The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

Of poems and symbols of terrorism

Title: The Lonely Grave and other poems

Athor: Jibrin Baba Ndace

Published: 2020

Reviewer: Edozie Udeze

POEMS convey thoughts in deeper and more concise forms. They are feelings of the inner mind that pierce the heart. The words are naturally chosen for proper effects and to also convey the appropriate sounds for the purpose of assimilation. The Lonely Grave and other poems, comes at a time when the Nigerian society is at a crossroads. The poet is very careful in his choice of themes and words, lines and sounds. He takes his time to synchronize and harmonize the rhymes and rhythms, their total effects on the psyche of the reader; indeed, the entire society.

Jibrin Baba Ndace is totally involved in these poems. He tears at the heart of the matter. In very few succinct words in each lyric, he delivers the necessary messages to convey the state of anomie and angst, very chaotic in some circumstances and situations, in Nigeria where the enemy held sway for many years. If we take a cue from the book of Lamentations in the Holy Bible, we encounter the sorrows of Jerusalem replicated in Nigeria. It is clear: “How lonely lies Jerusalem once full of peoples. Once honoured by the world. She is now like a widow…”.

Now, how Ndace handles this war of idiocy. “Like the crackling of bush fires-(the gunshots boom). We hear them around, Ahead of us, They fly in all directions. It is the sound of death. The shots from the guns…” The poems are all on the fight to uproot the menace called Boko Haram. The insurgency began slowly but steadily grew and spread like an irredeemable wildfire. Before the nation realized it the group had spread far afield to all the nook and cranny of the North East of Nigeria. Consequently, those areas -towns, villages, markets, worship places, schools, homes, farms, suddenly became endangered, marooned and cocooned by harbingers.

Then came Lt. General Tukur Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff. Then also came Ndace as one of the embedded defence correspondents. The events unfolded fast and in quick successions. With accelerated despatch, work began; serious counter insurgency happened in which General Buratai and his men regained control while the journalists did their reporting. Ndace followed the events clinically using his curious sense of observation and jotting where necessary to safe keep information. The results are these emotion laden poems. They are poems that take you through the series of traumatic happenstances that disrupted the society. It is the story of the gunshots of men… for the enemies that lurk around….

The poems are sorrowfully delivered. The poet does not hide anything. The feelings are genuine, mean, profound and often infectious, while the enemy is waiting in ambush, to strike. Now, it is only on the way to Sambisa, a coven of sorts, and which is now debauched and defiled in dryness. By indoctrinated rapists… The rapists that distorted Chibok, harassing young maidens into nothingness, into eternal captivity; sex slaves in their very early years of life. The poems on Chibok , Chibok Angels are truism, complete reminders of the early stages of the attacks by these marauders. The lines grip, dripping with memories of the things parents do not want to remember, of young school girls who have one day become slaves in very sadistic circumstances.

And in their innocence. They began a journey/to the land unknown/an uncertain voyage, of no return, leaving despair, on their heels… Our girls ‘wifed’ by the beasts. Sexed by the vampires. Made mothers, by the monsters”. It is horrendous, harrowing and heart-rending. These lines touch on the fabrics of homes; on the role of the state to protect and provide, to safeguard and streamline. This also goes to show why the poems are divided into sections. Each section handles appropriate themes and periods in the lifespan of the matters so treated in the collection. Ndace is crafty and smart in this arrangement. And in all, the arrangement works so clearly that once you pick the book, you are compelled to read through. The simplicity of the presentation, the high sense of delivery, all come together to give added impetus and meaning to the poems.

Apart from a rather lengthy acknowledgement, the book is divided into six chapters of sections. This makes for an easy read. The first chapter handles issues of The War of Idiocy, which inadvertently queries the senselessness of the whole episode called Boko Haram. In chapter two, named Famished land, there are problems of Safe traps, Gamboru Ngala, Vulture’s feast and more. The poems are on incidences, on homes, on locations and settlements now shadows of their former selves.

In chapter three- Heroes in boots, individuals, soldiers, generals, all are eulogized for their uncommon roles to dismantle the enemy. The poems come out as more of tributes, eulogies, appraisals, more. In the poems you see the level of sacrifices, commitments, zeal exhibited by the people concerned to save motherland. The poet is critical in his assessment of their roles in most terrible of times to wriggle free of difficult moments for the good of all.

In chapter four, titled Tears of Laughter, sanity has gradually begun to erupt, to surface amongst the rank and file. The Army leaders have begun somewhat to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Time to indulge in The Soldier and his lover, can now be tolerated. It shows, however, that it is not totally a hopeless struggle to freedom. The poet intones: ‘It is a love affair. Not your usual love affair… It is a love affair. Of combatants, And their riffles. Of combatants, And their horses. Of combatants, And their trenches. It is a love affair that must be. It is a combatants’ love affair”. You can now see the taste of love affair. You can now perceive how the army romances love to steady their nerves, to fight on.

In chapter five, Of Drills and Grief, we see another sides of the Army, those unspoken sides that separate them from the rest of the people. It is time to glimpse through the Combatant press up, Combatant movement or It may be the last. All these gear towards the total build up of a soldier to face the rigours of his calling. In chapter six, we encounter Of hope, victory and triumph. It is time to really wine and dine, time to snigger at the enemy and shout loud that we have made it. Here most people come back to welcome the gallant and victorious soldiers, after all, stories of the war are only written by the victors. The villain and vanquished has no stories to tell. So Ndace tells it, General Buratai stamps it and now we have: The Lonely Grave and other poems.

June 18, 2023
BSN donates Bibles, relief materials to pupils, parents

The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has donated bibles, relief materials, and back-to-school packs worth N2,124,864 to the pupils and parents of Local Government Authority Primary School 1 and 2, at Ogbonwankwo Street in Ajegunle, Lagos State.

This was stated in a statement released to The Nation recently by BSN Manager, Media and PR, Benjamin Mordi.

Mordi said that the society carried out the donation through its Macedonian Call Project.

He stated that while the pupils received school bags, notebooks, and biros, their parents received relief materials such as toiletries, beverages, and food items. All interested parents and pupils also got gently used clothes.

Read Also: BSN brought light to Nigeria Christian faith – Aboyeji

Speaking after the presentation of the items, the Head of Section, Social Mobilisation, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Oduntan Sunday Olukoya, said, “We are grateful to The Bible Society of Nigeria for this wonderful initiative. This will go a long way in helping the pupils and their families, especially in these difficult times. We hope that other organisations will emulate this gesture and support our community.”

One of the teachers in the school, Mrs. Alatise Balkis, also thanked The Society for coming to the aid of the pupils and their parents, adding that the gesture would serve as a succour to the recipients. Also reacting to the donation, Habiba Muhammed, a parent, said, “I am very happy. God bless The Bible Society of Nigeria. Thank you very much.”

Earlier, the Production and Programmes Manager of The BSN, Mrs. Grace Benjamin, explained to the expectant parents and pupils that the BSN initiated the project to reach out to families in underprivileged communities across the country, especially those in Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) and those living in slums.

June 18, 2023
Migrant workers sent over $600b to 800m families in 2022 – IFAD boss

The huge remittances from different parts of the globe are helping to improve the wellbeing of millions, Álvaro Lario, the President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has said.

Speaking at the opening session of the Global Forum on Remittances, Investment and Development (GFRID) in Nairobi recently, Lario, “Making the most of remittances and diaspora investments can, paradoxically, curb the need for more to migrate. These flows are great contributors to the wellbeing of millions. Almost US$1.8 billion in remittances are flowing daily to low and middle-income countries, leveraging development opportunities. Half of that amount, US$900 million, is boosting agriculture and rural development.”

According to him, one billion people worldwide are either sending or receiving remittances.

In 2022, 200 million migrant workers sent US$647 billion to over 800 million family members in low and middle-income countries. This is done with small transactions of US$200 on average, 10 to 12 times a year. In these countries, the combined value of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and foreign direct investment is substantially less than the funds sent by migrants to their loved ones.

“Even in times of crisis, the hard-earned money sent home remains a reliable source of income for millions of individuals and families across the world. Remittances allow families to fight poverty, put food on the table, pay medical and education expenses and improve their housing, water and sanitation,” he stressed, adding that while migrants mostly send money to cover basic needs, it is estimated that recipients manage to either save or invest 25 per cent of the money they receive. One-quarter of these savings (US$25 billion annually) goes into agriculture-related investments. This amount is four times greater than the global ODA allocated to agriculture in developing countries.

Read Also: Tinubu eqipped to develop Nigeria, says Jimoh Ibrahim

“We need to change our perception and recognise migrant workers and diaspora investors as essential development contributors, especially when it comes to climate adaptation.”

The President of IFAD advocates for working with the private sector to seize business opportunities, and fully supports the need to harness the potential of these financial flows to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Organised jointly by IFAD, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, and the World Bank Group, the GFRID forum aims to foster a change in mindset among various stakeholders, including public and private partners as well as civil society. The goal is to fully acknowledge and leverage the potential of remittances and diaspora investments as critical sources of socio-economic development in low and middle-income countries. World experts will present their conclusions to the UN General Assembly meeting around the SDG Agenda in September this year.

Africa is of particular interest at the 2023 GFRID, as 17 out of its 54 countries rely on remittances for at least 4 percent of their GDP. Several countries, including The Gambia, Somalia, Comoros, Lesotho, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau, exceed the 10 per cent threshold. These findings were outlined in the newly released RemitSCOPE Africa outcome report, which presents the most up-to-date and reliable data on remittances and their impact across all 54 African countries. The report sheds light on the over US$100 billion that annually flows into Africa from its migrant workforce of over 40 million individuals worldwide.

June 18, 2023
Beejay Sax, Mike Abul, others for Omo Baba Experience Concert

Renowned saxophonist Beejay Sax, Emma, Baba, MOJ, Mike Abdul, Aribo Nifemi, and the Spirit of David Choir, are among the A-List artistes to feature at the ‘The Omo Baba Experience’ concert on the 30th of June 2023 at Muson Centre Lagos.

The event is being put together by the Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Living Seed Church, Omole, Lagos. The church is under the Pastoral leadership of Abolaji Adeola.

Themed: ‘A Night of Soul-Stirring Performances and Heartfelt Contributions,’ will feature an incredible lineup of talented artistes and promises an unforgettable experience of uplifting music and boundless praise.

Read Also: Gospel singer Psalmos organises mega concert with 15 top ministers

Speaking on the forthcoming event, Pastor Adeola, said “With the hit song by the SOP, ‘Omo Baba,’ capturing the hearts of many, Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) is embarking on a noble mission to extend their reach beyond music. By utilizing the power of their music, SOP intends to create a platform for raising funds and spreading awareness for orphanages and other charitable endeavors. This concert serves as an avenue for individuals to contribute their own quota in making a difference in the lives of those in need.

He said the concert will leave an indelible mark on the lives of orphans and those in need. “By rallying together and supporting this remarkable event, individuals can play an active role in making a difference and contribute to humanitarian causes. The concert serves as a reminder that each person has the ability to impact the world positively, and together, they can create a brighter future for all,” Adeola said.

June 18, 2023
R.I.P., Water Resources Bill
- Senate finally nails a proposed obnoxious law after protracted controversy
It is with gratitude to God that I announce the last-minute, even if long overdue death of the much-hated National Water Resources Bill. The highly contentious bill died of shock from persistent rejection on the floor of the Senate on June 6, a day to the end of the tenure of the ninth senate. It was a last-minute ditching of the desperate attempts to sneak the bill into our statute book. The bill is survived by cavemen herders and their elite collaborators, as well as millions of Nigerians who ensured it was stillborn. Funeral arrangements would be announced later.

I am particularly happy because I was a perpetual critic of the bill and always shot it down whenever it reared its ugly head. That is why I cannot but celebrate its death in the hands of people who performed for Nigeria the noble service of ensuring the bill was not transferred as a distraction to the new government.

It is indeed good riddance to bad rubbish. Unfortunately, many of us who should have joined in the celebration have forgotten the fight we fought to get it killed just because of the way the new government appears to have taken the country by storm. Without doubt, things have been happening at the Federal Government level since May 29, when President Bola Tinubu assumed office. Unlike his predecessor’s government, Tinubu does not look like someone who wants to leave the most important decisions for the latter part of his administration. We may not agree with all of his decisions in the past three weeks, we at least can see some preparedness for governance. The government has indeed hit the ground running.

But if everybody else forgot to join in drawing the curtain on this moribund bill, not me. I was mid-way into this piece for last Sunday but had to postpone it till today to join in marking the then impending 30th anniversary of the June 12 crisis, last Monday. That was by far more important than National Water Resources Bill at that time. As a matter of fact, we might not have been talking of such a bill if June 12 had been allowed to stand. Our eyes would have opened beyond looking for space to continue to accommodate the medieval practice of cattle rearing.

The controversial bill was presented by the then President, Muhammadu Buhari, to both chambers of the National Assembly in 2017. The proposed legislation, titled, “A Bill for An Act to Establish a Regulatory Framework for the Water Resources Sector in Nigeria, Provide for the Equitable and Sustainable Redevelopment, Management, Use and Conservation of Nigeria’s Surface Water and Groundwater Resources and for Related Matters” sought to transfer the control of water resources from the states to the Federal Government.

The act “repeals the Water Resources Act, Cap W2 LFN 2004; River Basin Development Act Cap R9 LFN 2004; Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (Establishment) Act, Cap N110A, LFN,2004; National Water Resources Institute Act Cap N83 LFN 2004; and establishes the National Council on Water Resources, Nigeria Water Resources Regulatory Commission, River Basin Development Authorities, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, and the National Water Resources Institute.”

If established, these proposed bodies will “provide for the regulation, equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s surface water and groundwater resources.”

Expectedly, the bill suffered rejection several times. As a matter of fact, when it was presented for consideration for second reading in the upper legislative chamber on May 24, 2018, it failed to sail through as senators were divided along regional lines.

House of Representatives members were later told by the House Committee on Water Resources chair, Sada Soli, that the then Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and commissioners for justice and attorneys-general of the 36 states had been consulted and the opinions received would be attached to the bill and distributed to all members.

Read Also: Senate throws out controversial Water Resources Bill

Mark Gbillah, a member of the House from Benue State, had raised the alarm when the bill was to be taken for the first reading. Indeed, he disagreed with the then speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila’s statement that everybody’s position must be heard on the matter because of the country’s diverse nature. Apparently “everybody” here, for Gbillah, meant the governors that Gbajabiamila referred to. Gbillah’s position was that, “Whatever the governors might have agreed upon may not be acceptable to us. It is we that have those powers as enshrined in the Constitution to enact legislation that will be binding on this country.” Because of the controversy surrounding the bill, it was once withdrawn in the house even after it had earlier been passed.

Controversy continued to trail the misbegotten bill even in the House such that the attempt to get it passed failed again on September 29, 2020, as many legislators from the south vehemently opposed its passage.

At this point one would have expected those pushing that the bill become law would have seen the handwriting on the wall and withdrawn it. Not so the sponsors in the executive arm of government. Characteristic of some elements in the Muhammadu Buhari government who were usually bent on forcing unpopular programmes and policies on Nigerians for base parochial interests, they kept on pushing to see the bill through. Unfortunately for them, the more they sought for ways to foist it on Nigerians, the clearer and easier it became for the bill to gather more enemies. The more Nigerians continued to see through that such desperation to pass an unpopular bill could not have been for the common good. That there must be more to it than meets the eyes.

This explained why it was easy for the 9th senate to throw away the bad rubbish.

Indeed, I cannot describe how elated I was when the senate finally dumped it. It reeked of bad faith ab initio. It was as obnoxious as it was vexatious. The very first thing that came to my mind when the bill was first introduced in 2017 was how putting water resources in the country under the overburdened Federal Government could have been a priority in the midst of the myriad problems that Nigeria was going through then. Or why such a bill should be the central government’s problem at all.

The question I asked myself then was whether anybody in the Buhari government ever heard of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs rooted in psychology, or scale of preference rooted in economics, both of which stress the need for prioritising human needs. Here was a country where power supply remained a chronic challenge; a country where youth unemployment had reached a crescendo; one in which roads were begging for attention; our hospitals could not even boast of the consultants that the then president had said in the early ’80s in a coup speech, were the only things available in our hospitals; a country where education was in a shambles. A country where we needed to have declared emergency in virtually all the basic areas of human existence, whether in the analogue or digital age. And we are now talking about a bill seeking to put water resources in the hands of the central government. Pray, how does that become a priority?

Even the worst mumu (ignoramus) knows that security is the essence of any government properly so called. Throughout the eight years of the Buhari presidency, it could not guarantee that. Yet, the government had enough presence of mind to present a water resources bill to the National Assembly for the lawmakers’ consideration and pursued it as if its life depended on it.

The bill was just a typical example of how bad prioritising or failure to prioritise our needs as a nation has become government policy. It did not start under the Buhari government, though. My prayer is that it should end with it.

But the question of priority was even the least of what was wrong with the water resources bill. What made it more particularly repulsive was the fact that Nigerians saw through it a surreptitious attempt by the Buhari government to provide herdsmen with unfettered access to land in any part of the country. In Nigeria, as in many parts of Africa, land matters are very dear to people’s hearts. People don’t joke with land. So, to now want to give herders opportunities to do their own business at other people’s expense and on other people’s land, destroying farm crops in the process, was bound to be problematic. All over the civilised world, herders are embracing ranching. If Nigerian herders are so fixated with the antediluvian way of doing their business and are repulsive to change, even under a government that came on change mantra, that was their business and that of the government.

Perhaps more galling was how the government had thought the bill was going to go through in a country that the government had itself polarised along ethnic lines. Not a few had insisted that Nigeria had probably not been so divided the way they were under the Buhari government. The government’s support for the itinerant pastoralists was too brazen not to be noticed. The police and other security agencies merely looked the other way as some herders wreaked havoc on farmlands all over the country in the name of cattle rearing. In such a situation where some people’s business is stifling others’, there were bound to be clashes. Unfortunately, all the security agencies needed not to act as appropriate was the president’s body language whenever such reports were brought to their notice.

Against this backdrop, the National Water Resources Bill was dead on arrival, notwithstanding the grandiose name that it was given to conceal what majority of Nigerians perceived to be its motive.

I congratulate those of us who opposed the bill. We have every reason to celebrate its demise. It is victory for commonsense and national unity. It is also victory for federalism. We did not need such a law at a time many Nigerians were thinking of shedding the load of the Federal Government which, from its legendary incompetence, appears to be biting more than it can chew.

Now that the National Water Resources Bill is dead, we look forward to its promoters to come up with a befitting burial programme for it. We should be interested in its burial irrespective of whether we supported or opposed it. A bill that needlessly caused us so much time, energy, acrimony and resources should not die unsung.
June 18, 2023
Pure Bliss unveils millionaire promo, 60 millionaires to emerge in 60 days

Pure Bliss, one of the leading biscuits brands from OK Foods, has unfolded plans to delight and reward its consumers in the second edition of its national consumer promotion – Pure Bliss Millionaire Promo, in which 60 millionaires will emerge in 60 days, with additional N30million worth of Airtime to be won.

Speaking on behalf of the Business Head of OK Foods Limited, Murali Krishnan, during a media parley to unveil the Promo in Lagos on Wednesday, June 13, 2023, Sachin Wali, Head of Marketing, OK Foods emphasised the credibility and due diligence of the promo, stating that measures have been put in place to ensure fairness and transparency.

“We are once again initiating one of the largest give-back promotions in the biscuits category. We want to thank our consumers for their patronage over the years and assure them that the promotion will be managed with due diligence, fairness, and utmost credibility,” he said.

Brand Manager, Chic Choc & Nutrisnax, Ok Foods Limited, Olayinka Johnson, disclosed that the ‘Pure Bliss 60 Millionaires in 60 days’ Promo is a great way to reward the consumers in line with the Pure Bliss brand promise – ‘Light Up Your Day’.

“The Pure Bliss 60 Millionaires In 60 Days Promo is a great initiative at this time because consumers get to enjoy their favourite Pure Bliss Cookies & Wafers, while winning big,” Johnson said.

In her remarks during the parley, the Brand Manager of Pure Bliss, Oluwabukola Yusuph, revealed that over 300,000 winners are to be rewarded with Airtime beyond the 60 lucky consumers that will be rewarded with 60 million Naira cash prize – One million Naira each.

Explaining the mechanics of participating in the Promo, Yusuph stated that consumers are expected to buy any Millionaire Promo pack of Pure Bliss Milk Cookies, Milk Cream Wafers, Choco Cookies & Chocolate Cream Wafers, look inside the pack for a 7-digit alphanumeric code and text the unique code to 8011 using the format: PUREBLISS <SPACE> 1234567 <SPACE> LOCATION, e.g. PUREBLISS 1234567 LAGOS. She stated that the consumers will receive an SMS from 8011, notifying them of their prize – either N100 Airtime or One Million Naira as each code guarantees a prize.

“We believe the Pure Bliss Millionaire Promo will truly create delight for our consumers, especially in these times. As part of our values, it is important that we stay true to the brand’s promise of uplifting consumers’ moods. In addition to producing delicious, indulgent biscuits and wafers enjoyed by our consumers, this promotion is one of the ways through which we can bring our brand promise to life”, she said.

Endorsing the Promo, the Senior Legal Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Kemi Adebiyi, noted that the promotion has fulfilled the mandate required by the regulatory authority, which is to ensure that the promotion is registered and regulated.

She promised that the agency would play its role in ensuring that the selection process is transparent. She commended OK Foods for introducing the promotion to reward consumers at this time.

Also, speaking during the parley, the Head, Lagos Office, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Susie Onwuka confirmed that the promotion has passed through regulatory approvals, urging consumers to participate.

“As an institution, our mandate is to protect the consumers and ensure that the promotion they are participating in is genuine. Besides, we also have a responsibility to ensure that consumers are not shortchanged in this promotion. We want to assure you that we will ensure that the selection process is free and fair,” Onwuka said.

In his remarks, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Niyi Adeleke explained that the consumer promotion embarked upon by Pure Bliss enjoys regulatory approval, noting that the agency would be available to ensure that all promises made are kept.

The Pure Bliss Millionaire promo is available across the following Pure Bliss SKUs: Pure Bliss Milk Cookies 27g & 50g, Pure Bliss Choco Cookies 50g, Pure Bliss Milk Cream Wafers 16g & 30g and Pure Bliss Chocolate Cream Wafers 30g. The promotion ends on July 31, 2023, or while stock lasts.

It would be recalled that in 2020, Pure Bliss carried out a similar consumer promo in which 15 consumers were rewarded with N1 million each, while thousands of other consumers were rewarded with Airtime and other gift items.

June 18, 2023
Facing the reality of climate change

By Steve Cohen

COVID-19, invasive species, and the spread of persistent chemicals and plastics provide one form of evidence that we live on a planet with an interconnected biosphere. Dangers from one part of the planet find their way to other parts of the planet. Our oceans and atmosphere, along with ships and jet planes, transport pollutants around the globe.

Last week for a few terrifying days, we saw additional evidence of our interconnected biosphere. Fires burning about 400 miles from New York City turned the air orange and drove New Yorkers from their streets. People in other parts of America and other parts of the world are familiar with this phenomenon—New Yorkers were not. Now we are.

The argument about the causes of the fires is pointless. Yes, we’ve always had forest fires, but the oceans and atmosphere are warmer than before, and the relationship between the growth of fossil fuel use to the rise in temperature is irrefutable. Global warming stimulates drought and drier conditions in places that once had plenty of precipitation. This, in turn, increases the risk of forest fires. We’ve seen it on our west coast for several years, and now it’s come to our east coast. If it feels terrifying and dangerous, that’s because it is.

The question becomes: What do we do? Our economy, political stability, and way of life depend on the massive use of fossil fuels. We must transition from those fuels and away from other technologies that generate greenhouse gasses as quickly as possible. We need a less damaging, renewable resource-based economy.

In America, Europe, and parts of Asia, the process of transition to the circular economy has already started. We are fortunate because the technology of renewable energy is developing rapidly, and over the next 20 years, it will displace fossil fuels. Fossil fuel interests will continue to use political tools to combat market forces, but they will lose. They are causing a slower transition to renewable energy, and while that is harmful, the transition’s timetable will be difficult to accelerate or decelerate.

A great deal of infrastructure and technological change is needed if we are to maintain our way of life while transitioning from fossil fuels. That will take time and money. Unfortunately, it means we have a generation of increased global warming to look forward to until we turn the corner and reverse the buildup of greenhouse gases.

At some point, we will need carbon capture and storage, not to continue the unnecessary burning of fossil fuels but to remove accumulated greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere and engineer a reduction of global warming. That massive global public works project will require substantial technological innovation and public spending, and it will take more than a few days of orange sky to generate the political support for such an undertaking.

But last week, we had a taste of the future. We had a taste of the fires to come. Reality may be painful, but it needs to be faced. Sixty years ago, James Baldwin published his landmark work The Fire Next Time, which included two essays about the reality of racism in America and exploring racism’s impact on society, individuals, and religion.

Read Also: ‘Integrate climate change measures into policy making’

As the sky turned orange, I thought of Baldwin’s ability to express and interpret his world with intense honesty. And then I thought about the inability of America to confront the reality of racism and our equally delusional inability to confront the reality of environmental sustainability. The title of Baldwin’s book was inspired by a slave song interpreting the bible: “God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more water, the fire next time!” In other words, if we do not address racism, we are doomed to destruction.

Sixty years later, that struggle continues, though my hope is that it is progressing—two steps forward, one step back. The reality of the movement to ignore the legacy of slavery and ignore our facts on the ground are part of the same forces dismissing the facts of climate change: See the world as we’d like it to be rather than the way it is. George Floyd and others reminded us of the way the world remains and the racism that persists in America.

Last week, the sky over New York City also reminded us of a piece of reality. George Floyd’s killing led some (but not all) to reexamine racism and its persistence in America. The orange sky that America’s west coast has been experiencing for years came to our east coast last week. Will it lead us to more broadly accept the facts of climate change?

Last week, Brady Dennis and Joyce Koh of the Washington Post, reporting on the east coast’s air quality crisis, observed that:

“Smoke from hundreds of wildfires raging across Canada engulfed the eastern United States on Wednesday, upending the rhythms of daily life for tens of millions of Americans, creating a sea of ‘Code Red’ air quality alerts as far south as the Carolinas and prompting widespread health worries.”

“Nowhere was the scene more haunting than in New York City, where a thick haze blanketed the Statue of Liberty, shrouded the skyscrapers of Manhattan, delayed a baseball game at Yankee Stadium and forced a temporary halt of flights into LaGuardia Airport due to low visibility. Mayor Eric Adams recommended people wear masks outdoors and canceled outdoor city events.”

“For the second day in a row, New York logged some of the worst air quality of any major city on the planet. But that was hardly the only place to experience the eerie, unsettling and throat-burning smoke that scientists say could become a more common occurrence in a warming world.”

The causes of this environmental disaster are understood by the Canadian government, but, of course, escape the agenda of the world’s fossil fuel industry. Nevertheless, the causes of these fires are clear and need to be understood. Again, according to Dennis and Koh:

“At the current pace, government officials said this week, Canada is on track to experience the worst wildfire season in its recorded history. Already this year, roughly 2,300 wildfires have burned roughly 9.4 million acres, according to government data. In the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, unusually intense blazes this year have scorched more land than in the past 10 years combined. Warm and dry conditions will increase wildfire risk in most of Canada this month, according to the Canadian government, which also expects ‘higher-than-normal fire activity’ to continue throughout the wildfire season. The drier weather and high temperatures fueled by a warming atmosphere are exacerbating the damage, Canadian officials say.”

Like the gun industry after a mass shooting, we heard little response from the fossil fuel industry or ideological climate deniers as the East Coast hunkered down during the air quality emergency. Reality has a way of dominating ideology, and the air over New York City could not be denied. But it can be forgotten.

New Yorkers can’t prevent or put out the fires, so once the smoke clears, there is an effort to resume normal life. By last weekend, the air quality returned to normal, and while the Canadian fires continued, the smoke didn’t blanket the American northeast. The impact of extreme weather continues to grow, and the need to adapt to climate change grows as well. While there are limits to our ability to adapt, our short-term response must remain on adaptation, as our longer-term work targets climate mitigation.

In the case of forest fires, we need to enhance our efforts to manage forests, including controlled burning and other efforts to reduce fire risks. We also need to invest resources in forest firefighting and other elements of emergency response. We need to send even more firefighters to Canada, as Senator Schumer is now advocating.

Cities like New York will need to put in place measures to reduce public exposure to harmful atmospheric conditions. In the long run, we need to do a better job of understanding the reality of the warmer planet we live on. We need to mitigate global warming and recognize its reality. We are living in an era where facts are questioned and science is doubted.

But an orange sky that makes you cough can turn skeptics into believers. The fire this time caused smoke and danger; the melting icecaps will cause flooding. Noah’s rainbow promised the end of flooding by water and the “fire next time.” Unmitigated climate change promises us both fire from drought and flooding from sea level rise. We face a crisis of biblical proportions.

This article was first published in www.phys.org with the headline ‘The fire this time—facing the reality of climate change’

June 18, 2023
Golden Terra Soya Oil reiterates health benefits

In recent years, the Nigerian culinary scene has witnessed a growing interest in healthy diets and lifestyles and as a result of this consumers are now more interested in cooking oils that not only provide excellent taste but packed with health benefits.

A notable oil in this regard is Golden Terra Soya Oil, renowned for its 5 times more Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA), Omega-3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Golden Terra Soya Oil’s natural supply of 5x more PUFA, which is considered good fat provides your body with numerous health benefits it requires than the popular Palm Olein. PUFA, are “good fats” unlike Saturated fats, which are generally viewed as “bad fat” because they can raise your cholesterol levels which increases risk of heart disease. PUFA are a type of fat that is good for heart health. Since the body cannot make this type of fat, it must be included in your diet by adopting edible oil and foods high in PUFA.

It further added that comparatively, while some other brands positioned as healthy oils on the market shelf have PUFA content of around 10 percent, Golden Terra Soya Oil contains five times more PUFA making it the healthy choice for cooking.

Speaking with Mrs. Lilian Onyeabor, a health-conscious consumer and mother of three, who claims she made a switch to soya oil after discovering that it is packed with lots of health and nutritional benefit that her family requires.

“ My desire to live a healthy lifestyle has always been influenced by growing up in a household where both my parents are health professionals. I opt to use soya oil for my family because it has so many health benefits. After my little research, and reading most cooking brand compositions on their packs, I discovered that Golden Terra Soya contains all the health and nutritional benefits I need for my family’s well-being. The oil doesn’t foam and doesn’t give my meal an aftertaste”. She said

Probal Bhattacharya, Chief Marketing Officer, TGI Group, mentioned that Golden Terra Soya Oil is not only prioritizing health for a wide spectrum of consumers across Nigeria with its health credentials but also offering affordable & convenient choices for all.

“Through Golden Terra Soya Oil, we are serving a community of consumers who make conscious decisions about healthy cooking oil in their homes. It is our belief that with the brand’s immense health benefits, it will become a staple in most kitchens across Nigeria,” he stated.

June 18, 2023
Baptist College of Theology honours Lulu-Briggs

The Chairman of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, has recently been conferred with a Fellowship by the Baptist College of Theology, Obinze, Imo State, at its 54th Graduation/Fellowship Award ceremony.

Receiving the fellowship with so much admiration, Dr. Lulu-Briggs said she was deeply humbled and excited by the College’s recognition of her commitment to kingdom work, which is her life’s work.

Dr. Lulu-Briggs, The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Moni Pulo Limited, represented by Venerable (Dr) Amaechi Okwuosa, said, “your confidence in me is heartwarming and an acknowledgment of our modest efforts through the instruments that God is using to reach out and answer the prayers of those most in need around us: The Chapel of God International Worship Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where we have Sunday and weekly services, our online Ministry- Time Out with the Lord, and the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation through which we provide healthcare, scholarships, humanitarian aid and so much more to the under-served and marginalised in our midst. More often than not, where the Foundation goes, the Chapel’s evangelists follow, bringing the Good News and keeping hope alive.”

Read Also: Baptist convention to Tinubu: provide exemplary leadership

Dr. Lulu-Briggs also appreciated the faculty and staff of the Baptist College of Theology for their dedication and commitment to shaping the minds of future theologians, asking them not to relent as they will be pivotal in many young theologians’ academic journey and spiritual growth.

She said, “I am fully aware of the responsibilities that come with this honour. I recognise this as acknowledging past achievements and a call to a higher level of commitment, scholarship, and service. I accept this Fellowship with a deep sense of responsibility and a strong desire to continue making a positive impact in the field of theology.”

On the Fellowship awarded to Dr Seinye Lulu-Briggs, the Acting Rector of the College, Rev (Prof) Reuben Chuga said it was in recognition of her extraordinary humanitarian efforts and kingdom service.

Eminent Nigerians, including the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr Israel Adelani Akanji, Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Brig.-Gen. Sani Sulaiman and federal lawmaker Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda, among others, attended the ceremony.

June 18, 2023
Exemplifying Eccentricity: Emefiele, en passant, El-Rufai?

“Emefiele came in as the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at around N200. Where are we today? Few days ago, at the black market, N768 exchanged for $1. Virtually every effort that Emefiele made worsened the value of the Naira. Yet, the erstwhile President Buhari kept him there … One would have expected Emefiele to have closed the window … Many Nigerians today are forced to go to the parallel (black) market to access foreign exchange … Ideally, he should have closed the widening gap between the official rate and the black market because when you leave the gap wide between the two forex windows, you encourage round tripping, you encourage rent-seeking, you encourage people to make money without being involved in any form of production … (sic)” – Babajide Otitoju @ TVC Issues With Jide, 14th June 2023, available on YouTube.

Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, was a Turkmen politician who headed Turkmenistan as a dictator from 1985 until his death in 2006. The Turkmen media, massaging his eccentric ego, referred to him with the titillating title: His Excellency Saparmurat Turkmenbasy, President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. In his hey days, he was undoubtedly ranked as one of the world’s most despotic and dictatorial leaders surrounding himself with a cult of personality. His oddity in governance included imposing his personal eccentricity upon his country: it was mandatory for his autobiography, the Ruhnama, to be read in all schools, universities and government organizations. In fact, potential new employees, before entering government service, were interviewed based on the contents of the book. In fact, driving tests to procure drivers’ licenses were not concluded until applicants answered correctly to questions drawn from Ruhnama. His ego-centric eccentricity drove him to the extreme extent of closing down all rural libraries and hospitals outside the capital city, Ashgabat, in a country having more than 50% residing in the rural areas, making the citizens to covertly chorused derisively: “If people are ill, they can come to Ashgabat.”

Edith Sitwell, celebrated British poet pointedly put it thus: eccentricity is “often a kind of innocent pride”. She went further to state that this typology of people “are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.” In essence, they are not unsettling or upsetting about the society’s dissatisfaction with their opinions, habits and beliefs. This week’s edition of the “Followership Challenge” will be mainly focusing on the extreme eccentricity exhibited by the embattled erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele. Howbeit, en passant, whimsical and quirky mien manifested by the erstwhile Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, would be touched upon subsequently. The strange and disturbing mannerism depicted by the two men, opportune out of millions of Nigerians, to be holding in trust public offices, leaves a sore taste in the mouth these days that “internet does not forget”.

Emefiele: Egocentric Eccentric?

“Emefiele’s CBN lent the government 22.7 trillion naira ($49bn) under the Ways and Means Advances clause that can be activated only if the government has a temporary revenue deficiency. The move led local media to dub the apex bank as a “printing press” for the government … Moreover, the CBN Act only allowed for a loan of five percent of the government’s previous year’s revenue, but the bank illegally exceeded the benchmark every year, sometimes up to 30 percent. This contributed to inflation.” – Aljazeera, 14th June 2023

The erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, threw caution to the wind and seemingly like a stupid sheep shamelessly going to the slaughter, depicted in no small measure extreme eccentricity that had never occurred in the history of the apex bank. Firstly, the CBN let down all guards in continually lending to the Federal Government in what was tagged “Ways and Means”, essentially to run the government under former President Muhammadu Buhari. The local media mocked CBN, referring to it as the printing press of the government! The gargantuan amount, according to a report by Aljazeera, was to the tune of N22.7 trillion or ($49bn)!! This was in flagrant flouting of the CBN Act that only permitted 5% loan of the government previous year’s revenue. It was odious on the part of the almighty head of the apex bank extending, with impunity and ignominy, the percentage of the loan to as high as 30%. This was not only erroneous but erratic thus breaching known banking ethos as the CBN ought to model the way for all other financial institutions in the country.

Significant to mention is the uproar and brouhaha that attended the implementation of the ill-fated Naira redesign policy. It was a distasteful strategic policy somersault that signalled untold pain, angst, and hardship on helpless citizens. It was on record that many businesses plummeted while some little businesses died a natural death. It is saddening recalling the needless loss of man hours as well as limbs and lives due to Naira scarcity that occurred as a result of ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the policy. Succinctly surmising the sordid scenario of the Naira redesign, the 2nd April 2023 edition of this column, opinionated:

“Ab initio, the policy was ill-timed coming close to the end of this administration. Moreover, strategically to be executed a few weeks before elections, and within elections, is dead on arrival as unscrupulous politicians, supposedly targeted to tame vote buying, would go the whole hog to frustrate the successful implementation. One may intelligently inquire or interrogate what actually took place before and even aftermath of the elections. It is indeed a truism that when two elephants fight, the grass underneath suffers the concomitant impasse and imbroglio. Hence, the poor masses bore, and are still bearing, the brunt of this policy somersault of the apex bank!”

Significant to mention was the way and manner the value of Naira was dipping while Emefiele’s efforts were exacerbating the fall unabatedly. It is instructive to state that Emefiele took over the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at about N200. Available on YouTube was simple analysis by ace journalist, Babajide Otitoju. He saliently submitted:

“Emefiele came in as the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at around N200. Where are we today? Few days ago, at the black market, N768 was exchanged for $1. Virtually every effort that Emefiele made worsened the value of the Naira. Yet, the erstwhile President Buhari kept him there … One would have expected Emefiele to have closed the window …(sic)” – Babajide Otitoju @ TVC Issues with Jide, 14th June 2023″

It is saddening that until the new policy by the Federal Government under the new Tinubu administration floating the Naira in the market to determine the real value, many Nigerians have been scammed at the black market while very few highly privileged people, especially top government officials, had unfettered access to get foreign exchange done at the official rate. The Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) ought to have acted swiftly and not allowed the widening gap between the parallel (black) market and official rate. He acted eccentrically thus encouraging round tripping, rent-seeking and apparently aiding privileged citizens to make humongous funds without producing any good or service.

Read Also: Court orders SSS to grant Emefiele access to family, lawyers

Moreover, it was appalling on the part of Emefiele that the apex bank and its operations were indecorously inducted into partisan politics and politicking. It has never happened in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent Governor of CBN depicted his party leaning overtly to the extent of intending to contest for a political party office without tendering his resignation letter and equally a sitting President was watching with apparent aplomb! Emefiele went to obtain the “Expression of Interest Form” of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), against all odds, in order to contest in the primary election. Eccentricity taken too far! He displayed some unethical hocus pocus or abracadabra when he perceived that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation might restrain him from contesting. Ultimately, he flopped but not without denigrating or demeaning his exalted office. What an odoriferous indecorum unbecoming of a man occupying such a seat!

Enter Eccentric El-Rufai!

“If we continue like this for 20 years, everybody will understand that we (Muslims) are in charge. If Uba finishes, we will bring another person. After 24 years, everybody will know where he belongs. They will know Muslims will not cheat them and we will live in peace. I swear, this is our agenda since we came out to look for leadership and by the grace of God and your support and prayers, we are on track,” – Erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.

Initially, when the news broke about the untoward and unpalatable utterances of El-Rufai, on a Christian platform that I belonged to where the likes of El-Rufai were often chastised, I tagged it fake, and stood up stoutly ready to defend until I could no longer defend the indefensible! How could erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai, I admire for his guts, doggedness and seeming objectivity in governance, as one can perceive an array of people from other tribes other than Hausa Fulani in his government be discovered making such indecorous statements? It is definitely a low from across the Niger for the distinctive, definitive but diminutive statesman. In my own coined diction, the speech while meeting the Muslim clerics or leaders was to say the least, un-statemanly! Without mincing words, this columnist being a grandfather and having lived, worked and traversed most states of Nigeria dropped a comment on the YouTube link for El-Rufai and his adherents taking advantage of religion and ethnicity for political settling of scores:

“It is unfortunate that in June 2023, erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai is behaving un-statemanly in his utterance asserting that the template adopted in Kaduna skewing favourably towards Muslims in offering of top political positions in the state is the best way to go for the country! He will surely pay for this in the future! He better apologizes now!! Not too late!!!”

In addition, as a father of a state, referring to a section of your estate as “them” connotes, essentially, hatred and arrogance irrespective of whether they voted for you or not in any election. Specifically, it like El Rufai, formerly of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) extraction, under erstwhile Baba Obasanjo, has learnt little. Was it not the pompous PDP which boasted that the visionless party would consistently be in power for 60 years? Howbeit, with a parochial parade of pride, is the party, once on the horse back not now writhing or wallowing consistently in defeat in subsequent presidential elections from 2015 till date?

It is normally said that “internet does not forget!” Precisely, TVC News captured it vividly on the 15th of October 2021 while inaugurating a regulatory preaching council made up of senior religious leaders from the Christian and Islamic faiths, traditional leaders and public office holders, as the loquacious and non-leadership laissez-faire that El-Rufai typifies, in his style in governance, saliently and succinctly stated that religion should not be exploited to curry political or economic favours. The paradigm shift in stand and stake of El-Rufai with seeming double talk is worrisome and would be detrimental to his leadership aspiration in the future. He may be thinking he would not need something from the other faith but may be forced to eat the humble pie and make an apology to the Christian faith or he may be perceived, as some have already expressed, as a religious bigot. Will many not pander to the perception of one of his acerbic critics, Senator Shehu Sanni, who posited sarcastically and skeptically that in President Bola Tinubu not appointing El-Rufai as either Chief of Staff or Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), that the President “has dodged a poisonous snake.”

Leadership Leaning: Lessons Learnt

In the emerging field of monitoring, evaluation and learning, in which this columnist is a both scholar and author, lessons learnt exercise is carried out at the end of any tracking exercise to determine: “what works; what does not work; and why it does not work, etc?” Not throwing out the babe with the bathwater, there is something to write home about taking cognizance of the personality of Malam El-Rufai: he is astute, credible, cerebral and straight-forward. He led the way forward to the ruling party kowtowing the path of honour when the cabals in the government of former President Buhari took APC by the jugular and wanting to, through the back door, forced down our throats a pseudo-consensus candidate, palpably from the north. He reminded the party of the gentlemen’s agreement between the south and north as far back as 2015.

Howbeit, in going forward, the leadership lessons to be inculcated, especially at the centre should be: anyone that will head any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) should abide by certain stated codes of conduct especially bordering on ethos, ethnicity and religion. Errant government officials should be seriously sanctioned; political appointees should be fired at the confirmation of such misdemeanor or indecorum! As President Bola Tinubu embarks on a herculean task of harmony, healing and reconciliation, of our fractious and fragmented country, there should be no room for depiction of any iota of eccentricity in leaders who are meant to serve the people, in humane humility, rather than lording over the citizens. Nigeria needs more servant-hearted leaders imbued with altruistic vision, values and virtues.

John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

June 18, 2023