The latest autobiography in town: Babangida: A Journey in Service “is an important book in many respects” according to the reviewer, Yemi Osinbajo, a professor and former Vice President. Accordingly, it is not just a story of the remarkable journey of former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida from childhood to the highest levels of public service, it is an account of a “journey of our Nation Nigeria, the Nigerian story, complex, sometimes unpredictable, sometimes stranger than fiction, but always fascinating”.

Many of the key characters in the book who shaped the history of our country were there on Thursday, “demonstrating something truly unique about Nigeria: our ability to move beyond the past and come together”.

Seated among those who shaped what the late General Chris Ali once called “The Federal Republic of the Nigerian Army” in Ali’s 2011 book was General Yakubu Gowon, who became Nigeria’s Head of State at just 32 and led the country for nine years. His government was overthrown in 1975 by a coup involving then-Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo, Brigadier Theophilus Danjuma, and the author himself, Babangida, who was then commander of the newly formed Armoured Corps.

The reviewer with a deep sense of history noted: “Also involved were then-Lieutenant Colonels Muhammadu Buhari, Sani Bello, and Sani Sami. Yet, there they were on February 20 at Transcorp Hilton, with former President Obasanjo and General Danjuma with his representative, (no thanks to ill-health) present not as adversaries but as witnesses to history, celebrating a fellow statesman.

“In a striking turn of fate, the author notes that it was President Obasanjo who, after the tragic assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, insisted that a young Lt. Col. Babangida be appointed to the Supreme Military Council, making him its youngest member at the time”, the reviewer revealed.

But not physically present but represented on the occasion was immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari another leader whose path intertwined with Babangida. It was Babangida who played a key role in the coup that brought General Buhari to power in 1983, and later, in another coup that removed him and brought Babangida himself to power. Specifically, President Buhari was represented at this occasion, celebrating the man who overthrew him and detained him for three and a half years his one time old adversary General Babangida.

There was some hushed excitement when the reviewer reminded the younger ones who don’t read history that, “there is gentleman here who was an elected senator in 1992 in the course of Babangida’s Transition Programme, when Babangida annulled the 1993 election, and General Abacha took over and dissolved the Senate. He tried to reconstitute the senate in resistance to the dissolution he was detained and charged to court, he escaped into exile. Today, he also is here to celebrate with his erstwhile tormentors but now as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu GCFR…”

The 420-paged book also raises curiosities “because it unveils one of the most enigmatic leaders Nigeria has ever had. A man who some call Maradona, others the evil genius, baring his mind in his own words, in writing, for the first time since he left office 32 years ago”. Then the denouement on Thursday as revealed by the artful reviewer who notes that the author “concludes in the book and I quote him : “looking back now, the June 12 saga was undeniably the most challenging moment of my life and, in certain respects, one of the most painful… and he went on to admit “If I had to do it all over, I’d do it differently…”

Osinbajo, a professor of law of evidence rounds off his review thus: “by any standard, Babangida’s Journey of Service is an extraordinary book. It is a collection of stories from a life deeply intertwined with Nigeria’s contemporary history, —told with remarkable wit, insight, and a vivid sense of place. Babangida’s storytelling ability is undeniable; he draws the reader into each moment, making history feel immediate and alive. His prose flows effortlessly from one era to another, from one pivotal event to the next, in a way that is both engaging and easy to read. He is generous in his praise of others, acknowledging the contributions of many along the way. Yet, despite the richness of his narrative, this book will not silence the debates or end the controversies surrounding his years in power especially the final chapter of his leadership. The questions will persist, the criticisms will continue, but that has always been the nature of the Babangida Phenomenon. He remains, as ever, a force of history…”

In his remark, President Bola Tinubu on the book and unveiling of the fund raiser for a presidential library, said former military president Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida showed unusual courage and patriotism by admitting that late M.K.O. Abiola won the June 12 election in 1993.

The annulment was a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic history, precipitating a political crisis and hastened his exit from power. Many of the key actors of the phenomenal June 12, 1993 election crisis have died. They included M.K.O Abiola, the presumed winner of the election, General Sani Abacha, the Head of State who finally buried the mandate and assumed power; the then Attorney General Akpamgbo; Saleh, Chief Judge of Abuja who pronounced the election dead; etc, including most of the G-34 members who signed away June 12 The Guardian reported as a scoop on June 11, 2000.

President Tinubu said the former leader’s admission about Abiola’s victory would help to set the records properly. But as yours sincerely had noted in an “Arise News” comment on Thursday night: It is as Shakespeare would have put the outcome of an elections after 32 years: “…a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…” . Nigeria’s leader said he would continue to do his best for the country by making tough decisions to reposition the economy. He called on Nigerians to refocus their time, energy, and resources on building the country that remains their home and be more mindful of changes in global migration laws that could impede their dreams of a better life.

“I am glad about what is happening in America and Europe, the contradiction you have seen now. What is it telling us? It is telling us to wake up and make Africa a better place, particularly this country, Nigeria….”

President Tinubu thanked Gen. Babangida for his foresight in ensuring the private sector’s growth in Nigeria. “Without you, people like me will not be in politics. I thank you for your progressive revolution. You said you wanted young, brilliant people in politics. We met you in Dodan Barracks. You inspired some of us. And when you look at the programme today, the names of bankers and many of us here today for this library project are all because they believe in the visionary Babangida. Thank you for what you are.”

Gen. Babangida who thanked the President and all guests for attending the unveiling of his autobiography, admitted that annulling the June 12 elections was the most challenging decision of his life. Given another chance, he would have handled the situation differently.

His words: “That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret. As a leader of the military administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch”. “June 12 happened under my watch; mistakes, oversights, and missteps happened in quick succession, but I say in my book, in all matters, we acted in the supreme national interest so that Nigeria could survive…”
The launch of General IBB’s book, offers valuable lessons and deliverables for the current administration. As I was saying on “Arise News Tv” on Thursday, the key takeaway is the importance of our leaders investing in human capital, particularly the youth and tapping of intellectuals and technocrats across all geo-political zones as IBB intentionally did in his time.

Using a football analogy, I had on Thursday emphasised that just as a Spanish football club, Real Madrid invest in top talent like Mbappe, Vinicius Jnr, Rodrigo, Bellingham, etc Nigeria’s leaders must prioritise investing in their best and brightest people. This means also that leaders in Nigeria should create and invest in opportunities for education, skills development, and entrepreneurship. There shouldn’t be recourse to the people Alvin Toffler calls the illiterate of the 21st century who can’t learn, unlearn and relearn.

What is more, at the event, Tinubu had the opportunity of hearing about the quality of IBB’s team from 1985 to 1993, a period marked by significant economic and political reforms in Nigeria. In other words, IBB tapped the brightest and the best brains from all over the country. Tinubu’s team has been regularly criticised as a celebration of mediocrity. He has an opportunity soon to rejig his team as he marks second year in office in May this year.

Tinubu’s presence at the book launch highlights his commitment to learning from Nigeria’s past leaders and building on their achievements. As the current President of Nigeria, he recognises the importance of understanding the country’s history and the role that leaders like IBB have played in shaping its development.

The Lessons: visionary leadership: IBB’s leadership style, as highlighted in the book, demonstrates the importance of having a clear vision for the country’s development; strategic planning: The book launch emphasises the need for strategic planning and implementation, which was a hallmark of IBB’s administration: he created agencies even in human capital development sectors, (education and health) where the late Babs Fafunwa and Olikoye Ransome Kuti, for instance, showcased the importance of skilled and committed leaders in the discipline of execution.

Besides, IBB’s leadership style highlights the importance of inclusive governance, which involves engaging with various stakeholders, including the youth, to ensure that their voices were heard. President Tinubu’s testimony also underscores that. He (Tinubu) should borrow from that brilliance.

In the main, the launch of IBB’s book offers valuable lessons and deliverables for President Tinubu’s administration. By investing in human capital, particularly prioritising education reform beyond creation of more instead of better universities, inclusive governance, the administration can set Nigeria on a path to sustainable development and growth. That is the Babangida we should find in a new Tinubu after the profound speeches last Thursday. After all, in a Sunday August 22, 1993, issue of The Guardian a Nigerian celebrated columnist, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo of blessed memory wrote a classic on ‘The Babangida in all of us’. I hope the best of Babangida President Tinubu spoke glowingly about on Thursday will also be in him, for the public good’s game at this time.

Nationwide premium motor spirit (petrol) scarcity looms in Nigeria as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, on Monday gave a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw services across the country over the non-payment of bridging claims amounting to N100 billion.

The Chairman of the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum, Yahaya Alhasan, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has failed to clear its N100 billion bridging debt owed to petrol marketers 40 days after promising to do so in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

He revealed that Northern depots, comprising the Jos depot, Gusau depot, Minna depot, Suleja depot, Kaduna depot, Kano depot, Gombe depot, Yola depot, and Maiduguri depot, have become completely grounded due to this lingering debt.

IPMAN also frowned at the 5 percent levy imposed on its members by NMDPRA.

Alhasan said, “If NMDPRA doesn’t pay our money within seven days, we are going to withdraw our services across the nation.”

“We are extremely frustrated that one year after our last demand as a forum, requesting the payment of over N100 billion owed to our members in bridging and NTA claims by the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, the management of the NMDPRA has deliberately ignored our request, even after making clear promises to pay us.

“One of those promises was made by the NMDPRA at the stakeholders’ meeting convened on the eve of the last strike action declared by NARTO. At that stakeholders’ meeting, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, listed this same IPMAN bridging claim as part of their demands before the strike action would be called off.

“The NMDPRA promised to offset the bridging claims in 40 days, even in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, and the DG DSS, Mr. Adeola Ajayi. However, 40 days have today become months with no hope of our payment.

“Hence, the nine (9) Northern depots, comprising the Jos depot, Gusau depot, Minna depot, Suleja depot, Kaduna depot, Kano depot, Gombe depot, Yola depot, and Maiduguri depot, have become completely grounded due to this lingering debt.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is imperative to state again that this debt being owed to us is money belonging to marketers, which was deducted from us at the point of payment for products to settle our bridging allowances.

“We have also continued to record the deaths of our members, the closure of their businesses, the retrenchment of staff, and the takeover of their business premises by commercial banks, all arising from this refusal of the NMDPRA to pay us our money.

“Another worrisome development is the NMDPRA’s imposition of several abnormal levies on our members.

“Chief among them is the imposition of a 5 percent commission accruable to them from the sale of any petrol station outlet in Nigeria. Tell me, when has the NMDPRA turned itself into a real estate agency, collecting a commission on the sale of retail petrol outlets? There is no gainsaying the fact that the downstream retail industry is an ever-evolving one.

“And so, as IPMAN members, we go the extra mile to renovate our outlets occasionally to meet international best practices.

“However, the NMDPRA has also made this very difficult for us, as they have subjected our members to paying bizarre levies whenever we deem it fit to renovate our petrol outlets.

“These are just a few of the many distressing levies they have forced on us. These are not only anti-developmental but also unconstitutional, and we are demanding their immediate suspension.

“As a forum of law-abiding Nigerians, we sincerely believe that we have given the NMDPRA enough time to pay us our money in bulk and clear the bridging claims.

“But in view of their constant refusal, we have therefore decided to liaise with our sister organizations, the PTD and NARTO, in order to take collective action in due course.

“As members of IPMAN, it is important to state that we also own a sizable number of petroleum tankers driven by the PTD, and we may be forced to withdraw our tankers from loading petroleum products in a bid to enforce the immediate payment of our bridging and NTA claims.

“We hereby call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by President Bola Tinubu, to fully intervene in this prolonged dispute between the Depot Chairmen of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA.

“We will not hesitate to take immediate action if our demands are not met, beginning Monday, February 24, 2025.

“We call on our members nationwide to remain resolute and law-abiding as we wait for our demands to be met and addressed by the NMDPRA,” the communiqué reads.

On his part, the Chairman of Gombe Depot, Ibrahim Mohammed, expressed disappointment with the Federal Government over its failure to fulfill its promise to clear the N100 billion bridging claim.

DAILY POST reports that in January 2025, the Nigerian government had promised to clear the N100 billion bridging claim debt owed to petrol marketers.

[DailyPost]

Travelling with a Nigerian passport often requires obtaining visas for many destinations. While Nigerian passport holders can visit 46 countries visa-free or with a visa-on-arrival, the reality is that over 180 countries still require additional documentation. However, securing certain strategic visas can significantly expand travel options and simplify entry into multiple countries.

Here are four visas that allow Nigerians access to more countries

1. United States Visa

A U.S. visa is one of the most valuable visas a Nigerian traveler can obtain. While its primary purpose is to allow entry into the United States, it also unlocks access to over 20 other countries, many of which offer visa-free entry or visas on arrival for U.S. visa holders.

Countries You Can Visit with a U.S. Visa:

Mexico – Nigeria travelers with a valid U.S. visa can enter Mexico without applying for a separate visa.

Caribbean Nations – Several Caribbean countries, including Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Aruba, allow entry with a valid U.S. visa.

Central and South America – Countries like Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Nigerian passport holders with a U.S. visa.

Additionally, a U.S. visa strengthens your travel credibility, making it easier to obtain visas for other countries.

2. Schengen Visa

The Schengen visa is one of the most powerful travel documents, granting access to 27 European countries within the Schengen Area. This visa not only opens doors to major destinations like France, Germany, Spain, and Italy but also simplifies travel to certain non-Schengen countries that accept Schengen visa holders.

Countries You Can Visit with a Schengen Visa:

Schengen Area – Includes 27 European nations such as Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.

Non-Schengen Countries – Countries like Turkey, Georgia, and Albania allow Nigerian passport holders to enter with a valid Schengen visa.

Some Caribbean and Latin American Nations – Nations such as Dominican Republic and Panama grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry with a valid Schengen visa.

If you frequently travel to Europe or wish to explore more international destinations, obtaining a multiple-entry Schengen visa is a valuable asset.

3. United Kingdom Visa

A UK visa is another key travel document that increases travel freedom for Nigerian passport holders. While it primarily allows entry into the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), it also facilitates access to several other countries without requiring an additional visa.

Countries You Can Visit with a UK Visa:

Albania – Visa-free for Nigerian passport holders with a valid UK visa.

Mexico – Offers easier visa approval or exemptions for UK visa holders.

Turkey – Nigerian travelers with a valid UK visa can apply for a Turkish e-visa online instead of going through a lengthy visa process.

In addition, having a UK visa can improve the chances of obtaining visas from other developed countries, as it demonstrates strong travel history.

4. Canadian Visa

A Canadian visa is another strategic visa that grants entry not just into Canada but also into several other destinations. Whether it’s a visitor visa or a permanent resident (PR) card, this document can significantly ease travel requirements for Nigerian passport holders.

Countries You Can Visit with a Canadian Visa:

British Virgin Islands – Visa-free entry for Nigerian passport holders with a valid Canadian visa.

Costa Rica – Allows entry without requiring an additional visa.

Caribbean Nations – Countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, and St. Kitts and Nevis offer visa exemptions or visas on arrival for Canadian visa holders.

Similar to the U.S. and UK visas, holding a Canadian visa also boosts credibility when applying for other visas, as it indicates strong travel history and financial stability.

[TheNation]

Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has confronted officials of the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for preventing him from entering the premises of the Federal High Court.

Sowore told the officers that he was not former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, who has an ongoing case with the commission over alleged financial misappropriation.

The ex-AAC presidential candidate, who is also a human rights activist, resisted every officer’s attempt to obstruct him.

In a video posted on his X handle, Sowore claimed that Nigeria’s justice system had been hijacked by uniformed security agents, including the Department of State Security Services, police, and civil defence.

He alleged that they had illegally taken over the court premises because they had brought a “thief”, Yahaya Bello, to the court.

He further criticised the authorities for failing to arrest Bello when he was declared wanted, only managing to detain him after the former governor reported himself to the EFCC office in Abuja.

Speaking in the video, Sowore said, “Why are you shouting at me? Do I look like Yahaya Bello? I have business in court. I don’t need to be cleared by either the police or EFCC because none of you is an officer of the court.

“This is a Federal High Court; bring a court official, and I will talk to them. EFCC brought me to court, and they are still harassing us. You have no right to stand in front of the high court. You are not my lawyer and have no right to know my case.”

This is not the first time Sowore has had an altercation with security personnel.

Recently, the human rights activist alleged that the Nigeria Police Force planned to detain him over his criticism of the extension of Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure.

Sowore arrived at the Force Intelligence Headquarters at 9:58 am following a police invitation after he uploaded a viral video alleging extortion by officers at a checkpoint in Lagos.

The activist was summoned to respond to several allegations, including resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking, and acts allegedly intended to prevent arrests.

In a post on his Facebook page, Sowore stated that the police relied on “rehashed information” sourced primarily from the internet to question him.

[Punch]

Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, the retired General and head of the 1985-93 military junta who styled himself  ‘President’  has again intruded into our national consciousness. On Thursday, February 20, 2025, the General who was disgraced out of office 32 years ago,  unleashed  an unguided missile he called an autobiography.

Titled: ‘A Journey In Service’, it was a failed attempt to rewrite the history of his misrule which included the de-industrialisation of the country, unchecked corruption, religious sectarianism, annulment of a presidential election he certified as being free, fair and credible  and, most painfully, the mass murder of Nigerians  who protested his crippling economic policies and the  annulment. The 420-page book published by Bookcraft has 13 chapters and an epilogue dripping with self-justification. It is disgraceful that a man who rose to be a General in the Nigerian Army did not have the courage to own up to  his deeds. Rather, he blamed others, especially the dead who have no chance of defending themselves.  

Nigerians first encountered Babangida  as a coup plotter in the mid-1970s.    Then in December 1983, he was one of the main leaders of the coup that overthrew the elected Shagari administration. On August 27, 1985, he executed his own coup and announced himself ‘President’. At this time, Nigerians were protesting against a proposed International Monetary Fund, IMF, loan because  its conditionalities promised to be crippling and destructive. Babangida presented himself as a democrat and asked Nigerians to  debate the issue. Nigerians overwhelmingly  rejected the IMF and its conditionalities. On December 13, 1985, Babangida  announced that the rejection was “clearly  the will of the majority of   our people…”. He added that “the path of honour and the  essence  of democratic  patriotism lies in discontinuing  the negotiations with the IMF…”.

Nigerians were ecstatic  and praised him. Only to find out that they had been duped as Babangida fully implemented the IMF enslaving programme called the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP. So we knew by 1986 that we had a  military regime which had no honour. More felonious was that the regime made criticism of SAP a criminal  offence. For this, human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, and the two foremost labour leaders in our history, Michael Imoudu and Wahab Goodluck, were  detained without trial for organising an ‘Alternative To SAP Conference’. When in 1989 and 1992 Nigerians, led by students protested against the devastating SAP programme, the regime  sent the police and soldiers to massacre protesters especially in Lagos and Benin. In his book, Babangida justified the mass killings thus: “In the military mind-set, there are only two types of people: enemies or friends. Our political opponents were, therefore, primarily ‘enemy forces’ before they were fellow Nigerians.”

Babangida without consulting Nigerians, dragged  Nigeria, a secular  country, into the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, OIC. When Nigerians protested, he said we  should “learn to tolerate  each other”. Once the then Deputy Head of State, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, opposed Nigeria joining the OIC, he was  sacked and retired from the  military. In his book, Babangida  said he was livid because the impression was given “that Nigeria, under my watch, had become a full member of the OIC”. One of the most dastardly acts of Babangida was his execution of his childhood friend, General Mamman Vatsa, over an alleged coup plot. In his autobiography, Babangida wrote: “With the benefit of hindsight now, I recall that a constant part of our relationship as teenagers and young men was a continuous and recurrent peer jealousy on his part towards me. He was always envious of my achievements…”. Who says the jealousy was not on the part of Babangida as Vatsa was a celebrated poet and man of culture in contrast to the image of his fellow Generals  like Babangida. 

Nigerians  viewed  Babangida as a fox in sheep clothing who is untrustworthy and unreliable. So they gave him the sobriquet, ‘Maradona’  because they thought he dribbled Nigerians as the Argentine footballer, Diego Maradona, dribbled people on the football field. Babangida demonstrated this duplicity in his book. For instance, while he blamed retired General Yakubu Gowon for once shifting the 1976 military handover date, he was silent over his own shifting of the handover date on four occasions, and being resisted the fifth time he tried. He also blamed the Obasanjo regime which had a transition period of three years for allegedly being hasty in its handover of power to civilians, insinuating that was why the Second Republic collapsed. But he said nothing about  his own seven-year transition programme that ended in disaster for the entire country. In contrast to his failed transition programme, that of the Abubakar regime which gave birth to the current civil rule 25 years ago, lasted just nine months.

There should be honour amongst professional coup plotters, so Babangida blaming the late General Sani Abacha for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief Mashood Kashimawo Abiola, defeated the esprit de corp that should exist amongst them. Apart from Abacha, Babangida also blamed Arthur Nzeribe, Justices  Bassey Ikpeme and Dahiru  Saleh and the office of his Vice President, Augustus Aikhomu for the annulment. He also accused then National Electoral  Commission Chairman, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, of unilaterally stopping the election results. He equally  blamed Abiola for not accepting to head an interim arrangement that would have led to a fifth postponement of the handover! Conveniently, those he accused are all dead!  

The truth is that Babangida never planned to hand over power. This was why he postponed the handover date from 1990 to 1992. When he realised that Nigerians did not believe him, he made a nationwide address on August 27, 1990 titled, ‘The Last Lap: Retrospect and Prospect’. In that short address, he mentioned five times that  he and his military gang will hand over power in 1992. They were false promises as he later postponed the hand-over to January 2, 1993, then to August 27, 1993.  After the presidential election, he tried to hang on to power with  a fifth postponement. Babangida can be a gambler. After destroying  the country and attempting to set it ablaze with the 1993 annulment,  he tried to return to power by officially declaring  in September 2010 his intention to run in the 2011 presidential election. The mass reaction of Nigerians forced him to retreat.

In his autobiography which should be appropriately titled ‘A Journey in Self-Service’, Babangida tried to rewrite history.  But history is already written, and even if he launches a hundred more autobiographies and biographies, he cannot re-write history. Let me admit that in his latest gambit, Babangida broke even as he raked in about N17 billion as donations. But as a popular saying goes: vanity upon vanity, all is vanity.

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has again taken a swipe at his detractors, stating that some of them sent him congratulatory messages on his 65th birthday only because President Bola Tinubu did.

El-Rufai, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, turned 65 on February 16, 2025. 

“I want to thank everyone that sent me their prayers and best wishes, including those that didn’t want to until President Tinubu’s message shamed them into action,” the ex-governor, who has been critical of his party APC, wrote on X.

“May the Almighty God accept our prayers and continue to shower his blessings on us and our people.”

Expressing his appreciation, he stated, “It has been about a week since many friends, associates and admirers sent me various messages and prayers in commemoration of my 65th birthday.

“The prayers and good wishes were quite humbling and gratifying, but far too many and overwhelming for individual acknowledgement or response by me, hence this message.”

Speaking further, he also noted his efforts to acknowledge each message but admitted he may have missed some unintentionally.

“I have tried to repost, retweet and share all the birthday messages I received, but as an imperfect mortal, I am sure I couldn’t have done all. If I didn’t with yours, please forgive me. It is an omission of the head, not of the heart,” he pleaded.

El-Rufai prayed that he would continue to enjoy good health, happiness and prosperity “in a Nigeria that flourishes as a beacon of progressive governance, democracy and equal opportunity for all.”

[Vanguard]

Every discerning Nigerian, not just experts in economic and financial matters, know the reasons why our country has been struggling economically and running up debts unabatedly and at an alarming rate. Not just because of the corruption in our polity which has loomed so large over this country and assumed a frightening crescendo that has damaged our national integrity in the international system, but essentially because spanning several years, our liquidity position has been in a dire situation. Regrettably, our nation has been unable to steadily drive the generation of sufficient revenues to fund our annual Appropriations in a manner that will drastically and substantially reduce our deficit spending time and time again.

My position has always been that our nation’s future is beyond oil. No doubt, we must efficiently administer the natural resources bequeathed to us by God to maximise the full value accruable, which we are fortunate to have as other countries lack what we have or have a very tiny fraction of what we have. Nevertheless, we cannot continue to rely on their sale proceeds for the bulk of our fiscal and budgetary revenues – it is unsustainable and a recipe for disaster.

The international markets where they are traded are very volatile and can swing within a very short period just like it is expected to be shaken by the trade war Donald Trump seemed to have ignited with his “Reciprocal tariffs” economic stance on exports from the European Union, China, Canada, Mexico, and a host of other countries coming to the US. There is a general saying that, ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers’. Simply put, when superpowers engage one another in ‘economic and trade fisticuffs’, oftentimes, it is fringe players like Nigeria and other developing countries that suffer.

The cheering news however, is that it appears the administration of Bola Tinubu has taken steps to truly walk the talk to diversify our revenues away from natural resources to other sources like taxes with the appointment of the tax czar, a man that, in just under two years of leadership, has created a watershed moment by imprinting his footsteps in the federal agency that he leads, refusing to be defined by the conception of others – especially of his predecessors. He is showing he has so much imagination and as a public servant serving at the pleasure of the President, he plays a titanic role in this government’s economic approach to achieve economic sustainability – surpassed 2023 revenue generation by a whopping 76 percent (12.37 trillion naira to 21.6 trillion naira), a 2024 achievement which was 11 percent over and above a target of 19.4 trillion naira set for the year under review.

I must emphasise that it looks like Zacchaeus Adedeji, who has been transformative and earned the respect and admiration of virtually everyone in the tax agency and the country at large, is the long-awaited change and problem solver Nigeria has been clamouring and yearning for to reorganise our tax ecosystem, cut the red tapes by reducing the bureaucracy, and drive the elimination of all waste and frauds which have been widely reported to abound in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which he currently presides over.

A year ago, a video was widely shared on social media titled, “Moment Rich by Humility”, where the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narenda Modi, was a guest at a gathering comprising of young men and women – many were teenagers. As all the participants sat on the floor awaiting the arrival of Modi to take up a lone chair planted right at the centre, just in front of the participants, who by this time were already looking anxious, he came in with resounding cheers from the people and went straight for the chair. Lifted it with his left hand and handed it over to one of the organisers; a nicely dressed young man – well-suited. Thereafter, Modi sat on the floor with these people and beckoned those at the rear to move nearer to sit with him.

Seeing this video on LinkedIn, I wrote on my page, ‘How else can one define exemplary, purposeful, strong and quality leadership other than this awesome demonstration of equality and empathy by PM, Mr. Modi? No wonder India has doubled her GDP from USD 1.87 trillion in 2014 when Mr. Modi assumed leadership to USD 3.73 trillion in 2023 (making them the 5th biggest economy in the world), and is unsurprisingly, in line with IMF projections, on the path to become a $5 trillion economy in 3-4 years. Leadership is everything! Painfully, in Nigeria, what we have is a massive leadership deficit!!’

Drawing a parallel, the exact type of leadership shown by the Indian PM – considering his fellow citizens not any less than him, is seen being demonstrated by Zacchaeus Adedeji in FIRS. True leadership is being fair to all – treating everyone without bias! Bishop David Oyedepo said: “Those who truly fear God will be fair to men”.

Two months ago, there was a huge media buzz drawing a significant amount of public attention where the members of staff of FIRS trooped out en masse and were captured on video taking over the street leading to the headquarters of FIRS to herald the arrival of their executive chairman. They sang, danced, and celebrated the unprecedented welfare packages approved for them. His influence is said to be re-writing the 70-year history of this agency. The excitement on display by these staff possibly points to a twisted tale of fraud which existed before his arrival, which made their morale reach rock bottom, akin to a people being pried loose from the grip of long-term ‘taskmasters’ who have denied them what rightfully belongs to them while holding them down for years, a course of events which perhaps changed with the emergence of a new leader. I believe Zacchaeus communicated a cultural message with the staff welfarism which was; ‘I am not any better than any of you and I am because you are.’

There’s a saying in Yoruba, “Omo eni iba joni, a ba yo” – this literally means it will be a thing of joy for a parent, should a child pick traits, behaviours, and semblance of the parent. For President Tinubu, he doesn’t have to worry over this statement, like most parents do. Just the same way he was reported to have assembled a team of sound and young individuals – known as “Lagos Boys”, who have transformed Lagos state since the advent of the Fourth Republic, he will probably be extremely delighted that his ‘son’; Zacchaeus, is following in his footsteps of having a penchant for identifying extremely cerebral, dutiful, and sound professionals to form a formidable team to achieve shared vision and objectives. The drive of President Tinubu and Adedeji regarding the tax reforms speaks to their deal-making abilities. They are on the verge of pulling through what no administration in over four decades has thought of doing, probably because of the political blowback which could lead to a myriad of social, political, and ethnic issues past leaders felt may accompany the process.

The current tax laws have not helped us in any way and some people were fighting to keep it that way. Defending the status quo? Howbeit, since he took over the reins at the agency, it has shown that it has extraordinary courage that is peerless to challenge the state of affairs and replace the several-decades-old-archaic tax laws affecting the efficiency of the nation’s tax system, with a set of new tax laws. It must be noted that a strong leader is known by the kind of team he/she assembles and his/her achievement is contingent on the cumulative achievements of the team. To this end, kudos must be given to Zacchaeus, who is already setting the standards sky high, for pinpointing and headhunting Taiwo Oyedele, a man with equally matchless courage and character to head the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which is poised to change the tax landscape of this country just as I posited in my piece on TheCable titled, ‘Nigeria’s liquidity problems and the tax reform bills’, published December 23, 2024. I have heard people say Oyedele knows so much about our nation’s tax terrain that he explains the tax reform bills effortlessly, so much so that even a primary school pupil would have a grasp of the subject matter.

There’s a lot going on in this agency. A section of the media has freaked out about the sudden resurgence of the agency – not out of heightened fear but of excitement. For many, the new and purposeful leadership has awakened the agency from the slumber that has characterised it for several years resulting in its helplessness to meet government’s objectives – drive tax revenues to boost the nation’s liquidity. Nonetheless, Nigerians might need so much to cope with the troubling truth of the grisly details of the scale of inefficiencies and venality which have been reported to exist for far too long in this agency and which may have spiralled out of control, constituting a massive drain on the nation’s public finances.

It is therefore hoped that the executive chairman is aware of what he is up against and will take a more dramatic and drastic approach to curtail these systemic issues, leveraging modern and state-of-the-art technology to block all the loopholes and leakages through which the country has been losing money. As a matter of urgency, he would need to square more with his team to set up a swarm of whizkids who are adept in the use of AI to find where the tax monies are, shine the spotlight on the prevalent leakages to stop the economic bleed, and then get the monies in.

The nation’s tax czar has had his fair share of backlash. Right from his appointment as honourable commissioner of finance in Oyo State at the very young age of 33 years old, his capabilities and capacity to function and deliver on the job were questioned. Also, accusations have been levelled against him, with some media outlets taking a swipe at him to suggest that he is colluding to push a sectional and ethnic agenda with the tax reform bills, which for me is crying wolf and at best, comical.

In all these, he has proven his critics wrong that he does not fit the bill or the profile of a non-performer or a visionless professional. His passion seems to be in overhauling and streamlining revenue systems, it is therefore not entirely unexpected to see him replicate at the federal level, what he did in Oyo State. Balance is being returned to FIRS with some level of reasonableness and common sense, taking historic steps to restructure our tax climate to enable us to compete favourably with OECD countries whose average tax-to-GDP ratio is about 34 percent – with little or no natural resources like Nigeria. He would have to implement a robust and efficient system whereby it is almost impossible to evade taxes, or make them incorrectly or untimely.

The wealthiest man in the world, Elon Musk, said: “To save tax-payers money, it comes down to two things; competence and caring.” From the way he has managed the agency thus far, it is clear that he possesses and showcases these two attributes needed to stop the continuous drain on our country’s monetary resources. Intriguingly, his performance within this short stint at the agency is already earning him recommendations to contest the Oyo state governorship election in 2027.

However, he was said to have declined, choosing to stick with his responsibilities at FIRS, a decision I want to believe will go down well with not only the staff of his agency but with a lot of Nigerians who think that in about two dozen months of playing key roles in the Tinubu administration – first as SA to the president on revenue and then as the tax czar, he is driving an unparalleled agenda with an extraordinary masterstroke, the likes not seen possibly in modern-day Nigerian history.

Finally, Zacchaeus, the tax collector, a man driven, motivated, and committed to public service, is in the driver’s seat of the nation’s tax agency. Some people, including the Yoruba, believe that the name you bear defines who you are throughout life. I truly believe he’s walking in his purpose and living out the true meaning of his name! His approach suggests that like good detectives who know their onion, he has set machinery in motion to follow all the tax monies.

In the same way PM Modi is almost tripling India’s economy – from $1.87 trillion to $4.3 trillion now, FIRS under the empathic leadership of Adedeji, just like Modi, can triple the nation’s tax-to-GDP ratio – from 10 percent to 30 percent. This will wipe out deficit spending and increase total annual spending exponentially.

There is however a raging concern. With the growing list of structural and systemic issues the country is grappling with, for which there seems to be no end in sight, will the government deploy the superfluous of tax revenues the agency is set to generate in the coming years to good use? Ensure that every tax-payer naira raised is utilised judiciously in building infrastructure, and to stimulate domestic production in key economic sectors to spur production and productivity which is essential to further boost tax receipts.

Furthermore, Nigerians from all walks of life hope that like the Biblical Zacchaeus, he will end the era of corruptive activities inherent in the system where the bulk of the tax revenues end up in private pockets, usher in a period of wealth distribution to reduce the income inequality – the rich, super wealthy, and public officials regardless of status paying their fair share of taxes, and bring restoration and economic stability to the poor and struggling Nigerians.

However, the question on the minds of many Nigerians is that; will he spare no effort with the onerous responsibility on his shoulder, to not only achieve the expectations of the Nigerian people to drain the swamp, contribute to easing their economic pains and help them live quality life, but go the extra mile to surpass them? Time will tell!

Just before I started reading Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography, I recall the last speech I wrote for him. I don’t remember whether I sent it to him or whether I published it. I only remember writing it at the tail end of Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration when Babangida’s supporters pushed him to run for president. Enjoy.

Fellow compatriots, we gathered here today because Nigeria made a passionate call. Nigeria called for a tested leader with a good understanding of the complex nature of our polity, the variant nature of our terrain, and the promises of our diverse people.

I was born in Minna, Niger State of Nigeria, during the Second World War. Growing up, I gained values seen in middle-ground Nigeria between the fantastic emirates of the North and the great empires of the South. I adopted the principle of keeping the centre stable by balancing things -“a little to the right and a little to the left.”

When I was a young man, I fought for this nation. I excelled in armoured weapons. I displayed my fury during the civil war that threatened to tear our beloved country apart. On battlefield after battlefield, I showed my mantle. I crushed every force in front of me with animal brutality. Like all wars, I did things ugly and inhumane. But during the war, I also had the decency to look for things beautiful in those who were our enemies. That was how I saw Mary King. Like a victor whose wish is the command of the vanquished, I married her. I have done my utmost best to heal Maryam’s pain over the last 35 years of our marriage. As president, I promise to do the same for the hurting people of Nigeria.

Maryam and I have two sons, Mohammed and Aminu. Mohammed and Aminu have grown up as fine gentlemen of excellent character and grace. I hope that one day, as the Bushes did, my sons, too, will serve this nation of ours. We also have two daughters, Aisha and Halima. Those of you who were lucky to attend Aisha’s modest wedding know that my children are my exceptional jewellery. I sleep and wake up thinking about them and how to make sure they do not go to bed hungry. That is how, as president, I will care for Nigeria.

I wish my parents were alive to see me today. They would have been proud of me. They would have seen that the values they taught me – kindness, un-wiliness, and honesty have paid off.

I have a track record of loyalty, courage, and patriotism. In the annals of Nigerian history, my record is unsurpassed.

I single-handedly disarmed Lt. Col. B. S. Dimka on February 13, 1976, after he killed our beloved Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed. My critics said I played it safe. They said I betrayed my friend and created a situation where I would benefit, irrespective of which side triumphed. The truth is that I saved our dear country from ultimate destruction. I finished Major Gideon Orkar and his Middle Belt gang on April 22, 1990. I specialized in destroying foolish revolutionaries like him. I am better prepared to dismantle irritants like the OPC, MASSOB, and all the little ants making some noise down the Niger Delta. I flattened Zamani Lekwot. I can handle all these self-described militia leaders. If we have to reenact the crash of Hercules C130, we shall do so. If we have to deploy a letter bomb again, you bet we will. We must do anything within our power to protect and preserve Nigeria’s corporate integrity. To keep Nigeria one is a task that is not negotiable. And that is why I thank Obasanjo so much for keeping that solemn promise over the last eight years.

People say I should apologize for June 12, but what better apology is there than Olusegun Obasanjo? I worked very hard to make him the president. I picked him up from prison, dusted him, and placed him on a white horse. I ordered my boys to guard him as he rode to Aso Rock. It was my majestic way of saying I was sorry. Sorry that, as a general, I yielded. Evil forces surrounded me days before June 12, 1993, and I gave way for the first time in my career. I would have sacrificed myself to stop the troops if that would have sufficed. But upon careful examination, I came to the sad conclusion that the sacrifice of myself would have plunged our country into a second civil war. This war would have nailed Nigeria’s coffin. I did so, realizing I would be back to finish the job I began in 1985.

So tonight, confident in where I came from, inspired by the lessons of yesterday, I humbly accept the nomination for president by the greatest political party in Africa, the People’s Democratic Party. I promise you that the groovy days are coming back.

My first act as president will be to give the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic award to my good friend, Prof. Omo Omoruyi. Except for those days of the June 12 agitation, when he got confused and switched from a specialist to a madman, he has been a faithful friend since I met him in 1980 at the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. Amongst all my friends in all these years, he was the only one I did not meet all his needs. He desperately pleaded for a merit award, but I did not find the time to give him one. Having left his prestigious post at Harvard, having stopped trading punches with small boys on the Internet, and having come home to help me finish the task of perfecting Nigeria, he deserves our praise.

I also want to thank other faithful friends like General Adisa, Chief Alex Akinyele, David Mark, Bode George, Wada Nas, John Shagaya, Wole Soyinka, Clement Akpamgbo, Arthur Nzeribe, Arthur Eze, and many other friends who have kept the faith. They kept their faith despite the barrage of assaults I was receiving from misguided elements in our society. They honourably call themselves Babangida boys. Akinyele even vowed to die for me. What else could one ask for in a friend? Like these honourable friends of mine, I, too, kept my faith in Nigeria. I bore the indignity. I swallowed the insults. I knew that at the right time, I would return to redeem my name and restore our nation’s lost glory. To my detractors, I say, be afraid. Be terrified, for IBB is on the way.

As we march on to the future, let’s not forget the marvellous accomplishments we achieved in the past. Let us resolve to build from the spot we stopped.

No government in the history of this nation has made more people millionaires than my previous administration. You name any leading political or business figure in Nigeria today, and if they are honest, they will tell you that my government made them. That is why everyone loves me from East to West and North to South. I am coming back to do more of the same. If you believe in me, you, too, will be a beneficiary.

I am a wealthy man, for those who may not know. My interest in serving is just for the common good. I want to finish what I could not finish the last time. Remember our goals: clean water for all by the year 2000; electricity for all by the year 2000; telephone for all by the year 2000; education for all by the year 2000; States and Local Government Areas for all by the year 2000, etc. Tonight, I pledge to fulfil all that and even more in the next four years. I will put computers in every classroom in Nigeria. I will give every Nigerian an actual phone, not these money-burning gadgets called Cellular Phones. At every doorstep in Nigeria, I will drop a microwave. I will connect all Nigerian homes, from Sokoto to Port Harcourt to the World Wide Web. I want every Nigerian at home to read those abuses despondent Nigerians abroad heap on their illustrious leaders at home.

And if I hear enough applause, I will throw in a toaster, too.

Ignore the rhetoric of my opponents. Never forget the good things I made sure happened when I was president. During my tenure, my good friend, Wole Soyinka, won the Nobel Prize for Literature, and from him, I got the idea of madmen and specialists. Obafemi Awolowo joined his ancestors and made room for Obasanjo to take Yoruba politics to the mainstream. Emeka Anyaoku became the Commonwealth’s Secretary General, and Nigeria effectively reintegrated the Igbo into its national life. Dele Giwa joined the exalted list of his profession’s casualties, leading to the rapid multiplication of the media. Also, Sheik Abubakar Gumi died, taking with him Sharia and the fear of a non-Muslim ruling Nigeria.

My parents, Aisha and Muhammad Babangida, taught me to wield big sticks and carry bags of carrots. When I was president, I defended human rights and fought for democracy. I came in and freed political prisoners. I donated money to ASUU, NLC, NANS, PMAN, NBA, NFA, and other civic organizations. My government was the most generous ever. In fact, I understood that at one point, Nigerians called me Mr. Donatus. I am proud of what I did to support civic societies in their effort to better our country. But like the lessons my parents taught, when the civic societies became a butt in my behind, I banned them. I have no apologies for that. I will do the same when I become president. For me, you are for us or against us. And when you are for us, I am generous and grateful. When you are against us, I treat you like enemy combatants. Those in doubt should ask Maman Vatsa.

For those concerned about past policies that caused us all pain, rest assured: we will not repeat them. There will be no structural adjustment program anymore because there are no more structures to be adjusted. There will be no Zango-Kataf riots because I have taken Zango to Plateau State and Kataf to Kano State. There will be no removal of oil subsidies because the Americans will now remove and refine the oil. Our government will have nothing to do with that dirty work. Our sole task will be to collect the money and spend it.

People often ask me why I signed up for Nigeria as a member of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC). Let me use this opportunity to answer this raging question for the first time. I signed Nigeria as a member of the Organization of Islamic Countries as proof for those who thought my commitment to Islam was suspect. These people were apprehensive that marrying a famished girl from the South, who ran after a future wide-tooth general in the heat of a brutal war, diluted my Islam. I satisfied them, and they inducted me into the exclusive club called “The Establishment.” That is what democracy is all about–give and take.

The economic outlook of Nigeria today is gloomy. As president, I will once again set our economy in motion. I will send out a battalion of young men and women and ask them to go there and conquer the world. The men shall reach every nook and cranny of the globe by email. The women will find their way to the streets of Italy, Frankfurt, London, and Moscow. I will once again liberate and invigorate the economic environment. I will open its doors to those who never had the opportunity. I foresee an oil windfall on the horizon. Who better to handle this coming boom than the man who judiciously managed the Gulf War windfall?

Rest assured, the end of wasteful days is coming soon. To all your troubled friends, tell them IBB is on the way. The man who gave you People’s Bank will bring you People’s Money. The man whose wife brought you a Better Life for Rural Women (BLRW), his sons shall bring you Full Employment for Urban Youths (FEUY). For my fellow countrymen and women choked by poverty, my daughter, Aisha, shall Yank Out Poverty Yoke (YOPY) from your necks.

Whatever are the ills that besiege our fatherland, whatever are the obstacles that cripple you, tonight, I say to you, IBB is on his way. IBB shall console you. IBB shall wipe away your tears. IBB shall lift you and place you on a high pedestal where there will be no more sorrow.

My fellow citizens, look into my eyes, and you see the messiah is on his way.

Thank you for listening. May God bless you and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), says his refinery has over N600 billion worth of premium motor spirit (PMS) in storage that can sufficiently meet Nigeria’s needs.

Dangote was responding to a statement by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that local refineries contributed less than 50 percent of the country’s daily petrol needs between January and February.

On January 19, the NMDPRA said it continued to grant import licences to oil marketers to prevent a nationwide petrol scarcity as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery cannot meet the national daily petroleum products sufficiency requirement.

Dangote had countered the agency’s position in court, requesting the industry regulator to stop issuing fuel import licences.

Speaking over the weekend during a tour of the plant with a Zambian government delegation, the billionaire said his refinery has more than half a billion litres of petroleum products, worth over N600 billion, in its tanks.

“As we speak right now, we have more than half a billion litres,” Dangote said.

“The refinery is producing enough refined products, like gasoline (petrol), diesel, and kerosene, to meet 100 percent of Nigeria’s requirements.”

The businessman said the refinery, like other projects in the past, is not for Nigeria alone.

“This refinery is not only for Nigeria; it is for Africa. We must sustain the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) deal,” he added. 

“We are trying to see how we trade with other African countries.”

ZAMBIA SEEKS DANGOTE’S INVESTMENT IN ITS ENERGY SECTOR 

On his part, Makozo Chikote, Zambia’s energy minister who led a delegation, expressed satisfaction and readiness to work with the African manufacturing giant.

“In Zambia, we created an environment for the private sector to participate in the growth and development of our country,” the minister said.

“Currently, 100 percent of our petroleum is done by the private sector.

“We are targeting increased productivity in mining, agriculture, and other sectors. Your presentation is an immediate solution to our energy needs. 

“We are trying to promote competition among our private players.

“We are looking at Dangote coming on board, which would lead to efficient, reliable, quality, and competitive products, and we want these done like yesterday.

“Coming to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, we have learned so many advantages of bringing many players for competition, which has improved the lives of the citizens.”

Also speaking, Edwin Devakumar, the vice-president of Dangote Industries Limited, said the refinery produces the best quality products as its core business strategy.

“The project concept was to process the crude from Nigeria and add value. But we also wanted to provide some flexibility to process most of the African crudes and some of the Middle Eastern crudes,” Devakumar said.

“In another concept, what we did was maximum value extraction. That is a process where every barrel of crude which goes in, the value addition should be the best.”

The vice-president said the refinery can meet all of Nigeria’s fuel requirements with just 44 percent of its production while 56 percent would be exported.

“Every day, we produce 104 million litres; 57 million litres of petrol every day; 20 million litres of jet fuel; and 27 million litres of diesel production,” he said.

Devakumar also said local consumption is around 46 million litres, while the remaining 58 million litres are exported daily.

[TheCable]