The Nation Newspaper

Category: Hardball

  • Leadership disconnect

    Leadership disconnect

    Hardball

     

    IT’S nothing new that Nigerians in positions of leadership are found out of depth of critical information relating to the offices they occupy or are designated for. It was in this country that a serving diplomat, who was nominated for ambassadorial posting mid-2016, called the wrong tune when asked by legislators to sing the national anthem at her confirmation hearing. Also at that hearing, another nominee mangled the lines from same anthem despite helpful hints by the legislative panelists, while another nominee couldn’t recite the national pledge even with supportive co-recitation by the lawmakers. You wondered what less those proposed envoys could project abroad about their native countries.

    But it was altogether a new high for leadership disconnect when the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX), Zaheera Baba-Ari, last week faltered on providing estimated market prices of the country’s major commodities. Responding to a request to indicate the going rates for cocoa, soya and cashew, among others, at her defense of the Exchange’s 2021 budget before the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Baba-Ari drew a blank. Yet, these were commodities outlined in the proposed budget for the Exchange’s revenue projections.

    During a question-and-answer session, Senator Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West) asked Baba-Ari to give an idea or price range of the commodities cited in the budget document. To this, Baba-Ari said she could not give the costs because the prices changed daily. She further explained that data on commodity prices across the country were usually delivered to her on a weekly basis, and she sought assistance from an aide present with her at the budget defense to provide the required information. Odebiyi, however, was not persuaded, saying: “I’m talking to you madam, I’m telling you to give me an idea. As MD of the commodity exchange, you should have an idea. You may not have today’s figures, but you should be able to say this is the price of cocoa. The feeling I am getting is that you don’t even know, and you’re the MD of the company…(Leadership) is not just running the administrative functions of a place, it is about being informed.”

    It is easy to single out the NCX boss for censure, only that what she betrayed is a pervasive syndrome of leadership in this country. She is the helmsperson of the commodities exchange, who apparently doesn’t readily know the going market rates of commodities. But you could ask: how much of Nigerians’ grassroots realities do our leaders know? Truth is that there is such widespread insulation from practical experience that fosters leadership disconnect in this country. Baba-Ari is by no means alone.

     

     

     

     

  • Open and closed

    hardball

     

    It appears that the purpose of the open treasury portal, launched by the Federal Government in December 2019 to boost transparency in government spending, has been defeated.

    The portal is supposed to “provide a comprehensive space for the collation of data by all ministries, departments and agencies on budget implementation, financial records, as well as transactions above certain thresholds,” a report said.

    But investigations indicate that the portal presents accountability issues. In June, for instance, a non-governmental organisation, BudgIT, was reported saying that between January and July 2019, “it discovered that large sums were paid into personal accounts including several records with vague descriptions and other discrepancies on the portal.”

    According to the group, “A few examples include ?2.04bn and ?1bn paid into personal accounts on the 21st of June, 2019 without any payment description along with another ?68m payment for “Ogunsuyi” and ?15.8m for “international” on other dates. In the same 2019, we also discovered payment records without descriptions or beneficiary information.”

    It is shocking that about 5,000 payment records valued at ?278bn were said to be without descriptions and 275 payment records with a value of ?43bn were said to be without beneficiary name.

    “These inconspicuous payments cannot be assessed or traced by citizens and interested parties, thereby defeating the purpose of the platform to foster transparency,” the group observed.

    Apart from the NGO’s investigation and the results, another investigation by PREMIUM TIMES showed that between September and December 2019 ?4.6bn was illegally paid into the private accounts of some directors and employees of the then Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    The online medium found out that N4.6bn was paid in 654 tranches into 21 private individual accounts. It obtained some of the information from the open treasury portal.

    In a striking instance, one Mr Pascal was said to have been paid ?1.6bn in 306 tranches.  Information published on the open treasury portal on October 26, 2019 indicated that Mr Pascal was paid ?159m for “zonal revenue tour,” “disbursement of funds for right of way,” “verification exercise,” “quarterly budget implementation,”  “2019 senior staff promotion exercise,” and “junior staff promotion in the housing sector.”

    Curiously, there were no clues regarding Mr Pascal’s identity.  The newspaper said the Ministry of Power, now a separate ministry, claimed he was not a member of its staff; and the Ministry of Works and Housing did not respond to its request for clarification.

    These investigations expose how ministries are breaking the law against making payments into the private accounts of their employees and other private individuals.

    It is clear that the open treasury portal is not so open. There is no point describing it as open when it isn’t.

     

  • Hurray, ASUU wants prompt pay for endless strikes!

    Hurray, ASUU wants prompt pay for endless strikes!

    Hardball

     

    THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nigeria’s celebrated and unfazed intellectual parasites, just declared their democratic right to pay for work not done — applause, applause!

    And to push their cause in the deepest and most consuming of democratic sympathies, ASUU has declared its members, never-appreciated arch-patrons fighting for the eventual salvation of the Nigerian Academy, celebrated beggars, beggared by the very cause they love and fight for — tears, tears, drip, drip!

    And why must ASUU not push for pay for endless strikes that undo the young charges in its care, instead of ceaseless teaching, that endow them?  Why not?

    If DisCos bill for darkness and get away with it, why shouldn’t ASUU growl for salaries, for endless strikes?  Is that not a sacred right, which the harassed government have a sacred duty to fulfil?

    And after King Kong ASUU has done it and got away with it too many times, who will stop it now?  If past all-mighty military governments could not do it, is it this miserable civilian order, that has to dodge a fusillade of bullets from the cannon of citizens’ rights, that would prevail?

    Pay ASUU its sacred due, jare — as the Yoruba would say!

    That ASUU would grandstand and make such a claim, laced with the most cynical of sympathy pleas, just shows ASUU has reached its most unconscionable juncture yet: and may well be beyond redemption — expect a drastic re-set of its misguided brain!

    The cheek of it: doing nothing and earning uninterrupted full pay, all through the drastc COVID-19 months, only to remind all it was still on strike!  Does ASUU even know that many non-government workers, that worked through those lean months, did full time work but earned half-pay, or even less?

    That is the ruin illicit sense of entitlement does to your mind!  So, after getting full pay for no work, and projecting extreme insensitivity in abnormal times, ASUU would have the guts to declare the continuation of a strike — Aluta continua! — and turn cry baby because it’s not paid for its chosen fancy!

    Besides, as committed and bristling revolutionaries, can’t ASUU members merrily embrace the cost of the cause they so love and would pull everything down to sustain?  Or what’s the “struggle”, if your sworn enemy — sorry, opponent, the government — must pick the tabs!

    ASUU knows it can get away with this barefaced hypocrisy simply because something is terribly wrong with this polity.  People who are dumb enough to pushing forward with defective tactics should not wail when they earn their due strategic ruin.  That is the path ASUU has chosen to tread.  Defeat and ruin wait at the other end, as sure as the day follows the night.

    Meanwhile, the silent but reasonable ASUU majority had better call, to order, their rash, reckless but loud minority.  Those are led by the gung-ho ASUU executive — gung-ho on avoidable ruin.

    When the crash comes, ASUU will reap more than celebrated penury of its members, because they had lost pay they had no right to, no thanks to their rippling bad grace.

    They would have earned the historical odium of a band of reckless intellectuals(?) that crashed the Nigerian Academy on own heads.  But maybe it’s already too late to cry.  The ASUU head appears already off — too bad!

  • Costly delay

    Costly delay

    hardball

     

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stepped aside from office last Monday, 9th November 2020, upon expiration of his first five-year term of office. He had taken office on 9th November, 2015 and was on 27th October, this year, renominated for a second term by President Muhammadu Buhari; but he awaits confirmation by the Senate to continue in office.

    While handing over the reins at the commission’s head office to Air Vice-Marshal Ahmed Muazu (rtd.), who is to serve as acting INEC chair pending Senate confirmation of his reappointment, Yakubu said the organisation being a constitutional body saddled with the mandate of electoral law enforcement must be seen to “demonstrate strict respect for, and compliance with the constitution of Nigeria and subsidiary laws.” Hence, even though he has been put forward by Mr. President as law requires for a second term, Yakubu argued that it would be inappropriate for him to remain in office beyond last Monday without confirmation by the Senate and swearing to another oath of office.

    The INEC boss stepped down along with fine national commissioners of the electoral body whose tenure also expired same day. His momentary exit came at a time the commission has scheduled legislative by-elections to hold in 11 states on 5th December. There was an earlier schedule, but the elections had to be shelved owing to the #EndSARS protests. Also in short term view for INEC are the Anambra State governorship election coming up in 2021, during which time the commission says it would introduce electronic voting, and resumption of continuous voter registration in the first quarter of 2021. The recent Edo and Ondo state governorship polls indexed growing integrity of Nigerian elections under Yakubu’s leadership. True, he handed over to people who can ably keep the wheel of election management running; but you can bet they would not want to go beyond routine functions in deference to Yakubu’s expected second coming, meaning there will be no radical initiatives meanwhile at further growing the electoral process. Bottomline: time will be lost.

    To sustain the tempo of growth in Nigerian elections, there is need to quickly get done with legislative confirmation of Yakubu’s renomination. The present ‘break in transmission’ is unhelpful to the entire commission and portends a hold-down  of the electoral process. Make no mistake: this country is the ultimate loser.

    Granted that the Senate is currently not in plenary, while members are preoccupied at the committee level with ongoing defense of the 2021 budget by government ministries and agencies. But the confirmation hearing is of such strategic importance that the legislative chamber could specially make out time for it. The present delay has costs.

     

     

     

     

  • All because of a dress

    All because of a dress

    hardball

     

    Photos of Kannywood actress Rahama Sadau in a backless gown posted on her Instagram and Twitter pages on November 2 went down badly with some Muslim moralists who considered the dress un-Islamic.

    Among this moral police was Lawal Gusau, described as an Islamic scholar and security expert, who went as far as writing a petition to Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu, on November 3, demanding that Sadau be investigated for posting the photos which he considered indecent.

    The petitioner said the photos drew blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad from non-Muslims in a debate on social media, curiously blaming Sadau for the alleged instances of blasphemy.   So he wants her tried by a Sharia court in Kaduna State where she hails from. She was said to be in Abuja. Blasphemy is punished with death under Sharia. This is an extreme punishment.

    Gusau is pursuing this matter with puzzling zeal. “I am not happy with the way the police are handling the matter,” he was quoted as saying. He claimed Sadau “was trying to escape and had obtained UAE visas for herself and her family but the police were able to track her phone and arrest her brother who led the policemen to her.”

    According to him, “The policemen from Kaduna State were about to arrest her and take her to the SCID when a phone call from one CP came in and the policemen were asked to leave her alone and that she would report to Kaduna by herself.”

    He added that Sadau “has refused to turn herself in,” and alleged that “She is being protected by that CP and some people from the Presidential Villa. This is most unfortunate.”

    Gusau’s claims are unproven. Obsessed with punishing Sadau, he has not paused to think about his needless petition.  Sadau, a Muslim, had deleted the pictures after it triggered a controversy, and had apologised to those who considered them offensive from an Islamic point of view.

    It is unjust to accuse her of blasphemy just because other people, reacting to the pictures, allegedly dishonoured Prophet Muhammad. It is unreasonable to prescribe what she should wear or not wear based on religious considerations.

    Sadau’s dressing in the pictures was not considered indecent from a secular point of view.  She was dressed in a fashion allowed by the country’s secularism. Those who condemn her dressing based on religious considerations miss the point that she is free to dress how she wants within the bounds of secular decency.

    Religious fanaticism manifests in various ways.  This absurd drama exposes the malady.

  • Abobaku of Trump country

    Abobaku of Trump country

    Hardball

     

    For eons, it was God’s own country.  Less than four years now, it became Trump’s own country.

    But even with Donald Trump all but electorally “slain”, and his presidency reeling and sinking, the US president appears not short of a coterie of frenzied “Abobaku” — zealots, eager and merry, itching to perish with the sinking order.

    That explains the ongoing theatre of the absurd in the Trump presidential court.  It not only bodes more disgrace for Trump (outside being a one-term president, which he hates more than he loves his huge conceit), it also projects avoidable ruin for many otherwise promising political careers, aside from probable serious future whiplash for the Republican Party, so so complicit in the Trump tantrums.

    By the way, for non-Yoruba speakers, “Abobaku” literally means “perish with the king” — a concept in traditional Yoruba monarchy that rippled with sweets and gall.  After living the life in the royal court, the “Abobaku” must die with his king, whenever the ancestors called.

    The Elesin’s savouring of the sweets, but attempting to fob off the grim part of the deal, was the core of Prof. Wole Soyinka’s famous tragic play, Death and the King’s Horseman.

    Though the cultural jurisdiction is different, top Republicans, including Senator Mitch McConnel, the Republican Senate majority leader and Secretary of State, Mark Pompeo, appear playing unfazed “Abobaku” to Trump.

    Using crass legalism McConnel, in a sense, filibusters to deny Joe Biden his trouncing win; and cling to Trump’s comical denial of a well-earned loss.  Well, he is right: Trump is within his right to challenge any alleged irregularities in the November 3 election, which Democratic rival Biden is projected to win with a final tally of 306 Electoral College votes (to Trump’s 232), aside from more than four million ballots — and still counting — in popular votes.  But beyond cheap legalism, everyone knows the famously hypocritical McConnel risks political ruin, if the whole plot miscarries — as it surely will.

    If McConnel appears beyond redemption, given his Senate record of odious partisanship, Pompeo seems the real tragic figure, claiming there would be a peaceful transition to a “second Trump administration” — draped in his official insignia of the Secretary of State, a cabinet ranking next only to the president and vice president!

    Worse: in the same breath, a severe Freudian slip came ripping through his soul: “the whole world is watching”, he blurted in brutal self-indictment!  Of course, the whole world is watching him — he, the ultimate global showman of American presidential democracy, cruelly de-marketing it, before global TV, at a moment of savage hubris, in the service of electorally doomed Trump!  It doesn’t get more insane; and for America, as Biden rightly captured it all, a deep “embarrassment”.

    Then, Emily Murphy, Trump’s lowly US General Service Administration (GSA) appointee, is also deep in the plot.  By feigning denial, Ms Murphy is being fingered for holding up the Biden transition team.  The GSA is refusing to sign off on federal funds and office space, which by law are due to an incoming administration.

    Well, America would solve its problems, one way or the other; and preserve its sacred institutions, from Trump-led charlatans, who ridicule them in the eyes of the world.  Jimmy Cliff’s memorable lyric — the harder they came, the bigger they fall — will yet be the vanquished song of Trump and co-losers.

    Hardball’s concern here, however, is uncritical locals, who always wax lyrical over the so-called “saner climes”, or the so-called “international community” (apologies to Olisa Metuh), each time there is some political challenge.

    Well, “saner climes” and “international community” (both read United States) have own Trump “Abobaku”, ready to undo their country, and perish with their principal.

    O, Uncle Sam — for a kiss of good faith!

     

  • Premier varsity of crisis

    Premier varsity of crisis

    Hardball

    Among tertiary schools in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan (UI) stands out as the premier institution. Not only is it the first Nigerian university to be established, it is also one of the two citadels of learning in the country that made the list of the world’s best 2,000 universities in the 2020/2021 ranking published by the Centre for World University Ranking last June – ranking at 1,163 above the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the only other local university on that list, at 1,882.

    Well, it isn’t too outlandish to say the institution is also premier in crisis. Besides industrial crisis by lecturers that has hobbled the public university system for some time now, UI is presently further encumbered by non-academic workers’ unrest over the selection of a new vice-chancellor to succeed incumbent Professor Idowu Olayinka whose tenure expires at the end of November. Members of the university’s Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have threatened to shut down the institution for up to six years should the ongoing process to select the 13th vice-chancellor throw up a particular candidate they’ve declared opposition to.

    The governing council recently announced a shortlist of six candidates from among 18 contenders for the top office, which includes deputy vice-chancellor, Kayode Adebowale; a former DVC, Abideen Aderinto; former College of Medicine provost, Babatunde Salako; Olusegun Ademowo of the medical college and Olatunde Farombi of biochemistry department – all UI professors. The sole candidate from outside is professor of political science at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife and vice-chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) from 2010 and 2015, Femi Mimiko.

    While the council is about trimming the list further to three finalists, the non-academic workers have accused it of playing a script by the outgoing vice-chancellor to impose Adebowale, his alleged favorite candidate as successor. On 28th October, they disrupted a meeting of the council and staged a protest that forced a momentary shutdown of the institution – demanding that the present process be halted and an interim vice-chancellor appointed to kickstart a fresh process. But academic members of the university have objected to the workers’ intervention. UI Senate called an extra-ordinary meeting last week where it affirmed the current process in line with extant laws of the institution, adding that unions have no role in VC appointment. Earlier, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) condemned the workers’ protest, and urged that ongoing selection process be carried through, provided a level field is guaranteed to all contestants and transparency ensured by the governing council.

    It is obvious the workers’ preemptive opposition to Adebowale’s candidature derives from a running battle they’ve had with the Olayinka management, over which they downed tools since February. But should that now be the ultimate yardstick of merit to name a new helmsman? Struggle isn’t everything!

  • Enemies of progress

    Enemies of progress

    hardball

     

    Ironically, the governors of Nigeria’s oil-producing states, who should be working for their development, may well be responsible for their underdevelopment. The country’s oil-producing states are: Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ondo, Edo, Imo and Abia.

    Deputy President of the Senate Ovie Omo-Agege accused the governors of diverting 13 percent oil derivation funds meant for developing their oil-producing states.

    Omo-Agege’s spokesman Yomi Odunuga highlighted the accusation made when the senator hosted a delegation of Oil and Gas Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON), led by the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass in the Brass Kingdom and Chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, Chief Alfred Diete-Spiff.

    Omo-Agege was quoted as saying “the 13 percent derivation is meant to ameliorate the conditions of the people who are most impacted by oil exploration and exploitation…These funds are not meant for the state governments. The state governments are meant to be purveyors to host communities.”

    The senator alleged: “Even in states that have development commissions, they only earmark 50 percent of the funds to the commission to manage on behalf of the host communities. So what happens to the other 50 percent?” He emphasised that “100 percent of the funds is meant for the development of host communities because it is not every area that suffers from oil exploration and degradation.”

    The first commercial oil discovery in the country happened in Oloibiri in present-day Bayelsa State in 1956; and the first oil field began production in 1958. More than six decades later, the story of underdevelopment in the oil-producing states is a continuing story.

    Nigeria is said to have “a maximum crude oil production capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day.” The country “ranks as Africa’s largest producer of oil and the sixth largest oil producing country in the world.”  So it is inexcusable that many host communities in the country’s oil-producing states present pictures of poor development.

    For example, President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by his Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, in October 2019, had said during the reopening of Oil Mining Lease (OML)-25 facility in coastal Belema in Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State:  ”We have been to the communities (in Kula Kingdom). I felt touched that the people were asking for schools, hospitals and potable water in 2019, after 40 years of oil and gas being taken from their soils. I scooped water from the pond that the people drink. It was smeared with crude oil.”

    The governors accused of diverting derivation funds need to prove that the accusation is untrue. There is strong evidence of underdevelopment in many host communities in the oil-producing states. The governors should not be enemies of progress.

  • Trump: from 3rd world to USA

    Trump: from 3rd world to USA

    hardball

    Who would have thought an American president would throw election night tantrums, and want to collapse the process, in a despicable bid to cling on to power?

    Well, Donald Trump, sitting American president, just pulled off that infamy!  Had it been elsewhere, the Western media would be buzzing and sizzling with mocking and condescending pieces, lamenting the rape and slaughter of democracy!  Now that Trump, Uncle Sam’s very own is the culprit, what’s going to happen?

    Somebody, with biting sarcasm, claimed: Trump, 3rd World’s gift to America!  Really?  Hasn’t his very act, the attempt to brutally game the system for own selfish pleasure,  proved that humans are basically the same everywhere — 1st, 2nd or 3rd world — and that it’s only feared sanctions that keep folks at bay?

    Nigerians, ever so witty in such circumstances, are even recommending “Orubebe-ism” to Trump, in his cause to crash easily the most cherished institution in American — and western — democracy: periodic elections and the sacred duty to respect their results.  But Trump would have none of such nonsense!

    By the way, you remember good, old Peter Godsday Orubebe, the feisty fella that tried to push former President Goodluck Jonathan’s democratic right to thumb his nose at democracy?  That’s right!  Some folks are now recommending his expertise to embattled President Trump!  Orubebe-ism to the rescue!

    Not a few have also recommended Nigeria’s experience in “inconclusive elections” to Presdent Trump, though how he would apply it on the different secretaries of state, in America’s 50 states who take care of polls and polling (contrasted Nigeria lone central electoral czar for national elections), is not clear.

    Well again, no tears from here.  Had it been in Africa or general Asia or even China that a president is doing the shameful gymnastics Trump is now doing, the western media would have been beside themselves.

    Read Also: Trump Vs Biden: If it gets to the Supreme Court

     

    Still, in fairness, America’s mainstream and liberal media, projected and seriously warned about Trump’s electoral disgrace, months and months before.  Even at the virtual eve of November 3, CNN and others took the president to task at his reported threat to declare himself winner, if he felt he had a lead on election night, even if the process was still on.  But he denied such intentions.

    Yet, bang!  That was it on election night: that very nightmare played itself out — the president, all bluster, little proof, declared himself winner and wished vote-counting would stop, and he be awarded a second term!

    Previous, he had, at every turn, told his mega rallies, despite strict warning against such, as COVID-19 protocol, that a crucial plank of voting in COVID-19 season, was a grand fraud.  Instead of him to tell his red “ECOMOG” to take advantage of in-mail voting, he thought he was prompting them for an election-day assault that would shock and awe!

    Well, it turned out the Joe Biden Democratic Party strategy, of early and in-mail voting, eventually triumphed!  As it were, as he was crushing on his red “ECOMOG” at ill-advised mega rallies, long queues in swing states were voting him out — with vicious margins!

    Let Trump wail as much as he likes.  To be sure, he is one of the most flawed humans in public places in history — certainly, one of America’s most inglorious presidents.  Ironically by this disgrace, and he is actively cementing his place in the garbage of American presidential history — just as well!

    Though Trump has no shame, the shame is America’s.  How low has Uncle Sam fallen, and Abraham Lincoln’s party — the Grand Old Party (GOP) — aided and abetted that fall!

  • Graffiti protesters

    Graffiti protesters

    Hardball

     

    BY conventional wisdom, an upheaval that grounded this country for more than two weeks and claimed many lives of civil protesters as well as security personnel, not to mention extensive damage to property by opportunistic hoodlums, isn’t something to lightly stoke the embers for a possible encore. But that is what some agitators said they were doing with the #EndSARS protests.

    Last Sunday, a group claiming to be resuming the recent protests against police brutality besieged the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja to ply their agitation. Numbering about 20, they chanted solidarity songs and demanded an end to bad governance and police excesses; they also inscribed #EndSARS graffiti in bold print on the road across from the airport terminal with red paint. Reports said though there were attempts by officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force on guard duty to stop them from painting the road, the protesters doubled down. They thereafter proceeded to the Force Headquarters where they made similar inscription on the highway in front of the headquarter building. Notable among the protesters were Omoyele Sowore, Deji Adeyanju, Raphael Adebayo and Sidney Usman.

    The protesters vowed to not back down on their demand for justice for all victims of police brutality in Nigeria, including those who, according to them, were killed at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos penultimate week. They signalled intention to also ply their protest in Lagos, with a member of the group saying on Twitter: “Lagos protest should begin the night we turn up for candle light for the patriotic ones who laid their lives down for this #EndSARS protest, justice for each soul lost.”

    It wasn’t at all certain that the graffiti protesters fundamentally represented the mission of the recent #EndSARS protesters at whose instance government disbanded the controversial police formation before the protests were hijacked by hoodlums. For one, their style was lacking in the panache shown by the earlier protesters before hoodlums stepped in. Then, the message of the graffiti protesters did not seem coordinated with that of the earlier #EndSARS protesters, and it was like these new agitators were raking up dust just to have some fun. Unlike the original #EndSARS protesters who made specified demands that government said it accepted and was working on, the graffiti gang nebulously chanted, “What are we demanding? End SWAT now. What are we demanding? End bad governance now,” et al.

    Considering the huge toll of the recent protests, and the fact that hoodlums are never far off to take advantage of a crisis ambiance, it is thoughtless to throw up fresh circumstance for them to thrive. So, let the graffiti protest stop already!