OTHERS' VIEWS

OTHERS' VIEWS

It is not surprising that the revelations and admissions by former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB)., in his recently released autobiography, A Journey In Service, has elicited a lot of reactions from virtually every section of Nigeria and her citizenry. The thrust of most of the reactions is that he made his revelations very belatedly, after the nation had gone, full cycle, through the agony of some of his actions while in office, key of which is the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. In my opinion, however, it is wrong to accuse IBB of coming with his revelations belatedly simply because of June 12. IBB in his book raised other critical issues that transcend June 12.  As far as I am concerned, he came up with them at the most appropriate time since it gives us a larger ambience to interrogate other acts of perfidy that were committed against Nigerians and their country before and after June 12.

Minus the fact that many Nigerians miss the amiable and very large-hearted Moshood Abiola – who perhaps would have still been alive today but for that annulment   – I believe that the nation has since put June 12 behind it; especially after the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari wisely decided to recognize him as a former president. We should count ourselves lucky that God kept General Babangida alive up till now. IBB would have had nothing to lose if he had preferred to keep mute till the Almighty Allah takes him away. In other words, Nigeria as a country is the beneficiary since, as I have already pointed out, the book has armed us with materials for a more transcendental interrogation of our collective existence.

So, much as the reawakening of the emotions over June 12 by IBB’s book is quite understandable, I think that what matters now is to immediately follow up with the revelations of the retired General. We have to immediately embark on a journey towards a true and final reconciliation; to which we have paid lip service  over the years. There was an attempt at that through the Oputa Panel but the opportunity was bungled. In the light of what we now know, thanks to Babangida’s book, we should avail ourselves another opportunity and with all alacrity this time around.

In making this submission, I am encouraged by the fact that the fellow currently at the helm of affairs, President Bola Tinubu, has demonstrated a tremendous flair for getting at the root of issues. Therefore, apart from the imperatives of his bold and courageous economic reforms, I think that providence is also saddling him with the responsibility of building a new nation.

 Let’s take the civil war, especially the circumstances that led to it. Take specifically the January 15, 1966 military coup and the counter coup of July 29, 1966. Even though a lot has been written before now about the two military coup de’tats that led to the war, I am of the opinion that IBB’s narration is the one we have been waiting for. Take the matter of whether or not the January 15, 1966 coup was an “Igbo coup”. I am of the strong belief that as far as majority of Nigerians are concerned, Babangida’s book has finally laid it to rest. Contrary to what have been bandied for nearly the past six decades, Babangida’s book has shown that it was not an “Igbo coup”, pure and simple. 

This was how IBB put it: “… as a young officer who saw all this from a distance, probably, ethnic sentiments did not drive the original objective of the coup plotters. For instance, the head of the plotters, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was only ‘Igbo’ in name. Born and raised in Kaduna, his immigrant parents were from Okpanam in today’s Delta state, which in 1966, was in the mid-west. Nzeogwu spoke fluent Hausa and was as ‘Hausa’ as any! He and his original team probably thought, even if naive, that they could turn things around for the better in the country … It should, however be borne in mind that some senior officers of Igbo extraction were also victims of the January coup. For instance, my erstwhile commander at the Reconnaissance Squadron in Kaduna, Lt-Col. Arthur Chinyelu Unegbe, was brutally gunned down by his own ‘brother’, Major Chris Anuforo in the presence of his pregnant wife … it should also be remembered that some non-Igbo officers like Major Adewale Ademoyega, Captain Ganiyu Adeleke, Lts Fola Oyewole and Olafimihan, took part in the failed coup. Another officer of Igbo extraction, Major John Obienu, crushed the coup”.

Babangida further pointed out that “those who argue that the original intention of the coup plotters was anything but ethnic refer to the fact that the initial purpose of the plotters was to release Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison immediately after the coup and make him the executive provisional president of Nigeria. The fact that these ‘Igbo’ officers would do this to a man not known to be a great ‘lover’ of the Igbos may have given the coup a different ethnic coloration…”

I am relieved by Babangida’s disclosures. They have removed a load on my head with the realization that we can now bring a closure to one particular issue that has militated against our efforts at building a united nation since after the civil war.  Let’s not make any further mistake about it, the wrongful dubbing of the January 15, 1966 coup as an “Igbo coup” is at the very heart of our problem as a nation. That falsehood was what led to the second coup of July 29, 1966 and the subsequent pogrom which Babangida in his book described thus: “…the most horrific killing of the Igbos occurred in different parts of northern Nigeria on September 29, 1966… the killings were frightening” (page 63). If northern elements – both civilian and military – took a revenge on Igbo civilians, whose brothers in the army allegedly staged a coup that led to the death of several of their political and military leaders, the anger was total among the Igbo back home.

Stories of the pogrom were quite disheartening. I have a personal one. A man, who was popularly known as Bekee in my home town, Okohia, had his pregnant wife killed in his presence; her stomach ripped open and the unborn baby brought out from the womb and smashed. Although Bekee managed to escape and return home, he could not survive the trauma of that experience. The story angered the youths in my area as a result of which several of them – including my very self –  rushed to get enlisted into what was then known as the Boys Company, a branch of the Biafran army. Over 70 per cent got perished in the war.

Since after the war, caused basically by the falsity of an ‘Igbo coup”, the Igbo have been at the receiving end; and which is why there is a subsisting agitation for a separate country. What Babangida has done is calling on the leadership of the country for a final closure to what seems to be an animosity in perpetuity. If we must mobilize the entire citizenry for nation building, there must be reconciliation. So, rather than doubt his sincerity, Nigerians should see in what IBB has done through his book as a grand opportunity to pursue a new dawn. But for that to happen, some of the major dramatis personnea in that saga should take a cue from there and similarly tell the nation all that they know about that dark era of our history. Take General Yakubu Gowon, for example, who, more than any other living Nigerian, was most central in the events that ensued after the ‘Igbo Coup’.

Essentially, I would like that General Gowon address Nigerians on the Aburi Accord; why it failed and which some narrators, including Babangida, cite as the final straw that broke the Carmel’s back; that is, the thing that finally led to the thirty-months long civil war. A well-known angle to the story has it that Lt-Col Yakubu Gowon – as he was then known – as head of state of Nigeria reneged on the agreements in the Aburi Accord upon the advice of Northern political leaders who told him that the Accord – which was that Nigeria should go for a structure of a loose federation – was not in the interest of the North.  Let’s take a look at the insights provided   by Babangida in his book:

“The emergence of Lt-Col Gowon as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces marked the beginning of the tension between Gowon and Lt-Col Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. … Ojukwu rejected Gowon’s emergence as Head of State, insisting that in the absence of Aguiyi-Ironsi, the most senior Nigerian Army officer in the person of Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe, should be Head of State and Commander-in-Chief”.  But that was not to be; and tension rose. According to IBB, it was under these circumstances that Lt-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, then Ghana’s head of state, “stepped in by suggesting a neutral and safe venue for an actual Reconciliation conference between Ojukwu and the federal government”. Babangida further wrote that that intervention by General Ankrah led to the famous Peace Conference in …Aburi between January 4 and 5 1967 and which resulted in the “famous Aburi Accord”. But that was where the story ended.

Hear IBB: “in the absence of fully published records from the federal government regarding what transpired at the Aburi meetings, the details of what happened HAVE (emphasis mine) remained speculative. While the published accounts of the eastern Nigeria delegation insisted that an agreement for a loose Nigerian federation was agreed to, the federal government claimed that the agreement reached was understood and seen within the framework of a united Nigerian state… These differences in interpretations were the final trigger for the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil war”.

Since Ojukwu is no more, it is to Gowon, who was present at the public presentation of Babangida’s book – and even made a speech – that Nigerians should now turn to with the question: “What happened?” Why was the Aburi Accord not implemented; or why did the federal government which he led choose to wallow in ambiguity over the contents of the Accord as clearly stated by IBB? Why was Brigadier Ogundipe, who was the most senior army officer then, not allowed to take over as head of state and commander-in-chief? Fast forward to 1976, after the assassination of the then head of state, General Murtala Mohammed and how almost effortlessly the military hierarchy settled for the then Lt. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, who was Mohammed’s second-in-command, to take over as head of state and commander-in-chief.

Babangida recalls: “We knew it would be either General Obasanjo or General Danjuma since as Lt. Generals, they were the most senior… the pendulum swung in favour of General Danjuma at the start of the deliberations. Everyone present, including Obasanjo, thought Danjuma should take over. But somehow, Danjuma cast his lot for Obasanjo, insisting that as Mohammed’s deputy and a ‘senior’ Lieutenant-General, Obasanjo should succeed Murtala Mohammed. Obasanjo refused and offered… to retire from the army to enable Danjuma to emerge as head of state. There appeared to be a momentary stalemate. But that soon faded away. Faced with the insistence of Danjuma, everyone caved in and Obasanjo accepted the challenge to succeed Murtala”.  Going by the above, was Ojukwu, not vindicated on his stance on Ogundipe in 1966?

The next among the resource fellows in our proposed final reconciliation conference would be former civilian president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. I believe that many Nigerians are aware that in a book released earlier, BOLD LEAP, an autobiography of Senator Chris Anyanwu, she made a revelation which has remained a subject of discussion throughout the country in the past two months or so. Senator Anyanwu had in her book claimed that she got approval from President Jonathan to call in the military to intervene in the 2011 governorship election in Imo state.

On page 470 of her book, Anyanwu narrated how, at a meeting with Dr. Jonathan in his house in his home town, Otueke, in Bayelsa state, the then president, said “Ok” to her proposal to mobilize the military to Imo state in order to stop me from rigging the governorship election. And as is well known, the military invaded the state in a Gestapo style and unleashed terror on the electorate. The question Nigerians have been asking since after that revelation is, assuming that it was true that I wanted to rig the election, was drafting the military into an electoral process the best way to stop me? Up till this moment, Dr. Jonathan and his handlers are yet to respond to that claim by Senator Anyanwu, a claim that clearly defamed him and poured red ink on his democratic credentials. Like Gowon, Jonathan was present at the launching of IBB’s book. So, to him (Jonathan) also should be directed the question: “What happened”?

However, he, Jonathan, does not have the liberty of waiting, like IBB, for thirty two years; for the simple reason that Nigerians are eager to come to a closure to the practices and individual idiosyncrasies that constitute stumbling blocks in our match to an enduring democracy. Even so, Babangida’s ‘crime’ is perhaps more pardonable since it was committed in the context of a military regime with June 12 epitomizing the determination of Nigerians to end it once and for all. On the other hand, the perfidy that occurred in Imo in 2011 came eighteen good years after Nigerians had decisively won the battle to install an enduring democracy.

Overall, Babangida’s book may have evoked angry sentiments of an era that Nigerians would have wished never had been their lot but we now have an opportunity to go the whole log. As suggested by President Olusegun Obasanjo in his speech at the book launch, IBB should not be deterred by the knocks he is receiving for making this patriotic move in the twilight of his life. My friend and brother, Femi Fani-Kayode, who was barely six years old in 1966, could not possibly fault Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who was twenty four years old and already a commissioned officer in the Nigerian army by the time of the incidents under review. What FFK read as history, IBB witnessed as an event. So, Femi, my brother from another mother, don’t go there.

•                Ohakim is a former Governor of Imo State

Making resolutions is a fantastic way to start the new year. At the beginning of every year, we all outline the goals and aspirations we want to achieve. 2025 is not different. From planning to save more money and committing to other financial goals, to eating healthier, improving our spirituality, exercising more, and losing weight, (a lot) MANY of us set targets for the things we want to achieve.

But looking back and with exactly 60 days into 2025, how many of these things that we resolved to achieve are we pursuing? Don’t be discouraged. It is not late to recommit to these goals, as focusing on them can help you jumpstart a life-change or try to experience new things over the next 305 days left (IN) this year, especially fixing your financial goals and deepening financial literacy.

Financial literacy is a core life-skill for participating in modern society. Being financially literate gives you the ability to make wise financial decisions based on your income and help in prioritising the way you spend your money. It also helps you prevent needless debt and wasteful spending by creating a budget.

Also, one of the most important skills to have in a financially-driven market is the ability to save for rainy days. A person who is financially educated understands that they should not spend all their income as they come. A certain amount must be set aside for future use, no matter how small. You can divide your savings into emergency cash and long-term objectives. If you experience financial difficulties, having emergency money will prevent you from depleting your long-term savings or accruing debt.

Financial literacy provides information about which economic areas are profitable to invest in. In other words, it assists you in choosing the best investments. It aids in economic forecasting and future projections, which can help you make informed financial choices. You would be better off investing your money in a business or other investment alternatives that will provide dividends over time rather than keeping it in a safe place or sitting idle in (WHERE)?

Surveys conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had shown that young adults have amongst the lowest levels of financial literacy. This is reflected by their general inability to choose the right financial products and often a lack of interest in undertaking sound financial planning.

That is why from an early age, children need to develop the skills to help choose between different career and education options and manage any discretionary funds they may have, whether from allowances or part-time jobs. In other words, financial literacy empowers you to make informed judgements and to take effective actions regarding the current and future use of and management of money.

Relatedly, the Consumer Federation of America found a strong relationship between having spending and saving plans and maintaining emergency funds. Particularly for low-income individuals, those with a spending plan with goals were far more likely to have saved money for emergencies than were those without a plan. It is well established by research that people who feel a sense of control over life events are often happier, cope better, and are more resilient in times of stress than others.

Conversely, people are especially unhappy in situations where they perceive themselves to have a lack of control. That is why encouraging people to develop and implement a personal saving plan is very essential for wealth creation. Having a store of rainy days’ money can increase a low-income family’s resilience and enable them to cope better with unexpected shocks.

In addition, storing up assets could increase opportunities. For example, it provides the funds for families to support children when they go to university or to pay for training.

Also, a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research showed that behavioural economists believe that saving can be increased through a combination of incentives. The most effective savings products for low-income families combine making saving as easy as possible, while providing an incentive for savings to be retained.

By learning from our past mistakes and adopting a more realistic and sustainable approach, we can finally break the cycle and achieve our financial dreams. Keep in mind that accumulating wealth is a journey rather than a race. Continue to be consistent, maintain your focus, and acknowledge your accomplishments as you go.

Associates and praise-singers of President Bola Tinubu who think that the emerging crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly is no threat to his 26-year dominion over Lagos should better rethink.

Though it now appears as a storm in a teacup, the potential for escalation is very visible. Significantly, this threat to Tinubu is not coming from the political opposition but from some of his closest foot soldiers, including men and women he had trusted with political power.

Yesterday, in the most audacious mockery of Tinubu’s protégée, the recently sacked speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, his replacement, Speaker Mojisola Meranda dismissed him, Obasa as a political comedian.

The comment from Speaker Meranda was significant given the fact that she had all the while kept away from the fray. The nearest we saw of Meranda bringing herself to bear was when Nigerians saw her sobbing after the House passed a vote of confidence on her just before the adjournment.

The sight of the first female speaker of the House sobbing on the seat was emotive. Not only was it a revelation of the almost total rejection of Obasa, but there was also a nostalgic feminine pose that was bound to raise problems for the President and supporters of Obasa.

That problem was compounded on Thursday morning when the police security details of Speaker Meranda were withdrawn, and at the same time, Obasa was reinforced with policemen to enter into the House for his four-man sitting.

The poignant impression of Speaker Meranda being physically exposed apparently brought a conviction to the souls of her antagonists, who by the end of the day restored her security details. They were apparently sober enough to recognize that it was not to be heard that something untoward happened to Meranda because of the amputation of her security infrastructure.

Whatever the case, President Tinubu’s alleged efforts to restore Obasa or bring the Lagos lawmakers to reason is quite understandable.

The removal of Obasa distorted the zoning configuration of the three top political offices in Lagos; Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker. The three offices had before now been shared with each of the three senatorial zones having one office each.

However, the removal of Obasa from Lagos West and his replacement with Meranda from Lagos Central means that the governor and speaker have been put in Lagos Central with Lagos West getting nothing.

It is even more significant that Lagos West is about the most complex senatorial district in the state and also the most populated. The votes from Lagos West bring about half of the total votes needed to win an election in the state.

Giving the claims that the president requested that Meranda resign for someone from Lagos West, Tinubu is believed to have acted as a father with an eye for all parts of the state. Certainly, he would not want to displease the people of Lagos West, given their sizeable contribution to the electoral votes.

However, his problem now is that the lawmakers from Lagos West have forsworn the office of speaker in favour of Meranda. So the president’s continued pursuit of the strategy of exiting Meranda may have turned into a poisoned chalice for him. It is even more significant that Meranda who is the junior sister of a powerful traditional ruler in the state, is now being galvanized by some Lagos indigenes as the symbol of the battle to disconnect Tinubu from the levers of Lagos politics.

The allegation flying in the air in some quarters is that Obasa who some of his enemies say is not from Lagos, is being held up as the weapon being used to humiliate a home girl.

But whatever, President Tinubu’s choice in siding with Obasa is bad optics for him, especially given repeated assertions of arrogance and highhandedness meted to his fellow lawmakers. How 36 lawmakers can snub Tinubu because of Obasa must speak to his level of insufferable arrogance.

Whatever, many also see another problem for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 round of elections.

It must not be forgotten that Tinubu lost his home state of Lagos in the 2023 presidential election. So, going into the 2027 round of elections with this kind of acrimony will not lead him to the path of electoral recovery in Lagos.

Even more, the kind of rebellion against him in his home state could inspire political associates in other states to also follow the same path of rebellion.

So, as he tries to navigate the path of equity by restoring the office of speaker to Lagos West, the president is no doubt held hostage by two factors; the internal dynamics spilled by the Obasa problem and the quiet emergence of Lagos-for-Lagos activists determined to one way or the other lift the yoke of political servitude to “foreigners.”

 

In his seminal work, ‘The Republic’, the renowned Greek philosopher, Plato, introduced the idea of the Philosopher King, which makes the indisputable argument that a leader needs to be endowed with wisdom and knowledge to make an extraordinary impact. Plato’s statement on the philosopher king is exemplified by Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR, and his visionary and daring leadership, which is lifting the state into prosperity and livability in an unprecedented way.

The governor, Soludo, has proved that everything rises and falls on leadership, exactly why leadership is the single most critical factor responsible for the development and happiness of the people or lack of it.

Soludo’s Peoples Manifesto is Anambra reimagined and designed to transform the State into a Dubai-Taiwan in due course. The foundation has been fully laid, and building in most aspects commenced. Soludo has added to his vision of a new Anambra as Africa’s Silicon Valley, with IT and digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and manpower. The digital infrastructure is being laid, and the 1 million digital tribe to own and power the future Anambra as one smart mega city is being trained. The first batch of 25,000 has already graduated and is empowered to be useful at home and employable abroad.

Toxic leadership and extraordinary leadership are the two extremes on a continuum. While exceptional leadership is the best that leadership can offer, toxic leadership, the opposite, leaves the organisation or state/nation in a worse state than when it met it. The former is disruptive, and it is to it that a country or organisation owes its revolutionary reforms and significant advancements in development, like those that Governor Soludo is bringing about in Anambra State.

 

When Plato developed the concept of the philosopher king as the ideal leader, he certainly had Soludo in mind. Plato effectually said, “The society we have described can never grow into a reality or see the light of day… until philosophers become rulers in this world, or until those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands.” Governor Soludo successfully combines political sagacity with philosophical sobriety, and he has ingrained the word “solution” into the political system.

He recognises that security is the first fulcrum of a stable society. Before he came into office, Anambra State was under the siege of daredevil criminals who had gained virtually entire control of eight local governments in Anambra State, namely Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Ogbaru, Orumba North, and Orumba South.

The situation was serious and necessitated an unorthodox response. For the first time in the history of Anambra State, Governor Soludo founded the Ministry of Homeland Security and also appointed a Special Adviser on Security and much later, added a Special Adviser on Community Security. The task of confronting the raging criminals head-on fell to members of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG), which is now retooled and rechristened Agunechemba by the new Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025, which is pivotal in the new strike force, Operation Udo Ga-Achi, launched by Governor Soludo on January 18, 2025, when the Homeland Security Law was also signed into force.

 

The so-called “unknown gunmen,” initially thought to be Fulani herders, were found to be mostly Igbo, over 70% of whom are from outside Anambra, who have migrated to the rich state for kidnapping and robbery, as the insecurity war reveals. Full-blooded Igbo men and women are essentially responsible for the insecurity in the state. The Soludo government had to change gears to fully confront insecurity. There are now more boots on the ground (over 2000 men and over 200 trucks and SUVs to ensure statewide coverage), a Command Control Centre, a top-of-the-range tracking system, and a Call Centre for information on the criminals in an inventive way to address the nearly intractable security challenge. “If you see something, say something, earn something! Call 5111 and the call centre will process the Intel with the utmost confidentiality.” “Everything technology, technology everywhere” has become the mantra of the Soludo government.

Anambra is now too hot for robbers, fake and evil Ndi-Dibia, Ndi-Ezenwanyi, and the Okeite magic pot providers since Soludo launched Operation Udo-Ga-Achi and unleashed the Agunechemba on the criminals, resulting in calm returning to Anambra and Oso Soludo (scampering of criminals, including fake and native doctors and fake prophets). Receding insecurity has now revealed Soludo’s transformation of Anambra State with historic infrastructure improvements like the construction of stone-base roads, bridges, flyovers, and dual carriageways; the return of drinking tap water to the urban centres; the first-ever gift of a government house and lodge to the state; the creation of the state’s ultra-modern Solution Fun City; lighting up the state with streetlights everywhere; constructing general hospitals and schools; hiring thousands of teachers, doctors, and nurses; and more—all without borrowing one kobo.

Soludo is also developing three brand new cities, namely Awka 2.0, Onitsha 2.0, and Anambra Mixed Industrial City (AMIC). The railway infrastructure is also in the offing. With free education up to senior secondary school, which is breaking generational poverty transfer, and the 1Youth, 2Skills programme and digital and IT training by the Solution District (SID), the philosopher king, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, is not only physically constructing the new Anambra but also developing a digital and literate population that will live in the emerging new State.

All of Anambra State’s vital signs are under the philosopher king’s control. Soludo arrived prepared and started to work in Okpoko the next day after swearing in. Today, Okpoko, the largest slum east of the Niger, is now a new haven, a signature of Soludo’s urban regeneration. He is always grateful to Ndi Anambra for hiring him for the position. And the people are extremely grateful for the excellent work that the hard-working Mr. Governor has done. One happy citizen has nicknamed Soludo “Oluatuegwu”—He who never hesitates to take on any big project!

 

Soludo is probably the only governor, past and present, to reverse capital expenditure and concurrent spending parity in the state’s annual budget up to 70% in favour of capital. Anambra State’s 2025 budget is currently 77% capital and barely 23% recurrent. This explains why Soludo has accomplished so much without taking out loans in about three years he has been in office. He has won awards for having the highest fiscal discipline and transparency in the nation. He has also been awarded Governor of the Year and Man of the Year by major newspapers in a variety of categories, from tech to infrastructure to human capital development. In the recent primary health care national challenge, Anambra was ranked first in both Southeast Nigeria and Nigeria overall.

The antecedents of Soludo are indeed luminous. Let’s not forget that before he even became Governor of Anambra State, Soludo had saved the Nigerian economy from collapse through his 2004 banking consolidation project when he was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). ‘The Power of One Man: How the Soludo-Engineered Consolidation Transformed Nigerian Banks to Global Players’, written by Dr. Ray Echebiri, was presented at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, July 6, 2024, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the revolutionary banking reforms that, under Soludo’s supervision, resulted in the emergence of 25 banks that beefed up their capital base to a minimum of N25 billion. Before Soludo’s banking consolidation, the combined size of all Nigerian banks could not equal one South African bank. The recapitalisation initiative ultimately created 25 large banks out of the 89 struggling banks that were previously in existence in the country.

In other words, Soludo is a philosopher king who has used his deep knowledge and affective commitment to govern Anambra State. His impressive credentials, which include the coveted First Class in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), are so obvious for everyone to see.

As Soludo has proven, the future becomes the present when a philosopher becomes king. Soludo has brought forward Anambra’s future with his master plan for the physical and human capital development of Anambra State. By cleansing traditional worship, ridding it of fake and evil native doctors, and refocusing Ndi Anambra on their traditional path—Uche, Uchu, and Egwu Chukwu (i.e. integrity, hard work, and fear of God), a renewed Ndi Anambra is emerging.

 

Indeed, Anambra, as one smart mega city and the Silicon Valley of Africa, is on the horizon, thanks to the philosopher king, Soludo, why Ndi Anambra say: Solution is here and call Soludo Mr Solution!

Law Mefor, PhD, is the Anambra state commissioner for information

If Nigerians genuinely seek economic growth and financial stability, we must recognize that taxation is not a choice. It is a necessity. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced the Tax Reform Bills in October 2024, it signified another move toward creating a more efficient, transparent, and equal tax system (similar to removing fuel subsidies). As with every big reform or decision, there will always be people who see change as an opportunity and those who see it as a threat.

For many years, Nigeria’s tax structure was inefficient, with leakages, multiple taxes, and an overreliance on oil money. Things changed when Dr. Zacch Adedeji became the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), bringing transparency and efficiency.

The proposed bills, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service Bill, Joint Tax Board Bill, and Nigeria Tax Bill, seek to simplify tax collection, reduce tax evasion, and ensure revenue is directed toward national development. These measures will improve the ease of doing business, encourage investment, and establish a more equitable system in which big companies pay their fair share. With improved enforcement and fewer loopholes, the government can increase money without burdening citizens. However, instead of seeing the big picture, some opponents focus on minor issues, rejecting the reform rather than strengthening it.

The public hearing on these bills has been a battleground of ideas, where stakeholders have voiced their support, scepticism, and outright opposition. Over the past 5 days, lawmakers, tax professionals, industry leaders, and even religious organizations have all voiced their opinions, offering perspectives that range from practical concerns to strongly held beliefs. But amid the arguments, one thing is undeniable: Nigeria can not afford to maintain the status quo.

 

Some religious groups, like the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria and the Committee of FCT Imams Initiative, oppose the inheritance tax, claiming it violates religious rights. But inheritance tax is not a new idea. It exists globally to promote economic fairness. Nigeria is not religious-rule. Our laws balance secular and customary principles. If there are concerns, the bill can be adjusted to ensure fairness. However, rejecting it entirely distracts from the goal of building a tax system that benefits everyone.

The Trade Union Congress and others oppose raising VAT from 7.5% to 15 percent by 2030, fearing it will worsen the cost of living for everyday Nigerians. While their concerns are valid, the government needs revenue for infrastructure and social amenities. A gradual increase, with exemptions for basic goods, can ease the impact. Many countries fund public services this way, and Nigeria can consider this approach.

The Nigeria Customs Service also raised concerns that the new tax laws will interfere with its duties. But this is not about power. It is about making things work better. The reforms will help government agencies work together and fix long-standing problems in revenue collection.

 

Fighting change will only slow down progress. Now that the hearings are over, the next step is to improve the bill where needed, not abandon it. Those against it should ask themselves: Do we want a Nigeria where the rich avoid taxes while ordinary people struggle? Do we want to keep losing revenue due to loopholes? Or do we want a fair system where everyone contributes to national growth?

While the Senate and House of Representatives have promised to thoroughly review the bill, Nigerians have much to gain from its passage. This reform will enhance the economy, create a fairer tax system, and better livelihoods. If implemented effectively, it will ensure that the benefits of democracy reach everyone, not just a select few. The opportunity is here, we just need to seize it and make it work for everyone.

Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi is the technical assistant on broadcast media to the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

The autobiography of former self-styled “President” Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has already been parsed for its self-serving mendacity, moral spinelessness, maddening insensitivity, self-glorification, and cowardly posthumous smears of dead colleagues.

 I won’t revisit those points here. As someone who has a scholarly interest in—and is actually working on a book on—the rhetoric of collective identity construction in Nigeria, I was drawn to IBB’s self-definition of his identity in his autobiography.

It was Gimba Kakanda, SA to the Vice President and former newspaper columnist, who first quickened my appetite about this in his February 19 Facebook update.

 Kakanda had read an advance copy of IBB’s autobiography and wrote this intriguing summation of it: “It’s a journey that begins with his origins, as the son of a Gbagyi woman, and leads up to the June 12 questions—the answers to which you’ll have to read to discover for yourself.”

In a February 15, 2020, column titled "True Ethnic Origins of Nigeria’s Past Presidents and Heads of State,” I had observed that “IBB’s ethnic identity is surprisingly a magnet for controversy and speculation. He has been called Gbagyi (whom Hausa people call Gwari), Nupe, and even Yoruba from Ogbomoso or Osogbo. But he told journalists and his biographers at different times that his immediate ancestors were Hausas from Kano who migrated to what is now Niger State.”

I was curious if IBB admitted that his maternal filiation was Gbagyi (or Gwari). He actually did. But while he is very specific about his maternal line of descent, he was vague about the ethnic identity of his paternal ancestry.

This is how he describes his paternal ancestry, beginning from his grandfather: “Snippets of details I heard suggested that earlier on, he was a bit of a wanderer, migrating from Sokoto to Kano and Kontagora and settling in Wushishi.”

Contrast this with the specificity with which he describes his maternal heritage: “Apparently, [my grandfather] met his future wife, a young Gwari girl called Halima, in Wushishi, and since his future parents-in-law would only allow him to marry daughter if he agreed to make his home in Wushishi, he readily complied with their condition before settling down in Wushishi and marrying his pretty wife, Halima.”

In yet another description of his Gwari maternal descent, he is informatively direct and specific: “But before he left, my father met and married a beautiful light-skinned Gwari girl, Inna Aishatu, who would become my mother.”

His paternal grandmother was a pretty Gwari woman, and his own mother was a “beautiful light-skinned Gwari girl.” Why did he have a need to call attention to their pulchritude and complexion?

Why did he withhold such details about his grandfather and his father? Sokoto, which he says is the apparent root of his paternal ancestry, was populated by both the Fulani and the Hausa in the “later part of the 19th century” when his grandfather left it for Kano and later Wushishi.

 Although interethnic marriage between the Hausa and the Fulani began to intensify at this time, people still identified their heritage through their fathers. Ethnic identities or labels weren’t hyphenated. Was his father Hausa or Fulani?

Did he, perhaps, obliquely answer that question by gratuitously calling attention to the light skin of his Gwari mother in order to let it be known that his own light complexion is inherited from his mother since the Fulani are stereotypically light-skinned?

Well, IBB told a biographer that his great grandfather hailed from the village of Kumuria [Kumurya?] in Kano State from where he went to Sokoto. But in his autobiography, he only mentions his grandfather migrating from Sokoto to Kano and later to Wushishi. Is this intentional, strategic paternal ancestral ambiguity?

We see evidence of identitarian anxieties in IBB’s life after he left his Niger cultural cocoon. Up until age 23 when he returned from India as a Second Lieutenant, his name was Ibrahim Badamasi, Badamasi being his father’s first name.

“However,” he writes, “before I settled down to work at the First Brigade, a particular incident led me to add ‘Babangida’ to my name. During official engagements that led to my deployment to Kaduna, officers who confused the Yoruba name, Gbadamosi, with my last name, ‘Badamasi,’ repeatedly asked me whether I was Yoruba. That question had come up a few times during my enlisting interview for the military. Since that question persisted (and since I knew I wasn’t Yoruba!), I decided to take on my father’s other name as my last name.”

Three things jumped out at me after reading this part of the book. First, I find it intriguing that he had no hesitation telling us about his mother’s and paternal grandmother’s ethnic identity and even disclaiming a Yoruba identity that he knew would constrain him but chose to conceal his paternal ethnic identity.

Second, IBB didn’t mention Babangida as his father’s other name when the reader first encounters him in the book. He identifies his father as Muhammad Badamasi, not Babangida Badamasi. Maybe this oversight is attributable to sloppy (ghost) writing.

Third, Gbadamosi is not, strictly speaking, a Yoruba name. It’s the Yoruba domestication of Badamasi, which is understood to be a Muslim name in Nigeria. Many people in northwest Nigeria, where he says his paternal roots sprouted from, bear the name.

When I wrote about unusual Muslim names in Nigeria that don’t seem to have any links with the rest of the Muslim world, among which is “Badamasi,” readers who are familiar with the etymology of Badamasi told me that the name (which was probably originally some variant of Badmasi) belongs to an Arabic poet whose book advanced students in traditional Arabic schools,  called makarantun soro in Hausa land, study.

The book, a Sufi poem, is used as a resource for Arabic vocabulary lessons. Over time, it became popularly known as Badamasi, named after its author.

I haven’t found any scholarly corroboration for the claim that Badamasi is the name of an Arab poet, but there is a late nineteenth-century Ilorin Muslim scholar and poet by the name of Badamasi whose poems are often utilized to enhance Arabic vocabulary and are a staple in the curriculum of traditional Islamic schools. But it’s not clear if he is the original bearer of the name.

Badamasi was Yorubized to Gbadamosi and later anglicized to Badmus in Yoruba land.

Curiously, Muslim names, which should transcend, even neutralize, ethnicity, at least on the surface, can become the carriers of the weight of ethnicity in Nigeria. There are notions of “Yoruba Muslim names” not just because of their peculiar Yoruba domestication but because of their higher than usual frequency among Yoruba Muslims.

For example, many northern Muslims and Yoruba Muslims have concluded, without a shred of evidence, that House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas is a Zaria man of Yoruba ancestry because “Tajudeen” occurs more frequently among Yoruba Muslims than it does among Hausa-speaking Muslims.

But Tajudeen Abbas is a Zaria prince. A Yoruba editor friend of mine pushed back when I said the Speaker was at least paternally Fulani by asking which Fulani or Hausa man I knew who bore the name Tajudeen.

 I mentioned Tajudeen Dantata. I then asked if he thought the Dantata family was Yoruba because they named one of their progenies Tajudeen. That ended the conversation.

Dr. Raji Bello, a Fulani man from Yola, also talks about how he is often mistaken for a Yoruba man because people assume that Raji is an exclusively Yoruba Muslim name even though it’s a Muslim name commonly born by South Asian and West African Muslims.

Dr. Bello resisted the type of urge that IBB succumbed to. He once said he was advised by an elder in Zaria to change his name to Rabiu. But he was named after one of his ancestors, a prominent nineteenth-century Muslim scholar in what is now Adamawa by the name of Modibbo Raji.

Finally, IBB described his father as a “messenger/interpreter” in the colonial district office but didn’t say what he interpreted. Since he had no Western education and didn’t speak English, did he translate Gbagyi, his mother’s language, to Hausa or vice versa?

Well, I am not done reading the book. 

Awards come in various shapes and hues in Nigeria. Some are rightly earned, some are bargained, while others are thrust on recipients as appreciative gestures. This Saturday, Lagos will thunder with applause as the SUN Publishing Limited crowns Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, “Governor of the Year”, a well-earned laurel carved from his meritorious performance. The SUN editors, sleuths with sharp eyes, scoured Anambra and found undeniable evidence: over 420 km of roads paved, flyovers like the one in Ekwulobia hugging the sky, 68 km of federal highways dualised, all without a borrowed penny. Awka’s Government House, a 34-year mirage, now becomes a reality; water gushes in Onitsha, Nnewi, and Awka, a lifeline reborn.

The SUN’s hawk eyes caught more: Okpoko, once Nigeria’s grimmest slum, now dubbed “New Haven” with 15 km of roads, lights, a hospital, is a gem rising from decadence. Urban regeneration electrifies Onitsha and Awka, while fiscal discipline, Anambra’s top-five BudgIT ranking, pairs with ambition.

Governor Soludo’s 50-Year Plan and the People's manifesto are beyond a whisper; it is a roar, turning lean resources into lavish triumphs. His refusal to borrow, despite a N100 billion green light, is a gauntlet thrown at waste. The editors saw a state reborn, and they nodded: this man deserves the crown.

But Governor Soludo is no stranger to recognition. As CBN Governor, he stacked $63 billion in reserves and earned triple “Best Central Bank Governor” titles from Financial Times and Euromoney. Six Nigerian papers sang “Man of the Year” in 2006; a CFR honour followed. With 152 awards trailing him, he is a comet of acclaim. Now, Anambra chants “The Solution Is Here,” and Saturday's award ceremony proves it: a tribute to a leader who has made infrastructure a war cry.

This weekend, as Lagos lifts Governor Soludo high in the limelight of rousing applause, Nigeria will see what Anambra already knows: the Solution mantra is a master sculptor’s tool chiseling Anambra into a masterpiece. The SUN garland is neither charity nor flattery; it is a merited recognition of good governance delivered excellently.

If governance is a game, the skilled, brilliant ones know how to score goals that win the hearts of the people. Yet, true game-changers don’t play games. Today, Ndi Anambra has a worthy game-changer in Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, who has turned Anambra into a rocket blazing skyward, and he has done it in just two and a half years. With wallets thinner than a razor’s edge, he has avoided needless borrowing. Yet, over 739km of roads now slash across the state, 420km commissioned, gleaming with fresh asphalt, stonebased and cement stabilization. Flyovers rise like phoenixes, and the Zero Pothole crusade has banished ruts to memory. This is what good governance can engender; it is a revolution, debt-free and defiant.

Education is his holy grail. Governor Soludo has hired 8,115 teachers in an unprecedented manner in Nigeria, made public schools free, and spiked enrolment by 18.7%. Out-of-school kids? Down to a national low of 2.9%, with smart schools sprouting like digital oaks. Health is on the rise, too: five new hospitals, 326 upgraded health centres glowing with solar power, 1,000 medical professionals enlisted, and free antenatal care delivering zero maternal deaths. Anambra is now second only to Lagos in under-five survival.

Youth are Governor Soludo’s wildfire. The One Youth, Two Skills programme has produced 5,000 entrepreneurs, seed cash in hand, while 8,700 more train. The Solution Innovation District churns out 20,000 tech warriors, earning Anambra “Best State in Digital Technology” cheers. Security? Eight LGAs once choked by gunmen breathe free, and the newly launched ‘Agunechemba’ security offensive has driven kidnappers, ritual dealers, and cultists out of town Onitsha’s touts are now ghosts, with traders thriving free. Palm and coconut seedlings, 2 million to 130,000 households, revive an agro-empire, aiming to lift 500,000 families from poverty’s grip.

Fiscal wizardry seals the deal. BudgIT ranks Anambra tops in prudence, number one in southern ease of doing business, all without a borrowed kobo. His five-pillar agenda plan, security, infrastructure, human capital, governance, environment, isn’t a dream; it is a juggernaut, outpacing 33 years of state history. Water flows in cities again, a befitting Government House stands after 34 years jinx, and the Solution Fun City promises West Africa’s grandest entertainment world.

So, Governor Soludo is not here to play games but to change the game of governance for good. Anambra is now a massive construction site, a classroom, a clinic, a tech hub, and more, all at once. The man who once stacked $63 billion in reserves now stacks victories; proving lean times bow to bold minds. This is a legacy in overdrive, a governor who has turned scarcity into a supernova of progress. Indeed, the Solution is Here!

Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) was the cryptocurrency industry's original meme-token. It was created as a joke by two friends in 2013, who were inspired by the "Doge" meme that was spreading across the internet like wildfire at the time.

Dogecoin has become a vessel for speculative investors because it has very little utility in the real world. Nevertheless, it managed to outperform most major cryptocurrencies in 2024 including BitcoinEthereum, and XRP (Ripple):

Dogecoin Price Chart
Dogecoin Price data by YCharts

Per the above chart, most of those gains came after Nov. 5, which is when Donald Trump won the presidential election after campaigning on a series of crypto-friendly policies. Dogecoin investors received a special cherry on top thanks to Elon Musk, which I'll discuss further in a moment.

However, the meme-token has plunged by 55% from its post-election peak. Could it be the ultimate buying opportunity, or a sign to run for the hills? Let's find out.

A sad Shiba Inu puppy sitting inside a cage.
Image source: Getty Images.

The Elon Musk effect

Elon Musk has supported Dogecoin since 2019. He often posts memes relating to the cryptocurrency on social media, partakes in friendly banter with other enthusiasts, and his electric vehicle company, Tesla, accepts it as payment for some merchandise.

On May 8, 2021, Musk even participated in a Dogecoin-themed skit on Saturday Night Live. The token soared to a record high of $0.73 during the show, at which point it was sitting on an eye-popping 15,769% gain for the year. However, it also happened to mark the peak -- it proceeded to lose more than 90% of its value in the months that followed.

That shouldn't be surprising given Dogecoin's highly speculative nature, and the token remained mostly dormant during 2023 and for most of 2024. But the presidential election last November ignited a fire under cryptocurrencies broadly, as Trump promised to make America the crypto capital of the world. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has even started pausing some of its legal cases against crypto companies, suggesting the industry will have more regulatory freedom to invent new use cases to create value for investors.

Shortly after Trump won the election, he also announced that Musk will run an external agency called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE for short. Its goal is to help the administration cut government spending in order to balance the budget. It has no role in the crypto industry whatsoever, but investors interpreted the name of the agency as a clear reference to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, which sent the token soaring.

Dogecoin lacks real-world utility

The key to creating value for any currency is adoption. Businesses need to accept it as payment for goods and services, because that gives consumers a reason to buy it and hold it. Unfortunately, only 2,025 businesses accept Dogecoin worldwide, and many of them are obscure providers of internet and crypto services, and even gambling websites. It's a drop in the bucket considering there are more than 350 million registered companies globally.

With well-grounded fears of a trade war swirling and causing volatility in the traditional financial sector as well as in cryptocurrencies, you don't have to be a particularly skittish investor to be concerned about your portfolio at the moment. Even quality assets like XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) are showing some shakiness.

But between those two, if a full-on trade war actually does break out as a result of the Trump administration's policies, which one has a better chance of holding up, or perhaps even climbing? Let's analyze the argument for each, starting with XRP.

The setup looks bearish here

For XRP to gain in value, at least two things need to happen. First, banks and financial institutions need to buy and hold the coin, and they need to believe that doing so will help them avoid currency exchange fees as well as international money transfer fees; they need to see that using the crypto is a better option than legacy money-transfer technologies.

Second, those banks need to transact with one another regularly across international borders, thereby generating usage fees, which are paid back to the XRP network.

If there is a trade war, the incentives for the first scenario to continue occurring will remain the same, and there could be some positive effects for XRP. The actual size of each transfer may even increase, if parties need to include the costs of tariffs in their transfers. That won't necessarily generate much more in fees, though, as XRP only charges a fraction of a penny per transaction.

The problem here is that extensive tariffs may reduce the volume of goods exchanged as a result of buyers facing higher prices. With fewer goods exchanged, fewer international money transfers need to happen. And that means XRP will almost certainly generate less in fees if there's a trade war.

There's no rule that says the price of the coin needs to drop if that happens. But if trading volumes drop, it isn't good news for investors, which detracts from the argument for buying XRP if the trade situation worsens.

Is this coin a real safe harbor?

Bitcoin's price hasn't changed much at all over the last three months, which suggests that the market is ambivalent about its value holding up in a trade war.

And it's hard to articulate precisely how the coin's value would decrease if the barriers to trade became higher for the U.S., aside from a generalized retreat from risk assets that it might cause as investors give in to fear. It isn't used extensively as a medium of exchange for trade payments, or for much else. Nor would its core value-generation mechanisms -- scarcity and mining difficulty -- change whatsoever.

It's faintly possible to conceive of a deep recession in the U.S. driven by a trade war causing investors to dump their coins to help pay their daily expenses. But that isn't very likely, at least not at the moment.

What's more likely is that rising costs stemming from worse trade terms would reduce the capital that institutional investors would be willing to allocate to Bitcoin.

It's also entirely possible that investors would be more interested in buying the crypto as a result of any inflationary pressure caused by a trade war. If inflation becomes a major concern again, it might even send the coin significantly higher, since it's considered a hedge. Still, compared to harder assets like gold or other commodities, it's not clear that this coin will preserve its value very well in truly turbulent economic times.

Nonetheless, compared to XRP, Bitcoin has fewer risk surfaces if the trade situation continues to deteriorate for the U.S. So, if there's a big dip prompted by panic, it's probably smarter to be buying it than selling it. Investors should also keep in mind that trade wars end eventually, and that there isn't really anything about a trade war that detracts from the investment thesis for this coin.

Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma was on the verge of an historic victory on November 11, 1989. The votes for the first democratic elections in Namibia, his long suffering country, were being counted. The colonial South African Apartheid regime was billed to grant independence in March 1990. It was night. Suddenly, the lights went off. Nujoma and the South West Africa People’s Organisation, SWAPO, liberation movement he had co-founded, were far ahead in the vote count and it appeared that the Apartheid regime was bent on scuttling the process.

Some of the election monitoring teams, including Nigeria, immediately organised all cars available to switch on their lights and beam them at the counting centre. Also, the contingent of Nigeria policemen produced their torch lights to check any possible rigging and, enable the counting to go on.

A member of the Nigerian delegation, Ambassador Joe Keshi, then walked up to the leader of the Apartheid regime at the centre and warned that with Nujoma and SWAPO in a comfortable lead in the vote count before the lights went off, it must remain so otherwise the regime would have serious trouble in its hands. The Apartheid chief protested his innocence, saying the light failure was merely coincidental.

After the count and clear victory, Keshi went to see Nujoma in his house. He was not aware that Nujoma had been briefed about him confronting the Apartheid chief. As soon as he entered the sitting room, the famous guerilla fighter, in joy,grabbed Keshi and tried to lift him off the ground. Both men almost fell. That was the very warm, hospitable, respectful and humane Nujoma.

At the Wednesday, February 26, 2025 celebration of the life of Nujoma held in the Rotunda Hall of the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police Ezidinma Ifejika recalled the lights out incidence. He had led the 183-man Nigerian police contingent to Namibia. Immediately the lights went off, his men had produced torch lights to prevent any hanky-panky. He said Nujoma later sent for him and personally thanked him for the quick intervention of the Nigerian policemen.

After the elections, the new government requested that the Nigerian, Irish, Pakistani, Ghanaian and Indian contingents stayed for another three months to teach the Namibian Police better policing.

The Apartheid regime had conceded to Namibian independence for 1990 after the Cuban military had travelled 11,032 kilometres to Angola and inflicted a crushing defeat on its military forces. The unrelenting Cuban forces had pushed back the invading Apartheid military into Namibia. To avoid a catastrophic capitulation, Apartheid South Africa signed a truce agreeing to Namibian and South African independence.

At the Abuja programme for Nujoma, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero who met Nujoma a number of times, said the comradeship of Cubans and Namibians was forged on the battlefield. She said Cuba awarded Nujoma the Jose Marti award for his contributions to human liberation. Palmero, a former World Youth Leader, commended Nujoma for making youths an integral part of decision-making in Namibia.

The Angolan Embassy said in Nujoma we have lost a Pan Africanist who dedicated his entire life to the cause of freedom. It recalled that Nujoma lived part of his exile life in Angola where SWAPO also had a base which was partly responsible for the invasions by Apartheid forces.

Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar paid tribute to Nujoma whom he described as an African giant who was not a vacillator. Nujoma, he said, was a voice of the voiceless and champion of the marginalised who helped to unite the diverse groups of Namibia. He praised him for giving priority to education and healthcare.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, 1990-2000, said it was with sadness he heard that the great Iroko tree of Namibia had fallen. He recalled that Nujoma was so appreciative of the role he played in the independence struggle that he conferred Namibia’s national honour on him.

Senator Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, a retired Major General who was Nigeria’s Foreign Minister in 1990, the year Namibia secured independence, recalled that when they met, Nujoma wore a well-groomed beard and a meek look that camouflaged a tough fighter. He said Nigeria was completely dedicated to the liberation of Namibia and that apart from redeeming all its pledges to that country, it also established a N100 million Namibia Solidarity Fund. He said Nujoma was a man of character who was prudent and selfless and a true Pan Africanist.

Ambassador Bagudu Mutle Hirse, former Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, was in regular consultation with Nujoma when he was Nigerian Higher Commissioner to Namibia from February 2000. He revealed that the late liberation fighter used to tell him that what Namibia got was political, not economic independence. Nujoma, he said, regarded Nigeria as his second home.

Ambassador John Kayode Shinkaiye, who was Chief of Staff to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Nujoma was an exceptional and remarkable African leader who rallied international support for Namibia’s independence.

Shinkaiye who was one of the African diplomats who saw off Nujoma at the airport on his last visit to Britain as a freedom fighter, said the late Namibian President was known for his candid opinion. He said in and out of office, Nujoma was a friend of Nigeria. Regrettably, he added, same cannot be said of some other countries Nigeria supported in the liberation struggles.

The Director General of the National Institute of International Affairs, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, who described Nujoma as a great African liberator, recalled that a number of prominent post-colonial leaders in Namibia were educated in Nigeria. He gave the example of Professor Peter Katjavivi who attended Government College, Umuahia from 1963-1966 and went on to become the founding Vice Chancellor, Namibia University and later, Speaker of the Namibian National Assembly. 

The Zimbabwean Embassy which spoke on behalf of the Southern African Development Community, paid tribute to liberation leaders like Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Kenneth Kaunda and Sam Nujoma all of whom, it noted, clocked at least 95 before departing. It thanked Nigeria for supporting the liberation struggles in the continent.

The Namibian High Commissioner Humphrey Geiseb said from an early age Nujoma recognised the injustice done to his people, had to go on exile and became the symbol of hope. His administration, he said, championed education, land reform and laid the basis for economic development. He thanked Nigeria for standing by Nujoma and SWAPO from 1960 and that in appreciation, the major road on which the Nigerian High Commission is situated in Namibia is named after Murtala Mohammed, a former Nigerian Head of State.

Nujoma passed away in Windhoek on February 8, 2025.