After tempestuous agitations from Northern Nigeria, which appears to be more concerned with the sharing of revenue from Value Added Tax, the House of Representatives suspended deliberations on President Bola Tinubu’s four tax bills.

Nigeria’s tax administrators, who do not seem to recognise that Value Added Tax is different from Sales Tax, are confusing everyone, including the media (and the legislators, who may not have read the tax documents).

Just gauge the decibel of cacophony that legislators are making over the allocation of VAT proceeds without corresponding light! They don’t even realise that Value Added Tax is not charged on foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and educational materials.

The explanations about the sharing of Value Added Tax proceeds between the three tiers of government and among the states, by Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, are disingenuous, to say the least.

Surprisingly, neither the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria nor the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria tries to clarify the position, so that Nigerians do not suffer another round of ill-conceived public policy.

The current Value Added Tax Act allocates 15, 50, and 35 per cent of collection to the federal, state, and local governments, respectively. And 20 per cent of the 50 per cent allocated to all states goes to where the Value Added Tax is generated, 30 per cent is shared according to population, and the balance of 50 per cent is distributed equally among the states.

Northern Nigeria is worried that the new tax bills allocate 10, 55, and 35 per cent to the federal, state, and local governments, respectively. It also raises the allocation of states where the revenue is generated from 20 to 60 per cent—with the argument that more should accrue to states where wealth is created or income is earned.

The state where production takes place absorbs environmental costs of air and water pollution, stress on its roads, educational and health facilities, and infrastructure and should therefore be compensated accordingly.

As expected, Northern Nigeria, led by the Northern Governors’ Forum, swiftly rejected the new proposals and used their majority in the National Economic Council to demand a review from the president, who, however, rejected their request.

Senator Ali Ndume, obviously smarting from his removal as Chief Whip of the Senate, introduced his usual histrionics and theatrics, threatening to leave the All Progressives Congress over this Value Added Tax matter. It should be the private affair of himself and the APC whether he remains or vacates the All Progressives Congress.

When he begins to ask whether Nigerians who earn less than N800,000 per annum will be exempted from paying Personal Income Tax, one begins to wonder if he knows the difference between Personal Income Tax and Value Added Tax! No one knows what he meant by, “giving somebody something with the right hand and taking it back with the left hand.”

It will be a matter for regret if Senator Ndume is just finding out that the poor Nigerian consumers have been indirectly paying Value Added Tax from its inception in 1994. He appears to be prepared to muddy the waters just to advance petty regional interests.

By the way, if those professionals that he suggests are the teachers of the current tax czars of Nigeria gave him the wrong argument that he is bandying about, it would amount to what the Yoruba describe as “a monkey carrying a monkey atop a palm tree!” They must be suspect professionals.

Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, added his voice with a subtle blackmail: “We are aware that the Lagos young men are working so hard to impose taxes and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos. Today, as we have seen, even the telephones that we… register here in Kano, efforts are there to take all the taxes to Lagos.”

Mr. Oyedele should find the time to explain to Governor Kwankwaso that Value Added Tax accrued from sales invoices issued for fabrics manufactured and sold in the sundry textile factories based in Kano will not be attributed to Lagos, even if they were sold to Lagos, for instance.

Section 145(1) of the new tax bill provides: “For the purpose of… this Act, a taxable supply should be deemed to have taken place at the time an invoice or receipt is issued by the supplier… or payment is due to, or received by the supplier in respect of the supply…”

The Northern political establishment should stop the emotional blackmail that has yielded neither Northern Nigeria, its poor citizens, nor the Nigerian economy any good. The North must come to terms with reality and allow Nigeria to move forward.

The matter has really come to a head when likeable Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State begins to argue that when Nigerians who earn less than N800,000 annually Personal Income Tax states revenue will reduce. He omitted the increase to the tax rate of high-net-worth taxpayers.

Why is Mr. Oyedele failing to explain to the legislators and governors that while Value Added Tax, paid throughout the supply chain, is paid by distributors to manufacturers, who then remit to the tax collection agencies, and that Sales Tax is paid by consumers at the point of sale to retailers, who remit to the tax collection agencies?

The textile retailer in Lagos pays Value Added Tax to the textile distributor, who remits the Value Added Tax to the Kano-based manufacturer, Da Viva Textile Mills, or the importer, who forwards the same to the Federal Inland Revenue Service as a Kano State sale.

By this logic, the Value Added Tax will be recognised as revenue derived from Kano State for the purpose of remittance to the Federation Account. For emphasis, the Value Added Tax  that is paid in Lagos State travels through the supply chain to FIRS in Kano State as a tax-deductible payment, with its separate ledger, of course.

But unlike Value Added Tax, Sales Tax, paid by the consumer to the retailer in Lagos, does not travel through the supply chain. It is remitted directly to Lagos Inland Revenue Service or a Local Government Authority. For instance, customers are required to pay some kind of Sales Tax to Ijebu-Ode Local Government for ram bought at Imowo Market in Ijebu-Ode.

Maybe the conversation should be that Value Added Tax should still be collected by the Federal Government and distributed according to an agreed allocation regime, while states charge and retain 100 per cent of Sales Tax. This should motivate states to rev up their economies.

Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who thinks that Northern Governors are whining “because how the money will be shared is based on performance and your contribution,” suggests that “most of these states (governors) are lazy; most of them (he says) are not ready to develop their states to (be able to) generate (internal) revenue,” and insists that “that is why they are complaining.”

Senator Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa State West Senatorial District, recalls that when the Petroleum Industry Act ignored the 10 per cent preferred by petroleum-producing communities and granted them only three per cent the heavens did not fall.

Northern Nigerian leaders, like Governor Zulum and Senators Aminu Tambuwal and Abdul Ningi, should stop issuing threats whenever there are plans to straighten things out for everyone. As former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon says, “The North must ensure that its actions are in the best interest of Nigeria.”

After many years of guarding oil pipeline installations, the Nigerian Army finally made its first high-profile arrest. It turned out to be a journalist! Investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Fisayo Soyombo became the face of the Army’s eventual success in apprehending oil thieves. Of course, they regularly announce arrests of some faceless and nameless people. Hardly anyone bothers to follow up on their prosecution. We have all been Nigerian long enough to know that some crimes persist in the country, not simply because the criminals are resilient but because the ring of perpetration is so institutionalised that it should be considered an extension of the civil service. That is essentially the story of oil bunkering in Nigeria.

We were all here in 2019 when Rivers governor Nyesom Wike accused the Nigerian Army of running illegal bunkering in Rivers State. He did not insinuate; Wike specifically accused the general officer commanding the Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Jamil Sarham, of using soldiers to steal and sell petroleum products in the region. In a country that takes itself seriously, that sort of accusation would neither be flippantly made nor lightly received. However, this is Nigeria. The only thing guaranteed to happen is nothing.

Wike did not say anything anyone did not already know. By the time you reach the end of organised crime in Nigeria, you will discover it is an appendage of the administrative state. Oil theft is run by legitimate state actors. When the government says it is looking for oil thieves, what they are searching for are the unemployed youths who carve out their own spaces outside of the massive extra-legal operations that the government has created for itself.

When finally released from detention, Soyombo granted an interview on AriseTV where he noted that the sensitive information he shared with the officers somehow ended up with the oil thieves. By leaking details of the information he gave them, they ensured they jeopardised the rest of his investigations. Still, congratulations! Even with that outcome, one can argue that the investigation succeeded in a way that would not have been so well-illustrated if you had published it in the most poetic language a poet could have mustered. If anyone was ever in doubt that the state and the so-called oil thieves are in cahoots, here is irrefutable proof.

But if there is something Soyombo’s series of explosive investigations has repeatedly proven, it is also that Nigeria does not take itself too seriously. Those serious enough about Nigeria and even demonstrating it by putting their lives on the line end up appearing to be doing too much. For instance, during his AriseTV interview, Soyombo mentioned his earlier investigation that revealed a child trafficking ring in the country and how the same state officials who should act have stonewalled him. I remember reading the publication open-mouthed, genuinely shocked that the process of giving a child out to adopters in the country was that lax. In a society where the earth has eyes, the jaw-dropping revelations should have led to reforms in the child adoption industry. Nigeria slacks in many areas, but you would be forgiven if you took it for granted that we would at least protect the most vulnerable among us. For nothing to happen, you realise that Nigeria cares for none of its children.

Then, in 2019, he investigated the corruption of the Nigerian Prison Service. He also put himself on the line for that fact-finding mission. One would think that the Nigerian government would at least meet him halfway, but for where? What eventually woke them up to the sordid reality of the NPS was Bobrisky. Yes, Bobrisky did that for us. Before you knew it, the interior minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had announced an investigation. The National Assembly set up a fact-finding panel and even invited a social media rabble-rouser to testify before them. Then you wonder why the sudden seriousness. The knowledge they needed to act was available in the public sphere all along, but they were only aroused to their duties when the matter had to do with sex.

Come to think of it, maybe that is how the outcome of investigative journalism should be published in Nigeria. Perhaps that was what was missing all along! Attach sex to reports of investigation in any form, and the relevant agencies will be tempted to pay attention. Who knows, sex might finally motivate state officials to take decisive action over the rotten state of another bureaucracy where Soyombo has conducted a series of investigations: the Nigerian Customs Service. He has investigated the agency and published a series of reports, but the silence from the same administration that was awakened during the Bobrisky saga can wake even the dead.

The good book says we will know the truth, and the truth will free us, but Nigeria defies that hope. We know the truth, and even the truth knows us back, but we are not yet free. We have been compromised on every front by leaders who cannot bring themselves to even feign any interest in social progress. Under their watch, virtually every decadent institution is allowed to progressively decay. The lesser their structural integrity, the more pliable—and better readied—they are for the machinations of these tyrannical leaders. Their disinterest in arresting the rot means it keeps spreading, eating into every organ, every nerve, every cell, every bit of the society.

What is eating up our society from the inside is gnawing at the brains now, God help us! In several directions you look, nothing seems to be taken seriously. Here is a recent and unfunny example: The Nigerian Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative employed the services of some comedians and singers (one, the musician Innocent Idibia, popularly called TuFace; two, Waris Olayinka Akinwande, the social media jokester popularly called Ola of Lagos; three, musician Dauda Kahutu Rarara, and comedian Bright Okpocha, whom everyone knows as Basket Mouth) on a fact-finding trip to India to learn about Compressed Natural Gas and convince Nigerians at home that it was safe for use. One wonders, if the FG is serious about swaying people towards CNG, why hire comedians and singers? Whatever happened to actual experts?

Imagine that you are an engineer with years of training in this area. You have been honing your skills (maybe even up to PhD level), waiting for the day you will be called to serve society with the knowledge. Then you wake up one day and learn that those called to the serious assignment are the amusers. Imagine the betrayal you will feel when you realise that you wasted time taking Nigeria too seriously. Please note that this is not an argument against entertainers as people who can also positively influence their society. There are countless examples of comedians playing the role of a society’s intellectuals, but expertise is expertise. If we have sincere questions about what CNG would mean for the life expectancy of vehicles that would need to be retrofitted, are comedians the right people to ask?

When it eventually dawns on you that Nigeria is not a serious country, it hits so hard that being struck by thunder would have been gentler. You realise that you have been investing your passion in a country that is not passionate enough about itself; you embarked on a redemption quest for a country that is just not ready. When the rage that seizes you finally subsides, you experience a calm within. That is the moment you come to full Nigerian maturity. And you know that because when they start another round of noise over one thing, one thing in the Nigerian streets, you just enter your own house and close the door.

Renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, has alleged that lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi defamed him in a book published recently.

The accusation stems from a Supreme Court judgment involving a land dispute that spanned over two decades.

In a petition dated November 19  and addressed to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola detailed how his law firm discovered Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System and the defamatory contents therein.

“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co and my lawyers in person of Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’ published by Dele Farotimi publishers in respect of Suit no: SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors V. H.R.H Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors,” the petition read.

He claimed the book contained several defamatory statements that questioned his integrity and accused his law firm of unethical practices, including corrupting the judiciary.

He added, “Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers while travelling through Murtala Muhammed Airport bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’ published by Dele Farotimi publishers. He read the said book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the said book and read same.”

Babalola stated that the book accused him of “corrupting the Supreme Court from ages past and had led it to commit the most egregious acts of evil and wanting injustice.”

The petition noted, “The said defamatory statements are detailed below:

“That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgement in the service of his client” See page IX.

“That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co, (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-Abnegation”. See page X

“That Afe Babalola libeled me and the fact of the libel became known to me in a suit against Lawal Pedro SAN”. See page X.

“That I sued Afe Babalola SAN for libel and he leveraged his influence in the Judiciary to deny me justice”. See page X.”

Giving a background of the case, the petition stated that the case concerned 254 hectares of land in Lagos, which the Supreme Court awarded to his client in 2013.

He further alleged that Farotimi’s comments in the book suggested that he and his law firm compromised the judiciary, tarnishing the integrity of the apex court.

According to the petition, Farotimi’s statements, which were also highlighted in media interviews and widely circulated online, were designed to damage his reputation, discredit his law firm, and cause clients to lose trust in his professional ethics.

“All these statements are false and incorrect written deliberately to destroy my reputation. Dele Farotimi referred to me severally in his book as the Doyen of the legal profession,” Babalola said.

According to the petition, the controversy originated from the Supreme Court judgment on July 13, 2013, which ruled in favour of Babalola’s client, the Gbadamosi Eletu family.

The case involved land acquired by the Lagos State Government but later contested by the Ojomu family, who sold the land to Babalola’s client decades earlier.

Babalola’s legal team successfully argued that the Ojomu family acted in bad faith by attempting to reclaim the land after its sale.

However, the judgment sparked litigation from estates affected by the ruling, including Pinnock Estate, NICON Estate, and others.

Babalola said that Farotimi, as counsel to one of these estates, criticised the judgment in his book and accused Babalola of unethical conduct.

On Wednesday, Farotimi was remanded in prison custody by a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti following his arrest on a 16-count charge of criminal defamation.

He was apprehended by officers of the Ekiti police command in Lagos and transported to Ekiti for arraignment.

Babalola has called for an urgent investigation into Farotimi’s claims, the recovery of all copies of the book, and a halt to its further distribution.

He also urged authorities to address what he described as Farotimi’s admitted “disregard for the rule of law.”

Babalola, who described himself as a pillar of the Nigerian legal profession, emphasised his six-decade-long career marked by integrity, discipline, and professionalism.

Read full text below:

The Commissioner of Police,

Ado-Ekiti,

Ekiti State.

Dear Sir,

CRIMINAL DEFAMATION OF AARE AFE BABALOLA, AFE BABALOLA & CO AND HER LAWYERS BY DELE FAROTIMI

SUIT NO: SC/146/2005: MAJOR MURITALA GBADAMOSI ELETU & ORS V. H.R.H OBA TIJANI AKINLOYE & ORS (2013) 15 NWLR PART 1378

We were solicitors to the Gbadamosi Eletu family in the case of Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors V. H.R.H Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.

The Appellants lost the case at the High Court and the Court of Appeal before briefing my law firm to represent them at the Supreme Court.

The Appellant in this suit were Defendants at the High Court. The subject matter of the suit was 254 hectares of land at Osapa Eti-Osa Local Government Lagos sold to the late Gbadamosi Bamidele Eletu in 1977 by the Ojomu family. The said parcel of land was later acquired by Lagos State Government after it was sold to the Gbadamosi Bamidele Eletu by the Ojomu family.

The Ojomu family contested the acquisition against Lagos State Government in Suit No: ID/1883/89 wherein the court set aside the acquisition by the Lagos State Government. The Ojomu family then instituted the suit at the High Court of Lagos State claiming that title to the land had reverted to the Ojomu family despite the earlier sale of the land to late Gbadamosi Bamidele Eletu.

We represented the Eletu family and Judgement was delivered by the Supreme Court on 13/7/2013 in favour of the Eletu family wherein the Supreme Court held that: “Where a party has fully divested himself of all interest in land, no right vests in him to deal with the same property by way of further alienation anymore. He is caught by the maxim, nemo dat quod non habet; that is, he cannot give that which he no longer has. In the instant case, it was unfortunate that the respondents claimed title to the whole of their family land compulsorily acquired by the Lagos State Government including the portion earlier sold to the father of the appellants and in which they were in effective possession. The claim so made without disclosing the truth and excluding the said portion so sold was clearly made in bad faith and smacked of insincerity. It was very unconscionable and consequently against the principles of equity and good conscience”.

The Supreme Court also held that: “A court of law should not allow itself to be used as an engine for the perpetration of fraud, in whatever guise”.

A copy of the judgment is hereby attached as annexure 1.

VARIATION OF JUDGEMENT

Honourable Justice Kumai Bayang AKA’ AHS JSC wrote the lead judgement. His Lordship erroneously limited the land of the Appellants to 10 hectares (24.17 acres) in respect to Suit no: M/779/93 whose subject matter was part of the 254 hectares owned by the Eletu family.

We immediately filed a motion for variation of the judgement of the Supreme Court pursuant to Order 8 Rule 16 of the Rules of Court. The said motion was heard and ruling delivered on 18/3/2014 granting statutory right of occupancy to the Appellants in respect to the entire 254 hectares sold to late Gbadamosi Bamidele Eletu by the Respondents.

A copy of the ruling is hereby attached as annexure 2.

ENFORCEMENT

Upon the delivery of the Judgement, our client surreptitiously employed the services of S.B Joseph & Co to enforce the judgement before we applied for variation of the judgement with the intention of not paying our professional fees.

The judgement was however varied on 18/3/2014 as earlier stated.

NEW SUIT BY ESTATES/PERSONS AFFECTED BY THE JUDGEMENT

Several residential estates were affected by the judgement of the Supreme Court among which were Pinnock Estate, Beach Resort, NICON Estate, Friends’ Colony Estate and Victory Park Estate etc. Dele Farotimi was lawyer to one of the Estates.

The affected estates and individuals immediately filed fresh suits against the Eletu family with the purpose of frustrating the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The Eletu family were lured by the affected estates to settle some of the suits behind our law firm despite being counsel on record by filing terms of settlement with the aim of denying us our professional fees. This was admitted by Dele Farotimi in page 73 of his book ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’.

INTERVENTION BY LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

The Lagos State Government issued a publication indicating their awareness of the Supreme Court judgement and the need for the State to intervene in order to maintain public peace and order. The Lagos State Government invited us for several meetings with respect to compromising the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The said judgement was eventually compromised and the Eletu family were compensated by the Lagos State Government so as to avoid a massive dislocation of persons and communities directly affected by the Judgement.

DEFAMATION BY DELE FAROTIMI

Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers while travelling through Murtala Muhammed Airport bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’ published by Dele Farotimi publishers. He read the said book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the said book and read same.

We received several calls from professional colleagues, friends and family members who watched a program on Channel’s TV wherein Dele Farotimi was interviewed with respect to the said book where he made several defamatory statements against myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers), Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro Esq.

We also received several calls from persons who saw excerpts of the book and interview on several social media platforms.

The said defamatory statements are detailed below:

“That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgement in the service of his client” See page IX.

“That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co, (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-Abnegation”. See page X

“That Afe Babalola libeled me and the fact of the libel became known to me in a suit against Lawal Pedro SAN”. See page X.

“That I sued Afe Babalola SAN for libel and he leveraged his influence in the Judiciary to deny me justice”. See page X.

“That I have always been familiar with the fact of our perversion as a People and I have few illusions about equity and justice reigning in Nigeria but I had always assumed that there were lines that should never be crossed. I have however been slapped awake by the brazenness of the judicial brigandage unleashed on hapless citizens, corporate, and individuals by the Nigerian Supreme Court, acting under the direction of Aare Afe Babalola. At least five Justices of the Apex Court have been identified as guilty of odious corruption and or gross incompetence. Either is sufficient to have them removed from their office and this is my petition to the Nigerian people and most definitely to the NJC”. See pages 10 to 11.

“The first we knew of the magic been put together by Afe and his elves must have been around the middle of July”. See page 49.

“While all this was going on, we had a meeting in the law office of Afe Babalola in Magodo, where Olu Daramola SAN made himself unavailable, and had us meet with Olu Faro, a younger counsel……..but Olu Faro Esq was remarkably insolent and assured that we were made aware of just how powerful the law office he worked for believed itself to be and how much above the law and the practice of law they believed themselves to be”. See page 52.

“The judgement of the court was unanimous in giving judgement to the Eletus………But Justice Rhodes-Vivour laid a foundation for the fraud that was to come. He spoke of an unextinguished equitable interest in 254 hectares”. See page 52 to 53.

“We quickly realized that the law office of Afe Babalola & Co, Emmanuel Chambers had outsourced the judgement execution to another law office, the firm of S.B Joseph & Co the firm had fraudulently and deliberately concealed the judgement of AKA’AHS and had underlined the words of Justice Rhodes Vivour to deceive and perhaps mislead Atilade or as is more likely, Atilade was always a part of the original fraud”. See page 56.

“But even as Atilade J. played the contrition game, she was already part of the game plan being staged together by the grandmaster of judicial corruption in Nigeria, Afe Babalola. I have come to the conclusion that the required form of the application and her ruling were all part of the insidious plans of Afe Babalola, his band of crooked lawyers and coterie of crooked/incompetent justices of the Supreme Court”. See page 59.

“The battle to quash the warrant opened my eyes to the extent of the rot in the court system and I came to the knowledge of the sickening realities of the systemic putrefaction. The Supreme Court’s Judgement was doctored by the confederation of lawyers in Afe Babalola’s chambers and the law offices of S.B Joseph & Co and the end desired by the confederacy was sought with the active connivance of the head judge of the Lagos Division, Atilade J.”. See page 60.

“As the mountain of evidence in proof of the Eletus’ fraud began to pile up and in view of the order that Atilade had granted quashing the fraudulent warrant that she had issued and as Afe came to realize how useless the original judgement had become, Afe went back to the accomplices at the Supreme Court and this is the only logical explanation for the shameless and brazen review of the fraudulent judgement by the second seating of the court where the justices destroyed whatever doubt one might have harbored of either corruption and/ or incompetence”. See page 64.

“It was around this time we began to hear rumors of a return to the Supreme Court by Afe Babalola and his magical elves and the rumors became real when I got a call from Tokunbo Williams SAN, who informed me of the receipt of a motion on notice before the Supreme Court, seeking to correct an error in the judgement reproduced below”. See page 64.

“But apparently, we had underestimated the extent of the putrefaction of the Supreme Court and the extent of Chief Afe Babalola’s corrupt reaches into the innards of the Supreme Court”. See page 64.

“The quashed warrant of execution became the basis of Afe Babalola latest excursion to the Supreme Court and the error of my acceptance of the Corrupt offer of an exparte application to quash the warrant for “Documentary Irregularity” became obvious to me. I knew before the motion was heard, that the court was working to the conclusion desired by Aare Afe Babalola”. See page 67.

“The Lagos crowd had been snookered into a corner by the exertions of my chambers and we had demolished the original fraud that was hatched before Afe secured the first of the two judgements………..The Supreme Court cannot hide behind the incompetence of counsel as it has a duty to examine its own appalling intellectual indolence, corruption or incompetence”. See page 70.

“But the court as though enthralled by whatever Afe the Circus Master had Promised the Justices, acted with utmost carelessness about the integrity of the court, the interest of the citizens and the State that they had been sworn to protect. The conspiracy was always a step ahead of us because some of the clients mistook key members of the confederacy of friends and helpers”. See pages 70 to 71.

“The Attorney General had been dragged into the matter. The brutal attempt at enforcement of the original judgement against organized estates and corporate establishments had served to galvanize extremely critical and sensitive mass of the affected peoples and this was when Afe Babalola lost his influence on the Eletus and the Lagos Mafia whose original brief to procure enforcement of the judgement became the dominant force in the conspiracy muscling out the Afe gang. With Afe Babalola rendered impotent, Lawal Pedro muscled in on the queue”. See page 71.

“…… she knows more about the case that culminated in the Supreme Court Judgement and she also knew everything that I had known about the Eletus fraud and Afe Babalola’s shenanigans”. See page 76.

“But Afe knew that he could get the Supreme Court to do whatever he wanted and to rule however he asked. Pedro knew this too and he being the original Lagos boy, showed Afe a bit of Lagos magic. Afe Babalola and the Eletus might have killed the buffalo but had no way from feeding from the carcass. We have turned the corrupt triumph at the Supreme Court into a pyrrhic victory and it was at this point that Pedro craftily inserted himself into the plot”. See page 80.

“If Afe Babalola might be likened to the lion, Lawal Pedro and the Lagos gang are the originally Africa wild hyenas. They literally chased Afe Babalola off his skill. They repackaged the conspiracy, cut the losses and went for the lower hanging fruits”. See page 80.

“This was enough until “eedi” (karma) caught up with Afe Babalola; he dragged Lawal Pedro before the Lagos High Court and the Eletus before ICPC”. See page 81.

“Sometimes in 2016, I started hearing rumblings of some serious fight between Chief Afe Babalola and Lawal Pedro. I was told that Chief Afe Babalola had written a petition to the LPDC, alleging that Lawal Pedro had railroaded his client Gbadamosi Eletu, into an agreement that circumvents his own legal agreement with the Eletus. About same time, I also heard that the ICPC had been pressed into action against the Eletus, Lawal Pedro and S.B Joseph, which seemed quite incongruous, given the fact that the Eletus were not public officers this event stirred an interest in me. I got my popcorn at the ready and waited to be entertained by the squabbling thieves”. See page 81.

“When Amina Augie JSC railed against Chief Afe Babalola’s professional conduct, or misconduct in the Bayelsa case, she did so either as an ostrich or out of ignorance. Afe has been corrupting the Supreme Court from ages past and had led it to commit the most egregious acts of evil and wanting injustice. Afe knows what her ladyship does not know or pretend not to know: that justice does not live in the Nigerian court or you can get the court to do whatever you want, as long as you know who to speak with and who to pay”. See page 83.

“Afe’s letter to Tunde Phillips, then C.J of Lagos State showed how frustrated he had become about the inability to execute the fraudulent judgement. In spite of the fact that he asked the Supreme Court to do what it had never done before……. the Eletus had formed a new confederacy and had neither room or use for Afe Babalola, who had overestimated his own importance to the plot and failed to discern that he had defectively become unnecessary to the new plotters”. See page 84

“Afe is so enmeshed in his corruption that he has lost all sense of propriety and or fairness”. See page 84.

“I have absolutely no interest in taking Afe Babalola’s corrupt money but I was not going to allow a corrupt, amoral man, devoid of any integrity, to define me for posterity when none of us will be around to dispute the hagiographic account of the event”. See page 84

“Afe Babalola was imperial by the suit I filed in court it was designed to blow open the tawdry details of his dirty deals with the Supreme Court…….it was a thing to be having a quarrel among thieves, each knew how far they might push their claim but it is quite another thing to get into “roforofo” fight with a man seemingly incapable of walking way from a fight”. See page 85

“The perils that were been faced by all key members of the twin camps of conspirators………I must close with a caveat; I am not privy to what happened in the conclaves of crooks….” See page 85
“But there was a second incentive. This was the promise to get rid of the nuisance that my libel suit against Afe represented. I knew when I knew when I was filing the suit, that Afe was not in a position to ever defend the suit. He has no defense and he never anticipated that I will ever become aware of his libel and if he did, he wasn’t concerned about what a mere mortal like me could do to a god like him. Afe was offered assurances that he need not worry about the case. The conspirators had it in hand and would extinguish the fire.” See page 88.

“I sued Afe Babalola because I was always going to blow his dirty, tawdry secrets. I did not know how long any of us had to live and I did not want to be dealing with the idiotic arguments that I could envision, of Afe’s proteges, arguing that I was slandering the dead if the book was to be published after his demise. He is already well in his 80s. I have offered him the opportunity to defend himself. He went to extra ordinary lengths to deny me my day in court”. See page 93.

The book ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’ is hereby attached as annexure 3.

All these statements are false and incorrect written deliberately to destroy my reputation. Dele Farotimi referred to me severally in his book as the Doyen of the legal profession.

The book has been circulated all over the country particularly in Ekiti State where so many persons who respect me as an elder state man has expressed their disdain as a result of the defamatory statement made by Dele Farotimi. The book has also been massively distributed online and has reached many persons globally who have expressed concern by Dele Farotimi’s intention to damage my hard-earned reputation. This is contrary to Section 374 of the Criminal Code.

These Statements are contrary to Section 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code which forbids any one from making defamatory statement which is likely to injure the reputation of any person by exposing him to hatred, contempt or ridicule or likely to damage any person in his profession or trade by an injury to his reputation.

The said statements are meant to lower myself, my law firm and my lawyer’s self-esteem in the eyes of members of the society and also to expose us to hatred, contempt or ridicule in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society. These statements were intended to cause right thinking persons in the society to shun and avoid me, my law firm and my lawyers.

The statements were made with the purpose of discrediting my law firm and ridicule us within the legal profession in order to injure our hard-earned reputation and financial credit.

The statements have caused many of our clients to stay away from us and seek the services of other law firms.

These defamatory statements have aroused the anger of right-thinking members of the society particularly members of the legal profession against me, my law firm and my lawyers.

These statements are likely to set the legal profession and the society at large ablaze in a way that can disturb public peace.

MY REPUTATION AND MY LAW FIRM

With every sense of modesty, I am one of the most distinguished legal luminaries of my generation, renowned both in Africa and globally for my profound contributions to the legal profession and the advancement of education. With over six decades of uninterrupted legal practice, my career is a testament to exceptional dedication, integrity, strategic advocacy, and visionary leadership.

I am a highly accomplished advocate, with some of the most celebrated cases in Nigerian legal history, representing high-profile clients, including government institutions, multinational corporations, and individuals. My advocacy spans domestic and international courts including contributions as a consultant to the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Bank, and various conglomerates. My extensive experience includes my role in arbitration, both locally and internationally, where I remain a respected authority. I appeared in numerous landmark cases, shaping Nigerian jurisprudence and establishing myself as one of the nation’s most formidable legal minds.

My influence goes beyond the courtroom. As the Founder of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers), one of Nigeria’s leading law firms, I have trained over 300 lawyers, including 14 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), judges, and attorneys-general, making my chambers one of the most significant contributors to the legal profession in Nigeria. My exceptional litigation skills and legal acumen earned me the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1987, cementing his place at the pinnacle of legal practice in the country. I currently have 7 senior advocates in chambers.

I am a renowned scholar and author. I have authored several authoritative legal texts, including Injunctions and Enforcement of Orders and Law and Practice of Evidence in Nigeria. My contributions to legal education extend to teaching at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and delivering lectures at prestigious universities such as the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan. My popular column, YOU AND THE LAW, published in the Nigerian Tribune, reflects my commitment to educating the public on legal matters.

Beyond my legal practice, I have made extraordinary strides in education. My experience as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos (2001-2007) spurred me to establish Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD). ABUAD has quickly become a beacon of academic excellence, integrity, setting new standards in Nigeria’s educational system. My efforts in education has been recognized globally, with numerous honorary degrees from universities including the University of London, University of Lagos and Ekiti State University.

My leadership in academia and law has earned me numerous accolades, including the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), and international recognition such as the Queen Victoria Commemorative Award at the Socrates Awards in Oxford, UK. I was named Africa Man of the Year on Food Security and awarded an Honorary Doctor of Management by the Federal University of Technology, Akure. My groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire generations of lawyers and leaders across Africa and beyond.

In addition to my legal and educational contributions, I remain a committed philanthropist and advocate for reform in various sectors. My vast experience, unmatched expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence make me a trailblazer in the fight for truth, fairness and justice.

Key Achievements:

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), 1987.
Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, University of Lagos (2001-2007).
Founder and Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD).
Queen Victoria Commemorative Award winner, Oxford UK.
Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of London, Ekiti State University, University of Lagos, and more.
My law firm was established in 1965 and has been nurtured and sustained by the finest legal values including integrity, advocacy, fairness, discipline and justice.

DELE FAROTIMI’S ADMISSION OF CRIME

It is necessary to bring it to your notice that Dele Farotimi admitted to have unlawful access to and corrupted the judiciary when he wrote in page 58 of his book as follows:

“The original Motion prepared by my office was a Motion on Notice. We prepared this and readied our processes to be filed, and then word came to us vide the Ojomu’s palace. Atilade had asked that we filed the motion expatre; this was to avoid a lengthy delay she assured her messangers to me, as having the motion papers served on Afe Babalola & Co will only serve to prolong the resolution of the problems created either by her corruption and or incompetence. My reasoned arguments against the exparte motion were not countenanced by the clients. They all just wanted the mess over and done with. Multi billion naira investments were being undermined by the situation. And several lives were being disrupted they argued”.

DISREGARD FOR RULE OF LAW

It understandable why Dele Farotimi threw caution into the winds in writing his defamatory book. He stated in page 41 of the book, his uttermost disregard for the rule of law as follows:

“It was during one of our heated sessions that I declared my philosophy of law and I believe it was also the day that we began to understand the strength of our synergy and the value and efficiency of our then emergent partnership. I explained to him that I did not read law to follow the rules.”

CONCLUSION

We hereby humbly request that you use your good office to investigate the matter and stop Dele Farotimi from further damaging my reputation, the reputation of my law firm and that of my lawyers.

We also request that all existing hard copies of the said book should be recovered by the police while we take other necessary legal actions against Dele Farotimi.

In addition, his admission of corrupting the judiciary should also be investigated .

We request that this should be treated with utmost urgency in other to preserve the dignity of the temple of justice and the legal profession.

Yours faithfully

Aare Afe Babalola SAN

Founding Partner

THE Federal Government on Thursday, said it was set to inaugurate a new National Addressing System Council in a bid to drive Nigeria’s agenda on planning, economic/financial inclusion, national security as well as ensuring effective national addressing system.

This was revealed via a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, after a pre-meeting at the State Abuja.

According to the statement, the Council, chaired by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, as well as technical committee, will be inaugurated next year.

Underscoring the need for the immediate standardisation of Nigeria’s addressing system, the Vice President described the move as essential for improving basic navigation, service delivery, enhancing urban planning, and driving economic growth; thereby ending decades of infrastructural deficits and create a systematic approach to national address mapping.

He said: “We cannot solve the challenges of urban planning, service delivery, or even basic navigation unless we establish a system that creates order. A robust addressing system is not just about convenience; it is about national development, security, and socio-economic progress.

“We live in cities where most houses are either haphazardly numbered or not numbered at all. This does more than complicate address mapping—it undermines trust in address verification, slows emergency responses, and excludes millions from financial services.”

Shettima stressed that a standardised addressing system will enhance logistics, strengthen e-commerce, and foster trust in financial services. It will also enable accurate emergency response and disaster management, ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.

“The challenge before us is not about delegating responsibilities but about creating a synergy that cuts across federal, state, and local governments. Political will and technical expertise must work hand in hand to make this initiative a success”.

Two presentations from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) were made at the meeting.

The overview of the National Addressing System by NIPOST highlighted the work done by the current management, emphasizing the need for harmonizing the address database in Nigeria.

The NIPOST presentation focused more on harmonizing the postcode with the national addressing system, deploying the latest technology, particularly geo-locating the physical addresses of Nigerians captured in the project.

[Vanguard]

In the world of politics, bold choices often lead to both support and criticism. That is an intricate part of politics.
Kemi Badenock, the leader of the opposition Conservative party in the UK, stands as a remarkable figure, being the first black woman of African descent to reach such heights in British political history. However, her strong and persistent stance on immigration has sparked controversy, especially among her fellow Africans. While some see her views as a betrayal of her roots, it is crucial to understand that her actions stem from a commitment to her role as a British politician. Who, as the leader of the opposition is paid by the government of her country, with tax payers money.

Badenock’s immigration policies reflect her duty to prioritize the needs of the British people. As a member of the government, she is responsible for ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and that the integrity of the nation is maintained. For example, she has argued for stricter immigration controls to address public concerns about jobs and resources. This approach may seem harsh, especially to those who share her African heritage, but it is essential for a politician to balance the interests of all citizens in the country that she now identifies as home. In a role like hers, the focus must be on national concerns, even when it means making difficult decisions.

Some African critics often accuse Badenock of distancing herself from her African origins. However, it is important to recognize that being a politician requires a level of pragmatism. She must navigate a complex political landscape where the expectations of her party and her constituents often clash. For instance, Rishi Sunak, another prominent British politician and the immediate past prime minister of Indian descent, also faced similar challenges. Both leaders must demonstrate loyalty to their country while managing their cultural identities. This juggling act does not mean they forget their backgrounds; it simply illustrates the complexities of political life. Would Kemi Badenock have attained such political heights if she had ventured into politics in Nigeria? One would leave that to your conjecture.

Moreover, Badenock’s stance on immigration resonates with many British citizens, going by their massive votes for Brexit, who feel that immigration has impacted their lives. By taking a firm position on immigration, she connects with voters who seek reassurance and stability. This connection is vital for any politician who wishes win elections on the back of the massive loss of the Conservative Party at the recent elections and to be effective. It may be uncomfortable for some, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, whose votes might not be materially significant to sway the electorate. But the goal of any political leader is to serve the needs of the majority while addressing some of the concerns of the minority.

In the world of politics, bold choices often lead to both support and criticism. Kemi Badenock, the leader of the opposition Conservative party in the UK, stands as a remarkable figure, being the first black woman of African descent to reach such heights in British political history. However, her strong stance on immigration has sparked controversy, especially among her fellow Africans. While some see her views as a betrayal of her roots, it is crucial to understand that her actions stem from a commitment to her role as a British politician.

Badenock’s immigration policies reflect her duty to prioritize the needs of the British people. As a member of the government, she is responsible for ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and that the integrity of the nation is maintained. For example, she has argued for stricter immigration controls to address public concerns about jobs and resources. This approach may seem harsh, especially to those who share her African heritage, but it is essential for a politician to balance the interests of all citizens. In a role like hers, the focus must be on national concerns, even when it means making difficult decisions.

Critics often accuse Badenock of distancing herself from her African origins. However, it is important to recognize that being a politician requires a level of pragmatism. She must navigate a complex political landscape where the expectations of her party and her constituents often clash. For instance, Rishi Sunak, another prominent British politician of Indian descent, also faces similar challenges. Both leaders must demonstrate loyalty to their country while managing their cultural identities. This juggling act does not mean they forget their backgrounds; it simply illustrates the complexities of political life.

Moreover, Badenock’s stance resonates with many British citizens who feel that immigration has impacted their lives. By taking a firm position on immigration, she connects with voters who seek reassurance and stability. This connection is vital for any politician who wishes to be effective. It may be uncomfortable for some, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, but the goal of any political leader is to serve the needs of the majority while addressing the concerns of minorities.

Kemi Badenock’s immigration policies may attract criticism, particularly from those who share her African heritage. Nonetheless, her role as a British politician requires her to prioritize the needs of the nation. Balancing her heritage with her responsibilities is no easy task, but it reflects the reality of political life. Ultimately, the end justifies the means when it comes to serving the interests of the country. Embracing this perspective allows for a more nuanced understanding of her actions and the challenges faced by leaders in a diverse society.

One of the most pressing aspects of Badenock’s dilemma is the expectation to represent her community. As a trailblazer in contemporary British politics, she carries the weight of being a symbol for many who see her as a beacon of hope and change. However, her strict stance on immigration reform has led to accusations of betraying her roots. This creates a conflict between her personal history as a daughter of immigrants and her current role, where she must align with party policies that may not resonate with those who share her background. This situation mirrors the experiences of other politicians who have walked a similar path, such as Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States. Obama faced scrutiny from some African American communities for his policies that were perceived as not fully addressing issues impacting black Americans. Both leaders illustrate the complex balance of individual identity and the broader expectations of political leadership.

One can draw a similar line of reasoning with historical figures in the USA politics like Condoleezza Rice, who served as the U.S. Secretary of State, who faced similar dilemmas. Rice, a prominent African American woman in a significant government position, often had to navigate her identity while advocating for policies that sometimes conflicted with the interests of African Americans. Her experience highlights the challenges of being a representative of a community while also fulfilling the responsibilities of a high-ranking official. Like Badenock, Rice had to reconcile personal and political identities, often leading to criticism from those who felt she was not doing enough for her community.

Badenock’s situation also speaks to the broader narrative of representation in politics. As a leader, she is expected to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusivity, while also addressing the concerns of the majority population. This balancing act is a common theme in political history. Figures such as Kamala Harris, the first female vice president of the United States, have similarly navigated the complexities of identity politics, often finding themselves at the intersection of advocating for their communities while adhering to the expectations of their political roles. Can Kamala’s loss to Donald Trump at the November presidential elections be attributed to what some observers think was her overt leaning too much to her ethnic background or America’s sexism and racism? These may ever remain in the realms of political speculations.

In a nutshell, Kemi Badenock’s position as a pioneering black British politician places her in a challenging dilemma where personal identity and political responsibilities intersect. History shows that many leaders, including Barack Obama and Condoleezza Rice, have faced similar challenges. The expectation to represent one’s community while fulfilling the duties of a political office can lead to complex dynamics and criticisms. Understanding these historical parallels can provide valuable insight into Badenock’s journey and the intricate balance that leaders must maintain in a diverse society. Nigerians, especially those in the UK, must try to understand that all politics is local. As far as practical and expedient, Kemi Badenock needs the vote of the British people for her Conservative Party- pure and simple.

Sonny Iroche
• Senior Academic Fellow. African Studies Centre. University of Oxford 2022-23
• Post Graduate AI. Saïd Business School. University of Oxford
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sonnyiroche

Godswill Akpabio, Senate president, said on Thursday that the Upper Chamber will not be bullied or intimidated over the tax reform bills, asserting that legislative action on the proposed laws will continue in the interest of Nigerians.

Akpabio made the remarks during the plenary, clarifying that the tax bills have not been withdrawn and that the Senate remains committed to addressing them.

He noted that the bills contain provisions that could reduce the financial burden on citizens, noting that the Senate would act solely in the public interest.

“The Senate will not be bullied. We are doing our work in the interest of Nigerians. We don’t take orders from anyone or any office, no matter how highly placed,” he said.

The Senate president emphasised that the Upper Chamber would not be rushed into passing the bills. He said the Committee on Finance, tasked with scrutinising the legislation, has been given six weeks to complete its work, with an option to extend the timeframe, if necessary.

The Senate also reshuffled the membership of the committee responsible for meeting with the federal government delegation to address concerns raised about the tax reform bills currently under review.

Tahir Monguno, Senate chief whip, was removed from the committee and replaced by Kaka Shehu, senator representing Borno Central Senatorial District.

Akpabio explained that principal officers should not be part of the committee, stating that this was the consensus reached during a closed-door session last week before the bills passed the second reading.

The Senate president reiterated the chamber’s independence and its commitment to safeguarding the interests of Nigerians as it deliberates on the contentious tax reform bills.

[BusinessDay]

Nigeria has the highest rate of crypto adoption in Africa and the second largest in the world.

According to Chainalysis Nigeria received over $50 billion worth of Cryptocurrencies from July 2022 to June 2023 the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa at the time of study.

Earlier this year, Binance revealed that it recorded a $21.6 billion transaction volume in Nigeria in 2023.

The company disputed the figures by the Central Bank of Nigeria which claimed the crypto exchange made $26 billion from Nigeria in 2023.

The high transaction volume which runs into Billions of dollars reveals the level of crypto transactions going on in the Nigerian crypto space.

Despite mixed signals coming from Nigerian authorities, The crypto industry has continued to thrive in Nigeria as most Nigerians use crypto tokens to mitigate the effect of the devaluation of the nation’s local currency.

Nigerians use a range of apps and resources for their daily transactions. In this Nairametrics article, we will be highlighting the Top crypto apps used by Nigerians based on their Utility and ratings.

Binance 

Binance is the largest crypto exchange in the world and by far the most popular in Nigeria.

• Despite the spat between Binance and Nigerian authorities which led to the detention of a Binance Executive for 7 months.
• Binance is still a very useful platform in the Nigeria crypto space with strong utility.
• Asides serving as a Crypto wallet for most Nigerians who do not fancy hard wallets. Binance remains the largest crypto exchange where almost every crypto token can be bought and Sold.

Binance delisted its Naira P2P feature following its dispute with Nigerian authorities but the platform has remained relevant in the Nigerian space due to its many other uses.

The platform can also be used to trade cryptocurrencies of all sorts.

Bybit  

Bybit is the second-most popular crypto exchange in Nigeria which gained an advantage after Binance delisted its P2P feature.

• Bybit offers every other thing that Binance offers while still maintaining its P2P feature. Bybit doesn’t charge fees for its P2P trades making it quite attractive to the Nigerian market.
• Crypto traders can also trade cryptocurrencies on Bybit taking advantage of its mobile app designed to optimize that.

Bybit is quite popular in Nigeria but suffers a slightly bad reputation due to the high level of complaints coming from its P2P section.

Koyn  

Koyn is the leading go-to app for converting USDT and other top crypto tokens to Naira instantly. USDT is a high-traffic crypto token in Nigeria as many Nigerians use it to hedge against inflation.

Therefore, there is high demand for the conversion of USDT to Naira daily by most Nigerians. Koyn facilitates that transaction using its rate calculator which is consistent with the market rate. Other crypto assets like Bitcoin can be sold or converted on the app too.

The App is quite popular with a 4.2 rating and 1000 votes on Google Play Store.

DexScreener  

Dexscreener is popular amongst a distinct section of the Nigerian crypto space. The app is used mostly by Crypto traders and investors for technical analysis and real-time updates on potential 10X tokens.

The app tracks real-time data from tokens on Decentralized exchanges and arranges them in their order of potential.

The DexScreener app is popular in Nigeria for memecoin trading which is one of the activities Nigerians like to engage in. The next 100X token could be any of the many tokens that pop up on the screen when you

Local Traders  

In the Absence of Binance Naira P2P which was heavily used by Nigerians. Some P2P platforms are springing up to feel the void created by Binance’s departure.

• Local Traders is a P2P platform that supports Nigerian banks making it easy for Nigerians to withdraw their tokens to their very own bank accounts.
•  P2P platforms like Local traders are a much better alternative to direct P2P trading using WhatsApp or Telegram without any escrow.

Nigerians engage in P2P trading daily and platforms like Local traders facilitate a huge percentage of such trades.

What to Know  

• Crypto is going nowhere in Nigeria with a massive bull run coming in 2025 Nigeria’s daily crypto transaction volume is set to increase.
• Many Nigerians are also getting interested in crypto trading as a select group of young people have been able to make good money from trading crypto. However, the space is still polluted by bad actors selling exclusive groups or influencers shilling shitcoins to the public. A strong regulatory framework will go a long way in deepening the adoption of crypto in the country.

[Nairametrics]

ChannelsTV, on Monday 2nd December 2024, held a Town Hall session on the Tax Reform Bills during which Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy & Tax Reforms presented a simulation of the proposed VAT sharing formula to the public for the first time (at least to the best of my knowledge).

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc was used as a hypothetical case study for the simulation to highlight the difference between the current sharing formula based on the Remittance Model of Derivation which has the headquarters effect and the proposed sharing formula based on the Consumption Model of Derivation in the Tax Reform Bills.

It is a fact that companies currently remit VAT based on the location of their headquarters even though internally many of them have information about consumption activities in each state.

However, since the current VAT remittance model has never required location specific information, a number of companies may just need to start paying attention to their internal database for that purpose in preparation for the proposed VAT regime if it takes effect.

Perhaps that is why the information to showcase a comparison of the current and proposed models using a specific month on a complete basis may not be readily available and/or CREDIBLE at this point.

If that is the case as is likely so, then at least it is better to simulate using hypothetical data than not having any data to explain the impact of the proposed model.

The key point of misconception by Governors and a number of other stakeholders is the proposal to increase the percentage shared based on derivation from 20% to 60%!

The erroneous understanding is that the proposed 60% would still be based on the current Remittance Model of Derivation with the headquarters effect. Meanwhile, the proposal is 60% based on the Consumption Model of Derivation!

Before the referenced Town Hall session, the simulation was not in the public domain and even after the session, it hasn’t really circulated.

Most stakeholders (Governors, Lawmakers and other members of the public) would have better clarity with the visual illustration using data (albeit hypothetical), thereby making discussions more constructive.

There might not have been this level of opposition and distrust driven by misinformation if such an illustration comparing current and proposed scenarios had been readily available.

Something simple but crucial like the simulation might hopefully douse tension on the VAT issue with more clarity and better understanding by stakeholders. This would allow appreciation of other aspects of the Tax Reform Bills which have been obfuscated by the intense VAT debate.

The simulation should be circulated as widely as possible and used as the basis of engagement at different forums going forward.

I was watching the evening news on Monday night when two presenters used a word at different times that jolted me. I’ve heard and seen that word used often, especially by millennials and Gen Z, but I didn’t entirely pay heed because they were mostly in informal settings.

Anyways – I meant to write, anyway – I was jolted to hear that word, anyways, twice from two TV presenters on different programmes on the same station just minutes apart! My Use of English teachers would have beaten the straying “s” out of me if I had used that word even in error.

But that was at another time, before young adults invented more new words and other tokens of social expression, including memes and abbreviations, than at any other time in recent lexical history, thanks to technology and the prevalence of social media.

Words avant-garde

I’m trying to adjust, but I’m not quite there yet. And in this transition to a brave new world of avant-garde lexicography dominated by young adults, it’s improbable that I would have considered, anyways, a jarringly colloquial word, as proper form.

However, Oxford United Press (OUP), the bastion of rectitude, is leading the world in de-sensitising squeamishness in the use of the English language. In other words, sooner than later, I might well find myself loving and even using, anyways, in proper communication.

In a language and literary study in 2023 for the Word of the Year, OUP crowned “rizz” as the winner. The Press said it created a shortlist of eight words “all chosen to reflect the mood, ethos, and preoccupations” of the previous year and “rizz” emerged as the favourite after over 30,000 language lovers worldwide pared down the word soup to four finalists: rizz, Swiftie, prompt, and situationship.

Rizz up, darling!

In case you’re interested in a brief history of the etymology of how rizz might soon become mainstream, OUP explained that just as the fridge was from refrigerator and flu was from influenza, rizz (a noun), which can also be used as a verb, as in “to rizz up,” meaning to attract, seduce, or chat up), has its roots the word “charisma.”

I’m unsure which word might win OUP’s crown in 2024, but I have an in-vogue word slate that would be difficult to ignore. Perhaps lovers of language, especially millennials and Gen Z, the generational curators of these species of unusual words, might help crown a winner from my list for 2024 and share that list on any of my social media handles @azu ishiekwene or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Or text Word of the Year to +234 805 210 0356.

The first candidate for me is “steeze.” I was confused the first time I heard it and couldn’t immediately determine its meaning. An English language coach and content creator on Quora, Jasveer Kaur, described “steeze” as “A slang term which is a mix of ‘style’ and ‘ease’, that means ‘looking effortlessly cool, i.e., charisma or grace.” It’s a cousin of rizz, or “composure”, another synonym for steeze from the Gen Z corpus.  

The lit vs the ill-lit

And how about “lit?” When I first heard that someone was “lit”, I thought they were alight, literally burning! It turned out that I was hugely mistaken. “Lit”, I later found out, means something different. It’s a slang derived from African American Vernacular English, which gained popularity in the 2000s. It’s been around for quite a while, but somehow, the “ill-lit” like me never quite thought it would soon be making its way to the mainstream.

But thanks to hip-hop and pop culture, it has become a favourite expression among millennials and Gen Z. If you say, “The concert last night was lit,” for example, or “Her performance in the game was lit,” there’s nothing more to add. It’s the highest expression of excitement and enthusiasm. In the same way, my father’s highest compliment was “noble”, as in “You’ve done noble!”

Rizz, lit, and dope, I’m told, are in the same class, with ritz (derived from the ostentation of Ritz, the famous hotel and hospitality brand) being at the higher end of the word spectrum.

Who’s the simp?

How about “simp”? It’s not exactly a new word. It has evolved, losing five original letters in the process, but gaining new meaning and currency with TikTokers. Back in the day, that word used to be “simpleton”, a man or woman generally thought or believed to be naïve, foolish. Hip-hop culture in the mouth of younger adults gave it a makeover.

They twisted it against men today, and now a simp is often used to describe a man who is overly anxious to please women. This seems to be the opposite of “demure,” a word formerly used to describe modesty in young ladies but now repurposed to convey cuteness in both sexes.

Instead of the “50-50 Love” Teddy Pendergrass crooned about in his album, a “simp” is a man who doesn’t mind five percent or less back for his affection and empathy in exchange for 100 percent. He is if you get my drift, a woman wrapper. 

If you are already “vibing”, millennial-speak for “losing oneself in great music or conversation”, or feeling “shook”, the colloquial noun or verb for “surprise”, then welcome to the evolving vocab world of young adults fostered by the Internet. From activism to fashion, sports and dating, the language topography is changing, leaving older adults in a trail of incomprehensible slang.

Simply steeze

In the slang line-up for 2024, anyways, steeze, lit, rizz, vibing, shook, and simp are in the race. But the stage would be incomplete without “ghost” (to suddenly stop communicating with someone, as in ‘he ghosted me after our last meeting’), “no cap”, (the damn truth, no embellishment), as in ‘petrol prices will never return to N470/litre, no cap, or “snack”, (someone attractive, as in ‘she’s looking like a snack in that outfit’).

While these words have a global resonance, one would undoubtedly be at the top of your final list if you were a Nigerian young adult—at home or in the Diaspora: “E choke!” The harsher, more menacing version is “Hunger dey!” However, this latter expression has a broader application and is quite popular among older adults.

When young Nigerian adults say, “E choke,” they express the country’s severe economic hardship. This hardship has left many of them unable to have that shawarma or pizza, fix the braids they’d love to, or even chat for long without resorting to data mincing.

This ethos was expressed in the streets of many Nigerian states in August, when protesters, mostly angry youths, staged demonstrations captioned #Endbadgovernance, the lightning rod for economic hardship. But the word is used in more than one sense. It also conveys overwhelming pleasure, as in “Give me more, even if it kills me!”

E choke!

My five finalists for the words that most captured younger adults’ moods, feelings, imagination, and ethos in 2024 are e choke, steeze, no cap, vibing, and composure. I struggled to get the language tool on my laptop to accept these words. I had to overwrite them many times to retain them, as I wondered how examination bodies, like the West African Examination Council (WAEC), would cope with this lexical insurgency.

Is it an indication of the distance these words still have to travel in the transition from fad to mainstream? Or is society just too slow to catch up? No matter, as they say in millennia-speak, las, las, culture, language, and tool developers would be alright.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends his heartfelt congratulations to Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu, the founder and CEO of Matrix Energy Group, as he marks his 50th birthday on December 5, 2024.

This significant milestone not only commemorates Abdulkabir's personal journey but also highlights his remarkable contributions to the energy sector and his profound impact on fostering economic growth and social development in Nigeria.

President Tinubu commends Abdulkabir for his transformative role in Nigeria’s energy landscape and his unwavering commitment to economic progress.

As an entrepreneur, Abdulkabir has successfully broadened the scope of Matrix Energy Group to encompass logistics, shipping, LPG distribution, and fertiliser blending. His leadership has spurred innovation and excellence across these vital industries.

The President recognizes Abdulkabir’s philanthropic endeavours, which have led to the construction of a state-of-the-art Kidney Complex in Maiduguri and at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), the renovation of healthcare centers, and the provision of essential medical supplies to host communities.

Additionally, he has endowed scholarships for over 4,000 students and empowered women through skills training and financial support.

“Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu exemplifies the spirit of resilience, innovation, and service that elevates communities and strengthens our nation,” President Tinubu stated.

In his capacity as a member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PEEC), Mr. Aliu continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Nigeria’s economic agenda.

The President wishes him continued success, robust health, and personal fulfilment in the coming years.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser
Information & Strategy to the President