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  • Content Board and the emerging voyage of mischiefmakers

    Content Board and the emerging voyage of mischiefmakers

    • By Wole Dotun

    The Nigeria Content Monitoring and Development Board (NCDMB), with its massive high-rise headquarters office in Yenagoa, has been an eye in the storm in the past couple of months.

    The purpose of the Local Content Law and the setting up of the agency is essentially to promote the use of indigenous skills and competence without relying on expatriates which was the practice in the past act.

    The setting up of the NCDMB provides an opportunity to ensure the application of indigenous people or Nigerians to execute certain assignments where they have the requisite skill and competence in the oil and gas industry.

    The Content Board took off with pioneer Executive Secretary (ES), Engr. Ernest Nwapa, who laid the foundation. From his days with Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke as Minister of Petroleum Resources to the time of Engineer Wabote Simbi, with Chief Timipre Sylva as the Minister of State for Petroleum, there was absolute peace, harmony and focus in the management and delivery of the mandate of the agency, without any undue and arm-twisting interference by the supervising ministers.

    However, since Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri took over as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in-charge of oil, the positive narratives at the Content Board have become a sad tale ranging from allegations of undue interference, to usurping the strategic duties of the Board, to constant friction which the Executive Secretary of the agency, Engr. Felix Ogbe.

    As a matter of fact, since Lokpobiri, took over as the Supervisory Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the story of  the Content Board has become pathetic.

    With only three months in office, Ogbe who is statutorily saddled with the day to day running of the organization was given a gestapo-like treatment with reversal of normal deployment of some staff by the E.S, to the surprise of staff of the agency who described the act as unheard of in the over fifteen years of its establishment. Following widespread protest, critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta who condemned the act, asked Lokpobiri to allow the Content Board to breathe.

    Only few weeks ago, Wabote issued a statement about how he contended with Lokpobiri’s meddlesomeness, accusing him of using proxy to influence him to pad the 2024 budget with N30 billion among other issues of financial malfeasance and official corruption.

    Evidently, Wabote has his own story to tell. He was removed as Executive Secretary of the Board while his tenure was yet to expire.

    According to Wabote, as ES, one of the tasks he took when Lokpobiri took over as Minister of State in-charge of oil, was a presentation to Lokpobiri, and his counterpart, the Minister of State for petroleum in-charge of Gas, Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, on the happenings in more than 250 page slides – providing information on the status of the Board projects, partnerships, interventions fund, TSA account balances, HCD programme, foresic audits and the strategic initiatives under the NCDMB ten years strategic road map.

    The presentation was followed with an invitation to Lokpobiri to embark on familiarization visits to the Board’s headquarters and other project sites located across the country. Wabote said: “We had told Mr. Lokpobiri that our projects, interventions and partnerships were driven by the enabling provisions contained in the NOGICD act and extent government policies on modular refineries, decades of gas, job creation and poverty eradication.

    In spite of these painstaking explanations made in the most transparent and responsible manner, Lokpobiri still went on a voyage of mischief to paint a different picture to assert that 90% of the NC intervention fund managed by the Bank of Industry (BOI), was not performing, despite being briefed.

    Unfortunately, only the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) choose to present false narratives before the petroleum club as a wasted fund, with several sponsored media reports and commentaries targeted at Wabote and Sylva, who Lokpobiri perceives as the former minister’s political ally.

    Interestingly, the Bank of Industry had since refuted the claims of Lokpobiri, and exonerated Wabote with ecclesiastical assertion. Wabote emphasized that, he had explained to Lokpobiri like a tutorial on the issue of the fund with BOI, that, it is because NCDMB is not a bank that made the Board partner with BOI as a foremost development bank in the country to manage the intervention fund for the oil and gas industry with each loan secured by bank guarantee.

    Interestingly, shortly after Wabote leveled the weighty allegation against Lokpobiri of the attempt to pad budget of the Content Board with N30 billion to oil his alleged governorship ambition in 2027, media and political associates of the minister did not view it lightly, believing that Wabote was becoming a stumbling block against using the agency as a cash cow to oil his political ambition.

    Apart from several campaigns of calumny deliberately planted in the media, the first person to point the finger at Wabote with a petition written to the EFCC over the award of contract to Trans Atlantic Company, asked the Commission to investigate the award. This was a subject over which Wabote had armed himself with the audited report and briefed both the Minister of State for Oil and that of his Gas counterpart.

    The petition which was written to the EFCC by a former one-term member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Sunny Coli, who happens to be the estranged political godson of Sylva.

    Unfortunately, his failure to return to the House of Representatives is being wrongly attributed to his former boss, Sylva, while his constituency are angry that he could not make any impact, either by way of motions or attracting projects to the area.

    Read Also: Content board receives $1m RoI from NEDOGAS

    In another desperate strategy to malign Sylva and Wabote and stampede the anti-graft agency, there was a planned street protest last week. According to widespread media reports, the protest was to be carried out at EFCC headquarters in Abuja, Zonal Headquarters in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa.

    A particular report said “Group uncovers plot to sponsor protests against Wabote, Sylva”.

    The group under the aegis of Niger Delta Justice Forum (NDJF) alleged that the protest was part of the ongoing sponsored campaign of calumny against Wabote and Sylva. The group led by its coordinator, Mr. Owei Johnson, in a statement published in several national dailies accused Isreal Sunny Goli of leading the planned protest and accused Lokpobiri of bankrolling such a plan.

    Also, their desperate bid included maligning any staff perceived to be close to Wabote by being witchunted and blackmailed in the media through phantom organizations issuing frivolous press statements to that effect. The recent one is the laughable call made by one of such group calling for the suspension or summary dismissal of incumbent Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at NCMDB, Mr. Isaac Yalah, over unfounded allegations on which Yalah has been exonerated by BOI.

    Curiously, the so-called group did not deem it necessary to call on Lokpobiri to step aside in the face of the damning allegations of official corruption and nepotism made against him.

    Curiously, the so called group did not deem it necessary to call on Lokpobiri to step aside in the face of damning allegations of official corruption and nepotism made against him. Just recently, he was locked in a recruitment exercise allegedly initiated by him, where nepotism was operated to its fullest by employing a lot of his family at the expense  of many qualified Nigerians; a process that was shrouded in secrecy without recourse to due process. This prompted concerned Niger Delta indigenes to challenge the process in court.

    Happily, the intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who happens to be the Minister of Petroleum Resources by appointing the Minister of State for Petroleum in-charge of Gas, Hon. Ekeperikpe Ekpo as Co-chairman of the Local Content Board come as a huge relief. This is not an alternate chairman but Co-chairman for the purpose of checks and balances on the authoritarian character of Lokpobiri.

    This is a welcome development which staff of the content Board and critical stakeholders celebrated across the Niger Delta, describe as a           welcome and timely action by Mr. President to whittle down the overbearing show of power by Lopkobiri who acted like lion instead of a manager. It clearly shows that Tinubu is truly a listening President.

    It is the view of vast majority of stakeholders in the Niger Delta that Mr. President needs to take a step further by asking his junior minister Lokpobiri to step aside, just the same way Betta Edu stepped aside for free and fair investigation. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander.

    In civilized climes Lokpobiri, must resign or step aside with the appointment of Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo as co-chairman of the content board. It is a loud and clear statement of vote of no confidence passed on Lokpobiri with a huge question mark over his competence to preside over the Board, coupled with his subterranean activities that undermine the free operations of the Content Board.

    Moreover, it is embarrassing that Lokpobiri, a minister under the APC administration and a former member of the House of Representatives who have enjoyed all the privileges of the ruling party, could afford to engage in acts that paint the Tinubu administration in very bad light just because of pursuing their self-serving political agenda against the Renew Hope Agenda. They should rather allow the EFCC as an institution to do their job by not resorting to orchestrating cheap blackmail and campaign of calumny against Wabote and Sylva – worthy ambassadors and national assets who have paid their dues in integrity test and public service. Mr. President has expended huge resources to ensure that peace and security prevail across the country. Therefore, the so called planned protest borne out of malice to state the least is a distraction to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

    Bankrolling group of persons to organize a phantom protest under any guise in pursuing selfish political agenda as it is obvious, is the height of insensitivity and disservice to the national at this critical time the government is contending with the impact of the several reforms initiated by the Tinubu administration. The security agencies must be alive to their duties in nipping such ill wind in the bud. A stitch in time saves nine.

    • ·               Dotun, a citizens rights journalist, wrote from Lagos.
  • Oluremi Tinubu: A sweet relief

    Oluremi Tinubu: A sweet relief

    • By Mariam Mohammed

    In a matter of days, it will be one year since Oluremi Tinubu, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, found herself at the apogee of power. Though not a stranger to walking the corridors of power, this was the ultimate, the apex of political albeit economic power – The Presidency!

    As a former First Lady of Lagos State, there is perhaps nothing novel, one may dare say, but Presidential authority, especially in a clime as Nigeria, is different. It compels not just attention, but exudes a tocsin that can leave you dizzy and drunk on its dregs.

    Is it not in this country we have seen mere local government spouses going overboard to demonstrate that they are in power?

    Prior to the presidential elections, there were not a few controversial videos of the now First Lady, not a glowing light. One of such videos was of her dissing a woman from a certain part of the country and attaching labels to a whole tribe. The furore at that time was scalding and no less deserving.

    Owing to that and a few instances like the Senate brouhaha with a fellow Senator, the ever-pubescent Dino Melaye, there was apprehension in certain quarters of a First Lady who will dominate, torment and perhaps, leave in her wake controversies. If anything, I was amongst the sceptics who feared for an intemperate, overbearing, snobbish and interfering First Lady.

    Like an aeroplane, one year on, Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has defied the odds, disappointed the naysayers and charmed her traducers. She has demonstrated grace, panache, candour and fitted into her role as presidential as any First Lady worth that title can be.

    In every sense, she reminds one of Eleanor Roosevelt, the war-time First Lady of the United States. She has left not a few Nigerians in awe in being a model spouse in her handling of the domestic and ceremonial roles of the Presidency while also influencing policy and politics — all while not overstepping the social and political boundaries.

    For those who may not know, Eleanor was a remarkable woman with an enduring legacy whose contribution to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains indelible.

    Today, our own First Lady is helping to create real and meaningful implications for girls, women, and the underprivileged in our country.

    She has become a voice that resonates significantly in creating a country of equal opportunities through her timely and measured interventions.

    Through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), the First Lady is impacting lives and serving marginalised demographics. At present, girls in Bauchi State are having the benefit of ICT education through the Alternative High School for Girls. This is just one of several examples of the First Lady’s social interventions which emphasize equal educational opportunities for all girls, regardless of past challenges. “The school aims to empower girls who may have faced obstacles like early marriage or lack of support,” she said at the inauguration early in the year.

    To spur the creativity of the Nigerian youth, her Initiative came up with the #OneNigeria Unity Fabric competition! According to her, it is to showcase the enormous but sometimes misplaced industry and ingenuity of our youths and for those participating to design a fabric that represents our unity, resilience, love, and commitment.

    It is not just about participating, but a life changing N25 million is up for grabs! Talk about motivation. Day by day, those who wait to see her falter are left puzzled and are left to ask “is it not the same Remi Tinubu who was quarrelsome and takes no prisoners?” Yes, it is the same Oluremi Tinubu but with a different hue and temperament. The one who would ordinarily have made life difficult for the vexatious Dino Melaye for his foul indiscretion in the Senate, but has not abused the privilege of being the First Lady.

    Yes, our evolving and dynamic First Lady has shown to be a fresh breath of diplomacy and inclusion.

    Not minding that Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, is of a different party and was responsible for ending the governorship ambition of her husband’s kin, Gboyega Oyetola, she had kind words for the administration when she went to inaugurate the Alternative High School for Girls.

    As a mother of the nation whose heart constantly beats for its renewal, every opportunity counts to advance its interest. While hosting the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, she enthused, “The President has made the right decisions which will help us build a Nigeria that’s more respected, we should all be more accountable as a people as regard our resources and we all need to inspire the youths to think Nigeria first before any state or Nation.”

    As a moderating and peace advocate, not even an extremist apologist could draw her ire. Idris Tenshi, an Islamic cleric, had issued a fatwa against the wife of the president. Rather than draw on State might, the First Lady went to the lair of the now remorseful cleric to dismiss the fear of death.

    In recent history, a First Lady used State apparatus to intimidate and arrest those that as much as made a Facebook post about the then prevailing hunger in the country. It is in this country that a certain wife of the president lived the illusion that the title of First Lady was her exclusive preserve and summoned wives of state governors to Abuja to decree them against using such honorific.

    Read Also: Osun set to host First Lady Oluremi Tinubu

    It is gratifying to note that there has not been any of such untoward use of presidential privilege. Rather, wives of governors are falling over themselves to have the wife of the president in their states for one project inauguration or initiatives. Enamoured!

    Dear First Lady, you have done well and ticking the right boxes, but there are a lot more things to accomplish. As the closest person to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, President of our rich but poor country, you are his greatest adviser. No appointee comes close.

    On this basis, you have a duty of care to Nigerians to speak unvarnished truth to the president. His long-pursued dream of becoming president should not become a historical albatross. Let his Presidency stand as monument of positive remembrance by impacting meaningfully on Nigerians.

    As you keep pushing the frontiers of service in your esteemed role as First Lady, may the grace and comeliness you have exuded not lose its sheen and shine. May you continue to win over detractors by your humility and may the winds ever be in favour of your tide.

    •Mohammed is a PR specialist and publisher of Maktoub Magazine. She writes from Abuja.

    • Email: Mariam.c.Mohammed@gmail.com
  • Caution

    Caution

    • That’s the sane path to tread in assessing the ministers

    One — Works minister, David Umahi — hit the ground running, as that cliche goes.  His stock appears well risen among the populace for his verve as lively czar of the road sector of infrastructure.

    The other — power minister, Adebayo Adelabu — hit the ground stumbling.  Were you to conduct a citizen plebiscite today, it’s doubtful if many would throw their lot with the rather harassed  minister.

    Still, there lies the danger: Adelabu grapples with core systemic problems in the power sector — by the way, another crucial sector on the critical infrastructure “war” front. 

    Whereas Umahi arrived office with far better fundamentals, Adelabu inherited a shambolic power sector and market, buffeted with long-standing sector disequilibrium.

    So, to just move against the minister and discard him, just on the basis of public uproar, might do the polity and the economy, not excluding the man himself, a load of injustice.  That is why caution remains the key word.

    The bulk of the other ministers fall between these two spectacular cases of positive and negative perception.  But that hardly equates the simplistic rush to judgment: that the good ones are not even better than Umahi in quality delivery; or that the bad ones tower above Adelabu, as they grapple with own ministries’ peculiar challenges.

    We just don’t have enough facts.  After nine months — most of the ministers have been in office for nine months — it’s just too early to make a sound and credible judgment of performance. 

    The best that can happen now is a sweeping stand, powered by perception.  This is where perception alone is clearly ultra-dangerous for the polity.

    Another point: the Citizens’ Delivery Tracker (CDT), one of the key indices to assess the ministers, just came on stream mid-April.  That was eight months into the ministers’ tenure.  Were the ministers to be adjudged now, the CDT — citizens’ inputs into the assessment — would only cover one month.  Again, that is far too short to be of any useful or quality value.

    Still, the CDT is only one index, to complement the long-standing administration pillars, for which every minister signed a performance bond, viz: reforming the economy to deliver sustained and inclusive growth, strengthening national security for peace and prosperity, boosting agriculture to achieve food security.

    The other pillars: unlocking energy and natural resources for sustainable development, accelerating diversification through industrialisation, digitisation, creative arts, manufacturing and innovation, and improving governance for effective service delivery.

    All the six pillars are interwoven, so much so that a laggard ministry could badly pull back others; and retard the overall pace of the administration.  That ironically makes a case for quick and clinical interventions to “recharge the battery” by getting rid of dead woods. 

    But again, caution is the word.  Nine months is just too brief a time to make serious and definitive decisions, without appearing to be rash.  Rashness is rushing to judgment, getting rid of a particular minister, only to find out his replacement isn’t the magic worker everyone craves. 

    Indeed, there’s no magic to acute structural challenges. The only cure is rigorous thinking, followed by deliberate actions.  That takes time and patience. 

    To make the right decisions on ministers, therefore, the  administration will have to strike a balance between speed and introspection.  Such balancing isn’t always the most popular — at least, not with the impatient and boisterous populace; or even the sensational media.  But it’s almost, always the most productive.

    As a bloc, however, one year down the line, the administration has spawn fulsome policy initiatives, perhaps much more than any government at the centre since 1999.  If the mood in 1999 was a president preening in imperial powers, the mood from 2023 has been a president doing a dash against time.  Just as well then —  for it is difficult times and there is so much to do.

    All that can be adduced to not the President alone but also the entire cabinet at the centre, trying to keep to that urgent pace.  So, for policy initiatives alone, it has been something to cheer — and the entire cabinet can earn group credit.

    Read Also: ‘Approach minimum wage with caution’

    But there is little joy in hard planting without a bumper harvest.  That harvest would be when those policies begin to translate into noticeable and verifiable gains; with big smiles in the streets — happy streets full of proud and preening citizens.

    It is towards this next step, really, that the government should look for adequate replacements — if it finds it necessary — when the time dawns.  For now, the Central Coordination Delivery Unit (CCDU), under Hadiza Bala-Usman, the special adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, should clinically track the ministers by the already laid down performance indicators.

    If that is well done and the results are grafted with the CDT a few months down the line, we should get a fair assessment of all the ministers.  The key word here is fair.

    The President can then act in the interest of the good of all — to the glory of his administration, and the greatest happiness of the greatest number, to echo Jeremy Bentham.

  • Time is running out for Sudan

    Time is running out for Sudan

    • By William Lambers

    At this very moment we have a chance to save Sudan, but time is running out as the clock dangerously inches toward famine. Lives are on the line in the African nation as food shortages worsen because of a civil war. The only hope for war victims in Sudan is a strong response from the international community.

    War-torn regions of Sudan, including Darfur and Kordofan, are on the brink of famine. But lack of access and funding has prevented food supplies from being positioned for the emergency response.

    The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and other humanitarian agencies need our support to get the famine response fully in action throughout Sudan.

    “Only a few weeks remain to stock up food supplies in parts of Darfur and Kordofan before the rainy season starts and many roads become impassible. Farmers also need to safely reach their farmlands to plant ahead of the rains,” said WFP’s Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau, following a recent mission to Sudan.

    Relief agencies also need to get food into place in neighboring Chad and South Sudan, two countries suffering hunger that are taking in refugees from the conflict.

    Sudan has been devastated by a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the past year. Farmland has been destroyed by the fighting. Sudan has been sliding toward famine with each passing day.

    There are 18 million people suffering from severe levels of hunger in Sudan. The WFP further warns “At least 5 million people in Sudan are on the brink of starvation…… A preliminary WFP analysis has identified 41 hunger hot spots that are high-risk of slipping into famine (IPC5) in the coming month, most of them in … areas where conflict is raging including in the Darfur and Kordofan region and Khartoum.”

    Save the Children says “In the first 105 days of 2024, the amount of money raised for the humanitarian crisis in Sudan is less than a fifth of what was pledged in just two days to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.”

    Clearly, the world could be doing more to save Sudan. But many people are probably unaware of the crisis as very little media attention is given to Sudan.

    Read Also: Threat of disintegration in Sudan

    Governments and the public can help by donating to charities in Sudan including WFP, UNICEF, Save the Children, CARE, Mercy Corps, Catholic Relief Services and others.

    It’s vital you write your elected officials about getting food aid to Sudan. It is important existing food aid programs get mobilized to quickly respond to Sudan’s crisis, before it’s too late.

    You can urge your elected officials to make peace in Sudan a priority, as diplomacy is critical to getting a cease fire and improving humanitarian access.

    Sudan once had a factory that produced lifesaving food for malnourished children. That factory was burned to the ground during this tragic war.

    Children are starving to death in Sudan as the war drags on. The world needs to pay more attention to Sudan to help them build peace and prevent famine. You can play a role as an advocate for Sudan so they are not forgotten. We can still prevent famine.

    • This article was first published in www.thegazette.com
  • Nigerian universe entrapped in crisis

    Nigerian universe entrapped in crisis

    • By Oluwole Ogundele

    It is time to begin the exercise of re-engineering our fragile country, Nigeria. This is a geo-polity closely intertwined with maximalism and minimalism. In this connection, maximalism means negative foreign influences, while minimalism is an encapsulation of local challenges arising largely from a poor leadership culture. Such a poor governance system is devoid of patriotism and/or sophisticated, critical philosophies. Nigeria is in dire need of a knowledge-based leadership system that respects the feelings, sensitivities, and aspirations of the people. This is a pre-condition for sustainable development. By this token, erudition and sound judgement of the political class matter a great deal. Power belongs to the people!

    Maximalism, in my opinion, can be significantly tamed in the face of profound service to humanity at the local level. Nobody is in doubt about the fact, that the West and parts of Asia especially China are basically interested in cheaply tapping the natural resources of Nigeria. This exploitative, reactionary ideology hereby christened, neo-colonial paternalism, is yet to be seriously addressed by the Nigerian political leaders, from the eve of independence to the ethnographic present. This makes sustainable economic development an impossibility. I do not think that this should be an insurmountable problem, in the face of some strong determination and drive to break away from the ugly political past.

    Nigerian political class members must begin to ask themselves fundamental questions bordering on the purpose of governance, within the sphere of fine-grained humanity and by extension, godliness.  Healthy humanity is anchored to a high level of idealism as opposed to materialism. Wisdom is what separates us from the lower animals. But unfortunately, most Nigerian politicians and their business associates believe that idealism amounts to stupidity.  Consequently, they continue to have a fetish about exotic vehicles and luxury mansions as well as other ephemeral pleasures. These things happen at the expense of the workers (private and public), the unsung producers of the national wealth, being voraciously consumed by a few Nigerians, masquerading as leaders. 

    Today, the political class members have graduated from stealing millions to billions of naira and even trillions. According to an article written by Chatham House, which was published in the Economist in October 2019, more than $1 billion seized from Sani Abacha’s bank accounts, had been re-stolen, not by ghosts but some Nigerian politicians. This is just a tip of the iceberg! Indeed, a former UK Prime Minister- David Cameron described Nigeria in 2016, as a fantastically corrupt geo-polity. Cameron was not an idle talker.

    It is on record, that approximately $582 billion had been stolen from Nigeria since 1960. Painfully, the raping of beautiful mother Nigeria goes on unabated. In fact, EFCC said that $20 trillion or thereabouts had been looted from our national treasury by the political class between 1960 and 2005.  Chatham House was of the opinion, that $1.3 trillion public funds were laundered between 2011 and 2015. Corruption has become a popular tradition in this country. The political class members do not care a hoot about the feelings or sensitivities of the led.

    It is important to mention here, that Nigeria has the lowest budgets for education in the West African sub-region. While other West African countries are having education budgets ranging between 15 and 32 percent, Nigeria despite its abundant natural resources and robust human capital, has between 4.5 and 7 percent allocations for education.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s tax drive aims to simplify process, not to overburden Nigerians – Shettima

    My humble advice to PBAT is that governmental priorities must be right. Corruption has to be fought with all the seriousness it deserves.  Government should disengage from pilgrimage affairs. Former President Muhammadu Buhari abolished the practice of dollar concession in 2017. In the process, government was able to save about N75 billion. What is government’s business with religious tourism, especially in today’s Nigeria defined and ruled by unprecedented, aggravated material poverty? Nigeria can no longer afford this luxury.  What is the justification for constructing fly-overs and repainting residential quarters of some top government officials with billions of naira?

    This is a country where retirees are shabbily treated as they wait endlessly for their gratuities and monthly pensions. In fact, some states are yet to pay the gratuities of 2018 retirees. Retirement is gradually becoming a death sentence in the country. Why are the leaders so detached from the led who voted them into power? Demons are let loose!

    The future of Nigeria is bleak because the youth are growing up in a rotten, smelly social environment, where looting of public treasury has become an acceptable tradition. Nigeria, despite the showmanship of our leaders, has failed to evolve from savagery into civilisation.

    Therefore, I’m using this medium to plead with President Bola Tinubu, not to spend some of the accruals from pension schemes to do governmental projects.  More of the stolen public funds can be recovered and used for governmental operations. The Nigerian system, over the years, has not been treating retirees with dignity. This is most worrying!  Government cannot convince the ordinary people that this new policy will work in Nigeria, given its socio-political and economic peculiarities. Nigeria is different from the US and Europe, where there is a great deal of confidence between the leaders and the led. The dynamics are dissimilar. We should stop deceiving ourselves.  This administration needs to exhibit the highest ethical standards, before the people can naturally begin to trust the leadership. Failed promises by past administrations were/are an encumbrance to trust worthiness. The led are not moronic.

    This government should focus much more on people-sensitive projects and programmes. Nigerian leaders down the ages are known for treating the citizens with contempt. This is a reflection of monumental savagery. PBAT has to change this ugly scenario in the interest of posterity.  Despite the current economic hardships, the Nigerian lawmakers are still talking about creating new states. Why should we be creating more states now, as if that is the panacea for socio-economic development in Nigeria? Additional states would certainly mean more stresses and strains for the already beleaguered economy. The led would continue to groan as the political elite group loots the public treasury. Again, we have to stop the establishment of more caricatured higher institutions.  Politicisation of education is at variance with robust knowledge productions. The Ministry of Education with a special emphasis on the National Universities Commission (NUC) needs to strengthen the old institutions in order to achieve high standards. Stop making a mockery of higher education! Be patriotic!

     PBAT inherited a thoroughly troubled geo-polity. But he has started the process of creating a new Nigeria of our dreams. However, those around him (especially the ministers and members of the National Assembly) should not subtly or otherwise sabotage his efforts. He needs to navigate the ship in the ocean of maximalism and of course, minimalism, with some considerable amount of sophistication. PBAT cannot do it alone!  He has to stop imposing more taxes on the citizens. Nigerians have made enough sacrifices. Mr. President should recover some of the stolen monies, and spend them on projects that would positively enrich the hearts and souls of the people. This is accomplishable!

    •Prof Ogundele is of Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.

  • Fela, Church and Nigeria’s struggle for justice

    Fela, Church and Nigeria’s struggle for justice

    • By Joseph Tobias

    Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì exemplified the role and qualities of a prophet, surpassing many so-called men of God who bear the title of prophets in Nigeria today. I understand that categorizing Fela as a religious figure might offend some, especially since much of his life’s work included critiques of religious institutions. Nevertheless, his actions, words, and life mirror those of the prophets in the Old Testament of Christian Scripture. He fought against social injustice, spoke truth to power, used his platform to call for reforms, and stood with the poor, marginalized, and often forgotten.

    Fela’s music was more than mere entertainment; it was a call for social change in a climate characterized by oppressive political scheming, corruption, and human rights violations in Nigeria. Songs like ‘Zombie,’ ‘Sorrow, Tears, and Blood,’ ‘International Thief Thief (I.T.T.),’ and ‘Colonial Mentality’ appealed to the consciousness of the Nigerian masses, urging them to understand their condition. Fela hoped that the collective voices of the people would drown out the oppressive regimes and corrupt systems, birthing a new Nigeria. However, I fear his labour may have been in vain. The people have failed to grasp the significance of his whipped, scarred, and broken body. His provocative music calling for change has become too attuned to the hands holding wine, rather than to minds ready to fight back.

    It worries me that we would have done better as a nation with more voices like Fela, than we are faring with the voices from the pulpits in our churches. Over 133 million people, representing 63% of the population, live in poverty (NBS, 2022). It is estimated that we have 18.5 million out-of-school children (UNICEF, 2023) and more than three million internally displaced individuals due to violence (World Bank, 2022). In Nigeria, the life expectancy is a mere 56 years (Macrotrends, 2024 WHO Data), which is significantly lower than the global average. For context, life expectancy is 77 years in the United States, 81 years in the United Kingdom, and 84 years in Japan (Worldometer, 2024).

    Where is the outrage from our prophets in Nigeria? I strongly believe that the Church and its leaders in Nigeria have a moral obligation to speak out against the unimaginable sufferings and injustices prevalent in the nation. While I strongly believe in the power of prayer, I also believe that we must work towards creating solutions. It is not enough to offer prayers and hope for change; we must cultivate concrete plans that we can take to address the root causes of poverty, lack of education, and violence. Silence is not an option.

    The teachings in Scripture emphasize compassion, justice, and advocacy for the marginalized. Prophets in scripture were given clear directives to speak out against injustice. Amos was told to ‘let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5:24). Micah understood his role to ‘do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8). These prophets, and many others were not silent in the face of corruption and oppression; they confronted kings and rulers, calling them to account, and many lost their lives for speaking truth to power.

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    Therefore, it is an obligation, and a big part of being called into ministry, to use the influence and power of the Church to organize and mobilise the congregation to, partner with non-governmental organizations, and advocate for policies that promote social and economic justice. Silence, in the face of such profound suffering, not only contradicts the core tenets of Christianity but also perpetuates the cycle of poverty and despair.

    To be sure, I understand that Fela was a complex man. Like so many great men and women throughout history, he embodied both extraordinary talent and significant moral failures. His life was marked by personal struggles, including issues with substance abuse and controversial relationships. Notwithstanding, we must recognize that his weaknesses do not diminish, in any way, the profound impact of his life and work. Fela’s used his platform as a powerful tool to bring about social change, address important issues impacting the people, spoke truth to power and advocated for oppressed Nigerians. Just as Fela used his influence to challenge the status quo, the Church in Nigeria must rise to its prophetic calling. Religious leaders are called to do more than offer prayers; note that I am not in any way dismissive of the power of prayer; but practical steps must be taken to confront injustice, support the oppressed, and lead communities towards long changes.

    In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

    •Tobias writes from Texas, United States.

  • Uba Sani’s Kaduna miracle

    Uba Sani’s Kaduna miracle

    • By Magaji James

    The chilling effects of demolition of homes, sack of workers and intimidation of petty traders, along with Almajiri schools’ proprietors and their students would not be forgotten by the people of Kaduna in a hurry. But a magic wand being wielded by the Kaduna’s current governor, Uba Sani has erased doom and heralding a new dawn. Rural folks are now all smiles as the new Kaduna State government has now demonstrated that they deserve a large chunk of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security. How did the governor bring back everyone to the peace and plenty of this era?

    For decades, Kaduna State was plagued by a myriad of challenges that seemed insurmountable. From crippling poverty and unemployment to decrepit infrastructure and a struggling healthcare system, the state’s woes seemed to multiply with each passing year. The current governor’s predecessors have burdened the state with huge debt. Imagine the nearly $600million foreign debt and the over N8 billion local debts? How does a Governor Sani, who hopes to pursue an ambitious rural renewal policy operate?

    How does he fulfil his campaign promises of massive infrastructure and economic empowerment? It is unmistakable that the citizens of Kaduna have never had it so rough, since 2015. Pensioners and other retirees were long forgotten: schools fees in higher institutions of learning in the state were all-time high and parents were grumbling. Small scale business owners had their shops demolished while they were out pursuing business, with no hope of any source new capital to start afresh. Add this to the growing hunger in the land and an unprecedented inflation; it was a hopeless situation requiring urgent institutional intervention.

    Then came Uba Sani’s operation drive away poverty, popularly known as A Kori Talauci”. He gave pensioners and other retirees over N3billion; distributed foodstuff to the poor and underserved; pursued rural electrification and set up townships stadium among many other solutions. There was serious divide along ethnic and religious lines before he came on board, but it is today an open secret that Kaduna has been unprecedentedly united in ethno-religious terms.

    Thankfully therefore, a quiet revolution has been taking place, spearheaded by Uba Sani’s visionary leadership. The pains of the past are fading fast, replaced by a new era of hope and transformation.

    One of the most significant achievements of the Uba Sani administration has been its ability to tackle poverty and unemployment head-on. The Kaduna State Social Protection Programme has been a game-changer, providing vital support to vulnerable populations and empowering young people to build a brighter future. The Youth Empowerment Scheme has also been a huge success, equipping thousands of young people with the skills and resources they need to succeed.

    But it’s not just about numbers; it’s about people’s lives being transformed. Like that of Aisha, a young mother who was struggling to make ends meet but now has a stable income and a chance to build a better life for her family. Or that of Musa, a talented young entrepreneur who was able to turn his passion into a thriving business thanks to the support of the Youth Empowerment Scheme.

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    The administration’s focus on education and healthcare has also yielded impressive results. Schools are being renovated, teachers are being trained, and students are receiving the resources they need to succeed. Healthcare facilities are being upgraded, and lifesaving programs like the Kaduna State Health Insurance Scheme are ensuring that everyone – regardless of income or social status – has access to quality medical care.

    But what’s truly remarkable about Uba Sani’s leadership is his commitment to transparency and accountability. By opening up the state’s finances to public scrutiny and implementing robust anti-corruption measures, he is demonstrating that government can indeed be a force for good. The days of opaque and corrupt governance are behind us – the people Kaduna – replaced by a new era of openness and integrity. It took extraordinary courage for a governor to openly admit that the state’s treasury was in bad shape owing to the heavy debt hung on the state by his predecessor. But those familiar with his civil society background were aware that one day the governor would tell the masses the bitter truth. And history and posterity will remember him as the leader who did not hide the truth from his followers. This action has also taken care of the overloaded expectations that greeted his emergence as the new helmsman of Kaduna State.

    It also encouraging that the indebtedness could not distract him from pursuing robust people-centric policies and programmes for Kaduna citizens. With a cabinet of experienced technocrats and influential politicians, it should not be difficult to see that he was all set to change the narratives with amazing speed. Agreed he is human and therefore not perfect, but Governor Sani is exemplifying the famous Hausa adage that “a good Friday begins with a promising Wednesday”.

    The progress made under Uba Sani’s leadership is a testament to the power of people-centred governance. By prioritizing the needs of citizens and tackling the state’s most pressing challenges, this administration is creating a brighter future for generations to come. As Kaduna State continues to thrive under Governor Sani’s compassionate leadership, we can only hope that other states and the federal government will take note and follow suit.

    In addition, the administration’s efforts to promote peace and security are paying off. Initiatives like the Kaduna State Peace and Security Programme are bringing together community leaders, security forces, and citizens to address conflicts and prevent violence. This collaborative approach is helping to build trust and foster a sense of community, making Kaduna State a safer and more harmonious place to live.

    In conclusion, the pains of the past are fading fast in Kaduna State, replaced by a new era of hope and transformation. Governor Uba Sani’s visionary leadership and commitment to people-centred governance are the reasons why. As we look to the future, we can only imagine the great things that are yet to come for this beloved state and its people. With Uba Sani at the helm, Kaduna State is poised for greatness.

    •James wrote from Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State.

  • Oyebanji and politics of inclusivity

    Oyebanji and politics of inclusivity

    By Segun Dipe

    There is this whining coming from some uncoordinated quarters that Governor Biodun Oyebanji, of Ekiti State, aka BAO, might have been side-lining the party (APC) echelons in his selection for appointments in the state. These whiners also alleged that the opposition parties were getting an unreasonable chunk at the expense of party faithful.

    Those holding this view are perhaps not up to speed with the modern-day democracy. They fail to understand that today’s politics abhors a winner-takes-all pattern of victory known to past elections. A winner today cannot afford to take all, else he or she will know no political peace.

    Perhaps those clamouring for BAO to embrace the winner-takes-all strategy were also absent during his campaign, prelude to the 2022 governorship election. The sing-song of the APC candidate then was that he would make Ekiti an inclusive state if voted in. That he would bring all Ekitians together without any discrimination. That Ekiti will not be a “we” versus “them” in his time, but a state convenient for all to live and earn their living.

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    Also, after the election, BAO stretched his arm of fellowship to all other contestants, their political parties and their leaders, regarding them all as part of his government. He also regarded all past governors of the state as his mentors and leaders, and has since been relating with them as such.

    As an advocate of inclusion, BAO believes that “we” includes every citizen regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion, skin colour, or sexual orientation.

    Michael Ignatieff, the Canadian human rights scholar, defines the ideal inclusive state as, “a community of equal rights-bearing citizens united in patriotic attachment to a shared set of political practises and values.”

    The inclusion of all human beings in the political system is the logical corollary of believing that every individual has moral value. The first victory for politics of inclusion, as against politics of resentment is the formal right of citizens, that is, the incorporation, influence and representation of individuals from all social, ethnic, regional and socio-economic group within democratic institutions.

    BAO today practises politics of equity, politics of diversity, politics of inclusion and politics of belonging (EDIB). And this has to do with his evolvement as an unusual politician.

    Contrary to the known evolution of a politician, BAO was first a statesman before becoming a governor. A statesman is defined as a skilled, experienced and respected political leader. Or how do you refer to someone who was actively involved in the creation of a state? At the formation of Ekiti State, young Oyebanji was the secretary of the committee agitating for the carving out of Ekiti from the old Ondo State, which eventually became a reality. History will be kind to refer to BAO as the youngest founding father of Ekiti State.

    Contrary to some criticism that BAO was not a politician and an unwilling governor, he is actually the most prepared governor Ekiti State has had to date. BAO was not at any point a political rookie. He was qualified and competent to mount the saddle at the time he did. He studied Political Science up to the Masters level, taught politics as a course at the university level, and served under all the progressive governors the state ever had. Yet, he laid claim to no glory when the state took off. He simply withdrew to continue building his career in the corporate world only to be called upon to serve in the government of the first democratic governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and had ever since remained in the corridor of power to learn beyond limits. If such person was not prepared for governance, who then is?

    As regards how BAO has been going about his appointments, he has not reneged in his promise of returning political power to the political party. He gives party leaders in each of the 16 Local Governments and 18 LCDAs the power to nominate those they consider fit to represent them in government. They in turn do so through the leaders in each of the 177 wards across the state and they recommend between 2-5 names as occasion warrants and those names go through screening and shortlisting for the various positions at the state or local government levels.

    Not all, BAO has continually consulted all those who governed the state before him, not minding their party affiliations, he defers to them on matters of governance. His choice of giving them slots in his appointments is also a means of giving them a sense of belonging. In terms of projects, BAO consults the people on their preferences and prioritises projects that directly impact the lives of the people. His empathy for the needs of the people knows no boundary.

    If this is misgovernance, then, the governor’s critics should tell the world what their understanding of governance is. If it is lack of political understanding, then BAO is not willing to learn otherwise. He is today’s governor, not that of yester years.

    •Dipe is the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ekiti State.

  • Riding on the currency of hope

    Riding on the currency of hope

    By Ronke Bello

    In the book “Learning How to Hope”, Sarah M. Stitzlein describes hope (especially in a democracy) as a relationship between the leaders and the led, between government and the people. I would add that naturally, such a relationship from the viewpoint of the led is measured by the impacts obtained from policies, actions and performances of government. While the government aims to continually woo the masses with its well thought out and achievable goals, be it in the shortest, medium or long term, backing it up with brilliant implementations activates hope in the masses.

    Hope especially as a currency, whether as defined by Desmond Tutu as: “being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness” or in the words of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that “Without hope there is no life and without hope there is no salvation” or Paul Tremblay, “Hope is a desperate man’s currency”, one thing is certain, we all need hope!

    The Renewed Hope Team to its credit in the past months have attempted in various ways to fly the hope flag. Hitting the ground running with policies on economy, agriculture, power, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship , healthcare, housing , national security and foreign policy and much more, have been initiated or reformed drawing largely from its Renewed Hope Campaign Blueprint which in itself was christened “Action Plan For A Better Nigeria”.

    How have these policies faired?

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    Undoubtedly, the administration is not taking public communication, information dissemination lightly. The belief that “communication is indeed the act of governance” is well understood. However disseminating information especially on public policies is one thing, whether the citizens understand the contents and its impact is another. On this, public communication strategies must be deliberate in breaking it down while also encompassing millions of citizens that neither read newspapers nor watch the news.

    Furthermore, I agree with the academic and general rule that until citizens are indeed participants of public policies, there would always be an uproar or pushback against some if not all policies that the  people see as harsh and stifling. This can drive the government into policy reversals, policy suspensions or outright policy summersaults which in turn and by default “empowers” the masses even though these policies in themselves are excellent.

    A major example recently is the suspension of the cybersecurity levy. Though better to have a leader who is present and empathetic than one frozen in indifference. Without doubt, the president and his team have good intentions and are in a hurry to deliver on mandates.

    Picking few tips from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Policy Brief might be useful. “That citizens are engaged in Policy-formulation through Information, Consultation and Public Participation. That the benefits of these included strengthening relations with citizens which is a sound investment in better policy-making and a core element of good governance. That this allows governments to tap new sources of policy-relevant ideas, information and resources before or when making decisions and these contribute to building public trust in government and raising the quality of democracy”.

    In a nutshell, citizens through their representatives and the leaders at sub national levels are more likely to understand and buy into these policies if they, the people are contributors to its formation. In a matter of days we shall be rolling out drums to celebrate our first year anniversary and naturally there shall be various opinions and viewpoints, applauses and knocks, cheers and jeers.

     We must be prepared and take all in good faith! It has been a fast year and suddenly it is here upon us… with three more years to go which mostly are progressively interwoven with political interferences and activities. Presently some will argue that a huge percentage of the masses are angry and disenfranchised. This is because their understanding of democracy and good governance is measured not by some intangible assets but by quality of daily life and living in general.

    Yes, inflation especially on food items and medicine, power blackouts, unemployment rates, insecurity to mention a few are still issues of great concern. However, the Tinubu administration thus far has equally recorded some hope renewing and far reaching achievements that can be considered quick wins with far reaching impacts.

    These include attracting short and long-term foreign investments to Nigeria, with the hope that such investments would stimulate and accelerate the job markets, increase productivity and fast track economic growth. These foreign investment drive according to the nation’s Minister of Information and National Orientation in a regular media briefing is in excess of $30 billion , across various sectors.

    The Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF), a direct intervention in  the construction , repairs and upgrading of our nation’s roads, airports seaports, power plants etc. Targeted Economic Support Schemes: grants, education loans, food items, fertilizer distribution, cash transfers, health insurance and consumer credit.  Great examples are the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp) and the Nano business scheme.

    On foreign policy, Nigeria remains an active player at the sub regional level, on the African continent and on the global stage. With the foreign policy approach, dubbed the ‘Tinubu Doctrine: a ‘4-D Diplomacy Strategy’ which according to the government is a policy centred on promoting democracy, driving economic development, harnessing Nigeria’s demographic potential, and engaging with the Diaspora community.

    These are by no way exhaustive as every MDA is indeed up and running even as the nation awaits a robust and encompassing profile of achievements as part of the anniversary.  Without doubt, the president by words and actions is determined to deliver on the Renewed Hope agenda. An agenda that  has moved past just being a mere slogan or policy theme to a call of faith ,knowing that the administration has a pact, in fact a covenant, with Nigerians and will not rest on its oars until our country is secured, prosperous, peaceful, envied and egalitarian.

    •Bello, (Ph.D.), academic, publicist, policy analyst and author writes from Abuja.

  • This is Ghana, not a graveyard

    This is Ghana, not a graveyard

    • By Banji Ojewale

    It’s a Sunday morning in May 2024 in downtown Accra, capital of Ghana. I’m in a church auditorium. Strangely for an African Pentecostal assembly, there are subdued acoustics. The preacher’s message is electronically transmitted. But it is solemnly controlled to stay indoors.

    Later, I find myself in the city’s busy streets. I’m challenged by very long, snaky metallic lines glistening under the sun. Motorists appear horn-shy. I can only hear creaking bursts of engines responding to traffic lights. There are even no flights of tempers or accidents to scuttle the scorching silence everywhere.

    Would dusk make a difference?

    It doesn’t, as I learn on Monday night. It’s eerie evening at Daakuman and Bubuashi, swarming city settlements. For a metropolis known over the generations for its boisterous akpeteshi (ogogoro) joints and beer parlours, there’s an uncommon harrowing hush in the air. I look around. There are customers, alright. However, they have no makeshift kpanlogo implements to knock together to produce something to sway you. Nor is there heavy jukebox music to lift them from their seats. The DJs are not at work, either, their clamorous tools outlawed and idle. The zones’ red bulbs are alive to signal business is on. Soundless and inactive business.

    What’s it like at Bukom Square, cradle of some of the best of Ghana’s soccer stars and boxing greats? I can’t make it there. But it would be ineffable funereal quiescence there, and at Swalaba, Salaga Market and James Town (Mantse Agbonaa), all aboriginal neighbouring communities. These are diehard custodians of culture. It has been claimed that their traditional songs and drumming during festivals stir unborn babies to gyrations in the womb. So, as they step into the world as neonates, they are already conversant with the right dance steps. Now, for one month what’s norm between society, pregnant women and the living beings in their bumps, there’s a lid on music…

    Welcome to Accra, where for the whole month of May, through to early June, the authorities have decreed that the city must be in the grim grip of graveyard silence. There should be noise abatement. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly, AMA, released a statement announcing the ‘ban on drumming and noise-making in Accra…from May 6 to June 6 2024’. The Assembly outlined specific guidelines ‘aimed at maintaining peace, harmony, and national security during the ban period, noting that religious houses are required to conduct their activities solely within their premises’, without placement of loudspeakers outside their buildings. “Additionally,’’ AMA says, ‘roadside evangelism activities are to be suspended during this period, while the Ga Traditional Council, (GTC), has imposed a ban on funeral rites and related activities”.

    A task force of AMA’s personnel, Ghana Police Service and representatives from the city’s Traditional Councils has been equipped to enforce Accra’s clatter closure.

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    The ban is said to be in preparation for the annual Homowo festival of the Ga people, the natives of the capital. They need the intervention of the gods of the land over the ebbing fortunes of the natives.

    Ga, their language, is going into extinction. It has been boxed into a minority in its own territory. Twi has become the dominant communicative tool in Accra. Even the Gas have learned to conduct business in Makola, Accra’s commercial hub, in Twi. Transactions there are in the Akan dialect of Twi. Most traders at Makola are Ashanti of Kumasi, Ghana’s second biggest city. The churches have more congregants in the Twi class than Ga. Radio-TV stations based in Accra, home of the Ga nation, run chiefly Twi programmes. In nearly a week of my stay in the Ghanaian capital, I searched in vain for a feature in the local language on the airwaves.

    There were only a precious few I could communicate with in the language. Where I stayed in a hotel at McCarthy Hill in the heart of Accra, only one member of the staff warmed my heart with Ga. I ran into a professor in another hotel, also in Accra. I opened a discussion on Ghana’s politics with him in Ga. He told me he doesn’t speak the language. He is of the Ewe stock in the Volta Region of Ghana. He has lived in Accra for years, and risen to a ranking academic position. But he’s fluent in Twi, which I don’t speak. In my days as a student at Wesley Grammar School, Odorkor, Accra, decades back, Ga was the ruling tongue. With my Akan friends, Ga came first before theirs. We spoke it in tro-tro buses during regular commute. In other public places and in the homes of Akan schoolmates, it was Ga all through.

    So, what’s gone wrong? The professor traces it to economic power. He told me that over the years the Gas allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by the influx of migrants who ensured good education for their offspring, who in turn rose to take over political and economic levers. They then preyed on their hosts. They seized choice areas of Accra to install controlling businesses and confined the indigenes to such underdeveloped areas as Bukom, Swalaba, James Town etc.

    Ga language has been sorely affected, faced with a bleak future. This is fatal, as it is hitting the foundation of the people’s culture. The next stage is a withering away of the people’s humanity. The experts say ‘Language is what makes us human… Language is a vital part of human connection… Language allows us to share our ideas, thoughts and feelings with others. It has the power to build societies, but also to tear them down…’ You lose it, you lose your essence.

    Ghana’s founding leader, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah understood these dynamics. He tied the citizens’ development to their cultural and educational emancipation. Starting with free education for all, irrespective of your nationality, class or gender, including instituting Workers’ College, he sparked a revolution towards freeing Ghana from ignorance and internal economic serfdom. Unfortunately, local capitalist lords and military conspirators allowed themselves to be suborned by their foreign principals to overthrow Nkrumah and stop his noble work for Ghana and Africa. None of those who came after him in office has attempted taking after him. The charismatic Jerry John Rawlings didn’t go the whole length. He should have rehabilitated Nkrumah’s Convention Peoples Party, CPP, and followed the founding president’s ideological path, instead of his ill-fated romance with National Democratic Congress, NDC.

    This year Ghana is going to the poll again. What the electoral body calls ‘limited’ voters’ registration exercise was on when I visited. There’s a noisy preparation for the election on December 7. I watched TV brickbats of spokesmen for the two dominant parties. There’s no serious talk on how to stop the assault on a nation’s linguistic identity. The only engagement is a local council’s forlorn and feeble fetish asking for a culture of silence to appease deities who have remained silent while those who worship them are dying silently. •Ojewale, an author and journalist, just returned from Accra, Ghana.