The Nation Newspaper

Category: Baba Yusuf

  • Nigeria‘s leadership question

    Nigeria‘s leadership question

    “A nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people and the quality of their leaders which ensure it an honorable place in history.”- Mr. Lee Kuan Yew – the First Prime Minister of Singapore

    The current debilitating political and socio-economic malaise in Nigeria is a culmination of decades of misrule, mismanagement of resources, and corruption. However, the impression that a single administration is, or has been responsible for the decadence in Nigeria is what I call the hypocrisy of our expectations, as citizens. Because, unless, as a people, we identify, within context, the root causes of our problem and address them as such, as a people; not necessarily pointing fingers at a fraction of the people we call, “the leaders”, then, we will continue to slide into the abyss of retrogression. This is because, in my view, we are leaders at various strata of what I call, “the leadership value chain.”

     There are people within the leadership value chain that I call the “focal-point leaders”. Examples of focal point leaders include: The President, the Governors, the Chief Judge of the Federation, the Senate President, the Local Government Chairman, etc. These are leaders sitting at the top echelon of leadership, driving governance. But the focal point leaders can only drive effective, efficient, and impactful governance with the support of other leaders across the strata of leadership – vertical and horizontal, and those are the other critical leaders within the “leadership value chain”. If there is a failure within that leadership value chain, whereas the focal point leader may not have the leverage of the value chain to ensure/ enforce that which needs to be done, then that focal point leader will fail, no matter how intelligent, good-intentioned, or powerful he/ she is.

    I totally agree that; every administration must own its performance. People vigorously campaign for elections, promising milk and honey and all manner of things to citizens; especially with special reference to the 4th Republic, only for those politicians to turn around with excuses after winning the election, blaming their inability to perform on the previous administrations (at Federal and State levels). I also agree that going forward as citizens, we should not accept lame excuses from leaders that fail. But while we refuse to accept excuses from leaders who fail, we should also have the circumspection of recognizing that the rot did not start with the administration that is complaining. Indeed, the rot is longstanding. Therefore, we should have the introspection to manage the process of holding the leaders accountable to ensure that incumbent administrations at Federal and State levels, take the necessary steps to turn around the political and socioeconomic situation of the country. Of course, it should be without a doubt that continuously keeping leaders on their toes is what will ensure that politicians effectively deliver their mandates. Indeed, to whom much is given, much is expected.

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    Furthermore, the optics of governance are also very crucial in managing the expectations of citizens. Therefore, It is very important that leaders within the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary Arms of government; at Federal and subnational levels must demonstrate quintessential and pragmatic leadership. They must show that they are part of the State or Country that they lead; or part of the problem they are trying to solve. Consequently, they, their families, and allies must also demonstrate in their actions that they are not living in a bubble. They should empathize with the people and show the citizenry that they are living with the people in practical reality and not in virtual reality. Only when leaders are quintessential, practical, and empathetic that there be the synergy of visions and objectives between the leaders and citizens. However, sometimes even when the focal point leader (for example the President or Governor) provides quintessential and pragmatic leadership; the Ministers, Commissioners, or other officials within the leadership value chain behave differently (or even sometime irresponsibly) without consequences; this situation presents different optics that are in parallel to what the focal leadership is saying or doing. This type of situation causes problems, especially when there are no consequences for people who misbehave within the leadership value chain. An example is when leaders, whether at the ministerial level or other levels, live lavishly as if we are not living with over 165 million Nigerians who are multidimensionally poor. Now, that is part of the bigger problem! I saw a video trending the other day wherein a known politician was displaying piled up stacks bundles of money (cash) arranged on a table in the midst of the multi-dimensional poverty that the majority of his constituents are facing, I am sure that thousands of them did not eat that day. This audacity of irresponsibility puts the government in a bad light and makes it difficult for citizens to believe or respect the government and its good and well-meaning leaders and officials.

    Conversely, the citizens have not really helped themselves or the leaders of the leadership process with our actions, inactions of hypocrisies. For example, when a President refuses to do a jamboree to share people’s free money, he becomes a bad man. When a Governor refuses to loot money to share around to he/she people, he becomes a bad man/ woman. So, a society that celebrates criminality with chieftaincy titles, and honorary doctorate degrees is not a society that is ready for change. It is also not a society that is ready to hire the right leaders, because the actions of the people are such a society will continue to promote corruption and criminality. A society where corrupt people are at once at the first line in the church, at the first line in the mosque, or at the high table of events, should not expect any positive change. This is because you cannot eat your cake and have it! A corrupt people will not allow a good leader to do the needful. Hence, how do you expect society to change for the better? How do you expect the recruitment process to be right when you, the people, are the ones celebrating the corrupt ones, whether as their parents, as their family, or as their society? Indeed, a lot of the religious leaders and the traditional leaders are also in cahoots, and they are part of the leadership value chain. But, as citizens, conveniently point our accusing fingers at the political leaders. The political leaders are part of the society, and unless we continue to refuse to partake in the ills they do, then we have lost the moral right to challenge what they do.

    The Paradox of Corruption

    The biggest inhibitor of the delivery of good governance over the years in Nigeria is corruption which is as a result of the erosion of our values. This long-standing issue did not start from 1999 but indeed has been embedded in our societies for over 60 years – things have just been getting worse. To be able to address the issue of corruption, we need to dimension the issue of corruption and how deep it has pervaded Nigeria.

    Corrupt ion corruption  is  a long-standing issue in Nigeria. Even if the leaders at the top are good and capable, they cannot be able to force people within the leadership value chain to deliver, maybe by virtue of the system of governance or essentially due to what I call the “conspiracy of corruption.  Using the Civil Service as an instance; if the Civil Service is not in sync with the focal point leader, that leader is what I call an “entrapped leader”. Unless such a leader takes drastic steps, he/ she will be “restrained” by the conspiracy of the Establishment/ vested interests, which can trickle down to the society at large.

    In my humble view, the root cause of the national development problems in Nigeria is not just the failure of the leaders at the top. Part of the issue of bad leadership in Nigeria is what I term the failure of the “leadership value chain”. For example, if along the layers of the Civil Service, you have corrupt leaders, whether they are Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, etc. who collaborate to circumvent the system, the system will fail, and consequently the leader will fail, because he will ultimately become what I call, “an entrapped leader”.

    Therefore, dear Nigerians, build up to then 2027 general elections, we should recognize that just deciding to choose any person as a leader does not make our problems go away. We should also know that we also have roles to play. First of all, what are our priorities? What are our values as individuals, as families, as communities, and as societies? Then we can take it up a notch higher to start addressing the recruitment process of our leaders, then move on to demand accountability and performance

  • Another perspective on State Police

    Another perspective on State Police

    “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” … Chapter 2, Section 14(2)(b), of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution”

    Two weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reiterated his commitment to the creation of State Police in Nigeria, due to our national security and geopolitical reality. Recall that Mr. President, had triggered the process of the creation of State Police on the 15th of February last year when he convened a meeting with the 36 state governors, also attended by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and some Ministers at the State house in Abuja.

    In my view, the creation of state police will provide a critical pillar of our national security architecture that has been lacking in Nigeria for a long time. In addition, the creation of state police is in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to achieve true federalism and decentralization of power in Nigeria.

    As rightly stated by President Tinubu, the preponderance and efforts of the various civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in various forms across the geopolitical zones and States, including state security outfits like Hisbah in Kano State, Amotekun across the South West States of Nigeria, and state security outfits in other States across Nigeria trying to curb insecurity, further reinforces the need for the creation of state police.

    I have been a proponent of the creation of State Police in Nigeria, and in the past 1 year, I have written twice on this topic in this Column (Part 1 on the 23rd February, 2024, and Part 2 on the 2nd May, 2025). However, in today’s episode, I will reiterate my positions and expand my contribution to this important national discourse. In addition, as the Group CEO of the Global Investment and Trade Company (GITC), where the services we provide include; policy strategy and advisory, legislative frameworks and legislation support, policy implementation etc. we will support the creation of state police by following through the legislative processes (from Executive to national Assembly) to ensure that we have a robust registration to ensure that state police is not just enacted or activated, but to support the legislative process and framework that will protect the citizens of these countries and their allies from potential abuse of state police by those governors who that would like to take advantage of state police for their vested interests. Because, as Mr. President stated last week, and I quote, “We can work with the National Assembly to design a framework that guarantees local ownership while ensuring political neutrality”.

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    The Need to Continue Building Capacity at the Federal Level

    The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Military, which are fully in the war against the insecurity theater, are facing not just funding issues, but other material challenges. Today, we have about 300,000 men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force, with a ratio of about 1 to about 500 Policemen. Recall that last year, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, raised this concern, requiring about 190,000 more boots on the ground to be recruited. In my opinion, they need more because we have about 250 million Nigerians that they are supposed to serve and protect. The Nigerian Military is facing the same man and material challenges. The entire Nigerian Armed Forces, i.e., Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Immigration, Customs, Civil Defense, and the newly recruited Forest Guards, etc., are less than 800,000 active officers and men (boots on the ground). This is a really serious issue. 

    Therefore, there is an urgent need to continue improving the human capacity of the Nigerian armed forces at the federal level. Because, from a strategic perspective, while we refocus on state police, we must not lose sight of the criticality of the federal security architecture, which must be continuously and properly funded, equipped, and supported. Otherwise, we will be creating a bigger problem when we “lose guard” of our key security and territorial integrity flanks. It is only when the federal armed forces are solid, mobilized, mobile, lucid, efficient, and effective that state police will be relevant and successful. Even though the state police are crucial, they will have limitations.

     Operations Model

    The lines of authority and accountability must be clearly defined between the state police and the federal police. Because even now, we sometimes witness face-offs between military and police or between security agencies. Therefore, the operations model should address the interplaying roles between state police and federal police. What will be the state of play when or where there are escalations? And what will be the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)? What are the engagement protocols between federal and state police? And what are the clear lines or boundaries of authority and accountability? We need to address that at the foundation level of formulating the state police legislation.

    Indeed, some powers will be taken from the federal security agencies, and they will be domiciled or shared with the state police. This will create new power blocks at the state level. Therefore, naturally, there will be a need for an adaptation process. Those are the things that will ensure that the federal police will all play their role in a way and manner that there are no frictions or there are no clashes. How we frame our laws will be key.

     Funding

    Funding and the framework that will support the funding are crucial. We currently have a situation where not all the states in Nigeria are struggling to pay the minimum wage of 70,000 Naira.

     Therefore, how will the Governors effectively fund State Police?  That is a crucial question that the governors need to answer and tell the citizens, from accountability and transparency perspectives. It’s not enough for a Governor to say he can crush insecurity within two months. How will he fund the state police in a sustainable manner? Because as citizens, we are not expecting governors to go to the federal government cap in hand to ask for money to fund state police, and if that will be the case, then I will withdraw my support for State Police.

     Concerns about the potential abuse of State Police by Governors

    I re-echo the concerns of many Nigerians and stakeholders that some state Governors will most likely use the state police as negative forces of coercion and abuse of office. The use of state police by overbearing and wicked Governors will certainly be a disaster, and, as citizens, we MUST not allow that to happen.

     But given our current insecurity situation and how we are evolving as a country, we cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater. Therefore, we should have state police. But we must have provisions within the constitution that will safeguard against the abuse of power, which will be catastrophic! 

     We should also ensure that thugs and touts are not converted by Governors to become State Police officers.

     Robust Legislation

    I use this opportunity to call on all well-meaning Nigerians, all subject matter experts, thought leaders, and stakeholders we should be part of the state police legislation, and give it the same attention that we gave the Tax Reforms Bill that was recently passed into law, to ensure that the enabling laws will be robust with the necessary safeguards to protect citizens, residents, and visitors of Nigeria.

     State Police will become a critical component of our democracy, and because we are creating something that is new, which could be subject to abuse, it is important that we pay attention. So that we do not hand over absolute power to state governors. Because absolute power corrupts absolutely!

    Concerns about Potential Abuse and Human Rights Violations

    We have cases of human rights violations and abuse of power by some security officials at the federal level. I cringe in my seat when I think of what will happen when the powers of state police are taken over by overbearing and narcissistic governors, whereby the state police are only accountable to the governors without any framework to neutralize such excesses if and when they happen.

     For instance, in February 2023, Justice Riman Fatun, of the Federal High Court Abakaliki, passed a judgment disbanding the Ebebeagu State security outfit in Ebonyi State, due to illegal arrests, extortions, possession of illegal firearms, human rights violations, etc. This instance underscores that the process of setting up state police should ensure that it will not be abused.

    Doctrine is a Critical Success Factor

    Doctrine guides thinking and the culture. And since we are creating a new entity called State Police, a new doctrine should drive the culture. Accordingly, if the existing federal armed forces have weaknesses that we are trying to address, imagine what some governors with this humongous new power of controlling state police will do, especially when the officers and men of the state police are not properly indoctrinated.

     If we don’t deal with the issues of doctrine (top to bottom and not bottom up!), we may create monsters that we cannot control as State Police, and the terrible consequences will be of broad ramifications.

    •First published September 19, 2025

  • Agriculture as tool for economic recovery

    Agriculture as tool for economic recovery

    State Governors need to as a matter of urgency, prioritize agriculture for economic recovery and diversification. I remember that as far back as 30 years ago, while I was working, I was also trading in agricultural commodities. At times, across Nigeria, we were not talking about food scarcity. Ironically 30 years ago, we were rather talking about wastages of agricultural products and how to store them and cut down the wastages. From Kano and other parts of northern Nigeria to all other parts of southern Nigeria; fruits, vegetables, grains, yam tubers, cassava, potatoes, etc. were wasting away. I recall with nostalgia the huge yam barns in Niger, Benue, the southeast of Nigeria. 

    Fast forward to today, we are struggling with food insecurity. It is sad how bad things have become. Farmers are not able to go to their farms due to insecurity, nor do they have enough tools and feeds like fertilizers, etc. The purchasing powers of the farmers are so low that they are majorly reduced to the lowest form of subsistence farming. Food insecurity is also due to the rising population, which has grown in geometric progression from the first republic to date. Therefore, the need to upscale our production capacity is long overdue. 

    Some agricultural initiatives by Federal and some State Governments are laudable. For example, the agriculture projects so far initiated by the Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency Mohammed Umar Bago, are commendable. However, I advise that State Governors should formulate more robust and strategic plans that will be all-encompassing across the Agri value chain, to include grading, cleaning, packaging, storage, value-addition, etc. 

    Depleted Strategic Grain Reserves:

    It is worthy of note that, currently Nigeria has basically depleted its strategic grain reserves. I hope that there is a plan on how to replenish The reserves as a matter of priority. Because it will be a disaster if we do not replenish our strategic grain reserves this year. This is especially so because of the valid projections that there will be food scarcity this year due to climate change, and insecurity. So, Governors should wear their thinking caps and come up with robust strategies going forward.

    In the case of the request by President Tinubu to the Governors to provide land so that Mr. President will ensure that he enables the provision of a dichotomy that will stop the clashes and unwarranted deaths between farmers/ herders which are seriously impacting socio-economic situations at States. But as the Chief Security Officers of their States, the State Governors need to deal with these issues in their States head-on. I believe that if Governors borrow and improve the templates of the Premiers of the regions of Nigeria during the first republic and State Governors  States of Nigeria of the 1960s to 1980s, they will achieve some quick wins and also achieve major milestones in food security, job creation, and other socio-economic growth, especially increase in revenues. Almighty God Created Nigeria in such a way that every State has a special, and viable agri value chain that will add value to the people of the State and the nation in general. Around 1995, I was legally exporting grains to Niger, and Burkina Faso, because we had enough, indeed Nigeria still feeds the West African sub-region. Those glorious days could return.

    Dams, Agriculture Clusters, and Farm Centers:

    The State Government can fully revitalize and fully utilize the State-owned Dams and river basins for the production of agricultural products for all-year-round farming using irrigation, etc. These are quick-win platforms to arrest the looming food insecurity. Most of the Agriculture clusters and farm centers in Kano and some States in northern Nigeria which were established in the 1970s and 1908s have been cannibalized and are long dead. I strongly advise that State Governments should re-introduce the farm clusters and farm center projects for the production of grains, perishables, livestock, fisheries, etc. This is a critical success factor for the diversification of economies. From the 1950s to the 1980s, States were basically self-sufficient due to the utilization of such key water bodies and irrigation farming. Dairy products and food items were supplied all over the nation from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau, Benue, Niger, etc.  all year round with millions jobs job created 

    The Case Studies of  KNARDA and KASCO of 1970s and 1980s in Kano State:

    The Governors should set up, re-recreate, or re-vitalize the likes of the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) and the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company. These are critical enablers of a successful and sustainable Agriculture value chain. KNARDA, KASCO along with critical platforms like the Dams have demonstrably added value to the development of Agriculture in Kano from the 1970s to the 1990s.

    KNARDA was established in 1999 along with KASCO as its commercial subsidiary to improve the supply of agricultural inputs for technology adoption in Kano. They were established following the success of World Bank Assisted Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) at Gombe (at that time in Bauchi State), Funtua (at that time part of Kaduna State), and Gusau (at that time part of Sokoto State) in 1975. Other States in the Federation also had similar strategies and models that worked successfully.

    Lessons from failed Agric Interventions:

    I hope and pray that President Tinubu will never allow the scenario of the Anchor Borrowers scheme which was a huge scam and failure to happen again. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the anchor borrower scheme that was anchored by the former CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is a classic example of how not to run such Agriculture – that is the first lesson n which should also be imbibed at the state level.  We should situate project functions and functionalities where they should be. We should therefore not give absolute power in any kind of situation. There should be accountability, a proper management framework, and a system especially considering the huge amount of money and other resources that are invested in such intervention, especially given the fact that we don’t have any excess Naira or Kobo to waste this time around. 

    Please let us note that the anchor borrowers’ scheme is not the problem, it was the institution that drove the scheme, the project framework, and how it was abused that led to the monumental corruption and waste, which was avoidable and unfortunate.  Accordingly, I advocate that moving forward we should have a strategy whereby all agriculture interventions should go directly to the farmers and not through middlemen and “special purpose vehicles” models that are reeking of corruption, because in the end the farmers either do not get the interventions, or they get useless interventions at very high costs to not effect The real farmers and all operator across the agriculture value chain should directly access intervention and there should be a clear dashboard to ensure accountability and measure success. 

    Dealing with Insecurity

    Dealing with insecurity remains a critical success factor, otherwise no amount of intervention will be successful and sustainable. Therefore, the solution approach should be wholesome in terms of security, and provide all operational requirements to support farmers and also upscale their capacities to produce across the entire value chain, not just production, but include, quality control, storage, value addition, packaging, logistics, enablement for marketing and sales, exports, etc.

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    In addition, I also advise that the State Government should try as much as possible to remove their hands from taking over lands to produce but rather focus on ensuring the delivery of the Agricultural revolution strategy, ensuring compliance with regulations on production, quality control, research and development, strategy reserve, planning, cost of doing business, ease of doing business, measuring performance and effectiveness of the initiatives and the strategy. I commend the efforts of all the governors who are making efforts to restore security in all the States in Nigeria.

     Expectations:

    •Cutting/ containing the cost of governance

    •Prudence in government spending at the top, across, and to be cascaded down the structure and system of governance

    •Blockage of leakages in the entire government (Federal and State levels). Because the more you get money and throw it into a bottomless purse, you cannot retain anything. Therefore, if we do not take seriously the issues of leakages/ wastages and prudence and Government behavior with regard to governance.

     Good Governance:

    Citizens need to be feel the impacts that state governments are actually using the taxes collected and other revenue generated at federal and state levels to add value to the quality of life of citizens, add value to governance, and for the growth and development of Nigeria.

  • Trump’s threat and misguided notion of Christian genocide

    Trump’s threat and misguided notion of Christian genocide

    “Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.” … Sun Tzu – A Chinese Military General, Strategist, Philosopher, and Writer

    Trump’s Narratives or Threats Should Not Define Nigeria:

    The notion about Christian genocide in Nigeria is completely untrue and misguided. It is a calculated attempt to further sow seeds of discord and further degenerate the fragile inter-religious, ethnic, and tribal relationship and sentiments between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. 

    I’m saying so for the practical reasons that there is no way that there could be Christian genocide in Nigeria, especially under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is a Muslim, and he has a wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, the first lady who is a Christian, not just a Christian, but a very senior pastor in the Redeemed Church of Christ of Nigeria, a Church that has one of the largest following in Africa.

     The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria also ensures that the power-sharing structure and formula is such that Christians CANNOT be excluded from the leadership of Nigeria at all strata. In this administration, the 3rd most powerful position, the President of the Senate, is Senator Godswill Akpabio, a Christian from southern Nigeria. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Service, Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Air Staff, the Director General of the Department of State Security Services, the Chief of Defense Intelligence, Comptroller General of Immigration are all Christians. In terms of the economy, the key managers of Nigeria’s economy, i.e., the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, are all Christians. 

    Furthermore, while the Inspector General of Police is a Muslim, his wife is a Christian. Therefore, it is impossible for all the aforementioned leaders and other leaders that are holding critical political, economic, defense, and security positions will allow Christian genocide to be perpetrated on their people. 

    Indeed, there is no way that there will be Christian genocide in Nigeria, and a President whose wife is a Senior pastor will emerge as the Executive President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. More importantly, there is no way for Christian genocide to happen in Nigeria when the majority of the votes the President Tinubu got in came from the northwest, northeast, and north-central, where there is a very high number of Muslims who cast their vote for a president who has a Christian wife. Indeed, if there is Christian genocide, it means that every Christian’s life in Nigeria is in danger from any other religion. It means that every Christian is being sought out, attacked, and killed by Muslims. Pushing this narrative is very dangerous.

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    A classic example of genocide is what is happening in Gaza under the watch and guidance of President Donald Trump. Interestingly, the Palestinians are a mix of Christians and Muslims, while it is true that the majority of Israelis are not actually Christians. There is no where we have seen the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) separating Christian Palestinians from Muslim Palestinians before annihilating them.

     It is worthy of note that the United Nations, the Red Cross, Amnesty International and other respected global humanitarian institutions have never stated that Christian genocide is happening in Nigeria.

    Any USA attack on Nigerian soil without the approval and collaboration of the Nigerian government and Nigerians is, first of all, an unprovoked act of war, and secondly, it will be a failure and a disaster. A lot of innocent Muslims and Christians will die, either due to the attack or due potential fallouts of the attack on non-Christians.

      By the way, anywhere the USA has gone to provide “intervention” or “save” a people or a country, the USA leaves the people and the country devastated and far worse than they met it, with no date of recovery in any foreseeable future. Examples are Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Ukraine, etc.

     A Message to some Nigerians who are promoting Trump’s Threat:

    The message to bitter Nigerians that are cheerleading Trump’s threat, I say to you; Just like the bandits and terrorists, when and if the USA attacks Nigeria With jet fighters, bombers or the drones (because it is highly unlikely that Trump will put soldiers on the ground), I wonder if the American fighter jets or drones are configured to identify Muslims or Christians, if they will recognize “ALLAHU AKBAR!”, or “JESUS IS LORD!”, so that the Christians will be spared! I wonder if, in the aftermath of an attack on Nigeria by the USA, the USA will send troops to provide Medicare and other humanitarian support only to the Christians. Trump does not care about you. He has is objectives, and certainly, our liberty, peace and prosperity are not part of his objectives. Think about it!  

    Nigeria is facing multi-dimensional Insecurity and not Christian Genocide

    While ethnic and religious sentiments are key root causes of crises across Nigeria, it is also important to note that another critical cause of insecurity, as it is globally, is economic objective, which I term “economic terrorism”.  Therefore, the trend of always giving religious connotations the insecurity, in my own humble view, is a huge mistake. I think we should expand our views and mindsets beyond ethnic and religious connotations. 

    For instance, while Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL, Lakurawa, etc. claim not to be Islamic fundamentalists, they are actually economic terrorists who hide under the guise of Islamic extremism to perpetrate their evils and pursue their economic expedition and imperialism with the backing of some Western nations. And we have seen evidence over the years of how the Western world, not just America, has been supporting the disintegration of African nations and other emerging economies for economic benefits. Countries that are blessed with natural resources suddenly find themselves in the midst of religious, tribal, and ethnocentric strife that strangles efforts to find solutions. 

    During the record of a Christian President in Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan he sought the intervention of the United States of America under the leadership of President Barrack Obama to provide support with Super Tucano Jets, and other weapons to fight terrorists and restore security in Nigeria, but President Obama refused to approve the procurement while the terrorists continued killing, maiming, raping, and pillaging Nigerians whether they were Christians, Muslims, or Pagans.

    Moreover, facts and statistics, and reality have shown that the ratio of muslims that are being killed is higher than the ratio of Christians that are being killed by the so-called Jihadists. They attack mosques, churches, schools, hospitals, marketplaces, etc., with no isolation. They do not select, identify, or isolate Muslims or Muslim communities when they perpetrate their evil of raping, killing, maiming, and resource pillaging under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

    In addition, facts have shown the deep involvement of the “deep state” in the destabilization of emerging economies for political and economic benefits. It is instructive to note that northern Nigeria, just like every part of Nigeria, is blessed with abundant natural resources, and yearly, more discoveries are made of large volumes of high-quality deposits of these highly sought-after minerals. The discoveries and abundance of rare earth metals that are in high demand by the world superpowers, in the northern northwest, northeast, and north central states of Nigeria, is the key attraction of non-state actors, their “deep state” collaborators that are supported by Western nations. I am therefore not surprised that President Trump had to look for an excuse to invade Nigeria under the guise of intervention. We have seen what happened some months ago, how President Donald Trump has leveraged a deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo to practically hand off a lot of their rare-earth metals for US “intervention” to stop the crises in DRC, which was induced by the Western powers 

    Trump’s Threat Should be a Wake-up call to the leaders of Nigeria:

    Trump’s Threat should be a reality check for our leaders, that unless they deal with this issue of insecurity and good governance in Nigeria, there will be continuous characterization, politicization, and gaslighting of Nigeria’s security and socio-economic situations by Nigerians and the international community.

     I dare say that if the issue of insecurity is not addressed forthwith, it will further polarize the country and put Nigeria at the precipice of a meltdown that we may not be able to contain

     Therefore, President Trump’s decision and threat should wake up the political class for them to step up and take responsibility and do the needful, and get Nigeria out of this very embarrassing and brutal insecurity, and other debilitating socio-economic situations in the Country. 

    Propaganda, denials, counter-denials, deflections, and perception management will not solve our problems. We need decisive, efficient, effective, impactful, and sustainable actions and solutions. Anything else would only make things worse for Nigerians and Nigeria.

  • Creating states not guarantee for development

    Creating states not guarantee for development

    About six days ago, the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on the review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geopolitical zone of the Country. If ratified, the approval will increase the number of states in the Southeast from five to six. This is a welcome development because it will address the long-standing agitation over the region’s perceived marginalization. It is also worth noting that the last time new states were created in Nigeria was about 32 years ago.

    Furthermore, the joint committee considered a total of 55 requests for the creation of new states, two boundary adjustments, and the creation of 278 local governments. At the end of deliberations, the committee unanimously resolved that six additional states be created in the country, i.e., one additional state in each of the six geopolitical zones: North West, North East, North Central, South West, South-South, and South East. If all the requests successfully go through legislation, the number of states in the country will increase from 36 to 42, i.e., South West will have seven, South South will have seven, North West will have eight, North East will have seven, and North Central will have seven.

     The creation of an additional state for the South East region will neutralize the notion of marginalization of the South East by the people of South East Nigeria, i.e., the Ndigbo, and their sympathizers, including the international community. Indeed, there has been a long-standing feeling that the South East has been short-changed in national political structuring and other dynamics like political party primaries, national representation, resource allocation and sharing, etc. Therefore, this development is expected to address a long-standing geopolitical structure and zoning imbalance.

     However, while I welcome the creation of an additional state for southeast Nigeria, I am of the opinion that the creation of additional States for the other five geopolitical regions should not be the immediate priority for our national development. Because this does not reflect the seriousness of a country that is at a crossroads of development, far behind its peers, e.g., Brazil, India, Malaysia, a country that is struggling to get out of serious political and socio-economic challenges. 

    The questions we should ask ourselves and answer honestly are: What do we really want as Nigerians? What are our priorities? If the outcries for the creation of new states, by those people who are asking for new states, are due to “marginalization” in their respective states, which I know exists, because we cannot ignore the issues of marginalization, then would the creation of new states address those issues? As we are aware, identity politics and polarizing factors like ethnicity, tribalism, religious bigotry, etc., will continue to drive politics, economy, and social justice/injustice not just in Nigeria, but across the world.

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     So, if the argument is that some people are being marginalized, which is true, how do we address those fundamental issues without “balkanizing the country”?  Because with the way we are going, by my own reckoning, in the coming years, almost all the current senatorial districts in states across Nigeria, numbering about 109, could become states. Basically, almost all the existing states could be split into three or two states, apart from border adjustments. If that happens, we could be setting a precedent that will make a joke of a federation called Nigeria. This is because in the next five years, other people within the microcosm of those senatorial districts will also demand their own states based on “marginalization”.

    Creation of Additional States alone cannot address Marginalization:

    By the way, the issues of marginalization across States are true. For example, in Benue State, in the past 65 years since the independence of Nigeria, the Idomas. Igedes and other tribes, who occupy an entire senatorial district in the State, have never produced a democratically elected Governor of that state. In Borno State, the Borno South senatorial district has never produced a democratically elected Governor of that state in the past 65 years since independence. In Kaduna state, there is an outcry by the southern Kaduna senatorial district that except for a period of about 2 years, when the he incumbent Governor, Arc Namadi Sambo became the Vice President of Nigeria, and late Patrick Yakowa who was his Deputy Governor took over and died in office, the Kaduna South senatorial district has never produced a democratically elected Governor of that state in the past 65 years since independence.  In Kogi state, also, the people of Kogi South senatorial district, who also occupy an entire senatorial district, have never produced a democratically elected Governor of that state since the advent of the state over 30 years ago. The same applies to Nasarawa North Senatorial District in Nasarawa State, which has never produced a democratically elected Governor of Nasarawa State since the advent of the state over 30 years ago. The list goes on and on. 

    Certainly, the above-stated examples of imbalances, and valid senses and outcries of marginalization have serious political, social, and economic implications for the people affected, the states, and the entire Country.  However, I believe that the creation of additional states will not solve these problems, but would rather further complicate our national political and socio-economic dilemmas. This is because, due to identity politics, even when we microzone those states and make them states, there would still be some people who would be marginalized.

     Therefore, my opinion is that, as Nigerians, we should push for creative and forward-thinking legislation to address this issue. Accordingly, I advocate that, as an instance, the zoning of the Presidency between northern and southern Nigeria, which is currently termed “an unwritten agreement, etc.”, should be entrenched in the Constitution. I should also be encrusted in the Constitution that Governorships should also rotate between senatorial districts in all the States across Nigeria. The objective is to achieve a sense of belonging and a sense of balance for all Nigerians. We must recognize that the attainment of unity in diversity, equity, and justice is not a shortcut, but it is a deliberate journey that should be based on what I call a “fair process”. 

    True Federalism and Devolution of Powers are Critical Success Factors:

    The focus should be about true federalism, and devolution of powers, proper resource allocation, management and sharing, etc., leadership recruitment process, elections integrity, rule of law, accountability, etc. The fundamental overhaul of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, over and beyond the annual “peace meal” ritual of “amendments” that will ensure not only that the Constitution is the actual will of the people, but also a Constitution that will ensure that everybody complies with the provisions of the constitution and failure to do so, the person or people will face the consequences no matter how highly placed they are. Because the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has a lot of loopholes and lacunas (gaps) that allow leaders to circumvent provisions of the constitution as they please.

     As a nation, we are struggling to make 36 State Governors and the Minister of FCT accountable and effectively deliver good governance. We are unable to make 36 State Governors remove their hands from running the local government administrations and remove their hands from the cash tills of the 774 local governments across the Country. Yet, we want to continue creating new states without solutions to our existing problems

    Indeed, while it is true that some of the advocates of new states creation have no ulterior motives, most of the people who are proponents and advocates of the creation of these new states have the self-serving objectives of positioning themselves to become Governors of those states who will further subjugate, pillage and destroy the people under the guise of being the emancipators of these people.

    The Cost of Creating Additional States:

    When we evaluate the economics of creating new states, we should note that the total cost of managing an already crawling economy is increasing exponentially. New States will require a new governance structure, framework, and systems, starting from the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary arms of government. New instruments of government must be created, new state governors, new state legislators, new judges, new state executive councils, and other additional local government administrations, new Commissioners of Police, and other costs of running those governments.  Therefore, all the monies that we are supposed to invest to secure the country from insecurity, ensure food security, build infrastructure and catalyze a productive economy, ensure social security, and human capital development, create jobs, etc., will be redirected to creating states, which will not be viable.

  • The need for treatment of accident and gunshot victims without police report

    The need for treatment of accident and gunshot victims without police report

    The continual refusal of hospitals in Nigeria to accept and treat gunshot victims and accident victims without a police report should be stopped as a matter of national priority. Urgent treatment should be given to victims, while the Nigerian Police Force is immediately alerted and the police report is secured. This is to save lives and avoidable life-threatening injuries of victims, which should no longer be the case in Nigeria. 

    The refusal of such emergency treatments by hospitals is despite the approval given two years ago, by the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (IGP), Mr. Kayode A. Egbetokun, in October 2023, that all accident and gunshot victims should be provided with prompt and compassionate treatments at hospitals without a Police report.

    This is especially given the fact that the IGP’s approval is in line with the enforcement of the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, which stipulates that all healthcare practitioners should prioritize the immediate care and stabilization of such patients based on the criticality of the timeliness of medical intervention in saving lives.

    The Need for Enforcement of the Existing Law:

    However, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned Act does not cover accident victims. In addition, despite the existence of the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, which was signed into law in 2017, hospitals and medical practitioners still turn their backs not just on gunshot victims, but also on accident victims that need urgent medical attention. Interestingly, so far, there have not been any consequences of refusal of hospitals or medical practitioners to comply with the provisions of that law, which would have sent the signals that compliance is key. Also important is the fact that the majority of Nigerians are not even aware that such a law exists, so that they can take legal action against hospitals or medical practitioners that refuse to comply with the law. Because the Act is very clear with regard to non-compliance, for example:

    •Section 9 of the Act stipulates that, “A person who commits an offense under this act, which leads to or causes substantial physical, mental and emotional damage to the victim, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not more than 15 years and not less than 5 years without the option of fine”.

    •Section 11 of the Act also stipulates that; “Any person or authority, including any police officer, other security agent or hospital who stands by and fails to perform his duty under this act which results in the unnecessary death of any person with gunshot wounds, commits an offense and is liable to a fine of N500,000.00 or imprisonment of a term of 5 years, or both”

    The above sections are germane to the consequences of non-compliance with the law, when and if not applied. Therefore, the IGP’s approvals also require follow-up actions that will ensure the sensitization of the public about the existence of this law on one hand and the enforcement of the law on the other hand; otherwise, the IGP’s directive will remain rhetoric. In the case of the bad/ wicked medical practitioners, there should be consequences for refusing to give treatment in such accident emergencies.

     Therefore, I urge the IGP, Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Ministers of Health, other relevant agencies of Government, Civil Society Organizations, other critical stakeholders to embark on massive sensitization of the public all over the Country to know about the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, its provisions and action process of ensuring that the law works for the people.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Why we arrested Omoyele Sowore in Court — Police

    Urgent Need for Legislation on Protection of Accident Victims

    There is a gap in the Act, of the non-inclusion of Accident victims or the non-enactment of a law to cover accident victims, which should also be addressed as a matter of national priority. 

     As it is today in Nigeria, there are no prudential guidelines or laws that guide the actions of medical practitioners and hospitals with regard to the treatment of accident victims without a Police report. Even when the Police report is presented (mostly after long and difficult processes), during which a lot of lives are lost, the hospitals are either rightly or wrongly reluctant to treat such emergencies with the dispatch and respect they deserve. In some pathetic cases, the hospitals outrightly refuse to provide such interventions to Nigerians and indeed any other person who requires urgent medical attention, which is against their professional oath and code of conduct.

     It is worthy of note that there are currently no laws that assist medical practitioners to treat such critical accident emergencies without fear of negative consequences from the Police or other law enforcement/ security agencies.

     Therefore, I am of the opinion that the gap can be catered for in the interim by a Presidential intervention using an Executive Order. This will place a high premium on human lives.

    To the Doctors, Nurses, and Other Medical Practitioners:

    The attitude of some of you should change. The majority of our medical practitioners have a high sense of empathy, compassion, duty, and professionalism. I have come across great Doctors, Nurses, and medical practitioners in Nigeria who practice with a high sense of responsibility, professionalism, humanity, and fear of God. But, sadly, there are also some horrible Doctors, Nurses, and medical practitioners, and what is worrisome is that the number of these wicked practitioners is increasing daily. I hope that the Nigerian Medical Association and other professional organizations in the health sector will deal decisively with the bad ones amongst them in order to fully restore/ sustain, and upscale the respect of this noble profession.

    Full immunity and protection should be given to first responders, hospitals, doctors, and all medical practitioners who provide any form of intervention to save the lives of accident and gunshot victims. In other Countries, such people and/ or establishments are heroes, but in Nigeria, in many cases, kind and honorable people mostly end up being treated as criminals, or aiders and abettors of criminals, fugitives/ suspects, and may even face prosecution simply because they followed their basic instincts and tenets of attempting to help and save lives. The situation is so bad that people simply drive by or walk by victims of accidents or gunshot wounds, because of the fear of dire consequences. Those people who want to help but are not able to do so, out of fear of negative repercussions, are also impacted because most of them become permanently psychologically scarred by the horror of the flashes of the bodies and faces of the victims they abandoned while in need of urgent help. Most of such well-intentioned/ well-meaning people live the rest of their lives struggling with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), which manifests in so many horrible mental and physical ways. We should not allow such sordid situations to continue by acting swiftly and properly. After all, nobody knows the situation he/ she or their loved ones may someday find themselves in.

    Hence, Civil Society Organizations and all well-meaning Nigerians should play key roles of sponsoring relevant bills, supporting the bills, attending public hearings and making contributions, passing laws, and ultimately signing into law the laws that will give more legal backing and effect to this critical need to save the lives of accident victims to avoid avoidable loss of lives and livelihoods.

    A humble request and advocacy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for an Executive Order:

    Your Excellency, Mr. President, with profound respect, and on behalf of Nigerians, I seek that succor can come by way of an Executive Order, as a critical interim measure, pending a full process of legislation, for doctors, medical practitioners, and hospitals to accept and treat accident victims without a police report. 

    Provisions could be embedded in the Executive Order, such that criminals, fugitives, or suspects should be treated, while ensuring that relevant agencies of government move swiftly to ensure that justice is still done after the provision of the treatment. For example, in the case of accident victims who are not covered by the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act of 2017; as soon as victims are received, a prudential guideline should be activated to inform all the relevant law enforcement agencies, for example, the Nigerian Police Force so that if the patient is a suspect or crime or criminality or a wanted criminal, he/ she will be arrested and secured in the hospital, while treatment/ medical intervention is being provided, and he/she faces prosecution after discharge from the hospital or facility and continue with case of persecution. Other risk management mechanisms could be provided in the guidelines to ensure that criminals or terrorists are not given cover to escape justice.

     Thank you, Mr. President.

    May Almighty God Continue to Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • PDP in denial as it disintegrates on self-inflicted injuries!

    PDP in denial as it disintegrates on self-inflicted injuries!

    Avalanche of PDP Leadership out of the Party:

    As the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) protracted toxic internal crises escalate, the party is unravelling, as Governors of the PDP-controlled states are moving en masse, out of PDP to the All Progressives Congress, along with their cabinets, members of federal and state assemblies, local government chairmen, and the majority of the PDP structures. Within this week, two PDP Governors, i.e., the Governor of Enugu State and the Governor of Bayelsa State, and the entire PDP team and almost all the party structure in the states, left the PDP. 

    Within the last two years, the PDP Governors’ forum membership has depleted from sixteen (16) to eight (8), and most likely, more PDP Governors will leave the PDP in the coming weeks. This development is a clear indication that the party is disintegrating.

    APC Governors Converting PDP leaders to APC- The Governor Uba Sani Example:

    For instance, three days ago, the APC Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani was at the National Assembly to welcome the three members of the House of Representatives representing three Kaduna federal constituencies who defected from PDP to the APC. This further confirmed that at the state level, Governor Uba Sani is maintaining critical momentum while applying “politics without bitterness”.

     How Did PDP Get into this Situation?

    Could this be the beginning of the end of PDP? Certainly, the PDP will soon become another case study in Nigeria’s political history – A classic case of what happens if leaders of a political party are stingy with their money, short-sighted with their vision, greedy with their ambition, and. Most of its leaders, like many political leaders in Nigeria, feel entitled.  Something that is as mundane, yet profoundly telling as the inability to own a national headquarters, or ensuring that the ground rent of the building is paid for as at when due, tells you the kind of double standards that some political leaders in Nigeria, in this case, the PDP leadership, have been running the political party. The fact that political leaders cannot own a political party Headquarters in the 26 years of Its existence out of which the PDP produced three Presidents of Nigeria who served for 16 years, with the majority of state Governors across Nigeria and majority at the National and State Assemblies, is telling of how committed they are to the political party, which leaves much to be desired.

    Most members of the party are political “free loaders” (like many politicians in Nigeria) who did not and are not truly committed to the unity and progress of the party. The majority of the PDP have only been using the party as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for achieving their selfish and parochial political interests. That is why they dump the party whenever it does not serve their interest, and return to the party when it suits them. By the way, this is how most Nigerian politicians use the political parties. 

    In addition, “lazy politics”, politics of entitlement, stomach infrastructure politics, and lack of internal party democracy, are also the reasons why the PDP has been unable to resolve the lingering internal crisis, which demonstrates the lack of capacity of the party to produce a President that will effectively lead Nigeria. The truth is that the PDP must rebuild the confidence of Nigerians and convince Nigerians that the PDP is the correct party that can effectively and successfully lead Nigeria.

     So far, the PDP has been bedeviled by internal crises for about fifteen years (since 2010), as a result of self-inflicted internal wrangling, and power tussles. The fault lines in the PDP structure started subliminally, in 2009 when the ailment of the then President Umar Musa ‘Yar’Adua got worse and the doctrine of necessity had to be applied (and rightly so) to save Nigeria from a power vacuum, by empowering the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to become acting President, the subsequent death of President ‘Yar’Adua, and confirmation of President Jonathan as President and Commander-In-Chief. The cracks started becoming visible during the 2011 Presidential primary and general elections, when some power blocs within the PDP felt that it was still the turn of northern Nigeria to produce the President that should complete two terms of eight years that was truncated by the death of President ‘Yar’Adua, especially with late President Muhammadu Buhari who was at that time, a frontline and popular opposition Presidential aspirant from northern Nigeria, who was to contest against the PDP Presidential candidate. Even though President Goodluck Jonathan went on to win the 2011 Presidential elections, the cracks and internal crisis continued to brew subliminally and were ignored by President Jonathan and the PDP party leaders. The continued, unperturbed enjoyment of the electoral victory and power of incumbency. By 2014, the internal crisis of the party had manifested to the extent that a splinter group of then PDP State Governors that called themselves the “G5”, broke away from the mainstream PDP to join the coalition that formed the All Progressive Congress (APC), which removed PDP from presidential power. Essentially, the PDP leadership ignored the telltale signs of the fault lines, cracks within the party structure, and the consequent crises. As most of the leaders sat on their hands, the PDP had begun to face an existential crisis as the party began to implode.

     What broke the camel’s back was the power tussle, built up to the 2023 Presidential Primaries, the powerplay and zoning arrangement that culminated in a full-blown political war between the 2023 Presidential candidate, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the then Governor of Rivers State Nyensom Wike. The self-inflicted injuries of the previous years and the refusal of the PDP leadership to recognize the geopolitical dynamics and realities of the 2023 imbroglio dealt a deadly blow to the PDP.

    Read Also: Nigeria’s paradox of bumper harvest and poverty

     In fairness to then Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of FCT, Nyensom Wike, he was practically funding and running the PDP for some years, while other active and former political leaders and office holders folded their arms and watched him as some of them were decamping from the PDP to other political parties at their convenience between election cycles, thinking that they could have their way all the time. Alas! The PDP has never been the same – it has been disintegrating. 

    PDP is Living in Denial:

    PDP leaders have been in denial and blaming all sorts of reasons for the PDP predicament. While I concede that propaganda is part of politics and war, propaganda can only be useful and effective to the extent you are doing all possible to reclaim lost positions, consolidate, and take charge. It is disastrous to think that propaganda alone will win your wars or competitions. In the end, propaganda is a bubble that will burst. It appears the PDP bubble is about to burst.

     Back in the days, the PDP was the party to beat. It was a party in charge of its structures and machinery at the federal and state levels. It was a party that was disciplined and entrenched. But complacency, greed, intoxication of the power of incumbency, and the slow but sure incursion of political jobbers and pretenders were the combined monsters that are consuming the party. Yet at this critical point of its existence, the PDP is living in denial and waiting for a magic or miracle to bring it back to power.

    It is ironic that the PDP is a party whose leaders bragged that they would be in power for 60years. Alas! The PDP could only crawl to reach the 16-year milestone of holding the Presidency of Nigeria. 

    PDP Never Prepared for when they became an Opposition Party

    Furthermore, one of the critical failure factors for the PDP is that they took Nigeria and things for granted. The PDP is living in denial, because they never prepared for survival as an opposition political party, and when the time came for them to be an opposition party, like the APC and other legacy political parties had been for 16years while the PDP held sway, they just got lost. When reality hits the party, the leaders of the party are not wired or prepared to unite, adapt, re-strategize, and collectively work to regain control and leadership of the party and Nigeria.  

    Indeed, any political party that wants to exist for long, must be prepared to be united, proactive, consistent, consolidated, financially capable, and effective, for instance, in the United States of America, power shifts between the Republican and Democratic political parties. In the United Kingdom, power shifts are between the Conservative Party and the Labor Party.

    Interestingly, the PDP will conduct its national convention in the next one month even though a group within the party is in Court in a bid to stop the Convention. The months ahead are crucial for the PDP.

  • Critical notes on Dangote versus PENGASSAN, others

    Critical notes on Dangote versus PENGASSAN, others

    “Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.” … Sun Tzu – A Chinese Military General, Strategist, Philosopher, and Writer

    Like every other Nigerian, I have been keenly watching the friction between NUPENG and PENGASSAN against Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which is threatening Nigeria’s economy.  I am glad that the National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his team have intervened, which has resulted in a resolution in the interim. I commend the NSA for his strategic thinking and emotional intelligence in averting a strike action that would have crippled the economy at such a very sensitive time in our Country.

     I am also contributing as a friend of Nigeria’s organized labor unions (to which NUPENG and PENGASSAN belong), based on my experience and antecedents of fostering industrial harmony between institutions and Unions. For instance, about eight (8) years ago, as the Group Chief Strategy Officer of a publicly quoted company in Nigeria, I was instrumental in ensuring the protection of the welfare and well-being of workers in one of the most sensitive and highly unionized sectors in Nigeria – the Aviation sector. I was instrumental in influencing and facilitating, amongst other things, the biggest single staff promotion exercise across all cadres in the history of aviation in Nigeria, where almost 900 staff were promoted at the same time in one Company in the sector – the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc; with no rancor, outcry, or dissent. This averted a major strike action that could have crippled Nigeria’s aviation sector, with a domino effect on the nation’s economy. I was able to achieve this feat by working with the two main Staff Unions of the Sector. I also had to convince the Board of Directors while brokering the peace deal between the Board and the Unions. A feat that earned me documented commendations from the Board of Directors of the Company, the staff of the company, and also from the Workers’ Unions leadership.

    Balancing Agitation of Workers’ Rights and Circumspection for Economic Stability

    I believe that the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and its umbrella bodies, or organized labor, are critical stakeholders and veritable levers that should keep the government and private sector organizations in check, hold governments to account, and provide constructive engagements and counter-balance in ensuring the delivery of good governance in Nigeria. Therefore, I regard Unions as positive contributors and not antagonists. 

    However, I believe that organized Labor should be the voice of Nigerian workers in line with the principles of collective bargaining and the overall welfare of the entire Nigerian workforce while supporting the government to deliver its mandate. Therefore, I am of the view that the Unions should not be opposed to the government or private sector growth and development, but they are critical stakeholders in socio-economic development in Nigeria.  

    Accordingly, in my opinion, leaders of some of the organized labor Unions have been perhaps overplaying their hands. And the drawback of overplaying an advantage is that it is highly likely that you could lose focus, advantage, supporters, and ultimately, miss your key strategic objectives and fail to make the desired impacts. If the leadership of the organized labor loses focus and becomes highly political or distracted, they could personalize the struggle. If so, some of the workers (in public and private sectors), the generality of Nigerians, and other critical stakeholders will start questioning the rationale and actual objectives of the leadership of the Unions. Consequently, the Unions could most likely lose their strategic positioning. It may seem far-fetched, but the highly operational, antagonistic and sometimes allegedly transactional method of activism currently used by the Unions will ultimately make the them to lose their footing, their guard, relevance, and respect – slowly initially, and if not contained, this could lead to conflict of principles and objectives with negative consequences on the Union leadership structures and Unionism sustainability. 

    Importantly, with the call-off of the planned strike by NUPENG and PENGASSAN, it is time to review the situation that led to the imbroglio with the intent to fashion a proactive “win-win” way forward rather than being reactive. The focus should not be only on the short-term impacts but also on the mid-to-long-term impacts.

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    The only way for the Unions to win this battle is to review their strategies, face realities, and craft a “strategy of adaptation, value-addition, and sustainability” rather than a “strategy of pushbacks.” Because indeed, change has come, and they must adapt to that change or life will go on without them. 

    Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has changed the game of the mid and downstream oil and gas sector in Nigeria with the Dangote Refinery, and he is riding on the momentum. Hence, Nigerians will not allow a few vested interests, whether as Union members or as players in the industry, to draw us back into the relic of the past. The days of cheap blackmail and antics of self-service. The reality is that the laws of demand and supply are at play, and the law of reality is at play with regard to the oil sector and other sectors of Nigeria’s economy. 

    Meanwhile, the infighting within some Unions also highly suggests that the agitations of some Union leaders are not about the workers or people of Nigeria, but about their parochial interests. 

    Based on the foregoing, I urge the Union leaders to be more circumspect and strategic, going forward. There is no doubt that the organized labor unions are critical stakeholders in Nigeria. Therefore, strategic thinking, planning, and execution are key to the successful delivery of their mandates in the interest of the workers of Nigeria and indeed for the general good of all Nigerians. I do not envy the current position of the leaders of organized labor in Nigeria and the circumstances they have found themselves in. That is why it is important that they remain focused on the big picture objectives and not be distracted by mundane issues that may come up, or those that they deliberately or inadvertently create. 

    That is why there is a need for organized labor in Nigeria to re-strategize and re-position, otherwise they may push their luck too far, which may derail the train of the struggle and leave Nigerian workers at the losing end. I honestly hope that this will not happen. Because, in Nigeria, we really need a vibrant, strategic, and forward-thinking organized labor Union at this critical time in our Country. The NLC is a veritable counterbalance that we need, which should ensure good governance in Nigeria.  

    The Need To Have More Industrialists Like Alhaji Aliko Dangote In Nigeria

    Like other well-meaning Nigerians, I have been promoting the Dangote Refinery project over time, recognizing the input he has made to Nigeria’s economy, and recognizing the reality of supporting Dangote Refinery to succeed as a critical component of our economic recovery. Indeed, it is worthy of note that Aliko Dangote has become an institution and has built a behemoth of a conglomerate of institutions in various sectors, not just in Nigeria but across Africa. 

    However, in my opinion, as a food for thought for all Nigerians, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has become a “key one-man risk” for Nigeria’s economy. If this strength/ risk scenario is not properly managed, the situation may backfire on Nigeria in the mid to long term. This is because, from a strategic perspective, an individual who has become so rich and powerful, across various sectors, with no veritable competitors/ competition, or fallback options for a Country like Nigeria, is a paradox of being a “Strength” as well as a potential “Weakness/ Risk”, for the Country. 

    Therefore, there is need for leadership at the highest level of this country, to as a matter of national priority, support the emergence of more industrialists the like Alhaji Aliko Dangote to emerge across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria i.e; Southwest, Southeast, Northwest, Northeast, North Central, South-South; for the development and sustainability of Nigeria’s economy, because sustainability is key. Otherwise, some potential implications in the mid to long term are that the Dangote Refinery will most likely become what we are running away from, which is monopoly and exploitation, because absolute power is what we are giving Aliko Dangote, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In addition, if God Forbid”, anything goes wrong with Dangote, Nigeria does not have fallback options. This is a high risk that should be mitigated. Of course, with the likes of BUA Refinery, etc., coming up, there will be options and competition in the midterm. But there should be a national institutional strategic framework to build more capacity for the long term across all sectors.

    Therefore, it is also important that we don’t support to the silencing or stifling of NUPENG, PENGASSAN, or NLC, but that we should insist that organized labor Unions should step up, and do the needful in line with tenets of their mandate in the actual overall interest of workers and Nigerians and Nigeria’s political, social, and economic development and sustainability. 

    Meanwhile, constructive engagements should continue for a better Nigeria – nothing more, nothing less.

  • Food for thought for Northern Nigeria

    Food for thought for Northern Nigeria

    “Woe betide a society whereby their dead leaders are better than their leaders that are alive” … Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule CFR, the Late Dan Masanin Kano, and Former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations

    For the record, I am from Northern Nigeria, a Muslim, and a patriot of Nigeria. I am currently not a member of any political party. However, I am worried that our narratives and posturing as northerners will not change our collective situation for good unless we tell ourselves the truth and take the necessary actions.

     By the way, while I am talking about northern Nigeria, the people from other regions in Nigeria should also take my message as a mirror for their regions, so that they can also make progress. Because we all have similar tendencies.

     The Crux of the Issues.

    It is proper and very important for interest groups of northern Nigeria, like other regional, ethnic, and religious groups in Nigeria, to continue advocating for good governance and pushing for more equitable leadership and representation at the federal level, while keeping the fee of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to fire.  

     However, in my view, the issues bedeviling northern Nigeria and the actual solutions will depend on how we, the northern elites and establishment, view the issues, our sincerity of purpose, and the actions that we take to address them. The root causes of most of the challenges facing Northern Nigeria are more regional and local than federal. Therefore, we must refocus, expand our vision, and change our mindsets if there is to be any hope of redemption, growth, and development. 

    Living in denial and blaming trade will only complicate and exacerbate our situations. The combined ticking time bombs of tribalism, ethnic jingoism, religious extremism, religious bigotry, hypocrisy, poverty, jealousy and envy, greed, hatred, erosion of our core values, corruption, etc., are part of the multi-dimensional issues that we must address as our realities. Indeed, we must also accept that the issues are mostly self-inflicted, either deliberately or inadvertently.

    Consequently, political grandstanding and gaslighting will not help us but only make our matters worse. The population growth rate of northern Nigeria, the preponderance of out-of-school children, rising unemployment, youth restiveness, rising social vices, insecurity, etc., in northern Nigeria reflect our dire situation, which calls for sincere and sober reflections. Without decisive actions to contain the ugly trends rather than blaming trade, we will be doomed.

     Some questions for all of us who are Nigerians from the northern region are as follows:

    Having produced the highest number of Presidents and Heads of State in Nigeria, and having been key stakeholders in the political evolution of this country, how many banks are owned by northern Nigerians? How many media houses are owned by northern Nigerians? How many manufacturing plants, or factories, are owned by northern Nigerians, apart from Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Abdulsamad Isyaku Rabiu, and a few others? How many industries or factories in Nigeria are operated or managed by northern Nigerians? How many of the former State Governors of northern Nigeria have even a “pure water” factory where they have employed 10 people? How many of all former State governors of northern Nigeria, former and serving Senators, and Members of the House of Representatives are actually employing people or that actually have scholarship programs/systems whereby they are supporting children from their constituencies, with their own money, or the money they have taken from us? How many of us own or are managing (at top level) the insurance companies, and other private financial institutions, corporate organizations, apart from the Non-Executive Directorships that we are occasionally given, to give a semblance of national outlook for Companies that are owned majorly by southern Nigerians in which we have no real stake, etc.? These are the critical indicators that will tell us whether we are moving in the right direction or not. Today, most of the masses in northern Nigeria are “on their own”, with no help from the elites.

     Most times, we, the elites, only speak out loudly when it comes to issues that directly affect us or our children, but not really for the common good. How did we allow our region to slide into the abyss of over 80 million out of over 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians? Are these issues entirely the fault of a President, i.e., President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari, or the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Why do we have to shout all the time about issues that we are also responsible for? For example, we have a situation whereby a former northern State governor, who was a governor maybe 15 years ago, has become a glorified personal assistant to a current state governor. This speaks volumes to how we are making progress as northern Nigerians, or as Nigeria in general, because, by the way, this is not just a northern Nigeria issue.

     Certainly, if we are able to speak truths to ourselves, we may start moving in the right direction. Most of our leaders block their ears, close their eyes when they are in power, whether as Presidents, Vice Presidents, State Governors, Deputy Governors, Federal and State legislators, Judges, Chief Executives, Civil Servants, etc., but they shamelessly become “latter-day activists” when they leave office, having failed to deliver good governance during their tenures. It is time that we, the people of Northern Nigeria, start calling out such leaders.

    For the past 65 years in Nigeria, from independence to date, in every administration, northern Nigerians have been given the opportunity to lead or to serve. Whether the number is enough or not is not the issue. Recently, the late President Muhammadu Buhari was the President for eight years. How did our northern leaders, who were given the opportunities, perform? How did they change the fortunes of northern Nigeria within those eight years? Not long ago, during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, most of the top government officials who were found blameful or responsible for the diversion of the funds that were appropriated and disbursed for the procurement of weapons to fight terrorism were from Northern Nigeria. They were found to be in cahoots with misappropriating money that was meant to save/ protect their people, other Nigerians, and residents from being looted, kidnapped, raped, maimed, and killed daily in thousands. What This is the height of wickedness! Shame! What did the northern elders, elites, or citizens do, or what are they doing to stop these menaces and evil tendencies of self-service?

     Currently, the two Ministers of Defense, two Ministers of Agriculture, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Minister of Information, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Transport, the National Security Adviser, etc., are from northern Nigeria. It does not matter what political party is in power at the federal level; we always have a significant share of power and the highest number of representatives in the power dynamics of Nigeria.  Therefore, what should matter is how we perform and how we utilize the opportunities.

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    Self-Service OR Sincere Agitation?

    For instance, months into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there was agitation by the Northern elites that there was a plan by the administration to sack northerners from CBN, etc., when 70% of the children in the CBN are our children, i.e., children of the elites. What about the children of Shoe shiners or peasant farmers, etc? Are we addressing the issues of almost 70% of our public primary and secondary schools that are dilapidated, with our children that sit on bare floors, in open areas? How about the teeming Almajiris that we maltreat? Is that the responsibility of the federal government? We all know that the State governments are primarily responsible for primary and secondary schools’ education, and yet we have over 10 million children and youngsters out of school. How are we, the elites, also speaking truth to our state governors to ensure that they do the needful? So, these are the posers for us to address as Northern Nigerians.

     Moreover, 70% of the leaders from North and indeed from Southern Nigeria came from humble backgrounds. But most of them forget where they come from, only when they need their votes. The fact is that about 60 or 50 years ago, they were given opportunities by leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, etc., and yet most of them have abandoned their people. Most of them were like the Almajiris of today, and yet they were given those opportunities to excel and become leaders in their Country.  Now, all they think of is themselves and their children. Yet here we are blaming all our woes on any President who is in power.

    Therefore, I urge our political, religious, traditional leaders, top leaders, intellectuals, and the entire elites to have a moment of introspection.

    In the subsequent episode, I will continue expounding on the issues bedeviling northern Nigeria and how I think we should best address them.

  • Notes on Constitution review

    Notes on Constitution review

    Prelude to the resumption of the 10th National Assembly from their mid-year recess, the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution is expected to be a top priority, as stated by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio GCON, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas GCON. Meanwhile, during the recess, some ad hoc committees of both chambers of the National Assembly have been actively undertaking consultations with various stakeholders, while public hearings on some of the Bills are already underway. It is also worthy of note that both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Constitution Amendment have created inclusive platforms that engage citizens, civil society, political parties, professional groups, and traditional institutions in the amendment process.

    Therefore, as citizens, we have the opportunity of ensuring that the amendments like the State Police, devolution of powers, Local Government Autonomy, etc, are well thought-out, articulated, debated, and legislated.

    Meanwhile, it is a consensus in Nigeria that we are not happy with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is because it was not created with the inputs and acceptance of the majority of Nigerians, which is not in line with what is stated in the opening statement of the 1999 Constitution, that “WE the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: … HAVING firmly and solemnly resolved:”. However, if citizens do not engage, debate and ensure that their representatives at the National and State Assemblies include what they consider the critical issues to be part of the amendment of the Constitution, it means that we have abdicated our responsibilities for the political class to continue doing as they wish which in most cases may not be in the best interest of the citizens of Nigeria. We will also lose the moral right to challenge “faulty” or “unfair” provisions if they are added to, or not removed from, the Constitution.

    Indeed, some well-meaning Nigerians, including the group of eminent Nigerians – the Patriots, led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, are of the opinion that there is a need to overhaul the 1999 Constitution, as part of a much-needed wider and deeper political, structural, and systemic reform for a more united, progressive, and better Nigeria.

     Another school of thought is of the opinion that it will be more prudent, expedient, and efficient to harmonize the recommendations of the late Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) of 2008, and the recommendations of the late Justice Idris Lebo Kutigi-led 2014 National Conference. 

     What is important from all the discussions going on in this matter is if we truly love Nigeria, then we should agree that the overhaul of our constitution is a critical success factor to the progress and development of Nigeria.

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    I believe that the amendment of a constitution is NOT a destination, but a process and journey to the “ideal” or “desired” political and socio-economic destinations of a nation, a country or society. But I also agree that the “peace meal” annual ritual of “amendment of the 1999 Constitution is reducing the importance of fundamental amendments to the Constitution and may deny Nigerians the opportunity for a robust overhaul of the Constitution.

    Therefore, because we already have an entrenched Legislature, i.e., National Assembly and State Assemblies, whose members are elected to represent all the peoples and regions of Nigeria, it will be somewhat complicated to create a parallel body with quasi-legislative powers to amend the constitution. In my view, what will be more proper, prudent, expedient, and efficient is that the elites of this country, including groups like “The Patriots”, engage the respective members of their constituencies, collectively and individually, to ensure that the key and relevant recommendations from the Justice Uwais Committee and the Justice Kutigi Conference recommendations are presented/sponsored for legislation. Indeed, the wider objectives of Patriots remain relevant and germane to our political evolution in Nigeria.

    Let us be part of the process

    The political landscape is broadening, and the political consciousness of Nigerians has heightened over time, with citizens demanding good governance and increasingly knowing the power of their votes and other fundamental rights. 

     Therefore, it is against the background of the aforementioned developments that I find it necessary to speak to all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly the elites, on the importance of citizens participation in the legislative process as a crucial value-addition to the enactment of sound, far-reaching, practical, relevant and impactful amendment of the Nigerian Constitution that will further unify Nigeria and ensure delivery of good governance. By “elites”, I mean the middle-class citizens, who are mostly educated, gainfully employed, and part of the governance and leadership structure of Nigeria in the Civil Service, Public Service, and Private sectors. We are mostly employees or employers of labour as professionals, businessmen/women, entrepreneurs, academics, craftsmen, etc, within the organized and informal sectors.

    In my opinion, good governance is not just about waiting for politicians to do as they wish while we lament about how things have been going worse in the past 24 years since the return of Nigeria to democracy. But good governance is the outcome of a process which includes the citizens not just making demands, but actually setting the parameters/ standards of the kind of leadership and the accountability and performance framework that we want, based on which we will measure leaders at all levels and hold them accountable.

    We must not leave the entire thought processes and actions of legislation to politicians who, in most cases, do not consult their constituents but rather push their agendas to the detriment of the people. If these continue to happen, we should all have ourselves to blame, and importantly, we will actually continue to live the brutal consequences of not paying attention and participating in our political process, or die as a result.

     As citizens, we should also be very aware and fully engage in sectoral reform legislation to ensure that our individual and collective skills, competencies, and capacities add value to the process so that our various areas of profession or interest are supported for our collective good as a people and as a Country. I believe that active and more robust stakeholders engagements and citizens participation will not only strengthen our democracy but, more importantly, it will ensure good governance and consistent delivery of the dividends of democracy in all sectors and strata of our Country.

     We should please note that not participating in the political process is also a vote of confidence on the status quo. And if we do not participate, then we lose the moral ground to challenge and hold our leaders accountable because we would have a really failed ab initio in our roles as citizens. Hence, I urge us to actively and consistently engage the leadership of this country at the national and sub-national levels so that we can all “own” the outcomes or collectively “disown” the outcomes of our political processes in the overall interest of Nigeria.

     Meanwhile, I recognize and commend the efforts of a few elites who have ventured to speak truth to power in trying to put the Government on its toes, those efforts are impressive and highly commendable. But to demonstrate sincerity of purpose, we should remain consistent. We have a lot of work to do in order to make Nigeria great. 

    Other points to note

    I humbly submit an action plan to guide our thoughts and conversations:

    •Going forward, we should Mainstream group discussions by articulation, lobby, advocacy, participating in public hearings, and submitting papers to relevant arms, and institutions of government at state and sub national levels

    •Leverage technology and social media to raise awareness and galvanise support for very crucial provisions to be made or included in the constitution amendment. All these can be done in an organized manner. WhatsApp groups, other conventional community interest groups, and societies could articulate and refine their thoughts and positions on  the various topics of review and submit them as proposals to the respective Constitution amendment Committees, and also fully participate in the legislation process through follow-ups and performance reviews. 

    •These engagements should not stop only with the Amendment of the Constitution, but to also include other subsequent legislations to introduce new Acts/ laws or for the review of existing laws.

    •We should also please note that the “process” is the most important part of our political evolution. Because the process will determine the quality of the outcome and its impacts.

     I will leave us with a food for thought to reflect on: The achievement of the national growth and development that we dream of will continue to elude us, until we all actively participate in the political process of the evolution of Nigeria.