Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has called for the suspension of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Onyejeocha urged protesters to halt their demonstrations, citing concerns over the recent loss of lives and emphasising President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving living conditions for Nigerians.

“My heart goes out to those who lost their lives during the protests,” Onyejeocha said.

“It is quite unfortunate that these things have to happen this way. I plead that we should sheathe our swords, embrace peace, and stop at this moment.”

Onyejeocha reassured that President Tinubu has heard the public’s concerns and is actively working towards addressing them.

She urged protesters to trust in the president’s efforts and to support the government’s initiatives.

Similarly, Shuaibu Audu, Minister of Steel Development, urged protesters to trust the Renewed Hope Agenda and suspend the demonstrations.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, Audu highlighted intelligence reports indicating that some individuals might attempt to hijack the protests and incite chaos.

Audu assured Nigerians that their expectations for good governance would be met by the end of President Tinubu’s first term in office, and urged patience and trust in the administration’s efforts.

Vanguard News

Alex Beard, the former chief executive director of Glencore, a British mining and trading group, has been charged to court in the United Kingdom, over alleged bribery in connection with oil contracts in West Africa.

Beard, a British billionaire businessman, was charged alongside four former employees of Glencore.

The others are Andrew Gibson, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga, and Martin Wakefield.

In a statement published on Thursday, the UK’s serious fraud office (SFO) said the five Glencore employees have been charged in “connection with the awarding of a range of oil contracts variously spanning Cameroon, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast from 2007 to 2014”.

The SFO said Gibson and Wakefield have also been “charged in relation to the falsification of invoices to Glencore’s London office marked as service fees to a Nigerian oil consultancy from 2007 to 2011”.

The hearing of the case has been scheduled for September 10 at Westminster magistrates’ court.

Speaking on the development, Nick Ephgrave, director of SFO, said bribery damages financial marketers, adding that it causes lasting harm to communities.

“Today’s action is an important step towards exposing overseas corruption and holding those who are responsible to account,” Ephgrave said.

Glencore was involved in oil contract deals with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and other oil corporations in West Africa.

GLENCORE’S BRIBERY COURT CASES

In May, the federal government said Glencore is expected to pay Nigeria a $50 million penalty for bribery.

Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation, had said the resolution was reached after the federal government entered a settlement agreement with the British firm.

In May 2022, the United States department of justice said Glencore, and its UK subsidiaries, entered into multiple agreements to purchase crude oil and refined petroleum products from the NNPC through shady deals.

In Nigeria alone, the department said, Glencore and its subsidiaries paid more than $52 million to the intermediaries, intending that those funds be used — at least in part — to pay bribes to Nigerian officials.

In the same month, the trading firm agreed to pay about $1.5 billion in total to resolve investigations in the US, United Kingdom, and Brazil — of which $1.06 billion was payable to agencies in the US and Brazil.

Glencore had pleaded guilty to five counts of bribery totalling $26.9 million, which was paid “primarily to officials in state-owned oil companies” in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria.

The company also admitted to two charges of failing to prevent bribery over payments of approximately $1 million to agents in Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan, to secure “valuable oil contracts”.

[TheCable]

The controversy around women’s boxing at the ongoing Olympic games revolves around the participation of two athletes, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who had failed gender eligibility tests in the past. These two have long competed as women, but were disqualified from the 2023 women’s world championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failure to meet “eligibility rules”. But the current Olympic organizers got that reversed. The rest, and the fallouts, remain an onfolding world drama today.

In the following dialogue between Celeste and her friend, Jasmine, take up the twin issues of sexual orientation and gender confusion.

Jasmine: I would like to start today’s discussion by saying that we are no longer sure who is a man or a woman. Gender switching is going on; and this is all being promoted under the LGTBQI+ movement. What is one to make of growing same sex relationships?

Celeste: What I think is going on is that we are no longer in touch with our true essence as human beings today. It goes beyond what is generally called the global gender crisis, one aspect of which is the widespread promotion of gay relationships. For the sake of clarity, perhaps we should start by you explaining to me what the term LGBTQI+, which you mentioned, means. 

Jasmine: Yes, that is very important.

Celeste: It stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and others. The acronym is even sometimes written as LGBTQIA, to include asexual groups, where ‘queer’ is an umbrella term for non- straight people.

Jasmine: But we all grew up knowing gender to refer to the two sexes. That was before the term got expanded to cover many things that do not fall under established ideas of male and female. That is the problem for us today, as far as I am concerned.

Celeste: Of course, it is to some of us. Think, for instance, of those who say that they are Pansexuals, that is people who could be sexually attracted to animals, little children, or whatever catches their fancy at any point in time.

Jasmine: Pansexuals?

Celeste: Yes. And all these now-freely-advertised sexual orientations, like the Asexual, Polysexual, Agender, Bi- gender, Ecosexual, Intersex, Androgynous, Gender Fluid, Non-Binary, Gender Queer, Transspecies, Transaging and Transable, are demanding the right to freely exercise their sexual preferences.

Jasmine: All of that? Please what do all these categories you just referred to mean?

Celeste: Polysexual refers to anyone who is sexually attracted to more than one gender including the unconventional, then there are the Bisexuals who are attracted to regular male and female, while Agender are people who do not identify themselves as belonging to any particular gender at all. The latter are different from the Bi-gender, who are sexually attracted to two genders outside the Cisgenders.

Jasmine: Just a moment, what do you mean by Cisgender? You used the term just now.

Celeste: Cisgender refers to people like you and me.

Jasmine: But we are perfectly normal people. How do we come into the gay movement?

Celeste: We are not part of the gay movement; I beg your pardon! People who are deemed to be men or women in the traditional sense at birth and who also have no problem seeing themselves as such, like you and I, are said to be cisgender men and women. Cisgender is the opposite of transgender, ecosexual and all the others.

Jasmine: I see. That is good to know, before one is surreptitiously smuggled into some strange classification, or association. Now what is the ecosexual one you just mentioned?

Celeste: These are people who are sexually attracted to the earth, nature or the ecosystem.

Jasmine: People who are sexually attracted to the earth, nature or the ecosystem?

Celeste: Yes! They may use sex toys and materials inspired by nature. They could also have sex with the earth, in the belief that they are helping to heal it of natural disasters and diseases. There are also even some people who believe that they are animals imprisoned, or incarnated, in human bodies.

Jasmine: Now, that is silly!

Celeste: But they are perfectly serious about it. And they are different from the Intersex, and ‘hermaphrodite’ have male and feminine characteristics combined into an ambiguous form.

Jasmine: Male and female characteristics combined?

Celeste: Yes. This may be due to birth defects caused by mutation, inappropriate medication or other causes. Some of such cases can be corrected by surgery; usually with the dominant sexual characteristics retained.

Jasmine: Well, that is good to know.

Celeste: But some promoters of the LGBTQI+ agenda are against such surgery, insisting that such people should be identified as intersex and allowed their ‘rights’.

Jasmine: But what could possibly be the cause of all this? I mean both the strange conditions and the mindset of those who promote them.

Celeste: First there is the simple matter of medical impropriety and natural birth defects; which must also invariably have their roots in the karma and spiritual history of the people concerned. But that is a matter for another day.

Jasmine: Well, I suppose so. But, for now, let us continue with the various sexual orientations of what I consider a depraved world.

Celeste: Yes, let us continue. Did I mention cases of people who feel that they are of a different sex, even though they are born as another?

Jasmine: No, you did not.

Celeste: Oh, there are such people and they are referred to as cases of Androgyny. They are different from the Gender-fluid, who do not identify themselves as having a permanent and fixed gender.

Jasmine: Quite frankly, this has really gotten out of hand!

Celeste: The terms Non-binary and Genderqueer are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to people who prefer, or appear, not to be exclusively masculine or feminine at any time. They are also different from the Transspecies, who claim preference for anything whatsoever that catches their fancy.

Jasmine: Some people want anything, not just any person, that catches their fancy?

Celeste: Yes. Then you have those called the Transaging, who claim to feel younger/older than their actual age and wish to be recognized and associated with their age of choice. 

Jasmine: Wow!

Celeste: The transaging are also different from the Transracials, who wish to be associated with, and be recognized as belonging to, a race other than the one into which they were born. These are still different, yet again, from the Transable, who are physically able people that choose to be associated with any particular disability they are attracted to.

Jasmine: But this is outright insanity making the rounds! What could possibly be responsible for all of this, I still wonder? What do the people pushing for a reclassification of human beings really want? Why are they pushing back on everything we know and causing what, to me, is unmitigated confusion everywhere?

Celeste: The right question, perhaps, is: what are the hidden forces behind these people and what do we see them doing? Is it all part of the events of the Last Judgment, or not? Are these things the manifestations of many spiritual issues that the people trying to deal with them do not understand? 

Jasmine: The forces behind them? What forces? These people are just low-grade social nuisances that should not be taken seriously.

Celeste: I am not so sure about that, Jasmine. You can see that there is an upsurge of evil everywhere. There is also confusion about right and wrong, all over the world. So, the global sexual orientation crisis and gender crisis is only just one dimension of the avalanche of strange ideas confronting human beings everywhere. 

Jasmine: It is?

Celeste: Yes, it is! 

Jasmine: But the entire thing seems so well mapped out, well planned, well- funded and is being pursued with great singleness of purpose. 

Celeste: Yes. All resources are flowing to those operating on the fringes of normalcy. Look, Jasmine, the spiritual foundations of our current problems, as well as their implications for our future here on earth, should be the most important concern of everyone now.

Jasmine: Is there a specific meaning, or special significance, to all that is going on? I mean, what does the Last Judgment got to do with it?

Celeste: It seems to me that the pressures of the Last Judgment is forcing many things out from their hiding places to face the Ray of Judgment.

Jasmine: I just don’t know what to say right now, Celeste. Please continue, I would like you to recap on how this whole thing is presumed to be leading all human beings astray.

Celeste: When people are made to redefine what makes them human, what makes them male, what makes them female, they are already on the path to something they do not know yet. But one of the things that will follow is that they will turn all values on their heads. 

Jasmine: Oh yes, that is a very likely consequence.

Celeste: Once that happens, the difference between right and wrong will also become nebulous. Anyone who does not know right from wrong, and who does whatever he likes in the belief that he has every right to do so, is clearly operating in the realm of official insanity; but without knowing it. Such a person is also, thereby, replacing the Will of God, who created everything to function in a certain way, with his own human will.

Jasmine: Indeed! But, sorry to still take you back to the sexual orientation issue, how do people hope to achieve such a no-mean feat of making us all to accept their aberrant doctrines?

Celeste: The matter is an intricate one. In fact, we can describe it as a ‘project’ that is designed and structured to succeed on a grand scale, as a global agenda. Let us make this, as well as other spiritual dangers of this period of the Last Judgment, the subject of a fresh discussion.

Jasmine: Are you sure?

Celeste: Trust me, Jasmine, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. So, do we defer the discussion to another day, when we shall have enough time to really dig into it?

The above dialogue, prefaced with the raging Olympic controversy, is taken from my coming book in The Dialogue Series titled; ‘Signs of the Last Judgment’.

The nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests that are convulsing the neoliberal fundament of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration are redefining and redrawing the contours of protests in Nigeria in many significant ways. Although I’ve been on the road since Thursday, here are lessons I’ve learned from the protests.

One, there is now a profoundly consequential decentering of the locus of protest culture in Nigeria. In the past, protests against unpopular government policies used to be conceived, constructed, and carried out by a self-selected class of professional protesters based mostly in Lagos who earned activist bona fides from their anti-military, pro-democracy, human rights advocacy in the 1980s and 1990s.

These careerist agitators are now either in government, in bed with the government, or have suffered significant contraction of their symbolic and cultural capital. Most Gen Z Nigerians whose vim and vigor power the ongoing protests either don’t know them or know them but have no use for their guidance.

So, the conception, planning, and execution of the protests have neither a recognizable locale nor any identifiable dramatis personae. A lot of the known names identified with the protests merely joined and amplified it. They didn’t start the revolt and can’t stop it. It’s effectively a leaderless rebellion.

It started life as anguished, discordant murmurs on social media in response to the increasingly unendurable but relentlessly unabating neoliberal, IMF/World Bank-sanctioned economic and social terror of the Tinubu administration. Many of the young people who can’t feed now and whose future is being perpetually deferred have enough education to know that the delayed gratification the government promises them from removing subsidies and from devaluing the naira has never materialized anywhere in the world.

Everywhere in the world—from South America to the Pacific and from Asia to Africa—from the 1980s (when the IMF first forced Structural Adjustment Programs on developing countries) until now, there is not a single example of a country that has escaped irreversible devastation and decline as a result of subsidy removal, currency devaluation, destruction of social safety nets for the poor, abandonment of the welfare of citizens—all IMF policies that countries are forced to implement as conditions to secure World Bank loans. 

The only countries that have developed outside the West are precisely the countries that have repulsed the IMF, that have strategically deployed subsidies to buoy their economies and uplift their people, and that have guarded their national currencies. Many young Nigerians now realize that the idea that the pains they are suffering are mere temporary birth pangs that will deliver a bouncing baby is a damned, soulless, conscienceless, self-centered lie. They’ve had enough.

So, they resolved to band together and fight peacefully.  They chose to demand the restoration of petrol subsidies, among other demands, because they see that the people who took away petrol subsidies from them are themselves luxuriating in unimaginably opulent elite subsidies. Their cries quickly gained traction. 

For the first time in a long time, northern and southern youth found common ground. Northern agitations for “zanga zanga” and southern push for #EndBadGovernance protests, though gestated independent of each other, somehow converged. It’s a unity forged in diversity and adversity.

The second lesson is a derivative of the first, and that is the unexampled collapse of the cultural, political, and social power of the Northern Nigerian Muslim clerical establishment. Northern Nigerian clerical elites, known as the ulama, had been constituted in the region’s moral imagination as the apotheosis of probity and the unquestioned source of moral and political guidance. 

They have used this power, this priceless symbolic capital, to keep the masses perpetually in a state of suspended animation. They have programmed northern Nigerian masses to not resist, protest, rebel, much less revolt, against bad governance. They socialized them into accepting their economic suffering with equanimity. The only thing the clerical elites have conditioned the masses to be implacably roused and animated over is real or perceived slight against religion.

 For example, amid the inexorably intensifying breakdown of security in the region during the Muhammadu Buhari administration, the clerical establishment also intensified fraudulent theological rationalizations for the rise of kidnappings and exculpated Buhari of responsibility for this. That was why Buhari got away with murder for eight years.

However, although there was a ground swell of anti-zanga zanga sermonizing among the region’s notable clerics in the aftermath of their meeting with officials of the Tinubu administration, northern Nigeria is erupting in communal convulsions. It is also instructive that protesters in Daura took their anger to Muhammadu Buhari’s doorsteps. No one is immune now. The genie has been let out of the bottle.

The #OccupyNigeria protests in 2012, which the North also actively participated in largely, some would say precisely, because of the religious and regional identity of Goodluck Jonathan, had the moral imprimatur of the clerical establishment. 

This is the first major example in recent memory I am aware of in the North where the masses of the people not only bucked the impassioned counsel of their ulama but have openly labelled them as unreliable and mercenary charlatans not worthy of respect. This is a culturally seismic shift.

The third lesson is that the federal government is in more trouble than it realizes. It invited civil society leaders, traditional rulers, religious clerics, and certain audible voices in the protest movement in an effort to thwart the protest. It was inspired by the mistaken belief that these hitherto esteemed opinion molders had the capacity to use their conversational, symbolic, political, and cultural currencies to influence people to back out of the protest.

It didn’t work because the habitual order of things has shifted, and the government hasn’t come to terms with this reality. We call it decentering in humanities and social science scholarship. "Decentering" involves challenging and moving away from traditional centers of authority, meaning, or truth. It means a shift of focus from dominant cultures, narratives, or perspectives and the amplification of marginalized, peripheral, or alternative voices.

The government’s cluelessness about this social media-enabled decentering of traditional ways of seeing and knowing manifested in its mutually contradictory claims about who was sponsoring the protest—and in its counter-intuitive displays of persecution complex. 

The State Security Service said it knew the “sponsors” of the protest, but the police asked the “sponsors” to identify themselves as a precondition for protection. High-profile government officials fingered foreign mercenaries as the organizers and funders of the protest. They all can’t wrap their heads around the possibility that distraught, depressed, and disgruntled young people, without prodding from anybody, can organize protests to ventilate their frustrations at foreign-inspired policies that kill their present and deny their future.

Unfortunately, the government’s response follows the same miserably familiar template: whine like over-indulged crybabies about fictive “sponsors,” induce or intimidate people thought to be behind the protests, deploy strong-arm tactics against protesters, and do nothing about the conditions that instigated the protest in the first place—until it happens again another time.

The fourth lesson is that there is a relationship between how security forces respond to protests and how they turn out. In such states as Edo, Osun, Oyo, and Ogun, the police were admirably polite and even-tempered. 

I saw a video of the Edo State police commissioner addressing protesters in the kindest, most empathetic way I’ve ever seen any senior law enforcement officer addressing aggrieved people. The protesters reciprocated the police commissioner’s mild-mannered and conciliatory speech with chants of his praises. That warmed my heart. Tinubu can learn from that.

But in places where law enforcement officers treat protesters as enemies of the state and visit unprovoked violence on them, things easily escalate into violence and bloodshed. We saw that in Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and many parts of the North.

It should be admitted, of course, that there are many criminal elements who cash in on protests to loot the properties of innocent people or destroy government properties. I saw heartrending videos of criminals stealing or destroying private and government properties in Kano and Abuja. Such outlaws deserve no mercy. It’s elements like that who justify the government’s apprehensions about protests always devolving into chaos and destruction. 

Finally, although many people from the Southeast supported the protest, the region was the only place, as of the time of writing this column, where almost no protest took place. Was it the culmination of the ethnic baiting of the honchos of the Tinubu administration who said the protests were planned by the people of the region as a payback for their electoral loss in 2023? Whatever it is, it does not give a good account of our efforts at nation-building.

Well, President Tinubu has just one option left for him if he doesn’t want to govern in disabling tumult: address the nation in a solemn national broadcast, acknowledge the unprecedented hurt people are nursing, announce the restoration of petrol and electricity subsidies, and reverse the disastrous “floating” of the naira. 

Tinubu’s loyalty should be to Nigeria, not the racist economic hitmen at the IMF and the World Bank.

On Wednesday, 31st July, the world woke up to the devastating news that our mother, the music legend, thespian and journalist, Onyeka Onwenu had passed away. 'The elegant stallion', as she was famously known in the entertainment circle, reportedly slumped after a private performance in Lagos on Tuesday night. 

She was promptly rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, aged 72. We understand thst our mother was healthy and literally full of life before the unfortunate incident. She obviously bowed out of earth stage like a legend, doing what she loves most, which is putting smiles on people's faces through music and entertainment. 

The news sent currents of grief around the globe as fans and well wishers have praised her contributions to music, entertainment and politics in Nigeria. From the president to the ordinary citizen, we appreciate all the tributes and encomiums that have come in our time of mourning. We also take solace in knowing that our mother was a standout musician, thespian, broadcaster, politician and a social crusader. She was vocal, assertive, passionate and brilliant.

We are overwhelmed with all the well wishes. We also recognize that it is the joy and memories that she gave to Nigerians that has afforded us such an immense outpouring of love. We are very aware of her diverse and multitalented nature. An icon, a musical legend, a movie star, a journalist, a humanitarian and a politician, our mother was a world-class performer who serenaded and blessed multiple generations with the beauty of her voice while preaching unity and love.

We are honored and deeply touched by all the kind words, condolences, and gestures of support from Nigerians of all ages and from around the world. The expressions of love and admiration for her now extends to us and they have brought much comfort and solace at this most difficult period for us. The impact of her life and legacy will always be felt, especially by us, as we continue to draw inspiration from her lifelong advocacy of peace, unity, and One Love.

Tijani and Abraham Ogunlende.

Sons of Onyeka Owenu

The subsistence and material viability of the state as a philosophical ideal is implicit in social contract. It is the actual compact between the government and the people, which separates civilised existence from the anarchic state of nature.

The government exists for the people, as much as the governed.

Governance is not an abstraction or some esoteric vocation for a few. Governance is participation. Participation of both the leadership and its citizens. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates the responsibilities of all parties to the existing social contract. Nation-building comes with demands on citizenship.

Fundamentally, one of our responsibilities as citizens is to preserve the peace and stability of our nation and to defend it, if necessary. On the part of the governing (at all levels - federal, state, and local governments), there are even more demands of duty as leadership comes with inevitable responsibilities.

The President Tinubu-led Administration has been responsive and dutiful in fulfilment of its part of that social contract. At the risk of overstating the obvious, but these facts must be stated, the government is showing attunement to the concerns of citizens. It is responding surgically and carefully to every concern. It is not reclining or taken up in wild celebrations over some feats. It is still in the mill, grinding hard to give citizens relief and set the nation on the promenade of prosperity.

To effectively address the cost of living challenge, the government has exponentially reviewed the national minimum wage to N70,000; suspended import duties on all essential food items until December 2024; suspended import duties on pharmaceutical raw materials and equipment to bring down prices and released over N570 billion to state governments for the facilitation of critical subsistence support to citizens.

It is also converting over 30,000 petrol-powered commercial vehicles to cheaper compressed natural gas alternative to drive down the cost of transportation, and has so far disbursed N50,000 grant each to over 600,000 Nigerians -- with 400,000 more beneficiaries to receive the grant.

The government will disburse N75 billion to 100,000 MSMEs from August 2024, and over 500,000 Nigerians are poised to benefit from the initial payout of the Consumer Credit Scheme.

In addition, the President Tinubu Administration is scaling up investments in infrastructure and in critical sectors with significant ramifications for the human capital index, such as healthcare and education.

So far, $2.2 billion has been mobilised in external financing to catalyse the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) through financial commitments from various development partners and the Sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has been established to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable management of grants mobilised towards the initiative.

Some of the pivotal interventions of the administration in education include, removing universities from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and addressing recruitment challenges to provide greater autonomy to university administrators, removing the financial barrier to accessing higher education by dint of the Student Loan Scheme, and expanding the scholarship programme -- with about 250,000 scholarships to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder students' academic journey.

In response to security concerns, safety centres have been established in Abuja and across various states, with all educational institutions required to register. These centres, bolstered by trained security agents, aim to promptly address threats and ensure a safer learning environment for students.

Also, the Out-of-School Children Commission, set to commence in September, will provide training to approximately 10,000 young Nigerians, while through the introduction of the DOT policy, which focuses on comprehensive data collection to better support schools, teachers, and infrastructure, four (4) million young Nigerians have been reintegrated into the education system.

In a meeting with traditional rulers a few days ago, President Tinubu made profound extemporaneous affirmations, acknowledging the hallowed pact between the leadership and citizens.

He said the plight of citizens remained a deep concern and would receive more attention.

“Yes, it is true that I asked for this job, and I approached some of you to support me. So, I have no excuse not to do the job with sincerity of purpose and honesty. I have committed myself to it diligently, and I will never look backwards. I have accepted the assets and the liabilities of my predecessor. How I will take Nigeria forward should be my concern, and that is my concern," the President said.

Towards a greater Nigeria, the Tinubu administration remains resolute in strengthening the filament of trust between citizens and the leadership, recognising the sacrosanctity of the social contract.

Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement.

George Orwell once wrote or said, "The further a society drifts from the truth, the more they will hate those that speak it," or similar words. Truth is universal and never changes. But there are people determined to destroy the truth and subvert it with their thoughts and ideas. Their purpose is to replace the truth with lies. After enough “drift” society accepts the lie as if it were true and then hates the people who speak it. 

For example: For hundreds of years in the Western world and some other societies, sex outside of marriage was considered immoral. A movement began in the 60s to change that. Now in 2024 if you say that you’ll be hated for saying it and possibly offend the LGBT rights. Oh yes! One reason is that the truth reminds society how chaotic and frightening the unsustainable alternative reality we have created must eventually become.

Additionally, our identity is defined by our worldview, values, beliefs, traits, habits, preferences, background, achievements, goals, and failures and lessons we learned from them. Furthermore, our culture establishes our worldview and informs our behavior. Language creates human culture. The transition from vocalizing to verbalizing in the evolution of our species was the beginning of language and culture.

On the other hand, in the profound words of Frederick George Hilmer AO, an Australian academic and business figure. Frederick posited that leadership requires five ingredients: brain, energy,  determination, trust, and ethics. The key challenges today are in terms of the last two: trust and ethics.

To build a little context, I had some disturbing and serious concerns about the caliber of leadership entrusted to us through our electoral process. First, Peter Ayodele Fayose served as governor of Ekiti State from 2003 to 2006, and again from 2014 to 2018. Fayose a friend of President Bola Tinubu, says that northerners marrying multiple wives and having many children indiscriminately constitute a huge problem for Nigeria and a burden on the government.

Secondly, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023. In his words: “That day is not available for those who want to protest, and FCT is not available for the protesters,” he said.

He said that the security council was aware of the threat of the protest and what some people may call “end bad governance.”

The worst of them all is Godswill Obot Akpabio CON, currently serving as the 15th president of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. He had previously served as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015. 'We’ll be eating, protesters can go protest’, Akpabio mocks organizers. 

The arrogance of power as displayed in recent days established a clear disconnection from the reality faced by ordinary Nigerians and suggested that citizens cannot hold them accountable and there will be no consequence for bad behavior.

Let me be clear: good men are often humble and don’t require positions of authority for self-validation. In Plato’s opinion, Good Men shouldn’t rise to office because they want it for their gain. But Good Men should rise to office because it is their moral duty to prevent evil men from doing so.

I've been trying for a while to find a way to situate the divisive and inflammatory statements and the position of our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT), as presented by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale. He assured the citizens that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is poised to serve Nigerians, not “dominate” them.

With the examples of Fayose's divisiveness; Wike's arrogance of power and Akpabio's recklessness. It is a clear message to the president that now and then, there will be people who will challenge his leadership by testing or questioning his authority. More often than not, this is the time to determine if we can trust your leadership and if you are who you are supposed to be. Because when you’re walking at the front, it’s difficult to see what’s behind you. Given the multitude of work and responsibilities, it is clear that it takes a great deal of time, discipline, and practice to become a great and effective leader.

In addition, I will consider the golden words of Dr. Dale C. Bronner, a bishop, church planter, author, conference speaker, and leadership trainer. He is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral. Bishop Dale Bronner posited: “If serving is below you, then leadership is beyond you” 

In conclusion, I, have an abiding suspicion of some of the people who are given to recklessness, careless whisper at critical times, self-centered and ostentatious lifestyles.

Finally, I wish to join millions of our compatriots at home and abroad in dedicating the article on LEADERSHIP in memory of our beloved songstress Onyeka Onwenu MFR (31 January 1952 – 30 July 2024) a Nigerian singer/songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and former X Factor series judge. Dubbed the "Elegant Stallion" "Nigeria: The Squandering of Riches"

Richard Odusanya

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The recent protests that swept across Nigeria, demanding justice, accountability, and change, have left a trail of questions in their wake. Despite attempts to suppress the protest, thousands of Nigerians took to the streets, making their voices heard. However, the government's silence on the matter is deafening, and the president's failure to address the nation has only added fuel to the fire.

The protest, organized to end corruption, inequality, and injustice, saw thousands of Nigerians from all walks of life come together to demand change. Despite intimidation and attempts to discourage them, the people showed up, determined to bring about change. However, in some parts of the country, the protest was hijacked by individuals and groups who sought to exploit the situation for their own gain.

These hijackers, believed to have been sponsored by the government, used violence and intimidation to disrupt the peaceful protest, causing chaos and destruction in their wake. The government's use of excessive force to quell the protest resulted in the loss of lives and injuries, further exacerbating the situation.

The question on everyone's lips is: Is the president too big to address Nigerians? The answer should be a resounding no. The president serves the people, not the other way around. It's time for them to remember that and act accordingly.

We must also question those advising the presidency, as their actions seem to be escalating the situation. Any act of brutality against the people is unacceptable in a democratic system. The government should be held responsible for the carnage and violence that broke out during the protest.

Statistics show over 100,000 people participated in the protest nationwide, with millions more showing their support online. The protest was largely peaceful, with protesters carrying placards and banners, and chanting slogans demanding change. However, in some areas, the protest turned violent, with clashes between protesters and security forces.

This protest is almost going sour, with a direction of carnage and violence, yet the president is being unnecessarily mute. The silence is not only deafening but also emboldening the perpetrators of violence and further infuriating the protesters.

The success of the protest, despite the government's efforts to suppress it, is a testament to the power of the Nigerian people. It shows that they will no longer be silenced or intimidated and demand to be heard. The president's failure to address the nation, despite the gravity of the situation, is a clear indication of their disconnect from the people.

As the country grapples with the aftermath of the protest, it's essential to address the underlying issues that led to the protests in the first place. The government must take concrete steps to address corruption, inequality, and injustice, and work towards creating a more equitable society.

Finally, the president's silence on the matter is unacceptable, and their failure to address the nation is a clear indication of their disconnect from the people. It's time for the president to break their silence and provide leadership in these tumultuous times. The Nigerian people demand to be heard, and it's time for the government to listen.

There is no denying the fact that the youth uprising that characterized the ongoing hunger protests in its first day in Kano is unarguably sad, and that it demands an urgent action against hunger and hardship.

In a powerful display of frustration and discontent, hundreds of young people took to the streets of Kano State today, August 1, 2024, demanding urgent action to address hunger and economic hardship. The protests, which have gained national attention, highlight the growing crisis faced by citizens in the face of rising food prices and economic challenges.

In fact, as the sun rose over Kano, the ancient city came alive with the voices of protesters. Carrying flags and cardboard signs, the youth marched through the streets, their chants echoing off the walls of government buildings. Their messages were clear: "End Bad Governance," "Bring Back Our Fuel Subsidy," and "Open the Border."

Governor Abba Yusuf addressed the situation, urging residents to maintain peace during and after the protests. Speaking at the Government House, he emphasized that while citizens have the right to protest, they should refrain from actions that could be exploited by troublemakers. The governor extended an invitation to demonstrators to engage in constructive dialogue, emphasizing that social media abuse of leaders would not help achieve their goals.

Kano State, once known for its vibrant markets and bustling trade, now grapples with food scarcity and economic instability. Rising inflation rates, fuel shortages, and border closures have left many families struggling to put food on the table. The hunger protests serve as a wake-up call for leaders to address these pressing issues and prioritize the well-being of their citizens.

As the protests continue, it is crucial for both government officials and citizens to find common ground. Dialogue, transparency, and effective policies are essential to alleviate the suffering of Kano's residents. The youth have spoken, and their voices demand action. It is time for Kano to chart a new course, one that leads away from hunger and towards prosperity.

At this juncture, it is expedient to conjecture that the hunger crisis in Kano State has multifaceted causes, impacting citizens' well-being. In fact, exploring some key factors reveals that Kano's food production heavily relies on rain-fed agriculture, and that delayed or insufficient rainfall affects crop yields, leading to food shortages.

In fact, not a few people were unperturbed over the violence that characterized the first day of the ongoing hunger protest in Kano as the city is not new to literarily hosting crisis situation, and not only that, the rising inflation rates, fuel shortages, and border closures have no doubt contributed to economic instability that remotely fueled the crisis, particularly as it is making it difficult for families to afford food.

Given the retrogressive experience, it is not out of place to opine that responsible leadership is crucial, and that citizens in the city, the same way citizens in other part of Nigeria are demanding better governance, transparency, and policies that prioritize their well-being as Protests serve as a wake-up call for action.

Without a doubt, addressing these root causes requires collaborative efforts from government, communities, and organizations to ensure food security and alleviate hunger in Kano State.

In fact, in the ongoing hunger protest, which unarguably was to some extent peacefully observed in other parts of the country was violently demonstrated in Kano as wave of protests was recorded in the ancient city, fueled by citizens' frustration with governance and economic challenges. While the protest in other parts of Nigeria, particularly in the entire Southern regions was reported to have been relatively peaceful, Kano, the bustling commercial hub in the north, took a disheartening turn into violence.

Initially, the #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria protest in Kano mirrored the peaceful scenes seen elsewhere. Citizens gathered, voicing their demands for accountability, transparency, and responsible leadership. Their chants echoed across the city, resonating with the broader national sentiment.

However, as the sun dipped below the horizon, tensions escalated. Some youths, fueled by frustration and desperation, took to the streets with weapons. Chaos erupted, and what was once a peaceful assembly turned into a scene of looting, destruction, and violence.

Reports indicate that protesters targeted a yet-to-be-commissioned industrial park belonging to the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC). Teenagers, their faces masked by anger and determination, looted furniture and desktops from the facility, thereby turning the very symbol of progress to a casualty of the unrest.

In front of the state governor's house, protesters set alight tires, creating a bonfire. Gunshots rang out, leaving four wounded individuals rushed to hospitals. The hunger for change had transformed into a hunger for survival, and the streets of Kano bore witness to this tragic shift.

Given the foregoing backdrop, we must reflect on the implications of this violent turn. What drives citizens to wield weapons against each other? How can peaceful movements devolve into chaos? And what role does responsible leadership play in preventing such tragedies?

In fact, Kano's descent from peaceful protest to violence serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of civil discourse. As we read about these events in this context, let us advocate for dialogue, empathy, and a commitment to peaceful change. Only then can we hope to transform disappointment into progress for Nigeria and its people.

At the moment, Nigeria is witnessing a surge in protests, with citizens taking to the streets to voice their grievances. These protests highlight issues such as bad governance, rising living costs, and the effects of soaring inflation. But does protest serve as a catalyst for better leadership?

In as much as the foregoing question is difficult to answer, it is germane to opine that thousands of angry Nigerians on August 1, 2024 marched in cities like Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and in most capital cities across the country, bearing banners that expressed frustration with hunger, bad governance, and economic challenges. These demonstrations reflect citizens' outrage over a system plagued by corruption, graft, and dysfunction. The protests are a response to the current state of affairs, including high inflation rates and government spending.

Against the foregoing backdrop, there is no denying the fact that President Bola Tinubu faces mounting pressure, particularly as his tenure has seen rapid policy changes, including the removal of fuel subsidies and significant foreign exchange reforms. Unfortunately, these decisions have led to higher prices for food and transportation, exacerbating the plight of ordinary Nigerians, particularly as inflation has skyrocketed to 34%.

Be that as it may, it is germane in this context to opine that protests serve as a civic and constitutional right, allowing citizens to demand better governance. However, they can disrupt government activities, especially during delicate times. In fact, the recent protests compelled President Tinubu to meet with traditional and religious leaders, but the underlying issues persist.

Without a doubt, while protests can be a powerful tool for change, they should ideally complement other avenues for holding leaders accountable. Nigerians must continue to demand good governance, but leaders should also proactively address citizens' needs. Only then can the cycle of protest and reform lead to lasting improvements.

In fact, at this juncture, it is expedient to opine that in response to the ongoing hunger protests that President Bola Tinubu has taken several measures to address the economic crisis in Nigeria. Some notable actions taken by the president include the suspension of import duties on essential food items to mitigate the effects of inflation and rising prices on Nigerians. As gathered, this move aims to cushion the impact of economic challenges.

Also, Tinubu's administration has activated the student loan program, consumer credit scheme, and affirmed fiscal autonomy for local government councils, bringing the government closer to the people.

In a similar vein, not a few governors across the 36 States of the federation have been reported to be offering all kinds of “Juicy offers” to the protesting youths, pleading that they should be patient as they are poised to engender good governance.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to recall that Governor Siminalayi Fubara in an attempt to calm the nerves of angry protesters that he faced intense backlash at the Port Harcourt Government House on Thursday following his offering of pure water money to them. This is as his offer of money for pure water and a plea for the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrators to return home fueled their anger.

While these actions are steps in the right direction, the situation remains complex just as Nigerians continue to express frustration over economic hardship, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to alleviate suffering and address systemic issues.

But the question, must Nigerians protest to experience better leadership remains nagging, and unanswered. In as much as protest is an invaluable way to speak truth to power throughout history, and that it has been the driving force behind some of the most powerful social movements, exposing injustice and abuse, demanding accountability and inspiring people to keep hoping for a better future, should those in governments always fold their hands until people embark on protest?

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is not out of place to opine that had the government been following certain steps to ensure good governance that the ongoing protests across the country could not have been carried out by angry citizens.

At this juncture, it is expedient to delve into some key steps that could have prevented the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests been demonstrated across the country.

For instance, it may not be wrong to allege that most political leaders holding various political offices in the ongoing President Tinubu’s led administration are not leveraging inclusive decision-making, despite having the potential to enhance good governance. This is despite the fact that when people feel heard and included, they are less likely to resort to protests.

A similar allegation in this context is that the ongoing government is not transparent despite the fact that transparency builds trust. In fact, if Tinubu’s led government has been open about its actions, budgets, and policies, the ongoing protests would not have occurred and been ongoing as there is no denying the fact that when citizens perceive transparency and accountability, they are less likely to take to the streets.

In a similar vein, there is no denying the fact that the government seemingly lacks a strong legal framework to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally. The situation, no doubt, is by each passing day becoming deep-rooted despite the fact that upholding the rule of law prevents arbitrary actions by authorities and fosters confidence in the system. In fact when people believe in the justice system, they are less likely to protest.

To buttress the foregoing view, it is expedient to make reference to Amnesty International’s assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in November 2023 during the launch of a human rights agenda for the government following a period in which Tinubu unveiled new government policies that were adjudged not to be addressing rampant human rights violations across the country. In its assessment, the human rights organization said, Tinubu’s led administration, then in its 6-month, has failed to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Another step which the government has seemingly failed to take since May 29, 2023, and which might have contributed to the ongoing protests is that of the government’s refusal or negligence in providing social Services and economic opportunities for the people.

The foregoing viewpoint is as access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities are collectively becoming will-o-the-wisp, and in the same vein fuelling the flame of frustration and inequality among the people. Not only that, government’s seeming non-prioritization of social services and creation of an enabling environment for economic growth, which are unarguably obvious enough to see are enough to push people to the street to protest.

Again, it is crystal clear that the present crème of political leaders seem not to be fighting corruption which is no doubt eroding trust in institutions. The foregoing can be buttressed as robust anti-corruption measures, transparent procurement processes, whistleblower protection, and strict enforcement of laws that are required to engender effective governance are unarguably absent in the ongoing Tinubu’s led administration. The foregoing view, no doubt, is contrary to the fact that when corruption is minimized, citizens are less likely to protest against a system they perceive as unfair.

Given the foregoing viewpoints, it is expedient to suggest that leaders must from henceforth listen to their constituents and adapt policies based on feedback, and engage in regular dialogue with civil society organizations, community leaders, and citizens as the steps helps identify emerging issues and prevents discontent from escalating into protests.

At this conclusive juncture, it is expedient to ask, “Must Nigerians protest to experience better leadership?”