The door of life is binary; it opens either ways, inwards or outwards. So goes an age-long wisdom. When the Thisday newspaper, on January 1, 2025, announced President Bola Tinubu as its Man of the Year pick, emotions of Nigerians ran riot. Was that decision a product of editorial science or newspaper shamanism? Nigerians asked. To many, the newspaper’s editors must have meandered into some kind of trance, communed with with some unseen spirits and emerged therefrom with their odd pick. To others, Thisday hit the bull’s eye. Suffering Nigerians were even ready to, in the lingo of the millenials, cut the Thisday some slacks. So, they reason: could the newspaper have been seized by some inexplicable emotion of sympathy for the president on account of unprecedented attacks against his government? Did it merely want to decorate him to charm his vanity? So, like Lord Henry said in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, did the newspaper just go “bankrupt through an over-expenditure of (their) sympathy (for Tinubu)”?

For a journalism profession which thumps own chest as “the rough draft of history,” the idea of the newspaper media choosing persons as ‘Man of the Year’ began in 1928, five years after the founding of the Time magazine on March 3, 1923. The “Man of the Year” cover reflects individuals selected for their contributions for that particular calendar year. American aviator. Charles Lindberg, became the first person to grace the magazine’s “Man of the Year” cover that 1928. The choice of Lindberg, according to Time, which has coasted home with the coveted trophy of the world’s largest and first weekly news magazine, was based on his daring audacity of being the first solo aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. He had flown from New York to Paris. With the decision to have Lindberg adorn its front page cover, which the editors said was a mere happenstance, the magazine began an annual ritual that has lasted almost a century.

In 1938, as Thisday editors picked Tinubu as their Man of the Year, the editors of Time picked Adolph Hitler as theirs, too. Hitler was the dictator of Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945 during which he was believed to have committed suicide. Based on his ancient view that the Jews were the enemies of the German people, Hitler was reported to have executed about six million of them. As leader of the Nazi Party, Hitler believed Germans were superior to all other races. He thus became obsessed with the notion of the racial purity of his Aryan race by which he meant a pure German race or Herrenvolk. His Aryan race, in his thinking, was vested the control the world.

For a magazine which regaled the world with its rather self-adulating motto of “the faces of Time have been the faces of the world,” that same world was aghast and rankled by the Hitler pick. When the magazine’s cover page came out on its January 2, 1939 issue, it had the face of the German despot decorating its globally celebrated Man of the Year page. The world went berserk. Time was assumed to have faced similar bankruptcy of sympathetic emotions for Hitler as the Thisday faced. The world did not hide its consternation. Not dissimilar accusations of having gone on an emotive junket were pelted on Time.

Time had earlier in 1939 whetted the appetite of the world by foreshadowing what was to come. In the course of the 1930s, it featured the Third Reich leader of Nazi Germany over the course of time. Hitler appeared on the magazine’s cover in December 1931 as he made a fiery address. In March 1933 as well, Hitler, donning his emblematic bushy moustache, lounged in a chair by the side of a black German Shepherd. The photo hit the cover page of Time. In an April 1936 cover photograph, Time also had him giving an open-palmed salute.

But, what is the philosophy behind the Man of the Year of Time? Studies have been undertaken to de-couple the fact from fiction. One of the most remarkable of these studies which drilled into the rationale for selecting certain people for the magazine’s covers was done by William Christ and Sammye Johnson in 1985. Entitled Images Through Time: Man of the Year Covers, the authors submitted that Time’s picks are “a person or persons who for better or worse dominated events in the previous 12 months”.

The Man of the Year or Person of the Year concept was however teased out of Scottish philosopher, Thomas Carlyle’s theory of history. Carlyle had written that “the history of the world is but the biography of great men.” It was the philosopher’s belief that the few, powerful and the famous, in a very essential way, shape our collective destiny as humanity. As such, Time uses its pick as one who best represents the news of the year.

From Time, newspapers all over the world thereafter borrowed the concept of the “Person of the Year”. Today, it has become an annual newspaper ritual. Time uses it to recognize individual or group of individuals who it considers as having had the hugest impact on news headlines in the previous 12 months. When the choice of a person is proclaimed, it is that person who, “for good or ill” has negatively or positively, more than any other person, affected the course of the year. Emotions however rise when the choice is considered to be an honor or a reward.

However, the 1939 portraiture of Hitler as Man of the Year by Time marked a radical departure from the norm. But, as Wilde said in that same Picture of Dorian Gray, behind every exquisite thing that existed, there is something tragic that exists. Instead of the conventional portrait, the magazine had a cryptic illustration by Rudolph von Ripper. Hitler was drawn playing a ‘hymn of hate.’ On the drawing was affixed the title, ‘From the unholy organist, a hymn of hate”.

But, on January 1, 2025, Thisday had no such forewarning. Nor any hint that it was satirizing Aso Rock. It had a smiling Tinubu below its screaming Man of the Year headline. No reflection of the searing pains his people undergo. Nor that the year Thisday decided on his pick as Man of the Year represents one of the most hopeless years Nigerians have lived on earth. Oh, I forgot, Time’s Hitler also looked resplendent. As Adolf sat comfortably on the front page of the magazine, Jews were being murdered in their thousands.

But Hitler was not the only despot to don Time’s front page as Man of the Year. A number of them made controversial appearances as the magazine’s pick. For instance, Joseph Stalin, Soviet despot and totalitarian, was the magazine’s choice in 1939 and 1942 respectively. Nikita Khrushchev, Stalin’s successor, was also adjudged its cover page choice in 1957. So also did Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomein, who led an Islamic revolution in Iran; who navigated the country from its political leader, the Shah and ran it as a theocracy from 1979 to 1989. He became its Man of the Year in 1979. In 1935, Haile Selassie, also known as Tafari Makonnem, Emperor of Ethiopia and a despot, started the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. It was at a time when Italian forces invaded Ethiopia. That same year, the Time magazine picked him as its Man of the Year.

In the thick of searing emotions against its controversial choices, Time had always come out to defend its choices. First, it argued that its picks were misconstrued as honour, award or prizes. Literally swearing by its mother’s head, Time swore that the controversial persons’ choices were done “for their impact on events.” It also said that those selections were ultimately based on “who (it) believed had a stronger influence on history and who represented either the year or the century the most.”

Similar to Nigerians’ disgust at the Thisday pick, in a Letter to the Editor penned and signed by Hollywood luminaries and published in the magazine’s 1939 edition, the luminaries frowned at the unmerited space Time offered Hitler. They considered him a blood-sucking emperor and pleaded that “if his picture appears on your cover only as Time’s man of the year, the controlled fascist countries and uninformed of all nations will hail the selection as an award of merit”. Time’s response was that it had noted and observed the letter-writers’ concerns and subsequently referred them to the magazine’s cover.

When in 1994, Time announced Pope John Paul II as its pick for that year’s Man of the Year, the choice was appraised in laudatory terms. This was largely because no citizen of the world commanded the texture of admiration the Pope enjoyed. His globetrotting where he garnered over 1/2 million flying miles to talk to the vulnerable had far-reaching impacts on a fractious world. Many people however disagreed with the Time pick of the Pope on account of his theology and abetment of perceived evil. They argued that, through his sacerdotal pen, John Paul had enough powers to stop Catholic Church’s centuries’ long dogma of “forbidding to marry,” otherwise called forced celibacy. The biblical Apostle Paul, in Timothy 4:1,3, had considered the Papacy’s celibacy as a strand of the “doctrines of devils.” It was also felt that Pope John Paul could stop the rampant child molestation by priests in the Catholic church.

The above historical recount of the concept of Man of the Year should makes it clear that the Thisday newspaper does not have the patent of its pick of President Tinubu as its Man of the Year. Global villains, despots and achievers in the world have hitherto been garlanded with same trophy. The challenge is that, like everything Nigerian, that Times magazine concept has been bastardized. And the Nigerian print media is the culprit. Spurious and shameless Man of the Year awards have been made by newspaper houses in Nigeria over the years which made charlatans primus inter pares in areas they did not deserve. Most of the choices are money-driven, aimed at inflating the egos of the picks for a fee.

The only challenge is that the Thisday editors, in arriving at their pick of Tinubu, did not elaborate on whether his choice was for good or ill. In this regard, the newspaper chose to sit on the fence. From the outset, the newspaper should have defined its parameters for the pick, rather than seeking a justification of its choice from the beginning of the essay. Its general statement, its justification, it stated thus: “It is hard to find anyone who could fairly challenge (Tinubu) to the …Man of the Year.” If the parameter for choosing Tinubu was that he is the most audacious Nigerian leader in the last one year, it may indeed be difficult to best the president to the pick. Tinubu is known to have peremptorily taken the most consequential economic decision of subsidy removal of his own volition. The next decision was the flotation of the currency, a decision that could drown this country. The outcome has been gruelling pain, deaths and distress. Even in its choice of audacity as the parameter for canonizing the president, an attempt should have been made to calibrate the word “audacity.” As it means ‘willingness to take bold steps,’ the word also connotes impudence. Some acts of audaciousness can manifest as recklessness if the immediate positive outcome is life-threatening, invisible and inaccessible to the ordinary eye. For instance, if a president who willingly took his country to the unprecedentedly high inflation figure of 33.4% wants to bring it down to 15% in less than one year, should it be done like a Shaman conjuring specimens from space?

While Thisday says its choice of Tinubu, in part, was due to his “resolve to stick to his reforms” because he had forewarned that “you can’t be doing the same thing and expect different outcomes,” this could, in interpretative logic, mean arrogance of power. As good as it is for leaders to be determined and resolute, it is equally a downside for them to be unbendable. If they are, they are a mile away from Despot-ville. The appellation of a “daring” and “gritty” leader, which Thisday awarded Tinubu in the essay, the last time I remember, was also given to the Fuhrer when he began to nurture his Aryan race. In the same mould, a leader who, in the words of Thisday, dammed the consequences of floating the Naira and removal of subsidy can only be allowed to gloat if his paths are not filled with the dead and socially dislocated victims of such policies. Leaders should de-risk their policies.

One of the newspaper’s indices for awarding Tinubu the Man of the Year, according to its essay, was his proclamation in a recent media chat that, “there’s no going back on the tax reform bills.” No leader who sounds as God like this while underscoring the irrevocability of his action should be awarded a trophy for being good. Leaders are assessed by their humanity and not the number of dead persons that line the path of their decisions. The newspaper’s claim of Tinubu’s “measures to cushion the effects” of his policies, which it named to be CNG buses and his “constantly assisting the states with palliatives” is in the mould of the famous Ali and the Angel fabulism.

In the final analysis, while I agree that President Tinubu was worthy of the Man of the Year trophy given him by the Thisday newspaper, I am of the opinion that the award should be for ill, and for worse, in the words of Christ and Johnson. Tinubu has had, more than any living Nigerian in the last 12 months, negative impacts on the lives of Nigerians. His choice as Man of the Year should spell this out.

My choice for the Nigerian Man of the Year will be you; yes, you! In the year that just ended, the Nigerian has gone through an excruciating time. The Nigerian Man of the Year is the president’s friend who tumbled down from owning five Rolls Royce and now rides a Honda Accord, while his friend, the president, rides a Cadillac Escalade and flies a presidential jet that costs about $150 million. My Man of the Year is the Nigerian who is still breathing under this suffocating economy; who can hardly pay his child’s school fees. My Man of the Year pick is the elderly Nigerian who can hardly afford the cost of his drugs but manages nevertheless. My Man of the Year has suffered untold hardship in the hands of Thisday’s Man of the Year pick. Step forward to receive your award, longsuffering Nigerian!

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of displaying a troubling disregard for patriotic voices against the tax reforms agenda of the administration.

The NEF urged the government to halt the proposed Tax Reform Bills before the National Assembly, citing concerns of unfairness and potential economic impact.

A statement issued by the forum’s chairman, A.M. Al-Amin Daggash, recommended that the federal government should suspend the implementation of the reforms to allow for broader consultations with stakeholders. It emphasized the need for a careful and inclusive approach to address concerns and redesign the implementation strategy.

“The rush to implement these tax reforms is unnecessary. Dialogue, quality contributions, and critical inputs from Nigerians should be prioritized before any decisions are made,” Daggash said.

The forum expressed opposition to the proposed increase in Value Added Tax (VAT), warning that it could erode purchasing power, fuel inflation, and increase interest rates.

Daggash noted that such measures should be postponed until the government demonstrates tangible economic recovery.

He also criticized the proposed VAT revenue-sharing formula, describing it as unjust to states where VAT is generated. According to him, VAT should be allocated based on consumption, ensuring fairness to contributing states.

Daggash further accused the Tinubu administration of disregarding dissenting opinions and using coercive tactics to push its policies. “The government has displayed a troubling disregard for patriotic voices and an inclination to suppress opposition,” he said.

While supporting reforms that align with global best practices, the NEF stated that the Tax Reform Bills fail to meet the standard of transparency and inclusivity required for effective policy-making.

The forum called on the federal government to revisit the reforms, ensuring that they reflect the interests and contributions of all Nigerians.

The Lagos State Police Command has clarified that Ayomide Adeleye, who confessed to killing Christianah Idowu, his friend and neighbour, has been charged with murder and remains in custody for the offence.

This clarification was issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, in response to reports suggesting that Adeleye was not being held in any Lagos correctional facility.

In his statement, Hundeyin said, “We can confirm that Ayomide Adeleye was charged with murder and was remanded for the same offence.

“It is also a fact that another person bearing the same name was remanded for a different offence and released in April 2024, long before the Ayomide we are talking about committed his offence.

“An outfit that prides itself on investigation should live up to its name. Relying on ‘sources’ rather than the spokesperson of the Correctional Service would land you in this kind of misinformation.”

Adeleye, a 200-level Philosophy student at Olabisi Onabanjo University confessed in September to killing Idowu, a 300-level student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

On November 5, Adeleye appeared before Magistrate Seyi Omodara at the Ogba Magistrate Court.

The magistrate issued a remand warrant, allowing the police to detain him at the Ikoyi Correctional Center pending advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

[Punch]

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the final of the Auckland Classic with an abdominal injury Sunday, a blow to the Japanese star just a week before the start of the Australian Open.

Playing in her first WTA final for three years, against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, the four-time Grand Slam champion called for the physio after taking the opening set 6-4 and pulled out shortly afterwards.

Osaka’s sudden withdrawal came as a shock after playing with no apparent problem in the 35-minute opening set, unleashing some powerful groundstrokes to break her opponent in the third and fifth games.

At the changeover, the 27-year-old stood and performed a series of stretches during a medical timeout.

After consulting with the trainer she shook the hand of Tauson, who picked up a third career title and her first since 2021.

Osaka didn’t divulge details of what forced her withdrawal in a short courtside interview.

However, in a statement, the WTA said she retired “due to an abdominal injury”.

“I just want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I had a lot of fun playing here and I’m sorry about how it ended.

“I hope you did enjoy the tennis that we did play and I’m just really grateful to be here,” Osaka said.

It was an anti-climactic finish to the week for Osaka, who was chasing her first title since winning the 2021 Australian Open.

Her most recent final appearance was at the Miami Open the following year, before taking a 15-month break and giving birth to her first child midway through 2023.

She returned to tennis 12 months ago and has climbed to 57th in the world rankings.

AFP

The decision of the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to return History as a compulsory subject to Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools is a welcome development. Announcing the decision on the last day of 2024, Tunji Alausa, our new Minister of Education confirmed that based on the express mandate of the President, “our students in primary schools, JSS and secondary schools will from 2025 have the subject as part of their studies.” According to the Minister, President Tinubu was swift at seeing the need to restore the critical subject to bridge the generational gap in historical knowledge following its erroneous removal more than two decades ago. In other words, the announcement is not as usual about a proposal but a decision already being implemented. 

Considering the immense importance of History, Alausa can be said to have successfully scored a decisive early goal in his ministership. It is only fair to commend him because his predecessor began, then procrastinated and finally stopped at the proposal stage. It will be recalled that at the 61st Meeting of the National Council on Education Ministerial Session in 2016, the former Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, had ordered the reintroduction of History as a subject in basic schools across Nigeria. Some 9 years later, another Minister is now taking urgent steps to implement the same crucial decision. The implication of this is that the quest to ensure proper growth and development in the education sector was inadvertently taken aback many years. 

If policy vacillation is distasteful, to do so with History is worse asanyone who seeks to comprehend the present must first understand yesterday so as to plan for tomorrow. This is because people’s perception of history often shapes how they view the present.  Indeed, some Nigerian scholars including this writer had many years back, argued that the best way to solve the ills of the Nigerian society especially the protracted ones is to employ the historical approach to critically examine when, where and how such ills began as well as what sustains them. In that way, one would underscore the verdict of history as enunciated by the famous Spanish-born philosopher, poet, and novelist, George Santayana (1863 – 1952) who once stated that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

By electing to abandon History as a course of study, Nigeria did not only deprive its youths of the knowledge of what those before them did, it also divested the entire nation from a reliable record of societal events. For history to be authentic, it must be comprehensive and chronological. It must begin from the beginning and must incorporate records of the origin, growth, development and challenges of a given society. When related to Nigeria, the dilemma was not just about the abandonment of the study of History, even the version that was previously taught was essentially fake. All through Africa, History as a course of study was not about African events or any of the innovative initiatives of the indigenes; rather it was a distorted and jaundiced record of European activities in Africa. 

Put differently, it was a record which featured several perverse and irrational claims. For instance, for   general   knowledge   and   examination   purposes, students of   African history   learnt   and   quite   often   had   to   memorize   historical   fallacies   such   as   that   one   alien adventurer – Mungo Park discovered the River Niger.  No one bothered to rationalize that a man who was shown the River Niger by the inhabitants of its bank ought not to be credited in history with the discovery of the same river.   Even   if   the   supposed   discovery   was   helpful to adventurers and imperialists, it is still awkward for the indigenous people who lived around the river and their successors to be indoctrinated into believing that they too did not know the river until the coming of Mungo Park.

It is because of such poor sense of history that Nigerians were never able to see the fine similarities between colonial masters, military rulers and the current actors of our bogus democracy. They are all the same. In order to suppress and hush the people particularly the leaders of nationalist movements fighting for independence, the colonial masters enacted obnoxious laws such as the Newspapers Ordinance of 1903 and the Seditious Offences Ordinance of 1909. They also criminalized defamation which is akin to the effort of the military to use decrees especially numbers 2 and 4 to criminalize dissent. Notwithstanding the standard world-wide acceptance that truth is an absolute defence to defamation, today’s ‘democrats’ imprison their fellow citizens before giving them a chance to defend any alleged offensive statements. 

Our current Cybercrimes Act contains segments of the law of sedition which elevate those who claim to have been elected by the people into government to operate as emperors. Hence, we have state governors who can sue but cannot be sued and who can use the police to detain their opponents and critics for months even though the law does not provide for more than 48 hours. Our police force as a matter of fact is yet to transition from the Paramilitary Constabulary of the colonial era set up to terrorize blacks and forcefully subordinate them to the political authority. In our special type of democracy, public protests are not allowed as the repealed Public Order Act of 1979 is still being used in breach of the freedom of speech, movement and assembly guaranteed by our constitution.

Before colonial rule, Nigerian traditional institutions served as judges and dispensed credible justice. They ensured that parties involved in a case did not become enemies as the settlements were usually amicably done making those at fault to quite often voluntarily offer apologies to those wronged. Those empowered to settle disputes today abhor technical justice in their public speeches but every case before them is subjected to technicalities – a trend which neither pleases the larger society nor does it sooth the nerves of the aggrieved. There are no records of the positive aspects of our justice delivery system that ought to have been retained and modernized. As a result, the inherited colonial system is used to set criminals free without a consideration of the substance of the allegations made against such accused persons.

For our institutions to become more useful and viable, we need to attain an authentic history which among other things records stories of exemplary conduct. Perhaps leaders who are busy extorting public revenues would never have made laws that give themselves retirement benefits of official houses in their states and Abuja if they had an opportunity to read the simple and humble stories of the life and times of leaders such as Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa or even President Shehu Shagari. Credible internal democracy would probably not have been this convoluted if the relationship between party chairmen and their elected leaders of old were illuminated by historical records.

It is therefore not enough to announce the reintroduction of History as a course of study in our schools; Minister Alausa has much more to do. He must set up an arrangement that effectively and efficiently supervises the reinstated policy. The inspectorate division of the Ministry of Education must be reinvigorated to return to result-oriented business. Alausa must himself lead the venture and ensure that periodic reports on several aspects of the task are retrieved and copied to his office. As an incentive, schools that are able to show progress in adhering to the arrangement should also receive letters of commendation and awards while those lacking behind should be similarly reprimanded. The issue is therefore an Alausa goal that must not be allowed to be toyed with.

Our schools too must be assisted to comply with the arrangement. Infrastructures, books and other essentials must be provided by government. A focus on the matter is far more useful than the indiscriminate setting up of several unequipped institutions which politicians take delight in doing to gain popularity in their constituencies. Alas, their motivation has continued to complicate the situation.  It is hoped that the media would throw their searchlight on the policy as a way of ensuring that all hands are on deck to assist the success of the policy. It is indeed an understatement to seek to emphasize the need for Nigerians to get to know the history of their nation. The gap which has been created by years of abandonment of the subject must be quickly and adequately filled while jettisoning the previous versions in which aliens distorted our history.

As Nigerians join the rest of the world to usher in a New Year, political pundits predict an upward swing in the tempo of political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

Judging from the outcome of the 2023 presidential election which Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won, the performance of the three main opposition parties and their candidates stood out.

Perhaps having learnt lessons from their collective defeat, opposition leaders are said to have began consultations in a bid to upstage Tinubu in 2027.

This was confirmed by a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC, Salihu Lukman, an ally of former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed El-Rufa’i.

Lukman spoke on the subject on New Year’s Day.

He said: “While acknowledging that opposition political leaders, including alienated APC leaders, have commenced negotiations towards producing alternative political platform, it must be also recognised that most Nigerian politicians are not disposed to competitive political culture.

“Largely because most politicians are driven by personal ambitions to contest elections, the default mindset is about imposition and manipulating processes to achieve personal ambitions. This must stop.

“We must remind all our political leaders that if they want to prove their altruistic value and demonstrate strong disposition towards rescuing Nigeria, therefore beyond the pretentious claims of subordinating personal ambitions towards the emergence of the new platform, opposition political leaders should commit themselves to allowing political competition as basis for the emergence of political leaders at all levels”.

The question begging for answers remains, Can any of the leading opposition parties go it alone?

PDP and the trouble within

The chances of the PDP in the 2027 presidential election are uncertain, but its past performance and current challenges are worth considering.

Historically, the PDP has been a dominant political force in Nigeria.

It won every presidential election between 1999 and 2011 until it lost power to the APC in 2015 and have since struggled to bounce back.

Its presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Atiku, lost to APC’s Bola Tinubu, receiving 29.1 percent of the vote compared to Tinubu’s 36.61 percent.

This, according to some analysts, suggests that the PDP still commands a significant following, but faces strong competition from the APC.

The party is currently struggling with internal conflict which, if left unresolved in 2025, two years ahead of the 2027 polls, could undermine its ability to present a united front at the elections.

Challenger

Atiku’s desire to be President hasn’t changed. He is expected to fight for the party ticket with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a potential challenger from the South.

The party also has to contend with the challenge posed by the larger than life influence of Chief Nyesom Wike.

Wike is one PDP leader who not only serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under an APC administration, but has vowed to work for Tinubu’s re-election.

A former National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Kola Ologbondiyan, is optimistic about the party’s chances.

Ologbondiyan said, “Let’s consider facts. Which other party can genuinely boast of our kind of a well-established structure? Which other party enjoys our kind of grassroots organic support?

“It is only in the PDP that you can find a pool of experienced politicians, including former presidents and governors, who have the capacity to provide guidance and support. We have challenges no doubt, but we will overcome them.”

Overall, while the PDP has a chance of winning the 2027 presidential election, it will require careful planning, strategic campaigning, and a bit of luck.

Labour Party’s war of attrition

Although the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the party enjoys the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s recognition, critical stakeholders like: the NLC, Peter Obi and the party’s only elected Governor, Alex Otti, reject his leadership.

There is even talk of Obi and co-seeking alternative platforms.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said, “Despite the temporary setbacks, our party has suffered with the defection of some of our lawmakers, we have started the rebuilding process.

“Our party will not only recover, we will grow and surpass our 2023 achievements at the polls.”

Romance with APC

Kwankwaso, who is the party’s national leader of the NNPP, is facing an uphill task keeping the party together.

The party boasts of one governor, some senators and members of the Kano State Assembly and members of the House of Representatives, but there is no guarantee that Kwankwaso can prevent the looming defections from the party into the ruling APC.

Whereas the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria is more than two years away, pundits agree that it’s safe to speculate about the chances of Kwankwaso and Peter Obi.

Amid the talks about a potential alliance between the two ahead of 2027, Kwankwaso expressed his willingness recently to serve as Peter Obi’s running mate under certain conditions.

This development is significant, considering their previous discussions about a merger ahead of the 2023 general election which did not materialize.

In the 2023 election, Peter Obi emerged third, securing approximately 6,101,533 votes, while Kwankwaso garnered 1,496,687 votes to emerge fourth.

While these numbers don’t necessarily predict the outcome of the 2027 election, they do indicate that both candidates have a significant following.

Dynamics

A Jos, Plateau State-based political scientist, Dr. Joseph Anuga, said, “If Kwankwaso and Peter Obi were to form an alliance, it could potentially boost their chances. We must note that the dynamics of 2023 may not be the same in 2027.”

Anuga stressed that it was essential to note that Nigerian politics can be unpredictable as various factors, including party dynamics, regional considerations, and voter sentiment ultimately influences the outcome.

Reluctance

Obi, on his part, is trying hard not to be drawn into the 2027 debate and the possibility of a merger or the formation of a mega party.

Commenting on the subject at a media event in Abuja, he said, “On the issue of merger, everybody who means well should come together to get the country to work.

“Let’s build this country. None of us is going to be here forever. For me, what is important today is Nigeria. We are so occupied about election, just as we are so occupied with power capture.”

Kwankwaso also denied the speculation that he and his two fellow opposition leaders had agreed on a formula to defeat Tinubu and share power.

He said, “I heard from a source that PDP brought in scholars – about 45 of them – and claimed that there was a consensus that Atiku will rule for four years and Peter Obi will rule for eight years. This is a complete lie and has no basis in reality”.

Master of the game

With his mastery of the political game, Tinubu and the APC know how to cultivate loyalists.
Apart from the power of incumbency, the President has ensured that those who worked for his victory in 2023 were not only rewarded but kept close.

His loyalists currently control both chambers of the National Assembly as well as all levers of state institutions and instruments of coercion. Former Governors David Umahi (Ebonyi), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Bello Mattawalle (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa) have all been rewarded with ministerial posts and are expected to repay this gesture with a repeat performance in 2027.

The President and his party have also been fingered as having more than a passing interest in the crisis in the three major opposition parties.

At this point, it’s difficult to accurately assess their chances, but the potential alliance between Kwankwaso and Peter Obi is certainly an interesting development to watch.

[Vanguard]

Happy new year, everyone! As 2025 was rolling in, we were escorted into the New Year by cries of discrimination, attempted marginalisation and emasculation from some politicians who claim to be speaking for the “North”.

Apparently there is a coordinated effort to ensure that the proposed tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly (NASS) by the Tinubu government is stillborn. A section of the northern elite have planted their members around the various media to canvas that the bill be strangled. Their grouse? The legislation is “anti-North”!

Blackmail

Usually, when people disagree with a section of a bill, they submit their protest and suggestions to the National Assembly and proffer rational arguments to convince the legislators that their objection is logically defensible and socially desirable. But the politicians against the bill are not interested in making suggestions to tweak the provisions of the bill. They simply want it killed. They are also threatening to ensure that Tinubu does not win a second term in 2027 if he does not bend to their will.

Part of the reason I enjoy watching politicians playing their game is because one way or the other it provides entertainment. Politicians are the only set of people on the surface of God’s earth who believe that their motives are so well disguised as to fool the rest of humanity. The hawk glides with arrogance in the sky unmindful that the people on the ground are watching its manoeuvres.

When TV anchors ask the anti-tax-reform gladiators to pinpoint the exact clauses they find objectionable in the tax bill, they revert to their habitual circumlocution and complain that there wasn’t enough consultations before the bill was crafted. When told that the public hearing to be conducted by the legislature is meant to ensure that all shades of opinion are heard before a final decision is taken, they say that the bill does not deserve a public hearing and should be scrapped completely.

The anti-tax-reform lobby is all too predictable and presumptuous. When they say “the North”, they mean their family and hangers-on. Take the case of Senator Ali Ndume who railed against the transfer of a department of the Central Bank from Abuja to Lagos as an anti-North move. Hearing his intemperate lingo, you would think that Lagos was not part of Nigeria. It turned out that his daughter was a staff of the CBN and the senator was only trying to prevent the transfer of his daughter from the federal capital to the former capital. The logic of the claim was that whatever affected the good senator also affected the North!

Inclusivity

From the political wilderness came the voice of the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el Rufai, condemning what he sees as Tinubu’s nepotism. In a cryptic message of his X platform where he reacted to Farouk Kperogi’s article, “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC”, el Rufai wrote: “Two wrongs do not make a right. Sensible inclusion always trumps arrogant exclusion.”

Diehard Tinubuphiliacs have sworn that at the appropriate time, they will ask el-Rufai to elucidate on his theory of “arrogant exclusion”. Many of them pointed out that el-Rufai was the least qualified politician to talk about arrogant exclusion.

It was because of the former governor’s bad record in matters of inclusivity that his political rival, Senator Shehu Sani, argued that el-Rufai had no moral authority to criticise Tinubu. Sani accused el-Rufai of turning Kaduna into an apartheid state during his tenure.

According to him, “There were people who were silent when Buhari was filling political offices with his kinsmen and have now found their voice when the equation doesn’t favour them. Let’s not make reference to the nepotism that marginalised Southern Kaduna for eight years. Kaduna was an apartheid state for eight years.”

So, when next you hear politicians like el-Rufai claiming that the North is marginalised or that the Tinubu government is unduly favouring Lagos with its plan to participate in the provision of rail infrastructure in the former capital, you may want to seek further clarification. Pray, if Nigeria under Buhari’s leadership could fund a railway line to Maradi in Niger Republic, why can’t the country under Tinubu invest in its former capital?

My own theory of a common wealth is that every section of the country should be helped to thrive and flourish. A poor North will negatively affect Nigeria. That is why it is important to carry the region along with many productive schemes such as the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development. But the days of the feeding bottle are over.

Mercifully, the North is rich in mineral resources. All that is left is to develop the human resources. Instead of fighting to share in the Value Added Tax (VAT) generated by other states from the consumption of alcohol, the northern states should embark on a massive basic education and skill acquisition drive. Such a move will rid the highways of the street urchins known as almajiri and at the same time provide the needed manpower to translate the vast mineral resources to wealth.

But let no one delude himself that time has stood still in any part of Nigeria since Independence. It will be delusional to categorically talk of the North as one monolith as if we were in 1959. If a plebiscite was taken today, it is likely that we shall find that different sections of the country have different concerns. So, when a political gambler threatens that he would ensure that “the North” does not vote for Tinubu in 2027, you may want to ask, “Which North?”

Tax Bill

There is no ambiguity in the intentions of the tax bill. According to the presidential committee saddled with the task, the reform seeks the discontinuation of all consumption taxes other than VAT. Its explanation is as follows:

Basis of distribution – the current formula for sharing VAT among states is based on 20 percent derivation, 50 percent equality and 30 percent population. The tax reform proposes a different model of derivation which will attribute VAT to the place of supply and consumption rather than the current model which attributes VAT to the state where it is remitted thereby favouring states with companies’ headquarters. Further, derivation under the new model will account for 60 percent of VAT distribution for better equity and to discourage any state from seeking to administer VAT as a state tax, which will not only result in much lower revenue for all tiers of government but will impose a higher burden on businesses… The 5 percent to be ceded by the federal government can be set aside for equalisation transfers to cater for any shortfall to a state under the new model. This ensures that no state is worse off in the short-term while significantly enhancing economic activities and revenue for all states in the medium to long-term.

If the above is true, I honestly don’t see why any section of the country would be crying foul. A more positive reaction would be to do the math, gather your papers and raise your objections at the National Assembly hearing. That is the democratic imperative, not blackmail.

Happy New Year

I welcome you to 2025 with the words of the contemporary Turkish playwright, Mehmet Murat ildan: “In the New Year, never forget to thank your past years because they enabled you to reach today! Without the stairs of the past, you cannot arrive at the future!”

Many people think – though erroneously – that Man or Woman of the Year, Person or Personality of the Year is given only to saints; even devils have a right to it, and have many times been so “rewarded” in the past! The award is usually a recognition of who impacted lives the most, globally or within a geographical location, for good or for bad within the period under review. Who did the most extraordinary things – whether to the people’s acclamation/applause or derision/opprobrium? Who was the most enigmatic, the most controversial and talked-about, again, for good or for bad? Who surprised people the most – in their speeches, actions, and the successes recorded; whose sound bites travelled farther than those of any other person, thus etching a permanent impression on people’s mind and psyche? Emilokan! Make America Great Again! Whose presence/personality, policies (imagined or anticipated) and actions (threatened or real) have impacted or moved people to action more than at any other time in recent history? These are some of the qualities that determine who is so crowned – for better or for worse. Now, think of any Nigerian other than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom the cap fits! Had the Dangote refinery not dashed Nigerians’ hope of a substantial reduction in the price of fuel, Aliko Dangote would have been the undisputed Man of the Year 2024. But as things are, Tinubu is, in many respects, the Nigerian version of the United States’ Donald Trump, its former (45th) president as well as incoming (47th) president, a few days from now.

Many in the US were gutted when TIME magazine announced Trump as its “Person of the Year 2024”, perhaps more so than when Trump won the November 5, 2024 US presidential election by a landslide, winning both the popular vote and the electoral college, and leaving no one in doubt that he was the choice of the vast majority of the American electorate. Expect here a similar backlash to Tinubu being Personality of the Year. Maybe we should first take a look at how TIME arrived at its choice of Trump because the similarities between the personality and politics of Trump and Tinubu are striking in many respects.

“ For 97 years, the editors of TIME have been picking the Person of the Year: the individual who, for better or for worse, did the most to shape the world and the headlines over the past 12 months. In many years, that choice was a difficult one. In 2024, it was not.

“Since he began running for President in 2015, perhaps no single individual has played a larger role in changing the course of politics and history than Trump. He shocked many by winning the White House in 2016, then led the U.S. through a chaotic term that included the first year of a pandemic as well as a period of nationwide protest, and that ended with his losing the election by 7 million votes and provoking the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The smart money wagered that we had witnessed the end of Trump.

“If that moment marked Trump’s nadir, today we are witnessing his apotheosis. On the cusp of his second presidency, all of us—from his most fanatical supporters to his most fervent critics—are living in the Age of Trump. He dispatched his Republican rivals in near record time. For weeks, he campaigned largely from the New York courtroom where he would be convicted on 34 felony counts. His sole debate with President Joe Biden in June led to his opponent’s eventual exit from the race. Sixteen days later, he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally. In the sprint that followed, he outlasted Vice President Kamala Harris, sweeping all seven swing states and emerging from the election at the height of his popularity. “Look what happened,” Trump told his supporters in his election-night victory speech. “Isn’t this crazy?” He almost couldn’t believe it himself.

“Now we watch as members of Congress, international institutions, and global leaders once again align themselves with his whims. The carousel of Trumpworld characters spins anew. This time, we think we know what to expect. Supporters cheer even his promises to take revenge on his enemies and dismantle the government. In a matter of weeks, Trump will be returning to the Oval Office with his intentions clear: tariff imports, deport millions, and threaten the press. Put RFK Jr. in charge of vaccines. Chance war with Iran. “Anything can happen,” he told us.

“Sitting with TIME three weeks after the election, Trump was more subdued than when we visited him at Mar-a-Lago in March. He is happiest to be in a fight, and now that he has won, he sounded almost wistful, recognizing that he had run for office for the final time. “It’s sad in a way. It will never happen again,” Trump told us. And while he is thinking about how that chapter has ended, for Americans and for the world, it is also the beginning of a new one. Trump is once again at the center of the world, and in as strong a position as he has ever been.

“Over time, we’ve seen the Person of the Year franchise shift: from Man of the Year to its current designation; from the period between the world wars, defined by leaders like Mohandas Gandhi and Wallis Simpson, to the first quarter of the 21st century, an era marked by the tremendous changes ushered in by a technological revolution. Although the American presidency has evolved across these eras, its influence has not diminished. Today, we are witnessing a resurgence of populism, a widening mistrust in the institutions that defined the last century, and an eroding faith that liberal values will lead to better lives for most people. Trump is both agent and beneficiary of it all.

If it was not difficult for TIME to choose its Person of the Year 2024, it should be no less for us here in Nigeria. Tinubu has been an influential recurring decimal in Nigeria’s political scene since he was elected as senator in 1992. He was a leading figure in the pro-democracy activism that fought military dictatorship to a standstill before becoming a two-term governor of the country’s most important state of Lagos (1999 – 2007), where he shone like a million stars. From there, he became a godfather, snatching the political leadership of the South-west from his erstwhile political godfathers. By playing a pivotal role in cobbling together the All Progressives Congress alliance to snatch power from a sitting president, he helped to engineer what had not happened before in Nigeria’s political history. He rode on the crest of that momentum to contest and win the presidential election in 2023.

Like it was thought of Trump after he lost his 2019 re-election bid to Joe Biden, everyone thought the end had come to Tinubu’s political career when his own party, the APC, gave him the cold shoulder from 2015 to 2023. Who ever thought the Asiwaju of Yorubaland and Jagaban Borgu would win the APC presidential ticket, not to talk of going ahead to win the presidential election of 2023? But he did, surprising even himself! Despite the barricades erected by party cabals, and the betrayals he suffered, even from some of his most trusted lieutenants! The Muhammadu Buhari he helped to make president was indifferent, even adversarial, to his own presidential ambition. To quote Anthony in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the buffeting Tinubu endured from some of his supposedly die-hard godsons qualified as “the unkindest cut of all”. Just like some of the closest associates of Trump who showed up in court to testify against him!

TIME says Trump virtually shuttled between the courtrooms (answering to sundry allegations and criminal charges) and the campaign ground, so also did Tinubu face a barrage of allegations and accusations bordering on his name/identity, age, schools attended/certificates, state of origin/paternity, health status, corruption charges, name it! Like Trump, he survived them all, including erstwhile CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele’s currency change in the rundown to the presidential election that was widely interpreted as targeted at derailing Tinubu’s campaign strategy.

Unlike Trump who still has a few more days to wait before taking over and rolling out his stated policies which have not only Americans but the entire world catching cold already, Tinubu has been in the saddle for a little over one-and-half years and has exploded from his first day in office with policies that have thrown the entire Nigerian system into a tailspin, so to say. His twin policy of “subsidy is gone” and floating of the Naira has become the defining moments of his presidency. At no time in this country’s recent history has any government or its policies affected – nay, afflicted – Nigerians as these two-some, which critics have aptly described as Tinubu-Pain but which the Tinubu government itself optimistically sees as Temporary-Pain necessary to prevent the total collapse of the economy while restoring it to good health again over time.

Like Trump, Tinubu is audacious. They both share the same never-say-die spirit. The stubborn streak in both men steeled them to plunge into storms head-on like an eagle, daring to be different and seeing victory where everyone else sees defeat. Marching gallantly where even angels fear to tread must be one of the qualities that qualify them for Man or Person of the Year. The decisive steps on state police, local government autonomy, revamping of the comatose refineries, and the proposed tax reforms all indicate that Tinubu is not one to fear stepping on powerful toes.  If Trump’s comeback was of “historic proportions” as TIME says, Tinubu’s ascendancy to the Nigerian presidency was no less. Who would have thought that the former governor of Lagos, with all the baggage hewn on him, would succeed where the trio of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Chief Olu Falae, and Basorun MKO Abiola failed?

Congratulations, Mr. President, but rather than rejoice or go to sleep, be reasonably advised to wear this accolade with fear and trembling (Phillipians 2: 12) because “better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof” (Ecclesiastes 7: 8). The renewed hope that you canvassed; the light at the end of the tunnel that you promised; the T-Pain that you said is temporary; the better days ahead for all Nigerians that you said in your New Year speech are around the corner – all these must materialise if the joy of today is not to turn to ashes in your mouth.

Do you know that Jigawa can become the richest state in Nigeria? Don’t laugh at me and say “this guy has started again”. I will explain myself, but my central point remains that we have a mental block when it comes to understanding the wealth of a state. We have limited it to mineral resources and the sharing of the contents of the federation account by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). We downplay many potential sources of revenue staring us in the face every day of the week and devote our energies to the allocation sharing formula. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if not that it always raises the temperature of the nationhood discourse. Who will save us?

In my previous article, ‘Let’s Be Kind to Nigeria, Please’, I analysed the malignant negativism that has afflicted many Nigerians. Only bad news about Nigeria excites them. Anything positive depresses them. Even in a silver cloud, all they want to see is a dark lining. If Boko Haram terrorists kill one soldier, they will amplify it. If soldiers eliminate 100 terrorists, they will look away. Their definition of “speaking the truth” is saying “Nigeria is finished patapata”. Those who say “there is hope for Nigeria” are ridiculed as “PR consultants” and cowed into silence. Thus, positive Nigerians keep quiet to avoid being “dragged”. I said you can hate your president and still love your country. It is legal.

Malignant negativism aside, another mental block eating us up is in the area of revenue allocation. The proposed VAT sharing formula has set another fire to our delicate fabric as an aspiring nation. The north is pitted against the south (yet again) over revenue sharing. The current VAT formula allocates 15 percent to the federal government, 50 percent to states, and 35 percent to LGAs. States share their slice on a ratio of 50:30:20 — equality, population, derivation. The new proposal is 10 percent for federal government, 55 percent for states and 35 percent for LGAs. States will use a ratio of 20:20:60 — equality, population, derivation — for their own share if the amendment is passed.

The point of friction is the 60 percent portion for derivation. Many northerners are arguing that the derivation is designed to marginalise “the north”. To the best of my knowledge, revenue is not shared region by region or zone by zone. Rather, it is state by state. Kwara does not collect its allocation and share it with Kogi just because they are both northern states. Borno does not pay the salaries of Bauchi workers. Kaduna doesn’t build roads in Kebbi. The loans taken by Niger are not repaid by Nasarawa. All states share and spend revenues individually. Why then do some people purport to speak on behalf of the entire north on matters that affect every state differently? It is all politics.

Well, there is nothing wrong with playing politics. My problem is when politics stifles alternative thinking and creativity. Agora Policy has done a simulation of VAT distributions for November 2024 based on 55 percent allocation to states and 60 percent of that for derivation. Agora used location of consumption to calculate derivation (instead of the headquarters of remitting companies, which heavily favours Lagos). The simulation shows that 10 of the 19 northern states would be net gainers. How then does that amount to marginalising the entire north? The north-east is most affected, but the North East Development Commission (NEDC) already gets 3 percent of VAT. Let’s apply reason.

But here is my point. Rather than resort to our typical mindset about Nigeria — the fixation with our comfort zone called “federation allocation” — how about going a step further by baking a much bigger cake? I am not suggesting that those to be affected negatively by the proposed derivation formula should stop talking. However, aside the protests, what policies, programmes and projects can Nigerian states design to boost their local economies so that we can end up with a win-win? That, to me, will be more beneficial in the long run. I insist that we have every ingredient to make Nigeria prosper, but we must apply our brains positively to take full advantage of our endowments.

In this essay, I intend to discuss some practical ways of defusing this revenue sharing warfare. There are two assumptions underlining my proposals. One, I assume that a state truly wants to start reducing dependency on the federation account. (By the way, federation account is not a gift from the federal government. The revenue is only being collected on their behalf by the federal government. It is their right, not a favour.) Two, I assume that a state is genuinely interested in raising more revenues and not just talking a good game. Let me add a third assumption: that a state is sincerely open to ideas and there is a political will and vision to address the revenue challenges.

Spoiler alert: I am not proposing anything new. I am simply repackaging what has been tried by some states and which, in my evaluation, worked and can be refined and replicated on a broader scale. The first of my three proposals is that states can part-own profitable private ventures, profitable being the key word. The good thing is that they would not be running the businesses. It is their investments that would do the work and make returns. The funds some states have been spending on building unprofitable airports (I guess the motive is to allow chartered flights and private jets land directly in their backyards) could have been invested in businesses that would yield handsome dividends.

Here is an example. When Nigeria launched its telecoms revolution in 2001, three states — Akwa Ibom, Delta and Lagos — invested millions of dollars in what was then known as Econet (now Airtel), one of the three GSM licensees. The share value doubled within five years. Given what we later got to know, the investments would have generated — and still be generating — millions of dollars in returns to the states. That would have bolstered their non-FAAC revenue. For reasons that were never made public, they divested. Else, they would still be earning dividends. I have my suspicion on what went down. That is why I often try to distinguish between genuine and personal interests.

Another example. When Dangote Cement acquired Benue Cement Company (BCC), the Benue state government (its original owners) got a percentage of the shares as part of the political settlement of the opposition to the sale. The state was getting dividends, which regularly supplemented its income from the federation account. Ahead of the 2015 general election, the state government woke up one day and said it was selling its remaining stake in Dangote Cement. It got $122 million. If you ask me where the money went, who am I going to ask? But imagine the value of the shares today with the weight Dangote Cement carries in the market — and the dividends Benue would still be earning.

What’s more, states can invest in firms operating in profitable fields such as oil, solid minerals and ICT in order to supplement — and even surpass — their federation allocations. For instance, we have somehow reduced the entire petroleum sector to who owns the oil and who doesn’t — but there is no law that says states cannot buy stakes in companies operating in exploration and marketing and earn dividends for life. Absolutely no restriction. We like to blame the 1999 Constitution and lack of “true” federalism for every problem in Nigeria. Of course, it is all politics. Our mental block makes us ignore more opportunities and possibilities because of the fixation with Utopia and comfort zones.

I said Jigawa could be the richest state for illustrative purposes only. But wait for this. The state recently decided to buy privately owned Khadija University for N11 billion. I kid you not. ELEVEN BILLION NAIRA. Already, there are three universities in Jigawa, including the state-owned Sule Lamido University. If N11 billion was invested in a fintech company, imagine the returns. With intelligent investment in profitable ventures, losing N500 million monthly in VAT revenue would be insignificant and should not be a reason to set the polity on fire, but this is the way we have structured public debate. Until we deal with this mental block, we will keep insulting one another.

Let me now move to my second proposal. That is, states can directly set up companies in competitive areas of the economy. But there is a big BUT — the businesses should not be run by the states. Many states have enterprises but they are run like civil service. An option is a joint venture to be managed by the partners. I like the Nigeria LNG model. It is jointly owned by the federation (49 percent) and the oil majors (51 percent). However, it is managed by the oil majors. It is a huge success. Hand it over to the ministry of petroleum and it will become a disaster. Another option is for a state to fully own a company and lease out the management so that it can be run like a proper enterprise.   

My third proposal is for states to create the right environment for the growth of their local economies. They can benefit more from tax revenues. These would include personal income tax from jobs created and VAT derivation from consumption. Unfortunately, this involves critical thinking and heavy lifting which would make them sound attractive. Some states hurt businesses: they are only interested in how to suck them dry rather than how to water the field for them to flourish. There is no part of Nigeria that is not endowed with natural and human resources, even if not equally. However, because of our mental block over revenue sharing, many states cannot think of earning.

In sum, it is obvious that Nigeria can be far better than this. We are just scratching the surface. If we get our act together, we will be flying. But Nigeria cannot change until Nigerians change. We have to deal with the mental blocks afflicting the leadership and the intelligentsia — and being aggressively passed on to the streets. We must deal with the malignant negativism and mischievous politicking. All countries that have exited underdevelopment saw opportunities and possibilities, not doom and gloom. The countries we call advanced today evolved through a nation-building process, including internal battles with strife and scepticism. But you know what? Every problem has a solution.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

REFINERIES’ REVIVAL

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited promised to revive our refineries. After much delay, the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries are back on stream, even if not fully. Many Nigerians are understandably sceptical about the news. For decades, we were told the refineries would work but they never did — after billions of dollars had gone down the drain. Nigerians have every right to take the latest news with a pinch of salt. In response, the NNPC has been inviting Doubting Thomases to come and take a tour and see things for themselves. My suggestion: those refineries must now be privatised, else the latter end will be worse than the former. Forewarned.

HEALTH AND CARE

Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, has advised President Bola Tinubu to visit federal government hospitals in the new year and consider doing his medicals in the country. This, he said, will let him assess the state of medical facilities “to make informed decisions on how to upgrade and make them efficient”. This is a beautiful suggestion, if you ask me. The only thing I would add is that governors should also do the same, since health is on the concurrent list. If I were to advise our leaders, I would say they and their cabinet members should regularly pay unscheduled visits to public hospitals and schools as well as to slums. Practical.

Despite the negative vibes being spread about Nigeria across the world, it was good to see so many A-list foreign celebrities celebrate the festive season in the country. Chloe Bailey, the American popstar, was the first in the news. American rappers Saweetie and Gunna were soon spotted at parties. Tyla, the South African star, was over the moon, describing December in Nigeria as “too much”. What about the “I Just Got Back” gang? Detty December is now a major tourist attraction in Lagos, like the Calabar Carnival in Cross River, and that means a lot to the local economies, at least on a seasonal level. I know this saddens the “Najia sceptics” but what can we do? Delightful.

NO COMMENT

In a major setback for the campaign against rape, the appeal court sitting in Lagos nullified the conviction of Dr Femi Olaleye, managing director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, but the Lagos state government has now appealed. The life imprisonment sentence by the high court was quashed by the appellate court on the grounds that the wife’s evidence was “tainted” and “unreliable”, that she was motivated by the desire to take over the appellant’s assets upon his incarceration, and that the lower court relied on “hearsay evidence” of the other witnesses on the age of the alleged survivor because — wait for this — none of them was present when she was born. Wonderful.

President Bola Tinubu has made a firm commitment that his administration will complete the Eastern Rail line connecting Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.

President Tinubu gave the assurance during an interactive session with South East leaders during his official visit to Enugu State on Saturday.

The President also pledged that his administration would support the development of the Anambra Basin as a significant energy reserve.

The basin is estimated to hold up to 1 billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas.

During the meeting, the President was attentive to the requests made by former Minister of Power Professor Chinedu Nebo and Enugu State indigene Chris Ugoh and responded with a commitment to address their concerns.

While applauding the Tinubu administration for completing the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the Eastern rail line, Nebo appealed to the President to prioritise the completion of the remaining portions of the rail link.

He emphasised the rail link's potential to boost Nigeria's non-oil exports and economic growth.

Ugoh noted that the Anambra Basin has the potential to support power generation and industrial feedstocks.

He appealed to the Federal Government to develop this resource to benefit the southeast and other regions of the country, including the Middle Belt and the North.

Onyemauche Nnamani, the National Commissioner representing the South East in the Police Service Commission, urged the Federal Government to implement modern security strategies in the region, akin to the statewide CCTV system and patrol cars with surveillance cameras in Enugu State.

Nnamani called on the federal government to de-emphasise the mounting of checkpoints and roadblocks in the region, saying, "It is inefficient and exposes our security personnel to attacks by non-state actors."

Responding to the request for the rail line, President Tinubu reassured the audience, saying, "It is a work in progress. I inherited some of these critical problems and am committed to solving them."

"On the support of the gas infrastructure. Sure, gas is an alternative to petrol. There is no wasting of time than to invest more in it. We will do it together, and I am lucky I have good governors. ''

Acknowledging the presence of various dignitaries, including governors, traditional rulers, captains of industry and serving and former presiding officers of the National Officer from the South East, President Tinubu praised former Senate President Ken Nnamani for saving Nigeria's democracy from those who wanted to derail it with the Third Term project.

Earlier at the meeting, President Tinubu praised Governor Peter Mbah for his development model and philosophy after inaugurating several projects executed by the state government.

He pledged that the federal government would continue to support Enugu and other states in their development efforts.

Among the projects inaugurated by the President are the GTC Smart Green School, New Haven/Bisalla Road, the International Conference Center, the Command-and-Control Center, and 150 patrol vehicles equipped with surveillance cameras.

The President also performed the virtual commissioning of other notable projects from the Enugu State Government House.

At the inauguration of the Command-and-Control Center, the President said investment in security will bring rapid development.

"This is a profound demonstration of what we can do together. It reassures me that more revenue going to the sub-nationals and local government is not a waste. It is for development.

"We have committed leaders like Peter Mbah taking Enugu on the path of 21st-century development, taking Enugu to greater heights, and building our tomorrow today.

"I cannot forget the sight of those children I just met at the Smart Green School.

"I have seen the gadgets and vehicles with 21st-century technology. Yes, you are indeed working for today, tomorrow and the future.

"My good friend Peter, we can go places together to build Nigeria and build the future.

"It is audacious to have this home filled with technology, and they are ready for use. To promote investment, I know you are a private sector person, and we must encourage more private sector people to come into politics.

"When you are sure of security and development and give value for money, investors will be your friend," he said.

President Tinubu further lauded the governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, for demonstrating an irrevocable commitment to human development.

"I don't care which party you come from; you are my friend. Alex Otti of Abia State is also doing very well. It is not about the differences in languages and place of birth.

"No one of us has control of the mother tongue. God created us, and you can find yourself in Enugu, Onitsha or Lagos. We are all members of one huge family called Nigeria, but we live in different rooms in the same house.

"We must build this house to satisfy our immediate and future needs," he said.

At the interactive session, Governor Mbah described President Tinubu as a true federalist.

He commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the South East Development Commission and liberalising the electricity sector through the Electricity Act (Amendment).

He congratulated the President on being named ThisDay Man of the Year and acknowledged his efforts to revitalise Nigeria's growth and economic resilience.

"Your Excellency, your credential as a true federalist stands out brightly, and the legacies thereof will long earn you resounding accolades.

"In signing the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, you liberalised electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. That singular act will consistently rank as an enduring legacy.

"It is noteworthy that Enugu State was the first sub-national to which the NERC ceded regulatory oversight of the local electricity market. That reflects how swiftly we are pursuing our goals," he said.

According to the governor, the South East Development Commission will address infrastructure and ecological challenges in the region while complementing the many development strides unfolding across the state.

Governor Mbah reiterated his vision to grow Enugu's economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within 4 years, aiming to position the state among Nigeria's top three states in terms of GDP.

He said this grand dream can be achieved when security is guaranteed, quality education thrives, and citizens can access affordable healthcare.

The governor outlined the bold steps taken to enhance public safety in the state, including ending the illegal sit-at-home order imposed across the Southeast by a criminal gang and non-state actors.

''We no longer observe sit-at-home in Enugu. Our people go to work every day of the week, and we no longer take orders from non-state actors," he said.

The governor told the President that some of the Smart Green Schools commissioned during the state visit were part of the modern schools introduced by his administration across 260 wards to equip students with 21st-century skills.

The governor explained that his administration has focused on primary healthcare, upgrading all 260 primary healthcare centres to maintain consistent quality, even in remote areas.

"All these infrastructural developments are mainly possible because of your bold initiatives.

"The courageous pronouncements you made to free up funds for development: the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange, and several social interventions that your government continues to provide for the people of this country.

"We are now essentially, with those funds freed, able to fully complete these projects. And it's not just physical infrastructure; social and digital infrastructure are going on," Governor Mbah said.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

From left: Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Enugu State Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah during the commissioning of International Conference Center, Government House Command and Control Center and Security Vehicles in Enugu on Saturday.