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Okiro at 75

By Dapo Olaosebikan

On Wednesday, July 24, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro clocked 75. As usual, it was a day of joy for members of his immediate family, particularly his children and adorable grandchildren. But, as usual, they weren’t the only ones celebrating the great milestone achieved by this national icon. It includes those of us who are members of his ‘national’ family.

Knowing well that the life of Sir Mike Okiro is a huge advertisement of godliness, goodness, purposefulness and impactful service to humanity, the urge for a birthday eulogy for the 13th Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, is irresistibly tempting.

Sir Okiro’s life philosophy is that: “The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquired, but in his integrity and ability to affect those around him positively”.

This epitomizes his existential being. Indeed, his life as a, leader of the Force, elder statesman, national leader of thought, intellectual, role model to thousands of his mentees and admirers and family, is pillared on integrity, ability to tirelessly affect those around him positively.

At the 2009 bowing out ceremony marking his exit from the Nigeria Police Force, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua described Okiro as “a resilient achiever who never believes in failure and who set a new dawn for the Police Force and ushered in an era of policing in a democratic Nigeria”. Of course, this is who he is!

Born in Oguta in Imo State on July 24, 1949, Okiro hailed from Egbema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. He attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Kalabari Beach, Oguta II and St. Peter Claver Seminary, Okpala.

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During the Nigerian Civil War, the young Mike Okiro studied philosophy in St. Augustine Seminary Afaha Obong, Ikot-Ekpene (Bigard in exile), now in Akwa Ibom State.

After completing both his elementary and secondary school education, he attended the University of Ibadan where he bagged a Bachelor of Art (Hons) in English.

Having settled down as a student of the premier university, his campus life was laced with remarkable activities, Apart from being a brilliant, intelligent, resourceful and courageous student, he was very radical and has gut to challenge policies he perceived would erode the rights of fellow students. On campus, published The Bug and was the editor of his hall’s magazine, The Dome. He was a student union leader, political activist, writer, social crusader and advocate against rights abuse. He was also the editor of his departmental publication called ‘Doto’. Okiro later attended University of Lagos for a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA). To cement his erudition in law enforcement, he went further to get a degree in law (LLB) and also a Master’s degree in law, (LLM) both at the University of Jos, Plateau State. In addition, he also holds Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State and Novena University, Delta State and the University of Jos. He is an Alumnus of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (MPSS), Kuru, Jos. He joined the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) on August 1, 1977, shortly after completing his mandatory one-year National Youth Service programme and rose through the ranks to become the IGP in 2007.

Before this time he was the Lagos Commissioner of Police during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as the governor of the state. In Lagos State, he made his mark as a law enforcer. In his tenure as IGP, Okiro’s strides include working toward providing a secure environment for the actualisation of president’s vision of placing Nigeria among the world’s top 20 economics by the year 2020. He conscientiously worked for the re-positioning the Nigeria police in the areas of quality training behavioural and attitudinal change, community policing and service delivery. Significantly, he improved the welfare and morale of officers and men, by enhancing upward salary package and improved logistics particularly via the owner-occupier houses. Creating a channel of communication to bridge the gap in the Police/Public divide, the philosophy that gave birth to the Force news stable, called “THE DAWN” newspaper was another legacy of Okiro.

In reinstating a number of officers who were forced into early retirement, he also made police service more open, receptive and responsive to troubled spots in the country. He expanded and upgraded the Intelligence Unit into a Department. He also established the Police Intelligence School in llorin, Kwara State. He made computer literacy in the Nigeria Police Service compulsory and built the Police ICT College in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Being the first Inspector General of Police that introduced AK47 rifles into the police force, and convincing the federal government to install CCTV cameras in Abuja and major cities to check crime and criminal activities, he initiated and drove the Amnesty Programme implemented by late President, Umar Yar’ Adua that granted the Niger Delta militants to end the restiveness and destructive agitations on the country’s economy–a fact of our national life in Nigeria that many people are not aware are not aware of.

He was also the person that brought into national consciousness the need to register all Sim-cards network of mobile telephone users in the country, in a bid to aid security agencies to checkmate breaches in the nation’s security programme. He introduced the Anti-Terrorism Squad as a separate unit for the Nigeria Police Force and also sponsored the Anti-terrorism Bill at the National Assembly. He initiated and mandated the installation of close circuit cameras in all bank branches across the country. He also introduced the use of bullet proof bullion vans in the movement of cash on Nigerian roads while encouraging the use of bullet proof doors at the entrance of bank branches throughout the federation to checkmate and reduce robberies incidents.

It is also noteworthy that under Okiro, Police Housing Scheme was initiated to better the lives of officers. Undeniably, his tenure as the 13th IGP in Nigeria put the Nigeria Police Force on a comfortable pedestal in modern policing. A most detribalised Nigerian leader, Sir Okiro is a man of many parts and immense literary prowess. Also a poet, he has authored six books of different genres despite the herculean task associated with the schedules of his chosen career.

•Olaosebikan, (dapolash@yahoo.com) veteran journalist and author, wrote in from Abuja.

July 26, 2024
Aiyejina: Adieu, dear friend, mate and brother

By Olu Obafemi

The demise of my friend and schoolmate, Emeritus Professor Funsho Aiyejina is a rude and devastating shock to me. It is a friendship of nearly 60 years. We met at the Provincial Secondary School (later christened as Government School Dekina) in 1965; he had entered PSS a year before. The friendship was instant and permanent. We were both about the most active members and leaders of all the clubs and societies in the college, namely, The Dramatic Society, in which we were both star actors. I remember, in 1966, we acted in Henshaw’s This Is Our Chance in which Funsho, with his effeminate frame and pretty face, acted the role of the girl, Ayi. A few years later, I, obviously less pretty-looking, was cast to act the role of Louka, in Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man, to my greatest surprise.

Other clubs, in which we featured remarkably together, were Current Affairs, Debating Society, and the School Reporter, the college newspaper. Because of its adjudged, fiery, acerbic and vitriolic nature, we were subjected to punitive actions of cane-lashing. I recalled that many of us resisted the caning but Funsho went through the very humiliating public lashing. Many of us held it against him but later in life, he explained to me that he had carried that burden on our behalf as the chairman of the Society- a manifest exemplar of responsible leadership which stood Funsho out in his career and leadership positions throughout his life.

In sport, Funsho was outstanding in spite of his deceptive delicate physiognomy. We were both in the junior football team of the college, called the Mosquito Rovers but we later parted company as he took to Basketball and played for our state, Kwara State, the Obafemi Awolowo University and was on the Nigerian National Basketball Team. In classroom academic work, he was one of the best Arts students in his class, just as I was one of the best two in my class.

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We have remained very close friends ever since, long after his repatriation to Trinidad and Tobago, and from his incredible talent, compulsive industry, creativity, he shone like a Gloworm all through his career as a scholar- poet, public intellectual, university administrator and dependable and humane humanist: kind, generous, selfless, and as an uncompromising radical ideologue: loyal friend and inimitable man of the family.

Each time I had visited the Caribbean, he ensured he hosted me. In 1990 for instance, I had been invited by Prof Timothy Paine to the University of the West Indies at St Augustine to give a paper at a Conference on Women. I was housed in a decent hotel but on the second day of the conference, Funsho had arrived at the hotel, quietly removed my things and left. Bewildered, I followed him into his car and he drove off. “How could you come and stay in a hotel” in a city where I live? His wife Lyndia was a perfect host even though we were out every; night to social and cultural Orishe festivals events, long into the nights. She managed to forgive us all the time.

And this genuine family and social hospitality subtended on every visit.

I recall in 2005,after several nudging that we must go back to our Alma Mater in Dekina, also because his Memoir would be incomplete without a physical visit and some picture tokens of those crucial features that made our lives in Dekina memorable, he extracted a firm promise from me, with that his penetrating, unblinking eyes. I consented. He followed it up with several emails and chats. So in 2006, on the invitation of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization – CBAAC, he came to Nigeria as a Guest Speaker on a Lecture that I chaired. Event over, Funsho, Isah Momoh another younger schoolmate residing in Lagos, set on the long journey from Lagos to Dekina in my reliable Honda Accord. To make the journey longer, Funsho insisted that we must go through Ilorin to see my wife and family. This additional diversion stretched the journey to two full days.

Before leaving Lagos, I had taken him to attend the Editorial Board Meeting of The Sun Newspapers, where I was both a columnist, a member of the Editorial Board and Adviser. He participated very actively in the editorial sessions, and long after his return to Trinidad &Tobago, he continued to relish the experience. The trip to Dekina and the actual visit were memorable. We were all saddened by the state of disrepair that we found Dekina, our beloved school. Little did both of us know that that was the last physical encounter that we would have. Funsho’s request that I found him a Sabbatical placement in Nigeria was being arranged until the painful news of his departure came to me through a statement sent to Odia Ofeimum and copied to me by our great friend, Professor Biodun Jeyifo (BJ).

We will all answer this inevitable call of death, one day but it seems to me that the rascally, unfeeling cruelty of death cannot be more shameless than the sudden removal of Professor Titus Funsho Aiyejina. His immortality is assured in his mammoth creative products, the undying memory in the minds of his numerous friends all over the world and humanity at large. He was a rare gem too hard to lose and surrender to wanton death. Adieu dear timeless friend and brother.

•Prof Obafemi, FNAL, is currently the Pro-Chancellor, Confluence University Osara, Kogi State.

July 26, 2024
Why is climate change a reality in Nigeria?

Oladosu Adebola Oluwaseun

Nigeria, located in West Africa, is the most populous country on the continent, with a population exceeding 200 million people. Its diverse geography includes arid zones in the north, savanna in the middle belt, and tropical forests in the south. This diversity makes Nigeria particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as each region faces distinct challenges.

Over the past few decades, Nigeria has experienced significant changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), the country has witnessed an average temperature increase of about 1.0°C since the 1960s. This rise in temperature has been accompanied by erratic rainfall patterns, with some regions experiencing increased rainfall leading to flooding, while others face prolonged droughts.

For instance, in northern Nigeria, the frequency of heatwaves has increased, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C. The region has also seen a reduction in rainfall, leading to desertification and loss of arable land. The World Bank estimates that by 2050, Nigeria could lose up to 60% of its agricultural land due to desertification, significantly impacting food security.

Agriculture is a vital sector in Nigeria, employing about 70% of the workforce and contributing approximately 24% to the GDP. However, climate change poses a severe threat to agricultural productivity. Changes in rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures have led to reduced crop yields and livestock productivity.

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Staple crops such as maize, rice, and sorghum are highly sensitive to climate variations. A study published in the journal *Environmental Research Letters* found that maize production in Nigeria could decline by up to 20% by 2050 due to climate change. Similarly, rice production may drop by 15% if current trends continue.

Livestock is also at risk, as higher temperatures and reduced water availability affect pasture quality and animal health. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that livestock productivity in Nigeria could decline by up to 30% in the coming decades due to climate stress.

Fisheries, particularly in coastal areas, are threatened by rising sea levels and ocean acidification. Nigeria’s coastline is already experiencing erosion at an alarming rate of 20-30 meters per year in some areas, which threatens coastal communities and fishery-based livelihoods.

Nigeria’s water resources are under immense pressure due to climate change. The country relies heavily on rainfall for water supply, and changes in precipitation patterns have led to water scarcity in some regions. The Niger River Basin, which is crucial for agriculture and hydroelectric power, has experienced reduced water flow due to declining rainfall and increased evaporation rates.

According to the World Resources Institute, Nigeria ranks among the top 50 countries facing extreme water stress. By 2040, it is projected that more than 40% of Nigeria’s population could face high water stress levels, exacerbating conflicts over water resources, particularly in arid northern regions.

Climate change also poses significant health risks in Nigeria. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns have created conducive environments for vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an increase in malaria incidence in Nigeria, partly attributed to climate variability.

Heat-related illnesses are becoming more common, especially in urban areas where the urban heat island effect exacerbates high temperatures. A study by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research indicates that heatwaves could increase mortality rates by up to 10% in major cities like Lagos and Kano.

The socio-economic impacts of climate change in Nigeria are profound, affecting livelihoods, food security, and economic stability. Rural communities, which depend heavily on agriculture and natural resources, are particularly vulnerable.

Climate-induced environmental degradation has forced many Nigerians to migrate from rural to urban areas in search of better opportunities. This rural-urban migration contributes to the rapid urbanization of cities like Lagos and Abuja, leading to overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and increased poverty levels.

The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that poverty rates in Nigeria are highest in rural areas, with over 70% of the rural population living below the poverty line. Climate change exacerbates this poverty by reducing agricultural productivity and increasing the cost of living.

Addressing the impacts of climate change in Nigeria requires a combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies. The Nigerian government has taken steps to combat climate change through policies and initiatives, but significant challenges remain.

Nigeria’s National Climate Change Policy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and promote renewable energy sources. The country is committed to achieving a 20% reduction in emissions by 2030, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

Nigeria has vast potential for renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. The government has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix to 30% by 2030. Initiatives such as the Nigeria Electrification Project aim to provide off-grid solar solutions to rural communities, improving access to clean energy.

Promoting climate-smart agriculture is crucial for enhancing food security and building resilience to climate change. Techniques such as agroforestry, crop rotation, and improved irrigation systems can help farmers adapt to changing climate conditions. The Nigerian government, in collaboration with international organizations, is working to implement these practices across the country.

Climate change is an undeniable reality in Nigeria, with far-reaching impacts on the environment, economy, and society. The country’s vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by its reliance on agriculture, rapid population growth, and inadequate infrastructure. To address these challenges, Nigeria must continue to implement effective mitigation and adaptation strategies, with a focus on sustainable development and resilience building. International cooperation and support are also essential to help Nigeria navigate the complexities of climate change and secure a sustainable future for its people.

•Oluwaseun is an environmental journalist and a graduate student of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ)

July 26, 2024
Subsuming IPCR under NIIA – Open letter to President Tinubu

By Demola Akinyoade

I am writing to express my expert opinion on the proposed subsuming of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) under the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). As a Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and the chair holder of the UNESCO Chair on Peace and Citizenship, I am deeply concerned about the potential consequences of this proposal on Nigeria’s peace and conflict resolution capabilities.

With over two decades of experience in peace studies and practice, I am eager to share my insights and arguments against the proposed subsuming.

The Oronsaye Report (2012) aimed at enhancing governance efficiency by identifying redundant functions among federal government agencies.

While implementing the report’s recommendation is commendable, subsuming IPCR under NIIA may inadvertently undermine Nigeria’s peace and conflict resolution capacities.

The report’s recommendations have far-reaching implications for the country’s peace and security architecture, and it is crucial to consider the potential consequences of such a move.

I applaud the thoughtful decision-making approach adopted by the House of Representatives and hope to contribute to the discussion with my expertise.

I strongly believe that subsuming the IPCR under NIIA will have far-reaching negative consequences for Nigeria’s peace and conflict resolution efforts.

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I urge you, Your Excellency, to consider the importance of maintaining IPCR’s autonomy, ensuring its continued impact on promoting peace and conflict resolution in Nigeria. Peace has been a fundamental human value, essential for coexistence, even before the emergence of nations and international relations. Subsuming IPCR under NIIA would undermine this historical priority, making peace secondary to international affairs.

Nigeria’s national anthem, pledge, and coat of arms emphasize peace as a core value strongly desired within every strata of the Nigerian society. Subsuming IPCR under NIIA would contradict these national symbols, diminishing peace’s importance and suggesting that peace is more desirable in our international affairs than at home. Peace Studies encompasses individual, national, international, and environmental aspects, making it more comprehensive than international affairs as far as scholarship and practice of peace is concerned. IPCR’s autonomy ensures a focused approach to peace, unlike NIIA’s primary mandate in international affairs. IPCR’s mandate and expertise are distinct from NIIA’s, focusing on peace research, training, and conflict resolution. Subsuming IPCR would dilute its impact and undermine its contributions. IPCR’s existence inspires peace students, providing a career path in peace studies. Subsuming it under NIIA would diminish this impact, losing generations of potential career peace builders to international affairs. Subsuming IPCR would lead to the misuse or underutilization of its resources, including intellectual property, research, and expertise.

Autonomy ensures effective resource management. General George Washington established an Academy of Peace in the USA, recognizing the need for a dedicated peace institution as there is a dedicated Academy of War. Similarly, Nigeria should maintain IPCR’s autonomy, learning from international best practices. Peace has been a fundamental human value, essential for coexistence, even before the emergence of nations and international relations. The pursuit of peace predates the establishment of international affairs, making it a foundational ideal that should not be subsumed under another umbrella. This historical priority underscores the importance of maintaining IPCR’s autonomy; ensuring peace remains a central focus rather than being overshadowed by international affairs. Throughout history, peace has been recognized as a vital component of human relationships, from interpersonal to international levels. Subsuming IPCR under NIIA would undermine this historical priority, diminishing peace’s significance.

Your Excellency, I urge your administration to preserve the autonomy of IPCR as a standalone agency, enabling it to continue its vital work in peace studies and practice. Consider elevating IPCR’s status to a commission, providing it with enhanced resources and capacity to effectively fulfil its mandate. Establish a dedicated funding stream for IPCR, ensuring consistent support for its peace and conflict resolution initiatives and reducing its reliance on donor funds. Expand IPCR’s research and training programs to address emerging peace and security challenges in Nigeria. Foster enhanced collaboration between IPCR and other government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners to amplify peace building efforts. Develop a national peace policy or strategy, with IPCR as the lead agency, to guide Nigeria’s peace and conflict resolution efforts. Strengthen IPCR’s capacity for conflict prevention and early warning systems, enabling proactive interventions. Establish a network of peace and conflict resolution centres across Nigeria, with IPCR as the coordinating hub. Promote peace education and awareness campaigns, leveraging IPCR’s expertise, to foster a culture of peace and tolerance in Nigeria. By implementing these recommendations, your administration can demonstrate its commitment to prioritizing peace and conflict resolution in Nigeria.

Subsuming IPCR under NIIA poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s progress in peace studies and practice. IPCR autonomy is crucial for maintaining its expertise, resources, and impact on Nigerian society. I urge you, Mr. President, to consider the historical priority of peace, national values and symbols, the broader scope of peace studies, IPCR’s unique mandate and expertise, student experiences and testimonials, and international comparisons.

By maintaining IPCR autonomy and expanding its capacity, Nigeria can continue to prioritize peace and conflict resolution, aligning with its national values and symbols.

This will ensure a more harmonious and prosperous Nigeria, where peace is not just a value but a reality. Your Excellency, please protect IPCR, a cherished heritage of peace students, scholars, practitioners, and all Nigerians. I appreciate your attention to this critical matter and look forward to your thoughtful consideration.

•Prof. Akinyoade is chair-holder, UNESCO Chair on Peace and Citizenship and Director, Part-Time Studies, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.

July 25, 2024
Faleye: The new broom at NSITF
- By Nwachukwu Godson
The new Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye assumed duties Tuesday, July 15 with a promise to reform and leave the agency better than he met it. Faleye, an accomplished legal practitioner, corporate finance expert and public intellectual, who arrived the headquarters of the agency in the company of the equally newly appointed Executive Director of Operations, Rt. Hon. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay was received by the Executive Director of Administration, Prof. G.O.C Okenwa and that of Finance and Investment, Babatunde Adedeji Adegoke. The Managing Director also accompanied by his friends and associates were immediately taken round the 19 departments in the Fund for familiarization. By 1 pm, Faleye, was ushered into his office, from where he joined the already waiting heads of departments for an inaugural meeting which provided a platform for a formal handover. All the 12 regional heads of the agency joined the meeting through zoom while the entire staff members nationwide were enjoined to watch the live proceedings from the NSITF social media handles.

The meeting has been anticipated with anxiety as the NSITF has been badgered by instability and high management turnover. Between 2017 to 2024, the fund has had three managing directors and one acting managing director. And each came with its disruptions. The agency has also been familiar with uncomplimentary media headlines until lately when the immediate past Managing Director, Maureen Allagoa took extra measures to set a fresh media agenda, frontloading and inviting insights to the lofty ideals of the Employees Compensation Scheme and the consistent efforts being made to take its numerous benefits to the doorstep of all Nigerian workers.

Addressing the meeting, the new managing director said. “My mission in this organization is to join the existing stakeholders to build a much more sustainable organization. I am new and yet to know all the issues and find solutions to them but if we put our heads together, we shall be able to build a much more vibrant NSITF that can deliver its mandate to its key stakeholders especially the Nigerian workers and employers as well as the staff of the fund.”

He exhorted the staff further. “Please bear in mind that my intention is to leave this organization much better than I met it today. It is a worthwhile dream, given the impact we have in the generality of the world of work.” He added his administration will carry out organizational restructuring to prime the NSITF for operational efficiency adding that “but of course, at the core of this is some level of organizational restructuring and I have no doubt about that. What that organizational restructuring will be, I don’t know. We need to engage deeply before one can say that. And the essence of that restructuring is to create some level of efficiency in our service delivery”

He also said he would look at the detailed needs assessment of each department and unit with a view to addressing them, urging all staff members to work harder as measures would be taken to enhance their welfare and ease duties, commending the staff at the far frontiers across the nation for driving the ECS to the ends of the nation.

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In what came as a clear departure from the past, he expressed kind words for his predecessor, Allagoa. “I want to use this opportunity to thank the former managing director for being gracious enough to provide a handover note even though she was not able to present it physically. I have spoken to her to indicate that irrespective of the manner of exit, I would have appreciated an opportunity to formally meet and exchange this document and information and of course thank her for her service to the organization. I hope we will be able to do that in the coming days because irrespective of sentiments, she has given time and effort to lead the organization and that should be applauded and appreciated.”

This polished, no-foe disposition of the managing director came in tandem with what the Executive Director Administration, Prof. G.O.C Okenwa had told the staff in a harbinger meeting a day before. “The new managing director has asked me to tell you that his appointment is not a military coup and that the growing anxiety which attended such exercise in the past should be deescalated.”

If the soothing words of the managing director weren’t enough, the motherly disposition of the new Executive Director of Operations, Rt. Hon. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay capped it all. Alli-Macaulay, a consummate former lawmaker and lawyer, deploying a legal maxim said “what is necessary is lawful. It is necessary to meet one another, see each other’s faces, also encourage one another, raise each other’s hope and also relax anxiety.” She further assured of a smooth working relationship between the new executive and other stakeholders of the fund. That clause, “raise each other’s hope and relax anxiety” has a deeper meaning. It is a metaphor interpreted by staff to mean zero exaction of prices. It is indeed a new day.

Earlier in his contribution, the Executive Director of Finance and Investment, Adegoke Adedeji, a chartered accountant and former long standing staff of the agency, commended the choice of the new managing director, urging him to use his links in the political system to accelerate the reform of the agency. The lot also fell on Adegoke to present the handover note submitted by the former managing director to Faleye. Executive Director of Administration, Prof Okenwa similarly compared the new administration to light, declaring that the NSITF has received the much needed illumination to head in a better direction. He commended the sterling qualities of both the new managing director and the executive director, operations, adding that President Tinubu could not have made a better choice.

The NSITF has multiple issues and the challenge is tough but Faleye is certainly equal to the task as he acknowledged, “I know this responsibility is a challenge but it is a challenge I am competent enough to handle efficiently.” The outgone managing director had bestrode the challenges and made significant gains in repositioning the agency even with unceasing cascade of distractions, including domestic staff union restiveness. But Faleye has more going for him. If Allagoa strived to reform the agency along the 8-Point Agenda of the Tinubu administration, here is Faleye who comes from the very conclave that birthed the agenda. His leverage and background make him a tough prey to intimidation or blackmail, internal or external. What’s more? He has no baggage, inherited no enemy and not hunted by real or imagined enemies. He has no worries of the scares of the dim past or fears of a nebulous future arising from tenure insecurity that has hunted his predecessors. Faleye looks most assured to plan both long and short term and well equipped to reposition the NSITF as the apex social security agency.

•Godson is the General Manager Corporate Affairs, NSITF.
July 24, 2024
Land tenure and Nigeria’s economy
- By Opebiyi Beatrice Abosede
Land is central to human existence. Land is a key asset for livelihood and development globally; there is virtually nothing man does that is not rooted on the land. In other words, all human activities take place on the land. Land plays a crucial role in shaping societies across various dimensions. Economists recognize land as one of society’s three economic fundamentals, along with labor and capital. It is a crucial factor of production, though fixed in nature, immovable and comprises the physical terrestrial surfaces, real estate or property designated by definite geospatial boundaries

The English philosopher, John Locke in some of his philosophical writings recognized the importance of land, he contended that right to property (land) is not just one of the natural rights of every human, but that it is the first and most important, aside right to life and liberty. John Locke was saying in essence that right to land is natural to humans and, therefore, determines other rights, such as rights to life and liberty, as those without access to land are likely to be subjugated to their fellows. Land is associated with power, prestige, wealth, and social standing. This position still subsists today as attachments to and controversies over land permeate every society and have shaped war and peace, dictatorship, and democracy.

And because land is pivotal and fundamental to social and economic development of any society, because it is one resource that has generated and attracted widest attention explains why statutes, regulations, policies, bylaws, edicts, conventions, enactments and even beliefs held in respect of it keep on emerging, getting reviewed, repealed, conflicted and even duplicated from time to time, as situation and circumstances demand. All these encompasses what can be described as land governance or simply land tenure system; procedures and relationship, either through legal frameworks or well-defined customs or both, among individuals and groups in matters involving land. Therefore, a legal land tenure system refers to a body of state laws and rules that govern land transactions, cultivation, and use.

Every community, society, or state has its own land tenure system because land so pervasively underpins human activities and is the object of competition in a number of potentially overlapping ways. In Nigeria, land is governed by the 1978 Land use Act. The Act vested all land in each state of the federation solely in the governor of the state who holds land in trust for the people and so is responsible for the allocation of all land in all urban areas to individuals residing in the state and to organizations for residential, agriculture, commercial and other purposes. Policy makers believe that this would enhance rapid socio-economic transformation of the country through rational land use and administration for the benefit of all Nigerians. Government also intended to halt artificial prices of land as a result of the activities of speculators which was rampant in urban areas, as well as accelerate economic development by making it easier for governments and the people to have more access to land among other reasons.

Over the years, the Act has become a subject of controversy, with Section 3 the most contentious. The section assigns to the governor a seemingly enormous power to designate by order, parts of non-urban areas of the state to become urban area and, by so doing, extend the frontiers of urban, thereby enlarging the governor’s influence, and thus making some ambitious governors semi gods in their domains. Overzealous ones have hidden under the controversial section to harass and intimidate perceived political opponents either by revoking their Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) or by confiscating their title deeds on legitimately acquired land.

Against the backdrop that overwhelming majority of Nigerians have no other source of income and livelihood, save the one derivable from land through subsistence farming or disposal to earn income for business or family needs, this dispossession has plunged so many into poverty rather than prosperity. That is to say, land tenure regime in Nigeria has failed to ensure prosperity. Contrary to the purpose of enacting the decree, which was to make land available to all for housing and economic development, the Act has rather prevented access to land for majority especially for development, as many state governments are holding on to land under the guise of compulsory acquisition for proposed development

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Another critical challenge of the Land Use Act is its impact on housing and real estate development in Nigeria. One of the basic necessities of life is housing. How would a man survive without shelter, refuge, and comfort? His dignity is eroded in the absence of shelter. Forty-five years after its enactment, can we say the Act has truly facilitated housing provision? The leasehold interest on land conveyed under the Act by the state, also reduces the investment potential of the land to the would-be investors and promotes a cash and carry ideology, as a title holder is usually looking at making immediate gains on the land. The problems and challenges in land acquisition and securing the approval of Certificate of Occupancy remain worrisome. At the commencement of the Land Use Act 1978, it was stated that “whereas it is in the public interest that the rights of all Nigerians to the land of Nigeria be asserted and preserved by law”, this has not been the case.

The process of acquiring title and documentation is complex, cumbersome, complicated, prolonged and has become discouraging and disincentive to land ownership, especially for investment.

Rather than being a catalyst to socio-economic development therefore, the Act has become a hindrance to growth and development.

The time for a review in tune with current realities is long overdue. Fettered with institutional failure, dearth of political will and inherent defects, the law has not been able to achieve most of its objectives. Notwithstanding, the desire for economic development through effective, fair and equitable utilization of land and land resources can still be attained if the law is holistically amended to overturn certain anachronistic and antithetical provisions and replaced with realistic and effective policies that would put Nigeria on the path of economic progress. The sections of the Act which are not in tandem with modern trends should also be thrown out. If this is done, it would go a long way in bringing about sanity in land tenure, ownership and acquisition as well as housing provision in Nigeria. The government must take urgent steps to remove this aspect of our laws which still wears a military helmet.

One of the central objectives of the Land Use Act which is to make land readily available at an affordable rate to all Nigerians has not been achieved

The review of the Land Use Act is long overdue because it holds the key to economic development and people’s wellbeing. Availability and easy access to land encourage investment which creates both wealth and jobs for the people. The Act has failed to solve the problem of land availability, neither has it boosted agricultural production, housing and real estate development.
- Opebiyi is an estate surveyor and valuer based in Lagos.
July 24, 2024
Africa’s stolen past: Building a new continent
- By Oluwole Ogundele
Having a deep sense of history is a positive force for sustainable development in modern Africa. This entails knowledge and its rigorous applications. Africa is a rich storehouse of historical and cultural values. These values and historical experiences are second to none. This is a reality that cannot be contested, despite the numerous challenges arising from knowledge filtering by the colonial/neo-colonial masters or oligarchs. It is too easily forgotten, that colonial or neo-colonial education in general, is an encumbrance (to some extent), to historical knowledge productions, as if socio-economic development on a sustainable scale matters. A thoroughgoing and systematic reconstruction of Africa’s past, is a task that must be accomplished at all costs. Without this, development on a sustainable scale will continue to elude the continent. However, it is wrong to assume that all the actions and behaviours of our ancestors were noble and/or useful today. A critical assimilation of the past is of the essence.

Palaeo-anthropological researches around the world have shown that Africa is the original homeland of humankind. The earliest known humans (though ape-like in morphology) emerged from this continent about four million years ago. They were christened Australopithecines, with an average cranial capacity of 500 cc. More advanced early humans-Homo erectus and Homo sapiens (anatomically modern men) with better technologies, evolved from the Australopithecines. Some of them also spread from Africa to other parts of the world. Therefore, every human being is (broadly speaking) an African, regardless of his geographical location, skin colour, shape of the nose, and texture of the hair. All these physical features are superficial.

Apart from the above, a lot of the subjects we engage in today have their roots in ancient Africa. Africa, using a common sense theory, should lead the modern world. Mathematics was practised more than 25,000 years ago in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first mathematics book was written by Imhotep-an African of Egyptian extraction about 4,000 years ago. Ifa-a form of oral literacy among the Yoruba of Nigeria was/is an encyclopaedic knowledge system, enshrined in mathematics and natural sciences as well as mysticism. This is similar to the Dogon-Bambara Number Systems in Mali. The remote African intellectuals successfully explored the interlink between science and religion in order to conquer their material and extra-material spaces. They appreciated the fact, that robust humanity among other things is situated at the crossroads of physical locales and social distinctions including spiritual territories. This was with a view to improving the human condition.

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Chemistry originated from Africa, specifically Egypt, as early as the 5th century B.C. Kemit refers to the soot emanating from herbal preparations inside pots. Based on hard evidence, medicine originated from Egypt. Hippocrates-Father of Medicine, trained in ancient Egypt, where different kinds of bone and brain surgery were carried out.

Iron metallurgy was practised in the Nok Valley region of central Nigeria as far back in time as the 5th century B.C. Iron metallurgy was/is the material signature of advanced chemistry, physics, technology, mineralogy, and religion. The above storylines ought to form the foundations of Africa’s sustainable development today. Similarly, ancient Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Archimedes studied mathematics, philosophy, and mysticism in the Egyptian sanctuaries for decades. But the names of their African teachers were conspicuously glossed over by the Western intellectual oligarchy. Do the African political leaders care a hoot?

It is time to begin to rise above maximalist machinations otherwise known as neo-colonialism and economic imperialism. Africa’s buried glories have to be exhumed. No need for lamenting forever about our encounters with the Western world. We are descendants of artists, scientists, and technologists of the upper crust essence. The available historical facts must be the basis for self-confidence among Africans in the fast-changing world of modern education and development.

Salute to some former African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Patrice Lumumba of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nelson Mandela of South Africa! They played politics as if sustainable development mattered. Indeed, their finesse in governmental engineering had no equal.

Currently, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Mokgweetsi of Botswana, and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania are fighting corruption and promoting progress in their geo-polities, through the lens of exemplary, world-class leadership. These are some of the few contemporary African leaders emulating the above political colossi. Their styles of leadership are highly commendable given the fact, that the modern African political landscape is characterised by insane greed and unprintable corruption. This is the main factor leading to material poverty, aggravated insecurity, and hopelessness in the land.

Most of the current African leaders need to become tutees of the few disciplined, culturally educated politicians. History is unforgiving! Emphasis should be on high ideals as opposed to ugly, animalistic greed or materialism that most African leaders now see as a sign of wisdom or smartness.

I humbly submit here, that a new body tentatively called “African Radical Union’ (ARU) may have to be formed. Membership should not automatically be for every former or current African president or prime minister. Indeed, membership must be anchored to what the ordinary people of a country say about their leader. No room (in ARU) for morally and spiritually bankrupt people masquerading as leaders. Those who are uncritically fraternising with our external abusers and economic exploiters, have no place to stand in ARU. There is need for a new Africa! It is time to take a bold step in a new trajectory of progress and dignity.

Despite the sometimes, nauseating rhetoric of democracy, most Africans remain desperately poor. A lot of the bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements signed with Europe, America, and Asia are turning most youths in Africa into slaves in their fatherland. We are victims of Euro-American and Asian poisonous, devastating expansionism. Painfully, the local leaders look the other way. African leadership culture is generally characterised by flamboyance, mindlessness, an abnormal dose of self-importance, and insane corruption. Consequently, the citizens continue to groan under the weight of horrible leaders with unheedful eyes and unlistening ears. This is an invitation to anarchy! African political leaders have to be good students of history.

The recent Kenyan uprising by the youth was/is a reflection of the tragedy of modern Africa. African leaders have refused to imbibe some salient aspects of the American and/or European democratic cultures embedded in prudence, humility, and fine-grained service to humanity. On the contrary, these African leaders, like baboons, are busy ravaging our collective corn field at the expense of the led.

More and more people are now committing suicide due to aggravated economic hardships and hopelessness. Suicide was un-African until recently. This was because of the fact, that African culture was originally enshrined in communalism including fellow feeling. Rugged individualism (a largely Western cultural trait) and material poverty anchored to bad policies have eroded a chunk of African humanity today. Where is the African Union (AU)? Is it a cosmetic body? Honestly, I’m yet to understand why most African leaders are running up and down, while the citizens cannot breathe as a result of poor governance.

•Prof Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.
July 24, 2024
Minimum wage: Were labour unions daydreaming?

By Mutiu Abimbola Oyinlola

Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased following the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst subdued economic growth. According to the World Bank’s Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022 report, a total of 712 million people globally were living in extreme poverty in 2022, using the monetary extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day. The majority of these poor people, almost 500 million, live in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria accounting for at least 83 million. In other words, four out of every 10 people in Nigeria are extremely poor and this may have worsened since the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate devaluation policies introduced in the last one year by the Bola Tinubu administration.

The World Bank has advised that for Nigeria to lift millions out of poverty through pro-poor initiatives, the fiscal space has to be unlocked by reforming the expensive subsidies, including fuel subsidies, alongside countervailing measures to protect the poor as the reforms take effect. The administration of President Tinubu has followed this direction by wasting no time embarking on these reforms as soon as he assumed office in May 2023. The now popular phrase “subsidy is gone” and the easing of the foreign exchange market have led to an increase in the price of premium motor spirit (petrol) from an average of N238.11 per litre in May 2023 to N750.17 per litre in June 2024 and a depreciation of the foreign exchange rate from N461.26/US$1 in May 2023 to N1584.5/US$1 in June 2024. These reforms have since exacerbated the inflation rate in the country, rising from 22.41 percent in May 2023 to 34.19 percent in June 2024, with food inflation reaching 40.87 percent.

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The excruciating and debilitating effect of inflation has led to the outcry by Nigerians.

Indeed, life is now cruel for many households, a reality that has pushed the leadership of organised labour to remain resolute in fighting for a living wage for Nigerian workers. The labour unions had earlier proposed N494,000 as the minimum wage that the federal government should pay Nigerian workers. After a lot of stalemated negotiations, organised labour stood at N250,000 as the minimum wage based on the economic realities of the time, while the federal government proposed between N62,000 and N65,000, using the ability-to-pay principle. There are divergent opinions on the stand of the labour unions that some regard as extreme. The debate as to whether the minimum wage proposed by the labour unions was really obnoxious or not begs for deeper reflection and contemplation.

To provide insight into the argument of the labour unions and understand their position, it is necessary to focus on the value of the real wage or income, otherwise called the purchasing power of income, which is a gauge of the worth of income in terms of the commodities or services obtainable at a given point in time. Using inflation-adjusted wage as the basis for analysis, as inflation rises over time, the quantity of commodities that a given income can buy reduces. To keep the discussion in proper context, therefore, this discussion is centred on minimum wage between 2009 and 2024, taking 2009 as the base year. In other words, the price levels of the subsequent years are compared to the 2009 level. The real minimum wage or the purchasing power is observed by accounting for price changes, usually an increase. It should be recalled that the minimum wage has undergone several revisions, from N5,500 in 2000 to N18,000 in 2011 under President Goodluck Jonathan, and then increased to N30,000 by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

For instance, the real value of the minimum wage of N5,500 in 2009, the base year, was reduced to about N4,824 after accounting for the price increase of commodities between 2009 and 2010. In simple terms, the N5,500 in 2010 could only purchase products worth N4,824 in 2009. Again, in 2011, when the new minimum wage of N18,000 was introduced, the real income or its purchasing power was only worth N14,285.71, the highest value in the last 15 years. By 2019, when the new minimum wage of N30,000 was introduced, the real value of the wage was barely N9,868.42. The worth of the minimum wage diminished considerably in 2023 to a mere N5,025.13.

Therefore, the real value of the proposed minimum wage of N250,000 by organised labour is only N31,249.21 going by the current inflation rate. Moreover, the federal government and organised labour, after consultations with other stakeholders on July 18, agreed to a minimum wage of N70,000, which is now expected to be reviewed every three years. This newly agreed minimum wage of N70,000, after accounting for the price level, is barely about N8,750 in real terms.

The magnitude of the problem at hand is enormous. Most government workers are currently earning less than the extreme poverty level of $2.15. Effectively, either in real or dollar terms, the condition of the average Nigerian worker in 2024 has not changed from the previous year. If anything at all, it has worsened, even with the agreed new minimum wage. Indeed, it can be concluded that the labour unions were not daydreaming by insisting on the N250,000.

The foregoing underscores the need for the government to re-evaluate and modify its approach to tackling the root cause of the current predicament to alleviate and eventually reverse the severity of the misery wreaking havoc on Nigerian workers and the general population. To ensure sustainable economic growth and resilience, the government needs to pursue immediate, far-reaching measures.

It should be noted that the federal government has taken some preliminary measures to ease the hardship by releasing food to the different state governments for distribution to the people. Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria had earlier made available over 2.1 million bags of assorted fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture for onward distribution to the states, and about 20 trucks of rice have already been supplied to each of the states of the federation. In addition, workers were also awarded N35,000 for six months only. The federal government has also planned to allocate N125 billion as conditional grants and financial inclusion for medium and small enterprises and provide N200 billion to support the cultivation of hectares of land. However, these measures have not eased the hardship that has remained unwavering, shredding the very fabric of livelihood for many and battering them to a state of destitution.

The government still needs to do a lot more. First, the government should restore the confidence and trust of its citizens. This should be done by showing the appropriate optics to the public. The government must be seen to lead in tightening its belt by reducing the cost of governance and plugging the holes. The announcement by the lawmakers in the House of Representatives to take a six-month cut in their basic salaries given the economic hardship is welcoming. Second, the measures to increase food production through support to local farmers and easing distribution should be revamped and realigned to deliver within a short period. This is in addition to providing emergency relief. Third, there should be a holistic food production synergy among the subnational governments. Each state government seems to operate in isolation at a time when a state of emergency should be declared regarding food production in the country. Overall, there should be a concerted effort to halt the inflation rate, thereby increasing the real income of the people.

•Mutiu Oyinlola, a professor of Economics at the University of Ibadan writes via mutiu_oyinlola@yahoo.com

July 23, 2024
Trump triumphant

Short of a miraculous upset, Donald Trump is on a rollercoaster back into power as President of the United States (POTUS). Not only has he been formally coronated flagbearer in the November elections by Republicans, he holds the Grand Old Party (GOP) in iron subjection and leverages opportunities to bestride national attention. His obstacle, the Democrats as arrow-headed by incumbent President Joe Biden’s campaign, are in utter disarray and profoundly backfooted. Trump and his supporters already smell victory for his Make America Great Again (MAGA) comeback and are exulting in exuberant anticipation.

The four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last week was the Don’s party without any rain. The event was dogmatically Trumpist and there wasn’t any speaker, theme or attendee that didn’t reflect what he wanted. His escape a few days earlier from an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, enhanced his indomitable aura and solidified his dominance of the Republican fold. Party conventions, both among Republicans and Democrats, typically and historically struggled to project a façade of unity while embroiled in undercurrents of dissent as intra-party blocs jostled for influence. But there were no such undercurrents at the Republican convention this year because anyone not on Trump’s train stayed away. As speakers trailed one another to the podium, the message was inescapable: the GOP is indisputably Trump’s and is united in pursuit of an electoral sweepstake under his banner. What sweet revenge for Trump to deal a humiliating defeat on Biden who ejected him from the White House in 2021!

It was one sight beholding primary presidential hopefuls who once contended with the ex-president for the Republican ticket stage a parade of losers as they paid him tribute and swore loyalty oaths. “Donald Trump has my full endorsement, period,” said former South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, who during the primaries warned that chaos is like air to the ex-president, and declared in February that she felt “no need to kiss the ring.” Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, once touted himself an embodiment of Trumpism without Trump’s trademark pandemonium; but in Milwaukee, he urged the crowd: “Let’s make the 45th President of the United States the 47th President of the United States.” Texas senator, Ted Cruz, has spent years paying penance for his bitter 2016 primary rivalry with Trump, during which time the Don insulted his wife and father. Still, he came on stage in Milwaukee hailing: “God Bless Donald J. Trump!” Another 2016 primary rival and Florida senator, Marco Rubio, espoused the Trump doctrine with poetic fervour, arguing that MAGA fans just want the basic things: good jobs, lower prices, secure borders and safety from terrorists. “What they want, what they ask for is not hateful or extreme,” he said, adding: “There is absolutely nothing dangerous or anything divisive about putting Americans first.” Even Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, cast Kentucky’s delegate vote for Trump – an antagonist who used to call him an “old crow.” In a rare moment of discord at the convention, he was booed by MAGA subjects. Former Vice President Mike Pence apparently had not worked out his differences with his ex-boss and was nowhere near Milwaukee.

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Trump had arrived at the convention with the air of indestructibility, following an apparent attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania penultimate Saturday by a 20-year-old gunman. The would-be assassin named Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead at the scene by Secret Service agents and investigation has been opened by the Feds to determine his motive. A rally attendee, 50-year-old volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, was killed while trying to shield his family from the gunman’s fire, which left two other attendees severely injured. But the Don was only grazed. He was nicked in the right ear, with a line of blood streaking down his cheek as he ducked the bullet before being blanketed by Secret Service agents and crowded off the stage to safety. “I’m supposed to be dead, I’m not supposed to be here,” he told journalists in one of his earliest media encounters following the incident. “The most incredible thing was that I happened to not only turn (my head) but to turn at the exact right time and in just the right amount,” he said, noting that the bullet that grazed his ear could have easily killed him. On the final night of the Milwaukee convention as fans swooned over his bandaged right ear, he told them: “Just a few short days ago, my journey with you nearly ended… And yet here we are tonight, all gathered together, talking about the future promise and a total renewal of a thing we love very much, it’s called America. We live in a world of miracles.”

Optics is everything in politics – more so in electioneering politics – and Trump is a master at the game. He had projected a historic image of defiance seconds after being shot at, although he may not have been fully intentional at the time: he scrambled to his feet, right ear and cheek bloodied, dishevelled and without his shoes, pumped his fist to the skies and conjured chants of “USA! USA!” from supporters. Even in that existential moment, the ex-president exuded indestructibility and demonstrated why he is rated the ultimate political performance artist. He struck an iconic posture that will be referenced for ages. ‘MAGArians’ wasted no time milking the economic potential as there was frenzied merchandise with Trump T-shirts featuring his portraiture just after he was shot, with slogans like “Bulletproof,” “Legends Never Die,” “Grazed, not Dazed,” and “Shooting Makes Me Stronger” emblazoned. A clothing merchant was cited reporting sales of many dozens of the T-shirts within 24 hours of the shooting, saying: “The sales exceeded my expectations.”

Even the Trump campaign directly benefitted by way of a spike in donors. The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, who in the past had funded Democratic candidates, was reported pledging $45million a month to a new super PAC (political action committee) backing Trump. Sympathy votes from the shooting reserved for him in the November polls is only to be imagined. Conspiracy theories swirled as to whether the assassination attempt was orchestrated to achieve those very ends, but nothing could be proved. There were as well reports of an Intel indicating a plot by Iran to try assassinating Trump, although there was no evidence Crooks was on it.

While the ex-president rides fame with an indomitable aura and a unifocal GOP under his thumb, Democrats are roiling in doubt and division over the candidature of Biden, their presumptive nominee for the November polls. Even before the Pennsylvania shooting, Trump led Biden in opinion polls, imposing necessity on the 81-year-old incumbent to leverage avenues for a rebound. But he’s done nothing of the sort. His chances rather cratered with their debate some four weeks ago, where Biden put up a dismal performance that has heightened fears about his cognitive health to serve another four-year term. Trump himself is 78 years of age, but at the debate he put up a relatively energetic outing that made his three-year age difference from Biden seem like a generation.

Trump’s campaign has often projected him as a strongman, unlike Biden whom it described as “the weakest commander-in-chief in our country’s history.” His optics on the heels of the Pennsylvania incident reinforced that narrative. And neither did the president’s Oval Office address following the shooting help his own cause, because it contrasted Trump’s macho image of defiance on rough turf with a lonesome, elderly Biden making a plaintive plea behind his office desk.

Calls reached fever pitch among Democrats over the past week for Biden to step aside for a more youthful candidate, amidst fears that a Trump landslide could also sweep both houses of the American legislature into Republican control in November. Congressional leaders led the advocacy and have been joined by administration officials besides other top Democrats, with a member of the Congressional Black Caucus that has been strongly supportive of Biden describing his candidacy as a political suicide mission. Democrats are in a difficult race to hold the Senate because they are defending a larger number of seats than Republicans in this election cycle.

Biden has thus far resisted calls to cede the Democrat flag. But his candidacy lurches ever deeper into trouble: he had to suspend electioneering late last week and go into isolation following his diagnosis for Covid-19 infection. Well, he has only very short time to reconsider or he would go in history as willfully leading his party to foreseen defeat, and face a humiliating final chapter to his eventful political career.

•Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

July 22, 2024
Dele Momodu’s open letter to President Tinubu: Matters Arising

By Leonard Karshima Shilgba

The publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, published an open letter to President Tinubu a few days ago in which he referred to himself as a “friend” and “brother” of Mr. President, and affirmed that he owed the president “only one thing, the TRUTH.” He claimed that “it is obvious that the first thing that takes flight in the presidential villa is TRUTH”. Momodu further wrote, “I’m writing you today, not because I expect you to act on my suggestions, but to put it on record that someone gave you the true picture of things. I am also hoping that some of your friends will read and interpret to you, in a sober moment…”

The preface of Momodu’s open letter to his “friend” suggests that either he has removed himself from Mr. President’s group of “friends” that should “read and interpret to” him (President Tinubu) “in a sober moment” the content of Momodu’s letter, or his “friend” and “brother” President Tinubu has lately made it impossible for Momodu to have access to him by phone, email, or whatever form now that Momodu, in his words, is now “a member of the opposition.”

I read through Momodu’s open letter and found no single commendation of any of President Tinubu’s efforts in the past 13 months to stymie Nigeria’s economic bleeding, shore up Nigeria’s trade surplus, inject health into Nigeria’s financial sector, grow government’s revenue and free up needed funds from wasteful expenditures, provide education assistance to the needy and agricultural support to farmers, develop critical national infrastructure, restore local government financial autonomy for the benefits of Nigerians living at the grassroots, or to keep Nigeria safe.

It is painful to be in the field, labouring to bring in the harvest, while a friend stands afar off offering no word of encouragement but only fault-finding and excoriating vituperations. I am not President Tinubu’s “friend” or “brother”, but neither am I his enemy. Additionally, I am not the President’s spokesperson or adviser. However, as a citizen of Nigeria, I owe my patriots TRUTH, verifiable TRUTH, so that national hope shall not be dried up in the harsh weather of misrepresentations or half-truths.

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Momodu made a definitive proclamation in his open letter: “Nigeria is in big trouble.” He wrote, “Our economy has virtually collapsed.” He then indicted President Tinubu as follows: “You’ve been wasting too much money at a time that requires absolute frugality. Please, stop this reckless propensity for wasting scarce resources.”

And what does Momodu consider as “wasting too much money”? He said the president is “purchasing Presidential jets, building outlandish monuments, distributing cash as palliatives, etc.” He referred to all these alleged actions by President Tinubu as “signs of a failed and careless government.” Additionally, Momodu made an open allegation against President Tinubu: “I believe you’re frittering away our resources because you desperately crave a second term. But the best assurance of a second term is PERFORMANCE.”

I understand that some Nigerian youths are planning a national protest soon. Words by “friends” of President Tinubu such as Momodu, no doubt, will be spurs to their side. Momodu used this provocative and inciting catch phrase in his letter to President Tinubu: “Nigerians are not expecting you to turn water into wine, but they don’t want you to turn their wine into water.” I should not say that Momodu’s open letter to Mr. President is a “put-off”, but it is beneath a former presidential aspirant and a “friend”.

Are Nigerians feeling economic heat in the face of rising energy cost and concomitant inflation that has eroded household incomes? Yes. Are President Tinubu’s twin economic policy decisions to remove fuel subsidy and deregulate naira exchange rates contributory to the twin problems of high energy costs and inflation? Again, yes. Were those policies unavoidable and necessary? Yes. Is the government of President Tinubu taking steps to reduce the hardship being suffered by Nigerians? Yes. Let us reason together:

Fuel subsidy in Nigeria became unsustainable over the years as government’s revenues dwindled with low crude oil production, increasing national liquid fuel consumptions, and absence of local refining of petroleum products, all during the pre-Tinubu era. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) stopped remitting oil export revenues to the Federation Account over a period of about 18 months until the swearing-in of President Tinubu, and shortly after President Buhari signed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in October 2021, which excluded fuel subsidy. To support government spending, the Buhari government (secretly?) borrowed over N 21 trillion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through an instrument called Ways and Means (whereby national governments borrow from their central or reserve banks). If Momodu or any other Nigerian became President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, what legal authority could they have to sustain fuel subsidy, and from which financial source could they have funded it? President Tinubu had no choice to make in this matter.

There was another deleterious subsidy that the Nigerian government paid for many years, but only to the privileged politically connected few—foreign exchange subsidy. Official exchange rates were regularly fixed by the CBN. However, Nigerians could not buy foreign currencies (such as the US dollar) at those rates. For instance, if the CBN fixed N 400 to $1, only privileged Nigerians could buy dollars at this rate, and could sell at as much as N700 per US dollar on the parallel market, making an arbitrage of N300 or more. Thus, an investment of N400 million, for instance, in purchasing a million US dollars could fetch the privileged class a “profit” of N 300 million on round tripping! President Tinubu came and refused to sustain it. The removal of those two subsidies at once by President Tinubu on May 29, 2023, was a stunning attack on the source of wealth of a few but very rich and politically connected and powerful class.

Momodu wrote President Tinubu should “invest in vocational skills for our highly talented youths who can demonstrate their capacity for hard work.” I should refer Momodu to the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). Vocational education is one of the functions of Local Government Councils. Now that President Tinubu has caused revenue from the Federation Account to go directly to the local government councils (through the Supreme Court judgment), such services and many others listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution would and should be rendered to the grassroots people by the local government councils.

To assist indigent Nigerian students to have access to tertiary and technical education, on Wednesday, July 17, President Tinubu officially launched the portal of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), having approved N 35 billion a few weeks ago for the take-off of the student loan scheme, which is to benefit the 70,000 initial applicants, averaging N500, 000 per applicant. Momodu may refer to monumental infrastructural development in Nigeria being undertaken by the Tinubu government as “outlandish monuments”, but Nigeria has great need of uncommon roads, bridges, railways, etc., to hasten national economic renaissance. Investment in agriculture (including distribution of trailer-loads of fertilizers to states) by the Tinubu government is indubitable.

I agree with Dele Momodu that President Tinubu’s government should find a better channel of offering poverty-alleviating assistance to the people. I propose that with restoration of financial autonomy to local government councils, the federal government should relate directly with them in offering aid to the poor at the grassroots. For instance, beneficiaries should register at Council Ward offices in the Local Government Areas, and be issued digital assistance cards with which they can be identified to receive necessary aid at “Public Assistance Banks (PAB)”, including food aid, childbirth aid, and Medicare. Politicians should be kept away from such aid to the people, which should rather be managed by civil servants. Ad hoc arrangements should be jettisoned.

Doubtless, the president is a transformative leader, who is not afraid of doing things differently and in a pioneering way. Not everybody (even his “friends”) will agree with him, and he shouldn’t have expectations of unbending acquiesce.

•Shilgba is a professor of mathematics at the Admiralty University of Nigeria.

July 22, 2024