Congratulations to Gov. Umo Eno on the occasion of his first anniversary in office. I have just read the speech the governor gave this afternoon at the anniversary celebrations at Uyo township stadium. It contains a long list of things he has done and those he plans to do in the next one year. I commend him for being focused and clear-headed in articulating his future agenda. However, I wish to make a few comments:

1. Tropicana Hotel: I thank the governor for planning to sort out the knotty issues bedeviling the commencement of operations at the hotel located at the Tropicana Complex. That hotel was built, completed and furnished by the Akpabio administration over nine years ago. It has not been open for business for one day. The economic loss is colossal. Putting the hotel to use will create economic multipliers and save the state the loss. I commend the governor for this. I should note that I was equally vocal is urging the previous administration to open the Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene.

2. The Songhai Farm: On my way to Ibeno yesterday, I drove past the site for the Ibom Farm & Resort in Nsit Ubium, which is being built in partnership with the Songhai Farm of Benin Republic. It’s quite massive. I am equally pleased that the governor is planning to complete this in the next one year. But what of the other LGAs, or is the one in Nsit Ubium the only one the government is working on?

3. Arise Shopping City, Uyo: The government hopes to build ‘’an outlet mall where certified licensees of global brands will be attracted to operate’’. I guess the success of Ibom Tropicana Complex is the motivation for this. When Gov. Akpabio conceived the idea of the Tropicana, it met with trenchant criticisms from many, including former governor Attah. I supported it. Today, the Tropicana is a major tourist attraction and a remarkable shopping center in the city, thanks also to Gov. Udom Emmanuel’s value-added modifications and modernizations of the place. The Arise Shopping City should therefore be designed to be an improvement to the Tropicana.

4. Commercializing Akwa Ibom properties in Abuja and Lagos: The governor plans to convert ‘’our existing strategic facilities in those cities into commercial use for the benefit of our people’’. Our state has a lot of property in Abuja and Lagos, and most of them are either in disuse or redundant. They should be given out to reputable estate firms for rent. I ask the government to be open, transparent and honest in these transactions. To start with, we need a comprehensive list and descriptions of these assets for the purpose of accountability and openess. Early this year, I stayed in a hotel on Femi Okunnu Road, Ikoyi, Lagos (formerly Coopers Road), and down the road is the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge. Udom Emmanuel built this lodge at a very exorbitant cost, but of what value is it to our people? The former governor told us that he needed it as a sanctuary to receive foreign dignitaries and ambassadors. That was as specious as claiming that the 21-storey building in Uyo was built for ExxonMobil as the sole off taker! For the two weeks I stayed in the hotel around the lodge, the lodge was under lock and key. It is a non-earning asset and should be commercialized immediately.

5. Security: The security situation in the state should be improved upon. High-profile kidnappings, especially in Oron axis, should be stopped completely. Whatever happened to the tracking devices the Akpabio administration acquired?

6. Urban Renewal: I was surprised that the governor did not include urban renewal in his to-do list. Obong Attah remodeled Uyo; Akpabio took it a notch higher and went on to remodel Ikot Ekpene. Udom Emmanuel did a marvelous job in Eket. I was in Eket yesterday for the first time since July 2017. The city is unrecognizably beautiful, thanks to Udom Emmanuel. Umo Eno should go to Oron and overhaul, remodel and modernize the place and turn it into a new city also. Just to be clear, I am not from Oron as many people think, perhaps because of my name. I am from Nung Udoe, the headquarters of Ibesikpo-Asutan LGA. But the whole of Akwa Ibom State is my constituency. I have friends from all over the state and I love to see the whole state evenly developed. This is the time for Pastor Umo Eno to remodel Oron town just like Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo.  

Overall, I thank God for our former governors. They’ve done far better than what I see in other states. I congratulate Mr. Umo Eno and I wish him the very best in the next year.

At 49, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should be celebrating based on its past achievements as the foremost among Africa’s eight Regional Economic Community (RECs). 

However, the 15-nation regional economic bloc, once acclaimed as a trailblazer, is now fighting for survival and under serious threat of disintegration.

Since its establishment on 28 May 1975, through the Treaty of Lagos, only Mauritania has pulled out of ECOWAS (in 2000) but is now seeking re-admission, while other countries, even outside the region, are also applying to join.

However, rather than building on its solid foundation, things seem to be falling apart for ECOWAS. Four of its member States - Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, are under military rule, while the last three have served notice of their intention to withdraw from the regional organization, altogether.

Granted the times and circumstances are different between 1975 and the ecosystem/dynamics of the World today.

There have been life-changing geopolitical and strategic shifts, characterized by emerging threats such as terrorism, violent extremism, economic recession, global pandemics, flaws of experimentation of democracy, environmental changes, high rates of unemployment, youth bulge, and technological advancements, particularly the invasion of social media, dis/misinformation, and fake news.

But effective performance under challenging circumstances is what sets individuals and organisations apart. 

At a time when ECOWAS is expected to demonstrate visionary and dynamic leadership, it has been found wanting.

Ironically, the leadership deficit has been most pronounced in the peace and security, conflict prevention, management, and resolution domain, where ECOWAS had been most effective.

Whether by default or experimentation, ECOWAS leaders, mostly military officers at that time, could fashion effective tools such as the ECOWAS Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) created in 1990 that facilitated the end of the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The strict application of regional instruments, such as the Authority's Declaration on Political Principles in 1991, the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993, the 1999 Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (or The Mechanism), and the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance adopted in 2001 as an integral part of The Mechanism, guided the construction of regional peace and security architecture. 

The 1999 instrument inspired the adoption of a similar Mechanism by the African Union several years later.

Also, apart from an Early Warning System, which facilitated collaboration with state and non-state actors and civil society to monitor and report threats to peace and security in the region, ECOWAS utilized its *Mediation and Security Council and the Council of the Elders/Wise as additional tools for conflict prevention, mediation, and resolution towards consolidating peace and security.

The Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance set minimum constitutional convergence criteria for ECOWAS membership based on shared values of democracy and free market, separation of powers, popular participation, the democratic control of the armed forces, guarantees of fundamental freedoms, and especially 'zero tolerance' for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional means.

The ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF), adopted in 2008, and the Monrovia Declaration of 2010, are other instruments adopted to strengthen the ECOWAS peace and security architecture, with emphasis on preventive diplomacy and proactive mediation responses.

The organization has used a combination of the above-named instruments to resolve conflicts in member States including in Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Guinea Bissau, and The Gambia.

The applied measures included suspension, imposition of sanctions on erring member States or the refusal to send observers to Gambia’s 2011 presidential election, for lack of transparency under the regime of then-President Yahya Jammeh’s regime, now exiled in Equatorial Guinea.

However, the political will and/or capacity to make tough decisions based on principles are now lacking at the national and regional levels of ECOWAS leadership.

Political leaders/heads of State have hijacked control of ECOWAS institutions, particularly the Commission, thereby rendering the overstretched and capacity-challenged technocrats ineffective.

Critics now see ECOWAS more as a “toothless organization,” where political leaders hold sway for their selfish interests, including by unilaterally changing their countries’ constitutions and electoral laws, rigging elections, suppressing opposition, and trampling on citizens’ human rights in clear violation of ECOWAS texts and instruments with impunity and without consequences.

Meanwhile, the same leaders only become powerful in the condemnation and imposition of sanctions whenever the military seizes power from civilians. 

The military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger cite this inconsistency by ECOWAS leaders as one of the reasons for their decision to pull out of the Organization. 

Even so, military rule is not the solution to the myriad problems facing ECOWAS member states. If anything, the disposition of the juntas, especially their political transition programmes, may have revealed their real intentions, as opportunistic power grabbers on tenure elongation adventure, the same allegations they levelled against the civilian leaders.

The global decline in multilateralism, compounded by the geopolitical games being played by the superpowers, reminiscent of the Cold War era, is also present in the ECOWAS and Sahel region.

Centuries of imperialism and exploitation of Africa, especially by France in its former colonies, have combined with corruption and mismanagement by post-independence leaders to unleash poverty, inhumane conditions, deprivation, and bad governance on the long-suffering citizens.

The anti-French sentiment expressed by the population in the Francophone countries is justified, but with the long periods of transition and a provision that junta leaders are eligible to participate in the post-transition elections in respective countries, the soldiers would appear to be riding on the wave of sentiment and a false sense of popularity to want to perpetuate themselves in power.

Similarly, while sovereign States reserve the right to choose their bilateral partners, the juntas in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger, are not helping their case by replacing one foreign power with another, and at the same time accusing ECOWAS of being tele-guided by external powers.

ECOWAS faces existential threats due to acts of omission/commission by its leaders. Even so, the community of an estimated 400 million people can only achieve more in unity.

Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, acknowledged this much in his message to mark ECOWAS' 49th Anniversary.

“As we celebrate our 49th anniversary, insecurity continues to threaten our region. Some of our member States are battling terrorist groups on a daily basis, and a large number of our population faces displacement and food insecurity,” he said. 

In the two-and-half-page message, where “unity” or “united” is mentioned seven times, Touray said: “It is clear that we must stay united if we want to be successful in the fight against insecurity. But it is our unity which now stands threatened.”

Quoting Nigeria’s former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, one of the founding fathers of ECOWAS, the Commission President said: “Neither the generation of our founding fathers, ‘nor the present or future generations can understand or will be forgiving for the breakup of our community.’”

In an interview that coincided with the ECOWAS anniversary, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, quoting data from a survey by a non-profit *Afrobarometer* group, noted that despite the military incursions, and the weaknesses in the democratic practices, ECOWAS Community citizens were still positively disposed toward democracy.

While Liberia and Senegal have shown some prospects following their recent transparent elections and successful transfer of power from sitting governments to the opposition, Togo has thrown up another challenge with its divisive and controversial legislative vote held under dubious constitutional changes in clear violation of the ECOWAS protocol.

Other potential crisis points could be Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone, with lingering post-election rumblings, and then the Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana with forthcoming elections.

ECOWAS can still redeem itself. But it is all down to the courage in upholding its standard, the sincerity of regional leaders to stop corruption, respect national constitutions and the rule of law, stop rigging elections and providing citizens with the benefits of good governance.

Ejime is a Global Affairs Analyst and Consultant on Peace & Security and Governance Communications

Kano’s Muhammad Sanusi II has been rethroned the exact way he was initially enthroned and dethroned: in the melting pot of the politics of vengeance and recrimination. 

And he just might be dethroned yet again by this, or another subsequent partisan government, given Sanusi’s infamous incapacity to rein in his tongue and to understand the wisdom in restraint and tact, which his position requires of him—and, of course, the juddering, hypocritical contradictions between what he says and what he does.

Recall that when he worked at the UBA, Sanusi had derided then Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a scorn-worthy “rural aristocrat” who “surrounds himself with provincials and places key posts in the hands of rural elite.” He characterized the Kwankwaso administration as “the classic comedy of the Village Headmaster in a village council.”

Kwankwaso was so incensed by Sanusi’s boorishness and Kano urban condescension that he threatened to pull out the Kano State Government’s money in UBA if Sanusi wasn’t fired from his job. Yet it was the same Kwankwaso who, for partisan, anti-Goodluck Jonathan political considerations, enthroned Sanusi as the emir of Kano even when he wasn’t the choice of the kingmakers.

And let’s not forget that Sanusi is a vicious, unashamed enemy of common people. His entire economic philosophy revolves around sheepishly advancing the annihilating policies of the IMF/World Bank, such as removal of every kind of subsidy for the poor while leaving intact the subsidies that sustain the sybaritic extravagance of indolent but overprotected elites like him.

Well, after destroying properties worth billions of naira and restoring Sanusi as emir all in the bid to get even with Ganduje, I hope the government will now get down to actually governing and improving the lives of the people who elected it. 

The sense I get from people in Kano (many of whom are supporters of the government) is that governance has been on hold in Kano in the last one year in the service of retaliation. Not even the dirty water that Ganduje’s government caused to be distributed to homes is available now, Kano people tell me.

Anyway, when Abdullahi Ganduje dethroned Sanusi in March 2020, I wrote a column titled, “Ganduje is a Monster, But Sanusi Is Not a Victim.” On the occasion of his rethronement, I reproduce portions of it below:

Governor Abdullahi “Gandollar” Ganduje is no doubt a contemptibly philistine monster of avarice and debauchery who dethroned Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano because he couldn’t stomach the former emir’s disapproval of the electoral fraud that brought him to power.

There is also no doubt that Sanusi’s unrelenting public censures of the rotten, if time-honored, cultural quiddities of the Muslim North discomfited many people who are invested in the status quo, and this became one of the convenient bases for his ouster.

But Sanusi isn’t nearly the victim he has been cracked up to be by his admirers and defenders. First, he rode to the Kano emirship in 2014 on the crest of a wave of emotions stirred by partisan politics and came down from it the same way.

Even though he wasn’t initially on the shortlist of Kano’s kingmakers, APC's Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso (who is now in PDP) made Sanusi emir in 2014 to spite PDP’s President Goodluck Jonathan and shield Sanusi from the consequences of his [false] unmasking of multi-billion-dollar corruption at the NNPC. Apart from his unceremonious removal as CBN governor for his [false] whistle blowing, he was going to face other untoward retributions from the Jonathan administration, but his appointment as emir put paid to it.

Now, Sanusi lost his emirship to the same partisan politics that got it for him in the first place. In an ironic twist, he was made emir by an APC government for making privileged [if false] revelations that disadvantaged a PDP government and was removed as an emir by an APC government for his overt and covert acts that could have benefited the PDP in 2019.

In other words, Sanusi’s emirship was molded in the crucible of partisan politics and was dissolved in it.

Nonetheless, Sanusi, given his intellectual sophistication and pretenses to being an advocate of egalitarianism, had no business being an emir. Monarchy is way past its sell-by date not just in Nigeria but everywhere. It’s an anachronistic, vestigial remnant of a primitive past that invests authority on people by mere accident of heredity. Any authority that is inherited and not earned, in my opinion, is beneath contempt.

Emirship isn’t only a primeval anomaly in a modern world, it is, in fact, un-Islamic. In Islam, leadership is derived from knowledge and the consensus of consultative assemblies of communities called the Shura, not from heredity.

 Monarchies in the Muslim North, which have constituted themselves into parasitic, decadent drains on society, but which pretend to be Islamic, are grotesque perversions of the religion they purport to represent. Anyone, not least one who makes pious noises about equality, that is denied the unfair privileges of monarchy is no victim.

Most importantly, though, Sanusi embodies a jarring disconnect between high-minded ideals and lived reality. He rails against child marriage in public but married a teenager upon becoming an emir. When the late Pius Adesanmi called him out, he told him to “grow a brain.” He suddenly became the patron saint of conservative Muslim cultural values.

He expended considerable intellectual energies critiquing polygamy among poor Muslim men, but he is married to four wives. His defense, of course, would be that he can afford it, and poor Muslim men can’t. Fair enough. But transaction-oriented reformists lead by example.

Fidel Castro, for example, stopped smoking when he campaigned against it. It would be nice to say to poor, polygamous Muslim men, “Why are you, a poor man, married to four wives when Sanusi, a wealthy man and an emir, is married to just one wife?”

That would have had a much higher impact than his preachments. In spite of their moral failings, Buhari, Abba Kyari, and Mamman Daura would be much more effective campaigners against disabling polygamy by poor Muslim men than Sanusi can ever be because they are monogamists even when they can afford to marry four wives.

This is a legitimate critique since Sanusi has a choice to not call out poor Muslim men who marry more wives than they can afford since polygamy is animated by libidinal greed, which is insensitive to financial means.

Sanusi habitually fulminates against the enormous and inexorably escalating poverty in the north, but even though he is an immensely affluent person, he has not instituted any systematic mechanism to tackle the scourge of poverty in the region in his own little way.

Instead, he spends hundreds of billions of naira to decorate the emir’s palace, buy exotic horses, and luxuriate in opulent sartorial regality.

And, although, he exposed [what he thought was] humongous corruption during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and dollar racketeering during Buhari’s regime, he is himself an indefensibly corrupt and profligate person. In two well-researched investigative pieces in 2017, Daily Nigeria’s Jaafar Jaafar chronicled Sanusi’s mind-boggling corruption as emir of Kano, which apparently didn’t abate until he was dethroned.

Sanusi was ostensibly a Marxist when he studied economics at ABU, which explains why he exhibits flashes of radicalism in his public oratory, but he is, in reality, an out-of-touch, unfeeling, feudal, neoliberal elitist who is contemptuous, and insensitive to the suffering, of poor people.

He supported Jonathan’s petrol price hike in 2012 and even wondered why poor people were protesting since they had no cars, and generators, according to him, were powered by diesel, not petrol! 

When his attention was brought to the fact that only “subsidized” and privileged “big men” like him use diesel-powered generators, he backed down and apologized. But I found it remarkably telling that until 2012 Sanusi had no clue that the majority of Nigerians used petrol-powered generators to get electricity.

In a September 1, 2012, column titled, "Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s Unwanted 5000 Naira Notes," I noted that Sanusi was "one of the most insensitive, out-of-touch bureaucrats to ever walk Nigeria’s corridors of power."

Again, in my December 10, 2016, article titled, "Dangerous Fine Print in Emir Sanusi's Prescription for Buhari," I wrote: "If you are a poor or economically insecure middle-class person who is writhing in pain amid this economic downturn, don’t be deceived into thinking that Emir Sanusi is on your side. He is not. His disagreements with Buhari have nothing to do with you or your plight. If he has his way, you would be dead by now because the IMF/World Bank neoliberal theology he evangelizes has no care for poor, vulnerable people."

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday in Abuja, inaugurated the National Assembly Library and Resource Centre, which is named in his honour.

Before the inauguration of the library, the President had briefly attended a commemorative sitting of the National Assembly, where he made extemporaneous remarks.

President Tinubu, who had signed the National Anthem Bill, 2024, into law at the Presidential Villa earlier on Wednesday, said he was at the National Assembly as a mark of respect, and to congratulate the legislators and Nigerians on the 25th anniversary of Nigeria's unbroken democracy.

He extended his gratitude to the lawmakers and acknowledged the efforts and sacrifices made to build and sustain the country's democratic institutions.

"Our friends, old and new, to every Nigerian I say congratulations on 25 years of unbroken democracy. Out of respect, I have come to say thank you very much for building up this institution to this level. You are the foremost leaders who speak for our people and have been at the forefront of this struggle," President Tinubu said.

Highlighting the significance of the National Assembly, President Tinubu referred to it as a "hallowed chamber" that embodies the nation's consciousness for freedom and solidarity.

"You sang out the latest national anthem, ‘Nigeria we hail thee’. This is our diversity, representing all people and how we pledge together to be brothers and sisters.

"Without this House, I probably would not have found a path to the presidency, I started it all from here. That is why I have given that respect to you this morning to continue to collaborate with you to build our country together. We have no other choice. No other institution or personality will help us, except we do it ourselves for ourselves.

"No amount of aid from foreign countries can help us. Let us work together to build our nation, charting a new path," the President stated.

President Tinubu also emphasized the need to preserve and strengthen democracy for future generations.

"We must nurture our democracy so that our children and great grandchildren will be assured of prosperity, progress, and development," the President concluded.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the President's visit was out of respect for the National Assembly.

''Before you arrived, Mr. President, the Speaker and I had explained to the lawmakers that this visit is what is called 'waka pass' in Nollywood.

''You intend to celebrate Democracy Day on June 12, but out of honour and respect for the National Assembly you said you must pass through the National Assembly on your first anniversary," the Senate President said.

On Nigeria reverting to the old national anthem, Akpabio commended the President for taking the nation back to its roots stating: ‘‘Though we may belong to different tribes, though we have different tongues, in brotherhood we stand.’’

''There is no more fitting place to take us back to our genealogy other than the National Assembly, which is made up of patriotic and elected citizens of Nigeria. The voice of the National Assembly is the voice of Nigeria, so we welcome you,'' the Senate President added.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday in Abuja, received assurances from Reckitt Benckiser, the global fast-moving consumer goods company, that they will continue to grow their investments in Nigeria.

Receiving a delegation from Reckitt Benckiser led by the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kris Licht, and Chief Olu Falomo, Chairman of Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited, the President lauded the company for its over 60 years of investment in Nigeria and commitment to the country’s development.

''We are creating an environment for the private sector to thrive in. I am glad that you are here to stay for the long term. I am happy that you have been in the country for many years, and you have decided to invest more. We have embarked on challenging reforms to improve the economy. Our reforms will improve the ease of doing business for partners like you moving forward,'' the President told the delegation.

President Tinubu assured investors of good returns on their investments, supported by a buoyant market and a large population.

In his remarks, Mr. Licht described Nigeria as a very important country to the company, saying: ‘‘We have had very good business here for many years, and we congratulate you on your first year in office. We see Nigeria as an important business destination for today and the future.’’

Chief Falomo, Chairman of Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited, reiterated the company’s long standing commitment to Nigeria, stating: ‘‘We have asked our global team to come and assure you that we back your efforts. They have said they are not going anywhere. We are here to support this government.’’

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

President Bola Tinubu has addressed both chambers of the National Assembly , charging federal lawmakers to continue to work with themselves irrespective of their political divide to build the institution of the parliament and the nation.

Tinubu spent roughly 27 minutes gracing the joint session of the national Assembly , marking 25 years of unbroken democracy in the country.

The President told the federal lawmakers that only Nigerians can create a glorious future for themselves , stressing that no amount of foreign aids or support can do it for the country.

He charged the lawmakers to build the nation and bequeath to generations unborn a glorious future.

The President also used the occasion to announce that he would be sending the budget for 2024 to the national assembly. It’s not clear if the President actually meant 2025 budget 

or was referring to a supplementary 2024 budget 

President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, later clarified saying the National Assembly would be waiting to receive the President’s request for supplementary budget for 2024.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN has stated that the " conducts of counsel and the Courts in the handling of the proceedings which culminated in the orders issued by the Federal High Court, the Kano State High Court and again the Federal High Court, in circus, have brought utter disgrace and shame to the profession – have exposed the entire legal profession in Nigeria to public ridicule and opprobrium. The damage is one that would take the legal profession a long time to recover from. It is unfortunate and was totally uncalled for."

In a statement issued this morning, Mr. Maikyau said that "Without prejudice to the subsisting actions before both the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court, it is my considered view that there is urgent need to scrutinize the professional conducts of both Counsel and the Judges involved in these matters. This is to enable the relevant bodies or institutions determine their culpability or, otherwise, from an ethical and professional standpoint."

The NBA President has, therefore, called on "the respective heads of the Courts of the Judges concerned, to take immediate steps to look into their conducts with the view to finding any possible abuse of their judicial offices and file a report with the National Judicial Council for necessary action. 

As regards the lawyers involved, the NBA President said that the NBA "... will investigate the conducts of the counsel involved in these cases and shall not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against them before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, should there be any finding of alleged professional misconduct against them. The Chairman of the NBA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has accordingly been directed to invite these counsel for preliminary investigations."

Please find attached for your reference the statement of the NBA President.

Thank you, and do have a good day.

Akorede Habeeb Lawal 

National Publicity Secretary, NBA

Nigeria is a mess right now. A huge mess. Even the blind can see it. And the deaf can hear the cry of anguish of Nigeria’s children. Can the country be rescued? Possibly. But the myths, years of delusions of grandeur and criminal capture of the Nigerian state threaten the possibility.

Last week one of the great TV interviewers in Nigeria, Charles Aniagolu asked me the big question. How did we get here?

I resisted the temptation of the immodest but Frank answer;  go and read just about everything I have written in the last 40  years.

So I talked about a flawed political class  constrained by the false consciousness of the collapsed morality of civic culture captured in the seminal essay on Colonialism and the two Publics written by Peter Ekeh in 1975 and the Idea of the tragedy of the commons where that which belongs to all belongs to none. Theoretical truths as they may be Nigeria’s descent to failing state status, poverty capital of the world, and theatre of violent crime and impunity has been a long time coming and has been framed by many illusions left unattended  by an anti-intellectual culture fostered by post 1999 political elite, ego journalism which has  left the big issues as columnist celebrate self and promote partisan passions, and a rent focused business elite tied to the aprons of the politicians became complicit in their indulgence while pretending to be neutral. The Chicken has come home to roost, the gate to the road to Somalia opens even as leadership selection traditions have left at the Watch those unable to shut the gates of brass and the bars of iron.

To be sure, Nigeria was a great potential in 1960. But much of what created illusions of progress in the late 1970s and 1980s for a few thriving on Crude Oil rents, and the entitlement mentality that has since followed, and sustained an appetite for consumption and a consumerist economy has been in the way of shifting to production. These derive from less than thoughtful nation building policy making choices even as we went on giant of Africa halicinations without the work that make giants. I warned back then., chided  and prompted in directions that could help claim the promise of greatness. I was told I was talking to the deaf. Now all I hear is you forewarned us of this catastrophe.

The projected greatness of Nigeria in 1960 was rooted  not in potential Oil revenues but in a calculus of its factor endowments and character, vision and conduct of its politicians between 1956 and 1960.

So when Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa is welcomed in Washington shortly after Independence with such pomp in International relations arena marked by power maximizing it was because the world saw an emerging black power. That potential consolited for a period under the military was squandered progressively by corrupt poorly governing narcissistic politicians.

But how did these leaders go so spectacularly wrong?  They neglected some simple rules any head of family pays attention to in a time of windfall.  Save for a rainy day, invest in the education of the offspring and construct now you have cash that which will enable them to produce and prosper in the days when that windfall may not be there. Our elite seemed  quite challenged  compared to Botswana in Africa, Norway in Europe and several of the Countries in the Arab Middle East..

So we sauntered into Dutch Disease which occurs when a combination of spending patterns and exchange rates cause labour skills  to move to the non tradable goods sectors  like construction as tradionally dominant sectors like Agriculture became uncompetitive. The putative manufacturing sector which experienced great surge from 1956 under Self Government suffered shocks in this season and as Irene Sun shows in her book on Chinese investments and Africa as the world’s next great factory became victim of poor trade policy.

For me the biggest damage Oil boom did to Nigeria was the  ‘confidence’ it gave decision makers to abandon rigor in decision making and turn their back on planning. The failure of the Electricity sector so critical for production and civilization is the most revealing example of this. How on God’s earth did we manage to let that happen.?

When I go back and read things I wrote 40 years ago, 30 years  back and 15 years before now  I wonder that if care is not taken some will capture me and pronounce me prophet. But I do not need the religious charlatan powers to know those views were  available  to anyone that paused to think.

Twenty three years ago I was hosting the LBS executive briefing breakfast at which the IMF Country Manager was guest. In my opening remarks I reiterated my call for mineral and Oil revenues to flow into three accounts, a Distributable Pool Fund (FAAC), a Stabilization Fund and a Future Fund ( Sovereign Wealth Fund). The IMF official nicely editorialized that with thinking of that nature foreign experts would have no place offering counsel. It was not rocket science. Botswana was ahead of me on that curve.

In columns,  I pressured the government in Abuja to start saving Oil windfalls. When they did, some of my friends  in a government I was friendly with in Lagos wondered why I would encourage the Federal government to take money rightly belonging to the states. When I told one of them  that he knew enough to understand the concept of mutual funds he kept quiet. Today he has the responsibility for what I tried to encourage then.

Had a marketplace of ideas encouraged rational public conversation on my crusade of that season perhaps we may not be where we are today in the management of the economy. But our politics stifles  rational conversation and the pool of good thinking shrunk.

Those who could point us to the plight of the more vulnerable, the poor, the physically challenged and minor minorities,  from Academia and journalism retreated from the arena as bullies and semi literates got bolder. The voiceless angry began gradually to drop into the catchment of the entrepreneurs of violence or violent crime. Most of what we now project as violent irredentist movements happen to be organized crime as Italy and some Latin American countries have experienced. But they have compounded bad economic policies with incsecirity that has hurt the agriculture value chain.

The results have come in. Is Nigeria a lost cause?

The tendency to glamorize the era of Crude Oil oiled easy life for a portion of the population is attractive. But it was an illusion of prosperity. Nigeria was never. It could have gone that way but a short sighed elite chose to live in the present and not in the future as their counterparts in Spain did three centuries ago.

The model from which we can reconstruct a new Nigeria has to be found in a digital version  of that of the independence fathers who remarkably transformed the economy from 1957 to 1964 before the political order began to crack. We will then need to device a new political order seeing the present one has failed almost all stakeholders

What political structure can sustain a developmental state idea and grant the great escape to millions of the desperately poor in Nigeria.

That new way has to overcome the diseased morality of the civic culture of the extant ‘’democracy’ that let the Babarians past the gate into the city halls and boardrooms. The ‘Band A’ bandits of the disconnected  state who have moved state capture up a few notches have now so little sensitivity that like the wife of Louis XVI in France they may ask why do those chanting ebi mpawa and rioting for food because there was no Gari not eat Ofada rice instead..

A values revolution driven by a vanguard passionate about personal integrity, respect for the dignity of the human person, the work ethic and social justice is a necessary first step. Values shape human progress and contemporary Nigerian disposition to keep values optional speaks to why we are in a failing state category.

The good news is that the people are fed up and a significant pool of good people are waiting to be led to do the right thing. Nigeria may yet rise again.

This is why I am promoting a new tribe with low tolerance for ethnic chauvinism, corruption and the seven deadly social sins like politics without principles, wealth without work and religion without sacrifice.

The new tribe project is also designed to go beyond by solving social problems through cohorts committed, for example to very low cost and free skills education, production clusters matching Diaspora investors with local talent using blockchain technology to ensure transparency, those focused on freeing the vulnerable from hunger and indignity, and those which war against corruption and work to hold power accountable. The list of the 14 active cohorts and reports on the work they are currently doing for the vision of a new tribe will be formally unveiled on October 1.  A new Nigeria is possible but all hands must be on deck and none should fear rejecting an old order that has failed so spectacularly.

•Utomi , a  Political Economist and Professor at the Lagos Business School is founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership

Nigerians across the country yesterday charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to make life better for them.

They spoke to Daily Trust on the first anniversary of the administration.

This is just as former President Muhammadu Buhari and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin sought citizens’ support for Tinubu’s government.

A resident of Kaduna State, Imam Hussaini Udawa, said though Tinubu’s administration had some “positive” policies, it should check its economic policies to improve the lot of Nigerians.

A driver in the state, Umar Abdullahi Tijjani, said while he would score Tinubu high on security, he wants the president “to do more in the area of the economy because the hardship is too much.”

A Kano-based journalist, Muhammad Abdulsalam, said Tinubu’s administration made progress in some areas, but he should tackle “corruption and political division.”

Another resident of Kano, Hamza Muhammad, urged the president and other political leaders to make the necessary sacrifice to secure the country and make food cheap and available.

A lecturer at the Department of Political Science in Bayero University, Kano, Dr Saidu Dukawa, in a radio programme yesterday, said life became difficult for the poor when Tinubu announced the fuel subsidy removal.

Bala Kwatarkwashi, a trader at Kantin Kwari market in Kano, urged Tinubu to tackle banditry to allow farmers have access to their farms.

John Lawrence and Mathias Ike, who live in Port Harcourt, and a right activist in Rivers State, Fyneface Dumnamene, asked the president to reduce Nigerians’ sufferings by reducing the cost of living.

An engineer in Abuja, Joshua Dangana, urged Tinubu to review fuel prices; while  Toyin Adekunle, an entrepreneur, tasked him on provision of amenities, sound transportation system, job creation and stable electricity.

Ezra Ukanwa,  a journalist in Abuja said the president should support small businesses, promote local industries, attract foreign investments, improve healthcare and address high cost of living.

Oyiza Lawal, a trader in Kogi, called for steady electricity and affordable fuel; while Blessing Ekwe, a businesswoman in Enugu, said though the president was doing his best on security “more needs to be done about the petroleum sector. Any decision in that area should be done with caution.”  

Haruna Muhammed, a computer engineer in Nasarawa, asked Tinubu to make the Independent National Electoral Commission and the EFCC independent, and “build more refineries and maintain the old ones, and create jobs.

In Ekiti State, Mercy Tinuade and Anthony Oluwafemi as well as Felicia Kokoro and Nnamdi Nwanem, residents of Delta State, called for price control in order to address the rising costs of food items. 

Buhari, Barau seek citizens’ support for president

Meanwhile, former President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday extended his best wishes to President Tinubu on the completion of his first year in office.

Buhari in a statement issued by his spokesperson Garba Shehu, appealed to all citizens to continue to strengthen the thread of national unity and goodwill.

The former president also appealed to them to give their blessings and support to Tinubu’s administration so that it could succeed in its efforts to build “a Nigeria of our dreams”.

Also, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Mudashir, said President Tinubu had navigated a once-adrift ship to safety.

He said Tinubu had the vision to turn around the nation’s fortunes for the collective benefit of the citizenry.

Barau,  urged Nigerians to remember that “before comfort, there must be some discomfort. Let us endure. Nigeria will change for the better, Insha Allah.”

Today, May 29, marks exactly one year since Bola Ahmed Tinubu took the oath of office as the president of the largest black nation on earth, Nigeria.

Tinubu was sworn in as the fifth democratically elected president, since the return of democracy in 1999, following his victory in the keenly-contested 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu, 72, who contested on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, emerged victorious against his closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.

His victory was, however, greeted with mixed reactions, with allegations of electoral malpractice and a heated legal battle that followed.

Despite the controversy, Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023, marked the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

DAILY POST observed that the past year has been characterised by significant political dynamics, with Tinubu’s administration navigating a complex landscape of expectations, challenges and diverse opinions on its performance and policies.

The administration’s policies and decisions have triggered a broad spectrum of reactions from different segments of the society, thereby creating a “gbas gbos” across the nation.

Renewed Hope: A journey marred by controversies

Many political observers believe that Tinubu took off on the wrong note with the announcement of the removal of fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration.

The President himself admitted that the removal of fuel subsidy was not part of his inaugural speech, but he “went out of his way” to announce it in the best interest of Nigerians.

DAILY POST recalls that while Tinubu was yet to finish his inaugural speech, oil marketers quickly adjusted their fuel pump prices to about N500 per litre.

A few weeks later, the fuel pump price was further increased to about N617-N1000 per litre, depending on the area or state.

This singular act, many believe, has inflicted untold hardship on many Nigerians.

The development, according to analysts, contributed to high inflation, with prices of commodities skyrocketing by about 300 per cent.

In less than 12 months, the current government has twice witnessed a total shutdown by the organised labour due to the ongoing suffering in the country resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Betta Edugate – They never saw this coming

Barely six months into his administration, a major scandal hit the APC-led government.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, was at the centre of the storm for alleged corruption.

Edu, 37, who served as the National Women Leader of the ruling APC, came under fire over allegations of financial embezzlement and abuse of power in her ministry.

Edu was accused of transferring N585.189 million meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states into a private account.

This sparked a national outcry and reinforced the notion in some quarters that the APC government would exploit Nigeria for personal gain.

Consequently, President Tinubu suspended Edu and ordered a thorough investigation.

The outcome of the investigation is still being awaited, while Edu remains suspended.

Is subsidy truly gone?

Contrary to the claim that subsidy on fuel has been removed, there are allegations that the federal government is still paying subsidies for the product.

The World Bank and the CEO/Managing Director of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, Mr Robert Dickerman, asserted that the Federal Government continues to subsidise fuel.

Reacting to the debacle, activist and renowned lawyer, Femi Falana, who was vocal against the removal of the subsidy in 2011 under President Goodluck Jonathan, urged the government to review the policy in the public interest.

“Curiously, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has not deemed it fit to deny the serious allegation that fuel subsidy has been restored.

“Since there is no provision for fuel subsidy in the 2023 and 2024 Appropriation Acts the federal government should, without any further delay, confirm or deny the serious allegation and end the opacity surrounding the importation of fuel from foreign countries,” Falana said.

“If the federal government is spending as much as N1 trillion on fuel subsidy per month, it is high time the policy was reviewed in the interest of the Nigerian people,” he added.

Renewed Hope – The good, the bad and the ugly

The Tinubu/Shettima 2023 campaign mantra was anchored on a policy document titled Renewed Hope.

The policy document has national security, economy, agriculture, power, oil and gas, transportation, education, the digital economy, sport, entertainment and culture, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, women empowerment, social programs, judicial reforms, federalism and decentralisation of power and foreign policy, among others as thematic areas of priority.

With fuel subsidy gone and prices of things skyrocketing on a daily basis, many Nigerians feel the impact of the Renewed Hope is yet to be felt.

Insecurity – The bloodbaths continue

The administration’s approach to security and governance has also been a major talking point.

Tinubu’s administration prioritised enhancing national security, with increased funding for security agencies and strategic initiatives to combat insurgency and banditry.

Despite these efforts, the persistence of security challenges remains a significant concern for many Nigerians.

In places like Benue and Plateau states, farmers have abandoned their farms due to persistent clashes with herdsmen. Just last week, over 30 people were killed in various villages by suspected herdsmen in Benue alone.

In the northeast, bandits continue to pose a threat, causing citizens sleepless nights.

Although Tinubu inherited this crisis from the previous administration, many believe his approach to addressing this nagging menace is inadequate.

However, the leadership of the renowned pan-African students’ movement, The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), Nigeria chapter, is pleased with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government in the area of security.

According to the group, “Information shows that our gallant military troops have succeeded in neutralizing 9,303 terrorists and criminals, including notorious kingpins such as Damina, Dangote, Kachalla Azarailu, and Boderi, among others.”

Knocks, kudos greet Tinubu’s first year in office

Front-line politician and activist, Hon Lucky Obiyan, said the current government has failed woefully in areas of security, Fiscal and monetary policies.

He slammed the current administration for focusing on less impactful social infrastructure while neglecting vital areas.

He told DAILY POST, “President Tinubu’s government has performed below expectations across all governance indices. If I were to give it a scorecard, it would be below one per cent.

“In the economy, the government has failed. In terms of security, it’s at a dismal 0.001 per cent.

“In the area of Fiscal and monetary policies, the government is at a zero level. The energy sector is in crisis, exacerbated by poorly considered subsidy removal.

“Priority infrastructure has been neglected, with the government focusing on less impactful social infrastructure while neglecting vital areas that affect people’s lives and the economy.

“The government has driven away big multinationals in Nigeria, who have been relocating one after the other to neighbouring countries in Africa.

“Human rights abuses have reached a gargantuan proportion and there’s a flagrant disregard for the rule of law.

“Selective obedience to court orders based on convenience is undemocratic and unacceptable.

“The mismanagement and waste of our collective resources are deeply concerning.

“A government that allocates N90 billion for Hajj while neglecting essential services cannot be taken seriously.

“Overall, the past year has been toxic, bringing nothing but hell and hardship to the people and eroding their purchasing power of the average Nigerian person.

“In summary, this administration deserves a score of zero in every assessment.”

Contrasting Obiyan’s views, Okpokwu Ogenyi, a political analyst and Coordinator of the Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria and former governorship aspirant in Benue State, argued that the President has made significant strides in his first year.

Ogenyi believes that Tinubu’s efforts in tackling corruption, initiating economic reforms and enhancing infrastructure development across the nation demonstrate a commitment to national progress.

“If you ask me to rate the president on a scale of one to 10, I would tell you 9/10.

“In just less than one year in office, we have seen the monumental projects that he has been able to accomplish.

“From the renovation of the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge to the award of the Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu road project, the Abuja light rail, the national assembly renovation, Lagos-Calabar Coastal project, and several others.

“Many Nigerians will say he erred by removing the subsidy, but I must say that he did well. It was a bold move that many Nigerians will appreciate later.

“The suffering is temporary, but I assure you that things will be stable very soon.

“Nigerians are asking the wrong person. The people they should hold responsible are the state governors. Before now, monthly allocations were about N2bn, but today, states like Benue are getting N6bn as allocations.

“Oil producing states get as much as N16bn monthly. What are they doing with the money? The masses should ask them. The president cannot be everywhere at the same time

“Tinubu’s administration is on the right track. The foundations he is laying will yield positive results in the long term,” Ogenyi asserted, calling for patience and continued support from the populace.

Echoing Ogenyi’s sentiment, Terence Kuanum, National Coordinator of the National Coalition Against Terrorism, asserted that Tinubu has lived up to expectations by taking tough decisions to neutralise the damage caused by Buhari’s eight-year government.

“Though these decisions come with pain, we are optimistic that we will ultimately benefit from them,” Kuanum stated.

He also alleged that Tinubu’s efforts were being sabotaged by governors.

“Despite the huge finances available to states, there is little to show for the substantial allocations received,” he added.

However, Kuanum is hopeful that amendments granting autonomy to local governments will ensure that the dividends of democracy reach the grassroots.

“Overall, Tinubu has performed well across all sectors,” he said.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and activist, Austin Okai, told DAILY POST that the ruling party has succeeded in buying over some members of the opposition.

He challenged those who were vocal against the government of the PDP to come out and question some of the policies of the current government.

He lamented that what Nigerians were going through is a fallback of what the APC created to discredit the government of the PDP and Jonathan to get power in 2015.

His words, “Today, the issue of kidnapping is a fallout of what the APC created to discredit the government of PDP and Goodluck Jonathan.

“Now, we are witnessing the repercussions, with more citizens being kidnapped. We are reaping the seeds they sowed as the opposition, and you want us to accept that.

“Recall that the current Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was the governor of Borno State when the first abduction happened in Chibok.

“Wike, who is now aligning with the APC government, was the Minister of State for Education then. They all ignored security reports to close down Chibok School until the abduction happened. Today, where are we?

“Today, Nigerians are eager and yearning for the era of the PDP. Tinubu has done nothing. He is employing only his people from Lagos or awarding contracts to a company owned by his son.

“He is increasing VAT and introducing more taxes. As of yesterday, I bought fuel at N750 per litre in Abuja.

“When I questioned the price, they claimed those selling at cheaper rates tampered with their metres, which tells you that the regulatory agencies are not even working.

“A year after the removal of the subsidy, they have not increased salaries and the CNG buses he promised are nowhere to be found.

“The palliatives are being given to APC members, who, in turn, are selling them to the masses.

“So, Tinubu has failed. Nothing is working. He has not done anything remarkable. Now, people cannot fly because of the high cost of aviation fuel and people cannot drive because of the fear of being kidnapped.

“The inflation rate is rising. It is a shame that nobody is speaking out. Where are Wole Soyinkas, the NGOs and CSOs that were vocal against the PDP government? They called us looters and Boko Haram supporters, but now they can’t talk.

“They are expecting the PDP to come and do the job for them. The only way forward is to kick them out in 2027. They have failed woefully.”

For activist and political analyst, Enenche Obonyilo Peter, Tinubu inherited a nation that was systematically destroyed and he needs more time to fix it.

His words, “I will say Tinubu has performed fantastically well. He has been able to manage the country. Every federating unit now has a sense of belonging.

“Abuja is wearing a new look, though the subsidy removal is painful, but there is no better time to remove it than now.

“When the Arabs were using oil money to build Dubai and Kuwait, we were busy burning down Kaduna, Kano and Lagos.

“When Russians were laying pipes that connect their markets to Europe, we were busy bursting and vandalising our pipelines.

“Nigeria was so systematically destroyed over the years that no overnight approach can fix the mess. So far, Tinubu has put us on a path to recovery.”

Opposition parties – Toothless bulldogs

Another major concern about the current government is the belief that the nation is gradually sliding into a one-party state.

At the moment, the major opposition parties resemble toothless bulldogs.

According to political observers, the Tinubu government has effectively silenced opposing voices, particularly with the appointment of Nyesom Wike, a prominent member of the opposition camp, into his cabinet.

The Labour Party, which was seen as the third force, has been embroiled in crisis, with little or no attention given to national discourse.

Meanwhile, DAILY POST observed that the Tinubu government has embarked on several reform initiatives aimed at revitalising the economy, including efforts to improve the ease of doing business, attract foreign investment and diversify the economic base away from oil dependency.

However, these initiatives have faced significant challenges, including global economic uncertainties and internal resistance.

In the area of infrastructure, the government is believed to be truly living up to expectations.

For instance, in the nation’s capital, the minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, who is a member of the PDP, has been on his toes to make sure the seat of power wears a new look.

The government has ‘face-lifted’ major roads in Abuja city centre and satellite towns.

Prominent among them is the Wuye-Wuse link flyover, Area 11-Asokoro flyover, etc.

Similarly, the government kicked off the construction of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, which will open up the economy between West-north and south.

However, public opinion on Tinubu’s first year in office is deeply divided.

While some applaud his proactive approach and long-term vision, others express frustration over the slow pace of tangible improvements in their daily lives.

The social impact of his policies, particularly on the most vulnerable populations, remains a contentious issue.

Light at the end of the tunnel

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, says there is hope for Nigerians, considering the achievements of President Bola Tinubu in just one year in office.

According to Wike, Tinubu has done very well in the FCT and the country overall, particularly in physical infrastructure and human capital development.

He said, “I think Mr President has done very well in terms of reassuring Nigerians that he is committed to delivering the dividend of democracy.

“From what we have seen on the ground, there is really hope for Nigerians. So, we are very happy.”

[DailyPost]