Despite the challenges of nation-building, Nigeria has been described as a “Democracy Destination undergoing democratic consolidation ” contrary to some recent high-profile discordant views about the prospects of the democratic process in Africa.

Recently both former   President Olusegun Obasanjo and erstwhile governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, had claimed that democracy was dying in Africa and Nigeria”.

However, the  Director General Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Comrade Issa Aremu took exception to what he called the “new Democracy-pessimism fad” by those he said “without democracy would not have been able to exhibit their limited leadership ability in the past”.

Aremu spoke at separate interventions at the sideline of the 2025 Ramadan lecture of the Institute held in Ilorin and at Arewa House Kaduna during the Special Prayers to mark the 73rd birthday of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu organised by AREWA Think Tank Group on Saturday.

Aremu observed that it was time for Nigerians to deepen and consolidate the democratic process adding that “democratic optimism must not in any way give way to democratic despair in Africa”.

“ With 19 Registered Political Parties, 93,469,008, Total Voters Registered, 176,846 Polling Units in Nigeria, 7 concluded presidential elections since 1999, 5 elected Presidents,  2 elected twice, one graciously accepting the loss of election, hundreds of state, National Assembly elections and bye-elections, active media, vibrant organised trade unions and civil society, freedoms of assembly and expressions, Nigeria is a model of how Democracy lives, not dying” Aremu observed.

The Director General cautioned the media to “report but also profile the messengers of messages of despair and doom” for discerning citizens for informed judgement about them. Aremu said both former President Obasanjo and former governor Peter Obi suffer what he called “bring-down-what I- cannot-control-syndrome” adding that democracy is alive for only those who necessarily must not have their ways all the time but still keep faith in the ballot. “ “Afro-democracy” is another subterfuge for a call to authoritarianism by OBJ, Democracy is not divisible, it is according to the 1999 constitution, the simple majority that made OBJ President twice, Peter Obi governor and a failed Presidential candidate in 2023, any resort to red hearing that Democracy is dying because the duo are out and dry of elsewhere power is unhelpful and self-serving”.

“Following the death of President Hage Geingob On 4 February 2024, Namibia just successfully conducted an election to inaugurate the first female President Nangolo Mbumba who she once served as vice-president. Senegal last year elected the youngest 45-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye, while Amadou Ba, the candidate of the ruling United in Hope (BBY) coalition, peacefully conceded defeat. OBJ must be operating from outer space to say Democracy is dying in Africa.” Aremu said.

He said the challenges of development in Africa call for more democracy through quality control measures of politics of ideologies and programmes not doubt and scaremongering about democracy adding that the military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger must give way to free and fair elections for legitimacy.

Comrade Aremu who was also the Director of the Labour Directorate of Tinubu/Shetima Presidential Campaign Council ( PCC) during the 2023 election described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an “audacious”  reformer who legitimately “can and should run for a second term in 2027 to consolidate on his achievements in the labour sector”.

The Director General of the premier Labour Institute described the recently approved N758 billion bond to settle long-standing pension liabilities by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as “a timely welcome act of compassion, statesmanship and good governance” in the country’s pension market adding that the measure was the most impactful of the Renewed Hope Agenda in labour market after the 2024 National minimum wage Act ”.

Let’s begin with a ‘positive inference’ from our former President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo (GCFR), a Nigerian former army general and statesman who served as Nigeria’s head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 2007.

Regrettably on several occasions, Obasanjo expressed serious reservations about issues of governance and its negative effects on the citizens of the countries in Africa. Obj posited: “Let me go back to the beginning where we got it wrong—the western liberal democracy, that is what the Europeans have. When you look at the western liberal democracy, it is a product of their history, a product of their culture, a product of their way of life.” The thrust of this message is that, selectively, Obj largely glossed over his own tenure which was marked by so many controversies

The former president continued: “what Africa was practicing today was a mere reflection of ‘representative democracy.’ Furthermore, Abraham Lincoln describes it as a government of the people, by and for the people. But what do we have today? The Greek democracy affects everyone. Democracy has now become a representative democracy, and it hasn’t taken care of everyone. Democracy in Africa has failed because it’s not African, it didn’t have our culture and way of life. You will say, ‘go to court’ when you know that you can’t get justice. Democracy is dying in Africa, and to save it, it should be made in the context of Africa.”

Obasanjo and others concluded that democracy is no longer working in Nigeria. In a keynote address titled ‘Is Democracy Failing in Africa?’ Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, lamented that it seemed like Nigeria’s democracy only worked for a few selected persons.

The cleric also noted that such feelings had fuelled a debate on the suitability of the Nigerian Constitution, which had constantly put pressure on the judiciary.

He said, “We as Africans inherited a system that is not ours, but we can’t say it is not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. I feel sorry for judges. At the last election, even small me, had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talking to that.

“There was pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess. Democracy is about everything, and it’s about justice. Democracy and its principles are endless contestations. There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.”

Following from above, the postulations of the former President Obasanjo and some stakeholders resonates with me, given that, I have also canvassed similar position in the past which was well captured in an article “NIGERIA FEDERAL STRUCTURE: THE NEED TO DOWNSIZE”. After all, we are neither westerners, nor easterners/anything else, but Africans/Nigerians. We need a system in which all six geopolitical and geo-cultural regions of the country should be allowed to have their preferred government type, and the centre, if it has to exist, just has representatives from the different regions. It is like all countries in Europe have their preferred government and send people to the European Union! For me, this is the only type of governance structure that can work for us.

In my opinion, democracy is not something you “decide” to install somewhere. It can only be the result of a process that goes through establishing good social, economic, and political practices in a society, such as equity, honesty, education, various freedoms (of expression, religion, etc.), and an (at least) acceptable level of PROSPERITY. Also, a series of coups in recent years has prompted much discussion about the state of democracy in Africa.

Conclusively, as a new bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the office of the Prime Minister as head of government and the office of President as head of state and to provide for a framework for the mode of election to the said offices, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. I’d like to share with you an excerpt from one of my articles widely published over a decade ago:

“NIGERIA FEDERAL STRUCTURE: THE NEED TO DOWNSIZE” published by Sahara reporters, Vanguard newspaper, and many others on 9th of April 2014. Find below an excerpt from the article:

*As the ongoing National Conference gathers momentum, many Nigerians have been making good contributions towards the improvement of our system of governance. Some have argued for the scrapping of the Presidential System because it is expensive to run, and revert to the Westminster Parliamentary model that was bequeathed to us by our former British Colonial Masters in 1960. Although we agree that the Presidential system is expensive, it is in this system that Democracy is best practiced because of the practice of separation of powers. In a Parliamentary system, there is no separation of powers; rather, we have a fusion of powers. Members of the Executive arm are drawn from the Parliament, and as such, there is no checks and balances. This system thrives in Britain because the UK is a Monarchy where Her Majesty the Queen serves as the Head of State and a symbol of Unity and Sovereignty.*

Finally, the question of democracy failure or otherwise is rooted in the quality of our decisions collectively. Bearing in mind the sociocultural, economic effects and the natural results of adopting a new system of governance and these effects might be positive or negative, and may bring unexpected results. Therefore, the NASS should consider inputs from stakeholders before the passage of the bill on governance system, so as to avoid the pitfalls of the past.

The United Kingdom has hosted its first major summit to fight illegal migration, bringing together representatives from over 40 countries and organizations.

The summit, which takes place on Monday, March 31st, aims to tackle people smuggling gangs and improve border security, with outcomes expected across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America.

According to the UK Home Office, this summit marks a significant step in a global effort to disrupt people smuggling operations.’

A number of countries joined in addressing the complexities of illegal migration, ranging from small boat smuggling to online trafficking and illicit financial networks.

The summit also features discussions with social media companies like Meta, X, and TikTok to explore ways to stop the online promotion of irregular migration.

Global cooperation against smuggling gangs 

The summit is designed to create concrete outcomes by strengthening international cooperation. Over 40 countries are working together to improve intelligence sharing, strengthen partnerships, and target organized crime networks.

• The UK government emphasized the need for coordinated action to address the entire smuggling route, from source countries to final destinations.
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stressed the importance of global collaboration in disrupting smuggling networks.

“Smuggler and trafficking gangs make their money crossing borders, so law enforcement needs to work together across borders to bring them down,” she said.

“Only a coordinated international response, across the whole irregular migration route, can effectively dismantle these networks.” 

New funding and resources for enforcement 

As part of the summit’s outcomes, the UK government has committed substantial funding to support operations against people smuggling.

• A £30 million fund will support high-impact operations, targeting supply chains, illicit finances, and trafficking routes across various regions. Additionally, £3 million will be directed to the Crown Prosecution Service to help increase its capacity to prosecute international smugglers.
• Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, noted the need for cross-border cooperation, drawing from his experience as Director of Public Prosecutions.

“This vile trade exploits the cracks between our institutions, pits nations against one another and profits from our inability at the political level to come together,” he said.

“When I was the Director of Public Prosecutions, we worked across borders throughout Europe and beyond to foil numerous plots, saving thousands of lives in the process. We prevented planes from being blown up over the Atlantic and brought the perpetrators to justice.”  

“I believe we should treat organised immigration crime in the same way,” Starmer said.

International commitments to border security 

Details inform that several countries have made commitments to strengthen their border security efforts. France, for example, has agreed to deploy mobile, specialized officers to prevent small boat launches, while Germany has pledged to tighten laws against those facilitating smuggling to the UK.

Furthermore, a new task force between the UK and Italy will target the financial operations of smuggling networks.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been actively involved in seizing boats and engines used for illegal immigration. Since July, the NCA has seized 600 boats, as part of its broader strategy to dismantle smuggling rings.

Criminal networks and global impact 

The summit also highlighted the scale of organized immigration crime, which spans multiple countries and involves sophisticated tactics. The global income from migrant smuggling was estimated at $10 billion in the past year.

Criminal groups are increasingly using social media platforms, legitimate goods, and illicit financial networks to facilitate illegal immigration, which jeopardizes border security and puts lives at risk.

The UK government is also working with international partners to address the challenges posed by maritime illegal immigration. The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) is using space-based surveillance technology to monitor and combat illegal activities in waters near Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Recent arrests and progress in tackling smuggling networks 

Reports inform that several high-profile arrests have taken place as part of the UK’s ongoing efforts to dismantle smuggling gangs. These include arrests related to a Syrian organized crime group that smuggled 750 migrants, as well as the arrest of a Turkish national involved in supplying small boats for smuggling operations.

In addition, six men were arrested in Belgium in connection with a major people smuggling ring, and authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have assisted in the arrests of three individuals linked to Kurdish smuggling networks.

The UK government continues to build on these efforts, using law enforcement partnerships and cutting-edge technology to disrupt illegal immigration operations and improve border security.

[Nairametrics]

A short four minutes, thirty three seconds video of what looks like Kogi senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, worshipping at the Osun shrine in Osogbo is trending. If she is truly the one in the video, then her traducers better back off before the deluge comes with its fury. You do not beat the child of the goddess and get its applause.

Professor Karin Barber is a foremost authority in Yoruba praise names (Oríkì). In a 1990 piece, she tells two Osun goddess stories which may guide those fighting her daughter. The first, Barber says, is from a devotee of Oya which stressed the ferocity of Oya contrasting it with the meekness of her co-wife Osun: “Osun was the senior wife, Oya the junior. Oya was very beautiful, given to dressing up and showing off. She didn’t do her share of the housework. She was lazy, bossy, violent and unco-operative, and just sat there beautifying herself while her senior wife did all the work. Osun was mild and peaceable; she turned the other cheek to every insult and advised everyone to leave Oya alone. Osun said if Oya couldn’t be bothered to grind the pepper, she would do it herself. If Oya said she wouldn’t draw water, Osun would run and do it. Osun would say, ‘Just sit down and rest.’ Oya would sit there smirking and preening herself.”

Barber comments that “Osun is here represented as mild, patient and kind-hearted, easily overborne by the more forceful character of her co-wife. This is a picture of Osun presented in many stories.” But, Barber says, Osun’s own devotees “tended to stress the opposite view of her personality.” She can be angry; she can be ferocious.

The second story speaks to that other side of the goddess. Barber says she got the story from Baale Osun, the head of the Osun cult. It is a story that warns the bully not to take the goddess of love, beauty and procreation for granted: “In the ancient times all the orisa made a plan to get wealthy. They prepared a certain medicine which, if planted in yam-heaps, would produce money, children and all the things they wanted in life. In those days Osun was the only woman, and all the big Orisa – Ogun, $ango, Soponna – decided, despite Ifa’s advice to the contrary, to keep her out of the plan.

“They held their meetings in secret. But Osun overheard them. She was furious, and decided to get her revenge. After they had dug the heaps and planted the medicine, she crept out at dead of the night and sprinkled some of her river water on the heaps. The next day, the other orisa came out full of joyous anticipation to dig up all the good things from the heaps, but they found nothing there. They tried again the following day; again, Osun neutralised their medicine. Finally, they decided to take Ifa’s advice and invite Osun to join their scheme. They dug the heaps again, put in the medicine, and the next day they were all blessed with untold riches.” Barber says the storyteller concludes that “Osun is a woman like a man: no one can get away with provoking her.”

A statesman with loads of wisdom shared the video with me. He wondered why those big men lacked refinement; why they thought they could win the battle and the war at the same time without consequences. I do not know what they boast of in Akwa Ibom or Kogi Central. Whatever it is, they may have to race down to the Grove in Osogbo very soon for atonement. The goddess is angry.

Edo gov suspends security chief, vigilante groups • Kano govt deploys delegation to Edo
•PFN condemns killing, calls for justice

Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has urged authorities to take decisive action against those responsible for the killing of Kano indigenes in Uromi, Edo State.

He also stressed that justice must be served to uphold peace and stability in the country.

He made the call during his Eid-el-Fitr sermon at the Kofar Mata Eid ground in Kano on Sunday, speaking on the need for swift and firm measures to prevent further violence.

While acknowledging statements from some government officials regarding the incident, the Emir insisted that mere condemnation was not enough, but that concrete steps must be taken to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Addressing youths in Kano, the monarch urged them to avoid any acts of retaliation, reminding them that revenge is prohibited in Islam.

He emphasized that peace and justice must be pursued through lawful means.

The gathering was attended by thousands of worshippers, including the state governor and his deputy.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) would work closely with the police and other relevant security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the killing.

In a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, the CDS condemned the killing in strong terms, noting that it could have been avoided if the appropriate authorities had been notified and involved in ascertaining the identity of the victims.

According to the statement, Gen. Musa condoled with President Bola Tinubu and the families of the victims, and urged Nigerians not to take the law into their own hands.

He also warned that all local hunters and vigilante groups must register with the police, DSS, AFN and any other agencies mandated by law to regulate the possession of firearms.

In a related development, the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in the last general elections, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has strongly condemned the killing of the 16 northern travelers in Uromi, and called for thorough investigation.

In his Facebook post, Senator Kwankwaso described the incident as barbaric and emphasized the right of all Nigerians to travel freely without fear of harassment or intimidation.

Also, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, also strongly condemned the killing.

In a statement issued in Kano, Senator Musa described the incident as a heinous act that demands an unwavering response from security and judicial institutions.

He emphasized that all individuals found complicit in the atrocity must be brought to justice, including law enforcement personnel who may have neglected their duty.

Senator Musa urged Nigerians to live in harmony, regardless of their differences.

Edo gov suspends security chief, illegal vigilante groups

The Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, has ordered the immediate suspension of all illegal vigilante groups operating under whatever guise in the state.

He also suspended the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP Friday Ibadin (rtd.).

According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, the action followed a review of the preliminary report on the killing of travellers in Uromi on Thursday.

The statement reads in part:“It is to be reiterated that the local vigilante group involved in the gruesome killing of 27th March was operating illegally as it was never profiled or registered with Edo State Security Corps.

“Its actions do not reflect the core values, character and principles of the Okpebholo administration or the objectives of the corps as enshrined in the Edo State Security Corps Governance Law.

“Investigations into the killings are ongoing and fourteen (14) persons have been arrested so far, while there is an intense manhunt for others involved in the gruesome killing by a special team set up by the Inspector-General of Police.”

The Edo State government reiterated its belief in the constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens to move freely or engage in lawful business in any part of the country.

Kano sends delegation to Edo

Meanwhile, the Kano State government has concluded arrangement to deploy a powerful delegation to engage with the Edo State government and the Hausa community in the state on the incident.

The delegation, set to depart for Edo on Monday (today), is expected to ensure that justice is served and those responsible for the heinous act are brought to book.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf made this known in a live broadcast, where he condemned the barbaric act, describing it as “uncalled for.”

He assured the people of Kano that his administration would leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice.

“We will ensure that all those affected are fully compensated,” Governor Yusuf stated. “I have spoken with the Edo State governor, and he has assured me that most of the suspected culprits have been apprehended, and investigations are ongoing,” he said.

He urged the people of Kano to remain law-abiding and avoid taking the law into their own hands.

Governor Yusuf also extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the entire people of Kano State.

PFN condemns killing of travellers in Edo, calls for justice

The National Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop David Bakare, has strongly condemned the killing of 16 travelling hunters in Edo.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Kaduna, Bakare called for thorough investigations into the ungodly act to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and brought to justice.

The cleric also appealed against reprisal attacks, pointing out that two wrongs cannot make a right.

He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and urged the authorities to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

“We strongly condemn this barbaric and ungodly act. Even if they were kidnappers, that does not warrant taking the law into our own hands; the right thing was to hand them over to law enforcement agents for proper investigation and legal action.

“We urge that thorough investigation must be carried out on this matter to ensure that the culprits are brought to book, no matter who they may be,” he said.

Arrest culprits, Reps spokesman tells security agencies

Spokesman for the House of Representatives and lawmaker representing Ekiti North I (Ikole/Oye) Federal Constituency, Akintunde Rotimi, has called for the arrest of the perpetrators of the killing.

He made the call at the weekend in Ayede-Ekiti, IkoleLocal Government Area of Ekiti State, during the second Ramadan Annual Lecture he organised in honour of the national vice president of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Aare Sulaiman Ogunlayi. 

The lawmaker stressed that Nigerians should be able to coexist peacefully regardless of ethnic or religious differences. 

“On behalf of the people of Ikole/Oye-Ekiti Federal Constituency, we condemn the violent mob attack on those travelers in Edo State. 

“We call on security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice,” he said.

In his lecture entitled ‘Build the Family to Build the Nation’, a Navy Captain and the Chief Imam of the Defence Headquarters Mosque in Abuja, Dr. Taofeeq Miqdad, identified family instability as a major factor contributing to national insecurity and political instability.

He emphasized that Nigeria would not be in crisis if families raised peaceful and responsible children before they ventured into politics.

Another high point of the event was a presentation of an award to the lawmaker by the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Ekiti North Senatorial District, in recognition of his unwavering support to the Muslim community.

In his remarks, Aare Sulaiman Ogunlayi urged the Muslim community to embrace the lessons learnt in the holy month to spur them to rise up to the challenges of developing their families, Ekiti State and Nigeria generally.

[Nigerian Tribune]

The Nigerian presidency is an energizing elixir. It has proven to be very effective in breathing life into dry bones. To old creaky engines, it gives deep cleaning; it replaces worn parts and upgrades the lubrication system. Olusegun Obasanjo went in there and got transformed from an imprisoned stork to a clean-shaven ladies’ egret. The Balogun Owu has since refused to age. Muhammadu Buhari entered the Villa peaky, ill and ailing. He left the place with his engine and chassis reinvented. His successor, super rich Lion of Bourdillon, broke the Internet with gaffes, slips and falls during the 2023 campaigns. He hasn’t yet spent two years in the Villa but he has also had a dramatic TAM (Turn Around Maintenance). The rough idling, vibrations and engine misfires are all gone. His cooling system is now cool and steady. These and many more are what the man celebrated two days ago as he officially turned 73, robust and rounded. He had many nice things said of him by those who seek (or already have) his mercy and favours.

Where life expectancy is less than 50, netting seventy years plus is a boon. William Shakespeare rejects the withering properties of age and cuddles the vibrancy of youth. In his ‘The Passionate Pilgrim’, Shakespeare leaves lines of contrasts on ageing for us to read and ponder. He writes that “crabbed age and youth cannot live together.” And he explains why: “Youth is full of pleasure, age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather; Youth like summer brave, age like winter bare. Youth is full sport, age’s breath is short; Youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, age is tame.” Shakespeare ends those parallels with a yell of rejection and acceptance: “Age, I do abhor thee; youth, I do adore thee.”

Now, who is old, who is young?

People in the sciences say every person has two ages. They call one chronological age (number of years a person has lived); the other they say is biological, a person’s functional age. The Yoruba have a third category; they call it Atubotan (the after-death years). Short or long, the first is guaranteed for all; the second is a factor of luck and choice; the third is largely determined by how we spend the first two. Very few are blessed with all three.

Less than two minutes from a town called Iragbiji in Osun State is another called Ikirun. It is about ten minutes from my own Eripa. Long gone Oba Lawani Adeyemi was Akinrun of Ikirun. The oba gathered fame across Yorubaland for the audacity of his longevity. He thought it was his right to live long and he loudly claimed it. When courtiers and all who courted his mercy wished him long life, Oba Adeyemi’s standard response was “Ó di dandan” (it is compulsory). At well over 70 years, Adeyemi’s people made him oba in 1945. His enemies thought him already at the departure lounge. They said he would soon vacate the space for them to take. There are legends that say with every rumour of his death came the actual death of the rumour mongers. Soon, no one warned no one again before they stopped wishing the oba dead. As years rolled into decades, the oba’s enemies dried out, the ones still alive became his friends. They had to; Ó di dandan.

Adeyemi stayed put on that throne until 1989 when he bowed out quietly. His people still celebrate the years in his reign not because they were unusually long, but because they were largely positive in the life of the community. He had the years, he was functional. More importantly, he had Atubotan. The oba had many children; he did not spoil them with palace spoils. They do not need unmerited honorary doctorate degrees from backwater universities to remain tall. The oba trained all his children such that the late king continues to live long after his death. His grandson was a Head of Service of the Federation; another is one of the richest in 2025 Ibadan. The rich needed no paternal imposition before he got to the top of his trade. President Tinubu very well knows Crystal Hospital at Akowonjo in Alimoso Local Government area of Lagos, it belongs to one of the eldest of Oba Adeyemi’s children. One of the youngest is a veteran in Osun State House of Assembly.

Where I come from, we rejoice with the joyous which is why I join in congratulating our president on his 73rd birthday. But as he celebrated that occasion with pomp on 29th March – a day to Villa’s sumptuous Sallah, I hope he reflected on what his presidency has meant to the Nigerian outside official powers. Many are stranded on the rough, dusty road to survival. They trace their misery to the leader’s mirth; their poverty to the president’s pleasure. They think their agony is power’s easement. It is not funny.

A democracy that repairs only the leaders is roguish and immoral. Yet, as we tell all these things, wisdom dictates that we march seven steps near the king, and six steps in nuanced back off. In Alex Danchev’s ‘Waltzing with Winston (Churchill),’ we are told that “the loyalties which centre upon number one are enormous. If he trips, he must be sustained. If he makes mistakes, they must be covered. If he sleeps, he must not be wantonly disturbed. (But) if he is no good, he must be pole-axed.” Literally, to pole-axe is to attack, strike, or fell with or as if with a poleaxe. That is the price all who claim “number one” must pay when they are not acting good.  

The president preached sacrifice on his birthday but his birthday table showed assorted, sumptuous surplus, everything. His wrongheaded policies he described as “the right thing to do for our nation’s future.” His wife is a pastor, she should blow into his ear the saying that only the living praises the Lord. Can a leader whose subjects wallow in want get blessed with their prayers? Among the Bantu of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa are a people called the Mashona. Anthropologist Denys Shropshire in a 1931 journal article tells us that in that place is a bird called Mukaranga wa Mambo. The storyteller says this bird “begins by making excited, shrill, chattering cries until she is attended to, after which, flying with contented chirps from branch to branch, she brings the traveller to the promised nest of honey.” A starved, marginalised citizenry has neither honey nor applause for unfeeling, feasting rulers.

The vulture is Yoruba’s totem of longevity; a symbol of death and rebirth. The Yoruba say igúnnugún (vulture) would not die unless it is old. But they celebrate more than the years. What a man put in his age is more important than the years. Which is why I find Yoruba’s view of ageing and old age somewhat intriguing. There is an ambivalence here. They despise the ugliness of vulture but they covet vulture’s enduring agedness. They say because the vulture does not die young, they too must live longer than life. But they qualify it: The years must be years of peace and plenty. They covet what they see as vulture’s longevity but not its unsightly totality. They want long life but not ageing with the debilities it connotes. They ask if you’ve ever seen a nestled sick bird. They want life without its co-morbidities.

Nigerians see their government as a colony of vultures. In ageing and eating, the vulture is a bird of patience. It does not nurse the sick back to health. Instead, it waits for the hungry to die; it insists that rotten flesh is good food. Vulture is also a bird of opportunity. Nigeria is a vultures’ field. You ask why? I wonder too and I ask vulture biologists (ornithologists). They tell me that vultures approach dead or dying beings from openings – mouth, eyes, nostrils etc. And, Nigeria has many of such loopholes. Our vultures start the gutting from the guts, they then go to other inner organs for lunch. They move to the muscles and tear at the tissues. For supper, they access smaller spaces for tendons, they chew at other body parts; they clean out the carcass and move on to the next meal. When their earth completes its yearly revolution, they roll out the drums in celebration of their victory over their own people and land.

When vultures surround you, make sure you stay alive, do not die. Nigerians have really tried not to die for the vultures of power to rejoice over them. Now, if food avoids Vulture, what will Vulture eat? The human being called Yoruba says in a proverb that when what is edible is not available, what is not edible becomes edible. Vultures feed on vultures if that is the only available carrion. What you feel in Rivers and Lagos and Kano are hungry vultures circling weak vultures for food.

We celebrate the president at 73. He will live life longer than his presidential tenure. But we must tell him that his government retains its painfulness; the NYSC corps member’s description of his reign as terrible was apt. The town is bitter; the city is unpleasant. 

How then do we take back our country – if we ever had one? I am not the only person asking this question. But I am going to risk adding that if you are not satisfied with where your feet have taken you, the rational direction is to walk for change. Ask those who know the ways of vultures. If you do not want vultures around you, the effective way is to show them that which scares them: The effigy of a dead vulture.

The truck driver who survived the lynching of 16 travellers of Kano State extraction, by a vigilante group in Uromi, Edo State, has recounted the harrowing experience, refuting claims that the incident was tribal-related.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday when the travellers, believed to be hunters, were journeying from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Kano for the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

The truck driver, whose name was not revealed in a viral video circulating online, stated that he was transporting Dangote Group’s goods to Obajana in Kogi State when he encountered the hunters at Elele, seeking a ride to the North part of the country.

“I initially refused to give them a ride because it was against my company’s policy. But after driving for about two kilometers, I felt guilty for abandoning them. After all, they are my fellow Northerners from Kano State, so I went back and picked them up,” the driver said.

According to him, the journey was peaceful until they arrived at Uromi, where they were stopped by a vigilante group. The leader of the vigilante allegedly questioned the driver about his cargo and the identity of his passengers. Despite presenting the waybill for the goods, the vigilante commander reportedly expressed suspicion about the hunters, particularly due to their weapons and dogs aboard the truck.

“He said he (Vigilante Leader) didn’t trust them and demanded they come down. As soon as the crowd saw their guns and dogs, they attacked us,” the driver narrated. “The commander told the crowd that we were kidnappers and Boko Haram, and they started beating us mercilessly.”

The driver, alongside two others identified as Haruna, an older man, and a younger man, was reportedly handcuffed by the vigilante commander and taken to a nearby police station. The vigilante informed the police that they had captured suspected kidnappers, leading to their immediate detention.

“By the time he went back to the scene, the mob had already killed 16 people,” the driver revealed, his voice filled with anguish.

He, however, categorically dismissed suggestions that the incident was a tribal clash. “This was not a tribal clash. The vigilante are solely responsible for this attack. They are the ones that caused our people to be murdered in cold blood,” he emphasided.

The tragic event has drawn widespread condemnation nationwide, with calls for a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

[Leadership]

There is growing political tension in Bayelsa State, ahead of the April 12 mega rally in support of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The organisers are also planning to inaugurate a political group: ‘The new Associates’, Bayelsa chapter.

However, Governor Douye Diri warned against the rally which he said is capable of triggering violence, but George Turnah, the lead organiser, dare the governor, vowing that the rally would go on.

After this development, supporters of the governor also fixed a rally at the same venue, choosing same date and time.

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri had last week during meetings with Bayelsa Elders and Security chiefs alerted that the planned Pro-Wike rally is capable of Igniting crisis in the state due to already tense political climate in the neighbouring Rivers State.

Few days after the governor declared his stance against the pro-Wike rally, his supporters under the auspices of a group ‘Izon Keme-Ama Assembly’ rolled out their own programme for their grand mega rally tagged ‘Assured Prosperity Prosperity Rally In Appreciation of His Excellency Senator Douye Diri’s Unprecedented Achievements in Bayelsa State.”

According to the flyer from the Convener of pro-Diri rally, Tony Nathan Ile, he urged all sons and daughters of Izon both home and abroad to attend the rally.

Some political pundits in the state, urged security agencies not to approve the same venue, date and time for the two groups to hold rally in the state as the supporters of both groups could clash, thereby causing major political crisis.

Police spokesman in Bayelsa State, DSP Musa Muhammad, could not be reach on phone to find out if the police authorities in the state will approve the venue for the both groups for rally on the said date.

Below are publicity materials for both events;

[DailyTrust]

A bill currently on the floor of the House of Representatives, seeking to stop anyone above 60 years from vying for election to the offices of the Nigerian President and State Governor has triggered controversy.

DAILY POST reports that the bill, sponsored by Imo lawmaker, Ikenga Ugochinyere was passed for second reading at the lower legislative chamber on Thursday.

If the bill scales through legislative scrutiny and is signed into law, the majority of the 2027 presidential hopefuls, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, will be missing.

This is because they are all over 60 years.

Titled “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to review the requirements that qualify a person to be elected as President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Governors and Deputy Governor of a State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for Related Matters”, was one of the 31 proposed legislations which scaled second reading during Thursday’s plenary session.

The bill provides that “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.

“Section 131 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a paragraph which reads, “That he is not more than 60 years at the time of vying for the Office of President.

“Section 177(d) of the principal Act is amended by altering the educational requirement that qualifies persons to be elected as governor as follows:

“A person shall be qualified for election to the Office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.

“That he is not more than 60 years old at the time of vying for the office of Governor.”

While the bill was spontaneously accepted by Nigerian youths, who feel they have been marginalized for years, others rejected the move.

Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill

On May 31, 2018, the then Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law, signalling hope for the younger generation, who may be vying for any political office.

The law reduces the age qualification for the office of Nigerian President from 40 to 35; state governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30 Federal House of Representatives and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.

However, the majority of the elective positions across the country are still occupied by older politicians, fueling the move to enact law that would retire them and pave the way for younger politicians.

Some respondents, who spoke with DAILY POST on the age limit bill, expressed divergent opinions on the matter.

Nigeria needs clinical electoral reform system, not age limit – Osita Okechukwu

Mr. Osita Okechukwu, former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, and one of the founding brothers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, says rather that the age limit bill, Nigeria needs a clinical electoral reform system.

In a chat with DAILY POST, Osita opined that “age is a non-issue as per our national predicament. Rather the issue is the bandit mindset, whereby we all behave like bandits in all spheres of our life.

“Otherwise, how come we’ve cult members in junior secondary schools? Is it different from we the corrupt old men, whom they refer to as failed generations?

“All we need is a clinical electoral reform system as expressly recommended in the Uwais Report of 2008”.

The APC chieftain appealed to President Bola Tinubu, State Governors and members of the National and State Assemblies to “muster the political will to deepen our democracy and catapult Nigeria to giant status; by amending the constitutional nomination process of INEC and SIEC executives as recommended by Uwais Report interalia.

“Advertise all positions, spelling out requisite Qualifications! Receive Applications/Nominations from the General Public; Shortlist 3 Persons for each position and send to the National Council of State to select one from the Shortlist and forward to the Senate for Confirmation”.

“My submission is that it is only the truly independent INEC and SIEC which will ensure the highest quality and the highest standard of our general elections”, he added.

Ageism can’t stand in Nigerian law – Sowore

The 54-year-old presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the last election, Omoyele Sowore has also rejected the bill, stating that such discrimination won’t stand in Nigerian law.

In a chat with DAILY POST, Sowore expressed pessimism about the progression of the bill, saying it may not see the light of day.

According to Sowore, “I am pretty sure the proposal won’t see the light of the day, I just think these legislators are trying to divert attention away from the scandalous role and the bribery saga involving the rivers state emergency rule.

“Any form of discrimination can’t stand in law, if it is based on age it is known as ageism. The fact that it is generally attractive doesn’t make it acceptable”.

Only the youths can savage Nigeria – Former Rep candidate

In his own view, Terzulum Ukpanya, a former candidate of the Labour Party for the Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency in Benue State said Nigeria may remain underdeveloped if the older politicians remain in power.

He said, “It is only when the Nigerian youths take back their country from these failed old politicians that things will be better.

“The only thing they know is how to acquire wealth for their unborn grandchildren. They have no vision for the country, they only plan for their pockets and that is why we keep seeing these unnecessary fights between them.

“It is so bad that when they get into power, they will want to plant their boys, who will be fraudulently remitting government money go them. This thing has been going on for ages and that is why we are where we are today.

“Their selfish interests have widened the gap between the rich and the poor because they keep acquiring wealth at the expense of the poor people.

“The president of France is just 47 years old. Go there and see what he is doing there. If President Tinubu falls sick today, he will go to a country where a 47-year-old boy is ruling. This is shameful.

“The age limit bill is a very good one but then, even if it is passed, who will sign it? It won’t go anywhere”.

[DailyPost]