The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • On recent onslaught against terrorists

    On recent onslaught against terrorists

     Sir: Thursday, last week troops of Operation Hadarin Daji dispatched terrorist leader, Halilu Sububu, and his gang of death-dealers in a five-star caravan of wry irony to the netherworld. Sububu had risen in notoriety with the savagery he dealt on citizens in Zamfara, Sokoto, and other parts of north-western Nigeria. He was loud, imperious, and brutal, issuing threats and making crowing pronouncements on videos. Lives have been lost, communities displaced, property destroyed, and citizens maimed by the sheer industry of Sububu and his gang.

    The troops also scored another victory, neutralising Sani Wala Burki, kin of Sububu in the terror business, and his gang, as well as extirpated a terrorist hideaway in Kaduna, freeing 13 kidnapped students. The troops also eliminated four terrorists in Zamfara State – Ibrahim Nagure, Lawali Dodo, Kadiri, and Jambaleri.

    In another valiant endeavour, the security forces apprehended terrorist leader, Hosseini Osman, in Plateau State. The news agency says Osman was netted at Ganawuri village, in the Riyom local government area, where he confessed to masterminding numerous attacks across the state.

    The troops further launched offensives against fleeing terrorists in Sambisa Forest, neutralising many of them.

    This string of propitious outcomes in the northwest and the northeast follow President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the service chiefs to relocate to the zone and his consistent support to the security agencies.

    On September 3, the President in a decisive response to the killings in Yobe State, had said: ‘The perpetrators of this sinister act will have an inevitable encounter with justice.’’ And true to his promise, the troublers of the nation are having fated encounters with justice, and so will all those visiting terror on Nigerians.

    Fundamentally, successive actions against terrorism will not be effective or be permanent solutions without a conscientious plan to address the underlying cause. A prominent contributor to the challenge is youth illiteracy and socio-economic dislocation. Economic and social security is essential for corporeal security.

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    This is the reason the President Tinubu-led administration is making critical investments in education. The federal government through its out-of-school initiative recently reintegrated four million children into the educational system. Also, the Out-of-School Children Commission, set to commence this month, will provide training to approximately 10,000 young Nigerians. The Tinubu administration is addressing the bottom-line precipitates of social-economic insecurity through seminal policies and programmes while redistributing wealth to the vulnerable and the most vulnerable through revamped social welfare schemes.

    As the President re-affirmed, immediate and latent security threats will be decisively dealt with.

    •Fredrick Nwabufo,Snr Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement, Abuja.

  • Open letter to content creators

    Open letter to content creators

    Sir: The population of Nigerians creating and earning from contents has certainly reduced the number of job seekers and dependants in the country. This is also healthy for the economy, safety and sanity of the country. However, as content creators in the country, we have a role that is more sensitive than we seem to be mindful of. The mobile phone has become the new television and those of us who are constantly seen on social media today will determine what the country will see in the future. We, as content creators, are the joy givers but we must understand that beneath the joy we give is a subtle direction for the future of the country. A lot of learning, comprehension and mind-modelling go on under the guise of humour. This is because humour is a universal language that is understood and appreciated in all human cultures.

    The advent of content creation on social media in Nigeria today can be likened to the oil boom of the 1970s. Just like many Nigerians now consider the discovery of crude oil to be more of a problem to the country than a blessing, and would say that the country probably would have got it right if we had had to live with our agro-based economy, the boom of content creation may equally become some good or doom to our tomorrow even if it fills today with laughter. The contents we create today may help us smile to the bank but are we sure they will not stab us in the back?

    We have to recognise ourselves as major change makers whose impact transcends factors such as age, class and gender. We have the gifts of penetrating people’s hearts without seeking their consent. Since the heart is like a slate, what are we inscribing on these vulnerable minds who like us helplessly because of our gifts?

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    We must remind ourselves that just like films, music, novels, plays and poems, our contents must carry messages. Second, beyond the general messages of our contents, we also have to help our society return to the values and virtues which used to be embodied in our folklores, tales and songs. Values such as honesty, perseverance, hard work, diligence, transparency, responsibility, accountability, dignity of labour, moderacy and moderation are social currencies which bring stability to any country and we can, as content creators, establish the importance of upholding them firmly through our skits and other contents.

    Third, it is no news that the venture of content creation has become a very lucrative one with many prosperous content creators. Rather than engaging in show-offs, we should start thinking of how to give back to society from God’s kindness to us. This awareness is important because most content creators are relatively young and may think more in terms of “rocking life”. We must know that we are never too young to start contributing our bits to the development of the country.

    Fourth, content creators should embrace collaboration and help the budding ones grow. We do not go down by raising others. Instead, we go higher.

    I end this piece by letting us know that beyond the quest for gain, we have the task of making our country great as content creators. By so doing, we will be writing our name in gold for posterity.

    •Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD, Lagos State University, Ojo.

  • Fake graduates on national service

    Fake graduates on national service

    Between the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the University of Calabar (UNICAL), the blight of fake graduates is like ‘when it rains, it pours.’ Recently, the scheme disclosed that it demobilised 54 illegally mobilised corps members from the university to forestall Certificates of National Service being issued to unqualified persons. That disclosure, interestingly, was made just few days after the NYSC said it had invalidated the service certificates of 101 illegally mobilised graduates of same university who participated in the scheme between 2021 and 2023. And you never know just how many more are yet to be discovered.

    NYSC Director-General, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed, was reported saying of the 54 demobilised persons, 19 who registered online for mobilisation were blocked from service, while service certificates were withheld from four others. A statement by the scheme’s spokesperson Eddy Megwa, which reported what the Director-General said, did not clarify the status of the 31 others. It is perhaps safe for Hardball to assume they had gotten into the service year, which is mandatory for genuine graduates, but were yet to conclude when they were detected.

    The NYSC boss said the illegal service enrollees would be prosecuted, and hailed the alertness of UNICAL Vice-Chancellor, Professor Florence Obi, who raised the red flag on the illegal mobilisations. “The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar came here to report that she observed some names appeared on the institution’s list and they ought not to have been there. She checked the list the school gave us, and I told her that their certificates would be invalidated. I give kudos to the Vice-Chancellor,” he said, adding: “Previously, a bread seller was mobilised on the graduation list from the same institution. There are bad eggs in many places that generate matriculation numbers and courses for their candidates.”

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    Following the earlier announcement of invalidation of 101 service certificates, UNICAL Pro-Chancellor Udom Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police, vowed action against staff involved in mobilising fake graduates from the institution. It is important to walk that talk, because someone is obviously making hay from packing graduation lists for youth service with quacks. Gen. Ahmed himself mentioned that failure in corps members’ mobilisation process had to do with the integrity of the management of corps producing institutions. “Those responsible for imputing the data of graduates should be people of integrity,” he said.

    But it’s only that UNICAL is confronting its demon. It is by no means the only institution involved in the menace and there are countless phony graduates from other institutions, facilitated by fraudulent officials of those institutions, yet infecting the service scheme. The NYSC itself needs to audit its system, because there are reports that some corps members who do not even know the way to their respective place of assignment regularly secure clearance for their monthly allowance. It sucks.

  • Wife Sees 6, husband sees 9: Bridging perspectives in marriage through understanding

    Wife Sees 6, husband sees 9: Bridging perspectives in marriage through understanding

    BY OLAOSEBIKAN OLANIYI (LOAB101)

    As an on-air personality with years of experience in relationship matters and listening to couples share their struggles, I’ve come to realize that marriage is a partnership that thrives on understanding, patience, and empathy.

    The metaphor of a wife seeing the number 6 while her husband sees 9 beautifully captures the idea of perspective in relationships.

    Both are looking at the same figure but interpreting it differently based on their viewpoint. This simple analogy speaks volumes about the role of communication and mutual respect in marriage.

    In many households, it’s traditionally believed that the husband, as the head of the family, should have the final say in decisions.

    While this view is deeply rooted in cultural norms, it often becomes a source of tension when it’s not balanced by the husband’s sensitivity to his wife’s perspective. Husbands, influenced by their masculine nature and sense of responsibility, need to be careful not to slip into authoritarianism.

    Leadership in a family should never equate to unilateral decision-making but should be rooted in careful listening, understanding, and collaboration with their partners.

    When conflicts arise in a home, it’s easy for either spouse to become defensive, especially when pride or ego takes over, preventing compromise.

    A wife may feel misunderstood when her concerns are dismissed, while a husband might feel disrespected if he believes his authority is being challenged.

    But this is where the importance of a calm and measured response comes into play. For the sake of peace, a wife who chooses not to nag or attack but instead communicates her thoughts calmly creates a path for understanding.

    During tense moments, the wife’s calmness can diffuse tension and create an atmosphere where both partners feel heard. It’s not about submission but about being strategic in how disagreements are managed, ensuring that conflict doesn’t escalate.

    On the flip side, husbands must resist the urge to see themselves as the ultimate authority, simply because tradition dictates that they’re the head of the family.

    Leadership in marriage isn’t about control; it’s about guiding with wisdom, humility, and love. A good leader listens—truly listens—before making any decisions.

    Husbands must recognize that with authority comes the responsibility to make their wives feel valued and included in the decision-making process.

    Men must avoid arrogance when disagreements arise. Too often, husbands, assert dominance, shut down conversations, or conclude matters without giving their wives’ perspectives due consideration.

    This is particularly common among newly married couples in Nigeria and often leads to emotional distance, resentment, and the erosion of the partnership’s foundation.

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    Marriage, in essence, is a delicate balance between leadership and partnership. Both husband and wife must be willing to listen to each other’s points of view.

    The goal isn’t about determining who is right or wrong; it’s about finding common ground that benefits both parties.

    The wife’s calm explanation, combined with the husband’s willingness to listen and engage without arrogance, is key to resolving many conflicts that arise in marriage. In the end, seeing things from each other’s perspective can make all the difference.

    True leadership in the home is about walking side by side, not one partner leading the other.

    For a marriage to thrive, both husband and wife must work together, listen patiently, and communicate with kindness. This is the foundation of a strong and harmonious union.

  • Ajaero: What manner of labour leader?

    Ajaero: What manner of labour leader?

    By Kola Amzat

    Sir: Since the incumbent president of the Nigeria Labour Congress assumed office barely 15 months ago, he’s been involved in brawl with security agencies on more than five occasions.

    Ajaero is certainly not the only leader who has been in the forefront of struggles for the right of workers across the country.

    There is also the president of Trade Union Congress (TUC). Why has the security agencies not been having any axe whatsoever to grind with him? Not even once has the police authority or DSS or any other agencies have issues with him?

    The fact remains that Ajaero continually deploys the office of NLC presidency to commit illegality.  

    He erroneously believes that the office he occupies gives him liberty and freedom to involve himself in treasonable and other unwholesome activities against the country, and expects the security agencies to look the other way.

     It is only the president and governors of 36 states who enjoy immunity from arrests and prosecution; not even, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives and National Assembly members.

    It’s apparent that Joe Ajaero has resolved to be deploying the NLC presidency to be causing unrest, pandemonium and uncertainty in the country, as well as attracting undue attention to himself.

    He’s also deploying the instrumentality of the office to be settling personal scores with the government, as well as security forces.       

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    But, why is it that Ajaero tenure as labour leader has been so much controversial?

    If the Imo State born NLC president has a political ambition, he should drop the garb of labour presidency and join a political party with a view to slugging out with other contestants. He must come down from his high horse, embrace and hug humility, and stop deploying the office of NLC presidency to perpetrate wrongful acts.

    Is it not the same NLC platform Comrade Adams Oshiomole admirably deployed as launch pad for the office of governor in Edo State, APC chairman and now senator?

    Is it not the same NLC office late Comrade Paschal Bafyau deployed to nearly ascend to the office of vice president of the country?

    Of course, the immediate past NLC president, Ayuba Wabba was a consummate labour leader, an embodiment of maturity, decorum, knowledge and decency in office!

    The fact remains that Ajaero’s short tenure as NLC president has been uneventful, riotous, disruptive and destructive. He stands as a big minus to dutiful and resourceful Nigerian workers, as well as all the labour blocs across the country that collaborated to install him as NLC president.         

    Nigeria Labour Congress is created to advance the cause of workers across the federation, as well as intelligently, tactfully, constructively, and strategically defend the workers interests with a view to making them stakeholders in the Nigerian project, and, more importantly, collaborate with the government to build a prosperous nation.

    For sure, NLC leadership is not created to continually pitch the workers across the country against the government, through incitement and casting aspersions on the country’s leadership.

    This is not how to lead labour movement of a country with vibrant and vast population of about 230-240 million people and the largest black nation in the world.

    The labour movement deserve a charismatic, matured, respected, educated and well-informed, as well as labour leader with exemplary character.

    The time is ripe for labour leaders to show Ajaero the way out of the labour presidency office, otherwise, he will continue to attract opprobrium, ridicule, scorn and embarrassment to the movement.   

    • Kola Amzat (FCA, FCIB) Lagos.

  • NNPC Ltd and challenges in the oil sector: Banire misconceives the facts, promotes biased views

    NNPC Ltd and challenges in the oil sector: Banire misconceives the facts, promotes biased views

    By Olufemi Soneye

    In the face of the challenges in the oil sector, particularly the current tightness in the supply of petrol, it has become fashionable to blame the national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd), for everything. Last week, it was Prof. Pat Utomi who railed and fumed at the NNPC Ltd calling it one of the most opaque and unreliable companies in the world. Before then, The Punch had published an editorial in which it described the NNPC Ltd as a danger to Nigeria. The latest of these vitriolic attacks is by Dr. Muiz Banire, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former Commissioner of Transport and Environment, Lagos State, who contended in his column in The Sun that NNPC Ltd is the black hole of Nigeria.

    Considering all that is going on in the petroleum sector, it would appear justifiable to call out the NNPC Ltd as some people have been doing in recent times. But most of the diatribes have been based on sentiments that are not rooted in facts. Railing at the NNPC Ltd without a thorough understanding of the issues that threw up the current challenges in the oil sector, as most of the commentators have been doing, will yield no good for the country. At this critical intersection, the task for all well-meaning Nigerians should be how to find lasting solutions to the mischiefs in the oil sector and not to look for scapegoats, as Dr. Banire has done.

    According to Banire, Nigeria has been experiencing fuel scarcity since 1973 on the back of fuel subsidy and the NNPC Ltd is responsible for it. The assertion that the NNPC is responsible for this state of affairs is moot. The policy of fuel subsidy is not the preserve of the NNPC. Various administrations over the years have thought it wise to subsidize the cost of petroleum products for citizens. They came up with different methods of doing that. The role of NNPC Ltd has been to implement the policy as decided by government. At a point when the various administrations felt that the fuel subsidy policy had become a burden that should be done away with, they made it known. NNPC Ltd, as the national oil company, implemented it. This was the case in 2012 when the nation went up in protest against the decision of government to remove fuel subsidy. The same scenario repeated itself in 2019 when the then administration came up with the policy to remove fuel subsidy. NNPC Ltd is neither responsible for the policy of fuel subsidy or its removal.

    It is very unfortunate that Dr Banire would descend to the level of castigating the NNPC Ltd for the fuel subsidy debacle that has plagued Nigeria and on the basis of that label the Company that has over the years patriotically borne the brunt of the fuel subsidy policy as a black hole. His analysis fails to take into consideration the huge challenges of products smuggling, pipeline vandalism, and crude oil theft that the company contends with daily, and in spite of which it manages to keep the nation going with crude oil production and fuel supply.

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    Barely three months after the Federal Government announced the removal of fuel subsidy, it became difficult for both major and independent petroleum products marketers to import petrol because of the foreign exchange policy. They could not source forex to continue to bring in petrol. Since then, NNPC Ltd has been importing the product and selling at almost half price in keeping with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which designates it as the fuel supplier of last resort. Yes, there have been supply hiccups here and there because of the financial constraints imposed by the transaction. Just imagine the hardship the nation would have suffered if NNPC Ltd was not there to play the role of supplier of last resort! NNPC Ltd is the reason Nigerians continue to enjoy lower pump price for petrol than they would ordinarily pay for the product. How then does such a company become a black hole?

    For Banire, NNPC Ltd is responsible for everything that is wrong in the oil sector. He even blames smuggling and the unauthorized sale of petroleum products to street urchins who in turn trade it in the black market in jerrycans on the NNPC Ltd. But does he have evidence that the unpatriotic marketers who divert petroleum products meant for local consumption to neighbouring countries are staff members or representatives of the NNPC Ltd? Does he have any shred of evidence that the boys who sell fuel in the black market in jerrycans source their products from NNPC Retail Ltd.’s stations? The least one would expect from a lawyer of Banire’s standing is a fact-based and not speculative commentary.

    The NNPC Ltd has turned a corner since 2018 when it began to prepare for the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, which was eventually passed into law in 2021. Apart from deepening its commitment to accountability and transparency by regularly publishing its audited annual financial statements, it has become a profitable company with undisputable growth trajectory. It recorded an unprecedented N3.29 trillion profit in its recently released 2023 audited financial report. But this fact is conveniently lost on Dr. Banire who insists that he has not seen any difference between NNPC as corporation and the commercially focused NNPC Ltd that was incorporated in 2021. Fortunately, it does not take Banire to see or believe that NNPC Ltd, as presently constituted, has broken away from its debilitating past for it to be true. He is at home with the legal maxim: “Res Ipsa Loquitur”, meaning the facts speak for themselves.

    While one cannot dissuade people like Dr. Banire from criticizing the NNPC Ltd, they must refrain from standing facts on their heads all because they want to be populist or be in the good books of the public. Besides, the Banires of this world should also not be intentionally mischievous in their assertion that the NNPC Limited is exercising an overbearing influence on the regulators.  One expects that given the level of their educational accomplishments, they should have the capacity to research very well into the subject matters of their editorial interventions so that they do not argue, assert and progress in error(s). In the corollary, it is either Banire is mischievous or ignorant about the assertion he made in his write-up that the NNPC influences the NUPRC and the NMDPRA who are the two independent regulators.  If he lacks a clear knowledge  of the workings of the sector, he should be humble enough to seek clarifications so he could be well informed.  NNPC Limited is an operator-with a number of refineries under its purview.  The Port Harcourt refinery will soon take off. As a matter of fact, the refineries under the NNPC are operators and are therefore subject to the regulatory framework and regulations set out by the NMDPRA.  The operator(s) cannot, therefore, exercise overbearing influence on the regulators. This is commonsensically impossible. Pure and simple.

    •Soneye, is the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC Ltd

  • Age limit for WAEC/NECO: Memo to education minister

    Age limit for WAEC/NECO: Memo to education minister

    Sir: I was 16 when I gained admission into university, and by the age of 18, I had my first internship—a memorable experience that shaped my perspective on work and life. Yet, I vividly recall being told I would not be hired full-time because I was considered too young.

    Looking back, I am relieved I was not nearing graduation then, as I would have faced the daunting prospect of entering the job market as a 20-year-old with little real-world experience. At the time, I was told that maybe by the age of 22 or 23, I would finally be deemed mature enough to be seriously considered for a job.

    Through further research, I discovered that in many developed countries, there is a structured approach to nurturing a child’s intellectual and personal development. Take the United Kingdom where students typically spend two years in college after high school. During this period, they continue their education, while also acquiring critical life skills and exploring career interests.

    This system provides a balance between academic growth and personal development, ensuring that students are better prepared for both higher education and the workforce. Similarly, in Taiwan, vocational schools cater to students aged 16 to 18, offering them practical skills training that equip them for various career paths.

    Prof. Tahir Mamman, our dear Minister of Education, your efforts to address long-standing issues that have been overlooked are commendable. However, your recent decision to bar candidates under 18 from writing JAMB has drawn significant criticism.

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    While the rationale behind the policy may be well-intentioned—perhaps to promote greater maturity and readiness for tertiary education—the rollout has been met with resistance from key stakeholders in the education sector.

    Prof. Mamman, the success of this policy hinges on whether there are alternative pathways for the development of young Nigerians during the gap years created by the new JAMB age requirement. While it is true that some younger students may lack the emotional and mental maturity needed to thrive in university settings, the solution cannot simply be to prevent them from progressing.

    We must provide these students with structured programmes that allow them to explore their interests, gain valuable experiences, and develop the skills necessary to succeed later in life.

    Without such initiatives in place, this policy may inadvertently create more problems than it solves. Many young Nigerians will be left in a state of limbo, unsure of what to do with the extra time before they can continue their education.

    The government must prioritize creating opportunities for career exploration, vocational training, and personal development if it hopes to make this new age restriction truly beneficial for the country’s youths.

    •Aremu Ebunoluwa Toluwani Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State.

  • Sokoto’s bogus boreholes

    Sokoto’s bogus boreholes

    Sir: The Sokoto State governor, Ahmad Aliyu, recently announced that the sum of N1.2 billion had been earmarked for the repair of the 25 boreholes in the state.

    Now, to those unfamiliar with the intricate workings of government, the figure may seem outrageous and for good reasons. But by any measure, the sum of N1.2 billion for the repair of 25 boreholes is outlandish. The figure would be outrageous even if it was for the dredging of new boreholes, as the Chief Press Secretary to the governor explained in an apparent somersault forced by the flagellating backlash the government has received from Nigerians.

    If the explanations were meant to clarify issues, he only succeeded in painting the government he serves as careless at best and incompetent at worst.  Didn’t the governor know what such a humongous amount of money was allocated for before announcing it to the public? Didn’t the governor query the appropriation to ensure its propriety before deploying it to score political points?

    It is terrible how public funds are treated in a country where poverty is a national insignia.

    In a country where budgets have become bludgeons with which thieving public officers batter their way into the public till, Nigerians are right to raise eyebrows at every government expenditure.

    Unfortunately, public officials have over the years refined the art of stealing public funds. So daring and sophisticated have their ways become that it has become almost impossible to detect and deter them.

    What will be gushing out of the boreholes in Sokoto State when the government is done with its outrageous expenditure? Milk? Petrol?

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    Water is life. Clean and safe water for drinking and other use is indispensable to the health and well-being of people anywhere. That Nigeria continues to struggle to provide safe water for use for its teeming population despite enormous water resources is a national tragedy. That many Nigerians especially those who live in the rural areas remain without clean and safe water indicts Nigeria’s development efforts since independence and a much celebrated return to democracy in 1999.

    The lack of safe drinking water has seen Nigeria continue to fail to meet its Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) objectives to its citizens. This failure in turn continues to turn in a slew of devastating consequences for Nigerians, especially children who are the most vulnerable demographic.  Diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio which are directly linked to unsafe water, break out now and then, causing death and misery to families.

    The waterless situation is especially dire in IDP camps where survivors of terrorism and pastoral conflicts soon find themselves at the mercy of killer diseases.

    What is a country that cannot provide enough safe water for its people? How low should be the stock of a government that cleverly hides its misappropriation of public funds in the folds of long-overdue provision of the water to its people?

    Water is life and clean and safe water for use is the least every child in Sokoto State should enjoy especially in the rural areas where insecurity continues to collide with poor healthcare, egregious unemployment, poor education and a gruelling lack of opportunities to make life unliveable and unbearable.

    In Nigeria, suspicion rather than cooperation is what citizens offer their leaders and for good reason. Colossal corruption which has continued for many years in all levels of government has eroded public trust and inhibited development. The onus is on those who occupy public office to show that they can be trusted with public resources. This they are yet to show.

    As long as they prefer darkness to light and opacity to transparency in public affairs, they will remain targets of the suspicion of Nigerians, which sharpened over many years of bad governance.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • Labour farce

    Labour farce

    For the Labour Party (LP), it appears war without end — except that it’s all a self-imposed farce. 

    Ab initio — and that by far pre-dated LP’s latest tryst with Peter Obi and his Obidients — LP is always driven by election-season opportunism.  Any surprise that, for the umpteenth time, it’s being blown away by a post-poll dynamite of intrigues, by co-”labourers” that had nothing in common beyond grabbing power?

    Look at the main contenders, starting with embattled chair, Julius Abure.  Smart guy!

    He kept his cool as “capitalist” Obi captured the “socialist” platform.  He was content to play figure-head chairman, as Obi and alleged gang took complete control of the LP 2003 presidential campaign fundings.  Why, to secure his own strategic goals — party chair — he even “donated” 2027 tickets to Obi (presidential) and Alex Otti (lone LP governor of Abia)!

    But now the gloves are off and Abure’s “automatic ticket” just lapsed: Obi and Otti must battle and bristle with others!  Beware of the Greek and his gifts?  Well, call it a reverse quid pro quo: if Obi and Otti can’t guarantee Abure as national chair, Abure too can’t guarantee them automatic tickets!

    Then, Otti.  Oti’s deputy was at Abure’s coronation at Nnewi, Anambra State.  What might His Excellency be thinking?  Hunting with the hounds but running with the hare — plainly hedging his bets? 

    It would appear, by midwifing a temporary LP leadership that could toss Abure into the nearby Jabi Lake, Otti seems to have decided the Abure trip was a journey to nowhere. 

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    Still, strictly: can a party’s mere candidate — though governor he may be — turn around to “pontificate” on who the party boss must be?  That might not sound so sweet from the mouth of Abure because he’s involved.  But on its own, it’s bitter kola to chew on the fundamental weakness of Nigeria’s political party system.

    Joe Ajaero?  For all his clamour to use NLC goodwill to push Peter Obi’s partisan whims, he and his NLC are now screaming outside the fence, after their tenant had effectively locked them out.  That’s the Abure magic!  Well, Abure might not be a total stranger to NLC.  Still, when it boils down to LP sweepstakes, he rather subscribes to that philosophy: “what is ours” is different from “what is mine”.

    And Peter Obi himself?  Just call it the verdict of Karma.  Again, beyond mutual opportunism, Obi shares ideologically nothing with LP — he’s as hard core capitalist hustler as LP is Aluta socialist dreamer.  Then, add Obi’s vacuous post-election denial noise.  A worthy democrat accepts defeat when he loses.  Not Obi.  More than one year after, he has instead gone on an endless post-election moonlight tales.

    For all of these, Karma could have crowned Obi’s efforts with LP confusion, placing him in its very vortex. 

    But beyond LP, Abure, Otti and Obi, it’s clear: nothing good comes out of mutual opportunism.  This LP farce is living proof!

  • Retraction by subterfuge

    Retraction by subterfuge

    It is a good thing that government is recalibrating its age policy on transition by pupils from secondary to tertiary level of education. But it should do so by honest acknowledgement of having a rethink in concession to persuasive arguments by stakeholders, which is a mark of sensitivity in leadership, and not by asserting self-infallibility while guilt-tripping everybody else.

    Education Minister of State, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, walked the pompous road of arrogated infallibility last week when he denied government ever said pupils under age 18 would be barred from writing the senior secondary school leaving certificate examinations conducted respectively by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO). Speaking in Abuja  at an event to mark the 2024 International Literacy Day (ILD) on Friday, Sununu  said the notion owed to public misconception and misinterpretation of what Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, said , which he found highly disappointing.

    What Mamman spoke about, according to Sununu,  was widespread abuse of the 6-3-3-4 system as reflected in the ages at which some pupils get into the tertiary level of education. “We have agreed that we are going to consider it as work-in-progress. The National Assembly is working and we are also working. It was shocking to say that a university in this country gave admission to children at ages 10, 11 and 12 years. This is totally wrong,” he said. “We are not saying that there are no exceptions, we know we can have talented students that have the IQ of an adult even at age 6 and 7, but these are very few. There must be a rule, and the ministry is looking at developing a guideline on how to identify a talented child, so that parents don’t say we are blocking their children’s chances,” the minister of state added.

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    And the punchline, in Sununu’s words: “Nobody said no child will write WAEC, NECO or any other examination unless at age 18. This is a misconception and misrepresentation of what we have said.” But is it, really?

    When the senior minister spoke on national television less than two weeks earlier, he said government  had only now resolved to enforce a long existing policy by which any pupil shouldn’t be less than 17 and half years before they conclude secondary education before being ready for admission to the tertiary level. “In any case, NECO and WAEC, henceforth, will not be allowing underage children to write their examinations. In other words, if somebody has not spent the requisite number of years in that particular level of study, WAEC and NECO will not allow them to write the examination,” were his exact words. So, where is the misrepresentation?

    It is noble, not humbling to stoop to pressure. Mr. Minister shouldn’t take from that.