President Bola Tinubu says he has no plans to reverse the economic reforms embarked upon by his administration.

President Tinubu noted that the journey has not been easy, but it is a necessary sacrifice Nigerians have to pay for the greater good of the nation.

He acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians have had to endure as a result of the economic reforms and urged the citizens to believe in the process, promising that there would be light at the end of the tunnel.

Naija News reports the President made the declaration on Wednesday while delivering his speech during the presentation of the ₦47.9 trillion 2025 budget proposal to a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Abuja.

“The journey of economic renewal and institutional development, which we began 18 months ago as a nation, is very much underway. It is not a journey we chose but one we had to embark on for Nigeria to have a real chance at greatness. I thank every Nigerian for embarking on this journey of REFORMS and TRANSFORMATION with us.

“The road of reforms is now clearly upon us, and as the President of this blessed nation, I know this less-travelled road has not been easy. That there have been difficulties and sacrifices. They will not be in vain. And we must keep faith with the process to arrive at our collectively desired destination.

“We do not intend to depart from this critical path to strengthen the Nigerian economy. Just as I believe in the resilience of our economy to withstand the current challenges, I also strongly believe in the resilience of the Nigerian people. Again, I summon the unstoppable Nigerian spirit to lead us on as we work to rebuild the fabric of our economy and existence,” the President said.

President Bola Tinubu has allocated a total sum of N15.81 trillion for debt servicing in his proposed 2025 “restoration budget”. Tinubu disclosed this while presenting the N47.9 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

He said the government is targeting N34.82 trillion in revenue to fund the 2025 budget, while adding that government expenditure in the same year is projected to be 47.90 trillion naira, including 15.81 trillion naira for debt servicing.

“The numbers for our 2025 budget proposal tell a bold and exciting story of the direction we are taking to retool and revamp the socio-economic fabric of our society. In 2025, we are targeting 34.82 trillion naira in revenue to fund the budget.

“Government expenditure in the same year is projected to be 47.90 trillion naira, including 15.81 trillion naira for debt servicing,” Tinubu said, adding “I promise we have to bring it down.”

The President noted that a total of 13.08 trillion naira, or 3.89 percent of GDP, will make up the budget deficit. Taking top position in the sectoral allocation of the budget proposal is defence and security with N4.06 trillion. Health takes N2.4 trillion while Education gets N3.5 trillion.

Tinubu further noted that inflation was projected to go down from its current 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent while exchange rate was projected to be brought down from N1,700 to a dollar to N1,500.

The Oyo State Government has announced the arrest of the organisers of a children’s party in Ibadan which led to the death of about 30 children.

The deadly stampede occurred at a children’s Christmas party in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.The incident took place on Wednesday morning at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan.

It is understood that the party was organized by Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, in collaboration with Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Ibadan, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat.

Confirming the development, Governor Seyi Makinde said the main organizers have been taken into custody. He also disclosed in a statement that the government has commenced a thorough investigation into the matter.

The statement said: “Earlier today, an incident occurred in Islamic High School Basorun, the venue of an event organised for families. Sadly, a stampede at the venue has led to multiple loss of lives and injuries.

“This is a very sad day for us here in Oyo State. We sympathise with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths.

“We have taken steps to ensure no further deaths are recorded at this venue by deploying security agents to restore order at the venue. We also deployed medical personnel and ambulances to the venue. The event has been stopped, and attendees have been escorted out of the venue. We are taking all realistic measures to ensure that the venue is secured.

“While investigations are ongoing, the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede have been taken into custody.

“I want to reassure our people that anyone directly or remotely involved in this disaster will be held accountable. Please remain calm as the security agencies investigate this unfortunate incident.”

“Our hearts remain with the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen,” Makinde added.

The former special adviser on media and publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has described Buhari as a friend of the masses, noting that his policies and decisions were focused on improving the lives of Nigerians.

In a tribute to celebrate Buhari who clocked 82 on Tuesday, Adesina said one of such policies was his decision not to remove fuel subsidies as Nigeria’s President.

He described him as ‘Ore Mekunu’, a Yoruba phrase for a friend of the poor, adding that he ‘still draws the people like magnets even in retirement’.

Adesina described his boss as a President who refused to take decisions that would further impoverish the masses even when aware that some corrupt leaders are benefiting.

“The Big Elephant in the room (was the) removal of fuel subsidy. Did you think the Government didn’t know that the money guzzling monster had to be slain? It knew.

“But who ensured that subsidies remained as long as it did? Buhari. And why? The people, the ordinary people. His argument was always simple.

“When oil sold for at least $100 per barrel in the international market, rising even to as high as $140 per barrel, what did the ordinary people gain? Nothing! So why should they be the ones to bear the brunt when oil prices fall?”, Adesina stated.

The former presidential aide said even though Buhari may share the conviction to remove subsidies at the end of his administration like the presidential candidate then, “he didn’t want to do something that would throw society into a tailspin for the sake of the ordinary people”.

Almost two years into retirement, Adesina said people still continue to mill around him because of his disposition to the poor.

The parents of Segun Olowookere, a young man reportedly arrested at the age of 17 in 2010 for allegedly stealing a fowl and eggs in Osun State, recently shared their journey and continued hope for justice after a decade of legal battles.

In an interview on the Talk To B show, hosted by actress Abiola Adebayo and aired on Tuesday, Olowookere Olarenwaju and his wife, Folashade, described a chain of events that led to the conviction of Segun, their only child, and subsequent years of hardship.

Mr Olowookere explained that their struggles began in 2008 when a cleric from Kwara State warned the family that their son would face great challenges in the future.

“The cleric said there is a generational curse on the child in the future, and it will be a tough one, but he said if God spares his life, that is the only battle he will fight in life. So we kept praying,” Segun’s father said. 

Recalling how Segun was arrested two years later, the father said, “I was at my shop, where I rent out and sell video CDs when the police came around 11 am that day. They fired shots in the air, and we all ran away.”

He explained that the police successfully apprehended one boy and took him into their vehicle.

The boy reportedly came back to inform him that he had seen some of Segun’s schoolmates in the van, who told the police that he was not Segun, which made the police let him go.

The father added that the boy revealed to him that these schoolmates were being accused of stealing a chicken and eggs.

Olowookere explained how he urged his son to run away because he didn’t want him to be entangled in any police case.

He said, “I told my son about the incident, and he said they can’t be looking for him. My son doesn’t eat chicken because I also have a poultry.

“He said he can’t run away because he doesn’t even eat chicken. We begged him, but he insisted he won’t run because he’s innocent.

“The policemen returned around 9 pm that same day, and someone came to tell him (Segun) about it and urged him to run away. He didn’t run until the police took him away. I later realised the owner of the chicken was a member of my extended family.”

After being taken to the police station, Olowookere said the Divisional Police Officer demanded N30,000 to release Segun.

“I got to the station, and the DPO told me to bring N30,000 if I didn’t want my child to go to jail. The arrested children were about seven when we got to the station, so I wondered why they demanded N30,000 from only my son, but the DPO insisted.”

Olowookere explained that despite bringing N20,000, the DPO reportedly insisted on the full amount, refusing to show mercy.

“I begged him to collect the money, but he insisted on N30,000, so I should go and look for the complete money. He said he had no child and had no reason to be merciful,” he said.

Olowookere then sought help from politicians, but the situation grew more dire.

“I decided to involve politicians,” he said. “I went to meet one of the brothers of the then governor, Oyinlola. The brother sent someone to the DPO to release the boy, but the DPO said I went to report him to someone, and it wouldn’t stop him from collecting the money. He said I’ll be surprised that my son will go to jail.

“Within five minutes, he brought out my son and the rest. He also brought out the cutlasses they found in the house of their parents because they searched our houses. One of the boys, father was a hunter; they also brought his gun. The DPO laid the weapons in front of the boys and took their pictures with the weapons.”

“He told me to say goodbye to my son,” Olowookere recalled, struggling to hold back tears. “Then I burst into tears. He told me not to come close and that he doesn’t accept apologies. That was how they took the children away.

“They took them to Osogbo; on getting there, we had to get the service of a lawyer; they took the rest of them to welfare, but only my son was taken to Ilesa.”

Olowookere explained that although Segun was born in 1993 and 17 years old at the time of the incident, the DPO argued that since he had completed secondary school, he should not be considered a minor.

He claimed that the officer increased Segun’s age, claiming he was an undergraduate, despite the fact that Segun was just 15 days away from starting university when the problem began.

He added that about six months later, the other children involved were released, leaving only Segun in custody.

In an attempt to resolve the situation, he said he went to see his relative who owned the chicken and eggs and offered to compensate him for the chicken and eggs that were allegedly stolen.

However, the relative insisted that Segun was not involved in the theft and told him to leave.

“I went to meet our family elders, and they called him, but he still insisted my son was not among the thieves,” Segun’s father said.

He said the family endured years of court appearances, and one day, the judge mentioned that if the complainant did not show up in court the following month, the case would be dismissed.

This prompted Segun’s father to approach his relative, the complainant, along with another family elder, to encourage him to forgive Segun, especially since he was the only one left in the case.

They reportedly begged him to state that he was no longer interested in pursuing the case; however, the relative reacted angrily, accusing him of trying to lecture him.

He added that the relative later came to testify in court, claiming that Segun was the leader of the thieves, leading to his death sentence.

Olowookere recalled, “On the said day at court, I saw my brother and the policeman who made the arrest. The policeman was the first to speak, and he said Segun Olowookere is not among the thieves. We were all excited that my son would be free that day.

“When it was my brother’s turn to speak, he said my son is the leader of the thieves.

“Eventually, the judge sentenced my son to death. That was how I left the court in tears.

“People asked if he was a murderer; if not, why sentenced to death? We didn’t see anyone with an injury, not even a gunshot or sign of physical assault. People were surprised.”

Tearfully recounting the day of the sentencing, Oloowokere added, “I cried, and my son said, ‘My daddy, don’t cry.”

“He said if he’s truly innocent, he won’t be killed, but he will only be killed if he’s not innocent. He said I should be at peace that he won’t be killed. I couldn’t tell his mum when I got home. From the High Court, where the judgement was made, he was taken to Abeokuta.

“The judge also said that the governor of the state has the right to pardon my son after ten years if he chooses to do so. We’ve been praying about it since then.”

Speaking during the interview, Segun’s mother, Folashade, stated that in the years that followed, Segun was transferred to different prisons, including the Kiri Kiri Prison in Lagos State, where he managed to further his education despite the harsh conditions.

She said, “When he got to Kiri Kiri at first, he was selling food so he could have money to sponsor his education because he had a good result. So, he was trying to gather money to prepare for the school.

“I asked if it was possible there; he said yes. So, he calls us when he needs anything for the food he was selling and his education. I’ve visited the place, and I saw that there’s a school there.

“He even called us for his graduation, but he knew we didn’t have money, so we couldn’t attend his graduation. My younger siblings in Lagos attended on our behalf. He studied a medical course in prison.”

She also spoke of the emotional toll, saying, “We have been to every possible person for help, but each time it seemed like hope faded. My son’s situation has made me hypertensive.

“Since the beginning of this issue, I have never had a joyful festival season. I have no money, no business; the money is usually spent on this. I don’t want to die this way; have mercy and help me.

“People keep asking us what can be done, but we don’t know. We are even tired at this point, but if God has a purpose for his life that didn’t kill him till now, he will bring him out.”

Segun’s father also clarified that there were two out of the seven who were sentenced, but the other boy had some mental issues.

“I even thought his parents would have gone to pick him up because they asked them to come pick him up when the mental issue started,” he said.

PUNCH Online reports that in response to the widespread outcry over the issue, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has directed the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice to launch a full investigation into the case, with the aim of granting Segun clemency.

•PDP, LP, NNPP link President’s reforms to worsening hardship, APC, govt defend policies

The Federal Government and opposition parties clashed on Tuesday following the criticism of the economic policies of the Bola Tinubu administration by the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party agreed with the governor that Nigerians are being crushed under the weight of Tinubu’s economic reforms but the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, argued that the reforms had made more resources available to states.

Idris further assured that ‘’Nigerians will feel the benefits in 2025.’’

Responding to questions from one of our correspondents, the minister stated, “2025 is a year that President Tinubu’s reforms will be consolidated for the benefit of all Nigerians

“Mr President has embarked on an ambitious reform agenda that is already freeing more resources to the subnationals, not just the Federal Government.”

Idris argued that Governor Oborevwori’s comments are a smokescreen to avoid accounting for the increased allocation Delta, an oil-producing state, has enjoyed under Tinubu.

“The Delta governor’s comments about the economic policies of the Tinubu administration are an attempt to distract from the challenge thrown to him to account for the resources of Delta State which have increased vastly in the last 18 months.

“A governor who has received close to a trillion naira since coming to office should focus on accounting for it, not casting aspersions on a Federal Government that is doing everything to empower the states,” the minister counselled.

Oborevwori had accused the Federal Government of unleashing unprecedented hunger, poverty and mass unemployment on Nigerians, turning Nigeria into the world’s poverty capital.

The governor said the probable gains of Tinubu’s policies on petroleum subsidy removal and floating of the naira had been eclipsed by naira devaluation and soaring inflation.

In a statement by his Executive Assistant on New Media, Mr Felix Ofou, the Delta governor said it was time Tinubu embraced policies that would stem poverty and suffering.

His comments came on the backdrop of an assertion by the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, that the President’s economic policies “increased federal allocation to state and local governments, rising economic growth rates, declining imports, higher exports and higher incomes for farmers.”

However, Oborevwori faulted Omo-Agege’s claim saying, “the value of the increased funds amidst galloping inflation, naira devaluation, and widespread poverty.”

Upon assuming office 18 months ago, President Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates.

Though touted as necessary reforms, these moves triggered seismic economic disruptions, infusing immense pressure into daily Nigerian life.

The fuel subsidy, which had long shielded Nigerians from global oil price volatility, was scrapped, pushing fuel prices from approximately N185 to around N1,100 per litre.

The price of commodities followed suit as fuel costs underpinned transportation, food prices and general consumer goods.

By October 2023, the national inflation rate surged to 32.7 per cent, with food inflation peaking at an alarming 37.5 per cent.

Coupled with subsidy removal was the unification of the multiple exchange rates.

For years, Nigeria operated an artificially pegged naira rate to support imports and control inflation, a policy that led to currency speculation and a thriving black market.

Tinubu’s unification aimed to create a more transparent and equitable foreign exchange regime.

However, it also led to an immediate naira depreciation, severely eroding purchasing power and raising import duties.

This raised the prices of essentials like medicines, electronics and food products, further worsening inflation.

Also, about 104 million Nigerians sank into poverty by December 2023, the World Bank estimated.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, and the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, said the policies should be reviewed.

Osadolor said the country was suffering due to the policies of the current administration.

“So, unlike those in Aso Rock who are shielded from the reality of today, the Delta State governor, by virtue of being a community person, feels the pulse of his people firsthand, aside from being governor.

“The people cry to him, and he feels their pain firsthand. We don’t have to be a Governor or a community person to know that there’s hunger in the land. Even the cattle and birds in the country show signs of despair.

“This speaks volumes about what has gone wrong with the country. The country is sick from the policies of the current administration, and it needs healing and deliverance from the economic managers of this government,” he said.

Osadolor argued that the governor simply echoed “what others have been saying.”

He added, “But I want to salute his courage and the risk he faces, even though he has immunity for now, of being retorted or called names.

“He has stepped forward to be counted among those who genuinely mean well for Nigerians and who truly feel the pain and suffering of the people.

“I want all other men of goodwill and character to stand up and speak up and be counted, and say, enough is enough.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP said the Tinubu administration needed to review its policies before May 29, when Nigerians would finalise their assessment of the APC government.

Johnson stated “Our position has been clear: it doesn’t seem that the policies are working, and people are suffering.

“We have already stated that they should press the reset button and try to see if they can turn things around.

They shouldn’t remain obstinate and continue insisting that it will work.”

Continuing, he said, “All we can do now is wait, but the first test will be on May 29th next year, which will be the mid-term.

“At that point, we can assess the mid-term report card and see where we are and where we seem to be heading.

“By that stage, they will have no excuses. After the first test last year, they said the year was too short, but mid-term is the usual time for evaluation.”

Also speaking with The PUNCH, the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party, Kennedy Ahanotu, said despite having divergent philosophies from Oborevwori, his argument was valid.

Ahanotu said, “Truly, most people are saying that there is a need for Mr President to review his economic policy, and it’s in order. This is because when you want to test run something and you see that people are reacting to it.

“Even if you go to hospital to take an injection, if they start giving you an injection and you are reacting to it, they will remove it and start putting another. So, economic policy is something that is being test run daily.”

He continued, “When you see that it’s too harsh on people, you withdraw and seek other ways to make it work on people without having so much harsh effect.  It’s not about what the Delta governor said. I think it’s the position of the majority of Nigerians.

“Some of the economic policies of Mr President should truly be reviewed to align with the economic realities in the country.”

However, the All Progressives Congress disagreed.

The APC argued that it is too early for opposition leaders to play politics with reforms that could salvage the economy and reposition it better for the future.

In a phone interview with one of our correspondents, the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, emphasised that the ruling party has an economic and agricultural policy, which Tinubu’s government is implementing accordingly.

He said, “In these reforms or policies, the government of the Federation has introduced for the first time a new Ministry for Livestock Development.

“This is something that has not been done before and the intention is to pay attention to the agricultural sector, in particular, the area of animal and food security.

“The Delta governor is speaking out of tune. Maybe the opposition politics has blinded him by the fact that there is supposed to be a time within which certain things will mature, and then we see the effect.”

He added, “People are not getting impoverished. They are being stimulated and encouraged to go to the farm.

“They are there with the intention of producing more so that there will be food on the table. Very soon, we will start seeing the results.”

Meanwhile, Governor Oborevwori has distanced himself from comments made by his Assistant on Media, Felix Ofou.

Oborevwori, through his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, said the views expressed by Ofou “were entirely personal and did not reflect the position of the Governor or the Delta State Government.”

Ahon said, “The comments attributed to Mr Felix Ofou are his personal views and do not represent the Governor or the Delta State Government.

“Governor Sheriff Oborevwori enjoys a harmonious working relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and has never made any such statements regarding the President’s policies.

“It is, therefore, imperative to state categorically that, as Chief Press Secretary and official spokesman of the Governor of Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori did not, and has never, expressed such views on Mr President’s economic policies.

“The general public is, therefore, advised to jettison such misleading reports as they do not reflect the views of the Governor, who is working very hard to provide good governance for Deltans and other residents of the state despite the present economic challenges faced by the citizens.”

Speaking further, Ahon said the Governor had constantly urged Delta residents and Nigerians to continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The CPS said this was the view Oborevwori expressed at the Urhobo Progress Union on Saturday, when the governor stated, “I want to appeal to Urhobo nation today, I am saying it here, I am an Urhobo man and I’m Governor of Delta State.

“But I will tell you today whether you like it or not, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is supporting this administration. God has made him the President as God has made me the Governor of Delta State.

“So, as you are supporting me, support him because if he fails, I will fail, but by the grace of God, he will not fail and I will not fail, too.

“Mr President has appointed our sons and daughters into various positions. He did not appoint people from outside the State. God has given him victory and God has given me victory; you people should support us to succeed.”

Nigerian screen sensation Chioma Akpotha, celebrated for her magnetic performance in Femi Adebayo’s hit Netflix original, Seven Doors, recently veered into uncharted emotional territory, addressing a deeply personal and long-ignored topic—generational curses.

While basking in the glow of critical acclaim, Chioma seized the platform during a revealing interview on Channels Television to share an astonishing tale of her family’s dark and complex history.

In a moment of raw vulnerability, Chioma unveiled the chilling origins of her family’s struggles, tracing it back to their ancestral surname, Omuka, which sheb abandoned due to an ominous generational curse.

According to the actress, the curse stemmed from a grave injustice committed by her forefathers, who, in a moment of cruelty, buried slaves alive. She said these victims cursed their lineage, condemned future generations to a cycle of premature and mysterious deaths.

The curse, Chioma Akpotha explained, wasn’t just a myth passed down through whispers; it was a harsh reality her family lived with for decades. She recounted how the curse manifested as a relentless cycle of untimely deaths among the youth in her family.

Determined to shatter their family’s dark legacy, Chioma revealed how she and her father turned to relentless prayers, fueled by unshakable faith and their dream to live long enough to hold their great-grandchildren—a defiant testament to breaking the generational curse that loomed over their bloodline.

CATCH HER SHOCKING DISCLOSURE IN THE CLIP BELOW

Nigerian actress Bukunmi Oluwashina has taken a bold and unapologetic stance against the lingering envy, rivalry, and toxic competition she’s observed festering like a silent plague among her female colleagues in the entertainment industry.

Taking to her Instagram page on Monday, December 16, the actress did not mince words as she poured out her thoughts, offering a sharp and sobering comparison between the uplifting camaraderie she admires among her male counterparts and the cutthroat atmosphere she perceives among female stars.

Bukunmi expressed deep admiration for the brotherhood she sees among male actors. She highlighted how these men, despite often sharing the same ambitions, manage to cheer each other on, grow together, celebrate each other’s wins, and hold space for one another without allowing jealousy to creep in.

She wrote;

“I envy these men. Just take a look at them. The way they contain each other, support each other, grow together…

“Their collective growth is evident in how they acknowledge and cheer each other on, despite sharing the same goals. The joy I feel when I run into one of my fav actor’s movies on my fav director’s page. And how the actor sings the Director’s praise in his absence, even though he is also a director..”

In stark contrast, Bukunmi lamented the toxic culture that often poisons the bond between female stars, an ugly mix of competition, rivalry, and resentment that creates an unbridgeable divide.

She recounted instances where she’s been explicitly warned not to extend a hand of kindness or support to one female colleague for fear of “offending” another.

Bukunmi continued;

“I pray I Withness this someday with my gender in this field. You people make loving genuinely like a very difficult thing. It cost nothing. Someone asked me “How do you think this person would feel for posting that person? You are supposed to post this Person first and then post that. This person won’t like or drop a comment if you post that person” How did we get here??

“And some fans from the pit of hell would be asking you too choose a side. Are we on a battlefield? Okay, if we are, what are we fighting for? Crown? Money? Post? Nice one, which of them are we taking with us when we die? I am not even going to blame some bitter followers who act like they are not loved ay home. The energy they see is what they give.”

Drawing the line firmly in the sand, Bukunmi made her position abundantly clear: she will not, under any circumstances, be coerced into picking sides or harboring hatred to satisfy anyone’s insecurities or grudges.

With an unshakable resolve, she sent a warning to those who live for the toxicity, that she wants no part in their petty games, their envy-fueled rivalries, or their silent wars.

She added;

“Let it be known that i am at peace with everyone and this heart has no limitation in love. I am not going to war with anyone for anyone unless they PERSONALLY give me a reason.

“Joy is no joy to me if its purpose is to make other people feel sad. And love is not love if it’s not shared with those who don’t deserve it.”

SEE HER POST BELOW 

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu, says the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, is a moral burden on the federal government.

Kanu is being detained in the custody of the DSS over alleged tourism.

According to Nze Chukwu, “there is no sufficient reason for the prolonged detention of Kanu by the security agency of the state.

Nze Chukwu said he would collaborate with some Igbo leaders in government for a collective effort towards the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Nze Chukwu made the remarks in his inaugural meeting with the NEC held in Enugu.

On the forthcoming election of Ohanaeze executives, Nze Chukwu called for the election of credible leaders into the executive of pan-Igbo executive. He expressed delight that the Imeobi Ohanaeze has resolved that there should be a screening committee to ensure that the incoming NEC comprised men and women with integrity.

He regretted the disunity among the Igbo, recalling the enviable Igbo unity during the Dr M. I. Okpara regime that propelled the Igbo to become one of the most educated ethnic groups in Africa.

According to him, “During the Okpara regime, almost all the schools, churches, markets, hospitals, and other social facilities were through the organized town unions. There were farm settlements that provided the required agricultural techniques for improved farming activities. There was food sufficiency in Igbo land, but most regrettably, the subsequent Igbo leaders appeared to have abandoned their responsibilities.”

He said it was the combination of Igbo internal peace, unity and food security that registered Eastern Nigeria as one of the fastest growing economies in the world under Okpara.

Nze Chukwu lamented that, at present, all forms of agricultural produce ranging from yam, beans, tomatoes, cows, goats, ram, carrot and garden egg come from the North.

He condemned the extortions on various road networks in Igboland, stating that a trip from Enugu to Onitsha, “a distance of 100km, would take about four hours because of numerous money extorting checkpoints mounted by the army, police,Road Safety, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), and community vigilantes.”

He decried the lack of vision of the contemporary Igbo leaders, explaining that, “While Harvard in the USA is curious about the Igbo successes through the Igba Apprenticeship Scheme, the present crop of Igbo are losing grip of that fascinating Igbo heritage.”

He attributed the restiveness among Igbo youths to “the dereliction of Igbo vital values”, and made a case for the prioritisation of the empowerment of Igbo youths.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Fly Nigeria Act will transform into law under his watch.

The minister lamented that the document, which is expected to make it mandatory for government-financed air transportation of government personnel, contractors, grantees, and properties to be carried by Nigeria Air Flag Carriers, has yet to materialise more than 15 years after it was first proposed.

Speaking at a one-day “Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Legal Framework for the Fly Nigeria Bill and Related Enabling Legislation’, in Abuja, Keyamo said he would rally all the major stakeholders to push for the Bill to be signed into law.

Vice President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, and the spokesperson of the Association, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, described the move as a new dawn for the country’s aviation and domestic airline.

Speaking at the event, Keyamo said, “This has been on the cards for some time, for many years, more than 15 years, because I think my predecessor, Chief Omotoba, served more than 15 years ago. So you can imagine that this bill was taken to council more than 15 years ago, and yet it did not see the light of day. Under my tenure, it will happen.

“We just want to get things done. And so, when I came to the office, I saw a couple of these things hanging on my desk, like the Cape Town Convention, to the cry of the Aviation Working Group, and all the proposals that have been made to former governments to develop especially indigenous industry, a local industry. And what we did was to say, look, let us revive all of these dead things on my table that would help or that will help to develop our local industry.

“And one of them, of course, is the Fly Nigeria Act. Luckily Olisa Agbakoba was also talking to me about it. He had brought a proposal.

”It’s a global conspiracy, but you have to be smart to see it. Look at the entire African continent. Just look at it. All the foreign airlines in the world feed on the African markets without competition from African airlines, without fair competition from African airlines. And they will ensure that this aviation market in Africa remains taunted. Especially in a big country like Nigeria, they will ensure that it remains taunted so that they will continue to feed on your markets.”

The minister further lamented that nationals of the world have been feeding fat in Nigeria without a commensurate gain to Africans.

“Air France is coming here full, going back full.  So, we’ll set up a technical session. We have a pre-draft resolution here. The National Assembly members are waiting for the bill to get there. The senators are just waiting. It’s for us to set up a technical committee. We agreed in principle that this is good for us, good for aviation, you know, local operators especially.”