The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria’s future

  • Why Nigeria’s future belongs to patient leadership

    Why Nigeria’s future belongs to patient leadership

    By Idris Olorunnimbe

    I was online last week when I stumbled upon a clip that I had first seen a long time ago. There was President Bola Tinubu (GCFR), years before his presidency, defending a decision against detractors that perfectly encapsulates why I call him the King of the Long Game:

    “….When I invested Lagos State funds in Econet they criticised me. But I used N4 billion to bring back N19 billion to Lagos State. So, who really made the better decision? The truth is, when you’re superior to them in knowledge, in intellectual capacity, in professionalism, they do not engage on the issues. Instead, they try to drag you into the mud. And when you wrestle with a pig, you get stained. When will I rest from politics? I’ll rest when I free Nigeria.”

    That video was recorded circa 2009, before Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), five years before the All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed, and 14 years before he was elected president. For that long and I dare say even before, he has been working towards his goal. He played the long game. Many things have changed since then but his intention remains the same – to free Nigeria.

    To achieve his lifelong dream, he is once again playing the long game. This is evident by the policies his administration is pursuing.

    Back to that clip, it reminded me why transformative leadership often looks like recklessness to short-term thinkers. The King of the Long Game understands something critics miss: the most impactful policies require time to mature, like investments that compound over decades.

    In our hyper-connected world where instant gratification often drives decision-making, and campaign cycles are every three years, we sometimes forget that the most transformative policies require time to germinate, grow, and ultimately transform lives. The question that should guide every good leader is not ‘what can we achieve by next year?’ but rather ‘what seeds are we planting today that will yield a harvest for generations?’

    This long-term perspective is what distinguishes truly visionary leaders from mere administrators. Take Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s introduction of free primary education in the Western Region in 1955. Critics called it ‘financially reckless’’, ‘politically-motivated’, and ‘economically unsustainable’. Yet, that single policy decision created the most educated generation in Nigeria’s history, producing the doctors, engineers, lawyers, and business leaders who would drive the nation’s development for decades.

    The children who walked barefoot to those free schools in the 1950s and 1960s became the professors, CEOs, and innovators of the 1980s and 1990s. They raised families who valued education, created businesses that employed thousands, and built the intellectual foundation upon which modern Nigeria stands. Awolowo understood that education is not just a policy; it’s an investment in human capital that compounds over generations.

    As Myles Munroe once said, “Managers think of the next position. Leaders think of the next generation”. That distinction could not be more relevant today.

    Similarly, during Tinubu’s Lagos governorship (1999-2007), every major reform faced fierce criticism. Free WAEC and NECO examinations? “Unsustainable”. Jigi Bola? “Pointless”. The Health Insurance Scheme? “Poorly timed”. The BRT system? “A waste of resources”.

    Today, Lagos remains Nigeria’s economic powerhouse precisely because of these “controversial” investments. The young professionals driving Lagos’s economy often trace their success to policies that removed barriers when their families couldn’t afford examination fees or healthcare.

    Now we’re witnessing history repeat itself with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Since launching on May 24, 2024, it has disbursed N56.85 billion to 298,124 students across 198 institutions- with a remarkable 92 per cent approval rate on over 550,000 applications.

    Critics ask why fund education when unemployment is high? Why invest in long-term programs when immediate needs press? This perspective fundamentally misunderstands transformative change. The infrastructure we build today serves this generation. The education we fund today serves the next generation.

    Every NELFUND beneficiary represents a future innovator who will not just fill existing jobs, but create new industries. When a brilliant student from rural Kebbi can study engineering debt-free, or a young woman from Cross River can pursue medicine with the guarantee of debt forgiveness after five years of Nigerian service, we are not just changing individual lives- we are building the human capital foundation for economic diversification.

    What makes this moment unprecedented is the convergence of educational investment with Nigeria’s digital revolution. NELFUND beneficiaries will graduate into a Nigeria where fibre optic cables reach every corner, where 5Gnetworks eliminate geographic barriers to opportunity.

    A computer science student in Makurdi can now collaborate with MIT researchers, access Oxford’s online courses, and launch a fintech start-up serving West Africa-all from Nigeria. This is the “digital dividend the exponential returns when brilliant minds have global access through reliable connectivity.

    Our young entrepreneurs already demonstrate this potential. From Flutterwave to Etap to Jumia, Nigeria’s digital natives build global solutions. Imagine their capabilities with universal broadband access and comprehensive digital literacy.

    What makes President Tinubu’s approach particularly powerful is the compound effect of his policies. Educated parents prioritize their children’s education. Economic opportunities in one generation create investment capital for the next. When combined with digital infrastructure, this compound effect becomes exponential.

    Read Also: U.S. deepens trade, investment ties with Nigeria, others

    The children benefiting from NELFUND today will likely send their own children to better schools, funded by opportunities their education provided. They will start businesses employing others, pay taxes funding public services, and contribute to a virtuous development cycle spanning generations.

    This same thinking is visible in the recent passage of the long-debated National Tax Reform Package, designed to streamline collections, reduce burdens for SMEs, and improve compliance. Its impact will not only be immediate-it also clears the fiscal underbrush needed to grow a broader, fairer revenue base for years to come.

    Critics of patient, strategic leadership often ask for immediate results in a complex world requiring generational thinking. They want quarterly returns on policies designed for decadal impact. President Tinubu understands that true transformation takes time-but in our digital age, it can happen faster than ever before.

    The Econet Investment that drew criticism returned nearly five times Lagos State’s initial stake. The BRT system that seemed extravagant now moves millions efficiently across Africa’s largest economy. The free examinations that appeared financially reckless unlocked countless minds that drive Nigeria’s progress today.

    President Tinubu has just inaugurated the first completed section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a bold infrastructural project long dismissed as “impossible” by doubters. When finished, it will connect nine coastal states, boost regional commerce, boost tourism and become a permanent artery for national development- another long bet already taking shape. Real estate proprietors have begun their harvest.

    Nigeria’s future is bright not because of wishful thinking, but because of deliberate policy choices combined with digital infrastructure that amplifies human potential. The King of the Long Game has planted the seeds. The digital highways are being built. The soil is fertile. The harvest awaits, and it will be sweeter and more bountiful than we can imagine.

    And perhaps this is the clearest sign of all that for President Tinubu, it is not just politics; it is purpose. He will rest, as he said, only when he has freed Nigeria.

    •Olorunnimbe is the group chief executive of The Temple Company.

  • Nigeria’s future lies in young people, says Tinubu

    Nigeria’s future lies in young people, says Tinubu

    President inaugurates youth Confab planning committee

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment.

    He said the current Federal Government’s policies are designed to secure a prosperous future for the next generation of Nigerians.

    The President spoke at the State House yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating the Planning Committee for the National Youth Conference         (NYC).

    He urged young Nigerians to work hard for the country’s development.

    “You are the hope of this country. Everything hangs on your future,” President Tinubu told the committee members.

    The President stressed that his administration’s decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidies, were aimed at ensuring long-term economic stability.

    He first hinted at the convening of a youth conference in his Independence Day address on October 1, last year, underscoring the critical role young people must play in shaping Nigeria’s trajectory.

    President Tinubu reinforced that message yesterday, charging the newly inaugurated committee with the responsibility of charting a path for youth engagement in governance and development.

    “The government of the day is all about you. You represent over 60 per cent of our population. You’re the heartbeat of our nation. Take this opportunity very seriously,” he said.

    The President acknowledged the economic challenges Nigeria has faced but expressed optimism that the country is on the path to recovery.

    “When we started, it looked so foggy, dicey, and hopeless. We were fetching water from a dry well,” he said.

    “But today, the economy has turned the corner: prices are falling, confidence is improving, and investors are looking in.”

    Urging the youth to be proactive, President Tinubu said they should adopt open dialogue and participation in advancing nation-building.

    “Look at me in the face and tell me whatever you think is wrong and the way you want things done. We will try to implement all of it, as long as it is for the prosperity of this country,” the President assured the youths.

    He also encouraged the committee to leverage technology and explore modern means to boost agriculture, youth entrepreneurship, and national food security.

    “Let’s employ technology every way possible; let’s look at our farming conditions; let’s hear what we can do to empower our youths in their firm spirit,” President Tinubu said.

    On a personal note, the President expressed admiration for the energy and potential of young Nigerians, saying: “I like you. I can’t be youth again; maybe in the next life. I’m envious of all of you.”

    The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stressed that a youth confab would be convoked to promote young people’s engagement.

    The minister described President Tinubu’s administration as a listening government that is ready to be attentive and incorporate the ideas and contributions of young people into governance.

    He added that the committee’s members were carefully selected from the Federal Ministry of Finance, other related federal ministries, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the World Bank, amongst many others.

    Olawande said they were selected to champion and plan the conference to impact the lives of Nigerian youths.

    He said: “The government aims to create opportunities for the youth and is focused on addressing their concerns.”

    According to him, Nigerians youths need to take advantage of the confab to contribute to developmental policies.

    A lead member of the confab planning committee and Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, lauded President Tinubu’s commitment to recognising the nation’s youths.

    “I would use this opportunity to appreciate the recognition of youths by the President,” he said.

    Itodo announced that the 30-day National Youth Confab would be segmented into virtual consultations and regional meetings while its final week would be for engaging youths at the Abuja conference.

    He urged the government to keep the confab completely insulated from politics.

    Read Also: Nigeria’s improving GDP, falling inflation fuel surge in foreign investments

    In his last year’s Independence Day broadcast, President Tinubu announced the plan for a 30-day national youth conference to address critical issues facing the country’s youths, including unemployment, education, and political participation.

    The committee is to be chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

    Among those inaugurated are: the Senate Chairman on Niger Delta Development Commission, Asuquo Ekpeyong, as well as Linus Okorie, Dr. Garba Aliyu, Babatunde Adeleke, Francis Sani, Azeezat Yishawu, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, Hauwa Nana Ibrahim, Zara Goni, Oladele Nihi, Dare Ojepe, Uchechukwu George Egbe, and Samson Itodo.

    Also in the planning committee are representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the World Bank, CSOs and NGOs.

    Present at the inauguration were the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; his Minister of Youth Development counterpart, Ayodele Olawande; spokespersons to the President – Mr. Sunday Dare and Mr. Bayo Onanuga – as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Tunde Rahman.

  • Body redefines Nigeria’s future with bold partnership

    Body redefines Nigeria’s future with bold partnership

    In a groundbreaking step that amplifies the power of local innovation, Made By Nigerians (MBN) has announced its sponsorship of Qoray, a pioneering Nigerian enterprise at the forefront of sustainable mobility.

    This partnership exemplifies MBN’s vision of positioning Nigeria as a global leader in innovation, while addressing critical environmental challenges.

    Qoray’s flagship creation, the Qoray Teak, is not just an electric vehicle; it’s a bold statement about the future of last-mile transportation.

    Read Also: Nigeria commiserates with Turkiye over hotel fire incident

    This cutting-edge innovation is set to revolutionise eco-friendly mobility in Nigeria and beyond.

    As part of their collaboration with MBN, Qoray is embarking on an ambitious world record attempt for the longest drive with an electric teak—a feat that promises to spotlight the limitless potential of Nigerian ingenuity on the global stage.

    “At MBN, we’re not just celebrating Nigerian-made solutions; we’re also championing a movement that redefines what it means to be a global innovator,” said Chidimma Okoli, chief project officer at MBN.

  • Tinubu: Nigeria’s future uncertain without economic reforms

    Tinubu: Nigeria’s future uncertain without economic reforms

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained that Nigeria’s economic future would remain uncertain unless ongoing reforms are implemented to correct fiscal misalignments.

    He said these reforms are crucial to addressing the current economic downturn.

    Tinubu who made the clarification in a national broadcast to commemorate the 64th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria on Tuesday, said failure to implement these reforms would have unimaginable consequences. 

    He, however, noted that the reforms have already yielded positive results, attracting over $30 billion in foreign direct investments in the last year.

    He said his administration was committed to promoting free enterprise, ensuring investments can enter and exit the market freely while maintaining effective regulatory processes. 

    This principle, he said, is guiding divestment transactions in the upstream petroleum sector, aimed at positively changing the sector’s fortunes.

    Read Also: Nigeria@ 64, China @ 75: Spot the similarities, close the gap

    According to him: “The economy is undergoing the necessary reforms and retooling to serve us better and more sustainably. If we do not correct the fiscal misalignments that led to the current economic downturn, our country will face an uncertain future and the peril of unimaginable consequences.  

    “Thanks to the reforms, our country attracted foreign direct investments worth more than $30 billion in the last year.

    “Fellow compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune positively. 

    “As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as other qualified divestments approved in the sector. 

    “The move will create vibrancy and increase oil and gas production, positively impacting our economy.”

  • PMB, Atiku and Nigeria’s future

    The greatest challenge facing the democratic process in Nigeria, as in most developing nations, has to do with management of the post-election transition process. The political tension and acrimony between parties and politicians peaks at the polls and tends to escalate during collation and announcement of results, giving electioneering a “do-or-die” tendency. This situation impacts negatively on the democratic process as election-related violence often takes a heavy toll on lives and property, disrupts elections and ultimately threatens national stability.

    Those who predicted the chaotic demise of the Nigerian state in 2015 based their pessimism on the high level of political antagonism and general insecurity. They expected the elections to ignite the explosive situation with the usual winner takes all-bad loser outcome that unleashes deadly ethno-religious mayhem across the land. Though political leaders routinely preach against political intolerance and vandalism, their sermons do little to prevent election-related violence, necessitating increased deployment of military forces to effectively restore and law and order.

    It took the historic telephone call by incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to General Muhammadu Buhari, victorious winner of the 2015, conceding defeat and congratulating him even before the full results were released by INEC, to dramatically turn the tide from high tension and imminent civil disturbances to unprecedented peaceful transition of power from an incumbent government to an opposition party.

    Instructively, this welcome departure from do-or-die politics of uncompromising competition for power at the expense of national stability and safety of lives and property, was predicated on the profound pronouncement by the former president that his “political ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian”, which he eloquently demonstrated by opting for voluntarily conceding defeat rather than rejecting results, alleging rigging, stoking political tension and eventually resorting to protracted court action that could provoke more post-election crises.

    The victorious President Muhammadu Buhari was equally instrumental to the peaceful transition by accepting the unexpected gesture with reciprocal espirt de corps, commending his erstwhile rival in the tradition of good sportsmanship thereby projecting the principle of no victor-no vanquished to douse the potentially provocative celebrations among his elated supporters.

    With the benefit of hindsight, it was all a matter of two statesmen, then President Jonathan and General Buhari magnanimously rising above the fray of competing political interests and conscientiously relegating their individual self-esteem in favour of preserving the divine dignity of life of their respective supporters as well as the peace and stability of their fatherland. Such basic humane thoughts and actions by two leaders, with profound, inestimable and indelible physical and spiritual dividends for themselves, their people, their country and, indeed, humanity as a whole! By the same token, Nigerians have proved to the world that they cannot be perpetually predictable as a failed nation state.

    Nigeria has not only survived 2015 intact and consolidated as a viable democratic nation with exemplary statesmen as leaders who cherish their citizens, it has also endured the political strains of another general election without “falling”. The country has also admirably managed its election-related trauma though not without the inevitable skirmishes here and there. These instances further testify to the resilience of the political fabric of the country and the citizens’ collective commitment to sustain the integrity of the federation and viability of the democratic dispensation against all odds. This patriotic trait has always been a timely intervention and saving grace in desperate times, notably deployed as pragmatic approach to unforeseen eventualities, such as ending the civil war, June 12 crisis, Abiola’s death and the memorable “doctrine of necessity” during the Yar’Adua health crisis.

    However, Nigerians are still apprehensive about the prospects for achieving the much desired lasting post-election political reconciliation to effectively bury the hatchet between the two leading parties and their political leaderships as the surest anti-dote against election-related antagonism and outbreaks of civil disturbances. With simmering challenges to national security like the Boko Haram terrorist insurgency, resurgent skirmishes between herdsmen and farmers as well as the deadly sporadic attacks on rural communities by gunmen still engaging our combined defence and security forces, we cannot afford any prolongation of no less calamitous post-election turbulence.

    Unlike former President Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the just concluded presidential elections, has chosen to challenge the outcome at the election petitions tribunal. Obviously, not only are the personalities different, the circumstances surrounding the elections are not the same. Besides, the option of seeking judicial review of the results remains the most civilized and lawful alternative to unleashing violent unrest or making Nigeria “ungovernable”.

    Nevertheless, seeking judicial review of presidential election results does not preclude exploring promising possibilities for adding Atiku Abubakar to the roll of honourable, selfless, patriotic, people-oriented and, above all, God-fearing Nigerian political leaders who share former President Jonathan’s noble political principle that his “political ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian”. Atiku surely will, as a God-fearing, people oriented patriot and political leader, find greater fulfilment in this post-election attainment!

    Remarkably, President Buhari has not lost touch with the glorious inspiration he gained from his noble predecessor’s “call to honour humanity”. Even as an incumbent president, savouring the revalidation of his momentous 2015 election, he has found the humility to promise to run an inclusive administration that will be willing to partner with all patriotic stakeholders in the Nigerian Project to keep the country on the track of progress and development. He had earlier dissuaded his exuberant supporters from subjecting the opposition to humiliation while celebrating, emphasizing that after electioneering, all hands should be on deck in the national interest, irrespective of party affiliation.

    Clearly there is an enabling environment for enthronement of the much-anticipated no-victor-no-vanquished spirit of post-election goodwill, cooperation and common commitment to national unity and stability waiting to be fully exploited. Just as in 2015, it is essentially a matter requiring the focused commitment of both President Buhari and former VP Atiku Abubakar respectively, to heroically rise above the fray of competing political interests and consciously suppress their self-interest to prioritize preserving the dignity of human life and promoting the peace and stability of Nigeria. They both must actively adopt constructive engagement to create avenues for political reconciliation and ultimately resist the pressure of hawks to be uncompromising.

    Atiku Abubakar has certainly attained the age and national stature to think more about leaving a living legacy that will preserve his patriotic value to the progress and development of our democratic dispensation as a more befitting recourse after his unsuccessful presidential bid than the acrimonious judicial challenge of election result that has rarely, if ever, reversed the expressed will of the people. President Buhari too should now be enlisting the goodwill and support of all leading political leaders across partisan and geo-ethnic divides, including Atiku Abubakar, to form an impactful inclusive government and also restore and strengthen national dialogue and consensus, desperately required to heal several open wounds and mend many fences, so as to bequeath a more united, peaceful and purposeful nation as a parting gift in 2023. This is another doctrine of necessity that must be applied in the national interest.

  • ‘Traditional medicine key to Nigeria’s future’

    Prof Magnus Atilade is an authority in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Traditional Medicine (TM) in Nigeria. In this interview, the chiropractor tells OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA how CAM and TM fields are evolving in the country, and the challenges hindering same. Excerpts:

    What   is   your   candid   assessment   of   Complementary   and   Alternative   Medicine   and Traditional medicine in Nigeria at  the moment?

    It has been a long journey. We the practitioners give thanks to God. There is a great hope   for   the   future.   The   journey   started   with   non-recognition,   non-acceptance,   denial, accusations and counter-accusations, fraud and manipulation and character assassination, just to hang   the   profession.   We   have   overcome   all   that,   and   we   are   looking   forward   to   further recognition,   because   the   government   has   recognised   it.   For   instance   Complementary   and Alternative Medicine) has been put under the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). I served as the first representative of CAM in MDCN. I and others that came on board have beenmaking progress gradually. This is in tandem with Traditional Medicine (TM). It is gladdening that we are getting to the third reading of the Traditional Medicine bill, and awaiting its passage.

    Despite the rich  flora and  fauna in Nigeria,  there is still  importation of foreign  herbal products being circulated through high level multi marketing. What do you say to that?

    Any person who does not harness his own good resources will expose himself to exploitation and short changing. Nigeria is rich in herbal traditional medicines. It boasts the best in flora, fauna, and expertise. Some Nigerian herbal products have been researched, and even sold in other continents. Ignorance and other factors are what actually make people go into marketing or use of such foreign products. Part of the challenge is that it took time before the government could give due recognition to the practice of traditional medicine and CAM. Nigerian market is flooded with all sorts of foreign herbal  products that are substandard and hinder wellness  of human organs, and hinders the local market. Most people fall for imported herbal products because of packaging not realising that Nigeria has far more potent herbal and phototherapymedicines in abundance. The radiation, the sun, water and other factors that come into play for human healing are peculiar to different races. Nigerians should use the herbal plants that they breathe into, and they in turn emit to us. There is a deep cross-fertilisation between human and theplants, which aids healing and wellness. So what we have in Nigeria is to take care of us as Nigerians.

    But the issue of disunity, rancour and suspicion are rampant among practitioners, whichimpede a common front in accessing meaningful support from the government. Don’t youthink a unified umbrella is needed to achieve more for the practice?

    Well, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step. The Federal Government has recogniseda body called NANTMP (National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners).The Federal Government has equally set up a department headed by a pharmacist, Hajia Zainab Sherif, who herself is into herbal medicine. So we are happy that has been done, and more progress is expected. She is competent and very reliable. All other interest groups are being made to come under the umbrella of NANTMP. This is because NANTMP is recognised as the national   umbrella   body   for   all   practitioners   across   the   county.   We   are   making   moves   to reestablish same, and carry all and sundry along so TM and CAM can take its rightful place in the health sector.

    As it is now, what do you think can be done for TM and CAM to be more acceptable, developed, and patronised in Nigeria?

    To the glory of God, CAM and TM have weathered the storm. There was a time they were seen as fetish,   devilish, even   the word  ‘herbalist’ was  twisted to  mean  a killer   or somebody  into voodooism. It took a long hard-work to demystify herbal medicine from misconceptions. It is now   being   accepted   as   an   art   of   healing,   using   indigenous   herbal   plants.   Many   credible practitioners put in a hard work indeed, towards this. So, the orientation is changing. We now have herbal products being well packaged. People are not realising that God, in His design of the world, put all these things in our charge as humans to tap into them for our consumption as food and healing, which is taking care of our health. There is nothing fetish about eating pumpkin leaves (Ugwu) or Yoruba Ewedu to get folic acid or improve anemic condition or  Orogbo (Bitter Kola)  for better   eye   sight.   Or   water   for   proper   hydration   and   rehydration   or   using   professional manipulation to set the skeletal system in place. The herbal plants that our forefathers consumed made   them   to   be   sturdy  and   strong.   The  slave   masters   realised   that   the   ones  from  Africa, especially   from   West   Africa,   stood   out   among   the   people   taken   into   slavery   because   they withstood the stress and rigour involved in slavery and plantations. Each race has its own way of taking care of its people. Our TM is not inferior to others across the globe at all.

    What   do   you   think  the  government   can   do   to   further   improve   the   development   andacceptability of Traditional medicine?

    Federal Government should enlarge the coast line for Traditional Medicine by making sure that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. It should support evidence-based research, especially   into   all   the   terminal  diseases,   and   chronic  illnesses.   For   instance,   the Council  of Physicians   of   Traditional   and   Alternative   Medicine   is   partnering   Nigeria   Institute   of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, on efficacy of some herbs and plants. Nature has answer to all the  diseases   that   afflict mankind.   Nigeria   should  look  inward   and  get  it right  in  traditional medicine by funding research, and encouraging traditional healers to come forward with their treatments for different diseases, and  assure them of Intellectual Property (IP).

    What do you see as part of the breakthrough for CAM and TM?

    Orthodox practitioners are not allowing the Federal Government to look into other solutions aside medicine. But small doors and windows are being opened and it is good that results around the world like Ghana, China, Australia, Korea and even Europe are making some people in the corridors of power to naturally ask questions and look inward. More of political will is needed, especially the passage of the Bill. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised Traditional Medicine and Complementary Alternative Medicine. So naturally, the situation is giving way now for its further support and development in Nigeria.

    What message do you have for practitioners who have potent/efficacious herbal medicineor preparations for terminal diseases?

    Any wise man should not release anything to anybody without the paper works well understood by him. The issue of intellectual property is very sensitive and we have had issues in the past, and wouldn’t want history to repeat itself. There must be a guarantee in black and white based on negotiations,   and  well-documented   agreement   before  anybody   will  be   willing  to submit his findings and treatments for any disease. Lawyers should be engaged, along with the Council to provide guidance before anything is released. If it is released without all these in place, there will be no benefit to the revealer, including the credit. Goodwill, justice and equity should guide such engagement.

  • Osinbajo to youths: Nigeria’s future depends on you

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has hailed youths for their desire to contribute to nation building through involvement in politics.

    He urged them to ensure the ideals they want to see in the country are realised.

    Prof. Osinbajo, who spoke during a meeting with young aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the country’s future depended on the commitment of youths, who were willing to play their part and make a positive difference.

    He said it was important to encourage young people to participate at all levels in the party.

    Osinbajo said: “I want to comment that your courage is exceptional. If you aspire to be anything in a country of about 200 million people, you are a courageous person, no question about that, because when you count the number of people who hold elective offices in this country, they are very few when compared to the population.

    “So, what you are searching for is really coveted. It is not a walk in the park. I salute your courage.”

    He congratulated the aspirants “for having gone this far in the game.”

    “That you are not just sitting at home, not just getting upset with yourself in the social media. You are putting your money, resources and time where your mouth is. So, consider yourself in very exceptional company.

    “These are people who have not lost hope, but are determined to ensure things work,” the vice-president said.

    He said youths should not lose hope, as things would improve if they remained committed to the ideals.

    Osinbajo added: “I believe the future of our party depends on people who are committed to its development. People who want to build a party based on ideals.

    “As a young person, I belonged to pressure groups. I graduated at 21. When I graduated, I began to participate in pressure groups, human rights organisations, anti-corruption, civil society groups of every kind.

    “When parties were founded, we could not aspire, but we remained involved. My first involvement in government was when I was appointed as the attorney-general in Lagos State.

    “For seven years – after serving as the attorney-general – I was part of the party. I did not have a board appointment or anything, but I kept working for the party. I kept working for the party as a lawyer.

    “Most of those cases, we were not paid a dime. But we went from place to place. Sometimes we didn’t even have a place to stay when we went to court the next morning. So, there is a measure of paying the price, it depends on how serious or committed we are to some of the things we say we are committed to.”

    He advised youths to be committed and remain in the party to build its structures.

    According to him, “in party politics, we must go beyond positions, whether elective or appointed. But we must be committed to something, the principles and beliefs of those who are the forebears of that party.”

    The vice-president said: “We are in a place where we are the ones who can make the difference. Nothing is going to change overnight, but we can make efforts to change the process. We can do a lot more, but it depends on our commitment.

    “I like the idea of young people getting a quota in the party structure to run for office at a level such as the houses of assembly.”

     

  • Nigeria’s future bright, says Olawepo-Hashim

    With collective steadfastness, Nigeria will surely emerge from the socio-economic challenges stronger, frontline businessman, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has stated.

    He spoke yesterday at a public lecture delivered on the auspices of the Post Graduate College, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State.

    He argued an agenda was clearly possible not just for the all-round development of the nation but for a transformation for generations yet unborn.

    At the event chaired by the University’s vice-chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, he agreed that though slight progress has been made since the advent of democracy in Nigeria  between 1999-2015, the nation still remains  “underdeveloped” by regular classification, which makes the question of an “agenda for all round national development” topical and germane.

    “With 62 percent of the population living below $2 a day and considered poor, with life expectancy of 51 years, and over 40% illiterate population, bedeviled with a parlous infrastructure such as poor electricity distribution, poor road networks, and dilapidated health infrastructure, the underdevelopment profile was in bad relief,” he stated.

    He told the predominantly academia audience: “I remain optimistic about Nigerian development trajectory when we tap and build on the energy, creativity, imagination and the industry of everyday Nigerian which is the most important asset that Nigeria possess beyond her oil wealth and natural resources”

    Olawepo-Hashim praised the nation’s resourceful diaspora community comprising scientists, intelligentsias, innovators, professionals, footballers and entrepreneurs adding golden pages to Nigeria’s rising story.

    Suggesting a range of solutions, he called for a new economic plan to transform the economy to manufacturing from agrarian economy as well as production of primary products.

    According to him: “Ultimately, Nigeria needs to grow the manufacturing sector in such a way that it will account for 30-40 percent of her GDP and be a major employer of labour.”

    • See more on Page 47

     

  • You’re Nigeria’s future, Obi tells pupils

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has urged students and pupils to remain focused in their endeavours.

    Obi spoke yesterday when he visited St. Peter’s Secondary School, Garaku, Nasarawa State. He donated N1 million to the school for improvement and ate lunch with the pupils.

    He told the pupils that as the future of the country, they should factor themselves into being a part of the future by making personal efforts at the growth and development of the country nurtured through education.

    The ex-governor described education as the most potent tool for anyone to compete well in the world.

    He said: “We live in a country where, rather than take the money committed to education as an investment, Nigerian leaders consider it as expenditure, thus removing it from being treated as a necessity.”

    The Catholic Bishop of Lafia, who was represented by the head teacher, Fr. Marcellinus Sa’aondo, thanked Obi for the visit.

    He said: “We are privileged to host a modest man of high pedigree, whose accomplishments have proven him to be the leading light of modern Nigeria’s democratic leadership.”

  • VAIDS and Nigeria’s future

    The sharp dip in the prices oil, Nigeria’s major source of revenue, has badly exposed the country, leaving government at all levels gasping. For years, all tiers of government have relied almost totally on oil revenue and, in the process, neglected tax revenue.

    The current state of the global oil industry, particularly since mid-2014, has shown clearly that near-total dependence on oil revenue is unsustainable. Taxation, all over the world, has been found to be a more predictable and sustainable revenue source. It, however, faces threat from a culture of non-compliance, as shown by tax collection data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    The data make a depressing reading. NBS figures showed that the 36 states of the country collected a total sum of N683.6 billion in taxes in 2015. Of this sum, Lagos State accounted for N268 billion, the equivalent of 40% of the total revenue collected by all the states of the federation. Lagos State collected more than all the other states combined, with the notable exception of Rivers, Ogun and Delta states. Figures from the Federal Inland Revenue Service also show that not many Nigerians are paying tax.

    According to the FIRS, out of 70 million taxable adults, only 14 million pay tax, with 96 per cent of them on the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) system. A 2015 Knight Frank wealth report estimated that Nigeria has about 770 billionaires (in naira terms). Out of this number, only 214 pay taxes of N20 million and above. This proves that self-employed people account for only four per cent of taxpayers and that the country’s billionaires are either not paying or underpaying. It also indicates that tax compliance in the private sector is grossly sub-par.

    This is the situation the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) was conceived to correct through the boosting tax awareness, compliance and offering tax defaulters a time-limited opportunity to put their tax affairs in order with the federal and state governments.

    This is to be done through voluntary, truthful declaration of tax arrears within the nine-month window.

    VAIDS is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance and runs from 1 July and runs.

     

    • Oyeyemi wrote from Lagos