Between 1967 and 1970, Nigeria prosecuted a blood civil war, one of the bloodiest in the annals of modern history. And at the center of that terrible national tragedy is that man of destiny, General Yakubu Gowon, the head of the military administration—the second in the history of Nigeria’s chequered post-independence political history. After the deep euphoria of independence, the 1966 coup and the aftermath of civil war were too disjunctive for a state that was aiming for the status of a key player on the continent and on the globe; a nation state that was supposed to reverse the ills of colonialism and increase the well-being of her citizens. These series of national events were also something that no national leader should be saddled with. And this is because the position General Gowon was meant to defend—upholding the postcolonial status of one Nigeria even in the face of gross national inconsistencies --- one which led to the 1967-70 civil war. But then, who would want to be associated with the dissolution of a state that destiny has called on one to protect? 

General Gowon’s entry into the trajectory of Nigeria’s national project implies that he was called upon to supervise the direction Nigeria would go right from the commencement of nation-building. The responsibility to channel the political development of the Nigerian state was thrusted on his unwilling head, and from a critically debilitating point of extreme disunity. And it is in this sense that we can regard General Yakubu Gowon as the grand personification of the resilient Nigerian spirit. It is very difficult not to believe that Providence had a hand in inscribing Gowon’s life with a very unique purpose that came to finally intersects Nigeria’s. From the face-off with the late General Odimegwu Ojukwu to the crafting of the Aburi Declaration which broke down eventually because of contrasting interpretation of what the accord demands of the federal and Eastern regional governments. The entire trajectory of incidences and events constitute quite an interesting field of study not only for political scientists, but also political psychologists. For instance, what mix of political ego was responsible in tilting the critical situation into a pissing contest between the two national gladiators? 

War is always a terrible business. In the Nigerian case, the variables involved are all too multiple and complex to make any coherent sense. From external business interests to the internal social and ethnic cleavages whose fissiparous tendencies were the primary causes of the conflict. And yet, that war had to be fought, and Gowon had to supervise the looming disintegration of a national project that had barely taken off. If we agree that Providence had thrusted this national destiny on Gowon, we should also know that it is not deterministic. He could have capitulated in following through with the divine responsibility. He did not. He accepted it as God’s will even if he might not have had that spiritual understanding at the time, and he brought Nigeria as far as he could with a mixture of sound and unsound decisions and judgments. Let me highlight just two that speak to how contradictory leadership decisions can sometimes be. 

On October 1, 1970, General Gowon promised to set in place a political and electoral process that will lead to the handing over of the rein of authority to a civil government by October 1, 1976. Unfortunately, the Supreme Military Council was forced to renege on its promise. And the reason was that the political class did not seem ready to take up the great task of moving forward a state that was still reeling from the consequences of the civil war, and the ethnic bitterness that attended it. That decision could be approached from multiple interpretive perspectives. One could ask what gave Gowon the messianic audacity to legislate on the future of Nigeria. After all, the political behavior of Nigerian politicians has not changed since then. Others could point at a key patriotic sensibility that did not want to scuttle the progresses made since the end of the civil war. No one who went through the gruesome war would want to ever have a repeat of it.      

One of the infamous moments of the Gowon administration is the lost opportunity of transforming the public service system in Nigeria through the adoption of the Udoji Commission report and the implementation of its grand managerial paradigm shifting recommendations. The report was initiated as a result of a global managerial revolution that insisted that the old Weberian administration must give way to a new public service that will be flexible, economical, lean, effective and efficient in the achievement of service delivery. The new public service is meant to be modernized and boosted for an output-oriented performance that increase Nigeria’s productive base within a grand architecture of a developmental state – one with a hold on the ‘commanding heights’ of the national economy. Udoji was motivated in its critical assessment of the Nigerian public service by the Fulton Commission Report of 1968 that also took on the British Civil Service and the urgency of its institutional reform. The Udoji Commission was at once inaugurated to deal with the protracted wage and incentives issues that the civil service had been dealing with before independence and which final resolution the Adebo 1971 report passed on to the Udoji Commission for a holistic systemic reconsideration. Unfortunately, the Gowon administration (presumably as concession to the sentiments of his super-permanent secretaries) cling on to the wage components of the Udoji Report and left off the more fundamental dimensions of institutional reform that would have radically improved the capability readiness of the public service system. How could an administration that balked at handing over power to a bunch of unprepared political class not see the significance of preparing the public service system as a condition for national productivity and good governance? Professor Lars Konlind’s perspective on why institutions enter into irredeemable decline, attributed this sense to what happens when an organization shun changes at the peak of its success. Consequently, leaders (political and administrative) develop selective deafness, one which in the Nigeria’s case over-glorifies the ‘I am directed’ Weberian bureaucratic tradition by disregarding the innovations that managerialism portend, one that has earned Nigeria the reputation of the “hesitant reformer”. 

And yet, without being flippant or hagiographic, General Gowon is in my assessment one of the most heroic of Nigerian leaders. He represents a sense of statesmanship that stands in sharp contrast to the intense sense of gratification that characterizes politics today. The trajectory of his statesmanship is significantly defining. To be born before the founding of such a combustible nation as ours, and to have matured to receive a calling to fight a war to elevate an artificial creation of the British colonialist—‘a mere geographical expression’, to quote Chief Obafemi Awolowo—to the status of a state worth preserving, is nothing less than a defining trajectory. When as a nation we were confronted with a “to be or not to be” dilemma in our evolution, General Gowon chose Nigeria. With that choice, General Gowon brought a significant dimension to the importance of the minority ethnic groups in crystallizing the Nigeria Project. That being a clarion call to the majority ethnic groups that Nigeria did not only belong to all of us; it is God’s divine project. 

Despite the faux pas concerning the Udoji Commission Report and its momentous recommendations, the Gowon administration still left an indelible administrative example that replicate the Awolowo-Adebo administrative model in the old western region. The corps of the super-permanent secretaries significantly backstopped the Gowon administration in the policy space that was stampeded during the years of the civil war. I can hypothesize that without that fundamental model as a crucial fulcrum, the civil war would have been worse that it was. And so, as a testament to the possible greatness of the Nigerian state, we already have two versions of the politics-administration model that could be reinvented to stimulate good governance.

Besides, General Yakubu Gowon was not just a normal run-of-the-mill soldier. He was an officer and a gentleman. At a time when the figure of the solider or the image of the Nigerian army has dipped significantly in reputation, Gowon embodied the very essence of military professionalism and reputation for excellence. As a commissioned officer, he was minded about the educational and training extent so much so that he was ready to go the full lengths to prove his thirst for learning to be more and more professional. General Gowon was not content with his prestigious training at Sandhurst, Camberley and Latimer. He just had to eventually undergo the academic rigor of adult education to earn a doctorate degree at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. That might have been a personal vision of fulfilment, but it elevated the public perception of what and who an officer should be. With that accomplishment, Officer Gowon became a composite image of a true military professional that is not defined by his brawn or capacity to wield the gun, but by intelligence, intellect and humaneness in a profession defined by its unique masculinity. 

In all, General Yakubu Gowon believes in Nigeria. Only the most wrong-headed critique would not take that as a consequential fact. Indeed, after he had left the corridors of power, General Gowon still holds on to a spiritual responsibility to keep up the Providential imperative that Nigeria is on a divine course to greatness. For being so politically, professionally and spiritually involved in the courses of Nigeria’s nation-building efforts, there is no other way to see General Yakubu Gowon order than as a patriot, and one of Nigeria’s eternal heroes. And there is no other way to cap his many efforts as seeing Nigeria fulfill her divine mandate than to explore his political and nationalist legacies while he is still with us. At ninety, our nonagenarian statesman and general deserves more than national accolades. He deserves to see the Nigeria of is dreams and aspirations.  

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has begun supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, directly to some oil marketers, bypassing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

Reports indicate that more marketers are seeking to purchase PMS directly from the refinery, while others continue importing the product, with hundreds of millions of liters of imported petrol expected to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported that at least four vessels carrying imported PMS had docked at Nigerian ports between October 18 and October 20, with around 123.4 million liters of PMS unloaded at two seaports to help stabilize nationwide fuel supply.

This move by marketers comes in addition to the $20 billion Dangote refinery’s output, providing further support to the market.

Marketers have now begun lifting PMS directly from the Dangote plant in Lekki, Lagos, signaling a significant change in Nigeria’s fuel supply chain.

According to a senior refinery official, this direct purchase arrangement operates on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, allowing oil marketers to bypass third-party suppliers and engage directly with the refinery.

“Marketers are already coming to the refinery to lift PMS directly, and agreements have been made with some marketers. If the price wasn’t favorable, they wouldn’t be coming to us,” the official said, indicating that Dangote’s pricing is competitive enough to attract interest.

“Some of the trucks you saw there today were from marketers purchasing the product directly from Dangote, without recourse to NNPC. So the direct sale has started,” another source told The PUNCH.

Officials also revealed that the refinery is dedicating around 53% of its crude oil supply to PMS production due to high demand for petrol in Nigeria and other countries.

The proportion of crude used for PMS may change if demand for other products grows, but for now, petrol remains the primary focus.

“This could be reviewed in future if the demand for other finished products increases more than the demand for petrol, but right now about 53 per cent of our crude is used for petrol production, while other products account for the remaining percentage,” the official stated.

When asked if marketers had started the direct purchase of petrol from Dangote without recourse to NNPC, one of the notable major marketers in the country replied in the affirmative.

“Yes, everyone is in the process. This was advised that it would happen soon and is a normal business transaction,” the source stated.

This direct sale initiative follows earlier claims that the NNPC would be the sole off-taker of PMS from the Dangote refinery starting September 15.

However, a recent announcement from the Technical Subcommittee on Domestic Sale of Crude Oil in Local Currency, headed by Finance Minister Wale Edun, confirmed that marketers can now purchase PMS directly from local refineries, fostering competition and improving market efficiency.

Although some Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) officials, led by Vice President Hammed Fashola, are still in discussions about logistics and modalities for lifting PMS from Dangote, refinery officials confirmed that direct sales to certain marketers have already commenced.

Meanwhile, the refinery has dismissed claims that it sold PMS to NNPC at N898 per liter when sales began in mid-September, labeling such reports as misleading.

The refinery maintains that the official naira-for-crude committee will eventually announce the product’s price, but as of October 22, no such announcement has been made.

[NaijaNews]

Plateau State Police Command has disclosed that its operatives have uncovered an Internet fraud or ‘Yahoo yahoo’ training centre in Jos, the state capital.

The command also arrested other suspected members of various criminal gangs operating in the state.
Parading the suspects on Wednesday at the Command Headquarters in Jos, the State Police Commissioner, Emmanuel Adeshina, informed that the suspects were arrested for various crimes, including Internet fraud, robbery, Gun running, and child trafficking, among others.

Mr Adeshina explained that the Yahoo Yahoo training centre was uncovered after information was received about a fraud academy and operations of Internet fraudsters in Jos.

The CP said, “On 20/10/2024 at about 10:30 a.m., we received a report that the following persons, one Ateh Anthony Idoko, 23, and Daniel Idoko, both 23 years old, of Agingi, Rukuba Road, who are internet fraudsters (Yahoo-Yahoo), conspired among themselves to traffic young boys who had just graduated from Secondary school to a secluded residence.

According to the CP, the suspects locked them up, seized their phones and, having shown them how to defraud people via romance scams and other cyber-related frauds masterfully, forced them to go into the internet and continue to defraud innocent would-be victims and in the event where they refuse to cooperate, the ring leader beat them mercilessly with a horsewhip.”

He added that ” Upon receipt of this information, the Divisional Police Officer Rantya division, under my strict directive, immediately mobilised men and swung into action, raided the hideout where Eleven (11) suspects were arrested, including the Two (2) principal suspects. ”

“Our investigations are ongoing, while efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and ensure that they face the full weight of the law.”

The Plateau Police Commissioner also added that on 16/10/2024 at about 07:00 am, while acting upon credible intelligence, the Command’s Eagle Eye Patrol Unit (EEPU) arrested Jonathan Arin, 27, Moses Festus, 27, Sambo Audu, 30, and Nehemiah Yakubu, 25, all males of Angwan Rukuba Jos.

The suspects were arrested in possession of locally fabricated rifles, pistols and other dangerous tools and equipment used in the fabrication of firearms. ”

Upon interviewing the suspects, they all confessed to the crime and issued their confessional statements, which were recorded with words of caution. The investigation is ongoing to recover all firearms already distributed to some mischievous persons and arrest more suspects.

He also said that on 12/10/2024 at about 04:30 pm, we received a report at “A” division Police Station stating that on 11/10/2024 at about 04:30 pm, when they returned from work, they discovered that four (4) of their children were missing. Upon inquiry, their neighbour’s daughter informed them that they were seen with one Comfort, a female who usually comes to visit her friend, Adamu Bawa, in the compound to buy her biscuits.

Upon receipt of the report, our men immediately swung into action, which led to the rescue of the four (4) children and two (2) suspects. The case is under investigation and will be charged to court upon conclusion.

The CP also expressed his profound gratitude to the Government of the State for its support in the fight against crime and criminality within the State.

“We would not have achieved such tremendous successes without the cooperation and intelligence we have received from you. ”

I also wish to thank the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM for providing critical operational assets which have facilitated the successes we have recorded throughout this period.

My Management Team and I have implemented strategies to prevent crime and ensure the security of lives and properties within the State. Some of these measures include improving our response time, intensifying efforts toward providing the arrest of suspects, and prosecuting criminals, he added.

[Leadership]

Telecom consumers have decried the rate at which their mobile data gets quickly depleted as well as poor connectivity, accusing the telecommunication companies of secretly increasing the cost of data without prior public notice.

Recall that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola had called on the federal government to increase tariff in the sector, saying failure to heed to the demand would result to dire consequences.

Similarly, the Nigeria Communication Commission, (NCC) recently faulted Starlink for unapproved data tariff increase, describing it as a breach of the commission’s law.

NCC said the satellite internet service provider had unilaterally increased its data tariffs without obtaining the necessary approval from the commission.

But aside Starlink, consumers have expressed concerns over the fast depletion of their data, saying the operators might have increased their tariff without prior notice.

In interviews with Daily Trust, some expressed concern over the depletion of data.

Eyitayo Samuel, an undergraduate at the Lagos State University (LASU), accused network providers of giving false information, saying the data package of N500 which should last for 7 days, no longer last more than a day.

“I use Airtel. If you buy 3gb worth of data for N500, it only lasts for one day. Normally the network operators will say the 3gb is supposed to last for seven days but now I use the 3gb in one day, sometimes it finishes before 24 hours. Sometimes I buy twice in a day,” he said.

Emeka Samson stressed the need for network providers to improve their services, saying that sometimes users experience glitches.

“When it comes to networks, we all know network connection in Nigeria is very bad; it is very, very bad. If I am to rate the network in Nigeria I will give it 60% at most.

“The kind of experience I face is that sometimes the network does not connect,” he said.

He added that the hike in data tariff may be tied to the country’s economic challenges, saying he opted for a low data plan of 8gb from 20gb due to lack of funds.

“As you can see, what can we do? We have no choice. Everything in Nigeria is going up, so follow the system” he said.

‘Network providers charge more than displayed tariff’

The President of the Association of Telephone, Cable, Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS), Hon. Sina Bilesanmi, said the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) should wake up to its duty, claiming that network providers charge more than the tariff displayed on the commission’s website.

“The data and the call we are paying for, that is not what is on the NCC website, it has increased without Nigerians knowing.

“Let me use myself as a study case, I’m using yellow, if I call, they are supposed to charge me the old rate, it’s between something like 23-50 kobo but as of today, they charge Nigerians 80 something kobo,” he added

Recently, the NCC issued a directive to telecommunications operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles and promotional activities.

This move aims to provide clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost of voice, short messaging service (SMS) and data services to subscribers.

The directive, titled “Guidance on the Simplification of Tariffs in the Nigerian Communications Sector,” issued on July 29, 2024, came amidst complaints of fast data depletion across the country.

The commission said the table should contain all necessary information for subscribers to make informed decisions, including details on add-ons, their prices, how consumers can opt-in or out, terms and conditions for renewal, and rollover policies.

When contacted, the Chairman, Association of Licensed telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, said there has not been any price review.

He said, “I can confirm to you that there has been no approval to increase prices and there is no operator that has reviewed its rates. It is a journey we have been on.

“We have all informed our regulators and nobody has granted price review and no rate has increased. If it happens the public will know: it will not happen behind closed doors.

“I must say again that with the current regime, our industry is not sustainable. So something has to be done about our tariff. We cannot sustain certain things under the current regime,” he said. 

[DailyTrust]

All the eight countries that have qualified for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup quarter-final have been confirmed.

This follows the conclusion of the final group fixtures in the early hours of Thursday morning.

DAILY POST reports that North Korea defeated England 4-0 in their final group game.

Kenya won 2-1 against Mexico, but both teams failed to advance to the knock-out stage after getting the lowest points in their group.

However , the eight countries that have booked their place in the last-8 after the conclusion of the group stage are Nigeria, Poland, United States, North Korea, England, Spain, Ecuador and Japan.

The quarter-final fixtures will commence from Saturday.

[DailyPost]

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, on Wednesday, said the fund has disbursed over N10bn to successful applicants since the commencement of the scheme in August 2024.

This is just as he dismissed the fears in some quarters that the student loan scheme may be discriminatory against some applicants.

He stated this on Wednesday during a maiden meeting of NELFUND with the House of Representatives Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships, and Higher Education Financing, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

Sawyerr assured the committee that the fund had reached out to every part of the country, particularly the South-East, which had earlier complained of marginalisation.

He said, “So far, the fund has received over 350,000 applications and disbursed over N10bn with a commitment to disbursing N90bn in tuition fees and stipends.

“Applications are coming in at an average of over 1,000 per day, and we are making special provisions for students living with disabilities.

“Moreover, we are focused on addressing the barriers to girl-child education, recognising that denying girls the opportunity for further education is denying the nation a chance to benefit from their incredible leadership potential.

“With 70 per cent of our population under the age of 35, failing to provide access to education for this segment exposes Nigeria to a future fraught with instability and violence. This intervention by President Bola Tinubu could not have come at a better time.”

He described the scheme as a unique palliative with a long-term solution to the challenges facing access to education in Nigeria.

“This administration of President Bola Tinubu has introduced many brilliant policies, and the student loan initiative hits close to home. It is reaching every corner of the nation-East, West, North, and South.

“This policy is not discriminatory; it is inclusive, ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or background, has access to the education they deserve.

“It is akin to monumental policies such as the free education programme of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by Gen Yakubu Gowon, and the creation of federal universities.

“These policies have shaped Nigeria’s development, and the student loan initiative is equally progressive, representing an investment in our nation’s future,” he added.

The Chairman of the Committee, Gboyega Isiaka (APC, Ogun), described NELFUND as a critical agency created not only to provide loans but also to create a future where every Nigerian youth has the opportunity to realise his or her potential.

He urged the management of the fund to be proactive, saying, “We want, for example, to be able to tell ourselves where NELFUND will be within the next three to five years. How is it going to get there? And what are the issues that we need to address for them to get there?”

[Vanguard]

Chairman of Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, Mr. Kunle Ahmed, has said that the insurance industry has a role to play in de-risking vital sectors, driving financial inclusion, and creating a resilient economic framework as the government embarks on various economic reforms.

He stated: “With the government outlining ambitious priorities for socio-economic transformation, there is an increasing need for industries that can support this vision. One such industry is insurance—an often overlooked but critical player in economic development. “As we move forward, the role of insurance in de-risking vital sectors, driving financial inclusion, and creating a resilient economic framework cannot be overstated.”

According to him, globally, insurance has proven to be a powerful tool for stabilizing economies, protecting investments, and providing the financial resilience that allows societies to thrive. But he lamented that, “in Nigeria, depending on your source of data, insurance penetration remains strikingly low. We currently lag far behind African and global averages despite being one of the continent’s largest economies.”

He listed his strategic focus as the new NIA Chairman to include: customer-centricity, digital transformation, commitment to excellence, advocacy and collaboration, as well as education and awareness.

On customer-centricity, Ahmed said: “Enhancing customer satisfaction will be our priority. This will involve driving programs, initiatives, and policies to simplify the insurance onboarding process, improve claims handling, and ensure transparency in our operations.”

On digital transformation, he said: “Our sector has historically been slow to adopt digital solutions. Moving forward, embracing digital innovation will be essential.”

On education and awareness, he said: “Raising awareness about the importance of insurance is vital not just for our industry growth but for our economic development. We will expand our outreach initiatives, including educational programs in schools and partnerships with your esteemed media organization and institutions to disseminate information about insurance products and their benefits”.

[Vanguard]

Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has commenced the process of paying the $6 billion debt owed to suppliers.

Edun spoke on Wednesday during an engagement with investors in Washington DC.

The global investors’ forum was held on the sidelines of the 2024 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Addressing a question on the supply arrears the NNPC owes to refined petrol suppliers, Edun said the national oil firm would soon start clearing the debt, making clarification on the petrol subsidy removal announced earlier in the year.

“In terms of NNPC and their situation, the reality is that, although the subsidy on May 29, 2023, was removed and was no longer on the balance sheet of the government, it did rear its head, not in terms of petrol subsidy, but foreign exchange subsidy, which was borne elsewhere, and borne mainly by NNPC,” the minister said.

“I think what I can say about their own situation is with where they are now, they have a route to paying down their payables and I’m sure that in no time at all, they will start. From what I understand, they have even commenced the process of paying down their payables.”

On September 1, the NNPC had admitted to owing the sum of $6 billion to suppliers of petrol, also known as premium motor spirit (PMS).

Speaking on the issue, Olufemi Soneye, the company’s chief corporate communications officer, said the NNPC is facing a serious financial strain due to the petrol supply costs — a development that is affecting the company’s ability to sustain PMS supply.

[TheCable]

Members of my generation who lived or spent holidays in Lagos during the late seventies to the nineties remember men whose lives were ruined by gambling. These were people adept at “perming” numbers, even in their sleep, with the assurance they would hit the jackpot the next day. “Koraa dagun lose yi” (the promoter of the gambling house is in trouble this week) was the usual refrain which came with at least “a sure banker.” Yet, for most of these gamblers, it was the story of the fool and his money because their ‘tomorrow’ never came. While that habit was restricted to a few in the past, gambling has now become a serious social problem in Nigeria. And relevant stakeholders are not paying attention. Worse still, school children are increasingly getting hooked on one form of gambling or another. 

Let me be upfront here. I have no problem with adults who gamble. And I am aware of a place in Abuja they call ‘The Great Gambler’ where the movers and shakers of our country gather each weekend to play ‘Kalokalo’ with their loot. But I am concerned when children are introduced to this destructive habit so early in their lives, without any restriction. Section 34 of the National Lottery Act 2005 makes betting illegal for children in Nigeria, as it is in all countries. “Any person who knowingly sells to any person under the age of 18 years any ticket in a lottery operated by a licensee commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than N20,000 or imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or both such fine and imprisonment,” the Act states. But in a milieu where laws are rarely enforced, it is little wonder that across the country today, even primary school children (in uniform) are found in gambling joints during the day.

I am aware that gambling is a huge industry in Nigeria today with several billions of Naira changing hands (including under the table) between and among stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. And it has generated huge employment opportunities. But we must also think about the future of our country and the social dislocation that gambling is causing within our society. With the economic challenge that has made life very difficult for the average Nigerian it is no surprise that many of our people are looking for all manner of ‘miracles’ to survive. It is this desperation that has made gambling all pervasive and the pressure it brings is already accentuating other vices. A joint paper, ‘An Overview of Gambling in Nigeria’ published on the website of the United States National Library of Medicine, and authored by Chinyere Mirian Oguocha, a Nigerian Professor at the Imo State University and Sanju George, an Indian Professor at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, is quite revealing on this malaise. “In spite of the laws regulating gambling in Nigeria, about 57.2% of school-age children have gambled at least once in their lifetime and 77.6% of these have gambled in the past year, with 58.3% reporting unfettered access to gambling dens,” the duo wrote.

Meanwhile, even when gambling may be advertised as entertainment to deceive the unwary, especially in societies like ours, science has since confirmed it to be a behavioural problem. “Playing a game of chance activates the brain’s reward system, releasing a strong dopamine hit and a feeling of pleasure. The same mechanism is at play whether the person is standing at the roulette table or playing on their phone,” Charlotte Aynsley, an e-safety consultant wrote to affirm what psychiatrists have since discovered. “Psychologists call this effect ‘variable rate reinforcement’. The player, in this case, is rewarded in an unpredictable manner – and the more uncertainty there is, the more dopamine gets released.”

Gambling is considered harmful in numerous ways, including causing financial stress, family dislocations, mental health challenges and domestic violence. In her piece, ‘Game over: the risks of children gambling’, a child psychiatrist, Charlotte Goddard explores associated issues. Referencing statistics from the National Audit Office, she wrote that there are around 55,000 ‘problem’ gamblers aged 11 to 16 in the United Kingdom, with a further 85,000 estimated to be at risk. “A 2019 Gambling Commission survey found 11 percent of 11- to 16-year-olds said they spent their own money on gambling in the past week,” she wrote.

This, of course, is a global problem with young people taking to gambling through internet games without even realising it. “They are not going into bookies,” says Alexa Roseblade, senior programmes manager at GamCare, a charity. “A lot of young people are gambling with friends such as making a bet about who will win a race.” That’s usually how it starts and before they know it, they are hooked. For young people, gambling and gaming are often closely linked, according to Goddard. “Games themselves can encourage behaviour linked to gambling. A game might cost £40 but children are encouraged to spend more money to progress further. There are also issues around ‘loot boxes’, where players are encouraged to buy mystery prizes within a game, without knowing what they will get.”

The issue here is that most countries already recognise the problem. And they are finding both preventive and curative solutions to the challenge. In the UK, for instance, they have NHS’s National Centre for Behavioural Addictions houses, the National Problem Gambling Clinic and the National Centre for Gaming Disorders. There are also parent support groups which aim to help parents set boundaries and communicate more effectively with their children on the danger of gambling. In 2021, the RSHE statutory guidance for schools and education introduced the topic of gambling to the curriculum. But in Nigeria, there are no such interventions, even while many of our young people gamble their future away.

In a society where many people have been conditioned to believe that wealth has no correlation with work, we should not be surprised that young Nigerians are taking to gambling thinking that is the surest route for them to ‘hammer’. The situation is not helped by the economic situation in the country and the dearth of employment opportunities. That has encouraged the proliferation of online sports betting and Cybercafés dedicated to all forms of lottery. But the danger to children should compel action, even though this government is so obsessed with revenue generation. Besides the impact on their performance in school, other tell-tale signs that children might be hooked on gambling include becoming agitated or upset for no apparent reason, withdrawing from family and friends, being secretive about (or always being short of) money etc.

I am delighted that an NGO, ‘Gamble Alert’, has dedicated itself to preventing gambling harm and providing free therapy, emotional support and treatment services for those already addicted. The organisation’s mission is encapsulated in its commitment to creating “a safe haven for individuals harmed by their own gambling or their important others’ gambling to find solace and rediscover their strength.” That ‘Gamble Alert’ focuses on sensitizing young people to the dangers of underage gambling through discussions and educational materials, is commendable. And we need more of such efforts.

In their paper earlier referenced, the duo of Aguocha and George concluded that “There needs to be a wider debate about gambling as a public health issue in Nigeria, involving key stakeholders such as academics, healthcare professionals, policy makers and the gambling industry”. They added: “Positive action is required to minimise gambling-related harm to the people of Nigeria.”

I wholeheartedly concur!

Nigeria and the Challenge of Accountability

(With the theme, ‘Enhancing Accountability: Limiting Vulnerabilities’, the Nigeria Accountability Summit 2024 continues today in Abuja. Below is my keynote speech at the opening session yesterday morning)

I am aware that when you talk about accountability, people think you are referring to money. But accountability is much more than that. For me, nothing illustrates the real essence of accountability better than a story I once shared in my column. Concerned that her son was addicted to eating to much sugar, a mother sought appointment to see the legendary Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi. When she finally did, with her son in tow, she said: “The whole nation listens to you, please tell my son to stop eating sugar, as it is not good for his health”. Ghandi replied, “I cannot tell him that. But you may bring him back in a few weeks and then I will talk to him.” 

Upset and disappointed, the mother took the boy home. Two weeks later, she came back. This time Gandhi looked directly at the boy and said “Son, you should stop eating sugar. It is not good for your health.” The boy nodded his head and made a solemn commitment to heed the admonition. Puzzled, the boy’s mother asked Ghandi, “Why did you send us away two weeks ago when you could have simply told the boy what you just did?”

That, for me, sums up what accountability is all about.

I am delighted to be here this morning for the Nigeria Accountability Summit (NAS) 2024. I understand that the two-day programme is basically for assessing the progress made in achieving the 8-point agenda of the current administration and related priority areas for government at the subnational levels. I remember that in August 2023, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun presented the ‘Roadmap for the Economy’, which highlighted eight priority areas for the administration. They are food security, poverty eradication, economic growth and job creation, access to capital, improving security, rule of law and fighting corruption. It is more than one year since that public proclamation, and the jury is now out as to whether anything concrete has been achieved regarding those lofty objectives.

Since I am not familiar with what President Bola Tinubu has done with his 8-point agenda, I would prefer to restrict my brief intervention this morning to the general notion of ‘accountability’ which is of great importance in all aspects of human endeavour. However, I may also say a few words about the promised food security, job creation, rule of law and all that before I take my seat, although I am more interested in the outcome of your overview of the 8-point agenda.

Accountability is a core pillar of good governance and its relevance in one’s personal and public life cannot be overemphasised. Indeed, at the heart of any meaningful development is accountability and it is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Section 15(5) states that: “the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power; emphasising the government’s commitment to accountability and transparency.” This is further amplified in Section 16(1): “It is the responsibility of the state to harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic, and self-reliant economy for every citizen.”

There can be no better definition of accountability than the one proffered by this institution. “The concept of accountability is central to discussion related to problems not just in the non-profit and corporate environment but also in the public sector,” quoting from your website. “It is the acknowledgement and assumption of responsibility for action, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of leadership role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and answer for resulting consequences.” That for me says it all about why, without accountability, it is impossible to deliver on the public good.

In its ordinary meaning, accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one’s action. It is being held answerable for accomplishing a goal or assignment. It is being self-aware, admitting one’s mistakes and accepting the consequences of one’s actions. Thomas Paine, who authored ‘The Rights of Man’, once wrote that, “a body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” The tragedy of Nigeria is that the people and institutions responsible for oversight of public expenditure are themselves not accountable. You find the greatest lawbreakers among our lawmakers. Many of our Judges promote injustice. Let’s not even go to the religious sector where clerics mouth what they neither practice nor believe in.

Some centuries ago, a famous philosopher, Joseph de Maistre famously said: “Every nation gets the government it deserves.” What he meant was that it’s up to the citizens of every nation not only to elect the right leaders, but also to hold them accountable. Unfortunately, Nigerians do not perform this sacred duty; they don’t act as a bulwark against bad leadership. Indeed, a former Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, said in his book, ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa’ that the average Nigerian citizen “needs to be reminded what it means to be a citizen all over again.” This, of course, is not to suggest that accountability is only for elected officials. For example, citizens should also be accountable for paying tax. Perhaps that is where the problem lies because we live in a country where most shirk this obligation. In countries where the majority of people pay taxes, there is a strong demand for good governance.

Let me now briefly examine a few issues in the 8-point agenda of the Tinubu administration that this session seeks to interrogate. Let’s start with economic growth and food security. Going by the latest World Bank’s ‘Food Security Update Report’, Nigeria is among a few countries that have seen a significant rise in the number of people facing acute food shortages. Year-on-year inflation also surged by 5.98 percent points, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which last week released the latest Consumer Price Index report, revealing that the headline inflation rate for September rose to 32.70 percent. You can all draw your own conclusions.

That millions of Nigerians go to bed hungry every night is no longer a subject of debate. But it is naive to believe that the food crisis can be resolved without addressing the underlying security problems. With arable land and a good climate, we can adequately feed ourselves. The challenge is that most farmers have abandoned their farms due to fear of being kidnapped or killed. If the security of these farmers is assured, the prices of commodities in the market will slowly but surely come down. Without decisive action on that front, the hunger crises will only deepen, and fuel social unrest. That said, we must commend the military for the sacrifice they continue to make on behalf of our country as they tackle the security challenge.

In a recent post, former Commandant, Nigerian Naval Engineering College, Sapele, Rear Admiral Michael Johnson (Rtd) said any democracy, whether liberal or conservative, participatory or representative, “that doesn’t embrace the highest standards of accountability coupled with justice, equity, and fairness will ultimately fail,” just as “belt-tightening philosophies without accountability will not make the citizens trust those in government.” I agree with him. Telling Nigerians to sacrifice without government officials’ taking the lead is an exercise in futility. If Tinubu wants to succeed, those who serve under him must prioritise the public good, exercise their duties with integrity, and manage public resources judiciously. Now that there are reports that the president is considering a cabinet reshuffle, it is also important to understand that the cost of governance must be drastically reduced. Having 48 ministers at a time when most Nigerians can barely feed does not make economic sense.

When we talk about how a lack of accountability defines public conduct in Nigeria, the situation is worse at the subnational level. Indeed, as things stand in Nigeria today, as I have had cause to point out on several occasions, accountability diminishes as you move from the centre to the other units: states and local governments. In most of the 36 states, governors behave like emperors with the speakers of their states houses of assembly mere errand boys/girls who serve and could be removed at their pleasure. The logical result is that the promise of good governance embedded in the theory of decentralization is being delivered in the breach.

(NOTE: The so-called cabinet reshuffle was announced yesterday afternoon. Five Ministers were sacked. Seven new Ministers were appointed to replace them. So, instead of reducing the number that was already unprecedented, the president only added more. At the rate he is going, we may soon have 100 Ministers!)

As I take my seat, let me congratulate my Aburo and co-convener of this conference, Olusegun Elemo and other members of the organising team. I look forward to the outcome of your sessions today and tomorrow. For us to develop as a country, there must be oversight at every level of government to check public expenditure. There is also a burden on the people to constantly wield their power to vote in the right people at elections, and to organise civic activities to demand accountability from their leaders. If Nigerians want to be respected in Africa and beyond, there must be accountability at various levels of government and in the society at large. 

• You can follow me on my X (formerly Twitter) handle, @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com