The Jigawa State Hisbah Board says importation, sale and consumption of alcohol remain prohibited in the state.

Commandant of the board, Ibrahim Dahiru disclosed this on Thursday while responding to questions from newsmen.

He said the move was part of the state government’s commitment to reform the board and reduce social vices in the state.

Ibrahim explained that in continuation of its operations, the command seized 78 cartons of assorted alcoholic drinks in Kazaure Local Government Area.

He said the alcohol was seized at three beer parlours during an early morning raid in the area.

The commander said no arrest was made during the operation, as suspected owners fled before the arrival of the Hisbah personnel.

He noted that the command would continue to enforce the order and arrest violators.

Ibrahim said the confiscated items would soon be taken to court.

[DailyPost]

A former Nigeria’s Permanent Representatives to the United Nations (UN), Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, yesterday said he never wanted to be a diplomat but a teacher.

Even after becoming one of Nigeria’s most celebrated diplomats, Gambari said he prefers to be called a teacher by training and diplomat by accident.

This, he said, reflected his childhood and educational background.

The former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari said this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the launch of a book titled: Readings in Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace, and Development.

The event, which was organised in his honour by the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association Nigeria (COSFAN), coincided with his 80th birthday anniversary.

Gambari said: “’They plan, I plan, but God is the best planner,’ says the Holy Qur’an. Up till now, I still tell people to refer to me as teacher by training and diplomat by accident because I did not want to be a diplomat. But look at what the Almighty Allah has done to compel me from a person who went to a primary school in Bode Saadu and Malete in the now Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State to become one-time President of United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“I served my country as the longest-serving ambassador at the United Nations (UN). That was not also a happy period because I was constant in Nigeria’s standing in the world when we had so many issues at home. I had five Presidents during my period as ambassador: Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar and, briefly, under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Now, if somebody who started in a village primary school in Bode Saadu and another senior village primary school in Malete, then to Ilorin Provincial Secondary School, now Government Secondary School (GSS), Ilorin; then really, the sky is the limit for everyone, with God’s guidance and protection.

“How could I have imagined that the primary school I attended in Malete could then become a location of the first Kwara State-owned university, and I was made the first pioneer Chancellor of the university?

“I thank God. We’re all in the hands of the Almighty God. His will shall be done. We only need to do our best and leave the rest in the hands of the Almighty.

“Charity begins at home. That’s why I have not been far from home and never been far from my own people. I look forward to spend the rest of my life in the service of, first, my people, the state, the nation, Africa and the rest of the world.

“That’s the essence of the concentric cycle of the foreign policy which I have always advocated. The centre must be the state; the next, our neighbour, our region (ECOWAS), Africa and the rest of the world. Now, foreign policy shifts from administration to administration, but in essence, it must be pursued in those frameworks and context.

“Foreign policy is the definition of the interests of your country and the projection of those interests so that in the process, you will say what you want as a nation in the world and how you conduct yourself in such a way to attain them in the interest of your country.”

Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, who was represented by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, said the state was proud that the mention of Prof. Gambari always commanded respect and honour across all spectrums “owing to his contributions to scholarship, international diplomacy and world peace, as well as national unity and development at various times”.

The governor enjoined fellow Nigerians, especially, to read the book, saying: “Our world evolves and grapples with emerging challenges of the new media and unfettered freedom, the rise of non-state actors with differing perspectives on the concept of diplomacy, democracy, peace and development, and the shifting nature of the international system and power dynamics.

“While many of these issues may defy textbook prescriptions, I believe firmly that scholarly research and insights on such topics are always useful in our search for practical and sustainable solutions.”

The book reviewer and a former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2018-2019), Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, noted that insecurity in Nigeria and especially in the North, was caused by poverty, ignorance, mining activities and weak traditional laws.

He urged the government to improve efforts at addressing the causes of insecurity to restore peace and development in the country.

The Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Abiola Adimula, described the occasion as a celebration of excellence, service and leadership.

She lauded Prof. Gambari as a “distinguished academic, resourceful professional, astute technocrat, and world diplomat” whose contributions to international diplomacy, democratic development and global peace remain indelible.

[TheNation]

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to end his 31-year-long bid to be President.

Noting that Atiku’s bid to be President dated back to the year 1993, George said it was high time the former Vice President retired from such a contest, especially in the 2027 election.

Addressing a press conference at his Ikoyi, Lagos office, on Thursday, George urged Atiku to assume the position of an elder in the nation and leave his bid to posterity.

“To Atiku, my advice is this, you will be 81 years old in 2027, and you have been contesting for the presidency since 1993. This is the time for you to calm down and act like an elder. I appeal to you in the name of the Almighty Allah, that you serve, to take it easy and leave everything for posterity,” George said.

George decried that the PDP was on the verge of crumbling because people uplifted their personal interest and individual ambition above national interest.

He criticised the “divisive, arrogant, haughty” members of the party romancing the ruling All Progressives Congress yet failed to defect from the PDP, describing them as cowards.

“We are where we are today because of a self-inflicted crisis; we should bury our individual ambitions now and not allow the PDP to crumble, please. Elders of the party should tell some of these funny characters to cool off and think of our national interest instead of their personal interest.

 “Nigerians are angry and hungry. Instead of telling the APC the truth, some divisive, arrogant and haughty members are busy romancing the ruling party and they are quick to refer to themselves as elder statesmen. Instead of instigating a crisis in our party, why are they not bold enough to defect to the APC? Do they really fear God at all? No member is big enough to hold the party to ransom,” George added.

Particularly pointing to the crisis between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike,  George urged Wike to immediately “cool off” from wanting to “bring down” Fubara.

George said it was worrisome that some party members rather than bringing the two parties to mediation further fuelled the Fubara/Wike crisis for their selfish interests.

“My advice to Wike is very simple. You are my political son. I am therefore appealing to him to cool off immediately. I know he was injured by friends during the last PDP presidential contest but I am advising him as a father to please take it easy. Nobody is bigger than any party. Forget what happened in the past and let us work together in the interest of this party.

“I want to ask the elders at the helm of affairs of our party today, ‘What exactly is the offence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State?’ What exactly is the offence of this gentleman that some elders of our party are trying to throw him under the bus because of political expediency? What exactly is going on that some party members don’t feel bothered about the happenings in Rivers State? Governor Fubara was helped by Governor Wike to become the number one citizen of the oil-bearing state. The governor himself acknowledged this on several occasions.

“Must the governor now behave like a slave to his predecessor and other characters because of this concept of godfatherism which is a misnomer in our politics? Why are some party members encouraging his predecessor to bring him down? He is in Abuja; he wants to control what goes on in Rivers State.

“Did the governors before him behave this way? Why are the party leaders not eager to mediate and bring both groups to normalcy? The PDP cannot continue like this. Why can’t we learn from our past mistakes? Is our party jinxed? Why can’t we tell all these troublemakers to go and sit down if they don’t want this party to move forward?”

N’Assembly approves life jail for drug traffickers

Tope Omogbolagun, Abuja

The National Assembly has amended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, prescribing life imprisonment for drug offenders and traffickers.

This decision followed the adoption of the harmonised report by the Senate and House of Representatives on the NDLEA Act amendment.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Senate Conference Committee, Senator Tahir Monguno, explained that the amendment sought to impose stricter penalties to deter illegal drug activities.

The amendment specifically stated: “Any person who unlawfully engages in the storage, custody, movement, carriage, or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and, while doing so, is armed with an offensive weapon or disguised in any manner, commits an offence under this Act and is liable, upon conviction, to life imprisonment.”

The Senate approved the recommendation through a voice vote during Thursday’s plenary, presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.

In addition to the NDLEA amendment, the Senate also passed a bill to empower the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission.

The proposed legislation, known as the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission Bill, of 2024, sought to replace the existing RMAFC Act of 2004.

The updated law revises the commission’s composition and operational framework to ensure federal, state, and local governments receive constitutionally mandated resources to address governance and developmental challenges.

Presenting the bill, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, Yahaya Abdullahi, highlighted the urgency of reforming the commission in light of Nigeria’s dwindling revenues and growing population.

Abdullahi explained that the bill aims to strengthen RMAFC’s mandate as the constitutionally recognised body responsible for monitoring revenue generation and ensuring its equitable distribution among the three tiers of government.

“The Act, last revised over 20 years ago, no longer reflects Nigeria’s evolving economic realities. This bill proposes additional funding and a restructured operational framework for the commission to improve its efficiency,” he said.

He further emphasised that adequate funding from the Federation Account was critical for RMAFC to perform its constitutional responsibilities effectively, noting that funding challenges had previously hindered its performance.

The Senate endorsed the bill following deliberations and a majority vote.

It now awaits President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to become law.

[Punch]

THE first one thousand days of the Russo-Ukrainian War was on Tuesday, November 19, marked in Europe like an anniversary rather than a day of reflection. The European Commission draped its building with the Ukrainian flag, while the European Parliament sat to stirring speeches, including a standing ovation for Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Those hailing Zelensky in Brussels are not doing the dying. Those who have made an early exit to Heaven include more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians with about 27,000 injured. Over six million Ukrainians have become refugees, while the population has fallen by one quarter. Military casualties on both sides are in their hundreds of thousands.

Three days earlier, Zelensky had seemed sober and was talking about peace. The reasons for this might include the fact that in-coming United States, US, President, Donald Trump is unpredictable and the Russians are making significant gains on the battlefield. Other reasons might include Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, November 15, 2024 skirted around peace talks and, the Palestinian-Israeli War eclipsing the Ukrainian War.

So Zelensky, who hitherto had insisted there would be no negotiations with Russia, was on Saturday, November 16, 2024, talking peace. In an interview with Ukrainian radio, he said: “For our part, we must do everything we can to ensure that this war ends next year. We have to end it by diplomatic means.”

However, three days later, Zelensky was back to his war rhetoric. I think his change of mind is the result of the renewed support he got from various quarters, including the US State Department approving a new $100 million sale of weapons and, Denmark making a new $138 million donation for arms. However, the most decisive factormight be President Joe Biden authorising Ukraine’s use of long- range US ATACMS missiles. To Zelensky, this could be a game changer as the missile has a range of 300 kilometres, which means it has Russia largely fully within coverage. Secondly, his hope is that this might lead to the United Kingdom and France allowing Ukraine to use their long range missiles. Thirdly, the authorisation might be an indication that the US and its allies want an escalation of the war rather than negotiations to end it.

Zelensky immediately put the US missiles into use. Ukraine fired six of such missiles, with Russia claiming it shot down five of them, while the sixth hit a military facility in the Bryansk region, 110 kilometres inside Russia.

Russia had warned against such authorisation, claiming these missiles cannot be fired without direct US personnel support. This, to Russia, means that their use is an indication of direct US military intervention in the war.

The missile’s range of up to 300 kilometres is much shorter than some Russian missiles, including its hypersonic Kinzhal weapon with a range of 2,000 kilometres. So Ukraine’s use of such missiles is unlikely to change the course of the war.

However, Russia was so angered by the American authorisation that on November 19, it changed its rules of engagement on the use of nuclear weapons.

The new rules state that any attack against Russia by a non-nuclear country with the “participation or support of a nuclear power” would amount to a “joint attack on the Russian Federation”. This means that if the use of the ATACMS missiles by Ukraine was facilitated by US personnel, it would amount to a joint US-Ukraine attack.

 It also provides that any attack against the country by a member of a military bloc, would amount to “an aggression by the entire bloc”. This means that an attack against Russia by any of the 32 countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, would be seen as an attack by the entire military alliance.

The new order also states that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to a conventional weapons attack that threatens its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”. It means that if Russia reaches the conclusion that Ukraine’s use of the ATACMS missiles threatens it in a fundamental manner, it could resort to the use of nuclear weapons.

In interpreting the new Russian rules of engagement, its former President, Dmitry Medvedev, wrote: “Russia’s new nuclear doctrine means NATO missiles fired against our country could be deemed an attack by the bloc on Russia. Russia could retaliate with [weapons of mass destruction] against Kiev and key NATO facilities, wherever they’re located. That means World War III.”

Indeed, this may be closer to a nuclear war than we think. As it stands, Russia and the US, with over 5,000 nuclear war heads each, have the highest number of nuclear weapons. China comes a distant third with 500, France has 290 and UK, 225. Less than one per cent of the estimated 12,000 nuclear warheads is enough to destroy major parts of the world.

This war, like most wars, was avoidable, and, having started, could, and can be quickly ended. But the reason why it festers is that it is a proxy war. So, rather than take steps to end the war, what we witness are blame games and a sense of justification.

Basically, this war, is an expansion of the Ukrainian Civil War in which Russia and its allies support Eastern Ukraine and NATO and its allies threw their weight behind the other part of the country. The Ukrainian Civil War itself was the result of two undemocratic incidents in that country.

The first was the 2004 presidential election in which the victory of Viktor Yanukovych from Eastern Ukraine, was rejected by crowds in Kiev, the capital. This was dubbed the ‘Orange Revolution’. That election was then annulled and, in the new election, the rival candidate, Viktor Yushenko, was declared winner. The politics of that election was that the former was pro-Russia and the latter pro-West.

Six years later, Yanukovych again won the presidential election. This time his victory was not disputed. But four years into his tenure, he was overthrown for refusing to sign the Ukrainian–European Union Association Agreement which would have pushed the country into the orbit of the West. This coup split the Ukrainian people and the military and, led to the civil war. The first part of the country to secede and join Russia was the Crimea. In the civil war between Eastern and Western Ukraine, Russian military units openly defended the former. So, technically, Russian troops were in Ukraine nine years before the “Russian Invasion”.

There were efforts to reconcile the warring factions in Ukraine which led to two signed agreements: Minsk I and II. So, there can be no solution to the war in Ukraine without the resolution of the Ukrainian civil war.

The latest report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the economic outlook of sub-Saharan Africa is far from reassuring for Nigeria and some other countries. The verdict is that the ambitious reforms (reckless and callous by many views) which the current Nigerian administration has been pursuing for one and half years are yet to show that they’re on the right track. Put bluntly, they are not working! That’s certainly not the sort of thing President Bola Tinubu and his team would love to hear.

That assessment is antithetical to the viewpoint expressed in Abuja only last month by the Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of World Bank (WB), Dr Indermit Gill, who praised the government for the courage to hit the ground running with its unprecedented decisions to remove petroleum subsidy and float the naira. Gill capped his eulogy with a strong appeal to the private sector and citizenry for their cooperation and patience. Of course, his physical audience let him know instantly that he had struck the wrong chord. He clearly underrated the trauma the nation was experiencing. Anyhow, that outing provided a window into the bank’s convictions about Nigeria’s tortuous quest for restored prosperity.

This unpalatable IMF dish has thrown a shadow over whatever is left of the country’s hope of exiting the woods soon. It was the turn of the fund’s Deputy Director, Catherine Patillo, to serve the menu last week at the Lagos Business School (LBS). She wasn’t sparing: ‘‘More than two-thirds of countries (in sub-Saharan Africa) have undertaken fiscal consolidation, with the median primary balance expected to narrow by 0.7 percentage points alone in 2024. And these have included notable improvements in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Zambia, among others’.

“On the imbalances side, median inflation has declined in many countries. And it’s already within or below the target band in about half the countries…. Inflation is still in double digits in almost one-third of countries, including Angola, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, and above target in almost half of the region, particularly where monetary policy is not anchored by exchange rate pegs…. Looking further at exchange rates, we do see that foreign exchange pressures have largely abated since the end of 2023.” Two key elements of this declaration are truly painful. First, the astronomical increase in the cost of goods and services. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for last month indicates a raise in headline inflation from 32.7 percent in September this year to 33.9 percent. Within the same period, prices of foodstuff rose to 39.16 percent from 37.8 percent. One depressing side of the story is that informed projections haven’t identified any grounds for optimism in the near future. Transportation and energy costs are compounding an increasingly impossible situation. Sadly, both rural and urban populations are united in this long-suffering

Second, Nigeria, an erstwhile undisputed regional and continental political and economic leader, is tumbling rapidly, displaying mediocrity where less endowed nations earn better ratings. In few months, the country has descended from the lofty height of being Africa’s largest economy to the fourth position. How much lower can it go even in, say, one year’s time? So, beyond the obvious threat of the spiralling degeneration in the quality of life of Nigerians, the worsening ranking of their country among the comity of nations is set to deal more blows to the national pride garnered in the past decades. The effects, though intangible, are damaging nonetheless.

In addition to concerns about the nation’s present predicaments, the attendant vulnerability of its future is also captured in the IMF paper. According to it, “debt service capacity remains low by historical standards. In almost one-quarter of countries, interest payments exceed 20 percent of revenues, a threshold statistically associated with a high probability of fiscal stress. And rising debt service burdens are already having a significant impact on the resources available for development spending. The median ratio of interest payments to revenues (excluding grants) currently stands at 12 percent. Some three-quarters have already witnessed an increase in interest payments (relative to revenue) since the early 2010s (comparing the 2010–14 average with the 2019–24 average). In Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zambia, this increase in interest payments alone absorbed a massive 15 percent of total revenue’’.

The borrower, without doubt, constantly puts himself at the mercy of his lender. Again, Nigeria, once virtually debt-free at the dawn of the current republic, is now comfortably in the company of some of the continent’s worst debtor countries. President Tinubu has just sought the resolution of the National Assembly to borrow 2.2 billion dollars, equivalent of 1.7 trillion naira, to implement part of the 2024 Appropriation Act. And nothing yet to suggest the end of borrowing in sight.

Neither is there much to elicit positive expectations, to give the largely frustrated Nigerian people enough cause to rejoice and be hopeful. The other day in Benin City at the inauguration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State, Tinubu delivered his signature smooth words through his vice, Alhaji Kashim Shettima. In his own reckoning, “we have weathered the hardest days as a nation. We have pulled back from the brink of economic collapse, and now we step forward into a time of growth…. When we took office, we knew that securing the future of our economy would demand serious reform—reform to stave off looming fiscal and monetary threats to the stability of this great nation.

That may be soothing to textbook macroeconomists who dwell inside bloodless data and analyses. Or diehard admirers of the president’s policies and programmes. But definitely irritating to most citizens and residents who bear the brunt of the prevailing choking realities. While it won’t be fair to accuse this government of not trying, it also would be provocative to give itself any form of pass mark at this moment. The sharply rising stress level in Nigeria today, occasioned by semi-baked economic experiments, is real. What people feel can be more compelling than figures rolled out to serve bogus propensities

It’s not even that the people actually depend on submissions by either IMF or WB to tell them where it hurts. As in many other locations on earth, especially in the developing and underdeveloped world, these twin financial institutions are viewed with suspicion here, hopefully not hatred. It’s hard for those Bretton Woods organisations to shed the image of being oppressive agents of advanced nations and promoters of the status quo. As Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, a former Minister of External Affairs, explained it at a public function earlier in the week, “we are not rejecting partnership because we will not be in isolation but partnership in which we are real partners that will serve our interest. If the prescriptions of the World Bank and IMF are correct, we should not be struggling the way we are today…. We must be ready to harness our abundant human and natural resources to leapfrog our development to achieve the structural transformation that has eluded us for too long.

“We have the opportunity to insist on being joint rule makers so that the new global order being forged reflects our values and aspirations for a fairer, more inclusive, and equitable world. In this, we must ensure that our youth bulge is turned into an advantage that puts us at the forefront of the digital economy and the innovations underpinning it.” Well delivered. The perception out there that Tinubu is implementing recommendations from abroad isn’t helping. Only domestically-compliant remedies, sourced locally and externally, remain our best chances of surmounting these difficult times.

Ekpe, PhD, is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board.

The federal government has reinstated Joseph Ikechebelu as the acting vice-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra state.

Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, permanent secretary at the federal ministry of education, announced Ikechebelu’s reinstatement in a letter issued on Thursday.

“Sequel to the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, vide letter Ref: PRES/84/EDU/10 dated 18th November, 2024 nullifying the appointment of Prof. Benard Ifeanyi Odoh as the 7th substantive vice chancellor of the university who was illegally appointed by the dissolved 10th Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, I am pleased to convey the approval of the Honourable Minister to reinstate you as the acting vice chancellor of the university with immediate effect,” the letter reads.

“Consequently, you are directed to take charge of the administration of the university.”

The letter directed Ikechebelu to oversee the university’s administration and refer matters requiring council approval to the education minister until a new governing council is established.

The federal government also reinstated Victor Modebelu as the university’s acting registrar.

Modebelu had previously served in the role before being replaced by Rosemary Nwokike, whose appointment was terminated on Wednesday.

BACKGROUND

In June 2024, Ikechebelu was appointed acting vice-chancellor of the 33-year-old institution.

However, in July, the university’s 10th governing council controversially replaced him with Bernard Odoh.

The council, chaired by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, was accused of bypassing proper procedures to appoint Odoh.

TINUBU DISSOLVES GOVERNING COUNCIL

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu dissolved the university’s governing council over allegations of illegal appointments.

The council members removed include Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Amioleran Osahon, and Funsho Oyeneyin.

Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said the government intervened after reports of illegal practices by the council.

“The government stepped in following reports that the council illegally appointed a vice-chancellor, bypassing established guidelines,” Onanuga said.

[TheCable]

Anthony Kila in this piece wants erstwhile member of the Bola Tinubu administration, Mr Fela Durotoye, who claimed to have served for six months without drawing salaries and allowances, to be specific about what informed his leaving government after short a brief spell.

Dear Mr. Fela Durotoye,

Today’s epistle is directed at you, courtesy of your widely reported statement in which you explained two essential aspects of your relationship with the present administration led by President Bola Tinubu.

Firstly, you are no longer a member of the government, and secondly, whilst you were part of the government for a very short period, you did not earn any salary. If anything, you spent your privately earned money on accommodation, transportation, and other things while serving the country and the government.

For those who missed it, here is the context: In the second week of November 2024, a message containing a list of special advisers to the President started circulating on social media, and by the third week of the month, it had gone viral. The list intended to, with names and numbers, demonstrate that rather than cut down the size of government and cost of governance, the administration of President Bola Tinubu was increasing the number of people working for it by employing a visibly large number of special advisers.

You, Mr Fela Durotoye, were listed alongside 13 other aides as a Senior Special Assistant to the President for National Values and Social Justice. Given that you were appointed in October 2023 and served for six months, it makes sense for you to point out that the circulated list needs to be updated.

Your statement in which you observed that like many other issues in the public discourse, social commentary often has the tendency to overgeneralise; and broad assumptions may sometimes lead to errors of misconceptions, misstatements and misinformation not only clarified but also informed. I, like many, for example, did not even know you were appointed for any position in this government, let alone know that you resigned.

Your decision to clarify and avoid misconceptions, misstatements, and misinformation is a worthy move, and many of us are grateful for your making it. This is a good place to remind you and the rest of us that broad assumptions, misconceptions, misstatements, and misinformation tend to permeate our public and all discourse due to a lack of information.

Human beings are naturally curious beings, and information is a crucial element of our social lives; therefore, even when too lazy or ill-equipped to find correct information, we still need information. Where humans cannot find accurate information, we resort to broad assumptions and dwell on misconceptions, misstatements, and misinformation.

Like the poor who cannot afford healthy food or the ignorant who do not know healthy food and live on unhealthy food, we all dwell on broad assumptions and misconceptions, misstatements, and misinformation where we do not know better.

We dwell on assumptions, imagination and superstitions when we do not have facts and reasons.

Noblesse Oblige. It is the duty of those who know, either through knowledge or experience, to provide information for the rest so that the possible information vacuum can be filled and we can all be saved from the risk of broad assumptions, misconceptions, misstatements, and misinformation. In your case, dear Mr Durotoye, you have the knowledge of good governance and the experience of working in government, which puts you in a very privileged position to tell us more.

You have done well in telling us when you left the government, and by so doing, you have left many wondering how you even got into government in the first place.

Questions abound. Were you invited to join the government based on shared values with the president or those close to him? Were you part of the campaign team that worked hard to help Nigerians understand that Candidate Bola Tinubu and his APC are the best options for Nigeria in 2023?

Were you minding your business in Lagos or elsewhere, and out of the blue, the president or some people realised that you were the one with the qualities for the role you were nominated for?

It would also help us to know what, even if in broad terms, the mandate and objectives you were given to achieve for the government.

In your statement, you talked about the conditions for accepting the role. Knowing what you were appointed to do and what you can expect or not expect once in government will not only assuage our human curiosity but also help our quest for transparency and add to our general civic education by helping us better understand our country and how our government thinks. It will also give us valuable insights for planning our future.

One more piece of information that will be very helpful is the list of things you achieved or at least tried to do but could not do in your six months in office. No one can better tell us this than your good self. You have the facts, and you have the style, so please tell us more. For some, six months might be a short time, but not for modern players and those who, with impact, have operated in the private sector where every single day means deployment of precious resources that must be productive. It is not just about accountability; such information, if you are kind enough to share it with us, will also help us know what should be done, what can be done and the hurdles to doing them in the country.

Lastly, it would help if you told us why and how you left office. Now that many more people know you were part of our government, many would like to know if you were pushed or jumped, to put it in water cooler terms. Were you asked to do things you did not believe in, or were you not allowed to do things you believed in?

Your words, for very easily understandable reasons, will fill any vacuum that may otherwise allow for speculations and assumptions, so please tell us more.

Join me on Twitter @anthonykila to share your thoughts, ask questions, and continue these engaging conversations.

-Kila, Professor of Strategy and Development is a Director at the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies.

• ‘Work begins on Green Rail Line next year’ — Sanwo-Olu says, as Governor presents budget proposal

  • 30 newly completed road projects, bridges scheduled for commissioning December

Tourism and creative sector is about to take a huge leap forward in Lagos. The sector, with other key economic areas, will gulp a chunk in the State’s expenditures in 2025 fiscal year.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu laid bare what would be priorities of Lagos Government in the coming year, as he presented the State’s 2025 budget to the House of Assembly, on Thursday.

The Governor proposed a total of N3.005 trillion budget estimates, earmarking a huge capital investment of N908.7 billion to Economic Affairs sector — a cluster of key MDAs, comprising Tourism and Creative Arts, Agriculture, Transportation, Works and Infrastructure, Industry and Investments, Wealth Creation and Employment, Energy and Mineral Resources, Waterfront Infrastructure, and Commerce.

The 2025 Appropriation Bill, christened “Budget of Sustainability”, represents a 32.5 per cent increase over the current year budget, totaling N2.3 trillion.

The increment, Sanwo-Olu said, reflected the growing citizens’ demands for sustainable interventions in programmes and projects that would further raise productivity and energise economic growth in the State.

In response to citizens’ demands, he said the proposed budget was structured to ensure stability, stewardship and social equity around five key pillars, including infrastructure sustainability, economic diversification, social inclusion and human capital development, environmental sustainability, governance and institutional reforms.

The Governor noted that sustaining investment in infrastructure in key areas of priority would enable the State build up momentum for more growth, stressing that his administration’s infrastructural drive would further get a boost in the coming fiscal year.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the Government had completed 30 roads projects, including bridges, across the State, which had all been scheduled for commissioning from beginning of next month.

The Governor also announced that Lagos had sealed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government’s Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) to kickstart exploratory work on the development of the 68-km Green Line, which will connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone — a fast-growing industrial corridor in Lagos.

He said: “This 2025 budget is not just a fiscal document but a blueprint for continuity, resilience and shared prosperity for every Lagosian. As a key economic hub, Lagos stands at a crossroads: a nexus of challenges that test our resolve and opportunities that call for bold action. In crafting this budget, we have listened to our citizens’ voices, studied the global and local economic realities, and reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring that Lagos continues to thrive sustainably for generations to come.

“Next year, we are making significant progress in revitalising cultural, religious and recreational infrastructure across the state. These

initiatives are aimed not only towards preserving the rich cultural heritage of Lagos, but also to unlock tourism economy by creating spaces for recreation and artistic expression.

“I am also pleased to note that we have recently signed MoU with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) to kickstart exploratory work on the development of the 68-km Green Line, which will connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone. In road construction and repairs, we have completed 36 road projects, including bridges, link bridges and pedestrian

infrastructure, all of which are scheduled for commissioning from December.”

The 2025 budget proposal is made up of recurrent expenditure of N1.239 trillion, representing 41 per cent of the total budget, and a capital expenditure of N1.766 trillion, which represents 59 per cent of the budget.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the State would be financing the budget through a combination of projected revenue inflow of N2.597 trillion, and a deficit financing of N408.9 billion. The revenue sources, he said, include Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) projected to be N1.971 trillion, and federal transfers of N626.1 billion.

The Governor said the budget’s deficit would be financed through external and internal loans, and issuance of bonds, which, he said, would be within the State’s fiscal sustainability parameters.

Highlighting the sectoral allocation in the 2025 budget, Lagos Government will be spending N233.176 billion in Environment, N204.005 billion in Health, N208.376 billion in Education, N124.073 billion in Security, Safety and Public Order, while Social Protection will gulp N47.077 billion.

Sanwo-Olu described the performance of the current year’s budget as “excellent”, noting that the 2024 budget had been implemented to the tune of N1.423 trillion, representing 84 per cent performance as at the end of third quarter.

While presenting the 2025 budget, the Governor urged the lawmakers to play their part in ensuring thorough scrutiny of the proposal, just as he called for its speedy passage.

Sanwo-Olu said: “Let me assure the House that this budget is not just a statement of intentions but a practical, actionable framework designed to impact lives. From students and entrepreneurs in Yaba to the farmers and fishermen in Epe and Badagry, from the business executives and market women on Lagos Island to the factory workers in Ikorodu, this budget is all about the people of Lagos alone.

“I also assure our residents of my commitment towards ensuring that this proposed budget is able to effectively recalibrate the State’s economy, stimulate economic growth and strengthen the positive trajectory. The development of any megacity like ours is the responsibility of both the public and private sectors. To this end, we will continue to explore public-private-partnership strategies in the provision of infrastructure, social services, and the conversion of challenges to opportunities within the context of scarce resources.”

Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency has hit a new all-time high of $97,836 taking a step closer to fulfilling the prediction of analysts that the crypto asset will hit $100,000 before the end of the year.

Bitcoin in the early hours of Thursday morning surged to a new all-time high of $97,836 before cooling off to $97, 073 at the time of this report.

Bitcoin has surged by 4.1% in the last 24 hours with its market capitalization pumping to $1.9 trillion. The primary crypto asset maintains a 57.9% dominance over other crypto assets with its daily trading volume breaking the $85 billion threshold.

Bitcoin’s bullish rally has led to an opening on the popular prediction site Polymarket on whether the crypto asset will reach $100,000 before December.

The bullish rally also led to the Global market capitalization of all crypto assets hitting $3.3 trillion.

Reason Behind the Surge in Bitcoin Price  

Bitcoin’s surge in price is a result of many collaborating factors with the most significant being the victory of Donald Trump in the Polls. The self-acclaimed Crypto president made a big case for his love for cryptocurrencies during the election campaign mulling plans to set up a strategic Bitcoin reserve if elected as president.

• Bitcoin smashed its several months All time high after his election victory kickstarting a bull run with a ripple effect across the market.
• Aside from Donald Trump winning the election, Pro-crypto politicians also dominated the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, leading to the expectations of crypto-friendly regulations with Trump’s second term.
• Another key factor behind the surge in Bitcoin is the launch of the spot BTC exchange-traded fund options in the US.
• Blackrock’s IBIT was the first investment product to get the green light from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The new spot BTC options are expected to increase the demand for digital gold as investors could manage their investment risks.

Finally, a third factor for the Bitcoin surge was revealed by Ki Young Ju the CEO of the market analysis platform Crypto Quant. He revealed that the surge is also driven by strong whale accumulation and over-the-counter deals mostly by institutions, not individuals.

The bitcoin halving which also took place played a key role by demanding a price rally for miners to remain profitable.

What to Know  

• Donald Trump pledged to make America the world leader in cryptocurrencies if elected. His election victory is already shaking up things in the US Securities and Exchange Commission with Gary Gensler expected to step down soon.
• Memecoins remain the biggest performers of the bull cycle with Dogecoin, PNUT, and Chill Guy grabbing the deadlines for incredible surges over the past weeks.

[Nairametrics]