That Femi Anikulapo Kuti loves Nigeria – warts and all – is no secret. It is rarely surprising that at every stage performance by the Afrobeat maestro, he bares to the bones, Nigeria’s myriad leadership problems.

His songs often resonate as scathing rhetoric of misgovernance, government, and public corruption.

It’s a given, therefore, that he’d persistently make the news. But for all his rippling activism and artistry, the first son of late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, got entangled with internet trolls, on the hostile end of the news, recently.

Due to his perceived reservations about Labour Party presidential candidate,

Peter Obi, recently, Anikulapo-Kuti was subjected to abuse and threats by online trolls and Obi’s supporters.

The Afrobeat maestro, however, took to his Instagram page to condemn the revilement, reiterating his earlier stance about never being ‘obidient.’ He also denied calling Obi’s supporters “zombies.”

Anikulapo-Kuti had earlier stated that he could not be ‘obidient’ as he was too angry, sad, and depressed to subscribe to the use of the term, ‘obidient’ as used by Obi’s supporters.

The first son of the Afrobeat legend, Fela, made it clear, that he doesn’t support any of the leading presidential candidates including Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said, “I did not call Peter Obi’s supporters, zombies and personally, I cannot be obedient in this country of today. Nothing can make me be obedient. I’m too angry, too sad, too depressed to be.”

Of course, the Labour Party candidate, Obi, seized the moment to make a political statement. He visited Anikulapo-Kuti at home and assured him that his ‘obidient movement’ will base its campaign on everyday issues affecting Nigerians and Nigeria rather than personality attacks.

Read Also: Femi Kuti @ 60

He disassociated himself from the ugly incident, stressing that wasn’t what his movement stands for.

But Anikulapo-Kuti is no stranger to vitriol. In a past interview, he recalled that growing up as Fela’s son was “very hard, very scary. The police, SSS (State Security Service) were always following us. I was victimised in school, because of who my father was.”

His album, Africa for Africa, highlights “Bad Government” as a problem in Africa. In a memorable admonishment to Nigerians, en route to the 2011 elections, he said, “We could say we’re moving in the democratic process. And it’s probably better than going to war, but corruption is still very rampant. The people are hungry and sick. And the government controls the media, so it can’t be critical”.

He also said: “It’s a very hypocritical situation. People settle for putting a meal on the table, but they don’t know that the rest of the world doesn’t suffer every day from power outages and water shortages. Nigerians don’t even know about the history of African slavery, because it’s not included in the textbooks.”

He echoed the same sentiments in the 2015 elections by releasing a remix to the song “Politics Na Big Business.”

For a very long time, Femi has been using music to inspire, change and motivate African people.

In a chaotic world burdened with non-stop reformation, many look to music as a means of escaping the problems of the world. Anikulapo-Kuti, towing his father’s steps, did the opposite.

His music was borne of humanity and an overriding quest to influence the tide of the tempests tormenting his people. There is no gainsaying Anikulapo-Kuti evokes the mythic narrative of heroism and patriotic glory oft denied to the public by the government and entertainment’s public relations machine.

Anikulapo-Kuti probably saw his hope of Nigeria’s rebirth morph into an illusion – courtesy of the toxic politicking reflective of the country’s social space en route to the 2023 elections.

But his reality of things was deemed unsympathetic to the combative spirit and power of illusion of ‘obidient’ trolls.

Femi’s truth, evidently, did not feed their fantasy of venom as a ticket to electoral victory and residency at the presidential villa in Aso Rock.

Random urban legend establishes the Nigerian Police as a fiend even as Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, projects its image as our dependable friend.

Recently, while warning of a plot by terrorists to attack public institutions and structures, IGP Alkali struggled to present a cozy image of the police.

Emphasising the urgency and importance of the new security measures, he charged police officers to serve with courage and compassion in line with the policing theme of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

He said policemen should be on the offensive, adding that they should take the battle to the doorsteps of criminals.

Alkali ordered tight security surveillance on schools, hospitals, health facilities, and other critical infrastructure; he also ordered regular patrols, raids, and shows of force by tactical commanders to eradicate crime in some states.

Not a few Nigerians perused his order with a chuckle – policemen inclusive.

Perhaps because despite Alkali’s defiant posturing, the grisly manifestations of insecurity and police helplessness at stemming the tide contradict his spunk.

Alkali did well thundering his riot act; he followed the script to the letter but his assurances seemed evanescent. His reassurance of police efficiency and request for public cooperation unfurled with an incised edge.

Ultimately, it flounders on the whetstone of corruption, and professional and administrative mishaps hindering the police.

For some years, Nigeria has been grappling with insurgency perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect, ISWAP, and other terrorist groups. Terrorists have been on the prowl, invading schools and abducting students for ransom.

They have also attacked churches and mosques, the latest being the bombing of St. Mary Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State, leaving over 40 people dead.

About five months ago, a train was attacked on Abuja-Kaduna Road. Not all the abducted passengers have regained their freedom according to The Nation reports.

Apart from the invasion of correctional centres to free inmates, insurgents have also attacked the Brigade of Guards in Abuja, killing some officers.

In the Southeast, criminals have disrupted socio-economic activities while illegally enforcing sit-at-home, attacking police stations, and destroying Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities.

Read Also; Kuje prison attack: Aregbesola in the eye of the storm

Against the backdrop of such fledgling insecurity and wanton destruction of lives and property, the police fight futilely to assert their feeble might and capacity against the tide.

The most lurid portrait of the police’s frailty is discernible in its corrupt officers and the extrajudicial killings – among other things – that triggered the 2020 #EndSARS protest against the now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Yet to recall the police killings in the wake of the conflict is to explore a grotesque facet of Nigerian life. Pundits argued that the police had it coming even as the latter, admitted disillusionment, affirming that the incident has made them apathetic to their work ethics.

With a staff strength below 400,000, the police, as the primary law enforcer and security agency in Nigeria, is expected to protect about 200 million Nigerians via 36 state commands grouped into 12 zones, and seven administrative organs including special units like the disbanded SARS and newly constituted SWAT.

Over time, policemen have become predators in impoverished communities. They indiscriminately extort the innocent and criminals – often colluding with the latter against the former.

The random policeman gleefully weaponises the law to detain people and seize property, unlawfully. Traffic violations attract extremely twisted penalties and extortion across the cities; such extortionate schemes fund police trucks and flesh the pockets of corrupt officers.

This perverse culture has turned every commuter into a perpetual victim or prey to the predatory police. More worrisome is the lack of effective checks and interventions by the state.

Alex S. Vitale writes in his book, “The End of Policing,” that “Criminal policy is structured around the use of punishment to manage the ‘dangerous classes,’ masquerading as a system of justice.”

But who belongs to the dangerous classes? This is a question for the police authorities. Notwithstanding, IGP Alkali ordered his officers to take the battle to the criminals.

The police boss directed strategic police managers at various levels to prioritise the use of intelligence gathering networks, particularly local intelligence, to locate criminal hideouts and flush them out before they strike.

Much as it’s inspiring to see Alkali talk tough, he must understand the dynamics that hinder the police force from efficiently fulfilling its obligations to society.

There is no gainsaying the #EndSARS protest and the mayhem triggered in its wake has strained relations between the police and the public. Speaking with The Nation, several officers – who pleaded anonymity – admitted that they have become less passionate about their work.

“Our morale is very low. Extremely low…” a policeman confided in The Nation.

Nationwide, policemen live in squalor within and outside the barracks. They patrol in rickety vehicles, often extorting commercial transporters and motorists for fuel money.

A combination of poor training, poor remuneration – recruits earn N9, 000 and less than N120, 000 annually – and a culture of corruption and impunity has allowed torture and other ill-treatment to become routine in criminal investigations by the police.

Suspects are tortured to extract confessions as the police are under pressure to solve serious crimes without adequate resources and specialised skills.

With little investment in fingerprint databases, ballistics, and other forensic expertise, investigations often rely on confessional statements, not brilliant police work to solve cases.

The challenge for the police on Alkali’s watch is to find creative ways to reorientate its officers as they engage with force authorities and the public. The police must be reinvented to help the communities they serve help themselves.

The underlying premise guiding this expansion of the police role is that the police cannot solve community problems without the help of citizens and community agencies.

To achieve this, the police must recalibrate its operations on a foundation of unwavering trust with the public.

The onus is on IGP Alkali to foster a trusting relationship between the police and the public. Before his officers can function at their best, they must be able to maintain a healthy relationship with their superiors and the public.

They must be inspired to reengage with the citizenry as co-producers of public safety – each contributing to the maintenance of law and order with the intent to manifest more humane policing.

President Muhammadu Buhari during the week, came under heavy criticism over the bizarre approval of N1,145,000,000 for the purchase and supply of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles to Niger Republic.

Nigerians took to social media to express outrage and displeasure over Buhari’s bizarre gift to Niger, stressing that it flouts the timeless saying of “Charity begins at home.”

Some queried the ‘unholy’ romance between Buhari and Niger Republic.

Others questioned the rationale behind the gesture, especially at a time when the country had raised concerns over low revenues, poor oil income accrual to the federation account due to costly petrol subsidy, prolonged ASUU strike and worsening insecurity.

Recall that Buhari had once been subjected to criticisms over expansion of infrastructure (Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project) to the neighbouring Niger Republic.

Buhari had, in February 2021, performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kano–Dutse–Katsina–Maradi 284-kilometer rail project connecting Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic.

He argued that sustaining a good relationship with Nigerian neighbours would help sustain a unified offensive against the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group and insurgency.

Read Also: From grace to grass… AGF Idris’ alleged N80bn fraud

During the week, investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, tweeted that he obtained a document from the Budget Office, showing that the President made the approval for the purchase of the vehicles to the neighbouring country.

But the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed confirmed the approval of the money.

Hundeyin in the revelation, had attached a picture of the document to validate the claim that the President approved the release of the money to a company, Kaura Motors Nigeria Limited, on February 28, 2022.

The document read in part, “Being release of funds in the sum of N1,145,000,000 to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation IFO Kaura Motors Nig. Limited for supply of 10 numbers Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Vehicles to Republic of Nigeria vide Mr. President approval on page 83 dated 28/02/2022.”

Reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the approval of N1.14 billion for the vehicles as “demonstration of the highest level of insensitivity” by the Buhari-led administration.

Also, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major, in a statement yesterday, argued that such a donation was a misplaced priority sequel to the plethora of problems plaguing the country.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also urged Buhari to demand a refund of the money.

SERAP tweeted: “The Buhari administration must immediately ask Niger Republic authorities to refund the N1.4 billion approved for them to buy vehicles, and use the money to offset the funding for ASUU, so those poor children can go back to school”.

But reacting, the Federal Government said that the move was to enable the country to safeguard its territory in the best interest of Nigeria’s security.

Finance Minister clarified that it was not the first time Nigeria was supporting her neighbours.

She explained the President had a responsibility to take such decisions in the best interest of the country.

“This is not the first time that Nigeria has supported Niger, Cameroon or Chad, and the President makes an assessment as to what is required, based on the request of their President and such requests are approved and the interventions provided is to enhance their capacity to protect their own territory as it relates to security also to Nigeria,” Ahmed said.

The Nigeria Police Force is bereaved. The demise of a former Inspector-General of Police, Mustapha Balogun popularly known as Tafa Balogun during the week, elicited flurry of reactions especially from kinsmen and associates.

He died at the age of 74 after a brief illness, a few days before his 75th birthday on August 25.

Balogun was the 21st Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and replaced Musiliu Smith in March 2002.

He also made history as the first IGP to serve a prison term. After the numerous travails he experienced over corruption charges, Balogun remained silent and went off public radar.

But in 2020, Balogun emerged from his hiding hole, after he was installed as the Oluomo of Igbomina in Ila-Orangun at the palace of the Orangun of Ila, Alayeluwa, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, Bibire II

The installation had in attendance several eminent personalities including traditional rulers and Balogun’s admirers.

The deceased was born on August 8, 1947, at Ila-Orangun in Osun State. He attended the University of Lagos, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. He joined the Nigeria Police Force in May 1973.

Balogun was a member of the cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 3. During his service as a police officer, he gained a Law degree from the University of Ibadan.

Read Also: Requiem: Kemi Nelson (1956 – 2022)

After working in various positions around the country, he became the Principal Staff Officer to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo.

From Principal Staff Officer, he became a Deputy Commissioner of Police in Edo State. He was appointed as the first Commissioner of Police in Delta State and also served as Commissioner of Police in Abia State.

He was later appointed as Assistant Inspector General of Police in A.I.G Zone One Kano. He held the position until he was promoted to Inspector General of Police on 6 March 2002, replacing Musiliu Smith.

He was responsible for overall police security during the April 2003 national elections, which were marred by reports of police abuses.

Balogun during his tenure, dismissed over 1,200 police officers for various acts bordering on official corruption in his three-year tenure.

On 4th April 2005, Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the stealing and laundering of over $100 million from the Police treasury in his three years as IGP

The Nuhu Ribadu-led Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had prosecuted Balogun on eight count charges bordering on diversion and embezzlement of public funds.

In 2005, after pleading guilty to the charges levelled against him, a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Binta Nyako sentenced Balogun to six months imprisonment after he had spent 67 days in custody of the EFCC.

During one of the numerous proceedings, Balogun reportedly collapsed from his seat at the Abuja High Court, Wuse, gritting his teeth, clenching his fist and in pains before he went stiff. Although his eyes were closed, he was observed breathing spasmodically.

He was later released on February 9, 2006, after serving his sentence; he spent part of it at the National Hospital in Abuja.

Mourning Balogun’s death, President Muhammadu Buhari condoled the family, friends and associates of the former IGP.

He said: “He also mourns with the Nigeria Police Force, an institution Balogun spent the better part of his life serving

“The President recalls that Tafa Balogun, during his tenure as IGP, did his utmost to ensure that the police performed its statutory responsibilities under a democratic dispensation; and his penchant for boosting the morale of officers and men in the Force has been acknowledged by those who served under him.

“President Buhari’s thoughts are with the family, the government and people of Osun State, as well as colleagues and former colleagues of the deceased police chief.

“He prays for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.”

Also, Osun Governor Gboyega Oyetola also expressed saddens over the demise of the former Inspector General of Police.

He said: “The late retired police officer contributed in no small measure to the nation’s security during his years of meritorious service in the Force including when he served as the IGP between 2002 and 2005.

“On behalf of the government and the good people of Osun, I join family members, friends, the Nigerian Police Force and the people of Ila-Orangun to mourn the death of retired Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

“I pray Almighty Allah overlook his shortcomings, admit him into Aljanah and grant his family and loved ones the strength to bear his demise.”

During the week, alumnus of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), Philip Ozuah, shocked many with the huge monetary donation of $1,000,000 to his alma mater.

This unprecedented good gesture trended on social media platforms. Many commended Ozuah for changing the narrative about the art of giving and the need for a sense of generosity and philanthropy in Nigeria.

In the past years, Ozuah’s astounding acts of charity have earned the special recognition and words of gratitude. He has a long history of kindness which he has demonstrated over and over again with his succeeding flow of humanitarian support.

His latest gesture was the timely intervention and donation to his alma mater which earned the special recognition and words of gratitude from many Nigerians.

Ozuah who is the Chief Executive Officer of Montefiore Medicine, Montefiore Health System (MHS) and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York had announced the donation during a virtual sod-turning ceremony for a student hostel project.

Read Also; Ahmed Musa’s uncommon philanthropy

Ozuah, explained that the donation was to support the construction of the college’s new student hostel and other infrastructural repairs.

The hostel project was initiated by the management of the college in partnership with the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association Worldwide (ICOMAA-WW).

The Anambra-born Ozuah earned his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1985 and had his internship at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nsukka.

He then left Nigeria for a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Southern California, and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

He completed his Pediatric Internship and Residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore, and his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.

Ozuah became president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Montefiore Medicine in 2019 after 34 years of service as a medical practitioner. Montefiore Medicine is the umbrella organisation for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System. Ozuah is responsible for overlooking Montefiore’s 13 member hospitals and 300 clinical locations with 7.5 million annual patient encounters.

Confirming the donation, Provost of the College of Medicine, Olayinka Omigbodun, who requested that alumni should come together and “help build a much needed new hostel for students of CoMUI.”

In July, the provost in a video made the call to alumni and other members of the college to support the building of the hostel and other structures.

Olamitoye and Omigbodun were Ozuah’s classmates from CoMUI’s graduating class of 1985. Omigbodun had asked the alumni of CoMUI to help build a much-needed new hostel for students of CoMUI.

“This is a clarion call of all members of the College of Medicine University of Ibadan Alumni Association to join us, to partner with us, strengthen and scale up the College of Medicine University of Ibadan structures and systems,” Omigbodun said.

“He (Ozuah) expanded access to underserved communities, under his leadership, Montefiore health systems specialties have run top 100 percent of the nation’s hospitals.

“He receives more than $200 million in annual research awards from the NIH.”

The continuous weakening of Nigeria’s legal tender — Naira — in both parallel and official markets, in the past weeks, has put the Central Bank (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, under the attention and harsh scrutiny of the public.

Recall Emefiele was once in the eye of the storm a few months back over purported plans to contest for the office of president under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.

When Emefiele assumed duty as the head of the country’s apex financial institution in June 2014, many Nigerians expected clear-sighted efforts that will define the country’s economic landscape.

The continuous crash of the naira, however, portends really bad news for Nigeria on his watch, not only for inflationary pressures on the economy but for businesses, especially importers. The depreciation of the local currency has negatively affected businesses — most especially importers.

The naira has been on a free fall in recent weeks, depreciating to N430 per dollar at the official market, known as the Investors and Exporters forex window, and N710/$ at the parallel market popularly called the black market.

Nigerians lamented how the country’s naira has continuously weakened against the U.S. dollar.

Many business owners complain about how they’ve been unable to access the foreign exchange from commercial banks, which can only satisfy customers’ requests based on allocations from the apex bank.

Owing to the increased public outcry, the Senate during the week resolved to invite Emefiele. He was asked to appear before the Senate in plenary and address the lawmakers behind closed doors.

It also mandated the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions to assess the impact of CBN intervention funds meant to support critical sectors of the economy.

The resolutions were reached by lawmakers after the upper chamber considered a motion sponsored by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (APC – Ekiti North).

The motion was entitled, “State of CBN Intervention Funds and Free Fall Of Naira.”

Read Also: Abubakar Aliyu and the never-ending power grid collapse

Coming under orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Order, as amended, Adetunmbi bemoaned Nigeria’s economic reality amid an urgent call for “extraordinary measures.”

He noted that the CBN, through its numerous multi-sectoral intervention funds, had provided special funds to support critical sectors of the economy.

Adetunmbi explained that in view of such interventions, it had become necessary to assess the state of implementation and effectiveness of the funds deployed for the purpose.

The lawmaker recalled that the CBN, in 2021, placed an indefinite halt on forex bidding by BDC operators and importers over allegations of abuse and mismanagement.

He observed that the halt by the CBN had resulted in a spike in the exchange rate.

According to Adetunmbi, “the two instruments of Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA) could only serve less than 20 percent of the total forex demand by travelers and businesses.”

The lawmakers, however, did not fix a date for the governor to appear.

Unfortunately, the CBN has been long hit by scarcity of foreign currencies, especially the US dollar, as oil earnings, Nigeria’s major area of sourcing foreign exchange, dwindled due to a series of issues.

Since CBN’s clampdown of AbokiFX (the website that curates parallel market exchange rate) last year, buyers and sellers of forex have struggled to find a reference point for what the actual exchange rate should be.

But the country’s apex financial institution has often maintained that the parallel market is not the true reflection of the naira.

It also argued that the non-remittance of dollars to foreign reserves by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was largely responsible for the naira’s free fall in the official and parallel markets.

NNPC and its subsidiaries are the sole managers of crude oil which accounts for more than 80 percent of Nigeria’s Foreign Exchange (forex) earnings.

“Considering Nigeria’s heavy dependence on oil exports for foreign exchange earnings and government revenue, the impact of the oil market crash severely affected the government’s naira revenue and other macroeconomic aggregates including economic growth.

Hence, the rate of exchange between the naira and other currencies has widened over the past few years.” the CBN said in a statement.

A recent announcement that Nigerians buying dollars with naira will be “arrested” made by Emefiele had sparked mixed reactions.

The warning by the CBN Governor was to those who sought to convert the naira from their accounts into foreign currencies for election campaigns and not those who seek to exchange the currency for legitimate purposes such as payment for tuition and other personal expenses.

Reiterating Emefiele’s position, the CBN spokesman also frowned at the conduct of unauthorised movement of funds within and outside the country, saying it would use tools at its disposal to check the movement of illicit funds.

While it appears that CBN has established a slew of policies aimed at reducing demand for Dollars and maintaining a reasonable exchange rate for the naira, it appears the policies are not yielding good results.

Although, analysts have argued that there is also a huge demand now for forex among students who want to pay their school fees and that most students resort to buying from the black market because of the long queue at the bank as a result of limited availability of foreign exchange.

They also blamed the continuous weakening of the naira on rising import bills, dollar savings, and the accumulation of cryptocurrencies by Nigerians who have lost confidence in the local unit due to its massive devaluation against the greenback currency.

Also, at a recent MPC briefing, Emefiele in response to a question on the impact of election spending said: “For election spending as far as we are concerned what we do is to monitor liquidity in the system and once we see that there is excess liquidity we will continue to use our discretionary powers to mop up liquidity in the vaults of the banks so that they will not get involved in speculative activities with those who want to speculate with the currency.

During the week, the bizarre news of the sentencing of human rights lawyer, Barr. Inibehe Effiong, to prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State High Court, Ekaette Obot, for alleged contempt of court generated mixed reactions, especially on social media.

Effiong who is the Convener of the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (COHRD), graduated with an LL.B degree from the University of Uyo. He also graduated from the Nigerian Law School (Lagos Campus) and was called to Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2015.

While narrating his own side of the story, Effiong alleged in a Twitter thread, that the judge sent him to prison when he came to court to defend his client, Leo Ekpenyong, in a libel suit filed by Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel.

He said: “The Chief Judge of Akwa Akwa Ibom ordered a Premium Times reporter to leave the court.

“I said my lord, we were thinking that since the proceeding is public, members of the public should be allowed to observe the proceeding. My Lord asked me to proceed with cross-examination

“I obeyed. I informed the court that I was not feeling comfortable and safe having two armed mobile policemen seated inside the courtroom, that it was strange and that I felt unsafe. I applied for the judge to excuse the armed policemen from the courtroom.

Read Also: Baba Ijesha’s scandalous journey to the jailhouse

“The Hon. Chief Judge then ordered me to step out of the Bar, that she was sending me to prison.

“She then ordered the policemen to take me to Uyo prison. And that I should be in jail for one month. I am waiting inside the courtroom for them to bring the conviction warrant.

“I will be going to the Uyo Correctional Centre now. I have not done anything. I wasn’t even given opportunity to say anything before the “conviction.” Two lawyers in the court appealed to the Hon. Chief Judge but my Lord insisted that I must be jailed. This is in the suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel against a lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong, for alleged defamation,” he stated.

The matter became a subject of discourse in the court of public opinion. Some legal practitioners and civil society groups kicked against the sentencing, and also tackled the Chief Judge for her action.

Some others who argued in favour of the Chief Judge said she has the prerogative to commit a contemptuous and erring lawyer to prison in order to return sanity to the court.

Reacting, human rights lawyer Festus Ogun argued that no lawyer should be jailed for defending his client.

“This is clearly unacceptable. No lawyer should be persecuted, jailed, or punished for courageously defending his client regardless of the position of who is involved.

“Akwa Ibom CJ has crossed the sacred lines and has shown partisanship,” he posited.

Another human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, stated that the conviction of Effiong without trial is “not welcome” under the country’s criminal justice system.

Olajengbesi said: “A good question is whether his expression, in any way, ridicules the court or interferes with the administration of justice? The answer is to the negative”

Also, the House of Representatives candidate in Akwa Ibom, Clement Jimbo, embarked on a solo protest walk in Uyo over the committal of Effiong.

Some inscriptions on the placard read: “My generation cannot be cowed to silence by the judiciary. #FreeInibeheEffiong” “Allow my generation to breathe” and “My generation is more. Respect our rights.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, has assured that Effiong will be released.

Akpata said the NBA would investigate to determine what transpired between Effiong and Justice Obot, before deciding on the next steps.