Today, we gather not only to celebrate an important milestone — the 25th anniversary of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, known affectionately as WOTCLEF —  but also to honour a vision that has reshaped the landscape of human rights and social justice in Nigeria.

Before I begin, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for being here today. Your presence underscores your commitment to eradicating the horrific realities of human trafficking and child labour, as well as your steadfast support for the rights of women and children in our nation.

The Journey of WOTCLEF

Twenty-five years ago, in 1999, our journey commenced. It was a year of transformative promise — a year that heralded not just the dawn of a new democracy, but also the emergence of a beacon of hope for our most vulnerable. WOTCLEF arose from a profound need for change, to confront the grim realities faced by so many, where the innocent often fell victim to human trafficking, child labour, and abuse. 

At the heart of this initiative was my beloved wife, Her Excellency Amina Titi Atiku Abubakar, who recognized the urgency to become a voice for the voiceless upon my swearing-in as Vice President.

As I stand here today, I am filled with pride and admiration for Titi. Her unwavering dedication to combating human trafficking and child labour has changed countless lives. She did not merely witness the suffering of women and children; she took decisive action to lead the charge for change.

Faced with the ravages of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the scars left by years of military dictatorship, Titi envisioned a better future—a future where democratic governance reignites hope and empowers every individual to reclaim their dignity and rights. WOTCLEF stands as a testament not only to her compassion but also to the transformative power of our democratic journey.

Reflecting on our past, let us acknowledge the incredible strides made through this organization and its partners. Thanks to WOTCLEF’s advocacy, we witnessed the establishment of NAPTIP—the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters. This agency has become a vital ally in our national fight against the heinous crime of trafficking.

I take this moment to express our profound gratitude to members of both Chambers of the National Assembly, for their decisive action on July 7, 2003, in passing the WOTCLEF-sponsored private member bill that laid the foundation for the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003, which birthed NAPTIP. This legislative milestone prioritized the protection of our most vulnerable citizens.

Furthermore, I want to extend our profound and most heartfelt appreciation to President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007) for his swift assent to the WOTCLEF bill, which prohibited women trafficking and child labour in Nigeria. His courageous leadership fostered the environment that energized WOTCLEF’s mission, reinforcing our democratic values while delivering vital hope to our downtrodden communities.

Subsequent Nigerian Presidents have carried forward this noble effort, recognizing the urgency of combating women trafficking and child labour. They diligently scrutinized the 2003 Act, leading to its repeal and re-enactment on March 26, 2015, by President Muhammadu Buhari, which re-established NAPTIP as a federal agency devoted to fighting the most egregious violations of women’s and children’s rights. 

Together, these actions highlight the strength of collaborative governance, and our collective will to build a safer, fairer society for all.

As we celebrate WOTCLEF’s achievements, let us also recognize the intangible gifts it has bestowed upon our society:

1. Awareness and Education: WOTCLEF has tirelessly campaigned at all levels, raising awareness about the harsh realities of human trafficking and child labour, educating countless individuals about their rights and available resources.

2. Partnerships: The foundation has forged invaluable partnerships with local and international organizations, NGOs, and development agencies, uniting resources and expertise to effect meaningful change.

3. Rescue and Rehabilitation: Most importantly, WOTCLEF has been pivotal in rescuing and rehabilitating victims, restoring hope and dignity to lives shattered by exploitation.

Yet, our work is far from complete. As we celebrate the triumphs of WOTCLEF over the past 25 years, we must also confront the challenges that lie ahead. The journey to eradicate human trafficking and child labour remains fraught with obstacles, and it is our collective responsibility to tackle them.

1. Awareness and Education: Despite our progress, many Nigerians remain unaware of the signs and consequences of trafficking and child labour. We must enhance our outreach efforts, particularly in rural areas where ignorance and poverty abound.

2. Resources and Funding: The fight demands substantial resources—both financial and human. We need continued funding for prevention programs, community support initiatives, and legal aid for victims.

3. Strengthening Law Enforcement: Effective law enforcement is critical. We must provide ongoing training and support to law enforcement agencies to ensure they can effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators.

4. Addressing Root Causes: Poverty and lack of opportunity fuel trafficking. We must adopt comprehensive approaches to tackle the socio-economic factors that contribute to these issues, such as gender inequality and insufficient access to education and healthcare.

5. Advocacy and Policy Reform: While we’ve made progress, continuous advocacy is vital to enforce existing laws and develop new policies that prioritize the protection of vulnerable populations.

As WOTCLEF navigates these challenges, let us draw strength from the shared vision that unites us. Together, we have the power to create a Nigeria free from the grips of human trafficking—where every woman and child can live in safety, dignity, and hope. 

Each of us has a role to play, no matter how small, in this essential endeavour.

To Her Excellency Amina Titi Atiku Abubakar, thank you for your indomitable spirit and for your unwavering belief in the possibility of change. Your legacy is one of compassion, resilience, and impact.

Together, let us commemorate this milestone and renew our commitment to the vision of WOTCLEF—a vision that will guide us resolutely into a brighter future. 

Let us continue advocating for policies that protect the rights of women and children, challenging systemic inequalities, and eradicating the scourge of child labour.

Today, we recommit ourselves to these efforts. Let us draw inspiration from Titi’s legacy of service, her unwavering courage, and her resolute spirit. 

As we look ahead, let us harness our collective strength to engage all segments of society —governments, businesses, and communities —advocating for actionable solutions that uplift our most vulnerable citizens. In the years to come, I am confident that Nigerians will build upon the foundation laid by Her Excellency Titi and the compassionate individuals dedicated to WOTCLEF’s mission. 

Let us ensure that no child is denied an education and that no woman suffers through trafficking and exploitation in silence. Let us eliminate the shadows of trafficking and exploitation from our society. Let us unite in purpose and action. Together, we can forge a future where dignity, justice, and hope triumph for every Nigerian.

Thank you for being part of this celebration, and for your dedication to this noble cause. Together, let us continue the fight, empowering our citizens and building the society we dreamed of.

Thank you.

 Atiku Abubakar’s speech at the 25th Anniversary of WOTCLEF at the Women Development Centre in Abuja.

Nigeria is doddering on the edge of never-before-seen economic desolation, but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s major preoccupation is not to bring ministration to a badly hurting nation but to prosecute harmless, impoverished, malnourished, and undernourished minors of northern Nigerian origin who, months ago, joined millions of Nigerians to protest for their right to a life without crippling poverty and fear, for which the only reply from the state has been detention and starvation.

Yesterday, social media platforms were suffused with piteous, nerve-wracking videos and photos of four malnourished minors—kids in their early teens whose bones bear witness to weeks in captivity—who collapsed in a courtroom in Abuja. Their fragile, pity-inducing bodies provide evidence of the brutal conditions they’ve endured in jail. It was an unmitigated scandal, a total embarrassment, a tear-jerking spectacle.

What intolerably rank insanity is this? What halfway sensible government would arrest, imprison, and then publicly try its underage children just because they stood against the unendurable economic tyranny that has pushed millions of Nigerians into incalculable torment?

These children didn’t rise up in protest because they were troublemakers. They rose because they were hungry. They saw, in their communities, a growing tide of desperation and despair brought about by a series of misguided neoliberal policies that have squeezed every last drop of dignity from their lives.

The #EndBadGovernance protest was not an act of rebellion for the sake of anarchy or for the overthrow of the Tinubu administration. It was a scream for survival in a country that has turned a deaf ear to its poorest, youngest, most vulnerable citizens. The children joined the protest, not because they were instigators, but because they are the victims of policies that have crushed them and their parents.

Now, Tinubu is prosecuting these poor children’s audacity to feel hunger, their nerve to protest against it, and their courage to ask for a better future.

Yes, young Nigerians, weakened by malnutrition, denuded of hope by unceasingly mounting prices, and drained by the unyielding fear that Nigeria’s streets are now safer than its government, are being hauled into court as though they were hard-boiled criminals. There is no parallel for this that I can recall in Nigeria in my lifetime.

How hollow must we be, as a society, to accept that the government’s solution to rising dissent and desperation is to prosecute the youth it has left to wither? This is not governance; this is a callous persecution masquerading as law and order.

The logic is Kafkaesque: punish the hungry, hush up the desperate, and maybe, just maybe, the problem will go away. But hunger and despair don’t disappear when you throw a child in jail. Poverty doesn’t vanish when you suppress a protest. The anger and frustration simmer, unaddressed, until they spill over.

I couldn’t hold back tears at the sight of five minors, weak from hunger, fainting as they were called to stand trial. It’s a sight that would shame even the most despotic regimes.

Here were young Nigerians, handcuffed by a state that refuses to feed, clothe, or educate them, collapsing before their accusers as if in silent protest, their very bodies speaking louder than any courtroom defense ever could.

Even lawyers and court officials, perhaps briefly awakened from the stupor of compliance, rushed to assist them. But as the immediate shock subsided, what remained was an undeniable truth: Nigeria’s youth are being starved, punished, and brought to the brink, not for crimes, but for demanding their right to survive in a country that fails them at every turn.

At the heart of this blot on Nigeria’s escutcheon is a government that seems more beholden to the dictates of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank than to the needs of its own people. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has followed the familiar playbook of austerity and subsidy removal, but without the slightest regard for the human cost.

Inflation is climbing, prices are soaring, the naira is plunging, hope is walking away, and the nation is dying. Families cannot afford basic sustenance, the middle class is disappearing, the poor are being crushed beyond the bounds of tolerance, and the nation’s youth, who see no future in the darkening landscape, are told to keep silent or face untoward consequences.

These poor, hapless children are not the problem. The government’s own policies are the problem. As I have pointed out repeatedly in multiple columns, the unbending loyalty to IMF austerity measures and “economic reforms” that do nothing but deepen poverty and widen the gulf between the haves and have-nots are the problem.

So why are these policies, and those who enforce them, not on trial instead? Why are the architects of this economic catastrophe not being called to account for the collapse of hope and opportunity?

The prosecution’s temporary suspension of trial of the four, after the children slumped in the courtroom, is not mercy; it is an insult. A government that detains minors for protesting unexampled economic adversity has already lost the moral high ground.

The temporary reprieve is nothing more than a bureaucratic sleight of hand, a way to postpone the embarrassment without addressing the real atrocity: the inhumane treatment of minors for daring to stand up against systemic injustice.

In a twist of poetic irony, the administration’s heavy-handed tactics reveal a fearful truth: the voices of Nigeria’s youth are a threat to the powerful. It is their courage, their unyielding desire for a better future, that sends tremors through the halls of power.

Instead of seeing these children as a spark of hope, a chance for renewal, the government has chosen to crush that spirit. These young people are Nigeria’s conscience, and by silencing them, the state only exposes the depths of its own desperation and degeneration.

Where is the humanity, the leadership, the understanding that a nation’s youth are its most precious resource? The Tinubu government must immediately end this untenably appalling charade of prosecuting minors who have the misfortune of being born in desperately poor homes.

It should release these children to their families forthwith. What the kids need is food, opportunity, and security, not prosecution. They are the voices of a generation calling out for empathy, action, and understanding, not retribution. Their cries are not a threat; they are a call to conscience, a summons to a government that has seemingly lost its way in the maze of worthless economic jargon and self-created fiscal constraints.

Let the children heal and live free of the fear that their hunger and hardship will be met with chains. The government must prioritize people over inhuman policies dictated by distant, no-good, vampiric financial institutions in Washington. It must recognize that these policies have consequences, consequences borne not by politicians and their cronies but by millions of Nigerians who struggle daily to survive.

For every child in that courtroom, for every young voice silenced by detention, Nigeria loses a part of its soul. Let this be a warning to those in power: the future is watching, and history will remember which leaders chose compassion over cruelty, justice over vengeance.

Because if a nation’s children cannot protest peacefully without fear of reprisal if their hunger is not a call to action but an excuse for punishment, then the government itself stands on trial—and it is failing spectacularly.

The Federal Government on Friday announced that construction on sections 3 and 3B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road would commence by mid-December.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection tour of the Lagos Calabar coastal road while leading members of the National Assembly on an on-site assessment of ongoing infrastructure projects in the southwest region, on Friday.

He revealed that the delays on the highway’s southern corridor were initially caused by rerouting to avoid militant-controlled areas.

He said, “Before the middle of December, we will flag off sections 3 and 3B because the design has been approved by President Bola Tinubu and we are ready.”

He explained, “Initially, we passed through a section where the militants are, so it was also a problem for the people.

“We saw the dangers and the ministry subsequently opted for a safer alternative route, even though it involves challenging terrain with 30-meter-high rock formations that will require blasting. But it is better to blast the rocks than to have the heads of our workers blasted off by militants.”

The minister assured stakeholders that the project remained on course.

Responding to concerns about the impact of the project on aquatic life, particularly in the Niger Delta region, Umahi assured stakeholders of the ministry’s strict adherence to environmental guidelines to preserve the local ecosystem and minimise disruptions.

He noted, “The ministry is fully compliant with the recommendations from the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment conducted along the entire project corridor.”

The minister stated that while work was ongoing on segments in the Sokoto and Kebbi areas, other segments across multiple states were yet to commence due to funding constraints.

“This project is EPC+F. The commitment in terms of cash by the federal government is 30 per cent. The other 70 per cent has to be sourced through loans which require extensive planning and approval processes.”

On his part, the Chairman, House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, passed a vote of confidence on the Umahi, noting that lawmakers were satisfied with the progress so far.

He said, “On behalf of the Speaker of the House of Reps, Tajudeen Abbas, we are impressed with the work and we are fully behind you. I want to crave the indulgence of the public to be patient and cooperative.

“I can assure you that the project is well ahead of schedule and that the federal government is intensifying efforts to enhance the security of key infrastructure nationwide through advanced surveillance systems.

“These state-of-the-art monitoring solutions, currently in place on the Third Mainland Bridge with a dedicated 24-hour control room, would soon be deployed across other major highways, including the Lagos-Calabar, Sokoto-Badagry, Trans-Sahara, Abuja-Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe, Keffi-Makurdi, Lagos-Ibadan, and Abuja-Kano routes.”

According to him, this initiative, in partnership with security agencies, aims to reduce response times and curb criminal activities on these critical road networks.

In a similar vein, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Nwebonyi, praised the minister’s initiative, describing it as a significant step forward for Nigeria.

He said, “This system demonstrates our commitment to progress and development, enhancing the safety of both motorists and pedestrians.”

Meanwhile, Alabi hailed the minister and assured him of parliamentary oversight.

He emphasised the role of the National Assembly in overseeing government spending, particularly regarding the 2024 budget.

Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), says the fainting by some minors at the Abuja federal high court was “scripted”.

On Friday, the police arraigned 76 suspects – who are mostly minors – for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest in August.

They are facing 10 counts bordering on mutiny, treason, and destruction of public property.

Before they could take a plea, at least four of them collapsed. The court later granted the defendants – who looked ill and malnourished – N10 million bail each.

In a statement, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the police, quoted Egbetokun as saying that the police have worked to balance justice with compassion and ensured that each suspect’s basic rights and privileges are respected.

“Today, an unexpected incident in court saw six of the suspects suddenly rush out and faint, drawing media attention in a deliberate and scripted manner to draw negative attention,” he said.

“Medical aid was promptly provided to these individuals, demonstrating the Police Force’s commitment to the welfare of those in its custody, irrespective of the allegations they face.

“While committed to upholding justice, the Nigeria Police Force remains sensitive to the rights of all individuals, including young persons. Under Nigerian law, individuals who have reached the age of criminal responsibility are answerable for their actions, regardless of their age.

“This principle aligns with global practices, where accountability is upheld for young individuals who commit serious offenses. As seen in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, age does not exempt individuals from facing legal consequences.

“However, each case is approached with empathy and in accordance with human rights standards.”

The IGP added that the police would maintain “professionalism” throughout the legal process.

[TheCable]

After he won the Big Brother Naija, BBNaija, season 2 in 2017, Michael Efe Ejeba, popularly known as Efe Money, delved into music.

Though many doubted his talent in music, Efe didn’t give up, as he continued chasing his dream in music.

Today, his resilience and hard work has paid off, having been making waves beyond the shores of this country as one of the rising Afrobeats stars. In this engaging encounter, he reflects on his musical journey and why he created “Une Bounce” , which is a fusion of Urhobo traditional sounds and Afrobeat in his new EP.

My musical journey

How I gradually made in-road into the Nigerian music space after people had earlier doubted my talent in music was to just stay consistent in doing what I know how to do best, which is to make music and ignore all the naysayers.

Inspiration to make smash hits

I developed more interest in my culture as I grew older and it led me to be inspired by the rich sound and melodies of my people, the Urhobo.

Growing up, my dad used to play some Urhobo traditional music on cassettes and CDs at home. Now that I’m grown up and attending weddings, burials and other social functions in my hometown, I felt a sense of nostalgia listening to those local sounds. It dawned on me to question why this unique and rich sound wasn’t on the global stage. So I decided to fuse it with contemporary sounds and share it with the world.

Why I introduced ‘Une Bounce’

The reason for creating this sound I call “Une Bounce” is to introduce the world to the rich traditional music of Urhobo people that has been under the radar for a long time. Another reason is to bridge the social gap between the young and the old Urhobo people through music.

How people are receiving this brand of music

The reception has been amazing since I dropped the first single “Money Talk” in October 2023. I got calls and videos of people vibing and dancing to the song from all over the world. It inspired me to drop an EP of five tracks to further explore the sound which I titled “Une Bounce.”

Urhobo singers are embracing the genre and I’m excited about it because a lot still needs to be done to take Urhobo music to the next level but I can not do it alone.

Releasing my debut album in 2024

Unfortunately, my team and I have decided to move the release of my debut album to 2025. This is due to circumstances beyond our control.

Collaborating with some A-list artistes lately

There are more to come, keep your fingers crossed. Shout out to Vector for featuring me on “No Apologies”. That was a smash hit in the rap industry. My music is gaining global acceptance.

Fusion of Urhobo, Hausa and English in my next projects

This is because music is an expression of myself and my life experience. Growing up in Jos influenced me a lot. Being Urhobo also shaped my personality.

My greatest challenges

I’ve always been into full time music since 2010 when I first stepped into a studio and I’ve not stopped or taken a break. As an independent artist, the greatest challenge is finance because music is capital intensive and more budget is needed for promotion and marketing in this day and age.

Music acts I would like to work with

Quite a lot, but I’ll prefer not to mention their names. Shout out to King Enakpodia for taking the hook in Money Talk, Otacha and Solo Kings for being part of the Une Bounce EP.

[Vanguard]

The Afenifere can’t condone inequity. Tinubu’s tribalism has been alarming. They are embarrassed. It’s uncultured. The Yoruba are relatively too advanced for such a retrogressive political palliative scheme .They need neither  to be pushed like a battery-handicapped  kabukabu  nor to be fed mashed food like a toothless adult. On no scale are they backward, comparatively.

They are the proud champions of equity, industry and merit. Tinubu’s  untiring devotion to sectionalism serves neither the values of the Yoruba nor the interests of the country. On the other hand, Afenifere’s  response could be summed up as a disdainful smirk. Perhaps, Tinubu’s tribalism is a glimpse of the  long-prophesied  denouement. The belated coming out of the shadows. Are we then now condemned to  a few more years of startling self-debasing shenanigans?  

The name ‘Progressive’ which Awolowo, Bola Ige and Abraham Adesanya cherished has already become almost redundant, a hollow moniker. Perhaps, worse. A useful piece in the paraphernalia of many a Nigerian  political sorcerer. Used to bewitch and hold spellbound the famished and luckless electorate thirsting for a democracy that yields development and moral reformation. Tinubu is the last apostle of old school progressivism.  

Now, the people  must realize that  they have been hoodwinked and accept that progressivism in Nigeria politics has been almost irreparably contaminated. It now accommodates all shades of political yahooyahooism. If the nostalgic lovers of progressives remain  enthralled with the sentimental idea, then, they  can continue to wallow in their delusion that progressivism in Nigeria is  moral and people oriented rather than manipulative shallow machiavellianism. 

That whole idea of a Sovereign National Conference, it now appears,  was an elaborate  ruse. It’s erstwhile imperativeness was carefully contrived. Sovereign National Conference, the sort peddled by NADECO activists as the alchemy for  national preservation, unity and  progress must now be seen as  specious sophistry.  It has fallen into comical disuse. It has outlived its dubious usefulness. The pro democracy sermons have yielded the long desired fruit. The foil of democracy was used  to conceal  lust for power  and  a predilection  for rabid opportunism. Is the denouement just beginning? That’s the question. Are we destined for more shege?

The Yoruba elite are cringing. Tinubu’s tribalism has no clothes. Those not cringing are sneering at the nation. The stark nudity suggests benign aloofness  or devious shamelessness. They say the electorate is to blame. The finger-pointing is now happening in all directions. Yet  a few cannot understand the hullabaloo. They are irritated by the effete sensibilities of their detribalised kinsmen. Power has been grabbed.

Northerners are more fatalistic, they say God gives it. So whether Emilokan, Awalokan or  Yorubalokan, it must be attributed to God. So these few  have no apologies. Because, it’s turn by turn. “Omo Igbo will be worse”, they say. Though they  had a recent turn in Obasanjo, but he wasn’t a turn. It was a forgettable turn, they say. Tinubu, the Asiwaju of the universe, has come to make audacious amends. To give them two turns in one. A reparative double portion. So, he is probably  settling many scores. If so, why did Tinubu bother changing the national anthem? Perish the thought that the idea came from the NASS. 

Our lawmakers will rather discuss Bobrisky in the plenary. Back to Tinubu. He didn’t revert to the old anthem  to motivate the nation. He has been too brazen to bother. At his level of self absorption and indulgence, he could have effected the change to satisfy the urge of nostalgia. The goal  was never  to rally the riven country or forge cohesion. No, that’s not his current priority.  Tribes and tongues may differ all they care, all he wants is for folks to ‘stand on his mandate.’

For grown men to fawn and genuflect and mutter  self-deprecating gibberish to lionize the man. Beyond the settling of scores, there could be the other objective of  a kinsmen-assisted transmutation into emperorship. A tax obsessed man who perpetually demands sacrifices of the poor while living lavishly.  His choices do not reflect any concept of national broadminded brotherhood, but the narrow brotherhood of self perpetuating sectionalism.  Nigerians, all Nigerians are proud to serve the fatherland. But it appears, Tinubu thinks more like a  prime Sunday Igboho than Tinubu of 2004. 

Igboho, before his native charms failed, lost  signals, in Cotonou,  allowing  the Beninoise police to subject him to an impromptu  sabbatical . If Tinubu’s tribalism is actually borne of  uncomplicated Yoruba exceptionalism, then we must  liken him to Nnamdi Kanu, who thinks the Igbo are a special breed and their neighbours, genetically inferior. As it stands,  the fatherland during Tinubu’s  reign is best served by Omoluabis who can stand on the mandate with religious loyalty. Who knows? When the  Ooni went into a frenzy marrying fair women, many  hissed derisively. But those in the know say it wasn’t him. It was the oracle. So who knows what’s really driving Tinubu’s parochialism. 

We must then be charitable . We must extend  pity to all the  non Yorubas in Tinubu’s  government. They must know by now that they are mere furniture, positioned  deftly to satisfy all that is left of a dispensable righteousness. No matter how servile they become, they can’t earn the trust. Technical impostors, all of them, when they speak with any certainty about government policy or direction. They  don’t belong. They should tiptoe.  They can’t shout. Like black Africans working for the office of district colonial power. Their zealousness is naivety or mischief.

They must mew and whisper. It’s not their turn. They are free riders. No matter how important they might feel or how large they once thought they were, they must now contain themselves . When they get to their distant villages, like Agulu, they can drop names. There,  they can brag about their ownership  of  Tinubu and co-ownership of the government. But they must not let it get into their heads. Around Abuja, they must behave. Blood is thicker than water. For this regime right now, blood is trust, blood is intelligence, blood is beautiful.  Outsiders must be sniffed. They are potential moles who are potentially slothful. Only a few of them must be given sensitive roles. 

Buhari once said he belonged to no one, though many swore that  he belonged to the north. It’s difficult to know what he did to Tinubu. Tinubu appears to be saying that everybody belongs to him. He has left  nobody guessing. Once you  list the critical offices, ministries and juicy agencies, you know the tribe of the man in charge. These are the leaders of the party that enchanted the people  with the promise of Change. We rotate power to share sense of belonging and build cohesion.

A man takes the rotated power, out of turn, to settle scores and transmogrify in the Oba of Nigeria. Where will he stop? We can absorb more tribalism. Allow Tinubu select only the Yoruba to head all powerful and lucrative minsteries and agencies to retsore hope.  We are that elatsic. We can even embrace some rituals of obeisance,  like go round to compel  all Radio and TV stations to sing On Your Mandate  every morning at 7am. To appreciate his long standing dedication to the cause of democracy and social justice.

We can also allow his business partners start building multi trillion naira coatal roads all around the country without due process. We can just say that they are the best builders in the country. But will that be enough? At some point we might just adopt Yoruba as a national language and change the title of president to Oba. I will suggest it to Akpabio,  Mr President will like that. Then we can change the tenure to ten years.  To deepen democracy. That’s a progressive idea.

I am worried that Nigerian leaders have captured the Nigerian state, taking beleaguered citizens hostage in the process and yet carrying on as if all is well. I am even more worried that the grossly abused citizens, afflicted with the debilitating Stockholm syndrome, rather than standing up to their abusers are actually coping, having over time developed positive feelings toward those who have persistently treated them cruelly, violently and unfairly in the name of leadership. But I am most worried that with the way Nigerian politicians are carrying on, sooner or later something will give and we will all be worse for it.

Nigerian leaders, particularly the political class love clichés. So, most often, they mouth former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s quip: “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time” and harangue everyone with the “democracy is the best form of government” platitude even when they wilfully rubbish the very idea.

The word democracy, which comes from the Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power) as a governance paradigm may well be the best form of government but that is predicated on the conditions that the people freely choose their rulers and it guarantees them inalienable freedoms. In other words, democracy is a value-driven governance model that celebrates the three totems of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic, genuine elections by universal suffrage.

Holding free and fair elections periodically is the leverage the electorate have in a democracy. The idea is that if an elected official does not perform, the people in whom the sovereign powers of the state reside, will not re-elect him.

It is in this context that the definition of democracy by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the U.S. in his November 19, 1863 address at the Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania, remains immortal.

In the 271-word Gettysburg address widely considered one of the most notable in American history, Lincoln said: “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Five years earlier – three years before he became President in 1861 – Lincoln on August 1, 1858 also drew a fundamental parallel between democracy and freedom using the anecdotal scourge of slavery. “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy,” he said.

So, democracy without the fundamental freedoms it guarantees the people, particularly the freedom of choice is a misnomer and an aberration. Therefore, any system of government in which the supreme power is not vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system, can be anything else but democratic.

If these are incontestable truisms, why then are Nigerian politicians behaving in a manner that suggests that the people don’t matter in the country’s democracy? Who will tell them that by so doing they are endangering democracy?

How is it that those who insist the worst democratic government is better than the most benevolent military junta and who aver that the antidote to bad governance is a change through the electoral process are not worried that politicians are working assiduously at ensuring that votes do not count in elections?

So, which democratic process are they talking about? While it may be true that democracy is the best form of government, the question needs to be asked whether a system where the sovereign powers do not reside in the people who in turn use same during periodic elections to determine those that should make the authoritative allocation of their collective values, qualify to be called a democracy.

Can we equate civilian rule with democracy? No! Granted, there is a school of thought that believes democracy is an illusion, but some countries are thriving democracies because the people exercise their inalienable right of determining who governs them in free and fair elections.

A lot is wrong with Nigeria’s democracy. There seems to be a conspiracy among politicians to undermine it by unconscionably subverting free, fair and credible elections. To be fair, these shenanigans didn’t start today. Olusegun Obasanjo, as president between 1999 and 2007 shredded the democratic rights of the people to decide who governs them by making elections a do-or-die affair.  

But things have gotten a lot worse in the nearly ten years since the All Progressives Congress, APC, supplanted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the centre in 2015. But even as toxic as the eight years of Muhammudu Buhari’s stint in Aso Rock was to the health of Nigeria’s democracy, things are a lot worse today under President Bola Tinubu’s watch. It is as if all caution have been thrown to the wind as politicians continue to act without regard for risk or negative consequences.

What is worse, the judiciary has been sucked into the maelstrom orchestrated by actors in the executive arm of government with judges giving judgements that are overtly partisan.

In the 2023 elections, politicians, particularly of the APC hue, spurred by Tinubu’s hackneyed political philosophy of power not served à la carte, became more brazen in their malfeasance. Time was when the popular refrain in the political circles is that you can only rig elections where you are strong politically. That was the era of voter inducement, ballot box snatching and burning of ballot papers. Not anymore!

Today, nobody cares about those gambits. All anyone needs to win elections in Nigeria today is to control the structures of criminality. Politicians don’t care about the people anymore if only they are able to suborn officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies and thugs. Today, thugs no longer snatch ballot boxes after the votes have been cast. Days before elections are held, they send out messages that if you are not going to vote for their political party of choice, don’t come near any polling booth on Election Day. The reprehensible act started in Lagos before it was adopted by political actors in different parts of the country.

And because Nigerian politicians don’t take prisoners, they have elevated their devious gambit by writing election results weeks before the first ballot is cast. As if what happens during general elections are not frightening enough, governors have upped the devious ante through the so-called local government elections, which in all the states, without any exception have become a ruse.

To make matters worse, the electorate who should be mourning at the very ugly turn of events, quaff at their own political castration by applauding their tormentors, who they, nevertheless, hail as astute politicians for the simple reason that they are adjudged adept at subverting the electoral will of the people.

Today, many Nigerians believe that Tinubu’s “re-election” in 2027 is already a fait accompli not because of the yeoman’s job he is doing in Aso Rock but because he is the only one that has the capacity to win elections the Nigerian way. That is unbecoming. And many would-be voters have decided not to give such shenanigan any legitimacy by keeping their distance from the polling booths henceforth.

I am worried for Nigeria and its democracy. The questions that concentrate my mind everyday as I reflect on the shamelessness of the political actors and their unbelievable lack of emotional intelligence are: Who will call Nigerian politicians to order before it is too late? Who will tell them that they are endangering Nigeria’s democracy by denying the people the right to decide who governs them through the ballot box?

The primary reason a group of Nigerians had a meeting in Abuja with embassy and trade officials from Vietnam on Wednesday October 30, 2024 was to explore business opportunities for cooperation and development. That quickly changed to nagging questions such as why Vietnam which was a physically flattened country back in May 1976 when it began diplomatic relations with Nigeria is, today, fast developing, while Nigeria is fast degenerating and steadily under-developing? Why is the Vietnamese Foreign Exchange Reserves $92.3 billion and that of Nigeria $39.07 billion?

Why should Nigeria which five decades ago had thriving granaries exporting cotton to Europe and, integrated modern textile companies in places like Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Aba and Asaba be begging Vietnam for textile expertise?

How come Nigeria in 1976 with a population of 64.658 million had over 500,000 textile workers, now with 234 million people, it has a little over 20,000 workers in that industry?

Retired public servant, Suleiman Haliru who comes from a family of cotton growers and, worked in that industry as a boy, lamented that many of the thriving cotton and textile companies in Kaduna are now beer parlours.

The participants at the meeting which included retired diplomats, representatives of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, former civil servants, journalists, businessmen and women, the representative of the Kano State Government, Mr Nazir Haliru and that of the National Assembly, Paul Gowon Haruna, struggled to find answers.

Even so, more questions continued to pop up. Why is Vietnam so food-sufficient that it not only feeds its population but also exports so much food, while the Nigerian populace is crying: “We are hungry”? How come the Vietnamese population living below the poverty line is 4.2 per cent while that of Nigeria is above 80 per cent?

 Ambassador Sani Bako, MFR, the pioneer Nigerian Ambassador to Vietnam who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria-Vietnam Economic Trade and Cultural Association, made a critical observation. He noted that Vietnam which was razed to the ground during its 20-year war of independence against the United States with the latter applying chemicals to ensure the lands were unusable, is today exporting rice to scores of countries. He added: “Prayers are very good, but we should also stand up to make our country work.”

The Vietnamese team led by its ambassador, Mr Bui Quoc Hung, said after the war, the United States for years imposed blockade and sanctions on Vietnam, but that the country survived and has thrived because the people are united and, have a focused leadership which sees itself as part of the population. The politics of Vietnam, he said, is quite stable under the leadership of the Communist Party which is now the sole political party.

 On international relations, he said: “In terms of ideology, we are socialists. But we have to trade with the capitalists; we have to shake hands with the capitalists. We have enjoyed international co-operation, support and solidarity.”

Its Bamboo Tree Diplomacy that draws inspiration from the bamboo plant which is of cultural significance, he said, emphasises open and independent relations with all countries. This, he said, has seen world leaders visiting, including “Bush the Father, Bush the son” and Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin.

The Vietnamese economy, he explained, has been so diversified that just as it is assisting the United Arab Emirate develop food sufficiency, so it is importing cashew nuts from Nigeria, building chips for Artificial Intelligence entities, manufacturing electric cars, and producing 35 per cent of the Samsung mobile phones. He said all the while, Vietnam stayed true to its agricultural roots which sees it utilising bamboo and the banana tree for all sorts of products, including textile, and planting rice everywhere, including the mountains. The Vietnamese, he said, have turned planting rice to an art form, so well that it has become a tourist attraction. He said rice requires just four basic needs to grow: water, fertilizer, good seedling and hard work, adding that despite the rich varieties available, his country is still engaged in rice research.

 Vietnam, he said, has developed due to the resilience, hard work and collective determination of the people.

In answering the questions, the ambassador said everything he was wearing was produced by his country and that unlike Nigeria, the Vietnamese have their cultural textiles and national brand.

As the discussions continued, Mr Hung decided to speak frankly. First, he said there are practices in Nigeria that cannot happen in his country. He gave the example of the Vietnamese Trade Consular NguyenChi Mai who came in from Lagos and had her return time unilaterally changed by the airline.

Secondly, he said, when Vietnamese businessmen hear about kidnappings and terrorism in Nigeria, they are reluctant to come. Thirdly, that the Nigerian business environment is not friendly. Fourthly, he said it is difficult for Vietnamese investors to cope with an ever-fluctuating foreign currency system, especially when Nigeria relies entirely on the dollar rather than also use alternative currencies like the RMB (Yuan) or Russian Ruble. He also thinks Nigeria’s infrastructure needs updating, adding that there are no power failures in his country.

Nigeria, he suggested, needs to invest in education so that issues of lecturers in tertiary institutions protesting about pay would no longer occur. He said the prevailing unfavourable situation is making many Nigerian children go abroad for studies.

He also noted that a lot of food is wasted in Nigeria due to lack of food processing, saying: “You take pineapple in the morning and in the evening, you throw the rest away.”

He said he could not easily move around in the first year of his posting as he had to wait for long to present his Letter of Credence. He said he has been to Lagos and looks forward to visiting other parts of the country to explore business opportunities for his country. Vietnam, he said, has good and clear policies on small and medium size enterprises, making them blossom.

The Ambassador said he has to go with his car and driver to places like Wuse Market and the mall to make purchases but that in Vietnam, he walked because virtually in every corner one can purchase what he needs.

Talking about diversity, he said his country has more than 50 nationalities speaking different languages, but that the citizens are conscious that they are one people.

Ambassador Bako, in his closing remarks, said: “The Ambassador has been quite frank, but unless you are frank, you are not going to make it.” I concur, but need to add that when your friend tells you the truth, you don’t need to quarrel over it as you have the democratic right either to accept or reject it. Both have consequences.

The Nigeria Police Force has stated that anyone more than 7 years old can be charged to court.

Adejobi stated this on Friday amid outrage regarding the arraignment of minor #EndBadGovernance protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Adejobi highlighted that the legal framework permits minors as young as seven to be charged, as long as specific protocols are adhered to to guarantee due process.

He said, “Those exempt from criminal liability under the law are those below seven. Once you are above seven, you can be charged to court. The only consideration is the specific procedures required. None of them is younger than seven. The youngest is around 13,” he told Channels TV on Friday.

“The fact that someone is 13 does not mean they cannot be charged to court. Even under the Children and Young Persons Act, individuals can still be charged. We have charged them on behalf of the Federal Government.

“These are individuals who leveraged the #EndBadGovernance protests, hijacked it, became violent, and displayed flags from Russia and other countries, which is, of course, an offence. They are criminally liable, and we have not charged anyone underage.”

Recall Vanguard reported earlier that the federal government arraigned 76 individuals, primarily underage children, on Friday for their involvement in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest in August before a Federal High Court in Abuja, the capital city.

However, at the beginning of the proceedings, four of the alleged protesters were quickly taken out after they collapsed.

The court later granted bail of N10 million to each of the 72 defendants and removed the names of four ailing children from the charges, while the remaining defendants pleaded not guilty.

[Vanguard]

The Lagos State House of Assembly has commended the Executive Chairman, Epe Local Government, Princess Surah Animashaun, for her equitable distribution of developmental projects across the eight (8) wards of the council in the last two-and-half years of her administration in the council area of Lagos state.

The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government Administration, Chieftain Affairs and Rural Development, Hon. Sanni Ganiu Babatunde Okanlawon made the commendation during the oversight function on activities of the Local Government Council Area in Lagos.

Okanlawon, representing Kosofe Constituency I, noted that the Council Chairman has done very well in the area of Sports, Tourism, Arts and Culture, noting that the infrastructural facilities were not left out in her area of developmental strides.

He added that Animashaun has also empowered students, indigent youths, artisans, market men and women through disbursement of funds to boost their businesses and marketing strategies, noting that the Chairman has to intensify efforts on the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), as it has become a global market.

He said: “We have visited three LGAs, LCDAs, and what we saw there were better, but not comparable to what we saw here in Epe LGA, indeed, very encouraging. It is remarkable because we know what happened to the local governments in terms of the paucity of funds.

Okanlawon further commended the leadership style of the Council Chairman, especially in the area of reconstruction and rehabilitation of access roads across the local government area, noting that Councillors and Supervisory Councillors had gone on foreign trips on capacity building, as well as staff and management of the council.

“It is worthy of emulation that the council could have done all these, indeed, she has developed the council's hospital, maternity centres, schools, farmlands for farmers and many others, I think that is commendable and the synergy that is existing between the management and workers is also commendable.”

Okanlawon said the oversight functions provided an avenue to interface with the local governments and understand the relationship that exists between the workers and the management of the council.

Responding, Princess Animashaun applauded the members of the committee for their oversight visit for them to assess the work on the ground.

She disclosed that her administration had been able to complete some projects, including reconstruction of a comprehensive health centre, schools and renovation of some dilapidated roofs in schools, provisions of bursary award to indigent students of tertiary institutions among others.

Princess Animashaun noted that the council had been able to positively influence the grassroots in the area of education, healthcare service delivery, enabling environment, infrastructure, sports, arts and tourism,  welfare packages and many more.

“We have been passionate about the development of the youths and students through our monthly grant of N10,000 to assist in entrepreneurship and bursary for the indigents student of tertiary institutions.

“We have also taken the security of our people into cognizance, and in this regard; we have donated security vehicles to the police station around us and also motor cycles for vigilantes. 

“We have been able to showcase some of our ongoing projects, and I think the judgment is for members of the committee to make. We will continue to do our best as far as grassroots governance is concerned,” she said.