The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Return of mass abductions to the North

    Return of mass abductions to the North

    • By Ibrahim Mustapha

    Sir: Insecurity continues to be one of the deadly menaces plaguing Nigeria.

    In recent times, there has been an increase in kidnapping and banditry, posing a grievous threat to national security and economic development. Not only has this adversely affected our national image, but has also eaten deep into every fabric and segment of the nation. Badly affected is Northern Nigeria which has become the epicentre of banditry and kidnapping-for-ransom.

    Not too far from this is the spate of abduction of school children. Mass kidnappings of school girls and boys at schools in the Northeast and Northwest began seven years ago and have become a frequent phenomenon, carried out by rapacious bandits who have turned this menace into money-making ventures. This form of brazen terrorism has unfortunately not been met with the level of aggression that is needed to address their severity and recurrence.

    Since 2014, there have been over a thousand student kidnappings. These crimes have been targeted at underage school children who are often rendered vulnerable by poor security, infrastructure and negligence on the part of the state and federal government.

    In recent times, the public has begun to recall the genesis of the spate of school kidnappings in the town of Chibok, Borno State. There, 276 girls were kidnapped in April 2014 and 112 of them are still missing. In Kaduna, 39 students went missing after gunmen stormed the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Kaduna State overnight on March 11, 2021. At the time, it was the fourth school abduction in northern Nigeria. Not long after, there were reports of security operatives reportedly foiling an attempt to capture students from a secondary school in the early hours of Sunday, March 15, 2021 on the outskirts of Kaduna’s Ikara town.

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    Ever since, one can count many series of abduction both reported and unreported in the north. Last week, in another sad and tragedy event, the bandits in commando-style, invaded Kuriga Primary School, in Chikun Local government and abducted 200 students and their principal. The abduction came barely one week after similar attack was carried out in Borno State by Boko Haram with 400 innocent women kidnapped. In Katsina and Zamfara states, mass abduction by bandits has become a recurring decimal. Those states have been experiencing attacks by bandits, leading to the closure of schools to avert further attacks. In all of these, the motive is to discourage the acquisition of western education in the north.

    While government is doing its best to tackle the challenges of schools abduction, there is the need to re-strategize security infrastructure and address the dearth of effective protection of lives and property.

    The authorities cannot continue to play to the tune of these culprits and reward them with ransoms. States and the federal governments must step up measures to tackle this notorious development already nearing boiling point. The government must wake up to its responsibilities of protecting citizens lives and properties and combat this menace because the target on education is a target on the future of Nigeria.

    •Ibrahim Mustapha,

     Pambegua, Kaduna State.

  • E-nocent, the ill-nocent and the innocent: The Nigerian reality

    E-nocent, the ill-nocent and the innocent: The Nigerian reality

    • By Ganiu Bamgbose

    Sir: No one plays football better than spectators. Of course they can tell how the player should have rolled the ball or who the coach should or should not have removed. This is the case in Nigeria where everyone knows what the government could do to actualise the Nigeria of our dream, but thinks, talks or bothers less about what we can do as individuals towards the actualisation. Like the Yoruba would say, a lamp cannot see its base. It is of course pleasurable to analyse the weaknesses of others and this is one of the times humans are most knowledgeable. The dumbest person in Nigeria can proffer solutions to the problems facing the country. We only might not know, admit nor confess our quota to the decadence. I categorise Nigerians into the e-nocent, the ill-nocent and the innocent and, thereafter, draw my conclusions for public consumption.

    I have coined the word, e-nocent, to categorise the many Nigerian citizens who have become special advisers to public office holders on the social, print and electronic media. These are the ones who post, tweet, share and/or publish articles daily or regularly on what the government is, is not, should and should not, do to salvage the unpleasant situation of the country. While such critiques are crucial to keep the government in check, one wonders why the e-nnocents are not so expressive on the roles of the citizens in the situation. How does the government come into the decision of some retailers and wholesalers to hike prices even before buying at the inflated rate? Are you making it easy for the government or contributing your quota to the betterment of the country when you keep foreign currencies with the hope of making huge gains when there is increase in exchange rate?

    The employer who invests his employees’ salaries for a turnover also knows what Tinubu is not doing right. The gentlewoman who disobeys traffic laws and the gentleman who rolls down to dispose of his Coca-Cola can also have advice for those in power. The leaders of the country are from among us and that only suggests that they are a reflection of us. We all as citizens must move beyond our e-nnocent appearance in the public space to take responsibility for the country we desire in our private spaces.

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    I conceive of the ill-nocent as the power that be in all the significant sectors of the country, from the political, to the economic, social, religious and even cultural sectors. To begin from the cultural perspective, one wonders the role of traditional institutions in ensuring a developed country. It is hard to believe that the councils of kings and chiefs in the different parts of the country have not been made moribund through government enticements.

    With government officials running accounts through/with clergymen and politicians building and donating to places of worship, one wonders if our ill-nocent men and women of God would ever be able to speak to power? The ill-nocent actors and musicians who should use their art to call for change have been paid huge money to perform or appear during political rallies/campaigns. Even the poor have sold their votes for Indomie and N2000. Are we all not ill-nocent citizens in one way or the other?

     Shall we talk about the business moguls? If the dark storms loom, well, let us just hope that the action leads to financial recovery for the nation. Of course the most ill-nocent are the politicians. They are in a class of their own, by their own, for their own. If they are willing to be partakers in the project of a new Nigeria, their coffers can certainly finance the dream.

    A question is important: how many Nigerians are truly innocent? We all parade ourselves as the innocent, but we are either just being e-nocent or are actually ill-nocent. The Nigeria we desire is a collective effort. Together, we can achieve it if we do more and judge less.

    •Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD,

    Lagos State University, Ojo.

  • Who benefits from de-marketing Nigeria?

    Who benefits from de-marketing Nigeria?

    • By Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar

    Sir: Just recently, I read an article on a murder case in South Africa. The person who was murdered was a German tourist who went to South Africa for tourism. In the same article, I read that South Africa recorded 84 murders a day from October to December, last year. Yes; 84 murders a day! 

    That naturally provoked the question: Why in spite of this high rate of crime, South Africa receives higher number of tourists than Nigeria?

    Also, I read in the news that Tanzania was currently experiencing power disruption, sugar shortage, liquor scarcity and foreign exchange liquidity crisis.

    Also just a few days after, I was talking to a colleague who is now living in Kenya. He complained about the high cost of living, including, the cost of electricity.

    Since there is no country on this earth that resembles a paradise, why then will some of our compatriots, including rich people, talk as if Nigeria is the worst country to live in?

    Whether you are in Argentina or Venezuela, North Korea or London, there are challenges. But condemning your country and stripping it naked will not address your problem; rather you will just de-market it, discourage potential investors from coming.

     I do understand that patriotism is different from criticism. Patriots are pragmatic and forward looking.  They defend their country even if the rest of the world hates it. They never betray their country. They understand the difference between the government and the nation. Patriots never hide behind hardship to flee their troubled country. They never describe their country with a pejorative name like the zoo.

    President Tinubu Bola knows we have challenges; but unlike the former president, Muhammadu Buhari who spent his eight years calling our youths lazy and crooks, Tinubu never publicly despise the country. Whenever he travels outside the country, he plays the chief salesman, underscoring the positive sides of Nigeria.

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    During his meeting with President Lula da Silva of Brazil on the side-lines of the 37th African Union Summit, President Tinubu told Silva: “We have a very vibrant population of young Nigerians who are trainable, dependable and should be empowered”.

    When he visited India last year, he told an Indian business tycoon, Prakash of the Hinduja Group of Companies that has assets worth $100 billion: “With my support, there is nothing standing in your way of enjoying the unrivalled opportunities presented by our massive market and hardworking nature of the Nigerian business”.

    Undressing Nigeria will not solve our challenges of cost of living nor the debilitating insecurity; rather it will continue to make the country unattractive. There are better ways of holding the leadership accountable without destroying the country.

    •Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar,

     Unguwa Katsina.

  • Wigwe off to do bigger things

    Wigwe off to do bigger things

    • By Prof Dorothy Ufot SAN & Udeme Ufot, MFR

    Sir: The typical response one would get from Herbert on commending his achievement of yet another business feat would be “Small thing Bros, let’s go and do bigger things”. He was always about the next move, the next big conquest. Ever bold, ever so farsighted, always about the next audacious conquest.

    We cannot help but struggle with the reality of the tragic, sudden and very painful passage of Herbert, Chizoba and Chizi.  Dorothy still remembers the engaging time she had with Chizoba last September at a special dinner to celebrate Aigboje’s birthday in Ikoyi. I also recall Chizi and Tochi having a good time with their other “siblings”, the Aig-Imoukhuede children. It was such a warm and relaxing evening for all.

    I once asked Herbert how he kept up with family considering his very busy schedule, which was likely to get worse with Access Bank spreading across territories. He told me one needed to be intentional about everything by planning family into the schedule. It was not unusual therefore to see Herbert at many social functions accompanied by Chizoba, sometimes Chizi, and at other times by both. On one occasion I almost mistook Chizi to be one of Herbert’s personal assistants. 

    Herbert Wigwe was a loyal and dependable friend, sometimes with a wicked sense of humour. He was a generous and considerate brother to all he chose to call “brother”. He was a bold and visionary business leader who seemed to abhor anything small. A bold warrior who believed in leading his troops from the front. All his dreams, all the plans needed to be big and bold. Any time spent with him meant on-boarding loads of inspiration. His bold plans often left you wondering at his audacity. Sometimes you could not help doubting his capacity to achieve a particularly audacious plan, until he did. For him, nothing, absolutely nothing was impossible. It appears he was not only fearless, but restless. One success was always the elixir for the next audacious move.

    We remain appreciative of his kindness and generosity during our daughter’s wedding in Miami. We can never forget his support for SO&U over the years. Especially when we had barely 24hours to pay for a property in Oniru. When I called for his intervention with barely two hours left of the work day on a Friday, his response was short, reassuring and effective. “Don’t worry Udeme, you will pay for the land”. And we did.

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    I will miss that occasional text from him in response to compliments on the success of a bold move, “Thank you Big Bros”. 

    May God Almighty heal all of us as we nurse this wound. May the Lord especially strengthen the Wigwe, the Nwuba, the Aig-Imoukhuede and the TENGEN families at this time. Let us all be consoled by the understanding that Herbert is off to do bigger things, in a better place. That is what he would probably have told me if I had the opportunity to ask.

    May the Lord grant peaceful repose to the souls of Herbert, Chizoba and Chizi.

    •Prof Dorothy Ufot SAN & Udeme Ufot, MFR,

    Lagos.

  • Dele Giwa: Not a vacuous judgment

    Dele Giwa: Not a vacuous judgment

    • By Idowu Adewale

    Sir: On Sunday, February 25, ThisDay published an article titled “A Vacuous Judgment on Dele Giwa” suggesting that the judgment of Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, delivered on February 16, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1301/2021: Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda v Attorney-General of the Federation, is a futile decision.

    Although the newspaper conceded in the article that “liability for crime has no time lag or statute bar”, it nonetheless took the view that the court’s decision, in effect ordering a re-opening of investigations into the gruesome murder of the renowned journalist, Dele Giwa, more than 37 years after the incident, including the order that the perpetrators be brought to justice, “does not really excite many people who knew how muddled up this matter had been.”

    We respectfully disagree.

    Firstly, for purposes of accuracy and completeness, it is important to note that the judgment by Honourable Justice Ekwo was not about Dele Giwa alone. There were seven named journalists who have been killed in the last few decades and whose killings remain unresolved, that were referenced in the suit and in the judgment of the court. However, the judgment of the court applies to all journalists and other media practitioners killed over the years as well as journalists and other media practitioners who have been victims of other forms of attacks.

    In effect, even if one anticipates some difficulty in conducting a conclusive or successful investigation into one or more of these killings, that would not render the judgment vacuous as it offers the possibility of a successful investigation into many other cases that have remained uninvestigated, including some very recent killings.

    But more importantly, there is absolutely nothing vacuous about a judgment of a court that reaffirms the principle, established under regional and international instruments, that there should be no impunity for crimes against journalists and other media practitioners; and that validates the responsibility which states bear to properly investigate crimes against journalists and other media practitioners and ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law. There is nothing vacuous about a judgment which seeks to compel the government to perform this statutory and constitutional duty, which also constitutes an international treaty obligation.

    The judgment of the court enures to the benefit of all journalists and other media practitioners who have been victims of attacks in the past as well as for those who may similarly be attacked in the future.

    The court’s decision reflects a commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that those responsible for crimes against journalists and other media practitioners, including such gruesome acts as occurred in Dele Giwa’s case, are held accountable, regardless of the time that has passed.

    It is a commitment that should be applauded, encouraged and nurtured, no matter how late in coming we may consider it to be.

    While the Nigerian legal system faces challenges and scepticism about the effectiveness of investigations, especially considering the historical context of Dele Giwa’s case, it is crucial to recognise that justice delayed should not be justice denied.

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    The reopening of the investigation into Dele Giwa’s case specifically as well as other cases that may have gone cold, provides an opportunity to re-examine these cases with a new approach, utilising advancements in forensic technology and investigative techniques that may not have been available in the past.

    The court’s decision is an independent initiative, and any failures in the past should not serve as a deterrent to the pursuit of truth and justice today.

    We firmly believe that the reopening of the investigation into Dele Giwa’s murder is a positive development that reflects the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that justice prevails, regardless of the challenges faced. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that our system of justice can evolve and adapt to address unresolved cases, providing hope to victims’ families and fostering public confidence in the pursuit of justice.

    We are excited about the judgment and committed to ensuring that it is complied with by the relevant authorities.

    •Idowu Adewale,

    Media Rights Agenda, Lagos.

  • Cost of living: What are the governors doing?

    Cost of living: What are the governors doing?

    • By Ibrahim Mustapha

    Sir: Since the removal of petroleum subsidy by the Tinubu’s administration with its attendant painful consequences, various measures have been put in place to mitigate or address the excruciating pains many Nigerians are passing through. For instance, the federal government quickly rolled out palliative plans for civil servants, pensioners and vulnerable Nigerians. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also held a meeting with business community with a view to prevailing them to crash the cost of their commodities. Mr President also promised to give civil servants a living wage and constituted tripartite committee to work out acceptable minimum wages for working class in the country. While the federal government continues to come up with more humane policies, state governments are doing little or nothing to complement the efforts of the centre.

    With the removal of fuel subsidy, states and local government have witnessed an increase in revenues allocation through FAAC monthly meeting. Being very closer to the grassroots, one expects them to follow the federal government’s steps by putting policies in place to alleviate the excruciating hardship in their respective areas. Sadly, the state governors have remained mute. Though, the senate president, Godwin Akpabio, has recanted his earlier statement on N30billion said to have been received by state governors, there is certainly an element of truth to it.

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    Surely, no amount of interventions by the federal government will mitigate the cost of living in the country, unless state and local governments play their own role. They need to do something urgently to arrest the hunger in their localities. The federal government is determined to implement the new minimum wage by June. Will state governments toe the same path?

    Available records have indicated that state governments have continued to receive funds in billions every month. They are no longer cash-strapped. There is nothing wrong if they pay wage award to their civil servants, pensioners and vulnerable people. By doing so, millions people will be financially empowered. The perilous state of Nigeria’s economy can only bounce back to life through seamless implementation of interventions programs by the three tiers of government. It is high time state governors stopped the proverbial ostrich game and key into various intervention programs to stimulate the economy of their states and lessen financial burden on poverty stricken majority.

    •Ibrahim Mustapha,

     Pambegua, Kaduna State.

  • A call to decriminalise suicide

    A call to decriminalise suicide

    • By Ameh Abba Zion

    Sir: More than 700,000 people die by suicide every year across the world, with 77% of those deaths occurring in low-income and middle-income countries. Nigeria’s suicide rate of 17.3 per 100,000 is higher than both the estimated rates for Africa (12.0 per 100,000) and the world (10.5 per 100,000). The suicide rate in the country increased to 9.9 per 100,000 in 2015, and Nigeria is currently ranked the 15th most suicide–prone nation in the world and 7th in Africa.

    Suicidal behaviour places a heavy burden on the nation in terms of the emotional suffering that families and communities experience, as well as the economic costs associated with medical care and loss of productivity.

    Nigeria’s landscape of mental health is marked by a long-standing culture of silence and stigmatization, perpetuating the suffering of millions who grapple with mental health challenges. The widespread occurrence of issues like anxiety and depression, along with more serious mental health conditions, has reached concerning proportions.  The stigma associated with mental health makes matters worse by discouraging people from getting help.

    A study conducted in Nigeria among adolescents shows that at least 20% of adolescents have had suicidal ideation, and at least 12% have attempted suicide. Globally, suicide is the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10-24. This is a complex and sensitive topic that demands our attention, understanding, and, most importantly, action to ensure that support is provided to those in need.

    Despite the alarming statistics, suicide is criminalized in Nigeria under the Criminal Code (s. 327). Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year. Also in the Penal Code, whoever attempts to commit suicide and does an act towards the commission of that offense shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, with a fine, or with both.” This legal framework not only adds an unnecessary layer of distress to those contemplating suicide but also impedes efforts to address the root causes of this grave issue. Rather than provide the support and compassion needed, the law further isolates and stigmatizes individuals struggling with mental health challenges.

    In the last year and a half, suicide has been decriminalized in four countries: Ghana, Malaysia, Guyana, and Pakistan, which advocates claim is a sign of increased knowledge and comprehension of mental health. We must therefore learn from these countries, continue advocating for the repeal of laws criminalizing suicide, and replace them with legislation that emphasizes mental health support and intervention. By doing so, we take a significant step toward breaking down the barriers preventing those in crisis from seeking help.

    In addition to progressive legislation, a national suicide prevention strategy needs to be in place in Nigeria, along with adequate funding and resources allocated to mental health programs, facilities, and awareness campaigns. Education about mental health should be integrated into school curricula, workplaces, and community spaces to foster a culture of understanding and empathy.

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    Breaking the silence on suicide requires a collective effort from the government and the general public. Strengthening economic support and improving quality and access to healthcare at both primary and secondary care levels will help reduce untreated mental health conditions that can lead to people taking their lives by suicide.

    Community-driven initiatives can play a crucial role in creating a more compassionate and understanding society that will identify and support people at risk, which will help promote connectedness. Open conversations about mental health need to become the norm, destigmatizing seeking help and encouraging support networks for those in need.

    Decriminalizing suicide is not just a legal matter; it’s a human rights issue that calls for a fundamental shift in our societal approach to mental health.

    •Ameh Abba Zion,

    Abuja.

  • State police: The way forward

    State police: The way forward

    • By Nurudeen Dauda

    Sir: There is no gainsaying the fact that the current centralized policing system in the country has a lot of challenges from shortages of personnel, poor remuneration, poor working condition, inadequate operational vehicles, lack of modern communication gadgets, delay in promotion, and to gross underfunding etc.

    There is a general consensus among Nigerians that the Nigerian Police does not have the capacity to properly police the nooks and crannies of the country due to the above-mentioned challenges. However, there is no consensus on the best way to address the said challenges.

    Opinions are sharply divided among Nigerians from all the geo-political zones with some advocating for state police as the best way to address the challenges of the force and make it better while others are still advocating for the continuation of the centralized policing system despite its challenges.

    From around 2010 when the issue began to take centre stage, virtually all governors from the south have been in support of state police while northern governors have been generally sceptical about the issue. However, most governors from the north have now joined the advocacy for state police as the best way to address the challenges of the force.

    It is apt to state that a lot of the scepticism being expressed on state police largely by northerners is due to their ugly experiences under the so-called the ‘Yan-Doka (the Native Authority Police) during the colonial and the post-independence era. There were allegations of political victimization, vendetta, and torture against the opposition parties by the ‘Yan-Doka on behalf of the powers that be.

    The opponents of state police base their argument on the insinuation that state governors may use it for political victimization and vendetta against the opposition parties. In addition, they argue that Nigerians may not freely stay in all parts of the country as provided by the constitution. They often cite instances of where citizens whose grandparents were born in some states of the federation, but are seen and treated as “settlers” not “indigenes”. They further argue that there are all sorts of discrimination against them in terms of indigene certificates, business permits and premises issuance. Discriminatory policies that affect their means of livelihood are often introduced.

    With the economic situation of the country and competing demands from the public service, the federal government will always find an excuse for its inadequate funding of the centralized policing system of the country.

    Nigeria is grossly under policed with only about 400, 000 policemen to over 200 million people. Even with the said numbers, Mike Okiro, a former IGP and former chairman Police Service Commission once said: “ …more than 150,000 police officers are attached to Very Important Personalities (VIPs) and unauthorized persons”.

    Going by Okiro’s assertion it means only about 250,000 policemen work for ordinary Nigerians. By United Nations standard, a country is supposed to have one fully equipped as well as well-motivated police officer to 400 persons. By the said standard we are supposed to have over one million policemen. Based on what we have therefore, it means we have a deficit of over 600,000 policemen.

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    However, it is important to note that, in the first Republic (1960-1966) we had three types of police in Nigeria: (1) the federal police, (2) the regional police, (3) and the Native Authority Police (NA). In fact, that arrangement lasted up to 1969 before it was abolished by the military.

    My suggestion is that since opinions have remained divided, let us have a hybrid policing system where the centralized policing system under the federal government remains and then allow any state that could afford it to establish its own state police. It should be made optional among states. The federal police should continue to operate alongside the state police force that may be established by those states that could afford it.

    This means police matters should be in the concurrent legislative list where the federal, states and even the local governments should have powers. This approach will go a long way to increase the number of personnel that we badly need to police the large swathes of our ungoverned territory.

    •Nurudeen Dauda,

    Kaduna.

  • Enemies of Nigeria

    Enemies of Nigeria

    • By Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar

    Sir: Fantasy, you call it, romanticizing with the unhealthy idea of bloody change of government has become the pastime more especially among the Generation-Z and selfish power mongers. Those dreaming that they will wake up one morning to hear over their transistor radios, martial music, will be put to shame.

    In their weird imagination, a messiah wearing military camouflage is enough to fix our problems. But we know that this is a blatant lie.

    Those who bother to read history will tell you that coup d’état begets coup d’états. Violent revolution is more accompanied by massive purges and execution of counter-revolutionaries.

    One of the most illustrious revolutions in history was the French Revolution of 1789. To be fair, the revolution brought about far-reaching political and social changes not only in France but all over Europe.  It led to the abolition of feudalism, and special privileges enjoyed by the first and second estates, for instance, in France. But on the downside, most of the leaders who spearheaded the revolution were executed. They were tagged “counter-revolutionaries” and killed. The next was that Napoleon Bonaparte emerged and unleashed war all over Europe that cost lot of lives until he was defeated in 1815.

    Russian experienced a revolution. But when Joseph Stalin succeeded V I Lenin, it was a reign of terror. The communist policy under Stalin led to the death of six million peasants by hunger and starvation. Fifteen million Russians were sent to prison, 250,000 were shot dead and 2.5 million peasants were exiled to Siberia.

    In Africa, the model coup d’état were those of Murtala Muhammed and Thomas Sankara in the Burkina Faso. But the time and context were totally different compared with present day Africa. In addition, these military leaders did not last long. In Africa, we have a mentality of fantasizing with short-lived rulers. In addition, you can hardly now pinpoint any surviving legacies of these rulers. This is the major shortcoming of authoritarianism.

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    While democracy thrives through institutionalization, strongman rule breeds personality cult that never leads to any long lasting impact. Strong rulers die with their legacies.

    The military who delve into politics are the most corrupt elites in Africa. They are the enemies of Africa. In Nigeria for instance, one former military ruler couldn’t account $12 billion proceeds of oil windfall. Another late military ruler squandered humongous wealth of the country that some of the recovered loots are now being used to fund the renovation of Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, Abuja-Zaria-Kano Express Way, Second Niger Bridge and Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway.

    Military intervention in politics stirs instability, human rights violation, economic and diplomatic crises.

    Nigeria cannot afford military rule/intervention. Our constitution specifically gives power to the people. Let us not mortgage our future.

    •Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar,

     Unguwa Katsina.

  • Akeredolu: Adieu, soldier of liberation

    Akeredolu: Adieu, soldier of liberation

    • By Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye

    Sir: Still bearing the painful loss of their governor, Oluwarotim Akeredolu, the entirety of the people and friends of Ondo state mourns the loss of a true leader, a visionary, and a soldier of liberation. Reflecting on his tenure as the governor of Ondo state, many in Ondo state and beyond will agree that his impact was profound, his legacy enduring. Akeredolu’s achievements in Ondo State are numerous and far-reaching, touching the lives of countless individuals across the region, regardless of class and caste. Many will attest to his commitment to infrastructure development, security, healthcare improvement, and education reform has left an everlasting mark on the landscape of the state.

    Through his policies and initiatives, he transformed Ondo State into a beacon of progress and opportunity. In the face of rising insecurity and threat to the safety of his people, Akeredolu stood firm in his resolve to protect the lives and properties of the citizens of Ondo State. Under his leadership, Amotekun became a beacon of hope, a symbol of resistance against external aggression. Akeredolu’s firm stance against marauding herdsmen demonstrated his unwavering commitment to defending the interests of his people. In the face of adversity, he remained steadfast, refusing to back down or compromise on matters of security and sovereignty.

    His courage and determination inspired us all to stand tall in the face of oppression and injustice. His administration ensured there was balance, even in the stomach infrastructure, hence his unwavering support for the agricultural sector, implementing policies and initiatives to boost food production and create employment opportunities for the people of Ondo State. His focus on agribusiness and rural development empowered farmers and revitalized rural communities, laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth and prosperity.

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    I have always known Akeredolu to be a man who foresees the future. His watchword is that youths are the nation’s tomorrow. He prioritized youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, launching various programs and initiatives aimed at equipping young people with the skills and resources they need to succeed in the modern economy. His efforts to promote innovation and creativity among the youth of Ondo State have paved the way for a brighter future for generations to come. Perhaps most notably, Akeredolu’s pivotal role in ensuring that power did not remain entrenched in the North in 2023 cannot be overstated. Through his astute leadership and strategic manoeuvring, he helped to shift the political landscape of Nigeria, opening up new possibilities for progress and development.

    Governor Akeredolu’s legacy is one of integrity, vision, and service. He came, he saw, and he conquered, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who knew him. And for me, his journey was not just political, but personal, a testament to the power of passion and dedication in the pursuit of a better tomorrow. As we bade farewell to this remarkable leader last weekend, let us honour his memory by rededicating ourselves to the ideals of justice, equality, and unity that he held so dear. The Nigerian government is implored to immortalize his legacy, to honour his unwavering commitment to the welfare and prosperity of his people. May his soul rest in peace, knowing that his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him.

    • Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye,

     London, United Kingdom.