Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, says the budget for government agencies under the presidency will be on a needs assessment basis.

Gbajabiamila spoke with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja after touring agencies that directly report to the presidency.

He was accompanied on the tour by Ibrahim Hadeija, deputy chief of staff, and Olufunso Adebiyi, permanent secretary of the Aso Rock villa, among others.

Some of the agencies under the state house are the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

The chief of staff said resources are limited and must be allocated to these agencies based on actual requirements.

“In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us it is about prioritising,” the former speaker of the house of representatives said.

“Where are we so far? What have the agencies done? How have they measured up to their mandates and how important are their mandates in terms of the vision of this administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda?

“A lot of agencies are not properly funded. Do we merge some of these agencies, do we scrap some?

“In 2025 we are not going to budget in a vacuum. We will budget based on needs assessment.”

At NALDA, the chief of staff said the Tinubu administration is committed to diversifying the economy in which agriculture has a major role to play.

“This government is particular about diversifying our economy and the role the agriculture sector has to play is very important,” he said.

“This government is focusing very seriously on agriculture and food security and we trust that NALDA will continue to be innovative in its operations, including developing greenhouses and supporting the cultivation of more arable land across the country.”

While visiting the NAEC office, Gbajabiamila reiterated the federal government’s commitment to developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes such as electricity generation.

[TheCable]

Following the seizure of the country’s assets based on the ruling of a French court, former Ogun governor Ibikunle Amosun, put out successive press releases clarifying his role in the embarrassing situation. The first, explaining his responsibility in the matter between Ogun State and two Chinese companies (which culminated in the seizure of three presidential aircraft), was just as self-indicting as the second, a rejoinder to economist Pat Utomi. Both succinctly summarise everything wrong with leadership in this part of the world and why we just never seem to move forward. It is no longer news that we have bad leaders, but it was always distressing to see—through their self-narration—that we are ruled by people who are unethical, unthinking, and unsophisticated.

After reading both press statements, I concluded that the Chinese company’s enforcement of the law against Nigeria should not stop at seizing foreign assets. They should take Amosun with them. They can put him on the plantation for all we care.

Now, let me say that I have taken note that Amosun’s statement on Zhongfu’s duplicity, as much as they give him away as a poor administrator, is also one-sided. Until an investigative journalist can obtain and analyse the legal documents in the four Nigerian courts (where Zhongfu lost their cases) and the Paris arbitration tribunal (where they won) to provide a comprehensive picture of what unfolded, all we have to go by are the self-vindicating statements of each party. I should also add that this is not a defence of either Zhongfu or Utomi. Today, I am not particularly interested in the details of their deals with Ogun to take sides; I am only concerned with the naïve actions of the people who make the decisions that affect our lives.

In his press release, Amosun stated that two Chinese organisations fought over the lawful representative of the original joint venturer, Guangdong Province, China, and the right to manage the Ogun Free Trade Zone. Here is where it gets funny: 

Zhongfu International Investment FXE, pretending to be a concerned and genuine tenant and Zone stakeholder, volunteered very damaging and destructive information about the official representatives of Guangdong Province, the Joint Venturer and lawful Zone Managers, China Africa Investment FXE and subsequently requested to be appointed as Interim Zone Managers.

If a rival agency provides “damaging and destructive information” about its rival, common sense should tell anyone that whatever they are “volunteering” cannot be merely for charitable purposes. Amosun must have been wearing that his signature cap too tight for air to be let into his head because he apparently favoured the gossiping party for no reason other than their takedown of their opponent. According to him, it was only later that they discovered the information was a “tissue of lies.” When I read the part where he stated that unknown to the Ogun Government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE merely sought to de-market China Africa Investment FXE and to surreptitiously covert the state-owned assets of Guangdong Province in China together with the zone ownership and management rights of their business rival, I thought Amosun should be flogged in the market square.

For a state government with an entire bureaucracy at its disposal, it should not have been “unknown” to you that you were being manipulated.  You could have done due diligence by carrying out an independent fact-finding mission before taking decisions rather than letting a self-interested agent do your homework. Also, between 2012 when you appointed Zhongfu as “interim managers” and 2016 when the Chinese government clarified that China Africa Investment FXE was the rightful investor, you did not do any independent work to ascertain the truth? If it would take the Chinese government for you to know what was true, why did you not contact them all along?

But that is one part of his self-indictment. The second part is revealed in his release where he responds to Utomi. He says, Before I came into office, the Ogun State House of Assembly had passed a persona non grata on Utomi, and put its resolution in the state’s black book. So, I was curious when I became governor and called Utomi to ask what the issue was. This was entirely at my discretion and not because he reached out to me. But I reckoned that as one with some degree of name-recognition, that should not be, and I wanted to know what happened.

What you quickly notice is that in his reply to Utomi is the change of tone. In the first statement, he was careful to assume corporate responsibility for the decisions that led to the Nigerian embarrassment. He made sure to use the pronoun “we,” and to state that this and that action was taken by “Ogun” or “our administration.” When he got into the spat with Utomi, he dropped the façade and reverted to the personal pronoun. Unlike the first where he was careful to spread responsibility for the failure of intelligence that has brought Nigeria to this point, the second revealed him as a governor who basically ran a one-man show while in office.

He left me wondering, why would you—as a governor—be curious about the legislature blacklisting an individual to the point of contacting the person? If you need to find out anything, why not read the records? I am sure Ogun lawmakers did not just blacklist Utomi; there had to be a documented reason somewhere. It was not enough that he reached out to someone on the state’s black book, but he also offered them N100m.

He said by their assessment of the project, the expenditure could not have exceeded N35m or at most N50m. So, how did he arrive at N100m as compensation? What bureaucratic procedure reviewed the project and thought N100m was due to the blacklisted Utomi as compensation? The only reason anyone would have needed to award a governor a plaque to cajole him to pay the N100m balance must have been because he personalised the government, and administrative decisions were based on his gut instinct rather than official procedure. Even you confirmed that by saying, But I did not change my position on the refund of N100 million as against his N200 million claim.

And then, the finisher: I challenge everyone, including journalists, to let us meet at the construction site and see the N200 million investment he claimed to have made there. Let them also ask what benefit the project would have been to Ogun State. But this again proves how poorly he thinks and decides. To calculate whether the project was worth the N200m Utomi claims or not, he asked us to meet at the site and assess with our eyes. For a chartered accountant, one would have expected he would provide us with audit documents. Was that how he arrived at the “N35m, or at most N50m” value of the project? He went there and used his eyes to “see.” Now you see why his calculations had a yawning disparity of N15m. If this is how he makes decisions, it is unsurprising that Zhongfu could turn him around.

Then he says after using our eyes to calculate, we should ask “what benefit the project would have been to Ogun State.” So, he did not think that the project would benefit the state, but he offered N100m for it. What kind of administrator does that? If Amosun could arbitrarily spend N100m on a “useless” project, who knows what else he wastefully expended the money that could have benefited the poor people of Ogun State on?

Honestly, the Chinese can keep him as part of enforcing the arbitration award. Except that he is not an asset—not to Nigeria, and definitely not to the business-savvy Chinese.

Some users across social media platforms such as X, Facebook and Instagram, have expressed disappointment at the recently increased fees for Nigerian Standard Passport.

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Immigration Service – the national agency mandated to issue passports to applicants, on Wednesday, announced that the upward review of the passport fees was necessary to maintain its quality and integrity.

The increased fee, effective from September 1, 2024, will cost  N50,000 for a 32-page passport booklet with five-year validity which was previously charged at N35,000.

Also, a 64-page passport booklet with 10-year validity will cost N100,000; an increment of N30,000 from its previous N70,000 charge.

Part of the concerns raised by some of the social media users range from corruption of some NIS officials who charge extra, unofficial fees; to the economic hardship in the country, inflation, insensitivity of the government to the masses, among others.

On X.com, Callme_Wéalth EndSars, tweeting as #Lexyzdoo, wrote, “Online 50k, offline 100k for 32 pages.”

A Facebook user, Taiwo Olaoye, stated, “Without the hiked-up fees, you still have to pay an arm and a leg as bribery for them to do their jobs. That’s why my passport will forever remain expired. It will end up being expired in five years anyway.”

A tweep, Asiwaju Arowopoko, tweeting as #souqueasnaf, stated, “I can bet that some people paid more to get their passports done expressly. If it’s 50k and 100k for 32 and 64 pages respectively, and we will get it done seamlessly without paying a bribe or extra cost, then it’s ok.”

One Shedrach Onyekonwu on Facebook, criticised the fewer number of days to implement the passport fee review, compared to that of the national minimum wage, saying, “It takes just a publication of this nature to announce an upward review of fees to be implemented in 10 days but takes endless meetings to sign new minimum wage with no date in sight for its implementation.”

Another tweep, CitizenOlu, tweeting as #jagabanolu, wrote, “What kind of rubbish is this policy? In this economy with a 70k minimum wage, a passport will now cost 50,000! This is a very deliberate policy that shows some elites in power truly must be living in a different reality!”

An X user, Adewale ‘Damilare, tweeting as #dammygtnet, said, “Una dun increase money for passport issuance again. You guys are testing our patience!”

Another tweep, Hemjay of Life, with the username #MuritalaMujeebA, tweeted, “And it is not as if your useless officers will not still collect bribe at point of biometrics oo.”

An X user, E.J, tweeting as #Enwagboso, asked the FG to delay the effective date of the new passport fees to 2025.

He wrote, “The 10-day notice for the passport price increase is an example of the government’s lack of empathy and consideration for its citizens. #officialABAT and #nigimmigration should know this. I recommend reviewing the pricing strategy and considering a reversal or, at the very least, a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.”

A Facebook user, Celestine Uzodike wrote, “Every agency is in a hurry to extort the masses at this crucial period. Very insensitive Govt.”

Another Facebook user, Emecheta David, queried, “So to maintain the integrity of the passport, you’ll increase the price? Which integrity does the Nigerian passport possess that you are maintaining?”

An Instagram user, #l_ayk_an, wrote, “Making japa expensive but yet making Nigeria worse and unlivable.”

Another user, identified as #officialcollinzo, said, “Very soon to breath for this Nigeria go be 1k per 1hr.”

According to the Henley Passport Index, the Nigerian passport was ranked 92nd out of 199 passports, highlighting the challenges its citizens face regarding international travel freedom.

[Punch]

AS the 2024 governorship election and race slated for September 21st come closer, the spotlight shines brightly on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, a standout leader poised to make a significant impact. While the likes of Monday Okpevhbolo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and others may be vying for attention, Dr. Asue's exceptional qualities and track record set him apart from the rest.

Dr. Asue's manifesto is a masterclass in visionary leadership. His manifesto promises to tackle food security challenges, address wanton security concerns, drive economic growth, improve healthcare, and enhance education. His commitment to fixing decayed infrastructure, job creation, empowering marginalized communities and promoting social justice resonates deeply with me as a legal practitioner in particular and with the Edo people in general. Asue's manifesto is a testament to his dedication to creating a better future for all in the face of global economic stagnation.

Dr. Asue's impressive track record speaks for itself. His achievements in his previous position as captain of industries and chairman of several national and multinational institutions like the Sterling Bank, Okomu Oil Plc, and Nigeria Brewery demonstrate his capacity for effective leadership and problem-solving. His accomplishments, such as the revitalisation of most of the comatose companies he headed in the past, where he showcased his ability to drive results and make positive impact, signposted him as the perfect and most credible candidate of the People's Democratic Party as against the APC and Labour Party candidates without tangible records of achievements.

For the record, Dr. Asue is not a newcomer to the scene. He has been tirelessly working on the ground, building relationships, and understanding the needs of the people through the Alaghodao submit, which he has been chairing for the last seven years under the dutiful watch of Governor Godwin Obaseki. His commitment to continuity ensures that the progress made so far will not be disrupted but rather built upon.

Dr. Asue's leadership style is characterized by unity and inclusiveness. He believes in the indivisibility of affinity that exists amongst us and he is committed to bringing people together and fostering a sense of belonging across the state. His dedication to inclusivity is visible in his manifesto, purposely driven towards ensuring that every voice is heard and valued in the state as governor.

Asue's unique blend of vision, expertise, and passion makes him the ideal candidate for the challenges ahead. His impressive manifesto, built on the key pillars of compulsory education for all, industrialization, job creation, security, food sufficiency and the rest, resonates with the people and inspires hope for a better future for the state. His achievements in all his previous engagements demonstrate a consistent pattern of excellence, innovation, and dedication to the greater good.

While others may attempt to follow in Asue's footsteps, they lack the depth, sincerity, and charisma that set him apart. The people deserve a leader who truly understands and cares for their needs, and Asue is that leader.

In 2024, the choice is clear. Asue Ighodalo stands head and shoulders above the rest. Edo has a duty in the coming election to rally behind him and build a brighter future for all.

Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has revolutionized the way education is delivered to students. With AI tools being utilized for solving complex mathematical problems, facilitating scientific research, and even assisting in writing essays and research papers, it is evident that the educational landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. In light of these developments, it is imperative to review the current educational standards to align with the capabilities that AI tools have introduced. It is now imperative to delve into the necessity of defining , whether the use of AI is plagiarism, or not, revising curricula, and ensuring holistic child and brain development to meet the challenges posed by the 4th Industrial Revolution. 

The question of if the use of AI in class work is plagiarism has posed serious problems for the academic community across the globe. At the moment, depending on the institution, the use of AI for class work is treated on an institutional basis. Some Universities outrightly disapprove the use and classify it as unethical academic practice, while others, insist that students should indicate where technology assistance was sought in their academic work. There is no doubt that the emergence of ChatGPT in November 2022 and other Chatbot that followed thereafter are redefining academic ethics. 

AI technologies have introduced various tools that are enhancing the educational experience for students. However, with these advancements, there is a need to reassess the educational landscape to ensure that higher standards are maintained, and the importance of guiding against plagiarism, reviewing curricula, and prioritizing child and brain development to meet the demands of the technological disruption in the evolving world of AI

The maintenance of good academic practices cannot be compromised. However, redefining plagiarism, within the framework of the use of AI is a crucial aspect of adapting to the changes brought about by AI technologies in education, which have to align with responsible and ethical use of AI tools, capable of generating content and providing solutions to complex problems, the lines between original work and AI-generated content can blur. Educators must redefine plagiarism to encompass disclosure of the use of AI tools and establish guidelines for ethical academic practices. By setting clear boundaries and expectations, students can leverage AI tools effectively without compromising academic integrity.

The review of curricula is another essential step in aligning education with the advancements in AI technologies. Curricula must be updated to integrate AI tools and technologies, ensuring that students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital age. By incorporating AI education into the curriculum, students can develop a deeper understanding of AI concepts and their applications in various fields. This proactive approach will prepare students to navigate the complexities of the 4th Industrial Revolution and contribute meaningfully to society.

Ensuring holistic child and brain development is paramount in the face of evolving AI technologies. While AI tools offer significant benefits in enhancing learning experiences, they should not replace essential aspects of education that foster creativity, critical thinking, and social skills. Educators must strike a balance between utilizing AI tools and providing opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration, and experiential learning. By nurturing holistic child development, students can cultivate essential skills that are not easily replaceable by AI technologies, such as emotional intelligence and adaptability.

The integration of AI technologies in education presents a transformative opportunity to enhance learning outcomes, emphasize STEM courses and prepare students for the challenges of the nascent technology. To leverage the full potential of AI tools, educators must redefine plagiarism, review curricula, and prioritize holistic child and brain development. By embracing these changes and adapting to the evolving educational landscape, we can ensure that students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

Nigeria and the African Union have no choice but to take proactive steps, in joining the AI revolution, which might be getting rather late, considering that the global north, led by the United States, China, EU, UK, India, Canada and the State of Israel are already in the throes of AI superpower supremacy.

Yes, I agree with you that Lagos should be for its Yoruba indigenes. And the Southwest should belong to the indigenes of the region.

So, lets get practical and cooperate and make our shared desire happen, peacefully and as fast as possible.

Please note that Igboland, to which Igbos would return from Lagos and the Southwest, has a part in the South-South and a part in the Southeast.

Kindly get President Tinubu to facilitate the process by doing the following: (1) de-federalize the ports, so the South-South and Southeast regions take control of the ports in their areas. (2) Let one airport in the southeast and one in the South-South be approved for international flights (3) Persuade foreign embassies to open visa-granting consulates in the Southeast and South-South. If President Tinubu can sign executive orders or legislation on these three matters, Igbos will quit Lagos and the Southwest faster than anyone can expect. Within five years, Igbos (other than as tourists) will, I reckon, become as rare in Lagos as fishes in the desert, and as rare as camels in the sea. Please, let’s work together on this project. We shall still be in One Nigeria. Please stop being faceless, emerge from your anonymity and let’s get to work on this win-win project that will benefit our two great peoples.

Let’s factor in the benefits for other regions and peoples in Nigeria. (1) the entire peoples of the South-South would benefit from the boom in economic activity in these ports and this should help dampen the Biafra agitation and the Niger-Delta militancy. (2) I leave it to economists to work out the benefits for the North-Central and Northeast regions. (3) Of course, the Yoruba indigenes of Lagos and the Southwest would get the Southwest-without-Igbos region they crave. Let’s get down to the task of appealing to President Tinubu to facilitate this project.

Yours in the cause of inter-ethnic peace in Nigeria,

Chinweizu

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Five years ago, on October 11, when Nigeria celebrated its 59th anniversary, I wrote a piece titled “The Call for a National War on Poverty,” which was published in Thisday newspaper and several other traditional and online news platforms.

The motivation for writing the article stemmed from the excessive focus on fighting corruption, which had created a hostile environment for foreign investors. This focus led to economic recessions between 2015-2023, with Nigeria plunging into recession twice in those eight years.

Today, nearly five years after that article, Nigeria and its citizens continue to grapple with corruption and poverty. Instead of moving from poverty to prosperity, the standard of living has worsened, leading to the #EndBadGovernance protests by angry and hungry Nigerians, which regrettably resulted in significant unrest and destruction.

The four days of protests before President Bola Tinubu’s national address wreaked havoc on the nation so much so that our beleaguered country and its struggling economy suffered further damage, with about 13 lives lost and properties worth billions of naira destroyed. The situation was so dire that the presumed convener of the protest, popular lawyer Olu Adegberuwa, reportedly expressed regret: “I appeal to the protesters to withdraw from their various protest grounds and suspend the protests immediately and indefinitely to give room for meaningful dialogue and engagement with the government.”

In recognition of the severe poverty ravaging Nigeria five years ago, I wrote an article titled “The Call for a National War on Poverty.” Originally published on October 11, 2019, I am republishing and updating it with a new title: “Protests: Issues Around the Issues” which is focused on the question of whether President Tinubu’s reform policies are against or promoting poverty?”

The question raised in this article’s title about whether the current administration is fighting poverty is crucial because unlike his predecessor, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, who focused his leadership solely on fighting corruption for eight years, President Bola Tinubu’s administration, just over one year old, has concentrated on implementing massive reforms that have the potentials to alleviate poverty. Ostensibly, these reforms are aimed at overturning decades-old policies that have kept Nigerians shackled and in poverty. But they taking a bit longer to manifest their positive expectations which is why some Nigerians are anxious and aggrieved.

Key among these policies are the removal of subsidies on petrol, the naira, and electricity. These have been replaced with new socio-economic paradigms, which, although they hold promise for long-term improvement, have initially caused significant hardships for many Nigerians.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo offers a unique perspective on the removal of petrol subsidies and boosting local production of this crucial commodity. He remarked, “If those who are selling or supplying refined products for Nigeria feel that they will lose the lucrative opportunity, they will also make every effort to get him (Dangote) frustrated.” He added, “Those problems, as far as the government refineries are concerned, have never gone. They have even increased. So if you have a problem like that and that problem is not removed, then you aren’t going anywhere.”

Five years ago, I called for a paradigm shift in our development strategy from merely fighting corruption to combating poverty and reforming policies that hinder development. This call was ignored by the previous administration, which continued its anti-corruption efforts without investing enough effort in combating poverty. The efforts devoted to solely tackling corruption ultimately proved ineffective, as reflected in Nigeria’s stagnant corruption perception index, while the fight against graft damaged the economy and the country’s image. As a result, the economy and the lives of Nigerians deteriorated, leaving the current administration with the task of alleviating the masses’ frustration after their painful experiences under the former regime.

Given this background, President Bola Tinubu, who promised change, was expected to quickly deliver the benefits of democracy. However, the delayed realization of promised economic reforms, which have had a severe impact on the general populace, has made the Renewed Hope Agenda seem like an illusion. That is why many Nigerians have been anxiously waiting for a drastic improvement in their conditions and becoming impatient as respite is not manifesting in their expected timeline.

Unfortunately, this expectation persists despite being unrealistic. The reality is that it is wishful thinking to believe that Nigeria’s current economic problems, caused by poor policies over the past four to five decades that were supposed to be ad-hoc but became entrenched and permanent, would disappear instantly. When President Tinubu finally addressed the nation on the fourth day of the protests, which had turned riotous, he outlined the steps taken to help Nigeria escape poverty:

“In the past 14 months, our government has made significant strides in rebuilding the foundation of our economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the fiscal side, aggregate government revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking leakages, introducing automation, and mobilizing funding creatively without additional burden on the people. Productivity is gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambiance.”

He then highlighted that under his administration, the federal government has advanced about N574 billion to government at sub-nationall levels to ameliorate hardships at the grassroots level and Nigeria has reduced the proportion of revenue used to service debt from 98% to 68% and paid off $5 billion in foreign debt. Additionally, he announced an investment of N45.6 billion for the procurement and installation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) kits in mass transit vehicles to counter the increased costs following the removal of petrol subsidies. Additionally, Mr. President stated that the government also allocated N200 billion to a newly formed program to drive consumer credit at single-digit interest rates to boost production and purchasing credit for the masses, just as it has provided N50 billion for the newly launched NELFUND, driving the currently functional student loan program. Other initiatives include setting aside $620 million for the empowerment of Nigerian youth through digital and creative enterprises.

Despite these measures, some protesters and leaders from the main opposition parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), were not appeased. They argued that the broadcast, despite its calls for calm and dialogue, was self-serving. Fortunately, the nationwide tension has subsided, and peace has returned to most parts of the country. This may be because the genuine intentions of the protesters were overshadowed by those with a regime-change agenda, as evidenced by minors waving Russian flags during the protests. The use of minors to display these flags is likely a tactic to avoid prosecution, as the 1999 constitution as underaged individuals cannot be charged for criminal actions.

During the four days of unrest, three global events paralleled the protests in Nigeria.

The first event is the ongoing civil disobedience in the United Kingdom, fueled by misinformation spread via social media, similar to how social media was used during Nigeria’s 2020 #EndSARS protests and is now driving the #EndBadGovernance protests. This disobedience was sparked by the tragic stabbing of three children in Southport by a 17-year-old, Axel Rudakubana, who was wrongly identified by far-right activists as an immigrant.

Although UK authorities classify this as an anti-immigration crisis, I argue it is xenophobia targeting not just blacks but Muslims and non-Caucasian foreigners. This attitude mirrors the xenophobic violence in South Africa, where locals attacked the businesses and homes of successful black immigrants. It is also similar to the events that happened in Nigeria in the mid-1980s when Ghanaians were expelled in an anti-immigration crisis dubbed “Ghana-Must-Go.” A few years ago, Ghana retaliated by antagonizing Nigerians doing business and living there, accusing them of dominating commerce .

These scenarios illustrate that global poverty crises are triggering protests against authorities for either implementing poverty-inducing policies or being lax with immigration policies that allow immigrants, legal or otherwise, to take local jobs.

Just as Nigerians are marching against hunger, Britons are rioting under the guise of anti-immigration sentiments against Muslims, Arabs, and non-Caucasians, whom they believe are taking their jobs and corrupting their culture. This intolerance is both sad and disappointing.

Surprisingly, Britons may not even accept legal immigrants, despite these skilled workers filling gaps left by the UK’s exit from the European Union. This situation highlights global crises of various kinds, with world leaders still struggling to find solutions. This is evident as former U.S. President Donald Trump, now a candidate of the Democratic Party, and his supporters—comprising about 30% of voters, similar to the Republican’s 30%, (with 40% as independents in swing states which both parties are struggling to win over to their respective sides) —also expressing displeasure over illegal immigrants, whom they accuse of taking American jobs.

Given these dynamics, Trump is likely to win the November 5 election due to his stance on immigration, much like Marine Le Pen’s National Rally Party, which gained 143 seats in the French parliament by pushing an anti-immigration agenda. Consequently, with significant seats in the French parliament, President Emmanuel Macron must form a coalition government after the ongoing Olympics in Paris.

These events underscore a growing global intolerance towards foreign nationals and frustration with leaders’ policies on socioeconomic issues and immigration across the world.

Ultimately, citizens are expressing their dissatisfaction through protests and at the ballot box, as seen in the recent violence in the UK and France, following elections that enabled far-right gains. This expression of discontent is a hallmark of democracy, which guarantees freedom of speech, so protests against government Nigeria is not an exception. But forceful regime change which has been established as the sinister motive of some of the protesters in Nigeria is condemnable and thankfully and commendably  Nigerian security agencies gathered enough intelligence to figure it out and nipped it in the bud.

Another significant moment for me is Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka’s condemnation of the Nigerian police’s brutal response to protests, resulting in numerous deaths, a figure disputed between 13 by some accounts and 7 by the Nigerian police. Unimpressed with the police conduct, Prof. Soyinka stated:

“Live bullets as a state response to civic protest – that becomes the core issue. Even tear gas remains questionable in most circumstances, certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest.

“Hunger marches constitute a universal S.O.S., not peculiar to the Nigerian nation. They belong indeed in a class of their own, never mind the collateral claims emblazoned on posters.

“They serve as summons to governance that a breaking point has been reached and thus, a testing ground for governance awareness of public desperation.

“The tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches in parts of the nation, and for which notice was served, constitutes a retrogression that takes the nation even further back than the deadly culmination of the watershed #ENDSARS protests.

“It evokes pre-independence – that is, colonial – acts of disdain, a passage that induced the late stage pioneer Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera BREAD AND BULLETS, earning that nationalist serial persecution and proscription by the colonial government.”

Compared to the British police’s reliance on technology and surveillance cameras to manage riots, the Nigerian police’s lack of such infrastructure has led to accusations of unprofessional conduct. However, the security agencies argue that their harsh response was due to a hidden agenda among protesters, aiming for regime change through subterfuge, which they were duty-bound to prevent as earlier stated.

In fact,  it was rather disconcerting and surprising that the suspicion of a regime change became evident when protesters were seen waving Russian flags. This act confirmed intelligence reports, leading the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to announce that the military was on standby in case the police were overwhelmed. This position was echoed by the Chief of Defense Staff, Army General Chris Musa, in a subsequent press conference.

Considering Russia’s involvement in neighboring Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina-Faso where regime changes supported by the Wagner Group—a Russian-backed mercenary organization—have replaced French colonial influence, the concerns of Nigerian security agencies about potential plans to forcefully remove the Nigerian president were valid and commendable.

Hence, possibly as a preemptive measure, military force was used in some cases to repel suspected regime change agents who had infiltrated genuine protesters. This might have unfortunately resulted in the tragic deaths of Nigerians, estimated by Amnesty International to be up to 13, though the Nigerian police as earlier stated claim the number is 7. Although the death of even one Nigerian arising from engaging in street protests is unacceptable, the conduct of the Nigerian police, especially the commissioners in Edo, Rivers, and Lagos states, is commendable as they worked hard to gain the trust and confidence of the protesters, making the protests in these locations less destructive.

Another key point for me is the CNN documentary titled “1968: The Year That Changed America,” which highlighted significant events in the US, including the civil rights movement and riots in Washington, DC, revealing the brutality of security agencies at that time. The documentary struck me with the similarity to how present-day Nigerian police had treated protesters, particularly during the #EndSARS riots in 2020, though having learned their lessons they have been less harsh in the current protests. The takeaway from the documentary is that Nigeria’s current practice of democracy is reminiscent of the US in 1968, over half a century ago.

Finally, as the dust from the imbroglio or temporary madness that engulfed our country resulting in an orgy of bloodletting settle, it is hoped that both the administration and the masses have learned lessons from the catastrophic fallouts.

Hopefully, going forward, Nigeria and Nigerians will not be prosecuting just a war on corruption which it has been doing without significant success even before Nigeria secured her independence in 1960 from British colonialists, as one has cataloged in this piece,  but also a more serious war against poverty which is the enemy of the multiple ethnic groups/ nationalities that make up this great nation and who speak over 250 tongues and have reason in unison to declare collectively that they are hungry . As a stanza in our national anthem enjoins us “…though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand”. We should all do well to imbibe the wording in the national anthem which are critical ethos that we should operatoonalize of citizens of our great nation, Nigeria.

In light of the foregoing, our subsidiary fights should be against religious bigotry and zealotry as well as against ethnic jingoism which crept into the agenda of the protesters in the nasty incident in certain parts of our country, particularly Lagos state revealed.

Commendably Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu distanced the state government from the xenophobic outburst by the leftists.

As the President Tinubu has done in his broadcast and Lagos state governor has demonstrated, we must rise against politics of excluding any members of particularly ethnic sections of our country from living in any part or in the leadership of our country.

In this Final Tribute to my Mum (Ama as I called her), I can “confess” that I knew the end was near for my Mum since December 2023 and I told same immediately to my two sisters and to my wife. Of course, we all hoped that I was wrong, but my head and heart told me that I was right.

My Mum was always very strong spiritually and she lived her life in accordance with the written word in the Bible. It was the physical frailty and her total acceptance of it that made me realise that the inevitable call was near.

I decided therefore that I would visit my Mum in Port Harcourt every month going forward without fail – and so I saw her in January, in February and in March 2024. Each visit was like a last Supper. Indeed, the very last “Supper” we had together was on Friday, 08 March 2024, when I came visiting. In early April, I went to London and intended to come back home to visit her in mid-April.

My phone failed to ring at 9am on Wednesday, 10 April 2024 and so I guessed my Mum had passed on. I waited until it rang just after 10am and it was my Mum’s Doctor on the line telling me what I “knew” already – that my Mum had passed on. My Mum was so reliable that I knew instinctively that, if she was not on the telephone at 9am, as promised, then it meant she had answered the call from her Maker. She was not one for tardiness or lateness.

Since my Mum passed on, the only emotion that I have entertained has been one of immense gratitude to God for granting Mum’s 3 great wishes. These were:

1) Never having to bury a Child, Grandchild or Great Grandchild;

2) Lived to see her youngest Grandchild become an adult.

3) Never really being hospitalised – not even in her final month, week or day;

One of my fondest memories of Mum include the year 1965 when she decided to give me a “crash course” in maturity because she had adjudged that I could go off to King’s College Lagos as a boarder in January 1966 at the tender age of 10 years and 6 months and succeed, notwithstanding the fact that I would probably be the youngest boy in the entire Secondary School.

The foundation for almost everything that I know today about Core Values, Integrity, the Dangers surrounding Cutting Corners and/or trying to be too clever by a half, Loyalty, the rationale for following Due Process etc was laid by my Mum. It was all bedded down by an anxious mother who had a burning desire to protect her only son who was deemed too young (by many) to be allowed to leave Port Harcourt for a Boarding House in “far away” Lagos.

Mum taught me several great lessons of life from a tender age. Some of my favourites were that:

1) Parenting never really stops, where there is genuine love and a shared vision;

2) Contentment is largely a choice. Mum coveted nothing and coveted no one’s position or status;

3) It is possible to love both your immediate family and wider family unconditionally;

4) It is possible to live without fear of any man or woman on earth – and so, those who really knew Mum understood that it was only her God and Maker that she feared. I still hear her voice booming in my ears from our 5-minute one-on-one telephone prayers which took place at the same time of the morning every day over the course of the last three decades. One of her favourite quotes was from the Book of Isaiah: “FEAR NOT: for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by my name: thou art mine…”

5) Another favourite quote was from the Book of Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. Mum believed there was a time to be born; and a time to die; a time to plant; and a time to harvest etc. Her Biography confirms that she knew when it was time to move on to something new or to the next phase of her life.

When she turned 90 in 2014, Mum declared that the time for her to travel outside Rivers State was over and so she would no longer travel long distances. Yes, no more medical check-ups in London or even Lagos. Mum would not change her mind to consider even stepping into a Private Jet to convey her to Lagos. Mum had great conviction and so I knew it was futile trying to argue with her on such matters.

Before Dad passed on in 2016, Mum had instructed me to take over several family responsibilities from him. Unknown to many in the wider family, my Mum was more concerned about me supporting them financially than in asking for herself. She cautioned those living with her day-to-day not to tell me about any needs that they thought she had.  She feared I would then “waste” resources seeking to meet those “frivolous” needs of hers, instead of channeling the very same resources towards what I could do for the wider family, community or the nation.

Mum did not want to end up in hospital and I am glad that she got her wish. My last phone call with her was at 9am on 9th April. She answered the call from her Maker, from her Port Harcourt home, at 10 am on 10th April 2024 – exactly 6 months short of 10th October, 2024, which would have been her 100th birthday.

I dare not weep today or on any other day because Mum won’t like it. She brought me up (her only son) to be strong and stand like a man at all times and to be afraid of no one. Mum always wanted me to behave like a leader – an Influencer that would set the right example so that others can derive strength from my actions – and so I will continue to smile and give God the glory for the awesome life that my Mum lived.

Goodbye Ama – Until we meet again.

•Atedo N A Peterside CON, Arusibidabo of Opobo Kingdom