Nigeria will be 64 in a few days’ time. It has not all been sixty-four years of pain. No, it has not. Much optimism greeted the birth of the nation. Much bloodshed went into a civil war that was ostensibly fought in order to keep it together for the good of all its constituent units. But the nation has not come this far without some broken promises and dashed hopes. There are still broken promises and dashed hopes, as I write.

Yet here we are: In thrall, as they battle painful policy decisions of the moment, which may yet deliver long-term benefits. In thrall, but unbowed, angry but determined not to be totally disruptive, full of angst and yet convinced that we are on the path to authenticity. Nigerians are facing their worst daymares (not nightmares anymore) yet.

Against the background of the foregoing, there is the prospect, or threat, of a national protest on the very day the nation is to celebrate the 64^th anniversary of its flag independence. And, lest we forget, there is nothing wrong with protests or petitions in themselves; as part of the global democratic enterprise. They may take the form of written correspondence, verbalized and non-violent submissions, or physical displays of discontent; including street matches and generous showing of placards, on which are blazoned the matters of disagreement at the moment.

Thus, protests are legitimate means of social expression, so long as they are designed and structured around the desire citizens to bring up, and bring about, useful and positive, interventions in the society. And that is what makes it radically different from a riot. In the latter case, aggravated misconduct is the norm. This may have no higher social purpose in view, beyond the desire to plunder the polity and carry off anything of value that lay in the way of the rioters.

Most riots are characterized by deeds of madness. There are usually no clear collective goals, beyond the general and specific acts of vandalism that could acquire lives of their own if unchecked. Even when they are checked, riots are what they are: riots. Unstructured, socially self-defeating and sometimes driven by what can best be described as motiveless malignity.

The national protests of two months ago, which, presumably, is about to precipitate another one that has been in gestation, were no riots in most places. Some poor, jobless and hungry people took advantage of the situation to go on a stealing and looting spree. The northern part of the country was the most affected in this regard. This was no surprise to many, because that part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been under the weather of ungovernability for far too long.

But we need not do ourselves in because of the allegedly planned October 1 protests. We saw more than enough protests in 1993, after the annulment of the presidential elections. We also know of the Aba Women’s Riot and several others, on the strength of which some have averred that our nation got its independence and everything about it today as a result of one type of protest or the other.

As was said here some two months ago: “It was the long-drawn protests of our founding fathers, in written addresses, in several constitutional conferences and some other means, that eventually birthed an allegedly independent Nigerian in 1960. Just as sceptics had their doubts about the sincerity of the colonialists when they promised us independence, many reasonable Nigerians also doubted the sincerity of the military whenever a ruling junta announced plans to return the nation to civil rule”. And that was after all manner of subtle pressures and open protests.

It was said, further: “Even more sceptics looked on with grave misgivings at the protracted military rule, unconvinced that it was serious when it “threatened” to birth a democratically elected government. Twenty-five years later, and despite the apparent shortcomings, we are making progress; willy nilly if you will. And that progress has more elements of suffering, misgovernment, lack of intraparty cohesion and the absence of a memorable ideological focus from the political class.

Our progress is coming through bitter, mind boggling, morally disorienting and psychologically devastating lessons. The lessons are apparently unscripted, and the teachers are teaching away without Lesson Notes and conventional teaching certificates. And they are exacting and merciless – these teachers.

The names of the teachers include the following: (1) Dishonest politicians, (2) Broken promises, (3) The consequences of citizen gullibility, (4) The results of supporting the wrong candidates, (5) The progressive denudation of the capacities of our national defense and security forces, and (6) The increasing inability of the ruling elite to protect itself from its own depredations”.

As was further observed here, “President Obasanjo, coming in as the first to hoist the flag of democratic rule after the military, was a quasi-military-civilian president. He did his best to craft good policies and establish institutions that would aid good governance. Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari were the circumstantial by-products of a system of elite myopia that had prevailed in the land for over 50 years. They were not entirely responsible for the problems they inherited. Their parties, the PDP the APC, were, again, not entirely responsible for everything that went wrong with Nigeria under their watch.

The Nigerian State was taken hostage long ago. For over 50 years now, many powerful individuals and groups have succeeded in pushing personal and limited group interests into the front row of national consciousness; such that, today, 25 years into a now-unsettling experience with a fledgling democracy, we are not sure where we really are as a nation. Those whose interests are at variance with wider and deeper national interests have become the real enemies of Nigeria. They may well have actually constituted themselves into a team of highway men and women who waylay everything that could rescue Nigeria and consolidate our current democratic experiment.

Protests are coming and going, because our “25 years old democracy is being bombarded from all sides by (1) A fundamentally distorted eldership recruitment process, (2) Skewed values, (3) A largely dysfunctional educational system, (4) A flawed national psyche and (5) A youth bulge that is increasingly becoming the biggest unaddressed national crisis. With every passing day, these problems morph into new, and self-replicating, societal challenges”.

The havoc wrought on the soul and psyche of this nation by the Nzeogwu coup d’état of January 1966 also came up for mention here two months ago. Part of the submission then was the counter coup that came some six months after Nzeogwu’s unfortunate intervention embodied the worst forms of thoughtless, state-sanctioned misconduct with impunity. We are living with its aftermath today. The initial coup, and the subsequent ‘retaliatory’ one, banished the nation’s true leaders from the political and leadership playing field”. They lived in silent protest for over a decade.

“The ‘replacement generation’ for the founding fathers and leaders of Nigeria, whom they were grooming along ideological lines for the propagation of specific ideological norms, stagnated for 12 years, until 1979. Zik, Awo and Aminu Kano would since have given way to the likes of Tafawa Balewa, Michael Okpara, Bola Ige and others before 1979.

The backlog of two generations of leaders, who were left unfulfilled by the military interventions, did not exercise and fulfil their calling. The petulant idealism and uninformed exuberance of the groups of coup makers trampled upon traditional rulers, traditional values, and almost every other thing that was generally respected as instruments for social control”. So, it has all been series of voiced and unvoiced and unclear protests at every turn.

The many institutional, sociopolitical and axiological problems plaguing the nation today, and which have plagued it for over 50 years now, got all the fillip they needed from the actions and inactions of the past. We got a deluge of prematurely retired military officers within a span of 20 years, precisely because of the negative dynamics of coup making in Nigeria. Many such retired military personnel became frustrated and unfulfilled professionals because of the new character of the Nigerian state after the 1966 military coups. Without intending it, many of them ended up being pushed into areas they would never have contemplated. And their new trajectories naturally elicited protests”.

The point was also made here that: “Our nascent 25 years old democracy has thrown up leaders with sudden stupendous wealth from questionable sources. Their wealth has mostly impacted their immediate and extended families, of less than 15 persons, and a few friends. Their local communities, members of their religious congregations, most of their friends and even members of their extended families know how poor or rich they were a few years before they went into politics. The priests, traditional rulers and other supposed custodians of public conscience ask no questions”.

Before the next protest, let the aspiring protesters be clear about what they want, what lines of action they wish to take and what specific positive outcomes they hope to achieve thereby. The protests will not be accompanied by riots if they are well structured. The government should have made some mileage for itself in discussions and negotiations after the last protests. But, but has it? The issues raised back them seem to still be on the front burner.

Many protesters are driven by poverty and lack of survival skills. That is why the Federal Government should look hard at the hunger in the land, revisit the impact of the measures it has so far taken to address the problems and make some preemptive interventions while it can still do that before October 1.

The efforts of the government need to be better contextualized for wider citizens buy-in and understanding. Protesters must be aware that their protests can only be meaningful if, in protesting, they remain fully conscious of the fact that the nation must exist before they can continue to carry out any protest in it. The president’s cabinet has not performed in such a way that it can be said to have impressed anyone, including itself. some ministries have done a lot, but the ministers themselves are dumb about it.

Quote

The efforts of the government need to be better contextualized for better understanding. Protesters must be aware that their protests can only be meaningful if, in protesting, they do not forget that the nation must remain in existence for them to carry out their protests successfully live to enjoy its “dividends”. The president’s cabinet has not performed in such a way that it can be said to have impressed anyone, including itself. Some ministries have done a lot, but the ministers are dumb about it. Mr. President, Biko, think more of capacity as you shoo out the non-performing ministers in your cabinet.

Several faithful readers of this column who have followed it from the mid-2000s in the Weekly Trust have asked me to spice up my columns with occasional commentaries on American politics and culture, which was the column’s dominant thematic preoccupation in its earliest incarnation.

This year’s presidential election offers an opportunity to do that. This week I want to explore a phenomenon called the “October Surprise” in American presidential elections about which I had written 16 years ago when Barack Obama and John McCain squared off.

An “October Surprise” is any dramatic last-minute event, typically in October but occasionally a little later than October, that swings the election to the disadvantage of a leading candidate. Such dramatic events are believed to have the potential to influence the outcome of the election by swaying public opinion or shifting the narrative around the candidates.

October surprises symbolize the unpredictable nature of the final stretch of the presidential campaign and the high stakes involved in influencing the electorate. 

Before talking about what this presidential election year’s October Surprise will be, I want to reference previous notable “October Surprises” and how they influenced the outcome of past elections.

The term “October Surprise" was coined during the 1980 presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter (the only president my state of Georgia has produced). A year before Election Day, radical Iranian students had invaded the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and held the Americans they found there hostage.

President Carter worked throughout the campaign to secure the release of the American hostages during which eight American servicemen were killed.

According to the Associated Press, “Critics say the Reagan team was so concerned that Carter would gain a boost by winning their release just before the election, that his campaign manager and others negotiated privately with the Iranians to ensure that did not happen.” This cost Carter the 1980 election.

But before October Surprise became entrenched in America’s political lexicon beginning in 1980, it happened eight years earlier. In 1972, according to American presidential historians, President Richard Nixon’s administration announced a potential breakthrough in the Vietnam peace talks, which bolstered Nixon’s re-election prospects. The war was a sticking point in the country.

During the 2000 presidential election, the October Surprise was a damning revelation that George W. Bush had been arrested for driving while he was drunk. It’s called DUI (i.e., driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) here. It negatively impacted his image among voters, which probably caused him to lose the popular vote—and only narrowly win the Electoral College vote.

Bush became president only because of America’s strange, archaic, and convoluted system of electing presidents, which deprives voters of the opportunity to directly elect their presidents. He was declared president because he won the then battleground state of Florida by 537 votes out of nearly six million cast, which gave him the state’s Electoral College votes.

 In the final weeks of the 2004 election, all the major polls predicted that John Kerry would defeat Bush. He was a bumbling, incompetent president who was very unpopular. 

Then Osama bin Laden allegedly issued a videotape that criticized Bush and warned U.S. voters that "your security is in your own hands" in the election.

"It changed the entire dynamic of the last five days," Kerry told newsmen in 2008. "We saw it in the polling. There was no other intervening event. We saw the polls freeze and then we saw them drop a point, because all the security moms, it agitated people over 9/11."

There was also an October Surprise in the 2008 presidential election that nearly torpedoed Obama’s lead and punctured his campaign’s overweening confidence. On October 30, 2008, conservative British newspaper TimesOnline broke the news of Obama’s late father’s half-sister, identified as Zeituni Oyango, living in the United States illegally and that she first came to the U.S. on the invitation of Obama.

The woman was mentioned in Obama’s best-selling autobiography Dreams From My Father.

She was invited by Obama to the United States to witness his swearing-in as a U.S. senator. She returned to Kenya after Obama’s inauguration and came back again on her own. She applied for asylum, but her application was rejected and was ordered to be deported back to Kenya.

But she somehow escaped and had been living in the slums of Boston. The TimesOnline story initially did not gain traction in the United States until the Associated Press pounced on it and added a fresh dimension: that Obama’s aunt was not only here illegally but had contributed money to the Obama campaign, which violates America’s campaign laws, which stipulate that only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents can contribute to political campaigns.

The news dramatized Obama’s “otherness” in more concrete ways than the McCain camp had tried vainly to do. Because AP’s reporting showed that the woman contributed up to $265 to the Obama campaign even though she was neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident, she helped to feed the Republican Party-inspired allegations that Obama’s unprecedented financial buoyancy was consequent on his receiving illegal donations from non-Americans.

What saved Obama was that Sarah Palin, McCain’s running mate, fell for a cheap prank by two well-known Canadian comedians by the names of Marc-Antoine Audette and Sebastien Trudel who go by the stage name “the Masked Avengers.”

They put a call through to Sarah Palin, which she picked. One of the comedians pretended to be then French president Nicholas Sarkosky. Palin believed him. And she went on for over 5 minutes discussing inane issues with the “ French president.” The conversation further betrayed her shallowness and ignorance of foreign policy issues.

This dominated the news cycle days before the election.  Sarah Palin’s inability to detect that she was being tricked even in the face of so many red flags during the conversation had the effect of canceling out the scandal of Obama’s aunt living illegally in the US and making illegal donations to Obama’s campaign. (Obama’s aunt later became a legal permanent resident in 2010 but died  four years later).

Finally, in the 2016 presidential election, FBI Director James Comey announced that a renewed investigation had been launched into Hillary Clinton’s email practices. This became a major talking point just 11 days before the election, which some argued influenced the final vote. Although she defeated Donald Trump by three million votes, America’s Electoral College system caused her to lose the presidency.

So what might be the October Surprise in this year’s presidential election? It’s hard to tell, particularly because Donald Trump is not a conventional candidate. He is the most morally flawed, most openly racist, and most explicitly psychologically damaged presidential candidate America has had in recent memory. Yet nothing seems to stick to him.

He once boasted that he could murder someone in broad daylight in the streets of New York and nothing would happen to him. He is what Americans call a “Teflon candidate.” Teflon is a substance used to cover the surface of cooking utensils, etc. in order to prevent extraneous substances from sticking to them).   

If any candidate should be fearful of an October Surprise, it should be Vice President Kamala Harris, whom polls favor to win both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote and make history as the first woman to be president of the United States. 

Had the attempt on Trump’s life taken place in October, that would have been the October Surprise that would hand him the presidency. Some people think it may happen again next month. 

Are Nigerians hungry because they’ve been drinking too much free beer and now the brewery is bankrupt? I ask because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu waxed rhetorical Thursday last week as he dissected the very bad hunger wracking his country and its more than 200 million people. “I understand we are hungry, but no free beer parlour anymore,” he said. Except the president is suggesting that we are a nation of drunkards, I am tempted to wonder what shred of meaning connects “hunger” and “beer” here.

What the president said was a rhetorical gaffe that deserves a rebuke. When a person says what he said and in the context he said it, the Yoruba would look at him and wonder why he is talking ìrù (tail) when we are talking irú (locust beans). What are we saying, what are they saying? We are begging for bread; they are belching beer. The old man saw liquid when his people cried solid. The president’s ‘learned’ supporters will insist that ‘beer’ is the president’s metaphorical substitute for ‘food’. That will be interesting. We’ve always suspected that metaphor serves as a ready refuge for the flawed – especially in the very slippery terrain of politics. But the Emilokan rationalists should remember to tell the president that a successful metaphor is one that is apt. When the vehicle and the topic cohere in semantic peace, we congratulate the metaphor birther for a successful delivery.

His preference for “beer parlour” where ‘food bank’ should be was a tragic subversion of aptness in metaphorical deployment. A mandatory credit pass in Literature is recommended for whoever would be president after this one. ‘Beer’ does not collocate with ‘hunger’.

The beer-parlour talk of the president may be one of his lasting contributions to language and the field of political rhetoric. You never can tell. He already, during the 2023 campaigns, dropped ‘balablu’ as one of his hit singles. Sometimes, what the enemy thinks is blemish ends up embellishing one’s memory. We call it èébú d’olá in Yoruba. William Archibald Spooner lived between July 1844 and August 1930. Between those years, he served as a clergyman, author and professor of ancient history, divinity and philosophy at the University of Oxford. He was described as “a well-liked, respected, genial, kindly, hospitable man” but blessed with “a head too large for his body.” Spooner was brilliant but was equally very absent-minded, and he got famous for it. He, in 1879, from the pulpit, famously gave out the first line of a popular hymn as “Kinkering Kongs their titles take” (instead of ‘Conquering Kings Their Titles Take’). And he did it, not intentionally.

When Spooner died, his obituary in the 1 September, 1930 edition of Manchester Guardian contains this passage: “All sorts of stories, probable and improbable, were invented… Of the well-worn ones, the best are those which made Spooner declare that he was leaving Oxford by ‘the town drain,’ that some unauthorised person was ‘occupewing his pie,’ that at a marriage it was ‘kistomary to cuss the bride,’ and that he was tired of addressing ‘beery wenches.’ Much better authenticated and not even a Spoonerism is his famous reply to a young lady who asked him if he liked bananas. He is said to have retorted, ‘I’m afraid I always wear the old-fashioned nightshirt.’”

That Guardian obituary was not only how Spooner was remembered. Because he said all he said, before he died, the English Language got enriched with one more permanent word – spoonerism. The word proceeded to get a barge of honour as a rhetorical device in literature – and a mention in neuro science.

Who knows, courtesy of our president, ‘beer’ may enter the English Dictionary as a synonym for ‘food’ just as the president’s social media enemies, irreverent children of anger, use ‘agbadoan’ as a collective name for his long-suffering fans. Agbado is the Yoruba name for corn. The president, before his election, recommended it as a solution to the hunger on the streets.

Now, more seriously, let us ask the president and his defenders: Can beer replace dinner? Or could it be that we are hungry because our leaders have been taking too much freebies from our liquor bank? Or could it be that our president has been too far removed from the caked reality of the scorched earth for him to know that the world is about to end courtesy of his apocalyptic policies? When the president said what he said and ended it with a demand for patience from the hungry, I heard a loud applause from his fawning followers. The president enjoyed that applause. How I wish he would read Shakespeare in ‘Pericles: Prince of Tyre’. The playwright says: “They do abuse the king that flatter him.” He says again that “kings should let their ears hear their faults.” Clapping when the leader spoke beer when food was needed was distressing; it numbs the soul. But you would ask who made up that adulating audience? Former principal officers of the National Assembly. They are plaintive ex-eagles desirous of new feathers for fresh flights and feasts. They are men who are ready to kneel lower than their knees. A high-five for what the president said shames all – especially the eight million plus who elected him last year.

The president also spoke about “free bowl” which he said hungry Nigerians “cannot just take”. Then he spoke about the closure of Nigeria’s “free beer parlour”. The tone, texture and context of Tinubu’s beer-and-bowl statement trivialized the people’s travails. Who will help Nigerians tell their president that their hunger is not for beer and the inebriation it offers? That the starvation cries in town are not a craving for free meal. That Nigerians do not seek, and are not demanding indebtedness to charity. All they seek are policies with a human face, a government that cares.

The town writhes in agony because government has lost its meaning. Every citizen has a personal reason for voting in elections. One of those reasons is what English philosopher, Bernard Bosanquet (1848-1923) explains as the hope by the citizen that the government would help him to become “what he has in him to be.” Not all who voted for Tinubu last year did so for party, tribe or money. Some genuinely thought he would make a positive difference in their lives. Now, everyone is stranded because the government crashed the car.

The country is in deep trouble. What is broken in our economy is brittle beer bottle, not calabash. It cannot be mended. It doesn’t look like the government is worried as we are about the present darkness. Where leaders do not care, we would be right to inquire what they have where a heart ought to be. If there is a heart there, then it must be made of something very hard. William Bascom wrote of the Yoruba concepts of the wicked and the hard-hearted: “A hard-hearted person is bad-tempered, easily offended, willful and stubborn, doing what he likes and paying no attention to what others say. When an ordinary person in anger would throw a small lump of dirt, a hard hearted person throws a large stone. Worse than the hard-hearted person is one who is ‘wicked’ (ìkà). A wicked person loves no one but himself; he advises others to sell things for less than he knows they are worth; he injures others and destroys their property without cause…” I agree. The wicked counts the number of stars he shoots down.

Last week, US vice president, Kamala Harris, told talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, that a leader’s real strength lies in “who he lifts up, not who he brings down.” She said the same, and much more, in another interview in April this year, long before she became the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate:

“We need a protector”, the interviewer told Kamala Harris.

And she replies:

“Yes. Sadly, over the last many years, there has been this kind of perverse approach to what strength looks like, which is to suggest that the measure of one’s strength is based on who you beat down instead of what we know that the true measure of your strength is based on who you lift up. You know, and if you ever want to measure, if you ever want some objective indication of your individual power, see what you can do to help other people, people in need. It could be some simple act, like just listening to how people are feeling and to sincerely, sincerely have some interest and concern about their well-being or their suffering. That’s what we want from leaders…That’s really what strength looks like and that’s the kind of strength that we want.”

That is the kind of strength Nigerians demand to see in their president. They do not desire a leader who sits somewhere far in the sky and speaks in tongues about hunger and patience; about beer, bowls and booze. A leader should not preen like a god while his people reel in pain.

We also read the president declaring last Friday that he was in government to work and not to make money. I read him and said great! A leader should take less and give more. “The less a man needs, the nearer he is to God who needs nothing,” said Socrates. But we read of our leaders’ stories of grasping and taking that leave us to wonder if some people’s needs have a limit.

About 50 years ago, Sakara music legend, Yusuf Olatunji, had cause to sing: “You said there is no food but your own children feed to satiation (E ní kò sí, kò sí, omo yín ńyó…).” Between the 1970s when the song was sung and now, what has changed is that things have grown worse. Our presidency is famed as the most powerful in the history of presidential democracy. It is also sadly, the most unfeeling. Ghanaian writer, Ayi Kwei Armah, asks: “Is it always true that it is impossible to have things strong and at the same time beautiful?” Our Federal Government is strong and powerful but so are wolves and lions in the jungle. We think our president should be king – or god – and we have him so invested. That should explain why a president says the wrong things and all palms turn zombie, clapping.

In a careless republic as ours, a president can easily become a virtual monarch, or even a god. We will soon be there – if we are not there already. It is possible some people have a shrine where they make offerings of kola and liquor to the Nigerian president. If they do, they would have several pages of history to guide them. One of them is in the West Africa magazine of March 3, 1945 which published a piece in celebration of the memory of an Alaafin who had just joined his ancestors. “The highest oath that an Oyo man could take was to swear by the head of the Alaafin,” the magazine wrote, and added that the people believed the late oba was divine. The oba himself thought himself so and he said so and acted so. How?

Eshugbayi Eleko was deposed as the Oba of Lagos in 1925 by the British. He was subsequently banished to Oyo town but he didn’t go quietly into the night; he went to court. During the ensuing celebrated case, evidence on some historical issues was needed in support of the deposed oba. It was to the Alaafin of Oyo that counsel to Oba Eshugbayi went.

The Alaafin was asked to swear before his evidence was taken.

Alaafin queried in anger:

“By whose name?”

“God’s name or by the name of your idol,” the lawyer told him.

“I myself am God!” the oba replied.

By calling himself god or God, the Alaafin of 1925 had not said what no one had ever said.  About 300 years earlier, King James I of England uttered something weighty about the king occupying a throne almost as powerful as God’s. King James told the English parliament on Wednesday, 21 March, 1609 that “kings sit upon God’s throne, but even by God himself they are called gods.” A king, he said, could make anyone “beggars or rich at his pleasure; restrain, or banish out of his presence…” And he used that power, and faced resistance – from the Catholic Church and from other churches. He fought and won. He enjoyed exercising that divine right, quashing opposition, bringing people up, casting people down. But his son, Charles I, who succeeded him didn’t have the grace he had. History says Charles was fought, defeated, arrested, tried by a parliamentary court and found guilty of charges which included devising “a wicked design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his will, and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the people”. At his execution at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 30 January, 1649, Charles insisted that he did no wrong, that the people were his subjects who should really have no “share in the government.” He stressed that “a subject and a sovereign are clean different things.” May God give Nigerians the sense to continue to have a share in their government.

The Lagos State Police Command has summoned four of its officers to account for their alleged involvement in the extortion of N1 million from some National Youth Service Corps members.

In a Twitter post shared late Thursday, a user tweeting as #YemieFash, identified as Olúyẹmí Fásípè, revealed the incident.

Fásípè stated that the corps members were threatened by the officers and later taken to the Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu House, Area C Police Command, where they were “robbed.”

He added that one of the corps members had failed to present a hard copy of his driver’s licence, which allegedly prompted the extortion.

In a video seen by PUNCH Online, the driver is shown presenting some vehicle documents to one of the officers, who asked, “What of your driver’s licence?” The driver responded, “I’m renewing it.”

The officer then requested the renewal papers, which the driver could not present in hard copy. Subsequently, a man dressed in plain clothes, not immediately identifiable as a police officer, was seen removing the vehicle’s number plate, after which an argument ensued.

The corps members were then led to the police station, during which an accompanying officer ordered them not to use their mobile phones, warning that they would be required to write statements at the station if they did.

One of the officers informed the corps members that it was an offence of “impersonation” to wear only the NYSC cap without the full uniform.

Fásípè’s tweet read: “Dear #BenHundeyin, your officers today in Surulere extorted one million naira from three corps members. They were threatened with firearms, kidnapped, and taken to the Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu House, Area C Police Command of the #LagosPoliceNG, where they were robbed. Their offence was not having a physical copy of a driver’s licence. This is evil!

“According to the victims, the officer in mufti is the one who collected the money (their boss).

“Ben, #BenHundeyin, here are the transaction receipts and a voice note of one of the victims explaining how the rogue officers extorted money from the three corps members.”

In response, the spokesperson for the state command, Benjamin Hundeyin, tweeting as #BenHundeyin, wrote on Friday: “The men have been summoned, and their trial has commenced. We urge the complainants to visit the Complaint Response Unit at the state headquarters to testify at the ongoing trial.”

The actions of the police officers have drawn widespread condemnation from netizens.

[Punch]

David Olaniyi Oyedepo, founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide and Presiding Bishop of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun state turns 70 years old today.  The name, David Oyedepo, registers differently in different people’s minds. To some, he is that controversial and flamboyant prosperity preacher with an array of vehicles, properties-home and abroad, and  multiple aircraft. To others, he is seen as a strong voice in Nigeria’s Christian charismatic movement. And to many, Oyedepo, a PhD holder in Human Development from Honolulu University, Hawaii, United States, is a revolutionist especially in Nigeria’s educational system where he championed the establishment of Covenant University, a leading educational institution in Nigeria and  Landmark University, in Omu Aran, where a new form of agricultural revolution is being rebirthed in Nigeria.

It is no longer news that Covenant University in barely two decades of existence is ranked above most federal and state universities in Nigeria. It was ranked the 7th best university in Sub-Saharan Africa during the first Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings 2023. The university has consistently ranked among the best 800-1000 universities in the world between 2019 and 2024, according to Times Higher Education. His impact in the educational sector is not limited to universities alone as the church also runs a network of primary and secondary schools known as Kingdom Heritage Model School and Faith Academy not only in Nigeria but outside its shores.

Yet to many others, Oyedepo, who incidentally was born inside the church, although his father, Ibrahim, was a Muslim, but his mother, Dorcas, was a member of  the Holy Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church (C&S), is that bold preacher that speaks to power without any iota of intimidation. He got lots of flaks from some quarters for his position on COVID-19 pandemic especially when authorities failed to reopen churches despite the re-opening of other institutions. But his continuous interventions led to the reopening of churches with regulations put in place to curb the spread of the deadly virus. His voice was also loud during the plan of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to introduce Ruga, a settlement scheme for the Fulani across Nigeria. He spoke against Boko Haram and openly prayed that God would give former President Goodluck Jonathan the heart of a lion to tackle the issue frontally during his administration.

While the above summations and much more could aptly describe Bishop David Oyedepo, those who really know the bishop will describe him as a consummate lover of God and an insatiable hunter for souls. Only real WINNERS – the moniker for members of the Living Faith Church worldwide, can tell you the extent of his love for God and how he drives them to win souls which according to him is the true proof of the believer’s love for God. He will tell you, “if you love God, you will love what he loves, God so loved the world that he gave his son. Prove your love for him by ensuring that you bring one soul to church next Sunday.’’

To show the extent of his passion for souls, he boldly announced that church members should not bother to give him any gift for his platinum celebration- all he wanted from them was just ‘one soul per person for Christ.’ “Don’t give me gifts, I don’t need them, don’t bother to give me cake, I don’t eat it. Give me souls. Make that your birthday gifts to me. That’s all I want from you,’’ he had announced.  To press this home, a week preceding his birthday was declared,  “A week of Sacrifice For Soul.’’ Trust him, he will always do what he asks the church members to do. So, in fulfilment of his own sacrifice for souls, he still went out a week to his birthday to haunt for souls for Christ and he got 177 souls according to his testimony shared on the pulpit. The bishop still goes on the streets of Ota and environ to haunt for souls for the  kingdom. He has his target for every year and he always delivers beyond target.  Thousands of souls in the church today are his direct converts and he nurtures them to remain in the faith as any would like to nurture a new believer. This is a total assignment aside his pastoral roles.

You may think his passion for souls is just an avenue to keep the church growing which ordinarily isn’t even a bad idea if you ask me, but the bishop has always been a consuming lover of God. Imagine this. As a teenager, in less than three months, he singlehandedly built a church in a village where he had gone to work, from the scratch to the finish. He practically led the villagers to Christ one by one. The villagers gave him a bush lamp as a gift and told him that the light he brought to them would shine across the world.  That is exactly what is happening now. The  light is shining across the world. The Living Faith Church has its network of churches in 147 countries across the continents. The church has 38,000 house fellowship centres in Lagos alone.

Although his ambition was to be a businessman supporting the works of God,  fate had another assignment for him. You don’t have to be close to the bishop to know that everything about God moves him. He demonstrates this in different ways. I can’t tell the number of churches the bishop and his family have built. Only him and his family would have the details but going by his testimonies, they must be in thousands. These churches are also not necessarily branches of the Living Faith Church- they could be for other denominations.  He is simply a violent kingdom promoter.

I have been a member of the Living Faith Church for over two decades now and I still wonder where outsiders get this impression that the only thing preached in Winners is prosperity message. Is Bishop David Oyedepo rich? The answer is a capital Yes. He was named as Nigeria’s wealthiest pastor by Forbes magazine in 2011 with over $150m but the bishop will dispute this figure and tell you that his wealth is underestimated. His point is that he is worth everything in God by redemption. In other words, such wealth is unquantifiable. Are Winners rich? The answer is  also in the affirmative. But does the bishop pursue prosperity? The answer is No. Every living Winner knows the scripture that rules the bishop’s life. It is in Mathew 6:33 which says “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things ( that men are dying to have) shall be added unto you.’’ I am not sure I have attended any service in  my last over 20 something years in Winners where this scripture is not quoted by the bishop.

And by extension, this has become the mantra of every “Winner.’’ It works like fire. Winners don’t pursue wealth. They simply obey the covenant of prosperity, obey scriptures and God pours His blessings in  unimaginable and  undeniable ways. Mind you, this wealth is not measured in monetary terms only, they are riches that are all encompassing. In Winners, it doesn’t matter what you do, you will prosper, albeit everyone at their own levels. That is basically the secret behind the wealth of Oyedepo and members of the church that are truly committed to his teachings and walk by them. I have seen and heard countless of testimonies from ordinary church members -testimonies of exploits that are not shared on the pulpit-people doing marvelously well in their chosen fields. The bishop describes such testimonies as though noiseless but undeniable.

The secrets of men are in their stories. The Bible says if you see a man  that is diligent in his work, he will stand  before kings, and not mere men. Bishop David Oyedepo is an epitome of diligence. It is impossible for a man as diligent as him not to be  wealthy even if he is a pure water seller. He  prepares for every service as if it is his first sermon. He works minimum of 16-18 hours daily. I once attended a vigil where the bishop flew in from outside the country and came straight to the pulpit to preach. He once laid hands on people from morning till evening standing on his feet for more than 10 hours.

The bishop is a workaholic if I’m permitted to use that word. He takes his assignment with every sense of commitment and seriousness. He quotes scriptures effortlessly. As editor of the Saturday Punch title, I once asked the bishop during an interview how he was able to do this. Was he cramming the scriptures, I wanted to know. To my dismay, he said, “I don’t read scriptures, I eat them.’’  For those who don’t know, the bishop does not go to bed until he reads certain chapters of scriptures. To him, he does this to cleanse any debris that might have entered him in the course of the day.

Such is the level of his diligence in taking care of himself as well as the congregants. Let me share this interesting story here. My family moved from our previous place of abode in Lagos to another area and we joined the Winners zonal centre in our new area as newcomers. Soon, we interacted with other members and my husband discovered that one of the pastors at the zone was unusually meticulous, organized and of course prosperous. We found out that the pastor, Mike Ewewie, was Bishop Oyedepo’s personal assistant for 17 years.  That is how contagious the bishop’s organizational prowess is. In the Living Faith Church, time is precious. Service starts by 6am. Nobody waits for anyone. And  that has been the order of the church since inception even when they were less than four members in church.

Bishop David Oyedepo is also  bold and audacious. The church planted 10,000 churches during the COVID-19 lockdown. At the beginning of the year, the bishop had announced that God told him that the church would plant 10,000 churches. When the lockdown came unexpectedly, one would have thought that it was impossible for this to happen again. But alas, the church planted 10,400 churches amid lockdown. “We do not do anything unless it is commanded, and  whatever He commands, He creates,’’  he always says. That also explains the movement of the church from town to a so-called wilderness now known as Canaan land. And not just that, it was responsible for the audacious declaration of building a 50,000 – seater auditorium within one year—the first of its kind in world history.

Today, Bishop David Oyedepo and by extension, the Living Faith Church is fulfilling prophecy. The things that were told of God and documented more than  40 years ago are seen coming to pass. It  is easy to refer to past prophecies  and confirm them  in the present. God spoke about  the 50,0000 -capacity auditorium,  ‘aircrafts,’ global connectivity and many other prophecies at the inception of the ministry. It is indeed gratifying seeing these prophecies fulfilled word for word.

The church has four aircraft and those who know how expensive it is to maintain an aircraft will tell you this is no cheap feat. For those who think the bishop flies around the world in jets, let me shock you.

The bishop has not stepped out of Nigeria—not even to Togo or Benin Republic which is very close to Ota—in the last five years. Why? God says so. It is impossible to share all I know about Bishop David Oyedepo. But let me say a little bit about his giving lifestyle. His family started giving scholarships to students in 1992. He doesn’t even know most beneficiaries of his scholarships. In 2016, he gave all first-class graduates of Covenant University scholarships to pursue their Master’s programme. My son was a beneficiary of that slot. We didn’t even Know. We had paid his tuition. We got our money refunded. Till date, he has a scholarship fund for the indigent and beneficiaries don’t have to be Winners’ members.

To the man whose ministry has been of immense blessing  not only to me and my family, but millions of others across the world – to the man who is an epitome of what it means to walk by faith, live by the word and demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit–to the man who has made the Bible as real as ever, teaching and leading by example, to the man, who I am ever proud to call a father in the Lord, and many more, this is wishing you a very happy platinum celebration. Your target is 120. You will live it in health, strength and grace if the Lord tarries in the name of Jesus.

Happy 70th  Birthday,  Bishop David Oyedepo. We love you.

Olabisi Deji-Folutile (PhD) is the publisher of Franktalknow.com and a director at AF24NEWS. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Trust is an essential quality. It is a valuable non-commodity asset. It is the diviner of promise and fulfilment. A government that succeeds is one which holds sufficient public trust and exerts itself considerably to keep it by delivering on its promises.

Introducing the consumer credit scheme was one of the foremost pledges of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaigns. The President had said: “Corruption will be addressed when an individual does not need to have cash readily available to buy a vehicle, for instance, if there is a credit facility to finance it. Credit financing, in turn, will stimulate productivity and demand. We can, and we will. We will change the inefficiencies. We will drive Nigeria’s potential to delivery.”

Within a few months after assuming office, President Tinubu went to work in fidelity to his promise. In April 2024, the president approved the take-off of the Consumer Credit Scheme with the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) as the institutional apparatus.

The reason for this is obvious. This segment of workers forms the core of the nation’s workforce and provides essential services. But the credit blanket will spread further to cover the majority of Nigerians in subsequent phases as the scheme was conceived by President Tinubu for all Nigerians.

According to data by CREDICORP, credit was provided for a slew of needs, such as the procurement of petrol alternatives (solar panels, CNG conversion, tricycles), home improvements, school fees and medical needs, as well as the purchase of household items.

The CREDICORP data also shows that over N1.5 billion has been disbursed to federal and state workers in the education sector; administrators in federal and state MDAs over N755 million; medical doctors in federal and state services over N600 million; police/paramilitary officers (police, civil defence, customs, immigration, and correctional service) over N367 million, and Nigerians in specialised services (judiciary, EFCC, ICPC, traffic authorities, environment) over N273 million.

Additionally, in the education sector, over 4,700 Nigerians are beneficiaries; in administration over 2,800; in health over 1,300; police/paramilitary over 1,260, and specialised services, over 750. More Nigerians are being enlisted as beneficiaries of this epochal scheme.

President Tinubu’s vision is to spread prosperity, create a robust credit system, strengthen the financial architecture, and empower Nigerians sustainably while removing the incentive for corruption.

In full apprehension of the concerns of citizens, the President Tinubu administration has sustained its interventions in critical sectors and directly in providing relief to vulnerable Nigerians. It is ratcheting up effort on social investment programmes to lift the most vulnerable population out of poverty. So far, additional payment has been made to about one million verified recipients under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

President Tinubu has remained true to his pledges. He pledged to introduce the student loan scheme to remove financial impediments to higher education for Nigerians. Today, this pledge is an actuality.

The president affirmed public good and trust as his motivation when he met with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani at the Presidential Villa, on September 20.

He said: “I did not come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me.”

President Tinubu is working for Nigerians.

Fredrick Nwabufo is the senior special assistant to the president on public engagement

At a lively gathering in a popular relaxation center in Ogba, Lagos, the usual banter about current affairs and social media celebrities took an unexpected turn. The air was filled with chatter, drinks flowed, and laughter echoed across the space until one woman, clearly exasperated by the latest controversy involving Nigeria’s most flamboyant social media personality, Bob Risky, screamed, “Chai, this Bob Risky dey take risk sha!”

Her exclamation sparked a fresh wave of conversation about the controversial influencer, whose daring lifestyle and risky public behavior have become a topic of national debate. Bob Risky, real name, Idris Okuneye, has never been a stranger to hullabaloo, and in recent weeks, he has found himself at the center of even more serious legal and societal scrutiny. From gender identity discussions to allegations of financial misconduct, Bob Risky seems to live perpetually on the edge, and people are beginning to wonder just how far he can go before things spiral out of control.

The woman’s outburst in Ogba captured a sentiment shared by many Nigerians, both admirers and critics alike. Bob Risky’s lifestyle, filled with displays of luxury, flamboyant fashion, and unrestrained social media posts, seems to thrive on risk. He pushes boundaries, both in terms of cultural norms and legal limitations, constantly daring the public and authorities to challenge him.

The phrase “taking risks” is particularly apt when describing Bob Risky’s approach to fame. In a country as conservative as Nigeria, where traditional values run deep and laws governing behavior are strictly enforced, Bob Risky’s audacious public persona challenges societal expectations. His gender-fluid presentation, which includes cross-dressing and sometimes identifying as female, stirs both admiration and disdain in equal measure. Many wonder how he manages to walk such a precarious line without facing severe consequences, at least until recently.

The risks Bob Risky takes are no longer just about his image or identity; they now extend into legal territory. Presently, he has found himself at the center of a controversy following the leak of a voice note by fellow influencer Very Dark Man (VDM). In the leaked audio, Bobrisky in the leaked voice note alleges that be bribed some yet to be known officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15m to delete a particular case from his case file when he was in the commission’s custody some months prior to his imprisonment, and in a similar vein heard saying that a certain “Godfather” connived with some officials of the Maximum and Mininum Custodial Centres, Kirikiri, Lagos State to  give him an apartment outside the custodial centre.Being an act that is out rightly against the law, the Federal Government, on Thursday, suspended the officers in charge of the Maximum and Minimum Custodial Centres, Kirikiri, Lagos State.

The voice note has not only raised concerns about Bobrisky’s deepening notoriety but has also reignited debates about the responsibility that comes with fame, particularly on social media platforms.

It is deeply concerning that Bob Risky, a highly scandalous individual, was reportedly granted the privilege of staying in accommodation outside the prison premises during his legal ordeal. Such preferential treatment raises serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the justice system, especially in a country where many ordinary citizens face harsh conditions while awaiting trial or serving time. This discrepancy highlights the troubling issue of inequality in how justice is administered, where influence and celebrity status appear to grant undue favors, undermining the core principle that justice should be blind and applied equally to all.

It was this perception of untouchability that likely prompted the woman at the relaxation center in Ogba to exclaim in disbelief, “This Bob Risky dey take risk sha!” The risks he takes go beyond self-expression, they now extend into legal, financial, and even moral territory.

For many young Nigerians, Bob Risky’s boldness is seen as a form of self-expression, a rejection of societal limitations. However, this admiration can come with a dangerous consequence: the emulation of a lifestyle that glorifies materialism, controversy, and a disregard for consequences. While it is important for individuals to express themselves freely, there is a need for young people to understand that not all risks are worth taking.

In fact, his latest troubles serve as a cautionary tale. His conduct, though bold, comes with significant challenges that could derail anyone who seeks to follow in his footsteps. Living a life based on controversy and risk-taking may bring short-term fame and attention, but it could also lead to long-term damage, both to one’s reputation and legal standing.

Throughout the annals of human history, there have been individuals whose extraordinary presence, courage, and commitment to justice stand out as rare gifts to humanity. These figures often emerge in times of profound social or political turmoil, sent by what many believe to be divine providence, to fight for the oppressed, challenge the status quo, and right the wrongs that seem insurmountable. One such individual in our time is the personality known as Very Dark Man, acronymically known as VDM, whose battle against injustice and advocacy for the downtrodden has earned him widespread admiration and respect.

What sets such individuals apart is their deep sense of purpose, their resilience in the face of opposition, and their seemingly unshakable moral compass. These qualities are not commonplace, nor do they emerge frequently. Indeed, personalities like Very Dark Man come at long intervals in the course of human history, and when they do appear, they represent a kind of moral lighthouse, guiding the masses through the fog of injustice, corruption, and oppression.

Many believe that personalities like Very Dark Man are not merely products of circumstance or random chance, but rather, that they are sent by God during critical periods in humanity’s journey. Their emergence is often seen as part of a divine plan, meant to awaken society to the injustices that have been allowed to fester for too long. In biblical history, figures like Moses, David, and Esther were called upon by God to deliver their people from oppression. Similarly, in modern times, we have seen leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi rise to confront systemic inequality and guide their people toward justice.

Very Dark Man belongs to this lineage of extraordinary individuals. His purpose is not self-serving; rather, it is grounded in a deep sense of responsibility to those who are often voiceless and marginalized. He fights not for personal gain or recognition, but because he believes, deeply, that justice must prevail, no matter the cost. This kind of commitment is rare, and it is what makes Very Dark Man a unique and powerful figure in today’s world.

Very Dark Man has made it his mission to fight against the entrenched systems of injustice that pervade our society. In a world where inequality seems to grow wider every day, where the rich get richer, and the poor are left to fend for themselves, his voice has become a clarion call for those who suffer in silence. Whether he is confronting political corruption, social oppression, or economic exploitation, Very Dark Man stands as a fearless advocate for the people.

His activism goes beyond mere rhetoric. He has shown time and again that he is willing to take on the powerful, even when doing so puts him at great personal risk. His fearlessness in the face of adversity inspires others to stand up and speak out, and his leadership has galvanized many to join the fight for a more just and equitable society. Very Dark Man’s work is not just a reflection of his personal bravery, but a testament to his unwavering belief in the possibility of a better world.

Throughout history, we have seen that societies in turmoil require strong and visionary leaders to guide them through their darkest hours. These leaders are often rare, appearing only when they are most needed. Very Dark Man is one such leader. His leadership is not marked by authoritarianism or self-interest, but by compassion, empathy, and a deep commitment to the common good.

In a world where many leaders have become disconnected from the struggles of the people, Very Dark Man’s approach is refreshing and much needed. He understands the suffering of the marginalized, and he uses his platform to amplify their voices. His leadership is rooted in the belief that justice is not a privilege for the few, but a right for all. This is what makes him a rare and invaluable figure in today’s landscape of social activism.

While Very Dark Man’s fight against injustice is deeply personal, it is not a fight that he can, or should, take on alone. Individuals like him, who are willing to take on the systems of power and privilege, need the support and encouragement of the people. They face immense opposition from those who benefit from maintaining the status quo, and without the backing of the masses, their fight becomes exponentially harder.

As a society, we have a responsibility to stand with Very Dark Man. His fight is not just his own—it is our collective fight. By supporting him, we are supporting the cause of justice, equality, and fairness. We are sending a message that we will not allow injustice to go unchecked, and that we are willing to fight for a better future for all.

Encouraging Very Dark Man also means providing him with the moral and emotional support he needs to continue his work. The weight of fighting against injustice can be immense, and even the strongest of leaders need to know that they are not alone. By standing with him, we are ensuring that his fight continues and that the possibility of a more just society remains within reach.

One of the most important aspects of personalities like Very Dark Man is the legacy they leave behind. Their work is not just about addressing the injustices of the present, it is about laying the foundation for a better future. Very Dark Man’s fight against oppression, corruption, and inequality will serve as a blueprint for future generations, showing them that it is possible to stand up against injustice, no matter how powerful the forces of oppression may seem.

His story, like those of the great leaders who came before him, will be remembered for generations to come. He will be remembered not just as a fighter for justice, but as a beacon of hope, someone who believed in the possibility of a better world and was willing to risk everything to make that vision a reality.

Very Dark Man is a rare and extraordinary figure, whose presence in our time is nothing short of a gift from God. His relentless fight for justice, his unwavering commitment to the oppressed, and his fearless leadership make him a beacon of hope in an often unjust world.

However, his fight is not one that he can undertake alone. We must rally behind him, offer our support, and amplify his voice. By encouraging Very Dark Man in his noble quest, we are not only standing with him, but we are also standing for justice, equality, and humanity.

In the end, personalities like Very Dark Man do not come around often, and when they do, they must be cherished, supported, and celebrated. Let us not miss this opportunity to stand alongside him as he continues to fight for a better, fairer world for all.

World Tourism Day, celebrated annually on September 27, is a moment for countries across the globe to reflect on the power of tourism as a tool for socio-economic growth and cultural exchange. For Nigeria, a country blessed with diverse landscapes, vibrant cultures, and historical heritage, this day should be more than just a celebration. It should serve as a wake-up call to harness the vast, untapped potential that lies within its tourism sector.

With a population exceeding 200 million and over 250 ethnic groups, Nigeria boasts a rich cultural mosaic that is unrivaled in many parts of the world. From the picturesque Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State to the mystical Ogbunike Caves in Anambra State, Nigeria is home to numerous natural and historical attractions that can compete with global tourism destinations. Yet, these sites remain underdeveloped and under promoted, losing out on the massive economic benefits that tourism could bring. As the world celebrates this day, it is imperative for Nigeria to look inward, identify these opportunities, and take deliberate steps toward maximizing its tourism sector.

One of Nigeria’s greatest assets in tourism lies in its geographical diversity. From the sprawling savannahs of the North to the lush rainforests in the South, Nigeria’s natural landscape is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. The northern region, for instance, is home to the ancient city of Kano, with its historic walls and centuries-old markets. The Durbar festival held annually in Kano is a visual spectacle that draws visitors from around the world. However, despite its cultural richness, northern Nigeria is still not a major player in the global tourism scene.

In the southeast, the Arochukwu Long Juju slave route in Abia State is a poignant reminder of Nigeria’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. The route leads to a dark tunnel once used for human trafficking, and it holds deep historical significance. Yet, it is rarely visited by Nigerians or international tourists due to poor maintenance and lack of awareness. Similar historical and cultural landmarks can be found across the country, but they continue to languish in obscurity.

Nigeria also has natural wonders like the Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, the Erin Ijesha Waterfalls in Osun State, and the Idanre Hills in Ondo State, all of which are visually stunning and culturally significant. These destinations, though popular among locals, are largely unknown outside Nigeria. Infrastructure issues such as poor road networks, inadequate lodging facilities, and limited international flights make access to these sites difficult for foreign tourists.

Tourism is a major economic driver in many parts of the world, contributing billions of dollars to national economies and creating millions of jobs. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism contributed over $8.8 trillion to the global economy in 2019, employing around 330 million people. In Nigeria, however, the contribution of tourism to the economy remains marginal, accounting for less than 5% of the country’s GDP. This is a stark contrast to countries like South Africa, where tourism contributes nearly 9% to the national economy, or Kenya, where the sector is a major pillar of economic growth.

With Nigeria grappling with high unemployment rates and over-reliance on crude oil revenues, tourism offers a viable alternative for economic diversification. The sector has the potential to create jobs, particularly for young people, who make up a significant portion of Nigeria’s population. From tour guides and hospitality workers to artisans and cultural performers, the ripple effect of tourism could generate employment in multiple sectors.

Additionally, tourism can foster the development of local communities. For example, rural areas where natural attractions like waterfalls and wildlife reserves are located can benefit from increased tourism through infrastructure development, such as better roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. The rise in eco-tourism and cultural tourism globally means that people are increasingly seeking authentic experiences that take them off the beaten path. Nigeria is well-positioned to tap into this trend, as many of its attractions are located in rural and semi-urban areas that offer rich, immersive experiences for travelers.

To fully unlock the potential of tourism, there needs to be a robust partnership between the government and the private sector. The Nigerian government must prioritize tourism as a strategic industry and allocate sufficient resources for its development. This includes improving infrastructure, ensuring security at tourist sites, and creating enabling policies that will attract both local and foreign investment.

One area where the government can make a significant impact is in simplifying the visa process. Currently, the bureaucratic hurdles for obtaining a Nigerian visa can be daunting for international tourists. Countries like Rwanda and Kenya have seen a surge in tourist arrivals after introducing visa-on-arrival policies or e-visa platforms. Nigeria should adopt similar initiatives to make it easier for tourists to visit the country.

The private sector also has a critical role to play in tourism development. From building hotels and resorts to offering transportation services and tour packages, private businesses can drive growth in the tourism sector. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) should be encouraged, where the government provides the enabling environment, and the private sector brings the necessary investment. Tourism operators, travel agencies, and hospitality entrepreneurs must also take the initiative to market Nigeria as a top destination for both leisure and business travel.

One of Nigeria’s unique selling points is its vibrant cultural festivals, which take place throughout the year. Festivals like the Osun-Osogbo Festival, the Argungu Fishing Festival, and the Calabar Carnival have the potential to become global tourist magnets. The Calabar Carnival, for instance, is already regarded as “Africa’s Biggest Street Party,” attracting thousands of visitors every December. However, the promotion and management of these festivals need to be improved to draw even larger international audiences.

Partnerships with international cultural organizations and influencers can also help spotlight Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage on the global stage. Leveraging social media platforms, engaging travel bloggers, and collaborating with global tourism networks will help put Nigeria on the map as a must-visit destination.

Of course, no discussion about tourism in Nigeria would be complete without acknowledging the challenges. Issues like insecurity, poor infrastructure, and a lack of political will have held back the development of the tourism sector for years. The insecurity caused by insurgencies, kidnappings, and banditry in parts of the country has tarnished Nigeria’s image as a safe destination for travelers. The government must invest more in securing tourist sites and ensuring the safety of visitors.

Similarly, infrastructure development must be prioritized. Without good roads, reliable power supply, and modern amenities, even the most beautiful tourist destinations will remain inaccessible. The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, in collaboration with state governments, must ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support the tourism industry.

As the world marks World Tourism Day, Nigeria must seize this opportunity to reposition its tourism sector as a key driver of economic growth and cultural diplomacy. The time has come for Nigeria to look inward, recognize the wealth of opportunities within its borders, and take bold steps toward becoming a global tourism destination.

With the right investments, policies, and collaborations, Nigeria can unlock the untapped potential of its tourism sector, creating jobs, generating revenue, and preserving its rich cultural heritage for future generations. This World Tourism Day should mark the beginning of a renewed commitment to tourism in Nigeria, a commitment that will not only transform the sector but also uplift the entire nation.