At this time when countries the world over have recognised the central role that vibrant and active civil society organisations play in broader counterterrorism strategies and the popular support needed, which could only be built and sustained with the support and cooperation of civil society, the undersigned civil society organisations are deeply concerned about the inflammatory claims by an unnamed former Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Nigerian Air Force published in the Vanguard Newspapers of Jan 16, 2025under the headline "Why Boko Haram, bandits thrive: How NGOs, others aid terrorists — Former generals, commanders." recklessly accusing NGOs in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions of providing covert sponsorship and funding to terrorists.

We strongly condemn this act of stigmatizing, smearing, defaming and targeting the NGO sector which is inconsistent with meaningfully attending to the genuine threats of terrorism in our country. Rather than confronting the systemic failures that have allowed terrorism to thrive in Nigeria, these claims attempt to shift blame onto the very organizations that have stepped into the void to support communities abandoned by the Nigerian state.

It is a known fact that a civilian-led approach, engaging civil society and communities, is the most effective way to prevent violent extremism demonstrating the necessity of the role of civil society in channelling discontent and allowing for constructive engagement with States, and in directly undermining the factors leading individuals to be drawn to terrorism and violent extremism.

For nearly two decades, NGOs operating in the North-East have played an indispensable role in mitigating the devastating impact of insurgency and banditry. They provide life-saving humanitarian assistance, education, healthcare, and psychosocial support to millions of displaced and vulnerable Nigerians. These activities are carried out without any intention of gaining pecuniary benefit and they operate under the supervision of strict regulatory frameworks, including rigorous anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws enforced by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

In its resolution 72/284, the United Nations General Assembly urged States to ensure that counter-terrorism measures did not impede humanitarian activities or engagement. Humanitarian exemptions are critical in protecting civil society actors operating in challenging environments where terrorist groups are active from sanctions regimes and counter-terrorism measures. Acts prohibiting or otherwise impeding humanitarian services violate the obligation of States to respect the right to life. Any death linked to such prohibition would constitute an arbitrary deprivation of life.

One of the most fundamental norms of international humanitarian law is the need to protect the provision of impartial medical care to all wounded and sick persons, including members of adversarial parties and the population under its control. This is a norm that must be factored into any counter-terrorism strategy. To abide by these norms is not a sign of weakness, it is an obligation of civilized Nation States.

It is unconscionable to malign NGOs that work tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to bring hope and relief to conflict-affected communities. These accusations, devoid of proof, serve only to erode public trust, distract from the real issues, and undermine the critical work being done in some of the country's most challenging environments.

As we mark another Armed Forces Remembrance Day and honour the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces, there can be little doubt that Nigeria needs leadership, unity, and aggressive actions to overcome the challenges of insecurity, NGOs across the country have risen to the crises our nation is enduring. They are stretching beyond all reasonable measures and continue to advance their missions despite unfathomable challenges and coordinated attacks on the sector as evidenced in this Vanguard Newspaper article. This pattern of baseless accusations is a disservice to Nigerians and undermines the very principles of accountability and justice that we all seek to uphold.

The cost of stifling civil society to prevent any perceived threat of terrorism far outweighs its benefits. Any effective counter-terrorism strategy needs to strengthen, not weaken, civil society. There is growing evidence that the instrumentalisation of agendas to counter-terrorism and to prevent and counter violent extremism is leading to a lack of trust in State authorities.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee recognized that the right to life should not be interpreted narrowly, noting that it places not only negative obligations on States (e.g. to not kill), but also positive obligations (e.g. to protect life), to ensure access to the basic conditions necessary to sustain life

It is on this premise that we demand:

1. The Nigerian government and military leadership address the real reasons terrorism persists, including but not limited to rampant poverty and inequality, porous borders, corruption and inefficiency in defence spending.
2. The Nigerian Security Apparatus should focus its efforts and manpower on disrupting terrorist funding and logistics networks rather than scapegoating civil society. It must also enhance intelligence gathering and operational capacity to secure lives and properties.
3. The government must engage constructively with NGOs to address the root causes of insecurity and alleviate the suffering of affected communities understanding that civil society can meaningfully generate peace and development, including implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and can clearly articulate the sources of grievances identified as factors leading to terrorist and extremist violence.
The undersigned calls for caution as inflammatory statements such as this news article attributed to an unnamed former Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Nigerian Air Force could lead to attacks on humanitarian actors further deepening the crisis we are aiming to solve.

Signed:
1. 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth Initiative
2. Abuja School of Social and Political Thought
3. Accountability Lab, Nigeria
4. Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
5. African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD)
6. African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)
7. Amnesty International Nigeria
8. Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP)
9. BudgIT Foundation
10. Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity
11. Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
12. Centre for Community Empowerment in Conflict and Peacebuilding - Kaduna
13. Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT)
14. Centre for Global Tolerance and Human Rights
15. Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)
16. Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID)
17. Centre LSD
18. Centre for Social Centre for Justice Reform
19. Centre for Transparency Watch
20. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
21. CLEEN Foundation
22. Community Life Project (CLP)
23. Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR)
24. Connected Development (CODE)
25. Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)
26. EIE Nigeria
27. Elixir Trust Foundation
28. Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability
29. Environmental Rights Action
30. Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA)
31. Falana and Falana’s Chambers
32. Global Rights
33. Good Governance Team
34. Goodluck Jonathan Foundation
35. Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)
36. Hope Behind Bars Africa
37. Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre)
38. Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation
39. INVICTUS AFRICA
40. Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre
41. Lawyers Alert
42. Media Initiative for Transparency in Extractive Industries (MITEI)
43. Media Rights Agenda
44. Mothers and Marginalized Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre)
45. Nigeria Network of NGOs
46. Open Society on Justice Reform Project
47. Order Paper
48. Organization for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN)
49. Paradigm Initiative Nigeria
50. Partners West Africa
51. Policy Alert
52. Praxis
53. Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA)
54. Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative
55. Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC)
56. Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED)
57. RULAAC - Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre
58. Say NO Campaign – Nigeria
59. Say No Campaign
60. Sesor Empowerment Foundation
61. Social Action
62. Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre
63. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
64. State of the Union (SOTU)
65. Tax Justice and Governance Platform
66. Transition Monitoring Group (TMG)
67. West Africa Civil Society Forum (WASCSOF)
68. Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)
69. Women in Media Communication Initiative (WIM)
70. Women in Mining, Nigeria
71. World Impact Development Foundation
72. Yiaga Africa
73. Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC) 74. Fix Politics

If to say trust dey, teacher for no dey set examination after student don talk say “sir, I understand”.

Several years ago, a friend of mine went scuba diving in the Caribbean with friends and family. They did one of those crazy unsafe deals where you get an hour-long crash course on all things scuba, then swim out into the ocean. Before the dive, she was paired up with a middle-aged man. They were to be scuba buddies — able to function independently, both had their scuba masks and oxygen tanks, but paired up to enjoy the adventure together and to provide support should something go wrong.

As long as they both had their scuba tanks on, and air flowing, they were a real source of life for each other — enjoying the wonders of the ocean together. But then something went wrong with his gear. Oxygen ceased flowing. Panic set in. They knew the emergency protocol — a series of hand gestures, sharing of oxygen, then a slow, calm ascent to the boat above. But as soon as he realized he could not breathe, all of that went out the window. He quickly grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her and trying to yell. She tried to understand what he was doing but none of this looked like the emergency drill they had just learned! As she tried to calm him down, he suddenly yanked her aspirator out of her mouth. Desperation set in. Where there is scarcity, there’s desperation. And where there is desperation, there is exploitation. As he struggled for air, he began to push her head down, almost as though he was trying to climb her like a ladder to safety. Of course, what he was doing was drowning her. In return, she struggled violently with him to get the aspirator back and take a breath. Then, in a final act of desperation, he grabbed her and swam full speed toward the surface. In doing so, he forgot to pause and adjust the pressure, so when they arrived at the top they both got decompression sickness, also known as “the bends.” They survived but, needless to say, they are no longer swimming buddies, or any kind of buddies for that matter.

The same principle holds in all of life.

When you have a source of life, you are a source of life.

But where there is scarcity, desperation will set in. Desperation can easily become exploitation of others. If you are disconnected from a source of life, your “oxygen tank,” then you will attempt to suck life out of someone else. You will be tempted to use people to try to get your sense of self-validation. You will, in a moment, become a sucker of life rather than a giver of life. And this is how toxic relationships are born. And in all toxic relationships, often at the heart is a trust deficit.

The idea of the “Nigerian Dream” should ideally evoke a vision of prosperity, peace, and progress—a nation where hard work is rewarded, governance is transparent, and citizens can aspire to a better future. However, for many Nigerians, the dream appears elusive, overshadowed by decades of political instability, corruption, and an ever-widening trust deficit between the governed and those who govern. The reality for many is not a dream but a nightmare, fueled by broken promises, systemic failures, and a persistent cycle of distrust between the people and their leaders.

From the days of independence in 1960, Nigerians have been sold the idea of a great nation—a beacon of hope for Africa. The first-generation leaders, though not without their flaws, presented a semblance of vision and patriotism. However, successive governments—military and civilian—turned the dream into a mirage.

Each electoral cycle is marked by grand promises: eradication of poverty, job creation, infrastructural development, and national unity. Yet, as soon as the votes are counted and power is secured, the promises fade, replaced by self-serving governance, nepotism, and financial recklessness. This pattern has left Nigerians increasingly skeptical, with many resigning themselves to a fate where they expect little from their leaders and are rarely disappointed.

The relationship between Nigerian citizens and their leaders is characterized by deep-seated mistrust. The average Nigerian does not believe that politicians have their best interests at heart, and for good reason. Politicians frequently campaign on the rhetoric of service and transformation but, once in office, prioritize personal enrichment over national development.

Public trust is further eroded by the fact that Government spending, budget allocations, and policy decisions are often shrouded in secrecy. Public officials live in opulence while millions struggle to afford necessities.

From failed electricity reforms to unfulfilled employment schemes, leaders repeatedly make pledges that they never honor.  Leaving Nigeria consistently ranking among the most corrupt nations globally, as inflated contracts to brazen looting of public funds, corruption attained institutionalized heights.

To sound like a broken record, roads are death traps, hospitals lack basic equipment, and universities are frequently shut due to strikes. The absence of functional public services makes citizens question the competence and sincerity of their leaders.

Elections remain transactional rather than reflecting the will of the people, and are often bought, rigged, manipulated, or marred by violence. When leaders are selected rather than elected, accountability becomes a casualty.

Interestingly, the trust deficit is not just between the people and the government—it has extended to interpersonal relationships among Nigerians themselves. Decades of ethnic and religious divisions, exacerbated by political manipulation, have turned citizens against one another. The fear of the “other” persists, fueled by stereotypes and prejudices that leaders exploit for their gain.

With a potpourri of ethno-religious and cultural age-long propaganda, the national identity that should unite Nigerians has been replaced by regional and religious loyalties. In such an environment, it becomes difficult to build a unified front against bad governance.

A country’s youth should be its greatest asset, but in Nigeria, they are often treated as an inconvenience. Young Nigerians grow up witnessing leaders who remain in power for decades, recycling themselves through different political positions while offering little innovation or reform. The result? A disillusioned generation that sees little incentive to engage in politics or public service.

The recent wave of Japa (mass emigration) reflects this reality. Skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and students are leaving Nigeria in droves, searching for opportunities in countries that offer stability and meritocracy. Many who remain are caught in cycles of unemployment, underemployment, or political thuggery.

If the youth—the backbone of any nation’s future—no longer believe in the Nigerian Dream, can the dream still exist? Or has it already turned into a nightmare?

Despite the bleak picture, Nigerians remain resilient. The continuous birth of movements like #EndSARS, #Endbadgovernance (whether ill-managed or ill-timed) the push for electoral reforms, and the increasing call for accountability signal that all hope is not lost. Civil society organizations, journalists, and a few progressive leaders continue to challenge the status quo.

However, for the Nigerian Dream to be revived, fundamental changes must occur, and leaders must commit to openness, ensuring that government dealings are subject to public scrutiny. Nigerians must move beyond complaining and actively participate in governance, from voting to demanding accountability. The electoral process must be strengthened to ensure that votes count.

Nigerians need to be reoriented to prioritize national unity over ethnic and religious divisions. Young people must be encouraged and empowered to take up leadership roles rather than being used as political tools.

So, is the Nigerian Dream alive, or is it merely a cruel illusion? The answer depends on perspective. For many, the daily struggle to survive makes it seem like a nightmare. But for others—those who continue to fight for justice, advocate for change, and refuse to give up—there is still a flicker of hope.

Nigeria continues to stand at a crossroads. It can either continue its descent into deeper mistrust and dysfunction or choose the harder path of reform and renewal. The Nigerian Dream is not yet dead, but it is on life support. The question remains: Who will step up to revive it? Only time will tell.

Oil prices dropped slightly on Monday as investors expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to relax the sanctions imposed on Russia’s oil industry by his predecessor in exchange for a deal to end the war against Ukraine.

Trump will be sworn in as President later today and his inauguration is expected to disrupt various sectors of the world economy, including the Energy sector.

Reuters reported that Brent crude futures dropped 28 cents, or 0.35%, to $80.51 per barrel by 07:39 GMT after closing 0.62% in the previous session.

The price of U.S. West Texas Intermediate slid 21 cents to $77.18 per barrel.

Expected executive orders

Trump is expected to make a number of executive orders on his inauguration day, as promised at a rally at Capital One Arena in Washington, on Sunday.

Investors expect Trump to undo Biden’s suspension of new licenses for LNG export facilities aimed at appeasing green energy groups.

“There is a fair amount of uncertainty across markets coming into this week given the inauguration of President Trump and the raft of executive orders he reportedly is planning to sign.” 

“This combined with it being a U.S. holiday today, means that some market participants may have decided to take some risk off the table,” ING analysts quoted by Reuters noted.

The global supply chain

The sanction of over 100 tankers for being in business with Russia and two Russian oil producers, made both Brent and WTI soar as top buyers in China and India scrambled for new suppliers while dealers of Russian and Iranian oil sought unsanctioned tankers to ferry their loads.

The sanctions disrupted the global supply chain with some of the top buyers turning to new dealers.

However, Trump has promised to help end the Russia-Ukraine war quickly.

Analysts believe ending the war would involve relaxing some of the sanctions to enable an accord, they said.

Analyst Tim Evans told Reuters that the new sanctions are seen curtailing supply, at least in the near term.

“Higher tanker rates on unencumbered vessels and a widening backwardation in crude oil calendar spreads have been among the notable ripple effects, reinforcing the concern over supplies,” he said.

Easing tension in the Middle East following the ceasefire and exchange of hostages between Hamas and Israel also kept a lid on oil prices.

Separately, investors are watching out for the impact of a cold snap in Texas and New Mexico which may affect U.S. oil production, analysts at ANZ and ING quoted by Reuters observed.

What you should know 

• Brent oil rose above $81 last week following the new sanctions on Russia by U.S. President Joe Biden.
• The fluctuation of global oil prices has led to a hike in the price of fuel in Nigeria, with pump prices around N1,000.
• Nairametrics reported that the Dangote Refinery increased its depot price from N899 to N955 last weekend. The company blamed soaring global oil prices for the hike.

[Nairametrics]

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced fare for the 2025 Hajj.

In a statement, NAHCON’s, Assistant Director Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara, said the commission had fixed Hajj fare for intending pilgrims from Borno and Adamawa zone at N8,327,125.59, while those from other parts of the Northern zone would pay N8, 457,685.59.

For intending pilgrims from the Southern states, each would pay N8, 784, 085.59 (eight million, seven hundred and eighty-four thousand, eighty-five Naira Naira fifty-nine kobo).

Daily Trust reports that the disparity in the payment is due to each zones proximity, meaning their airfares determine their cost.

Sanda noted that the announced fares were sequel to approval from the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Chairman and his team in collaboration with representative of the Presidency, Malam Ameen Amshi, who is Special Assistant to the President, Special Duties did their best to maintain the Hajj fare within the same range as previously charged. Others who actively participated in stemming the cost are leadership of State Executive Secretaries, namely Malam Idris Ahmad Almakura, the Forum Chairman who doubles as the Executive Secretary (E.S) of Nasarawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board, his colleague from Kebbi State and Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Faruku Aliyu Yaro, with their Secretary and E.S of Adamawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Salihu among others who worked tirelessly to ensure that the fares do not skyrocket.”

She added that the modest effort on the fare was reached after extensive consultations to ensure inclusivity in this important decision-making process.

“Professor Saleh commended the whole team describing the Hajj fare as a product of extensive collaboration with all stakeholders. He appreciated the support of the Presidency and Forum of State E.S. The Chairman urged prospective pilgrims to take note of the timelines and Saudi guidelines while emphasizing the importance of early payment and timely registration to avoid last-minute inconveniences.”

[TheNation]

Nigerian disc jockey, Oluwaforijimi Amu, aka DJ Jimmy Jatt, has opened up about his medical battles and eventual kidney transplant.

Recall that the ‘Stylee’ crooner revealed in 2022 that he underwent a successful kidney transplant.

Speaking in a recent episode of Channels TV programme, ‘Rubbin Minds’ with Ebuka, Jatt said he lost his sight in 2020 and was later diagnosed with chronic kidney disease after undergoing surgery to regain his sight.

He said his health challenges began when he decided to explore the world after living most of his life in Nigeria.

He said, “Maybe I caused it for myself because in 2019 I said that I wanted to spend more time out of the country. I’ve lived all my life in Nigeria, especially Lagos. So I wanted to explore the world; Europe, America, everywhere.

“But in 2020, I started having some health issues. There were travel restrictions at that time so I was just within Nigeria. I lost my sight. I had a surgery and I regained my sight. After that I felt that I needed to take a break and comply with my plan of living elsewhere for a while. Then I relocated to the U.S. When I was in the U.S, I was also diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. I was there for a while. I was on dialysis. Eventually, I came back to Nigeria and had a kidney transplant. After the transplant, I decided to be quiet for a while to recover properly. So immediately I was discharged, I left Nigeria again.

“While I was away, I was still Djying in America and Europe but I decided that it was time to return to Nigeria so I came back in December.”

DJ Jimmy Jatt said lifestyle is not always the cause of kidney ailment, stressing that he has never smoked and has long stopped drinking alcohol.

He revealed that his kidney ailment was caused by diabetes.

[DailyPost]

Controversial actor Yul Edochie has announced plans to name his next son after Donald Trump, the US President-elect.

In a recent Instagram post, Yul Edochie shared a photo of Donald Trump, praising him as the “leader of the Stubborn Boys Association.”

The actor, who is known for his admiration for Donald Trump, expressed love for the President-elect and announced his plan to name his future son Trump. 

“Official portrait of my man for life, the incoming president of America. Leader of the Stubborn Boys association. President Donald Trump. You already know I’m naming my next son TRUMP,” he wrote.

[TheNation]

The United Arab Emirates has just held its Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Our president was there. A part of that event was the World Future Energy Summit which ended on Thursday last week. Saudi Arabia is holding a Smart City and Infrastructure Expo in September this year. It held one last year. When Muslim countries do things as these, they advertise Islam in the very best form. They make Islam attractive and beautiful.

Like Saudi Arabia, we have Islam here in abundance but we lack the sanity and prosperity of Saudi Arabia. Like the Western World, we have Christianity but the technological fruit of that faith eludes us. Saudi Arabia is busy building smart cities. It is working on NEOM, a $1.5 trillion digital city that is designed to make Dubai an ancient experience. The name NEOM is a blend of the Greek ‘neo’ (new) and the ‘M’ in the Arabic ‘Mustaqbal’ (future). The anglicized NEOM means ‘New Future’. The name tells the fecundity of the minds that conceived the idea. Saudi is building another wonder called Riyadh Smart City; and a third one christened Jedda Economic City. All these are being programmed to run on the most modern of science and tech ideas. To them, book is not haram; it is tonic that gives life. While they talk of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence; we loot and burn libraries here; we break bones over who becomes an oba or an emir and who should not – in a democratic republic.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are monarchies, yet they are modern in ways that challenge and shame our democracy. The Arabs use religion to make for themselves everything that makes the future a better experience than what today offers. Here in Nigeria, we pray for miracles. Life expectancy “refers to the number of years a person can expect to live.” The Vatican City has been the Centre of Christianity since the 4th century. Life expectancy in that city in 2024 was 84.16 years; in Saudi Arabia, it was 75.83 years; in UAE, it was 78.60. There is another Arab country called Qatar; life expectancy there in 2024 was 80.88 years. Like the Vatican City, Nigeria has Christianity in great abundance, just as it has a surplus of Islam like the Arab countries; yet, the number of years a person could expect to live in Nigeria in 2024 did not exceed 62.2 years.

Our president was at the UAE event. He must have seen the Muslim Arab country using 21st century brains to power its leap into the future. The rich who rode Rolls Royce there last year still ride their wonder on wheels. There are no fears of a government policy that will reduce them to jalopy drivers this year. The state won’t also fleece the poor to feed the rich. That country and others in its league leverage the best in technology to create hubs of innovative solutions to existential issues. Saudi streets are clean; its people are happy and resourceful. Yet, it is not a democracy and has no plan to be one. The UAE has the iconic Dubai as its poster of excellence. The country does not waste its time voting the worst to rule the best. Both countries are Islamic countries, but they do not breed Almajirai, Boko Haram and other variants of extremism that make lepers of their region and religion.

We cannot become those countries until we have blind laws that recognize no class, no ethnicity. We need schools, not temples of miracles. Saudi is a praying nation like us. Unlike us, Saudi Arabia does not insult God with laid-back demands. Saudi Arabia’s top universities are world class. Check their ranking; check ours. Everything that makes a nation fail itself is here. What we have here can only breed enlightened ignorance and unremitting want.

Saudi Arabia is attracting the best brains from all over the world to its universities. And the universities are not there as mere salary-paying loss centres. They are at the forefront of the country’s agenda for its emerging quantum revolution. What do we have in Nigeria?

At the last convocation of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, the institution’s pro-chancellor, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, delivered a withering verdict on the state of the Nigerian ivory tower. He said “the Nigerian university system has been replaced with ‘indigenized’ and ‘villagized’ universities. The hitherto national and international character of the system has been replaced with inbreeding. The staff profiles of federal and state universities – academic and non-teaching – reveal a shocking practice of father, mother, brothers, sisters and children working in the same system. Family dynasty has replaced the merit system.” Damn!

I connect very well with what Professor Oyeweso said. As an undergraduate, we had teachers from all over the world. There were foreign students just as children of the rich and the poor shared seats in lecture rooms. My university classroom experience was a lesson in classlessness. I shared the same class with an Akinrinade in an era when General Alani Akinrinade was one of the biggest names in the country. There was a Soyinka in my class. Governor Oladayo Popoola’s law-student daughter offered some courses that I also wrote in the same class. Yet, our Tigris and Euphrates flowed their courses in amity. The class that existed was the class of learning.

Today, when we tell our 1980s stories and the ones our fathers told us of the 1950s and 1960s, they mean very little – or naked nothing, to our children who have had zero positive contact with the Nigerian state. The mix of experience and status we enjoyed is missing today. Decay in public schools has driven the privileged abroad, or to private schools. The height of parents now determines how high the children can fly. Those stuck in public schools are daily plotting their escape. We cannot be well without casting down our castles of decay.

Despite their advancement in everything, the Arab world is still combing the world for more knowledge. Even our unusual country has been a destination for them. A delegation of the Association of Arab Universities was at the Arabic and Islamic Centre, Markaz, Agege, Lagos last week. Reports said they inspected the impressive digital technology and language laboratory, ICT Centre of the school. Why were they here? If you asked them, they would tell you that seeking knowledge anywhere is an obligation in their religion.

The black man wasted all the centuries of the past. We’ve wasted a quarter of the current century. The Renaissance of the 14th century influenced the Reformation of the 16th century. Both were the shock treatment that jolted the West out of its illiteracy and general backwardness. We need local versions of those two experiences to force a change here. We do not have the time.

A tiny country called UAE built adorable Dubai from a desert fishing village. Our president was there. We wait for the fruits of that visit. Saudi Arabia is using the fruits of Islam to build smart cities. We flock there for worship, business and leisure. Countries that emerged from the rubble of imperial Rome used Christianity to build the Western economies that continue to water our world. Here, we are using religion to cheat, to kill and plunder and cause confusion. The science that made Saudi and Dubai possible is sin to some mis-taught people. Our aspiration is not to gain the success of Saudi; we cannot build Dubai; we are far from where the West is, but we love the beauty of those places. Who really are we?

American rapper Cardi B has said that she wouldn’t be affected by the ban on TikTok in the United States.

PUNCH Online earlier reported that TikTok shut down in the U.S. on January 19 after its Chinese owners failed to sell the platform, as mandated by a law enacted by President Joe Biden in April 2024.

Following the ban, a social media user with the X handle @1lex said rappers, such as Cardi B, who depend on TikTok to promote their music should find alternative jobs.

The user wrote: “Now, all the female TikTok rappers gotta find real jobs. You first, @imcardib.”

Responding, Cardi B said, “Babe, I’m getting a $7 million offer to do my own vitamins. I can retire you from your flipping burger job by tomorrow. Thank me though; I’ve been helping you get your $8.99 Twitter check.

“The ‘you’re successful/blew up bc of TikTok’ narrative doesn’t work on Cardi B, try again.

“Today gotta be the funniest day on twitter is literally killin me… when did y’all get this hilarious???”

[Punch]