When voices rise in waves of protest, deeper wounds are laid bare—truths woven into our laws and ethics, waiting to be unearthed. In Nigeria, one such moment emerged in the #EndBadGovernance protests, where voices for change faced harsh reprisals. The arrest and prosecution of 76 individuals, among them children, echoed like a somber drumbeat across the nation. The image—young souls accused of plotting to topple a government they scarcely understood—was not merely a misstep in justice, but a profound betrayal of innocence.

This incident, crying out for redress, cuts to the heart of justice, empathy, and humanity. It has kindled outrage and sorrow, a collective heartbreak that reveals the frailty of a system meant to protect its most tender lives. Here, in the shadow of these events, society stands accused—faced with the question of how to shelter its children from harm and injustice. The charges of treason against these minors were shocking in their harshness. Treason, a grave accusation reserved for those who endanger a nation’s stability, was weaponised against children—kids who were strangers to one another, with no understanding of the political weight of their actions.

Seeing the children dragged into a courtroom under such grave accusations is heart-breaking. It evokes disbelief, fear, and deep anger, prompting painful questions: How could the state fail them so profoundly? What kind of society would allow its youth to be subjected to such trauma? This incident exposes how, in some cases, the government prioritizes control over compassion, even if it means breaking the spirit of the innocent. The result is a scar on the nation’s conscience, a painful reminder of the injustices that children are sometimes forced to endure.

In addition to the emotional toll on the children involved, this incident has forced society to confront its failures on a moral level. Nigeria’s criminal justice system allowed these minors to languish in detention for three long months without verifying their ages or giving them a fair trial. Each day spent in confinement stripped them of a piece of their innocence, safety, and hope. Imagine the loneliness, confusion, and fear that these children must have felt, torn from their families and subjected to the cold, intimidating machinery of a justice system that saw them not as children but as threats. For these minors, every passing day was a reminder that they were alone, abandoned by the very system meant to protect them. For those watching, it was a harrowing reflection of a society that had lost sight of its humanity.

In Chapter 2, the Nigerian Constitution outlines the state’s responsibility to protect the dignity, equality, and welfare of its citizens, particularly the young and vulnerable. Yet, in reality, the system falls painfully short. According to UNICEF, over 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, many of whom are forced to fend for themselves on the streets. These numbers evoke not only sorrow but a sense of urgency. The fact that children are denied basic rights to education, healthcare, and protection is a mark of shame that weighs heavily on the conscience of any empathetic society. It begs the question: How can we allow children—our future, our hope—to be so vulnerable and unprotected? And more pointedly, how could our justice system betray them in their hour of need?

Critics may argue that since Chapter 2 rights are non-justiciable, the government technically has no legal obligation to enforce them. Yet this argument only deepens the wound, highlighting the gap between what the law permits, and what our collective conscience demands. These minors, imprisoned and alone, have endured the kind of fear that can scar a person for life. Studies by the Nigerian Psychological Association show that children exposed to prolonged detention often suffer from severe trauma, depression, and anxiety. For these young individuals, the horrors they endured may leave them struggling with emotional scars for years to come. Their innocence, once lost, can never be fully restored, and the memory of these experiences will likely haunt them into adulthood. The country, too, will be haunted by these scars, knowing that it allowed its children to be subjected to such harm.

This case stirs emotions beyond anger and sadness; it raises profound questions about our society’s empathy, accountability, and commitment to its youngest citizens. How can a nation that claims to value its future generation turn a blind eye to their suffering? Nigeria has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children globally—over 20% of children aged 5-11 do not have access to education. These statistics are not mere numbers; they are the faces of real children, each with hopes, dreams, and aspirations that are crushed by systemic failures. When these vulnerable children end up wrongfully detained or abused, it is a failure that reverberates through the entire society, echoing a painful truth about the lack of compassion and justice.

The need for accountability and reform among government officials and law enforcement is urgent and undeniable. The recent #EndSARS protests highlighted this very issue, with the world watching in horror as police and government officials were exposed for their brutal treatment of young Nigerians. The fact that this behaviour continues and that officials are not held accountable for mistreatment and abuse evokes feelings of frustration, helplessness, and even betrayal. When those sworn to protect instead become oppressors, trust in the government’s ability to safeguard its citizens erodes, leaving a society that feels abandoned and vulnerable.

Immediate action is necessary to begin healing from this. First, we must reform Nigeria’s legal system to include specific protections for minors. This means creating laws that prevent children from facing wrongful detention and safeguarding their rights in any legal process. The thought of a child languishing in detention without representation or support is unbearable, and our laws must reflect that. Civil society groups play a critical role here, advocating for children and bringing these issues to light so that change becomes inevitable. Advocacy is not merely about changing laws; it is about instilling a sense of empathy in the public and policymakers, reminding them that each child affected by these failures is an individual deserving of compassion and protection. A legal system built on empathy is not just a dream; it’s a necessity.

Beyond legal reform, empathy training for government officials and law enforcement agents could change how cases involving minors are handled. Studies from Kenya have shown that training police officers in sensitivity and child protection leads to fewer cases of abuse and mistreatment. These are promising signs that change is possible and that we can build a society where officials treat vulnerable individuals with the care they deserve. Such a change, which is within our reach, would not only protect children but also help restore faith in a system that often feels indifferent to the needs of its people.

Societally, we need a shift toward collective responsibility in protecting our vulnerable populations. UNICEF’s work in Nigeria has shown that community programs supporting at-risk children can significantly reduce their exposure to dangerous environments. Community initiatives offer hope, protection, and a sense of belonging, showing these children, they are not alone. Expanding such programs nationwide could serve as a lifeline for many young people, sparing them the pain and isolation of facing life’s hardships alone.

The recent arraignment of minors during the #EndBadGovernance protests is more than just a legal case—it is a human tragedy that confronts us with the harsh realities of our society’s shortcomings. As a nation, Nigeria must grapple with the pain, frustration, and sense of betrayal that this incident has evoked. For the children involved, their experiences will likely remain a dark shadow in their lives, a reminder of how they were let down by the systems that should have protected them. For the rest of society, it should serve as a wake-up call, a painful reminder of the importance of justice, empathy, and compassion.

Most of these vulnerable children are out-of-school children with little or no education and are exposed to being used as tools for political manipulations. It is neither their fault that “Nigeria has happened to them”, and it seems all hope is lost for many of them to use their God-given talents to contribute to Nigeria’s development. Their ordeal is about to change. Dr Tunji Alausa, our new minister of education, has already demonstrated a commitment to vocational education and addressing the needs of out-of-school children. He has laid out intentions to enhance technical college facilities and include vocational skills in the basic school curriculum, focusing on practical training over theoretical courses. These boys can learn a trade or profession and contribute meaningfully to society. It is our collective responsibility to set them on the right path. 

We must not forget this incident; it should fuel a movement for change, pushing Nigeria toward a future where children are seen, heard, and protected. We owe it to these minors, ourselves, and future generations to build a society that values every individual’s dignity, rights, and humanity. Only then can we hope to heal from the scars of this injustice and create a society where all children, regardless of their circumstances, are safe and valued.

The Defence Headquarters, the nation’s military high command, addressed a press conference last week and announced that a new terrorist group has invaded the country from Niger Republic and Mali. Known as ‘Lukarawas’, the group has settled in Sokoto and Kebbi States, creating serious security challenges to the people and the security agencies. The military said the terrorists came after the military coup which toppled the civilian administration in Niger Republic in July, 2023 and that they were able to enter Nigeria due to lack of effective border controls after the July coup. Just last week, Lukarawas killed 15 people in Kebbi and there are reports of attacks on other villages, including imposing financial levies on the communities and stealing food crops and livestock. This has negative impacts on food production. Lukarawas is said to have links with ISWAP (Islamic State – West Africa or Willayat Garb Ifriqiya), the ruthless terrorist group that operate freely in the Sahel region and is responsible for mass killings and devastations in that region. Reports that the group is offering financial incentives to lure young Nigerians in Sokoto State into its fold are particularly jarring.  

According to Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director, Defence Media Operations, who spoke to the journalists, prior to the military takeover in Niger, there were joint border operations between Nigerian army and Nigerien security forces which had kept the terrorists at bay, but with the breakdown of the joint border operations in the aftermath of the coup, the borders have become more porous, less protected and less impregnable to the terrorists. ‘’The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions into remote areas in some Northwestern states to spread their ideology’’, Buba said. This must be a very serious problem for our military which has already been overburdened by over 15 years of fighting Boko Haram and other criminal groups across the country.

But what caused the ‘’gaps in the cooperation between both countries’’ and how does that relate with the need for our president to speak after a long and careful deliberation? In July 2023, a group of military officers overthrew Niger’s democratically elected government, creating shocks, apprehensions and panics across the ECOWAS sub region. President Bola Tinubu had just taken over as the chairman of ECOWAS, and within days, the regional body hurriedly announced a raft of sanctions on Niger, the strictest the bloc has ever imposed on an errant member. They included closure of all borders with Niger; suspension of financial transactions and freezing of the country’s assets. As if these were not enough, ECOWAS went further to issue an ultimatum to the junta to restore constitutional order and reinstate the ousted president, Mohammed Bazoum, within one week or face other measures, including military intervention. President Tinubu made the announcements in his capacity as the new ECOWAS chairman, although he was in office as President for only six weeks. His election as President coincided with Nigeria’s turn to head the body.

Soon after the sanctions were announced, the military leaders of Niger aligned with the three countries that had earlier fallen under military putsch (Mali; Burkina Faso and Guinea) and called off ECOWAS’ bluff by breaking away from the bloc and cutting off all military and diplomatic relations with Nigeria. The juntas vowed to collectively fight whatever military intervention Nigeria and ECOWAS were contemplating. It was an unexpected turn of events for Nigerians who had just been plunged into a serious economic crisis by the new administration. From all walks of life and every corner of the federation, people were quick to advise Tinubu not to go to war with Niger and its allies. Humiliated, Abuja then launched a flurry of diplomatic activities to try to convince the régime in Niamey to release the ousted civilian president who was said to be in house arrest. Nigeria has never been this disgraced.

 Eventually, good sense prevailed; ECOWAS ate its words and Tinubu learned his lessons in Diplomacy 101. There was no military intervention and the juntas are still in power till today. It is the biggest diplomatic embarrassment that we ever suffered since the killing of Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. Obviously, Tinubu was not well briefed on the potential implications and outcomes of the sanctions he announced. He did not even have a cabinet in place and did not even receive some counsel from foreign relations experts in the country before he plunged into the ECOWAS debacle. Even during the presidential campaigns that lasted from early January 2022 till the election in February 2023, foreign policy was not a strong suit of any of the presidential candidates. As a leading candidate, Tinubu had no foreign policy adviser and because he did not even give press interviews or appear for presidential debates, very little or nothing was known of his strength in foreign affairs. And so, when he emerged as ECOWAS chairman, it was clear that he was not prepared for the diplomatic challenges ahead.

 The break-up of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger Republic due to the hasty announcement of sanctions by President Tinubu last year has now led to the incursions of new terrorist groups into the country. This is why it is important for leaders to be deliberate, careful and calculated before they make pronouncements. A president’s words are powerful and they matter. As Benjamin Disraeli, former UK Prime Minister (1804 – 1881), said ‘’with words, we govern men’’, a leader should talk with dignity, charisma, self-respect and respect for his audience. Rushing to impose sanctions on a new military régime in Niger and threatening military reprisal against the junta was an act of recklessness for which we are now paying with open borders and terrorist invasions. A month after Muhammadu Buhari took office in May 2015, he went on a visit to Niger, Chad and Mali, discussed bilateral cooperation and cemented military collaboration and border security with them. That helped a lot.

We have to do everything to prevent Lukarawas from becoming another Boko Haram - in size and the magnitude of destruction they inflict on Nigerians - , and as a first step, Tinubu should re engage with the Nigerien authorities and restore military cooperation and border control with them. I’m surprised that President Tinubu was quick to travel out to Saudi Arabia this weekend to work with Arab leaders to resolve the Israeli-Gaza conflict, instead of working with other ECOWAS leaders to reach out to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to resolve this security situation in our country. Talk of wrong priorities!

“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]