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  • Artificial intelligence for climate action

    Artificial intelligence for climate action

    By Desmond Rowland Eteh

    Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing the modern world. Its devastating effects are evident in rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, melting glaciers, and loss of biodiversity. Addressing these impacts requires innovative and scalable solutions and artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool in this fight.

    As nations globally, including Nigeria, grapple with the realities of climate change, understanding how AI can mitigate its effects is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders. AI, the simulation of human intelligence in machines, is increasingly being harnessed to address the pressing issue of climate change. By analysing vast datasets, modelling complex systems, and optimising solutions, AI offers powerful tools for monitoring emissions, optimising energy use, and predicting climate patterns.

    Countries like the United States, China, and the European Union are at the forefront of integrating AI into their climate strategies. The European Union, for example, has embraced AI to tackle environmental and sustainability challenges. The AI4EO initiative, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), leverages AI to analyse earth observation data for various environmental applications. Furthermore, the Horizon Europe programme funds numerous projects that utilise AI for environmental monitoring, climate modelling, and sustainable resource management. China, another global leader in AI adoption, is employing the technology for smart grid management and renewable energy forecasting. These initiatives underscore the growing global recognition of AI as a valuable tool for addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.

    AI’s role in climate mitigation is multi-faceted. It enhances our ability to understand climate systems by processing enormous datasets that are otherwise unmanageable for human researchers. By using machine learning algorithms, scientists can better predict weather patterns, analyse sea level rise, and model the impact of policy changes. For example, IBM’s Green Horizon Project in China uses AI to forecast air pollution levels and recommend actionable solutions, helping cities reduce emissions and improve air quality.

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    Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation, is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The country faces challenges such as desertification in the northern regions, flooding in coastal areas, and unpredictable patterns of rainfall that threaten agriculture. These climate-related issues exacerbate poverty, displacement, and food insecurity, necessitating immediate and long-term interventions.

    AI holds immense potential to address these challenges in Nigeria. In agriculture, for instance, AI-driven platforms can provide farmers with real-time weather forecasts, pest control strategies, and advice on optimal planting schedules. Such tools not only enhance productivity but also help farmers adapt to changing climatic conditions. A noteworthy example is the use of AI by precision agriculture firms in Kenya and Ghana, which has led to increased yields and resilience in the face of climate variability. Nigeria can adopt similar models to revolutionise its agricultural sector.

    Moreover, AI can play a vital role in energy management. Nigeria’s energy sector is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. AI-driven technologies, such as smart grids and predictive maintenance systems can improve energy efficiency and integrate renewable energy sources like solar and wind. By learning from countries like India, where AI is used to optimise solar panel installations, Nigeria can accelerate its transition to a cleaner energy future.

    One of AI’s most significant contributions to climate action is its ability to monitor environmental changes in real-time. Through satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies, AI can track deforestation, urban sprawl, and water body changes. For instance, Brazil uses AI to monitor illegal logging activities in the Amazon rainforest, providing actionable data to authorities. Nigeria, which faces similar deforestation issues, particularly in the Niger Delta and the Savannah belt, can adopt such technology to preserve its natural resources.

    Additionally, AI can improve disaster preparedness and response. Flooding, a recurring issue in Nigeria often leads to the loss of lives and property. AI-powered systems can predict flood events by analysing weather data, river levels, and land use patterns. These predictions enable authorities to issue early warnings and implement evacuation plans. In the United States, for example, AI-based platforms have been used to predict and mitigate the impact of hurricanes, saving countless lives. Adopting such systems in Nigeria would significantly enhance disaster resilience.

    Globally, the integration of AI into climate strategies is gaining momentum. Countries like the United Kingdom and Canada are investing heavily in AI research and development to combat climate change. The UK’s Centre for AI and Climate aims to develop cutting-edge AI tools for emissions tracking and environmental conservation. Similarly, Canada’s use of AI in forest fire prediction has set a precedent for other nations to follow.

    Furthermore, international organisations and private sector players are joining forces to leverage AI for climate action. Google’s AI for Social Good programme and Microsoft’s AI for Earth initiative are prime examples of how technology companies are contributing to sustainability efforts. These initiatives provide funding and technical support to projects that use AI for environmental monitoring, conservation, and renewable energy optimisation.

    Despite its immense potential, the adoption of AI for climate mitigation in Nigeria and other developing nations faces significant challenges. High costs, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to data are major barriers. For instance, deploying AI systems requires advanced computing power, reliable internet connectivity, and skilled personnel, all of which are often scarce in low-income regions. Additionally, ethical concerns around data privacy and algorithmic biases must be addressed. AI systems rely on large datasets, raising questions about who controls the data and how it is used. Moreover, there is a risk that AI could exacerbate existing inequalities if not implemented inclusively. Ensuring that AI benefits all sectors of society, particularly marginalised communities, is essential for its success in combating climate change.

    To harness the full potential of AI for climate mitigation, Nigeria must prioritise investment in technology and innovation. Policymakers should establish frameworks that encourage the adoption of AI in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, energy, and urban planning. Collaborating with international organisations and tech companies can also provide access to funding and expertise.

    Education and capacity building are equally important. Training programmes in AI and data science can equip Nigerians with the skills needed to develop and implement AI solutions locally. Partnerships with universities and research institutions can foster innovation and ensure that AI applications are tailored to Nigeria’s specific needs.

    Furthermore, integrating AI into national climate strategies requires a robust data ecosystem. Governments and private sector players should work together to collect and share data on weather patterns, land use, and emissions. Open data policies can facilitate research and innovation, enabling the development of AI models that address Nigeria’s unique climate challenges.

    Artificial Intelligence offers transformative potential to combat climate change, both in Nigeria and globally. From optimising energy use and enhancing agricultural resilience to monitoring environmental changes and improving disaster management, AI provides a range of tools to mitigate climate impacts. However, realising this potential requires overcoming challenges such as high costs, limited infrastructure, and ethical concerns.

    By investing in AI technologies, fostering partnerships, and building local capacity, Nigeria can position itself as a leader in climate innovation. As the world continues to grapple with the consequences of a warming planet, embracing AI-driven solutions will be critical to securing a sustainable future for generations to come.

    •Dr Eteh, data scientist, GIS analyst and environmentalist, writes from Port Harcourt.

  • Farming communities and the menace of armed herdsmen

    Farming communities and the menace of armed herdsmen

    By Loveday Imeah

    The state of the nation today indicates that most Nigerians are grappling with enormous and complex challenges on all fronts. These arise from but not limited to the weight and impacts of domestic, regional, sub-regional, continental and global socio-cultural, economic, political, structural etc. policies and programmes which are being designed and promoted by various sovereign entities in order to gain and sustain their visibilities, supremacy and respectability on the technologically driven world stage.

    Unfortunately in Nigeria, the herdsmen and their sponsors constitute not only increasing burden to peaceful and mutual co-existence, but have become veritable threat to conscious efforts aimed at ensuring sustainable agriculture, food production, food security and availability throughout the farming communities across the country.

    All these are happening in the face of growing concerns as to how to effectively feed the teeming population of Nigerians amid the hydra-headed problems of food shortages (food insecurity), high and rising prices of stable food items in the markets, huge capital outlay required in agriculture business especially, from clearing, cultivation/planting and post-harvesting processes involving preservation and distribution of items with astronomical transportation costs across the country.

    It is glaring that all palliative measures/initiatives adopted by various governments have not been able to address hunger in the land, as on many occasions, the food palliative items have ended in the web of greed and in the belly of official corruption rather than satisfying the yawning hunger and thirst that needed the items in the first instance.

    Besides, herdsmen’s illicit activities together with the raw face of terrorism, banditry, violent crimes and criminality especially kidnapping, robberies, rape and abuses of women farmers, as well as the vandalisation of critical oil and gas pipeline infrastructure plus the attendant pollution and environmental degradation, continues to impede agriculture/food production in farming communities with wider adverse implications across the nation.

    Intricately connected and tied to the above, are the issues relating to incessant dams and grid collapses, climate change with unprecedented floods, to the extent that reasonable farming activities become nearly impossible where farmers have experienced and suffered collateral damages – complete devastation of vast farmlands with crops, dislocation/displacement of persons and then another round of internally displaced persons in camps which one way or the other come under the onslaught of herdsmen and bandits and the cycle of suffering continues unabated.

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    In fact, government policies and programmes in support and promotion of agriculture especially the production of stable food items have been rudely interrupted and undermined; and most farming communities are absolutely impoverished as herdsmen see farmer’s toils and investments in farmlands planted with crops as grazing pastures for cows/cattle. What is disgusting is the manner in which these armed herdsmen invade, intimidate, threaten and even kill farmers who dare to protest the damage to or of crops on their farmlands.

    The questions arise: Why do armed herdsmen with ferocity, brutality and impunity overrun and destroy farmlands without remorse in our nation?

    Should Nigerian farming communities in this 21st century where technology, innovation and modernization drive businesses continue to condone the archaic methods and irresponsible activities of these notorious herdsmen?

    Do we as a nation of decent and civilized people allow these herdsmen and their sponsors to continue and exacerbate hunger, poverty and deprivation in the land without considering the serious implications for national security, national unity and cohesion? 

    Whatever the answers to the above posers are, the bottom line is that no serious nation will allow her agricultural and food production policies and programmes as well as the farmers to be undermined and impoverished by the dangerous activities of armed herdsmen and their sponsors. This is because no serious, responsible, representative and accountable government will like the face of hunger, poverty, disease and deprivation in their land.

    In the recent past, the attempts to deal with the challenge of herdsmen and the danger they posed to farming communities might have been treated with levity by relevant authorities. In fact, in most parts of Africa and indeed northern parts of Nigeria and now in Rivers State, the talks of herdsmen and their atrocities in farming communities leave sour grapes in the mouth. But, Rivers State must and should not be perceived and identified as exploitable resource target by herdsmen and their sponsors. These herdsmen in farming communities across the Rivers State must be stopped in order not to obliterate the source of livelihood of the people. Their activities are a menace and a national disgrace and a spade must be called a spade.

    It is said, a stitch in time saves nine. Governments at all levels must rise up to contain this growing menace in farming communities across Rivers State. The federal government and the legislature must work together to ensure stringent laws and measures are adopted against herdsmen’s encroachment on farmlands. Above all, the herdsmen and their sponsors need objective re-orientation to refocus and appreciate the need for peaceful and mutual co-existence, as no one business should be the source of ruin, obstacle or distress to the other. Thus, the federal government under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should declare a state of emergency to discuss these sensitive issues and proffer adequate solutions to the menace.

    It is absolutely frustrating that Rivers State and the Niger Delta as a whole appear to have been targeted for extinction by vicious individual and corporate persons from sundry quarters. For example, coastal communities, some of which are oil and gas bearing, experience and suffer untold pollution and environmental degradation to the extent that sea foods and natural delicacies native to the area have disappeared to oblivion. Similarly, farming communities, some of which are also oil and gas bearing experience and suffer like the coastal communities in addition to the forceful confiscation of farmlands for grazing of cows/cattle. There is a limit to which people could be pushed before they react one way or the other.

     The governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara has assured and declared without equivocation his intention, commitment and determination to create conductive business environment for all who do legitimate business in the state to thrive, prosper and succeed without fear or threat to their investments or property. There is need for all to reciprocate the gesture of the River State government by adhering to the laws of the land.

    Therefore, all leaders of thoughts, traditional authorities, religious groups, security agencies, socio-cultural, non-governmental organizations including the herdsmen and their sponsors must work in synergy and close ranks in order to ensure harmony in the society. The challenges posed by herdsmen to farmers can be resolved with proper political will.

    Certainly, finding lasting solutions to these problems will be in the interest of our common humanity, particularly to enhance our environment and the aspiration to build a resourceful, vibrant and resilient economy, social justice system and technological advancement where no individual or group is disadvantaged, deprived or suppressed by force of arms; and such, will be an enduring legacy and testament for not only the present generation but also for generations yet unborn.

    •Imeah, JP, is a retired permanent secretary.

  • From abroad, with hope vastly renewed

    From abroad, with hope vastly renewed

    By Kunle Oyatomi

    When Ian Fleming (1908-1964), the famous English creator of the James Bond series of espionage novels, returned from a visit to Turkey, he was inspired to write the fiction, From Russia, with Love. It was in the period of the East-West conspiratorial tensions of the Cold War that followed the Second World War. The book therefore is a webbed plot of intrigues and false romance that take the reader to leading European cities including London, Moscow, Paris, Istanbul etc. The action-packed work ends with James Bond delivering a beautiful Russian decoy, Tatiana Romanova and Spektor, her country’s decoding device, to his superiors in Paris.

    As the fifth novel by Fleming, it was an instant best seller after release in April 1957. Following this success traced to the writer’s trip to Turkey, many have since examined the role foreign journeys play, not only in the lives of writers, but also in the lives of rulers and statesmen.

    So, in the light of President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to France and South Africa, I did a check on Ian Fleming and the inspiration he got from an overseas voyage. I began to muse on some questions. How do these trips inspire rulers to reshape their thinking? Are such trips needed at all? Can heads of government afford to keep to themselves and practise autarchy? Can we go back into our shells and renounce the concept of globalism as US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to do in his second coming, beginning from January 2025? These are not mere rhetorical posers. They address real trends.

    For instance, the France trip by Tinubu has thrown up a number of issues. First, the history. It was the first time in more than two decades that a Nigerian leader has visited this foremost Franco-European country at a high diplomatic level. Nations establish their relevance internationally only as their leaders and designated representatives crisscross the globe to strike socioeconomic, political, sporting, cultural, military etc. deals. You can’t be an island and progress in this modern, sophisticated and civilized age. So, Tinubu has succeeded in getting Nigeria into the great league of the forward-looking nations of the world. He has also brought back history from its slumber, never to go to bed again under his watch.

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    Our president’s journey to France has brought fresh breath to his renewed hope offer to Nigeria and its citizens. Tinubu is boosting his economic vista with two huge agreements with French President Emmanuel Macron, totalling €300 million. These are aimed at developing Nigeria’s critical infrastructure and ensuring food security, among other objectives.

    The deals were struck at an economic forum held at the Palais des Elysee in Paris, which brought together key business leaders, industry captains and top government officials from both nations. Official sources who interpreted the multibillion trillion naira agreements say they will drive a variety of sectors including healthcare, transportation, agricultural value chains, renewable energy and human capital development. We must emphasize that these are all strategically aligned with Nigeria’s long-term goals of moving the nation and citizens beyond the present static vision.

    When President Tinubu himself spoke of this outcome of the France trip, he did stress the importance of enhancing relations with France and leveraging this partnership to strengthen Nigeria’s growth. “The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to a strategic relationship that will foster project implementation, enhance mutual trade, and improve cross-border services while protecting labour rights.’’ A key component that has been identified that puts smiles on our faces is that the globally respected French Development Agency, AFD, has given a firm assurance that it will continue to support projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

    Now, most Nigerians are giving support to the central government on account of the fact that when hope appeared lost for a new Nigeria to emerge after several years of locust, Tinubu came saying there’s yet hope. He rolled out a bold plan he claimed would first see us experience some initial birth pangs, followed by the delivery or birth of new society without a carryover from the sordid past. We can’t begin to savour or descry of that future until we have faith in his vision. After all, the Holy Bible says ‘’Faith is the substance of hope, the evidence of things not seen.’’

    The president’s foreign trips along with his domestic socio-economic exploits are beginning to give us a glimpse of the shape of the renewed hope promised. But, like many initiatives that take root today to bear fruits tomorrow, you need to arm yourself with strong will to resist despondency and promptings from naysayers and pessimists.

    Many for instance are still unmoved by the many overseas flights by Tinubu. They insist that Nigeria’s plight is local or domestic, and can only be tackled from within. That’s far from the truth. Nothing happens in one country that wouldn’t have a spiral effect on neighbours, far or near. Wise leaders know this and would therefore align solutions to their domestic problems to the experiences and assistance of others.

    Nigeria’s leading business personalities who appreciate this wisdom went along with Tinubu and returned smiling. Two of the major banks, UBA and Zenith, will, following the trip, begin operations in France. This heralds the deepening of financial ties the two countries. Of course, there are employment opportunities built into these deals, with ripple effects on the local scene here in Nigeria in the years ahead.

    There’re some great gain in the oil and gas sector as French major, Total Energies SE is said to be green-lighting a massive $750 million gas project in Nigeria next year. Potentially, this signals that Nigeria is making progress in its efforts to revive investment in its huge hydrocarbon reserves. This is expected to revolutionize the commercial prospects of the country’s liquefied natural gas industry, both domestically and globally.

    President Tinubu went straight to South Africa, our continental neighbours, after the France visit. There again, he tied his journey to his vision to a new Nigeria. This time, among many other feats, he secured a new lease of life of our compatriots who go to South Africa. Tinubu got his hosts to relax visa rules for Nigerian tourists and business persons. The Nigerian leader was also able to get a pledge from the South Africans to ease investment constraints. All these remove the anxieties of Nigerians who seek partnerships with their counterparts in the former apartheid enclave.

    •Oyatomi Esq. is of the Independent Media and Policy Initiative, a think tank based in Abuja.

  • Economic instability and Nigeria’s construction industry

    Economic instability and Nigeria’s construction industry

    • By Rasheed Olayinka Ajirotutu

    In recent years, Nigeria has experienced significant economic instability, which has disrupted various sectors, and the construction industry has not been immune to these challenges.

    As the country grapples with issues such as inflation, fluctuating exchange rates, fiscal deficits, and high unemployment, the construction sector, one of the critical drivers of economic growth, faces unique and multifaceted challenges.

    The construction sector contributes about 3-4 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is a key player in infrastructure development, housing, transportation, and urbanization.

    It also provides employment to millions of Nigerians, both directly and indirectly. In a country like Nigeria, where rapid urbanisation and a growing population create a demand for infrastructure, the construction industry is fundamental to meeting these needs.

    Nigeria has long struggled with issues such as fluctuating oil prices, political instability, inadequate fiscal policies, and high levels of public debt. The Nigerian economy is highly dependent on oil exports, and fluctuations in global oil prices have a direct impact on government revenue and national economic performance.

    Additionally, inflation rates in Nigeria have been volatile, and the local currency, the Naira, has faced significant depreciation against the US dollar, making imports more expensive.

    These economic conditions, combined with poor infrastructure, inconsistent government policies, and insecurity in some regions, have created an unstable business environment, particularly for the construction industry.

    One of the most significant effects of economic instability on the construction industry in Nigeria is the impact of inflation on construction costs. Inflation in Nigeria has remained persistently high in recent years, driven by a combination of factors including rising food prices, energy costs, and global supply chain disruptions.

    For construction firms, inflation directly impacts the prices of construction materials such as cement, steel, and building aggregates, which are typically imported or subject to price fluctuations in the global market.

    As the cost of materials rises, construction companies are often forced to adjust their budgets or risk project delays. In some cases, contractors may face the challenge of absorbing the additional costs, which can lead to reduced profitability or even financial losses.

    Cost overruns are a common feature of many construction projects, and economic instability exacerbates this problem, making it more difficult for firms to stay within budget.

    This not only affects the financial stability of construction companies but also leads to delays in project completion, which can have a cascading effect on the broader economy.

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    Another major challenge posed by economic instability is the volatility of the Nigerian Naira against major currencies, particularly the US dollar. Many construction projects in Nigeria require the importation of raw materials, equipment, and technology from overseas. Fluctuations in the exchange rate make it difficult for construction companies to predict the cost of these imports and manage their budgets effectively.

    When the Naira depreciates against the dollar, the cost of imported construction materials rises, leading to further inflationary pressures and budgetary constraints.

    Furthermore, financing for large construction projects in Nigeria is often secured through loans, foreign investments, or public-private partnerships (PPPs). The instability of the Naira affects the terms of these loans, increasing the debt burden for construction firms.

    For foreign investors, the uncertain exchange rate environment makes Nigeria a less attractive investment destination, leading to a reduction in the flow of foreign direct investment into the construction sector.

    This further limits the availability of funding for construction projects, making it more difficult to initiate new projects or complete ongoing ones.

    In an environment of economic instability, construction projects often face delays or are outright stalled due to various challenges. Delayed payments from government clients, difficulties in sourcing materials, and labour shortages are common issues that arise when the economy is unstable.

    For public infrastructure projects, the government’s fiscal constraints can result in the suspension of funding or delays in the release of funds, causing projects to stall indefinitely.

    Private developers are not immune to these challenges either. High inflation, combined with difficulties in securing loans, can delay the completion of real estate developments and residential housing projects.

    Many property developers have been forced to halt projects or scale back plans as they struggle to cope with the rising cost of materials and a lack of financial liquidity. These delays not only increase costs but also affect the overall pace of infrastructure development in the country.

    Economic instability also has a significant impact on the labour market within the construction industry. The construction sector is a major source of employment in Nigeria, particularly for unskilled and semi-skilled workers. However, the instability of the economy leads to job insecurity for construction workers. As construction projects are delayed or cancelled, workers are left without consistent employment, contributing to rising unemployment rates in the country. Skilled labour, such as engineers, architects, and project managers, also faces challenges as construction firms struggle to retain talent amid financial constraints. With reduced budgets and fewer projects, some construction firms may choose to downsize or freeze hiring, further exacerbating the unemployment situation.

    Nigeria’s construction industry is critical to the country’s infrastructure development. Roads, bridges, railways, and housing are necessary to support urbanization and foster economic growth. However, economic instability has hindered the completion of major infrastructure projects across the country.

    Urbanisation in Nigeria is occurring at an unprecedented rate, with millions moving to cities in search of better opportunities. As urban populations swell, the demand for infrastructure and housing increases. However, the economic instability that Nigeria faces makes it difficult for both the public and private sectors to meet these demands.

    Government policies play a crucial role in shaping the construction industry, and in Nigeria, the impact of economic instability is compounded by regulatory challenges.

    For example, inconsistent policy implementation, delays in securing permits, and bureaucratic inefficiencies often plague construction projects in Nigeria.

    In times of economic instability, government policy shifts can create uncertainty for construction firms. Changes in tax rates, tariffs, or building regulations can significantly affect the cost of doing business.

    Additionally, the lack of effective infrastructure planning and investment from the government has left the construction industry grappling with unreliable utility services, such as water and electricity, which are essential for construction work.

    While the Nigerian government has launched initiatives to promote infrastructure development, including the National Infrastructure Master Plan, the execution of these plans is often slow and affected by fiscal constraints.

    Without a stable regulatory and policy environment, the construction sector remains vulnerable to both domestic and global economic shocks.

    The construction industry in Nigeria plays a pivotal role in the country’s economic development, but it is highly susceptible to the challenges posed by economic instability.

    Inflation, exchange rate volatility, delays in project financing, labour issues, and inconsistent government policies have all disrupted the sector, making it harder for construction companies to operate efficiently.

    To mitigate the negative impacts of economic instability, the Nigerian government and industry stakeholders must work together to create a more stable and predictable environment for the construction sector.

    This could include introducing measures to stabilize inflation, improve access to financing, address regulatory inefficiencies, and foster greater collaboration between the public and private sectors.

    Moreover, the construction industry needs to adopt innovative technologies and project management practices that can help mitigate the impact of cost overruns, improve efficiency, and reduce project delays.

    By strengthening the resilience of the construction sector, Nigeria can ensure that it continues to play its essential role in the country’s development, even in the face of economic uncertainty.

    In conclusion, while economic instability poses significant challenges to the construction industry in Nigeria, it also presents an opportunity for the sector to innovate, adapt, and transform.

    With the right policies and strategic interventions, Nigeria’s construction industry can overcome these challenges and continue to contribute to the nation’s growth and development.

    •Ajirotutu is a lean construction expert.

  • Bello: Now the real drama begins

    Bello: Now the real drama begins

    The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is truly a man of drama. He never went to drama school but he seems to act with exquisite skill between when the curtain opens and when it falls.

    During the days of Covid-19 when Nigeria and the world were catching cold and doing everything directed by the medical authorities to stop the spread of the epidemic and the tragedy it carried in its wings, Bello stood against the world and reason. People were dying in their thousands in and around Nigeria but Bello became an unbeliever, a naysayer, a dissenter, a prophet of doom who didn’t think that Covid-19 existed. And if it existed, he thought it did not have the power to kill. And if it had the power to kill he thought, it would not kill people in his Kogi State.

    No one knows how many people from Kogi State formed part of the statistics of the dead, and the diary of disaster but they must be many.

    Then Bello’s political drama. As a northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari was working on rounding off his eight-year term in office which was grandly facilitated by a southerner called Bola Tinubu, Bello thought that he, another northerner, should be the one to take over from a northerner in a country with multiple demographics. It did not occur to him that it was not a step that would unite and build a volatile country like Nigeria. He organised a huge parade at Eagles Square, Abuja to announce his candidacy. What did he think the south that produces the oil that feeds the country would think if a northerner was to talk over from a northerner who had just served for eight years? Would that bring unity and peaceful co-existence?

    It didn’t matter to Bello. Such an audacious and impudent gesture must have encouraged Buhari to dream about handing over to another northerner. Luckily some fair-minded northerners saw the danger ahead and worked against that patently unfair plot. Today, we have a southerner as president who for fairness must do two terms despite the desperation of some partisan northerners. This country can only survive as a united unit based on fairness and equity only not on domination by one section over the other. No. That will not work.

     More drama from the Bello School of Drama. When his term as governor of Kogi State ended last year, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) thought he had a case to answer and invited him for a meeting. Bello refused to honour the invitation citing a subsisting court order. But why would a man who held a public office by the grace of Nigerians go to court to seek to be protected from being asked to answer for his deeds or misdeeds in office when his term ends? Everyone knows that when the term of a president or governor, ends the immunity he enjoyed expires and he can be asked to give an account of his stewardship.

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    A few years ago when the then governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, was rounding off his term the EFCC indicated that they would like to have a meeting with him when his term ended. Fayose printed a T-shirt with the inscription “EFCC, here I am” or something like that and showed up at the EFCC office in Abuja. That kind of drama was desirable in the public interest. Fayose did not run away. He did not play hide and seek. He did not seek to hide in the toilet of his successor. He stood firm to deal with what he did while in office.

    But Bello did it differently. He went missing and the EFCC declared him wanted. The Nigerian Immigration Service placed him on its watch list while the Nigeria Police ordered the withdrawal of his orderlies. Why would a man who occupied the high office of a governor and also sought to occupy the higher office of president put himself in such a disgraceful position, court order or no court order? In the normal order of things if a man who has a good name is accused of a crime of which he is not guilty, he should seek to defend his good name by showing up and having his day in court. If you are not guilty of a crime, why should you go into hiding or why should you ask the court to protect you from being questioned or tried even if that is your right. You also have a right to clear your good name, don’t you?

    When Donald Trump, former American president who has just been re-elected was invited to New York to respond to charges of felony, what did he do? He did not run away. He did not go to court to halt the invitation. Even if he did, I am almost certain that no American court would grant such an order. What did he do? He went to New York and sat before the judge humbly, a former president. The judge made his pronouncement. That is how civilised systems work. If we want our system to work and work seamlessly we must do what is right, fair and proper. No tricks. No corner cutting. No hide and seek. No mago mago. No wuru wuru.

    Ray Ekpu

    More Bello drama. Six months or so after he was declared wanted, Bello appeared at the EFCC office with a large battalion of supporters or hirelings whichever applies. He was escorted by his successor, Usman Ododo. But curiously, the EFCC did not arrest him. Instead, they allowed him to go and turned up later at his residence with guns. That is evidence that there is no shortage of drama in this matter.

    Now Bello has been given a 19-count charge along with his nephew, Ali Bello, who is now Chief of Staff to the incumbent Governor Ododo. Others charged are Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu. All of them are alleged to have laundered N80.2 billion belonging to Kogi State.

    More drama. On November 27, Justice Maryam Anenih had come into the court to take Bello’s plea and that of his co-defendants. She saw a huge crowd of supporters or hirelings whichever applies, behaving in a very unruly fashion in the court premises. She had to leave the court premises abruptly.

     As this case gathers momentum, there will probably be more drama either from Bello and his team and cheerleaders or from the EFCC. We don’t need drama. What we need is a quick and fair attention to this case that has gathered more attention than necessary. Bello and his co-defendants are by our legal system innocent until they are convicted. That is a statement of fact which must be accepted and respected by all concerned.

    The other statement of fact is that Nigeria has become notorious for corruption. It has occupied a place of inverted eminence among the corrupt countries of the world. If it does not clean up its reputation by tackling corruption firmly, it will not make much headway in its attempt to attract investors into our economy. If that happens, then all the international travels by our leaders to court the friendship of potential investors will become an act in futility. Besides, our green passport will remain, globally, a document that is despised and disregarded.

  • Stone agers in new age

    Stone agers in new age

    You would think anyone who had formal education – now as at any other time – fits the standard portrait of a modernist. Even more so if the person were a teacher, with responsibility for imparting knowledge and modern values to younger ones. Some teachers at the Government Day Junior Secondary School in Kulende area of Ilorin, Kwara State, have, however, shown how you could be a ‘stone age modernist’ if you permit that expression.

    The school in the Ilorin East council area came in the news recently for reported assault on a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by teachers, who allegedly beat her up and shredded her clothes for failing to greet them ‘properly.’ Reports said the youth corps member had on November 28th gone to the school, which was her place of primary assignment, to pick up her clearance letter when she was assaulted by a teacher named Mrs. Hamzat Fatima Nike  for allegedly not having enough sense to grovel in greeting her. Hamzat was reportedly supported by another colleague in raining slaps on the petrified corps member and tearing up her white NYSC T-shirt, which apparently they perceived as her ego fuel.

    News of the incident sparked public outrage and raised concerns about social decency, professionalism and abuse of power in Kwara schools, with many people demanding a probe and stiff requital for the corps member’s assaulters.

    Read Also: Why governors should support Tinubu in handling security agencies’ welfare, by Fubara

    The service corps confirmed the incident. Spokesperson for the agency in Kwara State, Morakinyo Oladipo, said the scheme wanted redress for the corps member and had reported the matter to the state government through the supervising Ministry of Youth. Meanwhile, the corps member was being reposted, “at least to calm her down and to help her overcome the trauma,” the spokesman further said, adding:  “We’re expecting investigation and proper action to be taken against the people that abused the corps member, who is on national assignment. Necessary steps will be taken to the extent that the law allows against the people concerned.”

    The state government confirmed its intervention in the matter it ruled unacceptable to modern society, with Education Commissioner Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu vowing justice would take its course. When the hammer fell last week, Hamzat was demoted by two grades and posted out of the Kulende school, according to the Kwara Teaching Service Commission that said she was found guilty of misconduct.

    Hardball thinks it isn’t only Hamzat who needs sanctioning but also all accomplices including the teacher who joined her in assaulting the corps member, and school administrators who allowed an environment for the assault without instant in-house reprisal. It is a school, but apparently one where the officials themselves need schooling on ethos of modern living.

  • Oborevwori: Securing Delta

    Oborevwori: Securing Delta

    By Ray Umukoro

    Delta governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, is a man of few words. Neither showy nor given to vainglorious flamboyancy, Oborevwori has mastered the art of deploying actions to speak for him in lieu of oratorical flippancy which many politicians use to deceive the public.

    The recent donation of 31 operational vehicles to the police and other security agencies in the state to boost their armoury and strengthen their operations is one of the many actions that define the leadership of Oborevwori, a governor famed for pragmatism rather than enticing language sophistry. Oborevwori would rather do it than say, ‘I will do it.’ The 31 vehicles consist of 23 pickup trucks and eight Sienna wagons, in addition to four Hilux vehicles previously delivered. This brings the fleet to 66 vehicles available to the task force aimed at enhancing daily patrols, surveillance and actual combat where necessary. And he did it without the fanfare of live television show across multiple TV stations. The gesture was just one among many in the line of duty. A routine.

    Securing Delta was one of the cardinal components of the governor’s M.O.R.E agenda. During the electioneering days, he was unwavering about his devotion to the security of the oil-resourced state. Delta ranks among the top three largest producers of crude oil in Nigeria. This makes it one of the layers of the proverbial golden egg from which the country is being fiscally nourished over the decades. It has also been ranked among the most peaceful states in Nigeria, comparatively. Except for occasional cases of inter and intra-community upheavals, Delta since 1999 has been a haven of peace and a refuge for Nigerians from other insecurity-infested states.

    While presenting the vehicles to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, an overtly upbeat Oborevwori said the vehicles were meant to further enhance the joint security operations in the state, code named “Operation Delta Sweep”. It was not just a donation; it was an act of courage.

    Read Also: Nigeria spent N5.14tn on mineral fuels import in Q3, says NBS

    He said the donation was informed by the general insecurity being experienced in the country and urged the security agencies to work together and share intelligence to ensure effective security in the state. The governor was being forthright. Insecurity of the most vicious order has eaten up what remains of the socio-economic fabric of the nation. Terrorism, once an offering on the fringes of the northeast, has permeated the entire nation, spreading its fatal fangs from the precincts of Borno State through the rain forests of the southeast and south-south to the southwest. The terrorists have become the unwanted neighbours of the frazzled populace.

    Strangely, the bloody gang of goons appears to be ‘winning.’ Despite assurances by the top echelon of the nation’s security apparatchik that they are winning the war against insecurity and forcing the vampires to beat a retreat, the reality speaks differently. Kidnapping, banditry, dare-devil bank robberies and raw show of force continued to top the menu in the buffet of insecurity across the nation. To add to the fear factor among the citizens, viral videos of low-ranking security personnel drafted to the terror-infested forests and highways to fight the bandits and their ilk have been trending in which they complained of being under-equipped thus multiplying the anxieties of the law-abiding citizens.

    And here’s the truth. Nigeria’s security agencies are under-equipped. President Muhammadu Buhari in his days tried to strengthen the national security arsenal. He bought a couple of Tucano jets said to be among the best war jets of the modern era. Some state governors followed in this stead by offering to equip the security agencies within their jurisdictions. It’s the right thing to do. This is the sense in which Oborevwori’s gesture of donating operational vehicles to the Delta State special anti-crime squad is not only commendable but illustrates the desire of a worthy leader to protect his constituents. Delta needs peace to sustain the spur of development which the Oborevwori government has triggered across all the local governments in the state. When there is peace in Delta, the nation gains. When there is peace, Deltans, a hardworking breed of Nigerians, are encouraged to engage in activities that broaden the frontiers of prosperity and shrink the circle of poverty. But Oborevwori did not just donate vehicles, he rebranded the state’s special security squad from ‘Delta Hawk’ to ‘Operation Delta Sweep’ to underscore the new thinking and strategy to deal effectively with mutations and devious initiatives of the demented denizens of gangland.

    Rebranding helps to refuel confidence in a brand; inspire a new threshold of zeal among the owners/operators of the brand, in this case, the security agencies involved in the joint task force. Rebranding the state’s anti-crime squad will help build public trust, increase commitment and loyalty among the operatives; and reinforce the values of the squad in the minds of the citizens.

    Oborevwori has always believed that meaningful and sustainable development cannot take place without security and sustained peace.  His vision has always been to create a secure environment where investors will be at peace to grow their investments; an environment that will also easily attract more investors into the state. He is doing just that and the partnerships his government has inked with private equities since his ascension to power attest to a leader with the vision to create wealth and jobs in his state.

    He has sustained peace and security in the once-upon-a-time restive oil communities and along the Warri-Sapele corridor which he is gradually restoring its old glory as the commercial hub of the state. Oborevwori’s unwavering disposition to peace and security has significantly insulated Delta from the feast of violence and organized insecurity visited on neighbouring states. The net effect of this is the daily migration of Nigerians from other states to Delta either to live in or to do business.

    A good barometer to measure this high level of security and social calmness in Delta is to look at the growing night life in the state; consider the raft of business ventures springing up at dizzying frequency across the state and to look at statistics on national security index.

    The Delta joint security task force, established on December 10, 2020, as a policy response to rising violent crimes in the country, comprises the Nigerian Army, Police Force, Air Force, Navy, DSS, and the Civil Defence Corps.

    Ever since, the task force has recorded significant successes in combating crimes of all shades including illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and drug-related offences. This has resulted in the sustained peace in the state especially in the push back to spill-over crimes from neighbouring states. On account of this peace, farmers (both agrarian and aquatic) have been able to go about their daily schedules. And recent statistics support this. Delta currently ranks as one of the safest and cheapest states to live in, with food inflation of 35.0% and total item inflation of 28.1% as of October, both lower than the national average. This is no happenstance. It is as a result of the sustained peace in Delta courtesy of the conscious efforts of the Sheriff of a rising Delta State.

    •Umukoro writes from Warri, Delta State.

  • Too much shouting and misunderstanding of governance

    Too much shouting and misunderstanding of governance

    By Vincent O. Akinyosoye

    Nigerians are shouting with a lot of anger about today’s economic difficulties. This is because many of them believe that they are not getting what they expect from the society. The shouting is principally against the government at all levels for  observable predicaments; rampant poverty, hunger, insecurity, armed robberies, kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling, stealing, cultism, broken roads, unstable electricity supply, unclean drinking water, dysfunctional educational and health systems, high price regime, unemployment, corruption in the public service, weakened naira, etc. Shouting in Nigeria comes in various ways and through various means. It comes not only through voice communications but also through various whimpers in newspapers, radio and TV commentaries, and social media platforms like Facebook, X (former Twitter) and WhatsApp. We even shout to or at God in churches and mosques, thinking that this is the only way we can reach the Almighty with our problems.

    The shouting is loud and had always been with us. And this characteristic shows in different behavioural patterns. We rush into empty buses; we fight over everything; we are overly temperamental; workers and students demonstrate and go on strikes over entitlements that border on privileges; we moan and cry over perceived problems including the ones we create for ourselves. For instance, we are permanently agitated to a point of hysteria over what we consider as bad governance and constantly blame others for even those things that happen as a result of our past mistakes, misdeeds or miscalculations. We like to cut corners and use unethical means to get what we want.

    But it is not all bad as Prof. Chukwuma Soludo said in one of his public lectures. We are smart and have the right aggressive persona for success in academics, sports, entertainment, and business. We may not appreciate that our public service, despite all its shortcomings, bestow on us a modicum of stability that saw us stronger as a nation during and after the civil war and continue to keep us going, despite our highly dysfunctional political arrangements and primitive and self-centred politics.

    These practices had been with us for ages. I can recollect in the mid-1970s, when I was a graduate student in the United States that one of my colleagues, an Ethiopian, who was a Moslem, told me that when he was in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage, he had observed that Nigerian pilgrims exhibited an unusual behaviour whenever they were being bused from Mecca to Medina. Pilgrims were normally moved, country by country, but he noticed that the Nigerian contingent usually rushed into empty buses with some degree of aggression. I confirmed this pattern of behaviour and offered an explanation. Nigerians live with scarcity of everything imaginable, from food to schools, hospitals, clean drinking water, motorable roads, electricity, security, means of transportation, etc. To the average Nigerian, everything seems to be in short supply, except, probably the air we breathe! Therefore, aggressive reactions to scarcity surface readily in our DNA.

    Two, life experiences drive this point of scarcity home to me. When I was privileged to serve the federal government as the head of a parastatal, I had a couple of drivers who worked directly with me. What I noticed in their behaviour was that anytime a food vendor served them a hot meal, they wasted no time in devouring the meals. I then asked them why they tended to eat in a hurry. The simple explanation was that they came from families of many children and anytime they were served meals in single big bowls, any “slow eater” would be short-changed and go hungry. Therefore, they have grown to eat in a jiffy. Since the food was in short supply for the number of children in the family, they managed scarcity by eating with speed. 

    The same is true of cab drivers in Ibadan where I have lived for the better part of my adult life. The roads are relatively narrow for the population, so cab drivers like using small cars to move around the roads so that they can move through any openings when there are congestions on the roads, moving from lane to lane like rabbits on the forest floor. This was why in the sixties, when I was a student at the University of Ibadan, these cabs were called “Okete” UI, literally called “UI Rabbits” because of the way they navigate their ways with dexterity through the hectic traffic hold-ups between Mokola and the university gate. These days, the small cabs of old Ibadan have been replaced with Micra cabs (mini cars), motorbikes, and tricycles with the same level of disorderly movement on Ibadan roads.

    Responding to scarcity had been a challenge in governance from the federal to the Local Government Council managers. The ability to manage scarcity, prevalent across all spheres of life in Nigeria, characterises the public sector management style in the country. One area we have been able to succeed is in the telecommunication sector, particularly the mobile phone sub-sector. Before the advent of the GSM, Nigeria had 400,000 active telephone lines for a population of over 120 million people. To have a telephone line then was a herculean task and to keep a line, required  battling daily with telephone technicians who were “kings” running rings round subscribers. With the GSM, telephone lines came in their millions and the scarcity of lines vanished with subscribers now paying little or nothing to own a line. A sign of beauty in solving a scarcity problem.

    Read Also: Digital literacy: NITDA seeks education minister’s support on school curriculum

    The take-away here is that there is too much misunderstanding on the part of those in governance, especially because the lifestyles of our leaders do not reflect the ambiance of scarcity in the society. The leaders promise everything on earth as if there is an abundance of financial resources in the system, whereas there is scarcity of funds. Consequently, the followers expect miracles from their leaders because people generally believe that we are a rich country, whereas the country is not rich in real terms. Public sector managers from politicians to bureaucrats must exhibit more discipline, by planning, plan implementation strategies better to improve the economy according to Bismark Rewane. We must learn to manage scarcity by finding ingenious ways to “bake” more financial “cakes” and produce more goods and services to mitigate the seemingly perpetual state of under-supply of virtually everything that touches the lives of Nigerians.

    Since, we have limited resources which will even get worse in the near future, as the world is striving to rely less on fossil fuels, the way forward is through Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in the provision of roads, rail and air transportation, ports and other items of economic and social infrastructure plus public disinvestments in all government-owned businesses. One additional way of managing our scarcity in the future is to manage our population growth rate. For any country serious about economic development, a population growth rate of 2.8% to 3% we now live with is not good. And, we must all understand that we cannot pray ourselves out of the quagmire we now find ourselves in. We have to do more “thinking” before “doing,” that is, work ourselves out of the parlous state by using our brains. We also need to manage smartly as the shouting, anger and agitations should give way to accommodation, cooperation and tolerance.

    •Prof Akinyosoye is pioneer Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).  He writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.

  • The trajectory of Senator Godswill Akpabio at 62

    The trajectory of Senator Godswill Akpabio at 62

    • By Eseme Eyiboh

    Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio’s foray into politics from his humble beginning as Commissioner in three key Ministries in Akwa Ibom state to the President of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a narrative characterized by humility and tenacity. 

    Akpabio’s leadership qualities became manifest when he served for two terms, as a Governor of Akwa Ibom state between 2007 and 2015.

    During his tenure, Akpabio worked assiduously to transform the social and economic landscape of the state. Within this period, Akwa Ibom state witnessed unprecedented improvement in infrastructure development, healthcare delivery, capacity building and education that earned him the name, “Uncommon Transformer”.

    Some of his remarkable achievements as the Governor of Akwa Ibom state included, Free and compulsory education, Free Medical/Healthcare to children, pregnant women and the Elderly, Construction of an International Airport that has today placed Akwa Ibom on the global Aviation map, building of roads and flyovers, payment of the 13th month salary to civil servants popularly called “Akpabiomber” and the provision of civil service buses which today are still conveying civil servants from their respective local government areas to the state capital.

    Other legacy projects are the Ibom Multi-Specialist hospital in Uyo, a befitting government house, a five star hotel in Ikot Ekpene and an International Stadium in the state capital, fittingly named after him as the  Godswill Akpabio International stadium.

    Today, the stadium which is the only FIFA-approved stadium in Nigeria for international matches, hosts grade A matches involving the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    A few months ago, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had directed Ghana to secure an alternative venue outside the country for the Matchday 3 and 4 ties involving the Black Stars of Ghana because the African Football Authority had declared all the stadia in Ghana not good enough to continue hosting CAF competitions.

    Consequently, Ghana was already looking the way of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium until the issue was sorted out.

    Ghana had considered the Godswill Akpabio Stadium because of its topnotch facilities. Regardless of the aesthetic of the stadium and its facilities, Akwa Ibom State is a modern statement in development architecture and luxurious flora and fauna to complement the uncommon transformation legacies.

    According to a one-time British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” 

    Senator Godswill Akpabio’s trajectory in engraving his name in gold and leaving legacies that sprawl the sands of time comes handy.

    The imposing structure of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo serves as a testament to the visionary leadership and enduring legacy of the former governor, now President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is a testament that the Uncommon Transformer School of politics of transformation and good governance is never a ruse. 

    It is indeed a study in the lexicon of democracy and its derivatives.The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, in particular, has become an iconic symbol of his legacy, showcasing the state’s capacity to foster regional cooperation and promote sports tourism.

    Read Also: 2024 AFCON/2026 World Cup qualifiers: Super Eagles return to Godswill Akpabio Stadium

    Akpabio has also left indelible marks in the sands of time as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He completed many abandoned projects, despite the challenges of Covid- 19 pandemic and scarcity of funds. Some of the iconic projects he completed were the 20-year old abandoned 13 and 8- storey buildings at NDDC Headquarters. 

    It is on records that Akpabio took pro-active steps to address burning issues, including underdevelopment, corruption in the NDDC through forensic audit of the Commission, Ogoni clean-up, insecurity in the region, the East-west road, Foreign Direct Investment and engagement of Public-Private Participation to complete some projects through alternative sources of revenue. 

    Today, Senator Akpabio is the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Executive Member of the International Parliamentary Union, deploying legislative and diplomatic enablement to help President Bola Ahmed Tinubu transform Nigeria through the Renewed Hope Agenda. 

    Happy Birthday to a Development Czar and Uncommon Transformer at 62.

    – Eseme Eyiboh is the special adviser, media and publicity and official spokesperson to the president of the Senate 

  • Defending Obasanjo

    Defending Obasanjo

    As a Yoruba proverb says, “A person’s situation never gets so bad that they wouldn’t have somebody standing by them; it’s who that person would be that we don’t yet know.” (Kìí burúburú kó má ku enìkan mó ni; eni tí yóó kù la ò mò.) This proverb is apposite to the Yale University verbal misadventure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the efforts of some to defend him. In a lecture at the Chinua Achebe Leadership in Africa Forum, on 15 November, 2024, Obasanjo launched into the biting criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – Professor Mahmood Yakubu – the Judiciary, sundry others and the nation as a whole.

    Obasanjo said: “As we can see and understand, Nigeria’s situation is bad. The more the immorality and corruption of a nation, the more the nation sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment. That’s the situation mostly in Nigeria in the reign of Baba-go-slow [former President Muhammadu Buhari] and Emilokan [President Bola Ahmed Tinubu]. The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated and manifested for every honest person to see through the consequences of the level of our pervasive corruption, mediocrity, immorality, misconduct, mismanagement, perversion, injustice, incompetence and all other forms of iniquity.”

    He went further: “Let’s be clear: The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) are two technological innovations that prior to 2023 were celebrated for their promise. They were to ‘potentially’ enhance the accuracy and transparency of our election results, eliminate the threat of election rigging, and boost public trust in electoral outcomes. These technologies were touted by the INEC chairman himself. In the end, these technologies did not fail. INEC willfully failed to use or implement them which resulted in widespread voting irregularities. It was a case of inviting the Fox into the hen house.”

    In addition, he said: “The Judiciary in Nigeria is a very pale version of its once internationally esteemed self. Politicians after rigging elections openly ask their rivals to ‘go to court’ in Nigeria because they are aware that they have completely compromised the Judiciary system. A number of Judges are in the pockets of wealthy politicians and individuals and make judgements – not based on the law of the land but to the highest bidder. This, my learned audience, is one of the most effective strategies of State Capture – discussed next – that must be excised from Nigeria like a surgeon cutting out a malignant cancer.”

    In response to the savage attack of the different individuals, institutions and the nation at large, Bayo Onanuga (President Tinubu’s Special Adviser, Information and Strategy) and countless others descended on Obasanjo with equal ferocity. Onanuga catalogued the misdeeds of Obasanjo which made him unfit for the moral high ground he was claiming. Onanuga said: “Brazen illegality and assault on the Constitution of Nigeria reached a disturbing height under the leadership of Chief Obasanjo. During Obasanjo’s era, the unconstitutional impeachment of four governors who belonged to his party occurred. The governors impeached by minority members of the Houses of Assembly were Joshua Dariye of Plateau, Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa. A man under whose watch all of these egregious infractions occurred should certainly not be the one to give any lecture on leadership and corruption. He should not be taken seriously as he reeks of profound hypocrisy of the worst form.”

    He continued: “His administration also should have paid more serious attention to universities and polytechnics. In a joint vote of no confidence in our tertiary institutions, Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, sought to profit from their weaknesses by establishing their private universities. As a sitting President, Chief Obasanjo abused his office to advance personal interest against the spirit and letters of our constitution when he corralled leading businessmen, women and government contractors to donate billions of naira for his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and Resorts in Abeokuta and his Bell University in Ota.

    Furthermore, Onanuga remarked: “After wasting billions of naira on a failed third-term [tenure elongation] project in 2007, Chief Obasanjo hurriedly organised a sham electoral process that would go down in history as the most fraudulent election held in Nigeria since 1960. The beneficiary of the sham election, Umaru Yar’adua, admitted that the election was seriously flawed and, as Justice Muhammed Uwais’s panel recommended, worked towards electoral reforms. It is hypocrisy writ large when a man who presided over the worst election in Nigeria demands the sack of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

    Read Also: Lagos Govt. boosts CNG initiative for sustainable energy

    In addition, Onanuga noted: “On matters of integrity, honesty, and morality in public leadership, Chief Obasanjo is certainly not a paragon of virtue for anyone to model after. Nigerians can still remember the messy public spat between Chief Obasanjo and his then-vice president, Atiku Abubakar, over PTDF [Petroleum Technology Development Fund] money that led to a Senate Public Hearing in 2004. The sordid details of the public hearing included unsettling evidence of how Obasanjo instructed his Vice President to buy Sport Utility Vehicles for his mistresses with PTDF funds.”

    Incidentally, Obasanjo himself doesn’t react well to criticism. On 5 February, 2016, the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Staff Club had invited him to its public programme titled “Reflections of an elder statesman: An evening with OBJ.” In his remarks, he had largely derogated other leaders of the country and had presented himself as transcendentally rosy-smelling. Then some of OAU’s unsparing Professors took him on and asked him why it appeared that he often became very perceptive about and enamoured of good governance only after he had left office. He burst into so much anger that the programme would have been terminated at that point, but for salutary intervention.

    Some of Obasanjo’s supporters have even been seemingly more intolerant of criticism. For example, in his defence, Chief Bode George, in a 27 November, 2024 interview with Jimi Disu on YouTube titled, “Bayo Onanuga will pay for insulting Obasanjo – Bode George,” condemned Onanuga. Specifically, Bode George said: “Listen to Bayo Onanuga. Somebody says something, somebody suggests something, an old man who can be his father, you took him on and you started blasting him right, left, centre … Even if to keep his job, he wants to react, the Yoruba culture does not allow that insult from him. And someday, he will pay back.” Asked by Jimi Disu whether Onanuga was going to be attacked with charms, Bode George said: “Ní’lè Yorùbá [‘In Yoruba land’], it’s not impossible. … Tó bá n rìn kó … maa wòtún maa wòsì [‘When he’s walking, he should be looking right and looking left.’]”

    To defend Obasanjo, some simply invoked the proverb, “Focus on the message, not the messenger.” For example, in a 24 November, 2024 article titled, “Shouldn’t the messenger and the message deserve equal attention?”, in the Nigerian Tribune, Bolanle Bolawole asked: “[What] do you think of the relentless and vitriolic assault hauled at President Tinubu by former President Olusegun Obasanjo? … Presidential aides like Sunday Dare and Bayo Onanuga have responded in kind. … At issue here is the same problem of the messenger and the message. Should we, because of the messenger, discountenance the message? Shouldn’t we dispassionately side-step the messenger and painstakingly consider his message?”

    Moreover, in a 30 November, 2024 article titled “The message, not the messanger!”, in Vanguard, Muyiwa Adetiba said: “Part of his strengths is that he [Obasanjo] knows what is good and says it boldly and bluntly; only that he was too arbitrary and too consumed with messianic self-importance to do the things he now says when he was in power. That is why we must focus on his message and not on him.” Implicit here is the admission that Obasanjo is fundamentally flawed.

    Just as he did to Tinubu last month, Obasanjo, on 9 January, 2015, excoriated then-President Goodluck Jonathan. In response, Gentle Jonathan said with innuendo: “Some people, including those with big names, are hiding under some clogs and creating a lot of problems in this country. They are making provocative statements that will set this country ablaze. How can someone tell me that such people are senior citizens. They are not senior citizens and they can never be. They are ordinary motor park touts.”

    Further upbraiding Obasanjo, Rueben Abati, the Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) to President Jonathan, remarked on 14 February, 2015: “We find the false claims and allegations reportedly made against President Goodluck Jonathan by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta very odious and repugnant. As we have had cause to say before, it is most regrettable indeed that a man like Chief Obasanjo, who should know better, chooses to repeatedly, wantonly, and maliciously impugn the integrity of a sitting President of his country for the primary purpose of self-promotion. … It is … completely senseless, irrational and out of place for Chief Obasanjo, who still claims to belong to the same party as the President, to accuse President Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by ‘hook or crook’ and planning to plunge the nation into crisis if he loses the election.”

    Admonitorily, in a 2 January, 2023 interview on Channels Television, the well-respected Professor Bolaji Akinyemi said, in response to Obasanjo’s obtrusiveness: “[Once] you have occupied that position of President and you have served your term, please go home and be like General Gowon, be like General Abdulsalaam. Just be quiet. You’ve had your term … and let others get on. But for you to create problems for us and then you come back and you present yourself as a problem solver, I find it difficult to swallow. I know there are people saying ignore the messenger and just focus on the message. I’m sorry, I’m a political scientist; that doesn’t rub with me.”  As this column has said before, an otherwise good message can be weaponised and put to mischievous and harmful use by a terrible messenger. Ignoring the messenger and focusing on the message, in such a situation, may therefore amount to collaborating in the perpetuation of evil.

    Defending Obasanjo is a herculean task; and it’s almost impossible to defend him without first acknowledging his inescapable infractions or inexcusable misdeeds. Moreover, the Yoruba principle that “It’s not all clothes that we dry in the sun” is noteworthy with respect to Obasanjo’s unrestrained criticisms. The idea is that rather than simply making some clothes dry, the sun can have negative effects on them. Above all, a Yoruba proverb admonishes: “An elder is quick to see, but slow to speak.” (Àgbàlagbà ma n yá’jú ni; àgbàlagbà kìí yá’nu.) Obasanjo doesn’t seem to believe in this principle.