Since “African Queen” hitmaker, Tuface Idibia, literally set social media on fire with the announcement that he was divorcing his wife, Netizens have been feasting on the ugly development. A whole lot has been written about the singer and his wife, Annie Idibia, with fans of the two celebrities, at war with themselves.

Some have gone as far as comparing the development with what happened to American music icon Bobby Brown and his ex-wife of blessed memory, Whitney Houston.

No doubt, netizens have their reasons for such comparison, but hardly are the two cases the same.

Why are they Nigerian Bobby and Whitney?

For starters, it was Whitney Houston who filed for divorce from Bobby Brown in October 2006, after 14 years of marriage, before she entered rehab. But here, Tuface is the one divorcing his wife, Annie Macaulay.

Bobby and Whitney’s marriage was marked by substance abuse and domestic abuse allegations while Users thought 2Baba/Annie’s had been rocky due to intrusion of babymamas. And now, stories about Annie in rehab only means that there could have been issues about substance abuse. These may be reasons for the comparison.

Surprisingly, most supporters of Annie Macaulay have opined that the divorce was long overdue. And that they’ve been wishing she left Tuface for her sanity. Too bad her present looks except if manipulated by AI, tells of someone withering. This is worrisome! In addition, fans believe the divorce is ill-timed because it may be too much for Annie to handle.

If one may ask, what happened to Annie being 2Baba’s ‘African Queen’, ‘brighter than the moon’, and ‘brighter than the star’? What happened to Annie being ‘the outstanding one, out of a million’? Again, what happened to loving Annie ‘just the way you are….?’ What changed? Who has been barely tolerating each other while the union lasted?

President Eniola Daniel asks a similar question on his Facebook page; “Annie Macaulay was brighter than the moon so, how did 2Face come to this point of seeing otherwise?” I don’t know my brother.

2Baba’s supporters blow hot

Some guys throwing their full weight behind 2Baba on YouTube have blamed Annie for the failed marriage. They said she is too violent and that even her in-laws have been complaining about her disposition. They added that there’s nothing wrong with the divorce coming at this time. These fans are miffed with those condemning the iconic singer. They even slammed Toke Makinwa for blasting Tuface for bringing the issue to social media. Their reason? They said that when she divorced her own husband, she wrote a book, (another guy called it an epistle), revealing things that shouldn’t get to the public. Wahala!

Well, that didn’t stop Makinwa from speaking further. In fact, I read a piece on one platform where she was said to have issued threats to 2Baba. It goes with the title, “I will expose your dirty secrets, Toke Makinwa threatens 2Baba” This is becoming more intriguing!

More celebrities are still talking in spite these guys ranting. On Facebook, Lolo’s Talk Show shared a post by Tiwa Sawage. It reads, “…The world will hold you responsible. All Annie ever did was love you. Your wife is in a rehab centre literally losing her mind. You have abandoned her for I and Toke Makinwa to take care of. You’re such an ungrateful person. Posterity will judge you.” I sincerely wished 2Baba held on until Annie was fit enough before the break up so that afterwards, they could remain friends for the sake of their children.

Back to the commenters on YouTube. One of them even said that Tuface never cheated on Annie and that he dated all his baby mamas which was long before he married Annie. Really? Now read what Music Trend posted on Facebook.

“Every relationship has their ups and downs but you just have to know when to quit. Love and trust are supposed to keep you in a relationship but if you’re with a man who can have 5 children outside your marriage and keep it a secret, don’t think he’ll ever change. I stayed with 2Face thinking one day he’ll change and always telling myself ‘I don’t like the way he cheats on me but I’ll never leave him.’ I was very upset with 2Face when I found out that he secretly had 5 children behind my back but I didn’t leave him and with just a small mistake that I made, he filed for a divorce,” Annie Idibia allegedly wrote.

More Users react

See what Emnanuel Agozine had to say about that; “I pity 2face. This marriage scandal will ruin the rest of his music career or whatever he would want to pursue with any other woman. Truth is 2face seems unstable when it comes to marriage. He’s more of a playboy, and lacks maturity for marriage.  Five babies from five different ladies.  Wow!!” Hmnnn! So, it’s not only his marriage and image that are at stake but also his career. Okay nah!

Still on the similarity between 2face/Annie’s troubles and Bobby/super song bird-Whitney, a YouTuber Asy Darlyn, did a video which she titled, “Annie Idibia in rehab as Tuface announces divorce/ A curious case of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston”.

She called them ‘Nigerian Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston’. For this lady, the whole divorce saga is painful because many people wished Annie left her marriage a long time ago. The worst thing according to her is that 2face wants divorce when his wife is having a mental breakdown. This is the reason for Bobby and Whitney’s comparison. We all know what happened to Whitney afterwards. She is still being missed today. That talent got wasted and it’s still so painful! Fans fear the same might become Annie’s fate. Hence, they said the divorce announcement came at the wrong time. That’s not going to happen as prayers are pouring in for her speedy recovery.

Here are a few reactions from followers of this YouTuber.

Henriettagodwin wrote, “Poor Annie, I pray she heals. Na now she know why dem call am 2 face.” Wow!

Newgenerationmanwithsegunbash reacted, “Nobody says you should not divorce. The timing is off. Exactly like Bobby and Whitney. Let’s see things unfold.”

Moses oddities wrote, “This 2baba is an extremely irresponsible man.”

Toggs wrote, “ Tu face is illiterate. He has no respect for himself, Annie or his children. I hope she comes out strong. You are right, Bob and Whitney indeed.”

@Elisehyacinthe commented, “African women should also learn how to love themselves. This is a mess. Hopefully, she learns her lesson. Poor woman, she better go acting and forget about him.”

With the level of storm the divorce saga has raised on social media, one of Annie’s supporters, Ada Dike, wants her out of the country now. Her epistle has been edited. “It’s a cold world! What a world!

Innocent Idibia’s video confirming that their marriage is over is shocking. Meanwhile, a video circulated online last year showing the world where Annie was talking incoherently. Who did that video? As a spouse, you are supposed to be a beacon of strength to your partner when things are not normal. 2Face is supposed to take Annie to rehab because if it’s 2Face that was in that condition, Annie wouldn’t have abandoned him.

I read 2Face’s brother’s story mocking Annie, and I was sad. He is happy to see Annie in that condition. Right now, 2Face may be seeing another lady. This is the time for loved ones to take her out of Nigeria as soon as possible.”

From Comfort Dayvid, comes an open letter to Annie on Facebook. It’s a long one; edited as well.

“Dear Annie Macauley, if it is true that you are no longer gonna be 2baba’s African Queen, brace up and pick what is left of you and move on.

My only concern is the fact that the timing is very wrong. For weeks I have read so many horrible things about you. The internet has been feasting on people trolling you and making a mockery of your love for your husband.

He could have waited for things to settle down before going public or because of the kids and their mental health; or because of all the good times you both shared; or when you are doing much better because, the you I saw on the TV a few weeks back, from every indication isn’t looking well.

It’s my earnest prayers that the Holy spirit holds your hands and walks through this hard and emotional phase with you. You will be fine. Stay Strong!”

While Inside Life shared 2Baba’s confessional statement about his love for Annie titled, “Why I married Annie – by Tuface Idibia”, some bloggers are spreading rumours and videos indicating that 2Baba is already boning a new babe. They said she’s a female lawmaker. What a world!

The trial of Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, the former acting accountant-general of the federation, commenced on Friday.

Witnesses narrated to the court how money was allegedly syphoned from the ministry of defence into multiple accounts set up by the defendant.

The defendant was a former director, finance and account at the federal ministry of defence

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Nwabuoku on a nine-count amended charge of money laundering, amounting to N868,465,000.

On January 16, James Omotosho, the presiding judge, granted Nwabuoku bail in the sum of N500 million.

At the commencement of the trial on Friday, Ekele Iheanacho, prosecution counsel, presented two witnesses.

The first witness, Eucharia Ezeobi, a Zenith Bank staff, told the court that she opened four company accounts—Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited—for contractors working with the defence ministry.

She said significant sums were withdrawn in cash from these accounts, allegedly benefiting the defendant. The court admitted the account opening documents as Exhibit PWB.

The second witness, Felix Nweke, a deputy director of accounts and expenditure under Nwabuoku’s supervision, told the court that the defendant personally instructed him to open the four accounts. Nweke said funds were transferred from the defence ministry’s security operation account to the company accounts and were later withdrawn in cash and handed over to Nwabuoku.

Under cross-examination, the defence counsel, Isidore Udenko, asked if the withdrawals were authorised solely by Nwabuoku or if a higher authority was involved. Nweke maintained that he acted strictly on instructions from the defendant, his superior in the ministry.

The judge adjourned the trial to February 26 and March 5, 2025, for continuation.

[TheCable]

What is a new Nigeria? What should it connote? And how can the old become new? The thought-picker, new Nigeria, may come off as a philosophical trope as it has been noised threadbare over time. But beyond the philosophism of the motif; there is a reality, a possibility, and a need for us all as Nigerians to steer our nation to a new and better place, not necessarily an eldorado, but a place where tribes and tongues differ, but unity, peace, harmony, discipline, and strong values endure. This is the nation President Bola Tinubu is mobilising diverse consciences to build.

By my estimation, a new Nigeria is a nation where tongues do not divide, but unite; where faith does not poison the cauldron, but heals the broken and gives hope to the weak; where leaders are accountable to the people and followers live up to their civic responsibilities, and where old cherished values of respect for elders and national symbols, of hard work, discipline, honesty, modesty, and good neighbourliness live supreme in the national consciousness.

A new Nigeria begins with me. It begins with you.

In one of my treatises years ago titled, ‘We need the Nigerian dream and identity’, I philosophised the whys and wherefores of the Nigerian identity. I suggested surrendering to the Nigerian identity, which does not imply abandoning our roots, culture, and traditions but embracing an expansive identity for the survival of our country.

I said: ‘’It means putting the interest of the nation first; it means acting on the philosophy of the monolithic whole as against a group agenda; it means eschewing divisive utterances and actions; it means accenting our strengthens and areas of convergence, rather than promoting discord and points of divergence; it means embracing our common identity as Nigerians. It means being Nigerian.’’

To reprise the treatise, to build the Nigerian identity and dream, there is a place for leadership and a place for followership. Building Nigeria will involve Nigerians from all strata. The place of leadership in nation-building is the place of personal example. Leadership by deed, not just by words. The leadership must inspire hope and confidence. The leadership must gain the trust of sections of the country and work to keep it.

The place of leadership in forging bonds of communality is the place of purpose and deliberateness. The leadership must be deliberate in managing diversity and in fostering kinship among variegated people. Nation-building cannot be left to chance or to a whim. There must be purposive plans and actions towards this end.

The Tinubu administration has been deliberate about reviving our cherished values, protecting our national icons, healing wounds, promoting peace and development, and building a consensus of action on unity.

The deliberateness of the administration in inspiring patriotism and national pride and ensuring peace and development is evident in its many groundbreaking policies, initiatives, and programmes, one of which is the National Values Charter.

The National Values Charter is a set of ideals and principles in the social contract governing the relationship between the leadership and citizens. For the leadership, it includes the promise of equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace, inclusivity, freedom, and meritocracy, and for citizens, the ideals/obligations include, discipline, duty of care, tolerance, leadership, accountability, environmental awareness, and resilience.

The social contract is a two-way traffic — one for the leadership, which must do its statutory duties and fulfil its promises, and the other for the citizens who must live up to their civic and natural responsibilities.

The National Values Charter was approved by the Federal Executive Council in October 2024, and President Tinubu is expected to unveil the charter in the first quarter of this year. It is a conscious effort at preserving that which is pristine – our values – and reawakening the true Nigerian in the Nigerian.

A new Nigeria begins with me. It begins with you.

Nwabufo is senior special assistant to the president on public engagement

One issue that has continued to resonate since the commencement of the defense of the 2025 federal government’s appropriation bill by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) is the criticism of the country’s envelope budgeting system.

Almost all heads of MDAs that have appeared before the lawmakers have voiced their opposition to this budgeting system which most of them have described as an opaque system that results in the capping of funds notwithstanding the needs of the MDA.
Interestingly, some National Assembly members also share the same sentiment.  
The envelope budgeting system started in Nigeria in 2006 and has not been reviewed since then. It is a system that focuses on the allocation of the amount of money available for a specific purpose in a given financial year. It replaced the Zero-budgeting method which was being used previously.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last December presented a N49.7 trillion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year before a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja, with defense and security sectors getting the highest allocation of N4.91 trillion. In the proposed fiscal plan, the Defence and Security were closely followed by infrastructure with the sum of N4.06 trillion, while the sum of N2.48 trillion was allocated for the health sector and N3.52 trillion budgeted for the education sector.

According to the President, the 2025 budget proposal again reinforced his administration’s roadmap to secure peace, prosperity, and hope for a greater future for our beloved nation.

Tinubu, in the budget presentation noted that the budget christened, “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,” was at the very core of his Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrated his government’s commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives, and repositioning the country for greater performance.
A national budget is a key instrument for the execution of the government’s economic policies. It is an important tool for the allocation of resources, as well as for influencing economic activities in the country.

In Nigeria, the budget defense is seen as an annual ritual and a fun-fair whose outcome has little or no impact on the majority of the citizens as poor budget implementation remains one of the major issues that have plagued Nigeria over the years. The country ranks low in terms of budget transparency because it provides its citizens with insufficient budget information making it difficult for taxpayers to understand how public resources are utilised.

In addition, the country’s budget process takes very little feedback from the public, and the final budget document does not reveal how the meagre feedbacks are used. The delays in the release of essential budget documents is also a major challenge with public sector budget in the country.
Some of these defects have been partly attributed to the envelope budgeting system with most MDAs seeking to opt out of the system.

Whereas countries have discarded the envelope method of budgeting in place of the performance-based budgeting system, Nigeria continues to adopt this budget practice.
To the Senate Appropriations Committee, the envelope system undermines effective budget planning and development. They argue that it gives room for duplication and inflation of expenditure heads by MDAs, alleging that it allows public officers to exploit its inadequacies to mismanage public funds which is not good for the economy.

Furthermore, they noted that the current national budgeting system makes the legislature less involved and at best reactive as they have to rely solely on the information provided by the executive arm of government.
Under the current arrangement, federal lawmakers say there is an absence of a coherent and systematic means of exerting legislative control over fiscal decisions and priorities of the federal government.

They also argue that it makes resources allocated to MDAs to be thinly spread over a large number of projects, resulting in the non-performance of successive budgets.
Likewise, some heads of MDAs have equally called for this scrapping of the budgeting system, saying it leads to a reduction of their annual appropriations and impedes operational efficiency.

“For the four months I have been in office, I have been working with the system I met on the ground, which is the envelope system. Even though I don’t like the system, we have been talking to ourselves on how to review the system of budgeting and have done much to improve what I met on the ground.

“We apply the envelope system in all MDAs and I have not seen any agency that is okay with what it is given. The complaint has been the same across. We shouldn’t be seen to be throwing money at projects that have no bearing,” he explained.

Considering the hordes of complaints that have trailed the envelop budgeting system, the federal government needs to consider jettisoning it and adopt the performance-based budgeting system that some of its peers in the region, such as South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique have embraced to ensure efficiency in the operation of the national budget.

The performance-based budgeting system is an approach where funding decisions are based on achieving specific, measurable performance goals and outcomes. It links budget allocations to the achievement of predetermined performance targets and sets clear performance indicators for MDAs.

In addition, the performance-based budgeting system holds government officials accountable for the use of public funds and requires them to demonstrate that they are using resources effectively and efficiently to achieve desired results.

It also relates funds allocated to measurable results.
“Performance budgeting aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public expenditure by linking the funding of public sector organisations to the results they deliver. It uses systematic performance information (indicators, evaluations, programme costings etc) to make this link. The impact of performance budgeting may be felt in improved prioritisation of  expenditure, and in improved service effectiveness and/or efficiency.    

“Performance-based budgeting usually also emphasises giving government agencies and their managers greater flexibility in the use of resources than they would typically have under traditional tightly-controlled public management systems. A key element of this is greater flexibility in the choice of the mix of inputs which are to be used to deliver services,” a report by the Centers for Learning on Evaluation stated.

The increased international interest in performance budgeting has been prompted in part by a  recognition that it is all too easy in the government to lose sight of the fundamental objective of  delivering positive outcomes to the citizens.
Ultimately, the goal of any budget system should be to serve the public interest.  This requires not only efficient allocation of resources but also the assurance that the resources are being used responsibly and effectively.  The current debate surrounding the envelope budget system provides an opportunity to re-evaluate our approach and ensure that we are prioritising transparency, shunning budget padding, ensuring accountability, and ultimately, good governance.
The public deserves to know how their money is being spent, and it is our collective responsibility to demand nothing less.

After a decade-long closure, the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company in Delta State resumed operations on December 30, 2024, to the astonishment of everyone present at the vast refinery complex in Ekpan, Warri. The event was marked by the presence of key figures, including the Board Chairman of NNPC Limited, Chief Pius Akinyelure; Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari; the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed; and the Managing Director of WRPC, Efifia Chu. These leaders, alongside excited workers and journalists, were on hand to witness the successful startup of the refinery’s CDU, Gas Plant, and VDU, commonly referred to as Area I.

The reopening sparked palpable excitement, with Harry Okenini, Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, unable to contain his joy. He shared that before coming to the refinery on that day, he had first made a stop at a church to offer thanksgiving, uncertain if the news of the refinery’s revival was true.

The celebratory mood at the refinery, which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, could be likened to the remarkable and rare recovery of a patient from a 10-year coma. Given the troubled history of government-owned refineries in Nigeria, the Warri refinery’s revival after such an extended closure was seen as nothing short of extraordinary. Many had believed that only privatisation could bring about a change in the fortunes of these refineries, with the argument that the government should not be in the business of running businesses.

However, despite such doubts, the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, had committed to reviving the country’s four state-owned refineries, which collectively have a capacity of 445,000 barrels per day. This included plans for the 110,000 bpd Kaduna refinery, the 60,000 bpd Old Port Harcourt refinery, the 150,000 bpd New Port Harcourt refinery, and the Warri refinery. Despite the government’s assurance, many were sceptical, given the history of neglect, poor management, and failed multi-billion-naira maintenance projects that had plagued these facilities for years.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises had reported that the Warri refinery had never achieved full capacity utilisation, and after years of decline and shutdown in 2015 due to disrepair and crude shortages, many dismissed the government’s pledge to revamp it as political rhetoric.

Thus, when Mele Kyari, the NNPC GCEO, toured the facility on December 30, 2024, and declared, “This plant is running. We have not completed 100%,” it was a strong affirmation of the resilience and determination of NNPC under his leadership. It was the triumph of resilience in an NNPC known prior for turnaround maintenance scandals running into billions of naira.

The Warri Refinery resumed operations months after the NNPCL successfully restarted the 60,000-barrel-per-day Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which had been dormant for over 30 years. The revival of the Port Harcourt refinery was initially met with scepticism, fueled by critics who sent misleading signals to the public, casting doubt on the claims made by NNPC Ltd. that the refinery was operational.

Mele Kyari, who had encouraged stakeholders—including labour unions and federal lawmakers—to visit the Port Harcourt refinery and verify NNPC’s claims, had confidently pledged that the Warri and Kaduna refineries would soon follow suit, to the dismay of the doubters. And, despite numerous challenges, he delivered on these promises.

The revitalisation of these refineries exemplified resilience, overcoming years of neglect and adversity, and making a lasting impact on Nigeria’s oil industry. Kyari’s leadership will be remembered for slaying the proverbial dragon—the moribund refineries—that had long defied solutions. Revamping the refineries has become one of his most significant achievements, with profound and enduring effects.

Recognising the monumental task of operationalising two refineries that had been inactive for decades, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) commended Kyari’s leadership at NNPC for its determination, transparency, and focus in delivering the first phase of the Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation and the gradual resumption of operations at Warri.

“We commend the leadership of the NNPCL team for their resilience, dedication, and unwavering determination in executing this complex and challenging task,” said Obiageli Onuorah, the acting Director of Communication and Stakeholders Management at NEITI.

NEITI further acknowledged that the revitalisation could significantly enhance energy security, create jobs, stimulate local industries, and free up vital funds for health, education, and infrastructure.

The agency also urged NNPC Ltd. to accelerate the second phase of the Port Harcourt refinery’s rehabilitation and the ongoing work at the Kaduna refinery.

President Bola Tinubu, speaking through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, applauded NNPCL for this achievement.

“The restart of the Warri Refinery brings joy and hope to Nigerians. This milestone will further strengthen the confidence of Nigerians in the brighter future we promised. It is a remarkable way to end the year, following the earlier success with the old Port Harcourt Refinery. I am pleased that NNPCL is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to full working condition. I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for their hard work in restoring our national pride and positioning Nigeria as a hub for crude oil refining in Africa.”

Tinubu expressed confidence that, with the Warri refinery now operating at 60% capacity, the administration’s comprehensive energy plan was on track.

The President also called on NNPC Ltd. to expedite repairs at the Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000-barrel-per-day second Port Harcourt refinery to further strengthen Nigeria’s position as a global energy leader.

To avoid any further controversy about the operational status of the Warri refinery, I visited the facility myself and can confirm it is indeed functioning at 60% of its installed capacity, as declared by Kyari. The refinery is currently producing diesel, gas, and kerosene.

During my visit, I witnessed Bayo Adenrele, Refinery Coordinator at NNPC Ltd.; Isiyaku Abdullahi, EVP of Downstream at NNPC Ltd.; and Mele Kyari, the NNPC GCEO, overseeing the loading of refined products at the WRPC’s loading terminal. They tested the smart meters installed at the loading point, ensuring that product theft would no longer be an issue.

Similarly, Harry Okenini, Chairman of IPMAN in Delta State, confirmed that his members were already lifting automotive gas oil (diesel) and kerosene from the refinery.

“For now, only diesel (AGO) and dual-purpose kerosene (DPK) are being produced and loaded for consumption. We expect cooking gas, PMS, and other products to come on stream by February,” Okenini said.

Israel Omokere, National Chairman of Surface Tank and Kerosene Peddlers (a branch of NUPENG), echoed the same sentiment, confirming that the loading of AGO and DPK is ongoing, with PMS expected soon.

One noteworthy aspect of my tour of the Warri refinery was the high level of safety standards in place. The NNPC Ltd. has prioritised safety across the facility. Visitors were given thorough safety briefings and required to don safety outfits, boots, and helmets before being allowed to proceed.

Efifia Chu, the Managing Director of WRPC, conducted the tour, starting at the modern control room where all refinery operations are monitored. A second safety briefing was conducted before moving to the Area 1 section of the refinery, where strict rules were enforced, including a ban on mobile phones, to ensure safety during the collection of refined products at the CDU, Gas Plant, and VDU.

The security details of the VIPs on the tour were also enjoined to adhere strictly to safety rules to ensure the safety of all and sundry and the facility.

The NNPC Ltd., WRPC management, and the safety officials on the ground deserve commendation for the safety measures entrenched and enforced at the refinery.

There have been calls for the revamping of the second Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, Kyari should heed the calls and deliver as promised.

•Emmanuel Akanni, an energy analyst, writes from Lagos.

By a consensus of research opinions, Oduduwa arrived and founded the Ife monarchy not later than the 11th century. Afolayan (2004:33) said that ‘Oduduwa might have arrived in Yorubaland sometime around 1100 AD, and Oyebade (2004:53) said sometime around the 7th, 10th or 11th century AD) and Oranmiyan founded the Oyo monarchy in the 14th century’.

These dates give us a time span of 300 years. The first implication of these dates is that Oranmiyan could not have been the son, grandson, great grandson or even great great grandson of Oduduwa. Neither would Oduduwa be alive to delegate a proxy to Ighodomigo.

The same oranmiyan was improbably credited with being the founder of the Oyo empire, the first Oba of Benin and the fourth Ooni of Ife.

If Oranmiyan was at any time the Ooni of Ife, it challenges the conspiracy theory that the Ooni was not the son of Oduduwa but the chief priest in the palace who came to fill the regnal  vacuum inadvertently created by the absence of the seven princes who had left to to found their own monarchies across Yorubaland.

There is also the peculiarity of one legendary individual (Oranmiyan) straddling three significant monarchies that are not really contiguous (turning himself into something of a professional monarch).

Just to be sure, we should ask, how many years did Oranmiyan reign in Benin? How many years did he spend as Alaafin in Oyo? Did he also abandon Oyo as he did Benin? When and how long did he reign as Ooni? These posers collectively speak to the conflictual representations of time and event by vested interests, especially  the Yoruba and Benin, to suit their different narratives.

The prior acephalous village communities eventually pooled together to form the Benin city-state at about 1300 AD and shortly after statehood was established, a foreign official named Oranyan became leader of Benin. Was he invited? No one knows for sure.

According to Benin oral tradition, Oranyan came to power because he married a local chief’s daughter and formed a kinship connection that led to ruling rights. Others argue that this story is just a cover-up and that Oranyan’s rise to power was most likely the result of an invasion.

‘In either case, during Oranyan’s rule, he fathered a son who was called Ekewa. Historians agree that Ekewa was considered the first king, or oba, of Benin’ www.ushistory.org

According to the “Benin history project” and oral traditions, Oduduwa is Izoduwa, the exiled son of the last Ogiso. In this imagination, an emissary was sent to Izoduwa (Oduduwa) asking him to provide one of his sons to rule over Benin. Iziduwa sent his son, Oranmiyan who would later leave Benin after fathering a son that became Oba Eweka”

“According to early accounts, Oranyan founded Oyo as its first Alaafin in the year 1300 shortly after establishing a new dynasty in Igodomigodo”.

If we eliminate all references to how Oranyan came to become the king of Benin, there are still two outstanding facts. One is that Oduduwa founded a dynasty in Ife not later than the 11th century. The other is that Oranmiyan founded the Oyo monarchy in the 14th century.

The extrapolation from this timeline is that the gap between the two historical personalities is about three hundred years. Were this to be the case, it is impossible for Oduduwa to have been the Ife monarch who granted the request of Edo delegation and sent his son Oranmiyan as proxy to resolve the intractable crisis suffered by the Edo people and stabilise their polity.

There are two possible compelling reasons why the Edos will seek the intervention of the Ife monarch in their polity. One is that the latter must have been sufficiently strong such that members of the local community would not dare defy his authority by acting ultra vires of his proxy. The other is that they might have been so directed by oracular divination.

After a bit of research the only specific reference to the time of Oranmiyan in Benin was “After leaving Benin at about 1290, he moved north with his ever loyal entourage and settled close to the river Moshi (a tributary to the Niger River). He founded a city there, Oyo-Ile, which his descendants then expanded into the Oyo Empire”.

The convention of primogeniture accounted for Ajaka becoming the successor to Oranmiyan. The peculiarity of Ajaka was that he was both the predecessor and successor to Sàngó, his fiery junior brother.

Ajaka was of recessive temperament who peacefully and readily gave up the throne for his imperious and impetuous brother. He thereafter retired and lived to take back the throne following the short reign of his brother. .

Sango (Olubambi, Adegoroye Adegorite) was a revelation indeed. After his death, the throne reverted to the long suffering and tolerant Ajaka. According to Professor Mason’s Mythological Account of Heroes and Kings, unlike his peaceful brother Ajaka, “Sango was a powerful and violent ruler. He reigned for seven years which were marked by his continuous campaigns and many battles’

‘His reign ended due to the inadvertent destruction of his palace by lightning’. He had three wives, namely Queen Oshun, Queen Oba, and Queen Oya”. That he was husband to these three women was also unique. These were the most powerful women of the realm who subsequently became deified as goddesses of rivers Osun, Oya and Oba.

As a matter of fact, there is an odu Ifa where it is claimed that Oya was more powerful and implacable than her husband. The ese Ifa is ‘Oya rorò ju Sango lo’. Oya is river Niger and not far from Katunga (Oyo Ile).

River Osun practically traverses half of Yoruba land and she is the preeminent and most prominent of female deities credited with the power to grant fertility to barren women and wealth to her devotees. If I say my great grandmother was the chief priestess of Osun, you can easily deduce this from my surname.

River Oba is synonymous with Iwo city and equally featured in ese ifa that says “toromini la ba odidere (parrot) l’ori odo Oba” (calmly perched you will find the parrot atop River Oba). There is the popular proverb that “Oba ran ni nise, odo obà kún” translating to ‘the king sent you on errand that requires you passed through obà but the river is dreadfully swollen and turbulent.

The dilemma here is that the king’s word is law with which you are compelled to comply. Yet an insurmountable challenge lies across your path, rendering you to the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea or that of the rock and the hard place.

In order for readers to grasp the sort of fellow, Sango was, here is a snapshot “ti Sango ba fe ja, a koko yan lo bi Ede, a ku fisan fisan bi Ejigbo. Ko to de, onija a ti gba gbe, onilaja a ti sun lo. O ba bale jeun tan ninu ile, be’ri omo e si’ta. O be omo l’ori f’ese ti ri e wo. O fi omo laka laka na iya e. Ti Sango ba ku, tigbo tiju a mi titi

Translation :(when rearing to fight, Sango terrifies endlessly, by the time he is ready to strike, his opponent would have forgotten and the potential peacemaker would be fast asleep. He dines with a father and decapitates his son thereafter, and goes further to kick it. He picks up the child to club the mother). It seems quite clear that here we are dealing with a (heroic) psychopath!.

Deified after the Jàkúta divinity of similar propensities, ‘Sango is, perhaps the most popular (notorious) Orisha; he is god of thunder and lightning. Popularised by the legendary theatre artist and traditionalist, Duro Ladipo in his stage play “Oba kòso, Sàngó is gifted with the ability to breathe fire and smoke through his nostrils and is known for being angered by his quarrelsome wives’.

These narratives encapsulate the ‘virility, bravery, and governance of Sàngó. While he was feared for tyranny and destructive powers, he was also highly revered for his bravery, fairness, and tremendous powers’.

Even his fellow deities live in dread of him. Orunmila, the witty interlocutor, once joked, Orisa ti Sango o ba le mu, ere l’omo sa (the divinity Sango cannot pounce on it, must be a fast runner).

At the 7th year ceremony of his installation about two weeks ago, my friend, Iba Gani Adams took time to dispel the fear of premature death that had somehow become synonymous with the commander-in-chief title of Aare Ona Kankanfo of Oyo empire. In reality, as he took time to clarify, this is more a myth than substance.

This notion is grounded in the fate of Afonja and the two penultimate holders of the title (Ladoke Akintola and Moshood Abiola, by which time the title had become a relic, nonetheless a prestigious one). Instituted by Alaafin Ajagbo in 1560, it has had a very colourful history which reached a climax with Afonja, the tragic anti-hero. Kakanfo Edun of Gbogun, also played the stool pigeon against the brave Alaafin Oluewu.

The immediate occasion for this column today was the appointment of a new Alaafin. The choice of the factionalised electoral college (the seven member council of the kingmakers) was Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, who had enough resources and inclination to compromise the kingmakers. In full knowledge of what had transpired, the approving authority, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, discountenanced the recommendation and sought the intervention of Professor Wande Abimbola.

They don’t come better recommended. Abimbola is incorruptible and an outstanding achiever in his own right as a reputable scholar. More unique is that he is a native of Oyo and holds the consequential title Araba (the presiding babalawo of Oyo). At the request of Makinde, and as tradition requires, he consulted Ifa on who best the crown fits.The process yielded the name of Prince Hakeem Owoade who consequently met with the approval of the Governor.

The increasing marginalisation of this cultural instrument in the specification and selection of kings corresponds to the tragic fall in the quality of contemporary traditional rulers across Yoruba land. This is consistent with the view that ‘Ifa remains the most systematized and authentic source of clarifying significant Yoruba matters, in all aspects of life’

Just as it was the case with his predecessor, the role accorded Ifa in this process is a manifestation of the sociological continuity from pre colonial Yoruba society to contemporary post colonial Nigeria; a functional state-society continuity.

It is enheartening, indeed uplifting, seeing readers demonstrating alertness on what they read which is not on politics, afterall man shall not live by bread alone…It is refreshing that people are finding time to reflect quietly in their closets what is beyond fleeting pleasure. Since this column’s outing nearly a month ago on Revelation of John, I have been receiving calls drawing my attention to what was perceived a factual error in the piece. But last week, the observation was, in fact, put in writing by an ardent reader of the column. On 27 December the following statement was published in my contemplation on Christmas:

“The Star of Bethlehem did not come from our Universe, Ephesus, which is one of the seven universes in the world. In Creation ‘geography,’ the world is not our earth. It comprises those regions and spheres of existence which lie between the lowest realm of Paradise and our earth. It is a training ground for human spirit seed germs sent out of Paradise to gather experiences which will make them mature enough during their wanderings for re-admission to Paradise as useful Human Spirit Beings. The world comprises seven universes of which our own is one. It is to them that John the Baptist’s address in the Book of Revelation is directed when he says: ‘To the seven churches of Asia.’ He did not mean a Christian organization and a continent on earth. Here churches refer to the seven universes of the world. The Star of Bethlehem came from the highest of the 14 spiritual realms known as Paradise. If we perfect ourselves on earth to become Human Spirit Beings, we would e admitted to the lowest of these 14 spiritual realms. The Spiritual Beings in the seven highest realms never had to come to the world or to the earth to mature. They are the Primordial Beings created by God in His Image. We human beings are to develop after their likeness. We are not the direct Creation of God Who, being Perfection can never create imperfection.”

The perceived error to which my attention has been drawn is in stating that it is to the seven universes that the world comprises that John the Baptist’s address in the Book of Revelation is directed when he says: “To the seven churches of Asia.” The note to me states: “Sir, the book of revelation was not written by John the Baptist, but by John the beloved. This John the beloved, also known as John the Apostle, is the brother of James. The two of them were sons of Zebedee, who came with their mother to Jesus, to seek special positions, one on the left and the other on the right!”

The note is undoubtedly from someone who has more than passing familiarity with the Scriptures. And on the face of it, to connect John the Baptist with the Book of Revelation must be cause to raise eye-brows; to wrinkle faces in askance and regard such a connection a grave error. The widespread and firm belief in Christendom is as stated by the writer of the note. And on the face of it, the belief would seem correct. However, if we read the Book of Revelation carefully, we will see that there are other active participants in between the Lord Jesus Christ and John the beloved Apostle while the messages and assignments were being spelt out and given to him. It is suggested John the Apostle received the messages directly from the Lord Jesus while he was in a trance. “I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Al’pha and O-me’ga, the first and the last: and, what thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in A’sia; unto Eph’esus and unto Smyr’na, and unto Par’gamos, and unto Thy’-a-ti’ra, and unto Sar’dis, and unto Phil-a-del’phi-a, and unto La-od-i-ce’a. (Rev.1: 9-10-11). 

But could John the Apostle living on earth at the time reach the Isle of Patmos in his vision? John the Baptist was more likely to be the one at the Isle of Patmos. He was already back home in Paradise; his plane being where his field of activities reaches and is connected with the Isle of Patmos. I will return to this point more elaborately presently.

It is stated: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto Him to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His Angel unto His servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.” (Rev. 1: 1-2). (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible).

Who these other participants are not much is mentioned about them and not much attention has been paid to them or if there is any involvement by them. It is through the unraveling contained in higher knowledge spreading on earth in these times that the scale dropped from many an eye and are permitted to divine their identities and sense an account of their roles in the unique mediation to John the Baptist and through him to Guardians and to mankind in the different universes referred to as Churches.

As man now learns in the structure of Creation, the uppermost Realm is called Primordial Spiritual Realm. It is inhabited by Human Spirit Beings who were created in the image of God. Being image is meant attributes and virtues in the likeness of the Creator as far as a creature is capable of, with perfection, inconceivable beauty, love, purity and unconditional loyalty and selfless service as some of these attributes. Besides, they swing absolutely in the Will of God. 

In the Primordial Spiritual Realm itself there are Seven Planes. On the fifth step as the uppermost lives a personality the whole world knows as John the Baptist who was on earth and who proclaimed the Lord Jesus at River Jordan where he baptized Him. The baptism signaled the beginning of His ministration, His Work of Love for the redemption and salvation of all mankind. John the Baptist is surrounded by numerous helpers, leading and strong human spirit beings who serve as trainers of all the support for the human race. It is the land for the training and preparation for all the help and support all the planes below the Primordial Spiritual Plane might need. Much greater is the preparation for incisive Light-happenings for the Creations. Any wonder, therefore, that John the Baptist it was who received Light tidings of the End-Time and transmitted them to John, the Apostle, on earth what have been dubbed the Revelation of John. It should stand to reason that it was from that height, and not on the earth plane on which Apostle John was living, that messages could be sent to the seven universes. 

I have written before about the vastness of Creation, using Ephesus in which we live as a case study, even then only to the extent science can reach. Our earth is a planet in the solar system which is built around the sun and the sun is only one out of billions of stars in Milky Way, our galaxy. The galaxy is itself one of billions of galaxies in our universe which is Ephesus. If all these are in one universe, can we conceive of what are contained in all the universes with their sizes put together? Yet, each is physical universe only. They are in the material world part of which other than the earth science and technology cannot reach or survey. It can be seen that the earth is no more than the tip of a fountain pen with all its 7.8billion inhabitants and physical features of land, mountains, rivers and oceans. Messages from the spiritual Realm could not, therefore, have been left to John the Apostle, the beloved of the Lord, to disseminate from the earth which is less than a speck of dust –to all the seven universes the vastness of which is inconceivable and incomprehensible to the capability and limitation of man by his nature. The World of Gross matter is not even part of the main Creation which is spiritual; it is a consequence of it, hence it is called Subsequent Creation.

John the Baptist lives in the original Spiritual Realm. But his field of activities reaches down to Isle of Patmos which is at the boundary of the Primordial Spiritual Realm.The Isle of Patmos, we learn, is the Mountain of Holy Proclamations inhabited by the Chosen Ones. This Land of Promises, of the Blessed Ones, has a replica of Patmos at the highest height of the lower ranking Spiritual but who have no need of coming to the earth to develop conscious existence. The Spiritual that live there are called Created Ones. Among them lives John the Baptist’s name sake with the latter swinging in the rays of the former and working collaboratively with him in disseminating holy tidings and proclamations as there are connections between their otherwise two delineated realms.

What I am getting at is that John the Apostle may have written the Revelation as it concerns the earth, it was John the Baptist who directed the address in the Book of Revelation to the churches in Asia, churches meaning the universes, and Asia the spiritual name for the world. The Apostle drew for his writing from the address sent spiritually to all the universes. John the Baptist had the high tasks of preparing all the seven parts of the world for the coming of the Son of Man, the Spirit of Truth.

The Grail Message of Abd-ru-shin says of John the Baptist, (the real name he bears back at his point of origin, I keep away): “He is uppermost on this step, numerous helpers surround him, and it was he who received the tidings from the Light for his great, comprehensive working, which he always faithfully fulfilled. It was also he who gave men the great revelation of the present-day happenings, which have become generally known as the Revelation of John.

“With this great work of preparing all the incisive Light-happenings for the Creations, this fifth step is filled and full of flaming life!”

In Revelation we are admonished: “Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

Afe Babalola at a Crossroads!

A galaxy of traditional rulers moved in large numbers to the domain of Chief Afe Babalola at Ado Ekiti to lend the majesty of their thrones to resolving the imbroglio he has with activist Dele Farotimi. There has been pressure from several quarters on Chief Babalola, among leading lights of the land, to withdraw the criminal defamation case he has filed against Farotimi. Among the eminent men with intimidating presence to get the chief to close the case file were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah and Peter Obi, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party flagbearer in the last Presidential election. Because of his chummy relationship with these, Babalola could look them in the face and say No, and he did say ‘No,’ he was going to pursue the case to the end. But hardly could he have looked at the gathering of the traditional rulers and refused to shift ground. The traditional rulers were led by the head of traditional rulers in the South West, the Arole Oodua, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi. 

Such array collection of traditional rulers intervening in a dispute in court is unprecedented.  In my contemplation, I hinge the motivation for the intervention on the wise sayings of elders that they are that Eegun Alapinni jade, o m’ore dani, igbati ko m’ore lowo, ta lo to duro de e! Roughly translated, it says: The masquerade of head priest Alapinni comes out bearing  a cane in its hands; when it is without a cudgel, who can dare wait for it! This is an allusion to the professional standing of Afe Babalola as a legal luminary and an intimidating embodiment of law. How dare anyone go to court to challenge such a towering person! I also asked myself: Could Chief Babalola have changed his mind sensing himself coming to a certain harm pursuing the case to what may be considered a logical conclusion! Agbalagba t’o nle oromodie yio f’ekun bo! An elderly man who runs after chicks on the compound will eventually bruise his knees! In other words, given the class of Farotimi and his combustible circle and their fastidiousness, unremorseful posture, is the court battle worth it? 

We may not immediately know what went behind closed doors in the meeting the traditional rulers had with Chief Babalola. Has Farotimi repented, for example? Is he remorseful? Did the traditional rulers extract an apology from him or there was a pledged one from him? Even if he does apologise, how does that cure the purported damage complained was done to his illustrious name? How is the stain thrown at his immaculate white raiment washed clean for the sake of his chain of great grandchildren in the future? How is his effulgent dignity restored as the ‘damage’ to it he complains about is permanently in printed book and several copies have been circulated round the world through Amazon? 

All the while, pleadings to Chief had been focused on him throwing his complaints out of the window, but not on the reputational harm the publication may have done to his standing. The elders are wiser and they see far, it is to be hoped.  

Chief Afe Babalola has demonstrated large-heartedness of a community leader, an international figure who is being courted for speaking engagements in foreign lands, and an elder statesman. We keep our fingers crossed.

Exactly thirty-four days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Nigeria’s 2025 Appropriation Bill (on December 18, 2024) to the joint session of the National Assembly, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America. On that occasion on January 20, 2025, President Trump made far-reaching declarations and signed a number of Executive Orders whose implementation could extensively impact the entire world.

Specifically, with immediate effect, President Trump’s pronouncements and Orders had begun to impact prices of crude oil in the international market. The early part of January 2025 had seen the price of crude on a steady rise, crossing the 80 dollars per barrel (dpb) mark; the level last attained in 2022. This trend was attributed to geopolitical tensions, particularly sanctions imposed on Russian oil export in the face of its lingering war with Ukraine.

Nigeria’s 2025 Appropriation Bill was couched on the assumption of an oil price of 75 dpb. But as the price of the commodity was shooting around 80 dpb, its immediate impact was the response by the refining giant—Dangote Refinery—by adjusting its fuel (Premium Motor Spirit, PMS) price upwards. Dangote had been compelled by the complicated and difficult circumstances around local crude oil supply from Nigeria to largely depend on imported crude for its operations.

The Dangote Refinery’s response to the purely external headwind (of rising oil prices) promptly caused ripples, as importers and distributors of PMS in Nigeria also commenced marking up their fuel pump prices. This obviously went to worsen the augury that the high PMS prices have persistently presented in the past two years or so. More will be unfolding in this vein in the coming months, this year. 

However, President Trump’s Executive Order to ‘unleash American energy’ by easing the barriers to oil and gas extraction and production is indeed a ‘bombshell’. Trump’s sweeping new energy policy aims to “encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global leader long into the future.”

The U.S. President has followed up his Order with a message at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, urging the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bring down oil prices, citing the impact of high fuel costs on the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump said he intended to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to reduce oil prices, which he believed would help the conflict. And apparently in response to Trump’s views, oil prices began edging lower; already dropping to as low as 77 dpb in a matter of days.

This trend is certainly an external headwind that has the potential to distort the crude oil pricing and production projections in Nigeria’s 2025 Appropriation Bill. Nigeria projects to produce 2.06 million barrels of crude per day; and selling at 75 dpb. But, given President Trump’s determination to crash oil prices, it is certain that both the ambitious production level and price would turn unrealistic.

In the words of Trump: “We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.” This, obviously, would translate to loss of market for Nigeria. According to recent data, in September 2024, Nigeria’s total exports to the U.S were valued at US$124.86 million, with a significant portion of that being crude oil.

In fact, the U.S. is known to be one of Nigeria’s key export destinations, and crude oil is a major component of Nigeria’s exports to the country. But now, President Trump wants his country not only to be self-sufficient in their energy production/supply but also to flood the global market with the products. This therefore puts Nigeria’s entire 2025 budget in danger; and portends a dreary prospect for the entire economy. 

On another plank, Nigeria is also facing the likelihood of receiving thousands of deportees from the U.S. any moment this year. This is because one of President Trump’s Executive Orders is directed at flushing illegal immigrants out of the U.S. in his efforts at ‘sanitizing’ the American society. It is estimated that about 4000 Nigerians in the U.S. are at the risk of being deported due to Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says already an inter-agency panel has been set up to manage the impending mass deportation. According to a document from U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division is already processing individuals for deportation. The ICE report for 2024 shows that about 5000 Nigerians could be affected in the ongoing deportation exercise.

Another external headwind is also imminent from a seemingly unavoidable tariff war, also being triggered by President Trump’s move to impose very high tariffs on goods and services from certain parts of the world. Specifically, Trump is proposing a 60 per cent tariff on imports from China; 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico; and ten to 20 per cent tariffs on imports from the rest of the rest of the world.

Obviously these targeted countries and the rest of the world are bound to react to Trump’s proposal, which he says would come into effect on February 1, 2025. With the onset of the tariff war, as the proverbial Elephants would be fighting, the grass would be suffering. Nigeria, as a largely import-dependent country, would be caught in the vortex of the war—especially reflecting in very high prices of imports from even its usual trading partners.

Already, Trump’s tariff proposals have sparked concerns among economists and trade experts, who warn that they could lead to higher prices, reduced economic growth, and job losses. In this regard, the chief executive of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has warned that any tit-for-tat trade wars prompted by President Trump’s tariff threats would have catastrophic consequences for global growth, urging states to refrain from retaliation.

Okonjo-Iweala who spoke at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, said: “If we have tit-for-tat retaliation, whether it is 25 or 60 per cent tariff, and we go to where we were in the 1930s, we are going to see double-digit GDP losses. That’s catastrophic. Everyone will pay.” 

“We are very much saying to our members at the WTO, you have other avenues, even if a tariff is levied, please keep calm,” she said, asking states to study their options and use the WTO’s system for resolving disputes. Given Nigeria’s vulnerabilities, however, it is difficult for the country to escape from the unwholesome consequences of the emerging adversarial global trade relations.

Yet from another external front, the exit of three members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on January 28, 2025, from the regional bloc portends some challenges to Nigeria. Given the ‘key man’ position of Nigeria in ECOWAS, the withdrawal of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali from the fold is bound to create cracks.

Already, apparently incensed by Nigeria’s renewed cozy relationship with France, the former colonial masters of the three exiting ECOWAS members, the three countries are already contriving diplomatic tiff with Nigeria. The trio seem unease with Nigeria currying favor with France whose linkage and footprints they (three countries) want wiped out permanently from their lands.

As it is, some or all of these potential external headwinds would be impacting Nigeria in various ways—mostly, adversely. This is because neither the initiation, the implementation nor the management of the inducing policies (of the headwinds) is within the purview of Nigeria.

Trump’s pursuit of rabid nationalism, for instance, is a hurricane that no nation can douse. Nor can Nigeria still play ‘Big Brother’ to Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, and expect to fully win their usual cooperation. Surely, Nigeria faces massive external headwinds, the dimensions and intensity of which are yet unfathomable and indeterminate. 

·      The author, Okeke, a practicing Economist, Business Strategist, Sustainability expert and ex-Chief Economist of Zenith Bank Plc, lives in Lekki, Lagos. He can be reached via: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (08033075697) SMS only      

Amaechi made this statement during a two-day event in Abuja, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity.”

The event, organized by several governance and democracy-focused institutions, brought together key stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s political and economic landscape.

While speaking on the “Impact of Democracy on the National Economy”, Amaechi highlighted the deepening economic inequality in Nigeria.

He lamented that the country now operates a “two-class system”, where individuals are either extremely wealthy or struggling in poverty, with no middle class to balance the divide.

“The last time we had the middle class was under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He created an economy that generated jobs. Even though some argued it was a shaky middle class that disappeared at the end of every month when salaries were paid, at least we had a middle class.

“Now, it’s either you are rich or you are poor. If social housing and investments in agriculture had been implemented alongside subsidy removal, people would not feel the impact as harshly as they do now,” Amaechi stated.

He further criticized economic policies that failed to cushion the impact of subsidy removal, stressing that social housing and agricultural investments could have softened the economic hardships faced by many Nigerians.

[NaijaNews]