
OTHERS' VIEWS
"When I confided in my pastor that my husband and I were finally ready to try IVF, he shook his head so vigorously I thought he was going to have a fit.
“Your faith is gone. Sister, have you concluded that God needs help, that he cannot give you a child? Have you not heard testimonies of women who had babies in their 50s, even in their 60s? Have you forgotten the story of Sarah? Why do you want to help God?”
Sister Joke was lost, short of words, shaken, could not understand where her pastor was coming from, where all his objections were pouring from. She told her pastor about the IVF option not because she needed counsel on the subject. Her mind was made up. She just needed prayers and encouragement. She was not expecting her Pastor’s objection or disapproval. The man has a MSc in Biochemistry for God’s sake!
So, why do some men of God think assisted fertility in any form is evidence of faithlessness? Some don’t even want to hear of adoption, least of all surrogacy. Yours sincerely has ruminated over this for years and I have not found any answer. What exactly is it about IVF that is anti-God or anti-faith or unchristian? In my own little analysis of conception, the science or faith of it does not and cannot exclude God. I am Christian enough to know that the most extreme science or smartest scientists have not been able to totally exclude the hand of God in what happens between when ferterlized egg is implanted in a woman and when she takes the first pregnancy test. Even when all the protocols and precautions have been followed meticulously, many, very many pregnancy tests still turn out negative. The disappointment, pain and despair that follow that all important test can best be described by couples who have experienced it. Imagine a woman who had had to endure seeing her period every month, resolving to invest (hope and money) in IVF, only to see the period again?
What women, couples endure while in the Lord’s waiting room have been subjects of many books, seminars, sermons, movies and researches. But here’s another angle, is God against IVF? Or is it just that some pastors feel ‘insulted’ by their people’s decision to try something else apart the prayers and fasting they preach?
I have reliably leant that both Muslim and Christian clerics are guilty of this ‘offence’. Isn't it time they changed their stance and reviewed their world views on the subject of assisted fertility?
Meanwhile, while we are researching the holy books and praying for a change of heart for our faith leaders, let us address the primary stakeholders of the matter at hand, the waiting fathers, mothers and couples. Everybody prays to dash through the process of conception, long lip-smack enjoyable sex and a positive pregnancy test a few short weeks later. No stress, No waiting, no loitering, no suspense, just delicious love- making and a set of twins.
But more and more couples are these days, waiting so long for conception to occur, that sex eventually loses its taste and flavour. More marriages are breaking down because the babies ‘refuse’ to show up. More women are doing the unthinkable out of desperation to have children. Good men, otherwise faithful and committed husbands are straying, trying more than one forbidden fruit to become Daddies.
Who can judge a desperate Mother-in-waiting? Nobody should preach holy homilies to a man who is holding in zillions of sperms that can run but never reach their destination or when they do fertilize eggs that are not viable (doctor have many terms for that single word). Babies are just slower in arriving these days. I’m sure God knew these days would come, believe me or explain why science could not figure out surrogacy, IVF and all these new help centers 100 years ago but they are all readily available today, even in places like Nigeria where we don’t know what to do with readily available anything. And who gave the doctors the sense and zeal to take Ade’s sperm and Joke’s egg (without them having sex), make a baby in the laboratory and then transfer it back into Joke to carry to term. This minute, this very minute, it just occurred to me that the first IVF that happened was done really by God himself more than 2000 years ago. Mary, Virgin Mary, that is, had no sexual intercourse but got pregnant with Jesus Christ, right. God from his abode, in a laboratory, that is above all other laboratories ‘made a baby’ and implanted it in Mary. It was a miracle supervised by God, guided and guarded to term by God himself.
So, darling sister, God is in the boat of your life. A woman’s body is hers to protect from all kinds of violation from predators including men who blackmail her to have an abortion. It is also her decision to become a mother using the science alternatives. Just get your man on board and agree on a solution. Follow God’s example and pray to him to guide the doctor’s hands.
Those who tell a woman that IVF means doubting God’s faithfulness are never there when she cries until she cannot even make a sound or even produce a tear. Girl, do+ not wait until your eggs are old and dry before you make the first attempt. An IVF baby does not, will never stop God from giving you easily and naturally conceived babies. Jesus Christ had siblings that came from Joseph’s loins, Mary’s eggs. God is kind and unfathomable. A friend waited 25 years to get a first set of twins and then conceived naturally nine months later. While still breastfeeding the twins, she did not even know she was pregnant until she collapsed one morning while brushing her teeth. Her naughty husband scored a goal they tried all styles trying for 25 years! Go on. Do it. The best time to start is now.
Your sister’s or brother’s children are not yours. You are only claiming them by faith. It is safer for your mental health to deploy that faith you have in traditional adoption to assisted fertility. It may have worked in a few instances but the rate of failure is too high, too risky. By the time most women who adopted their nieces or nephews realize it, it usually too late to to undo the damage. The pain that follows such 'losses' are usually too deep and devastating that I say ‘why bother’. Ask Sisi Dupe the Yoruba star actress whose story broke a few weeks ago. Only she knows the pain. The lost years, the betrayal can lead to stroke or even sudden death. A woman who had been known and addressed as Mama Tunde wakes up one day to the sad reality hat the real Mama Tunde had just been humoring her all along.
Of course, assisted fertility procedures are expensive but you can save towards it. You can make a plan just like you make a plan for your annual rent, your wedding ceremony, a car and building or buying a house.
It’s a matter of focus, determination. Just kill the procrastination, stop complaining to everybody and just start. Make the first call.. Today.
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Re - Virgin hunters
Nice article as usual .
Any man who has deflowered is not deserving of a flower from a virgin and if he thinks he is lucky, God will turn it to a nightmare for him by marrying a frigid sexphobic lady!
God is not mocked; whatever a man sows the same he shall reap.
It does not really matter what the past had been. If any man ( or woman)is in Christ , he is a new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new. 2 Chor 5:17
-Olatunde S.
Considering the vast immensity of the global business landscape, few names command the same reverence and admiration as that of Aliko Mohammad Dangote, the richest black man in the world. Not given to one and done, Dangote, a serial investor and a visionary entrepreneur, has indelibly etched his mark on the annals of commerce, transforming not only his native Nigeria but also the African continent and beyond. His is a story of relentless determination, astute business acumen, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
An enigma of sorts, born on April 10, 1957, the business he founded currently has presence in 17 African countries and is a market leader in all the economic sub-sector where he operates on the continent. One of the Group’s subsidiaries, Dangote Cement Plc, is the largest listed company in West Africa and the first Nigerian company to join the Forbes Global 2000 Companies list. The Group has other subsidiaries: Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Dangote Sugar Refinery, and NASCON Allied Industries, with the latter two business units listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).
His business group is fully diversified and operates in major sectors of the Nigerian economy including agriculture, foods, Sugar, salt, rice, real estate, steel, mining, communication, logistics, maritime, automotive, packaging, energy and infrastructure. The Dangote Fertiliser was commissioned on March 22, 2022 while the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was commissioned on May 22, 2023. The South Africa-based Brand Leadership Movement in collaboration with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) awarded Dangote ‘the most admired African brand’ in 2018, of African continent origin. Dangote sits on the board of the Corporate Council on Africa and is a member of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative, the Clinton Global Initiative, the McKinsey Advisory Council, and the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. He was named Co-chair of the US-Africa Business Center, in September 2016, by the US Chamber of Commerce.
Dangote amassed laurels both within and outside Nigeria in recognition of his achievements and philanthropy. On November 14, 2011, the Nigerian Government conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON), becoming the first person outside government functionaries to bag the honour. In 2013, he was conferred with the highest national honour in the Republic of Benin, the Grand Commander of the National Order of the Republic of Benin.
In 2014 he also made the list of CNBC’s “Top 25 Businessmen in the World” that changed and shaped the century. In November 2019, the Nigerian Government conferred on him the National Productivity Order of Merit Award in recognition of his contributions to the Nigerian economy. In June 2021, he received the highest civilian honour in Cameroon – the Commander of the National Order of Valour – from the President of the Republic, Paul Biya.
Also in April 2014, TIME Magazine listed him among its 100 ‘Most Influential People in the World. For six consecutive years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, Forbes listed him as the “Most Powerful Man in Africa” alongside the Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh el Sisi. In December 2014, he was named ‘Forbes Africa Person of the Year.’ In September 2015, he was named ‘African Businessman of the Year’ by London-based IC Publications. In October 2015, Aliko Dangote was listed among ‘50 Most Influential Individuals in the World’ by Bloomberg Markets.
In August 2022, Dangote was conferred with the Commander of the Order of Merit of Niger award by the then President of the Republic of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, in Niamey, in appreciation for services he rendered to the Republic of Niger and as well as a tribute to his business acumen and philanthropy.
The President, as fondly called by hundreds of thousands of his employees, who earn a living through his investments, is a symbol of what can be achieved when ambition, innovation, and determination converge. Nothing speaks to these qualities better than his latest foray into midstream sub-sector of the oil and gas industry at a time Nigeria’s oil refineries have languished in a state of disrepair, plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and a lack of political will to implement necessary reforms for over three decades. The country’s four state-owned refineries—located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—have failed to operate at optimal capacity, resulting in the paradox of an oil-rich nation heavily dependent on imported petroleum products, which has not only strained the economy but also exposed the nation to the volatility of global oil markets.
Recall that Dangote had in 2007 in the twilight of administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo purchased the carcass of Kaduna refinery in the hope that he would resurrect it and return it to full operations. Rather than see in the idea a national economic interest, the hawks felt otherwise and threw spanner in the works. Less than two weeks on assumption of office, they mounted pressure on the government and the late President Musa Yar’Adua rescinded the sale of the refinery, a singular decision that motivated Dangote to go back to the drawing board and opted for building his own refinery, which has now become the real game changer in the troubled Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
In an audacious move which no Nigerian businessman has ever taken, Dangote led the management of his Group, Dangote Industries Limited on September 4, 2013 to Abuja, in the full glare of many state governors and other stakeholders, to sign a $6 billion term loan agreement with a consortium of banks. The loan was part of the $9 billion estimated cost to build a 400,000 bpd refinery initially planned for Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ondo State, to be financed with $3 billion equity and the rest from the banks. However, certain business considerations necessitated changing the location to Lagos Free Zone, Ibeju-Lekki and also increasing the refinery size to 650,000bpd thus shooting the cost to $19 billion.
It took Dangote over a decade to realize this dream of erecting a world class refinery in a country proliferated by rent seekers camouflaging as genuine investors. What stands out Dangote among the pack is his patriotic obsession with manufacturing which most Nigerian money men avoid like a plague as it takes time to bring returns. Kudos to Dangote because this is what Nigeria economy needs and not importation that reeks quick returns.
Today, beautiful to behold is the world single largest train Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, a monumental achievement that stands tall in the heart of Africa, symbolising innovation, progress, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. This colossal refinery not only marks a significant milestone in industrial achievement but also underscores the pivotal role of private enterprise in addressing longstanding infrastructural deficits in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Interestingly, while overburdened suffering Nigerians are hailing him for this feat chanting and labelling him as a liberator over the completion and subsequent roll out of petroleum products, the development rather created a deep seated hatred in the circle of Nigeria’s oil sector Cosa Nostra, members of which are the beneficiaries of the protracted logjam in the energy sector. To them Dangote is an irritant and a kill-joy kind of for delivering on the project. They never gave him a chance of final completion given the humongous size. They thought he was on a wild goose chase. How wrong they were.
They just couldn’t stand the fact that the man already touted as the richest man in Africa is adding another prime asset to his crammed wealth collection. It doesn’t matter to them what the project means to Nigerians who have had to contend with a vicious circle of fuel scarcity all year round. Dangote refinery is seen as a ploy to take their hands off the cookie jar or so it would seem, then Dangote has stirred the hornet’s net and should therefore bear the consequence. Even the official regulators who should celebrate the project went all out to disparage the refinery and demonise the founder.
Given the Nigerian government’s long-standing inability to revitalise its own refineries, Dangote Refinery to ordinary Nigerians emerges as a testament to what visionary business leadership and private sector dynamism can achieve in the face of governmental irresponsibility that has dogged the nation’s socio political and economic landscapes. A visit to the refinery’s Single Point Mooring System (SPM) located 20km in the middle of the ocean offshore through which crude is received and refined products sent out, leaves one with one question as to what could have been the motivation for the project. Certainly, profit only could not have been for the construction of the facility but also sheer patriotism and love for dear country.
None of his traducers could have put their money into a business that will take over a decade to complete. Little wonder, scores of them that were given refinery licenses years before him failed to erect a single pole but converted them to fuel import license that brings returns almost immediately especially with the regime of obnoxious subsidy.
At 68, he continues to chart new territories and explore innovative opportunities. His legacy as a transformative entrepreneur remains firmly intact.
His vision for a self-reliant Africa, driven by industrialisation and economic empowerment, is gradually taking shape. Through his pioneering efforts, Dangote has demonstrated that Africa’s potential is boundless, and that with determination and vision, remarkable achievements are within reach.
Happy birthday to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger standing tall at the helm in Dangote Group.
. Awowole-Browne, a Strategic Communication Expert, writes from Lagos.
[OPINION] Abia Airport Controversy: Landowners Demand Transparency As Govt Intensifies Fraudulent Acquisition Of Nsulu Land - Isaac Asabor
AdminThe proposed Abia Airport in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, has sparked fresh controversy, with increasing concerns about the government’s transparency, or lack thereof, in the land acquisition process.
Local communities are demanding clarity on the amount of land acquired and the beneficiaries of the compensation scheme, claiming that the process is convoluted and potentially flawed.
The Abia State government has repeatedly stated that the airport project will require 1025 hectares of land. However, communities are now demanding definitive proof.
Community leaders and residents are demanding that the government publicly release a detailed breakdown of land acquired by the community to determine whether the total land area matches the claimed 1025 hectares.
“We need concrete evidence,” declared Chief Eze Ugochukwu, a prominent community leader. “The government keeps using the 1025-hectare figure, but we have yet to see any verifiable documentation to back up this claim.
“We deserve to know exactly how much land has been taken from each community and that it matches what has been promised.”
Allegations that imported names were added to the list of landowners and allocated significant portions of land are fuelling the fire.
Landowners argue that people who have no legitimate claim to ancestral land are being strategically placed to benefit from the compensation scheme.
To address these concerns, there is a strong call for the government to publish a comprehensive list of landowners whose properties have been acquired, as well as the exact amount of land taken from each individual.
The landowners believe that this critical step will help confirm the legitimacy of the land acquisition process and expose any potential fraud.
“We are hearing whispers about people who have no connection to this land being given large swathes of it. “This is simply unacceptable,” said Mrs. Ngozi Okoro, a Nsulu landowner.
“The government must publish the names of the landowners and the extent of their land acquisition so that we can confirm the legitimacy of this process. We have heard stories about party members being given large parcels of land. To prevent injustice, the government must be transparent.”
The lack of transparency is exacerbated by differences in compensation packages.
According to reports, compensation for land acquired for similar projects in Ukwa and Umuahia was set at around N1.8 million per plot.
However, the compensation rate and process for the Nsulu airport project are shrouded in secrecy, raising concerns about unfair treatment.
“Why is the Nsulu compensation being handled so differently?” questioned Mr. Chidi Nwankwo, a community youth leader. “We are aware of the compensation rates offered in other parts of the state.” Why is Nsulu’s case so secretive? Are we being cheated on purpose? We demand the same level of transparency and fairness as our Abia counterparts.”
Adding to the concerns, private estate surveyors consulted by community representatives estimate that the actual land acquired for the airport is closer to 500 hectares, significantly less than the government’s claim of 1025 hectares. This disparity raises serious concerns about the future of the remaining 600 hectares.
“Our private estate surveyors have confirmed that the actual land acquired is around 500 hectares. “Where is the rest of the land going?” Asked Chief Ugochukwu.
“Who benefits from the alleged seizure of our 600 hectares of land?” The government must answer these questions and provide concrete evidence to refute these allegations.”
Rising tensions highlight the critical need for the Abia State government to prioritise transparency and address the Nsulu community’s concerns.
The government can rebuild trust and ensure the airport project moves forward fairly and equitably by publishing the requested information, which includes a breakdown of land acquired per community, a comprehensive list of landowners and their land allocations, and a clear explanation of the compensation process.
Without transparency, the Abia Airport project in Nsulu risks causing long-term resentment and undermining the very development it seeks to bring.
The burden of proof is on the government to demonstrate that the land acquisition process is just, transparent and benefits the entire community, not just a select few.
[OPINION] Natasha, Akpabio, and the Bimbo Eruption in the Nigerian Senate - Abdulkadir Salaudeen
AdminThe Nigerian Senate (Red Chamber) under the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is a joke. If anyone thinks the Senate is not a joke but represents an arm of government, it is still a joking arm of government where joking relationship seems not to be frowned upon. I am yet to change my stance that the Red Chamber, under Akpabio, is not capable of making common and uncommon Nigerians happy through lawmaking and oversight function especially as that relates to checkmating the excesses of the executive arm of government and its proclivity towards dictatorialism. And this because the Senate President is an uncommon senate president.
Under this current regime which has President Tinubu as the First Citizen, it is doubtful if the three arms of government still exist. Examples abound to argue that the three arms of government, since the emergence of uncommon Akpabio with the support of Tinubu, had been merged into one single executive arm. The executive arm, which looks like a merciless sledge hammer, now hammers the masses at will—unhindered and unchecked. That sledge hammer does not discriminate between the lowly and mighty. Once one does not belong to the caucus of Tinubu’s henchmen, escaping that sledge hammer would be miraculous. That is why I pity Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her lone fight.
Who is Natasha to challenge Akpabio? If the bimbo eruption in the Red Chamber could be verified to be true, who is Natasha to say ‘no’ to Akpabio’s advances? Maybe she needs to be tutored that as a senator, one loses his or her gender and transforms into a unique human specie that cannot be sexually harassed. I don’t know if that is what a former female senator, Florence Ita-Giwa, meant when she said: “When you get to the Senate, you are there as a person. You’re not there as a man or woman.”
Bimbo eruption means a sex scandal in which a woman publicly accuses a male politician of sexual misconduct. The problem here is that the woman making the accusation is also a politician. I have, for long, struggled to find a streak of integrity in the Senate President. Yet, I must say it clearly that it is difficult to believe any of the Akps (Akpoti and Akpabio). Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a saint that must be believed and Akpabio may not be the billy goat that he has been caricatured to be—no matter how loose we think he conducts himself.
Untill Natasha substantiates her claim that Akpabio harassed her and was fixated on that ‘thing’ that should ideally be monopolized only by her husband, it is still an allegation that women easily make against men when they lock horns with men. This is not to say the Senate President is not lascivious (we should not forget his “We are not in a nightclub” address to Natasha sometime in July 2024). It is also not to say he is. The truth is that lasciviousness, of this magnitude that involves the Third Citizen, can only be established with convincing evidence; not by mere weaponization of the media to heat the polity.
Again, Akpabio might be excused since he is known for his characteristic verbal diarrhea or ‘verbal incontinence’ as Prof Toyin Falola chose to put it, but can’t the Third Citizen learn to be polite or pretend to have some dignity while discharging his duty as Senate President? Only few would raise an eyebrow, for instance, if he uses dirty language in a club while he socializes with female lawmakers. Dignified language should, however, be reserved for the Parliament and the serious business of lawmaking.
Whether Natasha is right or wrong in her accusation, she has been knocked out (for six months). She was suspended, they said, not because of the sexual harassment allegation made by her but because of her unruliness in flouting some rules in the Parliament as they relate to sitting arrangement. We thought the suspension was too much for punishment, we were wrong. A recall process was immediately initiated. Akpoti has indeed crossed the red line. Fighting Akpabio, if she was well informed and appropriately counselled, is like fighting the Federal Government. For that reason, even the First Lady, Remi Tinubu, who was once threatened to be impregnated when she was a senator by an unruly misogynistic senator could not empathize with her. Her body language to Natasha is OYO (On Your Own).
Though Natasha outsmarted the powers that be in Kogi State and rendered them toothless and tactless by her ‘magical’ helicopter in her last visit where she was warmly welcomed by an overwhelming crowd of supporters, one is not sure if she would defeat the powerful Akpabio even if she could convincingly substantiate her claim. I am saying this because this regime seems to be more dictatorial than democratic. If that assumption is right, no amount of evidence could all the Natashas of this world pull together to unseat or villainize Akpabio. He is although a lawmaker, Akpabio belongs to the presidency and the presidency belongs to him. But, again, because Natasha has been carrying the global community along, we can only remain spectators in the ongoing match of immorality in our national parliament.
Akpoti versus Akpabio’s harassment match started long time ago. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the sitting arrangement which led to the unmuting of the initially muted sexual harassment. Now again, it is assassination harassment. But this time, it is Natasha that is harassing Akpabio. So, what do the suffering Nigerian masses gain in all this? Nothing!
Conversely, what do the suffering Nigerian masses lose in all this? Everything! When lawmakers abandon lawmaking to entertain the citizens with in-house altercation that bothers on sexual harassment, we can only mourn the death of democracy or queue behind the Burkinabe military ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traore, who recently claims democracy does not produce development. Traore’s claim about democracy is true of Nigeria. One of the products democracy produces in Nigeria is the shameful display in our national assembly. No one should think all our lawmakers are birds of the same feathers. It is possible there are fine exceptions but their voice cannot withstand the cacaphonous voices that we often hear.
In one of my columns two years ago after the inauguration of the 10th Senate and knowing that Akpabio is the Senate President, I wrote: “I advised Nigerian lawmakers that law-making is a serious job and that it should be given the seriousness it deserves. Nigerians are not to be ridiculed in the name of law-making.” I saw it coming and it has come to pass. Although I never knew there would be bimbo eruption and that things will be this bad and even worse, I knew many of the lawmakers will end up ridiculing Nigerians.
Nigerians are eager to see Natasha in court to prove her allegations or shut up. They are also eager to see Akpabio in court to defend himself or apologize to Natasha and recall her from suspension. If Natasha would not shut up and Akpabio would not apologize, the court should act fast to determine their case. My advice to them is not to be represented by lawyers or any legal team. After all, they both read law and bagged a degree in law. If they both defend themselves in person, the sexopolitical drama will be more interesting.
[OPINION] Africa: The Compelling Imperatives of Integration and Intra-continental Trade - Peter Mbah
AdminYour Excellencies, Distinguished Guests.
The discussions in this session have been quite enriching. Our profound thanks to the speakers and the panelists for their incisive analysis.
These analyses have lent insightful perspectives to the discourse regarding how Africa can leverage the potential in its 1.3 billion population to boost trade and investment. Such a large population, plus Africa’s combined GDP of $3.4 trillion and the fact that the continent has 65 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, means that Africa should actually be building the table – and not waiting to be invited to the table.
But one of the challenges lies in translating Africa’s remarkable potential into real economic development that benefits the continent’s people. The big question has always been how that can be achieved. One of the solutions lies in fully exploiting the power of trade, particularly intra-Africa trade. It would seem this was what the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA came to fill. Indeed, the need for integration and trade facilitation has never been more compelling than now, given all the existential crises we are experiencing.
The World Bank estimates that AfCFTA could lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty, raise incomes for 68 million people, and boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035. That is about 10 years from now. But another big question is the extent to which AfCFTA’s key objectives, such as removal of tariffs and non-tariff barriers have been actualised. The answer leaves much to be desired. Rhetoric has not been matched with necessary action. The result is that the economic benefits that African economies would have reached from improved inter-trade remains a dream defied.
How can it be explained that despite its vast arable land, Africa still spends $40bn on food imports, annually? Now, imagine what difference such a substantial sum could have had on African economies if they were generated by intra-continental trade.
The dream of a continent-wide common market remains as yet elusive. Despite our frameworks, deep-rooted structural barriers still exist: Only 14.4% of Africa’s trade is intra-African, compared to 69% in Europe and 59% in Asia. Just 7% of Africa’s trade moves by air, yet we still face the highest intra-continental flight costs in the world. Over 70% of goods are transported by road — but poor road infrastructure and border bottlenecks cost us over $4 billion annually in lost trade.
Furthermore, maritime transport is underutilised. Only one in ten African countries has a major port efficiently connected to inland markets. Only 1 in 10 African countries has a major port efficiently connected to inland markets. Rail systems – our most cost-effective bulk trade option — remain disconnected or outdated across most of the continent. These statistics are dismal, especially given that it is nearly a decade since the signing of the AfCFTA.
But it is not all doom and gloom. Europe’s long walk to the European Union offers some inspiration, given the many barriers it faced. It took the European Union over 35 years — from the Treaty of Rome in 1957 to the launch of the Single Market in 1993 — to fully realise a space where goods, services, capital, and people could move freely. They did not just talk integration — they backed it with laws, infrastructure, and political commitment. The Schengen Agreement, which came later, made it possible to travel across most European countries without a passport. The EU’s common legal and regulatory framework ensures that a product approved in one country can move freely across all others — without new checks or taxes. It was not instant — but it was intentional.
Africa can learn from this. We do not need to reinvent the wheel — we just need to align ours. If Europe could do it with dozens of languages, diverse economies, and a history of divisions, then AfCFTA as its compass, Africa has every reason to succeed.
However, we cannot talk about building a common market when we are not yet connected — physically or digitally. So, the question is not what is wrong, but what must be done. First, consolidation is key. We need more than political will. We need a unified legal and regulatory framework — one that harmonises trade rules, streamlines procedures, and builds confidence for businesses across borders.
Second, investment in the enablers is critical. The growth engines of African trade are not abstract: they are transport corridors, smart ports, cross-border rail, digital payments, efficient customs, and unified standards.
Africa’s youthful population may be a unique demographic advantage in a world where many other continents contend with aging populations. But it could still prove to be a social tinderbox if not carefully harnessed. Nurturing Africa’s human capital should be seen as an imperative because it is every nation’s true wealth. No nation ever rises above the sheer capacity of its human capital. So, it goes without saying that growing our human capital will necessarily entail fixing our education system. Only when we sufficiently train our youths can they be truly considered as the future of world labour. This is a development imperative.
That brings me to a challenge and a call to action. AfCFTA is not a feel-good creation. Neither should it be subsumed by a regional block. It is for all of us. Let us not allow regionalism to become a barrier to pan-African growth. Let us unite our markets, our ports, our rails, and our ambitions.
To global partners: Africa is a force — in fintech, agriculture, logistics, green energy, and more. While much of the world is aging, Africa is getting younger. By 2030, over 40% of the world’s youth will be African. That is not just statistics — that is a competitive advantage.
So, the message deductible from the discussions this afternoon is that Africa’s economic renaissance lies in extensive trade – not aid or charity.
Africa is ready. Let us turn frameworks into highways; Let us turn policies into power; Let us turn potential into performance. The time is now. And the opportunity is massive. And Africa is moving.
Thank you.
•Being a closing remark by Governor Mbah of Enugu State during the session on “The Africa Opportunity: Regional Collaboration and Trade Facilitation” at the just concluded Commonwealth Enterprises and Investment Summit in London
[OPINION] The Caribbean People deliberate on culture, resistance, sovereignty and revolution - Owei Lakemfa
AdminThe Caribbean are one of the most diverse people on earth. Their composition includes indigenous Carib, Taino and Ciboney, integrated with millions violently ripped from Africa, Europeans and migrants mainly of Chinese and Indian origins.
They are also some of the most bloodied, repressed and suppressed in world history. Today, most of the colonies in the world are in the Caribbean. The issue of colonialism in the Caribbean is so bad that the colonialists refuse to recognise many of them as colonies.
The Assembly of Caribbean People, ACP, in a webinar on April 5, 2025 co-ordinated by Kandis Sebro, decided to deliberate on the past, present and the future of the Caribbean. The theme was: “Culture, Resistance, Sovereignty and Revolution.” I was not only given the honour to attend, but also to speak.
The moderator, Elsa Sanchez of the Dominican Republic made it clear that: “The Caribbean people are not asking for permission to be free.” All they demand, is “a fair and sovereign world.”
African liberation fighter and famous author, Franz Fanon, was produced by Martinique which ironically remains a French colony. Tragically, France and the United Nations, UN, refuse to recognise its colonial status.
Martinique is one of the longest suffering countries in world history. It was colonised for 133 years by Spain, before France occupied it on September 15, 1635, that is 390 years ago!
At the APC conference, the position of Martinique was presented by Robert Sae in a paper titled: “The Struggle for the Achievement of Sovereignty.” He said the people are told they are sovereign, but not independent. The French, he said, dictates to the people who cannot even decide on tariff in their homeland.
He said the great resistance of the Cuban and Bolivarian Revolutions continue to inspire the people. Sae asked the ACP to further equip Martinque people with information and technological know-how to further their struggle for independence.
Barbados and Haiti presented a paper titled: “The Caribbean, a Space of Proposals for a New World.” It was presented by David Denny of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration.
He said Caribbean movements need to develop an Action Plan that can help them unite socially, economically and politically “so we can create a space for our people in the world.”
Denny submitted that the Caribbean people need to build a united movement that can create the conditions of the Grenada Revolution. He suggested that one of the basic steps that need to be taken is the strengthening of the Trade Union Movement that could make them serve the workers. He also suggested that the Reparations struggles should be part of the agenda for liberation, and linked with the solidarity struggles of the Latin American and African Peoples.
He noted that there is a big divide between the Caribbean People and the Afro-Descendants in Latin America, and suggested the creation of joint anti-fascist platform like Venezuela is building.
The Haitian Platform to Advocate Alternative Development, PAPDA, which is dedicated to promoting alternative development models in that country, particularly on food and sovereignty, also made a presentation. Camille Chalmers who spoke for the organisation, said the Caribbean people are fighting against genocide and re-colonisation. The region, he said, is “at the heart of trans-modernity.” He noted that it had produced strong revolutionary movements which resulted in the Haitian, Cuban, Bolivarian, Nicaraguan and Grenadian Revolutions.
Chalmers noted that the diversity of the people had united them. He said when the oppressors brought diverse people together with the potential to divide them, the people countered by creating their own language of unity, adding: “We created Creole, we also created our own religion, Voodoo, which incorporated the religion of the oppressor. We equally created an organisation of labour on the basis of freedom, solidarity and freedom.”
He paid tribute to Haitian revolutionary leader, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who after the liberation of his country on January 1,1804 wanted to move on to liberate Martinique and Guadeloupe where the French had established slavery. Dessalines also had a wider plan to liberate Africa from colonialists.
Chalmers noted that France imposed a terrible ransom on Haiti two centuries ago which destroyed the foundations of the latter’s economy. He said this is one of the reasons the people should not relent in their demand for reparations.
The paper: “The Caribbean Driving Emancipatory Processes” was delivered by Julia Canrera of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples, ICAP. The presentation identified three stages of emancipation the Caribbean people had undergone: colonialism, efforts to eradicate internal oppression, and Northern American imperialism. ICAP noted the imposition of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank, and their enslaving conditionalities on the Caribbean people. It asked for support and solidarity with the Caribbean people to implement their Ten-Point Programme of emancipation.
I spoke on the establishment of the End Colonialism Movement, ECM, a product of the August 12-13, 2024 international conference hosted by the African think tank, the Society for International Relations Awareness, SIRA.
The ECM, I informed, demands independence for 61 colonies around the world, including Martinique, Guadalupe and Puerto Rico which the United States has occupied since December 10, 1898.
I pointed out that the ECM document supports the Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice adopted by the 15-member countries of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM.
I also presented to the conference, the ECM suggestions that to take serious steps towards ending colonialism in the world, the UN should properly identify and designate all affected territories as colonies in accordance with its Charter which defines them as “territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government”.
Secondly, that it addresses colonies by their proper name and not as ‘Self-Governing Territories’, NSGTs, which serves to obscure their true status. Thirdly, that it concentrates on and aim more directly at decolonisation and less on ancillary matters.
Thirdly, that it recognises all colonies rather than merely the 17 which have been designated.
Fourthly, that the UN admits all colonies into the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, just as India and the Philippines were admitted in 1945 while still being British and American colonies respectively.
Fifthly, that it holds public Decolonisation Hearings and Negotiations between the colonies and the colonising countries to work out actionable plans for decolonisation and their implementation.
I also informed that the ECM had urged the UN to design concrete and actionable plans for decolonisation in the world by the year 2030 which is when the UN Fourth Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism ends.
Responding to my presentation, Edwin Cortes, who had spent 14 years in US jails for agitating for Puerto Rico’s independence said: “I think Nigeria represents hope for the new world we want to create.”
In just few weeks, the senator representing Kogi central senatorial zone, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has assumed a somewhat mixed image in the minds of people. That comes from a cocktail of characters either expressed herself or imposed on her by external forces. Her most obvious physical attribute is her ravishing beauty, a feature that’s clearly not her fault and for which she owes no one apologies. The other day, a former minister of works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, declared on television that Senator Natasha’s looks would naturally be a problem to her, as every average man wouldn’t be satisfied with only one look at her. I refer those who doubt the elder to the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud. Libido’s capacity to captivate, engage and even enslave is well established.
Whether asset or liability, Natasha’s beauty has been mined to produce negativity for whatever purpose. In a chamber that is supposed to be hallowed, this worthy representative of a political, electoral third of her state was once told that her dressing was transparent, good for a nightclub. The regrets from the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, were in response to various protestations against alleged sexism. Social media too swelled up with stories of the senator having a number of children for as many men.
The trigger of the current spotlight on Akpoti-Uduaghan, a seemingly innocuous seating arrangement in the red chamber, signifies how an unlikely chain of events can change the course of history. Not every great thing happens with a bang. Even without the prior notice that is required by senate rules in such circumstances, I still don’t see why the lady refused to shift her ground, especially with the concerted pleas from her colleagues. Could that be hubris? Or yet another human frailty on display?
In her quiet moments, she should ponder over why her fellow senators appear to have distanced themselves from her travails, at least publicly. Not even anyone of her gender has stood with her in the sexual harassment allegations she has levelled against Senator Akpabio. That may or may not be a product of betrayal or timidity. No matter the level of rot that exists within any democratic institution, it’s wise to seek and sustain allegiance and understanding within its fold. For, no matter how sterling one’s profile is, democracy is, in the end, a tyranny of the majority. It’s a no brainer to conclude that more than any other factor, Natasha’s inability to achieve adequate bonding with the lawmakers was responsible for the speed with which they arrived at the suspension handed to her on March 6. Akpabio’s own drama with the ‘ayes’ and ‘nays’ that day which nailed her notwithstanding.
What can’t be denied at this point, however, is that, contrary to the viewpoints which tend to confine her to a seductive, sex symbol, this Natasha truly embodies much more. I’m not even talking of the stamina to withstand the bouquet of court cases she has either initiated or those raised against her. Neither am I referring to her controversial media appearances and the one at the Inter Parliament Union (IPU) in New York where she escalated her grievances to national and global audiences. Those were certainly not moves made by the fainthearted. They can actually be interpreted as a continuation of an intriguing, rising persona.
The feminine, vulnerable aura that’s her trademark can only be misinterpreted to any rival’s detriment. In our largely chauvinistic and patriarchal environment, only the humble and modest can really appreciate and possibly guard against her emerging strengths. A former Governor of Kogi State and self-styled white lion, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had a feel of Natasha’s grit, first when she contested for governor on the platform of a less-fancied Social Democratic Party (SDP) and, later, in her race for senate on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The fights which resulted in her senate membership today depict the arrival on the scene of a true potential amazon. Apart from having a brain that works optimally, Akpoti-Uduaghan, no doubt, deserves to be taken seriously on other fronts, particularly the ties she has nurtured with her constituents. The bravery she has exhibited over and over didn’t start with the people of Kogi central but is now developing into a formidable machine because of the relationship that’s built on mutual trust, integrity and assured benefits. These noble qualities can’t be taken for granted in many parts of Nigeria, unfortunately.
To the frustrating nightmare of her traducers, the senator is not working alone. The recall processes orchestrated against her the other day fell flat because the promoters couldn’t prove that her electorate wanted her out in the cold. I believe it was the strong popular opposition to the dubious scheme that halted that plan, not any so-called due diligence by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Same for the jubilant, heroic reception she received on her surprise visit home by helicopter during the last Sallah. Outsmarting the adversarial state government which had outlawed that event ought to be a proof that stopping an enigmatic figure like her takes more than subterfuge and intimidation.
The present power configuration in the state further accentuates the Natasha phenomenon. Bello and his successor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, though from the same Kogi central, haven’t been able to match Natasha’s towering altitude. This situation speaks of the senator’s prioritisation of her constituents’ needs and the tangible outcomes. It also announces the growing political sophistication of the zone. The message is simple: in a multidimensionally poor country like Nigeria, being genuinely and visibly involved in the socio-economic emancipation of the masses can be a huge capital. Even without executive powers, the lady of courage is seen to address poverty frontally. These efforts can’t be brushed aside in a predominantly civil service state whose workers were constantly dehumanised with a strange payment model under Bello called ‘percentage’, a pretext for giving them eight, 11, 15, 22 thousand naira and other ridiculous salaries monthly.
In the end, stewardship is all about the people, a truth that is lost on many Nigerian politicians. A recent article titled, “The Four Big Questions Shaping Democracy in Africa” and written by Frances Z. Brown, Vice President for Studies of Carnegie Endowment, attempts to identify key obstacles to representative governance on the African continent. It includes four posers. Brown’s explanation of the first query – can newly elected governments deliver for their people? – relates directly to Natasha’s magic wand: As she puts it, “These recently installed governments now face a huge test of tangibly delivering for their citizens – and democracy supporters should watch closely. The new governments all face economic headwinds that troubled their predecessors, while also having to confront their own particular circumstances…
“Despite the strong overall support for democracy as a system of government across the continent, only 37 percent of Africans say they are satisfied with the way that democracy actually works in their own countries.… Accordingly, demonstrating that voters’ decisions can lead to peaceful transfers of power, and ultimately to material improvements in citizens’ lives, will have important demonstration effects for democracy across the continent. Regardless of whether the newly installed governments feature long-familiar faces (as in Ghana and Mauritius) or a fresh generation of leadership (as in Botswana and Senegal), citizens will be watching closely.”
Even with Natasha’s shortcomings, most of the good people of Kogi central have found a selfless, purposeful leader and her appeal is spreading to other parts of the state and beyond. And her moment is already gathering some momentum. Nigerians may not always be this docile, defeated and resigned. They may one day begin to demand accountability and respect from their political leaders.
Ekpe, PhD, is a member of THISDAY editorial board.
The Lagos State Government has initiated a probe into the tragic maternal death of Mrs Kemi Folajimi, the pregnant woman who supposedly died because a private healthcare facility denied her crucial emergency care when her husband could not deposit N500,000 for her treatment. We have been Nigerians for long enough to know how the probe will go: embarrassed government officials will make the right noises, but very little structural change will be achieved by the end of the day. Mrs Folajimi did not die because of money; she died because Lagos is a disorganised city with a lack of infrastructure for emergency services.
Many commenters, including some respected television anchors, think the issue was solely about money. They unrealistically drew up how much money a man should have saved before having children. In a state where 93 per cent of workers reportedly earn less than N200,000, they think a man should have N500,000 tucked aside before he can be a father. Let me break this to you: in a chaotic society where facilities for primary healthcare and emergency services are absent, anyone can die like a dog even while their pockets bulge with money. People have so quickly forgotten that just weeks ago, a tech entrepreneur, Adetunji Opayele, also died in Lagos following a road accident where the bystanders were the ones transporting him from one hospital to the other in a public vehicle.
What killed Mrs Folajimi is a systemic issue that would not have been resolved by individual responsibility. Read the husband’s interview, and you will understand that the poverty that killed her was that of policy—a direct consequence of what is called “multi-dimensional” poverty. For their community to rely on midwives, it must mean that grassroots healthcare facilities are lacking. Now, before some clown pops out to remind us that even Western societies still use the services of midwives, please know they are not only highly regulated but also get to summon prompt emergency services when things go wrong. In Mrs Folajimi’s case, there was no such provision. From the private hospital in Lakowe that reportedly rejected her to the public hospital in Epe, where they referred her, was a journey of 40 minutes. That was a lot of time for a woman who needed emergency care.
According to Mr Folajimi, when they encountered a traffic jam on the way, he had to appeal to the traffic officers to negotiate a path for their vehicle, given the woman’s dire situation. Look at how much crucial time was lost doing all that! Money or no money, anyone could have died under such circumstances. In an organised society, she would have been transferred to another hospital in a siren-blowing ambulance while being attended to by medical professionals. Yet, Nigeria is a place where the only people who get to use sirens to shove us off the road are narcissistic public officials who serve no useful purpose to society. The major reason Oyinbo invented those devices has long been subverted by these highly placed miscreants running empty errands.
Yes, Lagos has initiated a probe, but you can bet the answer they will return would be some tame proclamations on what hospitals should do during emergencies. They are unlikely to indict their own failure to organise society to manage emergencies.
Beyond the shortcomings of Lagos on this matter is also the reality of multidimensional poverty. Over the weekend, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, got on television to downplay the reality of its impact. He said something to the effect that we (our society, I presume) do not know the meaning of the term, and it is one big jargon to bedazzle us and sensationalise poverty. He said, “They think multi-dimensional poverty is worse than food poverty. What multi-dimensional means is that maybe the school your children attend is too far from you or the hospital, and they categorise you as multi-dimensional.” But what exactly was his point? Is that multi-dimensional poverty’s denial of ready access to life-enhancing facilities any more or less desirable than food poverty? Either way, the point made no sense. Mrs Folajimi’s case is an illustrative instance of the distance (literal and otherwise) between death and life, and she is by no means unique. Life in Nigeria gets abridged daily due to multidimensional poverty.
Fasua made several points in that interview that confirm the fears that I have held about the moral vision of the Tinubu administration. These people have no agenda of prosperity and plenitude, and their deficiency is why they routinely valorise poverty. I used to think hyping poverty was the defining ethos of the Muhammadu Buhari administration given how the man not only likes to pretend that he is poor, but also treats poverty—in others, not for himself or immediate family—as some sort of virtue. However, between Tinubu, who narrated a story of how his “friend” became an ẹdun arinlẹ̀ and associates who think a Nigerian can survive on N1500 daily, the APC talakawa mentality is self-evident.
According to Fasua, while $10 won’t buy anyone lunch anywhere in the US, Nigerians can eat with as little as $1. First, he is wrong about the USA. In their poorer states, you can even have breakfast and lunch for $10. Here is the fun fact which one would not have expected an economist like Fasua to have missed: what it takes to earn lunch in the US vs. Nigeria. In the US, where the minimum wage per hour ranges from $7.50 to $15, it takes one hour (or less) of work to buy lunch. Whereas in Nigeria, where the daily minimum wage comes to N2560, you will need almost half a day of work, going by Fasua’s N1500. You dare not eat twice a day on a minimum wage.
At N1,500 per meal per day, you are also not supposed to afford any indulgence, no matter how small. Let us momentarily presume that this Nigerian, being asked to survive in this way, does not have any family, immediate or extended, who depend on them for money. There is no consideration for how our hypothetical Nigerian should be able to afford other necessities like shelter, clothing, hospital bills, and even have some savings! The present government’s idea of how a Nigerian should live is to work, eat basic meals, and die.
If they properly map the geography of poverty to understand its multi-dimensional impact, they would speak to the issues beyond food. Poverty is more than food; it cannot be solved if the average person on a minimum wage eats within their constricted means. Poverty is also about the social safety net and access to life-enhancing facilities. Rather than bending logic to mask the problem of “multi-dimensional” poverty, treating it as just a bunch of words strung together by economists who want to sensationalise administrative failings, they should open their eyes to its real-life impact. The poverty that killed Mrs. is not all about money.
There is also a great deal of incoherence in this administration’s understanding of what constitutes poverty. For instance, when they inaugurated the student loan scheme for indigent Nigerians, they pegged the income level of an eligible family at N500,000 annually (or N42,000 monthly). Yet the same government’s idea of a poor individual is a person who can eat N1,500 (N45,000 monthly) worth of food daily. Meanwhile, at N1,500 per meal daily, should a family of four not be earning a minimum of N180,000 monthly?
Even worse, this same society where the people who have the ears of the government tell us that a mere N1,500 is enough for daily survival also expects a man to have saved N500,000 to deposit for his pregnant wife’s treatment in the hospital. How many Nigerians even earn that much in a year? How many of those who do have that much saved up? The reality is far more twisted, and it is almost callous how the people blaming the Folajimis too easily overlooked the structural issues that took her life.
[OPINION] If Tinubu’s Reward For Criticism Continues, We Will Soon Be Governed, Not By Best Minds, But By Loudest Mouths - Isaac Asabor
AdminIn a country where leadership ought to be anchored on competence, integrity, and patriotism, Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is sadly leaning towards a dangerous playbook: reward your loudest critics with plum positions, not for merit, but to silence them. It is politics of pacification masquerading as inclusion, and it is slowly eroding what little is left of the moral fabric in public service.
For instance, on March 30, 2025, during an Iftar dinner to mark his 73rd birthday, President Tinubu attempted to justify the controversial appointment of Dr. Bosun Tijani as Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. The president proudly claimed it was evidence of his open-mindedness, that he values “talent even in those who may have once been critics.”
But this is more than generous leadership. It is political optics, particularly as Tijani’s criticisms weren’t offhand comments, but cutting and calculated. Yet, today, he is saddled with one of the most strategic portfolios in the administration.
Where’s the proof that Tijani’s appointment was based on measurable competence or a vision for digital transformation? Nigerians are still waiting.
Another classic example is Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, formerly the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), and a fire-breathing critic of both the Buhari and Tinubu administrations. His appointment last year as Political Adviser to the President in the Office of the Vice President shocked many.
Many believed the appointment was not about tapping into Baba-Ahmed’s experience, but rather a strategic attempt to shut him up and mute the persistent criticisms emanating from the North.
As of now, sources report that Baba-Ahmed has tendered his resignation, though it is yet to be approved by the president. The silence surrounding his exit only raises suspicion. Was he disappointed by what he met in office? Or was his voice no longer useful now that the northern backlash against Tinubu is intensifying?
Indeed, prominent northern political and traditional leaders continue to lash out at Tinubu’s government over the worsening economy, political instability, and raging insecurity. Clearly, the “buy-the-critic” strategy has failed.
But perhaps the most astonishing twist is the reported nomination of Reno Omokri, the same man who relentlessly campaigned against Tinubu from the diaspora, at one point accusing him of links to drug crimes and organizing physical protests in the UK.
Reno’s nomination to a diplomatic role is not just ironic, it is utterly shameful. If his allegations were taken seriously, how does he now represent Nigeria on the global stage under the same administration he described as “tainted”?
This is not about forgiveness. This is about political transactionalism at its peak, critics being rewarded, not because they have changed their views or added value, but because their voices are too loud to ignore.
Without a doubt, it is rotten pattern of political pacification. The pattern is now predictable: Criticise, get noticed, get appeased, then go quiet.
What President Tinubu’s government is doing is weaponizing appointments as hush money, handing plum positions to critics in a bid to muffle dissent. It is a perversion of democracy, an insult to genuine loyalists, and a blow to qualified professionals who don’t play dirty politics.
It also creates mutual suspicion rather than national unity. Those who supported the president from day one now feel used and sidelined. Professionals who have served with diligence now believe noise, not merit, brings promotion. And the masses, watching from the sidelines, are reminded that this government rewards volume, not values.
In fact, appointments should be national assets, not political settlement tools. Nigerians are living in desperate times. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) confirms inflation has soared to over 33%, while the naira has been battered beyond recognition. Youth unemployment remains at alarming levels, and the spate of kidnapping and banditry is getting worse.
At a time like this, what the country needs is a government of reformers, not rebranded critics. Appointments should be engines of development, not political settlements for those who scream the loudest.
The long-term danger of this approach is clear: it encourages performative opposition. Aspiring appointees will begin to attack the government, not from a place of patriotic concern, but as a strategy to gain visibility and eventual favor. It breeds opportunism, not activism. It incentivizes hypocrisy, not truth.
Since this unarguable retrogressive mode of appointment came to the realization of this writer, the question has been “When did noise becomes a qualification?”
History will not be kind to a leadership that chooses to pacify rather than perform. As things stand, Tinubu’s appointment style suggests that you don’t need to be competent, just be controversial. Don’t show loyalty, just show up on the trending list.
However, to put it advisedly in this context, it is not out of place to opine that Nigeria deserves better.
In fact, if this government is truly serious about transformation, it must abandon this politics of reward for criticism and return to a politics of merit, transparency, and accountability. Otherwise, we will soon be governed, not by the best minds, but by the loudest mouths.
[OPINION] Farmers-Herders Conflict: Sen Dickson Consoles Benue, Plateau people, Renews Call For Ranching - Isaac Asabor
AdminSenator Henry Seriake Dickson has renewed his call for the Federal Government to fast-track ranching as a solution to perennial farmers-herders clashes across the country. His position was contained in a condolence message to the governments and people of Benue, and Plateau over the most recent killings in the States.
“The time has come for everyone to see this problem as an existential Nigerian issue of national security that needs to be addressed, devoid of ethnicity, religion, politics and sentiments that normally colour national discourses. This was why, on the floor of the Senate while contributing to a motion on this issue, I urged the Senate to resolve to implementing mandatory ranching, support and orientation even for the herdsmen, followed by the prohibition of open grazing nationwide.
“Using the newly established Ministry of Livestock, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other institutions, we must create a mechanism and funding for compulsory ranching and support policy for livestock, herders, aquaculture and all other agribusinesses across the country,” the statement reads.
“Then a plan must be made to strengthen all the security agencies and community leaders to work together to combat and flush out all bandits and criminals from our rural areas and forests and enforce prohibition of open grazing throughout Nigeria. The Senate adopted the motion.
“We must do this as a national imperative without politics or sentiments,” Senator Dickson said.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West continued, “I have spoken with my brother and friend, the Governor of Benue State, H.E. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, as well as officials of the Plateau State Government, to offer my condolences on behalf of my family and the good people of my Senatorial District, and on behalf of all Nigerians of goodwill, over the dastardly and callous massacres that occurred recently in communities in those two States.
“Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Southern Kaduna, and some other States have borne the brunt of criminality, lawlessness, and brutality in a genocidal magnitude and frequency. Not only are armed gunmen terrorising and ransacking hapless communities, and commiting mass murders in these States, but the level of banditry, kidnapping, and killing has affected many other States as well, almost to the point of eclipsing the Boko Haram insurgency that has bedevilled the North Eastern part of our country for years,” Senator Dickson said.
“It is not acceptable in this country or any other,” he emphasised, “for people wherever they are to be attacked, maimed, killed, and communities ransacked at will without consequences, while the rest of the country and the world move on. It is the clearest evidence of State failure and collapse.
“At this point, the leadership of this country and the topmost hierarchy of the security architecture need to have a frank and honest conversation about what to do, and do it fast”.
He listed the factors involved in the national security crisis to include competition for resources leading to farmers/herders clashes, activities of illegal miners, criminal displacement of indigenous people for land acquisition, and activities of criminals, kidnappers, bandits, and climate crisis.
“While there are elements of banditry and sheer criminality that have nothing to do with competition for resources, there is also a well-known angle that has to do with perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers in communities across the country,” he said.
Senator Dickson promised “to raise these issues with the relevant authorities, in the coming day”.
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[OPINION] Even If Tinubu Is in France and Wike in London for Treatment, Illness Is Not the Issue—The Culture of Silence That Keeps Nigerians in the Dark Is - John Egbeazien Oshodi
AdminEven if Tinubu is in France and Wike is in London receiving care, there is nothing dishonorable in falling ill—they are human, like all of us. What is truly unsettling is the persistent silence and lack of transparency that keeps Nigerians uninformed and excluded from the realities of those who lead them.
Nigerians were told that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be in France on a “working holiday.” Yet, circulating reports, long-standing suspicions, and commentary from figures like Omoyele Sowore strongly suggest that the trip may be medical in nature. Around the same period, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was seen visibly limping within Nigeria, sparking concern about his health. Shortly after, he reportedly traveled to London, where he is believed to have hosted the 27 suspended Rivers State legislators. If Wike has gone abroad to seek neurological or related treatment, that is understandable and well within the human experience. After all, these men—whether they sit in Aso Rock or preside over federal appointments—are still human beings. They are not immune to the physical and mental pressures that come with life and public service. There is nothing wrong with needing rest, care, or treatment. Illness is not a scandal—it is a fact of existence.
What is troubling, however, is not the fact of illness itself, but the manner in which public officials in Nigeria—just as in many African nations—treat health-related information as a state secret. The deliberate silence, calculated deflections, and vague explanations only further alienate the public and promote distrust. This pattern of secrecy is a deeply ingrained tradition in African political culture, where leaders often choose silence over transparency and image over accountability. This silence does not project strength; instead, it suggests insecurity, elitism, and a complete disregard for the public’s right to know. Leaders forget that the people they govern are not foolish. They observe. They analyze. And when there is no information, they fill the gaps with speculation. The result is unnecessary anxiety, misinformation, and a growing distance between citizens and those in power.
The case of Tinubu mirrors a recurring pattern seen during the administrations of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and President Muhammadu Buhari. Both men faced major health crises while in office, yet the public was kept in the dark until situations worsened or could no longer be hidden. Tinubu’s previous trips to France, often labeled “private visits,” have long been suspected to be medically motivated. This current visit, under the label of a “working holiday,” echoes the same lack of candor. Nigerians are right to be skeptical. When a president is absent or unwell, it is not merely a private matter—it affects national decision-making, leadership continuity, and governance stability.
Similarly, the public appearance of Wike, visibly limping before his travel to London, raised natural concern. As a senior government official, his health is of public interest—not for sensationalism, but for assurance. His reported engagements abroad with Rivers State legislators, despite his physical state, further fueled curiosity. And yet, his camp has remained silent, offering no general update or clarity to the public. Nigerians are left watching blurry video clips, comparing walking patterns, and speculating on what should be addressed simply and respectfully. This is a psychological burden no citizenry should have to bear. In democratic governance, silence from power breeds fear and suspicion, not confidence.
The truth is, this issue is not political—it is psychological. It speaks to how a government respects or disregards the mental and emotional reality of its people. Psychological transparency matters. Leaders must not only appear accountable—they must be accountable. When they vanish without explanation or appear visibly unwell without acknowledgment, it signals that they owe no answers. It reinforces the dangerous idea that public servants serve only themselves. This is a crisis of trust. And Nigeria has seen it far too often. From Yar’Adua’s disappearance to Saudi Arabia, to Buhari’s extended medical stays in the UK, to this very moment with Tinubu and Wike—the cycle continues. A culture of concealment remains intact, while the public remains in the dark.
This must change. Holding public office comes with public responsibility. Tinubu and Wike are not private businessmen; they are public figures, carrying the hopes and mandates of millions. When a public official’s health directly impacts their ability to lead, the people deserve a general update. Nigerians are not asking for hospital charts or personal diagnoses. They are not demanding intimate medical details. All they want is a simple, respectful, and honest acknowledgment—something like: “Yes, I am currently receiving care; I remain stable and able to fulfill my duties.” That statement alone would reduce tension and restore calm. It is not hard. It is basic leadership.
In many real democratic nations, periodic health updates from public officials—especially heads of state—are the norm. In the United States, presidents undergo regular medical checkups, and the results are shared publicly in summary. In France, Germany, Canada, and other functioning democracies, transparency around a leader’s health is not seen as an intrusion, but as a necessary part of public service. This openness does not weaken leadership; it reinforces it. It builds trust. It affirms that the people matter and that the government has nothing to hide. The same standard should apply in Nigeria. There is nothing African or noble about secrecy.
Speaking openly about one’s health is not a sign of weakness—it is a sign of responsibility. It humanizes the leader and connects them with the people they serve. When citizens know their leaders are not gods, but humans doing their best, it creates empathy, not mockery. The current trend of silence, evasion, and image-protection only widens the emotional gap between Nigeria’s rulers and its people. And over time, that silence becomes noise—noise filled with rumors, conspiracy theories, and public resentment.
Even if Tinubu is in France receiving treatment… even if Wike is limping through London for medical reasons… there is nothing shameful about that. What is shameful is the state-sponsored silence that turns human vulnerability into political taboo. Nigerians deserve more than staged appearances and cryptic statements. They deserve a government that treats them with dignity—by simply telling them the truth.
As the writer and a psychologist, I must be clear: I do not know if either Tinubu or Wike is receiving medical attention while in France or London. I do not know if that is even the case. But assuming they are taking time for medical follow-up or recovery, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. What I do wish, however, is that Nigeria’s healthcare system was strong and reliable enough that no leader—or citizen—would feel the need to travel abroad for care.
Let us hope that both men return looking well. No more signs of visible fatigue on President Tinubu’s face. No more limping or struggling movements from Minister Wike. Whatever their conditions may be, I simply wish them well as humans.
But when power limps—whether physically or metaphorically—the people should not be left in the dark. They deserve to be told something—something honest, something respectful, and something true.
This writer does not know any of the individuals involved; the focus is solely on upholding democracy, truth, and justice.
The question that continues to agitate many minds in Nigeria today is: Will Siminalayi Fubara return as the governor of Rivers State after serving out the six-month suspension imperiously slammed on him by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18?
I have a hunch he won’t be reinstated by those who contemptuously and unconstitutionally shoved him off his high perch, unless Nigerians show proof that they will no longer tolerate the impunity of the Tinubu presidency as South Koreans did recently.
On June 3, South Korea will hold a snap presidential election to choose President Yoon Suk Yeol’s successor after the conservative leader was ousted over his imposition of martial law in December 2024. The announcement from acting President Han Duck-soo came four days after the country’s Constitutional Court – equivalent of Nigeria’s Supreme Court – unanimously removed Yoon from office.
Just like Tinubu’s narrow victory in the 2023 presidential election, the former president narrowly defeated Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party by less than a percentage point on March 9, 2022 and assumed office in May. Going by the country’s presidential term, which has been set at five years since 1988, he should be leaving office on May 10, 2027.
But like Tinubu did in Rivers State, the 64-year-old Yoon made an unprecedented power grab on December 3, 2024 when he declared martial law in South Korea, sending hundreds of soldiers and police officers to the National Assembly on the excuse that he sought to maintain order, a move which shocked all.
But hearkening to the admonition of John Philpot Curran, an Irish lawyer, who famously stated that “the condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance” in a July 10, 1790 speech in Dublin, South Korean lawmakers, acutely aware that their president had just carried out a “coup” by taking actions “beyond the powers provided in the constitution,” indignantly stepped up to the legislative plate and the state of emergency and concomitant martial law only lasted about six hours. The parliament voted to block the decree.
Not even President Yoon’s excuse that martial law was needed to defend the country from nuclear-armed North Korea and protect free constitutional order could sway the piqued lawmakers, who voted to impeach him on December 14, 2024. In January, he was arrested and indicted by prosecutors for rebellion.
The hunter, having become the hunted, the disgraced president went to court to quash his impeachment. On Friday, April 4, South Korea’s apex court confirmed his dismissal and upheld his impeachment on the ground that he “violated his duty as Commander-in-Chief by mobilising troops” when he declared martial law.
Calling the former president’s action “a serious challenge to democracy,” Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae said, “(Yoon) committed a grave betrayal of the people’s trust.” Human Rights Watch concurred, calling the ruling a win for the country’s resilience, quest for human rights and democratic values.
In a message to South Koreans through his lawyers shortly after the ruling, a humbled Yoon apologised: “I am so sorry and regretful that I wasn’t able to live up to your expectations.”
Now, President Yoon failed in his gambit because the critical institutions of the Korean State – legislature and judiciary – held him to account.
Contrast that with Tinubu’s impunity. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, he exercised powers he does not have by imposing a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly for “an initial period of six months.” The implication is that if after the “initial period of six months,” Tinubu is not convinced that his ultimate goal has been achieved, he may well extend the suspension.
Tinubu said the decision was taken to restore stability in the state that has been witnessing political turmoil as a result of the disagreement between the governor and the lawmakers. But he was being economical with the truth, which is: Fubara’s disagreement is with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Tinubu’s ally, and not with the lawmakers who are only pawns on the Rivers political chessboard.
Having successfully executed a coup d’état in the oil-rich state by the sudden and unlawful seizure of power from a democratically elected government with the apparent acquiescence of both the National Assembly and Supreme Court, Tinubu went ahead to unconstitutionally appoint former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator and sent hundreds of soldiers and police officers out on the streets of Port Harcourt. On Wednesday, March 19, Tinubu stretched the illegality when he swore in Ibas at Aso Rock cheered by his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
Although the president claims that his action was informed by the security situation in Rivers and the need to forestall a total breakdown of law and order, no one knows what mandate he gave Ibas. Meanwhile, to consolidate power, the sole administrator appointed a serving Naval Officer, Commodore Aminu Shehu, as his Chief of Staff.
Since then, he has been systemically and diligently dismantling all the institutions of governance in Rivers. Having been given all the money accruing to the state government contrary to Supreme Court order, the sole administrator proposed a fresh budget. Last week, he suspended all heads of MDAs and dissolved their boards with immediate effect. He also cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes. Then, on April 9, he announced the reconstitution of some of the boards, populating them with Wike’s loyalists.
It is laughable that the same Ibas who claimed the cancellation of all pending procurements became necessary following the Supreme Court judgment and the absence of an appropriation law, and even went as far as directing all MDAs that carried out such tender processes for projects to immediately refund such fees to the contractors, has been spending the billions of naira Tinubu is throwing on his laps without appropriation.
He has also appointed sole administrators to take charge of the 23 local government areas and reconstituted the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) with Dr. Michael Odey as Chairman. These appointments were announced barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt restrained him from doing so.
Truth be told, right now, there is no transparency in the handling of Rivers State resources. What is happening is tantamount to stealing the people’s patrimony. Meanwhile, as Tinubu disingenuously blames Fubara for all the crisis, quarantining him in Port Harcourt, Wike, the real villain is having a ball. This week, he hosted the suspended lawmakers to a lavish dinner in the United Kingdom.
So, as the days roll by and the sole administrator continues to consolidate power on behalf of those who sent him on the unsavory mission, the question that is concentrating many minds is: what happens after six months?
I am amused that some Nigerians are actually surprised at the sole administrator’s conduct. The truth is that he is never, as envisioned by the Dalai Lama, “a force for good” whose actions are inspired by a genuine concern for others. The idea of a sole administrator became tempting for Tinubu and Wike when the first option which was to use the House of Assembly to impeach both Fubara and his deputy failed. And it failed because the Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, whose responsibility it is, as outlined in Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, to appoint a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations against the governor refused to be arm-twisted. Had Justice Amadi acquiesced to the bullying, there wouldn’t have been need for a state of emergency. Fubara would have been sacked constitutionally.
And to justify the declaration, pipelines had to go up in flames with Fubara, who does not even control the police officers posted to Rivers Government House, as the fall guy. President Tinubu is the country’s chief security officer and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Security of lives and property is the exclusive remit of his office. So, why punish Fubara for a dereliction of duty that falls within the presidential purview? In any case, is it not possible that those behind the two alleged attacks on oil pipelines prior to the declaration of the state of emergency were the same forces who declared the emergency? Why has there been no investigations since the explosions served their purpose?
So, those who appointed Vice Admiral Ibas sole administrator of Rivers neither meant well for this much-abused country nor the survival of its constitutional democracy. His appointment, as has been globally acclaimed is illegal. Is it therefore any surprise that his actions, particularly the appointments he is making are patently illegal?
As Mr. Mohammed Abeny, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), rightly noted when the news of the appointment of sole administrators for the 23 local governments broke on Wednesday, “Apart from the subsisting court order which he has wilfully and recklessly flouted, Vice Admiral Ibas has also disobeyed the apex court’s various judgments declaring the appointment of administrators to run local governments as illegal and unconstitutional.”
A full panel of the Supreme Court, delivering a landmark judgment on July 11, 2024, in a suit which was ironically filed by this same Tinubu administration, unanimously affirmed the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils and frowned against the use of unelected officials to govern at the third tier of government. And when Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo suspended elected chairmen, Fagbemi called him out. But the same Attorney-General has kept mute in the face of Tinubu’s illegalities.
Going forward, I foresee the sole administrator hurriedly conducting local government elections that will be “won” by Wike’s surrogates. The idea is to hand back the grassroots to the former governor preparatory to the 2027 elections.
Does Fubara have a blame in all this? I believe he does but for a different reason altogether. I blame him for given up without a fight. As the saying goes, in a lawless society, it is criminal to be law abiding. Granted, he is a reluctant governor, but having been railroaded into the position, it was criminal of him not to have asserted himself when Tinubu came calling. If the suspension was illegal, then why obey it? Tinubu, as a governor, wouldn’t have obeyed any president’s illegality.
It would have been obvious to Fubara that he was the sole target. The inclusion of the 27 lawmakers was just a smokescreen. And anyone who believes that after six months, Tinubu will recall Fubara must be living in a fool’s paradise. That is definitely not Tinubu’s plan and it won’t happen unless he sees fire in the eyes of the people. If the idea was for Fubara to come back after six months, then there would have been no need for the state of emergency in the first place. If at all he comes back, it will only be because the impeachment plot has been firmed up with cast-iron guarantees and a Chief Judge that will deliver just as the sole administrator is delivering.
Nigerians must brace up for the battles ahead. It is not about Fubara but our collective freedoms that Tinubu and his enablers have sworn to take away. The Rivers State governor is only but a metaphor. If he goes down as Tinubu and Wike have plotted, then we are all dead men walking. The state capture project must have been completed, with our patrimony to boot. In South Korea, the institutions of state did the job on behalf of the people. In Nigeria, those same institutions – National Assembly and Judiciary – are criminally compromised. As it is, the only thing that can bring Fubara back to power and restore our collective dignity is the people’s righteous anger.
The first head of government that declared a state of emergency in Nigeria was the then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912-15 January 1966) and that was in May 1962. I was a student then at Olofin Anglican Grammar School in Idanre in Ondo state, along with Folu Olamiti, Prince Wale Olateru-Olagbegi, Olu Adegboro, Feyi Famutimi (75) and others.
He declared the state of emergency on Wester Region which now comprises of South-West and parts of South-South.
The crisis was an internal affairs in the then region which later consumed the whole country.
The crisis of the Action Group reared its ugly head at the party’s annual convention held in Jos, Plateau in January 1962 like a joke. It was at the convention that the General Secretary of the party, Chief Ayotunde Rosiji (1917-2000) resigned and Mr. Samuel Goomsu Ikoku (1912-1997) took over as the Chief Scribe of the party. Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (1923-2010) became the deputy leader of the party. Mr. Ikoku had earlier defeated his father, Dr. Alvan Ikoku by 59 votes in the Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly election.
The 8th convention of the party was held in African Sports Club in Jos with Chief Ajibola Idowu Ige,SAN (1930-2001) elected publicity Secretary of the party and with Professor Samuel Adepoju Aluko (1929-2012), Prof. Hezekiah Adedunmola Oluwafemi Oluwasanmi (1919-1983), Prof. Victor Adenuga Oyenuga (1917-2010),Chief Arthur Edward Prest (1906-1976), Prof. H.E. Ajose, Dr. Sanya Dojo Onabamiro (1913-1985) and Prof. Akinlawon Ladipo Mabogunje (18 October 1931 – 4 August 2022), in attendance.
At the convention, the then leader of the party, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987) was on one side, while the Premier of the Western Region at the time, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola (1912-1966) was on another side. The crisis snowballed into a major national crisis, the consequences of which we still face today.
Before the declaration of State of emergency, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had issued a press statement on May 22, 1962. In the statement, he declared “the two factions in the Action Group have contacted the Prime Minister regarding the holding of another meeting of the Western Nigeria house of assembly today. The Prime Minister cannot stop the meeting from taking place, but because of the fight which has broken out in the house this morning, if the parties decide to hold a meeting of the house of assembly they may do so. It may be on the strict understanding that there will be no police protection within the chamber. If, however, any party insists on being afforded police protection within the chamber the police may be so present, but the federal government will not accept ant decision reached as a result of such proceedings in the chamber. If in spite of all efforts of the police there should be an outbreak of violence or any disorder, the police have authority to clear the chamber and lock up”.
Despite this clarification, no solution was found to the Western region crisis, in fact the situation became more tensed. However, the logistical problems of the army, which was transferring most of its battalion between the Congo and home depots, a token number of troops and armoured vehicles went to Ibadan to back up the police if necessary. The GOC of the army (General Welby-Everard) caused an administrative sensation by moving his tactical headquarters to Ibadan and setting up a joint ‘pol-mil’ HQ with the Inspector General of Police Sir Kerr Bovell (1913-1973). It was unprecedented. Some AG members asked Chief Anthony Enahoro to go abroad to tell the world of a threat to democracy.
On May 29, 1962, then Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966) summoned an emergency meeting of the Federal House of Representatives which was then the Federal Parliament in Lagos during which he moved a motion on the Action Group crisis. The full motion is hereby reproduced and the reply of the then opposition leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The motion reads thus:” I rise to move the Resolution standing in my name which reads as follows: “That in pursuance of section sixty-five of the constitution of the Federation, It is hereby declared that a state of public emergency exists in Western Region and that this resolution shall remain in force until the end of the month of December, nineteen hundred and sixty-two.
“Members know the reasons why Parliament has reassembled to-day. For the past week or so there has been no properly constituted Government in Western Nigeria. I would like to recapitulate briefly the events which have led to this impasse and in doing so I would like to emphasise that the Federal Government had been motivated solely by the desire to ensure that peace, order and tranquility are maintained throughout parts of the Federation.
“ A political crisis developed within the Action Group which was the party in control of the Government of Western Nigeria. Following the crisis the National Executive of the party deposed Chief Akintola as Deputy Leader and asked him to resign his appointment as Premier of Western Nigeria. On the 20th of May, the Premier advised the Governor of Western Nigeria that in view of the political crisis which had been developed in the Region and of the rival claims of the two factions to a majority support of the electorate in the Region His Excellency should exercise his powers under section 31 of Part III of the Constitution of Western Nigeria to dissolve the Legislative House of the Region. The Governor refused.
“On the same day the Premier asked the Speaker, for the same reasons, to convene the Western House of Assembly for Wednesday, May 23rd to consider and pass a Motion for a vote of confidence in the Government of Western Nigeria but the Speaker also refused. The following day the Governor purported to exercise the powers vested in him by section 33(10) of the constitution of Western Nigeria set out in the Fourth Schedule to the Nigeria Constitution Order-in-Council 1960 and purported to remove Chief Akintola from his office as Premier of Western Nigeria with effect from the 21st of May. Chief Akintola thereupon filed a Motion in the High Court challenging the power of the Governor to remove him from office in the manner he did. The matter is still before the court for determination.
“The Governor, nevertheless, proceeded to exercise the powers in normal circumstances vested in him by section 33(1) of the Constitution of Western Nigeria by purporting to appoint Chief D.S. Adegbenro to be Premier of Western Nigeria with effect from the 21st of May. A meeting of the Western House of Assembly was summoned for the 25th of May.
“As Members know, two unsuccessful attempts were made on that day to hold meetings of the Western House of Assembly; the first one ended in a violent uproar and disorder. The police had no alternative but to use tear gas to disperse all Members, but before then the House had become a shambles. I was then approached by one side to the dispute to allow the Nigeria Police to guard the Chamber of the Western House of Assembly so that another meeting could be held, this time, in the House of Chiefs which was to be used as the House of Assembly. The other side almost immediately warned that it would be unwise and risky to allow such further meeting to be held. Before the attempt to hold a second meeting I felt impelled to issue the following release: “The two factions in the Action Group have contacted the Prime Minister regarding the holding of another meeting of the Western Nigeria House of Assembly today. The Prime Minister cannot stop the meeting from taking place but because of the fight which has broken out in the House this morning if the parties decided to hold a meeting of the House of Assembly they may do so. It must be on the strict understanding that there will be no police protection within the Chamber. If, however, any party insists on being afforded police protection within the Chamber the police may be so present, but the Federal Government will not accept any decision reached as a result of such proceedings in the Chamber. If in spite of all the efforts of the Police there should be an outbreak of violence or any disorder, the Police have authority to clear the Chamber and lock it up.”
“Shortly after the release had been issued, I received a further report from the Inspector-General of Police that an attempt had been made to hold a meeting under Nigeria Police protection but that it has resulted in a far greater uproar and commotion than the earlier one. The Police therefore cleared the Chamber and locked it up.
“ In the afternoon of the same day, May 25th, the Council of Ministers met to discuss the situation. The same evening, I made a nation-wide broadcast explaining the position of the Federal Government in the matter, and in the course of any broadcast, I made the following observation:
“No responsible Government of the Federation could allow an explosive situation such as that which now exists in Western Nigeria to continue without taking adequate measures to ensure that there is an early return to the Region of peace, order and good Government.”
“I said a few moments ago that the past week or so there does not appear to have been any validly constituted Government in Western Nigeria. In the light of the violent incidents on May 25th which badly shattered both Houses of Assembly, it is difficult to see how the public affairs of the Western Region could possibly be carried on in an atmosphere of warring factions of a party in power so sadly rent asunder in the old world struggle that will ultimately do nobody any good inside and outside Western Nigeria. This is the background against which I ask honourable members to assess the situation and to authorize the Government of the Federation to take appropriate measures in accordance with the provisions of our constitution.
“Allegation of conspiracy have been made against the Federal Government, that it had planned the whole crisis in order to take over the Western Nigeria Government. It has also been said in certain quarters that this parliament would be abusing its powers were it to declare a state of emergency because the sad and unfortunate occurrences had not extended.
“Nothing could be rather from the truth. We are surely not responsible for the chain of events that led to the party and personal wrangles and the attempted by-passing of the Western Legislature and to the mutual dismissal and counter dismissal between the Governor and Premier. The question at issue is whether in the absence of a duly constituted Government in Western Nigeria, the Federal Government have no responsibility for ensuring peace, order and good government in that region. The main purpose of this Resolution is to seek Parliament’s approval for measures which the Federal Government proposes to adopt in order to ensure an early return to Western Nigeria of peace, order and good government.
“I ask all Nigerians to co-operate and support the Federal Government at this momentous turning point in our national history. It is not yet two years since we began the adventurous but arduous talk nation building. The eyes of the whole world are upon us, particularly now when we, a responsible and friendly people are seeking to exercise our development plans and to increase the happiness and prosperity of our people.
“I solemnly assure you that the power we shall soon be forced to assume will be exercised in as humane and democratic a manner as the circumstances will permit and that as soon as reasonably may be, the Federal Government will actively promote and encourage a situation in which an early return to the normal process of Parliamentary Government could be guaranteed for all classes of people of Western Nigeria. I beg to move.” The Prime Minister’s motion was seconded by the Federal Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, representing Warri constituency.
In reply, the Leader of Opposition in the Federal Parliament, and Leader of the Action Group, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, said: “I beg to move the following Amendment to the Motion already proposed by the Prime Minister:
“To delete all the words of the Motion after-that – and substitute – “This honourable House declares after having regard to the provisions of section 65 of the Constitution of the Federation of Nigeria a state of public emergency does not exist.”
“May I draw the attention of honourable Members to the provisions of section 65 of our Constitution. It is not usual for Members to read the Constitution unless occasion such as this arises or some other incidents which affect us occur.
Section 65 reads: “65(1) Parliament may at any time make such laws for Nigeria or any part thereof with respect to matters not included in the Legislative Lists as may appear to Parliament to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of maintaining or securing peace, order and good government during any period of emergency.”
“The section 3-(3) In this section “period of emergency” means any period during which (a) the Federation is at war; (b) there is in force a resolution by each House of Parliament declaring that a state of public of emergency exists; and (c) there is in force a resolution of each House of Parliament supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of the House declaring that democratic institutions in Nigeria are threatened by subversion.
“That is the section, Mr. Speaker, and I hold the view very strongly- and that view is in no way shaken by the speech made by the Prime Minister that the step which the Federal Government now proposes is uncalled for and unwarranted.
“The first question which any reasonable person ought to ask himself is this. Is there a state of emergency in the Western Region? That is the most important question which the Prime Minister and the Cabinet must ask themselves. I submit with greater respect that a state of emergency does not exist in Western Nigeria.
“Not long ago after independence, there was rioting of a most severe nature in the Tiv Division of Northern Nigeria. Several lives were lost, several properties were destroyed, there was arson and a host of other crimes were committed. At that time, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the Prime Minister as he is the Prime Minister, today. He did not think it fit to call this Parliament to declare a state of emergency in the Northern Region. Also, in Okrika, there was widespread rioting in Okrika; again, several lives and properties were lost. I understand that this widespread rioting in Okrika occurred twice in the Eastern Region. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet did not think it fit on that occasion to declare a state of public emergency in the Eastern Region.
“But, because the Action Group is pursuing the normal democratic processes as laid down in our Constitution to oust someone who happens to be very close friend of the Prime Minister, and also because the Action Group is looked upon as a moral foe to the N.P.C., this very far-reaching provision of our Constitution is now being invoked, only in respect of what might be described as squabbles inside the Chamber of the Western House of Assembly. It is doing violence to our Constitution and doing violence to the construction of words to suggest that what happened in the Western House of Assembly amounts to a state of public emergency.
“I was present there myself and when I left that Chamber, those who were outside the Chamber did not even know that anything was happening inside the Chamber. Ibadan is peaceful – the whole of the Western Region is peaceful; it is true that the newspaper have been exaggerating the situation in the Western Region, the Prime Minister himself has lent his support to this exaggeration; he cancelled all his engagements- whether they existed or not I do not know; the Governor- General was suddenly summoned back from his holiday in Nsukka to come to Lagos even when there was no deterioration in the situation in the Western Nigeria.
“I maintain that this is a calculated, premeditated attempt on the part of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet to try, if they could, to castrate the Action Group, to disturb the welfare of the people of the Western Nigeria who have always been looked upon as the foes of the N.P.C.
“May I say that I can understand the yearnings and the wishes of the N.C.N.C. and the stand of the N.C.N.C. in this matter. Every political party wants to be in power- we want to be in power here in the Centre one day, and by the grace of God we will. But the N.C.N.C. wants, naturally, to fish in troubled waters. If I were in their shoes, I would think that no occasion is more favourable than now to have a dissolution of the Legislature of the Western Region, because this dissolution now would mean a split in the votes of the Action Group. It might be that by such a split, they could sort of fluke in and form the Government of Nigeria. In any case, whatever happened after that dissolution, the N.C.N.C. would not be any worse off than they were before, namely to be in the Opposition- that is the worst that could happened to them. But there is a chance- the off-chance- that they may just manage to win.
“Therefore, I can understand the action of the N.C.N.C. in this matter, because that is the party in opposition in the Western Region. The N.P.C. has no foothold in the West, and it is doing its very best to find a foothold in the Western Region.
“There are a number of persons who call themselves N.P.C. Members for Ibadan, but they are by themselves; they have some following of a type among people who live in Mokola, Ibadan, that is to be understood; but the N.P.C. as such has no following in the Western Region, and it is the N.P.C. dominated Federal Government that now wants to impose its rule on the people of the Western Nigeria, simply because there was what the Prime Minister called uproar in the Chamber of the Western House of Assembly- not an uproar in Ibadan as whole; not uproar in Ogbomoso the home of Chief Akintola who is involved in this matter; not an uproar in Ijebu-Remo; not an uproar in Ikorodu, not an uproar anywhere in the Western Region. The Prime Minister thinks that this very far-reaching provisions of the Constitution should be invoked merely to save a friend!
“Secondly, what is a public emergency? What is a state of public emergency? May I say that my view quite candidly is that a state of public emergency arises only when there is widespread violence in any part of the Federation. In this particular case there is no widespread violence or rioting or disturbance in the Western Region. And yet, the Honourable Minister for War- for Defence- sent soldiers to Ibadan as a matter of routine I think, because the soldiers there have been moved to Congo; and then he went on the air to say”Oh yes, we have sent them there because of the tension in Ibadan.” Where is the tension in Ibadan? I may walk about the streets of Ibadan, and if the Mnister of Defence challenges, I invite him to come along to Ibadan and go about the streets of Ibadan. But they want to create this artificial tension in the Western Region in order to invoke this far-reaching provision of the Constitution.
“Thirdly I say- I said it outside this House and I want to repeat it on the floor of this honourable House- that the action now being taken by the Federal Government is a gross misuse of power; I do not say abuse because as far as I can see there is no abuse yet- I hope the Federal Government does not abuse its power in the process of implementing this Resolution, but so far it is a gross misuse of power; the circumstances which should warrant the use of this power have not yet risen.
“What is more? The Prime Minister was very, very careful in stating the events which led to his having to decide to take this action which he is now taking. I never knew him to be journalist, I know him to be an educationist, a politician and a statesman, but like some journalists he has put a little bit of twist and slant in relating the events, so as to show that it is the Action Group, vis-à-vis Chief Akintola that is at fault in this matter. Why did the Prime Minister not tell this House the story which the Police have no doubt told him concerning the events in the House of Assembly on that day! He knows the story but he has chosen not to tell it, and since he has failed to tell it, I will tell that story and challenge the Prime Minister to deny it.
“The truth is that in the House of Assembly that day, Honourable Members were assembled as we are here now assembled; prayers were said and then immediately after that, one Mr. Oke, a supporter of Chief Akintola, a Member from Ogbomosho, jumped on the desk and was running about on the desk and then lifted a chair and struck somebody on the head. That is how it started, and then thereafter one Mr. Ebubedike, the Member for Badagry, who lives in Ajeromi, took the Mace and then in an attempt to strike the Speaker with the Mace, the Mace struck the Table and broke into two. These events were witnessed by the Police and then chairs were lifted and were thrown all over the place by supporters of Chief Akintola.
As they say “the majority will have their way while the minority will have their say”.
By 232 to 44, the Prime Minister’s motion was passed.
Parliament approved the emergency regulations, which created the post of administrator western region, and gave the holder powers to nominate commissioner to exercise ministerial powers under his direction, to make any orders necessary in the absence of any other laws adequate to restore law and order and good government, and to amalgamate the local government police forces into the Nigeria police. He could imprison anyone spreading misleading reports, prohibit processions and meetings, detain or restrict persons in the interests of public order, and search premises without warrant.
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa exercised his new prerogative to appoint his doctor friend, Senator Chief Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, the minister of health who still belonged to no party, as administrator.
The two people who gained from the declaration of the state of emergency were Chief Majekodunmi (1916-2012) and his then ADC, Captain Murtala Mohammed GCFR (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976), who later became the head of state and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in July 1975, when the government of General Yakubu Gowon (90) was overthrown. His appointment as ADC was his first contact with government activities.
Teniola, a retired director at the presidency, wrote from Lagos.
It’s a most unlikely crime scene. I travelled by road from the Benin airport to Uromi, Esanland’s most significant town, for a wedding about three years ago.
The fear of kidnappers is a constant worry for road users. I was nervous for nearly four hours of the taxi ride, especially as we turned off the busy Agbor Road and veered onto narrow, lonely roads meandering through many forested small towns and villages.
I was nervous. When the driver ran into a pothole, and a loud noise suggested we might have lost a wheel or something, I insisted he should keep moving, as long as the car could still move, until we later discovered it was the wheel cover.
Entering Uromi
It was not until we passed Ubiaja, the hotspot between Biafran and Federal troops during Nigeria’s civil war and cultural capital of Esanland, and reached Igueben, the rusty town of one of Nigeria’s famous politicians, Tom Ikimi, about 20 minutes’ drive from Uromi, that I started breathing easy. It was my first visit to Uromi, a town I had known and heard about since my teenage years.
Memories from the past
My earliest memory of this town was when my mother worked as a cook at St. Theresa’s Hospital, Kirikiri Ajegunle, Lagos, owned at the time by Dr. Okoli, an Igbo man, and his wife, a nurse and an Esan from Uromi. Occasionally, when there was some social event in Uromi, the Okolis took my mum along to cook, and she returned with plenty of palm oil, large tubers of yam, and fresh fruits.
But there’s another memory of Uromi apart from my mother’s work and travels. It’s the historical significance of this town in the old Benin Empire. More contemporary references might be about the exploits of some of Uromi’s notable people, such as the three Anthonys – Enahoro, Olubunmi-Okogie and Anenih – whose footprints in politics and liberation theology cannot be easily forgotten.
Innocence lost to rage
Yet, these notable persons were inspired by the town’s extraordinary heritage of struggle and resistance to oppression. Uromi resisted the expansionism of the Benin Empire during Oba Ozolua’s reign and fought the British colonial invaders.
Though many of the town’s original settlers are believed to have come from central Nigeria, migrants from other places also settled there, highlighting its tolerance for visitors and diverse heritage as the town grew into one of Esanland’s most important agricultural trading posts.
That diversity, enterprise and welcoming spirit now seem like a story from a bygone era. After the tragic killing of the 16 travellers reportedly going to Kano to observe the Eid on March 28, the town has lost its innocence. For a long time, it will be remembered not as that place my mother frequented as a cook or the homestead of Enahoro, one of Nigeria’s greatest patriots and nationalists, but as a crime scene.
Agony of bereavement
The heartbreaking story of Hauwa Bala (whose husband, Isah, was among the Uromi 16) who went into premature labour upon hearing of her husband’s tragic death or Sadiya Sa’adu, who lost a brother and a nephew will haunt the community, as will the stories of each of the dead, and indeed the unfolding horror in Uromi now under siege and a brutal crackdown. The security services are poised to forget their complicity and instead crush the town in a mocking search for justice.
Journey to anomie
How did we get here? Kidnapping and banditry have grown from a fringe business to a N2.23 trillion naira industry, and hardly any part of the country is spared this misery. In the last 10 years, clashes among rival cult gangs have been rife in Edo State, as have been reports of severe violence as a result of farmer-herder clashes. One report said in 2020, Edo was the third most affected by violence in the Niger Delta after Delta and Rivers States.
Violent clashes between farmers and herders have led to significant loss of lives. In February alone, 27 farmers in Edo were reportedly killed by herdsmen. This figure is only a tiny part of the bloody trail that often includes grotesque stories of rape, murder and wantonness wrecking many farming communities across the country as herders roam southwards for pasture.
Politicians’ fake outrage
While the affected communities writhe in anguish, official response, especially by politicians and the police, has ranged from chewing the microphone with empty promises of justice to sheer indifference and, in fact, alleged complicity in supplying weapons to the herders in some cases. We’ve seen this repeatedly across the country, from Uromi in Edo to towns in Benue and Plateau States.
When the state, expected to guarantee security and maintain law and order, abdicates its responsibility, turns a blind eye or becomes complicit, people take the law into their own hands. What happened in Uromi on March 28 is one of the tragic outcomes.
The appearance of shock and outrage amongst politicians and the security services is hypocrisy disguised as empathy. They can fool themselves all day long. Unless they begin to rebuild trust in communities and people – whether farmers or herders – can see that there are consequences for breaking the law, Uromi will not be the last tragic crime scene.
Citizens’ dilemma
Yet, while many communities are under attack, residents are on their own. The Supreme Court recently gave a judgment upholding the death sentence on Citizen Sunday Jackson and criminalising self-defence even in the face of a clear threat to life. The judgment is an absurdity that compounds the dilemma of communities coping with security services often unwilling, unable or unavailable to protect citizens.
If unarmed Jackson had known that self-defence against herdsman Boua Bururo, who stabbed him seven times on his farm, would not avail him, that if he didn’t die by his attacker’s knife, he would have still been killed by the law, he might have surrendered to his attacker. What a fate!
What kind of society gives the victims the short end of the stick? If communities cannot trust that the police can defend them and courts will not provide justice, self-help prevails. As things stand, respect for life and private property rights is endangered, and to pretend otherwise is to enable jungle justice further.
No excuses
What happened to the Uromi 16 stands condemned, but sadly, the fake outrage by politicians obscures the history behind the tragedy. It neither guarantees that a proper investigation will be done and the perpetrators brought to justice, nor does it assuage current tensions and paranoia in many communities across the country.
Open, unrestrained grazing must stop. The Federal Government must also fast-track community/state policing, which will hopefully use modern surveillance tools and techniques to prevent and fight crime. The current security system is unfit for purpose.
Burden of kindness
I’m sorry for the truck driver who, after driving past the stranded passengers early on, turned back nearly two kilometres to pick up the Uromi 16 and other stranded passengers from the roadside. Even though he escaped the mob attack in Uromi, he now lives with the guilt of a bloody reward for his act of kindness, the tragic consequence of a society where trust and compassion have declined.
Neither the Uromi I read about in history nor the one my mother visited is the same as the present crime scene. Something is broken, and false outrage won’t fix it.