The joint task force of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) says it has uncovered 14 sites illegally refining crude oil in Rivers.

John Okeke, OPDS commander, said the sites were uncovered following intelligence information.

Okeke also said the illegal refining site on Ataba Island, close to Bonny Island in Rivers, would be destroyed.

He added that even though no arrests have been made, the joint operation would not allow the Niger Delta to be a haven for criminals.

“We are going to make it very hot for them with the help of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Police, NSCDS, the DIA, amongst others,” Okeke said.

“Nobody wins alone without collaboration. With team work, we are going to achieve a lot in the fight against illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.

“Today we are in Ataba Island, close to Bonny Island, Rivers state, moving towards Akwa Ibom.

“What we discovered here is shocking. About 14 massive cooking sites, one of them is still hot and they must have pulled out on the arrival of the troops.”

The commander also said the OPDS would sustain surveillance and take out economic saboteurs in the region.

“We are sustaining what my predecessor did and I want to thank God that within 24 hours we are able to achieve this feat. It shows that we are performing our duty,” he added.

Okeke advised criminals operating in the area to go into legitimate businesses, warning that those engaged in pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering would never find peace.

ON January 11, 2012, Bola Ahmed Tinubu published a sober, thoughtful, deeply insightful, and penetratingly foresightful article titled “Removal of Oil Subsidy: President Jonathan Breaks Social Contract With the People” that uncannily prefigured the untoward consequences of petrol subsidy removal that Nigerians are currently grappling with.

The article has trended on social media in the last couple of weeks, but I had never taken the trouble to read it until multiple people who I regard highly sent it to me in what seemed like a coordinated torrent of forwards.

But after reading the 4,000-plus-word article and finding out that it predicted the current petrol-subsidy-removal mass excruciation Nigeria is suffering with almost mathematical exactitude, I became suspicious of its authenticity. It was too good to be true.

My incredulity compelled me to make inquiries, which led me to realize that the Nigerian Tribune had actually fact-checked the genuineness of the article on May 31, 2023. It not only found that it wasn’t fake but also scanned and uploaded a printed copy of the article published in The Nation, Tinubu’s paper.

I encourage everyone to read it. In the article, Tinubu derided the 2012 removal of petrol subsidies as the “Jonathan tax,” and the following paragraphs are particularly noteworthy for the mysterious precision of their prescience:

“Government claims the subsidy removal will create jobs…. The stronger truth is that it will destroy more jobs than it creates. For every job it creates in the capital intensive petroleum sector, it will terminate several jobs in the rest of the labor intensive economy.

“Subsidy removal will increase costs across the board. However, salaries will not increase. This means demand for goods will lessen as will sales volumes and overall economic activity. The removal will have a recessionary impact on the economy as a whole. While some will benefit from the removal, most will experience setback.

“What is doubtless is that the Jonathan tax will increase the price of petrol, transportation and most consumer items. With fuel prices increasing twofold or more, transportation costs will roughly double. Prices of food staples will increase between 25-50 percent….

“Most people’s incomes are low and stagnant. They have no way to augment revenue and little room to lower expenses for they know no luxuries; they are already tapped out. The only alternative they have is to fend as best they can, knowing they must somehow again subtract something from their already bare existence.

“There will be less food, less medicine, and less school across the land. More children will cry in hunger and more parents will cry at their children’s despair…. Poor and middle class consumers will spend the same amount to buy much less. The volume of economic activity will drop like a stone tossed from a high building. This means real levels of demand will sink.

“The middle class to which our small businessmen belong will find their profit margins squeezed because they will face higher costs and reduced sales volumes. These small firms employ vast numbers of Nigerians. They will be hard pressed to maintain current employment levels given the higher costs and lower revenues they will face.

“Because the middle class businessman will be pinched, those who depend on the businessmen for employment will be heavily pressed. States that earn significant revenue from internally generated funds will find their positions damaged. Internally generated revenue will decline because of the pressure on general economic activity. The Jonathan tax will push Nigeria toward an inflation-recession combination punch worse than the one that has Europe reeling.

“This tax has doomed Nigeria to extra hardship for years to come while the promised benefits of deregulation will never be substantially realized. People will starve and families crumble while federal officials praise themselves for ‘saving money.’ The purported savings amount to nothing more than an accounting entry on the government ledger board. They bear no indication of the real state of the economy or of the great harm done the people by this miserly step.”

Like I have done for years, Tinubu also fulminated against “European conservatives” whose economic prescriptions are at variance “with the needs of the Nigerian populace.”He even said something that is eerily close to what I wrote in a previous column. “There has been no nation on the face of the planet that has developed or achieved long-term prosperity by devotion to conservative, ultra-free market economic ideas that dominate this government,” he wrote.

“If no nation has grown using these conservative ideas,” he asked, why are we stuck with them? I have an answer, and it’s three-fold: sadly familiar Nigerian elite self-love, xenophilic obeisance to mean spirited racist wretches at the IMF/World Bank, and a visceral disdain and blithe unconcern for ordinary Nigerians.

Like Tinubu pointed out in 2012, the removal of petrol subsidies in 2023 merely took money from the so-called oil subsidy cabal and put it directly into the pockets of politicians without hurting the bottom line of the subsidy cabal. The cabal simply pushed the extra cost of importing petrol to consumers.

In the aftermath of the removal of subsidies, allocations to the three tiers of government rose by 29.05% in just six months. By the end of 2023, governments shared N15.1 trillion, which represented an increase of N3.4 trillion from 2022.

Note that, according to the Punch of September 22, 2023, N3 trillion was budgeted for petrol subsidies from June 2022 to June 2023 (although it was N1.57 trillion in 2021 and N1.27 trillion from January to May 2022, indicating obvious fraud). In other words, the money that would have been used to keep the pump price of petrol at less than N200 per liter was simply shared between the presidency, governors, ministers, and the rest.

State governors now receive several folds more money than their normal monthly allocations without a corresponding increase in their expenditures. Because they have way more naira than they have use for(of course, they don’t care about the masses), they convert the extra naira into dollars, which contributes to the relentless depreciation of the naira, according to the Business Day of February 13.

In other words, to put it even more crudely, the masses and the economy benefited more from the corruption of the subsidy cabal than from what has replaced it since May 2023. But, as I pointed out earlier, the subsidy cabal isn’t hurt in the least by this change. Apart from pushing the cost of importation to consumers, they are now receiving subsidies through the back door to keep the price of petrol from climbing to over N1,000 a liter, which the IMF is now instructing Tinubu to stop.

The only losers are ordinary Nigerians, small businesses, the informal economy, and the manufacturing sector. After Tinubu said subsidies were gone in May 2023, the GDP of the transportation sector contracted by 50.64% in the second quarter of 2023 and by 35% in the third quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The road transport sector is the most reliable barometer to measure the health of commerce and of the informal economy in Nigeria. Petrol subsidy removal is killing it. A November 28, 2023, Business Day headline succinctly captures this: “Subsidy removal pushes transport industry into recession.”

My job as an inveterate opponent of subsidy withdrawal is made easier by the knowledge that Tinubu knows the truth. He knows for a fact that petrol subsidies are not a waste, especially if the corruption in the administration of subsidies is addressed. He knows that it’s an investment in the people and in the economy.

Petrol doesn’t just power the transportation sector, it’s also the main source of electricity generation for industries, small businesses, and the vast majority of our people. Given that Nigeria has the worst electricity generation record in West Africa (and possibly in Africa), it’s easy to see why a drastic rise in the cost of petrol activates an across-the-board cost-push inflation and deepens the misery index in the country.

Tinubu knows this but has chosen to care more for the validation of the sadistic bastards at the IMF and the World Bank than the comfort and wellbeing of his people.

There’s no doubt that it’s the IMF and its evil twin, the World Bank, that are ruling Nigeria. Tinubu’s government is just a proxy. For example, just two days after the IMF told Tinubu he must remove electricity subsidies (I had no clue such a thing existed given the unreliable electricity in Nigeria) Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu announced that the government would withdraw electricity subsidies.

The same IMF has also instructed that the surreptitious subsidies the Tinubu administration is paying to stop petrol prices from getting to—or even rising above— N1,000 a liter must be stopped. Get ready for another bumpy ride, Nigerians. Until half the country drops dead from starvation, the IMF, which is the real government in Nigeria, won’t rest. I can guarantee you that.

The environment is getting increasingly toxic. The toxicity is so palpable you would think it can be held in one’s hand. It is flowing out of outcry of anger which in turn is primarily from experiencing hardship and a feeling of uncertainties of daily living in these times. In Nigeria, the outcry is over escalating prices of foodstuff, in several cases shooting beyond reach, beyond the roof. Transportation costs have similarly gone up astronomically. What makes it all the more troubling is the security problem in many places which keeps farmers away from their farms. The situation is such that the Emir of Kano, a normally reserved institution, has had to parcel complaints of hunger in his domain wrapped in a message to President Tinubu through his wife, Remi. The Sultan of Sokoto has spoken about how much efforts traditional rulers in the North have been making to calm the nerves of their youths who have been restive. He was kind enough to state that the difficulties in the land did not start with the Bola Tinubu Administration and that the Administration is a continuation of the previous one.   

In some parts of the world, there are already signs of economic heat flashing in the horizon, too. Take as an example the number of years that may be required of a first-timer to be able to buy property today in London. According to The Telegraph digital edition, first-time buyers of property in London are now to save for 31 years for a deposit as homes today cost 12 times the average yearly salary. The newspaper reports as follows:

“A typical first-time buyer in London will have to save for 31 years to raise a deposit on a home, twice as long as their parents, analysis shows.

“A Londoner on an average salary would need to save 10 percent of his take-home pay for three decades to afford a 20 percent deposit on a 438, 000 Pounds property—the average price for a first-time buyer in the capital. However, in 2003 the equivalent figure was just 15 years.”

Although, evidently we are living in unusual times, with several parts of the world engulfed in one affliction or the other, Nigerians believe the hardship in the country is peculiar. Last week Thursday, South-West Iceland experienced a volcano for the third time since December. Amidst assurances by the Federal Government spokesmen that the hardship in our land would soon be over, Nigerians believe that the Nigerian troubling situation was complicated and some think, triggered by the peremptory withdrawal of petroleum subsidy without cushioning effect mechanisms already in place before the announcement was made. What is not often stated is, yes, Bola Tinubu formally removed the subsidy, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy in Buhari Administration, Mrs. Ahmed, said the Buhari’s government did not make provision for subsidy in the budget Tinubu inherited. The error of Tinubu was that he did not handle the issue with enough care. Brave though he was, he walked through landmines and he did not tiptoe; he did not exercise enough care; he did not handle the issue diplomatically enough. The consequence is that he has had to carry the can for accumulated failings of recent years.

A litre of petrol, PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) rose from between N178 to N650. Because motion is a Law, movement of persons and goods constitutes foundational factor in the affairs of man. We move from home to work and from work back home. The farmer transports his produce to the silos from where in a chain they finally reach the market and the end user through one form of movement or the other. The transporter buys fuel. Therefore, whatever touches movement must trigger ripples in the affairs of daily living. And so, everyone talks about costs and margins. A bag of rice has shot up from between N30,000 and N35,000 early last year to N65,000 currently. Transport is thus admitted as a major expenditure head and catalyst of cost-push inflation. Indeed, it was the currency change fiasco of late 2022 to early last year that moved the price of rice from N18,500 to N30,000. The price of garri has gone up in a similar sharp manner.

Swarovski in his book, The Time is Ripe, says: “The only one way out of the dilemma, chaos and confusion besetting nearly all humanity and our world is to understand the wider correlations.” What are these wider correlations? He continues: “We must realise that all there is, all that lives, owes its existence to an extra-material Force which in the last analysis dominates everything. Beauty and harmony are obviously the main concern of this marvelous Force and we human beings must strive to make this concern our own and translate it into reality.”

In other words, we are not heeding the fundamentals.  And it is hard to admit that as Cassius says, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings.” The Law of Movement is exhaustive. It makes for freshness, constant renewal, and preservation. Non-observance of the Law of Movement makes human beings prone to illness. There are birds that have lost their wings with which to fly and there are fishes at the bottom of the sea that can no longer swim. To prevent illness we are admonished to exercise our bodies. The Law is such that when we sleep, we roll from one side of the bed to the other. The Law makes the earth to move round its axis every 24 hours to give us day and night and round the sun in 365 days to give us seasons which in the temperate region are distinctly four: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. These are hardly distinguishable in the tropical region. The seasons in the tropics are simply rainy season and dry season. One month of what is known as the Platonic Year or the Great Year is 2, 160 years and it gives us an Age. The Platonic year itself spans 25, 920 earth years. We can from this see this period in which we are — between when the Lord Christ left the earth and now which is the proverbial End-Time — is the Age of the Holy Spirit. It should stand to reason that the closer to the Source of Life, the faster movement is. This is why as we are told in 2 Peter 3:8, “With the Lord one day is as a thousand years.” This is saying, therefore, that three days in the Light Realm translate to three thousand years on earth. The power that is active in the Law of Motion cannot permit a standstill not, above all, in the quest for higher knowledge, spiritual knowledge.  Physicians admonish us to take a walk, to exercise ourselves for good health. Scientists, geologists in particular, would tell you that there is movement even in the rock as it consists of chemical compounds that are inherently animated and which in turn are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

There is also the Law of Cycle and there is the Law of Reciprocal Action. This latter Law ensures that the harvest is tied to the sower. It is thus said that what a man soweth that shall he reap — in multiples. The Law of the Cycle ensures that the end goes back to the beginning. This demonstrates to us that what is sown as seed goes back to the sower as fruit for harvesting. The maturation period of each plant depends on its nature. Bitter Kola takes between 29 and 32 years to produce harvestable fruits while maize takes only three months, vegetables, 12 days, and yam nine months. We sow in thought, in speech, in our volition, and in our action. When we harvest, the consequences depend on its nature. What else do we want as proof that the Laws work collaboratively, manifesting the Will of the Almighty Creator? Because the Creator is perfect and eternal, it should follow that the Laws issuing from Him must be perfect and eternal. Being perfect, they are not in need of improvement. They are immutable, they are self-acting and self-enforcing; they are incorruptible. They are the mechanisms with which the Most High governs His Creation, seeing to the germination, maturing, and ripening of fruits. Mango trees are bringing forth fruits now. From one seed of mango, we have a giant tree brandishing its fruits that will be ripe very soon for harvesting. Yam and cassava are both tubers, but they are different species. To harvest yam, we have to plant yam, and to harvest cassava, we must plant cassava. The Laws are the manual of Creation, which demonstrates to us what Creation consists of and how the Almighty God works in His Creation.

The other Laws are the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species; the Law of Balance and the Law of Spiritual Gravitation. The Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species stipulates that like attracts like. The Law is reflected in the popular saying that birds of the same feather flock together. In the animal kingdom, in the gathering of giraffes, no one can find sheep or goats. Thus, people of the same tendencies are pulled together. They gravitate readily towards one another to form their communities where they are nourished by the radiations peculiar to their native soil, the stars, the wind, and the plants. They would have practically similar if not the same world view, values, relative strengths, and weaknesses. When Africans meet in foreign lands, there is a stirring within their souls, there is uplift in their souls and it is easier for them to strike a relationship, seeing themselves as brothers, than others who are fundamentally alien to them. In their home countries, political competition could be fierce. There will be those who will rise above the din; such a situation is an indication of inner radiance and polish. In another incarnation, such will move to a higher level where their new spiritual maturity places them.

We experience the Law of Balance every second — in breathing and in give and take. There must be balance in inhalation and exhalation. In business, we balance the books. We strive for balance in measures of articles to ensure fairness. Equity is equally found, applying the Law of Balance. Where there is imbalance, there is instability and there are complaints of lack of consideration for others. We observe the Law of Gravitation in the weights of objects. What is light floats to the surface. A ball no matter the efforts which may be made to have it kept at the bottom of a river will float whereas a sinker or a stone thrown into the same river goes to the bottom of it until it can find its level and balance. The Law of Spiritual Gravitation determines who takes flight at the end of our sojourn on earth to the Light Region, the Spiritual Realm that is Paradise, and who goes down to the Dark Region. Purity and nobility make the spirit light, but wrongdoing constituting guilt and dross gives the spirit weight which makes it sink into Darkness and damnation.

It is these Laws that give expression to the Will of God. Since Creation came out of His Will, it is governed by It. This Will is unyielding.  It is this Will that His Messengers, Prophets, and Teachers of Mankind came to explain to mankind at different epochs as the Commandments of God. The Teachings were in the measure of the development of the people among whom they incarnated. Moses, one of the leading Teachers of Mankind, for example, received the Ten Commandments of God on Mount Sinai. No sooner than these Servants of God left than mankind formed religions around their Teachings and formulated doctrines and creeds that were and still are at variance with their true Teachings and instructions. The teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Truth Bringer was Himself not spared. He was received with intense hate and envy, especially by the religious and political establishments of the time who saw Him as a threat to their power and influence on the people they led. His Teachings were distorted and are so to this day. That Will, rightly understood, meant to lead us mankind away from wrong causes that in turn lead away from tribulations has been replaced by the will of men in parliaments and other levels of political leadership. Laws are enacted by consensus and by show of hands.

There is hardly any point I have not hinted at before in this column. In view of the pervading hardships, disasters — natural and manmade — wars, economic collapse, and political instability, it bears repeating that they are largely consequences of obstinate deviation from the Will of God and replacing it with man’s will expressed in human laws. The higher knowledge of Truth existing on the face of the earth today permits us a good grasp and understanding of all events in our world. The laws of parliament are subject to debate and regularly amended, Lawyers are required to interpret them and it is not all the time they agree on the interpretation of these laws. Higher, appellate Courts are required for the interpretations which are regarded as final. And the esteemed jurist, Oputa, Mr. Socrates of our time, thoughtful, quotable, and quoted said referring to the Supreme Court: We are final not because we are not fallible, but fallible because we are final.”

The hardships, which arose out of the ongoing compulsory purification, will not cease until the return to that which swings with the Holy Will on earth—until we adjust ourselves to the Supreme Laws which are at work. Swarovski, an author and industrialist, said: “All through the history of mankind up to the present time the necessity of what will give us high value has been given far too little attention, if any, and that is the cause of a great deal of hardship and trouble—the cause of restlessness afflicting the world today many things which are obviously wrong are said to be in the spirit of our times, of the changing times.”

TIME FOR EVERYTHING

There is time for everything. There is time for joy and rejoicing; there is time to mourn and go sorrowing. Publications have been made and going viral in social media about Herbert Wigwe, the Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, and to a lesser extent about Abimbola Ogunbanjo, corporate lawyer and one-time Chairman of the Stock Exchange. The publications purportedly detailed what can be regarded as dirty deals in the acquisition and development of Access Bank.

The publications at the time of sorrow and grieving are in very bad taste. True or false is not the point. The publications should have waited. An unspeakable tragedy has just hit the nation. Even if to demonstrate our deep feelings, humanness, and sense of propriety, the publications should have waited for perhaps six months for the families and friends to be relieved of their pains. Here was a man who met what we would call, in general parlance, his untimely death in a gruesome manner. Wigwe lost his wife and son and his lawyer and there is an atmosphere of gleefulness and gloating suggesting that the death served Igwe right and I ask myself: Have we been so drained of our humanity and deep sense of empathy for our fellow men? Their remains had hardly even been gathered how much less flown back home in Nigeria before the publications began. Abimbola Ogunbanjo died in the tragic crash barely three months after the exit of his illustrious father, Chief Chris Ogunbanjo. The wreckage itself was mindboggling.

This is a mourning period for the nation no matter how we look at it. So devastating is what has happened that the President, Bola Tinubu wasted no time in sending out a proper condolence message to the families and the nation at large. Most of the people said to be involved in the deal: Aig Imokhuede, Emir Lamido Sanusi, and Mrs. Oputu are still much in the flesh. Why the haste? It rings in the ears of a determination to completely rubbish the memories of the departed in the eyes of those who love them. The publications are indecent, insensitive, and cruel.

As reactions continue to trail the recently concluded 2023 African Cup of Nations, Here are ‘prophecies’ and predictions of some clerics that attracted knocks and kudos from netizens

There was a high level of anxiety among football lovers in Nigeria as the senior national team, the Super Eagles, squared up against the host of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast, in the final in Abidjan, last Sunday.

Millions of Nigerians at home and in Abidjan had high hopes that the Eagles would crown their impressive campaign with victory at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

But the match ended 2-1 in favour of Ivory Coast and came as a rude shock to Nigerians and other supporters of the Eagles who expected the Nigerian team to lift the trophy as the favourite, based on its impressive performance.

No doubt, the tournament came with different surprises, including a shocking exit of some highly ranked teams.

However, among the other interesting features of the competition were the several prophecies and predictions made by religious leaders on and off social media about the outcome of scheduled matches leading up to the finals.

In Nigeria, prophecies about the outcome of football matches are not new and are studiously followed by many football fans, some of whom use them as their tips for sports betting. 

Saturday PUNCH learnt that while some of the prophecies do have true outcomes and tend to authenticate the spiritual calling of the men on the pupil, others fail woefully, resulting in the clerics being viciously trolled online by angry Nigerians.

For years, the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Temitope Joshua, was known for giving prophecies about the outcome of football matches, several of which his followers claimed were accurate.

Last Tuesday, an old video of the late cleric predicting the outcome of the 2012 AFCON final match between Zambia and Ivory Coast went viral on TikTok.

The 12-year-old video which was shot live at the SCOAN, located in Ikotun, Lagos, captured the moment the well-known preacher shared what God supposedly told him about the winner and the penalty shootout that would decide the outcome of the 2012 match.

“This victory is for a country you are not expecting. Just to make them smile because of the past record they have – what happened to them in their history. God wants to make them happy because of the victims of what happened to them in the past,” he was quoted by the church’s Emmanuel TV website as saying.

The match ended in favour of Zambia. Although Joshua did not disclose the name of the team that would secure victory, the church said the outcome of the match was “true to the prophetic word” of its founder.

2023 AFCON ‘prophecies,’ predictions

Yul Edochie

A day before the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa, actor-turned-pastor of True Salvation Ministry, Yul Edochie, said that Nigeria might be in for a surprise.

Taking to Instagram, Edochie wrote, “Why am I having the feeling that South Africa may surprise us tomorrow? God abeg oo. Super Eagles no gree for anybody oo. Kwechili. Leave no stones unturned. Bring home the trophy.”

Our correspondent observed that the actor came under fire for his post. For instance, a netizen named John Peiller wrote, “Very smart way to prophesy. So you can say you say that South (Africa) won but if Nigeria wins, then you can say you prayed against defeat. This country and cruise.”

Another netizen, Akosa Obinna, wrote, “Because you are carnal and guesswork without faith is just as good as guesswork period! Man of gosh. There are no supernatural powers, (it) is either you analyse with experience or expertise or rest till the game is over.”

Before the final match, Edochie, in a post on his Instagram page gave another prediction that the Super Eagles would defeat Ivory Coast.

“Today’s game will not get a penalty shootout. Nigeria will comfortably defeat the Ivory Coast,” he had written.

However, on Sunday, February 11, the Super Eagles of Nigeria lost 2-1 to the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

Edochie’s page was swamped by Nigerians expressing their dissatisfaction and called his prophecy bogus.

One of them, named @iam_baron, said, “With due respect sir, close down (your) church.”

Another user, @Official queendee, wrote, “And then what should we think now? For the second time you have prophesied lies.”

Reacting amid the backlash, on Monday, Edochie in a post attached a photo of the Super Eagles team and its coach, Jose Peseiro, wrote, “It is well. Thank you Super Eagles.

“Getting to the finals is as good as winning. We are proud of you all. Great performance in the tournament.”

In a subsequent post showing the Nigerian flag, the Nollywood actor turned pastor added, “I love my country, Nigeria. Win or lose, good or bad, we pin here. Better days ahead. Giant of Africa.”

Elijah Ayodele

The spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Ayodele, who garnered much popularity for his predictions about politics, economy, and sports, also gave his prophecies regarding AFCON.

In a video said to be dated September 17, 2023, and shared on his TikTok page and which went viral before the final match on February 11, the cleric was heard predicting that the Super Eagles would be knocked out of the semi-finals.

He stated, “Talk about CAN 2024, if Nigeria will do much preparation, listen, and do all that is needful (sic), Nigeria will get to the finals. And if they do all that is needful (sic), they can lift up the cup.

“If they don’t do it, and do ‘bigmanism’ in the Nations Cup they will not perform. They will have a heavy crash.

“They will survive the elimination series but they will be knocked out of the semi-finals. That’s the fact. Nigeria has all it takes to win Cote d’Ivoire 2024 irrespective of anybody that is going to play but if they are doing big, big then they will fail.”

In another video that was not dated but was also shared via his TikTok account, Ayodele was heard saying, “The Nations’ Cup 2023, or 2024 in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria is supposed to qualify. If Nigeria listens, Nigeria can go far but of course, if they score best, Nigeria will lose it with slim chances; they will slip out the cup from them.

“So it’s quite unfortunate that Nigeria will go into this cheap… I see this as a cheap World Cup. Of course, Ghana, and Egypt will qualify in the B, and Senegal and Cameroon will qualify also.

“This Cote d’Ivoire 2024 is for Nigeria, but will they be able to coordinate and do what is needful (sic) for them to lift up the cup? That’s a question that I couldn’t answer.”

Nigeria went through to the final after defeating South Africa 4-2 on penalties.

Joel Atuma’s green-coloured flag prediction

Another cleric who is the senior pastor of the Lord Graces Provinces Church, in Umuahia, Abia State, Prophet Joel Atuma, in a YouTube video titled, ‘Another prophecy for AFCON,’ posted by the cleric on February 2, he said, “I want to say again and again that if you don’t have the colour green on your flag, you can’t carry this AFCON cup, and a northern nation can take up the cup. These are two things that Jesus said to me because what is happening on that soccer field is strategic to the voice and rising of the African nation.

“And I remember that I said on Sunday that Osimhen has been released from that place and he is going to get closer and closer because there is something that God is doing in African nations. I want you to watch what is going to happen, because the Nigerian match is going to be minus one.

“The people who know my format know my format. That match is going to be minus one. I want to reiterate that if you don’t have green, the Nations Cup is not for you.”

Atuma, who claimed to have received a message from God, added, “God said to me that this AFCON is a statement (and) not a tournament. Angola has never beaten Nigeria.

“I will come back to tell you if Nigeria will win this trophy or not but I won’t be open. I will still encode it because the prophet will speak in quotes and parables, it is not for everybody, but let Osimien (sic) know that there is a gang up against him. All I will do for him is to slow down the time.”

Marcus Tibetan

Ahead of the Nigeria versus South Africa match last Wednesday, a prophet from the Celestial Church of Christ, Marcus Tibetan, expressed confidence the Super Eagles would defeat the Bafana Bafana in the AFCON semi-finals, claiming that “the Lord” revealed it to him.

“You know, the Lord revealed this to me. I’ve seen it before and I’ve told you that the first and second matches are going to be slow, but the third match is going to be firebrand.

“I told you in the Wednesday service that we are going to buckle up to take the trophy because the trophy belongs to us. But with what the Lord revealed, as they did to Cape Verde in the last match, because the people of South Africa are too diabolical, and playing with four penalties into one direction, it has an ulterior motive. There is something behind it.

“Our own we need to kill the match in the first half and they have to change some of the players but most of the players that should have been used have gone. 

“(Victor) Osimhen has to step in a little. It could be 4-1 or 4-0 tomorrow, 4-0 is very eminent (sic). Tomorrow is our day and we will get it tomorrow,” he said in a video shared on YouTube by 12 Start TV.

Elijah Abiri

The founder of Jesus Alive Ministry International, Elijah Abiri, describes himself as a “prophet of fire” on his Facebook biodata. On January 26 he prophesied in a post that Cameroon would defeat Nigeria by three goals to one.

The Cameroon-based cleric, who told his followers not to see his prophecy as a parable, also instructed the coach of the Indomitable Lions, Rigobert Song, and another ex-international, Samuel Eto’o, to let the players use olive oil and salt to bathe in a bucket before the game commenced to secure victory.

He wrote, “Any arrow fired at you, backfired right now! Three-one is the score for Cameroon versus Nigeria in favour of Cameroon. This time I’m not talking in parables, I said Cameroon is winning Nigeria period! it’s written and it’s done, watch.”

But the game ended in Nigeria’s favour. Angry netizens dug up the cleric ‘prophesy’ and lambasted him.

In another video posted on Instagram on January 19, Abiri could be seen being conveyed on a motorcycle while he reeled out a prophecy about an impending match between Cameroon and Senegal. 

“It is 30 minutes to the game between Cameroon and Senegal and I’m here to announce to you that Cameroon will win (against) Senegal. Cameroonians start celebrating, Cameroon will win Senegal today.

“We are going to trash Senegal. Three goals for Cameroon and one goal for Senegal. Tell the world that I am coming from a mission, I am done with the assignment. It is written and it is done.”

Again, at the end of the match on January 19, the reverse was the case as Cameroon lost 3-1 to Senegal.

Clerics using fake prophecies to make money – Mbaka

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Fr Ejike Mbaka, expressed displeasure over some Nigerian clerics who regularly dished out fake prophecies and conducted false miracles to make money and fame.

The cleric, who stated this in a video clip uploaded on the ministry’s official Facebook page, and YouTube channel on Sunday.

He said, “Many of us (clerics) have started using this preaching and prophecies to mine money. I call it ‘money mining.’ The worst is that they have started using prophecies as though it is betting. Prophetic trial and error. 

 “Such things do not last. What is fake will fade. If you want to make money, enter into business and do it. Stop using the name of God to dupe people. If you want to be famous, you can be famous by any other means.”

Also speaking in a phone interview with PUNCH, the pastor of Multiply Christian Network, Daniel Okunoye, described predictions for football games as an aberration that had replaced the gift of prophecy in the church.

According to him, the gift of prophecy, as contained in the Bible, is operated based on some guidelines.

“For instance, true prophecy is directed at the church for edification, exhortation or comforting a member of the body of Christ. A prophecy wasn’t meant to be like predictions utilised for mundane issues like soccer or other things that have no bearing on the church.

“There is a difference between prophecy and psychic reading. True prophecy comes from the Spirit of God and not from the heart of the person speaking it and it’s not based on lucky guesses or human knowledge.

“These people who make it their trade to predict outcomes of football matches under the guise of Christianity are making a mockery of the faith they profess. They worship money and fame,” Okunoye added.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe seems to be edging towards a Real Madrid move, with excitement already building in the Spanish capital.

The 25-year-old France captain informed PSG officials he intends to leave in the summer at the end of his contract, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said Thursday.

Madrid are in pole position to sign a player whom they have moved for several times in the past only to be rebuffed, although they declined to comment when asked by AFP.

Spanish media report Madrid’s offer to Mbappe is lower than in 2022 when he decided to renew his PSG contract, with Cadena SER saying he wants 50 million euros ($54 million) gross a season along with a hefty 120 million euros signing-on bonus.

Media outlet Marca claimed that Mbappe has already informed club bosses “that he only wanted to play for Real Madrid” and added that he informed the Spanish giants of his decision to leave PSG on Tuesday, 48 hours before it was revealed from a source close to PSG.

With the numbers and financial fair play impact left for Madrid’s accountants to manage, supporters and local media are starting to dream of what may come.

“The countdown has started,” wrote Marca earlier in the day.

“Seven years later everything points to Mbappe’s arrival being a reality from July 1.”

Mbappe had the chance to join Madrid from Monaco in 2017 but chose PSG instead, perhaps cowed by the difficulty of ousting Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale or Karim Benzema from the attack.

Now he could lead the line alongside Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

“That would be perfect,” Luis Caceres, the president of Real Madrid’s fan club federation told AFP.

“He’s the best player in the world, that’s undeniable. We’ve seen him play and we know what he can do, he’s a great player.”

Mbappe, yet to win the Champions League, could still cross paths with record 14-time winners Madrid in this year’s competition.

Spanish newspaper AS say Madrid will “keep silent” on Mbappe while the two sides are still competing in Europe.

Last June a Real Madrid fan did manage to lure club president Florentino Perez into giving a clue away about Mbappe’s future.

Enrique Higueras, 22, stumbled across Perez outside a restaurant and asked him if he would bring Mbappe to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Yes, but not this year,” replied Perez.

Higueras, a student doctoring in sports science, told AFP he believes Mbappe will succeed if and when he arrives.

“I am sure that he will play at Madrid and make history,” said Higueras.

“I don’t think Madrid needs Mbappe to win the Champions League… but obviously if Mbappe joins then the chances of winning that precious trophy go up a lot.”

‘Bitterness’

However some supporters still recall Mbappe’s snub and perceived slights since.

Oscar Movellan Martinez, a 42-year-old business consultant and self-described “huge fan” of Madrid, said he was not happy with Mbappe seemingly mocking Los Blancos after renewing his PSG deal.

“What happened in 2022 I can understand, for the pressure the kid received… in the media all the way up to (French president Emmanuel) Macron,” said Movellan.

“What I didn’t like was the attitude after… I understand that he might have been pressured to renew with PSG when he wanted to come to Madrid, but I don’t understand his reaction.”

If Mbappe does join Madrid in the summer then it may take a few goals from PSG’s all-time top scorer to smooth things over.

“I think the fans at the Bernabeu will have a bit of bitterness at the start, but look — it’s a fanbase that even whistled (Zinedine) Zidane back in the day,” added Movellan.

Others are cautiously choosing not to trust Mbappe will join until it is made official.

“Until I see him sign, I won’t believe it, after what happened in 2022,” added Caceres.

A former Edo Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship direct primary election holding today.

Naija News reports that Imasuen announced his withdrawal in a letter released on Saturday morning.

Recall that Imasuen and 13 other governorship aspirants were screened and cleared by a committee constituted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC.

The ex-deputy Governor’s withdrawal letter, which was addressed to his “highly-esteemed supporters,” explained he withdrew from the race in the interest of peace and unity.

He said: “I have come to the conclusion that since members of our National Working Committee (NWC), in their wisdom, have expressed their preference for zoning the governorship position to Edo Central Senatorial District, it is wise to align with the decision of the party.

“I am immensely grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me throughout this journey. Your dedication and passion have been the driving force behind my campaign.

“While this decision was not made lightly, I trust that you will understand and continue to support our party as we work together towards our shared goals.

“From the foregoing, I am ready to support whoever emerges as our candidate in the primary election.”

Recall that a former Edo governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, had on Friday also pulled out of the APC gubernatorial primary.

[NaijaNews]

International students studying for a master’s program less than two years in length are now eligible for a three-year post-graduation work permit (PGWP). 

Previously, the duration of a granted PGWP was linked to the duration of the study program. However, acknowledging the potential of master’s students to excel in Canada’s job market, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has opted to broaden the eligibility criteria for these students to receive extended work permits. 

Details of the eligibility  

Nairametrics learns that PGWPs issued to students enrolled in programs other than master’s level will still align with the program’s duration, capped at three years. 

Additionally, students in programs at PGWP-eligible designated learning institutions (DLIs), which are at least two years long, qualify for an extended three-year PGWP. 

In the coming weeks, IRCC will also revise regulations regarding spousal work permits for international students at the undergraduate level.

Consequently, only spouses of students at the master’s and doctoral levels will be eligible for a spousal work permit.

However, this adjustment will not affect spousal open work permits for the spouses or conjugal partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. 

What are the PGWP eligibility criteria? 

For international students to qualify for a PGWP, they must meet the following criteria: 

• Completion of studies in an academic, vocational, or professional training program lasting at least eight months at a designated learning institution (DLI) eligible for PGWP issuance. 
• Enrollment in a program leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. 
• Maintenance of full-time student status in Canada throughout each academic session of the completed program or programs of study, as indicated on the PGWP application (with certain exceptions permitted). 

• Provision of a transcript and an official letter from an eligible DLI confirming fulfilment of program requirements, both of which must be included in the PGWP application. 
• Have graduated from a public post-secondary institution such as a: 
• College; 
• Trade or technical school; 
• University; 
• CEGEP (in Quebec); 
• Private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec; 
• Private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer and results in the issuance of a diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de specialization professionnelle (ASP); or 
• Canadian private schools that can award degrees under provincial law (for example, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate) but only if the student was enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province. 

According to the new rule, from September 2024, some students will no longer be eligible to apply for a PGWP.

These are students attending a program that utilizes a curriculum licensing framework (where a private college has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college). 

[Nairametrics]

Super Eagles and Chippa United goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has said he is in no rush to move to a European club.

Nwabali was one of the revelations of the just concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations where the Eagles finished as runners-up.

He was only drafted into the squad just few weeks before the commencement of the tournament and handed the first choice position.

The 27-year-old went on to impress as he kept four consecutive clean sheets.

Also, in the penalty shootout win against South Africa, he made two saves.

According to reports, his brilliant performance for the Eagles has attracted interests from some European clubs and one of such clubs is Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

Commenting on talks about a move to Europe Nwabali told Arise News, via Soccer Laduma:“People have been sending messages like they want me to move to Europe or they want me to move to a bigger club.

“I really appreciate that, but to be honest, one thing about me is that I always feel comfortable even if I’m in a small place; I don’t like to rush.

Meanwhile, Nwabali could be back in action for Chippa on Saturday when they will host Cape Town City.

Chippa United, on 18 points, are 13th on 18 points in the 16-team South African Premier Soccer League (PSL).

[Leadership]

Nigeria’s economic crisis has plunged millions of its citizens into poverty. The situation is dire in the northern region, where insecurity, poor infrastructure and low human capacity development have worsened living conditions. In this report, Daily Trust Saturday captured a migration trend among northern youths who leave the shores of Nigeria in search of better living conditions in the Middle East and North Africa.

Hassan Dantsoho, a graduate of the Yusuf Maitama Sule University in Kano State plans to relocate to Kuwait, one of the world’s oil-rich countries in the Middle East.

Five years after his graduation from the university, Dantsoho remains unemployed but anticipates a better life across Nigeria’s borders.

With a well mapped out plan and an anticipated N40million in fortunes within two years, the 30-year-old is optimistic that by the end of February 2024 he would bid farewell to his family in Kano, North West Nigeria, for a new life in Kuwait.

“My plan is to start a travel agency when I make it to Kuwait,” he told this reporter in December 2023.

“I will then focus on health personnel and other skilled and unskilled persons in Nigeria who want to migrate.

“If you take plumbing for example, the Arab do not delve into such menial jobs, but if you take our people to Kuwait they will do it and earn at least N600,000 as monthly income,” Dantsoho said.

Dantsoho is already building a network and scouting for big companies in Kuwait that require employees from Nigeria, especially from the medical field.

“As a doctor in Kuwait you can earn a salary of at least N6million a month. So, with that you won’t need to return to Nigeria; instead, you can invest by building a hospital in the country,” he said.

Faced with unemployment at home, Dantsoho is one of many Nigerians from the northern region whose dream for a better life is pushing to seek better opportunities in foreign lands, such as Kuwait, Qatar, Algeria and other Middle East and North African countries.

Records show a growing migration trend in Nigeria, with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) tracking about 243, 121 persons who migrated from Nigeria to different countries in 2022.

The record, which is based on migrants’ health assessment, shows that 196,695 Nigerians migrated to the United Kingdom, while 40,706 persons migrated to Canada and 2,428 persons to the United States of America in the same year. It also captured 3,280 persons who migrated to Austria, while 12 persons migrated to unspecified destinations.

The data shows an increase of 127.5 per cent in 2022, which is twice the 102,503 migrant assessments conducted in 2021, especially across the UK, Canada, USA and Austria.

The growing migration trend is similar to findings of a 2023 research by the Migration Control.Info, which revealed that the number of Nigerians living outside the country had almost tripled between 1990 and June 2020. The figure rose from 447,411 to 1,670,455, with majority of Nigerians in the diaspora from the country’s South-South, North-Central and South-West geo-political zones.

However, this report by Daily Trust Saturday captures another largely undocumented migration pattern among many youths from the northern region in search of better opportunities travel to the Middle East and North Africa.

‘I came back home smiling after my first voyage’

From the narrow streets and alleys of Madigawa in the metropolitan city of Kano State, where tradition and modernity intersect, a 27-year-old Hassan Abdulsalam, a tailor found his way across Nigeria’s borders to Algeria in 2021.

A year later, he returned home with “accomplished wealth,” after which he bought a plot of land and built a house in Kano. He now plans to migrate to Qatar, where he hopes to find a more lucrative job.

“I travelled through Niger Republic and didn’t pay money to anyone,” he told this reporter with a smug, while pedaling a manual sewing machine with keen concentration.

“It was with the use of phone calls and the assistance of my brother that I went to Algeria successfully, and within one year of my stay, I made a lot of money. I am grateful to God,” he said, even though he admitted that Algeria, like Nigeria, faces security challenges.

Abdulsalam explained that tailoring was highly lucrative for emigrants who have no professional qualifications in Algeria. “Sewing clothes is the main work people go there to do because Algerians leave such work to foreigners living in their country,” he said.

This demand among northern youths to migrate to the Middle East is real, said Aliyu Ibrahim, who owns Alkiswa Hajj and Umrah Travel and Tours in Kano.

He told this newspaper that his travel agency receives numerous inquiries daily from youths who are eager to leave the shores of Nigeria to various destinations for job opportunities.

“A lot of people come to us because they want to migrate. We get at least 30 in a month. The major challenge we face is that most of them do not have the money. Secondly, many of them do not have specific reasons they want to migrate. Their main reason is that they are tired of the hardship in Nigeria and they want to search for wealth elsewhere,” he said.

He explained that some of the popular destinations are Dubai, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Findings by this newspaper revealed that northern youths pay between N700,000 and N3million to agents like Ibrahim to make their migration dream come true. However, it was gathered that the fee depends on the country of migration, type of visa, duration of stay, job agreements and expected salary.

But Ibrahim of Alkiswa Hajj and Umrah Travel and Tours explained that his agency accepted an average fee of N1.8million for migration processes, including business visa costs. Following this, he said the client could find a cheap air ticket, sometimes one way for the journey.

“Many of those that have migrated to Dubai are now into cargo related works, some in lollipop companies and others in chocolate companies. Those who migrated to Jordan are now working in shoemaking companies. Those in Saudi Arabia are working in car washing companies and restaurants. In Qatar, some of them are working as barbers,” he said.

The travel agent said there were several jobs available for Nigerians who have no professional qualifications, ranging from driving, waitressing, car-washing, gardening and even as stable hands.

“We have people in Jordan. There is a travel company there we relate with. We help them look out for people willing to migrate to work in a shoemaking factory. So, we search for these people and link them with the agency, who in turn link them to the companies looking for workers,” he added.

Nigerian migrants in despair – Qatar immigrant

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the Qatari government had predicted that hosting the World Cup would create more than 1.5million new jobs in key sectors like construction, real estate and hospitality.

The Charge‘d’ Affaires of Qatar’s embassy in Nigeria, Ahmad Al-Horr, had in August, 2022 sought collaboration on labour migration with the Nigerian government. Al-Horr was quoted as saying, “Qatar needs more Nigerian components in its labour force because the number of Nigerian workers in the country is limited.”

However, though the end of the World Cup had slowed down Qatar’s labour migration needs, the appetite for northern youths to migrate to the country has not been quenched.

Abdulwahid Ibrahim, a Kano State indigene has in the last 16 years mastered the art of hand embroidery for traditional and royal attires. The 29-year-old plans to emigrate to Qatar for a better life by the end of February.

Having made a deposit of N600,000 for his ticket and visa, he is banking on a promised job in a beverage company in Qatar, where he hopes to earn enough money to pay back his debts and support his family.

“From here, you can pay all the money for processing or you can make a deposit on the condition that they withdraw some percentage from your monthly salary until you complete the payment. I have made a deposit payment and I will complete the remaining when I start work.

“Some of my friends are already working there, which is why I plan to go there. What we are only waiting for is our visa,” he said.

But life in Qatar may not be as rosy as Ibrahim and many northern youths envisage. A Qatari-based Nigerian emigrant, Yusuf Isah said many youths from northern Nigeria had become stranded.

“I swear, many people here are stranded without jobs. In the last three days, over 70 Nigerians, including four of my siblings, have left Qatar to return home because they were stranded. They applied for exit to be deported back to their country at no cost,” Isah told this newspaper through a phone conversation in early January.

Having lived in Qatar for at least a year, Isah said, “Here, they have a government agency for those who are stranded and want to return to their country at zero cost. All they need is to fill some forms and make applications on the condition that they will not return to the country for at least five years.”

He said the number of migrants into the country was far greater than the available job opportunities, but added that despite this challenge, Qatar was more receptive to migrants from Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, Bangladesh and Philippines.

“In Qatar, they prefer people from other countries, not Nigeria. If you are from any other African country, not Nigeria, you will easily get a job,” he said.

He said that unlike Ugandan migrants, who are allowed to work before the medical commission issues them permits, Nigerian migrants have no such opportunity as they need to be cleared by the commission to work in Qatar.

We are not against migration – NIS

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has said that it is not against migration as long as people do it the right way.

“Migration is part of our lives. Humans must move from one place to another for one reason or another; it could be economic, security, environmental, education and so on. Migration is not bad at all, as long as you do it the right way,” said the spokesperson of the NIS, Adedotun Aridegbe.

Reacting through WhatsApp, Aridegbe, a Comptroller of Immigration (CIS), urged migrants to fulfill the requirements of the country they are travelling to, stressing that the Service frowns at a situation where migrants travel without valid travel documents and through unrecognised points of entry.

“Irregular migration is a crime against nation-states. It undermines sovereignty and national security. It is the root of all evils associated with trans-border criminality. Therefore, if we must migrate, we should do so in a regular manner, adhering to national and international laws on migration,” he added.

“It was with the use of phone calls and the assistance of my brother that I went to Algeria successfully, and within one year of my stay, I made a lot of money. I am grateful to God,” he said, even though he admitted that Algeria, like Nigeria, faces security challenges.

Abdulsalam explained that tailoring was highly lucrative for emigrants who have no professional qualifications in Algeria. “Sewing clothes is the main work people go there to do because Algerians leave such work to foreigners living in their country,” he said.

This demand among northern youths to migrate to the Middle East is real, said Aliyu Ibrahim, who owns Alkiswa Hajj and Umrah Travel and Tours in Kano.

He told this newspaper that his travel agency receives numerous inquiries daily from youths who are eager to leave the shores of Nigeria to various destinations for job opportunities.

“A lot of people come to us because they want to migrate. We get at least 30 in a month. The major challenge we face is that most of them do not have the money. Secondly, many of them do not have specific reasons they want to migrate. Their main reason is that they are tired of the hardship in Nigeria and they want to search for wealth elsewhere,” he said.

He explained that some of the popular destinations are Dubai, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Findings by this newspaper revealed that northern youths pay between N700,000 and N3million to agents like Ibrahim to make their migration dream come true. However, it was gathered that the fee depends on the country of migration, type of visa, duration of stay, job agreements and expected salary.

But Ibrahim of Alkiswa Hajj and Umrah Travel and Tours explained that his agency accepted an average fee of N1.8million for migration processes, including business visa costs. Following this, he said the client could find a cheap air ticket, sometimes one way for the journey.

“Many of those that have migrated to Dubai are now into cargo related works, some in lollipop companies and others in chocolate companies. Those who migrated to Jordan are now working in shoemaking companies. Those in Saudi Arabia are working in car washing companies and restaurants. In Qatar, some of them are working as barbers,” he said.

The travel agent said there were several jobs available for Nigerians who have no professional qualifications, ranging from driving, waitressing, car-washing, gardening and even as stable hands.

“We have people in Jordan. There is a travel company there we relate with. We help them look out for people willing to migrate to work in a shoemaking factory. So, we search for these people and link them with the agency, who in turn link them to the companies looking for workers,” he added.

[DailyPost]

Since 1999 when the journey to civil rule began, having witnessed military rule for over 15 years, there have been arguments and counter-arguments as to the best form of democratic government for Nigeria.

While some have argued that the American styled presidential system of government which Nigeria practised between 1979 and 1983, and which is currently in practice, remains the best for Nigeria, others want a return to the parliamentary system which the British bequeathed to Nigeria at independence in 1960.

Those who are pushing for a return to what Nigeria’s colonial masters, Britain, handed down to the country in 1960, which is parliamentarianism, have argued that such a system would eliminate wastages in governance and ensure accountability.

They insist that with such a system of government in place, there would be no need for a two-chamber legislature- that is the Senate and the House of Representatives; instead, the country would make do with a unicameral legislature, which is less expensive and less cumbersome.

This, they argued, would cut down drastically on the amount of money used to run a bicameral legislature.

Recall that in the parliamentary system of government, the head of the government, who is the Prime Minister, is chosen from among the lawmakers or parliamentarians. He/she is always from the political party that has the majority in the parliament. And the ministers are also picked from among the lawmakers. This, the proponents of the system argued, would reduce, to the barest minimum, the cost of governance.

However, those pushing for the presidential system which was copied from the United States of America in 1979, have also argued that the system ensures checks and balances, as no organ or arm of government, represented by the executive, the legislature or the judiciary, can wield arbitrary powers.

It is their belief that absolute powers corrupt absolutely and to prevent a powerdrunk politician from riding roughshod over the masses, there is the need for each arm of government to act as watchdog and check the excesses of the other.

What is needed, according to them, is to modify the current system to suit Nigeria’s peculiarities as evidenced in its diversity.

But, the argument has refused to die. It has continued to rage on, with the House of Representatives exhuming the argument on the need for Nigeria to return to parliamentary system of government, considering the current economic realities in the country.

On Wednesday last week, a bill to return Nigeria to parliamentary democracy passed the first reading at the lower legislative chamber of the national assembly.

The bill, co-sponsored by about 60 lawmakers from across party lines, is expected to be gazetted for the second reading, before it would be referred to the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, for further legislative actions.

Briefing journalists at the National Assembly (NASS) complex in Abuja, after the bill scaled the first reading, Wale Raji, noted that the idea behind the proposed bill was to initiate a conversation about the possibility of transitioning from the current presidential system to a less expensive parliamentary system of government.

The bill, if passed into law, would have the new system of government kick off in 2031.

“We anticipate that the process may not necessarily conclude with the current administration. We expect it to extend beyond 2027, with the actual commencement potentially in 2031. It’s a gradual process that we have now initiated,” he noted.

Speaking on behalf of the 60 lawmakers that sponsored the bill, Hon Abdusamad Dasuki, said: “Today, we stand on the cusp of history as lawmakers from different parties and regions, to present bills proposing constitutional alterations for a transition to a Parliamentary System of Government.”

He noted that the proposed alteration, if passed, would significantly impact the national political landscape, even as he highlighted the imperfections in the current presidential system, to include high cost of governance, excessive executive powers, and lack of direct accountability to the people, among others.

The bill seeks to return Nigeria to the governance system of the First Republic, which was characterised by accountability, responsibility, and responsiveness, ultimately being less expensive.

The changes outlined in the bills include replacing the President with a Prime Minister as the Head of Government, and establishing the office of the President as a ceremonial leader.

Other proposed changes involved shifting the process of electing governors and chairmen of local governments from the general elections to voting within their respective legislative bodies, aiming to streamline administration, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and enhance collaboration between the executive and legislative arms.

Dasuki and his group are of the view that a streamlined executive branch could bring about a smaller central government, leading to reduction in expenses, and that electing officials from the parliament could save costs spent on state and nationwide campaigns.

The bill also aims to spark a national conversation and encourage public debates, stakeholders’ consultations, and informed decision-making processes about the future of Nigeria’s governance system.

Commenting on the move, the president of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Pogu Bitrus, said even though the parliamentary system would be cheaper for Nigerians, the presidential system currently in operation could still serve Nigerians if well modified.

He stressed that much as the parliamentary system was welcomed by him, what Nigeria needs was restructuring so that the current presidential system could be modified to suit Nigeria appropriately.

He also stated that whether the country would return to the parliamentary system or not was a decision for Nigerians to take after they must have debated on it.

He said: “I am one who feels that the American system, which we adopted, can still be modified and corrected to serve this nation appropriately. All we need to do is to restructure the country so that there will be some real good representations.

“Another thing is to ensure that the western system we copied is not a holistic thing. We should modify it to serve our own peculiarity. The parliamentary system will definitely work for us; it is cheaper than the presidential system, but it is left for Nigerians to debate on it and see which will work better for us.

“But, I still believe that with restructuring, this presidential system, which we currently operate, will still serve us well.”

On his part, a former House of Assembly member in Katsina State, Hon Yusuf Shehu, said he was in total support of the move for the country to return to parliamentary system.

He said the system is best for Nigeria, and that was why the British who colonized Nigeria bequeathed the system to the country at independence.

“Don’t forget that it was the system given to us by our colonial masters, Great Britain. They gave us our constitution and they considered our makeup before introducing the system to us. I believe they know it is the system that is best for us.

“Secondly, the system is less expensive and it promotes unity. Nigeria is diverse in culture, religion and tribe. The British knew about this diversity before they introduced the parliamentary system because it would suit our differences in culture and traditions.

“Remember that the presidential system was copied from America by the military and forced on us in 1979. It is alien to us. The parliamentary system is much cheaper than the presidential system. Under the parliamentary system, the prime minister is selected among the ministers.

“Under the parliamentary system, the states or the federating units are more powerful than the centre, but in the presidential system, the centre is more powerful than the states; it shouldn’t be so.

“Even the recent calls for the creation of state police would not have arisen if we were in a parliamentary state because the state would have been given the power constitutionally to take care of things like security, natural resources and others.

“So, the bill for Nigeria to return to the parliamentary system is a welcome idea. I learnt it has even passed the second reading. So, we are expecting the third reading before the presidential assent, so that it can become law in Nigeria.

“I support the move completely, and in fact, the situation in Nigeria today, calls for total revisit of the constitution,” he stated.

In his contribution, the president of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, equally threw his weight behind the call for a return to parliamentary system of government.

For him, the system would throw up good leaders, instead of the poor, incompetent and mediocre crop of leaders that the presidential system encourages.

He said: “I have no problem with the parliamentary system of government because the way our politicians are taking advantage of the centre is not going to augur well in the nearest future.

“A situation where every Tom, Dick, and Harry can just go to the centre and receive the blessing of one God-father will not augur well for us in the nearest future.

“We can also not sustain a system where governors will sit down, fold their arms, and expect miracles to fall from the centre.

“So, for me, it is only when we have a parliamentary system in place that the states can become more viable. Only then, will the states begin to harness their resources.

“This is because the constitution will spell out the percentage that the state or region will pay to the centre. That way, the centre will be less attractive and at that point, we will begin to produce good leaders because whether you have money or not, once you come from a community that can vouch for your antecedents that are good, you are good to go.

“But under the current system where somebody in Abuja will force an armed robber, or a fraudster on the people, you don’t expect to produce good leaders.

“For me, I welcome the parliamentary system of government because that is what fits Nigeria. That is what fits us as a country; we don’t have to borrow from America or Russia because they are not the same with us. And other people in any other country are not the same as us.

“We are Nigerians and we must be able to work with things we feel that can benefit us and that are good for us.

“So, I welcome the parliamentary system of government and it is the parliamentary system of government that can give Nigerians the state police we are all talking about.”

[DailyPost]