FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has hailed Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State Governor for his exceptional developmental strides since assuming office on May 29, 2023.

According to the Elder statesman and prominent Ijaw leader, the commendation became imperative against the backdrop of what the governor is doing in the state even though he never supported his election during the 2023 Delta State gubernatorial election.

In an open letter dated 17th January 2025 and made available to Journalists yesterday in Abuja, the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF commended Oborevwori for transforming Warri into a bustling what he described as a commercial hub and addressing long-standing infrastructural challenges across the state.

Clark who expressed admiration for the governor’s achievements within a short period and challenged critics to identify any past Delta State governor who has accomplished as much within a comparable timeframe, highlighted Oborevwori’s towards restoring Warri’s status as one of Nigeria’s major commercial centers, which had been neglected by previous administrations.

The leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) however hailed the state governor for engaging Julius Berger Construction Company in executing critical projects, including the construction of three flyovers, a cloverleaf interchange, pedestrian bridges, and ancillary road expansions at the DSC Roundabout. The projects, valued at ₦78 billion, are already making significant progress.

Clark said, “Warri is fast becoming a sight to behold, returning to its old self,” Clark wrote.

“The famous Warri Township, which had been reduced to a shadow of itself, is being revitalized under Oborevwori’s leadership.”

Clark who contrasted this with the neglect Warri suffered under prior administrations, which he accused of focusing development on less populated areas while ignoring densely populated commercial hubs like Warri and Uvwie, also applauded Oborevwori’s efforts to ensure that all parts of Delta State benefit from infrastructural projects, just as he cited the ongoing rehabilitation of the long-abandoned Asaba-Ughelli Road and other development projects that have touched nearly every corner of the state.

Clark said, “Today, the story is different. Almost all parts of the state are feeling the impact of Governor Oborevwori’s developments.”

Clark who praised the governor for paying off a debt of over ₦300 billion incurred by the previous administration and for prioritizing people-focused projects over political patronage, urged him to address the neglect of Ijaw communities in Delta State, even as he called for the completion of the Ayakromo Bridge and the Gberegolor/Esama Bridge, urging the state to contribute to these projects being undertaken by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Elder statesman who advocated for the establishment of a tertiary institution in the Ijaw region, noting that the Burutu Maritime Academy, one of the oldest educational institutions in the area, has not been upgraded to a university like other schools in the state, lamented thus, “The only significant project carried out by the various governments in the Ijaw area is the Kpakiama Bomodi Bridge.

“It is ironic that areas contributing significant revenue to the state are overlooked in favour of less resourceful regions.”

Clark who urged Governor Oborevwori to remain focused and continue his good work while addressing the needs of oil-producing communities and fostering equitable development across the state, said, “I am not a praise singer. I speak the truth,” Clark affirmed. “Governor Oborevwori has achieved remarkable progress in development and democracy enhancement in Delta State. I urge him to continue undistracted, ensuring no community is left behind.”

The letter read in part, “I watched an interview this morning in one of the nation’s frontline media (Television) houses, which featured the Hon. Commissioner for Works, Delta State, Charles Aniagwu, who came to speak on behalf of the Government of Delta State. I must observe that the journalist who anchored the programme spoke and acted very much uninformedly. Her questions were not based on facts.

“I am conversant with most if not all that has transpired. I was very active in Midwest politics beginning from the agitation for a Midwest Region, culminating in its creation in June 1963. I was in London where we defended the creation of the Region.

“Going back to memory lane. Nigeria was confidently sitting on a three-legged pot, the Eastern Region, Northern Region and the Western Region. The majorities in these Regions dominated and oppressed the minorities so much so that the minorities had to struggle and fight for their survival by forming various organisations to press forward their demands.

“The Calabar-Ogojar-Rivers (COR) State Movement was one of such groups formed in 1953. This movement, with leaders such as Udo Udoma, one of the foremost lawyers in Nigeria, Eyo Ita, a university don, amongst other prominent sons of the area, was formed when they discovered that the area was dominated by our Igbo brothers who made up about 2/3rd of the population. The agitation was against the oppressive attitude of the ruling class. They rose up and said enough was enough when they decided to break away. At this time, the COR Movement was not a political group, but a pressure group. Shortly after that, the late sage, Pere Harold Dappa-Biriye, formed the Niger Delta Congress (NDC) which was a political party.

“Similarly, this attitude was the same in the Western Region where I belonged to, even though I also belonged to the Eastern Region based on my tribe. So, the agitation for the Midwest Region started with people like Dennis Osadebay on the frontline. In June 1963, the Midwest Region was created, thus, making Nigeria a four-legged pot. Today, Nigeria has 36 legs. From an early age, I have been a part of those fighting for my people.

“Like I stated, I was part of those who fought for the creation of the Midwest Region; I participated in patronizing the Midwest Agent House where Justice Josiah A. P. Oki was the Chief Judge of the Midwest Region as the Agent General. When the Midwest Region was created, our taste balls changed; we began eating starch and banga soup, instead of amala. There were no more queues at the Great Portland Street, a street in Westend London, where I had to interpret before I bought a bowl of food because I could not speak the Yoruba language. Even when it was my turn in the queue, sometimes I would be shoved aside. I was 2nd class citizen, living as a 3rd class citizen in London.
I was fully involved in the creation of the Midwest Region, and as it metamorphosed into Midwest State, Bendel State and Delta State. I challenge anyone living, who thinks they know more.

“The most recent was when Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, as Military President/Head of State wanted to create the Edo and Delta States. We were invited to the late Augustus Aikhomu’s house in Ikoyi, Lagos, for discussions. Among those who attended the meeting, were the then Oba of Benin, the then Olu of Warri, Atuwatse 1st, together with other prominent traditional rulers, most of whom have passed on now (may they continue to repose in the bosom of the Lord). The Olu of Warri opposed that Warri be made the capital of the then-proposed Delta State. He was supported by another Itsekiri, my good friend, Allison Ayida.

“Even the immediate past Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, knows about my contributions, even though I am, today, against him because of some corrupt allegations leveled against him. I contributed to Chief James Onanefe Ibori becoming Governor against the interest of my very good friend, late Sen. David Dafinone, who supported Prof. Yaunwreh, who is also one of my ‘sons’. The only persons I did not contribute/support to becoming Governors were Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the present Governor, whom I call my sheriff, Sheriff Oborevwori, because of the circumstances that played out, which I opposed.

“Thus, I challenge anyone to claim otherwise, to show/prove any Governor of Delta State who has achieved so much within such a short period as Sheriff Oborevwori has since he assumed as Governor of Delta State. Warri is fast becoming one of the commercial nerve centres in Nigeria with Julius Berger Construction Company undertaking most of the critical jobs. Time was when major companies such as Julius Berger, Saipem, and other oil companies, left the city because there was nothing for them to do. But since 29th May, 2023, the famous Warri Township is fast becoming a sight to behold, turning to its old self. I can say this for free as a Warri boy since the 1950s. Warri Township is a lively town but was reduced to a shadow of itself.

“Today. Asaba, together with the parts of the old Asaba Division, is booming because Asaba is the State capital.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has done wonders in development, enhancing democracy in Delta State. He is giving Warri a facelift.

“The wonder company, Julius Berger is performing wonders, with a contract to build three flyovers, cloverleaf, pedestrian bridges, ancillary road expansion beginning from the DSC Roundabout, valued at a cost of 78 billion naira awarded to them and a good percentage payment made. I recall when most Nigerians, including myself, admired the work which Nyesom Wike used the company to do in Rivers State when he was Governor of the State. The Enerhen Road Junction which was seen as a death trap, is being worked on and will be safe for commuters as a result of the flyover, when completed.

“The previous government abandoned Warri, whilst spending a good chunk of the State revenue in the Delta north area, to the extent of tarring roads into unused bushes for future use, neglecting highly densely populated commercial areas. Hamlets became cities, and cities became hamlets, without a single tarred road, or pipe-borne water. Warri and Uvwie are examples.

“Today, the story is different. Almost all parts of the State are feeling the impact of Governor Oborevwori’s developments. I am informed that work has commenced on the Asaba/Ughelli road which was abandoned for over ten years. There are also several other developments.
Everybody knows that I am not a praise singer. I say things the way they are.

“The Sheriff Oborevwori government has been able to pay off a debt of over N300 billion naira incurred by the previous government.”

[Vanguard]

Donald Trump’s ascension to the 47th President of the United States has sparked intense interest globally, with Nigeria being no exception. As Trump assumes office, Nigerians are eager to understand the potential implications of his presidency on their nation.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already extended congratulations to Trump, expressing his trust that the US president will bring the world closer to peace and prosperity. This sentiment is shared by the Nigerian government, which has acknowledged the significant influence of the US on global affairs.

Historically, US-Nigeria relations have fluctuated depending on the ruling party in the US. During Republican administrations, relations have been characterized by targeted engagement and interests, with a focus on trade and investment. In contrast, Democratic administrations have prioritized democracy, human rights, and development aid.

Under Trump’s first presidency, Nigeria benefited from increased military and counterterrorism support, which could continue under his new administration.

On the economic front, Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy may lead to increased trade and investment between the US and Nigeria, particularly in sectors like oil and gas. Nevertheless, his administration’s stance on climate change and global health may have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s development.

In the realm of global politics, Trump’s presidency may lead to a shift in the dynamics of international relations, with potential implications for Nigeria’s position within the global community. As the world navigates this new landscape, Nigerians will be watching closely to see how Trump’s administration will engage with their nation.

Ultimately, the impact of Trump’s presidency on Nigeria will depend on various factors, including his administration’s policies, the response of the Nigerian government, and the evolving global context. As the situation unfolds, one thing is certain – the relationship between Nigeria and the US under Trump’s leadership will be closely scrutinised.

Folawiyo Kareem Olajoku, a governance, policy, and strategy professional, can be contacted via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II on Wednesday became an involuntary, if narcissistic and self-important, humorist who embodied the age-old wisecrack that says when you put a crown on a clown, he turns the palace into a circus and reduces royalty to a comedy show.

At the 21st Memorial Lecture of Chief Gani Fawehinmi in Lagos, he provoked a burst of hearty laughter in me when he said although he endorses the soul-crushing economic reforms of his “friends” in the Tinubu administration, he wouldn’t defend those “reforms” because the people in the administration have failed to requite his friendship. You can’t make this stuff up!

“I have chosen not to speak on the economy, or reforms or to explain anything because if I explain it, it will help this government,” he said. “But I don’t want to help this government. They are my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I won’t behave like a friend.”

That is the literal characterization of what’s called quid pro quo, which is Latin for “this for that,” “something for something,” or a “favor for a favor.” In colloquial English, it’s called "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

When an adult of Sanusi’s learning, symbolic stature, and social status publicly, even if slyly, solicits a quid pro quo of you-scratch-my-back, I'll-scratch-yours with a government whose suffocating policies he approves, the act inspires laughter because it is uncharacteristically juvenile and desperate. 

Nonetheless, we need to unpack the fallacies and underlying assumptions in Sanusi’s absurdly self-conceited egotism. 

He said, “I can give a few points here about what we are going through and how it was predictable and avoidable. But I am not going to do that.” 

Well, he has actually done that multiple times in the past. In fact, he did it during the very speech where he claimed he wouldn’t. 

By saying, “What we are going through today is at least, in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible management. People were warning that if we continued the way that we were going, this is how we would end up, but they refused to listen,” he effectively did what exactly he said he wouldn’t do. 

 I can predict with almost mathematical precision what Sanusi will say tomorrow in defense of Tinubu’s brutally punishing “reforms” because Sanusi has a limited, predictable repertoire of apologetics for the neoliberal theology he has been a zealous evangelist for since at least 2011.

Shortly after Tinubu took over power, for instance, he visited the Presidential Villa and was ecstatic, even giddy, in his extolments for Tinubu’s unilateral, precipitous, and ill-advised removal of subsidies, which inaugurated the ongoing unbearable torment in the land.

His response to State House correspondents’ questions about the visit is worth reproducing at length: 

“We’ve been friends since his first term as governor of Lagos State when I was a banker. And I have not seen him since the elections…. So, the first reason [for my visit] was to come and congratulate him formally. 

“But also, I wear many caps. I wear the cap of an economist, so I came to thank him for the steps he has taken to put this economy on course. As you know, many of the issues that we have been talking about—eh, the subsidy that has caused a hemorrhage on the fiscus, the multiple exchange rate regimes, and so on. 

“These are issues that I have personally been talking about for a long time, and I am happy that on his very first day, he has addressed these issues and the markets are happy. And it is important [that] when the government does the right thing for us to give them feedback. [It’s] not always when they do the wrong thing that you complain.”

By the end of 2023 when the injurious consequences of the double whammy of subsidy removal and currency devaluation began to take shape and there were fears that mass hunger and disillusionment could spark social and communal convulsions, Sanusi came to the defense of the Tinubu administration with all he had.

“It’s injustice for anyone to blame the Tinubu administration for the current economic hardship because there is no other alternative than the removal of the fuel subsidy,” Sanusi said in a widely shared article he reportedly wrote in a WhatsApp group. “After all, Nigeria cannot even afford to pay the subsidy.”

He said the downward spiral in the economy was the direct consequence of Muhammadu Buhari’s stubborn refusal to heed his counsel to “firmly and unequivocally eliminate fuel subsidies,” not Tinubu’s removal of subsidies. It’s counterfactual logic, but Sanusi isn’t known to deploy the resources of logic, evidence, or even basic common sense when he evangelizes the false gospel of neoliberal salvation. 

His solution to the ruthless decimation of the poor and the hollowing out of the middle class was for people to learn to live within their means and for economically well-off people who feel so inclined to help people who are less fortunate than they are. He freed the government of any obligation to cut waste and to tend to the needs of a badly hurting country.

“I can only plead with the people to endure the hardship, and those who have the means to help the downtrodden should do so,” he said. “I am also pleading with commoners to live according to their earnings; we must not peg our lives above our earnings in this difficult situation where people are looking for what to eat.”

Never mind that the poor are writhing in pain not because they are living above their earnings but because their little earnings have lost their worth because of the policies he advocated.

So, what more could Sanusi possibly say in defense of the cruel policies of his “friends” who have turned to his “fiends” than he has already said? 

That’s why his sneaky quid-pro-quo proposition to the Tinubu administration is so irresistibly hilarious in its sterile juvenility. He has by now exhausted his entire armory of neoliberal apologetics. 

He already said the “markets are happy” with Tinubu’s reforms and that the people whose happiness has been stolen to make the markets happy should learn to “endure the hardship.” He’s no longer useful to his friends.

The second assumption that needs to be unpacked stems from the first. And it is that Sanusi imagines himself to be some nonpareil persuasive genius whose unrivaled communicative aptitude can magically cause suffering Nigerians to forget their sorrows and mollify their anger. 

He wants his friends in government to believe that he is withholding these astonishingly unparalleled swaying powers because his show of friendship to them hasn’t been reciprocated. 

“They don’t even have people with pedigree that can come and explain to the people what they are doing,” he said. “I am not going to help. I started by helping, but I am not going to help. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why they are pursuing the policies that they are pursuing.”

Had I not watched the video of these remarks, I would have said these rants were the vapors of someone’s febrile and depressed imagination, falsely attributed to Sanusi.

Sanusi, by these statements, is passing himself off as someone “with pedigree” who, if his friendship were requited, can “come and explain to the people” why they are starving and dying because of economic “reforms,” and the people would be calm, understanding, and accept their deaths by instalment with equanimity and even gratitude. Such delusion of grandeur! Such entertainingly comical megalomania!

But what is Sanusi’s record in this business of telling people who are dying that their death is inevitable, that the happiness of the markets is more important than the wellbeing of the people?

In 2012, he was one of the major architects and defenders of the removal of petrol and other subsidies. He clashed with human rights activists like Femi Falana (whose concerns about the cost of subsidy removal on the poor Sanusi infamously dismissed as “not an economic argument.”) 

He also clashed with scholars such as the late Pius Adesanmi who worried about the implication of high petrol price on generators, which is the main source of electricity for the poor. Sanusi dismissed this concern with the false claim that generators run on diesel, not petrol.

Yet, with all his “pedigree” and unmatched persuasive powers (the kind he is supposedly withholding from his “friends”), he failed to dissuade the masses of the people from flooding the streets in the #OccupyNigeria protests.

The truth about Sanusi, as I have repeatedly pointed out, is that he is a self-loving sadist who actually derives delight from the misery of the masses. His only grouse with the Tinubu administration is that it is undermining the emirship he invested princely sums to recapture through massive financial contributions to Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf’s election. 

So, the “quo” in his wily, unstated, but nonetheless evident quid-pro-quo suggestion was for the Tinubu administration to withdraw its seeming support for former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. Then he will transform into a propagandist to defend and justify your suffering. But what Nigerians want is a relief from their hardship, not a callous justification for why they must endure it.

Most African countries make a ritual of adding the word “Independent” or “Autonomous” to the name of their electoral commissions. In reality, their election umpires are anything but, even where the national constitution guarantees the so-called independence.

The “indefinite suspension” of Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) by Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai over actions deemed “disruptive to public order and stability,” is the latest case in point.

According to an Executive Mansion statement on 15 January 2024, her suspension follows an investigation into recent protests by aggrieved NEC workers regarding “administrative decisions taken by the NEC chairperson without proper consultation.”

Madam Browne-Lansanah was accused of “unilaterally announcing the closure of the NEC office for one month and dismissing 25 employees without the knowledge or approval of the NEC Board of Commissioners, as required by law.”

“While the committee constituted (by the Presidency) to investigate the grievances of NEC workers was actively addressing the matter, Madam Browne-Lansanah took precipitous and unilateral actions, thereby undermining the integrity and stability of the institution,” the statement said and expressed concern “that such actions could adversely impact the NEC’s ability to conduct by-elections scheduled within the next two months, while also creating a toxic working environment at the Commission.”

In administrative language, suspension for an indefinite period is a precursor to dismissal and being a civil servant, Madam Browne-Lansanah is unlikely to go public with her side of the story.

However, informed sources believe that a power tussle is at play, involving politicians within the corridors of power using some NEC insiders to undermine the authority of a woman described as “rugged, strong-willed, independent-minded” and praised locally and internationally for delivering a successful and one of Liberia’s most credible and transparent presidential and legislative elections in October 2023.

The NEC Chairperson reportedly clashed with some commissioners last year over administrative matters resulting in the dismissal of some employees for “gross insubordination.” There were protests at the NEC headquarters in Monrovia by some employees who were reportedly demanding hazard allowances from the 2023 elections.

Meanwhile, Madam Browne-Lansanah's suspension has sparked criticisms and concerns about the status of democracy in Liberia.

Describing the president’s action as “unconstitutional,” Liberia’s Rule of Law Legislative Caucus in a statement, said that “NEC’s independence, protected under the Constitution, is vital to safeguarding democracy” in the country.

“The Supreme Court of Liberia has ruled unequivocally that the suspension of tenured officers is tantamount to their removal. Such removals are constitutionally permissible only through the impeachment process, which involves, the National Legislature,” the Legislative Caucus said. By bypassing this process, the President has overstepped the boundaries of his authority, by contravening the separation of powers and undermining constitutional protections.”

It urged the “President to rescind (his) decision and allow constitutional processes to prevail,” adding: “The erosion of institutional independence risks plunging the country into uncharted territory and threatens the very essence of our democracy.”

Critics have also weighed in, calling for respect for the rule of law, especially in the run-up to crucial legislative elections, including a by-election to replace the late former warlord-cum- politician Prince Yormie Johnson of Nimba County.

Citing the recent leadership tussle in the House of Representatives and street protests that culminated in the devastating fire at the Capitol, the seat of Parliament in Monrovia, the critics allege an erosion of governance under Boakai's presidency.

The NEC was part of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Liberia’s14-year civil war. It replaced the 1986 Elections Commission as “an autonomous government institution, independent of any branch of government with powers to run elections in Liberia.” 

According to Chapter 2, Section 2.1 of the New Elections Law of 2014, the NEC “shall be under the direction and management of seven (7) Commissioners appointed by the President of Liberia, who shall appoint one of them as Chairman and another as Co-Chairman. All of the appointments shall be subject to the consent of the Senate.”

Section 2.10 (c) of the same law gives the chairperson “the authority to apportion the Republic into administrative areas and assign a Commissioner to each area to oversee election activities …and advise the Commission on all decisions related to the area…”

However, it has not been smooth sailing for NEC chairpersons, Madam Browne-Lansanah being the fifth. In 2011, one of her predecessors, James Fromayan was forced to step down after being accused of bias by then-opposition leader George Weah.

The same George Weah, as President, appointed Madam Browne-Lansanah as NEC Chair in April 2020 and lost his re-election bid in the 2023 elections conducted by her.

A veteran broadcast journalist with a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degrees in political science and public administration, Madam Browne-Lansanah also boasts some career experience working in the UN system before joining NEC 10 years ago as a commissioner.

She served as Co-Chair and Acting Chairperson before assuming the substantive position of Chairperson in 2020, pledging to “strengthen NEC’s core values of independence, integrity, professionalism and consistency.”

It is obvious that some politicians might have found Madam Browne-Lansanah, who was voted “Our African Hero” by Senegal-based Democracy Radio in 2024, non-compliant, in the desperate pursuit of their ambitions.

At a time when the region is grappling with the resurgence of military incursions in politics, badly run elections and three member States on the verge of quitting the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Liberia, Senegal and lately Ghana, had held up hope for the survival of democracy.

But adding to the growing list of occupational hazards for election umpires and their leadership is the fate of Madam Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, who was replaced in 2018 under similar political but unrelated circumstances as Madam Browne-Lansanah.

In 2020, Guinea’s Electoral Commission Chair Mamadou Salif Kébé died from COVID-19 complications while conducting a referendum and elections forced on the country by President Alpha Conde, who was later deposed by the military in 2021.

Electoral umpires and their officials are expected to be above board, even though they reflect the reality of the country where they operate. They are easy targets and endure tremendous but largely unreported political pressures, including threats to their lives and the lives of their family members, from the powers that be and/or politically exposed individuals.

In a rare interview published in November 2017, Alieu Momarr Njie, Chairman of the Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) narrated how the Commissioners resisted pressure to change the results of the 1 December 2016 presidential election, at the risk of their lives.

Then-President Yayha Jammeh, after initially conceding defeat later changed his mind to claim victory at all costs. Njie narrated how foreign embassies came to his rescue before he fled to neighbouring Senegal until Jammeh was forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea through ECOWAS-led international intervention.

While electrical umpires/their officials are often blamed for rigged or flawed elections, politicians claim the credit for successful elections but refuse to take any responsibility when things go wrong, even though they are usually the architects of fraudulent elections.

Another striking example is the case of the late Prof Humphrey Nwosu, former Chair of Nigeria’s National Electoral Commission (NEC), who supervised the 1993 presidential election acclaimed as the freest and fairest in the country.

Up till his death last October, at age 83, the professor of political science was not considered for even the least national award.

Meanwhile, June 12, 1993, the date of the celebrated elections is observed as Democracy Day (a Public Holiday in 2024), and Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the presidential poll has been bestowed with the highest National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), posthumously.

Politicians should desist from politicising public institutions such as the electoral commission; making them scapegoats or dragging them into disrepute because of their inundate ambition.

Madam Browne-Lansanah, may not be a saint, but she has brought honour to Liberia.

President Boakai owes himself, Liberia, ECOWAS and the international community that contributed to the country’s stability, a duty to exercise his hard-won mandate in line with the constitution instead of sacrificing merit and professionalism on the altar of political expediency.

**Ejime is a Global Affairs Analyst and Consultant on Peace & Security, and Governance Communications

President Bola Tinubu expresses his appreciation for the Nigeria Governors' Forum following their unanimous endorsement of the four Tax Reform Bills currently under consideration by the National Assembly.

President Tinubu lauds the governors for their bold leadership and commitment to fostering unity among leaders nationwide, transcending regional, ethnic, and political barriers to advance Nigeria's development.

Thursday's productive consultation between the Nigeria Governors' Forum and the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy is a commendable example of cooperation between the Federal and State governments.

He extends special commendations to the Chairman of the Governors' Forum, Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, for successfully galvanising support among his peers for these transformative tax bills to rejuvenate the national economy and enhance Nigeria's investment climate.

He also commends the Progressive Governors Forum, the Northern Governors Forum, and all other groups that made the bipartisan resolution of the controversy stirred by the tax bills possible.

President Tinubu underscores that the primary aim of the Tax Reform Bills, which is pro-poor, is to promote national interests, improve the competitiveness of Nigeria's economy, and attract both local and foreign investments.

He said updating the country's outdated tax laws is essential to this endeavour.

The President notes that the dialogue between the NGF and the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform highlights the power of constructive conversation in resolving differences.

President Tinubu regards the governors as vital contributors to nation-building and affirms his commitment to partnering with them to promote economic growth, national harmony, peace, and stability.

He also encourages other stakeholders with ideas and suggestions for refining the Tax Bills to engage with the ongoing legislative process at the National Assembly.

Finally, President Tinubu urges the National Assembly to expedite the legislative process for these crucial bills so that the country can swiftly reap the benefits of the reforms.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information and Strategy)

Alaafin stool: Oyo prince drags Makinde to court, seeks nullification of Owoade’s appointment

Alaafin Stool: Oyo prince laments supporters’ betrayal for money

Atiba 9: why we won’t accept Owoade as Alaafin

Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo, departed earthly life in April, 2022, aged 83. He was on the throne for 51 years. He came to office well prepared. He read widely, especially about the history of his forebears, of Oyo people—towns and settlements. He was always in his elements regaling his visitors with history of the Yorubas in general. Predictably so. If an Oba does not know the history, the story behind the story, of his people, then to whom does a seeker turn for enquiry and enlightenment? Much as he was prepared to share, he was equally ready to receive. Oba Adeyemi was imbued with wisdom, punctuating conversations with proverbs. On one occasion, he entreated a group of young visitors who visited him in his palace to do unto others as they would like done unto them. He did not put his admonition directly that way. He spoke in Yoruba language: Eniti o lo sin oku egbon e ni ihoho t’o mu aburo dani, aburo e so fun pe bi a se se t’oni be e lao se t’ola! Roughly translated, it would read: A man went to bury his elder brother without the customary funeral shroud spread on him, no cloths whatsoever, and in the presence of his younger brother. The young one said to him: As it is done today, so shall it be done tomorrow—to you! A funeral shroud is meant to give dignity to the departed.

Oba Adeyemi attended St. Gregory College, Lagos. This helped him to develop a liberal mind beyond what is customary among traditional rulers in the South-West where they are obliged to allow their townsmen express unhindered whatever spiritual values they may elect to profess. He left barely four months after the departure of two prominent Obas in his axis, Oyo State. The monarchs were the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji; and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi.

Because the throne of Alaafin is one of the foremost whether in history and influence in Nigeria, keeping the stool vacant for almost three years had started to raise eye brows and generate concerns, more so that the Olubadan stool and the Soun stool had been filled. What has been the cause of the delay in announcing a successor to such an important traditional office? So went the questioning on the lips of most people. It was public knowledge that the kingmakers known as Oyomesi had forwarded their recommendation to the State Government before the end of the year that Oba Adeyemi 111 passed away. The kingmakers met for two weeks to screen 82 on the shortlist of Princes that applied from the Agunloye Ruling House whose turn it was to produce the new Alaafin. The kingmakers themselves were worried about the foot-dragging by the government even after clarifications on eligibility of two warrant chiefs had been made by the Oyomesi to participate in the exercise. The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde put paid to all speculations last week. He pulled a surprise by announcing a dark horse, someone who could not be said was in the reckoning whatsoever, whose name did not feature among bookmakers, yet about the most qualified in terms of educational background and exposure, for what the government must have adjudged are the requirements for these times.

The governor predicated his choice on wide consultations and divination. The kingmakers reacted immediately dismissing the government choice as illegal. Bashorun Yusuf Akinade and head of the Oyomesi said that the government did not follow the traditional due process. Government in doing so violated the Chieftaincy law of the state and as it concerned Oyo in particular. All eyes were on Prince Lukman Gbadegesin whose grandfather was Oba Adeyemi’s predecessor. He is by far the most visible of the princes that queued up to wear the coveted crown. He was Personal Assistant to Aruna Elewi, Minister of State for Communications in President Obasanjo’s Administration. He is close to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. But the first salvo of opposition came from his younger brother, Adebayo Gbadegesin who described him as ill qualified. He levied an accusation against the Oyomesi of not consulting Ifa. He accused his elder brother, of trying “to bring disrepute to those who God has honoured in Oyo.” Two other allegations are grave pointing to transactional baggage against him. Indeed, one grouse alleging threats to lives ended in a petition dated 20 November, 2019, to the Inspector- General of Police. The petition was signed by Henry Ejike Ugwu of H. E. Ugwu & Associates (Legal Practitioners), Abuja. 

Rapidly growing in renown for thoroughness, it is expected that Governor Seyi Makinde would have intelligence reports on the candidates and make consultations on them. The Oyo Alaafin throne, the seat of Oyo Empire must be both a flagship and an exemplar, and an office without stain. He has found one that matches his picture and vision in Prince Akeem Abimbola Owoade who has appeared in the horizon with glittering and impeccable testimonials. Step forward Oba Abimbola Owoade, the descendant of Oduduwa, the descendant of Oranmiyan, the descendant of Agunloye Royal Family.

Born in 1978, Oba Owoade is a product of Baptist High School, Shaki, the 1992 set. He is a graduate of Ibadan Polytechnic and Ilaro Polytechnic. He read engineering in the two polytechnics—in one, OND and in the second, HND.  He attended University of Sunderland (2008) where he had his BSc in engineering. He took his Masters also in engineering from Northumbria University (2012). He became certified in Project management in June, 2015. He held a planning engineer position at Oil Reach Company, Glasgow, United Kingdom for some years before moving to Canada where until he returned home to mount the ancient throne, he was project coordinator at Manitoba Hydro and Natural Gas Utility Providers.

The Kingmakers, rejecting Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo, said they had selected Lukman Gbadegesin since 2022. But two of the seven-man members of Oyomesi, the Samu of Oyo, Lamidi Oyewale; and the Agbaakin of Oyo, Asimiyu Atanda had reservations about the process the Kingmakers employed and dissociated themselves from the decision. However, as the profile of the new King in terms of age and credentials spread, it is increasingly clear Owoade is the new face Oyo has been waiting for, the personality befitting the ancient high office of the Yoruba people. One of the contestants, Prince Ayobami Ladigbolu, congratulating the new Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Owoade, said: “He was chosen by God Almighty. Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade has been destined to take the throne. I am happy for him. The entire Ladigbolu family felicitate with the new king. Congratulations. Kaabiesi.”  The warm embrace of the Ladigbolu family was no more than a hint foreshadowing the grand reception awaiting the new King. As soon as news spread that their King was arriving in town all shops and offices closed to receive him. All roads and all streets were jam-packed with people besieging and descending on the Palace to hail the new King. The crowd as was the reception was unprecedented in recent memories. Some just wanted to catch a glimpse of their king. Many were on horseback, some in cars, countless on motor-cycles. People were emerging from everywhere and from just nowhere.

In the painstaking recruitment of a new Alaafin, Seyi Makinde did not want to leave anything to chance and strangely, and perhaps to fulfill all righteousness, failing which he knew traditionalists would use to entrap him, he consulted the gods a step described as divination! He called up Professor Wande Abimbola, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who is an internationally acclaimed medium and Ifa priest. First, what is medium outside of secular definition? Chambers 21st Century Dictionary revised Edition defines a medium as someone through whom the spirits of dead people are said to communicate with the living. Advanced Learners Dictionary (Second Edition) gives a fuller definition as follows: “A person who acts as a go-between, especially in spiritualism; person who claims to be able to receive messages from the spirits of the dead.” 

In the culture of South-West people, authority to select a king is expected to go beyond the earthly plane to consult what they regard as gods and goddesses or higher beings. The stars are not left out. It is clear from efforts to reach out to the gods or high beings in the beyond there is more to life than the modern man wants to make people believe. We now learn through higher knowledge mercifully made available to mankind today that everything radiates, everything emits rays and man is in the centre of webs of radiations—not as a victim, a great deal being what he has given rise to through thoughts, speeches and deeds and what he attracts to himself. 

Fateful works, for example, emit radiations and the stars also radiate. When this happens stars and fate are connected through radiations. The radiations of the stars form the channels through which the contents of the radiations are guided to the originator of deeds when the fruits are ripe. As Schiller says, “For, only when it is ripe does the fruit of Fate fall.” Longing to serve, what President Umar Yar’Adua called servant-leader, could have been as a result of seed sown way back in a previous earth-life, or as in the case of a Called one, a supplication to the Most High at certain Realms Above to be permitted to serve in the Light Envoy’s Work of Salvation and Redemption. In that case when the request is granted he is obligated to be exemplary in conduct, in service in his assigned role and in acts of goodness.

How helpful can we say of Seyi Makinde’s consultation with Professor Wande Abimbola? Of course, there is possibility for the gifted to receive messages from higher realms. The ethereal region more known as the Beyond is filled with multitudes separated into different planes of existence and perdition. There are helpers, and there are guides. Ifa has been known to help the Yoruba people in their recognition, revealing to them the structure of Creation and different Realms of Heaven up to what they call Ojude Orun, the Fore Court; Orun; Paradise of Human Spirits; There is Azure Island, Isalu Orun; Oke Orun, Summit of Creation; and Ajule Orun, the First Creation, Primordial Creation; The Elders at the Boundary of the Divine Realm, they call Agbagba Merindinlogun; and hold it: Imanuel, they refer to as Ela! Such a people can hardly be persuaded to jettison what has so glaringly helped them in their development.

What can determine whether contact with helpful helpers is, however, the inner state of the medium, the purity of his inner being, how rarified his environment in the earthly and the environment in the Beyond. It may so happen that when there is a message for an individual through a medium, it may be intercepted by a degraded, soiled soul along the way. The pure messenger conveying the message will steer clear to avoid being stained. The message if the impure soul somehow has access to it is consequently either substituted or distorted, and the medium is misled!

The matchless Work, In the Light of Truth, The Grail Message, by Abd-ru-shin, says: “Moreover it is certain that unless there is a human being of advanced development, whose presence purifies all coarseness, something really higher cannot approach a medium, much less speak through him. Materializations from higher circles are altogether out of the question, to say nothing of such popular pastimes as knocking, movement of objects, and so on. The gulf for this is far too wide to be easily bridged.

“Even with a medium, all these things can only be carried out by such souls in the beyond as are still very closely connected with matter. Were it otherwise possible, that is to say, if an exalted being could so easily make contact with humanity, then there would have been no need whatever for Christ to become man, but He could have accomplished His Mission also without this sacrifice. Men of today, however, are certainly no more highly developed psychically than in Jesus’ earth-life, so it cannot be assumed that it is easier to establish a link with the Light now than it was in those days.”

Yet, we need the link. But from where can guidance come if not from the chains of helpers connected with the Light in On High? The fault, indeed, is in our faults!

All said, in the Love and Mercy of the Lord, man is afforded all the help he needs for his sojourn and development on this planet earth. To redeem the indictment, what we need to do is to reverse the loss of the spiritual receptive capacity of the hind brain which is the vehicle of guidance for mankind. Man is meant to be more of a receiver than a thinker! The blood produces a radiation bridge, like a magnetic field, on which the spirit transports its messages. If the blood radiation is fine and healthy, the communication is smooth and successful. The spirit sends its messages in picture forms to the back brain which is the spiritually receptive part of our brains, and through the solar plexus, as I have mentioned in these pages before. That is why guidance is in pictorial alert. We say something strikes us or occurs to us. No spoken words are involved. The back brain uploads the picture on the blood radiation to the frontal brain, the cerebrum, the frontal brain, the intellectual brain. This brain decodes the pictures from the spirit into thoughts, words and necessary action. This is why dreams in which words are spoken are not real dreams. Real dreams are experiences of the spirit pictorially transmitted to the back brain. They are dreams in which words are not spoken and colours are distinct. They are experiences of the spirit for warnings or guidance.

There is no doubt that Governor Seyi Makinde has made a really good and wise choice in a well accomplished choice of Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, a refined, well polished fellow. I salute the governor’s courage and the wisdom manifested in his reaching out to Professor Wande Abimbola to satisfy all righteousness. Little wonder the platform of the Old Boys of Baptist High School, Saki, has been agog with celebratory writings and messages. That a foremost king in the South West, who, going through memory lane of Oyo Empire, can easily draw on the wisdom of his forebears, passed through their portals is, indeed, great cause for celebration. He is the second Oba, although the first may be of lesser status, to have been raised in their formative years by the school. The first is the Oba of Ago-Are, near Saki.

Seyi Makinde should beat his chest and rise to clink glasses for pulling out this feat! 

As a Patriot and Political Leader in Delta State, I here wish to fully express support for my dear Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, if indeed he seeks to move from PDP to APC or any registered Political Party in Nigeria, as long as any such move helps him to fully actualise his Patriotic Vision and Mission for the good people of Delta State. After all, Delta State with over four million people is made up of people who freely belong to PDP, APC, LP, PRP and other registered Political Parties; moreover, many of the founding leaders of PDP in the State have since moved on to join other Political Parties which have brought more Dividends to our State and People.

What is of paramount interest and importance to the good people of Delta State is the very urgent provision of massive Infrastructural Revolution in terms of Roads, Bridges, Flyovers, Underpasses, Hospitals, Schools and other important Public Buildings, all of international standards like the ongoing flyovers being constructed by Julius Berger in the State under the leadership of the Governor.

In addition, I must remind Deltans that all registered Political Parties in Nigeria today do not have distinct Ideologies but only serve as platforms for States or individual in Politics to maximise what can be got from a Centralized Federal Government of Nigeria. The secret of Lagos State getting all the benefits it attracts from the Centralised Federal Government is the fact that its Political Leader, now President Tinubu, understood very clearly the need to politically align and realign with the Power at the Centre in order to actualise the Vision he set out for Lagos State. 

As a result, today, Lagos State has grown and developed to be the forth largest Economy in Africa and boasts of Annual Budget of over three trillion naira. Let it be made clear also that Lagos State never at any time since May 29, 1999, played a blind and unwise Opposition Politics, contrary to what many are misled to believe.

The case of my Delta State has been a very sad story of steady retrogression despite being the leading Petroleum Producing State of Nigeria. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) that were once based in the Oil Cities of Warri and Effurun, have all relocated to Lagos State that is a non-Petroleum Producing State, taking along with them, huge Revenues from Taxes that belonged to Delta State. Thousands of our people employed by these IOCs lost their jobs as a result of the relocation to Lagos.

This sad situation happened because political leaders of Delta State failed to understand the importance of politically aligning and realigning with the Centralised Power at Abuja in order to protect and advance the general interests of our people of Delta State.

In conclusion, I stand firmly with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, if he decides to align with the current Federal Government at the Centre for the overriding interest and good of the people of Delta State.

Comrade (Engr) Igbini Odafe Emmanuel

Former three times Governorship Candidate of Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Delta State (2007 - 2012)

China said on Friday its population fell for the third year running in 2024, extending a downward streak after more than six decades of growth as the country faces a rapidly ageing population and persistently low birth rates.

Once the world’s most populous country, China was overtaken by India in 2023, with Beijing seeking to boost falling birth rates through subsidies and pro-fertility propaganda.

The population stood at 1.408 billion by the end of the year, Beijing’s National Bureau of Statistics said, down from 1.410 billion in 2023.

The decline was less sharp than the previous year, when it was more than double the fall reported for 2022, data showed.

China ended its strict “one-child policy”, imposed in the 1980s over overpopulation fears, in 2016 and started letting couples have three children in 2021.

But that has failed to reverse the demographic decline for a country that has long relied on its vast workforce as a driver of economic growth.

Many say falling birth rates are due to the soaring cost of living, as well as the growing number of women going into the workforce and seeking higher education.

Population decline is likely to continue due to gloomy economic prospects for young people and as Chinese women “confront entrenched labour market gender discriminations”, Yun Zhou, a sociologist at the University of Michigan, told AFP.

People over 60 are expected to make up nearly a third of China’s population by 2035, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, a research group.

– ‘Trend won’t change’ –

Data released on Friday showed that the population aged 60 and overreached 310.31 million — just a few percentage points short of a quarter of the country and an increase from nearly 297 million recorded in 2023.

However, the data also showed China’s birth rate — among the lowest in the world — ticked up slightly from the previous year to 6.77 per 1,000 people.

“This uptick is unlikely to last, as the population of childbearing-age women is projected to decline sharply in the coming decades,” said Zhao Litao, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute.

“In the long term, the trends of declining births, overall population contraction, and rapid ageing remain unchanged.”

He Yafu, an independent demographer in China, put the uptick in births down to women who deferred having children during the Covid-19 pandemic giving birth. There was also an increase in marriages in 2023 and 2024, the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

However, “the general trend of total population decline won’t change”, He told AFP.

“Unless strong policies to encourage childbirth are introduced… the proportion of the elderly population will continue to rise.”

Officials said in September they would gradually raise the statutory retirement age, which was set at 60 and among the lowest in the world. It had not been raised for decades.

The rules took effect from January 1.

China’s previous retirement age was set at a time of widespread scarcity and impoverishment before market reforms brought comparative wealth and rapid improvements in nutrition, health, and living conditions.

The world’s second-largest economy now has to contend with slowing growth, while a fast-greying population and a baby bust have piled pressure on pension and public health systems.

AFP