Intervention Restored Peace, Stability in Rivers State
Describes opposition's claims as laughable, nuisance politics
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Presidency yesterday faulted criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers State emergency rule by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the president’s intervention restored stability, democratic
institutions, and peace in the state. In a post on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD, presidential spokesperson,
Mr. Sunday Dare, described the ADC’s allegations of autocracy, manipulation, and undermining federalism as “laughable” and an exercise in “nuisance politics.”
According to the presidential aide, the president acted constitutionally under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), invoking
and restore governance at a time
Jonathan: A Leader Who Fails to Perform Should Be Voted Out
Vice
L-R: National Chairman of African Democratic Congress, Senator David Mark; National
Chairman, North-central, ADC, Senator Tunde Ogbeha; Col. Sani Bello (rtd); and Professor Festus Ogisi, at the conferment of Doctor of Science, Public Administration on Senator Ogbeha by the Benson Idahosa University, in Benin City, Edo State…yesterday
One Person Confirmed Dead, Four Others Injured as Explosion Rocks DICON’s Ordnance Factory in Kaduna
DHQ confirms incident, condoles victims' families
family and friends of the deceased, and wished a swift recovery to those injured.
One person has been confirmed dead following yesterday’s explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in Kaduna.
Several other staff members sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the incident and extended its condolences to the
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said any leader who fails to perform should be voted out of office if proper elections are conducted.
This is as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, called for the reform of democracy and its protection in Africa.
Obasanjo also denied allegations that he sought a third term in office when he was president, insisting that if he had wanted a third term, he would have got it, adding also that no Nigerian can produce evidence to support such allegations.
Jonathan, who described electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, said that unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
Jonathan spoke at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue, held in Accra, Ghana.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Communications Officer at Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Mr. Wealth Dickson Ominabo, quoted the former president as saying that where democracy fails to meet expectations, desperation can open the door to authoritarianism.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children, where their
of grave threat to law and order in Rivers State.
Dare stated: “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: under Section 305, the President has the power — and the duty — to act when law and order are under grave threat.
“What the president delivered is stability, the return of democratic institutions, and peace in Rivers State. Nigerians can see the difference: President Tinubu acted right. That is what
showed that it comprised 1.43 million bpd of crude oil, which grew 5.47 per cent compared to August last year, during which Nigeria posted a daily crude oil average of 1.36 million bpd.
A statement issued in Abuja by the Head of Media and Strategic Communications of the NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, stated that this reflected a steady recovery and improved
The Public Relations Officer of DICON, Maria Sambo, also confirmed the incident in a statement issued yesterday.
According to her, the explosion occurred around 10am at the corporation’s ordnance factory disposal pit, where expired explosive materials were being destroyed.
The statement quoted the
voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in the African continent is going through a period of strain and risk of collapse unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedom. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want a good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned,”
Jonathan added.
He also spoke on youth participation in governance, describing it as very encouraging, but emphasised that for the youth to succeed in governance, they need the wisdom and experience of older people to guide them.
posterity will remember him for”.
He dismissed ADC’s claims of federal manipulation, noting that officials in Rivers State were not reduced to presidential appointees but rather protected from chaos until conditions allowed for their reinstatement.
“To accuse the president of undermining federalism is laughable; as a former governor, no Nigerian alive presently has fought harder for state autonomy than Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
operational performance across the industry.
However, daily condensate production in August stood at 197,229 bpd, reflecting a decline from 220,435 bpd in August 2024 and signalling that the challenges in the sector remain significantly high.
Notably, Nigeria’s crude oil output in August met 96 per cent of its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting
Director General of DICON, Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, as saying that a Board of Inquiry has been constituted to determine the immediate cause of the unfortunate incident.
"On Saturday, September 20, 2025, at about 10 am, an explosion occurred at DICON Ordnance Factory Disposal pit, killing one person and injuring others.
"Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials for production contained several
Also speaking, the President of Ghana, Mahama, said democracy would not survive unless Africans actively worked to protect and strengthen it.
He warned that weak institutions, elite capture, exclusion, leadership deficits, and external interference erode citizens’ trust in democracy.
“Democracy will not survive if we don’t work for it. We need a reset of democracy and governance to ensure accountability. Anybody who wants to serve must be accountable to the people. Our citizens are tired of corruption, misgovernance, and lack of opportunities.
“To renew democracy, we must strengthen institutions, deliver development, and educate our citizens. We must protect the media and civic space. A free press is democracy’s immune system. Democracy dies when citizens lose faith, when leaders abandon integrity, and when institutions succumb to capture. But democracy can be renewed when citizens rise to defend it.”
On his part, former President Obasanjo, who was the chairman of the event, warned that democracy risks collapse if it continued to be practised in its current form without urgent reforms.
He said Africa’s current democratic practice is unsustainable and must be urgently reformed.
The elder statesman said
“What ADC offers Nigerians is late pontification and empty noise. What the president delivered is stability, peace, and order”, Dare said.
The presidential media aide maintained that President Tinubu’s decision was neither whimsical nor partisan, but a constitutional necessity to protect the state and, by extension, the federation.
Reacting to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s return to his role as Governor of Rivers
Countries (OPEC) quota, which is currently set at 1.5 million bpd, demonstrating the country’s capacity to meet its production targets under the OPEC agreement.
On a month-on-month basis, there was a slight 4.7 per cent drop in combined crude oil and condensate production from 1.71 million bpd in July. Similarly, crude oil production alone declined by 4.8 per cent,
expired materials for production which have exceeded their lifespans, including a large quantity of Ammonia Nitrates, Primer Caps, Propellants and others."
The statement explained that DICON had commenced the controlled disposal of the expired materials in July 2025 and had already safely destroyed the Ammonia Nitrates and most of the other items.
"However, the unfortunate accident of the explosion occurred
democracy was originally conceived as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Obasanjo, however, added that it has drifted far from that vision.
“Democracy dies because democracy has refused to be reformed,” he declared. “There are three aspects of democracy that cannot continue to exist the way it was as defined by the American president: government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
“In that definition, democracy is meant to be for all people. And if democracy will not die and be buried, democracy must be reformed in context, in content, and in practice.”
Obasanjo likened the failures of democracy to a local proverb in his part of the world, “the thing that killed the vegetable is the insect in the vegetable.”
He explained that democracy was being destroyed from within due to the way it is currently practised.
“The thing that is killing democracy and will kill it is the practice of democracy,” he warned.
“All the essentials that should be part and parcel of democracy are being ignored or bastardised in such a way that democracy has failed to deliver. And democracy cannot deliver unless it is reformed. If it is not reformed, it will not only fail, it will die and be buried.”
The former president, however, argued that despite
State following the lifting of the six-month emergency rule earlier imposed on the state by Tinubu, the ADC had on Thursday cautioned the president against interfering in the affairs of state governments, declaring that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the president to hire or fire elected governors.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, ADC emphasised that such actions undermine democratic principles and the
down from 1.5 million bpd in July 2025.
According to the statement, the month-on-month drop was driven by a single day of unscheduled maintenance at an oil facility in the Niger Delta.
In the month of August, the lowest and peak combined crude and condensate production were 1.59 million bpd and 1.85 million bpd,
while specialists were concluding the destruction of the remaining quantity of the expired items at the disposal pit on Saturday, September 20, 2025."
According to her, the injured DICON staff were receiving treatment at 44 Nigerian Army Referral Hospital, Kaduna, while the body of the deceased personnel has been deposited at the mortuary."
The statement extended condolences to the family and friends of the deceased staff, and
its flaws, democracy remains irreplaceable.
“Is there any real substitute for democracy as it was originally designed, government of the people, all the people. What we have now is a government of some people, by some people, over all the people,” he lamented.
He further criticised the interpretation of democracy as simply “government of the majority,” insisting that this perspective marginalises minorities and undermines inclusivity.
“And they talk of a government of democracy as a government of the majority. If you talk of the government of the majority, what do you do with the minority? Then the minority is not part of the people?” Obasanjo queried.
He condemned leaders who overstay their welcome and consider themselves indispensable, describing such an attitude as a “sin against God.”
“I think I’m not a fool. If I wanted it, some thought I wanted it, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, who will say I called him and told him I wanted the third term. None.”
According to him, securing debt relief for Nigeria during his administration was a greater challenge than obtaining a third term in office.
“I keep telling them that, ‘look, if I wanted to get debt relief, which is more difficult than
autonomy of states.
ADC accused Tinubu of masking politics as leadership, saying his actions in Rivers will define his legacy.
It stated, “On Wednesday, September 17, Nigerians witnessed a curious spectacle: President Tinubu directing the Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the State Assembly in Rivers State to resume duties after serving his six-month suspension from office.
“The President’s decision to
respectively.
In the review month, Forcados Terminal topped the production charts, delivering a total of 8.99 million barrels, including 8.08 million barrels of crude oil and 915,200 barrels of condensates.
Following closely was Bonny Terminal, which produced a combined 6.26 million barrels, consisting of 5.8 million barrels of crude and 418,270 barrels of
wished the injured speedy recovery. It also assured the public that the situation is under control, adding that there is no cause for alarm.
"The neighbouring community is assured that DICON, as a responsible professional organisation, has institutionalised operational safety to the highest level, and they can go about their normal business. The remaining materials have been made safe," the statement added.
getting a third term and I got it, ’ if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, stressed that democracy must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
“For many, democracy is all about elections, but that is a narrow view. Democracy is about accountability, discipline, and results. Unless accountability governs the relationship between citizens and governments, unless discipline permeates our social fabric, and unless results drive our public engagement, we will continue to sit on gold mines and oil wells but wallow in poverty. Any system, democratic or otherwise, will die if it does not deliver results.”
The keynote speaker, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, called on politicians to demonstrate patriotism through their conduct and commitment to democratic norms.
“A deliberate effort must be made to ensure that the lifestyle of public officers reflects service and inspires confidence. Politics should not become a do-or-die affair or a ticket to self-enrichment. Institutions such as the judiciary and electoral bodies must inspire confidence.
“Despite the appeal of ethnic or religious emotions, leaders must rise above being seen merely as champions of their ethnic or religious groups.”
arrogate to himself the power to suspend and recall elected officials in Rivers State, as he had done, is whimsically autocratic and should be recognised and condemned as a threat to our democracy.
The African Democratic Congress reiterates that what has happened in Rivers State over the last six months is a brazen manipulation of constitutional provisions to serve narrow political interests,” the statement explained.
condensates during the period under consideration.
Besides, Qua Iboe Terminal recorded a total of 4.99 million barrels, with 4.94 million barrels of crude and 50,500 barrels of condensates. Escravos Oil Terminal also made a solid contribution, producing 4.18 million barrels, comprising 4.08 million barrels of crude oil and 107,000 barrels of condensate.
John Shiklam in Kaduna and Linus Aleke in Abuja
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
WITH DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS…
Shettima to Lead Delegation to UNGA 2025 as FG Lobbies for Permanent Membership of Security Council
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled to open on September 23, 2025, in New York, United States.
This is just as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, insisted that Nigeria should naturally assume permanent membership of the Security Council of the United Nations (UN).
In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced
that the vice president would be joined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, alongside other ministers and senior government officials.
The ministry explained that Nigeria’s participation would provide an opportunity to engage in global discourse on peace, security, development, climate change, and other pressing international challenges.
According to the ministry, Nigeria’s engagement will be guided by its strategic priorities, focusing on economic growth, international peace and security, human rights, humanitarian
Afriland Properties Clarifies Fire Incident at Afriland Towers, Confirms 10 Fatalities
Sunday Ehigiator
Afriland Properties Plc has provided detailed clarifications on the circumstances surrounding the recent fire incident at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos, which tragically claimed 10 lives.
In a statement issued yesterday by the company’s Head of Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Chukwunonso Okafor, the company explained that the fire originated from the inverter room in the basement of the high-rise building around 1:20 p.m.
According to the company, while safety protocols were activated immediately, the thick smoke and intense heat spread rapidly through the building, complicating evacuation efforts.
“The smoke spread rapidly throughout the building, severely compromising visibility and restricting access to designated evacuation routes. Under these conditions, some occupants were forced to exit through windows,” the statement read.
Afriland confirmed that the fatalities — which included staff of United Capital Plc and officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) — were primarily caused by smoke inhalation.
The company extended its condolences to the bereaved families and pledged to provide both “compassionate and practical support” in collaboration with the affected organisations.
On concerns about delayed emergency response, Afriland stated that first responders arrived about 20 minutes after the fire started, contrary to speculation of a three-hour delay.
Addressing safety concerns, the company insisted that Afriland Towers is equipped with smoke extractors, fire alarms, emergency staircases, extinguishers, and other safety systems certified annually by both federal and state fire services.
It noted that while fire alarms were triggered, some occupants did not hear them, a situation currently under investigation.
“Afriland Towers has documented safety procedures, regular fire drills overseen by the fire service, and trained fire wardens on every floor. However, the rapid spread of smoke made evacuation extremely difficult,” the statement added.
The property firm assured staff and the public that the building would remain closed pending a comprehensive structural and safety review, post-fire cleaning, and regulatory clearance.
assistance, justice and international law, disarmament, and cooperation against terrorism, drug trafficking, and crime prevention.
Shettima is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24, where he will present Nigeria’s national statement.
His remarks will highlight the country’s contributions to global peace, regional security, and measures to tackle climate change.
Beyond the General Debate, Nigeria will also participate in several high-level side events. These include the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia; a roundtable on energy, oil and gas, and security in the Gulf
of Guinea; and the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium hosted by the African Peer Review Mechanism, which will focus on digital transformation, fintech, and AfCFTA’s digital trade policy framework.
Meanwhile, the minister in an interview with TheCable on Nigeria's plans at the next UNGA, said the country would continue to lobby to be elected one of the permanent members in the much-agitated reform of the United Nations.
At present, the Security Council of the UN, the most important decision-making organ, has five permanent members - the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France, with each having a veto power, and 10 elected non-permanent members, who serve two-
year nonconsecutive terms and are not afforded veto power. These seats are shared between global regions. Africa has three seats: Asia-Pacific, two; Eastern European, one; Latin American and Caribbean, two; and Western European and others, two. There’s also an Arab seat which alternates between the African and Asian blocs by informal agreement.
Nigeria has served as a nonpermanent member multiple times, with the most recent being in 2015. But over the years, the country has sought to secure a permanent seat of its own, a shared ambition with other regional powers such as Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, and South Africa.
Tuggar, in the interview, said Nigeria has a strong case to get a permanent seat and that it
was against the agitation by some that the permanent seat that may be reserved for Africa should be rotated among African countries.
He said: “Some figures show that 70 per cent, some even say more, of the issues being discussed in the UN Security Council have to do with Africa,” listing the multiple ongoing conflicts in Sudan, eastern Congo, and the Sahel.
Tuggar said it was absurd that decisions were made regarding these issues without a defining voice of the African nation. He pointed to Nigeria’s record as the only country on the continent with a nearpermanent status in the African Union (AU)’s peace and security council.
“It’s a natural progression,” he added.
11,749 People Killed, 420 Communities Affected in Plateau Attacks Since 2001, Says Fact-finding Panel Chair
The Chairman of the Fact-finding Committee on killings in Plateau State, Major General Nicholas Rogers (rtd.), has said 11,749 people have died between 2001 and 2025 in the state due to various violent attacks.
Speaking during a television interview at the weekend, Rogers said the committee presented its report to Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, in Jos on Thursday.
He said 420 communities in 13 LGAs of the state were affected
Nigerians
by violent attacks in the last four years, noting that the incidents included herder-farmer clashes, inter-communal attacks and ethno-religious crises.
“It is very sad that things like this happen in our own country, and people don’t even care about this state,” Rogers said.
“It is not only in Plateau but across states where there are violence and a series of killings, and I tell you that these figures that I gave you are only the recorded figures. I am very sure that the
to
figure is more than this.”
He described the report as “very holistic,” noting that full implementation of its recommendations will help stem the tide of violence in the state.
“The report is actually very comprehensive. It will be the political will of the governor and the people of Plateau to implement the report that has been submitted to them,” he said.
“If they do that honestly and sincerely, it will go a long way to providing the needed peace and
Be Affected
enabling environment in Plateau.” Rogers added that there is a need for the country to develop a conflict management mechanism to forestall future occurrences, noting that there is a need to reposition the security agencies, especially the military, towards providing the needed security of lives and property.
“There is always the issue of security lapses here and there, but you must prepare your military to be able to tackle such,” he added.
as Trump
Hikes
H-1B Visa Fee to $100,000 in a Proclamation
US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation imposing an annual $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications.
The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa classification in the United States that allows employers to hire foreign workers in specialised fields like medicine, tech, and engineering. H-1B visas, which currently
cost employers around $1,500 in administrative fees, are valid for three to six years.
The new policy is expected to significantly affect Nigerian professionals, particularly doctors, who often rely on the programme to secure employment in the US.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at a
briefing on Friday that “all the big companies” had been informed of the new fee.
“A hundred thousand dollars a year for H-1B visas, and all of the big companies are on board.
We’ve spoken to them,” Lutnick said at an Oval Office event with Trump.
“If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to
train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.”
The H-1B visa programme has been a flashpoint between Trump and the US technology industry, which contributed millions of dollars to his presidential campaign.
L-R: Senior Director, BD, Jesse Chao; AVP, Corporate BD, Vincent Lee; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Senior Vice President, Chairman’s Office, Arise IIP, Mr. Jasveer Singh; and Country Head, Mr. Suren Abeywikreme, when a delegation from Foxconn Chairman’s office in Taiwan visited Ogun State…yesterday
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING…
Co-Chairman, Health Committee, Dr Peter Nmadu; Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba; Director of Media in the Primate's Office, Sir Folu Olamiti; and Board Chairman, Advent Cable Network Nigeria Television, Rt. Rev. Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku, at the just-concluded Standing Committee Meeting of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion…recently
Revenue Agencies Rake N944.41bn as Tax from Seplat Energy, MTN Nigeria, Three Others in H1 2025
Kayode Tokede
Nigeria’s biggest listed companies contributed nearly N1 trillion into government coffers in the first half of 2025, underscoring both buoyant earnings and a tougher tax environment.
Figures from unaudited and audited filings on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that Seplat Energy, MTN Nigeria, Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank, and one other company remitted a combined N944.41
billion in taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other agencies between January and June.
This represents a 302 per cent increase from the N247.56 billion recorded a year earlier.
Seplat Energy led the pack with tax expenses of N411.6 billion, more than double its 2024 outlay, driven by higher earnings and a steep effective tax rate.
MTN Nigeria followed with N207.4 billion, a 189 per cent jump as the telecoms group
swung to a post-tax profit of N414.9 billion from a loss last year. Dangote Cement paid N209.6 billion, up 103 per cent, while Zenith Bank’s bill fell 37per cent to N93.45 billion.
Beyond the headline 30 per cent corporate income tax, which drops to 25 per cent from 2026, Nigerian firms are also subject to levies such as the 2.5 per cent Tertiary Education Tax, NITDA and NASENI charges, and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund levy. Analysts say the layering of
these obligations has widened government receipts, though reforms may soon streamline the system.
President Bola Tinubu last year set up a Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, chaired by Taiwo Oyedele, to simplify Nigeria’s complex tax regime and improve compliance.
“The rise in tax payments reflects stronger profits and tighter enforcement,” said Vice President at Highcap Securities, David Adnori.
Tinubu Celebrates Wife, Oluremi on 65th Birthday
Says her quiet strength, enduring grace have been his steadying anchor Describes the first lady as his confidant, counsellor, ready flame dotting his path Sanwo-Olu celebrates first lady, says she’s ‘our amazon’
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has rejoiced with his wife and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Also, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has celebrated the First Lady, describing her as a “compassionate and strongwilled” leader whose influence continues to resonate across the country.
The governor described the first lady as “our amazon” and prayed for her continued strength and good health.
In a birthday tribute issued late last night, the President Tinubu who addressed his better half as Oluremi Mi, said her strength and enduring grace have been his steadying anchor.
President Tinubu also described the First Lady as his confidant, counsellor and ready flame illuminating his path.
The president in the sevenparagraph birthday tribute to his wife stated, inter alia: "Oluremi Mi, as you celebrate your 65th birthday today, I honour not only the love of my life, but also a woman whose
quiet strength and enduring grace have been my steadying anchor. Through every season, from the long years of struggle and political exile, to leadership responsibilities, you have stood firmly by my side with dignity, patience, and devotion that words can scarcely express.
"You are more than my wife. You are my confidant, counsellor, and the steady flame illuminating my path. In you, our children and grandchildren see the example of compassion and faith, and in you, our nation sees the true strength of womanhood; resolute yet tender, humble yet unshakably firm.
"Nigeria owes you more than many will ever know. In every sacrifice you made quietly, in every burden you carried without complaint, you have served this country as surely as I have, not from the podium, but from the heart of our home.
"Today, as your husband, I thank God for your life, health, and unwavering love. As your President, I salute you as the First Lady whose warmth and empathy continue to touch millions of lives across our land. And as your lifelong
companion, I say that I love you more than ever, and am blessed every day by your presence. Your love is a treasure I hold dear.
"Happy 65th birthday, Oluremi. May the years ahead be filled with joy, peace, and the fulfillment you so richly deserve.
On his part, Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a congratulatory message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, praised Mrs. Tinubu for her contributions to public service both in Lagos and nationally, noting her record as Lagos First Lady for eight years and as a three-term senator.
“On behalf of my adorable wife, Ibijoke, the government and the entire people of Lagos State, I heartily congratulate Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady and the wife of our leader and President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday,” the governor said.
He lauded her work through the Renewed Hope Initiative, a pet project of the First Lady, which he said has touched millions of lives since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to SanwoOlu, Senator Tinubu has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the lives of women and children, spearheading empowerment programmes and philanthropic projects across the country.
“Senator Oluremi Tinubu is a great ambassador of our dear State. She has served the State passionately as First Lady for eight years and as a member of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly for three consecutive terms without any blemish,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“We are proud of her achievements in both private and public offices. Her contributions to the development of both Lagos and Nigeria are commendable.
“We celebrate Senator Oluremi Tinubu today and always for her kindness, advocacy for social justice, and philanthropic endeavours,” the release further read.
“As our Amazon, Senator Oluremi Tinubu turns 65, I pray for God’s continued guidance and good health for her.
“God will give her more strength and grace to render more service to humanity and our dear country, Nigeria,” he prayed.
“But companies must brace for further increases if new reforms kick in.”
Tax experts note that banks enjoy exemptions on income from treasury bills, government bonds, and agricultural loans, tempering their effective rates compared with manufacturers. Even so, compliance is key, they warn, as failure to remit taxes can attract branch closures or operational sanctions.
Chief Operating Officer at InvestData Consulting, Ambrose Omordion, argued that listing on the NGX enhances transparency. “Firms
that avoid the market often hide their numbers,” he said. “Once government and FIRS enforce disclosure, companies will have no choice but to remit taxes properly, boosting non-oil revenue.”
Corporate Nigeria’s improved profitability, helped by steadier forex supply, a firmer naira, and investorfriendly reforms, has given government tax takings an extra lift. With fresh fiscal rules due in 2026, the interplay between earnings, policy, and compliance will shape how much the treasury collects in the next few years.
In Coordinated Night Operation, Military Airstrikes Eliminate 25 Terrorists in Yobe, Borno
Linus
Aleke in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday disclosed that airstrikes carried out in a coordinated night operation on Thursday by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (ACOPHD) eliminated over 25 terrorists at Bula in Yobe State and Banki, Borno State.
This is just as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday restated its commitment to ensuring the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral communities.
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated that the operation followed intelligence reports from ground troops.
He added that a force package comprising Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and attack aircraft was subsequently deployed.
Ejodame noted that the ISR platform established contact with ground forces, tracked terrorist movements, and identified multiple hostile groups north of Banki.
He explained that real-time updates were relayed to both ground troops and base
operations, enabling synchronised action.
“Subsequently, the strike aircraft engaged the terrorists in three successive precision strikes on their movement routes and assembly areas, effectively eliminating more than 25 fighters,” he said.
Post-strike surveillance, he added, confirmed the presence of ground forces in defensive positions, with no further threats observed in the area.
Ejodame said the successful mission underscores NAF’s commitment to supporting ground forces, denying terrorists freedom of movement, and ensuring the security of Nigeria’s North-east.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, NAF attributed the recent surge in Nigeria’s crude oil production to sustained air interdiction and ISR missions in the Niger Delta region.
Despite the federal government’s contract with Tantita Security Services to protect oil installations in the maritime environment, particularly in the Niger Delta, the NAF said the rebound in national oil output was due to its own operations under the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (AC OPDS).
CHARTING A NEW COURSE FOR HOUSING…
L-R Chairman, Real Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria, Lagos, Dr.
Vice President,
Dr.
Director, Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of
Prof.
Founder/Chairman Housing TV Africa,
Legal Adviser,
Lagos, Labake Adetunmbi; and Secretary-General, FIABCI, Lagos Chapter, Osagie Alfred, during the Real Estate Stakeholders’ Forum 2025 in Lagos...recently
Again, Mutfwang Demands Creation of State Police to Tackle Insecurity, Dismisses Rumour of Dumping PDP
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Plateau State Governor, Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, has restated his firm support for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to tackle insecurity across his state and Nigeria.
The governor spoke while fielding questions from members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) who visited him at the Rayfield Government House in Jos.
The governor, who commended President Bola Tinubu for joining the call for the creation of state police, dismissed the rumour of his imminent dumping of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mutfwang urged the National Assembly not to relent in giving the needed push to make it a success.
“When we do have state police, I am sure we will be able to respond better and address many situations faster.
“I, therefore, wholeheartedly lend my voice to this call, and I’m
glad Mr. President has also joined those calling for state police. I urge the National Assembly not to relent in this effort,” the governor explained.
On strengthening local security to curb the incessant killings in the state, Mutfwang disclosed that the state government would, in the next two weeks, recruit an additional 1,450 personnel into the state security outfit, the Operation Rainbow.
“Yes, the security challenge has looked us squarely in the face, but we are doing all we can. By God’s grace, we will be bringing in 1,450 fresh personnel to augment security in the state. We are not shy of our responsibility to provide security for our citizens. We have not shirked this duty and we will not”, he reassured.
The governor said peace and prosperity remained the twin pillars of his administration, citing decisive measures such as the prompt convening of the State Security Council and
London’s Heathrow, Brussels, Berlin, Other Major European Airports Hit by Cyber-related Disruption
Chinedu Eze
Major European airports, including Brussels, Berlin, and London’s Heathrow, were yesterday hit by “cyber-related disruption” affecting check-in and baggage drop systems and causing delays.
According to airport service provider Collins Aerospace, “We have become aware of a cyber-related disruption to our MUSE software in select airports,” the aerospace firm said, after at least three busy European air hubs reported facing disruption and warned of flight delays and cancellations.”
“The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations,” it added.
At least 10 flights were cancelled out of Brussels
Airport and another 17 were delayed by over an hour after the system was hit by a “cyberattack” overnight on Friday, the airport said.
Only manual check-in and boarding were taking place at the Brussels air hub, which advised passengers flying on Saturday to check their flight status with airlines before going to the airport.
London’s Heathrow Airport — the busiest in Europe — said its check-in and boarding systems, also provided by Collins Aerospace, were hit by a “technical issue” that “may cause delays for departing passengers”.
A banner on the Berlin Airport website read: “Due to a technical issue at a system provider operating across Europe, there are longer waiting times at check-in.”
the establishment of a modern Security and Information Centre to enhance statewide safety.
He mentioned that a factfinding committee on insecurity in the state had submitted its report, which he will forward to the president and security agencies, assuring that the report will not gather dust and that the government will take action based on its findings.
“When I came in, people knew my relationship with former Governor Jang, and they said that Jang didn’t like Muslims, which was a lie, and that I am also anti-Muslim. But I’m sure now you can’t go to Jos North and abuse me and go free. You will not.
“For the first time in the history of this state, we conducted the most peaceful local government election in
Jos North communities.
“I think we had far better consensus in Jos North than many other local governments, because we’ve tried to ensure dialogue understanding, and that’s what we are building on,” the governor added.
The governor also reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP, dismissing the insinuations that he was going to decamp from the party.
Expressing optimism about the party’s future, Mutfwang said the party’s worst fears have dissipated for good.
“You want to know where I will be by 2026? By the grace of God, I will be where I am. I said it today to some of your colleagues who visited me earlier that my politics has been dictated by God and the people. And I believe there’s an alignment
between God and the people of Plateau State. And they spoke well in 2023, and what they said in 2023 has not changed, to the best of my knowledge.
“And so, I will always go where God and the people want me to be. And so, we’re in a season of anomie where each political season comes with its own dynamics. And so, you have to measure your steps. You have to look before you leap. And I believe things will become clearer as the days go by, but for now, all said and done, the worst fear people had about the PDP is gone. We got stuck at a point, but I think that PDP is back on its road, where it will get to, only God knows. But for now, I think we’re in a good place”, the governor reassured.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, NGE President,
Mr. Eze Anaba, praised the governor’s bold peace initiatives and the revival of The Standard newspapers, insisting that Plateau’s unique story must continue to be told by its own people. Anaba commended the administration’s effort to restore calm across previously troubled communities.
He commended the governor for the state’s progress despite facing numerous challenges.
The NGE president also praised the governor for his peace initiatives, urging him to continue working towards ensuring peace and stopping bloodshed in the state.
“We commend Your Excellency for the peace initiative you’ve taken and you are still making to ensure that peace comes and the bloodshed stops in the state.
Scores Fleeing Lakurawa Terrorists Drown in Sokoto Boat Accident
Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
Fear and grief have once again gripped Sokoto State following the death of several villagers in a boat mishap in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, as they fled for safety from a fresh wave of Lakurawa terrorists attack.
The Sokoto State Police Command yesterday confirmed the incident.
The Police disclosed that
search and rescue operations are ongoing to recover the bodies of victims still missing.
Officials, however, noted that the exact number of passengers aboard the ill-fated boat was yet to be ascertained.
According to eyewitness accounts, the victims were desperate villagers who had taken to the waterways in a frantic attempt to escape from marauding bandits.
But their overloaded boat
Umahi Inspects N761bn
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, yesterday carried out an inspection of sections of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road project, put at about N761 billion as well as the N56 billion AbujaLokoja highway, among others, urging the contractors handling the projects to ensure they meet the agreed timeline.
Speaking during the inspection,
Umahi reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to delivering durable infrastructure to Nigerians, stressing that despite some delays, the quality of work so far was commendable.
He lauded President Bola Tinubu for his support and commitment to the project, assuring Nigerians that the projects will be delivered timely for the benefit of Nigerians.
According to him, Tinubu has
capsized midway, plunging them into the river.
This latest mishap marks the fourth fatal boat accident in less than two months, raising alarm over the growing humanitarian toll of insecurity and unsafe water transport in the state.
Residents of Sabon Birni and neighboring communities have continued to live under siege, with criminal gangs and Lakurawa insurgents unleashing relentless assaults killing,
abducting, and displacing scores of villagers.
Despite repeated government assurances, the bandits remain entrenched in many parts of the state, mounting checkpoints, burning farmlands, and forcing rural dwellers into mass exodus.
The choice of Sabon Birni as the backdrop of this latest disaster is particularly symbolic, as the area is the birthplace of the state’s Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammad Gobir.
continued to deliver durable road infrastructure that will stand the test of time, lasting for as many as 100 years, pointing out that the roads were being designed with modern engineering standards, durability, and sustainability in mind.
On the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, he said: “We have informed the president that the time of completion for the project is 14 months for section 1 and 3 and
2. For section 1 and 3, a total of 118 kilometres was given at a total price of N252 billion.
“The president has paid 30 per cent, which is around N60 billion. Section 2 is about 72 kilometers by 2 which is reinforced concrete with 15 kilometres. It is going to be on flexible asphalt pavement. Total cost is N507 billion and 30 per cent has been paid, which is over N150 billion.
Tony Kolawole;
REDAN South-west,
Kunle Adeyemi;
Lagos,
Timothy Nubi;
Mr. Festus Adebayo;
REDAN,
New Era of Levies: Citizens Groan Under the Weight of Endless Costs
Across Nigeria today, a weary chorus of frustration and disillusionment echoes from markets to offices, as citizens struggle to survive under a relentless barrage of levies and surging living costs that make each new day feel like an unending punishment, Festus Akanbi writes
In the crowded streets of Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, the mood is unmistakable: Nigerians are tired, frustrated, and bewildered at how quickly the cost of living has spiralled beyond their reach.
Once celebrated as a resilient people able to endure hardship with jokes, music, and grit, Nigerians are now groaning under what many see as the heaviest barrage of government-induced costs since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.
From fuel subsidy removal to electricity tariff hikes, skyrocketing school fees, new telecommunication charges, and even the introduction of a tinted glass permit fee, citizens are asking one haunting question: Is the Nigerian government in collusion with institutions and regulators to squeeze every last naira out of its people?
Telecoms
the despair deepened early in 2025 when the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50 per cent hike in tariffs for calls, SMS, and data. The regulator justified it as a necessary response to naira depreciation, soaring inflation, and the rising costs of running telecom infrastructure. For operators, it was about sustainability; for Nigerians, it was yet another slap in the face. Call rates that once cost about N11 per minute shot up to N16.50. Data bundles shrank before consumers’ eyes, making the simple act of calling a loved one or attending an online class an expensive affair.
International Passport
If the telecom hikes were painful, the announcement by the Nigeria Immigration Service in August 2025 felt like daylight robbery. barely a year after raising passport fees, the Service again increased the cost of a standard 32-page passport to N100,000, while the 64-page, 10-year booklet climbed to N200,000. Only applications within Nigeria were affected, with diaspora fees left untouched. For families already battling school fees and daily survival, the hike made international travel, and even basic documentation, a luxury. many ordinary Nigerians, including students seeking scholarships abroad, traders hoping to import goods, and young professionals applying for foreign work, saw their dreams stall.
In 2024, when fees were raised from N35,000 to N50,000, there was an outcry. by doubling it again in 2025, the Immigration Service effectively priced the Nigerian passport beyond the reach of the working poor. Officials said the increase was necessary to “maintain integrity and quality,” but the people asked whether integrity was truly measured in naira.
Building Insurance
In another controversial move, president bola tinubu signed into law the Nigerian Insurance Industry reform Act (NIIrA) 2025, making insurance on buildings compulsory. On paper, the reform was meant to strengthen the financial sector and protect homeowners. In reality, critics saw it as another disguised tax. For landlords, the policy meant higher costs of compliance, which would almost certainly be transferred to tenants. In cities where housing is already unaffordable, renters are bracing for steeper rents. “they want to insure poverty itself,” quipped a civil servant in Ibadan, reflecting the widespread cynicism that compulsory insurance is just another way of milking citizens without delivering tangible benefits.
Petrol Prices
Yet, the greatest symbol of Nigeria’s economic trauma remains the removal of the fuel subsidy in may 2023. Overnight, petrol prices soared by more than 200 per cent, unleashing a chain reaction of inflation across every sector. Food prices tripled, transport fares doubled, and small businesses that relied on generators to survive crumbled under the weight of diesel and petrol costs. the government defended the decision as essential for fiscal stability, claiming subsidies were unsustainable and often corrupted by elites.
the ImF applauded the move as a “bold reform.” but for the average Nigerian, bold reform meant hunger, empty wallets, and daily hardship.
Rising Cost of Education
education, once seen as the ladder out of poverty, is also slipping out of reach. In march 2025, the Federal ministry of education announced a steep hike in the parent-teacher Association (ptA) levy in Federal Unity Colleges, raising it from N5,700 to N12,000 per term. this followed the July 2023 increase in school fees from N45,000 to N100,000 per term, a jump of more than 120 per cent.
Lagos State has since pegged boarding fees for its secondary schools at N100,000 per term, up from N35,000.
For a worker earning the N70,000 minimum wage, the arithmetic is cruel: after four months of toil, their entire salary is still insufficient to cover one child’s school fees. Education, once promised as a right, is fast becoming a privilege reserved for the wealthy.
Port Charges
the list of charges at the Nigerian ports is endless. thes ports stack costs at every step: core customs taxes (import duty, 7.5% VAt, 0.5% eCOWAS etLS) plus a new 4% FOb levy that has (controversially) replaced the 1% CISS and, in some accounts, the 7% surcharge, policy flux that has lifted payable amounts for many imports; NPA tariffs (harbour/ berth/cargo dues) that were adjusted in 2025; terminal handling, storage and demurrage; and hefty shipping-line “local charges” (documentation, tHC, amendments, container cleaning, etc.), often alongside container deposits and road/ haulage fees. Add mandatory compliance like SONCAp (registration and per-shipment certification), and any delay compounds demurrage/detention. The result is a clearance bill per teU that’s far higher than regional peers, costs that importers simply price into goods, making everything from consumer products to vehicles markedly more expensive.
Electricity Tariffs
Electricity tariffs have followed the same punishing trajectory. In 2024, Band A customers saw a 300 per cent hike in tariffs. by early 2025, households reported an almost 98 per cent increase in monthly grid expenses, according to a Nigerian Institute of Social and economic research (NISer) survey. Despite these exorbitant charges, most households receive only 10 hours of electricity per day, far short of the promised 20 hours. businesses, unable to rely on erratic power supply, are spending over 80 per cent of their monthly turnover on production costs driven by electricity bills.
The government’s justification, that higher tariffs will attract
private investment and improve supply, rings hollow when families are plunged into darkness despite paying more. For Nigerians, the experience is summed up in one phrase: higher bills, lower service.
Banking Charges
If school fees and electricity tariffs were not enough, the banking sector has found ways to deepen the wounds. In march 2025, the Central bank of Nigeria (CbN) implemented higher charges for Atm withdrawals, fund transfers, and account maintenance. While each deduction seems small, the cumulative effect on struggling households has been devastating. Customers complain of double-charging, hidden fees, and banks that report record profits even as their customers sink deeper into debt. For petty traders and low-income earners, the charges eat into already thin margins. “I sell tomatoes worth N5,000 and the bank takes N200 here, N100 there, it adds up,” lamented a trader in Kaduna. In a country where inflation has eroded savings, bank charges have become yet another tax on survival.
perhaps the most bizarre of all is the tinted glass permit reintroduced in 2025, requiring motorists to pay N16,000 annually to register vehicles with tinted windows. Ostensibly a security measure, the policy has been widely mocked as a cash grab. Worse still, touts and agents have hijacked the process, demanding between N45,000 and N60,000 from desperate car owners.
For many, this was the final straw. “Has the police become a revenue agency?” Nigerians asked as the force announced enforcement beginning in October 2025. The outcry reflected deeper distrust: at a time when insecurity rages unchecked across the country, citizens feel the government is more interested in revenue than in safety.
taken together, these policies paint a grim picture of life in Nigeria today: a country where the cost of living is dictated by endless levies and hikes that seem to arrive every other month. Government officials describe them as “necessary reforms,” yet the ordinary citizen experiences them as relentless punishments. the result is a collapse in public trust. Nigerians feel abandoned, left to navigate an economy where survival requires sacrifices that no human should be forced to make daily. What is most painful, critics argue, is the absence of empathy in policymaking. While ministers and lawmakers enjoy salaries and allowances among the highest in the world, ordinary families are told to “tighten their belts.” the gap between rulers and the ruled has never felt wider. In a land blessed with oil, fertile soil, and abundant human capital, poverty is not inevitable; it is manufactured by the choices of those in power. Each new levy, each tariff hike, each compulsory fee, is another nail in the coffin of hope. Nigerians are asking: how much more can we endure?
As the calendar turns deeper into 2025, one thing is clear: the crisis of rising costs is not just about economics. It is about justice, governance, and the social contract between a people and their state. For millions of Nigerians, the message from government policies feels unmistakable: survival is an individual battle, and the state is not here to help. In the end, the people’s anger may not just remain in whispers or social media rants. History shows that when governments push their citizens to the wall, the wall eventually goes back.
THE PATH TO PROSPERITY
Prosperity blossoms when citizens are first equipped to produce, to create, and to innovate, contends K BOLANLE ATI-JOHN
In the life of any nation, there are moments that call for profound reflection, opportunities to pause and consider not just where we are going, but the foundational principles that will guide us there. As Nigeria introduces a new vision for taxation, aiming to modernize and consolidate, we find ourselves in precisely such a moment. It is a sincere effort to strengthen our nation’s finances, and that intention is worthy of respect. Yet, it also invites a gentle, deeper conversation about how prosperity is truly built and sustained across generations.
The world’s most enduring economic transformations share a common, powerful story. They were not sparked by the collection of resources alone, but by the deliberate and patient cultivation of human potential. History consistently shows us that prosperity blossoms when citizens are first equipped to produce, to create, and to innovate. The resources collected by the state are not the starting point of this journey, but its natural and sustainable result. This is a lesson we in Nigeria have learned before, within our own borders, and its quiet wisdom endures, waiting to be rediscovered.
There was a time, not so long ago, when this philosophy was our guiding light. In the 1950s, amid the ferment of selfgovernance, the Western Region under Chief Obafemi Awolowo embarked on a profound experiment in statecraft. The central question was not how to divide existing wealth, but how to create more for everyone. The answer was a simple but revolutionary commitment: enable first, and the means to build will follow. It was a compact of mutual belief between the government and the governed. That commitment began with an unwavering belief in our greatest asset, our people. The landmark introduction of free primary education was more than policy; it was an act of profound faith in the future. It meant choosing to invest in the child of the farmer and the ambition of the petty trader, gifting them with literacy and numeracy, and opening the doors to a modern economy. That generation, thus empowered, became the architects of new industries, the stewards of strong institutions, and the living proof that an educated populace is the bedrock of a dynamic economy.
This belief extended organically to the land and its cultivators. Cocoa farmers, the lifeblood of the regional economy, were not seen as mere sources of revenue but as partners in progress. Through robust cooperatives, innovative extension services, and stabilizing marketing boards, they were empowered with knowledge, fair prices, and access to credit. Their success became the region’s success. The renowned Cocoa House in Ibadan, rising proudly against the skyline, stood not as a monument to taxation, but to what is possible when a community’s producers are nurtured and celebrated. It was a testament to productivity, not
extraction.
The genius of Awolowo’s philosophy lay in this practical balance. Free education was not declared in isolation, but funded through the prosperity of cocoa farmers who had been enabled to thrive. By organizing them, stabilizing their markets, and protecting them from exploitation, he secured a fiscal backbone strong enough to finance social services and infrastructure. This was not charity; it was strategic statecraft, where enabling producers created the revenues to sustain government programs.
This period was not a perfect idyll, nor was it without its challenges, but it was guided by a lucid and compelling principle. Build the capacity of your people, support your producers, create a foundation for enterprise, and revenue will naturally and sustainably follow. It was a virtuous cycle where government investment sparked private productivity, which in turn filled the public coffers, enabling further investment.
As we now look at our new and wellintentioned reforms, we see a clear desire for a strong, secure, and modern Nigeria. We can also, humbly and constructively, wonder if in our urgent need for resources, we might be pausing this essential cycle of growth before it can truly begin. The mechanisms, a wider tax net, a minimum tax rate, levies on digital transactions, are designed with modern goals in mind. Yet, they may inadvertently focus on collection from an economy and a populace that are still striving to formalize, to grow, and to find their footing in a competitive world. The risk is not of malice, but of mistiming, of harvesting the crop before it has had time to ripen.
Today, our small traders face a reality very different from the cocoa farmers of Awolowo’s day. Instead of being organized and supported, they are often left to navigate complex levies and compliance demands before they have the scale to survive. Our farmers, who still make up a large share of our workforce, grapple with poor access to credit, weak extension services, and volatile markets. The contrast is striking. Where Awolowo enlarged the productive base before drawing revenue, we risk narrowing it by taxing too soon.
We are not alone in navigating this delicate balance. Around the world, nations are relearning that the most powerful economic incentive is not a demand, but an invitation to grow. Our neighbours in Ghana, for instance, are making strategic choices to significantly lighten the fiscal load on small traders, startups, and producers. They are betting that this freedom will generate greater formal economic activity, foster job creation, and, in time, generate a broader and more resilient tax base for everyone. They are challenging us, by example, to remember that economic leadership is ultimately about nurturing confidence and unlocking potential.
Ati-John is a retired Rear Admiral
Kabiru Masari’s reliability is paying off, argues BAMIDELE ATOYEBI
ITHE PRIZE OF LOYALTY
n recent weeks, Kabiru Masari’s name has dominated Nigeria’s political discourse, sparking curiosity about his unique closeness to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Information has it that he moves freely in and out of the seat of power and therefore enjoys unfettered access to President Tinubu, and that his approval can grant or deny others access to the President.
For some, this raises suspicion about shadow governance or in the popular sobriquet, cabal. But a closer look at Masari’s story reveals something scarce in present times: a rare lesson in loyalty, trust, integrity, and political memory.
Kabiru Masari’s national prominence dates back to the run- up to the 2023 general elections. At a critical moment when the All Progressives Congress (APC) needed to submit a running mate for Bola Tinubu to meet INEC’s deadline, Masari agreed to serve as a placeholder vice-presidential candidate.
It was a delicate period in which Tinubu’s political future could have been destabilized, yet Masari’s presence held the line.
When the time came to step aside for Senator Kashim Shettima, Masari resisted all proddings and did so quietly, without rancour or drama. In a political climate where ambition often trumps loyalty, that decision though may seem simple and straightforward, speaks volumes about his character and person.
History shows that few Nigerian politicians resist the allure of power once they have tasted it. Atiku Abubakar, for instance, won the governorship of Adamawa State but abandoned it when the vicepresidential slot under Olusegun Obasanjo presented itself.
Most recently, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who rose to national prominence on the back of Tinubu’s influence as vice president, went on to contest against his benefactor in the APC primaries. Other examples areKabirulegion.Masari could easily have taken a similar route, insisting on keeping the VP slot, especially after the primaries when the stakes grew higher. Instead, he demonstrated restraint and consistency of character. In doing so, he showed that not every politician must place ambition above loyalty.
A critic like Senator Marafa claimed that Tinubu is a politician who “uses and dumps” people once they have served their purpose. Yet, Masari’s access to the president, and his respected influence despite holding no executive office, proves contrary to Marafa’s assertion.
They show Tinubu as a man with a long memory, one who rewards loyalty even without the trappings of official titles.
If Tinubu ever distances himself from anyone, it is often not because he forgets, but because of chameleonic somersaults prevalent in our present times, it
must be the person either tried to bite more than they could chew, never truly rendered help from the beginning or tuned rogue.
The stories of Akinwunmi Ambode, Lai Muhammed, and Rauf Aregbesola illustrate this point: they once enjoyed Tinubu’s political support but fell out of favour due to tainted loyalty or overarching ambition.
On the other hand, Babatunde Fashola, Gbajabiamila and a host of lawmakers from South West are examples of those whose consistent loyalty ensured continued relevance long after their first appointments.
Masari’s position is not about undermining institutions or operating as a shadow government. It is about the president’s way of repaying kindness with trust which is core of his political philosophy. In a political space where betrayals are rife, Masari represents the rare example of character consistency, reliability and integrity who walked away from power when he could have clung to it, and in return, earned lasting respect.
This relationship also sends a broader message: loyalty is not a weakness, and it does not always go unrewarded. In fact, it can secure privileges that titles alone may never guarantee.
Kabiru Masari’s story is more than a curiosity about who walks in and out of Aso Rock. It is a reminder that loyalty, restraint, and trust are powerful currencies in politics. It also underscores President Tinubu’s political style: one that remembers and repays genuine loyalty while recognizing the difference between true allies and opportunists.
If Nigerian politics learned to reward loyalty and competence in the same way Tinubu has rewarded Masari’s loyalty, our democracy would not only be stronger but also more trusted by the people. After all, who won’t want people around him whose reliability enables him to sleep with two eyes closed?
Bamidele is the Convenor of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA
Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
ISSUES IN THE AFRILAND TOWERS’ FIRE
The authorities should do well and enforce building codes and regulations
The death toll in last week’s fire at the Lagos Afriland Towers Fire has continued to rise. Although the blaze reportedly started from the inverter room at the building’s basement, it spread rapidly through the highrise, trapping many of the occupants on multiple floors. While the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has released the names of four of its senior staff members who lost their lives, other corporate organisations that occupy the third and fourth floors of the building have also confirmed that a number of their employees died in the incident. We commiserate with the families of victims even as we hope that the authorities will investigate the tragedy and learn sufficient lessons.
The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (IPSON) which is responsible for individuals involved in occupational health has raised several pertinent questions about response time and risk management, especially in high-rise buildings. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has also raised fundamental issues on this tragedy. “We are not saying that such incidents do not occur in other climes but what baffles us here was the sight of some Nigerian workers jumping out of windows on high rise buildings for fear of their lives,” acting president, Adewale Adeyanju stated. “One wonders if there were any significant safety precautions in designing and managing the building and whether the workers were adequately trained and prepared for such eventualities.…”
To reduce the increasing regularity of fire outbreaks and the attendant dangers, it is important to step up advocacy on the issue, conduct regular fire drills in public buildings, and scrupulously enforce fire codes
SUNDAY NEWSPAPER
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The real concern is that this is not an isolated incident, especially regarding fire incidents from electricity sources. Statistics from the Federal Fire Service (FFS) have repeatedly revealed that the number of fire incidents caused by electrical sparks is becoming a huge menace in the country. It was the number one cause of fire outbreaks in 2021 with 636 of such incidents, while electrical equipment caused 447 fire cases. But the bigger challenge is in the rescue efforts after such incidents. From lack of adequate equipment to shortage of water, emergency services are, to say the least, deficient in many of these tragedies. Sometimes, the problem is institutional.
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In most countries, it is not just enough to design and construct buildings, it is more important to make allowances for a possible outbreak of fire by ensuring the availability of fire-fighting equipment in such facilities. While we are aware that such codes and regulations are also available here in Nigeria, they are rarely ever enforced. We have had more than enough fire tragedies that ought to have warranted the entrenchment of various forms of mechanism by the operators of public and private places to reduce occurrences. Most irksome is that some of the incidents were caused by the careless attitudes of individuals who fail to learn any lesson from similar tragedies in the past. We therefore call on the federal, state and local governments to come up with sound and effective mechanisms to protect important places, buildings, markets and institutions from fire incidents. We also challenge the developers of these high-rise buildings to take precautions, especially in the management of their energy sources. More importantly, early detection is a very crucial step in fire prevention. This can be ensured through individual alertness, volunteer system and the installation of automatic fire detection systems at various points, especially in high-rise buildings. Our urban planners should also ensure that there are enough access points through which fire fighters and emergency personnel could gain entrance to put off a fire before it spreads. There have been several cases, especially in markets across the country, where limited access for the fire fighters made it difficult for them to attack the inferno which often razed buildings.
To reduce the increasing regularity of these fire outbreaks and the attendant dangers to lives and properties, it is important to step up advocacy on the issue, conduct regular fire drills in public buildings and scrupulously enforce fire codes. Until all the critical stakeholders take these issues seriously, fire incidents will continue to claim innocent lives and bring incalculable losses to the country.
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LETTERS
NIGERIA AND THE FIGHT AGAINST INSECURITY
The insecurity challenges in Nigeria, particularly banditry, have defied simplistic solutions. While the kinetic approach, military and law enforcement operations; has achieved some notable successes, it has not produced the ultimate outcome of sustainable peace. Instead, it has often fueled a cycle of violence between state and non-state actors, while local communities continue to suffer. To break this cycle, there is a compelling need to complement kinetic measures with non-kinetic strategies such as dialogue, community engagement, education, intelligence-driven peace-building, and socio-economic empowerment.
The kinetic approach is necessary but insufficient. It weakens the operational strength of criminal groups but fails to address the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, unemployment, social injustice, and weak community trust in government. In some cases, heavy-handed operations or errors in operations create resentment among local
populations, inadvertently creating new recruits for criminal networks.
The non-kinetic measures are designed to fill the gaps left by military and security forces’ action as well as reducing unnecessary pressures on security forces. These include: building trust through dialogue with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and local influencers, including the actors themselves; creating opportunities for youth through education, vocational training, and employment; rehabilitation and reintegration, including providing pathways for repentant bandits or militants to rejoin society; intelligence gathering and strengthening human intelligence networks within communities to prevent attacks before they occur.
In fighting insecurity, multi-stakeholder engagement is imperative, because national security cannot be achieved by the federal government alone. A sustainable strategy requires the active participation of state
governments in tailoring responses to local realities. Support from local governments in intelligence gathering and community mobilization is also essential. Engagement of traditional and religious institutions as custodians of local values and mediators in conflict resolution, as well as collaboration with civil society and development partners to address humanitarian and socioeconomic needs, is equally important. The government should also introduce local language media programs through the social media and other medium,to reach and enlighten the bandits and other insurgents.
The current approach of adopting a hybrid security framework that blends military action with non-kinetic approaches to create both deterrence and reconciliation is commendable. This dialogue approach should be institutionalized through community dialogue platforms. Furthermore,
establishing regular consultation forums where local leaders and security agencies exchange intelligence and build trust is also important. Investment in youth empowerment and the development of targeted programs for skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and agricultural employment to undercut the appeal of criminal networks should be built into the non-kinetic approach. Another important element is strengthening data-driven decision-making, basing security strategies on rigorous research, mapping of conflict-prone areas, and historical analysis of community dynamics. Fighting insecurity is a continuous process; any slack will have negative impact. Therefore, the creation of measurable benchmarks, as well as the development of monitoring frameworks to evaluate the success of both kinetic and nonkinetic interventions over time, will be helpful.
Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja
Idris Aregbe Manning Lagos Cultural Marathon
An anticipation of rooftop pleasures inside a Penthouse at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island culminated in an informal dining session with the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe who uncovered the looming marathon branded “101 Days in Lagos” in an atmosphere of banter, feasting and conviviality towards cultural reclaim. Yinka Olatunbosun reports
Networking is the new currency we have today
Atremor-filled ascent on the elevator was the only price to pay to see the beautiful skyline of Lagos on the way to the penthouse- and that’s if you exclude the usual snarling traffic in the city at the close of business. As everyone was ushered to the table, pockets of conversations were going on inside the luxury suite with a flank for chafing dishes filled with delicacies. The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on tourism, arts and culture, Idris Aregbe was quite the patient host who waited till every expected guest walked in.
Perhaps, anticipating that the journalists would switch into work mode, he calmed their nerves by inviting them to feast. A few dug in with caution. To what do we owe this meet-and-greet? The answers poured in later. Idris, as many freely addressed him, was excited about the ember season: one that would usher in the “101 Days in Lagos.”
“Lagos is not just a Detty December city. Lagos is a city that never sleeps,” Idris began while studying the faces across the table. Of course, his face didn’t look like one that was about to sleep even as the dark clouds settled into the skyline adjacent to his seat. Clad in pure white attire, Idris was excited about the cultural marathon that looms in Lagos.
A series of events had been lined up from September 26 down to January 2026 around arts, culture and tourism. But it isn’t about cultural bombardment; it’s a properly curated series of cultural events that would entertain, unite and economically enrich Lagos.
“One of the ways to add colour to Lagos is to play your own part and we cannot undervalue the contribution of the press to this. Sanwo-olu is very passionate about culture and he is always making sure that everything we do, we are able to compete on the global stage.”
Last year, during the Detty December period, there were reports that some performing artists escaped severe injuries as a stage collapsed alongside the installed equipment. But this won’t happen this year as Idris promised that the state government has developed what’s called The Lagos Agenda which involves traffic management, health and safety, environment, entertainment, tourism, security and governance.
“We are working with quite a number of stakeholders who are in this community,” Idris continued. “We have a lot of events that will be springing up in the last quarter of the year. What we are saying is that Lagos does not have a dull moment. On that note, we have a 60-day pilot test of Lagos Tourism Support services; we have safety services, KAI, LAWMA, LASTMA and we have built an ecosystem for that period.”
While reflecting on the general mood of diasporans when they return to Lagos for the holidays, Idris revealed how many are often reluctant to leave the city.
“We had some people who came into Lagos around December 18 and with the mindset of leaving around 28 and 29 but at the end of the day, January 10 we still see them around and they will tell you that ‘you know my work; I can still work remotely.’”
Indeed, the cultural marathon
is state-regulated but privatedriven. According to Idris, several individuals are looking for government support for their projects and citing the example of Afrojuju fest, Ariya Eko and a few more.
“Networking is the new currency that we have today,” he said while beckoning to his pal, the founder of Iwalewa Gallery, Femi Williams who sat casually beside him. Idris added that no sector will be left behind: music, visual arts, festivals and particularly food.
“If care is not taken, a foreigner will visit Lagos and will only eat Lebanese food. The Lebanese are the most owners of restaurants in
management and all that. We are not coming up with more events than usual. We are only trying to harmonise what we have to be able to identify happenings in Lagos.
“If you must gather more than 250 people in a venue in Lagos, you must register that event and in doing that, we will have it on the culture calendar,” he said.
Some of the highlights of the ‘101 Days in Lagos’ include Art X Lagos, running from November 6 to 9. Also, from November 14 to 16, there will be a cultural weekend that will showcase dance, wrestling, a visual art exhibition, Nigerian food cafes, fashion and more.
“The American Embassy is fully on board on this,” Idris added without delving into the politics of US-Nigeria visa restrictions. As a graduate of Political Science from the University of Lagos, Idris is no newcomer to the concept of cultural diplomacy. Hence, it is in that spirit that he rolled out the lined-up events involving the international community in Lagos.
He further declared that the United States Mission in Nigeria in partnership with RunwayJazz will present a musical concert on October 5 featuring jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra (New York) with Wynton Marsalis alongside Weedie Braimah, Shenel Johns, Herlin Riley, Godwin Louis, Made Kuti, Yinka Davies, Jerry Omole, Timi Dakolo among others.
Aside from the jazz headliners, Nigeria’s finest music exports such as Burna Boy, Wizkid and more will bring vibes and spectacle to Lagos at the Detty December period, which is now globally acclaimed.
While reflecting on Lagos’ reputation for its aquatic splendour, Idris revealed also that Lagos will host a major water sports event called E1.
The ‘E1 Series’ is a world-class Electric Powerboat Championship that will bring over 250 sports personalities to Lagos from October 3 to 5. The landmark event is taking place in Africa for the first time, in Victoria Island, and symbolises Lagos’ commitment to clean energy and climate action, promotion of innovation, tourism, cultural exchange, commerce, sustainability, water transportation and sports potential.
The championship places Lagos alongside Monaco, Venice, and Jeddah as a global host city.
While speaking glowingly of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his passion for arts, culture and tourism, Idris also urged individuals and partner organisations to live up to the standards set by the state to ensure a healthy cultural life in Lagos.
In his response to the pitiable state of some community theatres in Lagos, Idris said that individual approach, citizens’ attitude and lack of continuity may be responsible for the comatose state that the theatres are at the moment.
Lagos. Someone will visit Lagos and later return home to his country to tell stories of how he ate pasta, shawarma and wraps in Lagos. We have our own meals. What has happened to our pounded yam and amala?”
The rhetorical question provoked laughter. This was short-lived as Idris drummed in the seriousness of hosting events in Lagos and how the state would regulate the process to ensure best practices.
“Before you can have a show in Lagos, you must be certified by the Lagos State government. We need to plan for the events and the venues and be able to provide adequate support in terms of security, traffic
“One of the theatres was burnt down during the EndSARS protests and we are working on it now. The other four were commissioned to some good Lagosians who promised to keep them running. But we are not happy with the way that they have been run and we are in talks with them. Those are things we have put into divisions for them to be properly managed. But we have seen that some of them had been turned into a beer parlour, and that is sad,” Idris said.
Idris added that by adopting a forward-thinking approach—working closely with stakeholders in hospitality, entertainment, and culture, this looming cultural marathon will become yet another success story.
Aregbe
HighLife
...Amazing
with KAYoDe ALFreD 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com
of Nigeria’s rich and famous On Kachikwu and the Trouble with Memory
The trouble with memory is that it does not sit still. A comment made in passing can swell into a headline, then into a narrative that was never quite what the speaker meant. This, it seems, is the knot Ibe Kachikwu has been trying to untangle.
When the former minister recently spoke at an NCDMB lecture, much of the reporting zoomed in on his recollections of subsidy battles and refinery failures. What did not travel as fast were the nuances, the context, the clarifications. His friends insist there was no criticism, only respect.
They argue Kachikwu remains grateful to his late boss, Muhammadu Buhari, who once gave him the opportunity to serve his nation. To him, even difficult moments were lessons, not grievances. The idea that he left office in bitterness, they say, is little more than a convenient fiction.
His record, after all, was not a quiet one. From the “seven big wins” policy
framework to gas commercialisation, from enforcing strict local content rules to navigating the
Inheriting the Dial Tone: The Adenuga Daughters
The story does not begin with Mike Adenuga. It begins with his daughters, who stride into boardrooms as if they were born there, carrying not just the weight of a fortune but the hum of a family empire.
Bella Disu, polished yet relentless, has become the public face of Globacom. Twentyone years at her father’s side, she now serves as executive vice chairman, second only to the tycoon himself. She manages property ventures, sits on Julius Berger’s board, and still finds time to champion the arts at the Mike Adenuga
Centre. France even pinned a medal on her lapel, recognising her as a custodian of culture.
Across the group’s corridors, another sister, Afolasade, threads law with commerce. A barrister by training, she climbed to group executive director, offering legal counsel and strategic guardrails to Globacom and Conoil. Her résumé reads like a hybrid of courtroom and corporate playbook, her education stretching from Reading to King’s Business School.
And then there is Abimbola, who shares
Petroleum Industry Act, Kachikwu’s imprint remains visible. He even carried Nigeria’s flag into OPEC, chairing its conference and later APPO’s ministerial council.
But his life did not end with Abuja offices and policy documents. Since leaving government in 2019, he has been writing, teaching, and consulting.
The Harvard-trained lawyer who once dabbled in journalism now lectures on energy law across continents, with thirteen books stacked behind his name.
What keeps him moving? Perhaps the belief that public service is never a straight line but a set of curving roads, each with its lessons. He insists that speaking frankly about challenges is not betrayal but patriotism. It is the voice of someone who, even outside the corridors of power, has not stopped thinking about Nigeria.
And so, the clarifications arrive. Not as apologies. Not as rebuttals. Just a reminder that memory is messy, context matters, and sometimes the story is less about scandal than about perspective.
her father’s birthday. At Conoil, she sits on the executive board, helping set the pace of an oil company that remains a pillar of Adenuga’s wealth. Finance, operations, capital expenditure: her daily vocabulary hums with the mechanics of petroleum.
It is easy to think of them only as heirs. But that would miss the quiet choreography of succession, a plan stitched over decades. Adenuga’s empire spans oil, telecoms, banking, construction, and aviation. His net worth hovers above six billion dollars, yet his greatest calculation may be how to parcel authority among eight children.
Observers sometimes ask: Can a fortune be passed like an heirloom without fraying at the edges? The Adenuga daughters offer a provisional answer. They are not only carrying a legacy; they are remaking it, with steady hands and a different cadence.
In Nigeria, dynasties in business are often fragile, undone by ego or entropy. Yet for now, the Adenuga daughters walk as if the ground beneath them is already paved in signal bars and oil wells. The wonder is not that they inherited the dial tone, but that they appear ready to change the music.
Obasa vs. Agoro: A Lagos Tug-of-War over Power, Process
Where there is fanfare, there can be fury. So it wasn’t really surprising when the Lagos Assembly, led by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, raised its gavel against a quiet technocrat: Bode Agoro, the Head of Service celebrated only weeks earlier for reformist zeal and birthday tributes drenched in admiration.
The quarrel was not personal, at least not on paper. Lawmakers accused Agoro of letting appointees slip into office without legislative confirmation, as if democracy were a formality to be brushed aside. Salaries, they warned, would be cut off, appointment letters shredded, due process restored by force.
Yet some Lagosians know Agoro differently. To colleagues, he is not a plotter but a fixer, the civil servant who turned land chaos into digital order, who pushed property rights into the sunlight. His rise through the Lands Bureau was earned, line by line, through reforms that shortened queues and blunted corruption.
Still, institutions do not run on
goodwill alone. Obasa and his colleagues evoked the Constitution, citing sections like scripture, insisting that the legislature is no rubber stamp. The message carried the weight of separation of powers: respect the House, or risk paralysis.
Caught in the middle is Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, tasked with balancing loyalty to his Head of Service with the Assembly’s thunder. To ignore the lawmakers is to invite escalation; to discipline Agoro risks losing one of the state’s few quiet reformers.
And so, Lagos watches a tug-of-war dressed as civics. On one side, a Speaker demanding deference; on the other, a bureaucrat known for fixing problems without noise. Who prevails? That depends on whether the rules of politics outmuscle the rules of process.
For now, Agoro’s reputation glows brighter than the quarrel. But in Lagos, even the most diligent servant learns that reform is fragile, authority combustible, and today’s applause can turn to summons overnight.
Will Fubara Move to APC?
The trouble with Rivers’ politics is that it never whispers. It shouts, it jostles, it barges into the national stage like a restless masquerade. And now, with Governor Siminalayi Fubara stepping back into power after six months in political exile, the drumbeat is thunderous: will he cross to the ruling APC?
The invitation is loud and unapologetic. From Abuja to Port Harcourt, party officials are urging him to defect. They speak of opportunity, of leadership, of the chance to turn Rivers into an APC bastion before 2027. “Join us,” they sing, promising him the role of state party leader the moment he signs the papers.
But loyalty has its own chorus. The PDP insists that leaving would be a betrayal, a self-inflicted wound that could end his career. They remind him that he rode into Government House on their back, and that history is rarely kind to politicians who abandon the horse mid-race.
Behind the tug-of-war lies a deeper fracture: his feud with Nyesom Wike, the powerful predecessor turned FCT minister. Their quarrel once plunged Rivers into such turmoil that President Bola Tinubu declared emergency rule, suspending Fubara and placing the state under an administrator’s watch. That sixmonth freeze is now melting away.
As he returns, voices urge reconciliation. PDP leaders advise him to mend fences, govern with calm, and prove that loyalty can coexist with ambition. Yet the APC’s offer remains tantalising: a bigger tent, national backing, perhaps even a longer political life.
The decision is his, and it looms large. In the volatile theatre of Nigerian politics, defections are as common as rainfall. Still, this one feels weightier, charged with symbolism and consequence. So will Fubara leap or linger? For now, Rivers waits.
Comeback Rumours Trail Akinwunmi Ambode
The rumour started like a Lagos traffic jam: sudden, noisy, impossible to ignore. Social media posts in August declared that Akinwunmi Ambode, the soft-spoken former governor, would contest on the African Democratic Congress ticket. Within hours, the whispers spread faster than suya smoke at dusk. Except Ambode himself said no. Fake news, he called it, pasting the offending post on his X feed with the digital equivalent of a red stamp. He remains, he insists, loyal to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress. And yet, the rumour lingers, sticky as palm oil. The
question is, will the former Lagos governor get Tinubu’s blessings?
Ambode’s career has always danced between calculation and fate. An accountant who rose through the Lagos civil service, he surprised many by winning the governorship in 2015. But by 2019, he was out, elbowed aside in a family quarrel where Tinubu’s nod mattered more than ballot arithmetic.
In the years since, reconciliation came quietly. By 2023, as Tinubu won the presidency, Ambode resurfaced as an ally, even promising to lead the South-west campaign for his reelection bid. At grassroots voter drives, he urged Lagosians to collect their PVCs, framing democracy as both a duty and a ritual.
Still, his own ambitions peek through. He
hints at a desire to reclaim Alausa, speaking of building on past gains, correcting present missteps, and imagining a Lagos that hums more efficiently than the city’s overcrowded danfo buses. Whether those dreams align with Tinubu’s script is another matter.
Loyalty in Lagos politics is rarely simple. Power shifts like the tide at Bar Beach, and even denials cannot fully quash speculation. Could Ambode be positioning himself for a second act? Or is he merely playing the faithful soldier until opportunity knocks louder?
For now, Lagos waits. The city knows that in politics, as in traffic, detours sometimes lead exactly where one was headed all along.
Ambode
Fubara
Adenuga’s daughters
obasa
Kackikwu
Hilda Baci: The Jollof in our rice
For those of us who went to secondary school in the 70s, you will remember Ali and the Magic Coat. He went around saying that only good men can see the coat. People started pretending to see the coat so that they would not be labelled as bad people.
Well, I don’t see the link between my story and the Aliko Dangote story that continues to amaze Nigerians. Shebi you people call me madman, yet you read this column. Let me show you people some “madness” by starting this story with Ali and his magic coats to confuse you.
Anyways, Dangote has dropped 10,000 trucks into the country, disrupted fuel distribution and created over 24,000 jobs in one fell swoop. What does he get in return- fight, threats of strike and name-calling. Typical Nigerian way of saying well done and thank you. This has led him to say, “Some people are more liquid than myself, but when they see the wahala we go through, they just ‘jejely’ take their money to Monaco and rest.”
Need I say more, but to thank God for dropping a man like Dangote on this
side of the world. A man, who despite it all, continues to forge, push and make huge sacrifices for his vision and dreams.
I don’t mind being a sycophant for this baba, especially if you see all that he is doing. Taking risks, both material and physical, to ensure that he makes a point. NUPENG? He didn’t even remember their names. Even me too would have forgotten their names if not that I continue to thank them for the role they played in driving away the military. Since then, however, they have driven themselves into a certain kind of irrelevance. Not their fault sha, because of the dynamic change in their business and their inability to recognise new value points to plug in. Well, sha, they will be ok. For now, let’s pop the champagne. Kai, well done, sir.
Dele MoMoDU: A DIFFereNT TUrN
Shebi, I have always said that Dele Momodu, my egbon - the man has crossed 60 - is one of the finest columnists Nigeria has produced, and it is for this reason, and may be more that I always eulogise him at every opportunity.
In a brazen display of courage and confidence, Hilda Baci once again etched her name in the record books. She cooked the largest pot of jollof rice in a single swoop, witnessed by 20,000 Nigerians she invited to lunch. The Guinness World Records team had little choice but to validate the feat, announcing almost immediately the confirmation of her remarkable effort. Hilda is from my state, Akwa Ibom. Yes o, Akwa Ibom - on this matter, I am a tribalist. She first came into our consciousness when she cooked the longest and snatched the first world record for her attempt. Nigerians, being who we are, started copying her. Before you realise it, we started seeing some funny attempts
Anyways, I found myself recently in his luxurious apartment at the posh Eko Atlantic perimeters, eating several plates of rice and too much beef that I am sure my doctor would scream if he ever got to know. We met at the famous JK Randle Museum at Onikan, where we sat with the GM - or is it curator they call him - to discuss important plans for the museum and Yoruba culture. After that, we moved in a convoy to the apartment where assorted wines and delicious food were served. You see, the kernel of my visit was to collect costumes for my new play on Chief MKO Abiola, taking place in London, where Chief Momodu is being depicted, and the visit led to a long discussion on Nigeria o. Nothing I did not hear o. You know Chief Momodu has a front row seat in the Nigerian story – from Tinubu to Mike Adenuga. From Wike to Atiku. From MKO Abiola to Sanwo-Olu, down to even music and comedy. I sat down, mowing down the food and hearing some of the most powerful stories about Nigeria and its actors. After it all, I thanked him, entered my car and promptly fell asleep. Chief Momodu almost killed me with rice,
– longest kiss, longest yawn, longest singing – all sorts. This irritated the “people” who were even reported to have placed a ban on Nigerians on the matter. The euphoria later died down, and we moved on to other things. Suddenly, Hilda just emerged from nowhere with this new feat. Do you now see why she was nominated for the Power List as the only nominee from my state? I have been asked why the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was not nominated. My simple answer is: What is it about him? Mbok, my sister, well done o, is all I can say. But who is that “akusa” who was holding your hand and doing one kind thing around you that day? That is my only concern.
stew, dodo and meat. Egbon, please let me even ask, what exactly did you put in that stew, because I have been describing it to Duchess to see if she can replicate it to no avail. Mbok, when can I come again ooo?
AzUkA ogUJIUBA: A worTHY FIgHT BAck
I stumbled on Azuka’s “World Press Conference” where she stated very emphatically her anger and rightly so, at the way she was treated by the police for publishing a certified court ruling. You see, the last time I wrote about this matter, she was not too happy with me. “Edgar, you no write am well,” she ranted. “You think it is a joke? What if I were killed? You no mention the man behind all of these, and you no even put his picture,” and ended the call by calling me colourful names. Kai, Azuka is a stormy petrel that does not hesitate to jump vicariously into any fight.
Now this boy and his policemen have gone to look for the wrong trouble, and Azuka is giving them back powerfully, using what she knows best – the media to pour tomatoes and pepper on their ugly faces.
The truth is that, and this has always been my position, the ease with which anyone with loose cash can deprive anybody of his or her constitutional rights to freedom, due process and fair hearing in this country is now becoming very alarming.
See this Azuka’s case. A court had made a ruling, and she, like so many other media platforms, published. But she was captured like a wanted drug lord, kept in a dingy cell, and deprived of all her rights? We are truly in a Banana Republic, because this is truly the case for thousands of Nigerians where the courts can’t even save you – who is obeying court orders these days?
We are all left to fight for our rights the way Azuka is fighting for hers now, and for those of us with no media leverage like Azuka and no cash to deploy, we are left to prophets and juju men to save us from whatever trouble may come our way in this country of ours.
Azuka, you have my unalloyed support on this matter, no just yab me again, it’s not good na. Well done, a courageous lady.
AlIko DANgoTe AND HIS MAgIc TrUckS
ogujiuba
Dangote
Momodu
Baci
ALFRED OKOIGUN
A Life of Service Through Enterprise
Funke Babs-Kufeji pays glowing tribute to Alfred Okoigun, a renowned businessman who not only built a successful company, but proved that Nigeria has the talent, skills and vision to stand alongside the best in the world
Alfred Okoigun’s life work is a testament that serving one’s country does not always mean holding public office. Sometimes, the most impactful service comes from private enterprises that uplift communities, empower individuals, and strengthen a nation’s self-reliance. For over 40 years, Okoigun has proven that a businessman can also be a nation builder, showing that patriotism is not just about words but about taking meaningful action in areas like oil and gas, education, and youth development.
When he started ARCO Petrochemical Engineering in 1980, he believed Nigerians could take the lead in the oil and gas servicing sector. Over the years, he transformed the company into ARCO Group Plc, a diverse enterprise spanning maintenance and engineering, marine logistics, asset integrity, and advanced security technologies. This growth was not by chance but rooted in Okoigun’s conviction that Nigeria’s energy sector should rely on its own talent and infrastructure. By pioneering turbine maintenance alongside global giants like General Electric and Siemens, ARCO challenged the long-standing belief that only foreign contractors could deliver complex technical services.
Early in his career, Okoigun organised the first Gas Reinjection Seminar at the Petroleum Training Institute in Warri in 1982. That landmark event pushed the issue of gas flaring into the national spotlight and helped shape penalties against the wasteful practice. It was a bold move for a young engineer and set the stage for a career that went far beyond running a successful company. From the beginning, he advocated policies that would protect national resources while creating opportunities for Nigerians to take ownership of their industries.
The journey of ARCO has been marked by deliberate moves to strengthen Nigeria’s presence in key sectors. By acquiring a majority stake in Sulzer Pumps Nigeria, Okoigun returned advanced engineering capacity to local hands. The complete Nigerianisation of ARCO Marine’s fleet proved that indigenous operators could compete with top offshore logistics companies. The launch of Nigeria’s first licensed Drone Academy under ARCO Worldwide Services further underscored his forwardlooking vision, ensuring Nigerians are equipped to lead in new technologies.
Each initiative was about more than corporate expansion. It was about laying foundations for local content, skill transfer, and longterm national progress.
At the heart of Okoigun’s mission has always been people. Throughout ARCO’s history, the company has sponsored engineers for international training, built partnerships with original equipment manufacturers to ensure knowledge sharing, and invested heavily in building local expertise in turbine and compressor systems. Many of those trained now hold senior technical roles across the country, reinforcing his long- standing belief that the best investment any nation can make is in its people.
His vision has stretched beyond engineering. Okoigun has supported initiatives that showcase Nigerian excellence on global platforms. He sponsored the NEST Awards in London, honouring leaders like Professor Bart Nnaji and Dr. Oviemo Ovadje for their groundbreaking work.
In 2025, ARCO Group became the first private-sector sponsor of the National Diaspora Merit Award at NiDCOM’s Diaspora Day, where Nigerian STEM educator Voke Ogueh was recognised for her outstanding achievements in the United States. These efforts reflect his conviction that Nigerians must not only thrive at home but also gain recognition abroad.
Youth empowerment and sports
have also been central to his journey. Through ARCO’s support of the “Making of Champions” programme, athletes like Joy Udo-Gabriel have risen to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games. For Okoigun, investing in education and sports is not a departure from engineering but a natural extension of his principle of creating opportunities for Nigerians to excel, whatever their field.
His leadership is seen in ARCO Group’s various milestones: over ten million man-hours without a lost time injury for Nigeria LNG, a marine fleet that has expanded to ten vessels with a target of fifteen by 2026, and more than 7,000 air-hours of licensed drone operations certified by the NCAA. Yet, what stands out most is not just these achievements but the lives touched along the way, the young engineers trained, the students encouraged, and the athletes supported. For Okoigun, a thriving business must also be an engine for social progress.
It is no surprise that he is a Fellow of both the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Petroleum Training Institute. His contributions have echoed in major industry forums, from the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria to the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference. At every turn, he has pushed for stronger local participation, better policies on local content, and recognition of Nigerian talent at every level.
Looking back on more than four decades of leadership, Alfred Okoigun’s story is more than that of a businessman who built a successful company. It is the story of a man determined to prove that Nigeria has the talent, skills, and vision to stand alongside the best in the world. He recognised early that private enterprise could be a powerful form of public service. His life shows that building a stronger nation is not only the role of government but the responsibility of every citizen willing to rise to the challenge.
Today, as ARCO Group continues to thrive, its foundation remains tied to Okoigun’s original vision: a Nigeria where those with talent, determination, intelligence and creativity are lifted up and empowered to lead. His legacy is one of enterprise, education, empowerment, and national service. It is the story of a man who chose to build not just a company but a vision. The result of his hard work and vision shows that the most enduring legacies are those rooted in purpose, commitment, and the desire to leave the world better than it was found.
Okoigun
Anambra Politics of Tantrums and Insults
Insult, hate and bitterness are the words that rule Nigeria’s politics. It is often said that if you don’t want to know who your mother’s first boyfriend was, don’t dabble into politics.
The governorship election campaign in Anambra is already taking a dangerous dimension as contestants have abandoned agenda-based campaigns and are resorting to mudslinging, insults and throwing tantrums.
As revealed, the running mate of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Ekwunife, recently got dirty with the state governor, Professor Charles Soludo.
In a video circulating online, Ekwunife fired back at Soludo, who had reportedly claimed that she obtained a certificate from an unaccredited and unrecognised university in the US.
Refusing to be bullied, she asked the governor to go to court if he claimed that her PhD certificate was fake. She advised the governor to go to Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the University of Calabar to verify her Master’s degree certificates and first degree, respectively.
She also said that it is evident that the
governor’s professorship is just a departmental award.
Matters did not just stop there, as she also called the governor several unprintable names, while advising his wife to buy him a deodorant.
Ekwunife further warned the governor to let her be, adding, “We are practising social democracy in Nigeria, and all political parties know their candidate. Soludo has contested for governor of Anambra State twice before Willie Obiano imposed him on Ndi Anambra.”
Soludo’s administration, she said, has done nothing good for Ndi Anambra other than harbouring insecurity that has claimed the lives of many in Anambra, including two House of Assembly members.
Ekwunife described Anambra as a peaceful state before Soludo assumed leadership. According to her, people were usually excited to come to Anambra before Soludo became governor, but the reverse is now the case. According to her, the people are now fleeing from Anambra because of danger.
“All the bushes in Anambra state are full of corpses. Anambra was a state where people came
every Thursday to buy, but now people are running away from Anambra. You have failed woefully as a Governor.”
However, our source revealed that some political leaders and concerned stakeholders in the state have intervened to arrest the situation before it gets out of hand.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SNL Technology, Ladipo Soyombo, is not just a seasoned professional or an entrepreneur; he’s a harmonious blend of both. His journey has been a rich tapestry of engineering prowess and a very rich contribution to the nation’s economy. Even at 40, he has impacted so many lives significantly.
Fondly called Ladi by friends and colleagues, he marked his 40th birthday celebration with gratitude, reflection, and a commitment to inspiring others through his journey in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The event, which was held on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at the Delborough Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, had in attendance a seasoned entrepreneur and father of the celebrant, Kayode Soyombo, Chairman Troyka Group; Dr. Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman Renaissance Africa Energy; Dr. Layi Fatona; family, friends, business associates, well-wishers and several other distinguished guests.
Recalling his journey through the last 40 years, Ladi noted that the celebration is not just a time for merriment, but an opportunity to inspire, reflect, and honour leaders who have contributed to his growth. The oil and gas topshot revealed that he had never celebrated any birthday aside from the ones celebrated for him as a child, but decided to celebrate his 40th from an inspirational reflection perspective – “to inspire, to reflect, and to celebrate the goodness of God in my life and in others who have been part of my journey.”
He recalled that when he reflects on his life and the impactful moments that have shaped him, he remembers certain inspirational stories that instilled in him values, dedication, and ambition—such as becoming a petroleum technologist, founding his company in the oil and gas contractor space, and contributing meaningfully to the energy sector.
At 40, Soyombo’s focus is not only on building a stronger indigenous presence in the oil and gas sector, but also to inspire the next generation of professionals and entrepreneurs to pursue bold ideas with resilience and faith.
Soyombo holds a degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland. He is also an alumnus of the London Business School, where he earned an executive management certificate.
Before establishing SNL Technology, Soyombo worked as Lead Petroleum Technologist at Afren, a London-listed exploration and production company, where his strategies significantly improved oil output.
With SNL Technology, Soyombo is blending technical expertise with digital intelligence, serving as the authorised sales agent for Swagelok Sub-Saharan Africa to provide fluid system solutions to upstream producers, while also partnering with IFS, a global enterprise software provider, to introduce digital operations intelligence for asset management in the Nigerian upstream sector.
Under his leadership, SNL technology has continued its giant strides with offices in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Family Set to Honour Chike Akunyili Four Years after Demise
people’s suffering. Brainy and hardworking, he was, no doubt, one of the greatest minds to have come from Anambra State. But on September 28, 2021, he was brutally murdered in broad daylight by Nigeria’s ubiquitous “unknown gunmen.”
His death shook the country, not only because he was the husband of the late Prof Dora Akunyili, but also for his contribution to the nation’s medical industry.
Four years after his death, the family are still pained and distraught. They are, however, consoled with the fact that he lived a fulfilled life.
The children would be organising a special
remembrance for their patriarch with a free medical outreach on his death anniversary, September 28, an annual tradition to honour the late surgeon. The outreach will take place at his hospital premises, St. Leo’s Hospital, Nike Lake Road, Trans-Ekulu in Enugu, to commemorate his passing and to provide free healthcare services for those who are in need.
The free medical outreach is being done to keep the good memory of their father, who is known for treating the downtrodden and the seminarians for more than four decades at no cost, an act of kindness that earned him the Papal Knight of St. John International.
Tax Man, Zacch Adedeji’s Two Years of rescuing Nigeria’s economy
When Zacch Adedeji assumed office as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in September 2023, he was stepping into one of the toughest economic assignments in Nigeria.
The country’s revenue base was narrow, its tax-to-GDP ratio stood among the lowest in Africa, and an entrenched culture of inefficiency had left the tax system weak and underperforming. For many, it was uncertain whether he could deliver. But two years on, the results are telling a different story — one of vision, reform, and measurable progress.
From the outset, Adedeji made it clear that his ambition went beyond hitting yearly revenue targets. His vision, he maintained, was to build a tax system that Nigerians could trust, one that was transparent, fair, and modern enough to support national development.
Early in his tenure, he set an audacious target: to raise Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio to 18 per cent within three years. At the time, critics called it optimistic. But supporters saw it as the bold move Nigeria had long needed.
The first wave of reforms came through technology. FIRS under Adedeji expanded its
Oba Omolagba
digital platforms, introducing new modules on the TaxPro Max system and streamlining over 80 per cent of processes that once relied heavily on manual intervention.
For the average taxpayer, this meant quicker access to services, fewer trips to FIRS offices, and a sharp reduction in opportunities for corruption. For the Service itself, it meant more efficiency, fewer leakages, and an improved ability to monitor compliance across the economy.
Complementing this was the National Single Window Project, a platform that links tax, customs, and trade regulations, making life easier for businesses involved in imports and exports.
But Adedeji also knew that technology alone could not solve Nigeria’s revenue challenges.
The second pillar of his reform was expanding the tax net. With a tax-to-GDP ratio of about 10 per cent at the time of his appointment, Nigeria lagged behind even its African peers. The informal sector, estimated to account for more than half of Nigeria’s economy, contributed little to national revenue. Adedeji sought to change that by making tax administration more accessible.
New channels, such as USSD codes, allowed even small traders and artisans to obtain tax
identification numbers without internet access. Small businesses received incentives and streamlined procedures to ease compliance, while larger corporations and high-net-worth individuals faced closer monitoring to ensure fair contribution.
Celebrates Coronation Anniversary in Grand Style
and a steadfast commitment to the welfare of the community.
One decade later, his reign has been marked by wisdom, courage, and a deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of his people. His leadership has fostered growth, unity, and prosperity, earning him the love and respect of the community.
On Saturday, September 13, was a red-letter day for the sons and daughters of Ilasa Ekiti as the ancient town in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State roared to life to play hosts to hundreds of dignitaries to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their revered monarch.
The grand finale of the week-long royal celebration — held at the Pavilion of the Alasa Palace — was definitely one for the books. It was colourful, ceremonial, and graceful, drawing a large attendance of all strata of society: the mighty, the noble, the royal, and the common people.
The high point of the anniversary was the launch of the monarch’s foundation, Oba Ajayi Omolagba Foundation-an initiative to further coalesce his developmental programmes for the
benefit of the people of his community.
The celebration also featured, among other things, the conferment of chieftaincy titles on prominent individuals of the community and beyond.
While drumming, dancing and singing enveloped all corners of the majestic Alasa Palace, the title holders took turns to pay homage to the Oba, and at the same time, get royal blessings and their traditional paraphernalia of office.
During his decade-long reign, the monarch recorded a list-long of tremendous achievements that included the affirmation of royal weight, leading to the elevation of Alasa to a First Class status; the transformation of Alasa Palace to a befitting place; rehabilitation of the police station and mobilising for the commencement of Police Barrack project; modernization of the town’s market and the push for the creation of Ekiti South East LCDA with Ilasa as the headquarters among others.
Soludo
Soyombo
Adedeji
Oba Omolagba
Akunyili
A surgeon dedicated to his patients, Chike Akunyili was on the frontline to ameliorate the
Ten years ago, Oba Ajayi Omolagba (Odanaogun IV) ascended to the Alasa throne, bringing with him a vision for a brighter future
Intellection and Global Governance: The Festschrift
Honouring Prof. Tunde Adeniran and Strategic Autonomy
One major problem in contemporary international relations is the unending issue of insecurity and global governance. The cardinal purpose of signing the June 28, 1919 Treaty of Versailles in France at the end of World War I and for signing the June 26, 1945 Treaty of San Francisco in the United States at the end of World War II is to put an end to war making. The UN Charter, in its Preamble, talks about preventing another ‘scourge of war’ or what Abraham Lincoln described in 1865 as ‘mighty scourge of war’ that afflicted the US during the civil war.
Unfortunately, preventing a war is largely a function of the mind and how the mind is governed. It has been argued that war begins from the mind and can also end there. War is always first in the mind before taking it into the battle fields. For purposes of peace at home, many countries constitutionally opted for neutrality in their foreign relations. They include Sweden which has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815 and Switzerland which also has not been in war with anyone since 1814. Austria, Ireland, Liechtenstein, and Turkmenistan are also considered as countries with policies of neutrality.
The problem of international insecurity has been much thoughtprovoking to the extent that questions are being raised as to which countries will be safe in the event of another World War. Countries that are geographically isolated like Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji, and the politically neutral countries like Switzerland are considered as safest. Unfortunately, World War III is a matter of time because of the complex challenges militating against global governance. For instance, does Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel want peace in Gaza? How do we explain verbal condemnation of Israel’s genocidal crimes, on the one hand, and aiding and abetting Israel with the supply of sophisticated weapons in committing the crimes? Which of the P-5 of the UN Security Council wants expansion of the Council with the right of veto? Is the future of the UN bright if the 2025 UNGA had to be shifted to Geneva Office of the UN because of the US disrespect for the UN-US headquarters agreement by refusing to grant entry visas to the Palestinian leader and 80 others? This is the first background to the understanding of the Festschrift for Professor Tunde Adeniran.
A Preview of the Festschrift
In understanding the Festschrift, lets us begin with the title, especially in terms of the linkages between intellection and global governance. The title of the Festschrift is ‘Intellection and Global Governance: A Festschrift for Tunde Adeniran.’ What do intellection and global governance mean in the context of our analysis? What do we mean by intellection as distinct from intellect, intellective, or intellectual? Is the Festschrift not simply saying that Professor Adeniran is an intellection person? If we so admit, what is the place of an intellection person in the quest for strategic autonomy in Nigeria? What does the Festschrift say precisely? These are quite difficult questions to understand beyond the frequently raised issue of national interest. Without whiff of doubt, the Festschrift in Honour of Professor Tunde Adeniran, a politologist and former Minister of Education, is not only thought-provoking, but also why it cannot but serve as a catalytic agent of Nigeria’s quest for strategic autonomy. The Festschrift is very relevant to the new Nigeria in the making. Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has embarked on foreign policy agenda of strategic autonomy or self-reliant Nigeria. He is investigating how to build capacity to act in international relations without unwanted much dependence on other countries. But how does Nigeria engage in global governance which is generally poorly understood? What do we really mean by global governance and intellection?
The dictionary meaning of the word intellect is the ability to reason or understand or to perceive differences, relationships. It is about the power of thought, great mental ability. In brief, it is synonymous with high intelligence. An intellectual is said to be a person who engages in critical thinking and research. A
person who reflects about the nature of reality, about the nature of the society and who proposes solutions is regarded as an intellectual. What about intellection? It is the ‘action or process of understanding.’ It is the exercise of the intellect, of reasoning. It also refers to the outcome of such an act.
Considered as such, having a title like ‘intellection and global governance’ is simply talking about the process of understanding the complex question of global governance. As further explained by Google, ‘intellection in the context of global governance refers to the process of applying knowledge, understanding, and strategic thinking to complex international challenges and the development of systems to address them.’ More importantly, ‘it involves not only understanding and global issues, but also developing effective solutions and implementing policies through international cooperation.’ If global governance requires coordinating the actions of states, the actions between states, organisations, and other international stakeholders, how do we explain the processes of the coordination? There is no disputing the fact that the processes cannot but require continuous learning, adaptation and integration of diverse perspectives in order to foster collective action.
More significant, understanding global governance can be by quantitative or qualitative or historical methodology or a combination of two of them. When the Festschrift is using intellection to present Professor Tunde Adeniran, there cannot but be a first
This largely explains why there are many chapters dealing with questions of governance, insecurity, and indiscipline. For instance, it is particularly noteworthy that Professor Adebayo O. Olukoshi, a former distinguished scholar of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, wrote on “Nigeria: Character Builds a Nation, Dignity Transforms it” in Chapter Twenty-one. Is it not because of the despicable character of politics that forced Professor Adeniran to ‘Andrew’ himself out of politics in Nigeria? Who really is building a Nigerian nation? No one so far. It is politics of stomach adjustment and ethnic chauvinism that has not always been made beneficial to the people. In terms of dignity, does it even have any space in Nigeria where there are no efforts to put Nigeria on the path of nation-building? Professor Olukoshi undoubtedly has in mind a normal and decent society of politicians in writing his chapter. In Chapter 22 of the Festschrift, Professor Julius Ihonvbere wrote on “Re-inventing Politics in Africa: Towards Participatory Mechanisms and Principles of Constitution Making.” It is a chapter that aims at filling the vacuum of participatory mechanisms in Africa. Another good chapter it is. But what does this really mean for African leaders that see no problem in making Africa as a dumping ground for unwanted international criminals? If Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar is suggesting a holistic approach, strategic autonomy, as a new foreign policy grand strategy in building a good Nigerian character, then the Festschrift for Professor Tunde Adeniran @ 80 cannot but be a most welcome development. Joyeux anniversaire and several decades of healthier returns of the D-Day
assumption that Professor Adeniran is also part of the process, that is, he too is seeking an understanding of what global governance is all about. Besides, he must have been seen as an interlocutor of global governance, especially in his capacity as a distinguished professor of political science and international relations and as a former Plenipotentiary of Nigeria to Germany. True, the adoption of the title of the Festschrift suggests that Professor Adeniran is either a proponent of global good governance and hence the need to encourage special reflections on the subject.
Consequently, the importance of the Festschrift is best explained at two complementary levels: mania of the Festschrift and relevance to Nigeria’s quest for strategic autonomy. In terms of mania, the Festschrift has joined many other activities organised to honour people to whom honour is due. There have been many Festschrifts I have had opportunity to attend. For example, the Federal University of Technology honoured Professor Felix Akinsola Akinyosoye on Friday, 14th February, 2025 to mark his 70th anniversary and retirement from active service. His mentees surprised everyone with a book publication in his honour which is entitled Microbes, Mentorship, and Beyond: A Festschrift in honour of Professor Felix Akinsola. Akinyosoye. The editors are Professor Bamidele Juliet Akinyele, Professor Kayode Rowland Monday Ojo, and Dr AkinsemoluAdenike. The book addressed several microbiological questions.
In the same vein, there was also the case of Professor Femi Badejo when he turned 70 earlier in the year. His mentees and former students, as well as colleagues similarly organised a symposium, entitled ‘Politics is Interests: Interrogating the Role of Special Interests in Nigeria’s Development.’ It was held on March 4, 2025 at the Tayo Aderinokun Lecture Hall of the University of Lagos. Thus, unlike the style of ‘jollofing’ to borrow the word from Dr Reuben Abati of Arise News, eating and wining, music and dancing, thanksgiving services in the mosques and churches, etc., academics now appear to have adopted a new style of celebration of birthday anniversary. Organisation of seminars, colloquium, symposiums, dovetailing into academic publications are the current and common features of anniversary celebrations in modern-day Nigeria. People who are rich still construct buildings and donate. They give scholarships to the under-privileged in the society to further their education.
The particular case of Professor Tunde Adeniran is not different except that it is taking place at a time of special struggle to make Nigeria greater and all efforts at intellection, which are required for the articulation of the processes of strategic autonomy, have become a necessity. The Festschrift, which is in a book form, is still under print. An electronic preview shows that it has 22 chapters and a pagination of 570. Professor Gani Yoroms of the Bingham University and Chief David Femi Melefa, a former Commissioner for Education in Kogi State, Nigeria, are the editors of the book. The book is scheduled to be unveiled on 25th September 2025 at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan. Very distinguished scholars of note, nationally and internationally, have made chapter contributions to the book. They include Professor Adigun Agbaje, Professor Bayo Olukoshi, Professor Tunji Olaopa, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Professor Aderemi Ajibewa, Dr Ekwere Kingsley and Stoffer Howard.
Festschrift and Strategic Autonomy: The Relevance
As shown above, a festschrift is a compendium of writings published in honour of a scholar while strategic autonomy is about the action of a state or a region of the world to act independently in its own interest and without being overtly dependent on anyone. The Festschrift is also about intellection and global governance. What is intellection and what is global governance? What is the linkage or relationship between intellection and global governance? And more inquisitively, what is the relevance of the two to the quest for strategic autonomy in Nigeria? By intellection and global governance, we simply mean the process of applying the union of knowledge, understanding, and strategic thinking to international problems, as well as to the development of systems to solve them.
As further explained by artificial intelligence, intellection involves understanding global issues, as well as developing effective solutions and implementing policies through international cooperation. More important, it says that intellection is ‘central to the study and practice of global governance, which seeks to coordinate actions between nations, organisations, and other actors to manage shared problems, a process that requires continuous learning, adaptation, and the integration of diverse perspectives to foster collective action.’
Thus, when addressing the relevance of a festschrift to the quest for strategic autonomy, we are simply asking how do the festschrift, or the scholarly works, contribute to the development and understanding of strategic autonomy. Strategic autonomy is about rules-driven governance, military and politico-economic governance. Since intellection is also about the processes of understanding, the festschrift and strategic autonomy are nothing more than an understanding of the processes of how to make Nigeria achieve the status of strategic autonomy in various ramifications in international relations.
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• Adeniran
A publicAtion
A Teen-age Prodigy and His Gargantuan Visions on Canvas
In the hallowed halls of Nigeria’s National assembly, a 15-year-old autism activist and Guinness world Record–breaking artist is about to unleash a riot of colour and challenge the very notion of what is possible. okechukwu
Uwaezuoke writes
Somewhere in the otherwise solemn, oak-toned chambers and labyrinthine corridors of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja—where the air is more often thick with procedure than with poetry, and where debates drone on until they begin to take on spectral forms—an event not usually associated with the space is about to happen. Come November, those hallowed halls will shimmer, even thrum, with the riotous energy of colour: the audacious palette of Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke.
At 15 years and already a Guinness World Record–breaker, Kanyeyachukwu is no ordinary prodigy. His work, which shuns the polite etiquette of hanging tamely on a wall, bursts forth with the unexpected punch of a well-timed interjection. And the Lawmakers—those seasoned wielders of gavels, clauses, and occasionally theatrical indignation—will suddenly find themselves staring down a different kind of argument, one made in oils, acrylics, and vision.
Chief among the works to be unveiled are prints of his Guinness world record-shattering masterpiece, “Impossibility Is a Myth”, a painting so colossal it makes legislative ambition look like a footnote. The title itself is no meek christening, but a bold provocation: a challenge to convention, a pointed question about the boundaries of what’s possible. And the exhibition? It bears the teasingly elegant name The Myth. A title that whispers, prods, and challenges at once—inviting all who enter to consider not only the art, but also the fragile constructs humans live by.
Yet the story of this vast work, titled “Impossibility is a Myth”, defies simple telling. Measuring an almost surreal 12,303 square metres, it is more landscape than painting, demanding the aerial gaze of drones or birds to even be comprehended. Before its prints grace the august halls of the National Assembly, the painting will have had another dramatic outing: an October unveiling at Lagos’s Eko Atlantic Marina, the first time such a recordbreaking canvas will be shown against an ocean horizon. While Abuja lends its stately backdrop, Lagos will bring its vibrant energy. For the Tagbo-Okekes, however, these public stagings are the culmination of a long, arduous journey – one that began in quiet moments
of struggle, patience, and unwavering dedication.
The idea—arguably a pivotal moment in Kanyeyachukwu’s already lustrous career—sprang from his mother’s quiet insight. Sylvia Tagbo-Okeke had long since learned to read her son’s idiosyncrasies. His autism diagnosis, far from limiting him, seemed instead to funnel his restless energies into colour and form. From the first scribbles that crept onto the walls of their Abuja home to the early canvases seething with swirls and emojis, it became obvious that his true language was not words but pigments. Exhibitions abroad soon followed, even a Flame of Peace ambassadorship in Austria. Yet for Sylvia, these milestones, glittering though they were, still felt incomplete. Her son needed a challenge big enough to harness his unbridled energies—something audacious enough to silence doubters, and at the same time, draw him deeper into himself.
Her proposal bordered on the quixotic: why not attempt a Guinness World Record? Why not allow the boy to paint on a scale so immense that it would dwarf football fields, rewriting not just expectations of him but of what art could be in Nigeria?
The logistics, of course, were forbidding. Permission was needed for a site vast enough to host the undertaking. Letters went out: to ministries, to parastatals, to the police, even…Eventually, it was the Nigerian Army, through the Chief of Defence Staff, that replied with unexpected generosity. Not only would they approve the venture, they would also provide grounds at the 17th Division in Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory.
And so it was that soldiers—custodians of order and precision—became unlikely midwives of art. They cleared grounds, secured the space, and extended courtesies rarely granted to civilians. “We got the full and maximum cooperation of every military officer,” Tagbo Okeke, Kanyeyachukwu’s father, later intimated.
For once, barracks became atelier. Canvas, however, remained a formidable challenge. To procure fabric in such quantities, Sylvia undertook repeated trips – four precisely – to Aba the southeastern town whose sprawling markets are synonymous with industry and improvisation. The rolls of cloth, once stitched together, resembled some mythical carpet, spread across the army grounds like a terrain awaiting cartographers. It was there, in Gwagwalada, that Kanye— tentative at first—laid his first brushstroke.
A line that seemed ordinary enough, but one that initiated the transformation of cloth into canvas, dream into reality. Yet the field proved inhospitable: the heat unrelenting, the dust intrusive. Soon, the massive work was relocated to JC-Best International School in Lifecamp, another Abuja neighbourhood. There, under a roof but amid new distractions, the boy laboured. Students peered curiously. Some days he withdrew entirely, refusing to touch the brush. At other times, he painted with a ferocity that astonished even his parents. Food, patience, and a steady
stitching the canvases together at the Eagle
supply of acrylics became as essential as inspiration. Donors rallied. Paint was provided in quantities that staggered. What had been expected to last six to eight months concluded in less than three.
At the heart of the finished canvas lay the infinity symbol, chosen instinctively by the boy. Around it danced his characteristic emoji motifs, scattered like constellations. The composition was less image than cosmos, expansive enough to contain his silences, his bursts of energy, his own looping cycles of withdrawal and return.
For Guinness, spectacle was never enough. The Records Management Team had to review the evidence to confirm whether the record has been successfully achieved. This, of course, took some time. Eventually the verdict arrived: Kanyeyachukwu’s painting had indeed broken the record, establishing him as the youngest African artist to do so.
April 2—World Autism Awareness Day— was chosen for the ceremonial presentation at Eagle Square. The choice was symbolic, almost too neatly so. There, under the pitiless Abuja sun, the Guinness World Records official handed over the certificate. The boy, more hesitant than triumphant, accepted it with an air of quiet bewilderment. His mother’s applause must have been the most fervent, reflecting her dreams and prayers for him. Cameras clicked. For a brief moment, autism’s silences and eccentricities ceded to art’s grandeur.
Now, as October approaches, attention shifts towards Lagos. The Eko Atlantic Marina will stage the first public unveiling of Impossibility is a Myth. Against the sea, the vast canvas will unspool as though it were part of the horizon itself. It will be a gesture unprecedented anywhere: no other Guinness World Record artwork has been revealed in such a setting. And November will carry the momentum to Abuja, where The Myth exhibition at the National Assembly promises a more contemplative encounter. For what the work ultimately gestures towards is not just the scale of one teenager’s achievement, but the endurance of faith, patience, and improbable cooperation.
Kanyenyachukwu being presented with the Guinness World Records certificate by the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa at the Eagle Square, Abuja
Kanyenyachukwu working on the Guinness world record-breaking painting
Kanyenyachukwu
Square, Abuja
IN THE ARENA
Who Succeeds Yakubu as INEC Chairman?
As the two-term tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, winds down nextmonth, Davidson Iriekpen writes that thechoice of his successor will not only significantly impact the credibility of the 2027 elections, but also shape the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process
After serving the maximum two terms of 10 years, Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s long reign as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will end next month. The crucial questions many are asking are: What would he be remembered for? Did he save our democracy or slowly strangle it under the weight of unfulfilled promises?
In the years he led the commission, Yakubu oversaw two general elections in 2019 and 2023, making him the longest-serving INEC chairman since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. The outgoing INEC chairman, who succeeded Professor Attahiru Jega, was appointed by Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Though many saw INEC under Yakubu as a scourge, his departure is, however, drawing attention because the choice of his successor will significantly impact the credibility of the 2027 elections, particularly as President Bola Tinubu is expected to run for re-election. His replacement will be pivotal, as the public perception of INEC’s neutrality is crucial to the legitimacy and integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.
While his poor handling of the 2019 elections was overlooked, the 2023 general election faced a lot of criticism from many Nigerians, including opposition parties. Technical failures of critical election technologies, along with logistical delays, prompted allegations of bias and incompetence. This led to repeated clamour for his removal from office, which was ignored.
By introducing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Result Viewing portal (IReV), which promised real-time accreditation and transmission of results, Yakubu raised expectations of credibility. Many Nigerians believed the 2023 general election would finally be different - a digital firewall against rigging and manipulation.
For this reason, they trooped out in hope, only to watch their dream shattered on collation night like a cheap glass. The failure of real-time result uploads became a scar that refused to heal. Trust, the lifeblood of any democracy, was drained away in a matter of hours.
If the general elections were messy, off-season polls under the outgoing INEC boss were a carnival of malpractices. From Anambra to Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo, to Edo states, a dark pattern emerged: Logistics nightmares haunted every cycle like a bad spirit. Vote buying became the currency of
power. Collusion between politicians and compromised INEC officials turned the electoral process into a farce.
Last month’s off-season election, supposedly his sent-forth gift, was marred by confusion and violence in about 16 constituencies across 12 states, with security officers arresting officials of the commission and 288 thugs in Ogun, Kano, and Kaduna states, as well as widespread allegations of vote buying.
Though Yakubu promised zero tolerance for malpractices, these irregularities thrived. On many occasions, many accused him of bending under pressure. His insistence on sticking to timelines in 2023, even when logistics and technical readiness were in doubt, backfired.
In Ghana, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan became a continental symbol of electoral integrity by insisting on transparency and accountability, even under immense political pressure. In South Africa, the Independent Electoral Commission earned global admiration for its role in stabilising democracy after apartheid.
Also, in India, the world’s largest democracy, election commissions deploy cutting-edge technology and ruthless enforcement of electoral laws, ensuring near-zero tolerance for malpractice. In contrast, technology was introduced in Ni-
geria but allowed to fail at the most critical hour.
In January, the outgoing INEC chair came under attack for hailing Ghana for conducting a credible election that saw an opposition leader, John Mahama, emerge victorious as president when he could not replicate the same at home.
Besides the transparency that characterised the Ghanaian elections, the results were known within 24 hours after the polls, unlike the Nigerian presidential election conducted under his watch that took five days and kept the country and the entire world in serious suspense.
This is why many are wondering, since the next INEC chairman will preside over elections that will define Nigeria’s democratic future, who would the person be?
Under the law, the president nominates the candidate after consulting the Council of State, then forwards the name to the Senate for confirmation. However, because the president chairs the council and usually controls the Senate through his party, there’s significant room for political influence in the process.
It is for this reason that many are calling on President Tinubu to nominate a credible, independent figure and someone with the spine of steel to resist the temptations and terrors of Nigerian politics.
p OLITICAL NOT e S
The new umpire must not just be a technocrat; he must be a reformer, an activist for transparency, a relentless enemy of electoral fraud.
They also demand that he borrow a leaf from former presidents who had resisted the temptation of appointing their kinsmen from the regions and supporters of their political parties as INEC chairpersons to avoid raising suspicions about the commission’s neutrality.
For instance, President Olusegun Obasanjo (South-west) appointed Abel Guobadia (Southsouth) and Maurice Iwu (South-east). President Goodluck Jonathan (South-south) appointed Attahiru Jega (North-west), and President Muhammadu Buhari (North-west) appointed Yakubu (North-east).
Those who spoke to THISDAY in confidence warned that the appointment of a new INEC chair should not follow Tinubu’s current appointments that disproportionately favoured the Southwest.
They warned that since he is expected to run for re-election, if the choice of Yakubu’s successor is compromised, not only will it significantly impact the credibility of the 2027 elections, but Nigeria’s democracy will continue to wobble and drift to the precipice.
Besides the appointment of a credible person as INEC chair, there are also the fear of imposing card-carrying members of political parties as national commissioners and states’ Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) which is considered as a flagrant violation of Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended that states: “A member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.”
In recent times, Nigerians have continued to witness the biases exhibited by these INEC National Commissioners and RECs during elections, thereby tainting the polls and embarrassing the commission and nation.
Democracy is not all about casting ballots; it also includes those who manage the process, their level of credibility, and integrity.
This is why, when considering anyone as Yakubu’s replacement, he or she must not only be a person with proven integrity but also completely neutral to restore trust, hope, and confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Democracy thrives when arbiters remain neutral, courageous, and consistent in the face of political pressure. Nigeria’s democratic future and socio-economic development depend on bold and unbiased decisions.
N’Assembly Clerk’s Capitulation on Natasha
Two weeks after the Clerk to the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, rejected a request by the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha AkpotiUduaghan,toresumelegislativedutiesaftertheexpiration of her six-month suspension, he has capitulated.
Last week, his office said it lacked the power to stop thesuspendedsenatorfromresuminglegislativeduties.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who was suspended after a clash with Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements during plenary, recently wrote a letter informing the clerk that she would resume her legislative duties following the expiration of her sixmonth suspension slammed on her in March.
But Danzaria in his response, rejected the senator’s request, saying her six-month suspension remains in force pending the outcome of the appeal she instituted
against the Senate at the Court of Appeal.
The clerk argued that no administrative action can be taken until the Court of Appeal delivers a verdict, stressing that the matter is still subjudice.
Danzaria’s response had sparked outrage with many condemning him and questioning his authority to issue the directive.
Following the backlash that greeted the clerk’s rejection of Natasha’s request, his office last Monday distanced itself from the reports.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information, Mullah Bi-Allah, the office of the clerk clarified that it merely functions as an administrative arm of the legislature and cannot review or overturn resolutions of the Senate.
Bi-Allah stressed that such communication should
ordinarily be addressed to the Senate President in line withparliamentaryprotocol.Heclarifiedthattheoffice of the clerk functions strictly as an administrative arm, supportingthesenateinlinewithitsresolutions,standing orders, and the 1999 Constitution.
He, however, added that the correspondence was forwarded to the red chamber’s leadership, which observed that the matter is still before the Court of Appeal.
Danzaria’s capitulation is what happens when overzealous officials overreach themselves.
When the clerk received Natasha’s letter, he should havetoldhertoaddresstheletterdirectlytotheSenate leadership.
With the expiration of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State and the resolution of the political crisis in the state, will Governor Siminalayi Fubara; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; members of the state House of Assembly and other political actors set aside their past grievances and embrace genuine reconciliation for the development of the state? ejiofor Alike asks
The six-month state of emergency declared in Rivers State ended last Wednesday when President Bola Tinubu directed suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of state House of Assembly to return to their desks on the following day, being Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Tinubu had imposed a six-month emergency rule on March 18, 2025 and had appointed a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the administrator of the state.
Rivers State was plunged into a protracted political crisis following attempts by Fubara to extricate himself from the political structure that produced him and assert his independence.
These attempts had set him on a collision course with his godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who is the leader of the political structure that produced him as governor.
Fubara, who demonstrated a lack of desperation for power throughout the crisis, aligned himself to other political leaders and statesmen in the state, who cheered him on to continue to deliver good governance without distractions.
In his bid to regain control of the political structure in the state, the FCT minister maintained a firm grip of the state lawmakers, whom he used effectively to battle the governor to a submission.
The December 2023 eight-point peace deal between the governor and the FCT minister brokered by President Tinubu, which was skewed against Fubara, had created the suspicion that Tinubu was on Wike’s side and cast doubt on the neutrality of the president in the Rivers State political crisis.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back in the governor’s camp was the 62-page Supreme Court’s judgment delivered in February 2025, which indicted the governor for acts of gross misconduct.
Many political analysts believe the sixmonth emergency rule declared by Tinubu saved Fubara from outright impeachment by the state lawmakers.
Fubara acknowledged Tinubu’s intervention in his statewide address on Friday, saying “the President graciously brokered peace during this period, and we all accepted it, though not without the hard lessons learnt during the emergency rule.”
He expressed deep appreciation to Tinubu for what he described as a “fatherly intervention” that restored full democratic
governance to the state.
After the lifting of the emergency rule, the state lawmakers held their first plenary on Thursday, September 18, but the governor was curiously absent.
His absence fuelled apprehension among his massive supporters who gathered in their large numbers at the Government House in Port Harcourt from 6.30am to 6pm, without any information on his whereabouts.
There were insinuations that the conditions handed over to him may have made his office uninspiring to warrant any immediate resumption.
But the governor shocked his critics when he staged a dramatic return to office on Friday and was welcomed by thousands of his supporters and admirers.
However, many believe Fubara’s hands have been tied to his back in the politics of the state.
The governor is believed to have been handed over the short end of the stick, having been robbed of the opportunity to appoint the members and heads of boards and agencies, and also conduct local government elections to enable his loyalists to take over the political structures at the grassroots.
In his farewell address, Ibas had stated that his six-month tenure delivered “milestones of progress,” including the conduct of local government elections, and the reconstitution of statutory boards.
In their first plenary held last Thursday, the state lawmakers had called on Fubara to immediately forward the list of commissioner-nominees to them for screening and confirmation.
However, the unfolding political events in the state have also lent credence to speculations that a prepared list of commissioner-nominees had since been handed over to the governor for transmission to the lawmakers.
A former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general election in the state, Tonye Cole, may have aptly captured the situation, when he said that the governor would have “zero” powers when he resumes.
Cole, who spoke on a television programme, stated that Rivers State has a governor who would not be able to exercise his full authority as an elected leader.
He advised Fubara to find a way to reach an agreement with Wike, to allow
Notes For File
him (Fubara) to take certain decisions as an elected governor.
His part, Wike, who is the greatest beneficiary of the current political situation in the state, said the lifting of the state of emergency by Tinubu has once again demonstrated his total commitment to peace and sustenance of democracy in the country.
While urging all stakeholders in the state to work together harmoniously in the collective interest of the people, Wike also cautioned troublemakers, especially fifth columnists who were always seeking to benefit from the crisis to stay away from the state.
Apart from Wike, who has regained control of the state, Tinubu is also a winner as he has now gained significant political ground in Rivers, a state previously dominated by the opposition.
Previously, Fubara’s loyalists who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All People’s Party were in control of the local government areas after the October 5, 2024, local government election in the state.
But after the local government elections conducted by the Ibas on August 30, 2025, APC candidates won in 20 out of 23 local government areas.
With Wike’s loyalists in charge of all the LGAs, APC’s chances of victory in the state in the 2027 elections have been brightened.
Meanwhile, Fubara’s supporters and some of the political leaders appear to have lost out, as they may be locked out of political relevance in the state.
With what seems to be winner-takes-all terms of settlement of the crisis, Fubara ‘s loyalists appear not to have been accommodated in the current deal between the governor and the FCT minister.
However, in his address, the governor addressed the concerns of his supporters and assured them that “not everything is irretrievably lost” and that opportunities remain ahead.
The governor stated that “the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war,” stressing the need to build a more prosperous Rivers State.
He added that the responsibility now lies with leaders to put aside personal interests and pursue the common good.
The events of the next few months will reveal if these political actors will shrug off the broken trust, set aside their past grievances, accommodate Fubara’s loyalists and work together in the spirit of genuine reconciliation.
Gov Bago’s Laudable Initiatives against religious Intolerance
The new directive by the Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago, requiring religious preachers to submit their sermons for approval before delivering them is a commendable step that will check religious indoctrination, which is a major cause of insecurity in some northern parts of Nigeria.
Despite the criticisms, the governor has defended his action, saying that the new law will check inciting messages that could threaten peace and security.
“Ididn’tbanevangelism.Foranybodygoingtosermon on a Friday, he should bring his scriptures for review, and it’s normal.
“Even in Saudi Arabia, it’s done like that done. We cannotsaybecauseyouhavebeengiventheopportunity tobeacleric,youwillgooutandpreachthegospelthatis anti-people,anti-governmentandyouthinkit’snormal,”
Governor Bago said in a recent television interview.
Founders of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups usedreligiousmessagestoindoctrinateandbrainwash gullible youths who believe that they are fighting a just war to promote and advance religious beliefs and practices.
While governments regulate preaching in other countries,religiousleadersaretreatedas‘untouchables’ in Nigeria with unrestricted freedom to deliver inciting messagesthatpromotereligiousintoleranceandcrisis. Manyhadlinkedthetreatmentmetedtoaprominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who was turned back at the Medina airport by the Saudi Arabian authorities during his 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, to his previous messages.
Governor Bago’s step to sanitise preaching should be encouraged and adopted by other governors.
The governor had demonstrated in actions that he
is an apostle of religious tolerance.
In May, he attended the 44th anniversary of Living Faith Church Worldwide also known as Winners at its Minna headquarters auditorium, where he announced a donation of N50 million to the church, and promised to construct road network within the church promises. Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), had clarified that the order wasmisunderstood,notingthattheBureauforReligious Affairs merely introduced the Da’awah Registration Form and Certification Process to guide clerics and curb misleading preaching.
Similarly,theNigerStateBureauforReligiousAffairs had also explained that clerics are only required to obtain certification and undergo a basic evaluation to ensure their messages align with peace and religious tolerance.
Fubara
Governor Bago
BRAINSTORMING ON JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMS…
L-R: Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN); Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig-General Buba Marwa (rtd), Director-General, National Copyright Commission, Dr.
Asein; and Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,
at the 2025 Justice Sector Retreat held in Maiduguri, Borno State…recently.
WHO: Taraba Among Five States with Highest Number of Lassa Fever Cases, Records 46 Deaths in One Year
Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
Taraba State has been identified as one of the five states with the highest number of confirmed Lassa Fever cases in the country,
having recorded 46 deaths from 100 confirmed cases in one year.
The Surveillance Officer with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Taraba State, Halilu Sani Abubakar, disclosed this during a
Enugu Govt Places N10m Bounty on Killers of Catholic Priest
The Enugu State Government has condemned the gruesome murder of Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya of Nsukka Catholic Diocese in Eha-Ndiagu community in Ehalumona by unidentified gunmen.
The government also placed a N10 million reward for anyone who would provide information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act. This is contained in a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, yesterday in Enugu.
The government described the action as “cowardly and cold-blooded”.
According to the statement, Eya was said to have been shot dead by a group of assailants, who attacked and killed him along Alumona-Eha Ndiagu
road in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu.
It said that the government had reiterated that security of lives and property remained its priority and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
It added that Enugu government would not spare any resources within its reach, including technology and credible intelligence to track down the criminals and defeat the remnant agents of evil in the state.
“Consequently, the Enugu State Government has placed a N10 million reward for anyone with credible information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
“Anybody with credible information about the perpetrators should quickly contact 07077451426,” it said.
meeting with Community Health Workers and Media Executives on Community-Led Intervention for Lassa Fever at Ardo-Kola Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Abubakar said about 380 cases were suspected across 16 local government areas, out of which 100 cases were confirmed in four LGAs, with 46 fatalities recorded
in one year.
The WHO surveillance officer identified Jalingo, Bali, Ardo-Kola, and Gassol LGAs as red spots for the disease.
“Taraba is one of the five states that are most affected by the cases of Lassa Fever in the whole country. In our state, all the local governments have reported cases of suspected Lassa Fever;
however, the highest number of the suspected cases is coming from Jalingo, Bali, Ardo-Kola, and Gassol local government areas.
“For the number of cases that were confirmed as well, Jalingo has the highest number, followed by Bali, Ardo-Kola, and Gassol in that order. In the whole state, the case fatality rate is about 46%. We have 63 that are confirmed to be
Lassa positive.
“Out of 100 cases that we reported and confirmed to be Lassa fever, 46 of them died, which means the case fatality rate is very high.
“Perhaps people don’t normally report these cases on time. This is not unconnected that they are not very clear or ignorant about Lassa Fever,” the WHO Surveillance Officer said.
Gunmen Kill Soldier, Shot Police Officer, Abduct Four Chinese Expatriates at Mining Site in Kogi
Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
Barely two weeks after bandits killed three police officers in Kogi State, suspected gunmen have killed a soldier, shot a police officer, abducted four Chinese expatriates at mining site in Ofili, a border village between Odo Ere and Ejiba in Yagba West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Despite the renewed efforts of the state government and security
agencies to combat crimes and criminality in the state, the activities of bandits and kidnappers have continued to pose threat to movement of the residents of the state.
This latest incident occurred yesterday morning when the miners were at work in the bush.
Sources hinted that the bandits, in their numbers, ambushed the Chinese who were being escorted by soldiers and policemen and
abducted them, while a yet to be identified soldier was killed, just as a mobile policeman was shot.
“The four Chinese, who were into mining in the Ofili area of the LGA were ambushed and taken away. One of the policemen attached to them was also shot.
“One of the soldiers deployed to the area to ensure security of lives and property of the people was also killed,” one
of the sources explained. The source called on the military, particularly, the men of the Operation Forward Base, and other security agencies in the state to come to their rescue.
“We are now living in fear. We cannot sleep in our homes and we can no longer go to our farms. We want the government and security agents to come to our aid. This is a systematic elimination of our people,” the source added.
Tinubu, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Others to Grace Ladoja’s Coronation
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others are part of the dignitaries expected at the coronation of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasidi Ladoja.
Tinubu and Ladoja served in the Senate during the aborted
Third Republic.
Aside from that, while Tinubu was serving his second term as Lagos State governor, Ladoja was also serving as Oyo State governor.
Ladoja is billed to be installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland next Friday at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
The incoming monarch had said a few days ago, while receiv-
ing some visitors who came to pay him a courtesy visit at his Bodija residence, that Tinubu and other top dignitaries have promised to be in attendance at his coronation.
The Chairman of the Coronation Committee of the 44th Olubadan, Chief Bayo Oyero, while speaking with journalists during a press conference held at Olubadan Palace in Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, also confirmed that President
Tinubu and other top eminent personalities would be in attendance at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. Oyero described the installation of Ladoja as the new Olubadan as culturally and historically significant, adding that the installation will not just be a coronation but a reaffirmation of the unique and timeless chieftaincy system of Ibadanland.
Warri: Itsekiri Chiefs Task Delta Gov to Investigate Ethnic Crisis
Sylvester Idowu in warri
The Itsekiri Traditional Council, under the auspices of the Warri Council of Chiefs, has urged Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to urgently set up a panel of inquiry into the ongoing inter-ethnic tensions between the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities in Warri Federal Constituency.
Addressing journalists at the Palace of the Olu of Warri yesterday, the council expressed concern over the recent removal
of banners celebrating the 10th coronation anniversary of the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh, HRM Couple Mackson Oromoni (Monbene III), from parts of Warri metropolis.
The Itsekiri chiefs insisted that the locations where the banners were mounted fall within Itsekiri territory.
“This is our homeland. We don’t want it distorted. We are for peace,” declared Brown Mene, Ogwa-Olusan of Warri Kingdom, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs.
The council also called on the Inspector-General of Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
In addition, they urged the Ogbe-Ijoh monarch to remove all such banners and billboards allegedly sited in Warri South Local Government Area, insisting that a lower court had already ruled the areas were outside his jurisdiction, though the ruling is under appeal.
Mene added, “We call on His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, to urgently cause a proper
investigation of this development, with a view to calling these functionaries to order. They cannot be seen serving in the same government they are seeking to destabilise.” He stressed that while the crisis predated the Oborevwori administration, the Governor now had the responsibility to douse tensions and ensure lasting peace.
“What is more likely to cause unrest is the disregard for the rule of law,” Mene noted.
John
Binta Adamu Bello,
GO ON, FUBARA, BECOME A HERO
his space. He said: “I cannot go and impose anything on the governor. Why would I? Assuming I go to the governor and say, ‘I want this,’ will the state collapse? I will not. I have no candidate (for commissionership), and I will not [have],” Wike said. As a form of affirmation on their new relationship, he said emphatically: “I have already said that we’ve been speaking. I will not engage with a man I have not forgiven. Everything is over. We must move forward.” It must be noted, however, that most members of the House of Assembly are still loyal to Wike, so he still has the rope.
On his part, Fubara has promised to pursue peace. In his broadcast, he said: “In the course of the six-month period, Mr. President graciously brokered the peace process with all the parties successfully. Our Leader, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and I, as your Governor, have all accepted to bury the hatchet and embrace peace and reconciliation in the best interest of our dear Rivers State.” In what should be re-assuring, Fubara concluded: “We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without the hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule.”
For peace to reign in the political arena of Rivers state, all the key actors must keep to their words. Wike, in his role as the “Our Leader” (as the governor described him), should stand by his public statements that he would let the governor be. He has every reason to protect his political structure if the governor was indeed chipping away at it — but there is a thin line between safeguarding your territory and diminishing or humiliating a governor, even if you are
FIRE-FIGHTING APPROACH
I commiserate with those who lost their loved ones in the fire tragedy at the Afriland Towers, Lagos, on Tuesday. It is so devastating! However, without first investigating and establishing the cause of the incident, the Federal Fire Service has announced plans to conduct a “nationwide fire safety compliance audit”. Sadly, we make policies on impulse in Nigeria. We usually start from the solution before researching the problem. Otherwise, we should first investigate what went wrong at Afriland Towers and then conduct an audit based on the findings in order to address the challenges robustly. How can policies be effective when they are based on conjectures and assumptions? Commonsense.
discussions about Nigeria’s challenges and pathways, where people can disagree with and learn from one another, and where different visions of the best we want for our country can be debated with vigour, open mind and respect. I believe this is one of the ways we can take the idea of the Nigeria Collective and other such forums forward, and a veritable way to honour Mallam Mouftah’s memory.
At a personal level, I found him to be profound and personable. He would call whenever he felt I got something wrong, or there was a background I needed to have or something else that I needed to know. We communicated more via WhatsApp. He was one of the people I send newspaper headlines to almost on a daily basis. I believe I am one of those on his broadcast lists for news and commentaries, and for materials on the economy, politics and Islam.
He took his egbon role seriously. He would show up to offer condolences (when I lost my parents), call on special birthdays, be present or send representatives whenever I had something important to do, whether it was a book launch or a magazine presentation. He was a contributor to Metropole, the magazine I used to publish on Abuja metropolis. He wrote for us under the pseudonym, School
the one that installed him. Every human being wants some respect. Indeed, respect begets respect. When someone feels unduly disrespected, it is just a matter of time before he or she begins to show resistance. That is a fact.
Fubara should also genuinely embrace peace. He said the right things and made the right gestures in his broadcast. I am hoping this came from the bottom of his heart. He must acknowledge that the story of his life can never be written without a huge space devoted to the role Wike played. He became governor using Wike’s umbrella, although Wike just nearly swept him away. When he anointed Fubara, many of those who opposed it later showed up to instigate the governor against his Wike. Nigerian politics is full of crisis entrepreneurs known in Yoruba as “arije ninu modaru”. Fubara must be careful with those posing as allies simply because he was fighting Wike. They are dangerous.
Now that he is back in the saddle, he can decide what he wants to use power for: to serve the people of Rivers state with “heart and might” or engage his godfather in another game of wits. He can choose to become a hero to his people. He can choose to serve his people faithfully by touching their lives for the remainder of his tenure. He can focus on making sure every village has electricity, every primary health care centre has personnel and drugs, every school has teachers and desks, and every community has water to drink. He can choose to make every senatorial district and every local government much better than they are. These are easy wins. And his people will love him to death.
Alternatively, he can choose to engage
his godfather in another round of the battle for supremacy. I don’t think he can win that fight. He has just been worsted. The president has shown clearly to all of us where he pitches his tent. He has the security agencies at his beck and call and will not fail to deploy them as he deems appropriate. One legacy Obasanjo left behind in 2007 is that if you have presidential power in a third world country, you must know how to use, misuse and abuse it. The fact that Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari were somewhat restrained in their use of presidential powers does not mean every other president will follow suit.
Finally, I really would want this issue of emergency rule conclusively sorted out. Can an elected governor be suspended from office by the president? The 1999 Constitution clearly spells out how a governor can be removed: it is only by the House of Assembly after an impeachment process. There is no constitutional provision whatsoever that empowers the president to remove a governor under any circumstance. My understanding is that what a law does not provide for, you cannot import into it. I would instinctively conclude, therefore, that a governor cannot be removed by the president. In a federation, the president is not superior to a governor except in maters listed on the exclusive list.
But here is the catch. Tinubu did not remove Fubara — he only suspended him. Suspension is not the same thing as removal. The one is temporary, the other permanent. And section 305(d) of the constitution says he can take “extraordinary measures” to avert “a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public
And Four Other Things…
LONG HISTORY
For those who believe the removal of history from school curriculum is the root of our problems, they now have an opportunity to prove it. The federal government has restored the subject, 16 years after it was removed. To be clear, I am fully for history to be taught — although I learnt the history of Nigeria by research as I did not take the subject in secondary school. I am happy history is back: I am tired of reading on social media that “it is because history is no longer taught in schools” that someone has just spewed some nonsense. I want to monitor how this will impact discourse in the years ahead. My hunch is that teaching history does not give sense to the senseless. Observing…
RICE AND SHINE
Nigerian celebrity chef, Ms Hilda Baci (pronounced as “Bassey”), has entered the Guiness World Records (GWR) again, this time for preparing jollof rice over a nine-hour period, cooking 8,780 kilogrammes of our favourite dish. While this generated a lot of excitement among Nigerians, some eternal cynics insisted that we should be celebrating only nuclear feats and Nobel prizes. Pouring water on the jollof feat is in bad taste. God that gives people talents in different spheres of life knows what he is doing. No gift should be despised. Our footballers and artistes are doing us proud all over the world. Nigerians have a right to be excited in this season of gloom and doom. Distasteful!
Boy—a hilarious form of self-effacement but also a signal of his commitment to learning. He offered to buy Metropole when I decided to rest it. But I felt there
safety in the Federation or any part”. If the president determines that the governor is a danger to the community, he can claim that suspending him is an extraordinary measure that needs to be taken. It is a loophole that a clever lawyer can explore to justify the suspension. When you create a loophole like this, you can’t blame people for exploiting it.
The Supreme Court has always failed to make a pronouncement on this emergency rule controversy, specifically on the issue of sanctioning a governor with suspension. Since Obasanjo started the game with Plateau state in 2004, the Supreme Court has tactically avoided making a definitive pronouncement on the legality of suspending a governor. It chose the technical ground in the Plateau issue, ruling that the plaintiff, Governor Joshua Dariye, did not have the locus as he was no longer in office. The unwritten explanation is that in matters of national security, the apex court does not want to interfere so as not to impede the president’s ability to maintain peace, law and order. I would suggest that an amendment be made to the laws to remove any doubts about the powers of the president in emergency rule. We should not leave such an important matter hanging. With sincerity of purpose, we can address our political and constitutional challenges in a decent way. Our democracy is evolving and our constitution is being fine-tuned regularly to address emerging issues. We should not waste the Rivers crisis. As Fubara said, it has been a teachable moment for everyone. I welcome Fubara back to office with these words: go on, create a legacy of good governance and let your people remember you as one of the greatest governors ever. Against such, there is no law.
NO COMMENT
We see plenty nonsense in Nigeria every day, including those appointed as special assistants also appointing special assistants. Nasir Ja’oji, the senior special assistant (SSA) to the president on citizenship and leadership, has taken it to another level. There is the little matter that he has named three media aides. Just imagine an SA having five media aides. How many would he have if he were a minister or governor? For you to know the joke that we have turned governance to in Nigeria, Ja’oji has also appointed two directors-general — a title used by heads of some parastatals. What next? All things equal, he will soon appoint permanent secretaries and commanders-inchief. Hmm?
was nothing to sell. He was a staunch supporter of my work in government and outside of it.
The last time we had a direct exchange
was in early July. After I gave a short talk at a retreat, a young man walked up to introduce himself as the son of Mallam Mouftah Baba-Ahmed. On my way back to town, I sent Mallam Mouftah a text that I met his son. He asked me about where we met, then sent me a reply to the effect that his son is my son also. I found that exceedingly funny, and I sent him a laughter emoji. His illness was announced about two weeks ago on the Nigeria Collective, the platform he created and nurtured. I called immediately to speak to him, but he didn’t pick. I sent him a message, offering my prayers and well wishes, but no reply came. I kept him in my prayers. Then on Wednesday, the news of his passing was announced on the same forum. He was just 63. There is something shocking and numbing about death in general, but more so about sudden departures of people of good nature and full of life. But the Holy Book has forewarned us that every soul shall taste death. It was Mallam Mouftah’s appointed time. May Almighty Allah forgive his sins, accept his good deeds, and grant him the highest station in Aljannah. May Allah SWT comfort his immediate family, the entire Baba-Ahmed clan and his other loved ones, including members of the Nigeria Collective. Ameen.
Mouftah Baba-Ahmed
ENGAGEMENTS
Alex Otti and the Voices of Babylon
Ln the current class of state governors, Alex Otti of Abia stands conspicuous over most of his contemporaries. He is showcasing good governance and enlightened politics. This remarkable progress has got him into “good trouble”. He has become a favourite of both good media and toxic voices from our political Babylon. Those who appreciate the progress in Abia are praising the governors. The most remarkable thing about this category is that they are mostly common people for whom Mr. Otti has brought government to mean something positive to them. For this group, democracy and good governance mean the same thing: meeting the people halfway on the road to progress.
On the contrary, Otti is getting undue negative attention from partisan media and commentators from the other side of the partisan divide. It does not matter how many roads he builds, how many new schools he rehabilitates, how many pensioners he pays arrears or how promptly he now pays salaries. Those politically opposed to his political position and very incumbency cannot see them. These voices of incurable negativity are dripping from the bile tanks of Abia’s political Babylon, a place of incurable “bad belle”.
The well meaning social and traditional media have their job mostly done by Mr. Otti’s sterling performance. Even among the ordinary people in the villages and the urban centres of Aba and Umuahia, the publicity is self-defining. Even then, the Otti phenomenon is beginning to suffer a typically Nigerian handicap in terms of discourse and public opinion. The political opposition is digging up and padding up a mixture of falsehood and mangled narratives to score points preparatory to the 2027 campaigns. That of course is in the nature of political exchanges. More dangerously, the favourite Nigerian game of unbridled sycophancy has encroached into the Otti narrative. Professional partisan sycophants and hirelings have been joined by new recruits in the form of “town criers” in the social media. While most are showcasing Governor Otti’s more obvious infrastructure achievements and magnifying them for obvious partisan reasons, the voices of Babylon are singing old tunes of finding faults in every place. Between pro government sycophants and their equally feverish opponents, the road ahead is littered with media landmines.
But so far, Mr. Otti is one clear step ahead of his traducers and opponents. He has raised the stakes of his incumbency beyond the Government House in Umuahia. He has raised the meaning of government above blaring of sirens to disturb the peace of the poor and innocent. He has also gone beyond the usual landscape decoration of roads, bridges, and empty buildings. The dividend of democracy is not a decorated landscape. It is the transfer of political power back to the people to whom it rightfully belongs. For the first time since its creation, Otti has bridged the tragic divide between government and the people. He has given back government to the Abia people by making it accessible and meaningful to their daily lives. He explains to them the policies of government. He accounts periodically to them for his actions and the expenditure of government money. Those who used to vote and go home to be forgotten for another four years are now recalled from their villages and their accrued and arrears of salaries and pensions paid as and when due. The people now have a stake and a say in how they are governed.
The basic principle for the existence of the state is the social contract which binds government the people. A state that conducts its affairs indifferent to the desires and aspirations of the people is not a democratic state. It is at best a feudal fiefdom or autocracy. Abia, along with most Nigerian states came into existence as pseudo feudal enclaves created by military fiat with a democratic nomenclature but in essence autocratic.
Unfortunately, it took 24 years and three consecutive two-term governorships for Abia to struggle free from this feudal origin and authoritarian orientation. In essence, the real history of a democratic Abia State began in May 2023. Only since then was the Abia Leviathan born and the social contract of an enlightened state inaugurated. It is perhaps since then that we can accept valid criticisms of government action in an atmosphere of free expression.
The basic outlines of feudal rule in Abia can
be briefly outlined to understand what happened over the past 24 years.
The long-standing bad reputation of Abia was not just because the roads were bad, Aba was rotten and neglected and government was populated by too many small and big thieves. It was rather in the more imperceptible fact that the government in Umuahia and the majority of Abia people travelled separate ways for a whole 24 years.
What obtained in Abia for the first 24 years was a feudal Babylonian captivity of the state and its people and resources.
Government was indifferent to the plight of the people. Those in authority collected votes at election time and turned the other way for years on end.
The light of the people meant nothing to the successive governments. Politicians were in government for and because of themselves. Workers were unpaid for months on end. Teachers , doctors, university lecturers, pensioners shared a common plight of collective condemnation to a life time of penury. What has changed in Abia since the onset of the 2023 Otti administration is a decisive reversal of the focus of government from a conclave for itself to a service assembly for the people.
Perhaps the successive administrations may be termed Babylonian overlords.This is unlike other democratic federations that came into being as a result of popular will and mandate from below to the top, the Nigerian federal structure was created by an all conquering federal might from above. This is unlike the United States in which it was the states that voluntarily joined the federation for collective security and grandeur. In Nigeria, it was the central military of Nigeria that created the states and imposed an administrative structure on the entire nation.
Abia state has had a tortuous encounter with formal democracy. On the contrary, Abia people have for over 24 years tumbled from one season of state
capture to another. Democratic transitions have been for these people more of ritual migrations from one imperial rule to a feudal oligarchy, from one depressing season of exploitation to a more humiliating fanfare of deception in the name of governance.
All manner of miscreants have come and gone, claiming electoral mandates that remain unverified. Extremely poor people have been frightened off the bad roads by authorized hooligans blaring sirens with accompanying goons with horsewhips and assault riffles.
We need to put in context what the state witnessed for a whole two and half decades prior to 2023. In the period between 1999 and 2023, Abia state was an unusual political experience among the states of the federation. While it was guided and governed by the Nigerian constitution, Abia operated more like a feudal enclave and unregulated extractive colony with peculiar characteristics.
•Its most enlightened and illustrious citizens were consciously excluded from its governance and mostly lived and earned their living outside the state. The state economy was so privatized that the commanding heights were controlled by the imperial governor, his family and cult of friends.
•Over the 24 year period under reference, the quantum of resources that accrued to the state from both the Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue was not matched in any way by the volume or tempo of development in the state.
•In the same period, an annual Google search of the economy of the state indicated that in each of those years, of the five richest people in Abia State on a year-on-year basis, three at the top of the list coincided with the most prominent political figures.
The inevitable conclusion therefore is that for whatever reason, Abia was essentially a feudal enclave for 24 years (1999 to 2023) and has only been struggling to free itself from feudal captivity since after the 2023 governorship election. Between 1999 and May 2023, the state does not qualify as a democratic sub sovereign part of the Nigerian federation. Politics and the democratic process were only deployed as instruments for state capture by different factions of the Abia
political elite. Once captured, the state in each of these years was run more like either a private feudal enclave or an unregulated extractive colony.
The rights of the citizens to fair treatment were grossly violated. The entitlement of the people to good government in terms of healthcare, education, security , infrastructure and emoluments could not be guaranteed.
The governor was more of an emperor ruling above criticism and reproach. In 24 years, no Abia governor was taken to court by a citizen on account of rights infringement or acts of misgovernance. Like feudal emperors, our successive governors were more of imperial feudal overlords.
The machinery of state was ‘privatized’ as the separation of powers was observed mostly in default. The legislature ran the errands of the executive governor and seemed to have a duty to pass legislations ‘for’ the governor routinely. The legislations that rolled out of the State House of Assembly were more of feudal decrees and imperial edicts than debated laws of a democratic assembly.
The judiciary had no independent voice as judges owed their appointments, promotions and general welfare to the benevolence of the imperial governor. Officials of the state judiciary were selected and hired on the basis of loyalty to the governor and the party cabal in power. Quite routinely, the imperial governor set up and empowered an assortment of task forces and mobile courts to collect sundry revenues and levies in the name of the state but account to no institution of public accountability. Public accountability was mistaken for creative accountancy. From available records, between 1999 and 2007, the Governor’s Office issued and signed off on newspaper full page advertisements of the state’s financial statement compiled and “audited” by the same Governor’s Office. In other words, the governor authorized expenditure, spent the money, ‘accounted’ for it, audited the expenses and informed the public accordingly that the audit had been certified!
It failed as an organized criminal cartel. It failed its people, failed itself as an organized syndicate of enlightened thieves (“there is honour even among thieves”, it failed the nation and failed the concept of democratic sovereignty.
In terms of tenure and power the thieves of Abia had no honour. Some of them toyed with self -succession, that is succession from within the family of the incumbent. One governor so empowered his mother that a new terminology was coined for the system of government that gave the mother of the governor virtual executive authority over some government decisions. It was called – “Mamacracy”. Another governor attempted to be succeeded by his son whom he had manipulated into the position of Assembly Speaker. It was attempted hereditary monarchy.
Therefore, the question that Abia needed to answer with the outcome of the 2023 governorship election was simple: would the state correct course and return to the path of responsible democratic governance or continue as a feudal enclave under the captivity of a political oligarchy and Babylonian overlords?
The picture of the state on the eve of the governorship election in 2023 was sad and almost tragic. Abia was easily the most indebted state in the federation with a debt portfolio of over N189.9 billion.
Abia was the state with the longest period of default in the payment of the salaries of staff in the public sector especially education and health. Doctors and teachers were owed anywhere between 24 to 30 months in salary arrears. System was unheard of. Aba was literally an inhabited refuse dump. Mounds of refuse greeted the eyes at nearly every inch of the city which had a permanent stench of something dead. Most roads in the town were in desperate disrepair.
The media rhetoric about Abia today is merely an exchange between spokespersons of a dying feudal political culture and a nascent democratic and republican order. Those in the vanguard of defending and protecting what Governor Otti is doing must understand what they are up against. Of course, the defenders of the feudal order have a right in a democratic space to do what they have always done- spew lies and spatter blackmail. Gladly, Abia people have left the Babylonian captivity of feudalism behind for all time. There is no going back.
•Otti
PROMOTING CULTURE AND TRADITION…
L-R: Consultant, Olojo Festival, Ayo Olumoko; Head, Empire of Madani of Wales, UK, Empress Elham Madani; Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Commissioner for Culture, Osun State, Hon. Abiodun Ojo; Alayemore of Ido-Osun, Oba Jokotola Olayinka; Managing Director, Adron Homes, Adenike Ajobo; and Baba Oba of Ooni of Ile-Ife, Otunba Tony Igbaroola, during a media briefing on 2025 Olojo Festival, held at Ooni's Palace in Ile-Ife, Osun State...yesterday.
We made so much noise and raised plenty of eyebrows, but Sir Siminalayi Fubara was successfully sent packing from office for six months in a controversial display of federal might and presidential powers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. On Wednesday, Fubara was officially restored to office. In summary, he lost the battle for supremacy with his predecessor and benefactor, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is a minister in Tinubu’s cabinet. When the war broke out, I was never in doubt as to who the president would support. Tinubu is not just a godfather who does not take kindly to rebellion, we also know Wike played a major spoiler role to help Tinubu win the 2023 presidential election. Therefore, my money was on Wike winning the derby with Fubara. And win he did. That does not mean I was not surprised, or even disappointed, that Tinubu imposed emergency
empower anyone else but the House of Assembly to sanction a governor. Tinubu did oppose the abuse of power to which President Olusegun Obasanjo subjected us to for eight years. Obasanjo suspended governors and appointed retired military officers as administrators. Tinubu did exactly the same thing, naming Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, a former chief of naval staff, as administrator.
councillors? Only a few people are fooled by this.
All said and done, Fubara is now back in office. As Wike boasted during an interview with Channels TV, “If we don’t want this state of emergency to be lifted, we would have done one or two things to ensure that it continues.” He has demonstrated how powerful he is in this government, and I don’t think anybody should fool with him. If Tinubu decides to extend the emergency rule for another six months, all we will do is make more noise and raise more eyebrows but Wike will have his way. Let’s not kid ourselves. The National Assembly will approve it via WhatsApp or do voice vote again. Heavens will not fall. Obasanjo and Tinubu have really done us a “strong thing” in this country.
We can only hope that peace will now return to Rivers in its true meaning. Wike has openly promised to give the governor rule and sent Fubara on suspension. In another life, Tinubu would have argued vigorously that the constitution does not
One of the most telling things that happened in Rivers state under the emergency was the recent council elections. How can you hold elections during a state of emergency? That must be a global first. The idea behind a state of emergency is that there is chaos and disorder during which things cannot run their normal course, so you have to suspend certain aspects of the constitution to allow for extraordinary measures to be applied. That is certainly not the time to hold council elections. If the governor and legislators are not functioning — as important as they are in the hierarchy — what is the urgency to install council chairpersons and
Mouftah Baba-Ahmed and the Collective Idea
The grim reaper delivered another devastating blow on Wednesday when it came for Mallam Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, former public servant, management expert, and, most importantly, a passionate believer in the centrality of enlightened discourse to the advancement of the collective.
For me, Mallam Mouftah (or Egbon Mufu, as some of us his aburos affectionately called him) stood out in many ways. He was simultaneously cosmopolitan and conservative, sitting comfortably at the testy intersection of the traditions of the East and the West. He was cerebral, well-read, articulate and sociable, and never shy of holding or voicing strong opinions. Most importantly, he built bridges across regions, religions and generations. In a way, he was actually a bridge himself. This distinguishing part of him came to
the fore for me in the Nigeria Collective, a chatroom that he created and managed. This is a rare gathering of the top crop of the Nigerian society, so top-heavy that I have wondered many times how small fries like me got added to it. Housed in this hallowed group are retired generals (including a former head of state), bankers (including former bank founders and CEOs and a CBN governor), newspaper publishers, leading academics and public intellectuals, traditional rulers, retired public servants and diplomats, civil society activists, and an array of politicians (including a former presidential candidate in the famous 1993 election and former governors and ministers and those who went on to those or other positions).
Mallam Mouftah was not just the administrator of this distinguished group, he was the magnet. He leveraged his extensive contacts, goodwill and enthusiasm to birth and sustain the idea of a forum where members discussed
a range of issues and try to use their influence to shape outcomes. He was the classic connector. And the platform he built also served as the connecting point for many individuals whose paths ordinarily might have not crossed. Not a few members have gone ahead from there to forge deep personal and professional relationships. We have Mallam Mouftah to thank for that too, even if networking and fellowship were not part of the original script.
At its height, Nigeria Collective was a busy and pulsating discursive arena. Ideas, documents, opinions, and of course the people sharing them, jostled and clashed. The exchanges were brilliant, lively, passionate and robust. Inevitably, hot words would sometimes be traded, but it was mostly done within the bounds of decorum. Maybe that is because of the many elders quietly listening in. But the place of mature moderator cannot be discountenanced.
Being on the Nigeria Collective has been a great education for me. The discussions on and the materials shared in the group have deepened my knowledge and enriched my perspectives about Nigeria and the world. At some point, however, the discursive fervour in the Nigeria Collective cooled. This can be attributed to many reasons, including the explosion of alternative mediums for instant communication and the divergence of politics. Before long, the bubbling font of ideas transitioned into a notice board or a social register. I still find the idea of discursive and deliberative platforms appealing, especially at a time when we are becoming increasingly polarised and too eager to cancel those who see things differently. More than ever, we need safe spaces where people can have passionate, informed and structured
