It was a good project mired in totally avoidable controversies. Months drew on. Then years flew by, while some low-grade quibbling went on in recondite corners; here and there. While that lasted, an investor who was ready to bring an inflow of 18 Billion dollars into the country, as the biggest ever single Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) left the country in frustration.

Back in 2015, on July 12 to be exact the project was greeted with some enthusiasm on this page. Under the title, “Inside Centenary City”, we enthused: “It is easy to believe that the Centenary City Project will be a major national success story. Following the incorporation of the Special Purpose Company (SPC) that will promote and drive the investment in the city, a total of 19 companies subscribed to the company’s Articles and Memorandum of Understanding; having met the initial capital call. … The Board of Directors of the company was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan”.

Ten years later, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had to intervene to revive what was looking more and more like a stillborn good idea. His action on the matter was reminiscent of the mythical story of a king who was said to have summoned a perpetually quarrelling couple, locked them up in a big house and then said to them: “The only condition under which I will let the two of you out of this place, and out of my sight, is that you will leave here resolved never to quarrel or fight again”.

Glaring at the couple, as the story went, he was reported to have said: “Under no circumstance must anyone hear ‘pim’ from either of you, in the name of a quarrel or disagreement. Until that happens, and until you come to your senses, you will be locked up here till further notice. You will be supplied all the provisions you ask for, but you will not step out of this place or see the shining sun until you agree to stop disagreeing”.

Well, Wike seems to have done something akin to that, but not with the threat of damnation or anything of the sort. He simply had to make it clear to all concerned parties and stakeholders that no one should try to upstage any endeavour that serves the long-term interests of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It was as simple as that.

Since a Free Zone is created by a Presidential Directive that designates an area for special administration to attract FDI, create jobs, and enhance competitiveness, it was not a matter to be toyed with. Thus, for the minister, the Abuja Centenary City investment and effort was not only here to stay, but must be made to stay in the right and most sustainable way possible.

But Wike did not just roll out the tanks and the gun boats, no! He started by hosting the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA)/Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) and Abuja Centenary City Plc. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Then he enquired into the issues that were considered to be bottlenecks on both sides.

Well, he got an earful. The lingering issues, the court cases, the distrust, the contrived bad blood, the mischief of those who should know better than to try to undermine the project. The narratives and narrations were legion. But the point of it all was to find a solution that everyone can live with.

It emerged that some of the obstacles being consistently put in the way of the progress and progression of the Centenary City Project rested on a fundamental misunderstanding of some legal points and other issues. Wike pointed out that a Free Zone is a Presidential Directive that creates a designated area for special administration to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), create jobs, and enhance competitiveness. To that extent, neither the minister nor any administrative institution of state can seriously, and meaningfully, contest the primacy of Mr. President’s powers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as custodian.

The conversation dovetailed into the further clarification of some mistaken perspectives regarding the legal identity, and administrative, autonomy of a Freezone, within an overarching umbrella of national sovereignty that still allows it to voluntarily outsource such municipal and other services it feels inclined to do. The operative word is ‘voluntarily’.

Then came the advice that was more of an angry, but pleasantly couched directive: For the FCDA and Centenary City management to resolve their differences amicably and work together in the broader national interest, so that the project can regain traction and move forward. The parties were reminded that the Centenary City project aligned with the Federal Government’s economic strategy of enhancing private sector investment in tourism, and other non-oil income earners critical for boosting the country’s economy.

With very clear guidelines regarding the law and management of Free Zones, and also knowing that there is no ambiguity about the status of Free Zones, the point of showing the best roles of FCTA/FCDA within the law is simply the only reasonable option on the road to lasting synergy. The result was that the parties found accommodation for each other’s perspective and signed a Communique to express their new cooperation. The current development also announced the cessation of court cases, encroachments, name calling and sundry acts of mischief.

For the record, the idea of a new Smart City, as part of Abuja urban renewal programme came after a detailed review of the Abuja capital city concept; as a small administrative capital. It became clear from the review that the upscale provisions for recreation, tourism, shopping, urban middle class accommodation would fill a gap that should not have been there in the first place.

It was one of the Legacy Projects initiated by the Federal Government and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), as part of the programmes and activities for Nigeria’s Centenary celebration in 2014. It was planned following the vision of a Smart Green City that would rank among the most modern cities in the world.

The concept was patterned after model cities like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Songdo in South Korea, and Shenzen in the Peoples Republic of China. Part of the expectation was that it would signpost the Nigeria of the future, by leveraging world class urban development as a tool for securing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and catalysing various aspects of social and economic indices in the country.

That probably explains the formation of Centenary City PLC (CCPLC) as a public limited liability company, with 39 local and foreign investors. This came to 100% private sector investors, without any government funding whatsoever. The owners hired a management team, secured a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the FCTA for the Centenary City land, and in lieu of the N3.611 billion premium on the land, it granted the FCTA, which was represented by the Abuja Investment Company Limited – AICL – , 5% of the equity of CCPLC; in addition to a Board seat. With this arrangement, the Government is part owner and part of CCPLC decision-making of the Project through the FCTA.

It was gleefully announced here in 2015 that: “The developer of the new city, Centenary City Plc., has fortunately been working with templates that guarantee both a seamless flow of activities leading to the final emergence of the city, as well as a compensation and resettlement programme for the landowners that will avoid the usual controversies often associated with compensation and relocations. The initial mischief, peddling of false information and the attempt to build a career out of spurious protests have all given way to a quiet and sustained engagement that all the parties concerned are looking at with confidence”.

The enthusiastic submission back then even went on to declare thus: “The Centenary City is the official counterpoise to the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos. Both are the two special economic cities designated as free zones by NEPZA. As a major national project, it was all woven into the centenary celebrations and offered to Nigerians as a powerful catalyst to stimulate investment – with multi-layered positive impact on the economy and the people”. Well, see where we are on the matter, after ten years. And, go and  see where Eko Atlantic City is.

With the commendable development under Wike, with the needed positive intervention from the Senate, it is hoped that the new locus of mischief, if any, will not find accommodation elsewhere. I say this because the time lag may become an excuse for mischief makers to begin new claims about ancestral lands and what not.

This is what was said about all that, back in 2015: “Knowing the controversies that have consistently trailed practically all previous compensation programmes in the country, especially for the original inhabitants of Abuja, Centenary City Plc. deployed dialogue and patient consultations to avoid any hiccups. The clarification given early in the day by the Managing Director about the entire compensation package was difficult to fault, or reject. It showed a two-pronged drive that combined cash payment for the crops and resettlement of the displaced landowners in houses built for them by Centenary City Plc. at its own cost.”

We said, further: “The payment to the landowners covers the crops and economic trees on their land, while the resettlement will provide adequate land for the buildings and other facilities to be developed by the Centenary City Plc. for their relocation to even better developed living conditions. Under the guidance of the FCDA, Centenary City Plc. will build adequate housing with infrastructure for the displaced landowners”.

We took it further, and I am deliberately going into history, because the current gains must not get lost in some political muddle once again. Hear this, as stated here on July 12, 2015: “To ensure a scientifically verifiable basis for the deterring eligibility for compensation, the FCDA authorities did a biometric capture of all the affected communities, matching facial recognition and fingerprint scan of persons who are seven years of age and above. So far, most of the 671 beneficiaries identified for compensation have been settled. Some had no title Deed, no C of O, etc., while others had only letters of allocation and nothing more. Today, they have not only been paid, or are scheduled to be paid, for land they did not really own, but are among those to be resettled in new and better houses very soon”.

Compensation to the Original Inhabitants for economic trees/crops and other property interests falling within the Centenary City site and the Resettlement site, as diligently facilitated by the FCDA, was to the tune of N1.4 Billion back then.

The economic benefits of the Centenary City project are easily measurable. So are the social benefits, as well as the extra political mileage that would come in due course.

Let Agencies of Government come to terms with the fact that Governments regulate, and do not “supervise” private sector projects. Let us also hope that

Nyesom Wike’s courage holds out and that the FCDA and Centenary City management remain on the right track in the national interest.

Asclepius Consulting, a foremost medical consultancy firm, has called for early screening to detect and treat high blood pressure (HBP).

The firm made the call to commemorate the 2024 World Hypertension Day on Friday, May 17, 2024, with the theme, “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”.

World Hypertension Day which is observed worldwide to promote increased awareness of high blood pressure, accuracy in blood pressure measurement and works toward the control of hypertension-related Non-Communicable Diseases, especially in low to middle income countries like Nigeria.

In a statement released by Client Services Executive, Asclepius Consulting, Dr. Seun Williams, accurate blood pressure measurement is key for the effective diagnosis, prevention and control of hypertension.

He noted that, “This can be achieved with the use of clinically validated automated devices, use of a correct protocol measurement and proper patient preparation. Asclepius Consulting and partners encourage Nigerians to participate in World Hypertension Day by having blood pressure screenings and having all the necessary information about the risk factors which may lead to Hypertension.

“These screenings and education on exercises, stress management, lifestyle modification and dietary salt reduction help reduce the risk for heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease and also kidney disease in communities in Nigeria.”

Speaking further, Williams noted that many people who suffer from hypertension are not aware that they have it as there can be no symptoms and very often people only find out after suffering a heart attack or stroke which is why Hypertension is known as the ‘the silent killer’.

“Asclepius Consulting and partners have screened over 100,000 Nigerians in different public health facilities for high blood pressure since the beginning of 2024 and plan to screen another 100,000 Nigerians before end of the year,” he added.

Former Vice President Atku Abubakar has said members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would decide his fate come the 2027 general elections.

He said that it was too early to decide whether he would vie for the presidency in the forthcoming elections.

In an interview with the BBC yesterday, Atiku, who was the presidential candidate for the opposition PDP in the 2023 general elections, said his recent meeting with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, could be a signal to a possible in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

Daily Trust Saturday had reported that Atiku Abubakar met with the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido in separate visits earlier last week.

He said their meeting augured well for democratic governance in Nigeria while implying a possible alliance between the opposition parties. He also dispelled claims that they couldn’t produce a consensus candidate.

According to him, should the PDP members unanimously agree on zoning PDP’s presidential candidate to South East, he will abide by it.

“I’ve made it clear since last elections that if our party members had a consensus that southeast should produce the candidate, we would all agree. And if our parties also had a similar agreement, then so be it,’’ Atiku said.

However, Atiku confirmed the opposition parties’ possible alliance ahead of the 2027 elections but couldn’t provide details as to when they would seal the alliance.

 

He also refuted claims that he would relinquish from active politics after the 2023 polls adding, “We fiercely fought even the military governments; let alone the civilian administrations. So, if you’re thinking otherwise, you might be dreaming. We would never retrace from fighting injustice, and bad governance. I am not yet tired of the political activism.’’

Atiku added that his not retiring from active politics does not in any way block the chances of fresh blood to have their shots.

Asked if his recent talks with topnotch politicians across the country might be a litmus test for eyeing up towards 2027 polls, he said, “We are in a democratic system and don’t forget that we are those who fought for its entrenchment. So, we are going to continue entrenching good governance and a sound democratic system. We would never fold our arms watching things deteriorating.”

 [DailyTrust]

A former Special Prosecutor, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Properties, Tosin Ojaomo has petitioned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the
alleged corruption case against the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ahmed Audi.

Ojaomo said it would be in the interest of public safety and to safeguard the investigation process to prevent any possible interference in the investigation, that the immediate suspension of Audi was recommended.

The petition dated May 15, a copy which was made available to DAILY POST was addressed to Tunji-Ojo and also copied to President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi and the Chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukoyede.

Ojaomo said it was no longer news that the NSCDC has been under the investigative periscope of the EFCC in the past few weeks over allegations of financial mismanagement wherein the anti-graft agency made considerable progress.

He alleged that Audi also has a pending allegation of unexplained property acquisition which was also levelled against him before the Code of Conduct Bureau, CBB.

Ojaomo said the application was brought pursuant to the Provision of Section 8 of the Nigeria – Security and Civil Defence Corps Act, 2003 (As Amended) and Section 11 of the Interpretation Act, 2004 which empowers the minister to recommend the appointment and removal from office of any person appointed by the President to the Office of the Commandant General of the NSCDC.

The petition reads: “We are compelled to make this request as the investigation of the agency cannot be thoroughly and discreetly conducted if the current Commandant General of the NSCDC is allowed to continue in office while the investigation continues because most of the financial activities of the agency which form the subject-matter of the investigation are conducted under the current CG’s watch.

“It will be in the interest of public safety and to safeguard the investigation process to prevent any possible interference in the investigation, that we request the immediate recommendation of the suspension of the current commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to allow an unfeathered investigation into the subject matters of the investigation.

“The revelations that the current Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is directly linked to the investigation wherein a company linked to him known as Keltes Security and Consultancy Limited was alleged to have received some contracts from Tantita Security Limited which is also a company under the agency’s supervision have raised more dust which may request the anti-corruption agencies to require some clarifications directly from him.

“In fact, there is a pending allegation of unexplained property acquisition which was also levelled against him before the Code of Conduct Bureau, CBB.

“In view of these facts it will be in the interest of public safety and to protect the integrity of the office to suspend Dr Abubakar Audi the current Commandant-General of NSCDC so that the EFCC can conduct a thorough and discreet investigation into the matter.”

[DailyPost]

Award-Winning Nigerian actress Omowunmi Dada has offered insights into her transformative role as Grace Eniola Soyinka, the esteemed mother of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, in the biopic ‘Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti.’

Directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters, the movie, which hit the cinemas yesterday, chronicles the remarkable journey of Ms Ransome-Kuti, a trailblazing politician, activist, and matriarch who sparked a revolution against colonialism and patriarchy in Nigeria, forever transforming the destiny of her nation.

According to Omowunmi, through meticulous research, immersive character study, and a deep emotional connection to the material, she was able to portray Grace Eniola Soyinka, one of the key characters of that era, bringing her compelling story to life on the screen with nuance, depth, and authenticity.

Reflecting on her portrayal of the mother of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate, Dada shares her insights into the character and the significance of bringing her story to a wider audience.

According to her, playing the Soyinka matriarch has been a profound and deeply rewarding experience.

“It is an honour to portray Grace Eniola Soyinka and to bring her story to audiences worldwide. She was not only a devoted mother, but also a fearless advocate for justice and equality. I am honoured to have the opportunity to embody her spirit and showcase her legacy to the world,” Dada said.

The actress’ portrayal of Soyinka captures the essence of a woman who defied societal norms, challenged systemic injustices, and instilled in her son a passion for literature, art, and social change. Through her performance, Omowunmi brings to life the complexities of Grace Eniola Soyinka’s character, from her unwavering resilience and strength to her profound love and sacrifice for her family.

Grace Eniola Soyinka is renowned for co-founding the Abeokuta Women’s Union with Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, her aunt-in-law. Together, they protested against taxes introduced by the Alake of Abeokuta, backed by the colonial authorities.

[TheNation]

A blood test detecting signs of 19 cancers seven years before symptoms show could revolutionize cancer screening. Researchers at Oxford University identified proteins in the blood linked to various cancers, including some found up to seven years before diagnosis.

Early detection is crucial for better cancer outcomes, and this test has the potential to significantly improve survival rates.

Two cancer researchers expressed optimism about the potential for preventing cancer through targeted drugs, thanks to new research findings. This research could pave the way for preventative therapies, offering a significant step forward in the fight against cancer.

Dr Iain Foulkes, the Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, which funded the studies, noted: “Preventing cancer means looking out for the earliest warning signs of the disease. That means intensive, painstaking research to find the molecular signals we should pay closest attention to.

“Discoveries from this research are the crucial first step towards offering preventative therapies which is the ultimate route for giving people longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”

Dr Karl Smith-Byrne, a senior molecular epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health, added: “This research brings us closer to being able to prevent cancer with targeted drugs – once thought impossible but now much more attainable.”

In the view of Professor Ruth Travis, a senior molecular epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health: “These studies are important because they provide many new clues about the causes and biology of multiple cancers, including insights into what’s happening years before a cancer is diagnosed.

“We now have technology that can look at thousands of proteins across thousands of cancer cases, identifying which proteins have a role in the development of specific cancers, and which might have effects that are common to multiple cancer types.”

Under the first study, researchers analysed blood samples of more than 44,000 Britons including 4,900 who were later diagnosed with cancer.  The team used proteomics — the study of proteins to help learn how cancer develops and spreads — to analyse 1,463 proteins from a single sample of blood from each person.

They then compared how these differed between Brits who were later diagnosed with cancer and those who were not, identifying which may be linked to the disease.

Hundreds of thousands are diagnosed with cancer each year, with prostate, breast, bowel and lung the most common types. Scientists found 182 proteins that differed in the blood three years before a cancer diagnosis.

In the second study, researchers looked at genetic data from more than 300,000 cancer cases to analyse which blood proteins were involved in cancer development and could be targeted by new treatments.

Forty proteins in the blood were found to influence someone’s risk of getting nine different types of cancer: bladder, breast, endometrium, head and neck, lung, ovary, pancreas, kidney and malignant non-melanoma.

Writing in the journal, Nature Communications, they noted, however, that while altering these proteins may increase or decrease the chances of someone developing cancer, in some cases it may lead to unintended side-effects.

Further research is vital to uncover which are the most reliable ones to test for, what tests could be developed to detect the proteins in a clinic, and which drugs could.

[Vanguard]

‘In all fairness to Tinubu, several of the promises were not meant to be fulfilled in the first year. They remain work-in-process.

Nigerians can only hope that the pledges will eventually be redeemed. Despite that caveat, it is clear that those scheduled for the first year have suffered the fate of politicians’ promises from time immemorial.

‘To crown it all, Nigeria, by the end of this year will decline from the largest economy in Africa to number four’.

“Tinubu wants to build a Nigeria that is confident and competitive on the global stage. Because of this, we can no longer afford certain ways of doing things. We must push past the false comfort of certain ingrained habits and practices, and endure inevitable but temporary discomfort because we are certain that ahead of us lies lasting reward.”

Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation. May 8, 2024.

Mohammed Idris, in an article titled: “Tinubu first anniversary: Propelling Nigeria towards renewal”, presented a truthful summary of the first anniversary of the administration which would have been difficult to beat if it was written by Tinubu’s worst political enemies. Published in all the major newspapers, as well as, online media, it was erudite, logical, good reading and self-damning for the Federal Government. In the entire 13 paragraphs of the article, only four figures were dropped – “we have seen investment commitments over $300bn, across various sectors” and “disbursement has since commenced of the nano-grants of N50,000 each for one million Nigerians, part of a larger N200bn MSME’s credit programme.”

Since readers were not told what these figures mean in terms of the promises made under the RENEWED HOPE agenda, readers have been left to figure out the implications themselves. Here is one interpretation of what the Minister said – in light of facts available to those diligent enough to search for economic and financial data.

Most often, “commitments” are nothing more than Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, which Nigerian leaders have announced as firm commitments. The recent embarrassment with the $600 million MAERSK proposed investment in Nigerian ports development, should serve as a warning that government pronouncements about secured Foreign Direct Investment are not always reliable.

Nigerians will believe there are $300 billion in investment commitments when the funds arrive here. And, nobody knows how long that would take. Certainly, it will not all come into the country in 2024 and even 2025. A lot of the pledges might never be redeemed. Eight years of Buhari administration and several trips abroad, followed by announcements of investments secured ended with very little to show for the effort.

Touting the N50,000 nano-grants which the FG has started to pay to one million, out of 133 million poor in Nigeria, could not have come at a worse time for the government. The World Bank in a recent report declared Buhari’s efforts in that regard as a waste – which failed to achieve its stated objectives of alleviating poverty stimulating consumption and increasing aggregate employment. Nothing suggests that Tinubu will succeed where Buhari failed. The same woolly-headed economics still underlies the initiative. In a world in which earning less than $2 per day is regarded as living in poverty, N50,000 amounts to $1.2 for one person; and $0.30 for a family of four. Self-deception has never been so elegantly proclaimed by a minister of government.

The rest of the article was a mere repetition of promises for the future – without a single achievement being mentioned. Nothing was said about the hastily improvised palliatives programme, the Portharcourt and Dangote refineries which were supposed to have started pumping out fuel, the gas-operated buses which would crash road transport fares and the housing units which would have doubled available housing. That is understandable. Like most politicians’ promises, they were never really intended to be fulfilled.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RENEWED HOPE AGENDA?

“Every country has the government it deserves.” Joseph de Maistre, 1753-1821.
VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ p 80.

And, the people should be ready to suffer the consequences of having the government – especially if it is elected. It is too late in the day to waste time on who won the 2023. Power belongs to the people; not even the Supreme Court. We have a government elected by us. The repercussions are now manifesting.

But, long before the elections, there was a document titled RENEWED HOPE in which candidate Bola Tinubu laid out hundreds of promises; telling us what he would do as President. It is one year this month. Below are a few reminders of what Fellow Nigerians were supposed to expect.

• SECURITY: peaceful communities, secure borders, safe forests (p 9); reposition Police, no more VIP assignments (p 10).
• ECONOMY: our cities and towns will witness a level of industrial activity unprecedented in our nation’s history (p 12); 10% GDP growth rate based on 2021 World Bank data; 2024 GDP — $586.7bn.; National Infrastructure Campaign, the government can hire millions of unemployed Nigerians to modernise infrastructure (p14), import substitution (p16), fight corruption and inefficiency, Exchange Rate Management: Our economic policies shall be guided by our desire for a stronger, more stable Naira founded upon a vibrant and productive real economy (p19), Inflation Targeting and Management: To impose the usual anti-inflation medicine of higher interest rates and tighter money-supply will only weaken the patient (p20); Foreign Debt Obligations: Our policy will be such that new foreign currency debt obligations will be linked to projects that generate cash flows from which the debt can be repaid (p21).
• INDUSTRIAL POLICY: Our government will make it a priority to encourage industries vital to national development. This means growing our industrial base to provide jobs to an expanding urban population (p22).
• AGRICULTURE: Only 35% of arable land in Nigeria is presently cultivated. Our target shall be to increase this number to 65% in four years; COMMODITY BOARDS: We shall introduce commodity boards to establish minimum prices for strategic crops (p26); we will develop a plan to open heretofore uncultivated land to both small and large scale farming and vertically integrated agri-business (p28).
• POWER: Eliminate Estimated Billing, we will end this unpopular and harmful practice and ensure that all electricity bills are meter-based (p30).
• OIL AND GAS: Ensure Stability of Petroleum Products Supply (p37).
• EDUCATION: ensure the abundance of qualified capable educators; prioritise the use of computers (p41); introduce new accreditation standards; establish curriculum committee; improve teacher training (p42); reform Technical and Vocational (p43) ; introduce students loan and Special education loan Fund (p44)
• HEALTH: invest greatly in health care; introduce universal health care (p45); healthcare will target poor and marginalised communities (p46); deliberate policy to retain skilled manpower, introduce incentives (p47); improve our public health response to health emergencies (p48).
• We will also explore how Nigeria can take greater advantage of relatively recent innovations such as blockchain technology. Blockchain, because of its security and accountability features, has the inherent potential to make daily interactions easier, faster and more convenient (p50).
• SPORT, ENTERTINMENT AND CULTURE: Build a modern Media City modelled on the Dubai Media City; introduce hospitality training programme (p55).
• The return of schools sports and grassroots sports will be made the cornerstone of our sports development policy; create Athletes’ Welfare Fund (p56).
• YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Tinubu administration shall aim to cut youth unemployment in half within four years (p57).
• WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: Commercial banks will be encouraged to support women-owned businesses nationwide through the use of concessionary loans and incentives (p60).
• OUT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN: Raise to the highest priority the growing problem of out-of-school children throughout the country….This will also reduce the number of disaffected youth who might fall prey to recruitment by terrorist and violent groups (p63).
• FEDERALISM AND DECENTRALISATION OF POWER: A Tinubu administration will rebalance the responsibilities and authorities of the different tiers of government (p68).
• RESOURCE ALLOCATION: Embark on a review of the federation revenue allocation to recalibrate the division of funds among the three tiers of government (p69)
• FOREIGN POLICY: Enhance Nigeria’s political leadership on the continent by establishing a G-5 among major African nations to develop common positions on issues of continental and global importance (p72). COMMENTS In all fairness to Tinubu, several of the promises were not meant to be fulfilled in the first year. They remain work-in-process. Nigerians can only hope that the pledges will eventually be redeemed. Despite that caveat, it is clear that those scheduled for the first year have suffered the fate of politicians’ promises from time immemorial. There is no need to appraise all the promises seriatim. Readers can easily observe that among others, Tinubu vowed to impose the age-long remedy of high interest rates and tighter money supply policies in the fight against inflation in the RENEWED HOPE document.

Surprisingly, he was not prescient enough to have created a committee or task force to start working on how to manage inflation after being declared the winner of the 2023 election. Obviously, now, he established no Think Tank to study the economic debacle he would inherit, to anticipate the problems likely to be associated with fuel subsidy removal and to devise the policies and programmes to minimise the negative impacts of “fuel subsidy is gone”. From the first day in office, his government has been playing catch-up to events which have taken control of Nigeria.

Today, the government is not in control of the major indices of measuring social and economic welfare. CRUDE OIL production and export, for reasons unclear to Nigerians, have stayed below 1.5 million barrels per day since January.

Right now in May, it has dropped below 1.3mbpd – leaving a daily negative variance of about 400,000 bpd and so many millions of dollars in revenue. Despite the promise that external loans would be tied to self-liquidating projects, none of the debts incurred since January fulfilled that condition. Like Buhari, Tinubu is now borrowing to cover current expenditure obligations.

Consequently, 91 per cent of dollar revenue in the first quarter, Q1, went into debt repayment. Forget capital expenditure. From the information available, Q2 dollar revenue will be less than Q1. That likely decline in dollar revenue is the cardinal reason the CBN’s efforts aimed at crashing exchange rates had become a fleeting mirage.

Exchange rates are trending up again. After going down close to N1000/US$ in late March and early April, it was up to N1505/US$ on May 11. The immediate future is not promising. The government’s response, as can be determined rests on two loan packages: a $2.5 billion loan package from the World Bank and a domestic dollar-denominated bond issue. In other words, more loans will be taken.

Regarding the promises on employment and housing, even the least informed Nigerian knows that more houses and working places have been demolished between May last year and today than in the last four years put together. More people are now jobless and homeless than at any time in our history.

Manufacturers have either closed down or scaled down operations since May 29 last year. More global manufacturers are getting ready to leave any time soon,

Food scarcity is more acute; palliatives by governments made a bad situation worse because corrupt government agents paid more than private individuals acting on their own. Some of the food palliatives promised by Tinubu are just arriving in the States – invariably less than promised.

Power supply remains the same; with only one major difference. All Nigerians will henceforth pay more for the same atrocious service. Hope dimmed.

But, why go on? Nobody in his right senses will dispute the obvious fact that close to 99 per cent of Nigerians are worse off today than last year. Tinubu has managed to achieve what most of us thought was impossible last year. He has performed worse than Buhari. To crown it all, Nigeria, by the end of this year will decline from the largest economy in Africa to number four.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM – BINANCE AND BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY.

“We will reform government policy to encourage the prudent use of blockchain technology in finance and banking, identity management, revenue collection and the use of crypto assets.

As part of our reforms, we will establish an advisory committee to review the existing regulatory environment governing blockchain technology and virtual asset services and, where necessary, suggest changes to create a more efficient and business-friendly regulatory framework. We will also encourage the CBN to expand the use of our digital currency, the E-naira.” (p52).

Earlier before that, the RENEWED HOPE document had offered this reason for getting the Tinubu government deeply involved in blockchain technology – if elected.

“Blockchain technology, because of its security and accountability features, has the inherent potential to make daily transactions easier, faster and more convenient….” (p50).

I was alarmed in 2022 when my copy of RENEWED HOPE was delivered to me; and when those pages were reached for several reasons. To begin with, by 2022, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies had already been revealed as platforms used mainly by criminals – international drug cartels and king pins, corrupt public and private sector operatives, arms traffickers, financiers of terrorist organisations, human traffickers, tax evaders and money launderers.

Furthermore, while it made transactions easier and faster, it was untrue that it possessed security and accountability. By late 2022, several nations were already clamping down on cryptocurrency – which after an initial surge was declining. Countries like China, whose citizens were among the originators of blockchain technology were aware of its potential to destabilise economies. It was certainly not accountable to ant government or any constituted authority.

Young men and some women in Lagos were the first to latch on to cryptocurrency; and being in Lagos, I was very curious. The logical step was to locate those involved and obtain information about the new technology. I also went on the internet to learn more. My discovery was alarming enough to advise my tutors in Lagos to be very careful about this new technology; which to me is a two-edged sword. It can make or break you.

I also discovered that some individuals who knew about the drafting of the RENEWED HOPE campaign were already heavily invested in crypto. It was therefore not surprising that blockchain technology was so seriously promoted. Victory at the elections provided the winners the opportunity to bring in crypto platforms like BINANCE to help the FG institute crypto in Nigeria. It was akin to inviting an unruly elephant into your living room.

Nigeria’s current court case against BINANCE might not be about protecting national interest at all. Information reaching me from the crypto community indicates that a few friends of people in corridors of power had their multi-million dollar accounts looted by international hackers without trace, and there is no legal way of getting the money back.

Because cryptocurrency platforms are technological conspiracies, the looters of a Nigerian’s account might be based in Russia or North Korea. The stolen funds might be lodged in Peru – without the South American nation knowing about it. Thus, it is almost impossible for the owner to obtain redress for the theft. He can’t go to court in Peru; have the looter repatriated from North Korea, and he dares not report to the Nigerian authorities without explaining how he got the money.

Neither the Nigerian authorities nor BINANCE is telling us what happened. One thing, however, is certain, the government might have inadvertently allowed BINANCE, a global outlaw crypto platform to come into the country; and the entire country is suffering from the consequences of that poor error of judgment.

The Nigerian economy is bedevilled by scarcities – of dollars, naira, regular power and fuel supply, food, housing, jobs and sound economic policies. Tinubu’s Lagos Boys are still missing the point. Supply-side inflation can never be cured by increasing interest rates but by increasing the supply of commodities.

Hope has not been renewed; at best, it has been deferred.

Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the president of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010, would have turned 73 this May if he were still alive. But regrettably, he was taken by the icy hands of death and dropped from sight just when Nigeria most needed him. We cannot question God. As Epicurus once said, it is possible to guarantee security against all odds. But against death, all men, mortals alike, dwell in an unprotected place.

President Yar’Adua was a model democrat and leader, and he could have finished as one of the most successful presidents Nigeria has ever had. That was not to be, though.

From 2007 to 2010, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua GCFR led the country as president after he was proclaimed the victor of the Nigerian presidential election, and on May 29, 2007, he took office.

In the past, he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor of Katsina state from 1999 until 2007. Yar’Adua travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2009 to get treatment for pericarditis. On February 24, 2010, he left Nigeria again for the same reason. His return took a long time, and on May 5, he passed away.

A scion of the Yar’Adua political family, the Katsina-born Umaru Yar’Adua had a very unique personality. After studying education and chemistry for his bachelor’s degree at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1972 to 1975, he returned in 1978 to complete his master’s degree in analytical chemistry. Yar’Adua inherited his father Musa Yar’Adua’s chieftaincy title of Matawalle, which means caretaker of the royal treasury, from the Katsina Emirate. The father served as a minister for  Lagos during the First Republic. His paternal grandmother, Binta, was a princess of the Katsina Emirate and the sister of Emir Muhammadu Dikko.

Several policies pursued by Yar’Adua set the course for his presidency toward resetting Nigeria. He was the first and only president of Nigeria to reject the election that gave him the position, where his predecessor had declared his own to be “a do-or-die affair.”

Yar’Adua set up a government of national unity as a means of fostering unity after winning the presidency. The Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) decided to join Yar’Adua’s cabinet towards the end of June 2007.

Yar’Adua formed a presidential electoral reform committee to examine the legal aspects, social and political institutions, and other relevant aspects to reset the country’s electoral system and prepare the way for free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria. The electoral reform committee also examined security concerns that impacted the nation’s election credibility and quality, as well as the mandate to offer suggestions for enhancing election credibility.

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais, led the electoral reform committee. The committee’s proposals included amending the constitution to remove some of the functions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and establishing an electoral commission and party registration agency. Additionally, it suggested that judicial challenges to elections be resolved quickly, before the swearing-in ceremony of the candidate for the seat in question.

The Yar’Adua administration published a seven-point agenda in August 2007 to use as the centerpiece for addressing developmental issues and advancing Nigeria’s economy to rank among the top twenty in the world by 2020. The seven-point agenda covered land reforms, transportation, wealth creation, infrastructure, power and energy, food security, security, and education.

Sadly, Yar’Adua fell gravely ill a little over a year after taking office and was soon bedridden. Because his principal, Yar’Adua, failed to transmit power to him before his last trip to Saudi Arabia, from which he returned unable to resume office and died soon later, the country struggled for long over how his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, would assume power as acting president. This led to the Doctrine of Necessity under the David Mark’s Senate presidency. Yar’Adua was just 59 years old.

The Nigerian people would have had complete control over who they chose to elect if Yar’Adua had lived long enough to see through his earnest electoral reforms. Nigeria was deprived of that chance by death.

Yar’Adua was a symbol of peace and unity; if anyone could be considered detribalized, it was him. He was an advocate of merit and a united, indissoluble, and indivisible Nigeria. He led by example. He was a tough, fair leader who brooked no nonsense. Regarding the backing he had from then-President Olusegun Obasanjo to become Nigeria’s president, the prevailing opinion is that Yar’Adua was one or two of the governors in office at the time with a perfect record, free of any allegations or suspicions of corruption. Yar’Adua had impeccable records.

As governor, he objected to the notion that the Katsina Government House would always be run on a generator any time that the PHCN failed to provide electricity. He wanted the government house to be equally without light when Katsina State experienced a blackout.

Yar’Adua had very integrative and inclusive economic policies and plans while serving as president. He had plans and ideas to establish and grow six regional economies in Nigeria based on the geopolitics of the country. He intended to concentrate on one state in each of the six geopolitical zones, turning it into an economic hub and a gateway to the zone. His true motivation for supporting Professor Chukwuma Soludo to go for the position of governor of Anambra State in 2010 was to turn the state into an economic hub and the gateway to the east, concurrently with the other five anchor states for the rest of the five zones.

Regretfully, Yar’Adua’s death also prevented him from building an equitable Nigeria based on their comparative economic advantage (Riccardo’s economics). The presidents that came before and after him lacked a sense of social fairness and equity, and they showed little concern for the requirements that each zone needed to integrate economically and competitively.

His pro-masses style of administration was peerless compared to any other Nigerian leader, demonstrating his exceptional humanness. Yar’Adua, inspired by the misery of Nigerians, cut the price of fuel as soon as he took office, whereas past and present Nigerian presidents were busy removing fuel subsidies and raising the price of fuel regardless of the prevailing crushing weight of poverty. Yar’Adua was the only head of state or president to reduce fuel prices since the fuel subsidy turned into a national nightmare.

With that mindset and plan, Yar’Adua’s presidency was emerging as possibly the best that the country could have had. Sadly, death stole Nigeria’s finest, leaving her with leaders and henchmen who had no morality and would only plunder and make fun of the people after they had captured the state.

Yar’Adua was a very experienced politician. He belonged to the leftist Peoples Redemption Party during the Second Republic (1979–1983), and his father served as the National Party of Nigeria’s National vice chairman for a brief period. Yar’Adua was one of the founding members of the Peoples Front of Nigeria during General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition programme to the Third Republic, along with members like President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Baba Gana Kingibe, Sabo Bakin Zuwo, Wada Abubakar, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Abubakar Koko, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a political organisation headed by the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, his elder brother.

Later on, the group gave rise to the Social Democratic Party. Yar’Adua participated in the Constituent Assembly of 1988. He was the state secretary of the Nigerian Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Katsina and a member of the party’s National Caucus. In the 1991 election, he ran for governor but was defeated by Saidu Barda, an ally of Ibrahim Babangida and the National Republican Convention candidate.

Indeed, Nigeria lost a rare gem of a leader to the cold hands of death in His Excellency Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Patriotic Nigerians wish you a happy (posthumous) birthday and ask God to send someone like you to Nigeria sooner than later so that the nation might experience true peace, unity, and growth.

Rest on, the great, patriotic, and visionary leader of all time.

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Dr Law Mefor, an Abuja-based forensic and social psychologist, is a fellow of The Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts. He can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Twitter @Drlawsonmefor

Adebayo Adelabu, the minister of power, says the federal government has suspended the transfer of regulatory authority to state governments.

Adelabu disclosed this while speaking at the 8th edition of the Africa Energy Market Place (AEMP) conference in Abuja on Friday.

In April, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) transferred oversight of the electricity market in Ondo, Ekiti and Enugu to the state’s electricity regulatory bureau (OSERB).

The minister, however, said the transfer would be suspended due to the need for state governments, and stakeholders in the power sector to properly understand what is required to operate an electricity market.

He said adequate understanding of the transfer of regulatory oversight of the electricity market to states is imperative for the survival and sustainability of the nation’s power sector.

“Therefore, we must tread carefully, we should not be in a hurry. The market is not a mature market, it is not mature enough. With everything centralised for a single regulator, we have a myriad of issues. Now we intend to create a regulatory framework across the 36 states, it is something that we must do in a highly systematic and strategic manner,” he said.

“We need just a couple of states as a pilot, which is why I actually halted granting of further regulatory autonomy to states.”

‘TRANSFER OF REGULATORY OVERSIGHT IN SELECTED STATES’

Adelabu also said the transfer of regulatory oversight will be piloted in selected states across the geopolitical zones in the country.

“When we have each of these zones represented in the pilot and we allow it to run for three to six months, or up to a year, all the possible issues would have been reflected so that we are going to have a learning curve, and all those issues will be addressed before granting further regulatory autonomy because I have a feeling that we don’t have a comprehensive understanding of what this autonomy means,” he said.

“The fact that we gave a state regulatory autonomy doesn’t mean that it’s just about distribution of electricity but it is regulation across the value chain. Generation within your territory, transmission within your territory, and distribution in your territory, including tariff setting.

“The moment you take over the regulatory activities of  Lagos state, when we talk about tariff, about subsidy, it will be on your neck as a state. I do not know the balance sheet you want to leverage to guarantee the necessary settlements on a monthly basis.

“So we all have to sit down and let everybody have a complete understanding of what this means. We will know if we are ready to have full autonomy or it will be a partial autonomy for the meantime before we achieve a mature electricity market.”

The minister further said most stakeholders underestimate the capacity required to have regulatory authorities in 36 states, and the FCT.

Adelabu also said each state needs to have a framework capable enough to protect assets and liabilities, address vandalism and consumer protection, and have enough capital for continuous investments and maintenance of infrastructures.

[TheCable]