THE first detention of Ladi Olorunyomi was in 1993 under the Babangida military regime. That regime had annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, and was on rampage. She was a journalist, and journalism was a high risk profession during the military regimes. She was also a feminist, pro-democracy and human rights activist. But her detention had nothing to do with any of these. She was merely a hostage, seized by the authorities in order to pressurise her husband, the conscientious journalist, Dapo Olorunyomi, to give himself up.

Ladi had just had a baby in 1993 when they came for her. She refused to leave baby Aramide behind. So, they were both carted into detention.

However, her longest spell in detention was in the notorious cells of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, DMI, in Apapa, Lagos where some detainees never left alive.

The Abach junta has been the most vicious in Nigerian history. Nigerians were simply plugged from the streets. Public places, including buses conveying soldiers, were bombed by the regime. Also, the regime had on November 10, 1995, despite international appeals, hung famous writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight fellow environmentalists. By 1996, a number of journalists were in prison, including Kunle Ajibade, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi. All four had been sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly being “accessories after the fact of treason”. One of the journalists detained, Bagauda Kaltho of The News, never returned.

Early in 1997, Ladi came to my home in Lagos with the news that a mutual friend, Lemi Gbolahan, a reserved journalist who had just returned from London after over a decade sojourn, had been picked up by the notorious DMI goons. She reasoned that if the quiet Lemi, who was not known as a pro-democracy campaigner, could be arrested, then I, who was well known to the security services and military, was not safe. She urged me to leave the country. I told her, I would consider her advice.

Nothing prepared us for what happened next. On Thursday, March 20, 1997, the DMI invaded her home allegedly searching for her husband whom they knew had taken political asylum in the United States. She was released without charge on May 6, 1997, that is after 68 days in detention.

It was a harrowing experience for her not just because her husband had been forced into exile and her children, Kitan, 7; and Aramide, 4, were deprived of parental care and had to stop schooling. It also had to do with the conditions under which she was detained. There was no bed, so she slept on a table, chair or on the floor. She had no access to a bathroom. So, when permitted to take a bath, she had to do so in the open while it was still dark. She was fed starvation rations. Ladi told herself that despite the horrible conditions, she could not afford to fall sick because there was not even a basic health facility. Fellow detainees who fell sick had to find ways of being sent money to buy drugs or were left to their fate. There was a soldier-doctor who was supposed to visit once a week, but she never saw him.

She witnessed a detainee who emaciated badly and became so sick that he could no longer speak and was too weak to walk. When it was clear the man was about to die, the DMI contacted his relatives to come carry him away with a warning that once he recovered, he must be brought back to be detained!

Ladi was one of the very few detainees who were only interrogated but not tortured. However, torture which the DMI operatives called “drilling” was common place. Detainees were so battered that they were ready to sign any document or confess to crimes they never committed. One of the days she told me she would never forget was the torture of two friends from about 2am or 3am until they turned on each other, truly or falsely accusing themselves of crimes.

She also talked about the psychological torture they subjected detainees. It was drilled into all detainees, including political ones, that for them to be brought to the DMI, they must be criminals. So they were treated like convicted criminals with no rights, including to life. That way, detainees were worn out. She said: “When I got to understand that was what they were doing, I had to protect my mind against that onslaught.”

On November 3, 1997, the DMI operatives led by a Major Mumuni, alias Bashir, and Captain Daramola again invaded her home. The armed soldiers arrived at 12.30am, made a lot of noise like hyenas, jumped the fence, broke down her door and entered her home. She was seized at about 1am. They took her to her husband’s abandoned office, then around Ikeja, the Lagos State capital and, finally to their Apapa office three hours after her abduction. Since they left no traces nor any record, the military operatives could easily have eliminated her and then deny they ever abducted her.

This time, they said they were searching for Bayo Onanuga, one of her husband’s colleagues as if she were the custodian of his colleagues. She was released at about 3pm and ordered to report daily at the DMI. She was also told the soldiers could come to her home anytime and, was instructed to open the door whenever they came. The DMI also seized her bunch of keys for 48 hours, probably to duplicate them.

Six days after her latest release, she was getting the family ready for bed when an anonymous caller told her that the DMI bullies were coming that night and, advised her not to sleep in the house. She picked the kids and her sisters who were living with her, and slipped away that Sunday, November 9, 1997 night. She took the family to a friend’s place. Then slipped through the border with Benin Republic to take temporary shelter in Accra, Ghana before taking political asylum in the United States where she has lived with her family for the past 27 years.

She said the decision to go into exile became inevitable for her because the invasions by the military thugs were beginning to affect the children. For instance, the older child had begun to have nightmares about a gunman throwing him into a cell and he was unable to get out. Also, she could not explain to them why their father never came home or why armed soldiers would be breaking into their home. She told me: “At the end of the day, for their sakes, the option open to us was exile.”

President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast this morning, intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration's poor governance, utterly misses the mark. His speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.

This address lacks credibility and fails to offer any immediate, tangible solutions to the Nigerian people. Given the extensive publicity surrounding the protests and the threats issued by government officials against demonstrators, one would have expected President Tinubu to present groundbreaking reforms, particularly those aimed at reducing the exorbitant costs of governance.

But alas, no such announcements were made. The President ignored the protesters' demands, such as suspending the purchase of aircraft for the President, downsizing his bloated cabinet, or even eliminating the costly and burdensome office of the First Lady, who has been indulging in extravagant trips at the nation's expense.

In his lacklustre recorded speech, President Tinubu offered a superficial account of his so-called reforms, revealing his own tenuous grasp of policy as he failed to convince his audience. While the President has spoken, it is unfortunate that his words lack substance and respect for the protesters’ sentiments, leaving Nigerians with little faith in his reform agenda - if one exists at all.

We urge the President and his team to own up to their failures over the past 14 months and abandon the absurd theory that the protests are orchestrated by the opposition. This administration has failed on all fronts, even in the simple task of keeping a presidential speech confidential.

Typically, presidential addresses are shared under embargo with media houses. However, the premature leak of this speech, allowing Nigerians to read along with the President in real-time, starkly illustrates the media nay Nigerians dwindling confidence in this administration.

The opposition did not create the economic quagmire we find ourselves in; this disaster is solely the result of the Tinubu administration's trial-and-error policies. It is high time they stopped the blame game and faced the reality of their failures.

Signed:

Paul Ibe

Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar

Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (2023)

4th August, 2024.

Throughout history, great speeches have effectuated great change. Former United States President John F. Kennedy set the tone for a new America with the 'New Frontier Address'; Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and other exceptional leaders stirred consciences, evoked national allegiance, and rallied the people not only by the artistry of their words, but also by the candour and courage of their individuality.

President Bola Tinubu sits in the pantheon of such great leaders who have shown rare honesty, courage, and purpose, especially through a vagarious time.

The President addressed the nation today, August 4, 2024, on the backdrop of the nationwide protests, with a surfeit of compassion and empathy, yet showed great strength and leadership as the Commander-in-Chief.

As Consoler-in-Chief, President Tinubu appealed to all Nigerians to keep the peace, acknowledging their concerns. He condoled with bereaved families, the injured, and all those who have lost property to the recent violence in some parts of the country.

As Chief Advocate of National Unity, President Tinubu warned against divisive rhetoric, declaring that ethnic and religious bigotry has no place in the new Nigeria he envisions and is forging.

As a leader attuned to the needs and concerns of his people, the President reeled out the interventions of his administration across sectors to include: N45.6 billion processed for payment to students and their respective institutions under the Student Loan Scheme -- with an additional N50 billion each to be released for NELFUND and the Consumer Credit Corporation: $620 million secured under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower young people; over N570 billion released to the 36 states to facilitate critical subsistence support to their citizens; the exponentially reviewed national minimum wage of N70,000; suspension of import duties on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for six months to drive down the prices, and many other interventions.

As Chief Economist of the nation, the President stated that the nation's economy was on the path of recovery as vibrancy is returning to critical sectors. The coast is clear, the direction certain, and the horizon coruscating with fetching possibilities.

As Chief Architect, the President outlined the essentiality of the ongoing Renewed Hope City and Estate project, which will provide housing for many Nigerians across states and geopolitical zones.

As Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu emphasized that his administration remains resolute in maintaining law and order, condemning the spasmodic acts of arson and violence. 

As Statesman, the President pledged to always keep his ears open to the yearnings of citizens.

Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement

CLEARLY, there is a difference between when Alhaji Aliko Dangote goes on protest and ordinary folks like us lining the streets to tell President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we cannot cope with insecurity and the ascending cost of living.
We are all protesters. We are all hungry. Ordinary folks are hungry for bare necessities. Dangote is hungry to keep up his status. We are not Dangote, we agree. We are all hungry. Let us not argue that.

Dangote is the richest man in Africa. His hunger is for riches. We are mostly nationals of a country that has been confirmed the global capital of poverty. Nobody should be proud of that.

President Tinubu, possibly one of the richest Presidents in the world feels nothing about leading the largest mass of the poorest people in the world. He should not be angry, if he is actually the world’s richest President and I failed to acknowledge his achievement.
The President acts as if we barely exist. We are a great inconvenience to him, giving him headaches and sleepless nights. We have turned our First Lady into a peripatetic farmer whose fame now rest in failing, just like her husband, to listen to us.

Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu is consumed with television displays of a basket of vegetables that she says she planted in the surroundings of the presidential villa. It is a monumental success for her and a supposed lesson on us growing what we eat, just like her. Do you believe for a moment she eats only vegetables?

If the objective is for the First Lady to get air time, she has succeeded hugely. The deeper worry is that the First Lady is distant from the people, so distant that she does not know that majority of Nigerians, those most hit by hunger, live in spaces insufficient for them to rest their heads. Others are mainly on the move because their means cannot sustain any semblance of permanence at a place.
And the food needs of Nigerians has suddenly reduced to vegetables so that the First Lady would be hailed for pushing her unique nothingness to national prominence.

The hunger is real. It is not one that vegetables can manage. Dangote made that point with the aggressiveness he applied to rescuing his refinery that was apparently heading nowhere.
Within weeks of seizing the media space, Dangote had Nigerians behind him, in a deft move to buy Nigeria’s crude, on his own terms, for his monstrous refinery. The harsh words that flew between Dangote and the authorities were unprecedented.
The people, we, thought Dangote would remain implacable. He was beating the drums hard. He seemed to have no cares whether he would shred the leather.
Accusations and allegations verged on poor business practices. The affected parties went at full throttle at each other. The blows misses the plexus, deliberately it now appears, by inches.
Presidential panjandrums engaged full gears in attacking Nigeria’s global business icon. Dangote replied in like manner. The more stinging the blows were, the lower the devastated party went, the lower the scruples the other applied.
Nigerians became Dangote’s friends, adopting their “enemy’s enemy” as their friend.

The script that saw Dangote shedding tears, recounting his sacrifices for Nigeria, never for once mentioned Nigerians’ sacrifices that contributed to Dangote’s riches. His hunger was high voltage drama executed with Dangote as a victim of Nigeria’s notoriety for dealing with its own without counting the consequences.
Not for once did Dangote accept that Nigeria made him. He never discussed the impact of the waivers that Nigeria has fanned his way over the years. Is it possible that he forget? What would he have been without the waivers? How many other businesses got those waivers?

Dangote’s retort to his delight in running monopolies was to mock Nigerians by asking us to buy the refinery off him. The mockery was intentional. Where would a country that survives on borrowing raise $20 billion and more to buy Dangote’s discomfort? Why would we have had to buy the refinery?
Nigerians were busied with Dangote’s stories of owing no houses abroad, or in Abuja – distractions that only brought more tangentiality to an otherwise elevated conversation on how Nigeria has subsidised Dangote over the years.

Had the conversation on subsidising Dangote’s businesses been sustained, we may have had insights into what Dangote does for Nigeria. His foundations and donations, are investments that advance his businesses. They are not charity in the way we look at it.

Dangote’s hunger and anger were protested with a nudity that made many doubt his acclaimed business acumen. Who builds a $20 billion refinery without any confirmed sources for the supply of crude, the raw material to run it? What business plan did lenders peruse to hand Dangote $20 billion?
Many may be fooled. The few who are not are wondering what the drama was about, if not to navigate unconventional routes to confirm that Dangote gets what he wants.

Dangote got what he wanted. He will get more if he asks. Regulatory agencies that are famous for tardiness were thoroughly worsted in the Dangote drama.
The sucker punch would be that the leaders of NNPC and a Nigerian oil firm were refining crude in Malta for the Nigerian market. Dangote said the quality of the Maltese import was poorer, in response to the regulatory agency’s queries on Dangote’s products. Plainly put, Dangote thought his enterprise was being sabotaged by the unfair competition from Malta.

Dangote got the President’s ears. Tinubu conceded to everything Dangote wanted, with the sweetener that he can pay for the crude in Naira.
Tinubu’s government that cancelled subsidy with his inauguration speech handed a subsidy to Dangote. The applause is deafening. People see this as a right decision. Every waiver that has been awarded to Dangote is subsidy. That is the real name. The footnote that other domestic refineries will pay for crude oil leaves the question, which domestic refineries? Will Tinubu investigate the Malta refinery that Dangote alleged was doing underhand business with NNPC Limited?

Ordinary folks are hungry and angry. They will not be allowed to protest. They are too poor to merit attention or dispatch in their affairs unlike Dangote who can protest without hindrance and get results post-haste.

The President asks Nigerians to be patient. Was Tinubu patient in purchasing two presidential jets? Patience was forbidden in getting a N21 billion palace for the Vice-President. Dangote’s matters, too, abhor patience. What are patient Nigerians expecting? When will they get it?

What conditions are attached to the latest waiver to Dangote? When he gets 450,000 barrels of crude daily, what do Nigerians get? Is he refining for export or domestic consumption? Should we even know the terms of the contract? Who will determine the price of Dangote’s products?

President Tinubu snatched fuel subsidy from the poor public. He has created subsidy for the richest man in Africa, Dangote. Do we have to be Dangote to be heard? We all cannot be Dangote.

President Tinubu should allow Nigerians to participate in Nigeria’s affairs.
If the President realises that we are all Nigerians, he would be kinder in managing the genuine aggreviances that he just decisively dismisses.

•Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues

Nigeria’s Favour Ofili ran a season best time of of 22.24s to win her heat and book a spot in the semi-final of the women’s 200m event.

Ofili outran a field that also had Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Gambia’s Gina Bass-Bittaye.

Ofili’s finishing time put her in overall second place only behind USA’s Gabrielle Thomas who ran 22.20s.

While Asher-Smith finished in 22.28s, Bass-Bittaye came home in 22.84s.

The Nigerian is participating in her first Olympics.

[Vanguard]

Early Sunday morning, President Bola Tinubu addressed Nigerians in a televised broadcast amid the #EndBadGovernance protest, which commenced on Thursday in many parts of the country.

Hours before his address, his speech surfaced on the internet in what many called a “leak”.

Public figures, including politicians, knocked the presidency for “fooling Nigerians”, while some expressed concerns about the safety of other classified documents.

But was the president’s speech top secret in the first place? Here’s what to know about presidential broadcasts.

HOW IS A PRESIDENTIAL BROADCAST DISSEMINATED?

Hours before a presidential broadcast, an embargoed copy is disseminated to select media houses, especially the print media.

These media houses are trusted with the speech to enable them to prepare timely and accurate reports as the president delivers his address. 

WHO IS IT SHARED WITH?

The presidential speech is usually dispatched to the editors of the media houses ahead of the broadcast.

WHAT ARE THE STIPULATED CONDITIONS WHEN SHARED?

The speech will be under strict embargo until the president delivers his address. In most cases, the media houses are permitted to share the speeches at least 15 minutes into the broadcast. 

Sharing the speech before the president’s broadcast flouts the agreement with the media and creates a lack of public trust in the presidency. It also affects the relationship between the media and the government.

WHY IS EARLY DISSEMINATION IMPORTANT?

To ensure the broadcast makes the front pages of mainstream newspapers, it is expected that the speeches are disseminated the night before, especially for broadcasts that are made early in the morning. 

For print media houses, this gives them ample time for production. 

IS IT GLOBAL BEST PRACTICE?

Disseminating presidential speeches before they are televised is not a practice peculiar to Nigeria; it is done globally.

The practice is not only restricted to presidencies. Large multilateral organisations such as the United Nations (UN) and other international non-governmental organisations also engage in this practice.

The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated, and the time has come for President Tinubu to take decisive action to address the widespread discontent and protests engulfing the nation. It is imperative that he steps forward to quench the flames of unrest by directly addressing the nation, acknowledging their grievances, and providing a clear path forward to restore peace and stability.

Certain individuals within the president's circle hold the belief that the opposition parties or those who were unsuccessful in the last election are fueling the protests against the president. Others posit that the protesters are simply impatient and hindering Nigeria's progress. Meanwhile, some argue that the president should not acquiesce to the protesters' demands, as this would be perceived as a sign of weakness.

It's essential that we engage in honest self-reflection and confront the reality of the situation. Do the agitators have a legitimate grievance? Or, to put it another way, is their demand reasonable and justified? The answer, unequivocally, is yes.

Although I concede that some of the demands may be idealistic or unworkable now, I strongly contend that a substantial proportion of them necessitate swift and decisive action. The pressing nature of these demands demands that we treat them with the gravity and expediency they warrant, lest we risk exacerbating an already volatile situation.

The opulent lifestyle of politicians is a source of immense frustration for the masses. While the president implores citizens to endure the current hardships, the political elite continue to live extravagantly, oblivious to the struggles of the common man. The allocation of billions for a new vice presidential residence, despite already budgeting billions for renovations to the existing one, billions budgeted  on a yacht, exotic cars for the president, and rumors of a new presidential jet, as well as billions more on vehicles for the first lady and other frivolous expenses, all while the masses suffer. Allocating billions naira to National Assembly members to purchase SUVs, a staggering 300% salary increase for judges, a move that raises eyebrows and sparks outrage. All these are egregious misallocation of resources. This is particularly galling given the country's burgeoning debt crisis and widespread hunger and these expenditures seem to contradict the president's initial claims of inheriting a challenged economy, and raise questions about the administration's priorities and fiscal responsibility.

The cost of governance in Nigeria has reached unprecedented heights, with a staggering increase that flies in the face of promises to reduce it. We are witnessing an all-time high in the number of ministers, with some ministries serving no purpose other than to duplicate existing ones. The indulgent culture of government officials is exemplified by their conveyances, which are often excessive and unnecessary. The plethora of aides, extravagant foreign jaunts, and other luxuries are a slap in the face to the struggling masses. 

To genuinely lead by example, the government must take drastic measures to slash its own profligacy. This includes making significant cuts to the salaries and allowances of both legislative and executive officials, demonstrating a willingness to share the burden of these trying times with the people. Anything less would be a betrayal of the public trust.

The political elite in Nigeria are utterly unwilling to make any sacrifices, instead, they insist on indulging in the finest luxuries while the common man is forced to bear the brunt of fuel subsidy removal, electricity tariff hikes, and exorbitant education and healthcare costs. The prices of foodstuffs have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, and the nation is plagued by rising insecurity, hunger and unemployment. 

Meanwhile, the EFCC seems more focused on going after yahoo boys than holding the real thieves accountable, as corruption and embezzlement of public funds have become normalized and even legalized. 

As I mentioned earlier, some of the demands presented are indeed unrealistic, and it is the responsibility of the president to engage in open and honest dialogue with the protesters, the masses, and the nation as a whole. Through this dialogue, the president must clearly explain why certain requests or demands cannot be met at this time, providing a thorough and transparent rationale for each decision. By doing so, the president can foster a deeper understanding among the populace, address misconceptions, and work towards finding alternative solutions that balance the needs and concerns of all stakeholders.

In my view, the demand for the return of fuel subsidy removal appears unrealistic for several reasons. Firstly, there is no allocation for subsidy payments in this year's budget, making it a financially unviable option. Secondly, reinstating subsidies would likely sound the death knell for local refineries, such as the Dangote refinery, and deter others from investing in building new ones. Thirdly, the subsidy regime has been notorious for being plagued by scams, benefiting only a select few wealthy individuals. While I understand that those advocating for the return of subsidies do so with the intention of alleviating the suffering of the masses, I strongly believe that there are more effective and sustainable solutions to address the current economic hardships.

In my opinion, the removal of fuel subsidies is a notable accomplishment of this administration, but it was marred by two critical errors. Firstly, the government should have developed and implemented a comprehensive and effective plan to mitigate the impact of subsidy removal on the masses before taking the step. This would have helped to cushion the effects of the inevitable increase in pump prices and the resultant surge in the cost of living. Secondly, the administration's decision to entrust governors with distributing the gains of subsidy removal is baffling, especially considering the well-known history of mismanagement and corruption among many of them. 

The surge in food prices has sparked widespread agitation, and while the government has taken some token measures, such as removing import duties on select food items, these efforts are painfully insufficient. The harsh reality is that until the government confronts the pervasive security challenges, farmers will continue to flee their farms, leading to a severe shortage of food supplies and exorbitant prices. The mass exodus of farmers from rural areas to cities is a direct result of the government's failure to ensure their safety, leaving them vulnerable to attacks and kidnappings. Imaging farmers has to pay a tax to bandit before they can harvest their crops. To address this crisis government should improve security.

Government must also adopt a multifaceted approach to promote agriculture, including providing accessible loans, grants, training programs, and essential inputs like seeds and fertilizers. Moreover, the government should invest in modern farming machinery and establish state-of-the-art farm settlements across the country. Attractive policies are needed to entice young people to take up farming, and the government must recognize that agriculture is evolving from small-scale subsistence farming to large-scale commercial production, requiring a corresponding shift in policy support.

The pervasive insecurity plaguing Nigeria demands immediate and decisive action, as it has become a significant obstacle to the nation's progress. While increasing personnel numbers is a necessary step, it is grossly inadequate to address the complexities of Nigeria's security challenges. Our leaders must summon the political will and courage to declare war on the beneficiaries of insecurity, including both military and civilian individuals who profit from chaos and terror, as well as those who finance these nefarious activities. A comprehensive approach is required, encompassing border security, enhanced intelligence gathering, deployment of cutting-edge security technology, proactive strategies, modern counter-terrorism training and tactics, advanced drones, improved personnel welfare, training, and compensation, transparency in military budgets and expenditures, and the establishment of state police forces. Anything less would be a half-measured response to the existential threat Nigeria faces.

Allegations that protest organizers are faceless ring hollow when the protesters themselves are undeniably Nigerian citizens, with legitimate concerns and grievances. Rather than dismissing their voices, the government should take a more constructive approach by engaging directly with the Nigerian people and addressing the pressing issues they've raised.

In summary, firstly, the government should provide clear explanations for why certain demands cannot be met now, offering alternative solutions where possible. Secondly, the government must take swift and tangible action to demonstrate its commitment to listening to the people, as effective leadership hinges on the ability to listen. 

Thirdly, the president must inform the public that certain demands, including the transition from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature, the implementation of minimum wages for legislators, the introduction of part-time legislatures, electoral reform, and the drafting of a new constitution to replace the 1999 version, necessitate meticulous planning, widespread consultation, and constitutional amendment. It is the government's responsibility to communicate these complexities and timelines to the public. 

Furthermore, this administration has failed to establish effective communication channels with the masses, neglecting to regularly share government policies, achievements, plans, and situational updates, thereby exacerbating the sense of disconnection and mistrust.

Mr. President, the time for action is now. The nation is on edge, and it is imperative that you address the growing unrest and protest sweeping across the country. The people are crying out for relief, and it is your duty to respond. The flames of frustration and anger are burning bright, and it is your duty to quench them. The nation holds its breath, waiting for your leadership and guidance. Every moment counts, and every word matters. Rise to the challenge, Mr. President, and deliver the reassurance and solutions that the people so desperately need. The fate of the nation hangs in the balance, and your prompt action is the only antidote to the rising tensions and unrest. 

Together we shall build a nation where peace and justice shall reign. God bless Nigeria. 

Dr. Samuel Olanrewaju Bill.

My fellow Nigerians,

1. I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states.

2. Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.

3. I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.

4. I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.

5. As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.

6. Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all - regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.

7. Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner.

8. My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.

9. For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.

10. These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people - good governance for that matter.

11. In the past 14 months, our government has made significant strides in rebuilding the foundation of our economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the fiscal side, aggregate government revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking leakages, introducing automation, and mobilising funding creatively without additional burden on the people. Productivity is gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambience

12. My dear brothers and sisters, we have come this far. Coming from a place where our country spent 97% of all our revenue on debt service; we have been able to reduce that to 68% in the last 13 months. We have also cleared legitimate outstanding foreign exchange obligations of about $5billion without any adverse impact on our programmes.

13. This has given us more financial freedom and the room to spend more money on you, our citizens, to fund essential social services like education and healthcare. It has also led to our State, and Local Governments receiving the highest allocations ever in our country’s history from the Federation Account.

14. We have also embarked on major infrastructure projects across the country. We are working to complete inherited projects critical to our economic prosperity, including roads, bridges, railways, power, and oil and gas developments. Notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects will open up 16 connecting states, creating thousands of jobs and boosting economic output through trade, tourism and cultural integration

15. Our once-declining oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our oil production to 1.61million barrels per day, and our gas assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion dollars since then.

16. Fellow Nigerians, we are a country blessed with both oil and gas resources, but we met a country that had been dependent solely on oil-based petrol, neglecting its gas resources to power the economy. We were also using our hard-earned foreign exchange to pay for, and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our transportation economy and bring costs down. This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our resources for more investment in healthcare and education.

17. To this end, we will be distributing a million kits of extremely low or no cost to commercial vehicles that transport people and goods and who currently consume 80% of the imported PMS and AGO.

18. We have started the distribution of conversion kits and setting up of conversion centres across the country in conjunction with the private sector. We believe that this CNG initiative will reduce transportation costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb inflation.

19. Our administration has shown its commitment to the youth by setting up the student loan scheme. To date, 45.6billion Naira has already been processed for payment to students and their respective institutions

20. I encourage more of our vibrant youth population to take advantage of this opportunity. We established the Consumer Credit Corporation with over N200billion to help Nigerians to acquire essential products without the need for immediate cash payments, making life easier for millions of households. This will consequently reduce corruption and eliminate cash and opaque transactions. This week, I ordered the release of an additional N50billion Naira each for NELFUND – the student loan, and Credit Corporation from the proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC

21. Additionally, we have secured $620million under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower our young people, creating millions of IT and technical jobs that will make them globally competitive. These programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents scheme. Unfortunately, one of the digital centres was vandalised during the protests in Kano. What a shame!

22. In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP).

23. Also, more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit.

24. Furthermore, 75,000 beneficiaries have been processed to receive our N1million Micro and Small Business single-digit interest loans, starting this month. We have also built 10 MSME hubs within the past year, created 240,000 jobs through them and 5 more hubs are in progress which will be ready by October this year.

25. Payments of N1billion each are also being made to large manufacturers under our single-digit loans to boost manufacturing output and stimulate growth.

26. I signed the National Minimum Wage into law last week, and the lowest-earning workers will now earn at least N70,000 a month.

27. Six months ago in Karsana, Abuja, I inaugurated the first phase of our ambitious housing initiative, the Renewed Hope City and Estate. This project is the first of six we have planned across the nation's geopolitical zones. Each of these cities will include a minimum of 1,000 housing units, with Karsana itself set to deliver 3,212 units

28. In addition to these city projects, we are also launching the Renewed Hope Estates in every state, each comprising 500 housing units. Our goal is to complete a total of 100,000 housing units over the next three years. This initiative is not only about providing homes but also about creating thousands of jobs across the nation as well as stimulating economic growth.

29. We are providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices. I have directed that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the prices.

30. I have been meeting with our Governors and key Ministers to accelerate food production. We have distributed fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, whilst the states provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production. In the past few months, we have also ordered mechanized farming equipment such as tractors and planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way.

31. My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.

32. But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.

33. The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.

34. My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.

35. Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.

36. Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!

37. In conclusion, security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.

38. Thank God -- and Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless our great Nation. Thank you very much.

The 10-day protest against bad governance which commenced on Thursday, August 1, 2024, is proving to be about the most effective demonstration by the populace against political actors in recent history.

The only rage against the government that compares with it may be the demonstrations against military rule, notably the Anti-SAP riots and then the June 12 demonstrations to affirm the election of Chief Moshood Abiola as president of Nigeria.

Remarkably, one of the leading protesting political practitioners at that time, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has now become the object of political discontent, being the incumbent president of the country. 

Senator Shehu Sani, a veteran of many pro-democracy struggles himself confessed it not too long ago that Tinubu was the financier and godfather of many protests that were staged to enthrone democracy.

Even after the enthronement of democracy, the protest blood continued to flow in Tinubu culminating in his frontline role in the anti-fuel price hike of 2012.

However, the protest that confronted Tinubu last Thursday would be said to be unprecedented in the annals of the Fourth Republic. 

For a government that came to power with less than a majority of the votes, it spells a serious problem for him that the whole country rose in near unison against the administration.

In the past, protests, riots, and such were mostly undermined by the political, ethnic, and religious sentiments that divide the country.

However, this time, the administration through its hunger-inflicting policies was able to galvanize all sentiments in the country in unison against it.

 One of the most poignant demonstrations was the case in Jos, Plateau State, where Christians formed a ring around their Muslim colleagues while they were observing afternoon prayers.

Tinubu with his accolades as the financier and facilitator of several successful protests would have been shaken by the extent to which Nigerians came out in disapproval of his policies.

The vengeance of the protesters this week can easily be contrasted with the relative ease of things when Tinubu demonstrated against Jonathan in 2012.

At that time fuel prices were hiked by the Goodluck Jonathan administration from about N87 per litre to more than N140. It was a hike that Tinubu and other opposition forces at that time lamented as the wickedness of the administration and the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

However, under his watch as president, the same product has jumped more than 400% with price ranging anything from N617 to as much as N850 officially at the pump stations in Abuja.

That is only part of the story of the hardship that Nigerians have had to endure. But it is at the root of the crisis that is now bedeviling the country with the most existential risk to our country’s democracy.

The administration’s ill-advised decision to withdraw petrol subsidy which the president and some of his handlers initially hailed as a matter of courage has now come to hunt him.

The decision was pre-empted by what many political actors have repeatedly alleged as the corruption in the oil subsidy regime.

This correspondent, however, submits that the failure of successive administrations to frontally confront that corruption is rather the bane of the crisis.

As minister of petroleum, the president owes himself the duty of using his full powers to cleanse the sector. However, it is unfortunate that the same song of oil subsidy fraud has continued to be sung as if it is impossible to uproot it.

It is more unfortunate that the administration in Nigeria has continued to tie itself to the apron strings of the Bretton Woods institutions whose policies have over time been seen to be unfavourable to Africa and the Third World.

These institutions frown at the disposal of subsidies in Africa but close their eyes to the mobilisaiton of subsidies in Europe, America, and Japan.

Farmers in Japan and South Korea are for example the most pampered farmers in the world given that they enjoy the highest level of subsidy in the world.

The European Union also devotes a high chunk of its annual budget towards farm and energy subsidies. So, the argument that subsidy is anathema to even capitalism does not hold.

What the government needs to do is to manage the subsidy to ensure that it turns into a competitive advantage for the country in the broader economy.

The argument that subsidy will benefit Nigeria’s neighbours does not arise so long as we still have effective Customs and border control agencies. If they do not perform and there is leakage, then the officers involved should be fired.

It may be a sort of consolation for Tinubu that Nigerians were not focused on him alone, but on the political class including his APC members and the opposition in the PDP where they hold offices in the states.

Nigerians today are despiteful of both APC and PDP because when it comes to the mismanagement of the economy, that with very few exceptions almost all political actors behave the same. What Nigerians demand of them today is to repent and perhaps we will forgive them.

“Deaf people can do anything hearing people can do except hear” – King Jordan, first deaf President of Gallaudet University, 1988

By the time you read this article, at least two protests would have been underway in response to pervasive hunger and hardship nationwide. Ironically, those protesting against the Federal Government issued the first threat and threw all governments – FG and states – into a panic. Efforts to dissuade the organisers proved abortive. All the well-fed people in positions of power – the Presidency, the National Assembly, Governors, Ministers, Traditional Rulers, Religious leaders, leaders of the Organised Private Sector, leading journalists and public opinion moulders etc – have been called to Aso Rock for deliberations with Tinubu.

The meetings, most probably, have included lunches featuring the best food money can buy in Nigeria today. In exchange, they have expressed gratitude by calling on the organisers of the planned protest to forget the entire idea because “Tinubu has the best interest of Nigeria at heart”, “the protest might be hijacked by hoodlums and become violent”, “protesters should embrace dialogue”, “offer constructive criticism instead of fomenting trouble which will destroy all the good works Tinubu has been doing” and, “remember that Tinubu inherited an economy totally ruined by his successor.” 

“Love, and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man is starving” – O Henry, 1862-1910, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, p 232.

To listen to and read all the statements from Nigerian leaders, one would come away with the impression that their views represent the feelings of their people. In reality, nothing can be further from the truth. The fact is; no traditional ruler or religious leader, well-fed, can now claim to speak for millions of his followers now starving to death everyday. Leaders of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, IECF, ASUU, SANU etc – had told their followers not to join the protest – for various reasons informed by self-interest.

If you take a look at the short list again, something very familiar would hit you. The same groups, under different leaderships, backed out of the protests against Abacha in 1994. They sent their ‘First elevens’ to Abacha’s Constitutional Conference, CONFAB; which only real leaders of the South-West boycotted. I called the CONFAB ‘A Ship of Fools’ – which it turned out to be. Now, as then, the leaders went in droves to Aso Rock to express solidarity with Abacha and to advise the protesters – including me – to embrace dialogue, to engage in constructive criticism. History has already recorded that what the protesters wanted was good governance – not worthless dialogue.

“Bandits occupy 102 Zamfara communities; shut down farming” – Report, July 30, 2024.

One thing is certain; irrespective of who joins or remains on the sidelines, pervasive hunger, allied with insecurity, scarcity of everything and rising inflation, will remain the dominant factors in the Nigerian economy for more than two years. Low crude oil production and export has emerged as the major limiting variable impeding economic development and progress; and inducing more borrowing by the FG. There is no sign that high level corruption has abated; and governments, at all levels, have done very little to curb waste. Consequently, hunger will remain a problem for some years. This is a fact that Nigerians, like Biblical Egyptians, must be prepared to live with. This calamity might last seven years – no matter whether protest holds or not. Those loudly proclaiming participation, as well as those disclaiming will all suffer. Neither the leaders of the protest nor those opposed to it can stop millions of stomach from grumbling; and anger from erupting frequently as a result.

MY ADVICE TO BOTH SIDES

“Who takes advice shall never fare the worse” – Geoffrey Chaucer, 1342-1400

Right now, the protesters and their supporters, as well as governments and their praise-singers are like two groups of deaf people shouting at each other. I cannot remember any advice, given on this page, which the governments and opponents involved in desperate combat have followed. I also cannot recollect any instance when the choices made by those in power had not created a worse problem later on. But, giving advice is part of the responsibilities of an opinion maker. We have the luxury, like spectators in a tournament, of seeing more than the players. Furthermore, some of us have been on the beat for so long, we can easily spot recurrent errors of judgment which inevitably are counter-productive.

Palliatives provide the perfect example. Among the lucky recipients of palliatives early in the year in Lagos was Mrs X – mother of twins and three other kids. No father. For days after collecting her share, Tinubu was God. She was full of praises for and maledictions for anybody who spoke ill of ‘Emilokan’. Today, the rice has long been exhausted and she has since joined the rest of us. On the eve of the protest, she was heard loud and clear, supporting it. The truth is; palliatives, as currently conceived, are totally useless. The stomach is a rascal; it forgets by evening time how well it was fed at breakfast time.

The only solution is to shorten the time between now and when poor Nigerians will feed twice a day again. First, the protesters would be best advised to limit the programme to two or three days. Beyond that, only the well-fed will be able to continue. They need to do this because there is very little governments can do in the short-term to bring down prices of food significantly. Zamfara’s sad situation is not an isolated case. Several thousand rural farming communities, particularly in the North, have ceased farming on account of banditry. Communities on the borders of Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi have been under siege for years. The same is true of Borno, Niger, Plateau and Benue states.

There is a direct correlation between scarcity of food and scarcity of farmers everywhere. FG can’t perform magic. Second, the FG should stop receiving all the free-loaders called traditional rulers and religious leaders. Instead, Tinubu should address the Nigerian people; lay the facts before them and present an achievable recovery programme. Among other things, he should let Nigerians realise that the FG owns only land in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Given the Land Use Decree of 1978, which vests all lands in state governments, food production is actually a matter for state governments to manage. Most southern states had out-sourced this responsibility to the North and foreigners producing rice, wheat, maize for our consumption. Commissioners for Agriculture in virtually all southern states are ‘Ghost Commissioners’. None of them is held to any specific target of food output – which should form the basis for evaluation of his/her performance.

The sooner we turn the heat on state governors, the better for us. They own the land; they should produce the food.

URBAN FOOD WARRIORS TO THE RESCUE

“An activist is not the person who says the room is dirty. A real activist is the person who cleans up the room” – Gamaliel Onosode, 1933-2015

Permit me to join the protest my own way by offering one solution which I strongly believe will provide relief in the short-run and permanently. Right now, the quickest way to increase food production incrementally is to start with about 100,000 Urban Food Warriors and increase the number until we reach about five million. Unlike rural communities, no bandits can come to our backyards and balconies and uproot tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and vegetables. We can produce more food quickly; and there is a template for execution of the idea. As far as I am concerned, the protesters should gather for no more than three days; have their say and go home. Very little will be achieved after that. Government and the security agencies should provide adequate protection for all stakeholders and let us prove to the world that a mature democracy is evolving. I would have been there; but for my health challenges.
LOSING LOVED ONES AND LOSING MONEY

“Undertakers are the only people who love corpses. For them, that is food on the table” – Late Mr Frazier, Undertaker, Melrose, Massachusetts, USA, 1968

Mr Frazier and his family were the only black family in Melrose in the 1960s. I met them through Mr and Mrs Aimo of 78, Whitman Avenue. The Fraziers were welcomed in the all-white community because the couple did the work nobody else wanted – they dressed dead bodies. That statement was uttered a few days after Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated. But, before then, I had spent a few evening in their professional parlour – where I learnt, without being told, that the easiest people to dupe are those mourning. Most people worldwide spend more for coffins and caskets than they need to. I just discovered recently how global Mr Frazier’s words were here in Nigeria. Nigerians are being scalped by coffin/casket sellers. Given the hardship in Nigeria now, it might be in your best interest to seek expert advice before going to price the coffin/casket for your loved ones. One family saved N500, 000 on just one box!!!

Read the VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS online; any time, anywhere and for very little.