2 6 Years after Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the godfather and exponent of Afrobeat, passed on, his relevance as a global icon and the recognition of his message was delivered to a global audience, with the Broadway musical production, Fela. Afrobeat fans have long appreciated his jazz-inspired musical arrangements with a horn section at par with the likes of Brass Construction and Earth, Wind and Fire. More recently the neo afrobeat genre, is taking the global audiences by storm with Bruna Boy, Whiz Kid, Davido and Asake to name a few.

Fela used his prodigious talent as a tool to fighting injustice, highlighting social, economic and political problems. The activism in the Ransome-Kuti family can be traced to his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, an early anti-colonialist and women’s rights activist. She also holds the record of being the first woman in Nigeria to drive a car. His Gentleman Reverend father in retrospect, must have silently supported and approved.

Fela’s strength lay in is his intrinsic ability to tell stories about his experiences. He gauged, felt and connected with the economic, social and political issues of the common man and arranged his songs and music around them. Consequently, Fela’s recordings such as, ‘Chop and Quench’ ‘Yellow fever’, ‘Follow Follow’ Zombie’, ‘Suffering and Smiling’, ‘Power Show’ and ‘Authority Stealing’ have become an integral part of the Nigerian vocabulary and cultural landscape. Prophetic nature of Fela’s music is affirmed by the contemporary situation in Nigeria today. Poverty, lack of social infrastructure, corruption and institutional theft, are still rampant almost 30 years after his original releases highlighted these same issues. The last two years especially, has witnessed serious challenges and shocks to the fundamentals of the Nigerian Economy. Exchange rate in a year went from 460 to1000 Naira/Dollar and Inflation from 11-30%.

In 2016, GDP Growth rate crashed from 6% to -2.25% plunging the economy into recession, currently recovering within an upward trajectory growth of 2,8%. This is however still lower than our population growth of 3%. The overall impact is reflected by price increases across board, and stagnant income levels, leaving Nigerians struggling to adjust to a new reality with fuel price increase and single window exchange rate mechanism. An entry level saloon car which cost 4Million Naira 5 years ago is now retailing for 40Million Naira. In economic terms, what we have experienced in the last two years in Nigeria, is stagflation; the impact and interplay of negative GDP growth, high Inflation, high interest rates and exchange rate devaluation, resulting in high price levels, erosion of purchasing power and savings. The new government is yet to respond, despite a finance and economic coordinating minister and a new central bank governor. We await the 2024 budget to get a better idea of what the future holds. Fela already had visions of the state of Nigerian economy in 2023. In his 1989 release ‘Overtake Don Overtake Overtake, ODOO’, Fela who was not a trained economist, once again captured the mood prophetically. The song, graphically illustrates the economic reality we have experienced over the last two years. After a medley of his old songs, warning that he had sung about certain sociopolitical situations before and the issues were still current, he proceeded to tell the story of a level three civil servant saving to buy a fan. The civil servant started to save for the fan when it was 75Naira. Unfortunately by the time his savings had reached that amount, the price of the fan had gone up to 200Naira. Not to be deterred our subject saved diligently until he met up with the new price. On his way to the store to buy the fan, there was breaking news that the government had devalued the currency and introduced a second tier foreign exchange system. As a result the price of the fan had gone to 700Naira, proclaiming a situation of perpetual poverty for the common man as a result of adverse economic policies. “Government announce second tier everything tear to pieces, second bass jare”.

The turnaround expectations for the new government are high. With 95% of revenues going towards debt service and unstainable debt levels, stagflation and massive devaluation of the Naira, one wonders what Fela will make of Nigeria’s current economic predicament.

Fela was a thorn in the side of the Nigerian Military dictators, and most of his recordings were about the misrule and illegal regime of “Soldiers” and how they jailed and mistreated him. “Soldier go Soldier come” Lucky for this administration he is no longer here to comment.

With a new generation of millennials exposed to Fela’s music and the unfiltered proliferation of his music online, perhaps the best recognition of the impact Fela has had on our social, political and economic consciousness, is for the broadcast commission censors to lift the ban on certain songs, allowing unrestricted public airplay for all of Fela’s recordings.

Nigeria and Nigerians, never seem to amaze me. We move from one saga to the other, like a television ‘soap’ series where there is always one plot or the other, and we seem to love spending precious man hours on unproductive issues, and even let them overshadow the more important things that we should be concentrating on, like the hardship that Nigerians have been passing through due to decades of institutional corruption, inefficiency and bad governance. When on October 1, people were sending me Happy 63rd Independence Day messages, I asked a couple of them what the greeting meant. What is happy or significant about our 63rd Independence Day? Tears filled my eyes when I thought of a country like South Korea that was in a pitiable condition at the time of our independence, but over this same period of time that we have wasted on nonsense, has transformed to a First World nation, and without any mineral resources to bolster their economy, I might add; or a place like Dubai which has become the tourist centre of the world in less than 30 years, possibly the number 1 that Nigerians, especially our politicians love to visit and also reside there, while Nigeria shamefully remains stagnant or even continues to regress, despite all the ‘goodies’ that God has endowed our country with. It is indeed, painful and thought provoking. What Nigerians want to see is traction and progress, in all spheres of our lives; we are excited and hopeful that our country will start to evolve to meet global best practices and the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter II of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2023)(the Constitution), instead of the daily unfolding fruitless dramas that seem to be the norm these days. 

Unimpeachable Candidates: A Thing of the Distant Past

Since we tend to drift from one drama to the other, as far as I’m concerned, it is safe to conclude that Nigeria left the ‘Scene’ of unimpeachable political candidates possibly since the time of our founding Fathers, and today, we have sunk so low that it is the norm for most of our so-called leaders to have one skeleton or the other in their cupboard. We haven’t forgotten the money laundering allegations levelled against the PDP Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his wife in USA, and financial impropriety allegations levelled against him here in Nigeria, even by his former Principal, former President Obasanjo (though OBJ never seems to see much good in others); nor the issue of the Labour Party Candidate, Peter Obi and the Pandora Papers; nor have we forgotten how former President Buhari had issues with his WASC Certificate during the 2019 PEPT. Government officials who do not have allegations of financial impropriety levelled against them, are in the minority. Unfortunately and embarrassingly, the list of politicians and the skeletons in their cupboards seems to be endless, and so, I’m wondering why those who also have things to hide are trying to appear saintly, and casting stones on the ‘alleged suddenly lone sinner’, President Bola Tinubu! Or is it just the attitude of a spoiler, as we say in Yoruba: “Kaka ki eku ma je sese, afi se awadanu”, that is, “If I can’t have it, nobody else will have it, so, let us scatter it”. This is definitely not to say that because most of our leaders are accused of something or the other, that I condone wrongdoing, No. I do not. 

The present frenzy about the American court case centred on Chicago State University and President Bola Tinubu’s credentials, Case No. 1:23-cv-05099 In Re Application of Atiku Abubakar; Chicago State University, again evinces many facts, some of which I have always maintained, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record or Cacofonix (to those who don’t want to hear it), I will once again restate some of them: 1) Law and Morals are not the same. Sometimes they may intersect, in that, what is immoral may also be illegal, like Stealing, but many other times, many things that are immoral are either not unlawful, or are not caught within the sanction process of the law; 2) Law is not logic, and the administration of justice isn’t done by logic, or settled by emotions or in the court of public opinion – we have the Constitution (which obviously requires a total rejig), statutes (in the case of electoral matters, the Electoral Act 2022 (EA), our legal principles, rules of interpretation and good judicial precedent, as our tools; 3) The Law can be an ‘ass’, depending on which side you are on; 4) The Courts must start to award punitive costs, when Lawyers bring actions which constitute gross abuse of court process to clog up the court system; 5) The LPDC & LPPC should be more up and doing, in the discipline of Lawyers who engage in abuse of court process and inciting the public against the Judiciary/needlessly bringing the Judiciary into disrepute.

Judiciary as a Scapegoat 

As usual, the Judiciary is the scapegoat, and has already been put on trial again. In fact, the Supreme Court has already been tried and convicted, if they do not admit the fresh evidence Alhaji Atiku’s legal team seeks to introduce on appeal at the Supreme Court, or if they do not disqualify President Bola Tinubu, or if they do not overturn the 2023 Presidential election and call for a new one, possibly based on the new American court proceedings about his credentials, since it is obvious that the Presidential Election Petitions failed woefully on most grounds at the PEPT. 

But, as a Lawyer of 32 years standing who does nothing but study the law, day in day out, it is my duty to point out a few facts, since many of our learned colleagues have gone to town, turning the law on its head, to mislead the public.

Position of the Law: The Constitution, Electoral Act and Judicial Precedent 

Section 131 of the Constitution sets out the ‘qualifications for election to the office of President’, while Section 137 provides for disqualification for election to the office of President. This is self-explanatory. It means the conditions you have to meet in order to run for election to the office of President, or conditions, which if you don’t meet, you cannot run for office of the President. It seems to me that, from the wordings of those constitutional provisions and by virtue of the new Section 29(5) of the EA, matters that border on the qualification of a candidate to stand for elections or disqualification, are pre-election matters, as they are issues which come into play before the election, which by virtue of Section 285(9) of the Constitution and 29(5) of the EA must be filed by a co-aspirant of the same party  at the Federal High Court not later than 14 days from the date of the occurrence of the event or decision complained of. This provision is clear and unambiguous. Section 285 (14)(a)-(c) of the Constitution then goes on to define pre-election matters, while Section 29(5) of the EA restricts to co-aspirants who participated in the Primaries, those who can institute proceedings in which they have reasonable grounds to believe that information provided to INEC by their fellow aspirants in their Forms are false. 

My first submission therefore, is that it is trite that matters bordering on qualification and disqualification of a candidate to run for election is a pre-election matter, which in the case of a candidate of XYZ Party, can only be instituted by another aspirant who ran in the XYZ Party Primaries for the same electoral position (not even any random member of XYZ Party), and not by a member of ABC Party who ran in the election against the candidate of the XYZ Party being complained of. This is a well settled principle of law, enunciated in a plethora of cases. In Akinlade & Anor v INEC & Ors (2019) LPELR-55090 (SC) per Ejembi Eko, JSC, the Supreme Court held that “…. the disqualification of a candidate on grounds of false information in his Form CF001 is a pre-election matter, by dint of Section 285 (14) of the Constitution”. Such action must be brought within 14 days of the occurrence of the event complained of, and “A cause of action extinguished and statute barred by operation of Section 285(9) of the Constitution remains extinguished, and cannot be reviewed subsequent in an election petition as a ground for questioning an election”.

It is therefore, strange that though this principle was also well enunciated by the Supreme Court in a past case concerning Alhaji Atiku Abubakar after the 2019 Presidential election, that is, Atiku Abubakar v INEC 2020 12 N.W.L.R. Part 1737 Page 37 where the Apex Court also made it clear that disqualification of a candidate on grounds of false information contained in his Form CF 001 or EC 9 (Affidavits in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons Seeking Election into Office) is a pre-election matter, ironically, he is the one that is harping on this matter which he not only appears not to have locus standi to bring, not being an APC Presidential Aspirant, but seems to be time/statute-barred. 

I will not delve into the subject-matter of the American case, since it has become ‘sub judice’ as whatever has resulted from the ‘Discovery and Inspection’ in it, has been sought to be presented  to our the Supreme Court in the pending appeal. 

However, a pertinent question to ask is, whether the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to admit fresh evidence.

Introduction of Fresh Evidence on Appeal

While it is possible for fresh evidence to be introduced on appeal with the leave of court, the conditions for such leave to be granted were restated in Williams & Anor v Adold/Stamm Intl (Nig) Ltd & Anor (2017) LPELR-41559(SC) per Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC, the first condition being that the evidence sought to be adduced must be such that it couldn’t reasonably be obtained for use at the trial, or they were matters that occurred after judgement had been delivered. President Tinubu graduated from CSU in 1979. Alhaji Atiku even gave credit to late Gani Fawehinmi, GCON, SAN who died 14 years ago, for inspiring him to  follow up the CSU matter, confirming that it is an old issue which the details could have been sought and obtained long ago. Section 29(3) & (4) of the EA mandates that INEC publish the personal particulars submitted by all candidates within seven days of receipt of same, and anyone can apply for a CTC of those documents which will be made available by INEC, upon payment of the prescribed fee for same. The details of the personal particulars of all candidates in the 2023 general elections, were available to the public since 2022.

Last week, I watched an interview on our Arise TV, in which a young learned colleague, also a PDP Spokesperson in discussing the CSU case cited the case of Hon. Hassan Saleh v Chris Abah & Ors (2017) LPELR-41914(SC) which he used to introduce the topic of forgery, which is obviously a criminal offence, even if one may try to cleverly restrict it to only a constitutional matter of Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution. In the 2023 Machina/Lawan case, though I respectfully disagreed with that decision, the Supreme Court looked beyond the Federal High Court’s Practice Directions that provides that pre-election matters should be commenced by Originating Summons, and the majority held that since there were contentious issues to be tried in the matter, the Petitioner should have come by way of Writ of Summons. In the same vein, the Apex Court can lift the veil of a constitutional matter which doubles as a criminal matter and decline it, since Section 232(2) of the Constitution, prevents the Supreme Court from assuming original jurisdiction in any criminal matter. This means that if we are to go by the fact that a party is claiming that a candidate forged any of his credentials or supporting documents, it appears that this is a matter that the Supreme Court may not have jurisdiction to entertain at first instance. It should have been a pre-election matter for trial at the Federal High Court. In Williams & Anor v Adold/Stamm Intl (Nig) Ltd & Anor (Supra), the Supreme Court held that for the sake of doing justice, it cannot confer on itself jurisdiction that the Constitution doesn’t confer on it. The Supreme Court is also not a trial court, and introduction of a fresh matter which requires proof beyond reasonable doubt and oral evidence, may breach a Respondent’s right to fair hearing which is guaranteed by Section 36(1) of the Constitution. In Chief Ikie Aghwarianovwe v Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor & 2 Ors SC/CV/614/2023 delivered on July 7, 2023, the Supreme Court listed the requirements that must be established, for false information under Section 29(5) & (6) of the EA. Proof beyond reasonable doubt, is definitely required.

Conclusion 

I can only conclude that the American voyage of discovery and inspection embarked upon by Alhaji Atiku and his legal team, may be one that can only serve as a platform for public debate about morals, and at best, diminish the standing of a political opponent in the eyes of the public – in legal parlance, to bring the person into odium and opprobrium – nothing more. 

As far as the law is concerned, the voyage appears not to have any merit – knowing that as the law stands today, it is trite that a political opponent in an opposing party does not have the locus standi to maintain an action based upon qualification against a rival in another party, nor can one bring an action that is statute/time barred. 

Nevertheless, I think it may be time to review some of the relevant provisions of the EA, so that, in the end, it doesn’t appear as if people are allowed to profit from their alleged transgressions. Does it mean that if there is no bitter co-aspirant from the same party to challenge the issue of qualification on time, then a transgressor will get away with his/her sin, even if it may have been discovered after the little window provided ? Should issues of qualification and disqualification be allowed to be part of election petitions and open to opponents from other parties to raise, in order to give litigants the option to fire from all sides and fight from all available angles, instead of the restrictions placed by Section 29(5) of the EA? My dear colleagues, please, share your views on this issue. 

Speaking recently at the opening of a two-day retreat for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state, Vice President, Kashim Shettima, made a profound statement which succinctly explains the central mission of the Nigerian nation. In part of the widely publicised speech, the Vice President stated that “if Nigeria fails, the black man has failed,”—reiterating Nigeria’s leadership responsibility to Africa and the entire black race. Although Shettima was addressing members of the National Assembly, his thought-provoking statement serves both as an inspiration and a call to action to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation.

When one rises above the superficial type of social analysis and thinks deeply about the above statement, one realizes that the flip side of the same truth is that if Nigeria succeeds, the black man has succeeded. For those who understand the Manifest Destiny of the Nigerian nation and the leadership responsibility that accompanies that destiny, Shettima’s clarion call couldn’t have come at a better time. At such a time as this when majority of our citizens are becoming oblivious of Nigeria’s leadership responsibility to Africa and the black race, it becomes very important that we bring to the consciousness of our citizens, the responsibility we owe to Africa and the black race, while reaffirming our position as the undisputable leader of the African continent.

Informed minds know that it is an incontrovertible fact that providence has assigned the Nigerian nation the dual responsibilities of being the hope of Africa and the pride of the black race, but fate has, through chequered historical evolution, denied majority of Nigerian citizens the knowledge of this sacred mission. Thus, we find a broad section of our citizens, from the elite to the mases, striving to pilot the affairs of a nation whose manifest destiny they do not know. But even though the Manifest Destiny of the Nigerian nation is not yet known to majority of our citizens, it is, nonetheless, a definite fact. It is a fact that is founded on the understanding that the cause of Nigeria is indeed the cause of Africa and by extension, the cause of the entire black race. This is particularly true when one considers the positioning of Nigeria in African and global context.

To begin with, Nigeria has the rare privilege of being, not just the most populous black nation in the world, we are, amongst the few, if not the only black nation in the world, that has not been negatively influenced by the myth of white supremacy—a psychological affront that undermines the growth of most African nations. A careful observation of the psyche of the Nigerian citizen reveals the fact that he has a distinguishing feature that sets him apart from other black Africans. The major part of that distinguishing feature is the indomitable Nigerian spirit that never bows to the myth of white supremacy. The manifestation of this spirit is not only seen in the resilience nature of Nigerians, it is also visible in the audacity of faith which makes Nigerians to always believe that the future holds a better promise than the past, —an audacity of faith that many foreign observers have come to define as “believing in hope, even against hope.”

But our hope is never superficial. It is founded on our understanding of the spiritual attributes of man; the capacity to believe in unseen realities. We believe, not because we are not aware of our current challenges. We believe, because we know that hope is action, and faith is the greatest creative force in the world. It is this faith that has kept us as one united nation, irrespective of our diversity and historical challenges. It is this faith in ourselves that has distinguished us from many other black Africans, even from the beginning of our nationhood.

Speaking during his inaugural address as the Governor General of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe opined that “the challenge of Nigeria as a free state in central Africa is the need to revive the stature of man in Africa and restore the dignity of black man in the world. Nigerians believe passionately in fundamental human rights. We regard all races of the human family as equal. Under no circumstance shall we accept the idea that the black race is inferior to any other race.” This statement encapsulates the central mission of the Nigerian nation, and that was what Shettima was striving to bring to our national consciousness through his speech in Akwa Ibom state.

And Shettima is not just a lone voice, crying in the wilderness, he was saying the same truth Nelson Mandela once stated when he observed that “the world will never respect Africa until Nigeria earns that respect. The black people of the world are looking up to Nigeria to become a symbol of pride and confidence.” He admonished us to ensure that “every Nigerian citizen is made to understand this great responsibility.” That is —exactly— what Shettima is striving to do.

To better appreciate the significance of Shettima’s words, one has to consider the fact that a nation may be endowed with extra-ordinary individual great minds, but such a nation may not make any significant progress, both on the local and the global stage, until there is unity of purpose, anchored on a shared national mission which is clearly communicated to all the citizenry, to the point that it becomes an ideological movement within the nation. It is at that point when the nation achieves unity of purpose, that she begins to enjoy the benefit of maximum human and material resources utilization, which is the foundation of the greatness of nations.

As a concerned public intellectual, I have always advocated that the easiest way for us to achieve national cohesion is to have a clearly defined and effectively communicated central mission, which can serve as an ideological foundation for the maximization of the vast potentials of the Nigerian nation. That defined national purpose will help to address the challenge of extreme individualism which we now see within our nation and make us a people, united in purpose. It is at that point that the sum of our national output will begin to reflect our great individual capacities. The challenge of leadership, at this stage of our national evolution, is, therefore, to help the Nigerian citizen, not only to understand Nigeria’s leadership responsibility to Africa and the black race, but the role each citizen must play towards the fulfilment of that promise.

Frantz Fanon reminds us that “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it or betray it.'' Shettima’s clarion call was simply an attempt to bring to our national consciousness, the central mission of the Nigerian nation. It is, therefore, our collective responsibility to heed to his call towards the fulfilment of our nation’s manifest destiny. He deserves our commendation for his courage to tell us the truth.

When in 1992, James Carville, Bill Clinton’s campaign strategist uttered the quip on television: “It’s the economy, stupid”, little could he have realized that he had pronounced a phrase that would reverberate beyond the United States and become a benchmark in other presidential campaign processes. Carville spoke in the context of the 1992 US Presidential campaign by the Democrats against incumbent President George H. W. Bush, that is Bush, the father. As a strategist for Bill Clinton, he merely played up the recession in the United States. He talked about change vs more of the same, the economy and healthcare.

The phrase has caught on since then, not just in the United States but across the world and applied instructively to anything that is considered of high priority. Carville, now 78, in at least one interview is now wondering why President Biden’s approval ratings remain so low despite the fact that unemployment in the United States is at an historic low and inflation is on a downward trend. The economy seems to be doing well under Biden, but it has not increased ratings. The paradox speaks to a certain disconnect, reasons for which may have to be sought elsewhere. What cannot be controverted however is that economic performance is directly linked to the people’s well-being, and the spread of prosperity. In the United States, many Presidents were punished for failing to get the economic framework right: Jimmy Carter, George W. H. Bush. The role of the economy in elections, and government’s performance would always be a major issue, and in that regard, James Carville may be rest assured that he has added a phrase into leadership and governance that may well ring true for all times. The state of the economy determines the people’s level of happiness, the opportunities that are available to them and their capacity for self-belief and actualization. Even in the United States, there is currently a raging debate about Bidenomics between the Republicans and the Democrats, coloured as expected, by partisan interests. The times keep changing but concerns about the economy remain crucial.

And that leads us to the relevant question here: how is the Nigerian economy faring under Tinubu, five months after the assumption of office? Are we better today than we were under President Muhammadu Buhari, the man who has been described as the perfect exemplification of the words “slow” and “clueless”. Nigerians oftentimes do not know what is good for them. They voted for the same man twice and kept him in office for eight years and there are millions out there who believed and may still believe that he was the best choice for Nigeria. I am worried, and for this reason, by the year 2035, Nigeria’s population would have increased to about 400 million. This may translate into an exponential increase in the population of stupid people who can be led by the nose by deceit and propaganda. It is the country that will suffer. In the 2023 general elections, then came along a certain Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the platform of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), who fought a valiant battle to win his party’s ticket, backed by the slogan that having made other persons king of Nigeria (notably Buhari), it was his turn to sit on the throne. He did not quite have the express support of the incumbent President, but in the end, he not only got the ticket, he won the election, with more than 8 million votes - one of the lowest margins since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. The President’s campaigners sold the narrative that he turned Lagos around, increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), built infrastructure, and mastered political engineering. Reminded again and again, that Lagos is not Nigeria, Tinubu’s strategists told us not to worry. They talked about the possibility of hope being restored. So, today, we ask: how market? How is it going? Five months down the line. Our primary focus is the economy.

Not enough attention is being paid to this very important subject, at the moment, by the way, in part because there has been so much engrossment with politics and other matters. The pursuit of the controversy about President Tinubu’s credentials by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Atiku Abubakar in a foreign jurisdiction, has been the subject of attention in addition to concerns in the Southern part of the country about the controversial death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, in itself a very bad and needless distraction that should never have occurred. While distractions in politics and society may serve the sitting government well, nothing is taken away from the fact that the economy is tanking and the people are suffering. On top of it all, I have raised the alarm elsewhere that the President appears to be absent. The Presidency is not a job where the holder of the office can appear and disappear at will. He must be present, always. I have not seen Mr. President in any public capacity in one week, and I think Nigerians have a duty to ask after his whereabouts. If the American President disappears for three days from the news in America, even the stock exchange will be affected. I once wrote a piece referring to a book by Matthew Algeo titled “The President is a Sick Man”. The subject of the book was Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th American President who disappeared briefly to have a secret surgery at sea in July 1893 on a friend’s yacht. A journalist, E. J. Edwards exposed the President. Cleveland’s political career was built on the mantra: “Tell the truth”, but he failed at that moment to tell the truth, act honestly, about his own circumstances thus creating a conflict between politics, medicine and journalism. E.J. Edwards, the journalist was disgraced and dismissed as a liar but he was vindicated more than 20 years later when the truth came out. Cleveland disappeared for only five days to treat a cancerous tumour.

Matthew Algeo’s book tells the full story. In contemporary times, if the American President were to disappear from public view for just two days, the American stock market would have issues. It is a measure of the kind of system that we run around here that Nigerians would not see their President for days and they would be comfortably obsessed with tittle-tattle. I have not seen my President since he returned from Paris and he made an appearance on October 1. No Federal Executive Council Meeting. Why? Three additional Ministers have been cleared by the Senate. They are yet to be sworn in. Why? The Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Board has been cleared by the Senate. Yet to be sworn in. Why? So, what’s next? Where is the President? This columnist hopes fervently that he will show up tomorrow at the Federal Executive Council Meeting, and not be represented again by his Deputy who has been more visible in action in recent times than his principal. This was how President Buhari once disappeared for more than seven months and we all accepted that anomaly, and simply moved on. It must not become a tradition in this country that a President can just disappear and show up at will. The Presidency of Nigeria is a full-time job, not a part-time assignment.

What suffers with a President playing possum is the economy and the people’s welfare. It will be recalled that on May 29, 2023, the day the President assumed office, one of the major highlights of his speech was that fuel subsidy was gone. He promised to reform the economy and make Nigeria a major investment destination. He also promised to fix Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis, and in that wise, the country’s dual exchange rate was abolished, the Naira was devalued, the then Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele was arrested and detained. All of those initial steps taken by the President have failed more or less, leaving Nigerians in greater difficulty. Five months later, Nigerians are still searching for the hope that they were promised. They are forlorn. The removal of fuel subsidy has moved the pump price of petrol (PMS) from N186 in May to over N500 and as high as N617 in July. What is quoted is the fact that there is no provision in the 2023 Appropriation Act for subsidy beyond June 1, 2023, and the fact that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) states that petroleum prices must be determined by market forces. Our neo-liberal economists praised these forces to high heavens. By August 2023, the landing cost of PMS had risen to about N720 per litre. The same government saying that fuel subsidy had gone has since been forced to provide subsidy. Please what happened to the market forces? The situation is likely to get worse with the on-going Israel-Hamas war, which has resulted in about a 4% jump in the spot price of Brent Crude and WTI. Nigeria imports finished products because all of its refineries are not working. Marketers have had to halt imports, resulting in queues at fuel stations in many parts of the country, and complaints by oil marketers about NNPCL monopoly. Could it be that the President did not understand the situation before he said subsidy was gone? Shouldn’t the President come clean and announce subsidy is back and his administration has had to reverse itself?

We also need to know what is going on with the harmonization of the foreign exchange regime. Since the introduction of that policy, the Naira has been devalued by more than 40%, such that the biggest challenge that Nigeria faces today is how to save the Naira. If the Tinubu administration hoped to close the gap between the official and parallel windows, it has achieved the exact opposite and created more opportunities for arbitrage. The Naira today is almost N1, 000 to the dollar, and over N1, 250 to the pound sterling. It is rated among the lowest currencies in Africa. Everyone is groaning, including manufacturers and employers of Labour. Godwin Emefiele, former CBN Governor, was suspended and detained, an acting Governor, Folashodun Shonubi was appointed, later replaced by Yemi Cardoso as substantive Governor, yet Nigeria’s monetary policy remains chaotic. Virtually every post-Emefiele policy move under Shonubi’s interregnum failed. The standard excuse was that Nigeria was facing a supply of forex problem until we all found ourselves in a situation where nobody could function again and the entire economy was thrown into a dysfunctional mode. The CBN even said it was entering into an alliance with oil majors and Fintechs to assist with forex supply. It didn’t work. NNPCL, Nigeria’s oil and gas behemoth also waded in, with a crude oil for cash swap with AFREXIM Bank. No result! Why should anyone expect any result in an unproductive economy? Countries earn forex by being productive. Nigeria is one vast consumption destination, a dumping ground.

It is therefore the reason no one should be surprised that in the recent Capital Importation Report, by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), it was disclosed that the country’s total capital importation dropped by 9.04% in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, that is within six months, amounting to a drop of 32.90% year on year. In the report, 28 states of the Federation did not attract any foreign investment in six months, an alarming indication of the economic crisis at Nigeria’s sub-national levels. These states exist just to collect their shares from the monthly Federation Allocation Account. They lack the capacity to produce despite all that talk about how Nigeria is richly endowed and every state is flowing with resources. Petrol dollar which accounts for 40% of GDP, 98% of foreign exchange earnings, and 76% of country revenue has made everyone lazy and has turned crude oil into Nigeria’s biggest curse. The eight states that have received foreign investments according to the report are of varying value: Lagos – 69%, Federal Capital Territory – 28%, but a state like Ondo got just a meagre $200, 000. What is the matter with Ondo State, for example? Why would any foreigner invest there? This is a state that is bogged down by sheer irresponsibility, mindless politicking, absenteeism, physical and psychological, and a governance mind-set that belongs more to the paleolithic age. Those who claim to speak for the confusion in that state are so dumb and so poorly educated they merely misrepresent their own unimaginative narrative. Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, Chairman of the APC and former Governor of Kano State, whose own state is as much a victim of bad politics, now says he wants to help resolve the infantile Governor vs Deputy Governor politics in Ondo State. How? We may again and again focus on the Federal Government, but what goes on at the sub-national level is enough to generate outrage, given the fact that it is the people who suffer from the reduction of governance to a circus.

Senator (Mrs) Remi Tinubu the First Lady of Nigeria has been quoted as saying that nobody should hold her husband responsible for Nigeria’s problems because he is not a magician, he is just a man who inherited the failures of past administrations. I have had cause to praise Mrs. Tinubu for her grace and elegance and the dignified manner in which she has supported her husband. But she must restrain herself from getting directly involved in core governance and policy issues. Otherwise, each time she jumps into the arena, she would have the likes of Garba Shehu giving her a back-hand slap to tell her to get back quickly to the famous other room as Shehu did rather impudently, recently. Nigerians voted for her husband, not her. She must learn to strike a balance. Besides, all the Tinubu sons and daughters trying to treat Nigeria and the Presidency like a family heirloom must back off, and stop pushing themselves in our faces. We have the Vice President, Kashim Shettima who is constitutionally empowered to act on the President’s behalf but even he must be sure of what he says. Going to Lokoja, Kogi state, the other day, to make empty promises with Ajaokuta Steel Company – to create 500, 000 jobs - is one of the most curious empty promises in recent times, based on complete lack of knowledge at the highest levels. VP, you can’t create 500, 000 jobs by merely talking about it at a political rally.

President Tinubu must show up and take charge, not episodically, or through hurriedly arranged photo-ops but every day of the week. He has been employed for the job. He must show up each time Nigerians check the attendance register, except otherwise determined by exceptional circumstances and even at that, we have the right to know.

The affection distorts the perception. The Master used to talk about it often. One day his students got an amazing example, proving those words.

They heard the Master talking to one mother.

 “How is your daughter living?”

“My dear daughter! She is so happy. She has a wonderful husband! He gave her a car, bought her jewelry that she dreamed about, and hired servants for her. They serve her breakfast in bed, and she stays in bed until noon. He’s not a husband, but a prize!”

 “And how’s your son?” 

“My poor boy! He married a real grouch! He gave her everything she wanted – a car, jewelry, an army of servants. And she is lying in bed until noon! And doesn’t even get up to make breakfast for her husband!

The recent killing of community leader Adamu Gabdo in Panyam, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, once again, highlights the precarious nature of peace in the region. The incident, undoubtedly tragic, has reignited conversations about the efforts made by various stakeholders to secure the state’s peace. Let me quickly add that Adamu Gabdo’s story is following a known trajectory!

On a somber Saturday in Plateau State, Adamu Gabdo met an untimely end in Panyam. His killing is now under investigation by the Plateau State police, and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Third Armoured Division, Rukuba Barracks, Major General Abubakar Abdulsam, has ordered a thorough inquiry. Their swift response to the incident demonstrates the commitment of our security operatives to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice prevails. However, like I said it follows a trajectory.

Adamu Gabdo’s life story takes a tragic turn, as he had previously relocated to Toro Local Government in Bauchi due to the violent inter-ethnic clashes that engulfed the Mangu area. It was during a condolence visit to this troubled region that he met his untimely demise or better put, along official lines that he got missing.

In the wake of this horrifying incident, Markus Artu, the Chairman of Mangu Local Government, swiftly issued a statement condemning the killing. He rightly described it as barbaric and an act of criminality that threatens the peace that has been slowly returning to Plateau State.

His strong words sent a message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in Plateau State. It is a message that reinforces the commitment of local leaders to the restoration and maintenance of peace in their communities.

The efforts of the State Government, under the leadership of Governor Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, in restoring peace to Plateau State, cannot be overstated. The State Government’s dedication to reconciliation and peaceful coexistence among people of different tribes and religions is evident, more can be done, and indeed must be done!

Under Governor Mutfwang’s leadership, Plateau State has seen remarkable progress in its peace-building efforts. The relative peace that many residents now enjoy in the state is a testament to the tireless work of the state government and its commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens.

As I examine the challenges Plateau State faces on its path to peace, it is crucial to appreciate the dedication of our security operatives. The Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) and the Plateau State police have worked tirelessly to ensure that peace prevails in the region.

The Operation Safe Haven’s General Officer Commanding, Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar, deserves commendation for his leadership and his commitment to resolving the current crisis. His recent engagement with Fulani and Mangu stakeholders is a step in the right direction, as it fosters dialogue and understanding.

While I applaud the efforts of our security forces, it is also important to condemn the highhandedness and arbitrary arrests. The recent reports of arbitrary arrests, particularly the detention of women in Mangu, are concerning. While the importance of thorough investigations cannot be overstated, it is equally crucial to ensure that the rights of individuals, especially innocent civilians, are respected throughout these processes.

Every person, regardless of their circumstances, deserves dignity and their basic rights, including access to legal representation and a fair trial. This principle of justice must be upheld at all times.

The reason for this, I state once more is that we have been on this route before, on 31 October 2018, Alkali’s lifeless body was recovered from an abandoned well in Guchwet, Shen, Jos South, after the water was drained with a water pump generator to allow access to his body parts. On 3 November 2018, the remains of the general were buried at Gudu Cemetery in Abuja in accordance with Islamic rites.

Then, credible intelligence revealed that his car was stopped and he introduced himself as a general to the hoodlums who had barricaded the road that he was just passing through to Bauchi. The senior officer was assaulted and killed.

I recall that Julius Chuwang, a 38-year-old farmer, told me he would not forget in a hurry the day his community was invaded by marauding soldiers. Chuwang was about to walk into a bar to have some beer with a friend when soldiers shot at him. He caught a bullet in his right arm and another in his left arm.

His offense was being a member of the Dura-Du District in Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, where Major General Idris Alkali (retd.) was killed on September 3, 2018.

Alkali’s killing brought trouble to the whole community and its environs. Arrests were made, suspects paraded and it was the end of the tale.

Plateau State now stands at a critical juncture—a chance to build a future where peace and coexistence prevail. Despite the challenges, the determination of local government leaders, the state governor, security operatives, and civil society organisations is a source of hope. As investigations continue and efforts to maintain peace progress, unity and cooperation among all stakeholders remain paramount. When two are fighting, none winning, looking for peace amidst challenges can be tough. We cannot repeat the same mistake, the innocent must not be made to suffer but also, we must not continue this trajectory, we must look at all sides and be sure…

In conclusion, I would like to call on all residents of Plateau State to remain calm and law-abiding as investigations into these incidents continue. Community leaders and stakeholders must work tirelessly toward lasting peace and reconciliation in our beloved state. Together, we can overcome the challenges and secure a brighter future for Plateau State – May Nigeria win

Former England and  Manchester United midfielder David Beckham is touted to make a sensational return to the Premier League club in an ambassador role if Sheikh Jassim buys the club from the Glazers, according to talkSPORT.

There are speculations the banker is vying with Sir Jim Ratcliffe to buy the Red Devils.

Beckham spent 11 years in the United first-team from 1992 to 2003, before he was sold to Real Madrid.

However, his relationship with Qatar dates back to 2013, when he signed a short-term contract with QSI-owned Paris Saint-Germain.

The 48-year-old was also a guest at Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday night and had an ambassadorial role at the 2022 World Cup in the Gulf state.

[Newsguru]

President Bola Tinubu on Monday, October 9, approved the appointment of Fela Durotoye and four others to serve in the office of the president under the media and publicity directorate.

Here are ten things to know about Fela Durotoye:

1. He was born in Ibadan, Oyo State on 12 May 1971.

2. Fela Durotoye was born to Layiwola and Adeline Durotoye, both professors at the University of Ibadan.

3. He was the Nigerian presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria party (ANN) for the 2019 presidential elections.

4. He is an alumnus of the John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Education program at Harvard University.

5. Durotoye proceeded to earn his Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science with Economics, as well as a master’s degree in Business Administration (M.B.A) at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

6. In 2015, Fela completed the executive seminar program on strategy, innovation, and governance at the Lagos Business School.

7. Fela Durotoye was a financial analyst at Ventures & Trusts Limited in 1992.

8. Fela is married to Tara Fela-Durotoye, a Nigerian make-up artist, lawyer, and CEO of House of Tara.

9. In December 2009, Fela Durotoye championed the urban renewal project “Mushin Makeover”. The project involved Banky W, Alibaba, Kate Henshaw, Omoni Oboli, Teju Babyface, Sound Sultan, TY Bello, Dj Jimmy Jatt, Omawumi, Denrele, Dele Momodu, Tosin Bucknor, Stella Damasus, Tee A, Segun Dangote, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu amongst others, painting and calling for donations of paints for the project.

10. He is the new Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Values & Social Justice.

THREE England-based players, Taiwo Awoniyi, Ola Aina and Jamilu Collins, have all withdrawn from the Super Eagles squad for the friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique in Portugal, the Nigerian national team confirmed today.

The Super Eagles face Saudi Arabia on Friday and Mozambique next Monday, with both matches to be held in Portimao, Portugal.

Nottingham Forest pair Awoniyi and Aina have been replaced with Tyrone Ebuehi and Sadiq Umar respectively, while Chidozie Awaziem comes in for Cardiff City defender Collins.

Both striker Awoniyi and defender Aina missed recent Premier League fixtures for Forest with injuries.

Awoniyi missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace with a knock while Aina was not in the squad for the 1-1 draw with Brentford on October 1 and Saturday’s clash.

On his part, left-back Collins, who has made nine appearances in the Championship this season after recovering from a long-term injury, played all 90 minutes on Saturday as Cardiff drew 1-1 with Watford.

The Super Eagles players are expected to arrive in Faro, Portugal from tomorrow for the games.

The Nigeria Football Federation says the friendlies have been arranged as tune-up games for the Super Eagles ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The three-time African champions begin the race by hosting Lesotho in Uyo on November 17 before travelling away to play Zimbabwe four days later.

[NaijaNews]

The Enugu State House of Assembly has approved a N170 billion loan facility to the administration of Governor Peter Mbah.

Naija News understands that the loan facility is used to fund capital projects, among others, in the state.

On Monday, the House unanimously approved the request, saying that it would enable the government to deliver on its mandate, especially in providing critical infrastructure needed to attract investments to the state.

The lawmakers also said it was a good move because the loan would run its entire course in the governor’s first tenure.

According to SaharaReporters, a draft of the loan request shows that N100 billion is for a bank guarantee line while N10 billion is for a term loan, N10 billion is for an overdraft facility, and N50 billion for a credit facility.

In a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and addressed to the Enugu State  Speaker, Hon Uchenna Ugwu, it was disclosed that the request followed approval from the Enugu State Executive Council of the offer of N100 billion bank guarantee line, N10 billion term loan and N10 billion overdraft facility from Fidelity Bank and N50 billion credit facility from Globus Bank.

The N100 billion bank facility will guarantee payment for contracts issued to approved contractors.

The loan will be repaid via Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) on consolidated Enugu State IGR accounts, which would be domiciled in Fidelity Bank and domiciliation of JAAC/FAAC/Infrastructure Support.

The N10 billion term loan is on a tenure of 48 months and a monthly repayment via ISPO on consolidated Enugu State IGR accounts, which will be domiciled in Fidelity Bank and domiciliation of JAAC/FAAC/Infrastructure Support. It will be used for infrastructural development.

The N10 billion overdraft facility will be used for prompt payment of recurrent expenditures such as salaries and has a tenure of 12 months with monthly clean up and repayment via ISPO on consolidated Enugu State IGR accounts, which will be domiciled in Fidelity Bank and domiciliation of JAAC/FAAC/Infrastructure Support.

The N50 billion credit facility is for the refinancing of the outstanding receivables from the Enugu State Government, and the repayment plan is 42 months equal and consecutive monthly repayment of principal and interest, which will be debited from Enugu State FAAC account with Globus Bank PLC.

[NaijaNews]

Sevilla have sacked Coach Jose Luis Mendilibar after winning just two of their opening eight La Liga games this season.

Saturday’s 2-2 league draw at Rayo Vallecano left Sevilla in 14th position in the standings with eight points taken of a possible 24.

Mendilibar, 62, took the helm of Sevilla in March and guided the club to defend their La Liga status and won the Europa League for a record-extending seventh time.

“The club wants to thank the services provided by the Basque coach, whose role will go down in the club’s history by winning the seventh Europa League,” the club said in a statement.

Sevilla will host LaLiga leaders Real Madrid on October 21 before welcoming Arsenal to the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in the Champions League three days later.

Under Mendilibar, the team drew their opening two Champions League games against Lens and PSV Eindhoven.

They sit third in the standings, two points adrift of group leaders Lens and one point adrift of Arsenal.

[Leadership]