Some Nigerians have expressed mixed feelings over the current situation at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.

This is as the hospital has cried out for help, saying it was overburdened by the financial challenges.

It also blamed the high debt burden on successive administrations, who left unpaid electricity bills to the tune of N328m.

DAILY POST reports that UCH, which was commissioned on 20th November, 1957, is the first teaching hospital in the country.

The tertiary health institution is currently in total darkness after it was disconnected from the national grid by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024.

Those who spoke with DAILY POST described the situation as worrisome, with some of them querying what the hospital was doing with the money being generated daily.

Prolonged power outage not new in UCH – Mother of ex-patient

An-Ibadan based woman said that prolonged power outages were not new in UCH.

The middle aged woman, who gave birth to a baby last year, narrated how she quickly took her daughter to a private hospital due to a power outage in the hospital.

She said, “I had a baby in September last year in Lagos; the baby was sick so after 7 days I came to UCH to get treatment for her. She had to have an emergency blood transfusion and had to be put under light for jaundice.

“Can you believe there was no light to put the babies in the ICU under blue light? After 24 hours, I had to ask that she be quickly discharged. I took her to a private hospital to get treatment.

“Some babies could not be saved and some probably had complications. I am sad to see that they are still experiencing this in 2024. This is terrible”.

What is UCH doing with revenue generated – Ibadan resident queries

Another resident of Ibadan, identified as Mr. Ajibola queried why the hospital is owing such an amount of money.

He added that what was happening to UCH was as a result of corruption.

“The question is why are they owing. The high medical bills people are paying, where is the money going to?

“If Nigeria will be a better place, we all must be ready to do the right thing, as simple as obeying traffic orders, which many of us in this community do not do.

“Many of us are also corrupt and contributing to the problem of Nigeria”.

Investigate why UCH is owing IBEDC N400m – Health professional

A health worker, who identified himself as Mr. Akindele, called for an enquiry to ascertain why the hospital was owing such an amount of money.

He added that members of the public should ask the management of the hospital why it was owing the electricity distribution company.

“If small private healthcare businesses can power their offices, you journalists should investigate what UCH does with the revenue it generates,” he declared.

What is going on in UCH is very unfortunate – Chairman, Apete – Awotan Landlords/Landladies Association

The Chairman, Apete – Awotan Landlords/Landladies Association, Mr. Rasak Fabayo in his own reaction, described what is happening at the hospital as unfortunate, blaming it on corruption.

“What is going on in UCH is very unfortunate. I don’t expect them to owe IBEDC.

“It’s not only about electricity. The hospital has so much equipment that can make life more comfortable for the staff and patients, but due to the corrupt nature of the system, all these are not working again. The system is so corrupt,” he said.

Our IGR not enough to settle bills – PRO

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Funmi Adetuyibi, has said that the current internally generated revenue by the hospital is not enough to settle the bills.

Adetuyibi made this declaration while speaking with DAILY POST at the weekend.

The PRO insisted that the present Chief Medical Director of the hospital met a sum of N328m electricity debt on assumption of office in 2019.

“The present Chief Medical Director, Professor Jesse Otegbayo came on board on March 1st 2019.

“As at the time he resumed office, the total debt on power was N328m. Presently, the IBEDC is claiming we are owing them N495m.

“It is not that we do not always pay at all. This management is trying all means to pay. We use IGR to run it.

“We collect N14m monthly as overhead. We use the N14m to pay for electricity, water, renovation and consumables.

“To be candid, we use the whole N14m to settle IBEDC. The strike is also affecting us. We have written letters for help to come.

“We don’t mind if we see people who can support us. The IGR is not enough to pay our bills.”

[DailyPost]

Three jets in the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) are to be sold off, it was learnt at the weekend.

This is part of the cost-saving measures being adopted by the Tinubu Administration, an official told our correspondent.

There are 10 aircraft in the fleet – six jets and four helicopters – which will be cut to seven if the planned action sails through.

During the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the plan to sell two planes in the fleet did not materialise.

In October 2016, a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet were put up for sale.

The preferred bidders who initially agreed to pay $ 24 million for the two aircraft, later reduced their offer to $ 11 million. This was rejected by the then government.

Thereafter, an arrangement to put some of the aircraft on chatter for willing governors was initiated to make the planes income-generating, thereby reducing the government expenses on maintenance.

The planes in the Presidential Fleet are Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101.

The BBJ 737 is the Nigerian Air Force One, which is used exclusively by the President.

It is designed to serve as an office and a residential quarter on air to enable the president to function effectively during his trip.

The President also uses one of the helicopters for shuttles during his trips around the country.

Other jets in the fleet are used by top government officials, including the Vice President, governors, the  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly members on special shuttles, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,  ministers on special missions, the Chief of Staff,  advisers and even ambassadors of plenipotentiary status.

It could not be ascertained at the weekend if the President BBJ 737 will be sold and replaced.

The BBJ was bought for about $43 million during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

A Falcon and Embraer jets have been slated to be sold.

The amount released from the budgetary line year on year could not be confirmed.

But President Tinubu is said to be uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintenance, hence his directive to reduce the fleet.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President is uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintaining the planes.

“Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal.

“The main reason is cutting down high maintenance costs.

“I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation.

“The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome.”

An investigation confirmed that the presidency might have incurred over $5 million as maintenance fees in the past few months.

It was unclear the actual figure of outstanding commitments on the fleet which have not been settled.

Giving reasons for the use of some of the planes by top government officials, a source said: “It takes much time to connect some African countries by air. In such a situation, the Presidential Air Fleet is handy.

“The use of the fleet is domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for effective management.”

Last week, President Tinubu in another cost-saving measure imposed a three-month travel ban on public-funded foreign trips by Federal Government officials.

This takes effect from today.

[TheNation]

Turkey’s local elections, on Sunday d, dealt the biggest blow, in more than two decades, to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AKP party.

Here are five things to know about the poll that turned into a debacle for the country’s veteran leader.

More than a local poll

By throwing all his energy into campaigning for his party’s candidates for mayors, Erdogan gave the election a national resonance and made it a de facto referendum on him and his party.

This held especially true in Istanbul, the country’s megapolis and economic powerhouse where Erdogan got his political start and that he badly wanted to recapture from the opposition.

The voters’ answer was clear — the ruling party not only failed to wrest back control of Istanbul and the capital Ankara from the opposition but lost ground in the country’s other major cities, including in the conservative Anatolia region, which had been considered an AKP stronghold.

“The biggest election defeat of Erdogan’s career”, is how Berk Esen, a political scientist at Sabanci University, described the election, in which the main opposition CHP party scored “its best result since 1977”.

Economic woes

The election took place against a sombre economic background — 67 per cent inflation and massive devaluation of the lira, which has deeply affected the lives of most Turks.

“When Turkish people vote, the situation in the kitchen or on their plate changes the voting trend,” Ali Faik Demir, a political scientist at Galatasaray University, told AFP.

The biggest voting changes happen “when we cannot afford a living when we cannot eat”.

Istanbul

“Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey,” Erman Bakirci, a pollster from Konda Research and Consultancy, recalled Erdogan once saying.

Turkey’s economic powerhouse is the mythic city straddling Europe and Asia, accounting for 30 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). With 16 million residents, it has nearly a fifth of the national population.

“It’s not easy to run Istanbul, a city more populous than 20 countries in the European Union,” said Aylin Unver Noi, a professor at Istanbul’s Halic University. “It’s a hub, a commercial, financial and cultural centre. It’s a country”, she said, adding that “those who manage to run this city and prove themselves there” open the way to a national platform.

Erdogan has personified this — he grew up in Istanbul and became mayor in 1994, launching a career that propelled him to the country’s top posts.

Erdogan’s twilight?

Erdogan has been in power in Turkey since 2003 when he assumed the post of prime minister. He was elected president in 2014 and re-elected twice since, most recently in 2023.

During his time at the top, he survived many storms, including huge opposition protests in 2013 that engulfed the vast majority of the country and a coup attempt in 2016.

Some analysts had already suggested that losing Istanbul and the capital Ankara to the opposition in the last municipal polls in 2019 signalled a turning point in the fortunes of Erdogan and his party. The huge blow dealt this time around could prove fatal, some observers have said.

Even before Sunday’s poll, Erdogan had suggested that the 2023 election that saw him re-elected president with 52 per cent of the vote would be his last.

Bayram Balci, a researcher at France’s Sciences Po University, says this possibility is now all but certain.

“He is capable of a surprise and deciding to end his career,” he said. It would be “a way to go out in style, all the while remaining faithful to his vision of Islam and his religious beliefs, according to which nothing on this earth is permanent”.

President Imamoglu?

With another decisive victory against Erdogan’s ruling party, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has cemented a leader’s role within Turkey’s notoriously fractious opposition.

He has the stature, popularity, the sense of media and above all, ambition.

During the run-up to Sunday’s vote, Erdogan pressed his message that Imamoglu — whose name he rarely mentioned — was a “part-time mayor” consumed by presidential ambitions.

The same charge has been levelled by his opponents within his own CHP party.

But since his first victory in 2019, he has faced legal troubles that could mar his political future.

An Istanbul court ruled in 2023 that an Imamoglu remark to reporters that city election officials were “idiots” was defamatory and sentenced him to nearly three years in jail.

It barred him from politics for the duration of the sentence.

Imamoglu has appealed, meaning that he has continued to serve as mayor while putting his fate in the hands of judges whose impartially he questioned.

It is not clear how the case against him will evolve ahead of the next presidential election in Turkey, which is set for 2028.

AFP

WAGES is oxygen to the worker. In the main Holy Books, they are sacred. Leviticus 19:13 says: “… The wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.”

First  Timothy 5:18 admonishes that: “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Deuteronomy 24:15 specifies a periodicity for wage payment: “You shall give him his wages on the day that he earns them before the sun sets—for he is poor and is counting on it—so that he does not cry out to the Lord against you, and it becomes a sin for you.

The Holy Koran in 11:15,  says: “To them, we shall pay the price of their works and they will not be paid diminishingly.”  The Hadith narrates that The Prophet (SAW) said: “You should pay the laborer his wages before his sweat dries” -Sunan Ibn Mâjah, 2443.

So, ordinarily, it should be unthinkable that a religious institution like the Methodist Church Nigeria, MCN, would owe its staff, not just one, two, or three months salaries, but as much as 29 months! This is the story of the registered Trustees of the MCN and how they knowingly and willfully, violate the tenets of the Holy Bible.

There is the follow up issue: how does a body like the MCN collect taxes from workers’ salaries but does not remit them to state authorities? Didn’t the Bible say in Mark 12:17: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.”? Does the collection of taxes from workers’ salaries and not remitting them, not amount to theft? There is also the corollary issue of the MCN deducting pension contributions from workers and not remitting them contrary to Section11:6 of the 2004 Pension Act.

This story of how the registered Trustees of the MCN continue to degrade the Church began on May 14, 2008 when they established the Wesley University, Ondo. Many professors, lecturers, senior staff and non-academic staff left their jobs to join the new university. A few years down the line, they were to regret their actions as they had their careers ruined and found themselves neck-deep in debts as their salaries were not paid, some, for years! 

To be sure, the Trustees put on a religious visage by claiming the university’s mission is: “Fostering moral values and driving  sustainable  development”. They added: “We nurture minds and build tomorrow futures, today.” Then they imposed fees most of their members cannot afford. For instance, the nine-month pre-degree tuition and examination fees with textbooks is N245,000.

Despite this, and raising funds, the MCN Trustees and their cabal began paying staff one month salary every quarter. It got so bad that between 2014 and 2019, the MCN was owing some staff of the university a cumulative 29-month salary. After their appeals to the university and the MCN failed, the staff took their case to the National Universities Commission, NUC. The NUC in its July 19, 2018 letter to the Vice-Chancellor, said it was compelled, by its findings, to threaten the constitution of a visitation panel to determine the viability of the university on the ground of its failure to pay staff salaries.

In August 2020, the former Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor William Olu-Aderounmu, and 88 former staff took their case to the public by addressing a press conference in Ibadan. Olu-Aderounmu revealed that at a time, the university took a N500 million loan and spent it without paying outstanding salaries. But rather than these softening the hearts of the MCN Trustees and their servants in the university, their  hearts became hardened like those of the Biblical Pharaoh in Exodus 19:12. So the staff dragged the Wesley University and the incorporated Trustees of the MCN before His Lordship Hon Justice Kiyersohot D. Damulak of the National Industrial Court, NIC. The staff engaged the services of noted human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Aborishade, while the university and the MCN, hired  Professor O.J. Jejelola and Chief Adeboye Olatunde.

However, the facts of the case were self-evident; so, the justice that rolled down like waters, to paraphrase Amos 5:24, were consent judgements. For instance, the MCN and the university agreed to pay a former staff, Mr Ogungbe  Akinboye  Oluyombo, N14,243,71, unpaid wages; 10 per cent annual interest for the unpaid wages; N2,405,535.15 as tax remittance deducted from his salaries but not remitted, and N1, 094, 872.29 pension deduction which was not remitted to his Pension Fund Administrator.

In the case of the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Professor Olu-Aderounmu, the defendants were ordered to pay him N7,603, 690.82 unpaid salaries at 10 per cent annual interest rate and refund $1,200 to him as amount he “incurred on behalf of the defendants” during his 2017 visit to the United States. The defendants were also ordered to remit N1,748,193.90 deducted as taxes from his salaries. The court ordered the defendants to pay the sums within 60 days or pay an additional 10 per cent interest annually. A soul-stirring case was that of Professor Emmanuel Abiodun Fayose, a geologist. Although his salaries were unpaid, he had to settle the case of a young lecturer who was about to commit suicide because the university where he was pursuing a doctoral programme wanted to deny him graduation as he could not pay his debts. After that, the elderly Professor simply resigned. The court ordered the defendants to pay his N7,249,213.29 unpaid salaries. It also ordered that he be paid N1 million each in the months of March and April, 2022 and N500,000 subsequently until the amount is liquidated.

A very painful case is that of Professor Adebowale Biodun Areo, former Dean, College of Social and Management Sciences who had mobilised the staff to fight for their rights. Unfortunately, he passed away before his case could be heard. It is now left for his family to fight for him.

But neither the MCN Trustees nor the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samuel Sunday Obeka have shown any remorse. In doling out 38 First Class and 159 Second Class Upper Degrees out of 348 degrees in 2023,  Obeka, a Bishop, claimed that these court-certified cases are not only mischievous but also spurious.

He claimed the issue had to do with “part-time lecturers who were engaged on semester basis”. He added: “It is very unfortunate that some of the part-time lecturers are treading the path of blackmailing the university.” True? That his predecessor and Deans  were part-time lecturers “blackmailing the university” by asking for their earned salaries?

I pray that the Prelate and his disciples in the MCN hierarchy take advantage of this season of sacrifice and resurrection to pray for forgiveness and change their ways. 

Happy Easter. 

As bankers begin from tomorrow to strategise on how to meet the new capital structure prescribed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on the eve of the Easter holiday, feelers from stakeholders in the nation’s financial sector point to huge discomfort with certain provisions of the new policy.

Financial Vanguard findings show that the policy effectively excluded banks’ retained earnings, amounting to about N3.85 trillion, from the composition of minimum capital requirements. Consequently, this has generated controversy among banking and investment analysts.

While announcing the new minimum requirement for banks, the CBN in a statement, last Thursday, said, “The minimum capital shall comprise paid-up capital and share premium only”, thus excluding retained income (earnins) and other components of banks’ shareholders funds and making it difficult for most banks to meet the requirment.

While the Paid-up capital is the nominal value of shares issued by bank (mostly pegged at 5 kobo per share) and paid for by shareholders, the Share Premium is the difference between what the shareholders paid for each share and the nominal value of each share.

However, the retained income of banks is profit which was not distributed to shareholders. Vanguard findings show that the top five banks and bank holding companies, have retained incomes of N3.39 trillion, which represents 88 per cent of the combined retained income of the top ten banks. Based on their latest financial statements, the retained income of the top banks are: Zenith Bank with N893.9 billion; UBA, N750 billion; Access Corporation, parent company of Access Bank, N715.13 billion; and FBN Holdings, parent company of FirstBank, N608 billion. If the new policy had not excluded retained earnings, these four banks would have been sitting comfortably above the policy threshold, while GTHoldco, the parent company of GTBank, at N424 billion, would also be on the verge of meeting the threshold. Other banks with significantly high retained earnings are Union Bank, N147.88 billion; Fidelity Bank, N115.8 billion; and FCMB Group, owners of First City Monument Bank with N110.1 billion. Faulting the decision of the CBN to exclude the huge retained income of banks from the minimum capital requirements, a Chartered Accountant and the Managing Partner of Ecovs OUC Nigeria, Andrew Uviase, said: “I don’t think it is fair because if someone have money and he is not using it, then why will you prevent the person from using it, the retained earnings to meet arising obligation?. It is not fair.

“Except it is any other reserve that is not born out of trading activities like if you are talking about revaluation reserves or any other artificial reserve. But if it is retained earnings that somebody earned, would the banks have been better off spending that money and bringing it back. Because you have the right to capitalise retained earnings by issuing bonus shares, you can use it for so many things. “If the banks feel so strongly about it, they should pay out the retained earnings and reinvest it. ‘’You pay out the dividend with the understanding among the major shareholders that if you get this money you are going to reinvest it. You deplete your retained earnings and enhance your capital.” Making the same suggestion, investment banker and a stockbroker, Tajudeen Olayinka, said: “ We still have to await further clarifications on this issue. Except it is completely forbidden by the circular or by any other directive of CBN, a bank can still follow the route of issuing stock dividend at market to pay for rights from its current earnings. “This settles the CBN’s focus on paid-up and share premium conditions.

The company maintains its current valuation but would have its earnings diluted, as more shares are now issued against current valuation. “However, a combination of stock dividend and share reconstruction could settle the potential earnings dilution if done simultaneously. Now, if CBN says no to this route, it follows therefore, that the intention is more economic than a mere fresh capital raising.

In line with Basel III

However, a former Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, said the exclusion of the banks’ retained income from the minimum capital requirement is in line with global best practices based on the requirement of the Basel III international standard for banking regulation.

The former director also averred that the CBN should not allow banks use their retained income in any way to comply with the new minimum capital requirement stressing this will compromise the recapitalisation exercise. Speaking anonymously to Financial Vanguard, the CBN former director highlighted major reasons for the exclusion of retained incomes. “The first is for risk assessment. The CBN aims to ensure that banks have a robust capital base to absorb potential losses and avoid systemic shocks. “By excluding retained earnings, which can be volatile due to business cycles and other factors (such as profits that may arise from Exchange Rate Gains and can also be affected greatly by exchange losses), the focus remains on more stable core capital components, which are Paid up Capital and Share Premium. ‘’The second reason is to ensure quality of banks’ capital. “Retained earnings represent accumulated profits over time.

However, their quality may vary. Some retained earnings might be tied to risky assets or speculative ventures or volatile exchange gains. ‘’By excluding them, the CBN emphasizes higherquality capital components and ensures a level playing field for all banks. ‘’Furthermore, the Core Capital can also more easily be compared to those of foreign banks. “Another reason is for transparency and comparability. Excluding retained earnings simplifies capital calculations and enhances transparency. It ensures consistency across banks and facilitates meaningful comparisons. “Finally is the need for the CBN to align with Basel III standards. The CBN’s guidelines align with international standards (Basel III). These standards emphasize core capital elements (such as paid-up capital and share premium) to enhance financial stability. ‘’Hence the minimum capital base for banks operating in Nigeria will now be Paid-up capital plus share premium.” Also taking side with the decision of the CBN to exclude banks’ retained income, a Communications/ Economy analyst, Clifford Egbomeade stressing that the decision of the CBN will ensure a more accurate assessment of banks’ financial positions. He said: “With the separation of the new capital base from shareholders’ funds and focusing solely on share capital and share premium, the CBN aims to streamline financial reporting and ensure a more accurate assessment of banks’ financial positions.”

Recapitalisation positive for economy

Meanwhile, investment analysts have said the banking recapitalisation will impact positively on the economy, especially in terms of enhancing foreign investment into the country, boosting Naira appreciation, while also prompting mergers and acquisition as well as attracting more pension funds into equity investment. Nnamdi Nwizu, Co- Founder of Commercio Partners, an investment bank, said: “It looks like the whole idea is to ensure fresh capital injection. I think the economy is well positioned to fund the needs. It’s time we see the Pension Funds allocate more capital to equities. We also expect to see a lot of foreign portfolio investors, FPI’s coming to invest in the banks.

“I expect to see M&As, either the smaller banks coming together or bigger banks acquiring those smaller ones. It is almost inevitable.” Also projecting increased foreign investment, Group Head, Global Markets at Parthian Partners, Ronke Akinyemi, said: “The new bank recapitalization requirements by the CBN is a step in the right direction as it will eventually result in a more robust financial system. “Though steep, we believe the time frame given will allow room for the current banks to meet the requirements before the deadline. “Ultimately, we envision that this new recapitalization requirement will result in increased foreign direct investments which will in turn help to stabilize the naira. “Thus, we expect to see rounds of capital raises, especially, with the restrictions of the capital requirement to share capital and share premium. “In addition, we envisage that there will be mergers between tier 1&2 banks and also among tier 2 banks to meet these new requirements.” In the same vein, the immediate past President Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Olatunde Amolegbe, said , “As it were limiting it to just share capital and share premium means most of the tier 1 and 2 banks will be short of minimum capital requirements by an average of 45% and will need to raise fresh capital or downgrade to lower licensing levels. An estimate says that if all the banks were to meet the requirements then they will need to raise an aggregate of about N2t within the next two years.

”While I believe our market has the capacity to provide this capital whether some of the banks on a standalone basis makes sound investments is a different matter entirely. I suspect we are likely to see some mergers amongst the tier 3 banks particularly.” Emphasizing the need for the banks sto start shopping for foreign investors with deep pockets, Uviase, Managing Partner of Ecovis OUC in his recommendations to the banks, said: “There is a time frame for meeting the new minimum share capital. It is not overnight. You have to start the process now, start early enough. “You can start looking for investors, you can start looking for people who will do business with you and have the same thinking with you.

“The immediate thing is you have to enhance the ownership structure, so that it is no longer owned by one or two persons. “You have to also look for international investors, people who have the deep pocket to bring in foreign currency so that when you convert, you will have enough money. “And then they also have to begin to look at how they can enhance their public image and investors’ confidence so that people can be willing to invest. “And then they also have the option of the ones who can stand on their own to come together. That will trigger another round of mergers and acquisition among the small banks.’’

[Vanguard]

David Umahi, minister of works, says President Bola Tinubu will govern the country for eight years.

Umahi spoke when he appeared on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme.

The former governor of Ebonyi state said Tinubu’s presidential election victory in 2023 was “divine”.

He said the president is working hard to right the wrongs of the past and hand the country back to the citizens.

“You called me a pastor but I am also a prophet and you must know the coming of Mr President is divine and when God starts a thing he completes it,” the minister said.

“I strongly believe and I am persuaded to let you know that God told me that this administration will last eight years because this administration is born of God and you can see the miracles that Mr President is doing to right all the wrongs.

“He is giving back this country to Nigerians and that is simply what Mr President has come to do. We are just there to support him.”

He also said some national assembly members are “very” critical of concrete technology proposed for some road projects across the country.

“On the technology of concrete (for roads), I am very happy that the national assembly members — some of them are very critical of the technology of concrete,” he said.

[TheCable]

“Some judges have achieved a considerable degree of expertise….in displaying an immunity from contemporary knowledge and concerns.”–  David Pannick, KC, Judges, p. 32 (1987)

Emmanuel Araka was 60 years old when Allison Madueke, then over 20 years his junior, a Navy Captain and military governor of Anambra State, terminated his judicial career in March 1985. At the time, Araka had been the Chief Judge of Anambra State for six years and a judge for double that. At the time also, the retirement age of judges in Nigeria was 65.

Araka’s crime was that he took the job of the judge too seriously and believed that a judge should be manifestly independent of political and executive influence. 

 Araka was born in 1925 to a father from Onitsha who worked as head-teacher in a primary school in Agbor in present day Delta State, where he was born. His secondary education took him through Hope Waddell Institute in Calabar, now in Cross-River State, where one of his teachers was Eni Njoku (the famous “Teacher Nwanjoku”), who was to become the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos. 

 Following successful studies at the Trinity College, Dublin, Araka was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1951. Over the next two decades, he built a formidable career in private practice and in politics. Twelve years after becoming a lawyer, in 1963, he became Queens Counsel, the equivalent of today’s Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. 

  Two years before that, in 1961, Chike Obi, who represented Onitsha Federal Constituency in the then House of Representatives, had to quit parliament after being convicted of the political crime of sedition. In his place, Onitsha people elected Araka to represent them in the Federal House. 

 The onset of military rule in 1966 interfered with Araka’s career in politics but did not entirely derail his availability for public service. At the end of the civil war, he returned to legal practice but not for long. 

  In 1972, Administrator of the East Central State, Dr. Ukpabi Asika, appointed Araka a judge of the High Court. When in 1976, the East Central State was split into Imo and Anambra states, Araka naturally became a judge in his home state, Anambra. Two years later, in 1978, Anthony Aniagolu, the first Chief Judge of Anambra State was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court and Araka succeeded him in office, becoming the second Chief Judge of the State. 

 Around the time of Araka’s appointment as a judge in East Central State, something happened over in Lagos State which made an impression on many judges and judicial wannabes. The then military governor of Lagos State, Mobolaji Johnson, had extended an invitation to the Chief Justice of the State (as they were then known), John Idowu Conrad, JIC, Taylor, to attend a state dinner. It was reported that Chief Justice Taylor, “after reading it, endorsed a brief note to the governor at the back of the invitation card, informing him that he would be unable to attend, because the Lagos State government had several cases pending before him and it would therefore, in the circumstances, be most inappropriate for him to honour the invitation.” 

  In doing so, JIC Taylor didn’t just underscore the institutional value of judicial independence, he also underlined its reliance in large measure on the moral fibre of the individual judge.

 This was the state of affairs when Araka arrived the Bench. Fourteen years later, Allison Madueke, a member of the First Regular Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy, arrived as military governor in 1984 with no hint of having received the memo. Having settled in, the military governor summoned the Chief Judge to a meeting in the government house in Enugu. Araka, demurred. Madueke later complained in his memoirs that he “had not reckoned that I was dealing with a law administrator that had a mind of his own”. 

  That was Araka’s crime. The invitation was renewed unsuccessfully twice, whereupon Captain Madueke “applied for his retirement”. Madueke narrates that he later met the then second-in-command to General Muhammadu Buhari, General Tunde Idiagbon, while the latter was on an official visit to Owerri and secured Idiagbon’s authorisation to terminate Araka’s judicial career for being independent. In March 1985, Madueke fired Araka.

 Madueke, who has just turned 80, whoops that this was “something of an earthquake in Anambra State”. It was more than that in the judiciary, where it established a norm that independence was costly. Judges re-calibrated. 

Today, cavorting with the executive has become a judicial past-time. In his controversial memoirs,  The Accidental Public Servant, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nasir el-Rufai, recalls that one of his first moves in that role was to visit the then Chief Judge of the Territory to secure the support of the judiciary. He exulted that thereafter, “the FCT judiciary supported us strongly throughout my tenure”. 

 In November 2023, the current Chief Judge of the FCT, Husseini Baba Yusuf, went one step further, corralling the FCT judiciary to visit the current Minister of the Territory, Nyesom Wike, to pledge judicial allegiance to his rule. There, the Chief Judge promenaded somewhat naked before the Minister, pleading that “[a]s a judiciary, we are part of the government and we should be able to do things that will make govt work.” 

Three months later, the list of new nominees to the bench of the FCT High Court included an in-law of the Minister, Lesley Nkesi Wike, who only became a Senior Magistrate in Rivers State in 2023, appointed by the Minister when he was Governor of Rivers State. 

One year earlier, in November 2022, Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, had kicked up a firestorm when he travelled to Port Harcourt and at a reception hosted by the same Nyesom Wike who was then the Governor of River State, stepped into the political minefield to offer judicial support to Wike and four other governors who were at odds with their political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Chief Justice, a devout Muslim, was not under the influence of anything that he should not have consumed but, despite the febrile political season, many were willing to give him benefit of the doubt.

This past week, Chief Justice Ariwoola bettered himself. Under the guise of the traditions of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan, he led the Nigerian judiciary supposedly to break the fast with the president. The team accompanying the Chief Justice included two of his immediate predecessors, each of whom left office under a cloud. Walter Onnoghen, one of the two, is Christian.

No one had ostensibly warned the Chief Justice about the perils of turning into a prayer warrior for politicians. At the visit, the Chief Justice took the microphone and under the guise of prayers offered to the president intoned: “May the Lord continue to bless you and your administration. Let your ship land and berth beautifully. We shall continue to pray for your administration because there are many good things in the pipeline for Nigerians.” 

It is possible that Olukayode Ariwoola has always had a secret career as a clairvoyant which would equip him to know what will happen in future. What is clear is that after these lines, few people can approach the court that he presides over with any expectation of even handedness in any case in which the administration is party.

 Lawyers and judges speak glibly about judicial independence, often treating it as something material, guaranteed by constitutional provisions and by large swathes of money. It is, of course, important that judges are provided for so that they have no excuses to fall prey to bribery or material importuning. Official emoluments are usually not enough competition, however, for the kinds of blandishments that can be deployed in pursuit of the favours of a senior judge. 

  For that reason, the job requires a lot of skill, patience, and balance. But more than any other thing, it requires persons willing to defend independence. Of all the many virtues that he surely must possess, being an Araka is not a charge that can be levied against the current occupant of the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

When I convened my inaugural meeting with the lawyers at the Ministry of Justice after my inauguration, I passionately discussed numerous visionary ideas, including a reformative agenda to propel the ministry forward. 

One of the proposals I ardently advocated for was the mandatory court appearance of all lawyers who have been called to the bar, regardless of their department. It came to my attention that while all lawyers in the ministry received an allowance for their legal robes, only those in the Department of Civil Litigation and the Department of Public Prosecutions were actively involved in courtroom proceedings. I emphasized that this innovative approach would effectively equip lawyers for courtroom practice at all times.

Furthermore, I expressed my sincere preference for the esteemed title of "State Attorney" over the more commonly used designation of "State Counsel." I proposed that we embrace the title of "State Attorney" to better align with my personal inclination, stemming from my career's start as a Federal Attorney at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja under Chief Bola Ige, SAN, former Attorney General of the Federation.

During the weekend, I came across a photograph capturing a moment when I warmly shook hands with one of the Chief Campaigners of His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. Notably, the background of the photo featured a banner extending congratulations to me as the newly appointed Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State. 

Regrettably, an error was made in the caption, mistakenly referring to me as "Anthony General" instead of "Attorney General."

The misguided use of the name "Anthony" on the banner sparked discussions regarding the photo. However, it is important for me to clarify that at the time the picture was taken, I commended the individual presenting the banner, the Convener of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers, Hon. Dipo Okeyomi, also known as Carry-Go, in the presence of other party stalwarts for accurately capturing the title. This is significant, as many individuals often mistakenly refer to the title as "Commissioner of Justice" rather than "Commissioner for Justice." Additionally, I took the opportunity to highlight that apart from being a Commissioner for Justice, I hold the honourable position of Attorney General, which unfortunately was not mentioned on the banner. 

Consequently, I am now concerned about the existence of another version of the picture circulating, where the name "Anthony General" in black colour has been added to generate content and create a dramatic impact.

While it is commonly said that all is fair in politics, I firmly believe that this particular game has been taken too far. Such insinuations should not be made, as they are detrimental in every aspect.

Beyond the aforementioned incident, I have recently observed with deep regret how political rivalries have driven many individuals to engage in various acts with potential criminal liabilities. I earnestly pray that such actions cease immediately.

- Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has urged Christians to see the Easter victory of Jesus Christ over death as a huge motivation that a new Nigeria is possible. 

Obi said that it is also a strong indication that Nigerians will surmount the existing hardship and sing the great alleluia in the end. 

Writing on his X handle, the former Anambra state Governor of Anambra state said, "I join the global community of Christians, especially Christians in Nigeria, in celebrating Easter - the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"This great occasion brings to an end, the Christian Lenten season of fasting, prayers, and almsgiving, and ushers us into the season of glory and victory over death.

"For us in Nigeria, this very significant celebration holds vital promises of victory over our present myriads of challenges, if we do not despair.

"Our dear nation has continued to stagger under the heavy weight of high insecurity, soaring hunger and poverty, ballooning debts, galloping inflation, and mindless corruption that has pervaded every part of our national existence.

"Just as Our Lord Jesus, who made very painful sacrifices for the salvation of the world, which today we celebrate His glorious resurrection, we all must continue to labour, in unity, for the good of our nation, knowing that our labours will not be in vain.

"I, therefore, call on all Christians, in the spirit of Easter, to continue to pray for God's intervention in our dear nation, so that even as we labour, as humans, for the sake of our nation, God will crown our efforts with success, and make the New Nigeria even more possible, beyond our human efforts.

"I wish everyone a very Happy Easter celebration.