The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • SNAPSONG 180

    SNAPSONG 180

    • Nigeria: A Harvest of Horrors (Part 3)

    Pepeye, nigba too m’owe

    Ki lo be l’udo se?*

    Incompetence weds Corruption

         And a dark, unruly tragedy is born

    As the Nation thrashes about

         Like a snake without a head

    Now Bandits stoke our fears

         An oil-drenched Nation lacks

    The brain to power its progress

         A mindless paint-over of a battered currency

    Has thrown the nation’s debt-drained economy into a tailspin

         The ‘cashless’ country dreamed up by

    Emefailure, Chief Witchdoctor of the National Vault,

         Has turned Nigeria into the saddest joke of the Universe

    From the rocky seat of power

         It has been silence, empty, disdainful silence

    But why did Luku fight so hard for this Crown

         When he knew it was too heavy for his head?   

    Unspeakable hardships harass our being

         Untimely deaths depletes our ranks

    There is not a single corner in this land

         Untouched by this plague from our mindless Pharaoh

    Unhappy the land where rulers cannot THINK

         And/or are too haughty to know

    The world asks with most the impatient consternation:

         Why is Lukuland such a Netherworld of Fools?

    Ignorance kills a Nation

         Our own is already close to a disgraceful grave

    What do you do with/to a Nation

         Which so conscientiously disables the able?

    ———————-

    * Oh Duck, why your frantic craving for the river

    When you knew you lacked the power to swim?

    ** For more on Meritocracy and Competence, see Nigeria and I: Getting Politics Right to Make Nigeria Work, by Ladipo Adamolekun                

  • Ayorinde celebrates new Nigerian cinema with book

    Ayorinde celebrates new Nigerian cinema with book

    A new book, 30: Three Decades Of The New Nigerian Cinema – A Bystander’s Verdict’, that celebrates the landmark achievements and outstanding practitioners in the Nigerian film industry has been published.

    The book is authored by celebrated journalist, film critic and former Commissioner for Tourism Arts & Culture in Lagos State, Mr. Steve Ayorinde.

    The book is being sold globally by Amazon in print (hardcopy and paperback) and on kindle.

    In a statement released in Lagos on Friday by Patrons Media, the co-publishers, the book is also available on Smashwords and Lulu for global audiences and on Okadabooks in Nigeria.

    A formal unveiling is planned for after the general elections in Nigeria, at the end of March, according to the statement.

    “In six chapters, 30: Three Decades Of The New Nigerian Cinema curates 30 each of those that the author considers outstanding among directors, actors, actresses and feature films released in Nigeria since 1992.”

    Quoting from the book’s Preface, the statement highlights the author’s intention in writing about an industry that he has encountered closely as a cub reporter, editor and columnist, editor-in-chief, member of jury and as commissioner.

    “This book simply seeks to celebrate and document some of the outstanding films, directors, actors and landmark events, which have in the past 30 years or thereabout, defined the industry we now celebrate today; without forgetting other legendary names that played their parts but who are no more on planet earth.”

    The statement added “thirty each of such outstanding professionals and movies have been selected for special highlights in this book as exemplary representatives from a large pool of talented practitioners and outstanding films that best celebrate this phenomenal industry in the past three decades.

    “This industry was built out of their sweat and labour of love. The choices contained in this publication are simply my preferences as someone who has encountered the industry and most of its key players closely for more than 30 years,” the statement quoted Ayorinde in the book’s Preface.

    From classic oldies like Asewo To Re Mecca and Living In Bondage, both in 1992, to Ti Oluwa Nile, Glamour Girls, Mortal Inheritance and Igodo; up to Ije, Otober 1, Sadauki, Half of a Yellow Sun and the more recent King Of Boys, The Milkmaid and Amina, the book curates a rich spread of some of the films that redefined the new Nigerian cinema.

    In his Foreword to the book, respected scholar and one of the first international academics to spread the gospel of Nollywood globally, Prof. Jonathan Haynes said Ayorinde’s journalistic work in the early and mid-1990s “were the first I found that gave some kind of handle on what this thing (Nollywood phenomenon) was and who the people were who were creating it.”

    According to Prof. Haynes, in one way or another, the film industry has always been in his (Ayorinde) bailiwick. “You don’t see a masquerade standing in one place, as the old saying has it. Ayorinde has moved round but he’s never lost sight of the movies; and the fruits of decades of steady observation and judgement are here in this new book, which I’m pleased to be able to help welcome into the world.”

    In her “Encore” (Last Word) submission in the book, the late President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and founder of African Movies Academy Awards (AMAA), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe said the book is a necessary tool to goad the industry towards the right path for the next 30 years.

    ” The Nollywood Industry needs to find its way back to its purest beginning, where collaboration drove the energy in the room. As the industry grew, unfortunately so did its extreme need to be an Industry filled with envy and competitive spirit.

    ” I believe that in the next 30 years, Nollywood would have built proper film studios which would help our quality control. For us to remain relevant as the content kings, I would love to see Nollywood look deeper inside, celebrating quality, listening and responding to criticism and pushing towards quality.”  

  • Women and their love foibles

    Women and their love foibles

    Title: Matilda

    Author: Igba Ogbole

    Publishers: Chapuga, Makurdi, Benue

    No of pages: 378

    Reviewer: Edozie Udeze

    THIS is wholly and unequivocally a Nigerian story. It is told painstakingly to show most of every day bitter love experiences that people live with, more so, women. The author, Igba Ogbole, a seasoned journalist, public affairs commentator and analyst can be said to be women mind reader. It is not usually easy for a male author or novelist to unearth, understand, penetrate and permeate the inner-thinking of women the way he has done. All over the world most female authors like Danielle Steel, Betty Head, Joannah Trollope, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and others who write mainly about women fully understand their own sentiments and inner feelings better than men do. It is usually their world.

    However, here in this book aptly titled Matilda, Ogbole probes the love contours of women much better than a female author would have done. Matilda is a book rippling with the pain of love that is based on falsehood, betrayal and lust, if you don’t mind. Told to sieve the heroin Matilda from the rest, it is clear that those lying elements men often use to confuse women or trap them into love affair will continue to persist. The book brings all of those into reality, showing that true love, love based on trust and honesty within the Nigerian firmament is still an utopian dream in most situations.

    Ojonugba goes gaggers on Ehi using sweet words to trap her into bed. Against her wish, Ehi loses her virginity. Thus begins her protracted bitter onward journey into life, into adulthood. The two are family friends and using that as a coy and bait, Ojonugba visits her in her secondary school. Having successfully lured her into a room, he forces himself on her. Thereafter, he disappears. Ehi takes in and loses her pride of place in life. Her hopes are shattered, while Ojonugba denies her and the pregnancy. This marks the beginning of the series of traumatic life experiences that follow Ehi from Benue to Lagos, back to school and into legal practice.

    The love gist of the book lies in the fact that the author quickly changes Ehi’s name to Matilda. Now, he begins to build two different story plots in the book. While the Matilda of the book, tough, egoistic, mature, beautiful, successful and prosperous with one of the best law firms in Benue State opens the story, the Ehi of the village setting, also beautiful and courteous is about setting out into secondary school. The twist and style of the book quicly makes you begin to imagine that here are two different families in the novel. Ordinarily, a lazy reader may even begin to ponder and query the sense in pairing a mere village champion in the person of Ehi and her parents against an Amazon, a formidable character like Matilda. But wait a minute until you get to the last chapters of the book. It is then you’d realize how Ogbole has become a crafty and intelligent story teller. He is not just crafty and gifted in being a suspenseful story-teller; he is at home with the affairs of men and women in deceitful love romance. All these give the novel its unlimited flavour, unequaled in story telling in these days of lazy plotting and uninteresting presentation.

    And so Matilda gives birth to Ochanya, another beautiful queen, a medical doctor trained in the United Kingdom. Then comes her bosom friend, Ene, who is also a victim of unfulfilled and false love promises. It is clear the novel set out to pry into these types of scenarios because on a daily basis the single motherhood syndrome keeps rising. The betrayal of women by men, the easy way men con women into false love affair and so on, has indeed become topical in Matilda. The mistakes by Ojonugba, his sheer wickedness to an innocent village girl will later land them all into bigger and more complicated situation. But that is the essence of the book. That you will not know Matilda’s story or her background clearly until you get to the end, is a carefully plotted ploy.

    Now, Ojonugba fizzles out only to reappear with James his only son, to marry Ochanya. Many years had passed. In London, James and Ochanya had met, without knowing that they were sired by the same man – Ojonugba. They agree to marry. On the day of traditional marriage introductions, James arrives with his people. Behold, his father is Ojonugba. He is there tucked in a corner. But behold Matilda quickly recognizes him. She raises an alarm that stirs everybody. Fortunately, both Ochanya and James had not slept together in form of consummating their love affair.

    The intrigues in Matilda are compelling, striking and illuminating. They are overwhelming. In fact, in the cause of reading the book, I ideally titled it women and their love foibles. It is the same tactics of old that men still use to overwhelm their emotions. Yes, Matilda rises from the ashes of her early life to become a big and audacious lady. Yet it is one trauma that beclouds her sense of relationship with men. Always almost bottling up and often losing her mien and composure, if you like, keeps her constantly on edge. This is what most women, who single themselves out as single parents or whatever, suffer these days. It all boils down to the same selfish, self-centred, egoistic promises or disappointments from men while growing up. This is indeed the main thrust and crust of this novel.

    Again, comes Lucas. He is one of those boys about town, the type women struggle against their will to resist. He has come into the arena with all the qualities that throw women off guard. Tall, rich, handsome, bubbly, arrogant, he is equally a master in the game of deceit. Now, Ene, Ochanya’s friend, against all entreaties, falls for him. Meanwhile Lucas is married with children. But he patrols the whole landscapes of Lagos, Abuja and Benue as a bachelor. In no time he puts Ene in a family way and then reneges on his promise to marry her. Moreover, acting as her Attorney, Matilda extracts some harsh conditions from him to help Ene cope with her single motherhood status. Thus, another single mother is made.

    Beyond being an impressive character, Matilda is swift in certain situations. But the author is saying that mistakes of love are not limited to teenagers. Ene is not just an adult, she is well read. In fact, she is on her way to Europe for a Masters degree programme. ”I was billed for a visa interview with the Italian Embassy today” (page 4), Ene informs Matilda. “Congratulations on your admission”, Matilda says to her (page 5). So you can see how the level of these series of confusing lust with genuine love in Nigerian social parlance has degenerated into. Even when Ogbole uses the sentiments of Christianity to douse tension and somewhat heighten respect for morality, it still appears that snakes always give birth to snakes. But that in essence has given Matilda an edge over other stories made locally to suit and sooth whims and caprices. The author is on a familiar terrain. He takes readers on a cursory journey through towns, villages and settlements in Benue State. As often as he can, he draws from the ancient historic wisdom and mantra of the local people to situate some scenes. This, indeed, is enthralling, stimulating and compelling.

    From  Orokam to Makurdi, to Gboko, to Ugbokolo, to Katsina-Ala, you can see the landscapes of Otukpo, and some of the rural areas of the state. The traditional habits of the people reflect in some instances. You see glimpses of the cultural values of the Idoma and the Tiv. You can see the beauty or otherwise of a people long denied certain social amenities by marauding political leaders. You can also feel the restiveness of the people when they encounter politicians and

  • Eti-Osa youths resolve to vote for Tinubu/Shettima

    Eti-Osa youths resolve to vote for Tinubu/Shettima

    Youths of Eti-Osa Local Government Area and environs, Friday resolved with one voice to vote for the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and all candidates of the party in the coming General Elections.

    The youths made this resolve at the Eti-Osa Youth Summit tagged: ‘Ahmed4Ahmed’, held at Monarch Gardens, Osapa London, Lekki, and convened by Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Ahmed, a frontline APC enthusiast and Executive Director of Hamtajak Group of Companies.

    Speaking Alhaji Ahmed said his main target is to ensure that Eti-Osa delivers its votes en bloc to Asiwaju Tinubu and all other APC candidates, adding that this has unquantifiable complimentary consequences for the people.

    He said he and his team would take the campaign for Asiwaju Tinubu/Shettima and other APC candidates to all the nook and crannies of Eti-Osa to ensure the party’s victory across board, even as he urged other party faithful to join in the crusade.

    Eti-Osa APC chairman, Aremo Olusegun Oyindasola appreciated the convener of the summit and commended the youths for their resolve, adding that ‘He who has the youths, has the future.”

    A former APC chairman of the local government, Kolawole Modiu (JP), urged all the youths and people of Eti-Osa to make use of their PVC to vote for Asiwaju Tinubu, Governor Sanwo-Olu, and other party candidates in the coming elections, adding that Asiwaju is a pacesetter, who has paved the way for several o9ther frontline politicians and has the capacity to deliver on all fronts.

  • Top brands to watch in 2023

    Top brands to watch in 2023

    Despite a poor operating environment and terrible economic headwinds that adversely affected certain business ventures in the outgoing year, most of the Tier 1 banks had a bullish run in their year end as shown in their balance sheets and also looks good to do even better this year.

    In the majority of the banks’ balance sheet and financial reports that formed this assessment based on their respective assets, liabilities, equity at the end of the accounting period, what stood them out is their consistency thus far.

    Although in its assessment, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the banks generally recorded slowed growth, at 20.06 per and 25.5 percent recorded in the second quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively, to 12.03 percent during the period under review, and which it said is the slowest quarterly growth since the first quarter of 2021 when the economy was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a few who stood out of the pack.

    Zenith Bank is the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital with an asset base which rose from N6.347 trillion to N8.481 trillion last year, its audited financial statements showed. This year looks promising as according to the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the financial institution is poised for more exploits.

    First Bank, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Fidelity Bank were also among the first three banks leading as the best-performing commercial banks in Nigeria in the Q3 of 2022.

    This is just as Wema Bank Plc’s stocks emerged as the best-performing financial stocks on the Nigerian Exchange during the 2022 financial year.

    According to the report, Wema Bank’s share price appreciated by a whopping 441.7 percent. The bank recorded a healthy 51% increase in gross earnings in the first nine months of 2022 and a 31% increase in post-tax profit. Investors rallied around the bank’s stocks despite a general downturn in most banking stocks during the year.

    An analysis of the banks’ equity and financials revealed that they made a sum of N298.84 billion as profit before tax between July and September of 2022, showing an increase of 29.9 per cent compared to N228.54 billion recorded the year before.

    Besides, the banks witnessed a 5 per cent increase in customer deposits during the period under review to stand at N43.68 trillion as of September 2022 from N41.61 per cent as of June 2022. Four of the 13 banks recorded positive growth in their share price in the third quarter of this year in the local equities market.

    Like banks, another sector mostly poised for the big league this year is the real estate market. Interestingly, real estate experts have projected some major factors that would influence the development of the real estate market in 2023 while citing inflation, general elections, soaring housing prices as some of the causative factors that would spur growth and sustain the economic drivers of the real estate sector in 2023.

    One of these experts, Bismarck Rewane, CEO at Financial Derivative Company (FDC) projected a sustained growth driver for the real estate sector in 2023, noting that the real estate sector of the Nigeria economy will expand by 5.2 per cent in 2023.

    According to Rewane, the sustained growth of the real estate sector would increase demand for real estate assets.

    The FDC boss noted that the sector’s contribution to GDP would increase by 6.5 per cent while contending that this growth would be sustained in the new year due to high population and urbanisation growth would be the major drivers of the trajectory in both short and long terms.

    The economic analyst noted that the ballooning population in urban cities would contribute to the development of the housing sector in 2023, adding that, the present challenge had been traced to Nigeria’s population growth which is currently at 2.6 per cent per annum and currently outpacing the provisional housing system in the country.

    Also the Bank of Industry (BOI) in a report on Nigeria’s housing sector, affirmed that, “with a growing urban population, increasing construction costs, and declining household income and access to affordable housing is becoming more difficult for millions of citizens.”

  • Presidential election: observed threats to Tinubu’s prospect

    Presidential election: observed threats to Tinubu’s prospect

    Barring unforeseen circumstances, Nigeria’s presidential election will hold on February 25, 2023. So, as the D-day nears us by the eyelids, we are akin to focus on the grand agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in producing Nigeria’s next president and plausible impediments to Bola Tinubu’s ultimate ambition in politics. Obviously, APC covets support from all the geo-political and ethno-religious divides, just like any other political party with a determination to coast home to victory in an election. But, as the popular saying goes, ‘charity begins at home.’

    For Tinubu, the Southwest is his domicile political zone while the Yoruba nation is his ethno-religious base. With regard to the forthcoming election, one major problem that’s likely to threaten the presidential prospect of the former governor of Lagos State is the divergence in the loci of power in the Yoruba nation. Sincerely, never in history has the Yoruba nation been divided about a cause that’s supposed to be homogenous; a cause that’s supposed to be a one-for-all agenda in structure and texture. Of a fact, Tinubu is not just representing the APC but also the Yoruba race! Nevertheless, the prevalence of multiple loci of power and influence centres such as ‘Afenifere’ and ‘Igbimo Agba Yoruba’ and ‘Afenifere Renewal Group’ (ARG), none of which is speaking with one voice, is a formidable problem; and the most noticeable of this vote-splitting catalyst is the Ayo Adebanjo version of antagonism. Only recently, Adebanjo did not only urge Nigerians not to vote for Tinubu but also made an assertion that the ”Northerners won’t vote for him”; which therefore means that the APC flag-bearer should go back to the drawing board.

    Since politics is a game of number, if what the Afenifere leader is saying holds water, then genuinely, that’s dangerous! Besides, if, indeed, the North wants to play a game with the South, then, the latter has actually played into the hands of the former because, once the North activates the non-negotiability motto of ‘One North, One People’, then, that may affect the complexion of ’BATified.’ Unfortunately, the people back home, where Tinubu is supposed to garner bulk votes, are not speaking with one voice. If not well-managed therefore, this may be a terrible principality against a worthy dream. Without doubt, until there’s a supervised census that comes with true figures, Nigeria will always have a long way to go! 

    The other impediment has to do with the people currently milking the resources of Nigeria with crass insensitivity. As we know, Tinubu is a guru when it comes to Public Finance; and he knows what to do to make Nigeria work! But let it be known that those who are currently sucking her blood will not want to give in so easily. No! They will stop at nothing, even if it involves bringing in external forces! Interestingly, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is in their hands; and they control the transportation system! Tragically, too, recent events have shown that a moving train can be stopped and its passengers kidnapped for ransom! Needless to repeat that the terrorism, banditry and others currently doubling Nigeria’s troubles may also not be unconnected with calculated attempts to ensure that things are not easy for Nigeria’s handlers. Indeed, that’s how retrogressive Nigeria has become! Except one wants to be economical with the truth, respite is after the elections; and it depends on the outcome of the elections!

    Another serious problem is yellow journalism, vis-à-vis misinformation. If not competently controlled, this problem may not only be for the forthcoming elections but also the dismemberment of the Nigerian society. If not properly handled, it is a chaotic problem that may set the country ablaze. As things stand, the newspaper industry is ailing. Thus, it cannot afford to hire the best of hands to run its affairs. So, it compromises on almost everything. The social media have taken over but, unfortunately, their contents are not verifiable; and sources may not be determined in time. Impliedly, the menace of social media may decapitate the gains of democracy, if left unchecked.

    The effectiveness of the security profile in Nigeria, before, during and after the elections, is also key; for it will determine everything! Again, that may threaten Tinubu’s prospect as Nigeria’s next president, if not well-managed! For instance, if a grenade is thrown in Kaduna, and another in Daura, the perpetrators may not need to come to Ijebu-Jesa, my Native Nazareth, before the message is taken. After all, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) cannot accredit a ghost town or an empty space! Once that happens, our brethren from the other side may come up with reprehensibly fictitious figures. And, if the BVAS reports are able to dance to the melodious tunes of Form EC8A, then, that will be the ‘end of story!’

    The functional capacity of the country’s infrastructure is another major challenge. For example, should the national grid misbehave on the day of the election, thereby throwing the country into darkness, then, Nigeria will be a tale too horrible to tell!

    One other important problem that the people don’t take seriously is the measure of the political will of the powers-that-be to see the election through; and anyone who takes this important factor for granted may find himself or herself to blame. Talking seriously, it behooves the political will of the man in power to make sure that the election sails through. If he doesn’t, no matter the pretence and/or the abracadabra in governance, nothing is secured! For instance, if, behind the scene, President Muhammadu Buhari refuses to hand over power, nothing can be done!

    Lastly, that poverty is weaponized and greed is ubiquitously pervasive in Nigeria is no longer news! Therefore, public administration cannot but be problematic! For most people, politics is just to secure the means of livelihood, not to develop a neighbourhood, community or country. That’s why, by the time a man who goes into politics wearing a pair of bathroom slippers is given a N26 million car with other perks of political office to boot, he moves on! So, thousands of other guys are waiting for the next term, when they, too, will have to fight for public office.

    According to a Yoruba adage, ’Aja to yo kii ba aiyo s’ere!’ (A well-fed dog does not relate with a hungry one). Undeniably, poverty in Nigeria has created a pool of both the unemployed and the unemployable; and the hope of getting even “crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” can keep some people perpetually attached to the powers-that-be, whether they have steady incomes or not. Added to this is that politicians in this part of the world are the most difficult people to deal with. Why? They forget their associates and followers easily! This is demoralizing! It’s also a disgrace! Therefore, since a hungry man is an angry man, a situation whereby politicians are being used and managed as factory workers shouldn’t be encouraged. A factory worker holds allegiance to a particular factory, because that’s where he or she works. He reports there, as directed; and gets paid for work done at the end of the month. The salary is meant to make him stay alive as well as maintain his or her family. On the contrary, a political foot soldier is a freelance worker without a root; which makes him or her very fragile and dangerous, because he or she switches allegiance at the slightest provocation!

    •May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

     •Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

  • Eagle Schnapps celebrates 36th Lisabi festival

    Eagle Schnapps celebrates 36th Lisabi festival

    By Afolabi Idowu

    Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, Nigeria’s authentic prayer drink and cultural heritage brand from the stable of Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL), has again affirmed its unwavering commitment to the promotion of cultural heritage of people of Nigeria as the brand joins millions of Egba indigenes at home and across the world to celebrate the 36th edition of the iconic Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State as a key festival partner.

    Lisabi Festival is a major historic and cultural heritage event of the Egba people of Ogun State to celebrate the legendary Lisabi, a hero of the Egba liberation struggle.

    As part of the ongoing festival, a delegation from Intercontinental Distillers Limited led by the Category Manager, Mr. ‘Tofunmi Opaleye and Regional Sales Manager, Mr. Oladele Adeyemi, paid a courtesy visit to the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, to congratulate and celebrate with him, chiefs, and sons and daughters of the ancient kingdom on the occasion of this year’s commemoration.

    Speaking during the visit to Oba Gbadebo in his palace at Ake, Abeokuta, Mr. Opaleye, said, “We are excited to be a key partner of Lisabi Day again this year. As a premium Schnapps and a foremost cultural heritage brand, Eagle Aromatic Schnapps is proud to associate with Lisabi Festival because of the iconic status of both the brand and the festival.

    “Lisabi Day offers a veritable platform for Eagle Aromatic Schnapps to add value and to celebrate the cultural heritage of the beautiful people of Egbaland,’’ he added.

    Oba Gbadebo, while receiving the Eagle Aromatic Schnapps’ team, expressed appreciation to Intercontinental Distillers Limited for consistently demonstrating love for Egba people and supporting Lisabi Day year-on-year.

    He also prayed with Eagle Aromatic Schnapps for the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria and Egbaland as well as the prosperity of IDL.

    The Chairman of the Lisabi Festival Committee, the Asipa of Egbaland, Chief AbdulRasheed Raji, expressed appreciation of the committee over the contribution in cash and gift items to support the festival. 

  • Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the man Nigeria needs at this time

    Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the man Nigeria needs at this time

    By Akinmoye Idowu

    When Peter Drucker, America’s all-time management expert, said “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes,” he had the likes of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in mind.

    Nigeria is at the moment the cynosure of the world again as its quadrennial presidential election comes up next week, 25th February.  The nation is in apprehension and being held captive by the god of democracy. The world is eyeing Nigeria because whatever happens or whoever is elected the President of the most populous black nation will determine the course of action in many African countries.

    The attention and political klieglight are however on the three leading presidential candidates whose fate will be decided by 93.5 million registered voters. They are Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, former Vice President of Nigeria (People Democratic Party); Mr. Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State (Labour Party); and Asiwaju  Bola Ahmed Tinubu , former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of his party (All Progressives Congress).

    But among the trio, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stands out and presents rounded intimidating credentials that are capable of mauling down every stronghold on his way to Aso Rock, the seat of power in Nigeria. From all battle fronts, Asiwaju Tinubu, the Jagaban Borgu, appears to be the most experienced, prepared, and the person to beat in the game. His Emilokan (it is my turn) political mantra did not just come as a joke but an expression that comes from someone who had counted the cost before launching into the political ring for the highest office in the land.

    Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is very much familiar with the nation’s political minefield. He was a Senator and former Governor. As an activist, he was at the front in the battle against the military regime which caved in 1999, heralding the present Republic. Since then, he had held only one elected political office as Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. But he has remained the most relevant, vibrant, and sought-after political figure in the land. He has continued to play at the center of the nation’s political field even when he was not contesting for the political post for close to 20 years now. He is an indisputable political artery in Nigeria at the moment.

    The election of February 25th is very dear to him and it will be the fiercest political battle of his life. There are strong indications that based on his huge acceptance across Nigeria he will hold the trophy.

    As a strategist, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu took a break from seeking political office since he left office in 2007, but he never left the corridor of power as he influenced and facilitated the emergence of key political actors. Between 2007 and now, he built and empowered people, built bridges, collaborated, and partnered with political figures, the corporate world, and entrepreneurs as well as the masses from North, South, East, and West. He has over time invested hugely to acquire a political stronghold and assets at all levels. His political arsenal is evidently robust across the land and his opponents are far behind him.

     As a selfless leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is consistent in siding with the masses in his policies while in government and in his utterances and this is great working for him. The huge army of his followers all over Nigeria is a testament to this.

    As a Governor, his imprint is everywhere even almost 20 years after leaving office. The ‘Emilokan’ mantra was to pass a message that he had facilitated the emergence of many political office holders including the present President of Nigeria and he has taken his time to prepare for the challenges of the office of the president.

    While incubating his plan for the nation, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has gradually grown to become an institution and a political school of thought. He understands the game of politics to the extent that he knows the place and the role of the masses, opinion and religious leaders, and everyone and placed them in their right position.

    As a charismatic leader, Tinubu is a pacesetter, a goal-getter, and very visionary. He is a leader who believes in building and raising people. He is highly detribalized as he scans for talent from any corner of Nigeria in his bid to deliver superior performance. He presents the qualities of a political leader in good measure. He possesses self-awareness, and credibility focuses on relationship-building, has a bias for action, exhibits humility, empowers others, stays authentic, presents himself as constant and consistent, and works to be a role model to many. He is reputed for his honesty, compassion, integrity, confidence, and flexibility, and possesses a large heart even to accommodate betrayers and detractors.

    As statecraft, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu superintendents over his rivals when it comes to articulation of ideas, dissecting of issues, and offering pragmatic solutions to Nigeria’s complex problems. He sees and thinks ahead of problems.

    As a courageous democrat too he has won many landmark legal battles that have redefined and reshaped Nigeria’s justice dispensation.  His democratic fights have indeed deepened democracy in Nigeria. His boldness and courage to democratically challenge the status quo is gargantuan.

    The reason why millions across all walks of life are queuing behind their man, Tinubu, as if they have been hypnotized is that they have seen him at a close and far distance and reached a conclusion that the Nigeria of our dream deserves and requires a man that combines sagacity, agility, deep vision, dexterity, ingenuity, capacity and influence which he embodies.

    Among all the candidates vying for the presidential seat, Bola Tinubu towers and walks tall over them.

    Jim Rohn, a self-made American millionaire, and motivational speaker once said “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor but without folly”. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu lives up to these claims.  No wonder he is rightly referred to as a political colossus.

    There are proofs. As a Governor of Lagos State, under a crushing president, he maneuvered and steered the state into economic prosperity through creativity that shore up the state’s internally generated revenue and thereafter engaged in people and infrastructural development, implemented people-oriented policies, embraced open-handedness and partnership with local foreign institutions to make Lagos a mega city. Today, the economy of Lagos State is more than many African countries, courtesy of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s vision. He is unarguably the architect of modern Lagos as iconic projects that have become the pride of Lagos have his signature.

    It will be a herculean task for any candidate to match Tinubu’s political credentials and the opponents know this. And that is why they are engaging in diversionary campaigns of calumny and character assassination against him. However, all these are falling flat for discerning minds.

    His grass root mobilization and mass support are intimidating, his army of community volunteers is legion and his influence in the political circles across the 36 states is penetrative and invasive. As we move towards the election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is getting more acceptances nationwide and his political dream is getting brighter.

    Today, there is a Tinubu’s ambassador in every home promoting his candidacy. He is a man of the people. He is a man whose time has come. He is a torch bearer.

    Even his opponents recognize that he is a political avatar and secretly hold him in high esteem. Those who are opposed to him, for sure, are not doing so on the basis of merit but pure sentiments that should have no bearing in seeking to get the best leader with a transformative capacity of Asiwaju Bola Tinunbu.

    He is a political game-changer too. His political strategy unseated a sitting president in 2015. And till today, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has grown in all directions. Beyond being a bundle of ideas, he is also energetic as he has traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria marketing his vision and mission and spreading the message of hope, prosperity, and a new Nigeria. His approach to political campaigns is winning for him and growing his army of admirers on a daily basis.

    His political manifestos have also been adjudged the most robust, workable, and in line with the emerging modern and digital economy that can move Nigeria to a front seat in the World Club. Characteristic of him, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is reputed for assembling a crack team of technocrats and professionals to execute his developmental agenda. This worked very well for him as a Governor of Lagos state. 

    As the nation prepares for a defining election on February 25th, Nigerians in their millions have no doubt in the capacity of one man, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to deliver prosperity, a good standard of living, employment, productivity, a competitive and sound economy among others. He is experienced, tested, trusted and masses oriented.

     May Nigerians, in their wisdom, never miss the opportunity which the choice of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed represents this time around.

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Osagyefo (“redeemer” in the Akan language of Ghana) has come to redeem Nigeria.

    •Comrade  Idowu is an activist and a social crusader sent this piece from Lagos.

  • As it was in the beginning

    As it was in the beginning

    It is a millennial embarrassment, but not at all surprising, having somewhat closed eyes to his  legacy,  that  President Buhari is ending the lethargic way  he started out. He had taken like six months to cobble together a Federal Executive Council, and in the proverbial way the Yoruba say the White man fouls the air while quitting office, he has aimed a gratuitous insult on the very apex court by  unilaterally, and illegally, varying its pronouncements.

    Nigerians can only hope that the Supreme Court would never be that laid back to allow this executive seizure of judicial power remain permanent on its long history. What has just happened should, in fact, make Nigerians pray that President Buhari’s oft – repeated promise of leaving a legacy of fair and transparent election is not a hollow one. After all, not ten in a hundred Nigerians could have believed, only a week ago, that he could, in this manner, thrash the Supreme Court by throwing its pronouncement to the garbage heap of history.

    Far worse is the likelihood that being a legal mind, Malami, his Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, may have advised this judicial misadventure.

    Short of that, the encouragement for this may have come from the Mafia to which, for so long, governance in our country would appear to have been transferred, for which reason the First Lady once belly- ached on the BBC in faraway London.

    Not even former Presdent Obasanjo, in refusing to pay Lagos state its seized Local Government funds, after the Supreme court had so ordered , hurt the court, and rendered it so torridly hors de combat, as President Buhari has just done via his unfortunate national address.

    Therefore, if we ordinary Nigerians cannot tell him, the Supreme Court must now help inform President Buhari, in  the best way possible, that he does not own Nigeria and should, therefore,  not attempt a rehash of Louis XIV’s “L’État, c’est moi”, meaning “I am the state”.

    He, no doubt, has enormous powers but none, not one, as some respected silk commented yesterday ,  gives him the right to sit on appeal on any court judgment, least of all, on a Supreme Court decision.

    It is more unfortunate that the premises on which some of his reasons are based are not in accord with logic. I give only two examples: when he says the volume of money retrieved by the CBN has lowered inflation, he either has not heard, or has not been informed, that the inflation rate which was 21.34 in December ’22 is now 21.82.  Equally, when he said that the money so far retrieved will now be available for investment, I think that, out of respect to his person, Emefiele has not yet sold him the lie that the retrieved N500 notes have been burnt, as he has ingloriously been trying to sell to Nigerians.

    Or are the ‘burnt’ N500 notes still available for investment?

    So much for the quality of advice Godwin Emefiele must have been giving President Buhari.

    This brings me to Ladi Williams who, a few months ago, as a guest of Channels TV, asked Nigerians to hold that President Buhari has, indeed, done his best, and that we should now look forward to whoever his successor may be,  for any positive change to happen in Nigeria.

    I therefore go back to my article of 31 July, ’22 titled:”The Tinubu Roadmap to Nigerian Greatness as Panacea to The Nigerian Conundrum. I wrote, therein, as follows:

    The starting point our presidential aspirants should now realise is  the appreciation that disaster looms in Nigeria. It is a nation on crutches. It worsened the other day when bandits, or was it Boko Haram elements, looked President Muhammadu Buhari straight in the eye, figuratively speaking, and  said they will kidnap, not just him, but together with a serving state governor, and bring them straight into the bush where they had then  just finished giving the remaining 43 victims of the Abuja – Kaduna train kidnap they have held for over 100 days, the beating of their lives. What made that worse was that many days after, the equally threatened governor El Rufai of Kaduna state, told Nigerians that the president was still unaware of the gratuitous insult.

    Unfortunately, insecurity is only one of the many demons tearing at the very soul of the country. The economy equally  lies prostrate as Nigeria spends about118 percent of its revenue on debt servicing. The Naira is hardly worth the paper on which it is printed just as tertiary education has been  dead for the past 5 months with nearly all Universities shut down.

     All these may not have been for lack of trying by President Buhari as presidential spokespersons  never cease to tell us but the truth is that his best is simply not good enough.

    While we  concede all the unexpected headwinds – the low oil prices for a considerable length of time, two successive recessions, Covid -19 and the ongoing Russia- Ukraine war, we beg to assert that much more could still have been done and it is safe to say that the government is, actually, now clearly overwhelmed.

    This past week, Ladi Williams, a guest on Channels TV Morning Show, suggested that Nigerians should now realise that at about 80, President Buhari is no longer the young man of the ‘80’s. Therefore, rather than  criticise him, we should commend the bit he has been able to do.

    I copletely agree with him.

    He equally  suggested that Nigerians must now begin to look more to those individuals angling to succeed him in less than a year. So whatever rough edges the president might be leaving behind, we must now begin to critically look at that individual, who would, be most fit for purpose, to rebuild Nigeria.

    This is why I am recalling the article I wrote on these pages over 6 months ago so we would concentrate less on critising the incunbent.

    The article tells about the campaign promises  the APC  presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has presented to Nigerians as his roadmap to  Nigeria’s rebirth, and greatness, if elected president. However, before I enumerate his key promises let me make some comments on two other leading candidates, starting with the redoubtable former Nigerian Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate, to be followed by that of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.

    Thanks to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigerians now know that almost as soon as Atiku got into office as his Vice in 1999,  he became distracted, plotting to replace him as President. This Obasanjo said was because the Marabouts who told Atiku he would be elected governor  but would not  serve as such because he would be nominated to a higher office, also told him he would be president almost without even trying. Obasanjo further said thatthe dislocation this caused Atiku was why he couldn’t  do much in office, except that Nigerians remember that under his direct supervision, national investments worth about $100Billion were sold off  for  about 1.5 B dollars. President Obasanjo described Alhaji Atiku in words that are far beyond me to repeat on these pages  and concluded: “knowing all that I discovered about him, what would have been an unpardonable mistake, and sin against God, would have been to foist him on Nigeria as president” – Obasanjo, My Watch(Part 2).

    If Atiku was not good enough to lead Nigeria in 2007, he certainly cannot be the man Nigeria needs today, 16 years after.

    On his part, Governor Obi, would best be remembered for investing Anambra state’s funds in his family business when he was Governor of Anambra state. There is, in addition, documented evidence of  his ethnic – motivated actions which led to Northern traders having to hurriedly relocate from Anambra to Delta state as they were being killed in numbers, and their houses, and markets, burnt. The Sultan of Sokoto was reported to have intervened to no avail. We need not mention the unreplied allegations of his drug dealing by the respected Igbo Association, IGBO KWENU.

    As the tenure of these two and Tinubu in public office was contemporaneous, it should be interesting to note that this was the same time the APC presidential candidate, as Lagos State governor,  was laying the foundations of a then  rustic, refuse – laden, and  security – challenged Lagos, to turn it  to what today is the fifth largest economy in Africa.

    That was the Lagos President Obasanjo described in 2001, while launching the Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance in Nigeria as follows: “Lagos, with its notoriety, qualifies as an urban jungle which should not be inhabited by any sane person”. The same Obasanjo would go on to seize  the state’s Local Government funds in 2005, an action which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said provided ample opportunity for the Tinubu – led Lagos state government “to think like a sovereign state, which enabled it to overcome its financial challenges” , adding that. “the capacity of the state to rethink its predicament at the time resulted in huge increase in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is today in the region of N45 billion”.

    Below is what space constraint will permit of Tinubu’s promise to the nation ahead the 2023 Presidential election:

    *Decentralising the police and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs simultaneously.

    *Transforming Nigeria into an enviable country, where there will be justice, peace and prosperity for all; a great country,  and a role model for black people worldwide.

    *Make Nigeria a thriving democracy, with a fast-growing industrial base, capable of producing the basic needs of the people as well as exporting these to other countries.

    *Turn Nigeria to a robust economy where prosperity will be shared by all; irrespective of class, region, or religion as well a safe and secure country with abundant food, affordable shelter and quality health care for all.

    *Ensuring a nation founded on justice, peace, and prosperity for all.”

    *He promised to launch a new National Industrial Policy which will focus on special interventions to reinvigorate specific strategic industries.

    *Stimulating jobs will be his top priority as President and  will launch a major public works program with heavy investment in infrastructure,  manufacturing and agriculture.

    *His administration, will build an efficient, fast-growing, and well-diversified emerging economy with a real GDP growth, averaging 12% annually for the next four years, translating into millions of new jobs, especially for millions of  Nigerian youths.

    *Create six new Regional Economic Development Agencies

    (REDA) which will establish sub-regional industrial hubs to exploit each zone’s competitive advantage and optimise their potential for industrial growth.

    *Formulate a new National

    Policy on Agriculture to boost food production. He will also formulate a new National Policy on Agriculture to boost

    food production, just he will establish  new commodity exchange

    boards, in order to

    guarantee minimum pricies for agricultural products like cotton, cocoa, rice, soya beans, corn, palm kernel, and groundnuts.

    *On infrastructure, Ashiwaju promised to “Build A New Nigeria (BANN)” by developing a National Infrastructure plan, which will cover strategic roads, bridges, rail, water, power, seaports, and airports, spanning the length and breadth of the country.

    *His administration will combine government funding, borrowing, public private partnership, private sector financing and concession to initiate a medium and long-term financial model for the BANN initiative.

    *He promises an action-oriented, and immediate, focus on resolving existing challenges of power generation plants, gas purchasing, pricing, transmission, and distribution.  The administration’s critical goal will be to have 15,000 megawatts, distributable to all categories of consumers nationwide, to ensure

    24/7 sustainable supply, all within the next four  years.

    *On the oil and gas sector, Tinubu said there will be no need for a subsidy because the market will be open and transparent. Supply will come from local refineries, and the forces of demand and supply will determine the price of petroleum products. He will establish a National Strategic Reserve for Petroleum Products to stabilize supply during unexpected shortages or surplus periods. This will eliminate any form

    of product shortages and prevent wild swings in prices.

    *25 per cent of the nation’s budget will go to Education, and he will continue the free school feeding programme of the present  APC government , feeding

    “millions of primary school children across the country. On tertiary education, his administration will eradicate strikes by encouraging the institutions to source for funds through grants and corporate

    sponsorships, with all the institutions granted financial  autonomy as well as establish student loans for tertiary education students.

    *He will increase funding for health care to 10 per cent. The National Health Insurance Scheme will be relaunched to grant health insurance cover to most Nigerians.

    Since this article was published on Sunday, 31 July, ’22, the candidate has been everywhere in the country, expatiating on them, especially as they relate to each state, professional and, or trade group  everywhere he visited on his unmatched campaign tours.  

    And as the candidate never ceases to say: hope is here.

  • No more sanctuary

    No more sanctuary

    • Citizens take on Supreme Court over controversial verdicts

    It is unusual for the Supreme Court to speak out, let alone trade words with critics of its decisions. But, the court, like any other institution run by men, is not infallible. It should therefore expect that scholars, litigants and some opinion moulders would sometimes join issues with it on some of its decisions considered unsavoury and, perhaps, unhelpful for the society.

    But, quite against this tradition, the Supreme Court of Nigeria released a statement attacking those who had criticised the trend that they considered dangerous of recent.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Festus Akande, the court said: “Even in a state of emotional disequilibrium, we should be reasonable enough to make a good choice of decent words.” He came down harder on them by describing them as “individuals and groups of persons who ought to know better and even assume revered positions of role models to a larger proportion of citizens now…flagrantly displaying ignorance and infantilism in the course of defending the indefensible.”

    The court was particularly aghast that its critics had insinuated that the justices were bought over, rather arguing that their lordships adjudicated on the matters brought before them judiciously, not being Father Christmas.

    But, in arguing that “it is a thing that we are used to” in the political season, the court was expressing the reason why the outburst from it was unexpected and might be difficult to justify. These are difficult times for all, no doubt. It is one basis why all segments of the society should keep calm and allow the violent wind blowing across the country to settle shortly. The judiciary, at the apex of which we have the Supreme Court should equally take the lead in the charge to help the country ride over the storm.

    It is true that the acerbic, outlandish comments by some radical or fringe elements might have gone overboard, but that is the more reason why the apex court should not have helped publicise such opinions by its unprecedented manner of sending out a public statement.

    However, the public, too, need make a distinction between making damning, uncorroborated assertions about their lordships, spewing allegations that could rubbish their reputation, and criticising elements of their judgments and processes allowed in the course of arriving at such conclusions. Even at that, leaders of opinion in the society should be careful not to inflame passion in expressing their views. All of us have a stake in preserving the society irrespective of differences in schools of thought, political camps and ideologies. Views must be constructive, not destructive.

    With regard to the controversial judgments that elicited the reactions, it would appear that the Supreme Court justices did not do enough to examine the substance of the cases in the Machina vs. Lawan case concerning the Yobe North Senatorial District in which the judgments of the two lower courts were upturned. Lawan, president of the upper legislative chamber, was an aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), strangely turned around to claim victory in another primary election held for spurious reasons.

    Therefore, Machina who had earlier won a well conducted primary witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission spurned the new contest at which Lawan was declared winner. Even their lordships at the Supreme Court found it difficult to lay bare reasons for recognising the latter primary. Many critics, especially the level- headed, had therefore come to the conclusion that the verdicts delivered by the Supreme Court ran contrary to precedents, bowing rather to strange technicalities. It was therefore not difficult for unbiased critics to reason that the conclusion was odd.

    In the case of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District between Senator Godswill Akpabio and Udom Ekpoudom wrestling to represent the zone in the Senate, the Supreme Court gave victory to Akpabio, a former Minister of the Niger Delta in a similarly rather queer circumstance. Akpabio had lost at the Court of Appeal in a well-reasoned judgment that drew applause from the critical mass even outside the state.

    Nigeria remains a delicate, fragile nation that is still far from being the Republic envisaged at independence by the leaders and the people; we all must therefore take part in putting together the building blocks. Almost 23 years after returning to civil rule, we ought to have imbibed democratic culture that would protect the judiciary as an important arm of government, and the judicial lords, too, especially at the apex court, should have realised the import of their position. The Judiciary too, as the arm of government that was not dismantled in the years of military intervention in governance should have developed a more suave response to developments and individuals in the society.