As Christians we are taught that if all else fails, we should try praise and worship! When prayer fails, try praise and worship! When fasting fails, try praise and worship! When vigil fails, try praise and worship! When giving, offering, first fruit, tithe and seed offering fail, try praise and worship! In other words, praise and worship appear as the master key that opens all doors. When we get desperate, and exasperated, get hold of the master key of praise and worship! There are occasions, circumstances and situations that try the soul of men. There are times when we feel giving up is the only option left - when we throw our arms up in the air in utter resignation.

German theatre practitioner and playwright, Bertolt Brecht, found himself in that situation. At a time in his career, he got shaken to his very foundations in his lifelong commitment to the ideals of social justice and belief in the power of the written word to critique the status quo and bring about social change. Whereas Brecht was known for his communist leaning and political writing, a time came when disillusionment with German communism set in. Brecht’s “The Solution” mocked the very organization that he had devoted his entire adult life promoting.

Listen to him: “After the uprising of the 17th June/The Secretary of the Writers Union/Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee/Stating that the people/Had forfeited the confidence of the government/And could win it back only/By redoubled efforts/Would it not be easier/In that case for the government/To dissolve the people/And elect another?”

Tell me, who should forfeit the confidence of the other? It is the people that can pass a vote of no confidence in their government and not the other way round. When the pyramid is inverted, then, the tail begins to wag the dog! It is the government that forfeits the people’s confidence and not the other way round. So, it is the government that should strive to win back the confidence of the people. Governments are those that must redouble their efforts to regain the people’s confidence.

Can the government dissolve the people who are the locale of sovereignty, according to political theorists like Jean Bodin and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, among others? It is the people that can dissolve the government or parliament and not the other way round. In fact, the people cannot be dissolved for, as posited by Bodin, sovereignty must be “absolute, perpetual, and undivided”. Only the people possess such attributes; governments do not!

What, then, was Brecht driving at? The writer in him was artistically exposing how ridiculous the government of the day had become; how preposterous its demands were; and how untenable its position vis-a-vis the stance of the people. Sarcasm is defined as “the use of irony to mock or convey contempt” while satire is “the use of humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues” Brecht’s “The Solution” drips with both!

Another “Bertolt Brecht” that I came across last week on social media was a short but concise convocation lecture at Rusangu University, Zambia. The lecturer’s name was not mentioned but his lecture should win him a Nobel prize for brevity as well as impactful message and original thought. He was as forthright as Prof. P. L. O. Lumumba and Catholic priest, Rev. Father Chinenye John Oluoma.

Hear him: “I was having a meeting with some people in town in Lusaka. I said, ‘You know, when I look around the cases in town of people that have been charged with corruption, it is not people from the village... It is us with (university) degrees. The high profile cases that are in contention in the court of law, it is not about a villager ... It is us that have… known the figures. It is us that have read Aristotle. It is us that have studied Psychology. It is us that have studied the Principles of Accounts. It is us! And I ask myself a question: If education is producing thieves, why, then, should we continue to educate them? If the country today is wrestling with the issue of corruption because of people that went to school, the question that begs an answer is, why should we continue to educate? Because it means the more we educate, the more thieves we produce’".

Isn’t that sad but isn’t it the truth? The lecturer’s audience were graduating students from a university in Zambia but here in Nigeria we can also very well see ourselves in the picture. The locale of humongous corruption is among us the educated elites - those of us who have gone to school and have acquired chains of degrees. It is like we go to school to acquire the art and skill of stealing. But is education the problem or the use to which we have put it? If the reality of our situation is that the education we acquire or dish out produces thieves, should we abolish education altogether and return to the age of ignorance?

Says Thomas Gray in his poem ODE ON A DISTANT PROSPECT AT ETON COLLEGE. "Where ignorance is bliss/Ti's folly to be wise". Should we, then, know nothing and be happy? I once listened to an iconic advert on the radio that said: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance!” If education keeps producing thieves and ignorance is not an option, how do we resolve this jig-saw puzzle?

North is the winner; South, the loser!

The fight over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms has been won and lost. The Northerners have won the contest, confirming their long-held status as the decision-makers - to put it mildly, in all matters affecting the fate of Nigerians. The Southerners emerged as the losers, as had always been the case, confirming their status as the underdog - again, to put it mildly - in North/South relations since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by Lord Lugard in 1914. The so-called compromise formula eventually adopted by the governors favours the North but leaves the South holding the short end of the stick.

Titled “COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE SUBNATIONAL CONSULTATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL TAX REFORM COMMITTEE”, the resolution "resolved" the knotty issue of the VAT sharing formula thus:

o 50% based on equality,

o 30% based on derivation, and

o 20% based on population.

The bone of contention, over which the North had threatened, insulted and blackmailed everyone, including the President, they have now won handsomely, if not hands-down. If VAT is to be shared 50% on an equality basis - what kind of equality is that between states that are making the VAT available and those that are not? This is robbing Peter to pay Paul. Funds that such states should utilise to provide and regenerate public utilities and other facilities to further enhance VAT generation is lost to laissez-faire states. That is unjust! And of what benefit is (a liability) population (20%) that produces nothing vis-a-vis another that toils day and night? The North gets 70%, so to say, while the South gets only 30%. Derivation ought to have been accorded the lion’s share. If not 100% (which is the most rational thing to do), then, the 60% originally proposed by the presidency should not be lowered. What’s fair in someone working for another to just sit idly by and eat?

Let the Presidency take a cue from us in the Redeemed Christian Church of God; I mean our sharing formula - at least, that is the formula we have adopted in the Province to which I belong. When parish/area/zonal headquarters have levies to share; remittance (that is, financial strength or capability takes 60 percent while equality accounts for 40%. I recommend that we adopt the same system in the present circumstance: 60% derivation and 40% equality. That is fairer and more equitable than the sharing formula forced down the throat of the governors by the North.

Until we practice the “work-and-eat” system, neither hard-working Peter (that is being robbed) nor lazy Paul (that is the recipient of what is stolen from Peter) is going anywhere! Everyone is the loser in the final analysis - both the cheated and the pampered!

FEEDBACK

Are the Ikwerre Igbo?

I worked in Rivers state for six years (and) I got to know that Ikwerre is not Igbo. What politics will do in Nigeria! - Pastor Seun Sogunro.

Azuka as surname, not even as first name, is it Ikwerre or Igbo? Wike as surname, not even as first name, is it Ikwerre or Igbo? Mbata: Is it Ikwerre or Igbo? - Kindnessjonah.

I had my NYSC in Rivers state (1980/81) - in Ikwerre land to be precise - and they told me they were not Igbo. In fact, they narrated the role they played during the civil war. The Igbo wanted to coarse them but they refused to belong. So I will agree with Wike who said he is not Igbo. - Pa Kola Oloye.

The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger from ECOWAS has become effective today, 29. January 2025. However, in the spirit of regional solidarity and in the interest of the people, as well as the decision of the ECOWAS Authority to keep ECOWAS' doors open, all relevant authorities within and outside ECOWAS Member States are requested and required to:

a) recognize National passports and identity cards bearing ECOWAS logo held by the citizens of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, until further notice.
b) continue to treat goods and services coming from the three countries in accordance with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.
c) allow citizens of the three affected countries to continue to enjoy the right of visa free movement, residence and establishment in accordance with the ECOWAS protocols until further notice.
d) provide full support and cooperation to ECOWAS officials from the three countries in the course of their assignments for the Community.

These arrangements will be in place until the full determination of the modalities of our future engagement with the three countries by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. The Commission has set up a structure to facilitate discussions on these modalities with each of the three countries. This message is necessary to avoid confusion and disruption in the lives and businesses of our people during this transition period.

Keeping to their resolve, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders from the South East, including Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; Board of Trustees Chairman, Adolphus Wabara; Senator Austin Akobundu on Tuesday shunned the meeting of PDP stakeholders held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

This is as the South East stakeholders  who met in Abuja passed a vote of confidence on Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, as national secretary of the party.

The South East stakeholders however warned that the lingering crisis over the position of the party’s national secretary could make the party suffer and lose the 2027 election.

PDP leaders from the region had, in a statement by its national vice chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, distanced themselves from yesterday’s meeting, having endorsed Sunday Ude-Okoye as national secretary at a meeting held last Friday in Enugu.

However, the Abuja meeting was presided over by Anyanwu and was attended by Chris Ubah. Anyanwu said there was no basis for disagreement since the party is awaiting the  decision of the Supreme Court on the position of the national secretary.

He said the meeting was called by South East members of the PDP NWC and not the national leadership.

Anyanwu blamed Odefa for instigating  political mischief, claiming that the vice chairman had been expelled from PDP and was not in a position to convene any PDP meeting.

Explaining the genesis of his crisis, Anyanwu said, “In October, the former National Vice Chairman South East, Chief Ali Odefa went and connived with some people to remove me as the National Secretary.

“He went and convinced the governor of Enugu that our constitution says that I will resign for me to run because he knows that his tenure as National Vice Chairman is coming to an end, so he wanted to perpetuate himself in office. So he sold this idea to the governor of Enugu state, His Excellency Peter Mbah whom I met and told him that it is wrong.

“He went and printed fake electoral guidelines for primary election and took it to his excellency and he bought into it without knowing the truth. Based on that, they now came and told me that I should resign.

“On the 10th of November while I was busy preparing for my election, they went and got from a state high court in Enugu and based on this fake document, the judge gave an order that I am supposed to have resigned. They told me that someone else has been appointed, one Ude-Okoye has been appointed as National Secretary of the party.

“I was elected through a national convention and it is only through convention that I can be removed.

“They went ahead and told the governor because he is the only governor from the South East that if I become a governor, as former National Secretary of the party, that I will be too powerful and that it is better for him to continue to become the only governor from the South East.

“On the 9th of January 2025, Federal High Court Abuja gave a judgement and it was quite explicit that that I remain the national secretary of this party until 9th of December, 2025 when my tenure will elapse.”

Reading the communique of the South East stakeholders, after the meeting that last for several hours, the South East Legal Adviser of PDP, Ukpai Ukairo, said that the South East leaders have passed a vote of confidence on Anyanwu.

He added that Ali Odefa is no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and should not be found in the circle of any official role within PDP.

Accordingly, “he should not have any role or play any part in any form or manner with concerning the affairs of the PDP.

By Article 27(3) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party the Zonal Executive Committee can only be summoned at the instance of the National Vice Chairman. In consideration of the fact that there is no National Vice Chairman in office the Zonal Executive Committee Meeting of the South East fixed for the 24th January, 2025 cannot be a lawful meeting of the organ of the party.

“Arising from the foretasted legal opinion, the members of the Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) from Abia, Imo and Anambra States and several statutory members of the Zonal Working Committee  ignored the notice of meeting and consequently boycotted the meeting.”

[Leadership]

Ahead of the 2027 General Elections, various stakeholders, including opposition parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), security agencies, and media, have been urged to strengthen their roles to ensure Nigeria’s democracy thrives.

This call was made at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria, which held in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday.

The conference, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity,” featured Mr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the immediate past Vice President of Ghana, as the keynote speaker. It was organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Westminster for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), and the National Peace Committee (NPC).

The communiqué presented by Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Mrs. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, and Ezenwa Nwagwu stressed the need for strengthening Nigeria’s democratic foundations.

“While Nigeria has maintained uninterrupted democratic governance for over 25 years, it faces an unprecedented crisis that threatens its survival,” the communiqué noted.

It said that despite holding seven general elections since return to democracy in 1999, systemic issues like electoral malpractice, political party inefficiency, weak governance, and corruption have eroded public trust.

Key issues raised during the conference included the increasing threats to democracy in Africa, exemplified by eight coups between 2020 and 2023, and the attempts of certain leaders to alter constitutions to extend their tenure.

The communiqué also highlighted alarming findings from the 2023 Open Society Barometer, which revealed that 30% of Nigerian youth believe military rule could be better for citizens.

Participants noted the weakening of state institutions by overbearing executive leaders and the rise of state and elite capture, which threatens the pluralistic nature of Nigeria’s democracy. “There is a growing tendency for electoral outcomes to be decided by the judiciary rather than through the ballot,” the communiqué warned.

Further concerns were raised about the rise in vote-buying, despite ongoing reforms meant to sanitise the electoral system. The erosion of political parties’ roles due to their capture by “barons and warlords”, resulting in a lack of internal democracy, was also discussed. Additionally, the centralisation of the electoral management system and the absence of opposition voices and civic space were identified as significant issues.

To address these challenges, the conference emphasised the need for the executive to focus on reducing social inequalities and tackling poverty, which often leads to the “meal over vote” phenomenon.

Participants also urged a revisit of the Uwais Report, which outlines long-term electoral reforms. Additionally, they called for the entrenchment of local government democratic autonomy, police reforms, and the de-centralisation of election management to increase the efficiency and inclusiveness of the process.

What the judiciary must do

On the judiciary, the communiqué emphasised the need for reforms aimed at attaining greater autonomy, improving judges’ welfare, and enhancing the conditions of service for legal officers. The importance of re-orienting legal officers to prioritise public interest over commercial interests was also discussed.

The legislature’s role in electoral reform was also highlighted. The communiqué urged the 10th Assembly to prioritise the reform proposals currently before the National Assembly. This includes reviewing the Electoral Act to eliminate the “winner-takes-all” system and ensuring that persons appointed to sensitive positions in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are thoroughly scrutinised.

Inclusivity in the electoral process was another major theme. The conference called for the inclusion of diaspora voting, allowing Nigerians living abroad to participate in national elections.

The conference also emphasised the role of CSOs and the media in engaging citizens. They were urged to educate the public on their rights and responsibilities, hold duty-bearers accountable, and advocate for reducing the incumbent’s power to appoint individuals into sensitive positions.

Regarding INEC, the communiqué urged the electoral body to decentralise election management, enhance transparency through technology, and strengthen political parties by regulating internal democracy. The creation of new departments within INEC to better monitor political parties was also proposed.

Participants also urged security agencies to uphold the law by prosecuting electoral offenders and maintaining neutrality in electoral matters. A professional security force, independent of political interference, was deemed vital for ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.

On political parties, the conference called on them to unite and form a strong coalition to provide effective checks and balances. It noted that political parties should not merely serve as election vehicles but remain active and engaged in political, social, and economic issues. The communiqué further called for political parties to embrace competitive primaries, ensuring the selection of capable and competent candidates.

The communiqué concluded with a call for political parties to adopt innovative fundraising strategies to ensure financial independence and avoid state capture. Intra-party democracy and competitive primaries were deemed essential for ensuring that Nigeria’s democracy flourishes.

Plan to rig 2027 election already unfolding – Tambuwal

On his part, former governor of Sokoto State and current senator for Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, charged civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to rise to the challenge of strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

Tambuwal alleged that plans to rig the 2027 elections were already in motion and warned that unless there is a coalition like the one formed in 2015, stopping the plot may be impossible.

Speaking as a panellist during a session on “Rebuilding Confidence in Presidential System of Government,” Tambuwal lamented the civil society’s apparent passivity in holding the government accountable.

“In the past, many of us here, including our boss, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, were part of the coordination that helped improve and sustain democracy in Nigeria. But now, it seems that some of the same people involved in civil society efforts are now in charge. I don’t know whether it’s because of some kind of understanding between civil society and the current government, but the silence today is worrying,” he said.

Tambuwal called on civil society to replicate the role it played in 2013-2014, helping to fortify Nigeria’s democracy. He warned that unless this action is taken, the country’s democratic system was in peril.

He added that the foundation for sustaining democracy lies in the electoral processes and outcomes. Tambuwal criticised the current leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stating that the progress made under Professor Attahiru Jega’s tenure had been reversed.

“It is about the character of those leading these agencies. We must ensure the right people are in these positions, especially with 2027 approaching,” he said.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives also stressed the importance of electing individuals with the character and capacity to govern. He noted that a leader lacking these qualities would likely surround themselves with cronies, undermining the governance system.

“Are we just going to sit back and allow this to happen? Or will we rise up and protect our democracy?” Tambuwal asked. He called for a return to the principles of a fair electoral process, insisting that only those with integrity and competence should be entrusted with leadership roles.

Tambuwal also urged members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join forces with opposition parties and civil society groups in challenging the current government’s practices.

“You can be part of the governing party, but when the government is doing wrong, you must speak out. This is the time for all of us, inside and outside the government, to unite and save our democracy,” he said.

CSOs must not be incited for power grabbing – Waziri Adio

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Waziri Adio, founder of Agora Policy, cautioned that civil society organisations and the masses must not be manipulated for the sake of power-grabbing.

He pointed to the vast resources expended in Nigeria over the past 25 years, questioning why the country’s key indicators for development had not improved. “Why has the conversation been framed as though Nigeria started its decline in 2015 or 2023?” Adio queried.

“If we want to move forward, we also need to talk to ourselves. What are we offering that’s different? Or is it just about, okay, we’re out now, and we need to get these people out, and we’re trying to incite civil society to do this?”

He urged those involved in governance and the civil society to examine what they could offer differently to ensure true progress for the country. Adio emphasised the need for governance to go beyond elections, advocating for a truly representative and participatory system that prioritises the people’s interests.

“We need to ensure that governance isn’t just about elections, but about engaging people at all levels, starting from local governance,” Adio stressed. He noted that if local governments worked effectively, it could lead to significant improvements across the country.

PDP conducted worst elections, APC replies Atiku, El-Rufai

Meanwhile, the ruling APC has dismissed allegations by former Vice President and the PDP presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, that Nigeria’s democracy is under threat.

Atiku, speaking at a democracy conference in Abuja on Monday, had warned that the nation’s democratic system was in peril due to what he called increasing judicial involvement in electoral matters. He also accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of disbursing N50 million to some opposition leaders to weaken their parties.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC described Atiku’s claims as “laughable” and questioned his credibility in making such assertions.

The APC stated: “It was in the Atiku era as Vice President, particularly in 2003 and 2007, that the PDP conducted the worst elections in our political history. We cannot forget how Atiku’s PDP used heavy-handed tactics to capture most South-West states and even vowed to remain in power for 60 years.

“It was during those years that Atiku’s then-boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, famously described elections as a ‘do or die affair’ in a desperate bid to annex Lagos State.”

The APC questioned Atiku’s assertion that democracy is now at risk, arguing that recent elections have been “by far freer, fairer, and more credible” than those held during the PDP era.

“If democracy was neither derailed nor endangered in those perilous days, how can it now be at risk when the electoral process has significantly improved?” the APC queried.

Addressing the claim that President Tinubu paid N50 million to opposition leaders to stifle dissent, the APC dismissed it as baseless.

“Atiku knows his political desperation has contributed to the catastrophic disintegration of the PDP,” the statement said. “Peddling unsubstantiated rumours should be beneath someone of Atiku’s standing as a former Vice President and a serial contestant for the presidency.”

The APC also criticised Atiku and other opposition figures, including Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for insinuating that the ruling party had a role in the internal challenges facing opposition parties.

[DailyTrust]

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe has claimed that the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai appears to be greater, smarter and bolder than all the federal ministers.

DAILY POST reports that El-rufai and some APC stalwarts recently fell out following the former’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s government.

In a recent event in Abuja, the former governor declared that he no longer recognizes the ruling party, saying the APC no longer practices internal democracy.

He also accused the party of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.

The comments didn’t go well with some allies of the president, who launched verbal attacks on the former governor.

A staunch supporter of the Tinubu’s administration, Reno Omokri accused El-rufai of orchestrating the killing of residents of Kaudna State while serving as governor.

Reno described El-rufai as a bloodthirsty tyrant, who takes pleasure in seeing “blood flowing on the streets of Kaduna”.

Amid the backlash, Igbokwe in a post on his official Facebook page, revealed why the party needs the former governor, stating that some bigwigs like El-rufai were responsible for Tinubu’s victory in 2023.

Igbokwe questioned why some cabals in the government frustrated El-rufai’s appointment after he was nominated as minister of power.

He wrote, “All things considered APC Nigeria needs the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He worked so hard for APC during the 2023 Presidential and Governorship Elections.

“I am a witness to how Gov El- Rufai, former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and one other governor went to stop the criminal Emefiele’s dubious money policy that was targeted at PBAT which nearly truncated PBAT victory. I also remember the excruciating efforts he put down to retain kaduna for APC.

“HE El-Rufai was nominated as a Minister and we allowed shenanigans and people without honour to come to hallowed chambers of the Senate to stop his nomination for reasons we do not know. If reality is to prevail he was supposed to take a bow, just walk away.

“APC allowed the interlopers to walk away with their sadistic tendencies. Now let me ask this question: Of what meat are they fed? Who among all the Ministers in the Federal Cabinet that is greater, smarter, bolder, more clever, proficient and deeper than Mallam El Rufai?

“Neglecting and ignoring our own scholar in the finest and best tradition is incomprehensible and totally unacceptable. May we never forget this stormy petrel with loads of capacity and capability. Malam El Rufai na man oooooo.

“For whatever reasons APC NIGERIA must not ignore this great man. We cannot afford to lose him to the rival party. He is one of the strong characters we cannot afford to lose at a time like this. Case rested”.

[DailyPost]

• AfBD, World Bank commit $40b to Mission 300

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined other leaders yesterday in decrying the paradox of Africa’s vast energy wealth coexisting with widespread insufficiency.

He described it as an unacceptable reality that demands urgent action.

The President joined other leaders in adopting the Dar es Salaam Declaration, which commits to providing access to electricity for 300 million people in Africa by 2030.

He was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he participated in the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

The President returned to Abuja at about 7:40pm and was received by senior government officials.

The two-day Summit was hosted by the government of Tanzania in collaboration with the African Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank Group.

A high point of the event was the presidential endorsement of the Dar es Salaam Declaration by African leaders at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre.

Following the reading of the Declaration, leaders from Nigeria, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia signed the document.

Through the Declaration, the leaders from the 12 countries expressed their commitment to ensuring electricity access for their citizens in the next five years.

The 12 nations plan to achieve the goal through National Energy Compacts, which identify specific policy measures to address constraints across their energy sector and set targets based on their unique context.

Speaking at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, through Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, President Tinubu stressed the need for collective efforts to bridge the continent’s energy gap.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said: “As we all know, Africa is rich in energy resources, yet millions of our citizens still lack access to reliable and affordable energy.

“This situation is unacceptable. It is our responsibility to take collective action to change this narrative.”

President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to its unelectrified population by 2030.

“This is an ambitious goal, but we can achieve it together.

“As Nigeria’s President, I am committed to making energy access a top priority,” he said.

He lauded the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank Group, and development partners for their collective pledge to bring electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030.

President Tinubu called on African leaders to prioritise energy access, emphasising collective action.

“Let us work together to create a brighter future for our citizens—where every African can access reliable and affordable energy; a future where our industries thrive, our economies grow, and our people prosper,” the President said.

Detailing the substantial progress Nigeria has achieved with the support of international development partners, President Tinubu acknowledged AfDB’s $1.1 billion, expected to provide electricity for 5 million people by the end of 2026.

He noted that its $200 million in the Nigeria Electrification Project will provide electricity for 500,000 people by the end of 2025.

“We also look forward to the AfDB’s planned $700 million investment in the Nigeria Desert to Power programme and its planned $500 million facility for the Nigeria-Grid Battery Energy Storage System, which will provide electricity for an additional two million people.

“We have equally begun making plans to ensure the effectiveness of the World Bank’s $750 million support for expanding Nigeria’s distributed energy access via mini-grids and standalone solar systems that will provide access to power to 16.2 million people,” he said.

[TheNation]

Health is wealth, says a popular adage. There is hardly anyone alive who does not need medical attention during his or her life. Thanks to medical and health sciences, which have, through research and innovation, been able to make human beings live long in good health. In Nigeria, health is on the concurrent legislative list, making it something that is the responsibility of the three tiers of government, namely the federal, the state and the local. To underscore the importance of health, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 is dedicated to good health and well-being. It says, “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.”

Healthcare delivery is an area where public and private practices are allowed. There are hundreds of thousands of licensed private hospitals and clinics, just as there are thousands of primary health centres established and managed by local governments, hundreds of general hospitals being managed by state governments and several other federal medical centres and teaching hospitals established by the Federal Government. Every state has a Ministry of Health, the same way there is a Federal Ministry of Health. Unfortunately, despite these numerous health centres, Nigerians are not enjoying good medical services. While the private operators charge cutthroat prices for their services, the public hospitals have turned to mere consulting clinics and are perennially going on industrial actions. If it is not a warning strike, it is an indefinite strike.

Why has the Nigerian health sector been plagued by recurring unrest and strike actions?  The answer is not far-fetched. Nigeria’s health sector has been grossly underfunded and generally underresourced. There are not enough health and medical personnel, as that sector has suffered the worst brain drain in recent years. Thousands of trained medical doctors, nurses and health professionals are daily in search of greener pastures abroad. There is a joke that the exodus of Nigerian medical and health workers will soon leave compatriots at the mercy of herbalists, quacks and spiritual healers. The depressing state of our health sector is epitomised by the fact that the premier teaching hospital in Nigeria, which is the University College Hospital in Ibadan, has been out of public electricity supply for months now. Last Wednesday (January 22, 2025), medical students of UCH embarked on a peaceful protest to draw attention to the blackout in the hospital, which they said had lasted for over 82 days!

That same day, the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration, commenced a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands. In a communiqué signed by the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration ARD FCTA, Dr George Ebong, said they went on strike over unpaid salaries (1–6 months) and the unpaid 2024 medical residency training fund. The Accoutrement allowance meant for the tools doctors use daily to serve Nigerians has also been delayed indefinitely.

On the issue of conversion, doctors who passed the promotion exam years ago, who have in the last 2–5 years been taking on the responsibilities of their new role, are still being paid for their old positions. Doctors who have earned the title of “consultant” are still treated as senior registrars, with no formal recognition or financial benefits. There is also the case of unpaid hazard allowance. Since 2021, there has been an increase in doctors’ hazard allowance—an increase approved due to the high risks faced daily. From COVID-19 to Lassa fever, doctors work on the frontlines, often at great personal risk. Yet, in the FCT, doctors are still owed 13 months of arrears.

FCT doctors equally raised the issue of manpower shortage. According to the ARD, brain drain has left those who remain in the system overworked, burnt out, and struggling to keep the system afloat. The striking physicians noted, “Replacing doctors as they leave is the bare minimum. Without urgent action, our healthcare system will collapse.”

The doctors painted a scary and appalling state of healthcare delivery in the Federal Capital Territory when they said, “Our hospitals are struggling to function with equipment that should be in museums, not in operating rooms. Many of the tools we use were purchased decades ago. They have seen no updates, no replacements, and minimal maintenance. Doctors have now become technicians. We spend as much time fixing broken operating tables and machines as we do saving lives. Oil is constantly applied to squeaky operating tables to keep them functional. Our theatres are held together by improvisation. Our wards are even worse off, with no BP apparatus, not even little things like thermometers or weighing scales, not to mention ventilators and the like.” Holy Moses!

The striking doctors were not done. They added, “Hospitals built to handle 50 beds are now forced to accommodate hundreds of patients daily. Imagine a facility seeing over 5,000 patients a month, performing more than 100 Caesarean sections monthly, with just one consultant and two to three medical officers in the department. The system is stretched thin, and so are we. When there are no beds, no power for surgeries, no consumables, and no drugs in the pharmacy, patients understandably grow frustrated. Perhaps one of the most shameful realities is that some hospitals in the heart of Abuja—the seat of power—have gone months without water. No water to clean operating rooms, wash hands, or even flush toilets.” This is preposterous!

It is actually a litany of lamentations in that lengthy communique from which I have taken the above excerpts. Is this not horrendous? We are talking about healthcare delivery in the seat of power—the FCT! Can you imagine what the situation will be like in Ekiti, Yobe or Calabar? Unfortunately, Abuja residents had to endure 72 hours of strike before the FCT minister met some of the demands of the doctors. The news report has it that Nyesome Wike last Friday approved the immediate payment of the outstanding salaries of the striking workers. He also approved and ordered immediate payment of the accoutrement allowance that was owed; approved the medical residency training funds (2024); the immediate employment of doctors and allied health workers to cushion the severe shortage of manpower; and approved the immediate payment of locum doctors and other health workers.

Could this strike not have been prevented? Did we know how many patients have died as a result of the industrial action? I lost my younger sister in 2016 to a similar strike embarked upon by the Association of Resident Doctors of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. When shall there be an end to this careless, needless and preventable loss of lives? It is shameful and heartrending that Nigeria is still backwards in healthcare service delivery in 2025. Our public hospitals and clinics sure need to be well-resourced. Enough said!

The removal of subsidies from petrol, electricity, and foreign exchange has led to hikes in tariffs on items like data, cable networks, Netflix, and prices of practically every purchase in Nigeria. This makes Nigerians wonder when the round-robin will end.

Businessmen, corporate organisations, and even the government find it difficult to make realistic budgets that will not run out of cash before completing long-term projects, acquiring inventories, and meeting operational obligations.

The best accountants are now finding it difficult to predict credible financial outlays to intelligently guide their principals as the unpredictable galloping inflation horse continues to canter and drop its hoofs without control.

More importantly, Nigerians are asking if there will be a respite, by way of a review of incomes, so they can cope with the new tariffs and price regimes. The token N70,000 minimum monthly salary is clearly unrealistic and inadequate.

Nigerians expect ground-shaking reviews that will match incomes in Nigeria to the global scale, as tariffs and prices have risen astronomically. Any seasoned accountant will tell you that, to every debit, there is a matching credit, or vice versa.

This matching is even more critical after Dangote refineries increased the price of its petrol from N899 to N955 per litre in response to a 15 per cent increase in the international price of crude oil that someone in Nigeria’s petroleum eco-system describes as an “international citizen”.

It is encouraging that from the faraway World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, acknowledges that Nigeria’s economic realities should reflect in the cost of running businesses. It should also be reflected in workers’ remuneration.

The argument is that if services and products that Nigerians pay for can reflect the realities of the removal of subsidies, market forces, and global trends, the remuneration of Nigerian workers should reflect the same realities.

The CEO of the Centre for Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, predicts that America’s President Donald Trump’s intention to increase investment in petroleum and gas will have a two-fold impact on Nigeria: reduce Nigeria’s oil revenue but lower the prices of petroleum products.

As these two developments may not cancel each other out in the pockets of Nigerians, the impact of the removal of subsidies from petrol, electricity and foreign exchange on sundry consumer goods and services may not also abate.

And, as immigrant workers, hounded by President Trump, leave America’s farms for their countries, the resulting food shortage and higher prices may cascade to Nigeria, a net importer of America’s agricultural produce.

But if President Trump can end the Ukrainian-Russian War swiftly, the prices of wheat, its products and food inflation should drop. You may have to cross your fingers though and not go knocking on wood because denizens of International Monopoly Capital can come up with a new thing.

Increased tariffs that President Trump is threatening to impose on international commodities may degenerate into a global tariff war, according to the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

If the government pays attention to corporate cost systems only and disregards the remuneration of citizens who buy things and keep the economy going, the economy may collapse and poverty will be as widespread as an epidemic or as if the nation were at war.

The shortage of cash, caused by the incompetent attempt at changing, or, more appropriately, “recolouring” of the naira by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is a rough idea of what a war economy looks like.

Edun, who has a master’s degree in economics, must understand the import of these submissions. If you destroy the middle class, which always has to spend to keep up with the Joneses, you just run down your country’s economy.

PricewaterhouseCoopers warns: “Macroeconomic pressure points (caused by government policies) such as rising inflation, a high interest rate and naira depreciation may drive an additional 13 million (Nigerians) below the poverty line.”

Government policymakers, who remind Nigerians that the pump price of petrol in America, their favourite benchmark, is $0.897 or roughly N1,390, should also tell Nigerians that the minimum wage in America is $7.25 per hour or roughly N11,237.

For a 40-hour work week or 120 hours per month, other things being equal, the minimum monthly wage in America should be $1,160 or roughly N1,798,000. Thus, the lowest-wage earner in America gets a higher pay than most Nigerian CEOs.

That is not even talking about the state of Alaska, whose minimum wage of $11.91 per hour, or $1,905.60 per month, is a truckload of approximately N2,954,632.80 per month if the lowest-paid Alaskan were to receive his remuneration in naira.

These astronomical figures are neither equal nor equivalent to the meagre N70,000 that some Nigerian state governments and corporate organisations that have already adjusted their tariffs, rates and prices upward seem not to fully understand or acknowledge but act as if they are unwilling to pay.

Nigeria’s economic policymakers must remember that the world is “flat” and the economies of most countries of the world are practically integrated. Indeed, most strategic consumer goods that Nigerians consume are imported.

And Nigerians are stuck to buying imported consumer goods because successive governments have failed to implement economic policies that can reverse the trend and provide homegrown goods, even if there won’t be excess for export.

As long as petroleum, the main cash cow of the Nigerian economy, and Nigeria’s imported staples are traded in the American dollar, imported inflation shall not cease because the Nigerian economy remains an appendage of the metropolitan economies.

That being so, it should make economic sense if Nigeria’s economic policymakers acknowledge that the Nigerian economy is no more than a trading outpost of the metropolitan economies and, therefore, introduce supply, demand and pricing structures to match the realities of the “flat” world that is led by Euro-American economic powers.

To put the argument in another way: If Nigeria’s primary cash flow is derived from the export of a commodity that is traded in the US dollar and Nigeria continues to import staples, also traded in the US dollar, then the pricing of Nigerian labour should reflect these realities.

This should provide a more realistic remuneration reward system for Nigerians who now seem to be asked to labour and sweat for hours, only to receive pittance as remuneration at the end of the day. The “japa” economic migration syndrome is caused by talent seeking an appropriate reward environment.

But those who run Nigeria continue to insult Nigerians by offering them the relatively weaker naira rate in remuneration but expect them to buy even staple goods at rates equivalent to the stronger dollar. This is shown in the suggestion that Global South workers earn less than 87 to 95 per cent for the same job as their Global North counterparts.

If Nigeria’s economic policymakers sit back and take a hard look at the remuneration system of Nigeria, they will realise that Nigerians, resident in Nigeria, but with remunerations tied to the international economy, live a more opulent life in Nigeria.

Check out the lifestyles of workers in the oil and banking sectors (and their bureau de change appendages) that trade in foreign exchange, importers (or exporters), and public servants who have anything to do with the use of Nigeria’s foreign exchange.

The Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Describing Kanu as a political detainee, Afenifere said the continued detention is unjustifiable, calling on the President to take prompt action.

The association made this call in a communiqué signed by its deputy leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, after a meeting held at the Isanya Ogbo residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

“From all circumstances, particularly since his abduction in 2021 and rendition to Nigeria and since then subjected to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts by which his fair trial may no longer be guaranteed in the opinion of reasonable members of the public, it is clear that Nnamdi Kanu is indubitably a political detainee.

“In the interest of justice and national reconciliation, Afenifere urges President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu forthwith. There is no justifiable reason to continue to keep him in detention without trial,” the communiqué read.

The group also announced the appointment of Barr Dele Farotimi, as its new National Organising Secretary.

The communiqué also saw the group lament that the state of insecurity remained as sire as it was under the previous administration.

Consequently, the group called on the President to take bold, positive and ideological steps to ensure genuine protection of lives and property.

Pointing to the recent alarm of bandits’ influx by Governor Seyi Makinde, the Afenifere reiterated its demand for restructuring.

“Nigeria, with its vast territory, population and as a federation, cannot be effectively and meaningfully secured with a single command unitary police structure, thus the need for the restructuring to ensure immediate constitutional institutionalization of state police,” the communiqué read.

In attendance at the meeting presided over by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan were delegates from the six South West, Kogi and Kwara states including the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele; Secretary General, Chief Sola Ebiseni; Chief Akin Osuntokun; Professor Akin Onigbinde; Elder Tola Mobolurin; Dr Gbola Adetuji; Olorogun Pop Ayo-Banjo and the National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye.

[Punch]