First, let's look at the connection of the event with December 25th. Was Jesus really born on December 25th? Virtually, biblical scholars have proposed every month on the Calendar. So why do we celebrate His birth in December? The tradition for December 25th is actually quite ancient. Hippolytus, in the second century A.D. argued that this was Christ's birthday. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Church, January 6th was the date followed. But in the fourth Century, John Chrysostom argued that December 25th was the correct date and from that day till now, the Church in the East, as well as the west has observed the 25th of December as the official date of Christ's birth. In modern times, the traditional date has been challenged. Modern Scholars point out that when Jesus was born, shepherds were watching their sheep in the hills around Bethlehem. Luke tells us that an angel appeared to "Some Shepherds staying out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). Some scholars feel that the sheep were usually brought under cover from November to March; as well, they were not normally in the field at night. But there is no hard evidence for this. In fact, early Jewish sources suggest that the sheep around Bethlehem were outside year-round. So you can see, December 25th fits both tradition and the biblical narrative well. There is no sound objection to it.

   Admittedly, the sheep around Bethlehem were the exception, not the rule. But these were no ordinary sheep. They were sacrificial lambs. In the early spring they would be slaughtered at the Passover. And God first revealed the Messiah's birth to these shepherds - shepherds who protected harmless lambs, which would soon die on behalf of sinful men. When they saw the baby, could they have known? Might they have whispered in their hearts what John the Baptist later thundered, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" Of course, we can't be absolutely certain of the day of Christ's birth. But an early winter date seems reasonable. And December 25th has been the frontrunner for eighteen centuries. We can blame the ancient Church for a large part of our uncertainty. You see, they did not Celebrate Christ's birth at all. To them it was insignificant. They were far more concerned with His death and resurrection. And some still hold the same view today. But I believe both are important, for without the birth, there wouldn't have been the death. Or what do you think? Enough of this history Please, let's move forward.

    Now, since creation, God has orchestrating world affairs to set the stage for the arrival of his Son. In the meantime, he used prophecy to keep alive people's hope for a fresh beginning and a new relationship with him. So, many Messianic predictions are recorded in the Old Testament that the likelihood of one man fulfilling them all was slim. However, Jesus Christ's birth, life, and death happened exactly as the prophets foretold. Isaiah proclaimed, "Behold, a virgin will be with Child and bear a Son, and she will call His name - God with us" (Isaiah 7:14). Micah told the Jewish people that their leader would come from the tiny town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The timing of Messiah's arrival was revealed to Daniel, who recorded the timeline in his writings. (The word 'week' in Daniel 9:25-26 actually has the meaning of 'Seven years' just as in Genesis 29:27). God Himself gave a direct prophecy in Genesis 3:15, when He told Satan "from now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head." It was an indication that Christ would defeat him. A careful comparison of Jesus' life with the prophecies of scripture leads to only on conclusion: Jesus is the promised Messiah, who brings every willing person into a new covenant relationship with the father.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s current President, and Kashim Shettima, the Vice President, helm the leadership of a nation grappling with deep systemic issues. Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor, ascended to the presidency with promises of renewal and development. Shettima, a former Governor of Borno State known for his tenure during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency, now serves as his deputy, tasked with navigating Nigeria’s multifaceted challenges.

Their administration inherited a country riddled with corruption, poor governance, ethnic and religious tensions, and economic instability. Despite their pledges to bring about change, controversies have continued to mar their leadership, from issues of transparency and accountability to allegations of nepotism and mismanagement.

In this climate of uncertainty, Kemi Badenoch, a British politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party since November 2024, and of Nigerian Yoruba descent, has delivered scathing critiques of Nigeria’s governance. Her remarks, though harsh, shine a spotlight on the systemic failures and contradictions that have hindered Nigeria’s progress. Badenoch’s critiques, which this write-up frames as “Kemi’s Therapy,” seem to offer a painful but necessary diagnosis of the country’s ailments under Tinubu, Shettima, and beyond.

What I Term Kemi Therapy

Shettima, in his state of unhappiness over what he perceives as Kemi Badenoch’s denigration of Nigeria, suggested she drop the name “Kemi.” However, the only meaningful way to drop it is for Nigeria to embrace the thoughts and feelings of change that Kemi Therapy seems to embody—challenging the entrenched corruption mentality of the average Nigerian. This relentless call for reform, accountability, and transformation is what I term Kemi Therapy.

Exposing Institutional Abuse and the Culture of Negativity

Kemi Therapy critiques Nigeria’s institutional abuse and its troubling culture of shielding the powerful while vilifying the vulnerable. The case of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu is a stark example. Accused of organ trafficking in the United Kingdom, the case revealed Nigeria’s systemic failures, including manipulated narratives, flawed immigration processes, and the judiciary’s inability to prioritize justice.

Instead of addressing the real legal and ethical issues, Nigerian institutions attempted to discredit the victim by questioning biodata, age, and identity, creating distractions to shield the powerful. Kemi Therapy highlights a painful truth: had this case unfolded in Nigeria, the victim would likely have become the defendant, while the powerful escaped accountability.

The London court’s decision, which resulted in prison sentences for Ekweremadu, his wife, and the collaborating doctor, serves as a stark reminder of what accountability looks like in functional systems. Kemi Therapy insists that Nigeria confront its institutional failures, prioritize truth and justice, and abandon its culture of impunity.

Ethnic and Religious Favoritism in Leadership

Kemi Therapy critiques Nigeria’s persistent tribalism and religious favoritism, which foster exclusionary governance. Under Muhammadu Buhari, appointments were overwhelmingly skewed toward individuals of specific tribes and religions, alienating significant portions of the population.

Despite promises of change, the Tinubu administration has struggled to break these patterns. Kemi Therapy warns that Shettima’s unique history as a Sharia governor could perpetuate such practices should he ascend to higher office. For Nigeria to progress, governance must be grounded in competence, inclusivity, and meritocracy.

Sharia Contradictions and Human Dignity

Kemi Therapy appears to challenge the compatibility of constitutional democracy with harsh Sharia punishments such as amputations and stoning, which negatively impact Nigeria’s moral reputation on the world stage. These inconsistencies reveal deep-rooted issues in governance that need to be addressed in order to uphold the values of justice, equality, and humanity.

Endless Pretrial Detentions and Medical Negligence

Kemi Therapy exposes Nigeria’s broken justice and healthcare systems, where thousands languish in pretrial detention, and hospitals delay emergency care due to bureaucratic demands for police reports. These failures prioritize inefficiency over humanity, leading to preventable deaths and injustices.

Kemi Therapy for Better Policing

Kemi therapy focuses on the police’s efforts to promote positive news globally, rather than highlighting instances of officers accepting bribes from drivers, stealing from the public, assisting in ballot box theft, and turning complainants into defendants. It also addresses the issue of officers soliciting complainants for writing materials, fuel for police vehicles, and money for food.

Hoarding COVID-19 Palliatives: A Betrayal of Trust

The mishandling of COVID-19 palliatives symbolizes Nigeria’s governance crisis. Reports of hoarded relief materials intended for vulnerable citizens sparked outrage, revealing systemic neglect and mismanagement. Kemi Therapy demands that leadership rebuild trust through transparency, accountability, and ethical governance.

Addressing Domestic/Sexual Violence, Marginalization, and Exploitation

Kemi Therapy sheds light on the systemic mistreatment faced by girls and women, including unequal treatment in various environments, such as educators demanding sexual favors in exchange for grades and politicians exploiting women seeking opportunities. This urgent call for change underscores the necessity for policies that safeguard women, hold perpetrators accountable, and foster safe spaces for women to flourish. Kemi Therapy stands against the marginalization of women, as highlighted by troubling comments made in the Senate, where leadership suggests that it is only “women’s day” when women address issues relevant to them, similar to how male senators do, while men rarely encounter the same derogatory treatment. Women are commonly highlighted in a Senate that is predominantly male.

Rejecting Military Overreach in Civilian Matters

Kemi Therapy condemns the misuse of military power in civilian matters. Soldiers detaining and brutalizing civilians undermines democracy and accountability. Nigeria must enforce a strict separation between military and civilian roles to uphold the rule of law.

Kemi Therapy for a Better Nigeria

Kemi Badenoch’s therapy advocates for a Nigeria rooted in justice, accountability, and unity. It calls for:

Electoral reforms to secure free and fair elections.

Judicial integrity that prioritizes justice for all, not just the privileged.

Leadership accountability to combat corruption and protect the vulnerable.

Healthcare and justice reform to value human dignity and fairness.

Kemi Therapy insists that Nigeria can only progress by confronting its systemic contradictions, abandoning impunity, and embracing ethical governance that serves its people.

Conclusion: Kemi’s Therapy for a Better Nigeria

Kemi Badenoch’s unapologetic critiques are not an attack on Nigeria but a demand for a better, more just, and accountable nation. Her words serve as a mirror reflecting Nigeria’s failures, compelling its leaders and citizens to confront the painful truths that have crippled progress for decades.

This is not about humiliation or denigration—it is a wake-up call for a country grappling with corruption, tribalism, impunity, and systemic dysfunction. Kemi Therapy challenges Nigeria to rise above its defensive posture, discard the false pride that shields dysfunction, and embrace the reforms necessary for a brighter future. The therapy is bitter, but so is the disease it seeks to cure.

Kemi’s message is for every Nigerian—politicians, civil servants, military personnel, law enforcement officials, corporate elites, students, religious figures, and everyday citizens alike. Kemi Therapy does not target the innocent or the powerless; rather, it demands accountability from those in leadership and those complicit in enabling a broken system. A Nigeria that silences truth-tellers will never heal, and a system that protects the powerful while crushing the vulnerable will never know peace.

However, there is no need to continue for now. The Kemi Therapy sessions come to an end—not because the work is done, but because the truth has been spoken. There are far too many deep, chronic, and recurring crises in Nigeria—ones that Kemi Therapy alone cannot address. Corruption, misgovernance, impunity, and systemic injustice run so deep that no singular voice or session can resolve them all.

It must also be said that some of Kemi’s words, while grounded in truth, might appear culturally denigrating—something she must learn to avoid. Critique must remain focused on reform, not on alienating an entire culture. Nigeria’s dysfunction is not unique to its people, but history has shown that outsiders, especially former colonial powers, are quick to exploit moments like these. Old colonial masters might point fingers and smugly declare, “See how a Black person denigrates an entire culture.” This is a dangerous distraction, one that undermines the core message of the therapy itself. Kemi must remain focused on her mission and avoid inadvertently playing into such divisive narratives.

The truth, as bitter as it is, has been delivered. Nigerians—particularly those in positions of power—are often far too defensive. When confronted with their own failings, they resort to endless arguments, petitions, manipulation, and outright attacks on the messenger. Instead of reflecting and embracing change, they waste time muddying the waters, weaponizing sentimentality, and orchestrating campaigns to silence those who speak truth to power.

Should Kemi continue, they will escalate their tactics. They will target her Nigerian roots, seek out her family and relatives, and fabricate sentimental complaints to divert attention. This is who they are. It is a deeply ingrained cultural flaw—defensiveness that refuses to accept accountability.

Badenoch must end the sessions here. Further engagement will serve no purpose other than to drag her name into the mud—a distraction that only benefits those resistant to change. The truth has already touched its mark, and those who are willing to embrace it will find a path to reform. For the rest, history will remember their defiance as the chains that held Nigeria back.

Kemi Therapy has shone a harsh light on Nigeria’s wounds, forcing an uncomfortable but necessary reckoning. The work is not done, but the truth remains. Kemi’s voice has challenged a nation to rise above defensiveness, reject dysfunction, and embrace the reforms it so desperately needs.

Through Kemi therapy, you have effectively conveyed your thoughts to support Nigerians, influenced by your Nigerian heritage and Yoruba background. Now, it’s your moment to take the lead as the head of the Conservative Party in the UK. It’s their responsibility to accept the difficult but crucial insights offered through Kemi’s therapy. Utilize your time wisely, as you have significant goals to accomplish in the UK.

For now, the therapy ends, leaving Nigerians to decide whether to confront the truth or continue living in denial. Kemi Therapy has spoken—what happens next is up to Nigeria.

The tax regime in Nigeria is made up of a complex web of disjointed tax laws which leave much to be desired in terms of efficiency and effectiveness both in administration and in achieving the nation’s fiscal policy goals. Sequel to this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR established the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee in August 2023 to address the pressing need for comprehensive tax reform in Nigeria. Recently, the President transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly proposing significant changes to the face and character of the tax landscape.

The Tax Bills are: The Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB), the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill (NRSEB); and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill (JRBEB).

The enactment of the NTB will lead to the repeal of 11 laws, while 13 other laws will experience consequential amendments. The NTB will also revoke one subsidiary legislation and consequential amendments on two other subsidiary legislations.

Crucially, the NTB included a supremacy clause in Section 202, which states that” this Act shall take precedence over any other law with regards to the imposition of tax,” this clause effectively elevates the NTB to be Nigeria’s supreme legislation on taxes.

This Article appraises the four Tax Bills highlighted above with particular focus on the Nigeria Tax Bill, which seeks to harmonise all the major taxes such as corporate income tax, personal income tax, and value-added tax etc., discussing key provisions and significant changes.

As a comprehensive tax legislation, the NTB harmonizes all tax laws in the country into a more simplified and manageable single piece of legislation. Section 1 of the NTB provides that the objective of the Act is to provide a unified fiscal legislation governing taxation in Nigeria.

Hence, various taxes which were previously administered under different tax legislations are by the provisions of the NTB unified and compressed into one simplified law and administered accordingly.  This simplification is intended to ease compliance for businesses and individuals, making it easier for them to understand their tax obligations.

Contrary to most speculations on social media, the NTB adopts a progressive personal income tax system and provides tax relief for low-income earners. Particularly, incomes below (800,000.00) eight hundred thousand naira are completely exempted, and higher earners are taxed progressively according to their earnings. It follows, therefore, that the tax burden on low-income earners is reduced, and that the tax burden is generally spread to reflect equity and fairness in wealth distribution. The annual tax rate, as outlined in the Fourth Schedule of the bill, is as follows: (a) First N800k – 0% (b) Next N2.2m – 15% (c) Next N9m – 18% (d) Next N13m – 21% (e) Next N25m – 23% and (f) Above N50m – 25%.

Currently, a low-income earner who earns N25,000 monthly, which translates to N300,000 annually, is required to pay 7% income tax, the new rates proposed in the Nigeria Tax Bill exempt individuals who earn N800,000 or less annually from paying any income tax. In effect, every minimum wage earner in Nigeria would be exempted from personal income tax.

However, with the new provisions in Section 28 of NTAB, financial institutions are now mandated to furnish tax authorities with details of individuals whose monthly cumulative transactions amount to N25 million or more. This would bring more high-income earners into the tax net.

Also, the Bill progressively redesigned the capital gains tax regime, for example, Section 51 of the bill exempts an individual from paying tax on the proceeds of the sale of his residential property or land adjoining his residential property up to a distance of one acre.

In Section 50, the bill exempts compensation paid to individuals for personal injuries. The current provision of the subsisting Capital Gains Tax Act is that compensation for loss of office, etc, is subject to capital gains tax on the portion of the income above N10 million at 10%.

The Bill aims to ensure ease of doing business, which has long been a hurdle in Nigeria’s economic growth. By streamlining tax rules, the NTB 2024 simplifies compliance, enabling businesses to focus more on innovation and expansion rather than wading through bureaucratic red tape.

The Bill in Section 20(1)(a)-(l) also indirectly reduces the taxable income of companies by increasing the deductions allowed from the company’s gross earnings before ascertaining the company’s profit, which is eventually taxed. The bill also eliminates a minimum income tax of around 1% of gross earnings hitherto imposed on companies that did not declare profit. 

For corporate entities, the NTB pursuant to Section 56 provides for a reduction of the current 30% rate for corporate income tax, and proposes 27.5% in 2025 and 25% in 2026, while completely exempting small companies. This significantly reduces the tax obligation of corporate bodies and is rather conservative compared to 27% and 30% rates in sister African countries like South Africa and Kenya. Additionally, the NTB raises the threshold for corporate tax emption from 25 million naira to 50 million naira in annual turnover, thereby exempting many small businesses from corporate tax. Furthermore, the NTB tackles the problem of multiplicity of taxes for corporate bodies by harmonizing multiple levels of taxes by introducing a 4% development levy which will regress to 2% by 2030.

The bill went further in Section 59 to harmonise all the special deductions on companies’ profit into a single development levy that is expected to progressively decline from a rate of 4% in 2025 and 2026 assessment years to just 2% in 2030.

Also, the NTB effectively handed over the revenue collection duty of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to the NRS (FIRS). The Seventh Schedule of the Bill prescribed the royalties all production of petroleum would be subjected to, which are to be collected on behalf of the Federation by the NRS (FIRS) with the royalties so collected by the NRS administered following provisions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (Act).

The notable implication of the tax bills to the States is the changes regarding revenue sharing generated from Value Added Tax (VAT). Pursuant to Section 77 of the NTAB, the new sharing formula has the States and Local Governments receiving the bulk of the VAT revenue. Precisely, 55% and 35% of the VAT revenue is accruable to the State and Local Governments respectively, while 10% goes to the federal government.

It is noteworthy to state that the VAT derivation model pursuant to Section 77 which potentially redistributes revenues amongst state governments equitably, incurs significant losses to some state governments. Based on the 60% derivation model, states that contribute more in VAT revenue will earn more while states that contribute less might earn significantly less.

BENEFIT TO LAWYERS

Advise on Compliance And Regulatory Services: Lawyers will be essential in guiding businesses and individuals on what the new tax bill is all about and how to navigate the tax law and structure their businesses efficiently to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.

•Tax Dispute Resolution: A unified Tax law means that lawyers can quickly identify the applicable rules when briefed on tax-related matters, helping lawyers to conduct dispute resolution more efficiently and reducing the complexity involved in representing clients in tax-related matters.

Other Notable Highlights of the Tax Reform Bills

• Establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and Joint Revenue Board (JRB): Pursuant to the NRSEB the NRS replaces the FIRS and the JRBEB established the JRB to replace the current Joint Tax Board (JTB). Additionally, the bill also established the office of the tax ombudsman to protect taxpayers and ensure tax simplification.

• Promotion of Exports and International Trade: Exports of goods, services, and intellectual property will benefit from zero-rated VAT alongside additional incentives aimed at boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.

• Simplifying and Rationalising Taxes: Over 50 nuisance taxes are to be repealed, with remaining levies harmonised into a few number of taxes.

• A Tax System Based on Equity and Fairness: the bills implement progressive rates for personal income tax, VAT, and capital gains tax, ensuring protection for low-income earners.

• Equity Among States: VAT revenue will be allocated to states using a fairer model that rewards their actual economic contributions.

• Tax Accountability and Transparency: With the establishment of the Tax Ombudsman vulnerable taxpayers are protected thereby ensuring equity and fairness in tax administration.

In conclusion, the tax reform bills seek to foster economic equity, encourage exportation, extend the tax net to reflect current global trends and create a business-friendly environment to attract local and foreign investments. The bills further strengthen fiscal federalism and facilitate cooperation between taxpayers, subnational governments and MDAs for a vibrant and prosperous economy.

•Atoyebi is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), FCIArb (U.K.)

"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house..." 1 Kings 18: 17 - 18).

There are occasions when a writer sets out to write one thing but ends up writing another. For me, this is one of such occasions! I have had many in the past, though! This time around, I set out to write on Kemi Badenoch’s differentiation between her being a Nigerian and her Yoruba ancestry. And the title I quickly scribbled down was “Which is higher: Ethnic identity or Nigerian nationality?”

The ruling All Progressives Congress chieftain and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, started it all when she disclosed that the newly-elected UK Conservative Party leader, Mrs. Kemi Badenoch, snubbed her when she made efforts to congratulate and identify with her on the landmark achievement of being the first black person (and, ostensibly, Nigerian) to be so elected. The floodgate of reactions that followed was varied: Some scolded Abike while others lambasted Kemi.

In response, Badenoch justified her action, saying she was not ready to do Nigeria’s PR; meaning, she did not want Nigeria to piggyback on her to white-wash its stained linen of a “fantastically corrupt” country, as a former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had described her right to the face of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was too dumb-founded and subdued to fight back.

Nigeria, being a country of one scandal, one week, everyone thought the matter had died down - thanks to the Dele Farotimi versus Chief Afe Babalola tango - until the vice-president, Kashim Shettima, chose to stir the hornets’ nest again as he lambasted the British Leader of Opposition for “denigrating” her Nigerian identity, sarcastically advising her to renounce her Nigerian name, Kemi!

At that point, the tango became high profile! It also became more interesting! But it was a most unwise thing for Shettima to have done! The spat from the Nigerian side should have been left at the lower level of Abike Dabiri. Jumping into the fray diminishes the person and office of the country’s Number Two citizen. Did Shettima consider the dignity of his office? Again, the question of what level of training in diplomatic etiquette our leaders get comes to the fore.

One such diplomatic gaffe that has refused to go away but appears to have snowballed into the splintering of the ECOWAS (and the collateral damage of the Lukarawa terrorist threat in Nigeria itself), was the hasty and scantily-considered decision taken on the coup leaders of Niger Republic. Don’t we have seasoned professional diplomats any more? Or is it that our leaders don’t listen to robust and informed advice?

Badenoch’s response to Shettima was more dangerous and damaging than the one she offered Abike Dabiri. She minced no words as she emphasized her preference for her Yoruba ancestry, adding, to boot, that she had no affinity with what she described as a North whacked by Islamism and Boko Haram ideology!

Mrs. Badenoch’s full names are Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (nee Adegoke). She bears no “English” name. She is proudly and unapologetically Yoruba. She has no “Nigerian name” to renounce, if I may add. There are no Nigerian names, anyway, but there are English, Arabic, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Ijaw, Tiv, Igala, Hausa, etc names. Are there even Nigerians in the real sense of the word? I doubt if there are! What we have are people pretending, aping and/or hoping to be one! But there are Fulani, Hausa, Tiv, Idoma, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, etc. - all cohabiting in the space or geographical expression called Nigeria - so named by the British colonialists.

In Libya in 1989 on the ticket of Pascal Bafyau’s NLC for the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) conference, we met the leader of the Benin Republic delegation who was delighted to hear that we were “Yoruba from Nigeria” Immediately, the language barrier between him and those of us who were Yoruba evaporated. Benin Republic, colonized by the French, speaks French while Nigeria, colonized by the British, speaks English. The moment he asked us if we understood “Anago”, which is what the Yoruba in the French-speaking West African countries call Yoruba, and we replied in the affirmative, we began to flow in the Yoruba language! He was Yoruba from Benin Republic while we were Yoruba from Nigeria.

All across the West Coast where there is a large population of Yoruba (Anago) people, that is how it is! In Europe as well, I met people who never stepped a foot into Nigeria but who described themselves as “Yoruba" from Cuba or Brazil or Jamaica. If you think Yoruba are the only “Nigerians” with this tribal mentality or ethnic consciousness, you are wrong! It spreads across! That was why Buhari as military Head of State voted for a fellow Fulani man from another country at an international forum while snubbing his own fellow Nigerian (of Igbo extraction, if I remember correctly) vying for the same position!

There is no Nigerian in the real sense of the word! The Nigerian nationality remains, at best, a wish; a desire or mere wishful thinking. Efforts, if any, to mesh the various ethnic groups that inhabit the space called Nigeria into a nation have so far ended in calamitous failure.

Taking a cue from Buhari - and why not? - it will be unrealistic of Shettima to expect the average Yoruba person, proud of his or her Yoruba ancestry, just like Olukemi Olutoyin Badenoch (nee Adegoke) is proud of hers, to file behind the VP in his snide remarks about this illustrious daughter of Yoruba land. Take note that she is our daughter! And we shall make our stand with her in our millions!

Now to the point that I originally set out to make! When they think they have got rid - or been rid - of one Yoruba gadfly or “irritant” or the other and that Nigeria can now heave a sigh of relief, another pops up and rears its “ugly” head! Why have the Yoruba been “the main issue (not only) in Nigerian politics” (to quote the military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s definition of Awo) but also the benchmark against whom every detractor and competitor measures their performance?

Herbert Macaulay, a Yoruba man, was the doyen of the nationalist struggle. Obafemi Awolowo was the poster boy of the First Republic. The most radical Nigerian woman in history was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. The name that struck most fear in friends and foes alike during the Nigerian Civil War (1967 - 70) was “Black Scorpion” Benjamin Adekunle. The most patriotic, most selfless, and most self-sacrificing Nigerian military officer ever was Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, who chose to die with his boss, the then Head of State, JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi. The first black Nobel Laureate (in Literature), Prof. Wole Soyinka, is Yoruba! Remember, he was detained for years by the government of Yakubu Gowon over his principled and selfless sympathy for the Igbo (Biafra) during the civil war!

Now, when we come to the theatre of the radicals and “hot-heads”, the Yoruba also lead, beginning, again, with the same Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who led the Egba women to chase the Alake of Egbaland out of his palace. What of her son, the irrepressible Fela Anikulapo-Kuti? Or his younger brother, Beko? Alao Aka-Bashorun was the first radical NBA president. What of Tunji Braithwaite and Kanmi Ishola-Osobu who followed in his footsteps? We can mention Tai Solarin. What of the stormy petrel himself, Chief Gani Fawehinmi? We can mention a string of NADECO leaders who fought the military to a standstill - Adekunle Ajasin, Abraham Adesanya, among others! And with the death of Gani, enters Femi Falana!

The only free and fair elections accepted as such by everyone was won by MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man. When Fulani herdsmen ran riot all over the country, the only governor daring enough to look them and President Buhari straight in the face was Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State. Where angels feared to tread; what Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari ran away from is what Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is tackling with uncommon courage and confidence.

Now, Dele Farotimi, the man who has volunteered that his head be used to crack the coconut of the malfeasance that we all know has enveloped the Nigerian state in its entirety, is Yoruba. The Yoruba stood up like one man and fought for the actualization of June 12. As if the raging Dele Farotimi tsunami was not enough, the Kemi Badenoch hurricane joined the fray!

What is in the DNA of the Yoruba that makes them selfless warriors for the common good, regardless of whose ox is gored and not minding the danger to self; making someone to ask: "Why are you people (the Yoruba) always the problem of Nigeria"? I can not claim to have the answer! Is it in the water that our ancestors drank and which has been passed on from generations unto generations? Or will the answer be found in ourQ "Omoluwabi" ethos? One thing is certain, though: Nigeria is not likely to enjoy respite until the troublers of the virtues and principles that the Yoruba hold dear cease their invidious activities!

I need help!

Are you wondering, what help? Yes, because it is very much unlike me. Sixty-eight-year-old Anthony Isidahomen suffers from a heart condition and needs to urgently undergo surgery. His entire family attended my parish before he relocated to the village. He functioned dutifully as an usher while his daughter till date is the Assistant Choir Leader. His wife was a dutiful motivator in the Good women group. This is very, very urgent. Kindly private chat me if you have a leading in this direction: 0803 251 0193, 0705 263 1058 (also WhatsApp).