The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • Prayers, only solution to Nigeria’s problem – Prophet Idowu

    Prayers, only solution to Nigeria’s problem – Prophet Idowu

    Prophet Peter Oyewole Idowu, Pastor-in-charge of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke Agbara, in Ishasi area of Ogun State, has said that it is the only prayer that can solve the problem of Nigeria and not human beings.

    He stated this while speaking shortly after a thanksgiving service organised by the church to appreciate God for his divine healing and 65-year birthday anniversary.

    Idowu advised Nigerians to be closer to God and be more prayerful that most Nigerian leaders, past and present, have the minds of doing well but that there seems to be a power in the country that is misdirecting them when they get to power.

    “The reason is that all the leaders that are there have the mind of doing good things, but there is a power in the country whereby once they get there, all the things they have in mind to do they will not be able to do. We have been praying for Nigeria in my church for a very long time. I will enjoin other leaders in the faith to join in this fight against darkness in the country.”

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    He said that God would use this new administration headed by President Bola Tinubu if Christians in Nigeria would not keep quiet.

    “God will use this new administration if we Christians do not keep quiet. We cannot blame anybody; just that it is the darkness in the country that is working.”

    While quoting from the scripture, Isaiah 40: 28-31, he advised Christians and church leaders to be strong in the Lord, stressing that it is certain that God will prevail and the nation will be good again.

     “I will advise the church and the church leaders to be strong in the lord. We will prevail and the nation will be good for it. Very soon everything will come back to normal and there will be a new song.”

    The District Superintendent, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Aboru District, Prophet Isaiah Oyeleye, who gave the sermon charged members of the church to support the ministry and take care of their Pastor.

  • Nigeria, revenue poverty and taxation atrophy

    Nigeria, revenue poverty and taxation atrophy

    When our forefathers came up with the wise saying that ‘the earnest wish of potters is for earth to be clay’, it was not only worthy of commendation but also no mean achievement. The beauty of the adage is that, in some 1000 years to come, it will still be relevant. So, instead of concentrating on having more wealth, the wisdom in it is learning how to be frugal and maximally productive with the little that’s available.

    Simple Economics: economic activities breed taxation while taxation without representation is problematic. Generally, the mission of governments is revenue generation which practically translates to poverty on the people’s part. Impliedly, there’s poverty of revenue but taxation schemes are a-plenty. Why? While taxation is multiplying itself, revenue assurances are shrinking. So, it is more or less a case of revenue nowhere and it is a problem for the state because the state is supposed to be a basket of revenue whereas it is atrophying.

    Objective observers will agree with yours sincerely that most governments want more revenue, whereas governance-seeking and people-loving governments seek accountability. People have come to governments and said to themselves: ‘we are here to take our own portion of the national cake.’ Well, it is to show that Nigeria is in trouble and, until Nigerians come to terms with the fact that government exists only for itself, and that the largesse of the government will always go to certain people whether they (say that they) are in government or not, Nigeria won’t move forward. It is a very terrible statement but that’s the truth.

    High crime rate! Beggars everywhere! Slave-owners thriving! We are a rich country with poor people: what a paradox? The town is tough! The people are hungry and need help! But we can’t continue this way. Something must give. We must arrest the situation before it is too late. We must not forget the invisible hands and the unknown calculations of economic fate. Besides, economic injections don’t always determine the directions of economic flow. Otherwise, all inflations of the world would have been controlled or confined ASAP.

    Come to think of it, part of the reasons adduced by the Bola Tinubu-led administration for the removal of fuel subsidy was that there would be more money for the states to carry out the business of governance. So, one wonders what has become of governance in a state like Osun where Governor Ademola Adeleke has, in less than a year in office, started lamenting “cash crunch”, to the extent of suspending foreign trips for its top officials. If we may ask, what’s the total allocation to Osun from November 27, 2022 to date and how much did each beneficiary of the state government-funded foreign trips collect as estacode and associated allowances? Of course, the people deserve to know when the rain started beating them.

    It is a tragedy that nobody is interested in the calculus of spending our resources, not those in government, not friends of the government. That’s why Osun wants investors but will not want to invest in research or what can generate commerce. Added to it is that the current government is running like a vehicle with no headlamp, focus or direction as to what to do. As a matter of fact, it has no policy statement or standpoint; and no coordination at all. Otherwise, aren’t there opportunities in Osun beyond gold mining, which can be developed to the level of generating income for the state? The same thing goes for other parts of the country.

    Without doubt, what we need is a new thinking. It is the general thought and it is correct. God is not going to recreate the world. So, it is either we discover it or make use of it. In terms of mineral resources, it was created when the wide, wild, world of war was created, with an amount of resources maybe yet to be discovered, or will ever be discovered by man before the end of the world. Therefore, it is a question of vision on the part of the leadership. That Nigeria has been a victim of bad leadership is not only a terrible equation but also valid statement. It is our problem and it is a double-edged sword. At the national level, everybody wants to go to the East to refine crude. This terrible thing, which brought along with it wealth as well as the repudiation of wealth and other terrifying battles of life, is also a double-edged sword.

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    The issue really is that Nigeria must develop; and, for Nigeria to develop, pieces of Nigeria must learn the philosophy of development. Pure and simple! Government should allow free hands to run the economy. There should be no compulsion of free flow and there should be no repression of the process. Once that is done, free economy is assured and unhindered development is guaranteed. Nigerians are shouting ‘Tinubu’, but Tinubu is just one man from Lagos. So, let a Zamfaran be thinking of developing Zamfara State and … Nigeria; and ditto for an Akwa Ibomite who must be thinking of developing, essentially Akwa Ibom State, then Nigeria. Until we are able to transform our thought processes to that frame of mind, the country will continue to be challenged.

    Wait, unless there is an inflow of solutions elsewhere or a lifeline economic prosperity that flows into a country’s economy from somewhere else, Nigeria must undergo a turbulent period, one time at a time. The actual thing is to ask for a new orientation for the entire country and, this time around, it is more about orientation and purpose on the part of the leadership and expectations on the part of the followership. Leadership has to be tasked. It has to be focused and responsible. Our challenge as Nigerians is that we cannot afford to be careful because we do not even have the knowledge.

    As things stand, Nigeria is in dire need of goals-targeted and goals-delivered leadership. So, let our leaders swallow their pride and make Nigeria work. Promises of a better tomorrow for dear country are sweet words to the ears but let them push narratives and characterizations that can first and foremost help put food on the table of the masses. Let the government evaluate the people’s needs with a view to putting in place lifesaving programmes. That’s why the soon-to-be resuscitated National Homegrown School Feeding Programme by the Tinubu-led administration is a step in the right direction. According to Yetunde Adeniji, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, the Programme would “cater for over 10 million pupils across the country” and that it would “ensure that no child in each public school is left behind.” In her words, “the school feeding initiative under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is targeting pupils from primary one to three across Nigeria. It resonates with the sentiment that every child deserves the opportunity to flourish and contribute to the nation’s development.”

    Lastly, congratulations to Zacch Adedeji, for the confirmation of his appointment as Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by the Senate. It’s no doubt a call to duty, for the tasks before Nigeria’s Tax Chief and other handlers of the country’s fragile economy are enormous. From the East to the West, and from the North to the South, they deserve Nigerians’ support to succeed in that area of governance, because tax evaders will see and treat them as enemies while indulgence on government’s part will only spell deepening poverty for the populace.

    May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

  • Nigeria doubtful for 2023 African Taekwondo Championships

    Nigeria doubtful for 2023 African Taekwondo Championships

    Nigeria’s athletes may miss out from participating at the 2023 African Taekwondo Championships following the inability of the team to make the trip to Abidjan, the Cote d’Ivoire capital for the G-4 tournament from November 4 to 5.

    As at yesterday, the three-man team headed by the acting technical director of the federation Victor John has given up on embarking on the trip due to paucity of funds.

    However, Germany-based Elizabeth Anyanacho arrived in Abidjan on Tuesday in readiness for the tournament.

    Anyanacho who is one of the beneficiaries of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Scholarship at the Taekwondo Competence Center (TCC), Friedrichshafen in Germany to boost her preparation and qualification towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will now be Nigeria’s sole representative at the continental showpiece.

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    Chinazum Nwosu and Benjamin Okunmose are supposed to join Anyanacho in Abidjan for the tournament but the duo would not make the trip as there were no funds to embark on it this weekend.

    According to NationSport findings, missing the tournament would deny the players the needed points to be seeded for the next major competition which is the African Games in Ghana. 

    Over 221 athletes from more than 30 African nations are present in Abidjan for the two-day tournament taking place at Centre Sportif Culturel et des Tic Ivoiro-Coréen Alassane Ouattara (CSCTICAO).

    Gold medallists are expected to garner 120 points, while silver medallists will earn 50points with bronze medallists amassing 20points.

  • Why Nigeria must adopt electronic voting, by SIECOM boss

    Why Nigeria must adopt electronic voting, by SIECOM boss

    The chairman of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM), Saratu Dikko-Audu has said Nigeria has to adopt full-fledged electronic voting if the country is truly committed to free, fair, and transparent elections.

    KAD-SIECOM chairman stated this in Kaduna while playing host to the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, and his team who paid her advocacy visit on the inclusion of People With Disabilities (PWD) in the electoral process.

    She argued that, with the electronic voting system, the chances of rigging and manipulations of the elections will be very slim, going by the experience of Kaduna where the EVMs have been deployed for two sessions of local government elections.

    According to Dikko-Audu, “Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) is the first to introduce electronic voting in Nigeria because our former Governor (Nasir El-Rufa’i) was personate about introducing electronic voting in the electoral space in Nigeria.

    “The 2018 and 2021 local government elections were conducted with electronic voting machines and the citizens were excited about it, they said in a survey we conducted after the election that, they were confident in the system and want the machines to be used in future elections.

    “This was because the process was transparent; you vote, you see what you voted and you see a receipt dropped in the ballot box and you can see a summary at the end of the election for every machine. That summary always tallies with the receipt that drop in the box, so you can always check.

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    “You know, Nigerians like physical evidence, so they don’t just rely on transmission of the result. Yes, we do transmit to our server back at the headquarters, but because of network issues, anything could happen, you cannot get the transmission in real-time. We are working on that for the next election. But you could see exactly what is happening and it has been a huge success.

    “So, we would advocate it for elections all over Nigeria. We are not blowing our trumpet, but I think Kaduna State has done well because the electronic voting machine system is so transparent that you just cannot rig the election anywhere. If we are really serious about transparent elections, that is the way to go.

    “So, we pushing that agenda of electronic voting to the Federal Government to buy into it, because we think it is the way to go if we really want credible elections in Nigeria.”

    Speaking on the advocacy for inclusion of People With Disabilities in the electoral process, Dr. Dikko-Audu said, the KAD-SIECOM laws give them room to effectively participate in the electoral process.

    Though, she said the Commission cannot independently consider giving financial waivers to Candidates who are members of the PWD community, for fear of being accused of partisanship, The SIECMOM Chairman said the Commission will consider creating a disability desk at its headquarters and also consider the inclusion of PWDs as ad-hoc staff in the future elections.

    Earlier, the CEO of TAF Africa, a frontline advocacy organization for the rights of People With Disabilities, Jake Epelle called for the creation of a disability desk in the SIECOM, waiver for PWD Candidates, and full inclusion of PWDs in the entire electoral process in the state.

    He said TAF Africa with the sponsorship of the Canadian Embassy, will be training 25 staff and executives of KAD-SIECOM on PWDs inclusion, during which the entire workings and administrative processes of the Commission will be interrogated for their inclusivity status.

    He however commended the commission for its willingness to cooperate and work with TAF Africa towards ensuring the inclusion of PWDs in the electoral system in Kaduna State.

  • D&B Nigeria expands with risk mgt solutions

    D&B Nigeria expands with risk mgt solutions

    As part of its expansion drive, Dun & Bradstreet, a global provider of business decisioning data and analytics for almost 200 years, has unveiled new products in Nigeria to minimize business risks and maximize opportunities.

    The two revolutionary solutions, which are ‘D&B Finance Analytics’ and ‘D&B Risk Analytics’, are aimed at streamlining finance operations and reforming third-party risk management for companies, according to a statement.

    “The two flagship artificial intelligence-enabled solutions are powered by the D&B Data Cloud that comprises 520 million+ data records and contains key insights on 340 million+ shareholders,” the statement said.

    It said the recently-launched Finance Analytics is a complete credit-to-cash portal that assists businesses in streamlining financial decisions, reducing credit risk, and minimising bad receivables.

    “Combining credit intelligence with receivables intelligence, this state-of-the-art product reduces company costs and enhances customer experience through credit automation and smooth cash management,” it added.

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    The second platform, which is Risk Analytics, helps companies manage regulatory and reputational risks emanating from their dealings with other companies.

    “It monitors and evaluates third party risks through screening, Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance performance, risk scores, and disruption alerts. A key feature of the platform is restricted party screening that detects third-party threats related to anti-money laundering, politically exposed persons, and adverse media coverage,” the company said.

    According to Womo Diriyai, Country Head at Dun & Bradstreet Nigeria, Finance Analytics is for business leaders who want to transform their finance operations.

    “On the other hand, Risk Analytics enables companies to monitor an extensive assortment of risk incidents, including those reported in global and regional markets and in government and private databases,” he said.

    Diriyai added that the company is optimistic that the two products will receive encouraging responses in Nigeria and that he firmly believes that businesses from diverse industries will utilize them to refine their operations.

    “Nigeria’s business ecosystem is expanding at a rapid pace and we invite companies to benefit from the comprehensive product catalog of Dun & Bradstreet. Interested companies are advised to visit the Dun & Bradstreet South Asia Middle East Africa website to get started.”

  • British envoy: Nigeria becoming regional, global powerhouse

    British envoy: Nigeria becoming regional, global powerhouse

    Nigeria is fast becoming a regional and global powerhouse, the United Kingdom (UK) said yesterday.

    United Kingdom High Commissioner in Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery attributed the feat to the various reforms and multi-sector reorganisations initiated by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

    The British envoy made the observation in a goodwill message at the 2023 Cabinet Retreat organised held for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries and top government functionaries.

    It held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Montgomery, who assured Nigeria of the UK’s continued support in the spirit of mutual respect and partnership, acknowledged the daunting economic, security and social challenges confronting Nigeria.

    He, however, applauded the President’s reform initiatives aimed at solving the challenges.

    The High Commissioner noted that Nigeria is projected to become third largest country in the world by the year 2050.

    He said: “Mr. President, I’d like to recognize Nigeria as a growing regional and global powerhouse. You are likely to become the third largest country in the world by 2050. I applaud your plans to stabilise the economy and put it on a higher growth path to prosperity, on which so much else depends.

    “The UK stands ready to support in the spirit of mutual respect. The UK stands ready to stand up on our partnerships across a range of areas and I wish you and your government all best wishes and goodwill in your work ahead.

    “Nigeria faces big security, economic and social challenges. In a global context, the big challenges are difficult global economy, shifting geopolitical and foreign policy pressures and as I said in public before, I applaud the big and bold economic reforms that you are taking forward.

    “I admire your leadership of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, your strong voice on democracy and your G-20 international engagement, all of which are thrust Nigeria back onto the international stage.

    “I also wanted, Mr. President, to use my goodwill message to confirm UK’s renewed partnership with Nigeria and with your cabinet and with the Nigerian people. Nigeria really matters to the UK; we share history; we share a commitment to democratic politics, we share interests in defense and security and trade and investment.”

    He applauded Tinubu’s initiatives to enhance economic stability and steer the country towards a more prosperous growth trajectory.

    He also added that the eight priorities of the administration had provided clarity of purpose.

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    World Bank okays bold steps by Tinubu

    The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, stated that the bank has committed over $11 billion in the past three years for government at both the federal and the sub-national levels.

    Chaudhuri, who assured the President of the bank’s support in his administration’s “incredibly important and challenging task of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty and making lives better for everyone”.

    He noted that the country was at a critical juncture to either continue muddling through business as usual with the risk of things falling apart or have the courage to chart a new course, to take bold steps to finally see Nigeria rise to its true potential.

    The World Bank official: “I hope that through what we’ve been able to do that we will be able to continue supporting you, as you realize this enormously important task.

    “Although we are at the World Bank, we’re a development organisation and over the last three and a half, four years that I’ve been here, our board has committed over $11 billion in financing for the government, and our financing is meant to grow government at both the federal and at the sub national levels. So, we’re here to support your programmes, we take guidance from you.

    “But even though we have the World Bank in our name, I hope you will think of us as more than a bank. I mean, I really hope that we will be able to earn your trust that we have something more to offer in the nature of solutions to help you think through and then implement the priorities, the focus areas that you’ve laid out by bringing in ideas and experience.

    “Financing is only part of the solution. It’s really the ideas and the vision. So, you have my commitment. I and the team, the entire World Bank across the globe, we’re here to support you on that.

    “I would also like to say that I feel particularly privileged to have been here in Nigeria these last four years, especially in the last few months at this critical juncture where Nigeria faced critical choice whether to continue muddling through business as usual with the risk of things falling apart growing by the day or have the courage to chart a new course, to take bold steps to really finally see Nigeria rise to its true potential.”

    Chaudhuri commended President Tinubu’s bold steps since assumption of office to chart a new course for Nigeria to provide the renewed hope agenda that he promised the citizens.

    The lectures

    The three-day retreat began with the administrative processes for the delivery of government policies, plans and projects.

    Among the lectures lined up are: Roles and responsibilities of ministers”. The session was handled by former Senate President/former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyima Pius Anyim.

    A former Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Oladapo Afolabi, delivered a lecture on “Management of the Federal Executive Council (FEC): Processes and procedures”.

    The HoCSF, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan took the lecture on “Administrative processes, reforms in the civil service and managing relations between the ministers, permanent secretaries and CEOs of parastatals.

    Accountant-General of the Federation (AG-F), Mrs. Oluwatosin Madein, spoke on: “Financial regulations and fiscal management”.

    The Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze deliver a lecture on “Federal Government budget processes and the role of cabinet members”. One-time Director-General of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Emeka Ezeh, spoke on: “Procurement processes in the public service”. The  Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ola Olukoyede gave a lecture on: “Corruption: Nipping it in the bud”. His counterpart in the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Musa Aliyu took another session on the same topic.

    Others lecturers are: Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila (Managing relationship between executive and the legislature: Expectations from ministers; President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku (Public relations to citizens engagement and town hall meetings)  and Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris (Ethics and best practices in public communication by political office holders).

  • Ancient and modern political institutions in Nigeria

    Ancient and modern political institutions in Nigeria

    Some of the dynasties in some of the Nigerian principalities like those of Ile Ife, Benin, Oyo, Argungu, and Wukari are about 1000 years old. They have survived in one form or the other through the ages going through transformations, dynastic marriages and foreign infusions as the environment demanded. The point I want to make is that the current political leaders do not have much to teach the holders of traditional political titles who are the embodiment of ancient wisdom passed from past generations to them.

    Political party formation apart from protest movements against certain urban levies such as water rate in Lagos is just about a century and a half years old compared with our ancient traditional institutions. This is why modern Nigerian politicians, military or civilian, have many times found themselves relying on traditional leaders for advice. Nigerian politicians always find traditional rulers useful during the time of crisis or when they need political support or traditional legitimacy. This was particularly the case during military regimes when politicians were out of combat to put it in military language. 

    In the First Republic, politicians legitimatised themselves in office by having traditional rulers confer honorific titles on them so that they could be addressed as a chief and not ordinary mister. The ones in the North of Nigeria preferred to be addressed as “Alhaji” to separate them from ordinary men. There was a tendency during the military regime for positions of traditional political leaders of emirs or Obas to be hotly contested by serving or retired military leaders as happened first in the North and later in the Southwest of Nigeria. In other words, traditional leadership continues to remain so relevant that not only top civil servants, university lecturers but also business tycoons and military officers want to become traditional rulers rather than to support those who find traditional political institutions undesirable, undemocratic, obscurantist and therefore unnecessary and should therefore be abolished. 

    In the current democratic regime, politicians are afraid of outspoken traditional rulers to the extent of either trying to muzzle them, buy them off and if they cannot be muzzled, to just remove them from office. Despite this tendency, there has been nowhere in Nigeria where concerted efforts have been made to abolish them. This is because the ordinary people who have no love or trust for politicians want to keep their traditional rulers as embodiment of their collective culture and tradition. Among the Igbo, the Tiv and others who are by tradition socio-politically segmentary without a long history of centralised political tradition and consequent powerful traditional rulers ruling over vast pieces of land have tended to create brand new ones. This is because they assume that those of their compatriots who have centralised political institutions are at a political advantage in competition for political power in the Nigeria.

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    Two events in the Southwest in recent times have troubled me. These are the judgment of removal from office by an Ogbomosho High Court against his royal majesty, the Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Afolabi Laoye as if he were a minor political office holder and, the invitation of the members of the Oyomesi (Council of kingmakers led by the Bashorun or prime minister) to the office of the EFCC to answer queries over their purported choice of an Alaafin, a choice apparently unacceptable to the incumbent governor of Oyo State.

    Before the summon to the EFCC office, the Oyo State governor had openly said “the position of the Alaafin was not for sale”. These two events happening in two of the most important Yoruba kingdoms call for introspection and profound thinking about our cultural future. In our tradition, once the king has gone through traditional rites at Ipebi ,  that is  the end of the process and only God can remove him from office.  This does not mean a traditional ruler is free to commit illegality but we must not treat their positions with levity and expect everyone to later respect them after they have been shaken up through legal or executive humiliation. We cannot undermine them publicly and expect them to recover. But we have situations where in some instances in Yorubaland and in the same Oyo State, a ruler who had been in office for over 20 years is summarily removed from office by judicial fiat and the traditional institution is thrown as it were to ruins without anyone thinking about societal consequences.

    Law should always take into consideration the societal demands and necessity before judgements affecting the society are passed. We are not dealing with textbook judgements but with the lives of people. The legislatures in states where there are recognised ancient stools should pass legislations forbidding the toying with traditional kings by the courts or political leaders once the kings or Obas have been installed or where traditional institutions charged with their selections have discharged their responsibilities according to ancient unquestionable rites.

    The present situation in Oyo where members of the Oyomesi are being dragged before institutions created by modern politics should not be allowed without raising a point or two. The Oyomesi is a thousand year old institution created by ancient Oyo which by age and practice has come to stay and should be regarded as superior to any ephemeral institution that may be removed or replaced by another one because of the vagaries of changing modern African politics.  We must also scrupulously guard against the introduction of the two monotheistic universal religions of Islam and Christianity as qualifications for the throne in Yorubaland. We pride ourselves of seeing religion as a personal choice and not a condition for ascending traditional thrones.

    One of the important lessons we must learn from all these interventions by politicians and the courts in areas totally beyond their power and understanding is that we must so codify the laws of our traditional institutions that politicians in government and the judiciary do not have the power to influence the choice of our traditional rulers. The institutions should protect themselves by pruning down the number of ruling houses which originally were one dynasty before as a result of growth became several. We can learn from the tradition in Benin, a sister and related principality, where only the first child of an Oba has a claim to the throne. If that would be too drastic, we can have just two alternating families which in the case of Oyo since 1900 have become two. Once the Oyomesi chooses a person from the right family, the head of government’s role is mere ratification and crowning. This is what happens in normal climes where constitutional monarchies remain and the question of a king on the throne being sued and removed from the palace will not happen. This is simply a travesty of tradition and we must avoid situations where elected rulers as happened recently in Kano, simply removed a king with gubernatorial fiat. This must never be allowed in Yorubaland as happened in the past or where the stipends of rulers were stopped or reduced to pennies because of politics. After having said this, the behaviour of our rulers must be beyond reproach and they must hold themselves to higher standards than those expected of politicians. They must realise that at the end of the day when their subjects reject them through their misconduct, no higher ruler except God can save them because the voice of the people is the voice of God.

  • Tinubu reforms turning Nigeria to a regional, global powerhouse – British High Commissioner

    Tinubu reforms turning Nigeria to a regional, global powerhouse – British High Commissioner

    With the various reforms and multi-sector reorganizations the Bola Tinubu-led administration has been initiating, Nigeria is fast becoming a regional and global powerhouse, United Kingdom (UK)’s authorities have observed.

    The British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, made the observation while delivering a goodwill message at the 2023 Cabinet Retreat held for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries and top government functionaries on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Montgomery, who assured the nation of the UK’s continued support in the spirit of mutual respect and partnership, also observed that the nation, at the moment, is faced with daunting economic, security and social challenges, but applauded the President’s reform initiatives aimed at attending to the challenges.

    The UK High Commissioner, who affirmed his country’s renewed partnership with Nigeria, also pointed out that Nigeria is projected to become third third-largest country in the world by the year 2050

    He said: “Mr. President, I’d like to recognize Nigeria as a growing regional and global powerhouse. You are likely to become the third largest country in the world by 2050. I applaud your plans to stabilize the economy and put it on a higher growth path to prosperity, on which so much else depends.

    “The UK stands ready to support in the spirit of mutual respect. The UK stands ready to stand up on our partnerships across a range of areas and I wish you and your government all the best wishes and goodwill in your work ahead.

    “Nigeria faces big security, economic and social challenges. In a global context, the big challenges are the difficult global economy, and shifting geopolitical and foreign policy pressures and as I said in public before, I applaud the big and bold economic reforms that you are taking forward.

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    “I admire your leadership of ECOWAS your strong voice on democracy, and your G20 international engagement, all of which are thrust Nigeria back onto the international stage.

    “I also wanted, Mr. President, to use my goodwill message to confirm the UK is a renewed partnership with Nigeria and with your cabinet and with the Nigerian people. Nigeria really matters to the UK we share history, we share a commitment to democratic politics, we share interests in defence and security and trade and investment, which has strong people-to-people needs”, he said.

    He applauded President Tinubu’s initiatives to enhance economic stability and steer the country towards a more prosperous growth trajectory.

    He also added that the eight priorities of the present administration had provided clarity of purpose.

    He said: “Your administration inherited big problems, It is a difficult time, people are hurting, and expectations are high better deliveries are desperately needed and with global context. Your eight priorities under your Renewed Hope Agenda you provide clarity of purpose, and your policy advisory committee has identified plans and performance indicators.”

    Also delivering a goodwill message, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, disclosed that the bank has committed over $11 billion in the past three years for the government at both the federal and the sub-national levels.

    Chaudhuri, who assured President Bola Tinubu of the Bank’s support in his administration’s incredibly important and challenging task of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty and making lives better for everyone, noted that the country was at a critical juncture to either continue muddling through business as usual with the risk of things falling apart or have the courage to chart a new course, to take bold steps to finally see Nigeria rise to its true potential.

    The World Bank Country rep said “I hope that through what we’ve been able to do we will be able to continue supporting you, as you realize this enormously important task.

    “Although we are at the World Bank, we’re a development organization and over the last three and a half, four years that I’ve been here, our board has committed over $11 billion in financing for the government, and our financing is meant to go government at both the federal and at the sub-national levels. So we’re here to support your programmes, and we take guidance from you.

    “But even though we have the World Bank in our name, I hope you will think of us as more than a bank. I mean, I really hope that we will be able to earn your trust that we have something more to offer in the nature of solutions to help you think through and then implement the priorities, the focus areas that you’ve laid out by bringing in ideas and experience.

    “Financing is only part of the solution. It’s really the ideas and the vision. So you have my commitment. I and the team, the entire World Bank across the globe, we’re here to support you on that.

    “I would also like to say that I feel particularly privileged to have been here in Nigeria these last four years, especially in the last few months at this critical juncture where Nigeria faced critical choice of whether to continue muddling through business as usual with the risk of things falling apart growing by the day or have the courage to chart a new course, to take bold steps to really finally see Nigeria rise to its true potential.”

    Chaudhuri commended President Tinubu’s bold steps since the assumption of office to chart a new course for Nigeria to provide the renewed hope agenda that he promised the citizens.

    Day one of the retreat dealt with administrative processes for the delivery of government policies, plans and projects.

    The topics under this include the Roles and Responsibilities of Ministers handled by the former president of the senate and former SGF, Anyima Pius Anyim.

    Management of the Federal Executive Council: Processes and Procedures by former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Oladapo Afolabi. Administrative processes, Reforms in the civil service and managing relations between the ministers, permanent secretaries and CEOs parastatals by Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan and Financial Regulations and Fiscal Management by Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatosin Madein.

    Others are Federal Government Budget processes and the role of cabinet members, by the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze. Procurement processes in the public service, by former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and CEO, TBP Solutions Ltd, Emeka Ezeh, two separate sessions on Corruption: Nipping it in the bud by chairman EFCC, Ola Olukoyede and chairman ICPC, Musa Aliyu.

    Others are Managing the relationship between the executive and the legislature- Expectations from ministers – by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Public Relations to Citizens Engagement and Town Hall meetings, by President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Ike Neliaku and Ethics and Best practices in public communication by political office holders by Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris.

  • Lucky Nigeria

    Lucky Nigeria

    • Nigerians who colluded with foreigners to cheat the country in the P&ID contract must be punished

    The judgment of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales sitting in London, which upturned an $11 billion arbitration award against Nigeria, brought joy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and every patriotic Nigerian. But for the judgment, Process & Industrial Development Ltd (P&ID), with the connivance of some unscrupulous Nigerians, had obtained an arbitral award of $6.6 billion, which rose to $11 billion as at March 2013, on account of interest fixed at seven per cent, amounting to about $1 million daily.

    Sometime in 2010, P&ID entered into a duplicitous contract to construct and operate a gas processing plant in southern Nigeria. The P&ID, with no previous experience or significant assets or technical competency, was awarded a 20-year contract to harness free gas in exchange for processed gas, without going through due process. After the deal collapsed, P&ID took Nigeria to arbitration in London, and on January 31, 2017, was awarded the $6.6 billion for lost profits which rose to over $11 billion.

    Following the award, Nigeria applied for an extension of time and relief from sanctions, and the application was granted by Ross Cranston, a judge of Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, in September 2020, who returned the case to arbitration.

    Last week, Justice Robin Knowles, agreed with the submission of Nigeria that P&ID obtained the contract by fraud, and quashed the arbitral award. He held that the contract was a scam intended to defraud the country, after examining evidence that officials of P&ID had paid bribes to obtain the contract, and more bribes to ensure a shoddy defence.

    We commend former President Muhammadu Buhari, who directed the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to contest the award. Having established that the contract and award are enmeshed in corrupt practices, we urge the government to ensure that all those who aided the scam, no matter how highly placed, are made to account for their crime against their homeland. In that regard, we urge that no effort should be spared, so as to serve as lesson to all those involved. It is unbelievable that Nigerians would aid foreigners to defraud their homeland.

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    President Tinubu was succinct when he said: “This landmark judgment proves conclusively that nation-states will no longer be held hostage by economic conspiracies between private firms and solitarily corrupt officials who conspire to extort and indebt the very nations they swear to defend and protect.” He added: “Today’s victory is not for Nigeria alone. It is a victory for our long-exploited continent and for the developing world at large, which has for too long been on the receiving end of unjust economic malpractice and overt exploitation.”

    We agree with Tinubu that Nigeria and indeed Africa have suffered so much in the hands of unpatriotic locals, with the support and connivance of their foreign collaborators. The underdevelopment of the continent despite its huge natural endowments and growing young, educated population, is a reflection and sad reminder of the potency of the exploitation. Some African countries, with massive underlying wealth, such as mineral resources, like Republic of Congo, remain so poor and insecure that non-state actors operate freely across their plains, as if theirs is a no-man’s land.

    No doubt, the colonisation and the ongoing neo-colonisation of the African continent by foreign powers, cannot happen without the collaboration of indigenes. The judgment of Justice Robin Knowles of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, which confirmed the collaboration of P&ID with Nigerians, to steal, off Nigeria, billions of dollars, confirms the existence of such criminal enterprise. Nigerian, nay African leaders must brace up to deal with this gnawing tragedy, if the continent is to survive the new wave of economic exploitation. 

  • Nigeria at Belt and Road Forum: Issues and prospects

    Nigeria at Belt and Road Forum: Issues and prospects

    • By Charles Onunaiju

    Nigeria’s participation at the 3rd Belt and Road Forum  for international cooperation held in China’s capital, Beijing between the 17th and18th of October marked the country’s most high profile engagement with the China-initiated international framework for cooperation since signing on to the initiative in 2018. 

    The 3rd edition of the forum in Beijing marked also the 10th anniversary, since it was founded. The “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, more famously known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was announced in 2013 to facilitate infrastructure connectivity, enhance unimpeded trade, deepen financial integration, promote policy coordination and give full effect to people-to-people contacts across the world. It took as its inspiration, the more than 2000 years ancient Silk Road through which not only trade and commerce grew but also cultural intellectual exchanges flourished in both land and sea routes that connected China with central Asia, Europe and Africa. 

    In today’s world, the Belt and Road initiative is the concrete expression of the trend of globalization but underwriting it with concrete and tangible network of connectivity and given practical meaning to open and inclusive world system or order. Nigeria’s participation at the 3rd edition of the Belt and Road for international cooperation with her high-level delegation, led by the vice-president, Kashim Shettima and comprised of top and strategic government ministries – Foreign Affairs, Power, Works, Trade, investment and Industry, Transportation, Budget and National Planning, the country’s highest representation to the forum yet, showed an increasing understanding of the process and how it could be aligned to Nigeria’s major priorities of economic recovery and sustainable growth. 

    Along with the ministerial delegation were also key government departments including the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Nigeria Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

     The government delegation apart from participating at the main session of the Belt and Road Forum received Beijing’s highest level attention and held bilateral meetings with both the Chinese president and vice-president in spite of a punishing schedule of the Chinese leader who has to meet and welcome more than two dozen heads of state and government from across the world that thronged the Chinese capital. 

    More than 100 countries and international organizations were in Beijing for the summit and the tireless UN secretary general, Anthonio Guterrens was in personal attendance to underscore the significance of the Belt and Road mechanism in the construction of a functional global order that is inclusive. China has since 2005, declared Nigeria as a strategic partner and Nigeria’s attention at the highest level of China’s political authority with a side-line bilateral meeting gave concrete expression to a Beijing’s deliberate cultivation of Abuja as an important and strategic partner. 

    Beijing is usually a cynosure of world attention, as China is the largest trading partner of almost 150 countries and also invests an average of US$340 million around the world on daily basis.

     That President Bola Tinubu empanelled a high-powered delegation with full complement of strategic government ministries and departments underscored his understanding of the imperative to engage the China-initiated Belt and Road mechanism for its potential practical contribution to the requirements of the country’s economic recovery, national security and political stability. 

    As governor of Nigeria’s mega city, Lagos State, in the early 2000s, Tinubu engaged with a leading Chinese company, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) which resulted in the establishment of the Lekki Free Trade Zone. The Zone has since expanded and now has more than 150 companies attracting both domestic and foreign investors, which is a joint venture between the Lagos State government and China-Africa Lekki Investment Limited (CALIL). 

    The zone is Nigeria’s biggest and most successful industrial hub and currently hosts such strategic infrastructure project, Lekki Deep Sea Port built in record three years under the Belt and Road Cooperation between Nigeria and China and which cultivated multinational investment of leading French and Singaporean companies. President Tinubu’s experience of practical and tangible outcomes in Nigeria-China cooperation would have played important role in the decision for Nigeria’s high-level participation at the 3rd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. 

    At the side line  of the bilateral meeting with the Nigeria’s delegation, the Chinese leader, XI Jinping assured that “China is ready to continue working with Nigeria to push for more tangible outcomes of China-Nigeria and China-Africa Belt and Road Cooperation and help Nigeria and Africa realize industrialization and agricultural modernizations” and added that “ China supports Nigeria in pursuing a path to modernization suited to its national conditions and stands ready to enhance personnel exchanges at all levels with Nigeria to advance high-quality cooperation”. 

    Vice President Shettima responded with an appreciation that “China has always treated Nigeria and other African countries with respect and as equals; has never bossed them around and has done its best to support Africa in seeking independence and development.” He further hinted that “Nigeria is ready to further deepen Belt and Road Cooperation with China and lift Nigeria-China relations to a new level”.

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    President Xi Jinping had earlier told the delegations from over 150 countries at the massive China National Convention Centre that “Belt and Road Cooperation has extended from Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America,” and has progressed from “sketching the outline” to filling in the details”, and that blueprints have been turned into real projects and noted that “a large number of signature projects and “small yet smart” people-centred programs have been launched”. 

    The Chinese leader who proposed eight major steps to deepen the Belt and Road International Cooperation opined that “China has learned that humankind is a community with a shared future and China can only do well when the world is doing well. And when China does well, the world will even get better.”

    It should not be forgotten that in recent years, a plethora of international infrastructure programs, more remarkable for their sheer numbers than their efficacies have emerged involving the U. S, Japan, India, Australia and European countries in various combinations, most of them marriages of convenience or mere China-countering alliances.  These range from Asia-Africa Growth Corridor and Trilateral partnership (The U.S, Japan and Australia) to the Blue Dot Network and Build Back Better World Initiatives. However, so far, as Japan Times, puts it in its recent editorial, “It’s been more fancy talk than finance”. Meanwhile, the Asia Investment and Infrastructure Bank (AIIB), and Chinese institutions such as the Silk Road Fund, China Development Bank, the EXIM Bank of China have invested up to US$1 trillion in Belt and Road related projects across the world. 

    Nigeria’s participation at the forum witnessed an avalanche of several MoU’s outlining cooperation in several key areas of the Nigeria’s economy. Trade and economic relations between Nigeria and China received a boost following the signing of a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and three Chinese firms for new projects valued at $2 billion. 

    The Nigerian government also received letters of intent for new projects and investments worth $4 billion from more Chinese companies. 

    The three MOUs to partner with NASENI include the construction of a new energy automobile facility for the production of new energy electric vehicles by Shanghai Launch Automotive Technical Co Ltd; construction of turnkey delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) assembly line projects by China Great Wall Industry Corporation; and the transfer of technology on lithium batteries, electric vehicles and allied technologies by Newway Power Technology Company Ltd.

    The Chinese firms that presented Letters of Intent to the vice president to pull together $4 billion in investments are TBEA (solar products); DongFeng Vehicles Co. (vehicle design and production), and HiLong Energy (CNG, LNG, methanol). Others are Space Star Technology (Drone technology transfer); ENRIC (clean energy utilization technology); Hidier Group (development of new industrial park), China State Construction Company (building technology and materials); CIMC (natural gas infrastructure delivery); Value Platform International Services Ltd (vocational training) and Acadia Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (smart grids and micro-grids). Shettima also met with several communications, tech, railway, power and construction giants based in China. They include the China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), China Communications Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC), HUAWEI Technologies, Senteng International Company Nigeria Limited, China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. Ltd.

    All these are significant engagement that have potentials to translate into tangible aggregates and therefore should be diligently followed-up.

    •Onunaiju, is director Centre for China Studies Abuja, participated at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing