In 1979, the outgoing military administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo established the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) to identify our country men and women (whether at home or in the Diaspora) who have made outstanding contributions to knowledge and creativity and grant them special recognition. The award is categorised under four fields of human endeavour: Science, Medicine, Engineering/Technology, and Humanities—including arts and culture. After a rigorous selection process, worthy candidates are awarded the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) with a certificate and cash prize by the President on the first Thursday in the month of December—although the cash prize has dwindled in value over the years.

From inception till date (46 years), the NNMA Governing Board has only conferred the prestigious NNOM award on a total of 79 Nigerians to demonstrate how exclusive it is. Past awardees include Professors Chinua Achebe, Idris Mohammed, Anya O. Anya, Akin Mabogunge, Umaru Balarabe, Niyi Osundare, Jacob Olupona, Barth Nnaji, Femi Osofisan, J.P. Clark, Ben Nwabueze, J.F. Ade-Ajayi as well as the late Mrs Ladi Kwali, Mr Bruce Onobrakpeya, and a few others who distinguished themselves in their chosen vocations outside the Ivory Towers. Interestingly, even though Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, delivered the first NNMA Winners’ lecture at the University of Lagos on 3 May 2012 titled, ‘Monumentalism and the Renaissance Dream: The Bane of Power Aesthetics’ and is recognised as an NNOM winner, there seems not to be a proper record of the year he was awarded.

Following the enactment of the NNMA Act in 1992 by the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, the cash prize was reviewed to N5 million for each recipient. With the exchange rate in 1992 standing at N9.91 to a dollar, that put the amount received by each awardee for that year at $500,000. But with a progressive decline in the value of the Naira, President Goodluck Jonathan jerked up the prize money for each recipient to N10 million in 2011. Since the exchange rate at that period was N148 to a dollar, an awardee still received an equivalent of about $68,000. Meanwhile, funds for the cash prize and other activities, including calls for nomination/application advertisement, quarterly award winner lectures, payment for internal and external assessors, an annual forum of NNOM laureates, etc. are included in the NNMA annual budget.

At the investiture dinner in honour of two NNOM Laureates in December 2017, then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo spoke on how the fame and glory of nations largely rely on the hard work, creativity and service of their best talents. “Consequently, any society that favours exigencies of any kind over merit has chosen to function at its sub-optimal level and greatness must, by the force of principle, elude it,” said Osinbajo. “High attainment, whether it be for individuals or nations, is a function of the priority given to merit.”

Unfortunately, the government Osinbajo served displayed a befuddling but not surprising disdain for merit by starving the NNMA of funds. But the current administration seems to have carried this contempt to a new level. In the 2024 budget, the NNMA received an allocation of N16 million (capital). It is from this ridiculous amount that the NNMA is expected to organize all its programmes and pay the prize money of N10 million that is now worth less than $7,000. To compound the challenge, the federal government is planning to merge the NNMA with the National Honours Awards. A bill to that effect is already before the National Assembly.

In a piece I wrote in 2012 titled ‘National Honours as Chieftaincy Titles’, I recalled what happened in 1996 when then Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, was said to have been handed a list of nominees for National Honours for that year, for the approval of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) which he chaired. After going through the names, Abacha reportedly looked straight at the official who gave him the paper and remarked: “These are the Nigerians you think merit National Honours? More than half of the people on this list are crooks!” That year, no Nigerian was bestowed a national honour, and I really cannot recall if Abacha ever conferred any until he died two years later.

Therefore, merging the NNMA with National Honours is to subvert the entire idea. The NNMA is premised on the notion that sustained recognition of, and reward for, excellence, signals a nation’s appreciation for meritocracy, intellectual rigour and creativity. This is why the NNOM is the highest academic and intellectual award in the country, once likened to the Nobel Prize by President Jonathan. We know that the national honours award is secured by lobbying, cronyism and other unwholesome practices, while the NNOM comes with a rigorous selection process involving applications discreetly evaluated by eminent academic peers of integrity. How can the federal government put the two awards in the same pot?

I understand that the NNOM laureates (renowned professors who are mostly in their eighties and nineties) held a zoom meeting last week to lament how a noble idea to promote scholarship is being gradually bastardised in Nigeria. They have my sympathy. I just hope that President Bola Tinubu will not allow the NNOM to join the long list of Nigerian initiatives that have suffered egregious institutional degradation.

The Uromi Lynching of 16 Hunters

When the sacred duty of protecting lives and property is outsourced to unregulated and untrained security outfits comprised of personnel with questionable backgrounds, avoidable calamities are never far away. That explains the tragic fate that befell 16 hunters last Thursday at Uromi, Esan Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State. Travelling to their home state of Kano from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the end of Ramadan festivities, the hunters were ambushed and gruesomely murdered by a local vigilante group. In a statement by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) spoke for many critical stakeholders in demanding justice for the slain hunters, arguing that their extrajudicial killing in “such a senseless and brutal manner…is a chilling reminder of the dangers of lawlessness.”

While I commiserate with the families of the deceased hunters, there must be a thorough investigation of not just the actors, but also those who could have averted the tragedy and dropped the ball. We should also not discount the incessant killings and kidnappings in Edo and other states that fuel these irregular security measures. The bigger tragedy, of course, is that the hunters wereprofiled as terrorists and kidnappers because of the language they spoke. In Nigeria, once you put a negative label on people, what follows is primordial hate mongering and its destructive grip. As I argued in one of my ‘Platform Nigeria’ presentations, while the social and economic bonds that unite us as a people may be strong, the rights of citizenship remain shackled by boundaries of state of origin, ethnicity and religion.

However, we must commend the traditional institution in the North, particularly the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for the interventions to prevent reprisal actions that could lead to further bloodshed of innocent people across the country. Authorities in both Edo and Kano States, led by Governors Monday Okpebholo and Abba Yusuf respectively, have also demonstrated commendable leadership. Okpebholo visited Kano last weekend and met with families of the deceased hunters, promising to pay compensation. I am also impressed by the statement of Uromi community elders. In taking collective responsibility for what it described as an abomination without excuse, the Esan Descendants Assembly (EDA) pleaded through its chairman, Prof. G.R.A. Okogun and General Secretary, Mr Saint Moses Eromosele: “To the families of the slain, to the communities from which they came, to the states that raised them, and to the nation whose conscience has been wounded, we offer our deepest sorrow. We do not apologise from politeness, but from the pain of brotherhood. No man deserves to be judged by fire. No mother should receive her child in ashes.”

Meanwhile, the bigger challenge rests with the federal government. While the worsening security situation in the country has led to the proliferation of vigilante groups, authorities must also understand that these outfits are susceptible to the kind of jungle justice visited on the 16 hunters. This should therefore be another teachable moment. In an April 2022 report titled, ‘Managing Vigilantism in Nigeria: A Near-term Necessity’, the International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that while “Vigilantes have become so important to protecting the Nigerian public that for now the country has little choice but to rely on them… the emergence of ethnically exclusive groups threatens to stir up communal tensions.” Over the long term, according to the global NGO committed to preventing, mitigating and resolving deadly conflict, “Nigerian authorities need to rebuild trust in their capacity to protect the public without vigilante assistance through comprehensive police reform.”

Beyond the challenge of insecurity, we must all be concerned about the collapse of the mores that bind us together as a society despite the right to life being a universal principle contained in section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). That collapse accounts for how the law of the jungle operates, as we saw when the vigilante group doused the hunters in petrol before setting them ablaze along with their truck while onlookers recorded and cheered.

In so many ways, as I have argued numerous times on this page, Nigerians reflect their government. If a society is not compassionate, it is futile to expect the government to be. If a society has degenerated to the level of every man for himself, then we delude ourselves to expect anything better from government. The net result is a collective descent into a Hobbesian jungle where life becomes nasty, brutish, and short.

Aderemi Adeoye’s Desperation

I am aware that the former Commissioner for Police in Anambra State, Mr Aderemi Adeoye, is facing multiple court actions from some of his former ‘business partners’. But Adeoye imagines he can use me to ‘catch cruise’ by instituting a frivolous court case against me to demand N50 billion (the man surely loves billions!). When I received the papers two months ago, I decided there was no point writing about it since we would meet in court where Adeoye has questions to answer. But on Monday, he decided to be his own judge by going on ARISE Television to talk about the case he has instituted against me. He has forgotten, as the Yoruba people would say, that even when a wicked man reserves the right to state his case, he would not be the judge of the matter!

Of all the fundamental issues I raised in the two columns I wrote on Adeoye’s ‘Facebook company,’ including a possible conflict of interest and gross violations of the constitutional provisions on code of conduct for public officials, what he continues to parrot is the headline that calls him a billionaire cop. But since he has already gone to court, I wish he would shun needless propaganda. To make billions of Naira, Adeoye should concentrate on those Nigerians who are taken in by social media posts. I am not one of them! But for the benefit of readers who may not know the background to this matter, below is my last column in May last year titled, ‘CP Adeoye and Matters Arising’.

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Following my last Thursday column, ‘The Billionaire Police Commissioner’, Mr Aderemi Adeoye responded on his Facebook page, apparently for the benefit of his Alpha Trust Investment Club members who then circulated the message. “The publication (my column) is nothing but junk journalism. I will be appearing on ARISE Television by 9am tomorrow Friday 3^rd May 2024 to show how unintelligent the article is and throw light on all issues surrounding renegade members antics to blackmail us,” Adeoye wrote on the platform. “If you are interested in knowing the truth in a no holds barred manner, please tune in.”

Last Friday morning, I watched Adeoye on ARISE as he tried to justify his actions, and I leave readers to their judgement of his performance. But I need to clarify a few issues concerning my column. One, did I check for the registration of Alpha Trust Investment Club at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)? Yes, I did. The search came up with five companies by similar names: Alpha Trust Nigeria Limited; Alpha-Trust Divine Resources Limited; Alpha Trust Company Nigeria; Alpha-Mage Trust Insurance Brokers Limited and Alpha Intercity Trust Securities Limited. But Adeoye made some clarifications on ARISE. “The name of this organization is Alpha Trust Investment Club. Our loan arm is registered as ATIC Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, which is registered with the Lagos State Government. We carry on investment under the business name of ATIC Ventures and Business Services and that is the name that is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)”, Adeoye said on ARISE. So, I concede that the business is registered, even though with a different name. But the devil, as they say, is in the detail. This business (ATIC Ventures and Business Services) has only three people listed as proprietors (not investors) at the CAC: Aderemi Olufemi Adeoye, David Kaykay Egbele and Akanbi Babatunde Olanrewaju. “Principal business activity: Real estate and importation of vehicles.” That’s what is on the official record with nothing about Alpha Trust Investment Club there.

If Adeoye says this company belongs to 1400 Facebook members, I choose not to contest that. The fact that he controls a business worth N20 billion doesn’t mean he is a billionaire, Adeoye told ARISE. That is also a valid point, especially since he explained that the 11 million shares that he alluded to in his PUNCH interview do not belong to him. Incidentally, a friend forwarded this message to me last Thursday for my response: “Good afternoon, Sir. I just went through this (link to my column added). Please, if you don’t mind. Can I have a brief audience with Mr. Segun Adeniyi. I don’t mind a tripartite call. I also don’t harbour any grievance based on the content of his piece. I only want to explain a few things. My brother is definitely not a billionaire, among other things. The investment club is registered with LASG as a cooperative. It’s not a company.” I declined speaking with the said brother but appreciated his point.

On the allegations by those Adeoye considers ‘renegade members’, I have received a deluge of messages from some of them. I have also received in my mail several unsolicited documents, including from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce and Cooperative where the business is registered. My attention has also been drawn to Section 160 of the Investment and Securities Act, 2007 on ‘Authorization of Collective Investment Scheme’ that may have been breached. I have also seen a copy of the 8 March 2024 letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, personally signed by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, on behalf of a lady who made damaging allegations against ‘the Chairman’ (Adeoye). Babalola ended the letter with an appeal to Egbetokun: “I passionately, but humbly, appeal that you use your good offices to investigate the matter, prosecute the perpetrator(s) for fraud and assist the said (name withheld) retrieve her trapped fund from the Scheme.” Since the issue between Adeoye and his Facebook Club members is of no interest to me, let me leave out the lurid details in the letter. Besides, it is also fair to say that I know members who defend Adeoye.

One of them, a very close friend and former classmate now based in Belgium sent me a message. “I am still a member of ATIC. The N20 billion belongs to ATIC and not to Remi Adeoye personally. I don’t think he needed to mention ATIC in his disengagement speech, but ATIC is not a Ponzi Scheme,” she wrote to which I replied that it was not me that described it as such and that I never even heard about Adeoye or the scheme until I read his police pull-out speech last week. My concern, I explained to her, is whether a public official could engage in such business. “I don’t know the rules of the police, but I know a lot of people have one business or the other on the side for their families,” she replied. I conceded this same point in my column last week: “I am not opposed to legitimate ‘side hustles’ without which it is difficult for professionals to stay afloat in Nigeria.”

Now to the questions I posed: “How could Adeoye have been diligent in his work as a law enforcement officer if he spent considerable time chasing money from people whose backgrounds he had no idea of—including those who could be criminals? Are there no regulations within the police that frown at a serving officer establishing and running a business venture, especially of this nature? Are police officers exempted from the code of conduct for public officials in Nigeria?”

Adeoye said that what he is running on Facebook is not a business. “So, we don’t have an office, we don’t have overhead costs, we don’t have employees, we don’t pay salaries, we don’t have a generator, we don’t have official cars. The only thing we spend money on is organizing our physical meetings and this is paid for by membership dues, which is N5,000 per member, per annum,” Adeoye said although he forgot to mention that the online club also has no website which we can be described as another ‘cost-cutting measure.’ But despite having no structure, Adeoye wants us to believe all the 1400 members were verified. “Usually, we demand to see a workplace identity card and we go further to verify it. We do background checks, and we insist that any member we admit must not have any criminal record. Those who have pending matters with EFCC are excluded.” I would have asked for how this extensive and obviously expensive vetting process (including of people abroad) is done and who the WE are but then, what is the point?

For a venture that has no support system (no office, no staff, no website, no vehicle), it is remarkable that Adeoye could undertake all these and still be diligent at his work, especially at a period Nigeria is facing huge security challenges: “We bought hundreds of plots at N750,000 per plot in 2019 and today each plot is worth N12 million. It is determined by the market price. We subscribed for 600 plots and in Ibeju Lekki we subscribed for five plots.” And on accountability: “We are not answerable to anybody, except to our members, the BOT, and the management for our record, unless you bring a court order for us to account to you. Everything we do is published for our members to read. At the AGM, our accounts are approved.”

Now to my interest on this matter. I am aware of the provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 on code of conduct for public officers. Section 1 states: “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.” And Section 10 states, “A public officer shall not be a member of, belong to, or take part in any society the membership of which is incompatible with the functions or dignity of his office.” These are Constitutional provisions. Even if we overlook several other things, should we not be concerned if a law enforcement official initiates a ‘Facebook business’ that would elicit being accused of unwholesome practices while still in uniform? Besides, Section 95 of Police Act, 2020 on ‘Private Business and Conflict of Interest’ states: “A police officer shall not, while in service, be directly involved in managing and running any private business or trade except farming”—the only vocation also permitted a public official by the Constitution.

Let me reiterate that I have nothing personal against Adeoye and I had no inkling of his problem with some of his Facebook ‘business partners’ until the Google search led me to the petition. And in writing my column last Thursday, as I do every week, the only motivation was public interest. My main concerns stem from issues of possible conflict of interest, divided loyalty, abuse of power/office and what I consider sacred lines that should not be crossed by public officials. For instance, all the certificates of shares issued to members that I have seen were all signed personally by Adeoye which means he was running the business while still in uniform, notwithstanding his claims to the contrary.

On Tuesday, Adeoye released an ‘ATIC UPDATE BROADCAST’ on his investment platform where he stated, “We need 10 copies of ThisDay Newspaper of Thursday, 4th May 2024 urgently (the day my column was published). We will pay N1,000 for each copy we can get. We want to make those who published falsehood against us pay for their perfidy.” I hope the retired CP does not include me among his enemies, but this is also public notice, in case anything happens to me. He then concluded his message: “I invite ATICIANS in Abuja Zone to join me at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja on Saturday for a Press Conference during which we will address the blackmail against our Club and Cooperative. We will have lunch together afterwards. The bill is on me. Members who are able to make it are requested to come in their ATIC Tee Shirts as top. We will hold preliminary discussions afterwards on our direction in business.”

Adeoye is now retired from the police, so he is free to undertake any jamboree. I am also aware that he has reported me to the THISDAY ombudsman, threatening to take legal action, which is fine by me. He doesn’t own the court, so we meet there. He said his shareholding is “just a little above half of” the 11 million ascribed to him. He also alleged that I am being sponsored by renegades and low-life criminals, which underscores why a public official, especially a policeman, shouldn’t get into such transactions in the first place. If he admitted low-life criminals to the club, what does that say about his judgement and the quality of checks he claimed was done before members were admitted into his Facebook Club? This venture raises serious ethical and legal issues, which still seem lost on Adeoye, possibly because he thinks he can bully people. But this is a public interest issue, and Adeoye cannot intimidate me.

While I await Adeoye’s legal challenge, relevant regulatory agencies and accountability agencies must be interested in this matter. If only to establish the appropriate boundaries (if any) for public officials in Nigeria.

ENDNOTE: Now that Adeoye has gone to court, he should stop his media campaign against me. That is another battle he cannot win!

He didn’t say when his father asked him, but I wonder what the old man must think in his grave. Jonathan Power is now 83 and arguably one of Europe’s most widely published columnists.

He was a young freelance journalist when his father asked him the question. Still, even if he had lived to see his son syndicated globally, including by some of the world’s most prestigious newspapers and magazines, I’m not sure his father would have retracted the question: when will you get a proper job?

Power’s father didn’t think of journalism as a job. Instead, he considered it a lens or a keyhole through which one looks at the world’s most notable jobs like engineering or medicine. A side hustle, in today’s language. That was perhaps the whole point of supporting him to study agricultural economics, a distant cousin – but a cousin anyway – of some of the world’s proper job routes, only for his son to go astray.

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More than a betrayal

I’ve known Jonathan Power for over 25 years. But I met him again in his new book When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job? It’s a chronicle of his 60 years in journalism, which helped me understand why he once told me that I’d be better off being a plumber than hoping to make money from syndicated writing. It also helped me understand why my son regards journalism with courteous disdain.

But Power’s 227-page novel-like autobiography published by Noema in 2024 is more than a son’s betrayal of his father’s wishes. It’s also about relationships, love (especially eros), travel, religion and faith in the intrinsic goodness of the human being.

When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job? divides Power’s life into three main parts: his love/family life, his travel encounters mostly related to his job as a foreign correspondent or human rights advocate, and his quest for the essence of life.

The heart is not smart

Power is a passionate husband and a doting father but a woefully unlucky lover. If you discount the tragic end of the Barnes in Paul Murray’s The Bee Sting, in which Dickie Barnes is a principal character, Power’s account of his love and marriage life reminds you of how complications and unresolved issues in a marriage can undo even the best intentions, leaving emotional scars that won’t go away, even when it’s all over.

I started reading Power’s 15-chapter book from Chapter 4, entitled “My long-time friend, Nigeria’s Big Man”, but quickly returned to Chapter 1, “I and Me.” I should have started here. While I could easily relate to Chapter 4, which deals with Power’s over 40 years relationship with one of the troublers of Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, “I and Me” explores a more universal, human conundrum: love.

“If only I had been more lucky, wise, sensible…,” Power writes. “I never found the clarity of mind, the right sound or (the) perfect female. I died with no money in the bank.” He was talking to himself.

The women in his life

Two women dominate the first more than 20 years of Power’s love story: Anne and Mary Jane. He met Anne when they both worked on Martin Luther King’s staff, and he met Mary, the stewardess, on the plane. He was attracted to each woman for a different reason – Anne was his philosophical soulmate, and Mary, who came after, was the Beyonce missing in Anne.

When the tests came after three children with Anne and one with Mary – all girls – the gardens of the marriages were undermined by the foxes of irreconcilable individual differences. The endings were bitter. In Power’s earlier novel, The Human Flow, he quoted Chimamanda Adichie as saying, “You don’t fall in love. You climb up to love.” Power climbed but fell badly.

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Man on the road

The book is more than a failed love story told by a journalist with a heartfelt, almost naïve honesty. Power’s travel diary is remarkable, not just for his travels but also for the purpose, people, sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the impact of a few of the dramatic moments, like when he was almost stranded in the Caribbean after losing his guide, and later, his wallet.

His visits to Tanzania, Nigeria, Brazil, Guatemala, and India make for fascinating reading. Curiosity took him on some of these visits, but the quest for the truth, the desire to make a difference by chasing down the main actors – sometimes at significant personal risk – kept him returning to the trail.

Journalism did not discover the law of gravity, invent the submarine or split the atom. However, this improper job can also be gratifying by occasionally presenting the opportunity to change the course of history by engaging those who sometimes deploy scientific inventions or power in devastating uses.

Who knows what the world might have been if Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward hadn’t played their part in exposing Watergate or if Oriana Fallaci hadn’t tackled the Shah of Iran?

Walking a tightrope

From Chapters 3 to 10, Power writes about his relationship with former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere and how Ujamaa fell far short of its redemptive promise despite the iconic leader’s best intentions.

A chunk of Power’s diaries on his encounters with influential people is devoted to his friendship with Nigeria’s former President Obasanjo, whom he met in the retired general’s first life as military president.

The dynamic of Power’s relationship with Obasanjo is quite interesting. He stroked Obasanjo’s ego when asking testy questions, for example, about allegations of human rights abuses against Nigeria’s military – the most appalling of which was in Odi – almost spoiling the interview.

The relentless stream of presidential guests sometimes threatened his interviews. Still, he managed to navigate it as he navigated his host’s tempestuous mood by sometimes enduring his self-adulatory game of squash. Obasanjo is a bundle of contradictions, nice and nasty in unequal measure.

Yet, Power managed to get away with openly complimenting the “gorgeous breasts” of Obasanjo’s wife and teasing him about the misuse of oil money, the bane of all Nigerian governments. Did Power get a pass because he might have contributed to saving Obasanjo’s life by speaking to German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt on his behalf when Sani Abacha jailed the general on charges of coup plotting?

The spirit of Martin Luther King

Power’s visits to Brazil, where, as changes in the Amazon occurred, he observed significant shifts in power relations between peasants and clergy on the one hand and politicians, including Lula, who would later become president, on the other; his incisive conversations in New Delhi with Sonia Gandhi and Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad; and his encounter with Jimmy Carter that may have, by Andrew Young’s account, tangentially been responsible for Carter’s presidency are far more than one can get by viewing history from a keyhole.

The author’s early years of working on Martin Luther King’s staff in the ghetto slums of Chicago instilled in him the values of pursuing social change through peaceful means, fighting against injustice and discrimination, and fostering a society where everyone is treated with respect. 

Power’s views on US-Russia relations, sometimes sounding like a broken record, are also rooted in his sense of justice, respect and fair play.

 A chastened life

These values come through, whether in his journalism or filmmaking – even intruding in his love quests, which perhaps explains why, despite the cost, he prioritises a peaceful breakup with Anne over a bitter divorce. The peacenik in him even sometimes brings him into a head-on collision with his improper job, journalism, which prefers to lead if it bleeds.

The book ends the way it starts: with existential questions about love, life and meaning, viewed from Power’s Swedish soul chastened by adventures. If the world was his oyster, the book is the reader’s shucker. As I look for a proper job, the book’s unpretentiousness and light touch in attempting to answer life’s difficult questions will make me read it again.

The Honorable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has directed the immediate reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos to vehicular traffic.

 This directive follows the earlier closure of the bridge for planned maintenance and rehabilitation works.

Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure palliative works are carried out on the already opened bridge to make it motorable .

The Ministry hereby express regret for the inconvenience caused to the motoring public by the closure and appealed for their understanding and cooperation.

The Federal Ministry of Works clarified that the necessary repair works on the bridge would be carried out at a later time.

E-signed

Engr. (Mrs.) O. I. Kesha

Federal Controller of Works, Lagos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart for Paris, France, today on a short working visit.

During the visit, the President will appraise his administration's mid-term performance and assess key milestones.

He will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration's second anniversary.

This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year.

Recent economic strides reinforce the President's commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration's fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.

While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities.

He will return to Nigeria in about a fortnight.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

The silence is deafening. The lack of action is appalling. As the days go by, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s life hangs by a thread while the Nigerian Police, DSS, and the Presidency under Bola Tinubu appear indifferent to the terrifying allegations she has made. She has named names, exposed the plots, and gone through the proper channels by reporting to the Inspector General of Police. Yet, her cries for protection have been met with nothing but silence.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan did not reveal these horrific plots to the world today for fame or sympathy. She did so because the institutions tasked with protecting her have failed to act. Where is the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, in all of this? Where are the police? Where are the DSS? Where is justice? Nigeria’s institutions are failing, and the world cannot afford to remain silent.

By now, every day that passes without an investigation, without even the invitation of those implicated, brings her closer to the very fate she fears. Her blood is crying out for justice. And if these institutions do not act now, they are effectively endorsing her death.

Selective Enforcement and Institutional Failure

Nigeria’s security apparatus is built on the principles of justice, impartiality, and the protection of all citizens, regardless of their political status or social standing. However, the silence in the face of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations reveals the hypocrisy embedded in these institutions.

Natasha has reported credible death threats from powerful figures—Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor Yahaya Bello. Yet, instead of immediately launching a full-scale investigation, the Nigerian Police, DSS, and other agencies have remained silent. Their refusal to act is not due to ignorance; it is a deliberate choice, rooted in a system that favors the powerful over the powerless.

Selective enforcement has become a chronic problem in Nigeria’s justice system. It is a disease that prioritizes political connections over truth and integrity. When ordinary Nigerians are accused of crimes, the response is swift and brutal. Yet when prominent figures are implicated, the machinery of justice grinds to a halt.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case is a glaring example of this disparity. Despite her formal complaints and public statements, the response has been a deafening silence. What message does this send to the Nigerian people? That justice is only available to those who wield political power?

The failure of the Nigerian Police, DSS, and other relevant bodies to investigate such serious allegations is an indictment of the entire system. If the institutions meant to protect the people cannot act when the threats are so explicit, what hope is there for ordinary citizens who seek justice?

Alarming Allegations By Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations are not casual statements made in passing. They are direct, precise, and documented. The details she provided are chilling and demand immediate action. During her recent homecoming address, Natasha stated:

“On the 13th of March at 10:00 pm… Akpabio called Yahaya Bello. I was informed of everything… The meeting was on two folds – they told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it. The second thing he said was that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I have written to the IG of Police. Akpabio told Yahaya Bello that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, that it should happen here so that it will look as if it was the people that killed me here.”

These are not vague allegations. They are direct accusations against high-profile individuals, detailing a conspiracy to kill her and make it appear as though it was an act of public violence. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has made it clear that she has reported these threats to the Inspector General of Police, but no action has been taken.

The fact that she has had to go public with such information is a damning indictment of Nigeria’s security institutions. It highlights their failure to act on credible intelligence and their apparent unwillingness to protect a woman who has dared to challenge the power structures of the nation.

The implications of her allegations are staggering. If powerful men like Akpabio and Bello are allowed to plot against her with impunity, then Nigeria’s justice system is a hollow shell, serving only those who control it.

Political Influence And The Manipulation Of Law

The legal and security institutions of Nigeria have been compromised by political influence and manipulation. Instead of acting as impartial arbiters of justice, they have become tools for the powerful to suppress opposition and eliminate threats to their dominance.

Despite the gravity of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations, the Nigerian Police and DSS have failed to even question the individuals implicated. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor Yahaya Bello have not been summoned, interrogated, or even formally addressed. Why? Because their political stature affords them protection from the law.

Political influence over law enforcement agencies has created a culture of impunity where the powerful are untouchable. Akpabio and Bello continue to enjoy freedom and influence, despite allegations of conspiracy to assassinate a senator. This blatant manipulation of the law erodes public confidence in the very institutions meant to uphold justice.

President Tinubu must recognize that this culture of impunity cannot continue. By failing to act decisively, he is not only endorsing the actions of Akpabio and Bello but also undermining the credibility of his administration. The entire justice system is on trial, and the world is watching.

Systemic Rot And Corruption

Nigeria’s legal and security institutions are deeply infected by corruption. The failure to investigate Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations reflects a broader pattern of systemic decay where political power trumps the rule of law.

Corruption has permeated every level of Nigeria’s justice system. From the police to the judiciary, powerful figures use their influence to bend the law to their will. Natasha’s ordeal is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a larger problem that has plagued Nigeria for decades.

The lack of accountability for powerful individuals is a betrayal of Nigeria’s democratic principles. When justice is only accessible to the privileged, the entire system is compromised. Natasha’s case is a wake-up call that demands immediate and thorough reform.

The culture of corruption and selective justice must be dismantled. President Tinubu, the Nigerian Police, and the DSS must act now to restore faith in the nation’s institutions.

The Global Digital Spotlight: The World Is Watching

The world is not blind to what is happening in Nigeria. The allegations made by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are now circulating across international platforms, prompting concern and condemnation from human rights organizations, media outlets, and global advocates for justice. When a serving senator makes explicit claims of assassination plots involving high-ranking officials, the global community takes notice.

Foreign governments, international watchdogs, and human rights organizations are closely monitoring Nigeria’s response. Organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others dedicated to protecting the fundamental rights of individuals are listening. Nigeria’s continued silence and refusal to investigate such credible allegations will not go unnoticed.

In a world where information spreads within seconds, Nigeria’s leaders must understand that their actions—or inaction—will be scrutinized. The international community is not only aware of the allegations but is also documenting how Nigeria’s institutions respond. Every day that passes without action strengthens the perception that Nigeria’s legal and security systems are compromised by political influence and corruption.

President Tinubu, Akpabio, Bello, and all relevant parties must understand that the global community is waiting for accountability. They must realize that these allegations cannot be swept under the rug. The failure to act will only attract more condemnation and could potentially damage Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage.

Nigeria cannot afford to ignore the voices of its allies, partners, and advocates for justice. By refusing to address the allegations against Akpabio and Bello, the nation risks becoming a pariah state where political violence and intimidation are accepted norms.

Selective Justice: Why Hasn’t Akpabio Been Questioned?

Nigeria’s justice system is supposed to be impartial, equitable, and just. But the selective application of justice has become a defining characteristic of the nation’s institutions.

Why hasn’t Akpabio been questioned? Why hasn’t Bello been called in for interrogation? Why hasn’t President Tinubu demanded immediate action? These are the questions that echo through the minds of Nigerians and observers worldwide.

The failure to even question those implicated in Natasha’s allegations reflects a disturbing double standard. If the accusations were leveled against an ordinary Nigerian or a political opponent with less influence, the response would be swift and unforgiving. Police would have already launched an investigation, questioned those involved, and made arrests if necessary.

Yet, in this case, the accused are high-ranking political figures. They enjoy a level of protection that ordinary citizens cannot access. Their influence over the police, DSS, and other agencies has created a wall of immunity that shields them from accountability.

The selective nature of justice in Nigeria is a betrayal of the nation’s foundational principles. It sends a clear message that those in power are above the law. It also raises a fundamental question: If Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan cannot obtain justice, what hope do ordinary Nigerians have?

By failing to investigate the allegations, the Nigerian authorities are effectively endorsing a culture of impunity. They are signaling to the world that justice in Nigeria is reserved for the powerful and politically connected.

The Price Of Inaction: A Risk Too Great To Ignore

Every day of inaction is a day that brings Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan closer to danger. The threats she has reported are not theoretical; they are specific, documented, and credible. Yet, the refusal of the Nigerian authorities to act sends a chilling message.

The blood of an innocent woman will be on the hands of those who refuse to act. If Natasha is harmed, it will not be the result of a random event—it will be a consequence of deliberate neglect. The police, DSS, and the Tinubu administration will be directly responsible for failing to protect her.

But the price of inaction goes beyond Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s personal safety. It speaks to a larger issue of institutional decay and moral failure. If powerful figures can plot against a serving senator without consequence, then what hope is there for ordinary citizens?

The refusal to investigate this matter undermines the credibility of Nigeria’s institutions. It confirms that justice is only available to those who hold political power. It creates a dangerous precedent where violence, intimidation, and murder become acceptable tools for silencing opposition.

President Tinubu, Where Are You?

President Tinubu’s silence in the face of such serious allegations is both alarming and unacceptable. As the President of Nigeria, he is the ultimate authority responsible for ensuring justice, maintaining order, and protecting all citizens. His refusal to address the allegations made by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan  could be seen as a failure of leadership.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has reported her allegations to the police. She has made her case public. She has done everything within her power to seek protection. And yet, President Tinubu has remained silent. Why? Is his loyalty to Akpabio and Bello greater than his commitment to justice?

By refusing to act, President Tinubu is undermining the credibility of his administration. His silence gives the impression that he is complicit in the injustice being perpetrated. If he allows political allegiances to override his duty to protect Nigerian citizens, then he has failed in his role as President.

President Tinubu must recognize that this issue will not simply disappear. The world is watching, and his administration will be judged by how it responds to these allegations. If he continues to ignore the matter, then he is inviting condemnation and ridicule on both a national and international level.

The time to act is now. President Tinubu must demand immediate investigations, ensure that the police and DSS do their jobs, and demonstrate that no one—regardless of their political status—is above the law.

Demand For Immediate Action

The gravity of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations requires immediate and decisive action. The following steps must be taken without delay:

Immediate Investigation: The Nigerian Police and DSS must, right now, initiate thorough investigations by inviting and questioning Akpabio, Bello, and all others implicated. This cannot be delayed any further.

Accountability: Akpabio and Bello must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of their political status. No individual should be above the law.

Presidential Action: President Tinubu must intervene, ensure immediate investigations are conducted, and demonstrate that his administration values justice over political allegiance.

International Pressure: The international community must press Nigeria to act on these serious allegations. Silence is complicity, and global bodies must demand justice.

Protection of Human Rights: Nigeria must demonstrate its commitment to justice, democracy, and the protection of all its citizens. Anything less is a betrayal of its foundational principles.

Conclusion

If, at the time of this writing, no action has begun—no urgent investigations, no invitation of Akpabio, Bello, and others for questioning—then it must start now. Not tomorrow, not next week. Now.

President Tinubu, you are the leader of this nation. You are responsible for upholding justice and protecting your citizens. You must act now before Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s blood stains your hands and becomes a permanent scar on your administration’s legacy.

The world is watching, the Nigerian people are demanding justice, and your leadership is on trial. Act now before it is too late.

This writer does not know any of the individuals involved; the focus is solely on upholding democracy, truth, and justice.

Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has said he used the recent detention in police custody to correct misconceptions about him, especially claims that he is mentally unstable.

Naija News recalls that Portable was detained and arraigned in court over alleged conspiracy and assault of three officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Speaking in an interview on Echo Room, the singer said the leader of the cell voluntarily stepped down for him to take charge, but he declined, insisting the place is not his house.

Portable also shared details about the harsh conditions in the cell, including how new detainees were often beaten, but he was fortunate to have escaped such treatment because he ‘blessed’ the prisoners in cell 4.

According to him, some of his cellmates attempted to engage him in prayers, but he refused, stating that their prayers could not be effective together.

He said, “Thank God I am a Government’s child. They said I am a crãzy person, when I got the government I told them I am not a crãzy. When I entered Cell 4, I blessed them. Normally, they beat new people in the cell; when I got there, the head of the cell dethroned himself for me to become the leader, but I said No, this is not my house. Then I asked what his offence was; he said they accused him of murder. I told him to stay beside me as long as he didn’t kill me.

“A person said we should pray; I said No, God doesn’t answer this kind of prayer. We aren’t in church. One said he had killed one person, another said he killed two people, and another said three people. I haven’t killed anyone, so our prayers cannot work together. Pray on your own.”

[NaijaNews]

Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, better known as Tuface, made a surprise appearance at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday.

He arrived at the tribunal with his new lover, Natasha Osawaru, who is the Deputy Majority Leader of Edo state House of Assemblym.

The duo appeared in court, spent some minutes, before heading out.

The tribunal is set to deliver judgment on the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

Osawaru, the granddaughter of billionaire Gabriel Igbinedion, got engaged by 2Face following his separation from his wife, Annie Marculey.

Since then, the singer and the lawmaker have been spotted together in public on multiple occasions.

Recently, the Edo lawmaker recently updated her Instagram bio to reflect the singer’s surname, Idibia.

The duo appeared in court, spent some minutes, before heading out.

[Dailytrust]

The Tesla electric vehicle, Model Y, has become the best-selling in China and Norway in March 2025.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla, confirmed this in a separate X statement on Wednesday.

According to data on the revamped Model Y, performance showed that 43,370 units of the car were sold in March 2025 to become the best-selling battery electric vehicle in China.

Commenting in a terse statement on X, Musk said, “Tesla Model Y is #1 in China.”

Similarly, in Norway, a report showed that Tesla’s Model Y sold 1819 units in March alone. Also, the data indicate that 2792 units of Model X were sold in the first quarter of 2025.

Earlier, Elon Musk stated that “Tesla actually literally makes the best-selling car on Earth of any kind. That’s two years in a row.”

The development comes amid a surge in the attacks on Tesla vehicles, dealerships, storage lots, and charging stations in some parts of the United States.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has launched a task force to kerb attacks on Tesla vehicles.

In a related development, recall that President Donald Trump recently announced a 25 percent tariff on automobile imports to boost the domestic car industry, which is expected to kickoff on Wednesday, 2 April, 2025.

[DailyPost]

The Sokoto State Commissioner of Health, Faruk Wurno, has expressed deep concern over the use of harmful traditional practices by local barbers in treating metal poisoning cases.

Wurno condemned the practice of making incisions on patients’ stomachs as a form of treatment and called for its immediate cessation.

Speaking during the presentation of government-supplied drugs for metal poisoning treatment at General Hospital Tureta on Wednesday, Wurno emphasised the need for affected individuals to seek medical attention at hospitals instead of resorting to unsafe traditional methods.

“The practice of making incisions on the stomach of patients suffering from metal poisoning must stop immediately. Instead, those showing symptoms should be rushed to hospitals for proper medical care,” the commissioner directed.

Wurno, represented by the Executive Director of the State Hospital Services Management Board, Bello Attahiru, assured that the government would distribute the essential drugs to all general hospitals handling metal poisoning cases.

Receiving the medical supplies, the Chairman of Tureta Local Government Council, Aliyu Tureta, expressed gratitude, noting that the provision of the drugs was timely.

Tureta assured that the local government would ensure proper utilisation of the medicines for their intended purpose, highlighting the council’s earlier efforts in addressing the health crisis.

The state government’s intervention is expected to curb the dangerous traditional treatment methods and improve access to safer and more effective medical care for affected patients. The first

[Punch]