AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE SOUTH EAST LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS HELD IN THE OLD GOVERNMENT LODGE, ENUGU ON FEBRUARY, 22, 2024
A meeting of the South East Leaders and Stakeholders was held in the Old Government Lodge, Enugu on Thursday, February 22, 2024. The meeting was chaired by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR; OFR; CFR; FNICE; FNSE; FNIST; FNIEE. GCSI; KSC (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo). It had in attendance, current and former members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, current and previous leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, captains of Industry, the Clergy, and academics, among others. The discussions at the meeting focused on the state of the Nigerian nation, the national economy and other related matters; especially as they affect the Igbo.
After exhaustive deliberation, the following resolutions were arrived at:
1. Members commended the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) for his recent Message to Ndigbo “that no Igbo group or community in Nigeria or in the Diaspora should join in a planned protest against the government of Nigeria”.
2. Members appreciated the reasons adduced by the Igbo Leader; that Ndigbo have been at the receiving end in the country’s affairs and that all the entreaties to the various authorities for equity and justice towards the Igbo have fallen on deaf ears. For instance, the South East is the only geopolitical zone that has only five (5) states; and 95 local government areas while one other geopolitical zone has 188 local government areas. The above-lingering injustice has cost the Igbo billions of financial losses. It has also cost us losses in both political patronages and legislative representations. This anomaly attracted the concerns of the members of the 2005 and 2014 political conferences but up till today, nothing has been done; among others.
3. It is common knowledge that the Sit at Home in the South East is because of the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The Sit at Home has caused the Igbo and indeed most Nigerians unquantifiable losses in lives and properties. All the appeals to the federal government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have been rebuffed as an Igbo problem.
4. It was noted that since there has remained an orchestrated conspiracy to alienate the Igbo from the affairs of the country, it will be foolhardy for the Igbo youths to present themselves as cannon fodders at this critical juncture in our political history.
5. We reviewed with intense passion, the level of unemployment, poverty, and hardships, especially the rising cost of goods and services in Nigeria, the rate of depreciation of Nigerian currency and the excruciating effect on the masses; and reminded Ndigbo that they should quickly readjust themselves to the reality of the times and that the Igbo have passed through the worst of conditions in the past.
6. There is no better time than now to invoke the indomitable Igbo spirit of brotherliness, hard work, ingenuity, wisdom, resilience, inventiveness, perseverance and capacity to turn adversities into diverse opportunities.
7. We urge the Igbo governors, council chairmen, traditional rulers and town union presidents in Igbo land to take advantage of the upcoming farming season to catalyze massive agricultural production for sustainable food security in our region. Similarly, the above leaders are reminded to step up the security networks in their various jurisdictions.
8. It was reiterated that since the 2023 presidential electoral matter has reached the Nigerian Supreme Court and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has been declared the winner. As law-abiding citizens, we have therefore decided to support the Tinubu administration.
9. Meanwhile, an expanded meeting of Igbo leaders comprising all the South East Governors will soon be convened to develop options and proffer solutions and guidance to all the sons and daughters of Igbo land on the way forward.
10. Members unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba) for the exceptional leadership he is providing to Ndigbo at this precarious time.
Long Live Ndigbo! Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
President Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the ECOWAS & other leaders of ECOWAS
President Bola Tinubu has called for the suspension of economic sanctions imposed on Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea by ECOWAS. Speaking at the Extra-ordinary Summit of ECOWAS in Abuja on Saturday, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the organization, stated: “Everything we did was in hopes of persuading our brothers that there existed a better path, a path that would lead to genuine improvement of their people’s welfare through democratic good governance. This was a path each of our nations had solemnly agreed with one another under formal regional treaties and protocols.
“However, the sanctions that we contemplated might help lead our brothers to the negotiating table have become a harsh stumbling block. In my mind and heart, that which is hurtful yet ineffective serves no good purpose and should be abandoned. “ECOWAS was established for the unassailable objective of improving the lives of the people of this region through fraternal cooperation among all member states. This edifice was cemented on the strong foundation and apt conviction that, united as one, we can be the true masters of our destiny.”
The President further explained that ECOWAS took the steps it did based on the regional ideals of security, social stability; democratic governance, political freedom, broad-based prosperity, and sustainable economic development through fair opportunity for each and every one in West Africa. He said neither hatred nor hidden motive influenced the steps taken and that there was never any intention to douse or undermine the legitimate political aspirations of any member state or to advance the interests of any outside party.
In calling for the suspension of sanctions, President Tinubu stressed that: “We must take note of the approach of the holy month of Ramadan and of Lent. Whether you pray in the mosque or in the church, this represents a time for compassion, hope, and harmony. It is a time that we must not only seek God but also a closer relationship with brother and neighbour. In the Spirit of the holy month and of the Lenten period, and with hearts bestirred by goodwill towards all our people, let us extend a hand as brothers and friends to those in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. “What I suggest in real and practical terms is that we, my colleagues and fellow heads of state in ECOWAS, indefinitely suspend economic sanctions against Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso and against the leadership of the military authorities in those nations.”
The President asked that ECOWAS facilitate the unfettered flow of foodstuffs, medicines and other humanitarian items to the people of these nations, especially to the most vulnerable, adding that for Nigeria, this will also mean the prompt resumption of export of electric power to Niger. “In this vein, suspension of sanctions is an important but initial step. What we seek is more than the breaking of the diplomatic logjam. We must use this very moment when things seem tense and progress unavailing, to forge greater cooperation within our community. “We not only reach out to our brothers. Today, we say unto them — let us begin to work more earnestly together for the economic development of our people and towards confronting those modern challenges that respect no borders or boundaries. Challenges ranging from climate change to violent extremism to illegal pilfering of our precious natural resources require that we join together in progress or we fail separately.
“As leaders of ECOWAS, we have accepted the honour and duty to draft the history of the region and its people during our tenure in office. We have also accepted the honour and duty to reach out to our brothers, letting them know this regional home belongs to us all. I shall do my utmost in this regard. I humbly beseech that you do the same. “For these reasons, we must suspend sanctions and return to brotherly dialogue. I call on the leadership in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger to embrace the hand extended,” the President stated.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, (Media & Publicity), February 24, 2024
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Late Herbert Wigwe & Wife - Powerful Communicator, Charismatic Leader, The Ultimate Deal Maker
“Ride with me”, was Herbert allowing you to make your presentation while he is dashing to catch a flight or even take another meeting. There was so much activity packed into his life that his car rides often turned into meetings and presentation rooms, with the car of whoever was riding with him trailing Herbert’s car until the meeting was over or Herbert arrived at his next meeting or the airport to catch his flight. Related to “ride with me” could be “walk with me”. This presented with less time to make your case as he is leaving his office and hurrying into another meeting within the building or dashing to the parking lot to leave for a meeting outside his office premises. Whichever one “ride with me”, or “walk with me”, there was always frenetic motion involved.
Always fast-paced. He was always in a hurry. It is instructive that Access Bank staff refer to themselves as Warriors. For context, there is a scene in the 2006 movie “300” (co-written and directed by Zack Snyder) that epitomizes what an “Access Warrior”. “300” is a fictionalized retelling of the ancient battle of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) in the Greco-Persian wars, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fight against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Arriving with his men to forge an alliance with Sparta and disappointed at seeing a small band of Spartans, the following dialogue ensued between Daxos, a commander of the King of Arcadia and King Leonidas when they met as they were heading to Thermopylae.
Daxos: I see I was wrong to expect Sparta’s commitment to at least match our own.
King Leonidas: Doesn’t it? [points to an Arcadian soldier behind Daxos]
King Leonidas: You there, what is your profession?
Arcadian Soldier: I am a potter… sir.
King Leonidas: [points to another soldier] And you, Arcadian, what is your profession?
Arcadian Soldier 2: Sculptor, sir.
King Leonidas: Sculptor.
[turns to a third soldier]
King Leonidas: You?
Arcadian Soldier 3: Blacksmith.
King Leonidas: [turns back shouting] SPARTANS! What is YOUR profession?
Spartans: AHUU! AHUUUU! AHUUUUU!
King Leonidas: [turning to Daxos] You see, old friend? I brought more soldiers than you did!
Despite the small staff strength at the time, the idea that was instilled in every Access Warrior’s mind was that the bank brought more soldiers than competition. Simply by the intensive classroom and on-the-job training, mentoring and dedication, one Access Warrior in the marketplace had the staying power and capacity of several of his or her counterparts in other financial institutions. That was the mentality that drove the Access Warrior! So, it was never a good thing if while making a presentation or defending a credit at the Management Credit Committee Herbert or Aigboje were to ask you, “Are we giving you more than you can handle?” Essentially, there is nothing that an Access Warrior should not be able to handle. Right, there is an appraisal issue and is usually not exactly spontaneous but comes from having observed the individual for a while.
On the other hand, “Who do you report to?” could be either good for you and a bad thing for your direct boss, a bad thing for you and your direct boss, or a bad thing for your direct boss, depending on the quality of your presentation and your bosses’ known strengths and performance. Access people will understand this! One key thing working with Herbert taught me is that if you are slatted to attend a meeting with him, always be over-prepared, even if you are not the one scheduled to make the pitch. Midway into his opening pitch, the man can point to you and tell the client, “My colleague Jekwu will take us through the rest of the presentation”.
Hey God! If you like, don’t be ready! In one of my earlier tributes, someone reminded me that this is how you will be defending your credit proposal at the Management Credit Committee and feeling very cool with yourself until Herbert says, “Okay! Let me tell you five things that can go wrong” and proceeds to list those five things. As you listen, you will literally see the credit approval promise you made to the client evaporate just before you are possibly asked to step down the credit and represent with amendments or receive an outright rejection.
Nothing is ever left to chance. Herbert will often say that the reason he and Aigboje got far in their careers was because they are perpetually paranoid. Hardly any new regulation or policy takes them by surprise because, during regular forecasts for the macro, they would have raised them as possibilities in scenario planning and built-in plans to take advantage of or mitigate them. Another thing was their Executive Presence.
The duo always presents themselves and communicates in a manner that conveys a strong and charismatic professional presence, exuding character, confidence, competence and credibility. Thus it is expected that to be part of their professional circle, you present yourself accordingly. Let me share an old war story about Access Bank’s 2007 OTC Global Depository Receipts (GDR) out of London. I was Project Director for Access Bank’s 2007 Public Offer comprising an N70 Billion Local Public Offer (total Offer subscription was N240 Billion, over 242% oversubscription), and an Over Counter (OTC) Global Depository Receipt (GDR) out of London. On the evening of the GDR placement roadshow, I recall taking an early flight out of Lagos to London. This was during Access Holding’s small beginnings, before private jets, when the boys were still flying business class and senior managers like me could only fly economy class.
Arriving in London, luggage and all (without checking into my hotel) to rendezvous with the team; Herbert, Aigboje and Roosevelt, I headed straight for the Lanesbourough Hotel where our Financial Advisors, JP Morgan and Renaissance Capital had reserved a conference room and a small meeting room that was to serve as our staging ground. There was little sleep that day. The entire night was spent reviewing and rehearsing our pitch of “Access Bank’s compelling growth story” that we had already spent the preceding three months or more going through. Each of us rehearsed the presentation to the point that we could go through the entire pitch deck without looking at the slides, aligned the appropriate anecdotes, anticipated all possible questions, developed the appropriate answers and rehearsed our responses to all possible questions. When I was heading to my hotel room early in the morning, I felt like a coiled cobra ready to strike. Despite that, when the SUVs that our Financial Advisors arranged for the GDR roadshow arrived to pick us up, I had butterflies in my stomach, but one look at the aura of youthful energy, power character, the entire Executive Presence emanating from the team, gave me hope.
As we walked through the shopfloor of the first private equity (PE) firm we were to pitch to, I saw all the oyibos looking up from their bank of flickering screens and could literally see the look in their eyes of, who are these power Africans? We were told that the investor we came to see had a private jet waiting to head to Moscow which was why we took this call first.
I will never forget this first pitch. Launched by Aigboje with Herbert in support and Roosevelt and I to pitch in if necessary, it went like magic. The guy thanked us for coming and dashed off to catch his flight. After that, I wondered, “What next?”. I didn’t know what to expect. But we sha headed off to the next appointment. It was on our way that we were informed that the first PE firm that we pitched had put in a quote for US$250 Million. This was the entire GDR placement size!
You can imagine the energy! Inexperienced me, I thought we could then pack up and go home. Sebi, we have been ‘given’ all the money we want? Why waste time with the approximately 50 to 70 other possible investors. However, I learnt that to reduce concentration risk we needed to get as many investors’ quotes as possible and then prorate their bids in allocating to them. The second PE firm quoted another US$250 Million…so did the third I believe and the more presentations we took, the more confident we got. At the end of the day, of a GDR offer size of US$250 Million, we received total quotes of US$1.95 Billion (oversubscribed by 700%) and eventually absorbed only US$300 Million, an increase of US$50 Million from the original offer size. So, let me ask, who do you think such shareholders would support if they had an opportunity to vote, the guys who presented and own the transformation agenda that informed their investment or the investors who want to control the bank that they know nothing about?
Herbert and Aigboje were what? 41 years old at the time (I was 34 and Roosevelt was 33) and we received quotes of US$1.95 Billion from investors. We can argue that market sentiments and liquidity were different at the time but how many Nigerian 41-year-olds then and now will Oyibo investors willing to entrust US$1.95 Billion to the company they run, in a single fund-raising round? That is why when I hear the recent heckle of “How did he buy Access Bank?” my response (if I am up to it) is often, “Who told you that he bought (as in, “owns”) the bank? He does not need to own the bank to control it. In actual fact, Herbert’s direct shareholding in Access Bank is less than 5% (I believe he probably has other indirect shareholdings) and between him and Aigboje holds a direct shareholding of less than 10%. Tony Elumelu’s direct shareholding in UBA is less than 7%.
These guys cannot be said to own the institutions. Access Holdings Plc is “owned’ by its over 1,000,000 domestic and foreign investors. Once an institution goes public and is listed on the stock exchange then it can be controlled by the largest alliance of shareholders, all they need to do is summon an Extraordinary General Meeting and take over. That was exactly what happened to Access Bank in 2002. The Bank was established as a private entity in 1989 but went public in 1998. Once that happened, the leadership of the bank was open to whoever the majority shareholders supported. Before 2002, the Bank was very poorly run, was bleeding cash, and then came to the market to raise capital via a public offer. I can’t remember the size of that offer but suffice to say that it was Underwritten. For those who don’t understand what this means, underwritten implies that the Bank got an issuing house to guarantee that the target funds will be raised and if not the issuing house will provide the funds.
For a poorly performing bank, this was a reckless gamble, not because the newly issued shares would necessarily give an outsider control of the bank, but combined with the shares of existing shareholders who were not happy with the way the bank was being run, the leadership could be ousted. Herbert and Aigboje were already looking for a bank to acquire and the guys at old Access Bank gifted them an opportunity of a lifetime. At the time, the minimum regulatory capital for banks in Nigeria was N2 Billion (so the offer could only have been a fraction of it) and between the duo, their combined Staff Investment Trust Investments in GT Bank gave them sufficient capital for a leveraged buyout. When the original public offer which had tanked suddenly started performing exponentially, even I who wasn’t vested in the capital markets at the time was suspicious. I read an interview by Access Bank where they opined that the performance of their public offer was an indication of the market’s confidence in their leadership, and I cringed.
Of course, the rest is history. Once the offer was approved. Herbert and Aigboje approached some of the existing major Shareholders to whom they pitched their 7-year transformation agenda and got over to their coalition, with a mandate to move the bank from 65th position to the top 10 by 2007. This is what gave them control of their bank, based on which they summoned an EGM, where they took over. An indication that Access Bank was poorly run before Herbert and Aigboje’s takeover, was that in the first year of their takeover, the bank’s balance sheet increased by 100%, and the N1 Billion PBT was more than its aggregate profit from inception in 1989 to 2001. This marked the beginning of what would be a six-year record triple-digit growth trend. Why wouldn’t the other shareholders support the new leadership? I read a piece where someone referred to takeover as abracadabra and my only response was that a little knowledge is truly a dangerous thing.
There is a reason listed companies are worried when their share price is lightweight compared to the value of the company. They immediately become a sitting duck for a corporate raider who can acquire the company and possibly break it up to extract value or run it properly to create value for all stakeholders. There is a reason some listed companies build defence mechanisms against hostile takeovers, structure their shareholding to insulate such vulnerability and protect them from such Corporate raiders. Back in the day, some listed companies in Nigeria would have about 30% of their shares held by their Staff Investment Trust (SIT), combined with the shares of their Executives, making it impossible for anyone to take control in a hostile takeover. Though I first studied these things in business school finance modules, it was those early days at Access Bank working with Herbert that gave me the real-world experience of leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, particularly hostile acquisitions, mergers by absorption, and Greenmail. For this, I am eternally grateful.
When I say that working with Herbert directly for most of the 25 years of my working career is like acquiring several Ivy League Doctoral degrees in Business Administration by immersion, this is what I mean! Confident and powerful communicator, charismatic leader, deeply knowledgeable, utterly fearless! That is/was Herbie.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The Elephants of Ivory Coast, the AFCON 2024 Champions
Congratulations to the Elephants of Ivory Coast for winning the 2024 AFCON Finals against the Super Eagles of Nigeria!
In a thrilling AFCON final match held yesterday, the Elephants of Ivory Coast triumphed over the Super Eagles of Nigeria with a score of 2-1. The match, which took place on Sunday, February 11, 2024, captivated football fans around the world with its intense display of skill and determination. From the onset, it was evident that the Ivorians had the home advantage, as they were fervently supported by their passionate fans. The atmosphere was electric, with the crowd exuding boundless energy and encouragement for their team. Despite the lively support for Ivory Coast, it was the Super Eagles who struck first, taking an early lead and raising the hopes of Nigerian fans. Demonstrating their prowess on the field, the Eagles showcased their attacking capabilities and managed to break through the Ivorian defence, finding the back of the net.
However, the Ivorians did not let the setback deter them. Undeterred by Nigeria’s goal, the Elephants rallied in the second half, channelling their determination and perseverance. With each passing minute, they intensified their attacks, relentlessly pressuring the Nigerian defence. The Ivorians’ hard work finally paid off when they managed to equalize, sending waves of excitement through the stadium. The goal injected a new burst of energy into the team, further fueling their drive to secure victory.
As the game approached its final moments, the Elephants continued to dominate the field, displaying skilful passes and strategic play. Their efforts were rewarded when they scored the winning goal, much to the delight of their fans and players alike. The match ended with a well-deserved victory for Ivory Coast, securing their place as the champions of AFCON. Their unwavering determination and exceptional performance allowed them to outplay the Super Eagles in every aspect of the game. Both teams exhibited commendable sportsmanship throughout the match, showcasing the spirit of fair competition. The final result, while disappointing for Nigerian fans, highlighted the strength and talent of the Ivorian team.
As the AFCON final concluded, memories of this thrilling match will undoubtedly linger in the minds of football enthusiasts for years to come. Ivory Coast’s victory serves as a testament to their hard work, skill, and the unwavering support of their fans, making them worthy champions of the tournament. In all, the AFCON final match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Elephants of Ivory Coast was as thrilling and intense. Despite Nigeria opening the scoring in the first half, Ivory Coast showed incredible determination and support from their home crowd. Throughout the entire game, the Ivorians outplayed the Eagles in every aspect, showcasing their superior skills and teamwork. It was a well-deserved victory for Ivory Coast, who rallied behind to equalize in the second half and seal the game with a final score.
@Administrator
Disclaimer:
The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
“For as long as the Old Eastern region remains in disarray and not united, self-determination of the region will remain impossible.” ~ An anonymous retired Nigerian Army Chief
The word “South-South,” even though it may sound absurd, is a name we have come to accept as a people. We can’t say exactly how we came about to be identified with the name neither can we say exactly when we were given the name, but we just know it is our name. While growing up back in the days, geography taught us about “the North,” “the South,” “The East” and “The West.” For proper definition of locations, we were also told about “The Northwest, NorthEast, Southwest and SouthEast” I can’t remember anything like the “NorthNorth”, “SouthSouth”, “EastEast” or Westwest, but here I am today, writing a letter to my South-South brethren. That is what happens to people who are not in control of their Cultural Development or their Political and Economic Future. That is what happens to people who are just there for their numbers, that is what happens to people who are just kept for their services, that is what happens to people who are just custodians of wealth for a supposedly superior people, and finally, that is what happens to a people that are slaves. Any name is suitable for them, they can only get whatever is given to them even if it is originally theirs. If in doubt, please remind me of the meaning of KUNTA KINTE.
I write this letter not because it is frustrating to see how we allowed defrauded propaganda to position our people as the pawns in the Political Chess called Nigeria, but rather, I write this letter to request that we free ourselves from this propaganda that has lingered for too long. If our grandfathers and fathers did not ask questions, is there any divine law that says we cannot ask? We know we all belonged to the old Eastern Region of Nigeria before the Northern Protectorate took back its power after the gruesome murder of General Aguiyi Ironsi. Just for the records, let me do us a bit of history here. Major General Ironsi as Head of State was cornered and arrested somewhere in Western Nigeria on July 29th of 1966, his hands and feet were tied together, then tied to a Land Rover with a little space in between, and driven on a tarred road, face down for several kilometres. The then highest ranking Northern officer, an acting (Unconfirmed) Lieutenant Colonel was chosen to be the next Head of State ahead of serving Brigadiers, Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels of Southern Nigeria; followed by the dreadful killings of officers and soldiers of Eastern Nigeria including our so-called South-South soldiers and officers.
The genocide that followed is what is recorded as the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 – 1970. As if that was not enough, the Eastern region was broken apart with the sudden creation of the then South Eastern State (today’s Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom), Rivers State (Today’s Rivers State and Bayelsa). It was during that war that propagandas were designed, created and generated to separate us from the old Eastern Region and make the average Igbo man our potential enemy to reduce their own presumed enemies. In as much as it is a bitter history, I find it necessary to do you this preamble. I write this letter to remind us that our region, known as the South-South today was a creation of the North for the sake of creating the disunity we face today. And more so, it was not just for the disunity for them to win the war, but to also take away our resources, our manpower and our economic future. In 2014 when President Jonathan, a son of the so-called South-South decided to re-contest the 2015 elections, Sheik Junaid Mohammed in an engagement on behalf of the Northern Protectorate, reminded us that the so-called South-South was a creation of the North for effective management of the Northern interest in Eastern Nigeria. How bad could this be? Can we imagine that? So, while we were busy reminding ourselves that we are a different people or that the Igbos are wicked and are trying to kill us, the North is joyously taking over and owning 85% of our oil wells while the West takes over the leftovers.
And what do we get? Noise! Even the supposedly football legend, Sunday Okechukwu Oliseh is busy telling us he is not Igbo as if it is a curse to be Igbo. One wonders if the name Okechukwu is of Hausa or Yoruba origin. When you speak Igbo as a language and yet claim you are not Igbo, is that not the saddest thing that can happen to any people of identical culture? Even Major Kaduna Nzeogwu who led the first coup, which was said to be an Igbo coup, is from Okpanam village in today’s Delta State. Could he have come out to say today like Sunday Oliseh said that he was not Igbo? If the Abakaliki or Nsukka indigene that has a more distant dialect of Igbo is Igbo, how come the Anioma or Okrika indigene that is easily understood is not Igbo? How did people of the same culture get so separated this far? I write this letter to speak to those of us regarded as “minority tribes.” How can we be a minority when in essence we are known to be about 35 million of the 180 million of the said Nigerian population? How can we be a minority in our own lands if we were not treated as such, or if we did not accept to be such? If those from the alliance that separated us from the West are said to be about 50 million in population, and our brethren in the East are said to be about 40 million, how can we accept we are a minority? Our compatriots from the alleged minorities of the North are said to be another 30 million, who then is the minority? Having run through these figures, we know who the real minorities are.
Be that as it appears, the truth is that our region was broken into two to weaken our original strength given that at a combined population strength of 35 million and 40 million people, our economic and entrepreneurial strength put together would be something the alliance will be worried about. So why should we ever think that it is logical to claim we are two different people when in essence, we have always been one and the same people for over 400 years before the arrival of the white man. If what the white man did to us was not bad enough, is it not ridiculous that we allowed a certain minority of immigrants to assume control of our economic and political future?
I write this letter to ask my brethren in the South-South these pertinent questions:
Let us assume the very worst situation in this fracas between us and our Igbo brothers, why are we worried about the Igbos taking over our “natural resources” (assuming they don’t have theirs)? ARE WE PRESENTLY IN CONTROL OF OUR “NATURAL RESOURCES”? Does it make more sense that our natural resources are being controlled by some strange people from over 700 miles away? People that kill us at will at a single provocation of their religion? People that even kill us in our land? People that challenge us to the ownership of these resources? People who show absolute disregard for who we are? People who think it is a privilege for us to be in any position of authority? And finally, people that do not in any way have the kind of entrepreneurial skills that we have? Why would we allow our imaginary quarrels or fights with our brothers to translate to the decision of one of the women in King Solomon’s Judgment who insisted that since she couldn’t have the child, the other woman should not? So, are we, in essence, saying it is better for none of us brethren to own our resources simply because we don’t trust our brothers, yet we do nothing about the stranger that has ripped us apart? Are we logically correct in these senseless quarrels?
Even while we are senselessly worried about how the Igbos will colonize our people because that is what we were told, and that is what some of these alliances are still trying to tell us; can we sincerely tell ourselves that the Igbos are that evil? Evil enough to leave their Natural resources in Abia, Imo, Anambra and Enugu states to come and take ownership of our resources? How will they do that? How possible will it be for a people who barely kill by the sword compared to our present oppressors? Do we honestly see that as a possibility? How and why did we allow this propaganda to go this far? Is this not what the alliance has used to rule us through the divide-and-rule scheme? Sheik Jumiad Mohammed said clearly that our separation was a creation of the North for the effective management of our resources while we kept fighting an imaginary enemy.
I write this letter to remind us that we and our Igbo brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers have cultural identities, we uphold the sanctity of life, we do not kill a man like a chicken, we worship the same God, and we have identical looks and reasoning capabilities. Education is a respected virtue to both of us; entrepreneurism is a common love between us. We both respect constituted authorities. Even though we both have cultural odds that cannot, and should not be used to castigate an entire people. So, how come the Igbo man suddenly became evil shortly before the war if the castigation was not a propaganda tool of the war?
How did we accept that our Igbo brothers were evil while we were saints? How are we saints? Is there any evil that is the monopoly of the Igbos that we are totally clean of? That we don’t have a single man/woman that does the same if positioned in the same situation? How did we allow distant people to determine how we leave our lives? If we think we are different and as such we are treated better than the Igbos; have we noticed that the fate of the Onitsha Port is the same fate that befell the Ports in Calabar and Port Harcourt? We from the East are all forced to go to Lagos to pay taxes to those ports. How have we been treated differently by these alliances if we were different from the Igbos? Are we not facing the same fate as our Eastern brethren? How do you think we would fare if we were the only ones to receive this treatment given a circumstance where the Igbos are no more in this contraption called Nigeria?
I write this letter to our brethren to remind us that without a unified stand of the entire region, the self-determination process will be a farce. We need each other in all difficulties. We are the Eastern Region; we are the region of the Lower Niger; we are a common people; we are not different from each other. Starting from the Hills of Ogoja to the rocky soils of Ebonyi, down to the temperate region of Anambra down to the enclaves of Ishekiri and Isoko, we all look alike.
The Akwa Ibom man and the Abia State man are the same people simply divided by boundaries. The Calabar man and the Arochukwu man have identical ancestral masquerades. The Ikwerre man is just an Igbo man who was separated by the North to act as a different people. A British woman, camped somewhere in Kaduna decided to add the “R” consonant to the “U” vowel to totally break the identities of the Igbos in today’s Rivers State. The Ijaws, Kalabaris, Oron, and Efik are practically the same people positioned in different locations possibly during the settlement centuries ago. We are all interrelated in the region and as such must not be divided.
We have been used for decades, and disregarded at every opportunity, our rights are perceived as privileges if not favours. We do not have control over our future as instructed by the late Ahmadu Bello when he instructed his people not to allow us to have control of our future and should be seen as a conquered territory. Are we a conquered people by some strange people who believe they are born to rule, conquer and kill? These are people who do not hold as sacrosanct what we revere as one. How can we continue in this Union that was designed to enslave us? How can we allow the lies told by these strangers to pitch us against ourselves?
AN ADDENDUM TO MY IGBO BROTHERS
I write to you to remind you that you can only fight a lie that was embedded into the hearts of my brethren by putting yourself in his shoes to know how best to respond. We cannot fight evil with evil. As we know, they say two wrongs don’t make a right. It is your responsibility to subtly ask those accusing you some logical questions that may prick their hearts to realities. We are all in this mess called Nigeria together. Our Son, Goodluck Jonathan, was treated the same way General Ironsi was treated, they were both rejected. They were both despised. Both wanted a united Nigeria that existed beyond tribes and religion, but what did we see? President Goodluck Jonathan was lucky to escape with his life, but the General was not that lucky; He was tied to a Land Rover and driven on the rocky tarred roads between Abeokuta and Ibadan till he died and was shredded to pieces. Based on Alhaji and Kunle’s phone conversation I believe we all listened to it, we know that it could as well have happened to President Jonathan if he was not wise enough to let go of their birthright. But can we continue like this?
Look at what they are doing to Nnamdi Kanu? These are the same people that organized 70 lawyers to represent the Boko Haram suspects that raped, maimed and Killed Nigerians, yet the one they chose to lead us says Nnamdi is too dangerous to be released because he has dual citizenship. Is this the kind of place we will continue to belong to when we are likely going to be having malicious morons of this magnitude leading us? I write to you my brothers to remind you that the Gambaris know for certainty that having broken a greater part of you into other states in the “South-South,” it may be difficult to successfully secede knowing what we know today. So, it is inappropriate for you to remind my own brothers that with or without us, you will succeed. We cannot allow the propaganda of these Gambaris to keep us apart. We must reject it by all means and efforts. We stand a greater chance to succeed as one region. As the older one of the two broken parts of our region, it is your responsibility to expose the deception that was used to mislead my people. It is you who will tell my people you do not have any intentions to colonize them. We must collectively put this alliance to shame by consciously keeping our relationship cordial in the region. My dear brethren, I write to request that you take it as a duty to remind us that we are all one people because, in truth, WE ARE ONE!
THE LOWER NIGER CONGRESS will not succeed if we do not position ourselves for success. We cannot go to a referendum with a divided house. We have to all agree that we cannot continue in this contraption called a united Nigeria that was not just built on lies and propaganda but was designed to fail while it enslaves our people. We have been battered, raped, disregarded, maimed and killed at will for the past 50 years. I am talking about the entire Eastern region. While we are being raped and killed, we are busy seeing each other as enemies; while the real enemies smile at our folly. We cannot continue like this. We should all take the opportunity presented to us by the UNITED NATION CHARTER ARTICLES ON SELF-DETERMINATION FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. The Lower Niger Congress has so far made presentations to the US Congress on the plight of our people, made a presentation to the United Nations, and has been able to secure a period by which the referendum will take place here in our region. But will we succeed during the electoral process if we are not united? Is it not time we put our swords into ploughshare and see how we can take control of our political, economic future and cultural development?
The Lower Niger Congress having met with traditional and titled leaders in all the corners of the Lower Niger Region believe the project will not be a success if we do not see ourselves as a united body. We cannot afford to go into a referendum that may be sabotaged by the propaganda of the alliance of the North. It is our duty to educate ourselves, educate our relatives, and educate our brethren. It is the best duty we can do for the generations unborn of our region. This contraption called Nigeria was never designed to succeed, not with the present fraudulent Constitution, not with the present mentality that only a section of the country is meant to rule, and finally, not with the present odds that accompany those who make it to the leadership position.
Finally, brethren, I appeal to you all to join hands in actualizing our dream to build a new nation based on principles, agreed morals, agreed terms and absolute regional autonomy to provoke developmental competition. This is what the LOWER NIGER CONGRESS IS WILLING TO OFFER.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
There are kings and there are kings. Some are hungry kings. Some crowned themselves as kings for selfish reasons. In one of the parishes where I pastured the flock of God, there was a pastoral visit by the chief shepherd under whose diocese I was earlier incardinated by ordination. On that fateful day, each zone in the parish was assigned a definite canopy after the Pontifical Mass. Food and drinks were rationed and placed before the table of each zone. After the welcome address was read, the guest of honour stood up to make his response. As he was talking, one particular zone called Christ the King zone started eating and drinking when others were listening to the guest of honour’s speech. The most annoying thing was as soon as they finished eating and drinking, they rose up and started living the arena. The guest of honour was displeased by their unchristian attitude. He shook his head in disapproval and asked me, “Why are they leaving?” This emotional question caused havoc in my sensational nerve ending. Instantly I rushed to the scene of the desertion to call the dissidents to order. By that time, many of them have disappeared like ghosts. Indeed Saint Paul underscores that “their belly is their god and they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things” (Phil. 3:19). By the power conferred on me from above, I commanded the remnants to seat down and give honour to whom honour was due. They obliged.
Later, all the members of the dissident zone were given one month punishment of cleaning our gigantic church. Also the nomenclature of their zone was changed temporary from Christ the King zone to Food the king zone. In other words they abandoned Christ by their attachment to food and drinks. After nine days Novena of Reparation, they were reconciled to Christ and to the Church. In a solemn liturgical ceremony, they were once restored to Christ the King zone. The above narrative moves me to ask, “Who is your king?” The zone in question as described above may not be alone in such provocative attitude. Many of us are so much attached to food and drinks in such a way that they put God aside. There was a fallen Christian young man who attended a feast in the evening of Christmas day. He didn’t go to church to adore the New Born Child Jesus Christ on that memorable day. But after eating and drinking to his satisfaction, he exclaimed, “If this is Christmas, then let us celebrate it every day!” Many of us act likewise. Today innumerable young people are no more interested in the things of God. They now choose idol as their king. Thus with the help of their sponsors, they have revitalized the discarded cults of idols in our land.
I was mad on the Solemnity of Christ the King few years ago in my God’s own town. After the day’s solemn Eucharistic procession, I drove to my biological father’s home to retire for the night. At a popular market place known as Nwoye, I saw a multitude of boys and girls impossible to count. They were eating, drinking and jubilating. Different masquerades from the underworld were running up and down. I thought they were celebrating the kingship of Jesus Christ on the remarkable last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical Year. However, in my inquisitiveness, I stopped my car and asked one of the boys what was happening. He did not mince words to say, “Father, we are celebrating Isigwu festival. Come and bless us!” Isigwu was a popular idol in those old days of idolatry in my town, but which was discarded when the worshippers including the chief priest were all converted to Christianity. I lashed the young man and his followers for abandoning Jesus Christ and choosing Isigwu as their king. He went away disappointed. I also went home disappointed in own way. Disappointment met disappointment.
On daily basis, we confront three powerful enemies who pose as kings. They are: the devil, the world and the flesh. No one has seen the devil physically. He is incarnate in evil human beings. As Christians we rejected the devil and his tactics at baptism. Unfortunately some of us welcome him back by our unchristian attitudes. Some persons belong to satanic cults where the devil is worshipped as king. The members of such secret cults are endowed with evil powers, wealth and inordinate pleasure. Nonetheless we must be reminded that we are in the world but not of the world. Thus Saint Paul admonishes, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood only, but against principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10 – 12). Shine your eyes!
Money is another delusive king in our society today. Of course money in itself is good as means of transaction. Without money we cannot feed, build and meet up with the challenges of human life. However money can become an evil king when put to wrong use. Saint Paul rightly warns: “For the love of money is root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Money is being worshipped nowadays in various ways. Some acquire it through evil means such as kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, prostitution, cultism, human sacrifice (ogwu-ego), etc. The moral law states that the means justifies the end. On the contrary, the immoral law sees the end as justifying the means.
Our society today is controlled by inordinate acquisition of money. In government circles embezzlement of public money is no longer seen as evil. The bad leaders in the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government use public fund to fill their personal pockets and settle their cronies. Their subjects can go to blazes. Look at the bizarre manner by which the present government in power at the federal level has mapped our billions of money to buy exorbitant vehicles for their own use, when the populace that voted them into power is dying of hardship and hunger. The cost of fuel pump price does not border them. Their servants go to filling stations and fill up their petrol tanks and pay with tax payers’ money. The poor masses sweat to purchase few liters of fuel which they manage. The high cost of essential commodities has raised the blood pressure of the poor masses. Sick rate and death rate have tripled. Hence hospital and mortuary managers are smiling to the banks. Casket business is booming. The judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, has been compromised. Consequently ‘justice’ is won by the highest bidder.
Today we are celebrating the Kingship of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Despite all odds, he is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the King of heaven and earth; even though he told Pilate that his kingship is not of this world. He is the universal King. All fake and dubious kings must surrender to him. He is the eternal King. The tenure of all fake and temporal kings ends in the grave. To whom do we pay allegiance by thoughts, words and actions? Are we for the King Jesus Christ or against Him? Action speaks louder than voice. In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow. Have you bowed? If you do not bow, your knee shall be disconnected from its socket. God forbid!
Disclaimer:
The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The naira is fast becoming a junk currency. The British pound is heading to N1600 at the parallel market and may be exchanged for N2000 before the end of December. The Nigerian currency failure is the highest in the world in the past six months. If 65% of Nigerians, representing about 135 million, were multidimensionally poor when the rate of dollar to naira was 1$ to N422, now with the rapid collapse of the naira to about N1200 to 1$, the number of Nigerians that would be multidimensionally poor may be heading to 200 million by 2024 because the relationship between currency failures and poverty index is very linear.
In a modern economy, the strength of a nation is the value of its currency in relation to other baskets of currencies, which is also referred to as purchasing power parity. The value of the local currency compared to other basket of currencies also determines the monetary poverty index in the country. The Nigerian purchasing power parity is among the weakest in the world. President Tinubu’s macroeconomic management may further weaken the purchasing power parity and create more monetary poverty in the country with unsustainable borrowing, expansionary spending, mostly on recurrent expenditures and his preferred market-determined exchange rate. Throughout the 8 years of President Buhari’s administration, the CBN governor, Mr. Emefelle was always at loggerheads with IMF and World Bank for refusing to completely floating the currency and adopt a market-determined exchange rate. Mr. Emefelle understood that adopting a floating exchange rate policy regime would destroy the socioeconomic variables of income, price stability, and purchasing power parity. It was claimed that President Buhari was never in charge of his government. But despite the multiple exchange rate scheme, oil subsidy scam, and oil theft that characterised Buhari’s administration, the Nigerian currency was relatively stabilised against the dollar due to Emefelle’s wits in manoeuvring the market forces, but the CBN governor lacked the strongwill to pursue de-dollarization policies that would have strengthened the Nigerian currency and addressed monetary poverty.
Unlike his predecessor, President Tinubu is practically in charge of his government. Tinubu is not interested in the oil subsidy scam nor in the multiple exchange schemes, and the Tinubu’s administration is gradually improving oil production and sales at the international market which will gradually improve the Nigerian foreign earnings. President Tinubu envisioned a great Nigerian with the passion to improve the socioeconomic index in the country and has entrusted his cabinet to create, pursue, and implement policies that will actualise his vision for the nation. But the Nigerian macroeconomic policy regime is not being managed prudently towards achieving Tinubu’s vision for the country. My initial assessment of the Tinubu’s cabinet showed a lack of practicality and creative ideas and some of the cabinet may be underperforming the president’s vision.
The Ministry of Finance ought to have initiated policies that drastically reduce the cost of governance to save the naira from becoming a junk currency.
To address the on-going currency crisis and save the naira from further depreciation, Nigeria must drastically reduce the cost of governance. It is not sustainable for Nigeria that is spending about 80% of its internally-generated revenue on debt services to engage in expansionary fiscal spending, primarily on recurrent expenditures. The ministry of finance ought to have initiated and begun to implement policies that reduce the cost of governance to stabilise the fiscal regime. In response to the public outcry against the decision of the National Assembly to purchase luxurious SUVs valued at N140 million for its members, the chairman of the Senate Committee on services accused the Federal Ministers of having more than six luxurious Suvs in their convoys. Nigerian governance costs are among the highest in the world, despite being a low-income where over 65% of its population is experiencing monetary poverty. President Tinubu must show exemplary leadership by drastically reducing the cost of governance in the executive arms of government to save the naira from becoming a junk currency. The ministry of finance must also review the Nigerian international borrowing regime and engage in sustainable borrowing to save the naira from further depreciation. The current spending spree, funded primarily through borrowing from the IMF and World Bank is not sustainable, and if this continue, it would further weaken the macro-economic and micro-economic variables of inflation, price level, income, and purchasing power parity and further increase the monetary-poverty index. The ministry of finance must also coordinate properly with the Federal Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms to implement its brilliant ideas aimed at increasing the Nigerian tax to GDP, which is among the lowest in Africa. It is only by increasing the internally generated revenue, reducing the cost of governance, and engaging in sustainable borrowing that the country can achieve macroeconomic stability.
The CBN is yet to create a new monetary policy regime needed to save the naira from further depreciation.
The new CBN governor was appointed about 2 months ago, but the governor has yet to make major changes to the monetary policy regime. The CBN’s primary responsibility is to stabilise price levels and constantly initiate policies to protect the value of the national currency against other baskets of currencies because of the linear relationship between currency failures and monetary poverty. The CBN under the previous administrations in Nigeria till date has failed in this perspective. The initial intervention of the CBN to pay up the outstanding forex backlog of about $10 billion has not produced the desired result as the dollar is officially exchanged for about N900 against the government target of N750 and the dollar is over N1000 at the parallel market. The CBN must review the currency regime to save the naira from becoming a junk currency. The Tinubu favoured market-determined exchange rate regime has caused the decline of the naira by over 50%; it has led to a rising inflation rate, interest rate, and weakened the general consumption. The government will not be able generate the required dollar to maintain a floating currency regime. The ideal policy regime is to peg the currency against the dollar, while the CBN provides dollars for essential goods and services that are critical to price stability and exchange rate stability. The earlier the CBN reviews the monetary policy regime and adopts a peg exchange rate regime, the quicker it prevents the naira from becoming a junk currency. The CBN and the Ministry of Finance also need to pursue de-dollarization policy by initiating currency swaps with the Nigerian top trading partners as some of the medium term solutions to the currency crisis.
The only solution to addressing the currency and inflationary crises in Nigeria is to reduce the cost of governance by 30%.
Finally, without engaging in capital control, Nigeria may not achieve economic sustainability. There is no other solution President Tinubu has to save the naira; no international support from any foreign government can save the naira from becoming a junk currency; and there is no policy recommendation from the IMF or World Bank that can substitute reducing the cost of governance to save the naira from becoming a junk currency. Dollarization is one of the leading causes of macroeconomic misalignment in most countries in the world, so every country needs a sufficient supply of the dollar to stabilise the macroeconomic system. That’s why the “begging thy neighbour” foreign policy of President Tinubu that took the President to the UAE and Saudi Arabia to solicit liquidity support for the Nigerian economy may not produce any meaningful result other than reducing the cost of governance to address the Nigerian macroeconomic crisis. The President Tinubu-led administration must reduce the cost of governance by 30% to save the naira from becoming a junk currency, stabilize the macroeconomic system and create inclusive growth that will address the poverty index.
By Festus Tokunbo, Email: festus@ayomipo2022@my.ntu.ac.uk
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The Movie "Half Of A Yellow Sun", based on the novel By Chief Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Describing in a poetic form, the title and content of the book, a young British journalist, Richard (who fell in love with a beautiful, London-educated Biafran, Igbo lady, Kainene (sister of Olanna, had planned to write at the end of the war), in her epic and award-winning novel, “Half Of A Yellow Sun”, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, writes as follows:
“The Book: ‘The World Was Silent When We Died.’ For the epilogue, he writes a poem, modeled after one of Okeoma’s poems. He calls it:
“WHERE WAS THE WORLD WHEN WE DIED?”
“Did you see photos in sixty-eight Of children with their hairs becoming rust: Sickly patches nestled on those small heads, Then falling off, like rotten leaves on dust?
Imagine children with arms like toothpicks, With footballs for bellies and skin stretched thin. It was kwashiorkor – difficult word. A word that was not quite ugly enough, a sin.
You needn’t imagine. There were photos. Displayed in gloss-filled pages of your Life. Did you see? Did you feel sorry briefly, Then turn round to hold your lover or wife?
Their skin had turned tawny of weak tea. And showed cobwebs of vein and brittle bone; Naked children laughing, as if the man. Would not take photos and then leave, alone.” (See, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “Half Of A Yellow Sun,” Anchor Books, New York 2007, p. 470).
Preamble
I just heard how one of the public speakers from an Eastern African country, an intellectual giant, most of us respect, speaking on Nigeria’s inability to achieve cohesion as a united, nation-state, and proffering his own solution to that. According to him, what Nigeria needs, is what he calls, the “Unification” of the country”? A term or expression which, for me, sounds like the same exact words or expressions, used by the former British colonial overlord in colonial Nigeria, Mr Frederick Lugard, namely, “Amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates of Nigeria”, which became a reality in 1914. It sounds also like the earlier expression of that same “coins” of words, used by the same British colonial masters in colonial Eastern Nigeria, “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger”. Apologies to Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart.”
It leaves much to be desired, in this 21st century, after seeing all the violence, the perennial insecurity, as well as the Biafra Pogroms and Genocides of the 1960s, and counting; in fact, the ethnic cleansings of different indigenous ethnic populations communities and Christian, and others, going on in different parts of Nigeria today, under the watch of the gatekeepers of the Nigerian State, the government and security operatives, some individuals, would still have the conscience to continue to advocate for the so-called “Unification of Nigeria”. That is, of a Nigeria that will remain as one, indivisible, non-negotiable nation-state?
In fact, if one is not moved in conscience, by the inability of the Nigerian ruling class, since independence in 1960, to the present day, to conduct ordinary political elections in a country, that could be democratic, seen to be fair and credible, and that is violence-free, such a person could, at least be moved by the continued killings and destruction of lives and property of innocent citizens, across the country, a situation that has become like the second nature of the Nigerian State. The same is true with the continued state of hopelessness of the majority of Nigerian citizens today, at home and in the Diasporas. That is to say, it is pointless, for any reasonable person to, still be talking of the “unification of Nigeria” in such a scary and violence-ridden situation, without first of all, considering the countless number of innocent people, the supposed citizens of Nigeria, that are being massacred on daily basis in the country today, sometimes by the Nigerian security operatives, and some other times, by the government-sponsored non-state actors, militias – imported killer-herdsmen a.k.a. bandits, and other Muslim extremists and insurgents, some of whom are used by the politicians during elections for selfish and other undesirable ends. And all these are done, in the name of ‘keeping Nigeria one? Who is deceiving who?
This is the fate of the different indigenous populations – ethnic nationalities that make up the Nigerian nation-state since the time of the Amalgamation in 1914 to the present day. The most painful thing is the continued manifestations of the incapacity of those we call the political ruling class in Nigeria, to salvage the situation. On top of this, some individuals who are supposed to be on the know, have continued to play to the gallery on a matter of this kind? That is, instead of calling a spade a spade, having seen all that the inhabitants of that geographical space the British named Nigeria, have been passing through all these years, since the Amalgamation in 1914, and precisely, since the flag Independence in 1960, to the present today, and that there is no end in view, unless Nigeria is renegotiated through referendum for self-determination. It is pointless advocating that Nigeria should continue to exist as one, united, indivisible nation-state. That is, with its faulty foundation, fraudulent political structure or system, and its Sharia legal system inspired 1999 Constitution that has not stopped conflicting with the Common Law legal system the Constitution was intended, ab initio, to have been founded.
The most painful of it all, is the fraudulent way the gatekeepers of the Nigerian State have been trying all these years, to impose the two foreign Jurisprudences of the Western Common Law and the Islamic Arab Sharia Law Systems, and are using them in suppressing the Indigenous Jurisprudences of over 250 Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities or the major geopolitical regions, that make up the Nigerian State. There is no way any modern nation-state that finds itself in such an abnormal situation will ever prosper, and develop, to serve the interest of the majority of its citizens. What of those who rigged or bribed themselves into political offices, and who are today, in charge of running the affairs of the government and political future of the Nigerian State. As a matter of fact, nobody should expect a miracle to happen, that will bring about the Eldorado most people want to see take root in Nigeria. No one gives what he does not have – “Nemo dat quod non habet.”
Therefore, those advocating for the so-called “Unification of Nigeria” (or rather Unity of Nigeria), under the present dispensation, or even promoting it with the deceitful political slogan, “New Nigeria” (a slogan which some politicians used for campaign during the last elections 2023), is for me, a joke, or rather an insult to our collective intelligence as a Black race, taken too far. If the corrupt Nigerian politicians and their cronies, who benefit and eat from such a rotten and evil system and nation-state, called Nigeria, are the ones making such insensitive suggestions, because they want to sound ‘politically correct’, validate the existing corrupt system and structure, and continue to enrich themselves from it, at least one can understand from where they are coming from. But for some highly respected individuals, who are not only seen as intellectuals but also as commanding some level of moral authority in society and Africa today, to be saying such things, indeed, for me, leaves much to be desired.
This is why we have chosen to address in the present article, such insensitive utterances coming from some highly respected public commentators and African intellectuals, who have recently made those unfortunate statements on Nigeria, advocating for the continued existence of Nigeria in its present form and structure. Which for me, is absurd. Because, as things are today, everyone knows that Nigeria is a failed state and there is nothing anybody can do to salvage it, other than helping to save the lives of the people trapped in that entity. And this can only be possible by helping or putting in motion, things that will eventually, lead the international community, the United Nations, to be precise, to come and organize a referendum for self-determination among the different major ethnic nationalities or geopolitical regions that make the entity called Nigeria. This is the only way to save the lives of the endangered indigenous populations inhabiting that geographical space, which the British named Nigeria.
“Pacification” in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
Those who are familiar with Prof. Chinua Achebe’s epic novel, “Things Fall Apart”, will remember vividly how Achebe applied that title or rather expression, “THE PACIFICATION OF THE PRIMITIVE TRIBES OF THE LOWER NIGER”, as the title the British District Commissioner who presided over the British plundering and dispossession of Igbo culture and destruction of the traditional system of political organization of Igbo society, during those inglorious days of the British colonialism in Igboland, had chosen to give to the book the District Commissioner was planning to write. As Achebe put it: “In the book which he (District Commissioner) planned to write he would stress that point. As he walked back to the court he thought about the book. Every day brought him some new material. The story of this man (meaning, Okonkwo), who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph, at any rate. There was so much else to include, and one must be firm in cutting out details. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: “THE PACIFICATION OF THE PRIMITIVE TRIBES OF THE LOWER NIGER.” – (See, the last paragraph of the last chapter (chapter 25) of Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”.)
“Where Was the World When We Died?” – Chimamanda’s “Half Of A Yellow Sun”
In her own novel, “Half Of A Yellow Sun,”, which was published, about fifty years after the publication of Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, takes us to a new dimension of the politics behind the whole choice of titles for the books those who participated or whose ancestors participated in the colonization of Africa, chose to give to the books they write about their adventurous inroad into African reality. The titles they give their books may change, but the language, motive and content, do not. This is the crux of the matter!
Thus, to appreciate all the more, the significance of those colonial and neo-colonial expressions (e.g., “Pacification” | “Amalgamation” | “Unification”, etc.), and titles, European colonizers and their offspring give the books they write about Africa, it suffices to look at how it was depicted in Chimamanda’s “Half Of A Yellow Sun.” The long-term effects of those colonial expressions, the insidious deceit behind those colonial violence-ridden expressions, hidden in the titles of their books on Africa. Chimamanda’s “Half Of A Yellow Sun”, depicts, and brings out another aspect, or rather the neo-colonial reactions, in a reverse manner of post-colonial choice and type of equally, similar incidents and expressions, about their image of Africa and the continent’s people. “Half Of A Yellow Sun” showcases a grandchild of one of the former British colonial masters, who met his African lady lover of the same age, during the Biafra War in Eastern Nigeria. Both of them, Richard and Kainene, had found themselves confronted with the burden and lasting consequences of European colonialism in post-independent Africa, which ultimately, were judged to be responsible for the empathy the world manifested towards the plights of Biafrans during the war in the 60s’.
In particular, Chimamanda’s “Half Of A Yellow Sun”, in an excellent way, presents the hidden and secret nuances of those expressions (e.g., “Pacification” | “Amalgamation” | “Unification”, etc.). Although, she did not use those things in her novel, however, they are reflected in a reverse form, in the title of a new book Richard was writing on Biafra, which deals with the near total empathy shown by the international community towards the plights of Biafrans. Again, this grand-child of the colonizers, Richard has now befriended a beautiful Biafran Igbo lady named Kainene in the “Half Of A Yellow Sun”, a novel that is a fiction but a true story of the tragedy of the Biafra War and the things Igbo Biafrans suffered most and had to encounter during the war and thereafter. It is all about the long-term effects of British colonialism in Nigeria and Eastern Nigeria, in particular, judged to be the remote causes of the Biafra-Nigeria War.
Richard in writing his book about the same people and region of Eastern Nigeria following the tragic Nigeria-Biafra War, has chosen a title for his new book, which invariably did not speak of the colonial “Pacification”, “Amalgamation”, or “Unification”, as such, as the direct cause of the Nigeria-Biafra War. Rather, he chooses a title which resonates with the Western European post-colonial approach and image of Africa. Namely, Africa is a place of anything that is humanly embarrassing; a place of a ‘humanitarian’ tragedy, which was expected to elicit the usual, exotic European moral sense of a ‘Father-Christmas’, kind of “charity”, to save the poor, helpless and dying Africans. It was obvious, Richard was writing for his British people and European audience. And certainly, not for Africans or the Biafrans. Thus, the reason Kainene might have figured out that made her burn the manuscript of Richard’s book.
However, that notwithstanding, Richard was genuinely, touched by the tragedy of the Biafra War, and couldn’t understand why the World couldn’t act or rather come to the aid of the Biafran people, all through the three years of the British-backed Nigeria war of genocide against the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria! But the fact that Kainene was not impressed or rather pleased with Richard writing a book about the tragedy of the Biafra War, and knowing that Kainene herself, is equally educated in the same university in London as Richard, shows that she might have figured out some uncomfortable thing in Richard’s manuscript and intention for his proposed book. Namely, the same colonial arrogance and deceit that dominated the book the British District Colonial Commissioner in Eastern Nigeria, Igboland was writing about “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger”, in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, might have, also been found by Kainene to be present in the new book, Richard was writing about her Igbo Biafran people and the war. Again, methinks, that explains why Kainene had to burn the manuscript of Richard’s book, titled, “The World Was Silent When We Died.”
Chimamanda in her novel, beautifully, describes Kai nene’s anger with Richard over the proposed book:
“Her [Kainene] face was expressionless. ‘I took your manuscript from the study this morning and I burned it,’ she said. Richard felt a soar in his chest of emotions he could not name. ‘The Basket of Hands’, the collection of pages that he was finally confident could become a book, was gone. He could never duplicate the unbridled energy that had come with words. But it did not matter. What mattered was that by burning his manuscript she had shown him that she would not end the relationship; she would not bother to cause him pain if she was not going to stay. Perhaps he was not a true writer after all. He had read somewhere that, for true writers, nothing was more important than their art, not even love.” – (See, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “Half Of A Yellow Sun,” Anchor Books, New York 2007, p. 324).
Furthermore, what is the content of that thing Richard was writing about Biafra in his burnt book, “The World Was Silent When We Died?”
“He writes about the world that remained silent while Biafrans died! He argues that Britain inspired this silence. The arms and advice that Britain gave Nigeria shaped other countries. In the United States, Biafra was “under Britain’s sphere of interest.” In Canada, the prime minister quipped. “Where is Biafra?” The Soviet Union sent technicians and planes to Nigeria, thrilled at the chance to influence Africa without offending America or Britain. And from their white supremacist positions, South Africa and Rhodesia gloated at further proof that black-run governments were doomed to failure.
Communist China denounced Anglo-American imperialism but did little else to support Biafra. The French sold Biafra some arms but did not give the recognition that Biafra most needed. And many Black African countries feared an independent Biafra would trigger other secessions and so supported Nigeria.” – (“Half Of A Yellow Sun”, p. 324.).
Implications for Nigeria
The foregoing discussion brings us to the central question posed by our present article. Namely, “Can Nigeria be saved?” If yes, how? If not, what next? And if Nigeria is going to be saved, for what purpose? Put differently, between saving human lives and the Nigerian State, which one needs to be given priority and why? Human lives, or the colonial artificial, arbitrarily created Nigerian nation-state? A nation-state like Nigeria has proven times without number, that it is incapable of providing its citizens with the basic things of the state, namely, the security of lives and welfare of the people. Such a country that could not render to its citizens the basic role of the state no longer deserves to be called a nation-state. In fact, it no longer deserves to exist as a nation-state. This is the stage Nigeria is now as we speak, and every index and data, point to that.
Therefore, the primary issue before us in this matter is about the endangered lives of the local populations of the different indigenous ethnic groups that were forcefully merged together through a colonial fiat by the British in 1914, and named Nigeria by the same Britain. And the continued existence of that abnormal, colonial-created British contraption, called Nigeria. Between Nigerian State as it is today, and the endangered lives of the indigenous populations that inhabit that geographical space called Nigeria, which one is more important than the other? The struggle for human survival of the indigenous populations, or the continued existence of the fraudulently and arbitrarily, created Nigerian nation-state? Between the human lives of ‘Nigerian citizens’ and the Nigerian State, which one would you choose?
The fact is that since its flag political Independence from Britain in 1960, to the present day, the Nigerian State has been kept together as one nation-state at ‘gun-point’ by those in the corridors of power. From its flag political Independence to the present day, the Nigerian State and the majority of its citizens have only known history of political turmoil, instability, military coups, wars, conflicts, rigged elections, poverty, and corruption of the highest order by those in positions of leadership of the country. The country and its citizens have been living under a kind of what some have described as a state of ’emergency’, all in the name of ‘keeping Nigeria One.’
Some targeted ethnic groups or regions (e-g., the Southeastern geopolitical zone), have remained under military siege and militarization since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra War in 1970, to the present day. Such targeted ethnic groups and geopolitical zones have often been visited with violence, which is in most cases, and sometimes, state-sponsored. The people of those regions have continued to experience, what everybody knows is government-sponsored terrorism, bloodbaths, ethnic cleansing, and pogroms against them as a people. In some cases, the Muslim extremists’ terrorism, killer-herdsmen banditry, kidnapping and killings of innocent citizens across the county, have continued to remain like an incurable cankerworm both in the Northern Sharia States and in many other parts of the country.
In other words, the story of the Nigerian State since its creation by the British in 1914, and especially, since its flag political independence in 1960, is replete with killings, and the shedding of the blood of its own citizens under the watch of the governments and security operatives of the Nigerian State itself. The inhabitants of the Nigerian State, have not only suffered most of these menaces, at the time of the British colonizers, but especially, they have suffered more, and have continued to suffer more of those things, till today in Nigeria, at the hands of their own local agents that succeeded the colonizers in governing Nigeria.
All these mean that the problem of Nigeria is beyond the so-called “Nigerian Unity is Non-Negotiable”, or the renewed clamour for what some have called, the “Unification of Nigeria.” The problem of Nigeria has also surpassed the calculations of the authors of the 1914 infamous Amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates of Nigeria, which was championed by the British colonial governor-general, Frederick Lugard. The problem with Nigeria, is equally, beyond the current call for the so-called “New Nigeria”, or the clamour for a new Constitution.
Mind you, there is nothing intrinsically, evil or bad in any of those ideas or terms (e.g., “Pacification” | “Amalgamation” | “Unification”, or “Unity”, etc.). But as things are today, and as history has shown, the problem of Nigeria has surpassed all of them. Moreover, there is no amount of political elections or change of personnel through elections that can save Nigeria. There is no enabling environment either, for any free, fair and credible elections to be conducted in Nigeria today. The last 2023 elections, just like the ones before it, have all confirmed this naked fact.
The Way-Out
The only thing that can save the situation today in Nigeria, is a referendum for self-determination of the different major ethnic nationalities or geopolitical regions. So, that each region would decide how they want to be governed, and if they want to still be part of the Nigerian State or not. Those who may opt to separate, to form their own independent sovereign nation-states, should be allowed to do so, without any coercion or military killings of them.
In this way, we will become good neighbours – good neighbouring nation-states and members of ECOWAS. This will put an end, or at least minimize the bloodshed, and help reduce drastically, the menace of Muslim terrorism, insurgence and herdsmen banditry and killings of the indigenous populations in the entire country as well as in the Sahel region. Because, each person, will from now on, be in charge of their own government and security operatives. They will not allow foreigners to invade their territory and kill their people again. Something that is not possible in Nigeria as it is presently structured and governed.
After all, nation-states are meant to be organically, and ethnic-based. E.g., practically, all the countries of Western Europe that we call states or nations today, are basically, ethnic-based. For instance, try to put Germany and France together as one nation-state, and you will find out that they will be behaving in exactly the same way we see ourselves performing in Nigeria today. The same will happen, if you put Italy and Greece and Turkey together, or Britain and France and Russia together, and make them one nation-state. In fact, Nigeria will look like a paradise. This is why we need to opt for the renegotiation of the Nigerian State, through a referendum for self-determination, and according to major ethnic lines and natural boundaries. Anything outside this, is inviting more bloodshed, conflicts, terrorism and continued political instability and general insecurity in the country, as well as promoting poverty and a state of hopelessness among the citizenry.
Conclusion
As a way of conclusion, it is important to emphasize once more, that the only thing that can save the situation in which the people have found themselves in this contraption, the British had fraudulently and deceitfully coupled together and named Nigeria in 1914, is REFERENDUM FOR SELF-DETERMINATION. Q.E.D.
Let the international community, precisely, the United Nations, begin to think about it, and very fast too. Organize a referendum for self-determination along ethnic lines, among each of the major ethnic nationalities or geopolitical regions that make up that entity called Nigeria. Anything outside this is like playing in the gallery. A Stitch in Time Saves Nine!
Fr. Francis Anekwe Oborji is a Roman Catholic Priest, is Professor Ordinarius of contextual theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
“Half Of A Yellow Sun”, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in the bookstore 2006
President of the Russian Federation at the BRICS Summit expanded format meeting.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: President Ramaphosa, President Lula, Prime Minister Modi, President Xi Jinping, friends, and colleagues, I would like to begin by thanking our South African friends for everything they have done as part of their BRICS chairmanship this year.
Those of my colleagues who took the floor before me praised BRICS for its efforts, and overall we share this assessment. This association of five nations has established itself internationally as a respected entity and has been consistently strengthening its standing in international affairs.
BRICS has been following a forward-looking strategic course that meets the aspirations of a significant portion of the international community, the so-called global majority. By acting in a coordinated manner and based on the principles of equality, supporting each other as partners and taking each other’s interests into account, we tackle the most urgent issues on the global and regional agendas.
Importantly, we are all united in our commitment to shaping a multipolar world order with genuine justice, based on international law and in keeping with the key principles outlined in the UN Charter, including sovereignty and respecting the right of every nation to follow its own development model. We oppose hegemonies of any kind and the exceptional status that some countries aspire to, as well as the new policy it entails, a policy of continued neo-colonialism.
Let me point out that it was the attempts by some countries to preserve their global hegemony that paved the way to the deep crisis in Ukraine. It started when an anti-constitutional government coup took place in this country with the help of Western countries. This was followed by a war against people who refused to accept this coup. It was a cruel war, a war of extermination, which lasted for eight years.
Russia decided to side with people who are fighting for their culture, their traditions, language and future. Stopping the war unleashed by the West and its satellites in Ukraine against the people of Donbas is the only thing that defines our actions in Ukraine.
We are grateful to our BRICS colleagues who actively try to end this situation and achieve a just settlement by peaceful means.
Colleagues, what matters is that we all unanimously stand in favour of a multipolar world order that is truly fair and based on international law. From year to year, the BRICS countries are increasing their potential. As was already mentioned, the five partner states, with a total population exceeding 3 billion, account for a greater share in global GDP than the so-called Group of Seven regarding purchasing power parity. Over the past decade, BRICS countries have doubled their investment in the global economy, and their total exports have reached 20 percent of the global total.
The partner countries are successfully implementing their Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025. In particular, they are strengthening five-sided cooperation in such areas as diversification of supply chains, de-dollarisation and the transition to national currencies in mutual transactions, digital economy, support for small and medium-sized businesses, and fair technology transfer. And of course, businesses are taking an active part in these processes. The BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance are putting in a lot of effort, something the host of today’s meeting, President Ramaphosa, has already mentioned, and the leaders of these bodies are present here.
An important priority of BRICS cooperation is the creation of new sustainable and safe transport routes. Speaking to the participants of the BRICS Business Forum, I mentioned the relevance of accelerated development of transcontinental routes such as the North-South corridor, which will connect Russian ports in the northern seas and the Baltic Sea with sea terminals in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean and in the future, will be able to facilitate annual transit of up to 30 million tonnes of cargo.
We believe that the time has come to establish a permanent BRICS transport commission, which would deal not only with the North-South project but also on a broader scale with the development of logistics and transport corridors, interregional and global. If our partners agree, the Russian side could work on this idea as part of its BRICS chairmanship in 2024.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool striker, is a talented and dynamic footballer who has made a significant impact on the world of football. Born on April 10, 1992, in Sedhiou, Senegal, Mane has emerged as one of the most exciting players of his generation.
Mane’s journey to success was not an easy one. He grew up in a small village in Senegal and faced numerous challenges along the way. However, his passion for football and determination to succeed propelled him to greater heights. At a young age, Mane caught the attention of scouts and was signed by the Senegalese club, Generation Foot.
In 2012, Mane moved to Europe and joined the Austrian club, Red Bull Salzburg. It was here that he truly began to showcase his immense talent. Mane’s impressive performances earned him a move to the English Premier League, where he joined Southampton in 2014.
Mane’s time at Southampton was marked by his electrifying pace, exceptional dribbling skills, and clinical finishing. His performances caught the eye of Liverpool, who signed him in 2016. Mane quickly established himself as a key player for the club, forming a deadly attacking trio alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
During his time at Liverpool, Mane played a crucial role in the club’s success. He was instrumental in their Champions League triumph in 2019, where he scored crucial goals in the competition’s knockout stages. Mane’s contributions have also helped Liverpool secure Premier League titles and other domestic honours.
Known for his humility and work ethic, Mane is not only admired for his footballing abilities but also for his off-field persona. He is actively involved in charity work, particularly in his home country of Senegal, where he has funded the construction of schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure.
As Mane enters his 30s, he continues to be a force to be reckoned with. His speed, skill, and goal-scoring prowess make him a nightmare for opposing defenders. Despite facing stiff competition from younger talents, Mane remains a key player for any team he represents.
What are some of the off-field contributions that Sadio Mane has made in Senegal?
Sadio Mane’s off-field contributions in Senegal have been significant and have made a positive impact on the lives of many people. Here are some of the notable contributions he has made:
1. Education: Mane has invested in education initiatives in Senegal. He funded the construction of a school in his hometown of Bambali, providing access to quality education for children in the community. Mane believes education is the foundation for a better future and has shown his commitment to improving educational opportunities in his country.
2. Infrastructure Development: Recognizing the need for better infrastructure in Senegal, Mane has also contributed to the construction of hospitals and other facilities. These contributions have helped improve healthcare access and other essential services for the people of Senegal.
3. Charity Work: Mane has been actively involved in various charitable endeavours. He has donated money and resources to organizations working on poverty alleviation, healthcare, and community development projects in Senegal. His philanthropic efforts have touched the lives of many individuals and communities in need.
4. Support for Sports Development: Mane has also shown his commitment to sports development in Senegal. He has sponsored football tournaments and academies, providing young talents with opportunities to develop their skills and pursue their dreams. Mane understands the importance of nurturing young talent and giving back to the sport that has brought him success.
5. Inspiring the Youth: As a successful footballer from Senegal, Mane serves as an inspiration to many young people in the country. He has shown that hard work, dedication, and talent can lead to great achievements. Mane’s story motivates young individuals to pursue their passions and believe in their abilities.
Sadio Mane’s off-field contributions reflect his deep connection to his homeland and his desire to make a positive difference in the lives of his fellow Senegalese. His generosity and commitment to social causes have earned him respect and admiration, both on and off the football field.
In conclusion, Sadio Mane is a footballing icon who has left an indelible mark on the sport. His journey from a small village in Senegal to the pinnacle of European football is a testament to his talent and determination. As he enters the next phase of his career, football fans around the world eagerly await the next chapter in the remarkable story of Sadio Mane. Wishing them a blissful married life together!
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
A collage picture of Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON, Leader, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR, OFN, CFR – President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader Afenifere, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President, Middle Belt Forum, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, FNSE, National Chairman, PANDEF
KILLINGS IN THE MIDDLE BELT AND THREAT TO NIGERIA’S CONTINUED CORPORATE EXISTENCE: THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU
Mr. President,
The joy expressed by you in your New Year message in welcoming your “compatriots to this brand new year 2024” cannot be understood or shared by several millions of our countrymen and women, particularly the people of Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, where over 200 innocent villagers were killed by terrorists, with more than 300 persons injured, several properties destroyed and thousands of people have been displaced, between Christmas Eve, Friday 24th and Monday 26th December 2023.
The SMBLF commiserates with the affected families, and people of Plateau State, and commends the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International, the Pope, and the International Community, generally, for their unequivocal condemnation of the killings on the Plateau, while urging that the world be conscious of the grave implications of these happenings on the corporate existence of the Nigerian Federation.
The unrelenting massacre bordering on ethnic cleansing and armed occupation of the territories of the indigenous peoples of the Middle-Belt and most parts of Northern Nigeria by identified ethnic militias have shown without any doubt that the Nigerian state, its government, and security forces have continued to fail in the fundamental duty of the security and welfare of citizens as the primary purpose of government as stated in Section 14(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr. President, unfortunately, and as it was with the Buhari administration, rather than accept the reality of the danger posed to the corporate existence of the federation by an extra-territorial agenda of the Fulani ethnic nationality, backed by organized and well-armed militias, which was, since 2018, declared by Amnesty International as the “4th most deadly terrorist organization in the world”, your administration has also, now, in bad faith, dressed this evil in the false garb of “herders/farmers’ clash”, and the blood-thirsty ethnic militias as mere bandits. It is a conflict where one side, fully armed, continues to attack and kill the innocent, who are being deliberately defanged by agents of the Government.
Mr. President, your predecessor had all the facts and evidence of an ideological Fulanisation agenda but preferred to pander and prevaricate than bring justice to the victims of oppression and genocide. The cycle of attacks, government inaction, and provable official complicity engendered a situation where no less a personality than General T. Y. Danjuma Rtd, former Chief of Army Staff and former Defence Minister, openly advised victims of terrorism to arm themselves, since the Government appears unwilling to stem the atrocities being committed against the indigenous peoples.
Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, a former member of an elite group of Intelligence officers in our military on national television posited that a list of sponsors of Terror was in the hands of the government, with names of those behind these dastardly acts in the country. In addition to the list, the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), admitted to having received a list of Terror Sponsors from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Of course, nothing was done!
The audacious and reckless assertions by some prominent personalities of Fulani Extraction like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who ought to be more “civilized”, lent credence to the Fulanisation agenda. Nasir El-Rufai reportedly threatened that “whoever kills a Fulani herdsman, including the army, takes a death loan, repayable in 100 years” on an alleged plan by the military to dislodge a Fulani-occupied settlement on other people’s ancestral home in the outskirts of Jos, Plateau State. He warned that “if the Nigerian Army goes and removes the Fulani settlement, any person wearing Nigerian Army uniform in 14 Western African countries is at risk..”
Governor Bala Mohammed, on his part, justified the possession of AK-47 weapons by the Fulani herders as self-defence in “practising the tradition of trans-human, pastoralism” throughout West Africa with no regard for national boundaries not to mention ancestral lands of other groups, which has no affinity to the Fulani.
The Buhari administration tried all the tricks in its wits to create Fulani settlements in other people’s territories throughout Nigeria by different strategies of “land grabbing” in the guise of RUGA, Grazing Routes, Cattle Colonies or contrived integrated agriculture Schemes, where new estates would be built for pastoralists with better amenities than the host communities whose lands would be acquired by the Federal Government, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution, which make land use regulations an exclusive state affair. The then-presidential spokesman betrayed the mind of the government when he advised the people that “it was better they released lands than lose their lives”.
The horror of the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State is not different from the situation in Benue where several communities, particularly in Kwande, Gwer-West, Guma, Makurdi, and Logo Local Government Areas are perennially attacked by the pampered armed Fulani ethnic militias who have taken over other people’s lands and homes.
In Kaduna State, and Southern Kaduna particularly, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Lere, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa Local Governments are largely under the control of terrorists. The operations of these armies of occupation claimed to be foreigners were allegedly boosted by El-Rufai’s admission of payment of huge amounts of money to Fulani militants across West Africa only to end up lamenting that these associates of his invariably made Kaduna State ungovernable.
The situation in Niger State is not different, if not worse, as according to the immediate past Governor of the State, Abubakar Sani-Bello, terrorists (he called them bandits) have taken over 12 local government areas in Niger State as confirmed during his visit in 2022 to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Central Primary School, Gwada. The worst hit Local Governments in the state include Rafi, Munyan, Shiroro, Magama, Mashegu, Mariaga, and Wushishi some of which the terrorists not only have their flags hoisted but also collect taxes and levies, in a state bordering the FCT.
In the Zuru district of Kebbi State, terrorists are so much in control that they audaciously opened fire and killed military men deployed to the area following an earlier killing of scores of vigilantes otherwise known as Yan-Sa-Kai by the terrorists.
In Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina, peasant farmers of the Hausa as well as other non-Fulani nationalities can no longer access their farms as a result of Fulani terrorism. The case of Zamfara is worst having been virtually rendered ungovernable except for the State capital, Gusau.
Former President Buhari deliberately handicapped himself by a deceitful mindset that people of the North-West were of the same tribes and religion and wondered why they were fighting amongst themselves. The truth however is that the north-west geopolitical zone is most diverse in ethnic content and the war therein is orchestrated by the desire for new territorial spaces for the Fulani both within and outside Nigeria against the other ethnic nationalities especially the Hausa majority which has for ages been falsely touted as being indistinguishable from the Fulani.
SMBLF holds as indisputably self-evident that all ethnic nationalities were and have settled in their portions of Nigeria before the amalgamation and establishment of Nigeria in 1914, and thus, the current rabid territorial ambition and quest for the alteration of the demographic structures of the federation will lead to chaos and internecine wars, the end of which may be the dismemberment of the fragile Nigerian Federation. In light of the foregoing, the SMBLF, moved by the patriotic desire for the corporate continuity of Nigeria and, the peaceful and mutually respectful coexistence of its diverse nationalities strongly urges that you, Mr. President consider the following:
1. Your government holds an honest and truthful security inquiry to determine communities wherein the original inhabitants have been displaced in the last 2 decades and enforce the immediate return and resettlement of the people in their ancestral homes.
2. Further to the above, the government should, in no distant future, close all IDP camps to end the shameful and sinful policy of building such refugee camps for the indigenous peoples while their ancestral homes are allowed to be occupied by the armed invaders.
3. That the Security agencies, including the police, the Civil Defence Corps, and others be specially trained and equipped to rise to the challenges as Nigeria is fast becoming a banana or pariah state of its kid-gloves treatment of terrorism.
4. That the Nigerian state which fought a tribal civil war to secure its corporate existence should not allow another internecine war of diverse tribes brought about by its permissive handling of provocative activities of local Fulani militias aided by collaborators from the West African sub-region and the Sahel.
5. The desire of the Fulani to be treated as an exclusive “race” cannot be allowed to continue in a free and egalitarian Nation. They should seek land for their trade in the same way other Nigerians buy and manage land and stop this sense of entitlement.
Urgent steps be taken to restructure Nigeria in line with the tenets of true federalism, to legitimize multi-level policing such that states and communities will provide commensurate security for their people.
6. That you, Mr President, should rise to the occasion and dare the powers that be; decisively deal with the perpetrators of the senseless killings, end the massacre, and guarantee the safety of lives and property of citizens in all parts of our country, especially the Middle Belt Region, and restore the dignity of citizens and national pride; for which you will ever be remembered!
Mr. President, kindly accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, FNSE, National Chairman, PANDEF
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
His Excellency, President Vladimir Putin of Russia
Citizens of Russia, friends,
We are bidding farewell to 2023. Very soon it will become part of history and we will have to move forward and create the future. We have worked very hard and accomplished a lot over the past year. We were proud of our common achievements and happy about our successes. And we were firm, protecting the national interests, our freedom and security, and our values which continue to be our unshakeable foundation. And the main thing which has united us is the destiny of the Motherland. There is a deep understanding of the utmost importance of the historic period which Russia is going through, those ambitious goals which society is facing and the colossal responsibility for the Motherland that every one of us feels. We are acutely and clearly aware of how much depends on us during this period, on our positive attitude, and our aspiration to support each other in word and deed. Work for the common good has united society. We are united in our thoughts, deeds and in battle, on weekdays or holidays, displaying the main traits of the Russian people – solidarity, mercy, fortitude.
I would like to address our military personnel – everyone who is on duty, who is on the front lines fighting for truth and justice. You are our heroes. Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you and we admire your courage. I know that right now you feel the love of your nearest and dearest, the powerful and sincere support of millions of Russian citizens, the support of the entire people. We have proved over and over again that we can tackle the most difficult tasks and we will never back down as no force can divide us, make us forget the memory and the faith of our fathers, or stop our development.
Friends,
At all times, the New Year celebrations have been associated with bright hopes and a sincere wish to bring joy to the people you love. The upcoming year of 2024 has been declared the Year of the Family in our country. And a true big family is of course a family with children, where you find care and attention, warm-heartedness and support for the parents, love and respect for each other. This kind of generational kinship and love of one’s home fosters devotion to the Motherland. I would like to convey my very best wishes for the new year to all Russian families. After all, the history of our huge, wonderful, and beloved Motherland is made up of the history of each family. We, the multinational people of Russia, shape its future.
We are one country, one big family. We will ensure the steady development of the Motherland, and the well-being of our citizens, and we will become even stronger. We are together. And this is the most reliable guarantee of Russia’s future.
The act of love and kindness carried out by Christ Embassy Moscow, Russia Group in collaboration with Christ Embassy Nnewi Group at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital in Nnewi is truly heartwarming.
On the 23rd of December, they visited the hospital to honour our dear Man of God’s Birthday and spread love during the Christmas season. The groups sponsored and fully paid off the Hospital Bills for over 8 patients in different wards, which is an incredibly generous gesture.
The video and pictures attached to this message show the overwhelming tears of joy and gratitude from the recipients of this act of kindness. Their kind actions brought hope and comfort to those in need during the Christmas season.
In addition to paying the hospital bills, they also distributed copies of the Rhapsody of Realities dailies and the Healing to the Nations magazine to all. This further shows their commitment to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, love, and inspiration through spiritual teachings and healing.
As a ministry in Russia, Christ Embassy Russia expresses its profound gratitude to Pastor Chris for teaching us how to love beyond borders through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This act of love exemplifies the core values of the Christ Embassy community and demonstrates the power of kindness and compassion.
Overall, the collaboration between Christ Embassy Moscow, Russia Group, and Christ Embassy Nnewi Group is a remarkable example of how love and kindness can transcend geographical boundaries and impact the lives of people in need.
It gives me immense joy to welcome each and every one of you – young and old- to this brand new year 2024. We must lift up our hands to Almighty God, in gratitude, for His grace and benevolence to our country and our lives in the year 2023 that has just gone by. Though the past year was a very challenging one, it was eventful in so many ways. For our country, it was a transition year that saw a peaceful, orderly and successful transfer of power from one administration to another, marking yet another remarkable step in our 24 years of unbroken democracy.
It was a year, you the gracious people of this blessed nation, entrusted your faith in me with a clear mandate to make our country better, revamp our economy, restore security within our borders, revitalise our floundering industrial sector, boost agricultural production, increase national productivity and set our country on an irreversible path towards national greatness that we and future generations will forever be proud of. The task of building a better nation and making sure we have a Nigerian society that cares for all its citizens is the reason I ran to become your President. It was the core of my Renewed Hope campaign message based on which you voted me as President.
Everything I have done in office, every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, have been done in the best interest of our country. Over the past seven months of our administration, I have made difficult yet necessary decisions to save our country from fiscal catastrophe. One of those decisions was the removal of fuel subsidy which had become an unsustainable financial burden on our country for more than four decades. Another was the removal of the chokehold of a few people on our foreign exchange system that benefited only the rich and the most powerful among us. Without a doubt, these two decisions brought some discomfort to individuals, families and businesses.
I am well aware that for some time now the conversations and debates have centred on the rising cost of living, high inflation above 28% and the unacceptable high under-employment rate. From the boardrooms at Broad Street in Lagos to the main streets of Kano and Nembe Creeks in Bayelsa, I hear the groans of Nigerians who work hard every day to provide for themselves and their families. I am not oblivious to the expressed and sometimes unexpressed frustrations of my fellow citizens. I know for a fact that some of our compatriots are even asking if this is how our administration wants to renew their hope.
Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch or falter. The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation. Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and every one of us will commit to being better citizens.
Silently, we have worked to free captives from abductors. While we can’t beat our chest yet that we had solved all the security problems, we are working hard to ensure that we all have peace of mind in our homes, places of work and on the roads. Having laid the groundwork of our economic recovery plans within the last seven months of 2023, we are now poised to accelerate the pace of our service delivery across sectors. Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and I agreed and committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver a reliable supply of electricity to our homes and businesses under the Presidential Power Initiative which began in 2018. Other power installation projects to strengthen the reliability of our transmission lines and optimise the integrity of our National grid are ongoing across the country.
My administration recognises that no meaningful economic transformation can happen without a steady electricity supply. In 2024, we are moving a step further in our quest to restart local refining of petroleum products with Port Harcourt Refinery, and the Dangote Refinery which shall fully come on stream. To ensure constant food supply, security and affordability, we will step up our plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops. We launched dry season farming with 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State last November under our National Wheat Development Programme.
In this new year, we will race against time to ensure all the fiscal and tax policy reforms we need to put in place are codified and simplified to ensure the business environment does not destroy value. On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business. I will fight every obstacle that impedes business competitiveness in Nigeria and I will not hesitate to remove any clog hindering our path to making Nigeria a destination of choice for local and foreign investments.
In my 2024 Budget presentation to the National Assembly, I listed my administration’s 8 priority areas including national defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security. Because we take our development agenda very seriously, our 2024 budget reflects the premium we placed on achieving our governance objectives.
We will work diligently to make sure every Nigerian feels the impact of their government. The economic aspirations and the material well-being of the poor, the most vulnerable and the working people shall not be neglected. It is in this spirit that we are going to implement a new national living wage for our industrious workers this new year. It is not only good economics to do this, but it is also a morally and politically correct thing to do.
I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough. It is the reason I put in place a Policy Coordination, Evaluation, Monitoring and Delivery Unit in the Presidency to make sure that governance output improves the living conditions of our people. We have set the parameters for evaluation. Within the first quarter of this new year, Ministers and Heads of Agencies with a future in this administration that I lead will continue to show themselves.
Fellow Nigerians, my major ambition in government as a Senator in the aborted Third Republic, as Governor of Lagos State for eight years and now as the President of this blessed country is to build a fair and equitable society and close the widening inequality. While I believe the rich should enjoy their legitimately earned wealth, our minimum bargain must be that any Nigerian who works hard and diligent enough will have a chance to get ahead in life. I must add that because God didn’t create us with equal talents and strengths, I can not guarantee that we will have equal outcomes when we work hard. But my government, in this new year 2024 and beyond, will work to give every Nigerian equal opportunity to strive and to thrive.
For the new year to yield all its good benefits to us as individuals and collectively as a people we must be prepared to play our part. The job of building a prosperous nation is not the job of the President, Governors, Ministers, Lawmakers and government officials alone. Our destinies are connected as members of this household of Nigeria. Our language, creed, ethnicity and religious beliefs even when they are not the same should never make us work at cross purposes.
In this new year, let us resolve that as joint heirs to the Nigerian Commonwealth, we will work for the peace, progress and stability of our country. I extend this call to my political opponents in the last election. The election is over. It’s time for all of us to work together for the sake of our country. We must let the light each of us carries – men and women, young and old – shine bright and brighter to illuminate our path to a glorious dawn.
I wish all of us a happy and prosperous year 2024. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, January 1, 2024
Kindly use the following link: https://youtu.be/zAg89VgOwDw to listen to President Tinubu’s New Year message to Nigerians
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
A collage picture of major political parties in Nigeria
Many Nigerians in public and private sectors are desirous of venturing into politics to contribute their quota to the development of their respective states and the country. This desire begs the question: how does one get into politics and more importantly, how does one succeed in it? Success here means realising one’s political aspirations which may be ward chairman, councillor, local government chairman, state lawmaker, federal lawmaker, governor, president etc. To get any of the aforementioned political offices, anyone with such an ambition must join a political party and secure a ticket because the Nigerian Constitution makes no room for independent candidacy. By obtaining a political party’s ticket which is intra-party success in one breadth, a politician is well-positioned to actualize his/her ambition in the general election. This article seeks to x-ray strategies for achieving intra-party success which provides the gateway to success at the general election.
A careful study of the Nigerian political landscape in the last several decades revealed five strategies that assure success for any politician or prospective politician at the party level. In order words, for a politician to record success (i.e. secure the party’s ticket) within his/her chosen party, 5 strategies can be deployed with varying degrees of success and “time-to-success”.
The first strategy is ‘strategic headhunting’: Strategic headhunting means being plucked by a high-ranking party member or major decision-maker with overwhelming powers, influence and leverage within the party who clears the path and delivers the party’s ticket to an aspirant for one or two reasons which could be trust issues, covering tracks, loyalty or reward for past effort. In order words, this is practically an imposition of an aspirant on the party by fiat by a Godfather. There are several examples of this. The first example is Babatunde Fashola, a relatively unknown quantity in the defunct Action Congress (AC) in 2007. He was imposed on the party as its Lagos governorship candidate by then incumbent and outgoing governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. This was despite overt resistance and threat of mutiny by several party leaders, party loyalists and even cabinet members in the Tinubu administration. Fashola got the AC gubernatorial ticket on a platter, probably without even showing interest in the job and well ahead of previously highly favoured and well-touted frontline aspirants who had been laying the groundwork many years ahead, to succeed Tinubu. The second example is Akinwunmi Ambode who was also imposed as All Progressives Congress (APC) guber candidate in 2015 despite the outward resistance and stiff push-back from the incumbent and outgoing governor, Fashola. A third example is Governor Sanwo-Olu who was imposed as a replacement for Governor Ambode who was denied a second-term ticket by the APC hierarchy.
The fourth and more recent example is Ganiyu Ayuba, Special Adviser on Urban Development to Governor Sanwo-Olu. Ayuba was practically imposed as APC’s candidate for Alimosho Federal Constituency for the 2023 election. Who can compete with the spending power, influence and leverage of a sitting Governor with an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of more than N40bn per month? The governor and his loyalists practically bought over the Alimosho party leaders. The leaders were given offers they couldn’t refuse and told to work for the ‘chosen’ candidate with a promise to get more after the candidate wins the primaries and is elected in the general election. A variation of example 4 is first getting an appointment into the cabinet of a governor or president, or being an aide to a minister or lawmaker and using that position as a springboard (including name-dropping your principal) to launch a successful bid for the party’s ticket for an elective position. The time-to-success for strategic headhunting is the fastest of the 5 strategies. It is the quickest route to clinching the party’s ticket. It is just the imposition of a candidate down the throat of other party members. Party members and leaders who are loyal to the high-ranking party member or major decision-maker are advised to work for the success of the imposed candidate and that’s all. The similitude is heaven cracking your palm kernel on your behalf, just like how Tinubu nominated Osinbajo ahead of Wale Edun and Yemi Cardoso as Buhari’s running mate in 2014. Anyone who desires to achieve rapid political success should consider this route and warm his or her way into the heart of the powerful and influential major decision-makers of their chosen party.
The second strategy is the filial strategy. This means being the ward of a prominent politician, usually a past governor, president, minister, lawmaker etc. The prominent politician then uses his influence, clout, wide contacts and leverage including financial warchest if necessary, to secure the party’s tickets or nomination for his or her child. The first example is Hon Olumide Osoba, Representative, Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi Owode Federal Constituency, Ogun State who is the son of Chief Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State. A second example is Hon Babajide Obanikoro, Representative, Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, Lagos who is the scion of Musiliu Obanikoro, a former senator, minister, ambassador and council chairman. The third example is Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State who is the ward of Olusola Saraki, Senate Leader, 1979 – 1983. The time-to-success for this strategy is the second fastest. All that is required is to tell your Dad that you are interested in a particular political position. Sometimes, the father even prepares the son in advance by laying the blocks that put him in a vantage position to get the ticket. At other times, the ticket is imposed on the son by the father even if the son does not want it. The execution of this strategy is dependent on the strength, weight and leverage of the prominent politician within the party. The strategy does not guarantee 100% success as several prominent politicians have failed to secure tickets for their children. Here, the political weight of the parent counts.
The third strategy is the technocrat strategy: This means an aspiring politician desirous of speedy political success should first, be a successful, accomplished and distinguished personality in the private sector or his or her chosen career. Having distinguished yourself in the private sector, you become highly attractive to the powers-that-be in the political party especially when they want to hand the party’s ticket to persons with specific profiles. The major decision-makers simply call the accomplished or distinguished personality to come and take the ticket almost on a platter. The first example is Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Lagos East. Abriru who is the immediate past Managing Director of Polaris Bank, was given the APC Lagos East senatorial ticket in 2020 almost effortlessly following the demise of Senator Bayo Osinowo. Meanwhile, several members of the party in Lagos East have for years, been jostling for the ticket without success. They were overlooked for Abiru. That is the power of the technocrat strategy.
Another example is Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. He was an Executive Director at Zenith Bank before being given the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial ticket by then-outgoing Governor Godswill Akapabio in 2015. Bayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor at Central Bank and APC Oyo gubernatorial candidate in 2019 also comes to mind. A third example is former Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State. He had a distinguished career in the banking industry at GTBank and Societe Generale before he was appointed Commissioner for Finance. In 2011, he was given Kwara State’s PDP Guber ticket and went on to be elected a governor. The fourth example (appointive) is Ben Akabueze, former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Nal Bank Plc. He was appointed Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos after he left Nal Bank. The fifth example (appointive) is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Managing Operations, at World Bank. She was plucked from the World Bank and appointed Minister of Finance by Obasanjo in 2003. A final example (appointive) is Arunmah Oteh, Treasurer and Vice President at the World Bank. She was appointed Director-General, of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2010. The time-to-success for this strategy is the third fastest for elective political offices. However, for appointive political offices, this is the fastest route. In this case, the party leaders need someone who has a distinguished career in the private sector, especially for critical and sensitive appointive positions that cannot be filled by just anybody or a charlatan.
The fourth strategy is the money-bag strategy. This means being a flamboyant, free-spending and sociable billionaire with name recognition and buying your way through. Here, the billionaire heavily outspends any other aspirant, funds other candidates, gives party leaders the kind of money they cannot refuse and promises to give them more after securing the party’s ticket. An example is Governor Dapo Abiodun who secured the APC Ogun Guber ticket in 2019. Abiodun is the billionaire owner of Heyden Petroleum. Another example is Senator Demola Jackson Adeleke, governor-elect, of Osun State. Demola Adeleke was given PDP’s senatorial ticket for Osun West after APC denied him the opportunity to replace his billionaire brother, late senator Isiaka Adeleke (Serubawon) who passed while in office. Adeleke’s elder brother, Adedeji Adeleke (Baba Olowo), the billionaire owner of Pacific Holdings Ltd, outspent everyone and got him the PDP ticket. Baba Olowo, Davido’s father, also bankrolled the governor-elect’s victory at the Osun polls last July. The time-to-success for this strategy is the fourth fastest.
As a billionaire venturing into politics, you may not get the party’s ticket the first time or even the second time but you will most likely get it the third time or even get it from another party. Worst case, you will be begged and given the ticket for another position if the party leaders are unable to hand you the ticket for your desired position and yet, unwilling to dispense with you. They will rather compensate you with a ticket for another office or work out a political appointment at the Federal level for you than allow you go to another party where you can do incalculable damage to the electoral prospects of your former party with your huge financial resources.
The final strategy to be x-rayed is the ‘active party member’ strategy. This means a prospective politician should register as a member of a political party. Upon becoming a card-carrying member of the party, such a person will grow through the ranks; fund the party by monthly party dues; attend monthly and ad-hoc party meetings; congratulate party leaders on birthdays, naming, housewarming, coronation ceremonies; pay condolence visits during bereavements, show up at their events/Ileya/Christmas and dropping shishi; being prevailed upon by party leaders to pay school fees or foot childbirth bill of poor members of the society especially in areas that are the vote banks of the party; and going to party leaders house for political tutelage and ‘guidance’ etc. Such active and dutiful party members contest positions but are told several times by party leaders that a lot of people are in the queue (i.e. those who joined the party before you and who have been contesting the party’s ticket for years) and you should wait. Other times, they bluntly tell you to step down for a more favoured candidate. Sometimes you are allowed to contest and lose, recontest and lose again. Sometimes, you win the ticket but you are forced to withdraw or your ticket is bare-facedly withdrawn and given to someone else. At other times, you may win the ticket after several tries over several electoral cycles only for your name to be substituted with another name in the final list sent to INEC. Worse still, a directive may come from the national secretariat to give all incumbent officeholders a return ticket and in a flash, all your years of toil and service to party leaders will come to nought.
In essence, as an active party member, you are wholly at the mercy of your party leaders both at ward, state and federal levels. This is because you joined the party without bringing anything to the table. You were not singled out by an influential God-father, you are not the son or daughter of a prominent politician, you are not an accomplished and highly sought-after technocrat in your industry and you are not a billionaire who can fund the party. So what exactly are you bringing to the table? That is why you are at the party leaders’ mercy and they can toy with you as they like. They see you as coming to the party so that you can become ‘something’. Put another way, you need the party more than the party needs you.
An example of active member strategy is any and all politicians who did not get their tickets through any of the first four routes/strategies earlier mentioned. This is the route for most politicians as it is an all-comers affair. This is the typical route of hardcore politicians like late Senator Bayo Osinowo who had paid his dues and was a loyal party member before being given the ticket. He slaved for the party leaders for years. The time-to-success for this strategy is the longest. Worse still, there’s no guarantee. Here, you have to work for the party and party leaders for years. Some people have been contesting for councillorship tickets, LGA tickets, and House of Assembly tickets for 20 years and they still haven’t succeeded. Why? Because there are senior members in the party who joined the party before them. The queue is long and they need to wait for their time. With this strategy, it is easier to get party positions (i.e. positions such as Youth Leader, Publicity Secretary, Women Leader, Legal Adviser, Organizing Secretary etc.) within the state’s party structure after serving the party for several years, attending meetings, contributing membership fee and so on.
So, are you in the private sector or you are in the civil service and plan to play active politics in Nigeria someday, it is up to you to decide the strategy to employ. Good luck!
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu flanked by his lawyers in Court.
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nnamdi Kanu Supreme Court Judgment and Nigeria on Trial: In the first place, Nnamdi Kanu has put the Nigerian Judiciary on trial. He has exposed everything that is wrong with Nigeria and its judiciary. He has also fulfilled the prediction he made in 2015, when he first appeared at Nigeria’s High Court Abuja because of his chosen mission of freedom fighting for the self-determination and independence of the Indigenous People of Biafra (former Eastern Region), from Nigeria. He told the people gathered in the High Court at Abuja and across the globe that he was going to defeat Nigeria in its court with truth. Because “truth is a more potent weapon than arms.”
Love or hate him, Nnamdi Kanu has ‘defeated’ Nigeria with the truth. Today, Nnamdi Kanu is the hero of whatever has transpired between him and the Nigerian State, especially, Nigeria’s Judiciary. That is, in Nigeria’s law courts since 2015, when he was first arraigned in Abuja High Court by the Nigerian Government, and to the last December 15, 2023, so-called Supreme Court judgement, or rather, rape of justice. Nnamdi Kanu’s fight for truth and freedom, in each case, triumphed, and he remained the winner and hero over and above his tormentors. He has been vindicated always, and in each case, by truth, honesty and love for his people.
“No Easy Road to Freedom” – Nelson Mandela: As I wrote elsewhere some months ago, “the freedom of Nnamdi Kanu is NOT in Nigerian court.” At least, the shenanigan that they called the Supreme Court judgement on Kanu’s case of December 15, 2023, has once again, proven us right. Nnamdi Kanu’s Supreme Court Trial of December 15, 2023, has above all, exposed the rottenness, rascality, and abnormality in the already, deeply corrupt Nigeria’s judiciary. Not only that, it has also exposed the level of what some have described as, the ‘Clash of Laws’ in Nigeria’s Jurisprudence.’
It has also exposed how the three arms of the Federal Government of Nigeria are suffering from the same chronic disease, and are all partners in crime. This is the crux of the matter. Nnamdi Kanu’s last December 15, 2023, Nigeria’s Supreme Court rape of justice has exposed all that. Anybody telling you about the separation of powers between the three arms of the government of Nigeria is either ignorant or the person is simply playing on your intelligence like most of them at the corridors of power in that British colonial-created contraption, called Nigeria, do often, to gag the gullible. There is nothing like separation of powers between Nigeria’s three arms of government, namely, executive, legislative and judiciary. That is bullshit.
Whatever the case, however, one thing is certain. No matter what happens evil will never triumph over good. As the Holy Script assures us, ‘we are created for the glory of God and not for eternal suffering, to live in freedom as children of God, created in his image and likeness.’ Such that the rape of justice, in whatever form or shape they fashion it by the gatekeepers of the Nigerian State, has no long duration. It is a matter of time before everything it represents collapses and the children of God are set free.
The rape of justice we all witnessed in Nigeria’s corrupt and inconsistent Supreme Court ruling of December 15, 2023, at Abuja against Kanu’s release will never have an upper hand. Because, in the long run, true justice will assert itself and set free the ‘just man’, the evil Establishments holding indigenous Peoples in bondage in Nigeria, have tried to break him down and eliminate him from the face of the earth. God forbid! Those evil Establishments will eventually collapse, for truth and justice to reign. Again, don’t forget: “No easy road to freedom”, Nelson Mandela reminds us.
In fact, what you see playing out in their ongoing shenanigans called Nigeria’s ‘Court trial’ of Nnamdi Kanu, is the impunity and corruption that defines Nigeria as a nation-state. It is the highest manifestation of the judicial rascality, conflicts of interests, and confusion that is called Nigeria, an artificial and arbitrarily, abnormal nation-state that was created by the British as its business enterprise in 1914 and which it granted the flag fake independence in 1960.
Put in another way, Nnamdi Kanu’s ongoing court trial in Nigeria has showcased and brought to the limelight, the impunity and confusion as well as the conflicts of interests underpinning the three foreign laws’ Jurisprudences upon which the Nigerian State was created and founded by the British. And was handed over to the Fulani Muslim Caliphate Oligarchy of Northern Nigeria to look after them as their local neo-colonial agents, and spinoffs. Which, they have now, finally succeeded in bringing in as second-class collaborators and partners-in-crime, their Yoruba Muslim brethren Oligarchy ruling class and elites of the Southwest. This last group or geopolitical zone is now working together with the Fulani Caliphate – Northern Nigeria Sharia States, as the local spin-offs – British neo-colonial local agents over the rest of the indigenous Ethnic Nationalities that make up the British colonial-created contraption, called Nigeria.
The ‘Clash of Laws’ in Nigeria’s Jurisprudence: This is another clear evidence that shows that the Nigerian State has reached its end. Just think about the ‘Clash of Laws’ of different, conflicting Jurisprudences governing the country concurrently, which they used in determining their case against Nnamdi Kanu. Again, what is playing out in this court trial of Nnamdi Kanu is the confusion and impunity in which the Nigerian State was founded and has been governed since its creation by the British in 1914, and by its local agents, spin-offs, especially, since Nigeria’s flag fake Independence in 1960. Have you ever seen where any country in this modern day is practising concurrently three foreign laws’ jurisprudences, namely, English Law, Common Law, and Muslim Sharia Islamic Law Jurisprudences? All of which are alien to the Nigerian indigenous ethnic nationalities’ jurisprudence. Yet, the gatekeepers of the Nigerian state have been doing everything to make sure that they succeed in using these three foreign divergent and conflicting jurisprudence to suppress the over 50 indigenous jurisprudence of the Ethnic-Nationalities that make up the Nigerian State.
Again, the three diametrically and conflicting opposing foreign laws and jurisprudences upon which Nigeria was founded and is being run and governed today are, namely, the English/British (Constitutional Monarchical law), the (American) Common law, and the Arab Islamic (Caliphate) Sharia law Jurisprudences. These three foreign laws and Jurisprudences that are diametrically opposed to one another, and which are alien to the Jurisprudences of the Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria, are unfortunately, what is being practised concurrently in Nigeria, in running of the affairs of the Nigerian State, since independence in 1960 to the present day. The Constitution of Nigeria and the so-called ‘laws of the land’ of Nigeria are all based and dependent on those three conflicting and diametrically opposing foreign jurisprudences. Quo Vadis?
This is the abnormality of the Nigerian State and its so-called Jurisprudence and Judiciary system under which Nnamdi Kanu is being tried in Nigeria, for standing up against this unjust system, that has for long reduced his Biafran people and other indigenous ethnic groups in Nigeria into second-class citizens and nonentities in their own ancestral lands! The Nigerian State is using exactly the same abnormality of its inconsistent and conflicting law system – the shenanigans called Nigeria’s Jurisprudence, which Kanu is fighting against, to prosecute and try Kanu in the same Nigerian corrupt law court. Who is deceiving, who?
Moreover, the gatekeepers of the Nigerian State have been trying to use the three, inconsistent and conflictual foreign jurisprudences that underpin the so-called Nigeria’s Jurisprudence, to suppress the Indigenous Jurisprudences of over six major Ethnic Nationalities or Geopolitical Regions, and other Minor Ethnic Groups that make up the Nigerian State. This is the crux of the matter! Only fools would sit down and expect justice to come out of such abnormality of Jurisprudence that will favour the release of Nnamdi Kanu, or even bring about any form of development and political cohesion in Nigeria.
Again, one good thing that has come out from that rape of justice at Nigeria Supreme Court on December 15, 2023, is the vindication of Kanu’s cause and struggle for the freedom of his Biafran people. That is, when he told the public during one of his early court hearings in 2015, that he would use ‘truth’ to expose and defeat Nigeria. Because, as he categorically, stated, “Nigeria was founded on lies and falsehood. As something founded on lies and deceit, the Nigerian State cannot withstand any truth. Such what is happening now in Nigeria, especially, since Kanu made that prediction in 2015, when he was first arraigned at the Federal High Court Abuja for agitating for Biafra, clamouring for Biafra Self-determination and Independence from Nigeria through the legal means of referendum, he has today, been vindicated. It is the vindication of Kanu’s prediction that by the time he finishes with Nigeria in this court case brought against him because of Biafra, ‘there would be nothing to remember about Nigeria again. Because he is going to use the truth to defeat Nigeria.’
This would be so, because, as Kanu said, ‘Nigeria was not founded on truth but on falsehood, lies and deceit.’ That is exactly what has showcased, once again, on that fateful day, December 15, 2023, by that fraudulent and shambolic rape of justice called the Supreme Court ruling on Nnamdi Kanu’s case. Which is the highest manifestation of judiciary rascality and rape of justice ever seen in recent history. Nnamdi Kanu has been vindicated. The IPOB leader has not only defeated the Nigerian government in its own highest law court but has also exposed the falsehood and deceit upon which Nigeria was founded and is being governed. Kanu has defeated Nigeria. He has won the case already. There are no two ways about it.
With the latest Supreme Court rape of justice against Nnamdi Kanu’s unconditional release, it is obvious that Nigeria’s Supreme Court judges have not only disgraced themselves but exposed the rottenness and rascality in Nigeria’s judiciary system and jurisprudence. They have also told the entire world that Nigeria has reached its end. That there is nothing more to be done to remedy the situation. If the Supreme Court Judges are such corrupt, and ethnic-biased, that they would throw overboard the ethics of their legal profession, honesty, truthfulness, justice, equity, and rule of law, to please those who have seized power in Nigeria through violence and election riggings, then, there is no more hope left for the common man in that British contraption, called Nigeria.
As some of our knowledgeable, seasoned, and incorruptible legal experts tell us, the Supreme Court is a place where judiciary policies are made by the judges. It is not where rulings or rather justice already delivered by the judges of the Appeal Court are denied and abrogated by the judges. That can only happen, for example, in the era of the medieval monarchical court of ‘Her Majesty’ or the Islamic State, Caliphate Sharia Law Court. But not in a modern society or state that pretends to be practising democracy and the rule of law.
In normal clime, the Appeal Court is the highest court of the land that has the right to entertain cases and deliver justice on such cases. However, when such cases are eventually, taken to the Supreme Court (which is the court of policy-making), as the highest court of the land, it is not the duty of the Supreme Court to deny the justice already delivered at the Appeal Court. Rather it must confirm it or make further policies to strengthen the country’s jurisprudence and to improve on it in the light of new developments in the modern legal profession and scholarship, and for justice, equity and fair play to be seen to have been done to each party, by all and sundry. The Supreme Court does not exist to discriminate, or be biased against anybody or part of the country. The Supreme Court does not also exist to take people and jurisprudence back to the medieval era. Unfortunately, this is what Nigeria’s Supreme Court has messed itself up with, in its December 15, 2023 rape of justice court ruling against Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Which was more of an attack, a judiciary rascality and impunity of the Supreme Court against the Federal Court, Abuja ruling of October 13, 2022, that discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu from all the charges brought against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria, for his Biafra Agitation.
The Nigeria’s Supreme Court has done the worst on December 15, 2023! If the Supreme Court could set aside, or negate justice for Nnamdi Kanu in such a fraudulent and shameless way, the justice and court ruling which was delivered by the Federal Appeal Court on October 13, 2022, you can imagine the type of medieval, feudalistic mindset of those who are in-charge of the Nigerian State and its lopsided Sharia-driven federal government and judiciary. That there is nothing those Nigerian judges cannot do. How the Supreme Court Judges could renege on their function to give blessings to the judgement of the Appeal Court and go through the backdoor, fraudulently, to rule against that judgment of the Appeal Court on this matter, is again, one of those things that tells you that Nigeria has reached its END.
Nnamdi Kanu’s Court trial has exposed all that is wrong with the Nigerian State. That means that what Nnamdi Kanu is fighting for, what he stands for, and for which he is being persecuted by the gatekeepers of the British contraption, called Nigeria, is indeed, a struggle by the IPOB leader to liberate all the Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities and Peoples that have found themselves forcefully, trapped into this abnormal situation that is called Nigeria. This is why everyone should have an interest in what Nnamdi Kanu represents today in this ongoing court trial and for his God-given mission of freedom fighting for the liberation of the oppressed indigenous peoples in Nigeria. Not just for his Biafran or Igbo people alone.
Have you ever seen in a normal clime, where a supposedly ‘learned judge’ of a supposedly ‘Supreme Court’, would rule in its judgment against Nnamdi Kanu, by implying that Nigeria is not developed enough to obey the international laws on extraordinary rendition and abduction of a freedom fighter? That the international crime of extraordinary rendition and abduction of a freedom fighter, is alien to Nigerian law and judiciary system? Only in Nigeria. A case that had already been determined at the Federal Appeal Court, where Kanu was discharged and acquitted on the ground of the impunity of Nigerian state abduction and extraordinary rendition of the IPOB leader in Kenya in June 2021, was again brought to the Nigerian Supreme Court, either to uphold the judgment of Appeal Court or to begin its own public sittings on it, to advance justice and jurisprudence in the country. Instead of following the right thing expected of it as a Supreme Court, it sent back the same case to the Appeal Court that had already given its judgment on it. Quo Vadis!
Not even in a ‘Banana Republic’ is such a mess obtainable? Nigerian Supreme Court abjured its own responsibility to uphold impunity and lawlessness against an innocent individual, Nnamdi Kanu that has been discharged and acquitted over a year ago by a court of competent jurisdiction, the Federal Appeal Court. The same Federal Appeal Court that has ruled that the crime of the extraordinary rendition committed by the Nigerian government against Kanu has made it impossible for any court in Nigeria (which includes the Supreme Court), to try Kanu. Now that the so-called Supreme Court has sent back to the Appeal Court Kanu’s case? Now, what does the Supreme Court want the Appeal Court to do next? Perhaps, for the Appeal Court judges to be ridiculed and intimated to swallow their own vomit. Mind you. All because those in the executive arms of the federal government and cohorts did not like the judgement of the Federal Appeal Court that discharged Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally.
What again does the Supreme Court want by returning the entire case of Nnamdi Kanu back to the Appeal Court? Does the Supreme Court want the Appeal Court to treat Kanu’s case as a criminal or civil case, or what? That is, do they want the Appeal Court to follow them to validity the federal government’s impunity of abduction, torture and extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu, negate the international laws on extraordinary rendition, and join the corrupt Supreme Court judges themselves in making such absurdity a jurisprudence in Nigeria? What exactly does the Supreme Court want from the Appeal Court judges again? Perhaps, to intimidate and force the judges of the Appeal Court to buy into their corrupt judicial rascality and rape of justice of December 15, 2023? All these shenanigans are signs of a dying horse. The Nigerian State has finally reached its END.
Again. As the saying goes, “Your freedom is in your hands. You hold the key to your freedom and the freedom of your people. Don’t betray it.” In the first place, it is not the Court of the same Nigerian Government that went to a foreign country, Kenya and abducted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, extraordinarily rendition him back to Nigeria, and has since June 2021 kept him in the torture cell of Nigeria’s secret police, DSS in Abuja, in solitary confinement, incommunicado, that is going to free him! Rather, Nnamdi Kanu is going to be freed through the activities of his Biafran people.
Nnamdi Kanu is going to be freed, just as Biafra is fighting for its self-determination and independence, is going to be a free sovereign and independent state on its own rights, only through the concrete activities and collective determination and concerted efforts of the Biafran people themselves, Nnamdi Kanu’s kinsmen and women. Ndigbo in particular, to be precise. That is, as an Indigenous Nation, standing solidly behind Nnamdi Kanu, with their activities of freedom fighting, civil disobedience resistance strategies, and determination as a people who truly want to be free. Who wants to have their own independent sovereign nation-state and self-rule, standing firmly behind Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his struggle for their liberation from this abnormality and confusion, called Nigeria! This also is the way they are expected and supposed to stand firmly behind whoever has taken it upon himself, has proved himself beyond all reasonable doubts, to be genuine, and to stand firmly on the gap for Nnamdi Kanu in the liberation struggle, especially, now that the IPOB leader is in the dungeon of the enemy!
The Challenge before Nnamdi Kanu’s Biafran People: Make no mistake about it. The struggle that Nnamdi Kanu has taken upon himself is not just for his Igbo or Biafran people alone. No! Rather, it is a struggle that has wider implications for the imminent liberation of the entire, different and diverse, component, indigenous ethnic nationalities and peoples, that the British forcefully coupled together under a colonial fiat in 1914, and named Nigeria!
This would also imply that what Nnamdi Kanu is fighting for, is the second independence of the different indigenous Ethnic Nationalities of African peoples – the aggrieved ethnic nationalities, from the neo-colonial yoke and from the domineering ethnic nationalities and modern-day African political puppets that have been holding everyone in bondage and servitude in the country! This is why every hand must be on deck for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Love or hate him, the solution to the perennial political imbroglio besetting Nigeria since 1914, and especially, since the country’s flag fake independence in 1960, lies in this struggle, Nnamdi Kanu’s travail is challenging us all with.
Today, many people are beginning to realize, especially, after the last shambolic and fraudulent 2023 elections (just like the previous so-called elections before it), that the problem with Nigeria is never going to be resolved through every four years of elections that produce nothing but anguish, violence and more suffering for the masse. And that has always succeeded in recycling the same corrupt, self-serving and bloodsucking politicians that are responsible for our woes in the country all these years! Nigeria’s problem won’t be solved through this every four years of shambolic political elections, or change of personnel of the same ‘criminal politicians’, through those fraudulent and shambolic, bloodbaths, violence-ridden elections. Nigeria’s problem also will never be resolved through the clamour for a ‘New Constitution’, or through the deceptive political slogan of “New Nigeria,” or anything of the sort.
The problem with Nigeria has surpassed all that. It is also never to be solved by the usual recourse to militarization and the use of military and police by the government against any dissenting voice, group, ethnic nationality or geopolitical zone. All these have proven to be an effort in futility on the part of the government and its Nigerian security operatives. For how long do you think you can continue to hold the people in bondage and keep them under suppression at gunpoint? There is a limit to human endurance!
Conclusion:
If truth be told, the solution to the problem with Nigeria lies in what Nnamdi Kanu is struggling for. That is, on this very thing he is calling on the gatekeepers of the Nigerian state to do. Namely, to conduct a referendum for self-determination for those ethnic nationalities or major geopolitical regions in the country that want to separate, to form their own independent sovereign states. In this way, we all will begin to relate well as neighbours, and neighbouring nation-states in the West African sub-region, under ECOWAS. And that will help to put an end, in fact, a stop to all these shenanigans of bloodbaths and violence we call elections in Nigeria. It will also help to put a stop, or at least, minimize the current Islamic insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria and in the neighbouring Sahel region countries of West Africa!
The referendum for self-determination that Nnamdi Kanu is advocating for is the most viable solution to the problem we have at hand, both in Nigeria and throughout the ECOWAS nation-states. This is the reason why we all must listen to the IPOB leader and get him released unconditionally and immediately from the dungeon of the Nigerian government! Nnamdi Kanu’s struggle for self-determination through the legal means of referendum is the key to the problem with Nigeria and West African nation-states, on these perennial issues of violence, political instability, insecurity, bad governance, corruption, militancy, kidnapping, Islamic and herdsmen terrorism in the region and Nigeria in particular.
Rev. Fr. Francis Anekwe Oborji can be reached via email; anekwe.oborji@gmail.com, Pontifical Urban University, Vatican City (Rome)
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Truly, he slept with the lady several times. Later, the lady wanted more, but he had moved on & had told her he was done with sin. But perhaps, his approach infuriated the lady; she felt used & dumped. She went straight to the church & told the pastor how his youth pastor was sneaking into her room in the night to sleep with her. How after night vigil, she would hide at the back of the rusted water tank behind the church to ‘finish work’ Perhaps, if she was sure that the guy had encountered God afresh, she would have taken it easy. But she thought the guy had used her and dumped her and started doing it with someone else. Don’t blame her so much. Nobody would want to be in the number of the census of ladies a man has slept with. And the young man was suspended publicly and disgraced. He sat in the church back seat for many months. His head pastor ejected him from his house where he was given a one-room apartment; with the fear that he would someday see his young daughters appealing and defile them. He had no place to go to…
When he gave his life to Christ, he went straight to the village shrines and destroyed all of them. The villagers gathered and began to worship the living God. The village elders passed judgment on him & banished him. His parents didn’t want to set their eyes on him again, as the shame was so much to bear. When they heard that his church had ejected and suspended him for fornication, they jubiliated. That the gods of the land have caught up with him for discerecting them. The only place he could stay was inside an old uncompleted building, without a roof. Any night it rains, he will be soaked. All he had there was his Bible and a few clothes. But he was there looking for God. He had failed both men & God. God had forgiven him, but men didn’t want to set their eyes on him. The villagers gather every day mocking him. Some of his close pals abandoned him. But whenever we passed that old building, we will be hearing his voice; crying: “Lord, give me power…If truly You have forgiven me, give me Your anointing…” Months rolled by, and he was still praying that same singular prayer.
My late mum would cook every day and give me to go and send to him. Sometimes, when I come to bring another food, I see that he has not eaten the one we brought previously. He was always fasting praying and crying. Later, the church restored him. But the stigma refused to go. Nobody called him pastor again. In church, they were avoiding him like a disease. Some of those sympathising with him didn’t come open.
One December, A great man of God was supposed to preach in that community that Christmas period. Everyone was waiting for him. The sick, the blind & the lame had gathered, waiting for him. But the news came that he wasn’t coming again. All the pastors in that community were disappointed because no one could do what they expected God to do through this great man of God. The crusade was on… The choir was ministering, yet, they did not have anyone to preach. The crowd was much & their expectations were high. No pastor felt adequate to step into that shoe. Someone was moved to call this young man to come and preach. Not because they believed in him, but so that if he preached and nothing happened, the shame would go to him alone. The young man didn’t know what to do when they told him to go & preach. How can he face everyone that knows how he failed? Everyone there knew that he had just been suspended and released for fornication.
He was crying, but he gathered courage and climbed the stage. When people saw him on the stage, they started leaving one after the other. The man who was supposed to do the interpretation dropped the microphone and went down from the podium. All The crowd almost left, because they could not imagine what a fornicator had to offer. I was there when all of this was happening. Few of the people reading this now were there too. The young man was crying as he was watching the crowd leaving and even some of the choristers climbing down the stage the moment they saw him on the stage. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he started a song and nobody, including the pastors joined him in singing.
But about 10 minutes later, something happened… One of the known crippled that came for the crusade began to shout. Every attention went to that side; lo and behold, he had stood up from his wheelchair jumping all over the place. God had healed him. People were still surprised. A few seconds later, a known blind woman started shouting from the other side “I can see… I can see… I can see…” Yet, the young man on the pulpit had not opened the Bible. It was only the songs he was singing with tears. A few minutes later, noise filled the whole place. People with Chronic diseases started shouting that they had been healed. The pastors there could not understand what was going on.”How can God use this small boy?” But More miracles were being recorded. The crowd that left started hearing the shout from the crusade ground & began to run back. Some thought the great man of God had finally come. But they saw the young man on the stage, crying when they got there. The interpreter who came to interpret for him was crying.
As he wanted to start preaching, the noise of more miracles could not let him preach. As he wanted to get close to tell the interpreter to let them climb down & start preaching to people, the power of God hit the interpreter and he fell under the power of God. He lay slain like a dead man. As the organiser of the crusade who is probably also reading this now wanted to climb the stage to take the microphone that fell down from the interpreter, he too fell under the power of God. The young man was just standing, & looking at the salvation of the Lord. The crowd had increased more than those who came to listen to the big man of God. People had rushed home to bring their people, that something was happening in the market square. Many pastors who had sick people started sending messages to their members to bring all the sick people to their churches. And without this boy laying hands on anyone, they were being healed. Some villagers who were chronic idol worshippers saw the mighty works of God and ran to the altar for repentance. He didn’t preach from any verse of the scripture, but the power of God was present to heal & to deliver…
As he was standing there, not knowing what next to say, with tears all over, some pastors began to run to him. Some holding his shoe, others dragging his shirt; crying: “Lord, we are sorry…” Some were crying: “We need this anointing…Please, give it to us.” I was there friends… The crusade that was supposed to end by 8pm ended around 12am at midnight. Healings and incredible miracles were wrought. After that crusade, God restored that young man of God. He became the most sought-after, every man of God wanted to host him. Nobody remembered he was suspended. The name of the man is Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai. There is a power price, and that young man paid the price.
Culled from Rhema Channel
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
A collage picture of President Tinubu flanked on his right by former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and on his right by the incumbent Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State
I have carefully studied the directives of the resolution from the intervention of President Tinubu into the current imbroglio in Rivers State and I can comfortably assert that the president was not out to achieve genuine and lasting peace in the state. Instead, he was more interested in massaging and protecting the political ego of an individual and his newfound party members at the collective expense and detriment of our dear Rivers State.
Nigeria, as a country, is governed by the constitution, where all authorities draw their powers from and by the constitution. The directives of the President cannot be at variance with the provisions of the Constitution. At best, President Tinubu can only play an advisory role and not give unconstitutional directives to a Government that is as constitutionally elected as his.
Rivers State is a sovereign State and enjoys sovereignty like the Federal Government, just as Governor Sim also enjoys the privileges of executive powers backed by the provisions of the constitution like President Tinubu. So Rivers State and her Governor cannot be subservient or inferior to any individual, even the President, especially when the proffered directives are alien to the Constitution.
We, the Rivers People, reject in its entirety the unconstitutional directives of President Tinubu in his bid to intervene in the political impasse that has bedevilled our State. We absolutely reject the directives because they are biased, lopsided and preferentially targeted against Governor Sim and the majority of Rivers people. While we thank President Tinubu for his efforts in trying to find political solutions for our State, as Rivers People we’ll all resolutely stand by what the law says and uprightly pursue all pending matters in court to a logical conclusion. One would begin to imagine the joy on the part of the supporters of Chief Barr Wike when they began running amok on all social media platforms celebrating the resolution because it was carefully planned and well scripted in their favour, but they seem to forget that if such is allowed to stand, then it’ll be a very bad precedence against the office of the Governor of Rivers State, and Rivers people in the future. We must not join to ridicule, disrespect and reduce the office of the Governor of our dear State just to score petty political victory, because it could be any of us occupying that exalted office tomorrow, which by then, might have become a mockery and laughing stock in the comity of states, just because of what we did allow and permit to happen today.
In this same country of ours, when President Buhari intervened in the crisis between Tinubu and Gov. Ambode, he only played an advisory role but was vehemently ignored by Tinubu as Ambode was never allowed to run for a second tenure, and heaven did not fall then, so it will also not fall now. The directives issued in that resolution are what Chief Wike would have treated as a piece of tissue paper if it were to be President Buhari issuing such to him in favour of Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi. However, today they want Governor Sim to take hook, line and sinker the directives of Tinubu. That will definitely not happen because Governor Sim did not vote for himself, he is answerable to the Rivers people who made him Governor and we, as a people, reject such disrespectful directives against our State. Interestingly, it was Wike who once told us that neither he, as Governor nor Rivers State AS a state, will be 2nd class citizens to anybody, including Buhari and Atiku. However, today it is quite unfortunate and sad that under his very watch, because of his personal interest, the office of the Governor of Rivers State is being constantly disrespected and essentially reduced.
NOW THE DIRECTIVES:
1. All Impeachment Notice Against the Governor by The Martins Amaewhule Faction Should be Dropped.
Response: There is an already subsisting order against them, so this is neither here nor there, as it is before the court already moreover they have seized being members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and as such, lack such powers to impeach the Governor.
2. The Rivers State House of Assembly as Led by Martins Amaewhule Shall Be Recognised Alongside 27 Members who resigned from the PDP, and the Governor Shall Represent the State Budget. (The most ludicrous of all directives)
Response: As of today, it is no longer in the hands of the Governor to recognise Martins and his fellow defectors as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and not to talk about to re-presenting an already passed budget, because in the eyes of the law, they are non-existent and as such have no locus standi to such privileges. Every action already taken by Rt. Hon Ehie Edison, who is the Speaker that is recognised by law, including the smooth passage of the 2024 Budget and the pronouncement of the vacant seats of 27members that defected to the APC which is anchored on section 109 of the Nigeria Constitution, remains valid until vacated by an appeal and not by the directives of Tinubu.
3. The Names of All Commissioners Who Resigned Because Of Political Crisis Must Be Resubmitted and Reinstated.
Response: One would begin to wonder if the president forgot that it is a sitting Governor of a state like Rivers State and not one of his political appointees that such directives is being dished out to. If the Commissioners who on their own volition resigned because of their loyalty to Wike, even after the Governor made frantic efforts to persuade them not to resign, should be reinstated, why didn’t President TINUBU also direct the 27 PDP ASSEMBLY MEMBERS who defected to the APC because of same political crisis to go back to the PDP, since there is peace. This again clearly shows the political bias of the President whose lopsided directives should and will be resisted by Rivers people.
4. The Dissolution of The Local Government Administration Is Null and Void and Shall Not Be Recognised.
Response: Again by this directive, it is safe to say that President Tinubu does not have the right information about happenings in Rivers State, as those close to him are feeding him with activities that are not attainable just to curry the sympathy of the presidency. The Elected Chairmen in the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State are today, still going about their lawful duties without harassment from Governor Sim. There are no existing intentions or plans by GOVERNOR SIM to dissolve any Local Government Administration, even as the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 empowers him to do so, as Chief Barr Wike who as Governor rode on the same powers which he duly exercised to the fullest.
5. There Should Not Be a Caretaker Committee For The Local Governments In Rivers State.
Response: This is neither here nor there, as the current Elected Chairmen have their constitutional one term of 3years to elapse by June 2024 after which the Governor who is empowered by law can decide to conduct elections or run a caretaker committee for a stipulated number of months. But to think that anybody can tell the Governor what to do as it regards this issue is the height of it all and very disrespectful to us as a State, that the president would now decide for Rivers people how their State should be run, whereas in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Umo Eno, just inaugurated a transition/caretaker committee for the 31 Local government areas of the State; Benue State is also not left out as the Governor there just inaugurated a Caretaker Committee for the 21 Local Government Areas in his State. Going through the directives, especially that of the caretaker committee, we are not surprised that it was a scripted resolution, carefully presented to the president to read, as it is one of the major issues that has caused the political tension in our State.
While we thank the president for his advisory efforts, we are also very mindful and not oblivious of the fact that there are those hiding behind the presidency to advance their political interest in our State, as can be conspicuously seen in the directives of a death sentence of a make-believe resolution. But as Rivers People, we will reject and resist it all, because we cannot be so disrespected that we would now be governed through unconstitutional directives from a piece of paper. Never! We are not ignorant of the hidden threats of a State of emergency, seizing of the State’s statutory federal allocation, invoking the powers of the federal might and possible manipulation of the Supreme Court Governorship judgment against Governor Sim and Rivers people.
As Rivers People we are known to have the antidote for Federal Might because we have the capacity and the strong will to resist the irresistible. We have been on this part of resistance since 2015 – 2023, so now won’t be a difference if the need arises again. All we ask for is genuine peace and that all political actors shun politics for now till 2027, so we can concentrate on governance by bringing it to the doorstep of Rivers people. So far, Governor Sim has started well, and we know he will end well irrespective of the political landmines that have been set on his part as temporal distractions. Love Rivers State or leave her alone.
E. P. I. C – SON OF REBISI KINGDOM.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Chief, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Governor-General of the Federation of Nigeria, formerly President of the Nigerian Senate, formerly Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, Owelle Of Onitsha, aka Zak of Africa
How will Owelle feel seeing that he made a big mistake making the decision he took in 1953? Please read on:
In 1953 when Northern Nigerians were beginning to consider secession from the Nigerian colony that would soon be a nation, Nnamdi Azikiwe gave a speech before the caucus of his political party, the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in Yaba, Nigeria on May 12, 1953. That speech, while not disallowing secession, suggested that there would be grave consequences if the Northern region became an independent nation. I have invited you to attend this caucus because I would like you to make clear our stand on the issue of secession. As a party, we would have preferred Nigeria to remain intact, but lest there be doubt as to our willingness to concede to any shade of political opinion the right to determine its policy, I am obliged to issue a solemn warning to those who are goading the North towards secession. If you agree with my views, I hope that you will endorse them in the course of our deliberations tonight, to enable me to publicize them in the Press.
In my opinion, the Northerners are perfectly entitled to consider whether or not they should secede from the indissoluble union which nature has formed between it and the South, but it would be calamitous to the corporate existence of the North should the clamour for secession prevail. I, therefore, counsel Northern leaders to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of secession before embarking upon this dangerous course. As one who was born in the North, I have a deep spiritual attachment to that part of the country, but it would be a capital political blunder if the North should break away from the South. The latter is in a better position to make rapid constitutional advances so that if the North should become truncated from the South, it would benefit both Southerners and Northerners who are domiciled in the South more than their kith and kin who are domiciled in the North.
There are seven reasons for my holding to this view. Secession by the North may lead to internal political convulsion there when it is realized that militant nationalists and their organizations, like the NLPU, the Askianist Movement, and the Middle Zone League, have aspirations for self-government in 1956 identical to those of their Southern compatriots. It may lead to justifiable demands for the right of self-determination by non-Muslims, who form the majority of the population in the so-called ‘Pagan’ provinces, like Benue, Ilorin, Kabba, Niger and Plateau, not to mention the claims of non-Muslims who are domiciled in Adamawa and Bauchi Provinces.
It may lead to economic nationalism in the Eastern Region, which can pursue a policy of blockade of the North, by refusing it access to the sea, over and under the River Niger, except upon payment of tolls. It may lead to economic warfare between the North on the one hand, and the Eastern or Western regions on the other, should they decide to fix protective tariffs which will make using the ports of the East and West uneconomic for the North. The North may be rich in mineral resources and certain cash crops, but that is no guarantee that it would be capable of growing sufficient food crops to feed its teeming millions, unlike the East and the West. Secession may create hardship for Easterners and Westerners who are domiciled in the North since the price of food crops to be imported into the North from the South is bound to be very high and cause an increase in the cost of living. Lastly, it will endanger the relations with their neighbours of millions of Northerners who are domiciled in the East and West and Easterners and Westerners who reside in the North.
You may ask me whether there would be a prospect of civil war if the North decided to secede? My answer would be that it is a hypothetical question which only time can answer. In any case, the plausible cause of civil war might be a dispute as to the right of passage on the River Niger, or the right of flight over the territory of the Eastern or Western Region; but such disputes can be settled diplomatically, instead of by force.
Nevertheless, if civil war should become inevitable at this stage of our progress as a nation, then security considerations must be borne in mind by those who are charged with the responsibility of the government of the North and the South. Military forces and installations are fairly distributed in all three regions; if that is not the case, any of the regions can obtain military aid from certain interested Powers. It means that we cannot preclude the possibility of alliance with certain countries. You may ask me to agree that if the British left Nigeria to its fate, the Northerners would continue their uninterrupted march to the sea, as was prophesied six years ago? My reply is that such an empty threat is devoid of historical substance and that so far as I know, the Eastern Region has never been subjugated by any indigenous African invader. At the price of being accused of overconfidence, I will risk a prophecy and say that other things being equal, the Easterners will defend themselves gallantly, if and when they are invaded.
Let me take this opportunity to warn those who are making a mountain out of the molehill of the constitutional crisis to be more restrained and constructive. The dissemination of lies abroad; the publishing of flamboyant headlines about secessionist plans, and the goading of empty-headed careerists with gaseous ideas about their own importance in the scheme of things in the North is being overdone in certain quarters. I feel that these quarters must be held responsible for any breach between the North and South, which nature had indissolubly united in a political, social and economic marriage of convenience. In my personal opinion, there is no sense in the North breaking away or the East or the West breaking away; it would be better if all the regions would address themselves to the task of crystallizing common nationality, irrespective of the extraneous influences at work. What history has joined together let no man put asunder. But history is a strange mistress which can cause strange things to happen!
Source: Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik: A Selection from the Speeches of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Governor-General of the Federation of Nigeria formerly President of the Nigerian Senate formerly Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1961)
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The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The Pontiff with Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, who have met frequently with Francis, a fellow Jesuit, and talked to him about the church’s need to better recognize L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics.
A church official said the blessings amounted to “a real development” that nevertheless did not amend “the traditional doctrine of the church about marriage.” The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis had allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, his most definitive step yet to make the Roman Catholic Church more welcoming to L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics and more reflective of his vision of a more pastoral, and less rigid, church.
The Vatican had long said it could not bless same-sex couples because it would undermine the church doctrine that marriage is only between a man and a woman. But the new rule made clear that a blessing of a same-sex couple was not the same as a marriage sacrament, a formal ceremonial rite. It also stressed that it was not blessing the relationship, and that, to avoid confusion, blessings should not be imparted during or connected to the ceremony of a civil or same-sex union, or when there are “any clothing, gestures or words that are proper to a wedding.” Blessings instead are better imparted, the Vatican says, during a meeting with a priest, a visit to a shrine, during a pilgrimage or as a prayer recited in a group.
The new rule was issued in a declaration, a rare and important Vatican document, by the church’s office on doctrine and introduced by its head, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who said that the declaration did not amend “the traditional doctrine of the church about marriage,” because it allowed no liturgical rite that could be confused with the sacrament of marriage. “It is precisely in this context,” Cardinal Fernández wrote, “that one can understand the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the church’s perennial teaching on marriage.”
In his introduction to the declaration, which was signed and approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Fernández nevertheless acknowledged that broadening the scope of who could receive blessings amounted to “a real development” and an “innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings.” He said the decision was “based on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.” In recent decades, many Christian denominations have decided to allow blessings and marriages of same-sex couples and to ordain openly gay clergy. However debates over the issue have led to conservative breakaways in Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian and other churches. The Roman Catholic Church has long been seen as among the least likely to change its stance.
But Francis, who turned 87 on Sunday, has in recent weeks sought to jump-start discussion on the church’s most sensitive topics as he has cracked down on his most incessant conservative critics. The new declaration is something akin to an executive order outside the more deliberative process he has favoured. “The request for a blessing,” the declaration states, “expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live. It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.” Supporters of a church more welcoming to same-sex couples agreed.
“This new declaration opens the door to nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off-limits for bishops, priests and deacons,” said the Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, who have met frequently with Francis, a fellow Jesuit, and talked to him about the church’s need to better recognize L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics. “Along with many priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex unions.” There has been a burst of activity on the L.G.B.T.Q. issue in recent months from the office of the Doctrine of the Faith, run by Cardinal Fernández. It comes after many advocates for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics were frustrated by a lack of progress, or even recognition, during a major October meeting of bishops and laypeople that will be repeated next year and could potentially lead to major changes in the church. On Oct. 31, Francis approved another document by Cardinal Fernández’s department, making clear that transgender people can be baptized, serve as godparents and be witnesses at church weddings.
Earlier in October, the Vatican released Francis’ private response to doubts from conservative cardinals about the possibility of blessing same-sex couples. Francis instead suggested the blessings were a possibility, seemingly reversing a 2021 Vatican ruling that came down hard against the blessing of gay unions, arguing that God “cannot bless sin.” While the pope then upheld the church’s position that marriage could exist only between a man and a woman, he said that priests should exercise “pastoral charity” when it came to requests for blessings. But Francis also made clear that he did not want the delivering of a blessing to a same-sex couple by an ordained minister to become a simple protocol, as had been the case in parts of the liberal German church that support same-sex blessings. He has urged priests to be open to “channels beyond norms.”
Indeed, the heart of the new declaration, “Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings,” is a resistance to a rigid church, one that excludes people from blessings because they fail doctrinal or moral litmus tests, but also one that turns blessings — including to same-sex couples — into another suffocating formality. Francis wants most of all a spontaneity and closeness to the faithful that he considers vital to the church’s survival. The blessing “should not become a liturgical or semi-liturgical act, similar to a sacrament,” the declaration states. “Such a ritualization would constitute a serious impoverishment because it would subject a gesture of great value in popular piety to excessive control, depriving ministers of freedom and spontaneity in their pastoral accompaniment of people’s lives.”
It also does not want the blessings to be seen as a substitute for the marriage sacrament for same-sex couples or other couples in “irregular situations.” Conservatives from Africa, where bishops are highly sceptical of the church’s opening to L.G.B.T.Q. people, to North America, where much of the opposition to Pope Francis is financed, expressed reservations.“After today’s statement,” John Oballa, the bishop of Ngong Diocese in Kenya, southwest of the capital, Nairobi, said in an interview Monday, “We are sure many questions will be coming from the congregation” about what all this means. “They will like to know how far this goes, what implications it will have and what it portends for the future.”
LifeSite News, a conservative outlet based in North America, wrote Monday that the document was issued “in contradiction to the unchangeable Catholic teaching that the church cannot bless sinful relationships.” However the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has a large conservative contingent, accepted the new rule, noting that it marked a distinction between sacramental blessings like marriage and a pastoral blessing for people seeing “God’s loving grace in their lives.” “The church’s teaching on marriage has not changed,” said Chieko Noguchi, the conference’s spokesperson. The rules are a clear opening toward L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics.
The declaration notes that the prior judgment from the Vatican, in 2021, stressed that the church did not have the power to bless human relationships that failed to conform with “God’s designs,” including sexual relations outside marriage and same-sex unions that presumed “to be a marriage.” But the new Vatican declaration argued that this was an overly narrow view of blessings, which are intended to evoke God’s presence in all facets of life and can be bestowed on people, objects of worship, places of work, ships and much else. It makes the case that blessings are “a pastoral resource to be valued rather than a risk or a problem.” In a secular era when the church is often on the defensive, the Vatican apparently did not want to deprive itself of one of its most effective tools for connecting with popular piety that Francis sees as critical for the church’s future.
By restricting blessings, the new declaration states, “there is the danger that a pastoral gesture that is so beloved and widespread will be subjected to too many moral prerequisites,” and “overshadow” its intention to express God’s love. It adds: “Thus when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For, those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection.” The issue of blessing same-sex couples has exploded in recent years, especially in Germany, where priests have regularly offered blessings despite Vatican resistance.
“It cannot be overstated how significant the Vatican’s new declaration is,” Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Maryland-based group that advocates for gay Catholics, said in a statement. He welcomed the pope’s decision not to make blessings subject to a moral litmus test, which he called a step “to overturn the harsh policing of pastoral care” by his predecessors. Francis, who has received official expressions of doubt on his teaching on the issue from conservative critics, but who is also under constant pressure from liberals in Germany on blessing same-sex unions, seemed done with the issue. “Beyond the guidance provided above,” the declaration states, “no further responses should be expected about possible ways to regulate details or practicalities regarding blessings of this type.”
Written by Jason Horowitz, the Rome bureau chief for The Times, covering Italy, the Vatican, Greece and other parts of Southern Europe. Abdi Latif Dahir contributed reporting from Kenya
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The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Tiger Woods, a legendary golfer, had endured physical injuries and personal struggles that greatly impacted his career.
Aided By His Son Charles, and caddied By His daughter, Sam, the Golf Legend, Tiger Woods is Back! Kudos!
Tiger Woods and his son Charles have prepared for this year’s PGA tournament. After facing numerous challenges and setbacks, they were determined to make a remarkable comeback together in this season’s championship.
Tiger Woods, a legendary golfer, had endured physical injuries and personal struggles that greatly impacted his career. However, with sheer determination and unwavering support from his son Charles, Tiger rallied to rise above the obstacles and reignite his passion for the game.
Charles, having witnessed his father’s resilience and remarkable skills from a young age, had developed his own love for golf. Eager to follow in his father’s footsteps, he dedicated countless hours to practising and perfecting his swing. Their shared commitment and hard work made them a formidable pair, and they set their sights on the PGA tournament as the perfect stage to prove their worth.
As the tournament began, the father-son duo faced tough competition from seasoned professionals and rising stars alike. Tiger, drawing on his years of experience, and Charles relying on his natural talent, made their presence felt throughout the tournament. They showcased their skill and resilience, demonstrating an unyielding determination to prove themselves on the golf course once again.
Through each round, Tiger and Charles captivated the audience with their exceptional shots, strategic gameplay, and their unbreakable bond. Their journey was reminiscent of Tiger’s past victories, as he effortlessly maneuvered the golf ball around the course, while Charles showcased his poise and remarkable talent beyond his years.
The crowd couldn’t help but be inspired by their story of redemption and personal triumph. Supporters cheered them on, fully aware of the challenges they had overcome. The media followed their every move, capturing each swing and analyzing every putt, creating an aura of anticipation around their remarkable comeback.
As the final round approached, Tiger and Charles found themselves in contention for the championship. They stood tall amongst the best golfers in the world, bringing immense pride to their family name. The tournament had become a symbol of hope, determination, and the power of believing in oneself.
With relentless focus and unrivalled concentration, Tiger and Charles navigated each hole with precision. The fairways and greens became their battleground, and they ensured that their comeback story reached its climax on the prestigious final hole.
And so, with the crowd holding its breath, Tiger and Charles stood side by side, ready to take their final shots. With a fluid swing and unwavering confidence, Tiger effortlessly sent the ball soaring through the air, its trajectory aligning perfectly with his desired target. Charles, who had watched his father’s every move, stepped up next, showcasing his skills with a shot that mirrored his father’s brilliance.
The ball landed effortlessly on the green, setting them both up for a chance to close the tournament with a decisive birdie. As the putts dropped into the hole, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, witnessing one of the most remarkable comebacks in PGA history.
Tiger Woods and his son Charles had officially made their mark on the tournament, rising from the ashes to reclaim their position as formidable contenders. Together, they triumphed over adversity, illustrating the power of determination, resilience, and the strength of a father-son bond.
Their story echoed through the years, inspiring countless individuals to face their own challenges and overcome them with unwavering determination. Tiger Woods and Charles served as a reminder that greatness could be achieved through perseverance, love, and wholehearted dedication to one’s craft.
As the sun set on that memorable day, Tiger and Charles basked in the adulation of their peers, knowing that their comeback story would forever be etched in the annals of golf history. #Highlights @Everyone
@NzeIkayMedia
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The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Media) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The legendary Golfer in a warm embrace with His Son Charles
Ex President Muhammadu Buhari in his home town of Daura in Katsina State of Nigeria after Retirement
Fellow Nigerians, let me take you back to the year 1998, the 7th day of July to be precise. Chief Moshood Abiola had just been pronounced dead, just like that, and everything, and everywhere, was topsy-turvy. We were numb beyond words. A new leader had taken power the month before, after the sudden death of the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha. How can two antagonists die similarly, one month apart, we wondered, ponderously. Anyway, as with everything Nigerian, life soon moved on, without much ado. A few irate students, led by Omoyele Sowore, ranted and raved but their fireballs soon disintegrated and dissolved into ashes. Those of us in exile were left stupefied. In all honesty, we had all individually and collectively given our best to the struggle, but our best was simply not enough. Man and God had contrived to deprive us of our greatest democratic moment as a nation. It does not appear that our democratic nous and ethos will ever reach the dizzying heights of those glorious days! We lost Abiola and we lost the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Nigeria. So, we were back to square one.
Tokunbo Afikuyomi and I offered ourselves as Guinea pigs and meandered our way back home the same way we had navigated our ways through the forest of a thousand daemons to escape from the Gulag and what appeared at the time the most brutishly ruthless dictatorship in Nigeria. What we found out on our return was unbelievable and shocking. Our politicians had barely waited for Abiola to be interred before they started their stock in trade, jostling for power and lucre. We returned to London, very frustrated about our experience at home. What we suffered through the labyrinth of madness called the Seme border is another matter entirely and a story for another day. Back in England, some of our compatriots were still blowing grammar. Saying we must fight the military. We no go gree, like students’ union leaders love to chant every now and then, during Aluta struggles in our diverse universities. The difference was we were not students, and this was real-life, off-campuses.
We decided to tell our elders in the Diaspora the gospel truth. Those at home were not in sync with those fighting from abroad. The exposure and experience we had all gained during our sojourn and desperate struggle for truth and justice seemed totally lost on our compatriots at home. Our vision and mission were quite clearly totally divergent. One thing led to another and many of the NADECO Chieftains agreed to return home. It was over, as simple as that. That was the reality. The regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar decided it would hand over government to a civilian government in under one year and it stuck rigidly to its transition timetable despite serious temptations to extend its set tenure. If we thought the military reign was reaching its terminal end, we were dead wrong. The military was merely beginning to prepare for tenure elongation albeit in a civilian toga.
The first election was therefore won by a retired military General, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. And it became obvious that the military establishment was not yet ready to relax and reduce its iron grip on Nigeria’s jugular. Most of those who paraded the corridors of power were military men in civilian garb. Four years later, President Obasanjo sought another term and got it. Meanwhile, throughout all this, there was no provision for the inclusion of the NADECO fighters as reparation for the dastardly acts against Abiola and his supporters. Let’s fast forward a little. After a controversial third-term attempt for President Obasanjo by some political jobbers fell flat, a brother of a former military General, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was brought on board to take over the reins of power. It was like a change of baton in an exclusive relay race by the military. By the sheer act of providence, President Yar’Adua took critically ill and died in office. This was how fate threw up a complete stranger to the military establishment and virtual lone ranger on the balcony of power, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as President.
It was obvious some members of a most powerful cabal were not happy about the emergence of Jonathan, a man from one of the politically disadvantaged and handicapped regions of Nigeria, the South-South. The Ijaw heritage of Jonathan was meant to be his Achilles heel but the man trudged on till he completed the tenure of his departed boss. Of course, against all odds, he contested for his own term and won. That was in 2011. I was privileged to have been a Presidential candidate at that time. President Jonathan’s tenure was marred by many turbulent upheavals, the worst being the Boko Haram menace. There were also instances of reckless looting of the national treasury and well-documented profligacy by his PDP apparatchiks. President Jonathan shot himself in the foot and incurred the wrath of the people when amid horrendous poverty, he sharply increased the prices of petroleum products, astronomically. That was the moment many felt he had goofed beyond repair. I was one of those who participated in global protests against his government. I wrote copiously, granted interviews and generally became a thorn in the flesh of the Jonathan administration along with several others. Jonathan was so derided and became butts of jokes everywhere. It was only a matter of time before Jonathan and his motley crew of pillaging merry men would be sacked from power.
I must confess that at the height of our stupidity and naivety, in retrospect, we threw caution to the winds. We wrote off Jonathan despite occasional flashes of genius and inspiration by some members of his team. In the meantime, former Nigerian Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) was repackaged to smell like roses and we all fell for the promise of Eldorado he seemed to hold at the time. I was one of those who jumped on the bandwagon to describe him as a born-again Democrat, despite some strident and persistent warnings by then Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and others. Perhaps we were fooled by the fact in quick succession he had picked Pentecostal pastors as his running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare in 2011 and Professor Yemi Osinbajo in 2015. Those who told us that our Hallelujah Choruses were premature and that a leopard can never change its spots were castigated and hounded by those of us who had been converted to what we believed was the new Buhari. We sang in unison that anyone but Jonathan. The rest is history.
Step forward, President Buhari, and take a bow. You rode back triumphantly to power, 30 years after you were sacked by General Ibrahim Babangida. What a feat! The world rejoiced at the final collapse of the PDP behemoth. Our Messiah had come. Most of our prominent challenges would soon evaporate and vamoose. Praise the Lord. Let me not bore you with how those four years were spent, again, just like that. I leave the judgment of what happened to fellow Nigerians. Excuses became the art and science of governance. The past governments and their ruling party, PDP, were blamed for virtually everything under the sun. No worries. We didn’t expect Buhari to fix the accumulated problems of 16 or more years in a short while. Initially, we thought he would eventually settle down and make inroads into the problems that he had inherited. In any event, we also didn’t expect him to add more to those problems. The little we expected was for Buhari to bring stability to the polity. Again we were wrong.
Everything fell apart and the issue of security which was supposed to be easy meat for our President being a respected, respectable and retired General has become an albatross for the government. So, again, foul. We goofed. I don’t know how to put it any better. With excellent performance, no one would have taken note of a few human rights infringements here and there. We would have tolerated it as the price we probably needed to pay for the stellar performance that we were getting. However, the converse became the case. There are more and more human rights abuses and less and less convincing performances. Slowly but steadily, a supposed Democratic government began its relentless assault on what our Constitution had enshrined as a government of separation of powers. President Buhari took up the role of an avuncular leader and school headmaster. He simply encroached into territories that were clearly not his to tamper with. If Jonathan had tried a small fraction of this, hell would have known no bigger fury. Yet most of our leaders and elders have disappeared from the radar without as much as a whimper.
You brood of hypocrites! Jonathan was our whipping boy and we trounced, thrashed and trashed him mercilessly. But now, we have lost our voices. It is not just that our criticism has become muted, they have become practically non-existent because the Presidential trolls have been relentless in the way and manner that they have traduced the few honourable critics. Our pen tigers have stopped writing. Our loquacious activists have since absconded and abdicated their once noble responsibilities. Such is life. The oppressed, according to Paulo Freire, only fear and respect their oppressors. We have all seemingly been cowed (no pun intended) into submission. Heaven forbid! That is neither the Nigerian spirit nor the psyche! Was this the Democracy we fought for with sweat and blood? When our human rights crusaders were preaching and pontificating and condoning extrajudicial treatment against the so-called sinners and looters and a few of us pleaded for caution, we were attacked as supporting and promoting corruption. When the government goons went after the judges in the dead of the night and we raised alarm, we were called by names our parents did not give us at birth. When the hooded ones invaded the National Assembly to obliterate their sworn enemy, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, they said we had been bought and should shut up. But today the chickens have come home to roost.
Our dear friend, Omoyele Sowore, has been captured, detained and is about to be guillotined for using a word that was just one in the arsenal and vocabulary of this government when it was in opposition. The impugned language is one APC leaders have all used in the past, indeed they have said worse. They have rallied, railed and planned a road demonstration that they had joined openly in the past without any repercussion. The lesson in this for me is that we must all stand firm for the rights of every man at all times, be it a saint or sinner. The resort to jungle justice and rabid impunity is what has made it possible for any government to pounce on Omoyele Sowore, a man whose tongue is sharper than a razor blade and a pen mightier than an atomic bomb but who in reality can never carry a physical weapon and has not encouraged anyone to do so in this ‘revolution’ that he has called for.
Indeed, it is only those who are blood-thirsty that would see what is said as anything other than a clamour for a peaceful and democratic change in government within constitutional means. As a matter of fact, the revolution Sowore called for, whatever your interpretation, was not as popular on the streets until a panic-stricken government elevated and catapulted it to a dizzying height, a free and cheap publicity that was unsolicited by the conveners. Now we have succeeded in diverting attention from the killer herdsman who has been on a rampage. Is it not ironic that Sowore was arrested for doing virtually nothing bigger than what he and many of us did to support Buhari when he was still one of us. Let us hope in the spirit of this Sallah, that the Federal Government will change its mind, and possibly its style, of killing flies with a sledgehammer…
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Prof. Moyo Okediji, a Nigerian Professor in the United States of America
How I was robbed by Immigration officers, Igbo boys saved me from police officers in Lagos by Prof. Moyo Okediji, a Nigerian Professor in the United States of America
Without the intervention of a crowd of young Igbo men who saved me from the claws of the Nigeria Police attached to the FESTAC Mile Two station, I would be a dead man today. I arrived in Lagos today. I came in through Ghana and decided to enter Nigeria by road to see the lagoon landscape, riding a Jeep I hired to drive me down. Everything went well in Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic, until I stepped into Nigeria. Na dia trouble start oooooo!
The first immigration checkpoint that we encountered was at the Seme border, on the Nigeria side. One of the immigration officers took a look at me, and said, “Come down, oga.”
To cut a long story short, they robbed me of $500. There were many of them, and they “invited” me–more like dragged me–to their shed. They took my hand luggage, with all the money that I brought from the US. Their excuse was that they wanted to search it to see if it contained contraband. They asked for my Nigerian passport. I told them it had expired and I was in Nigeria to renew it. They said it was an offence for me to enter the country with an expired passport. I apologised. But they wanted none of that. They said I had to “settle” them. They had my wallet containing the money I had to spend in Nigeria. They saw two twenty-dollar notes and said I needed to give them these notes, otherwise they would seize all the money in the wallet, and take me to their office to make a statement.
I had heard stories of visitors to the country ending up dead when the police invited them to their offices to clear some issues. So I eagerly gave them the forty dollars. They gave me back my things. But when I counted my money later, $500 was missing. Then the Jeep driver drove me to the FESTAC Mile Two motor park, where another driver I hired to take me to Ile Ife was waiting. My two suitcases were on the floor at the Mile Two FESTAC car park, in public, right under the large gate to FESTAC. I was narrating my ordeal in the hands of the immigration to my driver when three gun-toting police officers appeared. They carried some deadly-looking AK 47. They wanted to see the contents of my bags.
As they searched the bags, they came upon the money I brought from the US. I introduced myself to them as a professor at the University of Texas, Austin. They asked for identifications. I gave them my driving licence, the university-issued ID card, my US passport and my Nigeria passport. They took them from me. By that time, about ten police officers had descended upon me. Also listening were some Igbo guys hanging out at the motor park.
Before I could say “Ki lo de?” the police officers searched me thoroughly. Then they started searching my bag. They found that my suitcases contained my personal effects. They were interested in a pair of shorts which they said looked like camouflage shorts. They pulled out the shorts. Then there was a sculpture that I made, which they said was juju. They decided to seize my suitcases, hand luggage, ID cards and all of my money. They said I had to follow them to the police station.
At this point, a sizable crowd of some fifty people had gathered. One of them, with an obvious Igbo accent, said, “You can see he is a professor from abroad. He has given you several ID cards, including his passports. Wetin you dey find again?” It was like a signal to the others, who began shouting, “You wan kill am? You people are thieves o! Highway robbers! It can never happen! Una don see money, una eyes don open…! Before you can take him, just kill all of us!”They formed a tight buffer zone between the police officers and me. Two of them jumped into the police vehicle and dragged my bags from the vehicle. They accosted the one who held the wallet containing my ID card and my money, shouting, “You better give him back his wallet and money now, odawise wahala will burst.” Another said, “We will not let you take him to the police station to kill him like you always kill international visitors.” In a matter of moments, about a hundred Igbo boys emerged from thin air and surrounded us.
The police officers saw they were clearly outnumbered by these Igbo motor park boys. They threatened to shoot. These Igbo boys stood their ground, daring the police officers to kill them. “Oya now,” they said, “Sebi you get AK 47. Kill us now, and then you can take him. But you are not taking him if we are still alive.”Though some of the police officers appeared to cock their rifles, the Igbo guys only squeezed tighter around me. The police officers slapped some of the Igbo guys near them, but their ring of protection around me did not break, it only got tighter, as the guys were yelling and daring the officers to kill them. I was scared. The police officers realised that the situation was clearly beyond what they envisaged. They had imagined I was alone and nobody would rise to my defence. The police officer who held my wallet, passports and ID cards quickly returned them to me, looking nervous. The Igbo boys, chanting, carried my suitcases on their heads, sometimes lifting the boxes up above their heads like highly coveted trophies. The boys, seemingly closed in on the police officers, ready to attack them for my protection. The police officers jumped inside their vehicles and drove off to save face, their tails curled behind their brokos. I recalled the traumatic moment I left the country in 1992, and swore “If you see me in this god-forsaken country again, cut off my neck.”
Obviously, the country has fallen much lower since then. It is now a danger zone in which men in uniforms of all descriptions—immigration, customs, police, vehicle inspection officers and others wearing uniforms difficult to identify or define—have all taken over the country and made it difficult for citizens to enjoy, or even just subsist in their own country. Which kain’ nsogbu be dis o? It is a geographical zone best avoided if you can. But for the intervention of these Igbo boys, I could be locked up in a cell at the Mile Two FESTAC police office now—or dead and my body disposed of.
Someone needs to do something, somehow, if they want to save the citizens of Nigeria from law enforcement officers paid to protect the lives of the people, but jeopardizing the very existence of the citizens they took an oath to assist. God bless these Igbo boys who rescued me from the hands of the obnoxious police officers at the Mile Two FESTAC today. I’m sure not all police officers are bad. But those police officers at the Mile Two FESTAC who attacked me for daring to return to Nigeria on a visit were evil and worse than maggots. Me? I will pack my stuff and flee to Ghana tomorrow.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
Out of curiosity, I travelled to the foreign embassies in Lagos to seek for visa to Eternity. First of all, I went into the German Embassy and stood in the queue. When it was my turn, I stood before the officer in charge of Visa issuance. I saluted him in Deutsch language, “Guten Morgen. Mein Name ist Herr Pat Amobi Chukwuma. Ich bin ein katholicher Priester von Beruf.” The translation is quite clear: “I am Mr. Pat Amobi Chukwuma. I am a Catholic Priest by vocation.” The German officer smiled that I could speak Deutsch. He shook my hands and replied, “Guten Morgen. Was kann ich fuer Sie tun?” (Good morning. What can I do for you?) I replied, “Ich brauche ein Visum nach Ewigkeit.” (I need a visa to Eternity). The man took off his eyeglasses, looked at me suspiciously and asked, “Sind Sie gesund?” (Are you well?). I smiled and replied, “Ich habe kein Problem, aber ich bin nur aengstlich.” (I have no problem, only that I am anxious.) Is anxiety a sickness? The Visa officer finally told me simply that their office does not issue visas to Eternity. I thanked him for giving me an audience. Then I left for another foreign Embassy.
Next, I went to the American Embassy to demand the same visa. There I met an iron brick. I was treated like a man suffering from insanity. Immediately I told the Visa officer that I wanted a visa to Eternity, he took up his mobile phone and made a distress call. Before I knew it, a huge armed policeman stood before me. He dragged me out of the Embassy with excessive force. He shouted at me and advised me to go to any psychiatric hospital to seek a visa to Eternity. Laughter was killing me inside my heart. I left without uttering a word.
I went to a few other foreign Embassies in Lagos without success. Afterwards, I took the next flight to Abuja. I went through the Embassies in Abuja without obtaining the Visa to Eternity. They all treated me like an insane. I called it off and travelled home by land.
At home, another idea came into my mind. I resorted to the motor parks within my reach to look for any commercial vehicle travelling to Eternity. I went to the major motor parks at Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Aba, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Uyo, etc. At one of those motor parks, a fierce-looking tout approached me, grabbed my luggage and asked, “Oga, where you dey go?” I replied, “I am travelling to Eternity. Where is the bus loading?” He looked at me disdainfully and shouted, “You dey kress? Are you a human being or a ghost?” He threw my luggage before me and went away disappointed. I took up my luggage and headed to another motor park. All my efforts to get a commercial vehicle to Eternity for nearly two weeks became futile.
Having been exhausted, I sat down at a spot to rest. I asked myself, “How then can one travel to Eternity?” An inner voice said to me, “My dear, the journey to Eternity is not done by any means of human transportation. It is a spiritual journey. It is a journey from mortality to immortality. In other words, it is a transition from temporality to eternity. The vehicle to your destination is death.” Immediately I heard the word ‘death’ I jumped up and exclaimed, “No! My journey to Eternity is hereby postponed indefinitely!”
No matter the postponement, death according to William Shakespeare is a necessary end which must come when it will come. Biologically defined, death is the cessation of body metabolism. For plants and animals, death becomes the ultimate end of their lives. For human beings, death is not annihilation, but a transition. Human life is not ended but changed.
What is the origin of death? Was it created by God? Searching through the Scriptures I read the third chapter of the Book of Genesis where God forewarned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of life and death. The consumption of the forbidden fruit carries the death penalty. Later Satan appeared to Eve in the garden and asked her, “Did God really say: You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” (Gen. 3:1). Eve answered yes and that they would die if they eat from the tree. The cunning serpent said, “You will not die, but God knows that the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4). The woman Eve was so excited. She took the forbidden fruit and ate it. As a mark of love, she took some to Adam her husband and he also ate. Immediately their eyes opened and they knew that they were naked. They became ashamed of themselves. Hence death became the automatic wage of sin. Consequently, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden which is called Paradise. The gate of Heaven was immediately closed against them. They wandered through suffering.
As a just and merciful Father, God sent his only Son Jesus Christ the fullness of time to redeem fallen humanity. He took flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He grew up in the house of Joseph and Mary. At the appointed time, he was arrested, tortured and crucified on the infamous Gibbet as a sacrifice for the redemption of sinful humanity. He died and was buried. By so doing he sanctified death and once more opened the gate of Heaven. On the third day, he rose from the dead. The resurrection automatically became our sole assurance that human life is not ended but changed at death.
I put it to you and to me that three things await us as travellers to Eternity. They are death, judgment, heaven or hell. The ultimate question is: Where shall we spend our eternity: in heaven or hell? Purgatory is transitory. It is a place or condition for the purification of souls from the wounds of sin. Two things can lead a soul to purgatory: venial sins and the punishment due to forgiven mortal sin. Those who score weak pass at the judgment seat of God are due for purgatory because the Bible says that some will be saved, but it will be as if passing through fire (1 Cor. 3:15). Indeed if God does not temper justice with mercy, heaven will be empty. Those who got excellent results during the eternal examination by God will proceed straight to heaven. On the other hand, those who failed woefully will end up in hellfire.
The souls rejoicing and praising God forever in heaven are referred to as the Church Triumphant. They are the ‘Nafesons’ (those who are victorious). They lived and conquered the world by doing the will of God. Some of them sinned and repented sincerely. Some died for the sake of God and are called Martyrs. Others are Confessors who sustained various degrees of injury in their struggle on the journey to Eternity. The souls in purgatory are referred to as the Church’s suffering. Their salvation depends on the mercy of God and on the prayers of the Church on earth. They are helpless like fish driven out of water. But they have hope of reaching heaven after undergoing purgation. The month of November each year is dedicated to praying for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. Those still on earth are called the Church Militant. They are on the spiritual battlefield fighting against evils, principalities and powers. Saint Augustine clearly stated that God created us without our cooperation, but He cannot save us without our cooperation. In other words, grace works on nature. Do not despair! The struggle continues until death do us part. The damned souls in hell are in perpetual agony. A stitch in time saves nine. Let us persevere in our daily struggle to reach our eternal destination, which is Heaven. We embark on the journey to Eternity from conception to death. Hence Saint Paul admonishes us: “Do not be fooled. God cannot be deceived. You reap what you sow” (Galatians 6:7). I wish you and myself a safe journey to Eternity.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
The current artificially contrived currency crisis badly exposes the weaknesses in our Constitution and other establishment laws. CBN under the guise of a “currency swap” has implemented a currency confiscation agenda all in a bid to curb vote-buying which is not its mandate. Thus, Nigeria is currently held to ransom by two people: President Buhari and his appointee, Governor Emefiele of the CBN. Buhari is the chief culprit here while Emefiele is a mere errand-boy enforcer. In essence, these two public officers are holding over 200 million people to ransom given the economic hardship, emasculation and strangulation individuals, households and businesses have been subjected to in the last few weeks. Clearly, something is fundamentally wrong if a President will use a CBN Governor to practically shut down economic activities and burn down the country to achieve a political goal. This is a signature misuse of office and abuse of power unfolding before our eyes. An elected officeholder and his appointee have subordinated the interests of 200 million Nigerians over theirs. This is dreadful!
Regardless of our political leanings, what is bad is bad! Everyone is feeling the heat. This includes both the supposed targets of Buhari and Emefiele’s machinations and the opposition parties and their supporters who hope to profit from the people’s misery. The opposition believes the crisis will hurt the ruling party’s candidates at next Saturday’s election. The supporters of APC, PDP, LP and NNPP buy goods and services from the same market, live in the same areas, use the same hospital, attend the same schools etc. The harrowing pain is therefore collective regardless of which side of the divide you are. Not even the videos and images of the destruction and burning of public and private properties including banks’ branches, tears and wailing of citizens who cannot pay for services including food and medicals, attack on and threat to lives of commercial bank workers etc. have touched the president or his enforcer. They are both blind to emotion and reason maybe because they have water and not blood flowing in their veins.
Who is to be blamed for all of this? The people themselves, the electorate, you and I. Every Nigerian has a senator and representative at the two chambers of the National Assembly (NASS) who make laws on their behalf and perform oversight functions on the executive arm of government. The people have failed by using the NASS to make laws to curb the excesses of elected and appointed public office holders including the president and the CBN Governor. As our constitution and other laws stand today, the NASS has inadvertently given dictatorial powers to the president and CBN Governor and the people are suffering the consequences of the exercise of those dictatorial powers. The CBN Governor has inadvertently created a template that other appointed heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) may use in the future to inflict pain and hardship on Nigerians.
Pray, what stops the Comptroller-General (CG) of Customs from shutting all land borders or confiscating all goods at our borders for 3 months because he wants to intercept a rumoured consignment of contrabands? And for 3 months, nobody can bring in any goods including food and essential medicals because of a crazy, sadist and uncreative CG who has the backing of the president? Or who will stop the Minster of Aviation or the DG of NCAA if any of them decides to shut our airspace with the backing of the president because they want to settle political scores or prevent some politicians from flying to campaign venues across the country? Who will stop the DG of NDLEA if he seizes all consignments because he is searching for contrabands or if NAFDAC DG wakes up one morning and revokes all approvals granted to drug manufacturers because a politician owns a drug company and wants to weaken his financial base? These are scary thoughts but can and will happen one day if we do not act now. This is why Nigerians (i.e. the people) through their elected federal lawmakers must act now to save the country from these other Nigerians (i.e. wicked and sadist elected and appointed officeholders).
The current checks and balances mechanisms in the 1999 Constitution are not very effective. That was why President Buhari had the effrontery to overrule the Supreme Court and there were no consequences. How and why should this happen in a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law? This reinforces the opening sentence of this intervention. As things stand today, the president is greater than the Supreme Court and the people (NASS). We must reverse this by amending our constitution and other laws such that the order of power descends from the people (NASS) to the Supreme Court and the president. 1 man cannot be greater than 200 million people who elected him into office. It is an insult. And 20 or 25 Supreme Court Justices cannot be greater than 469 lawmakers (who are representing 200 million Nigerians). Our laws must be amended to remove and reduce all tyrannical tendencies in the executive arm of government.
To start with, the Constitution should be reviewed and updated every 5 years. It should be statutory, automatic and not subject to the president’s discretion or whims. Also, amendments to the constitution should no longer require presidential assent. Once the NASS passes the amendments and 24 state assemblies out of 36 pass the same amendments, the amendments take automatic effect. The NASS represents 200 million people. If 200 million people have taken a position, it becomes binding. No one individual should sit in Aso Rock and use his pen to decide whether to assent or not or use a constitutional amendment to settle political and personal scores.
All other enabling laws such as the CBN Act, SEC Act, FIRS Act, EFCC Act, Electoral Act etc. should be automatically reviewed and updated every 3 years. It will interest readers to know that the CBN Act was last updated in 2007, that was 16 years ago, enough time for a monster like Emefiele to evolve. These Acts should be amended to include clear provisions for the removal of their Heads (Governor, DG, Executive Chairman, Executive Secretary, CG etc.) by NASS. Using the CBN Governor as an example, where he/she is found to have initiated policies that are damaging to the economy and people, any of the two chambers of the NASS can pass a simple resolution to suspend him from office for 6 months. Once a chamber suspends him from office, any action he takes thereafter is illegal, null and void and of no effect. If the NASS decides to sack him from office, both chambers must pass resolutions to remove him from office. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes and applies to all government appointees including Federal Cabinet Ministers.
Also, no Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) of government or the head of the MDA should be able to sue the NASS or obtain an injunction preventing the NASS from sitting over a matter. This should be clearly spelt out in the Acts of these MDAs. For example, Governor Emefiele should not be able to sue NASS or obtain a black market injunction preventing the NASS from sitting to pass a resolution to suspend Emefiele or sack him from office. The constitution should be amended such that no individual, entity, body, state, presidency or government can obtain any injunction from the court to prevent the NASS from sitting.
For the CBN Act specifically, currency introduction and redesign proposals should require approval by both chambers of the NASS going forward. Both chambers of NASS should be able to pass a resolution suspending any policy or directive introduced by any MDA which results in unintended consequences for the people post-implementation. Because we cannot underestimate the mischief of the executive, the Rules of the NASS should be updated and strengthened to provide for virtual/remote sitting where all resolutions passed have the same binding effect as those passed when it sits physically.
On the Supreme Court, what happens when a president disobeys the Supreme Court? This is an interesting question. Looking back in history, President Andrew Jackson once disobeyed the US Supreme Court in 1832 and got away with it. In August 1974, it was only the threat of impeachment by the US Congress that compelled President Richard Nixon to surrender the White House tapes to the special prosecutor after he previously defied the US Supreme Court’s 8-0 unanimous ruling to do so a month earlier. In 2005, President Obasanjo defied the Supreme Court by withholding Lagos State’s council funds and got away with it. This is 2023 and Buhari is about to get away with another contempt of the Supreme Court.
Where a Nigerian President fails to carry out the orders of the Supreme Court, such a decision should trigger a call for impeachment of the president by NASS because defying the Supreme Court is a fundamental violation of the constitution and a sure pathway to anarchy. Unfortunately, in climes such as ours with politico-ethno-religious suspicions, the NASS may be unsuccessful in impeaching him. But there are other checks. A president who defies the Supreme Court cannot hold a political office in Nigeria after the end of his tenure. If the president is in his first tenure, he cannot run for re-election as he is automatically constitutionally barred from seeking re-election. Such a president cannot present a budget to the NASS for approval and cannot appoint anyone who requires the Senate’s confirmation. These are subtle safeguards against the powers and mischievous tendencies of a tyrannical president if one ever emerges in future. Our constitution should be amended to include these safeguards.
If the above recommendations were implemented by NASS, we would have saved our country from ourselves. The overarching objective of these recommendations is the elevation of the people over a few. 200 million Nigerians are greater than any one individual, no matter who you are in the following sequence: the people (NASS) first; the judiciary (Supreme Court), second, and the executive (Presidency), third.
Disclaimer:
The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
