With effect from July 24, Nigerians will now pay more for bread as the As­sociation of Master Bakers & Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) has announced an increase of 15 percent on all its products.

This is as respondents on Wednes­day decried the planned increase on price of bread, saying they are already going through enormous hardship following the removal of fuel subsidy. They asked President Bola Tinubu to assuage their condition with people-centric policies.

The association in a statement on Wednesday jointly signed by Alhaji Mansur Umar and Hon. Jude Okafor, the National Pres­ident and National Secretary, respectively, stated that the deci­sion was agreed upon after the National Executive Council ex­traordinary virtual meeting.

The association said that the decision was taken due to the multifarious increases on the prices of baking materials, flour, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil, twist tie, petrol, diesel (occasioned by subsidy removal), multiple tax­ations from federal and states agencies including Standards Or­ganisation of Nigeria (SON), Na­tional Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), EMBLEMS, local government authorities fees and levies, consumer protection council, among others.

According to the statement, “We critically assessed the state of our business operations, con­sequently resolve that the recent general increases on our factors of production including but not limited to additional N1.2 million on one truck of flour (N2,000 per bag), N3.6 million on one truck of sugar (N6,000 per bag); yeast, additional N2,000 per carton; fuel from N205 to N550; diesel, N650 to N700 (depending on the part of the country), multiple taxations from Federal Govern­ment regulatory agencies, state government tax agencies, state government emblem collectors, state and local government health agencies and other taxing agencies too numerous to men­tion here, continuous collection of now heavily increased wheat levy (which is now diverted to other uses other than the objec­tive for establishing it).

“Charge of all manner of lev­ies on flour millers that is finally transferred to bakers; it has now thrown a great number of our members into unemployment market and still counting.”

The statement further states that “effective July 24, 2023, as an interim measure, all members of AMBCN are hereby advised to adjust their prices by 15% (in consonance with the now heavily increased cost of factors of our production) across the board as we can only produce standard baked products in accordance with NAFDAC regulation as we cannot sacrifice the health of our fellow country men and women on the altar of breaking even point by resorting to unhealthy practices pending further reso­lutions.”

The association thereby called on federal and state governments to intervene urgently and save the industry from total collapse.

The association directed that all zonal chairmen, state chair­men and local chapters’ chair­men should commence full scale mobilisation towards implemen­tation of the interim resolutions and await further directives from the national secretariat.

“We sincerely appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our numerous customers na­tionwide as they grapple with the extra burden placed on them with the imminent increase and promise to revert back should there be significant governments interventions”.

"But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, 'Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What's more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you'. So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said" (Acts 27:22-25).

     It is time to hang on to his word. When God speaks, it is final. Many Christians enjoy every aspect of serving God, but when things get so rough that demand absolute faith in God's word to scale through, you see them faltering and disappointing God. Following God's leading at normal situation does not require much struggle. But during uncertainties and perilous times, it could be the most herculean decision to make. Following God is not a tea party. It takes a man or a woman who is ready to plunge into any situation believing and holding to his word. Yes, following him is a big risk. Sometimes you are required to go from the known to the unknown. Other times from the natural to the supernatural. But in all depending on nothing but what he has said concerning that particular situation.

      There are so many Christians in the church today, but very few that God can boast of. I mean very few that God can boldly say, "Yes, this is my faithful son (or daughter). Devil, go and try him them and see how he they will stand for me till the end." You know from the scriptures that God boasted of people like Job, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. But, can he do same with anyone today? Can he boast of you? We fail because we don't want to hold on to his word till the end of our trials. We fail because we don't want to take any risk in his name. We also fail because we don't want to lose our comfort.

     Now, anybody that will follow God must be ready to 'hang' on to his word even when every other thing has failed. You must be ready to march on even when the road looks very gloomy or bleak. When it looks senseless to still believe what he had told you. I know you understand what I am talking about here. In that your situation, you already know that every solution tried has failed. Just go get a word from the Lord. Brood over it and begin to walk on it. If truly that word is from God for that specific situation, it will never disappoint. It doesn't matter how complex the enemy might try to make it, you will prevail at last because God has spoken! When God speaks, it is final. Nothing will be added or subtracted from it. It might take time, meet opposition, be mocked and even in some cases be forgotten, yet, it will ultimately come to pass. Stop looking at your circumstances; rather focus on the word of God.

     Now let's go back to our main text - Acts 27. But if you want to follow the story from the very beginning, you can start from chapter 21.When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem by the Jews; who accused him of teaching against the Jewish laws and defiling the temple by bringing in Gentiles into it. You know how the Apostle was rescued by the soldiers, handed over to the Jewish Council, then to governors Felix and Festus and was on his way to Rome to stand before Caesar (the Roman emperor).That you're in the will of God does not guarantee that the enemy will not fight you. But our confidence is that the word and the will of God will always prevail. Though Paul was being bungled to Rome in chains and as a prisoner, it was the original plan of God that one day; the Apostle will take the gospel to Rome. And he (God) allowed that problem to be the vehicle for that particular purpose. When the Apostle finished addressing the Jewish Council and was brought back to the fortress by the commander, the Lord appeared to him that same night, "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged Paul. Just as you have told the people about me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome". - Acts 23:11. I hope you got that? So it was God that sending Paul to Rome in chains not his enemies? Wow! This present problem will be a vehicle to your destiny!

    God planned that Paul would take the gospel to Rome. Also, remember that at the beginning, when Paul was converted, the Lord told Ananias concerning Paul, "But the Lord said, Go and do what I say. For Saul (Paul) is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I must show him how much he must suffer for me" Acts 9:15. So, from the beginning, God made it known that Paul was going to be his instrument to take the gospel to the kings and the gentiles. Now, the Apostle was being taken to Rome (in chains) to stand before Caesar. But on the way, the enemy rose up against the journey. Like I said earlier, that you're in the will of God does not guarantee that the enemy will not fight you. But our confidence is that the word and the will of God will always prevail.

Rev Gabriel Agbo is the author of the books / audiobooks Power of Midnight Prayer, Power of Sacrifice, Breaking Generational Curses: Claiming Your Freedom and many others. Website: www.authorsden.com/pastorgabrielnagbo Tel: 08037113283 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The total number of issued Bank Verification Numbers rose to 57.96 million as of July 3, 2023, according to data obtained from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc.

This was as the Central Bank of Nigeria planned to the close bank accounts without BVNs. According to the NIBSS, the increasing incidents of compromise on conventional security systems (password and PIN), had increased the demand for greater security for access to sensitive or personal information in the banking system.

It stated that in recent times, biometric technologies havd been used to analyse human characteristics as an enhanced form of authentication for real-time security processes.

It stated that BVN gave a unique identity that could be verified across the Nigerian banking industry (not peculiar to one bank), and ensured that customers bank accounts were protected from unauthorised access.

It said, “It will address issues of identity theft, thus reducing exposure to fraud. The BVN will enhance the banking industry’s chances of being able to fish out blacklisted customers.”

It noted that the BVN is an acceptable means of identification across all Nigerian Banks. Since launching in 2014, 57.96 million Nigerians have now got BVNs. Data from NIBSS indicated that there were 133.5 million as of December 2021.

According to the apex bank, BVN is part of its overall strategy of ensuring the effectiveness of the Know Your Customer principles, and the promotion of a safe, reliable, and efficient payments system.

As of December 26, 2021, there were 51.7 million BVNs. Recently, the CBN, through its Director, Risk Management Department, and Chief Risk Officer, Blaise Ijebor, noted that the CBN was working to remove accounts not linked to BVNs from the financial system.

According to him, this was to clean up the sector and reduce the growing incidence of fraud.

A recent report by FITC revealed that bank customers in Nigeria lost N472m to fraud in the first quarter of 2023. It noted that there was a total of 12,553 cases of fraud recorded within the three months.

Recently, the CBN said that it had placed 6,047 BVNs of bank customers under a watch list for fraudulent transactions. It stated that the number of BVN-linked accounts was 130.57 million out of 148.46 million active accounts.

It disclosed this in the CBN Financial Stability June 2022 report published in December 2022. It said, “The number of accounts linked with BVNs was 130,569,656 out of 148,462,947 active customer accounts, while the number of watch-listed BVNs associated with fraud and deceased persons stood at 6,047 and 11,871, respectively.”

A subpoenaed witness from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) called by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party(LP), Mr. Chijioke Edeoga, has told the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the commission by the Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah, was certified by the NYSC.

The witness, Mr Dimas Friday Emmanuel, while under cross examination by Mbah’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), averred that Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate was forwarded to the NYSC for authentication, stressing that the NYSC certifies only a document emanating from it.

Olanipekun had said to the INEC witness, “Have a look at Exhibit EPT01/A, B, and C, particularly the NYSC Certificate there, that Certificate which you said Mbah forged was certified by the NYSC”, to which he replied in the affirmative.

“Am I correct to say that NYSC can only certify a document in its possession and a document emanating from the institution?” Again, he said “Yes”.

On further cross examination by the counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), the witness, who is a legal practitioner, also admitted that Mbah’s NYSC Certificate carried a stamp of the NYSC, certifying the document.

“Look at Exhibit 08A and B, there is an NYSC Certificate, it carries a stamp of NYSC, certifying that document”, Iziyon had asked, to which the witness answered “Yes”.

The witness further confirmed that the name on the said certificate was Mbah Peter Ndubuisi, that it was dated 6th January 2003 and that the certificate number was also A808297.

Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate has been a subject of controversy between the governor and the NYSC, with the NYSC alleging that Mbah forged the certificate with number A808297 and that it was not issued by them, while Mbah insisted that it was genuine and issued by the institution.

Meanwhile, the witness, Mr. Emmanuel confirmed upon cross examination that LP’s governorship candidiate, Chijioke Edeoga’s name, was not contained in Exhibit 16, being the LP membership register for Enugu, which he also tendered.

Efforts by Edeoga’s lawyer, Ehitayo Fatomi, SAN, to have the court refuse the admission of the register was overruled by the court.

Following the new law decentralising electricity, the Federal Government has expressed willingness to partner with states on power generation.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said it would provide the regulatory framework for states to operate in the power sector.

The Fifth Alteration Bill No. 33 (Devolution of Powers) allows states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid.

Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, said: “NERC’s principle has always been that we will partner with any state or anybody that achieves the common goal of ensuring that the lights stay on.”

He spoke during a two-day stakeholder workshop on the Constitutional Amendment and Electricity Act 2023, which began yesterday in Lagos.

The commission provided highlights of the event via its Twitter handle @NERCNG, monitored by our correspondent.

NERC Vice-Chairman/Commissioner, Market, Competition & Rates, Musiliu Oseni, believes the new Electricity Act has the potential of transforming the entire electricity supply industry.

He added: “When it comes to nurturing the sector, states face important choices that come with implications.

“It is important for them to adopt a collaborative mindset, focus on load growth, prioritise quality improvements, prioritise customer satisfaction, and work towards improving liquidity.

“These considerations are key to supporting the sector’s growth and success.”

NERC also said that available electricity capacity is underutilised.

Oseni said: “Only 53 per cent of available (electricity) capacity is utilised due to challenges with gas supply, transmission and distribution constraints and commercial challenges.”

As of July 11, the total energy generated in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) was 4,078.3MW.

NERC Fourth Quarter 2022 Report said the average available capacity of 4,497.32MW was available generation capacity.

According to the report, 75 per cent of the available capacity is gas-based, while the rest is from hydro as solar and biomass account for a very negligible percentage.

However, as of June 6, the installed generation capacity was 12,522MW.

Reps decry 14-year blackout in Ondo councils

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives mandated its Committee on Power (when constituted) to invite the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

He will explain why the electricity blackout in Irele, Okitipupa, Ese-Odo and Ilaje local government areas (LGAs) has persisted for 14 years.

The House also resolved to invite the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to explain why the councils were disconnected from the national grid.

The House said it would liaise with NERC on the reconnection of the LGAs while resolving any disputes.

The committee is to report back within eight weeks.

These followed the adoption of a motion titled: “Need to Investigate the Electricity Blackout in Irele, Okitipupa, Ese Odo and Ilaje LGAs of Ondo State” sponsored by Odimayo Okunjimi John.

The House noted that the primary responsibility of every government is to create a conducive atmosphere for citizens to carry out their social and economic activities with little or no hindrance.

The House said it was aware that since 2014, most communities in Irele LGA, such as Ode-lrele, OdeAjaja, Akotogbo, lyesa, Ujusun, Ormi, Aturase, and Udogun have been in darkness.

Others in Okitipupa LGA are lgbotako, llutitun, lkoya, Ayeka, lgbodigu, lrinje, lgundan, ldobilayo and Big road area of Okitipupa, as well as Ese-Edo and Ilaje LGA.

The House was concerned that the action by the BEDC has brought untold hardship and misery to the citizens, as all Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in these areas have folded up or collapsed due to a lack of electricity supply.

It said the high cost of providing alternative power supply has crippled the businesses of those who tried to brave the odds by using generators to power their activities.

The House was also concerned that children born 15 years ago to date in these communities do not know what public power supply is all about as they have never witnessed any form of electricity supply.

The House said the only means of power supply they know is either lamps, touches, candles or generators.

It said the situation has led to a massive loss of jobs for the locals, while the situation has adversely affected foreign exchange earnings by companies in the area.

Events in the past weeks betoken a pristine approach to Nigeria’s foreign policy utility. There are indications that the nation’s foreign policy plank will follow a clear and unconfused trajectory. And it is apparent that Nigeria will play a purposive role in the affairs of West Africa and Africa under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

A firm, decisive and progressive leadership at home, commands global attention and respect for the country. Essentially, a clear direction on the domestic front reflects on the utterly transactional and anarchical international front. Global or continental leadership, as it is with every other aspect of leadership, begins and succeeds with personal example. Evidently, Nigeria is beginning to show leadership in its internal affairs. That is the utility of personal example.

In the past, Nigeria was bogged down by domestic problems such that it could not extend itself a bit more robustly. Insecurity across the country meant previous administrations had to look exceptionally inwards. But there was also the problem of lack of interest or capacity, and policy direction. Although Nigeria did try to maintain some presence within Africa, its leadership was not all too palpable.

At times of internal upheavals, most states tend to be more nationalistic and protectionist. Between 1937 (Era of the Great Depression) and 1944, the US, battling its own domestic problems, exercised the Doctrine of Isolationism which advocated non-involvement in external wars and politics. But the US joined the Second World War at the twilight when its territorial interest was threatened. And with it came the Truman Doctrine in 1947 -- by President Harry S. Truman which states that ‘’the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces’’.

The vacuum in pilotage on the continent is conspicuous. Nigeria is by the conspiracy of history, geography, size, and economy, a default leader of Africa – and as such it should exercise this leadership.

The concept of Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy was ideated and articulated in the 1960s during the administration of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa. The abstraction has been adopted and iterated by successive administrations. The spirit of the idea, which was a dominating motif of the de-colonisation era, is that Africa must come first in Nigeria’s foreign policy formulation. And true to the objective, Nigeria has over the decades played a decisive role in Africa.

President Tinubu has shown a clear understanding of the leadership example and imperativeness of Nigeria in Africa. At every turn in his foreign engagements, he has centred Nigeria and Africa as the denominators of his blueprint.

At a meeting with President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic at the New Global Financing Pact Summit in France recently, President Tinubu reaffirmed Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy. He said: “We are ready to improve relations. Africa has been the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy. I believe in Africa. We have the necessity to grow the continent. The world’s economy is wobbling, and Africa has been left behind. On risk factors, Africa is always placed high, with higher interest rates on borrowing. We are always classified as high risk. We must work together for systematic recovery and growth.”

At the ECOWAS summit in Guinea-Bissau where he was elected as the chairman of the sub-regional group, President Tinubu made an impassioned and audacious declaration on the fundamentals of defending, protecting, and nurturing democracy in the zone. The President said: “We must stand firm on democracy. There is no governance, freedom, and rule of law without democracy. We will not accept coup after coup in West Africa again. Democracy is very difficult to manage but it is the best form of government. There is no one here among us who did not campaign to be a leader. We didn’t give our soldiers resources; we didn’t invest in them, in their boots, in their training to violate the freedom of the people. To turn their guns against civil authorities is a violation of the principles upon which they were hired, which is to defend the sovereignty of their nations. We must not sit in ECOWAS as toothless bulldogs.”

This patently demonstrates a keen sense of duty, obligation, responsibility – which I encapsulate as Tinubu’s Doctrine of Responsibility, of duty. It is a bounden duty and an unrelenting obligation for Africans and Africa to work together for ‘’systematic recovery and growth’’, and to protect and defend democracy.

Africa and Africans are afflicted by the same problems and are connected by the umbilicus of poverty, political, instability, unstable economy, and the like. So, it is important that African states deal with their shared challenges as partners. The fallout of the chaos in Libya and how it imperilled the security of some African countries, including Nigeria’s, points to why cohesion, partnership and mutual trust is a desideratum for the continent.

The Doctrine of Responsibility, as it relates to transnational relations, establishes patriotism, loyalty and commitment to African ethos, values, survival, success, and future. It evokes a sense of duty to father land and Africa.

However, it is important that while Nigeria retakes its place as the lodestar of Africa, it must evolve and not stay fastened to the old ways of ‘’big-brother diplomacy’’, but adopt more of mutualism, diplomacy of reciprocity. International relations is governed by an anarchy of interests, and as such Nigeria must protect its own domestic interest.

With a vibrant national leadership and a defining presence in West Africa and Africa, Nigeria is well on its way to status redemption.

By Fredrick Nwabufo, Nwabufo aka Mr One-Nigeria is a media executive.

Democratic consolidation requires holding periodic elections that allow for peaceful transfer of power. Yet some elections held outside of consolidated democracies have been identified as sources of conflict. So far, Nigeria has managed to skirt around its various electoral crises, thus avoiding ensuing conflicts. But all is still not well. As long as the outcome of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential elections remain under contestation, a conjunction of circumstances will determine Nigeria’s political trajectory, more so as her national resignation and seemingly unfettered elasticity in tethering on the precipice, may have reached the breakpoint.

The foundational and sustaining basis of any democracy is the holding of periodic and genuine elections that allow a nation’s citizen to exercise their universal suffrage. The one-man-one-vote practice is one of the affirming principles of equality of persons, regardless of social and economic stratification. However, when a nation is leadership challenged as Nigeria is presently, it becomes incumbent for certain individuals and national institutions to rise to the occasion and toe a remedial path.

It is no longer in question that the quest for good governance and purposeful leadership are contingent on holding credible elections. Relatedly, the path to national greatness requires courage and selfless sacrifice. Both traits seem to have eluded Nigerians. There is, indeed, a dearth of both in our nation-building matters. This reality has placed Nigeria in its present conundrum. As much as some may indulge in escapism and declare the 2023 presidential elections concluded, that is not the case. The matter and the fate of Nigeria now rest with the Nigerian judiciary.

The present state of play affirms the truism espoused by Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, that “It is essential for good governance to have a formidable judiciary. It ultimately contributes to nation-building, because it stands as the watchdog of the society and does not allow the hope of common men to be lost.” The moment of truth is here!

For now, Nigeria’s 2023 presidential elections results remain in dispute. Those who urge the acceptance and grandfathering of INEC’s egregious declaration neither have an eye on history, nor interested in Nigeria’s long term wellbeing. Expediency in such national interest issues will always be fraught with miasma. No nation should legislate or legally sanction criminality. What Nigerians ought to be doing to escape the present quagmire is delve into its history and look elsewhere for guidance, if need be. There are for Nigeria, some close to home examples.

In 2017, the Kenyan Supreme Court declared the presidential elections held on August 8 as “null and avoid,” citing grave irregularities. As the Court ruled, “The presidential election held on August 8 was not conducted in accordance with the constitution.” The court then ordered a new poll to be conducted within 60 days. It was a landmark decision.

Similarly, in 2020, the Malawi Supreme Court upheld a Constitutional Court ruling that President Peter Mutharika’s 2019 election was invalid because of widespread irregularities. In annulling the elections seven months later, the court cited “widespread, systematic and grave” irregularities including significant use of correction fluid to alter the outcome. Consequently, it declared, “We consider that” Peter Mutharika “was not duly elected on 21 May 2019. We therefore annul the results of the presidential election.” The Court went on to order a new presidential election to be held within 150 days. For Malawi, democracy and history, it was a landmark decision.

The rulings by the Kenya and Malawi apex courts present seminal case studies in politics, history and jurisprudence. Contextually, two unique strands should always guide public policy decision making: lessons learned and missed opportunities. These are tantamount to use of history, precedent or experience for decision making. Put differently, precedents in law, convention or practice are valuable instruments of leadership decision making processes. In Nigeria, the landmark case, Awolowo vs. Shagari has been characterized by some as a case of compromise; the truth remains that the Supreme Court if it had any bias, was in favour of upholding tenets the Constitution.

Before Malawi’s election, the international community, including the United Nations, European Union and African Union, issued several statements ahead of the vote, by which they urged Malawians to uphold the rule of law and remain calm. In the aftermath of the elections, when there was clear consternation and discomfiture over the announced results, the same international bodies sued for calm, reminding the nation that “Malawi can draw on an impressive history of institutions and leaders stepping forward to safeguard your democracy and ensure peaceful resolution for internal tensions.” These exhortations have been and can be easily replicated in the circumstances presently confronting Nigeria.

What is left is for the Nigerian judiciary to find the courage and need for self-sacrifice against all odds, to affirm the supremacy of the Constitution and the eminence of the rule of law. Both acts are synonymous with Patriotism. Given Nigeria’s peculiarities, such hard-headed decisions are not for the faint-hearted. But nations have been rescued from perdition via such conducts.

Like equity, jurisprudence has universal value. Transformative legal rulings are transboundary. Precedents arise and are employed from every legitimate authority. This is more so in our globalized world and with the benefit of seamless information technology. Whereas some have argued that it’s folly to mistake precedent of court cases for knowledge, and that any such endeavour is not by itself law; it goes without saying that precedent is the GPS of law and indisputable guide on extant principles.

There are unambiguous parallels in the Malawi and Nigeria presidential election cases. In Malawi, one of the grounds for annulling the elections was “irregularities, especially ‘massive’ use of correction fluid on results sheets.” In Nigeria, evidence abounds of result sheets that were “blurred,” “mutilated,” and carelessly altered, with the use of “correction fluid on result sheets”. Such evidence exists and is incontrovertible.

Everything that could possibly go wrong with an election went wrong with the 25 February presidential elections, thanks to INEC. Of the lot, the worst misdeed, which borders on criminality, is the egregious debasement of the Nigerian Constitution, thus creating a constitutional crisis. INEC also flunked the doctrine of substantial compliance. It put provisions of the Constitution in auto reverse, more so in neglecting dictates on winning requirement for Abuja FCT. Consequently, the judiciary negating this INEC legerdemain will not in spirit and letter amount to judicial legislation as some may presume.

Nigeria is like Kenya; like Malawi, no questions asked. Yet this needs to be asked: Can the Nigerian judiciary find the courage to uphold the constitution? Like the song says, “The answer is blowing in the winds.” Whether it will be good winds or ill winds remains to be seen.

Obaze, a politician, diplomat and governance and public policy expert, is a card carrying member of the Labour Party

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he understands the hardship brought abut by the removal of fuel subsidy, assuring that the decision was in the best interest of the country, especially in guaranteeing future prosperity.

Tinubu, who received 18 governors who served with him, Class of 1999, at the Presidential Villa, appealed for more patience from Nigerians.

He assured Nigerians that the framework for palliatives to remedy the effects of fuel subsidy removal was being worked out.

Tinubu said the government will increase effort, speed up the process and ensure a full-proof social security structure that will not be compromised, especially in cash-transfer.

“I understand that our people are suffering yet there can be no childbirth without pain. The joy of childbirth is the relief that comes after the pain. Nigeria is reborn already with fuel subsidy removal. It is a rebirth of the country for the largest number over a few smugglers. Please tell the people to be a little patient.”

The palliative is coming. I don’t want cash-transfer to fall into wrong hands. I know it pinches and it is difficult. In the end, we will rejoice in the prosperity of our country,’’ he told the governors, who were led by former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion.

Tinubu had earlier written to the House of Representatives to seek an amendment to the 2023 supplementary appropriation act to accommodate N500 billion for provision of palliatives for Nigerians.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas read the president’s letter at plenary on Wednesday.

He said the request became necessary to enable the government provide palliatives for Nigerians to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

In the past couple of days, Mmesoma Ejikeme, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School (AGSS), Nnewi, Anambra State, who took the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in May 2023, and was briefly celebrated as the highest scorer in the country, has been trending. The first child in a family of four, whose father works as an Okada rider, claimed she scored 362 and was subsequently awarded a N3m scholarship by Innoson Motors before she was accused of manipulating her result, using an APP. Several people took sides with the innocent-looking school girl who said she was incapable of such an act of forgery as she was being accused.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) came out to defend its integrity, perhaps too harshly, given the age of the girl, while the girl stuck to her claims. As evidence continued to mount against her claims, an investigative committee found her guilty of manipulating her results – as alleged by JAMB.

There are several lessons to be learnt from the Mmesoma saga:

The first is a deep distrust of our institutions which in many ways mirrors the general distrust in the society. In many climes, an institution of the stature of JAMB coming out to declare Mmesoma’s result as fake, would have settled the matter. But not in Nigeria.  When the story first broke out, there were people who claimed that institutions like WAEC and JAMB routinely ‘tamper’ with people’s results or fraudulently swap results between students. Bearers of such conspiracy theories, when challenged to provide evidence, would often retort that ‘this is Nigeria’ and remind us of the well-known shenanigans from institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

That the Mmesoma story took an ethnic angle is predictable. Most Igbo came out instinctively in defence of the girl. From identity studies we learnt that the identity that is perceived to be under threat is often the one most vociferously defended. Among the Igbo, there is a deeply ingrained suspicion that there is a conspiracy somewhere to ‘inconsequentialize’, emasculate and ridicule the race, including the accomplishments of its people. Most Igbo believe that Buhari barely concealed his disdain of their race during his presidency and that some of his actions and Freudian slips (like calling them ‘dot in circle’ or saying he should not be expected to treat people who gave him 97% votes the same way as those who gave him three per cent) buttress these beliefs. One of the consequences was the mainstreaming of Igbophobia under the Buhari government. Before Buhari’s presidency, this had existed in hush-hush conversations. The 2023 elections and their aftermath weaponized it.

Essentially, due to the belief that they are either unwanted in Nigeria or at best wanted only as second or third class citizens, there is a sort of ingrained persecution complex within the group – sometimes when there is no justifiable ground for that. This leads to strong, often uncouth push backs as they try to counter the narratives that justify Igbophobia – and also throw their own ethnic/religious jabs. This contest over narratives is rarely conducted in civil language. Quite often it requires immense courage to read through the bile and sheer hatreds the warring groups throw at each other. The Mmesoma saga became inexorably drawn into the vortex of this contest over narratives. In this sense, it makes a whole difference that it was an investigative panel set up by Anambra State government that found her guilty of manipulating her result –  as charged by JAMB. If that panel had been set up by the federal government or any other institution, it would still be difficult to convince some people that the outcome was not part of the conspiracy against the race or a cover up of sorts. Though I applaud Buhari for his efforts in providing infrastructure in the country during his presidency, (including the construction of the Second Niger Bridge) and using personal diplomacy to secure top positions in some leading global institutions for Nigerians, the scars he left on the country by his mismanagement of both the herdsmen crisis and our diversity are very deep and may take a very long time to heal. For instance, Buhari’s cuddling of the herdsmen created non-state actors like Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho, Simon Ekpa and others who gained legitimacy from the local population by promising to protect them from the attacks by herdsmen. As part of demonstrating ‘courage’, Nnamdi Kanu and his organisation’s mode of vilifying the assumed enemies of the Igbo did not win friends for the ethnic group. Rather there appears to be bottled-up feelings by groups who felt hurt by the perceived insults by these non-state actions. Some of these hurt groups seem to be uncorking their bottled up feelings, which in turn fuel the prevailing Igbophobia.

Mmesoma is a metaphor for the endemic fraud that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian society. Fraud is everywhere in the country – from exam frauds at every level, (including at PhD levels) to cheating in offices and elsewhere. Leading politicians are routinely accused of either forging their certificates or NYSC discharge certificates or not having the credentials they claim to have. That such an innocent-looking youngster as Mmesoma could commit such a fraud and held onto her lies until the evidence against her became overwhelming and an investigative panel pronounced her guilty as charged – is just unfortunate. I congratulate the Anambra State government for recognizing the environmental context of the controversy and setting up a committee to investigate it. With its verdict, no one can accuse the committee of witch-hunting the young girl or this being another instance of a conspiracy to keep the Igbo down.  While there is no doubt that there is rising Igbophobia in the country, one of the lessons from the Mmesoma saga is the need for better discernment before jumping into conclusions on any issue.  While an early admission of guilt might probably not have stopped the ethnic finger pointing between those who would want to use her indiscretion to define her ethnic group and those who are so defined aggressively pushing back on that narrative and throwing their own ethnic/religious jabs, many right-thinking members of the society would have overlooked such as the perennial wrangling between ethnic factions of our keyboard warriors.

While I believe that JAMB has done remarkably well under its current registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede, I equally believe that the body was rather overbearing in its justified desire to defend its integrity in the asymmetrical confrontation between it and Mmesoma. Given Mmesoma’s age and station in life, I believe that a fatherlier approach, which isolates the wrong act from the person who committed it, would have been more helpful. On the part of Mmesoma, she needs not just counselling but also to offer a public apology to both the JAMB and Nigerians.

The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has ordered troops to seize control of areas where the  Indigenous People of Biafra enforce their sit-at-home order throughout the South-East states.

The order cames after a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, announced that there would be a two-week sit-at-home in the South-East region from July 31.

According to him, the order was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader,  Nnamdi Kanu, as well as facilitate the freedom of Biafra nation, among others.

 Ekpa warned that failure to comply with the sit-at-home order would attract ‘heavy consequences’.

However, speaking in an interview with The PUNCH,  the Director,  Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu,  declared that such an announcement was unlawful and would not be condoned.

 He said the troops of the 82 Division had been given an order to work with other security agencies to ensure citizens go about their businesses freely.

Onyema said,  “The renewed threat by IPOB to compel the people in southeastern Nigeria to sit at home is not only appalling but a violation of the fundamental rights of southeastern Nigerians and, therefore, unlawful. This will never be condoned.

“The Chief of Army Staff has handed down clear directives to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army operating in synergy with other security agencies to ensure robust patrols to dominate all flashpoints and emplace measures to ensure citizens are free to go about their legitimate businesses.

“Strangely, Simon Ekpa, a notorious terrorist and self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, is in Finland making a living for himself and his family, but ordering the people to shut down their means of livelihood by sitting at home.”

The army spokesman called on  Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order, urging them to support the security forces to defeat IPOB.

 Onyema said,  “We implore the good and enterprising people of the South-East to shun all forms of cajoling or threats aimed at unlawfully compelling them to be reclusive by sitting at home. We urge them to join forces with the security operatives to resist this illegality perpetrated by IPOB.”

Similarly,the police have vowed to resist the sit-at-home order in any part of the South-East.

The Force spokesperson,  Muyiwa Adejobi, told The PUNCH that the police had killed and arrested non-state actors enforcing the order,  adding that the force would not rest on its oars.

Adejobi disclosed that the police were keeping a watch on the sponsors of the agitators.

He said,  “The police will not allow any unlawful order to stand in any part of Nigeria. The sit-at-home order is illegal and unacceptable. We have suppressed and neutralised the non-state actors who have been trying to enforce the order. We have arrested many of them and recovered their weapons.

“We will not relent in our efforts to maintain law and order in all parts of Nigeria, and we assure the people in the South-East to go about their lawful businesses as we have emplaced adequate security measures to protect them. We are keeping watch on the sponsors of these agitators who cause pain and sorrow in the areas.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy in Abuja to seek support for the abolition of sit-at-home in the state.

The governor had, on June 2, declared sit-at-home banned in Enugu, saying it was injurious to the economy of the state.

Despite his declaration, however, sit-at-home remains a feature of the state on Mondays.

Speaking to journalists during his visit to Abuja, Mbah said attracting investors to Enugu State would be an uphill task if sit-at-home persists.

The governor said, “If we must deal with the root causes of insecurity we have in our country, we must adopt both the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to dealing with insecurity, and we felt that the big elephant in the room is to address those activities that may be an inhibitor to bringing in investors to our state.

“We identified insecurity as one of those inhibitors; we felt that it was a clog in the wheel of our continued development, and that was why, immediately after I assumed office, I convened a Security Council meeting, and following that, we made a pronouncement that we wanted the sit-at-home to end.  This is because we have zero tolerance for that.

“There is no way we’ll be able to achieve the exponential picture we have painted, those massive promises about growing our economy and eradicating poverty, it will not happen if we don’t deal with that problem, and of course that requires we tighten our security architecture, and mobilise our security agencies in our state to be able to deal with it.”

Mba said he looked up to the partnership with the Navy to help bolster security in Enugu State and uphold the unity of the country.

He said,  “Thus far, we are getting the required support from the security agencies, and we are hoping to see them join hands with us to be able to deal with this big elephant.

“When I was sworn in, I took an oath to defend the unity of this country, and that is exactly what we’ll do, and we are not going to endorse any behavior that is outside that.So, what we are saying, in effect, is that we look forward to partnering with the Navy in those areas that are necessary to do so to achieve one common goal of building one unifying country, peace, and security.”

[Punch]