The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

Aliko Dangote: An eye on the finishing line

The founder and President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, needs no introduction. And that is true for many reasons. He is as much known outside Nigeria as he is known within. What stands him out as a person, is his net worth and prowess as a businessman. His name is synonymous with his burgeoning businesses. For example, in manufacturing, he is Dangote Industries, in haulage, he is Dangote Transport, in the housing sector, and he is Dangote Cement. He has left his footprints in nearly every facet of life, including in the culinary aspect. The name Dangote Salt, Dangote Sugar, Dangote Pasta and the like are common features on dining tables and kitchens in many households.

Dangote is, and remains a trailblazer in many respects. There’s hardly any sector in which he is a player that he had not pioneered. Even in sectors where he is a late entrant, he has been catapulted to the zenith.

Take oil and gas for example. The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical is a testament to his doggedness and ingenuity of him as an investor. The sheer imagination of the project, the can-do spirit and ultimate delivery of the $20 billion plant in record time in our clime, that is dotted with numerous failed government elephant projects, and a non-functional single government’s refinery in the country in over 20 years, tells the story of a personality that in our lifetime, God willing, will soon become a subject of intense study and scrutiny. He is in the class of global and legendary industry barons in the mound of household names and brands like the Ford in automobiles, Arthur Guinness in beverages and the JP Morgan’s in banking.

To say Dangote is a rich man, or wealthy on the surface, is an understatement. For many years now, he has stood head and shoulders above his peers, registering his name as Africa’s richest man. He has held that enviable position for upwards of 12 years, more or less according to Forbes Billionaires Index.

Dangote’s ascension to the richest man position in Africa positron didn’t come by chance. It is a result of meticulous, diligent and calculated building blocks of witty investments in trade, commerce, industry and manufacturing that have spanned decades. He started his wealth building ventures very early. He is in his sixties, yet his escapades, exploits and money making outfits date back many years.

According to Forbes, Dangote’s net worth was $13.4 billion in April 2024, which placed him as the 144th richest person in the world, and he’s been named Africa’s richest man by Forbes for 12 years in a row: The $13.4billion net worth, according to Forbes, has been somewhat adjusted by Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which has placed Dangote’s current net worth at US$27.7 billion apparently following the completion and coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals plant designed to process and refine 650,000 barrels of crude per day situated at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Lagos.

Dangote prepared himself early in life for the things he is doing today. His early preparations started with acquiring a university education and obtaining a degree in Business Administration from Egypt’s Al-Azhar University. On return to Nigeria, he kicked off with trading, majoring on cement with the initial seed money gotten from family sources.

And to further consolidate on his preferred line of business, he took leave of Kano, where he was raised and moved to Lagos. It was from Lagos that he fanned out into importation of major commodities, ranging from sugar, flour, fish, rice, milk and other consumables.

Along the line, he got the nudge to venture into manufacturing, essentially of products he had hitherto been a net importer.

To understand the rudiments of what it takes to be a good and successful manufacturer, Dangote, one more time, traveled to Brazil to acquaint himself with the rudiments of manufacturing. It was after he had mastered the art of manufacturing, that in 1996, he shifted the company’s focus from trading to manufacturing, believing there was an opportunity to create a local operation that would profit from meeting the basic consumer needs of Nigeria’s growing population and beyond.

Thereafter he began building salt and sugar refineries, flour mills and a pasta factory in 1999. In the year 2000, he bought the Benue Cement Company from the Federal Government. After acquiring Benue Cement, Obajana Cement Plant, currently the largest cement facility in sub-Saharan Africa, came on stream.

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Today, Dangote Group’s main publicly traded businesses, the Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar and Nascon Allied Industries, make up about one-third of the market capitalization of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX).

His ability to build strong partnerships and foster collaboration demonstrates his inclusive leadership style and his belief in the power of collective efforts. The mogul’s leadership journey with the establishment of the Dangote Refinery is a shining example of visionary leadership.

He is a target driven and result oriented leader, attributes he brought to bear in the conception and delivery of the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals project.

He is known to attach much value to time and its management. A staff of his said that Dangote puts a very high price on his time. “He attached a premium to it. “Don’t waste your time, he would say, “It’s your most precious asset.” Those around him have affirmed and attested to this.

Dangote is also reported to be someone with zero affinity and tolerance for emotional instincts when talking business. An insider said it offends his sensibility when people lace business discussions with emotional outbursts, “it doesn’t resonate with him,” a staff of his once said in a group chat with acquaintances. “Don’t bring emotions to management and financial discussions,” he was quoted as saying.

He is also known to be very selective of his friends and those he hangs around with. Not hanging around with the wrong people has been one of his cherished and guarded secrets and abiding principle, an aide said.

December 8, 2024
The Wigwes’ helicopter crash in US

It was a multidimensional tragedy that attracted global attention. The death of Herbert Wigwe, 57, on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash in California, USA, made headlines across the world, reflecting his stature and impact. He was co-founder and CEO of Access Bank Plc., ranked among Nigeria’s top five banks and growing ambitiously. He was in 2022 a recipient of the Nigerian national honour Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).

Tragically, five others also died in the crash: his wife Doreen Chizoba, 56; their 29-year-old son Chizi; a former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, 61; and two crew members. Wigwe and his co-travellers were on their way to attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The ill-fated helicopter was reported to have been flying in “adverse weather conditions characterised by rain and a mix of snow.” Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu described the incident as “an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension.”

Did he foresee his exit? Some people believe he did, citing his cryptic post on X, on January 19, which was 21 days before his tragic death. He wrote: “Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift — a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect. Let’s honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count. Let us number our days.”

The accident was “unbelievable” to the people of Isiokpo kingdom in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, where Wigwe hailed from. The traditional ruler of Isiokpo, Blessing Wagor, was reported as saying, “We must get to the root of the whole thing… We must go back to our traditional way and find out what really killed Herbert Wigwe… We enjoyed him.” There was no doubt about his place as a man of the people mainly on account of his philanthropic activities.

Noteworthy posthumous tributes to him highlighted his vision and pursuits as a high-profile banker and his passion for philanthropy.     South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described him as a “continental partner.” French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “dedicated to the development of cross-cultural initiatives between our two countries” and “also without respite worked to increase our economic partnership.” Former US President Bill Clinton said he “deeply admired Herbert’s commitment to widening the circle of opportunity for young people in Nigeria and supporting humanitarian work around the world.”

After earning a degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1987, he got a master’s in banking and finance from the University College of North Wales in 1991, and another master’s from the University of London in 1996. He became a chartered accountant in 1989. He had a stint at Coopers & Lybrand as a management consultant, and later joined Guaranty Trust Bank, where he worked for over a decade and became executive director.

The turning point came in 2002 when he and his partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede bought Access Bank in the context of concerns from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that they were too young to own a bank. He was 36 at the time. They proved the CBN wrong. By 2017, the bank had grown to become the fourth largest bank in Nigeria by assets, which was a testimony to his result-oriented leadership.

He was the bank’s CEO from 2014 until his death. Under him, in 2019 Access Bank merged with Diamond Bank to become the largest bank in Nigeria. In his era, he pursued expansion not only in Africa but also in Europe, and by 2021 the bank had subsidiaries in Mozambique, Zambia, Congo, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. When the bank launched its subsidiary in France in 2023, it boasted a presence in 18 countries across four continents. He had planned to extend to Asia in the first quarter of 2024.   Named 2016 Banker of the Year by The Sun and Vanguard, two of Nigeria’s major newspapers, Wigwe’s professional success generated positive news. However, there were negative stories in some quarters regarding the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank in 2012.

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He was phenomenally prosperous, which he demonstrated by building a glitzy mansion for himself in Ikoyi, Lagos, estimated to have cost between N10bn and N30bn. The construction was completed in 22 months. It was meant to serve as his retirement home in Lagos. But he died about two months after he moved into the mansion, and he had not retired.

His Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW) Foundation, which he founded in Lagos, in 2016, underlined his philanthropic energy and his interest in youth empowerment, leadership, mentorship, malaria eradication, prostate cancer and children. Also, under him Access Bank in 2014 launched the “W” Initiative “to accelerate a new and stronger wave of hitherto scanty female entrepreneurs in Nigeria.”

He died in the middle of the countdown to the launch of Wigwe University, a private university which he founded in his hometown, Isiokpo. He had described the institution, planned to open in September 2024, as “special because it is an opportunity for me to give back to society by providing world-class quality education that will foster the development of Nigeria and Africa.” He said: “The project’s major focus is nurturing and building responsible and thoughtful leaders who have the capacity to ignite the potential of the continent and take its rightful place as far as the global stage is concerned.” The university commenced academic activities in October, eight months after his death.

Beyond the fatalities in the helicopter crash, there were secondary victims, including Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the former pastor of the City of David Parish, Lagos of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Wigwe was a prominent member of the church and a major sponsor of its activities. The leadership of the church was expected to mourn his passing. But less than two weeks after his death, Iluyomade’s wife, Siju, celebrated her 60th birthday boisterously, leading to public accusation of insensitivity. RCCG quietly moved the pastor to another role within the mission’s structure.

It was indeed a tragedy of multiple dimensions and consequences.

December 8, 2024
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN

For Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles and Atalanta forward, Year 2024 will forever remain indelible in his memory and legion of football followers around the world after he stunningly turned the UEFA Europa League final to his personal spectacle. In football folklore, not many players have achieved immortality with a singular performance as much as the 27-year-old Nigeria International striker did on the night of May 22 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. In an eye-catching display, the former England youth international scored thrice as Atalanta defeated Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 for their first European trophy and their first trophy in 61 years.

By so doing, Lookman, an unlikely hero going into the Dublin final, broke a few records including being the first player ever to score a hat trick in a Europa League final and the very first in a major European final since Jupp Heynckes’ hat trick for Monchengladbach in the 5-1 thrashing of Twente in the second leg of the 1975 UEFA Cup final.

Yet, Lookman’s unique hat-trick against Leverkusen was even sweeter as it was the first in a single-match major European final since Pierino Prati’s efforts when AC Milan brushed aside Ajax (in their first-ever final ) 4-1 to win the 1969 European Cup final.

“I’ve always had the confidence in my ability,” Lookman, who started his professional football career in 2014 with Charlton Athletic’s Academy, said after leading Atalanta to their famous win in Dublin. “In the past two years, I’ve been able to take my game to a new level and show it on a more consistent basis. Maybe it could have come earlier but it has come now.

“I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made, but this is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this,” he added.

But the extent of Lookman’s remarkable display with Atalanta in Dublin is better appreciated even more so at a period when Nigerian athletes across all sporting divides, including Team Nigeria contingent at the Paris 2024 Olympics Games, literally went down on all fours in the year under review.

“He (Lookman) achieved something which will remain in the annals of football history – a stunning hat-trick,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini noted emphatically. “It was a performance and result that will long be remembered.”

Prior to his magical night in Dublin, Lookman had equally shone like the neon light in the dark with the Nigeria’s senior men’s national team at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held between January 13 and February 11, 2024, in Cote d’Ivoire.

The London-born Ademola scored thrice, including the brace in the 2-0 defeat of Cameroon in the Round of 16, to help the Super Eagles reach the AFCON final for the first time since 2013.

Despite the disappointing 2-1 loss to the hosts in the final, Lookman’s fine efforts throughout the tournament saw him being listed in CAF Best XI Team along with captain William Troost-Ekong.

“Ademola Lookman has been the big performer for both club and country this year 2024,” Nigeria Football Federation’s Director of Media and Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire, who later labelled Lookman as Nigeria’s Rave-of-the-Moment, told The Nation. “At the AFCON, he scored 3 goals (2 against Cameroon and 1 against Angola) in the knockout rounds and made two assists (the goal by Victor Osimhen in the 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea and William Ekong goal in the final from a corner kick).

“He has also been pivotal for country, scoring two goals in the AFCON qualifiers (with two others controversially chalked off). He has been no less impressive for club. A sweet hat trick to win the Europa Cup for Atalanta, and on the score-sheet every weekend!

“His absence is always impactful on both club and country. 14th in the Ballon d’Or, and everyone’s favourite for the African Player of the Year award,” Ademola, a veteran of six FIFA World Cup finals, 12 AFCON finals and three Olympic Games, added.

Lookman’s path to the top of his trade as a footballer is indeed a study in perseverance and exceptional commitment after coming through the ranks at Waterloo – a youth football club based in South London – en route to the Serie A Made in Italy.

At Charlton Athletic Academy, he became a scoring sensation in both the U-12 and U-18 cadet teams before making his first-team debut for the Addicks in November 2015.

In 2017, he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Everton reportedly to the tune of about £11 million with add-ons, but he was later farmed out as a loanee to RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City before arriving at Atalanta in August 2022 on a four-year contract for a reported fee of €15 million.

Since scoring on his Atalanta debut in a 2-0 Serie A win over Sampdoria on 13th August, 2024, Lookman has not looked back and in January 2023, remarkably scored braces in three consecutive matches: an 8–2 Serie A win over Salernitana, a 5–2 Coppa Italia win over Spezia and a 3–3 Serie A draw to Juventus.

At the international level, Lookman represented England at the U-19 and U-21 levels and was a FIFA U-20 World Cup winner in 2017 before finally switching his allegiance to Nigeria in February 2022.

Known for his explosive and burst-of-energy display from the wing with a great proclivity for goals, Lookman, according to former Super Eagles captain and coach Sunday Oliseh, is already among the soccer greats for obvious reasons.

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“Ademola Lookman is a great player,” Oliseh stated in a recent TV interview. “Why I find Lookman to be a great player is because I’m looking at the qualities, the characteristics that are needed to play the position Lookman plays and how he executes them.

“He doesn’t execute them at five out of ten, he doesn’t execute them at six out of ten, he executes most of them at 7.5, 8 out of ten, so that’s why I say he’s a great player.”

He added: “I am calling him great because he played at the Europa League final, he did not only just play, he was decisive in winning the Europa League final. That is not what a good player does, that’s what a great player does.”

For his fairy-tale finish in Dublin, amongst other sterling performances, Lookman earned his stripes with the Europa League Trophy; Europa League final Most valuable Player,14th Best Player at the 2024 Ballon d’Or Awards, shortlisted for Serie A Forward of the Year, shortlisted for the Globe Soccer Awards’ Best Men’s Player, as well as being shortlisted for the prestigious African Player of the Year to be awarded on December 16 in Marrakech, Morocco.

Who else qualifies to be so named as the Sports Person of the Year than Ademola Lookman?

Outside of Lookman, Nigeria’s Paralympian athletes to the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games also turned the eyes in the year under review, even more so when their able-bodied colleagues failed to win a single medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

In a rare display of abilities-in-disabilities, the Paralympians scooped seven medals in Paris that included two bronze, three silver and two gold by the duo of Onyiyechi Mark and Folashade Oluwafemiayo who also shattered powerlifting records in their respective categories, to the delight of an appreciative nation.

“Today, we celebrate not just the medals, but the spirit of resilience that defines our athletes,” Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, stated during a rousing reception for the nation’s Paralympic athletes at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. “Your names will be written in the annals of history as champions.

“I congratulate each one of you for making Nigeria proud. Your success has united us all in celebration, and I am confident that this is just the beginning of more historic accomplishments to come.”

Nothing more nothing less…

December 8, 2024
It’s a treble whammy

One: The Wike-Fubara Rivers “civil war.” It broke out on 30 October 2023, with the attempt to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by Nyesom Wike loyalists. That “war” still rages, with no one sure of its denouement.

Two: The titanic tussle by two Emirs for the sole throne of Kano. Governor Abba Yusuf had thought it would be quick-and-sweet, with the “deposed” Emir Aminu Ado-Bayero out of town; and the “reinstated” Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, serenaded into the Kano Palace.

But alas! It has since become a raging stalemate; with Ado-Bayero back in town, and challenging his ouster in court. Sanusi too isn’t sitting pretty, either!

Three: The Nigerian Army-Okuama domiciles’ clash, at a sleepy marine community in Delta State. It almost acquired a David-versus-Goliath hue, with local criminals killing 16 troops – three officers and 13 soldiers. A furious Army, smarting from a few felled troops, invaded the community. Many youths bailed out in sheer panic. Many a local VIP, not excluding royals, were whisked away to Abuja for questioning.

Well, the live coal of the Okuama conflict seems much cooled for now. But its ashen face may well cover the simmering tension under.

The cold war, between Wike and Fubara, finally broke out on 30 October 2023. It was the day of an impeachment that never was. On its eve – October 29 – an irate mob, suspected to harbour Fubara’s sympathies, torched a part of the Rivers State House of Assembly, clearly to stop the impeachment. But it was attempted, anyway.

On 13 December 2023, Fubara, claiming the House of Assembly had suffered irredeemable structural damage, sent in bulldozers to pull it down! Two days before – December 11 – Wike-leaning lawmakers, all 27 of them, announced their defection, from the Rivers ruling PDP, to the federal ruling APC.

On December 12, the Fubara side obtained an order, from a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, to deal with the four members, led by Edison Ehie, the ‘Speaker’ that stayed loyal to Fubara, since the majority 27 had “defected”.

That four-member faction then declared vacant the seats of the 27, led by Martins Amaewhule, for the alleged defection, thereby forfeiting their seats. What was more, Fubara would present his budget to that four-member Assembly, even if their original leader would resign and be appointed his Chief of Staff.

This twin-action – the 27 announcing a defection; and Fubara presenting his 2024 budget to a four-member Assembly – has mutually hooked the two sides. If the courts uphold the defection of the 27, then Fubara would have won. If otherwise, he would have been toast: for spending public money without appropriation – and Wike would be the winner.

By 18 December 2023, however, both parties converged on the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to sign a peace deal, brokered by President Bola Tinubu. That pact halted any further impeachment by the Assembly. On his part, Fubara was to re-present his 2024 budget to the Assembly of 27. The deal also directed Wike loyalists, who had resigned in protest, to go back to their jobs.

Controversies on the implementation of the peace pact only provided the fuel for conflict entrepreneurs to seize the moment, and make hay. More than a year after hostilities broke out, the matter, as consolidated appeal of many suits, is in the Court of Appeal.

Rivers waits with bated breath, as a distracted Fubara goes toe-to-toe with Wike, his former boss!

If the Rivers issue was a simmering quarrel that blew into an open war, Kano was what, in Tennis-speak, is an unforced error! But even if there was an error to be corrected, Governor Abba Yusuf and the State House of Assembly rushed the process, so much so that a Federal High Court voided the process, without necessarily nullifying the powers of the legislature to make laws guiding the Kano emirship.

The crisis had started in 2019, when the then Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, deposed the tempestuous Muhammadu Sanusi II, as Emir of Kano for “insubordination”. For effect, he split the sole emirship into five, adding four additional Emirates of Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi.

But in the course of the 2023 electioneering, Candidate Yusuf and his leader in the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso (who crowned Sanusi when he was Kano governor) swore to revisit the matter. That, Governor Yusuf did May 23. Emir Ado-Bayero was away in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, visiting the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona. But Ado-Bayero not only forced his way back to Kano, he also challenged his removal in court.

That has been the stalemate so far, awaiting determination. On October 30, the Court of Appeal reserved judgment on the matter. However, Kwankwaso, despite the sub-judice nature of the case, has read dirty politics to it.

“Lagos wouldn’t allow us to choose an Emir,” he grouched to graduating students of Skyline University, Kano, claiming that Lagos wanted to “colonize Kano”.

For context, President Bola Tinubu hails from Lagos. The Kwankwaso-Yusuf camp believe the “deposed” Ado-Bayero enjoyed “federal might”. That, to them, would explain his landing in Kano after his “deposition”.

Governor Yusuf even tried to arm-twist the Kano State Commissioner of Police to “arrest” Ado-Bayero and bundle him out of town. But the police boss spurned the order – and rightly so – pleading a court order that the parties should maintain status quo ante-bellum.

That, to the Kwankwaso camp, was proof of support from “Abuja”, which controls the Nigeria Police. Indeed, running Ado-Bayero out of town would have eased reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi’s consolidation of powers. In truth, returning to Kano has helped Emir Ado-Bayero to stonewall the process, though his right to challenge the ouster, under the law, is unimpeachable. But that was the right dubbed the Lagos “colonization of Kano”, simply because the President is from Lagos. Dirty, banal, reckless politics!

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As it is, two Emirs, one throne – and Kano is in a virtual tizzy, awaiting the final resolution of the crisis. It could, however, run all the way to the Supreme Court.

On March 14, some felons ambushed and killed 16 soldiers in Okuama, a riverine community in Delta State. The ghosts of Odi (in Bayelsa State) and Zaki Biam (in Benue State), during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, leapt to the fore!

Odi and Zaki Biam – with Gen. Victor Malu, the Army Chief of Staff when Odi happened, in-between – were a bitter irony. When some Odi rascals killed soldiers and policemen, the Army under Gen. Malu, with the full backing of his commander-in-chief, laid siege to the town, killed, maimed and raped in revenge.

When Zaki Ibiam happened, Malu had left as Army Chief of Staff. But that didn’t stop the Army from giving Zaki Biam – Malu, its old chief be damned – the “Odi” treatment! It was now the turn of Malu to wail and cry! Zaki Biam was his home town!

The slain troops at Okuama – two majors, a captain and 13 soldiers – were responding to a conflict (reportedly over land) between Okuama and neighbouring Okoloba. But beyond the arrest of some suspects, including some traditional rulers taken to Abuja for interrogations, the government somewhat managed to control the crisis. Yes, the Okuama youths fled, and soldiers stormed the town and effected some arrests. But the crisis never plumbed the tragic depths of Odi and Zaki Biam.

Still, a video recording of a young man that claimed to be among those who ambushed and killed the soldiers went viral in the social media — the young man striking the irreverence and rebellion of Bob Marley’s popular reggae hit “I killed the Sheriff”. But it’s not clear whether or not the authorities effected his arrest.

December 8, 2024
More than a promise kept

Although birthed in a climate of cynicism and disbelief, it would turn out a promise made and delivered. On April 3, President Bola Tinubu finally signed into law the Student Loans Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2024 to formally establish the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). With a single stroke of the pen, the Fund to supervise, coordinate, administer, and monitor the management of student loans in the country, one of the flagship initiatives promised by Tinubu, finally came into being.

For those who not only chose to believe, but trusted the ability of the president to deliver on his promise, it was the moment they had waited for, with bated breath. Same for those who either chose to be dismissive or at best adopt a wait-and-see attitude, the moment couldn’t have been less historic or consequential. Thanks to the coming of the loan facility for students in our tertiary institutions, there is a broad acceptance somewhat, that things would never remain the same on the campuses of our tertiary institutions, going forward.

Fifty-years after the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon established the defunct Nigerian Students Loans Board to address the financial needs of our student scholars; there is a new successor fund in NELFUND, created by an act of parliament.

This time, however, the big irony is that a major stakeholder, the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU), chose to see things differently. They opted to reject the very idea of a student loan not for its inherent lack of merit, but on purely ideological reasons.

Whereas the government had its eyes set on the Fund’s sustainability, for ASUU, it is either a grant or nothing! And as if that is not tragic enough, the body has also signalled its rejection of the seat allotted to the body on the management body even after the bill’s signing into law.

It was one stance in which majority of students across our tertiary institutions would prove to be more discerning – opting instead to leave their

esteemed teachers behind. With students largely embracing NELFUND, and with many known to have sung the high praises of its rather considerate provisions, the scheme is set to be unstoppable.

The provisions are as pragmatic as could be: among others, the beneficiaries of the loan scheme would only commence repayment two years after the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC). Should the beneficiary not be employed in any capacity or not receiving any income after this time, he/she may request an extension of repayment time by through a sworn affidavit indicating the employment status. The Fund in addition to provisions for tuitions also provides for loans for maintenance for students.

And far from being restricted to students in tertiary institutions alone, those seeking skill-development programs in government-owned institution, but do not have the resources to do so are also eligible. The only restriction is that the Fund covers those institutions owned by either federal or state governments.

In all, the big idea is that issues of finance and basic sustenance will no longer constitute a hurdle in the pursuit of education; the repayment plan will guarantee adequate not just sufficient time but less stress for the beneficiaries. In short, parents/sponsors, who before now bore the duty of solely carrying the burden of education, now have it taken off their shoulders.

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Six months into its coming, it could be safely said that NELFUND has moved from being an idea to a scheme that could claim to have enjoyed unqualified success. With no fewer than 90,000 students known to have benefitted in the last six months, the records would appear to speak for themselves. According to the Fund’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, of the N96 billion committed, about N11 billion has been disbursed to the 90, 000 students across the country.

Says Sawyerr: “300,000 have been deemed to qualify for the loans. The gap between those that have qualified and those in benefit of the loan is that we have to go through a rigorous process to ensure we are not giving money to the wrong people.”

Although many institutions are only beginning to sign on, all across the country, the indication is that NELFUND has come to stay. All of the initial hiccups and scepticisms now belong in the past. For instance, whereas the earlier version of the bill – the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act 2023, to which the president appended his signature on June 12, 2023, appears to have thrown up far more issues than could have been anticipated, all of these have been addressed in the new amendment. While those controversial provisions have since been expunged, it speaks to the capacity of the administration to process the various feedbacks that a revised framework specifically addressing those concerns would come quickly in the form of the bill that is now its operating law.

Nigerian students can in the circumstance, only hope for the best. For the parents and the students alike, NELFUND certainly represents a new dawn. For the Bola Tinubu administration, it goes beyond a promise kept; it is a solid step towards securing a legacy. It might well be the most consequential legislation of the year.

December 8, 2024
Donald Trump: The comeback czar

As he was leaving the White House in January 2021 after losing the 2020 United States election to Democratic candidate Joe Biden, Donald Trump wistfully told his supporters he would be “back in some form.” Now he’s back, and with a storm. He won the 2024 U.S. poll by a clean sweep of Washington power for Republicans.

When he is sworn into the Oval Office for another term in January 2025, Trump will be the most powerful American president in modern history. He not only won back the presidency, his Republican party seized control of the Senate from Democrats and retained control of the House it won under the Biden presidency. American democracy historically thrived on division of executive and legislative powers between the two major political parties. But now, Republicans boast of a governing trifecta with their simultaneous control of the White House and the two congressional chambers, which means Trump would have no impediments to carrying through with his fancies for his second term – well, at least until another mid-term election in 2026. “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he told his supporters in celebration of Republican win of the U.S. Senate early last month. Meanwhile, he had during his first term between 2016 and 2020 built a conservative majority on the U.S. supreme court bench that remains in place till date, and which legal observers foresee could be pliant towards him in his exercise of presidential powers when he takes office again. He’s on a rollercoaster!

Trump is only the second in U.S. history to serve two non-consecutive terms by returning to the presidency after being defeated in re-election bid following his first term. He was the 45th and will be the 47th American president. He takes after Grover Cleveland, the first to be elected president after the 1885 American civil war. Cleveland, a Democrat, was the 22nd president and he returned for a second term as 24th president four years after he initially lost the White House.

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But Trump may yet be the most impactful power broker in all of America’s more than two century-long history. He led the Republican ticket after crushing every challenge to his dominance in the Grand Old Party and exerts a peerless grip on the fold that is now formatted in his Make America Great Again (MAGA) image, not on historical ideologies. He won emphatically in the November election, netted 295 electoral votes – 25 more than the 270 votes needed to clinch the presidency. Although the electoral vote count fell short of the 306 votes he polled to win his first term in 2016, he outpaced Vice-President Kamala Harris who led the

Democratic ticket by a substantial margin in popular vote in this year’s election. This was unlike in 2016 when Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton with whom he duelled polled some 2.9million popular votes more than he did. It was reportedly the first time in 20 years that Republicans won the popular vote in a presidential election. Besides, in overawing Harris, he won all the battlegrounds including the so-called “blue wall” states that are traditionally Democrat strongholds, leaving no path to 270 electoral votes for the vice-president. Winning both the all-important electoral vote count and the popular vote is a comprehensive mandate that Trump has under his belt for his second term, which was not even there during his first term bullish as it was. At 78 years old, he will be the oldest in U.S. history to hold arguably the world’s most powerful job.

The new American president also comes into office with an aura of indestructibility that is like none other. He survived two assassination attempts during electioneering leading up to polling day, one of which involved his right ear being nicked and bloodied in a shooting, last July, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunman had apparently aimed for Trump’s skull, but he ducked the bullet before Secret Service agents blanketed him and crowded him off the stage to safety as he struck an iconic pose – pumping his fist defiantly to the sky and conjuring chants of “USA! USA!” from supporters. The gunman was shot dead by security agents at the scene. But Trump’s followers wasted no time milking the economic potential of the incident as they unleashed frenzied merchandise with Trump T-shirts showing his pose just after being shot, with slogans like “Bulletproof,” “Legends Never Die,” “Grazed, not Dazed” and “Shooting Makes Me Stronger” imprinted.

As president, Trump would have few restraints if he exhibits the absolutist tendency he was known for during his first term, and which he intensified through legal manoeuverings out of office. No other American president ever came into office armed with a supreme court verdict that grants immunity to presidents for official acts. Out of office, he’s been subjected to a raft of litigations that he always described as weaponization of justice by the Biden administration.

Now, he will be presiding over that same justice system when he takes oath for a new term, and it’s a no brainer that all the cases against him will be dumped and erased from the records.

The strategy by Trump lawyers consisted in filing multiple appeals and challenges in different courts to hold down cases against him until after the poll. The strategy worked spectacularly. But he had to do his part: he had to win. And he did that spectacularl

December 8, 2024
The vulnerable Nigerian: Quiet hero of 2024

•How the embattled citizen became a model of hope

Some years are remembered for the wars they birthed, others for the peace they sustained. Yet, 2024 will be etched in Nigeria’s memory as a year of trials by flood, fire, and famine. In the storm-tossed annals of the year, no figure looms larger than the vulnerable Nigerian – a silent warrior navigating tempests both natural and man-made. From the floodwaters of Maiduguri to the scorched remnants of Bodija, from the ruins of economic collapse to the invisible sacrifices of villagers displaced from their homes by bandits in the Northwest and vengeful soldiers prowling Okuama, in the Niger Delta, the vulnerable Nigerian has borne the weight of a nation’s failures and emerged as an architect of hope.

Into the deluge: Ordinary lives, extraordinary hardships

In September, the rains came not as a blessing but as a curse, birthing a deluge. The waters rose, first as whispers, slithering through the streets of Gwange like a reptilian beast, until it became a roar that swallowed homes and histories. The collapse of the Alau Dam unleashed an apocalyptic flood, submerging Gwange and Maiduguri in chaos. Blind grandmother Zara Aji, plucked from the deluge by her teenage grandson Mohammed, became a symbol of love-defying calamity. Mohammed’s strength – wading through waters that clawed at him with relentless ferocity was a living metaphor for hope enduring even as the world drowned around him.

The collapse of the Alau Dam was a calamity foretold – years of neglect had weakened its structure, and torrential rains became the final blow. What followed was not merely a flood but a merciless erasure of lives, homes, and livelihoods. The blind, the elderly, and the disabled bore the brunt of this disaster, their vulnerabilities amplified by society’s indifference.

En route to the September deluge, Nigeria startled, on January 16, to a fire outbreak in Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State – and this set the tone for a slew of calamities for a citizenry still grappling with a comatose economy and the austerity imposed by removal of fuel subsidy and floatation of the naira. President Bola Tinubu’s gospel of “Renewed Hope” struggled for resonance before a people assailed by soaring food prices and hardships that outstripped their means.

The government’s plea for patience and understanding predictably fell on ears tuned to the dirge of unfulfilled promises by previous administrations. The man who cannot afford to eat today will not be consoled by promises of a feast tomorrow.

Yet amid the hardships, 2024 has been a year when survival was an act of rebellion. And in this rebellion, the vulnerable Nigerian has stood tall – battered yet unbowed, invisible yet indomitable. While the world looked toward the metropolises of power for its champions, this individual emerged as a quieter yet more profound figure of resilience from the shadows.

Quiet heroes of 2024: How the Nigerian family dealt with economic adversity

The human spirit, like a reed in the storm, bends but does not break. In 2024, the Nigerian people – scattered across bustling markets, flooded streets, and impoverished neighbourhoods – became a paragon of this truth.

Consider the Abayomis, a family in Orile-Agege, Lagos. Once part of the middle class, they now navigate the shadowy edges of poverty. Kunle Abayomi, a civil servant, fights the relentless battle of stretching N100,000 to feed his family of six.

His wife, Folasade, juggles dual roles – educator by day, trader by night – while their children, eyes wide with dreams, watch their parents’ struggle with the stoicism of veterans.

Inflation, the silent thief at 32%, ravages the Abayomis’ earnings. Kunle’s paycheck, a mere ghost of sufficiency, vanishes like dew under the sun of escalating costs. For Wale, the eldest son, the Nigerian Dream – a vision of prosperity – has dimmed into a distant mirage.

No doubt, the plight of those submerged by the Borno floods or left homeless by the Ibadan disaster is heart-wrenching. Yet, beyond these calamities lies a deeper wound – the pervasive economic hardship that has gripped millions. Aside from the Abayomis, families like the Ezeigbos of Surulere fight to keep afloat in an economy where survival is a gamble. Chidi Ezeigbo, an electronics trader, and his wife, Nkem, a vegetable vendor, embody this struggle. Each day is a wager, their efforts constantly undercut by fluctuating exchange rates and rising prices.

For individuals like Habeeb Olamide, a steel constructor, the ripple effects of economic decline manifest in dwindling opportunities and the need to juggle multiple jobs. “We’ve learned to adapt,” said Habeeb, his voice weary yet resolute. Crime is never an option. Perseverance is his family’s only hope.

Across Nigeria, economic hardship did not just strain wallets; it reshaped the very fabric of family life. Traditional gender roles, long enshrined in the patriarchal ethos, began to blur as the archetypal patriarch, once a figure of unchallenged authority, now shares his throne with women who step into roles once deemed unconventional.

Read Also: Akpabio flags off medical outreach to support Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda

Folasade Abayomi, Nkem Ezeigbo, and countless others are not just wives or mothers; they are breadwinners and strategists, navigating the maze of survival with ingenuity and resolve. Yet, this shift is not without its tensions. For several families, the shifting balance of financial power sowed discord, challenging long-held notions of authority and unity. What began as a joint effort to navigate economic turbulence in most families evolved into a silent war. For instance, Funmi Adeoye’s flourishing thrift business, once a symbol of hope, became an unspoken challenge to her Tayo’s authority thus ripping apart their marriage.

Cracked mirror of the Nigerian Dream

For decades, the Nigerian Dream shimmered as a lighthouse of hope – a promise of upward mobility, wealth, and security. Today, it stands fractured, its once-clear vision obscured by the haze of economic turmoil.

The family, once a solid institution, now stands like a cracked mirror, reflecting the distortion of a once-cherished social ideal. For many it’s prosperity, for others, its career success, stardom or decent living. The parameters for ascertaining true prosperity vary from family to family, from one individual to another.

Gender roles have shifted, authority has been questioned, and the lines between right and wrong have blurred beyond recognition, argued Adeyinka Somide, a sociologist and retired headteacher. According to her, the long-held values that commanded visions of success and integrity among her generation has been so badly corrupted that all that’s left “are shreds of memories of how cultured, honest and God-fearing we once are.”

As families struggled to recalibrate their lives in the wake of economic upheaval, they are faced with the harsh truth: survival often demands compromise. Fathers who once stood tall have bent under the weight of necessity. Mothers who once preached virtue learnt to permit some ‘harmless’ vice. Sons and daughters, once guided by the moral teachings of their homes, wandered through a world of crime and moral ambiguity, driven by a sheer will to survive.

Amidst the turmoil of economic hardships, families who refuse to succumb to crime forge creative survival strategies. In Lagos, they pooled resources, shared homes, and rotated childcare to reduce costs. Jeremiah Alase, for instance, formed an ajo (cooperative savings group) with neighbours, including two NYSC graduates, in his Idimu, Lagos community. Each month, members contribute N25,000 and take turns receiving the pooled funds.

“We prefer this to banks. Banks only fund the rich with our deposits,” Alase explains. “This ajo has been a lifeline, helping us handle unexpected expenses like school fees or medical bills.”

The stories of the Abayomis, Ezeigbos, and Adeoyes are not isolated. They are threads in a larger tragedy that runs through the heart of Nigerian society.

No one can pretend we didn’t see this coming. The signs had always been evident as the noonday sun, looming for decades. Many saw it unfold but preferred to shrug it off, imagining that the ship of state was still on course, even as it drifted towards the gorge.

But the worst has dawned in real-time. The consequences pervade the country, palpable in the air, like a suffocating fog clinging to every breath.

Why the vulnerable Nigerian deserves the crown

The vulnerable Nigerian is not simply a survivor of 2024’s tragedies – they are a mirror reflecting the best and worst of our collective humanity. Their lives tell stories of a country that has failed its most fragile citizenry yet relies on their silent strength to persevere.

They are the widows who wait for aid that never comes, the disabled left behind in the chaos of evacuation, the displaced who rebuild with nothing but hope. They are Mohammed, carrying his grandmother through floodwaters; they are the Abayomis’ four children—Wale, 16; Tolu, 14; Jide, 11; and Bolu, 9 – who see their parents hustle paycheck to paycheck, and know all too well, why the Nigerian dream feels increasingly out of reach; they are 15-year-old Ali, who faded away into the midnight currents of September 9 – never to be seen again – as he honoured his mother’s request for him to save “those who cannot help themselves.” The 15-year-old nodded in silent affirmation to his mother. The palpable fear on his face conveying his brutal awakening and chilling resonance of the moment – he was a child thrust by serpentine waters into the role of a man. His mother, Halima Mohammed, cried as she recalled watching him slink off into the tempest – amid the guttural wails of frightened families and drowning neighbours, she watched her son vanish completely from her sight. These unsung heroes held up the world as 2024 crumbled around them.

As the hardships persists…

To name the vulnerable Nigerian as the Person of the Year is not merely to honour their resilience; it is a call to action. It is a reminder that the survival of the nation hinges on the survival of its most fragile.

As the floodwaters recede and the flames die down, the scars remain – on the land, on the people, and on the collective conscience of a nation grappling with severe economic hardships imposed by surgical policy reforms. These scars are a challenge to policymakers, aid organisations, and every Nigerian to ensure that vulnerability does not mean invisibility.

The government, social workers, activists, and survivors must work together to achieve systemic change: better infrastructure, inclusive disaster response plans, and targeted support for the marginalised.

To truly honour the vulnerable, the nation must rise beyond rhetoric – and reignite hope in the national enterprise.

The vulnerable Nigerian stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, reminding us that while economic hardship and nature’s wrath may be inevitable, our response to them is not. In their survival, they teach us that resilience is not a gift but a shared responsibility. They are the epitome of courage, the bearers of burdens, and the silent architects of hope.

The poetry of their endurance embellishes the Nigerian narrative of 2024.

December 8, 2024
The man with a voracious appetite for looting
- SCANDALS OF THE YEAR
When news broke on Monday, December 2, 2024, that a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had granted a final forfeiture of 753 duplexes built with funds allegedly embezzled by a former high-ranking government official currently on trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), many Nigerians eagerly anticipated full disclosure of the individual’s identity.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, who presided over the case, had unequivocally ordered the properties – valued at billions of naira – to be forfeited to the government.

Yet, rather than leverage the opportunity to showcase its credibility, the EFCC opted for opacity, refusing to name the alleged looter or disclose the property’s estimated worth in such a prime area of the FCT. This evasiveness is perplexing, especially after the agency hailed the forfeiture as “the largest single asset recovery since the EFCC’s inception in 2003.”

Without a doubt, the revelation that a public servant in a supposedly secure system – one ostensibly anchored on financial integrity, morality, and accountability – could divert funds sufficient to erect 753 luxury duplexes on a 150, 500-square-meter expanse of land, speaks volumes about the rot within Nigeria’s civil and public service.

While the unnamed individual’s greed and malevolence are evident, the ease with which this monumental fraud was perpetrated lays bare the systemic failure that continues to debilitate governance in this nation. This is nothing short of a damning indictment of institutional collapse – a festering malaise that perpetually stifles Nigeria’s progress.

Read Also: Town planners hail Tinubu over Dangiwa’s appointment as minister

Expectedly, Nigerians are incensed, questioning why the EFCC has chosen to coddle the perpetrator of this unmitigated “scandal of the year.” Where there was an expectation of the agency’s characteristic naming-and-shaming approach, it issued a tepid statement that left more questions than answers, forcing the public to rely on conjecture. Unsurprisingly, some analysts have pointed fingers at a particular individual previously accused of corruption on an epic scale during his tenure at the apex bank. While these remain speculations, the larger issue is what such unchecked looting has done to a nation teetering on the brink of unrealised potential, forever chasing the mirage of development.

Treasure looting in Nigeria is a perennial plague. Successive governments and officials have repeatedly plundered public funds, exploiting the nation’s wealth – particularly from oil – for personal gain. This pervasive corruption, fueled by the siphoning of billions of naira, has cemented a grim pattern: widespread looting, transient public outrage, and eventual apathy. Time and again, only the minor culprits – the small-scale pilferers of public funds – are punished, while the masterminds of grand heists are either shielded or left untouched.

The consequences are catastrophic. Chronic underdevelopment persists as funds meant for critical sectors like roads, healthcare, and education vanish into private pockets. Economic growth remains stunted, infrastructure deteriorates, and poverty deepens. Public trust in governance and institutions has eroded, replaced by a culture of impunity and moral decay.

Despite the EFCC’s sporadic successes in recovering assets, the sheer scale of unresolved corruption cases – worth trillions of naira – overwhelms the judiciary. The World Bank estimates Nigeria loses over $400 billion annually to corruption. This alarming figure underscores the structural failures enabling scandals like the one involving the forfeited properties. Even in this case, the EFCC’s reticence in naming the looter reeks of double standards – one rule for high-profile offenders, and another for lesser-known petty thieves and internet fraudsters.

Close observers are scandalised by the EFCC’s reluctance to name the perpetrator of this audacious crime. Why shield someone who has betrayed public trust on such an epic scale? What influence does this individual wield that renders the anti-graft agency paralysed? Why does the EFCC, which boasts of asset recovery, appear complicit in fostering a culture of impunity by obscuring the truth?

This betrayal is glaring. Justice Onwuegbuzie’s ruling was explicit: the respondent failed to justify why the properties should not be forfeited. If the court has already lifted the veil of secrecy, why is the EFCC perpetuating it? Could the offender be the same individual accused of decimating Nigeria’s economy with dubious financial schemes, enriching cronies, business associates, and paramours through privileged access to public funds? Who is this person? And why has the EFCC managed to compound an already exasperating scandal? Scandalous!
December 8, 2024
A not-so humanitarian ministry
- SCANDALS OF THE YEAR
- By Bolade Omonijo
Corruption is no longer strange in this country. Nor is scandal unusual. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation was the earliest indication that the Federal Government could have it rough in 2024. The minister, Dr. Betta Edu by her conduct, had given indication soon after inauguration that she could be the poster girl of the administration. She had the poise and the grace. She appeared on many television programmes laying out programmes by which the vulnerable would be rescued from the clutches of poverty.

Yet, by the first month of the year, she was dragged in the media for allegedly diverting N585 million earmarked for the most vulnerable citizens in Ogun, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States into a private account. It appeared impossible. She was young, still under 40 years of age, a medical doctor who had served in the government of Cross River State for almost eight years and was very visible during the campaign period last year as women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). She was so close to the First Lady that she represented the former Senator at functions both during the campaign period and after inauguration. Many were already speculating that she was being prepared for a more prominent government role in 2027.

But, it did not take long for the bubble to burst. No one could save her from the dangling sword. The President ordered her suspension.

Unfortunately, almost one year after, no one can say all that happened. The probe ordered into that scandal is yet to yield result as no report has been published, even if it had been submitted. The only indication that she failed the test is that by the time a reshuffle of the executive council was announced last month, she was not reinstated. But, for a government that has vowed to stand by integrity and probity, the people deserve to know all that happened, all who participated in the alleged malfeasance, if only to prove that the administration was determined to take a different route.

Another minister was almost caught in the web. Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of the Interior Ministry was linked with a consultancy contract worth N438 million. But, the Interior Minister was able to quickly extricate himself by proving that he had resigned his position as chief executive of the company in 2019. Again, even though he was invited for questioning by the Code of Conduct Bureau on January 16, all that got back to the public was through rumour. Neither the CCB, nor the presidency deemed it necessary to inform the public of the outcome of the investigation.

Yes, Mr. Tunji-Ojo technically explained away his relationship with the company, he remains the largest shareholder and his wife still runs the firm. Whether that amounts to conflict of interest, or the contract was even worth that much is still left in the realm of speculation.

Read Also: Akpabio flags off medical outreach to support Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda

The “Betta Edu Scandal” was not the only one that qualifies the Ministry as the cesspool of corruption in the year. Edu’s predecessor, Hajiya Saddiya Umar Farouk too, was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain how funds budgeted to take care of the needy were allegedly mismanaged under her watch. Hajiya Umar Farouk who was Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under the preceding Buhari administration was seen many times personally handing out cash to some visibly deprived persons. How such could be accounted for remains to be seen. Besides, no sooner did Dr. Edu assume office than she pointed out the vulnerability of the social register being used by the ministry. Federal legislators and state governments also complained about the scheme. Yet, till now, the N37 billion said to have been mismanaged by her ministry is yet to be fully accounted for. Another high official of the ministry, the first to be picked by the EFCC was Mrs. Halima Shehu who was running the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). She, too, is yet to be exonerated or indicted.

These have raised so many questions. What has happened to the civil servant into whose account Edu allegedly got the money paid? Now that the President has announced recommencement of the scheme, has the social register been tidied up? Shouldn’t the Secretary to the Government of the Federation address the public on the state of affairs in the ministry, especially since another minister has been appointed? What was the scope of the investigation? Did it cover other allegations including money earmarked for a trip by air to Kogi State? Beyond the money for Ogun, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River allegedly misapplied, what about other states.

Governments in Nigeria have always disregarded the people. The President should get personally involved and publish the report. All involved in this scandal should be named and prosecuted where found culpable, if only to deter others from travelling along the same route. Most importantly, processes and systems should be put in place to ensure that public funds are judiciously expended. It is most unfortunate that the money in question is for the most vulnerable, to keep them warm from the harsh weather of the moment.
December 8, 2024
Nyesom Wike Changing the face of FCT
- PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR
Love him or hate him but you cannot ignore him. Not because he is obtrusive in any manner but because he has a character that shines through hard work, diligence, as well as commitment to service and humanity. Nyesom Wike, a visionary leader and a paragon of excellence, has left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s socio-political landscape.

His remarkable journey, from the helm of Rivers State as governor, where he was aptly given the name ‘Mr Project.’, to his current role as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is a testament to his unwavering dedication to public service and development.

As governor, his transformative leadership ushered in a new era of development and growth in the state.

Some may describe Wike as a leader with a fiery temperament, and it is true that he is not one to shy away from a fight.

However, what sets him apart is his unwavering commitment to delivering on his duties, no matter the obstacles. His unrelenting drive and passion for results have earned him the respect and admiration of friends and foes alike.

Wike’s ascension to the position of the Minister of the FCT has been met with widespread acclaim, as he brings his unique blend of vision, expertise, and passion to the forefront of national service.

One of his most striking attributes is his unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people. His leadership style is defined by a deep empathy for the needs and aspirations of the citizens.

He has consistently demonstrated a willingness to listen and respond to the concerns of the people.

As a leader, Wike is renowned for exceptional courage and conviction. He has never shied away from taking bold decisions, even in the face of adversity.

Just like in River’s State, Wike’s impact on the FCT is undeniable. The numerous ongoing projects are a testament to his tireless efforts to transform the nation’s capital into a hub of development and growth.

As minister, he has brought his signature style of leadership to the forefront, driving projects that will have a lasting impact on the lives of residents and visitors alike.

Talking about Wike’s vision and commitment to delivering quality projects, since August 21, 2023, when Wike assumed office as FCT Minister, it has been from one significant achievement to another.

The blind can see that Abuja is now a huge construction site. All over the city, the change is enveloping residents, and it is one aspect of infrastructural development that can be felt by all.

The city is changing in a lot of ways. But the most poignant is the incredible amount of work that’s been done on the road network since Wike came on board as minister.

Another of his top priorities has been addressing the security challenges in the nation’s capital. He has achieved significant success in this area, with the arrest of several kidnappers.

The Wike led administration hit the ground running immediately by urging staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to work at the same pace with him alongside the Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud.

He rolled out a 10-point agenda with focus on issues of security, city sanitation, preservation of the Abuja Master Plan, infrastructure development, restoration of green areas, removal of shanties, blocking of revenue leakages, ground rents payment, among other deliverables.

Between December 2023 and January 2024, the FCT experienced a spike in kidnappings, staring fear among residents of the territory.

The kidnapping and eventual murder of 400 level student of ABU, Zaria, Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, and 13 years old Folashade Ariyo, along with two other victims, sent shock waves around the country, as many called on the FCT Minister to end the reign of terror.

The minister, in January this year, organized town hall meetings across the six area councils where he engaged traditional rulers, vigilante groups and other stakeholders on the best approach to tackling the menace of kidnapping in Abuja.

The feedback from the town hall meetings led to the establishment of additional police posts in strategic locations, the purchase and distribution of 100 motorcycles to security outfits and the six area councils in the territory.

This development aided vigilantes and security agents to access difficult and mountainous terrains, especially in the rural areas.

Read Also: Town planners hail Tinubu over Dangiwa’s appointment as minister

As a continuous effort, the administration again in July this year, distributed 50 operational vehicles and communication gadgets to security agencies to strengthen the fight against insecurity in the territory.

These efforts yielded results almost immediately, especially with the arrest of some suspected kidnap kingpins and informants.

The minister will later place a N20 million bounty on two of notorious kidnappers, Saidu Abdulkadir and Dahiru Adamu. This decision by Wike led to their arrest by the police, bringing the tide of kidnappings to its barest minimum.

Barely two months after assumption of office, Wike, announced that the president has granted approval for the implementation of an FCT Civil Service Commission ending a five years jinx after the National Assembly passed the FCT Civil Service Commission bill into law.

The law enables FCTA Civil Servants to rise to the peak of their career as permanent secretaries and Head of Service in the Administration.

Same day, the minister announced the removal of the FCTA from the unified Treasury Single Account (TSA), a development which now frees up more funds to fund projects without delay.

As part of efforts to strengthen the administrative structure of the FCTA as well as ensure improved welfare and the career progression of staff, the minister sought approval for the immediate implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act which was passed into law in 2018.

The minister, under the Act, also approved the appointment of the FCTA head of service and nine permanent secretaries.

Wike’s knack for thorough jobs execution saw to the timely completion of nine critical projects earmarked for commissioning by the President Tinubu in a nine inauguration events to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office.

Some of the projects completed and commissioned includes the Southern Express Park way – now Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, the Wuye Bridge Interchange, the Abuja light Rail, the Outer Southern ExpressWay, OSEX, the N20 Arterial Road, now Wole Soyinka Way.

Others are the Inner southern expressway, ISEX and the completion of B6- Constitution Avenue, B12- Independence Avenue and the Circle Roads to the Abuja Central Area, the Vice President’s official residence and the provision of engineering infrastructure in Guzape lot2 district, now named, Chinua Achebe Way.

Rural roads were also given similar attention, as the FCT Minister in February, embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of over 12 rural roads and bridges across the six area councils, with a stern warning to contractors to ensure their completion before December 2024.

The first phase of the rural roads projects includes, the 9km Paikon-Kore-Ibwa road in Gwagwalada Area Council, 11.3km Yangoji road in Kwali Area Council, 5km dual carriage way at Kuje, 5km Naharati Ukya- Angwan Hausawa road in Abaji Area Council, 7.2 Gaba-Tokulu road at Bwari Area Council and the 5km Tipper Garage-LEA Road in Kuje Area Council as well as the Saburi 1&2 road in AMAC.

In order to ensure that pupils do not suffer while learning, the minister in March started the simultaneous renovation of 19 schools in phase one of its Accelerated Whole-school Rehabilitation approach.

The sum of N13.1 billion has been committed to the initiative for the renovation and rehabilitation of 40 schools across the nation’s capital.

Another significant milestone of Wike’s administration is the recovery of ground rents running into billions of naira, from individuals and corporate bodies.

The Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, had recently disclosed that it had recovered over N2 billion from payment of ground rents.

The minister also resolved the over one year dispute surrounding the construction of a second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

On August 29, 2023, he successfully brokered peace between the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the host community in Jiwa, who had for years failed to reach an agreement on the compensation plans for those to be evacuated from their ancestral land.

At a troubleshooting parley with members of the community and other stakeholders, the minister directed the immediate payment of N825 million in compensation to the affected land owners.

More than 40 years after its creation, the FCT, under Wike, in May 29, commissioned a functional rail transport system after the rehabilitation of the vandalised ones and renovation of the train stations, as well as the provision of access roads and parking lots.

The minister has also started the construction of bus terminals across the FCT to further curb the issue of ‘one chance’ and kidnapping.

Wike had on Monday commenced the flag-off of construction of four new roads, Staff Quarters for the Nigerian Law School and other projects.

Wike’s performance as FCT Minister over the past year has been impressive. He has demonstrated his ability to deliver on his promises. His achievements in the areas of security, infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and agriculture are a testament to his commitment to improving the lives of residents of the capital

Wike has raised the stakes of development in FCT. He has also raised the bar – changing perceptions that public officers are more often than not incompetent and bound to underperform. For those reasons, he’s The Nation’s Public Servant of the Year.
December 8, 2024