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LESSONS IN SUSTAINABILITY FROM NIGERIA’S SOUTH, FOR THE NORTH

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By Tunde Olusunle

I was initially going to predicate this piece on notable developmental milestones I’ve followed in recent weeks and months, in some states in Nigeria’s South. Indeed, in two separate treatises, I’ve interrogated the endeavours of Chukwuma Soludo, Alex Otti and Umaru Bago of Anambra, Abia and Niger states. I’ve been enamoured by reports of advancements in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, investment and security among others, coming from the nation’s global South. You often get this feeling of positive peer rivalry between some states especially those below the Niger and Benue rivers, as they strive to improve the lots of their constituents, while also etching their imprimatur on the sands of time. It became imperative, however, to restructure my thoughts in the wake of certain very contemporaneous happenings, especially in the North, and juxtapose them with news from the South.

In August 2024, I wrote a piece titled The North of Nigeria after the Protests. It was my reaction to the thoughtlessness and idiocy manifested in parts of the North during the 10-day “hunger protests.” Internet videos and visuals are replete with the mindlessness which characterised youth outings those few days of insanity. Multibillion naira public properties and private investments were wilfully attacked, looted and vandalised. Road infrastructure including concrete pallets laid over public drainages were chiselled with axes just to steal the steel meshes binding and solidifying the platters. About a dozen fatalities were recorded between Borno and Niger states, as security personnel attempted the containment of the ensuing mayhem. Elsewhere, the Nigerian Police received plaudits for its demonstrated professionalism in the management of the fracas, mitigating injuries and minimising casualties, even as swarms of brigands held sway those days of utter madness. You watched these jarring scenes on national and global television and couldn’t but ask yourself: What ends were such barbarity, such primitivity meant to serve?

The hunger protests were also observed in parts of the South. But there was greater circumspection and decorum than was witnessed in many theatres of bedlam in the North. Indeed, governments in many states in the South were proactive. Authorities cautioned before the dates scheduled for the protests, that lawlessness in the form of unruly and riotous protests and processions will not be condoned within their boundaries. The October 2020 #EndSARS protests which snowballed into shootings of the processions by the Nigerian Army, remain fresh in popular consciousness. Amnesty International reported at least a dozen deaths from that incident, despite rebuttals by the Lagos State Government and the military authorities.

The government of Kano State in its 2025 budget, has made provision for the conduct of mass weddings. The sum of N2.5 Billion has been earmarked for the quarterly mass wedding programme across the 44 local government areas of the state. The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, invested N854 million on the mass wedding of 1,800 couples in 2023. Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, recently committed N54 million on the wedding of 300 couples in his state. Budget and Economic Planning Minister, Atiku Bagudu who attended the programme, availed each couple N50,000 as “startup.” Mai Mala Buni, the governor of Yobe State, has also accommodated mass weddings as a major project in the 2025 budget of his state. Immediate past President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan who is also from Yobe State is also reputed to have sponsored mass weddings in his catchment area, ostensibly as part of his “constituency projects.”

Ahead of the Ramadan fast which began Saturday May 1, 2025, a number of state governments in the North, shut down educational institutions, especially primary and secondary schools. The closure is for a period of five weeks which is the duration of the fasting season. Beginning with Bauchi State in the North East, states in the North West including Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara, have promptly followed suit. The various governments have proffered that the closures are to ensure focused and unimpeded observance of the Ramadan by the entire gamut of the peoples and populations of their various entities. These school closures have not taken into account the conveniences of non-Muslim students who are also students in these various states.

Before the wholesale mismanagement of Nigeria’s sociocultural diversities by particular leaderships, especially the eight-year regime of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians had always been very adventurous. They quested socioeconomic opportunities beyond the perimeters of their traditional origins. This has been said to have accounted for the flattening of Bola Tinubu in his home state of Lagos during the 2023 presidential election which brought him into office. Indeed, a specific settler-ethnicity in Lagos, was fingered for that near electoral humbling of the President. The academic calendars of many of the northern stares under discourse, have reportedly been tweaked to ensure the reopening of schools after the Ramadan-induced forced break.

While parts of the North are prioritising the observance of a religious obligation over and beyond every other consideration, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, (NBS), reminds us that the core North has the highest numbers of out-of-school children. Urchins, more famously known as almajiris in tens of thousands are permanently resident on the streets of several northern towns and cities, clutching begging bowls. The North is equally notorious for the high prevalence of child marriages, where clearly and visibly underage girls are married off to men old enough to be the age of their grandfathers. This accentuates the very high occurrence of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula, (VVF), among young northern females. Even if comprehensive health education were to be available for young girls, pervading illiteracy remains inimical to orientation and reorientation to stem the trend.

Nigeria’s core North remains averse to the trade and consumption of beverages of certain brands. Yet they desire the perpetuation of the fiscal allocation status quo, which privileges them higher dividends from national Value Added Tax, (VAT), than southern states which actually generate the chunkier taxes. Members of the Hisbah corps which enforces the Shariah are videoed regularly destroying huge consignment of alcoholic drinks, crippling the businesses of traders in such beverages. This is just as Saudi Arabia the global exemplar of Islamic religion, has relaxed its laws on alcohol. Non-Muslim diplomats can now procure and savour alcohol stuff. This is a major shift from the total ban on alcohol, which has been in place since 1952. The original law against alcohol provided for the prosecution and incarceration of offenders, while foreigners were summarily deported.

Down South, many governors and governments are pursuing visionary projects to impact on the well-being of their people. Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Seyi Makinde are investing massively in agricultural development to ensure sustainable food sufficiency and security. Surpluses will be warehoused in silos and storages, while overflows will be sold. Among other initiatives, Lagos State is partnering with the Origin Tech Group, to develop a five-year agricultural strategic plan. For starters, the partnership has initiated a Food Logistics Hub in Epe, Lagos State. Part of the plan is to gradually develop 4.2 million square metres of an agricultural village. A 60-kilometre network of roads are to be built in the settlement out of which about 30% is ready. It is a measure of the seriousness behind this plan, that a five-storey administrative block; a sprawling parking area capable of taking 1,500 trucks per day; a weighbridge, cold and dry storage areas, are already in place.

Makinde has revisited the hitherto moribund Fashola Farms Estate which used to be the epicentre of agricultural development in the primordial Western region. The luminous project which runs into several kilometres, sits between Oyo and Iseyin, Makinde has rechristened it the Fashola Agricbusiness Industrial Hub. Investors are expressing interest in cultivating a myriad of crops, notably cassava, maize, soybeans, cowpeas, tomatoes, banana and even dairy production. Well over N11 Billion has been committed to revamping the primordial farm with the provision of road infrastructure, factories and warehouses, among other structures. At least a dozen companies have already been established in the agribusiness zone, including Friesland Campina West African Milk Company Ltd, (WAMCO), and Brown Hill Farms Ltd, which is cultivating vegetables by deploying the Green House model.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, has identified over 12,000 hectares of arable land in his state, out of which the cultivation of 200 hectares last year, returned exponential yields. Abiodun at the harvest of rice from the demonstration farm located at the Magboro rice farm in Obafemi Owode local government area, boasted that Ogun State could conveniently feed the whole country. The pilot project yielded 1400 metric tonnes of rice, equivalent to 20,000 bags of milled rice, capable of gifting farmers with returns of N1Billion naira every quarter of the year. A cargo airport has been developed by the Abiodun government and approval secured from President Tinubu for the physical area of the airport to serve as a Special Agro-Cargo Processing Zone and a Free Trade Zone. The project has the potential to create about 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Who will grow or provide on a sustainable basis, the food which will feed the newly weds in Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and elsewhere? Who will cater for the almajiris, dan iskas and yan dabas being bred like rabbits out there, who have unwittingly become human furniture on northern streets? Mass weddings, early marriages, school closures for the observance of religious rites, freewill breeding of children without a plan for their futures, are not the pathways to socioeconomic progress. True, members of the elite like the senior parliamentarian representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada federal constituency in Kano, Ado Doguwa, may have four wives and 28 children. He is a fifth-term member of the legislature who has been Chief Whip and Majority Leader, respectively. Not everyone from his part of Nigeria, however, is as fiscally fortunate as he is.

As things stand today, the core North cannot aspire to catchup with, let alone overshoot the multisectoral mileages already attained by the South. It needs pursue immediate, intentional and conscientious rethinking, reorientation and recalibration, to get off the starting blocks.

Tunde Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja.

NDLEA has done it again! But how?

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By Ayo Oyoze Baje

 

Quote:” This is not a challenge for the government alone. All of us are stakeholders.on this issue…The future of Nigeria belongs to all of us”– Gen. Buba Marwa ( retd), ( Chairman /CEO of NDLEA at the Business Luncheon with Island Club in Lagos, November,2024 )

Persisting as a clear and present danger, and worsening over the decades is the critical challenge of both drug trafficking and its abuse, here in Nigeria. With the trading in and addiction to hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, amphetamine, LSD and ecstasy, especially by some rudderless youth the consequences are dire for the country. In addition, NDLEA has warned against dangerous new drugs tagged ‘ Suck and Die’ and ‘ Rubber Solution ‘, that have become the favorites of the young addicts. That was a news headline on January 23, 2025.

Not left out is the recent warning given by NAFDAC that as many as 14.3 million Nigerians are affected by drug abuse!In fact, as Marwa has rightly noted the fight against the sales and abuse of such hard drugs, including the abuse of alcohol and cannabis cannot be left in the hands of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ) alone. A holistic approach has become a necessity.It is therefore, worthy of note that over the past three years the NDLEA has arrested over 52,901 drug traffickers, including 52 drug barons, seized 8.6 million kilograms of illicit drugs and secured 9,034 convictions. It has in addition destroyed over 1,572 hectres of cannabis farms across the country. Phenomenal achievements, is it not? Of course, it is!On record is that between that November 2024 and today the news media has been awash with mind-boggling seizures of hard drugs and their kingpins. Such headlines include: “Four Nigerians Arrested with 39 kg of Cocaine in Saudi Arabia”. That was in December 2024. Next was the news item which stated that: ” NDLEA Seizes Six Vehicles,40 feet Trailer Loaded with Skunk in Midnight Raid in Abuja “.And on January 18, this year it was that of: ” NDLEA Apprehends 366 Traffickers, 1.560 Seizes of Drugs in Enugu”. Furthermore, it was revealed that same month that the anti-drug Federal Government Agency intercepted N134.2 billion worth of drugs at the Tincan Island,Port Command. Another report by stated that the NDLEA intercepted UK-bound illicit drug consignment hidden in duvet at the Lagos airport and arrested two suspects.Still in January of this year was that of a businessman, escaping death after surgery to expel cocaine in his stomach as the Agency intercepted skunk from Ghana.

That was before the news item that went viral on social media that: “Drug Bust: NDLEA Seizes Massive Tramadol Haul, Arests Four “. Beyond listing all these horrifying tales of drug trafficking, is the all-important question of how the NDLEA is able to achieve these feats and what lessons agencies, organization and individuals can glean from them.Lest we deceive ourselves the answer is predicated on the leadership paradigm and unfailing principle of success. An insight into the persona of Buba Marwa would provide the answers. According to NDLEA ‘s Director of Media and Advocacy, ace journalist Femi Babafemi, while paying a tribute titled: ” Marwa: A Legend at 69″ highlighted the qualities of courage, being strategic, always believing in and aptly prioritizing and demonstrating workers’ welfare as a motivational force. He is also a sticker to innovation and one who plans well and of course, he is a commendable team leader.As Babafemi aptly stated about Marwa’s driving philosophies: ” One, where other leaders are overcautious of taking a radical step, Marwa does not dither, if the situation calls for it.” To bolster his assertion he mentioned how he created six new directorates, 14 Zonal commands, and a tactical unit of Strike Forces”.

Furthermore, he does not go on a wild goose chase. “His every action is strategic and calculated to deliver results “. And from the motivational perspective: ” His philosophy has always been that organizational goals are easily achieved when the workforce gives its best and such comes from happy workers”. All these sterling qualities have underscored the wonderful achievements so far recorded under his watch at the NDLEA. Other Nigerian leaders – overseeing both the political and economic spectrum should glean from his selfless service to the fatherland.Kudos also goes to the staff of the NDLEA, firstly for firmly believing in the vision of the agency and keying into it. But with regards to recent scary story of a newly wedded official of the agency who was burnt alive in Kaduna, while on duty and another one of the clash between the police and members of NDLEA the new challenge before Marwa is that of the safety of the workers. They should not become an endangered specie because of attacks from the drug barons and their supporters. Going forward, with the warning given by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, projecting a 40 % increase in drug use across Africa by 2030 due to population growth, the time for all of us as stakeholders to assist NDLEA to help us out is right now.

Doing so, and with the mass enlightenment on the dangers of drug abuse, especially to our young minds, through schools, churches, mosques, community meetings, would stem the rising tides of both drug trafficking and its abuse.It has become necessary for us all to understand the health implications of drug abuse. With dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates emotions, motivation and illusionary feeling of pleasure it affects choices made leading to constant cravings and substance abuse. Also, addiction to these drugs cause challenges to the lung and heart, leading to lung cancer and stroke. It also results in disabilities and eventually death. Prevention will therefore, be better than cure and the time for each of us to play our part is now.

Ohanaeze Reacts After IBB Revealed 1966 Coup Was Not An Igbo Coup

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The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for a stop to all forms of entrenched vindictiveness, cruelty, and deep-seated animosities towards Igbos in Nigeria following the revelation by former military leader, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) that the January 1966 Coup was not an Igbo coup.The group also demanded an unreserved apology from President Bola Tinubu on behalf of the government, past military leaders and particularly General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) for the pain suffered by the Igbos.The Ohanaeze, in a statement on Sunday by its Deputy President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said it’s time to put a stop to the narrative that Igbos are anti-Nigeria’s progress.Iziguzoro maintained that the erroneous promotion of the 1966 coup as an Igbo coup, has brought about catastrophic consequences, hatred and ethnic targeting against the Igbos in Nigeria.The Ohanaeze, therefore, commended IBB “for his bold and historic assertion that the January 1966 Coup d’état was unequivocally not an Igbo coup.”The Ohanaeze position was made known after IBB disclosed that it was an Igbo officer, Major John Obienu, who crushed the 1966 military coup.General Babangida disclosed this on page 39 of his book ‘A Journey In Service’.He stated that the ethnic colouration given to the coup as Igbo filtered in as a result of the killing of the then Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and his wife, Hafsatu.

Based on Babangida’s submission, the Ohanaeze has now demanded an apology to the Igbo nation by President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria as a country for the long years of trauma suffered by the region and its people.The group submitted that an apology from President Tinubu would give an opportunity for reconciliation and a united Nigeria.“This courageous acknowledgment stands as a crucial milestone in altering the narrative that has unjustly painted the Igbo people as antagonists within the broader scope of Nigeria’s tumultuous political landscape. It signals a potential cessation of the entrenched vindictiveness, cruelty, and deep-seated animosities directed toward the Igbo Nation over the past five decades.“During his recent book launch titled “A Journey in Service,” General Babangida’s clarity regarding the 1966 coup, notably his exemption of the Igbo people from the unjust label of being “enemies of the North,” is indeed commendable—albeit belated. The ramifications of the erroneous classification of the 1966 January Coup as an Igbo insurrection have been profoundly detrimental, leading to catastrophic consequences not only during that tumultuous period but extending into the present day. Specifically, this mischaracterization incited the July 1966 Counter Coup against the then Military Head of State of Igbo descent and precipitated violent uprisings targeting Igbo citizens residing in northern Nigeria, sowing seeds of discord that ultimately contributed to the tragic Biafra War, in which three million Igbos, predominantly women and children, lost their lives.

In the wake of this tragic history, the Igbo people continue to suffer from systemic injustices and marginalization. Our demographic representation in terms of least number of states within the federation remains the least of any ethnic group, the political conspirancies to deny Igbos from ascending to Nigeria’s Presidency and we face deliberate omissions of Federal Government presence in the Southeast. The tragic closure of the Eastern Economic Corridor, characterized by the permanent shutdown of the Calabar seaport and other critical infrastructures, underscores the extent of our exclusion. Additionally, the implementation of the federal government’s discriminatory policies, exemplified by the quota system and the absence of functional international airports in the Southeast, serves to reinforce the barriers to our equitable participation in the socio-political fabric of Nigeria.“In light of these grievous injustices, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates our demands articulated during the 1999 Justice Oputa-led Judicial Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Violation Panel. It is imperative that the current federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must confront the shadows of our historical traumas. We demand a public and unreserved apology from the President on behalf of past military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon, who orchestrated unprovoked bombardments and shellings over Igbo territory during the Nigeria-Biafra War that resulted in immense human suffering and loss.

Furthermore, we maintain our resolute stance that the Nigerian federal government must dispel the long-standing inequities perpetrated against the Igbo nation by paying reparations amounting to 10 trillion naira. This demand is not merely a demand for financial restitution or restitution; it is a necessary acknowledgment of the value of human lives lost and the cultural and infrastructural devastation endured by our people, which remains evident even 55 years post-conflict.“In an ideal society, the implications of General Babangida’s confession would prompt accountability among those who endorsed the odious actions against the Igbo. However, embodying the spirit of forgiveness that defines our identity, the Igbo people have extended our pardon to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and others for the grievous sins committed against our community during the Biafra War spanning from 1966 to 1970.We earnestly call upon President Tinubu to embrace this opportune moment for genuine reconciliation and restorative justice, thereby laying the foundation for a united and harmonious Nigeria, where the scars of the past give way to a brighter future for all citizens.”

$23bn refinery biggest risk of my life – Dangote

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Billionaire Aliko Dangote has described his $23bn Dangote Refinery project as the “biggest risk” of his life, acknowledging the challenges he faced in bringing the venture to fruition.

In an exclusive interview with Forbes on Monday, Dangote opened up about the risks involved in such a massive undertaking.

“It was the biggest risk of my life. If this didn’t work, I was dead,” he said.

Despite the refinery’s groundbreaking capacity of 650,000 barrels per day and its status as Africa’s largest, Dangote revealed that the journey to completion was fraught with uncertainties.

Dangote also spoke about the hurdles he faced in financing the project, the regulatory challenges, and securing suppliers.

Dangote said he is committed to providing a blueprint for industrialisation across Africa.

“We have to build our own nation by ourselves. We have to build our own continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment.

He added that Africa has been “a mere dumping ground for finished products,” and his refinery represents “a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa has the capacity to refine its own crude oil, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for its vast population,” he said.

Undeterred by the challenges, Dangote is determined to ensure the success of his refinery.

According to the Forbes report, despite establishing a family office in Dubai and involving his three daughters in various roles within the family business, his focus remains firmly on Nigeria.

He continues to dedicate much of his time to the refinery, regularly meeting with engineers and managers to oversee progress.

Dangote is also working on ambitious projects such as building a subsea pipeline to transport natural gas from the Niger Delta to Lagos and expanding the capacity of the refinery’s fertiliser plant.

Looking ahead, he plans to take the refinery public within the next year or two.

“I’ve been fighting battles all my life and I have not lost one yet,” he said.

PSC CHAIR INDENTIFIES INTRA & INTER SERVICE CONFLICT, POLITICIZATION OF CRIME AND SECURITY ISSUES AND CONFLICT OF ROLES AS MAJOR CHALLENGES CONFRONTING SECURITY AGENCIES IN NIGERIA

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By Ebinum Samuel

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, has identified intra and inter Service conflict, politicisation of crime and security issues and conflict of roles as major challenges confronting the security Agencies in due process and application of criminal justice system.

He also noted that lack of funds, neglect of ethics and lack of coordination and collaboration has become additional challenges facing the security Agencies.

Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission’s Spokesman disclosed that DIG Argungu spoke today, Thursday, February 13th 2025 at the maiden annual lecture for stakeholders on curbing insecurity in Nigeria, organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

Speaking on the topic, “Mobilising stakeholders to curb insecurity in Nigeria: A practical Approach ” the PSC Chairman observed that unemployment, abject poverty and ignorance have since constituted major challenges to effective security in Nigeria.

He looked at the prospects of information and communication technology for security in contemporary Nigeria, stressing that it will help transform security and integrate all systems with harmonised and uniformity of standards.

DIG Argungu said it will also eliminate torture, reduce imprisonment without trial, and herald global competitiveness and digital economic transformation.

The PSC Chairman said the topic, curbing insecurity in Nigeria was apt as he noted that this is the time to mobilise other key stake- holders to curb insecurity in the country by applying a practical approach gained through practical experience.

Attacks on NYSC members must stop!

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By Ayo Oyoze Baje

“What have you done?
The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me. So now you are cursed from the earth”
-Genesis 4 vs 9-12 ( Voice of God to Cain on killing his brother, Abel )

Life is precious, priceless and irreplaceable. That is as far as those who value not only theirs but that of fellow human beings, are concerned. They would therefore, do everything humanly possible to protect every human life, knowing fully well that one of the greatest laws ever is to “love your neighbour as yourself”. But to some heartless, cruel criminals who belong to the vampire bat breed the life of others matter only when their biddings are done. They can and do quench the flames of others at the bat of an eyelid not minding the dire consequences.

That perhaps, might shed more light on the recent attack on one Safwan Fade, who was until that fateful night of January 22, 2025 a member of the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ), serving at the Federal College of Education ( FCE ), Pankshin in Pankshin Local Government Area, LGA of Plateau state. He was allegedly brutally attacked by a group of assailants at the Pankshin township stadium, leaving him with severe injuries that eventually led to his untimely death!

Though the Plateau state Police Command has confirmed the ugly incident, based on the report from Umbule Boreng Reuben of Pankshin LGA and gone further to nail two male suspects, Samuel Dang Kat and Zatshinen Wubwerewe the heinous crime has sparked off several burning questions.

It would be recalled that in early December 2024 a female corps member serving at Government Day Secondary School, Kuledele was assaulted; slapped, beaten up and stripped, with her white T-shirt torn to shreds by fellow teachers, all because she did not greet them! Can you imagine the audacity and effontry? Such was the despicable scenario ignited by the incident right in the presence of some students that the management of the NYSC in Kwara state had to withdraw all the 10 members of the youth service from the school. In addition, the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajiya Sa’ adatu Modibbo-Kawu had to issue a statement of total condemnation. That was in addition to the state government’s call for a thorough investigation into the root causes of the embarrassing situation. Yet, a worse case scenario had unfolded back in May, 2011.

The outrageous and horrendous incident was the killing spree that wantonly wasted the priceless lives of 10 NYSC members all in Bauchi state! That was sequel to the blood-letting spectacle of the presidential election held in May 2011. And painfully, it reminded concerned Nigerians about the ” baboon and dog soaked in blood” comment of one of the presidential candidates! Can you imagine the desperation for political power under a so called democratic dispensation?! Most disgusting, is it not? Of course, it is.

Unfortunately and painfully, most of the NYSC members who fell as voiceless victims to the rampaging monsters, acting as political hoodlums right there in Bauchi state hailed from the southern geo-political zones. For instance, while Teidi Olawale, a graduate of computer science hailed from Osun state, Okpokiri Michael, a young graduate with degree in Environmental Management was born in Abia state. Nwazema Chukwunonyere, with HND in Electronics hailed from Imo state.Of the 10 victims only Akonyi Sule hailed from Kogi state in the North Central geo-political zone. The preventable tragedy led to the call by some citizens,worried about the killings of youth corpers that they should be posted to their own states of origin, or that of their geo-political zone. But that runs against the grain and marching mandate of NYSC, as brought into existence under Yakubu Gowon back in 1973.

Back then, the NYSC program came up as a mandatory, post-tertiary institution program with the noble and patriotic vision and mission to ” reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war”. With a duration of one year and meant for graduates under the age of 30 years to serve in other parts of the country the aim is to get them to understand our rich cultural and socio-economic diversities. The onus therefore, lies on the host communities to welcome and embrace the young graduates, from whichever part of the country, valuing their services instead of making them vulnerable to attacks. In fact, for me serving in Edeki Grammar School in the then Bendel state (1976-77) was a matter of national pride. Not only did it afford me the opportunity to hone my skill in creative writing through the book borrowing program as introduced by the then Military Administrator, Brigadier Ogbemudia ( now of blessed memory) one was able to positively impact on the reading culture of the students. One also recalls with joy that I was the one who introduced the End -of-Year Prize Giving ceremony for the graduating students of that school and the neighbouring one. That was then.

But this is now. It is a heart-rending and mind-bending situation for NYSC members to be assaulted and killed mercilessly, as it has happened in recent years years. That explains why the parents of the ten youth corpers killed in Bauchi state after the election in 2011, told the then President Goodluck Jonathan the bitter home Truth. According to one of them, a widow left groaning with four children, all those responsible for the killing of the young graduates should be made to face the full wrath of the law. That was despite Jonathan approving the payment of Five Million Naira to each family and offering one graduate per family job at the Federal Civil Service.

All said, there should be proactive measures and laws enacted by our legislators and signed by Mister President for the full protection of our NYSC members anywhere they serve in the country. Prevention will be better than cure.

Baje, the President of Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria, GPAAN writes from Lagos

Police Officers Condemn PSC Over Compulsory  Retirement Of Their Colleagues

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Irked by last week’s directive of the  Police Service Commission, PSC,  that no fewer than 197 police officers should proceed on compulsory retirement over what the Commission attributed to the attainment of the Statutory 60 years of age, 35 years of service and falsification of age,  colleagues of the affected have condemned the directive by PSC, insisting that they would do anything legal to ensure that justice was done with regards to the matter.

At the Force headquarters this week, the retirement issue was the subject of discussion by officers and the rank and file. A good number of policemen and women seen discussing the issue condemned the directive, as only a few supported the action of PSC.

From the  ground floor to the Seventh floor  of the Louis Edet House on Alhaji Shehu Shagari Way, a group of police officers were not only heard discussing the matter but heard vowing to take every legal measure to seek redress for their colleagues “unjustly retired.”

On the Fourth floor,  a group of police officers consisting of a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP,  two Deputy superintendents of Police, and DSPs were overheard saying, “Good lawyers would help our colleagues in this issue since  “Force Entrants” matter was resolved at the Appeal Court in 2017. Can  PSC annul or take precedence over  Court ruling”? They asked.

Another group of officers met at the office of a top cop on the Sixth floor while craving anonymity, told this reporter and his colleagues that the directive by the PSC was seen by most police officers as an escape mechanism or an attempt to divert attention from what the average policeman or woman wants.

When asked what the average police personnel wants, one of the officers said, “The one at the top should go. The retired officers are either scapegoats or were used to divert attention from the real issue.

“Most of these officers are seasoned,  well grounded in operations, investigations, administration and good in intelligence gathering.

“They are not like some people up there who know nothing except what they know is being close to those in the corridor of power. This is where we are not getting it right in this country. During the days of Chief Obasanjo, everything was done on merit, not the nonsense we see today,” said one of the piqued officers.

However, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, differs from a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, over the claim by the CSP that the directive of the PSC was the right thing to have been done.

“Which right thing has the PSC done? Was it not the PSC that gave evidence in court in 2017 that favoured the Force Entrants’ Appointment Dates? Was it not the PSC that ordered the then IGP to implement the court ruling? Why punish them for a policy they didn’t initiate?”

The ACP  disclosed that the PSC would have acted wisely if it had come up with an order that cancelled the issue of force entrants and appointment dates, not punishing them for a policy they did not initiate.

On the issue of falsification of age, the CSP believes that the PSC is merely chasing shadows.

Airforce Personnel Attack Police Operatives In Delta State

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By Ebinum Samuel

The Delta State police command has condemned the attack on police operatives attached to the Quick Response Squad of the Command by Airforce personnel attached to Airforce base Jeddo in Okpe Local government Area.
The spokesman of the command, SP Edafe Bright disclosed that the Airforce personnel attacked his men who were performing their lawful duty
According to him on Monday this week, at about 1700 hours, operatives of Quick Response Squad (QRS) while on crime prevention patrol flagged down a Toyota Corolla car with plate number AKD-73-FL, but the occupants of the vehicle on sighting the police took to their heels which prompted the policemen to go after them, and arrested one of the suspects identified as Ibohama Precious aged 25yrs and recovered some weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. Also recovered by the operatives were Canadian loud and other hard drugs. Edafe said While the Policemen were on their way to the station alongside the suspects and exhibit, upon getting to the Airforce checkpoint at Jeddo, they were stopped by the Airforce personnel and were told that they wouldn’t be allowed to proceed until they released the suspects with them. This, the policemen vehemently resisted and subsequently, the Airforce personnel attacked the Policemen without any justification.

“The Delta state Police command under the leadership of CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, the Nigeria Airforce, Navy, Army and other security agencies in the state have a cordial working relationship worthy of emulation and the incident is indeed an embarrassing one”
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police and the Airforce are looking into the ugly incident and putting all modalities in place to forestall any future occurrences

MOURNING JEMITOLA, REMEMBERING GIWA-AMU

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By Tunde Olusunle

It was a relay of calls competing for access to me Thursday February 6, 2025. Messages tagged “Breaking News” were equally discernible as they streamed onto my WhatsApp page. I would subsequently get to know that Christopher Adewole Jemitola, erstwhile aide-de-camp, (ADC) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had sadly and unexpectedly passed, just minutes ago. Those who know that I served as an aide to Obasanjo during his two terms in office, from 1999 to 2007, knew I would have known Jemitola. Our offices were in the very same one-storey building housing the seat and office of the President. The ADC and senior non-uniformed security aides to the Commander-in-Chief were on the ground floor. Those of us who manned the “Secretariat of the President,” the very next door to the nation’s helmsman, were upstairs. We often began our days together from the President’s residence, chaperoning him with his other aides, through the walkway linking his home and office, and vice versa. We were components of what is described as the “main body” of the President’s aides. We attended official events with him and flew on the presidential jet with him as well.

Jemitola was preceded on the job by Solomon Uangbaoje Giwa-Amu, who was Obasanjo’s ADC from 1999 to 2003. Giwa-Amu pulled me aside on the sidelines of the 2002 edition of the United Nations General Assembly, (UNGA), in New York. The bespectacled Giwa-Amu, famous for the red beret of the “military police,” the corps to which he belonged in the army was then a full Colonel. He recounted it had been worthwhile working with Obasanjo, meeting a broad spectrum of people and gaining invaluable experience the barracks would never have availed him. He said the President wants to continue with him into his second term because of the “father-son” relationship they had developed. Giwa-Amu, however, said he was personally minded about his mainstream career as a soldier. He said he desired to speedily return for reintegration into the military system, to mitigate envy and misgivings by his colleagues.

I functioned as master of ceremony for quite a number of state events, including dinners and receptions the President hosted for his visiting foreign colleagues. Obasanjo added that to my schedule beginning from a reception he hosted in honour of the former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh. Renowned for his thriftiness, Obasanjo believed that professional comperes charged too much for their services. He believed many of them were not as articulate as I am, and more importantly, he wouldn’t have to pay for my services. Giwa-Amu loved my cadenced delivery and measured wit. He looked out frantically for me the day he was decorated Colonel in the chambers of the Federal Executive Council, (FEC). I was, unfortunately, otherwise engaged, especially because I had workstations both in the State House and the Federal Secretariat.

Tall, fair-complexioned, unobtrusive, Christopher Jemitola was a permanent fixture behind Obasanjo during his second term as President. He was professional, courteous and humble, the archetypal “officer and gentleman.” Whenever our paths crossed, communicated majorly in Yoruba which he spoke flawlessly. This was despite the fact that he wasn’t from a core Yoruba-speaking state. Not knowing who was older between both of us, he related with me with the kind of deference which presupposed I was the older party. I went to his residence abutting the President’s one morning and told his batman to inform him I wanted to see him. The batman returned to inform me that Jemitola said everyone desirous of a meeting with him should come over to his office. I stood my ground and gave my call card to the soldier to give to his boss. Jemitola emerged from the bathroom and was still mopping his body with his towel, apologised and listened to me. The information was beneficial to him and he was most thankful.

Those of us who served in the Obasanjo government went our separate ways after May 29, 2007. Jemitola returned to the Nigerian Army and was deployed to the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil as Defence Adviser. Giwa-Amu before him had served in a similar capacity at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, between 2003 and 2007. Within that period, Giwa-Amu attended the US War College. Upon Jemitola’s return from Brazil, he was deployed to the position of Director of Defence Information, (DDI), at the Defence Headquarters, (DHQ). We thereafter saw each other fairly frequently on Sundays because we worshipped at the same parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) in Abuja. He was always his usual self, with zero affectations, no fawning aides holding his Bible for him, generous with his handshake, just himself.

Jemitola was promoted to the rank of Major General in 2014. Following the appointment of Tukur Buratai as Chief of Army Staff by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, Jemitola was deployed as Commander, Corps of Signals, Headquarters, Lagos. Not too long after, he was reassigned as the Chief of Policy and Plans, (COPP), of the Nigerian Army. Such was the career mobility of Jemitola during his years in active military service. Following his retirement from service a few years ago, Jemitola made forays into post-regimental life, serving as Senior Advisor for Military Communications at Pinnacle Communications Ltd, in 2019. The outfit, a digital switchover licensee is headquartered in Asokoro, Abuja. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), invaded the offices of the organisation January 22, 2020, weeks before the Chairman of the company, Lucky Omoluwa passed, February 18, 2020.

Major General Christopher Jemitola and his predecessor, Brigadier General Solomon Giwa-Amu, coincidentally, both hailed from Edo North in Edo State. That Obasanjo happily worked with both of them without parochial consideration of their origins reinforced the pan-Nigerian globality of the former President who eternally placed substance and quality, above primordial concerns like ethnicity and creed. Jemitola was from Ososo in Edo State, while Giwa-Amu was from Sabongida-Ora. As though the ability to play the game of squash was a prerequisite for being ADC to Obasanjo, both gentlemen played the game well. Indeed, they typically began their days, sparring with Obasanjo in the squash court annexed to the presidential residence. By tragic coincidence, Jemitola and Giwa-Amu both died in the month of February. Giwa-Amu died on Monday February 18, 2008, in an automobile accident between Abuja and Kaduna, following a tire burst to the vehicle in which he was riding.

He was to deliver a lecture at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, (AFCSC), in Jaji, Kaduna State and reportedly opted to ride in the Toyota Coaster bus conveying other officers and men to the lecture, while his staff car, drove behind. Of all the 18 occupants of the said bus, Giwa-Amu was the singular casualty. Gabriel Giwa-Amu, an attorney and brother to Solomon Giwa-Amu, sustained inquisition into this riddle for several years. Yes, there was a deep cut in Solomon Giwa-Amu’s head, according to family members, but there was no physical wound of any kind on his body.

There were suspicions that Giwa-Amu’s ever rising profile, troubled not a few interests in the army. Recall his fears about possible peer jealousies to which I earlier alluded. He was just 49 when he passed. He would have been 66 this year and would have been long retired from active service. I attended his final rites of passage and interment in his private residence, in Sabongida-Ora. He had four children with his beloved wife, Judith. Jemitola turned 63 on Christmas day last December 25. Like many retirees, golfing appealed to him. He could play the game anytime of the day, keep fit and stay in the company of friends. He slumped and passed at the IBB Golf Club, Abuja the morning of Thursday February 6, 2025, after playing the game. He had two children, Caleb and Iman, with Josephine, his erstwhile wife.

So sad Nigeria has lost the sheer quality, the multidimensional reservoir of institutional memory embedded in the persons of Major General Christopher Adewole Jemitola and Brigadier General Solomon Uangaboje Giwa-Amu. Their wisdoms would, without doubt, have served Nigeria positively, especially in the security and military ecosystem to which they devoted decades of their shortlived lives. People like them should be resource persons in the many academies, centres, colleges and institutes of the Nigerian military. They should today be Emeritus instructors in: Civilian/military relations; Sustenance of military professionalism in a democratic dispensation; Ensuring inter-service collaboration between sister security departments in a democracy, and so on. We pray God to grant sweet repose to their souls, even as we entrust their families to the eternal care of God the Almighty.

Tunde Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Creative Writing, University of Abuja

Japa from Sapa: Out of the Kettle, Into the Blaze

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By Halima Abdulazeez

Recent data from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) reveals that over 3.6 million Nigerians migrated from the country between 2022 and 2023. A significant portion of this number left in the past two years, primarily driven by factors such as economic hardship, unemployment, and political instability. The majority of these emigrants are young people seeking better opportunities abroad.

The Japa syndrome is no longer just a trend; it is a desperate response to a nation’s failure to provide hope. Until systemic reforms address the root causes of this mass exodus, Nigeria will continue to lose its brightest minds to foreign lands, deepening the crisis of underdevelopment at home.

In his article “Nigeria’s Japa Generation and Global Demographic Dynamics” published by Business a.m., Professor Chris Anyokwu aptly captures the growing trend of mass emigration among Nigerians. He describes how citizens, both young and old, are “voting with their feet,” fleeing the country in search of better opportunities abroad. The phenomenon, largely driven by economic decline, and a lack of prospects, has become a defining reality for the nation’s youth. The scholar paints a grim picture of a generation that has been pushed to its limits. With motivation at an all-time low and the illusion of change completely shattered, young Nigerians are left staring at the harsh realities of life. Their departure is not just a search for greener pastures—it is an unspoken protest against a system that has repeatedly betrayed them. “With the complete collapse of motivation and the virtual liquidation” of all illusion, they now stare at the unblinking hardness of life.”

After the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs due to the immense hardship imposed on individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. Little did we know that, five years later, the consequences of the “Japa” syndrome would be so severe. If the family is considered a human factory, then the Nigerian family structure has become disenchanted and near collapse. We are now a collection of displaced individuals living in an open theatre of the absurd. I am not a pessimist, but the statistics emerging from foreign lands about the hardship this mass exodus is inflicting on families are deeply concerning. These range from crumbling marriages, Suicides, and missing loved ones to the psychological trauma associated with moving to a culture where racism is institutionalized.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has a system of governance that displays a nonchalant attitude towards national issues, and there seems to be little intention to build a nation defined by a strong moral character. The days ahead look bleak for Nigerians abroad who have gone in search of a “greener pasture,” especially with President Trump gearing up to deport undocumented immigrants.
President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies have significantly impacted Nigerians residing in the United States. Central to these policies is the emphasis on mass deportations, which has heightened anxiety within Nigerian communities. Reports from early 2025 indicate that many Nigerians feared large-scale raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to concerns about potential deportations and family separations.

In 2020, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban to include Nigeria, citing security concerns. This move restricted the ability of Nigerians to immigrate to the U.S., particularly affecting those seeking to reunite with family members. The ban prevented U.S. citizens from bringing over children, parents, or siblings, and it halted the immigration of spouses or partners of American citizens. Additionally, the administration’s broader immigration agenda included attempts to terminate programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which protect many immigrants. While not exclusively targeting Nigerians, these actions have contributed to an environment of uncertainty and fear within immigrant communities, including Nigerians who have moved out of Nigeria in large numbers recently.

The Nigerian government’s response, in a typically reactionary manner, was confirmed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs. He told newsmen recently that an inter-agency committee had been established to manage potential mass deportation. “The Federal Government has established an inter-agency committee comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to respond to any large-scale deportation of Nigerians from the US,” Balogun disclosed.

In stark contrast to establishing such committees and waiting for fate or faith to dictate action, consider the example of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When faced with the possibility of President Trump implementing tariff hikes on Canadian goods and services, Trudeau acted decisively. He announced in his speech, “Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the U.S. trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against a $155 billion worth of American goods. This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek alternatives.” Through subsequent negotiations and trade-offs, President Trump agreed to a 30-day pause before implementing his plans. As America’s two largest partners, Mexico and Canada took steps to also address President Trump’s concerns about border security and drug trafficking.

This is how nations operate, instead of always becoming orphans waiting for crumbs. Nigerian leaders must do more. The leadership of every sovereign nation should prioritize protecting its citizens, preventing crimes, and ensuring social cohesion.

Despite their significant contributions, Nigerians are often left unprotected. The intellectual prowess of Nigerians is undeniable, particularly in the United States, where they have made remarkable contributions across numerous fields, showcasing their resilience, intellect, and entrepreneurial spirit. Their impact continues to shape industries and influence policies on a national and global scale.

As a nation, we should express our discontent with any mistreatment of our citizens. Nigerians in the U.S. have excelled in various areas, including education, healthcare, business, technology, entertainment, and public service. They are the pioneers in the tech space. In Silicon Valley and beyond, Nigerians are making strides in engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. They are present in leading tech firms such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, contributing to advancements in digital security and financial technology.

A prime example is Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Flutterwave, a global payment platform that facilitates cross-border transactions in Africa and beyond, furthering economic growth and digital inclusion.

To become truly relevant on the world stage, our leadership must act definitively and strategically alongside global powers. We must not wait until mass deportations to define our mode of engagement with the United States. Our diplomatic corps must become proactive and responsive.

Halima Abdulazeez
She is a poet and a writer of the poetry collection “Soul Rants” A Journey from Within.She is the treasurer, of PEN International, Nigerian Center, and resides in Lagos.

Contact: +234-8034816865 (mailto:umuhfaisal@gmail.com)