I would like to begin by referencing Edward Gibbon’s “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” While Gibbon identified several causes, including Christianity, the key takeaway is that, in his view, the fall of Rome was not due to a single event but rather a long, gradual process involving both internal and external factors over several centuries.

On the foundation of Christianity, specifically through Catholicism, Christ promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. Over the centuries, the Church has fought valiantly against external forces that sought to destroy Christianity. The irony, however, is that today, it faces destruction from within. The Church, being led by fallible human beings subject to the sins of Adam, has experienced significant challenges throughout its history, notably the Great Schism of 1054 and the Protestant Reformation of 1517. While some may argue that these challenges, resulting in a multiplicity of faiths, introduced healthy competition, from objective and historical perspective, such divisions have inflicted considerable harm on the body of Christ.

When I write about divisions in Christianity, it is often with a heavy heart. You may not fully grasp the depth of my feelings until you readUt Unum Sint” (“That They May Be One”). “Ut Unum Sint” focuses on the importance of Christian unity and ecumenism, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s commitment to dialogue with other Christian denominations in the pursuit of unity.

Today, the Church’s major challenge is Pentecostalism. Characterised by emotional appeals that leave its followers captive and unthinking, many Pentecostal groups resort to all manner of questionable practices to sustain their growth. One pastor in Warri was seen engaging in a spiritual duel with a “Haba” priest from Agulu. The “Haba” priest later admitted to a friend that he had been paid to stage the drama. Is this what Pentecostalism offers to the body of Christ?

Perhaps the most disturbing of these practices is the staging of so-called miracles. Even figures like the comedic Odumeje have claimed to raise the dead.

When pastors boast of drinking tea with God, controlling the weather, or causing roads to widen miraculously to allow them passage, they not only display early signs of delusion but also bring Christianity into ridicule. While they may attract the gullible masses, including some captains of industry, who unfortunately form the majority, they simultaneously provoke thoughtful individuals to question the very foundation of their faith. Such deception is one of the reasons many are now preaching a return to the roots, seeing nothing but lies in what these preachers offer.

They are busy reducing Christianity to an egregious call for tithes. Rather than boast of the souls and territories they have converted, as the orthodox churches do, they boast about their fat bank accounts, perquisites, and the number of private jets they own. They are even corrupting some in orthodox churches who now see founding ministries within their churches, devoid of established controls, as an open sesame to wealth and renown. This cannot be Christianity!

The current challenges facing Christianity, particularly with the rise of manipulative practices in Pentecostal circles, serve as a stark reminder of the need for discernment and authenticity in faith. The history of the Church is one of resilience, surviving schisms, reforms, and doctrinal challenges. Yet, the core of Christianity—its truth, love, and teachings—must remain uncompromised. True faith cannot be sustained on emotional manipulation or deceit; rather, it thrives on genuine spiritual growth, intellectual engagement, and a return to the authentic teachings of Christ. As Christians, we must guard against these distortions, ensuring that our beliefs remain rooted in truth and are not swayed by the allure of sensationalism.

And what happens? The deluded, always ready to engage anyone who questions their pastors, will undoubtedly come forward like mosquitoes, to buzz irritatingly in my ears. In the face of obvious truth, meant to salvage Christianity, all they will offer in defence is accusation of fanaticism, intolerance, jealousy, and other predictable catchphrases.

Our people say that the man holding the rope with which a goat is being taken to the market often gets blamed if the goat fetches a low price at the sales. Some would accuse him of walking the goat so fast while going to the market that it lost much weight. Others would murmur that he did not allow the goat to feed or drink any water while they were on their way to the market.

It would not matter to the grumblers at such moments that a goat cannot gain enough weight to attract a markedly high price in the market just because you stopped to feed it while on your way to the market. No one will also remember at such moments that a sensible person will not stop on the way to the market to feed his goat or chicken, because to do so would be to miss the opportunity to make a good early morning bargain, or even to make any sales at all.

Bringing the foregoing around to what I consider the predicament of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) today, it must be said here that the man is not solely, or directly, responsible for the fate of the Naira today. He is no magician. Even if he is one, his magic can only work when fiscal and monetary policies find themselves backed up by improved national productivity. Thus magic, and the ability to perform miracles, won’t pass muster as viable tools for anyone who wants to be taken seriously in the banking industry. It is a job of records, of economic variables, of fluctuating indices and of policy-driven twists and turns.

Were we not all thoroughly alarmed when the Naira rose precipitously about a year ago? Were we not also excited when, inexplicably, it began to bounce back; and came as far as about 900 Naira to the US dollar? Many people cheered gleefully, even if somewhat apprehensively. And then, the national currency sneaked off when no one was looking (or were some people expecting it?) and headed downhill again.

Let us go back to a conversation that occurred on this page on February 10, this year, wherein it was said that the forces arrayed against Cardoso, his team and also the Naira include the following: “(1) A volatile economic and political environment, (2) Elite consumption patterns, (3) Overall low national productivity, (4) Limited public understanding of fiscal and monetary policy issues, (5) Incredibly high demand for the dollar and, very importantly, (6) The new-found use of the dollar as a major Store of Value, the way people used to buy houses under property speculation.”

In the above-mentioned piece, we went even further back to an earlier intervention of 15 November, 2021, titled “What the CBN Cannot Do”. The point made then, which is still so painfully relevant today, and which is partly responsible for the crises of the moment is this: “The CBN cannot do much about the value of the Naira, for as long as we produce very little to attract corresponding inflows, consume much that is not produced here and retain a monocultural economy”.

The point remains that only the diversification of the economy, redemption of our national road infrastructure, reversal of the current state of insecurity in the land, rescuing the power sector, making realistic and sustainable investments in education and health, among other critical interventions, can save the national currency, the national economy and the people. The decisions and interventions that would deliver all that cannot be tea party matters.

Without denying the impact of the floating of the Naira on our fortunes today, we must also frankly admit that the general insecurity and banditry of the last 15 years substantially undermined the nation’s massive investments in agriculture. With banditry laying waste massive farmlands, reducing farmers’ access to their farmlands and effectively reducing the overall availability of farm produce, only food scarcity would follow.

Added to the foregoing is the fact that large farming communities are displaced in many places. Thus, much of financial outflows into the agricultural sector in the last couple of years do not yield the expected returns. That is why it will take a while for the originally projected gains in terms of food availability, food security and forex earnings from food exports to materialize.

That is also why the conversation about diversification of the national economy, especially with agriculture in focus, must also simultaneously address insecurity and national social infrastructure. We must also note that investment in agriculture is not quite the same thing as the purchase of tractors and other agricultural equipment, no! Many states of the federation cheerfully mistake investments in health and education infrastructure for actual investments in “education” and “health services”. They do not consider that new buildings designated as health centres, new school buildings, new classroom blocks and massive stockpiling of teaching equipment are only the evidence of procurement contracts. Nothing more.

Such infrastructure, important as they are, cannot, on their own, give you health or educational services. You need doctors, teachers, etc., to make that happen. In other words, it takes capacitated human capital for development to take place. An investor who spends money setting up new baking ovens and launching them is not a baker. Bakeries need bakers who know about baking to produce and deliver edible bread.

When state governments and corporate Nigeria simply import furnishing materials for their new public and private facilities, they have no idea how much damage they are doing to the state resources, the national currency and the economy. And when misapplied funds are retired under the heading “investment in health” or “education and human capital development,” the people and Nigeria are swindled. But we are digressing again.

If today the value of the naira is not looking very impressive, it is not because someone’s “village people” have cast a spell on us all. If many big and small businesses have lost value and shut down, it is because of high replacement cost for goods sold out and their inability to obtain long-term facilities that would make sense in a Third World economy. If Cardoso cannot wave a magic wand to change the value of the Naira, it is not because he and his family are not buying from the same market as everyone else.

A weakened Naira means that the “replacement cost” for what you sold before the naira lost value will now cost you more if you wish to replace it. It also means that the same amount of money cannot buy you exactly the same quantity of goods you sold earlier and which you now wish to replace. So, your business shrinks and shrinks further. Whichever way you look at it, or whatever you decide to do, you really cannot get enough money to “replace” the same number of things you have sold. The result is reduced capacity utilization, job losses and much more; because your original business capital can only get you a fraction of what you have sold. You will then have plenty of redundant shop space, reduced workforce. It is as simple as that.

It was said here, back then: “A nation with a predominantly consumption-drive economy cannot suddenly catapult itself into the Neverland of foreign exchange El Dorado. You make money from what you produce and sell, or from what you can do and be paid for. You also buy with what you have earned from either goods or services. You get paid nothing when you produce nothing. You spend more than you earn when you produce and sell far less than you buy. The person who produces nothing and earns nothing, but buys a lot, must be getting the money for his purchases from somewhere…. And to borrow is to get credit for present needs, with payment deferred to a future date, right?

It is largely because we are consuming more than we are producing, and also buying more than we are selling, that the speculation for “phony money” and profits without productivity have overrun the land. Thus arises the predicament of nations and individuals with “unbalanced” market profile and appetites. Thus, also stands the crisis of the Nigerian state and economy today, in bold relief. It need not continue to be so. Increased productivity, ingenious monetary, fiscal and other regulatory mechanisms, in addition to significant increase in national productivity, will see us out of the woods; but not like first thing tomorrow morning.

Truth be told, our monocultural economy, or overdependence on one major source of foreign exchange revenue, is a drawback that can only be remedied by real diversification of the economy. We need to produce more, have more local abundance and export more, for increased social security and foreign earnings.  We should worry about the impact of our energy problems on overall national productivity. We cannot expect sudden economic good fortune when the foreign exchange outflows for all sorts of things, including furniture and kitchen napkins, is continuously rising at the same time that foreign exchange inflows are shrinking steadily.

That is why it would take much more than Cardoso, or the CBN, to make the national currency look good.  We are in turbulent waters, and the naira is in it with us. Our people say that the swimmer who finds himself in the midst of very turbulent currents, and who resolves to swim all day in order to prove his mettle should remember that he is not a fish. Even the fish usually finds its comfort zone in quieter sides of any fast flowing river.

QUOTE:

The forces arrayed against Cardoso, his team and also the Naira include the following: “(1) A volatile and economic political environment, (2) Elite consumption patterns, (3) Overall low national productivity, (4) Limited public understanding of fiscal and monetary policy issues, (5) Incredibly high demand for the dollar and, very importantly, (6) The new-found use of the dollar as a major Store of Value, the way people used to buy houses under property speculation.”

Ogun State witnessed yet another epoch-making event last Friday, with the flag-off of the Gateway Inland Dry Port construction located at Kajola in Ewekoro Local Government Area. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, performed the ground-breaking ceremony amidst public excitement. Like no other before it, the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun glowed with an aura of inner fulfilment seeing his dream come true.

Having a dry port in the state to support and drive its sustainable industrial growth is one of the overarching objectives of his administration. Therefore, achieving the feat, without a doubt, is another significant milestone in his aggressive pursuit of infrastructural transformation as a catalyst for domestic and direct foreign investment inflow into the state.
And, of course, the importance of a dry port for sustainable industrial growth in a state like Ogun, with its peculiar advantage of proximity to Lagos State hosting the largest seaport in West Africa cannot be overemphasized. In transportation and logistics jargon, an Inland dry port is an intermodal terminal directly connected by road or rail to a seaport, operating as a centre for transporting sea cargo to inland destination.

In other words, an inland port is a physical site located away from traditional land, air, and coastal borders with the vision to facilitate and process international trade through strategic investment in multi-modal transportation assets and by promoting value-added services as goods move through the supply chain
In addition to its role in cargo trans-shipment, dry ports may also include facilities for the storage and consolidation of goods, cargo carriers, and customs clearance services. An inland port is an inland site linked to a seaport. As this kind of port does not require a waterway, the key features include the transfer of containers between different modes of transportation (intermodal transfer) and the processing of international trade.

The creation of a dry port is to relieve competition for storage and customs space at the seaport. When completed, the Gateway Dry Inland Port will help to facilitate the flow of cargo between ships and major land transportation networks, creating a more central distribution point. The port will also improve the movement of imports and exports, moving the time-consuming sorting and processing of containers inland, away from congested seaports in Lagos.

So, rather than goods being loaded and unloaded in the already congested Lagos Seaport, shipping containers can be transferred by road vehicle to the dry port. Container handling space can be reduced by transferring functions to an inland port away from the Sea port and coast. For example, the functions of receiving, processing through customs, inspecting, sorting, and consolidating containers going to the overseas port can be transferred to this Inland Port to reduce congestion.The presence of dry port in Ogun will attract new cargo flows and boost the economic effect of increasing the volume of transit cargo transportation, while also reducing the idle time of wagons waiting for reloading and the turnaround time of an empty container.

More specifically, when it becomes operational, the Port is expected to reduce congestion in the existing Lagos Seaports and transform the country into a trans-shipment hub. Over the years, Lagos has witnessed rising transport demand and road traffic jams which have led to increasing congestion and delays at the Ports. Successful completion of the project will not only reduce congestion at the Seaport but also increase cross-border trade between Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

It will also enhance distribution by setting up a link between the inland and sea port, resulting in a lower unit cost than sending containers individually by road. The containers are collected from their origins or distributed to their ultimate destinations by road with the transfer happening at the inland site.
The multiplier effects of all of these combined will generate huge employment opportunities for the teeming youths.

By projection, the project is expected to create an estimated 20,000 new jobs directly and indirectly. This will in turn create a new vista of economic growth for the state and the nation as a whole.

Oyetola, speaking on the momentous occasion at Kajola, gave this assurance, adding that “it will attract investments that will spur regional development, benefiting Ogun State and beyond. This project is not merely about building infrastructure but about laying the foundation for a key logistics hub that will facilitate the movement of goods across Nigeria, creating over 5,000 direct jobs, 15,000 indirect jobs, and stimulating local businesses,” he said.

Giving further insight into the project, he said the port would be built to international standards and equipped with the latest digital systems for tracking, clearance, and cargo movement to ensure efficiency, transparency, and global competitiveness.

“No doubt, this project aligns seamlessly with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as we are committed to creating an enabling environment that fosters innovation, economic growth, and infrastructural development. This initiative will undoubtedly help Ogun State become a more attractive destination for businesses and investors, reinforcing our collective aspiration for a prosperous Nigeria.

“During a recent visit to a logistics hub in Lagos, I observed firsthand the challenges businesses face due to congestion at our traditional seaports, which result in longer transport times and increased costs. This experience highlights the urgent need for developing inland ports like the Gateway Inland Dry Port.

“Inland Dry Ports provide faster and more efficient alternatives for moving goods, ultimately benefiting our economy and reducing the burden on our coastal seaports,” Oyetola emphasised.

He explained that the development of inland dry ports was a critical component of the broader strategy to position Nigeria as a leading player in the Blue Economy, stating “that as the nation continues to diversify its economy, it is essential to create infrastructure that serves as key nodes in the supply chain, thereby reducing reliance on traditional seaports.”

The Minister expressed optimism that the Dry Port would enhance the efficiency of the logistics network and contribute to the decongestion of Apapa, and Tin Can Ports, both in Lagos, thus improving Nigeria’s trade competitiveness on the global stage.
Accordingly, he directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to ensure that the Port is developed as a state-of-the-art facility integrating advanced technology, leveraging ICT for seamless operations, and developing robust infrastructure that supports modern port processes.

“It is imperative that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council works closely with the Ogun State Government and the concessionaire to build a maritime ecosystem that is not only competitive but also a leader in innovation and technological advancement. Sustainability must be at the core of all our infrastructure projects.

“This Inland Dry Port is expected to significantly contribute to achieving that goal by enhancing the efficiency of our logistics network, reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with road transportation, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices in line with global standards,” he stated.

The host Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who had long envisioned the creation of a dry port to boost the state’s economy, re-echoed Oyetola’s optimism, saying the Port would help in opening up and engendering more development in the State by serving as a transport and logistics hub for the nation.

He outlined the immense benefits of the project thus: “Having identified the ideal location convenient to our Gateway Dry Port inland container terminal, this facility is a key enabler of industrial activity and manufacturing in Ogun State. It will, on completion, increase the ranking of our State on the ease of doing business index.

“Because of the rail line right here, containers destined for Ogun can be ferried to Kajola and, on arrival, loaded onto the train and transported to Shederu, Kajola. Our manufacturers will be able to bring in their raw materials without having to go through the hassle of going to Lagos Tin Can or Apapa Ports to clear and transport while dealing with the attendant demurrage costs that add to their overall cost of production.
“This Port will reduce vehicular trailer traffic on our roads, thus reducing the wear and tear and early maintenance on roads leading in and out of Lagos.
“With the Gateway Inland Dry Port, we are solidifying our position as the foremost logistics and industrial hub in the country, bringing unparalleled advantages to businesses operating here.

Abiodun said the groundbreaking event was not merely the foundation of a dry port, but the beginning of a new era of economic growth, job creation, and increased prosperity, emphasizing that the project was a testament to the shared vision of prosperity and industrialization that would transform the State into a leading logistics and commercial centre both in Nigeria and across West Africa.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo, said the groundbreaking was another demonstration of the administration’s commitment to grow the economy and spread development to every part of the State.

The Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland who is also the Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, used the occasion to appeal for the reconstruction of the Sagamu interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro road to derive full benefits of the project. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the siting of the port in the State, noting that his Renewed Hope agenda was already taking shape.

*Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital

The World Bank’s Senior Vice President by the name of Indermit Gill, who is originally Indian, incited mass panic in Nigeria on October 14 when he said Nigeria would need to sustain its current soul-sucking, agonizingly punishing, and self-destructive “reforms” for “at least another 10 to 15 years to transform its economy.”

Gill’s speech at the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja—which read partly like the smug, cloying, self-congratulatory bluster President Bola Tinubu would write and partly like the intentionally obfuscating gobbledygook of dubious experts who want to conceal the truth from the uninitiated—elicited verbal and nonverbal expressions of fervent disapproval from the well-fed elites of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning (who planned the event) when he said Nigeria must continue this path of national self-incineration “at least another 10 to 15 years.”

Gill was compelled to wonder aloud if the murmurs his callous exhortation triggered were a signal of disagreement or agreement from his audience. The camera zoomed in on people nodding discontentment or using their fingers to gesture disapproval. If he is smart, he would know the answer to his question.

But the soulless, blood-sucking economic vampire was unmoved. He insisted that enduring “terrible hardship across the breadth of Nigerian society” (his words) as a consequence of the gutting of petrol subsidies is the only way to “become the engine of growth in sub-Saharan Africa.” “It is very difficult to do these things,” he said, “but the rewards are massive.” What massive rewards can come out of policies that take both lives and means of livelihood?

The phrase “at least” suggests that 10 to 15 years of piecemeal national mass immolation is the irreducible minimum required to achieve prosperity. That is, 10 to 15 years is the smallest possible national self-annihilation Nigeria has to endure to “transform its economy.” Since the least possible effort can’t always guarantee success, it means it would take more than 15 years (possibly 50 years— or even eternity) to achieve prosperity through national mass annihilation.

Well, since President Tinubu can’t rule longer than seven more years (assuming he wins a second term in 2027), the World Bank has effectively prepared the perfect, ready-made alibi to explain away the irrecoverable harm its loathsome and baleful prescriptions will visit on Nigeria in the next few years.

Tinubu’s successor, whoever that may be, would be insane to continue with this mass obliteration of the populace they call “reforms.”

 If he or she has brain cells in his or her skull and reverses this ruinous course, the World Bank would say, “Well, we told you that you needed to incinerate yourselves for at least 15 more years before you can have a chance at living. Since you brought yourselves back to life after only eight years of being in the burner, you are not sufficiently cooked, and we are not responsible for the burns and devastation that eight years of incineration brought to you. You see, you can only live if you burn yourselves alive, which you refused to do.”

This caricature might come across as grotesque and transgressive of the bounds of reasonableness, but it faithfully captures the logic of World Bank economic prescriptions for developing countries: you need to die before you can live.

If not, how could anyone celebrate the democratization of privation? “The price of [petrol] has quintupled since the subsidy cuts, imposing terrible hardships across the breadth of Nigerian society,” Gill said with a triumphant tone.

Well, one of the unspoken, unacknowledged but nonetheless far-reaching consequences of the quintupling of petrol prices is the slow but sure death of what remained of Nigeria’s education. Because of the dire existential precarity that the unaccustomed and ceaseless hikes in petrol prices have caused, many children are dropping out of school like leaves abandoning a tree before the storm hits.

A National Assembly member told me a few days ago that a prominent emir in Northwest Nigeria confided in him that he was alarmed by the sheer number of young people who are dropping out of school (at all levels of education) in his traditional sphere of authority because parents can’t afford to feed, and they consider paying the school fees of their children a burden they can’t shoulder.

This tragedy, this conscienceless assassination of the future of our youth in the service of the World Bank, isn’t limited to the North. 

Two weeks ago, a close relative of mine who lives in the Southwest requested my assistance to pay the school fees of five children who were roaming the streets because they had been sent home from school for failure to pay their school fees. Their father disappeared without a trace before he couldn’t cope. Their mother, a petty trader, manages to feed the children once in a day on a good day. But they used to get by before Tinubu’s “economic reforms” upended their lives.

We in the North are in a worse state because we are already behind the rest of the country in educational attainment. Now we are sliding even further as the sting of Tinubu’s World Bank-instigated “reforms” disrupts lives.

When a “reform” rolls back gains in school enrollment and effectively jeopardizes the future of the youth and of the country, you have to wonder why you need to implement it for at least 10 to 15 years to “grow.” It’s like pulling bricks from the foundation of a house in the name of building a taller roof. What good can possibly come out of that?

What sort of “reform” contracts the economy, diminishes the productive sector, reduces the purchasing power of the people, reverses growth in education, and even kills people’s will to live?

Tinubu has repeatedly assured Nigerians that the dark tunnel of his “reforms” will produce light during his presidency and that Nigerians only have to endure a temporary penance. But the World Bank, his puppeteer, has undercut his message. It says it will take at least 10 to 15 years of maintaining these “reforms,” which extend beyond the time he is constitutionally allowed to rule, to see any benefits.

 In other words, Nigerians are condemned to unmitigated anguish and deprivation for a deferred benefit that will never come since Tinubu won’t be around for the next 10 to 15 years, and his “reforms” would probably ensure that Nigerians don’t elect another neoliberal World Bank/IMF flunkey who will tout mass starvation of the citizenry as praiseworthy “reform.”

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: history offers too many cautionary tales of developing nations that have followed this very same script, only to find themselves worse off. Argentina in the early 2000s, for instance, stood on the precipice of ruin after blindly swallowing the IMF’s bitter medicine. With a wild, neoliberal, anarchist wacko of a president called Javier Milei, Argentina is back in the pit of World Bank/IMF hell.

 Ecuador, too, suffered a devastating financial crisis when it adopted policies that hollowed out its middle class.

 The World Bank and its cadre of international experts rarely account for the peculiarities of each nation’s economic and social dynamics. What they offer is a one-size-fits-all solution that has often wreaked havoc on the most vulnerable.

Nigeria is being told to trust this path, but development doesn’t emerge from policies that wipe out the middle class, impoverish the population, and render a nation’s currency barely worth the paper it’s printed on.

True development is rooted in fostering economic diversity, building local industry, and safeguarding the purchasing power of ordinary citizens. It’s about listening to the rhythm of the local economy and respecting its complexity, not bulldozing over it with a neoliberal agenda crafted in the halls of Washington.

No doubt, Nigeria’s economy has long needed repair. But it is one thing to call for reform and another to advocate for policies that feel like economic warfare on your own people. Tinubu may believe that this is a necessary sacrifice, but the logic of endless suffering in the name of eventual relief is deeply flawed. Countries do not develop by punishing their citizens into submission.

We must ask ourselves: how much longer can Nigeria afford to endure policies that erode its very foundation? For a nation whose citizens have weathered so many storms, the path forward must be built not on external dictates but on an understanding of Nigeria's unique strengths and vulnerabilities. And while the World Bank preaches patience from afar, Nigerians know better than most that promises of future prosperity mean little when the present is unbearable.

A leader worth following is one who understands this. A leader who places the needs of the people above the dictates of international financial institutions. Nigeria cannot afford to pay this price much longer, and Bola Tinubu's legacy may well rest on whether he is willing to listen to the cries of his people—or whether he will remain a distant echo of the world’s technocrats.

Being patriotic or loyal to Nigeria is a commitment all unwavering and obedient Nigerians must abide by. Promoting and defending Nigeria’s name/integrity in whatever capacity – politics, education, sports, entertainment or any profession – is a task that must be done by all Nigerians.

Prior to this present age, Nigerians complied with the rules and regulations scrupulously and thoroughly until now when today’s generation, widely known as Gen Z, care less about Nigeria or whatever associates with the country.

In times past, patriotic Nigerians knew, without being told or commanded, that it was their obligation to stand at attention – irrespective of where they found themselves – whenever the national anthem was being sung. Public property and national monuments were guarded and protected by Nigerians against vandalism. War against indiscipline was jointly fought by almost all Nigerians years back. Majority of Nigerians, apart from the few, were sincere in paying taxes for the development of the country was their concern. But it’s unfortunate that the faithfulness to Nigeria is hardly found among the youths In this day and age.

Why do this day’s youths think it unnecessary to put their lives on the line to defend their county unlike those in the past who did not only defend the country, but also stuck their neck out to lay their lives for Nigeria? The reason is not far-fetched. The inhuman treatments most of those who, in bygone days, had served Nigeria diligently get at their old age, during the time that their energies have already been exhausted, may be one of the reasons today’s youths place their personal interests above country’s agenda.

In fairness to many Nigerians who have lost interest in upholding Nigeria’s honour and glory, it’s unlikely to have dedicated nationals in a society where merit is scarcely rewarded. It’s few and far between to have devoted countrymen in a society where reality show on television – the show scholars tag as a ‘display of immortality’ – is more rewarding than defending Nigeria’s unity. How do we expect to have dedicated Nigerians in a country where the winners – most of who could barely recite national anthem – of reality show were the ones rewarded with millions of naira and brand new SUV cars while those who had served the country with their sweat and blood were abandoned and live in abject poverty, most especially in their old age?

The case of Peter Fregene, a former Green Eagles goalkeeper, who passed away few days ago, is a perfect example of the unkind and inhuman treatments some dedicated Nigerians get from the country of their birth after long years of service to the same country. Undoubtedly, nobody expected a man of Fregene’s calibre to be in the unfavourable condition the ex-Green Eagles star found himself at the last stage of his life but unluckily, this is what many experience almost every day.

Death is, of course, inevitable and it visits anyone anytime irrespective of one’s age. But one thing no one prays to happen to him is to go through pain before death knocks on the door. It’s disheartening to witness the way the ex-goalkeeper, Fregene, underwent agony while he was confined to bed before he gave up the ghost. Though help eventually came after many supplications, it was too late to rescue him. Had there been quick intervention, perhaps Fregene would have lived.

Peter Fregene is gone and there is nothing anyone can do to bring him back to life. But I believe there are lots the government can do to guard against similar occurrences in the future if the country still expects patriotism and loyalty from Nigerians.

Instead of waiting to seek financial assistance for our athletes, educationists, artistes and others, the government can set up a simple welfare scheme for active and retired shining examples to take good care of them during the time that they need the country most. With that, today’s youths will be encouraged to use their talents for the upliftment of Nigeria when they’re sure the country will not abandon them in time of need.

President Bola Tinubu congratulates the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, on his 71st birthday on 20 October, which also coincides with the eighth anniversary of the King’s ascension to the throne of his ancestors. 

He notes that since the coronation of the 40th Oba of Benin in 2016, his kingship has heralded a new era of peace, understanding, and civility among the people.  

The President believes that Ewuare’s illustrious career in diplomacy has influenced his leadership style and reassured the people of his ability to lead with wisdom and grace.  

Oba Ewuare served at various times as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Angola and Sweden, with accreditation to Norway, Denmark, the Republic of Finland, and later Italy.  

President Tinubu extols the Oba’s courage and unwavering commitment to preserving his domain's rich cultural heritage and tradition.

He says the King’s relentless efforts and exploration of international networks to return priceless and timeless artefacts, which carry the weight of the Benin Kingdom's history, identity, and nationality, reflect his love for his people.  

The President says this cultural preservation work is a source of pride and connection for all who share the Benin Kingdom's rich history. 

The President commends Ewuare II for his wise counsel to leaders in the private and public sectors and strong advocacy for participatory democracy and development. His sustained efforts in promoting civic responsibility and participatory democracy inspire hope for a brighter future.  

President Tinubu offers his heartfelt prayers for the continued well-being of the Oba of Benin, his family, and the entire kingdom.

May the Kingdom continue to prosper under the wise and benevolent leadership of Ewuare II, and may he and his family be blessed with health and happiness.  

Bayo Onanuga 

Special Adviser to the President  

(Information & Strategy)  

The remains of that great daughter of Igbara-Oke Kingdom, ACP Ayodele Fadairo (Nee Salotun), were buried today (18/10/24) in Ikoyi Cemetery, Lagos.

ACP Fadairo, popularly known to her many fans as Aunty Ayo L’alagbon, retired from the Nigeria Police Force more than a decade ago.

Her tomb is now adjacent to the the premises of the 

Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, FCIID, Alagbon-Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.

That command is simply known as Alagbon. 

Aunty Ayo served meritoriously there in the course of her distinguished career in the Force.

Legendary highlife muscian, Orlando Owoh, sang about his experience at Alagbon and his encounter with Aunty Ayo among other police officers. It was Orlando who actually registered the sobriquet “Aunty Ayo L’alagbon” in popular consciousness. Orlando paid compliments to Aunty Ayo in the music for her professionalism and humanity as a police officer.   

It was learnt that the organisers of her admirably curated funeral deliberately chose the spot, separated only by a fence from the Alagbon police station, as the resting place of Aunty Ayo.

The well-attended funeral service conducted at the cemetery was preceded earlier in the week by a Service of Songs and a Christian Wake.  

During the Wake yesterday there were testimonies to Aunty Ayo’s remarkable life of impact, selflessness and generosity of spirit.

A colourful reception was later held for guests in Ikeja.

Different groups, donned in the _aso-ebi_ uniform presented guests with lavish souvenirs and food packs. 

Many serving and retired police officers were at Aunty Ayo’s grave side to pay their last respects just as many members her church, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (MFM) and others were also there to say farewell to the lady and officer.    

Aunty Ayo was also a noble alumna of the Anglican Grammar School, Igbara-Oke (AGSI). Among the old students of the great school at the occasion were a former president of the AGSI Alumni Association, Chief Wale Taiwo, SAN, and a former national officer of the body, Mr. Dele Oyedokun.

The Igbara-Oke Community in Lagos was, of course, well represented by its members including former Chairman of Igbara-Develoment Council (IDC), Siji Ijogun, and the Chairman of Igbara-Oke Citizens in Lagos, Barrister Toyin Bankole.

Not a few observers of the funeral activities said Aunty Ayo’s was a lesson in living a good life.

There is no belabouring the matter that sorrow not only stalks the land, it is ravaging it. So thick is it you can almost touch its emanations that fill the atmosphere. But for its wide-spread nature, you could almost want to hold it in its intangible folds and condensation and throw it up. As a result there are lamentations from want; there are lamentations over escalation in prices of essentials, principal among which are foodstuffs and energy, that is the pump prices of Petroleum Motor Spirit more generally referred to as petrol or fuel. The one of gasoline is practically on the lips of everybody. It is elating and hope-laden that the authorities are acutely aware of this. One point I quickly wish to make is that since fuel prices have been identified as the trigger of the inflationary waves, more oil should be supplied to Dangote Refinery and at a more reduced price until the four public refineries are fixed and proper competition ensues. Reduced price from the oil source is bound to translate into reduced cost price and selling price.

It is not just bread and butter that man is grappling with in these times. There is the issue of understanding the elements as well. There is already an alert from the National Emergency Management Agency that 362 communities are under the threat of flooding. This was the same way 31 communities were tipped off last year. They were told heavy rains were on the way that would lead to heavy flooding and they should begin to take precautionary measures. National Flood Early  Warning Systems Centre, an arm of the Federal Ministry of Environment, had said all through this week, running from Monday till today, Friday, there would be heavy rains that would give rise to serious flooding which would sweep through the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and 22 states. Indeed, the cities and towns that would be hit in the listed states were mentioned. According to the Early Warning Systems Centre, ‘’Also, due to the rise in the water levels of Rivers Donga, Benue and Ogun, communities on the flood plains of these rivers, as well as other flood plains, are advised to evacuate.” Last month, several parts of the North, were ravaged by floods, hard hit in particular was Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Two weeks ago, water for households was rationed at intervals of two days to enable the government effect repairs on damaged facilities and in the words of the Ministry of Water Resources to fix “the broken –down water facilities and networks as a result of the flood that affected Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and its environs…” For the period the rationing covered, water was predictably gold!

These have become perennial problems and we human beings, relying solely on machine forecast have closed ourselves to the prompting and advice of the elemental beings, who are conscious beings and who have responsibility to protect or warn other creatures on the consequences of their own actions in bringing about heavy rains to cleanse the earth surface. The alluvial deposit from floods enhances the fertility of soils especially in areas moisture level is low. Floods raise water levels under the ground and fill water subterranean water reservoirs. Those who preoccupy themselves with these phenomena say cold spells, for example, promote oxygen supply in the lakes, in their deep water layers, and thereby raise the quality of plant and animal lives in the depth of the lakes. Thunderstorms and lightning ensure balance in electrical discharges between the tropical region and the temperate region.  Oceans would be hindered in providing the basis for development and preservation of plant life if there were no floods and hurricanes. 

What I am getting at is that these occurrences are not intended to harm but to work as agents of periodic re-creation and enhancement of life. And in the wisdom of the Most High, as Terence McKenna once said, “Nature is not mute; it is man who is deaf!” Women who have been endowed to be in the fore-front to pick promptings from Nature Beings are busy pursuing executive exertions and public acknowledgement– to be presidents or governors, renowned pilots, gold-medalist footballers, Crane drivers and weight-lifters and thereby suppress their womanliness in which lies their connection with the power of the Light and men clap for them! Any wonder the world is upside down and there is sorrow everywhere. Man is at a cross-roads. And all our religions have offered mankind for ages is a caricature of an all-loving, all-forgiving and indulgent Creator of all the worlds, not One Who demands unremittingly compliance with His immutable Laws which bear His Holy Will in which alone lies genuine happiness. 

The question we may then wish to ask ourselves is: How is it that animals, reptiles and birds are hardly hit by what we call natural disasters? It is mainly those that are in tethers or the zoos that often get caught in the storms; they are the ones often affected, some even killed. Animals, birds and reptiles pick the promptings of the elemental beings and heed their warnings and guidance. Those even in cages make frantic but futile efforts to get free and run!

The USA TODAY online published on Tuesday the report of what it described as whole families, swept away by floods. It is captioned: Entire Families Swept Away with the rider, ‘A piece of all of us’: The children lost to Hurricane Helene’s Floodwaters. The experiences are captured in part as follows: “A single pink rose blossomed on a scraggly bush next to where the front wall of the Drye family home stood until 16 days ago, the plant’s greenery a welcomed brightness amid the mud-coated land.

“Two thorny offshoots, each holding a single unopposed bud, clung defiantly to the bush. Despite floodwaters rising 27 feet above the road the plant persevered, its leaves now soaking up the bright Asheville sun. A smattering of plants and at least one tree also remained standing when the waters receded after Tropical Storm Helene.

“But it was the trio of roses that Megan Drye took solace in on a Sunday afternoon in mid-October. She believes they are a sign from her parents and young son, who perished when the family’s home collapsed into the Swannanoa River on September 27. Megan 39, was the sole survivor of the flood, which killed seven-year-old Micah Drye and Nora and Michael Drye, both 73.

“Micah was just one of the children lost in the storm. Nine-year-old Felix Wisely and his seven-year-old brother, Lucas, also died. At least one other student from Buncombe County Schools is confirmed dead, and roughly 20 remained unaccounted for Monday. Superintendent Rob Jackson said the district is ‘continuing to search’ for them.

“As the nation’s attention turned to Florida and the devastation wrought by Hurricane Milton, North Carolina is still reeling from Helene, mourning those confirmed dead and holding vigil for those still missing. In Buncombe County, home to Asheville, at least 72 have died, the largest share of Western North Carolina’s 124 confirmed deaths so far, according to USA TODAY Network analysis. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as search and rescue crews continue recovery efforts. 

“Micah was a piece of all of us,” she told the Asheville Citizen Times, part of USA TODAY Network. “He was silent –he was actually quite shy until he opened up just like Mom, and then he was your best friend. ‘And he was affectionate, just like my dad and me. He got a little piece of everyone.’

“When floodwaters forced her family to the roof, Megan texted her sisters who live out of state and told them they had escaped to the highest spot in their home. Though cell service was already knocked out, Megan’s phone upgrade the week before allowed her to message by satellite. Her sisters Jess Drye Turner quickly took to Facebook to post about the increasingly frightening situation. ‘They are watching 18 wheelers and cars floating by,’ she wrote as flooding ravaged the region. ‘This is definitely a moment faith is all you have. God knows the outcome already.’

“She soon added a photo Megan had snapped of her white sneakers on the roof, water nearly reaching the eaves and two hours later, she added a second photo. It drew thousands of reactions. Drye Turner’s next update wasn’t for almost 11 hours. Her parents and nephew had drowned, she wrote. Megan also was plunged into the river when the home collapsed, though she was rescued after becoming wedged between storage containers. Drye Turner and her sister didn’t know where Megan was taken. As she prepared to leave Texas and head to western North Carolina, she turned again to Facebook. Could anyone help them find Megan?”

Accounts such as these in the foregoing culled from USA TODAY online edition can’t but be heart-rending and sobering. In the light of the explanation of why we cannot but have flooding for the good of the soil, lakes and oceans, is it all flooding that we can say are beneficial? There are many natural disasters that, true to the words, are disastrous. Such cannot be ascribed to the activities of the Nature Beings that work in perfection and who manifest the benevolence of the Almighty Creator.  A great many instances of devastations arise from carelessness by we human beings, disregard for natural order and ignorance. To start with, man is no longer in harmony with nature. Whether it is government, private enterprises, there is absence of plants, trees that would serve as wind breakers, shrubs and grasses to rapidly absorb rain water. 

Clusters of skyscrapers going to 25 floors or even 50 seeking to touch the clouds, do not allow the soil to breathe. They also constitute excessive weight on the area where they are erected. But these are regarded by the modern man as engineering and architectural feat. With them there is oxygen supply deficiency for the less plant life, the less the supply of oxygen and rarified air. As I did state recently, plants absorb carbon dioxide and through the process of photosynthesis convert this into oxygen. Indeed, in the process we know as photosynthesis, the energy of sunlight is used to drive reactions between carbon dioxide around us and water to form carbohydrates. The complex chemical substances called carbohydrates are put in plant storage organs as in yams, cassava, potatoes—all roots, and grains such as in rice, maize, wheat and so on. When we eat them the chemical energy in them is turned into a form we need for breathing, motion, thinking, speaking and writing, for all human activities. Where there is reduction in plants, activities of Nature Beings are correspondingly reduced. Without the activities of the elemental beings life on earth for any living being, man and animals as well as birds, would have been impossible. It was not for nothing that the Whiteman built Ikoyi as a model town – all buildings erected in leafy surroundings. Our elite rushed there only for many of them to reduce a serene, beautiful town to their level!

Where there is a jungle of concrete there will be flooding. First, there is absence of plants and grasses to absorb the water. The ground compacted with heavy equipment loses the capacity to absorb water. Concrete makes it impossible for water to permeate. The water simply flows away. A collection of such becomes floods menacing the neighbourhood and the city as a whole.

Other mistakes that trigger floods are blocked drainage and natural water pathways through buildings. Buildings and commercial activities are also found in flood or landslide-prone areas. Christopher Vasey who has written extensively on “questions relating to our world view”, says “Everything in nature is interconnected; every injury in one part affects other parts, which again has a knock-on effect. Seemingly small mistakes can ultimately trigger great catastrophes.” 

However, we cannot always talk about sorrow. We must learn to plant joy and brighten up. We must understand the chemistry of sorrow and the waves of joy and happiness for they have spiritual content even in their intangibility. 

(FULL DICOURSE NEXT WEEK).

The Honourable Speaker,

House of Representatives,

National Assembly Complex,

Three Arms Zone,

Abuja, FCT.

Dear Rt. Honourable Speaker,

RE: URGENT LEGISLATIVE ATTENTION ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS.

Our attention has been drawn to the separate letters addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives, dated October 14, 2024, entitled: "Re: Urgent Legislative Attention on Constitutional Reforms Relating to Law Enforcement Agencies and Anti-corruption Efforts", Dr. Olisa Agbakoba contended that the power under which EFCC was established was beyond the powers of the National Assembly.

Convinced that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is “an unlawful organisation” because it was “unconstitutionally established", Agbakoba stated he was delighted to note that many states had finally taken it upon themselves to challenge the constitutionality of the EFCC. Even though, he did not refer to any particular case, Dr. Agbakoba said that the Supreme Court has knocked the EFCC on many occasions. On the contrary, the Supreme Court has consistently supported the efforts of the ICPC and EFCC in fighting the misma of monumental corruption in the country.

However, the argument of Dr. Agbakoba is anchored on the premise that the establishment law of the EFCC has violated the basic tenets of federalism. It is pertinent to recall that in the celebrated case of the Attorney-General of Ondo State v Attorney-General pof the Federation & Ors (2022) 27 WRN 1, the Plaintiff (Ondo State Government) had challenged the constitutional validity of the establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission Act, 2000. The Attorney-General of Ondo State was the Plaintiff while the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of 35 States were the Defendants.

In that case, the Late Professor Ben Nwabueze and Dr. Agbakoba were the amici curiae while I was privileged to have represented one of the Defendants. It is on record that several Defendants and the amici curiae had argued profusely that the ICPC Act was unconstitutional in every material particular. Both amici curiae urged the Court to annul the ICPC Act.

Upon a critical analysis of the submissions of all counsel including the amicus curiae, the apex court upheld the constitutional validity of the ICPC Act. In the leading judgment of the Court delivered by Uwais CJN (as he then was) it was held that the National Assembly "has the sole power for the establishment and regulation of authorities for the federation or any part thereof so as to promote and enforce the observance of the nation’s responsibility to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power [which fall under the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in section 15(5)” of the 1999 CFRN.

“If this is a breach if the principles of federalism, then, I am afraid, it is the Constitution that makes provisions that have facilitated breach of the principles. As far as the aberration is supported by the provisions of the Constitution, I think I cannot rightly be argued that an illegality has occurred by the failure of the Constitution to adhere to the cardinal principles which are at best ideals to follow or guidance for an ideal situation.

…the provisions of section 13 thereof apply to ‘all organs of government and all authorities and persons exercising legislative, executive or judicial powers’. The provisions do not distinguish between Federal, State or Local Governments. Again the provisions of Section 14 subsection (4) specifically apply to the ‘government of a State’, a local government council or any agencies of such government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the government or council or such agencies.” See Olafisoye v. FRN (2004) 4 NWLR (Pt. 864) 580.

Even though we cannot comment on the merit of the case of Attorney-General of Abia State & 15 Ors v Attorney-General of the Federation pending at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, it is pertinent to refer the members of the National Assembly to the case of Attorney-General of Abia State v Attorney-General of Federation (2024) LPELR -62576 (SC).

In that case, the Plaintiff had argued that the power of the EFCC to prosecute financial crimes did not extend to the management of the accounts of Abia State Government. The plaintiff then sought "declarations, including a perpetual injunction, toggf prevent the EFCC from taking any such actions, including the freezing of its bank accounts." The defendant (AGF) filed a preliminary objection to the effect that it had been incorrectly sued, because the EFCC was an independent body outside its lawful management and control.

In upholding the preliminary objection of the Defendants, the Supreme Court held that the facts of the case did not disclose any dispute between the plaintiff and the defendants within the meaning of section 232(1) of the Constitution and that there was no complaint against the first defendant (AGF) as representing the Federal Government as all the complaints were against the EFCC.

Consequently, the Supreme Court struck out the case but held that the plaintiff is at liberty to sue the EFCC, but not in the Supreme Court as the EFCC is neither a State nor the Federation. We wish to state without any fear of contradiction, that no State Government has followed the advice of the apex court by filing a suit to challenge the constitutionality of the EFCC Act in a court of competent jurisdiction.

However, a number of former governors have continued to question the locus standi of the EFCC to arrest, investigate and prosecute them for the criminal diversion of public funds belonging to state governments. For instance, in the case of Nyame vs Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010) 3 SC (Pt.1) 78, the Supreme Court held inter alia:

“Sections 6 (m) and 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act vest in EFCC the function and duty of investigating and prosecuting persons reasonably suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes. For a person to rush to court to place a clog or shield against criminal investigation and prosecution is a clear interference with the powers given by law and the Constitution to EFCC in the conduct of criminal investigation and prosecution."

In view of the duty imposed on the State by section 15(5) of the Constitution to "abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power", the Supreme Court has held in the case of Shema Federal Republic of Nigeria (2018) 9 NWLR (PT. 1624) 337 @ 398 that "In the co-operative federalism practiced in Nigeria, the EFCC is a common agency empowered to investigate and prosecute offenders for both the Federal and state economic and financial crimes and as such it qualifies as 'any other authority or person' empowered by section 211 (1) (b) of the Constitution to institute or initiate criminal proce edings. EFCC is the co-ordinating agency for the enforcement of the provisions of any other law or regulation on economic and financial crimes, including the Criminal Code and Penal Code. The Commission has powers under section 13 (2) of the EFCC Act to prosecute offences so long as they are financial crimes.”

Instead of ensuring that the EFCC, ICPC and Code of Conduct Bureau serve as "common agencies" of the people of Nigeria in combating the misma of monumental corruption in the country, some state governments have a penchant for terminating grave economies and financial crimes by filing vnolle prosequi applications. Others usually rush to either State High Court or Federal High Court to procure frivolous court injunctions to frustrate the prosecution of serving public officers and thereby making a mockery of public accountability and transparency in government.

In the light of the foregoing, we urge the members of the National Assembly to take advantage of the ongoing constitutional review to end the diversionary debate about the validity of the EFCC Act and ICPC Act by entrenching both Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission in the Constitution. In other words, if both commissions are constitutionalised, they will be protected and strengthened to fight the menace of corruption and money laundering.

As we await your reply to this letter, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem and professional regards.

Yours sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN.

The Libyan Football Federation is panicking after being asked by CAF to submit documents relating to the cancellation of the AFCON qualifying Group D match against Nigeria after the latter refused to play the match after their plane was diverted to Labraq Airport and held hostage for 18 hours without food and water.

According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, the Secretary-General and person in charge of running the body, Nasser Al-Suwaie, confirmed in a special statement to Libya Al-Ahrar that CAF has given the Libyan and Nigerian associations until the 20th of this month to submit the documents related to this file.

Al-Suwaie revealed that the Libya FA has assigned a specialised lawyer to provide evidence, adding that there may be collusion from some parties within the CAF, but the position of the Libyan Federation is strong.

Al-Suwaie added that the Libyan Federation did not change the course of the plane’s landing to Al-Abraq Airport, and the reason for changing the plane’s landing to Al-Abraq was a decision by the Libyan state, and that the sovereignty of the Libyan state must be respected by everyone.

The Super Eagles returned the country on Monday with gory tales of taking turns to sleep on the bare floor of the airport, with the team manager, Patrick Pascal, explaining that the toilet had been deliberately seriously messed up by the Libyan officials in anticipation of their arrival.

[Punch]