Grammy-nominated singer Davido has revealed that if he hadn’t ventured into music, he would have likely become a journalist.

In a recent interview, the award-winning artist explained that his love for engaging conversations and passion for marketing fuel his promotional efforts.

Davido, who studied marketing and business management, said he enjoys interacting with people, gathering information, and selling his brand.

He attributed his massive following and success to a strong work ethic and consistent self-promotion.

Davido said, “I like promo, I like conversations. A lot of people don’t know that I studied marketing apart from business management. I like to market myself, I love to talk. If I had a podcast, I talk for like three to four days.

“I just feel like it’s part of being an artist. A lot of big artists don’t do press but I do because I can talk. But some people just don’t want to talk. When people meet me, I like to have conversations, I like to know things, I like information. Even at home, I’m also researching. If I wasn’t doing music, I will definitely be in journalism.

“A lot of people in my position would just sit down and let everything work for them. People be asking me why I got the most followers, it’s because I’m working”.

He admires the dedication of successful artists like Beyoncé, noting that they continue to work hard even after achieving great success. 

“I know how hard Beyonce will work with all the money she got”, he added.

[TheNation]

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo swiftly ended Boko Haram’s activities when the group first emerged during their administration.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during a visit by stakeholders from Kogi East Senatorial District, led by former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, Atiku attributed the early success against the insurgents to strong political will.

Atiku, in a video shared on his Facebook page from the meeting, said Boko Haram first appeared in Yobe State in 2002, prompting Obasanjo to consult him on how to respond.

Atiku said, “You remember when the Boko Haram started in Yobe? It was actually in 2002. We were in the office. The president sent for me. ‘VP, what do we do about this?’ Then I said, ‘Mr President, let’s call the Service Chiefs and give them a deadline. If they can’t put it down, then they should put down their uniform and go away. We will get some other people.

“And he called the Service Chiefs; I was there, and gave them marching orders, and within a few weeks, they put down the insurgency in Yobe. It never came up again until we left office.”

Atiku blamed the group’s later resurgence on the failure of successive leaders to act decisively.

“So, I will say there’s a lack of political will on the leaders. When they’re killing your citizens, how can you even eat? They’re killing your citizens and you don’t give a damn; that is the greatest irresponsibility by any political leader, anywhere.

“So I hold our leadership responsible for all the insecurity that is going on all over the place,” he added.

Atiku served as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo, during the Fourth Republic, following the end of military rule.

[Punch]

There is, it seems, no limit to the extent the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, is prepared to go in its dance of shame with MultiChoice Nigeria, owners of DStv and GOtv. This time, it is wheedling the legally unwary by spinning an otherwise straightforward court ruling to wit: While the FCCPC has investigative powers under its establishing Act, it lacks the authority to fix or suspend prices unless specifically delegated by the President through a gazette.

It was an unambiguous, explicit, clear-cut and unequivocal judgement.

Of course, no such presidential instrument as required by law was presented to the court. And there couldn’t have been any because President Bola Tinubu was emphatic in disavowing price control during his first media chat on December 23, 2024. Asked if his government would consider travelling the “price control” route in order to mitigate the prevailing cost-of-living crunch, his answer was emphatic: “I don’t believe in price control. We just continue to supply the market, we work hard to supply the market.”

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court, Abuja echoed the same sentiment last Thursday when he ruled that the FCCPC lacks the power to interfere in the pricing decisions of private companies in a free market economy. He held that under Section 88 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, only the President can regulate prices.

But in affirming MultiChoice’s right to set prices for its goods and services, Justice Omotoso also dismissed the company’s suit against the regulator’s intervention in its recent subscription price hike, a fact that FCCPC is latching on in its dance of shame, spinning the judgement.

Justice Omotoso ruled that MultiChoice’s suit constituted an abuse of court process as a similar case was pending in Lagos, stressing that the firm should have pursued its arguments there. The fact that it failed to do so, the court held, rendered the filing in Abuja inappropriate. Simply put, Justice Omotoso struck out MultiChoice’s suit against the FCCPC only on procedural grounds.

What the Judge didn’t say, however, is the fact that not only is a similar proceeding pending in a Lagos court, indeed, as far back as 2015, two lawyers – Osasuyi Adebayo and Oluyinka Oyeniji – approached a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to challenge MultiChoice’s right to increase prices and lost, with the court ruling that they were not obliged to use MultiChoice’s services.

That judgement had not been vacated when the FCCPC, in its desperation to ratchet up the pressure, sued MultiChoice and its Managing Director, John Ugbe, in March for allegedly violating regulatory directives, obstructing an ongoing inquiry and engaging in conduct deemed violations of the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. But the Judge recalled that in 2022, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, ruled that MultiChoice, a luxury, non-essential commodity provider, has a right to increase its prices while Nigerians have a choice to opt for other Pay TV platforms.

It is this clear-cut ruling that FCCPC is spinning, orchestrating media headlines such as, “Subscription Hike: FCCPC Floors MultiChoice” and “Court affirms Commission’s Power to Investigate Exploitation.” That is a deliberate misinterpretation of the judgement designed to deceive.

Now, what is the issue?

Citing inclement economic climate and surging operational costs, MultiChoice, on March 1, 2025, implemented a less than 25 per cent subscription price hike, which is far less than the inflationary pressures exacerbated by sundry volatilities in the economy. Yet, it is enough to put it in FCCPC’s crosshairs.

To be sure, Nigerians, facing significant economic challenges, are barely surviving and any tariff hike makes it worse. But businesses are not faring any better. Firms that hitherto posted robust balance sheets year-on-year are going bust, literally. Some that could no longer stand the heat fled. In 2023 alone, industry giants, including GSK, Sanofi-Aventis Nigeria Ltd, Unilever Nigeria Plc., Procter & Gamble Nigeria, and Bolt Food, bolted. A company facing higher costs must either pass some of them to consumers or degrade its services or go under. 

Standing between the devil and the deep blue sea, businesses that have decided to weather the storm rather than flee are hiking tariffs to remain afloat. MultiChoice is one of them. But it is not the only one. In January, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, approved a 50 per cent tariff increase for telecommunications operators in Nigeria in order to address rising operational costs and ensure sustainability.

Long before those operators hitched a ride on the price hike wagon, many other companies were already on board with price adjustments in excess of 100 per cent. For instance, in 2024, Nigerian Breweries hiked prices of its products thrice. In 2023, StarTimes raised its rates twice. The first was by 33 per cent in May, while the second was by another 25 per cent in August. Streaming giants, Netflix, also announced a review of its prices with effect from April 1, 2024. Earlier, International Breweries, citing escalating cost of doing business, increased prices across its product portfolio. Another brewing giant, Guinness Nigeria Plc., also announced a new price regime.

Curiously, while these other organisations are given a free pass even with higher percentage hikes, MultiChoice is always singled out for sanction. So, why is it a crime for MultiChoice to charge market-reflective rates for its services when it is not for others?

If protecting consumers is truly FCCPC’s goal, then its enforcement must be consistent and fair. Singling out one player while turning a blind eye to others undermines the very principle of consumer protection. Worse, it erodes trust in the Commission. As Justice Omotosho rightly pointed out, not only is MultiChoice’s right to a fair hearing serially savaged, the Commission’s unholy antics smacks of selective enforcement.

For the avoidance of doubt, Justice Omotoso, in his well-considered judgement, raised many fundamental issues.

The court held, and rightly so, that a pay-tv is not an essential service and consumers can choose to subscribe or not or even switch providers by using free-to-air channels or stream on YouTube. Thus, no one is trapped because the market offers alternatives.

Justice Omotosho equally dismissed FCCPC’s claim that MultiChoice held a dominant market position, calling the argument untenable. For him, Nigeria being a free market economy means service providers such as MultiChoice have the right to set their prices.

More importantly, the Judge harped on a very fundamental issue, which tragically seems to be lost on FCCPC: attempts to fix prices by regulatory bodies could scare off investors and harm an already struggling economy.

MultiChoice has made significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy. From its humble beginnings of about 30 employees, the company presently sustains over 30,000 Nigerian jobs, directly and indirectly. While other companies are closing shop, exiting or downsizing, MultiChoice is still creating value – investing, hiring and stabilising the fragile economies of most families.

So, at a time of historic unemployment, does it make sense to hound one of the few remaining businesses that are standing by the country and its longsuffering people? Besides, more than any other business – public or private – MultiChoice plays a larger-than-life role in promoting the country’s cultures and projecting its soft power.

To be sure, the antagonism and campaign of calumny against MultiChoice is tantamount to success in a difficult business environment becoming a burden? MultiChoice is not a monopoly. It is just the most resilient competitor in a tough market. Not only that, those who talk about monopoly and absence of choice conveniently ignore the fact that the company offers tiered packages from N4,400 to N44,500, which means that there is a bouquet for every pocket and no one is forced to buy what he cannot afford.

It is disingenuous to equate success to monopoly. Truth be told, by sheer dint of hard work, MultiChoice became the dominant actor in the industry because over the years, rather than quitting, it stayed put to build infrastructure, content pipelines, measures that ultimately engendered trust and patronage. Any other company that does same will get the same result. Market dominance is earned, not gifted.

What Justice Omotoso’s ruling exposes is FCCPC’s regulatory overreach in its dealings with MultiChoice with an unambiguous message: it is high time this dance of shame stopped. MultiChoice should be allowed to do its business within the ambit of the law without let or hindrance.

The French establishment is, again, sowing the seeds of violence in Africa. As it is traditional with France, it will water such seeds, nurture them until they are ripe for harvest.

In its latest genetically-modified violence-seed planting, France in May, 2025 set aside 150 million Euro through its French Development Agency to plant violence in Western Sahara. The fund is to enable the parochial-minded Moroccan Monarchy to recolonise its neighbour.

The French mission is simple. It is aware that Western Sahara, otherwise known as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR, which has been a member of the OAU/AU since February 22, 1982, will resist the Moroccan re-colonisation moves. Then war will break out and France will sell arms and maintain Moroccan loyalty while also generously stealing the resources of Western Sahara, including its phosphate and fisheries. That way, the French establishment which, for centuries, is not used to an honest living, would continue its parasitic nature: living off the resources and sweat of underdeveloped countries.

It was primarily for this reason it engaged in the slave trade and became one of the bloodiest and most remorseless colonialists in world history.

The 1825 Independence Tax France imposed on Haiti, for daring to end slavery and become independent, led to the underdevelopment of that country. It also resulted in it becoming a failed state 200 years later.

Africa suffered severely as a result of France’s duplicitous role in the Second World War. In that war, led by its First World War hero, Marshall Henri Philippe Petain, France first fought on the side of Hitler-Germany from 1940-1944. When Germany began to lose that war, the anti-German wing led by Charles De Gaulle, swung France fully to the side of the allies. While fighting on both sides of World War II, France used Africans in its colonies as canon fodders.

Criminally, after the war, France carried out massacres of African soldiers that had fought in its ranks against Hitler. On December 1, 1944, Black African soldiers who fought in the French West Africa army, were massacred at the Thiaroye Barracks, Dakar. The men had been part of the about 120,000 Africans captured by Germany in the 1940 Battle of France. Eighty per cent were from North Africa, and the rest from West Africa. They had been held as prisoners of war, POWs, by Germany which in May and June, 1940, summarily executed between 1,000 and 1,500 of these Black prisoners.

On their release four years later, and return to Africa, they complained that their demobilisation benefits, statutory advance payments and savings made during their incarceration, remained unpaid, and that the living conditions in the barracks were very poor.

Declassified documents were to reveal that even before the African war veterans left France, the French authorities, claiming falsely that Hitler gave the African POWs special treatment to spite it, had decided to eliminate them. When therefore these veterans protested in Dakar, the French military moved in with deadly weapons and shot 300 – 400 of them dead. However, the French military officially claimed that it killed only 70, while agreeing that hundreds were injured.

It was not until the eve of the 80th Commemoration of that massacre in 2024, did France under President Emmanuel Macron acknowledge the massacre. It should be noted that France made the acknowledgement in the face of demands by the new principled Senegalese government of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the loss of French power in West Africa following the expulsion of its military in countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.

France, in 1945, carried out similar massacres in Setif and Guema in Algeria. The African soldiers who had returned from fighting in the French military led protests for independence. This was violently suppressed and the Algerians reacted in violent confrontations that led to the death of some French settlers.

France reacted by sending well-armed troops into the streets of Algeria. As France simply massacred the Algerians, keeping no known records, the extent of the killings are unknown but are estimated at between 5,000 – 45,000 Algerians. This turned out to be a tiny figure as in the subsequent Algerian struggle for independence, France massacred some two million Algerians.

After WW II, France developed the type of atomic bombs the United States had used to wipe out most of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Given its knowledge that these were highly radioactive bombs, France decided not to test the bombs in its territory or any part or Europe, but in Africa!

The Evil Empire from February 13, 1960 tested at least four atmospheric atomic bombs in the Algerian desert. When Africans led by Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah protested against this wilful destruction of Africa, France was forced to stop the atmospheric tests, but went on to conduct 13 additional underground nuclear bomb tests in Africa devastating parts of North, Central and West Africa.

The radioactive effects caused mass blindness, leukaemia, cancers of the liver, skin and stomach, and also birth defects. In the immediate territories around the test sites, 27,000 – 60,000 Algerians were affected. As at 2023, radioactive dusts emanating from the test sites were still being detected across West Africa.

On October 2, 1958, France, confident of its vile grip on its colonies in West Africa, conducted a referendum asking them to choose either complete independence or partial independence within a so-called French Community. France was so livid that Guinea voted for full independence, that it decided to physically wreck the country before leaving. These included uprooting sewage and water pipes, roads, immediate withdrawal of all French professionals, including medical personnel, unscrewing light bulbs and destroying life-saving medicines.

However, on the long run, it was a better deal for Guinea because even after independence, France continued to rule the subservient ‘Francophone’ countries. This included forcing them, until a few years ago, to deposit their earnings in the French Central Bank from which it scooped $500 billion annually. Until now, 14 West and Central African countries still spend the French Franc which even France had stopped using in 2002 when it adopted the Euro.

France also has the infamous distinction of executing the first military coup in West Africa with the January 13, 1963 overthrow of Prime Minister Gilchrist Olympio of Togo. The latter was executed at the gates of the US Embassy in Lome by French gendarmes led by Sergeant Etienne Eyadema.

In August 2023, France almost succeeded in luring the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to invade Niger Republic following the July 26, 2023 coup in that country. This directly led to the split of ECOWAS.

Does this sound like demonising France? No. Africans say you cannot claim not to be a thief if you are always in possession of stolen goods.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday night dismissed the viral video circulation on social media media handled purporting to show terrorists overrunning a military base in Marte, Borno State and killing some soldiers

The Defence Headquarters described the video as a disinformation campaign, saying it is footage from an occurrence at a different location which was first posted on 7 December 2020.

Major General Markus Kangye, Director, Defence Media Operation, said the video was subjected to a thorough forensic analysis and was discovered to be fake.

He said, “The attention of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has been drawn to a video currently circulating on social media, falsely presented as footage from the recent attack on troops in Marte, Borno State.

“Following a thorough analysis by relevant authorities, it has been confirmed that the video is not related to the Marte incident in any form.

“The visual content, terrain, and operational context clearly indicate that the footage is from an occurrence at a different location which was first posted on 7 December 2020.

“The video clip is being deliberately recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups to mislead the public and sow seed of fear, while aiming at dissuading the public from the gains being recorded by troops of the AFN in the ongoing operations across the country.

“For the avoidance of doubt, troops of AFN in Marte came under attack on Monday 12 May 2025 at about 0300hrs (3 am).

“However, the troops were able to repel the terrorists after fierce gun battle with a large number of terrorists neutralized while others escaped with bullet wounds.

“Following this, the terrorist resulted in sharing an old clip as propaganda to mislead gullible members of the public.

“This act of misinformation is not only malicious but also a failed attempt to demoralize our gallant troops and undermine the confidence of Nigerians in the Armed Forces.

“The AFN condemns in the strongest terms this reckless dissemination of fake content and warns that those behind such disinformation campaigns will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law.

“The Nigerian military remains fully committed and unwavering in its efforts at defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation.

“Our troops in the North East and across all theatres of operations remain resolute and are making significant progress in dismantling terrorist networks.

“We urge the general public to disregard the fake video and rely only on official sources for verified information on military operations.

“The support and cooperation of all Nigerians remain vital in the collective fight against terrorism and all forms of insecurity.”

[Vanguard]

It has been traumatic for my entire family since that video started making the rounds. I sneaked a slight view. It’s our trial. It’s my trial. Ishaq Oloyede is genuine. He is most sincere. He is modestly so as well. For us, however, Allah knows best.

I was with a trader in the afternoon of what I considered a dark Wednesday, the 14th of May 2025. “Se bi won ni JAMB o get mo bayi…”. I had to cut in immediately. Which JAMB? “Madam, that’s one person I will vouch, and vouch for…zero tolerance for corruption. Absolutely responsible with a high level of consciousness for the good of others. If certain things went wrong at JAMB, I agree it’s his responsibility to carry all pleasant and other burdens, but just know that the bad side of the operations may as well be sabotage. I have absolute trust in that man. Ask my own colleagues about me, but Oloyede is my own hero, somebody I have known for more than 40 years…”

This is by no means a reductionist disposition to the tragedy induced by the so-called computer glitch. May the Almighty God, in His infinite mercy, console the parents of the candidate reported to have committed suicide. May God strengthen them to survive this gloomy phase of their lives and sustain them to reap bounteous compensation that will endure in their lives. It’s hard, so hard to pull tragedies of this magnitude. I personally feel for these parents.

The said computer glitch thing, may we never fall victim to it. Those who work for big organisations requiring a large layout of ICT operations know what I’m talking about. Rather than being solutionist, IT facilities can be unimaginably problematic sometimes, yet indispensable in this civilisational dispensation. This is not doubting deliberate sabotage, as may have happened in the case of JAMB. I’ve been part of Oloyede’s JAMB journey to attest to his commitment to offer his best for the otherwise sinking board.

Far from being cosmetically exhibitionist, the Oloyede-led JAMB team led the education minister, Tunji Alausa, round the critical facilities of JAMB during the just concluded examination. Alausa saw firsthand, like never before elsewhere in this country, how far JAMB had gone in its strive for transparency and real-time monitoring of the conduct of examinations nationwide. Alausa, beyond being in awe, sought to make the JAMB effect spread immediately to other examination bodies.

On the same day, the WAEC team came to JAMB and made it into the situation room, which was my own duty post. The NECO team followed suit afterwards, both duly led around by the sturdy lead IT consultant who’s been reliably there from Oloyede’s assumption of duty, Damilola Bamiro. Far richer, given that they charge more for their exams, the duo of WAEC and NECO were suddenly mandated to understudy the exam sector leader in Africa, which JAMB has become over time.

The staff of both WAEC and NECO suddenly had to undertake a professional excursion led through all the real-time monitoring screens and other digital facilities. It was obvious they marvelled at what they saw, revealing functional leader-subordinate synergy manifest in trendy output that the world can see and learn from.

But that may even seem the tip of the iceberg of the output of the hard work and commitment of the nation’s foremost icon of integrity in public service. A series of far more seemingly serious strides had been accomplished by Oloyede at JAMB. As a focused scholar, he ensures that every bit of the experience of the Board is treasured as worthy data to guide future actions and even subjects for further research.

Not even the agencies dedicated to emergency matters in Nigeria could have been as prompt as the Oloyede management on this ugly glitch saga. Once the complainants began ventilating into the public space, JAMB rose to the challenge without any predictably traditional arrogant stance of ‘government is always right’. I was aware that a particularly strident public critic and a former student leader at Obafemi Awolowo University, Adeola Soetan, commended the spokesperson for JAMB for excellent handling of public complaints.

Promptly, an independent team of investigators was set up to unravel the mystery leading to the rather depressing situation that now confronts us. The team, drawn from assorted but technically relevant constituencies, has found out that no fewer than 165 centres of over 800 exam centres nationwide were affected.
Obviously well prepared for whatever the outcome may turn out to be, he braced up to the challenge to embrace the surrender value to tell it to the world as it is. This trial is for all of us who believe and trust Oloyede. I am undoubtedly in this group. So much so that his public cry infected me… It was a patriot’s cry for his beloved country. Like me, a former Law don at LASU, Dr Kilani, wasn’t any less affected as demonstrated in a quick note to me: “I write to associate myself with the pain, sorrow and emotion of our own Professor Oloyede. I could not hold my tears seeing him cry. May Almighty Allah see him through. May we all not be put to shame…”

But then came a soothing message from Gbade Osunsoko, my cousin: “…He will come out of this much stronger because Nigerians will trust him far better than a number of our leaders.. A man that mistakes happen under him and takes responsibility – it’s a big deal in Nigeria.”

With Oloyede, young Nigerians with challenges regarding sight are no longer left to moan their fate endlessly, with adequate provision for their inclusion in the UTME. How many of our public facilities are this inclusion-conscious as stipulated by SDGs?

How come a legacy built through almost a decade at the very best cost ever possible will be made to crumble when the game-changer leader yet remains ever modest? JAMB has steadily risen through thick and thin to accomplish its tasks to the admiration of stakeholders nationally and internationally under Oloyede. Both NNPC and the Nigeria Police, being beneficiaries, can attest to the current competence of JAMB. How much more numerous other stakeholders nationwide never deemed to have any relevance to JAMB before Oloyede but have since become critical, if not indispensable players?

But why this sudden, saddening encounter threatening our joy of service without blemish? Why this unforeseen truncation of a good story, so intentional, coming from Africa? Whodunnit? Surely the truth shall come out for the world to perceive and asses,s and get to appreciate the efforts and the quantum of commitment appropriated to the JAMB excellence project driven by Oloyede.

One cannot but be deeply concerned. Before the very eyes of a few of us carefully selected to give support from our respective professional perspectives from the very beginning, Professor Oloyede’s concern for genuine growth and development was real. It is still real and increasingly so, as a matter of fact. Indeed, inimitable. It shall be well.

Tunde Akanni, PhD, is a Professor of Journalism and Development Communications a the Lagos State University, LASU. 

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has revised its procurement thresholds for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as part of reforms to streamline processes and improve budget execution.

In a statement on Thursday, Zira Nagga, head of public relations at the BPP, said the review, approved by President Bola Tinubu, responds to rising inflation, shifting market dynamics, and the need to reduce bureaucratic delays in project delivery.

Nagga said under the new thresholds, only contracts valued at N5 billion and above for goods and consultancy services, and N10 billion and above for works, will require federal executive council (FEC) approval.

He said projects below the said values will be handled at the ministerial or parastatal level.

“With these adjustments, more procurement responsibilities will now be delegated to ministerial and parastatal tenders boards and accounting officers—thus decongesting the FEC of routine procurement matters and allowing it to focus on broader national policy issues,” the statement reads.

The bureau said the president also approved new thresholds for procurement methods.

Under the revised guidelines, according to the statement, international or national competitive bidding will now be required for goods worth N1 billion and above, and works worth N5 billion and above.

“For smaller procurements, requests for quotations are allowed for goods and non-consultant services below N30 million, and works below N50 million,” the BPP said.

“The threshold for prequalification has been pegged at N500 million for goods and services, and N1 billion for works.”

‘REFORMS WILL SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH ‘

Speaking on the development, Adebowale Adedokun, BPP director-general (DG), said the reforms aim to improve efficiency, support economic growth, and facilitate the ease of doing business.

“These reforms reflect Mr President’s commitment to strengthening institutions, reducing wastage, and ensuring value for money in public expenditure,” Adedokun said.

The BPP DG said the new thresholds apply across the executive, legislature, judiciary, and defence and intelligence communities, in line with the Finance Act of 2020.

“The rules will also cover projects funded through internally generated revenue (IGR), donations, and grants,” he added.

Adedokun said the BPP will soon issue guidelines for community-based and preferential procurements to support small businesses, women, and persons with disabilities, as well as measures to prioritise local content and Nigerian-made goods in all government purchases.

He noted that the thresholds take immediate effect and will be subject to periodic review depending on economic realities.

“With the approval of these revised thresholds, the bureau is now positioned to focus on other critical regulatory functions such as procurement audits, surveillance, and professionalisation of the procurement cadre,” the DG said.

He added that the BPP will collaborate with anti-corruption agencies nationwide to strengthen procurement oversight.

[TheCable]

The last time I was approached by a television reporter to comment on the life and times of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, my initial response was that I could not think of any aspect of his public life that has not been adequately covered in the interlude between his earthly passage and the burial rites. Besides, the deceased himself had written an autobiography on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

On further reflection I recalled his unlikely rapport with President Olusegun Obasanjo in his latter years. The open secret was the lifelong mutual antipathy between the two. Following the 1979 presidential election and the alleged bias of the former President against the candidacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo (to whom Adebanjo was fanatically committed) a prior article of faith among the followers of Awolowo was the capacity to hold Obasanjo in virulent disdain.

To nonplussed inquiries about this improbable camaraderie, Adebanjo responded with the explanation that he had nothing personal against Obasanjo. He said the latter had transcended his anti-federalist status quo ideology to embrace the policy platform of the restoration of federalism aka restructuring.

I have recalled this antecedence to illustrate the concept of ‘Politics As A Vocation’ as propounded by the German sociologist, Max Weber. He proposed that the ‘pursuit of power often requires compromises and strategic decisions that may conflict with one’s moral beliefs. He restated this conflict as amounting to the distinction between the “ethics of conviction” (principle-driven, idealistic motives) and the “ethics of responsibility” (pragmatic, outcome-oriented consideration).

Weber argued that effective politicians must balance both ethical approaches; they should adhere to their convictions while also being mindful of the consequences of their actions.

In his response to the first World War and how it impacted the distressed German society, Weber characterised the effective politician as one who is capable of striking a judicious balance between the two ethics . Such politicians are generally located in the midstream of the ideological spectrum and are spatio temporal specific. As such they are commonsensical and non- doctrinaire. I have identified three historical statesmen whose careers have met the bar that Weber has erected, namely Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela and Obafemi Awolowo. The first two, Lincoln and Mandela, are world historical figures. Localized to Nigeria, the third is of a less grandiose pedestal.

On his embrace of Democratic socialism, Awolowo, for instance,once argued. ‘In a country like Nigeria, the adoption of socialism had to be gradual. My belief in socialism as an ideal has not been based on the writings of Marx or Lenin. The methods of attaining socialism can differ from place to place. The mistake many people make is that they take the methods for the ideal itself. In Russia they had to use violence because there was no other way of supplanting those in power. Dictatorship was all right in Russia, because they had not known any democracy in all their history. The same thing evolved in China. China had these war-lords who had their own dominions and past emperors were ruthless in dealing with the masses. Now you cannot say the same of Nigeria. There are no homeless people in Nigeria.

The London Spectator said of his second Inaugural address. “We cannot read it without a renewed conviction that it is the noblest political document known to history, and should have for the nation and the statesmen he left behind something of a sacred and almost prophetic character”.

In its historical applicability, it is difficult not to suspect that Weber had Abraham Lincoln in mind when he penned the essay.

Abraham Lincoln

In the Lincoln archetype, we found a near perfect congruence between theory and practice. In his unique charismatic pedagogy, he pondered . “At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued, seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, little that is new could be presented”.

“One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained”.

Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes. “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”

“If we shall suppose that American Slavery is one of those offences which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him?

Fondly do we hope–fervently do we pray–that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether”

Mandela

Of Nelson Mandela, Peter Pham of the New Atlanticist wrote :”It was the example he left with his broad vision and pragmatic approach that will perhaps be his lasting legacy to those who follow. In 1988, he secretly offered to open negotiations with the apartheid regime. In Mandela, the greatness of soul that dreamed large was matched by a wisdom of mind directed to political realism. That grandeur is a rare combination, one which those who would be his heirs in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent will need to aspire to if they are to ever realize the vision of Madiba. 

On the extreme right, Mandela was widely labelled a terrorist by prominent political figures in the Western world for his embrace of political violence. According to Thatcher, for instance, the ANC was “a typical terrorist organisation”.The US government’s State and Defense departments officially designated the ANC as a terrorist organisation, resulting in Mandela remaining on their terrorism watch-list until 2008.

On the left, some voices in the ANC accused him of selling out for agreeing to enter negotiations with the apartheid government and for not implementing the reforms of the Freedom Charter during his presidency.

Obafemi Awolowo

On the occasion of the 50th birthday anniversary of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his deputy, Chief Ladoke Akintola had this to say. “To Chief Awolowo, passivity is a bane and inaction an anathema. How could it be otherwise to a life which thrives on industry and to a man with fanatical faith in hard work? That was why he made himself a terror to the demagogues and Mountebanks who, with neither a chart nor a rudder believed that they could steer the Nigerian ship of state to its destination….No pilot has a clearer vision and none a keener sense of mission than Chief Awolowo…In the political changes which took place in Nigeria from 1947 onwards, Dr. Azikiwe has been spasmodic and casual; Sir Ahmadu Bello has been leisurely and care-free; but Awolowo has been constant and calculating…

“To know Chief Awolowo as a man is to respect him. It has been my pride and pleasure to know him. He is by every standard a genius. His unimpeachable character, his faith in God, his confidence in his fellowmen, his personal devotion to duty and his

loyalty…have conspired together to make him a great pillar of strength. He never lets a friend down…As a political leader, Chief Awolowo is miles ahead of his colleagues. His sincerity of purpose, his democratic leadership and inspiring example are yet to be equaled by any of the leaders of other major political parties in the country…Awolowo is the nearest approximation to Mahatma Gandhi. He is a good blend of Gandhi’s philosophy and Nehru’s dynamism and the only hope for democracy in Africa”.

Although this eulogy was a mocking backdrop to the scorched earth intensity of the fractional struggle that ensued three years later between the two leaders. After making sufficient provision for the flattery and permissible exaggeration, there is the element of honesty and extenuating validity in Akintola’s eulogy.

In Weberian tradition, it is the case that the conception of the professional politician almost always overlaps with charismatic leadership (based on personal qualities and the ability to inspire) and can be used as cause and effect explanations of cultural and social changes.

There were also Prophet Mohammed, Buddha, Alexander, Ho chi minh, Winston Churchill, Nnamdi Azikiwe, J.F Kennedy, Barack Obama, Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther King, Oduduwa, Chairman Mao etc The greatest of them all is the Jesus archetype. who became man in order to partake of man’s imperfections and vulnerabilities. Who had to experience humanity in order to become a perfect vessel and bearer for the consequences of the fall of man.

But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. In Jesus Christ we found a perfect reconciliation of “the ethics of conviction with the ethics of responsibility”

Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of APC, does not see anything wrong in a one-party state and from his body language he will not mind if all parties in this country collapse their structures and move over to the APC. Addressing State House correspondents last week Friday upon emerging from a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, he waved off concerns about the country’s political drift towards one-party state and of course, inexorably to dictatorship.

When a country moves in the direction of one-party state, it is the same story, the same hollow argument, the same old hat by its advocates: “One-party system reflected the basic consensus of African society”. (Mbah, 2007: 365). He goes on: “The one-party system was a drug which exacerbated the very disease it was taken to heal even though the ‘men’ behind it in Africa argued that the system was beneficial in order to control regional or ethnic divisions and curtail factionalism. The system became, in effect, another veritable tool in the hand of pushing back the advance of democracy and entrenching dictatorship.”

Dictatorship by its nature and practice brooks no opposition and is intolerant of alternative viewpoints. In no time opposition, though, may be cowed, begins to plan the fall of the regime. The dictator, not folding its arms, seeks to infiltrate the ranks of the opposition, some seduced and some murdered in the strongman’s bid to cling to power.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, now of blessed memory, did say: “Power is an aphrodisiac, a sort of scintillating elixir, both to the person in power and his admirers.” Consequently, long-drawn instability in all its ramifications ensues. That has been the experience everywhere there is dictatorship.

Professor Jude Chibuzo Udenkwo of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, says: “The political tendency among executives or Heads of African States is to cling to power for a long time, even throughout their life-time.” He adds: “Modern dictators have survived by surrounding themselves with elite groups that are composed mainly of allies that were involved in the initial struggle for power. Insulating oneself with the cadre of ‘yes men’ is one part as the other is keeping up with their rents. These rents can present themselves mostly in the forms of ill-acquired wealth and influential government position. Comrades of a dictator have a lot to lose if their valued leader is overthrown. Consequently, they will go out of their way to ensure that the status quo remains.”

Tendency towards one-party state is never wanting in salesmen. We are already being told that the defections to APC does not pose any danger to the Nigerian polity and by extension to Nigerians and the presentation is smooth. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele commenting on the defection by Kebbi Senators said by accommodating defectors, the Tinubu Administration is creating a government of national unity. He went on: “We will not close our doors to anyone intending to join the party and will not discriminate on the basis of religion, ethnicity or any other factor.”

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, one-time activist and for many years Labour leader before becoming a governor does not see the defection as dangerous to our democracy. He said on television that the defections do not diminish the role of debate or dissent within the National Assembly, as lawmakers typically vote on issues, not along party lines. “If you ‘ve been following debates in the Senate, sometimes you can’t even tell whether someone is from the PDP or APC based on their positions.” Oshiomhole’s response came on the heals of the increased numerical strength of APC in the Senate to 68, bringing it close to two-thirds majority. After citing examples of democratic systems in the Western world, he said, “If I see conflict between party interest and national interest, I will have no difficulty resolving it in favour of Nigeria.”

For Ganduje, he sees the switch by the senators in question as part of a democratic process. He said the defection is the result of extensive negotiations among stakeholders in the state “and it is part of APC’s broader strategy to strengthen its base. This is a good development in Nigeria today. Almost every week in the Senate and House of Representatives, you see members of other political parties decamping to our party.” He went on to say that his party’s strategy to expand both its members and the quality of its membership is in line with democratic principles. Referring to China as a successful one-party state, He said his party is not actively working to eliminate opposition. He said if one-party state is a wish of Nigeria, why not? He believes, come to think of it, one-party state could be a blessing to Nigeria after all. However, “if other political parties see the effect of the positive governance of our party and decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that. Too many political parties spoil governance.”

The question is: Why do we not encourage other parties to stand solidly on their feet to provide alternative platforms and sell your own party to the electors only on the superiority of programmes, rather than encouraging their collapse. The grundnorm expects a legislator to vacate his seat and report back to his constituents who may decide to keep him in the hallowed legislative chambers or elect someone else. But everywhere the provision in the constitution is disregarded and life goes on with the defector beating his chest. The party to apply the law is the beneficiary. The fixation is on 2027 and not on propriety and the sense of shame. Impunity does not gnaw at the recess of anyone’s heart.

Abuse of power is one of the results of a one-party state. Checks and balances could be in disarray. Even in a monolithic society, one-party state stifles freedom of thought and speech. Competition is not given free reign. The arbitrariness inherent in one-party state breeds revolt, parochialism and nepotism, plunging the society into chaos and confusion. And so does blurred vision.

Will a one-party state be healthy for a plural society such as Nigeria? Some City Fathers are already takimg a cue putting or imposing their children on emerging dynasties to go to legislative houses. Will a one-party state be good for Nigeria with her diverse cultures and different cognitive levels undergirded by inner maturity, the lack of which is the bane of mankind today. Everything is about power, influence and public acknowledgement.

Indeed, it is to hold the world together in peace and harmony as well as for what can make for development that viable options, even if they are tentative in the long run, are being considered. The world has been in disarray since the abuse of the age of the Divine Right of Kings. The right is observable in many cultures till this day.

The recorded claim to ecclesiastical right is said to be traceable to the coronation of Charlemagne performed by the Pope on Christmas Day 800AD. The thesis that the kings were regents of the Almighty Creator and derived their authority from Him and to Him alone they were accountable held sway until what was described as Glorious Revolution in England (1688-1689), American Revolution (1775-1783) and French Revolution (1789). The revolutions drained the contention and attendant absolutism of life and mankind then devised their own ways of governing themselves. King James 1 of England (ruled 1603-1625) was reputed to be the foremost exponent of the doctrine holding tight to the pronouncement by Apostle Paul: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Roman 13). God removes kings and sets them up. (Daniel 2:21). But what is the ordinance of the Almighty Creator for governance mechanism?

Were Paul and Daniel right? Is it conceivable that the Almighty, perfect as He has been and will be in all eternity, would send human spirits to this earth without providing them leaders who are to lead and guide them in their development, taking them from one step of development to the other?

According to revealed Creation Knowledge on earth today, leaders are born, not made, sent and not electable. We are now in the End-Time when the gale of purification will sweep all wrongs away, including the governmental systems devised by men. Today, the seeds of instability are being sown in the world in accordance with man’s severe limitedness, but the harvests cannot be prevented; they are certain in the future. Adamant, immutable are the Laws of His Holy Will.

THESE 84 YEARS AND THOSE TO FOLLOW

The original title of this address was THESE FIFTY YEARS AND THOSE TO FOLLOW. The address was given in 1991 by Adeyemi Lawson mostly to the large and extensive circles of his associates. I am reproducing it today in his honour on the occasion of his post-humus 101th birthday yesterday. It is, of course, in view of the relevance of the speech of a foremost industrialist and spiritual leader in the sinking of the world from the storms of purification sweeping through it.

On the 6th Day of December, we recall the passing away of the Bringer of the Grail Message—known by His Work as Abd-ru-shin. To many of us who have recognized His Voice, He is much more than ‘Abd-ru-shin.’ The immensity of the need of humanity for His Message is indescribable. The Love which permitted It to be mediated to us is unfathomable. How have we humanity received the Word? How do we as ones privileged to have some inkling of the significance of His Work reflect Its values? Fifty years hence, where shall we be? What are we doing with it? What would we be doing in consequence of the blessings of having come across His Word and being permitted to work with it? These are some of the questions which should stir within the inner recesses of our being, bringing forth answers candid and true; enabling us in humble and true recognition of our weaknesses, of our faults to propel ourselves into stronger efforts and prayerful longing for help and strength that we may truly fulfil as He would wish us do.

Our fellow mankind, as indeed of old, have not awakened by millions to stretch forth their arms in joyful recognition and acknowledgement of that which comes from the Light, raising their voices in gratitude and glorious praise of the ALMIGHTY FATHER, striving to see His Will also done here on earth as it is in Heaven. That, however, applies to us as well. During the past fifty years there have been a great number, both here on earth and in finer realms who joyfully work with this great Message to make it possible for us to be severally helped to the knowledge of the Truth. We joyfully came to the state of awareness which we claim to be recognition! Recognition? In absolute conviction? Do we not need even now to strive for that?

Be that as may, even that level of awareness of the value of the Message enkindled within us a longing to serve HIM who brought the Message and help further His Work on earth. Has that awakened longing remained as it was? There was a time when we felt like proclaiming His Message from hill tops. Today, many cross our paths without hearing of the Message. We put the blame on them. We convince ourselves, if not deceive ourselves, that they are not ready for the Message; that they have not asked for it, that they are too strongly engrossed in the material! We spell out all their failings which make it difficult for them to receive the Message. Let us remember the great distance which had to be traversed that He may bring us the Message. He did not remain in His Home and simply cry out into Creation hoping we would listen. Knowing that we have become too dense to hear and comprehend from that distance. He painfully traversed world upon worlds and came to us in Love and Holy Wisdom. He painfully spent a whole life learning to know more of us and our weaknesses that He may the better be able to help us. He spent yet another life struggling under painful earthly experience to give FORM to the LIVING Word for our comprehension. In selfless LOVE and with great patience has He brought us that far.

If only with a minute fraction of the effort and pain with which the Word was brought to us, we would also strive to pass it on to our fellow human beings! From now on, let us rather look for our own faults and weaknesses which make it so difficult to reach our fellow human beings and make them awaken to the knowledge of the Message being on earth. Let us drop all inhibitions which make it appear that we are anxious to conform with the norms of the society rather than speak of His Name and His Work.

Let us be counted amongst those who truly serve Him, even if at the beginning only a few will trickle in the mighty waves will later develop. Fifty years hence, wherever we may be at that time, how shall we react to the Rays which may touch us and demand: ‘What did you really do with the opportunity of being permitted to touch the Rays of Light bearing His Message?’’

Let us fervently remember this so that we may truly serve him aright. Today for us, a span of fifty years can lose its earthly perception of space and time and be like a flash of thought. Let us patiently and lovingly strive hard, and in all earnestness, to bring our fellow human beings to awareness of the existence of the Message on earth. It is not for us to judge but only to mediate and pass on courageously and in love that which we have received.

ADEYEMI LAWSON (DECEMBER 1991).