The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • At last, Nigeria meets, surpasses OPEC quota

    At last, Nigeria meets, surpasses OPEC quota

    • By Atoyebi Bamidele

    Oil and gas industry globally is deep and surreal, full of intrigues and dangerous bends so much that even the most courageous turns blind eye to happenings in that sector to have peace of mind. However, as has been severally canvassed, individual capacity and sagacity still determine how successful a man can be in and out of office.

    This truism has manifested under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration where what appeared as an impossibility even among those with military will has been achieved without a whimper. To doubting Thomases, a simple question is apt here; when last did Nigeria meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting countries (OPEC) quota? Why have we not been meeting the quota even when our revenue which has been dwindling depends on it?

    An attempt at answering those questions will lead to a glaring answer… a thieving cartel has been cornering the commonwealth of the country and living large while the nation reeled in debt and lack of development. It is common knowledge as some investors in the oil and gas sector have severally lamented, that the cabals in the sector had a worse strangle hold on it than meets the eyes. Coming from such people who are big players in the industry is a testament that there is no frivolity in their assertions.

    In the last days of President Muhammadu Buhari, some marginal oil field owners had lamented that between their fields and the export points, they lose more than 80 per cent of their volumes and for a capital intensive business like oil exploration, operators were going into bad debts because what was left of their supplies at export terminals could hardly cover the cost of using existing facilities to export their products.

    Then came President Tinubu who one of his disciples, Raji Fashola (SAN) last week explained that one of the factors going for the President was that of his natural mien which lulls people into underrating him and before you know it, he would have gone far as an advantage; so has he also dealt with the cabal which result we have now exported to the world.

    With a population of over 200 million and an output of  1.5 million barrels at 87 dollars per barrel would still leave most of the population with less than living income and therefore with lower standard of living than has been credited to the country. However, with the volume of fossil deposits and the global campaign for cleaner energy which is de-emphasising on petroleum products which allegedly impact negatively on global warming, it therefore becomes imperative and behooves of Nigeria to expedite action and exploit the deposits before it becomes overtaken by global campaigns and the new world order that would leave them unutilised.

    It could be recalled that it was consistent inability of the country to meet its OPEC given quota that led to the reduction of the quota from 1.8 million barrels a day to the present 1.5 million which for several years were not met. This was with its attendant loss of revenue largely due to sabotage of trunk lines, illegal oil bunkering and outright stealing of crude oil as well as community-based disputes that lead to several force majore and stoppage of either production or lifting of extracted products.

    Read Also: Why Tinubu’ll be re-elected in 2027, by Kwankwaso

    One unfortunate revelation was the involvement of those vested with the duty to secure and stop crude stealing in the theft with accusing fingers being pointed at highly placed and influential people whose mention might shake the peace of the nation. That led to the scheme to stop it becoming a game of the cobweb which catches smaller insects and lets the big ones pass. However, last December, the tide had changed and government informed the people that it had hit target but was not believed by many.

    A glance at how it was achieved shows the determination and consistency of the President Tinubu regime in focusing efforts at solving the issue which had attained international dimension with vessels switching off their gadgets that will enable locating them, then sneak into the Niger Delta and load the country’s crude oil so that it was said that the illegal bunkering of crude oil had become larger than the Nigerian economy.

    Pipes were attached to trunk lines to siphon crude and in some instances, cover kilometers to the sea where platforms were built or either abandoned ones used to steal crude oil. The sophistication showed that it is only the super-rich and influential that can dabble into the illegal trade, a reason it has been hard to check. So tackling it had to come with an uncommon will and undiluted drive for transparency. Those are what President Tinubu calmly as is wont of him, tackled and solved.

    There are several imports apart from increased revenue to drive programmes and development. The revenue of the country and foreign reserve has swelled enabling the battered economy to begin to regain strength needed for the servicing of debt and building of needed infrastructure. It also stopped Nigeria from being the butt of jokes in committee of nations where the issue had made the country look incapable of protecting its resources.

    Disputes in the communities which led to stoppage of operations were solved, illegal siphoning by pipeline and vessels have been blocked while those who kept tardy records on loading and export were checked and before you know it, sanity returned to the sector and we are here heading for 2 million barrel target which is to break records in oil production for the country. Increased output in a nearly mono cultural economy means more revenue and accountability which can only come from integrity of leadership.

    After the reduction of the quota in 2023 to 1.5 million barrels a day, the country was still unable to meet that. However, in November 2024, the country had ramped up its game and fell short of the target when it announced a 1.485 barrel per day output; which was like 99 per cent of the given output excluding condensates. By January this year it had slid back to 1.42 barrels a day, further dropping in subsequent months.

    However, with grim determination and unyielding pressure, by December of last year, it had added 40,000 barrels a day to the output, recording 1.51 million barrels a day, thereby breaking the jinx and the output has since maintained the upward swing, a pointer that the hope of Nigeria using its God given resources to attend to its numerous problems have been renewed.

    That means more money for the states, local governments and the grassroots with the larger picture being that in education, health, infrastructure and other programmes, more funding will follow, all thanks to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

  • St. Kanu roars 

    St. Kanu roars 

    Given the stunt Nnamdi Kanu pulled at his last court appearance, two cynical Yoruba sayings popped up with Hardball.

    One: a loony show is fun to watch — but whoever want their children to star in such shows?  And two: his kith-and-kin kid him what he suffers is but a mild ailment.  But those who know him not swear what ails him is out-and-out lunacy!

    Yet again, those who should caution Kanu have been deathly quiet with the lunacy he just exhibited in the courtroom — for what else but arrant lunacy would make Kanu talk down on the judge, insult the prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, 77 — old enough to be Kanu’s father — and also bully, though outside the court, one of his own lawyers: “Stop talking when I’m talking”, he snapped!  For real?   

    Is such loutish behaviour allowed in court, the bastion of polite conduct?  Did he think the court was some village square, where any uncouth youth could just blab, without fear of dire consequences?  Lo!  Even the village square won’t suffer such crudeness, for it’s governed by customary decorum!  Yet, here we were!

    Good thing though: both judge and counsel ignored Kanu’s rude vituperations.  That’s what polished society does. 

    Still, after all that foul sensation, Hardball hopes Kanu knows the net loser is no one but himself.  He’s in the can; and the longer he stays in there, the longer he freezes own life.

    So, infantile bluff and bluster won’t help him.  Nor would it halt the wheel of justice that grinds so slowly, so gravely, so surely.  Hardball waits to see who blinks first!

    Read Also: Loan controversy: Onasanya appears in court to clear name

    As for the Free Kanu lobby, they can clearly see they market a bad product.  One good advice from Kanu himself, though: let no one beg for me!  For one, you don’t beg for mercy by blustering; or projecting sick entitlement. If they want mercy, they must show contriteness — and Kanu must be model-in-chief of that.

    But he has chosen the other path — a democratic choice!  So, let him have his way.  If the court finds him innocent, so be it.  If he is found guilty, let him face the full penalty of his crime.  There is no other way.

    Enough of these comic rounds called “political solution” — a euphemism for actions don’t have consequences.  They do.  That’s why Kanu is the dock.

    You don’t jump bail while on trial, goad hoodlums to visit violence on the law-abiding, from the illusory safety of a foreign land, yet bleat as a goat that you were brought back to face trial.

    Let the law take its course with Nnamdi Kanu.  Innocent or guilty, the heavens won’t fall!

  • Foreign aid: Trump’s return and Nigeria’s future    

    Foreign aid: Trump’s return and Nigeria’s future    

    • By Kunbi Adesokan

    Sir: Donald Trump’s return to the White House has sent shockwaves across the global aid community, raising urgent concerns about the United States’ foreign assistance to Africa. With his administration already pushing aggressive “America First” policies, African nations, like Nigeria, face an uncertain future. If history repeats itself, Trump’s renewed cuts on international funding could unravel decades of progress in healthcare, security, education and economic development.

    The US has long been Africa’s most significant development partner. In 2021 alone, US aid to the continent reached $8bn, supporting critical programmes through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

    These funds have strengthened healthcare systems, fuelled economic empowerment and provided relief during humanitarian crises. Trump’s return mean a drastic rollback of these commitments. His reinstatement of the controversial “Mexico City Policy” (Global Gag Rule) has already restricted funding for reproductive health programmes, directly impacting maternal and child healthcare across Africa. Moreover, potential cuts to disease control programmes threaten to reverse progress in the fight against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.      

    Nigeria on the brink of aid shortfall   Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has relied on foreign aid to supplement critical sectors.

    In 2022, the country received nearly $800m in US assistance, with the bulk directed towards health, education and humanitarian relief. The Presidential Emergency Plan for Aids Relief alone provided over $7bn since 2003, saving millions of lives.

    Nigeria has implemented many home-grown social security programmes, but their scale remains limited. Initiatives like the National Social Investment Programme and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme aim to reduce poverty and boost entrepreneurship. However, inconsistent funding and mismanagement hindered their full potential.  

    Read Also: My ultimate goal as an actor is to win and keep Winning” – Temidayo Babatunde

    The private sector and philanthropists have supported development efforts, but their contributions remain fragmented. Unlike in countries where businesses play a strong role in national development, Nigerian corporate giving is largely unstructured, with Corporate Social Responsibility efforts lacking sustainability and scale. 

    With foreign aid in jeopardy, Nigeria must act swiftly to create sustainable, home-grown solutions.

    This means empowering local NGOs; indigenous organisations with deep community ties must receive greater financial support to drive long-term impact. Nigerian businesses should scale up CSR initiatives to support healthcare, education and economic empowerment. Government and businesses must collaborate to fund large-scale development programmes.

    The withdrawal of US aid presents both a crisis and a clarion call. While it threatens progress in crucial sectors, it also offers Nigeria a chance to redefine its development strategy. By prioritising local funding mechanisms, fostering stronger partnerships and strengthening community-driven initiatives, Nigeria can reduce its dependence on foreign aid and build a more resilient future.  

    The time to act is now!     

     •Kunbi Adesokan 

    Friends of the Environment, Lagos.

  • Out-of-school children: Yobe must wake up

    Out-of-school children: Yobe must wake up

    • By Kasim Isa Muhammad

    Sir: The rising number of out-of-school children in Yobe State is a ticking time bomb that demands urgent government intervention. Despite various education policies and interventions, the streets of Yobe remain flooded with children who are supposed to be in school. These children, often left to fend for themselves, become vulnerable to social vices, child labour, and other dangers that could hinder the state’s progress. 

    According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 427,230 children in Yobe State are out of school, representing 43 percent of the child population. This alarming figure raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the state’s educational policies. If the government does not act swiftly, the future of these children—and by extension, the future of the state—will remain uncertain. 

    One key question is whether the Yobe State government is truly aware of the gravity of this crisis. In his 2019 inauguration speech, Governor Mai Mala Buni declared a state of emergency in the education sector, a move that was widely welcomed. However, five years down the line, the out-of-school crisis remains unresolved. Was the declaration merely a political statement, or was it meant to tackle the root causes of the problem? 

    One of the major contributors to this challenge is poverty. Many parents in Yobe State struggle to make ends meet and cannot afford to send their children to school. In some cases, even when education is free, families still find it difficult to provide basic school supplies, uniforms, and transportation for their children. This economic hardship forces many children to engage in street hawking and begging instead of sitting in classrooms. 

    Cultural and religious beliefs also play a role in the rising number of out-of-school children. In some communities, parents prioritise Islamic education over Western education, leading to a large number of Almajiri children roaming the streets. While Islamic education is important, there is a need for a balanced approach that ensures these children receive both religious and formal education. 

    The dilapidated state of many public schools in Yobe further worsens the situation. Reports have emerged that some boarding schools in the state are struggling with a lack of food, forcing students to leave school to find meals at home. If students in school are not properly fed, how can those still on the streets be encouraged to enrol?

    Beyond infrastructure, there is also a serious shortage of qualified teachers in the state. For instance, in Nangere Local Government Area, schools such as Biriri, Dugum, and Amayi Primary Schools each have only one teacher controlling the entire school. How can one teacher effectively educate and manage an entire school? The situation is not only discouraging for pupils but also undermines any efforts to improve education quality in the state. 

    Read Also: Bishop Oyedepo urges Nigerians to embody change for national development

    The issue of teacher welfare has further compounded the crisis. Recently, primary school teachers in the state protested over the government’s failure to implement the new minimum wage of N70,000. Many teachers have long endured poor salaries and delayed payments, making the teaching profession unattractive. The government must prioritise teachers’ welfare by ensuring timely salary payments, incentives, and better working conditions to retain and motivate educators. 

    The lingering effects of insurgency in the northeast have left many communities devastated, with schools destroyed and teachers displaced. While some progress has been made in restoring peace, there is still much work to be done in rebuilding schools and regaining public confidence in the safety of education. 

    The importance of community involvement in addressing this crisis cannot be overlooked. Parents, traditional rulers, and religious leaders must work together to sensitise communities on the value of education. Many parents who resist sending their children to school do so due to misconceptions about Western education. A well-coordinated awareness campaign could help change this mind-set. 

    The government must also strengthen its school feeding programme. Studies have shown that providing free meals in schools significantly increases enrolment and retention rates. If children are assured of at least one meal a day in school, more parents will be encouraged to enrol them. Proper monitoring and transparency in the distribution of school feeding resources are necessary to ensure the programme achieves its desired results. 

    Furthermore, policies that promote compulsory and free basic education must be strictly enforced. It is not enough to declare education free on paper; the government must ensure that all hidden costs are eliminated, and defaulters—whether parents or school administrators—are held accountable. A legal framework should be put in place to mandate school enrolment for all children within the school-age bracket. 

    The Yobe State government must take decisive action before the situation worsens. The future of the state depends on the education of its children. If nothing is done now, Yobe risks raising a generation of uneducated youths who may become a burden rather than a productive force in society. 

    •Kasim Isa Muhammad,

    Potiskum, Yobe State.

  • Ajaero and remote governors

    Ajaero and remote governors

    • By Ike Willie-Nwobu

    Sir: For all its appetite to bicker over wages and welfare of Nigerian workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) certainly had a point to make when it highlighted and tackled one issue that has been a source of great embarrassment and consternation to Nigerians.

    According to NLC chairman Comrade Joe Ajaero, most governors in Nigeria’s 36 states now live permanently in Abuja, which is affecting governance in their states with the people they are supposed to govern plunging into more hardship by the day.

    Ajaero stated this during a town hall meeting in Lokoja, the Kogi State aapital, during a visit to commission 10 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses given to the state chapter of NLC to ease hardship. Accoding to Ajaero, the NLC had visited about five zones,  and in all the zones, it was only in one state that they met the governor as the others were always away to  Abuja.

    Nigeria was always set up to be a federation, or at least a shadow of it. The modern evolution of the Nigerian federation comprises 36 states orbiting Abuja, the country’s seat of power. In 1991,the Ibrahim Babangida military supervised the relocation of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja, where it has been ever since.

    Since that momentous decision by the military junta led by Babangida who spent eight searing years in power during which he oversaw the annulment of the 1993 elections, Abuja has moved from a sleepy town of vast, empty land to a glamorous city of highrise buildings and luxury. The irresistible pull of government business also draws men and matters alike to the country’s capital like a magnet.

    Looks can be deceptive though, and the rest of the country largely looks nothing like its glamorous capital. With power largely  centralized and concentrated in Abuja, there is added emphasis on the provision of basic amenities and security in the capital. It was always going to be the case with the calibre of individuals that are drawn daily to the country’s capital like moths to light.

    Read Also: My ultimate goal as an actor is to win and keep Winning” – Temidayo Babatunde

    As Abuja has grown in leaps and bounds to match its status as the Federal Capital Territory, many states rather than grow have shrunk into themselves. While some states have been luckier to have serious and fair-minded people as governors, many states have simply had a torrid time under governors who were too preoccupied with serving themselves and feathering their nests to deliver good governance.

    Over time, this has come to mean that many states have not fulfilled their potentials. While this has happened, the men responsible prefer to live in the glitz and glamour of Abuja, far away from the people who voted them into office.

    The question then is: how can any state governor effectively carry on the business of delivering good governance when they cannot even bear to live in their states? How can they appreciate first-hand what their people are going through when they don’t spend enough time in their state?

    It is downright disgraceful that any state would prefer to live in Abuja rather than the state they govern. It is beyond embarrassing.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,

    Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • Unruly finalists of AAU

    Unruly finalists of AAU

    Authorities of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State, recently wielded the big stick against unruly final year students. They cancelled already written final papers over wild celebration by some students who were set to graduate.

    The school management said it took the measure because the action of the finalists violated its directive forbidding wild celebration. Acting Registrar Ephraim Isiraojie, in a memo, said affected students engaged in car horn display, use of sirens, spraying of money, shouting and hooting within the campus, and also blocked access roads leading in and out of the university. “The management is disturbed that despite the directive against jubilation/celebration on campus, graduating students from the Faculty of Arts (Department of Mass Communication, English and History, and International Studies) violated the directive of the management,” he stated.

    He explained that the university management in an emergency meeting held on 29th January resolved to invoke extant laws against wild jubilation/celebration on campus. “The management has thereby cancelled all the final year examinations written on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025, including but not limited to the following: ELS41I; MAC 414; IIIS416. The university management shall decide in due course when such cancelled examinations shall be rescheduled,” he said.

    The unruly conduct happened apparently while other students were yet writing their own examinations, because the registrar  added that the cancellation of examinations in the faculty concerned was intended to serve as a deterrent to other graduating students yet to complete their final year examinations. He stressed that the university management was keen on maintaining order and discipline on campus.

    Read Also: Deputy Speaker seeks UN permanent seat for Nigeria

    There are chances, even if remote, that some students were being unjustly punished, that they were not part of the unruly gang though they sat the affected papers, that they were level-headed and were calmly thankful to God for seeing them through to the end of their studies. Indeed, those in this category might be more in number than those who resorted to the wild celebration. But it is a case of the rotten apple that spoils an entire basket; and the challenge that confronted the management in not being able to distinguish between the wheat and the chaff is quite understandable. Hence the recourse to a sweeping sanction.

    But beyond the big stick, the students need to be put through counselling. They only wrote their final papers and had not even waited to see how they respectively fared before hitting the binge! Much more are serial examinations of life that yet lay ahead of them, beginning from when they go on the national youth service programme. They would have to engage the labour market or other life pursuits thereafter. Those students are simply ignorant of what life involves and need to be updated.

  • Out of touch Reps’ and clamour for new states

    Out of touch Reps’ and clamour for new states

    Sir: The recent recommendation of the House of Representatives Constitutional Review Committee for the creation of 31 new states confirms the age-long fear of Nigerians that the country may not move at the desire pace with the crop of lawmakers presently holding sway at the lower chamber.

    Before the committee made recommendation of the 31 new states, did they bother to ask themselves the pertinent questions?

    How many of the new states being recommended have capacity of self-sustenance? Are the committee members equally aware of the fact that some of the existing states can’t really survive without bail-outs from the federal government?

    Have they also asked themselves whether the country’s resources can accommodate the existing states not to talk of the new states they’ve proposed? Are the lawmakers aware of humongous resources that those 31 states will require to take off, particularly the new capitals to bring them to the pedestal befitting of a state?

    The committee’s recommendation of three additional states from present Kogi, three from existing Benue, two from present Kano state, two from existing Kaduna and two from present Oyo is an eloquently testimony that they’re oblivious of the essence of state creation.

    It’s apparent that the members of lower chamber, in recommending the unwieldy 31 new states, are not on the same page with the president, who has been unwavering and uncompromising in his determination in ensuring that the plethora of on-going reforms accomplish their purposes.

    Even the prosperous, wealthy and prodigiously blessed America, the bastion of democracy has 50 states. And, there exists no plan both now and in the nearest future to create additional states; how much more Nigeria, that is gradually coming out of economic challenges and infrastructural decay largely inherited from successive administrations.

    Read Also: Deputy Speaker seeks UN permanent seat for Nigeria

    The crux of this piece is that, by their activities and contributions to governance over years, members of lower chamber have not significantly justified why the country has to continue to commit to two legislative chambers at the federal level. They’ve not sufficiently proved that they’re indeed partners-in-progress with the executive, to ensure and drive purposeful, result-oriented and people-centric governance.

    It therefore behoves on the federal government to start planning on how to tinker with 1999 Constitution with the aim of putting in place a unicameral legislative structure.

    Besides, having a manageable legislative membership, this model is also assured of legislative members that would be imbued with maturity, discerning minds and patriotic zeal to work in concert with the president.

    •Kola Amzat (FCA, FCIB)Lagos.

  • A rash of development commissions

    A rash of development commissions

    Sir: Each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones wanted a development commission, pushed for one, and got the same to leave Nigeria with more commissions with no real commission or cognizance among Nigeria’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

    In 2000, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was formed. Whoever told the government that curing the injustice in the Niger Delta region would take a commission clearly exaggerated their counsel because the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo approved the commission, and it was created to serve a region ripped apart by oil exploration.

    Despite some feats here and there, the commission has largely been hit-and-miss. What it has however not failed to do is participate in Nigeria’s corruption bazaar. In fact, Nigerians have been treated to some frightening levels of graft at the commission such that it would amount to wildly sweetening the pudding to say that the commission has been a staggering success.

    The clear struggles of the flagship regional development commission did not, however, prevent other regions for angling for same. It could not have. After all, many such projects in Nigeria are all about getting logged in to the national treasury and nothing more.

    For years, the North, particularly the Northeast and Northwest, have been a cauldron of terrorist attacks and heart-breaking suffering for families, especially women and children. For more than a decade now, the devastation has been utter and complete. Schools, homes, and public buildings have been repeatedly razed across the region, plunging a region that did not have much to begin with, into new levels of despair and destitution. It therefore came as a little surprise that the good people of the region wanted a development commission too.

    Read Also: Deputy Speaker seeks UN permanent seat for Nigeria

    Since then, the Southeast, North-central and Southwest have got their development commissions to complete the merry-go-round of development commissions. The last to be approved a few weeks ago was the North-central development commission. 

    With each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions now a proud owner of a development commission, is it simply a case of what is sauce for the goose being sauce for the gander, or do the development commissions have any roles to play in the regions?

    More to the point: will the commissions serve the interests of the neediest in the respective regions, or will they be yet more conduits for frittering away public funds? The NDDC experiment lends a disturbing indication that at the end of the day, the development commissions would exist only to service a narrow strip of select interests across Nigeria.

    Unfortunately for Nigerians and most disappointingly for Nigeria’s founding fathers, Nigeria’s set up as a federation has never really worked. Stripped of autonomy and confidence by the federal government’s extreme greed for power, the federating units which barely contribute anything at the end of the day prefer to bite and bicker at each other like a bunch of spoilt children. They often insist that whatever goes to one region must go to others and when this does not happen at all or quickly enough, it becomes a point of divisive disagreement.

    The South-south region now wants a development commission to rival what other regions have. It conveniently ignores the fact that the Niger Delta Development Commission covers almost all the states in the region.

    This proliferation of development commissions doesn’t just appear patronizing but also perfidious.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • Youths, activism and reckless speeches

    Youths, activism and reckless speeches

    Sir: I’m a Nigerian youth, and like many aggrieved others, deeply frustrated by the failures of our leaders from 1960 till date. I’ve watched my country, blessed with resources and potential, run aground by a system that thrives on corruption, incompetence, and impunity. I’ve seen how those in power manipulate the system to enrich themselves while the masses struggle with unemployment, insecurity, and a regular failing economy.

    Yet, despite my bitterness toward bad governance, I’ve also learned that leadership is not just about complaining or shouting from the rooftops. It’s about responsibility, strategy, and discipline. Criticizing the government is not a crime, but there is a way to do it effectively. Unfortunately, many young Nigerians have confused activism with reckless behaviour, believing that hurling insults at leaders is the same as demanding accountability.

    The question is no longer whether Nigerian youths deserve a chance to lead. The real question is: Are we ready?

    Imagine wasting months of your life in prison, not for fighting against oppression or advocating for change, but because you called someone a derogatory name on social media. Many of these young people seem unaware of the power of communication. They fail to realize that activism is not about who can insult the most but about who can articulate their demands in a way that commands respect and forces change.

    Read Also: Managing Nigeria’s youth challenge

    The recent controversy surrounding TikToker Olumide ‘Sea King’ Ogunsanwo is a perfect example of this issue. Sea King was arrested and rearrested over allegations of cyberbullying against Pastor Enoch Adeboye and for previous videos where he allegedly insulted President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    While one could argue about free speech and the excesses of the government in clamping down on dissent, it’s also important to examine the approach many young people take when engaging in national issues. Sea King’s case is not about political activism; it’s about a young man who believed that insulting public figures on social media was a legitimate way to engage in governance discourse.

    Today, many so-called influencers, “activists” and social commentators have made a career out of peddling false narratives and stirring unnecessary controversies. Instead of educating the youth on governance, policy, and leadership, they encourage them to see everything through the lens of tribalism, sensationalism, and personal attacks.

    History offers a stark contrast between past and present generations of young leaders. Many of Nigeria’s founding fathers assumed leadership in their youth, but they did so with discipline, intelligence, and a clear vision for the nation.

    Yakubu Gowon became Nigeria’s Head of State at 31 during a time of crisis, handling a civil war with diplomacy and military strategy. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo were already shaping Nigeria’s political landscape in their late 20s and early 30s through intellectual discourse and political organization. Anthony Enahoro moved a motion for Nigeria’s independence at just 30 years old, not by making derogatory statements but by engaging in national discourse with wisdom and purpose.

    These leaders were not perfect, but they understood that leadership required more than just outrage; it required strategy, tact, and responsibility. If today’s youth truly want to take over Nigeria, they must adopt the same approach.

    No serious country hands over power to people who have not proven their capacity to handle it. The older generation did not just wake up and assume leadership; they fought for it through education, political engagement, and well-thought-out strategies. In contrast, many young Nigerians today think leadership is about X rants, TikTok insults, and reactionary activism.

    One of the biggest problems with Nigerian youths is that even those we consider potential leaders are falling daily, compromising their values once they get a taste of power. We have seen young activists who built their reputations on criticizing the government suddenly switch sides when given appointments.

    If we cannot even trust our own generation to remain steadfast, how can we trust them with leadership? This is why it is important to question the motives behind people’s criticism. Are they truly fighting for change, or are they just positioning themselves for political favour?

    If Nigerian youth truly want to lead, they must start by proving they are worthy of leadership. Waking up to insult elders is not leadership. Recklessly posting defamatory statements online is not activism. If we want power, we must earn it the right way.

    •Ogungbile Emmanuel Oludotun,thedreamchaser65@gmail.com

  • Need for citizens advocacy against drug trafficking

    Need for citizens advocacy against drug trafficking

    Sir: I am writing to express my concerns about the alarming desperation by drug traffickers and the lengths to which individuals go in their attempts to accumulate wealth, even resorting to the life-threatening method of ingesting illicit substances to evade arrest. This disturbing trend has sparked widespread concern in the past two weeks due to recent arrests by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at airports during which wraps of ingested cocaine and heroin were excreted.

    Less than two weeks ago, reports emerged of a 59-year-old businessman, Chijeoke Nnanna Igbokwe, who was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Lagos with a staggering 81 pellets of cocaine in his stomach. He could have died but for a life-saving surgery that helped expel 57 of the pellets. Just a week later, two more suspects were caught in the same act. Onyekwonike Elochukwu Sylvanus, also known as Kargbo Mohamed Foday, was arrested at Port Harcourt International Airport and excreted 62 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.348 kg. Meanwhile, James Herbert Chinoso, detained at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, excreted 63 wraps of the drug, weighing 909 grammes. Both cited the usual excuse of ‘business failures’ as their rationale for engaging in drug trafficking.

    What is perhaps most concerning about these cases is the ease with which individuals—whether driven by financial hardship or personal ambition—rationalise this nefarious act, deluding themselves into believing they can engage in drug trafficking as a shortcut to success.

    Read Also: AHF Nigeria urges safer protection, use of condoms

    The good news is that the NDLEA has consistently been a formidable force against such criminal-minded individuals. The agency has performed exceptionally well in its mandate to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs into and out of the country. Credit must be given to the officers of the NDLEA under the leadership of Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd).

    The NDLEA’s vigilance at major airports, seaports, and land border crossings, combined with rigorous law enforcement, serves as a powerful deterrent to drug traffickers and those contemplating such illegal activities.

    However, it should concern every well-meaning citizen that, despite the NDLEA’s efforts, some of our compatriots still fail to heed the warning. This indicates a loophole that must be addressed—one that cannot be tackled by the NDLEA alone. There is an urgent need for the reorientation of the citizenry. The NDLEA has been actively engaged in this effort through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign. However, society must complement the agency’s work.

    If such efforts are sustained over a reasonable period, we will certainly witness a shift in the mind-set of those who cling to the dangerous delusion that drug trafficking is a viable shortcut to wealth.

    •Sini Kwaji, Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa State.