Let me start by congratulating the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on its 50th anniversary. It is a scheme many of us passed through with fond memories. Many have also recounted their sad experiences, for although nobly conceived, the scheme has been blighted by many Nigerian factors, including poor organisation, ineptitude, corruption, and government’s failure to tap into the infinite potentials of the programme for national unity and development.

I watched the NYSC at 50 interview of the agency’s Director-General (DG), Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, on Arise News. Whereas many of us saw the discharge certificate controversy of the Governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, as an opportunity for the NYSC to cure the maladies of dereliction, corruption, and analogue system that afflict the otherwise brilliantly conceived scheme, the dismissive manner the DG disclaimed Mbah’s certificate without adducing any facts from any investigation to back his claim, shows the opportunity has been blown.

If we take away politics, Mbah vs. NYSC drama exposes the rot in every sphere of the Nigerian system; and it can happen to any other Nigerian. Just to refresh our memories, available documents in the processes he filed in court in his N20 Billion lawsuit against the NYSC, shows that he was mobilised for the National youth service vide a call up letter, with serial number 01134613 (Ref. No. NYSC/FRN/2001/800351), asking him to report at the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Lagos. After the orientation, the NYSC posted him to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Apapa Quays for his primary assignment vide a letter dated 28th January 2002. But he was rejected by the NPA and was therefore again reposted to Udeh & Associates vide an NYSC letter dated 6th March 2002. Udeh & Associates accepted him and confirmed his assumption of primary assignment vide a letter to the Lagos State Director of the NYSC in a letter dated 11th March 2002.

Other critical documents front-loaded to the court by Mbah include his application to the NYSC dated 20th June 2002 to be allowed to go back to the Nigerian Law School for his Bar Part II (He had earlier done Bar Part I as a graduate of a foreign university), approval of his request by the NYSC Director headquarters in Abuja vide a letter dated 2nd October 2002 (Ref. No. NYSC/DHQ/CM//M/27), an application to the NYSC dated 3rd April 2003 seeking to be remobilised to complete his national service, a letter dated 24th April 2002 (Ref. No. LA/01/1532/T) by the NYSC Lagos State Director (Mrs. Rita Uzo Akinlade) forwarding Mbah’s request to the DG of the NYSC (Attention: Mr. Emmanuel, A. Ajisafe), and an approval for Mbah’s remobilisation vide a letter by the DG to the Lagos State Director dated 7th May 2003 letter (Ref. No. NYSC/DHQ/CM/27/20) to the NYSC to ‘continue his service year from where he stopped, with effect from May 2003’.

The letter with the subject “Re: Application for Remobilisation, Mr. Mbah Peter N. LA/01/1532” and signed by one Mrs. J. Okuoghae states: “I am directed to refer to your letter of 24th April, 2003, reference No. LA/01/1532/T on the above subject matter and to request you to reinstate the corps member to continue his service year from where he stopped, with effect from May 2003.”

Equally of interest in the processes filed by Mbah are the various clearance letters by Udeh & Associates, which enabled him to receive his monthly allowance during his service year and the final clearance letter by the law firm certifying that he completed the one-year National Service in their office in September 2003.

It has also emerged that he petitioned the DG, NYSC, on 6th February 2023 to complain about a disclaimer dated 1st February 2023 and signed by one Mr. Ibrahim Muhammad, NYSC’s Director of Corps Certification, saying that his discharge certificate was not issued by the agency. Having told his story and attached all the aforementioned documents, he appealed that the matter be “thoroughly investigated and persons found culpable be prosecuted accordingly”.

He equally met with the then just NYSC DG, who, contrary to what he claimed on Arise TV, actually told Mbah that he was neither briefed nor his clearance sought before the disclaimer was issued and that upon enquiry, the Director said he probably did not finish his NYSC, as the column where he ought to have signed like other members of his batch upon completion of service to show that he collected his discharge certificate was blank. In an April interview, Mbah said that he explained to the DG that he didn’t pass out with his set and showed him the letter remobilising back into NYSC service upon completion of his Bar Part II (Bar Final). He said the NYSC DG confessed that nobody had brought this part of the story to his notice. He promised to treat the matter with dispatch, pleading that he was still fresh in office, having assumed duties on 30th January 2023, whereas the NYSC Director wrote the letter on 1st February. 

Unfortunately, till date, the NYSC has not deemed it fit to formally reply Mbah stating the facts and reasons it believes the certificate was not issued by it. And while he waited, a group dragged him to Court over the matter, a case he won. Yet far from replying him, the NYSC, through its Director of Corps Certification, continued to issue disclaimer letters (now in contempt of a valid court judgment), thereby arming the Enugu opposition in their media war against the Governor-elect. This probably left Mbah with no choice than to drag the NYSC and its errant Director to court, demanding N20 Billion in general and exemplary damages for “conspiracy, deceit, and misrepresentation of facts”.

Only recently, President Muhammadu Buhari requested the National Assembly to approve the sum of $566,754,584, N226 billion, and £98,526 to clear judgment debts. But we can now see how government and its agencies pile up needless judgment debts.

The DG even took NYSC’s organisational irresponsibility a notch higher by disclaiming Mbah’s certificate on live television in clear contempt of a subsisting court order in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/09/611/2023, restraining the agency and its Director of Corps Certification whether by themselves, their directors, officers, servants, legal representatives, counsel or any other person or persons howsoever described and connected, from issuing, publishing or continuing to issue, publish disclaimer to the effect that Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate was not issued by the agency, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit already filed. Not only that, whereas he lied that he was not aware of Mbah’s suit, the Affidavit of Service by the court bailiff, which was published in the media, shows that he was served on Monday, 15th May 2023.

Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that so far, NYSC’s only grounds for disclaiming the certificate was because he didn’t sign his column in the collection register during the passing out of his batch; and it sounds so silly, as the documents he adduced clearly show that he did not pass out with his batch! He broke his service year to return to Law School, and was remobilised by NYSC, and came back to do the remaining months.

But hope of using Mbah’s matter to put some things right at the NYSC is not totally lost, as the NYSC is not the sole authority as far as the authenticity or otherwise of its certificate is concerned. For instance, NYSC certificates are printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company PLC. They have security features. They have serial numbers and watermark. And there are only two ways the certificate could be forged: either the serial number of Mbah’s certificate doesn’t exist or someone else holds a certificate with the same serial number and he just went to Oluwole to get another certificate with the same serial number; which is unlikely after going through the whole process of service as his supporting documents show.

Thus the onus is on the NYSC to say, “certificates in these series, including serial number A808297 don’t exist” or “the certificate number A808297 paraded by Mbah belongs to Mr. ABC”. But they haven’t said so. And now that Mbah, who feels his rights or reputations have been violated, has gone to court, it offers him, NYSC, the police, Department of State Services, NPMC, etc. to help the judiciary get to the bottom of the matter.

But as I said earlier, this matter shows the depth of the rot in the Nigerian system. Who could have believed that an officer in the Federal Ministry of Justice could collect a bribe to file a process falsely stating that Mbah made a plea bargain and was convicted by Justice M.N Yunusa on 7th July 2015 in Suit No. FHC/L/09C/2007. This he did to support Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2257/2022 filed by a legal practitioner, Mr. Ejike Obumneme, for some fronts of the Enugu APC governorship and deputy governorship candidates, seeking Mbah’s disqualification from the governorship contest. But upon investigation, it was discovered that Mbah wasn’t even tried in the first place. His name was struck out in the Suit No. on 7th March 2013 at the behest of the EFCC’s lawyer, Kelvin Uzozie, before the commencement of trial. But for court records, Mbah would probably have gone down for that as well. That is Nigeria for you.

Also, the saga exposes the analogue or anachronistic approach to record keeping by the NYSC, just like every other government institution.  We are in a digital age for crying out loud. I think Mbah’s problem began from the time they created a temporary file for him, which the alphabet “T” in the 24th April 2002 letter (Ref. No. LA/01/1532/T) by the Lagos State Director to the DG, forwarding his request for remobilisation, stands for. You go to offices and they are still moving files up and down. An office clerk will choose whether or not to see your file or even remove it entirely for peanuts. What is wrong with us as a country? Why can’t we go digital for more efficiency, transparency, and accountability?

As one Innocent Obodo suggested, what is so difficult in displaying on its website: all the Corps members it has mobilised since inception in 1973 and their documentation details; all Corps members, who have served and received their certificates; names of employer organisations it has ever deployed Corps members to since 1973; and of course all the Corps members that have ever defaulted or absconded from service, etc.?

So, dear General Ahmed, as you relish the 50th anniversary of the NYSC, just know that much whereas the agency has had its positives, all, as Mbah’s case shows, is not correct, sir. Some have even said, reform or disband the NYSC; and I totally agree with them, but I’m more inclined to reform and retooling.

As for Mbah, who will be sworn in on Monday, 29th May, one thing going for him is that even his worst critic doesn’t contest his immense capacity to lead or govern. Coming from the private sector where Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd., a company he built from a micro to medium, and multi-billion dollar mega business leads in the petroleum downstream by wide margins, Enugu has the brightest opportunity for an all-round transformation and development.

Dr. Okolie is a Senior Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow, and former State Director, National Orientation Agency

The Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is about to complete his first tenure  and he is waiting to take yet another oath of office for a second term come Monday, May 29, 2023. No doubt, his re-election was a hard-fought battle but he won convincingly. And as the nation is set to witness the birth of a renewed hope with the scheduled inauguration of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on May 29, it is imperative to appeal to all the stakeholders in the state to shun the political bickering of the recent past and join hands with the administration for the delivery of more dividends of democracy. To begin with, the victory recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general election could not have come without the support of the well-meaning citizens of the state. But it doesn’t end there. There is still an enormous task ahead. So, to nurture the developmental agenda of the new administration to fruition, more needs to be done in terms of collective effort as well as ownership of the process. In his renewed quest for support, Governor Abiodun is not coming with an empty hand.

Already, he has a full-packed scorecard of his first term to justify the request. Coming into the office for his second tenure, he has promised not to rest on his oars. After all, hard work does not kill, it promotes. Despite the gargantuan existential challenges that almost rendered the global economy prostrate, Nigeria inclusive, there are visible achievements scattered out there to justify the confidence reposed in him both in his first term and now in his re-election. Let’s take the stock. When people are healthy the nation is wealthy. Governor Abiodun places a high premium on quality and accessible healthcare delivery. A clear testimony to this is the emergence of Ogun State as the second best in basic healthcare delivery in South-West at the maiden Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum (NGF) Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge Award with a $400,000 UNICEF prize.

The award ceremony was a follow-up to the 2019 Seattle Declarations, involving the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Bill and Melinda Foundation as well as the Dangote Foundation with an innovative idea about how to increase the commitment of governors to health care delivery across the 36 states of the federation.

Under the initiative, the declaration adopted the government’s support and commitment, quality of service delivery, improvement in the healthcare indices and outcomes, and community participation, among other variables, as the basic criteria for the award. Ogun State under the watchful eyes of Governor Abiodun passed the test of scrutiny and walked away with an award plaque and a handsome sum of money.  The award plaque and cheque were received on behalf of the state government by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, at an event which was attended by the Country’s Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr.  Walter Kazadi Mulombo, who made the official presentation of the award, officials of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), representatives of international agencies and government top functionaries.”  Beyond the award, the performance of the Abiodun administration on accessible healthcare delivery services remains unequal and unparalleled.

To the credit of the present government, all the state hospitals across the three senatorial districts have been rehabilitated. At the same time, some new structures are being constructed or old buildings renovated at the state-owned teaching school, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu. The government has also gone further to buy new equipment for the institution and employed well over 200 medical personnel, doctors, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and others to fill in the vacuum created by the mass exodus of medical personnel who had embarked on the brain-drain syndrome to the Uk, Europe, and America. Again, it will be recalled that the state had only five functional ambulances for the entire 20 Local Government Areas of the state when this government came into power on May 29, 2019. With the renewed commitment of the Abiodun administration, 35 additional ambulances have been purchased, making a total of 40 available for emergency services. Added to that, various Primary Healthcare Centres across the state have been rehabilitated with the recruitment of more medical personnel to fill the vacant positions.

Other critical areas of intervention include training of health workers on comprehensive screening for newborns to tackle sickle cell disease, launching of National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) in order to reduce the burden of hypertension amongst the adult population in the State, registration of 20,000 vulnerable into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, the establishment of a family Planning Centre at State Hospital, Ijebu Ode to improve Family Planning uptake in women aged 15-49years old, disbursement of funds to 196 Primary Health Care Centres across the 20 LGAs for the implementation of Basic Health Care Provision Fund activities in Ogun State, distribution of 22 Tricycle Ambulances to improve the health indices of citizens to put an end to maternal deaths and other health emergencies as well as commissioning of the fully equipped intensive care unit of the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ife, with the support of the Government of Czech Republic.

At the inception of this administration, several abandoned road projects embarked upon by his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun, were inherited. Upon assumption of duty, Governor Abiodun took up the challenge and worked assiduously to complete all such abandoned projects dotting the entire state, including the flyovers in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo, Sagamu, and Sango-Ota, among others Today, most of these projects have been completed and delivered, while work is still ongoing on a few others that are yet to be commissioned. At present, not less than 80 major roads and 120 others have been constructed, reconstructed, or rehabilitated amounting to 661.76km, and 99.125km, while 562.63km are ongoing across the three senatorial districts of the state.

It is particularly noteworthy to state that 65 percent of the projects in each zone were based on people’s requests.

In spite of its avowed commitment to infrastructural development, people’s welfare remains the centerpiece of government’s policy. Since he came into office, Governor Abiodun has made regular payments of workers’ salaries and gratuities of pensioners a top priority of his government. It is on record that over N70 billion has been released for the payment of gratuity arrears since he assumed office in 2019, while the administration has equally increased the quarterly payment to defray outstanding gratuities from N500m to N600m.

It is also to the credit of the Abiodun administration that Ogun State has been rated the third largest economy in the country with enhanced capacity for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), coming only after Lagos, FCT, and Rivers. An analysis of the recent statistics further shows that Lagos has the highest IGR, followed by the FCT, Rivers, and Ogun states respectively.

Another report by the World Bank also places the State in a prime position in the ease-of-doing-business index, ranking 3rd among the states of the federation in its latest report. According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ogun State currently stands as the 5th top destination of capital investment in Nigeria, coming behind Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abia, and Niger. At present, Ogun State is the home of the largest manufacturing companies in the West Africa sub-region.

Human Capital Development is a major catalyst for industrial growth. Governor Abiodun has never let his guard down in ensuring that the education sector which gives the state a completive edge over other states is sustained. Thus, apart from the free education policy for all children in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools with adequate care for the welfare of teachers, there has also been a progressive increase in allocation to education up to 20 percent of this year’s budget with a commitment to continually do so till the United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) benchmark is achieved.

For the assurance of qualitative and accessible education, the government has given priority attention to the general rehabilitation of collapsing infrastructures that would serve the overall interest of the students in the state, regardless of their social status as against the Model school project embarked upon by the immediate past administration which was structurally defective and poorly funded. While the government has graciously converted some of the abandoned Model schools to other better purposes such as the Tech Hub on Kobape Road on the outskirts of Abeokuta and Ikenne 128-bed Isolation and Treatment Centre for COVID-19, the whopping sum of N218.380bn that would have been expended on completing the projects is now being diverted to the reconstruction or renovation of several public primary and secondary schools to provide a better learning environment in the state. This is particularly evident in the Yellow Roofs Revolution we now see all over our 1000 State-owned Primary and Secondary Schools in the state.

For the tertiary level of education, the administration has also shown with the reactivation of MAPOLY, Ojere, Abeokuta and the former Tai Solarin College of Education (now renamed after Oba SK Adetona College of Education),  Omu-Ijebu which were hitherto comatose that education remains the major pride of Ogun State.

As a responsible government, peace, security, and adequate protection of lives and property have been parts of the cardinal agenda of the present administration from its inception. Apart from hundreds of patrol vehicles and communication gadgets purchased by the administration to strengthen the state’s security apparatus, Governor Abiodun has equally taken delivery of drones to assist the security agencies in the state to frontally deal with the challenge of kidnapping and other forms of criminalities.

In order to boast Agriculture, the administration of Governor Abiodun has entered into a strategic partnership with national and international development agencies. Already, over 400 private firms have signified interest to collaborate with Ogun State to provide Farm Mechanization Services, Input Service Delivery as well as the development of key value chains, including Cassava, Rice, Fish, Poultry, Cattle, Dairy, among other commodities.

Just a couple of days ago, Governor Abiodun recently hosted the biggest conglomerate owned by the Egyptian Government, National Service Project Organization, with the North African organization, expressing its readiness to invest in the agricultural sector of the state.

The leader of the conglomerate, General Walid Morsi, during the bilateral meeting with the Governor in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, declared that the organization would focus on the cultivation of food and cash crops which would be exported to his home country and other parts of the world.

“We are trying to make Egypt a hub in the Mediterranean Region and we are partnering with Nigeria in the area of agriculture where we can plant and process food and cash crops and send it to Egypt. This partnership would be of great benefit to Nigeria and Egypt”, Morsi said.

Governor Abiodun, in his response, assured them of the availability of arable land out of its more than 16,000, total land mass suitable for planting food and cash crops as well as an oceanic plentitude of highly skilled manpower. He explained further that his administration had embarked on the provision of infrastructure, security, and the implementation of the multi-modal transport system, including the International Agro Cargo Airport, to provide a conducive environment for investment.

Shortly before the governorship election, the state witnessed the first cargo flight at the Airport situated at Illisan. When successfully completed, possibly by the end of this year, according to projections, it will open a new vista of opportunity for economic and industrial transformation not only for Ogun State but the country at large.

His massive investment in an affordable housing scheme for the residents as well as investors operating in the state is also a talking point, culminating in the recent award of Best Award in Housing received by the State at the 2023 Merit Award organised by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, having defeated Lagos, Edo, Kaduna, and Niger States. For the numerous housing projects undertaken by the administration, no fewer than 2,500 units located in four major zones of the State, including Egba, Ijebu, Yewa, and Remo, have been delivered. This is no mean feat. It is unprecedented in the 47-year history of the State.

Above all, the need to provide a safety net for the vulnerable segment of society has compelled the government to adopt the social investment programme of the Federal Government through the Executive Order recently signed by Governor Abiodun to alleviate poverty and hunger by ensuring equitable distribution of resources to the poor, the widows, amongst others. Today, Ogun State is one of the few states that have adopted the social investment programme of the Federal Government which is domiciled in the Ministry of Mininitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. The adoption followed the Executive Order recently signed by the Governor in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, to alleviate poverty and hunger by ensuring equitable distribution of resources to the vulnerable, the poor, and the widows, amongst others.

While it will be deceptive to say that the task ahead will be an easy walkover, but given the support of all and sundry, what we have seen so far will be the tip of the iceberg when the administration resumes for a second term on May 29.

• Ogbonnikan writes in from Abeokuta, Ogun State

The ECOWAS Community Court’s 2023 International Conference on “Zero Tolerance for Unconstitutional Change of Government” (UCG) in West Africa, has ended in Banjul, the Gambian capital with wide ranging recommendations, including the criminalisation of UCG and the creation of a special task force to intervene in cases of UCG in member States.

The four-day meeting also called for the strengthening of “the apolitical nature of the Armed Forces to guard against UCG,” and utilising “early warning tools and existing Protocols to recalibrate the regional peace and security architecture.”

The term “unconstitutional change” should be defined in the ECOWAS instruments and what constitutes a violation of convergence principles clearly spelt out, said the Conference Communique, which also called on member States to stem tenure elongation, eliminate all pseudo-democratic laws, and criminalise UCG at the national level with national courts having jurisdiction.”

It recommended effective sanctions against perpetrators of UCG, including coup plotters and their supporters, with the amendment of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance to “ensure that sanctions do not affect the fundamental human rights of ordinary citizens.”

The Communique urges a “review of the efficiency of sanctions” and creation of an implementation guideline, while calling for respect of term limits and an end to constitutional manipulations by incumbents to extend their mandates.

It further called for a stop to tenure extension by political leaders, while the Protocol of the Community Court of Justice should be modified to allow for judicial intervention in election matters.

It also recommended the strengthening of the means of settling electoral disputes at the national level through the enactment of laws and setting up of mechanisms for independent adjudication of electoral disputes.

The Conference called for an increase in the number of judges of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in line with International best practices and the amendment of the “Protocols on the Court to enable access to individual citizens in respect of violations of community laws/obligations including activating sanctions proceedings against member States.”

ECOWAS should “muster the political will to hold member States accountable to their treaty obligations,” the Communique said.

It further called for the guarantee of the independence of the judiciary and the strengthening the capacity of courts to render justice and also recommended that the root causes of political conflicts should be addressed to ensure political stability, peace, and progress, as well as cultivation and strengthening of a democratic culture for economic growth.

ECOWAS should “combat corruption in public life as it undermines public confidence in state institutions and creates conditions for instability,” noted the Communique.

It also called for measures against misinformation and disinformation, particularly the negative impact of social media and the involvement of the youth.

ECOWAS should ensure strict adherence by member States to the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and “effective implementation of regional Treaty and Protocols to make compliance thereof a condition for retaining the membership of the sub-regional bloc,” the Communique urged.

Furthermore, ECOWAS should strengthen the competences and enforcement capacities of the ECOWAS Court of Justice as well as focus on the fight against poverty and the promotion of social dialogue.

It urged that National Electoral Institutions should be supported with structured training of stakeholders such as political parties, Civil Society, academia, and the media, on community principles and values.

According to the Communique, ECOWAS should “utilise proactive preventive diplomacy, mediation and results oriented conflict management strategies driven by consistency, neutrality and inclusivity to deal with management and resolution of conflict.”

It called for the creation of a functional mediation, conciliation, and arbitration committee for settling disputes in ECOWAS countries, and with a standard Community legal framework for member States to fulfil their treaty obligations.

ECOWAS member States should ensure strict adherence to the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Communique recommended, and called “a deliberate effort to discourage the teeming youths from being dangerously radicalised by Terrorists, Separatist Militias, Bandits, Kidnappers, and Ethno-religious fundamentalists within the West African sub-region.”

In his keynote address at the opening of the Conference on Monday, the Guest Speaker Prof Chidi Odinkalu, former Chair of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, charged ECOWAS member States to ratify, domesticate and implement the 2014 Malabo Protocol which prescribes trial by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) of politicians, soldiers or mercenaries who subvert constitutional rule on the continent.

He said this would serve as a deterrent against UCG.

The President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Justice Edward Asante, said the annual Conference was the regional Court’s most important programme.

He described the theme this year as a burning issue, given military interventions in governance through military coups in the past two years in three ECOWAS member States - Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso., which are now under military rule and suspended by ECOWAS.

Declaring the Conference open, Gambian President Adama Barrow, represented by vice President Muhammad Jallow, said, “Zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes in government should not just be a slogan; it should reflect in our actions, in our policies, and in our laws.”

“Let our discussions guide us towards a future marked by peace, unity, prosperity, and an unwavering commitment to constitutional order,” he added.

The opening ceremony also featured welcome statements and goodwill messages from Heads of ECOWAS Institutions, including the ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray, represented by the ECOWAS Resident Representative to the Gambia Miata French, as well the Gambian Justice Minister and Chief Justice, among others.

Some 24 papers were presented during the Conference under seven sub-themes, including “Lack of Free, Fair and Transparent Elections as a Key Source of Conflict; Holding member States Accountable for Their Treaty Obligations and the Sanctions Regime,” and the “Role of National Courts of member States and the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Upholding Human Rights, Rule of Law and Constitutional Democracy.”

Presenters and attendees included Justice Ministers and Attorneys General, eminent Judges and Lawyers from ECOWAS member States, as well as constitution, governance, human rights, and election experts. 

The Conference recommendations are expected to contribute to efforts towards ending unconstitutional change of governments, the conduct of credible elections, respect for human rights, constitutional order and consolidation of Democracy in the ECOWAS Region.

*Paul Ejime, a Global Affairs Analyst, is a Consultant on Strategic Communication, Media Development, Governance Issues, Peace & Security and Election.

The title of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s account of his stewardship as Nigeria’s president kept plodding in my mind as I thought through a heading for this piece. Nigeria’s third president of the Fourth Republic authored ‘My Transition Hours’, which was published in 2018. It captures the breathtaking frenzy and flurry of activities and developments preceding, and immediately following his contest with the outgoing president, Muhammadu Buhari, at the 2015 presidential poll. The mean-spirited theatrics, confounding shenanigans, spontaneous alliance switches, and cross-carpeting, blatant betrayals, in the aftermath of his loss at the election is encapsulated in the book.

The two terms of four years each totaling eight years during which Buhari superintended over Nigeria, have gradually but assuredly diminished. Years, thinned down to months, months into weeks, weeks into days, the countdown has come down to hours, practically. Effectively, Buhari’s dispensation is in its final hours even if he conveys the timing of his exit, as imperative in “a few days”. Buhari indeed creates the impression that his job has been a pressure cooker which has exceeded boiling point and he cannot wait to return to his ranch in Daura and the annex in Maradi.

The last few days have been action-packed for Buhari. He has been busy with the commissioning of a harvest of projects initiated and driven by the private sector and his administration, respectively. The $19 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant in Lekki, Lagos, headlined the final hours of tape-cutting on Monday, May 22, 2023. Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, is perhaps Nigeria’s most committed, Africa-centric, and adventurous investor whose hands are in many pies in the nation’s socioeconomic development. His interests among others include manufacturing, construction, commerce, and agriculture. The Dangote Refinery may be Africa’s single largest investment in petroleum development in a long time. It is yet another private sector-led initiative to boost the nation’s economy.

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Buhari commissioned eight major infrastructural projects across the country. Seven of them handled by the federal ministry of works and housing, received louder amplification than the eighth. The Second Niger Bridge christened after Buhari; the Loko-Owetto bridge linking Nasarawa, Benue, and states in the south-east and south-south, and the Ikom bridge in Cross River state, were all commissioned. New federal secretariats in Anambra, Bayelsa, and Zamfara states, and the Kaduna-Kano segment of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano roads, were similarly commissioned. Buhari opted to commission the brand new “Customs House” located in Abuja on the same day, as information technology allowed for his virtual, simultaneous, real-time opening of the non-Abuja domiciled projects.

This rash of valedictory ceremonials is proceeding parri passu with various events scheduled for the commander-in-chief by his primordial constituency, the military, these last days, these final hours. The goal is to re-engineer our collective consciousness to actually think that Buhari has been a rare breed of conscientiously committed leader, who should be eternally venerated for heroic exploits in statecraft and national development. We must not allow ourselves to be distracted from the reality that Buhari has presided over a debilitating kakistocracy over the last eight years. Buhari rode into power, after three previous unsuccessful attempts, in 2015 on the crest of presumed integrity, assumed frugality, and touted believability. He earned the sobriquet of Mai Gaskiya, the honest one. He was profiled as that desired transformational leader who will turn things around in the fractious polity and discombobulated economy.

Buhari’s suspect capacity, however, was first gleaned from his tentativeness in assembling a team to work with him. Elected in March 2015 and inaugurated in May of the same year, it was not until November of that year that Buhari began piecemeal submission of the names of his prospective ministers to the national assembly for processing. Indeed, in the course of Buhari’s prevarication, the nation’s economy took a southward descent into depression, the first of at least two such negative economic growths under his jurisdiction. Public expectations about the impeccably qualified and ultra-competent Nigerians Buhari assured he will integrate into his administration, waned immediately after the “usual suspects” emerged on his A-list.

Governments before Buhari purposefully headhunted and deployed the Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealas, Chukwuma Soludos, Magnus Kpakols, Amina Mohammeds, Arunma Otehs, Akinwumi Adesinas, and so on in nation-building and economic reconstruction. It is a testament to their impeccable competencies, that many of them have moved up to higher responsibilities in global organisations. There were, however, no surprises when Buhari constituted his cabinet with many of the least suitable and competent operators, thus engendering a veritable kakistocracy. There is perhaps no better validation of this assertion than the manner the country has fumbled and floundered over the past eight years, sometimes tethering on the brink.

A post on social media by one Sanusi Dantata which has been trending for a few days now, almost summarises the epochal dysfunction of the Buhari government. This is in stark counterpoint to the facade of “landmark and legacy” achievements the regime serenades itself with. Says Sanusi Dantata: “If wishes were horses, I’d wish Muhammadu Buhari would drive from Abuja to Daura on Monday the 29th of May, instead of flying! He’d have the chance to see the infrastructure he has built, the insecurity he has addressed, the economy he has revamped, and the youths he has provided opportunities for!” Dantata in this singular sentence effectively puts a pin on the helium balloon of the Buhari dispensation’s penchant for narcissism. Nigeria has never had it so bad.

Buhari’s government put a deliberate knife through our institutions such that standards, processes, and best practices have been thrown to the hounds. We have a servile and complicit legislature whose members queue like school children for photo opportunities with the president, in a parliament that rubber-stamps any and every request from the president. The judiciary is wholly subservient in the Buhari era which sanctions the Gestapo-style nighttime invasion of the homes of forthright judges and justices and intentionally sets up a chief justice for compulsory retirement. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is anything but independent. It takes orders from extraneous authorities about who to give a ticket to, who to disqualify from a contest, where to simulate “inconclusive elections,” and who to gift with “certificates of return”.

It is common knowledge that the level of pilferage of public funds under Buhari has long surpassed whatever was alleged to have taken place in preceding governments constituted by the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP). Buhari legitimised a sadaka poverty alleviation strategy, under which money is virtually thrown into the streets for the needy to pick up. Where on earth is the precedent to Buhari’s Tradermoni example, where government officials go around distributing N10,000 to select traders in marketplaces in the name of economic revamp? Where is the precursor to the Special Works Programme (SPW) powered by the labour ministry, where names of youths from across the country were compiled and they were each paid N20,000 per month for three months for doing absolutely nothing, in the name of job creation? The COVID-19 pandemic which spilled well into 2020, precipitated large-scale stealing of public funds under the dubious cover of palliatives procured for the generality of the people

Aviation and Aerospace minister, Hadi Sirika, recently launched 10 firefighting vehicles distributed to various airports in the country, each costing a whopping N1.2 billion! The same Sirika has just hurriedly concessioned the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, for periods of 20 and 30 years respectively. According to reports, about $800 million will accrue to the nation’s coffers from the deal, even as many have queried the secrecy which attended the transaction and why it was left till the final hours of the Buhari era.

These Buhari’s final hours, government expenses totalling N22 trillion, hitherto financed through “ways and means” by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were approved by the national assembly. This is happening in Buhari’s final hours. Days ago, Buhari presented a request for the approval of a loan of $800 million, to finance public intervention strategies for the poor and vulnerable, in the event of the removal of fuel subsidy. The departing president has also shifted the responsibility for the removal of the subsidy to the incoming government. You then wonder why he is nonetheless insistent on procuring the facility.

The much disparaged Jonathan administration increased electricity power generation beyond 5000 megawatts in 2015. It has plummeted below 3000 megawatts under Buhari, which at its inception, promised to fix power within six months. Notably, the receding government has supposedly expended $7.5 billion within the period, a practical waste against the backdrop that the sector remains comatose.

This is just as this government continually castigates the Olusegun Obasanjo Jonathan/Umaru Yar’Adua governments for deploying a fictional $16 billion on the same infrastructure. It came to public knowledge days ago, that senior civil servants in the power sector, had arranged a “send-off party for themselves, these final hours of Buhari’s sojourn. A dozen of them colluded to misappropriate tens of billions of naira, allocated to revamp the troubled infrastructure. In one instance, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), tracked N23 billion to the bank account of a bureau de change operator, who was requested to convert the loot into foreign currency.

On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, Buhari wrote to the national assembly seeking approval to pay “judgment debts” to the tune of N226 billion; $556 million, and £98.5 million, respectively! The hawks and hounds around Buhari, are better schooled and skilled in street wisdom, than their principal. They know he has long lost touch with contemporaneity in many ways and resides predominantly in the recesses of time. They have since invented sustainable tricks and tactics to keep him eternally comfortable and contented, savouring flavoured, floral breeze in the Disney land glamour of the State House. There, he routinely picks his teeth in visible satisfaction as is captured in that very iconic photograph of him which keeps making the rounds on social media. This knowledge of their boss liberates them to run scams and schemes, rackets, and veiled robberies behind his back. In the more recent incident, some state official(s) deliberately and studiously watched the contentious “judgment debts” if any, spiral beyond 12-digit commitments. They chose when to strike by stalling until the final hours of Buhari’s visitation, before placing the request before him. Their slices of the pie, of course, are safe and secure in the hands of their offshore collaborators.

Waking up on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, to the reality that Buhari has finally proceeded to his hometown, will come as welcome relief to several millions of Nigerians. Typically ingenious Nigerians have suggested that all our countrymen who go through the Buhari scourge unscathed should deservedly be awarded “certificates of survival”. That would seem imperative given the unsparing furnaces of hunger, poverty, stagnation, insecurity, kidnappings, killings, near-deaths, helplessness, hopelessness, and despair Nigerians have passed through these past eight years.

Characteristically, Buhari is a blame-passer who seldom accepts responsibility for official misconduct and minimum governance. In this instance, however, he will have no option but to live with the reality that he posted an aggregate score far below public expectation. The endeavours and failures of his government, all bear his imprimatur as the leader of this better-forgotten epoch.

So long for Buhari’s kakistocratic dispensation.

Olusunle (PhD), poet, journalist, scholar, and author is a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)

Harry Belafonte, who recently died of congestive heart failure in New York at the age of 96, was a pioneering Caribbean-American singer-actor, who used his fame and wealth to support social causes. Belafonte was the first ever artist to have sold a million records, with his 1956 Calypso album staying at number one on the Billboard charts for 31 weeks and introducing Caribbean music to a mainstream American audience.

This was achieved three decades before Michael Jackson’s best-selling album of all time, Thriller, as Belafonte broke down barriers for future black artists. Strikingly handsome, multi-talented, and versatile, he was the first black actor to win a Tony. He also won two Grammys, had a successful movie career in Hollywood, and contributed tremendously to the civil rights and anti-apartheid struggles.

Early Life: Harold Bellanfanti, Jr. was born in New York on 1 March 1927, growing up in poverty in a cramped apartment in which several families shared a communal toilet. His Caribbean parents were mixed race: his Martiniquan father, Harold Sr., worked as a chef on merchant ships, while his Jamaican mother, Melvine, worked as a domestic servant. His abusive father eventually abandoned the family when Harry was six, and three years later, a struggling Melvine took Harry and his younger brother, Dennis, (brought up as devout Catholics) back to Jamaica, where Harry was placed in a stifling British-style boarding school.

He immersed himself in Jamaican culture, and fell into the warm embrace of his white grandmother, Jane: an experience which he later credited for his ease in interacting with diverse races and classes.   He loved his visits to banana markets, which would influence his trademark single “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O),” as well as the hit “Jamaica Farewell”.

The family returned to New York, but Harry struggled with dyslexia and soon dropped out of George Washington High School. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1944, where black servicemen introduced him to the work of W.E.B. Du Bois and other black intellectuals. He enrolled in Erwin Piscator’s Dramatic Workshop in New York under the G.I. Bill for military servicemen. Here, he befriended Marlon Brando whom he introduced to the city’s vibrant black jazz scene, and later recruited into the civil rights struggle. He also met his lifelong fellow Caribbean-American friend and rival, Sidney Poitier – described as “my first friend in life” – with whom he trained at the American Negro Theatre in Harlem. Harry – a light-skinned cultural polyglot – suffered from an identity crisis throughout his life: not fully black nor white; not fully Caribbean nor American.

It was also during this time that Belafonte met Marguerite Byrd, a middle-class African-American teacher, whom he married in 1949. She provided financial stability, as Harry struggled to find success, singing at New York clubs like the Village Vanguard, the Blue Angel, and the Royal Roost (where jazz legend Charlie “Bird” Parker played with him). The eclectic Belafonte moved from jazz to folk music before finally achieving great success as the “Calypso King.”

He was soon touring America and Europe, playing to sell-out audiences and incorporating black musicians into previously lily-white orchestras. He was, however, disappointed that he played to largely white audiences. Harry divorced Marguerite in 1957, marrying a white dancer, Julie Robinson. He divorced Robinson in 2004, and four years later, married a white photographer, Pamela Frank, who survives him along with four children from his first two marriages.

Artistic Successes: After his singing success, Belafonte’s film and acting career took off. He starred as a head teacher in Bright Road (1953) and a year later, with legendary African-American actress, Dorothy Dandridge, in the all-black film version of the Oscar-nominated Carmen Jones. He also won a Tony in 1954 for the musical Almanac. He won an Emmy in 1959 for the television show, Tonight with Belafonte.

A Grammy followed for best folk performance in 1960 for the album, “Swing Dat Hammer”. Another Grammy was awarded five years later for best folk recording for an album with South African singer, Miriam Makeba, An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. In 1972, Harry teamed up with Poitier – the first African-American male to win an Oscar for the 1963 Lilies of the Field, a role for which Belafonte had ironically been earmarked – to produce Buck and the Preacher, and two years later, Uptown Saturday Night, which also starred Bill Cosby.

Harry enjoyed playing a gangster boss in the 1996 Kansas City, was in the cast of the 2006 Bobby (on Robert Kennedy), and his last film role was a cameo appearance in Spike Lee’s 2018 BlackkKlansman. His movie career was limited because he refused many of the stereotypical roles available to black actors. Belafonte also regularly hired black and Hispanic apprentice filmmakers.

Social activism: The sources of Belafonte’s social activism sprang from his poverty-stricken childhood; the widespread discrimination he encountered in America’s segregated Navy; and the indignities that he continued to confront in apartheid America, being forced to use separate facilities despite his fame.

By the 1950s, the globe-trotting African-American singer-actor-activist, Paul Robeson, was playing a strident role in condemning racism in America and pushing for the civil rights of black Americans. Robeson would eventually be hounded by the ignominious MacCarthyite witch-hunts of the era, paying the price for his outspoken activism when his own government prevented him from travelling abroad for eight years. He would become Belafonte’s main inspiration, with Harry himself forced to defend himself from charges of  being a Communist.

Belafonte consistently refused to abandon his mentor, who had urged him to “Sing your song and they will want to know who you are”: advice that stayed with Harry throughout his life as a lodestar, and inspired both his 2011 autobiography, My Song, and the documentary about his activism, Sing Your Song, of the same year.

A 27-year old Belafonte met Martin Luther King, Jr. – two years his junior – in 1956, after the civil rights leader preached at New York’s Abyssinian Baptist church. It was a life-changing experience, and Belafonte was struck by King’s calmness and humility. He described the civil rights stalwart as “the real deal, a leader both inspired and daunted by the burden he’d taken on.” After the soaring sermon, both men met alone in the church basement and talked for four hours. It was the start of a 12-year friendship in which Belafonte became a confidant to the Nobel peace laureate, providing a refuge for him in his 21-room Upper West Side New York apartment. Belafonte also passed messages between King, John and Robert Kennedy.

Harry became a disciple of non-violence, marching from Selma to Montgomery, joining freedom rides, holding fundraising concerts, and recruiting his Hollywood friends to join the March on Washington in 1963. He became a major fund-raiser for the movement, donating to King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, financing Freedom Riders, and providing $70,000 to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Mississippi to register black voters in 1964, under threat of assassination from the Klu Klux Klan. He also forged links between black America and Africa by arranging for SNCC activists to visit the continent. Further afield, he condemned the US trade embargo against Cuba, defiantly visiting Fidel Castro in Havana.

Belafonte further contributed greatly to the anti-apartheid movement, financially supporting the Randall Robinson-led African-American lobby group TransAfrica, taking part in anti-apartheid protests, and helping to support the careers of black South African musicians, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, in the U.S. He collaborated closely with Makeba, and provided both South African artists platforms to promote their music while spreading the anti-apartheid gospel.
Prof. Adebajo is a senior Research Fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship in South Africa.

Harry also took part in several events with Nelson Mandela after the South African leader’s release from jail in 1990, a cause for which he had actively campaigned.

In 1985, Belafonte helped to organise the Grammy-winning superstar collaboration We Are the World which raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Two years later, he accepted a role as the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  In the same year, he chaired an International Symposium of Artists and Intellectuals for African Children in Senegal.

The twilight years: Belafonte remained uncompromising in his determination to act as America’s moral conscience. He described the war-mongering president George W. Bush as “the greatest terrorist in the world,” and Bush’s Jamaican-American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, as a “house slave”. He did not spare the first African-American president, noting: “For all of his smoothness and intellect, Barack Obama seems to lack a fundamental empathy with the dispossessed, be they white or black.” He dismissed Donald Trump as “feckless and immature.”

As the 2011 documentary, Sing Your Song, demonstrated, Belafonte was relentless in his activism, as he constantly chased new causes to which to contribute. He strongly backed the Occupy movement in New York in 2011; he was a lifelong supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People; he advocated gun control and joined the fight against gang violence; he backed a school for emotionally disturbed boys; and was active in his own Belafonte Foundation of Music and Arts. Harry was sometimes irritated with the mainstream U.S. media imposing on him the burden of always having to act as the spokesman for black America’s social causes.

For all his achievements, Belafonte also had his critics. Black Power activists criticised his comfort with the white establishment; many black women criticised his philandering (including an affair with British actress, Joan Collins) and his divorcing a black woman who had been critical to his success to marry a white woman; some Trinidadian Calypso musicians considered him an imposter; while other critics pointed to his addictive gambling and what they regarded as an oversized ego.

Belafonte was, however, articulate, reflective, and had a moral clarity that was often unnerving, as he unwaveringly pursued worthy social causes for seven long decades. Robin Densselow noted that “Harry Belafonte was one of the most important and influential campaigning black musicians in American history;” while Philip French described him as “a man of bravery and probity, a formidable contributor and witness to his times.”

Prof. Adebajo is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship in South Africa.

AS a child I was taught that the road to heaven is narrow. But that seems to be the teachings of the ancients; now across the world, shepherds are letting their flocks know that there are shortcuts, or even flights to heaven. Perhaps the old depended on stars to guide them on the road to heaven while the modern are using Google maps and satellite imaging.

The old idea that the road to heaven is narrow might have been reinforced by Matthew who advised: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it(Matthew 7: 13-14). I know it immediately warned us to beware of false prophets, but who am I to judge?

The struggle to get to heaven has been quite intense so much that the old church in Rome used to sell pardons (Remission of sin) to the rich who want the Heavens to forgive and guarantee them a place. But these days, there are several ways to get directly to heaven. Some men of the world reasoned that when Adam and Eve were nude, they communed directly with the Lord. So they came to the conclusion that in this ostentatious world when fashion seems to rule worship centres, and bishops deck in heavy regalia, the best route to heaven is to worship in all nakedness. So nudity rules in their churches.

In the White Tail Chapel, Ivor, Southampton, Virginia, everybody, including the pastor reading the passages, worship completely nude; just the way they were born. Everyone coming to worship in the church must leave all their material possessions, including clothing, behind and worship only in truth and spirit. Wearing apparels in the church was optional until Sunday, August, 2015, when Pastor Allen Parker announced a complete ban.

He explained this mode of worship: “When Jesus was born he was naked, when he was crucified he was naked and when he arose he left his clothes in the tomb and he was naked. If God made us that way, how can that be wrong? I consider this a gift and a privilege God has given me as our members are caring, understanding and they’re community and family oriented. We have one of the most involved chapels any place around.”

When a couple, Katie and Robert, tied the nuptial knots, they did so in complete nudity. So, there was no need for wedding gowns or dresses. That must have significantly reduced costs. Worshipping nude to get closer to the Lord on the way to heaven does not mean they will get to the promised land. But never mind, there are churches and shepherds who now, not only guarantee people going to heaven, but doing so without going by road which may still be narrow. So they sell flight tickets to heaven.

In Zimbabwe, Pastor Tito Watts and wife, Amanda who have been selling flight tickets to heaven for $500 per person are not without customers. What is more: the ticket is inclusive of visa and a straight passage into heaven as it also grants immunity from prosecutions for sins committed on earth. When the police arrested him, Pastor Watts explained that they had the wrong person as he was merely a salesman for Jesus. His followers believe him and stormed the police station demanding that their pastor be freed to continue his evangelical work.

While there are still debates whether the road to heaven is still narrow or has been widened, a shepherd, Pastor David F. Isanga of the Universal Apostle Fellowship Church of Righteousness, Kaliro, Eastern Uganda, assures his flock that they are already citizens of heaven. The pastor asked them to buy plots of land in heaven. He told his followers to sell all their properties, including houses, farms, livestock and lands, give him the money so he can allocate lands to them in heaven. He did not tell them the size of the lands, whether they are serviced plots and if they are upscale property. He also has not revealed how he became an estate agent in heaven and whether he receives commission.

In all the talk about heaven being the final destination of the faithful, people do not appear to want to die. Joe Louis quotation: “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”, became so famous that it featured in many songs. I also used to think that anyone who goes to heaven never returns. That was until South African Pastor Paseka Motsoeneng, alias “Prophet Mboro”, announced he not only had been on a trip to heaven and returned, but also took photographs using his smartphone! Since he did not say he met people or angels during his trip, he must have taken selfies. 

The story did not end there: Mboro is charging those who want to view his heavenly photographs 5,000 rand ($340) each. In all these cases, people negotiate the road to heaven, or like Mboro, go on tourist tours where they take photographs. But Nigerian Pastor Noah Ade Abraham, actually knows where heaven is and charges a ticket fee of N310,000 per entrant. In his well organised three-stage movement to heaven, he established his operational base in Kaduna, a transit camp in Kabba, Kogi State and a departure camp which he calls the Christ High Commission, in Araromi-Ugbesi, Omuo-Oke, Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State. At the departure camp were 40 persons who had met the financial requirements and were waiting for Jesus to descend and meet them.

Meanwhile, Pastor Abraham is yoked with earthly matters as the police charged him for allegedly obtaining money “by false pretence and intent to defraud” by claiming he is capable of taking his followers to heaven. But how can ordinary mortals prove that the pastor is lying? It is like the story of a pastor who asked his followers to fast to death in order to go straight to heaven. When charged for making false claims that he is Jesus, he said if the prosecutor doubted him, it should produce the real Jesus.

The basic lesson in all these is that nobody should allow another human being to control his mind. However, there is not expected to be a trip as the kingdom will descend on the transit camp and it will be transformed into heaven. So like the Jehovah Witnesses preach, heaven is not where you will ascend to or go on a trip through some narrow road or land on an airport; heaven is right here on earth.

In the light of the individual and collective experience of Nigerians in the past several weeks, it is probably a shared experience that I have not been sleeping well in as many weeks. This is likely the case if the prevalent mood of despair and despondency that followed the parody of recently concluded general elections is any indication.

For me, there are a number of extra contending factors for this sleeplessness. Beyond the DNA inheritance of chronic insomnia, one factor is the heartbreak over how my beloved Barclays premiership football club side, Arsenal, has transformed from being a class A euphoria drug to a deflating downer. In the past decade, if I’m in a low mood, there is a good chance it has something to do with how well

Roger Federer and Arsenal are faring in their respective tournaments. When they do well, they serve as potent psychological therapy for diffusing the fog of ennui cast permanently over the darkling plains of politics and governance in Nigeria.
Now it gets worse. As the appointed hour of May 29th draws near, many have been praying along that this foretold dreadful cup of iniquity passeth Nigeria over. Even if our countervailing dreams of a Nigerian political renewal have become recessive, providence can still intervene to use the improbable instrument of the judiciary to accomplish God’s purpose for Nigeria.

There is hardly anything left unsaid in the rumination over the misnomer of the (s)election of Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria. As we used to banter in those days of rebellious innocence, “nuff said”. We have to come to terms with the reality of the traumatising transition from Major General Muhammadu Buhari to Tinubu as the new normal of Nigerian politics.

Yet, regardless of the latter’s credentials, (which reads like a Mario Puzo mafia syndicate prototype), the truth is that no other successor Nigerian president has the latitude to surpass Buhari in his demonstrable capacity to render Nigeria a graveyard of national aspirations.
The logic of this conclusion is obvious enough.There is simply no room to spare for any successor to replay the Buhari ‘bull in the china shop’ one man wrecking crew. Nigeria has already crumbled, what is left is the near impossible task of putting the broken pieces back together. Presently, the economic numero uno among these broken pieces is the big elephant in the room aka the oil subsidy racket. In the near term, it is damned if you do away with the subsidy and damned if you don’t.

And in a rather befitting epitaph to the mockery of fighting corruption in Nigeria, the duo of the former Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, proved the corruption depravity of the Buhari dispensation in an unforgettable manner. The two cooked together a book launching ceremony, in which the former made a public display of a N250m returns of corruption proceeds to the latter. In broad daylight, Yari launched a book purportedly authored by Malami with the jaw dropping sum.

The pertinent background to the infamy of this wanton display of stolen resources is as follows.
The remote aspect dates back to the governorship of Yari over that micro embodiment of all that is evil about Nigeria, Zamfara state. At his departure from the state, ‘Premium Times reported that he was being investigated for N150 Billion embezzlement charge whilst official documents revealed that Yari was paid N350 million two days before he left office. Aside from the monthly pay out of about N11 million, the law also provided for a house in Abuja for the former governor’.
The immediate backdrop is that along with the former Accountant General of the federation, Ahmed Idris, Yari was the poster boy in the collosal theft of one hundred and ten billion (and still counting) from the Nigerian treasury. It was widely reported that “the former governor is being investigated for allegedly conspiring with the suspended AGF to siphon an estimated N84 Billion in public funds”. The economic and financial crimes commission, efcc, is the investigation and prosecution agency of this crime and it reports directly to Malami in the performance of this duty.

The same Malami then invites Governor Yari to serve as chief launcher at his book launching ceremony. Whereupon the former governor dipped into the pot of stolen money, (for which he is under prosecution), and forked out N250m to bestow on the Attorney General. Do you then need to be a Nuhu Ribadu to discern a linkage between the criminal theft of public resources and the hundreds of million donation by Yari? And all this in the glare of the national and international community and, in a country rated as the poverty capital of the world.

If you are literally drenched in naira and rearing to make show of it, why not buy as many copies as N250 million naira can buy and then distribute the books across educational institutions in the nation? What was exactly the participation of Malami, the chief law officer of the country, in this corruption on steroids instance?
What extrapolation are we to make from this outrage other than it was compensation for a favour Malami rendered in (all probability), shielding the fellow from being prosecuted as his just dessert
In competition with this show of shame as a trademark of the Buhari dispensation and which record is impossible to surpass is the penchant for ethno national chauvinism (of apartheid proportions) in appointments to the leadership of nearly all strategic and significant public institutions especially the military, security and para security agencies.

With N77 trillion debt (80% of which was incurred under Buhari) what would prove the difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that there is no space left for further ‘borrowing and sorrowing’ for any incoming President? Today, said Chief Afe Babalola “We are the worst debtors in the world. We owe trillions of dollars. We are borrowing more even when the current government has few days to go. And we learnt that our incoming President has gone to look for those who are coming to invest here. Nobody is coming to invest here when you can’t even pay the interest due on the huge debt that we owe”.
And I affirm that it is theoretically improbable and practically impossible to contemplate that any potential successor can worst Buhari’s records and still have a nation standing.

Where, however, there is room for the continuation of the Buhari anomie is the reputation of those ascending to the topmost hierarchy of Nigeria’s organs of government. We already have Tinubu in the executive organ. Now we await, in raging stupefication, the imposition of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate president and the chairman of the national assembly. Spanning the last two decades, his public career has come to symbolise a study in the utility of public corruption and impunity for upward mobility in the ladder of political leadership in Nigeria.

The tragedy of contemporary Nigeria is the extent to which the perfidy of mindless corruption has been upstaged (by the impunity of
how much you can rub the nose of Nigeria in this mud) by the open tender of a pedigree of unspeakable stolen public resources as credentials for higher office. To prove the point is the pending coronation of Akpabio as the next Nigeria’s Senate president.
In his preceding successive occupations as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator and Senator-elect, he has left behind tons of evidence on his exploitation of those offices as conduit pipes for unprecedented embezzlement.

As Governor of Akwa Ibom State, he has a pending case of “withdrawal of N18bn from the state’s coffers under the guise of special services, reception of very important guests and sundry items; acquisition of some assets through surrogates, including a multi-billion naira mansion at Plot 5, Ikogosi Spring Close, off Katsina-Ala Crescent, Maitama-Abuja; a multi-billion naira mansion at Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama, Abuja; 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; Plot 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Parkview, Lagos and a multi-billion naira 25-storey building at Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos”.

As Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he was the star culprit in the allegations of N40 billion fraud perpetrated in the NDDC, a ministry which was headed by Akpabio for three years. The Senate over which he will preside resolved in 2020 to probe the alleged N40 billion financial recklessness of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC. Less than two months ago, he was detained by EFCC for two hours after attempting to bribe agency chairman with $350,000.
The trillion naira question is: How does Akpabio proceed from this immediate background to become the President of the Nigerian Senate?
Akpabio is, of course, not the exception that proves the rule. Coincidentally, his two other co contestants are cut from the same wool. One of them is none other than Governor Abdulaziz Yari. Yes, the same Yari.

And then, there is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, whose felony laurels include belonging to a class of dubious politicians who have succeeded in symbolically dragging the Supreme Court down the mud through the procurement of morality subversive judgements.
Recall that “the trial court found him guilty of corruption in December 2019 and was sentenced to 12 years in jail. But in one of a series of questionable judgements given by the Supreme Court, his jail time was nullified on technical grounds: that the judge who jailed him was ineligible to handle the trial having been elevated to the Court of Appeal’s bench as of the time he concluded the case”.
If ever there is poetic justice in the ambitions of political leaders in this electoral cycle, it is in the ruins of Kalu’s aspiration to become the Senate president. In subordinating the concession of the Nigerian presidency to the South East, to his personal ambition, no politician from amongst the Igbo did greater damage to this cause than kalu.

Stop Press!
As we were putting this column to bed, we were rudely reawakened by the hereunder:
“President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to approve the payment of judgement debts awarded by different courts against the federal government. The president said the judgement debts were awarded in different currencies which he summed up to $556,712,584,01; £98,526,013 and N226,280,801,801,64”.
Now, you see what we were saying?

The title of this short piece is not exactly original. The word “Strategic Humility” was first coined brilliantly and diplomatically deployed by Dr Henry Kissinger, former American Secretary of State, who marked his centenary (100 years) birthday few days ago, in his recent book “LEADERSHIP”.

In that book, Kissinger did an analysis of six heads of state in the 20th century who he considered as great leaders. They are France’s Charles De Gaulle, Germany’s Conrad Adreneur, America’s Richard Nixon, Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew, Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and Egypt’s Anwar Sadat.

I may not necessarily agree with three of Kissinger’s categorization, especially Nixon, Thatcher and Sadat. But that is a topic for another day. What I however find most interesting in the book is his take on Conrad Adreneur, the German post-war Chancellor. He cited Adreneur as a man who eased Germany into the mainstream of world power. It was a remarkable feat by a great man. That Germany found its way back into the mainstream of world politics (a privilege she still enjoys till today) is the brainchild of Adreneur with his deployment of “strategic humility”.

I find these words relevant today as Asiwaju is set to take over the mantle of the nation’s leadership in a few days time. There is no dispute among those who have worked with him over the years (in government and at political level) about his adroit deployment of political strategy in resolving the unsolvable. His instinctive respect for every individual he meets speaks of humility in leadership.

Nigeria is currently in a mess both economically and politically. We are more divided today than 10 years ago. I believe his coming is at the right time because we need a leader who can stabilize and rejuvenate us.

I recently saw a bit of what is to come. First in Port Harcourt when he was invited by Governor Nyesom Wike to do the commissioning of his 12th Bridge and new Courts. Gov Wike had asked that Asiwaju’s Government should refund money the Rivers had spent on the new bridge and some federal roads in the state. Asiwaju’s remark was most Solomonic and statesmanly. He said “I owed you nothing”. His reason: we still have in place a government headed by President Buhari which must be respected.

Also, we have seen a plethora of project commissionings by President Buhari which many expected he would attend beside the incumbent leader. But he chose to avoid them in what clearly is borne out of strategic humility in not wanting to share the glory with the incumbent as the latter deserves his shine and glory.

Earlier in January when the iconic Lagos rail-line (which Asiwaju initiated as governor) was commissioned, he stayed away and allowed President Buhari to lap up the glory. The fickle-minded would have been tempted to contest the platform with Buhari on the justification that “It is my baby”. Not Asiwaju.

Perhaps the most remarkable one was the commissioning few days ago of Dangote’s Refinery at Lekki Free Trade Zone, a visionary scheme he initiated as Governor of Lagos State in 2005 in a stroke of Socratic ingenuity. Instead of being present with President Buhari at the commissioning, he sent his vice Shettima so that the present Goverment could carry the glory.

It was remarkable that Aliko Dangote himself referred to Tinubu as the “Asiwaju of Nigeria” on that important date to Nigeria’s economic history. In Yoruba, Asiwaju means the Leader.

Tinubu’s deft footworks actually reminded us of Nicollo Machaiavelli’s legendary postulation: “Power is alluring and infectious when you are at the top. But calmness is for the Prince of expectation and manifestiion begins when you are on the throne.”

The incoming President and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces must be ready to deploy more of that strategic humility when in office. There are more challenging times ahead. Two are quite critical: restoring confidence in our Federal Government and the ECONOMY. The Americans call it “Economy, Stupid.”
The first borders on instability in various parts of the country and growing religious intolerance. To fix the second, you have to solve the first. But given Asiwaju’s pedigree, we are assured.

In the annals of human history, there are rare individuals whose indomitable spirit and unwavering determination to succeed enable them to carve out a lasting legacy. One such exceptional man in Nigeria is Chief (Dr) Abu Inu-Umoru. Abu’s remarkable achievements are an inspiration and constitute an attestation that hard work, diligence, industry and humility do pay. Through his relentless pursuit of excellence, Abu has built a business empire that not only stands out as a symbol of his accomplishments, but also as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all those who dare to dream. And dream big too.

ABU’S TENDERFEET: THE MORNING TELLS THE DAY

Chief (Dr) Abu Inu-Umoru clocked 60 on 9th of May, 2023. Every astounding journey begins with a spark of ambition. Our celebrant's story is no different, having breathed the oxygen of life on 9^th of May, 1963.

Born and raised by a father who was also a very successful businessman, Chief Abu, from a very early age, possessed an insatiable quest and hunger for success. Guided by an unwavering belief in his innate abilities, he nurtured his tall dreams and embarked on a path less travelled. He left Nigeria for the United States of America in 1984, to pursue his unwavering love for learning and the desire to improve himself. He got an Associate's Degree from the College of Alameda in California in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree (B.Sc.) in Business Administration from Central Connecticut State University in Connecticut, in 1989. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, graduating from the University’s Owner / President Management Course (OPM43) of 2013.

HOW ABU ACHIEVED HIS SUCCESS

The Warrake, Edo State- born business Czar is very intentional. It was this unique attribute, among other things, that EASILY endeared him to his late multi-billionaire father, Alhaji Inu Umoru. He took deliberate steps to establish a position for himself in the financial world, even while his father was still alive. He has continued to do same to date. Hard work and the fear of God are the very foundation upon which this colosus built his octopaedal business empire. He understood very early in life that success is not a coincidence, but rather, a product of persistent and unwavering efforts. Tirelessly dedicating himself to his craft, Abu toiled day and night, honing his skills and striving for excellence. His work ethic became legendary, as he embraced challenges, not as obstacles, but as stepping stones towards his ultimate goal. When Setraco Nigeria Ltd (SNL), one of the companies established by his late business mogul father, was plunged into a N17 billion-debt, Chief Abu Inu Umoru deployed his good corporate practice and experience in exposing financial scams within the company. He started plugging fiscal leakages such that the N17 billion debt portfolio he met, which was largely orchestrated through manipulations of overdrafts with the company’s bankers, was cleared within two years of his finance directorship. Today, SNL has a clean balance sheet, charting once again the trajectory of profitability; and, in fact, owing no bank anywhere in the world. What a story!

ABU UMORU’S BUSINESS CONGLOMERATE

Amongst other endeavours, Abu is currently the Chairman (CEO) of Setraco Nigeria Ltd (a foremost construction giant in Nigeria); Petra Quarries Ltd; (a Mining and Quarrying firm); Aerotek Agro – Allied Company Ltd; (an emerging Mixed Mechanized Farm Estate in Edo; State), Beer Barn Ltd; and Presto Hotels Ltd; just mention a few.

Having grown up in affluence, Abu, unlike many “Aje Butter” children who have their palm kernels cracked for them by a benevolent spirit has transitioned into building his own companies—Hartland Engineering and Construction company and other businesses—from the very scratch, up to a burgeoning empire. He has thus demonstrated his abilities as a successful engineering and construction business mogul. He has continued to subtly use his enduring dedication and family values to avail his siblings the desired leadership with a view to strengthening Setraco Nigeria Limited, the familly tree. He has, through this instrumentality, contributed tremendously to maintaining and expanding the companies and interests that their late patriarch, Chief Inu Umoru, left behind.

ABU’S ABIDING PRINCIPLES

Abu’s unwavering commitment towards the pursuit of his goals became the guiding principle of this visionary man. With an unwavering focus, he relentlessly pursued his dreams, undeterred by man-made setbacks and obstacles. Each failure rather served as a valuable lesson; propelling him forward with renewed vigour and determination. Through his diligence and conscientiousness, he not only built a business empire, but has also fostered an environment where others could thrive. Our visionary man has since built a commonwealth that is poised to withstand the tribulations and trials of time. His visionary leadership, coupled with an unyielding focus on innovation, has transformed industries and left an indelible mark on society. The empire he has built is not just a conglomerate of material wealth; it is a lasting testament to his deep family values and life principles; certainly an embodiment of his unflagging spirit.

YET, ABU REMAINS HUMBLE

Notwithstanding his laudable achievements, Chief (Dr) Abu Inu-Umoru is not arrogant; he also does not practise it. He simply exhibits modesty. He wears humility naturally like a second skin. While many successful individuals succumb to the temptations of arrogance and aphrodisiac trappings of power, Abu, our celebrant, personifies the virtues of diffidence and self-effacement. He understands that true greatness lies, not in personal individualistic accolades and aggradisement, but in the collective success of his team. By treating every person with respect and recognizing their individual contributions and worth, the Edo State University, Iyamoh, honorary Degree holder, has created a culture of collaboration, team work and unity within his business empire. This humility and team spirit have endeared him to those around him, fostering utmost loyalty and dedication among his employees. In celebration of his greatness and humility in all lovely things, the Otaru of Auchi bestowed the title of Kauthar (Abundance; multitude) on him some time ago after spotting him as a shining star in the firmament of Afenmai land. Importantly, Chief (Dr) Abu Inu-Umoru keeps possible human excesses at bay by letting his humility rule the circumstances and subtleties of his social interactions.

ABU’S SUCCESS STORY AS LESSONS FOR OTHERS

We celebrate the uncommon attributes of this quintessential humble man and philanthropist extraordinaire. Abu’s should serve as a great lesson to anyone who has ever harboured any doubts about what humility and industry can do in the life of a great man. Like sweetness draws bees, humility has drawn prayers, compliments, and encouraging remarks from others. These, the All-Powerful God has combined into answered petitions. Additionally, God has added wisdom and a discerning mind to the bouquet of Abu’s rare grace and blessings.

Even at an age of 60, Chief Abu Inu-Umoru has significantly contributed to society in ineffable dimensions, while maintaining a rare level of mental discipline and humility. Abu possesses the necessary skills and means to court the media, embrace to the spotlight and limelight. Yet, he has instead, chosen the noble route of quietude, serenity, restraint and stoicism. But, there's no denying that Chief Abu Inu-Umoru is still at the top of his game. He understands how to build and run his business relationships. He mentors and moulds people. But, he gives all the credit and glory to God Almighty.

I wish this my friend, brother and soul mate a happy birthday as he reaches the milestone of "Diamond" in his life. May you, Abu, experience Gen. 6: 3. Itsee. 

The squabble between the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa and the outgoing governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, is a clear pointer to the difficulty inherent in fighting corruption in the country. The governor has launched virulent attacks against the chairman in an apparent retaliation against the commission’s investigations into his alleged corrupt behaviour. It is a clear case of corruption fighting back, and the EFCC cannot afford to be cowed. It is not uncommon for powerful individuals who are under investigation for corruption to either resist or avoid arrests, but Matawalle is the first governor to publicly claim that the EFCC Chairman had asked him for a bribe. It is particularly disturbing. I have contacted Mr. Bawa and he has vehemently denied the allegations. The federal government should launch thorough and independent investigations into the governor’s accusation to determine the truth. Nigerians would be particularly disillusioned and let down if Bawa is not above board. His appointment as the commission’s fourth executive chairman in February 2021 elicited excitement for many good reasons. He was just 41 and the first product of the EFCC Academy and the first non-police officer to assume the position. In a way, he represents the yearnings of young Nigerians who earnestly want to play some parts in managing the affairs of their country. I had written an article entitled ‘’Agenda for the New EFCC Chairman’’, asking him to do a thorough job and not to let his generation and the nation down.

 The EFCC is investigating Gov. Matawalle over allegations of corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion from government’s coffers into personal accounts. The commission avers that the money was sourced as a loan from a bank by the Zamfara State government ostensibly to fund some projects across the state, but was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors who received payments for contracts that were not executed. According to the EFCC, over 100 companies have received payments from the N70 billion loan, with no evidence of service rendered to the state. Some of the contractors have been interrogated by the commission and they have made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting them into foreign currencies.

EFCC alleges that one of the contractors, a popular Abuja property developer, collected N6 billion on a N10 billion contract without rendering any service to the state. Another contractor collected over N3 billion for a contract for the supply of medical equipment, but the commission traced a transfer of N400 million from the contractor’s account to a Bureau de Change operator. The contractor, the EFCC says, had confessed that the payment was to procure the dollar equivalent allegedly for the governor. the commission has also recovered N300 million from a company that was also involved in the sleaze.

These accusations are grave and mind boggling. I must commend the commission for doing a thorough forensic investigation. But amazingly, the governor has not denied these allegations, instead, he has making counter allegations, claiming that the EFCC Chairman had asked him for a $2 million bribe, and that he has evidence to prove it. In an interview with the Hausa Service of BBC last week, the governor criticized the seeming obsession of the commission with governors whereas federal officials are not investigated. He also accused the commission of not being transparent in the disposal of confiscated assets. I have also seen a video in which Mr. Bawa is accused of staying in a $15,000-per-room hotel with many of his extended family members during hajj in Saudi Arabia. The narrator wonders how the Chairman, a civil servant, could afford such an expensive hotel accommodation for himself and his family members. Clearly, the accusations are meant to ridicule the EFCC Chairman, embarrass and weaken the commission and eventually throw it offtrack from pursuing the criminal investigations into the activities of the governor. As I said, Mr. Bawa has vehemently denied these allegations. The governor claims that Bawa met him ‘’in a certain house’’. Of course, they couldn’t have met in a beer parlour or bus stop. It has been a common tactic for sleazy persons to attempt to destabilize the commission’s leadership, especially during transition period like now. I recall that Nuhu Ribadu; Farida Waziri and Ibrahim Larmode all suffered similar disgrace in the hands of powerful men. We should call off their bluff.

Mr. Matawalle also made the point that the EFCC is focusing more on the state than the federal government. That is neither here nor there. Are the state governors wrongly accused? Is there any former governor that has been sent to jail for committing no offence? In any case, I know that former federal officials like FFK; Diezani Allison-Madueke; Ahmed Idris (former Accountant General of the Federation) and Sale Mamman (former Minister of Power) have been in the EFCC net for various crimes. If more former governors are being investigated, it speaks to the fact that states’ chief executives control more resources, yet are less oversighted than the ministers. Who does a governor report to when the House of Assembly is in his pocket?

Gov. Bello Matawallwe should bring forth whatever evidence he has against the chairman or, he should report the matter to the ICPC or the Police. The federal government should also launch an investigation into the allegations made by the governor. If it turns out that the governor’s allegations are baseless and fabricated, the Chairman should seek redress in the court of law. The EFCC should conclude its investigations into the affairs of the Zamfara government and prosecute all the culprits. Matawalle should be prevented from sneaking out of the country after May 29. We have seen many instances in the past in which the commission made loud allegations against some politically exposed persons, but eventually failed to prosecute them. Former Governor of Anambra State, Willy Obiano was arrested soon after he handed over to Prof Charles Soludo, detained for a few days and released. Nothing has been heard of that case again till today. The Matawalle case should not be swept under the carpet. The revelations unearthed by the EFCC are staggering. It should also look into the activities of other governors and public officials who are about finishing their terms. We cannot surrender our country to wicked people in powerful positions.