The Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Babayo Akuyam, and his deputy, Ahmed Abdullahi, have resigned from their positions.

Mr Akuyam (PDP – Hardawa State Constituency), and Mr Abdullahi (PDP – Dass State Constituency) announced their resignation at the plenary on Wednesday.

The resignation is to pave the way for the return of the former Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, and his deputy, Jamilu Dahiru, to their positions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal, Abuja, in November 2023 sacked Mr Sulaiman (PDP- Ningi Central State Constituency), and Mr Dahiru (PDP – Bauchi Central State Constituency).

The court also ordered for re-run in the 11 March 2023 general election in the constituencies.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Messrs Suleiman and Dahiru winners of the 3 Feb and 4 re-run elections in the constituencies, respectively.

The outgoing speaker, Mr Akuyam said the action was part of the agreement reached by the lawmakers to step down to enable the duo to return to their positions.

He thanked the lawmakers and legislative staff for their support and cooperation during their stewardship of the House.

Also speaking, Mr Suleiman hailed the outgoing speaker and his deputy for keeping to their words.

He also pledged to provide effective legislation for the betterment of the lives of the people.

I don’t know how it is in your part of town. But it’s been a nightmare in mine, a supposedly middle-class residential area in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital. Rolling blackouts do not begin to explain the depth of the misery. It’s been a dreadful time of rolling and erratic blackouts. Like surfing an angry wave, if you understand what I mean.

Generators and other alternative sources of power, mostly inverters, solar panels and repurposed domestic gas, have replaced public power supply. Private power supply has become the main source; while public supply, if you ever get it, has become the back up.

At 144 kwh per hour annually, Nigeria is grossly underpowered. It is 80 percent below expectations, with Ghana consuming twice as much, Tunisia over 10 times and South Africa, over 30 times as much power. 

The epileptic power supply has flooded my mind with memories of what I used to think of folks at the public power company (we used to call it NEPA) in my younger days. 

I still think the demons there do what they used to do – just messing around with light switches as if it was a game of tumbo, tumbo, bas kalaba... Out of shame, however, or perhaps incredulity, I’m not inclined to express my layman’s view of these malicious spoilsports at public power substations as openly as I used to in my younger days.

What I have witnessed in the last two or three weeks with public power supply has however exhumed the scarecrow from my past. I’ve been around a bit and visited such African countries as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique, among others. 

I cannot remember anywhere with the sort of maddening erratic supply that I have seen in my neighbourhood and workplace recently. I’m tempted to think that, like a number of things Nigerian, there is a peculiarity about the rolling blackouts that make them nearly impossible to replicate elsewhere. 

Dead bulbs tell tales

One day in the last week of February, for example, the light went off and came back, surging each time at different frequencies, four times in less than 10 minutes. It was as if someone somewhere was testing the supply or that in my confused state, I never quite saw the light come on before it went off again. That was late evening, after work. I’m not counting how many other times this erratic supply may have occurred after I went to bed that night. But the evidence was waiting the next day. 

By morning, I was left with the remains of five dead bulbs and a damaged changeover switch which was barely one year old. It will cost me more than twice the minimum wage of N30,000 to replace the switch alone. These are the only more recent casualties of erratic power supply in my house. I’m not counting the electric kettle or the power stabilisers. On top of that, I have bought more UPSs than I can count. I even use a few of the remnants damaged by erratic power supply as domestic props!

Neighbour from hell

I’m not going to discuss the trauma that comes from generator pollution and noise. I was so distraught by the noise from the generator on one side of my flat that I tinkered with the idea of buying a replacement for the owner, not out of love or abundance, but to preserve my sanity. 

Poor fellow! He can’t seem to wait for the light-switch flippers at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to turn off the lights before he powers on his contraption. And even when the alarm sounds that light is back, he still leaves the damn thing chugging! 

If you live around my neighbourhood or even elsewhere around many parts of the country from where I have also received similar complaints of insurgent blackouts, you may consider noise, the loss of five bulbs in one day or a few UPSs small potatoes. 

I imagine that folks may have lost more valuable appliances or suffered more severe emotional and material setbacks. There was a report last week that Nigeria’s Senate stood down proceedings and adjourned indefinitely amidst the power crisis. 

But Discos, being Discos, no one can file any legal claims.

Heatwave troubles

The current heatwave has further highlighted our collective misery. With diesel and petrol at over 106 percent higher than their prices one year ago, only those who have solar panels can hope to enjoy a measure of relief for now. 

Fossil-fuel powered generators are costlier to run as are inverters, which also depend on primary sources of power to charge. So, those who wish to use some form of cooling at home – especially at night – to keep their heads for the next day, have a difficult choice: spend more on alternative energy or just suffer and smile.  

I had a particularly interesting night the day before I wrote this article. I had gone to bed at about 11pm with the generator humming and left an instruction that it should be left on for another two hours. Apparently, less than one hour after I slept, the public power supply was restored and the generator turned off. But as usual, that didn’t last. This was on a day when daytime temperature was about 40 degrees. 

Somewhere, in the depths of slumber, I began to feel as if my mattress had been replaced with a cauldron and that the sheets were thermal fabrics. I was in that place between sleeping and waking up, where your spirit is dying to sleep but your body is wracked by discomfort. 

The body prevailed and I soon noticed I was sweating like a labourer! I crawled out of my bed and on this hot, airless night, I had to decide between opening only a few windows or opening all the windows with the mosquito nets drawn back. Who, for heaven’s sake, is toying with the lights at AEDC that I cannot even have two straight hours of electricity?

Misery source

Is it all inevitable? Is it all down to poor gas supply at the power stations; compromised grids and transmission lines. Is it, as some have suggested, a lack of competence among the Discos that have also been accused of feeding off the assets they inherited during the privatisation without investing one naira since? 

I called my cousin who works at an electricity company for possible answers. I’m still trying to digest his response. Erratic supply – the kind that imitates trafficators – he said, can be caused by several factors. He called the problem, “feeder tripping.” According to him, anything from a bird perching on the wire to a colony of ants at the feeder base or even an adventurous tree branch, can cause a feeder trip.

He said even though staff at the substation are supposed to pick up such signals and act on them, it’s hardly the case and therefore distressed customers like me are advised to call and complain. 

Customer service by phone in Nigeria when it’s not a bank teller calling you to ask why your account is inactive is hell. I hardly bother, and I’m unlikely going to start with electricity companies. I’m still trying to figure out how or why we cannot enjoy a minimum X-hour of electricity supply a day, at least under a load-shedding plan that allows consumers to keep their sanity. This story of stray birds, angry ants and stray tree branches don’t make sense to me. 

All I can think of, right now, especially in the furnace of our current existence, is to assume that there are some switch-trigger-happy fellows at that substation delighted to ruin as much of my domestic appliances as they can and keep me miserably uncomfortable night and day, just because they can!

I’m counting days until this heatwave is over and hopefully, I’ll once again get some deserved respite, especially at night, with or without “NEPA”!

I read a pathetic report last weekend of how the family of the late Second Republic Senate President, Joseph Wayas, was made to pay the sum of £6,710 (more than N13 million) before being allowed to sight his body in a London morgue. Wayas died on 30th November 2021, so I assumed he had been buried. Apparently, there are outstanding bills to pay for his body to be released and family issues to resolve before the burial could take place. Wayas’ daughter, Ms Donna Wayas who is based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, and Mrs Echiko Julie Odey, were reportedly granted access to sight, and ascertain the state of the body by the morgue authorities last week.

 Joseph Wayas

A statement by Justice Maurice Odey Eneji, who chairs the ‘Joe Wayas’ Burial Fact Finding Committee’ explains the issue. The morgue managers, according to the report, insist on collecting the cost of maintenance and general charges for over two years that the body has been kept there. “In line with burial committee’s agreement with Ms Donna Wayas, we need to raise and remit/transfer the sum of £60,478 (more than N120 million) to offset all outstanding indebtedness, inclusive of cost of repatriation of the corpse to Nigeria for burial,” Justice Eneji stated. “We also need to raise and refund the sum of £7,210 (about N14 million) paid on our behalf to the morgue managers in London.”

From the report, Cross River State government managed Wayas’ health until he died in the London hospital. Then Governor Ben Ayade had ordered the release of N200 million to repatriate the body home for burial. But a family crisis was said to have ensued, though there are no details as to what the contending issues are and whether the N200 million was released. “Both the state and federal governments may have committed funds for this purpose (Wayas’ burial) in the past, but he (late Wayas) has not yet been buried,” Justice Eneji said. “He (Wayas) is not in any way responsible for the circumstances leading to the delay of his burial, neither does the delay detract from what he was in, and for, Nigeria.

Instructively, on 4th April last year, Wayas’ burial was the main issue for discussion at the senate plenary. “The Senate needs to, as a matter of urgency, intervene by taking over the burial plans of the deceased,” said Senator Gershom Bassey who moved the motion that was unanimously adopted by colleagues even though nothing happened afterwards. Then Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, even used the motion to introduce a self-serving idea. “Unfortunately, to stop this type of embarrassment, an attempt made last year for Presiding Officers of the National Assembly to be given medical support for life by Nigeria was rejected by us during voting on constitution amendments,” Lawan said. “The embarrassment at hand with the Joseph Wayas remains, calls for reflection and I hope the 10th Assembly will do the needful.

While the 10th National Assembly led by Godswill Akpabio should perish such an idea, they have a responsibility to help resolve whatever may be the issues concerning delay in the burial of Wayas. There is no dignity in having the remains of a former senate president perpetually in a London morgue. And this is not about just throwing money at the problem. What is required is to engage the family and burial committee already in place to understand the contending issues and help resolve them.

However, that Wayas would require crowdfunding for his burial says a lot about our prominent people who pursue no rewarding vocation outside politics. That’s how they end up in penury and at the mercy of government at the twilight of their lives. While politics should never be a source of livelihood, it is for many in Nigeria. This is just one of several issues relating to separation of the public from the private in the conduct of government business that we must deal with in our country. Because it’s about accountability and due process which is too often whimsically abused in different ways. For instance, in Qatar last weekend, President Bola Tinubu’s adult sons were put at the head of the official protocol receiving line that they ordinarily shouldn’t even be on. Besides, as Reuben Abati asked on Monday, don’t these young men have more productive things to do beyond following their father all over the place? Well, these are issues for another day.

Meanwhile, the delay in Wayas’ burial is a result of his religion. Within 24 hours, Muslims bury their dead. But not so with Christians who have turned these ceremonies into something else. I have heard stories of neglected parents whose corpses were carried to burials in Rolls Royce ambulances even when they may have died of negligence. This is a social problem we must deal with. That explains why I was delighted last week to read an X (formerly Twitter) post by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, calling for full compliance with the 2019 Anambra State Burial/Funeral Communal Control Law.

Sponsored by Hon Charles Ezeani and assented by Governor Willie Obiano, the law provides that “in the event of death, no person shall deposit any corpse in the mortuary or any place beyond two months from the date of death, while burial ceremonies shall be for one day only.” The law also bans the firing of gunshots, praise singing and blocking of roads and streets during burial ceremonies in the state. “There will be no wake-keeping for deceased individuals in the state, and all vigil-mass/service of songs/religious activities preceding the burial must conclude by 9:00 p.m. No food, drink, life band, or cultural entertainers are allowed during or after these ceremonies.” In addition, “from the commencement of the law, no person shall subject any relation of the deceased person to a mourning period of more than one week from the date of the burial ceremony.” Any person who contravenes provisions of the law will be fined N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both.

The entire essence of the law, which also prohibits certain cultural practices targeted at widows of deceased persons, is to restore a measure of sanity in the name of Christian funerals. Indeed, the law was championed by then Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor. “I always seize any available opportunity to speak on the dangers of wasteful burials and funerals among our people,” said the Bishop who was appointed a resource person for the bill by the lawmakers during the public hearings. “I have insisted that what we should be talking about is how to give our people decent and befitting living and not befitting funerals by which we mean mindless display of extravagance. The money used for extravagant burials could be better applied to helping the living.”

Like the Bishop, I have often wondered why Christians, whose faith preaches moderation, have turned funerals to an expensive (and vainglorious) jamboree, sometimes involving huge public resources. In 2013, when a leading Christian cleric in the Southwest died, his first son disclosed publicly that the funeral of his father would gulp a whooping N96 million. Against the background that the Naira exchange rates to the Dollar was 157 as of December that year, I enjoin readers to do the arithmetic of the cost of that burial which involved donations from state governments because of the respect accorded the deceased cleric. “The coffin to be used for the burial of our father is the type used for the burial of the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston”, his eldest son boasted at the time.

I am aware that an (Owambe) industry has been created around burials, especially in Yorubaland. And, let me also admit, I enjoy the entertainment by undertakers when they play with the coffin. But those ceremonies have little to do with the dead so there is no reason why bodies should be kept in the morgue for months (sometimes years) while loans are processed by some families simply to bury a dead person. Of course, people with means can ‘turn’ the corpse as many times as they want. I have no problem with that. But these ceremonies also require a measure of public sensitivity and moderation.

The critical issue comes when such burials involve elements of public funding. I have in recent days done rudimentary research on state involvement in other democracies regarding burials of serving and former high public officials, including presidents. They do not compare to how we do it in Nigeria where all costs (including buying gifts, procuring rain doctors etc.) are borne by government. Though it is fair to say these ceremonies are only done by Christians. Afterall, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba died recently and was buried without fanfare.

Whatever may be the issue, there is a need for closure on Wayas. The urgent task is for the National Assembly to help pay all outstanding bills in London and speedily bring back his body for instant and decent burial devoid of frills. But we must also do away with some of the needless expenses associated with Christian burials in Nigeria, especially when public money is involved.

The Gifted Wheat from Ukraine

I have always wondered why a Yoruba adage would say that there are things far more shameful than being accused of stealing. With Ukraine gifting Nigeria 25 metric tons of wheat last week, I now understand better the meaning of shame. Announcing the donation, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said the 25,000 tons of wheat from the Government of Ukraine will help provide emergency food assistance to 1.3 million crisis-affected Nigerians in the Northeast. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Government of Ukraine, partners, and donors for their unwavering support,” said David Stevenson, WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria. “This collaborative effort plays a crucial role in alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity in areas facing conflict and food price increase”.

I join in extending gratitude to the government of Ukraine for remembering our country even in their most difficult period. But the gift should also compel a reflection on the part of Nigerian authorities. With 42 million people, Ukraine has just about 20 percent of the population of Nigeria. Ukraine’s landmass is 603,628 square kilometres to Nigeria’s 923,768 square kilometres. While Ukraine has 32 million hectares of arable land, Nigeria has 35 million hectares of arable land. Yet, estimated wheat production in Ukraine for the marketing year (MY 2023/24) is 22.5 million metric tons (mmt), according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). And we are talking about a country that has been under bombardments from Russia for more than two years!

By all metrics, Nigeria should not be accepting food freebies from any country least of all from one at war. But that is our sad reality today. Beyond lamentation, what can we do to change the narrative? I have been speaking with critical stakeholders in the agricultural sector and I intend to share my perspective on this page. But the federal government and authorities in the 36 states must find immediate solution to the problem of hunger in Nigeria.

Congrats, Dan Akpovwa

From his high-flying job as THISDAY Diplomatic Editor, Dan Akpovwa ventured out by starting ABUJA INQUIRER newspaper on 4^th March 2004. That the publication could mark its 20^th anniversary on Monday, despite industry challenges, is a testament to the resilience of Dan and his commitment to journalism. Congratulations, my brother.

Sola Faleye, Personal Assistant to the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Holdings Plc, has narrated his last encounter with the deceased.

Wigwe, Chizoba, his wife, Chizzi, his first son, Abimbola Ogunbajo, former Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, all died in the ill-fated crash alongside two pilots.

Speaking at Eko Hotel, Lagos, where a night of tribute was held for Wigwe, Faleye narrated how he missed the flight.

“It was a sweet journey. 11 Hours we flew from London. I remember in the middle of the air. I walked up to him. I said, “Sir, how comfortable are you at night flying choppers? I’ve never done it before. And he said, ‘This is America, they have a navigation system for flying choppers at night’; and I went back to my seat. And we landed. Everybody was filled with joy that we were finally almost there.

“We sat, waiting to be cleared by immigration, So coming out, we had two vans waiting, One was taking us to go aboard the chopper. The other took our luggage because they cannot go on the chopper. Throughout my years of working with him, I’ve always told myself that flying that way is not a luxury for me. I am on duty. And as they were loading the luggages. And this thought came to mind. That’s OK, you fly chopper one. One hour you are there.

“The next three and half hours, the luggage is not going to come. Will I go to bed? No. I still have to sit down and wait for those luggage to come. I’m like, so why not just go with the luggagge then, get there and deliver it to him and others in the room. Like I said, I always reason in the line of duty.

“And I walked up to him. I said, Sir, I think it’s safer and secure for me to just ride and bring the luggage to you.” He said it was a brilliant idea. And I said, safe flight.”

The PA hence drove to Vegas with the bags, while Wigwe, his wife, son, and Ogunbajo took the helicopter to the same location.

[DailyPost]

Itsekiri leaders, under the aegis of Ugbarajo Iwere Leaders Foundation (UILF), have charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to fish out suspects who attacked Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, at Okere community in Warri south local government area of Delta State last Saturday.

While condemning the act, they said the attack by a group of youths on the monarch was uncalled for.

At an emergency meeting of the UILF in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday, the foundation threw their weight behind the monarch.

A member of the publicity committee of the foundation, Hon Emmanuel Orugbo, who made the position known while addressing journalists on Wednesday, after the meeting, called on young people of Warri kingdom to get engaged in fruitful ventures with a view to reducing the temptation of being susceptible to restiveness and usage by disgruntled elements in the society.

“This group of people have for the past one year been terrorizing the Okere community with the idea of advancing their ideology of rejecting the successful succession of the 21st Olu of Warri to the throne.

“While we agree that minorities, and in the extant case, most micro-minorities can have their say, their say has to be within the ambit of the law.

“These old men, who present themselves as youths, cannot be allowed to continue to run riot the way they have been doing for the past two years.

“We recall that this group of ‘youths’ has, on multiple occasions in the past, attacked, injured and damaged the properties of persons they perceive to hold any contrary views to theirs.

“The attacks, which have resulted in a couple of lawsuits that are still pending in court, have successfully established a regime of fear in the Okere people who cannot, for this reason now, sleep well at night; their economic lives having gone down the drain.

“We find it bizarre that this group of people could develop the boldness to attempt to disrupt the visit to the community of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri kingdom.

“Even though their attempt was unsuccessful, as a foundation, we shall work with all well-meaning sons and daughters of Warri kingdom to identify and encourage that every possible sanction within the law be meted to the culprits to ensure that such deviant behaviours are completely discouraged in the future,” he vowed.

He stated further that: “We remain unflinchingly supportive of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri, who remains a pride not just to Warri kingdom but to Delta State and Nigeria in general. We call for respect for the rule of law and the traditional institution.”

Meanwhile, four suspects have been arrested and arraigned in court over the attack on the Olu of Warri.

The suspects were arraigned in charge No: FHC/WR/18c/2024 before the Federal High Court sitting in Warri on four-count charges of terrorism, cybercrime, conspiracy to wit: attempted murder.

The case has, however, been adjourned to 2nd April, 2024, while the four defendants have been remanded at the Warri Correctional Facility.

[DailyPost]

Insecurity, lack of forex and low domestic production are said to have pushed prices of food up across the country leading to protests by youths and workers. Some state governors have been reported to have stormed Abuja headquarters of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to push for increased crop production to ensure food security in Nigeria. Those governors especially those from the southwest have failed their people. They have a template set for them since the First Republic. But rather than do the hard work, they seem to be more interested in building bridges over land in their state capitals or airports even when there are no roads to the airports. This piece below first published on September 6, 2017 captures the embarrassing position of governors of the Yoruba nation.

Insecurity, lack of forex and low domestic production are said to have pushed prices of food up across the country leading to protests by youths and workers. Some state governors have been reported to have stormed Abuja headquarters of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to push for increased crop production to ensure food security in Nigeria. Those governors especially those from the southwest have failed their people. They have a template set for them since the First Republic. But rather than do the hard work, they seem to be more interested in building bridges over land in their state capitals or airports even when there are no roads to the airports. This piece below first published on September 6, 2017 captures the embarrassing position of governors of the Yoruba nation.

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be servant of all” – Jesus Christ (Mark 10:43)

Last week, tomatoes and vegetables disappeared from Lagos markets. This was attributed to disruption in the regular flow of some food items from the north to the south by the Sallah holiday. Our inability to feed ourselves 17 years into the fourth republic is perhaps a clear manifestation of deficit of Christ’s defined attributes of servant-leadership among some of our clowning Southwest ‘activists’, the ‘constituted authority and ‘Oshokomole – Ebora tin je jollof’ governors who behave and act as if they are beyond reproach or that leadership is about being hailed by sycophants, thugs and Okada commercial motorcyclists.

But it has not always been like this. We were once blessed with selfless leaders and role models with templates for developmental strategies that did not only guarantee self-sufficiency in food production but promises of a more just, egalitarian society. We remember with nostalgia the selfless services of leaders like Obafemi Awolowo, S. L. Akintola, Anthony Enahoro, Oduola Osuntokun Abraham Adesanya, and their other colleagues who left a lasting legacy in education, health, housing and agriculture with judicious management of the little resources available to them. Their second republic successors such as Olabisi Victor Onabanjo, Lateef Jakande, Bola Ige, Ambrose Alli and Adekunle Ajasin who as governor, refused to spend N50, 000 to fix a leaking government house claiming Ondo State could not afford the luxury at the time, followed the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors by providing quality service to their people. The fourth republic threw up Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Niyi Adebayo, Segun Osoba and Pa Bisi Akande who, like Jakande used his personal car as official car until the state forced him to abandon it. Like their predecessors, they selflessly served the people and we today remember them with melancholy.

The crisis of leadership in the West started in 2003 when Obasanjo under his dubious mainstreaming policy decided to impose leaders on the West. He was to become a godfather to the likes of Lucky Igbinedion, Segun Agagu, Ayo Fayose, Segun Oni, Gbenga Daniel and Olagunsoye Oyinlola as well as other ambitious individuals such as journalists, academics and other professionals who, following their losses in the primary elections of their parties, were seduced by Obasanjo federal government’s offer of funds, security and vehicles to destabilize southwest.

Obasanjo’s hand-picked leaders as it turned out, unlike their predecessors, served none but themselves. Igbinedion left Benin City after eight years in office like a war-torn city. Fayose traded a College of Medicine for a fraudulent poultry farm during his first coming; Oni took Ekiti through three years of nightmare while fighting to keep a mandate the courts finally ruled he never won. His major legacy includes foisting three universities, including the one sited in his village on Ekiti that had no resources to effectively run one. Olagunsoye Oyinlola who admitted to a judicial commission of inquiry of awarding and paying in advance contractors to build stadia around some towns in Osun State and Gbenga Daniel who went around Ogun State with ex-President Jonathan commissioning uncompleted and yet to take off projects.

With Obasanjo’s humiliating defeat by Tinubu, some of the immediate and current leadership which represents the mainstream southwest political orientation were expected to have taken after their first and second and republic forbearers. Unfortunately they seem to have found their shoes too big.

Let us start with Ekiti, the land of honour. Fayemi no doubt made some impact in education and social welfare. But with Ekiti State as the 35th out of 36th on the nation’s revenue ladder, diverting N2.7b of the N25 billion bond his administration secured from the capital market to build a grandiose government house because the then ‘Osuntokun Lodge lacked many facilities befitting of the residence of a governor and therefore very inferior’ to other government houses in the country was indefensible when his government could have rehabilitated the run-down Ikun Dairy farm established by Ajasin in the second republic as part of solution to a geographical region that depends on other geographical zones for the 10,000 heads of cow it consumes daily.

Rauf Aregbesola, after retrieving his stolen mandate through the courts had enjoyed tremendous support and goodwill of the people, all of which he seems to have frittered away because of his leadership style. Although he swears by Awo’s name, he appears to be his own role model. His rather insensitive comment about the state of mind of Ademola Adeleke who recently defeated his APC candidate in the Osun South Senatorial District by-election after rightly reminding Ede people that the senatorial seat was not hereditary seem to confirm the fears of those who argue Aregbesola has been wearing a shoe bigger than his leg.

Abiola Ajimobi during his first term, keyed into Buhari’s green alternative initiative which focuses on commercial agriculture development programme, by allocating tractors, planters and harvesters to each of the 33 local government areas. Most of those equipment are however said to have either been sold off or mismanaged by past caretaker chairmen while he as ‘the constituted authority’ battles those who put him in power especially students of Oyo State tertiary institutions who have been out of schools for the greater part of the year and their civil servants and pensioners parents who have not been paid for several months.

Ajimobi who started well is also today enmeshed in Ibadan traditional chieftaincy controversy as he apes ill-informed military men who unilaterally made kings out of ‘Baales’ as he creates, by fiat, kings with crowns and sceptres without kingdoms.

While Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on his part is striving to turn his state to number one industrial hub in Nigeria with plans to build airport before 2019, two years to the end of his second four years term, his plan towards agriculture that will lead to industrialisation remains a plan. In any case, since people have to eat before the transformation of agriculture from commercialization to industrialization, keying into the Buhari agriculture initiatives designed to achieve food security, alleviate rural poverty and end hunger ought to be the starting point.

If leadership, as Sun Tzu, (Chinese General, and 544–496BC) has said “is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and discipline”, a well-focused Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos who operates as a servant rather than a ‘constituted authority’ better appropriates the virtues of his forbearers. After insisting “there is no alternative to achieving food security other than tilling the land and embrace best practices that will improve efficiency in the agricultural value chain”, he has in practical terms sealed a landmark partnership with Kebbi State government for the development of agricultural commodities such as rice, wheat, groundnut, onion, maize and beef value chain. His government has also acquired 500 hectares of farm land for rice cultivation in Eggua, Ogun State, 84.7 hectares at Okinni in Osogbo for oil palm processing

Actress Adunni Ade has explained why she doesn’t grant interviews.

She said it is because her words were always being misconstrued and twisted to fit the desired narrative of people.

Adunni’s annoyance is spurred by her recent interview on Channels TV on the program Morning Brief’, where she spoke about how she gets pressured to speak the Yoruba language.

The actress was born to a German-American mother and a Nigerian father of Yoruba descent.

The mother of two said that she prefers English which is the official language, stressing that all the other languages should be put aside.

Adunni Ade said in a now viral clip: “Speaking Yoruba is draining, sometimes it irks my nerves. The first language that we know in Nigeria is English. Let’s put all the other languages aside.”

“Some are even rude with it. I really know what it is. I don’t see how that will make them feel better. Maybe they just want to hear me speak Yoruba,”

She appreciated her father who brought her to Nigeria to learn the culture, language and everything Nigerian.

Adunni’s words were however misinterpreted by a blogger who reported that she said: “Speaking Yoruba is draining and hurts her nerves.”

Clearing the air on Wednesday, Adunni Ade reposted the video on instagram.

She wrote: “These are the issues. This is one major reason why I avoid interviews. Everything I say is always twisted and interpreted negatively. The full interview is on @channelstelevision YouTube channel.

“A few minutes of your time to watch would have cleared this. @omalians_crib is this what you got from the video you posted? Why change the narrative? Why cut the clip to favor your page? I never said speaking Yoruba erks my nerves.

“I said people asking me randomly (most times rudely) erks my nerves. If you’ve ever come in contact with me and do speak Yoruba, you can attest to it that I’d rather communicate with you in Yoruba but when in a certain gathering, I prefer to stay professional and speak in the the country’s first language. One thing I have always avoided saying publicly is the fact that a lot of y’all h@te me for no reason.

“A lot of yall have an issue with my existence good or bad. Please note, I am not dragging position, title, culture, nationality or language with anyone. I’m just living my life trying to be the best being and mother to my children. @channelstelevision what I told yall I was avoiding still happened. Please watch full interview on their YouTube channel. It’s always love from this end.”

[TheNation]

 No fewer than 50 persons, including a family of seven, were feared dead on Tuesday, following the invasion of the Gbagir community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, by suspected armed Fulani militia, supported by local Tiv bandits in a battle to oust another Tiv militia gang in the area.

It was gathered that most of the dead were members of the rival militia gangs, while about 12 innocent farmers were caught in the crossfire which also left over 30 persons injured and many others declared missing.

His words: “After kidnapping them, he asked for N100 million ransom but was given N5 million. After collecting the money he killed the hostages.

“The murder of the hostages sparked outrage among his gang members in Taraba State. This happened over the weekend.

“What followed was that another militia gang leader in Ukum now went and joined forces with the Fulani militia gang in Taraba to help them eliminate the rival gang in Ukum that killed their leader, Alhaji Gana.

“The essence was to enable him to become the head of militias in Ukum. The combined forces of Fulani and Tiv militia gangs started moving into the bushes of Gbagir in their hundreds on Sunday to sack the gang that killed Alhaji Gana. On Tuesday morning, a bloody fight ensued.

“From what we gathered, over 45 persons, mainly bandits have been killed, though we have records of over 12 farmers who were caught in the crossfire. Over 30 others were injured, while some are also missing. We learned that the gangs are also evacuating some of their dead members.

“Sadly caught in the crossfire was a family of seven in Tse Adzandeh Mbasaa, Mbajiga, Ityuluv, Torov. They were all members of the Adzandeh family.

“The armed men have also spread to the bushes of Gbeji, Chito and Afia in their numbers but cannot move into the residential areas because of the timely intervention of troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS.

“In fact, when people noticed the movement of armed Fulani militia into Benue communities, the chiefs informed political leaders, who immediately briefed Governor Hyacinth Alia, who equally alerted the military for swift action.

“It was this timely response of the governor to the intel and the intervention of the OPWS that saved the people of Ukum LGA because we gathered that they planned to kill hundreds of people in Ukum as revenge for the murdered Fulani militia leader but it is their gang war, innocent residents have nothing to do with that.

“Over 1,000 of them have laid siege to Ukum LGA as we speak. That is why we are appealing to the military to save us before they wipe out our innocent families.

“We need more security posts in and around the area and we also appeal to the governors of Benue and Taraba states to team up and put an end to the activities of these cross-border criminals. They should support the military with logistics also.

“As we speak, these people are still in the bushes in Ukum, they have not moved back to Taraba. The Fulani militia are being supported by a Tiv militia group to eliminate another Tiv militia gang and as they fight, the innocent locals will be killed.

“There is an urgent need to protect the other three villages because we are hearing that the first phase of the attack is in Gbagir, while Chito, Gbeji and Afia might be next. We are also appealing for fortified military presence in all the Benue and Taraba border communities.”

20 corpses recovered – Lawmaker

Confirming the killings, the lawmaker representing Ukum state constituency, Ezra Nyiyongo, said 20 corpses had been recovered.

Efforts to reach the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, was unsuccessful but a military source confirmed the development.

The source said: “These are militia men killing each other. Yes, we acknowledge that some people may have been caught in the crossfire but the majority of the people that were killed were members of the militia gangs in the area.

“But be that as it may, our troops are in Ukum to ensure that the attack does not affect innocent people.”

Police deploy more personnel to area Contacted, Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Adesina, who also confirmed the development, said more officers were deployed to the area, adding that five corpses had also been recovered from the scene.

NASS leadership to meet Tinubu reiterates call for review of security architecture

Disturbed by the Benue killings and security issues across the country, the leadership of the National Assembly yesterday resolved to urgently meet President Bola Tinubu to find lasting solutions to the problems.

The National Assembly, particularly the Senate, also declared very disturbing, unfortunate and sad, the killing of over 50 people in fresh attacks on some communities in Benue State

It also urged the service chiefs and heads of other security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, deploy security personnel to address the continuing and ongoing attacks by armed terrorists parading as herdsmen on communities in Kwande, Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala LGAs of Benue State to flush them out and restore normalcy to the affected communities.

The Senate called for a review of the security architecture in affected areas and investment in surveillance technology and equipment to detect and prevent future attacks.

It also urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately mobilize relief materials for people displaced by these attacks in Kwande, Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala LGAs.

Resolutions of the Senate yesterday were sequel to a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) by Senator Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue North-East), following the fresh attacks.

Moves to have an urgent meeting with President Tinubu by the leadership of the National Assembly on the unending security problems bedevilling the country came after exhaustive debate on fresh killings in Benue State.
According to the National Assembly, the planned meeting is to find lasting solutions to the mindless carnage in the land.

The proposed meeting with the President, and other resolutions which are coming after an earlier one by the Red Chamber, is to intimate him with reports of security summits in the 8th and 9th Assemblies as well as the far-reaching resolutions of its recent engagements with security chiefs.

He said: “The residents of the villages and communities now find themselves targeted daily by heavily armed terrorist herdsmen, and the toll continues to be staggering as they bear the brunt, with reports of marauders butchering several villagers, leaving many homes completely burnt down and numerous residents still missing, while the perpetrators, however, remain elusive and have not been apprehended.”

Senator Udende, who further lamented that the situation, in addition to the loss of lives and property, has already impacted negatively on the economic lives of the people and led to the shortage of farm produce, said despite public outcry and previous resolutions of the National Assembly as regards the criminal activities of these terrorists parading as herdsmen, there seemed to be no visible action on the part of the government to curtail, abate or stop their criminal activities.

Udende said: “The purpose of government is the security and safety of lives and properties in line with Section 14 (2) b of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and there is a need to act urgently .“

In his contribution, Senator Osita Ngwu, Enugu West, advised the Federal Government to seek what he referred to as political or cultural solutions to solve the security problem, just as Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) expressed disappointment that despite huge budgetary allocations to security, there seemed to be little or nothing to show for it, blaming it squarely on poor oversight by relevant Senate committees.

In his contribution, Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), shared the thoughts of Aliero and said what Nigeria needs is a return to the basics, strengthen local communities and trust them enough to address the issues.

Former President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), advised the Senate leadership to meet with President Tinubu, pointing out that huge budgetary allocations had always been made to the security agencies and they should ensure efficient service delivery.

Stop bandits’ attacks in 17 Katsina LGAs, Reps tell Tinubu

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies to sustain pressure on criminals perpetrating violence and criminal activities in Katsina State and the country in general.

The call was a sequel to a motion of urgent national importance moved by Sada Soli at a plenary in Abuja yesterday
Moving the motion, Soli expressed concern about the devastating impact of banditry on the lives and livelihoods of the people of Katsina State, adding that escalating banditry attacks in the state had led to the loss of lives, destruction of properties and kidnapping of innocent men, women, and children daily.

He said security agencies are yet to take immediate and decisive action to address the security challenges in Katsina.

The lawmaker called for an increase in the deployment of security personnel to the affected communities to combat banditry and restore peace and order.

He further explained that some gangs of armed bandits from neighbouring Kaduna and Zamfara states are making efforts to gain control over some communities in Katsina State.

Soli warned that Katsina State is on the verge of being overrun by criminal elements and urged urgent and decisive action to curb the activities of the bandits and restore peace to about 18 LGAs.

The House commended troops for the ferocious operations they conducted on March 4, 2024, in Kurfi and Safana LGAs of Katsina State, which resulted in the killing of two notorious bandits, while others fled with gunshot wounds.

[Vanguard]

Macky Sall, President of Senegal, has announced March 24 as the new date for the presidential election.

Sall announced the date on Wednesday during a meeting with the council of ministers at the presidential palace.

The president also dissolved all members of his cabinet as his tenure will come to an end on April 2.

The presidential election was earlier scheduled to be held on February 25 but was indefinitely postponed by Sall 15 days before the commencement of political campaigns in the country.

The postponement received rejection from members of the opposition and several protests were staged to oppose the decision.

The opposition party viewed the postponement as “an institutional coup”, adding that it would extend Sall’s mandate beyond the constitutional stipulation.

This also led to the disconnection of internet service across the country.

In February, the Senegalese constitutional council, a body responsible for screening candidates for the presidency, declared the election postponement as “illegal”.

In a communique by the council of ministers, they stressed the need to ensure Sall’s mandate is not “reduced or lengthened according to political circumstances, whatever or the objective pursued”.

“After the transmission on the same day to the constitutional council of a referral, for opinion, on the conclusions, recommendations and proposals of the national dialogue relating to: (i) the setting of the date of the presidential election; (ii) the possible examination of candidacies for the presidential election; (iii) the arrangements to be taken upon the expiry of the mandate of the president of the Republic, on April 2, 2024,” the statement reads.

Sall removed Amadou Ba who is currently contesting the presidential position under the ruling coalition as prime minister.

He appointed Sidiki Kaba, former minister of home affairs, as the new prime minister of Senegal.

[TheCable]

Here is what happens every single time a Nigerian “big man” and the common man enter a contest of wills: the ethically bereft Nigerian police is more than likely to fight the battles of the rich and powerful than to side with justice or even common sense. We saw that happen in the case of Mrs Aisha Buhari, who was enraged when a random guy on Twitter body-shamed her. We have also seen instances when Christian and Muslim clerics (this column has addressed several cases) use their almighty influence with the police to arrest and detain people over what should have been treated as mere civil cases.

Recently, the police arrested 25 women who were protesting hardship and hunger in Niger State. You wonder, do the issues against which these women are publicly demonstrating not affect even those officers? The police officers are suffering along with millions of Nigerians, yet their response to the protesters of a joint cause was aggression.

Yes, their stated reason for arresting those women was that they attacked the police. Now, it is not only unbelievable that women ranging between 30 and late 50s would “turn violent” against the police, I also find it quite laughable that the police’s report of the “dangerous weapons” on these women—and this is quoting directly from the police statement—are “a bench and a stick used as barricade, three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, two wraps of Indian hemp, charms, etc.”

Reading that, you question whether those women were truly arrested because they threatened the officers with “dangerous weapons,” or that their public demonstration exploded the political establishment’s insistence that all is well within the country.

The singer Davido frequently shares a disturbing story about his billionaire father using the police to arrest his people to dissuade him from taking up a singing career. It is telling that we live in a jungle when a father uses supposed instruments of justice to oppress people going about their way just to discipline his own son. When a society gets to the point where accounts of outright power abuse like that are narrated without moral compunction, and the media too reports it as entertainment, then you know how much the people lack a sense of justice.

The same impunity is playing out in the ongoing case of Chioma Egodi who wrote a review of a tomato, and the CEO of the company producing the item Eric Umeofia who was slighted by her temerity enough to use the police to hound her. The high-handedness of the police makes you wonder what exactly is in it for them that they turned themselves into the villains in this story. Had the case not involved a big man, would they have deployed so many resources over it?

If the Nigerian police had a sense of justice or even proportion, they would simply have encouraged Umeofia to pursue a civil case. By running the big man’s errands against a fellow Nigerian, they leave you no doubt which God they truly serve. The way they arrested Egodi, transferred her to the FCT, detained her, and later maintained a standoff at her apartment for over 10 hours, you would think they were dealing with a case of terrorism. Our police (including other security agencies like the DSS) can be unethical. Their professional instincts are too raw; their uncultured self constantly grates the refined surface of democracy.

First, given our kind of society, we must always be mindful that certain resolutions create precedents. Ours is a country where inept politicians, forever seeking to distract attention from their serial failures, blame social media for all the vices in the land. If you make the mistake of justifying someone’s oppression because of their social media posts, you may be loading the very weapon that the likes of Femi Gbajabiamila—one of those seeking means to launch a malicious social media agenda regulation—will one day put to your head. A case like this will be their reference point on how far they can go to beat down anyone who ruffles their small feathers. And please, do not think anyone is immune from such oppressiveness. Who would have imagined that the police would one day go crazy over a tomato review?

Second, Umeofia does not seem like the kind of person with whom anyone can reason. In his interview with Arise TV, he swore he would rather die than be persuaded to give up his pursuit of Egodi. One cannot but wonder how bored a CEO must be when he has time and ego to commit to such a trivial matter. A more discreet response to Egodi and the matter would have been long dissolved in one of the endless chatters that flow through social media every moment. In any case, my earnest plea to Umeofia is for him not to die. We need him to live so his intransigence can become a metaphor. His fly that listens to no adviser will end up as a social media meme.

As for the ‘both-sideists’ waiting for me to chide Egodi, please know I do not think she did anything wrong. Yeah, this is merely a needless literalisation of an everyday expression. Even if she had used the word “killing” as the man inferred from her Facebook post, taking it as murdering people is merely an overinterpretation. We frequently use the word “kill” in contexts that have little or nothing to do with literal deaths. When we say, “Lagos traffic is killing people,” does that mean they are dropping dead on the highway? Some of us grew up with parents who, in moments of exasperation, shout, “You this child will kuku not kill me!” Were they talking about actual deaths? The famous Fugees song, “Killing me softly,” was it about murder?

Listening to the people overstretching the meaning of Egodi’s Facebook post just to defend police abuse, you wonder if this is a matter of half-education or just another instance of the Nigerian habit of siding with power. The average Nigerian fetishises power so much that our people will argue against their own best interests. Our police, I admit, is a reflection of our social orientation.

For the rest of us, the proper course of action is to donate money toward Ms Egodi’s legal funds. If you believe in justice and democracy, then please support her case through the courts. No one contests that Umeofia has the right to pursue his case even all the way through to the Supreme Court. Let the courts be the ones to determine that we no longer have rights, not the police playing a villainous role in the whole matter. They should stand down all the muscular displays and treat this as if the two people involved in the case are social equals.

We do not need to like Ms Egodi or her opinions but supporting her right to free speech is a moral duty. When Nigeria gets to the point that we can no longer express ourselves because some high-on-power police officers are going to come barging through our doors, then we might as well have returned to living under military rule. No, this is democracy; we should be free to explore the bounds of our freedom. Nigeria’s democracy might not have done much for us in terms of citizenship, but we still have free speech. The messengers of darkness cannot degenerate our economy, politics, and values and still deny us rights. On this, we must maintain our stand on the resolute ground of principle.

[Punch]