The living reality in Northern Nigeria is very explosive. If anyone is interested in finding the practical meaning of the Hobbesian description of life being ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’, just look at what life is in Northern Nigeria. Indices of poverty, unemployment, inequality are beyond description. Conditions of schools and hospitals is, to say the least, depressing. The civil service, in virtually all the nineteen states, is only a shadow of itself, with hardly any public service activity taking place. Our illustrious and respected traditional institutions have been devalued and reduced to state of hopelessness. Most of our religious leaders and centres are far removed from God’s way of life. Few industries exist in the region. And on account of insecurity, agricultural activities, which is the main stay of the economy of the region, is highly on the decline.

No need to go into conventional statistical analysis of out of school children, number of people living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. Not to talk of problems of drugs and substance abuse. Problems of broken homes and abandoned children is quite alarming. As it is, the North is an explosive waiting to explode. We have lost virtually all our homes, our families and our children. Every person with human feeling should be saddened with the reality of what the Northern part of Nigeria has become. Sadly, even the one strength the North is known for, which is strongly united political leaders, has been lost.

More than anytime in the political history of Nigeria, the North has never been disunited without any semblance of political leadership like we have in today’s Nigeria. Partly, on account of lack of unity, the quality of political leadership in the North is sharply on the decline. Many so-called politicians are Internally Displaced Persons/Politicians (IDPs), especially once they are out of office. Those in office today are potential IDPs. Consequently, the worst among us, with hardly any commitment to resolving the challenges facing the North, find their way to political leadership in the North simply because they can cheaply access elective and appointive offices and control public resources, which is largely mismanaged and privatised.

Perhaps, the opportunity for Northern political leaders to redeem themselves and return the North back to rational order with committed leaders capable of responding to the challenges of the region was blown away during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The painful reality was that no leader in the political history of Nigeria gained the kind of national acceptability former President Buhari had at the beginning of his tenure. The closest was Chief M. K. O. Abiola whose election was annulled by the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. More than any Northern political leader, former President Buhari undisputedly won the votes of people from both Northern and Southern Nigeria, which could have been used to produce new crop of selfless leadership for the country. Selfless leadership is required to put every part of Nigeria on the roadmap to national development.

Golden eight years between 2015 and 2023 was lost. Instead, the country, especially the North became worse off with crisis of insecurity taking over everywhere. Problems of poverty, unemployment, drugs and substance abuses, etc. becoming almost peculiar characteristics of the Northern region. Unfortunately, here we are under President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who got majority of the votes that won him the Presidency from the three regions in the North but seem to be only interested in taking advantage of the lack of unity among leaders in the region. Certainly, not his fault and if he is uninterested in challenges facing the region, no one, especially Northern political leaders, should complain.

Partly, on account of lack of unity among leaders in the North, President Asiwaju Tinubu has marginalised the people of North-Central in the political leadership of the country. It is quite depressing that President Asiwaju Tinubu could marginalise the people of North-Central in the manner he did without leaders in the North showing any concern. In addition to marginalising the people of North-Central, he imposed Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje from North-West as National Chairman of APC, which is the ruling party. Out of all the political leaders of North-West, he finds no one who is better qualified but Dr. Ganduje with all the baggage of corruption allegations and poor political relations with other leaders in Kano State, including the Kano State Government. Partly, because of the poor relations between Dr. Ganduje and Kano State Government, the revered Kano Emirate Council has been plunged into avoidable crisis with no end in sight and President Asiwaju Tinubu is pretending to be uninterested.

So far, one year has pass into President Asiwaju Tinubu administration. No doubt, Northern political leaders are becoming weaker and more disorganised. Even the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima GCON, who is the highest office holder and by virtue of that should have served as the needed rallying point for Northern politicians, is anything but a political leader. With every respect, hardly any official of the current administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu from the North, including Sen. Shettima, is willing and able to take the needed risk to defend the interest of the North. Painfully, what is emerging is that most leaders from the North are more concern about self-preservation in the government.

Because of self-preservation, already scheming for 2027 has commenced. Within the Presidency there are indicative cold war dynamics and positioning, which is alleged to be responsible for the praise-singing disposition of Vice President Shettima. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mal. Nuhu Ribadu has devalued an exalted office almost to the status of a Protocol Office to President Asiwaju Tinubu. Virtually all other Northern politicians holding offices in this government, including the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume are absentee public servants who have been reduced to members of a choir group poorly singing ‘on your mandate we stand’ irrespective of the shaky and staggering reality being demonstrated by the mandate holder with reference to poor service delivery and crashing living conditions in the last one year.

Despairingly, opposition political leaders are hardly any better. With hardly any exception, they seem to be only interested in their narrow ambition to contest for office in 2027. The question of uniting political leaders and developing the needed political framework to respond to national challenges is hardly given any consideration. It is quite worrisome that we have crashed, both as politicians and as a region, beyond rational reasoning. More worrisome is the fact that we imagine that we can continue like this, and perhaps current leaders impose themselves on Nigerians in 2027.

We need to caution political leaders in the country that things are about to get out of hand any moment from now especially in the North. If care is not taken, hungry people who are everywhere in the North will start breaking into homes and looting properties of innocent citizens. The other danger is that innocent citizens going about their normal businesses could be attacked on the streets by hungry people. Regrettably, all we do as politicians is to go about doing things the old way and most times promoting the primordial sentiment around ethnicity and religion as reasons for our failings. The truth is that Northern politicians are the problem of the North and by extension the country. Certainly, Northern politicians hold the remote control for the explosive in the region.

Until the North wake up and get its politicians organised, united and committed to providing the needed leadership to resolve the challenges of the region, the explosive, which the region has become may go off anytime soon. It may go off largely because of the default mindset of an average Northern politician of today’s generation who only think about himself/herself alone. Any other thing, including public service and responding to societal challenges is not his/her business. For the North to wake up and change this default mindset, conscious effort must be made to develop new frontiers of political organisation in the region and in the country. Such new frontier of political organisation must be strategically about building a formidable team of respected Nigerians who could deploy themselves within the structures of a political party based on the commitment of mobilising human and material resources to resolve challenges facing the North and by extension the country.

The mistake of the past, especially with reference to former President Buhari and now President Asiwaju Tinubu whereby frontiers of political organisation was development based on individual ambition to contest election must be avoided. Developing frontiers of political organisations based on the ambitions of former President Buhari and President Asiwaju Tinubu has only produced the current monstrous reality of electing emperors and overloads who are succeeding in disintegrating the foundation of Nigerian democracy.

As it is, there is now a prevailing atmosphere of fear among political leaders. Structures of virtually all the registered political parties have been demobilised. None of the parties is organising meetings and none is recruiting members. In fact, hardly any of the registered parties and its leaders are debating what is to be done to resolve our current national challenges, especially the explosive waiting to explode in the North. Most political leaders and parties are afraid of taking initiatives that could begin to mobilise Nigerians in a different direction. And as far as the APC and President Asiwaju Tinubu are concerned, they believed they could deploy the advantage of being the so-called ruling party to win the 2027 elections even as they have failed or are failing to respond to challenges facing the country.

Remarkably, this is a complete contrast of the records of President Asiwaju Tinubu in Lagos State. Some of us who supported the emergence of President Asiwaju Tinubu did so with reference to what he did in Lagos, notably being able to recruit generation of successive visionary leaders for the State and putting in place the development blueprint that gave birth to modern Lagos State. So far, the Lagos reality is no where near what is emerging under the Asiwaju Presidency. Given the absence of any plan, governance by impulse seems to be the order with wide range of speculations all over the political landscape.

Yet, Nigerians expect our democracy to perform miracles. So long as political leaders are not willing to take the needed responsibility to start organising the new frontier of political organisation, which can hold elected leaders accountable based on which they are able to respond to societal and national challenges, our democracy will continue to produce emperors and overloads and our challenges will continue to get worse. Worsening situation will continue to spread across every part of the country. Nigerians must be reminded that the crisis of insecurity in the country was predominantly located in the North-East and some parts of North-West in 2015. Sadly, it has now covered the whole of the nineteen Northern States, South-East and parts of South-West in different ways.

Above all, it has become an explosive in the whole North waiting to explode. If care is not taken, like the problem of insecurity, the explosive in the North, which is largely a product of hunger, unemployment and collapse of economic activities may spread to other parts of the country. It will be tragic if that is allowed to happen. Nigerian politicians must wake up and do the needful. Northern political leaders must make the needed sacrifices and begin to work for the detonation of the explosive in the North. Such sacrifices must be reflected in the willingness and commitment of leaders to participate in the development of new frontiers of political organisation in the country, which should subordinate elected leaders and make them accountable. Anything short of that could make the explosive in the North to explode and spread to other parts of the country.

May God Almighty touch the hearts of all our political leaders in the country. May He also strengthen the capacity, drive and wisdom of patriotic Nigerians across every part of Nigeria to unite and develop the vanguard for the formation of the new frontiers of political organisation in the country. May God Almighty make the new frontier of political organisation successful in Nigeria capable of reforming and transforming Nigerian political parties to produce new generation of accountable and responsive political leaders across every part of the country. And May He crown the new frontier with victory in 2027 and even before 2027 immediately detonate the explosive in North. Amin

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has frowned at the reported plot by the Sokoto Government to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar.

Naija News reports that there has been a series of mixed reactions on and off the media after reports emerged that the Sokoto government, led by Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, is plotting to dethrone the revered traditional ruler.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the National President of MACBAN, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, warned the government to ‘tread softly’, emphasizing the need for the protection and preservation of the institution of the Sultanate in the country.

Othman-Ngelzarma expressed that the establishment of the Sultanate, which has a history extending back two centuries, should not be manipulated by politicians who were expected to be directing their efforts towards fostering effective governance.

He criticized the supposed indirect attempts to weaken the esteemed Sultan, representing the emblem of Islamic power in Nigeria.

He said, “We believe protecting and preserving the institution of the Sultanate is a cardinal responsibility of every right-thinking personality in the country.

“We call upon the Sokoto State Government, especially the legislature, to tread softly and do all that is necessary to preserve and protect the institution that represents an all-important ideology that created it.

“Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria is worried by the media reports alleging that the Sokoto Government intends to whittle down the powers of his Eminence the Sultan, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III.”

Othman-Ngelzarma said MACBAN stood firmly with the Sultan, adding, “because we believe he deserves better as he has shown the capacity to uphold justice and equity in all his dealings.

“This is evident in his efforts to propagate religious and ethnic tolerance in Nigeria among diverse groups.

“His background as a military man, his resoluteness to speak the truth and his standing for the poor and underprivileged despite being an aristocrat makes him a model for leaders to emulate.”

[NaijaNews]

Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) in Lagos is set to host the country’s first-ever airport wedding.

The ceremony, which will take place at the MMA2 terminal’s ticketing hall, is set to hold this Saturday, June 29, 2024.

The soon-to-be-married couple, Alli Olamide Miracle and Agboola Abiodun Qudus, will exchange their vows amidst the backdrop of departing and arriving flights, surrounded by their families, friends, and well-wishers.

Dubbed ‘My Airport Wedding,’ the initiative aims not only to celebrate love but also to showcase MMA2 as more than just a terminal for flight operations.

According to Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi, Head of Corporate Communications at Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the event promises to leave a lasting impression on the aviation and entertainment industries.

“We are thrilled to pioneer this unique event at MMA2,” Yinka-Olawuyi remarked. “It’s a testament to our commitment to innovation and creating memorable experiences for our passengers and terminal users.”

The ceremony is expected to draw attention from both local and international audiences, highlighting Nigeria’s growing prominence in the global aviation sector. Attendees, whether physically present or joining virtually through online platforms, are poised to witness a spectacle that blends romance with the dynamic atmosphere of an airport terminal.

“With our slogan ‘More than a terminal’, Bi-Courtney continues to redefine airport experiences,” Yinka-Olawuyi added. “This event underscores our dedication to offering more than just travel convenience.”

LEADERSHIP reports that MMA2 is Nigeria’s first and only privately-funded Airport, operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.

[Leadership]

No fewer than 47 suspects have been arrested by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna for allegedly vandalizing rail tracks.

In a statement posted on its official X handle on Saturday, the Nigerian Army Headquarters said the operation was carried out on June 26, 2024, during a routine patrol along Kakau Daji- Anguwan Ayaba.

The statement said the suspects, who had loaded two trucks with the vandalized rail tracks prior to their arrest, alleged that they were employed by one Alhaji Babawo.

According to the suspects, Alhaji Babawo who is currently at large, was to load the vandalized rail tracks and off-load them in a nearby bush along the road.

Parading the criminal elements during profiling at 312 Artillery Regiment Kaduna, the Acting Commander 1 Division Provost Group, Lt Col IY Rena stated that the suspects were profiled to ascertain their level of involvement during the preliminary investigation.

He further stated that the suspects were also individually interviewed and cross-examined while efforts were being made to arrest the gang leader who is on the run.

Lt Col Rena revealed that, on a visit to the crime scene, some of the vandalized rail tracks were found concealed in the nearby bushes waiting to be evacuated by the criminal syndicates.

The suspects were later handed over to the Authorities of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kaduna Station for further investigation and prosecution.

[DailyPost]

Aviation Securities at the Lagos Airport have handed over a 29-year-old passenger, Ayemobola Mojadesola, and her mother to the police for allegedly conducting themselves in an unruly manner.

The arrested passengers were said to have inflicted a bodily injury on a staff member, (name withheld) of the Lagos airport.

It was gathered that the passenger had earlier lent a pen from the aviation worker but an argument ensued when the staff member later asked for the pen.

Eyewitnesses said the short argument became aggravated and both Mojadesola and her mother pounced on the aviation worker, injuring her in the face close to her eye socket.

The passengers were also accused of destroying two laptops during the fracas.

In a post on X on Saturday, the publicist of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, appealed to passengers to desist from unruly behaviours, advising them to always report all issues to NCAA officers instead of going violent.

Achimugu explained that “Because she was asked to return a borrowed pen, a passenger named Ayemobola Mojadesola (born 1995) and her mother attacked an airport official, causing facial injuries and destroying two laptops in the process.

“She was arrested by AVSEC and had to buy replacement laptops and offered N50,000 cash for medical treatment of the injured staff. I must reiterate that unruly behaviour and destruction of airport equipment will not be tolerated.

“Always refer to them if you are not satisfied with the service rendered by operators. The airline offloaded the passenger for unruly behaviour and she was taken by AVSEC to Tango City before being handed over to the Nigeria Police Force.”

Achimugu further stated that Aviation equipment and staffers at every airport are there to facilitate safe and secure travel.

“They are not punching bags. I urge aggravated passengers to always seek the assistance of the NCAA Consumer Protection Officers at the terminals. They are there to help you,” he added.

[Punch]

When I wrote my column last week about being sick and tired of being sick and tired, I had not the slightest inkling that it would resonate with such vast and varied strata of the Nigerian public sphere. I merely wanted to ventilate the pent-up disillusionment that had welled up in me over time and expected most people to ignore my self-absorbed rumination.

Columnism is, after all, self-expression before it is public commentary. In fact, all forms of writing are conscious and unconscious self-portraitures. As Nobel-Prize-winning South African author John Maxwell Coetzee noted in his 1994 book titled Doubling the Point, “All writing is autobiography; everything that you write, including criticism and fiction, writes you as you write it.”

That was why I was overcome with pleasant disbelief by the unexpectedly overwhelming profusion of identification with the sentiments I expressed in my column, by the cornucopia of pleas to me to not stop writing, and by the careful, flattering chronicling by readers of the impact that my writing has had and continues to have in Nigerian politics and policies. 

Let me make this clear: I won’t stop writing, haven’t given up on Nigeria, and have resolved to resist the disempowering but tempting tyranny of cynicism and surrender. I was merely giving vent to my disillusion at our prolonged infancy as a country, and it was therapeutic.  I am glad that it also helped provide conscious language for others to articulate their bottled-up mental and emotional exhaustion. I hope that our passions will be rejuvenated after we vent because giving up is not an option. 

One of the scores of emails I received over the past few days in response to the column humorously pointed to my rather unusually caustic spat with the Supreme Court in February 2023. It noted that of the thousands of people who routinely criticize the Supreme Court, I was the first and so far the only person in Nigeria’s history (I haven’t fact-checked this claim) whom the Supreme Court considered worthy of an individual response, even if the response was an apoplectic and threatening one. “If that isn’t making a difference, I don’t know what is,” she wrote.

Others called my attention to the Nigerian Labor Congress borrowing the perspective and language of the column I wrote on the economic apartheid in socially stratifying electricity consumption into “bands,” among scores of examples they identified as solid evidence of the seepage and utility of my thoughts in arenas that matter.

Well, I am probably guilty of what I choose to call a vulgar uniformization of markers of success of endeavors, by which I mean the tendency to use the same yardstick to measure the impact of all actions.  In today’s Nigeria, for instance, conspicuous consumption—big cars, glitzy houses, expensive phones, sartorial extravagance, lavish gastronomic indulgence, etc.—has been uniformized as the only legitimate marker of success.

Even immensely accomplished, well-regarded, and far-famed professionals whose contributions to their fields will outlast them consider themselves—or are made to consider themselves—as “failures” if they are not “rich,” if they can’t flaunt vain indicators of prosperity, if they are just merely modestly comfortable. This crude uniformization of pointers of success is the main driver of the rat race for wealth by any means.

Maybe, I was guilty of uniformizing how impact is measured. Expectation of immediate, drastic, and dramatic change in policies and practices in response to sustained critical interventions is unrealistic, even quixotic. Persuasion takes time and work. Even at its best, it is often a gradual process consisting of small, incremental changes at a time.

That’s why revolutions take time to gestate and incubate before they burst forth. All revolutions start out as disparate resentments that coalesce into mass resistance, often at the rhetorical level. Mass resistance then blossoms into spontaneous, leaderless protests. If the frenzy and rage of the protests are sustained by the conditions that inspired them, they culminate in a rebellion.

 If the rebellion has a self-aware, transcendent, ideologically situated vanguard, it can achieve the status of a revolution. And it can start with something as seemingly inconsequential and belaboring as writing.

Well, as I pointed out last week, this isn’t the first time I’ve questioned the efficacy of my popular interventions and (temporarily) divested my emotions from the home of my birth (where my heart always is) in frustration. 

About this time last year, I chose to impose on myself a moratorium on active Nigerian political commentary and social media intervention, which was occasioned yet again by my temporary loss of hope in the capacity of Nigeria to reform. 

After self-reflection, I concluded that the passions, energies, commitments, hopes, and aspirations that I had invested in Nigeria through my commentaries and engagements were wasted efforts because they made no difference. I concluded that I was merely wailing in the wilderness and that no one of consequence heard me.

Even when I thought I was heard, I didn’t think I made any impact. The vitriol and threats to my life that my engagements invited, particularly during Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, would be worth it, I thought, if I made a difference, if I galvanized enough people to set aside their primordial differences and demand good governance from whoever was in power. After more than two decades of doing the same thing with the same result, I thought I was done.

Then, out of the blues, I became aware that the legendary Professor Toyin Falola—author of nearly 200 books with some of the world’s most prestigious presses, one of the world’s most cited living scholars, and an endowed Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin and Extraordinary Professor of Political Science at University of Pretoria— had written a book titled Citizenship and the Diaspora in the Digital Age: Farooq Kperogi and the Virtual Community that chronicles, analyzes, evaluates, and engages with the social, political, and cultural commentaries in my columns and social media platforms. 

On June 15, 2023, an academic conference was also organized by the University of Pretoria’s African Centre for the Study of the United States with the theme “Farooq Kperogi, The Digital Age and US-African Diaspora Diplomacy,” at the behest of Professor Falola, where scholars from around the world discussed and analyzed my scholarship, newspaper columns, and online dialogic engagements.

I felt at once honored, flattered, and appreciated in ways I hadn’t before. I asked myself: so, someone of Professor Falola’s heft and gravitas notices my writing enough to find it worthy not just of his time but of his scholarly engagement in a book form? Had I been underrating the value of what I did?

As I said in my remarks during the conference, it was indescribably humbling when a vastly accomplished, larger-than-life, widely respected scholar like Professor Falola about whom books have been written, in whose honor annual transnational scholarly conferences are held, who is the most famous African scholar in the United States, and from whom I derive inspiration and guidance in my scholarly pursuits found me worthy to write an entire book about even when I consider yourself a mere mid-career academic who is still building his work. It’s an honor I truly believe I am wholly unworthy of but that I nonetheless embrace and cherish.

In moments of emotional weakness, which is natural when you’re the citizen of a country like Nigeria whose leaders serially violate even the most modest expectations of good governance, I will always remember the encouragement I received from esteemed intellectual patriarchs like Professor Falola, the hundreds of readers who wrote to me and left comments on my social media pages, and my heightened self-awareness that the impact of writing is often osmotic and almost imperceptive but significant nonetheless.  

I have also come away with another insight: Passionate criticism of governance is often evidence of deep devotion to the progress of the country. Its absence can be a signal of the loss of hope in the redemptive capacity of critical engagement with the state. That’s not a state any state should want its citizens to be in. 

On Thursday, I read Nyesom Wike railing against government critics like Senator Shehu Sani by saying, “The fact that many of you are activists does not mean you will do well if you were in our position. We have activists who have failed woefully in office. We have seen activists that were given appointments and yet they didn't perform.”

Well, we don’t criticize because we think we would do a better job than the people we criticize. An English proverb that I like to quote in response to these sorts of pushback from people in government, says the onlookers, not the participants, see most of the game. 

Coaches and technical advisers are needed in games not because the coaches and technical advisers are better than the players (several coaches and technical advisers, in fact, don't have half the talent of players), but because the coaches and technical advisers have the benefit of technical knowledge and, most importantly, critical detachment from the field of play, which enables them to see the blind spots that players don’t and can’t see.

As I reflect on my participation at the recently concluded Afreximbank 2024 Annual Meetings in Nassau, Bahamas premised on the theme ‘Owning our Destiny: Economic Prosperity on a Platform of Global Africa’, I am reminded about what really matters, not only in my professional capacity as the Group Chief Economist at what is aptly described as the Global African Bank-Afreximbank, but also on my role as a citizen of the continent and key stakeholder of this Global Africa movement. Being principally responsible for the intellectual sessions and segments of the three-day meetings, which featured over 100 high level speakers who gave insightful remarks and suggestions across 18 technical panel sessions, and with about 4,000 attendees, I could clearly see the imperative for Africa to harness its own resources, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit to chart a path towards sustainable growth and global influence.

For too long, Africa, despite its immense wealth, has been viewed through a lens of poverty, conflict, fragility and instability. Africa’s development has been shaped by external forces—colonialism, foreign aid, global economic dynamics, and fragmentation that traces its history to Berlin. A divided Africa – of about 2 billion people scattered across the world – has certainly not thrived in their individuality. While these narratives and influences have hindered Africa’s ability to attract investments, slowed the continent’s growth and development and left indelible marks, they have also obscured the continent’s inherent strengths, and prevented African nations from reaching their full potential.

However, our conversations in Nassau have shown that this narrative is undergoing a profound transformation, and Africa is increasingly being recognized not just for its vast natural resources and resilience in the face of global shocks, but also its globally dispersed young and dynamic population, its vibrant culture and its growing consumer class. To capitalize on this momentum, African nations are now appreciating the vision of its forefathers and embracing the need to come together to create a unified ‘Global Africa’ vision for the continent’s future. The concept of “Global Africa” is one that emphasizes the interconnectedness of Africans across the globe and the importance of collaboration and unity in achieving prosperity in a world where isolationism and neo-protectionism are increasingly prevalent

At the ‘Global African Bank’-Afreximbank, this “Global Africa” vision is a multifaceted and ambitious concept aimed at integrating Africans into the global economy while simultaneously fostering intra-African cooperation and development. By emphasizing the historical context as a critical middle passage to understanding Africa’s current underdevelopment, particularly the transatlantic slave trade which culminated in negative demographic consequences, economic disruption, internal instability and cultural erosion, this Global Africa vision aims to create a future where Africa can thrive both independently and as a dynamic player in global affairs. The concept of Global Africa is therefore not just a means to integrate Africa into the global economy but is one that seeks to promote the economic interests of all Africans irrespective of geographic location. Indeed, the gathering of Africans in the Bahamas for the 2024 Afreximbank Annual Meetings underscored the need to forge strong alliances that will enable us to deal with our common challenges in an era of rising polycrisis.

Strengthening Regional Integration through the AfCFTA and Afri-Caribbean Free Trade Agreement

A key component of this vision is the promotion of intra-African trade and Afri-Caribbean trade. Currently, intra African trade, though rising, still accounts for only about 15% of its total trade, compared to about 69% in Europe and 59% in Asia.  Afri-Carribean Trade is even smaller at under 2%. To increase intra-African trade and Afri-Caribbean trade, we must -as summarized in the Afreximbank President, Bennedict Oramah, own statement at the meetings- prioritise the establishment of sea and air link between these two regions, facilitating human resource exchanges that will foster skills, knowledge and technology transfers. Furthermore, we must collectively build strong and sizeable continental regional development financial institutions, including accelerating steps towards creating the Caribbean Exim Bank to promote Afri-Caribbean trade, to reduce dependence on exports to other regions, create new economic opportunities, and stimulate job growth. With the Global African bank, Afreximbank, championing regional integration between Africa and the Caribbean, we can significantly boost intra-global African trade, enhance competitiveness, and attract foreign investment, while promoting political stability and collective bargaining power on the global stage.

Technological Innovation and Digital Economy

Africa is home to a growing community of tech entrepreneurs, who are leveraging technology to solve some of global Africans’ most pressing challenges. From mobile money platforms that support home remittances to telemedicine services, African startups are at the forefront of digital innovation. The rapid adoption of mobile technology across Africa is a testament to the continent’s potential for technological leapfrogging. Countries like Kenya, with its M-Pesa mobile banking platform, have demonstrated how innovation can drive financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

Value Addition through Empowered Human Capital & Optimized Resource Management

Africa is rich in natural resources and boasts the world’s youngest population, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25. Correctly harnessing this youthful energy present across the globe is a powerhouse for innovation and growth. Equipping young Africans with the skills and education, particularly in STEM fields, to thrive in a digital economy can transform global Africa into a hub of technological advancement. Moreover, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and providing access to capital can unleash a wave of startups that drive local and global markets.

Although Africa is richly endowed with natural resources, Africa must focus on value addition and end the historical pattern of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods which has perpetuated economic dependency. This means developing industries, such as the Electric Vehicle sector, that can beneficiate rare earth metals and other such raw materials domestically, thereby creating jobs on the continent as well as increasing Africa’s GDP and wealth.

Harnessing the Diaspora

The African diaspora scattered across the globe, represents a vast reservoir of talent, expertise, and financial resources that can be engaged through investment opportunities, knowledge transfer, and cultural exchange to accelerate Africa’s development. Beyond the financial capital inflows from the African diaspora, are the human capital investments made when experienced and empowered ‘repatriates’ return home to the continent to help build their countries, cities and communities of origin – particularly by leveraging their often vast and powerful global networks and net worth.

Sustainable Development and Climate Resilience

A Global Africa vision must prioritize sustainable development in the Caribbean and Africa’s fragile ecosystems. Both regions are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change with significant impacts on agriculture, water resources, and health. Africa’s path to prosperity for all Africans must prioritize sustainable development and invest in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient infrastructure by pioneering green technologies and sustainable practices that protect its environment and set an example for the rest of the world. An AfCFTA implementation amalgamated with climate resilient development principles provides an opportunity to address climate change issues while simultaneously pursuing development goals and driving the objectives of a Global Africa”.

Cultural Pride and Identity

Africa has a rich and diverse cultural heritage-a source of strength and resilience for its people. By celebrating and preserving this heritage, Africans all over the world can build a sense of unity, solidarity, and a shared history and prosperity that transcends borders and fosters a sense of belonging and pride. This can help to counter negative stereotypes and perceptions of Africa and promote a more positive image of the continent on the global stage.

What is the Global African Bank Doing in this regard?

Afreximbank has spearheaded several projects and initiatives that embody this Global Africa narrative. This includes:

• the Intra-Africa Trade Fair which aims to boost intra-Africa Trade by providing a platform for Global African businesses around the world to explore trade and investment opportunities,
• MANSA repository which provides reliable information about Global African businesses thereby enhancing transparency and trust in Global African markets,
• Pan-African Payment and Settlement System which facilitates cross border payments within Africa, reducing the cost and complexity of intra- Global African trade, and
• Cultural promotion programs such as the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) are aimed at enhancing Global Africa’s soft power, ensuring that African narratives and identities are represented and respected globally.

Conclusions

As we navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing global landscape, it is becoming increasingly clear that the future of economic prosperity lies in Africa’s hands. With its rich resources, vibrant cultures, and innovative spirit, Africa has the potential to not only shape its own destiny but also influence the course of the global economy.

The Global Africa narrative, championed by Afreximbank (The Global Africa Bank) is a powerful tool in reshaping perceptions and driving development. Afreximbank is not only promoting economic growth but also advocating for comprehensive and reparative justice that acknowledges Africa’s historical experiences. This narrative is essential for building a future where Africa is recognized as a dynamic and integral part of the global economy, capable of achieving sustainable and inclusive development

Ultimately, the concept of Global Africa is about recognizing the potential of the continent and the importance of Africans wherever they may be based, working together to take ownership of their destiny. By working together and embracing their shared values and aspirations, Global Africans can unlock their full potential and create a brighter future for themselves. The journey is complex and fraught with challenges, but the vision of a prosperous, self-reliant Global Africa is not only achievable but imperative.

Dr. Yemi Kale is the Group Chief Economist & Managing Director of Research and International Cooperation at Afreximbank, Egypt. He was formerly a Partner and Chief Economist, at KPMG, Nigeria. Prior to this, he served as the Statistician General and CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria.

About a fortnight ago, the Nigerian media widely reported that the house of representatives committee on national security and intelligence recommended, in a report, that the federal government should purchase new aircraft for the use of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima. The house had in May mandated the committee to investigate the conditions of the aircraft in the presidential fleet. That assignment followed a motion earlier debated by the house.

Since that house committee’s report was made public, the issue of acquiring new aircraft for Tinubu and Shettima became a controversy and a running story in the mainstream media and social media. That is normal. But it became a mischief when the president of the senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, was unfairly dragged into the controversy.

Akpabio was reported to have said things that he did not say. And when he tried to correct the falsehood, the harder he tried, the more vested interests twisted his explanations. Their purpose is clear: mischief.

Let’s go back to Thursday 27th June, 2024, when both the senate and house of representatives reconvened to begin a new legislative year of the 10th assembly. That plenary was held six days earlier than the date scheduled for the resumption of the lawmakers. The resumption was brought forward primarily for the national assembly to consider a request by the executive arm for an extension of the implementation of the 2023 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Supplementary Budget, which life spans were to elapse on Sunday, 30th of June, 2024.

But some media outfits wrongly speculated that the plenary was called ahead of schedule for the national assembly to approve the purchase of new aircraft for Tinubu and Shettima.

It is normal for the media to speculate. But you must admit your error if events prove your speculation to be wrong. Regrettably, some of the leading national dailies involved refused to admit that they goofed. Instead, they tried to justify their error with falsehood.

At the said plenary, the chairman of appropriation committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, spotted an online report with the headline: “Presidential Jet: Senate Holds Emergency Session to Consider the Supplementary Budget.” He drew the attention of the senate to the report and requested permission to read out its first paragraph.

It reads: “The Senate held an emergency session to consider President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Supplementary Appropriation for 2024 fiscal year which includes funding of acquisition of a new Presidential Jet.”

The senator said he was embarrassed by the report because it is false. He then moved a motion for the reporter of the story to be invited for his explanation before the appropriate committeeof the senate. The senate unanimously granted the prayer.

The leader of the senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, had earlier seen a similar report in the social media and also drew the attention of the senate to it. In response to the observations made by Senator Bamidele, the senate president narrated his own experience to his distinguished colleagues.

However, Akpabio’s intervention immediately became another issue in the media. He was largely misrepresented. Most of the headlines did not match the stories on what he said. In some cases, the reports were embellished and took Akpabio’s contribution out of context.

The comments made by the senate leaders at the plenary were basically the same. That no request for the purchase of new aircraft for the presidential fleet was before the Senate. That in the event of any such request in future, the national assembly would look into it. That blackmail and propaganda by vested interests would not distract lawmakers from their statutory responsibilities.

Alas!, these comments curiously gave birth to headlines such as: “No Amount of Blackmail Will Stop Senate from Approving New Presidential Jet – Akpabio,” “Blackmail Can’t Stop Presidential Jet Approval – Senate,” “Akpabio Insists on Approving Purchase of New Aircraft for Tinubu, says No Blackmail will Stop Decision,” “New Presidential Jet: Tinubu’s Wish, Senate’s Command – Akpabio.”

To put the record straight, the verbatim recording of the remarks of the Senate President and Senate Leader is hereby provided to enable readers ascertain the truth and determine if those screaming headlines captured the comments of the senators at the plenary on Thursday 27th June, 2024:

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele

“Mr President, this Senate is aware of some insinuations in a section of the media to the extent that the President of the Senate, leading this Senate, either had, at one time, indicated that we had a request that the purchase of a new plane be approved for Mr President and that President of the Senate had indicated that regardless of what Nigerians were going through, that would be approved. The Senate is also aware that Mr President tried to clarify this issue, that at no point did he say that. Then another section of the media picked on that again to say the President of the Senate, leading the 10th Senate, has said whatever Mr President likes, he should go and do, this Senate will not approve the purchase of a plane.

“And as we sat here today, a section of the Social Media has also been circulating that we had gone into executive session to discuss Presidential request for a new plane and how we are going to approve it. Mr President, the essence of my saying this is just to make it clear and to alert Nigerians that there is the presence of the fifth columnist and some other propagandists who are doing everything possible to destabilize this country and also destabilize the parliament.

“Mr President, I say for the record as the leader of this Senate, that there is no request before this Senate as of yet. So there couldn’t have been a basis for us to debate whether we are going to approve or not. It had never been discussed either on the floor of this Senate or among individual senators or the executive session. There is no such request. If the request comes, it is not about Mr President of the Senate alone. It is for 469 elected representatives of the Nigerian people to discuss and take a position – 360 in the House of Representatives, 109 in the Senate. But as we speak Mr President, there is no such request and I just want all of us to be clear about this.”

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio

“It is not good for us to run the Senate by answering people in the Social Media, because the social media is garbage in, garbage out. I was in Zanzibar, attending Inter- Parliamentary Union meeting when that information went out, that the Senate President has said that he would approve a brand new plane for the President irrespective of whether there is suffering or no suffering. There was never a time such statement came from me because I have never had any correspondence to approve a plane or not approve a plane.

“I did not want to answer but they went further to generate it as if I was saying that I did not care about the Nigerian people. We care about the President. We care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will improve the living standard of the people. At the same time, we will also take cognizance of the duties of Mr President. If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So that is not an issue. There is nothing before us. I don’t think we should bother about it.

“Somebody called me and he said that he was quoting from BBC, that what I said at Senator Tahir Monguno’s house, that the statement was false and should be disregarded. That I was saying that I would not approve. That is what you may call anticipatory blackmail. The purveyors of the story know very well that maybe there is problem with the Presidential fleet and that where they will go to will be the Parliament. And so they are now trying to do anticipatory blackmail, to tell us if they bring it, do not look into it. I think we should ignore them and focus on what we are doing here.

“I have read the President’s correspondences to us, there was nothing touching on plane or no plane. But I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the Vice President of Malawi as a result of defective plane and you hear stories such a as the death of the President of Iran as a result of defective craft, in fact this time it was helicopter, and all that, we shouldn’t ever dream and allow such to be our portion. It won’t be.

“The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country irrespective of anticipatory blackmail. Get the words, anticipatory blackmail. They know very well that something like that may come in future and if it is a necessity, the Senate will look into it. But there is nothing like that before us now. So they can go ahead to anticipate and blackmail the Senate President, it will not affect me.”

Awoniyi, media aide to senate president, writes from Abuja

Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms, says Nigeria can generate more revenue without raising taxes and avoid hurting the economy.

In an interview with Politics Today on Channels TV on Friday, Oyedele said the right way to go is not to introduce more taxes.

According to Oyedele, with the use of data, intelligence, and technology, Nigeria can close the tax gap by ensuring people who have not been paying taxes begin to pay.

He said the committee think having fewer taxes is broad-based, and easy to collect.

“Certainly, you know the whole idea is that we have done whatever we are doing now for decades, and it hasn’t produced the right result,” Oyedele said.

“We have over 60 different taxes and levies, but we are barely even collecting enough money to fix roads.

“By the way, the entire budget, that’s the Federal Government’s of about N29 trillion plus all the states in Nigeria about N15 trillion – if you add it all, it comes to about N44 trillion. That’s around $30 billion.

“That $30 billion is even less than the budget of Kenya which is around $32 billion. It is barely a quarter of South Africa’s budget at $130 billion. And of course, it’s even less than the budget of New York City, not even just New York State. So, clearly, Nigeria is a poor country with the potential to be a wealthy country.

“So, we do believe based on the analysis we have done and the data available to us that the right way to go is not to introduce more taxes. And in fact, if you’re gonna raise the rates of any tax, it has to be something that we’re doing as a result of the consolidation and harmonisation.

“We do think that having fewer taxes are broad-based, easy to collect, and do not place a burden on the bottom of the ladder of society is the way to go.

“And by using data, intelligence, and technology, we can close the tax gap so that people who have not been paying before begin to pay – who have been identified as people who should be paying – and the poor people should be legitimately exempted, particularly nano, micro businesses and low-income earners.”

Oyedele said the committee believes that with all these, Nigeria can easily more than double its revenue within a period of two to three years.

[TheCable]