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The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 629 (August 7 - 20 2024)

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<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995<br />

V O L 30 N O <strong>629</strong> AU G U S T 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

Jailed for<br />

over 150<br />

years<br />

Soldiers from Forces de Armees de Niger (FAN) watch US Soldiers in training navigate a Skyscraper obstacle (U.S. Army Africa Photo by Mr Robert Timmons)<br />

US military<br />

is leaving<br />

Niger even<br />

less secure:<br />

Why it didn’t succeed in<br />

combating terrorism<br />

By Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University<br />

Continued on Page 3><br />

Shotgun cartridges left at scene<br />

Seven men have been jailed<br />

for a total of more than 150<br />

years following a fatal<br />

shooting in Erith<br />

<strong>The</strong>y were sentenced for the<br />

murder of Kai McGinley after<br />

detectives were able to piece<br />

together complicated CCTV<br />

evidence and place a number of<br />

them near the location of the<br />

offence.<br />

Detective Chief Inspector<br />

Stephen Payne, who leads one of<br />

the Metropolitan Police’s specialist<br />

major investigation teams, said:<br />

“<strong>The</strong> evidence gathered and<br />

presented during the trial left the<br />

jury in no doubt that these men<br />

were guilty of a sinister plan to kill<br />

Kai McGinley.<br />

“We believe there was a dispute<br />

over a drugs deal and they decided<br />

the retribution for Kai should be<br />

death.<br />

“It is extremely sad and<br />

senseless that Kai lost his life in this<br />

way. He was part of a close and<br />

loving family who miss him every<br />

day. Our thoughts and condolences<br />

remain with them as they try to<br />

piece their lives back together<br />

without him.”<br />

An investigation was launched<br />

after police were called at about<br />

<strong>20</strong>:50hrs on Thursday, 9 February<br />

<strong>20</strong>23 to reports of shots fired in<br />

Pembroke Road, Erith.<br />

Officers and London<br />

Ambulance Service paramedics<br />

attended and found 24-year-old Kai<br />

shot in the chest. Despite the best<br />

efforts of the emergency services<br />

who tried to save him, he died at the<br />

scene.<br />

<strong>The</strong> jury heard that around<br />

Continued on Page 2


Page2 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

News<br />

Jailed for over 150 years<br />

Continued from Page 1<<br />

Anthony Wallder<br />

Bradlee Reeve<br />

Charlie Brabon<br />

Connor Brooks<br />

<strong>20</strong>.45hrs, Kai and two friends were<br />

driving along Pembroke Road in a Mini<br />

Countryman when a Land Rover and<br />

Peugeot travelling in the opposite<br />

direction came into view.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Land Rover deliberately struck<br />

the Mini and it came off the road. <strong>The</strong><br />

men in the Land Rover jumped out of<br />

the vehicle as it was severely damaged.<br />

<strong>The</strong> men in the Peugeot then got out<br />

of the car and fired one or two shotguns<br />

This space is for sale<br />

at<br />

£140 +VAT<br />

(black & white)<br />

£168 +VAT<br />

(colour)<br />

at close range at the group in the Mini.<br />

Kai was pronounced dead at the<br />

scene, while the other passengers in the<br />

car suffered minor injuries as they<br />

jumped from the car to get away from<br />

the attackers.<br />

Through a detailed CCTV<br />

investigation, detectives were able to<br />

trace the men’s steps. It was revealed<br />

that following the murder, the group<br />

hid in a garage belonging to Bradlee<br />

Reeve, one of those convicted, as they<br />

waited for a family member to come<br />

and get them.<br />

Seven people were charged between<br />

March and September <strong>20</strong>23. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />

later convicted and sentenced as<br />

follows:<br />

Bradlee Reeve, 34 (02.09.89), of<br />

Chapman Road, Erith was convicted of<br />

murder, and section 18 GBH and was<br />

sentenced to life, with a minimum term<br />

of 33 years.<br />

Enriko Spahiu, 21 (03.09.02), of<br />

Elmhurst, Belvedere was convicted of<br />

murder and section 18 GBH. He was<br />

Enriko Spahiu<br />

sentenced to life, with a minimum term<br />

of 29 years.<br />

Kai Osibodu, 25 (16.06.99), of<br />

Riverdale Road, Erith was convicted of<br />

murder and section 18 GBH. Osibodu<br />

was sentenced to life, with a minimum<br />

term of 30 years.<br />

Jalees Selby-Gangera, 19<br />

(14.02.05), of Woodfield Close, Erith<br />

was convicted of manslaughter. Selby-<br />

Gangera was sentenced to nine and a<br />

half years.<br />

Connor Brooks, 22 (17.03.02), of<br />

Horsa Road, Erith was convicted of<br />

manslaughter and was sentenced to 12<br />

years.<br />

Charlie Brabon, 19 (08.11.04) of<br />

Byron Drive, Erith was convicted of<br />

manslaughter. Brabon was sentenced to<br />

nine years.<br />

Anthony Wallder, 21 (24.10.<strong>20</strong>02)<br />

was convicted of murder and section 18<br />

GBH. Wallder was sentenced to life<br />

imprisonment with a minimum term of<br />

29 years.<br />

Kai Osibodu<br />

Jalees Selby-Gangera


News<br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

US military is leaving Niger even<br />

less secure:<br />

Why it didn’t succeed in combating terrorism<br />

Page3<br />

Continued from Page 1<<br />

<strong>The</strong> United States is winding down<br />

its military operations in Niger<br />

ahead of a mid-September<br />

deadline agreed with the country’s ruling<br />

military junta.<br />

<strong>The</strong> landlocked nation in West Africa<br />

recently announced it was ending<br />

military cooperation with the US after 11<br />

years. This was after the military in Niger<br />

overthrew the country’s democratically<br />

elected President.<br />

Niger has been a strategic military<br />

partner of several countries, including the<br />

US, France, Germany, Italy and Russia.<br />

In addition to helping West African<br />

countries fight terrorism, these countries<br />

were also there to promote and secure<br />

their own economic and commercial<br />

interests.<br />

Before the 26 July <strong>20</strong>23 coup in<br />

which the Niger junta seized control, the<br />

US operated two drone bases and had<br />

more than 1,000 military personnel in the<br />

country.<br />

As a scholar of the politics and<br />

security of West Africa and the Sahel, I<br />

have previously analysed the impact of<br />

foreign military presence, especially the<br />

US drone base in Agadez.<br />

I argued in <strong>20</strong>18 that the presence of<br />

the drone bases would not eradicate<br />

terrorism in the region. And indeed, six<br />

years on, terrorism has been on the<br />

increase in the region.<br />

This is because of the lack of<br />

understanding of local conflict dynamics,<br />

inability to address the root causes of<br />

terrorism, and a disconnect between<br />

human rights adherence and counter<br />

terrorism.<br />

How has the US fared?<br />

Using data from the Armed Conflict<br />

Location and Event Data – an<br />

independent, non-profit organisation<br />

collecting data on violent conflict and<br />

protest in all countries and territories<br />

around the world – I analysed the impact<br />

of foreign military presence and the US<br />

drone base on counter-terrorism in Niger.<br />

<strong>The</strong> analysis is based on the number of<br />

attacks carried out by terrorist groups in<br />

the country and the resulting fatalities.<br />

ACLED ACLED<br />

<strong>The</strong> tables above show that despite<br />

the US operation starting in <strong>20</strong>13,<br />

terrorist activities and fatalities have<br />

steadily increased since <strong>20</strong>14. In fact, the<br />

number of attacks has increased<br />

significantly since <strong>20</strong>18 when the US<br />

opened Air Base <strong>20</strong>1 in Agadez.<br />

My predictions that the drone base<br />

could worsen the security situation and<br />

position the country as a magnet for<br />

insurgency seem to have come to pass.<br />

<strong>The</strong> military junta cited rising<br />

insecurity and declining economic<br />

prospects as reasons for taking power.<br />

<strong>The</strong> tables above show they were right<br />

that insecurity has been on the increase<br />

despite the presence of foreign military<br />

personnel in the country. Many Nigeriens<br />

who protested the presence of the US and<br />

France military in the country also raised<br />

Continued on Page 4<<br />

Niger's General Abdourahamane Tchiani


Page4<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> Group<br />

Field: 07956 385 604<br />

E-mail:<br />

info@the-trumpet.com<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong>Team<br />

News<br />

US military is leaving<br />

Niger even less secure:<br />

Why it didn’t succeed in<br />

combating terrorism<br />

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:<br />

’Femi Okutubo<br />

CONTRIBUTORS:<br />

Moji Idowu, Ayo Odumade,<br />

Steve Mulindwa<br />

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Allison Shoyombo, Peter Osuhon<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> (ISSN: 1477-3392)<br />

is published in London fortnightly<br />

Continued from Page 3<<br />

similar concerns.<br />

America’s success in the Sahel<br />

While the charts above do not show<br />

any significant positive effect of the US<br />

in Niger, there are a few.<br />

<strong>The</strong> US supported some of the<br />

countries in the region (Cameroon, Chad,<br />

Niger, Nigeria and Benin) to establish a<br />

joint task force to combat terrorism.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Multi-national Joint Task Force<br />

was established in 1994 by Nigeria to<br />

curtail trans-border armed banditry in the<br />

Lake Chad Basin area. In <strong>20</strong>15, the<br />

mandate of the task force was changed to<br />

combat terrorism in the region. <strong>The</strong> US<br />

played a role in establishing the platform.<br />

In addition, the US provided logistics<br />

and advisory support to the task force and<br />

the now defunct G5 Sahel grouping. <strong>The</strong><br />

US drone bases were particularly<br />

important for information gathering<br />

across the Sahel. <strong>The</strong> information was<br />

relevant to the counter-terrorism<br />

operations of the task force.<br />

<strong>The</strong> US defence department also<br />

provided financial support to other<br />

foreign troops and groups involved in the<br />

fight against terrorism in the region. In<br />

<strong>20</strong>18, for instance, the US provided $59<br />

million to support and build the capacity<br />

of African partner States.<br />

America’s failure in the Sahel<br />

Despite some of the successes<br />

recorded, foreign military presence and<br />

the establishment of the drone base have<br />

not weakened terrorist organisations in<br />

Niger and the Sahel region more broadly.<br />

In my opinion, three main factors<br />

explain the reasons for America’s failure<br />

in Niger.<br />

First, there was too much emphasis on<br />

military operations without addressing<br />

the economic reasons for terrorism.<br />

Research has shown the link between<br />

poverty and terrorism. Poor economic<br />

prospects, unemployment and a large<br />

youth population have all contributed to<br />

the expansion of terrorist groups in Niger.<br />

A recent report by the Lake Chad<br />

Basin Commission highlights the<br />

importance of non-kinetic (non-force)<br />

measures in counter-terrorism. Terrorism<br />

in the region cannot be addressed<br />

militarily. <strong>The</strong> issues resulting in<br />

terrorism need to be addressed to reduce<br />

the incentives for people to join terrorist<br />

groups.<br />

Second, the US and its allies did not<br />

fully understand the local dynamics of<br />

the country or the roles of traditional<br />

rulers in aiding or countering terrorist<br />

groups.<br />

In my previous research, I found that<br />

political patronage played a role in the<br />

formation and growth of insurgent<br />

groups.<br />

<strong>The</strong> same is the case in Niger and<br />

some other African countries. Local<br />

political dynamics, ethnicity and religion<br />

shape the scope and dimensions of<br />

terrorism. A military approach without<br />

corresponding dialogue with relevant<br />

local groups, especially traditional rulers,<br />

will not produce any significant positive<br />

outcome.<br />

Third, the emphasis on human rights<br />

in the fight against terrorism is pushing<br />

Niger and other juntas to embrace Russia<br />

and China. <strong>The</strong> US and their allies<br />

routinely deny sales of specific weapons<br />

to African countries based on human<br />

rights records. In <strong>20</strong>21, the US Congress<br />

blocked the sale of important weapons<br />

needed to fight terrorism in Nigeria.<br />

Russia and China, however, do not put<br />

such restrictions on weapons sales. Niger<br />

has been building stronger military ties<br />

with Russia lately.<br />

Finally, some Nigeriens, analysts and<br />

experts believe the primary aim of the US<br />

and its allies in the country is not to fight<br />

insurgency but to promote their own<br />

interests. This was a message that<br />

resonated with the Nigerien public after<br />

the coup and which the military junta<br />

seized to garner support.<br />

Insecurity and terrorism in Niger<br />

could be described as a “wicked<br />

problem” – complex and difficult to<br />

solve.<br />

Some of the failings of the US are not<br />

its fault. But the US should look inwards<br />

and rethink its security alliances, making<br />

sure the will of ordinary citizens is<br />

catered for.<br />

Olayinka Ajala is a Senior Lecturer in<br />

Politics and International Relations at<br />

Leeds Beckett University.<br />

This article is republished from <strong>The</strong><br />

Conversation under a Creative Commons<br />

license. Read the original article at:<br />

https://theconversation.com/us-militaryis-leaving-niger-even-less-secure-why-itdidnt-succeed-in-combating-terrorism-2<br />

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Fatalities from Terrorism in Niger (Credits - ACLED)<br />

Terrorist attacks in Niger (Credits - ACLED)


AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Page5


Page6 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

Opinion<br />

Biden’s exit and America’s<br />

November Blues<br />

What a difference a debate can<br />

make! It just made a big<br />

difference in the United<br />

States in the lead up to that country’s<br />

November 5, <strong>20</strong>24 General Elections.<br />

For months, the White House fended off<br />

insinuations that President Biden at 81,<br />

had become too old for the job, and that<br />

the Democrats should look in another<br />

direction. In the course of the Primaries,<br />

Biden mispronounced names,<br />

committed so many gaffes, the miscues<br />

and slips were just too many, too<br />

obvious. On March 19, <strong>20</strong>21, Biden<br />

stumbled three times as he tried to<br />

climb Air Force One to board a flight to<br />

Atlanta. In June <strong>20</strong>23, Biden called<br />

British Prime Minister President Rishi<br />

Sunak and ended up joking; “I just<br />

promoted you”. In the same month, he<br />

said “Putin is clearly losing the war in<br />

Iraq”, whereas he meant Ukraine. In<br />

February <strong>20</strong>24, he said Mitterrand was<br />

from Germany. He meant France. He<br />

was referring to Emmanuel Macron not<br />

Mitterrand who left office in 1995. This<br />

same year, President Biden mixed up<br />

Egypt and Mexico. He forgets names<br />

and events. He freezes in the middle of<br />

speeches. Between January and April<br />

<strong>20</strong>24, alone, a total of 148 gaffes were<br />

recorded against him! And yet in spite<br />

of that, his medical doctors reported<br />

positively on his health claiming that he<br />

was strong enough. In the Democratic<br />

primaries over 4,000 delegates voted for<br />

him to become the presumptive<br />

candidate of the Democratic Party.<br />

His campaign team was looking<br />

forward to the Democratic National<br />

Convention in Chicago in <strong>August</strong> where<br />

he was expected to be formally adopted<br />

by the Democrats as their Presidential<br />

candidate in the November 5 election.<br />

But everything came unstuck on June<br />

27, at the first Biden debate with<br />

Donald Trump then the presumptive<br />

Republican candidate. Biden was<br />

confused, inaudible, he performed so<br />

poorly his party members were<br />

thoroughly embarrassed. His codebater,<br />

Trump, is 78, only three years<br />

younger but he was much smarter even<br />

if he told many lies throughout the<br />

interview. Biden did not have enough<br />

presence of mind to check-mate him.<br />

Even his own supporters were so<br />

shocked that what they were dealing<br />

with was not ageism, but the fact that<br />

out of a choice between two old men,<br />

the Republican was the sprightly one,<br />

with the fire in his belly still burning.<br />

Democratic Party members soon began<br />

to call for Biden to withdraw, and not<br />

bother to attend the second debate<br />

scheduled for September. <strong>The</strong> President<br />

resisted all the entreaties to step aside,<br />

insisting only the Lord Almighty could<br />

tell him to get out of the race. “I’m not<br />

going anywhere”, he announced. But<br />

the debate had exposed the frailty that<br />

his handlers and doctors had always<br />

tried to hide. Americans and the whole<br />

world could tell that age had finally<br />

caught up with the oldest American<br />

President in history.<br />

In the midst of it all, on July 11,<br />

President Biden committed the<br />

additional gaffe of calling Vice<br />

President Harris, Vice President Trump.<br />

America, through that June 27 debate<br />

has shown the value of the electorate<br />

seeing their leading candidates in flesh<br />

and blood and having the opportunity to<br />

compare and contrast. In Nigeria here,<br />

Presidential candidates often refuse to<br />

attend Presidential debates and they get<br />

away with their snobbery. <strong>The</strong>y even<br />

insist on who they would rather appear<br />

with. Nigerian political campaigns are<br />

not driven by ideas, robbing the<br />

electorate of the much-needed<br />

opportunity of getting to know what the<br />

candidate has in store with regard to key<br />

issues be it inflation, unemployment,<br />

manufacturing or national security. In<br />

<strong>20</strong>14/<strong>20</strong>15, General Muhammadu<br />

Buhari refused to participate in any<br />

Presidential debate. Nobody knew<br />

exactly what he wanted to do or how<br />

other than the general three-pronged<br />

promise to fix insecurity, the economy<br />

and fight corruption. Within four years,<br />

he had failed on each of the promises.<br />

He ran for a second term in <strong>20</strong>19 and<br />

won on the basis of the assumption that<br />

he had unfinished business to<br />

accomplish. By the time he left office in<br />

<strong>20</strong>23, he had not finished any business.<br />

He left Nigeria worse than he met it.<br />

Nigerians were not even sure he knew<br />

what he promised the people. He once<br />

famously disowned some of the<br />

promises in his own manifesto! Perhaps<br />

if Buhari had taken to the podium to<br />

have a debate, Nigerians would have<br />

been able to assess him more<br />

dispassionately away from the<br />

blinkered propaganda and deception of<br />

hungry public relations experts, brand<br />

consultants and APC politicians. In<br />

<strong>20</strong>23, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,<br />

now President, also dodged Presidential<br />

debates. We must reach a point in this<br />

country, when Presidential debates must<br />

become compulsory. If at the time, the<br />

minimum qualification is still a school<br />

certificate attempt or a miserable<br />

certificate of attendance at a seminar,<br />

the aspirants should be allowed to speak<br />

in any local language of their choice and<br />

have their thoughts translated.<br />

Joe Biden and Donald Trump<br />

Leadership in Nigeria should be about<br />

competence and ability not geography<br />

and quota.<br />

<strong>The</strong> unexpected sometimes happens<br />

in politics as it did in the United States<br />

when on July 13, an assassin, Thomas<br />

Matthew Crooks, <strong>20</strong>, tried, in a crooked<br />

manner, to kill President Trump while<br />

he was campaigning at Butler County,<br />

in Pennsylvania. A rally attendee, fire<br />

chief Corey Comperatore was killed.<br />

Two persons were seriously injured.<br />

President Trump survived with the<br />

bullet grazing his ear, and he still had<br />

enough presence of mind to tell his<br />

supporters: “Fight. Fight. Fight” as<br />

blood trickled down his right cheek.<br />

Republicans have milked this to project<br />

Trump as a symbol of strength and<br />

defiance. “It was God that saved me”,<br />

he boasted. “I did it for democracy”, he<br />

said. His ratings shot up. His campaign<br />

immediately capitalized on the incident,<br />

including production of Trump<br />

materials: campaign mementoes, high<br />

sneakers for sale. President Biden had a<br />

televised broadcast condemning<br />

violence. He placed a call to Trump.<br />

BY REUBEN ABATI<br />

Republicans blamed the Democrats for<br />

the rhetoric that made Trump a target.<br />

Democrats in general denounced the<br />

politics of violence and harped on unity.<br />

But this X-factor only ended up<br />

propelling Trump to the top in the polls.<br />

Trump-mania, MAGA-mania were both<br />

afoot, cemented by the announcement<br />

of Senator J D. Vance, 39, (R-Ohio) as<br />

Trump’s Vice-Presidential candidate,<br />

further cemented with Trump’s formal<br />

acceptance of the Republican<br />

nomination on July 18, at Milwaukee,<br />

Wisconsin. “I am not supposed to be<br />

here”, he told the crowd, many of them<br />

with bandaged ears. “Yes, you are!”, the<br />

crowd chorused in response. <strong>The</strong><br />

Trump trade machine was on a roll. It<br />

looked unstoppable.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Biden machine was slowly<br />

grinding to a pause. Democratic Super<br />

PACs and donors began to stop their<br />

donations. Bundlers who mobilize<br />

funds for the campaign reported that<br />

donors were no longer picking their<br />

calls. Party members and supporters<br />

like former House Speaker Nancy<br />

Pelosi, and film stars such as George<br />

Clooney and Robert de Niro also added<br />

their voices. Senate Majority Leader,<br />

Chuck Schumer and House Minority<br />

Leader, Hakeem Jeffries were also said<br />

to have met with President Biden to<br />

point out the damage that may be done<br />

to the Party and other candidates in<br />

Continued on Page 10


Opinion<br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Tinubu’s LG autonomy gamble<br />

“Local government is not just about<br />

Page7<br />

politics, it’s about people’s lives.”<br />

- Eric Garcetti<br />

At last, the Supreme Court of Nigeria<br />

has ruled in favor of Nigeria’s 774<br />

Local Governments (LGs)! May<br />

God’s name be praised!<br />

Yes, the Supreme Court’s ruling is a<br />

significant victory, ordering <strong>20</strong>.6% of the<br />

Federation account allocation to be paid<br />

directly to LG accounts, as constitutionally<br />

mandated! But how did Nigeria descend to<br />

this point? It’s clear that most State<br />

Governors sought to control LGs by<br />

appointing their herds and apparatchiks as<br />

Council Chairmen, thus disregarding<br />

elections. President Bola Tinubu deserves<br />

the highest praise imaginable for taking<br />

bold action.<br />

In Nigeria, State Governors have<br />

historically been reluctant to grant fiscal<br />

autonomy to the LGs for the obvious<br />

reasons of political power play, fear of<br />

reduced revenue, patronage and<br />

clientelism, fear of accountability and<br />

corruption. Notable among others are<br />

centralization of resources and reduced<br />

influence over Council Chairmen. So,<br />

Tinubu’s laudable step should be supported<br />

because strengthening the third tier of<br />

government and attracting competent<br />

individuals with better managerial skills is<br />

crucial. We can only wish this had been<br />

done and constitutionalized since 1999.<br />

In a democracy, development typically<br />

starts at the grassroots level, as seen in<br />

countries like India and Malaysia. Consider<br />

Andy Burnham, whose political career<br />

started in the local government (as<br />

Councilor in Leigh Metropolitan Borough<br />

Council: 1986-1992)! He moved to national<br />

politics (as Member of Parliament, MP, for<br />

Leigh: <strong>20</strong>01-<strong>20</strong>15, and Cabinet Minister:<br />

<strong>20</strong>08-<strong>20</strong>10). In <strong>20</strong>17, Burnham returned to<br />

regional politics as the directly elected<br />

Mayor of Greater Manchester, a position he<br />

holds till date. In Nigeria, can former Vice<br />

President Yemi Osinbajo ever consider<br />

chairing Ikenne Local Government in Ogun<br />

State? Well, this is how successive leaders<br />

have dragged the country and it is<br />

unfortunate!<br />

Jerry Brown is another exemplary<br />

leader who demonstrated a commitment to<br />

public service. Firstly, he served as<br />

Governor of California from 1976 to 1983.<br />

He ran for President in 1988 and 1992 and<br />

served as Mayor of Oakland from 1999 to<br />

<strong>20</strong>07 before serving again as the Governor<br />

of California from <strong>20</strong>11 to <strong>20</strong>19. This<br />

career path highlights how developed<br />

societies value and prioritize local<br />

government administration. In contrast, it’s<br />

unlikely that former Vice President Atiku<br />

Abubakar would ever consider becoming<br />

the Chairman of Jada Local Government in<br />

Adamawa State, which underscores the<br />

differing priorities in Nigeria’s political<br />

landscape.<br />

While a robust LG is one that can<br />

generate its own revenue and develop at its<br />

own pace, it is nonetheless clear that our<br />

understanding of Local and State<br />

government structures and their<br />

relationships is flawed, leading to our<br />

current predicament.. Here, the State<br />

governments are usurping LG powers due<br />

to their own indolence. Instead of allowing<br />

LGs to flourish, States are misappropriating<br />

funds meant for “where the rubber meets<br />

the road”, deplorably squandering them<br />

rather than utilizing them for their intended<br />

purposes. Unfortunately, no changes are<br />

forthcoming since everyone seems to be<br />

benefiting from the status quo.<br />

Historically, the United States created<br />

counties through referendums, at times with<br />

hundreds of counties within a State. For<br />

example, while some States have fewer,<br />

like Delaware with 3, or more, like Texas<br />

with 254, New York State has 62 counties,<br />

equivalent to Nigeria’s LGs. American<br />

counties are largely self-funded, unlike<br />

Nigeria’s LGs, which rely on Federal and<br />

State allocations, often withheld or released<br />

arbitrarily by State Governors. If State<br />

governments had allowed LGs to develop<br />

independently, the outcome would be vastly<br />

different. In the UK, property taxes are<br />

levied by LGs, whereas in Nigeria, States<br />

impose the Land Use Charge. A Land Use<br />

Charge on a property in Ijebu-Jesa should<br />

accrue to Oriade Local Government, not<br />

Osun State Government. If LGs in Nigeria<br />

had similar funding autonomy, imagine the<br />

transformation they would undergo!<br />

In ‘<strong>The</strong> People’s Republic’, Obafemi<br />

Awolowo emphasized the importance of<br />

local government autonomy for grassroots<br />

development. He believed local<br />

governments best understand their<br />

communities’ needs and should be<br />

empowered to address them. Awolowo’s<br />

policies in the Western Region reflected<br />

this, with elected councils and a focus on<br />

community development. He advocated for<br />

independent, self-sustaining local<br />

governments with the ability to generate<br />

revenue and make decisions without<br />

interference.<br />

Nigeria's Supreme Court rules in favour of Local Government autunomy<br />

In the 1950s and 1960s, LGs played a<br />

vital role. For example, a historical review<br />

of the Lagos Island LG’s achievements in<br />

housing projects, roads and drainages<br />

would be truly impressive. Back then, LGs<br />

were essentially mini-States, unlike the<br />

ineffective entities we have today. Whereas<br />

effective LG administration in other<br />

countries prioritizes citizen well-being,<br />

BY ABIODUN<br />

KOMOLAFE<br />

fosters community engagement, drives<br />

progress and maintains transparency and<br />

accountability, LGs in Nigeria are merely<br />

conduits for State governments, serving as<br />

political tools and job opportunities for<br />

political apprentices, professional hoppers<br />

and desperate politicians who delight in<br />

wallowing in delusional insinuations. It’s<br />

lamentable that Nigeria’s LGs have<br />

deviated from their original purpose.<br />

Matter-of-factly, pre-independent<br />

Nigeria’s LG administration was a shining<br />

example of effectiveness, with successful<br />

primary school systems, dispensaries and<br />

agricultural extension services. Even<br />

notable figures like Bode Thomas, Fani<br />

Kayode and Rotimi Williams began their<br />

careers in the LGs during the First<br />

Republic, and they were among the best of<br />

their generation. Unfortunately, the same<br />

cannot be said about the current crop of LG<br />

leaders. This legacy has been lost, but<br />

Continued on Page 9


Page8 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

Opinion<br />

Before the protests begin…<br />

By Reuben Abati<br />

“Ol’Boy.”<br />

“Bros. Bro-oo!”<br />

“How are you preparing for Thursday?”<br />

“What is happening on Thursday?”<br />

“What do you mean what is happening<br />

on Thursday? <strong>The</strong> #EndBadGovernance<br />

protest”<br />

“I see. Me, I am not protesting oh. When<br />

I wake up on Thursday, if I see that some<br />

people are already on the streets, me I go stay<br />

for house oh. I don’t want trouble.”<br />

“That is cowardice. <strong>The</strong> protesters want<br />

to do it for all of us. <strong>The</strong>y have specific<br />

points. <strong>The</strong>re is hunger in the land. <strong>The</strong>re is<br />

no fuel. Life is hard. Tomatoes have become<br />

expensive. Common garri, people no fit chop<br />

again.”<br />

“Good and do you know the protesters?<br />

<strong>The</strong>y are saying there are no leaders, you are<br />

supporting a faceless protest?”<br />

“It is not as faceless as you think. Peter<br />

Obi, Femi Falana, Deji Adeyanju, the Take It<br />

Back Movement have all said that the<br />

people’s right to protest is a constitutional<br />

right. <strong>The</strong>y have asked to be allowed to use<br />

the Eagle Square in Abuja.”<br />

“Yes, they have also asked Nyesom Wike<br />

to allow them access to facilities at the Eagle<br />

Square, including the toilets. I think they<br />

should just insist that Wike should come<br />

physically and help them with the toilets, by<br />

cleaning for them, because it is their<br />

constitutional right to use the Eagle Square.<br />

Nobody is questioning the people’s right to<br />

protest. Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999<br />

Constitution provide the necessary cover for<br />

that. As a citizen you have the right to speak<br />

and the right to the freedoms of association<br />

and assembly. What you cannot do is to insist<br />

that you will impose anarchy or rage or chaos<br />

on the country. <strong>The</strong> DSS says what we are<br />

dealing with is actually a regime change<br />

protest. You cannot do that.”<br />

“Who told government that the people<br />

will cause violence or that they are planning<br />

chaos? Even Mr. Peter Obi that they say is<br />

supporting the protests, has come out<br />

publicly to advise the would-be protesters to<br />

stay within the ambit of the law. So, who is<br />

talking about violence, and why is the<br />

government afraid?<br />

“Every protest leads to one problem or<br />

the other”<br />

“That is not true”<br />

“<strong>The</strong> 1789 riots in France because of<br />

hunger ended up with the French Revolution.<br />

In the United States, the people who were<br />

protesting against Israel’s war in Gaza<br />

disrupted activities on the university<br />

campuses. Recently when the Israeli Prime<br />

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the<br />

US, to address Congress, pro-Palestine, anti-<br />

Israel persons protested at the Union Station<br />

and Pennsylvanian Avenue. My major takeaway<br />

from that was that the police in<br />

Washington DC arrested over <strong>20</strong>0 people.<br />

<strong>The</strong> police chief said people can protest, but<br />

they have no right to go beyond the First<br />

Amendment. You remember the Arab Spring<br />

in <strong>20</strong>11, from Tunisia to the whole of the<br />

Middle East. Remember the Kenya riots<br />

recently. Violence, anarchy will not bring<br />

anybody any good.”<br />

“My brother. People are tired. <strong>The</strong>y are<br />

hungry.”<br />

“When Buhari was there, why did they<br />

not fight?”<br />

“<strong>The</strong>re was #EndSARS in <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong>. Have<br />

you forgotten so soon?”<br />

“Yes. Yes. EndSARS. And what good did<br />

it bring to Nigeria? All the people that died<br />

at Lekki Toll Gate, it is only their families<br />

that will forever feel the pains.”<br />

“It is the primary duty of government to<br />

protect the people.”<br />

“It is also the duty of the people to act<br />

within the ambit of the law. Citizenship<br />

comes with rights and responsibilities.<br />

Governors, traditional rulers, civil society<br />

groups, Christian and Islamic clerics have all<br />

appealed for calm. <strong>The</strong>y have advised the<br />

angry youths to give government a chance. I<br />

don’t agree that the people should wait for<br />

three years before they speak up. You cannot<br />

legislate the people’s anger. But then, make<br />

your point, do not destroy. Do you recall the<br />

number of vehicles, houses and businesses<br />

that were destroyed during EndSARS?”<br />

“I hope you know that it is not everybody<br />

calling for calm and dialogue that is an<br />

apostle of peace, some of them are doing it<br />

for their own interests. All the traditional<br />

rulers that went to visit Tinubu over this<br />

planned protest, tell me: did they or did they<br />

not collect sitting allowance? Hen Hen. Some<br />

of those characters that have been showing<br />

up in the media calling for peace. Do you<br />

think they are doing it for free? Even the<br />

security agencies, is this not their time to<br />

submit budgets for crowd control? One<br />

Bishop in Niger State even quoted Romans<br />

13 1-3 saying the people must respect those<br />

in constituted authority.”<br />

“Leave the Pastor alone. <strong>The</strong> Bible is the<br />

#EndBadGovernance in Nigeria (Photo - Stephanie Douglas - Pexels CC0)<br />

Book of Life. Everything is in it. But as for<br />

the security agencies, they have a<br />

constitutional duty to protect the State. No<br />

responsible government will fold its arms and<br />

allow chaos.”<br />

“Is that why the Defence Headquarters is<br />

now saying they have identified<br />

unscrupulous elements and the military will<br />

come out and defend the country?”<br />

“Yes, why not? Section 217 (2) (c) of the<br />

1999 Constitution.”<br />

“Section this, Section that. You think by<br />

quoting Sections of the Constitution, you are<br />

making sense? Who cares? We are talking<br />

about the reality of the people’s frustration.<br />

A protest is not necessarily an evil thing. In<br />

<strong>20</strong>12, there was no violence. People met in<br />

Ojota and they rejected the plan to remove<br />

fuel subsidy. <strong>The</strong>y were peaceful.”<br />

“No. No. <strong>The</strong> protests actually turned<br />

bloody at some point. Go and check the<br />

Vanguard newspaper of Jan. 10, <strong>20</strong>12. <strong>The</strong><br />

protests turned bloody in Kano, Lagos and<br />

Benin and about 12 people were killed. Two<br />

in Lagos, seven in Kano and another three in<br />

Benin. You never know what will happen.<br />

<strong>The</strong> government is saying that the protests<br />

could be hijacked by mischief makers.”<br />

“In <strong>20</strong>12, the protest was led by<br />

responsible people. Pastor Tunde Bakare.<br />

Femi Kuti, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, Fela<br />

Durotoye, Mohammed Fawehinmi, Ortis<br />

Wiliki… for seven hours, they spoke. People<br />

were even asked to bring their mats to come<br />

and sleep on the streets. <strong>The</strong> Jonathan<br />

government did not threaten people. <strong>The</strong><br />

people had their say. What I don’t understand<br />

is the energy the Tinubu government is<br />

putting into telling people to shut up. After<br />

all, the President himself has reminded<br />

everyone that he is a veteran of street<br />

protests. Why doesn’t he too come out on<br />

Thursday and lead the protest in the spirit of<br />

democracy?”<br />

“He should protest against himself? What<br />

are you saying? Where are the Wole<br />

Soyinkas, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Femi Falana,<br />

Fela Durotoye, Olisa Agbakoba, Omoyele<br />

Sowore?”<br />

“You cannot dictate to anybody what to<br />

do.”<br />

“Ok. Ok. So, if the security agencies<br />

break bones, shoot, and maim let nobody<br />

complain. Those who say they are<br />

courageous can dare the State. My only<br />

concern is that the gestation period for the<br />

protest is too long. <strong>The</strong>y have given the<br />

security agencies more than enough time for<br />

them to get their arsenal together. My fear is<br />

even that the protest may not take place.<br />

People, especially in Lagos are more likely<br />

to sit at home, and monitor the protests on<br />

television.”<br />

“I think the protests have started oh.<br />

Some angry youths were on the streets<br />

yesterday in Minna and Abuja.”<br />

“As long as they are peaceful, fine.”<br />

“Even here in Lagos, some youths<br />

protested in FESTAC yesterday.”<br />

“No, those ones were not part of the<br />

Ebilokan protests. I understand they showed<br />

their anger because MTN had suspended<br />

their phone lines because of National<br />

Identification Number (NIN). Government<br />

gave enough long notice, but you know the<br />

way this country is. It is not MTN alone.<br />

Even 9 Mobile has suspended people’s lines.<br />

I know people who had submitted their NIN<br />

more than a year ago, and they still got their<br />

Continued on Page 9


Opinion<br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Before the protests begin…<br />

Page9<br />

Continued from Page 8<<br />

lines suspended.”<br />

“I suspect government has a hand in it.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y want to prevent protesters from talking.<br />

In fact, that will annoy the people more. It is<br />

provocative.”<br />

“I don’t think it is government. <strong>The</strong><br />

National Communications Commission<br />

(NCC), the telecom regulator came out<br />

yesterday telling MTN to restore the lines<br />

immediately.”<br />

“It is more than that. I think the top<br />

executives of MTN, 9Mobile and any other<br />

telco that are suspending people’s phone lines<br />

at this time should be arrested immediately<br />

for engaging in an act of sabotage that can<br />

heighten tension in the country. <strong>The</strong> people<br />

are saying they are hungry, and angry. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

are planning to take to the streets on<br />

Thursday, then you switch off their phone<br />

lines. That sounds like adding petrol to fire.”<br />

“So, you want them arrested?”<br />

“Yes, <strong>The</strong> DSS should call them in for<br />

questioning, let them explain why people’s<br />

lines have to be cut off, and what happened to<br />

the identification numbers they collected<br />

before now. Nonsense.”<br />

“That would amount to transferred<br />

aggression. MTN did not cause hunger in<br />

Nigeria. <strong>The</strong>y may have their business<br />

reasons”.<br />

“Let them go and write statements, I beg.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y did not even have the decency to<br />

explain to Nigerians why, and when their<br />

phone lines should be suspended. Nonsense<br />

upon ingredient. I don’t even know why<br />

government has to appeal to everybody. By<br />

now, the security agencies should have<br />

arrested some people, who are bent on<br />

making trouble. Let nobody come tomorrow<br />

and tell us that they had a challenge with<br />

intelligence gathering. Protest, yes. You want<br />

to cause problem or add fire to an already<br />

combustible situation, No.”<br />

“This is still a democracy sha. <strong>The</strong> people<br />

have the right to be heard.”<br />

“We are saying the same thing.”<br />

“No. You sound like a fascist. Not even<br />

Tinubu’s spokespersons are this dismissive.”<br />

“I have not dismissed anybody. But just<br />

don’t let anybody in uniform use you to<br />

collect promotion. <strong>The</strong>y will shoot you, claim<br />

they did a good job. While you are in the<br />

hospital, they will gain promotion at work.<br />

Have you not seen that some people have<br />

already printed T-shirts. I have seen No to<br />

Protest T-shirts. I have also seen End Bad<br />

Governance T-shirts? Some people are<br />

saying We are Hungry. Some people see an<br />

opportunity for quick business. Don’t be<br />

surprised if skit makers, musicians,<br />

Nollywood producers all join the<br />

bandwagon. At the end of it all, the economy<br />

will suffer more.”<br />

“But look at the positive side. You can’t<br />

blame those who want to give Tinubu a shock<br />

therapy. In this country, if you keep quiet,<br />

people will ride roughshod over you. You see<br />

what happened when Aliko Dangote spoke<br />

up? He joined the Soro Soke group. He spoke<br />

his mind. Are you not aware that the Federal<br />

Government has met him half-way. Now he<br />

and other local owners of refineries can buy<br />

crude oil from the NNPC in Naira. If a<br />

billionaire can speak up, who are you a<br />

thousand-naire not to Soro Soke? Organized<br />

Labour spoke, Tinubu don go sign new<br />

national minimum wage. Even domestic<br />

workers who no complain, he put join.”<br />

“I don’t think you have been listening to<br />

me. I am not against protest, just operate<br />

within the ambit of the law. Let the police<br />

know your chosen location. In Abuja, is it<br />

Unity Fountain? In Lagos, is it Ojota Park or<br />

Campos Square? Section 83 of the Police<br />

Establishment Act <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong> (as amended). <strong>The</strong><br />

police must protect you, but they also need<br />

to know your location. In <strong>20</strong>22, #EndSARS<br />

was peaceful for two weeks before things<br />

went the other way. Some youths went to the<br />

streets in Akoka, Lagos yesterday, destroying<br />

other people’s vehicles. How does that help<br />

anybody?”<br />

“It is alright. When you go out on<br />

Thursday and you run into the protesters,<br />

please go and tell them Section this, Section<br />

that. What is my own? By the way, have you<br />

been following the Olympics?”<br />

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Very colorful opening<br />

ceremony if you ignore the controversy over<br />

the mix up in the names of North Korea and<br />

South Korea as well as the protests over<br />

Christianity and the parody of Da Vinci’s <strong>The</strong><br />

Last Supper. I loved the attire of Mongolia,<br />

Liberia, the US, Great Britain, the opening<br />

ceremony was a good mix of history, fashion,<br />

music, diversity and the beauty of Paris and<br />

France.”<br />

“Indeed, very good. But our team has not<br />

been pulling its weight. <strong>The</strong> Super Falcons<br />

have been beaten by Brazil and Spain. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

will be very lucky to make it to the quarter<br />

finals. Our Table Tennis team: Offiong Edem,<br />

Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo, Fatimo<br />

Bello are all out. <strong>The</strong> first time since 1988<br />

that the Nigerian team will not win a game<br />

in Table Tennis. Cynthia Ogunsemilore,<br />

lightweight boxer failed the dope test. But I<br />

guess it is the Olympics. Attendance is<br />

enough glory in itself. After all, Nigeria has<br />

done better than the Canada female team, the<br />

defending champions in women football.<br />

<strong>The</strong>ir analyst was sent home. <strong>The</strong> coach has<br />

been suspended by FIFA for one year. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

have been asked to pay a fine of $226,000.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Canada team was accused of spying on<br />

New Zealand with the aid of a drone, thus<br />

violating the principles of fair play and now<br />

they also have a six-points deduction<br />

imposed on them. At least so far, the Nigerian<br />

team has not brought us any scandal.”<br />

“I think our female basketball team<br />

D’Tigress is showing great promise.<br />

Yesterday, they beat the Australian team,<br />

rated the third best in the world, 75 - 62.<br />

Historic. <strong>The</strong>ir first win in an Olympic match<br />

since Athens in <strong>20</strong>04. <strong>The</strong>y must keep it up.<br />

Even the male basketball team from South<br />

Sudan is about to make history. <strong>The</strong>y beat<br />

Puerto Rico 90 to 79.”<br />

“More history will be made. After all, Le<br />

Bron James is the first billionaire to compete<br />

at the Olympics. Simone Biles is back with a<br />

bang. She is dazzling. It is the Olympics<br />

showcasing the glory of human and<br />

individual talent. But I don’t understand why<br />

there are many errors. France spent $9 billion<br />

for God’s sake. <strong>The</strong> broadcasters cannot get<br />

the names of countries right, and even<br />

yesterday, the National Anthem of Sudan was<br />

played for South Sudan. I hear even the<br />

games village is too cramped. <strong>The</strong> food is not<br />

great either. Team Great Britain has had to<br />

arrange their own chef. Almost all the<br />

members of Team USA have left the<br />

Olympics Village to check into hotels. Can<br />

you imagine 10 girls scrambling to use two<br />

bathrooms? <strong>The</strong> beds are made of<br />

cardboards! No air conditioning in the<br />

Olympics Village in this sweltering heat.”<br />

“<strong>The</strong>y are there to win medals, not to<br />

indulge in luxury. I beg. I am sure there<br />

would be more than enough athletes who are<br />

just happy to be there.”<br />

“I have checked the medals table. China,<br />

Japan, Britain, United States, Australia,<br />

France, South Korea, Italy, and Canada are<br />

not doing badly at all. South Africa has three<br />

medals. Egypt one bronze medal, Tunisia one<br />

silver medal”<br />

“It is okay. No problem. Team Nigeria is<br />

wearing good jerseys. And trust our people,<br />

they will stay at the Village. Nigeria should<br />

pay them their allowances sha. We don’t<br />

want to hear stories.”<br />

Tinubu’s LG autonomy gamble<br />

Continued from Page 7<<br />

revitalizing LG autonomy can revive this<br />

progress!<br />

In the US, states are responsible for<br />

conducting federal elections and submitting<br />

the results to Washington for tabulation.<br />

<strong>The</strong> federal electoral body simply<br />

calculates the total and announces the<br />

winners. In Nigeria, ‘na so who born cat<br />

born kitten!’ Here, entrusting State<br />

Electoral Commissions with conducting<br />

Federal elections would be a recipe for<br />

disaster. Although Nigeria’s current system<br />

undermines federalism, the Independent<br />

National Electoral Commission (INEC)<br />

should take over the conduct of LG<br />

elections, as this is the only way to prevent<br />

the chaos and the totalitarian grip that<br />

currently plague the process. <strong>The</strong> sad truth<br />

is that State Electoral Commissions have<br />

lost all credibility, and federalists are now<br />

bearing the brunt of this failure. In a<br />

genuine federal system, State Electoral<br />

Commissions are constitutionally<br />

responsible for conducting even federal<br />

elections within their States, but the current<br />

arrangement has rendered them incapable<br />

of ensuring free and fair elections.<br />

Since the success or otherwise of<br />

Nigeria’s decentralization reforms depends<br />

on the LGs’ ability to effectively manage<br />

resources, deliver services and engage with<br />

citizens, the Federal Government must<br />

establish a Local Government Service<br />

Commission, implement a uniform LG<br />

system, promote gender equality and<br />

strengthen LG legislation. Other challenges<br />

like inadequate funding, poor<br />

infrastructure, inefficient revenue<br />

collection, weak institutional capacity,<br />

limited access to credit and State<br />

government control must be<br />

comprehensively addressed, and publicprivate<br />

partnerships, infrastructure<br />

development and transparency, and<br />

accountability must be enhanced.<br />

With a foundation of honesty,<br />

accountability, clear role definition and<br />

effective monitoring, LG administration in<br />

Nigeria has the potential to be a powerful<br />

catalyst for grassroots development and<br />

democratic governance. Its autonomous<br />

local governments can also unlock<br />

opportunities for addressing<br />

unemployment, infrastructure development<br />

and rural-urban migration. As the incubator<br />

of innovative ideas and the engine room of<br />

progress, LGs can enhance the vital roles of<br />

traditional rulers as custodians of<br />

community customs and traditions, which<br />

successive governments have failed to<br />

adequately recognize.<br />

By supporting local economic<br />

development, encouraging citizen<br />

participation, increasing access to<br />

Information and Communications<br />

Technology (ICT) and governments in<br />

improving their financial management<br />

systems and practices, the Federal<br />

Government can further empower LGs to<br />

become more effective, efficient and<br />

responsive to the needs of citizens. By<br />

empowering them, Nigeria can build a<br />

more democratic, inclusive, and prosperous<br />

society, unlocking sustainable<br />

development, economic growth and<br />

improved living standards. This requires a<br />

collective effort from the Federal<br />

Government, State governments and<br />

citizens.<br />

May the Lamb of God, who takes away<br />

the sin of the world, grant us peace in<br />

Nigeria!<br />

Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-<br />

Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria<br />

(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)


Page10 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

Opinion<br />

Biden’s exit and America’s<br />

November Blues<br />

Continued from Page 6<<br />

battleground and swing States if Biden<br />

insisted that he would remain in the<br />

race. President Barack Obama, Biden’s<br />

former boss, was also said to have<br />

intervened. More than 30 Democratic<br />

Party representatives in parliament<br />

reportedly joined the clamour for Biden<br />

to step aside. Still, Biden dug in. But<br />

then again, something else happened<br />

when it was disclosed that the President<br />

had tested positive for COVID. On July<br />

17, he retired to his home in Delaware<br />

to self-isolate. He left word that if his<br />

doctors report a worsening of his<br />

medical condition, he would have to<br />

withdraw. Age is a factor in American<br />

politics. Health is even more so. In<br />

Nigeria, politicians lie about their age.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y hide their health status. In a<br />

country where records are poorly kept<br />

and superstition is at the heart of<br />

everything, disclosing one’s health<br />

status is a taboo. President Buhari spent<br />

about an entire year out of a four-year<br />

term between <strong>20</strong>15 and <strong>20</strong>19 on<br />

medical vacation. Targeting election<br />

into public office as an avenue for<br />

treating one’s personal health problems<br />

is part of the culture in Nigeria.<br />

As of Saturday, July <strong>20</strong>, President<br />

Biden was still insisting that he would<br />

remain in the race. But by 1.30 ET on<br />

Sunday, July 21, he had announced his<br />

withdrawal from the race, blindsiding in<br />

the process, his senior campaign aides.<br />

What happened? Did he jump? Or was<br />

he pushed? Was it for health reasons?<br />

About 41 Democrat-lawmakers had<br />

joined the pressure chorus asking Biden<br />

to stand aside. It was a seismic decision<br />

and a historic one as well. Biden, by that<br />

action, became the first sitting<br />

American President to withdraw from<br />

the Presidential race since 1968 when<br />

Lydon Baines Johnson did the same due<br />

to pressures inflicted by America’s role<br />

in the Vietnam War. He joins also a<br />

long list of sitting Presidents who took<br />

similar step in American history<br />

including Harry S Truman (1952), John<br />

Tyler (1844), Millard Filmore (1852),<br />

Franklin Pierce (1856), Andrew<br />

Johnson (1868), Chester Arthur (1884)<br />

and George Washington (1796).<br />

President Biden said while it has been<br />

the greatest honour of his life to serve<br />

as President, and while it has been his<br />

intention to seek re-election, he has<br />

chosen to stand down in “the best<br />

interest of my Party and the country”<br />

and “to focus on fulfilling my duties as<br />

President for the remainder of my<br />

term”. He has six more months in office<br />

as the 46 th President of the United<br />

States. He would 30 minutes later, in a<br />

post on X endorse Vice President<br />

Kamala Harris as the person to replace<br />

him as the Democratic Party nominee.<br />

Biden’s reference to his Party and<br />

country shows leadership and<br />

patriotism. He has acted in a statesmanlike<br />

manner placing his country and<br />

Party above personal interest. He has<br />

done an even more honourable thing by<br />

endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris<br />

as his preferred Democratic candidate.<br />

This gesture does not make Harris<br />

automatically the candidate but it places<br />

her on a glide path to the Democratic<br />

nomination, and it is noteworthy that<br />

Jamie Harrison, Chair of the<br />

Democratic National Committee has<br />

said that the Party “will move forward<br />

governed by established rules and<br />

procedures of the Party.” <strong>The</strong>re are<br />

questions: will everybody that<br />

supported Biden support Harris? Not<br />

necessarily. Biden had the support of<br />

more than 4,000 delegates. <strong>The</strong>y will<br />

have to now make up their minds<br />

afresh. Harris needs 1,986 Democratic<br />

delegates to secure the Party’s<br />

nomination at its convention starting<br />

<strong>August</strong> 19 in Chicago. By yesterday she<br />

had received the support of delegates<br />

from Tennessee, Florida, New<br />

Hampshire, Louisiana, North Dakota<br />

and South Dakota (531 delegates). She<br />

will have to work hard to secure the<br />

support of more delegates especially<br />

now that the names of possible<br />

alternatives to her are being mentioned:<br />

the Governors of Pennsylvania – Josh<br />

Shapiro, Kentucky – Andy Beshear;<br />

North Carolina - Roy Cooper; Illinois –<br />

J.B. Pritzker; Michigan – Gretchen<br />

Whitmer, Transportation Secretary, Pete<br />

Buttigieg; and Arizona Senator - Mark<br />

Kelly. But would any of these persons<br />

challenge her endorsement by Biden?<br />

Will she inherit Biden’s funding? This<br />

is already happening. Her campaign has<br />

brought fresh energy to the Democratic<br />

campaign. Within seven hours<br />

yesterday, she had raked in about $52<br />

million from grassroots donations. But<br />

is America ready for a black woman as<br />

President? Kamala Harris is a daughter<br />

of immigrants from India and Jamaica -<br />

black and South Asian. This remains to<br />

be seen, but if she wins the nomination<br />

there is no doubt that she and her team<br />

will put up a big fight. She is young –<br />

59, and now that she has been anointed<br />

by her boss, we are likely to see a<br />

different Harris emerging from the<br />

shadows. Trump has been<br />

characteristically arrogant. He thinks<br />

Harris is “crazy”. He is actually the<br />

crazy one in the eyes of many,<br />

especially President Biden who<br />

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believes, and he does not hide his<br />

disdain, that “Trump poses an<br />

existential threat to American<br />

democracy.”<br />

<strong>The</strong> contempt is, however, mutual.<br />

Whereas world leaders have praised<br />

President Biden as a “great man”<br />

(Canada’s Justin Trudeau), “a man who<br />

believes in the interests of the United<br />

States” (Australia’s Anthony Albanese),<br />

who has “dedicated his life to public<br />

service” (New Zealand’s Christopher<br />

Luxon), “has shown unwavering<br />

support for Ukraine” (Ukraine’s<br />

Volodymyr Zelensky); “a true ally of<br />

the Jewish people” (Israel’s Isaac<br />

Herzog), “a proud American with an<br />

Irish soul (Ireland’s Simon Harris) and<br />

so on and so forth in that tone, Trump<br />

dismisses Biden as the “worst President<br />

in American history” who should never<br />

have been there in the first place... he<br />

should have been in the basement.”<br />

Trump’s assessment is outrightly<br />

partisan and biased, it is not what the<br />

world knows of Biden. He may have<br />

pulled out of the race 107 days to<br />

November 5, but he is recommended<br />

for the history pages by his record of<br />

distinguished public service in a career<br />

spanning over 50 years in Washington<br />

DC. Politician, lawyer and author, he<br />

started his political career in New Castle<br />

County Council in 1970, and arrived in<br />

Washington DC in January 1973, as a<br />

Senator representing Delaware. He<br />

would remain in that Senate till <strong>20</strong>09.<br />

He would later serve for two terms as<br />

Vice President under President Barack<br />

Obama (<strong>20</strong>09 – <strong>20</strong>17). He returned as<br />

President under the Democratic ticket in<br />

January <strong>20</strong>21. He is the oldest man to<br />

have served as President of the United<br />

States. Washington Post writes that<br />

“triumph (and), tragedy define his 50-<br />

year political career, one of America’s<br />

longest serving politicians” but<br />

certainly when his public service record<br />

is properly assessed, he would end up<br />

on the more positive side of history and<br />

on a much higher ground than Trump<br />

has imagined. <strong>The</strong> <strong>20</strong>24 American<br />

Presidential race is at this point, very<br />

much an uncharted territory especially<br />

for Kamala Harris. A more critical<br />

realization is the growing global anxiety<br />

about the seemingly inevitable,<br />

possibility of the return of Donald J.<br />

Trump as US President, accompanied<br />

by an even more extreme right-winger,<br />

and member of the Trump MAGA<br />

party, J.D. Vance.


Opinion<br />

Akinyemi: Farewell to the<br />

matriarch we have lost!<br />

By Abiodun Komolafe<br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Page11<br />

On Saturday, <strong>August</strong> 3, <strong>20</strong>24, the<br />

funeral service for the late Mrs.<br />

Aderoju Janet Akinyemi will<br />

take place at the Cathedral Church of St.<br />

James the Great, Oke Bola, Ibadan, Oyo<br />

State. <strong>The</strong> ceremony will be followed by<br />

the committal of her mortal remains to<br />

Mother Earth. We invite friends, family<br />

and loved ones to join us as we bid<br />

farewell to an inspirational figure.<br />

Aderoju, wife of <strong>The</strong> Most Reverend<br />

Michael Olukayode Akinyemi, the<br />

Retired Archbishop of Kwara Province<br />

and Bishop of Igbomina Diocese<br />

(Anglican Communion), passed away in<br />

the United States of America on May 15,<br />

<strong>20</strong>24. A Service of Songs was held in her<br />

honour on June 29, <strong>20</strong>24, in Texas, USA,<br />

to celebrate her life and legacy. Her<br />

demise leaves a void that cannot be filled<br />

in the hearts of her loved ones and the<br />

community she touched.<br />

During her lifetime, Akinyemi was<br />

distinguished by her reserved nature, yet<br />

she was a woman of unflappable poise<br />

and infectious optimism. Not one to seek<br />

the spotlight, her gentle strength, quiet<br />

confidence and incredible positivity<br />

inspired respect and admiration. She will<br />

be deeply missed by all who knew and<br />

loved her.<br />

Yes, I knew her! I knew Akinyemi as<br />

an exceptionally talented and focused<br />

woman. Today, I recall my darkest hours;<br />

I remember stumbling upon a beacon of<br />

hope in a world that seemed determined<br />

to crush me. In 1991, I sought guidance<br />

from Venerable Akinyemi, then<br />

Archdeacon and Vicar of Saint<br />

Matthew’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-Jesa,<br />

Osun State. Mama Akinyemi welcomed<br />

me with open arms and a deep sense of<br />

mother’s devotion at the Vicarage. Her<br />

infectious warmth and invaluable<br />

mentorship drew me to her like a magnet,<br />

leaving an indelible mark on my life.<br />

Alongside her husband, ‘Mama<br />

Archdeacon’, as she then was,<br />

exemplified the power of grace, humility,<br />

and determination, demonstrating that,<br />

with faith and perseverance, obstacles<br />

were not insurmountable. When life’s<br />

dark waters rose to swallow me and<br />

everyone around seemed to be saying<br />

‘throw in the towel’, the Akinyemis stood<br />

firm, embracing my struggles as their<br />

own. With unrelenting optimism, they<br />

reminded me that the One who made me<br />

would never leave me helpless! I remain<br />

grateful for Archbishop Akinyemi’s<br />

pivotal role in my life. However, I also<br />

recognize the crucial support of his wife,<br />

Mama Akinyemi. She created an<br />

environment that allowed his guidance to<br />

flourish.<br />

Aderoju Akinyemi was born on<br />

October 16, 1954 in Tonkere, Osun State.<br />

Her parents, Pa James and Mrs. Elizabeth<br />

Adetunji, were from Ilé Olósun Àkèré<br />

Family House in Modákéké, Osun State.<br />

She attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary<br />

School, Gbongan, Ode-Omu Anglican<br />

Grammar School, and later earned<br />

teaching certifications from Local<br />

Authority Teacher Training College,<br />

Iyana-Ofa in Ibadan, Oyo State College<br />

of Education, Ilesa, and University of<br />

Ibadan. A dedicated teacher, she served<br />

as Assistant Head Teacher until<br />

retirement.<br />

Akinyemi was a woman of calm<br />

temperament, commitment and<br />

authenticity. She embodied the ultimate<br />

woman, excelling as a wife and mother. A<br />

devout prayer warrior, her love and<br />

leadership were a gentle breeze, soothing<br />

souls and providing a safe haven for<br />

hopes and dreams. A radiant presence,<br />

she illuminated paths and warmed hearts,<br />

leaving a lasting impact on those who<br />

encountered her. <strong>The</strong> Reverend ‘Toyin<br />

Adesokan of the Anglican Diocese of<br />

Lagos West fondly recalls Mama<br />

Akinyemi’s surprise visit during his<br />

theological training at the Immanuel<br />

College of <strong>The</strong>ology and Christian<br />

Mrs. Aderoju Akinyemi<br />

Education in Ibadan, a testament to her<br />

compassionate and encouraging nature.<br />

As we bid farewell to this remarkable<br />

matriarch, we take comfort in the<br />

indelible mark she left on our lives.<br />

May her journey be peaceful and her<br />

wisdom and strength forever<br />

remembered!<br />

May the Lamb of God, who takes<br />

away the sin of the world, rest the soul of<br />

Mrs. Aderoju Janet Akinyemi and grant<br />

her loved ones strength in hope!<br />

Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa,<br />

Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk).


Page12 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

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AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Page13


Page14 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

Opinion<br />

Endorsements and the<br />

power-brokers (1)<br />

By Abiodun Komolafe<br />

<strong>The</strong> trend of endorsing<br />

Governors for a second term<br />

has gained significant<br />

momentum.<br />

This trend is particularly<br />

noteworthy in the context of Nigeria‘s<br />

political landscape, where<br />

endorsements can make or break a<br />

candidate’s chances of winning. In<br />

various States, Governors have<br />

received endorsements from diverse<br />

groups and individuals. For instance,<br />

Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State<br />

secured the backing of the Northern<br />

Community in Enugu, while Governor<br />

Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has<br />

earned the endorsement of the Owa<br />

Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle<br />

Aromolaran, barely a year into his<br />

tenure.<br />

On October 22, <strong>20</strong>23, former<br />

Governors Adeniyi Adebayo, Ayo<br />

Fayose and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti<br />

State unanimously endorsed the<br />

incumbent Governor Biodun Abayomi<br />

Oyebanji for a second term. On July<br />

12, <strong>20</strong>24, all the 38 Local<br />

Governments and Local Council<br />

Development Areas in the State not<br />

only hailed the Governor ‘for<br />

performance’ but also ‘collectively<br />

endorsed’ him ‘for a second term’.<br />

<strong>The</strong> politics of endorsements dates<br />

back to ancient times, where leaders<br />

sought validation from influential<br />

figures, evolving through the Gilded<br />

Age’s political machines and party<br />

bosses exchanging endorsements for<br />

loyalty and favours, becoming<br />

formalized in the <strong>20</strong>th century as<br />

parties and interest groups recognized<br />

their influence on public opinion and<br />

voter behaviour, and continuing in<br />

contemporary Nigeria where<br />

endorsements significantly shape<br />

political outcomes, as seen in the<br />

recent trend of endorsing Governors<br />

for a second term.<br />

In the 1960s, celebrities like Frank<br />

Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. endorsed<br />

Democratic candidates. <strong>The</strong> internet<br />

and social media’s rise in the 1990s -<br />

<strong>20</strong>00s expanded endorsements’ reach,<br />

building grassroots support. Today,<br />

endorsements come from diverse<br />

individuals and groups, including<br />

celebrities, business leaders, labour<br />

unions, advocacy groups, and<br />

community leaders, reflecting the<br />

changing political and media<br />

landscape. This trend is also seen in<br />

Nigeria, where endorsements from<br />

various stakeholders are now crucial in<br />

political campaigns, showcasing their<br />

global significance.<br />

Endorsements vary in impact, from<br />

influential to insignificant. A crossparty<br />

endorsement, such as the support<br />

of 90% of former State leaders, stands<br />

out as particularly noteworthy. This<br />

underscores the importance of<br />

endorsements, as seen in the US,<br />

where President Joe Biden’s potential<br />

bid for re-election was impacted when<br />

the Democratic Party establishment<br />

withdrew its endorsement, paving the<br />

way for Vice President Kamala Harris.<br />

That’s a clear example of how<br />

endorsements can shape political<br />

outcomes.<br />

A seal of credibility, endorsements<br />

offer opportunities for candidates to<br />

reach wider audiences and build<br />

credibility with key constituencies,<br />

provided they are not driven by<br />

personal gain or hidden agendas. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

Ekiti State Governor - Mr Biodun Oyebanji<br />

can also represent a symbolic transfer<br />

of trust, credibility, and authority from<br />

one leader to another. Endorsements<br />

help build coalitions, mobilize voters,<br />

and create momentum around a<br />

candidate or cause. Most importantly,<br />

they serve as valuable political<br />

currency, shaping legacies and<br />

cementing alliances. By endorsing a<br />

candidate, a respected figure<br />

effectively vouches for his or her<br />

character, policies, and leadership<br />

abilities, reinforcing his or her<br />

credibility and strengthening his or her<br />

campaign.<br />

Prominent thinkers have<br />

emphasized endorsements’<br />

significance in leadership and political<br />

discourse. Plato argued for informed<br />

approval from the wisest citizens,<br />

while John Stuart Mill advocated for<br />

freedom to endorse or criticize leaders<br />

without retribution. Building on this<br />

idea, Aristotle noted that respected<br />

citizens’ endorsements boost a leader’s<br />

credibility. In a similar vein,<br />

Oyebanji’s cross-party endorsements<br />

demonstrate a democratic consensus<br />

on Ekiti State’s development agenda,<br />

showcasing his commitment to the<br />

State’s interests above partisan<br />

politics. This cooperation, particularly<br />

notable in Nigeria’s polarized<br />

landscape, testifies to the Governor’s<br />

effective leadership, which prioritizes<br />

the greater good and maintains a<br />

peaceful atmosphere.<br />

While we congratulate Oyebanji on<br />

his achievement, we urge him to<br />

maintain momentum and build on his<br />

success. Like a cyclist gaining speed,<br />

he should pedal harder to secure a pan-<br />

Ekiti mandate, ensuring a strong<br />

showing at the <strong>20</strong>26 polls.<br />

*To be concluded.<br />

Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa,<br />

Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)


<strong>The</strong>Arts<br />

AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Page15<br />

Writing For Media<br />

– Where is the Money?<br />

Continued from Page 16<<br />

and Toyosi Ogunseye in Chapter 15 titled:<br />

“In life, luck – and God matter” focusing on<br />

“two icons, different journeys”. <strong>The</strong> book is<br />

259 pages long, with a total of 15 Chapters<br />

and one appendix. <strong>The</strong> book does not cover<br />

the subject of ethics – an oversight in my<br />

view, given the many issues about rights,<br />

wrongs and professionalism in<br />

contemporary journalism practice, and how<br />

ethical issues are constantly foregrounded in<br />

the media ecosystem, and whereas the book<br />

closes with an appendix, viz: the<br />

Competition and Consumer Act of Australia<br />

<strong>20</strong>21, there could have been a longer<br />

reflection on media content and legislation<br />

in Nigeria given the big challenge that this<br />

also currently poses as well.<br />

But I must say that this is a book that I<br />

have enjoyed very much and thoroughly<br />

too. One of my pet worries has been the delinkage<br />

between the universities and<br />

polytechnics, raising questions about the<br />

teaching of journalism in Nigeria, and<br />

particularly the curriculum. In other<br />

jurisdictions, those who teach in journalism<br />

schools are mostly persons who have been<br />

experienced practitioners, leading award<br />

winners and writers who are on the faculty<br />

because they know, and they have been on<br />

the rough and tumble field of practice. This<br />

is not necessarily the case in Nigeria. I stand<br />

to be corrected, but I dare say most of the<br />

scholars who teach journalism in most of<br />

our institutions of higher learning are<br />

persons who have all the degrees but they<br />

have never been in a newsroom, or have<br />

ever had a microphone pinned to their<br />

chests. Many of them have never even<br />

written a letter to the Editor worthy of<br />

publication, and yet they churn out students<br />

who are very smart at quoting Marshall<br />

Mclluhan and a long list of dead theorists<br />

but they can’t write a paragraph, nor do they<br />

know a story when they see it. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />

teachers do not know any better. Azu<br />

Ishiekwene’s book wakes me up afresh to<br />

this worry, and the fact that the book serves<br />

an important purpose. It is written by a<br />

practitioner, who has risen to the very top in<br />

the practice, offering tutorials to the wouldbe<br />

journalist and the old hand who needs to<br />

re-invent and adapt. Our journalism schools<br />

in Nigeria are too far away from the field.<br />

Journalism should be taught by those who<br />

have been on the field, and perhaps the same<br />

principle should be applied in other<br />

professions as well, to establish the proper<br />

linkage and transition between school and<br />

the world of work.<br />

Azu Ishiekwene, the author of this book,<br />

was once a part-time volunteer lecturer of<br />

journalism at the University of Lagos and<br />

the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba,<br />

Lagos. Volunteer, you see? Not always<br />

about the money. It is his type that should<br />

be teaching the art of writing and<br />

journalism, and that is precisely what he<br />

does in this work: adding to the bibliography<br />

on the desirable linkage between the town<br />

and gown, between theory and practice. In<br />

this regard, this book acquires yet another<br />

significance. It is standard practice,<br />

elsewhere, for accomplished journalists to<br />

write and publish, to move beyond the<br />

limitation of the newsroom, and document<br />

their experiences, observations, reflections<br />

in a permanent form. <strong>The</strong>y transmute from<br />

persons who capture history in a hurry into<br />

authors who write history about society,<br />

individuals and the practice itself. This is<br />

refreshingly a growing trend in Nigeria<br />

which should be encouraged, with<br />

journalists putting their thoughts and<br />

experience in more permanent form. Before<br />

now, Azu Ishiekwene had published <strong>The</strong><br />

Trial of Nuhu Ribadu. This then, is his<br />

second offering in this line of business. He<br />

belongs, beyond the newsroom in the<br />

enterprise in the class of an<br />

emergent/emerging class of Nigerian<br />

journalist-authors – to name a few: Akogun<br />

Tola Adeniyi, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Ray<br />

Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi,<br />

Sonala Olumhense, Olatunji Dare, Dele<br />

Olojede, Dare Babarinsa, Kunle Ajibade,<br />

Olusegun Adeniyi, Sam Ndah-Isaiah,<br />

Sunday Dare, Bolaji Abdullahi, Waziri<br />

Adio, Akpandem James, Sina Oladeinde,<br />

Okey Ikechukwu, Magnus Onyibe, Dele<br />

Momodu, Lasisi Olagunju, Azuh Arinze,<br />

Simon Kolawole, Muskiliu Mojeed, Wale<br />

Adedayo, Sina Kawonise, Festus Adedayo,<br />

Abimbola Adelakun… quite a long list as it<br />

were, reiterating the links between<br />

journalism and authorship, academia and<br />

practice, and how in reality the crossfertilization<br />

enriches an on-going<br />

conversation about the human enterprise.<br />

To all intents and purposes, Writing for<br />

Media and Monetising It is essentially<br />

conceived as a training manual for the<br />

young journalist or writer, and a refresher<br />

manual for the older hand at the craft who is<br />

caught between the old and the new, in a<br />

season where innovations and phenomena<br />

constantly change at the speed of light due<br />

to the intense and form-changing patterns<br />

enabled by technical reproduce-ability in all<br />

spheres of human endeavour. Azu<br />

Ishiekwene, covers, to borrow a legalese,<br />

the field, providing us with the equivalent<br />

of a Master Class, a Ted Talk in print about<br />

journalism – its tone, tint and shape in<br />

today’s world. His submissions are rooted<br />

in his own print background, and the<br />

transformations that he and others have<br />

experienced, in the context of media<br />

practice in the age of convergence. <strong>The</strong> print<br />

journalist of old who wrote long-hand in the<br />

newsroom or sat in a corner somewhere,<br />

monitoring the radio, or functioned, or got<br />

his message across with the help of a typist<br />

does not belong in this new age. <strong>The</strong><br />

character of the newsroom has changed. <strong>The</strong><br />

production process has been transformed by<br />

technology. Using his own personal<br />

experiences, and newsroom narratives,<br />

Ishiekwene captures the image of a<br />

newsroom in transition and how the modern<br />

journalist, in a digital age, must learn the<br />

new tricks of practice. Peter F. Drucker, the<br />

management scientist, had written that<br />

innovations and adaptability are two factors<br />

central to the survival of business.<br />

Ishiekwene provides lessons in adaptation:<br />

with useful tips about how a journalist can<br />

think like an entrepreneur to enhance his<br />

trade and skills. But he begins with tips<br />

about the very nature of the trade itself, and<br />

he is very practical about his submissions,<br />

providing in every chapter, a summary and<br />

a reading list after the fashion and standard<br />

of training manuals.<br />

This is a book, all things considered, by<br />

a master-practitioner advising the young and<br />

the old about the how of our trade, hence the<br />

chapters offer advice about how a<br />

writer/journalist can find his or her voice;<br />

and the importance of originality and<br />

feedback; how to find a subject to write<br />

about, style and its elements, how to find<br />

and use resources, make impact, avoid<br />

stepping on the wrong side of the law, how<br />

to manage feedback and trolls in a season<br />

dominated by the sheer, unavoidable<br />

democratization of the media space, which<br />

has turned every citizen into a journalist,<br />

blurring the lines literally. Only about three<br />

chapters in the book, out of 15, deal directly<br />

with making money and certainly not in the<br />

sense in which making money has become<br />

a base affliction in Nigeria. Ishiekwene<br />

writes about Syndication (Chapter 10),<br />

Writing for Global Audiences (Chapter 11)<br />

and Branding Your Content (Chapter 12) but<br />

the kind of money this journalist writes<br />

about may not even be earned without<br />

contacts, distinctive practice, skills and<br />

ability.<br />

I find particularly noteworthy the<br />

author’s reflections on how the emergence<br />

and impact of social media and Artificial<br />

Intelligence has disrupted the practice. <strong>The</strong><br />

predicted death of the newspaper, like the<br />

predicted death of the author has not<br />

occurred – what has changed is the mode of<br />

practice, and the pressing impact of new<br />

forms. This author does not preach against<br />

change, rather he encourages adaptation and<br />

innovation, two values at the centre of the<br />

modern convergence. A big take-away is<br />

that the journalist – aspiring or old – must<br />

read, to learn new ideas, new turns of<br />

phrase, style and trends. “Reading maketh<br />

the man” says Francis Bacon, and in this<br />

book, the author signposts the value of<br />

reading without necessarily showing off. It<br />

remains for the public to read his book too.<br />

I recommend Writing for Media and<br />

Monetising It as a useful text that should<br />

become part of the teaching curriculum in<br />

Nigerian schools of journalism, and as a<br />

handy text for the practitioner who needs to<br />

be reminded of basic ideas in this troubled<br />

age when the newsroom is increasingly<br />

populated by an emerging crowd of tryros<br />

who can hardly put a sentence together. <strong>The</strong><br />

book is published by Premium Times, an<br />

online media company, which in Nigeria is<br />

a comforting reminder of the vast<br />

possibilities of convergence and about<br />

money - Premium Times would probably<br />

make all the money from the sale of this<br />

book. Finally, this is an eminently readable<br />

book. I urge you all to get a copy and read it.


Page16 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> AUGUST 7 - <strong>20</strong> <strong>20</strong>24<br />

<strong>The</strong>Arts<br />

Writing For Media<br />

– Where is the Money?<br />

Book Review By Reuben Abati<br />

Azu Ishiekwene, Writing for Media and Monetising It.<br />

Abuja: Premium Times Books, <strong>20</strong>24, xxxi +259 pp.<br />

Iwas drawn to this book almost instantly<br />

by its title. – Writing for Media and<br />

Monetising It. Azu Ishiekwene, the<br />

author, and I have been colleagues and<br />

friends for decades, we have spent more or<br />

less the same stretch of time in this business<br />

of reporting and analysing society and other<br />

people’s life and times, and here comes Azu<br />

sending me a book in which he talks about<br />

how our hustle can be monetized. Is there<br />

something Azu knows that I don’t know and<br />

in this our business of being friends, he has<br />

been making money on top of our heads,<br />

and he has been keeping the secret to<br />

himself until now that he thinks he can share<br />

some of the tips? He has been keeping<br />

secrets? <strong>The</strong> speed with which I rushed, to<br />

use a common phrase, into the book is<br />

imaginable. My discovery is that the title is<br />

misleading. Azu is a vintage, tested editor, a<br />

master of headlines-casting and crafting -<br />

something he has done for more than 30<br />

years. He got me hooked.<br />

With a catchy title he gets you into the<br />

story, and he leads you on. He knows the<br />

game. So, catch the reader’s attention, a<br />

precious commodity in journalism and then<br />

peel the story, layer by layer in an onionpeeling<br />

fashion. In terms of procedure, this<br />

is what Azu Ishiekwene does in this book.<br />

For the benefit of the ordinary enthusiast,<br />

journalism is not a money-making machine<br />

for the reporter, the editor, the producer or<br />

the cameraman, especially in a country like<br />

Nigeria where due to the general<br />

dispossession of the economy, media<br />

owners are struggling to pay salaries, the<br />

business environment is hostile, and there is<br />

no deliberate, informed and conscious effort<br />

on the part of government to connect culture<br />

to the development process and provide<br />

necessary incentives. Even in other<br />

countries where cultural policy<br />

appropriately centres the mass media and<br />

the freedom of information, journalism is a<br />

profession driven by commitment, the urge<br />

to be heard and to make a difference and a<br />

readiness to learn, and re-learn continuously.<br />

This is the actual thrust of this publication.<br />

Nonetheless, Samuel Johnson in a<br />

famous self-deprecatory statement once said<br />

that “No one but a blockhead ever wrote<br />

except for money… but his art.” Pablo<br />

Picasso, the painter said he did not want to<br />

be saddled with material worries “like a<br />

pauper”. He wanted a lot of money. It is not<br />

only Picasso to whom money appeals, we<br />

all want money, but Azu Ishiekwene’s<br />

“Writing for Media and Monetising It” is<br />

more than that: he strikes a balance between<br />

opportunities available to the writer in the<br />

age of digital adaptation, but this is more a<br />

book about the art and craft of journalism<br />

itself in an age of transition, covering a<br />

broad range of issues: personal<br />

development, voice and style, impact<br />

writing, the law, managing the social media<br />

and its discontents, journalism in the age of<br />

Artificial Intelligence, branding and self -<br />

reinvention. <strong>The</strong> book is enriched by the<br />

many voices that it projects: this is not just<br />

Azu Ishiekwene speaking to us: we are<br />

offered examples and the voices of other<br />

journalists across the spectrum of print and<br />

social media, making the book all the more<br />

relatable, delivered in a classic, precision<br />

writing style. Azu writes in an economic<br />

fashion; his style is concise.<br />

It is most refreshing to hear the voices in<br />

this book, across generations of the likes of<br />

Farooq Kperogi, Sam Omatseye, Fisayo<br />

Soyombo on social media responses, and<br />

how to manage feedback and trolls (Chapter<br />

8, at pp. 71 – 76); Abimbola Adelakun and<br />

Ruona Meyer on branding (Chapter 12, at<br />

pp. 110 – 117); the examples of Linda Ikeji,<br />

Abdusalam Idris, Tunde Ednut and Adeola<br />

Fayehun (Chapter 13 – Making Money, at<br />

pp. 125 -128); Professor Toyin Falola and<br />

Tunde Odediran on self-reinvention<br />

(Chapter 14, at pp. 141 – 151), and the more<br />

extensive conversation with Dele Olojede<br />

Continued on Page 15><br />

<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> is published in London fortnightly by <strong>Trumpet</strong><br />

Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)

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