The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 633 (October 2 - 15 2024)
Nigeria recalled all its Ambassadors a year ago and has not replaced them - international isolation looms
Nigeria recalled all its Ambassadors a year ago and has not replaced them - international isolation looms
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V O L 30 N O 633 O C T O B E R 2 - 15 2024
Drug runners
jailed after
caught using
guest house
as base
Nigeria High Commission London (Photo - Nigeria High Commission)
Nigeria recalled all
its Ambassadors a
year ago and has
not replaced them
– international
isolation looms
By Sheriff Folarin, Texas State University
Continued on Page 3>
Two drug runners who used
a Southend guest house as
a base for selling heroin
and crack cocaine have been
jailed.
Officers from Essex Police’s
Operation Raptor unit, which is
dedicated to tackling county lines
drug dealing, secured the
sentences against 22-year-old
Justice Oyedokun and 21-year-old
Deviston Francis.
The pair were runners for the
‘Shadow’ drug line, which
brought Class A drugs from
London to Southend.
On 21 May this year, officers
were on patrol in Southend when
they spotted a large group of
people congregating near an
alleyway.
The officers observed Francis
leaving a nearby guest house and
walking towards the group.
Due to suspicions around
reported drug dealing in the area,
officers stopped Francis and
detained him for a search under
the Misuse of Drugs Act.
A small, plastic pot containing
40 wraps of Class A drugs was
seized.
Francis tried to claim to
officers the substance was “sugar”
and that he was an “entrepreneur”.
A phone, which was
continuously ringing, was also
seized alongside a sum of cash.
The guest house was
subsequently searched and
Oyedokun was detained inside.
Further quantities of Class A
drugs and cash totalling £1,825
were seized from the property.
Oyedokun, of no fixed address,
admitted possession with intent to
supply crack cocaine, being
concerned in the supply of crack
cocaine and heroin and possessing
Continued on Page 4<
Page2 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
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News
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
TheTrumpet
Nigeria recalled all its Ambassadors a
year ago and has not replaced them –
international isolation looms
Page3
Continued from Page 1<
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has yet to
replace the Ambassadors he recalled a year
ago, leaving only the country’s UN Permanent
Representative. Nigeria has 109 diplomatic
missions worldwide, comprising 76 Embassies,
22 High Commissions and 11 Consulates. The
move was made as part of an attempt to drive
efficiency in Nigeria’s foreign service.
The Conversation Africa asked Sheriff
Folarin, an international relations expert and
What are the implications of Nigeria not
having ambassadors for a year?
There are three. First, it implies that
Nigeria does not want to maintain relationships
with the international community. The States
affected could withdraw their ambassadors too
in reciprocity, but they understand that it is not
a show of hostility but a local governance issue
of finance. It shows further that the country is
retreating from the world and chooses
isolation.
Second, the world may perceive Nigeria as
unable to run its missions as a result of human
capital deficiency or government
incompetence.
Third, it projects the country as weak –
unable to protect and pursue national interests
abroad. Citizens suffer too, particularly when
they are in need of their government outside
Nigeria.
Nigeria may miss opportunities to
influence decisions in world politics. Its lack
of ambassadors could also jeopardise the quest
to be considered as one of the two permanent
members in an enlarged UN security council.
However, there may not be significant
setbacks if the other full-time embassy staff are
efficient and dynamic in the discharge of their
duties.
They will consider Nigeria as
irresponsible, unready for a world of
competitiveness in all fields, and not serious
about achieving a rebound in regional and
global leadership. The derision is already loud.
Sheriff Folarin is Professor of
International Relations and Visiting Scholar at
Texas State University.
This article is republished from The
Conversation under a Creative Commons
license. Read the original article at:
https://theconversation.com/nigeria-recalledall-its-ambassadors-a-year-ago-and-has-notreplaced-them-international-isolation-looms-2
40101.
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar - Nigeria's Foreign
Affairs Minister
the author of a new book, Declining
Hegemonic Foreign Policies of Nigeria, to
explain the implications of a Nigeria without
Ambassadors.
Why does a country need ambassadors?
Mutual diplomatic representation is
important for understanding and cooperation
between States. Diplomatic representatives or
Ambassadors, High Commissioners or Envoys
facilitate interstate cooperation and relations.
This keeps the temperature in the international
system cool and stable. Ambassadors are
sometimes regarded as the eyes and ears of a
State in another State, not in the sense of
espionage, but with the understanding that they
get information that will be valuable for the
Home State. They have the privileges,
recognition and legal personality accorded the
Head of State whom they represent.
Keeping a Mission, Embassy or Consulate
in another State is a mark of friendship. The
reverse is a mark of broken or non-existing ties.
For some nations, ambassadors and foreign
missions are meant to be strategically situated
in a position to secure the national interest of
their home governments and States. They do
this through political, cultural, military,
economic or even technological instruments.
Earlier in May, Nigeria’s Foreign
Affairs Minister cited lack of money as the
main reason for the government’s failure to
appoint ambassadors. How do you see this?
This narrative works against the country.
Nigeria is known for being creative, dynamic,
active and influential in global politics.
Making such an open disclosure works against
the country’s reputation.
Has Nigeria descended to the level where
all its challenges and failures of government
must be linked to financial problems? It
projects Nigeria negatively and further
diminishes the reputation and respect that have
suffered in the last few years.
Running embassies with high calibre,
dynamic, creative and knowledgeable
ambassadors cannot be optional.
To address the problem, government
should cut down the cost of running
government and save money to run the
country’s embassies. There should be
accountability in the revenue generated by the
embassies through visa issuance and expenses
in the embassies, so that money made can be
judiciously used to fund the Missions.
Visa fees could be increased to meet the
cost of running the embassies. For instance the
UK government increased visa fees in 2023 to
pay for vital services and allow more funding
to be prioritised for public sector pay rises.
Wastefulness in government, evidenced by
the Presidential fleet and other government
officials in jets and vehicle convoys, can be cut
down. The cost of running the National
Assembly too should be looked into as a matter
of national emergency. Money saved from all
these wasteful expenditures can be used for
embassies. Financial discipline is required.
How do you think other countries will
perceive the absence of Nigeria’s
ambassadors in their countries?
Page4
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OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Tunde Ajasa-Alashe
Allison Shoyombo, Peter Osuhon
TheTrumpet (ISSN: 1477-3392)
is published in London fortnightly
News
Drug runners jailed
after caught using
guest house as base
Continued from Page 1<
criminal property.
Francis, of no fixed address,
admitted possession with intent to
supply and being concerned in the
supply of crack cocaine and heroin.
Both appeared at Basildon Crown
Court on Friday 20 September, where
each was jailed for 32 months.
Detective Sergeant Rob Maile, of
Op Raptor South, said: “Our
investigation established the two
runners, both from outside Essex, had
stayed in a guest house in the area for
the purposes of supplying crack
cocaine and heroin in Southend.
“This is one of the emerging
tactics we are seeing drugs gangs
employ.
“But as this case proves, it is a
tactic with little value, as it places no
limits on our ability to trace, monitor
and carry out enforcement against
those we know to be involved in
Class A drug supply.
“Drug dealers have very little room
for manoeuvre in Essex.
“My team see, all too often, the
harm these substances cause and the
violence which stems from this awful
trade.
“We’re more active than ever in
building cases against the drug lines
running these substances from
London into our county.
“I would also call on those who own
and run guest houses or holiday
homes to take steps, as best they can,
to be aware of the activity being
perpetrated at their properties.”
Worried about a friend?
Are you worried that a friend or
someone you know may be being
Jailed - Deviston Francis
exploited through County Lines or
organised criminal activity?
Maybe they are returning home
late, staying out all night or even
going missing for days or weeks at a
time.
Are they suddenly being secretive
about who they are talking to or
where they are going?
Or perhaps you’ve noticed they
have large amounts of money on
them, or new clothing, jewellery or
phones they wouldn’t be able to
afford.
Through Fearless, young people
can pass on information 100%
anonymously to get help.
If you need help from police, call
101 or, if it’s an emergency, always
call 999.
Jailed - Justice Oyedokun
Where can you get help?
Keeping people safe is at the heart
of what Essex Police does.
According to Essex Police: “Drugs
are illegal for a very real reason. They
are dangerous and cause real harm.
We would urge people not to take
any illegal substance. You can never
be sure what you are taking.
There is help available from local
drug addiction services. We urge
users to reach out to them.
You can find a list of local
organisations offering specialist drug
recovery support services on our
referral services page.”
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Page5
Page6 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Opinion
Remembering Mrs. Remi Oyo
Today in Lagos, the Oyo family -
husband, children, grandchildren,
in-laws and the extended families
from Ekitiland, Urhoboland and
elsewhere as well as friends and former
colleagues would be holding a
remembrance and thanksgiving service
in honour of Mrs. Felicia Oluremi Oyo,
at the Catholic Church of Presentation,
Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Ten years ago, Mrs.
Oyo left this earthly prison house and
transited to the great beyond, to tranquil
Heaven at the relatively young age of 61.
Thomas Campbell says, and he is right
that “to live in the hearts of those we
love is not to die”. Mrs. Oyo lives on, her
memory endures, and her example
stands out in terms of her great
Remi Oyo
accomplishments. She was a journalist
of the first rank. She did not want to be
identified as a female journalist but as a
pressman, and indeed a pressman she
was, out there in the forefront of action,
inspiring younger journalists both male
and female in the process. In one of
those ironies of life that no one can
explain she was born in the month of
October. She died also in the same
month, less than two weeks to her 62nd
birthday as a result of cancer. But hers
was a life of impact, love and influence.
She studied Mass Communication at the
University of Lagos and obtained a
Master’s degree in International
Relations from the University of Kent.
Journalism was her career and in this she
excelled. She started as a reporter with
the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation
(NBC) in 1973 – the story out there is
that she met her husband, Mr. Vincent
Oyo while working in radio, and the two
Oyos would in later life carve a niche for
themselves in both journalism and
marketing communications. Mrs. Oyo
left the NBC to join the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in 1981, and rose to
become the Principal Editor of NAN.
She later joined the Inter Press Service
(IPS) and again rose to become the
Nigerian Bureau Chief and later, West
African Bureau Chief.
It was around this time that our paths
crossed. Auntie as we fondly called her
had become very active in the Nigerian
Guild of Editors (NGE). Under Mr.
Biodun Oduwole, NGE President, 1992
– 1994, Mrs. Oyo was a member of the
standing committee but she was very
influential, known by younger
journalists as “Mama awon Boys”
because of her generosity. Together, the
Oduwole team presided over one of the
golden moments of the Guild. Mr.
Oduwole was then Managing Editor at
the Nigerian Tribune in Ibadan, which
was practically in the hands of both Mr.
Oduwole and Mr. Folu Olamiti as Editor
Daily. Even before the emergence of Mr.
Oduwole as President, he had been
friends with some of us who were
members of the OSU Collective, and
three of us got close to him. In those
days, in the early 90s, members of the
OSU Collective were prolific on the
pages of newspapers, generating debates
and contributing to public affairs issues
of the day. Three of us: Wale Olaitan,
Sina Kawonise and I were close to Mr.
Oduwole who took it upon himself to
encourage these brilliant young lecturers
from Ogun State University as it then
was. I was in the Department of English,
Kawonise in Sociology and Olaitan in
Political Science. Like all young men,
BY REUBEN ABATI
we thought we could change the world
with our pens and lyrical prose. It was
through Egbon as we called Mr.
Oduwole that we got to know Mrs. Oyo,
and she just took to us as her aburos.
By 1994, I had left Ogun State
University to join The Guardian
Newspapers as a member of the Editorial
Board. I recall that in September that
year, I had to travel to Egypt to attend
the International Conference on
Population and Development (5 -13
September 1994) under the auspices of
the National Council on Population and
Environmental Activities, an NGO led
by Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi. I was
then one of the resource persons to the
NCPEA, under the guidance of Prince
Adelusi-Adeluyi who provided
opportunities for us to know more about
developing trends in the world. When
we arrived in Egypt and I went to the
press centre, there was Mrs. Remi Oyo,
manning the IPS desk. I saw her at work,
writing stories, casting headlines,
conducting interviews. She enjoyed
what she did: to tell stories. When we
were in Cairo, I casually mentioned to
Auntie that I was planning to get
married. She promptly asked me what I
would need. I told her I brought some
money to buy wedding rings. One late
afternoon, she left her desk and she took
me somewhere inside Cairo where she
said we would get original gold. When
we finished buying the gold rings, she
asked me to follow her again to another
store. She then asked me to look for any
shoe that I felt comfortable with. She
paid for the pair of shoes and said that is
the shoe I want you to wear on your
wedding day: from me to you! I would
later visit Aunty at her office at the
National Theatre where she had become
the head of IPS. In those days, the
National Theatre (now Wole Soyinka
Centre for Culture and the Arts) was the
rendezvous for artists. We went there to
watch films, stage plays or simply to
congregate at a place called Abe Igi, to
socialize and enjoy an assortment of
delicacies. Auntie’s office was just down
the road from Abe Igi and I used to go
Continued on Page 7<
Opinion
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024 TheTrumpet
Remembering Mrs. Remi Oyo
Page7
Continued from Page 6<
there. It was not difficult to see that
although she was head of IPS, she had
great rapport with the people in NAN
who shared the same premises. She
moved from NAN to IPS, but she had
friends on both sides. She was a doyenne
of wire service journalism.
In 1998, Mrs. Oyo showed interest in
the Presidency of the Nigerian Guild of
Editors. Garba Shehu who was
Oduwole’s Deputy President had just
completed his term (1994 -1997) and the
position was due to return to the South.
We the boys were like “Auntie Must
Win!” In short, all the boys championed
her campaign. She eventually emerged
as the President and ended up serving for
five years (1998 – 2003). She lifted the
profile of the office and was very good at
getting support for the media from
authority figures. She was for record
purposes - the first woman to serve as
President of the Nigerian Guild of
Editors since 1961, when Alhaji Lateef
Jakande was the pioneer President of the
Guild. Mrs. Oyo performed so
excellently, it can be said of her legacy
that she inspired other women within the
profession to take a keen interest in the
affairs of both the NGE and the Nigerian
Union of Journalists (NUJ). In the West,
East and the North, women began to
occupy key positions in the media
unions. In Lagos, Mrs. Funke Fadugba
as Chairman of the Lagos NUJ was such
a formidable force. She singlehandedly
set up two estates for journalists and
turned many into landlords. Lagos
Journalists would be forever grateful to
Funke Fadugba as the brain behind
Journalists Estate in Arepo and PEN
Estate along the Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway. Unfortunately, when Funke
Fadugba wanted to become President of
the NUJ, she was betrayed by her own
colleagues from the Lagos Chapter. In
2016, following in Mrs. Oyo’s footsteps,
Funke Egbemode emerged as the
President of the NGE and spent three
remarkable years in the saddle as the
second female President.
Mrs. Oyo’s distinction did not go
unnoticed. In 2003, she was appointed
Senior Special Assistant (Media and
Publicity) by President Olusegun
Obasanjo. Again, she served
meritoriously in that position, earning
her the national honour of Officer of the
Order of Niger (OON) in 2006. When
President Yar’Adua assumed office in
2007, Mrs. Oyo was shortly after named
the Managing Director of the News
Agency of Nigeria. It was a kind of
homecoming for her, returning to her
former base, and reuniting with old
colleagues. Her tenure as MD, NAN was
not without a measure of controversy.
But what I recall vividly was her advice
to me when President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan appointed me as his
Spokesperson/ Special Adviser – Media
and Publicity in 2011. She was one of
the first persons to reach out to me.
“Reuben, my advice to you will be
basically three things. Number one, the
person you need most on this job is the
President, the man who gave you the job.
If you have him on your side, you are
good. You will survive. This is a very
tough job. The politics is heavy.”
She then went on to tell me about
how many people would be interested in
the office because of the glamour of
being the spokesperson for the President.
She mentioned names of persons who
would go behind her to President
Obasanjo just to malign her. But at every
turn, President Obasanjo stood by her.
“No. 2”, she said, “be very careful
with our colleagues. They are the biggest
threat to anyone in this office. They will
bad mouth you. They will try to pull you
down. They will claim that they know
how to do the job better than you. They
will envy you and try to undermine you.
Just hold on to your Principal. Once the
President believes you are doing a good
job, there is nothing anybody can do to
you.”
“No. 3”, she added, “take good care
of your health. This job drains you from
head to toe. You will be busy throughout
and yet everybody will criticize you. But
you have to keep healthy and safe. If
anything happens to you, it is only your
family that will be most affected. Stay
healthy and alive for your family.”
This last bit frightened me a little.
Mrs. Oyo’s predecessor in the same
office, Mr. Tunji Oseni had died from
complications from a respiratory
condition. Seeing that I was a bit scared,
she brought the conversation to an end
with: “Aburo, good luck. You’d be fine.”
She was right on every score.
Nobody can do the job of a
spokesperson without the Principal’s
support. One of the first things I
experienced was what became known in
the Villa at the time as “The Gap
Theory”. It was explained to me by a
gentleman called Akachukwu Sullivan
Nwakpo. In my early days at the Villa,
Akachukwu had thought it necessary to
explain the gap theory to me as follows:
that the Villa is a dog-eat-dog space. You
have to man your space and guard it
jealously. If you are off guard for a
minute, someone would see that as an
opportunity and try to do your job for
you. He advised me to be vigilant and
keep out interlopers.
Media work was actually something
everyone thought they could do
including those who could not write a
successful paragraph in the English
language. People would come to me and
tell me “Oga says you must write this
press release”. Twice, I fell for their
trick. I took the statements to President
Jonathan, until he had to make it clear to
me that I must never issue any statement
without his direct authorization or listen
to any third party giving me instructions.
Nonetheless, there were persons who
thought they knew best how to do the
job. Our colleagues in the media, as Mrs.
Oyo predicted, were not very kind either.
They used to go behind to seek audience
with President Jonathan. Some of them
even brought drafts of speeches, not
knowing the President would still hand
over every draft to me with the rider:
“see if there is anything you can take
from this or that draft. Some of my
friends in the media brought them to
me”. These friends in the media had
developed a method of by-passing my
office. In the end, their hustle did not
make any difference. President Jonathan
had assured me that I should not be
bothered. As President, it was his duty to
encourage everyone and give people
hope. Did I try to protect the territory as
Akachukwu advised? I leave that to
other people to judge. Did I keep safe?
That is another story for another day. I
was too glad to return home in one piece.
It is not everything that a hunter sees or
hears in the forest that he gets back home
to tell. After leaving Aso Villa, one of
the things I did was to visit Chief Duro
Onabule (1939 – 2022), popularly
known as double Chief. He is a veteran
journalist, former Editor of the National
Concord (1984-1985). He had just
returned from vacation in England, and
he called to say he had bought a book for
me. I went to his residence at Dolphin
Estate in Ikoyi. He had stories to tell,
similar to Mrs. Oyo’s comments about
the spokesperson’s assignment. He reechoed
Mrs. Oyo’s experience when he
told me that the biggest threat to any
journalist in government is his or her
own colleagues. Double Chief was
spokesperson to President Ibrahim
Babangida.
I remembered Mrs. Oyo’s advice the
other day when Ajuri Ngelale threw in
the towel as President Tinubu’s
spokesperson. Was he muscled out by
some of our colleagues who wanted his
job, and thought they were better at it or
better qualified? Did he protect his
territory enough? Or was he a victim of
Akachukwu’s gap theory? And there
was a line in his letter of resignation: that
he needed to attend to his family’s
medical needs. Again, this thing about
health and one’s family after an
encounter with Aso Villa. Did he have
President Tinubu’s full support? Many
lessons for future spokespersons.
But we are here this morning to
remember and celebrate late Mrs.
Oluremi Oyo, FNGE, FNIM, OON
(1952 – 2014). “Almighty God, we
remember with thanksgiving Mrs. Remi
Oyo, Thank you for everything we
treasure about her, for all that she means
to us. Take care of her, Lord, until we all
reach that time and place where every
tear is dry, every question answered and
all things are made new. Lord in your
love, hear our prayer. Amen.”
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Page8 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Opinion
The Battle of Edo State 2024:
A Review
By Reuben Abati
Abattle on the electoral turf has
just been won and lost in Edo
State, Nigeria. Governor Godwin
Obaseki was elected as Governor in 2016
on the platform of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in that State. By 2019,
he had fallen out of favour with the
godfather that brought him to power,
former Nigerian Labour Congress
President, and former Governor of Edo
State for eight years (2008 – 2016), now
Senator Adams Oshiomhole. In due
course, Oshiomhole left the Labour Party
and pitched his tent with the APC where
he would later rise to the position of the
National Chairman of the Party. In 2020,
Obaseki crossed over to the Peoples’
Democratic Party and successfully
upstaged his godfather to get a second
term in office. His tenure in office ends
on November 11, 2024. Hence, there has
been a lead up to Gubernatorial elections
in Edo State to mark the effective end of
Obaseki’s tenure, the Nigerian
Constitution providing for only two terms
in office for Governors and the President.
The Gubernatorial election to see
Obaseki out of office and to determine
the next occupant of the Osadebey
Government House in Benin was held on
Saturday, September 21, with 17
candidates and political parties on the
ballot.
We were eventually confronted with a
three horse-way race involving
boardroom guru and lawyer - Asue
Ighodalo of the PDP, Senator Monday
Okpebholo of the APC and former
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
President, Olumide Akpata of the Labour
Party (LP) as the leading contenders. The
voting took place in 4,519 polling units,
in the State’s three Senatorial districts,
with 35,000 policemen in attendance
along with 8,000 other security agents –
military, EFCC and the Civil Defence
Corps. Total number of registered voters
in the election was 2,629,025. Total
number of 2,249,780 voters’ cards were
collected. It was a high stakes election as
seen in the febrile drama that led to the
election, with the incumbent Governor
saying it was a do-or-die election in
which the Federal Government was
determined to rig in favour of the APC
candidate, creating a Federal Might vs.
The People’s might encounter. The PDP
further alleged that the State Police
Command and the State Resident INEC
Commissioner were known associates of
former Governor of Rivers State, now
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,
Nyesom Wike. The Inspector General of
Police, Kayode Egbetokun pledged that
the police were impartial and unbiased.
Wike did not help matters by boasting
openly on live television that no Jupiter
could change the Police Commissioner in
Edo State and the INEC Resident
Commissioner and that he, Wike would
not endorse either Ighodalo or the PDP in
Edo State. This is the same Wike who
claims to be the political leader of the
PDP in Rivers State, but he is currently
an unabashed agent of the APC in deed
and in words! No individual should be so
brazen.
Instructively, Obaseki, the PDP and
their candidate refused to sign the Peace
Accord that had been brokered by the
National Peace Committee, a respectable
body of eminent men and women led by
Nigeria’s former Head of State, General
Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Mathew
Hassan Kukah and others. A
Governorship debate that was organized
for the candidates was boycotted by the
PDP and APC. Only the candidate of the
LP showed up to complain bitterly about
the effrontery of the APC that offered to
send Senator Adams Oshiomhole who
was clearly not the candidate to stand in
for Okpebholo. Similarly, Akpata
condemned Ighodalo. There were fears
about the possible outbreak of violence
and the breakdown of law and order. Poll
watchers and analysts pointed to a
number of factors that could determine
the September 21 election as follows:
climate of fear and voter apathy, which
could affect voter turn-out, manipulation
of votes, violence and ballot snatching,
vote buying or stomach infrastructure;
voter suppression, current economic
hardship, neutrality of otherwise of the
Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) and the security
agencies, the influence of key political
actors especially godfathers, Federal
might and power of incumbency at both
Federal and State levels. When the battle
was won and determined on September
21, against the background of a slew of
allegations and mixed reactions, INEC on
Asue Ighodalo, Monday Okepbholo and Olumide Akpata
September 22, announced the results to
the effect that Monday Okepbholo of the
APC had been validly elected, with
291,667 votes, winning in 11 Local
Government Areas; Asue Ighodalo, the
PDP candidate, with 247,274 votes with
majority in 7 LGAs; and Olumide
Akpata, of the LP with 22,763 votes,
without any majority in any LGA, not
even in his own polling unit. APC leaders
have been singing and dancing since
then, claiming that God has blessed the
words of their mouth, that the APC would
triumph. The PDP leaders believe that
they have been robbed. Gov. Obaseki
calls this “a travesty and a tragedy”, a
display of brute force and a violation of
the people’s right to choose. He has
however asked that the aggrieved should
be calm and seek redress by following
due process in expressing their
grievances. Asue Ighodalo, the PDP
candidate alleges that the Edo Election
2024, might be the worst ever in the
history of this country. Akpata says the
votes went to the highest bidder. Mr.
Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of the
LP has said this was a case of “state
capture”.
My quick observation is that whatever
happens hereafter, perhaps at the election
petition tribunal and the courts, both
Ighodalo and Akpata have put up a
gallant and spirited challenge and there
are more people in and out of Edo State
who consider them the better candidates
in the race. If the beauty of television
advertisements alone could win elections,
the tally would have gone to Olumide
Akpata. If the ability to speak English
grammar and a person’s pedigree
mattered for anything in Nigerian
politics, Ighodalo would have won. What
we have just been confronted with in Edo
State is the reality of Nigerian politics -
where ideas, pedigree, brilliance - in the
context of a webbed transactional politics
that compromise and overwhelm every
single factor in the process, do not matter.
In 1999, shortly after the election that
brought President Obasanjo and the PDP
to power in Nigeria, election observers
had reported that Nigerian politicians had
devised many methods of election
rigging, which some analysts identified
in a well-publicized list. This led to talks
about electoral reform and the need to
clean up Nigeria’s elections to promote
the common good. In 2003, and 2007,
analysts had observed greater
sophistication in the corrupt manipulation
of election results across the country. It
was so bad in 2007 that the
Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration that
came to power openly admitted that the
elections were flawed, and insisted that
the most urgent task before Nigeria was
electoral reform. In 2015, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan was a victim of his own
insistence on the values of transparency,
integrity and accountability in elections.
The APC leaders who succeeded him
Continued on Page 9<
Opinion
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
TheTrumpet
The Battle of Edo State 2024:
A Review
Page9
Continued from Page 8<
could not care less. In 2021, it was a
tough battle to get the amended Electoral
Reform Bill of 2010 signed by President
Buhari. In fact, it was not signed for
flimsy reasons. In 2022, the National
Assembly finally managed to smuggle in
an Electoral Act 2022, under which the
2023 General Elections were conducted.
But in real terms, nothing has changed
since 1999. Civil society groups are still
arguing for an Electoral Framework with
the same old argument that the extant
Electoral Act is defective. The first lesson
of Edo Election 2024 is that nothing has
changed in Nigerian politics. The
political parties, the institutions, the
politicians and the people have learnt
nothing. The people quotient of Nigerian
democracy is weak, poor, disconnected.
Edo State has just confirmed our worst
fears. There has been open, front-face
evidence of vote-trading. On Saturday,
September 21, politicians and agents
offered to buy votes, with the cost now as
high as N20,000. It used to be cheaper to
buy a vote, but we are made to
understand that the high inflation in the
land and economic hardship have both
marked up asking prices. In Edo, they
were selling votes as if they were trading
bags of tomatoes. Ballots were snatched.
Ballot papers were burnt. There were
sporadic shootings if not an outright
breakout of violence. Yiaga Africa, one
of the many civil society observer groups
that formed the Nigerian Situation Room
observing the Edo election has reported
that the biggest problem was the failure
of integrity.
The stakes were high. Edo 2024 was a
revenge operation among the godfathers
and the political actors. It has been said
that the loser in the election is not Asue
Ighodalo (PDP) but Godwin Obaseki, the
incumbent Governor, seen to be the main
supporter of Ighodalo, and who had
acquired a very powerful team of former
allies turned “enemies”. These enemies
were determined to teach him a lesson for
alienating them. Asue Ighodalo probably
chose the wrong party for as we see, there
was nothing he could have done to please
the likes of Adams Oshiomhole, the
godfather whom Obaseki turned against
and embarrassed thoroughly and Philip
Shuaibu, the Deputy Governor whom
Obaseki despised and humiliated. There
were other anti-Obaseki political actors:
Dan Orbih, Anselm Ojezua, Osagie Ize-
Iyamu and Kabiru Adjoto. Obaseki was
also considered unfriendly to the exalted
throne of the Omo N’Oba. In Edo State,
anyone considered rude to the Palace
loses favour, even among the people. The
Oba once had cause to admonish Obaseki
publicly to remember that one day he
would no longer be Governor and he
should be guided accordingly. That
moment has arrived! It is Ighodalo who
has now paid the price of this
undercurrent. Philip Shuaibu was on
television yesterday boasting that he won
his polling unit, his ward and his LGA for
Monday Okpebholo, the best record in
Edo State. He boasted that Obaseki was a
non-politician that was brought from
Lagos and made a Governor. Obaseki in
this last election did not win his ward and
LGA. He was outboxed, outthought, and
bulldozed as Daniel Dubois did to
Anthony Joshua at the IBF boxing match
at the Wembley Stadium the very same
day! In 2020, Obaseki boasted, while
seeking a second term, that “Edo No Be
Lagos” in a subtle reference to Tinubu’s
promise that he would return Edo State to
the APC. Over the weekend, the point
would seem to have been made that “Edo
is now Lagos” and we saw the APC
chieftains dancing. Shuaibu says Obaseki
has to come and beg the victors. That
may not be an idle threat.
The security agencies have been
praised for overseeing a peaceful election
in Edo State. But was it free and fair? Is
the outcome fair to all parties concerned?
It would have been scandalous for the
security agencies to deploy a total of
43,000 men, who could have been put to
better use to fight banditry and terrorism,
to an off-cycle election and we would
have a breakdown of law and order. The
architects of violence in Edo State had to
moderate their madness perhaps because
the security presence was intimidating,
and oppressive. Edo State was like a war
zone. Two days earlier, Nigeria’s Chief of
Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa
was on the ground to address his troops
and the people, noting that he had express
instructions from the President,
Commander in Chief to enforce peace in
Edo State. Elections should not be held
with the gun pointed at the people’s
heads. It should be a peaceful, civil event
where the people make informed choices
freely and without fear and pressure. Not
surprisingly, voter turn-out in the Edo
When the going was good Oshiomhole (right) handing over to Obaseki (left)
election was low, despite the people’s
obvious enthusiasm. Election observers
put the voter turn-out rate at 22.4% with
a margin of error of +/- 1.6%, much lower
than the 27% turn-out in the 2020 Edo
Gubernatorial election. If this is a case of
apathy, then it means the people in Edo
as elsewhere, are beginning to lose faith
in Nigeria’s electoral process.
INEC, the electoral umpire has
featured prominently in the various
reports. The electoral umpire did well
with BVAS and accreditation but voting
processes did not start early. As at 8:30
am only about 17% of the voters had
been accredited, by 11:51 am, about 64%.
For an off-cycle election in just one State,
this was not good enough. There were
inconsistencies in the officially
announced results, on IREV, the INEC
portal. At some point, the political parties
and their agents felt obliged to take over
the collation process. Governor Adamu
Fintiri of Adamawa State who was in
Benin, as Chairman of the PDP
Campaign Council for the Edo election,
had to do his own collation and advise
INEC not to delay the announcement of
results in the outstanding three LGAs.
Fintiri had to explain that he had not
broken any law – he merely announced
what he found on the IREV portal.
Nonetheless, INEC is the only body
empowered by law to announce any
results. But Fintiri insists that the Edo
election was a rape of democracy and that
the PDP candidate won. He says he
weeps for Nigeria because “democracy is
under attack”. The desperation of the
various political personae casts doubts on
the effectiveness of INEC in the Edo
election. There is no denying it: there is
still the urgent need to strengthen
electoral institutions and address the
challenge of reforms. Obviously, no
amount of law can transform Nigeria’s
elections unless the people themselves
agree to change and the institutions
function differently.
The Edo Gubernatorial election 2024
has taken place against the background of
the fact that many Nigerians have been
complaining about poor governance and
hunger in Nigeria. In August, this class of
Nigerians openly expressed their anger
and they are threatening to do so again in
October. In other climes, when people
face economic hardship in the hands of a
sitting government, they express
themselves through the polls when they
have the opportunity to do so. Nigeria is
a strange country where a political party’s
performance in power does not really
matter, and hence, politicians get
rewarded, regardless of how the people
think or feel. It is therefore not for
nothing that an APC chieftain has
remarked that the outcome of the Edo
election is an affirmation of the people’s
confidence in President Tinubu’s
economic reforms. It is possible in
Nigerian politics to say anything when
your party has won and has been declared
winner. The standard rule in Nigerian
politics is for you to work on your
strategy so well, whether in a crooked
manner or not, win and let the other party
complain. Both PDP/Ighodalo and
LP/Akpata may be talking to their
lawyers right now but while they are
spending more money paying lawyers,
Monday Okpebholo would be sworn in
on November 11, 2024. With the Federal
Might behind him, and powerful
godfathers like Adams Oshiomhole,
Nyesom Wike, Philip Shuaibu and the
APC demolition machinery involved, it
would be difficult to upturn the results
announced on September 22. It is called
realpolitik.
Page10 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Opinion
Politics, governance
and the value of time
Governance requires effective time
management to thrive.
Unfortunately, political systems
often waste this precious resource,
compromising citizens’ well-being and
national prosperity. As a universal
currency, time is equally distributed but
unequally valued, with marginalized
communities frequently bearing the brunt
of temporal inefficiencies.
At the politics-time intersection,
power dynamics emerge, shaping lives
through prioritization, policy and
resource allocation. To maximize
productivity, strategies like prioritization
and goal-setting are crucial, lest poor
management leads to missed deadlines
and lost opportunities. Historically,
societies aligned tasks with natural
rhythms, highlighting the tension
between short-term gains and long-term
benefits, thus underscoring the need for
intentional time management in
governance.
In Nigeria, the value of time is often
perceived as a luxury that only the
affluent can afford. The average citizen is
caught up in a daily struggle for survival,
where time is a scarce resource. The
chronic fuel scarcity, endless traffic jams,
and inefficient public transportation
systems all conspire to waste valuable
time. These issues substantially impact
the economy, with estimated losses of $1
billion annually
Time plays a critical role in both
political participation and environmental
sustainability. It is a scarce resource in
modern society, and its value is often
overlooked until it’s too late. In today’s
fast-paced world, we’re constantly
reminded to ‘make every second count’
and ‘time is money.’ However, this
mantra can lead to burnout and
exploitation, as seen in the gig economy,
where workers are pushed to work long
hours without adequate compensation or
benefits. Low-income households spend
significant time managing finances,
accessing social services and waiting in
lines, resulting in severe time poverty. In
stark contrast, effective time management
can transform lives, as seen in the biblical
examples of Joseph and Daniel.
Joseph and Daniel epitomize wise
time management. They highlighted the
importance of using time effectively to
achieve success and fulfill one’s purpose.
Despite imprisonment, Joseph interpreted
dreams and rose to Egypt’s second-incommand.
Daniel devoted himself to
study and prayer, interpreted
Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams and gained
prominence in Babylon. In contrast,
Esau, the Prodigal Son, and the servant
with one talent squandered their time and
ultimately regretted their choices.
Remote work blurs work-personal life
lines, while systemic inequalities
perpetuate disparities in incarceration
rates, opportunities, and marginalized
communities’ potential. Governance
failures exacerbate this vulnerability, as
seen in high-profile cases like the
unresolved Chibok girls’ abduction,
which has devastatingly contributed to
Nigeria’s economic and security shocks.
Globally, COVID-19 and ‘Black Lives
Matter’ also highlight the unequal
distribution of time, underscoring its
value and the need for intentional
governance.
As a matter of fact, every 14- or 15-
year-old student learns in Economics O-
Level about the ‘time-value of money’.
The principle has its broader applicability
beyond financial calculations. It also
drives political economy, leadership and
governance. Governments allocate and
expend resources, which is inherently
time-bound. Governments have a limited
window to make a meaningful impact,
making every moment count.
Consequently, evaluating a government’s
Politics, governance and the value of time in
Nigeria
tenure – essentially an interregnum –
hinges on its ability to optimize limited
time.
Effective time management requires
preparedness, as The Boy Scouts’ motto
goes. Unfortunately, governance in
Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, falls short
due to military interruptions and lack of
research. Moreover, most Special
Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), humorously
described as political parties, assume
office without thorough preparations,
largely due to the absence of data-driven
insights. Coincidentally, Nigeria’s oncethriving
Research Departments
associated with pre-independence and
post-independence political parties have
vanished, thus hindering their ability to
drive meaningful development and
sustainable growth. Is it any wonder why
today’s SPVs prioritize personal gain,
jobs racketeering and other self-serving
interests? While exceptions exist, they are
few and far-between. This scenario
exemplifies a concerning reality of which
structured leadership intervention is
crucial to prevent Nigeria’s losing
traction and impact.
Nigeria needs leadership that
prioritizes economic growth through
production and modernization, rather
than merely focusing on consumption
and jobs for favoured individuals.
Presently, Nigeria’s manufacturing sector
contributes only 8.23% to the country’s
GDP, compared to 25% in South Africa.
For a paradigm shift, this leadership
should allocate at least 60% of the budget
to capital expenditure, guided by
performance-based planning and devoid
of graft and waste. This is the only way to
avert the comic tragedy we have seen in
the past few days in Borno State where
human negligence, ineptitude and
incompetence other than natural forces
have triggered a disaster of monumental
proportions.
Governor Babagana Zulum has
demonstrated effective administration of
resources in Borno State. Nonetheless,
the recent disaster necessitates an
independent Commission of Inquiry to
investigate the causes of the avoidable
disaster. As fate would have it, all the
Biblical disasters of yore have now been
shown to not be ‘plagues and pestilences’
but the results of human error,
incompetence and policy distortions. The
Borno catastrophe, which is bound to be
replicated in other locations, has
demonstrated the need for preparedness
and a new approach to governance, based
on technical competences and the
proactive framework methodology.
There’s no alternative!
In today’s interconnected world,
governance efficiency is closely tied to
technical proficiency. The UK
Government showed this foresight when
it established the Government Economic
Service (GES) in 1964, under Prime
Minister James Harold Wilson. This
initiative has not only become a
cornerstone of governmental efficiency in
the UK but also inspired similar efforts
globally. To stay competitive, Nigeria
should establish a Government Economic
and Technology Service, to modernize
governance, boost revenue and eliminate
waste. Building on this initiative, a
comprehensive overhaul of the country’s
trade and tariff policies is also essential
as we enter the Artificial Intelligence era,
BY ABIODUN
KOMOLAFE
this is the minimum expectation.
Specifically, the Board of Trade and
Tariffs, chaired by the Federal Minister
of Industry, Trade and Investment, should
be restructured to include diverse
stakeholders, such as representatives
from the government, Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), Organized Private Sector,
Civil Society Organizations and Labour.
This diverse membership will enable the
Board to effectively counteract the
manufacturing slowdown and prevent the
exit of long-standing companies, some of
which have been operational for 75 years.
Dangote Refinery’s debacle partly
demonstrates how trade and tariff policies
are often misinterpreted,
In any case, that Nigeria faces
complex governance challenges, which
also require a multi-faceted approach, is
no longer news! For example, the country
ranked 145 out of 180 countries in
Transparency International’s 2023
Corruption Perception Index. Also in our
very eyes, the powerful continues to
exploit time to maintain control while the
culture of ‘African time’ has refused to
shed the toga of tardiness and
inefficiency.
To get out of the woods, Nigeria must
strengthen institutions, combat corruption
and promote transparency. Singapore’s
economic transformation, driven by
strategic planning and institutional
reforms, now serves as a model.
Technology integration, like Estonia’s e-
governance model, which has saved
citizens over 1400 years of working time
annually, can also help Nigeria boost
efficiency and transparency.
In a memorable statement made on
December 20, 1948, Cliff Gladwin
‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man.’ With
this in mind, President Bola Tinubu has a
historic opportunity to navigate the
complex challenges and balance the
competing interests currently troubling
Nigeria’s destiny. On this sacred space,
the President must fight injustice, punish
evil and prioritize the needs of ordinary
Nigerians, whose existence has been
hung up in a long vigil of socio-economic
despair. Surely certainly, few leaders get
to operate in a context of disaster and
change. For Tinubu, this makes this
moment crucial!
May the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world, grant us peace
in Nigeria!
Opinion
This time next year!
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024 TheTrumpet Page11
By Abiodun Komolafe
In the midst of Nigeria’s complex
economic and political landscape,
meaningful conversations become
crucial catalysts for change. My recent
discussion with Bolade Agbola, a
distinguished Agricultural Economist,
stockbroker, banker and Business
Administration doctorate holder, offered
invaluable perspectives on the country’s
pressing challenges.
As we delved into the intricacies of
Nigeria’s development trajectory, Agbola’s
multi-dimensional expertise and
cosmopolitan outlook shed light on the
country‘s potential pathways toward
sustainable growth. This conversation
serves as a timely reminder that Nigerians
continue to seek solutions, driven by
resilience and determination. In this article,
I reflect on our insightful exchange,
exploring critical themes and actionable
strategies for Nigeria’s economic
revitalization.
Let’s be frank, Nigeria faces complex
challenges affecting citizens’ daily lives.
Economic struggles, including inflation
and unemployment, are paramount.
Political stability and security are also
pressing concerns, amid terrorism,
banditry and kidnapping. This situation is
not helped by Boko Haram terrorism,
which has exacerbated security issues
since the early 2000s. To alleviate these,
Nigerians are seeking economic growth, a
stable currency and reduced poverty.
Despite the noises of despair, Agbola
shared his optimistic vision for Nigeria’s
future, citing potential milestones
achievable by next year. He predicted that
domestic petrol refining would increase,
easing foreign exchange pressures. In his
words, “This time next year, the
inflationary rate would drop below 20%
and racing towards single digits. Security
concerns would also diminish as armed
forces tackle clashes, banditry and
kidnappings.” Not done yet, he
emphasized the importance of State
policing and local government autonomy
in enhancing security. Agbola also
predicted that economic fundamentals
would improve, driving the naira exchange
rate below N1000.00/$1. ‘E lo f’okan bale!
The economy will soon witness a positive
turnaround’, he concluded reassuringly!
Obviously, Agbola’s perspective on
‘This time next year’ showcases
humanity’s capacity for resilience,
optimism and community solidarity. By
embracing the present, this mindset
inspires collective action toward a brighter,
more equitable future. But then, this time
next year, the journey to 2027 will have
begun in earnest. Regardless of
government policies, one doesn’t need to
be a genius, or an econometrician, or a
Nostradamus before knowing that, given
current economic trends, the dollar-naira
exchange rate is unlikely to drop below
N1,000.00, which is at a best case scenario.
His other predictions, while optimistic,
may similarly face significant hurdles,
including infrastructure gaps, regulatory
frameworks and global market
fluctuations. According to Nigeria’s
National Bureau of Statistics, inflation
rates have consistently exceeded 20%
since 2020. Therefore, achieving singledigit
inflation by 2027, as Agbola
predicted, would require significant policy
shifts and economic reforms. Furthermore,
his emphasis on domestic petrol refining
overlooks the need for comprehensive
energy sector reforms. To address this,
Nigeria must prioritize investment in
renewable energy sources and grid
modernization.
Talking seriously, Nigeria is currently
grappling with a balance of payment crisis;
and, when one has a balance of payment
crisis, one’s response will be like that of
Jawaharlal Nehru in 1958, when there was
not much for India to export; or, Harold
Wilson in 1967, when Britain’s was more
of currency crisis. Nehru’s quote, echoed
This time next year!
by Wilson, remains relevant: ‘We have to
export or perish’, thus emphasizing the
need for export-driven solutions to rectify
economic imbalances.
Under the circumstances, President
Bola Tinubu should have prioritized
exports from the outset more so as
competitive institutions are crucial to
Nigeria’s success. However, the decision
to float the naira without diversifying
production and strengthening institutions
has been calamitous. Addressing these
institutional deficits should have been the
first order of business. To get out of the
current economic challenges, the
government needs to rethink its export
strategies to mitigate the currency turmoil
and alleviate the cost of living crisis.
The ‘Soludo Solution’ merged
Cooperative Banks into larger institutions,
neglecting their potential as specialized
financial intermediaries for farming
cooperatives and hundreds of agricultural
associations. Simply put, while temporary
relief may come from global interest rate
cuts, it is insufficient as speculative
investments seeking high returns won’t
drive sustainable growth or employment,
even if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
cuts interest rates in the next few days.
Instead, Nigeria should prioritize
production and modernize its agricultural
sector to create jobs and boost exports.
The Netherlands’ success story offers
valuable lessons, attributing its prosperity
to two key factors: specialized financial
institutions like RABOBank, which was
credited with knowing everything that’s
worth knowing about agricultural finance,
and world-class agricultural research
institutions. These two elements are
intricately linked. In contrast, Nigeria
presently struggles with inadequate
agricultural financial institutions and
research entities, and these have been
hindering its progress. A comic interlude
comes from reports that the Cocoa
Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN)
allocated funds for urban solar-powered
streetlights. In a twisted harmony like ours,
where contradictions blend into a unique
melody, this is a tragic comic illustration
and the complete absence of interest in the
development of agriculture.
In Nigeria, hope is vital amid economic
uncertainty. Drawing from Prophet
Elisha’s wisdom (2 Kings 4: 1-7),
Nigerians can develop innovative solutions
and collaborative problem-solving. Just as
the people of Samaria persevered through
famine and siege, Nigerians have
continued to show remarkable strength in
the face of economic instability, political
turmoil and security threats. For Nigeria to
achieve progress, strategic economic plans,
addressing security concerns,
strengthening institutions, promoting
transparency and accountability in
governance are essential.
Across centuries, development has
typically begun with a strong foundation at
the local or community base. In other
words, true development goes beyond
monetary policy and MOUs. It’s about
building a strong foundation! Nehru
advocated for village development through
initiatives like cooperative farming, rural
electrification, and access to healthcare and
education, setting the stage for broader
economic progress. That’s
commonsensical! Brazil’s transformation
from exporting raw cocoa to chocolates is
particularly admirable. This shift has
boosted the country’s earnings, making
Brazilian chocolates easily available in
global markets like New York and Paris.
By adopting similar strategies, Nigeria can
improve its economic prospects.
Nigeria’s economy is a complex,
hydra-headed beast that requires a multifaceted
strategy to tame. Thankfully, the
wheel has been invented on these issues!
The Tinubu-led government deserves
credit for securing the Supreme Court
autonomy ruling for local governments.
Think of it as a delicate recipe requiring the
perfect blend of export-led growth,
financial sector reform, and strategic
investments in agriculture and
manufacturing - with a dash of institutional
reforms and human capital development
for added flavour.
As 2027 nears us by the eyelids, the
party in power must revisit its
developmentalist manifesto commitments.
By translating policy intentions into
tangible outcomes, Nigeria will not only
bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality
but also ensure citizens’ well-being and
improve lives. Meanwhile, while sustained
commitment to developmental goals may
be destined to determine Nigeria’s future
prosperity, discussing a competitive
economy is pointless when the
foundational issues persist.
Beyond any big transactional jargons,
the next budget should include an
‘Inflation Reduction Act’ with clear
timelines to achieve single-digit inflation
by 2027. This is the urgency of the now,
more so as it is difficult to make informed
decisions on an empty stomach.
Beautifying the streets is futile, if basic
needs remain unmet. As Michael Afolayan
emphasized, citing William Shakespeare,
“Take the current when it serves, or lose
our ventures.” And what’s the USA-based
erudite professor trying to say? ‘A greened
street is most likely to be disgreened by an
ungreened stomach!’
May the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world, grant us peace in
Nigeria!
Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa,
Osun State, Nigeria
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)
Page12 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024 TheTrumpet
Page13
Page14 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Opinion
What does a new Labour government
mean for peace in Nigeria?
By Toyosi Clement
The 2024 General Election has been
one of the most exciting times in
modern British politics. The
Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer,
was sworn in after a landslide victory,
and ending the Conservative Party’s 14
years in power.
Some may view Labour’s win as a
fresh start for the country, allowing the
party to confront a myriad of
socioeconomic problems, with new
opportunities and a greater focus on the
less fortunate in the UK and across the
globe. We must also ensure that our
brothers and sisters in Nigeria experience
that hope within our government through
cooperation, amplifying voices within the
Nigerian diaspora, and creating robust
policies between the two nations.
What the new Government needs to
do
Maintaining peace is a very difficult
task within any country. At the barest
minimum, the Starmer-led government
needs to be more educated on Nigeria’s
issues; eventually, the knowledge can
translate into tangible and effective
policies. In summary: Labour needs more
Nigerian voices on the frontlines!
Firstly, the war in Ukraine and
conflicts in the Middle East have
demanded international attention, yet
Africa’s issues, particularly those
concerning Nigeria, have been treated
with less urgency. The constant conflicts
driven by ethnic, religious and economic
tensions in Nigeria have the potential of a
destabilising global impact, especially
given Nigeria’s population, its regional
importance in Africa, and its high number
of religious persecutions and extremist
attacks.
This imbalance must be addressed.
The Labour government should review
current policies between the two
countries, including the UK-Nigeria
Security and Defence Partnership and
Sustainable Development Goals, which
previous governments did not effectively
address.
Second, we must consider the role of
All-Party Parliamentary Groups
(APPGs). These groups could play a
pivotal role in helping Nigeria tackle its
insecurity problems by creating fora
where business leaders and politicians
from all parties can meet, hold events,
discuss, and act on issues. While there is
an existing APPG for Nigeria, it has done
little to promote peace and security in the
country. Establishing a new APPG on
‘Security in Africa’ or revitalising the
current one to focus on these issues
would significantly elevate the urgency
and focus on Nigeria’s challenges, from
arms sales to food insecurity to religious
persecution.
UK Foreign Minister - David Lammy MP
(Photo - 10 Downing Street)
David Lammy MP, We need you!
Previous governments have put very
little into a cohesive foreign policy for
Africa, missing the opportunity for the
continent to be a progressive partner to
the UK in facing the threats of today and
tomorrow. For example, the
Conservatives’ Integrated review of
defence, security, development and
foreign policy, under Boris Johnson,
merely did lip service for Africans. It led
to a reduction of foreign aid from 0.7%
to 0.5% of the Gross National Income
and therefore reduced investment in
funding to developing countries. With
that single policy decision, the UK turned
its back to the world’s most vulnerable.
The Labour Party can now learn from
these mistakes and redress this balance
through its ‘Africa policy.’ The newly
appointed Foreign Secretary, David
Lammy, and the new Foreign Affairs
Select Committee should look closely at
these issues to ensure comprehensive
coverage and improvement of impacts.
The Labour manifesto for international
development highlights conflict
prevention as a priority area, promising
to “renew expertise and focus” and to
make cooperating with the FCDO a
pathway to “regaining Britain’s global
leadership on development” and
“reconnecting with our allies.” However,
there was no explicit mention of aid for
Africa, let alone Nigeria, one of the UK’s
greatest African allies.
As the Head of the Commonwealth,
the UK has a vested interest in the
Commonwealth’s security and
prosperity, including Nigeria. There
needs to be clear goals and explicit
targets set for Nigeria and Africa’s
development, like those Labour has
established for the US, France, Ukraine,
India, Israel, and Palestine.
Engaging the Nigerian Diaspora
Finally, getting the attention of the
Nigerian diaspora is crucial. Non – profit
organisations like PSJ UK and others are
at the heart of Nigeria’s social justice
movement and have tirelessly advocated
for peace and justice in Nigeria through
well researched reports, amplifying the
voices of the marginalised in Nigeria,
hosting events, and supporting the
Nigerian communities in the UK and
back home in Nigeria. These
organisations need support as they have
intimate knowledge of the key issues
affecting Nigeria. After all, what you do
not know, you cannot act on! Partnership
with them is not only essential but
integral to any policy between the UK
and Nigeria.
Conclusion
The Labour government has a unique
opportunity to make a significant impact
on peace and development in Nigeria. By
educating themselves on Nigeria’s issues,
leveraging the role of APPGs, supporting
the efforts of organisations within the
Nigerian diaspora, and setting clear goals
and targets for Nigeria’s development,
the new Labour government can ensure
that Nigeria, and Africa too, benefits from
this fresh start.
This article was first published on the
website of Peace Building & Social
Justice, (PSJ) UK
Toyosi Clement is a Researcher and
Policy intern at the PSJ UK. He has
written numerous Op-Eds and articles
surrounding development and conflict
resolution in Africa; has written briefings
for MPs; has engaged in spreading
awareness about Nigeria’s insecurity
through public interviews and events, and
has organised and led an online policy
forum discussing the challenges and
opportunities within the UK-Nigerian
Defence Partnership.
GAB Awards
OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024 TheTrumpet Page15
Faces at the 2023 GAB Awards
Page16 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 2 - 15 2024
Events
Sierra Leone’s First Lady Dr
Fatima Bio to celebrate Black
History Month in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes celebrates Black History
Month with an Art, Culture, and
Business Exhibition taking place on the
12 th and 13 th of October 2024.
Sierra Leone’s First Lady – H.E. Dr. Fatima
Maada Bio will deliver the Keynote address at the
opening ceremony of the event on 12 th October.
The exhibition which will be held at Middleton
Hall, Central Milton Keynes aims to celebrate the
rich diversity of Black culture, art, and
entrepreneurship.
Later in the evening of the 12 th October, Dr
Bio will attend a special book launch and cultural
pageant scheduled as part of the series of events.
The book written by Nana Ofori-Atta
Oguntola and titled: “Twenty-One African Queens
Every Young Girl Should Know About” with the
Foreword personally written by the First Lady;
celebrates the legacy of 21 remarkable African
queens, with the goal of inspiring young girls to
take pride in their heritage and aspire to greatness.
The book launch will also feature a unique
beauty pageant, where contestants will dress in
historical costumes representing one of the queens
featured in the book. The event promises to be a
vivid celebration of culture, strength, and beauty.
The highlight of the evening will be when Dr Bio
crowns the winner as “African Queen UK”,
adding a prestigious and royal touch to an already
exciting occasion.
The Event Organiser and Author - Nana
Ofori-Atta Oguntola said: “I am incredibly
honoured to have Her Excellency Dr. Fatima
Maada Bio join us for this Black History Month
celebration.”
She added: “As my friend, we have worked
together on several events and I personally know
that her dedication to uplifting people especially
women, aligns perfectly with the mission of our
exhibition and book launch. I believe her presence
will make this year’s Black History Month in
Milton Keynes an unforgettable and empowering
experience.”
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, a passionate advocate
for women’s empowerment, education, and
African heritage, will set the tone for the event
with an inspiring keynote address that highlights
the importance of embracing history and culture
Nana Ofori-Atta Oguntola
while fostering new opportunities for future
generations.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio is a global advocate for
women’s rights, education, and health. As the First
Lady of Sierra Leone, she leads initiatives aimed
at empowering women and young girls and is
widely respected for her work in advancing
equality and justice for all.
Her dedication to uplifting African culture has
made her an influential voice both in Sierra Leone
and internationally.
Dignitaries, community leaders, and
businesses from across the UK will attend, making
this a historic occasion for the Milton Keynes
community.
Event Details:
• Black History Month Art, Culture, and
Business Exhibition
Date: 12th to 13th October 2024
Dr Fatima Maada Bio
Time: 9am
Venue: Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes
• Book Launch: “Twenty-One African Queens
Every Young Girl Should Know About”
Date: 12th October 2024
Time: 7pm to 11.30pm
Venue: Delta by Marriot, Kents Hill, Milton
Keynes
Highlight: African Queens Beauty Pageant with
the crowning of “African Queen UK”
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