The federal government says Glencore, a British mining and trading group, is expected to pay Nigeria a $50 million penalty for bribery. 

Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday during the ministerial sectoral update for the present administration.

He said the resolution was reached after the federal government entered a settlement agreement with the firm.

“The ministry on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on April 25, 2024, concluded negotiation of a settlement agreement with Glencore International A.G. wherein Glencore is expected to pay the sum of $50 million as penalty and compensation for certain activities in Nigeria,” he said.

THE GLENCORE TRAGEDY

In May 2022, the United States department of justice said Glencore, and its United Kingdom subsidiaries, entered into multiple agreements to purchase crude oil and refined petroleum products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through shady deals.

In Nigeria alone, the department said Glencore and its subsidiaries paid more than $52 million to the intermediaries, intending that those funds be used, at least in part, to pay bribes to Nigerian officials.

In the same month, Glencore agreed to pay about $1.5 billion in total to resolve investigations in the US, United Kingdom and Brazil — of which $1.06 billion was payable to agencies in the US and Brazil. 

A London court, In November 2022, ordered Glencore to pay a $310.6 million (£276.4 million) penalty for seven bribery offences in relation to its oil operations in Africa.

Glencore had pleaded guilty to five counts of bribery in relation to a total of $26.9 million, which was paid “primarily to officials in state-owned oil companies” in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

The company also admitted to two charges of failing to prevent bribery over payments of approximately $1 million to agents in Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan, to secure “valuable oil contracts”.

When Nigeria, in October 2022,  tried to claim compensation from the British mining and trading group, a UK judge ruled that the nation did not have the right to be heard.

FAGBEMI: NIGERIA TO RECEIVE £2.1M FROM BAILIWICK OF JERSEY

Speaking further, Fagbemi said Nigeria is set to receive about £2.1 million in corruption proceeds from the Bailiwick of Jersey.

“The ministry achieved the following successes under its international asset recovery and management efforts,” he said.

“The asset sharing agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Bailiwick of Jersey was signed in February 2024 for the return of £2,125,944 proceeds of corruption.”

Fagbemi said the proceeds have been approved by President Bola Tinubu to continue works on the Abuja-Kano road project.

[TheCable]

What the Super Eagles need is a manager and not a coach.

In the national team, there is  less coaching and more player management; less technical training and more tactical planning – a very thin but delicate difference.

Coaching is about teaching players the rudiments of how and what to play through repeated practise. Management is telling them what strategies to play at short notice, and hoping they do so!

Coaching requires a lot of time and rehearsals to master a winning strategy.

Managing is a quick-fix of tactics and organisation.

That’s why the best coaches of clubs hardly ever consider being managers of national teams. The two roles have very different approaches.

The best news out of African football is that Nigeria has finally bowed to the voices of reason to end the ugly, mental enslavement of coaches on the basis of the colour of their White skin, ahead of better experienced and better qualified local coaches.

Finidi George, an experienced Nigerian ex-international player with the highest qualifications is the manager Nigeria needs at this time, a gentleman to the core, one commanding great admiration and respect from the players, administrators and fans.

His success will be determined by the number of exceptionally-gifted players he is able to assemble at very short notice to play as close to a team as possible.

To have several players come from a particular club or league often helps.

But the most important ingredient is having a collection of extremely gifted players for all the positions. Nigeria is enroute to achieving that.

There is a very thin line separating a very good player from greatness. That transition often comes in a sudden boost of needed fuel ‘idling’ in every good player’s mind.

There is a talented football player sought after by many clubs, big and small.

For a few seasons, he plays from match after match displaying occasional glimpses of something exceptional without quite getting there, convincingly. He sometimes moves from one club to another, brandishing those flashes of brilliance but ending up with a shortfall in self-belief and consistency that are needed for greatness.

Then, one day, it happens. He finds a great coach who helps him to make the transition aided by conspiringelements. Mother-luck offers the player the gift of an opportunity which, if exploited, provides the perfect platform for the player to be launched into the stratosphere of greatness!

In  one match of magic, it happens and everything changes in the player’s career and even life.

I know because it happened to me.

For several years at the start of my football career I was doing well, earning personal accolades, winning some important matches for club and even the country, winning local cups and championships including the league and even the FA Cup, topping the league’s goal-scorers charts for three consecutive years, and even scoring the most number of goals in winning Nigeria’s first African club cup. I was the first Nigerian football player to be listed in the top ten (and ended up as Third) best players in Africa in 1977, when I was not fully aware of just how good I was and could be.

Through all of that period, I was just a very good player, not very consistent, afraid to take certain risks, unappreciative of my depth in the game and how good I was despite all the shower of encomiums. Even when I was the most celebrated football player at the eve of the 1978 AFCON in Ghana, and ended up as a joint highest goalscorer, I was still not convinced, in the depths of my mind, of my true capability.

Then it happened on that fateful and eventful evening of March 22, 1980. Buoyed by some good fortune, I flew like I had never flown before, played without fear and with a certain conviction, scored two goals created in heaven, and contributed to earning for Nigeria its greatest trophy at the time.

In the 90 minutes of that match, I knew for the first time, what greatness was: knowing what to do beyond the ordinary;  being unafraid; deliberately aware of one’s capability; playing like the greats of football – cool, calm, sure, confident and deadly!

When I scored a brace (I could have scored more), it was the turning point of my football playing, the transition point from being good to being great.

Not every player gets to that point of realisation. The few that do, stand out after that. Watch the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Friday Ekpo, Haruna Ilerika, Henry Nwosu, Finidi George, Samuel Garba Okoye, and some others. Once they get to that transition point, they come into the fullness of their ability and ‘greatness’ starts to manifest through their consistency, confidence and masterful displays.

That’s the slight shortfall, so far, in Victor Osimhen’s place in football till now. He is a very good player but still on the periphery of greatness despite his becoming Africa’s best player and his stellar goalscoring in Napoli. When he makes that final mental transition, when he becomes fully aware of his capability and starts to play deliberately with ease, confidence and composure, he will immediately join the ranks of the gods of African football.

Last Sunday night, during the final match of the Europa Cup, Ademola Lookman who flew like an eagle, may have transited into that realm.

His three great goals, with a historic victory for his team to boot, may have taken him to the edge of greatness. In 90 minutes, at the moment of his club’s greatest challenge in football, his earned the transition rights through his performance. It is not easy to score a goal in football. To score two goals is extremely difficult. To score three in the finals of a European Club championship is a ‘miracle’.

I listened to Ademola Lookman after the match when he addressed the press. I saw in his eyes and heard in his voice, the evidence of his metamorphosis from a really ‘good’ player to a ‘great’ one, going forward. Ademola will never be the same player again. In a quantum leap, he finally completed what he started at AFCON 2023. Now, he is in the territory of the gods of the ‘Beautiful game’.

I congratulate him, and wish him great days ahead in his football. It is now that Nigeria will start to enjoy and benefit from the greatness of the man.

To him who answered the night call
In the night of his life

He, whose booming voice
Boomed even in the twilight
Of his many seasons
This side of earth

Ayo Banjo
His voice arrested voice over artistes
In a serene and natural flow
Of words and expressions
His majestic presence
Called even old fools to order

It is Ayo Banjo
Gogorogo ni gagaraga
Iroko on the move
Okpako amua
That we ruefully
Wave off at the pier
Between our lost world
And the certain and sure rhythms of the ancestral hemisphere

It is not a mourning song
That we sing
This ululation becomes Banjo
It is joyful goodbye to him
Who became an ancestral spirit in English studies
While he lived with us mortals

Ferry our greetings to Achebe
Clark, Adetugbo & Okigbo
&
All kindred spirits who travelled before you
Tell them of our sufferings
And the ashes emilokan
And infernal gang have poured into our mouths

Gogorogo
To de
Ke siefa
K'akpo ofa

Hope Eghagha, a Professor of English at the University of Lagos. 
Copyright

President Bola Tinubu has called for a more effective local government system that fosters community development and delivers the essentials of governance within a strengthened federal structure.

Speaking when he received a delegation of the Yoruba Leaders of Thought at the State House on Friday, President Tinubu emphasized that governance must be transformative and must address the critical needs of citizens.

He said the past 12 months have been fulfilling for his administration despite the presence of some challenges that are being addressed frontally.

"It has been challenging. It has been fulfilling as well. We took over, and we have stopped the bleeding. I can say categorically now that Nigeria is no longer bleeding. And it will not bleed to death, but rather will now move to prosperity. That is the promise that I made to you all, and it is also the charge that you gave to me.

"We are managing to swim through the pond. The current is not a good one. We will turn the tide. We are turning the bend. This I assure you. I am being very careful. The worst is over for Nigeria. We will prevail.

"I thank the team who have been working really hard. All I can promise is that we will do whatever it takes. We are determined, and we will work so that all Nigerians can feel the impact of good governance," the President said.

The President assured Nigerians that his administration will ensure they get value for every kobo spent, and that his government will leave a lasting legacy of prosperity to future generations, while removing the yoke of poor governance and expanding access to qualitative public goods.

"We will get value for our money, and it is not for ourselves, but for our children. Our children will not inherit the burden of bad governance. Yet, they will enjoy the prosperity of Nigeria as a blessed nation from our very hands; from our sweat. We will bequeath to them a nation full of pride and prosperity," President Tinubu said.

President Tinubu also called for the deepening of governance and the reinforcement of leadership across all levels of government and institutions, adding that his administration is committed to encouraging fiscal federalism and strengthening the system to enhance inclusion and equity for all Nigerians.

"Healthcare upgradation is ongoing. Road rehabilitation and construction is ongoing. Education development is ongoing. I am charging you to look at what is going on in the states. Pay attention to your state governors. Tell them to take their responsibilities seriously and make the people the focus of their development plans. Once there is synergy, then I can assure you that Nigeria will be one of the best nations that you will see anywhere on earth.

"Local government administration is being suffocated. People are looking at the opportunity to ensure that they survive and become more purposeful through community development programmes. What I will not support is any effort to make the local government a unitary system by handing all core responsibilities to the federal government. That is criminal when there is a federal system.

"We have a federal system. There is state and federal administration. We have two components. States must do whatever is in the best interest of their own process of administration. There is no one-size-fits-all. That is what we should do by looking at the revenue formula, and we must be consistent with federalism; fiscal federalism. Those are the things you should expect from me, not the knee-jerk reactions ahead of elections.

"Our population is growing. It is getting larger. The geographical requirement is getting bigger, so we still want more space for housing. The population is growing. So that is the basis for flexibility at the local government level. We must grow and expand," the President said.

While thanking the delegation of eminent Nigerians, President Tinubu urged continuous support for and faith in Nigeria, assuring them that his government would live up to expectations.

"I can tell you that Nigeria is no longer printing paper money and deceiving itself that it has a base for survival. Nigeria went through terrible labour pains, but we have seen the baby coming out alive," the President concluded.

In his remarks, Honourable Bayo Aina, the National Secretary, who spoke on behalf of Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, Convener of the Yoruba Leaders of Thought, commended the President for his prioritization of investment in infrastructure across various sectors.

“We salute your timely initiative to upgrade, construct, and modernize the infrastructure of our nation in health, aviation, transportation, as well as the education sector. We commend you for your commitment to providing responsible, responsive, and accountable governance in this country.

“At this point, we state without equivocation our total commitment to the vision of greatness that you have articulated, which is the destiny of Nigeria, not only within Africa, but globally and among the comity of nations before the end of the 21st century," the National Secretary of the group concluded.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

On April 21, 2024, in Port Harcourt, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan made a significant call for unity during the flag-off ceremony for Phase II of the Trans Kalabari Road Project. Addressing the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, Jonathan urged former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Siminalaye Fubara, to set aside their differences for the greater good of Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria as a whole.

Jonathan emphasized the critical need for outgoing and incoming governors to collaborate in the collective interest of their citizens, stating, "The ongoing tension in Rivers State will not help us." This intervention is characteristic of Jonathan's statesmanship and commitment to peace and democracy.

The Roots of the Crisis

This conflict took a dramatic turn on May 8, when four pro-Fubara lawmakers elected Victor Oko Jumbo as their speaker. The next day, Fubara made an unexpected visit to the Legislative Quarters, suggesting the need for improvements in light of the new leadership. This visit further heightened the political tension in the state.

Jonathan's Laudable Intervention

Jonathan's call for peace is particularly noteworthy given his significant influence in Rivers State. His presidency facilitated Wike's rise to power in 2015, despite initial resistance from local political factions. Additionally, Jonathan's deep personal ties to Rivers State, where he spent much of his early life and education, add weight to his mediation efforts.

In contrast to many elders who have taken sides, Jonathan's balanced approach underscores his role as a true elder statesman. While pro-Wike and pro-Fubara factions have only deepened the crisis, Jonathan's impartial stance offers a path towards reconciliation.

The Broader Implications

The political instability in Rivers State threatens its economic development, as highlighted by Governor Fubara's remarks at the recent Rivers Investment Summit. Persistent conflict deters investors, undermining the state's potential as an industrial hub. There is also the looming risk that the Federal Government might relocate the Niger Delta Development Commission headquarters from Rivers State, further exacerbating economic woes.

Comparing Jonathan's intervention with that of Pa EK Clark reveals a stark difference in approach. While Clark's partisan stance has only fueled the crisis, Jonathan's measured and inclusive appeal aims to bridge divides and foster unity.

A Call for True Leadership

Jonathan's intervention exemplifies the qualities of a true leader: wisdom, impartiality, and a deep commitment to the common good. His actions stand in stark contrast to the divisive rhetoric and actions of other political figures. As an experienced statesman, Jonathan understands that sustainable political solutions require dialogue, respect for constitutional processes, and a focus on long-term stability.

Limited statement by the Management of Globalupfront Newspapers on our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Madu Onuorah who was abducted from his residence by the Nigerian Police on Wednesday, 22/5/2024 evening

We have confirmed the release (on bail) of our Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Madu Onuorah who was abducted by men of the Ebonyi Police Command on Wednesday 22/5/2024 evening from his residence in Lugbe, Abuja.

He was released late Thursday, 23/5/2024, night by Enugu State Police Command who requested the Ebonyi Police to abduct him for them.

We are awaiting a full briefing by Mr Onuorah and our lawyers before issuing a full statement on this matter and the next line of action.

We solidly stand by our Editor-in-Chief and the harmless story we published.

We insist the police station is not a court of law where alleged defamation cases are tried.

We want to thank the Journalism and Media family, friends and well-wishers, and all defenders of freedom of expression who rose against a budding tyranny.

Signed:
Management of Globalupfront Newspapers

The Nigerian National anthem, like any country’s anthem, for all intents and purposes is meant to hold a special place in the hearts of its citizens, symbolizing unity and national pride. But this does not seem to be the case in our country for many years since Nigeria’s independence in 1960. The country has witnessed many coups and counter coup and fought a very bitter civil war in which millions of Nigerians were killed, from 1967-1970.

Following the collapse of the first republic in 1966, the military took over the country’s government, through a series of coup d’etat. Then in 1975, after the overthrow of General Yakubu Gowon, by the Murtala Mohammed/ Olusegun Obasanjo duo, Obasanjo took over after the assassination of Murtala Mohammed in 1976. However, the General Olusegun Obasanjo military government decided to change Nigeria’s national anthem in 1978 without consulting the people. This decision has sparked a desire within me and certainly among many other Nigerians, particularly those born between the 1940s and 1970s to reinstate the old anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee.” This anthem carries historical, cultural, and prayerful significance that resonates deeply with the citizens.

The change of the National anthem has left those of us born in that generation of baby boomers who grew up singing the national anthem in schools and homes, feeling disconnected and disheartened. And from a personal point, the music man in me feels the void of that melodious anthem since the change. The new anthem, though well-intentioned, lacks the emotional resonance that the old anthem held. “Nigeria We Hail Thee” evokes a sense of pride, hope, and loyalty towards the nation. By reinstating the old anthem, we can reignite the patriotic spirit within the citizens and restore our emotional connection to the country.

Let us take a moment to reflect on the words and verses of the old anthem, appreciating the prayers and blessings it embodies. The line “to hand unto our children, a banner without stain” reminds us of the responsibility we have as parents to pass on a legacy free from corruption, crime, and other social ills. We must consider the consequences of our actions and strive to create a better future for our children and in effect, Nigeria.

Another verse of the old anthem that holds solemnity is “O God of all creation, grant this our one request. Help us to build a nation, where no man is oppressed. And so with peace and plenty, Nigeria may be blessed.” Sadly, since the change in the anthem, Nigeria has struggled to find peace and has been insensitive to the hunger, poverty, unemployment and the plight of the oppressed and down trodden. Reinstating the old anthem may serve as a reminder of the values we should uphold as a nation.

The old anthem encapsulates the diverse cultural heritage of Nigeria. It celebrates the country’s ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity, emphasizing the importance of unity in diversity. This message is crucial in a nation as diverse as Nigeria, as it promotes inclusivity and fosters a sense of belonging among all citizens. By reinstating the old anthem, we can reinforce the values of cultural acceptance and national unity.

The reasons given for changing the anthem are not convincing. The argument that the word “tribe” is offensive is unfounded, as it simply refers to a community united by common customs and traditions. Additionally, dismissing the old anthem because it was written by a British expatriate is shortsighted. We should not discard our history and heritage simply to distance ourselves from our colonial past.

Instead of finding faults with the old anthem, subsequent governments post independence should have faced the challenges of their time and the development of the country head-on. The government should have prioritized on a long term basis, the funding of education, healthcare, infrastructure, social welfare, diversification of the source of national revenue, as well as address issues of insecurity and corruption. The Tinubu administration must now take urgent actions reining in the many militia groups in a number of states in the country, non-state actors in the security sector and empower our military, police, and paramilitary forces through training and incentives to secure the lives and property of citizens, and Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The change in the Nigerian National anthem without constitutional considerations or the people’s mandate has had a profound impact on the country. Reinstating the old anthem is crucial to reconnecting with our history, celebrating our cultural diversity, and reigniting the patriotic spirit within our citizens. It is now time for the National Assembly to seriously consider this plea, and make wide consultations, put it up for discussions in the course of the Senate and House proceedings, with a view to restoring the old anthem, as it has the power to psychologically bring Nigeria back to its former glory. While government does its best to alleviate the excruciating suffering currently facing Nigerian, albeit, with economic policies aimed at enduring prosperity. The removal of the fuel subsidies and harmonization of the foreign exchange rates are two positive redemptive steps taken so far by the Tinubu government but quick palliatives must follow as soon as possible to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.
We hope that by the time the administration finally settles down to business, we may all be able to sing: Nigeria we Hail Thee.

NB: Sonny Iroche is 2022-2023 Senior Academic Visitor at the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford.

The day passed quietly last week: no fun fair; no noise-making.  It was not because he is no longer in the flesh. Even if he were, the great day would have been marked modestly. A few speculations, given what I knew about his nature and his values, raced to my mind on how the day would have been marked – a handful of friends and admirers visiting to extend the customary courtesies and best wishes to him,  a musical concert, children singing the Hallelujah Chorus. If with a lecture, there would be no clicking of glasses: you go home and reflect on what had been absorbed from the lecture. He departed earthly life, barely two months away to clocking 69 years.

I am referring to Chief Adeyemi Olusola Lawson, the colossus and without comparison, a man of many parts, a leader of leaders, the captain of captains of industries. He would have been 100 years last week Wednesday, were he still to be in the flesh. What I believe a great many must have done on that blessed day was sit quietly in their closets, thanking the Almighty Father, the Creator of all the worlds for the privilege of being permitted to cross his path in this phase of our journey through life.

Chief Lawson was from Abeokuta in Ogun State, born in Lagos on 15 May, 1924,  the first of five children of Chief J. O. Lawson, a civil servant and Frances Obinrinade Lawson, a Princess from the Arole O’odua, indeed from the same Aderin Royal Lineage as Oba Okunade Olubuse, the Second. She was a teacher, but later took to trading. As a trader she got her son to hawk in the streets of Lagos Island. This was later to turn as a prelude to his imminent high tasks in his life. No one knew what the high tasks meant to be his lot would be. As was customary at the time, all his parents were told was that they should not interfere in whatever spiritual values he might choose to profess. He hawked “foo-foo”to nourish the body, he later went to the ends of the world spreading the Holy Word of God to nourish human beings with the food of the spirit and to awaken those in slumber through bringing to their awareness the existence of “In the Light of Truth”, the Grail Message by Abd-ru-shin. The Grail Message is the Teaching of the Lord Christ brought anew from the Highest Heights to mankind much more elaborately in these times. In his own words, “I assisted my mother by hawking wares on the same streets of Lagos over which I now move about in cars. I sold oranges, foo-foo and agidi, hawking them on my head after school hours like children from average families.”

Coming from an enlightened parentage, Adeyemi Lawson began his elementary education at the age of four at a private school known as Caxton House School. He moved from there to Baptist Academy where he finished in Standard Six, was admitted the following year CMS Grammar School founded in 1859 at Abeokuta, the first and oldest secondary school in Nigeria to date. The school was moved to Lagos after a few years. Adeyemi Lawson attended the school in Lagos and passed out in flying colours in 1941. Lawson’s performance was such that he was exempted from London Matriculation. Among his classmates were later Nigeria’s leading lights in the civil service, in politics and the judiciary. Jonathan Odebiyi, for example, was the principal of Egbado College, Ilaro, later Minister of Finance in the Western Region and in the second Republic the UPN Senate Leader. Folarin Coker was permanent secretary for many years and his role call later was as Head of Service and Justice B.O Kassim was High Court Judge in Lagos. All these confirm the truism that you can tell a person by the company he keeps. Adetunji Adefarasin was another of his friends, but he attended Igbobi College. He was Chief Judge of Lagos State from 1974 to 1985. Lawson’s best known bosom friend was Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, another giant in Industry and Law practice with specialization in Commercial Law.

Lawson could not go to the university immediately on leaving school because the Second World War was sweeping through parts of Europe and such higher education could only be obtained in Europe at the time. He took to teaching at St. Saviour’s High School in Lagos as only teachers were free from conscription into the Army to go and fight in the war. He wanted to study Law, not joining the Army. He eventually left for the United Kingdom in 1945 after the war ended. As part of his working career, he had a stint in the Accountant General Office as a clerk.

Always exceptional, he finished his Law studies ahead of time in 1947. He was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn. Speaking with Dapo Odebiyi in his publication, Nigerian Enterprise, 1983, relayed in his book, Builders of Modern Nigeria, 1985, Chief Adeyemi Lawson said in glowing appreciation and gratefulness about his father: “It is pertinent to mention here that my father made an enormous sacrifice to get me trained in England. He was then a first-class clerk with a monthly income the equivalent of about thirty-seven Naira out of which he sent me about twenty-five Naira every month, leaving him less than twelve Naira to maintain himself, my mother and other children and there can be no doubt that other children went through some privations at that time.”

On returning to Nigeria he set up a law firm, A Lawson & Co—Solicitors. He knew success and fortune. He was Queen’s Counsel (QC) the precursor of SAN, as peak of his professional calling. QC is now SAN which is the highest attainment for any lawyer. Some of his outstanding cases are contained in Nigerian Law Reports. His area of concentration was commercial law in which he excelled. That aspect of law practice brought him into regular contact with managers of business. This gave him an insight into features characteristic of business, business management and investment and as is the natural order, first as a minor investor and later a more substantial one. He and friends among them Chief Michael Ibru, Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, and Dr. Moses A. Majekodunmi,  joined hands to establish a commercial bank known as Bank of Lagos Limited, with some Swiss nationals as foreign partners. They left the running of the bank in the hands of the foreign partners who came with expertise no doubt but did not know enough about Nigerians. “In consequence, a good proportion of our capital was lost in no time”, so said Chief Lawson. “My colleagues and I on the Board of the Bank could afford to lose our money but not our good names and so we decided not to take the risk of losing depositors’ money.” They called in all the depositors and, under the supervision of the Central Bank, refunded all their deposits to them with apologies that they could no longer be of service to them in the banking field. They returned their banking licence, changed the name of the Bank to Finance Company of Lagos Limited,  and bowed gracefully out at the time from the banking field—having gained what Chief Lawson described was “a highly invaluable experience.”

Business is a risk, but Adeyemi Lawson was not one to flee from risk-taking in business or any endeavour. He went from banking to brewing (West African Breweries, the first indigenous brewery in Nigeria) for which he was renowned, to pharmaceuticals, to glass manufacturing and to services such as insurance and advertising. He was into petroleum marketing. He set up ACORN Petroleum Nigeria Limited to drive it – undergirded as was his accustomed thoughtfulness by the adage “The mighty oaks from little acorns grow.” He set up a trading and marketing company in the UK with worldwide tentacles.

Chief Lawson packed so much into his life that hardly is it realised by the younger generation that he was ever into politics. His foray into politics was unplanned but prepared him for his great tasks. Interestingly, it was his father who was chosen as candidate by his constituency for election into Lagos City Council, but was disqualified on technical ground. “Since the Area Council members had printed many posters in the name of J.O. Lawson, they decided that his lawyer son had better be presented as a candidate as they only needed to change my father’s initial ‘J’ to my own ‘A’ on the various posters.” Chief Lawson won the election on the platform of Awolowo’s Action Group and subsequent ones until he left politics in 1962 following the crisis in the party and the looming crisis in the Western Region as a whole. He was out of the country when the crisis began. All the parties saluted his sagacity and engrossing wisdom and believed that had his intervention come earlier the crisis would not have escalated beyond the point of reconciliation. Chief Lawson hardly spoke about his intervention. All he said in publications was in his own words: “The two principal actors in the crisis were Chief Awolowo and the Late Chief S.L. Akintola. Both of them had been good to me and in my own way, I had been a good and loyal friend to both of them. As it became impossible for the rift to be resolved, the party split into supporters of one, on the one hand, and the supporters of the other, on the other hand, I decided that since neither of them had wronged me, I would not remain with one in seeming opposition to the other. Therefore, I decided to quit politics and resigned from all political positions.” When the thoughts became crystallized within him and became a pressure, he parked his car by the roadside on the way to Ibadan and wrote his letter of resignation. He indeed heard a voice commanding him to “resign now.” He did not know where the voice came from.

He was in politics from 1950 till 1962. He was chairman of the Lagos City Council for six years, a position that would rank him as post-independence governor of Lagos State. He served on the floor of the Council after his party, the Action Group, was defeated by the NCNC in 1960. That was to the chagrin of a great many. To Chief Lawson, it was nothing. It was the standard in Westminster and with which he was familiar. Once a Prime Minister loses as head of his party he becomes an ordinary Member of Parliament. He was barely 30 years old and on looking back years later, he marveled at how his Administration could have achieved what it did. He noted it could not have been due to anything thing other than the unseen hands of Helpers from Above that guided their thoughts and hands. He had his pillar of support in Chief Deyemo (D.M.O)Akinbiyi as Town Clerk and T.M.Aluko, the City Engineer, the same very well-known novelist. Lawson’s Administration in collaboration with LEDB of which he was statutorily a member by virtue of his being chairman of Lagos City Council built New Lagos, turning the swamp of Surulere into a new and modern city. They changed the face of the Lagos transport system. When he was chairman, T.M. Aluko had pressed in a memo for urban renewal, to decongest Lagos Island. This was the catalyst for creating Surulere—lower and medium scale properties. The memo also triggered the thought in him for what later to manifest as Agbara Estate. This was coupled with the encouragement of the government to industrialists to begin to move  to the outskirts of Lagos.

As one controlling about a dozen leading companies, including oil prospecting and exploration in Gabon, and the establishment of Agbara Estate, the first of its kind as an industrial and residential city in West Africa, it could not have come as a surprise that his contemporaries in business and economy found him worthy to invest in him the leadership of their various associations. He was President of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry; President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); President, Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce which through his initiative pressed for the establishment of ECOWAS. General Gowon embraced the initiative and got his brothers Heads of State in countries of West Africa to buy into it. Lawson was the only African on the 15-member Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce based in Paris.

Much as he appreciated the material endowments that he knew came from the Throne of Grace, what mattered more to Adeyemi Lawson was the Spread of The Grail Message. As Abd-ru-shin says in His Message from the Grail of the class of Adeyemi Lawson: “Through faithful guidance, they were equipped in the earthly sense with everything they needed for the fulfillment of their respective tasks.” Just as well, after he left politics, in his own words: “Since then other factors have come into my life to make it impossible for me to politick actively in Nigeria again. I have responsibilities for bringing the Grail Message to the knowledge of every citizen of this country and indeed beyond the boundaries of our country. With such a responsibility, my doors should be and remain readily open to every Nigerian from wherever walk of life or from whatever part of the country he may come from. And in the circumstances of politics in Nigeria, my spiritual responsibilities to all and sundry cannot be compatible with partisan politics. So I have to recognise a much higher duty by staying away from politics and be as far as humanly possible a brother and friend to every Nigerian.”

He worked tirelessly to make the existence of the Grail Message known not only in several parts of Nigeria through public lectures, newspapers and television. In the UK, his lecture was reported by West Africa Magazine. He was in the United States, he was in India; he was in Brazil. Many of his assistants are spread across villages and cities in Nigeria, East Africa and South Africa as well. What is in the Grail Message that he so unremittingly applied himself to making its existence known in so many places, near and far? Lawson answers in the following words: “The Grail Message does not seek to establish a new religion. It does not demand anything from anyone. It does not even oblige you or ask you to accept it. It is a source of knowledge that reveals to mankind all the Laws of Nature which uphold the Will of the Creator in His Creation. It enables man to recognise his own position as a creature in Creation and recognizing that position enables man to understand the consequences of everything he says and does in Creation. He is completely free to exercise his will and do what he pleases but would know what the consequences would be. More than that, he will understand in all clarity how this great Creation of the Almighty does work in perfection. When I came to the Grail Message, and examined it, I realised that this was a unique message on the face of the earth, that any man who does not become aware of its existence and grapple with it in his lifetime, may be considered as having gone through a completely wasted life on earth. So great was my gratitude for being able to come across it, that I know of no other thing I can do or give in return for that Grace than work with all my strength to help other human beings to know of it. This was the objective which enabled me or rather which made me start off on the establishment of the Grail Movement of Nigeria with a view to working together with people of like minds to make the existence of the Grail Message on earth become known to all my countrymen.”

Lawson was always in his elements whenever he had to speak on The Grail Message and he went on: “The Grail Message as a fountain of Truth itself is not easy for the average human spirit who has become spiritually indolent to grapple with, and the majority of human beings have become spiritually indolent on earth. The average man is no longer concerned with his origins in Creation or the purpose of life. He dreams and goes through a vivid experience in the dream. He wakes up and does not concern himself with what he had dreamt. Where was he when he was seeing and experiencing these things? What he experienced and on what plane did he experience them? Many questions he leaves unanswered. He has become comfortable with indolence and, therefore, the spiritually receptive part of his brain has become atrophied. He finds it consequently difficult to grapple with spiritual facts. One finds, therefore, that only the few who bestir themselves, the few who still have some spark of truth and light within them, make efforts to try to understand the Grail Message. The consequence of that is that only a few of the very many who hear of it get the benefit from it. But, however few they may be, even for the sake of one who will benefit from it, I will walk to the ends of this earth to be able to help him benefit from it. For there can be nothing too great for me to do in gratitude to the Almighty for the Grace which permitted me to come across it. It has given me a sense of direction in life, a sense of purpose, enabling me to appreciate the true meaning of life and thereby enhanced my ability to find contentment and fulfillment, to enjoy life to its fullest.”

The Message formed the basis for grappling with concepts and to reposition misplaced signposts wherever and in circles he may find himself. It provided the basis for his business and economic philosophy and choices. A strong advocate of free market economy, he recognised early that command economy which is sometimes associated with socialism and communism tends to rob man of his initiative. He considered it unhealthy as it is unnatural. He argued that business affords employment opportunities for many who will in turn maintain themselves and their families. All added together makes great contribution to the economy. His three breweries alone paid N36million yearly as excise duty only, apart from taxes in 1983. He said to Dapo Odebiyi in Business Enterprise, 1983, that there is no command economy that can be said is capable of bringing about an affluent country. Russia was a heavy debtor to the West and Tanzania was collapsing under Nyerere. “If for instance you have a million Nigerians making the endeavours similar to what one makes in industry and commerce, Nigeria will be greater economically. Have a nation of poor people, the nation is poor. Have a nation of people actively generating wealth, the nation will be affluent.”

I was privileged to sit at his feet year in year out to draw from his fountain of wisdom and rich experiences. He came through a family that provided him the necessary environment for his high tasks. His preparation to come across the Message began in 1961; he saw a copy for the first time at Foyles Bookshop in 1963. As chancellor of the Western Diocese of the Anglican Church he had led a delegation of the Anglican Diocese to Canada. On getting to London and preparing to set sail back to Nigeria, he found himself led to the bookshop where copies had only been deposited the previous day. This is why he would say no person led him to the Message but his helper! As everyone is the name he bears, it could not have been an accident and without purpose that he came a Lawson! He was married to Mrs. Ibidunni Olagbende, Lawson, nee Thompson, herself a Princess like his own mother!

So dear is he to our hearts for his love and exemplary exertions to make the gift that is The Grail Message known to all and sundry, that friends were in frenzy to remind us close to him last week that Adeyemi Lawson, indeed, passed this way, a foremost servant of Imanuel at his time in all of Africa except the Democratic Republic of Congo! He was in our midst, our leader and guide, a colossus in the real meaning of the word.

Thursday’s repeal of the Kano Emirates Council Law, which saw the sacking of the five emirs and the appointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano revealed how politics continued to determine the reign of traditional rulers in the foremost emirate.

Since the First Republic, emirs of the ancient city have had to contend with the whims of some political leaders holding forth in the territory.

The first to taste this bitter pill was the 11th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who had a running battle with the northern regional government headed by Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

Relations between Sanusi and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) government led by Ahmadu Bello was said to have turned sour when senior members of the party in Kaduna became disenchanted with the emir’s towering personality, and rising influence.

A probe panel set up by the northern regional government headed by D.J.M Muffet, the sole commissioner recommended the forced resignation of the 11th Fulani Emir of Kano.

On March 28, 1963, the then Regional Governor, Sir Kashim Ibrahim received the letter of resignation tendered by the embattled emir, which the government accepted.

Sanusi, was subsequently deposed and banished to Azare in Bauchi State, where he maintained a low profile.

He was succeeded by his uncle, Muhammadu Inuwa, son of Emir Abbas and younger brother to the late Emir Abdullahi Bayero, whom Sanusi succeeded.

His ouster created political tension in Kano leading to the formation of Kano People’s Party (KPP), which clamoured for the creation of Kano region, independent of the Northern Region.

KPP members were largely sympathetic to the deposed emir.

The Action Group, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, tried to make political capital out of the seemingly declining political fortune of the NPC in Kano ahead of the 1964 general election.

Emir Inuwa’s reign was short, as he died on the throne six months later. Inuwa, however, managed internal rebellion from older children of the deposed emir.  

Ado Sanusi, who held the traditional title of Daniya, was promoted to Galadima by Emir Inuwa, a position he rejected and instead tendered his resignation. This action angered the emir who decreed a dismissal instead.

Ado Bayero, a younger brother to Sanusi, was appointed Emir of Kano by the northern regional government on October 22, 1963, to succeed Muhammadu Inuwa.

He was the longest reigning emir in the history of Kano emirate after the Sokoto jihad, but he also had collision with politicians in the course of his reign.

After the military coup of January 15, 1966, the enormous powers of the native authority, which was under the emir, was reduced and this was compounded by the local government reform of the 1970s, depriving the emir of full control over local government councils.

After the 1979 elections, the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) government led by Abubakar Rimi, had a bitter relationship with the then Emir Ado Bayero. The PRP was an offspring of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), whose agenda was for the emancipation of the poor from oppression, over taxation and the overbearing influence of the emirate.

Governor Rimi’s query issued to the emir led to riots in Kano in July, 1981. To further reduce the powers of the emir, Rimi created new emirates of Gaya, Rano, Dutse and Auyo, giving them first class statuses as emir Ado Bayero.  

The emirs of Kazaure, Gumel and Hadejia, now in Jigawa State, were also upgraded to first class status.

In 1982, Governor Rimi relocated the deposed Emir Sanusi from Azare in Bauchi State to Wudil, near Kano, raising suspicion that he wanted to reappoint him.

However, respite came the way of Emir Bayero following the 1983 election, which saw the defeat of Rimi by PRP’s Aliyu Sabo Bakinzuwo.

The first action of Governor Bakinzuwo was to remove all the emirs appointed by Rimi and demoted them to their previous positions.

Ado Bayero will go on to survive many military administrations, including the Abacha regime that allegedly planned to balkanize Kano State, allegedly in pursuance of the self-succession bid of the military ruler.

Oral accounts had it that when Bayero got wind of the plot, he reportedly called the Commander-in-Chief to personally say ‘thank you’. Perhaps, many in Kano believed, that killed the plot.

Ado Bayero was the lone emir in the state after the creation of Jigawa, which saw the movement of Kazaure emirate to the new state. 

His long reign came to an end on June 6, 2014, following his death after 50 years on the throne.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who had been removed as CBN governor by ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, succeeded him on June 8.

Late Ado Bayero’s eldest son, Lamido Sanusi Ado Bayero, left Kano in protest of the appointment.

And in 2015, the new emir, who changed his official name to Muhammad Sanusi II, stripped Lamido Ado Bayero of his title of Chiroman Kano, and in his stead elevated his younger brother, Nasiru Ado Bayero, to the position and made him the district head of Nasarawa.

Sanusi also elevated Aminu Ado Bayero to Wambai from Sarkin Dawakin Tsakar Gida.

After the 2019 election, which was won by Ganduje, five new emirates were created on May 8.

This action was believed by many to be targeted at the then 14th Emir, Sanusi, whom the governor believed opposed his re-election and was critical of his policies.

The creation of the new emirates was challenged in court by two members of the State House of Assembly, who contended that due process was not followed  and Justice Usman Na’Abba voided the law establishing the emirates.

But it was a temporary respite as Governor Ganduje assented to a new law establishing the emirates on December 5, the same year.

One of the beneficiaries of the new law was Aminu Ado Bayero, who was made emir of the newly created Bichi emirate.

Legal fireworks ensued thereafter over the new emirates culminating in the deposition of Emir Sanusi and his banishment to Awe in Nasarawa State on March 9, 2020.

Aminu Ado was subsequently appointed Emir of Kano. 

The 2023 election in the state changed the dynamics around the new emirates as the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) led government made its intention known that the emirates created by the previous administration would go.

[DailyTrust]