“If only…” These two words paired together create one of the saddest phrases in the English language.

In the end, more than anything else, we regret the small chances we didn’t take, the priceless opportunities we were too busy to nurture, and the good decisions we waited too long to make.

It made for a thrilling 48 hours as we meandered around the theme, Accountability Journalism: Nurturing Innovation for a Sustainable Future – with The Center for Journalism Innovation and Development CJID providing the platform towards enhancing accountability journalism for a sustainable future, at the very first West Africa Journalism Innovation Conference, a ground-breaking event.

With over 300 journalists, media professionals, tech enthusiasts, stakeholders, the academic community, policymakers and government institutions from more than a dozen countries.

It was a thriller hearing from Richard Gingras, the Vice President (News), Google as Keynote Speaker and the need to think about the future, and go pass the ifs of technology. Dapo Olorunyomi CEO, CJID/Publisher Premium Times outdid himself whether it was the goodwill or just chaperoning as moderator around conversations on Journalism and the challenges of Innovation.

Musikilu Mojeed, President, International Press Institute and Editor was spot on, like the school principal as he moderated the session on accountability journalism and challenges of sustainability and alongside, speakers like Frank Aigbogun, Publisher, BusinessDay. Toun Okewale CEO of Women Radio, Mohammed Ali (not the boxer) Deputy Director, News Operation, NTA.

We got heads up on innovating for press safety from Lawal Bakare of Safetity.

Professor Umaru Pate, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Kashere, Nigeria, punched below and above the belt, and ended with those five Rs. I won’t share the secret here. But if you know prof, you would know he took no hostages.

There was a gallery of the creme de la creme of the practice, from gown to practice, it was reflective hearing Jude Ilo of the Centre for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC). Jake Epelle was his effervescent self, as they navigated Media and Democracy, Eugenia Abu, the aunty herself was dealing as Lanre Arogundade Executive Director of the international Press Centre looked at regulations and spaces for press freedom advocacy.

The problem with mentioning names is that some names ultimately get lost in memory, but I must say the entire planning team did a “fantabulous” job.

For me, and I dare say the larger Nigerian society, we must begin to understand that accountability journalism plays a pivotal role in shaping societies by holding those in power accountable, safeguarding democratic values, and fostering sustainable development. In an era characterized by information overload and the rise of disinformation, the importance of promoting innovation within journalism cannot be overstated.

Whether as government, or as practitioners at the core of a thriving democracy lies a free press, which serves as a watchdog, scrutinizing the actions of governments, corporations, and other institutions. Accountability journalism empowers citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions and advocate for positive change. It delves into complex issues, exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and environmental threats, while also celebrating triumphs and achievements in society.

The landscape of journalism has undergone radical changes due to the digital revolution. Innovations in technology and communication have redefined how news is gathered, disseminated, and consumed. The West Africa Journalism Innovation Conference recognized the critical role innovation plays in empowering journalists to tackle new challenges effectively.

Many of us, especially of the ‘old school’ acknowledge the fact that there is a need to embrace components such as Digital Storytelling, Data Journalism, Collaboration and Crowd-Sourcing, Artificial Intelligence and Fact-Checking, and Audience Engagement amongst many others. The era of he said, while speaking to, he confirmed, she reiterated, and unconfirmed sources is gradually fading out, if not actually almost gone.

The West Africa Journalism Innovation Conference emphasized the need for sustainable journalism models. While I agree and many do too, that the five Ws and H will remain an anchor in news gathering, traditional revenue streams for media outlets are facing challenges, and embracing innovation can lead to the development of financially viable and sustainable news platforms.

So, the Nigerian media space must therefore Diversify Revenue Streams, Build Media Literacy, and Support Independent Journalism. I must state here that my heart is glad at what the future holds for Nigerian and West African journalism with the new kids on the bloc, fast thinking, innovative creative and more, listening to the likes of Mohammed Akinyemi of Zikoko Citizen, David Adeleke of Rest of the World, Joshua Olufemi, of Dataphyte or Anita Igbine of Code for Africa.

The networking was out of this world, meeting new friends, like Ahmed Sahid Nasralla of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, we could not get to talk, but my brother and friend, Dayo of ICIR, be assured that we have a lot of catching up to do.

I am using this medium to thank all of us that were part of the “Paradise Experience” and to one of the most wonderful hosts I have met in recent times, Iretomiwa, and Debo, both of CJID. The CJID Secretariat did a wonderful job. The anchors and moderators like Tobi Oluwatola, ED CJID, Akintunde Babatunde, Busola Ajibola, Mboho Eno, Caroline Anipah all of CJID, Tolulope of News Central, Maupe Ogun-Yusuff, Channels TV, and Dr. Williette James of Fourah Bay College were all superb.

A BIG THANK YOU to MacArthur Foundation, funders, media partners and all, let me say we may have ended the first West Africa Journalism Innovation Conference which has served as a catalyst for the region’s media ecosystem to foster accountability journalism through innovation. Embracing technology, data, and audience engagement, while ensuring sustainability and media literacy, journalists in West Africa must be well-equipped to tackle pressing challenges and shape a brighter, more transparent, and sustainable future for their societies. As the conference concluded, it was evident that innovation is not just a means to an end; it is the lifeline that journalism needs to thrive in the digital age, till we see next year—May Nigeria Win!

In July 2013, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, then Egypt’s army chief, sacked his benefactor and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, President Mohammed Morsi, in a military coup, installed himself as military ruler of the country and suspended the country’s constitution. 11 months later, at the end of May 2014, the general proclaimed himself the elected ruler of Egypt, winning 93% of the votes in an election with a pre-determined outcome in which he was the only candidate with any chance of being declared winner.

The African Union, which had previously decided that coup plotters should not use the benefit of their incumbency to confer democratic legitimacy on themselves, quickly embraced General Sisi, even making him chair of their Assembly of Heads of State and Government in his first term four years later.

In the decade since the overthrow of President Morsi until the beginning of this year, the continent has witnessed at least 21 attempts by the military to take over power in various countries, of which at least eight were successful. The successful military coups occurred coups began with the overthrow of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe in 2017. Guinea has witnessed one such coup while Sudan, Mali, and Burkina Faso have seen two each.

Since 1950, 45% of coups and attempted coups worldwide have occurred in Africa. Since 2013, 62.5% of successful coups on the continent have been in West Africa. In October 2021, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, described this trend as “an epidemic of coups”.

But not all the coups in Africa have been by the military. The continent’s count of coups now also must include the overthrow of constitutions by civilian rulers elected under them. Take Guinea (Conakry), for instance, where former President Alpha Conde, who was term-limited, decided to make himself life president. In April 2020, he organised a civilian coup in the form of a violent referendum in which scores were killed, manufactured entirely with the pre-determined outcome of enabling him to transform his expired presidential tenure into a life presidency.

All this happened with the blessing of Africa’s regional institutions, including the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who first gave a clean bill of health to the referendum and then certified the pre-determined election that followed in October 2020 as kosher, even before the results were announced.

When longtime strongman and president of Chad, Idris Deby Itno, was killed by rebels in April 2021, the military in Ndjamena took the opportunity to topple the constitution and install his son, a general, as the new president. The African Union whose executive arm is headed by a loyal acolyte of the Deby military-political family in Chad, took it upon itself to invent a justification for the coup in Chad, claiming that it was necessitated by a security imperative imposed by an attack by “foreign mercenaries”. The AU did not see fit to extend the same rationale to Burkina Faso, whom it suspended at the beginning of February 2022 after a coup, even though the country had been under prolonged assault by foreign jihadists.

Over the years, therefore, the continent’s regional institutions, including ECOWAS and the AU, have shown a marked lack of fidelity to the principles of democratic governance. Despite a much-touted prohibition against coups, they have developed an unhealthy habit of certifying crooked elections and legitimising indefinite presidential tenure. This makes it impossible to take them seriously when they condemn military coups. By the time, for instance, the military overthrew Alpha Conde in September 2021, both the AU and ECOWAS had long sacrificed their ability to condemn the coup with any credibility or authority.

Almost exactly on the decade-long anniversary of General Sisi’s coup in Egypt, presidential guards in Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic, sacked the government of President Mohamed Bazoum in a palace coup, bringing to an end, the country’s tortured experiment in elective government which began in 2000. It was Niger’s fifth successful coup in 50 years, an average of one every decade. Two weeks before this coup, on July 12, the AU launched the Africa Governance Report 2023 with a focus, ironically, on coups in Africa.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who has now been announced as Niger’s latest strongman, was supposed to be in charge of protecting the man whom he has overthrown. His reasons for leading the coup reprise a familiar litany by the region’s putschists, at the top of which is rising insecurity. Al Jazeera has rightly described this as the “go-to reason” for all recent coup plotters in Africa’s Sahel. The military takeover in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, justified on similar grounds, has made no significant dent in the Islamist violence and tide of insecurity in both countries. The outcome is unlikely to be different in Niger.

The installation of soldiers as the new rulers in Niamey consummate a takeover of the Sahel — from the Atlantic Coast in Conakry to the Gulf in Port Sudan – by military strongmen. It is the latest in a blowback against the international strategy of securitising responses to stability and migration in North Africa through support for convenient authoritarianism in the Sahelian corridor. Ironically, the biggest loser in this turn of events has been France, which has done the most in evolving, supporting, and promoting this strategy.

Six weeks before the coup in Niamey, the European Union on June 8 announced military assistance “worth €4.7 million to support the Nigerien Armed Forces with military equipment designed to deliver lethal force in full respect of relevant international law”. According to the EU, “the assistance measure will strengthen the operational capacities of the Nigerien Armed Forces by facilitating the mobility, presence and security of the land forces in the most insecure areas of Niger”. It is uncertain whether any of the equipment delivered under this programme of assistance was deployed in this coup. However, the symbolisms are at best wretched and it is difficult for the EU to escape the imputations that must flow from the optics.

The international response to the events in Niamey, meanwhile, has been somewhat confusing. ECOWAS, led by Nigeria, has been vociferous in its condemnation and has scheduled an extraordinary summit in Abuja on Sunday, July 30, (as this column goes to press) to deliberate on the situation. For its part, the Peace and Security Council of the AU in a communique on July 28 frowned at the “alarming resurgence of military coups” and asked Niger’s military “to immediately and unconditionally return to the barracks”.

Around the region, however, many question the authority of both institutions on this subject matter, holding them complicit for a series of squalid elections around the continent and for the rich supply members of the AU’s rulers who lack any credibility on the subject matter of upholding democratic legitimacy.

Beneath an appearance of unanimity in condemnation of the coup in Niamey from around the world, however, there lurks a significant divergence in the details. France, for instance, has announced that it will decline recognition to the new strongmen in Niamey. By contrast, the United Nations – which has still not found time on its agenda for the war in Sudan – has asked them for an “immediate and unconditional” release of the deposed president, Bazoum, implying limited recognition of sorts. The United States has made a similar demand.

When they meet on July 30 in Abuja, heads of state of the ECOWAS are likely to announce a familiar menu of measures, including suspension of Niger from the community, likely to be followed shortly thereafter by similar measures by the African Union. In 20 years, the African Union has implemented such measures in at least 14 member countries. That has not stemmed the rising attraction of coups on the continent.

If anything, there is recent evidence that Africans in many countries are increasingly open to the return of military rule under certain conditions. This is a tragic turn of events. The continent can still stem this tide but, to do that, Africa’s institutions can no longer afford to certify crooked elections or approbate presidents who manufacture ways to stay in power until the day after eternity. What is good against the soldiers must be good also for their civilian wannabes.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The dust raised by the removal of the controversial fuel subsidy hasn’t settled. It is worth writing about. There is an issue in Tinubu’s inconclusive cabinet-making. That too is a good topic this weekend. There is a governance garbage in Pa Ajasin’s Ondo State, where there is a paralysis of analysis that correspondents covering the state appear to be covering up in a curious manner. That too is a big jigsaw puzzle for analysis this weekend. The Nigerian representatives’ scandalous mockery of the “wretched of the earth” in their (un)-hallowed chambers in Abuja could wake up Frantz Fanon, the oracle, at the weekend too if there was an opportunity to contextualise it. All these are topical issues, especially at this time that the powerful men in Abuja are beginning to appear unable to read the writings on the walls of time.

They haven’t read about the values of the Sons of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do. They don’t seem to be prepared for the challenges of the rampaging rot that they inherited. They behave like dinosaurs who don’t understand the digital times that disrupt governance processes daily, even in the global context. Strangely, they have hinted at creating more ministries and agencies to satisfy cronies who are hungry for power in this wilderness of debt, even as concerned citizens are daily calling on them to cut down the cost of governance. The cosmic spirits that control the power of migration from darkness to darkness appear to be on the prowl again. As I was saying the other day, they don’t seem to understand the bush fire that has been burning without consuming the bush yet. They want to exercise power without control; they want to ignore the writings on the wall, again. They want the poor to die miserably. Therefore, I have an appeal this week instead of musings on the issues highlighted above.

I would like to write a redemption song. I want to appeal to all our leaders through the National Economic Council (NEC) where all the leaders who control the levers of power in this very fragile, but complex federation meet regularly to discuss the state of the national purse and other related matters. I want them to build some consensus that no matter the state of the nation’s economy, no matter the state of insecurity in the country, they will not introduce policies to remove even the invisible subsidies on education. Yes, subsidies on education. We don’t need to start another debate on whether there have been subsidies for education. All I am pleading is: whatever our leaders want to become, they should ensure that the noise level of arbitrary increases on incidental fees in public schools across the country is reduced at the moment. Here is the thing, our leaders must ensure that they do all that is humanly possible to stem the tide of increase in the number of out-of-school children, and adults at this time. We have written several times here that the collapse of education is the collapse of any nation. They should stand firm together so that they can say no to tax and fees-increase policies that will lead to more of our children and adults being out of school. There have been conflicting figures regarding the number of out-of-school children, with some putting it at 14 million, while others say that it is only 10 million. But let’s not quarrel about the figure, instead, let’s be concerned about the reproach of having more children out of schools in Africa’s most populous country, as well as, a glimmer of hope for the black people of the world. Let our leaders in Abuja and 36 state capitals take seriously, the one-point agenda of saving education so that we can have a future, and hope for a better tomorrow, which Ngugi Wa Thiong’o said is the only comfort you can give to a weeping child. The dismal stories are trickling in already.

In a story in The Guardian (Nigeria) last week, there was a preface to anarchy in education thus: “In a move that has raised concerns on the fate of indigent students, authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have made a startling decision to increase school fees substantially, a decision that has been widely criticised by all concerned…”

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) and other universities have been announcing increases in fees ahead of the commencement of the 2023/2024 academic session. And expectedly, students, parents, and stakeholders have expressed concerns about their fate. According to the news peg on the (federal) University of Lagos, the announcement has caught many students unawares, as school fees were raised from N21,000 to a staggering N190,750 sparking heated debates and discussions both within and outside the school.

Some federal and state universities have equally announced new fees payable by new and old students, heightening fears that education may be out of the reach of the poor sooner than later. While universities battle the increasing costs of running schools, cases of higher fees are raising concerns about access to education and the potential impact on learning and development.

Two weeks ago, UNILAG also announced an adjustment in fees for both returning and new students of the institution. The increase is coming amid soaring food inflation and the high cost of living in the country. The new fees payable by fresh and returning students range between N120, 750 and N240, 250, depending on the course of study. Until the latest announcement, returning undergraduate students on campus paid between N26, 000 and N76, 000 and depending on courses.

According to the statement by the university, all fresh students who study courses without the use of laboratories and studios will pay a flat rate of N156,325, while their counterparts who would be required to make use of laboratories or studios will pay N206,325. The new rates include N10, 000 for toxicology tests and yearly utility charges of N20,000.

For returning students, the charges range between N120, 750, and N170, 250 and that too depends on course of study.

For returning medical students, fees range between N210, 250 and N240, 250. This includes the mandatory N20,000 utility fee and N30,000 for convocation ceremonies. Even education authorities haven’t measured the subsidies in medical and health sciences education in the country. It has been a mystery if we compare what students pay for this even in developed economies.

The University of Lagos used to charge N25,000 for convocation. Items to be paid for by the students include registration, identity cards, examination, library services, information technology and entrepreneurship, medical services, sports, and an endowment fund, among others.
But expectedly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that the increase may force indigent students out of school. And so teachers and students’ unions have been appealing to the federal government to review the increase by public universities and find a safe landing for the nation’s future leaders.

There is no debating this ancient grudge that the whole thing now boils down to the parents. These have been part of agitations by the academic staff unions who have been attacked several times by federal and state authorities who say they can no longer bear the brunt of funding.

UNILAG is not the only tertiary institution that has increased fees in recent times. Bayero University Kano (BUK); universities of Benin and Abuja, among others, have all done the same. The implications of the new fees are quite clear: children of the poor will withdraw from schools as the much-advertised student loans structure hasn’t been set up. As a union leader has noted, “…We should be mindful of the inherent danger that may accompany such development when it comes to vices, especially among youths. It could become a willing pool to recruit from. It is indeed sad. We hope President Bola Tinubu will review the situation and find a safe landing for our future leaders. The government could set up a high-powered commission that is made up of people of integrity and brain, to review all the issues as it concerns the country’s education sector,”

Meanwhile, let the new authorities in Nigeria not use a recent story that as a consequence of naira devaluation, Nigerian students face tough times in the UK as tuition soars by 60%. According to the report, many Nigerian students are facing tough times in the United Kingdom after the naira equivalent of their tuition fees increased by over 60 per cent following the recent move by the Central Bank of Nigeria to unify the nation’s foreign exchange rates. Barely, two weeks after President Tinubu promised to unify the nation’s multiple exchange rates, the apex bank decided to float the naira at the Investors’ and Exporters’ Window of the foreign exchange market. Since then, the naira has fallen from N471/dollar to N850/dollar and N589.4/pound to N1,112.2/pound. This has led to about a 60 per cent increase in tuition fees for students in the UK. Many policy and risk analysts working for Nigerian governments would like to argue that this rise in the exchange rate has put more pressure on many Nigerians that are schooling in the UK and beyond. The UK is one of the destinations of choice for many Nigerians as 128,770 Nigerian students enrolled in universities in the United Kingdom between 2015 and 2022 according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency of the UK. According to the CBN, study-related foreign exchange outflow to the UK rose to $2.5bn in 2022. Nigerian students and their dependents in the United Kingdom contribute about £1.9bn annually to the UK economy, according to an analysis by SBM Intelligence.

Many of these students may now struggle to pay the balance of their tuition due to the sharp decline in the value of the naira.

I have written extensively on how education quality was the critical success factor of Lee Kuan Yew’s success story of lifting his country, Singapore from a Third World country to a First World country. How many times will one write about how education quality has made South Korea become a world power with about 60 million people? Are we still in doubt that education quality is one reason South Africa is ahead of Nigeria in all indices of development? Can we dispute the economic powers of Multi-Choice, MTN, etc, and the value that their highly-rated universities are adding to industrial development in South Africa? Are we aware here that most of the Middle East countries dominated by Islam, including Saudi Arabia have almost reached 100% literacy level while we are still begging our leaders to reduce the number of our out-of-school children? Let our leaders not bring forth any sophistry, any shenanigans, and peccadillos about education subsidies. They should note that failure to fund basic and secondary education for all, which is a fundamental right, will spell disaster for them. And then university education should not become a privilege through fees that we cannot afford here. It is our leaders who need to waste their excesses. They shouldn’t create more bureaucracies at this perilous time. They should read the writings on the walls of time. We need robust funding for education.

Ace footballer and former captain of Nigeria’s national team, Segun Odegbami, has found his larger purpose in life — aside from making soccer fans go wild with his incredible antics and goals on the field of play. Odegbami was a delight to watch while his magic lasted. He titillated us all with his mesmerising dribbles and cut-to-size crosses on the right flank to the extent that the legendary commentator, Ernest Okoronkwo, nicknamed him ‘Mathematical’.

Although he appears to have sipped from the fount of perpetual youth, he has notched seven decades under his belt. That is not the story. The news is that this sportsman who has given so much of his sporting talents to his country and helped in raising others to live up to their potential has now taken up the challenge of helping the African continent measure up to the intricacies of sports diplomacy to encourage the culture of excellence.

It is not given to everyone to realise his or her mission on this side of the great divide. Some set their targets so low that they fizzle into nothingness as soon as they achieve what they think is their life ambition. But people like Odegbami continue digging even after finding the jewel because they have come to realise that there is no limit to what the human being can achieve as long as the mind can conceive it. Talking of dreams, who says Nigeria in concert with some other African countries can’t host the World Cup?

A graduate of engineering, Odegbami has forayed far afield into the intricacies of sports and how the sector intertwines with other areas to such an extent that almost every facet of human development is connected with sports. Whichever way one turns— politics, commerce, marketing, medicine, engineering or tourism— one discovers that sports permeates virtually all human endeavours.

Sports diplomacy is as much a tool for wielding influence and winning friends as any other traditional tool of statecraft. Call it soft power or whatever you will, it enables nations to make loud statements about where they stand on any issue. In modern times, sports is not just about who we compete or play against, it is also about who we refuse to play with. 

One of the greatest examples of sports diplomacy on the African continent was the boycott of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, by Nigeria and some other African countries in protest against the participation of New Zealand in the games. The Supreme Council for Sports in Africa had protested against allowing a country which maintained sporting relations with apartheid South Africa to take part in the Olympics. Athletes from the protesting countries had trained for four years and were already in the Olympics Village in Canada in readiness for the competition. 

On the eve of the opening ceremony of the Games, their dreams went up in flames. They were summoned by the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa, SCSA, and informed of the decision by several African government’s to boycott the Games in protest. The International Olympic Committee, IOC, had failed to withdraw New Zealand from the Games for their ‘romance’ with the Apartheid regime in South Africa. Twenty-seven African countries heeded the boycott call. So did Guyana and Iraq.

The IOC directed that all the contingents from the protesting countries should vacate the Games Village within one hour!

The former Eagles captain notes that in the records of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, and the directory of the World Olympians Association, WOA, the names of all the athletes from Nigeria that went to the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, will not be found. Yet, they were physically at the Games, spent 10 days in the Games Village along with other athletes from around the world, were involved in pre-Olympics competitions, and even participated in the rehearsals for the ceremonial march-past.

“It was a devastating blow to the athletes affected. Ambitions to become Olympians were sacrificed on the altar of global politics that was deployed to seek justice for oppressed fellow Africans in South Africa. Worthy as the cause may have been, the price the athletes paid was high and the pain, everlasting. No governments or institutions since 1976, have recognised, appreciated, honoured or even compensated the athletes.”

Another landmark moment where sports served to add sheen to the country’s image was the 1980 African Cup of Nations (AFCON). Odegbami notes that, “Following the Nigerian Civil War that ended in 1970, the country needed every conceivable means to bury the hatchet of the war. The government introduced the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, and the National Sports Festival, amongst other schemes, to bring the youths of the country together in the spirit of ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’. 

“This pursuit went on for years through different schemes and programmes all designed to create platforms for socialisation, re-integration, friendship and unity. It was in hosting the African Cup of Nations  in 1980, however, that the country found the perfect elixir… The Green Eagles played out their hearts, and, for the first time since Independence in 1960, the people found in football the power that shunned differences and galvanised the people to be one.”

The 1980 team was celebrated, honoured and rewarded. However, it appears that the significance of that success still reverberates till now and an occasional reminder won’t do any harm. 

When Odegbami shared his dream of using the 1976 and 1980 events to bring people together and honour those who had made sacrifices for the continent and country, he found listening ears in both the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Eghosa Osaghae and the Managing Director of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema. While The NIIA has provided space for the erection of a commemorative plaque in honour of the 1976 and 1980 heroes and heroines, Air Peace is footing the bill of the celebrations, thereby rekindling the spirit of patriotism, sacrifice,  love for country and the Black Race. For some of those sportspersons who have since passed on, the honour is coming too late but is nonetheless worthy of commendation.

The 1976 Nigerian Athletics Team comprised the following:

Kolawole Abdullahi, 100m /4 X 100m relay (late)

Ruks Bazunu, 100m / 4 X 100m relay (USA)

Moses Adebayo Adebanji, 4 X 100m relay (USA)

Edward Ofili, 100m/200m/4 X 100m relay (late)

Mark Olomu, 4 X 100m relay, Sapele,

Chuks Abigide, 4 X 100m relay, USA,

John Okoro, Long Jump (Late)

Charlton Ehizuelen, Long and Triple Jumps, USA,

Moses Akporowho, Long Jump, (Late)

Godwin Obasogie, 110m, Hurdles, USA,

Graywood Oruwari, 110m, Hurdles, USA,

Modupe Oshikoya, 100m, Long Jump, Pentathlon, USA,

Gloria Ayanlaja, 400m, USA,

Bruce T. Ijirigho, 400m/4 X 400m relay, USA,

Dele Udoh, 400m, 4 X 400m relay (Late)

Felix Imadiyi, 400m, 4 X 400m relay, USA,

Benjamin Omodhiale, 4 X 400m relay, USA,

Rotimi Peters, 4 X 400m relay, USA,

Dennis Otono, 400m Hurdles, USA

Taiwo Ogunjobi, 400m hurdles (Late)

The 1976 Olympic Football Team

Emmanuel Okala, Enugu *

Joseph Erico (Late)

Andrew Atuegbu, USA,

Sanni Mohammed, Accra, Ghana,

Mudashiru Lawal (Late)

Christian Chukwu, Enugu

Godwin Odiye, USA

Kelechi Emetiole (Late)

Haruna Ilerika (Late)

Adekunle Awesu (Late)

Thompson Usiyan (Late)

Alloysius Atuegbu (Late)

Baba Otu Mohammed (Jos)

Jide Dina (Late)

Samuel Ojebode (Late)

Patrick Ekeji, USA, NA

Segun Odegbami, Lagos

Montreal 1976 Swimming Squad

John Ebito – USA,

Montreal 1976 Boxing Squad

Obisia Nwankpa , Lagos,

Davidson Andeh (Late)

1. Obagoriola, Lagos

1980 Africa Cup of Nations Team

Best Ogedegbe (Late)

Moses Effiong – Calabar,

Emmanuel Okala – Enugu,

John Orlando – Accra,

David Adiele – Owerri,

Okey Isima (Late)

Segun Odegbami – Abeokuta,

Felix Owolabi – Ibadan,

Godwin Odiye – USA

Christian Chukwu – Enugu,

Adokie Amiesimaka – Port Harcourt,

Charles Bassey – Calabar,

Tunde Bamidele (Late),

Kadiri Ikhana – Abeokuta,

Mudashiru Lawal (Late)

Henry Nwosu – Lagos,

Ifeanyi Onyedika – Enugu,

Frank Onwuachi – Asaba,

Martin Eyo (Late),

Shefiu Mohammed – Jalingo,

Alloysius Atuegbu (Late)

Sylvanus Okpala  – Enugu,

The ex-athletes, apart from being ambassadors of Air Peace, will enjoy 12 free return flights of the airline in one year and also one international flight plus a cash reward. Odegbami predicted that the decision to write the names of the athletes in gold would mark a positive turn-around in the lives of many of them and future athletes.

Having campaigned over the years that Nigeria should always give recognition to those who have brought honour to the country, I was thrilled to note that the event matched the location — a sports event located within the premises of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs; simultaneously, it is also a diplomatic event that derives its significance from the heroics of Nigerian, nay, African sportsmen and women. Sports plus diplomacy, it’s a win-win combination!

Salihu Lukman, until a few days ago, vice-chairman (north-west) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has had to resign his position as a member of the national working Committee (NWC) of the party. In his July 26 resignation letter addressed to Abubakar Kyari, acting national chairman of the APC, Lukman explained that his resignation was informed by his conviction that the atmosphere in the party had become completely at variance with the founding vision of forming a progressive party.

In his words, “rather than remaining in the leadership of the party and becoming a source of distraction for leaders and especially for the young government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is better to excuse myself.”He said he would remain an ordinary member of the party while hoping that the leaders of the party would learn to retract from acts that are unjust and illegal that could counter any claim of being democratic or progressive.

The resignation of Salihu Lukman could not have come as a surprise to those who have followed his activities especially in the last 8 years. This latest resignation was not his first. In January 2022, Lukman resigned from his position as Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF). At that time, he told the media that he took the action to enable him to continue with his criticism of the APC with a view to returning the party to its original vision.

He had before the resignation mounted sustained criticism against the continued aberration of a caretaker committee running the affairs of the ruling APC which could simply have organized a national convention from which an elected party executive team would have emerged. Lukman no doubt deserves the credit of being a loud voice in the effort at redressing the situation.

Remarkably, at no time has Lukman’s agitation shown any trace of personal ambition or the urge for material gains, instead, the critic has continually fought for members of his party and indeed all politicians to hold-on to some modicum of principles in their actions and activities. The premise of Lukman’s political standpoint is that given where the nation is coming from, under the former ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP, changing Nigerian politics requires a departure from requiring citizens to be blindly loyal to elected leaders. In his words, “politics of change should produce elected leaders, who should be highly tolerant and where possible, even accommodate disagreements and criticisms as part of the process of decision making.” In other words, citizens and party members should be allowed to disagree and criticise elected leaders.

Understandably, many politicians would be quite critical of Salihu Lukman, because they perceive him as a publicity seeking politician who always likes to be in the news. But it is difficult for such perception to take away from Lukman the positive trait of a moral reformer who is largely committed to the ideals of politics for good governance. There is also the criticism that he hardly follows the established procedures and processes available to all party members for ventilating grievances.

This is no doubt a strong point because a party member should not wash the party’s dirty linen in the public. But then, the argument is simplistic because in the third world, party leaders are hardly democratic; the only point they listen to is that which meets their predisposition. It is therefore easy to see that Lukman usually goes public after his internal entreaties had been ignored.

Lukman pleaded with and cajoled leaders severally to bring the abnormal caretaker system to an end before he began to publicly demand and advocate for the convening of a national convention which holds in Nigeria only when the party is facing a major controversy. If Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore APC’s immediate past chairman and secretary respectively had listened to Lukman’s initial pleas for them to run an open party system, it would not have been necessary for him to go public with a demand for financial accountability. The only place he could have presented an internal claim is the regular executive committee meetings which never held. Why would a party official as high as vice chairman be left in the dark and why indeed should a party leadership that garnered as high as N100million per aspirant to procure nomination forms for presidential election wait to be pressurized to account for the money? 

From what has been said so far, it is rational to commend the few Salihu Lukmans in Nigeria’s political system who have had the courage to call out undemocratic party leaders. A major merit of the call-out is that it persuasively questions the validity of the old order which presupposes that in politics there are no principles or morals and that a politician need not be realistic, truthful or sensible. The courageous members of a party do not have to be many or in the majority, it is salutary that we are able to point to one or two persons who now and again are able to stand-up and speak truth to power. This is why this column today commends Salihu Lukman who has consistently fought against party tyranny and the criminalization of political dissent. Without him and a few others, dictatorship would remain the defining feature of political leadership in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s two major political parties have given the nation copious examples of the high degree of dictatorship in our political party system. When PDP was the ruling party, she developed a habit of replacing winners of party primaries for no just cause until judge-made law intervened to demand for “cogent and verifiable reasons” for any replacement. The new ruling party, the APC, has gone several steps below logic, to present as winners of primaries, those who were not even aspirants and therefore did not take part in the primaries. Both parties have always believed that the principle of party supremacy can be used to sustain the dictatorial stance of their leaders – a standpoint which undermines the rule of law and every democratic tenet.

Evidence that party leaders enjoy dictatorship is located in their refusal to ever voluntarily resign from office. In other climes, once there are latent signals that a party leader’s stay in office is no longer popular, such leaders resign from office. In truth, leaders leave office on account of controversies for which they have no direct blame but simply on account of the principle of vicarious liability. That doesn’t happen in Nigeria. Neither Abdullahi Adamu of the APC nor Uche Secondus of the PDP saw the need to quit as soon as some segments of the party began to object to their continued stay in office. Perhaps a better example is that of Iyorcha Ayu who could have saved his party from defeat by stepping down when against party tradition, events threw up both the party chairman and the presidential candidate from the same region. 

The greatest implication of the failure to get leaders who are truly democratic is that it is the major reason why we have been unable to attain free and fair elections. Such party leaders have no inclination to play the game of election by its rules. They go all out to compromise the electorate, election officials, law enforcement agencies and the judiciary thereby creating opportunities for  all manner of electoral malpractices, such as faulty card readers and BVAS as well as unfathomable technical glitches. Of course, where elections are neither free nor fair, the result is usually fake winners who would not only be unacceptable to opponents or be capable of implementing viable policies that can improve the living conditions of the people. 

The point to be made is that there is a strong connectedness between all the factors creating political disorder and instability in Nigeria and that poorly managed political parties are at the front burner of the dilemma. With no one playing the role of the Salihu Lukmans, people cannot identify what Nigerian political parties stand for and what differences exist between them. To reverse the situation, our political parties urgently need men and women of honour who are ready to jettison the politics of selfishness, greed, sectionalism and corruption that have since independence hindered the growth and development of our nation.

Let us start by defining our terms: To maximise means to take the best possible advantage of; to enlarge or stretch to its elasticity limit. The opposite of “maximise” is “minimise”. If a student had the capacity or capabilities to make a First Class but ended up making a Second Class Upper, we would say he did not maximise his capabilities even though Second Class Upper is still a very good grade. In a business if we make less profit than the opportunities available or if, in a position in government a leader performs below par despite the avalanche of resources at his disposal, it can be said that such a fellow did not maximise but has minimised his opportunities and time in office. An average performance, where the capacity to do more is available, does not maximise but minimises. Remember the book “An enemy called average” by John Mason. It is only when we maximise that we are at our best; it is only then that we give our best to society. Destinies are best fulfilled when opportunities that come our way are maximised.

“Times and seasons” are moments and seconds that become minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, and millennia, etc. Embedded in “times and seasons” is the understanding that it is fleeting, however long and inexhaustible it may seem at first, and that it waits for no one. Hence, the saying: Time and tide wait for no man. Seasons, like tides, signify unpredictability, ups and downs and the absence of uniformity. In fact, what is predictable in seasons is its unpredictability! Hence the saying: No condition is permanent! Times and seasons are sometimes good or favourable and, at others, bad and unfavourable; the Book of Job teaches that we cannot expect or accept what is “good” from God and not expect to receive the very opposite once in a while. Philosophers such as Aristotle and Cicero came up with the concept of “summum bonum” which, to the former, is an ultimate end or goal (the full enjoyment of life in joy and happiness) at which all human action is directed and to the former, the highest or ultimate good towards which human beings gravitate or should gravitate. The opposite of this, however, is what another philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, described as “summum malum” or greatest evil, which is the fear of violent death. Hobbes famous quotes of a “state of nature” in his book, Leviathan, described it as “a war of all against all, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” Hobbes countered Aristotle and Cicero when he posited that there is no “summum bonum” or ultimate good but only ultimate evil. He said: “We desire not to die. While there is no “summum bonum” or greatest good, there is a “summum malum” or greatest evil, which is death. We passionately wish to avoid death”. This is the theory that Hobbes used to justify State power and the restriction of human freedom for the benefit of all; otherwise, if everyone were allowed to exercise their liberty without restraint, society would be ungovernable and no one would, in the end, be safe.

Scripture has so much to teach us about times and seasons and how to maximise them. Unfortunately, many of us use the Bible only to bind and loose, to cast out and command to come; good and profitable as these may be, a greater benefit, in my view, is derivable from the application of Bible wisdom and teachings to our everyday living. We have a rich repertoire of harvests in the word of God concerning times and seasons and how to maximise them. The Preacher tells us in Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – 8 that “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven…” Some have posited that this is the philosophy of Determinism and have queried what room, if any, is left for freewill. My answer is that within the limits or borders set, there remains still a lot of legroom for anyone intent on maximising times and seasons!

Strike the iron when it is hot! Opportunity comes but once! Opportunity once lost can never be regained! “I shall pass this way but once” is a quote that has been credited to multiple authors but the central theme or message remains the same: “Any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now… for I will not pass this way again! That is the limit of the knowledge available to mankind for now. We do not know what tomorrow hides in its belly! Therefore, procrastination is the thief of time. We cannot maximise times and seasons if we are like the sluggard in Proverbs 2: 33: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man” We must also apply two other wisdoms of the Preacher if we must maximise times and seasons: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth” (Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6) and “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be like good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). The parable of the sower as told by Jesus Christ Himself confirms the above. (Matthew 13; 18-23).

Knowing times and seasons is one of the greatest challenges that confront man. Jesus Christ says the end time that we predict on a daily basis is only known to God. The Preacher says therein nothing new under the earth. There is nothing that is happening today that did not happen in times past. And there in no prediction or prophecy of God, if we truly believe He is God; that will not come to pass. So, why pay against such? We predict but come to grief because we lack an understanding of the times and seasons for their manifestation. We rush to press with prophecies, dreams and visions and end up being called prophets of doom or fake prophets. Maybe truly you were Number 16 but you became Number Nothing because, failing to ask for times and seasons for the manifestation of that which you received and how it shall be fulfilled, you ran before your time and another took your place. This is where Daniel and the Virgin Mary differed from us.  Daniel asked for the times and seasons; and when Mary received the message from Angel Michael, she asked “How can this thing be?”

We are passing through interesting times in our country as we speak, to quote the iconoclastic Dr. Tai Solarin, but can we “pray” like Tai did, for our road to be rough? And can our road be rougher than it is right now? You may not believe it, it can! Each time we think we have had the worst, worse things happen! May we not know better yesterday is a prayer God is yet to answer for this country! But may we as individuals not know better yesterday! Keeping hope alive is one of the surest ways of maximising times and seasons. Some biblical examples of how our forefathers maximised times and seasons will do.

       1. When there was famine in the land, just like we have in our land today, Isaac wanted to run away just like his father, Abraham before him had done but God counselled him not to. Bible records  that Isaac sowed in the land and reaped multiple folds and became richer than his wealthy father. We were not told that Isaac only prayed and fasted and did vigil. He might have done all of that but, importantly, he sowed in the land. He worked hard. Faith without work is dead. Hard times have two faces: The hardship that comes with it and the opportunities it spins; it depends on which one we choose to see.

2. When Pharaoh had the dream that unsettled him, the solution that Joseph proffered was “save for the rainy day” Tell me, what happened to Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund? Assuming we made saving a habit, we will not be where we are today. As individuals, we must take a cue from this.
3. When there was famine in the land, Naomi and her household did the opposite of what Isaac did: they “japa” to the land of the Moabites but what happened to them there? Naomi lost her husband and two sons and returned home empty. By the time she did, the problem she ran away from had dissipated! But for Ruth that came back with her, she would actually have transformed from Naomi (Pleasant) to Mara (Bitterness).
4. In the siege over Samaria, four lepers took the risk to go into the enemy camp; without that, they would have died and, possibly, the entire city would have perished from a danger that no longer existed but which they knew nothing about, until God used the lepers to open their eyes. Taking calculated risks, like the lepers did, is one of the ways to maximise times and seasons like the one we are passing through today.
5. The widow of Zarephath, the Shunamite woman and Tabitha (Dorcas) gave sacrificially; so also the widow who cast her mites into the offering bag. Giving opens doors. Closed destinies get an expression when the heart is primed to give sacrificially. Ten lepers were cleansed but only one returned to show appreciation; as a result, his miracle was made more perfect than that of the other ingrates. Two words that many people find very difficult to say are “Sorry” and “Thank you”!
6. What do you have, Elisha asked the widow of one of the sons of the prophets. Jesus Christ, to feed the thousands, blessed the few loaves of bread and pieces of fish that the lad had with him. Many Christians today have nothing to do; yet, they desire blessings and miracles, praying day and night and shouting “amen, I receive” all over the place. What they want is magic.
7. Blind Bartimaeus refused to be cowered; the more they tried to shut him up, the louder he cried. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. Bartimaeus was also specific about his vision and mission: “That I may receive my sight”! Many have no clear idea of their purpose in life. How can such maximise times and seasons?
8. Jephthah, like David, was a reject but each developed their God-given gifts and talents. If you have what the world needs, they will look for you. Be a solution provider. Never go to people and say, “Please, help me”. Rather, say to them, “I can help you. I have something you need!” A man’s gifts maketh a way for him. And be diligent in whatever you do. Add value! “Seeth thou a man diligent in his business…” (Proverbs 22:29).
9. As much as it lies within your power, stay healthy. “Mens sana in corpore sano: A sound mind in a sound body”.
10. This is the digital age; the age of high-tech. Technology must not pass you by. If it does, you have become irrelevant and cannot in any way maximise times and seasons.

Finally, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand on the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13-20).

(Lecture delivered on the platform of the JOURNALISTS FOR CHRIST FELLOWSHIP at the International Press Centre (IPC), 11, Dideolu Court, Dideolu Estate by First Bank, Ogba, Lagos on Saturday, 22 July, 2023).

The Federal Government will on Monday meet with the representatives of the organised labour in an effort to prevent the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

However, the NLC has advised citizens to stock their homes with food items, medicines and other essential things ahead of the commencement of its seven-day strike to protest the removal of fuel subsidies and the escalating cost of living in the country.

The warning, it noted, had become necessary because the strike would cripple the country as movement would be severely curtailed as commercial transport operators would withdraw their services, while markets, schools and healthcare facilities would be forced to shut down.

Assistant General Secretary, NLC, Chris Onyeka, said in an interview with one of our correspondents that the citizens should also minimise their movements so as to avoid being stranded.

NLC has given the government a seven-day ultimatum with threats of a nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. The labour movement in a statement signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, accused the Tinubu-led Federal Government of failing to meet up with the demands it presented to it following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, which caused an astronomical rise in the pump price of the commodity.

Following the announcement of the strike by the NLC, the government team immediately called for an emergency meeting with the organised labour comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress with a follow-up meeting on Friday at the State House.

However, officials of the organised labour angrily stormed out of the meeting following the alleged failure of the government team to show up.

Onyeka noted that the labour team would meet with the government on Monday, adding that the outcome of the meeting would determine the next step.

He said, “Nigerians should be prepared. That’s what we are saying. Being prepared means you have to stock food in your house and be economical with your movement at this particular point in time so as to avoid being stranded. It is going to be a nationwide mass protest and we are sure that it will affect every corner of the country. We are seriously mobilising across the nation. We are currently at work at the secretariat alongside the CSOs.

“We may not shut down the power supply system, but as the protest goes on, we may shut down other places depending on the response of the government. The (Friday) meeting didn’t hold at all. The government side was not prepared. The representatives were not available. They didn’t show any seriousness towards what they were doing. One of the things we do is hold dialogues. We don’t run away from the table anytime they call us. We are having another meeting with them on Monday.”

Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, and the National Union of Electricity Employees, on Saturday, confirmed that they were mobilising their members to ground the supply of fuel and the national electricity grid from Wednesday in response to the planned mass protest called by the NLC.

General Secretary, NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, told our correspondent, “The congress has taken a unanimous decision and it is mandatory that every affiliate should obey the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”

When probed further to confirm if NUPENG was mobilising its members to halt the lifting of petroleum products, Olawale replied, “That’s it. I’ve given you an answer.”

On their part, electricity workers stated that they would shut the national power grid as it was binding on all employees in the sector to join the mass protest.

The acting General Secretary, NUEE, Dominic Igwebuike, stated, “The NUEE is an affiliate of the NLC and I’ve told you that we will join the strike action.

“The issue is that if there’s a deadlock between labour and the government; that means that the mass protest is still going on, and definitely electricity workers, as an affiliate of the NLC, will partake in the mass protest.

“So, all workers in the power sector will join the mass protest on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. It is binding on every staff member to join the strike action. So, if it results in a blackout, the only option is for the government to listen to us if it wants power to return.

“The government should listen to the Nigerian masses who are going through serious suffering right now. That is the only thing we are asking for. So, for now, the protest is going to hold, unless there is a further directive from the NLC.”

National Deputy President, TUC, Tommy Etim, blasted the government over the lack of seriousness shown so far with regard to the negotiations.

“When we got to the Villa on Friday, we waited for almost two hours at the gate for clearance with no intervention. It was after two hours that we were allowed in. By the time we got to the point of the meeting, we realised that the team representing the government failed to show up. So, it is wrong to actually say labour stormed out of the meeting. How can labour storm out of a meeting that did not hold? We felt very disappointed because we did not expect this from the government,” he said.

National Executive Council of the NLC had on Friday endorsed the August 2 nationwide strike and mass protests proposed by the body over the recent hike in the pump price of petrol.

However, the Federal Government had told the NLC that it was legally restrained from embarking on the planned nationwide strike due to the ruling of the National Industrial Court, which restrained organised labour from embarking on the strike.

The steering committee members met the government delegation on Wednesday, where the two parties agreed to reconvene on Friday to get a brief from the government’s subcommittees on mass transit, compressed natural gas and cash transfer.

The steering committee was set up by the Federal Government to draw up intervention plans to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.