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Trouble: North Central Governors dare North Central Peoples Forum: We don’t know you!

What promises to be a royal rumble has been ticked off by the political leadership of the North-Central geo-political zone, with the Governors there seeking to pull the rug off the feet of the newly established North Central Peoples Forum (NCPF) by tacitly saying they do not recognise the group.

But they admit that the peoples are free to associate as they please.

The NPCF is a break-away group from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) which has always been seen as pursuing the interests of the core north comprising of the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, and a few other groups without taking into consideration the desires of other people groups and tribes.

Religious meanings have often been read into ACF positions, with allegations that it favours Muslims, though it has leaders drawn from the two major religions of the northern region.

In fact, it is presently headed by former Agriculture minister, Dr. Audu Ogbeh, a Christian, who has often been accused, mostly without concrete evidence, of been a lackey of the core north and its agenda.

Wednesday, the six north-central governors led by Abubakar Sani Bello, said concerning the NCPF:

▪︎ That members of the Governor’s Forum were never consulted collectively or individually by those behind the emergence of the North Central Peoples Forum. The Governors saw the news in the media just like other Nigerians.

▪︎That as Governors of the North Central region, we are yet to be briefed about the objectives of the North Central Peoples Forum.

▪︎ Wish to state categorically that the Governors are not part of the North Central Peoples Forum and shall not participate in its activities.

▪︎ We recognise the constitutional right of individuals and groups such as the North Central Peoples Forum to form lawful associations and pursue their aspirations.

▪︎ We reaffirm that as the North Central Governors we believe and are committed to the oneness of the North.

▪︎ We also remain strongly committed to the objectives of the Northern Governors Forum under the leadership of Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State.

▪︎ We restate that the North Central Governors Forum shall continue to work for the sustainable socio-economic development of the North Central region and the progress of its people.

▪︎ That the North Central Governors Forum shall continue to welcome views, suggestions, recommendations and ideas that seek to promote the unity and development of the North central Zone and by extension the entire North.

Niger’s Sani Bello at virtual meeting

Last week, prominent leaders from the North-central zone declared that their group was set up to tackle the challenges of the zone, especially rising security threats in the area.

Promising to be non-partisan, the forum named former Senator, army general and minister, Jerry Useni, as chairman of its board of trustees, while another former minister, Gabriel Aduku, named as interim chairman.

Said Useni concerning the forum, “It is in the light of the foregoing that it becomes imperative and pertinent for us as a zone to rise to the challenges and launch our own geopolitical platform from where we can draw the attention of relevant authorities on the need to address various socio-economic, political and securities challenges ravaging our zone.

“Those of you who are present here today should consider yourself as the voice and true representative of your people whom they have known to have at one time or the other represented them fully at various level.

“Therefore, no sacrifice will be too much on our side to give the people of the zone the peace and development they desire from us as their leaders.

“We will support and cooperate fully with the federal government for full and complete implementation of infrastructures, development projects situated in the zone and the involvement of the people of the zone in the national affairs of the country.”

Aduku, on his part, lamented the security challenges that have bedevilled the zone leading to needless deaths, adding: “In the face of all the above great endowments and potentials, which should have made the zone both political, economic and socio-cultural hub of Nigeria, it is unfortunately bedevilled by security and developmental challenges of unprecedented dimensions,” he said.

“In terms of insecurity, it is an incontrovertible fact that almost in all states of the zone are people being killed and kidnapped regularly. Lives within the zone have ceased to be sacred.

“The leaders of the forum are no longer interested in the unending theories about the killings, but that they must stop. These have thus made our dear giant an endangered species amongst the comity of the six geopolitical zones of the federation.”

Meawhile, the statement by the Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, said the North-central governors held their virtual meeting on Monday 14th September, 2020 to deliberate on the recent emergence of the North Central Peoples Forum (NCPF).

Edo: Time to know who owns the land, By Sufuyan Ojeifo

About four years ago, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as a sitting governor, was traversing the nooks and crannies of the state, marketing a relatively unknown product. That obscure product was Godwin Obaseki. Against reasoned advice by people who, from what is clear now, had the benefit of hindsight and, perhaps, foresight, to boot, Oshiomhole opted to support little-known Obaseki as his successor in Edo State as governor.

That fatal miscalculation exposes the weakness in every mortal. Regrettably, there were other more qualified candidates who the Comrade had known for much longer periods, and who were even more loyal to Oshiomhole. But, because the former governor was thinking more of his state and the collective welfare of Edo people and less of his own self, he thought an Obaseki, who was his Chief Economic Adviser, would be in the best position to adopt and run with his continuity philosophy.

Alas, he was wrong and, in humility, Oshiomhole has courageously raised his hands to acknowledge that. While it is easier to condemn the former governor for his error of judgment, it is also necessary to advert our minds to the Shakespearean injunction that “power changes the nature of men”.

Indeed, Obaseki changed. The first sign of this was his gruesome assault on the most important arm of democracy, the legislature. Obaseki, without any regards for the rights of Edo people whom he is now begging for votes, blatantly refused to inaugurate 14 elected members in the state House of Assembly, thus denying the people representation in his government. So, for four years, Obaseki has been governing Edo State, stricto sensu, without a legislature.

Obaseki has been strutting around the state, shooting himself in the foot and lying to himself by claiming that some respected sons and daughters of Edo state contributed nothing to his election as governor four years ago. In fact, he had challenged the likes of Comrade Oshiomhole and business mogul, Captain ‘Hosa Okunbo, to mention just a few, to a wrestling match like the proverbial over-fed Nwanza, the bird. Beyond that, he had gone further to blackmail Captain ‘Hosa, encouraging his aides and hirelings to call him all sorts of unprintable names; he had boasted of ending Oshiomhole’s political career and even insinuated that tomorrow Saturday, the people would decide who owns Edo State.

The good thing is that Oshiomhole and other worthy sons and daughters of Edo State have graciously accepted Obaseki’s challenge. These people know what they went through four years ago marketing a hard-sell like Obaseki. And they also know how difficult it was defeating a grassroots person like Ize-Iyamu. Now that the table has turned, they know that they have the popular candidate and require less hard-work (though they are not resting on their oars) as against four years ago given the likely trajectory of the votes this weekend. And so, truly, on Saturday, we, the Edo electorate, will vote our conscience as Odigie-Oyegun advised.

Our conscience as Edo people is governed by a sense of gratitude as we do not recompense good with evil. The four years of Obaseki in Edo has been defined and typified by gross ingratitude both to the people that elected him and to some respected Edo sons and daughters who facilitated his victory. Again, we, Edo people, respect our traditional institutions, especially the Oba of Benin. This weekend, we will speak in no uncertain voice that we do not want a governor who wants to compete with our revered Oba by transforming himself into another monarchy. Tomorrow, we, Edo people, will decide who truly owns the land by electing Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, resoundingly, as our next governor.

sundiatapost

Uzodinma’s draconian decree and the fate of a battered Imo polpulace, By Johnbull Chikwe

A man who came to power under the circumstances as Senator Hope Uzodimma did, would have been more concerned about how to earn the people’s confidence through some people oriented policies and programs, but the man at the helm in the People’s House is obviously toying with the Joseph Stalin idea of extreme oppression as a means to bring the people to their knees and leave them with no option but to accept their subjugation as a fate they must live with. But, is too enlightened to fall like the Soviet Union of the 1930s. If the few educated people around Uzodimma would talk to him, they would advise him that Stalinism is a tested and defeated idea, that will never resurrect.

The signing into law of a most draconian, insensitive, irresponsible, yet impracticable Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law by Senator Hope Uzodimma, clears every doubt about the Omuma born politician’s educational deficiencies as well the embarrassment that the current crop of Assembly members in the State have become, if truly they appended their signatures to such piece of shit, called law. The law also betrays the governor as an insecure leader who is not oblivious of his loud unpopularity among the people he leads, hence, his resort to the enactment of a law that may cow the people into silence.

With respected legal practitioners and responsible gentlemen like Hon. Arthur Egwim, who represents me, being in that house, I will be dead shocked if it is truly confirmed that the bill, preceding this law really passed through the House of Assembly. It won’t be totally surprising to me, if it is discovered that the offensive part of this law was injected without the knowledge of most house members. With a Chiji Collins as Speaker, such infamy won’t be completely surprising.

Section 484 of the new ACJL clearly providee thus; “Where any person is ordered to be detained during the governor’s pleasure, he shall notwithstanding anything in this law or any other written law be liable to be detained in such place and under such conditions as the governor may direct and whilst so detained shall be deemed to be under legal custody.” One does not need to be a lawyer to know that this section of the law, as ridiculous as it sounds, also conflicts with Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic, which makes it illegal for the police to detain any suspect beyond 48 hours without charging him or her to court, and therefore renders this decree a nullity.

The law further provides that such detainee’s to be granted a ‘license’ by the governor whenever he decides for them to be released. This is a clear attempt by the governor to undermine the judiciary, by standing as both the complaint as well as the arbiter in his own case, and further exposes the governor as one with a pathetic disdain for the judiciary and without regard to democratic ethos.

By this law, Hope Uzodimma makes his ambition of becoming a maximum ruler explicit. He could wake up one day and arbitrarily order the detention of anyone he is uncomfortable with his or her face or audacity. And this detainee would be unable to approach the courts for a redress and protection of his fundamental human rights. Critics, journalists, activists and opposition politicians would no doubt be in grave danger of arbitrary arrests and endless detentions, with this law in place as the governor may direct.” This means that the governor could direct that his critic should be picked up by any of his thugs, for instance, and detained in his toilet and be fed with faeces, and this would be deemed legal detention as long as this new law is in force. Some people believe that this is another way by which the governor may want to legalize kidnapping and disapearance of those he wishes to deal with.

This law did not state whether the arresting authority would be the police, DSS or any other known law enforcement agency, but vaguely states that individual would be “deemed to be in lawful detention in SUCH PLACE and other SUCH CONDITIONS
Even notorious criminals have a right before the law and should a law as reprehensible as this be allowed to stand, then, no one could be said to be safe anywhere in Imo State.

With pensioners, civil servants and even contractors in the State denied of their legitimate entitlements, this law may be aimed at making sure that they do not speak up or protest the ill-treatments being meted to them by the Hope Uzodimma administration.

This may be a law aimed at putting fears into Imolites, thereby denying them of th right to cry when they are beaten, but history is replete with how such insecure leaders who attempted to use intimidation and fears as tools to subjugate their subjects, ended. Maybe, one or two people will be used as scapegoats to test this illegal law, but we can be rest assured that such lawlessness will not survive in this 21st century and in Imo, with one of the most enlightened population in Nigeria.

Two More UNILAG Governing Council Members Show Solidarity With Babalakin As More Are Likely To Quit

The crisis unfolding at the University of Lagos, Akoka, is far from being over as more members of the University’s Governing Council are likely to tender their resignation letters in droves, in solidarity which the former Pro-Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin, who on Thursday announced his exit from his position.

The current development is said to have badly bruised the ego of the government, whose nominees in Council are clearly not on same page over what many see as shoddy and biased handling of the crisis in the ivory tower.

In any University system in Nigeria, there are certain vested interests that are tailored along two major dividing lines of academic and non-academic and many avid watchers of the education sector are quick to blame government for tilting the direction of the Visitation Panel towards only one side.

Early today, a Council member, Dr Bayo Aderalagbe, who is also a government nominee, has tendered his resignation letter, citing his displeasure.

Dr Bayo Adaralegbe

Also earlier today, another Council member, who is also a representative of government, Dr Saminu Daari, is predictably not happy with government on the whole turn of events which has ridiculed well-intentioned efforts of patriotic Governing Council members to rid the University of corruption. 

Dagari, who chaired the Council Sub-Committee that probed the embattled former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, is palpably angry that the government is overlooking the real issues bothering on large-scale corruption, forgery and financial recklessness of the former helmsman.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Dagari accused Prof Ogundipe of falsifying information and covering up documents which misled the Council to pass the institution’s budgets for 2018 and 2019 in error.

Dr Saminu Dagari

In his own resignation letter addressed to the Minister, the Council member, Mr Adaralegbe, hinged his decision on the crisis rocking the university, even as he accused Prof Ogundipe, of falsifying the result of an interview conducted for applicants into the position of Director of Works on the campus.

Adaralegbe said his resignation takes immediate effect, even as he extolled the leadership qualities of the erstwhile chairman of the council. 

To him, Dr Babalakin committed his personal resources into the university without seeking any favour from the institution.

Babalakin

The letter reads in part; “I was inaugurated along with other Federal government appointees on the 6th April 2017. In that period, Dr Babalakin provided very strong moral leadership as Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council. He kept scrupulously to the promise he made at our maiden Council meeting not to bid for, or be awarded contracts from the University. 

“He actually did more. By December 2019 he had poured approximately N100 million of his own personal resources on different endeavors in the University. At the time this situation arose, he was in the process of transferring to the University (at no cost to it) 40 hectares of land he owned in Ogudu, Lagos to address its staff housing problems”

Adaralegbe accused unnamed persons of politicising his membership of the council, saying as a proud son of his father, who he said was a former deputy vice-chancellor at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and an Adviser to a former education minister, he had served the university conscientiously.

Ogundipe

He continued: “Recent developments have, unfortunately, made my continued stay on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos very untenable. I experienced first-hand, the Vice Chancellor of a University falsifying interview results for the position of Director of Works. Professor Toyin Ogundipe threatened to beat me up during an interview session for the position of Director of Works because I resisted his attempt to falsify interview results. 

“It was also in University of Lagos that I experienced a Vice-Chancellor attempting to appoint a Professor in respect of a discipline that the University did not have a department, did not admit undergraduate or postgraduate students, and through a one-page Memorandum to the Pro-Chancellor that touted the candidate as an agent of change.

“This is of course apart from a litany of corrupt practices.I consider my continued stay on the Governing Council of University of Lagos, a serious dishonor and desecration of my late father’s memory, Professor Adeniji Adaralegbe.”

Adamu Adamu

For his part, Dr Dagari, in his letter to the Minister titled: “Corruption in the University of Lagos”, conveyed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve in his current capacity but expressed misgivings that the government was not appropriately discerning the issues at stake.

Dagari said: “The fundamental problem of University of Lagos Finance is Inaccurate Budget. The Current Governing Council passed the 2018 and 2019 Budgets in error because of false information from the Prof. Ogundipe led Management. 

“All along, the Governing Council did not know the actual number of Internally Generating Units (IGUs) in the University, until recently when Eddy Omolehinwa (a Professor of Public Accounts) Council Sub-Committee to overhaul the operations of the Income Generating Units in the University of Lagos submitted its report to Council.

Prof Ogunsola, Acting Vice-Chancellor

“The Omolehinwa Sub-Committee reported that there are 30 Income Generating Units (IGUs) which were classified into Category A and Category B Units.These are the units of the University that are expected to generate income to sustain their operations, cover all staff compliments and overheads as well as make financial contributions to the University…

“The 2018 and 2019 Budgets of the University of Lagos were passed by the current Governing Council in error, because the Prof. Ogundipe led Management misled Council by providing inaccurate figures

They include all the limited liability companies; all part- time programmes which are also called Non-FTE academic programme units.”

Sanity prevails as FG backs down, apologises over call for re-registration in banks, others

After a few hours of mad reactions from Nigerians over a directive for all account holders to go through the rigours of re-registering their personal details with banks, just a few years after doing same, sanity has finally prevailed, and the federal government has backed down, apologised, and changed its mind.

Angry Nigerians had advised government to reverse the order and use details it got from Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identity Number registrations .

“We apologize for the misleading tweets (now deleted) that went up yesterday, regarding the completion of self-certification forms by Reportable Persons.

“The message contained in the @firsNigeria Notice does not apply to everybody. FIRS will issue appropriate clarification shortly.”

FIRS was to later explain lthat the self certification form was pursuant to the Income Tax (Common Reporting Standard) Regulations 2019 and in fulfilment of Automatic Exchange of Information Requirements.

FIRS said that the form would be administered on reportable persons holding accounts in financial institutions regarded as “Reportable Financial Institutions” under the CRS.

Recall that the Federal Government ordered all account holders in the country’s financial institutions to re-register their details again.

On its Twitter account, @NigeriaGov, on Thursday, the government said, “This is to notify the general public that all account holders in financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, etc) are required to obtain, complete and submit self-certification forms to their respective financial institutions.

“Persons holding accounts in different financial institutions are required to complete and submit the form to each one of the institutions.

“The forms are required by the relevant financial institutions to carry out due diligence procedures in line with the Income Tax Regulations 2019.

“The self-certification form is in three categories: Form for entity – for controlling person (individuals having controlling interest in a legal person, trustee, etc) – Form for individual.

“Failure to comply with the requirement to administer or execute this form attracts sanctions, which may include monetary penalty or inability to operate the account.” (everyday)

A Rejoinder To Okutepa, SAN: On Section 484 Of Imo ACJL Does Not Empower Gov. Uzodinma To Arrest People Without Judicial Process

By O.G. Ogbom, Esq.

With due respect to Okutepa, SAN, there is need to apply caution in our efforts to bequeath more powers to persons who have continued to abuse power with disdain. It is disheartening and uninspiring that we still celebrate or justify remnants of colonial laws which should be weeded out of new legislation. That notwithstanding, the said section 484 reads in part:

“Where any person is ordered to be detained during the Governor’s pleasure”

A careful reading of the first arm of the provision would reveal that it does not in any way state whether or not the order wil be made by a court of law, Police, Army, Navy, Vigilantes, etc. It is with no predetermined limit or boundary. Assuming it is to be made by a court of law, which of the courts? A matter as sensitive as detention during Governor’s pleasure i think, should not be left to conjecture or just pleasure as it were. It should be clearly defined to ward off mischief and to ensure that it is not used as a tool for political vendetta.

In his efforts to justify the said provision, Learned Silk relied on section 363(3) of Criminal Procedure Law. The said section states that:

“Where an offender who in opinion of the court had attained the age of seventeen years at the time the offence was committed is found guilty of a capital offence, sentence of death, shall not be pronounced or recorded but in lieu thereof, the court shall order such person to be detained during the pleasure of the Governor and if so ordered, he shall be detained in accordance with the provisions of Part 44 notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any written law”.

As noted earlier, though section 363(3) should ordinarily not have any business with new legislations in Nigeria as it is colonial in nature. But a careful reading of the two provisions i.e sections 363(3) of the Criminal Procedure Law and 484 of Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, would show that they are not on all fours.

While section 363(3) talks about “offenders who are found guilty of a capital offence when they are below seventeen years at the time of the offence and detention in accordance with Part 44, section 484 recklessly and carelessness has nothing to do with court, offence, the age of the offender and how the detention is to be made. This is a far cry from the provisions and cases cited by Learned Silk to buttress his point.

The intention of the Lawmakers might be genuine but the provision says otherwise, as it appears to be in serious breach of Audi alteram partem rule(let the other party be heard).

In Nishizawa v. Jethwani (1984) 12 S.C. 234 at 284 – 285, per Saidu Kawu, JSC., has this to say:

“The principle that no man is to be judged unheard is as “old as the Garden of Eden”.

Im the same vein, it is also important at this point, to highlight the adverse consequences of detention during Governor’s pleasure (indefinite detention) and how it is now handled world over.

In an Australian case of KA v Commonwealth [2014] AusHRC 80, 3 [4], 44 [273]. The Australian Human Rights Commission determined that the rights of two Indigenous men were violated multiple times while they were detained indefinitely in the Alice Springs Correctional Centre after being found unfit to stand trial . In another case of Colleen Egan, ‘Marlon Noble “Victims” Don’t Recall Sex Crimes’, The West Australian (Perth), 18 April 2011, 3. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (‘CRPD Committee’), took account of ‘the irreparable psychological effects that indefinite detention may have on the detained person’ and considered that the indefinite detention to which Mr Noble was subjected amounts to
inhuman and degrading treatment.

Australia’s unfitness to stand trial laws have been heavily criticised by both the United Nations’ Human Rights Council and its CRPD Committee.

Moving forward a universally accessible justice system, It is critical that an appropriate range of non-custodial options be put in place which would enable the judiciary to make findings of guilt or innocence, and where guilty, to provide an appropriate sentencing response. Of great concern is the fact that without the further development of models of non-custodial sentences, the sentencing needs of offenders with an disability should be made to be hidden through the use of restrictive bail, dismissal orders or placement in institutions.

Maybe, i need to re-emphasize, that Nigeria is indeed a funny country.

O.G. Ogbom, Esq.
Partner, Law Freight Attorneys.
[email protected]

Apologies & Pay Me N2 Billion For Lying That I Have Separated With My Wife – FFK Writes Blogger, Stella Dimokorkus

Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fan-kayode, on Thursday, threatened to sue a popular blogger, Stella Dimokorkus, over allegation that he ( Fani-kayode) has separated with his wife, Precious Chikwendu.

The blogger had alleged that the triplet sons may not have been fathered by Fani-Kayode as they were conceived through IVF and Chikwendu had demanded a DNA test.

In a letter written by Mr. Adeola Adedipe MCIArb, Fani-kayode’s lawyer, which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), he denied the allegations and demanded N2bn for denting his image.

The letter titled, ‘Defamation of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode- Re: Femi Fani-Kayode and Precious Chikwendu Part Ways Over Alleged Domestic Violence’, stated that the allegations were spurious and maliciously engineered.

The former minister denies all the allegations “as he points that they are not only spurious, but they have been maliciously engineered. He is more particularly disturbed about your rendition, which insults the sensibilities of unsuspecting lovers of your blog, across the world.”

For example, it was noted that it was published that his wife “moved out, the former Minister took back the car gift and all the goodies he ever bought for her whilst they were married and has left her broke, penniless and begging for money to survive as her accounts were seized as well”.

He also said that of utmost “concern also, is the public invitation to debate on the paternity of his sons(triplets). These are innocent children, who are yet to discern good from evil but have been made to become the focus of public spectacle and ridicule. Apart from the fact that these claims are completely false”, it was also added that “they are not fair comments , by any known standard of third party expressions.”

“Our client is aggrieved and has instructed us to draw your attention to these libelous breaches of his person and family. By this publication, our client has received denigrating phone calls and messages across the globe by virtue of which he now sufferers immeasurable loss of goodwill.

“However, he is inclined to draw a curtain over the wild and spurious claims if you retract the allegations on the same platform they were published and consequently apologise to him in two other national dailies.

“You are also advised to enter into negotiations with us for the sum of two billion naira only being a token amount for penitence. Please bear in mind that you have 14 days from receipt of this letter to comply with the highlighted mitigating measures, the failure of which will leave our client with no preferred alternative than to seek redress in court.”

A Nigerian State Plans to Castrate Convicted Child Rapists

A harsh new law to punish those who rape children in the state of Kaduna has drawn praise from some, and accusations of “legislative sadism” from others.

DAKAR, Senegal — A new law punishing child rapists with castration and death has come into force in a Nigerian state.

Men convicted of raping children under age 14 will have their testicles surgically removed before being executed, under legislation that the governor of Kaduna state signed on Wednesday. Women will have their fallopian tubes cut out.

Many Nigerians clamoring for action in the face of a countrywide rape crisis have greeted the new law enthusiastically, but critics say it is a populist move incompatible with the country’s Constitution. They predict it will lead to fewer rapes being reported.

Kaduna’s governor, Nasir el-Rufai, said the new measures were “required to help further protect children from a serious crime.” Why rapists would be castrated if they are then going be executed was not immediately clear.

Those convicted of raping people over age 14 also face castration, followed by life imprisonment under the new legislation.

The Kaduna state government is the only one in the West African country to adopt such harsh punishment for rape, but castration has been tried elsewhere.

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The Czech Republic offers voluntary surgical castration to violent sex offenders. And several American states have legal provisions for chemical castration, which uses a drug to reduce testosterone levels and is not permanent. Indonesia authorized chemical castration in 2016.

Earlier this week, Pakistan’s president suggested that rapists and child molesters be castrated; initially, he said they should be hanged, but then worried this might affect the country’s trading relationship with the European Union.

In Nigeria, the minister for women’s affairs said last December that two million women and girls were raped in the country each year. Then in June she said that the number of rapes had spiked to three times the typical rate, because women and girls were locked down with their abusers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The same month, Nigerian governors declared that the levels of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls constituted a state of emergency.

In recent years, Nigerian women have increasingly been coming forward with accusations of rape. Last year, the alleged rape of a 7-year-old in Kaduna caused widespread outrage.

But those who speak out risk being dismissed, or worse.

“The truth is, the pain of women and girls — including the kind of pain caused by sexual violence — simply isn’t a big deal in Nigeria,” OluTimehin Adegbeye, a Nigerian writer, lamented in a recent Op-Ed article in The New York Times.

Some studies have suggested that surgically castrated sex offenders are unlikely to reoffend.

But one Nigerian lawyer and activist, Chidi Odinkalu, said the law might make it even harder to reduce sexual assault in his country.

Much rape in Nigeria, as elsewhere, takes place within marriage. Socially, Mr. Odinkalu said, women and girls would be “toast” in their families and communities if they reported their husbands for a crime that carries the punishment of castration, and so they will be less likely to come forward.

“You’re going to get fewer cases of rape and sexual violence reported,” he said, asking, “What’s wrong with life imprisonment?”

Mr. Odinkalu described the new law as “legislative sadism.”

With 3.5 million child brides, Nigeria has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. It is unclear how the law will be applied in cases of child marriage, which is especially common across its northern states.

When one Nigerian official was accused of marrying an Egyptian 13-year-old in 2010, he defended himself by saying that the Prophet Muhammad “did marry a young girl, as well.”

That official, Ahmad Sani Yerima, has said he will run for president in Nigeria’s next election.

Ruth Maclean is the West Africa bureau chief for The New York Times, based in Senegal. She joined The Times in 2019 after three and a half years covering West Africa for The Guardian. @ruthmaclean

Rejoice Not Over Babalakin’s Exit, Former UNILAG Council Member Tells ASUU, Pro-Ogundipe Supporters

Reactions have swiftly trailed the sudden resignation of Dr Wale Babalakin as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the crisis-ridden University of Lagos, Akoka.

Babalakin

On the one side, members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) who are prime supporters of the ousted Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, are celebrating Babalakin’s exit as very timely and a good riddance.

On the other side, many concerned stakeholders of UNILAG particularly those who sees Babalakin as a reformer are pained that there are too many vested interests who have covered the corruption in the system and that the University has missed a great opportunity of being sanitized..

A retired Don in the University who also was past President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof Boniface Oye-Adeniran, is of the opinion that no right thinking internal stakeholder of the institution should rejoice that a reformer like Babalakin under whose tenure the university has witnessed pragmatic governance, was exiting the system.

Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu

Oye-Adeniran is also a former member of Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), opined that the issues surrounding the crisis in UNILAG are deeper than can be imagined.

Prof Oye-Adeniran, former Council member

Reacting to the resignation of Babalakin, he is of the viewpoint that his exit from the university is principles driven, submitting that history will vindicate him.

Ogundipe

The retired former lecturer at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, College of Medicine, University of Lagos said he was saddened by the current development, which he sees as a bad omen to the anti-corruption posture of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a press statement, Oye-Adeniran said: “This is a sad day in the history of this country.

Soyombo, former Ag. VC

“Babalakin’s role was noble. His resignation is a bad omen for the Anti-Corruption Policy of the Federal Government. It is damaging to the image of the country internationally.

“His resignation is principle driven. History will vindicate him. He is on the right side of history”.

The over one year crisis at the University of Lagos came to a head last month when the Babalakin-led Governing Council met and took a decision to remove the then Vice-Chancellor,, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe over alleged corruption, financial recklessness and forgery amongst other.

Ogunsola, current Ag. VC

In the last one year, ASUU, which also threw itself into the crisis had declared Babalakin a personae non-grata on the campus, spearheading hostilities with threats that the Pro-Chancellor should dare not step physically into the campus.

This was the reason why the Council took the decisive meeting faraway to Abuja, at the conference room of the National University Commission(NUC).

An Acting Vice-Chancellor in the person of Prof Omololu Soyombo, was appointed by the Babalakin-led Council. This lasted for two weeks until he too stepped down from overseeing the affairs of the university.

Consequently, the Federal government set up Visitation Panel to look into the crisis leading to the removal of the former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ogundipe. 

While ASUU roundly condemned Ogundipe’s removal, the other three unions in the institution, namely, Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) and the National Association of Technology and Technical Staff(NATTS) lauded the Babalakin-led Council for the removal of Ogundipe.

Jimoh Aliu “Aworo” is Dead

Popular Nollywood veteran actor, Jimoh Aliu, is dead.

Aliu died at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital on Thursday, aged 86.

According to his close associate, the body of the deceased would be moved to his residence at Adebayo area in Ado-Ekiti before being taken to his hometown, Okemesi Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state, where he would be buried on Friday.

Aliu was producing the first of his five-movies project, Olowo Ite, before his demise. The movies were expected to feature top Nollywood actors.

Born in Okemesi-Ekiti, the deceased began acting in 1959 after joining Akin Ogungbe Theatre Group and left in 1966 to form his own troupe, Jimoh Aliu Concert Party, in Ikare, Ondo State.

He had produced and featured in various Yoruba movies, the most popular being ‘Yanpan Yarin’ and ‘Fopomoyo’.

He was a former President of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Practitioners (ANTP).

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