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Our ‘fada, who art in Villa

By Suyi Ayodele

Let us pray.

Our ‘fada’, who art in the Rock, pathos is thy love, thy government’s crush. Thy pain is killing, as in your predecessor’s government. Relieve us this day, our daily woes. And forgive us our foolishness, as shown in those who voted for you. Lead us not into deeper woes, but deliver us from death by hunger, thy will is our command, forever and ever. Amen!

There is no denying the fact that Nigerians are going through a lot this season. The pain in the land is palpable enough that one can comfortably slice it with a kitchen knife. For young parents and struggling Nigerians, January is a telling month. After the expenses of the Yuletide, there January bills await. A little wonder that the month is considered the longest.

But Nigerians have reason to be thankful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our ‘compassionate’ president and ‘fada’ of the masses. Looking down from the opulence of Aso Rock Villa, President Tinubu decided to have compassion on the hapless citizens. His government, we were told, would be doling out the sum of N75,000 each to 70 million Nigerians!

A compassionate father like Tinubu deserves our veneration. I read the report, and I marvelled at the ‘generosity’ of our president and his father-figure composure at all times. The ‘Spirit’ came over me like the Day of Pentecost, and I was inspired to compose the opening prayer – a parody of the Lord’s Prayer – in appreciation of our dearly beloved president. When a matter goes beyond weeping, my elders counsel that one should weave a joke around it. Like they say on the streets, I cannot come and kill myself by myself!

The Lord’s Prayer, otherwise known as Pater Noster or Our Father, is the prayer template given by Jesus Christ to His followers. The beauty of the model is that it contains everything mortals can ask from the Creator. Bible scholars note that the prayer contains seven petitions. This is the season of fasting and prayer by the Pentecostal world. I commend suffering Nigerians to the petitions contained in the Pater Noster. When a man knows where the affliction comes from, he needs no genius to proffer solutions. President Tinubu needs our veneration; he is giving us palliative to soothe the pain he inflicted on us the very day he took the mantle of leadership!

If I were to present a paper in Oral Literature, I would write on the topic: “Tinubu and Ajelójúonílé.” For those who are not familiar with the name, Ajelójúonílé is a tiny rat known in my local parlance as Eku Edá. Modern Yoruba usage gives it the descriptive name: Ajelójúonílé (He that eats in the presence of the house owner). It dares the owner of the house to do his worst!

The description illustrates the boldness of the rat which betrays its miniature figure. You find it in virtually every home. Very audacious, Ajelójúonílé crawls out of its burrow to eat the stocks in the home. It cares not if the owners are around. In fact, Ajelójúonílé comes out to eat the family patrimony when least expected and walks back majestically to its hole before the owners know what has happened.

The most striking peculiarity of Ajelójúonílé is its ability to bite without the victim realising it. It does that when the victim is deep asleep. It bites, blows air to soothe the pain and peels off the victim’s skin around the heels. The victim wakes up to discover blisters around the heels, which look inconsequential in the first instance. The victim only feels the pain when it attempts to walk.

Incidentally, killing Ajelójúonílé is not an easy task. The rat moves fast into the nearest closet. Most ‘hunters’ of Ajelójúonílé end up inflicting further pain on themselves, especially when the family engages in group ‘hunting’. Its tiny nature allows it to manoeuvre easily. How do people eradicate Ajelójúonílé, the rat that inflicts pains and applies soothe?

Nigerians should ask themselves this question at this crucial moment in the nation’s history. How do we navigate the current pain in the land? How do we ensure that in the next round of elections, the nation does not fall into the hands of incompetent leadership again?

As we ponder on this, we should not forget that our current husband is as wise as Ogungbe, the marksman hunter. Ògúngbè’s target, Àyáá (a species of monkey) is equally smart. In the game of wisdom, Àáyá limps, to deceive the hunter about its acrobatic agility, while Ògúngbè also stoops to cover up his height and ability to shoot high (Àyáá gbón, Ògúngbè náà gbón; Àáyá tiro, Ògúngbè náà lósòó). Who wins?

The government of President Tinubu has all the characteristics of Ajelójúonílé. It crawls on us all without knowing, bites us off and blows air to ameliorate the pain. We only wake up to discover the damage the rat had done to our heels over the night. And before we could complain, the government throws another talkability at us! With Tinubu, it is obvious that we have taken our promiscuity to Danimo’s house (A ti d’óko dé’lé dánímó)!

How many are we in Nigeria? I mean, what is our real figure as a people? We have had population projections in the last three decades or more. There is no demographic delineation that shows our social stratification of the poor, the poor-of the-poor and the rich and the-rich-of the rich. The only thing close to that is the recent revelation of President Tinubu, who, on a national media chat, said that the economic woes of his 19-month administration had reduced Nigerians driving five Rolls Royce to driving Honda. The only stratification the President forgot in the media parley is the rest of us who had Toyota Corolla, 2003 models, but who now use ‘Foot Wagen’.

When the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn, the Scripture records in Proverbs 29:2. Preachers of all Faiths ascribe the quality of listening ears to the Almighty. The same goes for President Tinubu, our ‘fada’ in the Aso Rock Villa. Like Yahweh listened to the cries of Israelites in the land of Egypt, President Tinubu has decided to listen to our wailing.

In his generosity and kindness, 70 million of us are going to get N75,000 each to cushion the effects of hardship caused! Tinubu’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, first disclosed this penultimate week while appearing on the Arise Television’s programmes, “The Morning Show.”

The minister said that the government intended to share the largesse in all the 36 states of the Federation using the National Identity Number (NIN). And he was not joking as he reiterated that President Tinubu’s target “is that we should target 15 million households. And an average household is about 4 to 5. We are discussing here roughly about 70 million households with about N75,000 per person this year.” The aim of President Tinubu “is to combat severe poverty and establish a more comprehensive social safety net including the project.”

What President Tinubu intends to do with his N75,000 palliative is exactly what Ajelójúonílé does to its unsuspecting victims. It is not funny that the man whose administration caused the “severe poverty” is the one trying to combat its creation through the N75,000 palliative, with focus on the “poorest of the poor!”

“We are doing the data capturing, but for now, the poorest of the poor that we have in our data is only 1.4 million with NIN. We are working with NIMC, deploying resources, and conducting training. NIMC has brought in more devices under a program with the World Bank to assist us in data capturing for those without NIN numbers.” Those are the ‘reassuring’ words of the minister.

When Minister Yilwatda mentioned that the money would be distributed using NIN, and that was also parroted by Aliyu Audu, Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, I was tempted to ask which NIN? I recall that in the last six months, I had had to either go to my bank or my telephone service providers to register, re-register, or correct my NIN. I also know that a lot of Nigerians are having issues with their NIN either for bank transactions or telecommunication purposes. A check on the pages of all dailies will show how many Nigerians pay for Change of Name adverts daily all in the name of wrong NIN! It is the same NIN that Yilwatda and Audu are projecting as a flawless system.

But that is the way of this government and its immediate predecessor. We cannot forget in a hurry that during the COVID-19 epidemic, when all schools were shut down because of the nationwide lockdown, the Gaskiya government of President Muhammadu Buhari spent billions of Naira to feed school children!

Mystery and deceit are the Siamese twins’ children of this administration since the All Progressive Congress (APC) took over power in 2015. If Fela Anikulapo were to be around, he would have done a remix of his album, “Government Magic”. It was that same magic that the APC deployed in the build up to the 2023 elections when it announced that it had registered 45 million members across the country.

The Governor Mala Bunu Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECC) of the party which made the disclosure on May 27, 2022, said that it achieved the feat by raising the membership figures from 11 million to 45 million. But the cookies crumbled for the party when it went to the 2023 February presidential election and its candidate, now President Tinubu, won the election by 8,794, 726 votes. That figure shows that a whole 35,205.274 APC members did not show up on election day to vote for their party’s candidates. My elders warn that we should not argue with a man who cultivates 200 heaps of yam but announces that he has 400 heaps. The day of harvest will expose who the liar is!

So, while Nigerians are worried about how the Tinubu government would be able to identify the 70 million would-be beneficiaries of the N75,000 palliative, they should be consoled by the fact that a party that could concoct membership figures will conjure anything. Nobody should query if the methodology to be adopted will be scientific enough to erase any doubt. Ours is a nation in self-deceit, a nation of anything goes.

But for Senator Ajibola Basiru, who put a lie to the bogus APC membership figures of 45 million when he queried: “If we have that membership of 45 million, how come we went to the poll and got votes of less than 10 million? In line with Amilcar Cabral’s doctrine of ‘tell no lies, claim no easy victories’, that has exhumed the lie”, the APC and its members would still have believed the lies they told themselves.

Already, the Hallelujah orchestra of the government is at work to hail the N75,00 initiative of President Tinubu. The President is being described in some quarters as a kind-hearted president who feels the pain of the people. It would not matter who inflicted the pain in the first instance. It would equally not matter that the President is taking from our patrimony to ‘give’ to his imaginary “poorest of the poor”. The wisdom of Owó Àbú ni a fi ńse Àbú l’álejò (we use Abu’s money to entertain him) will not suffice here. Many don’t even care if the intended exercise would not be like the ones before it. Many of us, in the name of party loyalty and ethnic solidarity, are ready to accept the most unthinkable.

If President Tinubu recognises that there is a crushing poverty in the land, what is he expected to do? How come that the man that was sold to us as an expert in dermatology would leave leprosy to treat ordinary ringworm? What is more commonsensical between addressing the cause of the poverty in the land and giving palliative measures to cushion the effects? When the would-be beneficiaries exhaust the N75,000, what do they go back to?

The vocalist, Wande Coal, waxed his 2015 Mushin 2 Mushin Album, with a track which is equally a question: Se Na Like This. In that popular track, Coal asked: Se na like this we go de dey. Artistes, like poets, are philosophers and prophets. Wande Coal was philosophical in that album and track as he traced the trajectory of Nigeria from affluence to poverty! I join him in asking again: Se na like this we go de dey?

Ezeilo, SAN, others condole with Enugu State Govt, families over Ugwuonyeama tragedy

As the poor state of Nigerian roads continues to occasion more and more untimely deaths, law teacher and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Joy Ezeilo joined other Nigerians to lament the sad state of the country’s highways, while commiserating with the families that lost loved ones in the recent tragic accident along Ugwuonyeama on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

In a post made Sunday on her X (formerly Twitter) page, Ezeilo said: “Yesterday was a tragic day for Enugu, as a tanker explosion on the Ugwu Onyeama section of the Enugu-9th Mile Express Road claimed dozens of lives—the poor condition of one lane forces heavy trucks to share space with regular vehicles, creating danger. Immediate repairs are needed to prevent further loss of life and ensure safety for all road users. I hope FGN and MTN resolve their differences to complete the road reconstruction.  May God provide comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones in this horrific fire.”

Likewise, the National Association of Seadogs A.K.A Pyrates Confraternity, Enugu Chapter, condoled with the state government and the families of the victims.

The group in a statement signed by its chapter president, Joe Mazeli condemned the persistent road mishaps that frequently occur along the stretch of road, noting that they have caused untold harm to families, particularly in recent times.

He expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the road and attributed the accidents to a combination of poor road infrastructure, inadequate safety measures, and reckless driving. He called on the relevant authorities to immediately intervene to prevent further loss of lives.

Mazeli further stressed the need for collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society organizations to improve road safety across the state. According to him, public awareness campaigns and training programs for drivers are also essential to reducing preventable accidents.

The group reiterated its commitment to partnering with the government and other stakeholders to address issues affecting the welfare and safety of citizens. It urged the state government to act decisively, as continued negligence would only result in further grief for affected families.

The statement reads :

“The National Association of Seadogs A.K.A. Pyrates Confraternity, Enugu Chapter commiserates with the Enugu State Government, families and loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives and properties in the unfortunate and sordid accident along the Ugwu Onyeama axis of the Enugu – Onitsha expressway on Saturday, January 25, 2025. The gory situation of the accident shows the fragility of life, and how it can easily be snapped out in a few seconds; shattering dreams, aspirations, and plunging the society and families into uncertainty of despair and hopelessness.

There’s a need to guard and guide life very preciously. We pray for the peaceful repose of the lost souls and grant their families and loved ones the fortitude to bear such irreplaceable and irreparable loss. While appreciating the Enugu State Government for promising to cater for the welfare of the injured.

However, this incident is not the first of such gruesome accidents along that expressway nor in the country at large. After every occurrence, we wail, we condemn, lives are lost, properties are destroyed, and we move on; waiting to repeat ourselves again. These ghastly events trigger the very necessary question: what should be done to forestall further recurrences? We cannot follow the same reactive approach towards these unfortunate accidents and expect different results. It’s never possible.

As an Association, we don’t believe in mere rhetorical solutions; rather, we believe in practical and pragmatic solutions to societal challenges. As such, we suggest the following:

First, the speedy rehabilitation and reconstruction of the second lane of the road, from Akama Ngwo up to Abakpa Junction. This will ensure free flow of traffic in the opposing direction, without any encumbrances. We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Minister for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Dave Umahi to declare that axis an emergency since the Federal Government has responsibility over the road. The State Government should lobby and appeal to the contractors to get back to the site.

Second, we understand how Government bureaucracy works and also understand that our first appeal will take time to materialise, leading to our second appeal. The Enugu State House of Assembly should as a matter of urgent public importance, craft a bill that will limit the movement of heavy-duty trucks, especially those transporting highly flammable liquids and substances in the State from 9 pm to 6 am. Due to the minimal movement of passengers at this time, when such sad incidents occur, we won’t experience loss of lives in the same proportion and magnitude as recorded on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Third, we call on the Enugu State Police Commissioner, Commander of the 103 Battalion, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), amongst other heads of security agencies in the State, to as a matter of urgency dismantle all barricades serving as checkpoints in the Ugwu Onyeama axis. The topography of the axis requires that vehicular movements don’t need to be impeded at all. Those barricades not only prevent free flow of traffic, but also restrict rescue efforts in times of emergency situations.

Fourth, we appeal to the Federal and Enugu State Fire Service to establish a station in the Ugwu Onyeama axis. Our findings show there is an Enugu State Fire Service station at 9th Mile, but that’s a few kilometres away from that troubled spot. A Fire Service station will also help to guard the newly set up CNG plant in the axis.

Fifth, the State Ministry of Transport should collaborate with relevant Federal Government Agencies to set up vehicle inspection units in the various highways in the State. According to preliminary investigation for the accident, brake failure was responsible for the carnage. The probability of the accident could have been highly reduced if such inspection units were functional.

Sixth, haulage owners should as a matter of urgency carry out thorough checks of all their vehicles. They should also embark on refresher courses and training for their drivers and managers in respect of other road users. While we understand the importance of their services and appreciate it greatly, we cannot jeopardise our safety on the roads occasioned by their human errors.

In his statement at the scene, Governor Peter Mbah promised to do something immediately to avert a repeat of such a regrettable incident. We assure the Governor of our support and partnership towards this expected action, and promise to remind him if the solution delays. We call on all relevant stakeholders and motorists to join this fight of making our roads safe. The incident at Ugwu Onyeama as well as those in Niger State and across the country could have been anyone. We all share in the blame as a result of our collective conspiracy of silence and tacit neglect. It is exactly time to strategize in order to avert further recurrences of this painful event so that never again shall we experience such avoidable carnage.

Earlier in the month, tragedy struck in Okete, a quiet community in the Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State when a truck suffered brake failure and crashed into a residential building, killing nine members of a family.

Sources said the incident occurred around 5 am when the family was still asleep.

The brake failure was said to have caused the driver to lose control, leading to the collision with the house situated along the roadside.

An eyewitness said, “The incident happened early this morning (16th January 2025) when most people were still in bed. The loud noise from the crash woke up the neighbours.”

NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 26th January 2025 Grand Finale (Day 21 prayer points)

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NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 26th January 2025 – DAY 21 DAY PRAYER POINTS:

MY JOY IS FULL: Weeping may have endured for the night but my morning has come! All my years of waiting in shame, mockery, and pain are birthing miracles more than expected, bigger than imagined! (1 Samuel 1)

MY JOY IS FULL: HEAVEN IS NO LONGER SILENT! I call forth mysterious trumpeters to blow my name in meetings of men that matter, decision panels, board rooms and in the ears of kings and nobles, connections that I need to step into my season of Joy, enter by Fire! (Revelations 8 )

MY JOY IS FULL: Therefore I WILL NOT BOW! Every wrong posture in my spirit/soul/body denying me of my Joy, I break out! I will not bow! (John 5:35; Luke 13:13)

MY JOY IS FULL: I am Anointed with the Oil of gladness far above my fellows! I break limits, I cross the lines. I blaze trails! Lord by reason of your kingdom in me, That record that has never been broken in my family/my city/industry/nation/generation, through my life, Let it break! (Psalm 45:7)

MY JOY IS FULL: I was created for His Pleasure! As I Live for Jesus, As I love The Lord and give him my all, Joy is my portion! Every design of man contradicting my divine purpose and causing me pain, I break Out! (Revelations 4:11, Ps 16:11, Numbers 22:23-31)

MY JOY IS FULL! Therefore Goodnews will not exist side by side with negativity, I will not rejoice and cry at the same time, I will not laugh and mourn, any door of pain that shall be opened in this season of my joyful news, I take a journey in the spirit, close by Fire!!! (Ecclesiastes 3:14-17, Proverbs 10:22)

MY JOY IS FULL: All the days of my 2025 are redeemed by the blood of Jesus! By the reason of the blood, I step into new realms of favour. I walk in a greater overflow. I celebrate back-to-back miracles that sound like lies – Joyful news everywhere! (Ephesians 5:16)

MY JOY IS FULL! I have more than enough to give! Therefore, Wherever I show up, I give Beauty for ashes! The oil of joy for mourning! Laughter for pain! Garment of praise for sorrow! Christ in me: the hope of glory! (Isaiah 61:1)

MY JOY IS FULL: Whatsoever that diverted what was meant for me in previous years, break! I arise as the next testifier that What God cannot do does not exist! (Nahum 1:9)

MY JOY IS FULL: In this season of Revival, I will not be left behind, I manifest the strange acts of God, I carry more miracles, I harvest mega testimonies, my life is an evidence of the Supernatural, I become that major proof that others will see and testify that indeed What God cannot do does not exist! (Psalm 126)

Watch video of the grand finale below.

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 25th January 2025 (Day 20 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 24th January 2025 (Day 19 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 23rd January 2025 (Day 18 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 22nd January 2025 (Day 17 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 21st January 2025 (Day 16 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 20th January 2025 (Day 15 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 19th January 2025 (Day 14 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 18th January 2025 (Day 13 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 17th January 2025 (Day 12 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 16th January 2025 (Day 11 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 15th January 2025 (Day 10 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 14th January 2025 (Day 9 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 13th January 2025 (Day 8 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 12th January 2025 (Day 7 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days Fasting and Prayers 11th January 2025 (Day 6 Prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 days fasting and prayer, 10th January 2025 (Day 5 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 days fasting and prayer, 9th January 2025 (Day 4 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 days fasting and prayer, 8th January 2025 (Day 3 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days fasting and prayer, 7th January 2025 (Day 2 prayer points)

See Also: NSPPD 21 Days fasting and prayer, 6th January 2025 (Day 1) prayer points)

NBA AGC 2025 Early Bird registration, 32 days to go

32 days to go! The Early bird registration for the 65th NBA AGC which began on January 1, 2025, will end on February 28, 2025.

When it closes, regular registration will commence on March 1, 2025, and run through May 31, 2025.

This year’s conference will take place in the Garden City of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The NBA AGC is an annual event dedicated to exploring the latest developments in law and providing participants with the highest-level insights from leading experts in the field.

How to Register:
To register for the conference, please follow the simple step-by-step guide below:

  1. Visit the registration portal at https://agc.nigerianbar.org.ng/register/event.
  2. Click on “Register”.
  3. Select the “Individual” option.
  4. Input your details as prompted.
  5. Preview your details for accuracy.
  6. An email verification link will be sent to your registered email address (please check your spam folder if you do not see the email in your inbox).
  7. Proceed to login using the verified details.
  8. Click on “Make Payment” to complete your registration.
  9. Once payment is made, you will receive a receipt and a confirmation email.

Important Notes:
• Your Supreme Court Number (SCN) will serve as your unique identifier throughout the registration and conference process.
• QR codes will also be utilized for verification purposes during the event.
• We urge all registrants to ensure their email details are correctly entered to avoid delays in receiving verification and confirmation emails.

The NBA looks forward to welcoming you to this prestigious event, where critical legal issues and innovations will be discussed, and networking opportunities will abound. Act promptly to secure your participation at early bird rates, which will only be available until February 28, 2025. 

For registration inquiries or further assistance, please contact Sadeeq at: [email protected] or 09129209903(Strictly on Whatsapp).
Register today and join us for an unforgettable 2025 Annual General Conference!
Signed;
Chief Emeka Obegolu SAN, Chairman, AGCPC

Barbara Omosun, Esq.
Secretary AGCPC

Telecom tariff hikes: Between sustainability and affordability

By PUNCH Editorial Board

Nigeria’s telecom industry is at a crossroads. The recent approval of a 50 per cent tariff hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission has drawn sharp criticism from stakeholders, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress, National Association of Nigerian Students, consumer advocacy groups, and civil society. They have threatened protests and lawsuits. It is a difficult moment for the industry.

Initially, the operators sought a 100 per cent increase, but the NCC settled for 50 per cent, citing the need for industry sustainability amid challenging economic conditions.

Given the climate of rising inflation, diminished purchasing power, and economic hardship, Nigerians are understandably outraged. The proposed increase threatens to amplify the struggles of millions of citizens, many of whom depend on communication services to conduct business, access education, and stay connected with loved ones.

Even as economic realities dictate the necessity of the tariff hike, there is a need to balance sustainability in the industry with consumer affordability.

Defending the ministry’s 2025 budget proposals before a joint House of Representatives and Senate Committee on Communications on Tuesday, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, pinned the hike on rising inflation and operational costs.

He argued that tariff increases aligned with broader economic trends, where rising tariffs result in higher consumer prices due to additional costs on imported goods.

However, the resistance to the hike is in the magnitude. Consumer advocacy groups believe a 10 per cent hike is more appropriate given the current privations consumers have had to endure. This argument might not be realistic since all other sectors have hiked prices. The cancellation of petrol subsidies has seen a 500 per cent hike in 18 months in petroleum products prices.

Telecom companies in Nigeria contend with various operational challenges. Forex shortages, rising operational costs, and regulatory burdens top these. The exchange rate volatility has exacerbated the financial strain on these companies, as a substantial portion of their capital expenditure and in some cases, services, are dollar-denominated.

For an industry heavily reliant on importing equipment, software, and other technical components, the devaluation of the naira has made it increasingly difficult to maintain infrastructure and roll out new services. In addition, the skyrocketing costs of diesel and energy needed to power telecom towers in a country with unreliable electricity compound the financial strain.

Forex pressures on telecom operators have been devastating. MTN Nigeria, the biggest operator with almost 80 million subscribers, recorded a loss after tax of N514.9 billion for the first nine months of 2024, primarily attributed to naira depreciation. Airtel Africa reported $151 million in forex losses due to naira depreciation in the same period. Operators argue that tariff hikes are essential to ensure profitability and long-term viability.

Yet, the timing and magnitude of these tariff increases are particularly troubling for most Nigerians. With inflation hovering around 36 per cent and basic household items becoming unaffordable for many, higher telecom costs will disproportionately affect low-income households.

High tariffs risk excluding millions of Nigerians from participating in this transformation and widen the digital divide. It could also reverse some of the gains of leveraging telecoms to drive economic growth.

Access to affordable communication services is no longer a luxury but a necessity, as it facilitates business including financial services and agriculture, education, healthcare, and social interactions.

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, who depend on reliable and affordable telecom services to conduct their operations, the tariff hikes threaten to squeeze already thin profit margins and dampen economic activity.

The decision to increase tariffs however raises questions about how the NCC will balance the interests of operators with those of consumers. The NLC has accused the NCC of prioritising corporate profits over citizens’ welfare. This means that while the NCC must ensure that telecom operators can remain viable, it also has a responsibility to protect consumers from exploitative practices.

This underscores the importance of government intervention in addressing the structural challenges facing the telecom sector. The industry is a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for 16.22 per cent of GDP in the first quarter of 2024. From fostering financial inclusion through mobile money to enabling remote work and e-learning, the industry has become indispensable.


It is therefore essential that this vital sector is nurtured and protected. The forex crisis requires urgent attention. The government must improve access to foreign exchange for telecom operators, address energy infrastructure deficits, and foster a more conducive operating environment.

Similarly, investments in alternative and renewable energy sources should be fast-tracked to mitigate the reliance on costly diesel generators.

The regulatory environment needs to be more conducive. A situation where telecom operators are forced to pay 39 different rates and charges to federal, state, and local governments is ridiculous.

For consumers, the tariff hikes present a painful but necessary reminder of the cost of an unsustainable economic model typified by rent-seeking and oil dependency while productivity remains low.

While Nigerians will undoubtedly feel the pinch, there is also an opportunity for innovation and adaptation. Companies could explore affordable data bundles, and value-based pricing models, and work to improve operational efficiencies.

Telcos need to be more transparent in the pricing structure while consumers may need to adjust their usage patterns to maximise value.

Nevertheless, this should not absolve policymakers and industry stakeholders of their responsibility to find long-term solutions.

The high cost of energy has been a key cost driver even before the deregulation of fuel prices. The government needs to recognise the strategic role of the industry and intervene to ensure its sustainability by ensuring exchange rate stability and investing to boost the power sector and ultimately lower energy prices.

Ultimately, the conversation around telecom tariffs must extend beyond the immediate price hikes to a broader discussion on digital inclusion and the future of Nigeria’s digital economy. A healthy telecom industry is essential not only for the provision of basic communication services but also for powering the country’s transition to a digital-first economy.

To strike the right balance, all stakeholders must come to the table. The NCC, telecom operators, consumer advocacy groups, and the government must collaborate to chart a path forward that ensures sustainability for operators while keeping services accessible to the average Nigerian.

One potential solution could be the implementation of a tiered pricing system that offers reduced rates for low-income households. Additionally, encouraging local manufacturing of telecom equipment could help reduce the industry’s reliance on imports, easing the pressure of forex fluctuations.

Currently, only 16 per cent of telecom equipment is manufactured in Nigeria, mostly cables but Morrocco already has several chip factories including a gigafactory due to open next year.

Ahead of the anticipated discussions about the tariff hike, it is essential to remember that the telecom industry is a lifeline for millions. Decisions about tariffs must be made with a clear understanding of their broader implications for consumers and the economy.

While operators need to remain financially viable, this cannot come at the expense of worsening the economic hardships of ordinary Nigerians.

The goal must be to create a telecom ecosystem that is both sustainable and inclusive, ensuring that no one is left behind on the road toward a more connected future.

Let us name Nigeria after our president

By Lasisi Olagunju

Two major projects were announced in Abuja last week: a polytechnic and a military barracks. Both were named after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I thought the president would say no to such fawning sycophancy. But no. He appears to love it. He actually sat and presided over the inauguration and naming of the barracks.

A man goes to the stream to bathe and all maidens of the village struggle to be his wife or at least his mistress. That is the fortune of our president today; every loin scrambles for his hood. A sycophancy championship is afoot. If I were the president, I would be afraid and worried. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was offered the crown three times, and three times he rejected it. Yet, that gesture was used to consummate a conspiracy against him.

Niger State governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, about this time last year, was overwhelmed by his love for our president. The governor looked up, he looked down, he thought of how best to sujada to the father of the nation. He raced to the airport in Minna and yanked off its recently printed name. The airport belongs to the Federal Government but the Niger governor told Tinubu’s TVC that in appreciation of the president’s magnanimity, he thought the only way his state could celebrate him (Tinubu) “for now” was to name that airport after him. Governor Bago said: “I sat down with my stakeholders, we got his (Tinubu’s) consent and his approval and here we are.”

RJust nine months earlier, the place was named Dr Abubakar Imam Kagara International Airport. Abubakar Imam (1911-1981) was a writer and pioneer in journalism in Nigeria. He edited Nigeria’s first Hausa language newspaper, Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo in 1939. Naming the airport after him in June 2023 was thought appropriate and fit. But by March 2024, the airport had another naming ceremony. It became Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport. Bago said Imam’s name had been given to a polytechnic since he was more a scholar. If I would be a bad boy, I would have used that point to ask Bago if he renamed the airport after the president as a confirmation that he is a frequent traveller. The president did not see anything wrong in his name being connected with such a change with such an argument. He was at the unveiling event in Minna to “commission the remodeled and upgraded terminal.” Tinubu was less than ten months in power when that honour fell on his shoulders. A commenter told BBC pidgin that time: “If na me be President Tinubu, I no go even accept di change of name.” Fortunately for Governor Bago and his stakeholders, Tinubu wasn’t that person.

Many more of such ‘recognitions’ will roll in for our president now that the world knows what tickles our Daddy.

Someone looked at all the frenzy and ‘feverity’ of last week in Abuja, and combined them with last year’s one in Minna, and suggested that we do something more monumental: we should change the name of our country to Tinubu Kingdom. Another suggested that ‘empire’ would be more appropriate. An emperor presides over an empire.

They may be right. If IBB, the man who built Abuja, had been as smart and quick and alert as this president, the Presidential Villa would by now be called Ibrahim Babangida House; or the city itself named IBB City. But the smart General was slack; he missed that opportunity to house every subsequent president in his ‘house’ and city. And if each of Tinubu’s other predecessors had been as alive as the incumbent, the FCT and the 36 state capitals would by now be galleries of their names and labels. But they were all like Babangida – too shy, or too careful – to do what Napoleon now does.

And, why not change Abuja, our federal capital’s name to Tinubu? After all, the Liberian capital, Monrovia, is named after James Monroe, America’s fifth president who pioneered the creation and colonization of Liberia. Monrovia, until 1824, was known as Christopolis. It was originally created in 1822 by Monroe and his friends as a solution to the problem of having too many blacks in their United States. We have a local example. Port Harcourt, our garden city, owes its identity to the name of Sir Lewis Harcourt, the British Secretary of State for the colonies who approved and supervised the amalgamation that birthed Nigeria.

There are more ancient local examples that will strengthen our argument for a total, comprehensive and permanent immortalisation of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And it is significant that these positive vibrations are coming from northern Nigeria where there are plenty of points to pick from history. History says Daura, the spiritual home of Hausa people, is named after a woman, Magajiya Daurama, the ninth queen of that town. History adds that even the city called Katsina is named after a princess of Daura named Kacinna. There is a major town in Jigawa State called Hadejia. Hadejia is a toponym derived from the names of a hunter and his wife who founded the town. Their respective names were Hade and Jiya. We can use these examples to promote our next motion that the FCT should become the next addition to our president’s honour. For regional balancing, I wanted similar examples from Yorubaland to bolster our argument but I spent the whole of yesterday asking around if there was a traditional Yoruba town named after a human being, living or dead. I am still searching.

Tinubu as governor of Lagos State did not do these things for himself or for those who made him. Those he made have not done so too. So, he is lucky Nigeria is bigger, more generous, more appreciative.

It is true that Abuja is not Lagos. The demons controlling the aura of both places are different in the virulence of their demands and expectations.

In ‘The Art of War’, Sun Tzu says “the superior man must be watchful over himself when he is alone.” Tinubu is the superior man here. You would think he would be “watchful over himself” from the assaults of sycophants and parasites. But no. He enjoys every bit of the game. He is too big to be bothered about external corruption and internal corruptive tendencies. A large mirror is placed before him everywhere he goes, and he loves the big, ‘beautyful’ something he sees in that mirror. So, why risk his anger by warning him about his nakedness? I also join my voice to the voices of his worshippers and adherents, people who say he is an idol.

If a man would be blind, my people warn such a person to be completely blind. Half-blind persons are perfect mongers of trouble. We can’t copy America’s presidential democracy without copying everything in and about it. The United States is currently savouring the sweetness in our sour soup: a lawmaker is proposing a third term for Donald Trump who started his second term just last week. America is fated to fall in love with the content of our shithole. We should reciprocate that love.

Give-me-I-give-you is what the toad croaks at the river bank. We should also go the American way by making idols of our presidents, past and present – particularly the present. Let us name our country and its capital, Abuja, after this hardworking Tinubu. Washington State and Washington DC in the United States are named after America’s first president, George Washington. Many of his worthy successors were similarly honoured with cities created in their names: There is the city of Lincoln in Nebraska named after Abraham Lincoln; There is Jackson in Mississippi named after Andrew Jackson; Jefferson City is in Missouri, the name honours Thomas Jefferson. There is also Madison in Wisconsin; it is named after President James Madison. We should not ask if these presidents did all these for themselves during the lives of their presidency. Except we are an ungrateful lot, our own president deserves honours as those that are sure to last beyond the end of the world. That is what an appreciative nation does.

An airport, a polytechnic and a barracks wearing the name of an incumbent president who is less than two years old in office is nothing. Those who did it have not done a tenth of what obtains in other countries of this continent. Hastings Kamuzu Banda was president of Malawi from 1964 to 1994 – thirty short years. I first came in contact with him and his ways in Jack Mapanje’s ‘Of Chameleons and the Gods’ taught me by Funsho Aiyejina (God repose his soul). While he was alive, Banda got his name inscribed on everything he touched: roads, hospitals and schools and everything that would make him live forever. At his death, 14 May of every year was declared ‘Kamuzu Day’ in celebration of the life of the father of the nation. An attempt to denigrate his memory surfaced soon after his exit. A succeeding president, in a fit of madness, declared 14 June as ‘Freedom Day’ to mark the end of Banda’s dictatorship. That insult did not last beyond the next election. Banda’s spirit moved against that president and his place another took. Another president soon came to sanitise the memory of their lord and saviour. He cancelled the dirty ‘Freedom Day’. Banda’s name is on an international airport and on other national monuments. That is how countries show gratitude to their fathers.

Literature scholar, Reuben Makayiko Chirambo, in 2010 wrote a piece in ‘Africa Today’ on the memories “of the Father and Founder of the Malawi Nation, Dr. H. K. Banda.” He wrote that some of Banda’s supporters hailed him as Ngwazi which means ‘Conqueror’. Some others called him Nkhoswe – ‘guardian’, ‘protector’, ‘provider’. Yet, to a large number of others, he was simply “savior, messiah, father and founder of the nation.” Banda’s fanatics pronounced him Wamuyaya – meaning, president for life. When I read that, I wanted to say may that not be our portion in Nigeria. But I cautioned myself. That would have been a very subversive prayer. May my mouth not kill me.

For those who say that it is too early for Tinubu to start inscribing his name on our breasts and buttocks, they should go check Banda’s records. It is from Chirambo that we read that in 1963, one full year before Malawi got independence, Kamuzu Banda had already boasted that: “I am dictator of the people by consent . . . by permission.” He was that open and transparent even before he took full control of the country. Leaders who would be ‘father’ and ‘saviour’ of their nation don’t sneak in their dagger under their tunic. They come early in broad daylight clutching the flashing torch of narcissism. Banda did his dictatorship so well that a cowardly Malawian poet, Frank Chipasula, in 1981 wrote a poem from exile in celebration of the president. The title: ‘A Monument to a Tyrant’.” If we work hard enough, Banda can be our model. We will benefit from his memory.

But why are the president’s friends and fans making a Banda out of him? The old man can still get all the honour being dashed him later when he is done and is found to have done well with the power he has. Obafemi Awolowo, Murtala Muhammed, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa are some of the examples he can copy. But he is not looking the way of those legends. He has not done well by not stopping all sycophantic drooling around him. He is an elder who ought to know that there are implications and consequences for the wealthy who choose to eat salt according to the size of their wealth. The president’s morsel is in improper dalliance with soup that draws and soils the breast embroidery.

When a democracy grows old and wrong, it becomes an oligarchy. Someone said that in a democracy, the key actors are idolators; in an oligarchy, they are idols. I know that in vain are all these lines and calls for sanity and moderation. Idolators must worship their idols. So, I plead that if we all want to survive the courtiers of this president, all of us – journalists, lawyers, judges, lawmakers, law breakers and law enforcers – will perform one last duty. We should join voices and forces, rename our country, rebuild the Presidential Villa and the FCT and make all of them bear the name and logo of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He deserves the honour.

Defamation Saga: As Afe Babalola withdraws suits against Farotimi following Ooni, other monarch’s intervention

  • Akinseye George, SAN, hails Babalola

“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment. There is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, rather how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give…” — Aare Afe Babalola, SAN

“Aare Afe Babalola, you are an elder statesman, you have seen it all, you are one of the iconic voices in this country, a great man per excellence, you are a rare breed who has excelled in everything you have touched in this life, a very God fearing elder stateman, above all, you are one of the proponents of the Yoruba ethos of Omoluwabi which has been your strongest value that you hold in our country… ” — Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ọjájá II)

Following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ọjájá II), Aare Afe Babalola SAN, the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, in the early hours of Monday, conceded to the withdrawal of the suits he instituted against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

Chief Babalola had alleged in a petition to the police commissioner in Ekiti State that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’, leading to the arrest, arraignment of the lawyer before two courts in Ekiti and his eventual 20 days of detention in Ado Ekiti prison.

Farotimi was charged with criminal defamation before an Ekiti State Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti District and cyber-bullying before the Ado Ekiti Division of Federal High Court.

The nonagenarian, who spoke at ABUAD after the intervention of the Ooni other top traditional rulers at the midnight meeting, said, he had agreed to withdraw the criminal case, saying, “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case.”

Pouring encomiums on the aged Senior Advocate, Prof Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN in a short message sent to Law & Society Magazine said:

“We salute the Oonirisha, the Arole Oodua and the eminent Obas in his company for this great feat. We salute the great Aare Afe Babalola, for bowing to the pressure from their Royal Highnesses. May your days be long. Long live the Yoruba Nation; Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Equally in attendance were the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole: the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju; and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.

Iterating the significance of the Yoruba traditional institution and its influence, Babalola said, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt.”

Explaining that he had rejected all earlier appeals to take the cases out of court, Babalola who said he felt bad over Farotimi accusing him of winning all his cases through corruption listed those who had appealed to him to take the matter out of court to include former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.

He said, “If you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by names, he attacked Supreme Court judges, and none is bothered, but I am bothered. I am bothered because of where and how I started life, from the farm to where I am.

“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment. There is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, rather how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give.

“The request is simple, take away this criminal case in court. When Obasanjo wrote, he came here, I said no. when Kukah phoned and came, I said no, but on this occasion, I say yes. Thank you Kabiyesis. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”

Speaking on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, the Ooni had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court, assuring him that “nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold and you have stood for your name with the message that nobody can joke with your name.”

Ogunwusi, who acknowledged Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, said, “We (monarchs) came here to discuss the matter with him and he gave full respect to the obas and agreed.

“We, the obas, can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so hard to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbished by anyone. Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherishes his name and the world has heard him clearly.

“Baba, we want to appeal and also use our race to instruct you. Dele Farotimi is your son, you may not know him, we give birth to different children in this world, some are tough, some are soft, some are hard. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.”

The Ooni added, “We are using our race because some of our elders in Yorubaland and even beyond Yorubaland have spoken, but combining forces with the traditional institution, we have heard you, enough, enough and enough. Your name is intact. We have resolved the matter in our own way, we have done the needful.”

In a petition dated November 19, 2024, addressed to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Afe Babalola alleged that defamatory content in Dele Farotimi’s book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, tarnished his reputation.

Farotimi was arrested in Lagos by officers of the Ekiti State Police Command and transported to Ado-Ekiti, where he faced a 16-count charge of criminal defamation and cyberbullying. Following his arraignment in a magistrate court, he was remanded in custody.

The allegations stem from claims in the book accusing Babalola and other Senior Advocates of Nigeria of influencing Supreme Court justices through corruption.

Read the full text of the statement from Ooni’s palace below.

OONI RESOLVES ISSUES BETWEEN AARE AFE BABALOLA AND DELE FAROTIMI

The Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II in company of about prominent Yoruba traditional Rulers in Ekiti state was at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) last night to appeal to the founder of the university Aare Afe Babalola to forgive the human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi and withdraw the ongoing criminal case instituted against him.

Ooni Ogunwusi arrived Ado Ekiti at about 10:08 pm last night into the waiting hands of Aare Afe Babalola himself accompanied by the Vice Chancellor Professor Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde
Bursar Pastor Joseph Modupe Babalola,
The school PRO, Deans of various faculties at the university and the legal team of Afe Babalola handling Farotimi’s criminal case.

The Vice chancellor in her welcome speech at the meeting acknowledged Ooni’s love for the school’s founder and the school itself which she described as one of the leading universities in Africa.

The Ooni briefed the journalists outcome of the meeting which was earlier held close door between Afe Babalola and the Ooni accompanied by Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo, the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu, Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti who doubles as Chairman, Ekiti Council Of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ilori Faboro that having watched the scenarios surrounding the criminal case instituted against Dele Farotimi with rapt attention, it has become very imperative to apply Alternative Dispute Resolution method which Yoruba race was known for in the past because it’s a case between father and son.

“We have come today to appeal to Aare Babalola to forgive his son; Dele Farotimi and what we want from him is to withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi today.

“Aare Afe Babalola, you are an elderstateman, you have seen it all, you are one of the iconic voices in this country, a great man per excellence, you are a rare breed who has excelled in everything you have touched in this life, a very God fearing elderstateman, above all, you are one of the proponents of the Yoruba ethos of Omoluwabi which has been your strongest value that you hold in our country. This what we are using to bring down the tempo in what has happened between you and your son Dele Farotimi. We have been very proud of you as a great Yoruba elderstateman. You have done great things for this race and Nigeria such that your name can never be forgotten.”

“We’ve all come together as traditional Rulers to discuss with you on this issue and this gentleman Dele Farotimi is your son and you must forgive him and withdraw the criminal charges against him. As a father, you have soft sons and you have tough sons, Dele Farotimi is a tough son of yours. You have indeed made a point that your name can not be be messed with”.

“I hereby withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi” – Afe Babalola.

When given the microphone to respond to the request made by the Ooni and the traditional Rulers, Aare Afe Babalola did not hesitate to accept the request saying he grew up as a child to understand such interventions by the traditional rulers. He declared he had not only forgiven Dele Farotimi but also will instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal charges against him with immediate effect, because of the honour for the Ooni and the other Obas.

“Today is a very important day for me, I’m a Yoruba man and I’m very proud to be one. Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened, same with Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening., my answer to them has been “NO” but today my answer is “YES”

Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced systems of government with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.”

In the middle ages, the Greeks had a saying”the meadow that grow on the bank of a river which obeys the direction of the flood remains strong forever but the meadow that grow that disobey the direction of the flood were broken asunder”.

Aare Babalola concluded his response with a an Adage in Yoruba saying ” Eni ti o ba nI nkan lati se, kii wo elegan rara” meaning “those who change the world for the better do not wait to respond to criticism”

He said he had listened to the Ooni’s advice and he certainly didn’t want to be a meadow by the riverside which disobeys the flood.

I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yes I’m corrupt, I was given an oil block, when I looked at the money and saw that it was too much , I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt, I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption. Look at my books, I’m Chairman, Transparency International based in Germany, I have given lectures against corruption with my papers in many universities globally. For someone to allege me that I have won my cases through corruption, it’s an attempt to defame me, that was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me. But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I’m in a fix today. “Nkan de o”. There is nothing I’m going to gain from his(Dele) imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, I’m rather concerned on managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say “YES”.

Ooni departed venue of the meeting at about half past midnight for his Ojaja Park in Akure from where he is expected to make his departure to Abuja on Monday.

Signed:
Otunba Moses Olafare,
Director, Media & Public Affairs,
Ooni’s Palace

FIDA Nigeria Abuja calls for collaboration with media to protect rights of women and children

By Chibuike Nwabuko

The new FCT FIDA chairperson, Barr. Chioma Onyenucheya-Ukoh has called for collaboration with the media to protect the rights of women and children. The chairperson made the call at a media parley in Abuja on Saturday, attended by some members of her executives and journalists drawn from different media houses.

Lamenting the incessant cases of defilement of minors as well as other forms of violence against women and girls, she re-stated FIDA’s commitment to defending women and children against all forms of injustice at no cost (pro bono).

While stressing the pivotal role the media plays in creating awareness about societal ills that need to be addressed as well as acting as a bridge between FIDA and Survivors as well as victims, she appealed to the media for continued partnership and support in the fight to end violence against women and girls.

According to her, “top of our things to do, which is why we are having their parley this afternoon, is that with the work we do, with the demographic we serve, the people who we serve in our mandate as FIDA, it is impossible to effectively do that work, if we have everybody signed on and we don’t have the media to do that with us because part of the challenge we have is that there is poor enlightenment on even the issues. It is obvious that a lot of people don’t even understand the provisions of the law, particularly as it affects women and children. So sometimes, infractions are because of ignorance which unfortunately the law doesn’t permit as an excuse. So as part of helping to enlighten the people as to what legal provisions on subjects of children and women, we need you – the press.

“Then to also give visibility to the work we do, because at the risk of sounding immodest, FIDA Nigeria has done a lot and keeps doing a lot and I speak particularly about FIDA Abuja branch. There have been a lot of activities over the years. FIDA Abuja would be 35 next year and in all this time, it has been a lot of work consistently and if all this work is done without the necessary visibility, people may not realise where they can go to when they are in need of such services as we render.

Onyenucheya-Ukoh further stated that part of the reason for the media parley is essentially to remind media practitioners “of what objectives of FIDA are and what we do and to share with you our desires as to how we think you can come in to help us ensure that we all enjoy fairly better society because the quality of attention that women and children rights and welfare we enjoy by the hopeful partnership that will arise from this parley.”

She highlighted that women and children face all forms of harmful, degrading, discriminatory practices daily and many times, these are people who may not be able to afford the services of lawyers.

“We realized that this is part of giving back to the society and as women who have been called to the practice of law in Nigeria, we can at least come together – this is what FIDA does. This is our own platform of giving back to the society; to lend our speciality, and our professional knowledge to serving women and children who would otherwise do not have a voice,” she said.

The FIDA FCT Chairperson who acknowledged and appreciated that the media is doing enough, added that “if in all we do, we do it in silos, we won’t be able to achieve the society that we want.”

She, therefore, charged the media to target their reporting in a way that it would achieve the desired outcome “such that whether we are targeting the general society by way of information or we are targetting policymakers or political leaders or leaders of thoughts – whether they are traditional or religious leaders, for media to formulate strategies that can help to ensure that the issues are reported or projected in the right manner that will elicit the desirable reactions.”

FIDA Abuja Chair further appealed to the media to be more sensitive in reporting gender-related stories, particularly as it affect women and girls.

Urging journalists to give accurate visibility to reports that will bring the right result, she noted that sometimes stories that do not portray the right legal position or draw focus on what the real legal issues should be are seen in the public space thereby inadvertently supporting the inaccurate narratives.

Mrs Onyenucheya-Ukoh assured that FIDA is available to give every legal opinion/ guidance that will help in sensitive reporting even in the choice of words.

On proactive and prompt communication update on FIDA, the FCT Chairperson said; “Chioma Onyenucheya–Ukoh has never refrained from responding to any call to lend the voice on any subject within FIDA thematic point, it has never happened and I don’t discriminate against platforms even if it is a one-person audience.

“I would be ready to address what needs to be.be addressed. So, if you have had any challenges in the past as to being able to access resources or authorities or as to speed for immediate response, that can’t happen again – FIDA has a rich reserve of resources and I speak responsibly and sincerely. Even if I am not going to be personally available, there are many people who are able and willing to and I can guarantee you, I will get you such people for any time I am not able to do it personally”.

As Nigeria’s Supreme Court prepares for Rivers State proxy wars

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

Depending on what view one takes of the matter, 10 February 2025 promises to be Proxy Wars Day at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja. On that day, a panel of five Justices of the Supreme Court will take arguments on seven appeals connected with the synthetic political crisis in Rivers State.

The issues that the court will be asked to decide include the validity of last October’s local government elections in the state; the fate of the faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly who claim to have switched their affiliation from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP, on whose platform they were elected) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); the legality of the state’s 2025 budget passed by the rump of the state House of Assembly; and the effort to importune judges into denying Rivers State access to its share of the Federation Account.

The effort to frame these as legal issues is transparently valiant. Despite the shameful conversion of judges into politicians in the Rivers State crisis – or indeed because of precisely that fact – the imminence of Rivers State Proxy Wars Day at the Supreme Court is evidence of what has gone wrong with Nigeria’s judicial system and why fixing it is essential for the health of Nigeria’s attempt at government with electoral legitimacy.

This is not the first time that legal disputes about power and how to share the spoils from it have ended up at the highest court in the land. That tendency in Nigeria is over a century old and arguably goes back to the 1921 judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the case of Amodu Tijani, over the effort by the colonial authorities to split Herbert Heelas Macaulay from his support for Eshugbayi Eleko, the Oba of Lagos.

For the hearing of that case before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1920, Herbert Macaulay travelled to London with the Oba’s Staff of Office in support of Amodu Tijani and the Idejo Chiefs of Lagos. From London, he issued a statement claiming that the Eleko was the King of over 17 million Nigerians and in possession of a territory more than three times that of Great Britain. Despite a healthy revenue of over £4 million, he claimed, the British had reneged on a treaty commitment to compensate the Eleko.

Embarrassed at being publicly called duplicitous in this way, the British required the Eleko to disown Herbert Macaulay. He issued a public statement clarifying his position on Herbert Macaulay’s statement but declined to disown him through the Oba’s Bell Ringers, as the Brits required.

Unable to secure the support of the popular Eleko, the colonists chose to head off rising tension by deposing him. On 6 August 1925, they issued an ordinance de-stooling him and, two days later, on 8 August, they arrested and removed the Eleko into internal banishment in Oyo. In his place, they installed Oba Ibikunle Akitoye.

Oba Akitoye’s rule lasted an uncomfortably brief three years, largely because he lacked the support of the people of Lagos. Indeed, in 1926, he suffered physical assault by his people. Supported by the elite and people of Lagos, the deposed Eleko took his case to the courts, fighting all the way once more to the Privy Council, which decided on 19 June 1928 in favour of his claim for leave for a writ of habeas corpus. This all but sealed the fate of Oba Akitoye, who is suspected to have facilitated his own earthly demise shortly thereafter.

The crisis in Rivers State shares some unsettling similarities with the events in Lagos nearly one century ago. In Rivers today, as in Lagos then, a powerful man – in this case the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike – seeks to banish the current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, from office using surrogates beholden to him in the state House of Assembly.

There is one important difference, though: the issues in Rivers State today hardly involve principle or the public interest. Framed though they are in legalese, these cases from Rivers State are about power and money grab. This is not a first. It appears to be the standard procedure of the current FCT Minister to seek to inveigle judges into acting as his political surrogates under ruse of law.

In instigating this crisis, Mr. Wike suffered a characteristic failure of his frontal lobe and forgot his public vow to “give himself that respect” and not interfere in the affairs of the state after his exit from the office in May 2023. Rather, since leaving office as the state governor, Mr. Wike has sought to install himself as both the Minister in Abuja and Sole Administrator in Port Harcourt. He makes no effort to conceal the fact that much of what passes as his political dare-devilry appears to be accomplished under the influence of sufficiently gluttonous amounts of dangerous beverage as to entitle him to access to a defence of automatism in criminal law.

In October 2024, he told Seun Okinbaloye with undisguised hubris on Channels Television that the only solution to the crisis in Rivers State was for the incumbent governor to “obey court judgment.” This was no advocate for the rule of law, however. Instead, Mr. Wike projected an air of political impregnability purchased with a currency bearing a distinct whiff of procured judicial crookery.

To be fair, this is not something entirely unexpected of an ambitious Nigerian politician without an alternative address (apologies to Deji Adeyanju). What is more difficult to overlook is the high judicial tolerance for undisguised political importuning of judges.

Nigeria’s judicial system has been overtaken by a category known as “political cases.” In November 2023, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, reported that his Supreme Court registered 1,271 motions and appeals from 12 September 2022 to 11 July, 2023, out Of this, the court “heard 388 political appeals, 215 criminal appeals and 464 civil appeals.” Two years earlier, in 2021, Ariwoola’s predecessor, Tanko Muhammad, reported that the court’s portfolio of 269 appeals disposed of included 139 civil appeals, 102 criminal appeals, and 28 “political cases”.

According to CJN Ariwoola’s report, the court “delivered a total number of 251 judgments, of which 125 were political appeals, 81 were civil appeals, and 45 were criminal appeals.” In just two years, the output of the court fell by 6.69% but “political cases” rose from 10.67% to 49.8%. Even allowing for the fact that 2023 was an election year, this is system collapse.

Nigeria’s judges appear to have decided that the only people entitled to exit from the courts are politicians. In turn, the politicians are happy to enjoy this exclusivity and to overwhelm the courts to the point that even judges now complain. They hire the priciest lawyers to frame undisguised power and money grabs as questions of law.

The Supreme Court can end this but feigns reluctance to. Rather, the court affords powerful politicians the kind of tolerance that they are unwilling to extend to lesser mortals, preferring instead to enable this joint enterprise of senior lawyers and politicians while fettering its own capacity to determine for itself what should be a question of law deserving of its rarefied attention.

This sucks for many reasons. It prostitutes the bench; casualizes the constitutional guarantee of fair trial “within a reasonable time”; and portrays the judiciary as captured.

To describe this as Supreme pusillanimity is to be generous. It is a form of judicial lasciviousness syndrome, promenading judicial wares before political gawkers in a peonage system in which the only effective currency is high political patronage. In these Rivers State cases, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to make a bold statement. If it doesn’t, then it should be ready for many more proxy war days yet.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at [email protected]

The Trumpism effect on Nigeria’s economy in 2025

By Louis Aminadokiari Koko

On 18 December, 2024, the President of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented a fiscal appropriation bill of N47. 9 trillion to be financed by taxes, export revenues from oil and gas, and non- oil. However, these projected receipts are not sufficient to have a balanced budget. Therefore, the budget has a deficit of N13. 4 trillon to be financed by both domestic and external debts.

It is also projected that Nigeria will produce 2.01 million barrels per day of crude oil and the price has an average projected estimate of $75 /barrel . What this means is that if we produce the volume of crude oil and the price averages on $75/barrel, we need to still borrow about N13.14 billion to finance the 2025 budget as to deliver on its theme: Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity.

As lofty and assuring this budget theme sound, it appears that what is coming out of the land of the free and the country of the brave ( USA) whose current President is a maverick and a transactional politician is capable of causing oil price shocks for oil revenue dependent countries of the world, if US oil companies ramps up crude oil production which may likely cause global oil glut in the international market .

If USA becomes self sufficient in crude oil production, then the oil supply in the international market may exceed demand thereby causing downward adjustments in prices of crude oil.

I foresee drastic decrease in crude oil price to about $45 to $55 per barrel. This forecast is based on the average oil price in 2016 during DT 1.0 administration.

If this scenario painted here plays out in 2025, that is average crude oil price of $45 to $55 per barrel in the international market, how can Nigeria finance the 2025 budget that already has a deficit of over N13 trillion?

Assuming that Nigeria produces the targeted 2.01 million barrels per day, can Nigeria sell this daily production quantity if crude oil supply is already saturated in the international market?

What may likely happen is that the gulf in the FG 2025 budget will further increase , that is, the deficit will further expand with its consequences on the economy. The federal government maybe unable to finance the capital projects, which may lead to under performance.

Other consequences of likely oil glut as germane to our economy are many but not limited to the following.

  1. Exchange rate of naira to dollar will continue to increase causing serial depreciations of naira. This is not good for an import dependent country like Nigeria.
  2. Interest rates will continue to increase and crowding out domestic private investments.
  3. Cost of living crisis will escalate
  4. Poverty will increase
  5. Crime will increase and Nigeria maybe in dire situation.
  6. Nigeria may find it difficult to service her external debts and this can cause the country to move into debt trap.
    All these adverse consequences will flow out of President Donald Trump’s decision to ramp up oil production and supply which is likely to cause global oil glut and decrease in average price of oil in the international market this year. Nigeria will be worse hit by this Trumpism effect.

Louis Aminadokiari Koko, Esq (PhD)