The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 637 (November 27 - December 10 2024)

TheTrumpet
Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995
VOL 30 NO 637 NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
Four men bag
life jail for
murder of
17-year-old
Nigerians migrate in search of the good
life – but this isn’t what they find
Nigerians migrate to
the UK and US in search
of the good life – but
this isn’t what they find
By Tunde A. Alabi, University of Lagos
Continued on Page 3>
Murdered - Tyler McDermott (Photo -
Metropolitan Police)
Following a three-month trial
that concluded in June, four
men have been handed life
sentences totalling 79 years for the
fatal shooting and stabbing of 17-
year-old Tyler McDermott, outside
a recording studio in Tottenham,
North London.
20-year-old Tyrese Barnett was
found guilty of murder, attempted
murder, and possession of a firearm
with intent; and sentenced to life
imprisonment with a minimum term
of 30 years.
20-year-old Leo Reid was
convicted of murder; and sentenced
to life with a minimum of 22 years.
20-year-old Rhys Antwi was
convicted of murder for assisting or
encouraging the attack; and
sentenced to life with a minimum of
14 years.
19-year-old Kalam Bagge was
convicted of murder for aiding the
attack; and sentenced to life with a
minimum 13 years.
The court heard how on the night
of 13 April 2023, tensions had risen
inside the studio after one group
became upset over being filmed,
igniting a confrontation that ended
in violence.
Tyler left the music recording
studio with friends when he was
shot and subsequently stabbed with
a machete in a targeted attack.
CCTV footage played a crucial
role in the prosecution:
Barnett is captured firing the
fatal shot into Tyler’s head.
Reid is shown striking Tyler with
a large machete after Tyler had
fallen, while he lay incapacitated.
Evidence also showed Barnett
firing a second shot at Tyler’s friend
Continued on Page 4<

Page2 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
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News
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
TheTrumpet
Nigerians migrate to the UK and
US in search of the good life –
but this isn’t what they find
Page3
Continued from Page 1<
Many Nigerians are already
familiar with the idea of “japa”,
which means to flee from an
unpleasant situation.
That many young people have left the
country is a cliché; that many more people
desperately want to leave is not an
overstatement.
A research that utilised the 2017
Afrobarometer Survey reported that the
emigration intention rate was 35.3%. A
2024 study found that, among healthcare
workers, the rate was 80.1%.
According to the two studies, the
preferred destination was the West – the
United States (US), the United Kingdom
(UK) and Canada. However, among the
general population in Nigeria, there is a
preference for the Middle East and other
countries in Africa, perhaps for sociocultural
reasons.
But many receiving countries are
tightening their borders and making
immigration requirements more stringent
than before, especially against migrants
from African countries.
The recent anti-immigrant and
nationalist protests across Europe and the
attention that migration garnered in the
2024 US elections show how topical and
political migration is.
It hasn’t deterred would-be migrants.
But is life that easy in the West?
I am a Sociologist and my doctoral
work investigated the integration and
experiences of Nigerian migrants in the US
and the UK.
My recent research investigated
whether their expectations of migration
matched the reality.
To get a feel for this, I got data from
qualitative interviews and from reactions
and comments to two Instagram blog posts.
I do not, in any way, discourage
migration. But it’s important for intending
migrants to be aware of what life could
really be like in the countries they’re going
to. The research could also help
governments of the host countries to
understand migrants’ expectations and how
to manage them.
Data sources
First, I conducted 31 interviews with
Nigerian migrants in the US (17) and the
UK (14) between May and August 2022.
The average duration of migrants’ stay had
been 5.4 years, ranging from one to 21
years.
I asked them to explain their premigration
expectations of life in the host
country and the reality they met there.
I also used data from an Instagram blog
based in the UK. On 22 April 2022, the
blogger made a post in which she asked her
followers, who are migrants in the UK, to
share the same kinds of information about
their expectations and experiences.
Employment and Finance
Based on what they saw in foreign
movies and on social media before
emigrating, many young Nigerians thought
that they were going to make money
quickly and easily. They expected to
continue their original career in the host
country, and to advance.
The reality was different. For example,
one male migrant in the US said:
You know, we feel everyone in the US is
hitting it big. But when I got here, I realised
in America, you are paid for your time.
Time is money … It’s not easy, you have to
work hard … nothing falls on your laps
here, like you have to earn everything.
Another said:
I thought I was coming to paradise …
It was a different ball game … you get to
work very hard.
One reason migrants had to work hard
in the host country was the high cost of
living: paying rent monthly, the high cost of
electricity and the fact that they paid for
water. Many people don’t pay for water in
Nigeria.
An Instagram user remarked
sarcastically:
One might even pay for the air we
breathe in and out over here.
Many Nigerian professionals have to do
jobs overseas that they would never do in
Nigeria. It is not that simple for a Nigerian
architect, engineer, lecturer, medical
professional or lawyer to continue the same
profession upon migration.
Healthcare at a cost of time or money
Twenty-one interview participants
reported that the reality was worse than the
expectation. Nigerians expected that they
would be able to get healthcare easily and
at low or no cost. About 68% of my
research respondents and some respondents
on the Instagram post said they found it
was easier to access medical doctors in
Nigeria than in the UK.
From the two data sources, some
migrants in both the UK and the US were
disappointed with the healthcare system in
their host country. However, the
experiences varied between the two
countries. Those in the UK did not expect
to experience long waiting times, where
public healthcare is almost free.
Those in the US lamented the financial
cost of healthcare.
Aesthetics and social life
Many Nigerians were deceived by the
attractive images they saw in foreign
movies and the pictures of families and
friends they saw on social media.
In both countries, there are places that
look like Ajegunle – a slum in Lagos – and
plush areas. But they’d only seen the better
areas in movies and on social media.
Some Nigerian migrants missed the
owambe – a Yoruba word for extravagant
parties that are a central part of Nigerian
culture. They hadn’t expected to live a
regimented and lonely life in the US and the
UK. Some participants lamented how
boring and individualistic life was in these
countries. Some of them spent Christmas
indoors in solitude or at work. In Nigeria,
they would have hung out with family and
friends.
Some complained about the unfriendly
attitudes of the locals. A typical example is
an Instagram user in the UK who said:
Neighbours will even welcome you with
‘tell your kids to keep their voices down
Continued on Page 4<

Page4
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NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
News
Nigerians migrate to the UK and
US in search of the good life –
but this isn’t what they find
Continued from Page 3<
else I alert the police and social services.’
Staying despite disappointment
Despite their disappointment, none of
the respondents who reported differences
between expectation and reality showed an
interest in returning home to Nigeria. They
mostly hinged their decision on the
misgovernance of the Nigerian State.
Some cited the unpredictability of the
Nigerian system, including the sudden
removal of petrol subsidies, leading to
higher petrol prices, and frequent power
outages.
Other reasons include the fact that in the
West, their rights are guaranteed and they
cannot be fired indiscriminately by an
authoritarian boss. They are sure of when
their salaries will be paid. And if they are
students, they know their date of graduation
from the first day they start a university
programme.
They are likely to get to work or school
safely and return home in sound health.
Their wages will be adjusted for inflation.
In summary, they can plan for the
future.
A snapshot of the post shared by @Faithojone on April 22, 2022
Tunde A. Alabi is a Lecturer in
Sociology at University of Lagos.
This article is republished from The
Conversation under a Creative Commons
license. Read the original article at:
https://theconversation.com/nigeriansmigrate-to-the-uk-and-us-in-search-of-thegood-life-but-this-isnt-what-they-find-2436
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Four men bag life jail for
murder of 17-year-old
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- who avoided serious injury.
Antwi and Bagge were seen arming
themselves with a sword and knife
inside the studio, aware of the violent
escalation that followed.
Detective Inspector Devan Taylor,
from the Met’s Specialist Crime
Command, said: “My thoughts remain
with Tyler’s family who have remained
dignified throughout this lengthy
process.
“I commend them for the way they
have carried themselves during these
extremely difficult few months. I know
they are absolutely devastated to have
lost him in such tragic circumstances.
“Nothing will bring Tyler back but I
hope the sentences handed down to
these individuals will help provide his
friends and family with some form of
closure. No family should ever have to
suffer the loss of a loved one.
“An innocent young life was lost in
such a cold and senseless way. These
young men had a choice that night and –
for reasons only known to them – they
chose to resort to violence.”
Jailed - Kalam Bagge (Photo - Metropolitan Police)
Jailed - Tyrese Barnett (Photo - Metropolitan
Police)
Jailed - Leo Reid (Photo - Metropolitan Police)
Jailed - Rhys Antwi (Photo - Metropolitan Police)

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024 TheTrumpet
Page5

Page6 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
Opinion
The lucky man of Ondo State
The battle of the Ondo State
Gubernatorial election 2024
has been won and lost, with
Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa
emerging as the new Governor-elect:
1.757 million eligible voters, 85.6%
PVC collection, 22,239 security
officers deployed to enforce security,
low voter turn-out, 17 candidates,
slugging it out in 18 Local
Government areas, 3,933 polling
units, with over 1,000 election
monitors and observers on active duty
in all the LGAs. In the end it was
actually a two-horse race between
two former Deputy Governors:
Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) who had
previously served as Deputy to the
late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu,
SAN (Aketi): 2017– 2020 before the
trailer went between them; and Lucky
Aiyedatiwa who replaced Ajayi in
2021, and remained Deputy Governor
till Aketi’s death in 2023. Aiyedatiwa
is now serving out the remainder of
Aketi’s term till February 2025 as the
Constitution clearly states. When the
votes were tallied and announced on
Sunday, November 17, 2024,
Aiyedatiwa secured an emphatic
victory, indeed a landslide victory,
beating his rivals 18 – 0, securing
366,781 votes to beat Agboola Ajayi
of the PDP who got 117,845 votes.
Nejo Adeyemi, the candidate of the
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
won 4,138 votes. Dr. Abbas Mimiko
of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) got
a total of 2,692 votes, and the Labour
Party (LP) - 1,162 votes. The margin
of victory for Aiyedatiwa was so wide
and comfortable that the complaint by
the State Chairman of the Social
Democratic Party (SDP), Mr. Gbenga
Akinbuli who described the election
as “a show of shame” sounds like a
mere garage whistle.
Names are very important to
Africans and as such local naming
systems are supposed to serve as
referents for the circumstances of
birth and the parents’ wish for the
child’s future. In the South South of
Nigeria, a child born when an election
was held in the community could go
through life named Election, or
FEDECO, or Constitution. There are
such names as Guinness, Heineken,
Annulment, Government, Senate,
Professor, Chairman, Census, Praise,
Alleluia, Promise: names which may
seem strange at first but hold
significant meanings for the bearer.
Some other names in other parts of
the country are literally prayers in
motion: Beauty, Gloria, Endurance
and so it is with the newly-elected
Governor of Ondo State. Lucky: he is
indeed lucky. It is not easy to win an
election in any part of Africawhatever
all the key factors in any
election may be, the eventual winner
needs a strong element of luck.
Orimisan – My head has favoured
me. Truly, the man’s head has
brought him favour and grace. When
his former principal, Akeredolu was
ill, and was in and out of hospital, he
was accused of plotting to take over,
even when the 1999 Constitution is
very clear about what happens when a
Governor or President is permanently
incapacitated or dies. No man should
rejoice over the death of another, for
death is the debt that all men would
pay. The concept of “Ori” or “chi” as
the Igbos refer to it is a major
teleological category in African
knowledge. It is indeed apt to say that
“Ori” has brought the Governor of
Ondo State to a place of grace and
honour. Aiyedatiwa: “The world is
now ours.” How prophetic: the world
is now Aiyedatiwa’s in Ondo State.
He has now won the Gubernatorial
election on his own steam. The
nomination battle, the road to this
BY REUBEN ABATI
moment was tough and fiercely
contested, but the election last
Saturday appeared to be much easier.
The point must be made that
names do not on their own bring
automatic success. Glory is
something that must be actively
Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa
worked for, happiness must be
pursued with single-minded devotion,
nothing in life comes on a platter of
gold. I recall the case of one man
who was once Governor in one of our
Continued on Page 8<

Opinion
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
TheTrumpet
Page7
Enriching futures: The
Ayanfe Kristi example
“We have a moral obligation to help those in need.”
- Peter Singer
BY ABIODUN
KOMOLAFE
On Sunday, November 10,
2024, the Ayanfe Kristi
Society of All Souls’
Anglican Church, Osogbo, Diocese
of Osun, marked its 32nd
anniversary with a heartwarming
philanthropic gesture.
Defying Nigeria’s education-forthe-privileged
norm, Ayanfe Kristi
empowered sixteen intelligent-butindigent
students – eleven from All
Souls’ and five from other parishes
– with cash awards. This generous
act instilled hope in a society where
financial constraints often dictate
academic prospects.
This charitable gesture, which
has now become an annual event,
aims to support deserving students’
educational pursuits. It aims to
The Rt. Revd. Olugbenga Babatunji, Bishop of Osun
bridge financial gaps and
demonstrate the impact of
community-driven solutions.
Ayanfe Kristi boasts a
distinguished history of
philanthropic excellence, marked by
compassion and generosity.
Consistently rising to the challenge,
Ayanfe Kristi assists members in
times of hardship, leaving a lasting
impact on those around them.
In a world where knowledge
equals power and ignorance is
strategically cultivated, Ayanfe
Kristi’s cash awards initiative stands
as a bold act of resistance.
Empowering intelligent-butindigent
students, this visionary
society challenges social immobility
and fosters a brighter future. With
each scholar supported, it extends a
lifeline of opportunity, defying
systemic failures that silence
promising voices - one student at a
time.
Ivan Illich once remarked: “The
absence of structural change makes
charitable solutions worse than
useless.” In Nigeria’s ongoing fight
against hunger, Ayanfe Kristi’s
noble gesture risks being a fleeting
drop in the ocean. Amidst
corruption and poor governance,
they provide temporary relief, not a
lasting cure. Like a Band-Aid on a
bullet wound, this stresses the
urgent need for systemic reform.
Fellow Nigerians, meet Ayanfe
Kristi, trailblazing a new path in
education and challenging
conventional wisdom. By investing
in future thinkers, they urge leaders
to rethink priorities. As Ayanfe
Kristi asks, “Who needs more
billionaires when you can cultivate
a generation of thinkers?” This
effort demonstrates that individual
actions can spark collective
transformation.
To Ayanfe Kristi, I say, ‘Keep
empowering minds, and watch as
the future gets rewritten.’ And to our
politicians, I say, ‘Take note: the
future is watching, and it’s
unimpressed.’ Personally, I
wholeheartedly endorse this
initiative, as I, too, am a product of
the transformative power of human
kindness.
May the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world, grant us
peace in Ijesaland!
ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk;
08098614418 – SMS only.
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Page8 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
Opinion
The lucky man of Ondo State
Continued from Page 6<
States. He also bears the name Lucky.
By the time he completed his first
term in office, his performance was so
poor, the opposition argued that the
State did not deserve any further
affliction. Many would recall that this
particular Governor’s wealthy and
influential father was said to have
waded in, and this may be
apocryphal, but word soon went
round that his father pointed out to the
electorate that when a child fails, the
simple thing is to allow him or her to
repeat the class, so that he/she can
pass the examination at second try.
Wily, foxy, old man’s wisdom. This
may not have influenced the votes
one way or the other, but the son was
allowed to repeat the class. He
actually got a second term in office! I
leave the rest of the story to the
people of the affected State who are
old enough to remember.
Luck and other factors may have
brought Aiyedatiwa this far, but he
would not be remembered for being
merely lucky. He was bound to win
the election anyway, having cleared
the hurdle of winning the APC
nomination ticket. His closest rival,
Agboola Ajayi of the PDP could not
have defeated him at the polls. Both
of them are from Ondo South
Senatorial district. It makes simple
sense to vote massively for their son
who is already an Acting Governor
than to vote for an Ajayi who is still
aspiring to get closer to the seat.
Besides, the PDP is failing as an
opposition party not just in Ondo
State but also at the federal level.
Before 2027, the PDP would have
been so weakened by “enemies
within” and the mischief of the ruling
party. Aiyedatiwa also had the factor
of incumbency in his favour. He also
had federal might on his side. Dr.
Abdullahi Ganduje, the National
Chairman of the APC was so elated,
he openly boasted in Akure on
Sunday that his party’s next target is
to take over the South-West geopolitical
zone politically, meaning the
APC is determined to win the next
gubernatorial elections in Osun and
Oyo in 2026, having consolidated its
hold on Edo and Ondo States in 2024.
Without a strong, resilient and
strategic opposition, the APC may
well be on its way to turning Nigeria
into a one-party State or something
close to it. This is one obvious reason
the opposition parties must wake up
to their responsibilities.
Aiyedatiwa has an obligation to
justify the mandate that the people of
Ondo State have given him and the
trust that they have reposed in him.
He must be the Governor of
everybody, and eschew the spirit of
bitterness and vindictiveness. By
virtue of Section 182 (3) of the 1999
Constitution (as amended), he is
entitled to serve for only one term,
which means that he has just four
years. He can either use the four years
to write his name in bold letters in the
history of governance in Ondo State,
or he could choose to fritter away the
opportunity. He has a duty also not to
disappoint the people of Ondo South
who chose to support him. Dr.
Olusegun Agagu from Okitipupa,
Governor, 2003 – 2009 was the last
person from that Senatorial district to
serve as Ondo State Governor. It is
only natural that the people of the
area, incidentally the oil-bearing
section of the State, will have high
expectations that their son from Obe-
Nla, Ilaje LGA would also serve them
diligently as Agagu did. While
managing such expectations,
Aiyedatiwa must also be fair to other
parts of the State, and must not for
any reason think that the mandate
means he must deal with the LGAs of
his political opponents. Having
served as Deputy Governor (2021 -
2023), and as Acting Governor (2023
- 2024), he knows enough about the
State to understand precisely what
needs to be done. He may consider
returning to the N19.2 billion
Araromi-Akodo/Ibeju-Lekki road
which connects Ondo and Lagos
States. This 50km road was flagged
off in 2018 by the Ondo State
Government and the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC).
Six years later, that road which has
the potential to promote agriculture,
tourism and industrialization, and
create economic opportunities, is yet
to be completed. It is one legacy
project that Aiyedatiwa, in
partnership with the NDDC, should
prioritize.
Meanwhile, the question is to be
asked: how did the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC) perform in Ondo State?
Ahead of the Ondo State election,
questions had been raised about the
integrity of INEC processes
especially during off-cycle elections
against the background of previous
elections in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo,
Ekiti, Kogi, Imo, Osun States.
INEC’s performance became a bigger
issue of interest when the Ondo
elections coincided with the report of
a lecture delivered at Yale University
in which the former Head of State -
President Olusegun Obasanjo
speaking at the Chinua Achebe
Leadership Forum submitted that
Nigeria’s State failure is now more
glaring under President Tinubu’s
“Baba-go-slow and Emi lo kan”
administration wherein the State has
been “captured.” Obasanjo didn’t
spare INEC and the electoral process
either. He expressed concerns about
the integrity of INEC officials. He
called for the institutional reform of
INEC. He added: “As a matter of
urgency, the Chairperson and his or
her staff” should be “thoroughly
vetted.” Tinubu’s spokesperson, Mr.
Bayo Onanuga has already written a
scathing rebuttal to President
Obasanjo questioning his moral right
to sermonize about good governance,
corruption and leadership. The fight
between Obasanjo and the Tinubu
administration is just gathering pace.
Soon, the former may decide to settle
the argument in a series of letters as
he is wont to do. With his coterie of
13 spokespersons, Tinubu may have
set up an “Iron Dome” media and
public communication machinery but
it is not necessary to respond to every
major comment about the
performance of the administration.
The Obasanjo-Tinubu tango would be
interesting to watch nonetheless.
To be fair to INEC, the conduct of
the Ondo State Gubernatorial election
was very much an improvement on
recent outings by the electoral body.
Electoral materials were said to have
been distributed as early as 6 am on
election day. By 9.30 am voting was
underway across the 18 LGAs. Turnout
was low, but voting went on
smoothly. There were no major
reports of failing machines, missing
registers or technical glitches, even if
the candidates of the PDP and the
SDP have had cause to complain
about irregularities. Agboola Ajayi of
the PDP has even called on INEC
Chairman, Professor Mahmood
Yakubu to resign. By 6.22 pm on
Saturday, however, more than 90% of
the results from polling stations had
been uploaded on the IReV online
portal. By 2.30 pm, Sunday
afternoon, the election had been won
and lost. It was far from being a
perfect exercise, and there are strong
arguments to be made for institutional
reform and further amendments to the
electoral framework. It was rather
untidy for example that up till the last
moments before the election there
was confusion over the identity of the
legitimate candidate of the Labour
Party. INEC, quoting a Court of
Appeal ruling, had to wait till the last
minute before substituting the name
of the LP candidate. This may have
contributed to the poor performance
of the party in that election. Persons
with disability are often treated
shabbily in elections. There was no
improvement in the recently
concluded Ondo State election.
But by far the most notable
indication was the failure of the
political parties and politicians to turn
a new leaf. In Ondo State, there were
reports of vote buying. Vote trading
is a major form of corruption which
undermines the integrity of the
electoral process. The politicians
were willing to buy votes, the voters
were ready to sell, in the basest
reflection of the transactional nature
of Nigerian politics. The
spokesperson of the Police Service
Commission (PSC) which reportedly
deployed officers to monitor police
performance has said that the PSC
was able to enforce discipline and
civility but this is the same old story.
The Deputy Inspector General of
Police, Abiodun Alabi who led the
police team praised the security
agencies “for their highest level of
integrity and professionalism”. Votes
are sold and bought but the
perpetrators even when arrested, for
the most part walk free. Security
agencies must be firmer in arresting
and prosecuting those undermining
the electoral process. President
Tinubu in his message of
congratulations to Governor
Aiyedatiwa praised the people of
Ondo State for their maturity and
civility. With over 22,000 security
agents overseeing that particular
election, the least that can be said is
that Nigerian elections can be more
civil.

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024 TheTrumpet
Page9

Page10 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
Opinion
Owa Obokun: Heritage, reality,
aspiration (3)
By Abiodun Komolafe
Yorubaland’s royal institutions
face significant challenges,
threatening their traditional
significance. Across the region, from
Akure to Ikire and from Ikorodu to
Idiroko, once-revered thrones have
devolved into a chaotic game of
musical chairs. Nowhere is this more
evident than in Oyo, where the
protracted search for a new Alaafin has
become a seemingly interminable
saga. The prolonged process has all the
hallmarks of an endless marathon, with
contenders awaiting divine
intervention or a miraculous resolution
to crown the next Alaafin.
Elsewhere, while the ‘Emir’ of
Iwoland’s relentless pursuit of power
has diminished the throne’s value, the
Soun of Ogbomoso’s sudden
abdication of his throne to a ‘Daddy
GO’ has left many questioning the
nation’s moral compass. The killing of
Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti and Elesun of
Esun-Ekiti also accentuates the
urgency to address these issues. One
may therefore be tempted to ask, Will
Yorubaland find its way out of this
quagmire, or will the search for true
leadership continue to elude its
people?
Regarding the path forward for
Ijesaland, Oba Afilaka urges the ‘Agba
Ijesas’ (the kingmakers) to
unwaveringly pursue unity with a view
to ensuring that Ijesaland remains
indivisible. According to him,
“allowing politicians and wealthy
individuals with questionable sources
of income to dictate the selection
process would have unintended
consequences. This would set
Ijesaland back decades, enabling those
responsible to evade accountability
and leave behind a legacy of shame.”
For generations, Ijesaland has
sought progress and development. To
achieve this, Oba Afilaka recommends
that the new Owa Obokun build upon
the strengths of his predecessors, while
adding new attributes. Specifically, he
should “tap into Owa Owaluse’s vision
and foresight that established Ilesa as
Ijesaland’s capital. From Owa
Ajimoko, he should inherit genuine
love and devotion to Ijesaland. Owa
Agunlejika’s humility, fairness, and
justice - exemplified by his willingness
to serve his chiefs and Ijesaland - are
also essential qualities to emulate.”
Beyond building upon Owa
Aromolaran’s legacy, characterized by
firmness and dedication to Ijesaland’s
development, the next king should
possess global networks that can
benefit Ijesas and leverage connections
for their progress. In today’s fast-paced
world, Ijesaland needs a forwardthinking
leader, not an ‘educated
illiterate.’
Haastrup proposes establishing
Yoruba liaison offices nationwide to
promote cooperation and unity. “To
truly move forward,’ he emphasizes,
‘we must start anew, with a renewed
focus on unity and collective
progress.”
Akerele, a US-based healthcare
professional and pharmaceutical
consultant is also an aspirant for the
Owa Obokun stool. He emphasized the
need for the next Owa Obokun to unify
Ijesa people worldwide. “This unifier
must blend modernity and tradition
and bring together Ijesas worldwide
under the ‘Ijesa Economic and
Development Summit’ to foster the
overall development of our community,
driving collective efforts for Ijesaland’s
development.” Akerele’s vision aligns
with Nigeria’s broader development
strategies, tackling urbanization
challenges, community potential and
energy security.
Taiwo Ajilore of the Loro Okoleka
clan urged Ijesaland to learn from past
mistakes, emphasizing, “Whatever is
built on lies and falsehood doesn’t
have a fruitful end.” Ajilore stressed
the importance of thoughtful
leadership selection, echoing the
rigorous process involving Ifa and the
13 wise men. He advocated for
prioritizing wisdom, cultural
understanding, adaptability and
diplomacy to overcome Ijesaland’s
challenges and forge a brighter future.
As Colossians 3:14 reminds us,
love binds us “all together in perfect
unity.” Essentially therefore, the next
Owa Obokun must navigate traditional
hierarchies effectively by balancing
spiritual gravitas with pragmatic
leadership. Since this role demands
more than symbolism, he must
redefine leadership as a beacon of hope
for Ijesaland.
Aristotle once noted, “Wealth and
honours, in and of themselves, are not
the ultimate goals of human
existence.” As the Bilaro-Oluodo
prepares to shape Ijesaland’s future,
the kingdom craves substance over
superficiality. It seeks the best leader,
not the richest or poorest. So, will
Bilaro-Oluodo author a new chapter in
Ijesaland’s history or let the weight of
expectation stifle potential progress?
Will it provide selfless leadership and
transformative progress or succumb to
the allure of wealth and power?
The sanctity of Ijesaland’s
traditional institutions hangs in the
balance. Already, rumors are
circulating that the Expression of
Interest Form for the Owa Obokun
stool will attract a staggering N11
million. Ijesaland strongly rejects this
proposition, as it would effectively
auction the throne to the highest
bidder. This approach would not only
undermine Ijesaland’s interests but
also serve only those seeking to
manipulate the system for personal
gain.
Interference or imposition of a
paramount ruler by the kingmakers or
Osun State Government would be
disastrous. This overreach would
embarrass the government, expose its
moral bankruptcy and reinforce the
notion that ‘might makes right.’ As
Thomas Hobbes aptly described it, this
could unleash a “bellum omnium contra
omnes” (war of all against all).
Imposing an Owa Obokun would
perpetuate patronage, entrench elitism
and undermine democracy. This would
be a blatant disregard for the people’s
traditions and democratic values. It
could unravel Ijesaland’s social fabric
and spark social unrest.
Biblically, such desecration of
tradition mirrors the transgressions of
Hophni and Phineas, who defiled the
sacred altar while their father, Eli,
turned a blind eye. Let’s hope the
‘Agba Ijesas’ and the State
government would not repeat this
shameful history. Otherwise, they risk
incurring the wrath of history and the
people.
And that’s the closing argument!
May divine light guide Oba
Adekunle Aromolaran on his journey
home, and may his memory be a
blessing to Ijesaland!
May the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world, grant us
peace in Ijesaland!
• Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa,
Osun State, Nigeria.
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

Opinion
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
TheTrumpet
Page11
More loans, more pains and the
season of discontent
By Reuben Abati
“I hear that the National Assembly
has approved the external
borrowing of a $2.2 billion for the
Tinubu administration to address the
fiscal deficit in the 2024 Budget.”
“Bros, I tire. I just tire. What on
earth do they do with all these
borrowings?”
“There is actually a deficit of $9.17
billion deficit in the 2024 budget, when
you add Eurobonds, interest on Ways
and Means, foreign debt and domestic
debt, and I hear that Nigeria can borrow
more in line with Section 21(1) and
Section 27(1) of the Debt Management
Office (DMO) Establishment Act of
2003.”
“The DMO will quote anything to
please any government in power. Is that
woman still there? My concern is what
they do with all the money”
“They want to service debts and
finance capital projects”
“In November? I would have
thought that by now, we should have
been talking about Budget 2025. This
is November. We are rushing to borrow
more money as the year ends. Don’t
they want to maintain the budget cycle
again? I am confused. And which
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Photo - Office of President Paul Kagame)
capital projects is anyone talking
about? SUVs, for the lawmakers?
Presidential jets? Foreign trips? I am
sorry I can’t see any capital projects.
They just want to borrow more money
for consumption, not productivity. The
roads are bad. Nobody talks about the
railway system in the country anymore.
Air travel is a nightmare. The refineries
are still not working. The cost of living
is high. The average man cannot
breathe, cannot eat, cannot live. Yet,
the Federal Executive Council
approved more external borrowing and
it took the National Assembly 48 hours
to rubber-stamp the loan.”
“Did you expect anything different?
The National Assembly is an extension
of the Executive arm of government. It
will rubber stamp anything that comes
from the Executive and that is the case
with the VAT Bill too.”
“But if it is a bill on things that
would pave the way for good
governance, the same National
Assembly could spend years huffing
and puffing, but anything that would
benefit the elite and make it easier to
have access to more of the State’s
resources, the APC-dominated National
Assembly would act quickly. The real
wonderful in wonderland.”
“Have you heard?”
“You and your rumours.”
“This one is hot oh”
“The problem with you people in
this country is rumour-mongering. Una
too dey carry gist. Una carry gist so tey,
you even carry phone spread rumour
that Otunba Mike Adenuga had died.
This is a man who gave many of you
the opportunity to use mobile phones in
your life. The Spirit of Africa. A
Patriot. I am sure it must have been one
yeye man, using a useless, miserable
phone. Nigerians are something else.”
“In Yoruba culture, when your
death is prematurely and wrongly
announced, it means the person will
live long. We pray for long life for
Otunba Mike Adenuga, in very good
health, upstairs and downstairs and in
all ways, with more grace and
prosperity. Do you remember the story
of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, nationalist,
founding father of the nation, Pan-
Africanist? On November 8, 1989, his
death was announced meanwhile the
man was hale and hearty and working
on a book in his library when he read
his own obituary? NTA had rushed to
do a documentary on the life and times
of the inimitable Zik. Newspapers
showed up the following morning with
editorials. Columnists wanted to be the
first to announce Zik’s death. Such was
the force of his impact in politics,
business and newspapering. Except that
Zik was alive and he lived for another
seven years. A burial committee was
even announced. Bros, some of the
members of that burial committee died
before Zik. In Yoruba culture, when
people wish you dead, they are actually
praying inadvertently for your
longevity. May Otunba Mike Adenuga
live longer than those who want him
buried before his time. So shall it be.
Amen.”
“Is it not journalists? When
journalists are not killing people, they
are sending them to jail, without
conviction. Who is a journalist these
days?”
“I don’t know. I guess things are so
bad now that anybody with access to
the internet can put any information out
there on social media. It is the price that
the world is paying for the
democratization of the information
process, the Indomie-nisation of news,
the collapse of traditional media
systems and the emergence of
charlatans in what was once a sacred
profession. But let me give you my gist
now?”
“Okay. Fire! Just make sure it is not
a fabrication by some ignoramus”.
“Hen. Hen. I hear that”
“You heard. Hen Hen.”
“I heard that principal officers of the
National Assembly, in fact two of them
from the South, locked horns, with one
holding the other’s agbada around the
neck, both trying to suffocate each
other. A blow. A jab. I don’t want to
mention names. One Northern Senator
had to wade in to prevent bloodshed.”
“The story sounds fabulous.
Mention names”
“I hear they are trying very hard to
cover it up and to prevent pictures of
the ugly tiff getting to the media. My
source is impeccable.”
“Oh. Oh. Oh. Story. Story. But what
has this got to do with the external
borrowing approval. What we hear is
that the lawmakers all agreed on that.
So, what could be the problem after
they passed one of the fastest pieces of
legislation in Nigeria. No public
hearing. Nothing.”
“It was a fight over who could show
that he was more loyal to the
Presidential Villa.”
“Must be a fight over who gets what
for his own stomach or for his own
people. Afterall, you said a Northern
Senator waded in. He shouldn’t have, if
that is true. What is wrong with that
Senator? Who asked him to stop
whatever could have been like a Jake
Paul/Mike Tyson fight or a
Joshua/Dubois fight? He should have
allowed the two gladiators to beat each
other up, and by now, we would have
known more. I like it when politicians
Continued on Page 13<

Page12 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024

Opinion
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
TheTrumpet
Page13
More loans, more pains and the
season of discontent
Continued from Page 12<
fight. We get to know more, because it
is we, the people who suffer in the long
run.”
“Just as the people of Rivers State
are the ones going to suffer if the Court
of Appeal declares when it delivers its
reserved judgement in the FAAC
Allocation matter, that the Rivers State
Government led by Governor Sim
Fubara cannot receive any further
Federal Allocations if it does not have a
properly presented, passed and legally
valid Budget. Who suffers?”
“The people suffer, and that is
because we are running a bowl-in-hand
Federation. The States are so dependent
on the Federal Government for manna.
But nobody should blame the judiciary.
The source of the problem is the
political gladiators of Rivers State and
the elders in that State who talk from
both sides of the mouth and serve both
Wike and Fubara. One State. Two
masters. They have all managed to turn
Rivers State into an atomistic society
perpetually at war against itself.”
“I know that phrase. It sounds
familiar. That must be Professor
Emmanuel Ayandele, former Vice
Chancellor of the University of Calabar
describing the old Cross Rivers State of
the 80s, in the days of late Professor
Okon Edet Uya who used to talk about
Oron-phobia. But those ones were even
intellectualizing the politics of Cross
Rivers State. What you have in Rivers
State is sheer elite thuggery, politics
without conscience, agbero politics and
the dictatorship of one man who thinks
he is the lord and master of Rivers
politics.”
“So, I insist that whatever the
judiciary decides is not the problem.
The problem in Rivers State will not go
away whatever the Court of Appeal
decides except President Tinubu
intervenes and cuts off the oxygen that
is fuelling the chaos in that State.”
“No. President Tinubu is not the
headmaster of any State of Nigeria. It
is the people of Rivers State that should
resolve their own problems. Let the
critical actors solve their own problems.
For all I care at this stage, they should
lock themselves up in a room and have
a slugfest. Whoever comes out alive is
the winner.”
“What kind of talk is that? You are
recommending jungle justice. Do you
want to kill someone? Just look at it. If
you lock up Sim Fubara and Nyesom
Wike - who says nobody can take
Rivers away from him, in a room, what
will be the likely outcome?”
“I don’t know. This is no longer a
matter for the courts. Let them fight,
and let us know who is the man.”
“This is a democracy. Only
Barbarians resort to fist-fight.”
“Then let President Tinubu wade
into the matter. This is the point I am
making. Wike is his Minister. He is so
powerful in Rivers State because he is a
big chief in the Federal Capital
Territory. The President should remove
the rug from his feet. Take the oxygen
that makes it possible for him to Buga
oh, from him and you will see there will
be peace in Rivers State.”
“Now, I am convinced that you do
not understand politics. That is not how
politics works. President Tinubu needs
Wike as much as Wike needs him. It is
not about Tinubu sacking Wike. Who
told you that will guarantee peace in
Rivers? Why should Rivers be
important to Tinubu? Is it possible that
a strong, properly empowered Wike is
politically more relevant to Tinubu than
the whole of Rivers State put together?”
“How can one man be so
important?”
“In politics, what you don’t know,
you don’t know. Politics is the ultimate
magic, the topmost art of illusion,
known to man. Why do you think
President Donald Trump is on his way
back as the President of the largest
economy in the world, despite his many
shortcomings including being a
convicted felon?”
“Politics does not always throw up
the best people in the society. I know. I
guess we must know that. And the
people who vote have their own ideas.
We just need to let the people know that
whatever you decide, you must be
ready to live with it. In four years, you
can change your mind.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I hope the people of
Rivers State are learning and learning
good. And we will see how the
Americans would learn their own
lessons under Trump 2.0 too.”
“Trump has just named his full
complement of Ministerial nominees,
15 in total.”
“I saw that, but I won’t say I am
impressed with the list. Just a collection
of MAGA loyalists, yes men and
women and a few old rivals, completely
eclectic. What is Robert Kennedy Jr.
Continued on Page 14 >

Page14 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
Opinion
Media, democracy and the public
interest
There has been another addition
to President Bola Tinubu’s
media team. The President has
also restructured his media team in a
bid to “enhance efficiency within the
government’s communication
machinery.” Thanks be to God!
Well, we are not here to look into
the costs and benefits of this new
addition at a time when Nigerians are
clamouring for a review of the cost of
the machinery of the government and
the implementation of the Oronsaye
Report on the cost of governance. Our
focus is on the strategic relationship
between government and citizens, as
explored in ‘Media, democracy and
the public interest’.
Politics, as Italian philosopher
Antonio Gramsci noted, involves
shifting the territory of discourse to
advance one’s project. In a democratic
setup, the government employs this
principle – shifting the territory of
discourse - to present its stance and
persuade the public. Therefore, it is
our considered opinion that, in a very
difficult economic dysfunction,
Tinubu should have emulated the
British Prime Minister James Harold
Wilson, who on getting elected in a
very difficult economic crisis in 1964,
chose as his Chief Media Spokesman,
not a traditional media spokesperson
but a young Economics Professor to
carry the public along as brutal
decisions had to be made to navigate
the crisis. It was a game-changing
appointment! The Tinubu-led
government should still consider this!
That said, the government’s
response to the economic crisis,
caused by decades of policy mishaps
and ill-advised decisions, is necessary
and inevitable. However, while this
response brings short-term pain, it
also sparks disaffection among
citizens. To address this, a democracy
facing economic turmoil needs
constant, clear explanation of the
situation and the importance of
reforms. These “explainers” should
emphasize how reforms benefit the
majority of working individuals and
their families. The government must
now concentrate on the team of
explainers, as consistent and clear
messaging is crucial for building
public trust and understanding.
The Tinubu government must now
determine the territory of the debate
rather than adopting a perceived
reactive position. This is what
governments in very difficult
economic circumstances have always
done and indeed are expected to do.
New forms of messaging must be
explored in a creative and imaginative
pursuit of wooing the audience and in
the process capturing and moulding
hearts and minds.
As the Canadian communication
theorist Marshall McLuhan notably
argued, “The medium is the
message.” The government must
determine a cost-effective medium to
use for its messaging explainers and
constant reminders. A review of
strategy, methods and effectiveness
must be carried out. This is very
important for a country at a critical
juncture like ours. Resorting to insults
and profanity may bring momentary
comfort, but it accomplishes nothing
meaningful and can have devastating
repercussions.
Daron Acemoglu, Turkish-
American Economist and 2024 Nobel
Memorial Prize in Economics winner
noted in ‘Why Nations Fail’, that
nations must navigate critical
junctures. Nigeria at a pivotal moment
presents the Tinubu government with
a historic opportunity to redefine the
country’s political economy and be
interpreted as the game-changing
By Abiodun Komolafe
administration. To achieve this, the
government must engage the majority
and build a lasting national consensus.
This requires revitalizing messaging
and the positive redirection of the
territory of the debate to support its
visionary project.
The relationship between
democracy and the press is a sacred
one. As the fourth estate, the press
promotes democratic values like
freedom, equality and justice. Ideally,
it acts as a catalyst for change, barking
loudly when those in power overstep
their boundaries. However, when the
press becomes beholden to special
interests or political ideologies, it can
create an echo chamber amplifying
misinformation and drowning out
dissenting voices. When the delicate
dance turns into a tug-of-war between
the pursuit of truth and the pursuit of
profit, the tension can lead to a
watered-down version of the truth,
where sensationalism reigns supreme
and fact-checking takes a backseat.
It also needs to be noted that the
power of the press is a double-edged
sword – it can either uphold or
undermine democracy, depending on
how it is wielded. When the press is
Continued on Page 15>
More loans, more pains and the
season of discontent
Continued from Page 13<
doing as nominee for Secretary of
Health and Human Services for
example? Another nominee is a
wrestling CEO, named as Linda
McMahon to take charge of the
Education Department, a more or less
inexperienced choice. Pete Hegseth has
sexual abuse issues, like Matt Gaetz,
hanging around his neck. At least Gaetz
stepped down before he could be
openly disgraced by the Ethics
Committee of the House of
Representatives. And then this Scott
Bessent – an openly gay man appointed
by Trump who touts Christian
evangelism and far-right ideology even
when he may not be able to quote the
Bible. Politicians are the same
everywhere. They just look out for
themselves first. America first in my
view means Donald Trump first. But let
the Americans live with it. They have
made their choice.”
“All said and done, America has
nominated just 15 people, not a
nominee per State or per ethnicity. I
have not seen anybody saying their
own ethnic group has not been
represented. No Black. No Latino. No
Arab-American and yet no issue.”
“It is their Constitution, and their
culture. We are talking about America
not your “whatever” countries in the
Third World, please. This is the richest
country. The budget that Brooke
Rollins as Agriculture Secretary will
control is more than the annual budget
of some three African countries! In any
case, what matters is what a Trump
Presidency means for the world,
climate change, global peace, the
competition with China. But I don’t
even want to beat myself over other
people’s problems. In two days,
America will celebrate Thanksgiving. I
have been seeing some pictures of very
regal, fleshy Turkeys. Chop time! Fun
time.”
“You like food too much. You are
reading about American Thanksgiving
and you are already doing long throat. I
don’t have Thanksgiving on my mind.
I am thinking of Christmas. Will there
be money for Christmas? School fees?
Money for gifts. I hope you know that
today, the Monetary Policy Committee
of the Central Bank of Nigeria is going
to announce their usual benchmark rate,
CRR, MPR, asymmetric corridor which
will tell us how hard life is, how harder
it may become and whether or not we
can breathe a little. With inflation rate
close to 40%, may the Lord help us.”
“You may be surprised. Benchmark
rate may actually come down”
“I want to be surprised. But I
actually also know this country so well
that when things go up, they don’t
come down.”
“Not quite my friend. The ex-depot
price of fuel has just come down from
N990 per litre to N970 per litre. And
that is a fact. Christmas gift from
Dangote Refinery through the now
peaceful oil marketers to us”
“What a wonderful fact!”
“Our God has answered our prayers,
He has sent to us, early ahead of
Christmas, a Father who cares.”
“You are right. You are absolutely
right.”
“Hear! Hear!”

Opinion
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
TheTrumpet
Page15
Media, democracy and the public
interest
Continued from Page 14<
free to report the truth without fear or
favour, democracy flourishes. But
when the press is compromised or
manipulated, democracy suffers. It’s
a simple equation, but one that
requires constant vigilance to
maintain. As citizens, it’s our
responsibility to ensure that the press
remains a force for good, holding
those in power accountable and
providing us with the truth, no matter
how uncomfortable it may be.
Presently, the Nigerian media
landscape is a complex web of
economic struggles, government
influence and the quest for survival.
Unfortunately, the media has been
browbeaten into submission, forced to
prioritize government patronage over
objective reporting. Media owners
and practitioners are caught between
a rock and a hard place, desperate to
stay afloat amidst economic crisis.
The allure of government adverts and
sponsorships is too great to resist,
even if it means injuring journalistic
integrity.
In this precarious environment,
social media has emerged as a beacon
of hope, offering a cheaper and
relatively punishment-free alternative.
However, traditional media outlets
remain terrified of losing government
patronage, which could spell financial
disaster. The example of Lagos-
Abeokuta Road, a death trap that’s
been ignored by mainstream media,
highlights the consequences of this
fear. TVC, for instance, cannot afford
to lose the one-hour program
sponsored by the Ogun State
Government. This predicament raises
fundamental questions about the role
of media in a democratic society.
Take, for instance, how can journalists
maintain objectivity when their
livelihoods depend on government
favour? The economic crisis has only
exacerbated this issue, as companies
slash advertising budgets and media
outlets scramble for scraps.
The situation is dire, with
industrial firms pulling out and
leaving Nigeria’s media landscape
impoverished. Media outlets struggle
to stay afloat, compromising their
independence, patronage and
sponsorship come with strings
attached, stifling objective reporting,
and the public views media content
with skepticism, eroding trust in
institutions. How then can the media
reclaim its role as a watchdog, holding
those in power accountable and
fostering a more informed, engaged
citizenry?
In an address to the All Nigerian
Editors Conference, recently, the
President highlighted the pivotal role
of the media in Nigeria’s democracy.
He acknowledged that the country’s
democratic experience wouldn’t have
been possible without the media’s
tireless efforts. He therefore urged
media practitioners to continue
holding elected officials accountable,
promoting transparency and mutual
respect.
Obviously, Tinubu’s emphasis on
cooperation between the government
and media is a step in the right
direction. By recognizing their
Media, democracy and the public interest (Photo - AI-generated)
intertwined roles, both parties can
work together to empower citizens,
strengthen democratic institutions and
foster a more informed society. As
experts have noted, Nigeria’s
democratic progress hinges on the
media’s ability to hold leaders
accountable and promote
transparency. In other words, if the
President’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’
must work in a way to unlock
Nigeria’s vast potential, it’s crucial
that press freedom and accountability
remain the cornerstones of this vision.
Harold Wilson’s ability to simplify
complex issues was pure genius.
Despite not being a journalist, he
could explain intricate concepts in an
accessible way, making him
understandable to everyone, including
a market vendor. Nigerian States and
Local Governments can learn from
Wilson’s approach. Currently, they
struggle to articulate their stance on
the minimum wage debate. Emulating
the Federal Government’s
communication strategy would help
clarify their positions and foster better
public understanding.
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)

Page16 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 10 2024
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