Says Trump’s tariffs bringing enormous uncertainty, instability to the world To file a lawsuit with WTO over the levies
Ejiofor Alike in Lagos and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja China's Commerce Minister,
Senator Samuel Anyanwu and
Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye. The meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital
John Shiklam in Kaduna
Few hours after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had led other opposition figures such as former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; ex-governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and others on a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday led other APC leaders to Buhari's residence where he dismissed the coalition talks by the opposition.
Speaking to journalists during the visit, Ganduje described the move by the opposition parties as a futile alliance by strange bedfellows.
Ganduje, while fielding questions from journalists shortly after the Friday night meeting with Buhari, said the APC was comfortable and would win not only the presidential election but more governorship seats in the 2027 elections.
“We are here to pay Sallah Homage to the former President
and also, we took time to explain to him the achievements of our great party as he left it, because we have promised to brief him from time to time.
“Concerning the group (Atiku and others) that came to see him, that is not our business. But I must tell them that history is about to repeat itself; they have a joint venture, which will not work. This is because they are just some kinds of particles that cannot come together.
“Well, it’s a game, but we will not reveal our own intrigues and game plan, but I can tell you we are equal to the task.
“The progress President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made is very encouraging, and that has made our party much stronger. I can tell you that, though we have 21 APC states now, I can tell you we are eyeing some more states to come to our fold - either the governors themselves will come or we go into election and we defeat them.
“So, we are comfortable ahead
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, yesterday visited the various communities that were recently attacked by gunmen in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
On April 2, 2025 gunmen attacked Hurti, Josho, Daffo, and other communities in the Manguna District of the locality where more than 50 persons were killed, 383 houses destroyed and 1,000 persons
displaced following the attacks. Mutfwang, who commiserated with the families of those who lost their loved ones, promised to ensure safety of lives and property.
The governor, who described the attacks as a deliberate move to keep the people in perpetual poverty, called on the people to be united and vigilant.
“I have come to see things for myself so as to know the next line of action; it will enable me to report back to the president so as to prevent
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
At least a driver and other eight passengers were yesterday killed with others sustained serious injuries when their bus stepped onto an Improvised Explosive Devices (EIDs) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists along the Maiduguri- Damboa-Biu federal highway.
The incident took place at about 11:30 am when a retinue/convoy of private and commercial vehicles was escorted by troops from Damboa to Maiduguri.
It was learnt that the incident occured near Gidan Kaji (Poultry House) located in the Konduga Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The Poultry House has remained closed and deserted for over a decade following the Boko Haram crisis.
This is coming barely a few hours when a former Borno State Commissioner of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Hon. Yerima Lawan Kareto lambasted the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who argued that Borno is safe, contrary to reports that security agencies seem to be overwhelmed by terrorists following renewed attacks.
According to the District Head of Damboa, Lawan Maina in a telephone call to journalists, all those who sustained injuries had been evacuated and admitted at the state Specialists Hospital Maiduguri,
while the remains of the victims are under profiling.
“It is very sad to inform you about the explosion that took place along Damboa-Maiduguri road this morning.
“A driver of a hummer bus and seven passengers died at the spot, while many others sustained various degrees of injury.
“I want to appeal to the federal government and the security agencies to redouble their efforts in complementing Borno State Government’s support and cooperation to defeat Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east sub region,” Maina stated.
At press time, Governor Babagana Zulum and his entourage were at the State Specialist Hospital where he ordered free treatment for the injured.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Hon. Kareto, has extended an invitation to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris to visit Borno and follow him to Damasak, the Council Headquarters of Mobbar LGA alone.
Kareto who hails from Damasak, hitherto a liberated border town with Niger Republic and about 190.5km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital, said he would personally drive the minister through the thick and thin, so as to see things for himself, before making any statement on the increasing renewed Boko Haram onslaught across the region.
the repeat of this ugly incident.
“It’s God that put all of you here; no one can drive you away. All that’s happening is to frighten you to abandon your land.
“These happenings are to prevent all of you from farming; it is not just killing people but to ensure that we remain poor. But we will resist it,” he said.
The governor also promised
to
improve the condition of basic amenities such as road networks, electricity, portable water, and mobile services, among others, in the communities.
Mutfwang called on the youths of the area to shun all criminal acts and unite to defend their communities from further attacks.
The governor commended the people for their resilience, particularly
for not abandoning their homes, and promised to support them in rebuilding their damaged houses.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for his genuine concern towards the safety of the people of the state.
Muftwang had earlier decried the attacks in some communities in his state, saying bandits had taken over 64 communities.
“These communities that have been recently attacked were part of the communities that were attacked in 2023 but they survived it and rebuilt themselves. The Ruwi community that was first attacked lost about 17 people in 2023 but they bounced back to show you the resilience of the people,” the governor said on a television programme.
Fire broke out inside Sierra Leone’s presidential building in central Freetown yesterday, witnesses and the government said, but President Julius Maada Bio was not present.
The fire broke out on the third and fourth floors of the State House, and the president’s
office on the second floor was untouched, said an information ministry statement.
“Emergency teams are working diligently to ensure it remains protected,” the statement added.
The cause of the fire, which started at around 4:00 pm (1600 GMT) is not yet known, said the ministry statement.
Videos posted on social media showed flames at the upstairs windows of the large white building, and thick black smoke.
Police cordoned off streets around the building and security personnel and soldiers were deployed.
President Bio is currently in Turkey attending a conference.
A local resident, Mohamed Kamara, told AFP: “We saw smoke and fire billowing from the windows and the top floor of the building this evening.”
United States President Donald Trump yesterday suggested he might skip this year’s G20 summit, which is set to be hosted by South Africa in November.
His comments, made on social media, reignited tensions between the two nations and were met with criticism from political groups in South Africa.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump
repeated contentious claims about alleged anti-white violence in South Africa, including accusations that white farmers were facing violent persecution and having their land seized in what he described as a “genocide.” Trump asked, “Is this where we want to be for the G20?
I don’t think so!”
South Africa currently holds the presidency of the G20, which brings
together leaders from the world’s major economies for discussions on global issues.
According to AFP, relations between Pretoria and Washington have soured under Trump’s leadership, with the US president previously accusing South Africa of implementing anti-white policies.
When asked about Trump’s suggestion that he might not attend
the summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson responded by saying that the country had “no longer expected him to attend in any case.”
Trump’s post also referenced video clips of Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party, who has advocated for land expropriation without compensation.
of 2027, but we are not resting on our oars, because it’s politics and we are used to the game,” Ganduje explained.
He dismissed insinuations that President Tinubu was engaged in skewed appointments, saying the party was working on the statistics of appointments done by President Tinubu to clear the air on the allegation.
“We are coming up with the true figures of the appointments to show Nigerians that Mr President is not engaged in skewed appointments,” he said.
Ganduje said the party had introduced a new people-centred approach to campaign administration, different from the usual practice of inaugurating national campaign governorship councils for states in Abuja, adding the campaign councils were inaugurated in the affected states to allow for more and greater participation by party members and other stakeholders in their respective states.
“This innovation has helped to engage the right people to organise and manage campaigns in their states for effective delivery before
IN A RECONCILIATORY MOVE, PDP GOVS SUMMON EMERGENCY MEETING OF ALL PARTY ORGANS
Makinde.
It would be presided over by the acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum.
According to the invitation for the meeting sighted by THISDAY, those invited are all the PDP governors, all
likely take years to ramp up US domestic production.
In a phone call on Friday, Wentao told Okonjo-Iweala that the “United States has continuously introduced tariff measures, bringing enormous uncertainty and instability to the world, causing chaos both internationally and domestically within the United States.”
According to a statement issued yesterday by China’s Ministry of Commerce, Wentao also told the head of the WTO that US tariffs will "inflict serious harm" on poor nations.
“These US 'reciprocal tariffs' will inflict serious harm on developing countries, especially the least developed countries, and could even trigger a humanitarian crisis," Wentao told the head of WTO, the statement said.
Beijing said Friday that its 125 per cent tariffs on United States’ goods would take effect yesterday — almost matching the staggering
members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, the members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and other stakeholders of the party, including members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
THISDAY gathered that the
145 per cent levies imposed by Washington on Chinese goods entering the United States.
However, China indicated that it would ignore any further levies by Trump because it no longer makes economic sense for importers to buy from America.
The Hindu reported that China also said it would file a lawsuit with the WTO over the latest round of levies.
After a week of market mayhem as the world's two largest economies took turns to put up trade barriers, Beijing dismissed Trump's mounting brinkmanship as a "joke" and a "numbers game".
Beijing's retaliation with 125 per cent tariffs on United States’ goods sparked fresh market volatility, with stocks seesawing, gold prices surging and US government bonds under pressure.
Washington and Beijing’s escalating tariff battle has raised fears of an enduring trade war
meeting is crucial following the judgment of the Supreme Court, which has been given different interpretations.
A member of the party’s NWC told THISDAY that the party stands the risk of not participating in the November governorship election in
between the world’s two largest economies and sent global markets into a tailspin.
The fallout has sent particular shockwaves through the US economy, with investors dumping government bonds and the dollar tumbling.
Nevertheless, Trump insisted on his Truth Social platform that “we are doing really well on our tariff policy,” even after Beijing announced its latest hike.
And even with Washington and Beijing going toe-to-toe, the White House insists Trump remains “optimistic” about a deal with China.
Trump’s Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping gave his first major comments on the tensions Friday, with state media quoting him as saying his country was “not afraid.”
Anambra State, if the authentic National Secretary fails to sign the nomination form for the election.
The nomination forms for the governorship candidate and the running mate are supposed to be signed by the national chairman and national secretary.
Economists have warned that the disruption in trade between the tightly integrated US and Chinese economies will increase prices for consumers and could spark a global recession.
Meanwhile, in her brief remarks at the 3rd Edition of the African Heritage Concert & Awards 2025 held yesterday in the city of Marrakesh, Morocco, Okonjo-Iweala said she remains optimistic about opportunities in the current global trade crisis.
The WTO head, who spoke virtually, was one of the African icons who were honoured for distinguishing themselves in contributing to shaping Africa’s future positively.
Speaking on the global tariffs war, Okonjo-Iweala said she was optimistic that the world economy would emerge stronger at the end of the crisis.
and during the election.”
Addressing Buhari, the APC national chairman said: “Your Excellency, as you must be aware, we won governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, Edo and Ondo, but unfortunately lost in Bayelsa State.
“Your Excellency, our focus is now on Anambra and Osun states. And in compliance with the time-table released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party successfully conducted primary elections in Anambra on April 5, 2025,” he stated.
While assuring the former president the APC has been growing from strength to strength, Ganduje said: “Today, we have in our fold the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Edwin Nkwegu; Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi State); Senator Uche Ekwunife from Anambra State, and thousands of their supporters.
“Others decampees are former Ondo Governor Olusegun Mimiko; former Kaduna Governor, Ramalan Yero; former Edo Deputy Governor,
In a related development, Trump’s administration has announced a series of major exemptions to its global tariffs — an apparent step back in an escalating trade war with China.
A notice issued late Friday by the US Customs and Border Protection office said smartphones, computers and other electronics would be excluded from the import levies President Trump rolled out a week ago.
The move came as retaliatory Chinese import tariffs of 125 per cent on US goods took effect yesterday, with Beijing standing defiant against its primary trade competitor.
The exemptions will benefit US tech giants like Apple that make iPhones and other premium products in China, and will generally narrow the impact of
Phillips Shaibu; two-term Senator representing Edo South; and former Clerk of the National Assembly, Senator Matthew Onoghide, and Senator Halliru Dauda Jika.
“Your Excellency, in the same vein, the NNPP also lost some of its former National Working Committee (NWC) members to APC, such as former National Chairman, Prof. Rufai Alkali, who led other prominent leaders and members, including former National Organising Secretary, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; former National Legal Adviser, Prof. Bem Angwe; Chairman and the immediate past Secretary, North-west, Dr. Isa Shika; Kaduna senatorial candidate, Mikaih Takwat, and thousands of their supporters to join us. Other notable decampees are Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the Senate and Hon. Yusuf Shittu Galambi, the only NNPP member of the House of Representatives, Gwaram Federal Constituency in Jigawa state. Most recently, Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North also joined us,” Ganduje said.
the staggering 145 percent tariffs Trump has imposed this year on Chinese goods entering the US.
A senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, Daniel Ives, called the US exemptions “the best news possible for tech investors.” Without these exemptions, he said, “the US Tech industry would be taken back a decade and the AI Revolution thesis would have been slowed significantly.”
Many of the exempted products, including hard drives and computer processors, are generally not made in America.
In a related development, Taiwan’s government yesterday said it held first tariff discussions with the United States and expected more talks to build “strong and stable” trade ties.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said the island was on “the first negotiating list of the US government” as he looks to shield its exporters from a 32-per-cent tariff.
L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Chairman, Odua Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru; Chief Johnson Fasawe; and former Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, at the public presentation of a book: ‘Tribulations and Trophies Bola Ajibola...In His Own Words' in Lagos...Friday
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared that the two clergymen, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula, who gave testimonies of the security situation at the United States Congressional Hearing on Religious Persecution in Nigeria, misrepresented the facts. It, however, expressed concerns over alleged threats that were reported to have arisen as a result of the clergymen’s testimonies.
The government also criticised the United States Embassy’s publication, describing the assertion that the Nigerian government has “allowed the violence to escalate unchecked” as inaccurate and unfair.
A statement signed by the acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, read: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs observes with concern a recent social media publication by the United States Embassy, Abuja, regarding
the security situation in Nigeria and the testimonies provided by Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula, on alleged threats that have arisen as a result of their testimonies at the United States Congressional Hearing on Religious Persecution in Nigeria.
“Though their testimonies misrepresent facts and oversimplify a deeply complex national challenge, the religious leaders are entitled to their opinions, freedom of expression and association as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“The assertion that the Nigerian government has ‘allowed the violence to escalate unchecked’ is both inaccurate and unfair.”
The statement insisted that the government has consistently taken decisive action, including: Deploying security forces to areas affected by communal violence; engaging in peace-building efforts between farmers and herders; strengthening intelligence operations to track down
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for an urgent need to increase awareness, renew commitment and take collective action against HIV/AIDS, in line with the shared vision of a healthier Nigeria, where every individual, particularly women, youth and children can thrive and live healthier lives.
Speaking at the weekend in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, while launching the Free to Shine Triple Elimination Campaign in the North-east geo-political zone, the First Lady declared: “It is also heartbreaking to learn that just two years ago, 15,000 children between the ages of 0-14 lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses. Each of these children represented not just a statistic, but a future full of potential that was sadly cut short. The ongoing challenges faced by these children highlight the urgent need for sustained action to improve prevention strategies, diagnosis, and access to treatment”.
She noted that by raising awareness and renewing commitments to take action, the campaign will align with the shared vision of a healthier Nigeria where every individual, particularly women, youth, and children, can thrive.
This vision, she said, is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises health as a key pillar of national development.
While addressing the gathering, the First Lady urged the youth present to be in the forefront of the heightened campaign to ensure they have a healthier and better future.
Mrs Tinubu pointed out that Nigeria must seize this moment and seek to join other countries in Africa who have achieved the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target by 2030.
Her words: "The Free to Shine campaign seeks to significantly reduce new HIV infections among women of reproductive age, prevent mother-to-child transmission (vertical transmission), and ensure that every child born with HIV receives the necessary treatment and support to thrive. According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in 2024, there were over 100,000 children and nearly two million adults living with HIV. Also, it is reported that most infants born to HIV-positive mothers are not tested within the first two months of birth, largely due to the fact that the mothers are not aware or they are ignorant of the consequences of their inaction”.
criminal elements and; implementing policies to address root causes, including land use reforms and economic development initiatives.
The government however admitted in the statement that: “It is important to state that, while challenges remain, it is incorrect to suggest that the Nigerian government has been inactive or indifferent. The reality is that Nigeria is fighting multiple security threats, including banditry, terrorism, and
organised crime, all of which affect different communities irrespective of religion.”
It assured that: “The Nigerian government remains fully committed to upholding freedom of religion and freedom of expression, among other freedoms. Any report of threats or intimidation against religious leaders will be investigated, and appropriate action will be taken.
“The current administration values its partnership with the
United States and other international allies in addressing security concerns, and therefore calls for caution against narratives that risk deepening religious divisions and misrepresenting the situation on the ground, but also enjoins well-meaning partners to join its efforts towards the maintenance of peace and security.
“Nigeria acknowledges the concerns raised but firmly rejects the portrayal of the situation as an
‘Islamist extermination’ of Christians by foreign governments. The federal government will continue to prioritise the protection of the lives and property of its citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, while strengthening national and international cooperation in the fight against insecurity. We, therefore, call for responsible reporting that reflects the full complexity of the challenges at hand and promotes constructive dialogue rather than polarisation.”
The World Bank has said it has committed over $16 billion to 28 active projects in Nigeria.
This financial commitment has been mostly through concessional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
In a statement issued yesterday, the bank said these investments are targeted at helping Nigeria tackle its most pressing development priorities.
These include expanding access to essential services such as electricity, education, and healthcare, advancing
gender inclusion and economic opportunities for women, and improving food security through enhanced agricultural productivity.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to deepen its partnership with Nigeria, the World Bank’s Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Mr. Ousmane Diagana, is scheduled to visit the country from April 14 to 17, 2025.
Diagana’s visit will focus on advancing discussions around Nigeria’s economic recovery, job creation, and investments in human capital.
He is expected to hold a high-level meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa to
examine the strategic relationship between Nigeria and the Bank, and to explore additional avenues for cooperation.
During the four-day visit, Diagana will also hold consultations with several cabinet members, including the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; the Minister of Power; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs; the Minister of Health; and the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
A central theme of these engagements will be the financing of Nigeria’s energy sector. To that end, the World Bank executive will participate in a roundtable
with key stakeholders focused on strengthening financial flows into the power sector and attracting private sector participation.
Reliable and affordable electricity remains one of Nigeria’s most significant infrastructure deficits, with implications for industrialisation, job creation, and service delivery. In addition to meetings in Abuja, Diagana will travel to Kaduna where he will be received by Governor Uba Sani at the Kashim Ibrahim Government House.
While in Kaduna, he will tour World Bank-financed project sites to observe progress firsthand and interact with communities and beneficiaries of these interventions.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed heaps of illicit drugs weighing about 1.6 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit substances seized across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.
This stands as the largest volume of seizures to be set ablaze in the annals of the anti-narcotics agency.
A statement by the spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, read: “The public destruction of the illicit substances witnessed by representatives of government officials, traditional rulers, clergymen, other security agencies, international partners, NGOs and community leaders, among others, was conducted at an isolated location at Ipara, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ogun state on Saturday
Some of the illicit drugs destroyed include 123 kilogrammes of cocaine; 46.8 kilogrammes of heroin; 1.4 million kilogrammes of cannabis; 148,000 kilogrammes of codeine syrup; 3,244.26 kilogrammes of tramadol;
1,544 kilogrammes of skuchies; and 111 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, among others.
Speaking at the occasion, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), said the exercise is a testament to the agency’s steadfast commitment to tackling the scourge of drug trafficking in the country.
He said: “The sheer volume of seizures, which totals approximately 1.6 million kilogrammes, serves as a reminder of the grave danger these substances pose to public health until they are completely and irreversibly destroyed. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operates under a clear mandate to reduce these narcotics to rubble. At all times, we discharge this duty with the utmost seriousness and diligence.”
He warned those involved in drug trafficking that the times have changed and there will be no breathing space or any safe haven for them in Nigeria.
He said: “To those still involved in the illicit drug trade, we will persist
in reminding them that times have changed. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unwavering in its commitment to providing the leadership and political will required to eradicate this menace.
At the NDLEA, we are fully prepared to pursue our objective of holding accountable those who defy the law. In the past four years, we have successfully prosecuted and convicted 10,572 such offenders, who are now serving various jail terms.”
He expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo for their support to the commands and operations of the agency in their respective states.
The NDLEA boss who was represented at the occasion by the agency’s Director of Assets and Financial Investigation (DAFI), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, justified the public destruction of the confiscated drugs.
He said: “The rationale is simple: to show transparency and accountability.
By making this process open, we affirm our collective resolve against the insidious activities of illicit drug trafficking. This exercise is not merely symbolic—it is forensic, grounded in evidence. Random laboratory tests are carried out to confirm the authenticity of the seized items. The substances are destroyed with the approval of the court after the cases linked to them have been brought to closure, following arrests and successful prosecution.”
He noted that the event represents a significant milestone in the history of the agency because “It is the public destruction of the largest seized narcotics across a spectrum of commands under NDLEA Zone 9 and Zone 11, which comprise the Lagos Strategic Command, Ogun State Command, Oyo State Command, MMIA Strategic Command, Lagos Seaports, Idiroko Border Command, and Seme Border Command”, adding that “while this accomplishment reflects our determination, it also underscores the scale of the challenge we continue to face.”
L-R: Company Secretary, Wema Bank Plc, Mr. Johnson Lebile; Executive-Director, Corporate, Treasury and North Bank, Mr. Kayode Bakare; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Greenwich Merchant Bank, Mr. Benson Ogundeji; Deputy Managing Director, Wema Bank Plc, Mr. Oluwole Ajimisinmi; and Group Managing Director/CEO, GTI Capital, Mr. Abubakar Lawal, at the signing ceremony of the Wema Bank Capital Raise Rights in Lagos…Friday
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigerians have no business being poor with the country’s vast resources, adding that the country’s problem is leadership.
This is as he urged Nigerians to end the practice of electing leaders based on political party affiliations, saying that good governance is never a function of political platform.
Obasanjo said the nation is abundantly blessed but is suffering from the mismanagement of its resources.
Obasanjo said this on Friday night at a dinner organised in his honour by the Abia State Government at the Government House, Umuahia.
He said: “Nigerians have no business with poverty because God has given us all that we need. If we are mismanaging what God has given us, we do not have God to blame, we have ourselves to blame.”
The former president praised the efforts of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State in transforming the state, noting the wide public acclaim of his administration’s performance. He affirmed the governor’s impact on governance in the state and urged him to continue to do well.
Obasanjo added that if Nigeria had 18 governors doing well in their responsibilities as leaders, “we will build the country up”. He reiterated his concern for the well-being of Nigerians and the quality of governance they receive.
“For me, whether you don’t greet me or I greet you and you don’t answer, what is important to me is that the people of this country are getting what they deserve and what they deserve is good governance,” he said.
In his speech, Otti acknowledged the support he received from the former president.
He said that the importance of vision and perseverance in leadership could never be overlooked, recounting the challenges he faced over his decade-long political journey.
“Once you have vision, you have to keep to it. It took us ten years to get here, the two elections we contested from 2015 to 2019, we won clearly but they were all stolen.
“A lot of people had given up hope and said it wasn’t going to
work, but I was sure that I heard clearly from God,” he said.
He said his administration had embarked on massive reforms in the education sector to improve access to quality education in Abia.
Also, a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi called on political actors in Abia State to begin early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the value of a good administration was often only realised after a less competent one took over.
He pointed out that this had become the experience with many former leaders, but Obasanjo had continually stood out because of his visionary leadership style.
“In your case, no matter who becomes president, you have always stood out,” Amaechi said.
He described quality leadership
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
A military airstrike carried out in the North-west states, including Katsina, has eliminated banditry kingpin, Gwaska and 100 others in their enclaves.
The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mua’zu, who disclosed this in a statement, said the operation was a crucial component of a broader strategy initiated by security stakeholders to restore stability in Katsina and North-west regions.
He said during the operation, the military forces recovered and subsequently destroyed two
machine guns, locally fabricated shotguns, and other weapons to prevent their reuse by criminal elements.
“The Nigerian Army’s 17 Brigade and 213 Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Air Component of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on April 10, 2025, executed a coordinated strike on bandit strongholds in Mununu Bakai, Zango, Jeka Arera, Malali, and Ruwan Godiya areas spanning Kankara and Faskari LGAs.
“The precision operation, based on actionable intelligence, eliminated a high-value target identified as Gwaska, who served
as second-in-command to an ISWAP-linked leader.
“Intelligence reports confirm that Gwaska had recently relocated from Danmusa Local Government to Munumu Forest.
“It is expedient to state that this successful mission has significantly disrupted the criminal networks that have long terrorised communities across Faskari, Kankara, Bakori, Malumfashi, and Kafur LGAs.
“Similarly, security forces conducted another successful operation in the early hours of April 10, 2025, targeting bandit routes at Dutsen Wori by Dandume-Kandamba Road,
located at the outskirts of Dandume town at the border with Faskari and Sabuwa Local Government Areas.
“The operation, executed at about 3:45 am, resulted in the elimination of six bandits, including their commander, while several other bandits escaped with various degrees of bullet wound.”
The Armed Forces also successfully intercepted and recovered seven motorcycles while four others escaped into the forest.
The bandits were tracked from their base at Maigora/ Doroyi camp in Faskari Local Government Area.
David-Chyddy Eleke
Following disagreements arising from the conduct of the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Anambra State, no fewer than six local government chairmen of the party have resigned their positions and also left the party, THISDAY has learnt.
Also, many other party executives at the ward levels
have dumped the party in protest over the outcome of the primary, which produced Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as winner, while three aspirants withdrew from the contest in protest.
Letters of their resignation, which were made available to journalists, pointed to the conduct of the primary election.
THISDAY gathered that while the mass resignation was partly due to grievances arising from
the conduct of the election, others resigned to join Sir Paul Chukwuma, a former aspirant of the APC, who had defected to Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Some of those who resigned from APC included: APC stakeholders and leaders in Nnewi South, Nimo in Njikoka LGA, specifically.
Other local government areas where leaders and party executives resigned are: Ihiala, Ogbaru, Oyi, Anambra East, and Dunukofia,
among others.
A member of the party in Ihiala who also defected, Hon Tochukwu Okeke, said: "I'm leaving to join the YPP. Since Chukwuma, who has long been the pillar of the party, could leave this way, there is no point for us to remain there.
"If they could treat Chukwuma, who is a strong stakeholder and benefactor of the party for many years, like that, then they have no regard for any of us."
as crucial for development, stressing that in order not to experience its absence, the people of Abia State must support capable leaders like Otti in the next elections.
“APC and other parties are
already mobilising; if we don’t prepare now, we may lose out completely.
“We must not only protect what we have but also ensure that we come back in 2028 to celebrate true democratic success,” he added.
Linus Aleke in Abuja
Controversy has trailed the purported theft of an official Toyota Hilux escort vehicle belonging to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which was allegedly stolen during Friday’s Juma’at prayers in Abuja.
The vehicle was purported to have been stolen around 1:05 p.m. when it was parked opposite the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) complex in Area 10.
An ONSA official was said to have parked the vehicle to attend prayers at a nearby mosque, according to the claims.
Upon his return, the vehicle was found missing.
Security expert, Zagazola Makama, announced the theft via his X (formerly Twitter) account,
noting that the matter was promptly reported to the Garki Police Division around 2:00 p.m.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command was said to have launched a citywide stop-and-search operation across all checkpoints and entry/exit points in the capital to track down the suspects and recover the stolen vehicle.
But in a strange twist, the FCT Police Command yesterday debunked the claims that the command had launched an investigation into the theft.
Responding to enquiries by THISDAY, the Command's Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police, said, "I did not issue any statement that the NSA's car was stolen or that we are launching a manhunt to recover any car."
The United States Embassy has introduced updated visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, effective from April 22, 2025.
In a statement released at the weekend, the US mission emphasised that all applicants attending visa interviews in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 form featuring a confirmation barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). Crucially, this barcode must match the one used to book the appointment online. Applicants with mismatched barcode information would be denied entry to the Consular Section and disqualified from their scheduled interviews.
“Starting April 22, 2025, all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation/barcode number (starting with AA and followed by 00 – two zeroes) that matches the one used to make their appointment online. You also must make your appointment in the location you selected when filling
out your DS-160,” the statement read.
To avoid issues, applicants are strongly advised to verify that their DS-160 barcode matches their appointment information at least two weeks before their interview date.
The embassy also clarified that DS-160 forms from previous applications cannot be reused. In the event of a mismatch, applicants must log into their AVITS account at least 10 days before the interview and submit a correction request.
“If your DS-160 barcode is incorrect, you must log into your AVITS account at least 10 days before your appointment to create a support ticket requesting correction of your barcode number,” the mission added.
Additionally, appointments must be made at the same location indicated on the DS-160 form. Applicants who are turned away due to mismatched barcodes will need to resolve the issue and reschedule a new appointment. If the visa fee has expired, a new payment may be required.
L-R: Delta State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole (SAN); Governor Sheriff Oborevwori; Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Mr Otto Aghoghophia; and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, when the governor assented to the Child Right 2024 Amendment Bill and six other bills in Asaba…recently
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has listed Nigeria and nine other countries as those to be affected by its decision to cut 20 per cent of
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has tackled the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, on the security situation in the state.
It was alleged that Idris had argued that Borno is safe, contrary to reports that security agencies seem to be overwhelmed by terrorists following renewed attacks.
Zulum, in an interview with journalists, said the information minister was naïve of what is happening in the country. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling the resurgence of Boko Haram in the state.
He said: “I don’t want to join issues with the Minister of Information. I believe he is naive of what is happening in the country, he doesn’t know what is ongoing in the country. Our discussions during the Security Council meeting were not bad. We just raised an alarm that there is resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Borno State, and there is a need for Borno state government, the military as well as paramilitary, to work together in order to avert the looming situation. I
think this is very good advice. Nothing has been said again.
“But most importantly, I want to assure you that we have been to Abuja. We met the service chief, especially the CDS, Chief of Army Staff, Naval Staff, as well as Air staff. We received assurances from them that they will do everything possible to control the situation, and we are so happy with the response that we had from the service chiefs and the government of Borno State will continue to partner with the Nigerian military and the federal government with their view to reducing the menace of the insurgency.
“And I want to assure the people of Bono that Inshallah, under my watch Boko Haram will not have the capacity to do what they did before. We shall do everything possible to curtail them.
The Government of Borno State will provide more support to the Nigerian Army. We shall strengthen the resilience of our civilian JTF, hunters and vigilantes and most especially, I will live up to the expectations of the people of God by completely addressing the problem of insecurity.
Chinedu Eze
The Chairman of Air Peace Group, Dr. Allen Onyema, has expressed deep concern over the recent discovery of Nigerian underage girls trafficked to the Ivory Coast, as highlighted by social media activist, VeryDarkMan, and pledged to airlift them back to Nigeria for free.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Onyema called for collective efforts to discourage trafficking, emphasising its inhumane and ungodly nature.
"We should discourage trafficking of any kind. It is inhuman and callous. It is absolutely ungodly and a good example of man's inhumanity to man.
We, in Air Peace, are ready to bring our fellow citizens back home at no cost.
“Besides that, we are going to send all of them to Duchess International
Hospital in Ikeja for free medical examination and treatment.
“While we implore the Nigerian Embassy in Cote D'Ivoire to assemble them and reach out to us, we equally call on the federal government to take charge of their education while reuniting them with their families,” Onyema said.
Air Peace has carried out many similar rescue missions for Nigerians in the past, including the rescue of over 315 Nigerians from South Africa during xenophobic attacks on Africans by South African citizens in September 2019.
Air Peace had in April 2023 rescued Nigerian students and others from the war-torn Sudan, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline rescued many Nigerians from India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some other countries.
its staff due to a funding shortfall amounting to $58 million.
The other nine countries are Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey) and Zimbabwe.
The UN aid chief, Tom Fletcher, revealed this as he briefed staff after OCHA’s largest donor – the United States – cut funding.
“OCHA currently has a workforce of around 2,600 staff in over 60 countries. The funding shortfall means we are looking to regroup to an organisation of around 2,100 staff in fewer locations,” Fletcher wrote in a note
to staff, as reported by Reuters.
OCHA works to mobilise aid, share information, support aid efforts, and advocate for those in need during a crisis. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions.
“The US alone has been the largest humanitarian donor for decades, and the biggest contributor to OCHA’s programme budget,” Fletcher said, noting that its annual contribution of $63 million would have accounted for 20 per cent of OCHA’s extra budgetary resources in 2025.
Since returning to office in January for a second term,
US President Donald Trump’s administration has slashed billions of dollars in foreign assistance in a review that aimed to ensure programs align with his “America First” foreign policy.
Fletcher said OCHA would “focus more of our resources in the countries where we work,” but would work in fewer places.
“OCHA will scale back our presence and operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkey) and
Zimbabwe,” Fletcher said.
“As we all know, these exercises are driven by funding cuts announced by Member States and not by a reduction of needs,” he said. “Humanitarian needs are on the rise and have perhaps never been higher, driven by conflicts, climate crises, disease, and the lack of respect for international humanitarian law.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month announced a new initiative to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a funding crisis.
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Government has debunked the purported appointment of Dr Samuel Nwanosike, a political ally of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA).
The report of the purported appointment, which spread on social media, claimed that it was approved by the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.), and signed by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika.
However, in a statement signed by Worika, the state government categorically denied the appointment,
urging residents to ignore the fake announcement.
“We wish to categorically inform the good people of Rivers State and the general public to ignore the fake announcements,” Worika emphasised.
The SSG warned residents to be apprehensive of fake news peddlers who intend to misinform the public.
He urged everyone to disregard unfounded speculations and rely on official government sources for accurate information.
“Be informed that all official communications from the Office of the Administrator of Rivers State have appropriate channels through which they are circulated, pay attention to such channels,” he said. Worika reiterated the government’s commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and united state.
Kuni Tyessi in
Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has charged heads of education agencies to remain steadfast in upholding federal government resolutions to safeguard the education sector from corrupt and fake institutions.
Tinubu spoke yesterday as the Visitor at the 14th convocation ceremony of the University in Abuja.
The president warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised, and that activities of such certificate holders are checked and put to a stop permanently.
Tinubu said that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges
of Education (NCCE) are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of fraudulent and unrepresentative institutions, both within and outside the country, have no place in the education ecosystem.
The President called on NOUN to take the lead in advancing digital learning across Africa.
He also charged the management of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the transition of the university into a full online university in light of its expertise and mastery of open and distance learning.
The president said that there is a need for the university to take its delivery system to the fullest potential by embracing technology holistically.
The convocation saw the graduation of 17, 420 undergraduate
and postgraduate students and the conferment of honorary awards to President of African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas for their exceptional contribution to the country.
Tinubu, who was represented by Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Rakiya Gambo said the transition requires NOUN to fully leverage cutting-edge digital tools to ensure accessibility, flexibility, and the overall quality of education.
He said: “It is to the credit of the qualitative education provided by NOUN that the federal government was encouraged to license five new private open universities in Nigeria.”
He added: “The federal government, under my leadership, remains
committed to supporting education by liberating information technology to enhance learning. Through strategic intervention, we are ensuring that education remains inclusive and technologically driven.
“In particular, the federal government’s two-thirds form is financing the installation of fibre optics infrastructure at NOUN to provide seamless Internet access to a substantial number of student and study centres across the various geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
“This initiative harnesses the power of technology to improve access to education and foster inclusivity. A large number of our universities have indeed benefited significantly from various federal interventions, particularly in the areas of fiscal infrastructure and research grants awarded to staff through institutional-based research.”
Family of a retired director in the Delta State Post-Primary Education Board, Mr. Emmanuel Ofobrukueta, who has been in kidnappers’ captivity for three months, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to help in securing her husband’s release.
Ofobrukueta, 66, was abducted by gunmen on January 13, 2025, in front of his home in Mosogar, near Sapele, a day before he was scheduled to travel to Asaba to process his pension.
He retired from the Delta State Post-Primary Education Board six years ago.According to a Save-Our-Soul letter sent to the IG through a law firm led by Frank Tietie, his wife,
The banking hall at Sterling Bank’s Adeola Odeku branch erupted in excitement on Thursday as Nollywood icon Uzor “Odogwu” Arukwe walked in, not for a movie role, but to make a powerful real-life statement and endorse the bank’s revolutionary zero bank charges policy.
The beloved actor, known for his captivating screen performances, brought his star power to the financial sector by publicly opening two accounts with Sterling Bank, becoming the latest high-profile advocate of the bank’s industry-defying decision to eliminate digital transaction fees through its OneBank platform.
Arukwe didn’t come alone. After tweeting support for the policy, he arrived at the bank with a promise and was greeted by a crowd of eager fans and loyal customers.
The atmosphere buzzed with the kind of excitement usually reserved for movie premieres, but the stakes here were far more impactful.
“This isn’t celebrity endorsement; it’s common sense,” Arukwe declared, holding up his new account details.
Mrs Theresa Ofobrukueta, said the victim remains in captivity despite efforts by the Delta State Police Command and payment of ransom.
“He has since been in the kidnappers’ den for the past three months despite efforts by the Delta State Police Command to rescue him,” she stated.
She told journalists in Sapele weekend that the kidnappers initially demanded N40million but later accepted N4.2m after negotiations.
The sum, the wife disclosed, was paid on January 15, two days after the abduction, through a designated agent.
“The family negotiated the ransom to N4.2 million, which was hurriedly raised and eventually paid to the kidnappers, through
“If a bank finally puts people first, we should reward that. My fellow creatives, small business owners, please join me!,” he said.
His actions sent a clear message to millions of Nigerians tired of paying just to access their own money.
Sterling Bank’s leadership team, including Temitayo Adegoke, Chief Operating Officer, and Obinna Ukachukwu, Growth Executive leading the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate, personally welcomed Arukwe in a celebration that felt more like a victory rally than a banking transaction.
This move has positioned the institution as the first major Nigerian bank to abolish what critics have long decried as digital taxation. “We’re hacking the system, and we’re not just talking about change, we’re building it. And every naira saved on bank fees is Naira for food, school fees, or reinvestment.
That’s real economic impact,” said Ukachukwu.
The move comes just days after former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka made headlines for his own high-profile switch
an agent on January 15, 2025.
“Despite the N4.2 million ransom payment, the kidnappers are yet to release my husband, as I am speaking with you”, she said. The distraught woman pleaded with the police authorities to “wade in urgently by organising a special effort to unravel the kidnapping and the rescue of the victim.
“The Delta State Police Command appears to be overwhelmed by the kidnappers in this case,” she added.
The letter by the family to the IG partly read, “Some members of the victim’s family firmly believe that an analysis of his post-kidnap events, particularly the various twists and turns associated with
the payment of ransom to the kidnappers just two days after the incident, along with the intelligence provided by a private tracking company, indicates that a possible network involving the victim’s close associates, including the ransom bearers and the actual kidnappers, is still working together to ensure that he remains kidnapped.
“It is upon the above conclusion that the family requests your esteemed intervention to organise a special effort by the Nigeria Police to unravel the kidnapping and ensure the rescue of the victim.
The Delta State Police Command appears to be overwhelmed by the kidnappers’ tactics in this case.”
The Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Uche Nwokwu, has said men with large breasts are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Nwokwu revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.
He said that men undergoing hormone therapy to alter their body physiology to appear more feminine are also at elevated risk.
He explained that because
men had breast tissue, they could develop breast cancer, adding however that the condition was rare. Confirming that such cases had been recorded in Nigeria, the NCCP coordinator emphasised the need for awareness.
According to him, breast development in men can be triggered by an increase in estrogen, the hormone responsible for breast growth, particularly when testosterone levels drop.
He said: “The hormone that women have that makes their breasts develop is also present
in men.
“The difference is that testosterone, which is higher in men, suppresses that hormone; so, when there’s an imbalance between the two, whichever is higher tends to manifest more.”
He added that when estrogen levels in men become dominant, it could lead to gynecomastia (the enlargement of male breast tissue) which in turn increases the risk of breast cancer.
“Once there’s a fluctuation that disrupts the body’s ability to regulate the cell ducts, it can
trigger breast cancer,” he said. Nwokwu noted that the risk factors for breast cancer in men are similar to those in women.
He, however, said that women were more prone due to their more developed breast tissue and cell ducts.
He said that men with larger breasts face a higher risk than those with average breast size, though no man was completely exempted.
“The reason is simple, anything that lowers male hormones, whether due to sickness or environmental factors, can cause an increase in female hormones.
The Kaduna State Government has rescued 13 children who were allegedly stolen from the state and sold to child traffickers in Kebbi, Calabar in Cross River, Enugu and Anambra states.
The state Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Rabi Salisu, disclosed this during a press briefing yesterday.
He said the victims were first taken to an illegal orphanage home in Abuja, the nation’s capital, from where they were taken to
other states by a child trafficking syndicate currently at large.
It was an emotional atmosphere as the 13 children who were kidnapped by child traffickers reunited with their parents.
They were allegedly stolen from Kaduna State by a child trafficking syndicate and taken to Calabar, Enugu, Anambra and Kebbi states where they were sold to prospective buyers.
The Kaduna State Government in collaboration with security
agencies were able to rescue the children, most of whom were kidnapped a few days after birth.
Presently, they are unable to identify their locations having been stolen and sold at infantry.
According to the Commissioner, five members of the kidnapping syndicate currently in custody confessed that their gang leader operates an orphanage which serves as a temporary shelter for the stolen children before they are later sold to
prospective buyers in the Southern part of the country.
“Upon review of the situation in one of the scenarios after the arrest made, on 24th March 2025, the ministry received 11 children from the office of the state Commissioner of Police from Abuja,” he stated. The Commissioner said five members of the kidnapping gang disclosed that the gang leader operates an orphanage in Abuja to perpetrate the nefarious act.
The Abuja Investments Company Limited has marked a significant milestone as it celebrated 30 years of establishment.
Also the company, an investment arm of FCTA, celebrated its first ever female Group Managing Director, Ambassador Maureen Tamuno.
At an event held at the company’s headquarters in Abuja,
the occasion also commemorated one year in office of Tamuno’s stewardship.
Staff who spoke at the event, noted that it was a trailblazing achievement that highlights the company’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in leadership roles.
According to them, her appointment not only showcases her exceptional leadership skills
and expertise but also paves the way for future generations of women to take on prominent roles in the company’s leadership.
The celebration, they explained, underscores the company’s dedication to recognizing and empowering talented individuals, regardless of gender, and its efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable
work environment. Tagged: ‘A legacy of smart investments,’ the gathering brought together stakeholders, investors, and industry leaders to celebrate the AICL’s achievements and milestones, while also highlighting the company’s commitment to making smart, impactful investments that drive growth and development in the region.
L-R: Former Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa; Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman; President/Chairman, Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki; and the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, CIFCFIN, Dr. Isa Salifu,
graduation ceremony and Fellowship Awards at NILDS headquarters in Abuja…recently
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, yesterday dismissed the claim by the North-east Caucus of the National Assembly that the region was excluded from
the $530million Special AgroIndustrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme of the federal government. Last Thursday, the North-east lawmakers raised concerns over the exclusion of its region from the SAPZ programme, saying
Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State, Muhammad Goronyo, has launched an attack on the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state, accusing it of poor governance, mismanagement, and insensitivity to the plight of citizens.
Speaking with journalists at the PDP secretariat in Sokoto on Saturday, during a quarterly meeting of current and former party executives, Goronyo described the current administration as “anti-people and anti-progress,” stating that the APC has dragged the state backwards since taking over in 2023.
“Since we left office, governance in Sokoto has become worse. Businesses are being demolished instead of supported, employment opportunities are disappearing, and citizens are suffering under rising costs and insecurity,” he said.
Goronyo criticised the state government’s handling of local government finances, alleging that despite claims of savings in local councils, no meaningful development has taken place in any of the 23 LGAs.
“For two years, there’s been no significant project at the grassroots level. Yet, when allocation was delayed for just one month, they couldn’t pay salaries. That shows the local governments are broke, and funds meant for development have been wasted,” he claimed.
Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has fired back at his successor in office and the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, telling him to “carry his cross” and stop making “careless statements” about others.
Senator Orji, popularly known as Ochendo Global, was reacting to a media comment credited to Ikpeazu where the latter described elected leaders who criticise their predecessors in office as “lazy leaders.”
Ikpeazu, who spoke at an event in Abuja, was also reported to have said that in 2015, when he took over, he met the state in a gloomy state.
But in a swift response, Senator Orji chided Ikpeazu for saying
he met Abia in a gloomy state. Senator Orji, who spoke through his former Liaison Officer and Senior Aide, Hon. Ifeanyi Umere, faulted Ikpeazu for “in one breath, condemning leaders who criticise their predecessors, and in the other breath, criticising his predecessor”.
The former governor told his successor to take responsibility for his actions and inactions while in office, instead of shifting blame to anybody.
He said: “Ikpeazu should once again carry his cross and take responsibility for his actions and inactions instead of looking for who to blame as governance is not necessarily about making speeches.”
it was unfair for the country’s biggest livestock hub to be left out of such an initiative.
They made the appeal at the end of an emergency closed-door meeting held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
However, in a statement issued in Abuja, Kyari debunked the claim, saying three states from the North-east, namely Gombe, Borno and Bauchi states, have expressed their interest in participating in the second phase of the programme.
The minister further recalled
that at the commencement of the first phase of the programme, only eight states indicated interest in participating.
He said, “We are glad that they acknowledged the very innovative nature of the SAPZ as a groundbreaking change in the agricultural development agenda and priority of President Bola Tinubu.
The SAPZ programme was launched in 2022 based on its conceptual design of Phase One in 2019.
“This project is a federal
government enabled initiative with subscription by the State Governments of the Federation. Therefore, all State Governments were expected to individually Express Interest in the programme.”
On the selection process, the minister explained that in 2019, each state governor was notified in writing to express interest with an attached eligibility criteria that would enable them to participate in phase one of the programme.
Kyari said upon receipt of
their expression of interest, a joint team comprising the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Finance, and the African Development Bank conducted a mission to each of the states to verify the fulfilment of the eli gibility criteria as a selection process. He added that at this stage, only eight states, namely Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Imo, Cross River, and Federal Capital Territory, were qualified to participate.
Properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed yesterday, following a tanker explosion along Lead City University Road, near the Ibadan Toll Gate in the Oyo State capital.
The explosion occurred around 2:45 p.m., causing significant damage to nearby shops, vehicles, and motorcycles.
One of the affected shops reportedly housed computer
sets valued at several millions of naira, all of which were lost to the blaze.
As of press time, there was no confirmation of the loss of life, as the driver of the truck and his motorboy narrowly escaped death.
Men of the Oyo State Fire Service, supported by the Federal Service, were on the ground to bring the situation under control.
One of the owners of the affected
shops, who refused to mention her name, said, “I just heard a bang from outside. Initially, I mistook it for gunshots. Before I realised what was happening, the atmosphere had been enveloped with thick smoke.
“Calls were put through to the fire service. But before they arrived, the deeds had been done. I have lost everything to the inferno. I don’t know where to start again.”
An eyewitness, Tokunbo Ojo,
said: “The driver of the affected truck has no reason to make a detour to the access route if not for the ongoing rehabilitation. As you can see, this road is dotted with potholes that make it difficult for the truck to navigate.
“The truck fell on one of its sides, and it exploded when its driver was trying to maneuver his way through the bad portion of the road.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State has faulted the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on the release of guidelines for the 2025 Local Government election in the state.
IPAC, in a statement jointly issued by Mrs Temilade Akinade, its Chairperson and Mr George Ashiru, its Public Relations Officer, yesterday, said the commission
erred in the way it released the guidelines.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LASIEC had on Friday announced July 12 as the date of the election in 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs)
Reacting, IPAC, the umbrella body of all 19 registered political parties in the state, said LASIEC
disregarded established communication protocols in the release of the guidelines.
The council criticised the commission for not engaging political parties on important issues on the election, prior to releasing the guidelines.
IPAC also accused LASEIC of shrouding so many things about the election in secrecy.
The council said: “Critical questions and issues remain unresolved as
regards the appropriate interpretation of the Supreme Court’s pronouncements on LG autonomy and how that will impact the 37 LCDAs established by the state government.
“IPAC only recently learned that a revised LASIEC law empowering the agency to conduct executive elections into 57 LG/LCDAs was approved on Jan. 9 and signed into law on Jan. 10 by the governor.”
The Delta State Police Command has said it has killed four suspected kidnappers who have been terrorising the Ogwashi-Uku and Ubulu-Uku axis.
The command spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
Edafe said, “Following the kidnap of a doctor at Issele-uku on April 6, 2025 and his release on April 7, 2025, after collecting a
ransom of N15 million from the medical doctor and the driver.
“The commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, directed operatives of the CP-Special Assessment team to embark on an intelligence-led investigation and ensure that the kidnappers are arrested and brought to justice.
“In complaince with the said directive, the commander CP Special Assignment team, ASP
Julius Robinson led his team in a sting operation on Friday trailed and arrested one Abubakar Usman Popularly known as “Shehu” the suspect is the gang leader of a deadly kidnapping syndicate and responsible for series of kidnap at Ogwashi-uku, Ibusa, Ubuluku and environs.
“The group is also responsible for the kidnapping and murder of estate realtor, late Esther Ojoh.
“They were also responsible for
the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of Mr Godwin Anuka after killing him at Ogwashi-uku area as well, and also confessed to being responsible for the kidnapping of a realtor, Esther Ojoh, at Ibusa, whose corpse was later found on the 25th March 2025” Edafe said that the suspect led operatives to their hideout on Friday, a forest along the Asaba/ Agbor express road between Okpanam and Issele-Asagba.
Editor: Festus Akanbi
08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com
The unrelenting Nigerian economy has underscored the urgency of uncertainties, writes
As of last week, the Nigerian economy, while showing signs of growth, faces challenges includingciating naira, and reliance on oil, with the services
Economists say that Nigeria stands at a reforms that, while aiming for long-term stabil-
mentators are fervently advocating for a security but also to serve as a robust engine
business, boasting that many young men in Idanre, his hometown in Ondo
are now shifting attention to the cocoa
Incidentally, his claims are in tandem
economy, ensuring sustainable livelihoods
This is why the current agitation by Nigerian Cocoa farmers for adequate funding from the federal government to enable them to
According to data from the National
To sustain this momentum, Nigeria must make cocoa farming attractive to young
agriculture, automated irrigation, and digital
ciation of Nigeria, Mufutau Abolarinwa, said
from cocoa farmers is that the sector has are over 40 years old, leading to dwindling
In the old Western Region in the First Refoundation of the robust economy as Chief
modern socio-economic activities and bring These include the famous 25-storey Cocoa House, the Western Nigerian Television
Unfortunately, agriculture was neglected
Farmers attributed the surge to the cost of cocoa – a key ingredient for since the start of the year, with quoted
The surge is owing to bad weather African growers – Ivory Coast and from it on the back of the continued
tonnes in the 2022–2023 season, according
goldmine, stressing that value addition could generate billions in revenue and create
functional with a combined utilisation combination of issues ranging from high
ing environment is making it unattractive
need to declare a state of emergency in the
Through investigative reports, market analyses, and news coverage, the media helps to uncover risks, spotlight trends, and validate data, empowering rating agencies to make informed, objective, and transparent assessments that support investor confidence and economic growth. This was the major thrust of a recent training seminar organised for select journalists by DataPro Limited in Lagos, Festus Akanbi reports
The preparations for the launch of the National Credit Guarantee Company in May 2025 to enhance credit access and drive economic growth in Nigeria are gathering momentum.
President Bola Tinubu had announced the initiative as part of his broader economic re-sion and support underserved groups such as women and youth. Through the company, the government seeks to expand risk-sharing
and improve living standards.
In this vein, some analysts believe that the growth of a good credit culture in Nigeria in 2025 holds the transformative power to unlock unprecedented economic development, fuelling entrepreneurship, industrial expansion, and inclusive prosperity.
They argued that when individuals and businesses embrace the principles of creditworthiness—honouring obligations, maintaining transparency, and building trust—they lay the where access to capital becomes easier, cheaper, and more sustainable.
This was the kernel of a recent one-day seminar organised by DataPro Limited for sector.
Participants believed that a vibrant credit culture empowers Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to scale their operations, stimulates consumer spending through responsible borrowing, and enhances investor
It was also believed that with improved credit behaviour, banks, and lending institu-
innovation, and accelerating job creation across sectors.
Not only this, it is also argued that the widespread adoption of a strong credit culresilience, and wealth creation, propelling Nigeria toward a more dynamic, equitable, and globally competitive economy.
Credit Culture
of DataPro, Mr. Oladele Adeoye, most of the conversations in 2025 will centre around the use of credits as pressures mount on the Nige-
rian government to move the economy forward.
“We want to underscore, even from a global perspective, that credit will always be the way to go. And it appears that the year 2025 is giving us a good narration around the use of credits. And what do I mean? The global outlook suggests that the global economy in terms of GDP in the year 2025 will grow at about 3.3%. And this is riding on the fact that, generically, interest rates are coming down and
The narration around the use of credits, according to him, will spur productivity funds needed to run businesses and the economy.
The Role of the Media
He, however, believed that the ensuing rush for credits had made it imperative for the media to join the structure to make the exercise a huge success.
“The budget for 2025 is an indication that even the federal government of Nigeria will also address some of the it is going to happen at the government level, we also expect that that will also happen at the corporate level. It therefore means one thing that one of the lookouts for is the fact that there will be a need
for a credit rating.
“So this agency collected and sold information about credit creditworthiness of businesses. And so that suggests to you that the basic duty of a rating agency today is to give an opinion as to the creditworthiness of any business. To give an opinion as to the Adeoye said credit agencies in the country are already set for an increase in activities as banks and other sources of credit will mandatorily seek information on those seeking credit from them. He said, “And this is why I think as media personnel, we should begin to see ourselves as important components of the job function of a rating agency because part of the lookouts done by rating agency is the fact that we will also be paying attention to some of the stories you publish around these entities.
“You might not know, but every time you rated a company and we have it in the public domain, somebody is talking about the fact that in the last six months, this company has not paid us in the last day, we might pick that. Even though it is gotten from the media, not from the rated entity, we might pick that and
SEC’s Initiative
This initiative, according to him, is a result of the need to key into the vision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for education and enlightenment of the investing public and that the media is at the forefront of driving this education. So, to correctly disseminate information coming from the rating desk, the media itself must have a clear understanding of qualitative factors that a rating agency will readily consider in arriving at a rating opinion.
Speaking further on the link between the media and the work of credit rating agencies, Adeoye said, “Sometimes we could be in our can stumble on the media reporting that a court has just given an injunction against a company and against some banks to put a lien on the accounts of those companies.
call the company and ask questions because regulatory compliance is also part of what we look at. So we are asking, what regulatory requirements have you breached to bring Reacting to questions, he stressed that as
people access these credits, there will be a need for rating because the providers of the fund themselves are sometimes under regulatory and statutory obligation to only give the fund to those who meet certain rating criteria. He added that that was what those who work in the rating end refer to as an investment grade rating. “So on account of that, we expect that at both macro and micro levels, we are going to be looking at a situation whereby a fund will be raised from both the capital
on the creditworthiness of an issuer, such as a corporation or government, based on their like repaying debts.
“It is an assessment of the ability of an issuer, that is anyone who wants to borrow, in a very simple language, even though in rating language, we refer to them as issuers of instruments, but what they are technically he stated.
Adeoye warned that it is important for the entity seeking credits and the one giving not to substitute credit ratings for personal judgment.
substitute for your judgment. When a credit rating agency is looking at an entity, the primary focus is whether, can borrow. repay his debts? And is that cash protected? Whether governance is protected, regulatory-protected, statutorily protected, environmentally protected, and so on. So
Adeoye explained why some organisathey had relied on the advice of some credit rating agencies. A good rating agency can hardly do a good job without the support of the media.
According to him, “The rating will be
notes to the account, and on the audited account. But some juicy details may not be available to us when making that decision. “And this is where the media also play an important role. Somehow, the outcome of your investigative corporate investigations and the rest of them are a good avenue to help us in that space. And that is why we
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The North is well represented in government, argues BAMIDELE ATOYEBI
See Page 20
US TARIFF HIKE ON NIGERIAN
For Nigeria’s insurance industry, the tariff hike represents a significant test of its adaptability and resilience, contends ADE ADESOKAN
EDITORIAL
ADDRESSING THE HEALTH
SECTOR BRAIN DRAIN
To endure, the organs of democratic government must serve the interests of the majority, argues IFEANYICHUKWU AFUBA
Amemorable feature of Biafra’s rallying cry during the civil war was the radio jingle that the “price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Man’s freedom is perpetually under threat, thus, underlining the necessity for protection of liberties. In a presumed age of enlightenment; in the very heart of modern civilisation, Russia is bombarding Ukraine with missiles to seize as much Ukrainian territory as possible. China, intent on swallowing Taiwan, tries to freeze the people’s aspiration for independence, flaunting her military superpower on the island’s waters. And _like play, like play,_ without any provocation, America’s Donald Trump is talking about annexing Greenland and Canada! Democracies too are under constant risk of subversion and Nigeria’s Fourth Republic democracy is not exempted from the threat. Before our very eyes, a senator is hounded like a common criminal for voicing leadership misconduct. An elected Governor’s sacrosanct mandate is tossed aside like a handkerchief and the deed ostensibly legitimised with parliamentary approval! Democracy essentially is about freedom and fundamental rights. However, democratic freedoms are not necessarily guaranteed nor safeguarded under democratic systems. The mere observance of democratic protocols does not equate participatory government. A State can hold regular elections even as she closes the space for political expression and participation. It’s not rare to find elections in which the electorate do not have any real choices to make from the ballot paper. To what extent is the electoral authority independent? To what extent is the electoral process transparent and impartial? In 2007, INEC chairman, Maurice Iwu, declared that the environment for a free and fair election did not exist. As it were, a bare democratic system can legally enthrone and periodically renew dictatorships with democratic mandates! A sample of democratic dictatorships shows Paul Biya’s 42 year rule in Cameroon. Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni has been in office for 38 years. Vladimir Putin has had 26 years of prime ministership and presidential power. Tayyip Erdogan is currently on combined 22 years of rulership in Turkey. These guys are the most hardworking, most brilliant, most popular and selfless individuals in their countries, winning every poll since their ascent by landslides! Here, at home, we saw general Ibrahim Babangida’s daring attempt to transmute to civilian President through endorsement of the House of Representatives. It was only House Speaker Agunwa Anaekwe’s bold resolve that stopped the ambitious general. Thirteen years later, another general, Olusegun Obasanjo sought to extend his expiring mandate using the decoy of constitution amendment. It ended in another rare win for democracy. Everywhere, democracy is confronted by the cult of power. The craving for power, the appetite for dominance, the craze for absolute authority, sets up enmity against consensus models. Robert Michels who propounded the famous treatise, the iron law of oligarchy, submitted that organisations, systems, democracy included, eventually become oligarchic. That is to say, that as they grow and assume formal processes, institutions are ruled by a minority. As strategically placed actors in
a democracy acquire more power, the tendency is to bend the rules to suit their interests and ultimately to seek to exercise veto power. The situation goes from bad to worse in the case of a docile population that will not stand up for their rights. Democracy, at this juncture, is largely stripped of openness, responsibility and accountability. The resulting scenario would be the existence of democratic structures without democratic order. The oligarchs would seek to govern with democracy - designed but democracy - non compliant instruments. Sadly, the quest for power, maximum power if you will, has forced democracy in Nigeria on exile. Exile is not only a physical deprivation. It’s more of an attack on the senses. Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a man who lived through thirteen years of the experience told us in _Because I Am Involved_: “Soon it was clear that exile was not so much the separation from kith and kin, rather it was an assault on the mind. Exile is designed to unhinge the mind of the exile.” It would appear that there’s a psychological plot playing out. A political game of mental conditioning seems to be going on. The absurdities of Senator Natasha Akpoti - Uduaghan’s suspension and appointive administrator of Rivers State are so glaring that even the blind would the fact that there are judicial precedents invalidating such political excesses, the outrage that accompanied their introduction, not a jot of concession. The illegalities were rammed through, to the extent that even the State’s federation allocation withheld from the Governor by order of the Supreme Court, has reportedly been released to Mr Administrator. Since nature abhors vacuum, the logic of the maneuvers seems to say, Nigerians then have to contend with the reality before them. Former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi put the crisis in perspective. THISDAY, March 30, 2025 quoted Amaechi as saying:
“The president wants a power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027. So, there is a rumour everywhere that if you are not careful, the president will remove you.”
Look at the whimpering shell the National Assembly has been reduced to. For good reasons, the legislature is widely regarded as sanctuary of the democratic tradition. Through the power of lawmaking, committee
deliberation and oversight, the legislature exerts control and checks on the other arms of government. Wherever the legislature has served as agent of good governance, it did so by being a critical voice on executive proposals, by interrogating and adding value to public policy. Now, what is left of a National Assembly that has been reduced to a rubber stamp? What type of a parliament is it that closes eyes to provisions of the Constitution to pass illegal resolutions?
What hope lies in a National Assembly that lacks sensitivity of upholding democratic values and institutions? An air of unease now envelopes the Senate. Will senators still find the courage to make interventions in the interest of the masses? Senator Natasha’s treatment is a message of intimidation. Upset the apple cart and you go on suspension. The stifling of dissent is incompatible with the democratic spirit. Unfortunately, the gravity of this situation may be shielded by the sense of a functioning democracy. That’s the danger of illusions.
Nigerians tend to make the mistake of regarding democracy as an end in itself. Some would argue that the worst form of democracy is better than the most progressive military dictatorship. Benevolent or not, Nigerians, have ditched military rule for the past 25 years, and prayerfully, forever. But we should not go with the impression that democracy is incorruptible. Democracy can and does degenerate to dictatorship, lawful dictatorship for that matter, where the citizens are complacent. Just as there can be endless movement without motion, the taste of democracy is not in the number of democratic institutions nor the number of their enactments. Democratic systems must continually be renewed. To endure, the organs of democratic government must serve the interests of the majority. It’s no democracy unless and until the elected leaders are accountable to the electorate. In effect, public opinion counts in the considerations of democratic - minded leaders. Indeed, leaders who see themselves as servants of the people, actually go out to encounter the people in their various stations for firsthand reports. There’s a video of the current Prime Minister of Grenada walking the streets unescorted by guards, mingling and chatting with citizens as members of a society with common destiny. It’s a clip with useful lessons about government of the people.
The North is well represented in government, argues BAMIDELE ATOYEBI
The protests have escalated to a volume that surpass the usual complaints of marginalization from the north. This situation prompted a closer examination of the appointment list, resulting in further confusion. The question arises: what exactly is the North protesting?
The issue has been framed in various ways: some accuse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of “Yorubanising” appointments and governance, while others label it as marginalising others. But what is the true situation? Do the Yoruba have a greater share of appointments in this administration compared to the North? Or, in the context of Nigeria’s political power-sharing, is the South receiving preferential treatment in appointments? The answer appears to be a clear No, leading to further inquiry into the real issue at hand.
Statistics are often reliable, and illuminate all situations. An analysis of appointment distribution under the Tinubu administration reveals that North Central region received the most appointments, followed by North West and then South West, despite the President’s origin from the latter. Evidently, he aims at national cohesion, providing more appointments to other regions than his own, to ensure a smoother governance that aligns with his plans for the nation.
Delving into the appointment distribution as per the powersharing understanding, it becomes evident that the North still retains the majority of such positions. With 55 percent of appointments going to the North and 45 percent to the South, the North is still in a more favorable position, despite the ongoing protests.
This prompts a deeper examination and reveals a fundamental issue overlooked by President Tinubu. In the South, appointments are generally accepted without the demand that groups. However, in the North, this has sparked discontent as a class system or cabal traditionally dictates who gets what. Those considered outside this group are not regarded as part of the region’s appointments.
The real grievance of Northern politicians appears to be that appointments are being made to individuals outside their established circles, ignoring the familial and cabalistic rotation expected in the region.
To Tinubu, the essential criterion
for appointments is competence, regardless of regional origin, yet this approach has not been well-received among those in the North who feel excluded from the decision-making process.
This backlash indicates a mindset akin to a caste system, where only certain individuals believe they are entitled to positions of power while others are left waiting for their share.
What is particularly surprising about the Northern outcry is its inconsistency; in the previous administration, those who are now vocal were aware of the lopsided appointments but remained silent. This raises questions about their previous compliance: were the appointments made within their circle, or did they adopt a p rinciple of turning a blind eye when their own were in power?
Asiwaju seems determined to focus solely on capability and performance, seeking out competent individuals irrespective of their social standing.
In contemporary times, it is disheartening to witness a mindset that deems fellow citizens unworthy of service or appointments because they fell short of their determined criteria. Does this imply a true imbalance in power that must families or groups in the North?
In reality, the notion of lopsided appointments that are disadvantageous to the North does not hold. The true issue lies in the fact that appointments have not been It is crucial to confront reality and focus on development, instead of being hindered by outdated caste ideologies. Ultimately, we are all equal.
For Nigeria’s insurance industry, the tariff hike represents a significant test of its adaptability and resilience, contends ADE ADESOKAN
The recent 14% tariff hike imposed by the United States on Nigerian exports has sent ripples through various sectors of the Nigerian economy, with the insurance industry facing unique challenges and opportunities in its wake.
This significant trade policy shift comes at a time when Nigeria’s insurance sector has demonstrated remarkable growth and resilience, potentially altering the industry’s trajectory in the months ahead.
The Nigerian insurance market has recently shown impressive performance, according to the National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) 2023 bulletin for insurance market performance. The industry recorded a total of 1.003 trillion in gross premium written, marking a substantial 27% growth compared to the previous year. This growth significantly outpaced Nigeria’s overall GDP growth rate of 3.46% during the same period, underlining the sector’s expanding economic importance.
The non-life segment contributed 615.1 billion (61.3%) to the total premium volume, while the life segment accounted for 388.1 billion (38.7%), with group life policies and annuity products serving as significant drivers of growth.
Against this backdrop of sectoral prosperity, the U.S. tariff hike introduces new variables into the insurance landscape. While oil and mineral exports, which constitute over 90% of Nigeria’s exports to the United States, are excluded from the tariff increase, the remaining export categories now face heightened cost pressures. This targeted application of tariffs creates a complex risk environment that insurance providers must navigate carefully.
Undoubtedly, marine insurance, which covers goods in transit, stands as one of the most immediately affected insurance lines. With Nigerian exporters facing an additional 14% cost burden on applicable goods, shipment values and volumes may fluctuate, potentially altering premium calculations and risk assessments. Insurance providers specializing in marine cargo coverage will need to reassess their pricing models to account for changing trade patterns, as exporters might reduce shipment frequencies or consolidated cargo to manage costs.
Trade credit insurance faces perhaps the most direct exposure to the tariff’s effects. This specialized coverage, which protects businesses against non-payment from buyers, may see increased demand as exporters seek financial safeguards against the heightened uncertainty in the U.S. market. Simultaneously, insurers might observe an uptick in claims if Nigerian exporters’ American customers delay payments due to the absorbed tariff costs or if contracts are canceled altogether. Insurance providers will need to recalibrate their actuarial models to account for these elevated risks, potentially leading to premium adjustments across the sector.
The property and casualty insurance segment may experience secondary effects as manufacturing facilities and agricultural processing plants tied to U.S. exports reconsider their asset utilization and expansion plans. Insurers may need to revisit property valuations and coverage limits if production scales shift in response to changing export economics.
Casualty insurers, particularly those offering product liability coverage for goods destined for American markets, might need to adjust their underwriting approaches to account for potential changes in export volumes or product modifications designed to offset tariff impacts.
Business interruption insurance emerges as another critical area of potential impact. Nigerian businesses heavily reliant on U.S. export markets may face operational disruptions or reduced revenue streams, potentially triggering claims under business interruption policies. Insurance
providers offering this coverage will need to carefully assess their exposure to affected industries and potentially revise their terms, conditions and pricing strategies to maintain profitability while supporting policyholders through this transition.
The tariff hike may accelerate the already existing trend toward export diversification in Nigeria, a development that carries significant implications for the insurance industry. As exporters explore alternative markets beyond the United States, insurers will need to develop expertise in assessing risks associated with these new trade corridors and destination countries.
This geographical diversification of risk may ultimately benefit insurers through portfolio spread, though it requires investment in market intelligence and risk assessment capabilities for new territories. For the health of the insurance industry as a whole, the sector’s response to these changing trade dynamics will be crucial.
Insurance practitioners will need to enhance their analytical capabilities to model the complex interplay between tariff impacts, export behaviours and claim patterns. Products may need to be redesigned to address emerging risks and customer education will become increasingly important as exporters seek guidance on navigating the new trade landscape.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and other associations, including NIA and NCRIB have essential roles to play in monitoring the situation and providing appropriate guidance to the industry.
Regulatory flexibility may be necessary to allow insurers to innovate in response to changing market conditions while maintaining adequate consumer protections and financial stability.
The tariff development also comes as Nigeria’s insurance penetration rate remains relatively low at approximately 0.5% of GDP, compared to the African average of 2.8%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity, as the increased risk awareness stemming from trade disruptions could potentially stimulate greater insurance adoption across the economy.
Insurance providers that can effectively communicate their value proposition in mitigating trade-related risks may find growth opportunities even amid the uncertainty.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has assured Nigerians that the government is committed to mitigating any adverse effects of the tariff increase, emphasizing the limited scope of affected exports.
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA
Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
There is need to ensure that health workers are well-provided for
While the issue of brain drain among medical professionals is not new, the recent surge has become increasingly troubling.
This is most worrying for a country in dire need of skilled professionals to effectively manage the sensitive health sector. Increasingly, the country is losing medical consultants and specialists in anaesthesia, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), paediatrics surgery, family medicine (consultants), obstetrics and gynaecology, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Emergency medicine, orthopaedic surgery, and more. This development has left an overwhelming pressure on the few doctors remaining in the country.
Survey after survey has revealed that most of the medical personnel in Nigeria are considering work opportunities abroad. Last week, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate revealed that over 16,000 Nigerian doctors to seven years for greener pastures in other countries. This trend, according to Pate—who also lamented that nurses and midwives are also leaving the country in droves—is
largely at public expense, are obvious. Like most other professionals, they are often treated with disdain. They work with inadequate and ageing infrastructure and are poorly remunerated. Besides, so many doctors and other medical personnel were lost during the Covid-19 pandemic because of inadequate equipment. Agreements with the government are hardly honoured hence in some states of the federation, doctors are owed salaries for months, thus prompting frequent industrial actions. Even worse, in the face of the prevailing insecurity across the country, many doctors have become easy victims of kidnap for ransom, with some losing their lives in the process.
Health professionals in Nigeria are among the least paid globally, a situation that spurs them to move to countries where they can get better incentives
loss. For context, Nigeria had trained 90,000 medical doctors as of May 2018, according to a former Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, but about 70 per cent of them have migrated to other countries where they feel their services are better valued.
The estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds
to Pate. “It deeply affects our health systems— leaving many of our rural communities critically of the situation while also highlighting efforts to redress the situation. “To retain and motivate health workers currently serving in Nigeria—thousands of ethical norms and explore bilateral frameworks for to expand training capacity...and to strengthen governance, improve regulatory coordination, and
The reasons for the mass exodus of doctors, trained
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This apparent neglect of the health sector is encouraging medical tourism among the middleclass and the wealthy. There are no adequate statistics but there is no doubt that Nigerians are spending a fortune outside the country on health. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said recently that Nigeria spends about $1billion annually on medical tourism, particularly to India. This is a lot of money that would have made a difference if ploughed to the health sector at home.
A few years ago, many were outraged when then Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige made light of the serious issue of the brain drain haemorrhage. Ngige, himself a medical doctor, asserted falsely that Nigeria had more than enough doctors to take care of its health needs. At that period, agencies of the United States, Canada, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and many other countries were routinely conducting recruitment exercises in a country of one doctor to more than about 2600 patients, going by the latest statistics from Pate—still a far cry from the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended ratio of one to 600.
We agree with Pate, but his action should speak louder than his words. To reverse the country’s worsening health sector, and retain the very best professionals at home, authorities in Abuja and the 36 states must improve the present work environment. Health professionals in Nigeria are among the least paid globally, a situation that spurs them to move to countries where they can get better incentives.
We need to address that challenge.
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As politicking for the 2027 elections gradually gains momentum, both new and familiar scenarios will inevitably unfold. Nigeria’s political landscape is dynamic, and often geopolitical, and 2027 will be no exception.
The truth is, despite its internal wranglings and historical baggage, any coalition that does not have the PDP as its central pillar is unlikely to achieve the kind of national spread required to win a presidential election in Nigeria. The PDP, with its extensive grassroots network and long-standing presence across all six geopolitical zones, remains the only opposition party with a has somewhat waned in recent years.
Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the two significant third-force figures from the 2023 elections , do not appear particularly enthusiastic about forming a coalition, at least not one that’s clearly defined or strategic. Obi, from all indications, seems prepared to give
the presidency another shot. However, the conditions that led to his surprise performance in 2023 , particularly the wave of ‘unsolicited’ support from some urban youth and Christian voters disillusioned with the mainstream parties — have largely diminished. That groundswell was driven in large part by a reactive fear: the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s MuslimMuslim ticket, which sparked anxiety among many Christians. Today, that fear has dissipated. Ironically, the Muslim-Muslim arrangement has more visible Christian participation in government than expected.
Kwankwaso, on the other hand, appears to have adopted a more pragmatic, localized approach- state capture. Kwankwaso’s posture suggests a strategy of quiet autonomy: “I have
mentality may give him relevance at the regional level but severely limits his national appeal.
President Tinubu, meanwhile, has carelessly or perhaps inadvertently squandered the political capital the APC enjoyed in the North from 2015 to 2023. During that period, the APC could count on overwhelming support from northern voters , often to the extent that votes from a single state could nearly cancel those from entire geopolitical zones elsewhere. That dominance was largely tied geopolitical strongholds strategy . Tinubu’s failing to maintain and galvanize this strategy will eatup APC’s traditional votes in the north, which is very key for APC’s second term return.
Furthermore, Tinubu has, whether knowingly or not, given new oxygen to the dormant CPC bloc — a bloc of the APC that once represented the ideological and political base of Buhari’s loyalists. Now, with the central leadership perceived as disconnected from northern interests, the CPC bloc sees an opportunity to reassert itself. In places like the Northwest, especially, this
could lead to a realignment of loyalties, with Tinubu’s influence weakening in favor of those seen as more authentically representing northern interests. Nepotism is nepotism. While Buhari’s nepotism was largely regional and driven by northern priorities, Tinubu’s appears more ethnic and Lagos-centric , which could prove politically costly if not urgently recalibrated. That said, Tinubu still has time and political tools to course-correct before 2027, if he chooses to use them wisely.
The current promoters of a coalition, however, appear to be relying on an outdated strategy. The 2015-style bandwagon movement , built around the idea of ‘change’ is unlikely to resonate with voters in 2027. Buhari’s eight-year presidency has left a mixed legacy, with many citizens feeling disillusioned by the unmet expectations. The old formula simply won’t work again.
Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja
Although 11 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have approached the Supreme Court challenging the powers of President Bola Tinubu to suspend a democratically-elected structure of a state, with Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisting that the target is the resources in oil-rich Rivers State, not a few Nigerians are wondering when a state of emergency will be declared in Zamfara State where terrorists and bandits are freely exploiting the state’s minerals including gold, copper and lithium.
Many are also wondering when, beyond rhetoric, the government will deal decisively with the killers rampaging Plateau State.
On Tuesday, April 8, the governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, raised alarm over the worsening security situation in his state, revealing that about 64 communities have been taken over by bandits.
He said, “These communities that have been recently attacked were part of the communities that were attacked in 2023, but they survived it and rebuilt themselves… The Ruwi community that was first attacked lost about 17 people in 2023, but they bounced back to show you the resilience of the people.
In the past week, more than 50 people have been reported killed in renewed attacks across five communities, with over 300 houses set ablaze by suspected herdsmen. The violence has reignited national concern over the persistent insecurity plaguing the North-Central region. Benue state has also had an enormous dose of widespread wanton killings from rampaging mauraders.
In his article, Can Nigeria stop bandits from exploiting Zamfara’s minerals?, Malik Samuel, a Senior Researcher with Good Governance Africa in Nigeria, revealed that bandits have maintained control over mining sites in Zamfara with the government appearing helpless.
Below is an Excerpt from His Article.
Zamfara State is one of Nigeria’s minerallyrich states with huge deposits of gold, copper and lithium. In the same vein, the state has, over the years, become one of the most insecure in the country, where illegal mining has become intricately linked with banditry, a form of organized crime involving armed groups engaged in cattle rustling, kidnapping, and violent attacks on communities. As a result, these resources have become a double-edged sword, attracting illegal artisanal miners and criminal groups who exploit the minerals for profit with the extensive participation of thousands of ordinary people seeking livelihood. These mine labourers are made to work in often unsafe and exploitative conditions rife with intimidation by the armed groups.
In 2019, the Nigerian federal government imposed a ban on mining in the state as part of efforts to address rising insecurity. Two years later, this was followed with an imposition of a no-fly zone over the state. Authorities believed that illegal mining fuelled insecurity and that illegally mined gold was being ferried out of the state using private aircrafts, with proceeds used to smuggle in weapons.
However, the policy faced immediate challenges. Bandits maintained control over mining sites, making it nearly impossible for government officials to enforce the ban. Community members involved in artisanal mining told Good Governance Africa (GGA) that the presence of armed groups at these sites remained largely unchallenged by security forces. This undermined the effectiveness of the ban, leaving a significant gap in resource governance.
Ineffective Ban
Data from
security outcomes during the ban reveal its limited success. In the period from 2015 to 2019 before the ban was introduced, there were 2,247 reported deaths linked to insecurity in Zamfara. In the four years following the ban, this figure rose to 6,349 deaths – a staggering 183% increase. Many incidents go unreported due to the state’s remote areas, likely understating the figures. However, the available data shows that the ban failed to reduce violence and instead coincided with rising insecurity.
Several factors contributed to this failure. Firstly, the ban disrupted the livelihoods of many local communities who depended on artisanal mining for survival. With their farmlands either taken over by bandits or rendered inaccessible due to fear of attacks, mining became their only viable source of income. This inadvertently pushed more people into illegal mining activities, further empowering bandits who controlled these operations and exploited the people. Bandits leveraged the proceeds from illegal mining to smuggle arms and recruit members, including individuals from across Nigeria’s borders. Rather than weakening the bandits, the ban unintentionally strengthened their financial base, exacerbating insecurity in the state.
Secondly, the government’s inability to enforce the ban left mining sites in the hands of criminal groups. This was confirmed by the government when the solid minerals minister, Dele Alake, announced the lifting of the ban in December 2024. “The previous ban, intended to address security concerns linked to illegal mining and banditry, inadvertently allowed illegal miners to exploit our resources,” the minister stated. Community members have informed GGA that despite the lifting of the ban, mining sites are still being controlled by bandits.
High-level official complicity contributes to illicit mining and insecurity. Addressing this requires structural reforms, including constitutional changes to involve state authorities in mineral sector regulation and mine development alongside federal and private sector participation. This was a key proposal by GGA-Nigeria Executive Director Dr. Ola Bello at the 2024 Nigeria Mining Week summit in Abuja.
Rejig Policy with Fresh Innovations
The minister cited the “significant security improvements” in the state as reason for lifting the ban. He also stated the government’s resolve to harness the state’s mineral wealth for national economic growth through the introduction of “policies to revitalise the mining sector, consolidate reforms, and create a more favourable investment environment.” While this decision holds promise, it also poses risks if not accompanied by robust measures to address the root causes of illegal mining and banditry.
Addressing economic vulnerabilities is equally important, as mining communities in Zamfara rely on the sector for their livelihoods. To ensure their economic stability while curbing illegal activities, the federal government should work with the state government to provide more employment opportunities in regulated mining operations, invest in alternative livelihoods, to reduce dependency on mining, introduce community development programmes that address education, healthcare, and infrastructure needs, all of which brings government closer to the people and prevent recruitment by both criminal gangs and violent extremists...
But then another Nigerian, Moses Oludele Idowu, brought a rather worrisome angle to this conversation. Oludele, in his article Generals without shame, had this to say:
A general was kidnapped in his own house by gunmen and kidnappers and taken to the forest in Katsina State. He was the former director of NYSC. He could not be rescued by the authorities and security agencies – the same agencies that could monitor protesters and their phone conversations.
“The friends of this general now came together, formed a WhatsApp Group and began to raise money to free their colleague and friend. The terrorists demanded for N400 million (four hundred million naira), but the family began to negotiate while his friends, both serving
and retired, were raising money. They paid the ransom, and he was released. Another generalwhocoordinatedthewholeraising ofransomnowpostedaletterofappreciation onSocialMedia.Thisiswhatshocksme…
“But still, I am troubled and deeply too about the Army, security agencies and even NIgeria. Has it come to this? I am particularly troubled by the letter of appreciation of another general, Abdullahi, about how they raise money for ransom to terrorists. Haba! In Nigeria? Generals raising money for ransom? Generals don’t pay ransom; they fight. Generals don’t raise money, they lead soldiers and warriors to the battlefield to save their fatherland.”
As Nigerians await a declaration of a state of emergency in Zamfara, Plateau and other hugely troubled parts of Nigeria, PDP governors in the suit marked SC/ CV/329/2025 want the Supreme Court to determine if the President has the power to suspend a democratically elected structure of a state.
The plaintiffs — Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa states, also asked the apex court to determine if the way and manner the President pronounced the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State was not in contravention of the 1999 Constitution.
They also prayed the court to determine, “Whether upon a proper construction and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188 and 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can lawfully suspend or in any manner whatsoever interfere with the offices of a Governor and the Deputy Governor of any of the component 36 States of the Federation of Nigeria and replace same with his unelected nominee as a Sole Administrator, under the guise of, or pursuant to, a Proclamation of a State of Emergency in any of the State of the Federation, particularly in any of the Plaintiffs States?”
Stories by Vanessa Obioha
Contrary to widespread speculation, streaming giant Netflix has not exited the Nigerian market, according to the Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini.
Husseini, who led a Nigerian delegation to Netflix’s corporate headquarters in Amsterdam last February, clarified in a chat with THISDAY that the company is still active in the
country.
“Netflix has not left Nigeria, as widely reported,” he said. “The streaming giant is still licensing Nigerian content and has only taken an investment decision to scale down operations for the time being.”
The delegation, appointed by the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, visited Netflix to discuss the implications of its recent decision to halt commissioning original content in Nigeria and explore mutually beneficial solutions.
Last year, rumours swirled that Netflix had pulled out of Nigeria entirely, allegedly due to unethical practices by some filmmakers. Reports claimed that despite receiving sizable
As anticipation builds for the 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), it’s clear the annual event has become far more than a night of glitz and glamour. Organised by MultiChoice Nigeria, the AMVCA has cemented its role as a powerful engine for Nollywood’s growth, shaping careers, trends, and the continent’s cinematic identity.
Since its inception, the AMVCA has not only rewarded excellence in film and television but also played a defining role in elevating African storytelling to international heights. It has served as a launchpad for emerging talents—many of whom gained widespread recognition after their AMVCA wins—and a career milestone for seasoned professionals who often receive longoverdue acclaim.
For instance, Wale Ojo who won his first AMVCA for Best Actor last year broke into a victory song before addressing the audience: “It’s a very emotional experience making this film, and uh, you know, I really want to thank a lot of people.”
Notably, winners of the Trailblazer and Best Director awards, Chimezie Imo and Kemi Adetiba, often describe the moment as career-defining. “You’ve changed our lives. You let us be seen,” said Adetiba.
The AMVCA has also elevated behind-the-scenes
Best Music Score has been added.
“This edition recognises the fundamental role of sound and music in storytelling,” shared Head Judge Femi Odugbemi.
“Sound design shapes the atmosphere, tension, and emotion of a film, while a compelling score breathes life into the narrative, making a story resonate long after the credits roll.”
These additions demonstrate the organisers’ keen awareness of how storytelling is diversifying and how audiences are consuming content beyond traditional formats.
Beyond accolades, the awards have had a measurable economic impact. According to the AMVCA Impact Report, over 300 awards have been given in the past decade, and more than 27,000 jobs have been created across its editions— about 3,000 per event. The visibility and recognition it provides have amplified African films beyond the continent, with increasing interest from markets in the United States, the UK, and other global territories.
“Through our past successful editions, we find solace and inspiration in the fact that our efforts have not only propelled progress but have also elevated our cinema to a global platform,” shared Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice, Busola Tejumola. “African filmmakers are engaging in vital collaborations with Hollywood and other top film industries worldwide.”
The AMVCA continues to be a touchstone for the industry’s evolution, a platform that not only celebrates African excellence but helps shape its future.
budgets, certain producers delivered subpar content, prompting Netflix to pause—or in some cases, cancel— commissioned projects.
Husseini, however, dismissed these claims. “There is no truth in the story making the rounds that they scaled down their investment because Nigerian producers were alleged to be diverting production resources. Nothing like that. In fact, Netflix looks forward to continued engagements with the industry, reinforcing their role as a key partner in promoting Nigerian films internationally.”
The official report of the Netflix meeting, according to Husseini, will be released by the Minister later this month.
Two British actors, Demetrin Turin and Alex Franklyn, will make their Nollywood debut in ‘Ireke,’ the new epic adventure film by Nigerian-born filmmaker Gbolahan Macjob. Both actors play lead roles. Turin has featured in films like ‘The Itch,’ ‘Deathday,’ among many others.
‘Ireke’ sets out to retell the African slavery story to a global audience while bridging the gap with Blacks scattered across the world who have their ancestry rooted deeply in African countries like Nigeria and Ghana.
Macjob, who is an Emmy nominee, senior journalist and producer with the British Broadcasting Corporation, explained the resolve to tell a slave story that many believe has been told over and over again.
“In the course of making one of my documentaries in 2024, I came across a story of how African slaves rebelled against British colonial authorities in the Caribbean and how Britain was forced to agree to a treaty with these slaves known as the Maroons from Jamaica,” he began. “I realised that these Jamaican Maroons had some Yoruba, Ghanian and Igbo ancestry and decided to tell their story by weaving it into a Nollywood feature and thereby bridging the gap with our relatives in Jamaica, Brazil, Colombia etcetera and the Caribbean Islands where the slave rebellion had an impact.”
Admitting that the African slave trade theme isn’t a new one, Macjob stressed the need for Africans to tell African stories to a global audience.
“The slave theme is not new, but every single slave movie we have watched was made in Hollywood,” he revealed. “The time has come for us to be the one telling our stories and the fact that this particular story is about the heroics of our ancestors is the reason I, as a journalist and a storyteller, want to tell it.
Continuing, Macjob said, “It opens up old conversations between us and our Caribbean cousins, between us and our Ghanaian brothers and sisters, because these were the slaves who collaborated and found success, so our history shows that we are better off together than apart.”
‘Ireke,’ tells a wide range of different accounts by Africans of how Africans were sold to work on Sugarcane plantations due to the boom in Sugar sales as well as the rebellion that ensued when the slaves could no longer take the maltreatment in the Carribeans and Jamaica.
According to Macjob, the historical feature was entirely filmed in Nigeria and has a wide cast that depicts characters of the era in which the story is being told. The cast includes Tobi Bakre, Kolawole Ajeyemi, Bolanle Ninalowo, Fathia Balogun, Yemi Sodimu, Peter Fatomilola, Mofe Duncan, and Antar Laniyan amongst many others. The trailer is set for an early April release in 2025.
With a planned premiere for summer in London, the UK, Europe, the Caribbean, North America, Lagos, Nigeria, and West Africa, Macjob is focusing on travelling with the feature with the sole aim of preaching local to a global audience while bridging the gap with Africans in the diasporaespecially in the Caribbean, and Jamaica.
“We want to spread the word and give the global north a taste of Nollywood cinema experience, after which we would be open to streaming,” Macjob said.
Andy Okoroafor is not your typical filmmaker, designer, or artist. And he prefers it that way. Known for his philosophical approach to image-making and his refusal to conform to labels, the Paris-based Nigerian creative sees design as a path to truth and self-awareness. In this encounter with Vanessa Obioha, he reflects on his body of work and how his deeprooted sense of identity fuels a unique visual language grounded in authenticity and cultural pride
The first time we met was at the iREP International Documentary Film Festival. We were briefly introduced before he joined the festival’s executive director, Femi Odugbemi, on stage for a new segment, In-Conversation.
It was one of those rare moments when Andy Okoroafor sat for an interview.
“He rarely grants interviews,” Odugbemi shared, having known Okoroafor for over two decades. Their long-standing relationship and shared passion for filmmaking formed the basis of their conversation, including Okoroafor’s 2010 feature debut ‘Relentless,’ which starred Nollywood actor Gideon Okeke, as well as his upcoming project on legendary artist and architect Demas Nwoko.
As the two exchanged ideas, Okoroafor’s distinct personality emerged. He projects the image of an outlier—equal parts maverick and humanist. He resists being labelled an artist, despite a portfolio that includes creative direction, imagery, design, and filmmaking. Even when a member of the audience asked about his reluctance, Okoroafor held his ground.
“It’s okay to adopt other cultures,” he said, “but it must come from a place of authenticity. If you don’t have that, you can’t design in a way that fits who you are”
Jean Paul Gaultier, Kookaï, Virgin and Nigerian singer Nneka. During his work with Virgin, he brought Australian-British singer Natalie Imbruglia to Kano for a foundation project with young girls affected by vesicovaginal fistula (VVF).
With ‘Relentless,’ Okoroafor returned to his Nigerian roots, intent on reimagining African cinema for a global audience. Influenced by Japanese and French cinema, he still draws inspiration from African filmmakers like the renowned Nigerian cinematographer Tunde Kelani. He currently serves as the creative director of Africa Day at the Zushi Beach Film Festival in Japan— an initiative aimed at presenting a truer image of Africa to Japanese audiences.
As an imagist, Okoroafor is inspired by people, places, and things. He is currently writing about Colombia, a country often portrayed through the lens of narcotics. But for him, there’s more to the nation than stereotypes. His films, he says, must be personal and authentic—rooted in experience, not tropes.
“I do images of things that I want to see but don’t see,” he said. “They come from things I’ve studied or memories.”
He cited ‘Relentless’ as an example.
“People said Lagos was dangerous. So, I made a film about Lagos nightlife.”
This belief is central to his philosophy: design is what brings authenticity to films. However, he argued that design is often neglected because many environments aren’t built to support cultural authenticity. As a result, people emulate foreign cultures and abandon their own.
designing a phone—you consider how the end-user will interact with it, whether they’re left-handed, and so on.”
For his upcoming documentary on Demas Nwoko, authenticity is key.
“I want to be honest with myself. I want it to be my film—how I see him, how I respect him, and how I want the world to see him. He was radical and didn’t make compromises. I want to reflect that.”
Another project is Ogene, a fictional production inspired by the energy of southeastern Nigerian youths. Though not a musical, it uses music to reflect youth vibrancy.
“Ogene also shows how design makes your work authentic—using sound without making a musical.”
This same philosophy guided Clam Magazine, where he introduced Nsibidi, an ancient southeastern script, into the magazine’s design. Subject names were translated into nsibidi, and the symbols have since appeared on T-shirts and other merchandise worldwide.
The day we spoke, Okoroafor was in Umuahia, Abia State—his ancestral home and a place of deep significance. His parents, Marcus Okoroafor and Mercy Emezue, found refuge there during the Civil War and remain his guiding lights.
“Our biggest problem is that we lack self-awareness. We don’t know who we are. What has saved me all my life is who I am. That’s why my parents are so important to me because they gave me a sense of who I am. Whether I’m living in a palace or under the bridge, I know who I am.”
“It’s okay for anyone to call me an artist,” he told me a few days ago when we caught up via a phone call. “I prefer my work to speak for me.”
It was briefly argued that the nuances between an artist and his creations could make it difficult to separate the two. Then the conversation continued.
“It depends on how you look at it,” he said. “An artist is the definition of a profession. I’m a humanist. I like people a lot. It just happens that I like images and to be an imagist makes you fall into the category of an artist. But I’m just a guy from Umuahia who has done a lot of work with famous people all over the world. I like to create ideas and see them happen. But that can be separated from the kind of life an artist lives. He may be married with four children or not. In essence, an artist and his creations can be intertwined but they can also be separate. And that’s why it’s art because that’s what art does.”
Born in Bauchi in 1966, the Parisbased creative left for France to study and later became one of the most sought-after art directors. In the 1990s, he worked with top fashion brands and eventually transitioned into music video production, collaborating with artists and brands such as Xuly-Bët,
“It’s okay to adopt other cultures,” he said, “but it must come from a place of authenticity. If you don’t have that, you can’t design in a way that fits who you are.”
To design authentically, Okoroafor noted that one must be rooted in their identity. That grounding allows for the creation of sustainable structures the world can respect—rather than always chasing Hollywood’s standard. He called that mindset “willing slavery.”
“The most important freedom is freedom to be and speak your own truth.”
In film, this begins with the angle the camera is placed.
“What does it say? What kind of image do you want to show? You can design all those things and have a certain authenticity that is yours. Authenticity is extremely important to me. I design the things that nobody can do except me. I designed things that are so authentic to myself, to my experience, to my knowledge, to my worldview, that nobody else can do it.”
From a philosophical angle, Okoroafor believes design makes people more self-aware and more selfless.
“When we design, we think more about others. Like when
It was in Umuahia that he first saw them listen to shortwave radio— an experience that sparked his imagination. Today, it is his retreat, a place where he can commune with nature and locals.
“It is also important to have a base for your art. It doesn’t necessarily have to be physical, it can be spiritual, philosophical or psychological,” he added.
Okoroafor is so rooted in his heritage that Clam Magazine lists Umuahia as its address, and its logo— modelled after his parents’ shortwave radio—was created there.
Each issue of Clam explores a theme. The next will focus on time, with artists worldwide offering their interpretations.
Each issue of Clam explores a theme. The next will focus on time, with artists worldwide offering their interpretations.
“Time is so essential to creativity. Whether it’s faster or longer, it is a central point of creativity. The time you spend thinking or working on a project is important. The same applies to memory. Memory makes my work valuable, it helps me stay true to myself.”
Today, Okoroafor sees himself in a stage of transmission, intent on mentoring the next generation and dying empty, much like Karl Lagerfeld, the late German fashion designer and photographer.
“When I die, I want to be remembered for my work, its impact, and the people I mentored.”
In the high-stakes chessboard of Nigerian politics, few players are as enigmatic—or indeed as calculated— as Bukola Saraki. A former Senate president, two-term governor, and political heir to Kwara’s most formidable dynasty, Saraki now sits in strategic silence. With the 2027 elections looming, the smart observer will not ask what Saraki will do; no, the question would be when and how.
After a double blow in 2019 and 2023 that ousted him from both national relevance and state dominance, many assumed Saraki was out of the game. But recent gatherings in Ilorin and private meetings with loyalists suggest otherwise. He’s not retreating—he’s recalibrating.
Rumours of a return to APC have been flatly denied. Saraki, insiders say, is not interested in making a spectacle. Instead, he may be charting a Wike-style course: staying in PDP, hedging his bets, and leveraging quiet influence rather than visible rebellion. It’s a shrewd move in a fragmented opposition where funding is scarce and loyalty is transactional.
Unlike other opposition figures jockeying for coalition space, Saraki is playing the long game. He’s skeptical of merger talks and dismissive of hastily formed alliances that lack structural teeth. He may not be building a new party, but he’s certainly rebuilding his old one—from the inside out.
Back in Kwara, the Saraki political machine is bruised but not broken. Party chieftains insist the dynasty lives, and Saraki appears committed to restoring its muscle. He’s not chasing presidential fantasies— at least not for now. Instead, he’s quietly shoring up influence that could prove decisive in a tightly contested 2027.
A Machiavellian move? Perhaps. But then again, Saraki has never needed the loudest megaphone to make the sharpest incision. His silence isn’t withdrawal— it’s timing. And if Nigerian politics has taught us anything, it’s this: never count out a man who knows when to strike.
with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com
...Amazing
In a country where drama is national currency and power plays double as primetime entertainment, two women named Natasha have somehow seized the spotlight and refused to blink. One is waging war in the hallowed chambers of the Senate. The other? Dancing to love songs, possibly composed just for her.
Let’s start in Abuja, where Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has found herself in a political thunderstorm after accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. According to her, rejecting his advances brought not just disdain but a six-month suspension for “gross misconduct.”
Yet, this isn’t Natasha’s first rodeo. She’s taken on governors, questioned the status quo, and branded herself a political disruptor. Some call her fearless. Others whisper “attention-seeking.”
Either way, she’s on every front page and every feminist tweet thread.
Meanwhile, miles away from political firestorms, another Natasha, Hon. Natasha Osawaru, is trending for something far more romantic. The Edo lawmaker, recently unseated as Deputy Majority Leader, is allegedly entangled with music legend 2Baba. Lovebirds? Maybe. Trouble? Definitely.
She’s been spotted with him at nightclubs, Assembly plenaries, and, curiously, bridal shops. When she reportedly changed her Instagram handle to “Natasha Idibia,” the internet caught fire. 2Baba’s mother even begged for her son’s “release,” blaming spiritual bondage and Instagram beads.
Yet, while one Natasha is being accused of shaking up national politics, the other is blamed for shaking up a broken marriage. The parallels are surreal: two ambitious women, one name, both under siege for daring to live outside the script written for “good Nigerian women.”
Call it the Natasha Paradox: damned if
they fight, damned if they flirt. But whether it’s Senate floors or love stories, these two aren’t just surviving the headlines—they’re rewriting them. And in a society quick to judge its women, perhaps that alone is its quiet rebellion.
Once upon a time, a man of power and ambition - Yahaya Bello - seemed to hover above it all, his name whispered in the corridors of Kogi State like a shadowy figure in a political thriller. He gave himself White Lion. Fast forward to today, and he’s gone conspicuously silent, almost as though he has perfected the art of vanishing. This quiet retreat comes at a curious time when his political “friend” Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is entangled in a storm of allegations and accusations and finding herself in the crosshairs of an unrelenting political warfare.
If ever there was a lesson in how swiftly power can vanish, it is embodied in Bello’s current disappearing act. Once all eyes were on him, with headlines filled with his controversies—corruption allegations, a history of violent rhetoric, and his very own COVID-19 denial saga—Bello was everywhere.
But today, as his legal entanglements with the EFCC rumble on, you could easily mistake him for a mere echo in the political arena.
To be honest, it’s not easy being the First Son of the Federal Republic. Seyi Tinubu has become something of a lightning rod - a reluctant meme, a moving target, and, depending on who you ask, either the heir to an empire or a young man caught in the crosshairs of generational fury. In a country where anger has no chill and satire feels like survival, he has managed to hold his composure, even as the heat rises.
Veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem turned his frustration into a soundtrack, urging Seyi to “tell your papa” that the streets are bleeding. The song isn’t subtle - it’s a dirge in hip-hop form, a public service announcement set to a beat. The subtext? You can’t fly private jets over public pain.
But Seyi’s response - his version of calm - is a different kind of performance. As if seeing the future, he doubled down instead of retreating during Ramadan, calling his father “the greatest president in Nigerian history,” distributing baskets, and throwing his rhetorical weight
behind youth empowerment.
Therein lies the paradox. Nigeria’s economic anxieties are real - business closures, inflation, insecurity - and they need no lyrical reminder. Yet, as analysts have pointed out, attacking Seyi as the face of national failure is intellectually lazy. He isn’t the policymaker, even if he does move like one.
Still, the optics are muddy. Seyi has no official title yet operates as a sort of shadow envoy - appearing in places the constitution never anticipated. No one minds a First Son who inspires or invests. But when that First Son appears to moonlight as a cabinet whisperer, questions about legitimacy and accountability are not only fair - they’re overdue.
And yet, this might be less about privilege than projection. Seyi represents what many young Nigerians resent and secretly crave: access. That tension breeds resentment. But it also distorts the target.
Nigeria deserves answers, but it also
Meanwhile, Natasha, the audacious Kogi Central senator, is carving out her own narrative, much to the dismay of her powerful adversaries. While her political foes - including those linked to the shadowy Bello -try to recall her, she’s fighting back with fierce defiance. Just last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) quashed their petition, sending her foes into a tizzy. “Nice try,” she might say, as her supporters turn up in droves to demonstrate their loyalty. A helicopter ride, roadblocks, and an impassioned speech later, Natasha has emerged victorious - at least for nowproving her popularity despite the political storm.
Yet, as Natasha rallies her base, Bello, once the man of the moment, remains silent in his selfimposed cocoon.
Politics can be a fickle game - one minute you’re at the top, the next, you’ve vanished. And with each passing day, it seems that Bello’s once indomitable presence is becoming more myth than reality.
deserves nuance. Until then, maybe we can ease up a little. While Seyi may be many things, he didn’t sign the executive orders. He just happens to live in their shadow—and sometimes, in front of the camera.
Turning 50 this April 12, Obinna Iyiegbu - better known as Obi Cubana -doesn’t just mark a milestone; he stages it with flair, noise, and no apologies.
This isn’t your average golden jubilee. It’s a curated festival of symbolism: 50-for-50, not just a birthday tagline, but a self-styled manifesto of what ambition looks like when soaked in entrepreneurial champagne and garnished with billionaire bravado.
But who exactly is Obi Cubana at 50? To some, he is a cultural artefact of Nigeria’s hustle mythology—nightlife czar, real estate baron, and midwife
to a thousand Instagram business dreams. To others, he is the poster boy for post-oil capitalism in a country where traditional institutions have failed and soft power now wears designer loafers. The clubs? Flashy. The empire? Expanding. The fanbase? Fanatical. Yet beneath the glint lies something more calculated: a man building a brand where influence, not office, is the seat of power.
In Nigeria, public trust in leadership is brittle. It is within this space that Obi Cubana thrives as a parallel institution—philanthropist, employer, role model. His Cubana Group may serve cocktails, but its true export is hope, especially to Nigeria’s restless youth. And it works. He has mentored and bankrolled a generation that now sees boardrooms in beats,
tech stacks, and side hustles.
Still, there’s an edge to the celebration. What happens when personality becomes legacy? Can the cult of Obi Cubana survive the cultural pivot away from conspicuous wealth? In a country now fixated on impact over opulence, Cubana’s next decade may depend less on VIP lounges and more on value creation.
So yes, he turns 50 in the style expected of a man who once buried his mother with the world watching. But behind the fireworks is a quieter truth: Obi Cubana is no longer just a man; he’s a model—of possibility, of reinvention, and maybe, of what the Nigerian dream now dares to look like.
Dame Abimbola Fashola turned 60 with neither fanfare nor fuss - just the kind of quiet dignity she has long been known for. In an era where visibility often outshines virtue, Mrs. Fashola chose humility as her legacy. As First Lady of Lagos State, she didn’t parade powershe wielded it gently, in service of others. While others courted headlines, she built havens: cancer screening centers, recreation spaces for women and children, and community programs that left footprints long after the ribbon cuttings faded.
Mrs Fashola is, by all accounts, a woman more interested in impact than optics. Even President Tinubu, no stranger to political flourish, praised her for her “grace, strength and service to humanity,” noting her quiet influence within one of Nigeria’s most prominent political families. Her leadership of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) was not about ceremony - it was about substance.
They came not merely to mourn but to honour a man whose quiet dignity left an enduring imprint on Nigeria’s institutional memory. In the Lagos residence of the Senbanjo family, the footfall of power - governors, magnates, captains of industry - echoes with a message louder than words: Oluwole Senbanjo was no ordinary patriarch.
Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun State; Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest industrialist; and Femi Otedola, business mogul and philanthropist, are among the prominent Nigerians who have filed through the doors of the late statesman’s home. But it is not their titles that matter - it is their presence, their deference, and their shared understanding that they are witnessing the end of an era.
Born in 1932, Pa Senbanjo came of age with the Nigerian Republic. He began his
career at the Central Bank of Nigeria in the early 1960s, a moment that coincided with the birth of the nation’s financial autonomy. Later appointments at the Federal Mortgage Bank and ITT Telecommunications placed him at the nexus of Nigeria’s housing finance and its early telecommunication ambitions. His service was not loud, but it was lasting.
Now, at 92, he has passed on - leaving behind eight children, countless grandchildren, and great-grandchildren - but more notably, a legacy that attracted Nigeria’s most powerful voices in reverence.
Yet, it is also a personal loss. To OmoOba Segun Senbanjo, APC chieftain and regional director at Seymour Energy Consulting, he was not merely a public figure. He was a father, mentor, and compass.
His funeral is scheduled for May 1 at the
Born in Ibadan in 1965, trained as a secretary and later in computer science, Dame Fashola charted her own course. She once worked as a journalist and later with the British Council - until public life came knocking. When her husband, Babatunde Fashola, emerged as Lagos State’s governorship candidate in 2006, she resigned to support him - not as a shadow, but as a steady force.
Their marriage - hers, deeply Christian; his, devoutly Muslim - has stood as a quiet sermon on unity in a nation so often splintered by faith. Together, they raised two children. She never craved the spotlight but always held the room.
Now at 60, Dame Fashola’s story is a reminder that legendary public servants who choose purpose over profile, family over fanfare, and service over spectacle are still around.
Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina - a fitting setting for a life rooted in service, lifted by principle, and now crowned by honour. There are deaths that go unnoticed. And then there are departures that stop nations in their tracks. Despite how long Pa Senbanjo lived, his departure is of the latter category.
Pressure, it seems, is no stranger to Gbenga Elegbeleye. But lately, the kind building around him is the hopeful kind. The kind that whispers, “Come home and help us.”
In Ondo North Senatorial District, murmurs have grown louder, turning into chants: “Elegbeleye for Senate.” They say he is trusted. They say he is tested. They say the Sunshine State needs more than sunshine - it needs stewardship. And if anyone fits the bill, it’s the man currently resurrecting the soul of Nigeria’s domestic football league.
Elegbeleye, now chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), is busy conjuring a miracle most thought impossible - making Nigerians fall in love with their own league again. Clean officiating. Secure stadiums. Competitive away wins. It feels like 1990s nostalgia repackaged with digital-age polish. Even Ben Iroha, watching from his American perch, declared: “We are gradually going back to the good old days.”
It’s not every day that the former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, and his wife, Bolanle, make a public appearance. So when the couple made their rare, graceful entrance at the wake-keep service for Princess Ebunoluwa Ojelabi, the wife of Cornelius Ojelabi, it was an event that seemed to pause the bustling pace of Lagos for a moment.
The ceremony, held on April 3, 2025, at the Femi Gbajabiamila Hall of Lagos State University in Ojo, was a gathering of Lagos’ elite, where not only Ambode’s familiar face but also those of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, and the influential Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, added a certain gravitas to the occasion.
Ambode, ever the enigmatic figure since his tenure as governor, was spotted
with Bolanle by his side—each step exuding quiet dignity. Unlike the constant media buzz that once surrounded his public appearances, this moment was a reminder of the couple’s reserved nature, with their presence at the solemn occasion as understated as it was significant. Ambode steered Lagos from 2015 to 2019. Ever since, he has embraced a quieter, less visible role in the state’s political theatre, and his appearance with Bolanle was, in its own right, a rare treat for those who still recall his influential years.
For the couple, their fleeting return to the public eye during this intimate moment felt like a full-circle moment. From the political rallies of old to standing in reflection at the life of someone they both held dear, Ambode’s measured return to Lagos’ social spotlight speaks volumes. Not for the grand speeches, not for the
Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Time is Now
What began as a whisper and evolved into a stir has now become a buzz in Ondo State: Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is on the move.
When Aiyedatiwa assumed full gubernatorial authority in December 2023, many expected a cautious steward. What emerged, however, is a man in motion - blending business precision with a teacher’s discipline and a marketer’s flair. Call it governance, upgraded.
Yet, back home in Akoko, the people are growing restless - not for lack of progress, but for a piece of Elegbeleye’s magic. He was one of them before he was any of this: local government chairman, sports commission boss, legislator, reformer. They remember.
But Elegbeleye isn’t rushing. He is currently lending political and quiet strategic support to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, whose sunlit rhetoric needs grounding. Still, the calls persist. The expectation is almost romantic: that Elegbeleye’s calm competence will spill over into roads, schools, jobs - the meat and bone of representation.
Is he under pressure? Undoubtedly. But perhaps it’s the best kind: pressure born not of scandal but of promise. It’s rare in Nigerian politics for someone to be wanted simply because they deliver. And if Elegbeleye does answer the call of Ondo North, it may not be ambition calling - but duty. And in a country starved of examples, that might just be the boldest move of all.
The governor’s first order of business was to get contractors back to site. From the dualisation of Oda and Ijoka Roads to the once-stalled Irese/Shagari Flyover in Akure, the message was clear: stagnation is canceled. Rural roads weren’t left behind - OdaCocoa, Ode-Omi-Ebute Iyara, Ifira Akoko-Afo - all now buzz with construction crews and fresh asphalt, priming the state’s agricultural economy for better days. There is still a state-wide campaign of asphalt overlay and emergency rehabilitation stitching together roads long forgotten. Ondo’s arteries, once clogged by neglect, are beating again.
Education is another pillar. Governor Aiyedatiwa didn’t just talk reform; he signed letters. Hundreds of new teachers are being recruited. He has and is still paying off WAEC fees, giving grants. It really is policy with pulse.
What about the salary arrears that are being cleared, just as he did when he first resumed? It matters little whether it is three or thirty months owed to state staff - they are all being cleared and settled. Add the high number of people being employed to work, and it becomes obvious that the governor is here to work.
Aiyedatiwa’s rise, like his résumé - from inventory clerk to corporate CEO -is a lesson in calculated ascension. Now, with sleeves rolled and funded, his administration is scripting what many are calling a new chapter in Ondo’s democratic story. The time is here indeed. And in Ondo State, the ground is not just shifting - it’s being paved.
This colourful character has finally been tapped for an appointment. This was long overdue as the bobo did everything possible including dressing like “Yoruba,” eulogising Baba Tinubu to high heavens and turning Peter Obi to a cartoon character as he stridently cursed, abused that one almost on a daily basis.
The desperation for recognition has been at nauseating levels that one began to wonder what kind of worm was this. Finally, we have seen his name mentioned among those to be sent on an ambassadorial mission. Now maybe we will rest because the tirade had reached irritating proportions.
The “regime” would be achieving two things with this appointment if it sails through – it would be achieving some peace and quiet by sending this “mosquito” to a far-flung country and it would be rewarding “it” for years of self-appointed selfless service to the administration.
Mbok, let me recommend North Korea, Tibet or any country very close to the Himalayan Mountains, maybe the cold would keep him quiet. Mbok, this is what some “agbalagbas” in Shomolu
See me struggling with my blood pressure, refusing to take the BP medications almost every Nigerian is taking once they cross the 50-year-old mark and confronted with the most salty meat one can find in Lagos.
It was at the elegant dinner organised by the multitrillion naira NGX Group for their departing Directors.
Oscar Onyema and his visionary team which included the late Babamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo and a host of other very prominent and well deserving individuals were honoured. I saw so many powerful and beautiful people.
From Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, a past President of the NGX, to Mohammed Garuba, a director, and my favourite person Nonso Okpala, an emerging capital market leader. Mr. Femi Otedola, a major market mover was represented and by the time I left, Aliko Dangote who has played a pivotal role in making the market one of the fastest growing in the world, was still expected.
Kwairanga, who is the Group Chairman was very effusive in his opening speech as he rained praises on the outgoing team and eulogised, especially, his
The very quiet and not too effective Health Minister is reported to have mentioned during an engagement that we have lost about 16,000 doctors in the last five years. He cited economic, terms of service and opportunity for research and training as reasons for this great loss.
He also mentioned that 80% of what is left are in Lagos and Abuja, leaving the rest of the country underserved at best or not even served at the worst.
Just as I was ruminating about these, Mabel, my sweet friend sent me a terse message, “Edgar, my dad just passed this night.”
This is the cry in most homes. In fact, once you are above 60 and you fall ill with anything outside malaria and STD, the chances that you will die in this country is about 80%. Once you have crossed the malaria region and have started entering diabetes and kidney, your chances of meeting your creator increases. Don’t even try the cancer region. That one na certain death. Kidney and diabetes, some agbo and LUTH and General Hospital Ikeja can
immediate predecessor, Oscar whose 13 year tenure saw a lot of powerful initiatives which gave the bourse the solid foundation on which it is thriving today. Although his tenure ended quite colourfully, he is still regarded as one of the legends of the market and I agree.
Today, his successors led by the sweetly gifted Temi Popoola are pushing the boundaries and deepening initiatives which have seen the bourse record fantastic results, thereby fetching global recognition.
As the evening wore on, they served me one food like that. On the surface it looked very appetising. It was burnt jollof rice, fish and one thing that looked like crab and a huge swath of meat.
Now Doctor Nwabuoko had warned me: “Edgar, since you don’t want to take your drugs because of your fear of losing your erection, stay off meat, salt and drink a lot of water and exercise.” This is what I have been doing o. So that was how I saw the meat on the plate and took a huge bite and all the salt in the Dead Sea hit my tongue oooo. I shouted and spat it out o and grabbed a bottle of water and drank with vigour. Rushed home and was staring at my BP machine with fear oo. Who send me go dinner ooooo. Kai
Are you guys checking your BP? Mbok check o.
still prolong your mortality but once you cross those areas, na to sing “till we meet again,” I tell you.
The comatose healthcare delivery system of this country is not receiving any serious attention. Ok, they have built one or two hospitals in Lagos that have successfully treated kidney and we are shouting eureka when the large swath of 200 million people no longer know what a doctor looks like.
Na Buhari in his military uniform or was it Abacha, who said that our hospitals have turned to “mere consulting clinics” in one of those annoying broadcasts. In fact, today, we no even see the consulting clinics, the remaining doctors are riding okada to augment their salaries. Na wa oo.
IBOK EKWE IBAS: MIDGET DICTATOR ON THE PROWL
For clarification’s sake, ‘midget,’ in this context does not refer to his physical stature o but his political standing o. I say make I talk clearly before dem go flog this my fine buttocks wey no fit take any koboko.
In a democracy where the other 35 state governors were democratically “elected,” he is the only one appointed
by statutes that are currently tested in court. Na wetin I mean by midget be that o.
I do not know what his mandate is or on what law the baba is operating on but from what they told us, they had said that his tenure would be for six months in the first instance.
But from what we are seeing, it is not looking like daddy is looking at that six-month o. Six months is too short a time to actualise the lofty plans he has for the people of Rivers State and that is why he is upturning massive democratic institutions, down to the local government level. A level that has just won a hard-fought autonomy, he is said to have appointed administrators’ for all local governments in Rivers, appointed heads of different parastatals and basically just “abachaing” his way through the system.
Like I have said, I do not know what his marching orders are and as such cannot say if he is going beyond his mandate but from what we are seeing, it is looking like this one is doing more than Fela’s Zombie - wey na only go he dey hear and no dey hear come back or he don do.
There is God oooo is all I can say at this
I think the General who gleefully announced the success of raising about N400 million to secure the freedom of his brother and colleague, Gen Tsiga from the claws of kidnappers was expecting accolades but what he received was a barrage of anger that should leave him and the authorities thoroughly embarrassed and humiliated.
So a whole General of the largest army in Africa was kidnapped by an ill-trained, ill “weaponed” band of merry-go-round bandits and instead of the army to descend heavily on them to free their senior colleague, they go into crowdfunding to raise the amount to pay.
He excitedly announced that immediately he set up the group, that prominent colleagues started pouring in cash, and shame just began to catch me.
Imagine, people that should have setup a war room and declare – ok, this banditry has gone too far let’s stamp it out once and for all but no, they open up another market for the bandits –retired generals.
Well, this particular General is lucky because my oga General Duru till today we have not heard about his ordeal or even seen his corpse.
This thing for the Nigerian Army is like a stranger entering your house, beating your children and instead of forcefully fighting, you throw your wife in and say – oya beat this one too so that you can have enough time to escape. If the Nigerian Armed Forces cannot stand up once and for all and behave with pride, then they should be confiscated. Make we know that we no kuku get Army again. It is not to be showing us on NTA soldiers jumping down from parachutes and shouting – minini, I land on top tree. Shege, me, I land on top car. Me, I don land for Fausat bedroom – that makes an army. Can they please get serious with this matter?
Nobody should come and beat me o, it is just annoying.
DAVE UMAHI: CAUGHT IN A FIX
This man just likes playing to the gallery and being a showman on every issue. Which one is driving across a bridge that they have said will soon collapse?
A bridge that they themselves have said has not been maintained for like 100 years.
We face a major issue with this bridge and Governor Sanwo-Olu said it very clearly. Erosion and others have withered away stuff under the bridge and to avoid a calamity, something has to be done very quickly.
Now the issue is, a shutdown of such a strategic artery will lead to chaos which happened that day it was shut down. Lagos Island went into spastic shock. Traffic rolled back for kilometres and Lagosian spent up to eight hours on the road. People had sex, some held crusades, others perfected their scams and many more things like cooking soup, testing for HIV and canvassing for elections all happened in that traffic that day.
Thankfully, the bridge was opened immediately the next day, but the problem of the bridge still not being solved. So, the issue is not this Mr. Umahi’s caricature comedy show of
driving across the bridge or throwing his official under the bus but how to strike a balance of repairing that bridge without causing massive disruption in Lagos.
Dave Umahi, oya the ball is in your court, we are waiting. Thank you.
BUKOLA SARAKI: WHYTHE PESSIMISM
It is beginning to look like, for our politicians in the run-up to the 2027 elections, that the fear of “Bola” is the beginning of wisdom.
It was legendary Chief Obasanjo who first reportedly said that anything short of an Iranian-Iraqi type conflict, Bola will be very difficult to defeat in the coming elections.
The other day, I sat at a dinner with a heavyweight politician who although is physically in PDP, his spirit and soul is in APC as “Bola is my friend and neighbour. Edgar, Bola will have his eight years and nothing anybody can do.”
Big heavyweights are showing fear
It takes a whole lot of courage to remain a man in these times. Our men have all turned to yellow cowards or are all busy licking the stew from the national pot that they have lost their consciousness.
Whatever is driving Ali Ndume, we should all put him in our prayers because he seems to be the only one standing tall o. This his talk about lopsided appointments is not so true and expectedly, Uncle Bayo taking a brief break from cleaning his dentures have fired back by asking if Ali has not seen two people from his village in the new improved NNPCL — don’t even know what they call themselves anymore — board and management.
I have seen a chat that shows that whereas Buhari had 36 appointments in the North and four from the South, Tinubu has notched 23 from the North and 17 from the south.
The issue is the voracious clustering of the Yoruba around strategic areas like economy, defense and policing and other areas that are considered “juicy” while leaving the rest for the remaining of us.
That is the wahala and what is keeping Ali Ndume and the rest of us awake at night.
My people, the Yorubas are today Nigeria’s super race. Apart from the owambe, jollof rice and Iyabo Ojo that they have given us, they are the only ones who understand the economy, petroleum, IT and all other aspects of our national life. Without the Yorubas, especially the Lagos variant, we will not know how to fuel our cars, sleep
with our wives, cook our meals and even breathe. This is why they must be in charge of everything o. They are the best trained, can speak the best English and are the most sophisticated so we should be very grateful that they have even deemed it fit to come down from their high pedestal to serve us. We are so unappreciative and ungrateful. Do you even think it is easy to take a momentary break from their God-given penchant for the good life and be suffering and sweating as they try to fix the economy and a country that “Fulani” people have destroyed. Mbok, we should all just shut up and allow the appointments to be 100%. I don’t know why Ali Ndume is crying over a paltry 80% when it should really be a full 100%. When they finish, they should kuku send “their mummy or their son” to South Africa to study the Apartheid policy and kuku impose am here because truly the difference remain small. Kai, I can look for trouble o. Let us wait, post 2027 will not be funny. That one we would ask Fuji Lord, KWAM 1, to rewrite the National Anthem that we will all sing in Yoruba. I am ready, shebi I am Duke of Shomolu, I am ready.
Ali Ndume better come and start lessons in the “yorubanisation” of Nigeria, starting from learning how to eat gbegiri, patting big bums to the pulsating sounds of the Fuji music and bleaching your skin while understanding the immense importance of too much pepper in stew.
Someone really needs to come and beat me, I swear. Lol.
o. Even my handsome Bukola Saraki reportedly said he’s not joining any coalition because PDP governors aren’t willing to fund it; some are even eyeing defection to APC, and no APC governor is ready to cross over to PDP—so as far as he’s concerned, the coalition is already doomed.
Mbok where is all this cowardice coming from? Why are they all so afraid of this frail old man who looks like a gentle grandfather playing ludo with his grandchildren?
Is this the same Saraki that was a fiery Senate President? The same Saraki that stared Buhari down? So why “he come dey fear” all of a sudden?
Well, if all these big men are developing cold feet, then I have to wake up to the reality of my destiny and declare my candidacy. Abi, somebody must stand na. We cannot have a second term president unopposed, even if na only six people that will vote for me, I will still stand.
Mbok, Saraki common wake up from that fear and do what is expected of you, abeg. Thank you.
KEMI OLUNLOYO: PROBLEM
Nobody prays to have this kind of child, certainly not me. At the announcement of the passing of elder statesman and former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Olunloyo, his daughter the controversial blogger, Kemi Olunloyo was reported to have once again denounced her father. In the report that I have seen, she was quoted to have said that she would not be receiving condolence messages and that anybody who wants to do such, should go to her father’s Facebook page to drop there.
She was also quoted to have accused the baba of all sorts including being diabolical and attempting to poison her mother through the step-mother. One would have expected some kind of maturity from this person who is old enough to be a grandmother. Even if her father was all that, at his passing all should have been forgiven. He had lived a long fruitful life and passed at 86 and as such could not have lived a perfect life. So, coming out to say all these craps just shows her own infantile disposition to life.
That was how when my mother-in-law, the exquisitely beautiful Mrs. Mowete, passed in Ibadan, this Kemi person came and stood over her coffin and commanded her cameraman to shoot her and instantly moved from smile to massive tears over my dead mother-inlaw and when she finished, she cleaned her eye, turned back to smile.
Kemi should please go and sit down; we will help her mourn her father properly as he was a great man- PhD at 25?
NONNY UGBOMA: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SISTER
Let me quickly say a happy birthday to this beautiful intellectual. Nonny is the former Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation under which strategic areas in the art and culture space were impacted. Her efforts led to the penetrative incursion of much needed resources to the space.
Today, she has redirected her efforts towards policy and is working with many supranational governments within the nation in that area while completing her PhD programme. Happy birthday my sister and well done!
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, stands out as a prominent figure in Nigeria’s political landscape, embodying the traits of a new-generation leader whose future appears exceptionally promising.
His entry into the intricate world of politics has ignited significant discussions among observers. Many find themselves pondering the motivations behind a person of his caliber—characterized by grace and composure—venturing into a realm often marred by challenges and controversies.
Kalu has consistently expressed that his motivation for pursuing a political career is not driven by personal ambition or the quest for power, but rather by a sincere commitment to enhancing the lives of his constituents in the Bende Federal Constituency. His political journey is underscored by a remarkable record of achievements that firmly establishes him as a transformative leader devoted to service over self-interest.
Last year, Kalu further solidified his reputation during a notable session in the National Assembly, where he made headlines by proposing a motion urging his fellow legislators to reduce their salaries by 50%. This bold gesture was a direct reflection of the economic hardships faced by many Nigerians, exacerbated by soaring food prices and pervasive hunger.
By taking this significant step, Kalu not only showcased his commitment to standing in solidarity with the populace but also underscored his sense of patriotism and readiness to make personal sacrifices for the collective good. This decisive action is likely to be remembered as a hallmark of his leadership style, earning him respect and admiration both personally and politically.
Recently, Kalu was invited to his alma mater, the University of Calabar, to participate in its 50th anniversary and deliver a convocation lecture. His topic, “Our Gown In Town and Cyberspace: Sustainable and Human-Centred Education, The Mandate of our Universities, 20252075,” resonated deeply with the audience. Known for his intellectual prowess, Kalu captivated attendees with his eloquence and insightful dissection of the subject matter.
He skillfully articulated practical solutions for enhancing the development of higher education institutions in Nigeria, emphasizing the need to adapt to global trends that promote quality learning. His insights on modernizing educational practices and achieving effective knowledge acquisition were particularly wellreceived.
As he concluded his lecture, the atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm, and the audience responded with a resounding ovation, acknowledging the robustness of his presentation. His paper, rich with actionable solutions, addressed critical issues facing university education in Nigeria and, by extension, across Africa. This event not only showcased Kalu’s intellectual depth but also reinforced his role as a leader dedicated to advancing higher education and aligning it with contemporary global standards.
Just when many thought the issues between the Iluyomades and the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have been rested and totally forgotten, new details on why the celebrity couple, who once held sway at City of David Parish, left the church have emerged.
Before Quincy Ayodele, a parish elder, made the startling revelation, rumours swirled that Idowu Iluyomade and his wife left the church over an unfavourable transfer to another parish. The church also denied claims that the former Pastorin-Charge rebelled before founding his own ministry.
According to Ayodele, she had anticipated Iluyomade’s reinstatement to either the City of David or another parish after completing the threemonth suspension imposed by the church leadership. However, she was shocked and disappointed upon learning that Iluyomade had received a letter prohibiting him from stepping
into RCCG premises. For all she knew, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Pastor Iluyomade were like father and son. “They are so close. There is nothing Adeboye wanted that Iluyomade would not go out of his way to make available,” she recounted.
Ayodele, a natural medicine expert and consultant to the World Health Organisation, further disclosed that the church elders drafted and signed letters of appeal addressed to RCCG’s General Overseer, Pastor Adeboye, urging reconsideration of the decision, but their efforts were futile.
Following this, the Iluyomades began attending Kings Court, another RCCG parish that they had pioneered years earlier. Initially welcomed in the parish, they were later allegedly asked to leave. She added that several influential Nigerians pleaded with Adeboye to reconsider, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Given the situation, the Iluyomades were left with no choice but to start their own
Have you ever wondered why many think positively of Dr. Matthew Biola Abiodun? It is simply because the
No doubt, Minister for Women Affairs Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim has made a significant impact since her reassignment from the Ministry of Police Affairs to her current role.
From the outset, she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing the rights and representation of women in Nigeria, firmly steering clear of any political agendas that might distract from her mission. Her proactive approach has involved extensive engagement with various stakeholders, ensuring that every woman in Nigeria has access to quality representation and the opportunity to play a pivotal role in nation-building.
Unlike her predecessor, who struggled to capitalize on the potential of the Ministry, Mrs. Suleiman-Ibrahim has transformed it into a vibrant and active department, reinvigorating its purpose and programs. The once-overlooked ministry is now positioned to fulfill its mandate effectively and showcase its true potential.
Her dedication to women’s development transcends mere empowerment; it encompasses the formulation of comprehensive policies designed to elevate women’s status in society.
During the recent Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations
trained engineer combines innovation with excellence.
With a professional career spanning over a decade, Abiodun has become a proven leader in the energy sector —he has held leadership positions across the downstream oil and gas value chain. His work not only demonstrated technical ingenuity but also practical relevance to the evolving energy sector, including optimizing energy systems, leading largescale retail expansions, and delivering transformative business solutions that align technical efficiency with commercial success.
Backed by a solid educational foundation — a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, an MSc in Systems Engineering, and an MBA in Marketing— Abiodun brings a rare blend of academic excellence and real-world strategic insight to every endeavour. His work has earned him over 12 academic publications in high-impact journals, which have already accumulated more than 72 citations—highlighting his growing influence in mechanical engineering and energy systems optimization. This solid foundation has also enabled him to excel in roles focused on sales, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and client relations.
Recently, Covenant University celebrated the Ogun State-born cerebral academic for receiving dual distinctions
as the Best Graduating PhD Student in both the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the College of Engineering for the class at its 18th Convocation ceremony.
These prestigious honours were conferred after a rigorous academic and research assessment process, recognising Biodun’s exceptional scholarship, innovation, and impact. His doctoral research —focused on the development of fuel nanoadditives from agro-waste—is a forward-thinking solution aimed at improving combustion efficiency, reducing emissions, and advancing sustainable fuel economy.
Abiodun is a certified engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and a Fellow of both the Nigerian Institution of Facilities Engineers and Management and the Nigerian Institution of Professional Engineers and Scientists.
He is also a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and other international professional organizations.
His story is one of resilience, innovation, and excellence — bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. He stands as a beacon of what is possible when academic brilliance meets industry leadership.
headquarters in New York, Nigeria’s involvement was unprecedented. For the first time, the country had a visibly robust representation of delegates who showcased the strength and resilience of Nigerian women. This active participation included various side events organized by the Ministry of Women Affairs, with the topic “The Nigeria Women’s Day; 30 years of Progress, Resilience, Impact and Renewed Hope,” during which various speakers highlighted the importance of women being involved in decisionmaking processes that affect the nation’s future.
In a strategic move to unify female voices within the government, the minister convened all female appointees under President Bola Tinubu, creating a platform for collaboration and shared advocacy in nation-building efforts. Additionally, she hosted a landmark gathering that brought together former ministers for women affairs and other key stakeholders, thereby marking one of the largest assemblies of Nigerian women in the diaspora.
“Majek Fashek cried out for help in almost all his songs, help for others, help for himself,” laments Richard Aderopo Chile Adewusi, aka Richie. “[But] most of us only heard the rhythm and danced.”
Adewusi’s words slice through the façade, exposing a profound paradox that resides at the heart of human experience. On one hand, there is the superficial appreciation of art, and on the other, the deep-seated yearning for connection and understanding that often goes unheeded. This disconnect raises fundamental questions about human nature, and Adewusi’s thought-provoking biography, Promise Kept: My Friend Majek Fashek and I, deftly explores this paradox. By intertwining his own experiences with the narrative of Majek Fashek’s life, he weaves together a complex mosaic of relationships, struggles, and triumphs that characterise the human experience.
Majek Fashek’s haunting melodies were a mournful echo that pierced the soul, beckoning listeners into the darkest recesses of his inner world. Yet, in a cruel irony, the rhythms that entranced his audience often drowned out the anguished cries of his own heart. Unbeknownst to the fans who swayed to the beat, lost in the music’s surface-level allure, a maelstrom of turmoil raged beneath the surface. Fashek’s story thus serves as a haunting reminder that even the most captivating art can mask a universe of pain and struggle, hidden from the audience’s fleeting perception.
It was sometime in 2012, on the eve of Majek Fashek’s departure from Changeville, Adewusi’s facility in Ekiti State, that the two friends, while snail-picking, shared a bittersweet moment that would be their last in-person encounter. As they strolled back to the snail enclosure, Fashek suddenly turned to the author and said, “…Dread, after everything, tell my story. You know everything, write about me Richie, if I fly on to Zion before you. But if you fly on before me, I will sing about you…”
Reflecting on the emotional nuances of their conversation, it is clear that Adewusi’s words to Fashek – that neither of them was “flying to anywhere soon,” given that they both still had much to accomplish – were intended to be comforting. However, Fashek’s deteriorating health and the unrelenting emotional challenges he faced may have already taken their toll, leading him to feel like he was losing his grip on this side of material existence. The weight of his struggles seemed to be bearing down on him, and despite Adewusi’s reassurances, Majek’s sense of mortality loomed large.
This meaningful exchange underscores the depth of their friendship and provides context for the author’s decision to concurrently focus on his own story, which explores the darker aspects of human
nature. Through this introspective approach, the Atlantic International University Ph.D holder in intergenerational communication offers a unique perspective on the human condition. By sharing his own experiences, he strips away the facades that often hide a human spirit’s propensities, revealing the depravity that can exist regardless of one’s creed, ethnic background or political affiliations. His riveting narrative in this twovolume biography – generously interspersed with photographs – begins with his first meeting with Majek. This encounter took place in the second quarter of 1987 at his Just It! Magazine office, located at 51 Ijaiye Road, Ogba
area of Ikeja, Lagos. Apparently, the office must have been buzzing with activity as he met Majek, who, according to him, was “a restive, stunningly good-looking young man” who exuded confidence and “was quite talkative for someone just meeting another stranger”. This initial impression of Majek’s charisma was clearly lasting, as his presence may have electrified his staff, led by Osagie Agbonwaneten, who had served with him in Sokoto during the National Youth Service Programme. Building on this energy, his staff encouraged him to do more than just interview Majek – they wanted him to perform at a concert for the magazine.
From this point, the story further unfolds, revealing the author’s enduring, albeit
quirky relationship with the dreadlockssporting artiste. As their collaboration began to take shape, the first gig at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium marked a pivotal moment in their partnership. Alluding tangentially to the story of the singer’s Prisoner of Conscience Band, he narrates how his role as Majek’s publicist became eventually defined. This role evolved organically, as the two friends navigated a slew of concerts – some successful, others botched or even catastrophic. Meanwhile, the author’s observations and experiences began to coalesce into a narrative that would eventually become the first book on Majek, The Trailblazer. Through his eventful journey as the musical icon’s backstage supporter, he accumulated a wealth of experiences that, at times, seemed unrelated to Majek Fashek but ultimately enriched the narrative.
Beneath the surface of Fashek’s and the author’s seemingly disparate experiences, a profound connection emerges, one that transcends the boundaries of the author’s life and speaks to the universal human condition. This existential thread weaves together the pursuit of greatness, the fragility of human existence, and the insidious forces that seek to undermine and brutally crush all higher aspirations. Through the lens of his bitter experiences, he invites the reader to venture into the labyrinthine corridors of human nature, where those hiding behind the facade of religion and family often employ calculated attempts to distort reality, stifle creativity, and annihilate any upward-striving human spirit. It is here, in this precarious struggle between aspiration and oppression, that the author finds himself ensnared in a maelstrom of intrigue, where the stakes are perilously high, the consequences of exposure are life-threatening, and the very fabric of hypocrisy begins to unravel.
Adewusi’s narrative embodies the quintessential spirit of a Bildungsroman, for it is through the crucible of his experiences that he emerges transformed, imbued with profound new insights that bespeak a deeper understanding of the human condition. Similarly, Fashek’s journey, though marked by a belated awakening, serves as a haunting odyssey of self-discovery, even as it underscores the bittersweet nature of wisdom earned through hardship.
Then, there are his personal experiences, which clearly inform his perspective on Nigeria’s societal fabric, evident in the narrative’s deluge of indictments. This relentless critique cascades from the acknowledgement to the epilogue, revealing his deep commitment to exploring the nation’s challenges. Adewusi, an offspring of a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother, pens an expansive acknowledgement, prologue, and epilogue, driven by his commitment to understanding his nation’s complexities.
Meanwhile, despite some avoidable typos, this biography – featuring two guest-written prefaces and a foreword that add depth to the narrative – is a must-read.
Jess Castellote
Probably, many readers of this brief article will have read, or at least heard of, the seminal book
The Story of Art, published by Ernst Gombrich in 1950—arguably the most popular book on art ever written. In 1956, Gombrich delivered six A.W. Mellon Lectures at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which formed the basis of his groundbreaking book Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation, published in 1960. In this work, Gombrich investigates the intricate landscape of art perception, arguing that seeing is not a passive, merely optical process. Rather, it is an active interpretation—a skill that can be learned and cultural contexts. This distinction between looking and seeing remains as relevant today as it was 65 years ago.
In my years at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum ofArt, I have had countless conversations with visitors who tell me they "do not know how to appreciate art." Some hesitate before a painting, unsure of what they are supposed to feel or understand. Others walk through the galleries quickly, scanning labels and moving on without really engaging. experience art and how often we mistake looking for seeing. In Art and Illusion, Gombrich argues that perception is inherently subjective, shaped by memory, learning, and visual expectations. When he says, "The innocent eye is a myth," he challenges the naive notion that we perceive things exactly as they are. Instead, we interpret what we see through the lens of prior knowledge and expectations. I would add that perception is not only subjective but must be intentional. To perceive, The act of engaging with an artwork grows in delicate layers, moving from the casual to the contemplative: looking, seeing, enjoying, and into a richer dialogue with the piece, summoning the senses, the heart, and the intellect in a careful succession. Looking is the most ephemeral of encounters—a momentary gesture, a mere brush of the eye against an artwork's surface. It
is the hurried glance of a traveller passing through unfamiliar streets, a casual acknowledgment of beauty without the burden of contemplation. I see it frequently at the museum: visitors drifting from one artwork to another, their eyes grazing colours and forms, pausing only long enough to read a label and claim they have "seen" a famous piece. Yet not all who look will see. To look is easy. To see is something else entirely. It is an act of intention, a deepening of vision. It demands attention and perception to uncover details and meanings.
a habit rather than an act of engagement. In a museum or a gallery, we look upon paintings because they are famous, sculptures because they are positioned before us, photographs because they intersect our path. Yet to look is not to see, and in passing too quickly, we risk missing the invitation each work extends: to pause, to dwell, to enter. Seeing, in contrast, is an active and personal process involving attention, perception, and interpretation. It is not easy to transition from merely looking to truly seeing, to notice details, patterns, relationships, and subtle nuances within an artwork. Seeing demands patience. It asks that we surrender to discovery,
to the possibility of revelation. To see is to pause, to allow the eyes to rest and the mind to awaken. It is when colours intensify, details emerge, and the artwork transforms from a distant object to a living presence, quietly whispering its story.
To see is to question, to wonder at intention, to ask why a line curves as it does, why a brushstroke hesitates, why that bronze sculpture shines differently. It is about recognising not just the work, but also one's response to it. In this moment, art transforms from distant artifact to living presence, something that speaks.
Seeing, unlike mere looking, is not a neutral process. "The way we see an artwork is shaped by our previous experiences and knowledge. These do not replace our direct visual experience but reveal new layers, sharpen perception, and deepen our engagement with the work. Consider two
visitor is an art historian, well-versed in Nigerian modernism. She immediately recognises the aesthetic, the traditional Igbo linear motifs that Okeke helped revive. She sees the composition’s jagged energy and recalls that this work was inspired by a passage from Things Fall Apart. She
understands that the visual struggle on the canvas echoes the novel’s themes—the clash of cultures, the tension between tradition and modernity, the deep fractures in a changing society. For her, between literature, history, and identity. The second visitor has no prior knowledge of Okeke, Uli art, he feels something—a visceral unease, a sense of turmoil in the way the lines twist and push against each other. The colours seem to vibrate, the composition feels almost restless. He may not have the words to explain it, but he senses the emotion in the piece, the underlying tension that gives it life.
To truly see and appreciate a work of art, rather than merely look at it, one must engage in a slow, deliberate dialogue with the piece. This is not a hurried exchange but an intimate conversation, a patient unfolding of meaning that requires time and attention.
When people ask me how they can learn to appreciate art, my answer is always the same: start by stillness and slow looking. Take time to observe an artwork. Let the eyes linger, resisting the urge to move on too quickly. The longer one remains before an artwork, the more it reveals. In becomes layered, intricate, alive, rich. A second step is to observe closely and describe what is seen, not in broad strokes but in the language of detail. What is the composition? How are the used? What is the texture of the surface? Engaging a general impression and into a more meaningful connection with the work.
away? What story lingers in the folds of that fabric? How does light sculpt the space, and what mood does it conjure? Questions are doorways into the soul of an artwork, each one inviting a new layer of understanding. They transform passive looking into active inquiry, drawing forth interpretations that can be personal and profound. Seeing often requires shifting perspective, stepping closer, then further away, allowing the composition to settle, its balance and movement becoming clear. A very useful exercise is to compare one work to another, allowing them to speak to each other across time and style. I have seen how a single painting can gain new meaning when placed beside another, how contrasts and similarities make certain details suddenly stand out. Read full Article online - www.thisdaylive.com
Yinka
Olatunbosun
For guests arriving at Eric Kayser restaurant inside Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos from April 16, it's double feasting. As they eat at the diner, they would also feast their eyes on the exquisite metal foil print and paintings by Dr. Kunle Adeyemi from his latest collection.
Titled Beyond the Veil, this show transcends the conventional exhibition with works mounted around the dining hall for visitors to appreciate and hopefully own. Beyond the Veil is the second chapter following the successful Resounding Echoes, an exploration of identity, perception, and the unseen layers of human experience. This art exhibition by Dr. Adeyemi seamlessly blends visual storytelling with the sensory pleasures of dining, creating a unique intersection of art and gastronomy.
This exhibition transforms the restaurant into a gallery space where paintings and print works dialogue between cuisine and canvas deepens the viewer’s immersion, inviting them to savour both artistic and culinary craftsmanship.
Tomiwa Akinwande, who works as the curatorial assistant on this project for Irachy Consult revealed that this show is a follow-up to the one held at the National Museum, Onikan Lagos in 2024. Noting that this is a familiar sight in places outside Nigeria, Akinwande expressed his excitement for a yet-tobe-witnessed diner-art experience.
Dr. Bukola Jaiyeosinmi, the project manager for Beyond the Veil observed that the venue has been strategically selected as a melting pot of people of various cultural backgrounds.
“We found no better place to bring this veteran who began leaving a living mark on the sands of time maybe before I even left primary school,” she said. “We want to showcase what he has been doing
for over the years. We have found that a lot of brain drain has cost us a lot of these veterans.”
The artist-scholar Adeyemi acknowledged the promised that the works would be carefully mounted to complement the tables.
room. We want people to be able to move around without knocking down artworks. We have a lot of miniature works because of the space available held in Lagos recently.
Curated with an emphasis on storytelling, Beyond the Veil presents a diverse collection of works that challenge contemporary notions, bridge the past with the present, and invite introspection. The featured pieces unravel hidden narratives, revealing the emotions, memories, and cultural echoes that shape our understanding of the world.
Yinka Olatunbosun
“For me, a few years back, I had no direction,” were the words of Zosu Ebenezer Adebowale.
Standing centre-stage with saxophone in hand, he recounted the history that preceded his success story as a musician trained at a music academy run by the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN) which is now in its 20th year.
His story is similar to many others. Having been clueless about his career, he stumbled upon information on SPAN and how they help to shape creatives for success. He secured a partial scholarship as an indigent student and still struggled to pay N25,000 for a semester. But that was only a part of his series of struggles. The distance between his Ojo home to the island was energy-sapping as he would have to walk the distance in the absence of transport fares.
“SPAN took me in like they saw what I couldn't see, and they nurtured me,” he continued. “They taught me to do music and how to be goal-oriented.”
song with WizKid while still undergoing training at SPAN, he had other opportunities to work with singer Isaac Gerald and David Fraser.
That was a story that resonated with many SPAN alumni. Being Nigeria’s premier centre for performing arts education and empowerment, the institution has nurtured and developed talented empowering them to achieve their full potential.
At a recent press conference organised by SPAN, the 2025 season was unveiled with the theme ‘Raise the Barre’ with a statement from the CEO/Founder, SPAN, Sarah Boulos who described the theme as a way of challenging the self and the community to attain greater heights.
Lovette Otegbola, who acted as the compere
as the impact that the institution has made over the past two decades.
“Our impact includes thousands of artists trained across various disciplines, many of whom have become leading performers, choreographers, musicians and industry professionals all across the world,” she revealed. “We have annual scholarship programmes that have provided access to professional training for underprivileged but talented youths; hundreds of stage performances and productions, including original works, festivals and collaborative projects with international organisations.”
Over the years, SPAN has trained no fewer than 3000 students in music, dance and theatre to produce over 50 community performances and events reaching audiences of over 30,000.
Davidson Iriekpen reports that the senseless killings being perpetrated across Nigeria can destroy the fabrics holding the country together if the situation is not urgently arrested
The value of human life in Nigeria has diminished so drastically that killings no longer spark outrage. It appears that Nigerians and non-Nigerians who show no regard for the lives of others are on a killing spree and the motives of the killers vary, depending on the state and the geopolitical zone.
Every part of the country is dripping with blood. In recent weeks, over 100 people have been killed in different parts of the country. Gunmen suspected to be on a land grabbing mission went on a rampage, killing more than 62 people in five communities in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.
In Kebbi, Lakurawa terrorists attacked Morai village in Augie LGA, killing at least 13 vigilante members.
In Sokoto, 12 people were killed by bandits allegedly led by the notorious wanted kingpin, Bello Turji, during an attack on Lugu town in Isa LGA as the gunmen were returning from a Sallah visit to one of the communities.
Last month, about 16 persons travelling for Eidel-Fitr with weapons, were brutally murdered by a group of vigilante men who suspected they were the kidnappers terrorising the town.
However, unlike the several other killings in several parts of the country where culprits are allowed to go scot-free, some suspects, numbering almost 20, were swiftly arrested, giving the impression that all lives are no longer equal in the country.
While the dust raised by the Uromi incident was yet to settle, the more gruesome killings occurred in Plateau State with no suspects believed to have been arrested despite the visit of the affected areas by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede.
In fact, Governor Caleb Muftwang described the killings as genocide. Miffed by the killings, the governor linked the attacks to some unnamed terrorist groups. According to him, the assault is targeted at wiping off communities in the state.
“I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists. The question is, who are the persons behind the organisers of this terrorism? We must come to the point where we know the sponsors because it is not just the work of ordinary people. This is being sponsored from somewhere,” the governor lamented.
The life of a Nigerian is no longer worth anything as violence has continued to claim innocent
lives without any serious consequences to the perpetrators.
In other civilised climes, necessary measures are deployed to stop senseless killings but in Nigeria, the citizens are gradually being made to adapt to killings.
Akin to the Hobbesian example, life in this part of the world is, to say the least, brutish, coarse and horrid.
On a daily basis, someone or a large group of people meets a horrendous end in Nigeria—and almost immediately, the nation moves on, as though nothing happened.
That such relentless killings occur in a country not officially at war is both incomprehensible and deeply disturbing.
It may be argued that Boko Haram-type terrorism is a different kind of warfare - one that the entire world is grappling with. But the uniquely homegrown nature of the senseless killings by both Nigerians and invaders from the neighbouring countries who want to grab lands for permanent resettlement in Nigeria makes the country’s case more terrifying.
It is chilling to witness foreign invaders heartlessly turn against Nigerians, blowing up country men, women and children while heads of security agencies and political leaders play politics with insecurity largely due to their blood ties with these invaders.
Many political leaders in Nigeria have confessed
that their first cousins are nationals of the neighbouring countries.
A governor from the North-east once said on a television programme that their agenda was to bring all herdsmen from other countries and resettle them in Nigeria.
This agenda is believed to be largely responsible for the attacks on indigenous communities by herdsmen, especially in the Middle Belt and the southern parts of the country.
Nigerians also die daily in kidnappers’ dens, sometimes even after paying the demanded ransom.
Many hotel guests are being killed in their rooms while others die under suspicious circumstances.
Clashes between communities that have lived peacefully for many years are also increasingly becoming an avenue for senseless killings.
Apart from the herders who are on a killing spree to force communities to relinquish their land, other herders are destroying the means of livelihood of farmers. Life, for these elements, means nothing.
People with such a psychotic character have continued in their primitive method of reading cattle while their backers argue that scarcity of water and vegetation due to desert encouragement is responsible for their destruction of farmlands.
Indeed, the failure of the government to live up to this expectation is largely believed to have exacerbated the increasing contempt for life, the
result of which is the gory killings.
With the many lives being lost daily and the attacks on farmlands which have fuelled hunger and economic hardship, Nigeria cannot quantify the human and economic resources being lost to these crises
To change this ugly narrative, the government must be dedicated to protecting the life of every Nigerian. Prioritising the lives of foreign invaders and their cattle due to the blood relationship between these invaders and some political leaders, as well as some heads of security agencies will destroy and weaken the fabrics holding Nigeria as a nation.
Nigerian political leaders must begin to develop the political will and courage to tackle the country’s challenges. They must ensure that all lives are guarded and protected.
President Bola Tinubu has the opportunity to change the perception about Nigeria and Nigerians and the only way to do this is by placing a premium on life.
Heads of security agencies and field commanders should be held accountable to the killings in their areas of responsibility.
Recently, a statement credited to the DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, that Nigerians should protect themselves against terrorist attacks rather than wait for the security agencies, sparked outrage on social media. His comments showed how hopeless the situation has become.
Will the NSA, Mallam Ribadu; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Oluyede, and other security chiefs now rise to the occasion and rescue Nigeria from destruction?
Speaking during his visit to the Plateau State at the headquarters of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in charge of security in Plateau State, the NSA said enough was enough about the killings. He pointed out that everyone has a role to play to curb insecurity. But the instances abound indicating how the affected communities played their role of giving information to security agencies on impending attacks while the security agencies refused to play their part of preventing the attacks and arresting the perpetrators.
It was heartwarming to note that Lieutenant General Oluyede assured the people of Plateau State that the perpetrators of the killings would be arrested to face the full wrath of the law.
For now, Nigerians are waiting for this to be executed exactly the same way the perpetrators of the Uromi incident were swiftly arrested.
Following the defection of the associates of former President Muhammadu Buhari to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), state governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) last Monday paid a visit to the ex-president at his residence in Kaduna recently.
Led by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, the governors held a closeddoor meeting with Buhari.
First to defect was former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who claimed to have obtained Buhari’s blessing to dump the APC.
It was also gathered that some former ministers who served in Buhari’s cabinet are perfecting plans to move en masse to the SDP. In Buhari’s Katsina home state, some members of the APC
have defected to the SDP.
Many political analysts believe that the visit was to put pressure on Buhari to stop his associates from dumping the APC.
Buhari has cult followership in the North and the defection of his associates could spell doom for the APC.
Buhari and his associates are believed to be unhappy with the APC-led government because of their alleged ill-treatment.
Shortly after President BolaTinubu assumed office, his ministers and other aides were frequently accusing Buhari’s administration of ruining the economy and bequeathing a comatose economy.
They rightly claimed that Tinubu inherited a badly damaged economy from Buhari and also blamed the former president for the nationwide insecurity.
Though Buhari’s administration was believed to have destroyed the economy and caused insecurity nationwide as claimed by Buhari’s critics, his associates argued that the agents of the current APC-led administration should not have criticised Buhari openly in the spirit of APC.
Political analysts believe the APC governors’ visit was a fence-mending one. It was not however clear if the visit pacified Buhari.
But Uzodimma said the visit to Buhari signified a show of unity and strength within the ruling party.
Unfortunately, while inflation, hunger, kidnapping and massive killings are threatening the peace and st ability of their states, these governors are more interested in how to remain politically-relevant in 2027 than the security of their people.
A recent revelation by retired senior military officer Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi—that both retired and serving generals made generous financial contributions as ransom for the release of former National Youth Service Corps Director General, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, after 56 days in captivity—serves as yet another wake-up call for Nigeria to overhaul its internal security architecture. Ejiofor Alike reports
The reported payment of ransom contributed by serving and retired generals to kidnappers for the release of a former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), after 56 days in captivity has obviously made a mockery of Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
Tsiga was abducted alongside nine other residents from his hometown, Tsiga, in Kafur District of Bakori Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State, on February 5, 2025.
An unnamed close family member was quoted as saying that after receiving hundreds of millions of naira in ransom, the kidnappers initially refused to release him and demanded additional payment.
After Tsiga’s first 30 days in captivity, his close friend and colleague, Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (rtd), who spoke at a press conference on behalf of Tsiga’s family, and associates, raised the alarm over the lack of efforts by the authorities to secure his release.
“It has now been 30 days since bandits took him from his home in Tsiga town, Bakori LGA, Katsina State, and yet no concrete efforts have been made for his release,” he reportedly said.
The prolonged captivity of the retired general exposed Nigeria’s weak internal security architecture.
However, Tsiga regained his freedom after 56 days in captivity following the reported payment of the additional ransom to the kidnappers by the family.
Narrating his experience during the reunion with his family and 18 other victims in Abuja, facilitated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Tsiga said that beyond the danger posed by their abductors, they also faced the threat of being harmed by wild animals in the mountain where they were held.
The retired army general also revealed that the terrorists only feared military aircraft and had no fear of God.
Tsiga did not explain how he regained his freedom, fuelling speculations that he was rescued by government forces, especially as he was reunited with his family by the Office of the NSA.
It was, therefore, a rude shock to many when Brig. Gen. Abdullahi (rtd) explained how he coordinated the raising of the ransom from serving and retired generals.
The failure of the various intelligence and security agencies in the country to rescue the retired general despite having ample time to gather intelligence and track his
location, questioned the capacity of these agencies to handle internal security threats.
It lent credence to the belief by many Nigerians that the security agencies only demonstrate a show of force when dealing with unarmed civilians.
In a note of appreciation, on behalf of Tsiga and his associates, Abdullahi gave the details of the community-driven effort that secured Tsiga’s freedom to the shock of many Nigerians and the international community.
Abdullahi stated that he and Major General LB Bunza, “started exchanging ideas towards the release” of Tsiga as soon as he was abducted.
He explained that a WhatsApp platform named “TSIGA,” was created on February 9, 2025, to coordinate information and solicit donations after the kidnappers demanded a N400 million ransom.
“The response was overwhelming. On this platform, we had over 300 members; made up of retired military officers, serving military officers, and civilians
from all segments of our society, university lecturers, ambassadors, and businessmen,” Abdullahi stated in the message.
He further explained the transparent process of collecting the funds.
“So, I asked Kamal (General Tsiga’s son) to send us his father’s bank account. He immediately sent me General Tsiga’s bank account, domiciled in Unity Bank. I posted this account on the Tsiga platform and requested donations from members to assist General Tsiga’s family in meeting the demands of the bandits.”
Abdullahi described the outpouring of support as remarkable, saying, “The response, as I had earlier observed, was overwhelming. Donations came pouring in like ‘August rains.’
“From February 22, 2025, when donations started coming in to March 15, 2025, the amount we received was indicative that yes, together we can.”
Though he did not disclose the exact amount of ransom paid, security analysts believe the financial contributions from army generals to secure Tsiga’s release was a strong indictment of the security forces.
In other countries with effective security
systems, the security agencies would rescue Tsiga before the payment of ransom or arrest the kidnappers a few hours after they collected the ransom and released him.
The failure of the military to rescue their own or arrest his kidnappers shortly after they collected ransom may have confirmed the persistent claims by the senator representing Borno South and former Chairman of Senate Committee on the Army, Ali Ndume that the Nigerian military was determined to fight bandits and terrorists but lacked the weapon and morale to achieve victory.
However, the Director of Defence Information, Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau said Abdullahi’s narrative downplayed the efforts of the troops of the 17 Brigade, which launched a series of search-and-rescue operations in conjunction with the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma for Tsiga’s release.
Gusau added that subsequent air operations at Dunya Hill, a suspected bandit stronghold where Tsiga was held, disrupted the terrorists, leading to the escape of several captives, including one Barau Garba, a teacher at Government Secondary School in Tsiga town. According to him, Tsiga was unable to escape due to health concerns.
Gusau said it was only fair to recognise the significant sacrifices made by these troops who worked day and night, often at great risk to their own lives in their search for the senior officer who was eventually freed on April 2. Though the military made commendable efforts, the fact that the kidnappers carted away hundreds of millions of naira contributed by military generals as ransom without being intercepted by the military and other security forces diminished the efforts of the troops. It is embarrassing that families of kidnap victims are made to go through the ordeal of raising millions of naira for the release of their loved ones but more shameful for retired and serving generals to contribute ransom for the release of one of their own.
Tsiga’s case was not the first - bandits have been carting away hundreds of millions of naira in ransom from the families of their victims without any trace by the security forces.
In several videos that went viral, these bandits have been seen abusing the naira they collected as ransom and making a mockery of the security agencies.
These have questioned the intelligencegathering capability of the various security agencies and fuelled the need for the country to rejig its internal security architecture to end these embarrassments and humiliations.
Despite the perceived shortcomings of the judiciary, one area the National Judicial Council (NJC) has not disappointed Nigerians is in the appointment and removal of Chief Judges of states.
To the credit of the council, politicians have not hijacked this assignment, unlike in the appointment of high court judges.
This is why the council last week stood up to Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma for his unilateral appointment of Theophilus Nzeukwu as the state’s acting Chief Judge.
Uzodimma had appointed Justice Nzeukwu, who is said to be the fourth on the hierarchy of the state’s High Court judges, to replace the former Chief Judge of the state, Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, who was sent
on compulsory retirement last November for age falsification.
With Nzeukwu’s fourth position in the state judiciary, it is clear that the governor violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that the most senior judge of the High Court should be appointed as Chief Judge in the event of a vacancy.
The governor and his attorney general who should advise him know quite well that the NJC had been consistent in ensuring that this constitutional provision is not violated.
If he must appoint an acting Chief Judge, why not the most senior judge?
However, the governor’s supporters argue that he has not violated the law provided he will not renominate him after the expiration of the first three months, for the substantive position.
But analysts argue that by bypassing the three most senior judges, the governor’s action has raised suspicions and fears in the state judiciary. The framers of the constitution knew that if the governors were given the sole opportunity to appoint and remove the state chief judges, they would politicise and bastardise state judiciaries. Even the Supreme Court had in several judgments, affirmed this important constitutional provision to keep the governors in serious check. But out of political and administrative rascality, some governors have continued to dare the NJC. It was good that the council quickly distanced itself from the governor’s action. It should continue to resist this impunity by governors as it has been doing.
Many lawyers believe that by accepting the acting CJ position, Nzeukwu has put his career at risk as the NJC may end up sanctioning him.
Despite Julius Abure’s claim that the Supreme Court did not sack him as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, facts emerging show that not only was his cross appeal dismissed by the court, but his tenure is said to have expired
One of the consequences of the increasingly vague court judgments in Nigeria is that litigants often interpret rulings to serve their personal interests. This was evident in the aftermath of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the Labour Party’s leadership crisis involving Julius Abure and Senator Nnenadi Usman.
The judgment, which set aside earlier decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal that recognised Mr. Julius Abure as the Labour Party’s National Chairman, has sparked varied interpretations. Both Abure and the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Nenadi Usman, claim the ruling favours them.
In its judgement on the appeal filed by Usman, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court held that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure as LP national chairman, having earlier found that the substantive issue before the court was party leadership — a matter deemed an internal affair.
The lead judgement, prepared by Justice John Okoro and read by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, noted that since the case filed at the Federal High Court centred on LP’s leadership, it was not justiciable. Consequently, the apex court set aside both the trial and appellate court decisions recognising Abure as chairman and struck out the LP’s suit for lack of jurisdiction.
It also dismissed a cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction, describing it as unmeritorious, while allowing the main appeal brought by Senator Usman and another party.
Immediately the judgment was delivered, LP’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Kehinde Edun, said the Supreme Court had clarified that courts should not decide on political party leadership matters. He said the ruling validated the convention that elected Abure and the current NEC, whose tenure he maintained was still in effect.
According to him, the judgement did not invalidate the November 13, 2024 Appeal Court decision affirming Abure’s leadership, as it was not appealed.
On their part, both Abure and Usman interpreted the judgement in their favour.
For instance, in a statement shortly after the ruling, Senator Usman, who chairs the LP’s caretaker committee, described the judgement as a triumph for the rule of law and democracy. She urged LP members and stakeholders to remain calm and focused, emphasising the party’s unity in building a new Nigeria based on justice and equity.
“There is no victor and no vanquished. What matters most is our shared commitment to the ideals and aspirations of the Labour Party and the Nigerian people. We must now come together,
united in purpose and vision, to move the party forward,” she said.
However, Abure, through a statement signed by the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, insisted that the Supreme Court judgement did not remove him from office. He argued that the ruling merely held that the courts lacked jurisdiction to interfere in internal party matters, thus striking out both Senator Usman’s appeal and LP’s original suit.
He added that the Appeal Court judgement in Labour Party vs Ebiseni & Others (CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024), which upheld his leadership on November 13, 2024, remained valid and had not been appealed.
Background of the Matter
Abure had always been tainted by controversy. In February 2024, the Labour Party’s National Treasurer accused him of misappropriating N3.5 billion, a claim which he denied and threatened legal action. The allegation led to calls from party members for his removal.
Earlier in April 2023, the FCT High Court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the party. While ruling on an ex parte application, the judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary; and Mr Opara from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
However, the biggest challenge against his position was when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) invalidated his leadership after the party’s national congress in Awka, where he purportedly re-emerged as the national chairman of the party, saying the national convention violated the constitution and Electoral Act.
The electoral body said the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention, insisting that Abure’s tenure as LP national chair expired in June 2024.
To bring confidence back to the party, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti and the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) convened a meeting in Umuahia on September 4, 2024, where they sacked the entire Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) and appointed Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Finance and
ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days.
This led Abure to file a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, which, in a judgement delivered on October 8, 2024, affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the party executives.
The judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, had ordered INEC to recognise Abure as the legitimate chairman of the party.
Upon an appeal on January 17, 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that its earlier decision in November 2024, recognising Abure as the party’s chairman, remained valid and had not been overturned by any court.
Justice Hamma Barka, who read the lead judgement, held that the appellate court did not consider the two separate appeals filed by the appellants since they centred on party leadership, on which the court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate. He said anything done outside jurisdiction amounted to a nullity.
The court voided the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024 on the grounds that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.
Usman had vehemently faulted the decision and challenged it at the Supreme Court. While the appeal was pending at the apex court, Abure filed a cross-appeal.
Supreme Court Judgment
But in its judgment penultimate Friday, the Supreme Court set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal and held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, being an issue of internal affairs of the party.
The court, which resolved three issues submitted for determination in favour of the appellant, held that both the trial court and the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit of this first respondent.
Specifically referring to Abure, the apex court warned political parties to respect their constitutions and internal processes, urging party officers whose tenures had expired to vacate their positions.
“The dispute centred on whose name should be published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate. The trial court favored Chief Ebiseni, who emerged after a fresh election on July 18, 2024, following Dr. Ayodele’s alleged voluntary withdrawal. The court below’s judgment favored Dr. Ayodele, having found that he did not withdraw from the contest.
“There was no issue in that appeal regarding the leadership dispute within the Labour Party specifically presented for the court’s determination.
“In this case, the court below, after recognizing
that the 1st respondent’s main relief was relief number five (5), based on the leadership of the 1st respondent and thus not justiciable, strayed beyond its jurisdiction into the realm where even the angels dread to tread to prounce Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent.
“The of law applicable here is as expressed in the Latin maxim: Nihil nonexpetant aedificare store menaing that ‘one cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. The 1st respondent’s suit at the trail court had not legs to stand in the circunstances and deserves to be struck out.”
“Permit me at this point to reiterate the trite position of the law that if a court is bereft of jurisdiction to entertain the main relief in an action, it will not have the ancillary claim will inenvitably involve a discussion of the main claim, as in this.”
The three issues submitted for determination are resolved in favour of the appellants.
“In summary, both the trial court and the court below lacked jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent’s suit, whose main relief, as observed, was relief number five (5), treated as an appendage. As a result, the decisions of both the trial court and the court below, which recognised Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent, are set aside, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is struck out for want of jurisdiction.
“In the same vein, the 1st respondent’s cross-appeal in Appeal No. SC/CV/564/2025, stemming from the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed.
“Before I am done, may I admonish political parties and their members to endeavor to always allow their constitutions, rules, regulations and guidelines to guide them in choosing their officers as well as candidates. That way, incessant internal rifts which always find their way to court would be reduced. If the constitution of a political has prescribed duration for tenure of office of an officer, such officer should be humble enough to at the expiration of the tenure.
“In the final analysis, I appeal is meritorious and is hereby allowed,” Justice Okoro held. Not a few wondered if Abure understood the judgment before thinking that he was not sacked by the court.
“I really don’t know what Abure is contesting in the judgement. Why did he think that the Supreme Court did not sack him? The judgement is so clear. If a court says your tenure has expired or expressly declares that the decisions of both the trial court and the Appeal Court recognising Abure as the National Chairman of the party were set aside, what else does he want to hear?”, asked an analyst who did not want his name mentioned.
Good neighbourliness in international relations is so important to the extent that lack of it prompts violence and reckless use of force.
One major rationale for the provision of the principle of non-intervention in the United Nations Charter is the need to ensure good neighbourliness, very brotherly relations, as the fulcrum of peaceful coexistence. Most unfortunately, however, good neighbourliness is only a sermon that is generally preached but hardly respected in international relations unless as a result of force majeure.
Because of the need for togetherness, protection of political sovereignty, development, and common interests, the Conference of Independent African States (Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the United Arab Republic) was held in Accra, Ghana from 15 April to 22nd April, 1958. When more African countries acceded to national and international sovereignty in the early 1960s, the need for the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was contemplated and established in 1963. More interestingly, the 1980 Lagos Plan of Action was adopted and also further complemented with the signing of the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community which underscored continental integration through regionalisation by dividing Africa into five regions to give further impetus to, and changing the status of, the then existing sub-regions to regions.
Today, Africa’s leading regional organisation, ECOWAS, began in 1975 with 16 original members (16 ratifications), then declined to 15 with the withdrawal of Mauritania in 1999, and further to 12 with the withdrawal in 2024 of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to form the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES). Forming a sub-region within the ECOWAS region is consistent with Article 1(e) of the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Consequently, in celebrating the ECOWAS at 50, and responding to the challenges of the AES, Nigeria needs to underscore its good neighbourliness policy as a basis of her quest for strategic autonomy by establishing a new sub-region to comprise Nigeria and her immediate neighbours as a desideratum.
Good neighbourliness is one of the seven foundational principles of Nigeria’s foreign policy: reciprocity, non-alignment, friendliness with everyone, non-interference, non-intervention, peaceful co-existence, and defence of Africa’s interests. As noted in his October 7, 1960 membership acceptance speech at the UN, Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, said ‘it is the desire of Nigeria to remain on friendly terms with all nations and to participate actively in the work of the United Nations Organisation.’ Thus Nigeria pledged to promote peaceful coexistence. He backed this up with another pledge that Nigeria did not have any territorial expansionist ambitions.
More importantly, Tafawa Balewa informed that Nigeria hoped ‘to work with other African States for the progress of Africa and to assist in bringing all African territories to a state of responsible independence.’ And perhaps most significantly, Alhaji Balewa also said ‘we do not intend to ally ourselves as a matter of routine with any of the power blocs. We are committed to uphold the principles upon which the UN is founded.’
Without any whiff of doubt, all the points raised by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa are indispensable constituents of good neighbourliness. Non-expansionist intention cannot but be very reassuring to territorially small neighbours. Working with other countries to promote Africa’s progress is quite encouraging. Consequently, consciously promoting a good neighbourly policy as a special instrument of Nigeria’s quest for strategic autonomy and Nigeria’s foreign relations is what is necessary at the level of Nigeria-Neighbours sub-regional alliance which is needed to build a border that can unite the AES and ECOWAS at 50. In other words, ECOWAS and Nigeria need another sub-region in the West African region, not as a counter-weight, but as a complement, even though Cameroun falls under the Central Africa Region of Africa. A Nigeria-Francophone-Neighbours
Alliance (AFNA), constituting a sub-region has the great potential to boost integration and better understanding. All Nigeria’s neighbours are Francophone and the general thinking in Francophone Africa is the need to delink with every aspect of neo-colonial domination. In this regard, rather than allowing the neighbours to fraternise with alternative foreign countries, Nigeria should be prepared to serve as a non-colonial friend and reliable ally. Nigeria should be the coordinating centre of the Francophone innermost circle. This cannot but also serve all the purposes of the principle of peaceful coexistence.
As laid down by the 1955 Afro-Asian Bandung Conference, organised by Burma, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, to promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation, as well as to oppose colonialism and neo-colonialism, ten basic principles were necessary for the maintenance and promotion of peaceful coexistence. They include mutual respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-intervention, political self-determination, and sovereign equality, etc. The ten principles were an improvement on the 1954 five principles of peaceful coexistence adopted within the context of the India-China negotiations for solidarity.
Put differently, it is when there is lack of trust, injustice, inequality and misunderstanding that peaceful coexistence becomes impossible to exist. It can only exist if there is harmony and non-violence, if promotion of peace is made a deliberate policy, and when there is respect for differences, cooperation and collaboration. The peaceful coexistence of linguistic and cultural differences can be mutually benefitting, especially in
Grosso modo, what we are saying is that Africa should underscore sub-regional integration more than regional integration in the quest for continental integration. The belief of African leaders, with the signing of the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community and dividing Africa into five regions, was to fast track continental integration at various levels. As there are growing challenges at the regional level which are difficult to contain, we observe that attempting to nip in the bud the challenges at the level of the sub-regions can be helpful. In this regard, if we remember that Africa’s development is an important objective and component of Nigeria’s policy, that Africa is the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, it cannot but be in the larger and long-term interest of Nigeria to make her sub-region very stable politically and economically. Unlike many regions of the world where the investment default rate is high, the same is not true of Africa. As recalled by Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank, the default rate in Latin America is 13%. That of Eastern Europe is 10%. In Africa, it has been only 1.7% in the past 14 years. In other words, investments risks are currently low in Nigeria’s immediate neighbourhood. This is one good reason why Nigeria should work toward a Nigeria-Francophone-Neighbours Sub-region (NFNS). In the event of a Nigerian sub-region, investment opportunities are likely to be greater
terms of sub-regional integration. Cooperation and collaboration is a major instrument of dialogue and direct communication. And most interestingly, the purpose of Nigeria’s strategic autonomy is best served when it begins at the level of the immediate neighbourhood, because it is generally accepted that Nigeria’s national security is intertwined with the national security of all the contiguous neighbours.
This point is a truism in Nigeria bearing in mind her civil war experiences. Even though good neighbourliness was recognised as a foreign policy principle since 1960, it was the civil war experience that actually gave meaning to it. The Red Cross tried to use Dahomey, now Benin Republic, as a base to send alleged relief materials to secessionist Biafra. The Federal Government discovered that the reported pretext of providing relief materials was also taken advantage of to arm the secessionist. The relief materials were packaged with arms and ammunitions. It was the lesson learnt from the experience that gave a fillip to the need for the policy of good neighbourliness in Nigeria’s foreign relations.
The experience is still relevant today to learn from. The West Africa region is already divided against itself but the division can still be taken advantage of. As noted above, the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the ECOWAS to form the AES is legal because it is consistent with the 1991 Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community. Therefore, promoting a new sub-region with Nigeria at the epicentre will be most helpful to the ECOWAS at 50 in not only addressing its current challenge of threats of disintegration but in also particularly charting the way forward in the next fifty years. The new sub-region will also be legitimate.
True, the Economic Community of WestAfrican States (ECOWAS) will be 50 years old this coming May 28, 2025. The anniversary requires deeper reflections than just seeking to mark or celebrate it. One main reason is the Francophone challenge and headache. The Francophone countries began efforts at regional integration before the Anglophone, Arabophone and Lusophone Africa began theirs. There was, for example, the establishment of the Union Douanière de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (UDAO: West African Customs Union) in 1959, which was replaced by the Union Douanière et Economique de L’Afrique de l’Ouest (UDEAO: West African Economic and Customs Union) in 1966. Both of them could not thrive. This was in spite of France who was quite instrumental to their making for reasons of identity and the special agreements done with her former colonies. The agreements gave special privileges and immunities that enabled France to operate freely in their countries in a preferential manner and to the detriment of other Western powers.
When efforts were being made to establish the ECOWAS in 1972, a Treaty of Abidjan was done on 17 April, 1973 by Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta to establish the Communauté Économique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (C.E.A.O.: West African Economic Community). The cardinal objective was to promote economic cooperation and integration among the Member States. It was therefore presented as a precursor to the ECOWAS in the making. The truth was actually to contain the ECOWAS or to take precedence before it, and to ensure and sustain Francophone identity within the framework of the ECOWAS. And true enough, when the ECOWAS was birthed on 28 May 1975, following the entry into force of the Abidjan Treaty establishing the CEAO on January 1, 1974, the conduct and management of ECOWAS was frequently fraught with rivalry with the CEAO. Again, even though the CEAO has gone into désuétude, the same ECOWAS of yesterday and of today still has to cope with a new rivalry with the Francophone, the Alliance des États de Sahel (AES: Alliance of Sahel States) in particular. It is against this background that Nigeria should begin to look at good neighbourliness as a new framework for her quest for strategic autonomy and evolving a new sub-regional alliance in the mania of the AES.
Strategic Autonomy and Sub-regional Integra- tion
As told by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, strategic autonomy is the fulcrum of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT). Interpretatively, it means whatever is contemplated as an undertaking is largely informed by the need for strategic autonomy. In this regard, what should we mean by strategic autonomy? Grosso modo, strategic autonomy is about self-reliance. Self-reliance is about capacity to do and undo without undue influence by anyone or any country. It is essentially about politico-military power to pursue well-defined objectives, domestic and foreign. More importantly, strategic autonomy varies from one country to the other, especially in terms of its content. For example, the main purpose of the strategic objective of the European Union is about not depending heavily on the United States, to have capacity to defend Europe, while the objectives of the strategic autonomy of China and Russia are different. Explained differently, Jing Huang in the China International Strategy Review, says EU’s strategic autonomy is ‘to navigate through the transition in global order and to maintain its values and interests in the up-coming order. In other words, EU Strategic Autonomy is a hegemonic game both inside and beyond the EU.’
confidently claim to have significantly tackled basic development issues such as sanitation, roads, potable water, basic education, healthcare and gender equity as a result of their famous “merit”? It appears our merit argument only applies at the federal level. When it comes to our states and councils, we conveniently shut down our brains. It is called hypocrisy. If we want to be consistent with the “merit only” argument, then we should stop complaining that Tinubu is running a government that is essentially “Yoruba Nayson” (credit: Sunday Igboho). All we need to do is look at the résumés of the appointees: schools attended, degrees amassed, work experience, career attainments… they tick all those boxes. Let us stop complaining and start singing: “All of Tinubu’s appointments are on merit/Give our president some credit.” We should not be looking at the state of origin, ethnicity and religion of appointees. Haven’t we been told these things should never matter, that we should only talk about education, work history and positions held?
But if we want to step down from the Utopian world and pay attention to the ground realities in a diverse society that has been struggling too hard to become a nation, we will be forced to agree that balancing is a vital ingredient in nation-building. I have said it several times: I do not want to go to a federal ministry or department and everybody is speaking the same language and I am
ORONTO: 10 YEARS ON I remember, as always, my friend, brother, mentor and benefactor, Mr Oronto Natei Douglas (OND), who died on April 9, 2015. Last Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of his passing. I first met OND in 1996 through my pal, Doifie Buokoribo, who introduced me to the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) to help them design and print their newsletters, pamphlets, magazines and books. OND was the deputy director of ERA at the time. He was a genuine Niger Delta activist. As aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Oronto described himself as an “activist in government”. His passion for democracy and development was amazing. He was a great soul and a loyal friend. Unforgettable.
told everybody was employed on merit. Come off it! There is no part of Nigeria that does not have qualified candidates. All councils, states, zones, regions and religions have competent people. This is 2025, not 1960. Let us wake up and smell the coffee: no part of Nigeria has monopoly of merit!
Meanwhile, it appears some people only complain when the boot is on the other foot. I didn’t hear many northerners complain when President Muhammadu Buhari was making appointments that seemed heavily in favour of the north, notably in his early years. Maybe they were enjoying it. Now that Tinubu is replicating the template, they are grumbling — although I must immediately confess he has taken it to an unimaginable extent. Some prominent Yoruba commentators who complained about Buhari’s appointments have suddenly developed sore throat and gone quiet under Tinubu. This inconsistency bothers me. Let us use the same yardstick for every president, no matter what.
I must at this point admit that even the federal character principle is subject to different interpretations. The appointment of Mr Bayo Ojulari as the CEO of the NNPC Ltd is a case in point. Ojulari’s identity is peculiar: he is ethnically Yoruba, like Tinubu, but he is from Kwara state, which is in the north. Tinubu is from the south-west. So how should Ojulari be classified in the federal character matrix? Will core northerners list his appointment under the column for the north or the one for Yoruba? Will south-westerners
classify him as a northerner? Depending on the point you want to canvass, you can choose to identify him as a Yoruba, or as a northerner, or as a Muslim. President Olusegun Obasanjo faced a similar situation when he assumed office in 1999. Because he rode on the back of northern power brokers to win his election, he had a gentleman’s agreement with them to cede certain positions to the region. Of the four service chiefs, he agreed to appoint three from the north. He picked Gen Victor Malu from Benue as army chief and went to Kogi to pick Air Marshall Isaac Alfa as air chief and Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi as defence chief. Malu was a Tiv while both Alfa and Ogohi were Igalas. Many core northerners were riled. While some grumbled in their bedrooms, the late Wada Nas openly kicked against it, accusing Obasanjo of marginalising the north.
Obasanjo himself played the game when he did not want the late Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, from Kogi state, to be the PDP chairman. Awoniyi was a strong character whom, honestly, not many Nigerian presidents would want as party chairman because he was not one to be shouting “yes, sir” night and day. Even though the position was zoned to the north-central where Awoniyi hailed from, Obasanjo’s foot soldiers went round whispering that it was not good for a Yoruba to be president and another Yoruba to be party chairman. It was politics, I agree, but this is the kind of nitpicking that come with the make-up of Nigeria.
ABBA KYARI: 5 YEARS ON
It will be five years on April 17 that Mallam Abba Kyari lost his life to complications from COVID-19. My last conversation with thenPresident Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff haunts me till this day. He told me he was on his way to Lagos for treatment because his cough was getting worse. We never got to talk again, but I kept getting progress reports that he was recovering well at a Lagos hospital. Sadly, he had what doctors call “co-morbidities” (other existing ailments) which were worsened by the COVID infection. He eventually lost the battle for his life. I was so pained. He was one of the most knowledgeable, passionate and loyal but well vilified Nigerian public servants I ever knew. Patriot.
It is difficult to celebrate some successes in Nigeria because there is always a fly in the ointment. The improvement in rail transportation is supposed to be a source of joy after all the billions we’ve spent but there is often a spanner in the wheel. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended operations on the Warri-Itakpe corridor because of a “major technical disruption”. The train broke down mid-journey, in the middle of a desert in a state where kidnappers are always on the prowl. We were told it would take 72 hours to repair the fault. This is not good at all. We hear these stories all the time. Something is definitely wrong somewhere but we keep patching things up. Troubling.
People deploy the identity argument that suits them per time.
Regardless, the principles of federal character and equity are obviously part of our DNA. National associations — such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) — not only share exco offices to various geo-political zones to reflect the national make-up, they also rotate positions between the north and the south. There is no law requiring them to do this but it is just common sense for a national body in a diverse country struggling to remain one. That is why I always back the rotation of presidential power between the north and the south, even though that is not the ultimate formula for development. In sum, while I do not pretend to know the solutions to Nigeria’s complicated problems, I am certain that Nigerians want a country where they will have a sense of belonging, where they will not feel sidelined, where they will not be marginalised, where they are treated with equity and justice. For the optics of politics, the distribution of federal appointments and projects — especially the top-level ones — must be done along the lines of common sense and balancing. I repeat: there is merit and competence in every part of Nigeria. I repeat: lopsidedness fuels resentment and further divides a country already locked in mutual suspicion. It is not too late in the day for Tinubu to change course.
Something is happening in Rivers state that should worry every Nigerian who still cares about our democracy. An emergency administrator whose primary duty is to stabilise the state may be working on a different script, dismantling existing structures and building his own. While we were still watching the pro-Wike lawmakers partying in London, the administrator appointed his own caretakers for the councils. What we have is no longer an interim administration but a full-blown government. This looks to be more than a sixmonth arrangement. Anyway, all that President Tinubu needs to extend the emergency rule is the National Assembly. Is it not by voice vote? Hahahaha.
a staunch activist, party organiser, party builder, a reliable ally and a serial winner of democratic elections. I am truly proud of my association with the Asiwaju,” the former president said.
President Tinubu, on his part, has at every turn extolled the virtues of former President Buhari. For instance, during Buhari’s 82nd birthday last December 17, Tinubu penned a moving tribute to the former president.
He wrote: “Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, on behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes to you on your 82nd Birthday.
“As you celebrate this remarkable milestone in Daura, we reflect on your years of dedicated service and leadership, which have significantly shaped the course of our nation. Your steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s advancement and unity inspires many, and your enduring legacy continues to guide our nation’s journey towards prosperity and stability.”
Praising Buhari for his doggedness and resilience in contesting presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011 before winning in 2015 and 2019, inspiring “us never to give up,” President Tinubu assured him: “I will continue to build on the infrastructure legacy you bequeathed to our nation as the leader of our country’s first All Progressives Congress administration.”
From the foregoing, notwithstanding the minor strain engineered by some palace courtiers when the former president was in office, it is apparent that the relationship between Tinubu and Buhari continues to
flourish as it was built on mutual respect and affection. And like every association, there are bound to be challenges. About that of Buhari and Tinubu, this strain manifested in the sidelining of Asiwaju, particularly during Buhari’s first term in office, and in the orchestrated moves by some people in the Buhari government to thwart Tinubu’s ascension to the presidency in 2023.
However, it would appear that this relationship has weathered the storms. It is waxing stronger. Contrary to the impression in some quarters, particularly in the camps of some opposition politicians, the remarks by the former president during a visit by APC Governors, who paid him Eid-el-Fitri homage in his Kaduna residence, did not in any way undermine the accord. Underlining his cult-like following in the North, the governors had, during the visit, reportedly urged Buhari to dissuade his CPC associates from leaving APC, noting that doing so would strengthen the governing party against the opposition.
During the visit, Buhari had called on political leaders to embrace humility, transparency, and a citizen-first approach to governance, disclosing that he left office with no personal material gain, emphasizing that true leadership is measured not by personal accumulation, but by public service and impact. Garba Shehu again quoted the former president in a statement he issued: “Leaders must always prioritize the welfare of citizens over personal or partisan interests. I left office with the same physical assets I had before becoming President.” Buhari also expressed satisfaction
with the renovations to his Kaduna home and thanked the Tinubu administration for the improvements made inside the building. “Outwardly, the house looks the same, but the renovations have been significant,” he said.
However, regarding the APC Governors’ request that he implore his CPC associates not to leave the party, the former president reportedly declined to commit. While reaffirming his loyalty to APC, he was said to have insisted that others must be allowed to make their own political choices. Some analysts and commentators had interpreted that to mean Buhari was pitching his camps with the opposition.
A deeper analysis of Buhari’s politics lends useful perspectives to his convictions as expressed during the visit by the governors elected on the platform of APC. That remark, embodying a laissez faire attitude, is consistent with Buhari’s politics.
A vivid example was during the build-up to the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State when as President he appeared in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, to give the APC flag to Prince Dapo Abiodun, the then candidate of the party for the election. The former president had urged the people of the state to vote for any candidate of their choice. That remark drew flaks from many, but it underscored a principle Buhari has upheld throughout his political career.
It should also be recalled that recently when former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai defected to the Social Democratic Party and he (el-Rufai) claimed in a BBC Hausa interview that he left the APC with Buhari’s blessings, the former president
also used the opportunity to clear the air, insisting he remains fully loyal to the APC and would never abandon the party that made his presidency possible. “I am a proud APC member and I want to always be known as one. I will continue to do everything I can to promote and support the party,” Buhari stated, without directly addressing el-Rufai’s claims.
At the moment, opposition politicians are desperately seeking Buhari’s support and endorsement to validate their 2027 plan.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his cohorts like el-Rufai, former House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and former Governor Bindow Jibrilla of Adamawa State, among others, visited the former president in Kaduna on Thursday to also pay homage to him for the end of Ramadan fasting/Sallah celebrations that occurred two weeks ago.
In all of that and his remarks to the APC Governors that visited him in Kaduna, has former President Buhari, thus far, deviated from or dumped the accord between him and President Tinubu and the spirit of friendship, mutual understanding, cooperation and reciprocal support that underpins their relationship? There is nothing that suggests so. The relationship between President Tinubu and former President Buhari remains rock solid. The two eminent leaders will continue to cooperate and collaborate to sustain party unity and promote progressive governance.
•Rahman is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media, Publicity & Special Duties.
For the better part of the last decade and half, Nigeria’s national security status has come to be measured by human casualties. Hardly any day passes without the news headlines featuringstoriesofgorymassmurders andsenselesskillings.Whensuchnews breaks, the question is usually about the scale. How manydied?Ifitisaboutoneortwodead,peoplemove on. Attention and feelings only begin to be incensed when the number of dead is in scores. As a society, our collective humanity has become so inured to the loss of human lives on an industrial scale that we are literally now an insensitive society.
Inthelastweekorso,wehavehadtheUromikillings of over 18 alleged hunters by local vigilantes. The versionsarevaried.Onesaysalorryloadofmenarmed with Dane guns was intercepted by local vigilantes in Uromi, an area of Edo state that has been constantly assaulted by armed ‘strangers’. The armed men who happentocomefromthenorthernpartsofourcountry were killed by the vigilantes. In that single incident, so manyaspectsofourcorporateexistenceasanational communitywereabused:citizens’righttomovearound freely in their country, the responsibility of locals to guard their safety, the ultimate responsibility of law enforcement to determine who bears arms and for what etc. etc.
In the same week, the familiar inter ethnic and inter communal clashes in Plateau state led to the loss of many lives. All hell was let loose in the state in a now familiar virtual state of emergency in which inter communal communications and interactions in the affected areas have become impossible. Again, religion,livelihoodinterestsandsocioculturaltroubles were raked up. The Plateau state governor has lamented his loss of security control of many parts of the state to bandits and random armed gangs who have literally outgunned the security forces. Almost simultaneously,similarskirmisheshavebeenreported in nearby Benue state with an attendant loss of yet to be determined number of lives.
In the same week, Governor Zulu of Boron state has cried out about the resurgence of Boko Haram inducedviolenceinmanypartsofthestate.According to him, a new wave of the Sahelian jihadist violence has erupted and is rapidly retaking many parts of the state. Beside these major theatres of violent eruptions, sporadic killings and violence have been reported in places like Zamfara, Enugu and Ebonyi states. These are only recent incidents in a spiral of insecurityandviolencethathasbecomeapermanent feature of our national scene. Literally, we sleep and wake in a virtual pool of the blood of our innocent compatriots who live in the susceptible areas.
For the past over a decade, every annual national budget has seen spending on defense and security riseastronomically.Thepatternofdefensespending looks more and more like that of a nation in an openly declared war. Orders of fixed wing combat aircraft, helicopter gunships, missiles, armoured personal carriers and drones have since become part of the annual ritual of our defense and security budgeting. Nothinginourbudgetingordefenseorderssuggests a nation at peace with itself.
Correspondingly, insecurity has come to occupy a permanent place in the rhetoric of our politicians and political actors. Every presidential candidate and virtually every other governorship aspirant has come to include the eradication of insecurity as a priority item in their manifestoes and agenda.There isinfact,apervasivepsychologicalstateinthenation that seems to have come to accept insecurity as a permanent part of our reality. We are a frightened nation. People are afraid of each other. People are afraid to travel along the highways, rail roads or urban alleys. A mood of fear has been added to the prevailing atmosphere of poverty, hunger and economic desperation in the land.
Because our land is among the top five most dangerous places in the world, the military has since becomepartandparcelofourinternalsecurityprofile. In virtually all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, joint patrols of the police and all arms of the military have been joined by Civil Defense,DepartmentofStateSecuritypersonneland evenlocalhuntersarmedwithcharmsandamuletsin adailyround–the-clockchaseafterbandits,jihadists, kidnappers, abductors and sundry “unknown gunmen” in urban and rural parts of the country. Squads of combat joint patrol troops in pickup vans have become a common sight on our roads and streets. Beyond animated physical chases of bad people by security agents, there seem to be little effort to intelligentlyinterrogatetherealcausesandpatterns of our insecurity. Yes indeed, there is a fancy office
of a National Security Adviser (NSA) with a full compliment of the paraphernalia of high power. But it is routinely defied by armed non- state actors who terrorize the populace consistently.
In a nation that has weaponized faith as an instrument of national existence, religious zealots have found it attractive to arm their devotees with assault rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices and suicide vests to advance toxic versions of their faiths. In a nation where the government used to maintain a monopoly of ultimate violenceandcoercion,theavailabilityofthe instrumentsofviolencetoallandsundryat a market price has demystified the state. Uniforms have become common outfits made by tailors which should not frighten people. People are no longer afraid of the guns or uniforms of the state.
Nonstateactorshavebeenemboldened tochallengethestateandsometimeseven outgun the state.The democratization of the technologies of violence, disruption and destruction through the internet and other dark channels have made the task of the state as possessor of the instruments of ultimate violence more herculean.
Add to this the recent rise of micro nationalism in different parts of the world and the popularization of the ideas of self determination of minorities as part of the rhetoricofinternationalpoliticallanguage. Weapons of war and their random deploymentbyallmannerofmilitiasandseparatist non- state forces have become part of the language of international political interaction. A new dictum of sovereign assertion hasemerged:“Weshoot,thereforeweare.”
Most dangerously, in parts of the developing world, politicians have come to be agents of insecurity because insecurity itself has also become a tool in the quest for political ascendancy and apex power.
Investment in non- state violent expressions has become attractive to politicians and professional trouble makers. It is common knowledge in Nigerian politics that in successive years, politicians have been known to import military uniforms, assault rifles, light arms and tear gas grenades to threaten and frighten and intimidate their opponents.
Thus overwhelmed by rival coercive forces, the statehasbuckledandweakenedunderthepressure of violent intimidation. In the process, merchants of troubleandbloodhaveforcedthestatetocedethem space in an illicit power sharing arrangement. Bandit leaders have signed MOUs with elected governors literally ceding parts of the territories of states to banditsandterrorists.Farmlandshavebeenknownto becededtobanditsquadsasconcessionedterritories for revenue collection. Farmers have to pay bandits to plant, weed and harvest their crops.
In the process of this parade of illegitimacy, our societyhascreatedandtacitlycometorecognizenew categories of errant citizens and outlaws. We have seen the emergence of new types and archetypes of the anti social hero- Unknown Gun men, Gun Men, Bandits,Cultists,YahooBoys,Kidnappersetc.These categories literally wear their badges with swagger and a certain degree of ‘pride’. It is worse when each of these illicit undertakings yields troves of cash in returns. A society that has come to enthrone the worshipofmoneyispreparedtodoobeisancebefore these new deities of money and power.
Onthesocialandculturalcanvas,aninsensitivityto bloodandhumansufferinghascometocharacterize our new collective psychology.
Capturingpeoplelikeanimals,maimingthemwith pleasureanddismemberingthemnolongerfrightens people. New forms of trade have emerged.Trade in human parts for money rituals, human sacrifice to facilitate success in cybercrime ventures, the use of rape to test male prowess and access to supernatural powers is now a vogue in some parts. A new generation of Nigerian youth sent to universities to partake in the wonders of modernity in science and technology are ending up as ritualists, rapists, voodoo priests, campus cultists and all the direct
opposites of the aims of modern higher education. A society suffused in religious superstition and all manner of prehistoric beliefs rolls out the red carpet forthenewheroeswhoarethenrewardedwithlavish accolades, traditional titles and honours.
In a society where literally everything is a form of organized crime, even the fight against violence and insecurity hasitselfbecomeaformoforganizedcrime. Security has become an industry in itself. Security personnel collude and collaborate with kidnappers, abductors and bandits to facilitate their operations in return for a commission. Field commanders have been known to trade in intelligence that endangers their men in return for cash.
Sometimes, commanders sit on the allowances of their subordinates. Racketeering in defense and security budgets are not strange to generals who aspire to retire as billionaire real estate moguls and big business people. All this fits snuggly into a socio economic ecosystem in which corruption has since become the other name of public service and state assignments.
Evenourcashhungrybankingsystemhasinformally recognized kidnapping ransom as a source of cash deposits.Ransomsarepaidintoknownbankaccounts and hardly any kidnapper- related arrests have been effected through information provided by the banks.
For the police, combating violence and insecurity has become more than the business of maintaining law and order. It is not even crime fighting in its classic meaning.
For the military, the nation is neither at war nor at peace. It is in a state of “no man’s land”, a never land where everything goes and all is fair in a war neither declared nor absent. This is a new abnormal.
Yetwecannotacceptthatthisnationischainedtoa permanent cycleofviolenceandinsecurity.Butinorder torestorethesanityofourpolityandthevaluesofour society, we need to tackle our insecurity differently. Chasingaftersquadsofbanditswithsquadsofarmed soldiers in pickup vans will yield nothing. Deploying drones manned by illiterate soldiers will only lead to more collateral casualties. Bombing villagers in their natural habitats does not recognize the humanity of the defenseless. Killing innocent villagers with sophisticated American fighter jets will harden the hearts of the people against an uncaring state. Aheadcountofcasualtiesofsuchrecklessbombings in the name of ‘anti insurgency’ is a violation of human rights. Indiscriminately branding innocent casualties as “dead terrorists and bandits “ is an insult on innocent Nigerian villagers simply for the crime that they cannot defend their identity and rights in the English language.
Let us be fair to some chapters of the Nigerian state in the past. Serious concern about insecurity has been part of state thinking for decades. The most systematic was under the Babangida military regime. Towards the end of its tenure, the idea of a National Guard was being implemented. The recognition was that the Nigerian state was not a fully settled idea. There were too many grey zones and areas of unresolved nationalism. Neither the police nor the military was equipped to deal with these unsettled areas. The police was considered too tepid and civil while the military was designed for a more aggressive engagement with outright external enemies. There was a need for an intermediate force to manage the unresolved areas of our nationalism such as the farmer-settler issues in the Middle Belt, the unresolved animosities of the Biafran secession, the seething anger of the porous oil and gas rich Niger Delta and the highly exposed Sahelian northern fringes bordering North Africa. These were the residual tasks of the National Guard.
Insubsequentyears,theideaoftheNationalGuard was dropped even before it was ever tried in the field. Later civilian dispensations thought of Community Policing but lacked the political will to fully articulate or implement it. Recently, the idea of a State Police structure was considered. No one knows what has become of that idea which is fraught with political and conceptual booby traps.
While the dithering continues, violent insecurity has spread to previously unlikely places like the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, now the setting for abductions, kidnappings and senseless killings of people even in their very homes.
Thereisnoescapingaseriousintelligentconversation about violence and insecurity in our land. Fancy military hardware and fiery political rhetoric cannot replace the power of serious thought to restore our humanity as a nation. The abiding question now is: whenshallwebeseriousenoughtoremoveinsecurity from our political agenda by ending it permanently in our reality?
Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe
email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
President Bola Tinubu; former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have extended their condolences to the family, friends, and associates of Nigerian football icon, Christian Chukwu, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 74 years, leaving a void in the hearts of many football fans.
football, Chukwu captained the Green Eagles to a historic 1980 Africa Cup of Nations victory and later coached the Super Eagles, which won a bronze medal at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations under his leadership.
Nicknamed “Chairman” for his commanding presence
Chukwu devoted his club career to Enugu Rangers, where he won multiple national titles and led the club to continental glory with their 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup triumph.
The president, in a statement issued yesterday by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, joined the football community in mourning the loss of a legend whose contributions to the beautiful game elevated Nigeria’s status globally.
President Tinubu eulogised Chukwu for a trailblazing discipline, and commitment to national pride.
According to the President: “Christian Chukwu was more than a footballer and coach. He was a symbol of excellence and patriotism. He brought joy to millions, mentored a generation of footballers, and stood as a pillar of Nigerian brand and sportsmanship on
“His legacies will continue to live on in the trophies he won, the lives he touched, and the exciting moments he provided to football fans and spectators area. We are forever grateful for his contributions to the sport we all love, and we will always remember him with great respect and admiration”.
President Tinubu prayed for the repose of the departed sportsman and comfort for his in his enduring legacy.
On his part, Atiku expressed sorrow over the death of Nigerian football legend, Christian Chukwu.
handle on Saturday, Atiku described Chukwu as the image of grace, discipline, and dedication, both as a player and a coach.
According to the former Vice President, the football legend’s name stands tall in the rich history of Nigerian football, saying that his absence will be profoundly felt.
grasp that Chairman Christian Chukwu, MFR, has passed on. His name stands tall in the rich tapestry of Nigerian football. From the mid-70s, when he captained our beloved Green Eagles, to that glorious triumph at the 1980 Nations Cup, Chukwu was the image of grace, discipline, and dedication — both as a player and a coach.”
Similarly, Governor SanwoOlu described the death of
Ropped points for the seven Premier Leaguegames as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentfordin Saturday’s London derby at the Emirates.
The result left the Gunners 10 points behind leaders Liverpoolwith only 18 points left the play for.
Kieran Tierneyhad a goal disallowed by semi-automated VAR technology in Parteyopened the scoring for
Chukwu as a great loss to Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr GboyegaAkosile, mourned the passing of Chukwu, saying the Captain of the Green Eagles, who won the African Nations Cup in 1980, was a legend.
The governor described the death of the national icon who served as both player and coach to the national team as a painful loss to the nation, particularly to football lovers.
He also extended his condolences to the Chukwu family, the Enugu State Government and the Nigerian Football Federation on the passing of the ex-player of Enugu Rangers.
Sanwo-Olu said Chukwu, popularly known as ‘Chairman’, would be sorely missed.
He therefore urged his family, friends, colleagues and football fans to take the death of the former coach of the Kenya national team as
an act of God.
Sanwo-Olu prayed to God for eternal peace for the late Christian Chukwu and for Him to grant the family, friends and football fans the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
In his reaction, Mbah expressed deep grief over Chukwu’s passing, describing him as a football icon, titan, and phenomenon.
The governor said, “I received with a deep sense of loss the passing away of Chairman Christian Chukwu. It is a personal loss to us as Ndi Enugu, his home state, and indeed to Nigeria as a nation and Africa as a continent.
“Christian Chukwu was a namarshal, and phenomenon. His exploits as a footballer united the country across ethnic divides and creed.
“My heart goes out to his family, Ndi Enugu, the Nigerian sports community and the entire nation over
this irreplaceable loss. May the good Lord grant his soul eternal repose,” he wrote.
Also, the NFF, NSC and expressed deep sorrow following the death of the former Green Eagles Captain and head coach.
Nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for his commanding presence and leadership qualities both at club level with Enugu Rangers and with the national team, Chukwu famously lifted the Unity Cup—the
Nigeria—on Saturday, March 22, 1980, after receiving it from then-President Shehu Shagari at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
Chairman of NSC, Shehu Dikko, described the death of Chukwu as a sad development.
Dikko said, “This news came to me as a big shock.
Chairman is no more. On behalf of the Commission, the entire sporting fraternity, and
indeed the Federal Government of Nigeria, I extend my condolences to his family and to the whole nation. Frankly, a big iroko tree has fallen. We are the chairmen leading the sector, but Christian Chukwu was the original Chairman on the pitch.
“He was so commanding and charismatic, decisive and assuring on the pitch, that the late Ernest Okonkwo called him ‘Chairman’—and to this day, that name is even more popular than his given name.
Similarly, in a statement yesterday, the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, described Chukwu as football.
Sanusi stated that the former Enugu Rangers coach was thecated, and disciplined leader
The statement reads, “We have lost a good and great man. a strong, dedicated, and dis-
‘Chairman’ for nothing. He embodied strength, vision, and consistency.
“We pray that the Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest and also grant his family, friends, and the Nigerian football fraternity the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
Also, Chairman of NPFL, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, described the late Chukwu as one of the icons of league football in Nigeria.
In his tribute to the late captain of Rangers International of Enugu, Elegbeleye said the story of club football in the country can not be complete without a good mention of Christian Chukwu.
“Christian Chukwu stands out in the annals of club football. He not only spent his entire football career in our league, he equally took to coaching the younger ones and went on to win the league as a player and a coach”, the NPFL Chairman noted.
real on 61 minutes. with an injury.
Yoane Wissa then equalised for Brentford with his 16th goal of the season.
Elsewhere, Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner as Everton dealt Nottingham Forest’s Champions League hopes a huge blow with 1-0 victory at the City Ground.
breakthrough and the contest looked to be heading for a goalless draw, but the Blues had other ideas as substitute Dwight McNeil laid a pass through to Doucoure to coolly slot home a late winner.
The MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays Lagos wrapped up in thrilling fashion after four action-packed days of competition held at the Yabatech and Unilag Sports Complexes. men’s and women’s 4x100m event.
In the men’s 4x100m relay, Team Continental’s quartet of Thankgod Igube, Emmanuel Ojeli, Chidera Ezeakor, and FavourAshe sprinted to victory with a time of 40.81s, beating Lagos (41.13s) and Benin Republic (41.96s). The women’s 4x100m was dominated by Team Continental’s Iyanu Bada, Janet Adesiyan, Temitope Olusesan,
and Lucy Nwankwo, clocking 46.49s. Team Tasued and OAU Spartans followed in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Emmanuel Ojeli shone in the
senior men’s 200m, claiming the title in 21.14s, ahead of Oriyomi Akala (21.80s) and Gafar Audu (21.81s).
In the women’s race, Patience Okon-George stormed to her second GOLD, winning in 24.11s, after her earlier victory in the 400m. Team MTN’s Miracle Uwem Donald took her second Silver (24.63s), with (24.65s).
win, secured another title in the Junior men’s 200m with a time of 21.45s. Team MTN’s Ezekiel Asuquo, the 400m champion, placed 2nd in 21.62s, and Eniola Shiro came in 3rd (21.64s).
“Concerning the group (Atiku and others) that came to see him, that is not our business. But I must tell them that history is about to repeat itself; they have a joint venture, which will not work. This is because they are just some kinds of particles that cannot come together.” – National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, dismissing the coalition talks by the opposition political parties. Ganduje to Opposition
Anytime people complain to my hearing about the lopsided high-level appointments made so far by President Bola Tinubu, I am tempted to gloat and proclaim: “Told you so!” I have never hidden my bias for the reflection of federal character, or equity, in appointments, employments and projects. My simple argument for decades has been that in a multi-ethnic society, every section must be given a sense of belonging, no matter who is in power. The truth is that in ethnically plural developing countries, marginalisation — or fear of domination — is a major root of rancour. This often fuels resentment and hostility. It inevitably slows down national integration and worsens political discord. I have been told to shut up many times by those who oppose my position on political inclusion. They argue that we should focus on only “merit” if we want Nigeria to develop. However, I still maintain that the political atmosphere has to be conducive. We need to build national consensus and sense of ownership. Every part of the country must believe that they have a stake in the Nigerian project, not that they are just a part of the furniture.
For as long as we keep playing cat and mouse with basic principles that are vital to the unity of a diverse nation such as Nigeria, the disharmony will continue to be a distraction. It will keep hurting and haunting us. We will never be able focus on our goals.
Those who make the “merit” argument often assume that it is the opposite of “equity”. The federal character principle actually means “merit plus equity”, not “merit minus equity”. There are minimum requirements, no matter where you come from. If this is being abused, that is a separate problem to be addressed in another way. Some people also assume that only their part of the country has merit. They think it is only when you appoint their kin into positions that you have used merit. If you appoint anyone else, it is “federal character”. If that is the case, why should anybody complain about imbalance in Tinubu’s appointments? Are we saying his appointees lack merit or competence?
There are so many prejudices we inherited from older Nigerians who lived in the colonial and independence eras — many of whom we generously call “statesmen”. They are so stuck in 1960 that they cannot see what has changed in 64 years. True, there was a time in this country when all the university graduates were southerners. That was when it was easy to deride northerners as “uneducated”. But we are now in 2025 and I make bold to assert that there is no part of Nigeria today that has not produced thousands
of graduates, many of them educated at the best schools home and abroad. You would be shocked to learn that all states now have unemployed graduates! Inherited prejudice will continue to blind us to the fact that every part of Nigeria has produced a fair share of university graduates, PhDs and professors. Every section of Nigeria now has a decent collection of professionals and experts who have distinguished themselves in various fields — law, medicine, finance, the arts, etc — locally and internationally. One part of the country may be more endowed than the other in some fields or areas, but that is a different argument. My point here is that we first have to discard this inherited prejudice from ethnic supremacists that they are the only ones who have merit when it comes to appointments. This mindset is definitely not based on facts.
More so, we need to be cautious about this “merit” argument. As I have told many of the proponents, is it only at federal level that we need merit in government? Is your state being ruled by “merit”? Are the appointees in your state the best professionals and politicians you can boast of? Which state in Nigeria of today can
The special relationship between President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari has witnessed many remarkable moments. It has experienced dramatic and exciting times, just as there have been challenging moments. Life changing and sweet memories abound between the two great leaders. Between the two great men, there are recollections of might-have-beens. There are also open testimonies about the gains of the partnership and words of commendation as well as scornful moments. Nonetheless, the two leaders have trudged on to the admiration of their mutual friends and associates, and bewilderment – I dare say, disappointment – of others who would wish both had long parted ways.
About pleasant times, one important moment readily comes to mind. It was towards the end of 2017, two years into the Buhari presidency. The former president was traveling to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, for the 5th African Union-European Union
Summit, which took place from November 28th to 30th, and had invited Asiwaju Tinubu to join his entourage.
Coming from Buhari, the invitation was a pleasant surprise to the then All Progressives Congress National Leader, given that the administration he worked very hard, with others, to bring into existence, had largely sidelined him after taking over power in 2015. The Cote d’Ivoire invitation, therefore, represented one of the few occasions he would be directly contacted.
As it turned out, taking Tinubu along on that trip proved helpful. Tinubu attended a couple of official meetings and engagements with the former president, including the meeting with the Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire. Buhari alluded to this during that trip.
Speaking about Tinubu, while addressing the Nigerian Community in that country on the sidelines of the summit, the former president had said: “I must thank our Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has brought me a very beautiful piece of information, which I was not aware of
until I sat down and read it. Thank you very much for your hard work, and I will discuss that paper with you.”
Many were wondering at the time as to what piece of information Tinubu had offered Buhari. But at that time, 2019 was around the corner, and Buhari needed to rally his troops for re-election. There was a need, in my view, to tap Tinubu again for his strategic support and rich political network. Each time Tinubu had any opportunity to visit Buhari at the Presidential Villa, it was to offer ideas and suggestions about the way forward for the government and the country. I know this as a fact because I was always there with him.
Tinubu had helped Buhari to power in 2015 after the General’s three previous unsuccessful attempts. An alliance between Buhari’s Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that had earlier hit the rocks in 2011 was resuscitated in the run-up to the 2015 election, engendering a working alliance between the North-west and Southwest. This was the alliance that put the
wind in Buhari’s sail and fired him to the presidency.
For the first time in a long while, the former president recently spoke on this valuable support and fine relationship with Tinubu in a telephone call to the President on his 73rd birthday. According to a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari underscored the bond between him and Tinubu. He disclosed that his family and himself remain indebted to President Tinubu and other APC leaders for the invaluable contributions they made towards the formation of the party, which catapulted him to the presidency for two terms, and helped to produce another APC administration with Tinubu himself at its head.
“No doubt, the annals of the country will not be complete without bringing into mention, and a recognition of the varied and numerous roles of President Tinubu as an entrepreneur, a party stalwart,