The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • Wukari University now destined for ceaseless ascent

    Wukari University now destined for ceaseless ascent

    By Iysa Ade Bello

    Most pre-eminent is our profound thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for deeming us suitable for what I reckon is a historic assignment.  It is historic because here we are to do a harmonious collaboration to conscientiously provide leadership for the citadel of learning established to shape the future of our beloved youngsters.

    I personally feel humbled and honoured to chair this inaugural meeting of the newly constituted council of the esteemed university. It is a pivotal moment for us to commence collective charting of the course of this institution into a future of excellence, relevance, and global impact.

    Our nation, Nigeria, is at a precipice of unprecedented potential. With a burgeoning population, rich natural resources, and a youthful spirit, the stage is set for greatness. Yet, to harness this potential, we need institutions of higher learning that are not merely repositories of knowledge, but catalysts of transformation. 

    Our university must be at the vanguard of this transformation. With our team, the Federal University of Wukari is destined for ceaseless ascent by God’s grace

    The world is evolving at an exponential pace. Technological advancements, globalization, and societal shifts are reshaping every facet of human existence. To remain competitive, we must adapt, innovate, and lead. 

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    As a veteran university scholar myself, I must register it with everyone here that I’m committed to this university to being more than an ivory tower and I want to enjoin you to share that vision with me.

    This university deserves to be a living, breathing organism, deeply rooted in the challenges and aspirations of our people. We must bridge the gap between academia and society, ensuring that our research and teaching intensify the focus on pressing issues confronting our nation.

    Agriculture, the backbone of our economy, presents an immense opportunity. Our university must be a hub for agricultural research, development, and extension services in line with the aspirations of the nation’s current leadership. We must cultivate the next generation of agricultural scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers who can drive food security, rural development, and economic growth.

    Conflict, a persistent shadow over our nation, also demands the attention of our universities. Our university, distinguished colleagues, the Federal University of Wukari should be a sanctuary for intellectual discourse, where diverse perspectives converge to forge solutions. This will go a long way at enhancing development and also inspiring internal and external stakeholders.  

     By understanding the root causes of conflict, we can equip our students with the knowledge and skills to be agents of peace and reconciliation.

     While we ground ourselves in the realities of our dear Nigeria, we must also aspire to global excellence.

    Technology is the driving force of the 21st century. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data are transforming industries and societies. Our university must be seen to heavily subscribe to the digital revolution. We must as well invest in cutting-edge research and the development of digital literacy skills among our students.

     We must create an environment that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship. Our students should be equipped to not only consume knowledge but to equally endeavour to create the same.

    To achieve these ambitious goals, I look forward to working with my team to provide leadership that will inspire a committed and collaborative community. Faculty, staff, and students must work in synergy. We must create an inclusive environment where diversity of thought is celebrated and where everyone feels empowered to contribute.

     I envision a university where teaching and research are seamlessly integrated; a university that is a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a source of pride for our nation.

    Permit me to say, dear colleagues, that this is a challenging but exciting journey. It will require dedication, perseverance, and a shared vision. But I am confident that together, we can support a university that is not only competitive but transformative. 

    Let us embark on this journey with courage and optimism. Let us create a university that is the pride of Nigeria with global reckoning.

    – Professor Iysa Ade Bello is the chair of the governing council/pro-chancellor, Federal University, Wukari

  • Chairman, no; chairman, yes!

    Chairman, no; chairman, yes!

    (Hand of God in my journey to chairmanship title)

    By Bayo Osiyemi

    This headline came from human experience, my own personal experience, and it is worth recalling to prove two points.

    One, it points to the omnipotent and omnipresent power in God’s words. The Supreme Being puts it unequivocally in the Holy Book that none, not even the minutest of His words, will go unfulfilled.

    Second, that caption points in the direction of the supremacy of the Almighty God. “Ona ara lo fi ns’ise re laiye; a si nri ipa ese re Lori okun”. Wonder is the definition of God’s work, as His footprints are even implanted on the seas!

    My first love, Esther, now of blessed memory, was the instrument God used to proclaim His unparalleled power over the affairs of man.

    We were in the thick of electioneering when I aspired to be the democratically elected chairman of the octopus Mushin local government of the time. I had campaigned vigorously to all wards that extended to the present Oshodi and Isolo local government areas, which were then part of Mushin LGA. Among the contestants, I painted all the nooks and crannies of the massive area with full-processed colour posters as against the one-colour poster of my main opponent, whose conservative party was in power in Lagos State at the  time.

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    From feedbacks gleaned, it was evident and crystal clear that I appeared banker-bet to clinch the primary and move on to wear the main chairmanship “tiara.”

    Unknown to my wife, but unhidden from my Creator, I had been misled, quite innocently but genuinely by one of my major backers, earlier to ply the road of sin and follow him to the residence/office of a Muslim cleric somewhere tucked in the belly of Oshodi town where he said he had been assured that if I acceded to the cleric’s plan (which was really not of God), I would beat my fellow party man  effortlessly at the primary contest and go ahead to win the main contest.

    I went with that leader to the cleric’s place but while I went to the loo to ease myself, something in me said I should not lend my hand to that heinous plan. My refusal to put down the money needed to execute the plan put an end to that evil scheme.

    Yet, I had already sinned by merely agreeing to go on that visit because it meant I doubted the God that had led me thus far. I now know that I had forgotten God’s words that “He is a jealous God, who will not share His glory with anybody”.

    Thereafter, God appeared to my late wife in a dream that I would no longer win the election He had earlier assured my wife that it was mine for the taking.

    When she broke the news of that dream to me, I tongue-lashed her, in my naivety at the time, that how could she now say I would lose the election yet would still come to become chairman.

    How would that seeming contradiction be resolved? My wife had no clue, beyond telling me she had delivered God’s message.

    Being an unbeliever at the time who felt I could serve God and mammon together, I offhandedly dismissed her message and felt that if I lost that election, there was no more hope.

    But, God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

    He designed that I would lose that well-fought election for agreeing at all to visit that Muslim cleric for that evil design, as punishment for doubting His promise, but would eventually forgive me later since I backed out at the last minute, and make me the chairman I coveted.

    God proved Himself that I had no one else except Him and that since He had willed it before I derailed at a point, He made the military government in which I had so many powerful friends, split Mushin and hived off Oshodi-Isolo from it to become a separate local government; thus paving way for the local government to be dissolved and a caretaker committee created in place of the elected local government.

    I became a beneficiary of that decision, and in fulfillment of God’s prophesy, I emerged Chairman of Mushin, after I had been adjudged loser of the election into that office. After one year in office of the elected chairman, I got appointed as chairman in his stead, to complete the remaining two years for the dissolved government.

    That was the reason for the song I rendered at my reception at the Mushin Local Government secretariat at Oluyide street in Mushin (now converted to Mushin General Hospital) in April, 1994, that:

      “Alagbara l’Olorun

       mi,

      Alagbara ni Jesu

       mi o;

     Bo ba se sooro, be

      na lo nri,

     Alagbara l’Olorun

      mi”

    Truly, God is faithful to His Words!

    * Above is an extract from the forthcoming memoirs of Osiyemi, a journalist, politician and publisher.

  • US presidential election: Why Harris will beat Trump

    US presidential election: Why Harris will beat Trump

    By Tiko Okoye

    Many eyebrows were raised when Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate, given her very early exit from the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. And throughout the last three-and-half years, Harris was generally dissed as a drag on Biden. But she unexpectedly and amazingly moved with the stone-cold deftness of a mafia boss to quell likely sources of opposition to her coronation by leaping like a charging bull from the starting line. And GOP aficionados, including Trump, who reasoned that she would be a much easier opponent are beginning to regret that Biden’s dismal debating performance opened the way for her emergence.

    Nobody can honestly question the extraordinary energy, infectious camaraderie, effusive amity and tangible unity that have been the lot of the Democratic Party since the handing over of the baton to Harris in less than 30 short days – a period within which she has turned a majority of frustrated Dems, who were beginning to tearfully resign themselves to a Trump victory, into born-again believers and fighters in the process! 

    Of course, the United States is very peculiar in terms of democratic mores. Despite the one-man-one-vote mantra, the President is actually elected by an Electoral College skewed towards the GOP-leaning rural mid-America at the expense of the more populous and wealthier Dem-leaning states on the eastern and western coasts. Trump’s divisiveness and vitriolic vituperations have ensured that he isn’t a majority candidate, and will never be. He’s only counting on a sprinkling of MAGA extremists in targeted swing states to carry him past the finish line.

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    Recent polls show Harris leading Trump by 1-2 points in 5 out of 8 swing states. Even Trump’s home state of Florida that he won by 16 points in 2020 has suddenly turned purple with Trump currently ahead by 2 points, well within the margin of error, not to mention the highly intensive anti-Trump campaign ads that ‘Never-Trumpers’ and ‘Republicans-for-Kamala’ are running in the crucial swing states!

    To give Biden his due credit, he isn’t a failed president as conservative and mainstream media organisations and GOP spin doctors would have us believe. Here’s a man who assumed office at a time the US economy was suffering a recession caused by Trump’s atrocious handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that caused more than one million deaths and closure of many businesses. Biden submitted economic recovery bills to the Senate – at a time Democrats still controlled the House – but not a single GOP senator signed on at the behest of Trump and VP Harris had to often hop across from the White House to the Senate to cast the tie-breaking vote!

    What Biden achieved in 4 years surpassed what most other presidents did in 8 years. His policies – eked out like water from a hard rock, given Trump’s vice-like grip on GOP Congressmen – resulted in the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, expansion of Obamacare to include more impoverished Americans, capping insulin for seniors at the unbelievable price of $35, retooling America’s decrepit infrastructures and funding climate-control projects.

    It is tempting to forget that the southern border situation worsened rather than improved during Trump’s 4 years in office, during which period he couldn’t even build the wall he had promised. A conservative Bible-Belt Republican led a bipartisan effort to crystallise an immigration bill that would pass muster, only for most of his GOP colleagues to develop cold feet when Trump ordered them to cease and desist because he wanted to make the border issue a campaign plank. The difference in the character of both men is easy to see. While alluding to the reason why he decided to drop out, in a speech at the Democratic convention, Biden conceded that “I love this job,” before quickly interjecting with “But I love my country more.” Trump clearly loves being president again far more than he loves his country, and voters will take due notice.   

    The real coco of the matter is the messenger, not the message. Despite all Biden’s achievements, GOP strategists successfully scripted a compelling narrative around the “too-old-and-too-senile-to-be-president” trolls. Which is very ironic considering that Biden is only three years older than Trump and the latter is notorious for his ranting and muddled-up identification of people, places and events, but one hardly heard mainstream and conservative media talk about them, as they conspiratorially attributed every misstep to “Trump is just being Trump”! A new messenger is on the block, and although the message practically remains the same, Team Trump is still searching for ways to effectively handle the Kamala-mania phenomenon!

    Trump has made character assessment of candidates in a presidential election no longer relevant. It wasn’t too long ago when damaged goods like Trump were too ashamed to show their faces in the public arena and never considered running again for elective office. Voters would move to restore the dignity of the Oval Office and integrity of its occupant by voting against Trump. Forget immigration and nominal economics and the party that occupies the White House. Ordinary Americans are more interested in who will more directly impact their everyday wellbeing.

    Harris, a product of a working family, has been harping about rebuilding the middle class as the way to economically empower majority of Americans to live out the American dream. On his part, Trump would opt for the old GOP tactic of significantly reducing taxes for the wealthy on the grounds that it would drive expansionist economic investments, despite this trickle-down economic theory never really panning out as being touted. But in actuality, Trump would just be seeking a way to profit his businesses and raise funds to cover his humongous legal debts. 

    It beggars belief that the very same analysts and commentators who lauded Generation Z voters, whose massive support for Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, broke the stereotypical mould that saw a candidate of Igbo extraction winning in the unlikeliest places, are the same ones claiming that Barack Obama’s electoral victories in 2008 and 2012 were mere aberrations, and that Americans are not yet ready to elect a female president – and another black one to boot. What will they think of next?

    I can only sympathise with the “many Nigerian Christians” who have reportedly formed prayer groups to shamelessly support the return of a race-baiter, agent provocateur, convicted felon, misogynist, con artist, pathological liar, gaslighter, philanderer, serial-divorcee, blasphemer, election denier and fascist like Trump to the White House, simply on the basis of ostensibly being more favourable to “legal immigrants and anti-abortion policies,” because they neither understand nor fully appreciate what they are asking for. Let me first convey the bad news to such Nigerians that going by the “2025 Conservative Mandate for Leadership” – a 900-page manual that contains Trump’s talking points for a second stint – only White Christians from Europe will be eligible.

    Completely shut out are Blacks, Muslims and Latinos from “shithole” countries. But nothing should surprise the rest of us because it is the same arrogant group of sanctimonious Pharisees who would rather holler for Barabbas to be released than do what’s right.

     And I would love to know what these anti-abortionists would do in situations where their 12-year-old daughter or sister is impregnated by a close relative or a rapist or when the life of a close relative carrying a complicated pregnancy hangs in the balance. Talk is cheap!

    Trump and GOP aficionados must be ruing the missed opportunity to nip Harris’s gravitas in the bud. Harris contested a state-wide election for the very first time in 2010, and was struggling to shed the same San Francisco far-left liberal label that Trump has resuscitated. But even back then, Trump, as a New York-based real estate developer seeking new opportunities in California, contributed the sum of $6,000 to her campaign. If only he had taken a deeper gaze in the crystal ball!

    National Republicans foresaw the long-term threat a diamond-in-the-rough Democrat like Harris could pose in the future, and commenced a counter-strike against her. The gambit was codenamed “Killing Hercules in the crib” in their dirty tricks playbook, a reference to an ancient Greek folklore in which Hera, the wife of Zeus, the mythical king of the gods, knew that Hercules (original Greek version is Herakles) was her husband’s illegitimate son with a mortal female and tried every way possible to kill him as soon as he was born. Initially christened Alcaeus –after his mother, Alcmene – Zeus rechristened him, after foiling so many efforts by Hera to snuff life out of the child, Herakles, meaning “Glory of Hera,” signifying that he would become famous through his difficulties with the goddess.

    The plan centred around a brutal testimonial of the mother of a slain police officer who criticised Harris as a far-left liberal who refused to seek the death penalty for the gang member who killed her son. Harris eventually emerged victorious in one of the tightest races ever in California. The moral of the story is that there’s no killing the beetle. If Republicans couldn’t do it when she was cutting her teeth in politics, they won’t be able to stop her ‘Big Mo’ going forward or kill a Hercules who has since overgrown cribs. Who knows, Kamala might just end up rechristened Trumpala after the smoke finally clears!    

    The 4-5 point post-convention bounce that would accrue to Harris would see her “honeymoon with Americans” extend all the way to November 5. After taking cognisance of both the temporal and spiritual angles, I’m fully persuaded that contrary to the very tight race most pundits are predicting, the election will be a blowout.

    • Ichie Okoye, a Boston University Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, investment banker, microfinance expert, newspaper columnist and public affairs analyst, wrote in from Abuja

  • Ogun rice production: Vision and driving force

    Ogun rice production: Vision and driving force

    By Femi Ogbonnikan

    Ogun State is on the march towards a large scale in rice production. All things being equal, the new initiative is projected to be another major income earner for the state government with no less than N30 billion as an addition to the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    As they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. On Monday, August 19, 2024, in furtherance of the renewed commitment of his administration to boost food production in the state, the Governor, Prince  Dapo Abiodun flagged off the harvest of 200-hectare of rice plantation at Magboro Rice Farm in Obafemi Owode-Local Government Area of the state.

    Of course, the state is not where it plans to be, but there is the will to achieve the target. The spirit behind the driving force is Governor Abiodun’s vision to revolutionise the traditional mode of farming to make it more productive.     

    Traditionally, Ogun State has a long history of rice production, especially the local brand popularly known as Ofada rice. It is so-called because it is exclusively grown in the town of Ofada. Due largely to its unique taste and nutritional value, it has gained popularity among Nigerians and lovers of Nigerian cuisine worldwide. Unlike imported rice, Ofada is a short-grain rice that is typically unpolished. It retains its outer bran layer, giving it a distinctive brown colour and special flavour. Beyond that, it is highly nutritious, rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

    However, large-scale production has been severely limited by the use of indigenous farming methods by smallholder farmers. This is despite the various policies initiated by successive governments to support these local farmers not only to promote food security but also to preserve the cultural heritage.

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    With the renewed support of the Abiodun’s administration,  the state is now prospecting for more income from rice production. Already, Ogun State has joined the league of large-scale rice-producing states in the country. To set the record straight, the farm is the brainchild of the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project supported by the World Bank.  The initiative aligns with the policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boost agricultural productivity to provide affordable food to the growing populace.

    In a way, the project can be aptly described as a game changer, as it aims to drive economic growth and development in the state. And this could not have come at a better time than now when the country is grappling with a food crisis. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Abiodun said that with the flag-off, Ogun State is not only joining states like Lagos, Kebbi, and Bayelsa in producing locally grown rice for the consumption of the people, but also fostering economic development, creating jobs, and improving livelihoods within the communities.

    With a sustainable increase in the level of production, the project is expected to generate N30 billion as income for the state government, while the individual farmers also smile to the bank. The Governor, exuding confidence with enthusiasm, had this to say:  “This is a 200-hectare rice farm. The farmers are mainly women and youths from all parts of the country and not just from Ogun State alone.

    “Each farmer was allocated one hectare of farmland. This means that we have 200 farmers in this cluster. This project started in April this year. They began planting in May, and today we are already harvesting, making it a three-month cycle. It means that we can do this three times a year.’

    He noted that the farm, with a seven-metric ton yield per hectare, could translate to 1,400 metric tons for 200 hectares of milled rice with an efficiency yield of about 70 percent, which would also translate to about 20,000 bags of milled rice per cycle.

    “20,000 bags of milled rice per cycle should be estimated to cost about N1 billion. So, these 200 farmers, made up of women and youths across the country who farm here in just three months, have a revenue of N1 billion. If they do this three times this year, they will earn N3 billion. We have no business being hungry in Nigeria.

    “In this place, I have 12,500 hectares of land, and all we have farmed is 200 hectares that yielded N1 billion for 200 farmers. From here, I can feed the rest of the country. We will scale up this project immediately from 200 to 2,000 hectares.

    “We can generate N30 billion in revenue. We can take significant steps towards realizing that vision of making Ogun State the food basket of this country,” he added.

    The governor stated that the project is in line with President Bola Tinubu administration’s resolve to eradicate poverty and hunger by providing affordable food to Nigerians. According to him, it will not only increase rice production but also address animal husbandry.

    Governor Abiodun, noting the abundance of human and material natural resources in the state, stated that agriculture remained an important agenda of his administration to provide employment and raw materials for the numerous industries that abound in the state. He expressed optimism the OGSTEP Agricultural Sector Intervention would provide critical support, including advanced agricultural techniques, access to quality seeds, modern irrigation systems, and technical training for farmers. He explained that the approach was offered to beneficiaries at a 65 percent discount on the cost of each mechanization operation. While commending the people, especially members of the communities, for supporting the project, the governor promised that the farm would be provided with solar pumps to power the boreholes, as well as modern drones for effective pest control.

    The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, said the project was in tandem with the agricultural policy of the Abiodun-led administration to ensure food sufficiency for the people.

    Also, the Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, while commending the farmers for their determination, noted that the project was part of the measures to boost food production to feed the populace.

    The Project Coordinator, Mrs. Mosun Owo-Odunsi, while appreciating the governor for providing the necessary support, said the project would produce high-quality rice which would impact positively the quality of lives of citizens in all sectors.

     In his goodwill message, the Olu of Magboro, Oba Modiu Alalade, acknowledged the great impact the project had on the communities in the area, assuring of the availability of adequate farmland to accommodate more farmers to produce sufficient food for the country.

    Interestingly, the flag-off of the harvest season coincides with the state’s approval of the reconstruction of the 8.17 kilometres Magboro-Makogi Road in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area. Prince Abiodun announced on Monday during the event which took place in Igboko village.

    The governor said the road would open up the area to more development. He further disclosed the intention of the state government to provide about 2,000 hectares for rice cultivation in the region.

     “I am glad that today, I had the opportunity to drive on this road myself. I have seen the condition of the road; but beyond the condition, I have seen how densely populated this area is. I also appreciate the impact this road will have on our farmland.

    “So today, I know that I am a promise-keeping governor. I only talk and do; I don’t talk without doing. I am going to immediately award the contract for the reconstruction of this road,” Governor Abiodun declared.

    • Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital

  • The Chief at 60

    The Chief at 60

    By Gbenga Omotoso

    It was a sunny day. Bright and warm; a day good for outdoor activities.

    From an event in Alimoso, which is often touted as Nigeria’s largest local government, we rushed down to Obafemi Awolowo Way in Ikeja, where another event was underway – the opening of a block of beautiful offices.

    Speeches over, it was time to inspect the building – a befitting testimony to the power of creative financing and good architecture. We moved from the expansive car park to the main door of the four-storey building. We got set to go upstairs, using the brand-new, glittering elevator.

    I’m always wary of using elevators since I got stuck in one in the United States. I had seen technicians working on it and was satisfied that all was well with it, but less than one minute after we moved, it went quiet and remained so for a few minutes before it jerked back to life, and we moved on. What a relief!

    “Don’t worry; this one is new and, of course, it has been well tested,” said the former Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, a frontline engineer with an incredible passion for her job. I believed her.

    Chief of Staff Tayo Ayinde, Mrs. Adeyoye and I went into the elevator. We were joined by a gentleman whose identity I really didn’t know. The door closed. Then, the unexpected (?) happened. The elevator would not move. We were stuck.

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    “This is what I was saying. I don’t like elevators,” I grumbled. In no time, I started to sweat. “Calm down. Just calm down,” the Chief said in a cool and confident voice that betrayed no emotion. “It will work; no need to panic,” he added. Mrs Adeyoye joined in the confidence-boosting pep talk. I kept quiet. Within me a volcanic feeling was building up.

    I wished the people watching us, who obviously knew we were in trouble, could do something. They seemed helpless after pressing the buttons for some time. They – the next batch of guests waiting to go in – actually sensed that something was wrong. Through the transparent door of the elevator, they saw us fiddling with the machine’s buttons and they raised the alarm. An official came and wondered why they had not gone up. They told him of our predicament. He moved to the machine and pressed the button. The door opened and we came out, sweating – and sober. Needless to say, we made the trip upstairs by foot.

    Interestingly, that five-minute experience says a lot about Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde. He is calm – and confident – in the face of gripping anxiety and confusion.

    To some, he is simply Tayo. Others, especially his friends in politics, call him Buffalo – they say he shares some qualities of that animal (a rare physical strength and survival instinct in a jungle filled up with many dangerous creatures). Those in government circles call him “Chief” – a short form of the title of his office, Chief of Staff.

    From being Chief Detail to then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu (1999 – 2007), now President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Ayinde has remained relevant in political and government circles. He has proven to be an experienced marathoner, who is always at home with politicians, even as he is comfortable in the company of technocrats and ordinary folks, who excitedly scream, “Buffalo! Buffalo!” when they see him.

    Slim, fit and tall, Mr. Ayinde is easy to spot in a crowd. He is friendly, fair and firm. A visitor will always be sure of a face wreathed in smiles after leaving the Chief’s office. Little wonder the place is always filled up with those who come to seek his favour.

    Chief hardly gets angry. He rarely shouts and keeps no malice. He would always throw open any matter of discontent and tell you to your face, “I’m not happy with you”. If you’re convinced that you’re wrong and you apologise, that ends the matter.

    At Executive Council meetings, Mr. Ayinde is always ready to lend his institutional experience to throw light on issues that require some flashback, which will enable the state’s highest policy making body to take a decision on any matter.

    Unknown to many people, Chief is a humorous man who loves to laugh and make people laugh. At a recent Executive Council retreat, his group carried the day at the Gala Night – not because its presentation was the most cerebral; nor because it was the most colourful. Nor was it the most beautiful.

    When it was the team’s turn to take the podium, it simply marched in a convoy of men and women dressed like some Arabian magicians and chanting some esoteric tunes. “Rajaaah! Rajaaah! Rajaah Rajaah!!” they hummed. The hall burst into an uncontrollable bout of laughter.

    When it all ended, Chief’s group carried the day; humour beat action – thanks to the Chief’s wonderful sense of humour.

    For me, it is fit and proper to celebrate Chief at 60, but the question to ask is, “How will he like to celebrate the day?” A trip to the past, tracing the trajectory of his public and private life? A big party with an A-class artiste on the band stand? A trip on the waterways to one of our beautiful beaches to savour the majesty of nature? A quiet time of prayers in church, followed by a cheerful session of praise and worship?  A tournament of youngsters playing his favourite game of table tennis? Some time indoors, eyes glued to the television, to watch Arsenal play?

    It is also fit and proper to offer some words of prayer – that The Almighty will continue to be with Mr Ayinde and keep him as fit as a fiddle.

    Whichever way he chooses to mark his birthday, August 24, one thing is sure – Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde will see an army of admirers who will wine, dine and dance with him while singing, “Happy birthday to you!”.

    • Omotoso is Commissioner for Information and Strategy.

  • Ukraine’s fairy-tale incursion: Matters arising

    Ukraine’s fairy-tale incursion: Matters arising

    By Tiko Okoye

    With the benefit of hindsight, we now know that the authorities in Kyiv were feigning weakness and battle-weariness when they abruptly changed their stance from never holding any peace talks with Russia as long as Vladimir Putin remains in office to seizing any given opportunity to ‘actively’ signal they were open to peace talks with Moscow. Although the seeming change of heart elicited consternation among diehard Putin critics, it was very well received in many parts of the world, not the least of which are leaders of member-states of the NATO Alliance who have been providing Ukraine with considerable supplies of military equipment, intel, advisers and technicians.

    Most of these Western leaders have been – and are still being – subjected to enormous pressure by resurgent iconoclastic far-right parties with sympathy for Putin, to cut-off military aid to Ukraine or watch their favourability ratings take a one-way nosedive southwards, or even risk not being re-elected in some cases. On the grounds that a bad peace is preferable to a just war, these beleaguered heads of government would just want the Russia/Ukraine face-off to end as quickly as possible.

    As for the Kremlin, Putin and his men must’ve washed down mouthfuls of caviar with glassfuls of premium Vodka, celebrating the assumed capitulation of an irritatingly stubborn Nazi-ridden neighbour whose leaders had finally imbibed the harsh lesson, on bended knees, that Oga get master and khaki no be leather.  And then, the world practically woke up one morning to hear the stranger-than-fiction news that elite troops had crossed the border from Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region into Russia’s western Kursk region, seizing 23 towns within a perimeter of 400 square kilometres in the Kursk region, and grabbing hundreds of prisoners of war along the way in less than 24 hours!

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    Just a week later, the world was assailed with reports of thousands of prisoners of war and the seizure of about 1,000 square kilometres of Russian soil, involving as many as 74 settlements! There’s no gainsaying that that Russia was totally unprepared and blindsided by Ukraine’s rare cross-border attack on August 6, raising troubling questions about Russia’s military preparedness and intelligence gathering, which itself beggars belief as one would’ve thought the Kremlin would’ve learnt a thing or two from the Yevgeny Prigozhin-led Wagner Mercenary Group debacle.

    Even Ukraine’s allies. Including the likes of the USA, the UK, France, Germany, were caught off-guard by the sheer daring and swiftness of the Ukrainian incursion. Still, while Western leaders may be very thrilled to see Putin suffer another military embarrassment, they can only giggle behind the scenes and be very circumspect with any triumphalist public rhetoric in order not to provoke Putin to the point where he would opt out of any ceasefire talks. But they no longer don’t have to engage in self-censorship, as Putin, while addressing members of the Russian National Security Council at an emergency meeting he summoned shortly after the Ukrainian incursion, declared that peace talks are dead on arrival – at least for a while.  

    It’s quite easy to tell that the primary condition for a permanent truce from Putin’s perspective is the ceding of the Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine aka Donbas to Russia. The icing on the cake would be getting Ukraine to sign a treaty of conventional neutrality in foreign affairs. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has so far remained elusive on the exact purpose of rhe incursion, except to assert that his government isn’t out to annex any part of Russia as the Kremlin has done in Donbas and that “Russia must be forced into peace if Putin wants to continue waging war so badly.”        

    It has become very obvious that the effusive expressions of a willingness and readiness to engage in peace talks with Russian authorities was no more than a subterfuge; a drama full of lies and cruel deception that was very strategically acted out with the sole aim of lulling Putin into a false sense of victory and over-confidence. Here then are my well-considered five reasons why Ukraine struck. 

    The first – and the only reason Putin has understandably not mentioned – is to not only give Putin his comeuppance, but to equally teach him a very humbling lesson in over-confidence. And it must be doubly humiliating for Putin that to ensure the success of the planned incursion, the Ukrainians lifted a page right out of the military playbook of the USSR – the old Soviet empire that Putin’s greatest ambition and resolve is to rebuild at all costs. How do I mean? It is now crystal-clear that the Ukrainians adopted the renowned Soviet art of maskirova – meaning “deception in war.”

    The incursion into Kursk, the first foreign incursion into Russia since WWII, will definitely hurt and infuriate Putin. The shame that has befallen the tough-talking Putin and the imperative of recouping reverence for the Russian Republic obviously mean that Putin must go for broke. Kyiv is betting that given a clear choice between allowing Ukrainians occupy a part of Mother Russia and enabling them, even if based on the Doctrine of Necessity, re-occupy parts of eastern Ukraine, Putin would opt for the latter. They called it right!

    Calling the incursion a ”large-scale provocation” and a “terror” operation, Putin vowed in a televised address to Russians that “the Kyiv aggressors will receive a worthy response.” Moscow is already withdrawing large contingents of inexperienced raw recruits who had inexplicably manned Kursk and the adjacent Belgorod region, and has started deploying elite military squads as their replacement. And although it is still early days yet, it is certain that the Ukrainians would achieve their objective of halting, or at least significantly slowing down, Moscow’s advance along the sprawling over-700-kilometre-long front line in eastern Ukraine by way of a forced redeployment of Russian troops and equipment from Donbas to Kursk.

    The second reason, therefore, is a ploy by Kyiv to eke out a temporary respite from the pummelling they are receiving in Donbas. But it remains to be seen whether Putin would be in any position to walk his talk. Too many of the “red lines” he drew in the sand in the recent past have been slowly but most assuredly breached by Ukrainians and their NATO allies without any of the apocalyptic fallouts he had threatened materialising. His braggadocio this time around might just be for the consumption of the domestic audience. 

    The third reason why the Ukrainians struck is to dramatically boost their position in future negotiations with Moscow. From the asymmetrical position where only Ukraine is expected to forfeit the Donbas seized by Russian troops, Kyiv has now craftily procured an invaluable bargaining chip in the form of a part of Russia for a more equitable quid-pro-quo exchange.

    The fourth reason is to create discord and division within Russian society and undermine the unity and cohesion of the Russian people, and possibly effect a regime change! Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak is reported to have revealed during a TV interview that Ukraine’s advances on Russian territory and losses of territory, people and equipment will “scare everyday Russians” and “reset their attitude toward Vladimir Putin.” 

    The fifth reason is because Kursk symbolises a life-and-death struggle from a virtual state of siege. It was exactly in this very same region in the fourth year of WWII (1943) that the Soviet Red Army routed the retreating Nazi German troops in the biggest tank battle ever seen, involving about 6,000 tanks and two million troops. While the number of tanks and troops likely to engage in combat this time around would be a far cry from the 1943 figures, the fact remains that the stakes are similarly very high, and the next 30 days will be critical for both sides as the second “Battle of Kursk” takes on additional significance. The party that blinks first between a ruthless wannabe empire-builder and the leader of a nation of fiercely independent-minded folks would ultimately be forced to play second fiddle in any peace talks. That is exactly why the war in the Kursk Oblast promises to be a mother of all wars.

    On second thoughts, the second ‘Battle of Kursk’ might just hold a glimmer of hope that this messy war might give Russia and Ukraine the opportunity to reset the course of their respective nations. The inevitable exchange of prisoners of war and a land-for-peace transaction between both parties – subject to the Ukrainians rebuffing all Russian attempts to retake Kursk – would enable Kyiv fully retain its territories without ceding any part to Moscow – except possibly granting some form of limited autonomy to the Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Donbas – and rebuild its economy and society with Western assistance.

    But can and would Putin on his part – given his domestic branding as the infallible strongman – easily sell a cock-and-bull tale about why he is changing his initial goals in Ukraine to Russians weary of sanctions and being treated as outcasts by the international community? Only time will tell in both cases!  

  • Protest: What really do some Nigerians want?

    Protest: What really do some Nigerians want?

    By Allison Abanum

    Our beloved nation is currently grappling with incredibly challenging times. The grievances articulated by Nigerians are undeniably valid. It seemed as though we were on the brink of a precarious tipping point, with dire predictions of chaos looming, when the populace, driven by fervent youthful zeal, chose to take to the streets in protest against the unfavorable economic circumstances in which we unfortunately find ourselves. Fortunately, these apocalyptic forecasts did not materialize, as the people exercised their right to express discontent, leaving the prophets of doom disheartened by how effectively the protests were handled.

    Regrettably the protests had violent engagements and confrontations in some places in the country. As predicted, criminal elements seized the occasion to carry out their enterprises. The regrettable death of Nigerians and other negative occurrences threatened to put a dent on the commdndable efforts that security agencies had put in to ensure the situation was not going to spiral out of control. The clamour for Mr President to address the protesters got even louder.

    On the 4th of August, 2024, President Bola Tinubu delivered a crucial address in response to the widespread protests that had engulfed Nigeria. These protests, stemming from underlying issues of economic hardship, security challenges, and governance failures, had garnered significant participation and, on occasions, descended into violent unrest. President Tinubu’s speech aimed to directly tackle these pressing concerns and lay out a roadmap for quelling the turmoil.

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    The subsequent reactions and comments following the presidential address have been far from uplifting or patriotic, to say the least. Criticisms filled with doubt and negativity from individuals such as Chief Dele Momodu, Dr. Obi Ezekwesili, and others, alleging that the speech failed to address the grievances of Nigerians, are not only wide of the mark but also misleading, clearly driven by hidden agendas. Such remarks are not what the country requires at this juncture, regardless of the seemingly insatiable desire of some to politicize every public discourse. These actions reek of blatant lack of patriotism and underlying motivations rather than genuine concern for the nation’s affairs.

    They contend that the President’s plea for patience is inadequate in light of pressing economic and social concerns. Some have even characterized the address as an endeavor to placate the populace without presenting concrete remedies. Nevertheless, these critiques overlook the intricacies of governing a country as diverse and populous as Nigeria. The President’s appeal for patience is not a dismissal of the demonstrators’ requests, but rather a pragmatic plea for time to enact sustainable reforms. Instant solutions, while alluring, often fail to tackle the underlying causes of societal issues. The administration led by Tinubu is entrusted with harmonizing immediate assistance with enduring structural transformations, an intricate and demanding endeavor that necessitates meticulous planning and implementation, tasks that the President has affirmed dedication to fulfilling.

    In their critique of President Tinubu’s address, many analysts have disregarded the adverse aspects of the protests themselves. While the right to demonstrate is a fundamental democratic privilege, it is imperative to acknowledge that not all demonstrations remain peaceful or constructive. The recent protests have witnessed incidents of violence, destruction, and theft, which have only exacerbated the challenges confronting the nation. Even more concerning are the instances where protestors were observed brandishing Russian flags. The rationale behind this action remains obscure, yet it is evident that a clandestine agenda is being propagated, as there is no justifiable reason for displaying a foreign flag while protesting domestic issues. This action poses a threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty and should have never transpired. The failure of these propaganda analysts, who suddenly profess a greater love for Nigeria than the general populace, to address these issues within the protests speaks volumes.

    The adverse actions observed during the demonstrations, often carried out by a minority within the broader protest movement, have resulted in substantial economic ramifications, further exacerbating an already ailing economy. Local enterprises have been plundered, public infrastructure vandalized, and the general sense of security compromised. These unfavorable consequences do not align with the objectives of the peaceful majority advocating for change; rather, they introduce additional adversities and tensions that complicate the journey towards resolution.

    Moreover, the demonstrations have also engendered a polarized atmosphere, wherein meaningful dialogue and reconciliation become increasingly elusive. The ambiance of animosity and confrontation impedes the potential for productive interaction between the authorities and civil society. For enduring transformation to transpire, a collaborative stance is imperative, necessitating a convergence of perspectives from both factions. Critics such as Chief Dele Momodu have refrained from addressing these crucial facets, opting instead to exacerbate the discontent with their contentious remarks. This approach is discordant with the current needs of the nation. It is incumbent upon them to utilize their influence and platforms to address such matters constructively, ensuring that any criticisms or apprehensions articulated are judiciously balanced.

    The president delivered a comprehensive address to the nation, addressing both the protesters and the pressing issues at hand. The speech, available for public perusal, talked about various facets of our current challenges. While expressing remorse for the lives lost, the speech also sheds light on the administration’s strategies in response to these complex issues. Of particular note was the emphasis placed on the economic hardships plaguing Nigeria. The President acknowledged the difficulties faced by ordinary Nigerians due to recent policy adjustments, notably the elimination of fuel subsidies. Although this policy change has led to immediate financial burdens for many households, experts argue that it is a crucial step towards restructuring the economy for long-term stability.

    President Tinubu also spoke about a series of measures that he and his team are  currently implementing to rectify the challenges the country is currently facing. It is widely acknowledged that this administration inherited a precarious economic situation exacerbated by the recklessness and shortsightedness of past administrations and greedy individuals who have consistently exploited our national resources. The prevailing consensus is that the hardships Nigerians are enduring stem from the removal of subsidies and the revised economic policies. However, in the president’s address, he affirmed that these actions and policies were imperative and are yielding positive outcomes by curbing the avarice and illicit gains of smugglers and rent-seekers. Furthermore, these initiatives have put an end to the unwarranted subsidies we had been providing to our neighboring nations at the expense of our own citizens, which had crippled our economy.

    The president emphasized the significant advancements made by  government in revitalizing the economy. Government revenues saw a remarkable increase, reaching 9.1 trillion Naira in the initial half of 2024. There has been a noticeable surge in productivity within the non-oil sector. Previously, an overwhelming 97% of the country’s revenue was allocated to debt servicing; however, this has been substantially reduced to 68% in recent times.

    The Tinubu led administration has successfully settled $5 billion in foreign exchange obligations, ensuring that essential programs remain unaffected and providing greater financial latitude to allocate more resources towards the populace’s education and healthcare needs. State and Local Governments have received their most substantial allocations ever from the Federation Account. The address also underlined a steadfast commitment to infrastructural enhancements and the completion of crucial projects vital to our economic well-being, encompassing roads, bridges, railways, power, and oil and gas ventures.

    A substantial segment of Tinubu’s discourse was dedicated to combatting corruption, a pivotal demand of the demonstrators. He emphasized that corruption erodes confidence in public institutions and impedes economic advancement. President Tinubu is set on fortifying anti-corruption bodies, ensuring their autonomy, and implementing more stringent legislation with severe repercussions. This initiative aims to reinstate trust in the legal system and discourage illicit practices.

    The Tinubu administration surely looks committed to enhancing transparency and accountability through electronic governance platforms. These mechanisms will streamline procedures and facilitate real-time monitoring. President Tinubu also highlighted electoral overhauls to guarantee unfettered and equitable elections. He intends to empower civil society and augment citizen engagement in governance. Economic restructuring will diversify the economy, generate employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty. Strategic investments in essential infrastructure are imperative for economic expansion and ameliorating living standards.

    President Tinubu further correlated effective governance with economic advancement in his address, highlighting the necessity for reforms aimed at fostering a more just society through economic diversification, job creation, and poverty alleviation. The outlined strategies encompass augmenting investments in essential infrastructure to propel economic progress and enhance the standard of living. The speech underscored the importance of maintaining fiscal prudence and ensuring efficient utilization of public resources to guarantee widespread benefits for all Nigerian citizens.

    Overall, the president’s address sought to reaffirm dedication to the task at hand and further underscore the importance of patience and dialogue in addressing issues of discontent, both foundational elements of a democratic system. It serves as a call for solidarity, tolerance, and constructive conversation amidst a period of national turmoil. Detractors of the speech would benefit from considering the broader context in which it was delivered, acknowledging the government’s challenges and the detrimental aspects of the protests impeding progress. Rather than harboring pessimism regarding the efficacy of governmental strategies, greater emphasis could be placed on fostering constructive and nation-building narratives and initiatives. Esteemed individuals should strive for excellence in matters of national significance, for ultimately, we are all interconnected in this journey.

    The progression of Nigeria hinges on bridging the divide between the governing bodies and the populace, ensuring the amplification of the people’s voices and the fulfillment of their needs, all while upholding peace and stability. This necessitates a unified dedication to dialogue, comprehension, and reciprocal esteem—principles that are indispensable for the nation to navigate these challenging times and emerge fortified.

    Allison Abanum writes from Orogun, Delta State.

  • Food insecurity: Legislature farms as core constituency projects

    Food insecurity: Legislature farms as core constituency projects

    The greatest of all challenges facing this nation is food insecurity. Remember the popular saying: “A hungry man is an angry man.” When people are hungry, they become disoriented and vulnerable to temptations. Many of the hungry people could sell their soul for a plate of porridge. Malnutrition is so widespread among children that parents and health providers assume the children’s lethargy and stunting to be normal.

    Ensuring food security has become an issue of key importance to people and government of Nigeria, and demands the support of all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians. At a session on Thursday July 18, 2024, members of the House of Representatives agreed to slash 50 per cent of their monthly salaries for six months as part of their financial contribution to fight hunger in the country. That is commendable, but I believe the Honourable Representatives can do better.  Nigeria like many African countries is more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because we rely on rain-fed agriculture for food and livelihoods. Small-scale agriculture presents an opportunity to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor and ensure food security; however, many of the rural farmers, who had previously managed to successfully cultivate crops for subsistence use and to supplement their income, now experience poor yields or have ceased production due to attacks by terrorists and bandits.

    Increasing climate variability, fluctuating temperature and rainfall patterns, is an indicator that agricultural processes will not remain the same as crop and ecosystem responses are also expected to change. These changes comprise variations in nutrient cycling, changes in evapotranspiration, soil moisture content, as well as changes in pest incidences and plant diseases, all these entirely impact food production and food security.

    A resilient agricultural system is important in mitigating the effects of climate change.  Resilience is defined as the ability or tendency of a system to maintain its organizational structure and efficiency after perturbation. Therefore, a resilient agricultural system will keep producing high crop yields even after severe climate changes such as droughts or significant rainfall reductions. Crop biodiversity can therefore provide the connection between climatic stress and resilience of the system because a diversity of organisms is important for ecosystems to perform optimally and provide essential services. Furthermore, integrating graduates for the national youth service programs as part of the agricultural workforce would go a long way to enhance productivity.  I therefore suggest that the places of primary assignment of all Youth Corp drafts should henceforth be farms and other agricultural value chains.

    Once upon a time, all food was organic. The worldwide population has increased tremendously. Unsurprisingly, the demand for food has grown beyond imagination. And so, humans have discovered different ways of growing food. Inorganic food is one of the results of those discoveries. Organic food is grown naturally without synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, or hormones.  Inorganic foods include food grown using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and growth hormones; food with preservatives added to increase its shelf life is inorganic.

    To ensure increased and sustainable crop productivity, Nigeria should embrace improved crop varieties that are adapted to diverse environments. Improved varieties help in building crop resilience to diseases, crop pests and environmental stresses such as the emergence of new pests. However, some Nigerians including members of the National Assembly have reservations about improved crop varieties. If the aversion to inorganic food especially those derived from genetically modified organism (GMO) is very strong, we should take drastic steps towards organic food production.

    Young people do not want to work in a sector where work conditions are inadequate and ‘dirty’ work must be performed. Modernization has the potential to attract the interest of young people. Adopting innovative practices (using robotics, satellite-based crop monitoring, farm management software, etc.) would encourage the younger generation to take over farms and improve the viability of farms.

    The problem of nation-building predisposed Nigeria’s ruling elite to thinking that the youths, who would be the country’s future leaders, would help to address its national challenges after the 1967-1970 Civil War. Government, therefore, came up with the idea of National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) which must start with the graduate youths.  But, the students thought otherwise. They were mostly of the opinion that national service ought to be inclusive, sparing no segment of the population such as ministers, public officers and parents. Whatever their agitations and demands were in this period were put to rest when government held a dialogue with representatives of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) and subsequently went ahead to establish the scheme in 1973.

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    In 2017, all River Basin Development Authorities in Nigeria were instructed to set up at least one Integrated Organic Farm patterned after the Songhai Model in Porto-Novo, République du Bénin, in each Senatorial District in Nigeria. I doubt if the task was carried out, because nothing like that in my home state, Enugu or state of residence, Lagos. We could revisit that arrangement, establishing the integrated farms in the 109 Senatorial zones of the federation for the NYSC primary assignments.  

    Students might disagree with this suggestion, just as they opposed the initial idea of NYSC. In preempting the students’ resistance, I suggest also the members of National Assembly (Senators/Representatives) in whose constituencies the farms are sited be involved as farm managers, adopting the proposed farm projects as their core constituency projects. The National Assembly members will engage their staff at the constituency offices as part of the farm workforce and supervisors.  Security operatives should be available to protect the farms.

    Food is the most basic of the three basic human needs and apart from sustaining the individual and making him fit for work and for play; it is also a national power. A nation that is self-sufficient or nearly self-sufficient in food production will become a respected actor in the international stage and will be playing from the position of strength. The one that cannot feed itself and therefore becomes a charity case must inevitably lose respect in the international arena.

    Those who know better say: “agricultural growth is three times more effective in reducing extreme poverty than growth in other sectors.  Such growth is heavily dependent on private-sector investments and functioning market mechanisms.”  I therefore call on private sector investors to join forces with the government in fighting food insecurity.

  • Re: ‘Nigeria needs new military doctrine’

    Re: ‘Nigeria needs new military doctrine’

    By Mike Kebonkwu

    In the opening paragraph of the piece, “Nigeria needs a new Military Doctrine” on the back page of The Nation Newspaper on Sunday, 2nd June 2024, the writer observed among other things, “… that there is a depressing disconnection between Nigerians and their military, a disconnection that has accentuated the crises of underdevelopment and stymied the effectiveness of the military in its numerous counterinsurgency wars in the Northeast, costly efforts to pacify the Northwest, and other internal peacekeeping duties”. 

     At the small right corner inset is the quotable quote: “Accordingly, it is absolutely imperative that the military retaliate against this dastardly act against troops.  The military would be fierce in its response.  We would bring overwhelming military pressure on the group to ensure their total defeat”.  The above statement was credited to the Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General Edward Buba in reaction to the killing of soldiers in Aba in Abia State by alleged IPOB militants.  The writer equally isolated three recent incidents to buttress his point and argument, such as the shutting down of Banex Plaza in Abuja over a dispute between a phone seller and a soldier; the Okuama killings in Delta State where 17 military personnel were killed in an ambush by militants, and the last being the killing of five soldiers by alleged IPOB militants in Aba, Abia State resulting in ongoing skirmishes to fish out the killers. 

    I find the conclusion depressing where Palladium likened the military to militants and insurgents.  He introduced some precepts like, ‘the people’s army’ and a ‘new doctrine’ as well as the disconnection between Nigerians and their military.  His treatment of these precepts was an oversimplification. I will talk about this presently.  To understand his point of view from the article, one expected the writer to have enunciated the existing doctrine of the military, pointing out its inadequacies to justify his position and demand for a new doctrine.  What therefore is the doctrine of the Nigerian military known to him? 

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    The military should protect Nigerian citizens as the guardian sentinel of our liberty, freedom and democracy and should not be seen to turn its weapons against the civil populace.  The people are not enemies of the state and the military cannot win a war against the people because it exists for the people.  In the same way, the military and its personnel deserve some measure of protection from hooligans who are mostly engaged and hired by some individuals to protect their business premises or pursue some political agenda.

    Palladium further used the Arise television interview with the former CDS, General Lucky Irabor on the Banex incident, and response of the Nigerian Army Spokesman, Major general Onyema Nwachukwu as baseline for his analysis.  The writer did not omit to refer to other encounters in the past between the military and the civil populace in Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State after the killing of 19 soldiers.  In concluding, he stated among other things that “…For when they respond fiercely  and indiscriminately to provocations like militants and insurgents, talking about retaliation and vengeance instead of calmly and forcefully saying they would bring the attackers to justice, how can they prove they are different from those animals who unfeelingly leave destruction in their wake”.  This is a summary dismissal of the military as not being different from the militants and insurgents in any way.

    When the writer talks about the people’s army, he does not as much as state what a people’s army means.  Glossing over it therefore makes the analysis superficial. Is a people’s army about just civil/military relations; one is afraid there is a yawning gap in that article as it was full of bile, as if the writer had an axe to grind with the military, and given the way he concluded that  the military sees itself as superior to the polity. Furthermore, one was unable to see the disconnection between the military and the civil populace that the writer referred to.  His narrative was replete with unsubstantiated assumptions; for it cannot be said that the reason the military is not able to defeat or rein in insurgency or criminality in the country is as a result of any disconnection or occasional friction between the civil populace and the military.  The article failed to meet the threshold of good analysis when the writer talked about peacekeeping in internal security operations in aid of civil authority; that is a misleading concept. The Nigerian military could not have been involved in any peacekeeping operation within its own territory and geographical boundaries.

    It is true that there have been frictions and clashes between some gangsters and hooligans who launch attacks on the military and other uniformed personnel or law enforcement agents in their course of duty, but not the civil populace as that would be misleading; otherwise it would be using the media space to create disaffection between the military and civil populace which does not really exit. The festering insecurity in the northeast and elsewhere is real and the reason we are at a dead end is the vexed issue of ethnicity, religion and bad politics conveyed through media distortions.    Nigeria is the only country I know where people support crime and criminality because it is perpetrated by someone from our ethnic nationality or religious persuasion. The campaign against the military will only leave us at the mercy of criminal gangs and hooligans. 

    We do not expect the military or the army to turn its weapons against the civil populace or undermine the rule of law in its internal security operations; we expect the soldiers to be disciplined and law abiding. They are not superior to the polity but for the general good of the state.  

    It is also true to observe that the language and responses from the military may not have been elegant and civil, using a word like retaliation. The military needs to overhaul and fine-tune their language when relating with members of the public and avoid command regimental language while the same message can be passed differently. The Nigerian military should not stand as a spectre of fear to the society.  At the same time, hooligans and gangsters should not be allowed to weaken the state by attacking the coercive force of the state and putting the rest of us in apprehension, as we already are with Boko Haram, IPOB, herdsmen, bandits and kidnappers that now negotiate with government on even terms.  While we blame the hawk, we should also blame the chicken that exposes its chicks.

    The Nigerian military remains in my perception a people’s army (Nigerian Army), and any disconnection with the Nigerian people is a figment of the imagination of the observer, regardless of our misgivings about some isolated incidents. The military uniform is similar to our national flag and symbol of our collective safety and security. When criminals attack our military, one should expect a strong response without media hype.

    • Mike Kebonkwu Esq – mikekebonkwu@yahoo.com

  • Police reforms, improved service and campaign of calumny

    Police reforms, improved service and campaign of calumny

    By Muyiwa Adejobi

    The ongoing debate surrounding the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Act, which aims to extend the retirement age of police officers from 60 to 65 years and service tenure from 35 to 40 years, has ignited considerable controversy and deliberation among stakeholders. This legislative proposal has significant implications for the future of policing in Nigeria, touching upon issues of governance, operational efficiency, and public trust. Understanding the importance of this debate requires a nuanced exploration of its potential impacts and the broader context within which it unfolds. This requires eliminating all sentiments associated with the current police leadership, and getting a bird’s eye view of the Bill.

    The Bill represents a crucial moment in the evolution of policing policies in Nigeria, addressing critical issues such as personnel management, institutional memory retention, and operational effectiveness. At its coPolice Force (NPF) to better align with contemporary challenges and global standards of policing.

    As stakeholders engage in rigorous discourse and analysis, it becomes evident that the outcomes of this legislative endeavour will not only shape the future trajectory of the NPF but also influence public perception and confidence in the police. Thus, the debate transcends mere legislative amendments, resonating deeply with issues of governance, public safety, and the overall socio-political landscape of Nigeria.

    Historical Context

    The proposal to amend the Nigeria Police Act originated in the 8th Assembly which held power between 2015 and 2019. This evidentially shows that the long-standing concerns about the structure and operation of the Nigeria Police Force has been on for a while. Initially, the bill aimed to address issues of experience retention and the mentoring of junior officers by senior personnel to ensure the maintenance of traditions and customs within the Force. Although it did not reach the final reading before the dissolution of that Assembly, the bill laid the groundwork for current discussions and showed a commitment to reform and modernization within the NPF.

    Overview of Existing Nigeria Police Act Provisions

    The Nigeria Police Act 2020 established several key guidelines, including a four-year tenure for the Inspector General of Police. Specifically, Section 7, subsection (6), dictates that the IGP serves a four-year term, with removal only possible through presidential action, based on advice from the Police Council, aiming to ensure stability in leadership and continuity in policing strategies.

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    Under the current law, the retirement age for police officers is set at 60 years, with a maximum of 35 years of service. These parameters have been identified as areas for potential reform to enhance operational effectiveness and personnel management.

    The proposed amendment seeks to extend the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and the service tenure from 35 to 40 years aiming to leverage the vast experience of senior officers, retaining institutional memory and enhancing mentorship opportunities for younger personnel. Moreover, it addresses the need for strategic leadership in the face of contemporary policing challenges, where experience and historical knowledge play crucial roles in crime management.

    The Rationale Behind the Bill

    The proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which seeks to extend the retirement age of police officers from 60 to 65 years and their tenure of service from 35 to 40 years, has sparked significant debate and controversy. Understanding the rationale behind this bill requires a careful examination of its intended benefits and implications for the Nigeria Police Force.

    One of the primary motivations behind the bill is to address the chronic shortage of skilled personnel within the NPF. Over the years, the government has faced significant challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified officers, leading to understaffing and increased workload on existing personnel. This has put the NPF far behind on meeting up with the United Nations approved 1 police officer to 460 citizens ratio. By extending the retirement age and tenure of service, the Bill aims to mitigate these shortages by allowing experienced officers to remain in active service longer to maintain operational continuity and effectiveness, especially in the face of evolving security threats across the country.

    The retention of experienced police officers is another critical objective of the proposed amendment. Experienced officers bring valuable skills, judgment, and institutional knowledge acquired over decades of service. Their continued presence in the Force ensures continuity in leadership, mentoring of junior officers, and effective management of complex policing challenges. Retaining such expertise is essential for enhancing the overall professionalism and efficiency of the NPF, ultimately contributing to improved public safety and security.

    Institutional memory is another vital rationale. This refers to the collective knowledge, experience, and historical perspective that senior officers possess within the NPF. This accumulated wisdom plays a pivotal role in guiding strategic decisions, shaping policies, and adapting to changing socio-political dynamics and criminal trends. By retaining senior officers beyond the traditional retirement age, the bill seeks to preserve this institutional memory within the Force. This continuity not only enhances organizational stability but also facilitates smoother transitions and succession planning at leadership levels, thereby bolstering the NPF’s long-term effectiveness and resilience.

    IGP Egbetokun’s Perspective

    On the issues raised, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun initially expressed reservations about extending the service years for police officers by an additional five years. However, following a comprehensive presentation by police pension experts, he was convinced that this extension would significantly enhance the pensionable earnings of police officers, a critical aspect of his commitment to improving the welfare of retired officers.

    Similarly, regarding the proposal for a four-year single tenure for the IGP, IGP Egbetokun believes that this duration is excessively long. He has variously advocated for a renewable two-year term, contingent upon the effective performance of the appointee, an approach that would promote accountability and allow for regular assessments of leadership effectiveness.

    It is also very important to note that by the time this bill undergoes the legislative process and receives presidential assent, the current IGP may no longer be in office. Therefore, he is not necessarily a direct beneficiary of the bill, contrary to the claims of some propagandists.

    Misconceptions and Opposition

    The recent debate surrounding the proposed amendments to the Nigeria Police Act, particularly the extension of retirement age and tenure of service for police officers, has been fraught with misconceptions and opposition. Key among these are mis-attributions regarding the role of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun and the perceived motivations behind the proposed changes.

    Contrary to recent publications suggesting otherwise particularly by Sahara Reporters in its usual sensational manner, IGP Egbetokun is not the originator of the amendments to the Nigeria Police Act 2020. The proposal to increase the retirement age of police officers from 60 to 65 years and extend their tenure of service from 35 to 40 years was first introduced as a private member bill by Hon. Gaza Gbefwi in the House of Representatives on October 3, 2023.

    The misconception that IGP Egbetokun is driving this initiative stems from a misunderstanding of the legislative process and the roles played by various stakeholders in lawmaking. As stipulated by the Police Act 2020, the tenure of the Inspector General of Police is fixed at four years, with provisions for removal by the President on the advice of the Police Council. Therefore, IGP Egbetokun, whose tenure is slated to end in October 2027, does not stand to benefit personally from the proposed amendments.

    Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and self-serving agendas behind the proposed amendments. However, it is crucial to recognize that the objective of extending the retirement age and tenure of service is primarily aimed at improving the operational efficiency and institutional memory of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). By retaining experienced senior officers for a longer period, the NPF can benefit from their wealth of knowledge and expertise in crime management, strategic planning, and operational leadership.

    Moreover, similar extensions in retirement age have been implemented in other sectors, such as the judiciary and the education sector, reflecting a broader trend towards maximizing the contributions of experienced professionals. A prime instance is the recent legislation extending the retirement age of teachers to 65 years in Nigeria.

    Opponents of the proposed amendments also argue that extending the retirement age and tenure of service could set a precedent for other agencies, potentially leading to a bloated bureaucracy and stagnation in career progression. However, it is essential to differentiate between strategic retention of expertise and administrative inefficiencies.

    Furthermore, the broader implications for public sector governance should be evaluated within the context of improving service delivery and organizational effectiveness. By maintaining a balance between continuity of leadership and opportunities for career advancement, the proposed amendments aim to create a sustainable framework for professional development within the NPF.

    Global Comparisons: Extending Retirement Age and Service Tenure for Police Personnel

    In the ongoing debate over the proposed amendment to extend the retirement age and service tenure of police officers in Nigeria, global comparisons offer valuable insights into similar reforms enacted in other countries. Countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil have all adjusted the retirement age and service tenure for their law enforcement personnel, citing various benefits and considerations. Understanding these global examples can shed light on potential outcome and benefits for Nigeria.

    In the United States of America for example, the retirement age for police officers varies across states and jurisdictions. Many states have extended the mandatory retirement age beyond 60 years, recognizing the value of retaining experienced officers. For instance, California and Texas have the retirement age set for 67 and 65 years respectively. Some states allow officers to continue serving until they reach 70 years of age, provided they pass physical and cognitive fitness assessments. This approach aims to leverage the expertise and institutional knowledge of senior officers while maintaining public safety standards.

    In Canada, the retirement age for police officers also varies by province and territory. Several provinces have extended the retirement age to 65 years, aligning with changes in life expectancy and the evolving nature of policing challenges. The rationale includes reducing turnover costs, preserving experienced leadership, and enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement operations. Like in the United States, these reforms aim to balance operational needs with the welfare and capabilities of aging officers.

    Australia has implemented reforms to extend the service tenure and retirement age for its Federal Police members. Recognizing the benefits of retaining skilled personnel, Australian jurisdictions have adjusted retirement policies to allow officers to serve until 65 years and 61 years of age for males and females respectively. This extension is part of broader efforts to manage workforce demographics, ensure continuity in leadership, and optimize resource allocation within law enforcement agencies.

    Benefits Observed in These Nations

    Retention of Institutional Knowledge: Extending retirement age allows police forces to retain experienced officers who possess invaluable institutional knowledge and expertise. This knowledge is crucial for training new recruits, improving operational strategies, and navigating complex law enforcement challenges.

    Cost Efficiency: By reducing turnover and recruitment costs associated with replacing retiring officers, extending retirement age can yield significant savings for police budgets. This includes savings on training, recruitment campaigns, and the logistical expenses of integrating new personnel into the force.

    Enhanced Public Safety: Experienced officers contribute to enhanced public safety outcomes through effective crime prevention strategies, community engagement, and crisis response. Their seasoned judgment and familiarity with local contexts can lead to more informed decision-making and better outcomes in critical incidents.

    Workforce Resilience: A diverse age range within the police force promotes workforce resilience, ensuring a mix of experience and vitality. This diversity allows police agencies to adapt to evolving threats, technological advancements, and community expectations effectively.