The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • A budget prioritising Nigerians

    A budget prioritising Nigerians

    • Fredrick Nwabufo

    Sir: The place of investment in infrastructure cannot be vitiated or discounted. Investment in infrastructure is an essential ingredient for driving economic growth and development. But investment in infrastructure should go pari-passu with investment in human capital development. It should not be at the expense of human capital investments. In the case of Nigeria, a glut of priority should be on human capital development, but without diminishing infrastructure investments.

    On human capital investments, a World Bank article says inter alia: ‘There is a moral case to be made, of course, for investing in the health and education of all people.  But there is an economic one as well: to be ready to compete and thrive in a rapidly changing environment. ‘Human capital’ – the potential of individuals – is going to be the most important long-term investment any country can make for its people’s future prosperity and quality of life. Governments have long invested in economic growth by focusing on physical capital — roads, bridges, airports, and other infrastructure. But they have often under-invested in their people, in part because the benefits have been much slower and harder to measure.’

    Nigeria needs infrastructure. It also needs to put its human resources to the most productive and efficient use. There is a huge chasm in human capital investments not only in Nigeria, but across Africa owing to the prioritisation of brick-and-mortar development over human capacity building. Nigeria currently ranks poorly on the global Human Capital Index (HCI). It is among the bottom seven – 152 out of 157 countries.

    It is heartening that the Tinubu administration is prioritising investments on human capital – on Nigerians; a people immensely blessed with potential and boundless abilities. We have to create a knowledge-driven economy. Crude oil, gold, and other precious metals may run their finite course, but knowledge and skills, though ever changing, will always be the legal tender of now and the future.

    The Tinubu administration’s Budget of Renewed Hope is a prescient and prudent effort to build, harness, and deploy Nigeria’s greatest asset – its people. Nigeria’s wealth is not solely the tangibles of crude oil and solid minerals; it is the collective potentialities of its citizens — most of them unexplored and unexploited.

    President Bola Tinubu says defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, better investment environment, human capital development, poverty reduction, and social security are the top priorities of the 2024 Budget of Renewed Hope.

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    Addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on the 2024 federal government budget proposal on Wednesday in Abuja, President Tinubu said the nation’s internal security architecture will be overhauled to enhance law enforcement capabilities with a view to safeguarding lives, property, and investments across the country.

    Significantly, the president said the proposed budget prioritises human capital development because human capital is the most critical resource for national development. He is very right, and in harmony with the exigencies of the ever evolving world.

    It is foreseeable that investments will be tailored towards sectors with critical volume for mass skill acquisition, skill-upping, learning, education, science, and technology, as well as sectors with high-employment potential and capacity for job creation, food security, and poverty reduction.

    Investment in infrastructure is not marked down. The emphasis is on the completion of ongoing projects as well as projects and programmes that are consistent with the development objectives of the administration.

    The ministry of communications, innovation, and digital economy has been on a passionate endeavour to ‘inspire the use of technologies, especially Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies like UAV, IoT, AI and Blockchain to optimise different sectors of the economy’. The ministry has been initiating programmes for skills development and deployment, as well as mobilising support for the nation’s vibrant technology.

    The reality is, we have to prepare our people for the world of today and of the future. Skills, education, and knowledge are the new currency. The Tinubu administration is bringing the future to Nigerians by its resolve to prioritise human capital development.

    •Fredrick Nwabufo,

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement,

    Abuja.

  • Erosion of moral values, threat to society

    Erosion of moral values, threat to society

    • Kayode Ojewale

    Sir: Sometime last year in Abeokuta, Ogun State, three teenagers were arrested for beheading and burning the head of their female friend for money rituals. The teenagers confessed, while being paraded by the police, that they saw on Facebook the guidelines on how to perform the rituals and become rich. The boys admitted that they strangled the victim and then dismembered her body parts.

    The other day, a 24-year-old undergraduate was arrested for allegedly killing his 20-year old girlfriend in the same school and harvesting her organs for ritual purposes. Could it be said that these young ones have lost their conscience or that they were never taught good morals? The reason is not farfetched – poor upbringing. Parental functions have failed woefully in many quarters today. It all started from greed and metamorphosed to theft at an early age.

    Not too long ago, it was revealed that mothers of young internet scammers and fraudsters have formed an association. Mothers who should be moral and ethical guides have turned the other way. Maybe the association is to unashamedly enable them celebrate the unexplained wealth of their children. A new dimension of criminality which involves making rituals and harvesting of human organs, popularly called Yahoo-Plus, has now become order of the day as compared to the regular internet scam activities known as Yahoo-Yahoo. Your child is not a drycleaner, yet brings bales of cloth home and you as parents do not question that act. It brings to fore the question of parental functions!

    The glitz and glamour of a good life are the main things the society looks forward to. No matter the way or manner an individual, whether young or old, acquires or amasses their wealth, the society applauds them with huge respect. Only the rich have a say as they are always celebrated even if their wealth is ill-gotten. Material possessions are glorified while moral values are vilified and less talked about.

    There is no doubt that moral values form the foundation for a healthy household and in turn a sane society. The family values are good morals which include love, respect, honour, sharing and forgiveness. When a family fails to give their children the time and attention they need, it is the society that suffers the consequence. The society then begins to breed unbridled, unlettered and uncultured products.

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    Some factors responsible for eroded values in a family may range from physical to psychological and could be faults of either parents or the children. They include moral value decline, social attitudinal change, family formation, social media addiction, job loss, divorce, economic hardship, infidelity, sexual/physical abuse, extended family, adoption, peer pressure among many others. These factors also explain why the society at large is threatened and remains where it is today due to the negative consequences they have on our collective well-being.

    How then can these numerous challenges that are eroding important values and family unit be tackled head-on? There is a guiding principle in the Holy Bible which says: Train up a child in the way he should grow and when he is old he won’t depart from it’. Becoming parents isn’t just a mere status couples attain, it comes with huge responsibilities. Parenthood is not all about parenting a child; it encompasses taking charge of the whole life of that child from cradle to the age of accountability.

    The erosion of family values is a pressing issue that demands urgent attention and action as the buck does not stop at the table of government alone. The onus therefore lies on every family to be responsible for its members by preserving and enhancing good moral values. There must be a collective effort from individuals, community leaders, religious organizations and policymakers as they prioritize family values. Measures to alleviate strain on struggling families should also be put in place by concerned authorities. This way, the family can transcend adverse challenges besieging it, then by and large, we rebuild our society and restore those deteriorated values in the family system.

    •Kayode Ojewale,

    kayodeojewale@gmail.com

  • PBAT: Stunts of the salesman  

    PBAT: Stunts of the salesman  

    • By Abdulaziz Abdulaziz 

    It was pin drop silence. All heads turned to his side of the hall listening as the man gently, but firmly, made a case for his country to this crème de la crème of the Saudi Arabian economic bureaucracy and business community. He grabbed attention with an off the cuff speech that exuded confidence, authority, assurance and truthfulness. It was a little wonder his audience followed through and nodded all through! 

    The setting was the Saudi-Nigeria Business Summit and the speaker was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was a forum held on the side-lines of the recent Saudi-Africa Summit held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

    President Tinubu went into the meeting hall at the JW Marriot Hotel in upscale Riyadh as the President of Nigeria. By the time he picked the microphone, he quickly wore the garb of a chief salesman for a product he is excited to market. 

    It was an effortless exercise in sophisticated arts of marketing and advocacy. It was a presentation from the heart that was as unpretentious as it was unscripted. He spurned out the facts and the figures, reeled out the justifications and tickled the boardroom chiefs where it mattered without appearing weak or pitiable. It was a classic case of economic diplomacy and salesmanship at the highest level. 

    Since the beginning of his campaign for office, one of the most frequent words on his lips has been “prosperity”. President Tinubu is a prosperous man. His life is tinged with footsteps of prosperity, from the corporate world where he was a successful businessman to the prosperous political career that was capped with his election to the highest office in the land. 

    It had not always been rosy for him. He had told his story again and again to motivate the younger generation and inspire the country. He had toiled to reach the top. He knew the pains of want and starvation, and the sweetness that comes with economic liberation and prosperity. It is the latter that President Tinubu is desperately working to see that all Nigerians have tested. 

    He had the lifelong ambition to lead his fatherland. He has fulfilled this ambition. He could, if he chooses, stay back and enjoy the perks that come with it and pass the time in office. But because the ambition was not a vain one, President Tinubu is up and doing. “I campaigned for it. I begged for the job. I even danced to get elected. There is no excuse!” That is his mind-set and the philosophy of leadership for him, and it is for this mind-set that he is willing to go to any length to ensure that he bequeaths to Nigerians a prosperous country that everyone desires. 

    It was in his quest for this objective that the president chose to use his time in Riyadh to address the country’s top boardroom chiefs. It turned out to be not just another meeting or a boring address from just another president. It was dazzling interaction that stole the minds of almost everyone in the room, by their own admission. 

    “We came with high expectations but you have exceeded them,” said the Saudi minister of investment, Khalid Al Falih, who moderated the three-hour session, after the rousing applause that greeted President Tinubu’s address to the Saudi business community. The minister had in his welcome address spoke about how they had followed President Tinubu’s campaign promises and how he started off with the “boldest economic reform agenda in decades” for Nigeria, likening it to happenings in Saudi Arabia. 

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    Mohammed Abunayyan, chairman of Saudi’s ACWA Power confessed to being “inspired and motivated” by the president promising to see how his company can make foray into Nigeria. In the same vein, Abdulrahman Alfaqiq, the CEO of Saudi oil trading company, SABIC, promised to upscale their business relationship with Nigeria due to the assurances he got from the top. They were just a few of the many who spoke in glowing terms about the president and in optimistic sense of the new business environment being created by President Tinubu for domestic and international investors.

    This was not the first time and certainly, not the last. In September, the president’s participation at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, was a potpourri of achievements. He maximally used the time to network with the right people and seek out investments for Nigeria. 

    It was, in every sense, a bumper harvest for the country as the president came back with a basket full of goodies amounting to billions of dollars in investment pledges. Most of the commitments are in areas dear to the heart of the president and at centre of our quest for development. These include the $3 billion promised by Jindal Steels for iron ore processing to aid Nigeria’s drive for industrialization, Skippersells’ plan to invest $1.6 billion in the power sector by building 2000MW power plants across the country in four years, Indorama’s pledge for $8 billion expansion of their petrochemical facilities in Rivers State, a billion dollars secured by the Defence Industry Corporation Of Nigeria (DICON),

    among others.

    The president’s last trip to Germany for the G20 Compact with Africa Summit also garnered as much fruits with the signing of the $500 million gas and renewable energy pact with the German government, among others. 

    As a young man, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was trained as an accountant. But in his new job President Tinubu is demonstrating that beyond his training in accountancy, he has imbibed not a few skills from his revered mother and notable businesswoman to apply in his bid to market Nigeria to investors and the larger international community. 

    •Abdulaziz is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media. He’s on X @AbdulFagge.

  • Akpabio and his repudiation of cant

    Akpabio and his repudiation of cant

    • By Sufuyan Ojeifo

    Another year around the sun is always something to celebrate. When an outstanding personality, a star, completes this existential and transcendental course, there is even more reason to roll out the drums in festivity. Incidentally, a man who cares little for mundane revelry will achieve this landmark on December 9.

    This would seem the best way to herald the uncommon personality who presently orbits the circumference of the National Assembly, defining, as it were, its atmospherics and nuances, in his usually unusual, yet companionably engaging manner.  The character stated, supra, undergirds the essential leadership of the senate president and chairman of the 10th National Assembly, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio (GOA), who turns 61 on December 9.

    Love him or hate him, GOA is defined by his sheer, yet controlled kinetic energy and revels in pushing new frontiers, not minding whether or not he gets obligatory approbation from any quarters.  For him, he would have satisfied himself, yes, his conscience. These ingrained traits remain the central portrayal of Akpabio. who may go down in annals as  Nigeria’s inimitable national assembly political leader, away from the

    It is, indeed, no secret that today, Nigeria, Africa and the world at large stand on the brink of substantial disruptions – and of considerable opportunity – as new economic, cultural and political models challenge traditional playbooks. To proactively navigate these existential mazes clearly requires clear vision, knowledge, courage, and cutting-edge leadership. Only this can hold the promise of both stability and progression. Against the background of these high-octane socio-political, economic, and cultural ferment and consequent imperatives for uncommon leadership focus and transformative thinking, cant – a hypocritical and sanctimonious mind-set – absolutely has no place.

    This is where Akpabio enters the fray, with a gravitas of purpose to repudiate cant, yes, outright banalities, in legislative interactions. Quite early in his rich political career, he had repudiated cant as a tool of political engagement or service to humanity. His trajectories in Akwa Ibom, where he rose into the plum elective position of governor after heading several ministries, are writ large, and are rendered much more so by the magnitude of his legacy infrastructure projects. 

    Not surprisingly, this no less a philosophical footing of repudiating cant, has, in no small measure, helped to leverage his life journey. As he marks his 61st birthday anniversary with a thanksgiving service in Uyo on December 9 and a colloquium in Abuja on December 14, it is a good time to acknowledge this Essien Udim-born leader, whose singular disavowal of cant has shaped his uncommon, multi-faceted impact within his troubled milieu occasioned by the opposition elements within his party and outside in the other camps.

    Unassuming Senator Akpabio, who was governor of Akwa Ibom State for two terms, is no less a child of providence who wields influence and authority with humility and focus. In addition to his humility is his compassionate and community spirit. The top-draw politician has demonstrated with his life’s trajectory that indeed law (which he studied and practised until he veered into public office), politics, administration, and faith fundamentally address transformation of society and the human condition for good.

    Always smiling, humorous, and kind to a fault, Akpabio has managed through his charitable acts to connect to a wide range of stakeholders and ordinary Nigerians – adroitly deploying his folksy charm and communitarian zest. But in a season of “hanger” (hunger and anger combined), humour could become a slippery anecdote – and worse – can, outright, backfire. This is especially true when it plays out in an environment which many have rightly or wrongly grown to distrust.

    The foregoing scenario largely captures the essence of the incident that transpired in the senate on Monday, August 7, when Senate President Akpabio off-handedly spoke about a token being paid into the accounts of his peers to aid a pleasant recess. But he had, since, typically overcome the associated backlash – with a smile.

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    Certainly not a rookie in the executive governance, legal, administrative, and legislative spheres, Akpabio has often been misread by friends and foes, possibly on account of his accommodating and unassuming disposition. He is certainly not a politician who craves crude acquisition of raw power for the sake of it. His bold visions are anchored on consistent principles, which have come to define his life story.

    The South-south region’s highest-ranking politician is not given to political chicanery. He is expressive and expansive on his positions on issues. As he speaks, he smiles and sometimes laughs. He is not swayed by primordial considerations that tend to de-emphasise the essential gravitas of his political standpoints.

    It could easily be recalled how he reacted to Senator Ali Ndume on the floor when he (Ndume) was trying to drive home the point that the Senate President committed some procedural infractions. Akpabio did not consider his closeness with Ndume to bend the Senate rule. He felt otherwise. He spoke with candour in the knowledge that he did the right thing. He was not ready to revisit a decision already taken by the Senate at plenary. That’s unvarnished leadership.

    It is often said that a powerful vision, like a magnet, draws in ideas, people, and other resources. It creates momentum and will to make change happen. It inspires individuals, complementary democratic organizations, and institutions to commit, persist, and give their best. This mirrors Akpabio’s forte. Leveraging these positives, he has also deployed impeccable professionalism, discipline, and persistence in changing the traditional narrative of subnational governance and in the national space as federal legislator and now as chairman of the National Assembly.

    The stability of congressional leadership is a crucial feature of advanced democracies the world over, particularly in the US from which Nigeria cloned the basic template of her presidential democracy – after dumping the Westminster model. Though in the US, considerations like religion and ethnicity are alien in composing the canvass of its legislative leadership, in Nigeria, these represent the core algorithms for the customary horse-trading and positioning of the principal officers of the federal legislative assembly. This combustible environment requires a cool-headed leader.

    Weighing all the relevant metrics in picking the tenth president of the senate, Senator Akpabio certainly ticks all the significant boxes. At a testy period in the nation’s political history, the national parliament undoubtedly needed a humble and level-headed leader to guide its affairs. It certainly got it in the persona of Akpabio.

    Many certainly have not forgotten that Akpabio is a dedicated realist and reformer who bridged all gulfs and levelled much of the development hurdles that challenged his state as exemplified by his selfless stewardship to the people of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015 as governor. As former Senate Minority Leader, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, it bears repeating that Akpabio, stands as a very experienced and qualified politician who is certainly prepared for even higher political responsibility beyond his current mandate, going forward.

    Just recently, he was elected into the global executive committee of the 189-nation Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the Luanda, Angola confab, after Nigeria’s 59-year absence in the executive committee of the global legislative body. That was quite remarkable, and it speaks to God’s abundant grace on Akpabio to produce magical moments and achieve monumental feats in the politics of the executive and the legislative.

    In total, Akpabio has shown a relentless pursuit for socio-political growth and transformation of the human condition. Significantly, he has done so in a measured and calculated manner. In a very diverse, multi-ethnic environment, he has thrived on respect for his peers, loyalty, discipline, and uncommon focus.

    •Ojeifo contributed this piece via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com

  • Afro-democracy

    Afro-democracy

    Only two men have had the luck of ruling Nigeria as military Head of State and President: Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari. Their junior, Ibrahim Babangida, attempted but didn’t even get the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination. Obasanjo and Buhari made the headlines recently: Buhari for admitting a cabal could have hijacked his government, and Obasanjo for saying liberal democracy was forced on Africa. Now, we need Afro-democracy, which is fashioned with our needs in mind, the ex-President said. 

    I sincerely don’t believe liberal or western democracy is our problem. I believe we are our problem. Both our leaders and the led aren’t holding our ends of the bargain very well. 

    Let’s take Obasanjo as a leader, for instance, who behaves as if the end always justifies the means and to hell with the rule of law. 

    Obasanjo carried out a privatisation programme. The idea was for government-owned businesses to be sold to the private sector so they would be well-run. We are all witnesses to how bad that turned out. He also invested chunk of money in the power sector and, till today, we are in need of light to determine where the funds went.

    Under his watch, the education sector didn’t witness any major turnaround. Under his watch, the health sector didn’t get the lift it deserved. Under his watch, housing was not improved significantly. Under his watch, respect for the rule of law was near zero. He seized the funds meant for local governments in Lagos and ignored the law. Under his watch, the National Assembly was unstable because he kept getting the leaders impeached because of his disagreement with them. 

    Under his watch, fewer roads got the attention they deserved. Under his watch, we crawled when we were supposed to be running a marathon.

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    In the twilight of his administration, he tried to elongate his tenure. He can deny it from now till tomorrow, but we are no fools. Those who played one role or the other in it have spoken. He also harassed rich individuals and state governors into donating billions for the construction of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. The library is complete with a standard hotel and other money-spinning facilities, including a cinema. 

    At the height of their quarrel, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose asked him to return Ekiti’s donation to the library. For me, there is no justification for him as a sitting president to raise money the way he did for a private project. For want of a better word, it is gross abuse of office. 

    Many of us too only condemn bad doings in our nation when we aren’t benefiting from the corridors of power. We become tribal warlords when our tribesmen misbehave and we defend their bigotry and nepotism. And, in the end, our nation is the loser.

    My final take: Our problem is not the system of government we practise, but the men and women who should make the institutions strong, and those of us who enable strong men instead of strong institutions capable of checking excesses. 

  • New York, New York 

    New York, New York 

    The streets of New York are not paved with gold; neither are the walls smoothened with diamond. But, so thrilled by New York, a Nigerian poet once wrote: “New York, New York, so nice, they call you twice.”

    For me, New York is a tale of mixed fortunes. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying New York is bad or that I hate New York. But, I am saying New York has its crazy sides. Ugly sides, if you like. I saw a man who, judging from the way he kept shouting and talking to no one in particular, was insane. I saw a man bearing a card with the inscription: “Please help, I am homeless. Nothing is too small.” I saw men sleeping on the streets. I saw streets artists on Times Square, who eke their living begging to do quick portraits of tourists. I saw a three-man street dancer who performed after reminding you that you should not forget to drop some money in a used paint container. I saw a guitar man who performed on the streets for peanuts.

    Walking the streets of New York, I saw many who know no other homes but the streets. I saw small girls, old men and women smoke their lives away despite the fact that smoking is banned in open places. I saw a boy who wanted me to spare some minutes to get educated about gay rights. I saw open advertisement asking people to come watch private porn sessions. I saw babies who have made babies dragging their toddlers in trolleys across the walkways.

    New York, in a lot of sense, belongs to the rich and powerful, especially the Manhattan axis. It is home to the United Nations, the Madison Square, the famous Times Square, and the world’s most expensive hotels where world leaders find homes when they come to New York. It also owns Sofitel, the hotel where former IMF boss, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, met his waterloo in the form of a pretty African immigrant maid.

    It also hosts amazing departmental stores such as Macy’s, which occupies some ten-floors around Broadway, where the popular ‘Fela’ was staged. The statue of liberty finds in New York a befitting home. Thousands troop there daily to identify with this symbol of freedom.

    Its famous Times Square hosts hustlers and tourists regularly such that traffic becomes clogged.

    In New York, few storey-buildings are rarities. Skyscrapers upon skyscrapers occupy the landscape. New York’s streets glitter with Starbucks and plasma screens, which find spaces on the high-rise buildings.

    Car parks are usually in-built, such that one may wonder if no space is left for parking before discovering that basements and ground floors of many of the high-rise serve as parking lots. There are also many pay-as-you-park garages around. Many of the roads also have designated parking areas.

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    New Yorkers encourage you to walk and they tell you ‘it is not far’ only for you to discover it is a 20 or 30 minutes’ walk. They say: “New York is better seen on foot.” And thanks to the fact that the streets of New York are largely crime free, people walk into the wee hours and feel little or no sense of fear. There are even stores that operate 24 hours.

    New York has succeeded in selling itself as a tourist playground where you can see the best. It boasts of a rail system which is said to make over two and a half billion trips per year through its network of more than 700 train and subway stations.

    Taxi drivers in New York are bound by law to carry passengers to wherever they want to go. But, like a Ghananian who works as a cab driver told a friend and I, the rule is not obeyed. Cab drivers, especially of Asian origin, avoid black passengers. I actually flagged one who refused to stop. The Ghananian cab driver said this was because blacks were fond of asking to be taken to far-flung parts of the city such as Brooklyn or Staten Island only to run away in order to avoid paying.

    The best time to visit New York is during summer. This is the time when you will feel like you are on the streets of Lagos. No need for thick sweater or jacket. Maybe light sweater for the evenings. It is also the time when, on the streets, New York babes decide to flaunt what their mamas gave them: their thighs and breasts. After all, there is no cold to fear. At this time of the year, they hide everything under chunky jackets. 

  • Nigeria’s daring step towards correctional decongestion 

    Nigeria’s daring step towards correctional decongestion 

    • By Oluwafunke Adeoye

    In spite of the presumption of innocence enshrined in S. 36 of the 1999 constitution that states “Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty”, 70% of the inmates housed in Nigeria’s 255 custodial centres are awaiting trial. This is the highest percentage of awaiting-trial prisoners in Africa. According to World Prison Brief, South Africa follows closely with about 32.9%.  The implication of this is that many of our custodial centres, especially those in urban areas, are congested with individuals who have not been found guilty of crimes by courts of competent jurisdiction. The conditions of living in these facilities are inhumane, impeding the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

    Within the precinct of existing literature – which includes a report by Open Society Justice Initiative, and anecdotal evidence collected by Hope Behind Bars Africa, a non-governmental organisation working on human rights and criminal justice issues – many awaiting trial inmates are indigent and remain incarcerated because they are unable to afford the three Bs – Bail, Bribe and Barrister. The audacious move by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to release over 4,000 inmates across the country’s custodial centres, through the payment of over N580 million in fines, clearly shows that the government is not unaware of the plight of indigent persons behind bars.

    Responding to the initiative, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, suggested a review of the plan. According to the Learned Silk, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chief Judges of all the states and the Federal Capital Territory could visit the correctional centres and exercise their powers under the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody Special Provisions) Act, by ordering the release of all inmates whose detention are either manifestly unlawful; or who have been in custody, whether on remand or otherwise, for periods longer than the maximum period of imprisonment which they could have served had they been convicted of the offences for which they are detained. He further opined that the N500 million could be utilised for the reformation and reintegration of the inmates.

    This is not the first time the government is making such a spirited move. In 2019, Justice Ishaq Bello, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion, secured the release of 5000 inmates based on factors such as inability to pay fines, age, ill-health, and illegality of detention. According to Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the federal government had, through the same committee, freed over 12000 inmates in six years.

    In 2020, as part of efforts to curtail the pandemic, the former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola stated that amnesty would be granted to 2,600 inmates. Of this number, 885 were convicts who could not pay their fines and the federal government committed N21.4 million for that cause.

    No doubt, the move by the minister, barely six months after ascending to the ministry, is laudable. By paying the fines of those at the lowest ebb of our society, the government’s initiative offers a glimmer of hope for individuals trapped in the cycle of poverty and incarceration.

    While we commend the federal government for this laudable intervention, there are concerns that merely releasing inmates to decongest correctional centres without tackling the root cause of their imprisonment is akin to refilling a leaky bucket without patching the holes causing the leaks. To effectively nip the problem in the bud, it is pivotal for the government to understand the interplay of the conditions facilitating prison congestion in Nigeria and their complexities. At the root of correctional congestion is the overuse of pre-trial detention, criminalisation of petty offences, over-reliance on custodial sentencing, delay in the administration of justice, stringent bail system, poor funding and management, amongst many others.

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    Furthermore, the majority of individuals who find themselves in conflict with the law are from low socio-economic backgrounds.  This is not to excuse crime but to re-emphasise that as long as efforts are not being made to address our socio-economic challenges, recidivism will increase. Hence, now is the time to rethink how taxpayers’ money is being used, by ensuring that inmates are not just fed and sheltered but given all they need to stay away from crime.

    From the foregoing, the 3 Rs – Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration – should be of maximum priority. It would be suicidal for efforts that foster the release of 4,000 justice-impacted individuals to be made, where nothing has been done to empower them behind bars or equip them with skills for their successful re-entry into society. A long-term comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of crime is a step in the right direction.

    By investing in education, skills training, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged individuals, Nigeria can help break the cycle of reoffending and over congestion, providing pathways to a productive and law-abiding life. Strategic interventions can be developed that will provide revenue for the government, the correctional service, and the communities. Across the world, correctional industries exist that contribute to the GDP of developed countries. Statistics show that US prison workers contribute $11bn worth of goods and services per year. Human rights-compliant models that are relevant to our context can be mainstreamed into correctional administration. There is also a need to provide behavioural change and life skills support for them. Religious bodies can play a major role here in the absence of psychologists and other experts. 

    By implementing innovative programs that offer educational opportunities, vocational training, counselling, and mentorship, Nigeria can empower formerly incarcerated persons to become contributing members of their communities.

    In addition to having a detailed 3R strategy, the use of non-custodial measures is very necessary. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, promote the use of alternative sentencing measures like community service, parole, probation, fines, etc. However, due to several constraints, implementation has been haphazard. An integration of the activities of all criminal justice actors will make this work effective. Non-custodial measures such as restorative justice can be used at different stages of the process, especially at the police stage for simple cases. Proper sentencing guidelines that incorporate non-custodial sanctions, and more importantly, structures to carry out non-custodial sanctions are apropos. The non-custodial unit needs to be properly funded and a way to go will be the enforcement of the Non-custodial Special Fund as provided for in S.44 of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.

    Additionally, the recent alteration of the 1999 Constitution that allows states to manage their own correctional facilities is a step in the right direction. Statistics have shown that 80% of offenders are state offenders. If states begin to take on the burden of correctional management, they will realise the need to invest funds in community development, empowerment, education and poverty alleviation.

    •Adeoye is a Lawyer & Commonwealth Scholar at University of Oxford.

  • Asake, Ayra Starr, Davido emerge most streamed artists

    Asake, Ayra Starr, Davido emerge most streamed artists

    YBNL/Empire signee Ahmed Ololade aka Asake has emerged most streamed Nigerian artist for 2023 in a comprehensive overview as displayed by data accrued by streaming platform, Spotify.

     According to the 2023 Spotify Wrapped data, Nigerian music enthusiasts Asake earned the coveted title of most streamed artist in three different countries, Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo, where he captivated audiences same way Afrobeats’ international success skyrocketed making the genre the most exported genre of the year.

     Asake’s dominance continued in the Top 10 most streamed tracks, with three of his hits – Lonely At The Top, 2:30 and Amapiano making the cut. His reign extended to the Gen Z demographic, with Asake becoming the most streamed artist among Nigerian and Ghanaian Gen Z listeners. His song Lonely At The Top further cemented his popularity among Nigerian Gen Zs, topping the charts for their age group.

     In the same vein, Grammy nominee and Mavin signee Ayra Starr clinched the title of the most streamed female artist in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Mercy Chinwo, a Nigerian gospel artist also secured a spot among the top 10 most streamed female artists in Nigeria, underscoring the enduring popularity and influence of gospel music.

    Read Also: Eight Nigerian artists who were once arrested, detained

     “Nigeria is a hotbed of musical talent, and we’re incredibly proud to showcase the diversity and passion of Nigerian music lovers through Wrapped,” said Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. “This year’s Wrapped is a testament to the power of music to connect people and bring them closer to the culture and traditions of Nigeria.”

     Also making the lists of most streamed artists in Nigeria are Burna Boy, Davido, Seyi Vibez, Omah Lay, Bnxn, Rema,ODUMODUBLVCK, Olamide, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Tems, Rihanna,

     SZA, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, and Libianca.

     For most streamed albums in Nigeria, Daviod’s Timeless took the lead while others followed. Other albums that made the list include Work of Art by Asake, Boy Alone by Omah Lay, EZIOKWU by ODUMODUBLVCK, I Told Them by Burna Boy, Rave & Roses Ultra by Rema,

     Mr. Money With The Vibe by Asake, Sincerely, Benson by Bnxn, ‘Love, Damini’ by Burna Boy, and Unruly by Olamide.

  • Victor Okere’s Drink premieres on Sunday

    Victor Okere’s Drink premieres on Sunday

    Cerebral Nigerian filmmaker, Victor Okere, is set to premiere his new feature film, Drink on Sunday, December 3, 2023, at the Blue Pictures Cinemas, City Mall, Onikan, Lagos.

     Okere said movie buffs and fans of quality films from Nollywood should ‘get ready for an intoxicating cinematic experience.’

     The anticipated premiere is expected to be graced by Nollywood stars and other dignitaries.

     Drink has also been scheduled to hit cinemas nationwide and globally on Friday, December 8.

    Read Also: Ghanaian rapper 2pm’s lifeless body made to stand at burial ceremony

     Elaborating more on the synopsis of the film, which was shot on locations within and outside Lagos and its environs, Okere said, “Olumide, which was professionally played by ladies man, Alex Ekubo and Anuli Roberts, exceptionally interpreted by sexy Nancy Isime, are newly married and just back from their honeymoon when Olumide begins to have frequent incidents of drunkenness. Anuli is hurt and disappointed. Theirs had been a whirlwind romance and barely months into their relationship despite warnings from family and friends, which they dismissed as discriminatory and baseless, they had gotten married. Now she feels that she is married to a stranger and has mixed feelings about their marriage, thus begins the real conflict in their turbulent union.”

     Drink features Alex Ekubo, Nancy Isime, Stephnora Okere, Zack Orji, Nosa Rex, Jibola Dabo, Vincent Opurum, Uche Montana, Samira Fashina, Ola Olasope, Bimbo Peters, Onwudi Andrew, Amos Ndubueze, Toju Peters, Eleazu Texas and several others.

  • Blood Vessel, Sons of Caliphate to debut on Netflix this month

    Blood Vessel, Sons of Caliphate to debut on Netflix this month

    December 8 has been announced as the release date of Blood Vessel, the highly awaited Charles Okpaleke’s collaboration with Netflix.

     The film, which is directed by Moses Inwang and produced by Agozie Ugwu, Arafat Bello-Osagie & Roxanne Adekunle-Wright tells the story of six people fleeing a town devastated by oil pollution stowed away on a mysterious ship — not realising the dangers that await.

     Blood Vessel, boasts of a vibrant cast list including David Ezekiel, Obinna Okenwa, Levi Chikere, Adaobi Dibor, and Jide Kene Achufusi.

     Blood Vessel is one of the seven titles, which Netflix announced will be premiering on the platform. Others are Aníkulápó: The series, Ólòturé: The Series, War: Wrath and Revenge.

     In the same vein, December 28 has been announced as the release date for War: Wrath and Revenge, a spin off from the popular ‘Sons of the Caliphate.’

     War: Wrath and Revenge follows Nuhu Bala’s rise to the governorship of Kowa, treacherously orchestrated by his wife Binta, who would stop at nothing to see her husband succeed. When Binta discovers her husband is about to take a second wife, the wrath of a woman scorned will stop at nothing to protect her love.

    Read Also: Eight Nigerian artists who were once arrested, detained

     The title from the stables of Ebonylife studios has Mo Abudu as its executive producer and Heidi Uys as supervising producer. 

     Produced and directed by Dimbo Atiya, War: Wrath and Revenge features Rahama Sadau, Mofe Duncan, Uzee Usman, Patrick Doyle, Ifeanyi Kalu, Theresa Edem, Ayoola Ayolola, Yakubu Mohammed  and many more.

     Other titles scheduled to appear on the streaming platform in December include Christmas as Usual and Hilda: Season 3, The Crown: Season 6 Part 2, Christmas as Usual, Young Sheldon: Season 6,  Carol & The End of The World, Yoh’ Christmas, Trevor Noah: Where Was I, Love is Blind Brazil: After the Altar, Ijogbon, The Black Book, The One for Sarah and The Rise of Igbinogun.