The 2027 political season is arriving a bit too early in Akwa Ibom State, and as usual, the starting point is mudslinging and salacious political publications targeting at the incumbent governor and his predecessor. This week, an NGO, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) filed a petition at the EFCC and ICPC alleging that there was ‘’wanton corruption and embezzlement of public funds orchestrated by former governor Udom Emmanuel’’. The petition is dated January 21, 2025 and signed by its operational manager, Stanley Ugabe. A week before the petition was delivered to the anti-graft agencies; a group known as Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, wrote an open letter to President Bola Tinubu in The Nation newspaper of Monday, January 13, 2025, in the form of an advertorial in which it made a number of spurious allegations against Gov. Eno; Udom Emmanuel and Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of Petroleum (Gas). The open letter alleges that the three leaders are scheming to support a PDP presidential candidate of Northern origin in 2027 and that their ultimate goal is to frustrate the reelection of President Tinubu.

The letter is copied to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; APC National Chairman, Abdullai Ganduje and NSA, Nuhu Ribadu. There are 10 signatories on the letter, representing the 10 federal constituencies in the state, but in actual fact, the names are all fictitious. I have been a prominent member of APC in Akwa Ibom State since November 2014 and participated in three governorship elections since 2015 as a communication strategist. I am in a position to know at least one of 10 persons who can buy a newspaper page for N1.2 million to place an open letter to the President. Those names do not just exist. I have been well informed from within the APC that the sponsors of the advertorial are the same as the brains behind the petition against Udom Emmanuel. Their objectives are to embarrass the former governor who is a PDP leader and the political godfather of Gov. Eno; make the governor look bad before the President and create problems for the governor and his reelection bid. The last paragraph of the advertorial says it all: ‘’Given your extensive experience in presidential politics, we trust that you won’t fall prey to Gov. Umo Eno’s deception. It’s time to activate plans to win Akwa Ibom State and secure your reelection’’. There is no single mention of the Senate President, who is the leader of APC in the South-South region, in the letter apart from indicating that he was in copy. That’s quite telling!

I have spoken to a lot of people within the APC in the state and I have discovered that the advertorial was sponsored by people with two major agenda: One, they are uncomfortable with the cordiality between the Senate President and the governor which was deliberately built by the governor, contrary to traditions. They are enraged by the simmering rumours within the APC that the governor might defect to the party, and that would upstage the existing political arrangement/structure in the APC. The second agenda is to stop the governor from going for second term. They do not necessarily believe that he would defect; but they want Akpabio to cut all ties with him and launch a political assault to weaken him and set the stage for APC to take over the state. The thinking within this group is that if Akpabio does not deliver the governorship seat to APC, his chance of being reelected Senate President would be slimmer. Akpabio is the only Senate President since 1999 to come from a state governed by an opposition party. Some party members believe that this is a major minus for him as far as 2027 is concerened, especially with Senator Oshiomhole poised to challenge him for the position.

The inclusion of Ekperikpe Ekpo in the publication is befuddling to many, especially those outside Akwa Ibom State. He is from the same senatorial district with Akpabio and was an Akpabio acolyte until the Senate President nominated him for the ministerial position and convinced President Tinubu to approve the appointment in spite of the need to spread appointments to other zones. But in recent months, there’ve been speculations of a frosty relationship developing between the Senate President and the Minister due to the latter’s perceived interest in gubernatorial politics. The Minister has reacted sharply to the advertorial, stating that he is not building any alliance with anybody to sabotage Tinubu’s reelection as alleged in the publication. Rather, he expressed his unalloyed loyalty to the President. Gov. Eno has also denied allegations of working against the President’s interest. The governor’s press secretary, Ekerete Udo wrote in a statement: ‘’The undisguised intent of the purveyors of the inane advertorial was to cause a strain in the widely acknowledged warm relationship the governor enjoys with President Tinubu; the Senate President and the Minister…the governor has not formed any such clandestine alliance as the group falsely and maliciously stated’’.

As for the petition to the EFCC and ICPC, neither Udom Emmanuel himself nor the governor has made any public statement. But, if history is our guide, I can tell how far this may go. In 2016, some persons, led by a lawyer who is now late, wrote a similar petition against Akpabio, alleging his misuse of security votes just as the accusation against Udom Emmanuel. It was Akpabio’s successor (Udom Emmanuel) who rose to defend Akpabio to the extent of filing a court case against the EFCC. The court ruled against the EFCC, barring it from investigating Akpabio’s tenure. Eight years later, Udom Emmanuel is a victim of a similar petition. How do you think his successor, Pastor Umo Eno, would manage the situation? History often repeats itself rather strangely in Akwa Ibom politics.

The tumult of 2027 is around the corner. I can only hope that the governor will brush this aside and concentrate on his agenda to the people.

It’s hard to argue when U.S. President Donald Trump says that God saved him to save America. Not only is a rational argument often suspended or lost when God enters the matter, but Trump’s return as the 47th president defies logic.

A leader’s job is never done. But how do you rationally explain Kamala Harris’s defeat in the presidential election and, along with it, the routing of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in the Congress? If the election were a boxing match, it would have beaten the record of Vitali Klitschko vs Shannon Briggs’s 2010 fight as one of the most one-sided in boxing history.

Biden’s sins

And it’s not a laughing matter. Trump was a joke, but God, they say, uses jokers to teach serious people some lessons. I don’t mean his sordid personal record just yet. I mean where Biden had taken America compared to where Trump left it in 2021. Recovery from COVID-19 was largely exemplary, thanks to Biden letting data and science lead. The management of inflation on his watch (average 5.2 percent) has been the envy of most of the world, especially Europe.

The negotiations with Big Pharma to review the prices of prescription drugs saved taxpayers billions, not to mention the benefits of peace of mind.

He added 16.6 million jobs, achieved the lowest unemployment in five decades, and invested over $300 billion to rebuild roads and bridges. In contrast to climate change denier Trump, who pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, even though experts have described climate change as one of the world’s biggest threats in the next two to ten years, Biden returned America to the agreement and aggressively pursued investment in clean energy.

Forget the record!

But it turned out that whatever logic or facts might offer, God had other plans, according to Trump. It could only have been divine because how come voters didn’t remember Biden’s record or, if they did, we are now told the record didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was how they felt at election time – a concept obviously outside the realm of logic.

Follow divination

Trump’s sordid record didn’t matter in this solemn divination, this act of God. At the peak of his trials, Trump faced 91 criminal counts and multiple indictments. He was convicted on 34 counts for falsifying business records during his hush money trial and impeached twice. Just at the door to the White House, he was sentenced for a felony but received “unconditional discharge.”

Voters knew his record up until November 5; nothing was secret. Yet, in a divination that spared him to redeem America—one of the few countries, apart from South Africa, Sweden and Finland, where a candidate can be elected even with a convict’s milestone around his neck—Trump won resoundingly.

It’s pointless trying to figure it out. Trump is here to finish what he couldn’t in his first coming. At the Inauguration on Monday, he announced a glorious new American dawn, the very purpose for which 1) the hand of fate made voters turn a blind eye to Trump’s chaotic record and 2) God saved him from being killed twice. Who can argue against that?

While we’re getting used to the political science of feelings and divinations over facts and logic, it might be helpful to ask what this second missionary journey means for Africa. It does seem that God saved Trump not only to save America from itself but also to save America from Africa.

Relief, at last

His victory is a relief for several countries with strict LGBT laws. Nigeria has an anti-LGBT law that criminalises same-sex marriage and public display of affection by persons of the same sex, with a fine of up to 14 years imprisonment.

It battled to hold its ground against US pressure for over a decade. When Biden was going out the door, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed a law banning homosexuality in the military – something that may have played out differently if Harris of the Democratic Party had won.

But Nigeria’s anti-LGBT laws are not even close to those of Uganda, which imposed the death penalty, a move that Biden described as “a tragic violation of universal human rights” and on whose watch Uganda was removed from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), among other reprisals.

Tanzania and Ghana were not too far behind a backlash under Biden for their stringent anti-LGBT laws, a misery from which they have now been delivered. In his second missionary journey, Trump has condemned all forms of “social engineering” and declared from day one there are only two sexes in the US – male and female.

This second coming is not only about the sexes or gender. Money—well, not precisely real money—is involved, too, for Africans. Crypto is getting popular on the continent. Data from Creditcoin’s blog suggests that African youths, particularly in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, are playing big. One source says that 35 percent of those aged between 18 and 60 in Nigeria owned or traded crypto assets in 2022.

The year before was a nightmare for crypto traders in Nigeria after the Central Bank banned trading in crypto assets, and it has been a long winter since. Well, the new crypto godfather has just arrived on the scene. In what signalled a brave new dawn for the token and its youthful lovers on the continent, Trump and his wife, Melania, launched personalised cryptos and became crypto billionaires hours before the President’s inauguration.

Flipside

Yet, the flipside of this balance sheet is concerning for Africa. AGOA, which provides duty-free access to over 6,000 products from the continent, is due for renewal this year.

Some African countries have benefited significantly from it. For example, Ghana’s exports to the U.S. grew from $206 million in 2000 to $2.76 billion in 2022. Kenya’s AGOA-related apparel exports grew from $55 million in 2001 to $603 million in 2022, while South Africa’s automotive exports also increased. Angola and Nigeria have also gained.

These gains are at risk from Trump, who described “tariff” as the most beautiful word in the dictionary.

Trump’s America First policy means the continent may have to look out for itself, which it does poorly even at the best times. This is hardly good news for subregional institutions like the ECOWAS, whose fragile multinational security arrangement was recently further weakened by the exit of four West African countries.

Nor are swathes of African migrants still trying to find a footing in the U.S. going to see Trump’s second missionary journey with its promise of criminalising migration as funny. The President’s attack on the bishop of Washington who asked for mercy for migrants tells the whole story.

Ask God

It doesn’t matter. Trump is not pretending he is on this mission to save the world. He’s not in it to save the climate, make his neighbours happy, champion a global moral force for good, or prevent chaos in international trade. He is sure not on this journey for Africa that was not on the ballot when he was elected, warts and all.

Conservatives, especially African evangelicals, who love him do so for the same reason Christians swear by Israel in the mistaken belief that it is a Christian country. It is not, in the same token, by which Trump’s piety is skin deep. But that is immaterial now.

Anyone who doubts that Trump is on a divine mission can take up the matter with God.

Ishiekwene, Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP, is the author of the new book Writing for Media and Monetising It. 

President Bola Tinubu congratulates THISDAY Newspapers Limited, its Management and Staff on the 30th anniversary of the publication.

Founded on January 22, 1995, by Prince Nduka Obaigbena, the media organisation has earned a reputation as a newspaper of record in Nigeria, delivering in-depth coverage of national and global events.

The President commends the newspaper for its commitment to the ideals of free enterprise, democracy, and innovative use of technology and for nurturing many notable names in the media industry.

President Tinubu states that the numerous awards the publication, its editors, and writers have received over the years are an eloquent testament to the newspaper's creativity.

President Tinubu wishes THISDAY Newspapers continued progress in the years to come.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

In his highly anticipated inaugural speech today, Donald J. Trump painted a vivid picture of an America on the precipice of a transformative era. With characteristic bravado, he declared, “The golden age of America begins right now.” Whether one agrees with his politics or not, the speech has sparked a conversation about what this “golden age” could entail for the nation and the world.

Without a doubt, his speech is a vision rooted in optimism. This is as Trump’s address was steeped in optimism. He outlined a vision of economic prosperity, national security, and unity that resonated with many of his supporters. Promising to prioritize American jobs, revitalize manufacturing, and rebuild the country’s crumbling infrastructure, Trump’s rhetoric centered on bringing “forgotten Americans” back into the fold.

In fact, it is a vision that appeals to those who feel left behind by globalization and technological change. By focusing on “America First,” Trump aimed to position himself as the champion of the average worker, pledging to reverse decades of policies he argues have harmed the middle class. His emphasis on reinvigorating domestic industries and creating jobs for Americans struck a chord with voters who yearn for a return to a time when American manufacturing was the backbone of the economy.

However, achieving this golden age will require more than words. Trump faces a deeply divided nation, skeptical allies, and an array of domestic and global challenges. His promise to restore America’s manufacturing dominance may clash with the realities of automation and global supply chains. Moreover, his hardline stances on immigration and trade could strain relationships both within the country and abroad.

Critics argue that Trump’s rhetoric oversimplifies complex issues. Economic revitalization, for instance, is not merely about bringing back jobs but also about adapting to the future. While Trump’s focus on traditional industries resonates with many, the global economy is rapidly evolving, with technology and renewable energy playing increasingly critical roles. Policies that fail to address these trends may risk leaving the United States behind in the global race for innovation.

Trump’s foreign policy vision, marked by his commitment to an “America First” doctrine, raises questions about the country’s role as a global leader. While his supporters see his approach as a much-needed recalibration of America’s priorities, critics warn that disengagement from global institutions and alliances could weaken the nation’s influence and security.

At this juncture, it is germane to ask, “What Does a Golden Age Look Like?” To answer the foregoing question, it is expedient to say that the term “golden age” evokes images of flourishing prosperity, cultural renaissance, and national pride. To achieve this, America must address systemic issues such as income inequality, racial injustice, and climate change. A true golden age would involve lifting all Americans, not just a select few.

Trump’s speech touched on these themes but left many specifics unexplored. His administration’s policies will ultimately determine whether this vision materializes or remains a rhetorical flourish. While his supporters believe he has the boldness to deliver, skeptics question whether his plans will deepen the divides he promises to heal.

One critical aspect of a golden age is inclusivity. Trump’s presidency has been marked by polarizing rhetoric, and bridging these divides will require a concerted effort to foster unity and understanding. The administration must prioritize policies that benefit all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. Only by building bridges rather than walls, figuratively and literally, can America achieve a truly golden age.

One of the most striking aspects of Trump’s speech was his call for unity. “We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny,” he proclaimed. While lofty words, they serve as a reminder that America’s strength lies in its diversity and shared purpose. For this golden age to take root, Americans from all walks of life must find common ground.

Trump’s call for unity comes at a time of deep political and social polarization. The rise of social media has amplified divisions, creating echo chambers where differing perspectives rarely intersect. For Trump’s vision to succeed, the nation must engage in meaningful dialogue that transcends party lines and ideological boundaries.

The role of the media in this process cannot be overstated. A free and fair press is essential for holding leaders accountable and fostering informed public discourse. Trump’s often contentious relationship with the media underscores the need for both sides to engage constructively. Journalists must continue to scrutinize policies and rhetoric, while the administration must recognize the press as a vital institution rather than an adversary.

Central to Trump’s vision of a golden age is economic transformation. His promise to bring back jobs and revive industries resonates with workers who have seen factories close and livelihoods disappear. However, achieving this will require innovative policies that account for the complexities of the modern economy.

Investment in infrastructure is a promising starting point. Rebuilding roads, bridges, and public transportation systems not only creates jobs but also lays the foundation for long-term economic growth. Similarly, prioritizing education and workforce development is crucial for equipping Americans with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing job market.

Tax reform and deregulation are also key components of Trump’s economic agenda. While these measures may stimulate business growth, they must be implemented carefully to ensure that the benefits are broadly distributed. A golden age cannot be built on policies that disproportionately favor the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and working poor.

Trump’s speech emphasized a shift toward “America First,” signaling a departure from traditional foreign policy norms. While this approach appeals to those who feel that the United States has shouldered an unfair burden in global affairs, it raises questions about the country’s leadership role.

The challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, cyber security, and global health, require international cooperation. Trump’s willingness to engage with global partners will be critical for addressing these issues effectively. A truly golden age for America must also contribute to a more stable and prosperous world.

Donald Trump’s inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter in American history. His promise of a golden age is ambitious and inspiring to many, but it comes with significant challenges. Whether his administration can rise to the occasion remains to be seen. As the nation embarks on this journey, one thing is clear: the next four years will shape not only the future of America but also its place in the world.

The golden age may be here, but its realization depends on unity, innovation, and a commitment to values that transcend party lines. Only time will tell if Trump’s vision becomes reality or a missed opportunity. For now, his words serve as both a rallying cry and a challenge to a nation ready to define its destiny.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, shared this information at the inauguration of XeJet’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility and flight support center in Abuja.

This facility represents a partnership between XeJet and local banks, with the goal of positioning Nigeria as a regional center for aviation services.

The Minister stated: “Since we came to office, we’ve been focused on attracting MRO facilities to our aviation ecosystem, just as they exist in other parts of the world.

“We’ve searched far and wide for investors, but now we see that what we were looking for elsewhere is right here at home. This collaboration between an indigenous operator and local banks is a dream come true.”

Emphasizing the project’s significance, the minister noted the inclusion of additional facilities, such as a training centre, which he described as “a huge achievement.”

Keyamo added: “This development will not only serve Nigeria but will attract users from across the West African sub-region. That’s the dream—to make this facility a regional center for excellence.”

Speaking on the broader vision, the Chief Executive Officer of XEJet, Emmanuel Iza, highlighted plans to position Nigeria on the global map of aircraft manufacturing, repairs and operations.

“The vision is ambitious. It is to contribute to aircraft manufacturing, even if it’s just components like wings, landing gears, or tires. Nigeria has the talent and ability; we just need the enabling environment and facilities to make it happen,” he said.

Iza highlighted the employment opportunities that the multi-million dollar project is anticipated to create for Nigerians, mentioning that XeJet currently employs approximately 300 individuals.

With the establishment of this new facility, he said the organization anticipate increasing that figure fourfold.

The initial phase encompasses site preparation, which includes grading the land and building a taxiway to link the runway with the facility, with an estimated cost of $5 million.

He also pointed out that the construction of the facility will necessitate a similar financial commitment.

[NaijaNews]

Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) shut down medical services on Wednesday over unpaid 7 months’ salaries to their colleagues employed in 2023.

Our reporter who visited Kubwa General Hospital, on Wednesday morning, witnessed how patients were told that they could not be attended to because doctors were on strike.

Insiders said the ongoing strike would last for three days as a warning, and might turn to an indefinite one if the government fails to accede to the doctors’ demand.

Recall that the Association of Resident Doctors in the territory had issued a 14-day day ultimatum strike warning to the FCT minister on 23 December last year, demanding him to act urgently.

The ultimatum elapsed on January 6, 2025.

Some of the demands of the doctors as listed by the president of the association in Ajuja, Dr. George Ebong, include, “For the minister to clear the Medical Residency Training Fund of 2024. Implementation of skipping and issuance of skipping letters to its members employed in 2023. Immediate payment of accouterments allowance for 2024, and payment of outgoing 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears, among others demands.

One Mrs. Ihiaka, who accompanied her daughter who was seen on a wheelchair, described the situation as sad, lamenting that she was now left with the option of look for a private hospital, no matter the cost.

She urged the FCT minister to look into the doctors’ demand, as well as focus on the health and education sectors the way he is doing with infrastructural development.

“If the citizens that are going to use the infrastructure have suffered negligence in the health sector, then truly the crucial purpose of the governance has been defeated,” she stated.

FCT permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environmental Secretariat, HSES, Dr. Babagana Adam, declined to speak on the development.

[DailyTrust]

Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is back in Nigeria.

A competent source disclosed the development to DAILY POST on Wednesday.

According to the source, Mrs Ekweremadu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday.

DAILY POST recalls that Senator Ekweremadu, the wife and one Dr Obinna Obeta were sentenced to prison by a UK court for their involvement in organ harvesting.

The former deputy senate president was sentenced to 10 years, while his wife was sentenced to six years.

DAILY POST reports that the return of Mrs Ekweremadu is being celebrated across Enugu State, with many praying to have the Deputy Senate President back in the shortest possible time.

[DailyPost]

As President Joe Biden, the 46th American president bowed out yesterday after 52 years of service to the nation he passionately served as a parliamentarian and president and Trump took over as the most powerful leader in the world in a seamless transition, devoid of the uneasiness and anxiety that heralded his first coming, it was the beauty of the American system that was in display.

Trump’s landslide victory over both Biden and Harris is but once again a confirmation that all politics is local. No matter how much Trump is derided by the rest of the world over what was considered his infantile behaviour, character deficit and right-wing world view, it is the Americans who wear the shoe that know where it pinches.

And lastly, the unexpected outcome of the American presidential election also once again confirmed the major weaknesses of the democratization process -free and fair election the hallmark of participatory democracy which is capable of throwing up anyone.

Biden had exploited what has turned out to be unfounded fears about Trump’s threat to democracy and the battle against Trumpism a “fight for the soul of the nation” to cruise into power in 2020. First, in order to rescind some of the Trump policies, Biden on his first day in office, issued executive orders that took back the US into the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, cancelled the US withdrawal from the World Health Organisation and a number of other executive orders in the areas of immigration, health care and environment.

In spite of the control of the presidency and both houses of Congress by the president’s party, after the 2020 mid-term election, three significant pieces of voting rights and electoral-reform legislations, including the For the People Act, passed by the House in March 2021; the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, passed by the House in August; and the Freedom to Vote Act, introduced in the Senate in September. (The first two bills were later versions of legislation passed by the House in 2019) were all blocked in the Senate by Republican filibusters, which could be overcome only with the support of at least 60 senators.

Finally, believing he, and his party knew what the people wanted without asking them, Biden became a victim of his own hubris.  On December 13, 2022, Biden signed into law the “Respect for Marriage Act which   formally repealed the federal Defence of Marriage Act (1996) which had defined marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman and had permitted states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriage performed in other states.

Biden had earlier alienated the power American Pentecostals who supported Trump by appointing Pete Buttigieg, a gay as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Biden also went on to sign an LGBTQ executive order which advanced equality on June 15, 2022.

Of course, the unexpected outstanding performance of Biden and his Democratic Party in American last mid-term election was American women’s show of gratitude to the president and his party’s crusade over women’s right to control their bodies But their dismal performance in the last November election was American women’s rejection of the notion that institutions of state manned by individuals who have no children can decide for parents how best to groom their children. If there are American adults who today exhibit evidence of maladjustment as a result of challenges of growing up, parents don’t want confused state officials to tell their five year old boys and girls about their right to change their sex.

Biden, a veteran of foreign relations having served as Foreign Relations Committee chair twice (2001–03; 2007–09), was no less haunted by his mishandling of foreign issues with domestic issues content by failing to rise to the occasion as the leader of the world. His unconditional support for Jonathan Netanyahu was to set him up against moderate democrats, students, first time voters and American Arab voters and the rest of other world leaders that had expected him to use his moral voice to provide leadership for the world in disarray.

But then Biden could not give what he did not have.  He instead on October 2023 secured Congress aid package $15 billion in additional military assistance for Israel in its war against Hamas. It was true Hamas started the war with the unprovoked killing of 1,200 Israeli civilians and soldiers. But informed members of the international community understood the act was out of frustration by Palestinians after over 50 years of Israel’s occupation, scores of rejected UN resolutions with tacit support of the US.

Israeli response in form of massive invasion and destruction of a ‘caged’ Gaza resulted in the death of over 45,000 Palestinians mainly innocent children and women.

Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of schools, hospitals and mosques, blockade preventing water, food, medicine, electricity, and fuel from entering the territory, was declared disproportionate response by the Pope, genocide by the United Nations and the rest of the world leading to issuing of warrant of arrest of Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister ‘for crime against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8 2023 until at least May 20 2024”.

Biden, a Catholic who takes Holy Communion every day and the only man with leverage on Netanyahu kept insisting Israel has the right to defend herself.

And finally, Trump’s triumph was one more evidence of the major weaknesses of democracy-free and fair election the hallmark of participatory democracy which often involve group bargaining. Democracy is capable of throwing up anyone including, outright idiots who do not know their right from their left  or even those who have no faith in democracy at the expense of those who have faithfully served their nation in the military, bureaucracy and parliament such as John McCain in 2008, Hillary Clinton 2016 and Biden and Harris 2024.

In fact, the apprehension of most enlightened Americans during Trump’s first coming was the parallel between Trump, his rhetoric and Adolf Hitler. Like Hitler and most far right politicians, Trump had blamed economic and social crises in America on outsiders. And sounding like Hitler before the Jewish final solution, he had said ‘we have problem in this country. It is called Muslims; we know our current president is one, he is not an American”…”They have training camps where they want to kill us; we want to take our country back”. He blamed China for America’s economic woes and the menace of drug and unemployment on Brazil.

Like Hitler, Trump does not believe in political parties. Just as Hitler used Nazism as springboard to take over power, only to later destroy the leadership of the party as well as the party’s values before taking upon the world as a dictatorship responsible for the death of over 11 million people, six million of them from Israel, Trump hijacked the Republican Party to secure the party’s presidential ticket. Like Hitler, he went on to assault the core values and the soul of the Republican Party. And just like what Hitler did to his party leading members, Trump had humiliated leading light of the GOP before the far-right Republicans, particularly members of the Trump-led MAGA movement, who generally supported Russian President Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orbán, the authoritarian leader of Hungary took over.

Trump was against the Fourteenth Amendment which confers citizenship on all children born in America and threatened to deport all such children. Worried Americans back then could not but see the parallel between this and Hitler’s ‘bastardisation’ policy which considered children born in Germany but of non-German parents inferior and could not be given citizenship because citizenship was by blood of the Aryan race.

Trump neither believes in free press or shares the sentiments of Thomas Jefferson, the American founding father and the principal author of American declaration of independence (1776) that “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. Today Trump has undermined confidence in the free press, creating his own alternative reality through lies propagated by Fox news and other platforms that supported him.

Trump’s ‘I am the only one who can fix America’ is not markedly different from Hitler’s delusion that he was ordained to protect the Aryan race.

But Trump’s 2020 defeat despite his failed insurrection and his return to the White House yesterday after four years in the political wilderness speaks to the resilience of the American system. It shows the American system has an in-built mechanism to prevent any America from taking a precipitate action which poses danger to American democracy.

Students from the University of Ibadan (UI) on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest against the 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

UCH is the teaching hospital where medical students from UI are trained.

The Nation learnt UCH has been experiencing power outage for the past year due to debts owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC.

IBEDC cut off the power supply to the hospital in March 2024 due to unpaid electricity bills.

The electricity distribution company earlier disconnected the hospital’s power supply in November 2023 for the same reason.

The power supply has not been restored.

To express dissatisfaction with the situation at the hospital. The students were led by President of the Students’ Union, SU, Bolaji Aweda.

Speaking with newsmen, Aweda stated that students of the institution have been directly affected.

According to him: “We are protesting against what is happening. And, of course, our students are affected.

“For 82 days, there has been no light at UCH, and this is due to the inability of UCH to pay its electricity bill to IBEDC.

“IBEDC has demanded that UCH settle its debt before they will restore power.”

A Nigerian nurse, Ugbede Ojo, who faced backlash after describing Lagos as a “smelly city” in a viral tweet, has secured a new job abroad.

This development follows reports that her position at a Lagos hospital was under threat due to her controversial post.

In November, Ugbede stirred controversy when she tweeted: “This Lagos is a smelly city. People smell, the streets smell, the gutters smell, the water smells, everything is smelly. I’m tired.”

The post sparked mixed reactions. While some defended her right to express her views, others criticised her for being “disrespectful” to Lagos and its residents.

One user, identified as Bayo, strongly condemned her tweet, describing it as “public ridicule.” He tagged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and then-Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, urging them to take action.

“Dear Lagos government, you’re leaving the lives and economy of Lagos in the hands of people that hate their employers,” the user wrote.

“If #jidesanwoolu and #mudashiru_obasa will not start demanding respect from people that are taking jobs away from aboriginals, we will also not stop adding external LEGAL pressure until we get the desired respect.”

Ugbede, who was reportedly employed at the General Hospital in Gbagada, later claimed she had been facing “attacks” due to her tweet.

However, another X user, Cross˚, who identifies as #Elkrosmediahub, offered her a job abroad if she lost her current one due to the backlash.

“Hi #nurse_ugbede, trust you are having a beautiful morning. So one of my
Ogas asked me to reach out to you. Just in case anything happens to your job, and you are willing to work in another country, kindly notify me. Will share an email address you can forward your CV to too,” the user wrote.

On Tuesday, Ugbede announced her new job on X, writing, “I got the job, guys.”

Reflecting on her journey, she added: “Just remember that by this time last year, I was homeless in Lagos! Squatting with a friend and borrowing money to pay rent.

“One year later, I got my big girl job and big girl pay. I wondered when it would happen, but when it’s your turn, God will part the ocean!”

[Punch]