The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 640 (January 8 - 21 2025)

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Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995
V O L 31 N O 640 J A N U A R Y 8 - 21 2025
Bishop urges
Tinubu to
prioritize the
poor
Bishop
Oluyamo
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
presenting 2025 budget to the
National Assembly
Nigeria’s
economy in
2025 doesn’t
look bright
– analyst
explains why
By Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College
Continued on Page 3>
The Bishop of Ijesa North Anglican
Diocese, Rt. Revd. Isaac
Oluyamo, has called on President
Bola Tinubu to focus on policies that will
give the poor a better life.
In his New Year message to
Nigerians, Oluyamo urged the President
to prioritize the needs of the poor and
work towards uplifting them from
poverty and hardship.
He urged the President not to forget
the poor and the vulnerable in his policies
and programmes, stressing that the very
essence of government is to positively
impact the most vulnerable in society.
“The President must prioritize the
welfare and needs of the poor in 2025. He
must carefully select and focus on
policies that will directly impact the poor
in society.
“What is the essence of governance if
the poor keep getting poorer? The
government must directly impact the
poor and help them have a better life”, he
stated.
Oluyamo encouraged Nigerians to
explore agricultural opportunities as a
means of addressing hunger in the New
Year. He commended Hon. Babatola
Faseru, the Osun State Commissioner for
Agriculture, for his efforts in promoting
agriculture. “Within the short time in
office, the Commissioner has
demonstrated that he is a round peg in a
round hole through the various steps
taken to improve the sector“.
The Bishop also congratulated the
new Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, His Royal
Majesty, Oba Adesuyi Haastrup, on his
ascension to the throne and assured him
of the prayers and support of his Diocese.
While emphasizing the importance of
peace in all aspects of life, Oluyamo
urged Nigerians to “work towards peace
in all aspects” of their lives and be
“agents of reconciliation, forgiveness and
love.”

Page2 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
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News
JANUARY
8 - 21 2025
Nigeria’s economy in 2025
doesn’t look bright – analyst
explains why
TheTrumpet
Page3
Continued from Page 1<
Nigerians may be wondering
whether the year 2025 will bring
the “renewed hope” promised by
the President Bola Tinubu administration –
or whether they are in for another year of
economic despair.
Nigerians are facing unprecedented
economic challenges, arising from the
removal of fuel subsidies. This has raised
the price of petrol by nearly 500% within
one year.
What’s more, the liberalisation of the
foreign exchange market resulted in an
over 100% depreciation in the value of the
domestic currency between October 2023
and October 2024.
And to rein in headline inflation, which
stood at 34.6% in November 2024, the
Central Bank of Nigeria has been pursuing
a contractionary monetary policy – attempt
to fend off inflation by reducing money
supply. It increased the interest rate from
15.5% in October 2023 to 27.25% in
September 2024.
These policies have reduced the living
standards of Nigerians. People must now
pay higher prices for food, transportation,
energy, health and education.
The government has also introduced
tax reforms, a student loan scheme and a
new minimum wage.
Nigerians have voiced their
dissatisfaction. In early August 2024, there
were widespread protests, tagged
#EndBadGovernance, across the country.
This was followed in October by similar
protests.
While Nigerians resent Tinubu’s
economic policies, the World Bank has
applauded the administration for decisively
addressing long-standing problems, and
urged it to stay the course.
The administration has appealed to
Nigerians to be patient, promising that its
economic reforms will yield positive
results soon. The question is: how soon?
Economic forecasting is not a science
free of errors. But as a development
economist who has been studying the
Nigerian economy for more than 40 years,
I believe certain trends are likely to play
out in 2025.
The government’s policies are unlikely
to have a positive impact on the living
conditions of Nigerians in 2025. Positive
effects of policies usually become
noticeable after about three years.
Economic growth
Economic growth drives much of what
happens across the economy, including
employment, education, health and living
standards.
Nigeria, like many countries in the
world, experienced a post-COVID
economic rebound. It posted a respectable
economic growth rate of 3.6% in 2021,
3.3% in 2022 and 2.9% in 2023. Growth is
expected by the IMF to continue in 2025,
though at a subdued rate of about 3%, less
than the 4% projected for sub-Saharan
African countries in 2025.
The lower growth rate is attributable to
lower-than-expected oil production,
insecurity in many parts of the country, and
scarcity of foreign exchange, which has
made it difficult for manufacturers to
import the inputs they need for production.
Nigeria needs a growth rate of at least
6% for three consecutive years to make a
significant impact on living standards.
Growth in the country has been driven
by the services sector, which expanded by
3.8% in the second quarter of 2024.
Industry was the second biggest driver at
3.5%.
The trend is expected to continue in
2025. But services – finance, construction,
entertainment, hospitality, government –
are concentrated in urban areas. Most
Nigerians who live in rural areas will not
feel the effects of any job creation arising
from economic growth. The growth of the
manufacturing sector, which is typically a
major source of employment, will be
anaemic in 2025.
Inflation and food prices
After a decline in the inflation rate
between June and August 2024, inflation
has been rising since then. It increased
from 32.15% in August, to 34.6% in
November 2024. This upward trend is
likely to continue, at least in the first
quarter of 2025. Nigerians should not
expect pre-COVID prices anytime soon
(inflation was 11% in 2019).
In response to the recent uptick in
inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria is
likely to sustain interest rate hikes in 2025.
But this is unlikely to tame inflation in a
significant way, as much of the inflation in
Nigeria is structural, rather than monetary.
The reason for this is that food
inflation, currently at about 40% will not
be resolved in 2025.
Food supply constraints include
insecurity, severe weather events
(especially flooding), low productivity,
high transportation costs, depreciation of
the naira, and the war in Ukraine, which
has adversely affected the prices of
imported grains. Then there’s the fact that
Nigerian farmers are ageing and few
young farmers are replacing them.
Shortages of farmers loom large.
Another factor that will keep inflation
high is that many businesses have already
invested in 2025 production and services
based on 2024 input prices. For their part,
vendors and operators in the informal
sector who did not benefit from the new
minimum wage payments will want to
share in the bounty by raising their prices.
The Naira
The Naira has been on a roller-coaster
ride in 2024. Although the recently
introduced Electronic Foreign Exchange
Matching System (EFEMS) by the Central
Bank of Nigeria is expected to infuse
Continued on Page 4<

Page4
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PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
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JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
News
Nigeria’s economy in
2025 doesn’t look bright
– analyst explains why
Continued from Page 3<
transparency and discourage speculation in
the forex market, the Naira will remain
weak in 2025.
Nigeria is an import-dependent
economy. So a weak Naira will result in
higher prices for imported goods.
In a bid to rein in rising prices, the
Naira to Dangote Refinery in October
2024. Nigerian oil marketers are expected
to purchase Dangote gasoline in Naira.
The net effect of this new policy on the
foreign exchange market in 2025 is
difficult to predict. It will boost the foreign
exchange market if the foreign exchange
savings from replacing imported fuel with
Prices (especially food) will not fall
precipitously enough to make much
difference to purchasing power and
standard of living. If anything, inflation
could rise in 2025.
When real purchasing power declines,
rational consumers shift spending from
health, education and housing to food
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Nigeria's 2025 Budget Presentation at the National Assembly
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Tinubu administration has suspended
import tariffs on some imported foods. But
this is unlikely to affect price pressures, as
the number of affected products is limited
and the policy is temporary.
The demand for foreign exchange will
increase and supply shortfalls will worsen.
The crude oil price is expected to fall by
about US$6 per barrel in 2025, which will
reduce the flow of foreign exchange into
Nigeria.
This projected global oil price has
factored in the possible effects of conflict
and instability in the Middle East.
The last quarter of 2025 will be
particularly tough for the Nigerian foreign
exchange market, as politicians warm up
for party primaries in 2026 ahead of the
2027 general elections. Contestants will be
building a war chest of funds (mostly in
foreign exchange) and other resources.
This is expected to increase demand for
foreign currencies. Supply is unlikely to
meet this demand, causing the naira to
plunge.
The Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation started selling crude oil in
Dangote’s gasoline exceed the foreign
exchange loss from selling crude oil to
Dangote in Naira.
Some oil importers outside Nigeria
have expressed interest in Dangote oil,
which could boost liquidity in Nigeria’s
forex market.
Living conditions
Living conditions usually improve
when:
many high-paying job opportunities are
generated, especially in manufacturing.
an enabling environment for
entrepreneurship, innovation and small
business development is created.
social investment spending by the
government increases (more safety nets)
and benefits a significant number of the
population.
food and energy prices decline.
access to health, education and
infrastructure improves, following more
government spending and aid.
None of these is likely to happen
substantially in Nigeria in 2025.
consumption. This will have the effect of
increasing multidimensional poverty
Multidimensional poverty measures
poverty by income and by the access
people have to health, education and living
standard indicators. These include
sanitation, drinking water, electricity and
housing. About 63% of Nigerians were
multidimensionally poor in 2022, the last
time a nationwide poverty survey was
undertaken.
Given high inflation, lack of goodpaying
jobs, limited safety nets, and
inadequate access to health, quality
housing, education, transportation and
energy, the multidimensional poverty rate
is likely to increase in 2025.
* Stephen Onyeiwu is a Professor of
Economics & Business at Allegheny
College.
* This article is republished from The
Conversation under a Creative Commons
license. Read the original article:
https://theconversation.com/nigeriaseconomy-in-2025-doesnt-look-brightanalyst-explains-why-241522.

JANUARY 8 - 21 2025 TheTrumpet
Page5

Page6 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
Opinion
Leadership insights: 40 minutes
with Governor Oyebanji (1) By Abiodun Komolafe
Irecently had the honour of visiting Ekiti
State, where I embarked on a self-guided
tour to explore the projects completed or
underway by Governor Biodun Oyebanji. From
the bustling streets of Ado-Ekiti to the quaint
towns of Ikere-Ekiti, Ikole-Ekiti and Oke Ako-
Ekiti, Oyebanji’s transformative initiatives have
inspired optimism among residents, who
appreciate his people-first leadership.
As I concluded my tour, I sought out the
Governor’s perspective on his administration’s
progress. Our thoughtful discussion revealed a
leader committed to redefining the boundaries
of possibility for all Ekiti residents. With his
dedication to the welfare of his people,
Oyebanji indeed stands out as a refreshing
anomaly in today’s political landscape. This
commitment to progress is further reflected in
his own assessment of his administration’s
accomplishments.
Assessment of Administration
“As the elected governor of Ekiti State, I
believe it’s not my place to assess my own
administration. Instead, I leave that to the
people who elected us into office. However, I
can confidently say that over the past two years,
we’ve made significant progress in delivering
on our campaign promises, particularly across
the six pillars of our administration:
Governance; Youth Development and Job
Creation; Human Capital Development;
Agriculture and Rural Development;
Infrastructure and Industrialization; and Arts,
Culture and Tourism.
“My greatest joy is that we’ve been able to
restore trust in government, which I believe is
essential for effective governance. We’re
committed to continuing this progress and
ensuring that our social contract with the people
of Ekiti State is fulfilled. During my election
campaign, I pledged to be open, responsive and
responsible, and over the past two years, we
have worked tirelessly to uphold these values,
earning recognition from nearly all the critical
stakeholders in the State for our commitment to
transparency and accountability.”
Economic Development
“Our campaign is built around the concept
of Shared Prosperity, ensuring that everyone,
regardless of background or education, can
enjoy a quality life. In Ekiti, we believe that
everyone deserves to live well. To drive growth,
we’re focusing on supporting Micro, Small, and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which are the
engine of our economy.
“We recognize that security is a critical
prerequisite for development. As a government,
we’re committed to making a distinction
between growth and development. While
growth refers to an improvement in per capita
income, development is about building
infrastructure and creating opportunities for all.
Ultimately, our goal is to create a secure and
prosperous Ekiti State where everyone can
thrive.
“Ekiti State’s development strategies are
designed to catalyze growth for the people.
We’ve established the Bureau of Local Content
to ensure that a percentage of our physical
projects is reserved for locals. This approach
promotes local economic growth and reduces
capital flight. Contractors working in Ekiti State
are required to retain a percentage of their
income within the State, encouraging local
investment and ensuring the State benefits from
its development projects.”
Healthcare and Education
“Health and Education fall under our
Human Capital Development pillar, built on the
principle that ‘Health is Wealth.’ Upon taking
office, we prioritized stabilizing the health
sector, which had been plagued by low worker
morale due to poor conditions of service. We
addressed the disparity in health workers’
salaries, bringing them in line with federal rates.
Notably, we’re one of the first States to pay
Hazard Allowance, despite being one of the
poorest States. We also pay the Medical
Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and have
allocated funds to upgrade the Ekiti State
University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH)
facilities.
“We’ve taken significant steps to boost the
morale of our health workers, including paying
CONMESS and CONHESS to health workers
at both the State and Local Government levels.
This move has greatly reduced the number of
Ekiti State Governor - Mr Biodun Oyebanji
health workers leaving local and State facilities
to work in federal facilities. We’re currently
renovating 11 health facilities across Ekiti State,
equipping them with necessary tools and
attracting more doctors to the State. Our goal is
to ensure that healthcare services are available,
affordable and accessible to all.
“Our flagship Health Insurance Scheme,
Ulerawa, has been a game-changer, with many
individuals, including pensioners, enrolled in
the programme. Recent statistics show that
we’ve achieved a significant reduction in
mortality rates in the State – a first in decades.
This accomplishment builds upon the
foundation laid by my predecessor, Dr. Kayode
Fayemi, and demonstrates the value of
continuity in governance.
“Our education strategy is built on the idea
that the quality of education depends on three
key factors: what you teach, where you teach,
and how you teach. We’re focusing on
developing a relevant and up-to-date
curriculum, improving teacher training and
methodology, and creating a conducive learning
environment. We’re upgrading our curriculum,
providing teacher training and re-training, and
increasing subvention to our tertiary
institutions. We’re also incentivizing our
teachers and prioritizing the teaching of STEM
subjects.”
Itawure-Aramoko-Ado Ekiti Road
“I’d like to commend President Bola
Tinubu for his efforts in improving road
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infrastructure in Ekiti State. During my
campaign, I made a promise to the people of
Ekiti State, and I intend to keep it. One issue
that’s important to address is the Itawure-
Aramoko-Ado-Ekiti Road, which is a federal
road. As such, Ekiti State Government does not
have the authority to make changes to this road.
“The current protocol for reconstructing
federal roads isn’t feasible for Ekiti State, as it
doesn’t provide for refunds. Unless we receive
assurances from the Federal Government that
it’ll refund us or allow us to toll the road, we
can’t move forward.
“As the Governor, I must be mindful of the
State’s resources – if Ekiti State were my
company, I wouldn’t spend its resources
without a clear plan for returns. Fixing a federal
road, for which we won’t be reimbursed or able
to toll for revenue, would divert funds away
from our State roads.
“To mitigate the challenges posed by the
poor condition of the federal road, we have
reconstructed and upgraded alternative State
roads, providing a smoother journey to Ado-
Ekiti. Specifically, we have identified and
improved alternative routes, such as going
through Efon Alaye - Ipole Iloro - Ikogosi -
Erijiyan - Ado-Ekiti, making them truck-free by
installing barriers. For travelers coming from
Igede-Ekiti, a convenient detour is available
through Ilawe and Igbara Odo, which connects
seamlessly to Akure. This demonstrates
effective governance in action.
“Meanwhile, we appreciate the Federal
Government’s efforts in constructing the Akure-
Ita Ogbolu-Ikere-Ado-Ekiti Road. However, I
am currently seeking over N200 million to pay
for the houses that were demolished in Ikere-
Ekiti to pave the way for the completion of that
road. Unfortunately, this amount will not be
reimbursed by the Federal Government.”
Continuity of Government Projects and
Policies
“As the first back-to-back government in
Ekiti State, we’ve seen a mix of policy changes
and continuity. Our campaign is focused on
Continuity, and we’ve delivered on that
promise by completing most of the projects
started by Governor Fayemi. I was able to do
this because I was part of that government and
believed in the projects’ reasoning. We’ve even
improved upon some of them.
“We’ve also made progress on secondary
facilities in the State. Governor Fayemi
completed and equipped 10 or 11 of them, and
we’ve started work on the remaining ones. This
continuity benefits the people, as we’re not
starting from scratch. Instead, we’re building
upon existing foundations.
“Our administration is guided by a 30-year
Development Plan launched by Governor
Fayemi. My manifesto is an offshoot of this
plan, making it easier for us to execute our
projects. Also, the Ekiti State Transition Law
makes it mandatory for successor governments
to complete their predecessors’ projects. This
law has not been revoked, and we aim to
complete these projects before leaving office.”
To be concluded.
Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun
State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

JANUARY 8 - 21 2025 TheTrumpet
Page7

Page8 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
Opinion
Tinubu and the future of ECOWAS
Two major meetings were held
over the weekend that just
passed that have implications
for the future of the Economic
Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), and the possible
resolution or otherwise of political
developments among Member-
States in the last two to three years,
with implications for the future of
the sub-regional organisation.
ECOWAS was established in May
1975, when 15 West African States
signed the Treaty of Lagos to
establish a platform for the
promotion of economic integration.
This particular treaty was revised on
July 24 1993, but the essential
purpose of ECOWAS has remained
consistent: trade facilitation, free
movement of persons and goods,
solidarity, promotion of human
rights and peace. The sixteenth
member joined in 1977, making the
membership 16. In addition to its
many guidelines and principles,
ECOWAS has a general framework
which also guides protocols and
relations among members. In July
1991, it adopted the Declaration of
Political Principles as a cardinal
rule, and in 2001, the ECOWAS
Supplementary Protocol on
Democracy and Good Governance.
One of those protocols is the
underlying trigger for this
commentary, to wit: the principle of
customary international law
enshrined in Article 2 (4) of the
1945 UN Charter which binds
Member-States against the use of
force as a means of changing
governments, in the absence of
armed attack or self-defence. In
1978, ECOWAS signed a protocol
on non-aggression against Member
States and in 1981, members agreed
that in the event of any act of
aggression against a member, they
would come together in mutual selfdefence
and protect the victim-State
to ensure peace, security and
stability, by military means if
possible and if inevitable, as seen in
the interventions of ECOMOG in
Liberia (1990) and Sierra Leone
(1998). Even the African Union
(AU) enabled by its Article 4(h) can
be called upon to intervene when the
basic protocols have been breached.
This however is a slightly
complicated area of the subject
which we need not bring into this
commentary.
What we know is that ECOWAS
specifically sees pro-democratic
intervention as its bounden duty, but
the effectuation of this has been a
problem in the sub-region over the
years and to cite a recent example,
in 2016, when ECOWAS threatened
to deploy a standby ECOWAS force
in The Gambia to restore the
people’s wish if Yahya Jammeh
refused to leave office. Jammeh was
eased out and a standby force did
not have to intervene. But a turning
point came for ECOWAS when the
military seized power in Mali in
2020 and 2021, Guinea in 2021,
Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in
July 2023. ECOWAS, with
Negotiations continue to bring Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso back into ECOWAS
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu as
Chair, thought it needed to intervene
to return these countries to
democracy, the rise of military
juntas in the sub-region being a
threat to democratic consolidation.
ECOWAS suspended the States in
line with its protocols and
proceeded to impose political and
economic sanctions. It threatened to
deploy troops if it became
necessary. This was an act of
political miscalculation.
In the four countries, there were
civilian protests against ECOWAS,
particularly in former French
colonies of Burkina Faso, Niger and
Mali. The more interesting part of it
is that the ECOWAS was accused of
being too pro-French. In Burkina
Faso, Mali and Niger, the people
publicly denounced continued
association with France and
specifically in Niger, the people
openly waved Russian flags and
pulled down French flags. From
Senegal to Niger, a wave of
rebellion erupted in the former
colonies, in what signalled a
creeping failure of French relations
with its former colonies in Africa.
Senegal has had to shut down
French military bases to assert its
sovereignty, in Burkina Faso the
military junta revoked gold permits
that had been awarded to French
companies, in Niger, the
government similarly cancelled the
mining permit of Orano, the French
nuclear producer that runs the
uranium mines in that country. In
BY REUBEN ABATI
addition, Niger revoked its tax cooperation
treaties with France as
also did Mali, which broke off from
its defence accord with France, and
its 11 colonial agreements with the
former overlord. In the vacuum
created by these new realities,
Russia and its Wagner group
became the favourite partner of
former French colonies in West
Africa. The Sahel region has been a
hotbed of violence and terrorism
and naturally, there were concerns
about the implications of the
presence of Russia and Wagner in
the sub-region and the festering
anti-West sentiments in the
backyard of ECOWAS members.
ECOWAS eventually had to review
its threat of sanctions, and military
action and adopted the options of
diplomacy and dialogue. This
achieved little or nothing. In January
2024, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger
announced their decision to quit
ECOWAS. They formed the
Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as
their own confederation as an
alternative to ECOWAS. Their
departure under Article 91 of the
Revised ECOWAS Treaty would
become effective on January 29,
2025. The resort to diplomacy, an
afterthought by ECOWAS also
yielded no results. In July,
ECOWAS appointed President
Bassirou Faye of Senegal as the
mediator with the aggrieved
countries. President Faure
Gnassingbe of Togo was also sent
on diplomatic shuttles to Niger.
President Tinubu as ECOWAS
Chairman, also sent other envoys to
the Sahel.
Barely a month to the January
deadline, there was a meeting of
Ministers of Burkina Faso, Niger
and Mali in Niamey last Saturday,
December 14, where they reiterated
Continued on Page 10<

JANUARY 8 - 21 2025 TheTrumpet
Page9

Page10 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
Opinion
Tinubu and the future of ECOWAS
Continued from Page 8<
that the departure of the three
countries from ECOWAS, effective
January 29, 2025 is “irreversible.”
They however also resolved that the
three countries would remain visafree
for all ECOWAS countries after
the exit. While the latter resolution
may alleviate fears about the free
movement of goods and services,
there is still the residual challenge of
insecurity in the Sahel, and the
threat of a further tumultuous season
in that part of West Africa with
wider implications for regional
peace. It is perhaps out of this
realization that the Authority of
Heads of State and Governments at
its 66 th Ordinary Summit last
weekend, Sunday, December 15 at
the State House in Abuja, decided to
vary Article 91 of the Revised
Treaty and granted the departing trio
an extension of six months from
January 29 to July 29. This is
basically to create room for further
diplomatic negotiations in the hope
that the three countries can be
brought back into the fold. In
Niamey, on Saturday, the AES
Ministers still made it clear that
ECOWAS leaders are too
subservient to France. Without
being specific, they may well have
been referring to President Tinubu
who recently returned from France
ECOWAS Heads of State pose for a photograph before a meeting in Abuja
where he was treated to a lavish and
grand reception by President
Emmanuel Macron. It remains to be
seen whether the AES would reverse
itself. It is a long wait but as certain
as daylight, July 29, 2025 would
soon be upon us. In the meantime,
the ECOWAS Commission has been
directed to begin work on the
necessary withdrawal formalities,
while the mediator continues with
last-ditch efforts to keep the dream
of the founding fathers of ECOWAS
alive, giving the AES an opportunity
to have a re-think.
It is further instructive that at the
ECOWAS meeting of Heads of
States and Governments, President
Tinubu, Chairman, took time out to
praise the just concluded general
elections in Ghana and
parliamentary elections in Senegal.
He even praised Ghana’s Vice
President Mahamudu Bawumia of
the ruling New Patriotic Party
(NPP) who conceded defeat to the
candidate of the opposition,
President John Mahama of the
National Democratic Congress
(NDC). He praised the government
and people of Ghana for their
maturity. This was a subtle dig at the
leaders of the West African
countries where the military chose
to resort to force and aggression.
Without a doubt, the rise of military
juntas poses a threat to democracy
in West Africa and peace in the
region. The romance of the juntas
with Russia and China dangerously
positions the region as a territory for
proxy conflicts among major
Western powers. It is an ill-wind.
ECOWAS needs to do more to
persuade the errant countries to
restore constitutional order. The
leaders also need to reinvent and
retool the organization.
By next July, it will be 50 years
since ECOWAS was established. It
would be pertinent to ask: how has
the body fared? Has it so far
fulfilled the ambitions of its
founding fathers? Today, only one
of those leaders who established
ECOWAS in 1975 is still alive.
Would General Yakubu Gowon of
Nigeria be proud of what ECOWAS
has become? What are the
challenges facing the body? How
can it be reformed? Mutual
suspicion among the various blocs:
Anglophone, Francophone and the
Lusophone has been a major issue
for ECOWAS: how can the goal of
integration be better realized? In 50
years, whatever the challenges may
have been, it can be said that
ECOWAS has been pivotal in
forging cooperation, integration and
trade within the region. ECOWAS
in 2010 adopted Vision 2020, and
also later a Vision 2050 roadmap to
deepen the original objectives of the
association. There may have been
challenges: insecurity in the Sahel,
Boko Haram in the Lake Chad
Basin, Ebola, COVID-19 and the
emergent threat of military juntas,
but on the whole, the main
achievements of the body deserve to
be celebrated. ECOWAS fought to
restore peace in Liberia and Sierra
Leone, and has been vocal in
insisting on good governance. There
are hitches in person-to-person
relations within the body, over trade,
commerce and space, but the free
movement of goods and services
has been largely beneficial.
ECOWAS ranks probably as the
most successful regional economic
bloc in the continent, in terms of
conflict management.
But ECOWAS has lost steam. It
needs re-organization. It is
unfortunate that the same ECOWAS
that acted decisively in Liberia,
Sierra Leone and The Gambia is
now the same body that is now
being treated scornfully by a group
of military adventurists who have
reversed democratic progress in the
Sahel. Their effrontery is fuelled by
Continued on Page 11<

Opinion
JANUARY 8 - 21 2025 TheTrumpet Page11
Tinubu and the future of ECOWAS
the descent into poverty and anomie
in their countries. The clamour for
change that compelled the people of
Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and
Niger to embrace the military is
simply their frustration with the
leaders in those countries. The
people seek change and they
embrace it in whatever shape it
presents itself, with high
expectations too, because they no
longer trust their leaders who have
alienated them and placed a greater
accent on their own elite well-being
rather than the common good for the
people’s benefit. The people are led
by persons who promote injustice,
inequality, nepotism. They rig
elections and do not allow the
people’s vote to count. When the
military intervenes, the people see
the intervention as a form of
liberation from the shackles of
oppression. In Burkina Faso, Niger
and Mali, they trooped to the streets
in jubilation, almost like the
situation today in Syria with the fall
of Bashar Assad and the Assad
dynasty, one of the most murderous
ruling houses in the Middle East
which clung to power for 54 years.
In Mali in August 2020, when
Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar
Keita was removed in a military
coup over allegations of corruption,
fraud and electoral violence, the
people were joyous. They carried
placards saying “This isn’t a coup.
It is a Revolution”. There was yet
another coup in May 2021.
Similarly in Niger in 2023,
thousands of people gathered to hail
the generals who led the coup in that
country. The urgent matter that West
Africa needs to resolve is the
challenge of good leadership and
governance.
There is a need at the
organizational level for a rededication
to the ideals of
ECOWAS, and to develop a higher
sense of belonging among the
Member-States and the over 420
million people that make up the
region. As ECOWAS steps into its
50 th year, it is in urgent need of
reform and we need to see the
members being faithful. At the last
meeting of the ECOWAS Authority
of Heads of States and
Governments, Omar Alieu Touray,
President of the ECOWAS
Commission, commended Nigeria
for having paid up its community
levies for 2023, with the 2024 levy
paid up to July this year. He advised
other Member States to emulate
Nigeria’s example. I guess it has
become a habit among ECOWAS
members to allow Nigeria to do the
heavy lifting in terms of funding
while others tag along and yet enjoy
the benefits of membership. It is
important that all parties pay their
levies as and when due. The various
structures of the body must be
overhauled to ensure equity and
deepen trade facilitation. The ideals
of free movement of persons across
the region should be enhanced. It
must be possible for any national of
ECOWAS Chairman - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
an ECOWAS state to live and work
in any of the member states without
being subjected to undue
discrimination or harassment. The
celebration of ECOWAS at 50 must
be an occasion for sober reflection
and renewal. President Bola Tinubu
was elected for a second term as
Chairman of ECOWAS in July
2024. He would preside over the
50th anniversary celebrations before
handing over the seat in July 2025.
He may have listed some of his
achievements as ECOWAS
Chairman at the 66 th Ordinary
session in Abuja; he would be
required to give a fuller account of
his tenure and the status of
ECOWAS as part of the 50 th
anniversary. There is a lot more that
can be done.

Page12 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025

Opinion
JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
TheTrumpet
Winners and losers of 2024 By Reuben Abati
The year is almost over. The year the democratic ideal, or the popularity of ruled the country since 1975, also held on commission. Senegal and Ghana are
2024 is ending. In different parts of democracy, but observed patterns differed to power declaring 47-year-old Daniel arguably two of the most stable
the world the countdown has from one part of the world to the other. For Chapo as President. The country democracies in Africa. But whatever
begun, with elaborate fireworks heralding
the beginning of a New Year 2025. The
year 2024 was eventful. And we could all
mostly look back and wonder how it
passed so quickly. It was a year of winners
and losers, as is the case with every year
example, most incumbent parties lost their
popular standing even if they retained
power as in France, South Korea, India, or
to start close to home, South Africa, where
the ruling African National Congress
(ANC) lost the majority status it had
subsequently degenerated into chaos and
protests. The main opposition leader,
Eduardo Mondlane fled into exile and has
sworn to get himself into power on
inauguration day on January 15, although
it remains unclear how he intends to
successes may have been recorded with
democracy in Africa in the year 2024, was
sadly abbreviated by the spectre of
democratic retreat and the return of
military rule in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso,
Sudan and Guinea. This has disrupted the
and as it would be with the years to come, maintained since the end of apartheid rule achieve that. The elections in political order in West Africa. ECOWAS,
reminding us all of the inexorable march
of fate and time. We live. We die. We
grow. We wither. We fall ill. We heal. Man
is at the mercy of nature and the
environment, his own exertions and his
imagination. But whatever is anyone’s
individual fortune, life goes on all the
in 1994 due in part to growing
disenchantment with the ANC and deepseated
divisions within the party which
saw former President Jacob Zuma being a
decisive factor, with his breakaway MK
party.
Other notable elections in Africa
Mozambique were believed to have been
rigged and manipulated. There was more
positive news, however, from Senegal,
Botswana, Namibia, and Ghana. In
Senegal in March, Bassirou Diomaye
Faye won 54% of the Presidential votes
just 10 days after he was released from
the regional economic bloc has also been
diminished with the declared exit of Niger,
Mali and Burkina Faso, now forming an
Alliance of Sahel States (AES). In July
2024, the military junta in Burkina Faso
further extended their stay in power by
another five years. As ECOWAS prepares
same, hanging on to the thread of included that of Tunisia in October which prison. Senegal’s story was a for its 50 th anniversary in 2025, it remains
optimism. Humanity is sustained by the
resolve that man, having positioned
himself as the master of the universe, can
always learn, do better and surpass his
own expectations.
2024 was the year of elections - held at
national, general and local levels in more
than 100 countries of the world with farreaching
implications for politics and
brought President Kais Saied back to
power with a low voter turn-out of 29%,
the lowest since the Revolution. In
Rwanda, President Paul Kagame won a
fourth term in office in a curious reminder
of how African leaders try to sit tight in
office beyond constitutional term limits.
He manipulated the Rwandan Constitution
to remain in power. In Algeria, in
demonstration of the power of the people.
In Namibia’s general election, Dec 3,
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, incumbent
Vice President, and member of the ruling
SWAPO party, was declared winner,
making her Namibia’s first female
President, thus adding to the number of
women in Africa who have served as
President: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (Liberia),
a divided body, and the region, an
emerging landscape for proxy conflicts
between major powers: Russia, France,
China and the United States.
In other parts of the world, from India
to France, India, Japan and Britain, voters
voted for change with concerns about
leadership and the economy as major
issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
cultural relations at various levels. September, President Abdelmadjid Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Joyce party, the BJP, may have survived in India,
Elections were held in some of the most
populous countries including India, Brazil,
Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia,
Tebboune was re-elected with 94.7 percent
of the vote. Earlier in April, Togo held its
parliamentary elections. The ruling Union
Hilda Banda (Malawi) and Sahle-Woek
Zewde (Ethiopia). In Ghana, President
John Dramani Mahama defeated the ruling
but not with a majority. Modi’s party had
to form a coalition government. Elections
led to riots in Georgia. In South Korea,
Bangladesh and the United States, with a for the Republic, won 108 of the 113 seats party’s candidate, incumbent Vice former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s
total of about four billion eligible voters,
about half of the world’s population, and
up to 1.7 billion actually turning out to cast
their ballots in all the continents. This
clearly confirms the continuing strength of
to tighten President Faure Gnassingbe’s
hold on power. The situation was the same
in Chad in May with President Mahamat
Idriss Deby as winner. In Mozambique, in
October, the FRELIMO party which had
President Mahamud Bawumia, who in a
manner reminiscent of Nigerian President
Goodluck Jonathan’s gesture in 2015,
conceded defeat even before the results
were announced by the country’s electoral
frustration with the domineering presence
of an opposition coalition in parliament led
him to impose a martial law. The people
rebelled. In Japan, the ruling Liberal
Continued on Page 14 >
Page13

Page14 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
Opinion
Winners and losers of 2024
Continued from Page 13<
Democratic Party also lost its majority
status in parliament. In Britain in July, the
British voted out the Conservatives, and
gave the centre-left Labour Party a
landslide victory. In France, Austria,
Romania, the European Parliament and
elsewhere we also saw the rise of either
far-right or far-left tendencies lending the
politics of 2024 a toga of anti-immigration
sentiments and nationalism if not
isolationism. In France, the government
collapsed at a point. In Germany, the
Chancellor, Olaf Scholz lost a confidence
vote. But perhaps the most impactful
election in the world in 2024, was that of
the United States which brought President
Donald Trump back to power. Trump
survived two assassination attempts, and
went on to win a landslide victory. He and
the Republicans regained power. President
Joe Biden had to step down for Vice
President Kamala Harris who put up a
valiant and courageous fight, but not
enough to dislodge Trump’s nationalistic,
America First rhetoric. Given America’s
status as a superior power in the world,
Trump’s Presidency would be a major
determinant of global politics in 2025.
Trump has promised to impose trade
tariffs and sanctions on not just China,
Mexico and Canada, but literally the
whole world. He wants to take back the
Panama Canal. He wants to buy
Greenland. Democracy survived and
thrived in 2024, but the global outlook was
bumpy.
Nigeria marked the 25 th anniversary of
its return to democratic rule. The people’s
reflection was one of mixed blessings.
There may have been gains in terms of the
democratic process, but Nigeria’s
democracy has also produced sharp
divisions within the polity, and the old
fault lines of nepotism, religion and
ethnicity are far from disappearing. In the
Gubernatorial elections held in Edo State
and Ondo State, the country’s challenges
with its leadership recruitment process
were writ large. In Edo State, the
incumbent ruling party in the State, the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost
despite having a more accomplished
candidate in the person of Asue Ighodalo.
Analysts of the Edo State election alleged
that the PDP lost to the all-conquering
Federal Might of the All-Progressives
Congress (APC) in power at the centre. In
Ondo State, by the same token, it could not
have been imagined that the APC would
lose power to the PDP. Notably, incumbent
political parties won overwhelmingly in
all the States where local government
elections were conducted in 2024. Twentyfive
years after the return to democratic
rule, Nigerian politicians remain set in
their ways, with little evidence that anyone
has learnt any lessons. This has prompted
demands from civil society groups that
indeed ahead of the 2027 elections,
Nigeria’s electoral framework, a
permanent work in progress, would have
to be further amended. For a long time to
come, the character of Nigerian politics
would remain umbilically linked to the
character of the people themselves. Not
even the traditional institutions are spared,
as seen in the interplay of law, community
and politics in the city of Kano with the
reinstatement of Emir Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi as the Sarkin Kano. The city
became divided, with two brothers laying
claim to the same throne.
But beyond power play, perhaps the
major concern in Nigeria in 2024 was the
general insecurity in the country: physical,
economic, and geographical. The
government was wont to claim that the
spate of kidnappings, banditry and random
violence had reduced under its watch, but
2024 was perhaps the year that the pangs
of hunger hit the average Nigerian most.
The dynamic in the Nigerian economy
resulted in high interest rates,
unemployment, no money in the banks
and the people’s pockets, with more
people sliding into poverty. More than 31
million people, by official estimates,
suffered from acute food insecurity. The
figure was probably much higher as the
Nigerian economy, inflation at over 34%
by November, became a palliativeseconomy.
Many died while struggling for
free food, with the year ending with the
death of about 115 persons who lost their
lives in Ibadan, Okija and Abuja in food
stampedes. The gap between the poor and
the rich couldn’t have been wider.
Nonetheless, one major winning story of
2024 was the coming on stream of the
much-anticipated Dangote Refinery. The
Refinery is billed to produce 650,000
barrels of fuel per day helping to address
the problem of energy security, and
foreign exchange savings in the country.
But the Nigerian middle class had shrunk
so much further, that the pump price of
fuel, at over N1,000 per litre, was one of
the sources of agony for Nigerians in
2024.
It may be said all things considered,
whatever agony or deprivation Nigerians
may have gone through in 2024, this was
nothing compared to the threat to global
peace on the international scene. With the
October 7, 2023 escalation of hostilities
between Israel and the Hamas in Gaza,
that part of the world has known no peace.
Its people are victims of one of the worst
humanitarian crises in the last decade.
Over 40,000 persons have lost their lives.
Throughout 2024, the world watched as
Israel continued with its campaign of total
annihilation, and by the end of the year, the
conflict had engulfed the entire region.
Israel has had to fight on many fronts: the
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen,
Hezbollah in Lebanon, and even Iran,
raising fears of the possibility of World
War III. The much-anticipated world war
did not happen, but the Middle East
remains a zone of horror. The fall of
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad on
December 8, merely added fuel to the
crisis. Israel has been on the offensive as it
seeks to take advantage of the uncertainty
in Syria to establish itself as the dominant
power in the region. Israel has reduced
Hezbollah, more or less eliminated Hamas
and virtually taken control of parts of
Syria. Thus, effectively in 2024, Israel
managed to shut down Iran’s Axis of
Resistance. The Russian-Ukraine war
continues, and in all the theatres of war,
the victims are the people. Global peace is
disrupted, the impact of the disruptions is
felt thousands of miles away. Global peace
hangs on a balance; the world tetters on the
brink. It was also the year that the
economic cooperation group - BRICS
admitted four new members including
Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and the United Arab
Emirates, as part of the move by the group
to create an alternative global payment
system, and to change the existing global
order. NATO admitted a new member,
Sweden in March 2024, bringing its
membership number to 32.
For happier stories in 2024, we
probably should look in other directions,
sports for example. France hosted the Paris
Olympics, and delivered to global delight
one of the most memorable Olympics in
modern times. The Nigerian contingent
did not win medals at the main Olympics,
due to the usual stories of mismanagement
and sloppiness, forgetting to register
Favour Ofili for the 100 metres race and
one of our athletes – cyclist Ese Lovina
Ukpeseraye - having to borrow a bicycle
from the German team, but the D’Tigress,
Nigeria’s women’s basketball team
reached the quarter finals, the first African
basketball team to do so at the Olympics.
The team’s coach Rena Wakama was
named the best female basketball coach at
the games. Nigeria’s main moments at the
Olympics were later recorded in the
Paralympics with the stunning
performance of the Nigerian contingent
winning a total of seven medals.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo won gold
medals in para-power lifting, while Eniola
Bolaji, 18 years old, became the first
African to win a medal in para-badminton.
It was also the year of Elizabeth Osoba,
Nigeria’s first female boxing world
champion. Nor would anyone forget in a
hurry the heroism of Ademola Lookman
and his phenomenal achievements. He
was crowned the 2024 CAF African
Footballer of the Year. In May, he scored a
hat trick to win the UEFA Europa League
for Atalanta BC beating Bayer
Leverkusen. He was shortlisted for the
Ballon d’Or, finishing 14 th on the final list.
Internationally, it was also the year of Max
Verstappen who secured his fourth
consecutive title in Formula One Grand
Prix. It was also the year of Rafael Nadal,
winner of 22 Grand Slam titles. He retired
in November, one of the greats who played
tennis in the modern era. Other standout
sporting champions of 2024 include Rodri
(Ballon d’Or), Aitana Bonmati, (Ballon
d’Or), Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior
(FIFA Men’s Player of the Year), Keely
Hodgkinson, Barbra Banda, and Carlo
Ancelotti.
For many Nigerians, it was by all
means an exciting year in entertainment.
Nigerian artistes: Davido, Wizkid, Burna
Boy, Asake, Ayra Starr, Tems, Rema and
others at every turn placed Nigeria’s name
on the global map. In filmmaking, Femi
Adebayo, with two movies, Jagun Jagun
and Seven Doors stretched the scope of
possibilities and creativity in Nollywood.
David Oriakhi was brilliant with the film,
The Weekend. Funke Akindele ended the
year on a good note with her exciting film,
Everybody Loves Jenifa, a strong
reminder of the enormous value and
potential of Nigeria’s creative sector. In
Lagos, Bolanle Austen-Peters Terra
Kulture, remained the go-to venue for
cultural revival. All said, people may have
experienced vastly different fortunes in the
year 2024, but for surviving the year, we
are all winners. What a year! What a
relief! Here is to a new year of hope and
better promise…

Opinion
JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
TheTrumpet
Leadership insights: 40 minutes
with Governor Oyebanji (2) By Abiodun Komolafe
Page15
Continued from previous part.
Legacy
“I want to be remembered as a
Governor who always tells the truth. I
don’t lie! My goal is to live in the hearts
of Ekiti people, and I believe the key to
achieving this is by staying connected
with them and implementing policies that
positively impact their lives. Ultimately, I
aspire to be remembered as a Governor
who brought prosperity to our people,
one who demonstrated responsible and
responsive leadership.
“Chief Obafemi Awolowo is
remembered more for his revolutionary
policies, such as Free Education, than for
symbols like Cocoa House. To me,
substance always trumps symbols. While
constructing bridges and buildings is
important, they must resonate with the
people to have a lasting impact. This is
why I’m committed to sustaining the
agricultural revolution in Ekiti,
empowering our youths to earn a
responsible living.
“Interestingly, we’re renovating most
of Awolowo’s Farm Settlements in the
State, which were built decades ago. It’s
remarkable to think that Awolowo had
such vision back then, and it’s our duty to
build upon his legacy. By renovating
these settlements, we’re ensuring they
continue to benefit the people of Ekiti.
“Building on our existing efforts, we
plan to establish six more Farm
Settlements across Ekiti in 2025. This
expansion will not only provide decent
accommodations for our over 1,000
employed youths in the sector but also
enable them to live on-site, work
efficiently, and earn a decent income.
Empowering our youths and promoting
agricultural development are legacies I’m
committed to leaving behind.
“My goal is to leave a lasting legacy
that transforms the lives of Ekiti people.
I envision a future where pregnant
women can safely deliver their babies at
well-equipped Primary Health facilities,
staffed with skilled nurses and stocked
with essential medications. I also aspire
to create a world-class education system
where our students can compete with
their peers from anywhere in the world.
This is the kind of legacy I’m committed
to leaving behind.”
2026 Governorship Election
“As a deeply spiritual individual, I
firmly believe my role as Governor of
Ekiti State is a divine assignment. Those
close to me can attest that my faith plays
a central role in every aspect of my life.
My life is grounded in the philosophy
that everything I have is a gift from God,
and what He gives, no one can take away.
This guiding principle shapes my
decisions and actions as a leader.
“In 2022, becoming the Governor of
Ekiti State was the furthest thing on my
mind. As SSG (Secretary to the State
Government), I was focused on my
duties, looking forward to returning to
my farm and spending time with my
family. I genuinely believed my time in
State-level politics had come to an end,
but fate had other plans. I’m often
Governor Abiodun Oyebanji
referred to as the ‘Reluctant Governor’
because my ascension to this role was
unexpected, even to myself. I’m grateful
for this opportunity, which I believe is a
testament to the power of divine
intervention.
“I recently addressed concerns about
the 2026 elections, which many people
have been inquiring about via text
messages. However, I maintain that God
will guide us in the right direction when
the time is right.
“Honestly, I don’t believe I can
determine my future. The only moment I
control is the present, and I’ve chosen to
trust in God’s plan and timing rather than
worrying about things beyond my
control, like the 2026 elections. This
approach may be untypical for a
politician, but it brings me peace. By
focusing on the present and trusting in
God’s guidance, I’m able to stay
grounded and forward-thinking.
“I always remind myself and my wife
that the life of a Governor isn’t entirely
real. To stay grounded, I’ve made
conscious choices. I use a simple Kia as
my official car, reserving armoured
vehicles for security purposes only. I’ve
also maintained existing vehicles rather
than purchasing new ones, and kept my
convoy small. Notably, I’ve opted out of
using Police Dispatch Riders to avoid
adding to the artificiality of this life.
Thankfully, my wife supports my
approach, and I’ve found peace in staying
true to myself.”
Personal Reflections
“Ekiti State has been grappling with
numerous challenges, particularly
resource constraints. Despite these
difficulties, we’ve prioritized every
sector. One incident still resonates with
me - the killing of two traditional rulers
and abduction of school children by
bandits and kidnappers. Thankfully,
President Tinubu’s timely intervention
from abroad, through special directives,
enabled us to apprehend most
perpetrators, though unfortunately, some
innocent lives were lost.
“I recall many sleepless nights during
the kidnapping ordeal, waking up to
ensure every effort was made to rescue
the children. Thankfully, they were
recovered, and we provided them with
rehabilitation support. I’m grateful to
God for the successful outcome.
“I believe God has been instrumental
in helping me cope with the challenges of
governance. My 12-year preparation for
this role has also been invaluable, as I
dedicated myself to understanding
governance at this level. I’m grateful for
the guidance and advice of former
Governors, who have been generous with
their counsel, providing valuable support
when faced with tough decisions.
“As Governor, I’ve also learned a
valuable lesson: the power of listening
more and talking less. A leader’s words
carry significant weight, and people take
them seriously. Therefore, it is essential
to be mindful of what we say and when
we say it. By listening more and speaking
less, I’ve come to realize that sometimes
silence is the most effective response.
This approach not only helps me make
more informed decisions but also fosters
deeper connections with others.”
As I see it …
Governor Oyebanji’s leadership
philosophy is rooted in Aristotelian
ideals. He combines unwavering
reliability with empathetic insight. His
decades-long career has equipped him to
navigate complex political, social and
economic landscapes. His selfless focus
on the well-being of others epitomizes the
transformative power of human
connection in governance. As he marks
his 57th birthday, Nigerians eagerly await
his administration’s focus for 2025.
As the New Year unfolds, Ekitis look
forward to Governor Oyebanji’s
sustained efforts to expand his innovative
initiatives and uplift his constituents from
the challenges of multidimensional
poverty. With his commendable initiation
of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria’s
integrated rural development
programmes, he should utilize the
holiday period to refine his approach,
potentially revitalizing these programmes
to boost productivity and stimulate
cottage industries. This refined strategy
could transition Ekiti State into an exportoriented
economy, positively impacting
future generations and positioning it as a
competitive economy in West Africa.
Again, Oyebanji’s promising start can
be enhanced by embracing innovative
models, such as the Dutch model, to drive
transformative legacy projects. This
would align with his administration’s
focus on security, health education,
infrastructure, agriculture and welfare,
ensuring sustainable progress for Ekiti
State.
He should also be ready to spend
more on rural roads. According to the
World Bank, the multiplier effects are ten
times the initial investment. By investing
in rural infrastructure, his administration
can foster a virtuous cycle of
development, empowering marginalized
communities and promoting a more
equitable distribution of resources.
As Governor Oyebanji celebrates
another year of life and service, may his
selfless spirit and kindness continue to
inspire and uplift those around him!
May his unwavering commitment to
the welfare of Ekitis continue to inspire
hope and optimism!
May his humility, service-oriented
leadership and impactful governance be
a guiding light in Nigeria’s political
landscape!
May the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world, grant us peace
in Nigeria!
Concluded.
Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa,
Osun State, Nigeria
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

Page16 TheTrumpet JANUARY 8 - 21 2025
Opinion
Osun 2026: Crossroads
and consequences (2)
For those who care to know, the July
16, 2022 event marked a political
Armageddon for some individuals in
Osun APC. On that fateful day, their
political obituaries were written; and for
some, there’s no resurrection in sight.
However, to honour their political
memories, the party must rediscover its
winning formula. This won’t be an easy
task, but as the saying goes, “when there’s
a will, there’s a way.” So, it is doable!
At a time like this, APC must develop a
comprehensive Programme of Hope,
similar to the one that successfully
displaced the PDP in several Southwest
States. A programme will matter, for by
2026, most of the electorate will be very
hard-pressed, making a charismatic
candidate’s galvanizing effect unreliable.
Right now, the people are looking for a
programme to believe in, rather than “a
great man”. Fortunately, APC has access to
talented individuals within and outside the
State who can help craft engaging
programmes, reminiscent of the nowrested
Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN’s Four
Cardinal Programmes. Yes, a well-crafted
manifesto is essential to unite the party,
inspire a disillusioned electorate, and
ultimately drive success.
Just as a bank’s Internal Auditor
identifies and addresses policy exceptions
to mitigate risks, Osun APC must
challenge prevailing political norms and
obstacles. Of course, this requires a critical
examination of its strategies, identifying
areas for improvement, and implementing
corrective actions to boost its chances in
the 2026 governorship, and subsequent
elections. Through a process of
introspective renewal and strategic
repositioning, APC can harmonize its
internal dynamics, optimize its operational
capacity and fortify its structural integrity,
ultimately guaranteeing electoral victories
in 2026 and beyond.
Emeritus Professor of Philosophy,
Tunde Bewaji’s astute observation that
“Politicians are different animals who live
in their own eco chambers” aptly captures
the disconnect between politicians and the
people they claim to serve. Talking
seriously, this detachment can lead to a
sense of disillusionment among the
populace, who feel that their leaders are out
of touch with their needs and concerns. To
bridge this gap, APC leaders must
recognize the grassroots as the ontological
foundation of the party, and therefore
prioritize their needs, concerns and
aspirations above the interests of elite
factions or special interest groups.
In a thriving democracy, the media
serves as the omniscient watchdog, evervigilant
and fiercely independent, barking
loudly at the heels of power to prevent the
metastasis of authoritarianism. As the
Fourth Estate, it wields the sacred sword of
truth, slicing through the veil of
propaganda and deception to reveal the
unvarnished reality.
In its most sublime manifestation, the
media embodies the Platonic ideal of the
philosopher-king, guiding the ship of State
through the choppy waters of partisan
rancour and ideological extremism, eversteering
towards the shores of truth, justice
and the democratic way. The opposition
media, in particular, carries a bigger burden
in promoting counter-hegemony, critical
discourse and civic republicanism, ideals
advocated by thinkers like Antonio
Gramsci, Jürgen Habermas and Hannah
Arendt.
Well, I have argued elsewhere that
resorting to vitriolic abuse and profanity
may bring momentary comfort, but it
accomplishes nothing meaningful and can
have devastating repercussions. I still stand
by this assertion. Osun APC requires a
clear focus, which can be achieved through
a robust media strategy that effectively
communicates its message. The current
arrangement may be doing its best, but
then, it needs to reevaluate and redefine its
scope because, without a coherent
programme and media focus, voters may
be tempted to continue with ‘the devil we
know.’
For a successful media campaign going
forward, the party’s Directorate of Media
and Publicity, if there is any, must move
beyond ‘gbas-gbos’ (noise and criticism)
and focus on impressing the electorate with
APC’s accomplishments while in power
and outline its future goals. By doing so, it
can – and will - win over more votes than
relying solely on criticism-driven media
campaigns.
The road to 2026 presents Osun APC
with a rare opportunity to reassess its
rewards and acknowledgement system.
Currently, there’s a disconnect between the
party’s central leadership and grassroots
development in Osun State. In
contradistinction, APC successfully
utilized its central connections in Edo
State. The New Nigeria People’s Party’s
surprise victory in Kano State also
demonstrated the importance of strategic
planning; and that’s a worthy feat!
To regain its footing, the party must
construct a big tent, move away from
avoidable discord, and display tactical
acumen. It must recalibrate its vision,
Osun State APC needs to experience a transformative moment
reassess its values, and reclaim its
relevance in the hearts and minds of the
electorate. Seizing this moment, harnessing
members’ energies and forging a united
front will determine whether 2026
becomes a watershed year for the APC or
just another footnote in history.
As the great German philosopher,
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, once said,
“The only thing we learn from history is
that we learn nothing from history.” To put
it succinctly, the Year 2026 will come and
go, leaving in its wake a trail of triumph or
travesty, but one thing is certain - Osun
APC’s existential fate hangs precariously
in the balance, as the party’s leadership is
confronted with a stark choice: redemption
or perdition.
In the intricate dance of Osun politics
therefore, it’s time for APC leaders and
elders to experience a transformative
moment, akin to Saint Paul’s conversion on
the road to Damascus. Otherwise, they risk
facing the consequences of their actions or
inactions. Time is running out, and many
of those currently in leadership positions
may not have another opportunity to make
things right.
The clock is ticking, and the future of
Osun State hangs in the balance. Therefore,
it’s time for them to sit up, shape up,
prioritize the needs of the party with sniperlike
precision, and dictate the terms of
BY ABIODUN
KOMOLAFE
victory. Time wasters, who are not trained
to do anything, but, in whose eyes any
goose can cackle and any fly can find a
sore place, should not be allowed to
breathe in the envisaged arrangement.
Let me conclude by stating that
effective governance and leadership are
crucial for the development of any society.
The story of David and Obed-Edom
illustrates this point. When David
attempted to transport the Ark of the
Covenant to Jerusalem, he faced a setback
due to Uzzah’s untimely death. This
incident prompted David to reevaluate his
approach and store the Ark in Obed-
Edom’s house. As it turned out, Obed-
Edom’s reverence and care for the Ark
earned him God’s blessings. Surely
certainly, it demonstrated the importance
of responsible leadership and adherence to
principles.
The iconic partnerships between
leaders like Abraham Lincoln and
Frederick Douglass, Nelson Mandela and
Desmond Tutu, and Lee Kuan Yew and
Goh Keng Swee also showcased the
transformative power of collaborative
leadership. By pooling their strengths and
resources, these leaders achieved
remarkable outcomes, from ending
apartheid to modernizing Singapore. Their
successes demonstrate that effective
collaboration can bridge divides, challenge
entrenched power structures, and drive
meaningful social change.
With the 2026 election on the horizon,
David’s corrected approach and Obed-
Edom’s humility offer valuable lessons for
any political party, including Osun APC, as
it strives for power and development in
2026. By embracing these values, the party
can increase its chances of success and
positively impact the people it serves.
For Osun APC, will the Year 2026 be a
repeat of past mistakes, or will it mark a
new beginning? Only time will tell!
May the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world, grant us peace in Osun
State!
Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa,
Osun State, Nigeria
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)
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