IN my visit to the United States from May 22, 2024 to deliver a Lecture, I was determined to meet a man I had never met. I wrote him from Nigeria and we agreed to meet. At the crowded Port Authority train station in New York, we easily picked out ourselves; his image was etched in my memory. We went into a locked embrace.

I first heard about him 46 years ago. I was a student at the Methodist Boys High School, Lagos and a frantic military regime was threatening students at all levels with dire consequences if we dared joined the on-going nationwide protests led by the National Union of Nigeria Students, NUNS.

To show it was deadly serious, the regime had not only shot dead four undergraduates and an unspecified number of persons across the country, it had also in Zaria, killed 13-year-old Lasisi Abubakar, a Primary Six pupil and, 15-year-old Alhaji Shehu. An unidentified secondary school student had also been killed in Ile-Ife, home of the University of Ife, now renamed, Obafemi Awolowo University.

To us, the protesters were heroes. When in the new session that year, I was admitted into Ife, the first student rally I attended, was a demand that the four expelled leaders of those protests must be re-admitted to complete their studies. One of them was Offiong Offiong Aqua, the 22-year-old pioneer President of the University of Calabar, UNICAL, Students Union.

Back in 1978, the country was like a conquered territory of the military top brass. It had three years earlier, decimated its own ranks. It destroyed the public service and judiciary through arbitrarily mass sack. It had also proscribed the central labour organisation for three years and banned for life, eleven leading labour leaders from trade unionism.

Finally, it took on the education sector by imposing fees, increasing feeding costs by 200 per cent and generally, tried to transform education into a commercial product only the affluent could afford.

The regime had befriended student leaders and so, did not expect any protest either from the students nor from a populace it assumed it had conquered.

But the NUNS rejected the moves and embarked on “Operation Consultation” to “Operation Consolidation”. When these would not make the regime rethink its ruinous policies, NUNS met at the University of Ilorin to review its strategies and weigh its options. This was where Aqua came firmly into the scene. He had seconded a motion for collective action, including lecture boycotts and protests moved by the teenage President of Ife, Tunde Babatunde. But no firm decision could be taken. So it was decided to hold a further meeting. Aqua on behalf of UNICAL offered to hold the meeting, but the NUNS leadership was uncomfortable because he was the most outspoken advocate of the need to move to “Operation Confrontation”. More so, when he was already advocating regime change.

An angry Aqua announced that if the NUNS leadership did not want UNICAL to host the crucial meeting, it would pull out of the national union. Frantic consultations ensued, and the follow up vote gave UNICAL the hosting right.

Aqua arrived from Ilorin in the night and immediately convened the UNICAL parliament which voted for protest. The parliamentary approval meant the student executive was empowered to utilize the union funds to actualise its decision. Back in 1978, that was no small money: one dollar was equivalent to 66 Kobo. So, the UNICAL Student Union budget was the equivalent of $2.5 million!

The Aqua leadership hit the road and took to the air campaigning across the country for lecture boycott. When the NUNS met in UNICAL, it endorsed “Operation Confrontation.” That led to the historic April-May, 1978 protests.

The protests spread like wildfire across the then 13 universities, other tertiary institutions, on to the streets.

After brutally suppressing the protests, the regime went on a revenge mission. It identified the four core student leaders and expelled them from school. Segun Okeowo, the NUNS President, was detained for 43 days. Ekpein Appah, leader of the University of Benin Students Union and Buka Mbaya, President, Ahmadu Bello University Students Union, were detained at the Kirikiri Prison, Lagos. Aqua was detained in Calabar for months.

If Aqua’s aunt, Elizabeth Weyen Henshaw, later Professor, had her way, he would not have attended university in Nigeria. She taught at the New York University, NYU, and had secured admission for him, but his father preferred he schooled in Nigeria. Now, with his expulsion, she secured a new admission for him. He applied for a passport, but was refused on the basis that he was banned from not only processing a passport, but also leaving the country. Similarly, he was barred from attending the World Youth Festival in Cuba.

At this point some socialists led by veteran journalist, Dapo Fatogun, and labour leader, Wahab Goodluck, secured a scholarship for him to study in Moscow and also got a flight ticket.

When preparatory to civil rule, electioneering began, Aqua’s mentor, the journalist, Bassey Ekpo Bassey, gave him a note to the Secretary General of the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, Paul Unongo, who was able to secure a passport for him. But he was still barred from travelling.

In Lagos, he met a sympathetic Army Lieutenant who asked if he had a visa. When he answered in the affirmative, the officer asked him to get a ticket that can fly him from Cotonou, Benin Republic. Luckily, he had the Lagos-Moscow ticket that was part of his scholarship. He got it changed to Cotonou-Moscow.

The young officer in uniform then drove Aqua in a military vehicle through the border into Benin Republic. But they got information that security men were waiting in Cotonou to pick up Aqua, so they drove on to Lome, Togo, where luckily, an Aeroflot Airline accepted his ticket.

After settling down in Moscow, he applied to the Nigerian Embassy that he had lost his passport. This was to cover up the fact that his passport had not been stamped out of Nigeria. He came home on holidays in 1980, but his name was still on the no-fly list. So his passport was seized, he was under house arrest for 14 weeks. Since he had presidential pardon, Presidential Political Adviser, Dr Chuba Okadigbo, intervened and got his passport returned. Aqua returned to his studies in Moscow where he obtained medical post-graduate medical training in Maxillary Surgery.

As my wife and I sat with him in his NYU office where he is a Clinical Professor, I could not but reflect that Aqua who was twice offered admission into the same university, but could not take them up, has for over a decade been producing doctors in the same university.

 35 members of the House of Representatives have proposed a Bill for an Act demanding the constitutional alteration to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones.

This according to them is to ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states.

The lawmakers led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo), made the call while addressing a news conference at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the lawmakers were also seeking the amendment of Section III of the constitution to provide for the recognition of the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.

He added that they were also seeking the provision of a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors in the country.

“The bill is also seeking reduction in government spending and wastage, efficiency in governance, and national stability by providing a single term of six years for the President and Governors.

According to them, we want the creation of the office of two vice presidents from the southern and northern parts of Nigeria.

” The 1st vice shall be a succession Vice president, while the 2nd Vice president shall be a Minister in charge of the Economy, and both shall be Ministers.

He added that, the financial autonomy and accountability of Local Government Councils by prescribing an independent Consolidated Local Government Council Account was germane.

This, he said would be solely superintended by Local Councils and prescribing long-term imprisonment for any misuse of Local Government funds.

He said that the bill would seek to amend the relevant sections of the Electoral Act to ensure that all elections at both Federal and State levels were held on the same day among others.

The lawmaker said that the bill if become an Act, would ensure that all elections and election-related litigation were concluded within a period of six months.

This, according to his is before the swearing into office of the validly elected person for the office contested.

“Ours is a commitment to building a united, stable, and prosperous nation. Nigeria can and must become a great and modern nation.”

[Vanguard]

With the conclusion last Wednesday, June 5, 2024, of the first-ever South Korea-Africa summit attended by no fewer than 30 African heads of state and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol, the big question on the lips of many analysts is whether a new chapter has been opened in the relations between the Republic of Korea and Africa, which began in the 1950s. This question has become pertinent because, though the relationship between the two has always been cordial, it has not been impressive enough in terms of economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investment.

Africa is a huge consumer market with a population of 1.4 billion and a GDP of $3.4 trillion and currently, South Korea’s trade with Africa accounts for only 1.9% of total trade, according to statistics gleaned on Wikipedia at the weekend.

In fact, the chairman of the Africa Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat lent credence to this when he declared that the trade volume between Africa and Korea remained insignificant. “In 2022 Africa accounted for 2% of Korea’s trade,” Mahamat said, while advocating the promotion of bilateral trade relations and more exchanges in the private sector and focusing on key value-added areas.

However, it would appear the situation is about to change. At last week’s two-day summit, held in Seoul, South Korea’s capital, important agreements were signed between South Korea and Africa, and pledges of economic cooperation and assistance were made.

President Yeol and the leaders of African countries agreed to forge deeper trade and business cooperation. They also resolved to launch a “critical minerals dialogue,” which will be convened later this year. Indeed, given the desire of South Korea to tap into Africa’s mineral resources and potential as a huge export market, the summit expectedly had a heavy focus on critical minerals. Africa is estimated to be home to 30% of the world’s reserves of critical minerals, including lithium, chrome, cobalt, and manganese.

Apart from the minerals dialogue, a major highlight of the summit is the declaration by the Republic of Korea to commit $14 billion in export financing to support Korean companies investing in Africa, while also increasing its official development assistance (ODA) to $10 billion over the next six years.

In a joint resolution agreed to by South Korea, the African Union (AU), and its member nations, the leaders pledged to speed up talks about economic partnership agreements, trade and investment promotion frameworks. They called for advancing cooperation for Africa’s food security with South Korea’s support, harping on Korea’s agricultural technology and smart farming. African leaders also lauded South Korea’s “Tech4Africa” initiative aimed at supporting education and training of Africa’s young population.

President Yeol also promised that Korea would extend its Trade and Investment Promotion Frameworks, and Investment Protection Agreements to African countries.

On their part, the African leaders praised Korea for its open and mutual approach to strengthening cooperation with the continent based on shared prosperity. They highlighted investment opportunities in their own countries and across the continent. Speaking at a joint news conference with President Yeol, AU Chair and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani said African countries were looking forward to learning from Korea’s experience in developing human resources, industrialisation and digital transformation.

South Korea has done excellently well for herself given that a couple of decades ago, it was a poor and aid-dependent country wracked by the Korean war. Today, South Korea is a developed economy and a superpower. Many African leaders turned up for the summit in their bid to draw from the impressive development trajectory of South Korea and her giant accomplishments as an economic power by strengthening economic cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation. This is perhaps why Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa said at the summit that, “the Journey travelled by Korea is a beacon and source of encouragement to Africa as it works to lift its people out of poverty.”

In total, up to 48 African countries either had their presidents or prime ministers in attendance at the summit or represented. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggah, represented President Bola Tinubu. The theme of the summit- “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity-” resonated well with Africa and its present challenges. It was the largest multilateral event organised by South Korea since President Yeol mounted the saddle in 2022. South Korea’s overture to Africa comes at a time its recalcitrant neighbour North Korea seeks to break out of diplomatic isolation.

It is important to highlight some of the speeches and other useful aspects of the summit. Ambassador Tuggah said Nigeria was at the event to further strengthen ties and explore new cooperation opportunities, emphasizing Nigeria’s commitment to bilateral relations and addressing shared global challenges.
He spoke of the country’s readiness to boost trade and commerce, saying under President Tinubu, the country has put in place the right policies to engender a favourable business environment for foreign investors.

African Development Bank Group President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who was also present at the summit, while referring to the theme of the summit said: “To show solidarity with Africa, for the ‘future we make together’, I wish to request that Korea solidify this Korea-Africa Summit by agreeing to re-channel SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) to the African Development Bank.”

“The approval by the IMF Board for use of SDRs of $20 billion for hybrid capital, as championed by our institutions, with immense advocacy of African heads of state and government, marks a new way to scale up development financing,” he said.

“The IMF-approved $20 billion limit for SDR re-channelling for hybrid capital, channelled through the African Development Bank and other multilateral development banks, will deliver $80 billion of new financial support.”

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said Korea’s experience had shown that a country could be radically transformed in the course of a generation. Then pricking the conscience of the African leaders on why the continent has remained poor and at the bottom of the global poverty ladder, he asked: “Is there any reason Africa hasn’t become a high-income region?”

President William Ruto publicly acknowledged the African Development Bank’s financial innovations. He told Korea to consider channelling some of the SDRs through the African Development Bank.

Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, the president of Mauritania and chairperson of the African Union, and co-chair of the summit alongside host President Yeol described the summit as an opportunity for both sides to renew their commitment to shared growth and partnership based on mutual respect and trust.

King Mswati III of Eswatini spoke like an African statesman, encouraging the Korean business community to invest in any part of the continent they like. “Choose a location to establish industries. Choose anywhere. We are no longer competing but collaborating.”

Has Nigeria benefited from the conference? I think so.

South Korea’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim pan Kyu, told this writer that the gains accruing to Nigeria from participating at the highest level of the summit were unquantifiable. Apart from providing opportunities to strengthen relations between South Korea and Nigeria, it has helped to boost business for Nigerian institutions on the basis of shared prosperity because Korea “is a genuine partner of Africa.”

Indeed and as if to confirm Kyu’s assertion, on the sidelines of the summit, the Korea Exim Bank, International Finance Corporation, AfDB, Afrexim Bank and KIND all declared their readiness to fund projects and programs in Nigeria including infrastructure projects, which cuts across the continent like the Mombassa-Lagos Corridor and the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.

Former secretary to Edo state government Taiwo Akerele who attended the summit said the country’s delegation also had high-level side events that featured Nigerian organisations such as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), etc.

A non-governmental organisation from Nigeria, Policy House, among others, also participated in the green energy transition event- Accelerating Access to Green and Climate Finance for Africa- featuring former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

In the end, I cannot agree less with both President Yeol and Cote d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara who both described the summit as a turning point in the relationship between Korea and Africa.

Rahman is a senior presidential aide

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has secured a seven-year conviction for Quadri Adeyinka, a staff member of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The convict was said to have committed a travelling passport fraud.

In a statement on Monday, Demola Bakare, spokesperson for the ICPC, said the convict was arraigned before Jude Onwuegbuzie, a high court judge in Abuja, on a four-count charge bordering on gratification, conferment of corrupt advantage, and cheating.

Bakare said the offence contravened the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000 and the Penal Code Act.

The spokesperson said Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel to the ICPC, led evidence before the court on how Adeyinka defrauded Ovie Ojeffia under the pretence of regularising his international passport.

He said that the convict received the sum of ₦100,000 from Ojeffia to regularise her passport but reneged.

Bakare added that the victim later petitioned the ICPC, which led to the investigation and arraignment of the convict before the court.

Onwuegbuzie, who found Adeyinka guilty on all four counts, sentenced him to seven years imprisonment each for counts 1 and 2, five years for count 4, and two years for count 3.

The sentences are to run simultaneously.

[TheCable]

There is currently no evidence to support the claim that democracy is a perfect system of governance. However, humans still need to figure out a better means to guarantee the freedom and consent of the governed. Democracy remains the most practical choice available. We must keep working on it until it accurately reflects our goals because it’s an evolving idea even after many years. Because Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, is fashioned after the United States (US) model of liberal presidential democracy, whatever threatens democracy in that land becomes of interest to us. Recent unsavoury developments around the candidature of Donald Trump called for Nigeria to look inward and reflect on the ability of the institutions to prevail over considerations of status and sentiments. 

America, the flagship of democracy, may face its first real test of the elasticity of democracy and democratic institutions. For the first time in its history, there is a likelihood that Donald Trump may be campaigning from prison or as a convicted criminal to be elected as President of the US. A Manhattan Jury has convicted Donald Trump for falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to a porn star. On July 11, a New York court will give him a sentence. This raises a moral conundrum, a constitutional issue, a dilemma for the party, electoral questions, and a logistics challenge.

Some pertinent rhetorical questions merit consideration: can Trump run for office, and what does the US Constitution say?  Can the Republican Party replace Trump, and is there a precedence? Can the party system survive a deadly jolt in the event that the law eventually disqualifies Trump? Mr Trump is registered to vote in Florida, and the law of that state bars convicted people; can Mr Trump vote? Can Mr Trump be elected while in prison, and is there a constitutional provision to guarantee this? What if Mr Trump is convicted in other states where he is facing more criminal proceedings? What are the implications? These questions will test the US Constitution and presidential transition tradition as it has never done before.

Although I will not attempt to answer most of these rhetorical questions, I boldly posit some facts that deserve attention. The US Constitution does not disqualify a person convicted from running for the office of President. Consequent to the preceding, a court’s conviction of Donald Trump will not prevent or disqualify him from running for the said office. In the case of Nigeria, Section 137 lists grounds for disqualifying a person standing for election to the office of President, and it includes a trial Court conviction that must have taken place within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President,  and the said conviction must be in respect of an offence involving dishonesty or the person has been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct. In essence, not all court convictions apply in Nigeria. A sentence that does not border on fraud, financial crimes or forgery will not count or lead to the disqualification of a person running for President. We may recall that this issue arose at the last presidential election petition trial, and legal experts argued this point.

Besides, the US Constitution overrides any State law, particularly the Florida State law prohibiting a convict from voting. This Florida State Law will only apply if such a conviction occurred in Florida or was made by a Florida Court. In this way, Donald Trump has not been convicted by the State of Florida, and the said Florida State law will not apply or be enforced against him. However, while a convict can still run and win a presidential election in the US, the nature of the sentence may prevent him from occupying the office.

The implications of all of these are still on us. This marks the first-ever conviction of a sitting or former President in American history for a criminal offence. A triumph for accountability and the fundamental idea that no one in a democracy is above the law—not even the highest elected official—this momentous milestone is also a victory for soberness. Trump’s conviction shows how a working democratic system can achieve justice. It serves as a reminder that we cannot discuss democracy without bolstering the judiciary’s independence built on solid political culture and institutional resilience. This is a painful spot in Nigeria’s democratic journey right now. The only thing that can ensure the preservation of democracy and our freedom is an impartial, courageous, and independent judiciary.

The stress tests American democracy faces reveal the resilience and fragility of democratic systems, especially the institutions. Learning from these challenges allows Nigeria to build a more robust and responsive democracy. This stressor provides valuable insights into the strengths and vulnerabilities of democratic governance, which can be instructive for countries like Nigeria, which has a complex democratic landscape.

The first lesson is the supremacy of the rule of law. No one is above the law, and no matter how highly placed, they must be subjected to the accountabilities and dictates of the law. Reminding future generations that nobody is above the law in a democracy is essential, and we must strengthen our democratic institutions so they can withstand any bully. Creating strong institutional structures is vital to withstand the most heinous attacks on democracy. 

The second lesson is that we must fortify the other two arms of government – the legislature and judiciary against executive capture. Any attack on democracy from the executive arm, either still in power or out of power, must be resisted by the legislature and judiciary. The legislature must make clear laws that can easily overcome divisiveness, not opaque ones that become easy political tools. The judiciary must dispense justice equitably and responsibly. The weaker a legislature or the judiciary is, the easier it is for leaders from the executive arm to exploit the system, either to expand their power or to take down an opponent. Furthermore, weak institutions of democracy could manipulate facts like supple political stupidity.

The third lesson is that the Nigerian state must declare a war on corruption and hold all corrupt people accountable. The fight against corruption should not be limited to politicians and politically exposed people but must cover corrupt businesses, public servants, and civil society. Like the case of Trump, his first conviction was not based on his action while in office but based on his seemingly private affair that hovers around how he handled his books and hush money for the porn star he was accused of having sexual entanglement. The question we must ask ourselves is, can a seemingly innocuous thing, albeit a crime, force a former president in Nigeria to be convicted of a felony? We know of media sleaze of infractions and alleged corruption by high-powered politicians, but after a while, we hear nothing again about the prosecution of the case, and sometimes we hear of such people receiving national awards or portfolios of office without being acquitted by a court of law for the alleged crime.    

The fourth lesson is that no criminal should be allowed to become the President of Nigeria. Americans did not foresee a future where a strong candidate like Trump would emerge as a party frontrunner with convictions hanging on his neck, but now it has happened. The example of Eugene V. Debs, a socialist leader who appeared as a candidate from prison and ran for the presidency, should have guided their legal framework, but America has a way with a history that their democracy does not fall apart. That cannot be said of an emerging democracy like Nigeria. Just like it happened to us during the death of Umaru Yar’adua and for days, lawyers were struggling with the instrument to use until the “doctrine of necessity” was invoked, this is the best time to review the constitution to amend any ambiguity in our laws to protect our democracy. 

The fifth lesson is that Nigeria must tackle economic inequality, which creates a huge class divide that makes some feel above the law. Policies to reduce economic disparities through education, healthcare, and social welfare programmes can strengthen social cohesion and democratic stability. Developing strategies that promote inclusive economic growth and providing opportunities for all segments of society is critical for maintaining long-term democratic health. 

Nigeria must fortify its democratic foundations and ensure a stable and inclusive political future.

Building solid institutions and an excellent democratic political culture steeped in democratic principles and ethos deemphasizes the power of political agents, especially those so powerful that they exert a considerable influence on the entire political system. Everyone across the political divide must work collaboratively to defend our democracy. Encouraging dialogue across political divides and fostering a culture of bipartisan cooperation can mitigate polarization. Civic education that promotes understanding and respect for diverse viewpoints is essential.  We must protect our democracy at all costs!

Issues around climate change have dominated global conversations since the historic Paris Agreement reached by world leaders on December 12, 2015 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. The Agreement is an international treaty which became legally binding on November 4, 2016.

Since climate change poses a huge threat to our humanity, urgent action is required to mitigate its risks and negative impacts for a sustainable future. This perhaps explains why 195 Parties (194 States and the European Union) joined the Paris Agreement which set long-term goals to guide all nations as follows: reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, periodically assess the collective progress being made, and provide financing to developing countries to mitigate the impact of climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts.

The United Nations and its agencies and partners (they include UNEP, UNFCCC, etc.), the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are huge resources to guide any study on climate change.

Generally speaking, climate change refers to “long-terms shifts in temperatures and weather patterns,” according to information available on the UN website. “But such shifts can be natural due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions,” the statement continued.

In Nigeria, we have experienced severe flooding, drought and extreme temperatures lately. These are the consequences of climate change. Other parts of the world are also experiencing the devastating impact of climate change in various dimensions.

The National Assembly passed the Climate Change Bill in 2021 and signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari. With this law, the expectation is that Nigeria will achieve net zero carbon emission between 2050 and 2070. To drive a coordinated action on climate change, the same act of parliament created the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC).

Last month, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established a presidential committee on climate action and green economy. The initiative clearly underscores the need to strengthen our commitment to climate change, especially from the standpoint of accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy that are derived from natural sources such as the sun and wind.

The beauty of renewable energy is that they are constantly being replenished which guarantees a sustainable future.

UN Reports indicate that human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. When fossil fuels burn, they generate greenhouse gas emissions that cast a blanket around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

The same Report says if we cannot keep global warming from rising above 1.5°C, then we are in real danger of being exposed to more heat from the sun. The solution is to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, cutting it by half within the next six years and achieving net zero emission by 2050. Whether these goals would be achieved is a matter of conjecture.

Fossil fuels, as studies have shown, are the biggest contributors to the global climate change crisis, and poses severe risks to all forms of life. For the record, the main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane. For a moment, just imagine the volume of carbon emissions from the cars on our roads and electricity generators in Nigeria. The result is catastrophic air pollution that endangers our health.

Clearing land and cutting down forests can also release carbon dioxide, according to UNEP reports. Agriculture, oil and gas operations are major sources of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use cause greenhouse gases.

Apart from the Paris Agreement, there are other global agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals (to make the world a better place by 2030) and the UN Convention on Climate Change to guide progress. However, an SDG Report in 2022 revealed that about two billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water. If we consider the effects of climate change and a growing population, it means that number is likely go up.

We must understand that climate change hazards do not occur in isolation because the Earth is a system – just like the human body – where everything is connected. It means changes in one area, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), can influence changes in others.

It is why the consequences of climate change now include, among others, threats to our health, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) set up the IPCC in 1988.

In a self-made climate change manual, you should include and learn about the effects of climate change which varies depending on your region. You should also add sustainable solutions that include reducing carbon emissions, slowing the pace of global warming, and transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources.

The manual should note adaptation as a mitigation strategy that delivers economic benefits while also seeking climate justice in the sense that small island nations and developing countries must be supported financially. These countries have fewer resources to cope with the devastating effects of climate change.

When my associates at Climate Action Africa (CAA) decided to launch Climate Action Africa Forum (CAAF24), I took more than a passing interest in climate change and commenced a research on the intersection between climate action and sustainable development.

The executive director and co-founder of CAA, Grace Oluchi Mbah, is leading a team that is organising CAAF24 which is scheduled to hold from June 19 – 20, 2024 at Landmark Centre, Oniru, Lagos. Multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations are required to address pressing climate change challenges.

This was why CAA signed a partnership agreement with the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in Abuja about four months ago as part of a broader framework to catalyze the climate policy conference. This was followed by a world press conference in Abuja to announce CAAF24. Salisu Dahiru, the former director general of NCCC while speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, said the collaboration was a “pivotal step towards building a climate-resilient Nigeria.”

In her response, Mbah said Nigeria’s vulnerability to climate change necessitates immediate and collective action. “Through this partnership,” she said, “we aspire to harness the power of innovation, sustainable practices, policy dialogue, and community engagement to re-shape Nigeria’s future, and set a global example.”

Clearly, CAAF24 is a bold and innovative response to the climate change challenge in Africa. After the Abuja meeting, CAA received the backing of NCCC for the conference. CAAF24 will host a diverse group of influential thought leaders and environmental champions from the Africa Development Bank (Abidjan), Afrexim Bank (Cairo), World Bank (Washington DC), World Economic Forum (Geneva), and the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (Nairobi).

CAA’s mandate includes fostering climate-resilient communities, driving innovation and contributing to the expansion of Africa’s green economy.

The theme of the conference is, “Green Economy, Brighter Future: Innovating and Investing in Africa’s Climate Smart Development.” One of the keynote speakers is Ms. Ramatoulaye Diallo N’Diaye, a former minister of culture in Mali, and the founder/CEO of the Great Green Wall of Africa (GGWoA) Foundation with a mission and unwavering commitment to restoring African forests and reversing the ravaging effects of climate change in the continent.

The list of speakers also include Tokunbo Wahab, Honourable Commissioner for environment and water resources, Lagos State; Markus Wauschkuhn, Cluster Coordinator, Sustainable Economic Development Cluster of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, and Gerald Esambe, Principal Officer, Climate and Green Growth Department at African Development Bank Group.

Others are Kingsley Uranta, General Manager at Channels TV; Bankole Michael from the Lagos State Climate Change department, Ms. Helen Brume, representing the President of Afrexim Bank; Edith Jibunoh, External and Corporate Relations (ECR) Manager for East and Southern Africa representing the World Bank; Olalekan Ogunleye, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, NNPC Ltd and others.

The organisers of the conference are worried about the impact of climate change in Africa. Mbah said the following themes would be explored with nuance by the speakers and facilitators: changing weather patterns, rising sea levels, air pollution, forced displacements, water scarcity, food insecurity, hunger and poor nutrition, desertification, declining GDP, and limited adaptive capacity.

According to her, CAAF is building a platform for Africa to lead the change in addressing global climate issues. With over 3,600 registered attendees, and more than 600 applications for its Deal Room and Workshops, CAAF24 is on track to be an unprecedented hub for climate action and sustainable energy transition in Africa.

 CAAF Deal Room is a ground-breaking idea and strategic initiative that aims to connect high impact climate innovators in Africa with potential investors seeking to accelerate sustainable solutions. The objective of the Deal Room is to select finalists who would have the opportunity to pitch their ideas and solutions during CAAF24.

The deals will include prize money, equity, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions as well as other investment options. Those eligible to apply include venture capitalists, impact investors, climate-tech startups, Green SMEs, and not-for-profit organisations. Applications for the Deal Room opened on April 22, and closed on May 17, 2024.

It would be nice for the organisers of CAAF24 to extend an invitation to the new director general of NCCC, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, as a special guest of honour. I am using this opportunity to congratulate the DG on her well-deserved appointment announced last Sunday.

Braimah is a global public relations consultant and marketing strategist. He is also the publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times (https://ntm.ng) and Lagos Post (https://lagospost.ng), and can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

The Israeli Defence Force slaughtered 274 innocent & defenceless Palestinian civilians in Nuseirat on saturday just to rescue four Jewish hostages in what has been decribed by an eyewitness as a "callous massacre" & "hell on earth". 

How can anyone in his right senses justify this madness? How can any sane person rejoice in such mindless savagery & callousness. 

Would it not have been more humane to get them released through negotiation & a ceasefire? 

Would you not have got more hostages back that way without taking any innocent lives? 

Are the babies & infants that you butchered in Nuseirat also members of the Al Qassam Brigade? 

Did they also participate in the October 7th attack on Israel? 

Were the four hostages hidden in their baby cots, their prams or their diapers?

Did you have to murder them too? 

This degree of depravity beggars belief. 

It is utterly astounding & totally incomprehensible. It represents a new low in the long & horrific history of Zionist barbarity.   

Bibi Netanyahu & his supporters should clap for themselves! 

Yet as they rejoice in their butchery & carnage & their pyrrhic victory let them take note of the following: there is NO glory in murdering women & children. 

There is NO honor in slaughtering babies & infants & blowing up their little bodies with your sophisticated weapons & precision bombs! 

There is NO victory in snuffing out their precious young lives & blotting out their shining star!

There is NO joy in shattering their dreams & destroying their destinies. 

Your cruelty is greater than that of Herod, your soul is darker than that of Pharaoh, your boast is greater than that of Sennacherub, your arrogance is greater than that of Nebuchadnezzar, your heart is harder than that of Jezebel, your bloodlust is greater than that of Athalia and your end shall be worse than that of all of them put together. 

The Lord of Hosts, the Alpha & the Omega, the Ancient of Days, the Man of War, the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, the El Shaddai, the Elohim, the Adonai, the Lord of the universe, the God of all flesh, the Avenger of our blood, the Lamb of God, the Blood of the sprinkling, the I AM THAT I AM, He who is high & lifted up whose train fills the Temple & He that they call Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whose name is above all names, who is the author & finisher of our faith & to whom every knee must bow, has seen your wickedness & stands against you. 

From generation to generation you shall be cursed, your suffering & sorrow shall have no end & a special place in hell has been reserved for you where you shall burn forever. 

The time for glorifying yourselves will soon be over for the God of the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the vulnerable & the persecuted shall rise up in defence of the women & children of Gaza & avenge them speedily! 

Even Benny Gantz, the leader of the opposition & an erstwhile member of your 'war cabinet', can no longer bare the stench of blood that trails you & has abandoned your rat-infested ship & sinking Zionist Government.

Woe unto you Netanyahu and unto Smotrich, Ben Givr, Eliyahu, Gotllieb, Herzog and all the other depraved, bloodthirsty, delusional & insane men & women in your crumbling cabinet & heartless Government.

Woe unto the people of Israel for choosing you as their leader. 

Woe unto America for arming, funding & supporting you in your bloody enterprise of mass murder & ethnic cleansing. 

Woe unto them for being complicit in war crimes, crimes against humanity & genocide.

Woe unto the rest of the world for refusing to stand up for truth & justice, for refusing to resist you & for refusing to find the courage to march on Tel Aviv & drag you off your blood-soaked throne.

(FFK)

In accordance with his commitment to actualize Nigeria's green industrial vision, boost investor confidence, and unlock sustainable economic value through various climate finance instruments, *President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC)* in interim capacity, pending the confirmation of her appointment by the NCCC Supervisory Council.

The President has also approved that Dr. Maduekwe, 39, who holds a Bachelor of Law degree; a Master’s degree in Environmental Law & Policy from the University of Dundee (UK), and a Doctorate degree in Law from the University of Hull (UK), is to serve as the Co-Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP).

Dr. Maduekwe has over 15 years of national and international experience in climate policy development and project implementation. She previously served as Nigeria National Coordinator, Climate Parliament. Climate Parliament is an international, multi-partisan network of legislators working worldwide to help solve the climate crisis and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. 

Dr. Maduekwe was also the legal adviser to the NCCC Director-General.

Furthermore, the President has approved the appointment of *Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Shelleng, 40, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, Office of the President.* He is seconded to the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Secretariat, where he will handle all matters related to Climate Finance & Stakeholder/Donor Relations.

The President has also approved that *Mr. Shelleng is to assume the position of Secretary of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP)* and serve as a member of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, as well as the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

Mr. Shelleng, who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has served in leading roles across multiple financial institutions, and was Head of Business Development for the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company PLC (NMRC) before his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President.

The President has also approved the appointment of *Mr. Olamide Fagbuji, 44, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations, Office of the President.* He is seconded to the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Secretariat, where he will oversee the digitalization of a new open procurement process and cross-departmental procedural optimization initiative.

Mr. Fagbuji served as Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters under the previous administration, and was most recently the Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) on Policy Research and Strategy. He is a policy analyst and computer scientist.

By the directive of the President, the aforementioned appointments take immediate effect.

The President expects the new appointees to bring their expertise and discipline to bear in these very important assignments in pursuance of the nation’s aspiration on green industrial development and climate action for sustainable growth and national prosperity.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

In furtherance of his establishment of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC) and to bring clarity to the functions of the office within the climate and green economy ecosystem, President Bola Tinubu has approved the terms of reference for the pioneering Office of SPEC.

By the President’s directive, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action shall be:

(1) The lead negotiator on climate-related matters on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, reporting directly to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(2) The lead negotiator on carbon market and management initiatives on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a mandate to integrate the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP) into the climate action plans of the Federal Government of Nigeria, reporting directly to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(3) The supervising interface between the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the NCCC Supervising Council, which is chaired by the President.

(4) Coordinator of all climate action-related activities across Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, legislative, and subnational entities which directly impact the President's climate action and green economic agenda with a mandate to directly engage other nations, international organizations, and non-governmental entities to build coalitions and advance global climate goals in accordance with Nigeria's national interest.

(5) The focal point of the Federal Government of Nigeria's engagement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, and other related international meetings on climate-related and green economic matters.

(6) The coordinator of activities of all relevant Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies towards the successful fulfilment of Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

(7) The secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, which is chaired by the President.

(8) The chief diplomat and lead representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on all climate-related engagements and negotiations while supervising the Energy Transition Office.

(9) The focal-point authority on all non-executive activities related to the operations of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) with delegated authority to oversee the activities and operations of the NCCC secretariat for frequent reporting to the President in between meetings of the NCCC Supervisory Council.

(10) The lead interface on engagements with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Power, Federal Ministry of Environment, other critical Federal Government of Nigeria institutions concerning the administration and coordination of climate-related donor finance, renewable energy finance and green industrial growth management.

(11) Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

Furthermore, the President has approved the expansion of the membership of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions (P-CAGE).

The committee comprises the following additional members:

(1) Representative, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning

(2) Representative, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs

(3) Representative, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas)

(4) Representative, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science & Technology

(5) Representative, NNPCL

(6) Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, Ms. Yasmin Mohammed

(7) Representative, Energy Transition Office, Mr. Somkele Awa-Kalu.

The Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions is set to be inaugurated in July.

The President emphasizes diligence, dedication, and patriotism in the execution of this critical national assignment with a view to realizing his administration’s agenda on climate action and green industrial growth for the long-term benefit of the Nigerian people and Africans at large.

Segun Imohiosen

Director, Information

Despite founding Nigeria’s most successful hydrocarbon geophysical consulting firm and contributing significantly to the development of the oil and gas sector, Boniface Madubunyi, who died at 90 on May 13th in London, was practically unknown to the Nigerian public. That’s the way he wanted it. Very few persons anywhere can be so successful and yet so self-effacing, almost monastic in their lifestyle. Madubunyi, an engineer trained at the University of Manchester in the early 1960s who was given the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) national honour under the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, set up a geophysical firm, Mabon Geophysical Surveys Ltd, that competes effectively with Western ones. Statoil of Norway, now Equinor, Shell, and Chevron to name and some others invested in Nigeria’s offshore in 1992 based on data and analyses from Mabon. Madubunyi was the first Nigerian person to own oil blocks in both the United States and Europe.

He invested across various sectors, from power generation to real estate to oil exploration and production, yet he shunned labels like a 'wealthy man' or 'entrepreneur.' He preferred to be seen as a professional consultant. He embodied humility and professionalism.

An indigene of Ihiala in Anambra State, Madubunyi was cosmopolitan through and through. He accepted the challenge from the Federal Government to build and operate a 40-megawatt hydropower plant in Gombe State in the most difficult period in the country’s history. Since January 2020, this plant has supplied uninterrupted electricity to the national grid, with six states benefitting directly from it.

Soft-spoken, strikingly good-looking, and reserved, Madubunyi worked extremely hard. Researchers in applied psychology and management science can use him as an example of success brought about by deliberate practice, or the 10,000 hours principle, the concept that most people who have attained global excellence, whether in sports, music, or business, have put in about 10,000 hours of practice. He was still working even in his last days, though his son, Richard Kenechukwu Madubunyi who trained at Imperial College in London and the University of Leeds, had assumed control of much of the Mabon group in the last couple of years. His style is reminiscent of that of Warren Buffet, founder of Berkshire Hathaway and one of the world’s richest investors who at 93 is still immersed in work. A devout Catholic and son of a catechist and teacher, Madubunyi would retort anytime I inquired when he would retire: “The pope, who has the world as his constituency, still works!” He and I would discuss at 2 am on the phone, say, on Sunday, and before 7 am he would call again even when he was in his 80s, dead busy at work

In Madubunyi I saw the personification of the elegant statement popularised by Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and chairman: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. There was nothing flamboyant or extravagant about him or his style, but his houses, and his dress sense, for instance, reveal a man imbued with taste, class, and sophistication.

His wife, Nkiru, though born into a wealthy family, is equally modest and adapts easily to any environment. She and the husband always felt at home in my regular Mercedes Benz cars in the 1990s and early 2000s even they had specially crafted vehicles. Mrs Madubunyi’s father, Chief GE Okeke, built the Abbott group of schools in the 1950s in Sapele in today’s Delta State and in Ihiala, Anambra State. He became the Minister of Education and later of Economic Planning in the old Eastern Nigerian Region. The Great Zik of Africa trusted him and gave him a free hand to lead the team that built the University of Nigeria at Nsukka. Chief Okeke later conceived and built the Enugu campus of the UNN as well as Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, in Imo State. Proprietor of the Nigerian Starch Company who was to serve on a bank board, Okeke contributed to the development of Ihiala, his hometown, more than any other individual, dead or alive.

Though much of his life was spent abroad, Madubunyi was quite home-conscious. He was the first person to construct a major road in Ihiala, after Victor Okafor who built Ezego Road. Madubunyi singlehanded rebuilt the famous St Martin’s Catholic Church with strict instructions to the church authorities not to reveal the person behind it. He donated generously to the iconic Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Ihiala, also with an instruction to the owners and managers not to disclose his role. He bought a large swath of land to build an industry in Ihiala, but, owing to market headwinds, donated it to the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi. He also bought a large parcel of land to build a private university in Ihiala, but the project didn’t take off for some reason.

In appreciation of his generosity to the church, the ecclesiastical authorities offered to reward him with a knighthood, which he turned down with a customary smile. His Ihiala people did their best to bestow honorific traditional titles on him, but he rejected the offers politely; I used to call him Ugochinyere Ihiala, a “greeting” name given him informally by my cousin, Nick Mbaezue, on December 31, 2000, in the residence of Chief Charles Madubunyi, his lifelong friend who retired from the Customs Service as number three man without a house anywhere.

Unlike many men carried away by the riches of the world and pleasures of life and so became Epicureans, Madubunyi was ever conscious of what the English poet described as the inevitable hour. For about two decades, he prepared for the final hour, attending the mass daily and participating regularly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Days before his departure, priests were visiting him in the hospital to administer the viaticum, the Eucharist given to a person about to leave this world. Yet, we must pray for the repose of the noble soul of Boniface Madubunyi and the souls of all the faithful departed. To Boniface Madubunyi, MFR, a most uncommon Nigerian, we say Requiescat in pace.

Adinuba was Anambra State Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment (2018-22).