President Bola Tinubu spent the months since his victory at the February 25 election setting clear goals for each sector in the country and will not tolerate failure from either of his recently inaugurated ministers, presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said Monday.

“The President has set the benchmarks,” the Senior Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity noted on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“The question now is about enforcements and the President has shown, as he did during his time in Lagos State as governor, that he is not someone that is afraid to fire anybody.

“He is not somebody that is afraid to levy quick sanctions to ensure that they get the results that he wants ’cause, ultimately, if this administration fails, they will not say a minister failed or a set of ministers failed. They will say President Bola Tinubu failed, and he will not accept failure.”

According to Ngelale, the President used the interim period between his emergence as the president-elect and his inauguration on May 29 to set up “a series of reform committees across all the sectors”.

Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale appears on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, August 28, 2023.

“[Tinubu] basically looked at exactly what His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has achieved and said, ‘This is what we want to do to build on all these achievements,” Ngelale explained.

“We’re going to effectively implement a plan within a certain amount of time based on time-based benchmarks that when a minister has come in, we would be able to measure their performance against.’

“Every minister coming in absolutely knows what they have to achieve within the time frame that’s been given to them by the President and that’s something in the history of Nigerian governance we’ve never seen before.”

President Bola Tinubu has convened the inaugural Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of his administration at the State House in Abuja.

The meeting comes 92 days after his official inauguration as Nigeria’s 16th president on May 29, 2023.

The meeting is taking place on the heels of the recent swearing-in of 45 ministers as members of Tinubu’s cabinet and is being attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, among others.

The FEC meeting serves as a platform for the president to share his plans and receive expert advice and diverse perspectives from his cabinet members.

The president is expected to use the inaugural FEC meeting to set the agenda for his administration and to outline his priorities for the country in terms of policy direction and approach to various challenges facing the nation.

The areas will range from the economy, security, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and foreign policy.

In terms of the economy, Tinubu is expected to give his ministers and other aides a detailed presentation on his plans to address the country’s economic challenges and the impact of the recent removal of fuel subsidy, among others.

Rep. Amobi Ogah (LP-Abia) has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu as a gift to the people of South Eastern Nigeria.

Ogah, a member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia in the House of Representatives, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the insecurity in the South East region is due to the prolonged detention of the proscribed IPOB leader; the president should release him as a show of love to N’digbo.

Ogah said Kanu’s release would expose criminal gangs using the detention to cover their act of terrorism in the South East.

He noted that the president had done so much, but added that the only point of disagreement was the issue of giving only five ministers to the entire South East.

He appealed to the president to balance it, to show he really loved N’digbo as well as release Kanu, so that insecurity in the South East would reduce.

“The issue now is that we don’t even know those who are behind the insecurity in the South East.

“IPOB will tell you they are not the one, Eastern Security Network will tell you they are not involved.

“But some will say the reason is because they are holding Nnamdi Kanu. So my prayer to Mr. President is that he should give him (Kanu) to us as a gift,” he said.

Tony Elumelu, CFR, Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc has emphasised the need to empower the private sector to transform Nigeria.

He made this remark at the 63rd Annual General Conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) held on Sunday 27th, August 2023 in Abuja. He said:

• “Transforming Nigeria is a journey that demands our collective dedication, building across political affiliations, ethnic differences, and socioeconomic differences.
• One that is not the responsibility of our government alone. Great nations start with great people, not just great leaders.
• Our private sector, our philanthropies, our civil society, all citizens must be brought together and be empowered – as real, valued and executing partners for this national renewal, this nation building.”

Elumelu also talked about the need for youth empowerment in aspects of entrepreneurship citing the work of Tony Elumelu Foundation in championing this cause. He stated:

• “Investment in our youth – we need to renew our commitment to our youth, provide them with the means to succeed in Nigeria – not beyond Nigeria. This means not just investment in our education system but in our entrepreneurial culture.
• Nigeria is a nation of entrepreneurs – you know me as an investor and champion of entrepreneurs – I know the social and economic returns entrepreneurship creates.
• Let us create a joined-up government task force to champion at the highest level, our young and our entrepreneurs. When entrepreneurs succeed, we succeed as a nation. If they don’t, we all fail.
• In my engagement with fellow private sector leaders, my message is simple: We must see ourselves as the engine of innovation, the source of investment, and the creators of jobs.  This is exactly what we have achieved at the Tony Elumelu Foundation.”

In terms of private sector investment, Mr Elumelu also gave insights on how the Federal Government can further improve the power sector. He spotlighted Transcorp Group’s TransAfam Power Plant’s 1000MW capacity.

• “Let us invest in our power sector – let us create regulatory structures that reward success, that deliver to our people, our schools, our hospitals and our industries, the sustainable, robust power supply that our country so urgently needs.
• “Is it not ironic that a country with abundant gas resources cannot optimally operate its power plants due to a lack of gas?
• “I have seen, the beginnings of what we can do. Let me give you an example: The TransAfam Power Plant that belongs to Transcorp Group has an installed capacity of 1000 megawatts. 
• “The Federal Government of Nigeria made a significant investment to acquire 240 megawatts of fast power turbines from General Electric (GE).
• “For context, 240 megawatts of electricity can power about one million homes in Nigeria.”

Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other senior lawyers yesterday spoke in unison on the controversy that trailed the appointment of Hannatu Musawa as minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, by President Bola Tinubu.

According to them, there is no iota of illegality in her appointment.

There has been controversy over her appointment, with many claiming that Musawa cannot be appointed as minister while still undergoing the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

A senior official of the NYSC had confirmed that the minister is a serving corps member.

Musawa was appointed minister by President Bola Tinubu about two weeks ago.

Shortly after her inauguration, some Nigerians disagreed with her appointment, saying she can’t observe her mandatory one-year youth service programme and still serve as minister of the federal republic at the same time. 

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Abdul Balogun (SAN), said no law under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria bars her from taking up appointment as a minister while observing youth service.

According to him, there is nothing illegal about her appointment.

He said, “There is absolutely nothing illegal in the appointment of the minister. She can serve as a minister and at the same time observe her youth service. For me, I don’t think any issue should be made out of her appointment. If this controversy is allowed to linger, it will amount to distraction for the minister and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) where she will be serving. I think we have more issues to deal with than this because there is nothing to debate about on this, the 1999 Constitution is clear on this”.

Another learned silk, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), maintained that the controversy over Musawa’s appointment was unnecessary because appointment into a political office is a call to service and should not be seen as employment for personal gains.

Adegoke said the appointment is a continuation of her duties as a youth corps member under the Act and should not attract any remuneration beyond what is payable to an average youth corps member until the expiration of her period for youth service.

The rights activist said, “The NYSC Act, in Section 12 thereof, requires every prospective employer to ask for the certificate of discharge or exemption of any person who is eligible for youth service under the Act before such a person is offered employment.

“It means that no person shall be employed without producing such a certificate as required by the Act. However, the provision in this regard does not mean that no person can be appointed into a political office without having completed the youth service.

“Appointment into a political office is a service that cannot be seen as employment for personal gains. It is this wrong perspective that an average Nigerian harbours that makes us to be thinking that a political appointment should be seen as a career or an opportunity for self-enrichment like an average employment.

“I do not subscribe to the criticism of the appointment of Hannatu Musawa in this regard. Do we see the appointment of a minister as an opportunity to serve the nation? Hannatu should be regarded as carrying out her obligation to serve the land since she had enrolled for youth service before the president appointed her as a minister.

“She was already undergoing the youth service before she was appointed. The appointment in this regard should be seen as re-deployment from wherever she was serving before.

“It is a continuation of her duties as a youth corps member under the Act and should not attract any remuneration beyond what is payable to an average youth corps member until the expiration of her period for youth service.

“The only instance in which she could have committed an offence contrary to the NYSC Act is if she had claimed that she had completed youth service before her appointment as a minister.

“I believe that rather than creating a storm in a tea cup, this matter should be treated as stated herein,” he maintained.

In his view, a retired lecturer, faculty of law, Lagos of University, Prof Gbenga Ojo, said the legality of the appointment is debatable.

Ojo said on whether it is lawful or not, it is a debatable point.

“It is unprecedented but I don’t think that it is unlawful. It is an appointment and not employment. The condition precedent to getting employment in Nigeria is that you must have completed the one-year mandatory youth corps service to the nation. That is the law.

“Though it can be argued that this is appointment at the prerogative of the president and not employment and, therefore, not within the contemplation of the law.

“The draftsman would not have contemplated that a serving member of the programme will be appointed as a minister or given any appointment for that matter.

“It might be difficult for her to get employment in the future unless she goes back to complete the programme by which time, she will not be eligible. It is a youth programme for graduates of 30 years and below.

“Furthermore, she definitely does not have any experience at all. If she must be appointed, it should a special adviser and not even senior special adviser. How she passed through the screening by the Senate is difficult to understand.

“If it is to appeal to the youths, there are other youths with experience.  It is not right. To think that nobody or organisation has raised this issue before now is another disturbing issue.

“On whether it is lawful or not, it is a debatable point. It is unprecedented but I don’t think that it is unlawful. It is an appointment and not employment,” he said.

On his part, Ahamed Raji (SAN), said there appears to be some fine distinction between being employed and being appointed.

The learned silk stated: “Discharge certificate may be a condition for employment.  I am not sure (and of course barring any misrepresentation), the discharge certificate may be a condition for appointments.

“It is however doubtful if some appointments can be combined with service.  Where such may not be combined, the lesser one may be suspended”.

Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mahmud S. Abdulahi, said once she meets the pre-conditions in Section 147 of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

According to him, Section 147 (5) of the 1999 Constitution says, “No person shall be appointed as a Minister of the Government of the Federation unless he is qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives.

“Section 106 of the 1999 constitution says you must be a citizen of Nigeria; you must have attained the age of 25 years, and you have been educated up to at least a school certificate level, or its equivalent. You must be a member of a political party and you must be sponsored by that political party.

“The question to ask at this point is, did she meet all these conditions? If she meets all these conditions, then, no reason to raise any issue about her appointment.”

Another senior lawyer, Barrister Paul Ezemadu, said wondered why Nigerians love to raise unnecessary controversy.

“I dare say that the controversy over the minister’s NYSC status is out of joblessness or idleness. Some persons just want to make issues out of nothing. There is no issue here. The minister is eminently qualified for the appointment”, he said.

Also, a constitutional lawyer, Barrister Audu Belau, called on the minister to ignore those calling for her sack’ saying it is a distraction which she should not allow.

“It is not enough to call for a public officer’s sack. You should look at the law backing the appointment of such public officers before talking.

“My advice for the minister is to ignore those noise about her status as regards NYSC and concentrate on the work she has been appointed to do”, Belau said.

Musawa Debunks Statement On NYSC Status

Meanwhile, the minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Barrister Musawa, yesterday refuted claims circulating in a piece titled: “My Personal Statement on My NYSC Status as a Serving Minister.”

The minister clarified that the piece inaccurately associated her with the ongoing discussion about her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) status.

The minister, in a statement signed by the deputy director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Suleiman Haruna, yesterday in Abuja categorically stated that she has not issued any official statement on the matter in question.

She urged the public to exercise caution and refrain from spreading unverified information.

Expressing gratitude for the support and understanding of the Nigerian people during this time, Barrister Musawa reiterated her position, saying, “I deeply value and appreciate the support, solidarity, and understanding of Nigerians in these times. For clarity, I wish to state that I have not issued any statement on the current issue.”

The minister added that she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and kindly asks the public to be cautious of unverified information.

Niger military leadership has cut off electricity and water supplies to the French Embassy in the capital Niamey with no food deliveries allowed, Turkish news wire, Anadolu reports citing multiple social media sources.

Reports say the military junta has also taken similar action at the French consulate in Zinder, Tera, Oualam, Ayorou, Dosso, Niamey, Filingue and everywhere else.

The President of the National Support Committee for the CNSP Elh Issa Hassoumi Boureima asked all partners of the French bases in Niger to suspend all fuel supplies of water and electricity and food products.

“We ask Nigelec and SPEN (SEEN)) to cut off water and electricity in the French Embassy, in the French consulates of Zinder and Niamey,” he was quoted to have said.

In addition, any partners who continue to help the French in the process of supplying the goods and services will be considered enemies of the sovereign people.

The reports come after a two-day deadline given by the military administration to the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, 48 hours to leave Nigerien territory expired Sunday.

Relations between the new regime in Niamey and several Western powers, and the West African bloc ECOWAS, have soured since the coup on 26 July.

However, authorities in Paris were quick to reject the order against its ambassador by Friday evening, repeating that France did not recognise the military rulers’ authority.

Niger was plunged into turmoil on July 26 after Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

“I have read it several times that life is not always fair – but it has really never been fair. The poor cannot pull themselves out of poverty; they need the state. But the state does not think so. That is why some crazy English language users coined phrases that mock the poor. One of them would challenge the unfortunate to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” when it is practically impossible to do so. Try doing it – hold the strap of your boot and pull yourself up. I wish you luck. The poor in Nigeria has become, in the words of Sembene Ousmane, “a leftover from a vanished time, slowly being forgotten.” No one thinks the poor deserves to live. That is why the government of small-big men could not fight the big thieves but are training their guns at street hawkers. If you’ve ever watched corn sellers at their ‘job’ literally getting their fingers burnt for peanuts, you won’t call them by names their parents did not give them. It is a ‘work’ no one would do happily. Their sunken life is in the sadness of their sad eyes. One hundred percent of persons hawking on the street are victims of life and its contradictions. It is not like they prayed to be beaten ceaselessly day and night by weather and its inclemency. But it is said that what the world has inflicted you with is what they deploy in mocking you. A vicious band of locusts has siezed Nigeria in the name of democracy. The powerful have been flip-flopping in power for years to the sorrow of all; they’ve serially changed their masqueraders with tougher whips of many fingers. They have upped the ante in implementing policies that are ruinous to homes and damning to dreams. They now mock their victims.”

The only reason the poor have not started eating the rich in Nigeria is, perhaps, because this is the season of corn. And, I believe I am right. Check your neighbourhood. Except you are in this government, you would know that things are bad, very bad for every home. Every staple food is priced beyond the pocket of the poor. With famine wrecking the urban working class and the toiling village yokel, corn –roasted and boiled – has come as a life-saver. But dealing in corn has been pronounced an act of ‘terrorism’ by Nigeria’s new Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Mr Nyesom Wike. He announced in Abuja some days ago that he would sack corn sellers from the streets of the Federal Capital because they were criminals acting as informants to criminals. He said: “People selling corn will drop their waste indiscriminately and these are the things that cause insecurity. Criminals come to buy (corn) and use the opportunity to spy and give information to criminals. It is imperative we clear street hawkers.” It was a sweeping statement, very unfair, reckless, and even rash and incautious.

The same corn sellers that were the toast of politicians during street campaigns just a few months ago are Wike’s new felons in town. My people would gasp at what this minister said and say poor melon gave them delicious ẹ̀gúsí soup with which they ate their pounded yam, its peelings (eepo ẹ̀gúsí) have now become a taboo forbidden to be seen early in the morning (A fi ẹ̀gúsí jẹ iyán tán, èpo rẹ̀ wá di oun àìjí rí). When Wike said “it is imperative we clear street hawkers”, he didn’t apply his mind to the fact that what he wanted to “clear” are not just Marullus’s “blocks…stones…worse than senseless things.” They are human beings, the broken of all generations, many with dead dreams. The street trader we see daily also desire life in its better form but life happened to them. The sun rises and sets on their heads; the rains start and end on their brows. It is worse for the roasters of corn; their season is the rainy season and, yet, their embers must be protected from being quenched by the rains. Just as the scarred palm trees of Ijaiye forever tell tales of Ogunmola’s war, the charred fingers and palms of these unfortunate Nigerians sing the elegy of their unending wear and tear on the streets of life. Yet, we threaten them with eviction without giving them alternatives to where they are.

Was it not condition that made crayfish bend? If the street traders had options, Wike wouldn’t find them on the Abuja street. There is nothing cheery in being on the roadside or on the road, running up and down like the unwell. The next time you see hordes of hawkers running after your bulletproof Lexus, look into their eyes. If your eyes still see clearly, you should see sadness in its raw form in those sockets. When they sell to you, they smile and thank you. But the smile is always cold and rancid (erín kí korò). They work very hard but earn very little. Some get knocked down, maimed or killed. Yet, there is no end to their toil and struggle. The state has long left them behind in their struggle against want. We think their existence dents the beauty of our cities; we say investors won’t come if we don’t lock up the poor. A friend looked at everything happening around us and wondered why the state loved to rub salt into the injury of the people. I told him that salt complements injury in Nigeria. It is, in fact, the state’s preferred palliative for the injured.

Instead of Wike criminalising the poverty of Abuja’s street traders, his focus should be on what to do to get them sufficiently empowered to trade in safer places. Democracy is preferred because it promises life in its better form. It is not preferred because it allows people to perfunctorily vote periodically. That is why leaders in a democracy are counseled to treat people with respect and seek their welfare at all times. The Kikuyu of Kenya say that “to lead is not to run roughshod over people.” Leaders should not be the archetypal Shakespearean “hard hearts, … cruel men of Rome” who think they have crossed the river of life and should be disdainful of the people downstream. We have them in Nigeria. They do and say what pumped their ego. They even triumphantly rebuke their old mates on the other side of life. There are consequences. When everything failed in 1793 France, including the people’s revolution, and leaders became covetous and rude and poverty was perpetuated, renowned political philosopher and one of the leaders of the French Revolution, Jean Jacques Rousseau, made a fiery speech in which he warned that “when the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.” A commentator said “the rich” that Rousseau was referring to was anyone in power. US’ John F. Kennedy had a similar warning for big men who appropriate democracy and its dividends to themselves and their cronies and ditch the people: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

I have read it several times that life is not always fair – but it has really never been fair. The poor cannot pull themselves out of poverty; they need the state. But the state does not think so. That is why some crazy English language users coined phrases that mock the poor. One of them would challenge the unfortunate to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” when it is practically impossible to do so. Try doing it – hold the strap of your boot and pull yourself up. I wish you luck. The poor in Nigeria has become, in the words of Sembene Ousmane, “a leftover from a vanished time, slowly being forgotten.” No one thinks the poor deserves to live. That is why the government of small-big men could not fight the big thieves but are training their guns at street hawkers. If you’ve ever watched corn sellers at their ‘job’ literally getting their fingers burnt for peanuts, you won’t call them by names their parents did not give them. It is a ‘work’ no one would do happily. Their sunken life is in the sadness of their sad eyes. One hundred percent of persons hawking on the street are victims of life and its contradictions. It is not like they prayed to be beaten ceaselessly day and night by weather and its inclemency. But it is said that what the world has inflicted you with is what they deploy in mocking you. A vicious band of locusts has siezed Nigeria in the name of democracy. The powerful have been flip-flopping in power for years to the sorrow of all; they’ve serially changed their masqueraders with tougher whips of many fingers. They have upped the ante in implementing policies that are ruinous to homes and damning to dreams. They now mock their victims.

Women in hijab recently protested against hunger in Rigasa, Kaduna State. I was told the powers-that-be in the locality invited them and they were warned to stop saying they were hungry. Nigeria is not a democracy. It is an odious blend of heartless oligarchy and the worst form of plutocracy. An oligarchy is a small group of people having control of a country; plutocracy is government by the wealthy. The operators of the Nigerian system are overfed men who wantonly misapply Cicero’s “hunger is the best sauce” quote in their engagements with the poor. They  have desertified the nation’s loam. Yet, they insist they have done well and deserve to be thanked. These are very delicate times; the people are hungry and restless. Government officials should carefully weigh their words and actions in relating with the poor. Not every Nigerian will emulate the epicurean patience of the country farmer, Ofellus, in Horace’s Satire. The character’s farm, his only source of sustenance, is taken away from him by the rich but he is seen celebrating the retention of what he calls the source of his happiness. Street trading is a reaction to lack of opportunity for better ways to earn decent living. Clearing street traders from Abuja cannot therefore be the solution to street trading. It will not even succeed. Wike’s predecessors serially sent them away, confiscated their wares and threw them into misery. But they came back because Nigeria has no place for them outside the streets. Their coming back is not pig-headed stubbornness or resistance. It is the resilience you find in every black man where suffering is everyday experience and the options are limited.

Across Africa, the people are hungry but their governments offer them threats and insults as pain killers. It didn’t start today but how it will end is what worries me. Mark G. Wentling is the author of ‘Africa Memoir: 50 Years, 54 Countries, One American Life.’ His engagement with Africa started in 1970 helping where he could in finding solutions to the continent’s existential issues. His bio says he is still involved in interrogating why Africans suffer and smile as the years roll by. Writing for ‘American Diplomacy’ in March 2014, Wentling recalled his experience of The Great Sahelian drought of the early 1970s and described Africans as “experts at buying time.” And that precisely is who we are. The article entitled ‘Africa’s Hunger’ contains a heart-wrenching account of the author’s encounter with a group of starving women and children at “a vast barren zone 200 kilometers north of Niamey, Niger Republic.” Wentling recalled that these people’s animals had died and “they had expended all their few assets. All the men in their clan had long ago migrated south to the coast or to Nigeria in search of work. Many of their children had already died from malnutrition and exposure, and more were likely to die in the days to come. All their old people had already died. They were the survivors, living on the edge of survival in a desolate place where all their usual drought-coping mechanisms had been exhausted and death was a likely prospect.” He offered to help move them farther south where their chances of survival were much better; where they could join other drought-affected people who were being assisted by aid agencies. Wentling said they refused, defiantly saying: “We prefer to die here in the place of our ancestors. At least, if our husbands, brothers and sons return, they will know where to find our bodies.”

When will suffering end in Africa? The American ended his ‘Africa’s Hunger’ piece asking the same question but answering it with words of frustration: “After over four decades of working in every hungry corner of Africa, I should have some answers, but I don’t. Quite the contrary, I have more questions than when I first set foot on the continent in 1970. Way back then, I expected hunger in Africa to be a thing of the past by now, but clearly that is far from the case. At this late stage in my life, I am at a loss and feel deeply the failure to feed Africans, particularly the children. My conscience suffers because so many children (40% in some countries) are permanently impaired by stunting. I believe the conscience of the world should also suffer. I am worn out and feeling like a casualty of Africa’s ‘hunger wars.’ I am not sure of what needs to be done to end hunger in Africa…”

It is not only the American that is frustrated and unsure; we who live in the crisis are far more confused. The people have no clues; their governments are clueless.

Tell Wike to hold his peace with the street traders. Even before he chases the corn sellers away from Abuja, they will soon disappear from where they are. Their survival is seasonal; the last harvest of what they sell is what they are selling. The farms are drying up. The worries are really very little for the trader. It is the government that should be scared of what is coming. What will the people eat after this corn season? The immediate preoccupation of any government person today in Nigeria should be how to tackle the ravages of poverty and starvation. It is careless bourgeois talk to boast of sweeping the poor off the streets. The people are powerless, hungry and deprived but the government offers threats instead of hope. What will the people eat going forward? Brooklyn, United States-based writer, Talia Lavin, warned in November 2019 that “revolution is usually born of an authentic powerlessness and privation.” It was her summation of this age that Rousseau’s “eat the rich” is becoming a literal consideration for the poor. We should be worried — and scared.

Touching down at the bustling Beijing Capital International Airport, you cannot miss that China has again opened to the world after COVID-19 shut down, nor will you miss the pervasive positive spirit and a sense of endless possibilities in the atmosphere. If you have any doubt, a 30-minute drive from the airport to Changping District, North of Beijing, tells the story of a country’s metamorphosis, ancient roots, and what pragmatic leadership can do. I am a guest of the Chinese government from the 20th of August till the 2nd of September. It has proven to be a unique opportunity to understand Chinese leadership thinking and the nation’s development trajectory. It has allowed me to do contrastive leadership and political models between China and Nigeria to see if there are vital lessons to be learnt and applied in Nigeria to accelerate our socioeconomic development.

Although different in many ways, China and Nigeria represent giants in their respective continents (Asia and Africa}. They symbolise the hopes and aspirations of their people in a highly competitive and polarised world dominated for over 500 years by the West. The story of how China got it right and has become the quintessential alternative economic and political power, whilst Nigeria has, at best, remained stagnant over the past decades, is fascinating. No doubt, a multiplicity of factors contributed to this dichotomous and contrasting outcome, which will merit elaborate analysis at an appropriate forum.

We must delve into their past to understand China’s and Nigeria’s present. First, let us look at China. Chinese civilisation dates to the first Chinese dynasty, Xia, founded in 2070 BC. From the period of this dynasty, through the Middle Han dynasty in the 3rd century to the North Song dynasty of the 10th to 13th century, ancient China was credited with four great inventions: gunpowder, paper making, compass, and moveable-type printing. Ancient China also grew in economic power, constituting 26% of the world GDP in 206 BC, 58% in the 7-9th century, and 60% of the global GDP in the 10-13th century. Like all ancient civilisations, ancient China declined in power and influence and was invaded by Western forces and Japan in the 18th century, which influenced the Chinese psyche for generations. This history of past economic development, though not a predictor of future economic status, mirrors hope, possibilities and what could be achieved with visionary leadership and excellent governance structures for China. Although almost on its knees by the middle of the 20th century, China came up with a way of working out of the dungeons of lack of productivity and economic quagmire.

The founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, led by Mao Zedong, opened a new chapter in Chinese history. From the ashes of the Korean War, the PR of China effectively began economic reconstruction with the first five-year development plan as the foundation. Within 1953-1957, the visionary Chinese leaders established a solid foundation for its industrial renaissance. The scheme delivered over 10,000 large-scale industrial projects covering the construction of 250,000 km of railways, aviation, power generation, automobile production, precision equipment, steel pipes, and radio.

1978 marked a turning point in the development of China. Deng Xiaoping opened China to the outside world, introduced foreign direct investment, and legalised private investment. The private sector-led economy led to the establishment of a socialist market economy system and the development of capital markets and stock exchanges. The government privatised almost all small and medium-sized state-owned enterprises and lifted price control over most products. But this pragmatic approach is only the beginning of a phenomenal development. This unprecedented and rapid economic development reflects the quality of Chinese practical and visionary leadership.

The leaders of China centred the emancipation of China on economic growth. They pursued a vision of a new China using the instrumentality of economic growth as a strategy to power a great nation. A study of three of China’s most consequential leaders revealed a remarkable pattern contributing to their phenomenal prosperity. The three leaders are Mao Zedong, popularly called Chairman Mao, who is the architect of a unified China and the People’s Republic of China. The second is Deng Xiaoping, the champion of reform, which opened China to the world in 1978. Lastly, Xi Jinping is the father of modernisation and the current leader of China. He is leading the digital China: digital industrialisation, industrial digitisation, digital governance, and data ‘valurisation’. All three leaders share five common traits: their subscription to the power of ideas, strategic thinking, pragmatism, discipline, and resilience in sticking to a clear vision. Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward and Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms transformed China’s economy, and subsequent leaders have prioritised economic growth and development to maintain social stability. Xi Jinping also follows a similar path of economic prosperity as a pathway to social peace.

China is unarguably the world’s manufacturing hub. It is a product of vision, strong leadership, discipline, meticulous planning, hard work, and resilience. Powered by visionary leadership, China is focused on modernisation and digital civilisation today. They achieved zero poverty society in 2021, number 2 in research and development globally in the past five years and above USD 3 trillion in reserves since 2011. The power of visionary leadership does not submit to excuses.

In contrast, historically, Nigeria was a product of colonisation and cannot lay serious claim to historic economic progress of any significance in Africa. It is a fact that Nigeria suffered the double whammy of slavery and colonialism and was just a property for subjugation by Britain. Its fight in the pre-colonial period was a fight for survival and statehood. Having been conquered culturally, religiously, and economically, Nigeria was gasping for air to breathe when Britain gave independence. The independence, by all ramifications, was just a paper victory, and the fight for freedom and prosperity started in 1960 when our leaders were clamouring for the dignity of the black man.

Post-1960s, much remained the same concerning leadership outcomes. Our leadership quality has even worsened and has since plummeted. Except for a handful, each subsequent leader plunges Nigeria more into the abyss. And Nigeria is in dire need of visionary leaders that will transform it like the Chinese leaders did to China. Who are our innovative and visionary leaders in the mould of Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping, and Xi Jinping? Who among our leaders has created a vision of economic growth based on productivity and put in place the structures and systems that will make it work? Unlike most Nigerian leaders, most Chinese leaders are long-term thinkers. Developing strategic thinking involves thinking about more significant macro issues, unlike the micro focus many tend to take in Nigeria. Strategic thinking means seeing how the world, the country and the broader economy will evolve and function. It also includes thinking long-term in contrast to near-term, our trademark in Nigeria.

Notably, in 1978, when China laid the foundations of economic emancipation, Nigeria’s per capita income was better than the Chinese. China’s per capita income was around $155 to $175. Nigeria’s per capita income was around $350 to $400. Nigeria’s per capita income was double that of China. In 2022, China’s per capita was $12,814, while Nigeria’s was $2184. This is over 10,000 USD more than Nigeria’s. It beggars belief! Since 1978, China’s per capita has increased by over 50 times by 2022, whilst Nigeria’s has increased marginally by five times. We don’t need to look further to identify the cause of this. What is our shared or common vision? China, from 1978, focused on Better Life and Prosperity for all. Leaders and strategy have changed, but every leader has yet to abandon this vision. We had Development plans at various times: Operation Feed the Nation, Green Revolution, Vision 2010, Vision 2035, and Vision 2050. What happened to all our long- and medium-term plans? Why did they fail, and did the Chinese succeed?

China’s economic growth is a multifaceted force reshaping the world order in complex ways. It challenges existing norms and global power structures, creates new opportunities in business, supply chain, technology and innovation. China’s growing influence has forced countries, especially in Africa, to navigate a changing geopolitical and resource control landscape. How these implications unfold will depend on the strategies and policies adopted by China and other countries in response to this evolving global dynamic. China’s hard and soft power is evident, and the world has taken notice. Besides, China is vying for global economic pre-eminence with the US but has no economic comparative advantage yet. However, the leadership factor puts it at a strategic advantage because of its unique one-party authoritarian model that aggressively pushes for growth and defies the hitherto philosophy that economic advancement is impossible outside the Western democratic and capitalist model.

Nigeria needs more focused economic planning, a clear and achievable vision and goals, and a clear understanding of its position in the emerging New World Order. In this Order, capital and economic development is premium. The core lesson from the China experiment is that pragmatic and visionary leadership makes a tremendous difference in economic growth. Nigeria needs such now more than ever. Our new president has a date with history to map a course that makes him such a leader. History beckons.