The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • I avoid social media to protect myself, says Amorim

    I avoid social media to protect myself, says Amorim

    Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he protects himself and his family from social media abuse by not reading it.

    A BBC investigation found that more than 2,000 extremely abusive social media posts or messages, including death and rape threats, were made about managers and players in the Premier League and Women’s Super League in a weekend last month.

    Amorim, Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe were the most common targets of abuse in the men’s top flight.

    “It’s normal in any profession when you are exposed to it,” said Amorim. “I don’t read it; I protect myself. I don’t watch TV when they are talking about Manchester United, not because I don’t agree – most of the times I do – but it’s a way of me being healthy.

    “My feeling as a coach is enough. I don’t need other feelings. The only way – there is no other way – is to protect myself.”

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    The analysis in BBC’s investigation was conducted with data science company Signify.

    It looked at posts made during 10 Premier League matches and six WSL matches on 8 and 9 November, and found messages including racist slurs, homophobia and threats of violence.

    Managers were targeted more than players, while 82% of abusive posts were posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Of all the abusive messages, 61% were sent from accounts in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Data suggests the overall number is on the rise.

    “I lose money from sponsors,” said Amorim. “On Instagram I could earn a lot of money (but) for my protection of my family and living a normal life it is not worth some more dollars or pounds.”

    “Nobody can be tougher than me when we lose and when we don’t play well.

    “Nowadays, it’s really normal to have that abuse, so it’s the only way to survive in this world.”

    United finished 15th  in the table last season, their lowest finish since being relegated in 1973-74.

    They were beaten by Tottenham in the final of the Europa League as they missed out on a place in Europe.

    This season they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town and are seventh in the Premier League before  today’s home game against West Ham.

  • Mbappe magic ends Madrid’s winless woes with dazzling double at Bilbao

    Mbappe magic ends Madrid’s winless woes with dazzling double at Bilbao

    An inspired Kylian Mbappe scored two fabulous goals to guide Real Madrid to a commanding 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, ending their three-game winless streak in LaLiga.

    The win keeps Real in second place with 36 points from 15 matches, one behind leaders Barcelona.

    Real started brightly, with Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon called into action within the opening minutes. Misjudgements by the home defence gifted chances to Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, only for Simon to deny both with exceptional saves. However, the hosts’ resistance crumbled in the seventh minute.

    Mbappe, receiving a long ball near the halfway line, brushed aside two defenders in a dynamic solo run before curling a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.

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    The combination of Mbappe and Vinicius Jr terrorised Athletic’s defence throughout the first half, though Madrid’s forwards were often wasteful in front of goal.

    Athletic nearly punished Real for their missed chances in the 24th  minute when Gorka Guruzeta intercepted Federico Valverde’s wayward pass and unleashed a fierce strike, only for Thibaut Courtois to produce a superb reflex save.

    Moments later, Courtois thwarted Alex Berenguer’s close-range effort in another display of his agility.

    Madrid doubled their lead just before halftime. A patient build-up culminated in Trent Alexander-Arnold delivering a pinpoint cross from the right wing to the far post. Mbappe nodded the ball back inside the six-yard box, where Eduardo Camavinga headed in from close range.

    There was still time before the break, however, for Courtois to make another great stop to deny a thunderous Mikel Jauregizar shot from outside the box.

    The second half saw Real ease off the tempo, but Mbappe was far from done. In the 59th minute, spotting Simon marginally out of position, the French forward unleashed another curling effort from outside the box to seal the win.

    It was Mbappe’s 16th  goal in 15 games in LaLiga this season, double the eight goals scored by Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who is in second place in LaLiga’s scoring chart.

    “It was an important match because we wanted to break the (bad) dynamic,” Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso told a press conference.

    “We came in with the necessary preparation and calm. The team played a very complete match. It’s the most well-rounded match we’ve played yet, and in a demanding stadium at that. Now we have to keep going.”

    The comprehensive victory will provide Alonso with much-needed momentum as they look to close the gap on Barcelona at the top of LaLiga.

    They will face Celta Vigo on Sunday before hosting Manchester City in a highly anticipated Champions League clash at Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday.

  • Merino, Saka score as Arsenal beat Brentford

    Merino, Saka score as Arsenal beat Brentford

    Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka scored as Arsenal beat Brentford to restore their five point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

    Manager Mikel Arteta made three changes to the side that drew with Chelsea on Sunday with Ben White, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard coming in.

    And it was White and Madueke who combined in the build-up on 11 minutes with right-back White crossing for Arsenal’s make-shift front man Merino to head home.

    Merino has had to play regularly as Arsenal’s frontman because of injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres and his goal was his 13th  in 2025, the most of any Arsenal player during the year.

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    Bukayo Saka added the second in stoppage time after being played through on goal by Merino from midfield, and despite the best efforts of Caoimhin Kelleher, the ball bounced over the line.

    Brentford were pinned back for large parts of the game but went close to equalising in the first half when Kevin Schade’s header from a corner was pushed onto the crossbar by David Raya.

    The only worry for Arteta was that Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice both had to be taken off with knocks.

    The victory extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 18 games across all competitions and was also their eighth successive win at home.

  • Soul-searching milestone

    Soul-searching milestone

    • At 25, ACF needs to reimagine itself

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a northern socio-cultural group, stands as a regional equivalent of the southwestern Afenifere and southeastern Oha N’Eze Ndigbo. It was formed in the year 2000 with its main goal being to represent the interests of Northern Nigeria, often associated with the Hausa-Fulani.  It was established to push for regional growth and development in all ramifications, but often veers off to advocate for national interests which invariably equally benefits the North.

     ACF celebrated its silver jubilee in November 2025.  While we commend the ACF for what it represents, we agree with notable voices during the three-day event in Kaduna, who called for bold solutions to long-standing insecurity and development challenges across the region.

    ACF’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said: “It is time to look for further, better, more effective means of curtailing insecurity.” He also said: “We must begin in earnest to plunge into modern developmental efforts.”

    A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), described the milestone as a moment to reflect on the past and the future.  He described Northern Nigeria as “a microcosm of the nation,” adding, “When one part of the country develops, that progress translates to others.”

    The host and Kaduna State governor Senator Uba Sani stressed that open borders, drugs and arms flows were central to festering banditry.

    Also, representatives of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, stressed the need for national unity and strategic approaches to security and community development.

    The northern region is beset with many developmental issues:  poverty, illiteracy, out-of-school children, almajiris, insecurity, child-malnutrition, IDPs, insurgency, unemployment, child-marriages, porous borders etc.

    ACF has been campaigning for good governance in their region as well as within the country.  It has often spoken up about the increasing insecurity in the region as a major destabilising factor.

    One of the major achievements of ACF since its establishment is the seeming monolithic voice it has given to the region. The group has been very protective of the political and economic interests of the North. They understand the value of maximising areas of comparative advantage like political power and promotion of regional agricultural opportunities.

    Highlights of the silver jubilee included the launch of the ACF Endowment Fund, aimed at moving the Forum beyond mere advocacy to the implementation of tangible, community-based projects focused on socio-economic development, skill acquisition, and adult education in the region.

    Also, security dominated the discussions, which stressed the need for a unified front and collective commitment to end banditry and terrorism, described as one of the gravest tests in the North’s history.

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    Notably, major criticisms levelled against the ACF include: elite club syndrome, failure to effectively address core northern problems, ethnic/religious bias and parochialism, and inconsistent messaging and internal conflicts.

    We believe it is time for serious introspection. They seem to be all talk and seemingly little action. For instance, they have not been very effective in pushing for accountability from politicians in the region.  The poverty index in the region has not shifted significantly in decades. Out-of-school children in the North account for 80 per cent of about 20 million in the country that has the global highest number of out-of-school children.

    Insecurity in the region, which is impactful nationally, is fuelled by poverty, religious extremism, lack of accountability and general unemployment. The 19 states that make up the North have been plagued for so long by religious fanaticism, bigotry and herder intransigence. ACF seems ineffectual in addressing these issues, despite its influence in the region.

    The region’s main economic power – agriculture – has been badly impacted by insecurity as bandits continually sack communities and herders force their cows into agricultural fields. ACF has not shown, through actions, that it understands the long-term impact of insecurity in the region.

    Nineteen states out of 36 is a huge number. Insecurity in the region discourages economic investments by Nigerians and foreigners.  ACF has seemed unable to act in non-partisan ways to open up the region for tourism and other forms of economic engagement. We would have thought that the northern body would at least put their house in order by holding leaders in the region to account. There are low-hanging fruits that are achievable just with political will: basic education is handled by the local and state governments.

    We expect the group to pressure state governments in the region to address illiteracy. Education in the 21st century continues to be the key to development. Not focusing on education in the region continues to multiply the problems of the North in a world driven by ideas and technology.

    Focusing on Islamic education alone falls flat in the face of reason and modern global economics. The Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have keyed into the global economic developmental agenda while maintaining the sanctity of their socio-religious practices. ACF can tap from their strategies if the North wants to join the global developmental train.

    Insecurity in the Northern region should be on the front burner. Insurgency, banditry, kidnappings and school abductions have received mere rhetorical attention with little effort to actively address the core causes, despite the national impact. 

    The causes of the social problems in the region are all human issues that can be addressed with the right political will. ACF has not shown enough zeal in making the leaders in the region do what is necessary to, at least, reduce some of the problems.

    Many have criticised the ACF as being basically an elitist association where the majority of the members merely peddle influence for personal political and economic gains without giving much thought to the larger population. The critics argue that their impact in the last 25 years has not changed the circumstances of the people.  Poverty and illiteracy continue to be the albatross of the northern economies in particular, and the nation in general.

    While we don’t expect ACF to be the magic wand for solving all the region’s problems, we expect that its 25 years of existence ought to have recorded more successes than what it has represented. The northern region is bedevilled by so many issues, and as a group made up of the region’s elites, more action and louder voices must come from the group.

    The ACF must understand that charity begins at home. They seem to shout loudest when they are making demands on the government at the centre but seem indifferent when it comes to holding leaders in their region accountable to the people. They give a misleading impression of a beggar region when they are not a querulous one.

    They have 19 governors, top statesmen, ministers, resources. What they lack is the political will and it begins with acute introspection. Not just on rhetoric but action. The plague of insecurity is the urgent one on their table to be tackled here and now.

    The socio-economic problems in the region must be addressed with urgency and ACF can facilitate that. The next 25 years of the group must be a great departure from the last 25 years. ACF must learn from its mistakes.

  • Insecurity: Northern leaders must take responsibility

    Insecurity: Northern leaders must take responsibility

    • By Hameed Muritala

    Sir: Political, community, and religious leaders in Northern Nigeria must take responsibility for the terrorism and banditry ravaging the region. The northern leaders saw the early signs of this menace yet chose silence and inaction, as though it were no concern of theirs. That silence and years of inaction allowed these threats to grow into the monstrous security challenges we face today.

    It is troubling to see how emboldened bandits and terrorists have become in recent months. They ride through towns in large numbers, brandishing weapons without fear. They impose levies on farmers and communities. Some even do live videos on TikTok, where they flaunt cash and openly taunt both citizens and security agencies.

    How did we get here? How can this level of impunity exist in a country that is not at war?

    Reports indicate that 20 out of 34 local government councils in Katsina have already signed truce deals with bandits. Yet, attacks continue unabated in communities across the same councils. What then is the point of dialogue that yields no peace, only more audacity from criminals?

    It is infuriating to see some religious and community leaders in the North advocating for bandits. Sheikh Gumi, for example, consistently asks for leniency and negotiations with bandits. Some days ago, the chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Bashir Dalhatu urged the federal government to consider granting amnesty to bandits like it was granted the Niger Delta militants. Such narratives are not only dangerous but also embolden the bandits. They divert attention from efforts needed to crush these terrorists who continue to inflict hardship and fears in our people.

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    Currently, schools in some states, including Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and Kastina, have been shut down. While the decision is reasonable, the development is a sad reflection of how bad the situation has become. It also represents a further setback to education in states where access to education is already fragile.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a nationwide state of emergency is a step in the right direction. However, on his directive for recruitment of more police and military personnel, I don’t think this is the right thing to do at this moment; Nigeria can still make significant progress with the personnel already in the police and military if the right things are urgently done. The government must invest in modern and adequate equipment—drones, surveillance technologies, communication systems, and operational tools that meet global standards. We must also strengthen intelligence gathering.

    It is equally important that corruption and compromise within the security sector, ranging from diversion of funds to information leaks, must also be confronted head-on. No amount of reform will succeed if criminal networks continue to receive support from compromised insiders.

    •Hameed Muritala,

    Ilorin, Kwara State.

  • The rising wave of insecurity

    The rising wave of insecurity

    • By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu

    Sir: The recent surge in kidnappings has unsettled citizens and raised serious questions about the effectiveness of national security frameworks. What used to be episodic attacks have evolved into a sustained campaign of abductions, village raids and highway banditry that expose deep cracks in the country’s ability to protect its people.

    Across many states, residents speak of fear as a constant companion. Travellers avoid certain routes, farmers abandon farmlands, and families adjust their routines around the unpredictability of violence. Security agencies, though making efforts, continue to appear overstretched and often reactive. Attackers strike quickly, vanish into unmapped forests, and resurface in another location days later. Communities are left grieving while government assurances rarely transform into long-term relief.

    In a development that underscores the urgency of the situation, several states have now moved to shut down schools as a precautionary measure. Katsina State has ordered the closure of all public schools, following credible threats linked to the activities of kidnapping gangs. In Kwara State, schools across Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero LGAs have been closed over rising concerns of attacks on vulnerable institutions. Plateau State has taken similar steps, placing selected schools on indefinite shutdown. Findings across the northern region show that over 180 schools have been affected by either temporary or ongoing closures linked directly to insecurity.

    This trend represents one of the most alarming signals yet. When schools begin to shut down not because of strikes or infrastructure decay, but due to the inability of government to guarantee the safety of children, the crisis deepens. The consequences are severe: disrupted learning, displacement of pupils, psychological trauma, reduced enrolment, and widened educational inequality. Children bear the heaviest burden of a battle they did not choose.

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    The broader insecurity plaguing the country is not without roots. Years of ungoverned spaces, porous borders, arms proliferation, youth unemployment and an over-centralised policing system have created fertile ground for criminal groups to thrive. Banditry has become organised; kidnapping has become transactional. The combination of economic desperation and weak local intelligence systems has allowed small groups of armed men to wield disproportionate influence in rural communities.

    Still, this moment calls for more than routine condemnations. What Nigeria faces requires a recalibration of its security priorities. Intelligence must take precedence over brute force. Communities need to be integrated into early-warning mechanisms. Technology—especially aerial surveillance, communication tracking, and real-time mapping of forest corridors—must shift from policy statements to operational deployment. States must also be allowed clearer, legally backed roles in security management, as the current centralised structure is no longer sufficient to address a crisis spread across vast territories.

    Public trust, already weakened, can only be rebuilt through visible, sustained action. Citizens want coordinated operations, not conflicting statements. They want preventive measures, not post-attack visits. They want accountability in security spending and clarity in strategy. Above all, they want assurance that their children can sit in classrooms without fear.

    Nigeria stands at an inflection point. The closure of schools is more than a temporary safety measure—it is a national alarm, a stark reminder that insecurity is now undermining the very foundations of development. Whether the country reverses this trajectory depends on how decisively and intelligently the challenge is confronted.

    For now, parents wait, communities worry, and a nation watches the future of its young people disrupted by forces that should never have been allowed to grow this bold.

    •Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu,

    Abuja.

  • General Musa as last hope for security renewal?

    General Musa as last hope for security renewal?

    • By Abba Dukawa

    Sir: Nigeria stands at a tipping point as insecurity threatens the very foundations of national stability and erodes public confidence in government authority. Last month, the country experienced some of its bloodiest days as terrorists and bandits unleashed violence on defenceless citizens across the Northeast, Northwest and North central regions. During this period, terrorists abducted and executed Brigadier General Uba and three of his men in Borno State.

    In response, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency, authorising the police and army to recruit additional personnel. The president also nominated retired General Christopher Gwabin Musa—the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff—as the new Minister of Defence. This nomination is far more than a routine political transition; it signals the government’s intent to confront insecurity with competence, clarity, and unwavering resolve.

    As Chief of Defence Staff, Musa became known for his bluntness—a quality Nigerians often say they desire but rarely see in security leadership. He repeatedly warned that Nigeria must cut off the financial lifelines fuelling insurgency, stressing that terrorism thrives not only on ideology but also on steady funding streams, illicit supply routes, and porous borders. He frequently advocated for securing Nigeria’s borders through modern surveillance technology and reinforced patrol systems, insisting that no nation can defeat crime if its territorial boundaries remain exposed.

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    Throughout his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa actively promoted the welfare and recognition of officers and troops as a strategy to boost morale and operational effectiveness. He consistently tasked senior officers to prioritize the welfare of their personnel, emphasizing that proper working conditions are essential. He instituted a system for rewarding exceptional service and acts of bravery, sometimes offering monetary rewards or commendation awards. During visits to operational areas, he frequently expressed appreciation for the troops’ conduct, making it clear that their efforts in maintaining national security were observed and valued by army leadership and the government.

    Musa also championed a moral and professional revival within the Armed Forces, emphasizing discipline, dignity, and service. Under his watch, coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force improved significantly, accompanied by a renewed insistence that troops in harm’s way deserve better welfare, equipment, and institutional respect. Many officers privately acknowledged that morale rose under him because he led with clarity and made personal visits to crisis zones—often without fanfare or media coverage.

    While some critics argue that Musa’s approach is too tough or uncompromising, supporters counter that his firmness reflects the reality Nigerians face daily: communities under siege, unsafe highways, and families mourning needless deaths caused by armed criminals emboldened by years of leniency. “Peace cannot be negotiated with those who reject peace,” he once said—a statement that resonated strongly with citizens tired of dialogue that produces no meaningful results.

    As Defence Minister designate, expectations are high. Nigeria stands to benefit from Musa’s mastery of counter insurgency operations, his experience managing joint military commands, and his insistence on accountability within the security system. If granted the political backing and operational freedom required, his leadership could strengthen the armed forces, close critical security gaps, and intensify pressure on insurgents, bandits, and violent criminals across the country.

    At the same time, Nigerians expect him to balance force with reform—addressing longstanding issues such as troop welfare, inter agency rivalry, equipment deficits, intelligence lapses, and the need to rebuild community trust in the security forces. Strengthening intelligence gathering and surveillance systems is essential to combat terrorism and banditry, while partnerships with regional and global security agencies must be reinforced. Emphasizing innovation and technology—such as advanced surveillance, AI driven threat analysis, and regional cooperation—will be crucial, as these measures can make guerrilla warfare more predictable and hold attackers more accountable.

    A defence minister must not only direct battles but also create a strategic environment where peace can endure long after the fighting has stopped. Musa now faces one of the most consequential assignments of his career. The nation hopes his appointment ushers in a new era where courage meets strategy, firmness meets accountability, and leadership meets the urgent need for national renewal. In a time of deep insecurity, he carries the weight of public expectation and perhaps the last credible chance for a decisive turnaround.

    • Abba Dukawa,

     Abuja.

  • The future of Nigeria

    The future of Nigeria

    I was in a group discussing and debating our statement at the General Assembly plenary session in 1991 in New York and we got to the point of discussing the prospects of Nigeria in the future and somebody came up with the linguistic flourish that Nigeria train was entering a long dark tunnel the end of which was light and somebody jokingly said “I hope it is not the light of an approaching train?”

    The picture was so graphic that every time Nigerian runs into the innumerable difficulties, I remembered asking myself whether the joke of 1991 wasn’t a prophetic prediction. There have been many explanations for lack of progress in our national life. Some have put their hands on the ethnic plurality of our country leading to appointment to key areas of the economy not based on the revolutionary basis of careers open to talent but on tribalism, who you know, and bribery and corruption.

    There are other reasons adduced to our problems. There is problem of over population, poor nourishment of our children leading to mental retardation, dead weight of religion, lack of planning or total absence of rationality, politics taking precedence over the economy and above all the constitution which is most of the time lifted from the books of other countries and planted on the environment in Nigeria which most of the time is inappropriate if not hostile and unrelated to our political history and experience.

    The question really is whether ourselves or the constitution that have problems.

    It is true that this republic is overpopulated. The ascribed population load of Nigeria is 220 million and still growing. In all honesty, I don’t think we are up to that number. It is based on UN estimate derived from blown up Nigerian number. I say this with a sense of responsibility.

    I witnessed the last population count in Nigeria and I was surprised at the organised and deliberate inflation of numbers. I witnessed enumerators being bribed to deliver figures claimed to be expected by budget officials at state and local levels before certain allocation for social amenities can be made. Villagers and their children in urban centres were compelled to contribute for the purpose of attracting development to indigenous villages.

    If you drive  from Ibadan through  Ogbomosho – Ilorin – Jebba – Kontagora- or Mokwa – Teginna – Minna  – Kaduna -Zaria – Pabengua- Jos – Toro- Bauchi- Maiduguri, a route I am familiar with and sparsely populated between Ilorin and Kaduna and between Abuja / Kaduna and Jos before reaching Maiduguri, one is bound to doubt the authenticity to the huge numbers ascribed to these places.

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    Apart from Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Maiduguri and not even Sokoto, there are no huge conurbations that come to mind. Ibadan, Ogbomosho and Lagos have huge populations but hardly the millions of souls ascribed to them and the rest of the urban centres in the Southwest have medium populations.

    Apart from Aba, Onitsha and Port Harcourt, there are no centres of huge population in the south-eastern part of Nigeria east of the River Niger. 

    I agree that huge numbers of Nigerians are scattered in hundreds of villages but my intelligent estimate of our total populations is not more than 150 million or less than the official figures if we use 36 million estimated population at independence and growing at a normal rate of 3% per annum.

    Whatever the population may be, we must develop a viable population policy to stop population growth outstripping food production and undermining our food security. The extant population policy in our books advices women to limit child birth to four which allows men to move from one woman to another. Secondly is excess population in Niger, Chad, Benin republic and all the way to Burkina Faso and other ECOWAS countries pouring into Nigeria their poor people. When men in Niger republic were advised by French demographers some years ago to reduce the number of wives and children they have, their response was that as their children grew up, they will emigrate to Kano or Lagos. This means our population control must take account of the growth of population in our neighbours. 

    We must develop a population policy focusing on men not women because of the plurality of wives in this part of the world. Whatever our population may be, the international community especially in Europe is worried about our population growing to 500 million by year 2050. With a huge population and with reduced educational facilities goes the quality of our people. This fact influences the development of our country because of lack of appropriate technology for development.

    In a world increasingly concerned with environmental sustainability, unplanned population growth and unmaintained cities leave too much to be desired.

    I remember attending a conference of cities of the world in the beautiful German city of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany in 1992  representing Nigeria and I was given a platform to say something and I said I was from Lagos, a city of over 10 million souls and the chairman and host blurted out that no African  country can handle such a city especially with our low technological know-how. Today we are told Lagos has an excess of over 20 million souls. It is actually surprising that crime in Lagos is relatively low.

    The journey for sustainable development in Nigeria is very long and it will take huge resources, appropriate and applied technology, political stability, hard work and political leadership shorn of corruption to overcome the various challenges of development in a third world country burdened by poverty and apparent overpopulation.

    It is doubtful if things have changed or might have changed for the worse.

    As for our problem of ethnic antagonism, the situation seems to be getting worse because of economic competition for scarce resources especially land in the crowded urban centres most especially Lagos where ownership of land by the indigenous people is clashing with modern idea of ownership by purchase. This has led to vitriolic campaigns by people against each other which if not arrested may in future, lead to unforeseen and unfortunate physical conflicts which the country cannot afford.

    On top of competition in the urban centres dictated by economic competition, we have competition for political power tied to demographic weight. This may be solved if the holders of levers of power can tie the number of people to taxable responsibility as in many countries of the world. It is true that the multiplicity of different ethnicities in Nigeria is a hindrance to cohesion and collective development. But this should not be the case if we can learn from India with its 1.4 billion people with different peoples with their own writing and civilizations and religions still keeping together after the separation of the same people into India and Pakistan in 1947. Perhaps those who will want the splitting of Nigeria into smaller independent states should learn from the regular outbreak of war between India and Pakistan. If Nigeria were to be split where will the boundaries be? We will waste the relatively little resources that we have on armaments in readiness for war of all against all. We are one and the same black race separated by more than 250 languages, but divided into three or four main languages with some of the languages being mutually understandable.

  • Olympics of victimhood among Muslims and Christians in Nigeria

    Olympics of victimhood among Muslims and Christians in Nigeria

    • By Nuruddeen Lemu

    The wolves came out of the forest and attacked the sheep in the pasture. The sheep – rams, ewes and lambs – scattered in every direction, their cries of fear and pain filling the air. By the time the wolves retreated into the forest, some sheep were dead, some seriously injured and others missing – dragged into the forest. Others were badly frightened and traumatized.

    The attacks are common now. Each attack leaves sheep dead, injured, missing or terribly frightened. The fate of the missing – alive or dead – is often unknown. The sheep turn to one another, wondering why this is happening. Their shepherd seems oblivious to what’s going on, and is often nowhere to be found. Soon, they notice that most of the wolves are black. Some of the sheep turn to the black sheep in the pasture and begin to insinuate and indirectly accuse them of being wolves in sheep’s clothing, or somehow connected with, or conspiring with the wolves. Some suggest that maybe even the shepherd is somehow involved.

    In return, the black sheep show the number of black sheep killed by the same pack of wolves. They begin to count and showcase their numbers to prove that they are also victims, not perpetrators. The sheep of other colours also begin to count their dead to prove that they are the real victims and everyone else is a suspected perpetrator. While the sheep engage in accusations and counter-accusations, the wolves attack again, leaving more dead, injured or missing. Sheep on both sides now count even harder, the injured, the dead and the missing.

    Inter-sheep relations are getting messier, and trust within the flock is rapidly eroding away. Some black sheep accuse the brown sheep of exaggerating their numbers. Some brown sheep accuse the black sheep of doing the same. As accusations and counter-accusations fly, the wolves strike again and again, plucking sheep off the edges of the pasture, making raids further into the pasture, breaking up clusters of sheep.

    While all this is going on, where are the shepherds? Where are those who vowed to protect the sheep while they are out in the pasture? The wolves keep attacking, unchecked. The dead, injured and missing increase in number as do the fear, mistrust and confusion. Empathy disappears as tensions continue to rise – each community of sheep to themselves. No more their brothers’ keepers.

    Read Also: How we killed, dismembered FRSC official, daughter, by herbalist, Osun grilled fish seller

    In the eyes of the wolves, the difference between a brown, white or black sheep is irrelevant. The sheep are food. Period!

    How long will it take us, Nigerians, to realise that, to those who perpetrate violence, our religious, ethnic, and gender identities mean nothing? If your abduction, injury, or death will give them more power, money, or control, then you are a potential victim.

    If you think being a Muslim or Christian protects you, just look at the body count on both sides. Criminals and terrorists do not care what you claim to be. They don’t discriminate; and their bombs and bullets do not discriminate. Tragically, many sheep of one colour believe that proving that they have suffered more will secure them a better future. Those who insinuated that the sheep who shared the same colour as some of the wolves only seem to have provoked more anger and division within the flock. The accused sheep respond by displaying their dead and their most gory wounds, counter-claiming to have suffered as much, if not more, than their accusers.

    Without intending to, the sheep, irrespective of colour, scramble to prove greater victimhood. This is a tragic contest — an “Olympics of victimhood”. As sheep accuse one another of conspiracies and of being wolves in disguise or wolf-sympathizers, they spend precious time and resources pointing hooves at one another instead of demanding that the shepherds do their primary duty: the security and welfare of the flock.

    This infighting is a gift to the wolves. The more the sheep attack one another, the weaker their relationships and the harder it becomes for them to unite and pressure the shepherds to act. For every action in the “Olympics of victimhood” by one sheep, there is an equal and opposite reaction from the other sheep. When will we learn to empathise across our coloured identities and recognise that disunity deepens our collective vulnerability? If we fail to uphold the principle of our mantra, that “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” then the wolves — never the sheep — will be the ultimate winners of the Olympics of victimhood. If we do not rouse the shepherds now, then when? If not us, then who? If not here, then where?

    Wake the shepherds up, get their attention, and let them deal with the wolves, for though abattoirs have appeared in our fields, united effort can still reclaim these pastures as places where peace and justice shall reign. So help us God!

    Meanwhile, please go and find those sleeping or distracted shepherds! Aluta continua! And peace be with me and you! Yes, YOU, my dear comrade!

    •Lemu, OON is a renowned author and trainer.  He writes from Minna, Niger State.

  • ‘Saint’ Matthew

    ‘Saint’ Matthew

    • OBJ’s sermon on the Plateau

    At a time like this, all hands must be on deck in the search of lasting solutions for the nation’s security challenges. It is not a time to play divisive, ethnic and religious politics or to put the government down before the people. It is the government’s main responsibility to secure the country. There is no doubt about that. Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is as clear as daylight on the issue.

    According to Section 14 (2) (b) of this chapter: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. This is a huge responsibility which no government can treat lightly. It is in a secure and serene environment that the people can thrive. They move freely, meet and chat without fear, and strike business deals without any threat whatsoever. There is no gainsaying that the people today mostly live in fear because of the national security concern.

    It has become worse in recent times following American President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ and threat to come ‘guns-a-blazing’ to take out the rampaging terrorists over what he called ‘Christian genocides’. Now, genocide is a strong word. It is not a word thrown around for the fun of it. Indeed, there are killings in Nigeria. This a fact that cannot he wished away. The government knows too well that it has a problem on its hands.

    Ever before Trump came with its threat, the government has been working on the problem. Is it a problem that can be solved in one day? It is not. If it were, the government would have inherited a country with zero security challenge. No country, not even the mighty United States (U.S.) whose leader is breathing down Nigeria’s neck has attained that level. Resolving the security challenge is work in progress (WIP). We will be lying to ourselves if we say that it is something that can be achieved in 24 hours, as some people, including those who should know better are suggesting.

    No rational Nigerian has ever argued that there are no killings in Nigeria. Every citizen is under threat. Even those going about in convoys are not spared. Nigerians do not need a Donald Trump to tell them this. To paint the picture, as former President Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo did in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Friday, as if the government is denying this well known fact is wrong and self-serving. The former president should know better than that having been in government as a military leader (1976-1979), and then as a civilian (1999-2007).

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    Did he hand over a country without security blemishes to Shehu Shagari in 1979, and Umoru Yar’Adua in 2007? No, he did not. The dynamics might have changed but the problem remains. The armed robbery, religious and sectarian crises and kidnapping for money rituals, and militancy and separatist agitations, among other related issues which were the main fares in 1979 and 2007 have converged to become what is today known as terrorism, banditry, insurgency and kidnapping for ransom.

    Obasanjo will be burying his head in the sand like ostrich if he says he is not aware that these challenges were there when he was in office. To now go to Plateau where the people have been besieged for long, even during his own time in office, to talk the way he did is not the stuff of which great leaders are made. Obasanjo should have been measured and temperate in his speech, rather than play to the gallery. What did he want to achieve by doing so? To incite an already beleaguered people against the state?

    The occasion was to sing gospel songs to soothe the pain of the people and not to add to it. Obasanjo tried to be clever by half in his claims on the security situation. He missed the point when he said the government is denying that people are being killed. Has the government ever said so? What it said and is still saying is that Nigerians irrespective of their faith, region or political leanings are being killed. The government’s denial of Trump’s claim of ‘Christian genocides’ is not the same as saying there are no killings in Nigeria. How can anybody say that when what is happening is obvious?

    Christians, Muslims, Traditional worshippers, pagans, and foreigners are being killed. So, why is Trump not taking up the case of the other victims? Why is he selective in his approach? So, the lives of muslims, traditional worshippers and pagans do not matter to him? Humanity is one, no matter the faith or the lack of it that they profess. As Trump seems concerned about the lives of Christians, so also should he show concern for the others who have been killed by terrorists, insurgents and bandits in Nigeria. It is then that he can truly lay claim to being a global crusader for peace and security.

    It is, therefore, distasteful for Obasanjo to endorse Trump’s plan to invade Nigeria to fight insurgency on this score. His submission also that the people have the right to seek external support to save them is not a statement that should come from a man of his status. How would he have reacted if such a submission had been made by someone else when he was in office? The public knows how Baba reacts to such things. He would have descended on such a person, cursing and ranting. I watched him on television, with mouth agape, as he said at the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival:

    “We are part of the world community, and if our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what the government cannot do for us”. Such an inciting statement coming from a former president at what was tagged a ‘Unity’ rally is intolerable and condemnable. Baba has no right to call for a foreign invasion of Nigeria. What he has done smacks of treason. One only hopes he realises that and clears the air. But then, like every eminent Nigerian, he is above the law. Otherwise, he should be answering questions now on what he meant.