The Nation Newspaper

Category: Gabriel Amalu

  • IPOB: Not again

    IPOB: Not again

    A rump of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has threatened to resume the enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home which was started over four years ago as a way to force the federal government to heed the call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, then detained by the government of late President Muhammadu Buhari. IPOB grew out, from the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). IPOB has itself mutated, even though the mutants have no new name, known to the public.

    The recent threat is a reaction to the effort by the governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, to stop the wasteful sit-at-home on Mondays which IPOB used to draw attention to the trial of Nnamdi Kanu who has now been jailed for terrorism related charges. The group initially enforced the order on the days Kanu went to court, but eventually included every Monday, to push their campaign. According to Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, his principal had since ordered a stop of the sit-at-home, but some of his followers remained defiant.

    One of the leaders of the mutants, Simeon Ekpa, has been jailed in Finland for terrorism. This writer was particularly irked about Ekpa’s style of making light the consequences of his messages in the region. In one video, he was dancing and said he was enjoying himself, while his detractors were claiming he was under detention, which showed the so-called fight for Biafra was a joke for him. The cavalier manner he treated the grave issue of the deaths and mayhem in the southeast resulting from his actions showed he didn’t care a hoot about the so-called struggle.

    Before they were jailed, Ekpa had openly defied Kanu over the latter’s order to end the sit-at-home. With Kanu in detention, Ekpa had assumed leadership even while pretending to be acting in the interest of the Kanu. Of course, there appears to be cells operating independently of the leadership, dishing out instructions and countermanding orders from the IPOB leadership. The results have been killing of the ordinary persons, by what came to be regarded as the unknown gunmen.

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    At the height of his confrontation with the Nigerian state, Kanu with tremendous gift of garb, framed the fight as one between the quest for an independent republic of Biafra, and the hegemonic powers that ruled Nigeria. A bombastic fellow, Kanu held his followers captive, with eloquent denunciation of the challenges bedeviling Nigeria. Courted and cult-ed, he became a folk hero, amongst the downtrodden and disposessed, in the region. Soon, some members of the intelligentsia and the business class also warmed up to him and that made him more daring.

    Like Ralph Uwazurike of MASSOB, to tantalize his supporters, Kanu began to make promises he had no way of keeping. He gave dates and events that will culminate into the birth of Biafra republic. As if in a conspiracy, the government of late President Muhammad Buhari, in rhetoric and in action, gave the impression that Igbos of southeast were dispensable in determining the future of Nigeria. And as if in concert, terrorism by herdsmen under Buhari, added a new dimension to the Nigerian fault lines.

    Those who hitherto were dismissive of a purported ethnic/religious agenda, under the government began to believe that something was really afoot. In remote villages across the southeast, and of course other parts of Nigeria, herdsmen clutching AK47 rifles, became the symbol that Armageddon was near the gate. So, when Kanu said that there are plans for the Fulani ethnic group to take over other parts of the country by force, even the doubters believed. Like a prophet whose last prediction came to pass, Kanu was emboldened to make more predictions and issue more threats.

    With Kanu’s image getting far larger than those elected to govern at the federal and the state levels in the southeast, it was definite, as the pre-eminent Tatalo Alamu, of this newspaper would say, that something had to give. There are several conspiracy theories as to how Kanu was rendered back to Nigeria from Kenya by the Buhari regime. There are many political leaders in the region, who have been smeared with the tag of saboteur, for allegedly rendering Kanu back to Nigeria.

    The Buhari regime despite its best efforts could not bring the trial of Kanu at the Federal High Court Abuja, to an end. Kanu was able to outfox the regime for about four years, with all manner of legal gymnastics, as some have called it. He changed his lawyers many times, defended himself a few times, and forced changes of judges at other times. While that was going on, the economy of the southeast was haemorrhaging profusely. The economic loss is projected in several billions of naira, the loss of life in monumental proportions, and the dislocation of social life, very substantial.

    With the Buhari regime and its concomitant idiosyncrasies ending in 2023, many thought the challenges associated with the crisis would dissipate. Leaders of the southeast tried to outdo each other, to position to claim credit, believing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would release Kanu from the gulag. Kanu even toned down his rhetoric, in the earnest hope that the new regime’s renewed hope agenda would grant him freedom. Instead of a political solution, the courts went for a legal solution as Justice James Omotosho ignored all legal mischiefs, and went ahead to conclude the trial and jail Kanu, for life. 

    With a mischievous obiter dictum that Kanu should be jailed in any prison that pleases the powers that be, he was sent to the Sokoto Correctional Centre, the seat of the Caliphate that he had been lampooning in his rise to prominence. In a tinge of irony, like a youth corps member, it seems he was sent to learn the ways and means of Fulani, so he can become a better pan-Nigerian. With Kanu put away in faraway, Sokoto, many have been wondering whether IPOB would continue to dissipate and eventually disappear.

    But the ever loquacious spirit-man, Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, seems to have a different agenda. He is giving the impression that IPOB is a phoenix. He has called for renewal of the sit-at-home agenda, which has never augured well for the region. This writer urges those pushing for the sit-at-home order to continue to please abandon a strategy that has hurt the southeast more that it has benefited it and hope that President Tinubu would release Kanu and help the region to recuperate. The southeast has suffered enough, from the Buhari-era crisis.    

    Of course, while the southeast was haemorrhaging, the national economy was bleeding.  Governor Soludo, who made the contested order, has threatened traders with grave consequences if they fail to resume on Mondays. This column hopes he has put plans in place to secure those willing to work on Mondays from criminals masquerading as liberation fighters.

  • Key messages in 2027 elections

    Key messages in 2027 elections

    Whether the ordinary folks like it or not, the main issue that will be in the front burner of the national discourse henceforth shall be the politics of 2027 general elections. Politicians understand that the few months of campaign period, approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its guidelines, in accordance with the Electoral Act, are not enough. INEC’s guideline usually provides for a period of 90 days, as the campaign period before elections. For this column, as the campaign ramps up, the core issue should be which of the presidential candidate has the best competence to grow the national economy, which will reduce the poverty level in the country, which will in turn substantially abate the ravaging insecurity across the country.

    So, the core issues should be who has the best competence to improve the national economy and the capacity to deal with the mutating insecurity across the country. Obviously the frontrunner is the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT). Amongst the contenders, the two with some chance of giving the president a run for his money, remains, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, now both of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Their former parties, the PDP and the Labour Party are in disarray and instead of waiting to see whether the political carcasses would fall on them, have joined other aggrieved politicians to seek refuge in ADC.     

    Before Tinubu took over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, this column had argued on occasions that amongst the then three leading candidates (same as now), Tinubu had the best credentials to deal with the staggering national economy. The fact is that he has not disappointed on that score. The twin challenges haemorrhaging the national economy before the 2023 general elections, were the fuel subsidy scam and the multiple foreign exchange platforms. To the shock of many Nigerians, PBAT confronted them head on, and after the initial headwinds, no one can doubt that the national economy is stronger since then.

    The other two candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, agreed with the need to tackle those twin challenges, albeit with a caveat that they would have done it differently. Obi argued that the government should have put forward some palliative before slaying the dragons. I am not sure what Atiku said he would have done differently, apart from the claim that the timing was wrong. Since the deed had been done, the duo should come up with what they can do better to quicken the healing process of the very necessary economic operation the nation went through in 2023. The Tinubu administration would on its part push for stability, through a re-election, to achieve full recuperation for the patient.    

    But to keep themselves in the mind of the electorates, politicians design all manner of subterfuge to engage in campaign well ahead of the period provided by the laws. Of interest, despite the provision of section 977(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the campaigns oscillate around religion and tribe. That section provides: “A candidate, person or association who engages in campaigning or broadcasting based on religion, tribal, or section reason for the purpose of promoting or opposing a particular political party or the election of a particular candidate, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction – (a) to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both; and (b) in the case of political party to a minimum of N10,000,000.”  

    Despite the clear provision of section 97(1) of the Electoral Act, most of the campaign materials and argument, especially on the presidential election, have been based “on religious, tribal, or sectional reason”. For many Nigerians, it will be very absurd, if a presidential candidate from the southern part of the country is not allowed to complete eight years as president, when the immediate past president, from the northern part of the country, late President Buhari, spent full eight years, in power. The issue of religion is also on the front burner, the candidates and their supporters have always pushed that issue, especially if they have a presidential and vice presidential candidates from the two main religions in the country. 

    Even the constitution of some political parties, are reputed to provide for rotating the presidency between the north and south, and governorship election between the senatorial zones. Section 7(2)(c) of the constitution of the PDP, provides “The Party shall pursue these aims and objectives – adhering to the policy of the rotation and zoning of Party and Public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.” On its part, Article 20(iv)(e) of the constitution of the APC, provides: “Procedure for Nomination of Candidates – Without prejudice to Article 20(u) and (iii) of this Constitution, the National Working Committee shall subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee make Rules and Regulations for the nomination of candidates through primary elections. All such Rules, Regulations and Guidelines shall take into consideration and uphold the principle of federal character, gender balance, geo-political spread and rotation of offices, so as to as much as possible ensure balance within the constituency covered.”

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    Can it be argued that section 97(1) of the Electoral Act, which prohibits campaigning, based on ethnic or sectional reason offends the principle of federal character, as enshrined in the 1999 constitution? Section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), provides: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

    Perhaps, it is the superiority of the constitution over the Electoral Act that makes the candidates and their supporters to significantly ignore the warning as provided in section 97(1) of the Electoral Act. While section 14(3) is silent on religion, it was explicit on banning persons from a few states, few ethnic or other sectional groups from dominating the government or any of its agencies.

    This column believes that apart from the twin challenges of economy and security, upon which most other things revolve, the question whether it would be fair for northern part of the country to produce another president, when the southern part of the country has not completed eight years, after the eight years of Buhari, would be a fair campaign issue. So, inevitably, the issue of religion, ethnicity and what section of the country, a presidential candidate comes from, would all play a part in shaping the 2027 elections.

  • Rivers of free money

    Rivers of free money

    This writer believes that some privileged persons within and outside Rivers State benefit from the instability always plaguing the state. Otherwise, how does one explain the resurgence of the political warfare between forces loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Minister Nyesom Wike, few months after the state of emergency was lifted? The general belief was that the state of emergency provided an opportunity for the combatants and their foot soldiers to reach a political détente.

    But alas, as Chinua Achebe said, in Arrow of God, “for when we see a bird dancing in the middle of the pathway, we must know that its drummer is in the nearby bush.” But who are the drummers for the combatants in Rivers State who must truly be in the nearby bush? For this writer, the drummers are those seeking access to what I call the “free money” in the state. For Wike, it is those who want a share of the humongous N600 billion, left behind by the departed sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd).

    Before Fubara took refuge in the All Progressive Congress (APC), his supporters had alleged that the fight between Wike and Fubara, was because of the former’s interest in controlling that “free money”. While the Rivers State 2025 budget of N1.846 trillion is enormous, there is a huge chance that the resources which causes the intractable debacles dating back to the beginning of this republic, may actually be the ones unbudgeted for.

    Since the return of democracy in 1999, Rivers State has shown itself as the richest state with pots of “free money”. The evidence in support of that claim, is monumentally abundant. The first governor 1999-2007, Peter Odili, was given the acronym, “Donatus”, because he always donated handsomely at every public event he was invited to. To show that the money in question was not mere small change for donations, he became the biggest financier of the PDP in that era.

    But for former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged interference, Odili, who ran the costliest campaign to succeed Obasanjo, had enough resources to appropriate the presidential ticket in 2007. The man, to whom Odili handed over, Rotimi Amechi, went on to repeat the same feat when he backed the election of late president, Muhammadu Buhari, against President Goodluck Jonathan. As Rivers State governor, he was reputed as one of the biggest financers of the election of the former president.

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    To show that his resources is as deep as the oil wells in the state he governed, the former governor and later Minister for Transport, successfully ran a well-oiled campaign during the APC presidential primary. He came second behind the winner, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who went ahead to win the presidential election.  Amaechi, was succeeded by Wike, who became a master class intervener in strategic capital projects, of national importance. Hardly ever worried about the flow of resources, he took many gigantic federal projects. 

    Wike, built massive infrastructure for a new Nigeria Law School, in Rivers State. He built houses for judges of federal courts, amongst several of such projects. Like his predecessors, Rivers money also flowed towards the presidential campaigns, during his tenure. First, he was reputed to have sponsored his former friend, Aminu Tambuwal, against Atiku Abubakar, in the Peoples Democratic Party primaries, in 2019. When he completed his second tenure, he sought the presidential crown for himself, in 2023, and if we are to believe Dele Momodu, he outspent the doyen of presidential election contests in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar.

    When Wike’s ambition was blocked at the PDP primary, which was as contentious, as a presidential campaign, Wike engaged his financial vehicle in a reverse gear, driving furiously and desperately, as if on a forward speed gear. The success of APC, which he supported, in 2023 election, earned him the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. And with the power and influence he holds, he is more or less the most dreaded political leader in Rivers State. Presently, Wike’s eyes are on the 2027 election, not as a candidate, but as a supporter of President Tinubu.

    Obviously, Fubara joined APC, the president’s party, to counter the enormous political weight of Wike. But, he did not take into consideration that Wike’s men may have planted several mines in APC, just as he did in PDP, awaiting Fubara to make his entry. Despite his entry into APC, the state lawmakers who had earlier joined APC, have started an impeachment proceeding against the governor. Thinking it may help, Fubara’s men threw mud on the lawmakers accusing them of helping themselves with Rivers “free money”, while the sole administrator held sway.

    Many presidential election pundits have argued that any presidential candidate who wants to be successful at the polls must have his eyes trained on Rivers, Kano and Lagos states. While the general attention is on the enormous registered voters that the states have, the more underlining factor may be the enormous financial resources the three states boast of. While their various state budgets show their enormous financial powers, the unbudgeted financial resources, may be the critical factor which contenders seek to have influence over, by controlling the states.

    The influence of the three states extend far beyond the states. Recall that while Wike was in power, as Rivers State governor, he had enormous influence in the elections in the entire South-south. Former governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki confessed that it was Wike who made his reelection possible after he defected to PDP, haven fallen out with his sponsors in APC. Wike, as governor of Rivers State, was also influential in who won election in Bayelsa State.

    Sadly, for Fubara, Wike had used the last local government election to cement the rings he ran around Fubara in Rivers State and he showed what the future may look like, during his recent thank you tour of the councils. Wike, also has the state legislators firmly with him, and even the flicker of light for Fubara, when four members of the state House of Assembly demurred about the impeachment proceedings, dimmed almost immediately. Not surprisingly, the 25 present member legislators are presently in one accord that Fubara has committed gross misconducts, as envisaged by section 188 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

    Fubara, may need the help of President Tinubu to stop the impeachment proceedings, even though he is hoping to use the courts to emasculate the legislators. But, this writer wonders what the court would say to justify denying the legislators the power to engage in a constitutional process. And to compound the matter for Fubara, he may have engaged in several constitutional infringements in the fights that led to the declaration of state of emergency in the state and he can still be punished for those infringements.

    This writer wonders why Fubara can’t play politics to survive, or perhaps summon the Rivers free money, to wash away his sins.

  • Trump as Europe’s nemesis

    Trump as Europe’s nemesis

    At the Berlin conference in 1884, European nations gathered in Berlin, Germany, to share Africa, as one would share a cake. Their only authority to do that was that they wielded enormous military powers which the African peoples lacked. The driving force for them was economic, political and social factors. They wanted secured sources of raw materials, to power their emergent industrial revolution, enhance their national prestige as major powers, and feel good that they are liberating others from ignorance.

    No African nation or people were represented and after the giddy conference, each of the participants went to Africa to tend what they got from what their historians christened the scramble for Africa. While Europeans lived happily thereafter, the savagery and brigandage that went into the invasion, conquest and colonization of the scrambled territory is better imagined. What drew my interest to this history was the lamentation of the President of Germany, (the same country where the war monger, Chancellor Von Bismarck, presided over the unlawful partition and sharing of Africa,) following President Donald Trump’s invasion of Venezuela (subject of my intervention last week) and Trump’s umpteenth threat to use force, if diplomacy fails, to acquire Greenland.

    President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, while urging for caution, said: “It is about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers.” That statement tantalized this writer. In very clear words, the revered president of Germany confirmed without equivocation that German Chancellor von Bismarck and those who gathered in Berlin in 1884-1885, to treat Africa as the property of the then great powers were no better than a den of robbers.

    Upon hearing and relishing the confession, I wished Chief MKO Abiola, the most notable leader of those pursuing reparation for the unlawful colonization of Africa, was alive to witness this historical admission of guilt. Those pursuing reparation for the criminal appropriation of the resources of Africa should latch on this statement, as a proof beyond any iota of doubt that the colonization and expropriation of the resources of Africa should be atoned and paid for. Even worse than colonization, was the brigandage that attended slavery, as a business.

    According to AI overview, between 16th to 19th century, an estimated 12.5 million African were forcibly shipped to the Americas. The European nations which participated in this inhuman trade went on to become great economic powers and the African nations, whose strongest segment of their society were taken out as commodities, have not recovered from the human capital expropriation. When Europe moved from plantation-based economy in the new world to industrialization, they changed their strategy in Africa, from slavery to scramble and partition of Africa, for raw materials, mineral resources, markets, and leisure parks.

    The trajectory has since moved to neo-colonialism under which Europe struggles to remotely control Africa, albeit with competition from, America, China and Russia. It is that competition that is driving United States, originally conceived as Europe’s military and economic outpost, crazy, to the consternation of European leaders. Again, the German President Steinmeier, captured the fears: “There is a breakdown of values by our most important partner, the USA, which helped build this world order.” This writer agrees that Trump is destroying the world order, set up by Europe and its allies, principally for their own benefit.

    While acknowledging that Trump’s different world outlook is fraught with immense danger, many in this part of the world, believe that perhaps Europe is getting its deserved comeuppance, for centuries of exploitation of other peoples. Of course, the leaders of Europe would be banking on the next election in US, to return to status quo. In the meantime, they should worry about how much damage Trump will do, before his tenure expires, and whether he would succeed in swinging Americans, to choose at the next election, another president in his own image.

    Hoping the apocalypse won’t come sooner than later. While European leaders lament, Trump at a meeting with oil and gas executives, at the White House, last week, maintained: “If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland, and I am not going to let that happen.” He went on: “One way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland, whether they like it or not.” He argued that the existing Pituffik Space Base agreement, with Denmark will not suffice. He contended: “You defend ownership. You don’t defend leases.”

    On Venezuela, Trump remains upbeat about realizing his economic plans for America, regardless of whose ox is gored. He told the oil and gas executives: “We are going to be extracting numbers in terms of oil like few people have seen.” He continued: “Venezuela is going to be very successful, and the people of the United States are going to big beneficiaries.” He went on: “The plan is for them (oil and gas companies) to spend, meaning our giant oil companies will be spending at least $100bn of their money, not the government’s money. They don’t need government money, but they need government protection and government security.”  

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    The Europeans are apprehensive that China and Russia may want to ape America, elsewhere, more so as President Vladimir Putin of Russia has encouraged US in its quest for Greenland. He argued that Trump’s expressed determination to have Greenland is grounded in historical context, considering that America has been trying to gain the country as far back as 1868. According to CNN, “US interest in Greenland dates back to the 19th century, when then Secretary of State William H. Seward, fresh of the purchase of Alaska from the Russians in 1867, floated the idea of buying Greenland and Iceland from Denmark.”

    During the World War II, US had to protect Greenland territory after Denmark was attacked by Nazi Germany. For this writer, the most tenable reason why US can acquire Greenland is that Danes were never the original inhabitants of Greenland. Their ownership is no different from the way Europe laid claims to countries of Africa, with some living off the resources of Africa, the same way a gang of thieves live off a booty or a loot. The people who should determine the future of Greenland in a fairer world, are Greenlanders, without the interference of Danes.

    The pretence that Greenland is part of Denmark stems from the same mentality that inspires US to want to acquire Greenland. It is a derivative of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s statement that the world is about a den of robbers where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers. If European nations want the world’s sympathy, they should enter into negotiation on how to pay reparation to Africa, for centuries of exploitation through slavery, colonization and neo-colonization.

  • Trump’s gunboat diplomacy – 2

    Trump’s gunboat diplomacy – 2

    In early February 2025, this writer wrote a piece titled: Trump’s gunboat diplomacy which raised concerns about Trump’s determination to use brute force to promote his America first policies. I wrote: “Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States of America has mastered the act of intimidating his opponents, and so far, it appears to be working for him. Americans, non-Americans, foreign leaders, local and foreign corporations, indeed the entire world is apprehensive of what Trump might do with the enormous powers he possesses. Trump, who has vowed to make America great again, totally abjures soft power, and unabashedly is determined to use intimidation and brute force to assert his country’s supremacy and exceptionalism”.  

    I also wrote: “History will record his era, as the return of gunboat diplomacy, in foreign relations.” Last weekend, Trump raised the bar of his gunboat diplomacy. He ordered the USA military forces in collaboration with the intelligence agencies to invade Venezuela, abduct President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores, and forcefully transported them to New York, were they are now facing trial for alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. In that same article, this writer expressed concern when Trump showed willingness to deal with Maduro, despite the flawed election which got him re-elected to power last year.

    To the shock of the international community, Trump’s army went into Venezuela and according to some international media reports, within 30 minutes abducted President Maduro and his wife, and flew them out of the country. Clearly, while Maduro, according to international observers, did not win the 2024 election, there is no legal basis in international law, for the unilateral action President Trump took last weekend. It was simply a case of ‘might is right’. To show that he has no pretences, Trump threatened vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who has been sworn in as acting president of Venezuela, that unless she moves in a certain acceptable direction, she would suffer worse fate than Maduro.

    The acting president in her first speech had decried the abduction of president Maduro and demanded a proof of life of Maduro from America. Sitting in front of the country’s heads of security agencies, she talked tough against Trump and his invasion. She said: “What is being done to Venezuela is an atrocity that violates international law. History and justice will make the extremists who promoted this armed aggression pay.” She asserted: “There is only one president in Venezuela and his name is Nicolas Maduro.”

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    But after Trump threatened her with a fate worse than Maduro, she appeared conciliatory in her social media commentary. She wrote about a “cooperative agenda” even as she had asserted that the oil resource of Venezuela was the reason for the invasion of her country by America. President Trump and his supporters, including Vice President JD Vance, didn’t make any pretence about the intention to grab the Venezuelan oil resources, albeit they try to justify it. They claim that they intend to get back what was taken from American companies some 20 years ago.

    But in an article in the Caracas Chronicle, Marcus Golding, argued that the 1976 takeover or nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry was never a theft, as the foreign oil companies, were duly compensated. The article, titled: The theft that never was: inside Venezuela’s 1976 Oil takeover, chronicles how the nationalization process ran. Of course, for Trump and his associates, those arguments do not hold water, as they have shown determination to run Venezuela as a surrogate country. This position is reflected in the argument by Stephen Miller, a White House Adviser.

    For Miller, the expropriated American oil industry assets are now used to fund terrorism and drug trafficking. The deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security wrote that the Venezuelan expropriation represents the “largest recorded theft of American wealth and property”. He further said: “These pillaged assets were then used to fund terrorism and flood our streets with killers, mercenaries and drugs.” No doubt, that mind-set reflects what the majority of Trump’s team believe, and they use such argument to justify the invasion of Venezuela and the forceful seizure and transport of the former president to face trial in New York.     

    While President Maduro was a dictator, who made mockery of democracy in his country, the question will linger whether that record can justify the action President Trump of America took last weekend? Even more worrisome, is what impact the unilateral military action would have on the rest of the world order? Trump’s re-envisioning of the world order, will reverberate well in Russia and China, which have similar tendencies within its area of geopolitical influence. Indeed, it would encourage Russia, seeking to regain as much of its Soviet era influences in the region, as is possible.

    Ordinarily, last weekend’s action by Trump should deprive America of any moral authority to mediate fairly, the Russia-Ukraine war, which is centred around similar geopolitical assertion of ‘might is right’. Indeed, Ukraine should henceforth understand why Trump is urging them to give up territory, in order to find peace with Russia. When Trump keeps saying that if he was president five years ago, the war would never had started, he may actually mean that he would never have given Ukraine the impetus to wish to join NATO, or assert itself in a way, to anger dictator, Vladimir Putin, to attack the country.

    As many have argued, China too would see the action in Venezuela as more justification to wish to annex Taiwan which it claims is part of its territory, since 1945. The huge military arsenal China is building may eventually be put to test to assert its control of Taiwan. Again, USA which by the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) has the “mandate to make available to Taiwan such defence articles and defence services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defence capability” may no longer have the moral right to obey the provision of the act, should China seek to test its military might against Taiwan.

    Even far flung countries like Nigeria, must worry at the rise and display of hegemonic power by Trump. The bombing of the bandits and terrorists in Sokoto, shows the long arm of Trump’s gunboat diplomacy. Pete Hegseth, America’s defence secretary, or secretary of war, asserted this rising gunboat diplomacy, when he said on Venezuela: “It means we set the terms. President Trump sets the terms”. He furthered: “It means the drugs stop flowing, it means the oil that was taken from us is returned, ultimately, and that criminals are not sent to the United States.”

    As I wish my readers, a prosperous 2026, I urge our political leaders not to give Trump any reason, to play his war games, in out dear country.  

  • Youths and Detty December

    Youths and Detty December

    The Christmas season is a time to catch fun as the Nigerian youths would say. It is a season for what one can describe as unending open air party for everyone. In many parts of the country, it is the best time for traditional marriage ceremonies, church weddings, title-taking ceremonies, community football competitions, masquerade displays, carnivals and sundry street parties. But should Christmas be only about partying?

    The slang ‘detty’ December is increasingly gaining notoriety. The Ai describes it as a vibrant energetic Nigerian slang term for wild, non-stop festive season in December, meaning to “party-hard” and “let loose” with concerts, parties, and events, a period also boosting tourism and culture, especially with the diaspora returning home for holiday celebrations. It says that efforts to make the word ‘detty’ gain traction can be alluded to Mr Eazi’s usage and trade-marking efforts.  

    The Youths of St. Mulumba (YSM), made up of young Catholics committed to faith, discipline, and service, took a slightly different route to the detty December. The YSM Region 3, made up of Lagos Island sub-council, Badagry sub-council, Festac Town sub-council, Satellite Town sub-council, Ojo sub-council and Amuwo-Odofin sub-council organized a mega rally, at the Navy Town Stadium, Navy Town, Lagos, last Saturday, with the theme: Faith in Action: Building the Future Together. The one-day event started with a Holy Mass, and featured a talk by Moyo Falola, a creative digital marketer, advertiser, graphic designer, artist, and member of the YSM, Badagry sub-council.            

    This writer commends the theme of the mega rally as a guide to every youth as they celebrate Christmas. While partying, the celebrants must have faith in what they are celebrating, which is the birth of Jesus Christ – true God and true man. The Christian faith teaches that Christ came to redeem man from the original sin of Adam. While celebrating, they must not lose track of the fundamental message of Jesus’s birth, and ministry, which is, His examples of humility. For Christian believers, despite being a divine King, in humility Jesus choose to be born in a manger, not in a Castle, as befitting His status.

    Interestingly, the lowly birth of Jesus Christ, never affected His rise to greatness. Born to a poor carpenter, Joseph and a young maiden, Virgin Mary, in the lowly city of Bethlehem, Christ became the greatest man that ever lived. Despite Jesus’s poor background, he sat among the leading scholars of His time, teaching in their synagogue. One of Jesus’s greatest show of humility was the washing of the feet of His apostles, during His last supper with them, which is akin to a master washing the feet of his servants. 

    For the youths of St. Mulumba, and every youth out there, the message is that with humility in action, attaining the greatest goals in life is possible. If one is humble, and is dedicated passionately to a cause, then achieving a set of goals is very possible. That is faith in action. For example, many of the present movers and shakers of the world were not born with silver spoons; neither are they the most educated. The world-famous Bill Gates, is reputed not to have finished his university education. Yet with his skill and passion, he became the richest man on earth, for several years.

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    The story of the Blessed Carlo Acutis, canonized on September 7, after dying at age 15, in 2006, for his deep faith and use of the internet to spread devotion, particularly to the Holy Eucharist, resounded deeply with what the youths should also busy themselves with, in detty December. Falola who alluded to the well celebrated actions of Carlo Acutis in his presentation, told his fellow young adults that they can live fully as a young person and still put their Christian faith in action.

    The youths from the six sub-councils, also engaged in competitive activities amongst themselves. The program included a march past, a quiz competition about the life/history of the founder of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Rev. Fr. Anselm Ojefua, and the Order which was founded in 1953. The also engaged in various sporting activities, like egg race, fill in the basket, penalty kicks, and gele-tying and make-up by the boys and knotting of tie by the girls.

    The events culminated in an open air dance party and feasting. With the DJ blaring modern music, the young adults between 14 and 25 years had a fun-filled early Christmas party. Many of them were meeting for the first time, but the conviviality was awesome. They mingled, chatted, did selfies, danced, ate together, played and competed, with the hope of building the future together. The choreograph of their march pasts, in their different colours, enthralled the leaders who had gathered to witness the first mega rally of the Youths of St. Mulumba, Lagos Metropolitan Council.

    Leading the eminent personalities from the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba was the Deputy Supreme Knight, Sir Dan Egwu, followed by the Metro Grand Knight, Sir Godwin Nosa Ehigiator. In his message, Sir Egwu reminded the youths that they are the hope of tomorrow, for the organization and for Nigeria. He urged them to embrace the values of faith, unity and selfless service. In his message Sir Ehigiator, said the event reflects a shared commitment to nurturing faith, discipline, and leadership amongst young people.         

    Deputy MGK, Sir Benjamin Ofodile, represented by Sir Falola, reminded the youths that the event was not just a celebration, but a call for action. A similar sentiment was expressed by the coordinating Deputy Grand Knight, for region 3, Worthy Brother Vincent Iwueze (Festac Town sub-council). He said the event celebrates the vitality, faith, and promise of our youths. No doubt, the call on the youths to build the future together and have faith in action, applies to the youths of Nigeria at large.

    Interestingly, many states in the country are keying into the tourism potentials of detty December. With massive diaspora returns, the tourism and entertainment industry experience a boom. Clearly, Nigeria has the great potential to increase its GDP from the tourism and entertainment industry. With a very clement weather in most states of the country, especially in December, when winter makes most European tourism centres very unattractive, states in Nigeria can take advantage to increase their internally generated revenue, by promoting tourism.

    For the Youths of St. Mulumba, their catch word for any similar mega rally will remain to pray and play. As DGK, Amuwo-Odofin sub-council, this writer commends his brother DGKs, WB Anthony Obioha, Badagry sub-council, WB Bernard Ebuzoeme, Lagos Island sub-council, Sir Vincent Ojukwu, Satellite sub-council, Sir Chijioke Muoneke, Ojo sub-council and the body of mentors, who helped members of YSM, Region 3, to build their faith together, through action. The seeds of friendship, sportsmanship and community engagement, which have been sown among the youths, will bear fruit.

    As we celebrate Christmas, let every Nigerian youth, key into the message.

  • Can FERMA redeem FESTAC roads?

    Can FERMA redeem FESTAC roads?

    The residence for the participants at the 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, 1977, turned into a major residential hub otherwise known as FESTAC Town, Lagos, after the music, songs and drama had died down. That cultural fiesta, at the National Theatre, Lagos, now known as Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, showcased Nigeria’s pre-eminence as a wealthy black nation. It brought unprecedented pomp and pageantry to lovers of art in Nigeria, Africa, the Caribbean and Americas, as black nations showcased a potpourri of its diverse and rich culture to the world. 

    Nigeria which was swimming in the ocean of unprecedented oil wealth, the black gold, built that beautiful city, arguably reputed to be the finest city in Africa then to house the participants at the cultural event. The purpose built self-sufficient town, with an estimated 5,000 housing units, had underground drainage, electricity, plumbing, telecommunication and waste disposal system, making that one of its major attraction. Its well-designed paved streets named as roads and closes, which was systematically numbered, added to its uniqueness.

    In its early years, the town could be compared to any city in the world. The electricity supply was complemented by automatic giant silent power generators at designated places, which ensured uninterrupted power supply. Telecommunications, inherited from the cultural fiesta was top notch, as with a few coins, one can reach any part of the world. The underground concreate flash water and waste disposal system was a marvel for any first time visitor. Few minutes after any heavy rain fall, the dry roads will crystalize in its scenic beauties.          

    Then, it was unthinkable for anyone to develop any unauthorized building, or shops in the many open spaces, which was a delight for children and young adults. Those open spaces allowed one to walk from one end of the city to the other, in between the houses. Across the first, second, third, fourth and fifth avenues, there were pre-planned open play-fields, shopping malls, with different cadres of buildings, ordered in a such a manner that the flats, the houses, the semi-detached houses, and the duplexes were chorographically intertwined.

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    The houses were designated as T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9 and T10, referring to one-room flat, two-room flat, two-room house, three-room flats, three-room semi-detached, and two models of four-room fully detached.  All the houses were put up for lottery, for Nigerian civil servants, to ballot, after the music and drama had died down. While the top civil servants won and lived in the bigger houses, the junior ones had opportunities to win and live in the smaller ones. The combination and nearness of the different categories provided an undulating beauty of human, mortar and bricks.

    The town had a buffer zone, between the Badagry expressway and the nearest road, the 2nd avenue, which served as water collection buffer, as well as security for the residence. Then, it was unthinkable for anyone to aspire to buy and build on that buffer. Indeed, the residents who were mainly civil servants had a very strong residents’ association which could take on any administrator, who tried to play game with the orderliness and scenic beauty of the iconic town.

    The first manager of the town, Fortune Ebie, had a no-nonsense reputation, which was as tall as the Izaga. The genial fellow would not countenance any action that could debilitate the beautiful baby entrusted to his care. The public transport system and other infrastructure inherited from the festival of arts and culture, was up and running for many years, and living in FESTAC was beautiful. Those who had houses of their own could not wish for a better town to own a house and live in.

    But not anymore. The glory of FESTAC had since departed. Indeed, many who could afford it have sold their residences and moved to other parts of Lagos to buy new residential accommodation. The level of deterioration is so much that it is now a heavy burden to live in the town. None of the infrastructure has been spared in the devastation that has become the lot of the town. Take the underground water drainage, most of it had collapsed, and now when the rain falls, most of the closes and roads are flooded.

    Sadly, some greedy officials of the Federal Housing Authority which manages the town, sold off the buffer zone and open spaces housing the chambers to access the underground drainage, and those acts have helped the underground drainages to collapse. For lack of maintenance, the underground electricity wiring systems have mostly collapsed. With the electricity company offering variety of bands, overhead wires are now running riot as residents try to outdo each other seeking direct supply lines.

    But the greatest challenge facing the town is the state of the roads, especially in the last few years. Many of the roads have craters and it was a major campaign issue during the last local government election in July. The roads have since given birth to many conspiracy theories. One of such claim was that the roads were abandoned by the local government, because the residents did not vote for the ruling party in the previous local, state and federal government elections.

    But during the campaigns for the last local government election, Prince Lanre Sanusi, explained the limitations of the local council to muster the huge resources needed to rebuild the major roads in the town. He promised that if elected, he will use his goodwill with the state and federal officials of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), to attract the relevant federal authorities to repair and rebuild the major roads. Many had dismissed the promise with a wave of hand.

    But last week, this writer was excited to see the rehabilitation of some failed portions of the 4th avenue road. To ensure that there is no doubt about which institution had brought such succour to the long suffering people of FESTAC, the roads had inscription of FERMA project boldly written on them. This writer hopes that FERMA would do more of such rehabilitations to save the residents the misery that bad roads have turned their lives into within the town.

    The gratitude of the residents of FESTAC town would be immeasurable, if FERMA should repair the dilapidated portions of the 1st and 2nd avenues, which are in intolerable states. There have also been promises by the Federal Housing Authority to repair the 2nd avenue road, linking the interchange to the Badagry expressway. That promise should be kept, without any further delay, especially with the unprecedented huge increases in the rates and charges by the Federal Housing Authority.

    With the APC in power at the local council, the state and federal level, there is no better way to promote the party, as caring and responsive, than by taking steps to substantially restore the lost glory of the world famous, FESTAC town.

  • Trump trumping democracy

    Trump trumping democracy

    The last 30 years or thereabout saw the resurgence of democracy in Africa, principally because of pressure from the United States of America (USA) and other western European countries. With the USA and its allies breathing down the neck of despots across Africa, the local pro-democracy activists courageously pursued their democratic enterprise. In Nigeria for instance, the maximum ruler, Sani Abacha out of fear of the western alliance turned into a recluse and when he suddenly died, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar who took over power foreswore any hanky-panky and quickly handed over to a democratically elected president in 1999.

    What happened in Nigeria happened across several African nations as any undemocratic country was treated as a pariah. Trump’s predecessor, on two different occasions, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, both of the Democratic Party, never ceased to use the banner of democracy to further American interests across the world. It was substantially the same with those who came before them in the 1990s and beyond. With America breathing down the neck of African despots, democracy of all sorts began to take place in the continent and before long, all nations were considered as running some form of democracy.

    But that hard earned “democracy” across Africa, especially in West Africa, is now in retreat because the hitherto moral leader of the world, the USA, now has President Donald Trump, who is somewhat amoral in charge. Donald Trump, the world famous dealmaker, who has cut peace deals between nations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, appears ready to make deal with democracy. Between Israel and Palestinians, Trump was able to make peace at very heavy cost of human lives. This writer doubts if there is any other leader in modern history that would have the courage Trump had to allow the carnage that took place in Gaza, just to achieve relative peace. 

    Using Israel as a lightning rod, in the Middle East, the ambivalent Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi rebels, and Syrian despotic leadership, are all in retreat. In Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, who have disgustingly been fighting over control of natural resources, in DRC, were arm-twisted to make peace deal. Trump is also arm-twisting Russia and Ukraine to make peace at any cost, against the weaker Ukraine. He barely listens to the anguish of Europe that sacrificing Ukrainian territory to make peace amounts to submitting to Russian expansionist militancy.

    Trump also has very demeaning regards for poor third world countries, especially those whose citizens have become some form of nuisance in the USA. He has no diplomatic niceties in describing them. He called Nigeria names and most recently called Somalians ‘garbage’. He had used worse epithets for other nations on the same pedestal with Nigeria and Somalia.

    So, the world may not be surprised that despite the turmoil democracy is facing in West Africa, the USA President has not taken any strong stance against the military adventurists that have been ravaging the region. It will be strange to his predecessors that democracy in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea Bissau were overthrown without any threat or even warning from the USA state department. In the past, the state department would have sent strong warning to the coup plotters in Mali and perhaps the follow up in Burkina Faso and Niger would never had happened. 

    Unlike his predecessors, Trump apparently ranks democracy lower than his other interests. His undemocratic policies at home suggest that. Take for example how he tried to browbeat the USA Congress to do his bidding, with respect to the recent budget impasse. When a congressman or woman of even his party disagrees with him, the least the person gets is severe tongue lashing. Clearly, Trump does not suffer any person he disagrees with gladly, and he surely believes the third world countries should stay in their ‘shit hole country’.

    Trump also flirts with autocratic leaders, and has no complaints about the lack of democracy in their respective countries. In all his dealings with Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, he never waves the lack of democracy in that country; rather he uses words that depict the leader as strong. Even the more autocratic despot, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un is called smart, without any denunciation about his despicable repression records against his country men and women. Trump has even shown willingness to do deal with the Korean leader, without minding the poor state of rule of law in that country.

    Unlike his predecessors, Trump rarely questions the human rights integrity of the nations’ across the world. May be he sees those democratic principles as empty sloganeering by the western nations? Recall that former President Obama, insisted that Nigeria should not use military aircraft bought by Nigeria, to fight insurgency in certain parts of the country in defence of human rights, and because the bandits have not been declared terrorists. This strange posture was pursued by America, even when glaringly, the bandits were doing as much or more grievous damage to Nigeria’s security than the terrorists.

    In faraway Afghanistan, while Trump is mad against his predecessor, Joe Biden, for authorizing the USA military to leave that strategic country, he has not raised any complaint about the ongoing repression against the citizens especially women by the Taliban regime. Even now he is threatening to invade Afghanistan again, he does not give the excuse that he wants to save the human rights of the citizens, rather he says he wants to have a military base in the country so he can from there confront the Islamist extremists and other enemies of his country in that part of the of the world.   

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    So, with Trump as president of the world’s most powerful democracy, that preferred system of government across the world is clearly in retreat. Sadly, because of the economic challenges facing most countries in Africa, the young and unknowledgeable youthful population foolishly see the military intervention in governance as the solution to the socio-economic problems of their countries. But as most citizens of the military-led Mali and Burkina Faso may have seen, the economic challenges facing their country have gotten worse than before.

    It was that supposed preference for military adventurism that led the young military officers in Benin Republic to attempt to topple democracy in their country, last week. But for the swift intervention of the Nigerian military, those misguided soldiers would have been lying to their country men and women that they have solutions to all their economic and social challenges. As some have rightly argued, it would have been strategically risky for Nigeria to allow itself to be encircled by undemocratic nations, more so with Cameroon tethering under pseudo democracy.

    This column urges African democratic leaders to understand that it is Africans that can save democracy in their continent. The way to go is to practice real democracy and not the quasi-democracy we see in many countries. If they ignore the warning signs, the alternative sadly may be the military interventions that we now see.

  • Sir Festus Ogunrinde, author at 90 years

    Sir Festus Ogunrinde, author at 90 years

    Last Saturday, at a beautiful birthday party, this writer had the honour to review the newest book by Sir (Chief) Festus Dele Ogunrinde, who turned 90 years on November 20. The 171-page book is titled Destined Marriage – A Legendary Experience. It tells, as the title implied, the faithfulness and forthrightness of man who kept faith with his beloved wife who was bedridden for 23 years. The book also tells the story of the amazon of a woman, who was not just the destined wife of Ogunrinde for 52 years, but his friend, business partner, and acolyte in their life of monumental charity.

    One of the stories that touched the audience, was that of a blind widow, whom the Ayofunke Ogunrinde Foundation set up by Sir Ogunrinde and his beloved wife, Lady Funke Ogunrinde, had sought out, set up on a monthly allowance, and is training her son in a university. The book also contains deep teachings and practical lessons on faith, love, marriage, philosophy, and human relationships.

    As I said in the review, the small but mighty book, critically reflects the saying of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, that: “while many men in power and public office are busy carousing in the midst of women of easy virtue and men of low morals, I, as a few others like me, am busy at my desk thinking about the problems of Nigeria and proffering solutions to them. Only the deep can call to the deep.” Chief Ogunrinde belongs to that class of men who devote their time, treasure and thinking to finding solutions to the challenges of life.

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    Indeed, Sir Ogunrinde despite his small size has the gargantuan weight of a bulldozer. He started philanthropy with his late wife Lady Funke Ogunrinde, since 1974, with scholarships for five indigent students, and more than 50 years (half a decade) later, at 90 years of age, is still engaged in philanthropy. The blockbuster of a book, tells the story of Chief’s unshakable faith in God and love for His creature, man, especially the downtrodden.

    Like Jimmy Cliff sang, the book shows that Sir Ogunrinde’s love for God is as solid as a rock. His love for his late wife, Funke, was as solid as a rock. His love for his late mother was as solid as a rock. His love for the poor, the disposessed, the widow, the destitute and the downtrodden, is as solid as a rock. Clearly, the stories in the book shows that Sir Ogunrinde has earnestly prepared for the standard set in the gospel of Matthew 25:34-36.

    The book has a forward written by a very erudite Catholic priest, Very Rev. Fr. Melvis Mayaki, Parish Priest, Holy Family Catholic Church, and Dean Festac Town, Deanery. He intones that the book will inspire, challenge, and perhaps transform the readers understanding of love and companionship. I agree totally with him. The book is a potpourri of Sir Ogunrinde’s writings, and the writings of a few others, connected to his work of philanthropy. Chapter one, bears the title of the book: Destined Marriage – A legendary Experience. There, chief elucidates on religion, catechism of the Catholic Church and his personal philosophy of life.

    He enjoins every man to ascertain the purpose for which he was created. He says that purpose is what we call destiny. I quote him: “Once you are a creature, your destiny is attached to you to be fulfilled before you return to your Creator.” He furthered: “Therefore, let no man, woman, soothsayer, or fortune teller tell you the direction of your destiny.” The book teaches the reader to have utmost belief in God as the curator and master of destines and see life challenges as one’s destiny.

    If for example, one is destined to die by accident “The type of accident, the time of death, and the circumstances surrounding the death are predetermined and will come to pass at the appointed time. If an enemy is involved, he or she will be present at the time and place of the accident.” He contends that destiny is by design and not coincidence. Sir Ogunrinde however argues that the fulfilment of destiny can be aided by prayers and supplication.

    He said that for destiny to change, “First, the person must have absolute faith in God. Second, God examines the person’s prayer and their reason or need for the change. Thirdly, God evaluates everything involved and decides whether the change will be to the person’s advantage or not.” While further exploring the subject of destiny, he wrote: “The man who will be a woman’s husband has already been chosen by God – even before either of them was born. Whatever happens in the marriage, whether success or struggle, is still part of destiny and cannot be changed except by God.”

    Chapter 2 gives a glimpse on how Sir Ogunrinde practices what he preaches with strength, unimpeachable character and candour. He opened with a penetrating and instructive statement: “As previously written, destiny governs the life of every person created by God, and I am not an exception. This truth is particularly evident in my marriage to my destined wife, Funke.”

    Considering the enormous contribution of his late wife to the huge success he became, the author borrowed from Chief Awolowo, in describing his wife. He wrote: “As Chief Obafemi Awolowo once described his wife as a ‘jewel of inestimable value’, I can boldly say that Funke is my own “wonderful jewel of total inestimable value”.  

    Their marriage produced six children, the first being Folasayo Ogunrinde, in 1968. She was named in honour of chief’s late mother. After Folasayo came five boys, all successful in life and contributing to global economies across the world. Chapter 3 is subtitled, Caring and the Development of the Family. Here the author takes his readers into Ogunrinde’s exceptional world of philanthropy.

    Chapter 4 deals with life and trials of the author’s destined wife, Funke. Chief writes with candour on the travails of his beloved wife. What started as mere headache soon transformed into a grave medical emergency. Funke the once vibrant backbone of the author soon became a heavy burden, which the author bore with equanimity. The chapter exposes the challenges of medical practice in Nigeria, and in the words of a practitioner “Our doctors are good, but our facilities are poor.”

    Chapter 4 deals with the transition of Funke, the beloved wife of the author, after 23 years of confinement. She died on July 1, 2019. The author captured the faithful day in three key descriptions, quiet exit, serene face and spotless body. Chief, a Knight of St. Mulumba, commended the Ladies of St. Mulumba for their steadfast love to his wife.

    Chapter 5 deals with Sir Ogunrinde’s tribute to his beloved wife. A beautiful essay written with poetic cadence. Chapter 6 is titled summary of our destined marriage. Under the chapter, the author eulogizes the special virtues of Funke. The story of a bush illiterate boy at nearly 20 years, who became a giant Iroko tree, an iconoclast, a colossus, and a man with an indomitable spirit should be read by everyone. The proceeds of the book will go to his charity foundation.

  • Insecurity as tsetse fly

    Insecurity as tsetse fly

    The tsetse fly is the harbinger of a disease commonly known as sleeping sickness which could eventually kill the patient if not treated. One can therefore describe the tsetse fly disease as a lullaby to the grave when ignored. Google describes it as a parasitic disease spread by the bite of an infected tsetse fly. The early symptoms include fever and joint pain, while advanced untreated stages lead to confusion, sleep disruption and eventual fatality. Has the resurgent insecurity in our dear country been infested by enemies determined to upend Nigeria?     

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) at the beginning of his administration in 2023, told fellow compatriots not to feel pity for him despite the gargantuan challenges facing the country, particularly the economic chaos left behind by his predecessor. He had argued that he campaigned for the job and that it is his responsibility to deliver on promises made during the campaign. In fairness to the president, against all odds, he has reasonably stabilized the economy and the nation is on a growth trajectory.

    But the lull in insecurity appears to have ended with multiple bangs and our nation has become the object of international pity or scorn depending on the assessor. As if on cue, the security challenges keep mutating. Not long after the loquacious pseudo-democrat president of United States, Donald Trump, undiplomatically called our country a nation of disgrace, the Nnamdi Kanu debacle reached its crescendo. While Nigerians were struggling to digest these hard rocks, triple cases of kidnapping assaulted the sensibilities of every patriotic Nigerian.

    With the resurgent security challenges coagulating after Trump focused the international scrutiny on Nigeria, this column wonders whether the PBAT would still say he doesn’t need our pity? Of course it is hard work, and not a pity-party that would solve the myriad of security challenges facing the country. But there appears more than meets the eye in the sudden resurgence of kidnapping in Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states, necessitating the closure of many schools in the northern part of the country, to stem the crisis.

    The least the president should demand from the military hierarchy within few hours is who authorized the withdrawal of troops from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, before the terrorists struck. The allegation by the Kebbi State Governor Mohammed Idris, that the terrorist struck 30 minutes after the troops left, if followed rigorously by the military intelligence, may unravel the double-dealers working from inside, to upend the country. The effort by the defence hierarchy to treat it as a routine review to ascertain circumstances surrounding troop redeployment and movement should be with caution.

    This writer recalls similar explanations in the past, when grave security challenges happened few hours after the withdrawal of troops during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Is the redeployment and movement connected with the allegations that some unpatriotic members of the Armed Forces treat the grave security challenges facing the country as a business, from which they profit? According to such claims, that explains why the insurgency, kidnapping and other security challenges facing the country, has lasted for more than a decade. So, it is important that these allegations are thoroughly investigated and if there are elements within the military undermining the efforts of our gallant soldiers, they should be uprooted and thrown out.   

    In the past week, PBAT treated the kidnapping incidents with all the seriousness it deserves, and his military foot-soldiers must act in similar stead. He delayed and eventually cancelled his trip to South Africa for the G20 summit and the Angola AU-EU Summit. These two summits would have further buoyed up the resurgent economic revival of Nigeria, through direct foreign investments, economic cooperation and other gains associated with bilateral economic engagements. The potential gains from the two summits are enormous, likewise the losses.

    Of course, the greatest loss is the reason the president did not to attend the two summits, which will flash across the diplomatic channels of many countries. The fact that because of resurgent insecurity in Nigeria, the president could not attend the summits, speaks volume to potential foreign investors. But of course, no one should blame the president for staying back to deal with the enormous challenges thrown up in the days leading to the summits. As if orchestrated by actors, within few-days apart, the kidnappers stuck at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, Kwara State and the St. Mary’s Catholic school, Minna, Niger State.

    While the kidnapped persons from CAC Eruku, has gained their freedom, over 270 kidnapped from St. Mary’s, and about 25 from Maga, are still with the kidnappers. It is strange that instead of concentrating his energy on recovering the children and others kidnapped from St. Mary, the governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, is expending energy trying to shift the blame for the kidnap to the proprietors of the school. He even said the matter should be treated as cases of missing persons.

    The governor should talk-less and join forces with security agencies to ensure the children and their teachers are freed and returned to their parents. He should know that the world is not interested in his tales by moonlight, and as the governor and chief security officer of the state, it is his duty to ensure the security of persons and properties in the state, and where he fails, he cannot blame the citizens for engaging in their legitimate daily enterprise.

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    He should emulate the governors of Kebbi and Kwara states and stop the rhetoric that could represent him as treating the matter with less seriousness, because it happened in a private Christian school. Those on the same page with President Trump and the strong lobby in the US Congress, who had accused Nigeria of engaging in Christian genocide, could latch on the governor’s uncaring statements to further their contention of genocidal practices against Christians, by some states in the northern part of the country.

    The past week, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, shunning all distractions from the defendant, Nnamdi Kanu, went ahead to deliver his judgment and handed a life imprisonment to the separatist agitator for Biafra, the defunct state for which the Nigerian civil war was fought between 1967-1970. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, has since 2015, been like an infested tsetse fly perching on the scrotum of Nigerian leaders at the federal and state levels. Of course, Kanu’s imprisonment would not end the agitation by those who have lost faith in the Nigerian project.

    While Kanu’s followers are awaiting an appeal against the judgment of Justice Omotosho, the nation awaits PBAT’s sagacious intervention in due course. As this column had cautioned in the heat of the agitation, violence can never solve the challenge bedeviling Nigeria. This writer trusts in the capacity of PBAT to dismantle the many scarecrows making Nigeria unattractive to many of its citizens, as the consequences of his failure will be very grave.