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Tag: Nigerians

  • CBN pushing Nigerians back into the banking halls?

    CBN pushing Nigerians back into the banking halls?

    By Elvis Eromosele

    Public institutions in Nigeria have a knack for policy inconsistency. They can aggressively pursue a course of action one moment and, the very next introduce measures that directly contradict their stated objectives. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is currently at the centre of one such paradox.

    Everyone alive in the last couple of years witnessed the CBN champion financial inclusion, digital banking and cashless transactions. It actively encouraged banks to expand their digital footprint, increase adoption of digital payments and decongest the banking halls. Nigerians responded positively. People embraced digital banking, relying on ATMs, mobile transfers and POS terminals instead of entering the banking halls.

    The CBN has issued a new directive that significantly increases charges on ATM withdrawals. The move, under the guise of improving efficiency, threatens to erode public confidence in the cashless policy and could force Nigerians back into the banking halls. It raises questions about Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

    The other day, the CBN released a circular announcing new charges on ATM withdrawals, set to take effect from March 1. Under the new directive, customers using their bank’s ATMs will not be charged. However, interbank withdrawals will now incur a fee of N100 per N20,000 at on-site ATMs and up to N500 at off-site ATMs. International withdrawals will be charged based on acquirer fees, and the previous three free interbank withdrawals per month ceased.

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    A person withdrawing N100,000 from an ATM that does not belong to their bank could pay close to N3,000 in fees. This is a huge increase from the existing system, where customers are entitled to three free withdrawals before incurring minimal charges. This new policy contradicts CBN’s previous commitment to financial inclusion and digital economy growth.

    Now, the introduction of new ATM withdrawal charges is likely to have several unintended consequences for Nigerians. One immediate effect will be the surge in the crowds in the banking hall, as many individuals, particularly those who cannot afford high transaction fees, will prefer to withdraw cash inside the bank. This defeats the purpose of the ATM expansion, which was meant to provide convenience and ease congestion in the banking halls.

    In addition, the ripple effect will be felt by POS agents. As ATMs become a less attractive option due to higher costs, more Nigerians will turn to POS terminals for cash withdrawals. This increased demand may push POS agents to raise service fees, making transactions even more expensive for everyday users.

    Moreover, these additional banking costs come at a time when inflation is already eroding the purchasing power of citizens. For many Nigerians struggling with economic hardship, the extra financial burden will worsen their situation. It will inadvertently make basic financial transactions more costly and less accessible. The new charges will pose a setback for financial inclusion and undermine the progress towards a more digital economy.

    So, what’s the way forward?

    To address the challenge posed by the new ATM withdrawal charges, the CBN should focus on policies that promote financial inclusion rather than discourage it. So, instead of imposing additional fees, it should encourage competition among banks by incentivizing them to expand ATM access, particularly in remote areas. This would reduce dependence on interbank withdrawals and improve overall efficiency.

    In addition, reintroducing the previous allowance of three free interbank withdrawals per month would help sustain ATM usage without burdening customers. At the same time, strengthening digital payment infrastructure is crucial if the goal is to transition to a cashless economy. Many Nigerians still struggle with failed transactions, delays and high mobile banking fees, which must be addressed to build trust in digital payments.

    The CBN should also regulate POS and mobile banking charges to prevent financial services from arbitrarily increasing fees in response to rising ATM costs. Without regulation, POS operators will likely raise their charges, making basic transactions more expensive for the public.

    Furthermore, before implementing major policy changes, the CBN must prioritize public awareness and stakeholder engagement. Consulting financial institutions, consumer advocacy groups and the general public will ensure that new directives are well-received and do not disrupt economic activities.

    The CBN’s new ATM withdrawal charges represent, in my view, a step backwards in the country’s financial inclusion journey. While the apex bank may claim that these charges will improve ATM efficiency, the reality is that they will discourage digital banking, force people back into long queues in the banking halls and impose additional hardship on the masses. I can almost safely predict it would lead to fights in the banking halls.

    For now, however, the question remains: Is the CBN pushing Nigerians back into the banking halls? This is precisely what it looks like right now. Nigerians deserve respite.

    •Eromosele, a corporate communication professional and public affairs analyst, wrote via elviseroms@gmail.com

  • Govt receives 180 stranded Nigerians from Libya

    Govt receives 180 stranded Nigerians from Libya

    The Federal Government has received 180 Nigerians who were stranded in Libya.

    Their return was facilitated by the Nigerian Mission in Tripoli and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    The returnees were received at the cargo terminal of the Murtala Mohamed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Wednesday night.

    The returnees comprised 76 males, 92 females, eight children and four infants.

    A Federal Commissioner at the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed, promised that in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the returnees would be integrated into various government programmes as well as the reintegration programmes of the UN Migration Agency (IOM).

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    Ahmed, who was represented by the commission’s Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Alexander Oturu, said the migrants were conveyed to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency camp where the NCFRMI and IOM have a tripartite agreement to provide temporary shelter for the returnees before they get onward transportation allowance to enable them get to their final destinations.

    A statement yesterday in Abuja by Mr. Oturu said the Edo State Migration Agency, led by its Director General, Lucky Agazuma, also attended the reception to convey the state indigenes free of charge to Benin, the Edo State capital.

    Officers from the NCFRMI and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) profiled the migrants, while officers from Port Health of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Federal Ministry of Labour (Migrants Resource Centre), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Child Protection Network, and Web of Hearts Foundation, were on hand to give the returnees a hitch-free reception.

  • For Nigerians to have light

    For Nigerians to have light

    By Michael Owhoko

    The unending darkness permeating Nigeria today, unarguably, was the mistake of 2013 when majority stakes in the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) were sold to private investors as part of larger efforts to improve electricity supply, which was hitherto, disrupted by constant power failure across the country.

    Unfortunately, after 12 years of practical operations, these private investors have turned out to be technically incompetent with severe illiquidity challenges that weaken their capacity to perform, demonstrate competence, and deliver electricity satisfactorily to customers in line with policy and public expectations.  Worse still, there is nothing suggestive that the DISCOs can improve in performance and efficiency, translating into a burden for Nigerians, in the absence of government’s interference.

    By their poor conduct and performance, the DISCOs have undermined the intention and objective of the federal government’s electricity reforms which was aimed at strengthening the power sector through private sector participation for delivery of efficient and quality service.  The reforms which started with the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 (EPSRA), led to formation of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and creation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).  The PHCN was later segmented into Generation, Transmission and Distribution, from where the DISCOs were created.

    The reforms were essentially necessitated at the time by constant power failure induced by poor condition of the network of power assets, including moribund facilities and equipment together with government’s poor handling and management of the electricity sector.  These challenges were identified as obstacles impeding efficient and regular supply of electricity to consumers, leading to eventual sale of six GENCOs and 11 DISCOs to private investors. 

    So far, the DISCOs have failed to inspire public confidence, as they often attribute their failure to inherited obsolete and unviable equipment, a defence mechanism evidently too weak to attract public sympathy.  Inability of the DISCOs to identify from the onset, the depth of facility decay before agreeing to take up responsibility for the job, exposes the gaps in their technical knowhow.  And failure to replace most of the moribund equipment and facilities is a confirmation of their poor financial health, a factor that should have been activated for their disqualification.

    Perhaps, as device to mitigate this financial deficit, DISCOs resort to sharp practices, using estimated billing, varied service bands, passing incidence of cost relating to faulty equipment replacement to consumers and unjustifiable blackout.

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    For example, consumers are fraudulently asked by DISCOs to pay for faulty distribution facilities and equipment, including wires, cables, conductors and transformers, despite leveraging government and banks.  Even after compelling consumers to fund replacement of faulty equipment, ownership of such assets reverts to the DISCOs. Yet, no payment waiver or concession is extended to customers for electricity consumed. 

    Implicitly, consumers indirectly bear part of the DISCOs’ operational cost despite payment for electricity bills.  And because the consumers are caught up between the deep blue sea and the hard rock, the DISCOs have now made it a bureaucratic culture to make incessant demands to consumers for replacement of faulty lines and equipment, including transformers.  Field electrical engineers of the DISCOs capitalized on this unwholesome practice to constantly push cost of maintenance down the throat of consumers.

    Besides, estimated billing has become part of DISCOs’ trick for defraying cost of operations.  Consumers are billed based on estimation as against prepaid metering, a preferred option to support their balance sheet.  This explains why the process for obtaining prepaid meters is cumbersome and frustrating.  Even where the prepaid meters are available, the DISCOs deliberately make the issuance process difficult, just to discourage consumers. 

    Categorization of consumers into different bands is also a strategy to shore up revenue, particularly in Band A.  This category of consumers is allocated a minimum of 20 hours a day, but receives less supply quality, despite associated high tariff of about N207per kilowatt/hour (KWhr). 

    Consumers that are migrated to bands B, C, D and E also complain of inadequate supply that is not commensurate with their service bands.  From approved minimum, Band B is entitled to 16 hours, Band C – 12 hours, Band D – 8 hours, and Band E – 4 hours per day, yet, blackout persists with supply at variance with approved service minimum in the different bands.  It appears to be a ruse designed to fleece consumers.

    This inefficiency has so negatively robbed off on the DISCOs to the extent that their reputation and public trust have waned.  It is so bad that, for example, pickup ladder trucks conveying field workers of DISCOs, now conjure image of crooked personnel going around to extort consumers over non-existent faults.  The presence of these field engineers trigger apprehension among consumers over possible alteration of electricity balance.  All these are in violation of regulatory operating standards as depicted in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by NERC. The KPIs are metrics designed to measure performance of the DISCOs.

    When organizations entrusted with responsibilities to deliver electricity to final consumers have consistently failed to achieve target, resulting in poor quality of life and business downturn, with implications on gross domestic product (GDP), government has the obligation to mediate, and put the sector on a new trajectory to guarantee improved and regular supply of electricity.   

    This is where the NERC, which was established to oversee the activities of the DISCOs, is expected to act on behalf of government to compel them to operate within the framework of the established KPIs, through regular monitoring and enforcement of compliance.  The KPIs include management accountability, increased operational performance, improved electricity delivery, customers’ service satisfaction, metering, customers’ complaints resolution, estimated billing and quality of service delivery.

    But so far, the NERC has not lived up to its billings as evident by failure of the DISCOs to meet their KPIs, coupled with flagrant display of nonchalance, impunity and inexperience.  Besides 5% reduction in operational expenditure as penalty for non-compliance with energy offtake, no serious sanctions have been slammed on the DISCOs, a gap they have been exploiting to perpetuate darkness in the country.

    Put differently, apart from management accountability which is beyond consumers’ determination, other KPIs are observed more in breach by DISCOs than in compliance.  For example, there is no improved performance and increased power delivery to consumers.  There is also poor metering system fuelled by non-availability or indiscriminate issuance of meters, as well as estimated and delayed billing.  Besides, consumers are also compelled to pay for equipment, including cables and transformers. These are part of growing customers’ dissatisfaction over poor services by DISCOs.  

    While power generation companies (GENCOs) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are not immune from the general inefficiency web of the power sector, if the approximately 5,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity currently generated was optimally and efficiently distributed by DISCOs, using functional and reliable equipment and facilities, the magnitude of blackout currently being experienced in Nigeria would have been slashed.  

    The spotlight on the DISCOs is informed by their crucial role in the electricity supply value chain.  They deliver electricity directly to consumers which provide them the opportunity to interact with customers. The GENCOs and TCN do not interact directly with consumers, and this removes these organisations from public attention despite their importance in the supply value chain.  

    In other words, the DISCOs are the barometer the general public and consumers use in measuring the power sector performance.  Regrettably, none of the DISCOs has shown excellence in their performance.

    The DISCOs are today, part of major reason Nigeria is referred to as a “generator republic”.  Until the DISCOs are dissolved and replaced with technically competent investors ready to invest heavily in distribution equipment and facilities, homes and industries will continue to suffer from poor electricity supply, posing serious threat to government’s planned provision of reliable and sustainable electricity.  In other words, let the DISCOs die so that Nigerian can have light.

    •Dr. Owhoko is a Lagos-based public policy analyst, author, and journalist.

  • Looming US deportation of Nigerians

    Looming US deportation of Nigerians

    By Olusoji Daomi

    In the ever-turning wheels of global geopolitics, immigration remains one of the most contentious issues of our time. The Trump administration, famous for its hard-line stance on border security and immigration control, has once again drawn the world’s attention, this time with a policy shift that places nearly 3,690 Nigerians at the precipice of deportation. This latest crackdown, spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), marks a significant escalation in the administration’s determined effort to tighten America’s borders and enforce stringent immigration laws. 

     While the storm of deportation has long brewed over the undocumented populations of Mexico (252,044 individuals) and El Salvador (203,822 individuals)—two of the most affected countries—Nigeria has now emerged as a focal point in this aggressive immigration purge. The implications for Nigerians residing in the United States are dire, and the ripple effects on Nigeria’s economy, social fabric, and international relations cannot be understated. 

    President Donald Trump, a leader famed for his unapologetic nationalism and no-holds-barred policy-making, has never shied away from his disdain for illegal immigration. From the moment he first assumed office in January 2017, his rhetoric has been laden with promises to fortify American borders, curb the inflow of undocumented migrants, and clamp down on those who have overstayed their welcome. 

     Among his first executive orders was a directive to halt birth-right citizenship, an age-old policy that granted automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. He dispatched additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, reinforced interior immigration enforcement, and significantly expanded the deportation apparatus of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Division. 

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    Fast forward to November 2024, and the United States is witnessing the largest mass deportation initiative in recent history. With over 1,045,549 individuals on the ICE’s Long-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal, the numbers are staggering. What was once a slow-moving machine has now been jolted into high gear, sending shockwaves through immigrant communities—including thousands of Nigerians. 

    The deportation of Nigerians from the U.S. is not just an immigration issue; it is a diplomatic dilemma of profound proportions. Nigeria, often regarded as the giant of Africa, maintains an intricate relationship with the United States, spanning trade, military cooperation, and foreign aid. However, this relationship now faces a new test. 

    Similar deportation conflicts have already erupted on the international stage. In recent weeks, Colombian President Gustavo Petro found himself at loggerheads with the Trump administration after initially refusing to accept deportees from the U.S. Concerned about the inhumane treatment of migrants, Petro resisted, sparking a diplomatic standoff. In response, Trump threatened harsh economic sanctions, including a 25% import tariff and severe financial penalties on Colombia. Ultimately, negotiations saw Colombia reluctantly agreeing to accept deportation flights, albeit under strict humanitarian conditions. 

    The question now looms large—how will Nigeria respond? Will the President Bola Tinubu administration take a stand against the forced return of its citizens, or will it acquiesce to the demands of the United States, as Colombia ultimately did? 

    The deportation of nearly 3,700 Nigerians is not merely an issue of border control; it is a looming social and economic crisis waiting to explode. Nigeria, already grappling with high unemployment rates, economic instability, and worsening insecurity, may soon find itself burdened with a sudden influx of returnees—many of whom have lived in the U.S. for years, built lives, and contributed to its economy. 

    Many deportees will arrive in Nigeria with little more than the clothes on their backs, stripped of their livelihoods, possessions, and savings. With Nigeria’s unemployment rate hovering at over 33%, where will these returnees find opportunities? How will they reintegrate into an economy already struggling to support its own? 

    The returnees will not only battle economic uncertainty but also social alienation. In a society where migration is often seen as a badge of honour, deportation carries a harsh stigma. Many will be viewed as “failures,” further compounding their psychological and emotional distress. 

    History has shown that sudden, large-scale deportations can exacerbate crime rates, as individuals with no economic safety net may turn to illicit activities to survive. Given Nigeria’s ongoing battle with banditry, terrorism, and urban crime, the country cannot afford to ignore this potential consequence.  The Nigerian government cannot afford to be a silent spectator in this unfolding drama. To navigate this crisis, a multi-faceted approach is necessary: 

    Nigeria’s foreign ministry must immediately engage with the U.S. government to negotiate humane and structured repatriation. This means ensuring that deportees receive dignified treatment during deportation and post-arrival assistance.  The Nigerian government, in partnership with international organisations, must launch economic reintegration programmes tailored to returnees. Vocational training, small business grants, and job placement services will be crucial in preventing destitution and criminal recidivism. 

    A well-structured psycho-social support system must be put in place to help returnees deal with the stigma of deportation. Counselling centres, support groups, and public awareness campaigns can help reframe the narrative around forced migration.  The Nigerian embassy in Washington D.C. and its consulates must provide legal guidance to Nigerians at risk of deportation. Some individuals may qualify for asylum, humanitarian relief, or legal pathways to remain in the U.S. Legal aid initiatives should be prioritised.  At home, Nigeria must address the root causes of migration—poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. By creating an environment of opportunity and stability, we can reduce the desperation that drives our citizens to seek greener pastures abroad. 

    As the Trump administration tightens its grip on immigration enforcement, thousands of Nigerians stand on the edge of uncertainty, staring into an abyss of displacement. Their fate, however, is not just theirs to bear—it is a national concern that demands urgent intervention. 

    Will Nigeria rise to the occasion, wielding its diplomatic prowess to secure fair treatment for its citizens? Or will it, like a ship without a rudder, drift along the tides of global politics, allowing its people to be cast away without recourse?  The answer lies in the hands of Nigeria’s policymakers, diplomats, and leaders. History will judge whether they stood as custodians of their people’s welfare or mere spectators in the face of adversity.  For the thousands of Nigerians anxiously awaiting their fate, the clock is ticking—and so is the weight of history. 

    •Daomi is a Lagos-based legal practitioner.

  • Nigerians will have final say on abolition of death penalty, says Reps Deputy Speaker

    Nigerians will have final say on abolition of death penalty, says Reps Deputy Speaker

    Amid growing global push for the abolition of the death penalty, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said the decision on whether to abolish death penalty or not ultimately lies with the Nigerians citizens.

    Speaking when a delegation from the Death Penalty Project, led by officials from the British High Commission visited him, the Deputy Speaker said there was the need for a robust debate, collaboration, and engagement among stakeholders, acknowledging the diverse opinions on the matter.

    He said currently over 130 countries around the world have abolished the death penalty either in law or practice.

    He said overtime, laws in the country have taken into cognisance the temperature of the environment, saying the current legal framework allows for capital punishment for offenses such as murder, armed robbery, and treason.

    Kalu made reference to current statistics of death row inmates in the country and all over the world, saying that the figure underscores the pressing need for reform in the criminal justice system.

    He said the Constitution Review Committee which he chairs has thoroughly examined the implications of the death penalty, considering not only the moral and ethical dimensions but also its practical effects on society.

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    To this end, he said that though there’s no bill before the House regarding the issue, a bill may soon be presented to the House for consideration and for the Nigerian public to make input and have the final say.

    Kalu said, “Internationally, there is a growing trend toward the abolition of the death penalty, with over 130 countries having abolished it in law or practice. This shift reflects a global understanding that justice must incorporate rehabilitation and restorative practices rather than solely punitive measures.”

    The Deputy Speaker said as further discussions are held, the goal is not to diminish the seriousness of capital offenses but to create a justice system that is equitable, effective, and respectful of human rights.

    “We owe it to our citizens to ensure that their rights are protected and that our laws reflect the highest standards of justice,” Kalu added.

    The Delegation, Saul LeurFeund, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project, told the Deputy Speaker that they visited to seek the parliament’s collaboration on potential abolishment of death penalty in Nigeria.

    He said, “We’ve seen great progress, Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty on New Year’s Eve. I had the pleasure of being here last August on the invitation of the British High Commission.

    “It will be helpful to have conversations around the death penalty in Nigeria. It will be helpful to bring partners together to discuss potential abolishment, to see if we can change discussion around the death penalty. So we want to bring our experience and to discuss with you, the possibility of how the Constitution can be amended and anything we can do to provide technical support.”

  • 3,690 Nigerians face deportation from U.S.

    3,690 Nigerians face deportation from U.S.

    No fewer than 3,690 Nigerians currently in the United States are facing deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s and Removal Operations (ERO) officers as President Donald Trump begins a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country.

    It relies on statutory law enforcement authority to identify and arrest aliens, who may present threats to national security or public safety, or who otherwise undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers enforce immigration laws within the U.S. interior to preserve national security and public safety.

    The figure of the Nigerians facing deportation is included  in the “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”.

    According to reports, as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders. The data is broken down by nationality and number of people faced with deportation

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    The fear of deportation has gripped many Nigerians who are illegally living in the U.S., following Trump’s signing of executive order against illegal immigrants,  including the stoppage of citizenship by birth for children of illegal immigrants.

    According to a 2024 Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report, nearly 46.2 million immigrants live in the U.S.

    The report’s statistics came from the U.S. Census Bureau (using its 2022 American Community Survey [ACS], 2023 Current Population Survey (CPS), and 2000 decennial census) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

    The latest data from the DHS showed that Mexicans accounted for 4.81 million in 2022, representing the largest unauthorised immigrant group.

    After Mexico, the next largest illegal immigrant populations are from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

    Other countries on the top 10 list included the Philippines, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, India, and China.

    As of 2023, data from the United States Census Bureau showed that the population of Nigerians in the country is 604,077.

    As part of deportation process, a foreign national may be held in a detention centre by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before trial or deportation.

    After a non-citizen is detained, they may appear before a judge in immigration court during the deportation process.

    In the document titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”, Mexico and Nicaragua top the list of nations facing the most deportation, with 252,044 and 45,955, respectively.

    Colombia at the weekend announced plan to reject deportation flights from the United States after Brazil and Mexico decried the treatment of migrants arriving handcuffed and shackled.

  • Chevening: UK sponsored over 1,500 Nigerians, says envoy

    Chevening: UK sponsored over 1,500 Nigerians, says envoy

    British Deputy High Commissioner, Johnny Baxter,  has revealed that in the last 40 years, over 1,500 Nigerians have received the United Kingdom Government’s Chevening scholarship.

    He added that 3,400 Nigerians have also benefitted from Commonwealth scholarships.

    Baxter noted that,  in 2023, Nigerians were the second largest group of international students in the United Kingdom, adding that, for a long time, Nigeria had been in the top three position with China and India.

    He made this known while making remarks yesterday at a panel discussion organised by the British Deputy High Commission in collaboration with the University of Lagos.

    This event, in commemoration of the International Day of Education 2025, had the theme, “Leveraging UK-Nigeria Educational Partnerships for Economic Growth.”

    The International Day of Education is marked annually on Jan. 24 in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

    The envoy said for many years, education had been one of the most significant towers connecting both countries, adding that it remained a key priority for the United Kingdom.

    “What is so important is that we have students bringing their expertise into the UK system and vice-versa, but at the end, we have students with international experience coming back to contribute to Nigeria.

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    “Between 2017 and 2021, the number of Nigerian students in the UK rose from about 10,000 to now over 44,000, and that is a fantastic success.”

    According to Baxter, education should be a global exchange as it is a privilege and luxury  to study and make the best of it.

    Speaking during the panel session, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), University of Lagos, Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, urged students to embrace opportunities for growth.

    According to her, to remain valuable, students should be willing to learn vastly, have  excellence-driven mindsets and take advantage of opportunities to develop nonlinear skills.

    “We should particularly network often and learn to value other people because you never can tell when you will need them.” Also, Toki Mabogunje, Vice-Chair, Africa, International Chamber of Commerce  World Chambers Federation, highlighted the benefits of studying in the United Kingdom and how it prepared students for global opportunities.”

  • When outrage is not enough

    When outrage is not enough

    Unlike most Nigerians who, after seeing the short video clip showing the unfathomable ill-treatment of the three-year-old Abayomi Michael of Christ-Mitots School in Ikorodu, by her teacher, Stella Nwadigo, continue to voice their outrage at what they consider as a most egregious violation of a tot by a supposed minder, I still have a bit difficulties in actually resolving the question of which of the actors should be the legitimate target in the circumstance.

    I understand that most Nigerians would probably want to see the principal offender – Stella Nwadigo – hung and dried in the merciless sun, if not for those custom-made slaps that would, even, in normal circumstances, be too much for an adult to take, but for its artful delivery. I say this because of the ease and the practiced care with which she went about the slap business. It was akin to a lady eating the boli (roasted plantain) with palm oil. Given that the mother of the abused child is also a teacher in the same school, one can only imagine what other children with no such ‘privileges’ are made to go through under her watch.

    Clearly, if question of how the barely literate, ill-tempered individual could be put in charge of a classroom of pre-school children is one that the owners of the school are best placed to answer, what about those business it is to ensure that those who handle our children are qualified?

    What of the society that pretends that a child should at least be six years old before being herded into the icy, unfriendly classrooms but makes no provisions for pre-school kids whose parents have a duty to earn a living?

    Yet, there is still another side to the story – which is that someone, yet unknown, actually held the camera to record the cruelty, and then going as far as putting it on the internet for the rest of the world to see! For much as it is tempting to imagine humanity being in the debt of this particular individual for capturing the moment, the profound moral issues thrown up by merely watching the savagery go on, and this on a three year-old, with no indications that any challenge was actually put up by anyone in or out of sight, should be no less confounding.

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    Was the idea behind the photo to draw attention to the obnoxious practices, which although known to be at commonplace but which the larger society prefers to live in its denial? Could it have been a case of the photographer enjoying the moment while the teacher administered the rod of correction?

    At this point, suffice to state that there are simply too many questions on the individual’s motivations to which answers are unlikely to be found – which means that the questions are such that the particular individual will have to duel with his conscience to resolve.

    Here, interested Nigerians might find a good example in the story of Kevin Carter, the South African photojournalist who won the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic photograph in 1994 only to commit suicide three months later. To Carter, the image of a starving Sudanese girl who collapsed on her way to a feeding centre with a vulture in tow may have presented one aspect of the Southern Sudanese war that was impossible to ignore. Nonetheless, when The New York Times published the photograph, I believe in 1993, there were as would be expected, far less issues raised about the war as there were about the humanity of the story-teller.

    Did the child die? Why would Carter prefer taking pictures to saving a dying child? As more and more posers were raised by a clearly flummoxed public, things got to a point that questions turned into accusations. I believe the final blow must have been delivered by a newspaper – St Petersburg Times (Florida) in its editorial comment: “The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene.”

    Clearly, if his widely reported interview, moments after his Pulitzer win that after taking the photograph he “lit a cigarette, talked to God and cried”, were meant to salve his conscience, his suicide, weeks after would prove to be less than an atonement for what, admittedly, could only have been a tragic failure of his humanity at a critical time.

    So much for the Abayomi Michael case; the jury is yet out on what to make of the role of the individual behind the camera. At this time, Nigerians would seem beyond care. Most likely, the individual has moved on. Yet, there is just enough blame to go round if Nigerians are to be honest with themselves. Could the individual doing the recording have stepped in to stop the beastly act, or better still, prevent the commission of what now constitutes potential crime? While the other intervention mercifully paid off; would that, in the circumstance, suffice as consolation?

    The answer, in my view, cannot be that straightforward.  Imagine if the tot had died; would the individual have experienced the same current of vindication as he/she’s most likely doing at the moment? Wouldn’t that failure have made the individual an accomplice by default to the crime?

    Thanks to the power of the social media and Nigerians love for story-telling, the stories of Nigerians going for their camera phones at the sight of either tragedy or crimes are increasingly common-place; which is not necessarily a bad thing.

    I understand that there are exceptions when the citizens have little choice but to record an ongoing crime real time. What is unacceptable is when Nigerians begin to imagine the act alone as sufficient to relieve them of the psychological burden to either immediately activate the mechanisms for crime prevention or physically stop the criminal in their tracks. Imagine a Nigerian doing a video shoot of criminals removing manhole covers on Abuja in broad daylight when he or she could easily have called in the police or mobilise other Nigerians to challenge and then apprehend the criminals?

    To me, part of the reasons lawbreakers believe that they can get away with anything is their understanding of the Nigerian psychology, which appears to preclude the potential offender from suffering even the most minor of inconveniences while doing their dirty jobs.  I believe we are now at a point where some doses of active heroism on the part of citizens will do some good.

  • Let’s build a better country with peace, unity, governors tell Nigerians

    Let’s build a better country with peace, unity, governors tell Nigerians

    • States’ helmsmen promise to prioritise welfare of fallen heroes’ widows, orphans
    • Kaigama, Akpabio seek improved welfare for veterans

    Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra), Alex Otti (Abia), and Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), yesterday urged fellow Nigerians to join hands in building a better country where peace and unity will continue to silence the echoes of conflict and division.

    The governors promised to prioritise the welfare of the widows and orphans of the fallen heroes who paid the supreme sacrifice while securing their fatherland.

    They spoke at special church services to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in their state capitals.

    Abiodun said: “Today, let us pledge to honour their memory not only with ceremonies but with actions. Let us build a Nigeria where unity prevails over division, where peace silences the echoes of conflict and where the sacrifices of our heroes inspire us to serve one another selflessly…

    “We must ensure that the legacies of our Armed Forces remain alive, enshrined in the heart of our nation’s history and the fabric of our collective consciousness.

    “The Legions have continued to ensure that the families of our fallen heroes are well cared for. However, this responsibility should not rest solely on the shoulders of the Nigeria Legion alone. It must be seen as a collective duty, a debt that we all owe in honour of the memory of our departed men and women.

    “As a nation, it is our moral duty to support and care for them, ensuring that their sacrifices are never forgotten…

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    “They stood firm in the face of adversity, defending the unity of our nation during times of war and unrest. They faced life-threatening situations to ensure that the dreams of millions of Nigerians are not extinguished.

    “Their blood, sweat and tears have sown the seed of hope, peace and national pride. Let us all take a moment to appreciate the families of these heroes, the unsung heroes who endured the pains of loss with unyielding grace,” he added.

    Governor Diri, who spoke at the King of Glory Chapel in the Government House in Yenagoa, said: “Today, we are gathered to appreciate God for the lives of some very special group of people, a people that dedicated their lives even to death. They are very special to us as a country and as a state. So, we need to honour and celebrate them.

    “While we are thanking God for the families of the departed soldiers, we are also celebrating those that are living.”

    Governor Sani spoke at St. Andrew Military Church at Ribadu Cantonment in Kaduna.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. James Kanyip, said: “We shall continue to design and implement empowerment schemes that will lift them from poverty to self-sustenance. This is the least we can do for them.

    “We pray fervently to the Almighty God to continue to have mercy on the souls of our fallen heroes. May He continue to comfort and strengthen the families they left behind.”

    Sani noted that “members of the Armed Forces are in various fronts making huge sacrifices to keep us safe and secure”.

    He added: “We owe them a debt of gratitude. We must continue to honour our fallen heroes by making our contributions to the forging of unity and enhancing peaceful co-existence in our respective communities.”

    Governor Soludo noted that addressing insecurity required the involvement of community, religious, and traditional leaders, as well as individuals who need to report suspicious activities and participate in watching the neighbourhood.

    He said the thanksgiving service was not only for honouring the fallen heroes but also served as a call to action against criminality.

    Soludo described criminals in any society as organised groups perpetuating ideologies linked to idolatry.

    The governor stressed that such people live within the community and must be confronted.

    To the people of the state, He said: “If you see something, say something.”

    Governor Otti, who spoke at Aguiyi-Ironsi Layout in Umuahia, the state capital, pledged his administration’s unwavering commitment to honouring the sacrifices and vital role the Armed Forces played in securing the nation.

    Otti, who paid tribute to veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces, acknowledged their sacrifice, bravery and dedication to serving their fatherland.

    “We want to thank those who ensure we sleep with our eyes closed. We cannot take your sacrifices for granted.

    “There is nothing we can do that will be too much for these heroes of our time,” he said.

    Governor Oborevwori, who spoke at the Emmanuel The Saviour Catholic Church in Asaba, the state capital, urged Nigerians to shun inflammatory remarks and divisive tendencies to ensure sustainable peace, unity and development of the nation.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, urged Nigerians to emulate the sacrifices and commitment of the fallen heroes and embrace peace, unity, and justice.

    He called for prayers for global peace, especially for the peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestinian crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war.

    Oborevwori said many compatriots paid the ultimate price while protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and its unity.

    The governor hailed them for their bravery, courage and abiding faith in Nigeria.

    He urged all Nigerians to support the legionnaires, their widows and children.

    Also, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, urged authorities concerned to promptly settle the benefits for the bereaved and improve welfare for veterans to inspire selfless service among active military personnel.

    Kaigama said this in a sermon he delivered at an inter-denominational church service marking the beginning of this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration yesterday in Abuja.

    The cleric called for collective support for the families of fallen heroes.

    He urged political authorities to uphold justice and human rights by ensuring a secure and dignified future for all Nigerians.

    In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the families of fallen heroes and addressing veterans’ challenges.

    He said: “We owe it to these families and their loved ones to build a nation where peace, justice, and opportunity prevail.

    “The blood of our heroes remains the seed of our unity and progress, just as the blood of the martyrs became the seed of Christianity. Similarly, the sacrifice of our Armed Forces plays the same role.

    “Therefore, we must strengthen the bond of our national identity. Their sacrifices call us to action, urging us to set aside our divisions and work together for the common good,” he said.

  • What will 2025 bring: Living humans or lifeless shadows?

    What will 2025 bring: Living humans or lifeless shadows?

    This is a clean version of the column bedevilled last week by printer’s devils.

    What will 2025 throw up for Nigerians and humanity?

    From the forecasts of industry, economy and business experts, and , from my personal observations of persons I regularly interact with, 2025 will very likely be a worse year than 2024 or 2023.

    I guess so because it is man,and nothing else, who forms his environment and determines his fortunes and misfortunes.

    While it is true that, under Tinubu’s Administration,a Grade Level O9 teacher employed by the Government of Imo State may earn about N259,000  from this month,huge market forces will make a mince meat of his pocket.

    That teacher will discover that his or her 259,000 monthly salary has merely encouraged him or her to deal a slap accros the faces of millions of competitors for money in Nigeria in exchange for slaps across his or her face by rivals in the Naira gold mines. Everywhere in the polity, economy or social order we will experience worse animal behaviour than in 2024 and 2023. I will explain why? I will like to share with you three types of animal behaviour I experienced when I reared pigs,hens,cats and dogs.

     On the pig farm, the big pigs eat up the small pigs when food is scarce.

     The pig farmer who rears pregnant pigs knows he must seperate them in different pens. He must boldly imprint on the wall of each pen the date on which the residents pregnant pig will have its piglets.

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     This is three months three weeks and three days from when he took it for matting.

    Food must be abundant one week from the due date.Should the piglets come in the night ,and there is not enough food for the mother pig ,it may eat up all the new borns before done.

     I  had fun in the study of animal behaviour when I reared 24 local hens in the back yard garden of a bungalow in which I lived on Ajanaku Street,Awuse Estate,Opebi, Lagos.

     I will throw a large piece of muscle meat at them. One will pick it.The others will attack it. It will flee with the meat held in its beak. The others will pursue it.

     The meat will fall, and another hen will pick it. The vicious circle will continue. The hens are animalistic..they are hungry. There is food.

     They can not organise themselves to share the food and make each one have some thing to eat. Human behaviour is like this.

     The scramble for money in Nigeria this year will grow bigger than in 2024 and should worsen those conditions among men which make their existence unpalatable.

     As for the dogs and the cats,they are always like sworn enemies, unless they are guided by humans who are conscious that they have a unifying influence over all creatures and call forth from deep within them abilities for this leadership purpose. NEW YEAR 2025 If 2025 will be a better new year than prevous new years, that possibility lies with us all.

    There is no knife that is so sharp that,on its own, will cut vegetable and plantain in the backyard garden for family dinner. It is a human hand that will put it to work .Persons who are bringing out the best in us, like the hand which works the sharp knife, are those human beings who are working for 2025 to be a better year than 2024.

     That will determine whether 2025 can hold that promise. Our responses will determine if they will succeed.

    The evidence at the outset of 2025 is that many Nigerians are no different from the persons they had been since adulthood.

    Therefore, they should not expect the dense black patches on 2024 to automatically transform into radiant, luminous transparent hues in 2025.

     On 31 December 2023,the churches were overfilled by worshippers who believed that 2023 was responsible for all their woes. Therefore, they entreated the incoming 2024 to be their friend and fortune bearer.They have forgotten that, as 2022 was taking its bow,they cursed and abused it , and entreated incoming 2023 to be their friend and fortune bearer.

    Every adult today can plot the graph or trajectory of his or her life to the onset of generative power at purberty when his or her spirit broke through the protective walling of the physical body, made his first direct contact with all spheres of the material world for business and battle.That is when the youth is restless, wishing to storm the mountain, traverse the earth and conquer it.

    Often,this coincides with melancholy and choleric years.What happens thereafter to generative power, which would have bore the spirit kernel aloft and help it to not only discover the purpose of his existence on earth,but to also fullfil it,was that it was drained off into antithetical pursuits.

     The result was that, in a massive bread and butter existence,the spirit kernel has forgotten about (1) what it is (2) where it came from (3) why it is on earth (4) the unchangeable laws which govern earthly and post earthly existence (5)the dangers of not complying with these laws,and the benefits of doing so. Two  Laws  I wish to mention here, only two of the Laws of Nature which will decide whether we would have a beautiful or an ugly 2025.

    The effect of these laws on our lives through our misconduct or misbehaviour can not be mitigated or abolished by many of the activities which take place in many churches today.

    These churches are wooing spiritual weaklings with assertions that they are called by the Almighty Creator to free them from the bondage into which their known and unknown enemies have placed them.

    Cheap testimonies of freedom from bondage are shared and followed with the sharing of bank account numbers of the prophet. In one such testimony, a Lagos road side groundnut seller said 3million Naira was paid into her bank account the day after she paid a 5000 Naira covenant levy to her church.

    I wondered what happened to the money laundering law which required that a bank account be frozen where a lodgement of up to one million Naira can not be successfully explained.

    Some of the other activities of spiritual highway men which cannot abort the effects of these two and other natural laws on our misconduct and misbehaviour include but are not limited to … Special prayer, writhing of the hands, shouting at the top of our voices, stamping of our feet on the ground,rubbing anointing oil on our bodies,or adding it to our foods, drinking anointing water, wearing of anointing mantles, wearing of singlets kept on the altar for months, using anointed handkerchief, eating anointed fruits and cooking with anointed oil and salt, payment of covenant money, and sowing of seeds with money, fasting and prayers for first born children to not rank least among their siblings, deliverance from the enemies, known and unknown,who are said to have placed their victims in bondage. Law of Homogeneity And Law of Sowing And Reaping. If we critically observe our environment, including our fellow humans,we would observe the law of homogeneity at work in our universe,and in our fate or conditions of existence.

    The cells of the tongue are homogeneous and different from those of the brain, eyes, skin,liver or bones.In forests, animals live in homogeneous communities, lions among lions, elephants among elephants etc. In the water,whales do not live with crayfish, titus or halibut.

    Regarding whether 2025 will be a beautiful or ugly year for us ,the secret lies in what we do with our thoughts. They are origins of what proceeds from our tongues and hand.

    The so-called prayer we say in church, especially during vigil and night prayers, are mere petitions which constitute wasted energy, because they hardly have the power to bear them aloft to the foot-stool of the Throne of Grace. The spoken words merely form channels or path ways for our spiritual intuitive perception, which is living energy.What is an empty channel without living energy in it? The real prayer is what comes out of our thoughts.

    There are two kinds of thoughts, namely (1) Intuitive Thought Volition and (2)Intellectual Thought Volition. Intuitive thought volition comes from the spirit. Interllectual thought volition comes from the intellect.

    Therefore, intuitive thought volition is more powerful and potent than intellectual thought volition.

    The spirit, which produces intuitive thought volition, is the highest creature in Creation.

     The intellect , which belongs to the body,is the tool and servant of the spirit. It implements the will of the spirit on earth.

     The body serves only as a housing to the spirit. In many persons, the Spirit kernel hardly knows of why it exists, what it is,where it is from,for what purpose it is on earth, where it goes after the earth,and the laws which govern its existence on earth and in the beyond. The spirit seed germ or kernel is on earth,like a mango seed sown in the soil,to sprout,germinate,flower and fruit, recognise the WILL of the Almighty Creator in Creation and unconditionally fulfill It, perfect its abilities and return home to Paradise where it may be previleged to partake in the further up building of creation.

     Many of us are far removed from this reality. As human spirit,will produce intuitive thought that are contrary to pure thought which the laws of creation expect of us .

    How many of us are not envious or hateful,greedy, cunning or malcontent and malevolent,for examples? These weaknesses may exit,feeble or dormant, in our intuitive thought volition without our knowing that they do.

     Take envy and hatred as examples. The intuitive thought volition is fashioned by a special specie of Nature Beings into intuitive thought form. If they are pure forms,they would purify,ennoble,beautify and upgrade us,our environment and whatever they impact. If they are dark and ugly intuitive thought forms,they will produce opposite effects.Beautiful and ugly intuitive thought forms are alive and active. The ugly ones are the demons we always talk about. The are attached to their authors.

    If we do not target them at anyone, they roam about and attract to themselves demonic forms of their nature or homogeneity that they are stronger than, or are attracted by the ones that are stronger than they are.

    Gradually, they form communities on earth and in the beyond which some Christians call principalities.

    These homogeneous principalities are nourished by larger homogeneous power centres . Whenever we permit ourselves to think evil, we tune ourselves to the energy vibrations of these principalities and power centres. Their energies rouse and nourish our intuitive and intellectual volitions, invigorating them and our capacity to think and to impact evil.

     The day we send intuitive thought of envy or hatred to any one , these huge army will attack our target.

    Envy and hatred will envelope such a person with all their manifestations, including murder.

     Pure target come to no harm. Inevitably, the demons will attack the author of one or several of them , causing such vicissitudes of existence against which we often seek deliverance from imagined enemies, whereas the author is the cause of his or her own problems.

    On the other hand, beautiful intuitive thought bring us beautiful, bountiful harvests . As stated earlier, the forms of intellectual thought volition have no lives of their own, are weaker and soon perish when they are not nourished by their authors.

    Nevertheless, they are powerful enough to destroy individuals and nations. We often encounter them,too, in our dreams.

     When we are faced with challenges of existence in whatever form and we critically examine ourselves,we may discover that we have a hand or hands in what is afflicting us. Look at this scenario.

    When we envy or hate someone,we are bound to such a person. We become like two birds, figuratively speaking, tied together at the wings.

    Neither of us will be able to move about freely.Imagine the other person tied to about 50 other persons on earth and in the beyond.

    Imagine the other 50 persons attached to several other persons who have their own lineages of attachment as well.Now imagine yourself with an array of homogeneous number of attachments.How would you be able to move as freely as you would like to? Which prophet or pastor or general overseer can face the Will of God to free you from the effect of the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Specie, when creation demands that you purify and personally disbound yourself?

    Your salvation lies in the recognition of this will and unconditionally fulfilling it by doing only what is good at all times.That was why the Lord Jesus,the anniversary of Who’s birth on earth we celebrated on Christmas day, warned us:Love Thy Neighbour as thy self.Whatever weapon we fashion against our neighbours we fashion against ourselves.

    The Lord Jesus also said The Spirit of Truth that is The HolySpirit,does not forgive sins.Now, let us do a simple audit of our intuitive thought volition and our intellectual thought volition.How does our day go? It does not matter if we are single, married, parents,or friends or workers in a household.

    What of the power play in our offices, businesses,residential neighbourhoods? What goes out of us every day will determine what will come back to us in bigger multitudes. Long ago, while I was observing The Law of Sowing and Reaping,I contemplated the sowing of an ear of corn.It produced a stalk of maize on which were five cobs, each with about 400 ears of corn.

    Therefore,we can assume that one ear of corn can give birth to 2000 ears of corn. That is how you and I stand with our intuitive thought volition and intellectual thought volition in the wounderful creation of GOD governed by his Powers and Justice.

     What remedies would then be open to us but to take ourselves to the cleaners and turn new leaves, that is conduct our existence on entirely new platforms, beliefs and conceptions?

    The new platform and conceptions have come to us in the extension of spiritual knowledge on earth at this juncture of The CosmicTurning- Point which has taken our universe millions of earth years to achieve.  At every cosmic turning point, the earth comes under greater spiritual impact and increased energy and tensions.

    Imagine the tensions education in primary school, secondary school and in the university, and of how persons who could not with stand them fall way.

    The earth is a spiritual training school.The curricular have grown more voluminous.

    By now, every-one of us ought to have known what we are ,where we came from, what we are here for,the laws which govern existence here and in the hereafter ,the road map of our journey back home,the land marks on the way , the dangers which may make us lose our way, the helps on the way which will make us not to be lost,and,even while here on earth, what we can always do to leave in a surfeit of peace, plenty, happiness and joy.

    Those of us who are already moving in this direction are the ones said by the keepers of the Household of God ,the universe,to be Living Human Beings.

    Advisedly, I mentioned the words Human Beings.For not every human creature who exit in external human form is a human being.

    There are other creatures who are not human in their content but exit in external human form.Our forebears new about them.

    They are the Nature Beings or the elemental beings who are responsible for the formation of Nature…rivers, seas and oceans,the stars,the hills,mountains,rocks and plants e.t.c. The HUMAN BEING is the human spirit kernel creature which,dwelling within the earth human body,as evolved into the human form.

    Such a being is the one said to be …A Child of God. The headline of this article acknowledges such persons as Living Humans, living when we know what we are and begin to act as is expected of us so that we do not become irritable , irritating, disturbing and unwanted guests in the household of God who, eventually,must be cast out according to adamantine laws of the wounderful Creation of God.

    On the other hand, The Lifeless Shadows refers to those humans who are not yet human beings and are groping about in the dark, Spiritually blind, deaf and dumb, their spiritual senses, insensitive and feebled like the physical bodies of new born babies. In spiritual parlance, they are brain cripples. They cannot use their brains aright.

    Their brains are disconnected from the human spirits resident within the human body. In these persons,the human spirits cannot gorvern the earth alright and since they form the majority of humans on earth nothing on earth today is not crippled.

    Education is crippled in Nigeria.We educate the brain, to produce fine intellect, and not the spirit,the real man.Wasn’t Nigeria a better country when we had only five universities than today with about 250? Brain cripples have removed medicine and nutrition from The Will of God and caged them in The Will of Man.

    The social order has been overturned. Marriage is no longer marriage. Even democracy is man made and not the right form of government. The economy is covetous, greedy, cunning, suffocating, acquisitive etc. So what goodness can 2025 bring: Living Humans or Lifeless Shadows of them?