The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had barely finished announcing the result of last Saturday’s Edo governorship poll when I got a call to eat the humble pie. Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the man I called a product vendor in my last article, had pulled off another big one!

Why? I had no dog in the fight. But I got the drift. I had warned that given Oshiomhole’s reputation for campaigning for candidates for whom he often ended up apologising, voters could hardly ignore the warning label on his candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and that, at any rate, if it wasn’t that in politics, crime multiplies grace, Comrade’s factory should have been sealed or closed long ago.

But he got this one, right? Okpebholo, who Oshiomhole carried on his back throughout the campaign, is now governor-elect. The Comrade is entitled to ask his critics to eat the humble pie. Fair enough. While I shop for the sugar-free variety, let’s review the poll, starting with issues we might agree on.

Powershift

Rotation or zoning is still a crucial factor in politics. The two leading parties in the contest – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – put forward candidates from Edo Central that had not produced a governor before, except for the brief spell of Oserheimen Osunbor.

The governor-elect, Okpebholo (APC), and his rival, Asue Ighodalo (PDP), are from this senatorial district. But the Labour Party thought differently: the party put forward Olumide Akpata from Edo South, which, apart from being the home of Governor Godwin Obaseki, had also produced more governors than any other. Akpata invited the fight to his crowded backyard.

The first thing Saturday’s election taught was that Edo people wanted power to shift elsewhere. Ighodalo may not have reaped the full benefit, but the result showed that he defeated Okpebholo in Edo Central, even though he currently represents this zone in the Senate. That lesson – that zoning matters – was lost on Labour, and it paid dearly for it.

Godfather never sleeps

Godfathers matter, too. In elite circles and on TV discussion programmes, we can criticise godfathers and call them names, like I called Oshiomhole, a decorated vendor of lousy products. It doesn’t matter, as the results of the poll have shown. The election was a contest of godfathers: Oshiomhole vs. Obaseki, each with a hefty trail of other godfathers lurking in the shadows.

If godfathers didn’t matter, Obaseki wouldn’t go, like a thief in the night, accompanied by Ighodalo, to the Abuja private residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, his interim godfather four years ago in a desperate attempt to curry favour.

Complaining about the role of godfathers in our elections won’t change anything. Party members or their sympathisers must be prepared to put their money and energy where their mouth is. It’s a waste of time to disregard party funding and involvement in party organisation, only to complain at elections that Piper Godfathers are playing a disgusting tune. They will.

Oshiomhole has redeemed himself as a preeminent product vendor and godfather of Edo politics. He has also retired Obaseki to Afrinvest or whatever may be left of his investment company.

There’s a life lesson here, too: choose your fight. The question was not who Obaseki was fighting but who he was not fighting. He fought Oshiomhole, fought those who sheltered him from vagrancy four years ago, fought his deputy, fought relations of his deputy in the civil service, fought anyone remotely connected to Oshiomhole, fought the Palace, and fought anyone who advised him to stop fighting. Ultimately, he’ll have to deal with the echoes of what might have been – alone.

Over their dead body

There’s yet another thing the poll tells us – something the PDP may learn over its dead body: that the division in the party which snatched its cap in 2023 may behead it sooner than later. The ruling APC has had problems, especially concerning the chairman’s home troubles and the power tussle in the North Central. However, the gold for internal chaos must go to the PDP and the Labour Party.

Even though PDP governors converged on Benin during the election to present a common front, the party’s core – the governors and its National Working Committee – has been wracked by divisions. The same problem has split the Labour Party down the middle, with each party’s faction claiming to be the authentic one. On Saturday, the candidates of both parties were, strictly speaking, political orphans struggling to get to shore from the parties’ sinking boats.  

Broken

Saturday also cleared any doubts that voter apathy is an increasingly severe problem. In a state with a population of about 4.4 million and over half of them registered voters, voter turnout was 24.49 percent. We have seen this trend in virtually every election. All that happens the day after is the parties and INEC trading blame.

Until politicians restore trust and people begin to see elections as a viable means of making politicians accountable, the voter numbers will continue to drop.

To make matters worse, elections have become warfare. For example, the ratio of voters to security personnel in the Edo election was 1:11. Ultimately, voters are either overwhelmed by indifference or lethargy or discouraged by fear.

But who cares? Once the results are announced and the winner is declared, those who are displeased and have the money go to court. Voters go home, until the next cycle.

Adding up

Discrepancies between the figures on the election result viewer portal (iREV), the number of accredited voters, and what INEC finally announces remain a severe headache. The bimodal accreditation system’s whole point was to reduce significant disputes over figures and make the process more transparent.

Some progress has been made since Mike Tyson was on the voter roll, and palm kernel shells were improvised as thumbprints. Yet, it’s a considerable irony that the same system, which seemed to work well in 2020 and was praised by the PDP and independent monitors as a contributory factor for the poll’s success that year, was perhaps one of the most contentious in Saturday’s vote. INEC must get its act together.

Never say, never

And finally, we saw again on Saturday that interests are the only thing permanent in politics. And I’m not talking here about Philip Shaibu changing parties like underwear, although you would be right to cite that as a good example. I’m talking about Ighodalo and what might have been.

In case you missed it, Senator Babafemi Ojudu shared a viral message last week: Asue Ighodalo was a member of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu transition committee after he was elected Lagos State governor in 1999. In another life, Ighodalo, a dyed-in-the-wool Lagos Boy, might have been on Tinubu’s side, as Obaseki once was. What politics cannot divide does not exist.

But who knows? Never say never. If lousy product vendors can get a second – even a third – life, you never know what the future holds. As they wrote on the tail of that famous mammy wagon to Eastern Nigeria many years ago: No condition is permanent!

1. The resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), following its meeting at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 17th-18th August 2024, gave a 21-day ultimatum to the Government of Nigeria to address all the unresolved issues that have plagued the public university system. This ultimatum was duly communicated to the government through the Minister of Education via a letter dated 20th August 2024.

2. The issues in contention include (a) conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021; (b) release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries due to the 2022 strike action; (c) release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS); (d) release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; (e) funding for the revitalization of public universities, partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government Budget; (g) payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government Budget; (h) proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments; (i) implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities; (j) illegal dissolution of Governing Councils; and (k) University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for IPPIS.

3. The leadership of ASUU met to review government’s response on Thursday, 19th September 2024. We noted, with regrets, that government's failure to fully implement the Memoranda of Understanding/Actions (MOUs/MOAs) arising from the FGN/ASUU Agreement of 2009, particularly between 2013 and 2020, had continued to exacerbate crises in public universities. In particular, government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU Agreement that has lingered for upward of seven (7) years, and implement the Agreement, has not helped matters especially given the current economic realities in the country. Government’s wage awards should not and cannot replace the finalization of the draft FGN-ASUU Agreement package which was etched on collective bargaining principles.

4. Also, the government's refusal to address non-monetary issues such as the removal of universities from IPPIS, despite a presidential directive and a court order, is deeply concerning. In 2020, ASUU responded to the government's challenge to provide an alternative and more efficient payment platform by developing the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), a purely homegrown technology solution. However, the government has refused to accept this alternative despite its superiority to IPPIS.

5. Furthermore, the government's failure to implement the recommendations of visitation panels and amend the National Universities Commission (NUC) Act to prevent the proliferation of public universities, despite claiming a lack of funds to support existing institutions, is not only alarming, but embarrassing. When it suits their interests, government agents expressly amend old laws and pass new ones without much ado. However, the same political elites ignore ASUU’s consistent demands for quality university education and treat the country’s scholars like 16th-century slaves in their rabid pursuit of bountiful dividends of “contractoracy” and constituency projects.

6. What has become clear from recent engagements is that the current government has continued with the old antics, characterized by bureaucratic bottlenecks, time-buying tactics, denial of documentations, and lack of budgetary provisions, to confound and complicate matters. It is a fact that funds were allocated for payment of EAA and revitalization of public universities in the 2023 budget. It is also true that the Presidential directive on moving academics out of the IPPIS platform has not been heeded for close to one year! Our union shall not sit idly and watch agents of government undermine its resolve to cater for the welfare of its members and protect the integrity of the university system through these and similar acts of provocation.

7. Information available to ASUU does not support government's claims of insufficient funds, but points squarely to deficit of political will. The substantial inflows from subsidy removal and devaluation of the Naira, translating to the humongous monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the three tiers of government make nonsense of the outlandish claims. Elementary economics suggests that Government does not prioritize the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics; otherwise, the prolonged engagements with ASUU should have yielded fruitful outcomes for stability and industrial harmony in the Nigerian University System.

8. We reiterate our firm belief in the principles of dialogue and collective bargaining, as enshrined in the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, for resolving all issues. This is why ASUU has been consulting leaders of thought, including former presidents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the leadership of the National Assembly, on how to peacefully resolves the lingering issues to the benefit of Nigeria’s public university system and the nation at large.

9. However, the government's continued use of empty promises, non-committal attitude, and delay tactics is fanning the ambers of crisis in our public university system. Therefore, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to address these outstanding issues in line with the African Union’s strategy of using the path of quality and accessible education towards realizing the AU agenda 2063. This is especially as 2024 has been declared the African Union Year of Education. The Nigerian ruling class should stop paying lip service to funding public education, which they benefited from in their days.

10. In view of the foregoing, ASUU resolves to give the Nigerian Government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024 during which all the lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union. The union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that arises from government’s failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud.

Emmanuel Osodeke

President, ASUU

23rd September, 2024

3

President Bola Tinubu congratulates Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja as he marks his 80th birthday today, September 25, 2024.

Oba Rashidi is an accomplished businessman who served as Governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2007 and as a Senator in the Third Republic.

He was elevated from Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland to a beaded-crown-wearing Oba by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on August 12, 2024.

President Tinubu joins family, friends, and the people of Ibadanland to celebrate the elder statesman on this milestone.

The President commends Oba Rashidi for his strength of will and courage in pursuing justice and lofty ideals.

President Tinubu salutes the astute politician for his service to the nation and dedication to the cause of a greater Nigeria.

The President recalls his time at the Senate during the short-lived Third Republic when providence crossed their paths.

He thanks Oba Rashidi for his friendship and support over the years.

President Tinubu prays for unceasing wisdom, robust health, and strength for Oba Rashidi as he marks this significant occasion.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

Real Madrid forward, Kylian Mbappe, is set to miss playing for the next three weeks due to a thigh injury, ruling him out of Sunday’s highly anticipated Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid.

The 25-year-old French international sustained the injury during Madrid’s 3-2 La Liga victory over Alaves on Tuesday.

Mbappe, who netted his seventh goal of the season just before half-time, was substituted in the 80th minute, with Arda Guler coming on to replace him.

At the time of his exit, Madrid were leading 3-0, but two late goals from Alaves made for a tense finish.

Following the match, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti reassured fans about Mbappe’s condition, stating, “He’s fine, he’s fine, a little bit (over) loaded. He asked me to change to avoid problems.”

However, a medical assessment on Wednesday revealed that Mbappe has sustained “an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg,” according to a statement from the club.

The forward is now expected to be sidelined until mid-October.

This injury not only rules Mbappe out of the Madrid derby but also puts him in doubt for Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Lille on October 2.

This would have marked Mbappe’s first return to France at club level since his summer move from Paris Saint-Germain to the Spanish capital.

Real Madrid have faced several injury setbacks this season, with Brahim Diaz and Dani Ceballos still out of action.

However, the club received a boost with the news that Eduardo Camavinga is set to return to first-team training on Thursday and could be available for the match.

[Leadership]

The long-awaited 2024 Edo State governorship election was held as scheduled on Saturday, September 21, 2024. At the end of the exercise, the Returning Officer for the election Prof Faruk Kuta who is also the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election with 291,667 votes. He defeated 17 other candidates among whom is his arch-rival, PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Out of the 18 local government areas in the state, APC outright won 10, while PDP secured eight. Not that it mattered because the two conditions to be met are twenty-five per cent of votes in two-thirds of the local governments in the state as well as a majority of valid votes cast.

I was a member of the Election Day Data Room Faculty of Kimpact Development Initiative, one of the INEC’s accredited Domestic Observers for the election. I arrived in Benin City on Thursday, September 19, and left on September 22, 2024. I had the opportunity to assess the pre-election day environment before the D-day last Saturday. KDI established an Election Security Early Warning System in the 18 LGA of Edo state assessing the pre-election environment to identify early warning and deployed 45 long-term security and campaign finance observers. KDI deployed 431 trained observers for last Saturday’s poll.

Last Friday, the organisation held a press conference to share thoughts on its observations and recommendations. Suffice to say that some of the projections of KDI were spot on. For instance, the organisation was on point when it predicted a high turnout of 24% and a low turnout of 20%. The turnout was 22%. It also predicted through simple weather forecasts that INEC and security agencies should prepare for rain because it might affect turnout and, at the same time, increase rejected votes.  The rain came affected turnout in some places and rejected votes increased compared with 2020. Thirdly, it prophetically predicted that the margin of lead would be low and close. KDI interventions also assisted in promoting peaceful and non-violent polls.

I have read many accounts of the election from civil society organisations, media, and political parties. I dare say it’s like an account of an elephant led by six blind men. They are all right in their observations, depending on what they were looking out for. As an accredited observer, the following things were commendable: First, the election was largely peaceful with no death recorded as against the fear of a bloodbath that was envisaged. It means the 43,000 policemen and other security agencies that were deployed worked. There was effective restriction of movement which turned out to be a double-edged sword as this may have been partially responsible for the low turnout of voters as many could not go the long distance to places where they registered.

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System device worked optimally. Thus, cases of impersonation and multiple voting were made impossible. There was also no account of underage voting.  Poll Officials were well-trained and performed their role professionally. Sorting, counting, and announcing of results at the polling units also went well. Presiding Officers complied with the electoral guidelines and scanned the Form EC8A; Polling Units Result Sheets, using the BVAS, and uploaded the same on the INEC Result Viewing Portal. By 10 pm last Saturday, about 96 per cent of the Polling Units Results had been uploaded on IREV.  This enabled CSOs and Political Parties Situation Room to be able to do an independent tallying of results.

On the flip side, the perennial challenge of the late commencement of voting reared its ugly head. According to YIAGA Africa, one of the accredited observer groups, as of 7:30 am Poll Officials have only arrived in 41 per cent of the Polling Units. As of 8:30 am when accreditation and voting should have started, only 17 per cent of the PUs were open by that time. One hour after the official time of opening, the election had only started in only 64 per cent of the Polling Units. My experience at Agbado Primary School, Akpakpava Road in Oredo LGA of Benin City, which is a Registration Area Centre and also served as Polling Station for about 11 PUs, was that there were inadequate buses to transport Poll Workers and materials to their PUs, while there was also no security personnel on the ground to escort the vehicles.

It was at this venue that I was a guest of Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television for two hours as we ran a commentary on the opening hours of the poll from 7 – 9am. It is unclear whether INEC did not hire enough buses for election day logistics or it was the members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers that reneged on the MoU they signed with INEC to provide adequate buses.

There were reported incidences of vote buying with YIAGA Africa documenting that as much as N10,000 was paid per vote in Igueben, Akoko Edo, Esan West, Owan West, Ikpoba / Okha and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas. This is why the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata SAN, said what happened last Saturday was not an election but a transaction. Unfortunately, vote buying is not a ground for the nullification of elections. There was also palpable low voter turnout with INEC putting the figure at 22.5 per cent. Factors that may have aided this included, Late commencement of polling; restriction of movement; rainfall on election day; perceived lack of dividends of democracy; rising cost of living; voting is also not mandatory but voluntary in Nigeria.

Ahead of the poll, it is disheartening that about five political parties decided to step down and endorse the APC candidate a few days before the poll. This was done in clear breach of the provision of S. 31 of the Electoral Act 2022, which makes a withdrawal from the race to be done not later than 90 days to the election. It is within the right of the Peoples Democratic Party to reject the outcome of the poll and go to the Election Petition Tribunal― that is a good thing to do rather than resort to self-help. After all, it was that act of courage that Adams Oshiomhole took in 2007 that led to his electoral victory at the court in 2008. That is why Edo State and seven other states are having their gubernatorial election on a different date from the rest.

My overall impression of the poll is that it was not a flawless and hitch-free exercise. However, it is the court that has the right to determine if the poll was held in substantial compliance with the electoral law and guidelines. Section 135. (1) says “An election shall not be liable to be invalidated by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of this Act if it appears to the Election Tribunal or Court that the election was conducted substantially in accordance with the principles of this Act and that the non-compliance did not affect substantially the result of the election.”

For Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Governor-Elect of Edo State, I congratulate him and pray he will succeed in delivering dividends of democracy to his people. I do not envy him for the many political IOUs he has garnered. I pray his tenure in office shall be peaceful, prosperous, and positively impactful. Good luck!

Africa’s youthful energy is driving economic and social progress with its innovative ideas and entrepreneurial drive. With 40 percent of the population under the age of fifteen, and another 100 million children expected by 2050, Africa is projected to have the youngest and largest workforce globally by 2035. This presents the continent, and the world, with an unprecedented opportunity to increase food security, improve health, heal our planet, and create jobs. But it hinges on a critical factor: harnessing the full energy and talents of young women and girls across Africa.

The Mastercard Foundation’s new report, “Young Women in Africa: Agents of Economic Growth and Transformation by 2030,” forecasts that accelerating young women’s economic productivity can unlock an estimated $287 billion in economic value in Africa—equivalent to a 5 percent increase in GDP —and create 23 million jobs on the continent by 2030. What would it take to achieve this? Several factors. First and foremost, we must ensure that girls and young women have access to education and stay in school.

Right now, 34 million adolescent girls of secondary school age are not in school. Only 26 percent of young women in Sub-Saharan Africa complete secondary education. About 8 percent are enrolled in tertiary education. This translates into staggering losses in life-time productivity and earnings equivalent to a $10 billion loss in GDP across the continent.

The Mastercard Foundation is guided by our vision of a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. We have worked with extraordinary organizations over the past decade to support girls’ education and increase women’s participation in the workforce. Substantial progress has been made, thanks to the dedication and grassroots efforts of our partners.

To date, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has enabled over 45,000 young women and men to access quality education and develop their leadership capabilities, working with more than 40 education partners. Additionally, we work with young ed-tech entrepreneurs to deliver education via digital platforms to two million young people. About 70 percent of them are young women.

Much more remains to be done.

We are scaling successful programs to advance access to secondary education and improve post-secondary school pathways, including tertiary education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and work opportunities. These will enable girls and young women to access and complete their education. Over the next seven years, the Foundation will significantly expand our long-standing partnerships with CAMFED and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) with $360 million – to support over 70,400 young women and girls who live in economically disadvantaged communities to complete their education, start their own businesses or access employment.

Take the example of Juliana: Born into a family of seven in the Northeast Region of Ghana, Juliana’s journey to becoming a qualified nurse was fraught with challenges. Her parents, who are farmers, struggled to pay for her school fees and learning materials. Through our partnership with CAMFED, she completed her secondary education and went on to study nursing at Central University in Ghana. Today, she not only serves her community as a Nursing Officer, but also leads a social enterprise, the Sumwaana Shea Butter Processing and Marketing Co-operative, which is providing employment for over 100 women in her region. Juliana is a powerful illustration of how access to education and support transforms lives and communities.

Working with CAMFED and FAWE, we will deepen our collaboration with ministries of education across 10 African countries, over 500 universities and tertiary institutions and more than 1,400 secondary schools, to ensure education systems are responsive to the needs of girls and young women. Through these partnerships, we will continue to foster collaboration with government entities, schools, and community stakeholders to integrate important program components such as implementing re-entry policies for young mothers and promoting equitable allocation of education budgets. These programs will provide in-school mentorship to enable girls to access and complete secondary education. Additionally, they provide opportunities for those who left school to transition to tertiary education. These systems-level initiatives are expected to reach close to 3 million young people.

Education is the bedrock for realizing and sustaining Africa’s economic growth. As you’ll see in our report, integrating women into the workforce and enabling them to succeed as employees and entrepreneurs requires more than education. We also need policies that ensure young women have access to affordable capital, land, equipment, as well as business networks and markets.

Importantly, we must understand and respect the unique roles many women play in their families and provide them with the right support. For example, many young mothers need affordable childcare options, transportation, and flexible work arrangements. This essential footing will enable them to pursue higher-paying jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, driving both innovation and economic diversification.

At the upcoming UN General Assembly, we are convening leaders and practitioners who play an influential and impactful role in girls’ education and women’s economic empowerment in Africa. This exchange of ideas is focused on insights of successful programs and how they can be expanded.

The economic future of Africa depends on the empowerment of all young people, especially girls and young women playing a full and meaningful role. Through education, economic integration, and a shift in mindsets, we can build a future where every girl can learn and every woman can earn, lead, and thrive.

This is not just a vision; it is an imperative to create a prosperous and sustainable Africa.

Roy is the president and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

In Nigeria, politics has unfortunately become synonymous with power grabs, grandstanding, and empty promises. Our politicians, both elected and appointed, seem more interested in wielding the title of “leader” than embodying the essence of true leadership. While the facade of leadership is worn as a badge of honor, the practical results of governance are often lacking, leaving millions of Nigerians disillusioned. This begs the question: “when will Nigerian politicians stop acting like leaders and start governing as true ones?”

Throughout Nigeria, from the bustling streets of Lagos to the quiet villages that are located across the 774 local governments, political leaders abound, by title. We have governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and local government chairmen. On the surface, the architecture of leadership appears formidable, but scratch deeper, and the substance is missing. Leadership is not about the title one holds or the office they occupy. It is about the capacity to make tough decisions, the will to deliver results, and the commitment to prioritizing the needs of the people over personal gain. Unfortunately, many Nigerian politicians fall woefully short in these areas.

A leader is defined by their actions, not by their speeches or the size of their motorcade. Yet, we have witnessed countless politicians who deliver eloquent speeches, promising the moon, only to retreat into the comfort of luxury living once elected. The gap between their words and their deeds is glaring. They come across as leaders in their rhetoric, but in practice, they are missing in action where it matters most, delivering good governance.

One of the core problems with Nigerian politicians is the perversion of leadership from service to self-interest. Instead of focusing on solving the critical issues plaguing Nigeria, such as poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and corruption, many politicians are obsessed with consolidating power and amassing wealth. The offices they occupy are seen as stepping stones to personal enrichment, and the welfare of the people takes a backseat.

True leadership is about service. It requires empathy, sacrifice, and a deep understanding of the people you are elected to serve. Unfortunately, many of our politicians view public office as an opportunity to enrich themselves, their families, and their cronies. This is why political offices in Nigeria are so fiercely contested. When you observe the lengths to which politicians go to secure a position, it becomes clear that the motivation is not to serve the public but to protect their own interests. Leadership in Nigeria has become a means to an end rather than an opportunity to improve the lives of citizens.

Nigerians are no strangers to empty promises. During every election cycle, politicians inundate the public with pledges to fix roads, build hospitals, provide jobs, and eradicate poverty. They plaster their smiling faces on campaign posters, attend town hall meetings, and go on television to assure voters of the bright future ahead. But once the elections are over, those promises vanish into thin air.

Take, for example, the much-heralded promises of infrastructure development. Many Nigerian cities are littered with unfinished or poorly executed projects, roads that lead to nowhere, abandoned hospital buildings, and non-functional schools. Politicians cut ribbons and pose for photos at ground-breaking ceremonies, but when it comes to completing these projects, they are nowhere to be found. Leadership is not about starting things; it is about seeing them through to completion.

Another glaring example is the issue of job creation. Politicians regularly boast about creating millions of jobs, yet the unemployment rate continues to soar. Youth unemployment, in particular, has reached alarming levels, leaving millions of young Nigerians frustrated and hopeless. A true leader would prioritize the creation of sustainable economic opportunities, but many politicians are more interested in short-term solutions that serve their political expediency rather than long-term economic growth.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Nigeria’s political class is their detachment from the realities facing the average Nigerian. While many Nigerians struggle to make ends meet in the face of rising inflation, insecurity, and a weak economy, our politicians live in a parallel universe of opulence and privilege. They are often chauffeured around in luxury cars, live in mansions, and receive salaries and allowances that are disproportionate to the economic realities of the country.

This disconnect breeds resentment. When politicians flaunt their wealth and live extravagantly, they alienate themselves from the people they claim to serve. How can a leader who has no idea what it means to queue for fuel, or experience power outages, or struggle to afford basic food items, truly understand the challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians? True leadership demands that politicians get in touch with the struggles of the people and work relentlessly to alleviate them. It is not enough to speak about the challenges of the masses from a distance; politicians must feel their pain and reflect it in their policies and actions.

There is a saying that “actions speak louder than words,” and nowhere is this truer than in leadership. Nigerian politicians need to lead by example. It is not enough to simply make promises; they must be willing to make the tough choices that result in tangible progress. This may involve cutting down on government waste, ensuring accountability in public office, and instituting policies that prioritize the welfare of the people over personal gain.

Furthermore, true leadership requires humility. Politicians must be willing to admit when they are wrong and make necessary adjustments to their policies. They must be open to feedback from the people and surround themselves with competent advisers who will help them make informed decisions.

If Nigerian politicians are serious about being true leaders, several things need to change. First, there needs to be a fundamental shift in the mindset of politicians. Leadership is not a title; it is a responsibility. Politicians must begin to see their role as servants of the people, not overlords. They must prioritize the needs of the public over their personal ambitions.

Second, transparency and accountability must be at the forefront of governance. Politicians should be held accountable for their actions and inactions. It is time to move away from the culture of impunity where politicians can make promises with no intention of fulfilling them.

In fact, there must be a genuine commitment to improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians. Politicians should focus on creating sustainable solutions to the country’s problems rather than temporary fixes that serve only to boost their popularity.

Finally, Nigerian politicians need to stop coming across as leaders and start practicing true leadership. The time for empty rhetoric and symbolic gestures is over. Nigerians are tired of the charade. What the country needs now are leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves, make the tough decisions, and deliver real, tangible results that improve the lives of the people. Leadership is not about holding a position; it is about action, integrity, and service. It is time for Nigerian politicians to rise to the occasion and be the leaders they claim to be.

Disasters could be man-made like civil unrest, wars, pollution or natural like floods, erosions, landslides and earthquakes. The recent flood disaster in Maiduguri ravished the city and caused monumental damage. Many lives and property were lost, with many people are yet to find their loved ones. There are also fears of a major disease outbreak. The flood highlights the need for Nigeria to shift to a more proactive emergency management system which involves paying more attention to the mitigation, and preparedness. Effective emergency management goes beyond just announcing the possibility of a disaster occurring and distributing reliefs when they occur.

Mitigation aims to reduce the likelihood or impact of disasters . It involves measures such as having early warning system in place restricting development in high-risk areas, promoting proper waste disposal to prevent blockages in drainage systems, ensuring people don’t build on water ways, fortifying infrastructure like dams, reinforcing critical structures, preventing deforestation to curb erosion, gathering intelligence to identify and address underlying grievances that may lead to civil conflicts. Preparedness involves having comprehensive response plans, training personnel, and having all the resources in place to respond to emergencies. It requires agility. For example, since there were warning signals about the flood in Maiduguri, plan should have been in place to evacuate people living in high risk areas to safe camps.

Better funding, coordination, collaboration and information exchange among key stakeholders, including the National Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Management Agencies, local authorities, Fire Services, NIMET, and Security Agencies, are essential for a more proactive effective management system in Nigeria. It is imperative to involve Professional Project Managers to ensure objectives are met.

There is need for robust data gathering and analysis to enable effective identification of vulnerabilities. risk assessment and streamlining mitigation and response strategies. Nigeria should embrace the use of more technology in emergency management as the use of advanced tools like Geographical Information Systems, remote sensing, predictive modelling improve hazard monitoring and early warning capabilities.

The flood in Maiduguri has highlighted the need to rejig Nigeria's emergency management system to be more proactive and agile in order to significantly reduce the risk of occurrence and impact of disasters. It involves a holistic approach, by ensuring proper town planning, carrying out integrity test on critical infrastructures like dams and fortifying when necessary, having early warning signal and evacuation plans, etc. Enough of the avoidable loss of lives and properties in Nigeria.

The fact that the price of petrol can drop if the value of the Naira appreciates should not surprise an accountant like President Bola Tinubu.  The inverse relationship of the value of the Naira and the price of petrol happens because, petroleum, described as an “international citizen,” is largely traded with the American dollar.

You may have observed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited took pains to convert the price of the first consignment of petrol it bought from Dangote Refinery from Naira to the American dollar, the current store of the value of practically all currencies of the nations of the world.

The Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria recognised this obvious relationship, and suggested that local refiners, like Dangote Refineries, can bring the price of petrol down to N550 if the Central Bank of Nigeria pegs the exchange rate to N1000 to the American dollar.

Therefore, the quartet of President Tinubu, Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and Yemi Cardoso, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, must find a way to strengthen the Naira.

Obviously, an increased inflow of the dollar, that the sale of petroleum should bring to Nigeria, will provide foreign exchange to service Nigeria’s foreign loans, as well as pay for the importation of petroleum products that fuel the transportation system and power Nigeria’s economy.

But one must admit there is a challenge to trying to strengthen the Naira, because Nigeria is essentially an import-oriented economy that has little or no control over the mechanisms used for tweaking currency exchange.

The odds are stacked against Nigeria’s quest to strengthen the Naira. But if the Naira is not strengthened, the price of petroleum products will continue to rise through the roof. And that has significant negative impact on headline inflation and purchasing power of Nigerians.

China, Japan, Russia and many of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries led by America and Britain, produce most of what they consume. Bar members, in Central and Eastern Europe, OECD countries also have the technological, financial and managerial capacity to manufacture machineries and

Of course, they import exotic foreign consumer goods too. But they have enough to spend on those luxury items, and the net effect of the volume of such imports make no significant impact on their currency’s exchange rate. They have positive net trade balance.

In fact, countries like America and China deliberately devalue their currencies, so that the excess they produce for export can be considered relatively cheap and affordable by consumers in other countries that import from them.

That is the model prescribed by Adam Smith in his seminal book, “The Wealth of Nations,” published in 1776, which, incidentally, was the same year that America’s revolutionary Declaration of Independence was written.

But one must point out that, by consigning Third World countries, like Nigeria, into the role of net exporters of primary agricultural and mineral commodities, and net importers of consumer produce, the metropolitan economies have permanently institutionalised trade imbalance against poor Third World countries.

This is how this evil plan works: By importing cheap unprocessed agricultural and mineral commodities from Third World countries, and exporting more expensive processed products to them, the metropolitan economies always have surplus from the transactions. Processed products sell higher than unprocessed primary commodities.

Nigeria earns less by sending crude petroleum to foreign refineries, and pays more for refined petroleum products. To the cost of processing in metropolitan economies that have high cost of living, you must add the accompanying landing costs –of shipment in and out of Nigeria– of the petroleum products.

These are some of the issues that Governor Cardoso of CBN must contend with, especially in a situation where, over the years, the fiscal and macroeconomic policies were either unavailable, inappropriate or ineffectual. Even now, the economic team is still grappling with deciphering the magnitude of Nigeria’s economic quagmire.

Indeed, the team is desperately trying to articulate appropriate policy solutions to combat the degradation of the economy. To borrow a phrase, from the streets, to describe the overwhelming nature of the situation, “Water don pass gari.”

The CBN must firmly resist giving Ways and Means loans to the government, and hold Minister Edun to his word that the Federal Government has “exited Ways and Means” loans template. This should appreciably help CBN’s efforts to curb headline inflation that directly affects cost of living. By the way, Nigeria Bureau of Statistics recently reported that headline inflation dropped two months in a row.

It is a good thing that the CBN is encouraging the Federal Government to repay the accumulated Ways and Means loan, even if it is in piecemeal tranches. It reduces government loan servicing encumbrances and frees government revenues for infrastructural, other developmental and social service purposes.

But the Minister of Finance must play a more strategic role in the quest to raise the value of the Naira: He should prepare an annuity plan so that a portion of government’s loan principals is paid, in piecemeal, alongside the loan servicing payments, to Nigeria’s foreign lenders especially.

He should then talk to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of his illustrious predecessors, to explore possibilities of approaching the foreign creditors to consider forgiving Nigeria’s debt after paying an agreed portion.

The first plan should convince the creditors that Nigeria is willing to service its debt and also end the binge. Also, they would thus be willing to forgive a portion of the loan. After all, payments made toward servicing the debts must have exceeded the loan principals.

Recently, The Punch Newspaper reported the cheery news that the World Bank acknowledges that Nigeria is prompt in servicing as many as 69 loans it had gotten from the beginning of this Fourth Republic.

Standard & Poor’s rating for Nigeria’s debt, currently a positive B- outlook, should improve. While Moody’s has rated Nigeria a Caa1, with a positive outlook, Fitch Ratings also assigned Nigeria a B rating with a stable outlook. This suggests that Nigeria is in a good stead, if the denizens of International Monopoly Capital do not throw another devilish spanner in the works.

When Nigeria has very little foreign debt portfolio, the need to scramble for the dollar, or any other convertible currency, to service its loan, is eliminated or considerably reduced. This takes away the immense pressure on the Naira and thus shore up its value.

The Minster of Petroleum Resources, who is also the President, and his Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, must initiate credible strategies to curb oil bunkering and increase Nigeria’s petroleum production to somewhere north of the promised 2 million barrels per day.

Dangote Refinery and other local refineries should be encouraged to earn more foreign exchange by selling their products across the West and Central African regions, but at the price it is sold in the country with the lowest price.

The economic management team must take unusual corrective steps to revive Nigeria’s economy. After all, he that is down needs fear no fall. The government that adopted the unusual policy of selling petroleum to (at least) domestic refineries for Naira must not hesitate to adopt other innovative policies.

France World Cup winner Raphael Varane on Tuesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United center-back Varane had joined Italian club Como for this season but was then excluded from their Serie A squad having suffered a knee injury in August.

“A new life begins off the pitch,” Varane said on social media.

“I will remain with Como. Just without using my boots and shin pads.

“Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon,” the four-time Champions League winner added.

AFP