As bankers begin from tomorrow to strategise on how to meet the new capital structure prescribed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on the eve of the Easter holiday, feelers from stakeholders in the nation’s financial sector point to huge discomfort with certain provisions of the new policy.

Financial Vanguard findings show that the policy effectively excluded banks’ retained earnings, amounting to about N3.85 trillion, from the composition of minimum capital requirements. Consequently, this has generated controversy among banking and investment analysts.

While announcing the new minimum requirement for banks, the CBN in a statement, last Thursday, said, “The minimum capital shall comprise paid-up capital and share premium only”, thus excluding retained income (earnins) and other components of banks’ shareholders funds and making it difficult for most banks to meet the requirment.

While the Paid-up capital is the nominal value of shares issued by bank (mostly pegged at 5 kobo per share) and paid for by shareholders, the Share Premium is the difference between what the shareholders paid for each share and the nominal value of each share.

However, the retained income of banks is profit which was not distributed to shareholders. Vanguard findings show that the top five banks and bank holding companies, have retained incomes of N3.39 trillion, which represents 88 per cent of the combined retained income of the top ten banks. Based on their latest financial statements, the retained income of the top banks are: Zenith Bank with N893.9 billion; UBA, N750 billion; Access Corporation, parent company of Access Bank, N715.13 billion; and FBN Holdings, parent company of FirstBank, N608 billion. If the new policy had not excluded retained earnings, these four banks would have been sitting comfortably above the policy threshold, while GTHoldco, the parent company of GTBank, at N424 billion, would also be on the verge of meeting the threshold. Other banks with significantly high retained earnings are Union Bank, N147.88 billion; Fidelity Bank, N115.8 billion; and FCMB Group, owners of First City Monument Bank with N110.1 billion. Faulting the decision of the CBN to exclude the huge retained income of banks from the minimum capital requirements, a Chartered Accountant and the Managing Partner of Ecovs OUC Nigeria, Andrew Uviase, said: “I don’t think it is fair because if someone have money and he is not using it, then why will you prevent the person from using it, the retained earnings to meet arising obligation?. It is not fair.

“Except it is any other reserve that is not born out of trading activities like if you are talking about revaluation reserves or any other artificial reserve. But if it is retained earnings that somebody earned, would the banks have been better off spending that money and bringing it back. Because you have the right to capitalise retained earnings by issuing bonus shares, you can use it for so many things. “If the banks feel so strongly about it, they should pay out the retained earnings and reinvest it. ‘’You pay out the dividend with the understanding among the major shareholders that if you get this money you are going to reinvest it. You deplete your retained earnings and enhance your capital.” Making the same suggestion, investment banker and a stockbroker, Tajudeen Olayinka, said: “ We still have to await further clarifications on this issue. Except it is completely forbidden by the circular or by any other directive of CBN, a bank can still follow the route of issuing stock dividend at market to pay for rights from its current earnings. “This settles the CBN’s focus on paid-up and share premium conditions.

The company maintains its current valuation but would have its earnings diluted, as more shares are now issued against current valuation. “However, a combination of stock dividend and share reconstruction could settle the potential earnings dilution if done simultaneously. Now, if CBN says no to this route, it follows therefore, that the intention is more economic than a mere fresh capital raising.

In line with Basel III

However, a former Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, said the exclusion of the banks’ retained income from the minimum capital requirement is in line with global best practices based on the requirement of the Basel III international standard for banking regulation.

The former director also averred that the CBN should not allow banks use their retained income in any way to comply with the new minimum capital requirement stressing this will compromise the recapitalisation exercise. Speaking anonymously to Financial Vanguard, the CBN former director highlighted major reasons for the exclusion of retained incomes. “The first is for risk assessment. The CBN aims to ensure that banks have a robust capital base to absorb potential losses and avoid systemic shocks. “By excluding retained earnings, which can be volatile due to business cycles and other factors (such as profits that may arise from Exchange Rate Gains and can also be affected greatly by exchange losses), the focus remains on more stable core capital components, which are Paid up Capital and Share Premium. ‘’The second reason is to ensure quality of banks’ capital. “Retained earnings represent accumulated profits over time.

However, their quality may vary. Some retained earnings might be tied to risky assets or speculative ventures or volatile exchange gains. ‘’By excluding them, the CBN emphasizes higherquality capital components and ensures a level playing field for all banks. ‘’Furthermore, the Core Capital can also more easily be compared to those of foreign banks. “Another reason is for transparency and comparability. Excluding retained earnings simplifies capital calculations and enhances transparency. It ensures consistency across banks and facilitates meaningful comparisons. “Finally is the need for the CBN to align with Basel III standards. The CBN’s guidelines align with international standards (Basel III). These standards emphasize core capital elements (such as paid-up capital and share premium) to enhance financial stability. ‘’Hence the minimum capital base for banks operating in Nigeria will now be Paid-up capital plus share premium.” Also taking side with the decision of the CBN to exclude banks’ retained income, a Communications/ Economy analyst, Clifford Egbomeade stressing that the decision of the CBN will ensure a more accurate assessment of banks’ financial positions. He said: “With the separation of the new capital base from shareholders’ funds and focusing solely on share capital and share premium, the CBN aims to streamline financial reporting and ensure a more accurate assessment of banks’ financial positions.”

Recapitalisation positive for economy

Meanwhile, investment analysts have said the banking recapitalisation will impact positively on the economy, especially in terms of enhancing foreign investment into the country, boosting Naira appreciation, while also prompting mergers and acquisition as well as attracting more pension funds into equity investment. Nnamdi Nwizu, Co- Founder of Commercio Partners, an investment bank, said: “It looks like the whole idea is to ensure fresh capital injection. I think the economy is well positioned to fund the needs. It’s time we see the Pension Funds allocate more capital to equities. We also expect to see a lot of foreign portfolio investors, FPI’s coming to invest in the banks.

“I expect to see M&As, either the smaller banks coming together or bigger banks acquiring those smaller ones. It is almost inevitable.” Also projecting increased foreign investment, Group Head, Global Markets at Parthian Partners, Ronke Akinyemi, said: “The new bank recapitalization requirements by the CBN is a step in the right direction as it will eventually result in a more robust financial system. “Though steep, we believe the time frame given will allow room for the current banks to meet the requirements before the deadline. “Ultimately, we envision that this new recapitalization requirement will result in increased foreign direct investments which will in turn help to stabilize the naira. “Thus, we expect to see rounds of capital raises, especially, with the restrictions of the capital requirement to share capital and share premium. “In addition, we envisage that there will be mergers between tier 1&2 banks and also among tier 2 banks to meet these new requirements.” In the same vein, the immediate past President Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Olatunde Amolegbe, said , “As it were limiting it to just share capital and share premium means most of the tier 1 and 2 banks will be short of minimum capital requirements by an average of 45% and will need to raise fresh capital or downgrade to lower licensing levels. An estimate says that if all the banks were to meet the requirements then they will need to raise an aggregate of about N2t within the next two years.

”While I believe our market has the capacity to provide this capital whether some of the banks on a standalone basis makes sound investments is a different matter entirely. I suspect we are likely to see some mergers amongst the tier 3 banks particularly.” Emphasizing the need for the banks sto start shopping for foreign investors with deep pockets, Uviase, Managing Partner of Ecovis OUC in his recommendations to the banks, said: “There is a time frame for meeting the new minimum share capital. It is not overnight. You have to start the process now, start early enough. “You can start looking for investors, you can start looking for people who will do business with you and have the same thinking with you.

“The immediate thing is you have to enhance the ownership structure, so that it is no longer owned by one or two persons. “You have to also look for international investors, people who have the deep pocket to bring in foreign currency so that when you convert, you will have enough money. “And then they also have to begin to look at how they can enhance their public image and investors’ confidence so that people can be willing to invest. “And then they also have the option of the ones who can stand on their own to come together. That will trigger another round of mergers and acquisition among the small banks.’’

[Vanguard]

David Umahi, minister of works, says President Bola Tinubu will govern the country for eight years.

Umahi spoke when he appeared on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme.

The former governor of Ebonyi state said Tinubu’s presidential election victory in 2023 was “divine”.

He said the president is working hard to right the wrongs of the past and hand the country back to the citizens.

“You called me a pastor but I am also a prophet and you must know the coming of Mr President is divine and when God starts a thing he completes it,” the minister said.

“I strongly believe and I am persuaded to let you know that God told me that this administration will last eight years because this administration is born of God and you can see the miracles that Mr President is doing to right all the wrongs.

“He is giving back this country to Nigerians and that is simply what Mr President has come to do. We are just there to support him.”

He also said some national assembly members are “very” critical of concrete technology proposed for some road projects across the country.

“On the technology of concrete (for roads), I am very happy that the national assembly members — some of them are very critical of the technology of concrete,” he said.

[TheCable]

“Some judges have achieved a considerable degree of expertise….in displaying an immunity from contemporary knowledge and concerns.”–  David Pannick, KC, Judges, p. 32 (1987)

Emmanuel Araka was 60 years old when Allison Madueke, then over 20 years his junior, a Navy Captain and military governor of Anambra State, terminated his judicial career in March 1985. At the time, Araka had been the Chief Judge of Anambra State for six years and a judge for double that. At the time also, the retirement age of judges in Nigeria was 65.

Araka’s crime was that he took the job of the judge too seriously and believed that a judge should be manifestly independent of political and executive influence. 

 Araka was born in 1925 to a father from Onitsha who worked as head-teacher in a primary school in Agbor in present day Delta State, where he was born. His secondary education took him through Hope Waddell Institute in Calabar, now in Cross-River State, where one of his teachers was Eni Njoku (the famous “Teacher Nwanjoku”), who was to become the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos. 

 Following successful studies at the Trinity College, Dublin, Araka was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1951. Over the next two decades, he built a formidable career in private practice and in politics. Twelve years after becoming a lawyer, in 1963, he became Queens Counsel, the equivalent of today’s Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. 

  Two years before that, in 1961, Chike Obi, who represented Onitsha Federal Constituency in the then House of Representatives, had to quit parliament after being convicted of the political crime of sedition. In his place, Onitsha people elected Araka to represent them in the Federal House. 

 The onset of military rule in 1966 interfered with Araka’s career in politics but did not entirely derail his availability for public service. At the end of the civil war, he returned to legal practice but not for long. 

  In 1972, Administrator of the East Central State, Dr. Ukpabi Asika, appointed Araka a judge of the High Court. When in 1976, the East Central State was split into Imo and Anambra states, Araka naturally became a judge in his home state, Anambra. Two years later, in 1978, Anthony Aniagolu, the first Chief Judge of Anambra State was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court and Araka succeeded him in office, becoming the second Chief Judge of the State. 

 Around the time of Araka’s appointment as a judge in East Central State, something happened over in Lagos State which made an impression on many judges and judicial wannabes. The then military governor of Lagos State, Mobolaji Johnson, had extended an invitation to the Chief Justice of the State (as they were then known), John Idowu Conrad, JIC, Taylor, to attend a state dinner. It was reported that Chief Justice Taylor, “after reading it, endorsed a brief note to the governor at the back of the invitation card, informing him that he would be unable to attend, because the Lagos State government had several cases pending before him and it would therefore, in the circumstances, be most inappropriate for him to honour the invitation.” 

  In doing so, JIC Taylor didn’t just underscore the institutional value of judicial independence, he also underlined its reliance in large measure on the moral fibre of the individual judge.

 This was the state of affairs when Araka arrived the Bench. Fourteen years later, Allison Madueke, a member of the First Regular Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy, arrived as military governor in 1984 with no hint of having received the memo. Having settled in, the military governor summoned the Chief Judge to a meeting in the government house in Enugu. Araka, demurred. Madueke later complained in his memoirs that he “had not reckoned that I was dealing with a law administrator that had a mind of his own”. 

  That was Araka’s crime. The invitation was renewed unsuccessfully twice, whereupon Captain Madueke “applied for his retirement”. Madueke narrates that he later met the then second-in-command to General Muhammadu Buhari, General Tunde Idiagbon, while the latter was on an official visit to Owerri and secured Idiagbon’s authorisation to terminate Araka’s judicial career for being independent. In March 1985, Madueke fired Araka.

 Madueke, who has just turned 80, whoops that this was “something of an earthquake in Anambra State”. It was more than that in the judiciary, where it established a norm that independence was costly. Judges re-calibrated. 

Today, cavorting with the executive has become a judicial past-time. In his controversial memoirs,  The Accidental Public Servant, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nasir el-Rufai, recalls that one of his first moves in that role was to visit the then Chief Judge of the Territory to secure the support of the judiciary. He exulted that thereafter, “the FCT judiciary supported us strongly throughout my tenure”. 

 In November 2023, the current Chief Judge of the FCT, Husseini Baba Yusuf, went one step further, corralling the FCT judiciary to visit the current Minister of the Territory, Nyesom Wike, to pledge judicial allegiance to his rule. There, the Chief Judge promenaded somewhat naked before the Minister, pleading that “[a]s a judiciary, we are part of the government and we should be able to do things that will make govt work.” 

Three months later, the list of new nominees to the bench of the FCT High Court included an in-law of the Minister, Lesley Nkesi Wike, who only became a Senior Magistrate in Rivers State in 2023, appointed by the Minister when he was Governor of Rivers State. 

One year earlier, in November 2022, Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, had kicked up a firestorm when he travelled to Port Harcourt and at a reception hosted by the same Nyesom Wike who was then the Governor of River State, stepped into the political minefield to offer judicial support to Wike and four other governors who were at odds with their political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Chief Justice, a devout Muslim, was not under the influence of anything that he should not have consumed but, despite the febrile political season, many were willing to give him benefit of the doubt.

This past week, Chief Justice Ariwoola bettered himself. Under the guise of the traditions of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan, he led the Nigerian judiciary supposedly to break the fast with the president. The team accompanying the Chief Justice included two of his immediate predecessors, each of whom left office under a cloud. Walter Onnoghen, one of the two, is Christian.

No one had ostensibly warned the Chief Justice about the perils of turning into a prayer warrior for politicians. At the visit, the Chief Justice took the microphone and under the guise of prayers offered to the president intoned: “May the Lord continue to bless you and your administration. Let your ship land and berth beautifully. We shall continue to pray for your administration because there are many good things in the pipeline for Nigerians.” 

It is possible that Olukayode Ariwoola has always had a secret career as a clairvoyant which would equip him to know what will happen in future. What is clear is that after these lines, few people can approach the court that he presides over with any expectation of even handedness in any case in which the administration is party.

 Lawyers and judges speak glibly about judicial independence, often treating it as something material, guaranteed by constitutional provisions and by large swathes of money. It is, of course, important that judges are provided for so that they have no excuses to fall prey to bribery or material importuning. Official emoluments are usually not enough competition, however, for the kinds of blandishments that can be deployed in pursuit of the favours of a senior judge. 

  For that reason, the job requires a lot of skill, patience, and balance. But more than any other thing, it requires persons willing to defend independence. Of all the many virtues that he surely must possess, being an Araka is not a charge that can be levied against the current occupant of the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

When I convened my inaugural meeting with the lawyers at the Ministry of Justice after my inauguration, I passionately discussed numerous visionary ideas, including a reformative agenda to propel the ministry forward. 

One of the proposals I ardently advocated for was the mandatory court appearance of all lawyers who have been called to the bar, regardless of their department. It came to my attention that while all lawyers in the ministry received an allowance for their legal robes, only those in the Department of Civil Litigation and the Department of Public Prosecutions were actively involved in courtroom proceedings. I emphasized that this innovative approach would effectively equip lawyers for courtroom practice at all times.

Furthermore, I expressed my sincere preference for the esteemed title of "State Attorney" over the more commonly used designation of "State Counsel." I proposed that we embrace the title of "State Attorney" to better align with my personal inclination, stemming from my career's start as a Federal Attorney at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja under Chief Bola Ige, SAN, former Attorney General of the Federation.

During the weekend, I came across a photograph capturing a moment when I warmly shook hands with one of the Chief Campaigners of His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. Notably, the background of the photo featured a banner extending congratulations to me as the newly appointed Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State. 

Regrettably, an error was made in the caption, mistakenly referring to me as "Anthony General" instead of "Attorney General."

The misguided use of the name "Anthony" on the banner sparked discussions regarding the photo. However, it is important for me to clarify that at the time the picture was taken, I commended the individual presenting the banner, the Convener of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers, Hon. Dipo Okeyomi, also known as Carry-Go, in the presence of other party stalwarts for accurately capturing the title. This is significant, as many individuals often mistakenly refer to the title as "Commissioner of Justice" rather than "Commissioner for Justice." Additionally, I took the opportunity to highlight that apart from being a Commissioner for Justice, I hold the honourable position of Attorney General, which unfortunately was not mentioned on the banner. 

Consequently, I am now concerned about the existence of another version of the picture circulating, where the name "Anthony General" in black colour has been added to generate content and create a dramatic impact.

While it is commonly said that all is fair in politics, I firmly believe that this particular game has been taken too far. Such insinuations should not be made, as they are detrimental in every aspect.

Beyond the aforementioned incident, I have recently observed with deep regret how political rivalries have driven many individuals to engage in various acts with potential criminal liabilities. I earnestly pray that such actions cease immediately.

- Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has urged Christians to see the Easter victory of Jesus Christ over death as a huge motivation that a new Nigeria is possible. 

Obi said that it is also a strong indication that Nigerians will surmount the existing hardship and sing the great alleluia in the end. 

Writing on his X handle, the former Anambra state Governor of Anambra state said, "I join the global community of Christians, especially Christians in Nigeria, in celebrating Easter - the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"This great occasion brings to an end, the Christian Lenten season of fasting, prayers, and almsgiving, and ushers us into the season of glory and victory over death.

"For us in Nigeria, this very significant celebration holds vital promises of victory over our present myriads of challenges, if we do not despair.

"Our dear nation has continued to stagger under the heavy weight of high insecurity, soaring hunger and poverty, ballooning debts, galloping inflation, and mindless corruption that has pervaded every part of our national existence.

"Just as Our Lord Jesus, who made very painful sacrifices for the salvation of the world, which today we celebrate His glorious resurrection, we all must continue to labour, in unity, for the good of our nation, knowing that our labours will not be in vain.

"I, therefore, call on all Christians, in the spirit of Easter, to continue to pray for God's intervention in our dear nation, so that even as we labour, as humans, for the sake of our nation, God will crown our efforts with success, and make the New Nigeria even more possible, beyond our human efforts.

"I wish everyone a very Happy Easter celebration.

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.     Rev 1:18

    The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gave us total victory! Yes, complete victory over sin, self and Satan. You must know and appropriate this in your life and circumstances, everyday. Yes, we have already won this battle even before it started.  Our LORD is perfectly, always in control! The right understanding of Jesus’ authority over the affairs of all creation will always enhance our relationship with him, and also inspire our confidence in his words. The God we are serving is the creator of all things; both living and non-living. Everything exists by him and through him. He made all things and is always in perfect control of the whole universe – the heavens, the earth, the waters, humans, spirits, plants, animals, events. Everything! Nothing can exist or function without him. He is God that came in flesh.  Hope you saw this in the first chapter of the gospel of John? Narrowing this down to ourselves, God brought us into existence. He has his master plans for our life and he is ever-willing and capable of bringing to pass all his purposes for our life. He is in control!

Alpha And Omega

Foundation member of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has dismissed the recent calls for merger to oust the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was hyped recently by Dr Pat Utomi and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who commented on the recent presidential election in Senegal as lacking in proper contextual foundation.

Recall that there has been strident calls for merger, by Dr Pat Utomi and host of others which was hyped by the former vice president, while congratulating Bassirou Faye, Senegalese President-elect, he noted that “last Saturday’s election in Senegal follows the trend of that in Nigeria in 2015 that the opposition can indeed be victorious in an election conducted by the ruling party.
“And for the opposition parties, the lessons are in agreement with my persistent call for our opposition parties to forge a coalition that is formidable enough to oust the ruling party if the salvaging of Nigeria is to stand any chance.”

But, Okechukwu, who was a member of the merger committee that midwifed APC into a formidable opposition, said there are many reasons to outrightly dismiss these calls and the erroneous premises on which they were anchored.

“First of all, on the possibility that the persistent call for opposition political parties to forge a formidable coalition to oust the APC like the PDP was defeated in 2015, Okechukwu said circumstances on the ground differ remarkably.
“Secondly, dethroning an incumbent President should not be a political pastime, but as a practical political consciousness to remove an underperforming administration. Tinubu sure, steady and more allocations to state governments.” Okechukwu stated.

He explained that the difference in socio-economic situation of Nigeria between 2015 and 2024 is clear, stressing that while in 2015, Nigeria lost focus, today, in spite of the socio-economic hardship, both the international and local communities agree that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has courage, vision and focus.

  Okechukwu stated: “Yes, my understanding is that Atiku was referring to the current socio-economic hardship, but the truth is that whether you like it or not President Tinubu has focus. In 2015, under President Goodluck Jonathan, there was little or no hope.
  “Luckily, Mr President has with his economic reforms, won the confidence of the international community. All he needs is to domesticate his economic programme to benefit the greatest number of Nigerians.”

On the possibility that the persistent calls for merger hyped by Atiku for opposition political parties to forge a formidable coalition to oust the APC like the PDP was defeated in 2015, Okechukwu said circumstances on the ground make that a hectic tall order.

He noted that although as a political scientist, he believes that formidable opposition coalition is healthy tonic for Nigeria’s democracy, however it is incumbent on Atiku, Utomi and co-travellers to convince Nigerians on which economic philosophy the coalition would be anchored upon.  
“Nigerians know that all the leading presidential candidates in 2023 were all neo-liberals. For instance, like Tinubu, Atiku and Obi agreed to remove fuel subsidy and to harmonise the foreign exchange rate.   “Since they all belong to the neo-liberal school of thought and are capitalists, they better support Mr President, because the success of Tinubu’s economic reforms is better for such students more than those of us who subscribe to the belief that government has business in our welfare.”  

Okechukwu however contended that in the face of the current excruciating economic hardship driving majority of Nigerians into abject poverty, even Mr President appreciates the suffering, but assured that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

He remarked: “There are two things going positively for President Tinubu. One is that the buy-in of the international community is high, which means that foreign direct investment which propels prosperity is guaranteed in the course of time.
  “Secondly, unlike President Muhammadu Buhari, whose rising tide of expectations was high at inception on issues like anti-graft war and economic empowerment, that of Tinubu is starkly low. This is to say that not much was expected from President Tinubu from the onset. The bottom-line is that he will garner local buy-in with time instead of declining expectations.”

   Okechukwu reminded merger canvassers to study the large-hearted political engineering that enabled opposition to take over in Senegal, recalling how in 2014, Ousmane Sonko invited his friend and fellow tax collector, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and other emergent political actors to form a political party, PASTEF (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity).

Okechukwu noted that PASTEF or Patriots of Senegal, which was led by Sonko was dominated by young Senegalese with Faye serving as the Secretary General while Sonko was the leader.
   He stated: “I want to inform the former Vice President that in 2017, although PASTEF only secured only one seat out of 165 in the Legislative election, in 2019, Sonko contested as the Presidential candidate, while Faye was his campaign manager.
“Then, three years later, PASTEF garnered 56 out of the 165 seats contested at the National Assembly election. The 2022 election showed that Sonko has emerged as a strong contender for the 2024 Presidential poll.
“Sonko and Faye were jailed and released by President Macky Sall less than 12 days to the election, Sanko endorsed Faye as his presidential candidate and Senegalese people joined to elect him as President.”

Okechukwu said he decided to tell the long story so as to convince Atiku, Utomi and Co, who were with us during the APC’s merger in 2013 that the formation of broad-based political coalition is not a hundred metres dash neither can it be pulled off by leaders that insist on being on the ballot.
“Finally, unlike Sonko, who yielded space for Faye to take the Presidential ticket, Atiku’s breach of the rotation convention and blatant refusal to back either younger Peter Obi or Nyesom Wike; hence contested against the Southern Presidential aspirants in the 2023 poll showed that he cannot walk the talk of building strong coalition.

1: I send hearty Easter greetings to all Nigerians. I am sure that many Nigerians are already used to the fact that during the annual celebration of the two most important events in the Christian calendar – Christmas and Easter – I have the practice of writing a national Message in which I reflect on the meaning of the Christ-event for us as a People and Nation. While I am aware that many people look forward to reading my Messages every year, as I have done over the past many years, there are those, I believe, who must be wondering what Bishop Kukah is going to say again, or whether he is not tired of speaking with Buhari now gone. My messages will continue for some time and have nothing to do with whoever is in power.

Every religious leader has an obligation to deliver these Messages to his people. In doing this, I am only joining my voice with that of thousands of Priests and Bishops here and elsewhere.
I know there are many who think that when I speak, I am attacking government or that I am taking sides with some imaginary opposition. Unfortunately, people erroneously believe that God and Caesar do not mix. The truth is that, God is the Creator of All, including Caesar! Caesar’s obligation is to be inspired by the way and will of God and govern according to His will. When those who govern seek the will of God, public service becomes a call to use the resources of state for the good of all.

In keeping with my discipline as a priest of the Catholic Church, I do not carry the partisan flag of any political party or hold brief for or against one set of politicians or another. What I try to do is to highlight the issues facing us as a Nation, provide moral clarity, and offer some policy options from where I stand. From where I stand, I often see missed opportunities, wrong turns likely to lead to cul-de-sacs. I try to differentiate between mistakes of the head and those of the heart. Often, our destination may be the same, but the routes often differ and what I believe I should do in conscience is offer perspectives. I allow for the fact that of course, I could be wrong, but then, Democracy is about letting our voices be heard. While those in power and politicians talk to the people, as a priest, I talk with the people. But when our voices and views are taken together, we can compose a beautiful melody for a united nation. In this way, government’s vision and policy become our vision and policy, thus creating a common threshold of trust. In keeping with the exhortation of St. Paul, we must preach this Gospel, welcome or unwelcome. So, fellow citizens, a very happy Easter to you all.

The great Bishop Fulton Sheen, in his timeless book, Life of Christ, stated that: There are only two philosophies of life. One is the feast and then the hangover, the other, the fast and then the feast. Deferred joys purchased by sacrifices are always the sweetest and most enduring. Against this backdrop, it is easy to see why the Nigerian dream has turned into a nightmare over the years. Our leaders chose the feast rather than the fast. We are today reaping what we sowed yesterday. For over sixty years, our leaders have looked like men in a drunken stupor, staggering, stumbling and fumbling, slurring in speech, with blurred visions searching for the way home. The corruption of the years of a life of immoral and sordid debauchery have spread like a cancer destroying all our vital organs. The result is a state of a hangover that has left our nation comatose. Notwithstanding, Easter is a time to further reflect on the road not taken. It is a time to see if this Golgotha of pain can lead us to the new dawn of the Resurrection. Nigeria can and Nigeria will be great again. Let us ride this tide together in hope.

Many Nigerians are wondering and asking questions such as, what time of day is it? Where are we? How did we get here? Where is here? Where are we going? How long do we still have to travel and are there any map readers to tell us if we are on the right path? Neither I nor anyone can answer all these questions, but together, we can think through them. Let us not all pretend to be ignorant. It is not so much who knows what. It is rather a matter of accepting the challenges, having the honesty to ask the most difficult questions, and holding each other accountable. In this way, the road may be long, but it will be easier to travel together in faith and confidence.

Even though it is not daybreak yet, all of us must agree that the night is far gone. The only reason why I am confident that daybreak may not be too far away is because of my faith in God and the power of the risen Christ. There could not be a better metaphor for addressing the situation we are in now than to turn our attention to the meaning of Easter and the promises that are contained in the meaning of Christianity. St. Paul said: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (Rom.13:12). With the risen Christ, we can dispel encircling clouds of doom.

The belief in the resurrection is what sets Christianity apart from other world religions. It was inconceivable, unfathomable, indescribable, preposterous and incomprehensible. How could a dead man rise from the dead? Unfortunately for us, those soldiers who had been stationed at the tomb, men whose careers and life depended on carrying out the task of guarding the tomb confessed that they were like dead men because, at the resurrection, His appearance was like lightening and clothes were as white as snow (Mt. 28:3). The accusers of Jesus and his enemies, rather than seeking trial for them for their negligence became fraudulent conspirators. We hear that: The chief priests met with the elders and gave large sums of money to the soldiers and said, you are to say that the disciples came at night and stole the body while we were asleep (Mt. 28:12-13).

The resurrection confirmed that indeed, Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ promised by the prophets for hundreds of years. The event of the resurrection split human history, becoming the marker of time and events. Everything else in human history from took place either before Christ (BC) or after Christ (AD). Consider the following: His birth announced peace to ALL men and women of good will (Lk. 2:14). Salvation is to be found only through him alone. In all the world, there is no other name through which salvation is given (Acts 4:12). It is the reason why at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and all proclaim that Jesus is Lord (Phil. 2:10). If we Christians take the resurrection of Jesus to heart, then we will appreciate that suffering is a prelude to a better and more rewarding life. It might be argued that Nigerians have suffered enough. True, but the good life is a shifting aspiration with no
ercede to enable Nigeria rise again. Amen.
finishing post. The important thing is to make it feasible for every generation to pursue happiness with less stress. We Christians still face the challenge of following Jesus truly.

Millions of people say that they believe in Jesus. Merely calling Jesus Lord is not enough because Jesus said; Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 7:21). Millions of people believe in Jesus, but this is not enough because their perception of Jesus is often flawed. There are those who call him one of the prophets of God. Some call him a good man. Others think He was a teacher who worked miracles and of course, the Jews who considered him a blasphemer because of His claims to being God. However, what people believe about my father is not important. It is what I know about my father that is important. As such, too many Christians are often misled by the perceptions of others who say they believe in Jesus but are not Christians. It is the resurrection that confirmed Jesus as being the Christ, the son of God. Jesus is not the Son of God in a biological sense, but is so in the incarnation, that is, God taking the human form without sin. Had he not risen, he would have been Jesus, a good man who perhaps lived and preached in a particular period of time. The world would have since forgotten of him or remembered him like other good men.

The coming of Jesus was foretold by prophets over seven hundred years before He came. The world expected Him. The only challenge was no one knew when it would be. His place of birth (Bethlehem), circumstances of birth (by a virgin) were foretold. The lord himself will give you a sign, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, his name shall be Emmanuel (Is. 7:14). The Lord says, Bethlehem, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you will come a ruler of Israel (Mic. 5: 1-2). The whole of the book of Isaiah chapter 53 gives a detailed account of the sufferings that would be endured by the Messiah. He is like a lamb led to the slaughter, never uttering a word. He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die and no one cared about his fate…He was placed in a grave with the wicked…the Lord says, it was my will that he should suffer, his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness (Is. 53: 7-10). These prophesies were his letter of credence, the proof of the claims that had been made.

Against this backdrop, the early Christians faced a dilemma. Jesus, their Master had died the painful and horrible death meant for criminals. Against the run of play, He had risen indeed as He and the prophets before Him had said He would. The event generates controversies. His bedraggled apostles were still reeling from it all when Jesus says they are to proclaim His message to the whole world (Mt. 28:15). They have neither a headquarters nor do they even have a start-up capital. Jesus tells them to simply depend on the good will of people, but merely eating whatever is set before them (Lk. 10: 8). Their only currency of exchange is faith and peace. Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house’ (Lk. 10:5).

Preaching the resurrected Christ is not merely a statement of a historical fact that has become associated with the Easter celebrations. Easter is about coming to the terms with the complex reality that; God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts (Is. 55:8). Preaching and bearing witness to the resurrection came with a heavy price for the early Church. The apostles were imprisoned, tortured, flogged, humiliated and killed. As far as confronting the throne of power is concerned, as far as challenging the structures of injustice and abuse of power are concerned, nothing has changed. Today’s Pilate is still firmly on his throne of arrogance, hubris and egotism. The persecution of Christians is still rife all over the world. Much as we try to pretend, persecution is rife in our country through brutal and subtle means whether by outright denials of basic rights or threats and blackmail. In all this, we cling to the words of the great song, Onward Christian soldiers which says, Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane, but the Church of Jesus constant will remain. Those who preach a discounted Christianity, focusing on quick solutions, miracles, drama and theatre, claiming that we were not born to suffer, suggesting that we were destined for prosperity, must choose between their cross-less Christianity and a Christ-less cross of human suffering which tyrants often afflict their people. Both have no salvific value.

Today, things are hard. Really very hard in Nigeria. I see it on the faces of our people every day. We are in one of the most difficult phases of our national life. But we are not alone. However, I am optimistic that our country will heal from the scars of hunger and destitution, that the wounds of physical and psychological violence will heal. But first, we Christians must wake up to our duties and responsibilities of what it is to be Christian as an individual, a family, a community or in public life. There are tough times ahead. Politics alone will not change the fate of our country, neither will all the right economic policies or positive ratings by the world’s agencies. We need to do more. Nigeria has lost its soul and the evidence lies before us all. The mindless corruption and debauchery in high places is merely a symptom of a deeper rot. It is not the real disease. We must recover our lost soul. Christians cannot discount our high moral values simply because, this is Nigeria and, things are hard or everyone is doing this or that. With nothing but the moral force of faith in the risen Jesus, 11 semi-illiterate men, pursued by the roman authorities, finally converted the empire itself. If you doubt the force of true believers, think again. Not by power nor by might, but by my spirit, the Lord says.

The evil that we see around us is a consequence not a cause. We have relied on tools of social sciences to create all kinds of doomsday scenarios about the impending end of Nigeria. In the 90s, the pessimists told us that we were on the road to Rwanda. Time passed and we never got to Rwanda. Then the experts wrote so many opinion and editorial articles claiming that rather than Rwanda, we were heading for Somalia. We have arrived at none of these destinations not due to poor map reading but due to superficial and scaremongering reading of history and analysis of social dynamics of society. Faith renews a people and a nation. St Paul said it all: To have faith is to be sure of the things that we hope for, to be certain about the things we cannot see……No one can please God without faith (Heb. 11: 1, 6). I leave you with four points to ponder on.

First, the federal government must come up with a robust template for how it wishes to reverse and put us on a path of national healing. This must include a deliberate policy of inclusion that will drastically end the immoral culture of nepotism. The government must design a more comprehensive and wide-ranging method of recruitment that is transparent as a means of generating patriotism and reversing the ugly face of feudalism and prebendalism.
There is need for a clear communications strategy that will serve to inspire and create time-lines of expectations of results from policies. There is need for clarity over questions of the Who, What, When, and How national set goals are to be attained and who can be held accountable. This will take us away from the current Communications-by-announcement-of-appointments policies as if this is all that government is doing.

Second, the notion of rejigging the security architecture is a hackneyed cliché that is now at best, an oxymoron. It is difficult to fathom our current situation regarding the ubiquity of the military in our national life. It is impossible to explain how we can say we are in a civilian Democracy with the military literally looking like an army of occupation with an octopussean spread across all the 36 states and Abuja. This has very serious consequences both for its professionalism, its integrity and perceived role in protecting society. No other person than the immediate past Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor who recently referred to the military as facing the dilemma of what he called, see finish. It is now difficult to say whether the persistence of insecurity is a cause or a consequence of military ubiquity. Trillions of Naira continue to go into bottomless pits with little measurable benefits. Our military’s professionalism cannot be diluted by the recruitment of hunters, vigilante groups and other unprofessional and untrained groups. This is not sustainable because it leaves the military open to ridicule and perceptions of surrender. Fighting insecurity is now an enterprise. I believe our security men and women can defeat these criminals in a matter of months. All we hear and see are fingers pointing to the top. No, this must end. The alternative is too frightening to contemplate. The time was yesterday, but today is still possible.

Third, it is cheering to hear that the President has announced that kidnapping and banditry are now to be treated as acts of terrorism. If so, we need to see a relentless and implacable plan to end this menace with a definite date line for bringing these terrorists to their knees, no matter what it will take. Without a timeline for eliminating these evil, despicable, malevolent and execrable demons from among us, our future as a people will be imperiled. I commend the government over its promise to stop paying ransom to bandits and kidnappers. However, merely going to the forest and returning with victims leaves the government open to suspicion from citizens. The government needs to show results of a well co-ordinated plan and time lines to bring back all citizens in captivity and give us back our country.

Fourth, I encourage the President to continue on the path of probity, to take further steps to cut down the overbearing costs of governance and to put in place more comprehensive plans towards achieving both food and physical security across our nation. Merely distributing money through already corruption riddled structures is not enough and diminishes the dignity of our citizens. No one needs to line up to receive aid when we are not in a war. Give our people back their farms and develop a comprehensive agricultural plan to put our country back on the path of honour and human dignity. May our blessed Mother who stood by the cross of Her son, watched Him die and laid to rest and rejoiced to see Him rise, intercede for our dear country. Nigeria must embrace the blessings of the risen Christ so as to heal again