“Baba-Wole! Whether you like it or not, it is my duty to carry your bag into the plane today”, insisted Aketi, as we threw banters on the queue at the Ibadan Airport en route Abuja. I yanked my bag from his hands but he promptly reclaimed it. Our mutual friend, Bisi Ogunbadejo, who was also travelling, flashed a knowing wink, having gotten used to witnessing countless Great Ife theatrics between many of our alumni.

It was two weeks to Aketi’s electoral victory. I joked with him that, on second thoughts, it was probably fitting that he should carry my bag into the aircraft because it was likely to be the last time I would be seeing him as an ordinary citizen. He replied, matter-of-factly, that he would remain the same old Aketi we all knew and that power could never change him. It turned out to be prophetic: I didn’t have any physical interaction with Aketi again till he answered the final home call seven years later.

LEADERSHIP INCUBATION

Rotimi Akeredolu, a.k.a. Aketi was one of a kind. Way back at the University of Ife, he had been the Vice-President of the Students’ Union during the presidency of another patriot, John Olakunle Mabayoje, alias Awe. It was that position that honed him for future challenges because it brought out the latent goodness in him, especially his extraordinary ability to be empathetic. Aketi never went into any battle half-hearted. He always threw everything he had into the fray. As far as he was concerned, any battle worth waging was worth waging well.

That was the background that moulded his performance later in life as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association and later as Governor of Ondo State. Mabayoje traced Aketi’s trajectory from Ife to government house in a tribute he wrote when he learnt of the demise of his trenchmate:

“Emperor Aketi” as he was known at the University of Ife, started his political career at the University of Ife where, from being an activist, he successfully ran for the office of Vice President of the Students Union at a time when our dear country was at a crossroad following the removal of General Yakubu Gowon from office to end agitations which we all participated in between 1974 and1975 under my predecessor in office, Ayo Olukotun. 1975-1976 proved to be indeed a watershed year in the Nigerian academic community and the country as a whole. Rotimi was an integral member of the body of student leaders of that time. Courageous and savvy he was blessed with courage and wisdom beyond his years…”

Aketi’s demise brought to the fore the importance of vision and tenacity as necessary qualities for success in any worthwhile endeavour. There are leaders and there are dealers. Some people stumble into positions of power unprepared. True leaders, on the other hand, are armed with both vision and an action plan. More importantly, they demonstrate that rare quality of empathy, being one with the people in season and out of season; in good times and in bad times.

LITMUS TEST

There are many landmark projects that were executed during the stewardship of Aketi as governor of Ondo State. What captured the imagination of the world, however, was the way he handled the tragic loss of scores of worshippers in his native Owo town when a band of armed terrorists attacked St Francis Catholic Church in the town during Sunday Mass  on June 5, 2022. The entire Owo community and sympathisers all over the country were unconsolable. As governor, Aketi  didn’t play Tarzan. He showed that human blood flowed in him. When he made his way to the pulpit amid wailing indigenes, he, too, broke down in tears. That picture is etched in the minds of many people as they fondly recall how their governor rose to the occasion in those dark days.

He swore that never again would Owo be a sitting duck for any group of killers to take pot shots at. He said he would ensure that the dead had not died in vain by preventing the possibility of such a massacre in future. It was not surprising therefore that he was the arrowhead of the founding of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun. Those who chose to misunderstand the governor’s intention and who wanted to characterise the security outfit as a tribal army were shamed as Amotekun made one giant stride after the other.

To calm the frayed nerves of those tagging the Amotekun corps as a regional army, Governor Akeredolu took time to explain: “The Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun Corps, as a response, is now not just the first line of defence, but the ultimate bulwark in the protection of a way of life and of a civilisation. The efforts of our determined and valiant Amotekun personnel since inception must be underscored, encouraged and highly commended. We must all rise at this time to acknowledge their efforts.”

Other states outside the Southwest have started copying the idea. That is one everlasting lesson that people have learnt from Aketi’s stewardship. Power is not just about fancy clothes and sirens and assemblage of dark-goggled security guards. It is about caring, about holding the hands of the bereaved, about showing through words and deed that their governor has their back.

In a way, Aketi defined his era. A man may not know his worth until he takes his last breath. Positions of power attract favour-seekers like bees and nectar. The truth about a man’s worth is told after he expires. Is the funeral train purchased like party supporters paid to attend rallies? Or did they rise early in the morning to join the queue to do honour to their beloved leader? It is clear that Aketi bought himself a place in the hearts of his people. The currency he paid was love, diligence, honesty of purpose and brutal frankness.

Teach us to number our days, Lord, so that the preacher at our funeral would not have to lie about some phantom goodness which none but the liar saw in the deceased.  The outpouring of grief since Aketi’s death testifies to the fact that he has positively touched many lives and the human community is poorer without him.

When the story of this era is told, Aketi’s stewardship will be chronicled as one of the brighter moments in people-centred governance in Nigeria. His tenure certainly lived up to the words of the Great Ife anthem: “Conscious, vigilant, progressive, a luta against all oppression…”

Adieu, Aketi. May the celestial rewards reserved for those who positively impacted the lives of their fellow men and women never pass you by.

The Last Dance

(For Jimi Solanke, 1942-2024)

His artistic gift was of elephantine proportions,

So, to each encounter-er, Jimi Solanke was at once  the compelling thunderclap amidst the loudest of silences  the coarse hair of Àjànàkú’s tail mounting sentry behind an otherwise hairless mass

Those piercing eyes conveying visions from unshared secrets

— Lamp posts of an aerobicised body

Ernest and persistent, commanding and pleading…

If six blind beggars are telling different tales

About the same mass

It is because they feel the elephant from different sides.

Is it the ivory of the tusk that tickles your fancy?

Or the rough tarpaulin of the body?

Or the four pillars with which it pounds the earth?

Or the trunk— nature’s straw

Enabling the slaking of thirst?

The elephant lies down like a hill On its deathday

Carvers bearing cleavers gather…

The last question on the elephant’s mind Is, “Who will mourn my demise when I expire?”

The heavens and the earth know

That Father Time’s unseen eyes do bear witness

To Lákátabú’s connection of the dots

Between the cradle and the grave

And they lead the cortège…

Yes, they do  to attest that this funeral blurs the line

Between a requiem

And an alleluia

As Bàbá Àgbà does his trademark bata dance

Into ancestor-hood.

Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, yesterday warned that students seeking admission into tertiary institutions across the country must ensure that letters of provisional admission handed over to them are the genuine ones issued by the board so as not to thwart the dream of furthering their education.

The warning came as the commissioner of police in Ogun State, Abiodun Alamutu and the Vice Chancellor, Abia State University (ABSU), Prof. Onyemachi Ogbulu, warned students of the institution, particularly those studying at its Ogun State affiliated institutions: Harvarde College in Abeokuta, to shun cultism, but approach their studies with total dedication to be profitable to their parents that invested so much on them.

They spoke during the 2023/2024 matriculation ceremony of Harvarde College yesterday in Obada-Oko, Ewekoro local government area of Ogun State.

Represented by the board’s coordinator in Ogun State, Akeem Abdul-Hammed, the JAMB registrar declared that any tertiary institution admission seeker that fails to follow due process would get  into problem in the future.

Ogbulu declared that the institution would not renege in its war of expulsion and other  penalties against students found to be contravening laid down standards.

Ogun CP, Alamutu, who lamented the menace of cultism  and other related activities across the state, stressed that the trend had become a serious source of concern to security agencies.

President and founder of the institution, Dr. Adebayo Ouwatosin, charged the students to remain focused towards achieving excellent academic success which he said required diligence and perseverance.

[Leadership]

Cote d’Ivoire forward, Sebastien Haller has said the Super Eagles will face a different Elephants side on Sunday.

The two teams will clash in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, at the Alassanne Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan.

Nigeria defeated the hosts 1-0 earlier in the competition.

Centre-back William Troost-Ekong scored the decisive goal from the spot in the second half.

Haller is however upbeat they can beat the Super Eagles this time around.

“It’s an advantage to both Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire because we faced each other in the group stage so we know each other well,” the striker said at a press conference on Saturday.

“However, the approach to a knock-out game will be different from a group stage game.”

As curtain draws on the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) holding in Ivory Coast, with the Super Eagles of Nigeria facing the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, airfare to the West African country has hit the rooftop, dashing the hope of many Nigerians who planned to fly to the country to watch the match, check by Daily Trust on Sunday reveals.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that there has been an outcry over the high airfare to Abidjan, which is less than one hour, 30 minutes from Lagos.

Nigeria’s Air Peace, Asky and Air Côte d’Ivoire, are few of the airlines flying to Abidjan.

Checks by our correspondent revealed that a one-way ticket from the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) costs between N890,000 to N1.2million, while a return ticket costs over N2m, depending on the airline.

A check on the website of Asky yesterday showed that a one-way fare is 1,229,811 for Sunday’s flight when the final match would be played, while the same flight costs N890,000.

On Air Côte d’Ivoire, the flight was priced at $913, which is over N1.3m at N1,450 to a dollar.

Yesterday, a Professor of Law, Joy Ezeilo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), decried the price of flight ticket to Abidjan, saying she dreamt of watching the AFCON match live but was shocked with the price of the return ticket, which is estimated at over N2.1m.

She wrote, “I am dreaming of watching AFCON 2024 live and I enquired about flights to Abidjan to watch our Super Eagles play in the final. I believed that Ivory Coast, being so close (an hour and 35 minutes) wouldn’t cost me too much.  However, my travel agent of over 20 years sent me a price quotation of N2,183,000.00, which was a huge shock. I did the math and realised that I would need to save my five months’ salary as a Professor of Law on the last professional step to buy one return ticket to a West African country.

“This is a sad reflection of our current economic realities. Please refrain from attempting to convert to US dollars, it is extremely depressing and demystifying of a full professor position. This will push the resolve of brilliant young ones we are training and mentoring to take over from us farther away from the classrooms to becoming political aspirants/election delegates.

She, however, pointed out that she had made an alternative plan which includes recharging her DSTV at N19,800, and to buy 20  litres of fuel to generate power because they didn’t have electricity during the semifinal match.

“The struggle continues!  Good luck to our Super Eagles! You are in my thoughts and prayers,” she stated.

However, an aviation management consultant, Babatunde Adeniji, said with the huge demand for flight to Abidjan, the value of a seat on the route also increased.

“Demand and supply of must-watch mean that each seat becomes so much more valuable. The demand and supply principle states that because of this final match, which is coming up just once, the value of your seat has gone up. If you throw a bid now on a 120-seat aircraft for all Nigerians to bid for seats, you know some people would bid much more than this amount you are even talking about, and that’s what is happening with ticketing,” he said.

[DailyPost]

On Wednesday, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the federal high court, Lagos, ordered federal government to fix the prices of milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles, motorcycles, motor vehicles, and their spare parts. This looks like a judicial attempt to address the biting inflation and the harsh economic climate caused in the main by naira devaluation. My mind instantly flashed back to 1984 when the military government of Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari announced price controls for essential commodities, also known as “essenco”. The military had overthrown the democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari on the back of untold economic hardship and corruption.

The hardship started in 1982 but Shagari papered over the cracks obviously because a general election was approaching. Crude oil prices were falling — from an average of $34 in 1981 to $32 in 1982 and $29 in 1983. Our foreign reserves, which stood at a decent $10 billion in 1980, had crashed to just $1 billion in 1983 as oil revenue dwindled. Before the oil boom of 1973, our foreign debts totalled $420 million. With the deceit of “unlimited” oil wealth, our debts had ballooned to $14.7 billion by 1982. We earned $22.4 billion from oil exports in 1980 but just $9.6 billion in 1982. The dramatic fall ruined the economy. Still thinking we were rich, we failed to make key adjustments.

We had become hopelessly addicted to imports because of what we celebrated as a “strong currency” — even though it was clearly propelled by oil revenues which are eternally volatile and unreliable. We insisted on keeping the naira at par with the dollar. We still refer to this as the “good old days”. With companies unable to access forex for raw materials and spare parts, they started folding up or sacking workers. Civil servants were being owed salaries, some for three to four months because, simply put, government was broke. Oil wealth has a way of making you live above your means until the day breaks and you realise your tummy has expanded beyond your feeding capacity.

As Nigeria could not import enough basic stuffs like rice, sugar and milk because of forex shortage, Shagari decided to introduce “import licensing” by issuing permits to a closed group of “importers” and allocating the little dollars in the kitty to them. We set up a presidential task force to import rice to sell at “control prices”. Many of those who got forex — using their connections with Shagari’s government — were not even importers or manufacturers and did not really need the allocations. They were believed to have diverted the scarce currency to the streets, and that was apparently the origin of the street trading in dollars which we have now given the fancy name of “parallel market”.

Shagari’s government went into absolute turmoil. It tried to keep Nigeria afloat through an emergency “stabilisation plan” that cut spending, reduced imports and hiked duties. There was still no relief. As we say in Nigeria, “water don pass garri”. Prices of goods and services went through the roof. Unemployment was unforgiving as retrenchment became the order of the day. The opposition parties came hard on the ruling party, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). This was the condition of Nigeria when then-Brigadier Sani Abacha announced the overthrow of Shagari’s government on December 31, 1983. We all celebrated the coup, expecting a better economy and lower prices. 

Buhari did the “right thing” for “the masses”: he ordered price controls for essential commodities. Soldiers took over the streets, invaded warehouses, shops and markets and started dictating the prices at which goods should be sold. I recall vividly how soldiers came to our village’s central market and started forcing traders to sell goods below the prices at which they themselves bought from wholesalers. “How much is Omo?” a soldier, with a horsewhip in his hand and a rifle on his back, asked an old market woman.  “Fifty kobo,” she replied. “It should be 30 kobo,” he decreed, brought out three 10 kobo coins and paid. He went on and on and on. The poor woman was distraught.

When the soldier had bought three to four items, the woman pleaded with him to move to the next stall. We were kids and bystanders and were somehow enjoying it. We believed prices were too high and thought traders and hoarders were the problem. We knew nothing about costs of production and transportation and other pricing mechanics. All we wanted was cheaper sugar, milk and Omo. How it was achieved was none of our business. My grandmother, a trader, miraculously escaped the raid by the soldiers. She later told me that what the soldiers were doing was wrong. “I cannot sell my goods for less than the cost at which I bought them. It is as I buy that I sell,” she explained to me.

Despite the highhandedness of the military enforcers, prices did not come down. In fact, things got worse as traders began to hoard the goods to avoid being forced to sell at a loss. They only sold whenever the soldiers were not around (and, in any case, how many shops and markets across the federation could they police closely?) I would later take economics in my fifth form in secondary school. We were taught that when supply is below demand, prices would rise. We were also taught that you cannot control prices if you do not have excess supply. If you are in charge of supply and you can meet demand, you can decide to lower your prices. They don’t teach this in military schools.

Now that Lewis-Allagoa has ordered federal government to fix the prices of sugar, flour, vehicles, etc, we are celebrating again. It is a pro-poor judgment, isn’t it? But we’ve been here before, haven’t we? The logic behind price control, as canvassed by its proponents, is that inflation is caused by traders and hoarders who are profiteering at the expense of the masses. There should be an element of truth to this, but that is probably 0.00001 percent of the reason for inflation. Don’t take my word for it: order a used motorcycle or spare part directly from the US and do the math. It is common sense prices will rise as component costs rise. If transportation cost goes up, the price of tomatoes will rise.

How do we enforce this judgement? We import sugar. At what point are we going to fix the price? Should we go to Brazil and order their exporters to sell to us at a particular price? Or is it when the importer has brought in the commodity — after buying dollars at N1,200 or higher — that we will order her to sell at a fixed price? Or is it at the point that the importer sells to the distributor? Or when the distributor sells to the wholesaler? Or when the wholesaler sells to Iya Mufu at Oke Arin market? I guess police will be ordered to use horsewhips to force her to sell at N50 what she bought at N100. Even locally produced goods are at the mercy of rising production and transportation costs.

Apparently, there is an outdated law called Price Control Act that was enacted by the military in 1978 during the oil boom era when petrodollars launched us into a subsidy binge, including paying for meals and laundry for university students. Those were the “good old days” of subsidising consumption instead of production. According to Mr Femi Falana, the senior lawyer and human rights activist who instituted the price control suit, a Price Control Board is saddled with the responsibility of fixing the prices of goods, preventing hoarding of goods, and protecting customers from exorbitant prices. The goods listed in the law include bicycles, matches, salt and sugar.

What better time to “fix” the prices of these all-important items than now when cost of living has gone haywire and Nigerians are in severe pains? Sure, you can keep prices below cost through subsidies. No problem. But when the bubble bursts, you will be more than sorry. Venezuela did it for a long time with petrodollars and Venezuelans thought they were on top of the world. Under President Hugo Chávez, they barely paid the market price for anything. Petrodollars subsidised all. When oil revenues crashed and funding the mammoth subsidies became impossible, the inflation did not have Part Two. Since 2015, over 7.5 million Venezuelans have gone on a “japa” spree.

The solution to our current economic woes is not artificial price controls. It will only worsen the scarcity, empower black markets and raise prices. The solution is not border closure either, as suggested by Alhaji Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security. He obviously learnt nothing from our previous border closure in 2020. He should please ask the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for data on food inflation for that year. Those who benefit the most from these knee-jerk policies are the security officers at the borders. We always avoid the hard work when it comes to policy thinking. The real challenge is: how can we reduce associated costs and boost supply?

Every economic reform must factor in safety nets for the poor. There are rational measures that can be taken in the short-run to reduce the pains. As Waziri Adio, one of Nigeria’s leading public policy analysts, proposed in his column last week, President Bola Tinubu can take urgent steps to address the food inflation by reducing tariffs on key items for a limited period of time. Releasing grain reserves can also help stabilise prices by boosting supply. This is a more sensible and realistic route to “price control” instead of using horsewhips and guns. If Iya Mufu buys a bag of flour at N40,000, how on earth can government force her to sell to consumers at N35,000? I mean, who does that?

Tinubu’s directive that grain reserves be released to boost supply and, hopefully, tame food inflation is a welcome step. Let’s hope the grains would not be diverted to hoarders. This is Nigeria. While the price control judgment has to be appealed and the law eventually amended, the truth is that Nigerians are suffering and they need to breathe. I have witnessed episodes of economic hardship since I was a kid but I have never seen anything of this dimension. I know Tinubu is clinically implementing tough reforms — which, I must agree, is inevitable if we are to have an economy — but I hope it does not end up as a case of “the surgery was successful but we lost the patient”.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

GO FOR GOLD!

Displaying more of grit and less of panache, the Super Eagles are one match away from winning Nigeria’s fourth Africa Cup of Nations title. I believe I am speaking on behalf of millions of Nigerians when I say we are aiming for the trophy against Côte d’Ivoire today, having painfully lost four finals before. The way Nigerians of all “tribes and tongues” have been celebrating our outings once again confirms my bias — that we really love this country. We do not hate one another. It is just that our leaders have politically mismanaged our emotions. We are united by sport, Afrobeats and Nollywood but divided by politicians. Imagine how great Nigeria would be with quality leadership. Unstoppable.

AFRODEMOCRACY AGAIN

Senegal, one of the most politically stable African countries with no history of military intervention, is on the verge of a debilitating crisis with the strange conduct of President Macky Sall, who is due to step down as president this year after serving two terms. It is very clear that he wants to handpick his successor and is afraid of a strong opposition candidate being elected. In the typical behaviour of African leaders who have no respect for the liberal principles of democracy, he had been clamping down on opposition leaders and has now postponed the election, the first time ever, to “resolve” the crisis he orchestrated. And to think this man came to power as an opposition leader! Nauseating.

RIP, KT

I lost a dear friend on Wednesday. Kayode Tijani, the sports journalist and archivist, died at 55 after a prolonged illness, dating back to the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019. He went there whole and returned in bad shape, never to recover. KT, as we called him, was one of the most knowledgeable sports journalists in Nigeria and had an incredible trove of videos on the country’s sporting history dating back to the 1960s. He worked at a number of reputable media organisations home and abroad. He was one of the major supporters of TheCable, the online newspaper I founded 10 years ago. I pray that his family, friends and fans will be comforted at these difficult times. Devastating.

NO COMMENT

Something to celebrate: The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it has commenced oil production from the Akpo West field in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. This will add 14,000 barrels per day to our production. It may look small — compared to 250,000bpd from Agbami — but given the various mortgages on our future oil production, this is better than nothing. The NNPC said the new production “is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive”. Have you noticed that many statements from government agencies these days start with “in line with President Tinubu’s vision” or “renewed hope agenda”? Is it a standing order or the signature tune? Wonderful.

About 21 days before his death, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe in a post on X formerly known as Twitter, urged his followers to number their days.

The business mogul reportedly died in an ill-fated chopper that crashed in California, United States, a few days ago.

According to reports, Wigwe was on board a chopper with his family, including wife, son and three other passengers when the unfortunate incident occurred on Friday.

Shortly after the report of the incident on Saturday, netizens began digging out some of his previous posts on his official X handle.

In one of the posts, Wigwe urged his followers to always see life as a precious gift, urging them to ensure that every moment of their lives counted.

He wrote, “Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift – a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect.

“Let’s honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count. Let us number our days”.

The die is cast and Super Eagles players have all resolved to redouble their efforts to win the AFCON trophy today.

He reminded them of the love Nigerians have shown the team since they arrived in Abidjan. The Super Eagles remain the biggest team the Portuguese coach has handled.

He had only previously handled two lowly-rated national teams – Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Peseiro’s other jobs were being assistant to other coaches and handling clubs in the fourthtier Portuguese league.

As a player, he was a secondtier striker in Portugal and he said in an interview on UK’s Sky Sport: “I did not play at a high level.” His coaching career took a turn after promotion to the top flight with Nacional. A job offer that set him on a different trajectory. Legendary Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz made him his assistant at Real Madrid in 2003. That was Jose Peseiro’s biggest moment.

[Vanguard]

“There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself. Every time I appoint someone to a vacant position, I make a hundred unhappy and one ungrateful. I am the state” – France’s King Louis XIV.

France’s Bourbons king, Louis XIV (Born: 5 September, 1638; Died: 1 September, 1715), also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, ascended to the throne in 1643 and reigned until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is said to be the longest of any French sovereign (he began to reign at the age of five). The statement “L’etat, c’est moi” literally meaning, ”the State, it is me” credited to this king demonstrated that he and the other Bourbons kings ruled with absolute power and iron hand and saw the French nation as their personal property with everything and everyone at their beck and call.

Which was why, despite that the objective conditions for the French revolution of 1789 had long been noticed, and Louis the Great was warned, he spurned the warnings. It will hold during my time, he was quoted as saying, let my successors take care of themselves! He was both right and wrong! Louis XV (Born: 15 February 1710; Died: 10 May, 1774; reigned from 1 September, 1715 until his death) took care of himself but not so his own successor, Louis XVI!

Although called “Louis the beloved” Louis XV died an unpopular king; discontentment and the signs of a revolution were thick in the air throughout his reign. Regardless, this king and his wife, Marie, had 10 children in 10 years (1727 – 1737). He was reputed to have consummated his marriage to his wife seven times on their wedding night! Who was there doing the counting, if I may ask!

Fate, sometimes, is cruel even as Maximilien Robespierre (‘the Incorruptible’), who presided over France’s Reign of Terror (1793 – 1794), has said that “Pity is treason”! Louis XVI, who was minded to accept some of the reforms proposed by the leaders of the French revolution, was the one who got consumed by the revolution. He was guillotined on 21 January, 1793 “in the 39th year of his age, at 22 minutes after 10 o’clock in the forenoon”

When situations have got so bad, any leader who appears on the scene must make up his mind which side of the divide he wants to pitch his tent – whether on the side of the people or against them. And if on the side of the people, he must act fast, and decisively, too. No sitting on the fence! No half measures! Drum this into Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's ears!

Another example that teaches this truth very clearly is Mikhail Gorbachev, the last effective leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. Gorbachev bid his time as he climbed up the ladder. Once in the saddle, he announced his twin-policy of “glasnost” and “perestroika” He wanted to make the Soviet society a little bit more open. He sought to give the people some liberty. But as he opened the door a little, a rush that he could not control swept him off his feet!

Revolutionary France will happen upon Nigeria if care is not taken! The objective conditions for a revolution are everywhere prevalent in Nigeria. Only the subjective conditions remain to be seen. And in the last few weeks we have seen food protests in Nigeria, which were similar to what happened in France when the peasants thronged the streets in their numbers chanting: “We are hungry, give us bread!”

On December 30 last year, Lagosians pelted Tinubu with cries of “Ebi n pa wa” We are hungry, they chanted as the president’s long motorcade waltz its way through the crowd in downtown Lagos. An arrogant Queen Marie-Antoinette had mocked the French peasants, saying: “Let them eat cake”! The starving people that could not afford cheap bread were the ones the queen teased with expensive cake!

Compare Marie-Antoinette’s obliviousness to the abject conditions and daily life of deprivation and penury of the French masses to the Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio’s insensitive and irresponsible “Let them breathe” response to the cry of Nigerians to their presumed representatives to take notice of the suffering in the land and act accordingly!

Ongoing food protests – were they spontaneous or sponsored? Even if they were sponsored, the prevailing conditions made that possible. No one can deny that the situation of things in the country has become unbearable, even for the middle class Nigerians, not to talk of the poor and the multidimensionally or desperately poor. If, on the other hand, the protests are spontaneous, then, it means Nigerians, ever so docile, are now stirring. And that is a warning signal for the government to act fast.

The mistake many are making is to think the problem is that of the president alone; it is not! State governors, local government chairpersons and the National Assembly members are all in the net together. There is no way an injury to the president will not affect these other fellows across the board. Even past presidents and governors; past National Assembly members, party leaders past and present should note how JJ Rawlings called some fellows out of retirement in Ghana to answer for their crime against the Fatherland. If Vox Populi is Vox Dei, then, let our leaders listen to the cries of the people and harken to the voice of God!

I see Tinubu in Gorbachev’s shoes. If he dithers, like the Soviet leader did, God help him! If he fiddles like king Nero did while Rome burned - like Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos was reported partying in one fairytale island while fire was on his roof - you can be sure he will come to certain grief. Nigeria’s situation is dire; it is long past the one that half measures can take care off. “Either this or that” is what is needed now.

On whose side is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu: On the people’s or their oppressors’? The same audacity that Tinubu displayed on the way to the presidency is needed now. He must call the same bulldozers into action. He has to step on toes now like he did then. Said Robespierre: “Audacity, more audacity and always audacity and France will be saved” Yes, audacity, more audacity and unending audacity saved France. The same audacity is needed right now if Nigeria would be saved. Is Tinubu up to the task? Can this man rise above his well-known limitations and conquer his own foibles?

Let no one deceive you: This is no mean task. Says the great Greek philosopher, Aristotle: “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self” Tinubu conquered his many enemies on the way to receiving the APC presidential flag; he thereafter went ahead to defeat 17 opponents at the Saturday, February, 25, 2023 presidential election. Now, he is up against the fiercest enemy he will ever confront – his own self. Will he stumble at this hurdle? May he not! But should he, then…!

LAST WORD: Why have we not started growing food on a large scale all over the country – the Federal, state and local governments? Are housing estates our critical priority at this time? Are people protesting because they need accommodation or because they need food? In this respect, Tinubu’s administration has wasted eight months already! Why can’t the churches and mosques also clear hectares of land and pour their unemployed, hungry and angry members there?

FEEDBACK

God bless you for the write-up on the explosion at Ibadan that seems to focus on South-west governors and the way they have been playing politics with the welfare and development of the region! Your short reference to Miyetti is to tell our governors that they ought to come out of their hiding and boldly equip and mobilize our security operatives, the Amotekun, to become able to protect and rescue our people from predators who value cows more than human beings. If the South-west governors would rise up this time, perhaps, they should consider the call of the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Chief Gani Adams, seeking the inclusion of the Oodua People's congress members (in Amotekun). The OPC have tried for us and as they are not tired, they should be incorporated (into Amotekun). One of the major duties of any government is security and protection of life and property but alas, people are no longer safe anywhere, to the extent that our Obas are now targets of kidnappers and unknown gunmen! Such was unheard-of in Yorubaland and it amounts to desecration of the land, which can trigger unrest if the authorities don't act in time. According to you, our governors need to explain what they are doing with their security votes and we need to know why Lagos state has refused to join the South-west security operations. Is Lagos State no longer in the South-west? You challenged our people for having forsaken their prime positions in the profession and in industries. Truly, the Yoruba have failed in these areas and we need to wake up. However, I have a case with our governors: Since the fourth republic began, no governor in Ekiti or Ogun state has deemed it fit to establish a rice-processing factory in their respective state to provide employment and bring down the high price of foodstuffs. Oyo state alone has the potential to feed the region but what is happening? You warned against sweeping under the carpet the report of (YSDM) Yoruba Self-Determination Movement’s complaint about the Bodija explosion when the report is out. I like to say here that I will not give you any rest but shall continue to remind you to do what you know best how to do until the authorities concerned do the needful. Thank you very much for your courage and uprightness and for always being there for the people. You are one of the prophets of our time! - Bishop Alli Olu Richard.

Thanks, Bola, and God bless you! Akintoye is senile; he is crying when the milk is already spilled. What intelligence and security apparatus does the YSDM have in place? Akintoye is a politician. Why the Yoruba have not advanced beyond noise-making is because of people like him, like Gani Adams, the selfish and timid Yoruba governors and the hungry and myopic Yoruba traditional rulers in cahoots with illegal miners of our resources. If they are as honest, bold and have the love of their people in their heart as you always do in your submissions, let them show up, and powerfully too! I am bold to say that there is nothing remaining in One Nigeria! Also, there is nothing on the table for the Yoruba except a bold step is taken. Let Akintoye, going to 90 years, go and rest! By the way, what has the Afenifere achieved for the Yoruba in this dispensation? Was their leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, not rooting for a non-Yoruba in the last presidential election? How can people move forward with that kind of mindset? Nigeria has crossed the Rubicon! - Pastor Jube Olawole.