The Nation Newspaper

Category: Hardball

  • Rising and rising

    Rising and rising

    Rising inflation in the country continued in the last three months. Many Nigerians struggled to cope with this reality. Sadly, there seems to be no end in sight.

    Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that the cost-of-living crisis in the country is unrelenting. Month-on-month food inflation rate, for instance, increased in September, notably affecting prices of staples such as rice, maize, beans, and yams. There were also significant price increases in housing rentals, transport, and medical services.

    Again, according to the agency, the inflation rate rose to 33.8 percent in October from 32.70 percent recorded in September. At the time, the Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said in a statement that the highest increases were recorded in the prices of “Bus Journey within the city, Journey by motorcycle, Bus journey intercity, etc. (under Passenger Transport by Road Class), Rents (Actual and Imputed Rentals for Housing Class), Meal at a local Restaurant (Accommodation Service Class), and hair cut service, woman hairbrush, women’s hairdressing, etc. (Hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments Class).”

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    The narrative has not changed. The prices of staples keep increasing. The same thing is true regarding housing rentals, transport, and medical services.  Yet again, a report by the bureau said inflation increased in November. The food inflation rate in November 2024, for instance, was higher than the rate recorded in October 2024, the agency said, attributing the rise to “the rate of increase in the average prices of Mudfish, Catfish Dried, Dried Fish Sardine, etc. (Fish Class), Rice, Yam Flour, Millet Whole grain, Corn flour, etc. (Bread and Cereals Class), Agric Egg, Powdered Milk, Fresh Milk, etc. (Milk, cheese and eggs Class) and Dried Beef, Goat Meat, Frozen Chicken, etc. (Meat Class).”

    The alarmingly deteriorating cost-of-living crisis in the country is a bad advertisement for the Federal Government’s reforms. All levels of government are expected to urgently find solutions to the cost-of-living issues in the spaces they govern.  

    The Federal Government’s repetitive argument that the reforms negatively impacting Nigerians are a necessary means to a positive end can’t make sense to people who are unable to breathe because of the cost of living.

    The increasing prices of goods and services reported by the NBS continue to suggest that the reforms may well be counter-productive.  The people want falling prices, not prices that are rising and rising.

  • Pittance prize of genius

    Pittance prize of genius

    How much money would you put on exceptional performance, like scholarly excellence as shown by best graduating students in respective academic year? In 54-year-old University of Benin (UNIBEN), the amount is ‘modest’ in a very conservative sense of that word. Just five thousand naira!

    The university management recently plied a defence of the prize money following a buzz in the public space over its value. It said the awards sponsored by well-meaning and public-spirited persons had been running for more than 50 years, and that the objectives of recognising and rewarding excellence had guided the perpetuation of the awards rather than consideration of the monetary value.

    Reports had cited the instance of one of the best graduating students in the just-concluded convocation ceremonies by the university who was awarded a five thousand naira prize. The student, Ogheneochuko Okpako, emerged the best graduating student in the 2021/2022 academic session of the department of mechanical engineering, having graduated with a CGPA of 4.80/5.0.

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    UNIBEN public relations officer, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, explained that the prizes, although modest in value, were aimed at recognising and rewarding academic excellence. She issued a formal statement to the media that read: “The attention of the management of the University of Benin has been drawn to reports in respect of the supposed meagre prizes awarded to some of the university’s best performing students. The university explains that whereas the said awards were sponsored by well-meaning and public-spirited persons over fifty years ago and still running, the objectives of recognising and rewarding excellence have guided the perpetuation of the awards, rather than consideration of the monetary value.” The university spokesperson added: “Management appreciates the concerns expressed over the issue and states that it will continue to work towards upholding the good image and reputation of the institution.”

    UNIBEN, of course, has a high reputation rooted in a long history. But the endurance of the prize awards is the very reason they need a review in line with contemporary realities and market value. If the university by itself is hard pressed and can’t take up the challenge, there are many successful UNIBEN alumni in the marketplace who could do it on its behalf. And there are already examples. There was the report about a former Students Union Government (SUG) president of the university and the current vice-president of the University of Benin Alumni Association, North America chapter, Osasere Osifo, who through prizes for academic excellence that he sponsored honoured six best graduating students of the university with awards totalling N1million at its 50th and 51st combined convocation ceremonies.

    No amount of spinning would make five thousand naira as prize money for best graduating students wash, and the valued needs immediate upscaling one way or another.

  • Okuama: Injustices

    Okuama: Injustices

    Two Okuama leaders died in military custody this month, raising questions about the detention of some indigenes of the community without trial since August, more than 100 days ago. The Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, lost its 81-year-old treasurer, Dennis Okugbaye, barely six days after its President-General, Pa James Oghoroko, had also died in detention.

    Other indigenes still in detention include Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs Mabel Owhemu, and Mr Dennis Malaka. Okuama people fear that they may also die in detention, alleging that the deaths of the two leaders were a result of “torture and inhumane treatment.” 

    The military had arrested some community leaders and others following the killing of 17 soldiers in the community in March. The soldiers were said to have been attacked during a peace mission to resolve a dispute between Okuama and the neighbouring Okoloba community.

    In a reprisal attack, the military raided Okuama, forcing the residents to flee to a camp for internally displaced persons in Ewu Kingdom, created by the Delta State government.

    The deaths triggered an ultimatum from indigenes, who demanded the release of all detainees and the corpses. Elder Ohwotake Otiero was quoted as saying, “We will take the laws into our own hands because we have been pushed to the wall.”

    At a joint press conference in Warri, Delta State, to mark Human Rights Day on December 10, advocacy groups said caging the detainees without trial “is a clear violation of their fundamental human rights,” and “breaches the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”

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    Also, they demanded that President Bola Tinubu should “order the immediate and unconditional release” of all Okuama indigenes detained in connection with the killing of the soldiers. Importantly, in addition they demanded “the establishment of a special commission of inquiry to investigate the March 14 crisis, the military’s reprisal, and the burning of Okuama.”

    The killing of the soldiers in the community was a terrible act of murderous violence against state actors that shouldn’t have happened. Those responsible for the murders should be identified, arrested and prosecuted. The army’s unsparing reprisal raid shouldn’t have occurred, too. Possibly, the deaths of the two Okuama leaders in military detention wouldn’t have happened if they had not been caged without trial for so long. 

    The situation calls for urgent intervention by the Federal Government. It shouldn’t be allowed to worsen before the authorities take action towards justice for all parties involved.

  • ASUU agonistes

    ASUU agonistes

    In the average Nigerian consciousness, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is synonymous with struggle: struggle for better standards in the university system and, more engagingly, the welfare of its members. You may not agree with its methods, but there’s no denying that is what it does.

    The union lately opened another flank of its crusading, and it is the growing number of first class graduates produced by Nigerian private universities. ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the “increasing numbers of first class graduates” turned out by private universities gave cause for concern and could result in a decline in genuine academic pursuits, especially if public universities followed suit without proper oversight.

    The ASUU boss spoke at an event organised by the union in celebration of Professor Andy Egwunyenga’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU). The event took place penultimate Thursday at DELSU campus in Abraka, Ethiope East council area of Delta. He cited the instance of primary and secondary schools that these days produce pupils with high grades, but with inadequate knowledge, adding that the incidence of building collapse in the country signpost significant issues within the nation’s institutions.

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    Osodeke was on point in flagging the soaring number of ace students being turned out by universities without commensurate developmental strides and touches of ingenuity in the market place. First class degree used to be considered an exclusive club of exceptional students who are naturally potentiated to be scholar themselves, and many of whom used to get retained by their respective school as graduate assistants – an entry point into the academy career from which they take on acquiring further degrees and progress in scholarly cadres up to professorship, if they get that lucky. Only that things aren’t like that anymore, and that is largely because of the unwieldy number of first class graduates being produced. Now we hear of cases like that of a first class graduate of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University who was found hawking pure water to support his family until Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda moved in recently to offer him government employment. 

    But then, Osodeke short-shrifted on identifying the facilitators of the trend he frowned on, namely himself and his fellow academics who function as internal and external examiners of the outputted ace students. One would his observation calls for hard industry introspection and diligent peer review, more than it is a matter of public alarm. In other words, ASUU should call a roundtable of its members, and indeed non-members but who are career academics, and talk through how to tighten professional ethics in promotion of practice standards that would make their best products impact the marketplace and boost Nigeria’s development strides. It is in enlightened self-interest of career educationists to make education relevant in national development.

  • Obaseki’s ‘wickedness’

    Obaseki’s ‘wickedness’

    It can be said that the “evil” done by the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, lived after him, following the accusation that because of “petty political reasons” he “wickedly” refused to distribute books donated to public schools in the state by President Bola Tinubu.

    In his second term from 2020 to 2024, Obaseki had governed the state under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  Tinubu is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Interestingly, Obaseki had governed the state as an APC member during his first term from 2016 to 2020. 

    Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC, while launching a state-wide initiative to remodel public schools, noted that a warehouse was “filled with books,” and accused Obaseki of “wickedness,” saying, “These books you see here were donated by the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, for use by Edo children, but the immediate past administration did not distribute them to our children because the President’s face is printed on the books.”

    Okpebholo visited New Era College in Benin City, a special school for young athletes built by the late Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of old Bendel State. He said: “We just entered the classroom where our children were taught sitting on the floor… The former governor refused Edo children the use of these books provided by the President, but he could not provide seats for the children to sit comfortably while learning.” He observed that the state of the school facilities “is deplorable,” adding that Obaseki “failed to invest in the development of the state’s education system.”

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    He directed that the books be distributed across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, stressing that his administration is “committed to renovating this school, and within the next few weeks, you will begin to see significant improvements.”

    It is unclear when Tinubu donated the books and what kind of books they are. It is also unclear how long Obaseki kept the books away from the schools they were meant for.  But Okpebholo’s order that they should be distributed to schools in the state means that they are still useful.

    The President’s face printed on the books may suggest that the donation was politically motivated, considering that Tinubu belonged to a rival political party. However, it can be argued that the former governor could have made such a donation pointless if he had developed education significantly in the state.  It can be said that Tinubu’s donation was meant to fill a need. 

    Obaseki has not responded to the accusation. It seems that he allowed political rivalry to make him work against the greater interest of the state.  He should not have sacrificed the interest of innocent school children on the altar of politics. 

  • EFCC and ‘753 duplexes’

    EFCC and ‘753 duplexes’

    Described as the largest single-asset recovery in the history of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was created in 2003, the recovered vast estate in Abuja comprising 753 duplexes and other apartments raised serious questions about the anti-corruption agency’s methods following its failure to name the owner of the estate. 

    It is located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja. A court in Abuja issued an order of final forfeiture concerning the estate on December 2. The agency described it as a “record-breaking recovery” and “a landmark forfeiture.”

    Notably, activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore accused the EFCC of double standards. “If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial is commenced,” he posted on social media, adding that the agency “is now afraid of big thieves.”

    The EFCC’s response to “Sowore and co-travellers’ tantrums” didn’t help matters. It argued in a statement: “The allegation of a cover up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate stands logic on the head.”  The agency explained that “the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act which is a civil proceeding that allows… legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of an unclaimed property.” 

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     It said: “The company flagged by our investigations denied ownership of the Estate following publications made in leading national newspapers. On the basis of this, the Commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture.”

    However, it emphasised that “the substantive criminal investigation on the matter still continues,” adding, “It will be unprofessional of the EFCC to go to town by mentioning names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties.  The EFCC is unwavering in its no-sacred-cow approach to every matter…”

     It’s easy to claim a “no-sacred-cow approach.” In this case, the public wants to see whether that is the case. The agency’s effort to give the impression that identifying the owner of the estate is difficult and will take some time calls into question its investigative methods.

     When will the agency name the owner of the estate and follow up with prosecution? That’s when this unprecedented single-asset recovery will look like or be seen as an anti-corruption achievement.

  • Nigerian brand soilers

    Nigerian brand soilers

    If you were looking for people who give Nigeria a bad name before the world, you had them in four Nigerian students who were recently jailed in the United Kingdom over a violent street brawl in Leicester City centre.

    Destiny Ojo, Joshua Davies-Ero, Ridwanulahi Raheem and Habib Lawal, all aged 21, used knives, a baseball bat and a crutch as weapons during the fight that took place at about 03:00 GMT on November 4, 2021. They were found guilty of sundry offences associated with their conduct and sentenced to jail terms by the Leicester Crown court penultimate Thursday after a six-week trial.

    The court sentenced Ojo of Plumstead, London to seven years in prison for violent disorder, attempted grievous bodily harm and grievous bodily harm with intent. Lawal of Bexley, London was sentenced to five years for violent disorder, attempted grievous bodily harm and grievous bodily harm with intent. Raheem of Lambeth, London got three years jail sentence for violent disorder and possession of a bladed article; and Davies-Ero of Bexley, London was sentenced to two years for violent disorder. A fifth defendant, Justin Asamoah (22) of Merton, earlier pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and was to be sentenced a couple of days later.

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    The Leicestershire police said in a statement on its website that a man aged 18 at the time of the incident suffered stab injuries that required hospital treatment. “After the suspects left the scene, police enquiries carried out over the following few months included CCTV analysis, phone work and public appeals, which led to identifications being made,” the statement read. The police said CCTV footage showed that the men were spotted with several weapons: “Davies-Ero was seen carrying a crutch, Ojo a baseball bat, while Lawal was seen with what was believed to be a large knife. Raheem carried a large knife.”

    A detective in the Leicestershire police, Constable Sean Downey, was cited saying: “This incident highlights the serious danger of violent disorder. It is extremely fortunate that further injury was not caused to the people involved or to other members of the public who witnessed the incident. This could have been a very different investigation.” He thanked community residents for assisting the police’s investigation and providing information, adding: “As a force, our priority is to keep the public safe. We will not tolerate violent disorder in our communities and will take action against those who are responsible for it.”

    Only heaven knows how much of connectedness these convicts presently have with Nigeria, but their ancestry can’t be denied. When the United Arab Emirates (UAE) slammed a travel ban on Nigerians some years back, it was on account of some Nigerian residents who took to a violent demonstration in that country. But these are not who we are, they’re only rouge elements who tarnish the Nigerian brand.

  • Rat eaters

    Rat eaters

    Stop eating rats! That’s the message from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to the people of Ebonyi State, and indeed all Nigerians.   At the launch of the campaign to prevent Lassa fever, on November 26, the director of NOA in the state, Theophilus Nwokpor, was reported saying, “This is the season when our people consume more rats, so there is need for enlightenment. We want to educate them to stop eating rats at all. So, the campaign for prevention is imperative to checkmate the outbreak. You know, our people eat rats.’’

    In February, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 2,122 suspected cases, 411 confirmed cases, and 72 deaths had been recorded from Lassa fever in Nigeria this year. In week 11 of 2024, 35 new confirmed cases were reported in Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Ondo, Plateau, Benue, Cross River, and Ebonyi states. From week 1 to 11, 2024, 142 deaths were reported.

    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, and humans usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with saliva, urine or droppings of infected Mastomys rats.

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     Also, about 80% of people who become infected with Lassa virus have no symptoms. One in five infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.

    Lassa fever usually starts with fever and general weakness. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow.

    The challenge of getting Nigerians who eat rats to stop the practice is made difficult by the fact that they do so more from choice and not necessity. According to Mojisola Oyarekua, from the University of Science and Technology Ifaki-Ekiti (USTI), the African giant rat is a favourite among all ethnic groups in the country and it is “regarded as a special delicacy and it is more expensive than equivalent weight of cow meat or fish. It is delicious and can be eaten as roasted, dried or boiled.”

    NOA’s campaign against rat consumption sends a strong signal that people who enjoy eating rats are at risk of becoming infected with Lassa virus.  Additionally, those who don’t eat rats should avoid exposure to food or items contaminated with saliva, urine or droppings of rats infected with Lassa virus.

    The reported cases of Lassa fever and deaths from the fever this year were possibly avoidable. The public must pay serious attention to the Lassa fever prevention campaign. 

  • Bode’s pity party

    Bode’s pity party

    There’s a pity party in town — have you been invited?  If not, go grab your invite — now!

    Old soldier, Olabode George is wailing, and won’t be comforted, on behalf of another old soldier, Olusegun Obasanjo. His grouse is presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga — for having the temerity to call out Obasanjo’s bad grace and hypocrisy.

    The former president just called President Bola Tinubu “Emilokan”, former President Muhammadu Buhari, Baba-Go-Slow — rude and crude stuff! — and the Nigeria both try to salvage a “failing” state, after Obasanjo and co’s years of the PDP locusts.

    Hardball was a bit puzzled, wondering if George’s agony was not that old military penchant to bully “bloody civilians”, during their power sweetheart days.  Still, the old man would appear too foxy to play that wild card.

    But even throwing his bully culture card, he stands on very slippery grounds.  He claims Onanuga should have gladly suffered Obasanjo’s foolery, just because Onanuga, an old boy of Ijebu Ode Grammar School — who didn’t even meet George in that school — was too small a boy, to deign to blast Obasanjo for his trademark rudeness to others.  George further lamented: Onanuga had earlier told him off too!  For also standing on his dignity and talking out of turn?

    For starters, that cultural blackmail can’t wash.  Obasanjo, Tinubu, Onanuga — and well, George —  might be ethnic Yoruba but the matter wasn’t some Yoruba village square meeting.  It was Obasanjo’s usual binge of de-marketing others to cover own barren achievements in power.  It’s a democratic republic, not some aristocracy.  If you can’t take, don’t be reckless enough to give.

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    But even on the cultural front, has Obasanjo respected that cherished Yoruba norm, while openly insulting others?  Here was a man that ordered Oyo royal fathers to “stand up and sit down”!  Who do the Yoruba revere more than their traditional rulers?

    And talking of small boys and elders: did Obasanjo consider that when he wrote the rubbish he wrote on Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in his “Not My Will”, which he released in 1990? Or wasn’t Obasanjo himself a “small boy” to Awo, but for the tragedy of military rule, when every brat in khaki corralled media attention?

    Even worse: whereas Onanuga called Obasanjo to order for making tendentious claims on Presidents Buhari and Tinubu, which went with an out-sized serenading of Obasanjo’s rather empty presidential record, Obasanjo’s comments on Awo were totally uncalled for, being rude and exceedingly graceless.  Awo had even died at that time.  Whoever writes churlish things about his betters, though dead, to grab crude attention?

    Next time old soldier George wants to mount a pity party, let him choose his subject very carefully.  Obasanjo is out-and-out a bad case. For heaping perennial insults on leaders before and after him, his goose is cooked. Whatever flak he draws, he fully deserves.

  • Momodu and buyer’s remorse

    Momodu and buyer’s remorse

    Was it a case of self-belief or self-delusion? Publisher of Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu said in a recent published interview that he regretted spending “about N50m” on the presidential nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2022.

    He said: “N50 million would have bought me a property. It was a waste. I didn’t get even one vote because everything was monetised. One of the candidates paid as much as $30,000 per delegate, and we had 774 delegates. So, how do you want to compete with them?”

    According to him, “They have stolen the country blind and are doing all kinds of deals to make money, especially those in the oil-rich areas.

    “The bulk of their money is not in any bank. So, they are not traceable to any bank. So, they have the money. If today you say to some politicians that you need $500 million to become president, they will find it.”

    This is a clear case of a buyer who, with the benefit of hindsight, feels he shouldn’t have bought the form. Not surprisingly, he didn’t reveal the identities of the contestant who allegedly bribed the delegates with $30,000 each, those he accused of stealing the country’s money and politicians who allegedly could come up with $500m in order to become president.

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    However, his claims gave an insight into the scale of corruption in his party. He unwittingly exposed the sort of politicians who are members of his party. It says a lot about him that he is a member of such a party.  

    It is unclear whether there were other factors that worked against his presidential aspiration. There were other aspirants who, like Momodu, failed to get a vote in the party’s presidential primary: former governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose and businessman Sam Ohuabunwa. Former vice president Atiku Abubakar who won the primary was defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.

    Momodu’s narrative may well be true of other parties that participated in the 2023 presidential election. Nigerian politics is notoriously corruption-tainted. 

    Interestingly, he claims to be politically wiser now. “Experience is the best teacher,” he said, adding, “Unless a major political party decides to adopt me, where you have a consensus of people who say Dele Momodu is best suited to change and to lead Nigeria. Then I will consider it.”

    He will have to live with buyer’s remorse regarding “about N50m” he claimed to have spent on the PDP presidential nomination form in 2022 and failing to get a single vote in the primary.