The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Tinubu’s certificate: Much ado about nothing 

    Tinubu’s certificate: Much ado about nothing 

    • Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu

    Sir: The Nigerian political realm has gone far beyond the confines of acceptable civility, now roiling and twisting and fast degenerating into an embittered field where losers are no longer comfortable with the dignity of sportsmanship and quietly accept defeat and walk gently into the good night. 

    Even bitterness must have a cordon, a confined spatiality where we must accept what fate has thrust upon us. It is foolish to play God when you know you are beaten. The enlightened sportsman washes off the bruises, seeks for balm of relief rather than a futile bashing of his head against an annihilating boulder.

    Nigeria is full of hypocritical scribblers and tendentious hallelujah chorus who could argue with equivocal mouthing depending on the flourish of the season. They would crucify and flagellate anyone in sponsored mercenary prattle, manufacturing hideous tales, spewing monstrosities to defile a foe. 

    Here facts don’t matter. Here truth is distorted, warped in dangerous, sadistic venom to destroy, to decimate, to vilify in the most heathen malicious tirade.

    Selective truth is now an art. Pseudo academics, stripped of the rigor of enlightened articulations, have withdrawn into polemical thuggery, mistaken chaotic mud-slinging for a debate, usurping riotous fury for pellucid engagement. Not true. 

    The Chicago expedition is obvious to the knowing as a failed, flawed, crude, sinister enterprise; a mockery of all that is decent and fair. 

    Nit-picking; the widening of tiny human errors, the deliberate aggravation of our common flaws, does not ennoble.  It does not elevate the sanctimonious.  No! 

    It is the ultimate refuge of the malignant; the hate-filled, the irreparably damaged cowardly loser, blindly scavenging for anything, anything at all, no matter how petty and incongruous, just to revenge and bring down the destined promptings of the hour. 

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    Pray, what is in a diploma that is confirmed and affirmed by the designated authorities? The clerical error that could creep into any document, the easily explainable typographical indications? 

    Atiku is pushing the bounds of civility. He appears woven in the incurable loser’s syndrome.  Angry and bitter, mournful with unforgiving lust for vengeance.

    But he keeps forgetting that God gives power to whom He wants at any particular time. This much is signposted in all the Holy writs. You can’t query the Heavens. Heraclitus is right: “The Fates are just. The gods give us but our own.”

    It is true: The ways of God are not the ways of man.  

    The Waziri of Adamawa should know when to quit. Surely, the election is won and lost. There is a sitting president in the person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. You may not like it. You may not approve of the man. But you can’t eviscerate reality if it is God ordained.  The nation must move on.  We can’t be halted forever on a solitary, intemperate, venomous crusade. When is Enough is Enough.

    •Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu,

    Lagos.

  • CSU certificate saga and Atiku’s voyage of vanity

    CSU certificate saga and Atiku’s voyage of vanity

    By Ifeonu Okolo

    SIR: Nothing can be more deadly in the life of a man than vanity. Vanity has the potential to cause a man to carry out any negative action so long as it can achieve its perceived end.

    Vanity in most cases arises when the life of the individual has become empty. He thus needs something to fill the void. To do this, vanity is always waiting by the side to assist.

    The loss of power is an excrescence of vanity. This comes when the individual has lost the purpose of life on earth and thus is looking for something to keep him busy. To that end, respect for others is thrown to the dogs. A vain man has no respect for others, because, he is motivated by vanity. He does not have respect for himself.

    Otherwise, what could have motivated the former candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election, Atiku Abubakar to go hunting for his opponent’s educational certificates? Nothing but vanity. 

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    After the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal validated the election of President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar in his loss of power, spurred on by vanity moved to peep into Bola Tinubu’s educational record in Chicago State University (CSU), if not for nothing, but to ridicule the sitting president and cast aspersion at his well-earned reputation.

    Unfortunately for him, his search met a brick wall with the pronouncement of the registrar of the institution, Caleb Westberg who under oath declared that Tinubu was their student and thus graduated from the university with honours.

    But even with that, vanity will not allow Atiku to rest. His desperation for the seat of the nation’s presidency is too strong to give him peace. What next should we expect from him? Probably a probe to find out if the current president was the one who was employed by ExxonMobil and Deloitte.

    If not satisfied with the answer he will receive, he may also want to probe if the sitting president was the same Bola Tinubu who once governed Lagos State.

    Thus far goes vanity in that Atiku Abubakar has forgotten that it is the same Bola Tinubu he is struggling to defame that once offered him the platform of his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to contest for presidency when his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo chased him out of the PDP.

    A vain man is never grateful no matter the good done to him. Often, he sees the good done to him as his birth right. Hence the question now is, Atiku, what next? 

    Now that you have received what you were not expecting, I guess you are ready to tender the documents at the Supreme Court with the hope that it would convince the justices to pronounce you the winner of the previous presidential election.

    Otherwise, he should be made to realize that his voyage of vanity can drag him before the same justices for libel and defamation. His actions amount to defamation of the holder of the nation’s highest office; and by extension, Nigeria as a country.

    • Ifeonu Okolo, Asaba, Delta State.

  • Open letter to Peoples Democratic Party

    Open letter to Peoples Democratic Party

    By Reno Omokri

    SIR: It has been said that a person’s worst enemy is the individual who feeds their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The 2023 election is over. Peter Obi defeated us, not Bola Tinubu. By contesting in an election he knew he could not win, Peter Obi stole away votes that would naturally have come to the Peoples Democratic Party (the Southeast has always voted PDP since 1999. Only 2023 was an exception). That is why we lost.

    As a true friend of the Peoples Democratic Party, I told Peter Obi this before the election. I also said the same thing to Waziri Atiku Abubakar. I said if we did not find a way to convince Peter Obi not to run, then we would have to take him on head-on because there was not enough space for both him and Waziri Atiku Abubakar on the plinth of victory. But that is now history.

    The fact of the matter is that the current trajectory of our party is very and eerily similar to the election denial that prevailed in the Republican Party after the 2020 election. Pinning all our hopes on a smoking gun from Chicago State University that failed to manifest shows that we have reached the end of our ropes.

    Let us face the truth. AriseTV and other irresponsible media got our hopes up unnecessarily. Chicago State University never denied Bola Tinubu. A meticulous reading of Caleb Westberg’s deposition shows that he affirmed Tinubu three times as a bona fide graduate they once issued with a diploma certificate.

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    Under normal circumstances, it would be apparent to us that there is no case here. Chicago State University, through its registrar, Westberg, has testified under oath that Bola Tinubu, the male now President of Nigeria, was admitted, attended and graduated from their institution.

    They never denied his credentials. What they said, both in their affidavit and the deposition that followed is that they could not attest to the diploma tendered by Bola Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission, not because Bola Tinubu did not graduate from their university, but because a third party vendor issued it, and certificates are more of “a Nigerian thing”.

    In case members of my party do not know, in November of 2022, this same Mike Enahoro-Ebah had attempted to disqualify Tinubu on exactly these same grounds that we are following today, and an FCT Magistrate Court struck out his case without being assigned. And then we think the Supreme Court will give credence to what a magistrate court dismissed?

    What do we now want to prove at the Supreme Court, even in the unlikely event we are allowed to present new evidence? That Bola Tinubu forged a diploma for a degree that he legitimately earned? If not for desperation, why would the great Peoples Democratic Party that produced Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan even consider clutching at such a weak straw? It is like saying a man forged a cheque for an account in his name!

    Bola Tinubu’s political foes have clutched at this straw before in 1999 and 2003 and failed. And that is what we now want to hold onto for survival in 2023? Twenty years after it failed?

    The people behind this desperation are almost all agents of Peter Obi, and they don’t love Waziri Atiku Abubakar or the PDP. To them, it is a clever strategy of using Waziri to fight Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, hoping that they cancel each other and that a rerun election is ordered, which Peter Obi will win. They fail to consider that as of today and the foreseeable future, that is yes daddily impossible.

    Whether through rigging or by fair play, we were outsmarted by Bola Tinubu during the #NigerianElections2023. Our redemption as a party will not come from Chicago. It will come from facing reality and ensuring we do not have a divided house in 2027.

    I have been more loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party than those now trying to make something out of nothing. And if I cannot tell my party the truth, then to borrow the words of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:19, I am of all men most miserable!

    • Reno Omokri, renoomokri@yahoo.co.uk

  • Nigeria’s finished wine versus England’s elusive cup

    Nigeria’s finished wine versus England’s elusive cup

    By Emma Akaolisa

    SIR: During the final game of the Women World Cup 2023 between Spain and England, held in Australia and New Zealand, I earnestly wanted England to win the trophy even though they were the ones who knocked Nigeria out of the competition. So it would have been rational for me to give my support to whoever England was playing in the subsequent rounds. Unfortunately, England lost the game to Spain by a lone goal.

    I wanted England to lift the trophy simply because of sympathy. They last won a major trophy in 1966 and even though they are regarded as a home to football and have come close at different times in clinching another cup, they just never make it. A nation’s search for a cup has become my cup of tea.

    But how does England’s cup relate to Nigeria?

     When I see England fans in stadiums, cafes and pubs watching with hope and keen interest the games England play, I feel they deserve to be rewarded with a trophy, just the way Nigerians also hope to see Nigeria find its mojo in the committee of global transformation stories.

    The main relationship between these two countries is that England colonized Nigeria and granted it independence in the year 1960; Nigeria has a heavy presence in England, being a top destination for those leaving the giant of Africa. It’s been 63 years now and though we try always to be optimistic, Nigeria’s story is a melodramatic one where gloom seems to impose itself as the director and yet main actor, who from time to time gives little stage time to joy.

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    From coups and counter coups, civil war, bad and continuously deteriorating leadership, poor socio-political cohesion, institutionalization of corruption with its attending effects, multi-dimensional crisis, and insecurity, Nigeria has had it rough. A wedding party was arranged for it in 1960, but it had no wine to sustain merriness for a nation to bring about development, unity and livelihood, or maybe there was wine but it was consumed too early. If so, then by who?

     It is important to note that the year 1966 is an important one for England and Nigeria; Nigeria witnessed its first coup leading to the civil war in 1966 and England won its last trophy in 1966. Did England forget its precious cup in the wedding when it was leaving Nigeria and mistakenly left with Nigeria’s wine instead? There’s no science to support this or a superstition to make such inference, lest when England wins a tournament in few months from now and Nigeria has still not found its wine of nationhood, this writer might be shamed. But if an exchange will solve the problem on both sides, then it is a welcome development.

     Nigeria needs a miracle for it has tried everything; saints and sinful leaders, military and democracy, wealth and austerity, change upon change, but all to no avail. Nigeria needs a miracle.

     It should be noted that this metaphorical wine is for all, as some may seek to excuse themselves from the responsibility of a call to action. Nigeria must experience the sustained joy of a nation which has eluded it for a greater part of its existence. The garden is ready with human resources, oil, gas and minerals, agriculture, and every other good thing. May Nigeria find and fix its winepress and England its cup.  

    • Emma Akaolisa, akaolisa1987@gmail.com

  • Why Nigeria needs to ramp up effort against illicit drugs 

    Why Nigeria needs to ramp up effort against illicit drugs 

    By Agbontaen Okogun

    SIR: Nigeria was recently in the limelight as it hosted 54 other African nations in the 31st Meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Africa (HONLAF) and 15 observer countries in Abuja.

    Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was the chair of the conference where African countries and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) deliberate on wide-ranging topics on trends in illicit drugs trafficking on the continent.  

    The conference showed another facet of Nigeria’s leadership on the continent. While this is Nigeria’s third time hosting the HONLAF, the 31st edition is proof of trust in the new leadership of the NDLEA and the transformation that has taken place in the past 26 months. 

    The NDLEA under Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) has, as of September, has arrested 32,922 drug traffickers and dealers, among them 38 drug barons. The agency has seized 6,286 tons of illicit drug substances including variants of cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine and other forms of New Psychoactive Substances, NPS. Just as well, cash and drugs worth more than N565 billion were also seized between January 2015 to June 2023. For the first time, Nigeria’s anti-narcotic effort is leaving a big dent on the drug underworld with 5, 495 convictions in court already recorded while 11,166 other cases are in various stages in the court. 

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    In other areas, such as counselling and rehabilitation, where the agency recorded not less than 23, 833 persons, and in the destruction of 878 hectares of cannabis farms, NDLEA has achieved remarkable results. 

    HONLAF is another testimony that NDLEA’s effort is being recognised beyond the shores of this country. This should be a motivation for citizens to support NDLEA’s quest to safeguard the health of our society against illicit substances.

    It is heartening to hear our government give its commitment to the fight against illicit substances . Vice President Kashim Shettima, who delivered President Bola Tinubu’s address at the opening ceremony stated that commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse is not just a matter of policy but a moral imperative.

    “We recognise that a population at war with drugs is not a dividend but a liability. We believe that the future of our youth, the strength of our institutions, and the well-being of our communities depend on our ability to eradicate this threat,” he had stated.

    The government’s expressed commitment is a cue for the citizenry to follow suit.

    If anything, the HONLAF should further impress the Nigerian populace with the seriousness that must be accorded to the fight against the drug scourge. The gathering of heads of anti-narcotics organisations in Nigeria has shown that it is a problem that every country in the continent is grappling with. We must rally round NDLEA to sustain the momentum so that our country will not be left behind but continue to take the front seat in securing our country and the continent at large. 

    • Agbontaen Okogun, Benin City, Edo State. 

  • Terrible injustice of mob justice

    Terrible injustice of mob justice

    Sir: Nigeria’s seemingly unstoppable guillotine of mob justice has claimed yet another victim  with the brutal killing of Fwinbe Thomas Gofwan by a mob in Jos for stealing a car he owned, by all accounts. 

    In Nigeria, the mob that has shown itself lurking and lethal in Sokoto State, the Federal Capital Territory, as well as Delta State usually moves with such lightning ferocity whenever there is a sacrifice to be made.

    In May 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, had life brutally snuffed out of her by a mob in the state over a WhatsApp audio message. More than a year later, the police are yet to bring the culprits to book.

    History was to repeat itself in Sokoto State in June when Usman Buda, a butcher, was lynched by a mob over allegations of blasphemy, to further present Sokoto as the state where people are freely killed by feral mobs.

    If anyone thought the problem was limited to Sokoto, they were exposed as sorely mistaken by events which transpired in Jos on Monday,  September 25. 

    On that day, Fwinbe Thomas Gofwan, a 35-year-old student of the prestigious College of St. Joseph, Vom, was making his routine business rounds when he was accused of stealing a vehicle he has owned since last year. In the twinkle of an eye, he was stoned and clubbed to death by a mob reportedly said to be chiefly constituted by okada riders.

     The Police is said to have arrested the prime suspect. While nothing can be taken away from the mechanics of justice which would  no doubt go a long way in comforting the living and the dead, this would stick for a long time.

    If mob justice has claimed yet another scalp in Nigeria, it is because not enough has been done to serve justice to past victims of mob justice.

    Among many Nigerians, especially the countless those who cannot count themselves among the high and mighty, there is an overwhelming sense of frustration and even dread at the spectacular failures of justice. For many Nigerians, justice here is not simply as it should be. It is not just agonizingly slow to come, but when the circumstances and finances are clear and firm, justice is available to the highest bidder.

    So, it is easy to feel the distrust many people have for the law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies here.  This distrust usually morphs into deadly frustration when the mob gets to a suspect before the police do.  For the mob in such situations, the police would either be too slow to prosecute, or too corrupt to prosecute. So, they go in really hard, stoning, beating, clubbing, maiming, or even lynching.

    Whenever a mob execution is being carried out, apart from the executioners, there are typically the spectators whose role is to watch and cover.

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    That many people in Nigeria are hardly horrified by mob justice which is usually the gory killing of another speaks to a society that has not just lost its compassion, but has also taken leave of its senses.

    At its core, mob justice is a failure of justice. When sticks, hooks, stones, clubs, fire and other instruments of death become the favourite tools of dispensing justice rather than the refined tools of the law, justice fails to serve the victims, and catch the perpetrators.

    Maybe if those who killed Deborah were cooling their heels in some government correctional facility having been convicted of their heinous crimes, those who killed Fwinbe would have been forced into a rethink.

    Perhaps they would have been forced to shelve their murderous rage and leave the clubs, stones, and sticks where they should.

    Fwinbe’s agonizing death also brings into question the issue of law enforcement in a country as diverse as Nigeria, particularly the response time of security agents in situations of life and death.

    Perhaps, if the police had responded in seconds when the killers descended on Fwinbe, he would still be alive as the murderous pack would have been dispersed.

    Now that the deed has been done, the Nigerian Police should do all they can to fish out his killers and bring them to book. All those who cast a stone at or wielded a stick at an innocent young man must be made to face the law. When they are arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated, it would be a damning rebuke of all those who made an innocent man die in the most agonizing manner.

    Better still, it will be justice, served pure and undiluted.

    • Kene Obiezu keneobiezu@gmail.com
  • Yobe State’s unfulfilled promises

    Yobe State’s unfulfilled promises

    Sir: Shortly after the swearing-in of Mai Mala Buni as the governor of Yobe State in 2019, he took on himself, the task of reviving education in the state. The governor established a task force under the leadership of Prof. Muhammad Daura, who, after its work, presented the findings on education to the governor on August 5, 2019.

    Following the outcome of these findings, it was decided that new primary and secondary schools would be constructed, while some existing schools would undergo rehabilitation. The government also promised to provide adequate learning equipment and facilities, offer special training for teachers, and consider promotions for them.

    Despite these promises, there have been no reported promotions for the teachers. Also, the construction of new science schools and which the governor promised establishing in every senatorial zone has gone unaddressed.

    Also, the government launched an appeal fund for the revival of education at the state level, building on the initiatives of each local government and the joint efforts of youth groups and other organizations. The total sum collected from the appeal was N25 billion.

    However, it appears that the Yobe State government is yet to effectively utilise the fund to improve the educational system in the state. For instance, the Government Secondary School (GSS) Damaturu remains a boarding school without adequate learning materials. The quality of food provided to students is also sub-par.

    Injiwaji Primary School Damaturu faces issues of severe overcrowding, with up to 200 or 150 students in a single class, making learning challenging. Additionally, shortage of educational materials and furniture further hampers the learning process. The Government Girls Unity College Damaturu, another boarding school in the town, also lacks proper conditions for learning and growth.

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    Government Day Secondary School Damaturu suffers from a lack of learning materials, despite having over 150 students in a single class.

    These issues are not limited to the state capital alone; all 17 local governments in the state face similar challenges with their schools.

    The Yobe State Education Appeal Fund collected a substantial sum of N25 billion. The citizens demand transparency and accountability regarding the allocation and utilization of these funds. Why hasn’t the education situation in the state improved as expected?

    Democracy is a government for the people, and the citizens deserve a comprehensive explanation regarding the use of the funds.

    • Ibrahim Abubakar, University of Maiduguri.
  • Who wants to be a teacher?

    Who wants to be a teacher?

    Sir: In many parts of the world, October 5 of every year is observed as World Teachers’ Day. Also known as International Teachers’ Day, it is a day that celebrates the incredible role that teachers all over the world play and their important contribution to society. This year marks the 29th anniversary of World Teachers’ Day, and the theme for this year is: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.”

    On October 5, 1966, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) signed a recommendation concerning the “Status of Teachers.” This guidance hoped to target and investigate the status and situation of teachers across the world. From their working conditions, recruitment, rights, and responsibilities, this historic recommendation set a high standard of practice in the workplace.

    To recognize this significant anniversary and commemorate the signing of the 1966 document, UNESCO created International Teachers’ Day in 1994. The focus is aimed primarily at the issues faced by teachers and the goals outlined in the recommendation. 

    Being a teacher can be a difficult but rewarding job. Teachers work hard to inspire, guide, educate and mentor us every day. Teaching is an inspiring profession that leaves a lasting impact on every child’s life, no matter how big or small it may seem.

    Teachers provide education for all ages, children to adults, and in a diverse field of studies. Teachers need to have standards in place to protect and look out for them, to enable them to carry out their job and continue to make a difference in and out of the classroom, and in their local communities. By raising awareness of the importance of teaching and the current issues affecting teachers, the hope is that it will in turn improve the quality of education.

    Teachers lay the essential foundation for a person’s education. However, it has to be admitted that the teaching profession is a demanding one which presents many challenges – from inadequate pay to inferior classroom conditions; from excessive paperwork to oversize classes; from disrespect and violence to a lack of concern on the part of parents/guardians. Being a teacher is not at all easy. It demands a great deal of self-sacrifice. Also, with the declining economy, life has not been easy for many teachers. And poor remuneration has always discouraged people from moving into the teaching profession. Nevertheless, despite the difficulties and drawbacks, many teachers still persevere in their chosen profession.

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    What motivates them? While most teachers are motivated by their love for children, others are influenced by their desire to help less fortunate people. Still others are encouraged when they see the successes of their students, and receive praise and appreciation for their efforts in teaching them. In spite of all the challenges, setbacks and disappointments, many teachers still derive great joy from their work.

    So, what makes a successful teacher? Unless a teacher is convinced of the value of education and is also interested in young people, it is impossible for him or her to become a good, successful, motivated and satisfied teacher. A good teacher instills confidence in those he teaches and makes learning a fascinating challenge. A good teacher recognizes each student’s potential and knows how to make it blossom and flourish. To get the best out of each child, the teacher must discover what interests or motivates him or her and what makes the child tick, and a dedicated teacher must love children.

    William Ayers, a teacher, said: “Good teaching requires most of all, a thoughtful, caring teacher committed to the lives of students. Good teaching is not a matter of specific techniques or styles, plans or actions. . . . Teaching is primarily a matter of love.”

    While so much is expected of the teaching profession though, so often the dedicated educators in our schools receive little public praise for their efforts. It is good to note that teachers thrive on commendation too. The government, parents and students should highly esteem them and their services.

    How grateful we should be to those women and men who provoked our curiosity, who stirred the mind and heart, who showed us how to satisfy our thirst for knowledge and understanding – our teachers!

    • Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos.
  • Palliatives: Whither military pensioners?

    Palliatives: Whither military pensioners?

    Sir: The federal government has just rolled out an impressive package of palliatives to cushion the short-term effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on the Nigerian masses. The least paid federal government worker would get additional N25,000 paid to his/her salary every month, for six months (making a total of N150,000 for the least paid worker),15 million vulnerable households each to be paid N25,000 every month, for three months, (Oct – Dec), making a total of N75,000 to each vulnerable household. There are plans to give tax waivers, cheap loan or grants to small and medium businesses to assist them survive the hard time. There is another plan for cheaper public transport, and more.

    In all of this, we are not able to see where military pensioners and other non-pensionable veterans belong in the palliatives coverage. We have already been agitating against the minimally-paid allowances/entitlements which the last finance minister said there was no money then to pay us. Now, the economic inflation situation has worsened,  the federal government now has more money and has designed palliatives package for Nigerians in general,  it appears as if we are not accommodated in the package, as if we are supposed to quietly die off unnoticed.

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    Military pensions belong among the charges on federal government treasury, just like serving personnel and other federal government workers. And, who is more vulnerable person than most military pensioners in Nigeria? Many of them have injuries related to the years of active service, and the health effects deteriorate with age, so they spend much of their meagre monthly pension on drugs. Good effort is being made by Defence authorities to improve the present minimal scope of health insurance coverage of treatments, but much still remains to be done in that respect. Also, we were already agitating for an upward review of our pension before the present hard time set in.

    We pray that someone somewhere would, as a matter of duty and concern, raise the case for military pensioners to the level of the Presidency. There is no doubt that President Bola Tinubu would immediately address it and even do more.

    If nothing is done now over this issue in our usual Nigerian attitude of waiting late for fire-brigade approach, then we should be prepared for a mass peaceful protest on January 15, 2024 (Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration) at Abuja, as our last resort to draw the attention of Mr President to our plight. We have paid our dues in patriotic service to this nation.

    God Bless Nigeria.

    •Azubike Nass,

    Enugu.

  • Let the Big Brother Nigeria show be!

    Let the Big Brother Nigeria show be!

    Sir: Like the metaphorical tree that gets stoned every time it bears fruit by the good, the bad and the ugly, the Big Brother Nigeria show comes under fire from Nigerians who point out all the reasons young people shouldn’t watch the show. The government has been requested to outrightly ban the show from airing on national television for one specific reason: moral decadence. It is obvious that the show has attracted those who want to criticize it without considering the positive social impact it could have. I believe a shift in emphasis toward the show’s positive effects is long overdue.

    The Big Brother Nigeria television show is an informational program. It is not only intended to entertain the audience, but it is also intended to provide vital information necessary for navigating life and society, as well as to educate the audience on important life issues. The weekly wager tasks, arena games, Head of House challenges, sponsorship challenges, guest appearances, and special events that comprise most of the reality show not only provide the ideal opportunity for housemates to showcase their talents and anything within their coffers, but also add to the excitement generated by the show. Housemates are expected to pool their skills and talents to complete these tasks, either as a team or individually.  They must also use their creativity, physical endurance, and mental prowess in tandem with cognitive and critical thinking and develop various strategies to win these challenges.

    The question we must ask ourselves is: If we were given the chance to be housemates like those in the show, would we be able to entertain the audience differently from other housemates?

    Do we really have anything to add to the show that hasn’t been shown in previous seasons? Drunken revelry, total disrespect for oneself and others, an inability to feel shame and embarrassment, bad behavior and toxicity, the inability to live and coexist peacefully amongst ourselves, the inability to hold different opinions and perspectives on a particular discourse without it degenerating into an exchange of words and insults, with a lack of decorum and no thought for posterity.

    All these are the obvious vices we see in the show. However, behind these vices and hidden underneath this display of lack of values is the fact that what we see in the show is a typical reflection of our present society. This moral decadence, the loss of all the values that made us who we are, and the subtle degeneration of our society to get rich quick syndrome, explains why people all over the country are looking for any way to get into the big brother house, because being in the big brother house automatically translates into wealth and fame, whether deserved or not.

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    Contrary to popular opinion, I do not believe that canceling the show is the best solution. If we all agree that the show is a wake-up call to what our society has become and has the potential to reform society, then we must ensure that the right people who can model the values we wish to see in society attend the show.

    The show’s organizers must revise their selection criteria to emphasize excellence and merit over mediocrity and arrogant ignorance. Selection criteria should no longer be based on how people are willing to let go of their shame and value just to impress a viewing public, but it must be on how long people are willing to hold on to their values in other to be better role models and excellent representation of the Nigerian society.

    We must collectively demand that the organizers provide us with housemates with the right talents and skill set, candidates who have great business acumen, great leadership skills and evidence to support them, and people with good sportsmanship so that every task and sponsorship challenge does not devolve into a loud shouting match. The organizers must ensure that these housemates are knowledgeable of national affairs so that the viewing audience, especially the children, are not insulted by the display of proud ignorance.

    Even the Big Brother House needs to reflect the dignity represented by the horses on the Nigerian coat of arms. Every individual taking up a spot in the big brother’s house must be deserving of the position. The entire show must represent the highest standards possible, a gathering of the best of the best, so that the values we want to see in our society can be perfectly modelled.

    •Adaora Emehel,

    Nazarbayev University,

    Astana Kazakhstan.