Naija News reports that Ndume’s comment comes after Boko Haram terrorists launched a fresh attack in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno, where they slaughtered six farmers and abducted five others, including women.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ndume, who hailed the gallant performance of the military and Civilian JTF, said they are ill-equipped to carry out the task of eliminating the remaining insurgents operating within the northern region.

The lawmaker noted that the hired military contractors can also eliminate bandits in the North West.

The statement read, “All across the world, governments hire the services of military contractors to engage in certain places. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can consider this as a short measure. These contractors will work with our military and Civilian JTF, who understand the terrain.

“These contractors will come with their equipment and military hardware. In a very short time, they’ll eliminate those Boko Haram terrorists. The contractors can also be used to eliminate those bandits operating in the North West.

“Over a period, the federal government can now recruit youths to join the military and raise the number to at least one million. But in the interim, I think the President should consider this option of hiring military contractors.” 

[NaijaNews]

In the Holy Scriptures, Samuel, the revered prophet and leader, stood before the people of Israel and issued a bold challenge. He invited them to bring forth any evidence of his wrongdoing. “Here I am,” he said. “Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed?” (1 Samuel 12:3). It was an extraordinary act of courage and integrity, a leader holding himself accountable to the very people he led, daring them to find fault in his governance. Unsurprisingly, the people responded: “You have not defrauded or oppressed us.”

Fast forward to contemporary Nigeria, a country with a rich history of leadership, but one also plagued by the recurring issue of corruption. Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, recently made a similar declaration to Samuel’s. He proclaimed to Nigerians that throughout his tenure as governor, he had never stolen public funds. El-Rufai, in the same spirit of boldness, invited scrutiny, challenging anyone with evidence to come forward. It was a rare but commendable act in Nigerian politics, a leader opening himself to public judgment with a clean conscience. But can we say the same for other former governors, presidents, and public officials?

Nigeria, often referred to as the “Giant of Africa,” is a country blessed with immense resources. Its people, resilient and industrious, have continued to thrive despite the frequent political mismanagement that has characterized the nation’s leadership. Time and again, the media is flooded with reports of former governors, ministers, presidents, and even lawmakers implicated in corrupt practices. These range from the looting of state coffers to gross mismanagement of funds meant for the development of public infrastructure.

The consequences of such corrupt leadership are all too clear. Nigeria’s roads are deplorable, healthcare is in shambles, the education sector is underfunded, and unemployment continues to skyrocket. Meanwhile, these leaders, past and present, often live in lavish luxury, far removed from the suffering of the common man.

Yet, even in the face of these damning realities, very few Nigerian leaders have come forward with the kind of transparency Samuel demonstrated, or the forthrightness shown by El-Rufai. This raises a critical question: Can any of Nigeria’s past governors or presidents stand before the people, as Samuel did, and say, “I have not stolen. I have not oppressed”? Can they invite scrutiny and confidently state that their hands are clean?

The issue of corruption in Nigeria is not new. From the oil boom of the 1970s to the present day, corruption has been a persistent challenge. Countless investigative reports have revealed the looting of public funds by government officials, many of whom are former governors or presidents. Several of these leaders, after leaving office, have faced investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), with varying degrees of success in holding them accountable.

But despite the many cases of alleged corruption, only a handful of former leaders have ever voluntarily subjected themselves to the kind of public accountability we saw with Samuel and, more recently, El-Rufai. Most prefer to hide behind the veil of political immunity or manipulate the system to avoid prosecution.

El-Rufai’s challenge to the Nigerian public is a rare example. He invited anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to step forward, confident that his governance record would stand the test. This challenge should be extended to all former governors and presidents. It is time for them to face the people and account for their time in office. After all, they were elected or appointed to serve, not to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.

Imagine the profound impact it would have on the nation’s moral fabric if every former governor, president, or public official were required to publicly declare their assets and account for the decisions they made while in office. Imagine the change in public perception if leaders openly invited investigations into their financial dealings, as a demonstration of their integrity and commitment to transparency. It would signify a new era in Nigerian politics, one where integrity and accountability become the norm rather than the exception.

Unfortunately, the silence of many former leaders continues to cast a long shadow over Nigerian politics. While Samuel could proudly challenge his people to prove he had stolen from them, the vast majority of Nigerian leaders cannot do the same. The allegations of corruption, whether founded or unfounded, persist because these leaders have never cleared the air. They remain silent, refusing to open their records for public scrutiny, leaving room for speculation and distrust.

This silence is not without consequence. The enduring lack of accountability erodes public trust in governance, making it difficult for even genuinely honest leaders to gain the confidence of the people. As a result, the Nigerian populace has become increasingly disillusioned, often viewing politicians as self-serving individuals who prioritize personal wealth over public welfare.

The silence also encourages the younger generation of politicians to adopt similar behaviors, knowing that they, too, can enrich themselves without facing significant consequences. This creates a vicious cycle in which corruption becomes entrenched, and the political class continues to operate with impunity.

Nigerians deserve better. They deserve leaders who are willing to be held accountable, who understand that public service is not a path to personal enrichment but a sacred duty to the people. It is time for all former governors and presidents to take a page from Samuel’s book, and from El-Rufai’s, by stepping forward to declare their innocence or face the consequences of their silence.

Accountability should not be a foreign concept in Nigerian politics. It is a fundamental requirement of leadership. If a leader cannot account for their actions while in office, how can they claim to have served the people faithfully? How can they lay any legitimate claim to the title of “leader”?

To effect real change in Nigeria, there must be a collective effort to instill transparency and accountability into the political culture. This will require not only the willingness of leaders to submit themselves to public scrutiny but also the establishment of institutions that can effectively carry out such oversight.

The role of civil society organizations, investigative journalists, and anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and ICPC cannot be overstated. These groups must be empowered to hold all former and current leaders accountable, ensuring that no one is above the law. Equally, the Nigerian public must continue to demand transparency from their leaders, refusing to accept anything less than full accountability.

The challenge has been laid before all former governors and presidents in Nigeria: come forward, as Samuel did, and declare before the people that you never stole, that you governed with integrity, and that your hands are clean. If you cannot, then perhaps it is time to reflect on the cost of your silence and the damage it continues to inflict on the nation.

Nigeria needs leaders who can confidently stand before the people and say, “I have not defrauded or oppressed you.” Anything less is an insult to the very notion of leadership. It is time for a new era of accountability, one where leaders prove their worth not by their wealth, but by their integrity.

Kogi Central Senator Natasha H. Akpoti Uduaghan has said hijacking Nigeria’s electoral processes threatens the country’s democratic foundations.

In a statement yesterday, Senator Akpoti Uduaghan condemned the rampant corruption and manipulation plaguing the electoral system.

“Our electoral system has been marred by corruption and manipulation. This undermines democracy, leaving us feeling disenfranchised and disillusioned,” she said.

The senator also highlighted Nigerians’ harsh economic conditions, expressing grave concern about inflation, stagnant wages, and skyrocketing prices of basic commodities.

“We are struggling to make ends meet as inflation and stagnant wages erode our purchasing power.

The prices of basic necessities have skyrocketed, making it difficult for average Nigerians to afford basic needs,” Akpoti Uduaghan added.

Amidst growing protests across the country, the senator acknowledged the unrest as a valid response to the deepening economic crisis, describing the protests as a necessary call for change.

“As we grapple with economic hardship, protests have become a powerful tool to express frustration.

” Our voices are growing louder, demanding attention from those in power. The protests are a cry for help, a call to action, and a demand for change,” she said.

She called for a renewed commitment to justice, equality, and fairness as the nation moves forward.

“We are seeking a new Nigeria built on the principles of justice, equality, and fairness. As we celebrate our 64th anniversary, we stand at a crossroads. The choice is clear: we must evolve,” she said.

[Leadership]

A Nigerian Born Pilot, Capt. Mohammed Madugu, was in the cockpit on Tuesday for Emirates as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) flag carrier touched down in Nigeria after over two years of exiting the route.

The airline used to operate to Lagos and Abuja until September 30, 2022 when it suspended operations citing inability to repatriate trapped funds amounting to over $80m at the time.

The UAE also slammed a visa ban on Nigerians which effectively stalled Nigerian-UAE flights as Air Peace and other carriers stopped operating to UAE from Nigeria.

The resolution of the dispute between Nigeria and the UAE was prioritized by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and driven by the driven by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

Daily Trust reports that after the federal cleared the foreign airlines’ trapped funds of about $900m and held series of meetings with the Emirates, the UAE carrier announced in May of its plan to resume flights operation to Nigeria on October 1 which coincided with the national day of Nigeria.

At about 3:32 pm local time, the Boeing 737-300er touched down at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lago,s signaling the return of Emirates to Nigeria.

And what appeared to be a symbolic gesture, a Nigerian in person of Capt. Mohammed Madugu was in the cockpit alongside other crew members.

Madugu gleefully posted a video of his landing at the MMIA on Tuesday with the caption on his X page (formerly Twitter): “A great plane spotter got my landing into lagos today. Landed off an RNAV approach today as the ILS was on test. Watching this video you’ll realize the amount of work the Emirates training department does on their pilots. Alhamdulillah.”

He had earlier announced on his X that it was an honour for him to operate the inaugural return flight to Lagos.

“A very special day for me today, I have the honor of operating our inaugural return flight to Lagos, Nigeria ?? @LOSairport . Today I’ll be flying both the Emirates and Nigerian flag very high ?? ?? ! Thank you, Emirates A flight time of slightly over 8hours today. #EkoOniBaje,” he wrote.

Incidentally Capt. Madugu had granted an interview with Daily Trust sometimes in 2016 when he was working with Azman Airline. He was then the youngest Captain in the Nigerian airline industry.

Born on September 21, 1996, Madugu is an indigene of Kano and son of Alhaji Sani Madugu.

During an encounter with Daily Trust in 2016, he had said his passion for flying started at six or seven when he had the opportunity of looking at an aircraft cockpit.

“It all started a very long time ago. When I was between six and seven years, we were flying to Kano for Sallah, as we usually do every Sallah. We got to Kano and my father took me to the cockpit of the aircraft. I think he knew the pilot or something and I was amazed seeing the cockpit, that is all I can remember. But that day, going into the cockpit really blew my mind.

“As I was there, I took a look at everything, I imagined how one could learn everything, all the buttons so on. After that encounter, maybe once in a year, I had the opportunity to look at the cockpit again and again. From that time my love for planes started growing. I could see planes take off everyday, even here in FESTAC then, and that encouraged me to go into the aviation industry. As I grew older, it just occurred to me that it is the perfect lifestyle for me,” he said.

The Junior Madugu attended Corona School in Apapa, Lagos, Laurel International School at FESTAC Town, Lagos and the Nigerian Turkish International College before going abroad for pilot training.

[DailyTrust]

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has said candidates would pay a N50,000 fee to reprint their certificates.

Disclosing this in Minna, Niger State, the Registrar of NECO, Dantani Wushishi, said the fee is subject to periodic review.

In a statement he signed, Wushishi said: “The N50,000 fee for certificate reprints is subject to periodic review.”

NECO said requests for reprints “will only be accepted within one year of the original certificate issuance”.

“After this period, the council will no longer entertain such requests,” he added.

The Council also set a one-month deadline for candidates to submit requests for the correction of results.

[DailyPost]

“The world is witnessing and benefiting from the can-do spirit of the Nigerian people, our massive intellectual capacity, and our enterprise and industry in all vocations, from arts to science, technology to infrastructure. The dreams that our founding fathers envisaged are still a work in progress. Every day, we put our hands on the plough, determined to do a better job of it.” – President Tinubu in his 64th independence anniversary speech yesterday, October 1, 2024.

I listened to the 22-minutes’ national broadcast of President Bola Tinubu yesterday. While it had some soundbites and generally updated the citizenry on the state of play about our country, it fell short of the expectations of many compatriots. Before I address the missing gaps, here are some of the highlights of the president’s second independence day speech since inauguration on May 29, 2023.

On the security front, the president said his administration is winning the war on terror and banditry. He said the target is to eliminate all the threats of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and the scourge of all forms of violent extremism. Within one year, he claimed his government has eliminated Boko Haram and bandit commanders faster than ever. As of the last count, over 300 Boko Haram and bandit commanders have been eliminated by our gallant troops in the Northeast, Northwest, and some other parts of the country.  While this feat is commendable, it is important to deal with the push factor which is making more Nigerians to take to crimes and criminality as means of survival. Unless this is addressed, the ground will continue to be fertile for sustainable recruitments of new felons and bandits.

The president said as a way of responding to recent natural disasters, at the last meeting of the Federal Executive Council, a Disaster Relief Fund was approved to mobilise private and public sector funds to help the country respond faster to emergencies.   Furthermore, he has ordered integrity tests of all our dams in the country to avert future disasters. On the economic front, the president said reforms have attracted foreign direct investments worth more than $30 billion since he came to power.

He said the FEC approved the Economic Stabilisation Bills, which will now be transmitted to the National Assembly. These transformative bills will make our business environment more friendly, stimulate investment and reduce the tax burden on businesses and workers once they are passed into law.  The need for genuine ease of doing business cannot be overemphasized.

Tinubu said his administration is resolute in its determination to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of local governments. On this count, we have seen a raft of local government elections being held across states where local governments are hitherto being administered by caretaker committees. However, the quality of these elections leaves much to be desired as the ruling parties in the states where the polls are conducted end up winning all the available councillorship and chairmanship seats. These elections are more or less shambolic as opposition political parties are muscled out of the contest or State Independent Electoral Commissions conducting the elections simply announce preferred candidates of the governor.

On food production and security, the president lauded Governors of Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa, Kwara, Nasarawa, and the Southwest Governors that have embraced his agricultural production programme and urged other states to join the FG in investing in mechanised farming. He said the FG is playing its part by supplying fertilizer and making tractors and other farm equipment available. “Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved establishing a local assembly plant for 2000 John Deere tractors, combine harvesters, disc riders, bottom ploughs and other farm equipment. The plant has a completion time of six months.”

The president did not say how much of the 10 million hectares of land he promised to cultivate in his August 4, 2024 speech has been cultivated and how much quantum of increase have been recorded in food production. He also should know that despite his directive since August 4 that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, to help drive down the prices; costs of food, drugs and medical products remain astronomic.

The president glibly said his energy transition programme is on course and that he is expanding the adoption of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private sector players. The question is, how many of the 3,000 CNG busses he promised since last year July 31 has been delivered?  When are we likely going to start seeing these busses plying our roads? What about the lingering turn around maintenance of the Port Harcourt refinery? When will it start production? What about the pricing of PMS with Dangote refinery? Will there ever be price stability of our petroleum products?

The president said recognising that we cannot design a future that belongs to Nigerian youths without making them its architects he is organising a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people. “The 30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives.”

This is commendable provided it will not go the way of 2014 national conference organised by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in which over N12bn was purportedly spent to convoke a national dialogue with the outcome jettisoned. I sincerely hope this is not another jamboree. The president spoke about other youth-centric programmes such as the 3 million Technical Talents programme of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.  He also spoke about Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams.  No mention of the amount already disbursed or number of beneficiary thus far. There is a planned launch of the Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme which is conceived as a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis.

The critical missing gaps in the president’s speech include lack of information on the number of people who have been gainfully employed by his government in its 16 months’ administration. No mention was made of number of people who have been lifted out of poverty. How many people have benefitted from its presidential initiatives on support to nano, small and medium enterprises remain unknown? No mention was made about anti-corruption initiatives; blockade of revenue leakages including stoppage of oil theft. The resident was also silent on reduction in the cost of governance and the proposed cabinet reshuffle. Lastly, the president kept mum on when Nigerian will hold the postponed National Population and Housing Census.

Nigerian singer Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, sparked social media buzz after he told a female fan that he is married with children.

The incident occurred during the Grammy-winning artist’s ladies-only party in London on Tuesday.

A video from the event which went viral on Wednesday, showed Wizkid surrounded by a crowd of his female fans with one woman, in particular, appearing to get unusually close to the singer.

In the video, Wizkid paused from performing to politely tell the fan not to get too close, reminding her that he is a married man with kids.

He said, “Baby I’m a married man, don’t come close to me, I’m married, my kids are at home.”

This, however, generated a buss on social media platforms as some felt his action was a snub.

Reacting to Wizkid’s statement, an X user, YourFavBaker, tweeting as #iam_thowbie on Wednesday, stated that his statement sounded like a snub.

#iam_thowbie wrote, “Why does this lowkey feel like a sub.”

Another user, DUKE OF UNILAG, tweeting as dukeofunilag wrote, “Dis guy na w***y. He sub person finish con go enjoy himself.”

A user on X.com, NuggetMan, tweeting as #nuggetman1_ said Wizkid said that out of envy, noting that he wished he was married just like his colleague, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

#Nuggetman1_ wrote, “He’s just wishing he’s married like Davido.”

Another user, #laredo said the artiste wished to become a skit maker.

#lare_do1 stated, “Wizkid wan switch to skit making. Nasboi don enter music.”

Meanwhile somer users hailed the musican fort his action, describing it as being principled.

Another tweep, #aone.ayo1 wrote, “He’s a man of principles .”

A user, #Majorsiz stated, “Man don marry Jada lowkey .”

Another user, #cletus_annie_oge also restated Wizkid’s statement.

#Cletus_annie_oge wrote, “My married man

[ baby don’t go close to him pls.”

[Punch]

AS the country marks its 64th independence anniversary today, I revisited some of the articles I wrote over the last 15 years to commemorate our years of independence. I began to wonder whether there is really any point writing anything new.

In fact, if you bring any article written about the Nigerian condition five or ten years ago and edit the dates and the gladiators, it would still seem to be relevant. This raises a fundamental question of whether our writings really make any difference:  Is there really anyone out there who is in a position to change things, who bothers to read these articles? And if such people exist, do they care? 

The dominant impression the power wielders at all levels of governance give, is that it is their “turn”, and since most seem not even to believe in the country, shorn of all pretences, they are telling their critics, or those proffering unsolicited advice, to “go hug a transformer”, or “go to court” if they do not like their style of governance or their explanations for why things are the way they are.

Depending on who you are, their estimation of the followership you command and your ethnic, party or religious affiliations, you could also be accused of “bad belle” because you or the candidate you supported lost the last election. You will sure be on the radar of the EFCC or other security agencies who will one day invite you for questioning on suspicions of ‘terrorism financing’.

The combination of all these seem to have pushed most Nigerian into a state of ennui – bored and tired of everything.  They appear tired of their leaders and distrustful of those angling to replace them. They scoff at suggestions for making things right and tell you that our problem is not the absence of good laws, but implementing them. I suspect that many of those joining the ‘japa’ syndrome(including people who are doing reasonably well here), do so not necessarily because they feel they will have a better life where they are emigrating to, but because they want to escape from it all for the sake of their sanity and humanity. Nigeria is fast approximating the Hobbesian ‘state of nature’ in which life is short, nasty and brutish. Hope – that critical ingredient that gives meaning to life- seems to be evaporating quickly for most Nigerians.

The above brings back the question of what really is the problem with Nigeria? And what is the way out. Since I have posed these questions severally during each of our independence anniversaries the past 15 years or so, I will, on this occasion revisit my views on the trouble with Nigeria, and the way out, using my article on the country’s 63rd anniversary as the baseline:

The idea that there is nothing else to celebrate other than our managing to be together for these past 63 years, is to take pessimism too far. Certainly, we have made some progress on all fronts – from the revolution in telecoms to a Nigerian firm (Dangote) achieving the status of a multinational corporation, to the emergence of an indigenous motor manufacturing company (Innoson Motors), to the country having a Nobel Laureate in Literature and to the global mainstreaming of the accomplishments of our entertainment artists in music and films. On nationhood, the rate of inter-ethnic marriages and friendships has continued to grow.

I now believe that though there are several Nigerians and corporations that have distinguished themselves – in businesses, entertainment and sports –  these do not automatically translate to national achievements because, as the saying goes, the whole is always greater than the sum of its constituent parts, not the other way around. I may therefore have been too hard on those who argued that there was nothing to celebrate about during our anniversary last year.

Nigeria is like a national football club made up of highly talented players but who cannot translate their individual skills into an effective goal-scoring national team.  Even the progress we have made in inter-ethnic marriages which I highlighted as one of our bright spots during the 63rd anniversary, has now come under strain. Since the 2023 elections, in some parts of the South-West, being married to an Igbo, is now promoted by some as a disqualification for public office.  The impact of this ‘new normal’ on building inter-ethnic bonds through marriages is yet to fully crystallise through the system.

In fact, the idea that the separate nationalities that were agglomerated into one entity in 1914 could have done better if they had continued on their individual paths to development is purely academic. The truth, however, is that if these nationalities were as powerful and successful as we often make them to be, they would not have been easily conquered and pacified by a few White men, as was the case in most pre-colonial entities that fused to become Nigeria. Besides, that a nation has a homogeneity of culture and language is no guarantee that it will build a successful nation-state, as the case of Somalia illustrates.

I still believe strongly in my position on this. I also believe this is probably one of the reasons most Nigerians from different ethnic and religious affiliation are still hoping that the country will work. There is a big distrust of leaders at various levels of governance, there is scepticism that opposition leaders will make any difference if given the opportunity, and there is a lack of confidence that the system dynamics in the country will allow such opposition leaders to come to power in the first place – even if people vote overwhelmingly for them. There are also doubts about the leaders of the various separatist movements – a wariness that they have the capacity to achieve their avowed goal of separation, suspicions that they might be using their agitations for fame and lucre, and lack of conviction that even if they manage to succeed in their agitations, life under their governance will be better than what currently prevails. 

In fact, the whole notion that “if we go our separate ways” some parts of the country would become El dorado while others would become desolate lands, have been demystified under the Buhari and Tinubu presidencies. Until he became President in 2015, Buhari’s supporters passionately promoted him as an ascetic and incorruptible man who had the magic wand, or whose ‘body language’ alone would solve all of the country’s problems. However, by the time he exhausted his eight years in office, almost all indicators of human development in the country – including some progress made in nation-building, have nosedived south.

Instead of a political ‘messiah’, he became seen by the generality of Nigerians as the poster boy of incompetence and clannishness. His famed ‘body language’ appeared to have worked only on some of the public functionaries under him who competed to disproportionately site federal projects in his home town of Daura. This, however, did not save even his home state of Katsina from the fate several other states in the country suffered and still suffer– excruciating poverty and frightening insecurity. 

When Tinubu was campaigning for office, in contrast to Buhari, no one marketed him as ‘Mr. Integrity’.  Here his promoters, while not conceding the scandals and allegations linked to him, argued that since we have tried a man deified as a saint (Buhari) and it did not work, it might be time to try a man perceived differently.

He was promoted as a talent-spotter, creator of modern Lagos and ocean tamer, who, when he was the Governor of Lagos State, demonstrated his cosmopolitanism by having Nigerians from different ethnicities and religions in his cabinet. He was also marketed as an extremely wealthy man who knew the ways of the crooked and how to tame them.   However, less than two years in office, the Tinubu government is making Buhari look good on all fronts.  Welcome to the season of ennui.