If life be long, I will be glad
That I may long obey;
If short, then why should I be sad
To soar to endless day?

And so it was for Herbert, the sun set at noon.

I wrote most of this tribute while on the flight back from China to attend Herbert’s funeral.  My mood had shifted from the initial shock and devastation to that of grieving and a deep sense of loss of a friend who had become my brother.  To that of thanksgiving to the Almighty, for the gift of Herbert in the first instance to his family and friends, his staff at Access Holdings and for his extraordinary accomplishments, for his energy and drive, his vision and mission, passion and compassion, his industry, and his humanity.

Yet the tributes have hardly relented and have only grown more intense as time has passed. It is almost like the kind of treatment reserved for kings and statesmen. Except, one can say that, for Herbert, the subject of our grief was the de-facto Prince of the banking industry, and he was a man who did extraordinary things with the ordinary things that he found in his life’s path.

Herbert had the audacity to dream. He dreamt big and made it happen.
Herbert and I were friends but not particularly close until he decided it was time to conquer the Pensions Industry. He reached out to me through our mutual friend – Nduka Obaigbena with the intention of acquiring my PFA. What started as a pure business relationship, deepened into a close friendship. He was regularly in my house, if I was in Lagos, I would call him and his response was “you dey house, I dey come”, and he would always be coming from Aliko’s house (so I can understand Aliko’s tears and deep sense of loss).

He was a financial whiz kid, indeed a colossus, who straddled the financial services industry, redefining it in his own unique way. Herbert has been described as a “visionary”. Literally, he and Aigboje set out with a vision to make Access Bank one of the top banks in Nigeria. They took over a bank of very modest reputation and swiftly turned it into a formidable national financial services behemoth and is now transforming into a global conglomerate. Not satisfied with turning Access Bank into one of the top five banks in the country, they then set out to make the bank one of the top banks in Africa by 2027. Already, by January 2024, Access Bank had acquired six banks across western, southern, and central African regions.

In their days running Access Bank, Aigboje and Herbert earned reputations as taskmasters. (Aigboje describes it, in his 2021 memoir, as “our fabled work ethic”). Critics saw them as willing to go to any lengths to achieve whatever they sought. The landmark takeover of Intercontinental Bank in 2011 — which tripled their customer base — was believed to be a hostile, even ruthless, one. Not uncommon allegations, admittedly, at that level of performance. Similarly, the merger repositioned the Nigerian banking sector on the African continent as the combined entity had the potential of ranking amongst Africa’s top 10 banks according to The Bankers’ Magazine’s review of top African banks.

Ironically, Herbert’s most telling impact was not just about the mergers and acquisitions or about his corporate conquests. It was not in the number of businesses or branches in his fledging conglomerate. When Access Bank bought Diamond Bank in 2018, the resulting entity became the biggest lender in Africa by customer base. It means that the bank lent to more people and entities than any other financial institution on the continent. It also meant that the bank became a leading provider of capital to the private sector, particularly MSMEs in the continent.

Selling the PFA to Herbert was an easy decision for me. We had grown it to the point where I was convinced that we needed an institutional investor that could drive the business effectively to compete against Stanbic IBTC. There were more than 10 suitors out of which I zeroed down to only 2, Access and GTB. During his tribute on Wednesday night, Segun Agbaje mentioned that Herbert was his friend and at the same time, his competitor, he meant every word of that. Segun also wanted to buy the same PFA. He pleaded with me not to sell to Herbert, but Herbert won at the end. Herbert assured me that he could compete against Stanbic. He was emphatic that he would enter the market with at least N1 trillion assets under management. He was able to quickly achieve this by acquiring First Guarantee Pensions and Sigma Pensions in quick succession, Herbert was in too much of a hurry to grow any business organically, his preference was for mergers and acquisitions (Buy then Build). He then set his sights on Premium Pensions, the second largest in the industry. We both worked relentlessly on this, my assignment was to engage the two major blocks in Premium Pensions. When the infighting in Premium got messy, Herbert quickly turned his sights in the direction of ARM Pensions and engaged his friend Deji Alli and the rest is history. In a couple of months, he was able to enter the industry with assets under management of over N2 trillion. Vintage Herbert.

Much has also been said about Herbert’s state-of-the-art university in his Isiokpo hometown. In truth, the university is no ordinary one. Like all things Herbert, the institution has grand visions to close Africa’s skills gap in finance and technology, and ultimately to help shape Africa’s future.

Again, just like everything else that Herbert conceived and executed, the University was neither a whim nor a product of purposeless ambition. He got me involved in this project as well, my specific assignment was to get the license out from the National Universities Commission (NUC). The executive secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed was a member of the board of trustees of The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) which I chaired. The university bears the mark of an important part of Herbert’s bigger vision. The institution is a product of the HOW (Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe) Foundation, which he founded in 2016 to support health, education, and capacities of young people. The university, billed as the first Ivy League institution in Africa, came straight out of the foundation’s five-year strategic plan to provide quality education and shape the future of education in the continent. This may sound very idealistic. But then who would have put their money on Herbert and his partner taking a small bank that ranked outside the top fifty in the country and turned it into the biggest lender on the continent?

The objective of the university, not surprisingly, is to build expertise of Africans in finance and technology. It is very obvious, therefore, that the university’s goal and outlook synch almost seamlessly with Herbert’s triple passions in finance, technology and human capacity.

In itself, The Wigwe Foundation is another testimonial of a life driven by not one, but multiple visions, each amplifying the essence of the other. In just five years, the foundation had trained dozens of Nigerian doctors abroad, funded the education of thousands of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria, and supported the operations of health facilities.

From his banking legend to the other sectors in which he has affected society and broken the boundaries of possibilities, Herbert has operated like a human force perpetually on the move, pausing only to conceive another vision after attaining the last one. It is almost inevitable that only death would have placed a limit on the heights that Herbert was bound to attain. He was in a hurry to get so many things done, like he knew he had limited time on this earth.

Up to the time of his death, Herbert was still very actively pursuing his visions, doing deals, and setting personal targets. In January, just weeks before his death, Herbert’s Access Bank announced a deal to acquire Uganda-based Finance Trust Bank, the seventh bank it would be acquiring within a short time. The full take-over was scheduled to happen in June, just four months from the time of his death. Earlier in the year, he had wanted to put ATMs at a chain of filling stations in Cameroon, but the owner had refused. In her tribute, Iyabo Soji-Okusanya said that shortly after Herbert’s death, she told her colleagues that instead of sitting down to mourn, Herbert would wish them to keep working, cutting deals. They went back to work and tried to revive the deal, this time, the owner accepted, he said he could not deny Access Bank this after the tragic occurrence of Herbert’s death. In death, Herbert was still closing deals for the bank. He had also planned to take up mentoring of the students at the Wigwe University, scheduled to start operation in September this year.

Herbert was a very generous man, HRH Khalifa Sanusi in his tribute on Wednesday spoke glowingly about his generosity, Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) also spoke of his immense generosity during his tribute. He supported several worthy causes at home and abroad.

Given the timing of his death, one would be tempted to say that these plans belonged on the list of his unfinished business. But knowing him as we do, it is hard to imagine that Herbert envisioned and planned for everything except the fate of his legacy.

It is also hard to mourn Herbert like we do regular people, however tragic his death was. There is just too much to celebrate and reflect, even for someone who died at such a relatively young and vibrant age. The only service we can do to his memory is to continue to reflect on what we can learn from his life of relentless aspirations and serial triumphs.

After listening to all the tributes, I would like us to emulate that of his friend, partner, and brother Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who asked us to clap for Herbert for 10 minutes during the evening of tributes.

I hereby call on all Nigerians to pause and clap for Herbert Wigwe for an extraordinary life of remarkable achievements,

Adios, Dear Friend and Brother.

A mong the pantheon of today’s political godlings, perhaps Senate President Mr. Godswill Akpabio is the epitome of the spirit of the times. An embodiment of power and delusion, Akpabio’s pronouncements on the state of the nation resonate with echoes of emptiness and grand hallucinations. The impression is that of a man who is either deliberately out to misinform or is so thoroughly intoxicated by the aroma of supreme power that he mistakes his own delusions for portrayals of reality.  For some reason, he probably thinks that his elevated office and the grand toga of Senate President will glorify whatever nonsense he mouths on national affairs. A typical man for all seasons as characterized by my friend Segun Adeniyi a few weeks back, Akpabio will stop at nothing in his serial adulations of Tinubu and his government. After over six months in office, most people would expect that the nation’s number three citizen should have fulfilled his gratitude obligations to President Tinubu for elevating him to dizzying heights. But not Akpabio. He is intent on usurping the role of the Minister of Information or the nabobs that are crawling around the corridors of Aso Rock Villa to natter endlessly and be paid for it.

A few weeks ago, Akpabio was variously quoted as claiming that the Federal Government has doled out a frightening N30 billion a piece to each of our 36 governors and the Minister of the FCT. He was forced to disown the naked falsehood by some sensible governors. Just last Thursday, Mr. Akpabio was at it again. He was quoted as waxing lyrical on how insecurity has receded and declined under the Tinubu administration. Meanwhile, he was in attendance barely a fortnight ago when insecurity forced his principal to summon a meeting of all governors and security chiefs to initiate moves towards  the introduction of state police. The terrorists and bandits heard Akpabio this time. On the same day, they struck in Kaduna State. They attacked a school and carted away over 287 children and their teachers including the head teacher of the school. The world has heard it.

A day earlier, Boko Haram or ISWAP or both struck an IDP in Borno state. They took away over 100 inmates mostly women and destroyed some of the new buildings erected by humanitarian agencies to house the displaced persons. On the same day as the Borno attack, inter militia violence in Benue state claimed 30 lives. Just last Friday, the terrorists struck again in Kaduna state. Gunmen attacked a mosque during Friday prayers and killed a number of worshippers. No one knows what further acts of brazen insecurity will be visited on our hapless people any time. So much for Akpabio’s delusionary and self- ingratiating propaganda.

But this piece is not about the Akpabios of this world. It is about a much more fundamental trouble with government and governance in Nigeria. From the forests of our recurrent troubles, an unsettling reality has unfolded. It is a simple observable problem. Hardly does our successive governments achieve closure on any national problem. Be it insecurity, economic disaster or the scourge of ever increasing poverty or terrorism, no job ever seems to get completed by government in Nigeria. Everything remains an unfinished business which is carried over to subsequent years or handed over to the next administration. Isolated troubles even graduate into permanent features of public life as to acquire separate charges and allocations in our annual budgets. We now make annual budgetary provisions for insecurity,  poverty alleviation, cybercrimes, new forms of corruption and even for combating self inflicted economic disasters . 

Year in, year out, our troubles regenerate , multiply and assume lives of their own. Nothing ever gets resolved nor does any task get completed. The Nigerian state never puts anything behind it in order to face new challenges. Nothing bad comes here and ever goes away again. Everything that afflicts us becomes an endemic ailment and we add it to our ever expanding basket of troubles and vocabulary of abnormality. We budget for bad things and assume them as part of a new normal that grows by the day. The pile heaps on the heads of our helpless and hapless citizenry.

Our economy hardly ever improves. Our GDP growth rate never remains on a rise for more than two quarters. Our exchange rate has steadily worsened for over two decades. Our poverty index rises every year as more and more people enroll in the poverty republic. Even more people exit the miserable middle class as they lose jobs and living standards. Familiar places become more dangerous with the years as rail rolling stock and passenger coaches are routinely stopped by bandits and ransacked for captives to be held for ransom. In this place, nothing ever improves neither does a government declared emergency been known to end. Every Nigerian public business remains forever unfinished.

Soon enough, new government positions are created, even new ministries spring up and an industry of sorts is born in honour of the unfinished businesses of state. Take poverty alleviation and the empowerment of the under privileged. Nigeria as the new Poverty Capital of the World has necessitated a whole gamut of government actions to address poverty. From the onset of the Buhari government, a department sprang up first in the office of the Vice president with varying nomenclature. Then it was yanked out of the VP’s office and granted independent full ministerial status. Humanitarian Affairs. National Emergency Relief Agency. Poverty Alleviation, any group of names.

Soon enough, new ways of dispensing government money in pursuit of these maladies emerged. Cash transfers to the poor. N-Power. Palliatives. Helicopter Money. In a nation of too many illiterate people, it is easy to come up with target figures of people whose lives will be made better by these new phantom schemes- cash transfers relief for 15 million, 20 million, 25 million families of individuals. Just name a figure. No questions asked about the relationship of these arbitrary numbers to the mass of impoverished humanity.  Some agencies of government speak of households, others prefer individuals and yet  others opt in other wild directions. Some want to assist traders with Trader Money, Artisan Money, Vulcanizer Support etc. In spite of these diverse epithets, nothing changes. Poverty as the poet said, “stands there like an elephant, huge and unmoved”.

In one recent instance, a new Minister was placed in charge of one of these schemes for which a ministry had been created. Before our very eyes, the elegant new Minister had ordered over half a billion Naira of government cash to be paid into her friend’s private bank account. Her friend had become a government ATM through whom beneficiaries  of government poverty alleviation in a number of states would be paid! Her patrons and principals were embarrassed that she did not spend enough time to learn the trade before swooping! She lost her job within weeks of being sworn in. Investigations are still ongoing and may be completed on the eve of the 2027 elections, just in time for her to rejoin the re-election campaign trail!

Similarly, a Buhari era Minister of Humanitarian Affairs has reportedly been called in to explain how N37 billion of the poverty alleviation money entrusted in her care developed wings. Reports indicate that a few billions of the unaccounted funds have been returned to the EFCC. Again, investigations are said to be ongoing. In a situation where the reality of poverty has also become a business, government is not likely to be in a hurry to either scrub the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs or take it off the budget. Poverty alleviation is likely to remain an unfinished business for a long time.

Insecurity is easily the most entrenched area of our culture of unfinished national business. For more than 12 years, insecurity has come to occupy a central place in the language of our social and political discourse as a nation. Our insecurity has created its own industrial momentum of unfinished business. In the absence of a formal war, our entire security and military apparatus has become embroiled in the last ten years or more in combating forms of insecurity in all of our 36 states and the FCT.  Countless prison breaks have taken place all over the country. No one knows how many children have been adducted from school dormitories and hurled into slavery or sadistic ‘marriages’ to jihadists and nasty zealots. Many have died unnecessary death either in the hands of sundry gunmen or badly trained security personnel. Yet many more have been abducted, kidnapped and ransoms totalling billions of Naira paid. Children have lost their parents to enemies they cannot recognize just as parents and husbands have watched their children or wives abused before their very eyes. 

The world has come to brand Nigeria as a permanently unsafe and insecure place. In furtherance of this brand identity, our citizens have been branded, our passport held in permanent disdainful suspicion with our citizens subjected to all manner of indignities at airports and land borders across the world. Of course the global arms business has benefitted from our permanent insecurity status. The United States, Turkey, China and all manner of black market arms dealers around the world have benefitted from our institutionalized insecurity. We have , for the past decade or more, been buying  all manner of instruments of war to combat what is widely regarded as an internal security problem. We now need sophisticated fighter jets, helicopter gunships and all classes of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) to suppress bandits, terrorists and community based common criminals. No one cares to ask about the human rights implications of using disproportionate force to discourage common criminals from disturbing the peace. “War is war. All is fair in war”, I can hear the arms merchants and their Nigerian agents chant in unison.

The recent spate of insecurity incidents has come at a time when most Nigerians thought that the critical emergency of the hour is the epidemic of hunger and government inflicted hardship  ravaging the country. That in itself is manifesting in hitherto unimagined ways. In the various theatres of the hardship war, new forms of anarchic trends are being witnessed. Destitutes and children have taken to way -laying and looting trucks in transit especially those loaded with food items. Private and government warehouses are being breached and ransacked. In Abia state, a hungry man has reportedly shot dead his teenage son for ‘eating the only food left in the house’. In Lagos, two children have reportedly been sold in exchange for some bags of rice.

There needs to be a way out of these multiple crises. The upshot of all this is to challenge our government to call this anomaly of multiple crises its rightful  name. Are we in a war or at peace? Does any of our troubles have an end in sight?  Why must we consecrate transient problems that other nations put out in months into permanent conditions?

Government needs to summon up the courage to become pragmatic and unconventional. Government must attach a deadline to its exertions in the various areas of the troubles that afflict us. Our security forces now need to give all bandits, terrorists, armed agents,  non- state actors and trouble makers a deadline to surrender beyond which deadline they qualify as enemy combatants with full consequences. On the economy, I guess it is time that the government of the day gathers the nation’s best economic brains in one room with a simple task: come up with workable solutions to rescue our economy within a 12 month window.

It is also time to dissolve the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other related poverty enabled government efforts. They are enriching a few opportunists and deepening the poverty of the majority. Poverty was not created by any ministry. It was created and widened by a succession of bad inhumane governments presided over by politicians. Our poverty and economic calamity are the products of the politics of bad table manners: eating too much when the majority are starving! Therefore, all those who have held executive political positions from local government to federal level since 1999 should voluntarily let us know how much they are willing to “lend” to the Central Bank in both Naira and foreign exchange within  the next three months to help us revamp the economy. That is probably all the money we need to revamp the economy. No need for World Bank or IMF loans. No need to go camp in hand to Qatar, Saudi Arabia or UAE. We shall repay our politicians the ‘soft loan’ within an agreed time frame for as long as the loan amount can be justified as legitimate income in their period of public service.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet…” (Matthew 24: 6).

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet…” (Matthew 24: 6).

AS Nigerians are drenched in cries of agony, so is the air also thick with rumours of a coup d’état or military take-over. Those not marching on the streets and shouting “ebi n pa wa” (We are hungry!), like the multitudes that have done so across the country, are, like my brother, Azu, who, in his latest column, complained about the heat wave and the parlous state of power supply. I sleep in a room that is naturally well aerated; still, anytime the air ceases, sleep takes a flight. To divert sleep time to work becomes impossible with no power supply. Running generators in the middle of the night is simply unconscionable and without electricity to charge the batteries, the inverter cannot work. The cost of the other alternative, solar, has shot through the roof! Like another of my PUNCH-day colleagues, Godwin Nzeakah, aka Ogbuefi, would say, it does not rain for hapless Nigerians, it pours! Yet, we saw it coming but neglected to act. Crying after the head is off, bolting the stable doors after the horse has bolted and crying after the milk has been spilled is all we are doing now. Worse are my fears that we may recourse to taking rash decisions in our habitual manner of cutting corners and adopting fire brigade approaches to matters that demand painstaking fidelity with due process.

We risk going back into the thick forest of jackboot dictatorship that we exited at great pains and sacrifice; we shall be making our situation worse should we resort to another military take-over at this point in time. The military top brass has spoken out forcefully against a coup but can we take their word for it? Are they themselves not at risk should their juniors decide to upturn the apple cart? It has been said that the antidote to military coup is good governance: Can anyone say, in good conscience, that this country has witnessed good governance since the present civilian rule began in 1999? Rather than improve, things have gone from bad to worse; the worst of all the civilian governments being that of Muhammadu Buhari. The incumbent, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is stuck in the miry clay that Buhari engineered deliberately or otherwise, leading to the immense suffering that Nigerians experience today. Unfortunately, there is no easy and fast way out of the quagmire, even though the patience of Nigerians is already running thin. Agent provocateurs are cashing in on the situation mostly to serve selfish interests. A population that worships the belly and that only knows of temporary pleasure, like biblical Esau, wears their ignorance like a badge, harassing every voice of reason and ready to cudgel every contrary opinion into submission.

If democracy teaches us anything, it is that the majority is not always right. Interestingly but also ironically, the tyranny of the majority has been one of the most damning drawbacks of democracy. So, then, did the German playwright, Henrik Ibsen, posit that the strongest man is he who stands alone. Oftentimes, we need the services of a telescope to differentiate between democracy and mob action. Strong leaders, ready to stand alone and chart the course, however unpopular, have made the most profound impact on our world. Galileo, for instance, was sent to the inquisition for affirming that the Earth was spherical and not as flat as a trencher that the authorities had claimed it to be.  Had Martin Luther not dared to be different, what would our world have been without the Reformation?  My message to Tinubu is: Dare to be different! Listen to the people but all the same chart the course that will take Nigeria out of the dark tunnel engineered by Buhari and his cabals. Speak to us more often. Explain your actions more plainly. Be more forthright in exposing the shenanigans of the past. No cover up of Buhari or anyone for that matter! On your own part – and on the part of your family members – be more sensitive to public perception of your actions. While you need to take all the precautions that need to be taken to contain the rumours of coup, don’t allow it to clip your wings.

Despite the rash of coups around us in the West African sub-region in recent times, military take-overs have generally become an aberration. In Nigeria especially, the military not only destroyed the fabrics of our society, it also overstayed its welcome. From the first military coup that was Igbo-dominated and one-sided in the political leaders and military officers it executed; to the first military government led by another Igbo-man, Gen. JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, that destroyed our federalism and instituted centralism and military-style command structure; to Yakubu Gowon whose rash decisions (together with Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s) led to the civil war and the subsequent fritting away of our oil wealth; to Murtala Muhammed who destroyed the Civil Service with his rash “with immediate effect” dismissals and retirements; to Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration when Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) was allowed to collapse and pronto surfaced Obasanjo Farms Nigeria (OFN); to Muhammadu Buhari whose draconian rule led to retroactive  executions, the trampling of the people’s fundamental human rights and the disappearance of huge oil windfalls; to Ibrahim Babangida whose SAP began the destruction of the Naira, who introduced corruption and the settlement syndrome, and destroyed seniority and esprit de corps in the military; to the vilest of them all, Sani Abacha, who stole this country blind and who wasted MKO Abiola away in detention and, finally, to Abdulsalami Abubakar whose administration has the blood of Abiola on its hands – we have had more than enough of military rule. No more! Perish the thought of military take-over if no one wants Nigeria to perish with it!

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review recently received a bill for an Act to make provisions for rotation of power among the geo-political zones, senatorial zones and federal constituencies in presidential, governorship and senatorial elections in Nigeria.

This stems from cries of marginalisation by different regions of the country and some localities even within states.

DAILY POST reports that the bill which was sponsored by member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, Benue State, Ojema Ojetu, if passed and assented at the end of the review, may bar zones that have produced the President of Nigeria since the return to democratic governance in 1999 to allow other zones.

According to the copy sighted by our correspondent, the bill would alter Section 133 of the constitution by inserting some sub-sections to the nation’s extant laws.

Sub-section 2 of the proposed law opined that “The Office of the President of Nigeria shall revolve round the six geo-political zones, with each state holding the office for a maximum of two terms of four years each, to give every section and state in Nigeria a sense of inclusion, participation and representation in Nigeria’s democracy.”

Sub-section 3 reads, “Any zone in Nigeria which has produced a President of the Federal Republic shall not be eligible to produce another President until the other zones take their turns.”

Sub-section 4 says, “The effective date for consideration in the rotation of power shall be 29th of May, 1999 when the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) became effective.”

Meanwhile, sub-section 6 says “The office of the governor of a state in Nigeria shall revolve round all the three senatorial zones in the state, to give every indigene of the state a sense of inclusion, participation and representation in the development of the state.

Sub-section 7 states that “Every senatorial zone in a state which has produced governor of that state in a democratically conducted election shall not be eligible to produce a governor, unless and until other senatorial zones produce governors of the state.”

DAILY POST reports that since the country returned to democracy in 1999, only South-West, North-West, and South-South had produced a Nigerian President.

While Olusegun Obasanjo from South-West was elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2003, Late Yar’ Adua from Katsina State, North-West succeeded him in 2007.

Goodluck Jonathan from South-South succeeded Yar’ Adua and handed over the mantle of leadership to Muhammadu Buhari, another North-Westerner.

The current Nigerian leader, President Bola Tinubu from Obasanjo’s region (South-West) succeeded Buhari in 2023.

Some stakeholders, who spoke to DAILY POST on Saturday, expressed support for the bill, saying it was long overdue, considering the ethnic violence that usually erupt during general elections.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko lamented that the rational presidency ought to have been a law since the country returned to democracy in 1999.

Onwubiko told DAILY POST on Saturday that even some political parties that earlier adopted zoning to enable rotational presidency failed.

While declaring support for the bill, Onwubiko, however, expressed pessimism that the bill may not get the nod of the majority of lawmakers.

He said, “The concept of zoning of political offices even made it into the constitution of some political parties, including the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party which dominated politics for 16 years from 1999 before the All Progressives Congress came on board in 2015.

“Unfortunately, even the PDP failed to uphold this critical aspect of its constitution and for over two times, conceded its Presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar even when the Eastern zone of Nigeria has never gotten to the office of executive President since independence.

“So, for the purposes of social justice, we may give the bill for rotation of political offices some form of support. The problem is that politicians in Nigeria are not known to follow the law so they will undermine that provision of the bill.

“Some may even get it quashed in the court of law. The best way to safeguard the objective of such an idea is to include it as part of the amendments of the Nigerian constitution so it may be difficult for politicians to abuse.

“By and large, that bill should be included in the current process of amendments of the Nigerian Constitution”.

Similarly, the factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro told DAILY POST on Saturday that the bill, if passed into law, would ensure the sustainability of Nigeria’s democracy.

He said, “in a momentous stance, Ohanaeze Ndigbo throws its weight behind the bill advocating for the rotation of power as a pivotal step towards stabilizing Nigeria.

“With all eyes, especially those of Ndigbo, keenly observing the progress of this bill, the proposed provisions for the rotational allocation of power among various geo-political zones, senatorial zones, and federal constituencies in presidential, governorship, and senatorial elections hold immense significance.

“Ohanaeze commends this progressive development aimed at breaking the cycle of ambitious politicians exploiting weak state institutions to wangle their way into power through collusion with cabals, corrupt INEC officials, and clandestine networks.

“If enacted, this bill will not only put an end to the incessant over-recycling of power-hungry individuals but also prevent the dominance of powerful tribes, clans, and factions over marginalized groups at the national, state, and local government levels.

“We hail this opportunity as a crucial step towards upholding the unwritten pact of the Rotational Presidency, transforming it into a binding legal instrument.

“This legislative move is vital for ensuring democracy’s sustainability, eradicating ethnic hegemony, and fostering a more inclusive political landscape where all regions have an equitable opportunity to lead”.

Also, a chieftain of the ruling APC, Mailafia Gwamna lamented that the North Central had only produced military Heads of State but never an elected president since 1960.

Gwamna, a native of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, told DAILY POST, “It is a good thing that the bill is coming up now but this law should have been enacted immediately when Nigeria exited military rule.

“Since 1960, North Central, comprising the FCT, Benue, Kogi, Plateau and Niger State have not produced a Nigerian President.

“This is not correct. We are all Nigerians and everybody needs to have that sense of belonging. How do I even tell my children that one day they can become president?

“Since 1999, the presidency has been going round the South-West, North-West and South-South. So, it will be a thing of joy if the bill scales through, but we should not put our hope in it, otherwise, we will be disappointed.”

[DailyPost]

Mo Abudu, CEO of the EbonyLife Group, has been recognized as the 2024 Businesswoman of the Year at the prestigious Forbes Africa Woman Awards, held at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on Friday, March 8th, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

Mo Abudu’s exceptional leadership and achievements in the corporate world have earned her the title of “Africa’s Most Successful Woman” by Forbes. Under her guidance, EbonyLife Group has become a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, comprising EbonyLife Films, EbonyLife Studios, the EbonyLife Creative Academy, and EbonyLife Place, Nigeria’s first luxury entertainment resort.

Abudu’s notable productions include highest-grossing blockbusters such as Fifty, The Wedding Party, Your Excellency, and Òlòtūré.  Other production successes include Blood Sisters, Netflix’s first Original Nigerian series, which garnered over 11 million hours of viewing time and secured a spot in Netflix’s Global Top Ten list. Wrath and Revenge launched on Netflix over Christmas 2023 and Netflix recently announced the upcoming release of other titles to include an Oloture sequel and Baby Farm – a brand new series, where a young pregnant woman becomes a prisoner of a sinister baby farm operating as the auspices of an NGO.

Furthering her impact internationally, EbonyLife Media has entered into collaborations with renowned studios such as Sony, AMC Networks, Netflix, Starz, Lionsgate, BBC, Westbrook Studios, and Will Packer Productions.

Mo Abudu’s commitment to fostering talent and diversity in the media industry is evident through her partnership with Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures. Together, they aim to uplift talent from Africa and its diaspora, creating inclusive and diverse content.

Acknowledging her recent accolades, Mo Abudu expressed gratitude, stating, “Gratitude fills my heart as I share this remarkable news with you! Last night in Johannesburg, I was honored with the prestigious 2024 BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD at the FORBES AFRICA WOMAN AWARDS. To Forbes Africa, thank you so much! Your recognition is both humbling and empowering.”

She further emphasized the importance of resilience and unity among African women, dedicating her success to her team at EbonyLife, her family, and all the remarkable women who inspire her.

Mo Abudu’s impact extends beyond the entertainment industry; she recently curated the groundbreaking “Echoes of Africa” series at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, showcasing African cinema for the first time in the institution’s history.

Her commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders is reflected in her role as a distinguished judge for the Forbes 30 Under 30 selection committee , her appointment as Creatives Champion for the upcoming UK-African Investment Summit by the UK Government and her work at upskilling the next generation of filmmakers at the EbonyLife Creative Academy.

Mo Abudu’s journey serves as an inspiration to women everywhere, reminding them that with determination and resilience, any obstacle can be overcome. Her message to fellow women is clear: “If you can think it, you can do it. Together, let’s continue to pave the path for generations to come.”

[TheNation]

Experts and crypto enthusiasts have lamented the current ban on Binance naira operations in Nigeria, stating it may increase youth unemployment in the country.

In separate interviews with The PUNCH, the experts called on the government to look for better means of managing the country’s current foreign exchange challenges.

An economist with Lotus Beta Analytics, Shedrach Israel, said that the recent move by the government was tantamount to “treating malaria with paracetamol”.

He claimed the ban on Binance would not address the falling value of the naira.

“I don’t know why the cryptocurrency is being seen as sabotage on the exchange rate because the cryptocurrency is not the major means by which the dollar is flowing in Nigeria. Banning Binance is like giving a malaria patient paracetamol. Although paracetamol may cure the pain of malaria, it does not cure the sickness.

“Similarly, banning Binance has not stopped the naira from falling because the issue is bigger. Binance is just a bit of how much liquidity the dollar has in Nigeria,” he argued.

Israel has called on the CBN to investigate the forex holdings of top Nigerian politicians.

“These people, whether politicians or private citizens, who have stored up forex should be made to convert their money to naira, otherwise, the ban would not be effective.

“Although the CBN governor claimed about $26bn had left Nigeria through Binance unaccounted, the fact is that Binance uses peer-to-peer trade, which means that there is inflow and outflow of naira in the economy. If $26bn has gone out, how much has come in? Binance is not our problem. Some Bureau de Change operators are possibly richer than Binance users,” he added.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics unemployment data, the unemployment rate among youth aged (15-24 years) in Q2 2023 was 7.2 per cent, compared to 6.9 per cent in Q1 2023.

It is estimated that over 22 million people, or 10.3 per cent of Nigeria’s total population, currently own digital currency.

In September 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria issued a definitive statement, explicitly clarifying that Binance Nigeria was neither registered nor regulated by the SEC.

This official declaration categorises the operations of the renowned global cryptocurrency exchange, within Nigeria as illegal and unauthorised.

In December 2023, the apex bank changed its stance on crypto assets in the country and asked banks to disregard its earlier ban on crypto transactions.

A cryptocurrency trader, John Odiba, however, stated that the effect of Binance’s exit from Nigeria could be both negative and positive, with the positive outweighing the negative in the long run.

“The effect of Binance’s exit on Nigerian users can be both positive and negative. One of them is that it could lead to decreased liquidity in the Nigerian cryptocurrency market, resulting in higher transaction costs and less favourable trading conditions for users. Nigerian users may face some limitations in accessing certain cryptocurrencies and trading pairs that were previously available on Binance, potentially hindering their investment opportunities,” he said.

On the positive side, he said the absence of Binance could create space for local cryptocurrencies like the eNaira to thrive.

“The absence of Binance could create space for local cryptocurrency exchanges to thrive, offering Nigerian users more options tailored to their needs, in the long run,” he said.

According to a crypto enthusiast, Godwin Ojonugwa, his main source of income is the Binance peer-to-peer trade.

He claimed that he was able to fund his education and built himself a befitting apartment through the trade.

He lamented that the current restrictions had negatively impacted his business and he was scared of becoming unemployed.

“Binance has made me a millionaire. I went to school and built my first house with Binance trade. Banning it has made business difficult and I am afraid of becoming unemployed,” he enunciated.

[Punch]

The Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that it has commenced the investigation of ten suspected oil thieves in Akwa Ibom, handed over to it by the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka, Akwa Ibom State.

This information was contained in a statement released by EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Oyewale stated that the suspects, who allegedly operated without the appropriate licenses, were apprehended by the Navy while onboard a ship, MT Queen Hansal, loaded with 100 metric tonnes of petroleum products.

Furthermore, he mentioned that during the handover of the arrested suspects and exhibits to the EFCC, the Commanding Officer of FOB, Captain Uche Aneke, emphasized that the Navy will continue to carry out its duty to ensure that Akwa Ibom State remains unfavorable for oil thieves.

The statement revealed, “The vessel MT Queen Hansal was involved in suspicious activities along the Exxon Mobil oil field at position Lat 04’12’ 956 N, Long 007’40’ 186 ‘E’, as it switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS). The Nigerian Navy, during its task, apprehended the ship, and the vessel along with the 10 crew members were arrested by NNS OJI on December 28, 2023, during an inspection. They were subsequently brought to the base on December 30, 2023.”

Upon receiving the suspects and the products on behalf of the EFCC, Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DSE Ayuba Zira, expressed gratitude to the Navy and assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted, and any culpable suspects would be prosecuted accordingly.

“We want to assure the public that the EFCC is going to investigate this conclusively, and everyone found culpable will face justice. The Command will continue to collaborate with the Navy to sanitize our oil industry and waterways,” he stated.

A new government  in Ni geria came on board, on May 29, 2023, that is  some 9 months ago. Although the new administration headed by former Lagos governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu is sponsored by the All Progressives Congress, APC, which had earlier sponsored his predecessor, optimists believe that this time around, change is around the corner.

If it is actually on its way, it does not appear that any such movements concern the pervasive insecurity of the Buhari years. As if nothing has changed, several students and their teachers only 3 days ago faced threats of kidnapping resulting in no less than 287 missing persons in Kaduna State. The modalities of the abduction as well as official reactions to the development suggest that at least as far as the subject of insecurity is concerned, Nigeria is yet to move from where it stood before May 29, 2023.  

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has quickly visited the scene – from where he has given the assurance that the abducted pupils would be rescued soonest. While addressing members of the affected  community, the governor said, “In my capacity as your elected governor, I am assuring you that by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt.” The stereotype statement is a very familiar one. His predecessor, Nasir El Rufai gave similar assurances 8 years earlier. President Tinubu has also promptly waded in with a directive to the security agencies to swiftly rescue the abductees including those affected in Borno State. Again, this is not new because former President Buhari spoke similarly all through his tenure. The only difference is that Tinubu is more assertive and better forthcoming with his acceptance of vicarious liability for several incidents.

If some citizens believe the relevant agencies will do as the President directed, nothing shows that insurgents are also as simplistic. Evidence that they are emboldened to remain lawless is provided from the same state – Kaduna, where in less than 48 hours after attacking and abducting about 287 students from  Kuriga community, the bandits struck again killing at least two worshippers during Friday prayers.

According to one of the community leaders, Hudu Kwasakwasa, the attack took place at about 2 pm on Friday, a day after the school abductions;  with the bandits opening fire indiscriminately on the worshipers. When incidents like this occur who precisely should be held accountable? This is probably the appropriate junction to ask the question that is yet to be answered in the country making it appear that no one is in charge of security anywhere in our clime.

There is also a possiblility that identified security agencies may do little or nothing about security breaches and that they would not be held accountable. Here, we recall the 2018 story of former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who disobeyed President Buhari’s orders to prioritise government’s response to insecurity in Benue state by personally relocating to Makurdi. It is not only that Idris did not relocate as directed, the President did not know that the Police boss disobeyed his orders. Buhari got to know only in March 2018 during his own belated visit to the state whereas the directive had been given in January, that is, 3 months earlier when gunmen invaded some Benue communities and killed 73 persons. Even when the President became aware of Idris’s non-compliance, he was surprisingly allowed to remain in office as IGP.

By the suspension of Minister Beta Edu and a few removals of some office holders for one lapse or the other, Tinubu has shown that it may not be business as usual but actions taken so far are too few to make the desired impact on the level of impunity and prevalent indiscipline which he inherited from his predecessor. In all honesty, so many things happened in the past for which no one was held accountable; a good example being the series of jail breaks in the country.

Between 2015 and when President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, there were no less than 18 prison breaks in Nigeria, with nearly 9,000 inmates released. The Kuje prison at the heart of the nation’s capital, Abuja, presented a scandalous jailbreak which followed the same pattern of attacks on security forces with the use of explosives. When Buhari visited the location and was showed round the facility, all he said via a  tweet was that  he was “saddened” by the attack and “disappointed” with Nigeria’s intelligence system.’

With the way the jaibreaks were handled it is easy to imagine that in future, Nigeria  may not be able to develop strong correctional centres or indeed any viable societal institution . Here, the attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train service in March 2022 is instructive. According to media reports,  terrorists emerged from the Kateri-Rijana forest of Kaduna State, setting off explosives to derail the train carrying 362 passengers. Shots reportedly came from all directions as the attackers surrounded the train and managed to abduct over 100 of the passengers while 8 people died. Government did nothing thereafter to allay the fears of citizens that there was no safety anywhere in Nigeria.

Instead, the nation was left to hear claims and counter claims on the subject. The then Kaduna governor El Rufai was sure the blame ought to have gone to the military for failing to attack the terrorists, despite identifying them long before the train tragedy. On his part, former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi,  said he had long warned of possible attacks on the rail line. Amaechi claimed he had requested some digital security and crime detection equipment that could forestall such terror attacks on the rail line but his requests were turned down.

If a minister got approval to spend huge sums to put the rail into use, those in the corridors of power who turned down a smaller request to technically secure the system may have to be unravelled by posterity. And that would come several decades after the lapse had led to the holding of several passengers as hostages who were released in batches following negotiations with their captors after the attack. The abductors were believed to have collected huge ransoms from the families of the abductees. This confirms that in Nigeria, the security of the people along with their welfare which our consitution says is the primary purpose of government is handled halfheartedly with no one held accountable for its unending  breaches

Unfortunately, information on future developments after the initial passing of the buck has as usual been poorly managed.  For example, although the military later claimed to have apprehended one of the masterminds of Abuja-Kaduna train attack, nothing substantial emerged as to who the sponsors of the attacks are or the extent to which the capture of the said mastermind could have led to getting to the root of the national embarrassment.

The military only said the suspect was apprehended by the troops at Damba community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Such incomplete  stories could only make citizens doubt the capacity of our men in uniform to help get a secured Nigeria.  

Benue State citizens are probably among the most prominent Nigerian citizens who lost faith long ago. During the tenure of the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom, a few people imagined that daily killings in Benue communities were exaggerated for political purposes.   Now that the new governor belongs to the same ruling party as the President and  therefore have no cause to be ‘intransigent’ as Ortom allegedly was, everyone had hoped that peace would return to Benue after May  2023.

It would seem that the hopes are misplaced as the new Governor Hyacint Alia has started vowing to fish out killer herdsmen in Benue state. Alia says  his administration will not rest until the armed herdsmen responsible for the recent brutal murder of innocent persons in Wandoo community, Mbalom in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, are brought to justice. Who should the nation hold responsible for the unacceptable deaths? Why can’t government move faster on the issue of state police and isolate external bandits creating homeless people in Nigeria?

Many citizens are probably impressed with President Tinubu’s approach of accepting responsibility unlike his predecessors who hid comfortably under excuses. But because the approach visibly needs a buffer, it is time for Tinubu to be encouraged to show many officials charged with specific duties the way out when such duties fail. If such officials in charge of security in a state are asked to step aside for others to take control when security breaches occur in such a state, everyone will be become conscious that to hold an office is premised on the capacity and alertness of the office-holder to ensure that nothing under the office goes wrong. They should not only step aside but be made to account for each lapse. This task of holding people accountable must be differentiated from the camera talk-shows which the legislature often organizes with their so-called invitations to heads of Ministries, Parastals and Agencies. It is time to see changes  in security matters in Nigeria.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has disclosed that consultations and engagements regarding reopening land borders are ongoing.

Naija News reports that Adeniyi made this known on Saturday at an interaction session with the Kongolam border community members in Mai’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Reacting to agitation for reopening the borders, Adeniyi said that only President Bola Tinubu has the prerogative to reopen borders in the country.

According to Adeniyi, the Service will focus on removing obstacles to free trade, in line with the present administration’s agenda of fostering economic prosperity.

He said proactive measures had been employed to reduce the number of checkpoints along the border posts and promote synergy between Service personnel and traders.

He said, “Once consultations are concluded, a decision will be taken on the matter.

“We are conscious of the concerns of the border communities, particularly with regards to the number of checkpoints and the closure of land borders.

“I assure you that our operations are always guided by law, and we only operate on delegated powers.

“We have communicated the concerns and complaints by residents of the border communities to the President.

“Because he has listening ears, and directed that we should release confiscated food items, on the condition that it only be sold in Nigerian markets.”

Adeniyi said the Service was collaborating with the Police and other sister agencies to address obstacles militating against free trade in the border areas.

He added, “We know that there are markets around our borders, and we know that not all of them are targeted at taking goods across the borders.

“We will continue to monitor and ensure that food that is produced in Nigeria remains and is consumed in Nigeria. This is because we are in a period of national emergency that has to do with food insufficiency.

“And that is why we must collectively work together to assist the government to enforce the various laws prohibiting exportation of food items at this time.”

Rwanda’s ruling party has officially selected President Paul Kagame as its candidate for the upcoming July election.

The latest development sets the stage for what is anticipated to be another term for the long-serving leader.

Naija News reports that Kagame, who is 66 years old, has been at the helm of the landlocked African nation for several decades, having secured victory in the presidential elections held in 2003, 2010, and 2017 with overwhelming support exceeding 90 per cent.

His candidacy was uncontested during the Rwandan Patriotic Front congress, which concluded on Saturday, as confirmed by the party.

Despite his acceptance of the nomination, Kagame emphasized the importance of the ruling party preparing for a future transition beyond his leadership.

“The burden of responsibility to lead our country can be equated to a shock absorber against the challenges we face daily. It requires the right mindset,” AFP quoted Kagame as saying.

“I accept this burden of responsibility, but with a call to get someone to relieve me of this responsibility,” he added.

Naija News understands that the leader of the opposition Green Party, Frank Habineza, is currently the only known challenger to President Kagame in the upcoming July polls.

In the previous election, Habineza secured only 0.45 per cent of the vote, placing third. However, this election was criticized by rights groups for irregularities and voter intimidation.

Another potential challenger, Victoire Ingabire, leader of the unregistered Dalfa Umurunzi movement, has been disqualified from running due to a previous conviction. A court decision regarding her eligibility to contest the presidency will be announced on March 13.

The presidential and parliamentary polls in Rwanda will take place on July 15, following the government’s decision to synchronize the dates. On July 16, electoral colleges and committees will select twenty-four women MPs, two youth representatives, and a representative for disabled Rwandans.

The campaign period for candidates will run from June 22 to July 12, as stated in the election calendar.

Despite Rwanda being considered one of the most politically stable nations in Africa, human rights organizations criticize Kagame for governing under an atmosphere of fear that suppresses opposition and freedom of expression.

Kagame, who previously led a rebel group, assumed the presidency in April 2000, effectively becoming the country’s leader after the conclusion of the 1994 genocide.

In 2015, he oversaw contentious changes to the constitution that enabled him to seek additional terms and extend his tenure until 2034.