A new tax regime that will minimise the cost of doing business,  improve cost of living and promote  cleaner energy has been unveiled by the Federal Government.

Value Added Tax (VAT) on cooking gas, diesel, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles, among others, have been removed.

Small businesses will also, beginning from January,  be exempted from paying taxes to boost income and employment generation.

Presidential aide Dada Olusegun yesterday on his verified X handle @DOlusegun, posted: “As part of efforts to reduce the cost of living, enhance energy security, and speed up Nigeria’s shift to cleaner energy sources, the President Tinubu-led administration has removed VAT on the following:  Diesel, Feed Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Electric Vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, Clean Cooking Equipment.” 

He added that in order to  incentivize the energy sector and reverse its  long-time investment drought, the government introduced tax reliefs for deep offshore oil and gas projects.

 Olusegun, quoting Minister of Finance Olawale Edun, said the decision is meant to attract global investments to the country’s deep offshore projects.

The Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Production introduces new tax reliefs, fulfilling President Tinubu’s campaign promise.  

Olusegun quoted the Coordinating Minister of the Economy as saying: “The Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Production introduces new tax reliefs to attract global investments to Nigeria’s deep offshore projects.

 “A reminder that the President, during his campaign, promised to incentivize investors who were divesting away from the country to favorable nations like Guyana and Angola.

 “Increased oil production, among other benefits of these reforms, are expected to improve the earnings of the administration in order to implement its programs successfully.”

Small businesses get tax relief

In the new  regulations, small businesses with  annual turnover of not more that N2 million will from January 1 no longer pay taxes.

They must, however, possess Valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) to qualify for the relief.

A Finance  Ministry source added  that the regulation is designed  to foster an environment where small businesses and manufacturers can benefit from tax exemptions, especially in sectors with low profit margins.

He stated that tax deducted at source would henceforth,  not be regarded as an additional cost or separate tax but treated as an advance payment towards the final tax liability of the supplier.

This approach, according to him,  is meant  to ease the burden on businesses and ensure compliance without adding unnecessary financial strain.

Under the rules, failure to remit deducted taxes or to deduct tax at source will attract significant penalties. The penalty structure aligns with existing legislation under the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act and the Personal Income Tax Act.

  The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is expected  to issue further guidelines to ensure  their smooth implementation.

The measures are contained in ‘’Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding) Regulations, 2024’’  signed by the Finance minister.

Edun said in a statement that the goals of the new tax measures  include   streamlining  “the deduction of taxes at source from payments to taxable persons, reduce complexities, and promote ease of compliance for businesses.”

He added that  the measures   ‘’cover payments made under the Capital Gains Tax Act, Companies Income Tax Act, Petroleum Profits Tax Act, and the Personal Income Tax Act. Among its objectives are promoting global best practices, reducing tax evasion, and curbing arbitrage between corporate and non-corporate structures.’’

“The objectives of these Regulations are to (a) set out the rules for the deduction of tax at source from payments to taxable persons under the Capital Gains Tax Act, the Companies Income Tax Act, the Petroleum Profits Tax Act, and the Personal Income Tax Act regarding specified transactions, ” the minister added.

[TheNation]

In the previous article I wrote regarding popular crossdresser and transgender Bobrisky, real name; Idris Okuneye, I suggested that if there is a way her antics have proved useful, it is how much they manage to reveal us to us. Well, Bobrisky did it again when she became a topic at the National Assembly. Credit goes to her for showing the vapidity of our lawmakers. Not that we did not already know they are essentially overpaid harlequins, but watching the whole drama of their inviting a social media clout chaser―who shows up accompanied by another clown cosplaying “native doctor” to a purported investigative panel―confirmed the institution they represent as perhaps irretrievably degraded.

What were the lawmakers expecting when they summoned someone who had merely released a taped conversation? This character did not put any skin in the game; he did not embark on fact-finding to get the information. The expose was merely a dialogue between supposed friends that someone had passed him to blackmail Bobrisky to pay a debt. Already obsessed with Bobrisky, he decided to release the tape to the public even after the debt was cleared. That is the character lawmakers summoned to the “hallowed chamber.” They did not stop there; they also invited Bobrisky; who had enough sense not to show up. What exactly were they trying to achieve by bringing those two together to face off? Is the NASS now Kókóró Aláte?

Look, I get it. They wanted to respond to the Bobrisky case considering the public interest the leaked tape elicited, but was that how to go about it? Their unserious approach shows how poorly they think of their constitutional powers and their moral duty. If they are interested in reforming our carceral system, I am sure they will find serious research conducted by serious people at the libraries of either NIPSS in Kuru, Jos, or the various think tanks in the country. Why ignore all that to pursue a social media “influencer”? It is not as if anything that has been revealed so far is new information. We were all here in December last year when the National Correctional Service, the DSS, and the EFCC publicly fought over who should have custody of the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele. Why would three agencies be jostling over the detention of a rich inmate if not because they see him as an opportunity?

In 2019, investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo published his investigation into the rot that typifies the Nigerian prison system. This was someone who actually got himself incarcerated just to substantiate his allegations of corruption in the Nigerian prison system. If the NASS needed to summon a person who had experienced how degenerate the prison system had become, it should have been him. Why overlook those who have committed sincere efforts towards researching these issues to run after those whose interest in this matter is not even skin deep? These are people who have turned the internet into a job, and all of this is just another show to tickle an idle followership.

To be clear, I am not against a diligent investigation into the issue. Yes, both the EFCC and the correctional service ought to be investigated with an eye toward reforms. I also think that the procedure for getting presidential pardons needs to be reviewed. The category of people who receive presidential pardons in Nigeria has always been suspicious anyway. As commonplace as the allegations that emanated from Bobrisky’s leaked tape are, they are still grievous enough to warrant a diligent investigation. What is entirely unacceptable is the frivolity of the lawmakers’ inviting social media figures―who are constantly at loggerheads―to confront each other. By also inviting a crowd of journalists, and televising the encounter, they reduce a grave matter of institutional collapse to mere entertainment. Those kinds of issues are best resolved by confronting the liable institutions, not individuals whose roles are merely symptomatic of the larger systemic rot.

For me, the matter is worth investigating given the role of the EFCC and the alleged N15m bribe. Their self-justification regarding why they dropped the money laundering charges against Bobrisky was more scandalising because of what it revealed about them and their investigation process. According to an EFCC prosecutor, Bilikisu Bala, who claimed the money laundering against Bobrisky was rightfully dropped, they had charged her based on her confessional statement that her firm, Bob Express, was not registered with SCUML and was not rendering returns to the organization. Now, that part piqued my interest.

So, it was not like there was any report that warranted their arresting Bobrisky and charging her with money laundering in the first place. They arrested her, and seeing as how the Naira mutilation offense―for which she was eventually imprisoned―was too cheap to convince the public of the necessity of their actions, they pressed her into some self-disclosure, and then proceeded to charge her with an offense based on her own words! Let me say that again. Prior to the arrest, they had nothing substantial against Bobrisky. But they thought that if they detained her and shook her well enough in their custody, one or two things that could be used against her in the court would eventually fall off.

Now, there is a possibility that even though they finally realised that the case of money laundering would not sail, some of their men still went ahead and used the charges to extort money from her. Since she might not have realised there was no evidence whatsoever to charge her with money laundering, they took advantage of the knowledge gap to demand a bribe. So, when their prosecutor Bala said the money laundering charges were “legally” dropped, he was not exactly lying. There was never a basis for them in the first place but were necessary because the EFCC was desperate to charge Bobrisky with an offense so sensational that it would obscure the very thing about her that was paining them: her sexuality.

If that was exactly how it happened, then it explains a lot about why the EFCC has been an ineffective institution; they are so crooked that they cannot stand straight on any issue at any time. When you see the EFCC chairman, Olu Olukayode, wringing his fingers and moaning about how they opened a “backdoor” for former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello, just know that it is not the way the law was worded that constricts their initiative on Bello. Where else does it happen that an investigating agency needs the cooperation of an accused to do their job to the extent they would practically be begging for the attention of the person they are supposed to prosecute? After months of EFCC’s whining, Bello finally walks into their headquarters and walks out while the officials look on like a headless mannequin in a lingerie store. They were paralyzed by their own lack of moral backbone. Shame!

We have no objective evidence of who demanded the money from Bobrisky and how it was shared, but there are enough details from the tape to convince anyone who has been paying attention to the pattern of things that the accusation could not have been false. No one prompted Bobrisky to rant, so why would she have lied against the EFCC in a tape she did not know would leak? Also, considering that aspects of her story—particularly the part about staying in a private prison—have been confirmed by prison officials, the part about the EFCC is most likely true as well. In any case, the only reason people are excited by this is Bobrisky. Nothing about this scandal is new. While one cannot control what topics people chinwag on social media, should lawmakers not be too serious to give institutional gravitas to every silliness?

Ex-Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has stated plans to make a return to coaching after being sacked by Chelsea Football Club in 2021.

In a chat with The Sports Agents podcast on Thursday, Lampard also admitted he is keen on managing the England national team.

According to reports, Lampard is one of the coaches being linked to the role after Gareth Southgate stepped down after Euro 2024.

He said: “As an English player who played 100-plus times, and an English person who’s very proud – of course, the England set-up is something that I never dreamed of.

“I played many times for England. So, now as a coach, you know, I think I would be crazy to sort of say, ‘Oh no, that would never interest me.”

The England national team also known as the ‘The Three Lions’ is currently being managed by Lee Carsley as an interim Manager who was appointed in August 2024 for the UEFA Nations League 2024 campaign.

[Punch]

When I came home on Saturday, August 31, 2024 to meet my wife, Chioma, lying on the bed with bloodshot eyes, I was alarmed. When I asked what the problem was, she retorted: “Check your phone.” She accuses me of bad telephone etiquette – not reading text messages and responding timeously – with a warning that if I don’t change, sooner than later, I would miss out on an information that needed urgent attention. From the tone of her voice, I had a hunch that foretold the day may have come.

I quickly checked my phone and froze. “My mother is no more,” was her pithy message at exactly 4.01pm, more than five hours before I came back. I was shocked because we had spoken to the old woman the previous day and she was not only in high spirit but also, typically, prayed for everyone. There was no premonition whatsoever which explains why the news hit me like a thunderbolt, even when we all knew that at her age, she was at life’s departure lounge.

Born on January 21, 1929, my mother-in-law, affectionately called Nmaekwuahu because of her breath-taking beauty, was blessed with longevity in very good health. Throw into the mix the fact that she is survived by eight children, 35 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren who doted on her till the very end, her blessings were extraordinary.

The only daughter of her parents, her enthralling beauty ensured that she was not only the darling of her parents and doting male siblings, but also the cynosure of all eyes in her Onicha community and beyond. It was, therefore, not surprising that suitors started knocking on her parents’ doors early. But she gave none consent until an equally handsome young man, Raymond Anyanwu Okahia, from neighbouring Eziudo community came along.

She was not quite ready for marriage at the time, because as she recalled: “I was too young to marry, still climbing trees but I was told that I would learn from my new home.” And, indeed, she learnt a great deal in her new home after her wedding on May 11, 1949 at the Catholic Mission Ahiara, a Eucharistic ceremony officiated by Rev. Fr. Edward Darcy.

Ndigbo have a saying that every mother’s delicacy is the most delicious to her children. But when I say that Ezinne Eunice Egowure was a mother-in-law like no other, it is not in that sense. It is a statement of fact. She was an extraordinary being in every sense. Though she didn’t acquire formal education, something she regretted, her knowledge of prevailing issues was profound. But even at that, she once vowed to me: “In my next life, I will read everything there is to read.” But to make up for the vacuum which she insisted the lack of formal education created in her life, she and her husband ensured that their children acquired as much formal education as they wished.

Beyond that, Mama embodied all the values that defined womanhood in the classical sense: she was virtuous, extremely devoted to her husband all through her lifetime; compassionate with overflowing milk of human kindness and carried herself with unparalleled dignity. Her native intelligence, sense of humour, warmth and infectious smile made her a natural leader. But she was also a very resolute, assertive and firm person, who never sacrificed honesty and integrity on the altar of wayward exigencies.

As at the time the husband died in 2011, they had lived together for 62 years and true to the advice that she would learn a lot in her new home, Mama had learnt quite a great deal in those values that make for a successful married life – communication, compromise and commitment – making her a marriage lodestar of sorts. For over six decades, she was a devoted wife, who, in an uncanny sense, was also modern in her ways. Long before it became a fad for women to join their husband’s names to their marital names, she boldly inserted her husband’s first name, Anyanwu, into the family name, Okahia, hence Ezinne Egowure Anyanwu-Okahia.

She was a quintessential marriage counsellor, always inundating intending couples on the principles of nurturing their fondness and admiration, always turning toward each other, letting their spouse influence them, solving their solvable problems, overcoming gridlock and creating a shared sense of meaning.

As a son-in-law, I am a beneficiary. When I married her daughter, she gave her an invaluable advice on how to ensure that the integrity of her marital home remained inviolable, an advice which Chioma divulged to me inadvertently. I was very grateful to the old woman, knowing that she had handed me, to borrow a cliché, her daughter’s “mumu button.” Ever since, whenever my wife was inclined to “misbehaving,” all I needed do to dissuade her was a casual reminder of her mom’s counsel, to which she will retort with a frown: “Because I told you, I will never tell you anything again.” But seconds later, she will behave accordingly.

I will forever remember my mother-in-law with affection. Ever since I went to her home to seek her daughter’s hand in marriage in 2002, Mama showered me with undiluted love. Chioma, whom she affectionately called Nwa God was her adorable last child and I was her son-in-law who could do no wrong. I will always cherish the four-hour discussion I had with her in her son’s Texas home in 2010. She was vacationing in the U.S. at a time I was attending the annual Mbaise convention and I went to see her in Dr Linus Okahia, her first son’s home in Dallas. She let me into secrets I will share with no one else.

Though unlettered, she was, nevertheless, a community and church leader who everyone looked up to for guidance. Even in her old age when she was no longer able to attend community and church engagements as she used to, most of those meetings were hosted in her home.

Her love for the underprivileged was incomparable. She was generous to a fault and constructed such an ennobling support system that became part of the community’s social architecture. A fantastic cook, nobody ever left her house hungry and nothing offended her more than rejecting her offer of food.

Because most of her children and grandchildren live in the Diaspora, her interment has been slated for January 3, 2025 when most of them will be around to pay their last respects to the matriarch of the Okahia family, a woman who was not only physically beautiful and elegant but radiated warmth, love and kindness from inside.

Even at 95, her death hurts and I will miss her dearly. But I am not mourning. She lived a good life and impacted positively on all who had the good fortune of making her acquaintance. In death, her memory is already a blessing. I am not mourning, knowing full well that she is already resting in the bosom of her creator because my mother-in-law, through her exemplary life, echoed St. Paul’s testimony in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 thus: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.” 

As we prepare to bid her final farewell, Ezinne Eunice Egowure Anyanwu-Okahia, nee Osuagwu-Onuoha, was, indeed, a mother-in-law like no other. She was a good woman. May her soul rest in peace. 

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has launched a protest against the scheduled local government area (LGA) elections set for Saturday, October 5th.

Led by the party’s Chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron, PDP supporters defied heavy rain on Thursday morning to march in protest. The demonstration began at the PDP Secretariat on the Port Harcourt-Aba expressway and proceeded to the Police Headquarters on Moscow Road.

Upon arriving at the police headquarters, the protesters submitted an official petition, urging the security agencies not to participate in the upcoming LGA election.

Speaking while handing over the petition, PDP Chairman Aaron, drenched by the rain, accused the state’s governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, of disregarding the rule of law. He informed police officials that a court order currently exists, halting the election and directing police not to provide security for the poll. He called on the police to comply with the court’s directive and refrain from supporting the election.

[Vanguard]

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has granted a N150 million bail to Darius Ishaku, former governor of Taraba state.

Ishaku was arraigned on Monday alongside Bello Yero, former permanent secretary, bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.

Both men are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them.

At the court session on Thursday, the defendants’ respective counsels moved their bail applications.

Rotimi Jacobs, prosecution counsel, said he would not object since the defendants have been granted administrative bail.

Sylvanus Oriji, presiding judge, granted the bail application.

He held that the defendants must produce two sureties each in like sum. The two sureties must be responsible citizens of Nigeria and must be residents within the FCT, with verifiable office and residential addresses.

One of the sureties produced by each defendant must be a director in the civil service.

The defendants must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission and must deposit their travel documents to the court.

Ishaku, 70, was governor of Taraba from 2015 to 2023.

In July 2023, the EFCC invited the former governor over some financial transactions conducted during his spell in office. He was later released on bail.

On September 27, 2024, Ishaku and Yero were arrested and detained by the commission.

[TheCable]

Several good things happen in the bedroom, often the place of rest and renewal. Sometime in 2004, Sam Nda-Isaiah and his wife Zainab conceived the idea of a newspaper there. 

She told the story before of how her husband got up in the wee hours, scribbled a few things in a jotter, and asked what she thought of the names and the sketch. That was not the day the newspaper started, of course. But it was only a matter of time.

That idea, which later became LEADERSHIP, has evolved from the feisty flimsy of decades ago into a news content company with a stable comprising some of Nigeria’s most fearless and authoritative news brands. Let’s walk back through the years that fostered this growth.

The pharma’s lab

Sam, as the founder was fondly called, was a journalist who happened to be a pharmacist. His father, Clement, was one of Northern Nigeria’s most durable newspaper deskmen with a strong interest in sports. He worked in New Nigerian Kaduna, but his influence and reputation went far and wide. 

His son, Sam, branched off into journalism after studying Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife and working briefly at Pfizer. The transition might have been a vocational accident. I think, more appropriately, it was a triumph of the genes. He first joined Daily Trust, then in its infancy, as one of the newspaper’s columnists. 

After years of column-writing, he compiled his selected works into a book, Nigeria: Full Disclosure, before launching a newspaper. It took a lot of work, though. Before the newspaper, he started a newsletter, LEADERSHIP Confidential, a highly-prized window on life, politics and powerplay among Abuja’s high and mighty, patronised by embassies and the political glitterati. 

Confidential mafia

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Malam Abba Kyari, Adamu Adamu, Mamman Daura, Abba Mahmood, and Adamu Suleiman, people who knew the dark secrets of government, were among the most valuable anonymous contributors. But the newsletter wasn’t enough for Sam, the man of big ideas. He wanted to do more. 

He gathered the money from the launch of Full Disclosure, which was about N20m then. With a small team comprising Nnamdi Samuel, Abraham Nda-Isaiah, Uche Ezechukwu, Demola Abimboye, Winifred Ogbebo, Douglas Ejembi, Audee Giwa, Kingsley Chukwu, among his earliest staff, he released a preview towards the end of September 2004, before the maiden edition on October 4, dedicated to God and country. 

God and newspapers

I’m not sure God reads newspapers. But countries pay attention. A few notable newspapers have significantly affected the course of their countries for ill or for good. When Rudolph Hearst started the New York Journal, his motive was clear: how to run Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World out of town. 

That rivalry inflamed one of the most hysterical eras in American journalism, including Hearst’s use of his press to instigate deadly conflicts with Spain.

However, the US press also had its unlikely heroes, one of the most remarkable being Katherine Graham, daughter of the founder of The Washington Post. 

Whatever Jeff Bezos may have unmade of the brand today, ThePost, on Katherine Graham’s watch, was the newspaper that defied the US government to publish the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate story, two of the most consequential scoops of the 21^st century. 

Loaded gun

I’m not saying LEADERSHIP is The Post. Not yet. I’m saying that newspapers can affect their countries’ trajectory one way or the other. Lord Beaverbrook eloquently said, “[Press power] is a flaming sword, which will cut through any political armour…that is not to say that any great newspaper or group of newspapers can enforce policies or make or unmake governments at will, just because it is a great newspaper.

“Many such newspapers are harmless because they do not know how or when to strike. They are in themselves unloaded guns. But teach the man behind them how to load and what to shoot at; they become deadly.”

The youngest and longest-serving Former British Labour Party Prime Minister, Tony Blair, knew this. For most of his years in Number 10, whenever the media mogul Rupert Murdoch called once, Blair answered twice.

But again, LEADERSHIP is not SUN or Times of London. Nor is Olusegun Obasanjo, Blair. Yet, Nigeria’s President Obasanjo would not forget LEADERSHIP in a hurry. In Too Good to Die: Third Term and the Myth of the Indispensable Man, the epic catalogue by Chidi Odinkalu and Aisha Osori, we read about the daring ambition of the former president to wrest an illegal third term. 

Beacon, always

Even in its infancy, LEADERSHIP was perhaps the most consequential newspaper that frustrated Obasanjo’s ambition. It has remained just as much a scourge of crooked leaders as a champion of Nigeria’s unity. 

For example, Imam Abubakar Abdullahi came to the limelight after the company’s awards and conference subsidiary recognised the cleric for sheltering Christians in his mosque at the height of the deadly sectarian violence of 2018 in Jos. 

Again, this year, Auwalu Salisu, a Kano-based tricycle rider awarded by the newspaper for returning N15m to the owner, received an avalanche of praise, including a cash award of N250m by the Niger State government, which Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has redeemed and kept in the care of the Sam Nda-Isaiah Foundation.

The newspaper remains fervent in its fight for press freedom, regardless of which Witchfinder General wants to undermine the press. Its dogged pursuit of the “unidentified” persons who murdered Nigerian journalist James Bagauda Kaltho in 1996, for example, led it through a labyrinth of minefields from Durbar Hotel, Kaduna, where he was bombed, through the trail of one Russell Hanks believed to have been a US envoy in Nigeria, and back to the US Embassy. The murder is still unresolved.

Neighbour-to-neighbour

There is another moment that bears retelling. In the heady days after the 2015 general elections, when the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, besieged INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega and threatened hell as the final results were being announced, the rogue economic wing of the PDP under the auspices of Neighbour-to-Neighbour, offered publishers vast sums of money to publish an advert that President Goodluck Jonathan had won the election. 

An unsuspecting LEADERSHIP staff collected the money and gleefully called the publisher to inform him that the newspaper’s bread had been buttered. Sam, whose fury, even at the best of times, was like a raging storm, was on another level of fury. He ordered that the bag of cash be returned immediately. Not long after the money was returned, Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner, and Jonathan conceded defeat within the hour. 

Ghana-Must-Go!

In these 20 eventful years, LEADERSHIP readers have had an unfailing companion – Ghana-Must-Go, the irreverent cartoon strip on the back page. In my time here, I can only remember once when GMG was stricken and bereft of wit: December 11, 2020, when Sam passed. The cartoon character was, understandably, devastated: Its life, the life of the newspaper and many who depended on it, was suddenly hanging by a thread!

The last twenty years have been quite an odyssey, with the fast-changing media ecosystem, the increasing adoption of generative Artificial Intelligence, Big Tech’s abuse and misuse of content, rising costs, and changing audience demographics forcing the industry to recalibrate. 

Overall, though, the journey that started in the bedroom over twenty years ago has made significant strides for God and country!

And long may it live!

For as long as I can remember, Nigeria’s October 1 independence anniversary has been an occasion for lamentations. It is a day in which our founding mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties are featured in newspapers bemoaning the situation in our country – without anyone taking responsibility. But while the socio-economic situation remains dire, we have been spared a lot of that hypocrisy in recent years, perhaps because the generation born decades before independence has dwindled considerably. That said, it is not a bad idea to look back as we seek to leap forward. 

The crisis of the moment is evident in virtually all sectors. From the debt overhang to the national currency whose value diminishes by the minute to the oil and gas sector where the bounty of nature abundantly available on our shores has been ceded to thieves. Security wise, Nigeria is in a state of anomie. Government—the only human invention meant to separate men from beasts—has lost the monopoly of violence to sundry criminal cartels. Whether on the road, at school or in the marketplace, death has become an unscheduled consequence of normal living for citizens. But I am not here to join the perpetual ‘wailing wailers.’ The foregoing catalogue of misdeeds is simply to remind us of some of the challenges that we still grapple with as a nation. But that’s not the thrust of this intervention.

Today, I want to rely on two archival materials currently doing the rounds among a select audience on WhatsApp as I reflect on the 64th independence of Nigeria and the road ahead. The first, from where I took the title of this column, is a 1947 newspaper advertisement in the United Kingdom. It begins with a quote credited to the Colonial Secretary, Mr Creech Jones, a few days earlier, on 21st August 1947: “I feel sure that Colonial peoples will want to understand the nature and the extent of the present economic difficulties facing us, and in particular how they affect Colonial territories and what the colonies can do in collaboration with us to win through to conditions of greater stability and prosperity.” Those words, according to the advert, “have direct bearing on the visit of the Goodwill Mission of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons to this country.”

Members of the public were then invited to the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 9th September 1947 at 7-30 p.m. in Houldsworth Hall, Deansgate. “Speakers will include Members of the Goodwill Mission of the National Council of Nigeria & Cameroons who will visit Manchester.” These visitors were listed as Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, President N.C.N.C. Elected Member of Legislative Council Nigeria; Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Secretary N.C.N.C., Elected Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Dr Ibiyinka Olorunimbe, Elected Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Mallam Buka Dipcharima, Former Member of Maiduguri Council, Nigeria; Chief Nyong Essian, Former President Ibibio Union, Nominated Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Educationist, President Abeokuta Women’s Union and Mr P.M. Kale, Educationist, President Cameroons Youth League. The forum was organised by the Pan-African Federation of Great Britain whose office was then located at number 58 Oxford Road, Manchester to see how Nigeria could help the United Kingdom to overcome its economic challenges at the period.

I am well aware that this was a colonial era with all its exploitation. So, one can argue that taking from us was not necessarily out of need by the United Kingdom but rather due to greed. But the fact also remains that Nigeria was in a relatively comfortable economic situation at the time, based on the productive capacity of our people. Though largely agrarian, since we are talking about a pre-oil period, the fundamentals of our economy were stable in the pre-independence days.

The second publication is a declassified 21 May 1975 American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) document titled, ‘Lagos Emerging as a Modest Aid Donor’. It reads: “The Caribbean Development Bank has become the latest beneficiary of the modest aid effort that Nigeria has mounted in recent years to advance its claims to leadership in Africa and its international prestige. General (Yakubu) Gowon announced a $2.5 million loan to the bank upon his return from the recent Commonwealth heads of state conference in Jamaica and official visits to Barbados, the Bahamas, and Guyana.

“Since 1972, Nigeria has extended approximately $380 million in known loans and grants to individual governments and international financial institutions. Of this total, Nigeria has lent $240 million to the World Bank, and $120 million to the International Monetary Fund’s special oil facility that makes loans to countries to help cover their oil import requirements. The remaining $20 million has been distributed largely in Africa, particularly to the countries of West Africa and to regional organizations such as the Organization of African Unity and the African Development Bank.

“Nigeria, black Africa’s most populous country, is using the bulk of its oil wealth—oil earnings totalled $8.9 billion in 1974—to finance domestic development programs aimed at improving the lot of its own citizens whose per capita income averages less than $300 per year. The military government is determined not to let its aid activities become a drain on the treasury. In the future, General Gowon has said that Nigeria will emphasize loans to development banks rather than bilateral assistance. The Nigerians probably feel that development banks are in a better position to ensure that the loans will be used for the purposes given and that they will be repaid.”

Fifteen years after independence and five years after the end of a costly (in human and material terms) civil war, we can decipher from the second document that Nigeria was in a strong situation economically. It is indeed remarkable that we made $8.9 billion from oil sales in one year. Taken together, both the 1947 advert in which we were being asked to help the United Kingdom and the 1975 CIA document which reveals that less than 50 years ago we had enough to play ‘Father Christmas’ to the same World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) that we now go cap in hand to borrow from, tell a compelling story about Nigeria.

In his broadcast on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu admitted being aware of the economic hardship faced by Nigerians due to the current reforms by his administration. Tempting as it may be to focus on what has been left undone and where our country has stumbled, the president argued, and quite correctly, Nigerians must never lose sight of how far we have come as a people. “While we celebrate the progress we have made as a people in the last sixty-four years, we must also recognise some of our missed opportunities and mistakes of the past,” Tinubu charged. “If we are to become one of the greatest nations on earth, as God has destined us to be, our mistakes must not be allowed to follow us into the future.” 

I agree with the president that we cannot continue to bemoan the past or repeat the same mistakes and expect to develop as a country. But talk is cheap. Yes, we cannot continue to run government devoid of transparency and accountability and expect development. We cannot continue to accumulate debt, deluding ourselves that we can borrow our way into prosperity. We cannot continue to pretend that it is in our long-term interest to deny our young men and women opportunities for self-advancement in their own country – leaving them no choice but to  flee Nigeria. We cannot substitute a regime of sharing ‘palliative’ and bags of rice (even if its an upgrade on ‘Agbado-nomics’) for a serious national economic plan. And while this may be an inconvenient issue to discuss in our country, we also cannot continue to breed a largely unproductive population that is growing at an exponential rate without consequences.

Going by the 2024 World Population Data Sheet released by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) last week, Nigeria’s population is projected to post a 54 per cent increase by 2050. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s current estimated population of  232 million people is equivalent to 2.85 per cent of the total world population. The PRB provides global, regional, and country-specific data on population growth and decline, age structure, and fertility. Indicators project that Africa will account for 62 percent of global population growth. That Nigeria has a young population should be an advantage but sadly, it is not. We make no serious investment in education or health while out-of-school children in Nigeria are almost twice the entire population of some of the countries within the subregion.  

In his book, ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa: A blueprint for taking Nigeria and Africa from potential to prosperity’, published last year, former Finance Minister, Olusegun Aganga, highlighted three critical factors for sustainable growth on the continent, with a special focus on Nigeria. They are political, economic and social institutions. When these three properly align, they ultimately help to provide stability in the system and engender shared prosperity, according to Aganga, who draws relevant examples from countries that have leveraged on these three critical factors for the advancement of their people.

While interrogating why the whole of our country remains less than the sum of its parts, one of the issues addressed by Aganga is that of population. “We have a quantity advantage, and our demographic is the envy of the rest of the world”, Aganga wrote to buttress his point on the benefits of young population, if properly harnessed. “The average age in Nigeria is about 18.6 years. This compares to about 42.5 years in Europe and 38.4 in China.” But Aganga expressed concerns that every year “Nigeria adds 5.5 million people to its population, which is about the population of Congo, Namibia, Liberia, Mauritania and the Gambia, among others.” He then contrasted our population with that of the United Kingdom that was seeking our ‘help’  just about 77 years ago. At independence in 1960, the population of Nigeria was 45.2 million. That same year, the population of the UK was 52 million. Today, the UK is about 69.2 million. That means we are now more than three times the population of a country that was larger than us at independence with a fraction of their resources! 

I concede the fact that Nigeria has come a long way and that at 64, there is much to celebrate. But there are also so many things that need to change, beginning with an uncontrolled population growth that is not backed with any infrastructural support. It should worry critical stakeholders that the only thing we are producing at a comparative advantage in Nigeria today are babies! Hence, the need for an enlightenment campaign on responsible procreation. Nigerians must begin to understand that only a moderate population growth that enables a high quality of life for citizens can guarantee a sustainable society.

Happy 70th Birthday to the indomitable Dr. Olusegun Abdulrahman Mimiko, a true champion of the people! As one of his proud associates, my heart swells with joy as I reflect on the profound honor of serving alongside such an extraordinary leader. Dr. Mimiko’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerians has sparked a flame of inspiration that continues to illuminate our paths.

A Life of Service

Born on October 3, 1954, Dr. Mimiko has dedicated his life to the noble mission of serving others. From his early days as a passionate medical student at the esteemed Obafemi Awolowo University to his distinguished tenure as Governor of Ondo State, he has always placed the needs of the populace at the forefront. His steadfast dedication to healthcare, education, and infrastructure has transformed countless lives, proving that true leadership is rooted in compassion and selflessness.

A Visionary Leader

Throughout his governorship, Dr. Mimiko’s administration became a beacon of hope, prioritizing the needs of the people and earning him the cherished title of "Iroko." His groundbreaking initiatives, such as the Abiye program, have set a remarkable standard for healthcare reform across the nation. His visionary leadership has not only catalyzed economic growth but has also enhanced infrastructure and championed social justice, leaving an indelible mark on our society.

A Man of Principle

Dr. Mimiko’s unwavering commitment to democracy and good governance is truly commendable. He has stood firm in his beliefs, even when faced with adversity, showcasing an admirable resilience. His courage has inspired a new generation of leaders to follow in his esteemed footsteps, ensuring that his legacy of integrity and service endures.

Notable Achievements

Education Reforms: Initiatives like free shuttle buses and interventions at the tertiary level have significantly improved access to education for thousands of Nigerians.

Kaadi Igbe Ayo: The Ondo Residency Card Initiative has brought essential services directly to the doorsteps of citizens.

Urban Renewal: His ambitious vision for a modern Ondo State has transformed cities and towns into vibrant communities.

Agriculture: A strong emphasis on agriculture has empowered farmers and boosted food production across the region.

Judiciary Reforms: His relentless efforts have fortified the judiciary, ensuring justice is accessible to all.

A Lasting Legacy

As we gather to celebrate Dr. Mimiko’s 70th birthday, we honor his selfless service to the people of Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole. His legacy inspires us to strive for a brighter future, filled with hope and possibility.

“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowery words. It is about the impact we make in the lives of others.” Dr. Mimiko, your remarkable journey exemplifies this profound truth. Here’s to many more years of impactful service, joyous celebrations, and an unwavering spirit of making a difference!

Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN, PhD
Honorable Attorney General of Ondo State

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years.

Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military since 2018 over attempt to disarm him.

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years.

Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military since 2018 over attempt to disarm him.

After Iliya’s claim went viral, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, ordered an investigation into the matter.

Giving an update about the matter during a press briefing at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, disclosed that Haruna had been dismissed from the military.

Gusau, a Brigadier-General, said Abbas was dismissed after the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, ratified the judgement of the court martial instituted by the DHQ on September 19, 2024.

The senior military officer said that Abbas was arraigned before a court-martial on three charges bordering on disobedience to orders, resisting arrest and destruction of service property.

He noted that the offences were contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation 2004, adding that upon his arraignment, he pleaded guilty to the allegations against him.

“Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 was arraigned before the GCM on 3 counts charge of Disobedience to Particular Orders, Resistance to Arrest and Offences in Relation to Public and Service Property contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA) Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation (LFN) 2004, respectively.

“At the trial, the GCM deliberated on the testimonies of the prosecution and Defence witnesses as well as the exhibits tendered by the prosecution surrounding the circumstances of the case.

“It is important to note that the ex-rating pleaded guilty to all the charges during the trial. The GCM therefore, considered the nature of the offence committed by the ex rating, his plea of guilty and plea in mitigation of punishment as well as the legal advice of the Judge Advocate in arriving at its verdict,” he said.

Gusau said after the trial, the court found Abbas guilty and dismissed him with effect from February 7, 2023, adding that Abbas was subsequently placed on open arrest pending the ratification of the judgment.

He said, “Accordingly, after proceedings, the GCM found Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 guilty on all counts. Based on this, he was sentenced to a Reduction in Rate from Seaman to Ordinary Seaman on Count One and Dismissal with Ignominy on Counts 2 and 3 with effect from 7 February 2023.

“Thereafter, the ex-rating was placed on open arrest at the arrival hall in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, pending confirmation of the sentences by the Chief of the Naval Staff.

“The Record of Proceedings of the trial was forwarded to DHQ on 27 June 2023 and subsequently transmitted to Naval Headquarters on 8 August 2023. The sentences of the GCM were thereafter confirmed by the CNS with effect from September 19, 2024.”

Gusau dismissed claims that Abbas was tried despite having mental health issues.

He said, “On the issue of mental well-being, we have a clip here that shows medical personnel coming to testify that he has conducted checks and he is fit to stand trial. And again, we have medical certificates from Federal Medical Center, where they certify that he is fit to stand trial.

“He has been going in and out of hospital, but all the hospitals he attended show that he is mentally fit to stand trial. In fact, because of his, you know, in and out of hospital, that’s why the first court-martial was dissolved, to give him enough time so that he can go and seek medical attention.

“But all reports came back saying he is physically and mentally ready to stand trial”, adding that Abba’s Commander did nothing wrong to disarm him.

He stated, “You can disarm that person. Once you give a weapon to somebody and you don’t trust him any longer, you don’t allow him until he’s perpetrated an offence or even killed people before you now, you know, collect the weapon.

“The weapon belongs to the states. It belongs to the Armed Forces of Nigeria. You go to the armoury, you sign it, and at every point, until your commander feels he doesn’t trust you with that weapon, he can retrieve it from you. And if you refuse, he can disarm you.”

Narrating how Abbas’ ordeal started, Gusau said the dismissed rating continually interrupted his commander while addressing them on the parade ground.

He added that Abbas disobeyed all orders given to him by his commander, which included him to report to the guard room.

Gusau said, “Let me at this point intimate to you that the case involving Ex-Seaman Abbas M5759 started when he was found misbehaving during a parade.

“Specifically, the ex-rating was part of the parade during a coordinating conference of the Commanding Officer when he was addressing troops of Exercise AYAM AKPATUMA preparing for the operation.

“While the CO was addressing the troops, the ex-rating continually interrupted the address, which warranted the CO to direct him to report to the guard room. However, the rating refused to obey the order.

“Thus, the CO directed his arrest, but the ex-rating resisted and expended 16 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition belonging to the NN with the aim of preventing other soldiers from taking him into custody.

“Consequently, the investigation was conducted, and the ex-rating was recommended to be tried by court-martial. The ex-rating was eventually tried by a GCM from December 20, 2022 – February 7, 2023.

“Notably, the trial of Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 by GCM was based on the authority that as serving personnel, he was subject to both military and civil laws.”

[DailyTrust]