₦airaland Forum

The 61 year old man you see in this photo just lost his life in a ghastly car accident along Ibeju—Eleko expressway, Lagos.

His name is Mr. Salisu Oluwaferanmi Dusonye.
An abroad based retired College Cricket coach.

He was with 3 of his retiree friends who came back to Nigeria from the UK to inspect the almost 2 hectares of land they collectively bought from a real estate company in Ibeju-Lekki with their entire life savings.

2 hectares of land they were to later discover were committed land acquired by the Lagos state government and STRICTLY reserved for public infrastructure, airports, industrial facilities and future public schemes.

A popular Lekki 'big girl' realtor with big nyash and figure 8 convinced these senior citizens to spend almost £72,000 to acquire these lands in 2023 promising them that, due to its proximity to the Dangote refinery, Lekki free trade zone and Ibeju-Lekki sea port, the value of the land would quadruple in 3 years or less.

They decided to travel back home together some days ago with a surveyor and a team of lawyers to see their 'retirement investment'.

Before today, they had sent the land documents and coordinates via their legal attorney to ministry of lands in Alausa for search and confirmation.

Full feedback didn't return until this morning while all 4 elders were at the site of their property which they had already started fencing.

They were informed that:

No private individual could build or use any land around that area because it was committed acquisition land!!!!

No private individual could resell that land because it belonged to the government!!!

In summary, they had just thrown away £72,000 and the additional N600,000 they were currently spending on labour and cement to fence off the area was also pointless!!!

One of the elderly friends, a Mr. Godwin Adegwu instantly had a heart attack on the site there and slipped unconscious.

Mr. Dusonye who was the spokesperson of the friends and the primary purchaser of the land started calling the 'Lekki big girl' realtor who marketed and sold the land to him and his friends 3 years ago.

She initially pretended like she didn't know the man, and when he mentioned the name of her company and described the nature of their transaction, spelling out her full name, she switched to telling the man to send an email to the company, that she doesn't own the company— and when the man kept insisting that she had tricked him into making a bad investment because of her commission and selfish interest, do you know what this lady said?

She asked the man why he didn't do proper investigation before buying the land, and pointed that real estate was a 50/50 gamble and a matter of luck and did he expect that she came to Lagos to count bridges?

She summed up her defense with stating that her job was advertising lands and connecting interested buyers to the company— and NOT giving guarantees on the land being bought. That did he expect her not to sell land and collect her commission?

With this she ended the call and blocked the man.

The poor old man had the call on loudspeaker so his other elderly friends, the surveyors and their respective solicitors and attorneys could hear all she said.

In the process of scrambling into their cars to carry their unconscious colleague to a hospital, both cars were involved in an accident and all the 4 friends and one of their lawyers died at the spot.

Mr. Salisu's 34 year old son who was behind the wheel in the car with the fatalities was mangled beyond recognition.

All 5 occupants of the Honda Sedan car the other lawyers and surveyors rode survived with few scratches, 1 or 2 broken collar bones and sprained wrists.

It was Barrister Sharafa who called me just now breathing heavily:

'Ivan Eagle Lawson.... I know you have a platform. Please warn Nigerians and all the faithful fans and followers of the ivanthemachine movement because I don't think the government is interested in helping matters. Especially the ones based in Lagos and Abuja! There is fire on the mountain o!!!'

This is why I am sharing this.

Yesterday I wrote about the curses a lot of real estate agents in this country are carrying.

Particularly the female ones.

I am hammering on the female ones because most of these fraudulent real estate companies love to recruit them more, realizing how easy it is for a beautiful woman to convince a wealthy male investor to buy some problematic land— than a struggling male realtor.

I know that male realtors also mislead and deceive innocent Nigerians into buying 'dead-end' lands— just for their selfish interest.

But can we compare the number of male deception cases to that of the females?

Look around, these females are everywhere.

Once a beautiful Nigerian female finishes University, hustles for a few years doing low-paying jobs, and eventually encounters an impasse in her career aspirations, the next thing we see is she being featured on a real estate company flyer or video with a Civil engineer helmet and corporate wear talking about how buying land is newest oil well, and why you should buy a land in some underdeveloped region today so you can become Elon Musk tomorrow.

8 out of every 10 Nigerian females in real estate have sold fake lands to people at least once before.

They scary thing is that most of them do not even verify the authenticity of what they are promoting.

Their focus is the money they will get as commission.

So they don't mind using lies and sweet promises to promote and sell swampy lands, lands that exist on only paper and committed acquisition land.

Their strategy is evoking a false make-believe life of luxury and financial independence that bolsters the confidence of their victims in believing that since realtor Amaka looks like a millionaire, realtor Amaka couldn't possibly be involved in real estate scams, and as such it is safe to buy whatever land realtor Amaka recommends.

And this is why we are having this conversation.

Between June till now alone, I have over 148 documented cases sent to me of real estate scams in Nigeria.

Only less than 20 of them involved men.

The rest were championed by women!

Ponder on this first and share this post so your loved ones can be on the alert.

Share on all your pages, profiles, groups and Whatsapp communities.

Anyone who wants more information on the deceased can contact me on @Ivanthemachine or @dryestmaneverliveth on any of my platforms.

I am told the real estate company is still selling fake lands as I speak.

May we not labour all our lives for a Lekki 'big girl' realtor with 'confam ikebe' to use government acquisition land to dupe us.

#ivaneagle
#ivanthemachine
#dryestmaneverliveth
#nigeria

OP scoreboard please.. We easily para

Panel Recommends N1.4bn Compensation, Dismissal Of NSCDC Officers Over Deaths Of 33 Miners In Niger State

The Ministerial Investigative Committee set up to probe the fatal custody deaths involving suspected illegal miners at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) facility in Minna, Niger State, has submitted its final findings, declaring the deaths "entirely preventable".

Presenting the executive summary of the report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday, the chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, recommended a total restitutive compensation package of N1.4 billion to be paid to the families of the victims and surviving detainees.

According to the report, the fatalities resulted from “environmental asphyxia caused by prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded cell aggravated by heat stress and dehydration”.

The committee cited “overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, and inadequate supervision” as the root cause

Crucially, the panel established that the operation which led to the mass arrest was unauthorised. The arrests were conducted “without an operational order or approval from the national headquarters of the NSCDC”.

The committee recommended a restitutive package of N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, totalling N1.4 billion.

Beyond cash payments, the panel urged the federal government to provide educational support for dependents of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families, and a formal apology from the federal government

Addressing disciplinary action against compromised personnel, the committee recommended the summary dismissal and prosecution of officers whose direct actions led to the deaths, alongside administrative sanctions for other personnel who failed in their supervisory obligations.

The submission of the ministerial report follows weeks of public outrage and scrutiny triggered by reports on the tragic incident in September 2026.

SaharaReporters had reported that over 60 suspected illegal miners, many of them young men and teenagers, were rounded up during a crackdown in Niger State and crammed into a single, poorly ventilated detention cell at the NSCDC command in Minna.

Eyewitnesses and distraught family members who spoke to SaharaReporters at the time accused NSCDC personnel of severe high-handedness, torture, and extortion.

Relatives had alleged that officers demanded up to N500,000 in bribe money to release detainees before the fatalities occurred.

Witnesses further revealed to SaharaReporters that officers attempted to cover up the crime by dumping the lifeless bodies outside the detention premises like waste before grieving relatives and community members raised the alarm, attracting other security agencies to the facility.

President Bola Tinubu directed a transparent probe into the deaths, prompting Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo to suspend top officers of the Niger State NSCDC Command and inaugurate the independent investigative committee.

BREAKING NEWS

LECTURERS NEEDED IN THE FOLLOWING FOR IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS/PROGRAMMES WT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, OTUKPO [FUHSO]

The new courses include:

S/N Programme Degree(s) in view

 1.⁠ ⁠Audiology B. AUD
 2.⁠ ⁠Complementary and
Alternative Medicine B.Sc. CAM
 3.⁠ ⁠Dental Technology B.Sc. DNT
 4.⁠ ⁠Dental Therapy B. DT
 5.⁠ ⁠Environmental
Health Science B.EHS
 6.⁠ ⁠Health Care
Administration and
Hospital Management B.Sc. HAM
 7.⁠ ⁠Health Information
Management B.HIM
 8.⁠ ⁠Information Technology and Health Informatics B.Sc. ITH
11.⁠ ⁠Human Nutrition
and Dietetics B.Sc.
12.⁠ ⁠Occupational
Therapy B.Sc. B.OT.
13.⁠ ⁠Optometry O. D
15.⁠ ⁠Physiotherapy DPT
16.⁠ ⁠Prosthetics and
Orthotics B.Sc. P&O
18.⁠ ⁠Radiography B.Sc. B. Rad
19.⁠ ⁠Speech-Language
Therapy B.SLT
20.⁠ ⁠Plant & Biotechnology BSc.
21.⁠ ⁠Telemedicine & Artificial Intelligence in Health B.Sc. TAI
22.⁠ ⁠Mechatronics
Engineering B. Eng.
23.⁠ ⁠Biomedical Engineering B. Eng.
24.⁠ ⁠Data Science B.Sc.
25.⁠ ⁠Cyber Security B.Sc.
26.⁠ ⁠Information Technology B.Sc.
27 Software Engineering B.Sc.
28.⁠ ⁠Information and
Information Technology B.Sc.
29.⁠ ⁠Computer Engineering B. Eng.
30.⁠ ⁠Water Resources and Environmental Engineering B. Eng.
31.⁠ ⁠Science Laboratory
Technology BSc. SLT

Act fast, please.
Application collection is in progress.

Management

Toothless bull dogs on the loose again or is it another cash out on the masses?

One campaign point destroyed from above... What they intended to boast about and use as a strawl to suck naija dry... God pass evil

Benue State Government House did electricity bypass for years so they were relatively enjoying 'technically' instituted subsidy on electricity.

Now, allegedly, instead of buying prepaid code for N5,000,000, the messenger would buy for 50k and pocket the balance. This 50k code can take the duration that the N5 million would've probably taken them on a normal deal. But there was a bypass that substitutes for the money.

But luck ran out on the person or people doing the shady deals.

They were caught by the authorities and fined N50 million by JEDC.

Instead of simply paying, they mobilized thugs, went and assaulted the JEDC Makurdi manager and other staff.

Out of reciprocity, anger and vengeance, the electricity distribution company switched off most of their substations that supply most part of the state electricity.

For three days now, the entire state is in darkness. And economically, more than the fined N50 million must have been expended on private power generation like fueling and buying diesel or solar.

Government House doing NEPA bypass.

Benue, una de try.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


#C O P I E D

*Unmasking the Ijebu-Ode Gas Leak: The Science, the Fears, and the Law*

The sudden outbreak of mysterious gas emissions in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo, and Ago-Iwoye has thrown Ogun State into a public health crisis. What began as a normal school day recently ended in panic when over 100 students and teachers were rushed to hospitals after inhaling a foul, choking odor. This gas keeps coming back and is now spreading into neighboring, heavily populated towns.
Initially, rumors flew. Some blamed chemical spills from the Niger Delta.
Others saw in the emissions the anger of the gods on the burial rites of the late Awujale.They argued that it did not follow the established tradition of the ijebus on the burial of their Obas.Unless,appropriate rites and fetish sacrifices are made,the odors and the emissions will not abate.Local folks also pointed to supernatural forces linked to ancient royal succession shenanigans. The ancient throne of the Awujale is a strong glue that binds the ijebu nation.The Awujale reigns over the whole ijebuland and is the prescribed and consenting authority to nearly all thrones in ijebuland.

However scientists have revealed a deeper empirical truth. Air tests at hard-hit schools like the Anglican Girls Grammar School and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School,all in ijebuode metropolis, detected dangerous levels of methane and hydrogen sulphide, peaking at an alarming 13,500 parts per million.
Experts traced the leak to the Ifewara-Zungeru fault line, an ancient crack in the earth running right under Ijebu-Ode and surrounding ijebu settlements. Tectonic movements deep underground are squeezing trapped natural gases up to the surface.

This underground danger is not unique to southwestern Nigeria; it mirrors a broader threat across West Africa. Geologists have long warned that the forces waking up this fault line are linked to deep weaknesses in the earth across the sub-region. The most tragic reminder is neighboring Cameroon, where a sudden gas release at Lake Nyos in 1986 unleashed a massive cloud of carbon dioxide that suffocated over 1,746 people in minutes and at night.
More recently, Nigerian lawmakers raised alarms over prolonged, hazardous gas seepage disrupting communities in the Niger Delta. Across West African borders, the earth is actively venting toxic gases through its ancient cracks.

To protect ourselves, we must understand what are the gases leaking to the surface and their effects on the human body. Methane is invisible and odorless, displacing oxygen to cause dizziness and fainting. Hydrogen sulphide causes the notorious "rotten egg" smell and acts as a powerful neurotoxin that burns the airways. This explains why the school children collapsed within minutes.
Worryingly, regular human activities make this natural crisis worse. The fault line holds these gases under immense pressure. When individuals drill water boreholes without geological supervision, they puncture these gas pockets, creating direct chimneys for toxic fumes to rise. Similarly, heavy blasting at nearby quarries sends violent shockwaves into the ground, cracking rocks further and opening new escape routes for the gas.

Though the state government reacted very robustly by ordering the free treatment of affected students in its state hospitals. The government also mounted an engaging community interaction on the emerging phenomenon.It also deployed critical manpower to monitor the emissions. Also,the state government has escalated this development to the relevant federal bodies for the benefit of a national response.However
this crisis is a profound legal challenge.
Under Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the government is legally obligated to protect our environment and safeguard the air we breathe. Locally and immediately, the state must aggressively enforce the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) Law, which grants explicit power to issue immediate "Stop Work" orders to any activity threatening public health.
Allowing schools to operate in a toxic zone without early-warning systems compromises the state’s legal duty of care. Schools in these danger zones must have gas alarms installed immediately . As seen recently in ijebuode,the surface sensors fail when gas scatters in the wind. Therefore these sensors must be piped deep underground,a method modeled after successful systems used to monitor gas in Cameroon.

Immediately the State government must place a temporary ban on borehole drilling and quarry blasting near the fault lines until safe zones are legally mapped. By enforcing our constitutional environmental rights, we can protect our children and ensure the air we breathe does not become our silent enemy and a killer.

Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye SAN, Eagle102.5 FM Ilese-Ijebu


# C O P I E D

Unmasking the Ijebu-Ode Gas Leak: The Science, the Fears, and the Law

The sudden outbreak of mysterious gas emissions in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo, and Ago-Iwoye has thrown Ogun State into a public health crisis. What began as a normal school day recently ended in panic when over 100 students and teachers were rushed to hospitals after inhaling a foul, choking odor. This gas keeps coming back and is now spreading into neighboring, heavily populated towns.
Initially, rumors flew. Some blamed chemical spills from the Niger Delta.
Others saw in the emissions the anger of the gods on the burial rites of the late Awujale.They argued that it did not follow the established tradition of the ijebus on the burial of their Obas.Unless,appropriate rites and fetish sacrifices are made,the odors and the emissions will not abate.Local folks also pointed to supernatural forces linked to ancient royal succession shenanigans. The ancient throne of the Awujale is a strong glue that binds the ijebu nation.The Awujale reigns over the whole ijebuland and is the prescribed and consenting authority to nearly all thrones in ijebuland.

However scientists have revealed a deeper empirical truth. Air tests at hard-hit schools like the Anglican Girls Grammar School and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School,all in ijebuode metropolis, detected dangerous levels of methane and hydrogen sulphide, peaking at an alarming 13,500 parts per million.
Experts traced the leak to the Ifewara-Zungeru fault line, an ancient crack in the earth running right under Ijebu-Ode and surrounding ijebu settlements. Tectonic movements deep underground are squeezing trapped natural gases up to the surface.

This underground danger is not unique to southwestern Nigeria; it mirrors a broader threat across West Africa. Geologists have long warned that the forces waking up this fault line are linked to deep weaknesses in the earth across the sub-region. The most tragic reminder is neighboring Cameroon, where a sudden gas release at Lake Nyos in 1986 unleashed a massive cloud of carbon dioxide that suffocated over 1,746 people in minutes and at night.
More recently, Nigerian lawmakers raised alarms over prolonged, hazardous gas seepage disrupting communities in the Niger Delta. Across West African borders, the earth is actively venting toxic gases through its ancient cracks.

To protect ourselves, we must understand what are the gases leaking to the surface and their effects on the human body. Methane is invisible and odorless, displacing oxygen to cause dizziness and fainting. Hydrogen sulphide causes the notorious "rotten egg" smell and acts as a powerful neurotoxin that burns the airways. This explains why the school children collapsed within minutes.
Worryingly, regular human activities make this natural crisis worse. The fault line holds these gases under immense pressure. When individuals drill water boreholes without geological supervision, they puncture these gas pockets, creating direct chimneys for toxic fumes to rise. Similarly, heavy blasting at nearby quarries sends violent shockwaves into the ground, cracking rocks further and opening new escape routes for the gas.

Though the state government reacted very robustly by ordering the free treatment of affected students in its state hospitals. The government also mounted an engaging community interaction on the emerging phenomenon.It also deployed critical manpower to monitor the emissions. Also,the state government has escalated this development to the relevant federal bodies for the benefit of a national response.However
this crisis is a profound legal challenge.
Under Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the government is legally obligated to protect our environment and safeguard the air we breathe. Locally and immediately, the state must aggressively enforce the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) Law, which grants explicit power to issue immediate "Stop Work" orders to any activity threatening public health.
Allowing schools to operate in a toxic zone without early-warning systems compromises the state’s legal duty of care. Schools in these danger zones must have gas alarms installed immediately . As seen recently in ijebuode,the surface sensors fail when gas scatters in the wind. Therefore these sensors must be piped deep underground,a method modeled after successful systems used to monitor gas in Cameroon.

Immediately the State government must place a temporary ban on borehole drilling and quarry blasting near the fault lines until safe zones are legally mapped. By enforcing our constitutional environmental rights, we can protect our children and ensure the air we breathe does not become our silent enemy and a killer.

Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye SAN, Eagle102.5 FM Ilese-Ijebu


# C O P I E D

#C O P I E D


KADUNA: WE MOURNED ALONE,
TINUBU IS COMING FOR CAMPAIGN?

You want to flag-off
Your campaign in Kaduna?
Let us remind you what happened in Kaduna:

Dec 3, 2023 - Tudun Biri:
85 civilians killed by Army drone during Maulud celebration.
Tinubu did NOT come.

Sept 2024 - Giwa:
24 innocent people killed in another "mistaken" airstrike.
Tinubu did NOT come.

Aug 2024 - Kajuru:
4 killed, 3 injured, 37 abducted by bandits.
Tinubu did NOT come.

July 2025 - Windstorm:
6,172 displaced, 6 dead in 5 LGAs.
Tinubu did NOT come.

Sept 2025 - Kachia:
152 people abducted in ONE operation.
Tinubu did NOT come.

Sept 2025 - Zaria:
476 people submerged by flood.
Tinubu did NOT come.

When we were crying,
You were not there.

When we were burying our dead,
You were not there.

When we were looking for our children,
You were not there.

BUT NOW YOU WANT TO COME TO KADUNA FOR CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF?

What do you take us for?
Fools or Idiots?

Kaduna people, remember This
As you Remain at Home!!!

Bought Votes, Stolen Futures

Babayola M. Toungo

There is something profoundly obscene about a political class that presides over mass poverty and then turns around to exploit that same poverty as a means of acquiring or retaining power. As Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, the spectacle of politicians offering desperate citizens a few banknotes, bags of rice and other paltry inducements in exchange for their votes exposes the cynical underbelly of our democracy. The people are impoverished by a system they have little control over, only to be bribed with crumbs to legitimise its continuation.

This is not generosity; it is political exploitation. It is the conversion of human desperation into electoral capital, the commodification of citizenship and the mortgaging of the collective future for the immediate gratification of a hungry present. Politicians who should be competing over ideas, economic programmes and credible plans for social transformation instead find electoral value in the very deprivation they ought to be addressing.

But the indictment cannot end with the political class. Every time a citizen surrenders a vote for a pittance, the machinery of political patronage receives another lease of life. The tragedy is that the price paid for that moment of relief is borne not by the politician who buys the vote, but by the community condemned to endure another cycle of poor governance, diminished opportunity and broken promises.

The irony is profound. Politicians who should be judged by their capacity to create wealth, generate employment and improve living conditions have increasingly turned poverty into a bargaining instrument. Instead of presenting credible programmes for economic transformation, some seek to purchase public consent with handouts that cannot sustain a household beyond a few days.

Yet, it would be simplistic to blame the poor alone. A hungry citizen who accepts money may understand the consequences but be overwhelmed by the urgency of immediate survival. When poverty becomes unbearable and promises of better governance lose credibility, the cash offered today can appear more valuable than the uncertain benefits of tomorrow.

This explains the transaction; it does not justify it. The politician who exploits hunger to acquire public office bears a profound responsibility for undermining democratic choice. But citizens must also confront an uncomfortable truth - when votes are exchanged for temporary relief, the collective future is mortgaged for immediate survival. We often say that a people get the leadership they deserve. But this argument must not become an excuse for absolving political elites of responsibility. Rather, it should be a challenge to citizens to recognise their own agency and reclaim their place in the governance of their society.

The fundamental problem is that our politics has increasingly transformed citizens from rights-bearing owners of the state into clients dependent on the generosity of political patrons. Public resources are presented as personal gifts. Government projects become favours. Scholarships, social assistance and other public interventions are celebrated as acts of benevolence rather than obligations of governance.

This is how patronage sustains itself. Politicians distribute crumbs from the public table, cultivate gratitude and expect loyalty in return. Citizens are encouraged to ask what a politician can do for them personally instead of demanding what government must do for the entire community. The ideological challenge before us is to dismantle this culture of political dependency and restore the principle that government is a public trust, not the private property of those who occupy public office.

Taking back government begins with political consciousness. Citizens must learn to judge candidates by their character, records, policies and capacity to deliver measurable results. They must demand clear answers on employment, education, healthcare, security, infrastructure and economic opportunity rather than allow campaign rallies and handouts to substitute for serious public debate.

But individual consciousness alone is insufficient. The people must organise. Farmers, workers, traders, artisans, professionals, students and community associations must develop collective platforms through which they can articulate their interests and hold political officeholders accountable. A fragmented electorate negotiating individually with political patrons will always struggle against organised interests seeking control of the state.

Citizens must also resist the manipulation of ethnic and religious identities for electoral advantage. No ethnic loyalty can substitute for economic opportunity, and no religious solidarity can compensate for failing public institutions. Our identities should enrich our common citizenship, not become instruments for distracting us from questions of material welfare and accountable government.

Equally important is the transition from personality-driven politics to institution-based governance. The objective cannot simply be to replace one politician with another while leaving the structures of patronage intact. Citizens must demand transparent budgets, accountable public spending, credible elections, independent oversight and institutions that deliver essential services as rights rather than favours.

There is also a need to rethink the relationship between poverty and political freedom. Emergency assistance is necessary where hardship is acute, but it cannot become a substitute for economic transformation. A government that distributes food without addressing why citizens cannot afford food is managing deprivation rather than overcoming it. Sustainable progress requires productive agriculture, decent jobs, viable small businesses, quality education and accessible healthcare.

Political parties, civil society organisations, labour unions, the media and community leaders must help create an environment in which citizens can participate freely, question authority and demand results. Vote buying must be challenged through lawful civic action, public enlightenment and the fair enforcement of electoral laws. The responsibility for protecting democracy cannot be placed exclusively on the shoulders of the poorest citizens.

Ultimately, taking back government requires sustained engagement beyond election day. Citizens must monitor public projects, scrutinise budgets, question elected representatives and organise peaceful campaigns around public-interest issues. Democracy cannot function effectively when the people disappear from public affairs after casting their ballots.

As the 2027 elections approach, Nigerians must decide whether they will continue to participate as clients seeking temporary favours or assert themselves as sovereign citizens entitled to demand accountable leadership. A few thousand naira may provide temporary relief, but it cannot compensate for years of unemployment, poor public services and lost opportunities. The poor should never have to choose between feeding their families today and exercising the democratic rights that could help secure their future.

The ultimate objective is not merely to change the occupants of political office. It is to change the relationship between the people and the state, making government answerable to citizens rather than citizens dependent on politicians. The people must understand that political officeholders are temporary custodians of public authority, not owners of the commonwealth. The ballot is not a commodity to be sold; it is an instrument of collective power.

If citizens continue to exchange their future for temporary relief, they should not be surprised when the same conditions return after every election. But if they organise, defend their rights and demand institutions that serve the public interest, they can begin to reclaim the power that democracy promises them.

The real question in 2027 is not simply who will govern Nigeria. It is whether Nigerians are prepared to reclaim government and governance from the political class and make public power serve the public good.


#C O P I E D

A person with disability - man or woman - *100% deserves to marry and live a full life*, if that is what they want.

Disability does not remove your right to love, to be loved, to have a family, to have a career, to enjoy life.

Serving God and marrying are not opposite. You can serve God AND marry. You can serve God AND remain single. It should be *your choice*, not because people said you must remain like that.

### My advice:

*1. You deserve marriage if you want it.*
Marriage is about companionship, love, character, responsibility - not about having a perfect body. Many people with disabilities are married and have very happy homes here in Nigeria.

*2. Don't marry out of pity, and don't stay single out of fear.*
The right question is not "does this person deserve marriage?" but "is this person ready for marriage?"

Criteria is the same for everybody, disabled or not:

- *Maturity* - Are you emotionally ready to handle responsibilities?
- *Consent and choice* - Do both of you truly love and choose each other, without pressure or pity?
- *Understanding* - Does your partner understand your disability, your needs, but also your abilities? Do you understand theirs?
- *Character and values* - Is the person kind, faithful, respectful, hardworking, God-fearing if faith matters to you?
- *Support system* - Have you discussed practical things? Health, finances, where to live, children, how you will manage daily tasks? This is normal talk for any couple.
- *Independence* - As much as possible, have your own source of income, your own voice. This helps you not enter marriage from a position of desperation.

*3. For family and society:*
If you are asking as a family member or friend of someone with disability - don't decide for them. Don't hide them. Encourage them to learn, work, socialize. Love is not charity.

*4. If you are the person with disability:*
- You are not less of a man or woman
- Don't accept abuse because you think "no one else will marry me" - that is a lie
- Take your time, know your worth, and choose someone who sees YOU, not your disability

God created everybody with purpose. Some people are called to marry, some are called to remain single - whether disabled or not. That calling should come from God and from your own heart, not from people putting a limit on you.



C O P I E D

Wife & husband visited a farm. They saw a bull making love with a cow. The wife asked the farm manager:

"How many times does a bull do this per day?"

The manager replied: "6 times or more a day."

Wife looks at her husband and says....."You see!!!"

Then the husband asked the manager: "You mean 6 times a day with the same cow?"

The manager said, " No, no, with different cows every day."

Husband looks to his wife and says ..."You see!!!"

And they started fighting!!!

Who caused the fight 😂😂😂

HOMECOMING WITH IMPACT: UNIJOS MEDICAL GRADUATES RETURN AFTER 25 YEARS, DONATE MULTI MILLION NAIRA TEACHING MATERIALS TO ALMA MATER

By Emmanuella Benjamin Nentawe

The 2001 class of medical graduates of the University of Jos has returned to its alma mater after 25 years, donating teaching materials to support teaching and learning in the institution.

The donation was announced during a courtesy visit on the University Management which took place in the Vice Chancellor’s Conference Hall on Friday October 16, 2026 as part of activities marking the class’ 25th reunion.

Speaking at the gathering, the chairman of the class, Professor Salaam Abdul, said the visit was an opportunity to express appreciation to the University for providing them with the platform to acquire quality education and in return give back to the institution that shaped their academic journey.

Professor Abdul explained that the donated items, which included Loud speakers, projectors, display boards and other teaching materials, were intended for students from across various levels of the College. He noted that the materials would enhance teaching methods and help students better understand what is being taught in the classroom.

He added that the reunion was designed to bring members of the class together to reconnect and celebrate their shared history. Activities lined up for the celebration include bus rides, a picnic, aerobics, a dinner and a cocktail event.

Welcoming the Class, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos Professor Tanko Ishaya, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Charles Pic Onwochei expressed delight at seeing them alive and healthy 25 years after graduation. He commended the class for remembering their alma mater and returning with gifts, describing the gesture as worthy of appreciation.

Professor Onwochei emphasized that the university should remain an important part of the graduates’ lives, encouraging them to sustain their relationship with the institution and maintain the friendships they had built with one another over the years.

He also advised them to value genuine friendships, noting that as people grow older, their circle of friends may become smaller and that friendships formed before achieving success are often particularly meaningful. He further urged them to remain conscious of their mortality, make peace with their Maker and paying attention to their families.

The Global President Unijos Alumni Association, Comrade Gad Peter Shamaki also congratulated the class on reaching the milestone and expressed appreciation for their decision to involve the Alumni Association in the reunion. He commended the graduates for remembering the University through their contribution and encouraged them to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the alumni association and the institution as well.

Present at the gathering was the University Registrar - Dr Rejoice James Songden, the Bursar and the University librarian who were ably represented respectively. The Deputy Provost, College of Health Sciences, Professor Moses .D. Audu led the team for the visit.

The visit concluded with the presentation of gifts to the University Management and a group photographs. Members of the Class in attendance include: Professor Pokop Bupwatda (Secretary of the Class, Dr. Danlami Salihu, Professor Esther Envuladu, Dr. Gideon Avar,Professor Mark Okolo, Dr. Nanpan Dandam Jilli, Dr. Izang Abel Mathew, Dr. Dajel Titus, Dr. Ibrahim Samuel Pate, Dr. Nathaniel Wash Dusu, Professor Samaila Shuaibu, Dr. Duguru M. J., Dr. Ruth Bello, Dr. Mafwalal Bunah Masak, Professor Simji Gomerep, Dr. Adedayo Adesite, and Professor Francis Ajang Magaji.

Solina Centre for International Development and Research is hiring for the following roles.

Please share to anyone who may need this.

ARISE NEWS DISCLAIMER

INVESTIGATION: ANTHONY KILA'S 'DEGREES'
ARISE News wishes to advise that Anthony Kila, who has appeared several times on this network as a free lance political analyst and has been the subject of a damning investigative report by Premium Times Newspapers will no longer appear on the ARISE News Channel.

Following claims that Anthony KILA falsified his entire academic credentials we contacted Mr KILA on 03 October, 2026 with the allegations. He asked for more time to respond to the claims. He has not responded 10 days after- Instead the allegations have gotten worse. In the circumstances we find that his contributions to The ARISE News Channel is no longer tenable.

ARISE News was unaware of these allegations at the time Anthony Kila appeared on our plattorm and as we take matters of credibility and integrity extremely seriously. We have noted the findings of the Premium Times investigation and Mr Kila will not be appearing on our networks at anytime now or the future - effective immediately.

The Editorial Board

Even dogs don't eat dogs.... Sometimes I wonder where we are as a people.

PBAT-LED ADMINISTRATION PROJECTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA (2023–2026)

*1\. Commissioned and completed projects*

* Jimeta Bridge, Adamawa State — Commissioned in May 2025.

* Yakasai–Badume–Damargu–Marken Zalli Roads, Kano State — Road reconstruction works commissioned in May 2025.

* Kano–Tsalle section of the Kano–Kwanar Danja–Hadejia Road, Kano/Jigawa axis — Reconstructed section commissioned in May 2025.

* Shendam Bridge, Plateau State — Commissioned in May 2025.

* Gwada–Shiroro Road rehabilitation, Niger State — Rehabilitated sections commissioned in February 2026.

* Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State — Remodeled Senate Building and Biodiversity and Conservation Centre commissioned under the 2026 TETFund project programme.

* Nasarawa State College of Education, Akwanga — School of Science Complex, library and e-library facilities.

* Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, Jigawa State — Classroom complex.

* Sa'adu Zungur University, Gadau, Bauchi State — Students' hostel, reportedly valued at approximately ₦738.96 million.

*2\. Ongoing federal projects in the North-West*

* Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway — Major highway construction and rehabilitation project.

* Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway — 203-km railway project being continued under the Tinubu administration.

* Kano–Maiduguri Road dualisation — Includes the Kano–Wudil–Shuarin section.

* Zaria–Hunkuyi–Kufur–Gidan Mutum Daya Road, Kaduna State — Federal road rehabilitation.

* Kano Northern Bypass, Kano State — Announced for construction under the federal road programme.

*3\. Ongoing federal projects in the North-East*

* Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri Superhighway — A planned 700-km, six-lane highway; construction of the first section was flagged off in July 2026.

* Bauchi–Gombe Road rehabilitation — Includes a 35-km section awarded for approximately ₦40 billion.

* Alau Dam reconstruction, Borno State — The Federal Government announced an ₦80 billion reconstruction initiative.

* Maiduguri Bypass Road, Borno State — Included among federal road projects announced in 2025.

*4\. Ongoing federal projects in the North-Central*

* Abuja–Keffi–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi transport corridor — Federal highway development and rehabilitation.

* Buruku–Logo Bridge, Benue State — Bridge construction intended to improve transport links and access to farming communities.

* Wurukum Overhead Bridge, Makurdi, Benue State — Road infrastructure project intended to ease congestion.

* Nnamdi Azikiwe–Kaduna Western Bypass, Kaduna State — A 21.47-km dual carriageway being advanced under the Tinubu administration; the project predates his presidency.

* Farin Ruwa Hydropower Project, Nasarawa State — Proposed 20-MW hydropower development that entered implementation following commercial close in October 2025.

*5\. Other major federal infrastructure programmes*

* Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway — A major planned highway connecting Sokoto in the North-West to Badagry in Lagos; financing and construction must be assessed section by section.

* Calabar–Abuja Trans-Sahara Superhighway — A major proposed highway corridor with northern relevance.

* Federal healthcare projects in Kano State — Primary healthcare facilities reported under the federal commissioning programme.

* Mental health centre in Maiduguri, Borno State — Reported under the federal health infrastructure programme.

* Federal healthcare infrastructure in Abuja, FCT — Includes the Bola Tinubu Specialist Complex at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, and the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System initiative.

...and many more!! 🤷🏽‍♂️

C O P I E D

MORNING SUCCESS TEA

Every Body says Mistake is the first step of success, but the real fact is that the correction of the mistake is the first step of success.

Talk story

HeraldAgric01:
Guys abeg win this game o. Let's get the 3 points

You just got it..congrats

Blunt99:
I need 1 Goal from Bournemouth for my GGorD to enter.

Current World Champions

Iko5000:
Eh sorry Champions as per ?

2mins into the game and the champions are


3rd minute and they're just UNSTOPPABLE

Keep waiting... The plane isn't landing anytime soon

OXFORD VC TO AFRICA: STOP COPYING US - BUILD UNIVERSITIES THAT FIT YOUR REALITY

Prof Irene Tracey says Africa's future is not in replicating Oxford, but in reimagining higher education for itself

In a city that houses one of Africa's most prestigious universities, the Vice-Chancellor of the world's most famous university had an unexpected message: Don't try to be us.

Speaking at the Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra on September 22, 2026, Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, urged African countries to develop higher education systems that reflect their own realities rather than simply replicating models from Britain, Europe or the United States.

It was a striking admission from the head of an institution that has defined what a university should look like for 900 years.

"An Opportunity to Rethink"

Prof Tracey told the gathering of vice-chancellors, policymakers and industry leaders that African universities have an opportunity the West no longer has — the chance to rethink traditional approaches from scratch.

Instead of building rigid three-year degree silos, ivory-tower campuses, and systems designed for 19th-century Britain, Africa can create more flexible, innovative and porous systems suited to its respective countries, she argued.

That means universities built for:

A young, mobile population, not an aging one. Where short, stackable credentials, apprenticeships and entrepreneurship are valued as much as a classic BA.

Economies that need jobs now, not in 10 years. Where curricula are co-designed with the informal sector, agribusiness, fintech, and creative industries, not just imported textbooks.

Realities of access. Where a student in Tamale or Turkana can learn without having to live in a residential hall modelled on Oxford's quads.

The Irony and The Truth

There was irony in the setting. The convening in Accra was co-hosted with institutions that still rank themselves by how close they are to Oxford and Cambridge league tables.

But Tracey's point cuts deep. For decades, African higher education has suffered from what scholars call "academic mimicry" — adopting external quality assurance models, external examination systems, and even academic calendars that don't fit local harvests, climates, or labour markets.

The result: graduates trained for economies that don't exist, and economies starved of the graduates they actually need.

"We cannot continue to produce graduates who are unemployable at home but desperate to be employable abroad," one Ghanaian vice-chancellor responded in the Q&A.

Beyond Rhetoric

The challenge, of course, is implementation.

Will funding agencies stop rewarding African universities only when they publish in Western journals? Will governments invest enough to allow experimentation? Will regulators allow a degree that is 40% industry placement and 60% classroom?

Prof Tracey's answer was clear: Oxford itself is learning from Africa. Its partnerships in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa on vaccine research, climate adaptation and humanities archiving have shown that innovation flows both ways.

But the future, she said, will not be Oxford in Africa. It will be something Africa invents for itself — and the world will come to study it.

As the convening closed, her line lingered:

The best way to honour Oxford is not to copy it.


Ghanacrimereport.com and ghanatalk.com

THE N5,000,000 THAT DISAPPEARED — AND HOW THE BANK SAID *
*"SORRY, NOT OUR FAULT"**

Mrs. Efe is a trader in Warri. She sells fabrics in the Main Market.

One Monday morning, she got 3 debit alerts back-to-back:
N1.5m, N2m, N1.5m. Total: N5,000,000 gone.

She never transferred the money. She was holding her phone.

She ran to her bank, shouting. The bank manager told her calmly:
"Madam, the transfer was done with your correct PIN and Token. So it is authorized. We cannot refund you."

Mrs. Efe thought that was the end. But she met a lawyer who told her one simple law every Nigerian must know.

THE LAW:

When you open an account, you enter into a contract of BANKER AND CUSTOMER. Under that contract, the bank has 3 sacred duties:

1. Duty to keep your money safe with reasonable care.
2. Duty to obey ONLY your genuine instructions.
3. Duty to inform you immediately when something suspicious happens on your account.

The bank cannot just say "correct PIN was used." The bank must prove it was YOU who used it, and that it was not negligent.

In court, the judge asked the bank:
- Did you call Mrs. Efe when N5m left her account within 5 minutes to 3 strange accounts, which has never happened before?
- Did you have a system to flag unusual transactions?
- Did you investigate how her Token was compromised?

The bank had no answer.

The Court held: A bank that fails to detect and stop an unusual and suspicious transaction is NEGLIGENT. It cannot hide under "correct PIN was used."

The bank was ordered to refund the N5m with 15% interest and pay damages.

*LESSONS FOR EVERY BANK CUSTOMER IN NIGERIA:*

1. Your PIN/Token is not a final licence for the bank to debit you. If the transaction is clearly fraudulent and unusual, the bank must query it.

2. Complain immediately in WRITING. Don't just shout in the banking hall. Send an email, get it acknowledged, and complain to CBN Consumer Protection within 24 hours.

3. Demand your Statement of Account and CCTV trail. Under CBN guidelines, you have a right to it.

4. The Bank owes YOU the duty of care, not the other way round. Negligence by the bank makes it liable.

Banks are not doing us a favour by keeping our money. We are paying them to keep it safe. Know your rights.

Don't suffer in silence. That debit may be recoverable.

_This is for public legal awareness only, not specific legal advice.


C O P I E D

Photo Sad News:

🥲🥲🥲


10 Soldiers Feared Killed, Two Captured As Terrorists Attack Military Base In Maru, Zamfara


At least 10 soldiers were reportedly killed and two others captured alive when terrorists attacked a military position in Bindin, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Monday.

Sources said the attack occurred yesterday when heavily armed bandits, in large numbers on motorcycles, stormed the troops' location and opened fire.

The soldiers were said to have engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle that lasted for hours, but were overpowered due to the superior number of the attackers.

Ten soldiers were killed in the encounter, while two others were taken away alive by the terrorists. Weapons and other military equipment were also reportedly carted away according to report.

Maru LGA has remained one of the hotspots of banditry in Zamfara, with repeated attacks on communities and security formations despite ongoing operations by Operation Fansan Yamma.

The Nigerian Army and Zamfara State Police Command are yet to officially confirm the incident as of press time.

Details later...




Our gallant brave soldiers are falling in battlefields, they need our prayers...🙏🙏...RIP to the fallen ones, quick recovery for the injured ones, divine freedom for the captured ones....🙏🙏

When a politician’s face is printed on bread and the bread is packed into a car to be shared, you have to ask what exactly we have reduced politics to.

Bread should be food, not political merchandise. But in a country where millions struggle with the cost of basic necessities, even a loaf can become a vehicle for political branding.

The irony is painful: *the same citizens who should be demanding accountable leadership are being handed branded bread.*

This is more than an unusual campaign image. It captures a political culture where immediate handouts can overshadow the bigger questions: jobs, wages, affordable food, functional institutions, and a government that delivers beyond election season.

*When survival becomes campaign currency, something is fundamentally wrong with the political system.*

What a nation.

Ogbeni Biggie🖊️


C O P I E D

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers published Tuesday morning October 6, 2026 by Ochogwu Sunday:

1. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning for those who lost their lives in the air crash that occurred in Ondo State on Monday. The President also directed that flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of respect for the victims. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

2. The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the presidential candidate of the Accord Party for the 2027 presidential election. The court’s declaration on Monday brings a major legal dispute over the party’s presidential ticket to a decisive conclusion.

3. The 2027 political permutations gathered momentum on Monday as Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri visited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Fintiri’s visit to the Rivers capital comes amid intensified consultations among political heavyweights ahead of the 2027 general elections.

4. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has finally stopped the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to major marketers importing petroleum products into Nigeria. An official of the refinery confirmed this on Monday, saying the refinery would no longer sell petrol to those blending Dangote fuel with imported grades.

5. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday said Nigeria’s national voters’ register had risen to over 103 million following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and final biometric cleanup. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in his keynote address at a one-day strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the commission in Abuja.

6. Nine people were killed on Monday in a fatal crash that occurred at about 4:55 p.m. in the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore section of the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway. The crash reportedly involved two vehicles: a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus, registration number 14B-299DT, belonging to Delta Line, and a white Sino Truck commercial vehicle, registration number AAB162XD, belonging to Bill Gas Solution Ltd.

7. The Nigeria Democratic Congress has dismissed allegations that its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, is secretly working with the ruling All Progressives Congress to undermine the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party described the allegation as false and malicious, insisting that Dickson remained committed to the NDC and its presidential ticket.

8. The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, says he would donate his salary and allowances to widows across Rivers State if elected governor in the 2027 general elections. Lulu-Briggs made the pledge during a media chat in Buguma, his country home in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state, on Monday, where he unveiled his blueprint, titled ‘Reset Rivers State.’

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, devices to bolster its hardware and software infrastructure ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a strategic workshop organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, in collaboration with the commission.

10. Sokoto State Government has debunked a report (not by DAILY POST) alleging that 18 students of Gamji College of Health Technology, Sokoto, were abducted by suspected terrorists while travelling to Oyo State. The government described the report as false, saying no student of the private health institution was abducted. The clarification was contained in a statement issued in Sokoto on Monday by Malam Abubakar Bawa, Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House.

Miners’ Death: FG Announces ₦250m Support For Families Of Victims

The Federal Government has announced a ₦250 million support package for the families of the 37 victims who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.

Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the support during a condolence visit to the Niger State Government and the people of the state over the deaths.

Shettima described the incident as unfortunate, saying the Federal Government shares in the pain of the bereaved families and remains committed to protecting every Nigerian without distinction.

He said the death of the 37 young men in NSCDC custody was a matter of national concern, stressing that every citizen deprived of liberty remains entitled to the protection of the state.

According to him, no allegation should diminish that entitlement, while those responsible must be held accountable through due process.

Shettima said the Federal Government owes the bereaved families justice and answers over the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

While commiserating with the families, the Vice President commended Governor Umaru Bago for his efforts in seeking justice for the victims.

He, however, appealed to the people of Niger State not to politicise the tragedy or demonise the Governor, urging citizens to remain fair to one another at a time of mourning.

Responding, Governor Umaru Bago thanked the Vice President for the visit, describing it as a demonstration of compassion and national solidarity with the people of Niger State.

Bago said the State Government’s demand for justice was not an act of vengeance but a moral responsibility to ensure that citizens do not lose their lives in the hands of those entrusted with their protection.

He assured the Federal Government of the state’s cooperation with the investigative team constituted to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths, stressing that the people of Niger State deserve answers and the families deserve justice.

The governor also pledged the state’s support for Federal Government efforts to regulate mining activities and protect national assets, while calling for greater investment in safe, legal and dignified economic opportunities for young Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Emmanuel Umar, has thanked the Vice President for the visit, saying his presence demonstrated solidarity with the bereaved families and the people of Niger State.

He said the Federal Government’s intervention had renewed the hope of the affected families that their welfare and quest for justice were being taken seriously.

https://www.channelstv.com/2026/10/05/miners-death-fg-announces-%E2%82%A6250m-support-for-families-of-37-victims/

*Just for Laughs*

Your wife expects six things from you - *Sincerity, Affection, Love, Attention, Respect and You as a whole.*

Now it's very difficult for her to remember all the six in a sequence, so it was developed *'SALARY'* 😃

And after retirement when salary stops, she expects *Patience, Earnestness, Nobility, Silence, Intimacy, Obedience, Nearness* i.e. *'PENSION'*😃😃

Do you know where the phrase "The Devil's Advocate" came from?

In 1587, Pope Sixtus V formalised an office in the Catholic Church called the “Promotor Fidei,” the Promoter of the Faith. People simply called him the “Advocatus Diaboli,” the Devil's Advocate.

His job was strange but necessary. Whenever the Church wanted to declare someone a saint, he was paid to argue against it. He dug for flaws, questioned miracles, and challenged every claim of holiness. If a candidate couldn't survive his attacks, they didn't become a saint.

Think about that. One of the most powerful institutions in history deliberately paid a man to disagree with it. Not because it loved criticism, but because it understood something powerful people often forget especially in this part of the world: when everyone around you agrees with you, you stop seeing your own mistakes. You stop growing.

The wisest and intentional governments in the world learned the same lesson.

In Britain, the Leader of the Opposition is paid a state salary, and opposition parties receive public funds called “Short Money” to scrutinise the government. So, the government literally funds its own critics.

Let us go further. After intelligence failures before the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel created a unit in their military intelligence whose only job is to argue against the official assessment. It's called “Ipcha Mistabra,” meaning "on the contrary."

After 9/11, the CIA set up a "Red Cell" to challenge the agency's own conclusions and think like its enemies.

Sweden created the world's first ombudsman in 1809: an independent official paid by the state to investigate complaints against the state. Not paper agencies like we have in Nigeria oh.

These governments didn't do this because they were weak. They did it because they wanted to be strong and most developed countries in the world including Canada has similar units.

Now, bring it home to Nigeria.

Here, it's the opposite. Our governments don't pay critics. They pay praise singers.

Count the aides, the media assistants, and the online warriors whose full-time job is to defend every decision, clap for every project, and attack anyone who asks a question. A citizen raises a concern about public spending, and instead of an answer, he gets a counterattack. He's called an enemy of the state, a paid agent, a frustrated politician, or a man seeking relevance.

Leaders here are surrounded by applause, those whose only job is to sing their praises and tell them "Your Excellency, you are doing well" every morning.

A few months ago, I made a post on this page detailing how I hired someone at KaaTruths Podcast whose job is to find fault in everything we do: every video, every question I ask, every graphic, every thumbnail, even the movement of my lips during interviews.

He started with my "hmm hmm" sound during interviews. I struggled until I stopped. He watched interviews I thought I'd nailed and told me he wouldn't watch them for a second. He once told me, "Sir, you spoke like an illiterate." He's empowered to be brutal, so we get hit internally before the public hits us.

It was the best decision I ever made for the podcast. Every new video is better than the last.

If a podcast can pay a man to criticise it, why can't a government?

Well, the answer is clear: most of our leaders are not interested in leading. They are just interested in power.

But if the government is reading this, I would propose the following:

Let every governor in Nigeria create an Office of the Devil's Advocate: independent, funded, and protected. Staff it with engineers, economists, and yes, critics. Give them access to the documents. Let them review every major project before a naira is spent, and publish their findings. Trust me, any government who does this would be the beloved of the people.

A government that fears criticism will always need praise singers. A government confident in its work will welcome the devil to the table.