Some folks are trying to put their knee on the neck of Niger Republic. This is in addition to the suffocating knee of imperial France that has been on the collective necks of the so-called Francophone countries of West Africa. They have been unable to breathe since their individual flag independence. A wind of change appears to be blowing across the subregion and this appears to have the potential of a breathing opportunity that the citizens appear to embrace, even celebrate. But there appear to be counter forces that see what some regard as freedom fighters as terrorists. This is what I set out to interrogate in this piece.

West Africa was colonized by two main European powers – Britain and France. Germany did have a tiny foothold in Cameroun, but as they lost the 2nd World War, the winners took their portion and handed it to France, one of their allies. Technically, Cameroun and Chad are in Central Africa but they are being added to this West African geo-political discussion because of their contiguity to Nigeria as well as their exemplification of what is pernicious about French colonial and neo-colonial hegemony. Guinea Bissau was colonized by Portugal. So, we have Niger, Mali, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Guinea (Conakry), Senegal and Mauritania as Francophone countries in the West African sub-region.

In the recent past, coups d’etat have begun to rear their ugly head after we thought democracy had berthed permanently in West Africa. Curiously, this trend is taking root in the Francophone region of West Africa. The Sahelian space seems to have become a fertile milieu for military rule. Mali (2020), Guinea (2021), Chad (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and now, Niger Republic (2023). Is it a mere coincidence that these are all Francophone countries or is there another thread that runs through these countries that has made military rule fashionable again in the last four years? I will explore their French colonial past and present neo-colonial experience as a major factor in this jackboot resurgence.

France adopted the policy of assimilation in their colonial strategy in Africa. They wanted to convert Africans to Frenchmen and, indeed, some Africans like Sedar Senghor were elected into the French parliament. The French virtually wanted their colonial subjects to forgo their culture, cuisine, and history and adopt French culture, cuisine, dressing, mannerisms and etiquette as theirs. Unlike the British who adopted indirect rule in their colonies, as bad as that was too, this French variant, which wanted to paint Africans French and stop their ability to think as Africans was the most pernicious. It was a subterfuge to perpetually enslave and exploit those countries in order to keep metropolitan France prosperous. That doing so would impoverish Francophone Africa did not prick the conscience of a country that gave the statue of liberty to the United States. A country whose creed is Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite was doing the opposite in its colonies! For those colonies, liberty, equality and fraternity did not matter. Perpetual subjugation was the ethos.

Has this ungodly state of affairs changed in the relationship between France and its neo-colonies that Francophone Africa is? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Today, all those countries’ external reserves are held by France. France virtually dictates what happens in those economies. The CFA zone is under France’s armpit. They cannot breathe unless France allows them, and even then, the amount of oxygen is decided by France! The CFA Franc value is determined by France. The currency is printed by France and its owned banknote printer in Cote d’Ivoire. I understand there is a colonial tax still being paid by all Francophone countries to France to date!

In terms of exploitation, France controls the mineral resources of its former colonies. When Camerounians asked for more transparency about their petroleum resources, their ancestor of a president – been in power since 1982 – told them it is too complicated for the citizens to understand! The man, who farted publicly and did not even know where he was during the US – African summit in Washington DC, is still propped up by France because he serves their interests despite Cameroun’s ruination. It is said that most of the electric power generated in France comes from nuclear power plants. The uranium for generating all that power comes from Niger Republic. The same Niger cannot construct a rail line for themselves but are depending on the benevolence of their cousin in Nigeria to lay a rail track into their country. Ditto power supply which comes from Nigeria and is now being used as a tool for undiplomatic arm twisting.

Leaders in those Francophone countries, apart from stealing their countries blind and keeping their loot and concubines in France, help France to perpetuate its stranglehold on their countries while France ensures their stay in power is unchallenged. It is this mutually ‘beneficial’ but unholy symbiotic relationship between those leaders and French interests that appear to be fueling resentment by the younger generation of citizens in those countries including those in the armed forces. They see their resources being stolen by France and their own so-called ‘elected’ leaders and their future seems bleak. They seem to ask themselves what next if this state of affairs continues? The same questions that Thomas Sankara asked and agents of imperialism cut his life short using his treacherous bosom friend whose name is not worth my mention here. Thomas Sankara’s place in Burkinabe history is assured. So is the infamy of the man that was used to stop his attempt to take his country to greatness.

It seems to me this wind of change in Francophone West Africa is a re-igniting of the Sekou Toure vision of Guinean independence. Of all the African leaders that negotiated independence from France, Sekou Toure, God bless his soul, was the only one who refused to sign away his country’s beckoning freedom. He refused continued subjugation after flag independence. Consequently, France removed all the infrastructure in the country before departure and left the country prostrate but with its self-pride intact. Such a ‘scotched earth’ policy by the country of egalite, liberte and fraternite! What a shame.

These threats coming from ECOWAS and Nigeria to the junta in Niger are viewed by different people from different prisms. People like the President of Togo, who is only President because his father, a coupe plotter and killer, was in power forever are also lending a voice to those threats? When is his tenure ending? Is there a voice of opposition in his banana republic today? Akuffo Ado used to speak well and say the right things at international fora. But go and check how he has brought Ghana, our shining star of recent to its knees – economically speaking. He too is issuing threats?

Is ECOWAS ready to fight a surrogate war on behalf of France? Is Nigeria going to do that in Nigeria’s interest? Has France not seen itself, and behaved as, Nigeria’s competitor for influence in the West African sub-region? Has it not tried on uncountable occasions to undermine Nigeria’s position at every opportunity? Let us take the case of the ECOWAS common currency mooted from the Gowon Era. Did France not undercut us by getting the Francophone countries to dump the ECOWAS plan and go ahead with theirs? Which country has the largest economy in West Africa and could have reaped bounty benefits from improved free trade in West Africa? So, should we fight France’s proxy war in Niger? Qui bono? In whose interest?

Nigeria’s power cut to Niger Republic, to say the least, lacks strategic thinking to some of us. The Government, of course, may have superior information and longer-term view. But to poor folks like us, we know that the decision to supply Niger Republic power when we do not have enough was a strategic decision made in Nigeria’s interest. It was done in order to persuade Niger Republic not to dam the River Niger upstream. The River Niger flows past Niger into Nigeria and supplies water to Kainji Dam – our biggest single source of electric power. If Niger dams the River Niger tomorrow, the water supply to Kainji dam would be impacted. Using that power supply to play power games and please France and other interests have long-term implications. Have we planned for that? And will anyone in Niger Republic actually take this insult to their sovereignty and wellbeing (electric power supply) as being done in their interest? I doubt so.

The case for democracy has long been made starting from ancient Greece where the people voted for their leaders and had their say on issues that affected them. It neither started with the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln nor with the French Revolution that began on 5th May 1789. That is the form of government that we all like, when practised in the interest of the people. Why are we cutting power supply and issuing ultimatum with not-so-veiled military threat before sending a mediation team? Is it not a bit unsettling that those who excoriated NLC and TUC for going on strike while negotiations are ongoing are loudly silent while the Niger Government was dealt a power cut and given a 7day ultimatum before a ‘mediation’ team is being sent to Niamey? It is like thinking of what to do about palliatives after subsidy removal rather than the other way round.

France, and to some extent, the West should remove their knee from Francophone Africa’s neck and allow it to breathe. Their resources ought to benefit the people and not the thieving elite and their colonial metropolis. God did not make a mistake by putting under their soil such valuable natural resources as uranium now craved by rich countries who are not ready to pay for them. That France became rich and has a very high standard of living through the sweat of these same poor countries is bad enough. Keeping them perpetually poor and not letting them breathe the same oxygen that God gave us free is criminal.

Actress Peju Johnson has said that she is looking forward to getting married and having kids.

In an interview with Saturday Beats, she said, “I cannot stay without getting married. I want to be married. I love love, kids and family. I want them all. These days, it is not easy to find a good man, and many marriages are falling apart. However, I still believe that there is a man out there for me that I will grow old with.”

Reacting to the issue of single mothers celebrating themselves on Fathers’ Day, Johnson said, “Being a single mother is not an easy task. Single mothers are strong, and they are really trying. They are doing what two people are supposed to do. So, they should be allowed to celebrate themselves, because they deserve it.”

Addressing people who feel that even if a parent abandons their kids, the children will still look for that parent in the future, the actress said, “The fact that it works for one person does not mean it would work for others. A lot of parents that abandoned their children are suffering in their old age, simply because they were not there for their children. Parents need to fulfill their responsibilities to their children.”

Asked if she could take back a partner that had abandoned her and her children, she said, “Yes, I can. But, that is if I have not moved on with another man. It is not easy though, but I can accept him back to father his children. Also, I would be doing it for the kids, and not for him or me. Every child needs their father. However, if I had moved on, I would only accept him for co-parenting; just so the children can have their father in their lives.”

Painting a picture of her ideal man, Johnson said, “My ideal man must be loving, dark-complexioned, caring, a good listener, kind, and a man that knows God.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has disclosed that his first grandchild died at a federal government hospital in 2019.

Akpabio made disclosure on Friday during the screening of the Lagos state ministerial nominee, Dr Tunji Alausa.

Akpabio said that he lost his grandchild to medical negligence and dereliction of duty at a federal medical center.

According to him, the deceased bled to death after the drip he was receiving finished in the middle of night and there was no medical worker around to attend to him.

His words: “Like every other person, I have been a victim of medical neglect. I lost my first grandchild in 2019 in a federal medical centre.

“He died through bleeding. He was receiving drip and it was tissued in the night. There was no help, no doctor, no nurse.

“He bled until he lost over 60 percent of his blood and was almost going mental, he struggled and fell on the floor., he was looking for water to drink.

“He rolled on the floor outside and entered the early morning dew, and poured the dew all over his body, and that was where they found him.”

Akpabio said his grandchild was found the next morning in a coma and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

“By that time, he had gone into a coma. I was on my way to Port Harcourt for the 2019 rally when they called me.

“I entered there and struggled with the doctor to revive him. They went and brought a defibrillator to attempt to revive the heart, but it did not work.”

The Senate President said he gathered that the defibrillator stopped working eight years ago.

“I used my hand and struggled with my personal physician, I could not revive him. I had to close his eyes and put him in the mortuary,” he said

Amidst ongoing controversies trailing the launch of the new national carrier, Nigeria Air, fresh indications have emerged that the airline will commence flight operations in October this year.

This development was disclosed by Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

The new carrier was first unveiled in 2018 during Farnborough International Airshow, London.

However, in May 2023, Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, launched Nigeria Air 48 hours before the end of his administration with an aircraft.

This development created a significant uproar nationwide.

However, Tasew during the interview said: “The airline will begin operation with two wide-bodied planes and six narrow-bodied aircraft.

“We are eager to see the airline start flying and connecting the local market to the international market.

“Ethiopian Airlines will manage the operation. It is a proven model and the objective is to enable Nigeria to have a flag carrier.

“The prime objective is to enable Nigeria to have an air carrier. Ethiopian Airlines will have a management contract. Effectively, Ethiopian Airlines will manage Nigeria Air to be successful.

“We own a 49 percent stake in the airline, the Nigerian government five percent together while other institutional investors own the rest.”

Mr Tasew expressed optimism based on the size of the Nigerian economy and the potential inherent in it.

Meanwhile, a breakdown of the ownership of the airlines shows that, Ethiopian Airlines own 49 percent, the Federal government five percent, 46 percent by Nigerian private investors, including SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors.

Tragedy struck in Laoso camp, Ondo town, Ondo State, as a son of a traditionalist, identified as Tunde Akinmoyewa, was shot dead by his friend, Bode, while testing the potency of a bulletproof charm placed on him.

Meanwhile, Police in the state said that the deceased was an ex-convict and cult members while the suspected killer is also a cultist.

Reports had it that the friends were trying to fortify themselves ahead of the yearly Ogun festival in the town.

Vanguard gathered that his friend was asked to test the potency of the charm put on the victim by shooting him with a Dane gun.

An eyewitness said: “It was unbelievable, because such charms never failed before. But this very day, this particular one failed and caused the death of the 27 years old son of a traditionalist in the camp.

“It was around 6:45p.m. at the Laoso camp in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, when a friend of Tunde volunteered to test the charm on him after drinking some bullet-repelling concoction.

“A native doctor, who reportedly prepared the charm, had assured them that they could not die from gunshots.

“To test the potency of the charms, Tunde was said to have told his friend to shoot him. Immediately Tunde’s friend fired the Dane gun at him, he fell and died instantly.

“He was confirmed dead at the hospital he was rushed to by others who were at the scene. The friend fled after the incident and before the villagers arrived the scene.”

Contacted, the state police commands spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, said that the victim was an ex-convict and cult member.

Odunlami said that the suspect, who shot the victim, is one of the deceased’s boys.

According to her, they were testing “a locally-made gun believed to be newly procured. He was shot and he died while being taken to the hospital for medical attention.”

The police imagemaker added that Tunde’s remains had been deposited at the morgue while efforts were in top gear to arrest the fleeing suspect.

Following apparent breakdown in negotiations with an ECOWAS delegation, the Niger coup leaders have severed diplomatic relations with France, Nigeria, Togo and U.S.

They announced on National television that the contract of their Ambassadors in those countries have been terminated.

In a quick response Paris said only a legitimate government can cut diplomatic ties.

Niger's elected President Mohamed Bazoum is detained by the coup makers, who deposed him on 26 July 2023.

Nigeria, current Chairman, Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had sent a delegation which met with some of the coup leaders on Thursday.

Nigeria has also announced the cut of essential electricity supply to Niger in addition to the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on the country plus a seven-day ultimatum given the coupists to release and reinstate Bazoum.

There was anti- Nigerian and Western protests in Niamey, the Niger capital on Thursday.

On Friday, President Bola Tinubu sent a letter to Nigeria's National Assembly seeking its approval to implement the ECOWAS decisions and mobilisation of Nigeria’s armed forces for possible military intervention in Niger.

The letter also mentioned a ban on commercial flights to and from Niger and movement of goods from Nigeria to Niger.

This raises the optics for possible military confrontation and the escalation of the Niger crisis even as France and other Western countries begin evacuation of their citizens from Niger.

The Niger coupists might be testing the resolve of the international community at grave risks to themselves and regional peace and security.

However, defence experts and analysts have warned against potential catastrophic consequences and the spiralling of the conflict beyond control through kinetic intervention.

This will exacerbate the insecurity and dire socio-economic situation in the politically restive ECOWAS and Sahel regions.

About 1.2 million candidates registered for the on-going 2023 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), the National Examinations Council (NECO) has said.

The Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this in Jos Plateau State, according to a statement by the Head, Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani on Friday while monitoring the conduct of the examination in some Schools.

Wushishi informed of this figure, 601,074 candidates are male while 584,814 are female.

He expressed satisfaction with the general conduct of the 2023 SSCE based on reports obtained from across the country.

The Registrar said the 2023 SSCE, which would be concluded next week, was the best organised in recent years.

Wushishi stated various measures have been put in place to check examination malpractices, adding that the measures have started yielding positive results.

The Registrar who monitored the examination at Airforce Military School; King and Queens Academy and Emmanuel International College all in Jos, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination in these schools.

Prof. Wushishi had earlier monitored the conduct of the 2023 SSCE in Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi States.

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin has remanded Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki at the federal correctional centre for allegedly conspiring to defraud Alhaji Kamoru Ibitoye Yusuf, owner of Kam Steel Nigeria limited of $400,000.

The defendants were brought to the court on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, screening an offender and obstruction.

The offences contravened sections 97, 322, 167 and 148 of the penal code law and 1(3) of Advance Fee Fraud/other related offences act cap A6.

Alhaji Yusuf had written a petition to the deputy registrar of the magistrate court, Ilorin in a direct complaint on July 18, 2023, through Tofa Ahmed & Co Solicitors & Advocates.

According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), one Ibrahim Tenimu Shehu and Jemima Monosoko Shehu, now at large conspired with Kpanaki, who identified himself as the director of Paz Oil, an alleged “fictitious company”, to fraudulently sell a vessel MT ORYX TRADER as MT REMOS to the petitioner.

“You dishonestly presented (that) the vessel (was) free and not subject to any administrative detention, knowing fully well that it is a subject of court order.

“You also used a 16year-old- daughter of one of you, Jemima Monosoko, as Executive Director and an in-law of a suspect as another Director to fraudulently sell the vessel to the petitioner”.

“On the account of fraudulent presentation by Tenimu and Jemima, you, Kpanaki made the petitioner to spend $400,000 in addition to the purchase price of the vessel and you all absconded”, the FIR submitted.

The charge sheet further added that when the suspects were later tracked by a team of Police operatives to Abuja for possible arrest, the second accused, Esther Shehu, obstructed the officers.

“You dishonesty called your accomplice who claimed to be the DPO of the jurisdiction who deceitfully spoke to the operatives to leave the premises, that the suspect Tenimu Shehu Ibrahim (at large), will meet them at the police station by 12pm but rather with help of Kpanaki, whisked him out in a Blue Tinted Toyota Corolla to an unknown destination”, the sheet added.

Prosecutor, Nasir Yusuf, in his submission, told the court that Esther and Kpanaki confessed to the allegation during investigation at the police headquarters, Ilorin.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Imo Command has sacked one of its officers for joining protesters on Wednesday in the special marshals regalia.

Sector Commander of the FRSC in Imo, Evaristus Ebeniro, a Corps Commander, who said this while addressing newsmen in Owerri, Imo State capital.

He matained that the officer had been de-marshaled and no longer an officer of the corps.

The Nation reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) embarked on a nationwide protest to register their displeasure with the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

Ebeniro said that although the protester was a special marshal of the corps, he had since been de-marshaled and no longer holds a Special Marshals identity card.

He added that the protester was, whilst serving as a special marshal, summoned as a result of inactivity and lack of commitment to duties but absconded and was therefore de-marshaled in absentia in line with the rules of the corps.

He added that the protester was, whilst serving as a special marshal, summoned as a result of inactivity and lack of commitment to duties but absconded and was therefore de-marshaled in absentia in line with the rules of the corps.

“It is now confirmed that the protester who happened to be a unionist was once a special marshal.

“The Command hereby makes it categorically and unequivocally clear that the protester is no longer with the Corps and that he acted alone in that show of shame “, he said.

Just two days after the inclusion of Dr Maryam Shettima (Shetty)’s name on the ministerial nominees’ list submitted to the Senate on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu, on Friday surprisingly withdrew her and replaced her with that of Mariya Mahmoud.

The PUNCH reported on Thursday how Nigerians on social media reacted to Shetty’s nomination. While some praised the Kano State-born Shetty and Tinubu, some others blasted Tinubu for her nomination.

Here are five things to know about Maryam Shettima;

1. Her full name is Maryam Shettima Ibrahim, but popularly known as Maryam Shetty.

2. She was born April 8, 1979 (44 years old)

3. She is a political and social activist. She is a national leader of #WeBelieve, an APC support group.

4. She graduated from Bayero University, Kano, with a distinction in BSc Physiotherapy. She also has an MSc in Sports Physiotherapy from the University of East London.

5. She was once chosen to represent Nigeria at the United Nations General Assembly.