The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • Presidential Amnesty funding: Another voice

    Presidential Amnesty funding: Another voice

    By Ranami Olali

    The recent visit of the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, to the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major-General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), in his Abuja office, has once again indexed the inevitability of sustaining the programme.

    Lokpobiri who leads the ever vibrant IYC is a man who should know especially with his influence spreading across the creeks of the oil-rich Niger Delta region. He acknowledged that the relative peace in the region has resulted in sustained crude oil production, with near-zero cases of force majeure. Compare the peace in the creeks today with the upheavals that regularly assailed the region pre-Amnesty years and you will appreciate his submission. Never should Nigeria return to that sour and sore past.

    The late President Umaru Yar’Adua had in 2009 created the Amnesty Programme through an implementation committee as a response to the restiveness and febrile ambience of the region at that time leading to intermittent shut down of oil exploration operations and a sharp decline in crude oil output with corresponding drop in petro-dollar accruals. PAP was, therefore, designed to de-radicalise the restive youths in the region, train them through various capacity-building initiatives and have them mainstreamed into the larger society. The creation of the programme earned, deservedly, the acclaim and validation of both local and international agencies as a well-thought out initiative that would not only promote and sustain peace but also actively engage and empower the youths of the region.

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    A comparative analytics of the indices on the relevance and desirability of the programme in the region, before and after its creation, shows that it has achieved monumental success in areas of social welfare, skills acquisition, job and wealth creation, cognitive knowledge impact, entrepreneurship and above all, giving a huge sense of belonging to the region as being an integral part of the national matrix. PAP, therefore, is beyond capacity building and empowerment, it has become an effective tool for national integration. But there is a snag. In recent years, the Niger Delta oil-map has expanded. This also translates to more youths enrolled in the programme and more responsibilities in terms of funding.

    This is why the plea of Lokpobiri when he visited Ndiomu recently should not be swept aside. The IYC leader had advocated, pointedly, for increased funding for the programme. He gave his reasons: “With the fast decrease in the value of the Naira, a N65 billion annual funding is a far cry. N65billion of now cannot do what N65 billion of before would have done. It is our appeal to the government of President Bola Tinubu that there need to be a review.”

    He acknowledged that the programme has been “tremendously successful” in terms of impacting lives of young Niger Deltans and pledged the willingness of the IYC as the umbrella body of young people in the region to partner and work “strategically” with Ndiomu to further reposition the PAP. Lokpobiri’s appeal for increased funding for PAP resonates with the prevailing opinion of a majority of the people of the region. Year after year, PAP’s influence and relevance among the Niger Delta people deepens. And with this comes increased responsibilities all of which exert demand on the purse of the programme. Aside the mandatory monthly stipend to amnesty beneficiaries, PAP has been engaged in sundry obligations for the good and peace of the Niger Delta region and for the gain of Nigeria.

    In recent years, the PAP has been involved in the sponsorship of series of training in aviation and avionics for some Niger Delta youths among other obligations, including awarding overseas and local scholarships to Niger Deltans, organizing artisanal trainings and training the youths in entrepreneurship among other interventions. These responsibilities cost money and put fiscal pressure on the administration of the programme. The pressure is pumped up with the devaluation of the naira which has made N65 billion look like N20 billion or less. When you factor the reality that the innovative leadership of Ndiomu has helped to capture more people into the PAP net and widened responsibilities to include providing seed capital for groomed entrepreneurs among the youths, you’ll appreciate the enormity of the financial burden on the administrator of the programme. The bottom-line is that there is paucity of funds to keep the programme running and quieten the ex-agitators in the creeks.

    The issue of dearth of funds is made worse by the devaluation of the naira. With the current value of the naira, what N65 billion could achieve five years ago or as recent as last year, it cannot achieve same this year. Consider the case of overseas scholarships that require the programme administrator to change naira to dollars to effect payment of school fees for beneficiaries in offshore schools. Add to that its other fiscal obligations to the people including projects execution in education, general infrastructure, healthcare and welfare; then you will appreciate the suggestion of Lokpobiri.

    The reality is that a good 14 plus years after its creation, PAP is now struggling to meet its financial obligations. Ndiomu had at various times hinted at this and has had to resort to massive cost-saving measures to keep the vision afloat. But for how long? The ex-agitators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders have been working assiduously with the Ndiomu leadership to meet the basic needs of the people on a shoestring and still keep the amnesty flag flying, but such efficiency in austerity does not mean that all is well with the Programme and within the creeks.

    President Tinubu as someone with a rich oil and gas private sector background knows that the economic well-being of this nation is still fuelled by oil money. The nation’s yearly budget is always benchmarked on the price of crude oil, not on the price of yam, wheat, gold or any other product or produce. It is, therefore, apposite that the federal government must, as a necessity, do all it can to ensure that Nigeria not only meets her OPEC quota but also sustains steady production of crude. This cannot happen in an atmosphere devoid of peace. The Lokpobiri thesis for more funding for PAP appears the most pragmatic way to sustain the momentum and subsequently meet the nation’s OPEC quota.

    All over the world, peace is expensive because it is built on the ramparts of development and development costs money. Much more, peace attracts more development. Contrarily, violence is far more expensive because it destroys what was already built and worse still, it attracts zero development. The Tinubu government, now clearly on a momentum of reforms, should take a second look at PAP and its impact on peace and national development. Such impact has been monumental to say the least hence the need not only to apply the Lokpobiri prescription but also to heed the advice of Ndiomu that PAP should be made to transit into a Social Intervention Programme. Ndiomu believes that the sustainable peace being enjoyed in the region is “90 percent” traceable to the various innovative initiatives of the programme aimed at improving the lives of young people. PAP needs a lifeline to breathe well.

    • Olali, environmental activist, writes from Port Harcourt.

  • 2024: Making progress because we can

    2024: Making progress because we can

    By Samuel Akinnuga

    It is fitting to begin by wishing Nigerians a Happy New Year, in the hope that this year will be marked by good news in all respects for the individual, family and our dear country. As things stand, the world is generally in need of some respite after a year defined by wars and economic hardship. The last time I had the opportunity to feature on this page, many thanks to Professor Jide Osuntokun, the global attention at time was beamed on the Israel-Hamas war. Three months after, it is still a burning issue with no end in sight, in spite of several entreaties made by different interested stakeholders. On the other side of things which features the Russia-Ukraine crisis which, in spite of the telling implications, the world seems to be getting uninterested by the day.

     At home, we are mired in an unappealing array of distress in our economy and threats to our security. While everyday citizens are grappling with increasing cost of living, the carnage in Plateau State two weeks ago serves as a biting reminder of the much that needs to be done in saving this country away from those who intend to keep this country in a perpetual state of fear.

    Over the holidays, I played host to a friend of mine who was visiting Nigeria with his young family for the first time. Seeing that it was our first time meeting in almost five years, the visit was a good opportunity for us to catch up with some profound presence and passion that virtual calls (audio or video) cannot guarantee. Physical connections are always better for heart-to-talks.

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     From visiting tourist sites to soaking in the ‘life’ around Lagos and Ogun states to meeting some eminent Nigerians, they had a great time here during their holidays. We formed great memories with the numerous outings and conversations. Because my friend and I are cut from about the same cloth, we compared notes on the state of affairs in both our countries. Both countries enjoy unique ties and are, in a politico-historical sense, children of the same parents. The countries are faced with unique challenges. However, in spite of the many challenges, my friend struggles to understand how the electrical power situation (and the attendant costs on individuals and businesses who have to desperately rely on alternatives) continues to cripple Nigeria. It was in reflecting on the issues that came up that I decided to write.

    As human beings, we don’t all agree on many things. However, in the context of reviewing outcomes, we are mostly on the same page: everything boils down to choices. We are literally defined by everyday choices: choice of daily habits, values to live by, interests to pursue, friendships to nurture, promises to keep, dreams to believe in, callings/professions to answer to; the list goes on. These choices determine the outcomes.

    Since it is individuals that make up societies, it must follow that what is true for individuals also applies to societies in this sense. A flourishing or floundering society is the sum of the quality of choices taken by its independent parts – leadership and followership. In deciding the interests to promote and protect as well as the overarching values that would undergird social interactions and expectations, societies determine their destinies.

     All around us, we are faced with the outcomes of the string of poor choices that our country has made through the decades. The realities today show that we have either not learnt much or are simply not interested in making right choices. A few questions to ask: what examples do we reward? Who are the people we hold up as models for the younger generation? What are our priorities? What do we aspire to achieve together? What is the biggest legacy of being Nigerian?

    From the unceasing assault on our national mores and the once-treasured spirit of patriotism and charity towards one another, we now have a situation where no one is sure about how far gone we are in the depths of decay and rot. And we keep digging. In virtually every aspect of our national life, there is hardly any major we are wholly proud of.

    The blame goes both ways: whether we talk about the avarice, short-sightedness, knavery, vainglory, indifference, and intolerance (or even hatred) that have characterised national life for far too long,  the responsibility is shared.

    There is no point asking ‘who did this to us?’ because it is purely rhetorical. We know who. We did this to ourselves. We betrayed the possibilities of this great country by the sum of the poor choices taken at all levels. The cumulative result is the Nigeria of today: at home, we are dismayed; abroad, we are disregarded. Choices! We are here because of our choices. When we should have planned for the future, we were desperate to eat both the seed and fruit. When we should have prioritised investment in the youth, we were busy burdening their future with debts. When we should have built and strengthened our institutions, we promoted the interests of privileged individuals at the expense of the vulnerable majority. That’s how we got here. Nonetheless, the good news, in my reckoning, is that there is no one coming to save us. Other people have their hands busy. Deep down, I hope that that is enough motivation for us to get to work.

     The solution to many of our problems are known: they are discussed in the newspapers; raised in everyday conversations at home and at work; overemphasised in books and other academic materials; rehashed at conferences and seminars; people shout on radio and TV everyday about them; those who have the time write lengthy posts about them on social media. The solutions are everywhere!

    As I conclude, I remember a quote I came across while reading a book by John Maxwell a few days ago:

    “Most people can look back over the years and identify a time and place at which their lives changed significantly. Whether by accident or design, these are the moments, when, because of a readiness within us, we are forced to seriously reappraise ourselves and the conditions under which we live to make certain choices that will affect the rest of our lives”

    I sincerely hope that 2024 is that moment for us all. The solutions are within our reach. 2024 is another opportunity to change our national course, and to do so by choice. Why not!

    May God bless Nigeria.

    Condolence to the Akeredolus

    I wish to extend heartfelt condolences to the family of late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, CON, SAN. I never had an opportunity to meet with him, but as a much younger Nigerian and someone who follows developments in the public space, I saw him as a person who had the unique ability of affecting people around cause he believed in. As a lawyer and politician, I believe he will be remembered for that.  May his soul rest in peace. And may the good Lord grant his family the strength and comfort to deal with his absence.

  • Our humanity must resurrect

    Our humanity must resurrect

    By Oluwole Ogundele

    Socio-economic development embedded in sustainability will certainly remain a wild goose chase, in the face of unending political conflicts, ethnic tensions, terrorism, hypocrisy, greed, and hedonism. It is a complete farce to be talking of promoting local industrialisation and foreign investments in contemporary Nigeria riddled with monumental corruption and insecurity. The political class members and citizens have to become students of history.  Ignore the lessons of history and get crushed to political oblivion or death!

    Power belongs to the people! One of the major reasons for the 1966 coup by some military officers was the unfettered materialism/ostentation of the political class. Life and living became highly unbearable while the leaders looked the other way. The negative effects of this coup on the political landscape of Nigeria are too well known to be recounted here. We are yet to recover from the shock, despite keeping up the pretence of national unity and harmony. Today’s Nigeria is on the edge of a precipice. The politicians with their primordial belief that the led are moronic must be careful. Enough of rhetoric of political slogans in the face of unprecedented material poverty and hopelessness.

    Time is of the essence! Security and welfare of the citizens are the most paramount responsibilities of the government. The constitution is our witness in this context. The rate of insecurity in the country is too high to be trivialised. Some NYSC members and other innocent Nigerians are still in the kidnappers’ den. They had their 2023 Christmas in the forests with their abductors. Many families are wailing and weeping now. Is it a crime to be a Nigerian? After struggling for years to train their children up to the university level, parents of the kidnapped NYSC members among others, are grieving for their loved ones. Human lives hardly matter here.  No empathy for these unlucky citizens’ situations. The exploitation of our abundant natural resources and cultural colonialism appear to be the underlying factors for these unending crises.  In other words, Nigeria’s resources have become a curse as opposed to a blessing. This scenario should worry the political class.

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    Federal government needs to protect our international borders more than hitherto. Most of them are too porous. This is with a special emphasis on the north-eastern and north-western regions. About 137 borders out of 261 from this axis are either unmanned or poorly managed. Despite the ECOWAS protocol on free movement across the sub-region, Nigeria must be more vigilant. Influxes of foreigners have to be thoroughly checked in the interest of national security and economic development.

    With due respect, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has to be punishing severely saboteurs among the security forces and civilian populations. Those who have been found guilty of stealing our patrimony should be summarily dealt with.  This will serve as deterrence to others. He has to step on toes in the overall interest of the country. That is what Nigerians want. The current scenario has to be transformed to suit the interdependent world of contemporary times. This is how we can make sense of our critical space in the modern global village.

    We are losing our humanity! The recent attacks in Taraba, Niger, and Plateau   are too dastardly to be glossed over. Nigerian leadership hardly believes in a proactive approach to solving problems.  This situation makes a mockery of our caricatured democracy. Nigerian democracy is only for the small ruling elite to enjoy. Not surprisingly, the rulers continue to organise elaborate parties here and there. They also go for exotic vehicles. The agonies of the led mean nothing to them. Cost of governance is too high in Nigeria.

    This special breed of Homo sapiens (the politicians) forgets the ephemeral nature of political power and even life itself. Happiness does not emanate from material riches. It (happiness) is a by-product of the love and/or spirit of “otherness” radiated to fellow humans.

     I do not expect our political leaders to be wining and dining so much, while many Nigerians are dying daily as a result of monumental poverty. In addition, many citizens are being maimed or killed across the land by terrorists. Meanwhile, these leaders are busy showing their dance steps, like ants at every little opportunity. The country continues to bleed profusely. This amounts to a mockery of the ordinary people.

    This should be a time for sober reflection. The attitude of the political class is extremely odd, in retrospect. The economy is in a coma due to decreased productivity in all sectors. The national reserves have been depleted in the face of unbridled corruption across the board. Our currency is losing weight daily. What are the leaders celebrating? Indeed, they need special deliverance from callousness and related weaknesses. The led should stop clapping for their oppressors and exploiters as if they are a conquered lot. Our leaders have to be held accountable at all times if indeed, they are serving us. Leadership at the sub-national levels-state and local governments, must be monitored. That is the secret of good governance all over the world, understandably because the human nature is corrupt. The citizens have to begin to construct a larger space for the superiority of human character, when designing their leadership culture, currently rooted in mindless hedonism and self-indulgence.

    More and more farmers are abandoning their villages because of incessant attacks by bandits. Consequently, food production is now at its lowest ebb. Starvation or malnutrition worsens public health. Some communities in the northern region are now paying taxes to terrorists in order to have access to their farms.

     It is most ridiculous that the immediate past government embraced de-radicalisation programmes for some terrorists hereby christened, children of Lucifer. These enemies of humanity should not be spared, given the enormity of their crimes against innocent Nigerians. This unfair, dangerous policy is like putting on a cap with a snake.  Even parts of the Western world like Britain, the US, and Canada do not negotiate with terrorists. Every geo-polity has its uniqueness, tied to the apron strings of social history and physical environment. Except we want to be economical with the truth, de-radicalisation programmes have not worked in this country. Nigeria has to begin to show some amount of originality with respect to policy formulation and implementation, in order to have sustainable socio-economic development.

    Let us stop pampering evil doers who are worse than vampire bats. Security and welfare of the citizens are inseparable in a neat way. Therefore, government needs to create the right environment for local and foreign investments to blossom. President Tinubu should wrestle terrorists and kidnappers to the ground. Again, multiple taxation of businesses is a form of guillotine. Similarly, he has to kindly monitor all the recovered loots, so as to prevent re-stealing or another round of mismanagement. It is common knowledge that recovered monies are often re-looted or spent on bogus projects at the expense of the Nigerian masses.  The unacceptable social distance between the leaders and the led must be reduced at all costs. A workable Nigeria is possible in the face of some will power.

    • Prof Ogundele writes from the University of Ibadan.

  • Killings on the Plateau

    Killings on the Plateau

    By Mike Kebonkwu

    The reported Christmas Eve mass murder in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi in Plateau State is not media hype, neither was it a an orchestrated social media fake news.  It is real, and the death toll is bizarre and staggering as over 200 people were said to have been killed. The siege to the communities was unprecedented like a scorched earth, with houses burnt and people displaced.  Mothers carrying babies on their back were hacked to death, leaving the babies still tied on their backs crying.  Women, children and defenceless men were ruthlessly butchered in cold blood. The attackers made good their escape leaving trails of blood, tears, agony and misery to the living.

    We are not sure how long the whole operation lasted but one thing is sure; there was a dereliction of duty by both federal and state agencies whose duties it is to secure life and property. This is one attack too many on the Plateau. This should not be happening where we have a police force and other security agencies.  

    We have to move away from the platitude of knee-jerk response that the criminals will be fished out and brought to book; we do not have the luxury of time for that fishing expedition, and Nigerians are tired of that book that is never made public after every such killing.  This is the time that the government should act decisively and stamp its authority before we surrendered the state and liberty of citizens to a marauding band of criminals. The alternative is that the people will take laws into their hands and anarchy will reign supreme, and this is not a good choice either. We are told that the assassins and merchants of death came in droves fully armed and launched coordinated attacks in about three local government areas simultaneously. 

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    We also hear that they are occupying some communities and have converted some primary schools to their abode.  The pertinent question therefore is where is the intelligence community in all this?  Is it that those parts of the state are ungovernable no-man’s-land and ceded to criminals without government presence? Where were the ubiquitous security agencies during the attack?  The Christmas Eve killings in Plateau State speak to the pervasive state of insecurity in the country in its stark reality. We are all living under the shadow of death; school children are abducted from their classrooms and hostels and taken into captivity for years and never again to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Some are married off we are told; young youth corps members on their journey for orientation for national service were kidnapped on the road and are still in captivity months after.  Female students from tertiary institutions are kidnapped and held in captivity by the same band of criminals demanding for ransom and the nation continue with business as usual.  Are we really alright as a people? Is our head paining us?

    One is beginning to wonder if our leaders ever see this as threat to national security.  Our politicians continue to fight for power and perks of office but care less about the welfare and security of citizens.  People assume wrongly that they are in government and public offices for self, defence of faith, religion and ethnic nationalities. Sadly, this same mentality is gaining traction in the security services and paramilitary organizations, which was not the case in the past. The National Assembly in reaction to the Plateau killings summoned the Service Chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to appear before it; to do what, one might ask?  The ritual of inviting security chiefs to the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly every time there was national security disaster does not provide answers or solution to the security problems in the least; certainly not to the mass murder in Plateau State or elsewhere; it is a needless distraction. 

    The security chiefs have a huge work to do and the ceremonial summons to the National Assembly to answer query in the face of dire emergency security situation should be the least. Similar thing happened not too long ago when the National Assembly summoned late Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, then Chief of Army Staff, a man who knew his onions while investigating defence procurements. They tried to bully him dangling the office they occupy as representatives of the people and the man told them off point blank that he was equally representing every community in Nigeria and he had operational visits to undertake in different theatres more important than the needless distraction of their summons.

    Now kidnappers are running amok even in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja the seat of power operating with brazen temerity.   What is to be done! The President and Commander-in-Chief should unequivocally give clear matching orders to the security chiefs to bring maximum force to bear and engage the criminals terrorizing the country.  We should resist the temptation to dialogue with bandits and kidnappers and other criminal elements terrorizing the country. Those calling for dialogue with bandits, insurgents and other criminals are complicit.  The state should go after them with fire and brimstone. Dialogue with merchants of death and criminals is a signal of a failed state. 

    To solve the killings in Plateau State and other criminal activities across the country, we must first properly identify those behind it.  One does not share the sentiment and labelling of ‘Fulani herdsmen’ as the attackers; it is unfair branding because the herdsmen we know do not carry high calibre weapons, unless these are “political herdsmen”.   The itinerant herdsmen are the people we see daily with their herds of cattle roving and foraging for grass.  The criminals sacking villages, collecting taxes, kidnapping people for ransom are fully armed with automatic rifles; they are not grazers. Just the same way we are told that it is “unknown gunmen” that are running riot in the Southeast; what is the meaning of that?  A criminal is a criminal and should be treated as such; we should stop dressing crimes in tribal and religious gown.  We should stop the culture of stigmatizing and stereotyping ethnic nationalities. The moment you start giving religious and tribal toga to criminals, they find solace and embrace in ethnic solidarity. 

    It is hard to accept the fact that security has improved; not with recent killings in Plateau State.  Not even with the report of the attacks and killing again a few days ago at Chibok that is still reeling from the unsolved kidnapping of school girls in their scores.  Not the wholesale abduction of travellers on the highways almost on daily basis.  Not the nightmare that Abuja has also become lately from “one chance” traffic criminals operating in cabs, and random kidnappings and killings.

    We expect the security forces and intelligence agencies to go after those killers in Plateau State wherever they may be hiding.  No more excuses for failure! We are talking about the same intelligence agencies that could sniff the whiff of currency notes in the bed chambers of judges and yet cannot locate criminals carrying and brandishing weapons and sacking communities and collecting taxes.  Communities must also be vigilant and give timely information to the security agencies on suspicious movements of strangers in their midst.  The military has to bring overwhelming force on these criminals, terrorists and cartels behind them; a soldier does not dialogue with outlaws, and rehabilitation of criminals is not his business. Soldiering is not a seminary to recruit priest and tribal faithful. A soldier should only observe faith as a matter of constitutional right but not as fanatic to protect religious credo and dogma or to be an ethnic irredentist. 

    On the needless controversy that Nigerians should not be allowed to bear fire arms credited to the Chief of Army Staff, he cannot be correct on that score.  It is a settled law under the Fire Arms Act that qualified Nigerians have the right to licence to bear firearm after being screened by the Police.  After all, criminals carry weapons up and down to harass and kill citizens and the constitutions also provide the right to self-defence and it is a fundamental right. What will the citizen use to defend himself when under attack if he does not bear arms legitimately? Does he throw bread and chocolate to bandits in self-defence?

    • Kebonkwu Esq is an Abuja-based attorney.

  • Analysing the National Assembly’s 2024 Budget

    Analysing the National Assembly’s 2024 Budget

    By Akinola Ayobami Steven

    SIR: The unveiling of the National Assembly’s budget for 2024, totalling a substantial #514.85 billion, has sparked fervent debate and scrutiny among Nigerians. This budget, broken down into multiple allocations, offers a glimpse into the fiscal priorities of the legislative body, raising questions about its implications on development, societal standards, the economy, and poverty alleviation.

    The Zonal Intervention Projects of #100bn constitutes a significant portion of the budget, yet the transparency and accountability regarding the utilization of these funds remain subjects of concern. Clarity on the actual impact and equitable distribution across various regions is crucial to ensure genuine developmental strides.

    The substantial budgets allotted to the House of Representatives and the Senate – #78.62bn & #49.14bn respectively – warrant scrutiny, particularly regarding the direct impact on legislative functions and whether these allocations align with actual performance and accountability measures.

    The allocation towards outstanding liabilities, completion of office complexes, and other infrastructural projects within the National Assembly raises questions about prioritization. Critics argue that a more judicious allocation towards critical social and infrastructural development projects could better serve the populace, uplift the standard of living, and contribute significantly to poverty alleviation.

    The vast array of allocations ranging from completion of office complexes to zonal liaison offices, libraries, recreation centers, and solar power systems raises questions about the perceived extravagance or misplaced priorities, especially when viewed against pressing socio-economic challenges faced by the nation.

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    The budget’s detailed breakdown highlights the need for a comprehensive review and reallocation of funds towards projects that directly impact the lives of the citizenry. Prioritizing sectors like education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation could foster tangible socio-economic development and contribute more meaningfully to poverty alleviation.

    Ensuring robust oversight mechanisms, transparency in fund utilization, and stringent accountability measures are imperative to mitigate misuse or misappropriation of allocated resources. This would bolster public trust in the National Assembly’s stewardship of public funds and its commitment to the welfare of the nation.

    The unveiled budget of the National Assembly for 2024 presents a tableau of priorities, necessitating critical evaluation and a recalibration of focus towards projects that drive holistic development and uplift the socio-economic status of Nigerians. It beckons the need for prudence, transparency, and accountability to steer these allocations towards tangible and impactful outcomes, aligning with the nation’s quest for sustainable growth and prosperity.

    • Akinola Ayobami Steven, akinolaa61@gmail.com

  • What Bayelsans expect from Diri

    What Bayelsans expect from Diri

    By Braeyi Ekiye

    SIR: One can say without equivocation that Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri’s push for developmental politics richly rewarded his second term bid.

    The governor’s focused and prioritised projects performance during his first tenure in office, no doubt, gave him a clear lead and ultimate victory at the Saturday November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

    In addition to that, the season of high profile and other critical stakeholders and grassroots endorsement for the governor’s second term bid prior to the November election, signalled Governor Diri’s ultimate victory at the gubernatorial poll.

    We recall that a former president and an illustrious son of Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was among the many who endorsed Governor Diri’s second term bid based on his visionary leadership in managing the affairs of the state.

    Jonathan had re-echoed reasons for endorsing Diri’s candidature during the recent yuletide visit of the governor and a high-powered delegation to his residence. According to the former president, Governor Diri deserved to be re-elected for his commendable developmental efforts, particularly for ensuring peace and stability in the state.

    Jonathan spoke glowingly of Governor Diri’s efforts in reasonably reining the excesses of cult groups, and other societal ills inimical to peace, security and uninterrupted development.

    It was for this and other enviable reasons, Dr. Jonathan reasoned, that he saw in the governor and his team, credibility and visionary leadership that needed to be encouraged to do another four-year term in office.

    He therefore charged Governor Diri to do more to meet the expectations of the massive support base for his administration, adding that: “To whom much was given, much was expected”.

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    Meanwhile, Governor Diri, in his New Year message, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment towards the overall development of the state.

    Going forward, he said, his administration would actively engage communities irrespective of political affiliation in order to achieve the collective holistic developmental aspirations of the state.

    The governor unfolded some mega projects captured in the state’s 2024 budget which include the construction of an ultra-modern stadium, a renal centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital at Okolobiri as well as administrative block for the Primary Healthcare Board.

    Governor Diri said that his administration would also kick-start the state’s industrialisation through his recent assent to the Bayelsa State Electricity Law 2023, which he said, promises to be a game-changer for improved power supply in the state.

    He stated that, under the new electricity law, licences would be issued to private investors while collaboration with existing franchises would be enhanced to expand electricity access in underserved areas.

    Governor Diri therefore, called for collective effort and the unflinching support of citizens of the state for her accelerated progress in the New Year and in sustaining the achievements so far recorded.

    There is no doubt that Governor Diri has a great task ahead of him. With the audacious on-going three senatorial roads project and other people-oriented socio-economic and infrastructural transformation schemes, together with the new additions in the state’s 2024 budget, the governor should hit the ground running. The commitment of his administration in salvaging a people deeply stressed and disoriented by the turn of global financial and economic downturn, and monumental crisis, notwithstanding, citizens of the state expect the governor to turn around their depleted fortunes.

    It is our ardent hope, therefore, that Governor Diri would rise to the occasion and give the people of the state the much-needed holistic development leap, and a reason to reaffirm their trust in his leadership of the state, the next four years.

    • Braeyi Ekiye, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

  • Still on the promises of 2024

    Still on the promises of 2024

    By Chiedu Uche Okoye

    SIR: The year, 2023, straddled between annus horribilis and annus mirabilis in that the troubles we encountered in the year did not consume us. And God, the Sovereign of our universe, spared our lives, which offered us the opportunity to continue striving to realize our goals both as individuals and as a country. 

    Today, Nigeria is hobbled by economic recession, infrastructural deficit, violent secessionist agitations, technological backwardness, dysfunctional educational system, and comatose healthcare delivery system. And the list of Nigeria’s problems has kept on burgeoning. The stark fact is that our past military rulers and successive political leaders had failed to leapfrog Nigeria to the acme of technological and economic advancement. 

    The implementation of the redesigning of the naira notes caused scarcity of naira notes, with its calamitous and devastating consequences for us. The change of the old naira notes, which was later stopped, increased the economic hardship of Nigerians. Nigerians survived that period of cash crunch, however. 

    As Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief, following the easing up of the scarcity of the old naira notes, the release of the 2023 presidential election result, which showed that Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, raised political tension to some extent. Nonetheless, Bola Tinubu, who governed Lagos State for eight years and fought for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, is well-acquainted with Nigeria’s multifarious and hydra-headed problems. So he is in a pole position to tackle our country’s many different problems. 

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    But has his withdrawal of oil subsidy shored up our economy? This is open to debate. Millions of unemployed university graduates still pound the pavement on a daily basis in search of the non-existent white and blue collar jobs. And millions of Nigerians, who live below the breadline, scavenge for leftovers. 

    And our security challenges have not abated. So it is imperative for the president to rejig our security architecture and think out new ways for tackling the prevailing monster of insecurity of lives and property in Nigeria. Recently, we’re treated to a macabre dance of death in Jos, Plateau State, which highlighted the recrudescence of violent killings in the state. And in the southeast, secessionist agitators still carry out homicidal deeds to strike fear into our minds. 

    But now, the year, 2023, with all its troubles has been relegated to the waste-bin of history. And the year, 2024, which had been chafing at the threshold of our cosmos, has poked its head in birth. The good thing about 2024 is that it is starting on a clean slate, hopefully without the baggage and negative influence of 2023. 

    So it behoves President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do the right thing in order that history will be kind to him. Our depressed economy should be diversified away from crude-oil so as to create job opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians. He should address urgently and holistically, too, our problems of epileptic electricity supply and infrastructural rot, which hinder the rapid industrialization of Nigeria. 

    And he should address the monster of insecurity of lives and property, revamp our educational system and boost our moribund health sector. 

    President Tinubu knows that achieving national unity in Nigeria is a sine qua non for the rapid development of Nigeria. A country that is embroiled in political turmoil cannot achieve great economic and technological feats. The ball is now in his court; so, he should make hay while the sun shines. 

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.

  • Strategy for climate change adaptation and energy transition

    Strategy for climate change adaptation and energy transition

    By Adebayo Alonge

    Climate change is a multifaceted threat that affects the economy, agriculture, water resources, health, and the overall well-being of our nation. However, it also presents immense opportunities for us to reimagine our energy system, enabling us to bring new forms of energy into the homes and businesses of every one of our people, wherever they may be. This transition provides the opportunity for Nigeria to become a global green superpower, exporting natural gas and clean energy commodities such as lithium, as well as green products like aluminum, steel, glass, and hydrogen that can be locally produced using our abundant renewable solar, wind, and hydropower resources. This shift will immediately improve the quality of life for the majority of our people, help create jobs, and unlock new opportunities to attract investments into our energy and manufacturing industries.

    Climate change is a collective action problem and we need to mobilize our people to help solve it. The people are an important resource to co-generate solutions to this issue as they are the ones experiencing the problem first hand. Local government town halls should be organized to sensitize the population. Climate knowledge extension officers should be hired to go door to door to educate people. National media campaigns on television, radio, billboards and digital media should be conducted to educate the people about what climate change is, the risks posed and the opportunities available. Ideas should be solicited for local solutions to address climate change. Hackathons can be held at universities and polytechnics with funding made available by local banks and guaranteed by the government. This will help to finance local innovations into potential businesses that can then develop products and services that solve local climate change related problems while generating employment and potentially export dollars.

    The national preparedness and response strategy that is developed as part of the risk assessment and ideas solicitation should be disseminated to every household so that people know how to identify climate related extreme weather events, what to do, where to go and whom to call when these events occur in their communities. The national emergency management agency should also have budgetary reserves mandated by law passed by the federal legislature so that they have enough funding to address all climate emergencies as they occur. This reserve fund should be financed directly from a share of government royalties earned from export of crude oil, natural gas and through direct grants from developed countries and multilateral institutions.

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    Secondly, infrastructure must be built to be resilient and enforced through building codes passed by state legislatures. In flood prone areas, utility grid transformers and building electric switch boxes must be mandated to be hoisted several meters above ground. This will ensure that in the event of flooding that there are no widespread power outages and will also reduce negative health risks of electrocutions. Sewers should be enforced to be built as fully closed off so that sewage does not leak into ground water during floods.

    In the Sahelian north, a tree fence should be planted to keep the soil in place and reverse the encroaching desert. This tree presence will provide cover reducing the evaporation of surface and underground water reserves. An ambitious plan can be put in place to pipe in ocean water from the Atlantic to the Lake Chad region and have it desalinated. The desalinated water can then be used to refill Lake Chad and reverse the 90% loss of water that the lake has faced over the last 30 years. This will help preserve the livelihoods of the communities who rely on the lake for food, transportation and commerce. In coastal cities, slums on the sea should begin to be moved to higher ground with sufficient awareness and alternatives provided to their inhabitants and a clearly defined timeline to complete the migration.

    Coastal seawalls similar to the Eko Atlantic great wall should be constructed across the entire length of the southern coast of the country. Financing can be raised through public-private partnerships or by tapping the climate adaptation funds being put together by developed countries.

    Thirdly, subsistence and commercial agriculture should be adapted for resilience. Farmlands can be mandated to have rain-water collection towers that run off rainwater into underground and above-ground storage tanks. This will ensure that there is water supply in the event of droughts. Research labs such as the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) should be mandated to develop new crop varieties that are purpose-bred to be resilient in drought and flood conditions. New techniques for farming that preserve biodiversity, soil fertility and climate resilience should be developed and disseminated by agriculture extension workers to all farmers. Encourage the implementation of AI tools working with satellites and drones to automate the checking of the health of crops and farmlands at scale with recommendations of solutions to apply such as irrigation, fertilizer, organic pesticides etc. This way technology can scale up farming, increasing the responsiveness of farmers to climate change effects and reducing losses.

    Fourthly, prioritize water resource management. As the population continues to grow from its current 200million base and as agriculture and industry becomes more intensive, the demand for water will increase dramatically. Combined with climate change and encroaching desertification, Nigeria will need to develop and enforce policies and laws that treat water as a strategic resource. There needs to be a comprehensive update of all fresh water reserves in the country with every local government area assessed for water scarcity risk based on current and projected future population, agriculture and industrial growth. Strict measures need to be taken to protect access and ration access to underground aquifers. Households, agriculture and industry need to be trained and informed about water management techniques and a fair price should be placed on boring water holes, distributing and use of water so as to reduce wastage. Waste water should be treated and repurposed for use in the homes, farmlands and industry so as to save the freshwater resources. Desalination plants and pipelines should be built from the southern coast to areas facing water scarcity so as to make desalinated water available to these communities for their use.

    Fifthly, public health systems should be equipped for resilience. Use digital tools to enable remote telecare so as to make up for shortages in healthcare personnel. Focus on preventive health campaigns including vaccination of young children, promotion of consumption of nutritional foods and encouragement of health lifestyles. This will help reduce the prevalence of lifestyle diseases and free up capacity for the health system to address climate related emergencies. Conduct public health campaigns that also use pharmacies and chemists as focal hubs to teach the population on how to prevent and treat heatwaves and vector-borne diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis, dengue fever, river blindness, schistosomiasis, sleeping sickness etc. This will ensure that households and pharmacies can prevent and treat less urgent climate induced diseases while helping the hospital system to have extra capacity for more acute conditions.

    Lastly, aggressively implement the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan (NTEP) which aims for the country to no longer emit carbon (i.e. achieve carbon neutrality) by 2060. In order to achieve this goal, Nigeria must take stock of its current energy sources, how they are used and define the strategy to pursue towards carbon neutrality.

    Nigeria Energy Sources currently consists of Petroleum (67%), Natural Gas (32%) and Renewable Energy (1%.) Its use of these energy by end-use sector is in Residential (78%), Industrial (9%), Transport (7%), Commercial (3%). Its electricity sector is powered using Coal (74%), Renewables (26%). Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions are mostly driven by agriculture, oil & gas i.e., from fugitive emissions transport, residential/commercial – consisting of buildings and industry. To achieve Net Zero by 2060 as per the Nigeria Federal Government stated goal, Nigeria must prioritize de-carbonization of its electricity, transport, cooking, industrial and oil & gas sectors.

     Climate change is an existential crisis that disproportionately affects developing countries such as Nigeria. Although Nigeria has contributed a tiny amount of cumulative global CO2 emissions, it faces significant adverse impacts from the climate change brought about by the pollution done by others who have become rich in the process. It is important for the country to engage proactively with the rich world to tap the funding being made available to finance climate related losses, damages and to subsidize the uptake of clean technologies by the Nigerian people and their industries.

    • Alonge is a student at Harvard University, United States.

  • Repositioning EFCC to tackle economic crimes 

    Repositioning EFCC to tackle economic crimes 

    By Ayodeji Seriki   

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established by an Act of the National Assembly on December 12, 2002 by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, partly in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Money Laundering, also known by its French name, Grouped’actionfinancière (GAFI).

    FATF had then ranked Nigeria as one of the 23 countries that were non-cooperative in the combined efforts to fight money laundering globally. Due to the identified inadequacies in the 2002 Establishment Act, the National Assembly repealed it and re-enacted the 2004 Establishment Act while the bill was signed into law on June 4, 2004 by President Obasanjo.

    Within the first few months of his assumption of office in 2003, the pioneer executive chairman of the commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu,  hit the ground running and put the agency on a firm footing that was quick to enhance public confidence and earned it global recognition. 

    Within few years, Nigeria was able to command the respect it deserved as a country that was determined to nip corruption in the bud and make the country an ideal place to do business for local and foreign investors.

    Sadly, Ribadu was sent packing unceremoniously by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in December 2007, after the commission arrested a powerful politician, who was known to be a close ally to the late president, following his alleged involvement in corrupt activities. 

    In a jiffy, the commission lost its relevance and respect as many members of the public began to see it, under successive chairmen as nothing but a witch-hunting tool used to oppress and suppress people considered enemies of the ruling party.

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    With the emergence of AIG Ibrahim Mustafa Magu (rtd), who emerged EFCC chairman like a phoenix from the ashes, sanity didn’t only return to the commission but again brought the foremost anti-graft agency to the local and global reckoning.  

    One of his landmark achievements was his role in the celebrated P&ID case, which gave Nigeria a landmark victory at the Commercial Court of England and Wales. As Nigerians were heaving a sigh of relief that the commission had gotten its groove back, Magu was framed and removed after clashing with some political interests and heavyweights, who were close to power and saw the no-nonsense EFCC boss as a stumbling block. 

    Then came the immediate past chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was believed to have been brought in from the blue, against all odds by the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). 

    Bawa, the first person without either military or police background to lead the commission, was accused of lack of discretion in running the anti-graft agency and tackling the big elephant in the room.

    Although he gave the commission a Strategic Plan Policy Document and implemented Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents for the commission’s departments, his tenure witnessed mixed-feelings from the staff and the general public. 

    President Bola Tinubu later suspended Bawa from office and appointed Abdulkarim Chukkol as the acting chairman to stabilise the commission. Chukkol tried his best to restore sanity at the foremost anti-graft agency. He also put in place certain measures to reassure the staff of the commission and informed Nigerians that the commission would live up to expectations 

     Fast forward to October 12, 2023, when President Tinubu approved the appointment of Ola Olukoyede as the executive chairman of the commission and was subsequently confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the commission appears to have opened a new chapter and ready to fulfil the purpose for which it was established. 

    In particular, the new Sheriff came with a clear-cut agenda of re-positioning and re-focusing the commission for optimal effectiveness.

    Olukoyede, who had been a principal officer in the commission and served creditably well under Magu, is not only a tested hand but a disciplined man who has an unblemished record of performance. 

    The new EFCC chairman must have studied the mood of the public when he declared within a few days of his assumption of office that anti-corruption fights should be premised on initiatives and modalities capable of stimulating economic growth and development in the overall interests of Nigerians.

    Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, while addressing officers of the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, Olukoyede said, “There is need to redirect our focus towards what we were set up to do in Nigeria, which is to drive economic development. We will tilt our focus towards that area. We will work to drive economic development, create wealth and employment”.

    To me, if Olukoyede walks the talk and puts an end to the era of winding down businesses by way of investigation, the country will enter the good books of foreign investors. 

    His declaration that the commission would look into the mix-fund rules that separate proceeds of crimes from legitimate money so as to allow businesses to grow will rewrite the name of the commission in gold.

    If all these are done, it is a matter of time that EFCC would have helped, in line with its mandate, to make conscious efforts to redeem the image of the country in the global community. This is one measure that will tell the whole world that the anti-graft agency is ready to do the needful and put Nigeria among the comity of nations. 

    His promise that the agency would collaborate with other stakeholders to re-write the country’s history will go a long way in boosting not only Nigeria’s image but will encourage foreign direct investments (FDI) to impact positively on our ailing economy.

    As Olukoyede marches on in his determination to be the change agent, he should not forget his promise that the commission will uphold the core values of the EFCC which include integrity, courage, professionalism and collaboration in the discharge of its duties in order to justify its engagement. 

    Another thing that would interest the progressive-minded Nigerians and potential investors is the new helmsman promise that the anti-corruption drive must open up an atmosphere of accountability and transparency in the country. 

    To demonstrate his seriousness, Olukoyede, who promised to use the instrumentality of the law to preside over the affairs of the agency, enjoined the EFCC staff in a recent event that, “You must be professional in all you do. Our image should reflect our core values. I have been part of this system. I was out for three years and I know the way things are”. 

    In line with the popular proverb that charity begins at home, the new EFCC chair won the hearts of many Nigerians when he tasked officers and men of the commission to be above board and insisted that asset declaration is compulsory for every staff. 

    It is instructive to note that while giving the directives, Olukoyede informed Nigerians that he had declared that his asset, stressing that all staff should declare theirs too.

    As promised by Olukoyede, the job will be half done if he can keep his promise on the three focal areas already identified and raises three posers as important thrusts of plying his new job. The three focal areas are: focus on the mandate of the EFCC, pursuit of transparency and accountability and building the image of Nigeria. To achieve these, he has dwelt on the need for collective responsibility, greater emphasis on preventive frameworks against graft and premium attention on transactional credits.

    Looking at the task ahead and the need for total commitment from all, Olukoyede also stated recently that, “We must come together and believe that, with the way financial crimes have overwhelmed our structures and systems in Nigeria, we can’t move forward and if we move forward, it will be at a snail speed…The time has come for us to show commitment”

    • Seriki, a public affairs analyst and commentator, contributes this piece from Lagos.

  • Plateau: Why some governors should refund their security votes

    Plateau: Why some governors should refund their security votes

    By Yemi Oke

    By way of introductory background, my personal opinion is that it is illogical to deploy a normal solution to solving an abnormal development. This typifies the recent Plateau killings as well as other criminalities happening in some states in Nigeria.

    The most barbaric killing (put frankly, insane murder) of hundreds of Nigerians in Plateau State, or any murder of innocent souls whatsoever anywhere in the country, is a sign of mis-governance, poor/weak leadership or no leadership at all. In a federated political setting like Nigeria, even in a unitary or regional government, a protracted murdering of defenceless persons that lasted from 6pm till around 5am of the next day shows a failure of government in that state. 

    We need to urgently begin to re-assess some basic facts and realities as a country:  

    The Plateau killing is a clear sign that, as some of us had earlier argued elsewhere, some of the federating states in Nigeria are not viable financially, strategically, functionally, politically, socially, security-wise and from whichever angle you tend to assess them. 

    Based on the above, a radical approach by way of constitutional amendment to make for voluntary mergers and de-mergers of some states in Nigeria will create for better efficiency in governance and prudent management of scarce resources. I know this might not be popular because of the needlessly entrenched interest of egotistic political players who prefer to adorn the toga of “His Excellency” or “Senator” or “Honourable” of some bankrupt and unviable federating states.

    Assuming voluntary mergers or de-mergers of states proves difficult (though not impossible), failure of security at the level of the states should not be attributable to the federal government but to the chief security officers of the states – the governors.

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    Constitutionally and legally, protection of lives and properties are the primary bases or reasons for government. Thus, save for war or threat to national peace or security of the federation (defence), state governors should be held responsible for a breach of the peace in their domain. Some of the crisis leading to such killings might not be unconnected with their political imprudence and related factors. Knowing that they’re to be held responsible would make them sit-tight and act fast.

    The plausible but lame arguments of some stakeholders have always been that state governors don’t control the police and the armed forces or other law enforcement mechanisms. If this misplaced viewpoint is acceptable, then there should be no basis for the huge or humongous “security votes” of the state governors. The “questionable security votes” are allocated and disbursed to stem the tides of insecurity in their respective domains. It then becomes an unjustifiable spending or allocation if security breaches occur. 

    The flip side of the issue is that security votes should be refunded by governors of states where senseless killings are subsequently recorded. Continual allocation and disbursement of “security votes” to governors of such states might be counter-productive. Quite frankly, it might un-intentionally incentivise criminalities unless dire consequences follow breaches, being the essence of such allocation of security votes. Some have even alleged (wrongly or justifiably) that some of those political gladiators “deploy” their security or constituency votes to instigate violent political, religious and/or communal rivalries leading to such senseless killings.

    The political architecture of Nigeria suffers extreme deformity, as formed or structured. There is no point pretending otherwise, as it is apparent even to the “blind”. The Plateau incident has made this more apparent. The killing lasted 13 hours across two Local Government Councils in Plateau State. This teaches some bitter lessons in governance and strategies. 

    The Plateau incident is a clear sign of failure of leadership and governance at the level of Plateau State and its Local Government Councils. It means the governor couldn’t call the Commissioner of Police and local government chairmen? It means the Area Commanders and the Divisional Police Officers were not available to be reached by the councillors to alert their communities or vigilantes or volunteer forces or team-up to counter the murderers for 13 hours while the senseless murdering of persons lasted?

    Federation or federating arrangement comes at a cost. This is one of the costs of an over-bloated federation that concentrates excessive powers at the centres. Certainly, that cannot be attributed to President Bola Tinubu. At least, it is on record that as governor he resisted and fought a tough battle (and won) for the survival of Local Government Councils in Lagos State. Most states “killed” and subjugated Local Government Councils/administration and rendered them impotent to be able to pull any strings to ward-off the kind of murder or criminality that took place in Plateau State. To undo the ills of the current arrangement is left to the National Assembly.

    Have we learnt anything as a nation? The time seems right to begin to assume, deploy or play with “unthinkable” solutions. For example:-

    Only a truly efficient Local Government administration as guaranteed by the state government (as provided by the constitution) would stem the tides of the kind of murderous criminalities that took place in two of the Plateau State Local Government Councils that are remotely located away from the metropolitan centres (in the rural areas/communities).

    State governors should protect their communities and local government areas in cases of basic criminalities, aside from insurgency or threat to national security or sovereignty, without having to wait for the federal government.

    Where killing occurs at the level of a state in the way or manner described above (safe for national security or defence issue) the governor of the state should be held responsible and be made to refund or account for every iota of “security votes” allocated to his office.

    Options should be provided in the Nigerian constitution for states that are not viable or solvent enough to discharge the primary function of governance (protection of lives and properties) owing to paucity of funds or for other logistical reasons to enter into talks with viable ones for merger or de-merge as the need arises. There is no point playing politics with the obvious insolvency of some States in Nigeria where security, salary, pension, gratuity and other legitimate expectations are dashed on account of “operational insolvency”.

    Nigeria’s challenges transcend conventional thinking. All is certainly not well with our country. But, a shining light is already beaming at the end of the tunnel only if we deploy “extraordinary” solutions to our “extra-normal” challenges as a country.

    The time to start is NOW. This giant called Nigeria must rise and never made to fall again.

    • Prof. Oke, PhD, FCTI, FCIArb writes from University of Lagos.