The Federal Government is collaborating with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to revive the country’s cotton and textile industry. 

Vice-President Kashim Shettima disclosed this following a meeting with an ICAC delegation, led by Executive Director Mr. Eric Trachtenberg, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja according to a post on the official X page of the Vice President’s activities. 

The Federal Government aims to create over 1.4 million jobs annually in the cotton and textile sector and develop key components of the cotton value chain. 

This value chain includes farming, weaving, ginning, and linking of cotton, aligning with the industrialization drive of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Shettima urged stakeholders to devise a roadmap for revitalizing Nigeria’s cotton and textile sector. 

The vice president assured the delegation that the administration would make concerted efforts to harness opportunities within the cotton value chain. 

The vice president assured the delegation that the administration would make deliberate efforts to harness opportunities within the cotton value chain. This, he noted, would help Nigeria regain its ICAC membership. 

Shettima acknowledged ICAC’s commitment to developing the sector in Africa, highlighting that the diverse backgrounds within ICAC provide a nuanced understanding of the complexities and opportunities in the cotton value chain. 

Lagos is well positioned for cotton industrial development 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State stated that the state is well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities in the cotton value chain. He emphasized that Lagos, as a key part of this chain in Nigeria, would support efforts to revamp the sector, enabling the state to maintain its status as the largest fashion hub on the continent.  

He commended the federal government’s initiatives aimed at revitalizing the industry to create jobs and drive economic transformation. Sanwo-Olu also pledged the state’s readiness to procure cotton produced in other parts of the country for companies based in Lagos. 

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State remarked that the meeting was part of Nigeria’s efforts to rejuvenate the textile industry and boost economic growth. He said Imo State and the Southeastern region would integrate into the cotton/textile sector to create jobs through the country’s industrialization. 

ICAO pledges commitment to Nigeria  

• The ICAC’s Executive Director, Eric Trachtenberg, expressed his satisfaction with the interest and commitment demonstrated by Nigeria’s leadership.
• He also commended other stakeholders for their efforts in reviving the industry in the country. 
• Trachtenberg highlighted the transformative potential of the cotton value chain by citing examples from China, India, Pakistan, and other parts of the world.
• He emphasized that the cotton and textile sectors offer significant competitive advantages and drive economic transformation. 
• He assured that the ICAC would support Nigeria’s cotton value chain by providing expert advice on improving productivity and enhancing the value chain, as well as facilitating investment.

[Nairametrics]

Recall that Tinubu’s speech was greeted with heavy backlash, as some political stakeholders claimed that he failed to address critical issues.

Prominent amongst persons who have knocked the president for the address are Noble Laureate, Wole Soyinka, Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dele Momodu, a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, among others.

Reacting to the criticism via his X handle on Tuesday, Keyamo claimed that the critics intended to force the President to negotiate power with them.

According to him, “Even if Mr President @officialABAT redrafts his wonderful speech one million times over, those with nefarious intentions will continue to pooh-pooh it in order to justify their continued instigation of mayhem.

“Their real intention is to force the hand of Mr President to negotiate power with them. It is as simple as that. The fall guys are the ignorant, but patriotic compatriots on social media screaming their heads off and the robbers and hoodlums that are rampaging on the streets.”

The minister, however, added, “Behind all these facades is a complex chess game of power with unseen hands.”

[NaijaNews]

In my column of 14 July 2017 titled: “Biafra. From Monologue To Dialogue” I had a tinge of optimism that the incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu, lPOB leader facing sedition charges from the Federal Government of Nigeria, was about to end.

The optimism was informed by the fact that the national assembly and presidency had waded into the matter especially when Arewa youths issued Igbos a so-called quit notice from the north and all other members of the Nigerian union started threatening to expel members of other ethnic groups in their domain.

In that 2017 media intervention, which is seven years ago, l made the case below:

“As the cry for Partitioning of Nigeria along ethnic, cultural and religious lines, which mimics the Partitioning of Africa amongst European countries during the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, grows louder, it is pertinent to note that the conflict is being fueled by policies steeped in politics, as opposed to equity and justice.

“This is why allowing the Igbo agitation in particular and similar self-determination struggles amongst the multifarious ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to remain a monologue rather than a dialogue, has been dangerous, if not reckless.

“And it is therefore very heartening that both the presidency and the National Assembly, NASS are now weighing in to resolve the conflict as evidenced by recent consultations and media comments from both acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, and senate president, Bukola Saraki.

“I’m pretty convinced that like the duo, it has dawned on most Nigerians that disputes related to ethnic nationalism can no longer be attended to via the surfeit of window dressing measures that have been the attitude of authorities in Nigeria.”

My prognosis in 2017 which is seven years ago was wrong as evidenced by the fact that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB was re-arrested in 2021 and has remained under detention.

So, my optimism that the presidency and national assembly had finally found the courage and formula to heal the old wounds in the ‘easterners’ and ‘northerners’ relationship which has been fractured since the unfortunate civil war ended some 54 years ago, was a misjudgment.

Perhaps that is principally because it was not an idea whose time had come. But today it appears to me as it is an idea whose time has come.

The quote “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come” is often attributed to Victor Hugo, a renowned French writer.

It encapsulates the notion that when the conditions are ripe and the world is ready for a particular concept or change, the impact of that idea can be immense and transformative. According to the proponents of the thought process, the power of an idea lies not just in its intrinsic qualities but also in the context in which it emerges.

They argue further that a groundbreaking idea that resonates with the needs, values, and aspirations of a society can spark significant change and progress. And conclude that when an idea aligns with the prevailing sentiments, challenges, or opportunities of a given time, it can gain momentum and catalyze action on a large scale.

The current efforts and activities surrounding the renewed call to free Nnamdi Kanu tick all the boxes highlighted above.

In fact, for the devotees of the concept of an idea whose time has come, the imminent release of IPOB leader Kanu is an example of a zeitgeist or a time spirit. One would argue that it is a historical moment, where the idea or concept (a “spirit” if you will) is perfectly received by a cultural movement that surrenders to its utility as dictated by historical necessity.

In fact, the scenario described above aligns with the current dynamics of political change in our country which has brought a progressive president,Bola Tinubu to be at the helm of affairs at the Aso Rock Villa presidential seat of power. Thus it can be said that he has become the one put in a position to resolve the over half a century-old agitation by the Igbos in a manner that would be most beneficial by integrating them into one united Nigeria which they have been craving.

That is because being a neo-liberal free market economy adherent, president Tinubu understands the economics of scale and appreciates the benefits of a large population being enjoyed by the likes of China and India which have the largest and second largest populations in the world and have leveraged the population advantage to also be the first and second fastest growing economies worldwide.

So, the president recognizing that we are stronger together as a huge market would be keen to do all he could to heal the old wounds by addressing the reasonable grievances of the aggrieved parties and helping the lgbos blend with society as opposed to nursing grudges and expressing animosity.

Hopefully, if President Tinubu decides to play the political card and helps to build the bridge by allowing a political solution that would enable Kanu to regain his freedom, peace would return to the otherwise very industrially productive region currently rendered comatose due to insecurity challenges such as the Seat-At-Home order on a certain day imposed by IPOB in protest of Igbo’s exclusion from mainstream Nigerian politics after the Biafran war ended in 1970.

By last month June, it had been three years since Nnamdi  Kanu has been and continues to be the ‘guest’ of the federal government of Nigeria, FGN which has applied all manners of legal weapons to abridge his freedom following a charge of treasonable felony against him.

Remarkably, multiple Nigerian and even ECOWAS courts had ruled that he should be freed from detention until the supreme court of Nigeria, on appeal from the FGN lawyers overruled the decision of the lower courts in December of 2023.

As part of a more recent effort to help Kanu regain freedom through a political rather than legal process, 50 members of the House of Representatives from different parts of Nigeria and political parties, which branded themselves Concerned Federal Lawmakers For Peace and Security in the South East, had written to President Tinubu to activate Section 174 of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 for the release of the detained IPOB leader.

One thing that is significant to note with the initiative is that never in the past had a coalition of lawmakers that are not of Igbo stock formed a bipartisan force to solicit for the release of the IPOB leader from detention. That it just happened is a pointer to the expectation that it is truly an idea whose time has come.

So, given the current renewed and broad efforts involving non-Igbos, it seems to me now that it is a question of when, not if Kanu will be released from detention which willy-nilly will be sooner than later.

The assertion above is underscored by the fact that it has become clear to all involved that diplomacy rather than the nzogbu nzogbu (forceful) approach hitherto adopted by the hard-liners in lPOB leadership would be the key to Kanu’s freedom.

When that happens it would be a classic case of the triumph of diplomacy over the nzogbu-nzogbu (forceful) approach to conflict resolution.

As at the last count, the former democratically elected president of Nigeria/former military head of state of our country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary general of the Commonwealth of Nations covering all the countries formerly under the British Empire including Canada, Australia and India to mention a few had just finished rubbing minds with the governors of the five(5) eastern states on the need to and how to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s release from detention.

It was initially hoped that the involvement of eminent personalities such as the pair of Obasanjo and Anyaoku, who are juggernauts in the art of diplomacy and leadership not only in Nigeria (Anyaoku was also minister of foreign affairs in the 2nd republic)but the world (Obasanjo was a member of Eminent Persons Group with ex-prime ministers of Uk and Australia amongst others) Mazi Kanu was on track to be liberated from the jail for lack of a better terminology to describe his incarceration since June 2021 when he was allegedly renditioned from Kenya to answer to treasonable felony charges brought against him by the federal government of Nigeria.

But the optimism about Kanu’s immediate freedom through the efforts of the former president and former commonwealth secretary general was dampened by the subsequent rebuttal of the news that the elder statesmen would be leading the delegation of eastern states governors to plead with President Tinubu.

But hope is not entirely lost because although the corrigendum by former president Obasanjo that his meeting with the governors from the five southeast states in Enugu on the 3rd of July did not have the freedom for Kanu on the agenda looks like a setback, my hunch is that it is a tactical move by former president Obasanjo.

After all, negotiations for political settlements of matters of that nature are not supposed to be made public until it is done and dusted.

In other words, there may still be some ongoing backroom negotiations which makes it premature to go public with the freedom for Kanu initiative.

Whatever the case may be, while the lPOB members see Kanu as a leader of the struggle to emancipate Igbo people through secession, some sons and daughters of Igbo land at home and in the diaspora consider him their kit and kin who are fighting for the common good of the Igbos, but perhaps in a nasty and abhorrent way which they detest and have denounced.

Without a doubt, it is the rhetorics of defining Nigeria as a zoo and using expletives that do not bear repeating in this space to characterize leaders of Nigeria during feats of anger by Kanu that has, to put it mildly, bruised the egos of those he has been mocking as his vituperations bordered not just on disagreements with government apparachik but treating with disrespect other tribes.

That is a major factor that has made the struggle to free him after he was renditioned into Nigeria three years ago, a very daunting process.

According to John Maxwell, the renowned leadership expert, there is a difference between disagreement & disrespect. Apparently, the problem is not just a disagreement between the lPOB leader and the Nigerian nation.

But it appears to be a disrespect problem because he tended to be disrespecting other tribes. The point being made is that, when one disagrees with another, both can talk it out. They will just sit there and probably agree to disagree,  by never agreeing on anything, but they will keep talking. So when we disagree, we’ll talk it out.

But if one disrespects another, it puts a wall between them. This may result in what can be identified as a confirmation bias. In other words, people seek to listen to only people they agree with. Instead of confirmation bias, what is needed is a collaboration bias. Based on Maxwell’s philosophy, Igbos need to seek out people who are different from them to build relationships with in other to achieve full integration.

Before Obasanjo and Anyaoku’s visit in the company of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe to confer with the five governors of eastern Nigeria in Enugu on Tuesday 3rd July, in November of 2021, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, led a delegation of Igbo leaders to visit then president Muhamadu Buhari to appeal to him for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.

During that meeting Chief Amaechi was in the company of Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of Anambra State, Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the Methodist Church, Chief Barrister Goddy Uwazurike, former President of Igbo socio-cultural group, Aka Ikenga, and Mr. Tagbo Mbazulike Amaechi, the nonagenarian 2nd republic minister of transport (all who have now passed away along with Dr. Ezeife) had described the situation in the Southeast as “painful and pathetic,” lamenting that “businesses have collapsed, education is crumbling, and there is fear everywhere.”

He then committed to then-president Buhari that if Kanu was released to him as the only First Republic Minister still alive, “he would no longer say the things he had been saying,” stressing that he could control him, “not because I have anything to do with them (IPOB), but I am highly respected in Igbo land today.”

Then he concluded by making a solemn wish: “I don’t want to leave this planet without peace returning to my country. I believe in one big, united Nigeria, a force in Africa. Mr President, I want you to be remembered as a person who saw Nigeria burning, and you quenched the fire.”

Unfortunately, that wish never came to pass, before the 93-year-old Amaechi and 86-year-old Ezeife joined their ancestors in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Fortuitously, although the late Mbazukike Amaechi had offered himself to then President Buhari as a guarantor of Kanu’s good behavior if released to him, a deal which the former president declined, reportedly Nnamdi Kanu himself and lPOB leadership have now undertaken to abide by whatever rules that are given as precondition for his freedom currently being negotiated.

So an out-of-court settlement is on track even as a few days after the eastern states’ governors resolved to take their plea to President Tinubu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia state has led his colleagues from the southeast to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi to negotiate the release of Kanu so that peace would reign in the eastern region like it used to before the agitation for a sovereign nation of Biafra raised the tension that has made the region a boiling couldrom of sorts.

It is such a paradox that only in 2016 the eastern region merited being granted  by the United Nations Development Program, UNDO the status of the safest region in terms of human security in Nigeria.

Today that geographical location has become so blighted that it is a shadow of its old self as the agitation to separate the Igbos from the rest of Nigeria has taken a very violent and bloody turn with thousands of the youths going to their graves prematurely.

That high level of violence had made Igbo land a no-go area for people who cherish peace and tranquillity as the space that was in no  distant past a bastion of commerce and industry has become a cauldron of sorts.

Before proceeding further a bit of historical background of the three figures who have influenced lgbo nation the most and have  been the major drivers of the Igbo struggle would be in order.

The three notable leaders in the annals of the modern Igbo nation are Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

It is striking that have passed away at ripe age and one is incarcerated.

Azikiwe’s passion for the freedom of the oppressed people transcends Igbo land extending to his fight for independence of Nigeria and indeed the entire African continent. That is because he was one of the purveyors of Africa’s independence from colonial rule which is a mission he embarked on upon his return from acquiring education from Lincoln University, Connecticut, USA.

The second is Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu who in a bid to separate Igbos from Nigeria, as a colonel in the Nigerian army serving as the military administrator of the then eastern region declared it as the nation of Biafra on the 30th May 1967.

The third is Nnamdi Kanu who was driven by the zeal to conclude the liberation of Igbos from the injustice. He zealously continued with the struggle that  was started peacefully by Azikiwe before and continued after 1960 when Nigeria became an independent country and which Ojukwu pursued violently via a secession attempt in 1967 that degenerated into an unfortunate civil war that raged on for three years and left in its trail the loss of estimated three million souls and massive destruction of infrastructure in Igboland.

The lPOB leader who had relied on fiery anti-Nigeria speeches which authorities regarded as hateful and seditious and was thus apprehended by law enforcement agencies has been fighting for his freedom through the judiciary for over three years period.

The Igbos in pursuit of their quest to become more active participants in the mainstream political leadership of our country or be allowed to go their separate way have been “shaking the table”, be it via the civil war or the socioeconomically strangulating activities of IPOB in a bid to attract the attention of the FGN and the world.

It is remarkable that only one of the three (3) Igbo leaders highlighted earlier pursued the goal of liberating Igbos peacefully and that personality is Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe. Notably, he was an intellectual and preferred a non-violent approach to conflict resolution.

To underscore his preference for dialogue over violence, it is worth recollecting a narrative in an interview he had in 1995 at at the age of 90 and in which he revealed how he admonished his protege in Ghana late Kwame Nkrumah, (who later became the prime minister of Ghana) to eschew violence in seeking change.

As a direct opposite of Azikiwe’s approach, Chief Ojukwu who was an army colonel adopted the use of force which is why he attempted to secede relying on the instrumentality of guns and war.

Likewise, Mazi Kanu’s modus operandi is the resort to fiery and incendiary speeches that fired up the youths of Igbo land who as a result felt obliged to pursue their freedom from the marginalization or ostracization by the Nigerian government as it were through confrontation of the nation’s security forces.

My guess is that each of them leveraged their skills based on their areas of expertise, which is okay.

Perhaps due to the notion of the average Igbo person influenced by the experience of the civil war and non-implementation of the end-of-war remedies promised which are: Reconciliation Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation – the so-called three Rs that were supposed to help re-absorb the Igbos back into the system, they have somehow become isolated in the scheme of things in our country.

Worse of all even they too have been affirming that inequity by also increasingly distancing themselves or drifting away instead of building friendship bridges across the river Niger to other like or unlike-minded Nigerians.

The above view is my assessment and a lot of hardliners have been debating that point of view with me over the years, l have been making the case that the imminent release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention and subsequent readmission of the Igbo nation into the mainstream of Nigerian leadership can only be attained through intensive and continuous negotiations which diplomacy is all about and not the nzogbu nzogbu (forceful) approach which has been the approach in the past decade or thereabouts.

The truth is that we can not continue to allow our unarmed youths to confront security forces that are fully armed in the manner Palestinians confront Israeli Security Forces, and IDF with bare hands and stones.

It is unwise that they would continue to throw states at security forces hoping that when they are mowed down and prematurely sent to their graves for a cause that can be negotiated, the powerful countries of theb would come to their rescue.

Based on experience, diplomacy preferred by Nnamdi Azikiwe has always proven to be the best way of resolving conflicts no matter how complex.

Nigeria attained independence without firing a shot against Britain. Similarly, India secured independence not through the barrels of the gun nor did apartheid end in South Africa via a war,but through a negotiated agreement which democracy is all about.

It is only through diplomacy that the raging Israeli-Hamas conflict and the Russian-Ukraine war could have been avoided and would eventually end.

That is a clear affirmation of the fact that diplomacy is the best solution for conflict resolution no matter how complex.

 So, it is a matter of when, not if peace returns to Igbo land, sooner than later through diplomacy it will be a tribute to the memory of my senior friend, the late Prof. George Obiozor who was the immediate past president General of Ohaneze Ndigbo who tried very hard to infuse the conversation on lgbo exclusion and the need to bring the ethic group into the mainstream with the fervor of diplomacy.

I can recall his passion for reconciling the Igbo nation with the rest of Nigeria with nostalgia. As far back as the mid-1980s, Prof. Obiozor alongside Prof. Ukandi Damachi, Dr. Stanley Macebuh, and Mr. Tom Fabian ( all of them now of blessed memory) used to converge in my apartment at 1004 Estate in Victoria Island, Lagos.

They used to do so even if l was much younger than them in age, academics, and every material aspect of life. But l felt honored to enjoy the privilege of sharing space and rubbing minds with some of the best brains in Nigeria as they were products of some of the best universities in the United States of America, USA from MIT, Princeton, and Harvard. They often engaged themselves in discussions that dug deep into the essence of our country from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

Having operated at very high levels in both the academia and top echelons of government and the private sector they had highly valuable insights which l was happy to absorb from them.

Restoring the southeast into the bastion of industrial development that it used to be was an overarching desire of Prof. Obiozor who had been Director Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Nigerian Ambassador to Israel and Cyprus, and lastly Nigeria’s ambassador to the United Nations before his retirement after which he took over the reins of leadership of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group.

It’s trite to state that Prof.Obiozor would be rejoicing in the other world on the day that Kanu is set free and his beloved Igbo land once again, regains its privileged status of being UNDP’s most secure geographical region in Nigeria.

So, it is very likely in my estimation that all men and women of goodwill who have been craving peace in Igbo land can not wait to exhale and exclaim ‘victory at last’ when President Tinubu greenlights the freedom for Kanu initiative and welcomes the Lgbos into mainstream Nigeria.

•Magnus Onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, democracy advocate, development strategist, alumnus of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, and a former commissioner in Delta state government, sent this piece from Lagos, Nigeria.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will be hoping it can halt the naira’s downward spiral by selling dollars at a retail auction today.

The apex bank has received a list of all outstanding FX demand by end users from authorised dealer banks, after telling banks in a circular that it was diverging from the usual wholesale auctions to banks.

Sources say the CBN has been confounded by the naira’s rapid fall despite its increased interventions in the foreign exchange market.

According to FMDQ data, the bank sold $369 million in the month of July, while buying less than $20 million from the deposit money banks.

The CBN’s intervention has not brought the much-desired relief for the naira, causing the CBN to change tack with a retail auction.

The naira slipped below N1,600 last month, a record low. On Tuesday, the naira closed at N1601 per US dollar. It has declined by 70 percent over the past year.

The bank is also attempting to mop up some more naira liquidity with the retail auction, some traders said.

Ayokunle Olubunmi, head of financial institutions ratings at Agusto Consulting, explained that the CBN’s change of tack is to meet the burgeoning forex demand and stabilise the currency.

Olubunmi noted that the CBN’s decision is a revival of a previously utilised system designed to ensure legitimate forex transactions are met.

“The CBN has been trying to reduce activities on the forex window,” he said, “but the reality is that the CBN will actually be the main supplier. They are creating this particular window to ensure that the naira stabilises.”

He emphasised that the high demand for dollars has prompted the CBN to take multiple measures, including selling dollars to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to alleviate pressure on the naira. The step is crucial to prevent the naira’s devaluation, he noted.

“The reality is that the CBN will still be the main supplier of forex,” Olubunmi reiterated. “Reintroducing the retail Dutch auction will support the naira and stem devaluation.”

According to a circular issued by the CBN, the upcoming sale is in response to the “growing unmet foreign exchange demand,” which has exacerbated pressure on the naira’s exchange rate.

The naira is also facing significant pressure due to seasonal demand from summer tourists and importers.

Historically, the central bank has utilised both retail and wholesale currency auctions to supply dollars to the market. The retail auction directly serves customers, while the wholesale auction provides dollars to banks.

[BusinessDay]

Over the past 24 years, a stark decline in the manufacturing sector has been observed across Nigeria, leading to the unfortunate closure of 102 companies in 16 states.

LEADERSHIP reports that the trend highlights manufacturers’ myriad challenges, including inconsistent government policies, inadequate infrastructure, and security concerns.

Experts say the closure of these 102 companies across Nigeria’s 16 states represents a significant loss for the nation’s economy, contributing to unemployment and social unrest.

The challenges faced by these industries are multifaceted, requiring urgent government intervention and strategic planning to foster a more conducive business environment and restore the manufacturing sector.
Nigeria has spent billions on intervention to save the industries through the National Industrial Revolution Plan.

JUST-IN: TINUBU APPOINTS NEW CEOS FOR NSIPA, NAPTIP, 5 OTHERS

(NIRP) launched in 2014, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) introduced in 2017 and the Industrial Development Fund, a programme set up to provide financing for industrial projects.

The states affected by the closure of companies are: Abia – 7, Bauchi – 2, Bayelsa – 1, Borno – 5, Gombe – 4, Kaduna – 5, Kano – 22, Katsina – 2, Kebbi – 5, Kwara – 13, Nasarawa – 6, Niger – 4, Plateau – 3, Rivers – 1, Sokoto – 2 and Zamfara – 20.

Findings on companies that employed over 50 persons before the year 2000 but have now closed shop indicated that in Kaduna State, major closures include Kaduna Textile Limited, Arewa Textile and United Nigeria Textile, all situated in the Kakuri area.

Between 2000 and 2024, Zamfara State witnessed the closure of 20 companies, each employing over 50 workers. Notable casualties include Zamfara Textile Industries Limited, Gusau Oil Mills, and other enterprises concentrated in the Gusau industrial area. The economic landscape has been adversely affected, resulting in significant job losses and community distress. The state has been beset by banditry in the last few years.
Kwara State has also suffered, with 13 companies shutting down, including reputable names like Global Soap and Detergent Industry and Nigeria Paper Mills in Jebba. The closures reflect a broader trend of economic hardship and inadequate support for local industries.

Borno State has been particularly hard-hit, losing five companies largely due to the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency. This insurgency has stifled investment and led to the collapse of firms like Deribe Oil Company. The lack of security has rendered the resuscitation of these businesses nearly impossible.
Kebbi State has seen five significant companies go out of business since 2010, primarily due to economic challenges. Gombe State has lost four companies, including the once-thriving British Cotton Ginnery. Similarly,

Niger State has reported the closure of four companies, emphasising the pervasive nature of the crisis across the region.

Kano State stands out with a staggering 22 companies having shut down operations, particularly in the textile, food, and beverage sectors.

Other states have not been spared either. For instance, Bayelsa State lost one plastic company, while Bauchi, Katsina, Sokoto, Abia, Nasarawa, Plateau, and others have experienced varying degrees of industrial decline.
Significant companies like Jos Steel Rolling Mill and Jos International Breweries have become shadows of their former selves, with little government intervention to revive them.

Experts and workers who spoke to LEADERSHIP attributed the current hardship and lack of jobs to the inability of the companies to survive in Nigeria.
Local textile worker Joseph Kwagh said, “Unless the government wakes up from its slumber, moribund textile industries and other companies will not be revived.”

Vice Chairman of the Kano State Organised Private Sector Union, Hamza Adamu, highlighted the confluence of low business activity, multiple taxation and poor electricity supply as critical factors leading to the closure of industries in Nigeria.

FG Disburses Single-digit Loans To Prevent Industry Collapse

However, in a strategic move to prevent the collapse of industries in Nigeria, the federal government has disbursed loans at single-digit interest rates to the manufacturing sector of the economy and small businesses.
The Bank of Industry (BoI), under the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, in 2023, disbursed N496.72 billion in loans to 75,809 beneficiaries, marking a 41.5 percent increase in total loans and advances.

These efforts align with President Bola Tinubu’s economic recovery goals, emphasizing the government’s dedication to empowering Nigerian enterprises and promoting sustainable operations.
Also just recently, the government, through the newly-launched N200 billion Presidential Intervention Fund (PIF), designed to provide crucial financial support to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as manufacturers nationwide, announced that the fund will allocate N75 billion each to MSMEs and the manufacturing sector.

The loans, repayable in equal monthly instalments over three years with no moratorium, are intended to stimulate economic growth and foster industrial development.
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment,

Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, highlighted that this new phase follows a successful initial rollout, which saw significant support provided to nano businesses. The continuation of this initiative is expected to further strengthen the country’s business environment.

For MSMEs, eligible applicants can secure loans of up to N1 million if they have been operational for at least one year or are registered start-ups. Requirements include business registration documents, bank statements, and personal guarantees. Manufacturers can access loans up to N1 billion, choosing between working capital or asset financing, with specific documentation and repayment terms.

Suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, may not return to her former position.

Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended her in January over alleged corruption, there have been reports that she could be reinstated.

The president had asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the ministry under Edu’s watch.

The President had also suspended Halima Shehu as the chief executive officer (CEO) of NSIPA and all programmes under NSIPA.

He also constituted a ministerial panel to conduct a review of the Agency’s operations with a view to recommending necessary reforms of the NSIPA.

However, on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced that Tinubu had appointed seven individuals to man agencies under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Ngelale said Dr. Badamasi Lawal had been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer NSIPA.

Others appointed by the president includes, Ms. Funmilola Olotu, Programme Manager, National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office, Ms. Aishat Alubankudi, Programme Manager, Grant for Vulnerable Groups and Princess Aderemi Adebowale, Programme Manager, Home Grown School Feeding.

Others are Mr. Abdullahi Alhassan Imam, Programme Manager, National Cash Transfer Office, Mr. Ayuba Gufwan — Executive Secretary, National Commission for People with Disabilities and Ms. Lami Binta Adamu Bello as the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

Ngelale said, the President expects the appointment to facilitate the needed relief to Nigerians and ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian and social development programmes.

[DailyTrust]

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, approved the appointment of some Nigerians onto the board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

The list was contained in a statement signed by the presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.

The board has Alhaji Aminu Masari as the chairman and six others as members.

Tinubu expects the newly-appointed members of the TETFund board “to be dedicated and committed to driving TETFund’s objective of providing the needed support for tertiary education with a view to enhancing the productivity and quality of higher education.”

They include:

Alhaji Aminu Masari — Chairman

Senator Sani Danladi — Member

Mr. Sunday Adepoju — Member

Mr. Nurudeen Adeyemi — Member

Mrs. Esther Onyinyechukwu Ukachukwu — Member

Mr. Turaki Ibrahim — Member

Mr. Aboh Eduyok — Member

[DailyPost]

• Katsina, Kano relax curfew by 12 hours

• Mobile court remands 632 rioters

Normalcy returned to more states yesterday as the protests against the rising cost of living dissipated.

With protesters in Akwa Ibom, Osun and Edo states backing down, virtually all 17 states in the South, except Rivers, have abandoned the protest.

Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also had a breather yesterday. Life returned to normal in most parts.

Lagos, the nation’s commercial city, returned to its boisterous self after protesters abandoned the Gani Fawhinmi Freedom Park, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broadcast on Saturday.

In states such as Oyo, Ogun and Delta, the protest was not noticeable yesterday.

Ondo, Ekiti, the Southeast states of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo remained peaceful.

Niger and Nasarawa have remained calm since the weekend.

Benue youths never joined the protest and were commended by Governor Hycienth Alia.

The 24-hour curfew imposed on Katsina and Kano states was relaxed following a gradual return to peace.

FCT

In Abuja, the presence of security operatives at the protest location – the Moshood Abiola National Stadium and other public places – was still noticeable yesterday even after the demonstrators had been dispersed.

A drive around the city showed that people went about their normal businesses, unlike the previous days.

The Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos was deserted yesterday and business boomed across the sprawling former nation’s capital.

Edo

Commercial and government activities picked up in Benin, the state capital.

The state secretariat opened for the first time in the past six days while shop owners displayed their goods with enthusiasm.

Security agencies cleared roadblocks on Monday in strategic areas of the city, thus giving motorists and other residents the confidence to move without fear. 

However, many banks did not open. Some customers were seen stranded at the entrances.

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that occupied King Square on the popular Ring Road also withdrew from the protest.

Osun

Protesters in Osogbo suspended the demonstration to present a letter to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi received the letter on behalf of Adeleke at the Government Secretariat in Abere.

Adewusi, who promised that their letter would be delivered to President Tinubu, urged the protesters to embrace dialogue to achieve their demands.

The deputy governor also hailed their orderly conduct since the protest started and promised to work with them toward ensuring that the state remained peaceful.

He said: “We will not relent in our efforts, as a government, in ensuring that the state continues to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

“The government has been paying salaries and backlogs, gratuity, wage awards, and other allowances; this is commendable. We are working for the best interest of the state.

“The government will continue to prioritise the welfare of its people. Once the supply of palliatives from the Federal Government is completed, disbursement will begin.

“I also admonish you to embrace dialogue and constructive engagement towards achieving your demands.” 

After submitting the letter, the protesters, under the Coalition for Concerned Nigeria Citizens, addressed reporters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat.

Adetunji Ajala, who spoke for the coalition, declared the demonstration suspended indefinitely because of the  Osun Osogbo Festival whose grand finale is slated for Friday.

Ajala said: “Since the inception of this peaceful protest, we have made our demands clear, seeking immediate action from our leaders to address pressing issues affecting the citizens of our beloved state and country.

“We acknowledge the recent address by President Tinubu, but we are disappointed that his speech failed to address any of our specific demands.

‘’Despite this setback, we successfully presented our demands to Governor Adeleke, through the deputy governor.” 

Akwa Ibom

The protest grounds in the state capital were also empty.

Governor Umo Eno praised the youth for distancing themselves from the protest and choosing peace.

To reciprocate their gesture, Eno said his administration would launch a social welfare programme to provide monthly support to about 5,000 youths.

The governor said: “We celebrate all of our youths wherever they are. They did not protest, not because the police stopped them, but because God spoke to them.

“I am extremely grateful to our youths for understanding that we can dialogue and get all that we want and that we can work together as a people.”

[TheNation]

Nigeria’s security agencies are investigating at least four politicians from the country’s northern part over the use of Russian flags by #EndBadGovernance protesters.

Multiple sources told The PUNCH that the political bigwigs, who hail from Katsina, Kaduna and Kano states, were principal actors who instigated the use of Russian flags among demonstrators in the north to fan the embers for an unconstitutional regime change.

“You see, four principal actors have been identified in this issue. They are top politicians from Katsina, Kano and Kaduna and the security agencies are closing in on them,” said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

“They played prominent roles in the election of last year (2023),” the source added.

Another source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents, “There is evidence of external influence mainly involving the politicians who are conniving with a West African and European country to cause mayhem and promote the use of the flags we are seeing. They want to do here what they did in some other countries.”

The nationwide protests against hardship and hunger took a dangerous dimension on Monday, with protesters in some Northern states waving the Russian flag as they chanted “Tinubu must go.”

Protesters in Kaduna were seen waving the Russian flag and chanting in Hausa, “Tinubu ze soka’ kaa’sa,” which translates to, “Tinubu must step down.”

They also hailed military personnel, who patrolled the metropolis, chanting, “Tinubu yaa’so’ka, mu’na so soja”, meaning, “Tinubu step down, we want soldiers.”

Russia, an Eastern power currently mired in a cold war with the West, has been blamed for several unconstitutional changes of government in West African countries such as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, and among others.

The Nigerian military on Monday said persons flying the Russian flag were committing treason and will, therefore, be “prosecuted”. It also said it is investigating those who are instigating the move and will “take serious action” against them.

“That is totally unacceptable…that is a treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such,” said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, after a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

The Department of State Services stated on X.com that it had arrested some tailors sewing Russian flags in Kano State and that some of their sponsors had also been nabbed.

However, protesters with the flag reduced drastically on Tuesday after state security personnel clamped down on them in several states, arresting them and their perceived foreign sponsors.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Salman Garba, disclosed that some foreigners suspected of being behind the protesters were arrested.

Garba, who stated this after a security meeting with Governor Abba Yusuf on Tuesday, vowed that the police and other security agencies would clamp down on anyone who violated the security regulations of the state.

The Kano police boss also announced further relaxation of the curfew from 6am to 6pm.

The same day, the Gombe State Police Command paraded 10 suspects for waving the Russian flag during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest.

Briefing journalists at the Criminal Investigation Department of the command, Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, said the outright display of another country’s flag was disrespectful to the nation.

The command’s Public Relations Officer ASP Buhari Abdullahi, who represented Usman, said the protesters were arrested in the violent protest utterly showed disrespect to the country.

“We have seen the unsettling displays of foreign flags by some protesters. This act not only disrespects our national symbols but also commits treasonable felony and related offences. Hence, 10 suspects were arrested flying Russian flags,” Abdullahi stated while parading the suspects.

“The command’s primary goal remains to restore peace and order and protect lives and property. We are committed to a measured response, ensuring that the rights of peaceful protesters are respected while addressing those who engage in violence or unlawful activities.”

He added, “The looting of both public and private property during these protests is a grave concern, for instance, the Gombe State Revenue Recovery Tribunal, Bima Lodge, Gombe State Bureau of Public Service Reform, NITEL Company and Blue -J motors among others. Such action not only undermine the rule of law but also disrupts communities and harm businesses.

“However, the command is coordinating with local communities and other agencies to address these illegal activities and hold those responsible accountable. Therefore, 92 suspects were arrested with some of the vandalised and stolen property and they are still under investigation.”

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu held closed-door talks with intelligence chiefs at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

Although the outcome of the meeting is not known, it may not be unconnected with the ongoing nationwide protests.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General, DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Ahmed and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanual attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the DSS said it had identified some masterminds of the prevalent Russian flags during the protests.

DSS boss Bichi, represented by Service spokesman Peter Afunanya, stated this at a joint media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja with heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs.

However, he argued that revealing the identities of those behind the act could jeopardise investigations.

“It’s not just that children are throwing flags or flying flags. If there is more to that, there are some aspects of our operation that we may not sit before the camera and begin to reel out, either because of their sensitivity, either because we are not supposed to say them now, or because there are ongoing investigations. And we may not say things that jeopardise those investigations,” Bichi said.

The DSS chief added that some sponsors funded the protests through monies raised outside the conventional banking system.

“People are using things other than the currency that you know, channels of transaction to do bitcoins, to do virtual currency, to do all manner of things to raise financing.

“We are attacking all of that. The NIFIU is doing so much. Our directorate for the process of recovery management is doing so much.”

On its part, the Nigeria Immigration Service said it had placed sponsors of #EndBadGovernance protests residing outside the country on its watch list.

Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mrs Kemi Nandap, who disclosed this, added that the persons on the list would be handed over to the appropriate agencies whenever they arrived in Nigeria.

She said, “Some of these sponsors, some of these people who are actually in the diaspora, we have a number of them who are actually instigating this mayhem that we’re seeing right now. What we have done is we have added them to our watch list.

“We have them on our radars, and we’re making sure that any attempt they make to come into the country we will notify the necessary authorities. And we’re working closely, of course, with the NIA and the DSS and the NSA so that all those we have in the diaspora that are actually trying to subvert the authority of this nation are on our radars.”

Nandap added that the Service had stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the Police had equally uncovered some sponsors of the protests living in the diaspora.

The police chief said, “Although we are aware that some of the sponsors of this protest have a clear motive to subvert the government of the day, we are not going to allow that. We will defend our democracy.

“Then, the question is how we are countering funding of the protest. We are doing a lot that I won’t be able to immediately expose to you how we are countering funding.

“We have blocked some accounts and are still monitoring them. Some are outside the country, and we will still get them.”

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the security operatives were after those he identified as “enemies of the country.”

 “It’s our duty to protect Nigerians. The only people we’re after are those who don’t know us well, the enemies of the state. And anyone who makes himself an enemy of the state will then be ready to face the law.

“We’re going to remain focused and committed, we’re going to respect human rights, the rights of everyone who is lawfully performing his duty.

“But we will not relent in pursuing those that have continued to encourage unconstitutional takeover of government. We will remain very professional,” Musa said.

He added that troops deployed across the country had been directed to respect human rights while going about their duties.

“We have told our men outside in the field that they must respect the rights of everyone.

“We encourage the youth to dialogue to understand that destruction and mob action do nobody any good.

“We know there are challenges in the country and these challenges are not only here,” said Musa.

Suspects on trial

Egbetokun said the Police had commenced trials for suspects arrested during the nationwide protest.

The Police had on Monday said over 800 suspects, who committed various offences during the protest, had been arrested.

In Kano, suspects were being tried at the police headquarters because of their large numbers.

He said, “I want to tell you that the trial of the suspects arrested during protests has begun. If you go to police headquarters in Kano now, you will find out that arrested persons are already being tried. So, we are not keeping them indefinitely.”

Egbetokun explained that the police, military and other agencies involved in the protest did not use excessive force on protesters.

“The Police and the military and indeed other security agencies involved in the management of this protest have not deployed excessive use of force; instead, what we had were attacks on security agents during the protest. From our record, there were no shooting incidents by the Police,” the IGP added.

“The Police or military didn’t use any live ammunition in the management of these protests. Instead, we had cases where our officers were injured in critical conditions, as we speak. I will dismiss that (use of excessive force) as fake news and very wrong allegations. We didn’t use excessive force at all.

“We didn’t even deploy the whole of our strength in this protest even when it turned violent. We have water cannons we did not deploy, we have rubber bullets, we didn’t use. All that we have used is teargas and nothing more.”

The Police chief also argued that the protests did not overstretch his men who, he said, successfully nabbed several other criminals.

Egbetokun said, “We were not overstretched; we had standby units that we didn’t deploy in managing this protest. Even while the protests were going on, a number of them were arrested.

“Hoodlums who committed armed robbery were arrested. The only thing we didn’t have was kidnapping. But any other offence that was committed we paid due attention to those criminal activities.”

On his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja said the Army’s major operational commitment was to deploy resources to quell the protests that had morphed into riots, while the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, stated that the Navy was working with other security agencies to ensure safety and security in the maritime domain.

Groups condemn protesters

Meanwhile, organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protests have dissociated themselves from protesters waving the Russian flag and demanding the removal of President Tinubu, saying it was unrelated to their struggle.

Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said although the group neither endorsed nor condemned the protesters’ action, it remained focused on its already outlined demands, adding that threats by security agencies against the protesters were “baseless and misdirected.”

“Our demands are clearly outlined in our charters of demands, and they remain unwavering. The waving of Russian flags is a non sequitur, unrelated to our struggle for justice and accountability. While we neither endorse nor condemn this act, we must emphasise that it’s not a criminal offence under our laws.

“Threats from security agencies to punish flag bearers and arrest tailors who make them are baseless and misdirected. Our focus remains on achieving meaningful change, not on manufactured distractions,” he said.

Similarly, Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, and the pan-Niger Delta Forum have condemned the use of the Russian flag by protesters in the northern part of the country.

Organising Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Kole Omololu, called on President Tinubu to punish those behind the act.

He said, “On the waving of the Russian flag by northern protesters, who are also demanding that President Tinubu should step down, this is a grievous and abominable action by fellow Nigerians and the government should not take it lightly with the perpetrators because the implication is that there have been several coups in the West African sub-region and the coup plotters have been more or less bragging that Russia is their godfather. That is the reason some unpatriotic elements in the north have the audacity to fly the Russian flag. It is calling for a coup and this is treason and should not be handled lightly.

“It is because they have never been part of the democratic struggle in this country. The democracy we are enjoying today, we know how we fought for it. Then, a lot of our leaders were killed. Some were imprisoned unjustly, while the life of our current President was thrown into asylum. If you remember, nine years ago, this country was brought down to its kneel.  We are still battling with that till today.”

The Afenifere chieftain urged the President to use “every force available” to track those involved in the act.

“The security agencies should fish out all those holding meetings in Kaduna, those negotiating with terrorists and pretending to be good citizens of the country. The action is condemnable in every ramification. President Bola Tinubu is trying to put together, the country that has been brought down on its kneel.  But enemies are fighting back. That should not be allowed; the President should come out with every force available. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria. This is not time to play politics, it is time to play leadership and assertive.”

On their part, PANDEF described the protesters as ignorant.

“The truth is that from the images we see, they (flag holders) are minors, adolescents, maybe 13 or 14, misguided youths. It’s a dangerous trend and I’m sure they are not even aware of the implications. They are misguided and misinformed, it boils down to issues of out-of-school children who, perhaps, are not even well parented or there are no parents,” National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Dr Ken Robinson, said this during a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday.

Also, the National Vice-President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, said the South-East was not part of the call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, saying that the region was more concerned about the plight of Ndigbo in the entity called Nigeria.

He said, “Before the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, died, he made a promise that the Ndigbo would not join the protest and when he died, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo re-echoed it. We are concerned more that some people in some sections of the country are asking Igbo to leave.

“So, we are not bothered by the issue of waving of Russian flag by protesters in the North because we are not part of the protest. Since we are not part of it, we don’t know if they are waving Russian flag or flying helicopter anywhere.

“As far as the protest is concerned, we are sleeping; we are not part of it. We are worried that a tribe in Nigeria is asking another tribe to leave. That is more serious than every other thing.

“Whatever you call it whether Russian flag or wrapper, did you see any of them in the South-East? So, we cannot define what the Russian flag looks like and it is not the concern of the Ndigbo because we are not part of it.”

In the same vein, some groups from the northern states dissociated themselves from calls for military takeover.

The Chairman of National Unity Forum for Peace, Alhaji Abbas Dattijo, told The PUNCH that those calling for a change of a democratically elected government were not speaking for the region.

“People of the region are not in any way in support of regime change of constitutionally installed government and can never support calls for Russia government to intervene in the situation in the country”

The Chairman of Grand Alliance of Coalition of Northern Youths Movement, Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, disagreed with those calling for a change of government.

He condemned those calling for a regime change, saying they were working for a different purpose, which he said should be investigated by the authorities concerned.

Down south, protesters laid siege to a mansion located in Ada George in Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State belonging to the immediate past Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Following the multiple protests which rocked the metropolis and its outskirts, one of the groups, a crowd of over 50 who marched from the Agip Junction axis in Port Harcourt, stopped in front of Wike’s house, singing and pointing to the posh building, saying “this is Wike’s house.”

The protesters, who carried leaves, sang the old national anthem and rained curses on the FCT minister as a retinue of armed policemen watched closely.

The policemen immediately formed a wall to prevent the protesters from coming close to the residence and asked the youths to remain on the other side of the road

The presence of the operatives prevented the protesters, who left after about 50 minutes, from going closer.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said, “It is not true that Wike’s house was attacked because I have spoken to the DPO twice on this and our men are there.

“The protesters only marched past the building and the policemen ensured that they were on the other side of the road. They (operatives) did not confront them.”

[Punch]

“It is totally false to suggest, as we are apt to do, that Nigerians are fundamentally different from any other people in the world. Nigerians are corrupt because the system under which they live today makes corruption easy and profitable; they will cease to be corrupt when corruption is made difficult and inconvenient….The trouble with Nigeria simply and squarely is a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character.

There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership… I am saying that Nigeria can change today if she discovers leaders who have the will, ability and the vision”, Chinua Achebe, in his book, The Trouble With Nigeria.

“Nigeria could, however, follow another path. Its potential is huge. Its tremendous wealth, if properly channeled, holds out the hope that a stable government could unleash the unquestioned energy and talent that pulsates through the rich ethnic mosaic. The human capital is there. Thousands of Nigerian professionals are well educated and skilled enough to drive the country forward. Anyone who visited Nigeria’s markets and witnessed its people endure the constraints of bad government and the sinking economy can testify to the country’s resilience.

“Nigerians spend a good part of their lives trying to get the better of the government for their own benefit or that of their family, their village, or their region. Rare is the head of state who acts on behalf of the entire nation. The people are not so much governed as ruled. It is as if they live in a criminally mismanaged corporation where the bosses are armed and have barricaded themselves inside the company safe. Nigeria’s leaders, like the colonialists before them, have sucked out billions of dollars and stashed them in Western banks”, Karl Maier, in his book, This House Has Fallen—Nigeria In Crisis.

IN the last couple of years, Nigeria 

has been confronted with enormous national crisis that could only be compared with the crisis of the 1960s, which eventually led to the civil war. In fact, if one reflects on what the country went through from after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election up to the demise of General Sani Abacha, one must thank God that Nigeria still survives as one united nation.

Nigeria’s problem is not just economic. Indeed, it is largely political. Nigeria is still undergoing the crisis of nation building.

It is important that Nigeria policy makers appreciate the enormity of the crisis of nation-building still staring at us as a nation. I don’t like to sound alarmist or pessimistic but some of the unresolved conflicts in our country have the potential of escalating into unimaginable proportions at any given time. 

The events leading to the return to democracy in Nigeria could only be understood as a divine intervention. Before then the fate of Nigeria, as a country, was precariously hanging in the balance. The country was a pariah nation among the international community. The economy was in doldrums. 

The Obasanjo presidency experienced chaos in many fronts. These included communal violence, notable cases include Ife-Modakeke, Umeleri-Agulri, Huasa-Zango-Kantaf, Kuteb-Jukun clashes, etc. There was also the Bakassi issue, the Niger Delta crisis and ethnic separatism.

The second major crisis of the Obasanjo presidency was the issue of oil subsidy which was triggered by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, then led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The strike action paralysed the country for days, if not weeks. Then President Olusegun Obasanjo was forced to set up a special committee on the review of petroleum products supply and distribution. The committee was inaugurated on August 14, 2000 by the then Secretary to the government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette. 

To be concluded…