I caught a friend adding oil from a small bottle and water from another smaller bottle to her mouth-watering pot of ogbono soup. My first thought was: caught you, girl, so these are your secret ingredients. But she looked at me strangely and told me the soup was for her husband. She lifted the lid of another pot and lo and behold, it was another pot of ogbono. I was still processing my shock and confusion when her husband arrived. She dished the soup with the ‘special ingredients’ for her husband and the ‘plain’ soup for me. I told her I had a quick errand to run, trying to flee a developing crime scene, of course. My friend smiled and assured me there was nothing to fear. We all ate at the dining table and nobody died, contrary to my expectation. What just happened? My friend later explained.

“My marriage is not what it used to be. My husband is seeing another woman. This time it is serious. This new woman is unlike the other ones. He has been seeing her for close to a year. His secretary is my reliable source and she told me they have even taken a foreign trip together. What am I supposed to do, fold my arms and wait until he moves in with her or move her in with us? What you saw in the kitchen was part of my efforts to hold on to my man and retrieve him from the claws of another woman.”

Holy water, anointing oil in ogbono soup! Is she right or wrong? Perhaps the question should even be: is she doing enough?
A peaceful marriage can become toxic overnight and when it does, what is a woman supposed to do, quit or fight? The easiest solution is to take a walk, walk away if a marriage becomes life-threatening. Verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse are all toxic. They are also common, and over the years, different types of solutions and coping methods have been proffered. But there is a new one, a less-talked-about abuse and toxicity, spiritual abuse or diabolic toxicity. When juju, jazz shows up in marriage, what is a wife supposed to do?

There are side chicks or mistresses who deploy good food and irresistible sex to establish themselves in the lives of a man. They pamper him with both so much the man forgets the wife he ‘begged to marry’ at home. Those ones are still easy to deal with but when a husband and father of three meets the one that seizes his manhood, what is the wife supposed to do? I mean, if the man suddenly can no longer use his rod of authority to part his wife’s red sea but at his side chick’s place, he can move mountains, what is the way forward? Yeah, it has been known to happen. Did you just say it is erectile dysfunction? Should his erection malfunction in one place and not the other? Why should an erection rise to the occasion when it sees just the cleavage of one woman and refuse to wake up even when it is being pulled like a faulty Tiger I-pass-my-neighbour generator?  

Romoke, who has been married for 20 years, noticed she could no longer start her husband’s generator. She put it down to the anti-hypertension drugs her he was taking. Then she blamed it on the common culprit, erectile dysfunction. She tweaked his diet, made special herbal drinks for him but the third leg remained lame. She was about to resign herself to fate when she heard that her husband was not just having an affair but he had actually gone to pay the bride price of another woman! What? Without a functional manhood? She launched a comprehensive investigation. Don’t ask me for the details. What followed was an emergency extended family meeting where the new wife, Romoke’s husband and indeed everybody younger than Romoke knelt and prostrated to beg her to have mercy. Well, what Romoke found out sent her into a juju rage.

“I found out that the little witch my husband had gone and married was the one who seized my husband’s thing for her own exclusive use. That was the reason my husband could no longer make love to me and instead of the old fool to find a solution, he left me high and dry while he was getting all the sex he wanted from the second wife. Well, two can play the game. I also made sure he could not get an erection at all. If he would not have sex with me, then he would never have sex again. That was why they came to beg. I pretended that I did not know what they were accusing me of but later that night, he came to my bed, performed his duties vigorously and made up for lost time.”
I called that strategy by Romoke  balance of terror. Dangerous, mean, sad and bad but what would you have done especially if you have the wherewithal to show the other woman that you could meet her half way?

However, where a ‘jazzed up’ atmosphere becomes more than a woman can cope with, I will advise that she puts herself first and forget all that bunkum about ‘what will people say’. White science may not be able place or define black magic but it is a reality of our spiritual environment. If a woman feels like she is fortified enough to face marauders’ invasion of her marital territory, by all means, she should show the stuff she is made of. Where she feels that her life and that of her children are being endangered by dark stuff, she should run so that she can live to fight later. Some 30-year-old women have walked the dark edges of this earth and dined with ‘the owners of the world’ so intimately that even 55-year-old ‘owners of the house’ look like a mess of pottage when those ‘young side chicks’ come after their marriages. These are young ‘spirits’ who torment and threaten both at noon and in the dream. Forget their 22-inch Brazilian wigs and manicured nails, no ‘madam is too big for them to devour for breakfast or brunch. If those ones want your husband, lady, just retreat and let them. Open battles with them, unless a wife is kitted by a higher power, usually end up with Madam’s face on a gone-too-soon poster.

When Laide noticed that her husband had gone and brought a basket-load of cobwebs to the house with his head, she knew she had to ferry her children to safety. Her nightmares were not limited to nighttime. Domestic accidents became too regular to be called accidents. Laide’s husband became a stranger she could not recognize. The gentleman she married overnight became violent.
“It was not so much the beating that was frightening but this strange glazed look in his eyes, as if he was not in control of himself. This was a man who had never raised his voice, least of all his hands, against me in 10 years. He just suddenly became dangerous, not just violent. He would pin me down on the bed and hold my neck in a vice grip and then just as suddenly as he started, that glazed look would clear and he would apologise. Of course, I had the option of waiting around to figure it out and defend my home but I also knew he could kill me one day and plead insanity. One morning, I went to work and didn’t return. He brought home a new woman the following month. Three years later, his new ‘wife’ took off with everything he had to his name and relocated abroad. Now, he wants me back.”

If Laide had stayed to battle the enemy and defend her territory, there was a huge chance of her children becoming stepchildren of the ‘enemy’. Some marital battles are better fought later, not now. When the toxicity is laced with jazz, run. You may return later if the man you wanted to fight for had not ‘gone too soon’.

Many events have occurred in quick succession and I discovered I have some catching up to do. While I will still have the opportunity to pay deserved tributes to the most iconic leaders of these times, the brave heroes in the trenches in quest for a new order in our land in the persons of Chief Edwin Clark and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the most pressing subject of the day is Ibrahim Babangida and his autobiography. I will come back on Adebanjo and Edwin Clark some other days. 

Pent-up grievances, suppressed anger have all been released following the public unveiling of Babangida’s autobiography. It is a wave of recriminations here; it is tornado seeking crushing mindless vengefulness there. It was predictable and he was aware that sooner or later he would have to face hot metals that were undisguisedly being beaten into shape in the furnace, fashioned into arrows to be trained against him at an opportune time. Many were prepared to say on oath that he would be called out to account for his transgressions. Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, editor of The Tribune, who is exceedingly, perhaps matchlessly widely read, who reads any and everything in print, was to remind us of the anxiety of Babangida after the June 12 election was annulled. 

As the implication of the annulment dawned on him he apprehensively asked Professor Omo Omoruyi, his friend and confidant: “I see disaster for myself and my family. Where do I go from here?” He went further: “I told you that I am a prisoner. What do I do?” Something serious had taken place while he was away in Katsina. His colleagues had cancelled the results of an election said to be the freest and most credible election in the annals of Nigeria. So, once a while in the last 31 years arsenals were fired aimed at him in his Hilltop mansion that is his home in Minna. The whistle for what may be called the Day of Judgment came last week Thursday. It was the launching of his book, A Journey in Service about which he himself says tellingly demonstrating the anguish of a tormented soul in a closet: “…this is not a book about finding blame, inventing excuses or whitewashing known facts.” The brandishing of unflattering testimonial for IBB has begun; it is unrelenting. The torrents of criticism are unceasing. 

The wounds he inflicted in many souls, the pains his Administration brought on many homes, dashed hopes and his blood-stained hands not many would eagerly shake are the things in his testimonials his compatriots would want pinned to his chest or for which they would press he should only be remembered. A media personality, Morayo Brown, was quoted by an online newspaper, The News Guru, as saying: “The last 48 hours have been quite interesting. Babangida has a lot of questions to answer and I cannot wait to read the book…Men of valour fought with their voices, pen and influence, yet Babangida reigned like a fearless hurricane , bulldozing all that’s in its path. Many were murdered, my father was thrown into jail several times by the military led by this man for speaking against him and finally had to go on self-exile. 

“As a child, growing up with MKO Abiola, his wife Kudirat and their children and seeing how both our families were ripped apart alongside many others in the wake of Babangida’s annulment is a trauma I can never get passed. I spent weekends in her home; I was very close to all her children. I was in her house when Mumuni, Hadi and Mariam were whisked away to the US following Kudirat’s death. The home that was filled with laughter and joy became a house of sorrow and pain. That picture never left my head.  My father’s stroke was immediately after he heard the news of Kudirat’s death. He never recovered.” 

Because the hurt suffered and the dashed hopes of what a great many believed June 12 had in store for the nation, what good he may have done for the country is overshadowed or erased in some cases. Is it conceivable by any stretch of imagination, therefore, that Babangida could go down as a great leader? When did he begin to derail, to go beyond his brief, his assignment about which he was not fully conscious and got entwined in what many regard as grievous sinning, and how? I am just thinking aloud. I am hoping I will find answers to the nagging questions when I have read the book in full and digested its content. I have for now merely run my eyes cursorily through what has been posted in the internet. 

It was a gathering of prime movers in our society at the book event that took place in Abuja which he built as the nation’s new federal capital. The gathering did all they could to lift his seemingly heavy spirit. His mien in the picture of him carried on television was that of a troubled and penitent soul. A charismatic fellow, Babangida came to the saddle on 27 August, 1985, flashing his sunshine smiles, a charming face and tooth gapped waving hands and raising hopes for the nation. Uneasiness had settled on the nation when he came. On that day he alighted, standing by a tank the weapon of war for which he was renowned as commander ready to shoot away Nigeria’s hydra-headed problems. He cut a sorry figure on Thursday, but had no choice other than to come out to speak to very troubling issues of his administration, bordering mostly on the ephemeralities of the struggle for power and influence.

Despite Bitcoin's current market slump, some industry leaders express optimism that the world's top cryptocurrency might rebound and eventually hit $2 million in a short timespan, driven by institutional adoption, regulatory shifts, and inflationary pressures.

"Bitcoin’s trajectory has consistently defied expectations, and while a $2 million price by 2030 is an aggressive target, it’s not outside the realm of possibility," Dr. Arman Meguerian, CEO of Bitcoin investment platform Timestamp, told TheStreet Crypto.

Proponents argue that increasing regulatory clarity in the U.S. and Bitcoin’s role as a global store of value make the price jump increasingly likely.

Jagdeep Sidhu, president of the Syscoin Foundation, envisions Bitcoin becoming the backbone of global finance: “It would absorb trillions in value as weaker assets disappear,” Sidhu tells TheStreet Crypto.

The Institutional Bet on Bitcoin

"Bitcoin’s potential path to $2 million by 2030 is fueled by positive regulatory changes, institutional adoption, and its track record as one of the best-performing assets of the past decade," CoinFlip CEO Ben Weiss tells TheStreet Crypto. "With spot ETFs [exchange-traded funds] unlocking new capital and governments shifting toward regulation over restriction, Bitcoin is on the way to becoming a mainstream investment."

Major financial institutions have steadily widened their exposure to Bitcoin in the past year. The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs last year has also mobilized new capital into the market, with firms like BlackRock and Fidelity leading the way.

"As inflation erodes the dollar’s value over time, price levels that seem unfathomable today may one day be inevitable," says Justin Barlow, Head of Business Development and Investments at Sei Foundation.

If Bitcoin captures even a fraction of gold's market cap, seven-figure prices are a strong possibility in the future, some industry observers say.

"Bitcoin, as digital gold, could potentially reach gold’s market capitalization within the next decade,” Youwei Yang, Chief Economist at BIT Mining, tells TheStreet Crypto. “With gold valued at approximately $20 trillion and Bitcoin currently around $2 trillion, this suggests a possible 10x increase in Bitcoin’s value, bringing it to around $1 million per coin.”

“Bitcoin at its core is all about scarcity,” Chris Kline, co-founder of BitcoinIRA, tells TheStreet Crypto. “Only 21 million [Bitcoin] will ever exist, and 19.5 million are already accounted for. Given its extreme relative scarcity against fiat money and the challenges ahead for nation-states struggling with monetary expansion, a $2 million Bitcoin isn't outlandish.”

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has been busy over the past few weeks, hinting at a brighter future for crypto companies.

PS: I'll be in San Francisco next week for the American Banker Payment Forum. Say hello.

You’re reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Click here to sign up for future editions.

New era

The narrative

The crypto industry racked up a number of early wins in the first month (and week) of Donald Trump's second term as U.S. president. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced it would drop or close half a dozen open investigations and ongoing cases, and asked courts to pause two more.

Why it matters

The crypto industry clearly won big during the 2024 election, and it's only just beginning to see what that means. Questions of how it actually should or shouldn't be regulated are now up in the air.

Breaking it down

Over the last week and change, the SEC filed to withdraw its case against crypto exchange Coinbase, pause its cases against Binance and Tron and informed ConsenSys, OpenSea, Robinhood, Uniswap and Gemini it would close its cases or investigations into those platforms.

These announcements come on the heels of SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce announcing she would head up a new crypto task force at the regulatory agency and publishing a number of open questions to the general public about how securities law might apply to different types of cryptocurrencies and defining how the SEC would oversee this industry. The SEC also withdrew staff accounting bulletin 121, an accounting standard much of the industry hated.

While there are a number of investigations or cases still outstanding, it's clear the SEC has taken a sharply diverging tack under Acting Chair Mark Uyeda from when former Chair Gary Gensler helmed the agency.

Commissioner Hester Peirce said the SEC was now working to develop more policy that would guide the Division of Enforcement's future actions, rather than have these enforcement actions "write regulatory policy."

"We're really trying to get back to using our enforcement division for its intended purpose, and letting the regulatory divisions do the hard work of figuring out how to craft rules, guidance [and] interpretations," she told CoinDesk in an interview. "And then enforcement has a role after that, of course, to enforce the rules that are on the books. But this has just been an area where we've kind of gone about it backwards, and we're trying to right the ship here."

Crypto bettors on Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market platform, have wagered over $400,000 on the prediction that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will leave office before July.

At the time of writing, Polymarket bettors forecast there was a 26% chance of Zelenskyy’s early departure.

On Friday, Zelenskyy visited the White House for talks with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, the meeting ended without an agreement, as Trump accused Zelenskyy of being an uncooperative ally showing little gratitude to the United States.

“You see the hatred he’s got for Putin,” Trump said. “That’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.”

Meanwhile, more than $21 million in crypto wagers have been spent on the question of whether Trump will end the war in Ukraine during his first three months in office.

According to crypto bettors on the Polymarket platform, the likelihood stands at a paltry 23%. Following Friday’s meetings at the Oval Office, one Polymarket user wrote: “[Zelenskyy] should've thanked the American people, how hard can it be to show some gratitude?”

Previously, the platform hosted similar bets on former President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential contest. While the crypto prediction platform has faced criticism, it accurately predicted Biden’s unexpected exit.

“Prediction markets give people a financial motivation for conducting thorough research and making rational analysis before placing their bets, and they provide a much higher level of accuracy versus traditional polling because of this financial motivation,” said Brian Trunzo, the former Vice President and Global Head of Business Development at Polygon Labs.

Without the promise of additional U.S. military support, Ukraine is currently mulling levying a crypto tax of up to 10% to help prop up Ukraine’s economy amid the ongoing war with Russia.

[TheStreet]

President Donald Trump will preside over the White House’s first cryptocurrency summit next Friday, further establishing his embrace of the industry.

Trump will deliver remarks at the gathering that “will include prominent founders, CEOs, and investors from the crypto industry, as well as members of the president’s Working Group on Digital Assets,” the White House said in a statement on Friday night.

The summit will be led by venture capitalist and White House crypto czar David Sacks, and will be administered by working group executive director Bo Hines, according to the statement.

Earlier: Ex-Yale Football Player Ascends to Key Crypto Job at White House

Shortly after taking office, the president signed an executive order to create the working group from key agencies that would advise the White House on digital asset policy and evaluate the creation of a stockpile.

The working group includes the Treasury and justice departments as well as the Securities & Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump, who had once derided crypto as a “scam,” promised to streamline regulations, choose friendly figures to oversee the sector, support a stablecoin framework and establish a Bitcoin stockpile. After his election, the industry donated millions of dollars to his inaugural committee.

Earlier: Trump Signs Executive Actions Related to Cryptocurrency, AI

While he has not fulfilled all of those pledges, his administration’s policies and the summit itself mark a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s tough regulatory approach after the failure of FTX digital-asset exchange and other scandals. Trump has even gotten into the cryptocurrency business himself, introducing a memecoin shortly before he returned to office and supporting a project involving his sons called World Liberty Financial.

“The administration is committed to providing a clear regulatory framework, enabling innovation, and protecting economic liberty,” the White House added in the statement.

[Bloomberg]

Moniepoint Inc has announced a strategic partnership with Afrigopay Financial Services Limited (AFSL), a subsidiary of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), to distribute five million AfriGO cards to Nigerians.

The partnership, which aims to further enhance the government’s digital payment agenda, is also set to accelerate the adoption of AfriGO Card, Nigeria’s National Domestic Card Scheme, nationwide.

According to a statement from the two organizations, the collaboration will also leverage Moniepoint’s reach and infrastructure to tap-and-pay solution, which allows users to make payments by tapping or hovering their contactless card or Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled device over a payment terminal or directly on compatible mobile phone devices.

Transforming financial services delivery 

Speaking on the collaboration, the Managing Director and CEO of Afrigopay Mrs. Ebehijie Momoh, said the partnership is set to transform financial service delivery, particularly in underserved areas, by leveraging AfriGO’s innovative payment solutions.

• She added that with AfriGO Cards, merchants and agents will experience seamless transaction finalization and instant settlement, leading to improved efficiency, better cash flow management, and reduced risk.
• According to her, by reducing the country’s dependency on foreign exchange (FX) for payment transactions and ensuring data sovereignty, AfriGO Card strengthens and empowers local businesses, creating new opportunities within the growing card business ecosystem in Nigeria.
• Also commenting on the partnership, the CEO of Moniepoint Inc., Tosin Eniolorunda, said the partnership would further drive financial inclusion across the country.

“The benefits of contactless payments are far reaching and will be great for our ecosystem.  

“There are mutual synergies in unlocking potentials by creating a better life through our services for all Nigerians and we can reshape the digital economy so everyone — individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses — can realize their ambitions,” he said.

What you should know 

The AfriGO card initiative was launched in January 2023 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the NIBSS to boost financial inclusion in the country and reduce dependence on foreign cards.

• The immediate past Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, who presided over the launch said the card was designed to cater to local peculiarities that the existing card products have failed to cater to.
• According to him, with the AfriGo card, Nigeria joined countries like China, Russia, Turkey, and India which have their local cards. He noted that the operation of the local cards will not prevent the use of the existing international cards but will provide more options for Nigerians.
• Meanwhile, Afrigopay Financial Services Limited is also partnering with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to deliver the country’s general multipurpose card, which infuses payment into national identity.

[Nairametrics]

Speaking with Saturday Punch on the condition of anonymity, the aspirant noted that Tinubu’s influence in the ongoing power tussle was unmistakable.

“Tinubu’s handwriting on the Lagos Assembly crisis is clear on the wall,” he said.

The politician compared the President’s role in the Lagos crisis to his swift intervention in Rivers State, where he stepped in to mediate between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike.

He said, “Mr President intervened in the crisis between Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, but he wants us to believe that he closed his eyes to what is happening in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“We know Obasa has the President’s backing, and that is why he is acting the way he is.”

The aspirant further challenged Tinubu to publicly clarify his position on the Lagos Assembly crisis, rather than allowing speculation to fester.

“If Mr President wants us to believe he is neutral in this crisis, he should come out openly and give a direction on the matter,” he added.

[NaijaNews]

In Nigeria’s ever-turbulent political landscape, few figures have been as popular as Senator Godswill Akpabio. A seasoned politician, former governor, and now Senate President, Akpabio’s name unarguably rings a bell. His tenure has been characterized by strides of infrastructural developments, good governance, but unfortunately, his enviable reputation has in the last few years been under the threat of allegations that bother on sexual harassment. The latest scandal involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is yet another chapter in his long history of contentious encounters with powerful women in politics. This raises a critical question: “Is Akpabio a victim of fate?

To appreciate the gravity of the latest accusations against Akpabio, one must revisit a similar scandal that played out in 2020. Then, it was Joy Nunieh, the former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, intimidation, and corruption. Nunieh’s revelations, though explosive, were met with fierce denials from Akpabio, who swiftly threatened legal action.

Fast forward to 2025, and similar allegations have resurfaced, this time from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In an interview on Arise Television, she recounted instances where Akpabio allegedly made advances toward her, attempted to manipulate Senate proceedings against her, and ultimately humiliated her in the upper chamber. Akpoti-Uduaghan has gone as far as to file a lawsuit, seeking damages for defamation and legal costs.

One cannot ignore the striking similarities between the accusations leveled by Nunieh and Akpoti-Uduaghan. Both women have held significant political positions and have accused Akpabio of using his influence to suppress them when they refused to comply with his alleged demands. Is it possible that two women in high political offices, years apart, are fabricating the same kind of story against the same man? Or does this indicate a recurring behavioral pattern from Akpabio?

Defenders of Akpabio may argue that these accusations are politically motivated, aimed at tarnishing his reputation. After all, Nigerian politics is a battlefield where allegations, true or false, are often wielded as weapons. However, such a defense falls apart when one considers that both Nunieh and Akpoti-Uduaghan have presented specific instances and circumstances where they claim Akpabio crossed the line. In Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case, she has even challenged the Department of State Services (DSS) to retrieve WhatsApp conversations as evidence.

Given the level of power dynamic at play, and expected flurry of defenses, in favor of or against either of the contending personalities, it is not a misnomer to opine that sexual harassment in the corridors of power is not a new phenomenon, and it is not exclusive to Nigeria. Across the world, powerful men have faced allegations from women who found themselves in vulnerable positions. The common thread in such cases is the power dynamic: a man in a position of authority attempts to exploit a woman’s ambition, need, or access to career advancement.

For instance, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations suggest that Akpabio used his position as Senate President to frustrate her legislative motions, particularly concerning the Ajaokuta Steel Company, simply because she did not yield to his advances. If true, this paints a grim picture of the extent to which women in Nigerian politics must struggle against both systemic barriers and individual predators.

There is no denying the fact Akpabio has earned a reputation that precedes him. The foregoing view can be buttressed by opining that beyond allegations of sexual harassment that his reputation in Nigerian politics has long been a subject of scrutiny. In fact, his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State was riddled with accusations of corruption and mismanagement. His role in the NDDC scandal, which saw the agency become a cesspool of financial misappropriation, further solidified public perception of him as a politician who thrives on impunity.

Even within the Senate, Akpabio’s leadership style has been described as authoritarian, with critics accusing him of treating the chamber as his personal fiefdom. His reaction to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seating dispute, ordering her to be physically removed, only reinforces this perception. Rather than address the issue diplomatically, he resorted to public humiliation, further fueling speculation that his actions were driven by personal vendetta rather than procedural concerns.

The allegations against Akpabio highlight a broader problem in Nigeria’s political sphere: the persistent victimization of women in leadership. Female politicians often face additional hurdles beyond the usual political rivalry; they must contend with sexism, misogyny, and, in some cases, outright predatory behavior from their male counterparts.

The cases of Joy Nunieh and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan should serve as a wake-up call. If influential women in government can be subjected to such treatment, what hope is there for the average Nigerian woman seeking to enter politics? The fear of retribution, character assassination, or career sabotage keeps many talented women from pursuing leadership roles.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to ask at this juncture, “Is Akpabio a Victim of Fate?” To frame Akpabio as a victim of fate would be to absolve him of accountability. Fate did not force him into the situations that have led to these allegations; his actions did. While he remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the weight of accusations against him cannot be ignored. The sheer consistency of the claims, coupled with his history of political strong-arming, makes it difficult to believe that he is simply an unfortunate target of political machinations.

However, if he truly believes he is being unfairly accused, the onus is on him to provide irrefutable evidence that these allegations are false. In a democratic society, public figures must be held to high ethical standards, and transparency is the best defense against false accusations.

Akpabio’s political career has been long and eventful, but it is now at a crossroads. The latest allegations against him present not just a legal battle but a moral reckoning. If he is innocent, he must prove it beyond doubt. If guilty, he must face the consequences of his actions.

Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: Nigerian women in politics deserve a safe and respectful environment where they can serve without fear of harassment or intimidation. It is time for the Nigerian Senate and the entire political system to confront this issue head-on and ensure that power is not used as a tool for personal gratification at the expense of justice and dignity.