The President General of the apex Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has died at the age of 82.

His son, Jide Iwuanyanwu, announced his death in a statement on behalf of the family on Thursday.

According to the statement, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state announces the demise of our Patriach Engr, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.

“He died on Thursday July 25, 2024 after a brief illness. He was aged 82.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu before his death was President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and President of Owerri Peoples Assembly.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grand children, including Dr Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa -Managing Director, Champion Group of newspapers. Details of the burial
will be announced later by the family after due consultations.”

Born  on 4 September, 1942, Iwuanyanwu was a Nigerian politician and businessman, considered one of the richest Igbo men in Nigeria.

Iwuanyanwu was the 11th President-General of Ọhanaeze Ndigbo; preceded by George Obiozor.

In 1963, he gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he studied Civil Engineering. Because of his notable feats in academics while in his early years in the University, he was awarded the prestigious German Academic Exchange Scholarship covering fees, boarding, holiday tickets and feeding, promptly facilitated by the Federal Republic of Germany. This award was for a few talented students of African descent.

He was the founder of the Daily Champion newspaper.

He had attempted to be president of Nigeria three times and failed on all occasions.

He was the founder of the Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club (now Heartland F.C.), which won several national and international championships. He was the Chairman, National Sports Development Fund, and, Chairman, Nigerian Football Association USA “94” and Cup of Nations Fund Raising Committee.

[PM News]

The bold economic policies introduced by the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have led to a hike in inflation; making it difficult for people to meet their basic needs. The Head Line Inflation Rate rose to 34.19% in June 2024 from 33.95% in May 2024. It has also resulted in large foreign exchange losses for businesses, among other issues. However, given the state of the economy when the Government took office, these measures were necessary. There was a need for transformational, big-bang changes in economic policies, often referred to as ''shock therapy''. The planned protest is unnecessary, as the government is fully aware of the short-term pains the Nigerian people are experiencing and is working around the clock to alleviate it. It is therefore important to highlight some of the major interventions and achievements of the present administration.

The Federal Government introduced a wage award of N35,000 for federal civil servants, pending the implementation of a new minimum wage. Some state governments followed suit and paid wage awards to civil servants in their states at different rates. The good news is that a new national minimum wage of N75,000 has been approved by the Federal Government and will be implemented once passed by the National Assembly signed into law by Mr President. The new national minimum wage represents a 133% increase from the current national minimum wage of N30,000. While it could have been more, considerations of affordability and sustainability were taken into account.

The government also made conditional direct cash transfers targeted at millions of households to improve their standard of living. Thousands of metric tons of foodstuffs have also been distributed to alleviate hardship. Many doubt the effectiveness of these interventions; therefore, it is important for the government to conduct independent audits on the efficacy of these intervention programs from time to time.

To deal with the soaring prices of foodstuffs, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities, including husked brown rice, wheat, maize, and cowpeas, through land and sea for 150 days. He also approved the importation of 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and maize, respectively. These measures are not intended to undermine the efforts of domestic farmers but to address the issue of scarcity that has led to soaring prices. Many believe that the government should have acted earlier.

The student loan scheme launched by this government is laudable. It will enable children from poor families to attend tertiary education, thereby increasing their chances of having a bright future and making them more useful to society instead of becoming miscreants and a burden and security risk. The introduction of a consumer credit scheme is another great achievement of this administration. This will help stimulate household consumption and the economy as a whole.

The clearance of a seven-billion-dollar forex backlog by this government has led to increased foreign investor confidence, which is very commendable. The government has also been able to stabilize the exchange rate to a good extent and reduce the arbitrage between the parallel market and the official market. Exchange rate stability is important for businesses as it facilitates proper planning. The government should ensure that this stability is sustained.

The removal of the fuel subsidy, though causing hardship for Nigerians as transportation has become very expensive, has helped free up resources for the government to invest in critical areas of the economy, infrastructure, and security. It has also reduced pressure for borrowing. In the long run, fuel price is expected to decrease as domestic refineries commence production. The government should ensure that domestic crude is supplied to these refineries.

While protests are not the solution to Nigeria’s challenges and therefore unnecessary, there is still room for improvement on the part of the Federal Government. It should demonstrate care for the plight of the people through its actions and words. The government's achievements should be properly publicized, emphasizing their importance. Just as the government has intervened in the food crisis, it would also be beneficial for the government to do all it can to reduce the cost of transportation, as it is a major driver of inflation.

A traditional festival, ‘Oro’ has been scheduled for August 1 to 15 in Lagos State.

The Oro festival, among others, is a prominent festival in the Yoruba tradition.

It’s celebrated by male descendants and usually characterised by a daytime procession and high-pitched sounds in some areas or across the community as the case may be.

It’s believed that females and non-indigenes mustn’t be present during the ritual rites of the festival.

Some netizens have argued that this announcement was made to stop the planned nationwide protest which was scheduled for August 1 to 10.

Disclosing this, a Lagos media on X with username, @Lagospedia wrote, “Public Announcement:

“Attention Residents and Visitors of Lagos

“Please be informed that the Oro Festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from 1st of August to August 15.

“This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals.

“Retweet for awareness.”

[ThisNigeria]

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has launched a major crackdown on ‘Yahoo Boys,’ deleting thousands of Nigerian accounts involved in financial sextortion scams.

The company removed accounts, including a coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts. It revealed this in a report entitled, ‘Combating Financial Sextortion Scams From Nigeria,’

noting that financial sextortion is a horrific crime that can have devastating consequences.

The tech giant highlighted that it removed a set of Facebook accounts, pages, and groups run by ‘Yahoo Boys’ under its ‘Dangerous Organisations and Individuals policy.’

Yahoo boys are online fraudsters whose moniker originated from the email service, Yahoo, which became popular in Nigeria in the 2000s. These scammers are the successors of 419 fraudsters, who used to promise to help strangers get rich through letters and later emails for an advance fee.

A Bloomberg Businessweek exposé in April highlighted the rise of financial sextortion in the US, tracing many scams to Nigeria. Meta explained that financial sextortion is a borderless crime, increasingly driven by the activities of Yahoo Boys, whom it described as loosely organised cybercriminals operating primarily out of Nigeria and specialising in various scams.

Meta has removed 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria linked to financial sextortion scams, including a coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts tied to a group of about 20 individuals.

These scammers primarily targeted adult men in the US, using fake accounts to conceal their identities. Meta used a combination of new technical signals and in-depth investigations by its expert teams to identify and remove these accounts.

“The majority of these accounts had already been detected and disabled by our enforcement systems, and this investigation allowed us to remove the remaining accounts and understand more about the techniques being used to improve our automated detection,” the tech giant said.

It noted that most of the scammers’ attempts were unsuccessful and primarily targeted adults, though they also attempted to target minors. These accounts have been reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

“Since these criminals don’t limit themselves to any one platform, we also share relevant information with other tech companies through the Tech Coalition’s Lantern program, so they can take action too,” Meta highlighted.

In addition to removing Instagram accounts, Meta’s efforts led to the removal of around 7,200 assets, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook pages, and 5,700 Facebook groups based in Nigeria. These accounts provided tips for conducting scams, offering to sell scripts and guides for scamming, and sharing links to photo collections for fake accounts. Meta noted that its systems identify and automatically block attempts by these deleted groups to return.

“While these investigations and disruptions are critical, they’re just one part of our approach. We continue to support law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting these crimes, including by responding to valid legal requests for information and by alerting them when we become aware of someone at risk of imminent harm, in accordance with our terms of service and applicable law,” Meta stated.

This crackdown comes as Meta faces increased scrutiny over its operations in Nigeria.

The Nigerian agency, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has accused the tech giant of ‘abusive and invasive practices’ against the country’s users through its WhatsApp platform, demanding a $220 million fine. Meta is set to appeal this.

Authorities and operators have recently intensified their efforts to crack down on cybercrime.

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently announced that the agency had secured 500 convictions in cybercrimes.

In July, the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) announced that it dismantled a Nigerian network involved in money mule recruitment and laundering funds from online financial fraud victims across Europe. The operation identified more than 25 syndicate members and was part of a global law enforcement effort targeting West African organised crime groups, including Black Axe. This led to hundreds of arrests, seizure of assets worth $3 million, and the dismantling of multiple criminal networks around the world.

[Businessday]

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has made an error in his statement regarding employers affected by the new National Minimum Wage approved by President Bola Tinubu. Last Tuesday, the Senate and House of Representatives passed the new minimum wage bill, which amends two key issues in the National Minimum Wage Act 2019. The legislation increases the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and shortens the review period from five to three years.

Speaking after the bill's passage, Akpabio claimed that Nigerians cannot pay domestic workers less than N70,000. He stated, "The bill says that if you're a tailor and employ an additional hand, you cannot pay them below N70,000. If you're a mother with a newborn and hire a housemaid, you cannot pay that housemaid below N70,000." He emphasized that this applies to all employers, including those hiring drivers or gatemen.

However, Akpabio's remarks sparked controversy on social media, with many questioning his claim. A review of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 by The Cable reveals that not all employers are obligated to pay the minimum wage. Section 3 (1) states that every employer with 25 or more employees must pay the national minimum wage. Section 4 exemptions include:

- Part-time workers
- Commission or piece-rate workers
- Establishments with fewer than 25 employees
- Seasonal workers (e.g., in agriculture)
- Workers on vessels or aircraft subject to merchant shipping or civil aviation laws

Verdict: Akpabio's claim that all employers, including those hiring maids or gatemen, must pay N70,000 minimum wage is false. The National Minimum Wage Act 2019 provides exemptions for certain employers and employees.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of assaulting Yoruba traditional institutions. He said the Yoruba are known for justice and fairness through upholding their traditions.

Gbadebo’s statement on Thursday followed an announcement on the Lagospedia X handle, on Wednesday. The handle announced that traditionalists in Lagos have fixed Oro to hold from August 1 to 15.

Lagos State government was accused of sponsoring the Oro event to shun the planned “EndbadgovernanceinNigeria” protest slated on August 1.

Gbadebo said, “The campaign by APC propaganda handles to use ORO – a sacred ritual in Yoruba land – to threaten protesters is an assault on our traditional institution. Casualizing centuries of a hallowed ritual with such juvenile intent debases our culture and corrupts our revered institution.

“The Yoruba are obsessed with Justice and fairness, not only as a guiding principle but also as a defining feature. It explains why, although the subjects recognize their king as an authority second only to the gods, the community does not tolerate high-handedness on the part of the king. Whenever they perceive such, there is bound to be a protest.”

He said while he supports peace and patience from the youths, the right to peaceful assembly must be respected by traditional leaders.

“I urge patience and restraint from our youth but defend their right to peaceful assembly. More importantly, I call on our respected traditional leaders to condemn our tradition’s desecration and guard our revered institutions jealously,” he added.

[NaijaNews]

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has sold one-year Treasury Bills (T-Bills) at a stop rate of 22.1% during its July 24 auction. 

This move reflects the central bank’s ongoing efforts to manage liquidity and control inflation in the economy. 

According to the auction result, the total amount offered by the CBN in this auction was N277.96 billion spread across the different tenors.

This represents an increase of 21.53% from N229.72 billion offered in the previous auction of June 26, 2024. 

The total subscription amount for these tenors combined was up to N373.95 billion, exceeding the amount offered and reflecting strong investor confidence and demand for government securities.

However, this was a decrease of 51.68% from N774.98 billion total subscriptions recorded in the previous month’s auction. 

At the latest auction, the total sales, or allotment, for the auction amounted to N277.96 billion, which is a marginal decline of 2.22% from the N284.26 billion allotted last month. 

Nairametrics further observed that the amount allotted in the latest auction is approximately similar to what was offered in the previous auction. 

Auction breakdown 

The auction, held on July 24, 2024, offered three different tenors of Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs): 91-day, 182-day, and 364-day. 

• For the 91-day T-Bills, the CBN offered an amount of N16.48 billion. The subscription for this tenor was N13.14 billion, which was fully allotted. The range of bid rates for these bills was between 16.0000% and 18.5000%, with the current stop rate set at 18.5000%, up from the previous stop rate of 16.3000%. This change represents an increase of 2.2000%, resulting in a true yield or return of 19.4125%. 

• The 182-day NTBs had an offer amount of N6.44 billion, with subscriptions reaching N6.40 billion, slightly less than the amount offered. The total allotment matched the subscription amount. Bid rates for these bills ranged from 17.0000% to 19.5000%, with the current stop rate at 19.5000%, a rise from the previous stop rate of 17.4400%. This indicates a change of 2.0600%, providing a true yield or return of 21.6194%. 

• The 364-day Treasury Bills saw the highest offer amount of N255.04 billion, with a subscription of N354.40 billion, as hungry-yield investors oversubscribed the one-year T-Bills. The allotment for these bills was N258.42 billion. Bid rates for this tenor ranged from 20.0000% to 26.7700%. The current stop rate was set at 22.1000%, up from the previous stop rate of 21.2400%, marking a change of 0.8600%. This resulted in a true yield or return of 28.3697%. 

What you should know 

The decision to sell one-year NTBs at such a high stop rate highlights the CBN’s strategy to attract more investors by offering competitive returns. 

This move is anticipated to help the central bank manage excess liquidity in the banking system, which is a critical factor in controlling inflation. 

The high subscription rate, particularly for the 364-day bills, reflects a preference for longer-term securities, likely driven by expectations of future economic stability and favourable returns. 

The range of bids and the stop rates across the different tenors suggest competitive bidding, with investors keen on securing these government securities. 

[NaijaNews]

With eight days to go, the planners of the nationwide protest are set to hit the streets  against the crippling economic hardship in the country.

As the hunger protest movement gains momentum, with thousands of youths set to take action, national and state authorities have warned the organisers to tread softly.

In the same vein, leaders from the southern and northern parts of the country have also joined the government to oppose the plan.

State governors have cautioned against the protest, saying it is potentially dangerous.

And for the second time in two days, the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to the planners not to take the laws into their hands but to embrace dialogue.

He said while President Bola Tinubu’s government acknowledges every Nigerian’s right to engage in protests, it is equally committed to ensuring that these activities do not disrupt public order or violate the rights of others.

Idris, who stated this when he received the Charismatic Bishops Conference on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja on Wednesday, said the government is aware that some people would want to hijack the planned protest and unleash violence on innocent Nigerians.

“You see, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in the freedom of everyone within the confines of the law to do what he thinks is right for him. “Therefore, the President is not an opponent of protest of any kind but the President is an opponent of violence and anything that will negatively hamper the wellbeing of Nigerians. He believes and he has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.

“Why everybody is very cautious and very wary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world. We know it’s almost impossible to hold this protest and then have peace at the end of the day. We cannot do that because some people are waiting to take the laws into their own hands,” he said.

Idris explained that President Tinubu is fully aware of the genuine concerns and complaints expressed by Nigerians across the nation, and he is actively working to implement effective policies aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by the citizenry and bringing relief to all Nigerians.

The minister said in an unprecedented move, Tinubu is fashioning out a policy of paying stipends to all young university and polytechnic unemployed graduates in the country pending their formal employment in any sector of the economy.

He explained that because of the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers, even after the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage concluded its assignment and submitted its report, the President sustained his engagement with the Organised Labour Unions until an amicable resolution was reached, which gave birth to the N70,000 national minimum wage.

Idris said the introduction of the Compressed National Gas (CNG) policy by the President is a game changer in the country’s economy because of its ability to bring down the cost of transportation by about 60%,  thereby providing a viable alternative for petrol and diesel.

In his remarks, Archbishop Leonard Kawas, the president general of the Charismatic Bishops Conference, disassociated the conference from the planned national protest, saying some groups had approached them about joining the protest.

“Your Excellency, recently, we received calls from other religious organisations asking us to join in preparation for a nationwide protest that would start on 1 August 2024. We are here to let you know that we do not think the same. We have decided to go all out and call for a truce.

“We have decided to sue for peace and humbly request that our brothers and sisters who are aggrieved in one way or the other that they should give us some time while we continue to communicate and negotiate with this government on areas that are pertinent to them,” he said.

He said after the 2024 Synod, the bishops  had resolved to partner with the federal government in prayers and advocacy for the success of the Tinubu Administration.

The Charismatic Bishop Conference also used the occasion to present a Meritorious Service Award to the minister.

Rally Potentially Dangerous, Say Governors

Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has strongly opposed the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1-10, labelling it ill-timed and potentially dangerous.

The governor made this comment to State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa alongside former Senate President Pius Anyim and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru.

Governor Uzodinma, who is also the chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and the Progressive Governors’ Forum, expressed serious concern about the timing and potential consequences of the proposed demonstrations.

The governor highlighted the fragile nature of Nigeria’s current political climate, warning that poorly managed protests could lead to dire consequences.

Drawing parallels to the 2020 EndSARS protests, which began peacefully but later turned violent, the governor warned of the risk of the planned August demonstrations being hijacked by criminal elements.

He urged citizens to remember the lessons from that experience and be wary of creating opportunities for similar incidents.

Uzodinma also questioned the motives and organisation behind the planned protests.

He said, “Democracy is about the opinion of the people, and the protest is allowed in a democratic setting. Every protest must be reasonably conceived to be able to make political sense.

“I think it’s too early at this time in the life of this government for anybody to come out to say he wants to protest. First of all, there have not been any engagements where those who are sponsoring the protest were able to tell us the reasons for the protests.

“Second, given the global situation today and the insecurity in the country, we have a very fragile political environment that, if not managed and protected very well, may collapse the entire country.

“So those who are going to protest, what is the reason for the protests? And suppose they have no reason for the protests; in that case, I think I’ll advise well-meaning Nigerians, citizens of this country who are making sacrifices – some of us have paid the supreme price for the existence of this country – we should guard our country very jealously.

“I think it is the wrong time for anybody to do any protests because the implication of doing that, if care is not taken, is that it may be hijacked. Like the EndSARS experience, where criminals now hijacked an innocently conceived agitation by young Nigerians,” he said.

Northern, Southern Leaders Caution Planners

Also yesterday, leaders from both the Southern and Northern regions of Nigeria, along with various other stakeholders, pleaded with the country’s youths.

These respected leaders, who are part of the Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), in a press statement urged the younger generation and other Nigerians who intend to participate in the highly-anticipated nationwide protests to reconsider their plans.

The leaders highlighted that meaningful progress is never achieved through violent protests or any form of unrest and that hardship is a challenge faced globally, not just in Nigeria.

They expressed concern that the protests may be infiltrated by hoodlums and troublemakers, potentially leading to a dangerous outcome.

The statement reads, “We have appealed to the organisers of the planned protest to halt it, as protests have never been the solution to any problem in the world. The situation in Nigeria is not unique to our country alone; it is a global issue. Through this medium, we advise our young people not to join the protest, as such protests can easily be hijacked by unruly elements, rendering the original purpose ineffective. “Furthermore, we urge President Tinubu to address the nation and reassure the citizens that he has the best intentions for our beloved country.”

LEADERSHIP recalls  that President Tinubu had already pleaded with the organisers to postpone the protests and allow his administration more time to implement programmes that will benefit the people.

The planned protests, scheduled for August 1, have gained momentum on social media, with hashtags such as ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘TinubuMustGo,’ and ‘#Revolution2024’ trending.

The impending protests are driven by grievances over the high cost of living and the economic challenges in Nigeria, which have been attributed to the removal of fuel subsidies, the fluctuating value of the national currency, and other economic reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration.

60 Reps Ask Tinubu To Dialogue With Youths

In their reaction, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives urged the Tinubu-led federal government to dialogue with planners of the protester towards addressing their concerns.

The opposition lawmakers reached this resolution during a session they held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Speaking with journalists after the dinner, chairman of the Caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, discouraged the planned protest, especially given the insecurity in parts of the country.

The minority leader urged the government to sit with the protesters and also look into some of the issues they had  raised.

“We are not going to encourage any protesters because in the past, we have observed in most cases that even peaceful protests have been overtaken by hoodlums, and with the insecurity in some parts of the country, you may not have control of the gathering of people. Some unscrupulous people may use the opportunity to create chaos.

“So we are discouraging any protest but we appeal to government to dialogue and also look at critical areas that are necessary and address them amicably,” he said.

The opposition leader called on the government to use the carrot-and-stick approach to addressing the country’s insecurity problem.

No Going Back, Students Declare

Amidst the pleas for truce, Nigerians who have resolved to join the protest are the National Association of University Students (NAUS), the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), and the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES).

This was contained in a memo addressed to all students, student unions, student associations and affiliated organisations covering Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, which was made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday.

The memo was jointly signed by Comrade Obaji U. Marshal  national president, NAUS; Amb. Shuaib Ishaka Yahaya, Senate president, NAUS; Comrade Ridwan Opeyemi Munirudeen, national president, NAPS; Comrade Adeniji Boluwaji Temitope, Senate president, NAPS; Comr. Egunjobi Samuel Oluwaseun, national president, NANCES  and Kur Isaac Ushahemba, Senate president of NANCES.

The students said they have taken the collective decision after due and painstaking consultations on the way forward for Nigerian students.

“The present economic quagmire occasioned by the rising cost of living, hike in cost of commodities , hike in petroleum price, hike in electricity tariff, insecurity, poor funding of our institutions which presently affects more than 80% of the population in the country is felt most by young Nigerians studying for various academic qualifications across tertiary institutions.

“This development has led to poor socioeconomic welfare for students, a loss of interest in academic activities and a fall in grades, an increase in crimes and criminality, and an increase in violence on campuses and their environs.

“Furthermore, the inability of federal, state and local governments to provide adequate immediate and long-term palliatives, especially for Nigerian Students, to cushion the effect of the high cost of living, is rather disappointing and also raises the alarm of the student movement in the country, of a seeming lack of initiatives and ideas on the most effective approach to sustainable economic recovery and growth.

“Hence, the trio of NAUS, NAPS and NANCES, representing the voices of millions of Nigerian students, emphatically condemn the lackadaisical attitude of the government and declares a National Day Of Protest For Nigerian Students starting from Monday, July 29th, 2024 till further notice, having communicated the government through various means including media but nothing has been done,” the memo said.

It added that the protest is a way for them to exercise their rights and drive home their demands to the federal and state governments.

“More directly, the trio of NAUS, NAPS AND NANCES frown at the ‘I don’t care attitude’ of the government towards reducing the current hardship being undergone by all of us, especially the students, which contributes to the impoverishment of Nigerian students.”

“The trio of NAUS, NAPS and NANCES therefore urges all Nigerian students to prepare for the National Day of Protest from the 29th of July, 2024.

“With this notice, student union officials are enjoined to be in touch with their respective associations for updates on the protest, as security agencies will also be put on notice,” it added.

[Leadership]

The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has declared its resolve not to participate in the planned national hunger protest scheduled to take place on 1st of August 2024.

The church, therefore, warned all its members and followers across the country to stay away from the protest.

In a statement signed by Rev. Ibrahim Kassim, ECWA Public Relations Officer, in Jos, Plateau State capital, the church said it had received reports on a planned Protest being organized by some citizens of Nigeria.

“ECWA is aware that Protest is considered, worldwide, as one of the ways of expressing displeasure or objection to certain issues, policies or actions. It is also a medium through which people voice their concerns, create awareness or push for change. The Church is also aware of the severe economic hardship and the bedeviling insecurity that the citizens are experiencing, which are the cardinal issues being promulgated as the reasons for the protest.

“However, we are all aware that protests can take different dimensions as witnessed during the “END SARS PROTEST” when hoodlums infiltrated the protesters and wrecked serious havoc that led to the loss of many lives and properties. Therefore, considering the volatile nature of protests in Nigeria, which can be hijacked by miscreants and result in humongous damages, ECWA as a denomination wishes to inform the general public that we are not part of the planned protest, and we are calling on our members to disregard the action in totality, and not to participate in any way.

“The Church wishes to assure members that ECWA leadership is doing everything possible in advising government at the Local, State and Federal levels to take proactive measures in addressing the plight and suffering of citizens in the shortest possible time”

[DailyTrust]

The Minister of Education’s reversal (or suspension) of his ban on “underage” university admissions after protests by stakeholders is another instance of this administration making a policy decision it has neither fully reasoned through nor consulted on with stakeholders. By not putting enough thought into executive decisions, leaders capitulate cheaply and their indecisiveness hurts everyone in the long run. Prof. Tahir Mamman was wrong on the ban, wrong to have suspended it, and wrong to have planned a re-introduction.

At the same Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination policy meeting where the ban was negotiated amidst the rowdiness of dissenting with the minister, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, also presented on the issues arising in university admissions. Several Nigerians shared the video through social media, captioning Oloyede’s presentation with the expected doses of scandalisation and sermonisation. People are justifiably shocked by the example of the systemic rot that Oloyede shared regarding a 12-year-old admitted to the university. The story might be eye-opening, but since we do not know enough about the person or their circumstances beyond their graduating at 15, we must treat it as merely anecdotal.

While I do not deny that we have a major problem on our hands, I see a ban as a superficial solution to a complex situation. The real issue here is that the Nigerian education system has become—like most other national infrastructure anyway—unduly privatised. We have a serious situation whereby public education—ideally subsidised with taxes and public funds—has collapsed, leaving parents with the more expensive option of paying—relative to their income—heavily for their children’s education. So terrible is the situation that more parents will rather take their children to the worst private schools—where their facilities are so decrepit that buildings can collapse on their poor children—than consider public schools. Many private schools are not necessarily better but they are at least accessible.

Right now, schoolchildren are on holiday. Give it a few more months when schools are about to resume, and you will start hearing Nigerian parents on social media agonising over the amount they have to shell out for school fees. From people pleading for assistance through WhatsApp, to church prayers for parents who will be stressed with the payments, you cannot miss the season. The problem of school fees is a major index of the collapse of the public school system. Elsewhere, private schools exist as an alternative, but not in Nigeria. Private schools are now like the generator—the supposed fallback option that has become the mainstay.

By turning education into a cash-and-carry affair, parents (as customers) can demand commensurate value and the providers must demonstrate it by delivering magical results. That is why, if the schools are not handing out “double (or even triple) promotions” to prove to the parents that they are getting value for their hard-earned cash, they are helping the children to cheat in external exams to make it seem they are truly delivering on quality learning. Years ago, I tried to register my child in schools in Ibadan and was stunned by the curriculum of lower classes. It was padded to impress parents with how much schools can stuff into the heads of even little children. Even though I attended a private primary school myself, I do not recall things being so bad.

Educationists tell us that at the early stages, children thrive better with minimal workload, exploration, and lots of play. But it is hard to sell “play-education” to a Nigerian parent who practically must sweat blood before they can pay school fees (many private schools in Nigeria do not even have a proper playground). They want their children to move through the system quickly—and brilliantly—enough to save them money. In an environment where schools have thus become a commodity, the mercantilist ethos will propel a redefinition of education to mean the ability to cram and disgorge textbooks while neglecting the social aspects of education. Unfortunately, no matter how brilliant a child might be, they still need socialisation. Remaining in lockstep with their peers is an integral aspect of knowledge-building. When kids skip classes, they miss this vital part of education and might lack the viral social competencies needed for life success.

In societies with functional public education systems, people try the reverse of what we do in Nigeria. They game the system by giving their children the age advantage. Such parents hold back their children from school enrolment until they are older. Because their system is stable and well-ordered, no one is in a hurry to see their kids graduate. When you think about it, the difference between the person who graduates at 19 and the person who does it at 22 is just three years of employment labour. If you retire at 70, what do you really gain by dedicating 51—instead of 48—years of your life to work? But then, their societies are stable enough for them to be certain the timing will work in their favour.

Nigerian parents who do otherwise are not crazy. By rushing their kids through the system, they are trying to buy time for them. Getting into the university early is hedging against the uncertainties built into the system: the ASUU strikes that will help you fritter away a portion of your life, and the prolonged years of unemployment. If you are lucky, you will still be young enough to take the jobs listed by employers who openly discriminate on account of age.

Yes, there are a few instances when children in stable public system societies go to the university at a young age, but that is when they are geniuses (different from being brilliant). But those are exceptions, and I know because I once tried to get my child to skip a class in the United States. While they readily agreed that the child was advanced for their class, they put up so many administrative barriers to the effort that I gave up. But what they also did was point us in the direction of resources that can help the child avoid the tedium of having to sit in class and learn what they have long mastered. It was even worse when we had to live in Germany. The child who had spent two years of school years of schooling in the US was going to be returned to first grade just because of age! When I protested, they told me that it was still no issue. If a kid is ahead of their class, they can always develop other interests.

And that brings me to another important point that Mamman’s ban will never address: the shrinkage of extra-curricular activities in our school system. In the past, public schools had programmes that occupied our attention and sucked part of our energy. One could learn sports and take part in competitive activities. Those not inclined toward physical activities could become part of debating societies or even learn crafts. Those activities hardly exist anymore. Even spaces where young people can explore and discover new interests hardly exist anymore.

Nigeria has no functional public libraries, no community centres, no public sports facilities, or recreational centres. Except perhaps for religious houses that provide spaces for young people to socialise outside their homes, the options are scant. That leaves book learning as their major recourse, to the disadvantage of other competencies they can acquire at the early formative stages of their lives.

These are the issues staring Mamman in the face, and not the cheap (non-)solution of a ban as if he is a military dictator. He must first come to terms with what has been lost in the Nigerian education enterprise and address them. Otherwise, he might just chase the wind.