The Nation Newspaper

Category: Columnists

  • Obi’s defection sets teeth on edge

    Obi’s defection sets teeth on edge

    It took former Anambra governor Peter Obi over 2,600 words, about the size of a full newspaper page, to craft a simple defection (or what seems like defection) from his former party to the so-called mega opposition coalition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The statement was not just verbosity on display, it was the clearest indication of the dithering that buffets his politics and how deeply puzzled he gets when grappling with complex issues and entities. His experience in the Labour Party (LP), whose standard-bearer he was in the 2023 presidential election, concretises the general lacuna of his life and politics. As far back as the end of the third quarter of 2025, it was clear that Mr Obi’s stay in LP had become untenable. But he wanted ironclad assurances in the ADC regarding the presidential ticket for the 2027 poll. Yet, no one would give him that undertaking despite his Obidient Movement predicating their fanatical support for him on nothing less than the number one ticket.

    The party primaries are now a few months away. To continue dithering would mean being stranded next year. So, Mr Obi has finally taken the plunge, but has needed circumlocutions and considerable blather to salve his troubled conscience and convince his ardent crowd that he remains the real deal. So he was impelled to say nothing, which his defection statement amounted to, in grand terms that fetch his amorphous band of supporters from their delusions. The supporters are, however, still agitated. They tentatively hinge their support for him on his taking the presidential ticket, not the running mate position. How they would react when it becomes obvious that the Camorra which runs the ADC had been pledged to former vice president Atiku Abubakar lock, stock, and barrel, remains to be seen. They can, if they wish, bolt from the party or reappraise their jaded philosophies about party politics. If the former, they would be committing suicide; and if the latter, they would be emptying themselves of the passion that frenzies their irrationalities.

    Either way, Mr Obi is headed for very interesting times. He will make a grand show of contesting the presidential ticket not many months from now, but he knows deep down that that battle is lost and won already. He had been preceded in the ADC by the political aurochs from Adamawa State, a head start backed by financial wizardry and assured outcomes. Mr Obi can certainly not hope to upstage him, even if he managed, together with his baying crowd, to create an atmosphere in the party and in the country conducive to only a southern presidential candidate. The jobholders that flocked into the party along with Alhaji Atiku are not interested in Mr Obi’s vexing parsimony; they instead salivate for the former vice president’s munificence, and can breathe better under his inattentiveness to detail. Well, all said, Mr Obi is now irretrievably locked in the same boat with Alhaji Atiku and the ADC. It does not matter any longer whether the opposition craft is seaworthy or not.

    Indications of the despondency and desperation that led the former Anambra governor to take the fateful step of hitching a ride with the ADC in 2027 abound in his rambling disquisition on democracy, defection, and patriotism. His statement was replete with value judgement, name-calling, unverified facts, simplistic reasoning, untested theories, and sweeping and sanctimonious generalisations. Winning elections at a state level or being elevated to the governorship office does not often tax a politician’s profundity; so, it was not surprising that Mr Obi took the Anambra stool. Manipulate the electorate’s emotions, conjure the right catchphrases, posture as the moral right in a sea of moral wrongs, and add some religious or cultural ketchup, and a governorship candidate is made. But transiting to a higher level has, however, proved daunting for him, despite exploiting the country’s dangerous religious cleavages. To aspire higher, he would need to manifest philosophical depth, network across the country’s geopolitical zones, and develop a solid and verifiable cross-cultural appeal. These have proved too much for his short-termist approach to politics.

    In his presumed defection statement, Mr Obi gave an indication of how his mind worked. He was already thinking of the presidency and campaigning for the presidential ticket. He used more than two-thirds of the statement to angle for the top job, when it was not clear that he had registered with the ADC already. After profusely de-marketing Nigeria and concluding it had been consigned to the dregs, after describing its institutions, particularly the electoral commission INEC, as weak and perhaps unsalvageable, he spoke glowingly of how other nations rose to prominence and development through ‘unity and effective leadership’, ‘honesty’, ‘transparency’, and ‘responsiveness’. He regurgitated the street mendacity about the current Nigerian government attempting to turn the nation into a one-party state simply because of political defections, which culture he himself exploited to his advantage on at least three occasions, and he also parroted the ignorance about taxing the poor obviously because he had not read the new tax laws. And then he waxed theoretical about development indices of some south-east Asian countries without explaining why he was unable to apply, even partially, the rubric of those theories in Anambra which he governed for eight unremarkable years.

    The statement was also full of non-sequiturs, drawing direct relationship between ‘grabbing power and mismanaging it’, and suggesting that his travels and interactions with intellectuals and leaders had opened his eyes to how nations develop, an epiphany he believed would serve him well as he had become equipped for leadership. Had it been so easy to transcend the chasm between theory and practice, every professor would be a great statesman. But just before he dropped his pen, he finally got to the subject of his defection, in the third or so paragraph to the last. For this peripatetic politician who just trotted the globe so effortlessly and spoke so glibly about everything, and inflated himself with the helium of leadership theories spanning three continents, he failed his own test of predicating great leadership on honesty. He had at various fora insisted he was still in the LP, and claimed he was only testing the waters in the ADC. But in his defection statement, he dishonestly claimed: “Having been part of the coalition from inception, I now respectfully call on my political leaders, associates, supporters, the Obidient Movement, political leaders and members of the opposition parties across the country to join this broad national coalition under the African Democratic Congress led by Sen. David Mark.”

    Read Also: Nigeria’s shea industry losing billions despite global dominance – Bima

    He forgot that newspapers of the day contained reports of ADC leaders and so many other politicians urging him to make public his defection, especially as he had waffled over his continuing membership of the LP. Well, better late than never. He will now presumably go ahead and register with the ADC and intensify his campaign for the presidential ticket. But if he is again worsted in the presidential primary, he will have nowhere else to go. He will lick his wounds, aware that those who seized the leadership of the ADC had done so at the behest of Alhaji Atiku, and are in no mood to subsume their future or hope under the politics and style of a former LP man from whom they could not hope to make hay while the sun shines at its brightest.

    Yet, in all this, there is a catch somewhere, and Mr Obi may perhaps be more disingenuous than some Nigerians think. His former running mate in the 2023 presidential poll, Datti Baba-Ahmed, seems to know him more than anyone else. He knows him, it appears, as a man full of vacillation. Speaking to the media late last week, he insisted that it did not seem as if Mr Obi had actually defected. What he thinks the former LP standard-bearer had done was to merely tune his mind to be in a coalition arrangement with the ADC. If Mr Obi fails to get the ticket, swears Mr Baba-Ahmed, the doors of the LP will remain open, and any support he wants will be given to him. The other side of the coin, however, is that Mr Obi lionised his association with the ADC right from the beginning, thus giving the impression he was not a late joiner. Yet, curiously, he said little else, in a manner that also suggests he is minded to run with the hare and hunt with the hound. What then are Nigerians, and particularly ADC chieftains, to make of Mr Obi’s encouragement to his support base to ‘join this broad coalition under the ADC led by Sen. Mark’?

    Since Mr Baba-Ahmed has now burst everyone’s bubble, ADC leaders will likely press Mr Obi to clarify his association with the so-called mega coalition. If the former Anambra governor goes ahead to register at his ward, they will call for no additional proof and will regard any suspicion as crying wolf where none exists. But if he pussyfoots as is his custom, then they will smell a rat and press him to commit himself. What seems to be the case is that Mr Obi is hedging his bets. He is merely procrastinating as usual, unable to make up his mind as firmly as many, and probably himself, hope. He is disillusioned with the crisis-ridden LP, and can see no alternative in sight. But he thinks he still has in his corner the captive audience that gave him 12 states and the FCT in the 2023 presidential poll, in the same way the hallucinating Buharistas think they still have a captive 12 million votes that can be whimsically deployed during any election.

    But deep down, Mr Obi probably senses his goose is already cooked. He has, therefore, shamefacedly committed himself to the ADC without making it sound so, in delicate literary half measures. He half boyishly expects that by some celestial intervention, Alhaji Atiku would in the course of events be unhorsed and he would be presented the ticket on a platter. Politics may have magical charms, but it is not magic. Alhaji Atiku realises this, and has now fully committed himself to the ADC after first taken refuge and playing politics in press statements. It is Mr Obi’s turn to chafe at how nature and political circumstances have dealt him a cruel hand.

  • Challenges before new ambassadors

    Challenges before new ambassadors

    Contemporary diplomatic duty is not a tea party. It does not carry the same colouration as the usual job for the boys. It is a very serious and highly sensitive business. It requires deftness, wisdom, manoeuvring, understanding, calculations, and swiftness. In many situations, every minute counts.

    In a world where might befuddles rationality and propels the “powerful” to trample on small nations’ rights, diplomacy must be deployed to navigate through the times of turbulence to avoid casualties and regrets. Ambassadors reflect the power, integrity, and dignity of their countries and the readiness to maintain visibility in the comity of nations as well as retain a compelling relevance in global affairs.

    It is a special honour for a citizen to be chosen from the crowd to represent his or her country in another country as an ambassador.

    Their Excellences are like the president of the country in their places of assignment, either as careerists or non-career high commissioners.

    As the highest-ranking diplomat in another nation, the ambassador acts as the primary link in promoting political, economic, and cultural ties. He represents the home government’s interests, protects its citizens abroad, and reports on the host country’s situation to inform foreign policy decisions. The ambassador manages the embassy, oversees government personnel, and works to build strong bilateral relations through negotiation and cultural exchange.

    As a political representative, the ambassador is the communicator of official positions and reactions, whose primary assignment is to maintain dialogue with the authorities of the host country. Citizens run to him for rights and welfare protection, particularly during emergencies.

    The countries of the world look for prosperity. This imposes on the chief diplomat the task of economic diplomacy, which involves the promotion of trade and investment, the discovery and creation of business opportunities between his country and the host country.

    The ambassador is not expected to be a sleeping official. He should be a researcher who is adept at information gathering and analysis, using the correct tools. The information about the host nation’s socio-economic and political developments can be used to advise the home government in reshaping foreign relations.

    The promotion of friendliness is key. Countries can become allies, not through military and economic cooperation alone, but also through sheer educational initiatives and cultural exchange to foster mutual goodwill and understanding.

    To underscore his status in the world, the ambassador enjoys diplomatic immunity, and he is protected by international law. Other countries listen when he speaks because his words carry the seal, weight and power of the home government. He is not only the official spokesperson but also a world leader in his own right, saddled with the responsibility of standing in the gap, leading a diplomatic mission and acting as a point of contact for international organisations and other foreign officials.

    Read Also: Renewed Hope Ambassadors extend Christmas greetings to Oyo residents

    Eminent politician, Dr. Eniola Ajayi, who was once Ekiti State Education Commissioner and later Nigeria’s Ambassador to The Netherlands, with concurrent accreditation to Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021 – 2023), summarised the scope of diplomatic duties under four broad headlines: inclusion, investment drive, image building and innovation. She catalogued her experience in a book: ‘Mastering Diplomacy: Essential Guide to International Relations,’ which offers better insights into the challenges of foreign relations and ambassadorial postings.

    As the recently appointed 69 envoys prepare to go to their stations, it is important, apart from the training or seminar being organised for them, to learn from the experience of those before them.

    Four categories of ambassadors will be posted to different countries by the President, either as career or non-career envoys. The first are tested hands, experts and professionals. The second are reputable individuals, like Chief Simeon Adebo and Dr. Christopher Kolade, both of the old dispensation. The third are politicians who are being rewarded or compensated for previous political works. The fourth are a few hustlers, attention-seeking folks who need postings for relevance and enjoyment.

    Ajayi, who spoke on a national television programme, comes across as a diplomacy tutor. She stressed the value of preparation, which greatly enhances learning and coping as an accidental nominee, without the requisite knowledge about the journey.

    In her view, the President has the right – the prerogative – to appoint anybody to, first and foremost, represent him and the larger country, although screening by the Senate is constitutionally required. Equity also demands that the list is representative of the country’s diversity because talents abound across the 36 states. Any glaring case of marginalisation, therefore, is antithetical to democratic inclusion.

    However, the personal life and quality of nominees matter a lot because in their letters of appointment, it is stated that the person has been found worthy in character and given authority to execute their mission as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

    The delay in the appointment of ambassadors can create a void, as underscored by the recent misunderstanding of the security situation in Nigeria by the United States. Ajayi said the truth is that a lot of problems could have been averted if Nigeria had an ambassador in the country. Although there are other officials at the embassy, they lack the accreditation, authorisation and competence to represent Nigeria because of the shortfall in ranking. The implication is that these officials may not be invited to places where they can play ambassadorial roles.

    For those criticising the list of nominees, Ajayi offers some significant insights. Many factors were taken into consideration, ranging from the particular needs of different countries to Nigeria’s expectations and antecedents, as well as the pedigree of the nominees. For example, the military background of nominees may be a factor. Only a Christian could be sent as an envoy to the Vatican and a Muslim to Saudi Arabia, in trying to meet the criteria of sensitivity and sensibility.

    Education, scholarship, public status and past meritorious service to the nation may be responsible for nominating former presidents, Generals and ex-Supreme Court judges for the job.

    Ajayi noted that there are diverse levels of postings. Career diplomats and highly knowledgeable people are usually sent to places of multilateral engagement, like the United Nations, the European Union, and major countries, where skills and competence are needed for the initiation and implementation of agreements.

    This is why orientation programmes usually precede postings. This is also the reason, as Ajayi explained, a Station Charter is given to each ambassador so that he or she would know what is expected in the country of assignment, for the promotion of cordial relations, robust representation and trade improvement.

    The understanding of the Nigerian foreign policy, which is Afrocentrism and non-alignment, is also crucial. It has not changed over time. Ajayi said: “We (Nigeria) don’t carry baggage; we are friends of all, enemy to none.” Nigeria does not take sides, and intelligent and informed positions are taken, based on diplomacy, which is the application of tact and reason.

    Ambassadorial responsibilities are huge to bear. Paucity pf funds could hinder effective performance. Ajayi acknowledged that this is true of many missions. To overcome the constraints, she called for a sort of staff reduction instead of spending a humongous amount on administrative attaches. The funding in the budget is not in dollars but in Naira. To facilitate easy access, the former ambassador said the funding should be from the first line charge.

    Foreign relations are costly, but it is more costly to ignore them. Demonstrating the imperative of diplomatic tact and speed, Ajayi recalled how a row nearly broke out over a boy who hid an explosive in his pants, which was discovered inside the aircraft. The Nigerian diplomat rose swiftly and explained to the country of assignment that it was a one-off case and that the boy’s father had earlier reported his suspicion to the police.

    The new ambassadors can tap from the experience, knowledge and skills of accomplished ambassadors, like Ajayi did when she contacted Ambassador Ayo Olukanmi, who instantly recommended to her a book by the late Ambassador Olusola Sanu. In her testimony, as a lifelong learner, she also learnt about diplomatic etiquette from the wife of former Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

    As she did in the Netherlands, the new ambassadors are to organise receptions for all their counterparts from other countries after presenting their letters of credence.

    Most importantly, the quest for prosperity in the contemporary world imposes on ambassadors the task of attracting investment by “making sure that what should come to Nigeria comes, and the country is also able to put its goods abroad for sale”.

    These days, investment is the major target of diplomacy. It is central to the economic survival of nations.

    Nigerian citizens abroad should feel the impact of the ambassadors through inclusion and accessibility. In promoting the image of the country, they may need to emulate the style of Ajayi, who set up a vibrant website and a beautiful social media handle.

    Ajayi’s final advice on innovative diplomacy: “In your service delivery, in your representation, you must be robust. You should be prepared to deliver with dignity, respect, humility, a beautiful smile, and you will be accomplished.”

  • A very innovative mobilisation

    A very innovative mobilisation

    Strategy meetings are peculiar to political parties and their leaders. It was in one of such secret meetings that some unexpected feedback was brought by a concerned chieftain in one of the Southern states.

    The sad news was about voter fatigue, leading to aloofness to the ongoing party membership registration. Despite radio jingles, television advertisements and appeals to members, turnout remained low.

    Seized by anxiety, the party chairman decided to find out the reason for the unusual dwindling interest. He informed the elders who, in their wisdom, advised him to place suggestion boxes in many wards

    The startling revelations were confounding. The masses of the party ventilated their grievances in the boxes, warning of dire consequences if leaders refuse to harken to the voice of distress.

    Complaints at meetings with the ordinary party folks followed a similar trend.

    Have the higher ups not been telling our leaders at home to wet the ground, one queried. Without waiting for a response, he asked further: “why is the ground still dry?”

    Read Also: Hashim’s supporters’ group strengthens mobilisation, rallies support in Kaduna

    Another member, a youth, who frowned, asked: “You put all your children in councils. One hundred days have passed. Our own appointments for crumbs are still hanging. Why?”

    Another member, a woman, said: “We are only working for you and your children. We only see your face down during elections. After that, your face is up. Why? So, settle us.”

    Before dispersing the stakeholders’ meeting, party executives tried to wet the ground. They did not go empty handed. Many got 10kg bag of rice. Others received vegetable oil, garri and beans. Some smiled home with little cash.

    The next meeting was fuller. Research had been conducted and the outcome known.

    Confident of appeasement, the same carrot was doled out, with a greater demand for mobilisation towards the membership registration.

    The party now came up with a novelty: a huge cash prize for the ward and local government that recorded the highest number of registered party members. It went viral in the wards: ‘Cash for registration, I will partake.’

    So, the mobilisation, and indeed the registration, became competitive. Problem solved!

  • Remarkable strides in solid minerals sector

    Remarkable strides in solid minerals sector

    The continuing easing of the biting inflationary spirals in the prices of essential needs caused by the removal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu administration. The noticeable increase in food productivity despite persisting insecurity constraints. The sustained positive outlook in the country’s surplus trade balances across successive quarters. The maintenance of a stable exchange rate with the Naira even gradually strengthening through the deft monetary policy. The renewed investor interest and confidence in the country’s economic potentials as reflected in the resurgence of the Nigerian stock market. The considerable amplification of the country’s foreign reserves compared to its parlous state as at May 2003. All these are responsible for the emergent consensus among experts that the far-reaching economic reforms of the administration are gradually yielding the desired results.

    Of course, there is still a considerable path to tread before positive statistical aggregates begin to reflect in the quality of life of the vast majority of citizens. The central goals of the economic reforms are to restructure and diversify the economy, significantly enhance domestic productivity, reduce food, technology and other forms of dependency, boost raw materials self-reliance and enhance accelerated industrialization, actualize revenue generating capacities to fund the radical expansion and modernization of infrastructure as well as provision of qualitative but affordable social services including education, healthcare, potable water, efficient transportation as well as sufficient power supply among others.

    In the final analysis, the ultimate verdict on the fundamental reforms of the Tinubu administration will depend on the level of performance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies that touch on the lives of millions of ordinary Nigerians, such as agriculture, rural development, education, healthcare, livestock production, poverty alleviation, trade and industry, transportation, as well as roads and infrastructure. But no less critical in this regard is the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, whose revenue- generating potentials remained largely dormant until the advent of the current administration.

    Experts have, over the years, noted that the excessive reliance on revenues from crude oil sales and the lack of investment in developing the myriad of solid minerals that dot vast swathes of the Nigerian geographical space have been factors in the persistent deepening of underdevelopment and poverty in post-colonial Nigeria. In the current dispensation, this narrative of neglect and marginalisation of such a critical sector is slowly but steadily changing. Even then, it is still ‘morning yet on creation day’ even though the portents are quite promising.

    The foremost expert on the political economy of solid minerals and underdevelopment in Nigeria, Professor Chibuzo Nwoke, has exhaustively documented the country’s treasure trove of assorted solid minerals spread in diverse locations. He classified them into seven broad categories, namely building and construction industry minerals; fuel minerals; steel industry minerals; non-ferrous minerals; industrial and manufacturing minerals; strategic minerals and precious metals and gemstones. The significance and spread of these minerals underscore the indispensable role of solid minerals in the quest for accelerated industrialisation and modernisation of Nigeria.

    As an online medium puts it to illustrate how vital solid minerals are to national development, “Tin, Lead, and Zinc are essential base metals used in various industries, from manufacturing to construction. These are the building blocks of modern infrastructure. Iron ore is a key ingredient in steel production, vital for infrastructure development and industrial growth. This is the backbone of industrialisation. And in the words of Professor Nwoke, “Before the so-called oil boom era in the Nigerian economy, tin mining was the major source of revenue and foreign exchange for the country, which, for a long time, was among the top six producers of both tin and columbite in the world. But more recently, mostly because of the concentration on oil, the importance of tin and other minerals has declined in the Nigerian economy.”

    He continued, “A poor mono-cultural Third World country like Nigeria cannot, however, afford to ignore the solid minerals sector of its economy because the long term well-being of the country may very well depend upon the nationalist management of its mineral potentials. Investigations from the Ministry of Mines reveal that there are potentials in Nigeria’s minerals sector that, if judiciously worked, could provide the needed precondition for a future of industrialisation.”

    More than at any other time since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in 1999, a concerted effort had been sustained over the last two and a half years to lay the foundation for the transformation of the solid minerals sector into the backbone for the realisation of the goals of rapid industrialisation and accelerated development.

    Read Also: Kwankwaso seeks compensation as Kano Assembly endorses Yusuf’s defection plan

    As I wrote in this space on Saturday, June 8, 2024, titled ‘Alake, solid minerals and national development,’ “Dr Oladele Alake is serving as Minister of Solid Minerals Development at a critical transitional phase in the evolution of the Nigerian economy. Not only has the price of crude oil plummeted calamitously in the international market, but many countries are moving away from dependence on fossil fuels for cheaper and safer sources of energy. Many experts assert that the golden age of oil is over and that current reserves of the commodity have a limited lifespan. Alake thus has his work cut out for him. His challenge is to lay the foundation for solid minerals, with which the country is munificently blessed, to become the future major revenue earner for Nigeria.”

    On assumption of office, the Minister identified eight priority minerals for immediate action and attention. This was obviously for the specificity of purpose as well as to ensure judicious utilisation of scarce resources to achieve concrete and measurable goals as regards minerals of the highest potential. The targeted eight priority minerals are gold, baryte, iron-ore, lead/zinc, coal, limestone, bitumen and lithium. As I wrote in the earlier piece, “His energies are thus centred on undertaking regulatory reforms to restore investor confidence and renewed global interest in these priority solid mineral resources without necessarily eschewing interest and investment in scores of other minerals with which the country is blessed.”

    It is significant that over the years, experts have identified a lack of adequate information on the variety and depth of the country’s solid minerals endowment as a key factor in the continued underdevelopment of the sector to the detriment of national progress and transformation. The entering into an agreement by the Ministry of Solid Minerals with a German firm, Geo Scan Gmbn through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to generate critical data on the eight priority minerals and their deposits thus marks a notable milestone in the evolution of the sector. Towards this end, sophisticated technology has been deployed with the capacity of exploring mineral resources up to 10,000 meters underground.

    In a related vein, the Ministry has worked in concert with the World Bank to conduct aeromagnetic surveys across the country for more accurate and reliable data on mineral spread and deposits to enable investors make more informed investment decisions. As the Minister noted at the 2024 Mines and Mining Conference in London, “The country’s geographical bounty encompasses over 44 distinct mineral types, found in exploitable quantities across more than 500 locations.” This expansive solid minerals endowment has also spurred Dr Alake to take defining and decisive steps to tackle the widespread incidence of criminality and violence associated with illegal mining in the largely ungoverned spaces where substantial quantities of solid minerals deposits are located.

    The unveiling on March 22, 2024, of the 2,200-strong Mines Marshall Corp drawn from officers and men of the National Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) marked the most elaborate effort in the history of the ministry to restore sanity and legality to the mining of solid minerals in Nigeria. With the Corps’ command and control centre located in the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the Mines Marshal Corps is functional in all mining sites across diverse states, where it executes its mandate to smoke out, thwart and apprehend illegal miners and other violators of the country’s mining laws in the interest of Justice.

    Nothing illustrates better the efficacy of the reforms vigorously undertaken over the last two years by Alake in the solid minerals sector than the quantum leap in the ministry’s financial contributions to the national coffers under his leadership. For 2023, the Ministry of Solid Minerals generated approximately N16 billion in revenue, and this amount rose to N38 billion in 2024. Between January and November 2025, the revenue generated by the ministry had hit N63.92 billion within 11 months, and the Ministry is optimistic that the total revenue figure for 2025 will exceed the N70 billion mark. This represents a growth rate of over 337% from the 2023 figure of N16 billion.

    This astronomical increase in the Ministry’s revenue performance has been attributed to such reform initiatives as the revocation of dormant mining licences by the Minister, the drastic tackling of illegal mining through the Mining Marshalls Corp and initiatives aimed at enhancing local value addition before export of solid minerals, as well as attracting foreign investment. Shortly after resumption of office, the Minister announced the revocation of 1,633 mining licences due to default in the payment of their stipulated annual service fees. The affected entities had exceeded their deadlines to offset their debts as demanded by the Mining Cadastral Office, and they retrieved their licenses only after defraying their debts.

    The digitisation of mining license applications has enabled online mining license processing, thereby increasing transparency and accountability with positive revenue generation implications. While a substantial amount of about N1 trillion was allocated for mineral exploration to bridge data gaps, over 300 artisanal mining cooperatives were formalized and these in turn stimulated better effectiveness, efficiency and organisational dynamism in the ministry. In the same vein, the launch of the Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMRDSS) has improved access to geological data and the attraction of investors. Also noteworthy are the MOUs entered into with reputable firms in the United Kingdom and Australia for the training of Nigerian mining professionals on modern mining technology and practices.

    In an address to a mining conference organized by the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies ( NIPSS), Alake had unequivocally declared that “My objective as the Minister is to work to ensure that Nigeria becomes a global mining destination for the first time in history and we are working to make this happen by alleviating bottlenecks and addressing salient challenges that have plagued the sector for decades”. The election of Alake as Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) in 2024 reflects the Ministry’s active participation on the global terrain, the amplification of its influence and the positive ramifications for the attraction of foreign investment and consequently enhanced financial viability.

    From all indications, the Ministry is not resting on its oars as its leadership believes that the strides taken so far, though by all means remarkable, represent a minuscule portion of the potentials of the sector and the far greater heights it is still possible to attain.

  • Dying Elephant’s last kick

    Dying Elephant’s last kick

    Most superstars are brats. Yet, it is important to stress also that no rich man’s kid plays the beautiful game – soccer, which has consistently served as the vehicle for kids of poor people to change the peasant lifestyle of their families with wealth generated with their God-given talent.

    Victor Osimhen should be told by handlers that he needs to learn to be patient in his interactions with people. He should realise that as brand ambassador to many thriving business concerns, a lot is expected of him. He should be found worthy in character and learning, even if he isn’t a graduate yet. No business concern would love to identify its brands, goods and services with an ambassador who would pour odium on their brands through needless controversies.

    Sadly, players in the team have confirmed Osimhen’s unruly conduct severally in training with the coaches and even NFF, NSC chiefs papering over the issue, as if Osimhen is untouchable. Pity! The consequence of recruiting Lilliputian coaches.

    ”You people are just overreacting. Osimhen is like that even in training; so it’s nothing new to the rest of the team. It’s in his nature to be that explosive but it’s nothing serious”, a player in the team said.

    ”As a new player in the team, the other senior players told us about similar incidents in the past which was amicably resolved. To you people outside it’s a big issue, but here we see it as normal because it happens almost every time”, he stated.

    What Osimhen did to Lookman was despicable for a team mate who was his successor to the Africa Footballer of the Year diadem. Osimhen needs to be reminded that Lookman won the U-17 World Cup playing for England. He also won the U-20 World Cup playing for England. One therefore, can’t see what would have driven Osimhen to disrespect Lookman. This is certainly the dying Elephant’s last kick. Osimhen humiliated Finidi George and got away with it based on the emotional attachment Nigerians had towards Osimhen, which wasn’t fair. Finidi was a critical player for the Super Eagles, scoring goals with aplomb and providing assists to mates to score goals. Finidi belongs to the league of Super Eagles’ stars who scored goals for Nigeria at the senior World Cup, a competition Osimhen hasn’t participated in. Finidi has won the AFCON title, Osimhen hasn’t. Finidi won the UEFA Champions League crown with Ajax FC of Holland, Osimhen hasn’t. Why the NFF and indeed the NSC chieftains belittled Finidi before Osimhen is the Karma which has haunted the Edo-born striker to Morocco. Osimhen’s foolery towards Lookman can be likened to the dying Elephant’s last kick. Indeed, his bus stop. Who cares if he doesn’t play for Nigeria again?

    If the Eagles’ outings have been spectacular, it has been largely due to Alex Iwobi’s immaculate defence splitting passes and the sparkling manner he has marshalled the team, with the strikers the biggest benefactor. So, a badly behaved Osimhen must be told categorically that successes in football matches rests solely with good team work.

    Read Also: Shettima reaffirms FG’s resolve to empower military

    Mention must be made about the swiftness in curtailing what could have broken the team to pieces as exhibited by the NFF and NSC chiefs in Morocco. The damage control was top notch, although the social media feasted on it maximally, which may have jolted our sports administrators to act decisively.

    The team’s administrator, Dayo Enebi, informed the international media in Morocco on Tuesday that: “There is no problem whatsoever in our camp. Whatever people saw as a crisis between two brothers was easily resolved a couple of hours later. All is good and we are presently at training,”

    Osimhen was seen making gestures to fellow forward Ademola Lookman just before a corner kick, and conjectures of various complexions have followed in the legacy and digital media. Osimhen netted a brace in the encounter to move to 34 goals in 50 matches for Nigeria – only three less than the Nigeria senior record of 37 goals by ‘Goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory).

    Ademola Lookman, who had two goals and two assists before the match, having played in the games against Tanzania and Tunisia while sitting out the encounter with Uganda, added another goal and three exquisite assists on Monday night.

    It is true that such high profile shows of shame abound in the game globally, but it shouldn’t involve our best exports to the European leagues. Osimhen and Lookman are previous African Footballer of the Year award winners who should be emulated not despised in the media.  Indeed, Osimhen can’t be pampered to be right in his altacations. Otherwise, he would find himself standing alone on the pitch without team mates to play with. No man is infallible.

    Osimhen should note that the lifespan of athletes in their sport is between five years and 10 years, injuries permitting. It simply means Osimhen should learn to control his quick temper. There is life to live after football. He won’t say he isn’t  aware of the business angle in retirement for great achievers like him, such as being used as a brand ambassador for their goods and services across the world.

    What has impressed me so far is Osimhen’s post-match stoic silence over the issues surrounding the game. Equally impressive has been Lookman’s constant description of Osimhen as his brother; this shows clearly how well he has acculturated playing the game. Lookman in all the press meetings listens attentively before he blows the media away with his informed responses.

    I, therefore, won’t dwell on this matter but wait until today at 5pm to see how well both of them would play against the Algerians inside the 45,000-capacity Grand Stade de Marrakech on Saturday, in the third quarter-final match of the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals. Incidentally, when Morocco hosted the AFCON in 1988 (the only previous championship the North African Kingdom staged), Cameroon clashed with Morocco in the first semi-final while Nigeria and Algeria clashed in the second semi-final. The quartet are now repeating history at the quarter-final stage.

    Thirty-eight years ago, Nigeria edged Algeria in a marathon penalty shootout after regulation and extra time ended 1-1, while Cameroon edged hosts Morocco to set up a Nigeria-Cameroon Final. The Indomitable Lions won that controversial Final 1-0. This time around the two countries would meet in the semi-final – Nigeria versus Cameroon – I’m salivating already.

    Yes, why are we so blessed. Why do our sports administrators find it difficult to learn from past experiences – in this case the issue of not paying our players what was promised them.

    “The NFF, the Sports Commission, the Presidency, the Minister of Finance, and the CBN are all involved.

    Fundamentally, the money for this AFCON is approved and being processed through the right channels. It’s a matter of timing,” the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

    “Let me give you the timelines of how the issues work. First and foremost, I must tell you that Mr. President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, duly approved the special budget for the AFCON as far back as November 14, 2025,” he said.

    “But approving the money is different from getting the money out. It takes time for the money to be processed through Finance, the Office of the Accountant General, and the CBN.”

    When would we overcome these bureaucratic bottlenecks to save us the international disgrace of our players refusing to train or threatening not to travel to competition venue because of unfufilled promises to them?

  • Key global determinants in 2026

    Key global determinants in 2026

    Trump 2.0:

    I project that President Donald Trump will continue to disrupt global dynamics in 2026. Love him or hate him, President Trump is a force to reckon with (for good or bad reasons). Importantly he follows his rhetoric with actions. Therefore any individual or Country that ignore him, do so at their own peril. President Trump will sustain and upscale his trajectory in terms of his foreign, and economic policies for the United States of America.

    The removal and arrest of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is a demonstration of President Trump’s resolve to follow his rhetoric with actions. His threat to  the President of Columbia and his sustained intention to annex Greenland and threats to the EU, NATO, etc are indications of days to come in 2026.

    Global Economy:

    The World Bank projects a global average economic growth of 6.2% in 2026-27. In addition, the World Trade Organization (WTO) projects a declining global trade volume growth at 0.5%, having downgraded it from a previous expectation of 1.8%. According to the WTO, “Trade growth is expected to slow in 2026 as the global economy cools and as the full impact of higher tariffs is finally felt for a full year,”.

    In my view, the aforementioned outlooks will be driven by President Trump’s Tariff Policies, and the consequent global trade barriers, geopolitics, climate change as it impacts agriculture and environment, etc.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI):

    AI will continue to evolve and dominate global growth across all sectors. 2025 closed with a major buy – a $2.2 billion purchase of an AI company – Manus by Meta, as indication of consistent growth of AI amid concerns of control and what the future holds in terms of regulations of AI. For African Countries, how proactive they are in terms of the development of infrastructure, human capital development, political stability and good governance will be a critical success factor for us to catch up with the AI evolution.

    The increasing use of autonomous systems for electric vehicles and AI in our movements and travel systems, health care systems, agriculture, education, warfare, etc will be dominated by China. China will continue to dominate the AI space.

    The United States of America is also very dominant and visible in the AI space with investments of Trillions of US Dollars and ownership of AI companies and infrastructure. However Europe needs to up its game in 2026.

    BRICS:

    I reckon that BRICS will continue to grow cautiously, consistently, as it is becoming a likely alternative platform to the US dollar.

    I am very confident as an advocate of BRICS,  that BRICS will definitely make an impact in the global socio-economics and politics as the body becomes stronger and more relevant.

    China’s Resilience:

    In terms of global trade, China is reasserting itself as the global trade super network and supply chain hegemony – a production superpower. In 2025, President Xi Jinping steered China on the trajectory of continuous utilization of special economic zones/ free trade zones to provide the incentives required to continue catalizing,  and promoting  trade and investment within China, and between China and the global trade ecosystem. In addition to that, we also witnessed how China’s focus on producing high-quality development and high-quality products to the world. China will sustain those trajectories in 2026.

    Significantly for Africa, in 2026, African nations will take advantage of the zero tariff provided by China on almost all import products for 53 countries in Africa, as against the tariff war by President Trump rates on. That is a major shift by China, considering the fact that there are major producers of electronics, industrial materials, and other highly demanded products around the world. This is critical success factor for China, and why China will remain ahead of the game with regard to technology, and trade, and with regards to economy.

    Furthermore, China is also creating digital hub around Huizhou, Guangzhou, Hanai provinces, building massive data centers for AI, which are the bedrock of the AI revolution. This level of investment, and commitment by the Chinese leadership will ensure that China remains o resilient and on a positive trajectory in terms of economy, and geopolitics.

    Another important point to note is China’s internal growth strategy and and focus on that a they call “the small beautiful things”, i.e the continuing support of the small medium scale enterprises within China, to ensure that  the people of China are happy and the general well-being of Chinese is upgraded, while closing of the gap between the rich and the poor.

    Basically, China’s key drivers for growth in 2026 will be innovation, resilience, diversification, and global re-alliances, consolidation.

    Bad Governance and Insecurity as Opportunities for Imperialism:

    Interestingly, President Trump’s disdain for Africa has changed in perspective and a new purpose of economic imperialism. I am of the view that this change is because President Trump now realizes the fact that Africa has abundance of critical minerals. Critical minerals/ Rare earth metals are crucial to 4th and 5th industrial revolution. Developed Countries are scrambling for the critical minerals which are cheaply available in Africa more that anywhere else in the world.

    For instance, in 2025, President Trump weighed in on the protracted war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and struck a deal to mediate between the warring parties in the DRC, i.e the M23 Rebel forces (backed by Rwanda) and the Incumbent Government of DRC.

    The DRC has the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, along with significant quantities of coltan, lithium, and uranium, all of which are overwhelmingly mined and processed by Chinese firms.

    On December 5, 2025 (last month), President of the DRC Félix Tshisekedi, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited Washington to formalize the peace deal. Consequently, the United States and DRC signed a new strategic partnership on critical minerals and security cooperation. The terms offer U.S. firms preferential access to Congolese mineral reserves when doing business with state-owned mining companies.

    Furthermore, I expect that President Trump will ride on the momentum, and leverage the intervention the USA is currently providing to contain insecurity in Nigeria, to secure a deal for the USA to gain significant access to the critical minerals that are abundant in northeastern, northwestern and north central Nigeria. After all there is no “free lunch” in foreign policy.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s painful reforms prevented Nigeria’s economic collapse — Tunde Lemo

    Accordingly, I also reckon, that President Trump will maximize the new Presley he has if Africa and use the opportunities to secure more deals for critical minerals. I also expect that more African countries will have to sign these deals with the USA under the guise of interventions. As to whether or not the deals will benefit the African Countries – your guesses are as good as mine.

    Indeed, bad governance and heightened insecurity are the new opportunities for President Donald Trump. Africans should blame themselves and their leaders for opening the opportunities not just for President Trump but for China, and any other serious Country that is ready to partake.

    For example, Sudan is currently experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crisis in human history. According to the latest figures from the UN, at least 21.2 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, 9.5 million people are displaced internally, 4.35 million people have fled the country, and 10 million children are out of school with classrooms destroyed, occupied, or unsafe to reach. The worst affected in the war are women and children.

    Yet the African Union is aloof as the imperialists position to take over the critical minerals abound in northwestern Sudan.

    Russia-Ukraine Imbroglio

    With regard to the Russia-Ukraine war, I do not see any end in sight in 2026. This is due to the sustained hardline positions taken by Russia, Ukraine and the EU/NATO. While the war rages on, complications of the war with heavy social and economic impacts are more on  Ukraine that they are on Russia. Currently, as the winter chills on, there are over 1million people in urgent need of heating and water. In my view, so far, President Putin’s strategy has been working more for him than the US and EU/NATO strategy for Ukraine. If the Russia-Ukraine imbroglio continues unabated without a change in the political strategy disposition, it will continue to impact negatively on global and national economies.

    Israel-Palestine Conflict – The War in Gaza

    With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza, I don’t expect much to change, because the successive US Presidencies and administrations have maintained a consistent strategic position and actions with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Therefore, the position of the United States of America in this regard will not really change the fortunes of the Palestinians.

  • Maduro’s capture and the breakdown of international order

    Maduro’s capture and the breakdown of international order

    On January 3, at about 1300hours, the president of Venezuela, his wife Cilla Flores, and his only biological son, Nicolas Ernesto Madura Guerra, were captured in one of the presidential safe houses in Caracas and spirited to New York on an American gunboat and are now facing trial in New York for drug running involving millions of tons of cocaine into the USA and narco-conspiracy.  He was additionally charged with gun running.

    He was born on November 23, 1962 in the capital city of Caracas to a trade unionist father. He was a previous bus driver and transport unionist before becoming a member of parliament in 2000 and five years later, he became president of the National Assembly and foreign minister from 2006 to 2012 and vice president from 2012 to 2013. He became interim president after his mentor, Hugo Chavez, died in 2013. He became president after a snap election in 2013. In 2018 and 2024, he was re-elected in what his opponents called sham elections and repression of democratic forces, following which most Western countries refused to recognize his government.

    His regime moved closer to Cuba, China which buys 70% of its production of crude oil, and Russia and Cuba buys the remainder at premium prices. The country is sitting on about 40% of global known oil reserves. The exploitation of crude petroleum was largely developed by giant American oil firms before all of them, with the exception of Chevron were nationalised and expropriated by the Hugo Chavez socialist government in the 1970s. Those American oil companies nationalized included Standard Oil Company, now Exxon Mobil, Gulf Oil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips. From the 1970s nationalisation and expropriation of major American companies, the production of crude oil, either by design or incompetence, declined to just about one million barrels daily. The capture of Maduro came after months of an American armada of ships, air force, aircraft carriers air force aircraft of different types from stealth bombers, to helicopters naval assets of all kinds from submarines to attack naval crafts and deployments of FBI and CIA operatives. The apparent easy way the operation was conducted belied the fact of the cost and efficiency and effectiveness of American coordinated armed and security forces.

    The Americans say none of their troops was wounded or killed but Cuba claimed that 32 of the intelligence officers in Venezuela were killed during the operation. After the success of Maduro and his wife’s capture, then what follows is the big question. From what President Donald Trump, the president of the USA and his foreign minister, Marco Rubio have been saying since the invasion of Venezuela, it does not seem there is a well thought-out plan for post invasion than his saying simply that he was planning to bring back the American oil companies that were driven out in 1970s out of Venezuela to come back after the success of the invasion. President Trump indicated the oil companies will come back to rehabilitate the degraded facilities to make America and Venezuela people rich. This will be under American administration. He also went further that Marco Rubio was already talking to Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez who had been appointed by Maduro as his vice president since June 14, 2018 and apparently retaining the other key elements of the Maduro government in office which will negate the whole purpose of the invasion of Venezuela in the first place by retaining the Maduro’s criminal infrastructure. It seems the Americans would be happy with remnants of the Maduro administration if it can run the country to the benefit of American oil interest.

    Read Also: 2027: Reps Deputy Speaker drums support for Tinubu, says Igbo must extend handshake to southwest

    Perhaps America has learnt from its previous mistakes of totally disbanding of the Iraqi troops after capturing Saddam Hussein, thus creating a security vacuum which criminals filled.

    I personally felt very sorry for President Trump to have been left to commit so much blunder while addressing the world press after the glorious military exercise. He ought to have been given a cryptic statement to read instead of his rambling about producing crude oil to pay off American oil companies following nationalising of the oil companies. There was no need to spell out what his victory would entail and anger not only the Venezuelan citizens, but also large measure of radical American and global population and people in neighbouring countries like Canada and Mexico.

    As somebody with some experience in government, we would not have allowed our president to commit this kind of blunders while addressing the global community. One of these blunders committed by Trump was his dismissal of the democratic opposition in Venezuela and particularly his comment on the Nobel Laureate, Maria Corina Machado as not being popular and effective. By this statement, the potential American supporters are being alienated.

    He is opening his country to much opposition from the global community to his rather abrasive policies and pronouncements. The Mexican and Colombian presidents are already shouting at the roof tops that Trump should perish the thoughts of similar actions against their countries. The president of Iran whose people are demonstrating against his regime and Trump’s statement that its guns are ready and loaded against the Islamic Republic should it attack the demonstrators against its regime. The Danish government owners of Greenland being publicly demanded by Trump for American security say over and over again that the large Arctic island is not for sale. Some enemies of our country and its current government are urging Trump to direct its action to Nigeria.

    Whoever thinks this kind of pleas will be considered because one is against the current administration in Nigeria should ask himself under what justification that would be legitimately considered. In the meantime, opposition against American intervention is gathering support from US Democrats in Congress, the UN Secretary General and generally the governments of global South which Trump’s policies and action had angered, irritated and generally put at arm’s length. The Security Council of the UN has been meeting to discuss the American government’s action but it is known by most people that the structure of the UN would militate against the UN because the USA, like the remaining four permanent members of the UN has the veto power against all possible action of the Security Council which requires UNANIMOUS action of the five permanent members. This is because structurally, the UN is handicapped and will be unable to do anything to the US, and not even a condemnation because decisions in UNSC are taken by unanimous decision and even if Great Britain and France are unhappy about the US action, they will not join China and Russia to unanimously condemn the USA and if they do the USA will veto it.

    The consequences of the actions of the USA would empower Russia to intensify its actions against Ukraine and China would use the same USA forceful action to take over Taiwan and India may be emboldened in her policies towards Sri Lanka and Jammu and Kashmir thus opening a Pandora Box of desire by bigger and more powerful countries to forcefully run over and annex neighbouring states they had hitherto claimed leading to a breakdown of international order and war will become acceptable for settling international relations.

    The world is entering a phase where national power would be the most important lever of the engine of international relations.

  • Matters arising

    Matters arising

    IT IS EARLY DAYS yet in the new year, but things have been happening at dizzying speed. The American President Donald Trump’s invasion of Venezuela; the coming of the tax law; the political gerrymandering of Governor Seyi Makinde and former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun; and the unfolding developments on the political scene have started to shape 2026.

    From nowhere, the United States (U.S.) invaded oil-rich Venezuela last Saturday, snatched President Nicolas Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them to New York, where they are now facing trial for narcotic and other related offences. The invasion has defined the beginning of the year like no other issue has.

    Trump is still hungry for more territories. He is eyeing Cuba, Colombia, Mexico and Greenland, which is under the sovereignty of Denmark in Europe. The world is on edge as Trump continues in his desperate bid to use the American might to oppress, suppress, and depress other countries. What does he want? His fellow American compatriots too cannot say. Many of them are not happpy with the image he is giving their country, but they cannot do anything to stop him.

    His allies are comfortable with him. Allies like Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller can die for him. They have lauded his invasion of Venezuela, describing him as “a talk and do president”. “When this president says he is going to do something, you had better listen because he will surely do it”, Rubio enthused on television shortly after the invasion, which Trump described as “watching television”.

    How can any person reduce the invasion of another country’s territorial integrity to ‘watching television’. That is Trump for you. He poses as the fighter for the rights of the oppressed in some countries, but does the opposite elsewhere where assets that he wants to acquire are at stake. After the invasion, he says U.S. would ‘run’ Venezuela and has warned its new president, Delcy Rodriguez, to play along with him or suffer a fate worse than Maduro’s. Will the world just watch and allow him to annex Greenland too?

    All of a sudden because of the tax law which implementation began seven days ago, almost every Nigerian has become a bean counter. We now look at everything in terms of the cost of tax. If I do this or that, how much tax will I pay? This is the question they now ask. It is not everything that is taxable. You will not pay tax on food or recharge cards or data. You will only pay tax on your income.

    Anything that does not come to you as income is not taxable. Money transferred to you to help a friend buy a car, build a house or for your personal use is not taxable. The stamp duty for transfer hitherto known as electronic money transfer levy will be paid by the sender. The charge is N50 for every transfer above N10000. The pay as you earn (PAYE) deducted from monthly salary has been reworked to exempt certain class of workers from income tax payment.

    Read Also: 2027: Reps Deputy Speaker drums support for Tinubu, says Igbo must extend handshake to southwest

    Those earning N800000 and below per annum are exempted from payment. Workers will now pay tax on salary above the N800000 threshold. If you are earning N900000, N1 million and so on, you pay tax calculated on the N100000, N200000 et al, that is above the N800000 mark. This means that high income earners will pay more tax in order to bring relief to the poor, who earn little or nothing.

    The beauty of the law is its provision for the Tax Ombudsman whose job, among others, is to ensure that none is unduly taxed or ripped off. Government should ensure that the ombudsman does his job effectively and efficiently without delay. Complaints should not be allowed to drag too long, otherwise the purpose of having the office, which I believe will be in all the 36 states and Abuja, will be defeated.

    Makinde is fighting to extricate himself from a self-inflicted problem over the Bodija explosion fund. Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose said Makinde got N50 billion from the Federal Government. Makinde said it was N30 billion. Whether N50 billion or N30 billion why did Makinde have to wait for Fayose’s exposè  before he told the world about the N30billion? So, if Fayose did not say anything, Makinde and his administration would have kept quiet about the fund and pretended that all is well after spending N4.5 billion out of it, without mentioning the source of the money?

    The affairs of a democratic government are not run like that. Did the governor even tell the House of Assembly about the money? Was the N4.5 billion disbursed with the lawmakers’ appropriation? The governor’s claim that a certain percentage of the N20 billion balance is being demanded before release is an afterthought. Why did he not cry out before the Fayose revelation? Did he undertake the recent changes in his executive council because of a leak about  this development?

    Kemi Adeosun has found her voice years after she resigned as finance minister over a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate. She said her resignation was not admission of guilt. Is that so? Did she use a fake NYSC discharge certificate or not? Use of fake documents is an offence. If she is sure of what she is saying, she can ask that the case be reopened for investigation. Otherwise, she should let sleeping dogs lie.

    The political scene is bubbling ahead of 2027. Peter Obi has defected from Labour Party (LP) to African Democratic Congress (ADC).Will he get the party’s 2027 presidential ticket? Can he still count on the support of the Obi-dients, the vociferous movement on social media with little electoral value? How many votes can those openly identifying with his defection to ADC give him? How strong politically is the man who says he would withdraw his support for him if he does not get ADC’s ticket? Some people just like to sound off!

    Let’s sign off on Rivers and its potentialities for the 2027 elections. Will Governor Siminilayi Fubara get a second term ticket on his new platform, APC? If he does, can he win? Can his estranged godfather, who is Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike stop him from getting APC ticket or determine who becomes the next governor? All eyes are on the state as to how these issues and the bigger presidential contest will play out in 2027. These are early days yet, but they are pointers to what to expect next year.

  • To summon a siege

    To summon a siege

    Every civilisation has its myths of rescue. In ours, the rescuer arrives in the attire of the West, hawking human rights in one hand and carnage in the other. Empires never travel light. They arrive with doctrines and appetites, and an accounting logic that mortgages human lives against barrels of oil, shipping lanes, voting blocs, and dubious evangelism.

    Nigeria as other nations of Africa, is once again ripe for the picking in the so-called New World Order, not because we are weak in prospects or numbers, but because we are fragmented in will and allegiance. This renders us dangerously exposed in an era where might is always deemed right, international law is reduced to a ceremonial proviso, and the United Nations, a forum of toothless bulldogs.

    In such a clime, even the presumed Giant of Africa must tread with the exaggerated politeness of the vulnerable. Thus, Nigeria’s resort to frantic diplomacy while its citizenry – out of spite or despair – openly fantasise about foreign invasion as if it were a Netflix series with a happy ending.

    No doubt, terror stalks our forests as bandits and insurgents turn entire regions into cauldrons of grief. The carnage is real and fear isn’t imagined. What must be resisted is the childish leap from justified anger to suicidal longing. The idea that a global hegemon like the United States, would arrive in Nigeria as a neutral surgeon to excise evil and depart politely, intones naïveté.

    There has been much heated talk, some of it reckless, about foreign military capabilities, “coordinated efforts,” and what powerful allies could do if unleashed. Statements by American officials are quoted and misquoted, even as rumours inflate to certainties. Yet the language of “partnership and counterterrorism” must be heeded with caution, not with hysteria or worship. Coordination shouldn’t translate to colonisation by default as it is rarely charity. It is interest meeting interest, and the dominant party always writes the footnotes.

    Read Also: 2027: Reps Deputy Speaker drums support for Tinubu, says Igbo must extend handshake to southwest

    Alongside US “cooperation” to crush terrorists operating within Nigeria, the Nigerian military’s recent operations deserve support and scrutiny in equal measure. And sponsors of terror, whether they wear agbada, humanitarian badge or military camouflage, must be hunted with the same intensity as the foot soldiers they bankroll. Apologists must be exposed and prosecuted. This is the bare minimum of sovereignty.

    Yet, sovereignty is diminished, not strengthened, when citizens behave as though only outsiders can save them. The most dangerous sound Nigeria can experience is not the crack of a gunshot or the roar of a fighter jet, it is the applause and shrieks of approval by a people, who, weary of their own contradictions and tedious labour of self-repair, summon a siege upon themselves.

    When a nation embraces an external force as the decisive answer to its internal failures, it announces something fatal about itself: that it no longer trusts its own capacity for reform. For a former colony, this is the worst form of self-betrayal.

    The global context makes this even more perilous. We are living through a period of resurgent imperial siege. Great powers no longer bother to hide their appetites behind diplomatic or moral sermons. They pursue brazenly their “enlightened self-interest,” spheres of influence, and strategic resources. After the Americas, Africa remains one of the last great theatres where rival empires test their might.

    The United States’ historical posturing toward Latin America, shaped by doctrines that claimed to protect the hemisphere while subordinating it, is instructive. In early January 2026, U.S. forces invaded Venezuela and abducted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to the United States to face criminal charges, after which President Donald Trump said the U.S. would “run” the country and take control of up to 50 million barrels of its oil for sale, for the benefit of Venezuelans and American interests.

    Trump has also revived his bid to seize Greenland, a strategic Danish territory in the Arctic, calling it vital to U.S. security and suggesting all options are on the table despite Danish and NATO objections to any annexation. From Chile to Guatemala, Brazil to the Caribbean, the logic was consistent: the sovereignty of smaller nations is negotiable when it conflicts with American priorities. To pretend that Nigeria is immune to similar calculations is to be delusional.

    The rise of alternative powers, particularly China, has complicated this old order. Both trade patterns and alliances have shifted. The BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, represents one such counterweight. Nigeria must take this multi-polar reality seriously, not as a romantic rebellion against the West, but as a sober exercise in self-preservation. Alignment, whether with Western powers or emerging blocs, should never be devotional. It must be transactional, disciplined, and rooted in Nigeria’s long-term interests.

    What is unforgivable is the growing habit among some politically embittered Nigerians of openly calling for US invasion as a form of domestic revenge. This is especially reckless in an era when American politics, under a resurgent Donald Trump, has shown little patience for diplomatic niceties while glorifying dominance and reduction of nations to strategic assets.

    Nigeria’s resource wealth makes it an even more tempting target in a world hungry for energy and strategic advantage. Oil, gas, critical minerals, a massive consumer market, and a pivotal geographic position all make the country too important to ignore. That importance should serve as leverage, but only if Nigerians quit trading their sovereignty for spite and emboldening imperial actors who see Africa as unfinished business.

    Every offer of intelligence sharing or security cooperation, whether from Western or Middle Eastern allies, must be handled with extreme care. If poorly managed, it becomes a Trojan horse, entangling domestic security with foreign agendas that may cause instability.

    No country survives by hating itself loudly enough to attract a conqueror. Those who cheer hypothetical invasions should remember the ghosts of Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Libya, once a rich and functioning state, became an impoverished slave market and weapons depot. Iraq’s invasion unleashed sectarian demons that still stalk the region while Afghanistan cycled through decades of occupation and collapse.

    Empires do not rebuild what they break. They move on. Nigeria must learn from the Afghan experience. In the wake of United States-led NATO’s sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan, Gaisu Yari, an Afghan refugee, now a grantee of the Open Society Foundation (OSF), recalled his flight from his homeland as his darkest hour. As the occupying forces commenced their hasty withdrawal, he had just four hours to pack up the life he had created in Afghanistan into one suitcase. In a pain-filled memoir, Yari revealed how he cried all through his perilous trip to the Kabul airport, reliving the agony of saying goodbye to his tearful mother on the roof of an old house.

    He eventually evacuated to Poland, landing with his family in a refugee camp with scarce food and resources. Every new dawn he spends abroad lacerates and leaves a thick welt on his psyche.

    Would Nigerians learn from the sad fate of the Yaris of the world? Despite initial patronage by dubious and bleeding-heart foreign press, Afghanistan has faded from global news headlines.

    Let us be guided by the Afghans’ experience. Nigerians must shun the lure of anarchy. We must avoid poisonous interventions from foreigners, whose major interest is to abolish our sovereignty, plunder our resources, and strip us bare to devious elements.

  • Valedictory article; Be Faithful, Loyal and Honest @2026

    Valedictory article; Be Faithful, Loyal and Honest @2026

    HNY2026. Perhaps a ‘taste of their own medicine’ delivered by Trump’s USA to Nigeria’s terrorists/ bandits and extremists among Fulani herders, allowed Nigerians a nearly peaceful Happy New Year Celebrations2026. But terrorists have struck twice again killing 50+ Fellow Nigerians.

    The intervention freed ‘violently silenced fearful millions’ to loudly call for a final solution. We see a ‘coalition of willing governors’, using late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s mantra, strengthening Amotekun and other security structures. This could eventually trigger the five million encamped and roaming IDPs, Internally Displaced Persons, to return home.

    Nigeria must escalate to war footing today. Politicians, government and officials must tighten their belts, curtail their flamboyant lifestyles, lead by example, take security seriously in favour of exemplary probity and transparency.

    Instead of the ludicrous announced higher approved campaign costs, Nigeria’s political class should make governance, campaigning and elections cheaper with fewer election business day closures. Such politics-related expenses are recouped by politicians’ bleeding the citizenry by taxes, padded budgets and phantom contracts and constituency projects. This must stop.

    Nigeria must work towards one National Assembly, NASS house. Also, NASS politicians are representatives of and should be loyal to and fully paid and supported by their states, not the federal government.  

    The ‘Detty December’ sadly brought the tragic death of Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele. No doubt a bereaved Anthony Joshua (AJ) will inevitably set up befitting memorial foundations. AJ will recover. He always reminds me of me being taught boxing at Abalti Barracks Yaba in 1960s by now forgotten Hogan Kid Bassey MBE, MON, former World Featherweight Champion. 

    Just last month, a patient reported he was the sole survivor among 19 passengers even after repeatedly begging the driver to slow down. No world press. We recall the 70s and Prof Wole Soyinka’s Oyo State Road Safety 1977, the FRSC 1988 under Babangida Educare Trust, in the 90’s educated on speeding, safety/seat belts, crash helmets and lifejackets. More preventable drownings, 25, in a Yobe boat accident. Safety is a life-long unending thankless journey.

    Read Also: Akwashiki’s death a devastating loss to Nigeria – Adebayo

    The Crans-Montana bar fire warns Nigerian event planners who use netting drapes close to sparklers. Take precautions, fire extinguishers and announce exits like in aeroplanes. Most Nigerian halls have hidden chained exit doors. I check. You check.

    It is now 50years since my first ‘Letter to the Editor’ written in 1975/6, as an NYSC second set doctor, after housemanship in Lagos State. It was published in the New Nigerian newspaper in annoyed response to its dismissive editorial claiming that ‘NYSC is a one year paid holiday’. At the time, I was exhausted from being six weeks first-on-call, in Lafia General Hospital, then Benue Plateau State. Sadly, we had begun to lose NYSC members to death. We, fellow NYSC members accompanied a deceased NYSC doctor friend home to Calabar – the unendurable price the family paid for educating a child. This was not the expected outcome as NYSC was a Gowon-inspired youth uniting nation-building post- civil war ‘national service’ bus stop, not journey’s end. Many, unremembered, have paid the supreme price sometimes at the hands of riots and terrorists like the young NYSC boy barely a man whose throat was cut while he was on the phone begging his parents for help while hiding in a market stall. ‘Yamutu’ was the last they heard.

    A country which ignores, covers-up its dead can have no future. Europe still celebrates even its losses as historic national pride while Africa, embarrassed, secretly buries even its heroes as if death is a disgrace. Africa changes history. My aunt living near Atan Cemetery Yaba, complained of the stench and the midnight military burials in shallow graves in the late 60s. 

    What Nigeria needs is not nuclear physics. We need a newspaper-reading political elite desperately interested in ‘Project Nigeria’. Nigeria needs to fight for a financial cushion, a ‘National Goal Focus’ on getting a ‘Gold & dollars’ equivalent of $200billion [$1b/1m population] in the CBN-led Foreign Exchange Reserve by buying Nigeria’s gold like oil. Look and learn from Ghana which nationalised gold reserves.

    Nigeria only ever needed citizens to be Faithful, Loyal and Honest (FLH) to kill corruption. Why so difficult? Nigeria has millions of FLH non-corrupt citizens. We need every single politician and civil servants to see death daily and be FLH. Corruption is not acceptable on the streets, in offices or in NASS.

    We must accept our population is 30% overestimated and probably 160m citizens rather than the colonially, fiscally, politically inflated figure, exemplified by a 20-30% voter turnout.

    There is exhilaration and vindication seeing your name in print for good, not a crime, and defending against a powerful newspaper. I then made numerous matters topical by writing Letters to the Editor in The Sketch, The Guardian, The Tribune sometimes, using the typing-posting or dropping-in-the-local-office-of-the-newspaper and, during draconic military regimes, sometimes under a pen name, e.g. Jimoh Ibrahim. This led me, through Mr Felix Adenaike and later Professor Jide Osuntokun, to join first, the Comet newspaper as an editorial board member and  columnist and then its successor, The Nation as a foundation columnist where, without being asked, I was eventually honoured with the permanent Wednesday back page ‘call-out’ or ‘pull quote’. I thank editors for editing but cannot apologise for my ‘too long’ titles which aimed to attract relevant leader readership to multifocal articles.

    My motivation has, like many, been to make-a-difference, to turn overlooked matters into problems and offer practical solutions in a country whose leadership seems very distracted from the great responsibility to undertake simple routine maintenance and growth of the great ‘Project Nigeria’. Having largely failed to get Nigeria to the place it could easily have surpassed with a less greedy political and robber baron financial class, I yield my position to Generation Next. Good luck. May you be read and acted upon. Amen.

    50 years ‘Not Out’ is time out. My family background, my medical journey, over 3000 Caesarean Sections and daily witnessing suffering and death of Fellow Nigerians, in and out of hospitals, witnessing three die last month and new life appear as well, and with my theatre boots repeatedly planted in the blood of my patients makes ignoring citizen needs impossible and criminal and makes corruption difficult to participate in or countenance.

    Words may not change Nigeria. Writing is not new. A host of dedicated Nigerian patriotic wordsmiths wrote, some till their ink dried up in their veins or their blood was spilt by disgruntled readers. Others still write.

    Only ‘Work’ will change Nigeria. But words also need hard work to join into motivational sentences and point the correct, not the corrupt, way. Each article and title construction can take 8-12hours. Of course, AI’s Google etc. have instantized spellchecks and research results making writing easier.  None of my articles have a word or line written by AI.

    We must all strive to be awarded the ‘Faithful, LoyaI & Honest’, FLH after our names at death.

    God has blessed Nigeria. People are stealing our blessing. Just stop stealing please so the blessing gets to the people.

    Please write on. Even if you sound repetitive, no audience, no action on your recommendations, remember it takes one article in the right place at the right time to change your world. It could be your article. Do not stop trying for 50 years. ‘Nigeria-can-&-must-be-better’.  Full stop.