The Right Honourable Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker of the house of representatives, has recently blundered into one faux pas after another. These embarrassing social gaffes and transgressions are happening far too frequently. The latest ones give the impression that he is losing touch with the nature and psychology of his Igbo roots. Ndigbo are republicans and no one in authority at any level can sway them in any way against their will.

Simply because you are in a position of authority does not mean that you can dictate to Ndigbo, treat them shabbily, or force anything down their throat. When they do push back, they don’t take prisoners, and Honourable Kalu should avoid such a collision.

That was why when viewing the two most recent videos of Honourable Benjamin Kanu, in which he addressed Ndigbo both directly and indirectly or pledged allegiance to his political party or the president on their behalf, one had his heart in his mouth. With certain ethnic groups, it could be feasible to keep such pledges, but not with the Ndigbo. They will use their blood to resist it.

The first video was that Ndigbo shouldn’t participate in the End Hunger protest. Not only were the justifications he offered banal, but even more so, the method he delivered the message was demeaningly offensive. There was no appeal. It sounded more like an order or command as if he had the authority to choose when Ndigbo should protest and when not to.

The consensus was that Ndigbo should avoid the protest in the south-east and elsewhere before Kalu even spoke because some government officials and some e-rats had already labelled and gaslighted Ndigbo as the protest organisers thus setting them up to take the blame and they had to dodge the bullet.

So, it wasn’t really necessary for Deputy Speaker Kalu to speak at that moment, and he ostensibly did so in an attempt to claim credit for persuading Ndigbo not to get involved—which was untrue. This is a prime example of “eye service,” as we call it in local parlance, and a desperate attempt to appease the ‘Oga at the top’. A real Igbo leader does not yield, falter, or bow down to outside forces to appease their whims. True Igbo leaders speak truth to power and do not throw their people under the bus to get into any good book.

If there was any doubt about Benjamin Kalu’s true motivations and his desire to appease the Tinubu presidency, the second video dispelled it. Therein he warned Governor Alex Otti that he would be the final Labour Party governor of Abia state. He explained his strange and presumptuous reasons. According to Kalu, Tinubu provided the south-east with the South East Development Commission, and the president and the APC should get credit for it by winning control of the Abia government house in the next guber election. He didn’t explicitly announce that he wanted to conquer the entire south-east, but it was inferred that the president ought to be rewarded with control over all of the south-east’s states by the ruling party.

While warmly acknowledging that Governor Otti is doing a great job and “would do the needful at the appropriate time,” Kalu stated, “Monkey should not be working and baboons will be chopping.” The question then becomes: Given Kalu’s declaration that the Labour Party cannot survive past Otti’s current tenure, what must Otti do? In all logic, Otti has two options: he may either join the APC or lose the election by any means necessary, democratic or not, legal or extralegal.

It cannot be deemed a coincidence when one takes into account how Alex Otti became governor. The people of Abia state voted for change and succeeded in getting rid of the PDP’s bad governance in the state since 1999. Therefore, is the deputyspeaker saying that Abia cannot keep the Labour Party and Alex Otti in office even after he freely admitted that Otti is doing well?

The threat of Deputy Speaker Kalu simply means votes will no longer ensure the Abia people will keep Otti and the Labour Party in office come election time if they so desire. If so, it is a warning sign for democracy. Democracy is based on the majority’s right to rule while allowing the minority to express their opinions through vote. However, Kalu’s claim makes it quite evident that it won’t be the case this time since Otti’s hopes of using his good deeds to win back the governorship in the next governorship election cannot happen if he does not dump the Labour Party for the ruling party, the APC, as decreed by Kalu.

When Benjamin Kalu was chosen as deputy speaker, he held out so much promise. With the older Igbo leaders succumbing to the corrosion of time, many saw in him a new hope for producing a new generation of leaders. The Igbo people now need a great deal of new leaders with the deaths of men like Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, and Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. Even the relatively young Arc Ferdinand Agu and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah have also joined their ancestors, leaving behind very large shoes.

The hope had been that Deputy Spreader Kalu, who is ranked sixth in the Nigerian polity’s hierarchy of protocol, has a great historical opportunity to emerge as one of the new Igbo leaders. However, the way he has been acting lately leaves a lot to be desired, which challenges the trust and optimism that people once reposed in him.

Kalu deserves praise for initiating the south-east security and development programme and for being instrumental in the passage and signing into law the South-East Development Commission legislation. He shouldn’t throw away his good works by undermining Ndigbo or believing that his position automatically grants him the authority to speak for the Igbo people. By the time he realises that he is mistaken, it will be too late.

Kalu is however free to make a case that the south-east needs to join the APC to have a bigger say in the party and the country, but he cannot insist that President Tinubu or the APC has the right to take over the south-east without working for it. Kalu also needs to remember that the mutual mistrust that existed between the Buhari government and Ndigbo could not be cured by his construction of the Second Niger Bridge or any other project of that nature.

A candid piece of advice would be that making sure the Igbo people receive their due share in Nigeria is the only way Kalu can win over the Igbo people’s hearts. Asking for this isn’t too much. Kalu’s current strategy is doing more harm than good because it is further alienating the south-east from himself and the Tinubu government.

The deputy speaker can, however, correct these errors by regaining perspective and by remembering that Ndigbo are republicans and will never yield to coercion or threat. Taa bu gbo, as Ndigbo would say, which means today is still early to begin retracing the missteps. For the wise, a word is sufficient.

Dr Law Mefor, an Abuja-based forensic and social psychologist, is a fellow of The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought. He can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Twitter: @Drlawsonmefor.

To say that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is enmeshed in a crisis of credibility is to put the situation mildly. For a man who got to office with a statistically narrow mandate of 37 percent of total votes cast, many expected Tinubu to rise above himself in order to establish an enduring legacy. That expectation now appears misplaced. Even more worrisome is that despite being in a ditch, the president and his handlers continue to dig by displaying a behaviour the Yoruba would describe as “tani o mu mi”. As I once explained on this page, it is the kind of impunity that carries a certain sense of hubris, not only for the perpetrator(s) but also for the larger society.

It all began with a report in TheCable, which supplied the proof for what most already suspected or knew: The federal government has been spending trillions of Naira to pay for fuel subsidy even when officials continue to parrot the presidential deceit that “subsidy is gone.” Then, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar released a scathing statement that Nigeria “has been effectively mortgaged to President Bola Tinubu, his family, and associates,” citing how the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) allegedly put its retail arm under the control of OVH, which he claimed (it has been disputed by NNPC Ltd) is controlled by Wale Tinubu’s Oando.

These issues were still playing out when Nigerians got to know that a new presidential jet had been surreptitiously purchased by a government that has been doubling down on policies that make life difficult for the ordinary Nigerian. “The new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly,” was all the explanation from the villa, even when Nigerians still don’t know the cost of this plane and how it was acquired. And we probably would not have been informed about it had the Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co Limited, not impounded three presidential aircraft in Paris, following the order of a French court on their dispute with Ogun State. It was the court that included one ACJ330-200, 5N-FGA (msn 1053), “recently bought from AMAC Corporate Jet (AMK, Zurich) and still stationed at Basel” while authorising the bailiffs “to go any place where the aircraft registered 5N-FGU, 5N-FGT and 5N-FGA are located and seize them.”

That was how Nigerians got to know that we have a new presidential jet. The aircraft, we would later learn, was released as an act of benevolence to our president by the Chinese company so that it would not affect his travel plans, including to China next week for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit. Incidentally, I am currently in Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China for the 2024 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road where I was among the speakers yesterday on the theme, ‘Enhancing media cooperation for common development.’ I will also be attending the 3rd Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) Council meeting today before heading back home on Sunday.

In his column last Sunday explaining how Tinubu’s fuel subsidy reform efforts unravelled, Waziri Adio concluded that for the administration, “an open acknowledgment” that subsidy is still very much with us “is a necessary starting point, for you cannot address what you haven’t even accepted exists or is a problem.” And “after coming clean, the government needs to level up with Nigerians about how it plans to manage the subsidy in a transparent and accountable way.” But that is precisely where the problem lies: This president is exhibiting a contempt for transparency and accountability in the conduct of government business. We saw that with the award of the contract for the multi trillion Naira Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project and the manner several budgets are running concurrently.

So much has been said about Tinubu’s political acumen and the fact that he plotted his way to power without being beholden to any interest. That may well be true. But a leader must embody not only political skills to secure power but also the right values that would enable him to govern in the interest of the public good. When a president calls citizens to a greater national purpose or makes decisions that are broadly seen as driven by good impulses, according to Michael Hogue, they can drive extraordinary results. “He’ll have the public on his side, even when many people disagree with his policies if what he is pursuing is fair, instils pride in national action, or serves laudable goals.” While Hogue’s thesis may be on the American presidency, the moral authority he canvasses is indeed true of all presidencies.

Due to the policy choices being made by the Tinubu administration – which may not necessarily be wrong but have been implemented in a cavalier manner, Nigerians have had to bear an unprecedented hardship occasioned by astronomical costs of goods and services in the past 15 months. Effectively, local air travel has been placed beyond the reach of most Nigerians as can be glimpsed from industry statistics. We pay several times more at the pump than at any time in history. Electricity tariffs have gone through the roof, regardless of whether one is categorised under Band A, B or F. Parents have had to withdraw their children from schooling abroad following the collapse of the Naira. And any middle-class professional who doesn’t know the prices of basic foodstuffs like garri, rice, tomatoes etc. in the market must belong to the Godswill Akpabio exclusive club of those who are “eating”.

Unfortunately, the president believes he can continue to live like an emperor and revel in ostentatious lifestyle at a time millions of Nigerians are attempting to cope with harrowing times. I saw this quite early, in fact within the first month of the administration and I warned in a column, ‘My convoy is longer than yours’, following his first official visit to Lagos. “What was on display is a metaphor for profligacy and abuse of public resources that have come to define officialdom in Nigeria,” I wrote in response to the video of his long convoy of vehicles, which was posted on social media by a bragging supporter of the president. “The real issue is whether a government that preaches sacrifice can continue with such indulgence, especially at a period when many people are going through hard times.”  

I then stressed the need for President Tinubu and his handlers not to misread the public mood. “That he has used his honeymoon period to strike when the iron is still hot on two critical policy issues may have earned him momentary applause on decisive leadership. But there are no predictable outcomes for those choices in an environment where several variables are beyond his control. So, there is a need for caution,” I counselled in what has turned out to be prescient before I concluded: “While human nature predisposes people to act mostly in pursuit of self-interest, the essence of government is to subordinate the personal convenience of individuals to the imperatives of the common good. Yet, the crisis of present-day Nigeria is that there is little in our code of public conduct that encourages moderation or sacrifice. Rolling back conveniences, no matter how little, are usually some of the first steps public officials take when their country battle economic downturns.”

The times we are in call for a different leadership template than the one currently on display. Public expectations of leaders who seek sacrifice from the people are enormous and no president in contemporary history has demanded more from Nigerians than Tinubu with the policies he has initiated. He must therefore begin to embrace transparency if he wants to earn the trust and respect of Nigerians. He must also begin to set high standards for himself and take responsibility for mistakes. On that score, he should own up to the fact that we continue to commit enormous resources to paying fuel subsidies. Nigerians also want to know how much was paid for the newly acquired presidential jet and the process through which it was procured. When citizens see leaders being honest and open, trust and loyalty flourish. And that creates a sense of ownership without which no reform measures can succeed.

Meanwhile, it would seem the administration thrives on announcing policies by whims, with little thought to implementation. In February, an eight-man committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume was given a 12-week deadline for the full implementation of the Oronsaye Report through mergers, scrapings, and relocations of some agencies. That, of course, was after Tinubu had created more ministries than any previous administration. It is therefore no surprise that more than seven months after that sensational announcement, nothing has happened. Now, the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, is saying there is no timeline for implementing the Oronsaye Report!

The president and his handlers must understand that public officials who believe in their invincibility are poor students of history. Malcom Gladwell, famous American journalist and author made that point rather poignantly in his book, ‘David and Goliath’. Power, according to Gladwell, has an important limitation. “It has to be seen as legitimate, or else its use has the opposite of its intended effect”, which may then come with dire consequences. I stated earlier that Tinubu has elevated himself to the status of ‘Ta ni o mu mi’. But the danger with ‘Tani o mu mi’—a strange place where both the codes of morality and the boundary between right and wrong have simply disappeared—is that it is a two-edged sword.

Having achieved presidential power and the unlimited privileges that go with it in Nigeria, the dominant school of thought is that Tinubu has reached the destination he longed for. That may well explain why he is courting authoritarianism with the acquiescence of a pliant National Assembly and the seeming resignation of a docile populace. But I still want to believe that we are misreading the president. He must know what he is doing, and I therefore expect he will end up on the right side of history. From 1992 when he was a Senator during the aborted Third Republic of General Ibrahim Babangida to his period as Lagos State Governor and then as a private citizen, with enormous political clout, I have had the privilege of close personal interactions with Tinubu. And if those experiences count for anything, it is that Tinubu is empathic and is interested in the welfare of the people and the broader good. But if I am wrong, and all his exertions in the last two decades were to become president of Nigeria as an end in itself, or simply to enjoy the trappings of the office, then there can be no greater tragedy. For him, as well as our beloved country.

• You can follow me on my X (formerly Twitter) handle, @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com  

We have been watching with trepidation, great angst and baited breath, the unfathonable macabre dance exhibited by the nation's Police Force against the leadership of Nigerian workers, most notably, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero.

Our seeming silence was observed in the hope that the Police would beat a hasty retreat from their actions and tread the path of caution and civility.

We have no bones to grind with the Police authorities and as citizens of this greatly beloved but much beleguered country, we are ever willing to cooperate with the authorities whenever demanded by national imperatives and exigencies, the Police included, but it must never be at the expense of our Union, our people and our country.

The importance of fighting for and defending our nation state, Nigeria, cannot be over-emphasized. We are patriots, we are Nigerians and we love our country, inspite of deeply inherent socio-economic contradictions that are threatening our very existence as a nation.

Let it be very clear to all, that the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, is in full solidary with the national President of Nigeria Labour Congress, its entire leadership structures and affiliates nationwide at all times, especially at these trying moments.

We urge the Police and security forces to exercise maximun restraint in their engagements and interactions with Nigerians, who hold views that are different from those of the status quo; free speech and the right to hold opinion are fundamental to our liberty as a free people.

We are in this wise, putting all our Councils and members across the federation on notice, over the unfortunate attacks on the labour leadership.

Be prepared!

The NUJ FCT Council is by this wise, especially enjoined and directed to fully mobilize in concert with other affiliates of the NLC to accompany the NLC President as he goes to honour the invitation of the Police by 8a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Achike Chude
National Secretary, NUJ.

The United Kingdom has increased the number of organisations licensed to sponsor workers on the worker and temporary worker immigration routes.  

Checks by The Nation, show that the list which was updated on Friday, August 23, has 119,195 approved companies.The approved updated list now contains 119,195 companies.  

Interested Nigerians are advised to visit the listed company’s website and search for available vacancies.

A breakdown shows that the approved companies are in technology, commerce, education, media and advertisement, and engineering sectors, among others.

According to the UK government, a Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK for an eligible job with an approved employer.  

“You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

Approved employers are also known as sponsors, because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK.”  

Here is a list of some of the approved companies: 

1. McMullan Shellfish
2. (IECC Care) Independent Excel Care Consortium Limited
3. *ABOUTCARE HASTINGS LTD
4. £ ESS LTD
5. @ Architect UK Ltd
6. @ Home Accommodation Services Ltd
7. @ Home Accommodation Services Ltd
8. @ Ur Eaz Ltd
9. @@@ FILER LIMITED
10. [AI] INFINITI LIMITED
11. `Brunswick Stores Limited
12. #NAME?
13. 003 Ltd
14. 007 Taxi Limited
15. 0086 Ltd
16. 00Nation Limited
17. 00Nation Limited
18. 01 ACCOUNTING SERVICES LTD
19. 012 Global Ltd
20. 023 LTD
21. 09 Care Limited
22. 0xA Technologies Ltd
23. 1 ACE TRAINING LIMITED
24. 1 ALS LIMITED
25. 1 AND 1 ROUGAMO LIMITED
26. 1 And 5 Tech Ltd
27. 1 Answer Insurance Services LTD.
28. 1 Bishops Avenue Limited
29. 1 Digitals Europe Limited
30. 1 Eclipse Care Solutions Limited
31. 1 Green Foods Ltd
32. 1 Homecare ltd
33. 1 Indus Limited
34. 1 Key Solution Limited
35. 1 Kings Dental Limited
36. 1 Life London Limited
37. 1 MODEL MANAGEMENT LONDON LIMITED
38. 1 Oak Home Care
39. 1 Oak Leisure Ireland Ltd
40. 1 PhysioUK Limited
41. 1 REPAIR LTD
42. 1 Stop Print Ltd
43. 1 STOP REC LIMITED
44. 10 Europe Limited
45. 10 Europe Limited
46. 10 Squared Ltd
47. 100 Percent Cornwall Ltd
48. 100 SHAPES LTD
49. 100% HALAL MEAT STORES LTD
50. 1000 Trades Limited
51. 1000heads Ltd
52. 100Starlings Ltd
53. 101 A+D Ltd.
54. 101 Harley Street LTD
55. 101 Healthcare ltd
56. 101 Ways Limited
57. 1010 Restaurant @ The Blacksmiths arms
58. 105 West Architects Ltd
59. 1066 PLUMBING AND HEATING LTD
60. 107 Cannon Street Limited

The full list of approved companies can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66c84b0007733cc4df618245/2024-08-23_-_Worker_and_Temporary_Worker.csv

[TheNation]

A Texas judge on Monday ordered a temporary pause on a policy that would streamline the process for spouses of US citizens to obtain legal status in the country, a blow to one of US President Joe Biden’s biggest immigration reform policies.

Judge J. Campbell Barker granted a 14-day administrative stay in a case brought by the Republican attorneys general of 16 US states challenging the Biden administration’s policy.

In June, Biden announced the new policy, which streamlined a pathway to citizenship for an estimated half a million immigrants married to US nationals.

The 16 states bringing the lawsuit, however, say the policy is costing them millions of dollars in public services — including healthcare, education and law enforcement — used by the immigrants.

“The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date,” Judge Barker wrote in his order.

“This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose state is party to the case, in a post on social media platform X after the order.

The Biden administration has been struggling to address immigration, a hugely divisive issue for many Americans ahead of November’s presidential election, which will see Vice President Kamala Harris take on Republican Donald Trump.

The Democratic Party is walking a fine line of seeking to be tougher on illegal migrants while also introducing reforms to the country’s inefficient immigration system.

Trump’s campaign for the White House has centred on portraying the United States as under assault by what he calls a migrant “invasion.”

• ‘Extreme measure’ –

The new rules would streamline the process for those who already qualify for permanent residence by removing a requirement that they leave the country as part of the application process.

The rules applied to those in the country for at least 10 years and married to a US citizen before June 17, 2024, and also applied to an estimated 50,000 stepchildren of US citizens.

Those approved would be granted work authorization and the right to stay in the United States for up to three years while they apply for a green card, which is a pathway to full citizenship.

Monday’s ruling suspends the granting of this “parole in place” status, but does not halt the government from continuing to accept applications for the status.

In a statement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed it would continue to take applications but would not grant any until the stay was lifted.

“The District Court’s administrative stay order does not affect any applications that were approved before the administrative stay order was issued,” USCIS said.

Immigrant rights group Justice Action Center said the order was an “extreme measure.”

“To halt a process for which Texas has not been able to provide an iota of evidence that it would harm the state is baffling,” said group founder Karen Tumlin.

“This is heartbreaking for our clients and the thousands of couples who hope to benefit from this process and be able to live without fear that their family will be separated.”

The Justice Action Center earlier Monday filed a motion seeking to intervene in the lawsuit to defend the programme.

Barker wrote that the court did not “express any ultimate conclusions about the success or likely success” of the plaintiffs’ case while the stay is in place.

The court announced an expedited hearing schedule in the case, but Barker noted that the two-week stay would likely be extended while proceedings are underway.

AFP.

BEYOND the protests, there are a number of issues the government should pay attention to:

One, though the protesters might have different motives, they seem all united by alienation from the government and even the state system. Rather than use blackmail and strong-arm tactics, government should use credible opinion polls to articulate and aggregate the various grievances against it and the state – and then evolve sustainable strategies on how to address as many of them as it can.

Boxing shadows or creating enemies where they do not exist will only exacerbate the legitimacy crisis around the government. It will be a mistake for the government to believe that it can successfully stifle speech using intimidation and blackmail. Our history shows that such a strategy has a very short shelf life – as Buhari, in his first coming as a military dictator, and Abacha – can testify to. In his second coming – as a civilian President- a coalition of those Buhari disdained as a dot in a circle and those Femi Adesina called ‘wailing wailers’, fought back in their own ways such that even before Buhari completed his eight-year tenure, he openly complained that he was tired, and would, on leaving office, want to be as far away as possible from Abuja and politics. 

The truth is that citizens, in the face of oppression by those who wield state power, often adopt asymmetric strategies to fight back. This can range from misinformation, caricature and outright fake news. In this age of social media where anyone who owns a mobile phone can be a publisher, citizens are especially empowered to fight back oppression. I believe that for a government which currently has a  low social capital owing to the harsh effects of its economic policies, its policy somersaults, propaganda and non-inclusive style of governance, what it needs is more friends and less enemies. It needs to find a way of winning over the hearts and minds of as many Nigerians as possible.

Two, while it is not unusual for a relatively new government to start on a wobbly note, the government, for now at least, seems confused on what it wants to achieve. For instance, while it said it wanted to implement the Oronsaye Report (which recommended the merging of ministries and departments and abrogation of some) it also runs the largest cabinet of 48 Ministries and recently created another – the Ministry of Livestock Development.

Similarly, while the Tinubu government initially seemed desirous of moving away from the cantankerous mode of public communication of the Buhari era, by appointing the very urbane and affable Mohamed Idris as the Minister of Information and Chief Ajuri Ngelari as the government’s Spokesman, it also contradicted this by appointing the self-confessed ethnic irredentist Bayo Onanuga as Special Adviser on information and strategy.

By so doing, it negated  what would have been a new and courteous approach to public communication  to complement the commendable bridge-building efforts by the wife of the President, Senator Remi Tinubu   and a few others in the government. Similarly, some of the policies of the government raise confusion on whether Tinubu wants to be remembered as a great Nigerian President or simply wants to be more popular than the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in Yorubaland.

Three, President Tinubu should be mindful of two key features of Nigeria’s democracy since 1999 which has always backfired but which our politicians remain funnily crazily attracted to: these are god-fatherism and clannishness. With the exception of Tinubu in Lagos, nearly all political godfathers invariably fall out with their political godsons, raising questions of why politicians remain fixated on selecting and bankrolling their successors. For clannishness and ethnocentrism which Buhari took to a previously unseen level, and which Tinubu seems eager to match, if not better in the negative, this also usually boomerangs.

For instance, some of the most vicious critics of the Buhari government were Northern Muslims who were supposed to be the beneficiaries of his clannishness. Similarly, even before the protests started on August 1, many Yorubas, openly say the clannishness in Tinubu’s mode of appointments and governance  “does not represent who we are”. In fact, that many of the faces of the protests are from the Yoruba ethnic extraction is enough to warn the government that Yorubanisation of political life will not be enough to buy Yoruba adulation.  If anything, it will likely backfire because there is a spark of the divine in all of us which makes most people to abhor injustice. Besides, clannishness attracts odium to innocent members of an ethnic in-group even when they are opposed to the leader’s nepotism.

Four, the protest has now shown that no part of this country has a monopoly of providing poor leadership to the country. In fact, that the protest was organised under the banner of #EndBadGovernance is instructive. At least for now, there seems to be a consensus that the Tinubu government is grossly underperforming. And since most Nigerians appear to believe that the fundamental problem of the country is “squarely that of leadership” (apologies to Achebe), the use of innuendo to blame the North (which has produced most of the country’s leaders), has now come under critical scrutiny.

In this thinking, there is always the unproven assumption that the leadership problem of the country would be solved when the South, in particular, the “progressives” (a moniker appropriated by South-West politicians when they were in the opposition) come to power. So far it has not happened under the Tinubu presidency. Even the “reforms” embarked by the Tinubu government are mere uncritical rehash of the policies implemented by the Babangida government between 1986 and 1993 when the country adopted the IMF/World Bank supported structural Adjustment Programme, and which only succeeded in further impoverishing the country and emasculating the middle class.

Alan Greenspan, who served for five terms as chairman of the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve Bank (August 11 1987 to January 31 2006)   – the equivalent of our Central Bank- was famously quoted as saying that he owed his success during his tenure to the fact that he always did the opposite of the advice he received from the two Bretton Woods institutions (i.e. the IMF and the World Bank). President Tinubu should seriously consider that approach. It may amount to committing class suicide for him. But that would be the surest way of putting himself on the path of being a great Nigerian President.

*Jideofor Adibe is Professor of Political Science at Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

After reading the book, Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority, written by the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, I could not help the nudging feeling of triumph at how, finally, sunshine emerges in the horizon of national rejuvenation.

In a country grappling with challenges of declining institutional memory and opaque governance, the book – chronicling her 60-month stewardship at the country’s top blue economy institution – is both an educational resource and timely   exposé with potential to trigger positive revolution in the country’s bureaucratic ecosystem.

Chronicled, step by step, in the seventeen chapters is the meandering path of a trailblazer, who found herself thrown into a world that was not kind to the feminine kind, as the first female Chief of Staff to the governor of Kaduna State, and then as the first MD of the NPA in its first 61 years of existence.

As the chapters unfold, we meet a battle-tested woman who was prepared for the task, especially through her experience at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) when she was wrongfully accused by her former boss, Dr Aliyu Modibbo, then cleared by the Department of State Security (DSS) and eventually posted to the Abuja Enterprise Agency as the Chief Executive Officer – which became the ascending rung of her action-packed career trajectory.

Bala-Usman had one advantage going for her, which is her experience in partisan politics at the earlier years of her career when she contested for the House of Representatives seat representing the Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency of her home state, Katsina.  Perhaps, this provided her an edge, as the political experience hones one’s instincts, and makes you able to think on your feet and to stand your ground when it mattered the most.

In my estimation, Stepping on Toes is a statement of defiance against a superior force that was intent on herding a zealous reformer into the wrong path. Hence, the takeaway, that as young people struggling to make a change, we must not be pushed to the wrong direction, even when these powers are the ones that gave us the privilege, the platform and the voice in the first place. We must stay true to what we believe is best for our nation despite the pressure from the sharks in the water.

The book documents many reforms and milestones which, ordinarily, would have gained accolades and promotion, for Bala-Usman in (former) President Muhammadu Buhari’s government known for anti-corruption; but which ironically became a thorn in the flesh to some vested interests, and eventually led to her witch-hunt and subsequent ‘sack’.

As she assumed office on July 18, 2016, the MD initiated a collaboration with BudgIT, the open governance technological platform, in order to ensure that key research, industry policies and innovations were effectively communicated, and that critical data was generated and made available to the public. A Revenue Invoice Management System aimed at improving service offering, partner, partner relationships, creating an efficient payment method, maximizing revenue and eradicating loss associated with fraud and revenue leakage was also launched.

She also immediately engaged in resolving a dysfunctional scaling system which resulted in junior officers on higher steps of their grade level earning more than their seniors by grade. “This irregularity meant that staff, especially those in positions considered lucrative, were prepared to do everything possible to stop their own promotion,” it expatiated.

Interestingly, chapter 6, entitled, “Apapa traffic congestion and Eto”, unveils the issue of an underground economy, reportedly worth over N12b annually, which was built around corrupt practices by officials of task forces around the Apapa ports. This depicts the failure of successive task forces set up by the federal and state governments to tackle the traffic congestion around the ports, especially at the Lagos axis; and a pointer to how people profiteered from the chaos at the ports.

The MD solved this knotty imbroglio with the development and deployment of the Electronic truck call-up software, known as Eto, which reduced human interaction in management of trucks, thereby tying off avenues for graft, and ultimately restored sanity to the ecosystem.

In chapter seven, “Dredging of Calabar channel”, the author revealed how the country was saved from paying $22Million USD to a company that made claims in a job it did not perform. According to the book, “The company claimed it carried out the dredging activities between November 14 and January 2015, but neither the Harbor Master nor the Port Hydrographer was aware of any dredging activity at the time. The company did not at any time communicate with the management of the NPA during these purported dredging activities.”

In chapter eleven, “Dismantling OMSL’s secure anchorage area”, the reader comes face to face with the reality of rent-seeking economy in Nigeria. A private company had set up and was operating a Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) within the Lagos Pilotage District for about four years without any legal relationship with the NPA, generating tens of millions of US dollars without remitting any to the coffers of the NPA or any government agency.

It is instructive to note that, regarding the supposed security the vessels using the SAA were being provided, it is the statutory responsibility of the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to provide this service at no cost to vessel owners. When Bala-Usman finally pulled down the sham rentier edifice, she was accosted by hoodlums, who claimed she had “taken away food from them”, threatening to physically harm her.

Curiously, instead of her boss giving her accolades for her most intense efforts at sustaining the spirit of good governance and anti-corruption the Buhari government was known, hers became an albatross. Things came to a head in chapters 14 and 15, when Bala-Usman realized, to her utmost shock and dismay, that her own boss was not happy with her.

Integrated Logistics Limited, otherwise known as Intels, had a contract to monitor and collect revenues of the NPA, in the service boat management operations, since 1997 until 2020 when the contract expired. However, at the expiration of the contract, and as the NPA was about finalizing a tender’s process for a fresh contract tenure, the then Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, directed Bala-Usman to stop, asking for “restoration of suspended contracts between Intels and the NPA”.

The letter from the Director General of the Bureau for Public Procurement, Mr Mamman Ahmadu, as he weighed in, was instructive: “the correct procedure is that contracts should be won through a proper procurement process that complies with the provisions of PPA, 2007. Furthermore, there is need to avoid the kind of monopoly being enjoyed by Messrs. Intels, which has cascaded into the entitlement mentality being demonstrated by the firm.”

Personally, Stepping on Toes inspires me to keep asking questions. Hadiza Bala Usman did not stop, even when the handwriting on the wall was clear. Eventually, she was told to ‘step aside’, a term that is a novelty in Nigeria’s public service rules.

However, even before the investigative panel finally cleared her of the trumped-up charges of non-remittance of $165millionUD into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the court of public opinion had already set her free, having seen through the entire charade.

My organization, Connected Development (CODE) and its flagship project, Follow The Money, started by asking questions. Then, in 2012 when I first asked for monies voted to save the children of Bagega in Zamfara State, officials at the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Environment, asked, “Who are you? Who sent you? Why are you asking?”

So, because no single kobo that was approved had got to this community, I started the online hashtag campaign #SaveBagega, which finally attracted the attention of the world, and made former President Goodluck Jonathan do the needful.

From that day, we never stopped helping the government to close leakages where the monies could have been wasted. For instance, in 2019 alone, we saved the Nigerian government N50 billion. This is why Stepping on Toes is a timely and indispensable resource for those who want to change the narrative, not only in my beloved country, but in the other twelve African countries where we operate, inspiring citizens to make a change, one community at a time.

Hamzat Lawal (Hamzy!) is a renowned activist and campaigning currently mobilizing, organizing and leading a group of young people in bringing needed changes across African communities using Follow The Money. He is currently the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE).

On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, Kenya held its general election during which the President, governors, senators and members of the National Assembly were elected. The results of the elections were announced on August 15, 2022. William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (57) had 7,176,141 votes, that is 50.5% of the total votes while Mr. Raila Odinga (79) had 6,942,930 votes, that is 48.8%. The results were announced by Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (1EBC). 

On September 5, 2022, Kenya’s Supreme Court affirmed the election of Mr. William Ruto as President of Kenya. He was sworn in on September 13, 2022 as Kenya’s fifth post-independence President. 

On March 24 this year, Senegal, a country not too far from us with a population of 18million people held its Presidential election. A former tax Inspector, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye (44), was elected President. His party had 54% of the total votes. He was sworn in on April 2 in Dakar.

On May 29 this year, South Africa had its Presidential election, the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), won 159 of 400 seats—short of 201 seats needed to have a majority. After winning 40% of the total votes, the African National Congress was forced into coalition with Inkatha Freedom Party and the Democratic Alliance. 

On June 29, the ANC Leader, Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (71), a billionaire and the 13th richest man in South Africa, was sworn in as the President of the Republic. 

On February 25 last year, Nigeria had its Presidential election. On March 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results. Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of APC scored 8,794,726 votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of PDP scored 6,984,520 votes, Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party had 6,101,533 votes while Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of NNPP scored 1,496,687 votes.

Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu scored 38.61% of the total votes cast, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar scored 29.07%, Mr. Peter Obi scored 25.4% while Rabiu Kwankwaso scored 6.40%. There were 93.4 million registered voters. The turn out was only 26.71 % in a country that is assumed to be over 200 million.  

Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu scored 25% of the votes cast in 30 states more than 24 states Constitutionally required. He was sworn in on May 29 last year as President of the Republic.

The election was not confirmed by the Supreme Court until October 26 last year. In short, President Tinubu GCFR waited for over five months as President, in suspense.

Definitely something fundamentally is wrong with our constitution. There are many defects in our 1999 constitution. My worry is that the constitution guarantees winner takes all. The constitution guarantees politics of exclusion. As it is now, unless you are very very close to the executives or you belong to a caucus of the ruling party in the centre or in the states, you can never be given an opportunity to serve however brilliant, competent or patriotic you are. Certainly, Nigeria’s problem did not start with the implementation of the 1999 Constitution but it had made worse our problems. 

Our journey in the Presidential system of government began on October 18, 1975, when the then Head of State, Brigadier General Murtala Mohammed GCFR (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976), inaugurated the Constitutional Drafting Committee, headed by Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams SAN (16 December 1920 – 26 March 2005) at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos. Professor Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi (82) from Ilesha in Osun state, was then the Director General of the Institute. 

He declared the stand of the then Supreme Military Council on that day. 

The following were his declarations (a) unambiguous commitment to a federal system (b) Elimination of “cut-throat political competition based on a system or rule of winner-takes all,” characteristic of Nigeria’s political past. (c) De-emphasising of institutionalized opposition to the ground in power and development of “consensus politics and government” based on a community of all interests. (d) Decentralisation of power e) Evolution of a free fair electoral system to ensure adequate representation at the centre (f) Depoliticisation of the census (g) The formation of “genuine and truly national political parties.” However, because of the “harmful effects of a proliferation of national parties,” criteria were to be evolved whereby their number could be limited. Interestingly but in vain (echoes of Ghana’s “Union Government”, “the Supreme Military Council is of the opinion that if during the course of your deliberations, and having regard to our disillusion with party politics in the past, you should discover some means by which government can be formed without the involvement of political parties, you should feel free to recommend.” But this was to be as much a non-starter as the Constituent Assembly ‘s decision to insert a clause outlawing military coups. 

(H) Establishment of an executive presidential system, in which the President and the Vice-President would be elected and granted clearly defined powers. The method of their assumption of office would have to “reflect the federal character of the country.” So, too, would the choice of members of the Cabinet, who need not in future be drawn from the legislature alone.

(I) Constitutional restriction on the number of new States. 

On January 11, 1976, General Murtala Mohammed attended the Addis Abba extraordinary summit conference of the Organisation of African Unity (O.A.U.) on the liberation struggle in Africa. On that day he gave a speech titled “AFRICA HAS COME OF AGE”. The speech was a denouncement on America’s role in Angola. He declared “Mr. Chairman, Africa has come of age. It is no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country, however, powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or mar. For too long have we been kicked around; for too long we have been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interests and act accordingly. For too long has it been presumed that the African needs outside “experts” to tell him who are his friends and who are his enemies. The time has come when we should make it clear that we can decide for ourselves; that we know our interests and how to protect those interests; that we are capable of resolving African problems without presumptuous lessons in ideological dangers, which more often than not have no relevance for us, not for the problem at hand.

Nigeria has come to this Assembly determined to co-operate with you, Mr. Chairman, and with all member States to put a stop to foreign interference in our Constitutional matters, As an African nationalist of distinction, I trust you will guide our deliberation to fruitful conclusions of which our people will be proud of. I thank you.”

To me the denouncement of America by General Murtala Mohammed looked contradictory when on October 18 1975 he has just forced on us without a referendum or a plebiscite, the American Presidential system of government. 

Maybe if he has not been assassinated, thirty-two days after his speech in Addis Ababa on February 13, 1976, we would not have adopted or retained the Presidential system of government today. His successor, General Olusegun Obasanjo carried on with that policy, without review.

On September 21, 1978, the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, promulgated Decree Number 25 which proclaimed the 1979 Presidential Constitution. Twenty-four hours earlier, he dissolved the Constituent Assembly. 

In a broadcast to the nation on that day, General Obasanjo declared, “we have accepted the Presidential form of government and the supporting structures and institutions which go with the system. We have accepted the principle of separation of powers between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary and the clauses entrenching the powers, functions and the independence of each of these estates of the realm. We believe that the fundamental principles and directives of state, the provisions of safeguarding the rights and liberties of individual and such other provisions meant to ensure greater sense of accountability and probity in public life, are essential elements in giving a new and fresh sense of direction to our national life. 

In short, the Supreme Military Council saw the constitutional document as a most commendable framework within which party-political activities can be resumed. Indeed, in the light of our experience in government, we went further to make such minor adjustments as we believe necessary to ensure the effective and efficient functioning of government, come October, 1979.

We have also made some other amendments which we believe were necessary to strengthen the continued existence of a disciplined and just society as well as ensure consistency and continuity of national policy. I am sure, you are now all very conversant. Essentially, these amendments concern:

(a) The strengthening of the judiciary by relieving the judicial officers of the responsibility for mundane administrative matters which detracts them from the more important business of efficient and quick dispensation of justice (b) Bringing the conditions of service of judicial officers in line with those of other public officers, while bearing in mind the special nature of the judicial service (c) Consciously using certain institutions such as the Armed Forces, the Federal Courts as-vehicles to stress and promote the indivisible unity of the nation rather than the competitive aspect of a Federalism 

(d) Ensuring consistency and continuity of our national policy on such matters as the development of indigenous languages, the promotion of such notions as equal access to justice and maintaining a non-expansionist foreign policy based on co-operation and peaceful co-existence with our neighbours. 

We are, of course, aware, and I am sure that no member of the Constituent Assembly can claim that the constitution is a perfect document. Neither is the Supreme Military Council claiming that all the necessary adjustments which the general public may consider desirable or necessary have been made. But I believe that the essential thing has been done: that is to have a document which, despite all its imperfections, is capable of launching us in the right direction. 

Of course, the constitution as a living document, can be changed, as and when necessary, in the light of the experience gained in working it. This, I believe, is the most we can hope for, given all the circumstances including the short-time constraint, in which the constitutional issues were debated, discussed and approved.

The coming months would pose testing challenges not only to the participants in the ensuing political activities, but also to the mass media who have responsibility of interpreting and informing the public of the issues, as well as correctly conveying the public mood to those vying for political leadership. 

I am sure you will rise to the occasion and not let the nation down.”

It is left for all to judge whether the hopes of General Murtala Mohammed and General Olusegun Obasanjo had been met with the implementation of the Presidential System of Government. 

That is not to say that the process for the Presidential Constitution went unchallenged, of course it was challenged. I remember that two members of the Constitutional Drafting Committee wrote a minority report disengaging themselves from the Presidential System of Government. They were Dr. Y. Bala Usman, then Senior Lecturer in History at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Dr. Segun Osoba, then Senior Lecturer in History at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Their reports were not considered by the Constituent Assembly. The then Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, Mr. Justice Egbert Udo Udoma (21 June 1917 – 2 February 1998) made sure that their minority report did not see the light of the day. 

I remember three of my colleagues who covered the proceedings of the Constituent Assembly at that time, Femi Ogunsanwo of THE DAILY TIMES, Mohammed Haruna of THE NEW NIGERIA, Tunde Thompson of DAILY SKETCH and myself tried in vain to get a copy of the minority report. 

Since then, till today, there has been a clamour that the Presidential System of Government is not suitable for us. It is getting stronger these days. Let us take an example with the issue of our culture and tradition.

 In the third Schedule of the 1979 Constitution, the following were named as members of the Council of state. They were “the President, who shall be the Chairman; the Vice-President, who shall be the Deputy Chairman; all former Presidents of the federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation; all former Chief Justices of Nigeria are citizens of Nigeria; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; all the Governors of the States of the Federation; the Attorney-General of the Federation; and one person from each state, who shall as respects that State be appointed by the Council of Chiefs of the State from among themselves”. 

In part II Section 178 of the same 1979 Constitution declares that there shall be a State Council of Chiefs which shall comprise of “a Chairman and such number of persons as may be prescribed by Law of the House of Assembly of the State; the Council shall have power to advise the Governor on any matter relating to customary law or cultural affairs, intercommunal relations and chieftaincy matters; the Council shall also have power to advise the Governor whenever requested to do so on---(a) the maintenance of public order within the State or any part thereof and (b) such other matters as the Governor may direct”.  

If you look at the 1999 Constitution, one will notice the absence of the institution of traditional rulers. No institution represents our culture better than the institution of traditional rulers.

The Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote that "to destroy a people you must sever their roots ". James Baldwin added that " know from whence you came, if you know from whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go".

The Wikipedia tells us constantly that people without culture and tradition are a lost people yet our constitution has deleted that vital institution out of existence.

Traditions are a vital part of how we interact with the world around us. They provide a sense of identity and belonging that helps to shape our culture and our lives. Valuing your traditions is an important part of developing a strong sense of self and understanding the cultures that shape us.

At the core of traditions is a shared set of beliefs, values, customs, and rituals that are passed down from generation to generation. These traditions can be passed down through family, religion, or even communities. They serve as a reminder of who we are and our connection to the past. By valuing traditions, we honor the people who came before us and the struggles they faced in order to make our lives better.

Valuing your traditions also helps to connect you to your cultural roots. It allows us to appreciate and celebrate the unique qualities of our heritage. This can be done through learning about traditional foods, stories, and practices. Learning about these things can help us to understand our identity and how we fit into the larger cultural landscape. This can also help build bridges between generations and foster a sense of unity amongst family members and communities.

Traditions also provide a sense of purpose and can help guide us in making decisions about our future. They can provide us with a framework for making decisions that reflect our values, beliefs, and customs. Valuing our traditions helps us stay true to who we are and reminds us of the importance of preserving our culture for future generations.

Valuing your traditions is an important part of developing a strong sense of self and understanding the cultures that shape us. It allows us to appreciate and celebrate the unique qualities of our heritage, provides us with a framework for making decisions that reflect our values, beliefs, and customs, and helps create bridges between generations and cultures. Taking time to honor your traditions can bring immense joy and fulfillment in life, so don't forget to value them!

Traditions are an important part of our lives. They give us a sense of belonging and identity, provide us with a connection to our past, and help us to better understand our place in the world. In short, they are essential to our lives and the way we live them.

The importance of traditions lies in the fact that they provide continuity in our lives. They give us a sense of roots and belonging, as well as providing structure and stability. They also foster a sense of community, as we join together in celebrating and honoring our shared history. Traditions also provide us with important moral lessons and values, teaching us about respect for others, loyalty, responsibility and other important life skills.

Traditions are also important because they can help to preserve culture. By keeping the same customs, language and rituals alive, we ensure that our culture does not fade away with time. By celebrating holidays, attending special events or participating in traditional activities, we keep our culture alive and thriving.

Traditions also help to create a stronger bond between individuals or groups of people. Participating in traditions gives us an opportunity to come together and celebrate something special while connecting with each other on a deeper level. Many times, these connections can last long after the initial event ends. It is these connections that help to build strong communities and relationships throughout society.

 Traditions are an important part of life that allow us to connect with our past, build strong communities, teach valuable life skills, and help preserve our culture for future generations. It is important to value the positive aspects of our traditions while recognizing when it is time to let go of outdated ones. By doing this, we ensure that our traditions remain alive and relevant for many years to come.

Traditions are an integral part of any culture, providing a sense of identity, continuity, and community. Valuing your traditions is essential to preserve the shared values and practices that are unique to each cultural group. keeping traditions alive is essential for passing on knowledge and history from one generation to the next, helping to shape the future of that culture.

A clamour to change this Constitution today is being championed by so many people because they know that it is unworkable for us. 

Among the many who want this change are Ambassador Tunde Adeniran, Senator Uba Sani, Mr Femi Falana SAN, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, Senator Shehu Sani and many more including my boss, Chief Olusegun Osoba, two-time governor of Ogun state, whom I served as Oyo state Editor, when he was the Managing Director of Kwara state owned NIGERIAN HERALD forty-nine years ago. The name that strikes me most is that of Chief Eleazar Chukwuemeka Anyaoku (91) from Obosi in Anambra state. He married an Egba Princess, Ebunola Olubunmi Solanke in 1962. At ninety-one, the struggle to change our Presidential System of government may turn out to be his last struggle. He led a delegation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in THE VILLA recently in his crusade for a change of the constitution.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku had his education at the Merchants of Light School, Oba and the University of Ibadan. He attended courses in Cambridge, England, Institute of Public Administration, London, Cavillam Institute, France; management trainee, later regional assistant, Commonwealth Development Corporation, London and Lagos, 1959-1962, joined Nigerian Diplomatic Service, 1962, member, Nigeria Permanent Mission to the UN, New York, 1963-1966, assistant director, International Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, 1966-1971, director, International Affairs Division, 1971-1975, assistant, secretary-general, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, 1975-1977, deputy secretary-general, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, 1977-1983, Minister of External Affairs, November-December, re-appointed deputy secretary-general , Commonwealth Secretariat, 1989, assumed office July 1990; deputy chairman, later vice-president, Royal Commonwealth Society, London since 1972, member, Committee of Management, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, 1972, former director and chairman of the African Centre, London, member of the governing councils of the overseas Development Institute (ODI), The International Institute for Strategic Studies, London, and Save the Children Fund; secretary for the committee reviewing Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations, 1966, secretary for the Commonwealth Observers Team covering the Gibraltar Referendum, 1967, and secretary to the Commission to find a resolution to the 1969 Anguilla crisis, lead secretariat team accompanying Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group to Southern Africa, 1986. Dr. Emeka Anyaoku holds the Chieftaincy title of the Obosi of Nnanyelugo.  

When people like Chief Anyaoku talks, I am sure they know what they are talking about. He and his likes should be encouraged in their condemnation of the Presidential Constitution that we are operating.

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has attributed the continuous hike in the prices of fertiliser products in the local market to multiple problems of exchange rate fluctuation, high inflation rate that is currently at 33.4 percent and the cost of transportation of the products from the factory to the end users.

NSIA disclosed this yesterday at the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI-NPK) stakeholders’ roundtable themed ‘The Presidential Fertilizer Initiative: Imperatives for Food Security’. NSIA’s team lead for the project, Mr Iruwansi Itoandon said the logistics for the movement of fertilisation costs about N60,000 per ton. “That is what you have to add,” he said.

He said the retail price of fertiliser is determined by domestic and external factors, some of which are not controlled by the authority.

President of Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria, Sadiq Kassim said the standard price from the factory is between N29,000 and N32,000 depending on the factory’s location and the order’s destination.

According to some stakeholders at the meeting yesterday, the price of 50kg of generic MPK fertiliser (both MPK 20.10.10) sells for between N46,000 and N54,000.

The PFI was conceived to address challenges in Nigeria’s fertiliser sector, which had long been hampered by inefficiencies and an over-reliance on imports.

To date, the initiative has delivered 90 million bags of locally blended high-quality fertilisers to farmers. Notably, despite the disruption of supply chains during global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the initiative ensured a steady supply of fertilisers across the country. Still, the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on key imported raw materials persists in exacerbating cost pressures, adding another layer of complexity to the value chain. Recognizing these challenges, the NSIA is actively working with its partners to ensure that the PFI continues to deliver on its mission to support Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Managing director and CEO of NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, represented by head, corporate planning, Sybil Etuk said PFI aligns with the authority’s mandate to strengthen the agricultural sector, uphold import substitution as a critical lever for National development and ultimately create shared value for all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI) has said it is planning to convert the PFI into a company with all the structures of a corporate organisation for the greater achievement of its objectives.

“We are planning to make it into a company because noting that it’s an initiative, it will not reach the level we are all now praying or imagining it will be so that is why I initially said corporate governance and what this means is we are going to set a well-fledged company with a strong board consisting of people that know what they are doing in the industry to manage this fertiliser business/production very well that will satisfy all,” executive director, portfolio management at MoFI, Tajudeen Datti Ahmed stated.

FEPSAN president proposed that the PFI, with FEPSAN, establish a fertiliser institute to build the technical and financial capacity of players within the ecosystem.

“As we celebrate the PFI’s achievements in improving agricultural productivity and bolstering food security, greater inter-agency collaboration is envisioned to direct the initiative into full private sector control for its continued success and the sustained development of our country Nigeria,” he said.

[Leadership]

The Federal Government says it is working on introducing a training scheme equivalent to the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, for graduates of the Nigeria Certificate in Education, NCE.

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr Olawande Wisdom, made this revelation during the opening of the BEMORE OYO 2024 Summer Bootcamp in Ibadan on Monday.

Wisdom said the ministry would partner with the Ministry of Education to introduce new training reforms, one of which is the equivalent of NYSC training for NCE holders and others.

According to him, social vices had been around for long but the training of youths by organisations such as the Boys’ Brigade, Girl Guides and others had kept many away from them.

“The major priority of the ministry is citizenship and training, and we are bringing them back.

“We have NYSC for those who finished from universities, but what of those who finished from NCE and others?

“So, we want to set up training such that you don’t need to go to other states to have it – you can have it in your state and the camp.

“A lot of reforms are going on and we are trying as much as possible to bring a renewed hope to people; to the girls and boys,” he said.

[DailyPost]