The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • On the police invitation of NLC president

    On the police invitation of NLC president

    Sir: The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, received the news of the invitation of the President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero for questioning by the Nigeria Police with mixed feelings. It would be recalled that the police had on July 7, conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja, a move that triggered media war between the organised labour and the police.

     We would like to call  on the government to immediately charge the NLC President to court if truly they have evidence to back up the claim that he is involved in any crime whatsoever against the state. We would also like to call on the government to be ready to compensate him for the embarrassment if the claim were later found to be trumped-up.

    We have observed that some agencies of the state are carrying out clandestine operations to arrest and persecute those that participated in the #Endbadgovernance protest. For the umpteenth time, we are reiterating our position of disappointment over the arrest of protesters on the basis of publicly associating with a protest aimed at decrying the socio-economic situation in the country and for calling for far reaching reforms that could give necessary reliefs to majority of Nigerians.

    Since citizens of this great country have the rights to support any peaceful protest that is in tandem with their personal opinion or conviction, it is wrong for any agency of government to launch a campaign of calumny or attempt to witch-hunt or arrest them based on their affiliation or association with a particular protest. It is therefore tantamount to gross abuse of power and authority for any agency of government to condescend so low to the extent of harassing citizens as a result of their involvement in any peaceful protest.

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     While we are using this medium to advise the Nigeria Police and other Nigerian security apparati to be rightly and correctly guided in their operations, nuances and limitations under a democracy, so as not to resort to any arm-twisting or repressive attitudes over legitimate and peaceful agitations under any guise. The police as an agent of the executive, judiciary and other arms of government must at all times, be seen to operate within the ambit of the rule of law and separation of power, without which the state and the general public descend into an Hobbesian state of Nature. As a veritable stakeholder in the Nigerian project, we would like to reiterate that we are not in any way in support of anyone or group of persons engaging in terrorism financing, arson, treasonable felony, or any other crime against the state.

    •Debo Adeniran,cacolc@yahoo.com

  • ACReSAL’s Adamawa success story

    ACReSAL’s Adamawa success story

    Sir: The acronym “ACReSAL” stands for Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes. It is a World Bank-assisted project aimed at addressing the challenges of land degradation and climate change in Nigeria on multiple fronts, combating desertification, restoring degraded lands, and creating special ecosystems for agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

    According to the World Bank, the development objective of ACReSAL project is to increase the implementation of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term enabling environment for integrated, climate-resilient landscape management. The project consists of four components:

    Dryland Management: This component will implement integrated watershed management planning and address the challenges of large-scale watershed degradation in northern Nigeria. It includes the sub-components of strategic watershed planning; landscape investments and special ecosystems.

    Community Climate Resilience: This component focuses on strengthening communities and community investments.

    Institutional Strengthening and Project Management: This component includes investments to improve the institutional and policy foundations for multi-sectoral integrated landscape management and climate resilience, as well as support for project management. It includes institutional and policy strengthening; project management.

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    Contingent Emergency Response (CERC): This is a financing mechanism available to borrowers in investment project financing (IPF) operations, enabling quick deployment of uncommitted funds to respond to eligible crises or emergencies.

    Development and environmental experts say addressing these issues will require effort across multiple sectors. The Federal Ministry of Environment is the lead implementing agency, in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Rural Development.

    ACReSAL is also expected to work closely with state and local communities to tackle issues such as water scarcity for agricultural purposes and the negative impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of rural farmers in selected states in northern Nigeria.

    Adamawa ACReSAL is making significant strides in all aspects of the programme, thanks to the professionalism of its managers, the committed support from Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and strong community backing.

    In its efforts to boost local economic activities, create jobs, and empower the community through tree planting for the future, Adamawa ACReSAL has initiated a 400-hectare palm oil plantation and processing industry in the Kiri community in Shelleng LGA of Adamawa State.

    In partnership with the Adamawa government, ACReSAL has secured 250 hectares of land for the practice of regenerative agriculture. This land is now available to over 500 dedicated farmers, many of whom were previously displaced and had no access to farmland. With one hectare each to cultivate over the next 10 years, these farmers are set to transform this dry landscape into a thriving, productive, and sustainable agricultural hub.

    In another major endeavour, Adamawa ACReSAL has initiated the 6,000-hectare Dwam Irrigation Scheme in Demsa Local Government and its environs. Furthermore, Adamawa ACReSAL has empowered 25,000 farming households with the distribution of water pumps across the state, preparing them for the 2024 irrigation farming season.

    Moreover, Adamawa ACReSAL has conducted a step-down FAO training on large-scale land restoration techniques for key staff of the SPMU, focal NGOs, and MDAs. The training is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out large-scale land restoration in their respective areas. Additionally, Adamawa ACReSAL has launched 21 farms for regenerative agriculture training and is partnering with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to support the restoration of 350,000 hectares of degraded land in northern Nigeria.

    Due to its stellar performance, Adamawa ACReSAL tied for first place with Gombe State among the 19 northern states and the FCT participating in the ACReSAL project. Adamawa State was also ranked first in several criteria, including innovation, community-driven approach, number of beneficiaries impacted by the project, implementation progress, hectares of land recovered through afforestation, and support for identified beneficiaries!s

    Zayyad I. Muhammad,Abuja.

  • Unending rift between Nigerians and South Africans

    Unending rift between Nigerians and South Africans

    Sir: If you’re a Nigerian or South African who frequently uses social media platforms, there’s a high chance of being aware of the online hostilities between the two countries. This digital attrition of words was only possible due to the internet’s ability to shrink miles and miles of distance between geographic areas.

    It is not entirely clear when this digital conflict between two famous African brothers began, but three factors are important to consider here: the migration of Nigerians to South Africa and subsequent settlement within the country; the history of socio-political relations between both nations, particularly in relation to the apartheid era; and the global cultural influences of both nations.

    The latest episode in this protracted saga between Nigerians and South Africans seems to have stemmed from the Miss South Africa 2024 beauty pageant controversy featuring Chidinma Adetshina. After Chidinma was forced to withdraw from the beauty pageant due to concerns over the validity of her citizenship, Nigerians engaged in a tussle of verbal criticism and outright derision with South Africans on Facebook and Twitter.

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    And just when it appeared as if tensions had cooled down, Chidinma would later be invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria contest, and welcomed warmly by sympathetic Nigerians, fresh battle lines were redrawn by a South African man’s social media post. In the man’s social media post, he claimed that whenever he is bored, he requests a Bolt ride in Nigeria just to prank unsuspecting drivers. The confession, far from being met with indignation, was applauded by some of his fellow countrymen. Other South Africans began to emulate the man by ordering rides in Nigeria (particularly within Lagos) using the Bolt app.

    Unfortunately, many Nigerians preferred the course of retaliation, and they too, began ordering fake rides on Bolt and other e-hailing services within South Africa’s major cities and residential zones. Within a span of several hours, things began to take a comic turn of epic proportions as hundreds of Bolt drivers in South Africa were inundated with fake ride requests that only led to hilarious exchanges on the apps. The Nigerians behind these ride requests would get unsuspecting drivers to reach certain destinations, before chatting them up in bizarre exchanges, all in the name of cruise as it is popularly known on social media.

    At this point, social media banter had metamorphosed to produce real-life consequences, as innocent Bolt drivers and businesses were forced to count their losses and deal with the frustration of being caught in the crossfire of a pointless online-based war of misguided passion, tortured loyalties and sheer stupidity. After a day or two, the rate of pranks from both sides dwindled and online services like Bolt began to put measures in place to fix the loopholes which made it possible for such acts of tomfoolery to occur in the first place. At the end of it all, South Africans and Nigerians had only managed to further worsen relations and perceptions of each other they shared, contributing negatively to a long history of conflict, with this latest episode becoming just another chapter in a rivalry spanning at least three decades.

    In the aftermath of the xenophobic attacks in 2019, the South African government apologised to Nigeria. But apologies are not enough, and with the state of things between our countries presently, there is a need to ensure that the basis of bilateral relations would not be totally destroyed by social media madness. The protection of immigrants and their properties and businesses must be a top priority for the South African government, as xenophobia doesn’t exactly favour perceptions of the country at the global stage. Additionally, the South African government must also address the social ills of poverty and inequality that are root causes of xenophobia. Many young black South Africans often feel deprived and marginalized economically, and when ranting on social media is not enough, violence becomes a more satisfying outlet for their grievances.

    Ultimately, Nigeria and South Africa—as the top economies in Africa, must refrain from always considering each other as rivals. Rather, there should be mutual efforts to restore and cultivate peaceful relationships for the sake of progress. We cannot afford to relay hateful sentiments to coming generations. This is why we must begin working together for the sake of our continent, because sustained hostility would end up doing us more harm than good in the long run.

    •Zayd Ibn Isah,lawcadet1@gmail.com

  • Service in captivity

    Service in captivity

    It was one hell of a year for eight university and polytechnic graduates, who had looked forward to their one-year national service as members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). They ran into trouble on their way to Sokoto State from Akwa-Ibom State. They were travelling in order to participate in a three-week orientation programme. Kidnappers stopped their bus in Zamfara State and took them into captivity on August 17, 2023.

    That was the end of their NYSC service year, which was just beginning at the time. They regained freedom one by one until the last one was freed on August 22, 2024, which was a year after the incident.  The Director-General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen Yushau Ahmed, who announced that the last of the kidnappees had been “rescued,” said they were regarded as having completed their service and would be given discharge certificates.

    He was reported saying, “They have already gone through service year automatically, what service year is more than staying in the jungle, in captivity, they qualified for the NYSC certificate.”

    According to him, “On the 30th of August, 2023, we rescued the first prospective corps member, Emmanuel Emmanuel Esudue; Victoria Bassey Udoka was rescued on the 20th of October, 2023. Abigail Peter Sandy was rescued on the 7th of December, 2023. Sabbath Anyaewe Ikan was equally rescued on the 7th of December, 2023.

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    “Obong Victor Udofia was rescued on the 3rd of February, 2024. Daniel Bassey was rescued on the 8th of February, 2024. Glory Etukudu Thomas was rescued on the 9th of June, 2024. Yesterday, 22nd August, we rescued the last victim, Solomon Daniel Bassey.”

    He stressed that “there was no payment of ransom in the rescue of all the prospective corps members,” adding, “no state government brought any amount for their rescue as claimed by the media.”  He also emphasised that “no group of people or organisations aided the rescue of the corps members apart from the security agencies particularly the Army and the DSS.”

    It is unclear how the kidnap victims were allegedly “rescued.”  They regained their freedom one by one, and this took a whole year.  The claims that they were “rescued” and no ransom was paid are hard to believe. Why were they “rescued” one at a time if there was no ransom payment?

    The security agencies were not only expected to rescue the victims but also arrest the kidnappers. However, there was no news about the perpetrators of the crime, which suggests that they are still at large.  They may well strike again.

    This further demonstrates why the country’s security crisis persists. It is the responsibility of law enforcement agents to ensure that when kidnaps happen, the victims are rescued, and the perpetrators apprehended and prosecuted.

    The authorities must clarify why the so-called rescue of the kidnappees happened in stages over a one-year period without the arrest of the kidnappers.

  • Wukari University now destined for ceaseless ascent

    Wukari University now destined for ceaseless ascent

    By Iysa Ade Bello

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Student Loan Scheme is for all Nigerians

    Student Loan Scheme is for all Nigerians

    Sir: The Student Loan Scheme is a conception of the purest, noblest, and loftiest of intentions and design. It is a bond to secure the nation’s future and a promissory note to a prosperous destiny for many young Nigerians.

    The kernel of the scheme is to remove the impediments of finance and guarantee access to higher education and skill development for ALL needing Nigerian students irrespective of where they come from, where they worship, what they look like, who they know or do not know, or whatever is their political interest and social complexion. It is for all Nigerians.

    As someone who had to take up the emergency job of an English and Literature-in-English teacher to pay my way through school, having been orphaned at a young age, I share a vicarious sense of relief and elation over the scheme. For many students like me who had to struggle through fiscal cliffs at school, President Bola Tinubu’s Student Loan Scheme is that actual pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is manifest hope. It is dreams taking flight. It is an open sesame to a glorious destiny. It is victory.

    There have been spurious allegations of exclusion of certain groups in the disbursement of loans and upkeep funds by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the institutional vehicle of the scheme.

    NELFUND has done well to provide sufficient information on the modalities of loan disbursement. In response to the sputtering concerns, The Fund said it had ‘’sent a verification list to every institution eligible for disbursement, and that payments are being made to institutions that have responded to this verification’’, however some institutions are yet to respond.

    Read Also: Tinubu assures Nigeria of commitment to rule of law, separation of powers

    Clearly, only applicants – those who have applied – can benefit from the loan. But there seems to be apathy from certain parts of the country, particularly in the south. The Student Loan Scheme is a national programme being implemented for the advancement of the nation and for the benefit of all Nigerians. No section of the country will be left behind. It is a moving vehicle, and all groups are on board.

    Many institutions in the Southeast, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Ebonyi State University, Imo State Polytechnic, Abia State Polytechnic, Abia State University, etc, have already been on-boarded.  Trust and faith in the government is of the essence. The Student Loan Scheme is for us all. No one is being excluded, and no one will be left behind.

    •Fredrick Nwabufo, Abuja.

  • Let’s return to the era of school farms

    Let’s return to the era of school farms

    Sir: In spite of the important role of agriculture in our economy, many present day pupils and students lack the knowledge of basic agriculture, agriculture business, and indeed the entire agriculture value chain – the process through which food gets from the farms to dining tables. It is indeed a sorry situation when school children in Nigeria, a country widely acclaimed for its rich agricultural heritage, do not have the privilege of experiencing practical agriculture during their schooling. To curb this problem, the practical aspect of agriculture in the school’s curriculum should be given equal attention as the theory.

    Several factors have been highlighted as contributing to the non-availability of school farms to support practical agriculture classes in schools. These include encroachment on school land by developers and members of host communities of schools; use of land for other non-agriculture-related projects; lack of adequate infrastructure in schools, hence, no space set aside for cultivation; un-affordability of farm inputs by schools; lack of funds to sustain the cost of farm inputs; bush burning; deforestation as a result of human activity – thereby destroying the fertility of the soil; changes in weather; erosion; insecurity; among others.

    School farms are not just spaces for growing food items. They are complete learning zones, which largely succeed in taking learning to new heights. School farms come in handy when it comes to teaching a variety of topics in agriculture, be it crop rotation, mixed cropping, inter-cropping, etc. For a successful school farm, implements and practical equipment should be purchased and distributed. And, whenever the school records bumper harvest, the pupils/students can be fed from the produce, while proceeds from the ones sold can be used to develop the school.

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    The knowledge obtained from practical sessions on the school farm helps not only to re-enforce what is taught in the classrooms. It also teaches pupils, and students alike, about eating healthy, about how food arrives our homes from the farms, etc. It also equips the pupils/students with first-hand knowledge of how to run agribusinesses. This is especially important in cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit in the students.

    In the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, school farming was a major component of the schools’ curriculum, and there were no exemptions as to who participated in practical agriculture and who did not. All pupils and students trooped to the farms at the designated time. The idea behind this was to make agriculture an integral part of the school culture, so the pupils and students are well positioned to appreciate farming, and make it a lifestyle, even when they do not intend to specialize in it.

    It is important that schools be provided with necessary logistics for the successful implementation of the whole agricultural science curriculum, while the school farms serve as fields or laboratories for the training of the pupils and students, with the basic focus being on skills development and self-reliance. Today, agriculture in schools should be handled in such a way that from a very young age, pupils begin to take interest in farming. Efforts should be made to popularize farming as an honourable occupation. This will help to reduce apathy toward the practice of farming.

    Agric-school clubs such as the ‘Young Farmers Club’ can also be encouraged, where pupils and students will be taught about farming practice and encouraged to own farms. These steps could help ‘catch them young’ and inculcate the love of farming in young ones. Participation in agriculture competitions could also challenge the pupils/students to perform better.

    Also, qualified and competent Agricultural Science teachers should be employed, to help make their students appreciate the benefits of the study of agriculture in practicality. Apart from being qualified, these agricultural science teachers should be aware of interesting areas of agriculture that will attract and sustain young minds. These teachers should also undergo further training, as this will enhance their teaching skills. The knowledge thus acquired by the pupils/students can stick with them for many years to come.

    In view of the foregoing, it is important that both private and public schools at all levels establish viable school farms. Indeed, school farms are critical to meaningful engagement of students in practical agriculture!

    • Daniel Ighakpe,Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.

  • Who wants cannabis decriminalised?

    Who wants cannabis decriminalised?

    Sir: It is preposterous to hear anyone still arguing for the legalisation of the use of cannabis or its cultivation in Nigeria, given that the countries they usually cite as examples are currently grappling with the consequences of their experimentation with the liberal use of drugs. Some of these countries are presently contemplating reversing the trend and reverting to status quo ante.

    Those advocating for the legalisation of cannabis in our country are either doing so out of ignorance and probably oblivious to the global trend on drug policies or are purposely blind to the red flags because of their vested interest in the economic gains of widespread use and cultivation of cannabis.

    The usual argument is about the economy and medicinal use. They talk about how big the global cannabis market is, how we are missing out and how Nigeria could supplement its economy by becoming a big player in that industry.

    In their argument, they equate cannabis to a wonderful plant that does no one any harm. And they make its cultivation seem like a simple process that will not have any ramifications for local consumption.

    Their arguments fall flat in the face of the Nigerian drug situation, which came to light in 2019 after the conduct of the UNODC- assisted National Drug Use Survey.

    The findings showed that Nigeria is already the country with the largest population of cannabis users, about 10.6 million. Worse still, the use of cannabis in Nigeria is largely for recreational purposes, not medicinal.

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    Promoters of liberalisation of drug use usually cite countries such as the US, Canada and Australia, among others. But they fail to acknowledge that the decriminalisation of the use of any illicit drug, any drug at all, has proven to have boomerang effects. A case in point is the report published on July 11, in the New York Times, titled “Bold Experiment or Safety Risk? Canada Is Divided on How to Stop Drug Deaths.”

    The report by Vjosa Isai covered Vancouver and Victoria, in the British Columbia region of Canada. The summary of the report is British Columbia’s decision to partially retreat from its experiment to decriminalise drug possession as a solution to the opioid crisis. In just two years, the situation worsened and has put authorities in the region in reverse.

    Earlier in May, Canada’s federal government approved the request to reverse the policy and again make public drug use and possession in British Columbia a crime.

    In the United States, where a similar experiment had taken place in Oregon, the state legislature had voted in April to recriminalize drugs amid soaring overdose deaths. Cities and countries around the world are coming to the hard truth that abstinence is the only way to curb the consequences of drug use.

    Now, concerning cannabis, the usual argument is that its derivatives are harmless. Who says? Research upon research shows that cannabis has negative effects on users’ health. The promoters of cannabis are usually silent on this.

    The most recent research, published on August 1, in the JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, indicated a link between long-term daily use of marijuana and cancers of the head and neck.

    The findings of the research conducted at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles show that people who use cannabis, particularly those with a cannabis use disorder, are significantly more likely to develop head and neck cancers compared to those who do not use cannabis. They are at greater risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer, which is cancer of the soft palate, tonsil and back of the throat. The study, which found a strong link between various cannabinoids (biological compounds in cannabis plants) and tumour growth, sounded an alarm that the world may see a corresponding rise in head and neck cancer cases with the widespread legalisation of marijuana.

    This is coming three years after a study conducted in Denmark and published in JAMA Psychiatry on July 21, 2021, showed that there is a link between schizophrenia, a mental health disorder, and cannabis addiction.

    Nigeria should tread on the path of caution. Let’s not open the Pandora box. As a country, we don’t have a strong health institution or the economic capability to bear the burden of the public health ramifications of the use of cannabis. Nobody will come to harm if cannabis is banned, after all, it is not a basic need.

    •Adekunbi Lawal,Abuja.

  • Isese

    Isese

    That four South West states — Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun — marked August 20 as common “Isese” Day for 2024 has got to be the greatest win for native rights all through Nigerian history.

    As much as that might sound as some hyperbole, it’s probably true of repressed native rights.  Adherents of Christianity and Islam, often loud in their relentless proselytizing, often pretend they are the only faiths in town.  Yet, they are not only foreign faiths but also noisy “guests” of a quiet “landlord” — a quiet landlord that must be barred and banned from own land!

    So, until Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as Osun governor, himself a devout Muslim, started this campaign to officially recognize the rights of faiths, alien or native, in August 2013, (naming 20 August 2014 as Osun’s first “Isese” Day), no one ever thought it was anything important.

    Worse, it appeared worse than heresy: a pesky matter in the official orthodoxy of religious rights.  Indeed, a few but deep and vibrating voices in the media, projecting own limited worldview on such matters, latched onto fashionable bigotry.  Out came quaky commentaries — and thunderous editorials — to condemn such “trivialities” and “distractions” as native faith rights.

    Why, a “civil war” had earlier broken out between media champions of Christianity and Islam, when Osun in 2012 (again, under Aregbesola) made Hijra — the Islamic new year — a public holiday, with relentless growling about an alleged “Islamization” of that state: comical to be sure. 

    Both would later unite, and turned ballistic, to thumb down “Isese” as a public holiday, for its mass of long-suffering adherents.  Bullies!

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    But thank God the Ogbeni held firm — not only on “Isese” but also on the old Awolowo party anthem, which he proposed as a South West regional anthem to rouse Yoruba patriotic consciousness, in a federal and united democratic Nigeria. 

    Both have been adopted — “Isese” by four states: what are Ondo and Ekiti waiting for — don’t they have “Isese” adherents within their borders?  The anthem, by the South West Governors Forum, which on June 11, approved it as regional anthem, indeed fit to galvanize the Yoruba to patriotic action, in a strong and united federal Nigeria.

    The triumph of the “Isese” initiative is another pointer to the cornerstone of spirituality — and “Isese” hallmarks authentic Yoruba (and African) spirituality — in the scheme of things. 

    Besides, “rights” don’t start and end with the so-called “peaceful protests”, which everyone — the “ human rights” denizens that levy it and the nervy government that often resists it — realizes is only a thin line between codified rights and romantic anarchy. 

    How the last bout of “peaceful protests” snowballed into an orgy of well-planned chaos is all too fresh, even with Amnesty International (AI) continuing to bury its head in a cloud of wilful self-denial over the obvious and the ugly.

    “Rights” need not bring out the worst in us all.  It need not lead to torching neighbours’ store houses to settle old economic scores; or smash and crack skulls to show who is lord of the political manor.

    Indeed, “rights” can — indeed, should — reinforce our common humanity and sense of self-worth.  That’s the message from “Isese” Day 2024, from these four South West states.  It’s a welcome flower of rights, in a federal, democratic Nigeria.

  • Chairman, no; chairman, yes!

    Chairman, no; chairman, yes!

    (Hand of God in my journey to chairmanship title)

    By Bayo Osiyemi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

      “Alagbara l’Olorun

       mi,

      Alagbara ni Jesu

       mi o;

     Bo ba se sooro, be

      na lo nri,

     Alagbara l’Olorun

      mi”

    Truly, God is faithful to His Words!

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