What happened in Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday, March 27, wasn’t just an incident of jungle justice, it was a damning verdict on the Nigerian state’s failure to protect its citizens. When ordinary people are pushed to the edge, witnessing the horrors of their neighbors being kidnapped, raped, slaughtered, and even seeing newborn babies fed to dogs by abductors, something eventually snaps. And what snapped in Uromi was not just patience, but faith in the justice system.

Let’s be clear: jungle justice is wrong. There is no justification for killing suspects without trial. But to condemn the action without condemning the reasons that led to it is to willfully ignore the context. And the context here is terrifying.

Uromi and its surrounding communities have lived under siege. From Edo Central to Delta and Bayelsa, criminal herders have turned peaceful towns into war zones. Women no longer go to farms for fear of being raped or burned alive. The Onojie of Uzea, HRH Solomon Itoya Iluobe, publicly declared his forests off-limits to Fulani herders after personally paying ransoms multiple times for kidnapped relatives.

It gets worse. Just a few months ago, the people of Uromi were in uproar after a woman in labor was kidnapped alongside her husband. She delivered her baby in captivity, only for the child to be fed to dogs by the kidnappers. That kind of evil, witnessed firsthand, lives in people’s memories forever. It radicalizes communities. It stokes uncontrollable rage. And when the same communities begin to see suspicious movements, such as armed men hidden under tarpaulin in a Dangote trailer with large sums of new currency, the fear, the trauma, and the distrust boil over into mob action.

Those lynched in Uromi identified themselves as hunters. Survivors say they were headed to the North from Port Harcourt for the Sallah celebrations. But they weren’t traveling openly. They were covered in a trailer filled with palm kernel shells. They carried Dane guns. They had dogs. And there was cash. Why hide if you’re genuine? Hunters usually move in the open. Why conceal your presence in a truck if you have nothing to fear? These are the questions that triggered suspicion.

Eyewitnesses say the trailer refused to stop when signaled by vigilantes. One of the passengers stabbed a local vigilante during questioning. The tension, already sky-high, exploded. Within minutes, 16 lives were lost. And yet, this horror didn’t happen in a vacuum.

In fact, when news filtered in about the killings, Uromi, a once peaceful and culturally proud community in Edo State, many Nigerians were left shaken. Another violent episode. Another community in mourning. Another preventable tragedy.

It is easy, and rather convenient, for government officials and security agencies to reduce such incidents to “ethnic crises” or “misunderstandings between the northern and the southern divide of Nigeria.” But anyone who understands the traditional systems that once governed community interactions knows that this bloodshed didn’t just happen out of the blue. It is a tragic outcome of long-standing neglect, a neglect of tradition, of communal protocols, and of effective governance.

Let’s take a step back to when communities, though not wealthy in modern infrastructure, were rich in wisdom, customs, and protocols. In those days, there was an unspoken but deeply respected tradition that governed how hunters operated across community boundaries.

A hunter did not just wake up, pick up his Dane gun, and march into another community’s forest in search of prey. That would be asking for trouble.

Tradition dictated that visiting hunters must first seek the consent of the paramount hunter or traditional authority in the host community. This wasn’t merely for protocol’s sake, it was a system grounded in mutual respect, territorial integrity, and community safety. Once permission was granted, the local hunters would accompany the visitors, ensuring they didn’t stray into sacred groves, farmland, or restricted zones. After the hunt, the visitors would show appreciation, offering part of the prey to the paramount hunter and compensating the indigenous hunters. This wasn’t just culture. It was governance. It was conflict prevention. It was community diplomacy.

In fact, given the backdrop of present day’s chaos as occurred in Uromi, it is not hyperbolical to opine that there is a government sleeping on the wheel as it has failed to address the underlying issues that are by each passing day spurring bloodshed across the country. 

Fast forward to today, and we are seeing a complete breakdown of these indigenous systems. The killings in Uromi are not just a result of “stray hunters” or “clashes.” They are the result of the government’s inability, or outright refusal, to recognize and support local structures that once kept peace.

As gathered from Vanguard Newspaper online edition of April 5, 2025, in one its expose titled, “Uromi Killing: Untold story of how villagers identified some of them as kidnappers before lynching”,  locals recount how five kidnappers arrested in Uromi were handed over to the police, only to be released days later. That betrayal cuts deep. Why should the people trust a system that returns known criminals to their communities?

And let’s not forget: just a day before this lynching, herders collected N25 million ransom for a kidnapped couple, then still murdered them. Another woman who went to deliver N5 million to free her sister was held instead. As of today, that woman is still in captivity. In that same forest. The same criminal network is still operating.

What happened in Uromi is not just about suspicion or ethnicity. It’s about a people abandoned by the state. It’s about communities taking up the fight because those empowered to protect them have failed, or worse, compromised. That doesn’t make jungle justice right. But it does make it predictable.

The solution is not to issue hollow condemnations from Abuja. The solution is justice that works. If a crime is committed, investigate it thoroughly and prosecute offenders swiftly and transparently. If innocent people were killed in Uromi, their names must be cleared, and those responsible must be held accountable. But the government must also answer for why Uromi, and dozens of other communities like it, has become a hunting ground for terrorists in the first place.

The root of this tragedy is failed governance. If the people had faith in the law, they wouldn’t take it into their own hands. If security agents did their jobs, civilians wouldn’t be patrolling forests or raising funds for ransom. And if our leaders were in touch with the daily horrors faced by Nigerians, perhaps this story would never have happened.

Until then, Uromi will not be the last.

Sorry, I digress. Gradually, the Nigerian presidency is putting finishing touches to its own sculpture of a village liar, Ìbídùn, it is busy carving. Or writing itself into the pathetic biblical story of an early Christian community in Jerusalem which witnessed a lying couple by the name, Ananias and Sapphira. Ìbídùn was the proverbial woman who, determined to make deception an art, walked close to a popular masquerader at the marketplace. Amidst the din of wild dances and celebration, Ìbídùn saluted the masquerader thus: “it has been quite a while!” In a masquerade cult shrouded in secrecy, where identity of the masquerader is hidden from everyone, male or female, except initiates, how did Ìbídùn know the personality shrouded under the agò (costume)? To capture Ìbídùn’s costly deception, my people say, “Èké Ìbídùn tií kí eégún kú àtijọ́”.

While the president junkets, off-the-cuff, to Paris like a chronic diabetic flying into the restroom, his Tańtólóhun dogs (Ref my piece, Obasanjo and Tinubu’s Tańtólóhun  dogs, November 24, 2024) spin an embarrassingly deceptive refrain that he goes “on a working visit.” As this deception roulette is fast taking the toga of Ìbídùn’s lie, I have a cryptic projection for this uncritical lie: When the going goes, the come will end up coming. It is a literal lift from the Yoruba warning, “bí àlọ bá lọ, àbò nbọ wá bọ”. It warns of impending repercussions for the Ìbídùns. At a time when their home is burning, with more than 52 people reported dead in the recent Plateau State crisis, the president and his vice are trapped in the comfort of foreign lands.

I am back. Whether sponsored, contrived, deliberate or real, the discourses surrounding Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan since that space-induced altercation in the parliament broke out, would make you think you were in pre-colonial Nigeria. And Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, an incarnate of infamous 1930 sexual mascot, Segilola. Saheed Aderinto’s 2015 book, When sex threatened the state: Illicit sexuality, nationalism, and politics in colonial Nigeria (1900-1958) did justice to Segilola. According to him, one of the most detailed sexual narratives of that time could be found in the sexual memoir of Segilola, a Lagos prostitute. Written in Yoruba, its title was, Ìtàn Ìgbésí Aiyé Èmi Segilola El’ẹyinju Ẹgẹ, Elegberun Ọkọ L’aiyé. When translated into English, the book title reads, “The Life History of Me Segilola Endowed With Fascinating Eyes, the Sweetheart of a Thousand And One Men”. Advertised in the July 5, 1930 edition of the bi-lingual newspaper, Akéde Èkó (The Lagos Herald), the book, which British anthropologist, Karin Barber, called the first Yoruba novel, sold out during the period of its 30-chapter serialization in the newspaper. It became such a literary hot cake to gobble that it caused peer jealousy and rivalry between The Lagos Herald and the dominant newspaper of the time, The Nigerian Daily Times.

Born in September 1882, Segilola was a lady of noble parentage, sole survivor of her parents’ six children, who chose to commercialize her body for men’s sensual feast. From the time she lost her virginity to a herbalist whom she ran to for procurement of sex charm, Segilola courted men across generations. One of her lovers promised her pocket money of 10 pounds and another, between 1910s and 1920s, spent 30 pounds on her in three months. Knowingly or unknowingly, the adversaries of Akpoti-Uduaghan have attempted to cast her in the mould of Segilola. Her traducers sexualize her travails, belittle her courage and audacity, as well as her resistance to male chauvinism and the tyranny of her tormentors.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, like Segilola, is however an El’ẹyinju Ẹgẹ, in possession of a ravishing beauty. Her travails began as politics of space allocation on the floor of the Nigerian senate. Gradually, it transformed into sexual politics, reminding one of French historian, Michel Foucault’s discourse on sexuality. Foucault had submitted that there is a link between sex and relations of power. Today, the spat between this senator representing Kogi Central and president of the senate, Godswill Akpabio, has effectively polarized Nigerians along divides: gender, politics, etc.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is a prostitute. She appears on the floor of the Senate in transparent dresses. Senate is not a clubhouse. She has had four husbands and four children, so go the narratives. Even a newspaper, daily used as validation of federal power, did what it called an expose on the senator. With the title, “The Natasha we knew”, it lent assistance to Natasha’s adversaries in ill-sexualizing her, and positioning her as Segilola incarnate. This it did by excavating what it called her sexual past. The aim was to profile Natasha as a woman who has seen more men’s nakedness than an Ijaw fisherman can ever see shrimps. Or, as Cleopatra (70-30BC), Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Cleopatra deployed her charm and bewitching beauty to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, succeeded in having children for both.

On the social media, Akpoti-Uduaghan has further been profiled as possessing a feral ferociousness. Even Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe attempted to add a salacious dimension to the mix: “But the beauty of Distinguished Senator Natasha is a problem to her… there’s no doubt about that… when she’s passing, there’s no way a man will not look at that woman”, he said on a national television interview.

Contrariwise, Natasha is better suited for casting in the mould of Mekatilili wa Menza. Mekatilili was Kenya’s 19^th century amazon, a precursor of Dedan Kimathi’s Mau Mau uprising heroism against British colonial imperialism. Mekatilili, like Natasha, suffered tar-brushes and profiling of the male gender and from even women of similar biology. As her Giriama people resisted British tyranny, Mekatilili was profiled as one of those who forced her people into blood oath administration, especially at the rituals held in July and August, 1913 at Kaya Fungo. History however today recorded Mekatilili as a feminist symbol of resistance, a strong woman from a marginalized ethnicity who challenged oppressive norms of a male-dominated society. In the Giriama resistance to colonial policies which led to the uprising of 1913, Mekatilili played a significant role.

The crossroads where Mekatilili and Akpoti-Uduaghan’s path would seem to have met actually happened at a public baraza (meeting) in Kenya. Mekatilili confronted Arthur Champion, British colonial administrator, swearing never to allow him enlist Giriama youth to work in plantations. Deploying an anecdote to depict the battle ahead, Mekatilili dared Champion to take away the chick from Mother Hen and see Mother Hen’s ferocious resistance.

Since the last one month or so when the initial spatial politics on the floor of the Nigerian senate began, Akpoti-Uduaghan has shown her traducers that they had taken away the chick from Mother Hen. You may not know the orthodoxies which she has  thus far challenged, the battles she has resisted and the graphs she has redrawn in the socio-politics of Nigeria. The first graph she re-plotted is one which hitherto assumed that, every beautiful woman is a Segilola prostitute, a chattel and sex symbol. With the multiple battles Natasha has fought in the last one month; the strings – national and international – she has pulled and the upturn of the narratives she has made by internationalizing her battles, Natasha has shown that she possesses more brain than scores of her male colleagues who mark time in the Nigerian parliament. More instructively, she must have shown her constituents who thought her femininity was a drawback that she is a battleaxe stronger than many men.

In their book, How Democracies Die (2018), two Harvard University professors of government, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, outlined how we wrongly assumed that democracies die in the hands of men with guns. Democracies, they posited, “erode slowly, in barely visible steps”. It gets broken in a less dramatic but equally destructive way in the hands of leaders who subvert the process, by so doing dismantling it quickly. Hitler did same with the Reichstag fire. This was a false flag arson attack on the German parliament which became pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany. “Many government efforts to subvert democracy are ‘legal’ in the sense that they are approved by the legislature or accepted by the courts,” the Harvard scholars say. Thus, if all that is said about Akpabio and his imperious power are true, working with a solid cabal built round him called “Senate Leaders”, unless that authoritarian boulder is dismantled, Nigeria be on the way to Venezuela under Hugo Chavez. What Natasha did was to expose the power-mongering inclination of the cabal, its lick-spittling tendencies and emptiness.

If you can pull Akpabio to an inner sacristy and ask him what legislative hill he has thus far found most exerting to surmount, he would reveal it is the Natasha turmoil. Before now, if Akpabio was one who mistook the Ibadan Kudeti River for a mere erosion, now, he must have learnt that Kudeti is a raging river which sweeps off its captives in moments of rage. The major orthodoxy that Natasha has thus far succeeded in upturning is that, Akpabio is likely never going to take any person for granted again, regardless of their gender.

When Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, a head teacher of a local school in Abeokuta, confronted the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Samuel Ladapo Ademola, while fighting the oppressive colonial tax regime, she saw the battle, like Mekatilili, as a feminist symbol of resistance. She thus rose above her marginalized gender to challenge oppressive norms of a male-dominated society. More tellingly, Ransom-Kuti saw the fight against the colonial rule structure as a fight between two gender weapons – the penis and the vagina. Said she: “Idowu, (Aláké) you have used your penis as a mark of authority against us for far too long a time; posturing that you were our husband. Today, however, the table has turned and we are poised to reverse the equation by deploying our vagina as a weapon of conquest to play the role of husband on you… O you former men conquerors, the head of the vagina has sought vengeance.”

On January 3, 1949, the Aláké was forced to abdicate the throne. That speech was in part a feminist resistance epistemology. In Ransom-Kuti’s confrontation of an existing status-quo, howbeit unknowingly initially, you can see same picture, though minute, in the battle Natasha waged against Akpabio. She waged same war against the cabal in the senate and the clowns of Kogi State who blithely and brainlessly bungled the process of her recall. The battles are united by a fight for the supremacy of the genitalia, the penises and an apparently irrepressible female organ.

Very seldom is heroism an intended act. Indeed, most heroes transmute from disdain to the dais. Madam Efunroye Tinubu is as an example. In the beginning, she was just an economically influential woman in Lagos during the reigns of three kings, Adele, Dosunmu and Akitoye. However, by virtue of her grips on Lagos economy, Tinubu veered into the stronghold of political power, even assisting kings to gain power. She had a vast trade network of slaves, palm oil, firearms, cotton, tobacco, salt and coconut oil which extended to European merchants. After her exile to Abeokuta, she still helped Egba in the war against Dahomey, supplying them munitions. Even when the British signed the 1852 treaty with Oba Akioye for the abolishment of Atlantic Slave Trade, Tinubu was still covertly trading in her over 360 slaves, which today casts a pall on her heroism. She even attempted to assassinate the British Consul, Benjamin Campbell.

It was same with Iyalode Efunsetan Aniwura. She was economically influential in the Ibadan of the 19^th centuries, becoming one of its most wealthy women ever. This she did through trading in tobacco, munitions and slaves, as well as manufacturing of a local cosmetic product called Kíjìpá, exported to America. Aniwura also had multiple marriages which however produced no child, except one she lost at birth. Historians believe that a gang-up by the male powers-that-be of the time, led by Aare Latoosa, who deposed her on May 1, 1874 of her Iyalode title, over politically motivated allegations, also authored her assassination same year, through two of her slaves. To her male adversaries, Efunsetan’s rout was victory of the male gender over a woman who towered above her male counterpart.

Today, as Mekatilili dared Arthur Champion to take away the chick from Mother Hen and see her ferocious resistance, Natasha is reproducing that trope. Apart from Akpabio, other accomplices of the fight to rout Natasha are feeling the wild push-back of Mother Hen. A petition against Akpabio and Senator Neda Imasuen is pending at the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to have both disbarred. Yahaya Bello and his sidekick, Ahmed Ododo have met their waterloo in the ferociousness of Mother Hen as she flew into Kogi in a helicopter. There is the tendency for you not to like Natasha’s ultra-boldness and self-assuredness in a patriarchal society like ours where women are expected to be reticent and timid as a cat; her beauty may even bring up to you the shadow of Segilola, but you cannot dismiss her unexampled heroine courage and against-method daring of evil men.

I have come to submit myself to the wisdom in one of legendary Yoruba musician, Ayinla Omowura’s songs, which says, it is not every leaf which the herbalist must pluck, neither should a wine-tapper climb every palm tree. Some leaves are poisonous while on top of some palm trees reside venomous vipers. Does Akpabio now know this?

The journalism profession is evolving rapidly, and the winds of change are being propelled by advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies. In an era where AI tools can generate articles in seconds, transcribe interviews instantly, and transform press releases into publishable news, journalists must keep pace with these innovations or risk obsolescence.

The traditional newsroom of yesteryears, filled with manual typewriters, overflowing notepads, and bustling journalists running to meet deadlines, has now been replaced by digital-first workflows. Today, a journalist can write, edit, and publish a news story from the event venue or while in transit, provided they have access to the backend of their publication’s website. The ability to adapt to these technological transformations is no longer a luxury but a necessity for every journalist who seeks to remain relevant in the field.

Without any iota of exaggeration, AI is the game changer in Journalism. In fact, the emergence of AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper, and Copy.ai has significantly reshaped journalism. These tools can draft articles, summarize reports, and even convert press releases into news stories, thus reducing the time journalists spend on routine tasks. AI can also assist in investigative journalism by sifting through vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends that may not be immediately visible to the human eye.

Moreover, AI-driven transcription tools like Otter.ai, Descript, and Trint can convert video and audio interviews into text within seconds, eliminating the tedious process of manual transcription. This efficiency enables journalists to focus more on storytelling, analysis, and fact-checking, rather than spending hours on mechanical tasks.

However, while AI offers speed and efficiency, it also raises concerns about authenticity and accuracy. AI-generated content still requires human oversight to ensure credibility, context, and ethical considerations. Therefore, rather than viewing AI as a replacement, journalists should see it as an enhancer, a tool that streamlines workflows while preserving journalistic integrity.

In fact, the digital newsroom and the era of instant publishing is one of the most profound changes in journalism, particularly as it is the shift from traditional print cycles to real-time online publishing. With Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, journalists can instantly upload stories from anywhere in the world. Live reporting on breaking news is no longer confined to television and radio; digital newspapers now have dedicated live blogs and social media updates that keep audiences engaged in real time.

Furthermore, cloud-based storage solutions like Google Drive and Dropbox enable journalists to access their materials from any device, making remote work seamless. The rise of mobile journalism (MoJo) means that a journalist with a smartphone, a strong internet connection, and access to their publication’s backend can report stories from anywhere, even while traveling.

Another crucial trend reshaping journalism is data-driven reporting. Governments, corporations, and organizations generate vast amounts of data daily, and journalists who possess the skill to analyze and interpret this data have a significant advantage. Tools like Google Data Studio, Tableau, and Microsoft Power BI allow reporters to present complex data in visually appealing formats, making news stories more engaging and comprehensible for audiences.

With AI-assisted data analysis, journalists can uncover trends, detect misinformation, and hold institutions accountable by presenting factual, data-backed evidence. This ability to integrate data into storytelling elevates the credibility and depth of reporting.

Social media platforms have become both a blessing and a challenge for journalists. While they provide instant access to news and serve as a tool for amplifying stories, they also create an environment where misinformation spreads rapidly. AI-powered fact-checking tools such as Full Fact and ClaimBuster are now essential in verifying the credibility of online content.

Moreover, social media has democratized news dissemination. Citizen journalism is on the rise, with ordinary individuals capturing and sharing news events in real time. While this enhances public engagement, it also places additional responsibility on professional journalists to distinguish between credible sources and unverified information.

However, the integration of AI and technology into journalism comes with ethical dilemmas. The use of AI-generated articles raises concerns about transparency, should readers be informed when content is written or edited by AI? Furthermore, deepfake technology and AI-generated images pose significant challenges in distinguishing truth from fabrication.

In fact, Journalists must uphold ethical standards by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and accountability in their reporting. Media organizations must also establish guidelines on AI usage to maintain credibility and public trust.

Without a doubt, the need for continuous learning and upskilling is expedient for all Journalists and writers.  This is as to thrive in this new era, journalists must be proactive in acquiring new digital skills. In fact, traditional journalism education must evolve to include courses on AI, data analytics, and multimedia storytelling. Online platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer numerous courses tailored to modern journalism needs.

Not only that, media houses should also invest in training programs that equip their staff with the latest digital tools and techniques. Workshops, seminars, and webinars focusing on emerging journalism technologies should be encouraged to keep journalists ahead of the curve.

Given the foregoing backdrop, it is obligatory that Journalists prepare for the future of compliance as it already being shaped by key trends and technologies.  In fact, any Journalist who chose not to adapt would no doubt become obsolete.

Without a doubt, the journalism landscape is undergoing an irreversible transformation driven by AI and digital technologies. While these innovations offer numerous advantages, they also demand adaptability and continuous learning from journalists. The ability to harness AI for efficiency, embrace data journalism, and leverage instant publishing platforms will separate forward-thinking journalists from those stuck in the past.

In fact, Journalists must not fear AI but rather see it as a tool that complements human creativity and investigative prowess. By staying informed about technological trends and continually upskilling, journalists can uphold the core principles of journalism, truth, accuracy, and accountability, while thriving in the digital age.

Fifty-seven years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on that fateful evening of April 4, 1968, his voice continues to reverberate across democracies worldwide. Though a sniper’s bullet sought to silence him, but his words, principles, and unwavering pursuit of justice have transcended time and space. Today, King’s advocacy for civil rights, economic equality, and nonviolence remains a critical touchstone in global discussions about democracy, human rights, and social justice.

Given the foregoing backdrop, it is not an exaggeration to opine that history has shown that his’ is a legacy that outlives assassination.

Dr. King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, was a tragic attempt to extinguish a movement that sought to uplift the oppressed. Yet, as history has shown, great ideas cannot be killed. His words, particularly his final speech on April 3, 1968, famously known as the ‘Mountaintop Speech’, resonate as if they were spoken yesterday. When he said, “I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land,” he foreshadowed both his imminent demise and the immortality of his cause.

His assassination was a devastating blow to the civil rights movement, but instead of halting progress, it ignited an even greater urgency for justice. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed just days after his death, further cementing his influence on American democracy. To this day, his teachings continue to shape policies, inspire activists, and guide movements for equality and justice.

Listening to his voice in modern democracy, it is not an exaggeration to opine that across the world, King’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance remains relevant in struggles for democracy. His approach to confronting injustice has inspired numerous pro-democracy movements, from South Africa’s fight against apartheid to the recent Black Lives Matter protests in the United States and global movements advocating for racial and economic justice. His ideas serve as a moral compass for contemporary leaders and activists who continue to challenge oppression in various forms.

Even in America, where he was born and fought relentlessly for equal rights, his words still hold weight. Whether it is in debates about police brutality, voting rights, or economic inequality, King’s message continues to influence discussions. His call for racial and economic justice is echoed by modern politicians, scholars, and grassroots organizers. The unfinished business of his activism remains at the forefront of American democracy.

While King is often celebrated for his role in desegregation and voting rights, his lesser-known fight for economic justice is equally significant. Towards the end of his life, he shifted his focus toward eradicating poverty and promoting fair wages. His Poor People’s Campaign, which sought economic justice for all Americans, remains an unfinished chapter in his legacy.

The disparities he highlighted in the 1960s have persisted, with income inequality reaching new heights in modern times. King’s assertion that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” remains a crucial reminder that economic injustice is not just a class issue but a moral one. His dream of an America, and a world, where no person is deprived of basic economic dignity still fuels debates on fair wages, affordable healthcare, and economic policies today.

Without a doubt, there is global resonance of King’s message.  This is as his influence extends far beyond American shores. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance deeply inspired Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Leaders like Desmond Tutu and Barack Obama have credited King’s teachings as guiding principles in their fight for justice. The Arab Spring, democracy movements in Hong Kong, and the ongoing struggles for human rights in various parts of the world continue to draw inspiration from King’s legacy.

His words have been quoted in parliaments, courtrooms, and protests across continents. His message of love over hate, peace over violence, and justice over oppression has found a permanent place in global dialogues about governance and democracy. His philosophy remains a powerful tool for those fighting against totalitarian regimes, systemic discrimination, and economic injustice.

Given the foregoing backdrop, the enduring power of King’s words in democracies cannot be pooh-poohed.  This is as King understood the power of words in shaping history. From his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to his impassioned call for justice in “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” his words remain etched in history, quoted by world leaders and taught in schools. His speeches are not relics of the past; they are blueprints for a better future. His call to action continues to inspire new generations who see their struggles reflected in his words.

Every January, Americans honor King’s legacy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, not just as a ceremonial holiday but as a call to reflect on the ongoing struggle for justice. Across the world, his speeches are revisited whenever injustice rears its head, reaffirming the belief that the arc of the moral universe, as King put it, “bends toward justice.”

Weighing the voice of Martin Luther King Jr. in this context, it is not an exaggeration to opine that it will never be silenced.  Though he was assassinated 57 years ago, his voice has never been silenced. His message of justice, nonviolence, and economic equality continues to shape the world. His words serve as a moral guidepost for democracies, reminding leaders and citizens alike of the ongoing responsibility to fight for freedom and justice.

His dream, articulated with unparalleled eloquence and conviction, remains an unfinished project that continues to unfold in real-time. As long as injustice exists anywhere in the world, King’s voice will continue to echo, urging us forward. His legacy is not just one of remembrance, but one of action, a call to persist in the struggle for a just and equitable world.

Following fiery protests across the country this weekend, former vice president Kamala Harris took to X to thank protestors for standing up to the Trump administration.

The Hands Off! demonstrations took place in more than 1,200 locations across all 50 states, and were organized by a coalition that included more than 150 organizations, including civil rights groups, LGBTQIA+ rights organizations, veterans, environmental groups, and labor unions. Protestors voiced their frustrations at countless acts Trump has carried out since assuming office, including deporting immigrants, firing thousands of federal employees, closing Social Security offices, cutting health funding, scaling back protections for transgender people, and ongoing American support for Israel in its war on Gaza.

Satellite protests were also planned around the world, in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Mexico, and American territories like Puerto Rico and American Samoa.

Late Saturday afternoon, Harris tweeted, “Today in every state across our nation, Americans are standing up to the administration as they implement Project 2025 at full speed.”

The tweet continued, “Thank you for using your voices and the power of protest to stand for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; for the Department of Education and programs like Head Start; for clean air and water; for the right to make decisions about your own body without government interference.”

She closed with, “The voices of working people will always be louder than the unelected billionaires.”

When asked about the protests, the White House responded, “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”

Harris had maintained a relatively low public profile since Trump’s inauguration, making just a select few appearances at public events since January, including at the NAACP Awards, where she received the NAACP Chairman’s Award. She will also be heading to Australia next month to headline a real estate conference.

Despite keeping public appearances to a minimum, she has continued to post to social media, including words of encouragement for Senator Cory Booker following his record-breaking 25-hour-long speech on the senate floor earlier this week, thanking him for his leadership.

She also tweeted about Susan Crawford’s victory in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court election against her Musk-backed opponent, Brad Schimel, calling her win a “victory for working people in Wisconsin.”

[Yahoo News]

Nigeria’s public debt increased by 48.58 percent to N144.67 trillion as of December 2024 from N97.34 trillion recorded at the end of 2023.

Nigeria’s Debt Management Office disclosed this in its latest report on the country’s public debt profile.

Further analysis showed that Nigeria’s public debt surged by N47.32 trillion on a year-on-year basis.

The report also revealed a quarter-on-quarter rise of 1.65 percent from the N142.32 trillion recorded at the end of September 2024, which indicates that the country’s debt profile has been on a steady rise.

The rise in the debt profile of Africa’s most populous nation is mainly driven by external and domestic borrowing.

External debt rose by 83.89 percent to N70.29 trillion in December from 38.22 trillion in the same period in 2023.

Similarly, domestic debt rose by 25.77 percent to N74.38 trillion in December 2024 from 59.12 trillion at the end of December in 2023.

Accordingly, further breakdown of external debt shows that the federal government accounted for N62.92 trillion ($40.98 billion), while states and the FCT held N7.37 trillion ($4.80 billion).

In the domestic debt segment, the federal government held N70.41 trillion ($45.86 billion), with states and the FCT accounting for N3.97 trillion ($2.58 billion).

The increase in Nigeria’s debt profile has raised concerns among financial experts.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Promotion of Private Enterprises, Dr. Muda Yusuf, criticised the rising debt rise in Nigeria despite the huge infrastructural deficit.

[DailyPost]

Controversial reality TV star and influencer, Ijeoma Josephine Otabor aka Phyna has joined the newest pidgin radio station, Yanga FM.

At a formal launch of the radio station, Phyna explained why she joined the latest effort of the TVC Communication brand.

She said: “I normally like wahala. Then I realize that as I do my stuff of course for fun, there are some people who tend to take advantage of it to treat me as they like. There is something that is not adding up for me, then, when this call came to join Yanga FM, I realized that I can express myself better without hassles. I can now do my wahala without stress. So, if you say you have a problem with me now, there is no shaking because I have backings. Listeners will have a whole lot to talk about with my show. There will not be a dull moment with me.”

General Manager of Yanga FM, Marvin Arimi emphasised the need for innovation in the radio industry, leading to the establishment of Yanga.

He said: “Yanga is a new idea to make pidgin cool. Everybody comes in and follows a particular pattern but ours is different with a twist. Before now, the upper class frowned at their kids speaking pidgin but now since pidgin has now, they now want their children to speak pidgin because pidgin is cool.

We are here to change the game. We have everything for everyone. Our job is to make pidgin sound cool and fun, especially to connect with the younger people.Yanga FM aims to globalize pidgin, earning its status as Africa’s first urban pop culture radio station.” Arimi confidently asserted that Yanga FM is a lasting movement.

[TheNation]

The Federal Government is vetting potential candidates to fill diplomatic roles in its 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 global consulates, Sunday PUNCH reports.

Impeccable sources familiar with the developments revealed that a former Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, are among the nominees.

Sunday PUNCH also gathered that the vetting is not conducted centrally, as nominees are being asked to report to the DSS offices nearest to them.

Presidency officials confirmed to our correspondent that several candidates had been contacted to provide personal education and work history.

“They’re already doing security checks with DSS. When they have cleared security checks, we will release the list.

“Only those who have been cleared are announced. The process is ongoing. I know that we should have a list before the end of this month (April),” one official revealed, preferring to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press.

A second source said, “The vetting is not done centrally. It is based on the location of the nominees. Nominees have been reached to provide personal history and information such as where they attended school, what appointments they have held, and the like. So, it is by location.”

Tinubu’s 4Ds and funding issues

Since September 2023, President Bola Tinubu has operated his 4Ds—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—foreign policy without ambassadors.

That month, he concluded a sector-wide reassessment of Nigeria’s foreign policy, which saw over 83 career and non-career ambassadors recalled from their stations.

Last December, reliable sources close to the President confirmed that Tinubu spent part of his holiday reviewing the names of nominees with plans to transmit a consolidated list to the National Assembly before the end of the month.

However, updates in January revealed that the President changed his mind.

Our correspondent gathered that the process suffered delays due to the paucity of funds—to the tune of $1bn —required to pay arrears of foreign service officials, settle a backlog of overheads, replace ageing vehicles and renovate embassy buildings.

One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “You see, the major issue is money. Not money to pay them [ambassadors], because how much is their salaries and benefits? The main money is CAPEX [Capital Expenditure]. By the time they put the cost together to fix the issues, it is running to almost $1bn.

“Most of those embassies, almost 90 per cent, are rundown. Either the residence is not good, the embassy does not have a functional office, or their rent has expired. The embassies that are buoyant may not be up to 10 as we speak.

“I understand that some of them don’t have serviceable vehicles. The last vehicles they bought were from 10 years ago. Some of them are broken down, and ambassadors cannot use such vehicles because they carry the image of the country. Some of them don’t even have power and running water. So, if you post ambassadors there today, you’re sending them to trouble.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also attributed the delay to financial constraints.

“It is a money problem,” Tuggar said during a ministerial briefing in Abuja last May.

He argued that appointing ambassadors without the financial resources to support their travel and the effective running of missions abroad was pointless.

“We met a situation where foreign affairs was not being funded like it should be. Some loopholes are exploited by the likes of Binance. It is a money problem.

“There is no point sending out ambassadors if you do not have the funds for them to even travel to their designated countries and to run the missions effectively, one needs funding. Mr President is working on it, and it will be done in due course,” Tuggar said.

A foreign service official explained that though provisions had been made in the 2025 budget to cover some of that cost, the funds were hardly enough.

Nominees on the list

Senior Presidency and foreign service officers say although the complete list of nominees is highly classified, some prominent and controversial figures are being screened.

One official said, “They’re going to announce the appointments soon. They are being screened as we speak. The names of the nominees are highly classified for now because not every one of the names listed will eventually make it through.

“FFK [Femi Fani-Kayode] is on the list. These are some of the controversial names that have been put forward as well. Then there is Fola Adeola [founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc] and Femi Pedro too. They’re moving on with the process more quickly this time.”

Giving reasons for the slow process, another official explained that the vetting was necessary to avoid complications that might hurt the country’s standing on the global scene.

“The nominees are being vetted, and background checks are being conducted on them. It is usually done so that the nominees will not have any security issues and their deployment will not have a negative impact on the country,” the official said.

There was also a claim that Reno Omokri, a former aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was on the list.

But a credible source in the Presidency denied it.

“Reno is not on the list. But FFK is there,” the source said.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who earlier spoke about the delays, said nominations for ambassadorial roles must be thorough before a final list is transmitted to the National Assembly.

“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. The foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will still go through certain processes before they are released,” he explained.

Two of the nominees, when contacted by Sunday PUNCH, declined comment.

They also did not confirm or deny the report.

[Punch]