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Tag: Nigeria

  • Cabinet Revision: Realism versus Expectations – By Dakuku Peterside

    Cabinet Revision: Realism versus Expectations – By Dakuku Peterside

    Nigeria is in the grip of a severe economic crisis, with high inflation, volatile exchange rates, and a steep rise in the cost of living. The inflation rate, which soared to over 30% in the second quarter of 2024, has put immense strain on household budgets, making it increasingly difficult for many Nigerians to afford basic necessities such as food, healthcare, and housing. The situation has been worsened by the depreciation of the naira, which plummeted to historic lows against the US dollar, trading at over ₦1600 to $1 in recent days. This economic turmoil, coupled with persistently high unemployment rates of over 33%, is fostering a growing sense of economic despair across the nation.

    This environment of uncertainty has shaken the confidence of the average Nigerian, even those renowned for their resilience. A recent survey conducted in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt showed that 70% of respondents expressed pessimism about the country’s future, fearing that things will unlikely improve soon. These sentiments have been reflected in public movements such as the #EndBadGovernance protest, which erupted a few months ago and brought the frustrations of millions of Nigerians to the forefront. Although it started as a protest against bad governance, the movement quickly morphed into a more extensive critique of poor governance, economic hardship, and the perceived disconnect between Nigerian leaders and the everyday struggles of citizens.

    Amid this widespread disillusionment, the mere mention of a possible cabinet reshuffle or change has sparked a flicker of hope. While a cabinet change might seem like a small gesture, it often brings a sense of cautious optimism that new leadership might steer the country in a better direction. The presidency’s recent indication of a potential reorganisation of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has garnered significant national attention. The question is whether this reshuffle will end an ineffective and underperforming cabinet or if it could signal the beginning of genuine efforts to address Nigeria’s pressing crises. The scepticism is rooted in past experiences where cabinet changes have failed to bring tangible improvements. For example 2019, after President Muhammadu Buhari’s second-term victory, a similar cabinet overhaul raised hopes of economic reform, but little changed. Key sectors such as power, infrastructure, and healthcare continued to struggle, leading to widespread public disillusionment.

    A personal experience offers a fitting analogy. A close friend of mine was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Faced with this alarming news, we didn’t simply choose any available doctor—we searched for a specialist with proven expertise in treating prostate cancer. We knew that his survival depended on finding the right medical expert. Nigeria’s economy is similarly dire; it is “cancerous” and desperately needs leaders with the necessary skills, knowledge, and commitment to enact meaningful change. Anything less would jeopardise the nation’s collective survival.

    For many Nigerians, a cabinet reshuffle holds the potential for two distinct outcomes. On one hand, it could signal the end of an ineffective Executive Council that has failed to tackle the country’s challenges, much like the underperforming cabinets of the past. On the other hand, it could herald the beginning of a new era, where the government finally prioritises reforms, implements policies to alleviate economic hardship, and rebuilds trust between the government and the people. While public expectations are high, there is also a lingering sense of scepticism. However, the potential for positive change is a beacon of hope in these uncertain times.

    The current Federal Executive Council can be broadly divided into three groups. The first group consisted of ministers who were appointed out of political indebtedness. These individuals were chosen not for their competence but because the President owed political favours. As a result, their loyalty lies with the President, and they feel little obligation to serve the nation or its people. The second group consists of those who gained their positions through nepotism or the famed “Nigerian connection”. These individuals bring little value to governance and often lack the expertise needed to address the complexities of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges. For instance, critics have pointed to appointing ministers without relevant experience in the ministries they oversee, leading to poor policy decisions and a lack of direction. The third group, unfortunately, the smallest, is composed of competent technocrats and politicians who have the capacity to deliver meaningful results. However, their influence is often overshadowed by the ineffectiveness of the other groups.

    A cabinet dominated by individuals focused on short-term political gains rather than the public good has far-reaching implications for governance. Ministers prioritising personal or partisan agendas are unlikely to prioritise the nation’s needs. Some argue that even the most capable ministers would struggle to make a difference in the current political, social, and economic environment. The primary function of policymaking has been sidelined, and this dysfunction has only fueled public discontent. The quality of the Federal Executive Council has significantly contributed to the country’s broader dissatisfaction.

    Many Nigerian commentators have expressed frustration with the government’s inefficiency, attributing it mainly to the substandard quality of the cabinet. This inefficiency has also contributed to the normalisation of corruption in various sectors. Significant reforms in critical sectors have been noticeably absent, leading to widespread doubt as to whether the average Nigerian feels any positive impact from the actions of the Federal Executive Council. The government’s credibility is increasingly being questioned, and many wonder whether any real progress can be made under the current leadership.

    As the country eagerly anticipates the formation of a new Federal Executive Council, there are clear expectations. Nigerians are not just hoping for a change in personnel, but for a fundamental shift in governance priorities. The nation urgently needs ministers who are dedicated to solving its pressing problems, not advancing personal interests. The new cabinet must be transparent and accountable, addressing the concerns of a public that has grown weary of opaque leadership. Furthermore, competence must take precedence over party loyalty when selecting ministers. The country cannot afford appointments based on political allegiance; it needs individuals with the technical expertise to implement effective policies and follow through on their promises.

    Effective governance requires competent ministers, a clear vision and roadmap from the President, and accountability mechanisms to guarantee policies are efficiently executed. Our President must clearly define his mission: what kind of government does he want to run? Restorative, transformative or visionary? The President’s vision and mission would provide the guardrail of how his ministers would be chosen and how they operate. The SGF and Chief of Staff will use that to set targets and milestones. The President’s mission is required to define the roles of ministers and their mode of operation.

    Economic growth and job creation must become central priorities. In 2024, youth unemployment was estimated at over 42%, leaving millions of young Nigerians without meaningful opportunities. This unemployment crisis, combined with a lack of public services, continues to drive young Nigerians toward dangerous migration routes in search of better lives abroad. There is little meaningful discussion on these crucial issues, as the focus remains on personal or political agendas. The country’s progress depends on a renewed focus on sustainable development, economic expansion, and the creation of employment opportunities for its people.

    In these challenging times, Nigeria needs ministers who are competent and deeply committed to the nation’s well-being. Patriotism, focus, and dependability will be essential for steering the country through its current crises. The period of trial and error is over. The President and Vice President must now prioritise selecting the best candidates from across the country to form a cabinet capable of delivering results. Governance must shift away from serving a privileged few to addressing the needs of all Nigerians.

    Nigeria stands at a pivotal moment where the choices made in the coming weeks could define its path for years. The potential reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council offers both an opportunity and a test for the current administration. On the one hand, it could catalyse significant reforms prioritising economic recovery, job creation, and transparent governance. On the other hand, it could fall into the familiar pattern of superficial changes that fail to address the root causes of the nation’s challenges. What is clear is that Nigerians are no longer willing to accept governance that serves the interests of a select few at the expense of the broader population. They demand competence, accountability, and a renewed commitment to solving the economic, social, and political crises that have plagued the nation for too long.

    The stakes are too high for mere half-measures or political gamesmanship. Now is the time for decisive action guided by vision and responsibility. The incoming cabinet must be composed of individuals who are skilled and deeply invested in the country’s well-being. Their actions will either restore faith in the government or further erode it. Ultimately, the success of this moment hinges on whether Nigeria’s leadership can rise to the occasion, recognise the situation’s urgency, and implement policies that will bring real and lasting change. For the nation’s future, the time for meaningful leadership is now.

  • Don’t leave Nigeria for greener pastures – Kumuyi

    Don’t leave Nigeria for greener pastures – Kumuyi

    The General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has urged Nigerians, particularly the youth, not to flee the country in search of greener pastures abroad.

    During a Sunday sermon in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as part of the ongoing Global Crusade with Kumuyi (GCK), the revered cleric expressed concern over the growing trend of young Nigerians leaving the country, only to face regret later on.

    He emphasised that prosperity would meet them at home, assuring that God’s goodness is not confined to any specific location.

    “Whatever nation you are born in, the goodness of the Lord will reach you there,” Kumuyi affirmed.

    He reflected on the experiences of many professionals, such as doctors, engineers, and lawyers, who sought opportunities abroad but soon discovered that life outside Nigeria was not as promising as they had imagined.

    “Doctors go there, engineers go there, lawyers go there, professionals go there, thinking they are escaping bad things. They believe they are heading to lands of opportunities and prosperity.

    “As they got there, they discovered that even to pay house rent and to feed themselves and to school their children and to have buoyant economy for themselves is difficult, they say it was better for me when I was in my country and they are looking for ways to come back,” Kumuyi explained.

    He encouraged Nigerians not to overlook the potential in their own country, stating, “Goodness will come to you here. You don’t have to run away; your prosperity and progress will come right here in Nigeria.”

     

  • Corruption is a major challenge in Nigeria – Ndume

    Corruption is a major challenge in Nigeria – Ndume

    Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno) has decried the level of corruption in Nigeria, saying the trend is a  major challenge facing the nation.

    Ndume stated this  during an interactive session with newsmen in Kano on Saturday.

    “Our major challenge in this country is corruption.Uptill now, we have no law that can proactively or  reactively address the issue of corruption in the country.

    “If you see somebody in our system, especially in politics or government,and he is not corrupt,then he is lucky that he is God-fearing.

    “Otherwise,it is only in Nigeria that you steal money and you walk freely and you are celebrated.

    “If you come into an area like this, people would start lobbying you and prostrate before you even when they  know that the money was stolen.

    “It is only in this country that somebody had no money yesterday or last week,but the following week he buys 10 cars; buy jets and his family  will celebrate with  him,” he said.

    The lawmaker said  that in other developed countries, people would ask  how, when and where he made his money but the reverse is the case here.

    Ndume said he had made several efforts to pass a law on unexplained wealth in Nigeria,but that such endeavours never saw the light of the day.

    He said he approached  a former Head of State  if  he could sign an Executive Bill to  that effect but he  declined.

    “Up till now, there is no law on unexplained wealth Act in Nigeria and there is no Executive Order on it,” Ndume said.

    He expressed concern over the hunger  in the country and called for an increased cultivation of food crops to address the problem.

    “There is hunger in the land and up till now we have not cultivated up to five per cent of our land, Nigeria is  blessed with massive arable  land.

    According to him, Nigeria is blessed with cultivable land everywhere such that could be used to grow food crops and feed the nation.(

  • An epidemic of downward mobility – By Chidi Amuta

    An epidemic of downward mobility – By Chidi Amuta

    It is a sort of sinking feeling. Something like an uncontrolled slide into a dungeon down a slippery slope. You seem trapped as you descend into a hellish pit out of which you are powerless to climb out. The descent is often propelled by a force beyond your control. Government. The IMF. The World Bank. Policy makers in Abuja and other bastions of power.

    Suddenly, your living standards plummet.  The things that you have long taken for granted slip out of your control and become privileged luxuries instead of casual entitlements.  You begin to learn a life style of subtractions, eliminations and substitutions. Subtract bread and replace with slices of yam; cut out butter for breakfast and do palm oil stew. Demobilize one car out of a fleet of two. Cut back on electricity consumption. Switch to fans instead of air conditioners etc.

    It is time to quit cooking with gas and switch to firewood and charcoal. But someone from the government is paid to scream about climate change and deforestation. There is no need to go to the hospital for every little headache. Forget essential drugs. Just pray and hope for the best. It is time for every man to become a doctor in the house: ‘physician, heal thyself!’  Ours is after all a land of miracles. There is no need for man made medicines. Just call in the neighborhood pastor to say a little prayer and ‘ye shall become whole!’ Do not worry about what thou shall eat. Man shall not live by bread alone! Adults do not need three meals a day. That luxury should be reserved for children.

    The elimination and substitutions goes on in nearly every aspect of your daily life. Beyond individual life changes, you see whole segments of the society sliding downwards. Government has changed and has introduced new economic policies. A new deity is in town. It is called “the economy”; it feeds on the things that make people happy and lives livable. The things that enabled a better life yesterday have suddenly been pulled off.  Downward mobility suddenly replaces upward mobility as the standard mode of social aspiration.

    In nearly all cultures, the desire of citizens to move upwards in their circumstances is universal. We strive to move up in our circumstances. We toil so that our children will live a better life than us. In a sense, the dream of all humanity is that the next generation will, through education and skill acquisition, enjoy a better quality and standard of life than the present. In this sense, all national dreams have a meeting point: upward mobility. Details and cultural paraphernalia may differ but we all meet at the place of a better life for our offspring. The future is always a better place.

    Some societies have a constant dream, an ideal that fires the aspirations and hopes of their citizens. The American dream is easily the most famous. It is best captured by ‘the pursuit of happiness’ through positive aspiration and grueling hard work. It is most graphically captured by the 2006 film ‘The Pursuit of Happyness” directed by Gabriel Muccinno starring Will Smith as a homeless salesman in search of a good and meaningful life.

    In real life, the American dream remains alive as the powering impetus of the United States as the land of possibility and opportunity for those who seek it through hard work and perseverance. The son or daughter of a pauper can struggle through a life of obstacles and booby traps to emerge on the sunny side of life as a millionaire or something nearly as good. Not too many people, native born or immigrants, achieve the American dream. But they all embrace the spirit and struggle on. Hope eternal drives life’s struggles towards a national dream that fires every life.

    This is why people of diverse nationalities keep trooping to America in the hope of realizing the American dream in one lifetime if possible. The material indicators of the attainment of the American dream in the lives of individuals include a good credit card, a house on a viable mortgage, a decent automobile , access to weekend grocery shopping, sausage and egg on the breakfast table and the occasional annual vacation for self and family etc. These appearances decorate a pretension to partaking in the American dream.

    No one has yet defined the Nigerian dream in any clear terms. No one knows exactly what the average Nigerian kid struggling through school should look forward to on graduation. It is a blind voyage into the treacherous darkness of chances and uncertainty. To the politically minded elite, the Nigerian dream is the realization of a truly united nation that is home to all Nigerians irrespective of creed, region or tongue. To the common folk, the Nigerian dream is a place to call home, to pursue one’s quest for 3 meals and a future that is better than the present. The Nigerian dream is never an entitlement to material contentment.

    The Nigerian dream in terms of social and economic life used to be the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment through education, a career path and an ‘arrival’ at a destination where every child that goes to school and succeeds ends up better than his/her parents in terms of material and socio economic accomplishments. The sun total of the aspiration of every struggling Nigerian is to bring up their children through education so that they can join the elite who possess cars, decent living accommodation, a career etc. In sum, up to the time of the civil war and soon after, it could be said that the Nigerian dream remained a certain upward mobility in which future generations were expected to far better than those before them in material socio economic terms.

    The clearest manifestation of the thriving of the Nigerian dream was perhaps the rise of a Nigerian middle class. All over the country in the span between 1972 and 2007, there arose in the urban areas a demographic mass of Nigerians who could afford cars, apartments, weekend shopping, occasional holidays, bank accounts, investment in stocks and indulgence in the trappings of middle class existence. The middle class was an enrollment into a productive role in national development.

    Earlier in our history, investment in higher education was the best guarantee of enrollment into the Nigerian middle class. People pursued education as a means of guaranteeing their children a slot in the emergent middle class. Of course there were other not so legitimate routes to this dream. Short cuts emerged: fraud, corruption, robbery, ritual and cybercrimes. They could earn financialand material reward but not a place among the middle class.

    The success of the economic policies of successive administrations could mostly be measured by whether the youth were moving upwards or were static or were regressing socio economically. Times changed and different periods redefined upward mobility and the good life.

    Easily the most noticeable upward mobility in terms of an increase in the size of the middle class was under the Obasanjo elected government between 1999 and 2007. The banking sector ballooned, access to consumer credit grew phenomenally, employment in new growth sectors- telecom, banking and financial services, oil and gas, public works, the stock market etc. Most importantly, the sudden and phenomenal growth in cell phone ownership and use unlocked hitherto hidden economic powers in the hands of multitudes in both rural and urban Nigeria (and Africa). This coincided with the period when the international slogan about Africa changed from unrelieved doomsday predictions about “the dark continent” to  an upbeat optimistic note about ‘Africa rising’ especially up to the 2010s.

    In sharp contrast to the rev of upward mobility initiated under Mr. Obasanjo as elected president, the economic downturn under Buhari inaugurated a massive downward mobility that has only accelerated in the more recent months. National debt ballooned, inflation jumped, consumer credits dried up, retail and consumption shrank, unemployment grew as businesses struggled etc. From 2015 to 2023, we witnessed a phenomenal rise of downward mobility. The middle class shrank as living costs shot up. Inflation shot up. Retail and construction nose dived as the exchange rate of the Naira to major currencies worsened more than ever before.

    In the fifteen months under Mr. Bola Tinubu as president, Nigeria’s downward mobility has entered a jet speed momentum. It is now an epidemic. On a daily basis , throngs of Nigerians are sliding out of the middle class. Multitudes are drifting into poverty. Even those that used to exist at the fringes are now at the peripheries of bare existence. In some states, schools cannot reopen for the new school year as a result of high fuel prices making busing of children to school impossible. Some former middle class parents have changed the schools of their children and wards to lower class schools because of higher school fees. Even the federal government has increased school fees in the Unity Schools from N30,000 per term to N100,000 a term. In Lagos state, boarding fees have escalated from N30,000 a term to N100,000 per term. No one has said how these higher fees will be paid by parents whose monthly wag is about N70,000!

    Nigerian youth who cannot stand the gravity of spreading downward mobility have opted to flee, swearing that this was not the homeland that they dreamt of growing up in. The more elderly are fleeing also in the hope of finding places where their old age medical costs can be covered by the welfare schemes of better climes. The only jobs they can find range from morgue attendants, care  home attendants to grueling manual labour as factory hands. The favourite destinations of the japa crowd range from Canada to the United States, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirate, South Africa and even some unlikely African destinations.

    Some of the youth have set out with nowhere in particular as destination. Some have found themselves stranded in fatal crossings through the Sahara desert only hoping that their voyage would lead to southern Europe. Many have died of heat and exhaustion. Others have boarded boats on a journey of no return. Many have perished in the Mediterranean, leaving no trace, trail or message. For those who have stubbornly stayed at home, a different life has been defined by minus signs. Exclude one meal. Exclude another half. Exclude hospitals and make do with across- the- counter cheap drugs from Pakistani and India.

    In the last one year, the rate at which Nigerians are being forced out of the middle class is unequalled in our history. Astronomical gasoline prices have chased many off the roads as car owners. Families that owned and operated two or more cars now make do with one. Inflation has reached 43% while unemployment figures among the young highly qualified has exceeded 4.5%. Food inflation has driven many Nigerians into an unplanned hunger republic.

    In recent times, parents who manage to send their children to schools and universities are doing so in order to keep the children engaged and out of trouble. There is hardly any expectation that the children would end up better educated or socio economically better off. We are now in a precarious position in our socio economic evolution.

    We used to lament that we the middle class of today are a ‘sandwich’ generation; we served and took care of our parents in old age. We ferried our children to privileged schools now only to have little time and resources for ourselves in retirement. Now, we are paying through our noses to educate children who are condemned to end up worse off than us and our fathers! Those we were expecting to take care of us in old age are themselves likely to remain dependent on us for the foreseeable future.

    This is the crux of our present curse of raging downward mobility. Undoubtedly, our epidemic of downward mass migration has unmistakable  political origins. It is inbuilt in a growing endemic culture of bad governance whose origins we know too well and whose duration remains unknown. Those who have descended from the middle class are not likely to return there any time soon. Those driven into poverty may be stuck there for the rest of their lives. The children now being thrust into poverty may be stuck there forever as more children are born into the poverty republic of the world. Everyone knows we are descending downhill but no one knows when the slide will end and whether an economic recovery is possible in our life time.

    Yet, our only hope of recovery lies in the political realm. Democracy holds the key in the hope that the periodic changes of administrations will bring forth leadership that will redefine national progress and reverse our descent into oblivion. No one knows if Nigerian democracy will eve produce leaders of vision and courage that can reverse the curse of this generation.

    When in one life time, we see the lives of the majority take a nose dive downwards, something uncanny has happened. Worse still, when in spite of our most strenuous efforts the life expectations of our children is condemned to end up worse than ours, we are in a bad place. No quantum of prayers and supplications is likely to rescue a nation mired in bad governance and misrule.

  • External reserves reach 22-Month high To $37.31bn — CBN

    External reserves reach 22-Month high To $37.31bn — CBN

    Nigeria’s external reserves have reached a 22-month high of $37.31bn, reflecting significant foreign inflows into the  economy of the country.

    Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that as of September 18, 2024, the reserves hit the highest level since November 4, 2022, when they stood at $37.36bn.

    This marks a notable recovery in Nigeria’s foreign currency position.

    The external reserves represent the country’s stock of foreign currency. However, they have failed to make a real impact on the falling naira, which was adjudged one of the 10 worst-performing currencies in the world by Bloomberg on September 20. The reserves serve as a crucial measure of the country’s ability to meet international financial obligations and stabilise the local currency.

    On a year-to-date basis, the country’s reserves surged by 12.99 per cent, or $4.29bn, from the $33.02bn recorded at the start of the year on January 2, 2024.

    Several factors have contributed to the increase in external reserves. Key sources of the inflows include the federal government’s domestic dollar bonds, which attracted foreign investment; remittance inflows from Nigerians abroad; multilateral loans from international organisations; and foreign portfolio investments.

    When compared year-on-year, Nigeria’s foreign reserves grew by 12 per cent, adding $4.03bn to the $33.28bn recorded on September 18, 2023.

    The federal government raised over $900m from investors through the issuance of $500m, the first series of the $2bn domestic US dollar bond aimed to stabilise the economy.

    Nigeria recorded $553m in remittances in one year, between July 2023 and July 2024, according to the CBN.

    Other inflows into the country’s economy within the period include $3.3bn AfreximBank oil facility and $2.25bn from the World Bank Group.

    The foreign exchange inflows through the economy surged by 57 per cent in one year following consistent policies by the CBN.

    Data from the CBN showed that the country recorded $8.86bn in FX inflow in February 2024, higher than $5.66bn in the corresponding period of February 2023.

    The CBN’s economic report for February 2024 noted that new investments into the economy increased significantly to $1.24bn, compared with $0.33bn in January 2024.

    Foreign direct investment inflow rose to $0.06bn, from $0.03bn in the preceding month. Portfolio investment inflow increased to $0.80bn from $0.12bn, following rising returns on money market instruments and bonds.

     

  • How country? (2024) – By Chidi Amuta

    How country? (2024) – By Chidi Amuta

    It is that time of the year again for our ritual roadside assessment of the state of the nation from the perspective of the common folk . It is the last quarter of the year, that time of the year when nearly every Nigerian household takes stock of their fortunes in the year that is about to elapse. Above all, it is the first year and half of a new government. After one year of honeymoon, the new Tinubu government will soon run out of excuses on the promises it made to the electorate during the election campaigns early last year. It is time to ask again: “How Country?”

    The “How country?” test is my ancient method of measuring the mood and state of the nation hardly ever fails. It is at once a casual greeting as well as reaching out to neighbours in normal Nigerian street parlance. It is just a simple greeting cast in the mould of a universal non- committal question: “How Country?” You throw it casually at people you encounter at the roadside, in barbers’ shops, in the drive way of the super market  as you walk in. You don’t expect any in- depth answers.

    All you usually get is a reflex response. The respondents hardly have time to reflect on their answers. But it quite often gives you a quick snapshot of the way things are in the country on the go. It is a sort of everyman’s instant state of the union address on the go. No partisanship. No colourful choreographed answers. Just straight from the hips knee jerk instant response. The answers you get  reflect everything from the misery index, the state of security, the ease of finding work , paying your bills or just getting by on a daily basis. Most importantly, the answers are a measure of how ordinary people are faring and how they generally view the prospects of our commonwealth.

    ‘How country?’ hovers between bad English and pidgin, dangling between serious enquiry and a casual perfunctory greeting.  You therefore mostly get answers in mostly hybrid lingo as well. In normal times, you get: “We dey!”. In times of political turmoil, you are likely to get: “Country bend small!”. In times of economic hardship, you are likely to get: ”We dey manage!” When economic hardship joins political confusion and uncertainty, you get: “God dey our side”.

    It has always worked for me in journalism as an illicit public opinion sampling technique. It is at once a way of expressing cordiality and fellow feeling, a reaffirmation of shared feelings as members of a national community of feelings. What irks me probably pains you. What pains me gnaws at your innermost feelings. Thrown at a troubled soul, the question suggests that perhaps there is someone out there who shares your pains or feels your hurt even without your telling them.

    But in the end, “How country?” becomes a way of restating that we are partakers in a community of feelings, caring about each other in a common patrimony whose state of health resonates in our individual circumstances and can be measured in our spontaneous responses to casual greetings. Our private states come shinning through our spontaneous responses to simple greetings.

    As compatriots, we share something intangible, a common concern for the state of the nation and the state of the state that presides over us all.  The state of things comes to us in the simple things of life that make life worth living. How easy is it to get to work? How adequate is the minimum wage to get us to and from work? How affordable is junior’s  school fees? Do we have enough to sare a cup of garri or rice for the neighbor next door?

    Deploying the ‘how country?’ informality, I usually use a crude sampling method to get a rough idea of the state of the nation or the feelings of ordinary citizens. This is something that neither my training in the humane letters, social sciences or media studies specifically taught me.

    On a given day, I would throw the friendly greeting/question at a cross section of ordinary strangers irrespective of class, ethnicity, circumstance or countenance. By the end of the day, I am likely to have greeted a cross section of fellow countrymen and women ranging from my gate man, cook, steward, secretary, driver, managers, policemen at the checkpoint, labourers at a building site or my customer, the woman who roasts corn or unripe plantain (year in, year out) at the roadside on my way from work.

    When I come home in the evening and in the quiet of my privacy, I would recall and rewind from the barometer of memory the findings of the day.  I get a rough idea of the way things are at least from the eyes and gut responses of ordinary people, uncoloured by partisanship, self interest and the arrogance of position.

    On the guiding question of “how country?”, the answer you get at any given times has kept changing with successive regimes. Most times, however, it is a function of what policies touch the people where it matters most. Let us take the contrast between a past administration and the present one for illustration.

    Under an elected Obasanjo presidency, the introduction of the GSM cellphone revolution gripped the public imagination. The new technology suddenly put a lot of power in the hands of the masses. Ordinary people in the villages, in the farms, in the markets, simple artisans and the army of youth on campuses and street corners suddenly found themselves armed with this powerful tool of communication and infinite possibility. Nothing like it had happened previously. Added to it was a policy of financial inclusion through the  banking consolidation and the popularization of the stock market. Market women and simple traders in the markets were encouraged to measure their net worth not just in the quantum of cash under their mattresses or in their bank accounts.

    More common people began to operate bank accounts and to invest in shares and the bond market. Telecommunications and banking expansion provided the two growth sectors under Mr. Obasanjo with infinite multiplier effects that sucked up a sizeable percentage of the unemployed. Apart from sporadic and isolated disturbances such as Odi, Shagamu and Zaki Biam which were decisively put down with a level of ferocity that offended the human rights community.

    These incidents did not however graduate into nationwide insecurity. Nor did they douse the momentum of economic upliftment that swept the nation and put smiles on the faces of ordinary people. If you asked most of the people in the bus stop crowd then: ‘How Country?’, the resounding answer was most likely : ”We dey kampe!” or they simply showed you their new cell phone with pride ans a smile. This was a reaffirmation of confidence in national stability and the abilities of the national leadership of the time and the possibility of hope in the horizon.

    Fast forward to the period between 2015 and the end of the Buhari administration. The prospect of a Buhari return to power as an elected president brought mixed reactions. There was the resurrection of all sorts of populist myths in the popular imagination. The man was a disciplinarian, would punish corrupt people and erect honest people as role models. Buhari’s appeal was essentially retrospective.

    When the hour came for the famed man of steel to unleash his magic, the nation met with a solid silence of an eerie silence. He was either perennially away on sick leave or touring the world.  In the face of grinding national headaches, he was aloof and indifferent. His officials literally too orders from themselves as minimal accountability took flight. The rich were free to multiply their wealth while the poor multiplied in numbers. The man divided the country. He embraced his kith and kin and left the rest of us to find our way. In the end, a nation that had looked forward to Buhari for some salvation could no longer wait for him to retire to Daura.

    Barely five years into the return to the Buhari myth, Nigerians knew better. In a video clip that was then doing the viral rounds in the social media, the newly elected Buhari was heard bragging, fortuitously, that Nigerians would sooner than later know the difference his return to power would make. By the time Buhari was handing over power to Mr. Tinubu, most Nigerian had become speechless in consternation as hardship and mis-governance joined forces to create a nationa that looked forward to change in whatever guise. By the end of the Buhari administration, the most popular response to “How country?” was solid indifference or stony silence.

    Now a year and half into the Tinubu administration,  only very few can find the courage to ask anyone: “How country?” Practically all the indices of daily living have jumped through the roof. Gasoline, electricity, food prices, rents, school fees, cost of medicines , air fares, transport fares etc. The cost of everything has jumped through the roof. Taxes have piled upon levies; tariffs have been heaped on hidden charges all for services that are hardly ever rendered.

    To worsen the matter, an overwhelming majority of ordinary Nigerians have delivered the unanimous verdict that the Tinubu government is not good hence a nationwide protest a month ago against bad government. An indifferent executive has joined forces with a most cavaliar legislature to run riot with state resources with multiple budgets dedicated to spending on sundry items of luxury and waste ranging from mansions to luxury SUVs, jets and ,some say. even yachts and lavish unnecessary junkets with overloaded delegations.

    In the present circumstances, it has become hard to even pose the casual question: “How country?” The answers are benumbing. They range from ‘which country?’ to a studied long sigh and silence of the cemetery.  When you throw “How country?” at common folk these days, you would be lucky to get a response. They just look at you, shake their heads and move on. At other times, you could get a loud sigh followed by a look that suggests that you are probably an alien or a retort question: “Which country?”

    It all takes us back to Chinua Achebe’s last moment memoir: There Was Once a Country. The question meets yet a bigger question: When again shall we have a country?

  • I didn’t come to look for money– Tinubu

    I didn’t come to look for money– Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is focused on delivering tangible results and making a positive difference in the nation’s infrastructure, food and energy security, education and long-term economic stability.

    At a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, the President emphasised that he is not in office for personal gain but to serve the country.

    ”I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” the President was quoted to have told the ex-lawmakers in a statement signed by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga.

    According to Onanuga, the meeting was attended by 16 former presiding officers, including former senate presidents, former speakers of the House of Representatives, former deputy senate presidents, and former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.

    He said that the President acknowledged the support and encouragement from the Forum members, irrespective of party affiliations, and implored them to continue fostering unity and camaraderie to achieve national development goals.

    Reflecting on the complex nature of legislative activities, constitutional reviews, and nation-building processes, the President expressed confidence that Nigeria can progress through collaboration and inclusiveness.

    ”Regardless of party differences of the past and difficulty of the present, you still believe in me and what we all plan for this country.

    ”I thank you very much; no one will do it better than us. I have travelled the world and seen how developed countries have done it for themselves through collaboration, inclusiveness and financial structure.

    ”Yes, there is hardship, but how did we get here? What did we do when we had very high crude production?”

    “We neglected our communities; we neglected the goose that lays the golden eggs; we forgot even to give them a good standard of living.

    ”We forgot to educate our children. Go round and look at the dilapidated schools. The education environment must be decent enough for pupils to want to learn.

    ”We can complain from now till eternity that the school enrolment is low. But did we do anything to encourage the enrolment process? We must ask ourselves because it is a matter of conscience,” he said.

    The President outlined his administration’s focus on addressing these challenges, including improving infrastructure, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, exploring alternative energy sources and providing energy security.

    ”We have come a long way, and I promise we must do our best,” he said.

    He urged the former presiding officers to continue sharing their wealth of experience in nation-building and governance, noting that they were uniquely positioned to provide “clear interpretations of where we are” to Nigerians.

    Senator Nnamani, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, expressed full support for President Tinubu’s administration and its efforts to address Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

    He noted that the meeting was the president’s first official engagement with the group since his assumption of office. Nnamani congratulated the President.

    ”Mr President, history has never been the burden of one man alone, but some are called to meet a special share of its challenges.

    ”Though not of your creation, it has fallen onto you to end the pervasive insecurity across the nation, the economic downturn that has resulted in hunger and anger, infrastructural decay due to years of neglect and myriads of other national challenges.

    ”As difficult as these problems are, we believe that with your experience, you can face the difficulties and surmount them.

    ”What gives us more hope is the courage with which you handled the issue of Local government autonomy, which has won you open admiration from friends and foes alike.

    ”We are convinced that you will dig in deeper again to eradicate these problems and restore Nigerians pride of place among the comity of nations,” the former senate president said.

     

  • FG reels out activities for 64th Independence Day celebration

    FG reels out activities for 64th Independence Day celebration

    The federal government of Nigeria has reeled out activities to mark the 64th Independence Day anniversary celebration, which will commence with a World Press Conference on Thursday, 26th September 2024.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Nigeria gained independence from British rule on 1 October 1960 and since then the nation has marked her Independence Day annually on October First as a national holiday. In recent years public disillusionment has led to muted celebrations, due to the state of the economy and lingering ethnic tensions.

    However, for the 2024 Independence Day anniversary celebration, a Juma’at service will hold on Friday, 27th September, 2024 and a Church service will hold on Sunday, 29th September 2024, while the Presidential Broadcast and the 64th Independence Day parade will hold on Tuesday, 1st October 2024.

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman had disclosed that the 64th Independence Anniversary celebration will be low-keyed to reflect the trying times the nation is undergoing.

    ALSO READ || Mrs Tinubu unveils national ‘asoebi’ for Independence Day celebration, gifts designer N25m

    Senator Akume made the disclosire while speaking during the inaugurating of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the 2024 Independence Day Celebration, which has been vested with the responsibility of planning, organizing and executing all approved activities line up to commemorate the sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding fathers.

    The SGF stated that the event will afford the government the opportunity to showcase to Nigerians its scorecard recorded within the short period in office to reposition Nigeria through its reform initiatives to deliver the dividends of democracy.

    “The 64th Independence Anniversary celebration will commence with the World Press Conference on Thursday, 26th September 2024  with the following line-up of activities to mark the national event: Juma’at Service on Friday, 27th September, 2024; Church Service on Sunday, 29th September 2024; on Monday, 30th September 2024; while the Presidential Broadcast,  and 64th Independence Day Parade will hold on Tuesday, 1st October 2024,” he stated.

    The Inter-Ministerial Committee comprises Hon. Minister Budget and Economic Planning; Hon. Minister of Information and National Orientation; Hon. Minister of Interior; Hon. Minister Foreign Affairs; Hon. Minister of the FCT; Special Adviser to the President, Policy and Coordination; Senior Special Assistant to the President, Social Events and Inspector-General of Police.

    Other Members are National Security Adviser, Director-General, Department of State Services; Commander, Guards Brigade; Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office (Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation).

    “The Terms of Reference for the Inter-Ministerial Committee is to plan, organize, and execute all approved activities befitting the Independence Day Celebration on October 1st, 2024; Co-opt any organization(s)/ person(s) relevant towards the successful execution of the programme; Document for posterity, all planned activities for the Anniversary; and Carry out any other assignment as may be required towards the successful implementation of the Celebration,” Akume stated.

  • Nigeria is technically bankrupt – Gov Obaseki

    Nigeria is technically bankrupt – Gov Obaseki

    The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said Nigeria is technically bankrupt. Obaseki made this statement during an interview on the Channels Television programme Politics Today on Thursday evening. He explained that the country neither had enough nor earned enough to cover its expenditure, adding that government spending was also not decreasing.

    According to him, “Nigeria is technically bankrupt. And I mean it. When you are bankrupt anywhere in the world, like in the United States, you file for what they call Chapter Eleven. You restructure your affairs so that you can reorganise and meet your obligations. Nigeria is not restructuring in that sense; it still behaves as if it had money like it used to.

    “It (Nigeria) has been in trouble for a while. I won’t say insolvent, but technically so, in the sense that we don’t have enough to cover our expenditure, we are not reducing our expenditure, and we are not earning more.”

    “First, the Federal Government does not have the capacity to manage the economy at the scale and in the way it is currently doing. You’re producing 1.3 million barrels of oil, right? Because you are trying to do it centrally. We have 147 oil wells in Edo, and only 53 or fewer are producing.”

    “Unless you create a new design that allows the individual states to take advantage of the economic opportunities they have, stressing the assets of this country and paying what they need to pay to the central government, the federal government cannot sit and try to micromanage the country and its assets. It has shown that it cannot. It doesn’t have the capacity to do so,” he said.

    He also expressed his belief that the Federal Government was stuck in the past, stating that the current structure of the country was outdated and that a new structure was needed to effectively manage the economy.

    “I think for me, it’s like this federal government is stuck, and stuck in the past. Because you cannot resolve a malignant problem using the same tools you have used over the years.

    “It’s not that the people there are not smart; it’s not that they’re stupid. It’s more that they just don’t have the courage to make the decisions they need to make.

    “The problem with Nigeria today is structural. The structure we have is expired; it’s outdated. We need a new structure to run the economy of the state. If it doesn’t happen, we are not going anywhere.”

  • Coca-Cola pledges $1bn investment in Nigeria as Tinubu promises financial reforms

    Coca-Cola pledges $1bn investment in Nigeria as Tinubu promises financial reforms

    President Bola Tinubu has said his administration’s commitment to creating a robust financial system and a business-friendly economy that will attract more foreign direct investments.

    The President made the commitment on Thursday in Abuja, as the Coca-Cola Company announced plans to invest $1 billion in Nigeria over the next five years.

    The announcement was made at a meeting between the President and the global leadership team of Coca-Cola Company, led by Mr John Murphy, its president and chief financial officer, and the Chairman of Nigerian Bottling Company, Ambassador Segun Apata.

    President Tinubu commended Coca-Cola for its long-standing partnership with Nigeria and for promoting investment opportunities that have employed over 3000 people across nine production facilities.

    ”We are business-friendly, and as I said at my inauguration, we must create an environment of easy-in and easy-out for businesses.

    ”We are building a financial system where you can invest, re-invest, and repatriate all your dividends. I have a firm belief in that,” he said.

    President Tinubu told the delegation that private sector partnerships, which sustain investments, are central to his government’s far-reaching reforms to improve the business environment.

    ”The size of this country is enormous in Africa, and the consumption capacity of Nigeria is expanding daily,” President Tinubu added while commending the company for scaling up its skill development and community initiatives as part of its corporate social responsibility.

    Presenting an overview of Coca-Cola’s business in Nigeria, Murphy noted that the company generates N320 billion annually through nearly 300,000 customers and contributes almost N90 billion in revenue to the Nigerian government.

    ”We are very proud of the growth of the business over a long period and its impact on the daily lives of many Nigerians.

    ”Beyond the financial impacts, we are also very committed to supporting the communities, and over the last number of years, we’ve had a special focus on several areas in the world of sustainability, water packaging and others, ” he said.

    Mr Zoran Bogdanovic, CEO of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, explained that the company’s confidence in Nigerian government policies had encouraged it to make the $1 billion investment pledge.

    ”Mr President, in your inaugural address, we were very pleased to hear of your invitation for foreign investors to invest and your assurance that foreign businesses can repatriate dividends and profits.

    ”That assurance gives us the confidence to continue our investments. Since 2013, we have invested $ 1.5 billion in Nigeria in capacity expansion, transformation of our supply chain infrastructure capabilities, training and development.

    ”I am very pleased to announce that, with a predictable and enabling environment in place, we plan to invest an additional $1 billion over the next five years.”

    ”