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  • Elumelu’s entrepreneurs: A decade of impact

    Elumelu’s entrepreneurs: A decade of impact

    • By Ehi Braimah

    In the summer of 2020, I wrote an article titled, “Tony Elumelu: God’s Gift to Africa,” which was later published as a chapter in my book, ‘My Lockdown Diary: Reflections on Nigeria and Covid-19 Pandemic.’ At the time, the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) marked its 10th anniversary and admitted its 6th cohort in the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

    Elumelu is the chairman of UBA, and chairman of Heirs Holdings, an African investment conglomerate with interests in financial services, healthcare, insurance, energy, hospitality, power, real estate, and technology.

    Once you have a vision to do something, avoid distractions as much as possible and don’t allow anything to hold you back. This is what Elumelu has been doing: dreaming, crafting visions and acquiring knowledge. Ideas rule the world, and the TEF founder has been running with his ideas by investing in different sectors of the economy.

    On top of that, he is Africa’s leading funder of young entrepreneurs.

    When he moved into philanthropy, Elumelu, with the support of his wife, Awele, a medical doctor, launched the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2010. His primary objective was, and is, to create enduring prosperity and social wealth in Africa by empowering young men and women.

    The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme began with the first cohort in 2015. I was one of the pioneer mentors.

    By prioritising young entrepreneurs in Africa, the Tony Elumelu Foundation is investing in the future of the continent. These young business owners and employers have gone ahead to create over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, grossing over $2.5 billion in revenue – a significant impact in a decade.

    During that period, the Foundation trained over 1.5 million young Africans on the digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed over $100 million in direct funding to 20,000 young men and women.

    The initial goal was to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs in 10 years, but all that, as we can see, have changed with time.

    TEF is funded by an annual grant from Heirs Holdings and supported by other companies in the group. In the first five years, TEF spent over N2 billion to achieve its objectives. Each Tony Elumelu entrepreneur is given a non-refundable seed capital of $5,000 to start their own business.

    But the number of grantees grew gradually with support from partners such as Google, African Development Bank, EU, UNDP, etc. This is why Elumelu is calling for a global coalition to expand the reach and impact of the entrepreneurship programme, and unlock the huge economic potential of Africa.

    “Instead of giving seed money to only 1,000 young entrepreneurs, I’m envisaging a time when we can fund 100,000 entrepreneurs,” Elumelu said on March 22 (his birthday) when the new beneficiaries – the 10th cohort of the 10-year-long TEF Entrepreneurship Programme – were unveiled at the UBA Amphitheatre in Lagos.

    Elumelu says we should spread opportunities and democratise luck for our young ones. This is his passion, as he is on a mission to empower young Africans to become wealth creators. He is quick to remind anyone that luck, chance and mentorship helped him to get along on his journey to the top.

    He is always excited when he listens to TEF impact stories across the continent. These captivating stories are the joys of entrepreneurship which Elumelu needs to fire on all cylinders as he embarks on another decade of transforming lives.

    Indeed, most of the TEF entrepreneurs are doing well, while some are failing or have failed. That is to be expected in the topsy-turvy world of entrepreneurship. However, you only need to listen to their testimonials and see how philanthropy can be used to leverage influence and impact in the way TEF under Elumelu’s leadership has done it.

    The icing on the cake is that after 10 years of impact in African philanthropy, the Harvard Business School has launched the Tony Elumelu Foundation as a case study. Harvard researchers intend to examine the role and impact of the Foundation and its unique approach to catalysing entrepreneurship in Africa.

    Harvard Business School will also explore the economic philosophy known as Africapitalism created by Elumelu. Africapitalism is anchored on the strong argument that the private sector must play a pivotal role in Africa’s development, and that investment in strategic sectors must seek social and economic returns.

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    Other billionaires in Africa should emulate Elumelu by creating a legacy of impact in any area of human endeavour. Their interventions should aim at improving the lives of Africans by changing the existing narrative of poverty into prosperity. Humanity is a precious gift, and we have a duty to nurture and preserve it.

    In 2024, over 150,000 entries were received from the 54 countries in Africa, according to Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, but only 1,104 made the cut through a rigorous selection process carried out by Ernst & Young (EY), with 65 percent male and 35 percent female distribution.

    As you would expect, Nigerians dominated the final shortlist with 53 percent, Benin republic had 10 percent, while the rest of Africa was 37 percent.

    The criteria used were: feasibility of each pitch, market opportunity, financial understanding, scalability, and leadership and entrepreneurial skills. The beneficiaries of the 10th cohort have already identified what they will spend their seed money on, but I was not surprised that a majority of them (381) want to invest in agriculture and create agribusiness.

    It is the only way we can boost food security and eliminate hunger and package agricultural products for export. Nigeria can become the food basket of Africa in view of our vast arable land.

    On the industry distribution listed presented by Ernst & Young, we also have information technology (133), beauty & fashion (118), manufacturing (80), education (64), professional services (63), green economy (57), medicine & healthcare (41), media & entertainment (34), logistics and transportation (30), energy and utilities (28), construction (25), tourism & hospitality (23), and FMCG (18).

    From the over 150,000 entries received, 69.8 percent came from West Africa, 0.5 percent from North Africa, 21.1 percent from East Africa, 4.5 percent from Central Africa and 4.1 percent from Southern Africa. But this is not a West African event, neither is language a barrier. We need more participation from the rest of Africa. 

    Elumelu is fond of telling his young entrepreneurs to “hang in there and be positive about your future.” He also says we must spread prosperity in Africa. “The easiest way to spread prosperity in Africa is to identify young entrepreneurs and support them to start their own business,” he told the audience at the unveiling of the 2024 beneficiaries.

    •Braimah is a global public relations consultant and marketing strategist.

  • Farewell Herbert, the fearless Port Harcourt boy

    Farewell Herbert, the fearless Port Harcourt boy

    • By Koko Kalango

    The Port Harcourt in which we grew up, was a Garden City.  The garden seeded a close circle of families who largely knew one another. This community was made up of mainly professionals: decent folks who lived simple, contented lives. This was the Port Harcourt of Herbert’s childhood.

    The majority of our families lived in their own homes in different areas of the Garden City. The Wigwes lived in Rumuibekwe Housing Estate, situated opposite the SHELL Residential Area, as did the Kalangos, the Wilcoxes, the Oruenes, the Fubaras and the Fiberisimas. Recalling their childhood, Sowari Wilcox, tells of how the boys in the neighbourhood thought riding their Chopper, Tomahawk and Grifter bicycles was the ultimate sport until Herbert introduced them to a faster and more exciting one; rolling tyres at high speed. They soon abandoned their bikes and aligned with him, for the thrill of this new adventure.

    Herbert and most of his siblings attended Port Harcourt Primary School as did myself, Rayam (my husband), and many of our friends. Founded in 1960, PHPS was the city’s flagship, international school whose multi-racial staff and student community, was a reflection of the population of Nigeria’s oil-rich city in those days. Our uniform elicited attention wherever we turned up, perhaps because of the notable 56 pounds termly school fees, in the early ‘70s. In primary school, Herbert was a boisterous lad and almost 50 years later, Amie Georgewill (nee Ateli) still remembers her playground altercations with him. Herbert often got into trouble, along with Michael Halliday and Furo Pepple. But, even when the school wanted to take serious disciplinary action against them, Herbert’s constant presence on the class merit list, spared the trio. In primary six, Herbert was voted deputy class prefect, assisting Edward Diete-Koki. He eventually rose to become class prefect.

    Port Harcourt Club was a stone’s throw from Port Harcourt Primary School. Here, we would go, after school, for the weekly Tuesday children’s cinema. Founded in 1928, Port Harcourt Club had its affiliate Golf Course, servicing the leisure needs of the city. Some unforgettable moment for us was the annual end-of-year party when Father Christmas would land in a SHELL helicopter on the lawn of the club, bearing bags of assorted gifts for the happy bunch of children, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

    In planning Herbert’s farewell ceremonies, the Port Harcourt City One Love community aptly chose to include these two landmarks; it organized a three- kilometre walk, taking off from Port Harcourt Club, with a stop at Port Harcourt Primary School before proceeding to Herbert’s Port Harcourt residence, all in the old G.R.A.

    Even if Herbert went on to secondary school and university outside Port Harcourt and settled as a professional in Lagos, he always kept close to his roots, investing in his state, identifying with what was going on back home, and being a part of the city’s groups.  Most prominent amongst these was the Port Harcourt City One Love community, led by his dear friend, Ambassador Idaere Ogan. In December 2023, Herbert recorded a video message to the One Love family, encouraging members to bond to move the city forward, primarily through education and health interventions.

    Herbert did not just talk; he put his money where his mouth was. Through his HOW (Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe) Foundation, he pledged to build primary health centres across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State and he set up the Wigwe University, in his home town of Isiokpo. The Rivers State government honoured him with the Grand Star Service Award.

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    On January 20, Herbert and his wife, Chizoba, were present at a fair organized by the Wigwe University, in Port Harcourt. My eldest sister, Eka Wokoma, a professor at the University of Port Harcourt, was in attendance. After the conference, she mentioned that Herbert and Chizoba were most unassuming, apparent from their disposition and his remarks on the day.

    Indeed, Herbert had a heart for education. In the course of our work at the Rainbow Book Club, I reached out to him. Impressed by our ambitious plans to Get Nigeria Reading, beginning from Port Harcourt, he supported us and sent the ACCESS Bank CSR team to partner us to set up book clubs in schools. We did our best to keep him informed as we made progress, particularly when Port Harcourt was named UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.

    Even if Herbert was a success story (co-founding ACCESS Bank with his friend Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, serving as CEO of the bank and then as CEO of ACCESS Holdings), he was humble and humane. But, this would not come as a surprise if you knew his parents, Pastors Shyngle and Stella Wigwe, as well as his siblings, Joyce, Emeka, Peggy, Stella, even late Osita.

    The last footprint of Herbert I witnessed was on a WhatsApp group that had been set up for the funeral of another Port Harcourt boy – Ikwunga Wonodi, who was Herbert’s classmate in Port Harcourt Primary School. Herbert’s generous contribution to the purse for Ikwunga’s funeral came in on his last day on earth, Friday, February 9. That was Herbert for you – giving till the end.

    Herbert, his wife Chizoba, and their son Chizi, died in a helicopter crash in the USA on their way from California to Nevada to attend the Super Bowl LVIII. He left behind four children.

    The week-long funeral programme we began in Lagos, culminated in Isiokpo, Rivers State, where Herbert, Chizoba and Chizi were laid to rest on the grounds of the Wigwe University, ahead of its opening in September 2024.

    The world has lost a good man. Africa has lost a visionary leader. Nigeria has lost a pacesetting patriot. Rivers State has lost a shining star. Farewell Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, the fearless Port Harcourt Boy.

    •Kalango MON, writes from Port Harcourt.

  • Knowledge or religion economy: Nigeria versus the world

    Knowledge or religion economy: Nigeria versus the world

    • By Maxwell Adeleye

    In today’s world economy, the contradiction between the knowledge economy and the religion economy presents a compelling narrative that determines every nation’s development. While some countries’ development relies on their innovation, scientific advancement, and investment in education skills, Nigeria seems stuck in a cycle of dependency on religious fervour, neglecting the human intellect and creativity they are blessed with.

    Nations practicing the knowledge economy are nations that have harnessed the power of human intellect, innovation, and education to drive economic growth and prosperity. They are trained to ask questions, research, and proffer solutions regardless of the situation. Japan, a true example, stands as a proof to the transformative potential of the knowledge economy. Even with its lack of substantial natural resources, Japan leveraged its skills in technology, research, and development to emerge as one of the world’s most prosperous nations, with zero tolerance for religious extremists.

    In contrast to Nigeria’s reliance on divine intervention, Japan’s success is based on critical thinking, problem-solving, scientific research, and continuous learning. Japanese society has always prioritized education, investing heavily in research institutions, and promoting a conducive environment for technological innovation and development. This has not only helped Japan sustain its economy but also influenced its global markets with its rapid advancements in automotive, electronics, and robotics industries.

    On the opposite, the religion economy shows a cycle of dependency on divine intervention while neglecting the promising potential of human intellect and ingenuity. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s examples, grapples with systemic issues stemming from her over-reliance on religious faith to address socio-economic challenges, coveting the development of other countries while asking “God When?” without taking any steps towards emulating the development process.

    Despite being blessed with abundant natural resources, over 60 years after independence, Nigeria lags behind in overall development, plagued by corruption, poverty, and infrastructural decay, and still categorized as a developing country. The continuous collapse of industries and the rise in the number of religious institutions in Nigeria proves the influence of the religion economy, where leaders and citizens await divine interventions for intellectual solutions. The reliance of Nigerians on faith-based solutions not only deters progress but also increases the socio-economic disparities, degrading Nigeria to the level of the “poverty capital of the world.”

    Using Israel and Saudi Arabia as case studies proves the notion that religious affiliation prevents economic prosperity. Despite their religious significance as the birthplaces of Christianity and Islam, respectively, both nations embraced the knowledge economy, leveraging innovation, and strategic investments to bolster their economies. Israel is renowned for its development of technology and defence, signifying the cordial relationship between knowledge and economic development. Through investments in research and development, Israel has emerged as a global leader in cybersecurity, agriculture, and medical technology, promoting economic growth and technological innovation. Similarly, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have made significant strides in diversifying their economies beyond oil dependence; they prioritize investments in education, infrastructure, and technological innovation. The UAE, in particular, is currently known as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, catalysing economic growth through initiatives such as Dubai’s Knowledge Village and Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.

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    In contradiction to the successes of Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, Nigeria’s adherence to the religion economy has enabled a cycle of underdevelopment and stagnation. Despite its vast potential, rather than development, Nigeria continues to grapple with several minor issues ranging from corruption and unemployment to inadequate infrastructure and healthcare- all man-made issues that can be solved with human intellects and research if well-funded. Yet citizens await divine intervention for solutions.

    Rather than provide funding for development, Nigerian leaders continue to allocate substantial resources for religious tourism and religious infrastructure. In 2022, A state governor spent N24 billion on erecting a worship centre in the oil rich Niger/Delta region when the people have no access to pipe borne water. Same year, another state governor subsidized Hajj pilgrimages for citizens to the tune of N20billion. These further buttressed the point of Nigerian leaders’ misplaced priorities. This money could have been invested in education, research, innovation, and sustainable development. Rather, Nigeria squanders resources on religious issues that offer fleeting solace but do little to address the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment.

    The comparison of the knowledge economy and the religion economy serves as a wakeup call for Nigeria to reassess their economic priorities and embrace knowledge and innovation, the path to development and growth. While religious faith and spirituality hold huge value for the citizens and should not be ignored, they must not overshadow the nations’ investment in human capital, education, and technological advancement.

    Nigeria, blessed with millions of intellectuals who are sought after all around the globe, should harness its abundant resources and human potential to advance herself towards prosperity and national development. Embracing the knowledge economy by prioritizing investments in education, research, and infrastructure, Nigeria can transcend the bondage of the religion economy and fully embrace her title as the ‘Giant of Africa’.

    •Adeleye sent this piece from London, United Kingdom.

  • The beleaguered royalty

    The beleaguered royalty

    • By Olabode Lucas

    The British Royalty is perhaps the most visible and most discussed institution in the world. Its influence and admiration extend beyond the shores of Great Britain where it’s domiciled, and also beyond Commonwealth countries where the British monarch is the ceremonial head. The whole world revers this British institution and it was therefore not surprising when the French President, Emmanuel Macron, described Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain as the ‘Queen of the World’ when the Queen died in 2002.

    In view of the huge and extraordinary fascination the whole world has for the British Royalty, any news about the royalty and its members dominates the air waves and newspaper headlines all over the world and such news usually temporarily keeps the world at a standstill. It was therefore not surprising that the recent announcement by Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales that she has been diagnosed for cancer gripped the whole world, with millions all over the world sending messages of sympathy to her.

    Before this disclosure by the Princess of Wales about her health situation, she was known to be recovering from abdominal surgery which she undertook at a high brow London clinic in January. Her medical conditions had before then led to unrelenting probing by the usually ubiquitous British and international press.  She did not help matters by posting a Mother’s Day family photograph on March 10, which many press organizations considered to be manipulated. She later apologized for this unedifying action.  In order to give the impression that all was well with her health, she posted a photograph of her and her husband, Prince Williams in a car on the street of Windsor.

    The news that Kate, the Princess of Wales is having cancer would no doubt be a big blow to the British royalty. This is really a bad time for the institution. On February 5, the King, Charles III himself was announced to be afflicted with cancer after he has had a prostate surgery although his doctors told the world that the cancer was not related to the prostate. Subsequently, the king’s public appearances were cancelled, and he has been restricted to Buckingham Palace for routine royal activities. The public appearance of Princess of Wales too, has been cancelled for the foreseeable future because of the unsavoury development in her health situation. There is no doubt that this is a very bad development for the British royalty because the princess who is now the most glamorous member of the royal family after the departure of Princess Diana is sick. She and King Charles are the most adored members of the British royal family. British royalty thrives on its organic connection to the British people.

    With the king and the Princess of Wales out of public glare, the appearances of members of the British royalty are now unduly limited. Most the public duties of the royalty would now be carried out by Prince Williams who is the heir apparent.  In carrying out this task, he would no doubt be distracted by his wife’s health situations. Prince Williams would no doubt be assisted by Queen Camilla who is already representing her husband in some events.  Princess Anne, the Princess Royale and Prince Edward, the new Duke of Edinburgh would also now appear more in the public. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan who have stepped back from royal duties and the disgraced Prince Andrew are not likely to carry out any royal duties during this period.

    King Charles III, who waited to be king for many years, became King of Great Britain at the age of 75 on September 2022 after the death of her mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He had his coronation in May 2023 and nine months later he was found to have cancer. The king’s doctors have not told the world whether the cancer is life-threatening or benign. The British royalty despite the glamour and pomp and pageantry associated with it, is not immune to the tension, frustration, family rivalry and medical afflictions common in any ordinary family anywhere in the world. The British royal family has recorded many high-profile divorces. Queen Elizabeth II’s sister, Princess Margaret divorced her husband, David Armstrong-Jones in 1978, while Princess Anne, the Queen only daughter and once the second in the line of succession divorced her husband Mark Phillips in 1992 and remarried the same year. The most celebrated divorce in British royalty was the one between the then Prince Charles who is now the king and Lady Diana Frances Spencer popularly referred to as Lady D. Prince Charles and Lady Diana married in on July 29, 1981, and divorced in 1996. Prince Charles subsequently married her heart throb, Camilla Bowles in 2005. 

    Diana was a glamourous lady who brought excitement and life into the otherwise conservative British royalty. Princess Diana was loved by millions of people all over the world and the way he was treated by the British royalty when she died on April 31, 1997 almost brought down the royalty. It took the genial apologetic personality of Queen Elizabeth II to douse the tension generated by the indifference of the royalty to the death.

    The British royalty has also been involved in scandals over the years. The latest is the scandal caused by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York through his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the American millionaire sex offender. A woman by the name Virginia Giuffre said she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew as an underage in 2001. This revelation was embarrassing to the British royalty especially Queen Elizabeth II who settled the case in 2002 at a very high financial cost. Prince Andrew although divorced, was a prince with a promise and well-focused. He served as a naval officer who served gallantly during the Falkland War. For the embarrassment he brought to the British royalty, he was stripped of his royal duties and subsequently became the black sheep of the family.

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    The House Windsor known before 1971 as the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is the official name of British royal family and it was kept from falling apart through the ingenuity and placid personality of the legendary Queen Elizabeth II who reigned for 70 years and 214 days.  She was loved by her people and millions of people around the globe. It is known that she never uttered any displeasing and offensive word in public throughout her reign. With her death and the ascension of her son Prince Charles to the throne, the future of the British royalty is now a subject of speculations.

    Many people especially young ones have doubt about its survival in this modern era where royalty is considered archaic. In Great Britain, a little over 10% wants the monarchy to be abolished. During the recent coronation of Charles III, many people carried placards with inscription “Charles is not my King.”

    The present dicey health situation of King Charles III less than a year after his coronation, coupled with health problem of Kate, the Princess of Wales cast an ominous shadow on the future of British royalty.  Also, the sex scandal involving Prince Andrew and the rivalry and cold war between Prince Williams and Prince Harry are still festering and damaging the image of the British royalty. With all these, British royalty appears beleaguered.

    • Prof Lucas writes from Old Bodija, Ibadan.
  • Nigeria and the fetish of money

    Nigeria and the fetish of money

    • By Chike F. Okolocha

    In Nigeria, money is assumed to have an autonomous existence from human beings on account of which it is eternally reified, glorified and worshipped. This is a manifestation of the triumph of financial capital over productive capital. Money is the king! This is why we are carried away by the whiff of money.

    Individuals dressed in flowing robes and driving expensive cars are immediately assumed to have a lot of money and are hailed. Chances are that if such persons are not already chiefs, they will be made so sooner than later, irrespective of their means of livelihood. These “big” men always attract hangers-on and praise-singers who just want money, nothing else.

    As a matter of fact, nobody wants to know howsoever money is acquired and any objection is smothered with money. We do everything, even kill, kidnap or sell ourselves to get more money. The end justifies the means and achievement is a function of the quantum of money spent! In this process, our traditional institutions have aided and abetted the amoral glorification of money over honour. Those who acquire their wealth “overnight” are particularly wont to seek social approval by acquiring status symbols such as big cars and heavy jewellery. They are also engulfed in conspicuous spending while taking chieftaincy titles, marrying new wives and throwing lavish parties to celebrate birthdays and open or “warm” their new houses.

    As a nation, we mistake having more money with being wealthier, happier, more productive, developed and modern. On this count, Nigeria is said to be a rich country, blessed with natural and non-natural resources including petroleum and all manners of liquid, molten and solid minerals, cash crops, a huge population base, etc. But we are mute on the fallouts of Nigeria’s proverbial wealth and portentous endowments. For example, we seem to be oblivious that our achievement of being Africa’s biggest economy is counterbalanced by the burden of having the highest number of multi-dimensionally poor people in the world.

    How do we justify so much poverty surrounded by so much wealth? Unfortunately, many state governments are emulating the “success” of the federal government in growing their economies amidst worsening infrastructure, poverty and unemployment.

    Similarly, on account of their unimaginable, super-sized annual profits, Nigerian banks are said to rank among the most profitable global institutions, with bankers and former bankers strutting the world as nouveau riche billionaires. Some of these own private universities and lope about in private jets. Yet, in comparative terms, Nigerian banks render some of the worst services in the world. In spite of their alleged deployment of technology, they will probably score highest in any Customer Suffering Index, if constructed. The long-suffering bank customers are obligated to wait forever for services, pay for anything and everything including money transfer from personal accounts, emails, bank alerts, debit cards, etc. Well, the customer does not matter as long as the banks are making money, the Nigerian god.          

    In our quest for money, we forget Nwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the founding president of the United Republic of Tanzania, who famously admonished poor countries not to depend on money, a scarce resource, for national development. His logic was very simple: you are trapped in poverty once you depend on what you do not have (that is, money) to get out of poverty. His recipe was equally logical: the way out of underdevelopment was for poor countries to depend on people, the principal resource they have in great abundance. You may recall that James Chambers (a certain Jamaican musician popularly known as Jimmy Cliff) once advocated in a song released in 1974 that “Money Won’t Save You”. While I do not disagree with Jimmy Cliff that “only truth and righteousness” can save, there is little doubt that people are the key to success, not money.

    One best way of focussing on Nigeria’s abundant human endowment is education. South Korea which was roughly at the same level of development with Nigeria in the early 1960s, caught up with and joined the OECD nations in 1996 largely because of its dynamic and successful educational policy, ranking as one of the countries with the best educated workforce in the world. Similarly, Cuba’s survival despite American stranglehold re-imposed during the presidency of Donald Trump, is owed almost entirely to her robust and flourishing educational system which has been commended by UNESCO. In the interest of the future of Nigeria and her massive population, the country needs stop the free fall in her educational system.  

    Our new conception of money has transformed it from being a symbol of purchasing power to a symbol of power; from a means to an end to an end in itself. We therefore conceptualise our problems and their solutions in terms of money. For example, in the early years of the current Fourth Republic, Nigeria spent a whopping US$16 billion to improve electricity supply but nothing changed. Now, nobody talks about that thumping expenditure. To bury the matter, government launched a new Electricity Road Map which shifted responsibilities away from it. And suddenly, in a move without any precedent in the world, we were informed that Nigeria paid the sum of US$12 billion in one fell swoop to its foreign lenders in order to secure a forgiveness of the balance loan sum of US$18 billion. Government praised itself for pulling off this spectacular stunt but failed to explain the purpose of the loans or how they were disbursed. Anyway, the money was spent and that is what is important.

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    Those with a sense of history may trace the sovereignty of the money over Nigerians back to the First Republic when politicians and public officials colluded with businesspersons to corner 10 percent of the sum of government contracts. Ever since, the focus has geometrically shifted to money, not contracts. In one instance, US$2.8 billion worth of oil revenues vanished while government reportedly wasted a total of US$500 billion from the self-same oil revenues between 1999 and 2015. It is also alleged that a humongous sum of N10 trillion was paid out as subsidies to marketers of petroleum products between 2008 and 2020 even as the professed recipients deny receiving anything.

    Alas, money has become the raison d’etre of Nigerians, and we have all become alienated from the naira and its real functions. We are now only concerned about how much money is voted for projects, not how many kilometres of roads or how many classrooms are built. As government continues to yield to market forces and withdraw from public space, citizen welfare becomes more deprecated and NEMA now calculates its services in terms of money spent, not lives saved. Due to pervasive financialisation circumscribed by supposedly free market forces, Nigerians have lost the real value of the naira as tomato and pepper retailers now hinge prices on prevailing dollar exchange rate. Recently, while many Nigerians were in the streets protesting poverty, inflation and high costs of living, government abruptly announced that foreign reserves have grown to US$34 billion and raised interest rates to 22.75% while inflation had climbed to 30%. Everything is about money and we have increasingly lost confidence in our human power as creators of money. The fetishism of money is a delusion that needs to be urgently exorcised.     

    • Professor Okolocha writes from the University of Benin.      
  • Nigeria’s unwarranted food crisis

    Nigeria’s unwarranted food crisis

    • By Oluwole Ogundele

    Food is one of the basic needs of man, down the ages. This fundamental need is not status-bound.  Both the oppressed and the oppressors must eat food in order to survive. However, food resources and their modes of exploitation do vary from one region to another. This is intertwined with diverse geographies and social histories.  Therefore, agriculture is a component of culture. 

    Any country that has severe food shortages will certainly experience a disturbance of its socio-economic equilibrium. Such a situation makes sustainable peace and progress impossible. It is compulsory for every country to pay serious attention to agriculture or food production.  Agriculture as a group behavioural trait is dynamic in nature. Thus, for example, foreign crops are occasionally incorporated into a new region or regions as a result of human migrations. This shows the trans-regional and/or trans-oceanic character of agriculture. Indeed, the world is to some degree, about giving and taking. This leads to new socio-cultural identities, with a special emphasis on culinary behaviours. The scenario is a manifestation of the often poorly understood oneness of human heritage across the globe.

    Nigeria has been experiencing food shortages in recent times. These shortages have reached an unprecedented level in the last one or two years. The situation is not unconnected to local and global challenges.

    According to the Global Hunger Index, Nigeria is on the edge of a precipice of huge proportions, as starvation including poor human nutrition continues to go from bad to worse. Food preservation is still being poorly handled by the government. No preparations for the rainy day, as food wastages define our harvest and immediate post-harvest seasons. Human population is increasing at a much faster rate than the food supply. Again, the ugly effects of the global pandemic called Covid-19 in Nigeria in 2020 cannot be over-emphasized.

    Similarly, the Russia-Ukraine war and climate change, are also leading to food shortages or crisis in Nigeria.  This is in addition to political instability and hyper-inflation.

    Before the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, only about 135 million peoples belonging to 53 different nations faced the risk of starvation. As of 2023, at least 345 million humans in 79 countries or thereabouts, have started getting much hungrier and of course, angrier. However, the Nigerian case is very alarming. Food production levels have dropped significantly in the land, due to aggravated insecurity. More and more farmers are fleeing their villages as a result of banditry and kidnapping on a regular basis. Human lives and those of chickens are now on a par.

    Crop preservation based on sophisticated, modern techniques, is still very unpopular despite the numerous experts locally available. Farming communities continue to depend on the indigenous storage facilities like earthen pots, large baskets, pits, and granaries with thatched roofs.

    This approach needs to be modernised and enlarged, in view of the ever-increasing human population in Nigeria. It will certainly promote large-scale preservation of food resources for local consumption and exports. Indeed, our local agricultural engineers and closely related professionals, have to develop appropriate technologies firmly rooted in the Nigerian indigenous knowledge systems. This is achievable in the face of uncommon determination and financial discipline of all the critical stakeholders.  Nigeria has to begin to use what it has, to get what it needs.

    There is no justification for Nigeria to be so backward in food production among other things, given the enormity of the resources at its disposal. Nigeria’s huge arable land area, river networks, good climate, and a superb coastal expression, as well as fine-grained human capital, are enough to keep hunger/starvation away from the country’s vocabularies of popular discourse.  But it is a pity, that Nigeria imported 304,043 metric tons of palm oil from Malaysia in 2023. Nigeria spent about $43.4 million to buy palm oil from Malaysia in the third quarter of 2022.

    It is pertinent to note here, that oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) was originally found in the tropical rain forest region of West Africa especially southern Nigeria. The details of how the seeds got to parts of Asia particularly Malaysia and Indonesia may be understood as research progresses in the future. The only thing that is clear for now is that Malaysia got oil palm seeds from West Africa, most probably during the latest phase of the stone age period (at least 2,000 years ago). Early Malaysian farmers successfully adapted this crop to their agricultural landscape. Oil palm was at least semi-domesticated or domesticated approximately 3000 B.C.E (5000 years ago) in certain areas of Nigeria.  Today, Nigeria is importing palm oil from this Asian geo-polity, due largely to colossal leadership failure enshrined in mammoth corruption.

    The greater part of the land area of Israel is in the desert. This is not good for agricultural productions without the aid of modern technologies. Only about 20 percent of the land area here is arable. But despite this unfavourable geographical condition, Israel is a country to reckon with, as far as modern agriculture is concerned. This is traceable to modern technologies and committed political leadership. Israel has subdued or conquered its geographical space, contrary to what obtains in Nigeria.

    Nigeria has no excuses!  The leadership must confront the menace of unbridled insecurity.  All bandits, kidnappers, and their evilly sponsors must be severely dealt with. Stop playing politics with the issue of security!  The intelligence units of our security agencies need to do much more than hitherto. Saboteurs (enemies of our society) should not have a place to stand. Enough is enough!  Rural farming is key to sustainable food productions. Farmers like other citizens need peace in order to engender progress. We have to develop irrigation systems. Appropriate technologies for agricultural operations including processing, are very important especially in the face of an ever-increasing human population.

    Read Also: Bad governance rendered Nigeria a weak African giant- Tinubu

    Most Nigerian roads have collapsed. Even the rural roads directly under the control of state governments, have been abandoned due to their terrible conditions. Consequently, a lot of food resources are getting spoilt because of our inability to transport them to the cities. Only a small amount of farm produce reaches our urban settlements for sale, naturally at exorbitant prices.

    This gross lack of basic infrastructural facilities especially in the rural settlements continues to engender greater rural-urban migrations, with their attendant pressures on the already undeveloped cities. Crime rate goes up daily, in the face of huge material poverty and hopelessness. 

    Our political leaders should remember that abject poverty dehumanises. A dehumanised person is a big threat to society. The Nigerian leaders (with a few exceptions) are unashamedly, using loaves of bread to clear the soup for the entirety of the citizenry. No justice, no equity, no peace, and by extension, no progress! A successful agricultural revolution cannot be staged in the face of mammoth economic/financial improprieties that define and rule our leadership space. Indeed, the Nigerian masses are surrounded by a lot of “Janjaweed” leaders. They have put Nigeria under siege.  Our divinities especially Ogun, Shango, Magucanzi, and Amadiora are unhappy with them! Can and will PBAT change this narrative for the sake of posterity?

    • Prof Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.
  • Power minister and his power bank

    Power minister and his power bank

    SIR: A few days ago, I stumbled upon a photo, shared by a X (twitter) user, of Bayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, supposedly using a power bank to charge his mobile phone while at a formal event.

    Unbelievable as it may seem, but it is likely to be probable, especially as electricity in the country has been unstable in recent weeks and it affects everyone. I recall reading in the news some time ago that the Senate could not hold a plenary recently because of a power outage.

    Adelabu was quick to blame the situation on the low supply of gas to power-generating companies. Meanwhile, Nigerians have labelled him “a failed power minister” forgetting that the electricity woes of the country did not start today. And I dare say that the end is not in sight.

    Was it not just last month that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, released a list of its high-ranking debtors, among which were the Presidential Villa, the Ministry of Finance, and quite surprisingly, the Ministry of Power, among others? The AEDC reported an accumulated debt of N47 billion. Is it not curious that government agencies and ministries default in paying bills as important as the “NEPA bill”?

    If the government itself is not fulfilling its obligation to pay its bills, how can it expect everyone else to? And how do they hope to resolve the country’s years-long power woes? These are not just questions of comfort; they are questions of progress. The political class should lead by example!

    There is the issue of regular national grid collapses too. Despite significant investment, the national grid continues to be fragile, plunging the entire country into darkness with frustrating regularity. This is not just an inconvenience; it is a major hurdle to economic growth and development that the government has yet to find a lasting solution to. The recent grid collapse on February 4, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address our power sector frustrations.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Power Minister summons AEDC, IBEDC, TCN over erratic electricity supply

    Beyond technical issues, another significant culprit is the perpetual problem of electricity cable vandalism. These acts of theft are more than just a nuisance. This year alone, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has reported about five incidents across the country. In all the cases, no arrests have been made, making me wonder about the efforts of the government to secure these crucial infrastructures. The motives behind this crime are varied. Some steal copper cables to sell on the black market, while others target transformers for their oil. Regardless of the reason, the impact is undeniable.  A single incident can disrupt the power supply to thousands of homes and businesses, stalling economic activity and straining already-stretched resources.

    It is in light of these myriad challenges that Adebayo aspires to push the country’s electricity generation to 20,000 megawatts by 2025. His aspiration seems overly optimistic with the frequency of power cuts in the country today. Nigeria’s current power generation hovers around 4,000 megawatts, leaving millions without access to reliable electricity. Eighty-six million Nigerians lack access to electricity, according to a report by the World Bank. This makes Nigeria the country with the largest number of people without access to electricity globally.

    Of course, Nigerians deserve better. We deserve a power sector that functions as a reliable engine for growth, not a flickering candle offering fleeting moments of light. Only time will tell if Adebayo’s plan will illuminate a path towards a brighter future for Nigeria’s power sector. But until it happens, I would advise every Nigerian to take a cue from our power minister: get a power bank so as to not run out of battery on mobile devices—a solar power bank for that matter, since there might be no electricity to charge an electric-powered one.

    • Ezinwanne Onwuka, ezinwanne.dominion@gmail.com.
  • Delta ambush and the need for urgent action

    Delta ambush and the need for urgent action

    SIR: In August last year, no less than 36 military personnel were killed in an ambush by a gang of bandit-terrorists operating in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

    On Thursday, March 16, Nigerian citizens woke up only to encounter another episode of nightmares added to the inventory list of terror attacks on the Armed Forces of the country.

    The men of the 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army were on a rescue and peace mission to the Okuoma community in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta, but were waylaid by a terrorist gang and ultimately paid the supreme price with their lives.

    According to the Defence Headquarters, those killed were the General Commanding Officer (GOC) of the Battalion, A.H. Ali, a Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain, and 12 other soldiers.

    Since then, the Nigerian troops have intensified their search around the creeks and lagoons with the intent of apprehending the perpetrators so as to bring them to justice. It is gratifying that four suspects have been arrested so far while others were at large.

    It is worrisome and terrifying that the military, which is mandated to safeguard the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure the protection of the lives and properties of citizens, is now becoming an ‘endangered species’ and the subject of maiming and brutal killing at the hands of non-state actors.

    Read Also: Niger Delta group condemns raid on Clark’s home, demands apology

    Recently, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) confirmed the arrest of six suspects connected with the murder of six policemen in Ohoro Forest in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

    For how long will these ugly trends continue? Honestly, it is long overdue to end these wanton killings of security personnel.

    It is still fresh in our minds how bandits in March 2022 invaded Nigeria’s highest defence and security training hub, the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, in Kaduna. Aside from killing some soldiers, reports claimed that the bandits also abducted a senior military officer.

    The brutal murder of 17 valiant soldiers and subsequent mutilation of their vital organs by unidentified assailants in Delta State was not just an attack on our military; it was an attack on the very fabric of our nation, which calls for urgent action to review the overall national security strategy and national defence policy.

    This horrific incident is not an isolated one. In recent memory, we’ve witnessed similar tragedies unfold where brave men and women in uniform fell victim to well-laid ambushes. A pattern is emerging, and ignoring it puts even more lives at risk.

    Are these attacks random or part of a larger, more sinister plot? A thorough investigation must be conducted, not just to apprehend the perpetrators but to unearth any potential hidden agendas.

    However, the enemies seem adept at exploiting vulnerabilities.

    However, security experts and analysts have continued to blame weakness in the processes of gathering and sharing intelligence among the security forces as the major reason why they are becoming victims of deadly ambushes by non-state actors.

    Furthermore, the possibility of a deeper conspiracy targeting the military cannot be ignored. The immediate past defence chief, retired General Lucky Irabor, once raised an alarm about the presence of fifth columnists within the military who compromised troops’ operations by leaking vital information to adversaries.

    The silence of those who may have knowledge is deafening. There is an urgent need for anyone with information to come forward. Protecting our nation requires a collective effort. There can be no tolerance for those who seek to undermine our national security.

    The strengthening of intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is now paramount. The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA, should be a step ahead, anticipating threats and proactively protecting our forces. Advanced reconnaissance, reliable informants, and effective communication are crucial to preventing these tragedies.

    Let the memory of the fallen in Delta State be a catalyst for change. We must fortify our defences, expose any conspiracies, and bring the perpetrators to justice. Only then can we truly honour the sacrifice of our fallen heroes and safeguard the peace they fought to preserve.

    • Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi, Kano.
  • Bobrisky versus Portable: A comic relief

    Bobrisky versus Portable: A comic relief

    SIR: The media sensation is on the crescendo with the recent melodrama between social media warlords, Idris Okuneye (Bobrisky) and Habeeb Okikiola (Portable). The duo of Bobrisky and Portable on social media can be regarded as celebrities who maintain relevance amid crisis and controversy.

    Bobrisky and Portable have two Unique Selling Points in common, and that is controversy. The moment of cash out and screaming headlines for both social influencers is when they are in controversy. The duo have no regard for status and hierarchy of social class. They make millions out of controversy than their usual talents.

    The two careless talkers are currently at loggerheads as a result of the award given to Bobrisky as the most well-dressed at the Eniola Ajao Movie Premiere. An average Nigerian sense of inquisitiveness will be stirred to know the rationale behind decorating a cross-dresser as the most well-dressed woman among actresses. For me, it is outright illogical and loathsome for a crossdresser to go home with such a delightful award meant for women. Eniola Ajao pulled a wrong publicity stunt. 

    Read Also: Women have to accept me, I’m part of the sisterhood – Bobrisky

    From the point of the event, Bobrisky needs no stargazer to tell him that a bomb would come his way for bagging such award. He would definitely envisage the buzz but would not consider it coming from a Wahala musician. Had Bobrisky fully aware of his media war with Portable, he would have sheathed his sword and ignored him. Like the Yoruba adage, a pragmatic warrior absconds some battles and faces some. Bobrisky should have abandoned Portable and faced actresses who invited him to grace the event squarely.  

     Bobsrisky and Portable on this table are like posh pigs living in an affluent of controversy and mystic criticism. But Bobrisky has lost the battle on arrival; the only point that hits Portable is when he is being addressed as a dirty boy. For Portable, his recent diss track is already a hit on social media with many shares, likes, and comments. This is the only moment Nigerian media users are on the same page with Zazuu Crooner because of the kind of person he is wrestling with.

    An average Nigerian detests Bobrisky with passion, the main reason why Portable has gained more momentum. Except for the court order, I see the current ballyhoo in the media space between Mummy of Lagos and Ika of Africa as a comic relief against economic hardship. A big thanks to the creative industry, Nigerians deserve to be relieved.

    • Usman Issa, Kwara State.
  • Killing of soldiers in Okuama community

    Killing of soldiers in Okuama community

    • By Mike Kebonkwu

    This time calls for deeper reflection and circumspection on the targeting and killings of soldiers and other security agents in the line of duty and the consequence on the safety and security of the country.  We should try and suppress emotions, sentiments and probable innate resentment for security agents for occasional out-of-step infractions during their operations.  The country is facing real existential threat due to insecurity caused by ethnic militias operating with audacity. The core centre of our national security has been targeted by criminal gangs. Soldiers have fallen into ambushes and attacks by insurgents and bandits before with casualties. But what happened on March 14 in Okuama in Delta State has no parallel. 

    The attack on soldiers in Okuama and indeed any other community in the country is a direct attack on the state which undermines the territorial integrity of the country.  Nigerians should not be mourning the death of those 17 gallant officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army cut down by assassins’ bullets, and butchered with knives in the line of duty.  We should be mourning the gradual dissolution and erosion of power of the state and taking over the country by criminals and their backers.  The national flag should be flying at half-mast not for those brave soldiers that paid the supreme price, but for the entire nation that is still unable to decide what it wants between protecting a few criminals in ethnic toga and the unity and safety of the country. 

    We are all lamenting that Nigeria is not safe; why is Nigeria not safe?  Nigeria is not safe because we arm and support ethnic militias and hooligans and unleash them on the state for political negotiations and money.  There is poor law enforcement because we have rendered the government institutions and agencies responsible impotent and prostrate. 

    It was a most horrifying scene to see human beings, soldiers killed, dismembered and butchered like animals and their body parts and entrails removed as if for sacrificial rituals to appease some angry gods.  Those Okuama youths are brutal cultists high on substance, and inhuman in the extreme.   Nobody should be killed like that; not even enemies in the battlefield.  To do that to law enforcement agents, and soldiers on lawful duties as emissaries is not just cruel but unacceptable; denouncing it is not just enough.

    I will explain further.  It is a fundamental customary practice and convention that you do not kill emissaries; you may not like or accept their message.  Soldiers represent the coercive arm of state power and authority; killing soldiers in line of duty is not just an affront but a challenge to state authority; it is a recipe for disaster and an invitation to anarchy. Whatever the mission of those soldiers to Okuama, those errant youths took their luck too far and crossed the red line by killing them in that gory, gruesome manner in such display of barbaric savagery.

    For a community that allows such a sacrilege to be committed on its soil, it should be also ready for the calamity and consequences of its conspiracy of silence and complicity. Without justifying revenge or reprisal killings, it must always be noted that a friend to an enemy is also an enemy; and whoever provides cover and platform for an enemy is equally an enemy! 

    Those men and women on uniform are soldiers. Soldiers are not perfect people; but those were our soldiers, Nigerian Army soldiers; they represent each and every community, town, village and hamlet from the entire country without exception.  They are supposed to be the guardian sentinel of our liberty and freedom to provide safety to every Nigerian which we expect them to do.  Nigerian soldiers are not permitted to turn their weapons on citizens and other law abiding people but whoever levies war on the state and institutions of state is any enemy.

    Countries and citizens respect their men and women on uniform because of the unique role they play in the life of their country. Even the greatest democracies in the world are only able to exercise democratic authority far and wide because of the respect and awe with which their military are treated.  On January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol Hill, by former President Donald Trump’s Proud Boys’ and White Supremacists to subvert their election and democracy, the military resisted the temptation to be drawn into it and remained neutral to defend the constitution and the rights of the people in spite of pressure from the super maverick Donald Trump.  The Nigerian military should not be drawn into politics and settlement of land matters or seen to take sides in communal conflicts.  It should stick to its pristine tradition, discipline and value and properly define its line of duty. 

    I watched the elder statesman, Edwin Kiagbodo Clark on the Arise Television while commenting on the killing admitted that some privileged individuals have used the military at one point or the other for dispute settlement.  The military should resist such temptations at all times and maintain their focus and vigilance. 

    Soldiers are on the streets doing police duties because we have denigrated the police and left it prostrate.  Even at that, the constitution empowers the military to come in and deal with some internal security problems whenever it is beyond the police in aid of civil authority and it is therefore legitimate.  We easily recall the incidents of Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Ibiam in Benue State respectively, two very classical incidents where law enforcement agents and soldiers were brutally killed in cold blood. 

    The communities paid the price because you cannot separate the community that provides platform and cover for hooligans to attack the state from the brigands that carry out the atrocious act.  This also makes the accusation of collective punishment to be blurred.  Talking about radicalization of youths, we should not take that point too far because it also makes the state to become more repressive; not a justification though, but a state should be able to exert a prize and whip criminals into line.

    Read Also: FEC approves fund to bridge $878bn national infrastructure deficit

    The insecurity in the country is festering today partly because the state and its institutions have become too weak due to bad politics. To kill soldiers and go into hiding and expect the criminals and communities behind it should be pelted with ice cream and chocolate is to be asking the Commander-in-Chief to surrender his authority to non-state actors and gangsters.   The military has been so weakened by all manners of negative campaigns on its operation from both local and international media and rights groups so much so that the commanders have even become not so sure-footed anymore on how to deal with the situations. The Nigerian Army is depicted by the effigy of an eagle, symbolizing strength, resilience and endurance.  We must not allow hooligans to turn them to pigeons for super and allow anarchy reign. The killing, the attack or ambush in Okuama is one that  should not have been contemplated let alone carried out and executed by those miscreants whether they represent their communities or not.  Those brigands who carried out the attack were testing the waters.  This was one attack too many and those miscreants should be hunted to the gate of hell.

    This is the time to reclaim the entire space of the country from criminal elements operating audaciously across the geo-political zones.  Communities should give vital intelligence to security agents to identify and isolate criminals in their midst and avoid collateral damage rather than provide cover to criminals as freedom fighters. 

    The military should also come clean and resist and avoid being used in settlement of communal land disputes or other commercial transactions between individuals; that is not their business.  Communal crises should be settled through the instrumentalities of the law and nobody is permitted to take the laws into his hand. We should not allow disgruntled elements to bring disasters and calamity upon our communities and expect media campaign and propaganda to avert the consequence. The world opinion and media campaign have not changed the carnage and catastrophe in Gaza. Moving forward, the military should be guided in its operation by the rules of engagement, driven by good intelligence, and stay away from acts capable of exposing its personnel to unnecessary attack.

    •Kebonkwu Esq is an Abuja-based lawyer.