₦airaland Forum

Yoruba Youth Group blast Fayose over attacks on Bode George, Obasanjo.

A Pan Yoruba Youth organisation, National Committee of Yoruba Youth NCYY, has described recent verbal attacks on two Yoruba Elders, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Chief Olabode George by former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose, as lacking the virtue of the Omoluabi culture, that Yoruba people are known for, especially in their public conducts, towards the elderly in the society.

The group said Fayose's outburst, even though not new to the public, reflects the extreme bad taste, that Fayose's knowledge of public communication, has become synonymous to.

Reacting through a statement jointly signed by Akindele Lawson and Saheed Bello, Coordinator and Secretary respectively, the youth group said rather than accepting the cautions made by these elder statesmen to characters like Fayose and other public office holders of his type, Fayose resorted to his traditional public conduct of exhibiting tendencies alien to the Yoruba virtue of Omoluabi and respect for elders.

"Fayose's attack on Chief Olabode George, is not only a futile attempt at twisting the fact, it also clear demonstrate Fayose's perpetual behaviour as an ingratitude character, who have since forgotten how the goodwill of leaders, like Chief Olabode George, ensured his first ever emergence, as the Governor of Ekiti state. Was Chief Olabode George not an older person, when he mobilsed the party's machinery and every needed support, for the emergence of Mr Fayose as candidate of the PDP and his eventual victory at the poll in 2003."

“It is unfortunate that someone who have been privileged to have occupied the exalted seat of the Governor of Ekiti state, will continue to exhibit lack decency in public communication, thereby confirming our belief that Ayo Fayose, cannot act at anytime, beyond his intellectual capacity,” .

The group further said the Mr Fayose has formed the habit of casting aspersions and spreading falsehood against perceived political opponents, thereby making him a huge embarrassment and disgrace to the highly urbane and educated Yoruba people.

The group said it will continue to expose Fayose as a barefaced liar, saying it will no longer tolerate his reoccurring disrespect, for any Yoruba elder, whatsoever.

*Ebonyi natives write Buratai, hail COAS over Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, other achievements*

Some well-meaning indigenes of Ebonyi State have applauded the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. T.Y Buratai for the siting of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Abakiliki, the state capital. 

In an open letter on Friday, the group, under the auspices of Association of Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja (AEIA) also commended the COAS for the success of various operations in the state and across the country. 

According to the letter signed by its president, Comrade Collins Ezedike, the Ebonyi indigenes said the army facility "would go a long way in providing quality medical services to the people of Ebonyi as well as other neighbouring states". 

The letter said, "The Association of Ebonyi People in Abuja wishes to use this medium to extend our total appreciation to the indefatigable Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for the wonderful initiative of the establishment of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

"Our stomach is indeed filled with joy and appreciation for the choice of Abakiliki as the location for the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital. We are incredibly humbled by the decision of the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army to choose Abakiliki from the list of cities in the whole of South-East Nigeria.  

"Dear Chief of Army Staff, we the members of the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja is aware of your support and commitment towards peace and stability in the state that has resulted in the drastic reduction in the activities of bandits, kidnappers, ritualist and other criminal gangs in the state. "

The group added that it is well informed of the COAS' support and commitment towards peace and stability in the state that has resulted in the drastic reduction in the activities of bandits and other criminal activities. 

Describing the Army chief's commitment as "unflinching", the group further saluted his "courage, foresight, dexterity and doggedness in leading the troops to victory in the war against terrorism, militancy and banditry" 

The Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja, however, assured the COAS of its total support and sustained cordial relationship with the state government and the entire Ebonyi people.   

"The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja wishes to inform you that the people of Ebonyi State would continue to extend its support to all the army operations in the state as well as in other states in the south-east region. It is also our desire that the fruitful relationship between the government of Ebonyi State and the Nigerian Army is sustained now and in the future," the letter added.

"As members of this association in Abuja, we wish to on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Ebonyi state and other states of the federation extend our appreciation to you and also to inform you that you have our support always. 

"We also pray that God continues to grant you the wisdom to continue to lead the Nigerian Army as they carry on with the task of protecting lives and properties in Nigeria, as well as preserving the territorial integrity of the country.  

"The good people of Ebonyi state would not relent in its support for the Nigerian Army in its various operations in the state and other neighbouring states as the success of the activities of the Nigerian Army would indeed be beneficial to all of us in the country. 

"The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja is proud of your loft achievements as Chief of Army Staff, and it is our prayers that God grants you wisdom in the task at hand. We are grateful for your kind gestures towards Ebonyi, and we promise to always extend our support to you at all times. "

Northern patriots show appreciation to Buhari, say President has liberated 5 North-East States from terrorists

The Coalition of Northern Patriots (CNP) has expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for stamping out Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in five states in the North-East. 

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Nuruddeen Dodo said Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States are experiencing a new lease of life, thanks to the president. 

According to the group, President Buhari has so far kept his campaign promise of ending insurgency across the region. 

With sustained onslaught by the troops and cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, the northern patriots assured that Borno too will be free from pockets of attacks as being experienced. 

"The Coalition of Northern Patriots is using this press conference to profusely thank Mr President, President Muhammadu Buhari on his gigantic efforts of totally riding Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States of Boko Haram terrorism," the statement reads. 

" The Coalition of Northern Patriots as critical stakeholders is aware of the tremendous efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari towards seeing to an end of the Boko Haram crisis in Borno State as the last remaining state in Nigeria for the administration to fulfil 100 per cent of its promise in 2015. This much is evidenced in the renewed onslaught by the Nigerian military against the remnants of the Boko Haram terror group and a complete overhaul of strategies by the security architecture.

" This is also on the heels that the Nigerian Military was able to corner the remaining Boko Haram members in their hideouts in Borno State and as the Chief of Army Staff has been leading the final onslaught. This is a welcome development, and we wish to state that baring all unforeseen circumstances,  Boko Haram would be routed out of Borno State through the concerted efforts of the various security agencies. 

"We also wish to appreciate MR  President who has indeed lived up to expectations in the war against terrorism. His commitment and passion towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency have come at a great sacrifice to him and his family." 

While saluting the brave troops and the security chiefs for this feat, the group called on the Borno State government and all relevant stakeholders to join hands with the president in his efforts to address the threats posed by the remnants of Boko Haram in the state. 

Going further, CNP, however, warned persons and groups secretly extending covert support to Boko Haram in Borno to "desist from such ignoble enterprises."

The statement further cautioned international NGOs in operation in the state to quit engaging in acts that would jeopardize the efforts of the Nigerian Military in their various operations.

...warns citizens against promoting false narratives

Following a report by the United States over plans by Islamic militant group, al-Qaeda, to infiltrate Southern Nigeria and expand its network across West Africa, the Coalition Against Terrorism in Nigeria (CATN) has charged the police, Department of States Services and other security agencies to be on red alert.  

The anti-terrorism organisation also warned Nigerians to equally be vigilant and avoid promoting attempts by some individuals or groups to sow unwholesome propaganda at a time the military has shoved these terrorists to obscure parts of the north.

The Coalition Against Terrorism in Nigeria gave this charge at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, Barr. Abdulmalik Alfa said all hands must be on deck to compliment the efforts of the military. 

According to Alfa, the police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, DSS and other stakeholders have critical roles to play to support the troops. 

"There is no doubt that the sustained offensive by the Nigerian Army against the Boko Haram terrorists and other militant groups across the country has indeed placed these nefarious groups in disarray," he said. 

"This fact was buttressed by the exploits of the Chief of Army Staff, who had been leading the charge against the Boko Haram terror group by physically relocating to North-East Nigeria and directing the counter-insurgency operations.

"The Coalition Against Terrorism in Nigeria has, on numerous occasions encountered the Nigerian troops in operations in North-East Nigeria during some of our on the spot assessment surveys in North-East Nigeria. This is indeed commendable and mostly responsible for the abandonment of the mission of the terror group towards expanding their nefarious activities to other parts of the country.  

"We consequently wish to state that there is an urgent need for other critical stakeholders to join hands with the Nigerian Military by extending support in areas necessary towards addressing the threats posed by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in the country. 

"We also state that the Nigerian Air force has a critical role to play in the war against terrorism by ensuring seamless cooperation with the ground troops in their various operations. This is the applicable norm in countries battling insurgencies. The Nigerian Airforce as a critical stakeholder should continue to sustain and weaken the terrorists through airpower while the ground troops continue to engage in clearance operations. 

"The Coalition Against Terrorism in Nigeria also states that from our preliminary reports, other security agencies such as the State Security Services, Nigerian Police, the Civil Defense, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Immigration and the Nigerian Customs Service all have invaluable roles to play in addressing the various security challenges in the country.  

" We wish to state that the Nigerian Police Force, as well as the DSS, have the responsibility of ensuring that they secure areas that have been cleared of Boko Haram terrorists because the operations of the Nigerian Army is mobile and not stationary. After liberating communities of Boko Haram elements, it is expected that the security of these communities automatically rests on their shoulders. "

CATN, however, urged the international community to render genuine assistance to Nigeria due to the country's strategic importance in the African region and among the comity of nations. 

Going forward, it advised the US and others to adopt "proper channels of sharing Intel with the security agencies in Nigeria rather than going public as this would go a long way in ensuring that Nigerian citizens do not panic unnecessarily given the sensitivity of such information and the impact it would have on the psychological wellbeing of Nigerians.

"We wish to at this point state that there is a need for the anti-terrorism wing of the Nigerian Police Force to be on alert to ensure that terrorist cells do not spring up anywhere in Nigeria. This is especially necessary with the recent Intel of the attempt by the Al-Qaeda terrorist group to set up terrorist cells in some parts of Nigeria." 

While calling on Nigerians to avoid being used to promote terrorists' agenda, the group urged "security agencies to be vigilant in their operations to ensure that terrorist networks across the world do not infiltrate any part of Nigeria."

By Prince Emmanuel Odigie
 
Like any competitive sport, politics is sustained by keeping to the rules and being gracious towards competitors.  It also feeds on loyalty to leadership and followership.  In this write up, it will be pertinent that I don’t address Osaro Onaiwu as an “Earl”.  This is because with that name, which is associated with nobility in the great United Kingdom, Osaro Onaiwu had, for so many years, dressed himself in a borrowed robe.

The story of how he came by that name, to some of us who know his pedigree right from his Ikeja heyday when his reputation was suspect on account of his involvement in some sleazy deals, is blowing in the wind. And, because the name-“Earl”-was borrowed, Osaro Onaiwu has not been able to either exhibit the virtues of the name or keep fidelity to the nobility of it.

Having failed abysmally on several occasions to live up to the billing of that name, I am at no pains at all to just refer to him, in this write-up, as Osaro Onaiwu-the scoundrel. And, I challenge him to prove otherwise.

It is granted that the practice of denigrating opponents ultimately is a zero-sum game that nourishes desperation and a win-at-all-cost mentality; and, where losers resort to scorched-earth tactics, leading to an atmosphere in which governance becomes an exercise of trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I am saddened to see that Osaro Onaiwu, who failed awfully in business and had also contested for the governorship seat and failed on the number of times he did, and who was never castigated for doing so and had even benefited so much from very prominent sons of Edo, is engrossed in an odious pastime of casting aspersions on well-respected Edo leaders who tower above him in honour, dignity and integrity.

Specifically, Osaro Onaiwu's recent outburst against my mentor and elder brother, Captain Hosa Okunbo, tantamount to crossing the line. He had also taken misguided swipes at respected lawyer and former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa for no just cause. I have yet to see anywhere in which the recent activities of Capt. Hosa Okunbo and Hon. West-Idahosa had directly touched on the person of Osaro Onaiwu to necessitate his unconscionable assaults on these leading lights of Benin Kingdom.

These prominent and highly respected Edo sons have attained the zenith of their endeavours in life and deserve to be respected. There are many others who are also in that category.   But my main concern is Capt. Hosa Okunbo that Osaro Onaiwu had gleefully clobbered for whatever reasons.  I have taken it upon myself to respond to Osaro Onaiwu because he had not only shown how hateful and envious, he is of Capt. Hosa but also how ungrateful he has been to the man who had shown him brotherly love.

For instance, it is public knowledge that Capt. Hosa sponsored Osaro Onaiwu's son’s wedding in 2015 and had also patronized his failed public relations company, RED CARPET, on several occasions. Capt. Hosa also contributed to the medical bills of his late brother, Dr Onaiwu, when he was critically sick. I challenge Osaro Onaiwu to debunk my assertions.

I am not done yet. Capt Hosa played a major role in Osaro Onaiwu’s father’s burial as can be attested to by his family and, in addition Etinosa, his brother had also worked for Captain Hosa during the construction of the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja for about three years. I am very much aware of what happened then and how Osaro Onaiwu came to beg Capt. Hosa on behalf of his brother for his misdemeanor for which Capt Hosa had to forgive his brother. I take personal responsibility for divulging these facts without recourse to my elder brother and mentor, Capt. Hosa, who keeps persuading us not to join issues with some of these fellows.

Could Osaro Onaiwu’s irrational attacks on Capt. Hosa just be about politics? Or could they just be an avenue to actually express his unmitigated envy towards a man that had consistently shown him love and compassion? Or could they just be that God has allowed forces greater than him (Osaro Onaiwu) to use him in propagation of acts of ingratitude to really show that he is indeed an ungrateful wretch, unknown to Capt. Hosa?

Having contested for the governorship position several times and failed, that Osaro Onaiwu would now go as far as attempting to maliciously malign Capt. Hosa, et al, these highly respected great sons of Edo whom he had, one way or the other, benefitted from, is completely unacceptable. Honor should be given to whom it is due. Capt. Hosa deserves honour.  Other well-meaning leaders of the great Benin Kingdom deserve honour.

That a man of Osaro Onaiwu's supposed standing would choose to throw caution to the winds over a political game in which he isn’t a player, let alone a frontline player or even the umpire is worrying. For a man who has been a beneficiary of the political system of the state and the eleemosynary acts of Capt. Hosa to begin to throw insults against him and other prominent Edo sons is a good reason for well-meaning stakeholders in the state to pause and reflect on the direction in which “the heartbeat of the nation” is headed. It shows that some persons like Osaro Onaiwu have lost their moral compass.

If the current situation in the State, characterized by a seemingly intractable progression in error by some individuals, including Osaro Onaiwu, continues, then, it does appear that the next election in Edo State could be a victim of desperate manipulation by those who want to hold on to power in spite of their abysmal performance in office in the last four years. But I am rest assured that the good people of Edo State, through their eternal vigilance, would put them and their collaborators, like Osaro Onaiwu, to shame.

Whereas, politics must be a contest of ideas to win the people over to the platforms that best represent their aspirations and paint a better future for them; the good people of Edo State deserve better leadership. It is sardonic of what they claim to stand for if persons, such as Osaro Onaiwu, are not taking the lead in elevating the quality of politics being played in the state.

In his supposed exalted position, Osaro Onaiwu ought to be calling erring youth to order instead of choosing to walk the path of maligning others for cheap points or recognition.

The people of Edo state do not need a heated polity ahead and after the scheduled September 19, 2020 governorship election. Persons like Osaro Onaiwu must consciously and consistently commit themselves to ensuring that the decibels of the drums of war are either drastically reduced or completely eliminated.

Elections will always have winners and losers, but the challenge before the people of Edo state is to unite across party lines to develop the state after the ballots have been cast and the new government sworn in.

A situation where elders of the state, in positioning themselves for personal gains and promotion of parochial interests, choose to act like bulls in a China shop at a critical political intersection in our State’s political evolution is unfortunate. We sincerely do not deserve it and the political shenanigans being promoted at the expense of our commonwealth and destiny of our teeming youth population must stop.
 
▪︎Prince  Emmanuel Odigie sent this right of reply from Benin City.

EdoDecides2020: Selfish Politicians Exploiting the Vulnerability of the Poor Masses During Campaigns Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic.


As political activities continue to take center stage leading to the Gubernatorial election in Edo State come September 19, The political class in the state are using the process to exploit the vulnerability of the poor masses in the state by their total disregard for the INEC and NCDC guidelines on political rallies and campaigns.


In the last one week, I took my time to monitor campaigns and rallies in the state and observed the huge crowds that are mobilized to the venue of these rallies and campaigns by the major political actors in the state with many of these persons not wearing facemask of even adhering to the social distancing protocol but on the contrary, you could see the political bigwigs wearing face mask to protect themselves while the poor masses a left bare.



In a bid to find out why some of these persons attended such rallies and campaign despite the spread of the covid-19 virus, it wasn't far fetched that money was involved.



I decided to speak with a few of them I met with and they gave same answers that they were paid between 1000 - 3000 naira to attend the political rallies i then reminded them that the covid-19 virus was still very much active even though they laughed it off and said God forbid it wasn't their portion to get infected with the virus as they only came out to look for daily bread especially at this very period that they are guaranteed of making some little change during the campaigns in the state.



When will our political class begin to put the interest of the masses first?



Benedict Aguele wrote this piece from Benin City, Edo State Twitter: @benaguele

By Hyacinth Ogbu

Worldwide, the Army traditionally plays the role of securing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. Excitingly, in Nigeria, the Army has gone a notch higher by establishing its imprimatur as a strong agent of development through the provision of awful and charming infrastructural facilities and social amenities to various communities in the country which play host to them.

Never in the recent history of Nigeria has the country been troubled by multifaceted insecurities than what it is experiencing at the moment. To say, civil security has been overwhelmed by these orchestrated insecurities is stating the obvious. However, the Nigerian Army has never belched each time it is called for intervention; but rescues the endangered Nigerians.

And almost always, the Nigerian Army has been the last resort and proved its mettle as the guardian angel of the Nigerian people. In the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and North Central, the Army has shadowed as great and admirable emancipators of a people trapped by a vicious circle of violence and bloodbath.

Even with the resurgent insecurities, the Army has risen to task, especially in containing the acts of armed banditry and other criminalities troubling the Northwest. The launch of “Operation Sahel Sanity” by the COAS and leader of the counter-insurgency operations, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai has landed with resounding success; restoring peace and security.

President Muhammadu Buhari has never flinched on his responsibility of deploying the Army to assist civil security to provide security and to ensure that there is peace in every part of Nigeria.

But sometimes, appreciation from beneficiaries of an effort or project is difficult and rare. It is normal with human beings. In any case, one part of Nigeria that deeply appreciatives and excited with the Nigerian Army is the Southeast. This is a region once held captive in their fatherland by armed criminal elements.

These evil men masterminded gruesome murders, violence, constantly sealed up the Southeast unlawfully and recklessly in exercise of barbaric might. Citizens were subjected to untold hardships in the region. Innocent and law-abiding Nigerians became targets of molestations, harassments and intimidations by the criminal elements assembled into various gangs. Many Ndi’gbo and our visitors were even afraid to travel home to celebrate yuletide and new yam festivities because these elements laced the killings with armed robbery and kidnappings.

Nonetheless, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai launched the first military exercise code named “Operation Python Dance I” (Egwu Eke I), spanning from November 27 to December 27, 2016. The one-month military exercise crushed the season of armed robberies, kidnappings, cultism, inter-communal clashes, herdsmen-farmers clashes and associated violence in Nigeria’s Southeast region. The Army patrols, road blocks and checkpoints restored instant peace, tranquility and security to a people immensely troubled by bands of armed criminals, ethnic militias, miscreants and hoodlums.

Similarly, a repeat edition of the “Operation Python Dance II” (Egwu Eke II) was also conducted in the Southeast a year later, in 2017. It recorded similar positive impacts in securing the lives and property of law-abiding Nigerians in the region. Largely, the Nigerian Army has been able to rescue a region once in the jaws of armed men, tormentors and killers. Every part of Nigeria has experienced the saving interventions of the Army.

But apart from performing its natural and constitutional obligations, the Nigerian Army has marketed itself uniquely under the Buhari Presidency and its leadership by Gen. Buratai for introducing a third mandate in its operations. The Nigerian Army today is vigorously pursuing the agenda of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in various sectors in host communities across Nigeria.

Anywhere there is the presence of the Nigerian Army, the host communities have had the special privilege of benefitting from water, road, electricity projects or health services. It is a deliberate strategy by Gen. Buratai to win the heart and minds of host communities as well as endear them to the Army. These critical capital projects have immensely supported civilian populations.

Therefore in 2017 in the Southeast, the 82 Division, Nigerian Army built an over N200 million water plant at its Abakpa Cantonment Enugu. It was personally commissioned by Gen. Buratai. The water treatment plant with a capacity of over one million litres per day was conceptualized to serve the military personnel of the Abakpa cantonment and the members of the host community of Abakpa.

Strikingly, though, the primary source of the water plant is the Ekulu River, but the efforts of the Nigerian Army in constructing the water treatment plant is the first time the Abakpa community accessed treated, portable and hygienic water in the history of their existence. The residents were faced with the severe problem of availability of water. The natives usually go to distant places in search of water to perform domestic chores. But the Army had ended the era of suffering over water.

And the Army has not rested on its oars in pursuing the agenda of repositioning the Army as well as consolidating on CSR gestures and benevolence to host communities. A few days ago, Gen. Buratai performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital at Nkwagu Cantonment, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

The Army Reference Hospital is conceptualized as a world class and state-of-the-art hospital designed to serve both the Nigerian Army personnel and the civil populace in the South-East region of the country generally. Access to quality healthcare has been a major problem in most communities in Nigeria. This is where the excitement over the project is derived.

Therefore, the decision of the Nigerian Army to avail the people of the Southeast this rare health facility is commendable and a legacy the people will enjoy for generations. It is an indication that the Army leadership, does not only think about security of the people, but also the health and physical wellbeing of Nigerians.

An elated Ebonyi state Governor David Umahi was full of eulogies for the Nigerian Army. The action of the Army leadership in establishing the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Abakaliki has for the umpteenth time confirmed to the Governor that the Service Chiefs are indeed committed to defending the territorial integrity of the country and fond of the Nigerian people.

This latest action by the Army has compelled Gov. Umahi to stoutly dispute the National Assembly (NASS)on sack of the Service Chiefs. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Gov. Umahi hotly disputed the position of the NASS demanding for the sack of the Service Chiefs in the wake of resurgent insecurities.

The Governor rather canvassed for more support and funding to security agencies. Particularly, Umahi echoed that the Nigerian Army is not only appreciated in the region, but a blessing to the Southeast.

His words; “I want to disagree with the National Assembly in my own view about the change of service chiefs. One thing I have realized is that we like change too much in this country. We want everybody to taste every seat. That is not what we need at this critical time of our security challenges. What we need is cooperation with the security agencies. The Chief of Army staff is also a very committed person. Very friendly to the civil society.”

Interpreting the issue with the eye and wisdom of an elder and a true leader, Gov. Umahi aligned with the position of President Buhari by insisting that “I will be suggesting to Mr. President in support of his retaining the Service Chiefs that we should increase their funding of the Armed Forces, we should increase their logistics, we should increase the programme that will bring information to the security agencies.”

He added; “So, I support Mr. President that instead of changing the Service Chiefs he should rather increase their funding and increase the frequency of his meetings with them. And also encourage civil society to come up with information that will assist the security agencies.”

Clairvoyant minds have sighted the capacity of the Nigerian Army and believe that with a little support by government and the civil population, Gen. Buratai’s leadership of the Army will surmount all insecurities soonest. Gen. Buratai’s leadership of the Army has seamlessly continued to win more converts for the Buhari administration, in degrees even far more than the core politicians.

The latest verdict of Nigerians in the Southeast is crystal that the Service Chiefs, particularly the COAS are all performing excellent jobs. Gen. Buratai particularly has brought uncommon values and panache to the Army such as professionalism, discipline, loyalty and patriotism. Even the doubting Thomases are now beginning to see the wisdom of President Buhari in insisting on still keeping the Service Chiefs in office. The effects are palpable, as seen by everyone from the activities of Operation Sahel Sanity in the Northwest to now the Southeast. #


Ogbu PhD wrote this piece from Ebonyi State University,

Boko Haram : Understanding Why Borno Elites Must Do More

By Pita Agbese

No insurgent group can operate for long by relying exclusively on its own resources. To operate beyond a few weeks, an insurgent group requires external resources such as money, territory, weapons, intelligence, materiel, and new recruits. It may also need ideological support derived from common ethnic, religious or regional identities. These resources may be given voluntarily, or the insurgent group may acquire them forcefully through looting and pillage. For instance, the insurgent group may be able to raise a huge sum of money from groups in the diaspora with which it shares bonds of ethnicity or religious identities. Such an avenue of funding from Palestinians living outside the Israeli-occupied territories has been crucial for the survival of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Without cutting off its sources of funding, it is difficult if not impossible to defeat an insurgent group. Thus, the resiliency of an insurgent group is the function of its support base.
Boko Haram, an insurgent group based largely in the North East geopolitical zone and using terrorism as its main insurgent strategy, has been terrorizing Nigeria and its closest neighbors, Chad, Cameron and Niger, since its violent phase began in 2009. It has survived, despite military and diplomatic onslaught by Nigeria and its neighbors, for more than eleven years. Part of its ability to survive has been its clever adaptability to changing circumstances, For instance, by establishing linkages with Islamic terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Islamic State, it has been able to draw on weapons, funding and fighters. As important as foreign assistance has been to Boko Haram’s resiliency, it could not have operated without assistance, voluntary or coerced, from its immediate geographical area of operation. It first, much of this assistance was coerced. Boko Haram would raid a village and steal food, looting banks and pilfering other essential commodities. It also killed people, abducted women and children and conscript men and young boys as fighters. Boko Haram has relied on assassinations of targeted individuals and those opposed to its ideology. Terrorizing people in the North East Zone and pillaging their resources allowed Boko Haram to sustain itself. Terrorism and pillaging were particularly useful to the terrorist organization when it seized a large swathe of Nigerian territory even before receiving outside help. Today, it no longer controls much of any territory. The thirteen local government areas that it had seized have been taking away from it.
Although Boko Haram no longer controls any definable territory of the Nigerian federation, it is still able to launch deadly attacks on the Nigerian population and the Nigerian armed forces. As military operations against the terrorist group has mounted, it has resorted to ambushing Nigerian soldiers. It is no longer able to launch spectacular attacks as it did in bombing police headquarters and UN offices in Abuja, but it remains a very deadly force. It has killed scores of Nigerian soldiers in the last few months. Much of its successes against the soldiers has derived from its ability to gather actionable intelligence on troop movements.

There are speculations that Boko Haram gains intelligence on troop movements because of saboteurs within the armed forces. While such rumors cannot be dismissed with flippancy, it must be noted that Boko Haram cannot gather such intelligence and operate with deadly accuracy without some open or tacit support from the local communities where it operates. Whether such support is voluntary or coerced, it must be recognized that military actions alone, short of a scorched-earth policy, would not eradicate the scourge of Boko Haram. As frustrating as it is not to unleash every firepower in the arsenal of the Nigerian armed forces against Boko Haram, that frustration must be tempered with the reality that fighting against Boko Haram in ways that violate Nigerian and international law would be counterproductive.

The only viable option is to engender greater cooperation from the communities where Boko Haram operates. First, it must be clearly demonstrated to the communities that despite sharing ethnic, religious and regional affinities with Boko Haram, Boko Haram’s goals are antithetical to the welfare, peace and security of the zone. What does Boko Haram want and how are its goals and objective in direct conflict with the interests of the people in the region? The terrorist group has spelt out its goals and objectives. It has also vividly made clear through extreme violence, the strategies it uses and intends to use in achieving its set goals and objectives.
Boko Haram’s aims and objectives are quite clear. Its’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, has publicly stated what the group stands for. As he puts it, “we are an Islamic caliphate. We have nothing to do Nigeria. We don’t believe in this name.” Among the most fundamental of Boko Haram’s goals and objectives are following: the overthrow of the Nigerian government and its replacement it with an Islamic State; the rejection of Westernization, including forbidding any participation in Western-style political activity such as voting in elections and running as candidates; and prohibition against engagement in social activities. Boko Haram also rejects Western-style secular education and it seeks to replace secular education with an unspecified Islamic education. The terrorist group is particularly vehemently opposed to girls receiving Western education and it has demonstrated its disdain and its total rejection of Western education by killing students, abducting them and forcefully marrying off the female students, and bombing schools as well as assassinating teachers. Boko Haram rejects the Nigerian government labelling its leaders, even if they are Muslims, as infidels.
Until March 2015 when Boko Haram was forcibly driven out of the Nigerian territories that it had seized, Boko Haram had established what it called an Islamic State in those territories. We therefore have a clear idea of the type of society Boko Haram would create if its goal of overthrowing the Nigerian government was met. It would be a deadly and an ultra-conservative and highly theocratic state. Although it would be said to be an Islamic state, it would have very little resemblance to Islam. While Islam reveres learning and knowledge, Boko Haram’s Islamic caliphate would be anchored on abhorrence to learning and knowledge. It would be a caliphate steeped in ignorance and fear of knowledge. Boko Haram’s caliphate, from what we saw of the territories that it briefly administered, would be a highly autocratic state. It would not be rooted in justice, even for its Muslim population. It would also be a state anchored on prejudice as the non-Muslim population under its control would be subjected to extreme oppression, brutality and brigandage. Shekau himself has justified the abduction of non-Muslim girls proclaiming that Islam gives him right to enslave such abductees.

Most of the victims of Boko Haram’s capricious rule would be Muslims. This is already quite clear. Although proclaiming that it was fighting for Islam, most of Boko Haram’s victims have been Muslims. Yes, Boko Haram has attacked churches and killed hundreds of Christians but a large majority of its victims, in terms of those assassinated and bombed out of existence, have been Muslims. Thus, for Muslims openly and tacitly supporting the terrorist group, the sobering lesson is that if Boko Haram succeeds in its objectives, Muslims would be the worse for it. Muslims would not receive any education at all because while Boko Haram makes vague references to Islamic education, the contents of such education remain inchoate. Moreover, where are the teachers who would provide Boko Haram’s style of Islamic education?
Second, the fact that Boko Haram is willing to bring in foreign terrorists to help it overthrow the Nigerian government should be of concern to people in Boko Haram’s major theater of operation. If Boko Haram succeeds, it would deprive the people of their Nigerian identity without being able to provide a better identity for its inhabitants. A Boko Haram caliphate over Nigeria would be a pariah state. It cannot count on cooperation among its neighbors. It would have to deal with the Western countries whose culture and whose education Boko Haram has rejected, from a very weak position.

What Must Be Done

The Nigerian military needs maximum cooperation from communities in the North-East Zone to be able to decimate, and ultimately, eliminate Boko Haram. Some of the communities have set up vigilantes in the form of civilian joint task forces. This is commendable. Some members of these outfits have paid the supreme sacrifice as they have been killed by Boko Haram. While this level of cooperation is appreciated, it is not enough. The military needs other forms of proactive cooperation. It needs prompt and effective intelligence on Boko Haram to enable it launch attacks on the group and in helping to forestall attacks by Boko Haram. The military also requires the communities to stop aiding and abetting Boko Haram and from shielding Boko Haram leaders and fighters from justice.

It is equally important for people in the North-East Zone to recognize that Boko Haram cannot overthrow the Nigerian government or over-run the entire country. At best, Boko Haram may succeed in capturing and holding a swathe of the country but its ability to extend its territorial control beyond a few local government areas in the North-East is highly circumscribed. We have seen the dastardly acts that pass for Boko Haram’s administration of a conquered territory. I do not think that most people in that part of Nigeria would look forward to that type of violent, oppressive and capricious governance.

While some people may be taken in by Boko Haram’s trenchant criticisms of the Nigerian government as corrupt, it should be noted that Boko Haram does not present any viable alternative to corruption in Nigeria. In fact, a Boko Haram administration, as we have seen in the brief period it governed the occupied territories, is far more corrupt than the Nigerian government whose corruption Boko Haram condemns. It is corruption for the Boko Haram leadership to send young men, other people’s children, to die while Boko Haram leaders stay away from the battlefield.

Communities in the North-East must refrain from cooperating with Boko Haram, openly or tacitly. They also stop seeing members of Boko Haram as their own people. Boko Haram does not see them as their brothers and sisters, fathers and grandfathers and mothers, sisters and aunts. They just see them as objects to be sacrificed to attain their atrocious and immoral goals and objectives.

Prof Agbese is a scholar at the University of Northern Iowa, USA.

Edo2020: APC Flag off Shows the People are with Ize Iyamu/ Gani Audu - Prince Odigie


A former Commissioner representing Esan central on the board of EDOSOPADEC, who resigned his appointment from the Governor Obaseki led administration Prince Emmanuel Odigie has said the massive turnout of the Edo People during the campaign flag off of the All Progressive Congress yesterday in Benin City is a clear signal that the people truly are with the party's Govnership and deputy candidates.

Speaking to newsmen in Benin City on Sunday evening he said the people have already spoken and that indicates they are fully in Support of Ize Iyamu/Gani Audu ticket under the platform of the All Progressive Congress.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie said the current Governor who is seeking re-election does not enjoy the same support because the people of Edo state do not have confidence in him and he has also not performed in the last four to give him the audacity or tenacity to seek re-election.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie appealed to the National peace accord committee head by General Abdulsalami Abubakar to work with INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders, invite the political gladiators and political parties candidates of the 14 political parties participating in the election to sign a peace accord agreement to ensure there is peace in our state. this is imperative and unprecedented because of the drum of war in Edo state. ( Heart beat of the Nation)

We saw what happened in King Square, Oba's Palace and most recently Edo State House of Assembly.

We need peace in Edo, election is not war.

The political parties should engage in issues based campaigns.

Youth Council Vows to Expose Persons, Govt Agencies Involved in Fraud and fiscal irregularities in the country

The National Youth Council of Nigeria has threatened that it will expose persons, agencies of Government that are involved in Fraud and fiscal irregularities in the country. 

Speaking to news men at a Pre Conference Press briefing on International Youth day, A day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate Young People in the World and harness their potential conference in Abuja, the National President of the Council, Amb Sukubo Seraigbe Sukubo disclosed that this year's celebration Wil feature compilation of list of corrupt MDA's and persons to be forwarded to Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari for Action and all related Anti Corruption agencies.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria are in receipt of petitions from our affiliate Youth organizations and we have  thoroughly investigated some of the petitions. we shall submit the list of these persons and Government Agencies to media at the appropriate time and also submit a petition to relevant anti-graft agencies for necessary actions.

The President of council also noted that the Youth of Nigeria under his leadership Will not allow corruption which had hithatrtho distroy our economy to continue to have it's way.

While Speaking further on the Nigerian Youth Investment fund, he said the Council has received nod from the Ministry of Youth to set up modalities and centers across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and recommend credible youth to pilot the scheme.

As young people whose only Country is Nigeria, we shall join efforts with Mr President to build a stronger Soceity that we can all be proud of.

As the September 19 Governorship election in Edo State draws closer a group known as OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE FOR POI has thrown their weight behind the candidate of the APC pastor osagie oze Iyamu,

Speaking to newsmen in Ekpoma Esan West Local Government Council the Converner of the group and former chairman of the APC in Edo state Prince Tony Omaghe said they were here today, in the midst of our fellow compatriots, to discuss and interrogate our political compass as we approach the twilight of a new Dawn in the political trajectory of our dear Esanland.

Since the inception of civil rule in 1999, Edo Central Senatorial District has burn the brunt of marginalization in all facets of social, political and infrastructural developments, that was further kindled with the short-lived administration of Prof. Osariemen Osunbor. His tenure, which would have brought relief and social Justice to Esanland was truncated by forces beyond our control. However, since that unfortunate incident of history, our collective efforts have been geared towards agitating and plotting several interactive graphs that would rightly accord us our pride of place in the political equation of Edo State.
This meeting has become inevitable to rouse the consciousness of our people who are driven by different political persuasions and ideologies, to join hands in the collective quest for political equity in advancing the cause of an Esan Governor in the next dispensation. This is the Esan Agenda which is supported by the facts that Edo Central Senatorial District has not effectively occupied the seat of the Governance of Edo State since 1999, whereas the Edo North and South have had it in successions. Edo South, under Chief Lucky Nosaghare Igbinedion ruled for eight years, Edo North under Comrade Adams Oshionhole ruled for eight years, and rather than go to Esanland in 2016, Mr. Godwin Obaseki of Edo South again was elected to office.

The idea of the Esan Agenda has been a recurring issue for some time, and we believe this can be best realised through implicit tact and diplomacy, considering the demographic balance that weighs against us.

We must build friendship and have allies knowing that in the game of politics we must be sensitive to the feelings of others. We must promote constructive engagement and collective bargaining in the minds of our political associates so that our aspiration and temperament are properly understood.

We need the cooperation of the other Senatorial Districts in achieving this objective. We have reviewed and fully appreciate the tide of promises made by the contending political parties who are vying for the seat of government in the September 19 election. The choice we make is very important in determining our political future. We have studied their various election agenda and believe that our hopes and aspirations are best represented in the SIMPLE AGENDA of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC)
The SIMPLE AGENDA, as documented, is a reflection of the aspiration of the needs of Esanland. It addresses inter alia the following challenges of our corporate existence, viz:
(a). SECURITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
(b). INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
(c). MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT
(d). PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP in the development of our abundant human and natural resources.
(e). LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE. This is imperative in attaining a new social order for the repositioning of our civil society
(f). EMPLOYMENT GENERATION for the legion of School leavers and those who must be trained to acquire skills in various vocations.


We call on Esan people and leaders not to be deceived by vain promises made by those who have consistently betrayed our aspirations. Some 'leaders', who consider their interest more Paramount than that of the people, have again recently sold our future and the Commonwealth of Esanland on mere receipt of political 'portage'. While some received Cash, others got Vehicles as compensation for abandoning the Esan Agenda. This betrayal must be resisted by our people who must now critically analyse the candidates of the two frontline political parties.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, does not appear to me a promise keeper. He also does not have the interest of Esanland in mind. In the past four years of his administration, he has had many opportunities to assuage the visible marginalization in Esanland, but turned his back against us. We can count a litany of such indiscretion against our land. There are no visible development in any of our LGA towns and villages, our local schools don't have teachers, no laboratories or library in any of our public schools, Nearly all school buildings are derelict, no government presence in the health sector, all Primary Health Centers have been virtually abandoned because of poor staffing and lack of equipment, No attention is accorded to repair or construct access roads, even the Federal government initiated SEEFOR program for rural road development is not visible in Esanland. All the access roads to Esanland, whether through Igbanke to Igueben, or through Ehor to Ogwa, or through Auchi to Ekpoma have all failed. There has been no appointment of Esansons into any responsible government positions in the last four years. We have not seen the much desired love and attention to our needs to convince us that when reelected, Obaseki will be a 'newman'. The 60MVA transformer at Irrua, which was facilitated by Rt Hon Patrick Ikhariale, (while he was at the House of Representatives), that was installed to provide regular and stable electricity to Esanland was forcefully removed at the instance of Governor Obaseki to unapproved location outside Edo Central. All Esan roads and infrastructures provisioned in the last four years' budgets were never done, thus making easy access to our towns and cities impossble.

The Federal college of Education approved to be cited in Irrua was arbitrarily relocated to Ekiadolor in Edo South, where the Tayo Akpata University of Education was abandoned. Today, he claims credit for the ongoing infrastructural facelifts in Ambrose Alli University. To the contrary, facts reveal that the projects in AAU are sponsored by the Federal government under the TETFUND intervention scheme for tertiary institutions. Rather, the Obaseki regime has drastically reduced the monthly statutory subvention to AAU, thus constraining their academic operations.

Esanland has no portable WATER, the Ugbalo water project co-sponsored with the Federal government has been abandoned for lack of counterpart funding. While our villages are ravaged by gully erosion, the Edo government refused to apply the approved Ecological funds sourced from the Federal authority in solving this problem.
Furthermore, the incumbent Governor refused when he had opportunity to make an Esanman the Head of Service of Edo State, the Secretary to State Government, as well as Chief of Staff, when the occasions arose. He by-passed us and gave the positions to his cronies from other areas of the state, thus furthering our political marginalization as a People. Information reaching OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE indicate that the Governor, has already anointed his deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu as his successor, if per chance he's reelected. This puts Esan in a very precarious position, but God forbid, this will never happen.

Thank God the candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has demonstrated strong commitments to ensuring his successor comes from Esanland. POI has shown strong belief in our people by giving them loud and strategic positions in his campaign organization. His campaign Director General (DG) and many of his campaign Directors are from Esanland. The POI agenda and desire for political equity in Edo State favours our collective aspirations as a Senatorial District. We shall pursue the actualization of the agenda with all vigour.

In conclusion, we call on all Edolites, and particularly, Esan people to join us in the mobilization towards achieving the promises of the APC's 'S.I.M.P.L.E' agenda, and the promise of Installing an Esanman as the successor of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. We deserve a better lease of life in Esanland, and as a strategic Senatorial District, we resist further attempts at marginalization in the hands of Governor Obaseki.
We have consulted far and wide, we have searched our minds and interrogated various scenarios, and have come to the conclusion that the candidate who shows us love and has our interest at heart, is the one deserving of our support. Let's support the candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who has shown us love. He is in a more formidable position to win the election considering his state-wide support base. His election will help in realizing the Esan Agenda and aspirations, and also restore the integrity of the 'tripod' upon which the political stability of Edo State stands. We have extracted a solid commitment from the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, that there will be a deliberate intervention in the Infrastructural renewal of all five LGA's in Esanland. We believe he will deliver on all promises. We therefore call on all Esan sons and daughters at home and the Diaspora to vote massively for APC in the election come September 19th, 2020; for we see Hope and great promise in the SIMPLE AGENDA of Pastor Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu. All ESAN are invited to embrace the SIMPLE AGENDA of Hope that would take Esan to the NEXT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT.
VOTE THE BROOM.
VOTE PASTOR OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU.
VOTE APC,
OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE.
ENIGIE GHATOR, EKHALE, ISE. .

IN politics, globally, and in life generally, emotional maturity and emotional intelligence are two different but symbiotic factors essential to maintaining healthy relationships.

Experts describe emotional maturity as the ability to handle situations without gratuitously escalating them. Instead of seeking to blame someone else for their problems or behaviour, emotionally mature people seek to fix the problem or behaviour and always accept accountability for their actions.
No matter the situation, or so the experts assert, emotionally mature people don’t lie in uncomfortable situations. Rather, they face the reality of the situation frontally. And, they don’t resort to personal attacks during a disagreement; they address only the issue. They are not impulsive and don’t speak recklessly. They ensure that they are calm and think before they speak.
On the other hand, emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions as well as the emotions of others. You can identify an emotion and respond to it rather than react, which is another critical skill.
But those who – like Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State – are deficient in these areas see a breakdown in communication and, ultimately, complications in or the breakup of their political, business or even romantic relationships.
Perhaps, because he doesn’t even know what they are or understand how they work – both separately and in tandem – Obaseki forgot to acquire the skill-set needed to navigate life and politics, which is why the house his predecessor literally helped him build for the collective sheltering of Edo indigenes with sweat and sheer willpower, has collapsed under his watch.
Even the umbrella that he sought refuge under is now leaking porously. Everything that can possibly go wrong with a political campaign is going wrong with Obaseki’s. From the gale of resignation to a groundswell of apathy by the electorate to his ambition, all the indices are that the second term bid of the governor is dead on arrival.
Obaseki and his cheerleaders were in denial all along as they continued to run on their contrived popularity and propaganda but the penny has dropped with happenings in their camp in recent days.
Last Tuesday, Mr Patrick Iyoha, the Director, Obaseki/Shaibu Movement, resigned his appointment with immediate effect, citing personal reasons. The resignation of Iyoha, also a member of the Edo State Waste Management Board, threw the campaign organisation into disarray, as he was the nerve-centre of Obaseki’s re-election bid.
But it was not only Iyoha that resigned within the week. Two members of the State Post Primary Education Board – Mr Gabriel Oiboh, Chairman and Mr Osanyemwere Osawe, a member of the board – also resigned their appointments. Oiboh and Osawe said their resignations followed pressure by Obaseki to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Earlier on Monday, July 27th, three commissioners of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Area Development Commission had resigned their appointments. The commissioners – Osamwonyi Atu, Emmanuel Odigie and Rilwanu Oshiomhole – hitherto represented Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.
Particularly, Odigie said he was resigning, because “The appointment was given to me based on my membership and commitment to the APC. I have contested elections twice to the House of Representatives on the APC platform, as a party loyalist, and based on my principles, I strongly believe it will be unfair to cross over to the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Oshiomhole echoed the same sentiment, adding that as a loyal party man, his resignation was to enable him to work for the success of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC governorship candidate in the September 19th election.
The previous Friday, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Oni-Okpaku resigned from the state cabinet, joining a long list that includes several cabinet members and senior aides of the governor. These resignations were preceded last May by the shocking exit of Taiwo Akerele, the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Governor.
Those conversant with Nigerian politics and how the government – whether federal or state – works, know that the appointive position of the Chief of Staff is usually given to an ally of the governor or president as the case may be. Akerele was seen as Obaseki’s eyes and ears in the government, the major interface between the governor and the people, stakeholders in the state and appointees.
The blame of Akerele’s shocking resignation was laid squarely at the feet of Obaseki, who was variously accused of having evolved into an imperious and inexorable leader especially as it became clearer by the day that he was taking on too many pointless, ego-driven battles.
When John Maiyaki, a former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Obaseki resigned his appointment in 2019 long before the governor defected to the PDP, he said it was the people of Edo State that are opposed to the governor’s second term, not the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole.
Maiyaki said those, who worked for the election of the governor in 2016 were disappointed that he abandoned the developmental agenda on which he was elected and had subjected the people of the state to abject poverty. He further alleged that it was indisputable that Governor Obaseki has refused to implement the continuity agenda promised to the Edo People in 2016 describing it as a needle to the bubble of lies created by agents of underdevelopment and poverty in the state.
According to him, “It is a decision made after a clear evaluation of the competence, actions, and intentions of Godwin Obaseki, who though admitted to the success of the administration he succeeded, has merely reversed the gains recorded in a futile attempt to create a political dynasty founded on nepotism, ethnic division, corruption, and disregard for the rule of law.
“Certainly, no right-thinking member of the society would support this. It is therefore not a surprise that Edo citizens, high and low, young and old, have abandoned personal sentiments or affiliations, and resorted to logic and core hard facts in their collective rejection of the governor.
“This simple truth is backed by the fact that Godwin Obaseki is presently fighting to earn the approval of his own family members who have since embraced the party and the Edo People’s Movement in the mission to kick out the inept leader from office.” Maiyaki should know. He was Obaseki’s spokesman for three years.
Like Dr Mike Murdoch once said, “A foolish man will enjoy a perfect today and lose a perfect tomorrow. A wise man will forfeit a perfect today to gain a perfect tomorrow. Maturity is the ability to delay gratification.”
Obaseki seamlessly rode into power on the wings of the accomplishments of his predecessor. As noted by Maiyaki, he was supposed to consolidate on the gains bequeathed to him but deviated and took the state many years back. Alas, where the people expected political maturity, they found scapegoating and scaremongering.
His subsequent projections, including paranoia, an inability to self-analyse, and a lack of emotional intelligence will lead to his downfall at the polls.
In the twilight of his administration, especially, Obaseki began treating governance as some spectator sports by fomenting trouble where there was peace with the intent to distract the people from their daily drudgery and to expect somehow, at the end of it all, that the miracle of a better-governed state would emerge.
But there is a silver lining in all these, of course, and the informed electorate of Edo State has fully come to terms with the sure-fire power of their votes to effect a change in government, which they have unanimously consented to do on September 19th.
In the end, it is left to Pastor Ize-Iyamu to help the people sort through all of the debilitating disruptions of Obaseki. He is coming adequately prepared for the job.
Apart from having spent the best part of his meritorious existence in the state, he has acquired, along the line, political maturity and dexterity, and a leadership skill-set that would come handy as he attempts to put the state back in order from the day he is sworn in as the next governor of Edo State.

George-Hanson wrote this piece from Lagos Nigeria.

Edo PDP House Of Assembly Candidate condemns the crisis rocking the state house of assembly

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Oredo West Constituency into the state house of assembly, Eghosa Agbonifo has condemned the crisis rocking the state house of assembly when some lawmakers purportedly resumed sittings and claimed to have impeached the Speaker, Rt Hon Frank Okiye in an undisclosed location and thereafter claimed to have elected Hon Victor Edoror as the new Speaker.
In a statement issued in Benin City yesterday, Agbonifo said the lawmakers who claimed to have met do not have such powers since their seats have been declared vacant because they refused to resume sitting since the inauguration of the house in June last year. He therefore described their action as illegal.
Agbonifo said lawmakers have failed to resume sitting and their seats declared vacant, the runners-up in their election in 2019 ought to have been sworn.
“As far as I am concerned, what they did is not known to law. It is illegal and unconstitutional. We are talking of people who were never sworn in because they on their own decided to stay away from sittings and their seats were declared vacant.
“For instance my constituency, Oredo West has not been represented in the house since it was inaugurated and since their seats were declared, I as the first runner-up in the election ought to have been declared the winner and sworn-in. My demand is that I and others should be sworn in to complete the house.
“Their purported sitting and impeachment of the Speaker and their purported election of a new speaker is of no effect.
“I call on security agencies to ensure there s peace because their action can spark crisis in the state because the state is preparing for a governorship election with imminent victory for the PDP and Governor Godwin Obaseki”

Just In: Newly Sworn in Speaker in Edo State pays courtesy visit to Edo State Commissioner of Police



Members of the Edo Assembly, led by newly-elected Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, pay a courtesy visit to Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo.

He has assured them of his support as the 7th Assembly is now in session.

By Ghazali Al-Mustapha

It is now a common sight for governors to sprint to Abuja to seek respite each time there's perceived security breach in their respective states. They do so at a lightning pace. Usain Bolt will feel like a proud father. 

In their customary pattern, the governors are billed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari again later this week after Tuesday's National Security Council meeting. The planned gathering has drawn concern from across the board, especially after the purported attack on the convoy of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, said to be on his way back after distributing relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

There were also claims of an attempt by insurgents to take over the state capital, Maiduguri in addition to the security challenges in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau and Benue states where banditry, abductions and cattle rustling have become rife. 

As the governors prepare to embark on another athletic exercise, however, the focus has once again shifted from the main issues resulting in the security threats in the north to politics. Once more, certain forces have tried to paint a gory image, depicting that the insecurity has to do with the Service Chiefs.

The President, though, by involving relevant stakeholders like the governors and other political appointees for the next meeting has shown that he understands the issues beyond a single narrative and is willing to interrogate the situation at the appropriate quarters. On their part, meanwhile, the governors exhibited despondency and utter cluelessness whenever security issues arise. 

The governors hide under the ridiculous fabric that since they do not control any of the security agencies, the mandate falls on the Federal Government to address such problems. Doing so, they completely ignore the fact that as chief executives of specific spaces, they constitute the first line of defence with their constitutionally assigned roles of ensuring the security and well being of citizens in their respective states.

Recall that at the end of a meeting with the President on security matters in 2017, the state governors were made to realise their greater roles in providing adequate security for citizens even more than Abuja. The same year, the Northern Governors’ Forum met and decided to collectively tackle the issue of insecurity bedevilling the region as one entity instead of leaving it to the individual states affected to do so.

In a communiqué read by the chairman of the forum, then Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, the governors took other measures like resolving to accept the recommendations of the Body of the Attorneys General of the 19 Northern States to domesticate the model Penal and  Fiscal Responsibility Law and the model Administration of Criminal Justice Law through the necessary legislative actions by subjecting them to the individual peculiarities of the states.

They also identified some of the factors that make the security situation in the region intractable to the porous borders which they say allows criminal elements to move freely within the West African sub-region; access to arms through the black-market and the lack of strong legal framework.

The governors went further admitting that the huge forests in the north allow bandits to easily move from a place, making it difficult to engage them in combat.

But they unanimously agreed that the military has been overtasked with the task of ensuring adequate security as they were in operation in almost all parts of the country. 

This underscores the fact that the issues are beyond what combat operations alone can handle. Additional proactive measures must be taken to avoid deterioration to the point where military engagement would be required like putting in place a comprehensive business plan as well as opening discussions to boost power supply and offer financial assistance to citizens. They acknowledged that the military has done much to reduce the magnitude of violence in the region.

For instance from 2009 when violence broke out in the Northeast till now, the military has done a lot to bring the situation under control. These are obvious in the fact that the military had recaptured an area spanning 20 local councils with a population of about two million inhabitants in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States once taken over and declared a caliphate by the insurgents.

Admittedly, so much was lost due to the activities of the insurgents; the destruction of infrastructure and large-scale humanitarian crisis owing to the sacking of many communities. But the military was able to reverse all that, making it difficult for the terrorists to continue such attacks while opening markets and roads hitherto closed.

Governors and politicians in states like Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe which were initially ravaged by Boko Haram have taken the initiative to cooperate fully with the military in terms of logistical support, frequent consultations and provision of relevant actionable intelligence.

They have also made steps to disabuse the minds of their youths against violence, engaging them in productive economic activities and involving communities in early detection. However, their counterpart in Borno and to some extent, Yobe, have fallen short in that regard.

This perhaps explains why insurgency has almost been obliterated in the aforementioned states yet continued to escalate in Borno and Yobe as the governors and elders abandoned their own duties to the military. 

The current governor of Borno, unfortunately, unlike his colleagues, seems not to have grasped the enormity of the task on his shoulders, instead of jumping at the slightest instance to blame the military. He isn't alone, though. 

The politicals elites in Borno have remained on the sidelines, doing almost nothing to support the military. There are reports that they chose to act that way as they were profiting from the smuggling businesses and the take over of the multi-million naira fishing business in Baga.

There's is also the report of the lack of conscious efforts to reduce the level of poverty in Borno which is making insurgency to thrive in the state.

One, however, expects that since the stakeholders and political class have realized that the military cannot do all, they should have stepped up efforts, embarking on alternative dispute resolution mechanism, ensuring fairness and justice in the conflict between communities and providing the enabling environment for all citizens to cohabit with one another without any fear of molestation. 

To tackle insecurity squarely, Zulum and other governors obviously need to do more than embark on their usual trip to Abuja. They have to provide leadership at the various levels including the local government and communities.

They need to ensure that political thugs who were armed during the last elections are disarmed and deradicalized as quickly as possible. The governor also needs to be in constant consultation with citizens of their respective states. Only then can they dash to the nation's capital and no one would bother. Absolutely none.


Al-Mustapha is a security expert and wrote from Kaduna.

*Boko Haram: Nigerians vow to champion mass campaign, public awareness against insurgency to complement military’s efforts*

A group of well-meaning Nigerians, under the aegis of Initiative for One Nigeria (ION), have vowed to hold massive campaigns to create awareness in support of the military's efforts in the war against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.  

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Secretary-General, Comrade Ohene Dominic Ejembi, said there is need for active participation by all citizens, stressing that the war against the insurgents shouldn't be left alone for the Federal Government and military. 

According to ION, from its findings, there has been neglect from politicians, community heads as well as relevant stakeholders in charting a solution to the insurgency. 

Describing the efforts of the military so far as "brilliant", the group believes much more can be achieved if all and sundry would elect to come together and support the Nigerian military wholeheartedly.  

The Initiative for One Nigeria, however, reassured by closing all gaps and working together with the military, the country will experience a rebirth in the coming days. 

Read the full statement below:

The Initiative for One Nigeria, an organization dedicated to the peace and progress in Nigeria welcomes you all to this important press conference convoked in the light of the fact that there has been an erroneous mentality that the war against insurgency is the preserve of the Federal Government /Military alone.   

While it is understandable that this line of thought has been entrenched in the system for so long, however, it is not too late to change the mentality to that of collective endeavour rather than a job for the Federal Government/Military alone.

It is instructive to state that the Initiative for One Nigeria has carried out extensive research on why the war against insurgency in Nigeria is prolonged and the findings from the various reports indicate that there has been near neglect of charting a Nigeria solution to the insurgency and the critical stakeholders have not availed the much-needed support.

The Initiative for One Nigeria states that there is no better time for all and sundry to come to the table and work with the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency as these insurgents are not spirits but humans that reside in Nigeria.

It is indeed a statement of fact that ending the Boko Haram scourge rest within us as Nigerians because we have the wherewithal and the know-how to end the insurgency, but a situation where the citizens are not cooperative with the Federal Government and the military, there would always be setbacks. This is not restricted to Nigeria alone but in other climes that have experienced insurgencies and successfully overcome it.

We must also realize that the effort to end Insurgency in Nigeria must be a collective one, and the time to act is now. The participation of the citizens of Nigeria is as critical as the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the insurgency crisis in Nigeria.

It is common knowledge that indeed there have been gaps that were created as a result of the nonchalance and the politics of bitterness as displayed by some members of the political authorities in North-Eastern states in the country as well as other parts of the country. This has to end as a matter of urgency. 

It must be noted that the role of the community leaders in ending the Boko Haram scourge cannot be overemphasized. And this much they must realize and extend their support to the Nigerian Military because at the end of the day, Nigeria would be the ultimate beneficiary. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria is of the firm conviction that Nigeria can defeat the Boko Haram insurgency especially with the level of commitment displayed by the Military since 2016 when it gained ascendency over Boko Haram and the consequent recapturing of all Nigerian territories that were hitherto under the control of the Boko Haram group. 

The dislodgement of the Boko Haram group from their operational base in Sambisa forest is another highlight of the efforts of the Nigeria Military in the war against insurgency in Nigeria. It is thus our considered opinion that should the efforts of the Nigerian Military had been complemented with support from other critical stakeholders; the war against insurgency would have long become history in Nigeria.  

This also reinforces the position of the Initiative for One Nigeria, as well as other groups of like minds that have been advocating for cooperation from all and sundry in support of the efforts of the Nigerian Military thus far. 

We wish to place it on record that this position of ours should not be construed to mean that support from the civil populace has not been availed, but rather not in the right proportion and this is responsible for where we are today in the war against insurgency.

The Initiative for One Nigeria wishes to state that should Nigeria get overwhelmed by the Boko Haram scourge, we would all have our selves to blame because of the opportunities to proffer Nigeria solutions to the Boko Haram Insurgency has been availing itself to us in ways too numerous to mention.

It is a function of two things; its either we take the opportunities and end the insurgency, or we live with the consequences of the insurgency that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria states that the efforts of the Nigerian Military have been brilliant as evident in the various successes recorded so far. These efforts can yield the ultimate result if all and sundry would elect to come together and support the Nigerian Military wholeheartedly.  

The Initiative for One Nigeria is holding this press conference as a clarion call to all citizens of our great country in absolute reverence to our National Pledge to Nigeria our country, to be faithful, loyal and honest. To serve Nigeria with all our strength to defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory so help us, God. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria is confident that in the coming days and weeks, there would be a rebirth in the country where all Nigerians regardless of their ethnic and religious affiliations would come together and assist the Nigerian Military in the war against insurgency in Nigeria.

It is indeed time to end insecurity by closing all gaps and working together with the Nigerian Military as they continue to push for the final decimation of the Boko Haram group. 

I thank you all for your patience and time, and we desire that in no distance time, Nigeria shall be indeed free from the threats posed by the Boko Haram group.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Thank you all, and God bless.

*Lack of political collaboration, not military sabotage responsible for the resurgence of Boko Haram, ex-Senate President, Ebute writes Governors Forum*

Third Republic Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, says a lack of political collaboration and not sabotage on the military's part is behind renewed Boko Haram/ISWAP activities in the country. 

The elder statesman made this known in an open letter to the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) on Wednesday.

According to Senator Ebute, while Boko Haram/ISWAP threats have almost vanished in neighbouring states, it persists in Borno due to the unwillingness of political leaders to partner and support the military. 

The erstwhile lawmaker urged the NGF to call their counterpart from Borno, Babagana Zulum, to order, adding that his administration hasn't been cooperative with authorities towards ending the Boko Haram scourge. 

"If the truth must be told, with the way and manner the political authorities in the state are treating the threats posed by Boko Haram, we might experience the worse soon," the letter reads in part.

"In our opinion, it is an anomaly to assume that the task of securing Borno State is the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government alone.

"The case of Borno state is unfortunate because it has remained the unresolvable base of the insurgency not because the Federal Government has not lived up to expectations, but because the current government in the state has not deemed it necessary to support the military in their operations.

"Has the state government been cooperative with the military authorities towards ending the Boko Haram scourge? These questions are because all we see in the media is either the state Governor is attacking military commanders at checkpoints or his Deputy speaking to our selfless men and women in a very derogatory manner."

Ebute further advised Zulum to take a queue from governors of Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe states, all of whom, according to the ex-Senate President have always been on the side of the troops. 

The reverse, he said, has dampened the morale of the troops and in turn, bolstered criminal activities. 

His words: "The governors of Yobe, Bauchi, and Adamawa and Gombe states have indeed set examples worthy of emulation for their continuous support towards ensuring there is no resurgence of Boko Haram in their domains. This they have achieved by working day and night with the military."

Challenging the governors to avail more resources for the military, Senator Ebute, however, reiterated that the troops must be encouraged and appreciated to continue to give in their best in the task at hand. 

"Governors as Chief Security Officers are aware that resources are needed in security operations. As such, they must advocate for more resources for the military to aid their operations," he said. 

"The military must be encouraged and appreciated to continue to give in their best in the task at hand. The psychological implication of these cannot be overemphasized."

*Insecurity: Centre calls for more synergy, political consultations to double military’s successes recorded between 2015- 2020*

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has called for enhanced synergy, consultation and less conspiracy among political leaders and relevant stakeholders to double the Armed Forces' successes recorded in the last five years. 

According to SHAC, the strategies being deployed by the military hierarchy has been effective despite sabotage by International Non- Governmental Organizations and the political actors within the theatre.

The centre made this known in its abridged strategic report on the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria from 2010 till date and the effectiveness of the Nigerian Military strategies towards addressing the threats posed by the Insurgency. 

In the report signed by its Executive Secretary, Abubakar Ibrahim, on Wednesday, the SHAC analysed the genesis of the Boko Haram crisis, the approach of previous governments and what the current administration is doing differently. 
Among others, the centre recalled that the military headquarters was moved from Abuja to Maiduguri, funding for operations drastically increased and new military leadership were appointed. 

This, according to the report, has resulted in a significant turnaround in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war in favour of the Nigerian troops who are edging closer to the end of its clearance operations. 

In order to sustain the momentum, the centre, however, urged stakeholders to join hands with the federal government.

While calling on religious and community leaders to support the troops, SHAC advised political leaders to desist from undermining their efforts. 

Read the abridged report below:

Introduction:

The Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. It has been estimated that the cost of the damages in North-East Nigeria is in the region of $9billion since 2009 when the group began its violent campaign in Nigeria.

Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency and the government’s military response have killed tens of thousands of civilians and displaced millions across the Lake Chad region, which straddles Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

Boko Haram re-emerged in 2010 under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, carrying out sporadic attacks across the northeast. Its clandestine tactics gradually grew more sophisticated, but the Nigerian government was slow to recognize the extent of the crisis. Then-President Goodluck Jonathan instead framed Boko Haram as a terrorist organization with ties to international jihadist networks, thereby laying the ground for a narrow counterterrorism response.

In 2013, the Nigerian Military intensified its campaign against Boko Haram. Yet its indiscriminate tactics failed to degrade the group's capacity and deeply alienated the region's civilian population. A state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States only deepened the cycle of violence.

In April 2014, Boko Haram’s kidnapping of 276 female students from the town of Chibok made worldwide headlines, drawing greater policy attention to the crisis. Several Western governments—including the United States—offered technical assistance and intelligence-sharing to help find the girls.

In 2015, a renewed military offensive began making headway against the group. The Nigerian MilitaryMilitary seized back most of the territory previously held by Boko Haram. Although major military campaigns in 2015–2016 succeeded in degrading the group's territorial control, Boko Haram has proven remarkably adaptable in its tactics: Since early 2017, military gains and improved security in parts of north-eastern Nigeria have spurred a greater focus on conflict stabilization measures.

The Issues: 2010-2015

From 2010 onward, Boko Haram started launching a series of attacks on security structures and military installations in the North-Eastern part of the country. For example, on September 7 2010, Boko Haram attacked and overrun a prison in Bauchi, freeing over 700 inmates in the process. Between 2010 and 2015, Boko Haram attacks became more daring and brazen. Never in the history of political violence in Nigeria had any group deliberately targeted not just military structures but military formations and barracks. The attacks launched on Giwa Barrack and Baga military base in Borno State in 2014 and 2015 are cases in point. In the two encounters, over 500 lives were lost. What became noticeable in the course of the confrontation was that the adversaries simultaneously employed asymmetric and conventional tactics and strategies in waging war.

The fact lends credence to the lackadaisical approach by previous administrations towards addressing the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. It was stated in several fora that the Goodluck Jonathan administration saw the emergence of the Boko Haram group as a ploy by the North against his administration following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010. Consequently, the government paid little attention to the activities of the group now led by a radical Abubakar Shekau. The group, therefore, grew in strength and sophistication and continued to wreak havoc in North-East Nigeria.

Another factor that was of significant concern was that lack of professionalism in the Armed Forces occasioned by mass corruption that saw monies meant for the purchase of arms and ammunitions ending up in private pockets. This fact consequently led to casualties of immeasurable proportion on the side of the Nigerian troops, and also the Boko Haram group capturing territories on Nigerian soil.

The government in Nigeria between 2010 to 2015 exhibited a lack of political will to end the Boko Haram crisis. This nonchalance put the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary under strain and lacking in the right motivation and equipment to confront the Boko Haram terrorist group headlong. This also led to near incapacitation of the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary that came under heavy bombardment from the Boko Haram insurgent group with no meaningful response from the Nigerian Military.

The 2015 Baga Massacre is an example of how incapacitated the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary were in dealing with the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. Boko Haram overran a military base that was the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force containing troops from Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. The terror group then forced thousands of locals from the region and committed mass killings.

Aside from this, the country was generally unsafe with countless Boko Haram attacks on crucial government infrastructures such as the headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force and the Headquarters of the United Nations in Nigeria. Public places such as motor parks, places of worships were not spared either as Boko Haram imposed a regime of absolute fear in the country. The government seemed clueless on ways to address the threats posed by the Boko Haram group, so much, so it blamed members of the opposition, while the country continued to bleed.

2015-2020

The change of government in May 2015, has brought about a significant difference in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. Upon assumption of office, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to take the issue of security.

President Muhammadu Buhari has made some modest reforms to improve the Military's effectiveness against Boko Haram. He moved the Military's headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri, increased funding for operations in the area, and appointed new military leadership.

Among his earliest acts in office was to replace the heads of the army, navy, and air force. The new army chief by many accounts has taken a more proactive approach than his predecessors toward countering the group. For example, they moved the army's operational headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri and have deployed more long-range patrols in the region. Experts suggest that the Military is now conducting more strategically-focused operations, such as those that target Boko Haram's logistics routes.

According to reports, morale within the army has improved under the new leadership. The government has arrested several former senior officials on corruption charges, including former President Jonathan's National Security Advisor, who has been charged with fraud over a $2 billion arms deal for equipment that was reportedly never delivered. Jonathan's former chief of defence has been accused of stealing $20 million from the air force, and, as of late March 2016, some 300 individuals, including army officers, and companies were under investigation for the embezzlement between 2011 and 2015 of an estimated $240 million in fraudulent or overpaid defence contracts.

Under the present administration, Nigeria has sought military support from its neighbours, who increasingly suffered attacks during Boko Haram's upsurge. Since 2015, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger have deployed thousands of troops as part of a multinational force authorized by the African Union. The coalition has been credited with helping the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary retake much of the territory claimed by Boko Haram and reduce violence linked to the group to levels seen before 2014.

The Nigerian Army has introduced various counter-insurgency strategies that have recoded multiple gains.

Aside from the reclaiming of territories once under the control of the Boko Haram group, the Nigerian Army also displaced the group from their operational headquarters in Sambisa forest.

The period from 2015 to date has also witnessed a transformation of the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary from a force in disarray to a professional fighting force fighting within the rules of engagement and respect for human rights.

Conclusion:

This report concludes that the period between 2010 to 2015 could be regarded as one of the lowest points in the history of the Nigerian Military because of the inability to deal with the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. The period was also occasioned by the dearth of arms and ammunitions in the Nigerian Military as well as a high rate of lethargy amongst the officers and soldiers in the prosecution of the war against Insurgency.

It is indeed a statement of fact that with the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015 the fortunes of the Nigerian Military changed as evident in the prosecution of the war against terrorism in Nigeria. A cursory look at the available indices indicates that there have been substantial gains in the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.

This period has seen their ranks broken, and they have resulted in aiming at soft targets in women and children, going on rampages in villages and causing destructions to paint a picture of a potent fighting force. However, in truth, they are in disarray. The troops have displayed the right mental balance in the prosecution of the war, and this has led to the tangible gains recorded so far. All of these gains are attributable to the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to address the various threats posed by the Boko Haram group.

Recommendations:

After extensive study of the Boko Haram crisis from 2010 to date, the following recommendations are made:

All stakeholders must join hands with the federal government in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

The political leadership in the country must desist from attempting to undermine the efforts of the Nigerian Military by engaging in acts that are counter-progressive in the war against terrorism.

The religious and community leaders in the North-East must continue to support the Nigerian Military in its operations in a bid to bringing to an end the Boko Haram crisis.

Senate exonerates OMSL, dismisses alleged illegal security activities at Lagos ports

…commends company for genuine national interest, $400M security investment

The Nigerian Senate has cleared Ocean Marine Solution Limited (OSML) of allegations of illegal security activities at the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) of the Lagos ports following the conclusion of an investigation which revealed that contrary to the allegations, the company had invested over $400 million to help strengthen security in the area.

The exoneration was contained in a Senate resolution passed upon the submission of the report on the investigation into the allegation by the Joint Committee on Navy, Marine Transport, and Finance.

According to the report, OMSL had shown genuine and commendable national interest with the investment of over $400 million into the security at the SAA and the Nigerian waterways.

“OMS provided the needed platforms and logistics for the Nigerian Navy to effectively perform 24/7/365 patrol operations as well as to provide the required protection for vessels waiting to berth at the Lagos Ports,” the report read in part.

Since its investigations showed no fraud in the operations of OMSL, and that the company, apart from operating at no cost government, is investing in the security of the country’s waterways, the Senate ruled that it “should be allowed to continue its operations at the SAA until such a time when a better and more cost-effective system is put in place by the Government.”

CORRUPTION: PDP members petition ICPC, accuse Obaseki of diverting state funds using AfriInvest.

…says Governor planning to use stolen funds as starting capital for regional bank

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of Concerned Edo PDP Stakeholders, have petitioned the ICPC over alleged diversion of state funds by Governor Godwin Obaseki through the award of fraudulent contracts to his personal firm, AfriInvest Limited.

A copy of the petition signed by Andrew Egboigbe, a PDP member in Ward 3, Orhionmwon LGA of Edo, and submitted at the ICPC on Monday, was made available to the press in Benin City.

The petition, titled ” Petition against the unfairly advantageous awarding of Edo State Contracts to Afrinvest Limited by Mr. Godwin Obaseki”, alleged that Mr. Godwin Obaseki abused his office as Governor to unfairly award inflated contracts to his company, AfriInvest Limited, in flagrant disregard for the constitutional provision that guides the award of contract.

The petition alleged that Obaseki, been the founder of Afrinvest, used his position as Governor, to unfairly award contracts to his company in flagrant disregard for the constitutional provision that guides award of contract.

It read: “We, as concerned Edo indigenes, who have no other place to call our home except Edo state, file this honest petition against Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the governor of the state. and his firm, Afrinvest Ltd.”

“This followed revelations from reliable sources of unfair advantage the governor bestowed upon the firm using accumulated state funds meant for developmental works and projects.”

The petitioners claimed that although Mr. Godwin Obaseki stepped down as the Chairman of AfriInvest’s Board of Directors in 2016 on the assumption of office, he installed one Mr. Ike Chioke who served as his stooge at the firm and helped him siphon state’s resources.

“One of such abuse of his official position was when Obaseki, single-handedly, without the approval of his cabinet and legislative arm of government, awarded a N1.8 billion naira consultation contract on water storm project to Afrinvest Ltd., without the justification of the inflated sum and the nature of the contract. This, when established, will find the governor in contravention of Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.”

“That Afrinvest Ltd has, on different occasions, served as front and pipe for Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s diversion of state’s funds through bogus contracts and budgetary allocations.”

The petitioners further alleged that the security votes of Edo state which increased to an annual sum of 7.5 billion naira by Obaseki, since 2016, had been deposited in Afrinvest Ltd’s bank account.

According to the petitioners, the stashed funds and other illegally obtained profits are what Governor Godwin Obaseki used as starting capital to resuscitate PRIMUS bank which the Governor, acting through his proxies, is now seeking approval for, to operate as a regional bank.

“That Primus bank was funded through stolen funds and granting approval for its operations could lead to a financial closure as it remains vulnerable to an abrupt close when investigations if its fraudulent findings come to light.”

They urged the ICPC to act within the mandate of its powers “having established these facts and provided the surrounding context of the corrupt relationship between Obaseki, Afrinvest, and Primus Bank.”

“The ICPC in line with its core mandate to examine the practices, systems, and procedures of public bodies and where, in the opinion of the commission, such practices, systems born procedures aid or facilitate fraud or corruption, to direct and supervise a review of them.”

There are currently 34 States and the FCT on the program.
States indicate their interest in benefitting from the program through the signing of an MOU, which details responsibility of the States and the FG.
Through the MOU , the States are responsible for the implementation of the program while the FG provides funding.
The program targets public school children in primary 1-3 and provides 1 free meal a day for the duration of the school term on school days at 70naira/ child/ day Each school term lasts approximately 3 months.

The program commenced in 2016 as one of the Social Investments under HE President Muhammadu Buhari, overseen by the office of the Vp.

During that time, it is reported that upto 9 million children were beneficiaries of the intervention. There are also less visible beneficiaries such as the cooks who prepare and serve the food and the smallholder farmers who provide the food items.

In order to institutionalize these legacies, Mr President Created a ministry for humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development in August 2019, 3 years after the programs started.

The School feeding program and the other SiPs were moved to the Ministry and have carried on without changes due to the fact that institutionalization takes time for the right structures to be put in place and also to avoid disruption to the pupils. Plans had been developed to carry out massive enumeration of beneficiaries, facilitate legal frameworks and deploy extensive monitoring systems during the Holidays.

Unfortunately, covid-19 struck the world and Nigeria made efforts to modify its available social protection apparatus to respond to the glaring humanitarian crisis facing the country, especially on food security.

Mr president directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to liaise with State Governments and come out with modalities to continue the school feeding program even by jough schools were shut down.

Discussions were held through the Nigerian Governors Forum and plans were discussed and it was agreed that take home rations would be provided to the beneficiaries of the program using the existing Structures of the program based on the urgency of the situation at the time.

It was agreed that State Governments would use their available resources such as school registers, sbmcs and subebs to identify the household of the children in the communities where the school feeding already exists. This is as Nigeria grapples with the paucity of detailed data on its citizens.

It is worthy to note that not all schools in each state participate in the program. Since State Governments are responsible for the expansion of the program to all the public primary schools.
The plan also identified that a typical household in Nigeria has 5.6-6 members in its household, with 3-4 being dependent and so each household was assumed to have 3 children. The data used is what was transferred with the school feeding program to the Ministry and is reported from validation exercises from NBS.
The cost of food rations is 4,200 and contains items that were assessed not just for sustenance but also for their nutritional value to children- rice for carbohydrates, beans and eggs for protein, salt for iodine palm oil and tomato paste for vitamins.

Knowing this was a novel solution in Nigeria although a fairly common practice in other countries, the 3 most affected states at the time , Lagos, FCT and Ogun were selected as pilots for the program so that lessons would be learnt.
The role of the FG was to fund and to monitor while the States Implement. The data of the beneficiaries was also collected as part of the monitoring process to begin to formulate a database for the Ministry.

So far only these 3 states have been concluded
With beneficiary breakdown as follows;

FCT - 29,609 households
Lagos - 37,589 households
Ogun - 60,391 households

A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd.), has said the sacking of the heads of the armed forces in the country is at the discretion of the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The former army chief said service chiefs could resign if they felt they did not have anything new to contribute again or wait to be sacked by the President.

Akinrinade made this known in a recent interview.

There have been calls for the sacking of service chiefs due to the worsening insecurity in the country and the Senate last week called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack them.

Asked if he supported the calls that service chiefs should go, Akinrinade said the President had the power to either sack the service chiefs or retain them.

He said, “A service chief can resign but sacking them is at the discretion of the President. When you get to that position, you are serving at the discretion of the President.

“If he wants you to go, then you leave. If you have served and you feel that you don’t have anything again to contribute, then you can approach the President and tell him. Or you can write to your minister who will deliver such letter to the President to tell him that you will like to leave.

“But if you are not interested in leaving, you wait for the President to tell you to leave. There is no tenure and that is the problem. It is not stated anywhere that you have to serve as the Chief of Army Staff for four years or as Chief of Defence Staff for two years. There is no tenure.”

Akinrinade, who is a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, said the civil service rule stipulating retirement for anybody who has served for 35 years which he said had been extended to the armed forces was not helpful to the nation at times.

 He stated that some persons might join the armed forces early and would still be productive after spending 35 years in service.

He said, “The civil service rule which has been extended to the forces now; that if you have served for 35 years, you should leave. I don’t particularly think this is a good idea because somebody can serve for 35 years and he or she is only 56 years old, has such person reached the climax of their productive life?

“If the person is doing well are we going to just kick out such person because they have served for 35 years? 

These are matters which
we have installed in our system but which are not necessarily productive at some points. “

Asked to proffer solutions to the insecurity in the country, Akinrinade said it would be difficult to offer good advice without having complete information of what was going on in the military and in the minds of the enemies of the country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FUPS8zkmcc

A source close to the Obaseki family in Benin City has faulted the claim by a certain Victor and Osaro Obaseki claiming to have endorsed Ize Iyamu the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the upcoming September 19 Elections.

The source while admitting that the duo are members of the family and speak for themselves but however do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the family.

The source however warned family member's not to do anything that is capable of dragging the family name in mud. the Obaseki family have always worked so hard to preserve the family over the years without blemishes.

Politics will always come and go and the family will always remain.

The family heads that makes up the Obaseki family are currently meeting to address this issue in other to ensure they all speak in one voice.

Dear Emmanuel Igiebor,
Re: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PALACE AND CAPTAIN HOSA OKUNBO BY CONCERNED EDO CITIZENS – EMMANUEL IGIEBOR
 
We read your open letter referred to above on social media and we felt obligated to join issues with you on all of the issues that you raised. Just as you have exercised your right of a third-party intervention, we have also decided to do the same. It is our hope that this would help to throw some light on the issues.
 
We are concerned Edo citizens just as you are but by virtue of our association with Captain Hosa, we find it pertinent to correct some wrong impressions which you may have inadvertently disseminated.

Whereas, we know that Capt. Hosa would ordinarily not bother to validate the narrative that your letter presented with a response, we feel very strongly that we owe a duty to  him and the Edo people to explain and attempt to put events in proper context.
 
It may interest you to know that a majority of Edo Citizens whom you claim to represent are based in Edo (Benin) and it is only natural that their bona fide representatives should logically reside among them and have firsthand benefit of the overwhelming facts surrounding current issues.
 
The issues you interrogated are laid out hereunder and addressed accordingly.
 
(1) POSTER: The fact that Captain Hosa is not a candidate in the forthcoming elections is obvious and the presence of his orchestrated poster at the Oba’s Palace was simply the handiwork of mischief makers, a feeble attempt to create a diversion. We are very much aware of a grand scheme by Captain Hosa’s traducers to embark on a campaign of calumny to replicate this hideous act of attaching a poster of his photograph to acts of thuggery in subsequent events, which would most certainly be hallmarked by such shenanigans - more like the case of setting him up and making him look complicit in acts of which he knows nothing. Could this be a calculated bid to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it?

We wish to also state that the said posters of Captain Hosa with that of Hon. Osaro Obazee being displayed at the gate of the Oba’s Palace did not and still do not make sense in such a gathering because neither Captain Hosa nor Hon. Osaro Obazee is contesting for any office. We wonder then, what purpose the posters were meant to achieve, if not for some orchestrated mischief. Hon. Osaro Obazee, was a former Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, the same Local government from which the Governor hails. No one is in any doubt that he left behind a strong record of performance which has greatly diminished the governor’s acceptance in the Local Government Area.
 
(2.) ALLEGIANCE:  Captain Hosa has a home that is open to his friends, supporters, and well-wishers who seek his regular support. It therefore makes sense that his abode should be the most appropriate place for anybody to pledge allegiance as is customary during electioneering and other events. The Palace is hallowed ground for all sons and daughters to pay homage when they have need to do so and no true Benin son would choose to cause mayhem there.
 
(3) VISITING THE PALACE: You may wish to realize that the Governor of the State, by right, has access to all nooks and crannies of Edo state, including the Oba’s Palace after due protocols. The renovation you spoke about was a collective effort by well-meaning Edolites and friends of Captain Hosa for the sole purpose of upgrading the Palace into a more befitting edifice that will house our highly revered King. Captain Hosa was only privileged to have participated in the structural reforms and it is therefore our fervent hope that one day you and I will also be in a position to contribute our quota.
 
(4) CAR GIFT: One of the oldest monarchs in the world, the Queen of England, is usually accorded gifts by her subjects as a demonstration of love and affection. The Kano Emirate, the Ooni of Ife, Oba of Lagos, including the Queen of England, all ride in a Rolls Royce Phantom. What stops our revered Oba from driving in a Rolls Royce Phantom befitting of his status? As a proud and responsible Edo indigene, it was only necessary for Captain Hosa to contribute his quota to the uplifting of the status of our dear Oba. That Captain Hosa had the means and privilege to present a gift of a RR to our Oba remains a thing of joy and satisfaction, and certainly not regret to him and to us who are his friends. Those of us who know Captain Hosa well will attest, as we are doing with this right of reply to the fact that he can be quite discreet as a trusted ally and a man of integrity, whose hallmarks are reliability, credibility and dependability. For Captain Hosa, and we share his position, the car is a necessity and not a luxury.  Our dear Emmanuel Igiebor, you needed to have seen the majestic fanfare with which the Oba drove into Aso Rock Villa, typical of expected elegance and royalty, and you would be proud to be an Edo man.
 
(5) KABAKA: Kabaka is an Edo man who is a traditional Ogbe boy. I am sure you are aware of the role Ogbe youths traditionally play in celebration with the Oba. 

Just recently, Kabaka led the traditional “Coronation” Band Train from Uselu and all through the entire procession culminating in the Palace. You cannot therefore exclude Kabaka from such ancient traditions bestowed upon him by his forefathers. Kabaka does not work for Captain Hosa and he has never been sent on any errand by Captain Hosa and certainly not an errand that involves violence. Have you considered the possibility that people working for the governor may have set up this mayhem in an attempt to smear Captain Hosa’s reputation?

It must be noted that the Ogbe youths, whom Kabaka leads, were on that occasion dancing and rejoicing as it was in accordance with their tradition.
 
6) CANADA: Agreed that Captain Hosa has Canadian residency, but it is news to us and our friend, Captain Hosa, that Kabaka’s wife is equally resident in Canada. Please note that Canada is a well-organized society with strong immigration laws and you must therefore have your facts correct to substantiate the claims alleged, otherwise, you stand the risk of being sued for libel in a Canadian court of law.
 
7) OMO N’ OBA: A true Edo (Benin) man cannot be seen to cast such aspersion on the person of the Oba and His father, Oba Erediauwa of Blessed memory, as you have alleged. This is termed a traditional abomination from whence we came and a sacrilege for any Benin man, no matter his status, position or location, to openly criticize His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin. The Oba, by his disposition, is a father to all and the custodian of the ancestral heritage of our Kingdom, one of the few surviving ancient Kingdoms around the world and has never singled anyone out, not even Captain Hosa, for any form of favour. However, Emmanuel Igiebor, as a true Benin man, you must know that: “the wealth of subjects is at the mercy of the Oba and if he has to count his wealth, he starts from the top.”
With all sense of modesty, we make bold to state that Captain Hosa’s relationship with the Palace predates our Oba Ewuare, in whose honour he (Captain Hosa) launched a book titled “A Compendium of Speeches and Writings of Omon N’ Oba N’Edo Erediauwa of Great Benin,” as the Chief Launcher. In attendance on that occasion were such dignitaries as: Gen Yakubu Gowon; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka as Chairman and book reviewer respectively. The book was published by the University Press Ibadan, in 2013. This necessitated Oba Erediauwa to also bestow on Captain Hosa, Ikele Beads in 2014, which is the apogee of honor for any Benin man. May we therefore inform you that Captain Hosa’s relationship with the Palace is long-standing and enduring; that Oba Ewuare personally prayed for him with the traditional staff of authority when Capt. Hosa exhibited his love and total commitment to the Palace in a dance that was the admiration of any true and well brought up Benin man. We want to believe you were also proud of that dance as a Benin man from a respected lineage. The Oba had, on the basis of that, declared him an adopted son of the Palace.

Emmanuel, how else do you expect the adopted son of the Palace to be favoured other than such privileges. Honor begets honor.
 
KABAKA HOTEL:  Our dear Emmanuel, if you have the audacity to accuse the Oba of not asking Kabaka to apologize to the Governor, you should equally have had the audacity to accuse the Oba of not stopping the Governor from demolishing Kabaka’s Hotel without discretion, while Kabaka’s utterances were simply reactionary. The case of Mr Edegbe in Dallas, Texas is different. His unwarranted attacks on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and  Captain Hosa was unprovoked, hence the Oba deemed it necessary to ask for an apology so as to create a sense of protection for all his subjects worldwide, including Mr Edegbe himself. The Oba as you know, is royal, neutral and unbiased, he acts at all times with a deep sense of neutrality and these have endeared him to the nation and numerous admirers worldwide as he views issues from different perspectives as guided by his ancestors.
 
9) CONCLUSION: Captain Hosa’s so-called “fight” with Governor Godwin Obaseki is not a “fight” but a difference of opinions based on Captain Hosa’s convictions under the principles of good leadership and governance. We share in those principles. Let it be on record that Captain Hosa was one of the staunch supporters of Governor Obaseki in the 2016 Governorship Elections. Why don’t you ask Captain Hosa what has gone wrong instead of casting aspersions on his person or intentions? For clarity of purpose, our observation is simple: Governor Obaseki’s style of leadership is faulty, selective and divisive; progress might have been noticed but with a huge deficit in infrastructure and human capital development. The Captain Hosa, that we know, does not fight; he only disagrees and this virtue is characteristic of the humble businessman and philanthropist as well as his siblings. These are virtues bequeathed to them by their father of blessed memory, a one-time educationist in Edo State. The Okunbo family are not of the violent species and thuggery cannot be associated with them. Captain Hosa’s philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles are guided by God Almighty, and his style of assistance remains his absolute prerogative, where only the beneficiaries can speak about it, but not himself. These are Captain Hosa’s guiding principles which keep him in a covenant with God. As we round off, we know that Captain Hosa is not a politician.  He is a businessman. Why are some people like you, constantly defaming an illustrious Benin son who, through the grace of God, has achieved so much and given sacrificially to the development of our Kingdom? Why are you trying to bring him down through your fictitious writings instead of celebrating him?
If these orchestrated attacks were due to his choice of who to support for the governorship, then it is rather unfortunate. Capt. Hosa, to the best of our understanding, has decided to pitch his tent with a candidate against Governor Obaseki in because of his convictions. His persona and businesses have been under constant attacks and his existence has been unconscionably threatened as he had indicated in his well-publicized open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the good people of Edo State.

Edo State needs a man who is man-caring and God-fearing and we believe that Pastor Ize-Iyamu fits that bill.
We restate that Captain Hosa’s differences with the Governor are issue based and must remain so. Please do not allow yourself to be used to run down a man who is trying his best possible to deploy the resources that God has given to him in lifting our minority tribe and placing it on a pedestal of recognition by others in Nigeria and beyond the shores of our country.
Capt. Hosa’s contributions to the progress and development of Benin Kingdom, Edo State and Nigeria are evident in the socio-economic and cultural spheres. He is even readily disposed to render support to and collaborate with government to realise its mandate. Consider this: Do you know that Captain Hosa played a key role in partnership with National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the anti-human trafficking agency, in a concerted effort to push back the frontiers of human trafficking for which he was awarded the 2020 Anti-Human Trafficking Hero award by the agency? Suffice it to say that Captain Hosa’s resources were put at the agency’s full disposal to advance its critical mandate. This is just one instance of Capt. Hosa’s readiness to support and collaborate with government at all levels. Our dear friend, Emmanuel, it is our hope that all we have enumerated above would constitute sufficient grounds for you to shift your position. Thank you.
 
Signed
1 Chief Kennester Oteghekpen The Nobabo of Benin Kingdom
2 Prof Ovenseri Aibueku
3 Prof Edoba Omoregie
4. Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon
5.Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa
6. Hon. Razaq Bello-Osagie

Nigeria Cannot Be Defeated By Evil Forces, Inter- Faith Clerics Declare At Ongoing Prayers


Clerics at the ongoing 21 days prayers and fasting for Nigeria have said the country cannot be defeated by evil forces.


The prayer session led by the National Inter-Interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace is aimed at interceeding for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the various security agencies in the countr


Led by the National Coordinator, Bishop Sunday, the clerics unanimously agreed that Nigeria is God's project and no  enemy can defeat it.


He said, " I  bring Calvary greetings to you all my beloved brothers and sisters gathered here in prayers and fasting for our dear country against the forces of evil that have conspired against it. This gathering is indeed ordained by God to rescue Nigeria in this critical point of our existence. 


"This gathering that consists of our brothers and sisters from both faiths is indeed a testimony that Nigeria is on the path of greatness, and we shall overcome the forces of darkness that have conspired against us.


"My brethren, I stand here before you not to preach the gospel of Christ, but rather to give a message of hope from the Most High God to all of us here as we continue in our fasting and prayers. 


"There is indeed a statement from God that Nigeria is His project and therefore no matter the amount of conspiracy against it, it shall not succeed and Nigeria shall never be defeated. Those planning evil against the country would have their selves to blame because God has sent His angels to guard over the affairs of Nigeria. 


"The promise of God concerning Nigeria was revealed to us in the Book of Psalms 125:2 “Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever." This is the promise of God towards Nigeria. God indeed revealed that he would cause the mountains to surround Nigeria both now and forever, and no harm shall befall us.


"This was further revealed in the Book of Psalm 91:7 wherein the Bible stated that “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” 


"My brothers and sisters, no harm can come near Nigeria regardless of the evil conspiracies against us. They will gather, but the Lord shall scatter them in Jesus name. I tell you, my brothers and sisters, that our gathering here shall never be in vain.  


"Our prayers and supplications have indeed gone ahead to the Host of Heaven to open the doors of blessings for our dear country Nigeria. My joy knows no bound because from the revelations from God; indeed, something good is about to happen in Nigeria.


"My brothers and sisters, in line with the biblical injunction of touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm, is indeed applicable to Nigeria because President Muhammadu Buhari is God sent to Nigeria to lead us to the promised land. All those that are planning against his noble desires for the country shall be consumed by the fire of the Holy Ghost.   


"I  have a message for those that are fuelling acts of violence in Nigeria to undermine the efforts of our military. They should have a rethink and retrace their steps because the wrath of God is about to be visited on them in truckloads.


"They must indeed realize that with this revelation from God, all their efforts shall be null and void because God is not a man that he should lie. His words are yes and amen and what God has decreed concerning Nigeria shall come to past in Jesus name. 


"My brothers and sisters, this great intercession that we have embarked on behalf our dear country is not by any stretch of the imagination an endeavour that would not yield the much-desired outcome because we have cried unto God. He has promised to grant us our heart desires"he said


Garuba said the desires of the group for Nigeria are simple; all those that want to see the end of Nigeria shall meet their waterloo in the fullness of time. The wrath of God shall visit all those that want to rise against our peace and progress. Those that want to undermine and distract our military shall never succeed because ours is the Lord's army devoted to ensuring that all threats posed by the Boko Haram group and other criminal groups are neutralized. 


"Nigeria is the apple of Gods eyes, and as such nothing, evil shall befall it. Even though they plan and plan against our peace and development, we shall come out unscathed and in praise and adoration for God almighty the author and finisher of our faith. 


"My brothers and sisters, I declare today by the anointing of God upon my life that in the coming weeks, there shall be a massive revelation in the country that would expose all those conspiring against the peace and progress of the country. 


"Hear me, my brothers and sisters, I stand before you under the authority of God to declare that no enemy can defeat Nigeria. God would indeed fight our battles and put our enemies to shame. All their evil plots shall be null and void. 


"I  want to encourage us to continue to pray and fast throughout this 21-day fasting and prayer session because at the end of the day we shall all lift our voices in appreciation to God almighty for His great deeds in the life of our dear country.


"We must also commit our military into Gods hands because of the level of conspiracy against it. Our military have continued to push and push in the preservation of the territorial integrity of the country.


"The efforts of our military are indeed commendable. We owe them a duty to continue to put them in our prayers for God to continue to grant hem victory in all of their operations till we see the end of Boko Haram and other militant groups in the country. 


"My brothers and sisters, I want to thank you all for your patience and perseverance during this programme. I prophesy that at the end of the 21-day prayer and fasting programme, we shall all sing out loud in appreciation to God almighty for his great and wondrous deeds in Nigeria. 


"Our prayers must also remain with President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of our great country to the glory of God. 


I thank you all for your great sacrifice. The God of Isaac, Abraham and Jacob would grant us our heart desires and led us to a new Nigeria where peace and tranquillity shall reign supreme"he added

......Ask him to show Edo People his report card of development in the last four years

A former Commissioner representing Esan central on the board of
Edosopadec Prince Emmanuel Odigie who just resigned his appointment from the board, has called out the state governor to show his report card of development in the last four years to the people of Edo State rather than the Audio development been peddled by his dwindling supporters.


He said Edo people are desrious of knowing exactly what the governor had achieved in the last four years that is giving him the audacity to seek for re-election.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie going further said Chris Nehikhare assertions today on Channels TV, that he only had access to what the governor Obaseki has done since he the governor declared to PDP, confirms that the governors achievements is only on papers.

This is announcing the appearance of a huge and special Guest on Channels TV this morning @ 8am on the program Sunrise Daily.

After his resignation, he promised to expose the dirty deals of Governor Godwin Obaseki - we invite you to join this fearless and articulate Edo son on his surprise appearance on Channels TV.

This special guest would be the same person ...... however watch out for the identity of the huge Guest in question.

Don’t be told, be part of it....

By Philip Attah

The Holy scriptures admonishes us in Matthew 5:9 that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” It is a sacred charge on all humanity to be partakers in the process of restoration of peace anywhere it is punctured. God Himself acknowledges the inevitability of wars and conflicts, precipitated by crisis among people, which culminates into what we generally categorize as insecurities.

But the King of the universe and King of Kings has told us through His messengers that “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing,” Ecclesiasticus 3:1-22.

Nigeria is facing dire and very serious resurgent insecurity situation in parts of the country. From Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism to armed banditry, herdsmen marauders, ethno-religious and communal clashes to acts of kidnapping, armed robberies among others. The severity of the insecurity dilemma is well known to every Nigerian.

We have indulged in this self-destruction for too long and it is time to heal and reconcile ourselves and the nation. But some Nigerians are shirking on this divine command for egotistic interests.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Military have battled this insecurity menace in the last five years with an exceptional determination and commitment. For reasons best known to the actors of this illegal warfare on the Nigerian state, all entreaties and pleas to their conscience to drop their arms and ammunitions against their compatriots have failed to touch their hearts. Every day, fresh plots of horrendous atrocities on the Nigerian people are hatched and delivered on the country by these devils and their veiled paymasters.

For a country desirous of peace, its citizens collectively unite to confront insecurity threats. Peace cannot just descend from the skies; we must consciously work to have it.

But the thinking in Nigeria is ironic and different. All Nigerians erroneously think, the responsibility of blighting the fires of insecurities which have engulfed our land is the sole burden of Mr. President, the Service Chiefs and the troops on the battlefield. The rest of Nigerians are apathetic to it and have only assigned to themselves the infantile and inglorious role of wailing over the killings and blaming other leaders.

Some of those who blame Mr. President and disparage the Service Chiefs for not doing enough are also leaders in their respective capacities who have a role to play in the entrenchment of peace and security in the country. But they have unrepentantly ignored it.

We have forgotten that there is nowhere wars or conflicts are settled through military might alone. The dialogue table is the most fertile and potent weapon of resolving issues of war than guns. That’s why Malvin Gaye has told us that “War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.”

But we are all accomplices in failing ourselves. Everyone is guilty for failing our people and the nation. No matter how much we pretend or try to conceal this reality, but it smoulders with the flames of our guilt. All the stakeholders or leaders of Nigeria are guilty in same decree we delight in blaming the President or anyone else.

How long shall we continue with this dodgy posture on rising in unison to assail the insecurities besieging us? Depending on Mr. President to tackle it alone is like waiting for a tomorrow that may never come. Why have other leaders relinquished their basic and crucial roles of intervention in the respective capacities they preside over the people.

A few days ago, I was extremely cold, upset and astonished with the blitzkrieg of media criticisms of President Buhari when he jetted out to the Republic of Mali to officially mediate in the crisis in that country generated by electoral dispute. Buhari did not decide to busy himself with internal matters of another African country because he has finished solving all the problems of Nigeria. But the President had to act under the banner of ECOWAS and officially as demanded of him.

But some Nigerians deridingly scolded President Buhari and described his actions as abandoning crisis in his country to mediate on the same issues in another country. It is the loud confirmation of our posture of abandoning the entire insecurity crisis in Nigeria to the President alone. This is foolhardy.

None of the critics gave a thought to the symbolism of the President’s actions, which signifies collective actions to solve crisis of monumental proportion. His actions sent the message that leaders are not left alone to handle conflicts of such dimension and magnitude.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we have abandoned insecurities to Mr. President. Some simpletons even feel the President should again wear his military uniform and jump into the jungle to personally battle the armed criminals terrorizing Nigeria because he is the leader of the nation.

Therefore, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and activists are silent. When they find it necessary to voice out, they are lamenting or protesting the insecurities in the country. It means these Nigerians can’t think beyond these actions by working on initiatives which can assist government solve the problem of insecurities in Nigeria?

The religious leaders and clerics have also adopted the sit-down look attitude. In fact, some of them even preach inciting sermons in worship places to embolden or lure fresh Nigerians into such crimes against their compatriots, instead of peace. They hardly condemn the actions of the criminals and their sponsors who are dragging our country into this mess or ruination.

And the politicians only exploit the insecurities for politicking advantages. Some are beneficiaries of the insecurities, by using it for commercial value or as a means to grab and permanently hold unto to power. They arm the youths during elections. In the last general elections in the country, some aggressive votes catchers invaded IDPs camp in different parts of the country, manipulated the traumatized and helpless victims of violence to snatch votes.

Traditional rulers have been most disappointing. It is hard to belief that some of them have not only lost their voice, but no initiative of dialogue with subjects or stakeholders to explore ways of complementing government efforts in the fight against insurgencies, armed banditry and other crimes. Regrettably, some of them are even agents of these armed criminals and tormentors of Nigeria.

Bureaucratic bottlenecks are another pain in the neck. For the President to have the National Assembly (NASS)approve budgets for the purchase of weapons for the military to battle insurgencies and insurrections as well as carter for their welfare is usually a tug of war or a combat itself. NASS has refused to grant many requests from the Military to assist them win the war.

Time has come for us to either face the truth or continue with the hellish experiences in our communities. We must begin to collectively act now; we must come together to defeat Boko Haram and the ideology of our killers to appease those the criminals have sent to untimely grave. Excluding ourselves from the battle confronting us is a wrong perception.

Every one of us has a role to play and let’s begin to exercise it now. It is not the responsibility of Mr. President or Service Chiefs exclusively. If we continue with this inclination, it implies that we have all failed ourselves and country. And passing the buck to someone else like Mr. President or the military will do us no good neither can it rescue this nation. For now, we are all guilty. Let’s stop licking our wounds and whining, but embark on appropriate actions.

Attah is a pastor and Christian evangelist based in Abuja.

....warns against calls by politicians for a military coup

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots (CYP) have warned politicians calling for a military coup that the unity of Nigeria is "sacrosanct and non-negotiable". 

The South-West group pledged its total support for one indivisible Nigeria in a peaceful rally on Wednesday in Lagos against disintegration, mutiny and destabilization of the country. 

It also demonstrated solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Armed Forces in a letter received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, Converner, Elder Bankole Johnson, disclosed that these disgruntled politicians have already recruited foot soldiers, whipping up ethnic sentiments and portraying a particular tribe as against the interest of the country. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots further denounced some persons claiming to represent the interest of the region, affirming that the "Yoruba Nation is on the side of one strong and indivisible Nigeria". 

Amidst the conspiracy, the CYP declared absolute faith and trust in President Buhari and vowed to ensure that those engaged in acts aimed to destabilize the country are exposed and brought to shame. 

The group further hailed the current administration for its giant strides in entrenching peace and security in the South-West and across the country.

It, however, advised those on a mission to undermine these gains, clamouring for a military coup that they will meet with strong resistance. 

Read full address below:

Ladies and gentlemen of the press gathered here. I want to crave your indulgence to stand on all existing protocol.

The exigencies of time indeed require that we must be guided in our public utterances in the interest of peace and sustainable development. For Nigeria, it neither east nor south, north or west, but one Nigeria bonded in love and strength. 

The recent happenings in the country have indeed brought out some of the salient issues affecting our growth and development. This fact if we must admit would ultimately constitute a clog in the wheels of our progress, and as such we must do all within our powers to address it from its very source.

We the members of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots know for sure that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and non-negotiable and that is why we have elected to undertake this rally against disintegration, mutiny and destabilization in Nigeria. 

 Do we need a soothsayer to tell us that the enemies of Nigeria have conspired to see the country go up in flames? I am not convinced we need to look too far to see the handwriting on the wall. They have had nocturnal meetings, they have received illicit funding, they have recruited foot soldiers all in fulfilment of their nefarious plot against Nigeria.  

They have also started whipping up ethnic sentiments and portraying a particular ethnicity as against the interest of the country. This is indeed uncharitable and sad, but our consolation rest in the fact that the Yoruba Nation is on the side of one strong and indivisible Nigeria. 

This is regardless of the ignoble position taken by some characters pretending to be representing the Yoruba nation wherein they made fallacious and unsubstantiated allegations that are capable of causing an uprising in the country.

We know for certain that the sons and daughters of Oduduwa are not known for causing disaffection in the society. And consequently, we won’t allow a group of selfish politicians that know nothing but how to take care of themselves alone jeopardize the future of Nigeria just because they want to score political goals.  

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots rebuke such posturing as it is not only self-serving; it is also capable of presenting the Yoruba nation in a bad light and against the unity of Nigeria.  

We wish to state that this rally is to set the record straight and put issues in proper perspectives as regards where the Yoruba Nation stands with regards to the unity of Nigeria. 

The position of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots is crystal clear, and the fact that our absolute faith and trust is with the unity of Nigeria. We shall do all within our means to ensure that those that have elected to engage in acts that would destabilize the country are exposed and brought to shame. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots stand firmly with Nigeria and state that those that have been spreading inciting messages are not representing the interest of the Yoruba nation but rather the interest of their paymasters that have ganged up against the soul of Nigeria. 

We are in absolute commitment with the efforts of the government towards making Nigeria safe and secure for all regardless of our ethnicity, religion or geographical locations, which has remained the hallmark of the present administration since 2015. 

Our support remains unflinching despite the gang ups and conspiracies against the country by those that have benefited from the rot in the system. Since it is no longer business as usual, they have thus constituted themselves as clogs in the wheels of our progress.

We the Concerned Yoruba Patriots are in solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari for his giant strides in entrenching peace and security in South-West Nigeria. Our gratitude knows no bounds but for his rare display of sincerity of heart and purpose, the South-West would have been turned into a killing field by politicians and those who do not wish well for the country and the South-West region. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots as a reputable association of patriots in South-West Nigeria would do all within its limits to ensure that the noble objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari towards the peace and security of South-West Nigeria are fully implemented. 

Our gratitude knows no bounds, and that is why we have come out in our numbers to push forward our message for the whole country to know that indeed any negative news coming from groups and associations of South-West origin is not the reflection of the generality of the people of the South-West region. 

This is especially so because the people of the South-West region are not ingrates. We are appreciative people with a rich history of identifying with progressive policies and ideas towards making Nigeria the country of our dreams. 

As members of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots, it is inexcusable for any group from the South-West region to attempt to undermine the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari towards peace and security in South-West Nigeria. The Concerned Yoruba Patriots would resist such dispositions as well as mobilize the peace-loving people of the South-West region to the streets in solidarity with the federal government.

The stakes are high, and the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and non-negotiable. This fact remains our position now and in the future, because we shall not entertain any form of politicking with the security of lives and properties in the South-West region. The interest of the people of the South-West region remains the top priority of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots, and this supersedes any personal or organizational interest.   

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots believe that this is not the time to play politics with the lives of the people to attain political goals. This much the people of the South-West region must come to terms with and realize that indeed some individuals and groups are out to undermine the peace and security in the region for their political advantage through the instrument of whipping up unnecessary ethnic sentiments. 

The South-West region is in safe hands with President Muhammadu Buhari at the helm of affairs in this country. Our solidarity today is to thank and also pledge our support to the government's efforts towards ensuring that peace and security reign supreme in the South-West region. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots is a partner in progress, and we are known to speak power to truth. This peaceful rally is just one instance as we shall be monitoring events as they unfold to chart a course that would ultimately be beneficial to the generality of the people of the South-West region.

I thank you all for coming out in droves in defence of our nascent democracy. We desire that indeed those that have conspired against the interest of the peace and loving people of the South-West region are put to shame.

This really is just a first step as we have marshalled out strategies to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of the people of the South-West region are translated into tangible realities.

We thank President Muhamamdu Buhari in this regard and wishes to plead with him to continue his good deeds towards the people of the South-West region in Nigeria. 

Thank you all, and God bless. Please let us endeavour to keep the flag flying in the overall interest of Nigeria.

... task Minister to sustain Buhari, masses’ confidence in her stewardship

No fewer than 2,000 Nigerians, on Wednesday, held a 'Thank You Rally' to the Presidential Villa over the success of the N-Power scheme and other Social Intervention Programmes in the country. 

Led by the Concerned Citizens/ N- Power Forum with participants drawn across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, they expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, for the numerous interventions "targeted at the vulnerable and less privileged groupings in the country". 

In his address, president of Concerned Citizens, Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah, extolled President Buhari as a leader with the interest of the people at heart who has displayed " an unalloyed commitment to the entrenchment of sustainable growth and development". 

Dallah recalled how the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and N-Power, in particular, have affected the common Nigerian. 

According to the groups, the feat recorded has been made possible by the commitment, dedication and transparency of Hajiya Farouq. 

The Concerned Citizens and N-Power Forum, however, advised the minister not to relent in her service to the country, sustaining the trust of Mr President to ensure total implementation of the various SIPs. 

While thanking President Buhari for the N-Power Batch A, B and incoming C, the groups pleaded that the number of intended intakes is increased from 400,000 to one million. 

The groups further assured the president and minister of their total support.

Read the full statement below:

I bring warm greetings to everyone here on behalf of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum on this exceptional day and occasion that has seen to the converging of like minds in appreciation to God for the gift of President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigeria. 

Our joy knows no bounds. Words alone are not sufficient to express our gratitude to a man that has distinguished himself as a leader of repute in service to the country through the introduction of the various social intervention programmes targeted at the vulnerable and less privileged groupings in the country. 

The Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum is not oblivious of these numerous interventions that has indeed brought about the much-needed relief in the lives of these group of individuals that dots the nook and cranny of Nigeria.  

Mr President, to say you haven't done well would be a sin against God because in all sincerity, your passion towards uplifting the plight of the masses has been well articulated and this indeed gave birth to the various National Social Investment programmes suited to overcome the failings of the past and to enshrine the values and vision of the current administration for graduating its citizens from poverty through capacity building, investment and direct support.

Mr President, the Job Creation and Youth Employment (N-Power), National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP), and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) have all proven to be invaluable in the lives of our citizens in the sense that the testimonies from these social interventions from the various states in the country are not in short supply.  

Mr President, we have come here to inform you that the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme is feeding over 9 million pupils in 24 states in Nigeria. It has also engaged and empowered over 100,000 cooks across the country.

We wish to state that this is indeed phenomenal when we considered the multiplier effect the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme has had on the ecosystem in Nigeria. This is indeed strategic and a manifestation of foresight displayed by you in steering the ship of Nigeria to greatness.  

Mr President, the implementation of the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) has been a huge success with the payment of beneficiaries in 20 States, to 297,973 caregivers; being trained by 2,495 Community Facilitators. This is also aside from the conditional cash transfer of N20, 000 to the vulnerable households during the COVID 19 Pandemic lockdown. 

Mr President, the joy that radiates in our hearts can be felt in all parts of the country because you have proven yourself as a leader with the interest of the people at heart. You have displayed an unalloyed commitment to the entrenchment of sustainable growth and development, you have also matched your words with actions, and the generality of Nigerians are better for it.

Mr President, the N-Power scheme is another way you have touched the lives of many citizens of Nigeria. This suffices to mention that the Batch A and Batch B streams accommodated 516,600 beneficiaries from various parts of the country. These individuals have benefitted immensely as evident in the contributions they have made towards the success of the programme as well as the skills and knowledge they have gathered throughout the duration of their enlistment in the programme. 

We cannot thank you enough for this significant intervention that has catered for the needs of a large chunk of the youthful population in Nigeria. This is also strategic and a display of sound leadership acumen to understand the critical role of the youths in the socio-economic development of Nigeria. 

Mr President, while we are still thanking you for the Batch A and B streams, the introduction of the Batch C stream is indeed soul-lifting for the members of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum. This is so because of the enormous impact the commencement of the Batch C stream would have in the polity.

Mr President, as a father and a leader, we cannot be afraid or shy to ask for favours from you. Consequently, we are using the occasion of this rally to extend our endorsement of the Batch C stream of the N-Power Programme and also to plead that the number of intended intakes is increased from 400,000 to one million to be able to accommodate more youths and touch more lives in the country.

Mr President, this plea is with the best of intents because as a group, we are witness to the enormous impact the N-Power initiative has had on the lives of the youths in the country. We are not by any stretch of the imagination in denial that if the number of intake for the Batch C stream is increased to the one million marks, the youths of Nigeria would be eternally grateful to you and other members of your administration that have made the N-Power initiative a huge success.

Mr President, in as much as we are gathered here to thank you immensely, we must not fail to bring to your notice that the success of the various Social Intervention Programmes of your administration has been made possible by the commitment, dedication and transparency of some of your lieutenants in the person of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.    

The Honorable Minister has been outstanding in the discharge of her duties, and her level of transparency and accountability has seen to the display of confidence in the various social intervention programmes of your administration. 

The Concerned Citizens and N-Power Forum wishes to encourage her not to relent in her service to the country as the supervisory minister of the various Social Intervention Programmes and to continue to uphold the confidence and trust of Mr President to ensure that there is 100% implementation of the various Social Intervention Programmes in the country. 

Mr President, We thank you once again. It is our earnest prayers that God in His infinite mercies would continue to grant you the grace and the wisdom to lead Nigeria in the right path towards attaining sustainable growth and development.

Mr President, you can always count on the support of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum at all times as we march towards greatness in Nigeria.

Thank You, Mr President and God Bless.