“I don’t want this country to turn into the one I ran away from”- Kemi Badenoch MP.

The Right Honorable Kemi Badenoch MP, former minister of women and equalities of the United Kingdom and the newly-elected leader of the British Conservative party deserves to be tarred and feathered for the sort of things she says about Nigeria.

Apart from her insulting categorisations about Northern Nigerian Muslims, which I shall come to later in this contribution, this woman had the impudence to describe Nigeria, her country of origin, as a “living hell”, a place where she had to “walk one mile to get running water” and a country where “lizards run out of the taps!”

She constantly launches heavy salvos against the Nigerian people and our ruling elites including politicians, legislators, members of the judiciary and those that are in the private sector; calling us thieves and labelling us as being corrupt and inept.

She snubbed the federal government on two occasions by ignoring them when they attempted to reach out to her through Abike Dabiri-Eweka, President Bola Tinubu’s special advisor on the diaspora, which provoked the latter to say that she was yet “to find the Nigerianess in her”.

As far as Kemi Badenoch is concerned Nigeria is a land of demons whilst the UK is a nation of angels. She forgets that the country that she lives in has a long history of corruption, looting and barbarism and that London remains the world’s capital for money laundering. Again, unlike the UK, Nigeria is not supporting the holocaust in Gaza and is not complicit in the genocide that has been unleashed on the Palestinians.

Sadly some of our people have not only applauded her for her offensive sentiments but have also become her loudest cheerleaders. I suspect that those that do this may well be suffering from a disease known as “Stockholm syndrome”. This affliction causes its victims to fall in love with their oppressors. It compels them to cultivate an affection for those who seek to place them in servitude and who treat them with contempt.

Her Nigerian cheerleaders have a chip on their shoulder. They are unpatriotic and have no honour. No matter how much she pisses on the graves of our heroes past and defecates on our flag they continue to worship her.bThis is pitiful. It is a reflection of their malevolent disposition towards their own country and their low self-esteem.

We may have issues as a nation but we must never support those that denigrate our country for political gain. Kemi sold her soul to the right wing of the British Tory party and sought to put to shame the land of her forefathers just to become their leader. Nothing can be more despicable than that.

I have seen many attempts to rationalise her insolence and none make any sense. Loving those that hate you and consider you to not only be their inferior but also sub-human, in my view, is not a virtue but a vice.

The demonisation of our country should not be a pre-requisite to winning a leadership contest of a political party in a foreign land and if it is one cannot expect any self-respecting Nigerian to applaud it. Her victory in the contest for the leadership of the UK’s Conservative party does not in any way ameliorate my disgust and repugnance for her or the foul stench that trails her wherever she goes.

In order to comprehend her self-loathing and reprehensible mind-set, I urge those that are interested to read the black French writer Franz Fanon’s book titled “Black Skin, White Mask”. The author had the likes of Badenoch in mind when he compiled this insightful masterpiece.

Kemi is a dangerous and willing tool of the colonialists, neo-colonialists and imperialists and she is everything that any patriotic Nigerian and every Pan Africanist should despise. Unless and until she purges herself of her contempt, I shall continue to regard her in the same light as William Shakespeare’s character Brutus whose treachery and betrayal was heartrenching and whose cut was “the deepest of all”.

Again she reminds me of the character known as Richard Rich in William Bolt’s famous play titled ‘A Man For All Seasons’ who betrayed England’s most famous martyr Sir Thomas Moore and sent him to the gallows with his false testimony and lies in return for a title and landed property in the province of Wales!

It is in the same way that Kemi has betrayed, misrepresented and murdered Nigeria in return for her position as leader of the opposition in the UK. Anyone that calls my country “hell on earth” is fair game and this is especially if that person does so in order to curry favour with members of her political party and win their support.

Institutional racism is real in the UK and the worst type of racist is a self-hating black African who feels the need to rubbish his heritage, who believes that he must disparage the land of his forefathers and who consistently reinforces the negative stereotyping of Africa and Africans in order to be accepted into the highest echelons of the British political class.
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The Bible asks, “what profiteth a man to lose his soul in order to gain the world”. I ask, what profiteth a woman to lose her dignity and self-respect in return for the leadership of a political party in a distant land. This is made worse by the fact that it is a political party whose star has dimmed, whose days of glory are over and which may not be back in power for the next ten years!

The truth is even if the Englanders proclaimed Kemi Badenoch as their Queen, yours truly will continue to loathe her because she has contempt for my country. 250 million people live in Nigeria and she is not the dark, evil, beast-infested forest and wild jungle that Badenoch portrays her to be. She is not filled with ignorant, grass skirt-wearing, ape-looking, monkey-sounding, primitive barbarians and heinous cannibals that she would have others believe.

We are not a land of sub-human creatures that have no decency, no decorum, no knowledge, no heritage and no history. We are not uncivilised, we do not live in trees, we do not behave like animals and neither are we godless, unruly, ignorant or incompetent.

Just like any other country, including the UK itself, we are not infallible and we have our own fair share of flaws and challenges. Yet that does not diminish us and I am not constrained to feel any sense of elation when a person that has displayed such disdain for our people achieves anything simply because that person has her roots in my country or in my ethnic nationality.

The fact that Kemi is of Yoruba descent does not absolve her of her rancid bigotry and does not constrain me to give her a free pass. To those from Yorubaland who say we must celebrate her despite her foibles because she is Yoruba, I ask the following: must we support a Yoruba who hates her ancestry, heritage, values and culture and who sees and says nothing good in our history

Must we endorse the acts and words of an individual who has denied us before the world, who has nothing good to say about us and who has insulted and denigrated our forefathers? Surely doing so would be the height of clannish and cultic behaviour and an inglorious display of a crude and primitive disposition. We are far bigger and better than that.

We must judge her on what she says and does and not on the basis of her tribe, gender, nationality, religious faith or the color of her skin.

Outside of that it says a lot about the values of the British Conservative Party when a vainglorious, dangerously ambitious, self-deprecating, Uncle Tom and Aunty Jemima-like figure could be elected as their leader. This is a far cry from the Conservative Party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

I have little doubt that they both turned in their graves upon hearing about Badenoch’s ascension in the firm knowledge that their party had been handed a poisoned chalice.

The truth is that I fear for the plight of the Nigerian community in the UK in the unlikely event of her ever being elected Prime Minister.

Permit me to end this contribution with the following.

In Kemi’s most graphic display of ignorance, mendacity, religious bigotry, tribalism and racism, she said that she does not believe that Northern Nigerian Muslims should be allowed into the UK because they are, in her view, “Islamists”.

She went on to say that Northern Muslims support terror and that an example of this are the ugly events in Chibok, Northern Nigeria ten years ago when over two hundred schoolgirls were kidnapped! She also said that Muslims that do not support Israel in its relentless ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and it’s genocidal acts in Gaza are “not welcome in the UK”.

The fact that she had to single out Nigeria and cast aspersions on the character of no less than 50% of our population describing them as “Islamists” and alluding to the malicious falsehood that they are terrorists speaks volumes.

One is constrained to ask whether the sheer lunacy of this repugnant woman has any limits. On the quest for reparations for the slave trade Badenoch had the following to say: “This is the past. We need to talk about the future. There are many countries now that want to use guilt to try and exploit the UK. They ask for reparations. I saw it as a Trade Minister. It’s not culture wars. I was at the WTO, I won’t name the Minister from another country and he was telling me that we needed to give up some of the things we were doing because of colonialism and because they needed time to develop. These arguments are a scam. Don’t fall for it. We need to make sure that we put this country first. We work well with our neighbours, we work with other countries but we have to look after ourselves too.”

Imagine this coming from a black African woman millions of whose ancestors were enslaved and shipped off to the West!

@Africa.Echo put it well when they posted the following on X: “Germany and the rest of the West continue to provide financial recompense to Israel but Kemi Badenoch believes Africans do not deserve reparations for decades of colonialism and centuries of enslavement.”

If Kemi’s views about the quest for reparations does not open the eyes of Badenoch’s Nigerian cheerleaders, nothing will. She also stands against multi-culturalism even though she is the leader of the opposition in a multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-religious nation and she is married to a white English man.

What a contradiction!

She says she believes that “not all cultures are equally valid” and from her divisive rhetoric, it is clear that she also believes that not all races are equally valid either.

An even greater contradiction is the fact that she is staunchly anti-immigration.

She asserts that “Britain must not be a sponge for migrants” forgetting that she is a first generation migrant and a beneficiary of the British immigration system that she now seeks to discredit. These contradictions and asinine assertions betray a level of perfidy, deceit, intellectual barrenness and scholarly ineptitude that beggars belief.

Another display of her crass ignorance is her assertion that Nigeria, a country that she was raised in, has been run by “socialist governments”.

This is arrant nonsense.

I guess her definition of “socialism” is anything that does not share her fascist, ultra-conservative, neo-colonialist and neo-imperialist views.

The irony of it all is that, despite her pretense at being more English than the English and more conservative than Enoch Powell, by the time the British right-wing is done using her, they will discard her.

She deserves no better.

Femi Fani-Kayode is the Sadaukin Shinkafi, a former minister of aviation, and former minister of culture and tourism of Nigeria

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has decried what he identified as a palpable poor state of policy research with a virtual disconnect between the objectives of the research industry and the concerns of policy makers in government.

The seasoned public administrator spoke during the 6th General Assembly and Conference of the Association of African Public Service Commissions (AAPSCOMS) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6 to 8 November.

Olaopa spoke on the topic "Defining Issues in Research And Policy Linkages In Country-level Development Management in Africa." During the event, Olaopa emerged as the Vice President of AAPSCOMS for West Africa.

According to Olaopa, the disconnect is evident in the incredibly low level of research spend in Africa when compared to global total contributions. He added that the evidence that validates this is the fact that the bulk of usable development and administrative statistics generated in Africa are funded by foreign development agencies.

"This reality explains why African states cannot design their development agenda on their own terms. It also validates the reigning theory that African policy-makers do not as yet understand what development is all about", he said.

In his recommendation, he said "Africa needs a corps of scholars-practitioners evangelists who will push for a significant shift from common sense praxis to a more rigorous scientific approaches to development management in Africa."

Olaopa referenced President Bola Tinubu's desire to institute a government of national competence as a policy framework capable of galvanizing a shift from the pervasive “know-who” nepotism to “know-how”. He enjoined political parties to emulate practices in advanced democracies where for example the Democratic Party in the USA is technically backstopped by the Brooking Institution and the Republican by the American Enterprise Institute. He went further to advocate the professionalisation of planning and policy analysis departments, investment in future research and scenario planning and creation of special cadre in public service into which experts from other sectors of the economy and from the diaspora can be desk officers on renewable performance contracts outside of career paths in the public administration system

He lamented that African states still focus on the hardware of development namely, how many roads, schools, hospitals, mass housing, etc. are built, in utter disregard for intangible assets that enable sustainable development such as the quality of country’s human capital and education; the strength of institutions, rule of law and constitutional order; the value of social capital of communities, efficient judicial system, property rights, timely and reliable statistics, reformed public service, R&D, data security and privacy, intellectual property, patents, copyright, culture of innovation, knowledge creation, to name just a few. Most African states have indeed not confronted a critical indicator of underdevelopment around the question regarding why talented African professionals or experts in Canada, Germany or Japan are ten times more productive than their counterparts who choose to remain in Africa. The answer is that once they walk into those development enabled places, they step into a capacity context provided by an intangible per capital wealth worth on average over $500,000 compared to those in Africa contending with a paltry of $2,748 per capital.

He referenced Prof. Wolgang Stolper, hired by the World Bank in 1962 as Technical Adviser to the Nigerian government in the design and implementation of the country’s First NDP (1962-68), who "delivered a prescient judgement that goes to the heart of African development problematic in a seminal reflection published in 1966.

"Prof, Stolper had published an article titled 'Planning without Fact' as an account of his experience working in Nigeria. His basic thesis was that Nigeria is a country that plans and manages her development programmes without the benefit of evidence-based practices, by merely shooting in the dark, in unscientific manner."

To Olaopa, "this suggests that policy management practices in Africa are ridden in several countries, contexts and over time, with essential lack of statistical parameters by which implementable and sustainable development policies ought to be crafted. In other words, there is an unabating lack of a data culture and associated scientific parameters which makes it difficult to design and implement cogent policies that address strategically, poverty, unemployment, the youth bulge, climate change, induced flooding and all, terrorism and associated insecurities, and in managing critical macroeconomic challenges that the continent faces, within game-changing dynamic".

For Olaopa, policy-engaged research is at a crossroads as research centres in African states are increasingly torn between their original calling to conduct research and publish, and pressure to justify and sustain their existence .

The research agenda of these centres and those of local experts are generally dominated by themes and topics of concern of external partners and the major funders of policy research.

Thus for him, although public policy researchers complain against their works not being used by government, research institutions and think-tanks in Africa need to be strengthened so that they could mobilise resources from external partners, the private sector and civil society organisation without losing their autonomy in formulating their research programmes as such capacity would determine their effectiveness .

The immediate past Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, has questioned the rationale behind his dismissal from the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

According to Gwarzo, President Tinubu had informed him that Kano was overloaded with political officers, hence the need to cut down on some people from the state.

The former Minister, however, insisted that he wasn’t found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance, adding that he suspects that some people are behind the President’s decision to sack him.

He also added that after President Tinubu informed him of the pending dismissal, some suggestions were made regarding his replacement, but they were ignored.

Gwarzo argued further that the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Kano, Nasir Gawuna, should have been offered the opportunity to represent Kano Central in the federal cabinet.

Speaking with BBC Hausa about his dismissal from Tinubu’s cabinet, he said: “I was surprised because I wasn’t found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance. And I was a minister of state with the senior minister who handles a large chunk of the ministry’s activities.

“Before the announcement, the President had put me on notice of his decision.

“He said Kano North was overloaded with political officers, hence the need to strike a balance. We gave our advice, but it was ignored.

“From there I began to suspect that some people are behind this, because for me that wasn’t a valid reason.

“If it’s true that the ministerial slot will be allocated to Kano Central, we have our 2023 gubernatorial candidate, who is also our leader in Kano Central. Why not consider giving him the slot?”

“Gawuna should be offered the position first, unless he declines, in which case it could be given to someone else.

“All his other colleagues who contested in other states were given positions, such as the candidates from Plateau and Zamfara states.”

[NaijaNews]

The Nigerian economy has always been a topic of deep concern, often marred by inflation, unemployment, and fluctuating exchange rates. Yet, the current economic situation seems to have taken an unprecedented toll, stretching the limits of survival for both individuals and businesses alike. This became even more apparent when, recently, telecommunications operators in Nigeria raised an alarm over the deteriorating economic conditions under which they are forced to operate. The industry, which serves as the backbone of modern communication and commerce, is feeling the heat of an economic inferno that threatens to consume not just their profits but their very existence.

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, highlighted this during the 93rd Telecom Consumer Parliament organized by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Abuja. According to him, telecom operators are struggling to stay afloat in a harsh economic environment, with increased operational costs and dwindling consumer purchasing power. The calls for an increase in tariffs to help sustain the industry reflect just how dire the situation has become. Yet, Adebayo was quick to stress that any increase in tariffs must be done with caution, ensuring that the already burdened consumers do not bear the brunt of this decision.

Telecommunications is not merely a service but a critical infrastructure that supports every facet of the economy. When an industry as vital as telecom starts to flounder, it sends shockwaves across other sectors. The fact that telecom operators are contemplating tariff increases as a last resort to remain operational should set off alarm bells for policymakers.

The plight of telecom operators, however, is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Adebayo’s observation that Nigerians who once comfortably recharged their phones with ₦5,000 or ₦10,000 are now resorting to ₦200 or ₦300 speaks volumes. It is a stark reflection of the shrinking disposable income of average Nigerians. For many, phone calls, internet access, and data subscriptions are not just luxuries but necessities in today’s digital world. The reduction in spending on these essential services suggests a deeper economic malaise where even middle-class families are forced to tighten their belts.

The telecom sector, like many others, is grappling with rising operational costs due to inflation, a depreciating naira, and the high cost of diesel needed to power base stations amid erratic power supply. These challenges are not just affecting the profitability of telecom companies but also threatening the sustainability of services that millions of Nigerians rely on for their daily lives, businesses, and livelihoods. The government must take urgent steps to address the root causes of this economic downturn before these industries collapse under the weight of systemic neglect.

The economic distress is not limited to telecom operators alone. In a similar vein, a professional colleague narrated the story of a businessman who once had the luxury of filling his car’s tank with fuel every other day. Today, that same businessman is reduced to buying just a few liters at a time. This shift from abundance to scarcity is a testament to the harsh economic realities facing Nigerians.

The average Nigerian household is experiencing the ripple effects of rising fuel costs, which not only affect transportation but also impact food prices and other essential goods. The high cost of diesel has forced businesses to cut down on operations, with some even shutting down completely. Small business owners who depend on generators for electricity are particularly hard-hit, as they face skyrocketing expenses that eat into their already thin profit margins.

The reduction in fuel consumption by private citizens and businesses alike is a clear indication that purchasing power is dwindling. When people can no longer afford to fuel their cars or power their generators, it is a sign that the economy is nearing a breaking point. What is more alarming is that this trend is happening at a time when Nigeria, as one of Africa’s largest oil producers, should ideally be benefiting from its natural resources. Instead, ordinary citizens are suffering from the paradox of plenty, where the wealth of the nation’s resources fails to trickle down to the people.

The situation calls for urgent and decisive action from the government. It is clear that the country’s economic woes are not just cyclical but structural. The government must take proactive steps to address the factors that are driving businesses to the brink of collapse and pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty.

In fact, not a few economic experts have averred that the continuous depreciation of the naira is a major driver of inflation, and that import-dependent sectors like telecommunications are particularly vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations. They have also added that government should work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilize the naira and ensure that businesses can access foreign exchange at reasonable rates.

In a similar vein, not a few experts have being heard saying that the cost of diesel has become a significant burden for businesses, especially in the absence of reliable electricity, and that investing in the power sector to ensure stable and affordable electricity supply will alleviate some of the operational costs that are crippling businesses.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to opine that while the removal of fuel subsidies was intended to free up government revenue, it has had severe consequences for ordinary Nigerians. Therefore, suggestions have been rife that the government needs to explore targeted subsidies or alternatives that can cushion the impact on those who are most vulnerable.

Not only that, there has been calls on the need to boost local production. Therefore, reducing the country’s reliance on imports by supporting local industries will create jobs and reduce the pressure on foreign exchange reserves. This, they said, can be achieved through incentives for local manufacturers and investments in critical sectors like agriculture and technology.

In a similar vein, is the call for social welfare programs. Proponents of the foregoing variously averred that to directly address the suffering of the masses, the government should expand social welfare programs that provide relief to low-income households, saying that the distribution of palliatives, food subsidies, and cash transfers could go a long way in easing the economic burden on Nigerians.

In fact, the current state of the Nigerian economy is unsustainable. The warning signs are everywhere, from the dwindling airtime purchases to the inability of citizens to afford fuel. The narratives shared by telecom operators and everyday businessmen paint a bleak picture that cannot be ignored.

There is no doubt that Nigeria is at a crossroads. The government must choose to either take bold steps to reform the economy or risk a complete collapse that could have far-reaching consequences for generations to come. It is not enough to issue statements and make promises; Nigerians need to see concrete actions that will improve their lives.

The economic challenges are complex, but they are not insurmountable. With the right policies, political will, and a focus on the welfare of the people, Nigeria can chart a path to recovery. The government must remember that while they deliberate, the people are suffering. Every day that passes without meaningful intervention pushes more Nigerians into poverty and despair.

At the end of the day, these stories, from telecom operators struggling to stay in business to ordinary citizens rationing fuel, are not just statistics; they are the lived experiences of millions of Nigerians. The narratives shared by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo and others should serve as a wake-up call for the government to act swiftly and decisively.

There is a need for empathy-driven policies that prioritize the well-being of the populace. The government must understand that when people can no longer afford to recharge their phones or fuel their cars, it speaks volumes about the state of the economy. It is time to stop the rhetoric and start implementing policies that will bring about real change. The clock is ticking, and the people are waiting.

Nigeria should be an economic powerhouse not only in Africa but globally because of its enormous human and natural resources but ironically it is fighting for economic survival. This contrast has been linked by many to inappropriate leadership over the years. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated exemplary leadership marked by patriotism, boldness, action, foresight, and commitment. since he came into power on May 29, 2023.

Fuel subsidies and the constant defence of the naira have historically done more harm than good, consuming trillions of naira that could have been invested in nation-building resulting in infrastructure decay and mounting national debt. Over the years, the Federal Government has had little left for capital expenditure and investment in critical sectors of the economy after covering salaries and other recurrent costs which, has significantly contributed to the poor state of roads, hospitals, schools, power supply, and the inability to adequately fund security agencies etc. Therefore president Tinubu should be commended for removing fuel subsidy and floating the naira despite being unpopular decisions.

President Tinubu’s policies have started to positively impact the lives of Nigerians. For example, It is worth noting that when he came into power, some state governments struggled to pay minimum wage and pensions. Currently, no state is reported to be behind on salary payments. The Federal Government has begun implementing the new national minimum wage of N70,000, and state governments have also announced and started paying new minimum wages at varying rates, with none below N70,000, much to the relief of Nigerian workers. Insecurity is on the decline, with areas like the Abuja-Kaduna road no longer plagued by incidents that once made it a nightmare. Also, students have already started benefiting from the student loan scheme introduced by this administration; just to mention a few.

Despite mixed reactions to President Tinubu’s recent cabinet reshuffle, it signals his commitment to fixing the country. This reshuffle was timely and it strengthened the cabinet sending a clear message that Mr President will not tolerate mediocrity. Nigerians hope this will lead to a more responsive government and better policy implementation, fostering stronger synergy among ministries. The long time lag between policy announcement and implementation previously experienced should become a thing of the past.

With inflation slowing, debt service to revenue ratio reducing from 97% to under 70%, gross foreign reserves hitting $40 billion, and the outcome of GDP rebasing awaited, there is optimism about the country’s economic future. Additionally, the removal of the fuel subsidy has freed up funds that the government plans to invest in education, healthcare, infrastructure (power, transport, etc.), security agencies, and other key sectors. For these efforts to succeed, the government must also adopt zero tolerance for corruption and waste. The World Bank has commended President Tinubu’s bold policies and emphasized the need to sustain them to achieve the desired economic reforms. Nigeria has a hopeful path ahead, and in time, Nigerians will look back and appreciate President Tinubu’s leadership.

By Kenechukwu Aguolu  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Six years ago, in my column in Daily Trust (https://dailytrust.com/the-gadfly-called-shehu-sani/), shortly after he broke the existing code of secrecy by revealing his humongous salary of N13.5 million as a senator, I said the following about the political activist, Shehu Sani:

“Shehu Sani has not disappointed those who swore that he was bound to shake things up in the national legislature. Having emerged from the trenches of social activism from where he was plucked and incarcerated by the Babangida, Shonekan and Abacha regimes, it was reasoned that Sani was well prepared for the battle of dredging the marshes of the Nigerian Senate even though he was but a first term legislator. (It seemed centuries ago when he was sentenced to life in jail by Abacha’s kangaroo tribunal!)”

Sani’s recent comments on the political manoeuvrings going on in the North are quite noteworthy. It is an open secret that many northern politicians have been meeting to persuade President Tinubu to grant them more favours, otherwise…

2027 Calculations

The 2027 elections are on the line even though we are still in 2024. You’d wish that the discussions were about advancing the cause of the poor. I know that political alliances are matters of give and take. But when a group gangs up with a demand supposedly on behalf of the North, and threatens that their continued support for the president in 2027 would depend on whether their demands are granted or not, the whole situation seems to reek of blackmail.

Thank God for patriots like Shehu Sani whose outlook makes it possible to discuss the most serious problems confronting the northern states without guile, suspicion or bad blood. I have always argued that every journalist in the public space ought to be able to comment on any subject under the sun without let or hindrance. But some self-appointed gatekeepers of regional interests always demonise “outsiders” who dare to comment on “Northern affairs”. I dare say there are soulmates of these xenophobic elements in the South as well. I have happily broken this rule over the years. People are people. Development is development. There is no Hausa poverty or Igbo hunger or Yoruba penury.

That is why Shehu Sani’s interventions are heart-warming. The socio-political activist has proved to be one of those unflappable Nigerians whose opinions are not coloured by religion, ethnicity or other provincial considerations.

Power Vendors

The North has been in power longer than any other part of the country but that fact has not led to the upliftment of the people. The North still lags behind the southern states in most indices of human development. So, it ought to be clear to power mongers in the North that being in power has only favoured the elite while the people are left to wallow in poverty. The power vendors who are presently crisscrossing various states in the quest for alternative 2027 alliances are wasting their time, says Shehu Sani. In his view, the focus should be on what the current government can do to help uplift the poor people of the North and what the North itself can do to help itself.

In his words, “For the fact that the North has been behind in a number of indices of development, there should have been a concerted effort in terms of bringing development to that part of the country. But look at what we are having now – in the last eight years before the coming of this administration, in 2015, there was so much hope. There was so much belief and faith that the leadership that took over at that time would address these fundamental issues, but it has not.

“Today, the states in the North West are facing serious problems of banditry, kidnappings, and killings by all sorts of violent groups. In the North East, Boko Haram, ISIS and other terrorist groups are still holding sway, despite the fact that not only has the North been in power from 2015-2023, but major organs of government were headed by people from that region, and they have not actually used it for development. So now, I think the fact that someone from the South has taken over, there appears to be an organised attempt for them to resurrect their power base and see how they can return to power.

“So, power should be of use to the masses… in the North, power should address their poverty, should address their insecurity, should address the issues of development, and not power should be used to enrich an insignificant few who simply are parasitic on the economy of the country.”

Almajiri

The almajiri system, which the Northern elite has refused to reform because it captures only the children of the poor, is one of the areas where Sani advocates urgent reform because it is a ready-made breeding ground for bandits and terrorists.

According to the senator, “Many parents in rural areas hand over their children to a religious teacher in the city, who depends on the children to beg or steal in order to feed himself and his family. For ethnic, religious, and sectional reasons, we have protected, defended, praised, and refused to hold accountable all our kinsmen who led the country at every wasted opportunity for five decades.

“The bandits and terrorists who kill and kidnap our people, deny our farmers access to their farms, and prevent our children from going to school, are not from any foreign country or from the South; they come from our homes and families up north. We worship with them in the same mosque…

“We concoct and spread all sorts of religiously inclined conspiracies to deny our children free health, immunisation against diseases, resulting in hundreds of thousands of blind, lame, crippled, and deaf children who grow up as victims of polio, glaucoma, or leprosy, begging in northern and southern cities.”

Northerners used to be very enterprising, as anyone who witnessed the First Republic would testify. The virus of dependency and lethargy became widespread over the decades when Northerners sat on federal power. This situation has to be reversed for the region to make progress.

On a rather doleful note, the senator notes that, “All the spare parts, building materials, and pharmaceutical stores in the North are private businesses owned by people from other regions who were not backed, funded, or supported by any government… The FCT is in the North. Can anyone explain why people from the region couldn’t dominate the private businesses in the FCT, Suleja, and Mararaba? Who should be blamed for this?”

Making a clarion call for the elite to change their ways and look inwards, he asserts: “God gave us the largest land mass, the largest number of people, most of the rivers, and resources and livestock, and gave us power for the most part of our history. Which of the favours of our Lord can we deny? In the North, 80 percent of our problems are ourselves and not anyone outside of ourselves.”

A problem identified is a problem half-solved. It’s time to reverse the culture of “one millionaire surrounded by one million beggars”. A massive, region-wide campaign for attitudinal change to encourage skill acquisition, entrepreneurship and give access to loans would be a good starting point.

When next the conclave of Northern power vendors gathers, let them concentrate on how to end banditry and other criminalities, and then map out dedicated programmes to make the populace productive. The ongoing conspiracies regarding realignments towards 2027 can only birth a few concessions for the political elite while the overwhelming majority of their people remain empty-handed.

Brighton came from behind to record a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in Saturday’s Premier League contest at the Amex Stadium.

The Citizens entered the clash off the back of three straight defeats and there was huge pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side to bounce back against the Seagulls.

Erling Haaland sent Man City ahead in the 23rd minute, but Joao Pedro levelled the scores before debutant Matt O’Riley won it for the hosts in the latter stages.

Guardiola has now lost four games in a row for the first time in his managerial career, with his team remaining second in the Premier League table, two points behind the leaders Liverpool.

Man City came close to making the breakthrough in the 15th minute of the match through Savinho, but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was on hand to make a brilliant save.

The Citizens did register in the 23rd minute, though, with Haaland managing to bundle the ball home from close range after the striker saw his first effort saved by Brighton’s Verbruggen.

Mateo Kovacic provided the pass which released Haaland, and the Norway international simply would not be denied, with Man City opening the scoring, but Brighton were a threat, with Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma carrying the fight to the Citizens.

Brighton had a big chance to level the scores early in the second period through Jack Hinshelwood, but his header was straight at the away side’s goalkeeper Ederson.

Welbeck had another half-chance in the 67th minute, but the ex-Manchester United forward failed to make the most of having the ball inside the box, before Ederson denied Mitoma and Pedro missed the target with a low effort in quick succession.

Brighton were pushing against a Man City side that were again far from their best, and the leveller came in the 78th minute, with Pedro firing into the back of the net from inside the box after the visitors had failed to clear their lines.

In the 83rd minute, O’Riley then completed the turnaround, with the 23-year-old, on his Premier League debut for the Seagulls, scoring following a brilliant Pedro pass.

 [DailyTrust]

The outgoing Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has warned the incoming governor of the state, Monday Okpebholo, against prioritising politics over security, saying there will be problems if he does.

Obaseki gave the advice in Benin during the state’s security meeting with heads of security agencies in the state.

He said his administration was leaving the security of the state much better than he met it in 2016.

“My advice to the incoming administration is to take security seriously and never prioritise politics over security because there will be problems as citizens need to demand a secure environment.

“We have shown that it’s possible because we have men and women who have the capacity and training to offer security services to the state and the people of the state,” Obaseki said.

Attributing his success to the collaboration and support received from heads of security agencies, Obaseki said they had collectively changed the narrative and the perception about security in the state.

According to him, the development and growth in the domestic environment and the interest of investors in the state was due to the secure environment in the state.

Obaseki further pointed out that by adopting technology, his administration was able to cover the state and make it safe for the people, adding that it was able to document every incident in the state and work together to provide responses to the security situation.

He, however, called for the participation of all stakeholders in fixing the nation.

[DailyPost]

• Workers demand new deal for pensioners too Imo, Plateau, Osun still negotiating

With the battle for a new minimum wage settled in most of the 36 states,workers are now shifting attention to the payment of the arrears of their remuneration.

Many of the states commenced payment of the new wage last month while some have promised to do so at the end of this month.

But Imo,Osun and Plateau state governments are yet to commit themselves on how much they are willing to pay and when they plan to start paying.

The Minimum Wage Act  took effect from July following the signing of the bill by  President Bola Tinubu on July 29.

Negotiation between government (Federal and States),organised labour and the private sector on the matter  took some time and when it was all over,the state governors asked that they be given till the end of October to enable them put their finances in order. 

One of the states already preparing for negotiation of payment of arrears of the new wage is Katsina.

Chairman of the state  chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hussain Hamisu,told The Nation by phone that labour is scheduled to commence negotiations with the state government on the payment of arrears  and  on how retirees could benefit from the new salary structure.

The committee set up by the state government on the new minimum wage is about rounding off its assignment.

Hamisu said once the committee completes its assignment in another two weeks, negotiation on the arrears will begin.

‘’Retirees must equally be considered during negotiations, considering the fact that there was a circular on their benefits and entitlements at the time of their retirements,’’ he said.

The NLC boss said  Katsina has a history of timely wage payments and taking care of the interest of workers.

The 15- member committee on the minimum wage was charged with the responsibility of advising the state government  on strategy and modalities for the  implementation of the new salary structure.

No question of arrears, retirees in Delta – NLC

Civil servants in Delta State are not looking forward to receiving arrears of the new minimum wage, according to the local chairman of the NLC, Comrade Goodluck Ofobrukwu.

He said the NLC was satisfied with the implementation of the new wage structure by the state government .

Ofobrukwu, in a telephone interview with The Nation, said the effective date for implementation date of the new minimum wage was October 1, and therefore will be no need for negotiations on payment of arrears.

Payment of the new minimum wage to retirees commenced also in October.

 His words: “The Federal Government circular is with effect from 29th July, 2024. In Delta State, we agreed that the effective date should be 1st October, 2024, so there is no question of arrears. And we have been paid

“Some states are taking 1st November, others 1st October, some have not started. If we are adopting the circular and taking 1st October, which has been implemented, then there is no question of Delta State government paying arrears.

 “The pensioners you talked about, the N32,000 that the Federal Government asked to be added to their salary has been added with effect from 1st October. That was the agreement we signed with the state government, so it has taken effect from 1st October.”

No agreement yet on arrears in Kwara

The   Kwara State government agreed to commence payment of N70,000 as minimum wage from last month but asked that discussion with organized labour on arrears be put on hold.

Government, according to the local  chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Olayinka Onikijipa,said  sustainability of payment of the new minimum wage was more important than arrears for now.

“For sustainability, they said we should put on hold any discussion on payment of arrears,” Onikijipa said.

He added:” That is not what the law says. But we will continue to push for its implementation.’

On the fate of pensioners, he said:”The issue of extending the payment to pensioners has not come up at all. Pensioners are not yet captured in the state.”

Enugu still sorting out  consequential adjustment of minimum wage

Payment of the new minimum wage took off in Enugu State last month but it was without consequential adjustment. 

Government is yet to finalise work on that aspect of the new salary structure.

Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, confirmed to The Nation in Enugu that civil servants went home with the new salary at the end of October while they now await conclusion of work on the consequential adjustment.

He said:”Now, what the committee is working on is the consequential adjustment and chart on the announced minimum wage.

“I believe everything will be ok soon.”

He said the NLC had reached out to government on  the plight of pensioners and  “I hope at the appropriate time he will address the request.”

Imo Govt, Labour close to agreement

Organized labour in Imo State is optimistic of reaching an agreement soon with the state government on the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.

Chairman of the TUC  in the  state, Comrade Uchenna Great, said the conclusion of negotiation with government was caused by the foreign trip of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

He said:” organized labour had its own committee before the governor left… We met and discussed, the discussion centered on consequential adjustment.

“If both sides agree on the adjustment that will follow, we will come to an agreement and then sign, but both sides are waiting for the return of the governor.”

Comrade Uche Chigemezu, Imo State NLC Chairman, corroborated Great’s position, saying: “The state government has agreed to pay but we have not finalised on the matter.”

Why we couldn’t start payment of minimum wage in October – Gov Otti

Abia State governor, Alex Otti,  said the planned commencement of payment of the minimum wage in October failed to materialise because of a “computation error”.

But he said both sides have now reached “an amicable agreement” and payment will start at the end of this month.

The chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Ogbonnaya Okoro, could not be reached.

Bayelsa tasks LGAs on revenue generation

The Bayelsa State government has warned local governments in the state to intensify their internal revenue generation effort to be able to cope with their financial obligations to their employees.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo said in Yenagoa, the state capital that the councils must devise independent sources of revenue and desist from depending solely  on the  monthly federal allocations.

Receiving a delegation of   the state chapter of  the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), in his office, Ewhrudjakpo said it would be difficult for the councils to pay and sustain the new minimum wage if they continued to  completely depend on statutory allocations from Abuja.

“I have asked experts in that area to work out the new minimum wage to see what the local governments will be able to pay. I know that council workers will insist that they should be paid like their state counterparts,” he said.

“But we should know that the state government and local governments do not have the same level or sources of funding. How many of our local governments are able to generate N100 million in a  whole year? Just only  a few of them.

“As I said earlier, the details of what is going to cost each local government area must be worked out first because if we are not careful, our councils will go bankrupt.

“That is why I have told them to be very innovative and serious about generating revenue for the councils. There is nothing that stops you from collecting little money from people selling in the market. Or, collect licenses from boat, motorbike, keke operators. That’s not a crime. It is legitimate.”

He assured the retirees that government was working hard to settle all  pensioners who were inadvertently omitted in the payment of gratuities across board last year.

He also promised to make some effort to ensure that local government retirees have a share of the N7 billion the state government recently announced for the  payment of outstanding gratuities.

On the issue of upward review of monthly pensions to the retirees, he said such review would be based on the capacity of the local governments.

Negotiations on N70,000 minimum wage ongoing – Plateau NLC

Civil servants in Plateau State expect to start enjoying the new minimum wage by the end of this month.

The state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Eugene Manji, told The Nation that negotiations with the state were  ongoing.

 “We are still  negotiating  with the government committee on the minimum wage,” he said.

“Nothing is concluded yet but we have gone far with the negotiation. And I hope that negotiations will be  concluded in the next few days so that  payment of  the minimum wage will commence this November.”

Kano civil servants too

Kano State civil servants are also hopeful that they will go home with the new salary this month.

Governor  Abba Yusuf  has already approved N71,000 as minimum wage.

Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, said the union was in negotiations with government on the payment of arrears and extension to retired workers.

“They (civil servants) will be paid their N71,000 minimum wage  this November,” he said.

“We are in negotiations over payment of arrears. For retirees, we are also on their matter. We are holding talks,” Inuwa said.

The NLC state chairman said there are some workers in the state whose pay is  as low as N5,000 but the union is negotiating to improve their wages.

“We are on top of all this,” he said.

Osun workers in limbo

Employees of the Osun State government are not sure of anything regarding the minimum wage despite assurances by agents of government that it will abide by the law on the matter.

The committee set up by the state government on consequential adjustment is still working, The Nation gathered in Osogbo.

 Unlike other state governors, Governor Ademola Adeleke has not announced how much the state government is willing to pay.

Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Chris Arapasopo  could not be reached for comments.

[TheNation]

The Federal Government’s budget deficit has risen to 7.5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product as of August 2024, reflecting a significant widening of the gap between government revenue and expenditure.

A member of the Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee, Muhammad Abdullahi, disclosed this in his personal statement at the 297th MPC meeting. The document was published on the website of the central bank.

This was as the CBN economic report revealed that Nigeria’s fiscal deficit surged to N4.53tn in the second quarter of 2024, up from N3.88tn in the previous quarter.

In simple terms, a fiscal deficit happens when a government’s spending exceeds its revenue from taxes and other sources. It means the government is spending more money than it’s bringing in.

Abdullahi said this development underscores the ongoing challenges the government faces in enhancing its revenue generation efforts.

It also signals a greater reliance on borrowing to finance the growing expenditure, raising concerns about the long-term fiscal sustainability and potential impacts on national debt levels.

Highlighting the challenges posed by the situation, the MPC member stated that the committee must remain proactive in dampening the likely consequences of the deficit, especially with the commencement of the new minimum wage payment.

He said, “The Federal Government’s fiscal operations resulted in a budget deficit of 7.6 per cent of GDP as of August 2024.

“Monetary policy must thus remain proactive in dampening the likely consequences of the deficit especially when the implementation of the new minimum wage gains traction.”

“The deficit could, however, narrow as ongoing efforts to enhance revenue generation and reduce government expenditure are expected to improve the fiscal outlook.

“The narrowing of the fiscal deficit will have positive implications for overall macroeconomic stability.”

Similarly, Senior Fellow and Director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution and member of the Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee, Aloysius Ordu, while expressing his views on fiscal policy, stated that challenges abound that are at odds with the CBN’s firm anti-inflationary stance.

“A review of the fiscal indicators for the first half of 2024 showed that FGN revenues under-performed, achieving only 37.9 per cent of the target, due largely to the deficit in FAAC receipts.

“Recurrent spending exceeded targets, largely due to debt service payments, while spending on the capital account continued to underperform. As of mid-2024, the overall fiscal deficit exceeded budget projections by over 85 per cent, emphasizing the need to re-prioritize spending in favour of much-needed capital projects. It also emphasizes the need for the CBN to avoid monetizing the deficit,” he stated.

Also, the Deputy Governor for Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and member of the Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee, Emem Usoro, emphasised that “other pressure points 20 for price stability include, the widening fiscal deficit occasioned by fiscal stress from the revenue side, exchange rate fluctuations emanating from seasonal effects and supply constraints, and climatic factors which have exacerbated supply chain disruptions.”

Also speaking on the issue of revenue generation, the immediate past Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission and member of the Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee, Lamido Yuguda, stated that revenue generation remains a daunting challenge for the FGN.

“From January to June, the retained revenue showed a significant (33.31 per cent) improvement over the corresponding period in 2023, but fell 62.10 per cent short of the target for the period.”

“This low revenue base underscores the poor fiscal performance in the period, as provisional numbers show that the level of fiscal deficit at mid-year (January to June 2024) is already 91.94 per cent of the projected amount for 2024,’ he concluded.

In the economic report, the CBN said the deficit in the first six months saw a notable rise, and the federal government’s revenue remittance increased only marginally to N2.3tn.

This figure represents a 57.66 per cent increase from the first quarter but still falls 52.49 per cent short of the target for the period, prompting a heavy reliance on deficit financing.

The report also highlights that while the government gains from foreign exchange revenue due to naira devaluation, its overall expenditure expanded significantly to N6.83tn, driven largely by high-interest payments on loans and other financial obligations.

This marks a 27.79 per cent increase from the previous quarter, with recurrent expenditures dominating the spending.

The data shows that 89.7 per cent of the federal government’s expenditure was on recurrent costs, while capital and transfer payments accounted for just 3.66 per cent and 6.37 per cent, respectively.

[Punch]