The Nation Newspaper

Category: Editorial

  • From N62b to N529b

    From N62b to N529b

    •The cost of a second runway for Abuja airport has raised the need for general policy on contract variation

    When it comes to award of projects, governments in Nigeria are quick to sign dotted lines. Contractors are willing to take on any project for which they are invited, irrespective of the requisite financial and technical competence. The contractors, including big ones, are even more willing to take on those that show all the signs that they would fail, knowing well that they could pocket the mobilisation fees that sometimes run to 30 per cent of the contract sum.

    Unfortunately, the proposed second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, appears to have been caught in this web. First brought to public glare in 2009, and awarded to Julius Berger for the sum of N62 billion, it was adjusted upwards to N64 billion the following year, with the government dumping Julius Berger for the Chinese company, CCECC.

    Today, it appears horrifying that the Chinese contractors want variation to N529 billion. Incredible! We could understand why the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, was livid while defending the 2025 budget of his ministry before the House of Representatives. He rejected the variation move and said something would be done about it.

    It is however surprising that the supervising minister for all the agencies under the aviation ministry would get involved in such drama while appearing before the legislators. Ought he not to have taken action while the budget estimates were being prepared? Was the matter ever presented before the Federal Executive Council pursuant to its insertion into the budget? If it was, who presented it? The Federal Government should come up with a general policy on contract variation. What ought to have been done in the instant case before it was finalised is just being done — invitation of experts and other stakeholders for input.

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     It is difficult to understand why it has taken a whole of 16 years to romanticise the need for a second runway for the only international airport in the federal capital. Whatever anyone may say to the contrary, there is no doubt that the airport in Abuja should have another runway. Twenty-two years after it was inaugurated, why is it still on the drawing table? Many times, foreign heads of state are received, or our president is on the move and the only runway is therefore shut for a period to the discomfiture of passengers. At other times, an aircraft could break down on the runway or there could be an accident, for the period before its evacuation, there would be no movement.

    It is not to the credit of those who have been running affairs in the ministry and the appropriate agencies that nothing has been done so far. Whatever might be the impediments, provision of a second runway for the second busiest airport in the country, located at the federal capital, should be given expeditious consideration.

    Mid-last year, Mr Keyamo promised that the airport would be in place within one year, but we are still trapped on considering what the cost should be. It is worthy of note that the ministry has now invited reputable European firms to get involved in evaluating what should be the cost. It’s not only Nigeria that is building runways, even in Africa, when converted to dollars, how much does it cost in other countries? We do not expect decision on this to take so long. Within weeks, the ministry should put its house in order and revert to the National Assembly that should give the contractors a deadline.

    If the current contractors could not deliver what we want at a reasonable price, we should waste no time in getting new ones. There is no way that second runway should not be in place before the end of 2026. Relevant committees of both houses of the federal legislature have to provide the needed oversight to ensure the needful is done in this respect.

  • Barbarity in Osun

    Barbarity in Osun

    • It is intolerable that policemen drafted to maintain peace would be killed over Obaship tussle

    It is unacceptable that a chieftaincy dispute in Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government, Osun State, should degenerate into gun shooting fracas, which left four persons dead, seven police officers shot, and scores wounded. While passion is expected in any contest between two or more people, hiring gun-trotting hoodlums in pursuit of becoming an Oba, is criminal. Surely, the late Bola Ige, a prominent son of Esa-Oke, and former Governor of Oyo State, would turn in his grave over the incident. 

    The dispute reportedly arose when the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, appointed Prince Timileyin Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido-Ajegunle, a neigbouring community to Esa-Oke. The people of Esa-Oke and Ido-Ajegunle claim that the new Oba is from Ilesa, and not an indigene of the community. A chieftain of the community, Chief Adegboyega Ajiboye, the Osolu Esa-Oke, claimed that the land in dispute belongs to Esa-Oke, and so, the Ijesha cannot install an Oba in the community.

    Of note, the people of Ido-Ijesa, from Ilesa, are also laying claim to the ownership of the land.

     It is against this background that the fracas arose, leading to deaths and destruction of properties.

    We are shocked that armed hoodlums would become a part of the mix in the context of the selection of an Oba. The report indicates that the criminals laid siege to and attacked the policemen who came to maintain peace in the community. Shops, businesses and offices were forced to close, as the entire community was thrown into fear and confusion.

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    We urge the governor to retrace his steps if the accusation that he is seeking to impose a non-indigene as an Oba on the community, is true. If the ownership of the land in the community is disputed, it is insensitive for the governor to seek to ride roughshod over one of the disputants. Even when the governor may have his personal preferences as the state chief executive, he owes every section of the community equal treatment.

    Before the appointment of the Oba, the ownership tussle over the land has to be resolved.  The argument that a traditional ruler, who is an indigene of Ido-Ajegunle should be elevated to the position of an Oba is plausible, as that would not inflate the kind of passion that resulted to the fracas. If the indigenes are given the opportunity to rule themselves, there would be peace, even as the more endowed bigger neighbours, the Esa-Oke and Ido-Ijesa, continue their dispute over who amongst them owns the land of the people of Ido-Ajegunle. Perhaps, that would aide Ido-Ajegunle to assert its independence. 

    The police must find the hoodlums who invaded Ido-Ajegunle and caused pain and anguish to their colleagues and people of the area. It would be a shame if the police fail to apprehend those that shot their colleagues. Shooting a private person is a crime, but going after the law enforcement officers is a higher crime, which must be punished at all cost.

    We are happy that in the meantime, a combination of the army, civil defence, police and the state-owned Amotekun, have been drafted to restore and maintain peace in the community. While others may play games with their wellbeing, the people of Ido-Ajegunle must assert peace in their community. Any differences should not be settled with the lives of their people or those who came to maintain peace in their community. They must be vigilant, and help the police deal with the trouble makers in their midst.

    Becoming an Oba should never be a do- or-die affair. It is not worth the life of anyone. 

  • Prudent management

    Prudent management

    • It is a feat that JAMB has sustained its registration fee for over six years in spite of economic challenges.

    When in November 2018, about two years after Prof. Ishaq Oloyede assumed office registrar/chief executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the board reduced its  Unified Tertiary Matriculation Board Examination (UTME) registration fee, many people thought it was a fluke, or at best an idea that would not endure. Candidates used to buy the forms for N5,000. But Oloyede slashed it to N3,500.

    But, contrary to expectations, that fee has remained in force since then, in spite of the turbulence that the country’s economy has witnessed over the years, and particularly so in recent times.

    JAMB had said then that it reduced the fee because it wanted to alleviate the burden of the cost of the examination on parents. JAMB’s Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said in a statement announcing the reduction that “In Mr. President’s determination to alleviate poverty and ensure that every Nigerian desirous of tertiary education is not deprived, government had introduced policies and incentives to boost the economy of ordinary Nigerians and has seen this reduction as a platform to bring more Nigerians on the tertiary education template.”

    The Buhari government.promptly  approved the reduction because JAMB had in less than two years of Oloyede’s  leadership demonstrated a shrewd management of resources. This was exemplified largely by its remittance of about N15 billion to the government’s coffers in less than two years that Oloyede assumed office.

    For an organisation that was hitherto heavily dependent on government subvention, this was a feat of sort. Indeed, the Minister of Finance at the time could not believe when she learnt that JAMB had remitted about N7 billion in Oloyede’s first year in office. 

    That it has sustained this tradition six years after is even more so incredible. Indeed, the board has remitted over N50 billion in the last seven years.

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    The Oloyede-led board must have disappointed many people who would had thought the economic reform initiated by the Bola Tinubu administration when it came on board on May 29, 2023, would have compelled it to review the registration fee upwards. The reform, as defined by the removal of fuel subsidy and merging of the foreign exchange rates have combined to shoot up costs across board in the country. The board allayed any fear of increase in the registration fee at a recent media parley in Lagos. Another major surprise is that the board has continued to do a lot of things for both its internal and external publics, despite this stable registration fee.

    Oloyede realised that he could not go far unless his workers were well motivated, hence his review of their takehome package and provision of free lunch for members of the staff.

    It is from this same registration fee that the board instituted an annual competition on compliance with its rules and regulations worth N750 million among the tertiary institutions, with the first in the university category now getting N500 million to spend on any viable project of its choice.

    This is aside embarking on multi-million naira computer-based centres in parts of the country.

    The list of such projects by the board would seem endless.

    Today, JAMB can boast of having the capacity to pay its workers’ salaries.

    All of these and many more innovations have brought the board into limelight, not only in the country but also beyond, with many awards, locally and internationally, to boot.

    JAMB, under Oloyede is not only doing well in terms of its core mandate, but also in terms of management of resources.

    Perhaps the latest confirmation of his excellent performance is the conferment of emeritus professor on him by the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where he had served as vice-chancellor before his appointment as JAMB’s registrar and chief executive.

    Leveraging largely on technology, JAMB has in so short a time become a poster child for accountability and transparency in management of funds. Oloyede’s shrewd management of resources is the reason the board under him has been  experiencing a lifting up at a time many institutions of government and businesses are experiencing a casting down.

  • Tough start

    Tough start

    •Not exactly happy travel tales so far but only tolling can preserve our roads

    The re-imposition of tolls, on selected Nigerian highways, has not exactly come with a flying start: it’s been a tale of woes from travellers, over e-payment glitches.

    If networks were not failing during e-payment transfers — via automated teller machine (ATM) cards, point of sale (PoS) transactions or even direct transfers from bank accounts — travellers complain of over-deduction in some cases. 

    A particular case, at the Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja Road toll gate (part of the 227.2-kilometre  Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi highway: the first of the highways to be re-tolled), claimed one of the “untrained” plaza workers deducted N5, 000 instead of N500.

    All these should not be.  The Federal Government, in concert with the various telecom networks, should bolster network fidelity around toll plazas nationwide. 

    Catamaran Nigeria Limited, the firm that operates that particular toll gate too, should adequately train its staff to cope with the work pressure.  If N5, 000 was indeed deducted for N500, the operator should be nimble enough to refund the customer without much ado.  Everyone involved must pledge themselves to the success of the new experiment, which is almost routine in other jurisdictions.

    Notwithstanding these initial glitches, the path to successfully tolling highways is cashless.  Receiving cash, and issuing travellers manual tickets, was a wide and merry way that led nowhere but crippling corruption.  The result is the highway decay we now experience.  It’s time, therefore, to kickstart a more sustainable path to highway preservation and expansion.

    Indeed, the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi highway is only one, aside others to be tolled.  Others, in the first phase of re-tolling, include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, 2nd Niger Bridge and Abuja-Kano Road, among others.

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    This particular 227.2-km road was rehabilitated with a “preferential credit loan” from the China-Exim Bank.  But with that deal came this tolling agreement: “The revenue collected from the operation (deducting the operation cost) shall be preferentially used for the loan repayment to the China-Exim Bank.” 

    Per the deal, a privately-run concessionaire would toll, operate and maintain the road.  That concession, over 25 years, was granted the China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company Limited (CHOMC).  Catamaran Nigeria Limited is the CHOMC partner firm.  President Muhammadu Buhari duly granted that concession.  The Tinubu government is only consummating the arrangement.

    Indeed, this tolling deal makes eminent sense.  The Chinese investors are integrated into managing their investment, paying back the loan, and ensuring that the road, via prompt repairs and maintenance, remains tick-tok over their 25-year mandate.

    Even the tolls — salon cars: N500, jeeps: N800, minibuses: N1, 000, but with 50 per cent discount for commercial shuttles that frequent the road, translating to N500; articulated vehicles: N1, 600) — appear reasonable.  But again, every doughty step must be taken to ensure cash doesn’t pour into leaky tills — hence the cashless policy.

    Indeed, such tolling points to long-term preservation and expansion of our highway stock.  With well-run tolling systems all over, the government — federal or state — could be less harried over paying back loans, knowing these key infrastructure could pay their way.  If well annexed, there appears sufficient volume of traffic to do just that.

    Still, the Federal Government must lend its ears to the comments by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over its new tolling policy.  To be sure, the TUC went overboard by claiming all tolled roads are decrepit, strewn with craters.  That’s not true.  This particular one is just fixed.  The TUC could have made its point without blatant over-generalisations that often cripple logical public discourse in the country.

    But the grain of the TUC take is valid: the government must ensure that tolled highways are in good condition.  That’s the logic of tolling newly repaired roads.  This model should form the new bulwark, not only to preserve critical road infrastructure but to build up road-user funds to exponentially expand our road stock.

  • Ogoni varsity

    Ogoni varsity

    •Good in terms of its value and symbolism

    Isaac Adaka Boro, born in the very village where the proverbial liquid gold, crude oil, was first discovered in Nigeria, Oloibiri, in present-day Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region must be

    happy in his grave that President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a University of Environment and Technology in Ogoniland. Ogoniland has become a global metaphor for the Niger Delta situation and agitations for equity, justice and environmental protection.  

    Historically, Boro is recorded to have initiated the first regional secessionist move in 1966 when he mobilised some young men to agitate for the establishment of the Niger Delta Republic. He had a history of leadership from his student days at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He felt that the Niger Delta area needed more than it was getting at the time. He was arrested several times and even jailed. He subsequently fought on the Nigerian side during the civil war of 1967-1970.

    Boro died during the civil war at 29 years.

    The Niger Delta agitation for justice and equity continued after his death with the likes of late Ken Saro-Wiwa becoming the post–civil war metaphor  for the agitation for a region that lays the proverbial golden eggs but is living in very dire conditions. The region has become the poster child for the ‘curse’ instead of the blessing the resource in the region ought to have been.

    Environmental degradation  manifesting in the pollution of land and water sources due to oil spills, gas flaring, deforestation from infrastructure development, destruction of natural habitats, and contamination of soil and groundwater from drilling activities have continually led to significant impacts on the local ecosystems in the Niger Delta. This has attracted global attention. The United Nations, artists and writers have been projecting the situation of the Niger Delta to the world.

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    With deaths and the environmental issues in the region that seem to have defied solution, the establishment of a University of Environment and Technology in Ogoniland, the epicenter of the agitation and militancy in the region is a welcome idea, not just for the academic value but for the symbolism of the project. The university would put a more visible, practical  and permanent flag of attention on the region that has been a victim of poor management of resources and corruption in the institutions that have been charged with the development of the region like the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta ministry, etc.

    Academic institutions come with inherent values: there would be more development,  employment opportunities, research, more social interactions and more enlightenment for the people of the region, Nigeria and the global community.

    The university must be seen as a long term national investment that would be of eternal value.

    On the other hand, it is curious that the President denied assent to the bill for the establishment of Numan University of Education in Adamawa State due to a fundamental error, as well as grammatical errors. In his letter to the National Assembly on the proposed university,  President Tinubu raised concerns over Section 22 of the bill, which grants the authority to dispose of land belonging to the federal institution to the Adamawa State governor, stressing that the President has authority on issues relating to Federal Government-owned property, especially federal universities.

    We find it disturbing that such lapses could escape the scrutiny of our law makers and all those involved in its drafting. As law makers, they ought to, like Caesar’s wife, be above reproach. Had the president not observed that, the consequences could have been far-reaching. Other states might have used that as precedence, thereby creating constitutional issues.

    We urge that the needful be done and the bill returned for presidential assent.

    All said, both institutions must see the light of the day and not end at the level of announcement.

  • Tasks before Buni

    Tasks before Buni

    • The onus is now on him as LCBGF chair to make life more meaningful in the Lake Chad region

    Nearly seven years after it held its inaugural meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State, from May 8–9, 2018, the Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum (LCBGF) for Regional Cooperation on Stabilisation, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development returned to the Borno State capital for its 5th edition from January 29 – 31. Like the previous four meetings, it would yet be another time to focus attention on the twin calamities that have plagued Nigeria’s northeast and the countries adjoining the Lake Chad area. These are the climate-induced devastation linked to the shrinking of the Lake Chad that has rendered some 2.3 million people displaced, with over five million struggling to access food to survive; and the widespread violence from the Boko Haram insurgency that has also left 10.7 million people in dire need of emergency assistance.

    Clearly, it seems a coincidence that the meeting, hosted by the Yobe State government with the support of the African Union Commission and the United Nations Development Programme had as its theme – Rebuilding the Lake Chad Basin: Consolidating Gains, Commitment to Peace, Cross-Border Cooperation, Security and Sustainable Development for a Resilient Community, it could only have been a measure of how far the problem is from going away.

    Although, the inaugural meeting was held in the same Maiduguri in September, 2018, it was actually based on the recommendations of the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Oslo Consultative Group on Prevention and Stabilisation in the Lake Chad Region held in Berlin in September 2017.  Then, the idea was to support the political process to stabilise the region in the face of the unrelenting devastation, and to prevent further crises, in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2349 (2017).

    It is a measure of how far the forum has come that the meeting has since held in Niger (2019), Cameroun (2021) and

    Chad (2023).

    We congratulate the chief host, Nigeria’s Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, for rising to the occasion to deliver a worthy and befitting conference, and also for accepting to carry the burden of leading this important forum charged with bringing relief to the pains of the long-suffering people adjoining the Lake Chad area.

    Like those before him, Governor Buni has experienced the problems first-hand, and so understands their complexity and depth. Surely, if Nigerians in particular have been led into high expectations at this time, it could only be on account of the urgency of action needed to turn things around. We refer here to the scourge of poverty, the need to rebuild the shattered communities, resettle those displaced

    by the atavistic forces and, the imperative to rehabilitate the Lake Chad Basin ecosystems and its biodiversity, particularly now that things are beginning to calm down.

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    And, just like President Bola Tinubu – represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima – said in his opening speech at the meeting: “the Lake Chad region is not at ease, and neither should we be, this promised land of opportunity, which binds together the destinies of nations”. The president couldn’t have captured the moment better.

    As for the forum’s communique, it would appear that everything that needed to be said was contained in the 1,365-word draft. Most commendably are the actionable plans and strategic commitments it laid out on the basis of which the leadership is expected to be judged in the coming months. These range from strengthening the strategic support to, and operational capacity, of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and/or investment in trans-border security to ensuring that member states effectively occupy the Lake Chad Islands as a means of strengthening transboundary security, particularly the waterways.

    There is also the issue of non-state armed groups which the governors expect to be completely neutralised in member states, as well as the illicit arms trade, and drug trafficking and abuse, especially among the youths. They propose climate resilient initiatives as indeed environmental protection efforts to support the rehabilitation of the Lake Chad Basin ecosystems and biodiversity. They desire collaboration with traditional rulers, especially in facilitating reconciliation and reintegration processes, strengthening of women and youth engagement in stabilisation, recovery, and resilience initiatives, ensuring their needs and priorities are effectively addressed.

    The governors also seek a strengthening of resource mobilisation efforts through the Special Multi-Partner Delivery Fund (SMDF) and the Nexus Funding Facility (NFF), and other regional funding initiatives, to drive impactful and sustained progress, among others.

    None of the above could be said to be new propositions. As always, the problem is usually not what is on paper, but the absence of organised – or better still, coordinated – efforts to deliver them.

    So much for the plethora of bodies, all of which are saddled essentially with the same tasks; how has the forum in the past years been relating with other development partners currently undertaking remediation activities in the region? Surely, it cannot be business as usual – at least going forward. Aside the issue of paucity of funds, what the situation in the region dictates is collaboration, not duplication. For, while the tasks ahead may appear arduous and complicated; they are not  insurmountable. Aside the fact that the problems are not for any single institution alone to solve; often times, what constitutes the core challenge is how to develop and harness effective linkages – among multilateral agencies, development partners and local players – to deliver optimal results.

    It is one issue that the Buni-led leadership will do well to pay attention. Fortunately, since May, 2019 when he was elected governor, he has been pushing the pendulum of development further with a renewed sense of urgency in virtually all the areas that his position as LCBGF would require; the only difference now being that he has to work with others to realise the larger goals.

    Gov. Buni has his job cut out for him. He must hit the ground running.

  • Grammy glory

    Grammy glory

    •Two winners make the country proud

    Significantly, Temilade Openiyi, 29, better known by her stage name Tems, became the first Nigerian performer to win two Grammy awards following her triumph, on February 2, in the Best African Music Performance category for her hit “Love Me Jeje.” The category was introduced last year. She won her first Grammy two years ago. The highly regarded and internationally prestigious Grammy Award is given for “outstanding achievements in the music industry.”

    Her winning song, which samples a line from Nigerian singer Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 song of the same title, was reported to have racked up 125 million listens on Spotify and 21 million views on YouTube. She upstaged other Nigerians as her song was rated above Yemi Alade’s “Tomorrow,” Asake’s “MMS,” Chris Brown’s “Sensational” (featuring Davido & Lojay), and Burna Boy’s “Higher.”

    The dominance of Nigerian performers in the category this year demonstrated the impact of the country’s artistes on the global music scene.  In a statement congratulating Tems, President Bola Tinubu noted that “the Nigerian music industry, particularly Afrobeats, has become a source of national pride.”

    Before her success at the 67th annual Grammy Awards, in Los Angeles, USA, she came out tops in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category at the 65th edition, in February 2023, for her contribution to American rapper Future’s hit song “Wait For U,” which also features Canadian rapper Drake. Future praised her “amazing” voice.

    Her latest Grammy award was further tribute to her professional focus and enterprise. Her genres are R&B/Soul, Afropop and Afrobeats.  It has been a remarkable rise for an artiste who entered the music industry in 2018. Getting the music award considered the biggest globally, after five years, spoke volumes about her musical talent.

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    After her secondary education at Dowen College, Lagos, she studied Economics at Monash South Africa, a university in Johannesburg. This background was not supposed to prepare her for music.  “Anything that I’m doing with music to me is rebellious because it wasn’t expected of me,” she said. According to her, she stopped listening to other artistes in her teenage years in order to find her own identity.

    In 2018, she quit a job in digital marketing in Nigeria, after about six months, to pursue her passion. After learning self-production techniques on YouTube, that same year she released her debut single, “Mr Rebel,” a song she produced by herself, announcing the arrival of a new Nigerian musical talent on the world stage. This demonstrated her focus and drive.  Indeed, she attracted fans who became known as The Rebel Gang.  

    Her participation in fellow Nigerian artiste Wizkid’s 2020 single, “Essence,” gave a boost to her profile as the remixed version of the song reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

    Another Nigerian, Seni Saraki, also made the headlines after winning his first Grammy at the 67th edition. His contribution to the “Bob Marley: One Love” soundtrack brought him glory in the Best Reggae Album category. “Bob Marley: One Love” is a biographical film depicting the life of the reggae icon and his journey to fame.  The soundtrack was released by Tuff Gong and Island Records in February 2024. The 17-track soundtrack features fresh interpretations of Marley’s legendary songs.

    Saraki, who played a role in the production, thanked “all the amazing artistes, producers, and engineers brave enough to take on this project. Bob Marley is a legacy—an incredible, iconic artist.”  He added: “For them to take on these songs, reinterpret them, and make them their own… they’re all incredible artists.” Nigerian artistes Wizkid and Bloody Civilian were notably involved in the project.

    A graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, he co-founded The NATIVE in 2016, a platform showcasing African youth culture. His first major industry recognition was in 2023 when the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack, a project he worked on as a music consultant, got four Grammy nominations. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is a 2022 American film based on Marvel Comics.

    We congratulate the two winners. Their success stories are good for the country’s image. They are inspiring and convey a strong message of positive possibilities for Nigerians.

  • Royal impunity?

    Royal impunity?

    •Bully-monarch should pay heavy price if proven guilty of indiscretion

    Traditional rulership ideally entails sacred trust in a ruler to embody and promote moderation, justice, sobriety and peace in the community over which he holds sway. That seems not to have been the case, however, with the Olorile of Orile-Ifo, Oba Abdul-Semiu Adewale Ogunjobi, who was early this week slammed a six-month suspension by the Ogun State government for allegedly desecrating the royal institution by engaging in uncivil conduct not befitting the status of an Oba.

    The monarch was shown in a viral video that lately surfaced online verbally and physically assaulting 73-year-old Abraham Areola, a leader in the Ogun State community who Ogunjobi reportedly accused of treachery. In the footage, some men – apparently palace attendants – were along with the monarch slapping the septuagenarian and forcing him to kneel and prostrate during the encounter said to have transpired on January 21, 2025. Ogunjobi, who is said to be a former police officer, could be heard in the video using foul language on the elderly victim and threatening to kill him and dispose of his body without suffering any consequence. The video sparked public outrage as rights activists and others protested the brutality against, and denigration of the humanity of the septuagenarian Areola.

    Ogun State government announced on Monday that it was placing the monarch on six-month suspension. The decision, according to a statement by Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Communication and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, was reached after Ogunjobi and his victim were invited by the local government and chieftaincy affairs commissioner, Ganiyu Hamzat, for interrogation.

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    The statement said: “This became imperative as a result of the reckless utterances and public misconduct of the Kabiyesi as it was evident in the social media and being bandied in the larger public space. After the investigation conducted on the matter, the Kabiyesi has been suspended and stripped of the paraphernalia of the stool of Olorile-Ifo pending the determination of his culpability or otherwise on the allegation.” It added: “The foregoing decision was reached by the ministry in conjunction with the Egba Traditional Council in accordance with Section 52(1) of the Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State 2021.”

    Besides the suspension, Ogunjobi was dragged to court for prosecution and was on Tuesday remanded at the Ilaro Correctional Centre after failing to perfect conditions of a bail granted him by a magistrate’s court sitting in Ifo. Ogun State command spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Yinka Odukoya, was reported confirming the monarch’s incarceration. “He is in our custody and this definitely means he was unable to perfect the bail conditions as granted by the court yesterday. But as soon as he is able to do that, he will be allowed to go,” Odukoya said.

    The Ogun State police command had earlier on Tuesday arraigned the suspended monarch over the assault of Areola. Police Prosecutor, Inspector O. Awoleke, in a charge sheet cited as ‘MH2b8c/2025: Commissioner of Police vs. Abdul-Semiu,’ said the accused person was being arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, assault and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

    The accused monarch, who appeared before Magistrate F.A. Iroko, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and the matter was adjourned till March 6 for hearing. The magistrate granted him a bail of N5million, with two sureties in like sum who must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

    0gunjobi will have his day in court, and we hesitate to pronounce a preemptive verdict on him despite compelling evidence of misbehaviour in the viral video. Should he be proven guilty, we recommend that he be dismissed from the monarchy as he would have been confirmed unfit for the revered institution. Besides, the Yoruba are a people who culturally respect the elderly. But that was a custom that Ogunjobi appeared to have disdained by allegedly leading the assault and public humiliation of someone old enough to be his father. So, he wasn’t even a good custodian of cultural mores, unlike what the royal institution historically stood for.

    In the charge sheet, the monarch’s accomplices were described as persons at large. That, in our view, isn’t good enough. Those accomplices must themselves be tracked down and made to face justice, and the accused monarch who is already in the hold of security agents should be helpful in leading the trail to wherever they have fled. The long arm of justice should spare no suspected offender.

  • Five for gas

    Five for gas

    •The nation looks forward to the completion and dividends of the mini-NLG plants by NNPC and partners

    The tone was cheerful, which is significant in what is sometimes a desperate economic atmosphere in the country.

    It concerns one of Nigeria’s major sources of prosperity: gas. In Ajaokuta, Kogi State, the buzz was not about steel, but the fact that it was about gas holds an important key to unlocking that quiet, untapped plenty. Many have lost hope in steel. It may wake up yet.

    But the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has entered into partnerships with other firms to build five mini-Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants.

    The mini-LNG plants are namely: NNPC Prime LNG, NGML/Gasnexus LNG, BUA LNG, Highland LNG and LNG Arete. The Nigerian top energy establishment, that is the NNPCL, will share this opportunity. The NNPC has a stake in three of the five mini-LNG plants, that is: 90 per cent in Prime LNG, 50 per cent in NGML/Gasnexus LNG and 10 per cent in BUA LNG), while Highland LNG and LNG Arete are developed by other private companies.

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    The project will be constructed on 33,000 hectares of land, with a combined capacity of 97 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and a 500 million dollars investment.

    “These mini-LNG facilities will ensure the efficient transportation of gas over long distances, providing a cleaner and cheaper source of energy to households, mobility, industries, and businesses. This is particularly important for regions that currently lack access to gas pipeline infrastructure,” said Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer of the NNPCL.

    It is expected to produce Condensate, LNG, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and increasing gas availability.

    Kyari said it is part of the Federal Government’s plan to fulfill its gas-to-power dreams.

    This is a bold step because its dividends cannot be overstated. It is the way to go in energy around the world. It will help not only with access to energy but it will serve as a trigger for industrialisation across the country, especially in the underserved parts. This also includes parts of the north, which pleased Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who said pipeline developments are already ramped up in that part of the country.

    Kyari gave credence to it when he said equipment are in the ports and are ready for clearing. Stressing its urgency, Kyari was upbeat: “We understand very clearly that gas delivery must be done in the quickest manner, particularly for locations where the backbone infrastructure doesn’t exist today. And that is why we and our partners decided that it is appropriate and timely to start five mini-LNG projects in one location.”

    In this era when many are worried about gas wastage, with flares destroying wealth and sullying our environment, these plants are part of the roadmaps to clean air and profit in that regard.

    What this means is that we can count on uptick in our gross domestic products, with its salutary spinoffs of a stronger naira and foreign trade boost.

    Many also see this as a way to bolster a healthier market generally since it will serve as a catalyst for industrialisation, job creation, and economic diversification.

    Apart from LNG, it will also produce liquefied petroleum gas and condensates. It is a good story for the NNPCL that has been maligned in the past few years. Recently, it also announced a partnership with Shell to the tune of $5 billion.

    As Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “gas is the future.” So, it calls for all in this project to enter it with a sense of purpose. The once vibrant Ajaokuta city has another opportunity for a new life, and the past failures should not be the metric for the coming years. Rather, it should be a rebuke to make success automatic.

  • A close shave

    A close shave

    •Flight UA613 could have been disastrous

    What “technical” glitch plagued US United Airlines Ltd’s Boeing 787-800, on Flight 613, on January 23 — such that it aborted its flight to Washington Dulles Airport, and returned to Lagos three hours and 20 minutes after it had taken off?

    The turbulence heightened over the Côte d’Ivoire airspace; and it forced the pilot to head back to Lagos, after discarding emergency landing in Accra, Ghana.

    What was that “technical” error?  No one knows exactly, for now.  But how it could easily have been catastrophic for its 245 passengers, three pilots and eight flight lieutenants was clear from this unnamed passenger’s account, per Arise News:

    “We had already been served our meals when the plane lost pressure and dropped.  We noticed a sharp descent.  I hit my head on the ceiling because of the impact … The sharp descent happened three times, causing some people to sustain injuries.  We spent four hours in the air …”

    Even granted the hyperbole that always comes with narrating such traumatic

    experiences, the casualty list — thankfully, no fatality — shows how severe the incident was: four passengers and two crew members sustained serious injuries; 27 passengers and five crew members copped minor injuries — and to think all the anxiety and passenger panic happened in over nearly four hours!

    Now, what really was this “technical” glitch?  Both Nigeria’s Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) have pledged themselves to probing it and telling us.  We won’t get to know, however, until after 30 days.  That’s welcome.

    Still, there appears something of deliberate euphemism in just throwing “technical fault” at everyone.  That’s too bland to explain what happened, without prejudice to an exhaustive probe, that would give precise answers.  Even, the NTSB release, as reported by Reuters, referred to the plane’s high drop in pressure as “sudden movement”!  Red flags to cover liabilities?  We hope not!

    That then leads to a chain of questions: did the UAL engineering staff in Lagos do due diligence before approving Flight 613 for take-off?  If they did — and machines can malfunction at any time  

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    – what could have impaired the aircraft to swoosh down the air, losing altitude at great speed — and three times too, up and down! — causing so much passenger panic and crew trauma?

    It’s welcome news that the aircraft wasn’t particularly damaged beyond the initial impairment of some of its gears.  It’s kudos too to the pilot and his assistants that so admirably battled the turbulence to land safely in Lagos.  But was the aircraft really air-worthy?

    We ask these questions not to insinuate any foul play; or negligence on the part of anyone.  But the grim reality is that up there, there is absolutely no margin of error. The paradox of air travel is that it’s about the safest.  But air crashes too are about the most catastrophic, when they happen.

    That’s why when we experience narrow escapes as Flight 613, we must ask every legitimate question to ensure that such near-mishaps never happen again.  But that can only be done with vigorous aircraft integrity tests.  That’s the hallmark of thriving aviation.  Safety is first and everything.

    Whatever happened to that plane cannot be adduced to metal fatigue; or to outdated technology, in terms of its

    avionics.  The aircraft is 12 years old.  So, what “technical” fault could have put it in such distress and its passengers and crew in such trauma?

    We expect both Nigeria’s NCAA and the US NTSB to get us all of the answers. 

    Meanwhile, we congratulate the pilot, co-pilots, crew members and the passengers for escaping what could have been a horrendous crash.  But that’s why we need precise technical answers, to avert future technical failures.