio-economic challenges that we grapple with in Nigeria today. “Yet, the crisis of present-day Nigeria is that there is little in our code of public conduct that encourages moderation or sacrifice,” I surmised. 

Let me make it clear here: I do not begrudge lawmakers or ministers who go about in expensive vehicles. My only concern is that for this democracy to survive, it is in their enlightened self-interest not to turn a deaf ear to the groans of the people.

BRI Reunion in Beijing

When you give roses to others, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his keynote address yesterday to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, “their fragrance lingers on your hand. In other words, helping others is also helping oneself. Viewing others’ development as a threat or taking economic interdependence as a risk will not make one’s own life better or speed up one’s development.” The initiative, according to Xi, is “based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood to the fire and that mutual support can get us far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well.”

I arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for the 2023 edition of the Media Cooperation on Belt and Road which coincides with the larger BRI conference that has become an annual global event. No fewer than 131 media practitioners and managers from about 90 countries are participating this year. Although inaugurated in 2014 with sessions held in September/October every year, there has not been another in the past three years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, from the 2017 edition in Dunhuang, Gansu Province of Western China to the 2018 edition in Boao, Hainan Province and the 2019 edition held in Beijing, I have been privileged to speak at these sessions. I will also be delivering a keynote speech today.

In all my interventions, I have always advocated a more beneficial relationship between China and Africa. In my 2018 speech titled, ‘Of China, Africa and ‘Colonial Master’’, I particularly stated that given the enormous financial investment China has made in Africa “it is in her interest that the relationship be seen as one based on shared humanity and prosperity, not as a new colonial master coming under the guise of loans and lopsided trade.” This aligns with the underpinning philosophy behind the BRI, as encapsulated by the Chinese president who initiated the idea. “We live in a world where history and reality meet, where opportunities and challenges coexist, and where humanity as a whole rise or fall together” according to Xi. “Countries must assist each other in times of need and choose win-win cooperation if we are to share the fruits of development.”

Four years ago in Beijing, I was inducted (along with 25 others from five continents) into the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) Council which serves to promote harmony and development within the BRI implementing countries. Coordinated by ‘Peoples Daily’, the official newspaper of the central committee of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), with membership from 182 media organisations across about a hundred countries, the objective of the BRNN is to promote “mutual assistance, collaboration and exchanges among members.” My focus of course has been more on how Nigeria should adopt a strategic approach to managing relations with China and there can be no better time for that than now.

In August this year, the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) projected that by 2030, China will overtake the European Union (EU) as Africa’s biggest trade partner, with agriculture one of the areas being targetted. According to the report, bilateral trade between China and Africa rose 35% in 2021 from 2020 to $254 billion, with exports from the continent hitting a record $106 billion. Noteworthy in the report: “Nigeria is Africa’s biggest importer from China while South Africa is the biggest exporter.” The question for the Nigerian authorities, especially at such a time as this, is: What should we learn from South Africa so that we can also begin to derive maximum benefits from our relations with China? 

This conversation has just started.

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Wednesday revealed that lawmakers in the House are open to a political solution to the impeachment process against the state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The spokesperson of the House, Olatunji Oshati, stated this following the intervention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leadership.

Naija News had earlier reported that the APC leadership met with some members of the assembly and some party leaders in the state over the impeachment process against Aiyedatiwa.

The statement released by Oshati reads, “Following the intervention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC members in Ondo State House of Assembly have agreed to consider the possibility of a political solution on the impeachment proceedings against the State Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.

“At a meeting held in the APC’s National Secretariat in Abuja on 17th October, 2023 at the instance of the National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Reconciliation Committee set up by the Party under the Chairmanship of Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, members of the APC in Ondo State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, and the Ondo State leadership of APC led by Engr Ade Adetimehin, all agreed that a political solution to the impeachment was possible and proper.

“The Hon. Speaker restated that the House was only exercising its responsibility under S.188 of the 1999 Constitution, having received a petition accusing the Deputy Governor of some allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. He, however, expressed the desire of the House leadership to further consult with members of the House cutting across party lines, on the political solution as proposed by the APC.

“The House therefore hopes that in the same spirit of genuine wish for a political solution, the Deputy-Governor would take immediate steps to withdraw the multiple court cases he filed over the same impeachment. This would allow the stakeholders to freely discuss the settlement proposals and prevent actions or comments over a matter that is still subjudice.”

A notorious Boko Haram Commander identified as Bulama Bukar, has surrendered to troops of the 5 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Gubio in Borno State.

Bukar operates a terrorist camp in Tapkin Chad at Gilima village of Borno State, Naija News understands and several weapons and other items were recovered from him.

The development was made known on Wednesday in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, made available on the X (formerly Twitter) page of the Army.

The surrendered Boko Haram Commander is already undergoing profiling sessions.

He said: “In the North East theatre of operations, a notorious Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Commander, identified as Bulama Bukar has surrendered to troops of 5 Brigade in Gubio. The surrendered terrorist was the commander of the BHT Camp Tapkin Chad at Gilima village in Abadam LGA of Borno state.

“Items recovered from the surrendered terrorist include one AK 47 rifle, 5 magazines, 44 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one magazine carrier jacket, one knife, one motorcycle and the sum of twenty three thousand, five hundred naira (#23,500.00) only. The suspect is currently undergoing profiling sessions.”

In other developments, as revealed in the statement by Nwachukwu, troops of the Nigerian Army also killed three suspected insurgents in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State following an actionable intelligence received on Tuesday.

Several pieces of ammunition and cash were recovered during the multiple operations.

He explained that Nigerian Army troops of 2 Battalion received actionable intelligence which led them to lay ambush for the suspected insurgents where three suspects were killed while another operation by the same troops led to the interception of an ammunition courier.

He said, “In recent operations, troops of 2 Battalion acting on actionable intelligence on 17 October 2023 staged an ambush against marauding insurgents at Udowa general area in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State. During the operations, troops neutralized three insurgents in a fierce firefight, while others escaped in disarray.

“Troops recovered from the fleeing insurgents, a bandolier containing 111 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, one AK 47 magazine, 2 motorcycles, one set of high frequency communication radio and 2 mobile phones. Sadly one soldier paid the supreme price during the encounter.

“In another operation the same day, troops of 1 Brigade on a stop and search operation intercepted a suspected Ammunition courier in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara State. A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was on a mission to deliver ammunition to a Bandit leader named Gishiri. The vigilant troops recovered a bag containing 224 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one mobile phone and the sum of four thousand naira (#4,000)only from the courier. The suspect is currently in custody undergoing further investigations.”

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, laid the first foundation block for the development of the Lagos Film City.

The project, which is sited on 100-hectares of land in Ejinrin town, Epe, is intended to enhance originality in content creation in Nollywood – Nigeria’s film industry.

Recall that the state government in October last year, announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Del-York Group for the construction of the project.

Sanwo-Olu said the project, which would be executed through PPP model, marked a significant milestone in his administration’s journey to creating a thriving film industry in Lagos that would have a global appeal.

The governor said: “Today, we embark on a journey that will redefine the landscape of the film industry in Lagos. As we break the ground for this $100million (N100 billion) project covering a land area of 100 hectares and which will be executed through PPP model, we are laying the foundation for a creative hub that will serve as a catalyst for innovation, talent discovery, and storytelling excellence. This is a testament to our commitment to nurturing the arts and supporting the dreams of aspiring filmmakers, actors, and technicians.

“It is our strong belief that the film industry has the power to transcend boundaries and bring people together. It has the ability to inspire, entertain, and educate. Through the magic of cinema, we can showcase the rich cultural heritage of Lagos, while telling stories that reflect our shared experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. This film city will serve as a canvas for these stories, providing a platform for our talented artists to shine on both local and global stages.”

Through the project, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos would tap into the global entertainment GDP and create job opportunities for young cinematographers, while stimulating economic growth and attracting more foreign investment into the sector.

“The Film City is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about the people who will walk through its doors and breathe life into its spaces. It is about the dreams that will be realised, stories that will be told, and impacts that will be made. Our creative community is the beating heart of this film city, and we are committed to providing them with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive. This is an ecosystem that will nurture creativity, foster collaboration and empower artists to push their craft beyond the local boundaries,” he said.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, noted that upon completion the project would have positive impact on tourism in the state.

“By the time the Lagos Film City comes on board, the spiral-effect on Lagos profile as a tourist destination of choice would be appreciated beyond the entertainment sector,” the Commissioner said.

The founder of Del-York Group, Linus Idahosa, said allocation of private equity to investors in the project development underscored Sanwo-Olu’s understanding of key partnerships required to deliver the vision and enhance growth in the creative sector.

He said: “This idea of strategic collaboration between the Government and stakeholders is what it takes to push the country forward. The future of this country will be determined by the creative energy we are about to harness through the Film City project.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund has disclosed that over 60 percent of classrooms of public Junior Secondary School in Borno, Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi have no teaching materials.

Chief of Education of UNICEF Nigeria, Saadhna Panday-Soobrayan , disclosed this at a 2-day National Conference on the Learning Crisis in Nigeria on Wednesday.

Panday-Soobrayan also disclosed that the learning gaps persist in the country which is most severe in the Northern part of the country, adding that only 10 percent of 7 to 14 year olds in North West and 12 percent in the North East demonstrate foundational literacy.

“Nigeria’s learning crisis begins in Children’s earliest years as only half of Nigeria’s children are developmentally on track in early childhood. And only 60 per cent participate in organised pre-primary learning,” she said.

UNICEF’s Chief of Education, also lamented that the quality of teachers in the country is limited by poor pedagogical skills and lack of teaching and learning materials, disclosing that only 84 percent of Primary School teachers and 59 of JSS teachers are qualified.

She disclosed that the teacher workforce in the country suffers from severe shortfalls, adding that Nigeria has a shortfall of approximately 195,000 teachers at the primary level.

She also stated that under-investment in quality education in Nigeria has affected effective action, saying that domestic education financing is chronologically low.

Panday-Soobrayan noted that the aforementioned educational deprivation and learning poverty has stalled progress on achieving all other goals, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa has achieved just 41 percent of SDG 4 commitment.

She stated that a structured pedagogy will improve learning outcomes including scripted lesson plans, teacher support, training and monitoring.

“Structured pedagogy programmes have the largest and most consistent positive average effects on learning outcomes. Pedagogical interventions that tailor teaching to students’ skills are consistently recommended,” she stated

Also speaking, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, emphasized the need for targeted efforts to address the learning loss in the country, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

She noted that the pandemic worsened the existing education crisis in the region, with many children losing access to education due to the closure of schools.

“For Nigeria, convening a conference on the learning crisis is opportune as the government defines its priorities for the education sector in the new Ministerial Strategic Plan. Just as Nigeria has galvanized significant support around the out-of-school problem, so too must it give attention to the learning crisis that is fueling the out-of-school problem in Nigeria,” she said.

Also speaking during the event, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrazaq AbdulRahman, called for a state of emergency in the education sector specifically targeting the basic level.

The chairman who was represented by the Vice Chairman of the Forum and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde however stated that there was need for immediate action to bridge the learning gaps observed at the elementary school level.

“You must provide the resources and look at all the issues that are working against achieving sustainable growth. It is one thing to declare a state of emergency and another thing to put all the resources and elements that will allow us achieve that. I support putting in place the resources, even if you don’t declare a state of emergency to allow us to move faster in that sector,” he said.

David Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has slammed President Bola Tinubu.

He carpeted President Bola Tinubu and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly transitioning the ruling party from its national party status at inception to the present Islamic party.

He accused the party of being insensitive and taking Nigerians for granted in unlawful ways and manners the nomenclature of the party was thwarted to suit their purpose.

In a fresh statement he issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Babachir Lawal challenged the ruling party to be courageous enough to change the name of the party from the All Progressives Congress to Islamic Party of Nigeria.

He apparently reacted to a scathing remark made against him by APC, following his Tuesday’s statement that Peter Obi and not Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election.

APC through one Felix Morka had challenged and castigated Babachir Lawal on his audacity to make the statement.

But the ex-SGF said that he stood by his position and asked APC to address the issues he raised rather than castigating him.

The statement read in part, “I woke up this morning to a very pathetic social media trending write-up, apparently a response to my article on the current political discourse by one Felix, allegedly of the APC.

“I suspect he was assigned this role because it is in the nature of sycophants and people consigned to second-class status to be assigned roles that their masters are wary of taking on.

“Usually, the dirty, unsavoury jobs are contracted out to such. In the bible, a certain Felix (after which this Felix was probably named) was a freed slave who had a reputation of cruelty as the ruler of Judea in order to please his master, the emperor Claudius (of whose mother Felix was a slave).

“I really do sympathise with a Christian who finds himself in an Islamic party and is desperate to please his masters and probably to be noticed when the next round of political appointments come.

“When we founded APC way back in 2013/2014, we envisaged it will be a national party that would carry along all the different socio-political and religious tendencies of the nation.

“In those days, we were careful not to sideline any of the religions or tribes of the country in the composition of the membership and leadership of the party.

‘We wanted a party that will embrace all Nigerians. It was this that informed the principle that both the National Chairman and Secretary will not be of the same religion, tribe or region.

“Sadly, APC has now transitioned into an Islamic Party of Nigeria. All the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the North and some from the South are Muslims.

“They campaigned on an Islamization platform and are striving hard to run the government as such, but for the resistance of the other religions.

“All that is now left for the party is a change of name, but even this may not take long since it already has Kadmul Islam as its national chairman and a Muslim as its national secretary.

“The Deputy National Chairman North, who acts in the absence of the Chairman, National Organizing Secretary, National Legal Adviser, and three National Vice Chairmen and more, are Muslims. Good for them.

“And talking of electoral value, both the National Chairman and the National Secretary just dramatically lost in the February 25 election.

“Mallam Felix didn’t do well in his own constituency either. It is based on these considerations that I pity a Christian who finds himself in the position of a spokesperson of an Islamic party.

“Mark my words, all critical decisions will be taken behind his back during the afternoon prayer sessions, which he will be unable to attend.

“As to the substance of the response itself, I find it deliberately obtuse, skating around the real issues raised in my press statement.

“It was empty of substance and logic; a true product of a sycophantic mind that has no capacity to understand the subtle nuances underlying a message delivered to an discerning audience.

“Mallam Felix, your masters got the message loud and clear because some of them have reached out to me for dialogue on the issues raised.

“But in line with your lower status in the scheme of things, you are not aware that all the issues I raised were designed in a manner to deliver a message to a discomfited government that is populated by longstanding friends of mine who appear to have abandoned common sense and patriotism for unbridled personal goals and filthy lucre.

“And they got the message, which you cannot. In this discourse, you are a remote outsider, so shut up.

“We want a Nigeria that works for all. We want a Nigeria that even sycophants can relate to and in which everyone is free to pursue their ambitions in peace in pursuit of prosperity and the good life.

“We want a Nigeria that guarantees freedom of speech for its citizens, just as you and I are doing right now.

“If Bola Tinubu claims he fought Abacha on the side of democracy and free speech, it is unbecoming and unacceptable that the NBC should threaten journalists under his watch.

“It is indefensible to keep the EFCC Chairman and the CBN governor under arrest for extended periods of time without or before trial, just as it is also unacceptable that political parties are used to intimidate and harass citizens exercising their opinions in the public domain.

“I am sure even you and the APC can relate to this. I am also sure that, but for their blind hatred of other Nigerians, not of their tribes or religions, even the Islamists that you serve and desperately seek to please can relate to this.

“I am sure that no Nigerian is enjoying the national shame and embarrassment we are going through as a result of these unending revelations as to who or what our “president” actually is; or that most Nigerians cannot be sure of at least one meal a day anymore; or that we can no longer attend wedding ceremonies in Imo or Zamfara States due to insecurity.

“Know what you may, say what you may; I hold firmly to my assertion that Peter Obi had the majority votes in the February 25 presidential election.

“That was why both INEC and APC had to go rogue in the election; and they know this fact even if they will not admit it. After all the thief knows who stole the item.”

In what will come across as a really startling development, several goods reportedly worth over N1 billion have been destroyed in a fire outbreak at the Ebonyi State International Market on Wednesday.

The fire affected one of the largest warehouses in the market.

DAILY POST reports that the cause of the fire incident, which started around 2:00 am, is yet to be ascertained.

Also, the fire is yet to be put out as of the time of filing this report.

Speaking to newsmen, the brother of the owner of the affected warehouse, Mr Chidi Okechukwu, blamed the incident on poor security management in the market.

He said, “If I’m to say, the security personnel in the market knows when this fire started. We have no adequate security in this market.”

Okechukwu explained that the owner of the warehouse is the highest distributor of indomie nodules, tomato and other beverages.

“The owner of the warehouse is one of my brothers. This fire incident was said to have started by 2:00 am last night and have continued up till now and yet all efforts to quench it has not yielded any fruit.

“Many fire service officers are here, both the state and federal fire service officers. The sympathizers are also helping to quench the fire but there is no headway.

“All the goods in this large warehouse have been burnt down. The worth of the goods destroyed is billions of naira. The warehouse is filled with goods from up to downstairs. It is regrettable that the goods have been burnt to ashes,” he added.

Okechukwu insinuated that the fire could be an act of sabotage, as he described it as mysterious.

He said, “You can’t attribute it to power surge because there is no electricity in the International Market. It is very strange and surprising to us to hear that the warehouse is gutted by fire. From which source?

“We may not say it is somebody that did it. It is only God who know what really happened.”

But the Chairman of the International Market, Lot One, Mr Peter Oba, said the incident was caused by a solar energy battery that was installed to power the CCTV camera inside the warehouse.

He called on the state government to come to the assistance of the owner of the warehouse.

Ola Olukoyede, the newly confirmed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has vowed to prosecute corrupt politicians irrespective of their party affiliations.

Olukayode stated this during his screening alongside Muhammad Hammajoda who was also confirmed as the Secretary of the anti-graft agency.

The confirmation came about one week after their appointment by President Bola Tinubu.

During his screening, Olukoyede said the EFCC under his watch will be impartial and relentless in the fight against corruption.

He said whether an individual is affiliated with the ruling party or not, they will be investigated if linked with financial crimes.

Olukoyede further explained what the agency’s approach will look like under him.

“In this issue of investigating political opponents, there are two salient questions that must be answered. Number one, has the person committed financial crimes? If he has, then I have cause to investigate him.

“If you are in the ruling party, and you dip your hands into what you are not supposed to, you will be called to question.

“If you are in the opposition and you swallow sandpaper that did not digest, you will also be called to question,” he said.

President Tinubu had on June 14 suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa, the then EFCC boss, to pave the way for investigation into allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

After Bawa’s suspension, the President directed Abdulkarim Chukkol, the Director of Operations at the Commission, to assume the role of acting EFCC chair, while the Department of State Services (DSS) took Bawa into custody as part of the investigation process.

Meanwhile, the Senate also confirmed the appointment of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) during Wednesday’s plenary.

The Promised Nigerian Suit against the United Nations: A Case for the Proper Socialisation of Cabinet Members

On October 17, 2023, it was widely reported in the media that Ms. Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs, while on an AIT interview yesterday, in an unexpected, haphazard manner gave the United Nations (UN) a one-month ultimatum from October 16, 2023 to November 15, 2023 to render published account on all the monies received in the name of Nigeria from donors. The Minister promised to proceed to file a suit on November 16, 2023, against the UN if the accounts are not rendered. But can an International Organisation like the UN be dealt with in such a cavalier manner?

Asking for accountability and transparency is very proper. The spirit of seeking answers to lighten up grey areas that may be indicative of corruption is a great idea. Experience shows that some UN officials are corrupt, and some have accordingly been jailed. However, there are laid down arrangements for such requests by a sovereign nation. Not to follow the laid down procedure and embarking on media grandstanding can only portray Nigeria in bad light. Nigeria is telling the world that it lacks the requisite leadership and structures for appropriate operation in the community of nations.

The United Nations system’s counterpart in Nigeria is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even, if the Minister of Foreign Affairs, after exhaustive dialogue within his Department of International Organisations has decided on the need to request for transparency from the UN, it is expected that he would take the case to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before articulating, if at all, such a weighty position at a media show.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the UN General Assembly last month and met with the UN Secretary-General. He was not reported to have indicated that Nigeria was experiencing a lack of accountability and transparency with the UN entities working in Nigeria. So, it is a shock that a Nigerian Minister is so amateurish in diplomatic relations. Our inadequacies from lacking the appropriate arrangements for the necessary training and socialisation of new entrants into office are being shown to the world.

In addition, one expects that a Minister of Nigeria would have been apprised of the importance of diplomatic and functional immunities that the UN and its officials enjoy. In which Court is our Minister of Women Affairs intending to embark on her frolic? What would be the charges? What is the expected outcome of such a litigation process? Would a more organized strategic follow-through reporting of officials through diplomatic channels against a media inspired, arrogant, poorly thought-out litigation choice not have yielded a much better outcome?

President Tinubu needs to have his Ministers coordinated and appropriately socialised into their respective duties. The UN must readily support anti-corruption, including allegations against its own staff members when evidences are adduced through appropriate mechanisms. 

The Minister of Women Affairs will do well to address corruption in her Ministry by collaborating with the ongoing probe, by at least one of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies. Charity is better if it begins at home. She needs to be more procedural and take advantage of available expertise in the government she is a part of. She could also make a big difference by embarking on ways to empower women and thereby reduce national poverty.

*Babafemi A. Badejo, author of a best-seller on politics in Kenya, was a former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, and currently a Legal Practitioner and Professor of Political Science/International Relations, Chrisland University, Abeokuta. Nigeria.