Baba wanted to come out and talk to you, he peeped through the Window, instead of each of you holding a notebook and a pen, you were holding stones; and he just went back to Za living room. Return your stones from where you picked them.

The whereabouts of the Chinese team became an issue after the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19 of Thursday.


Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, had said the federal government could not explain the whereabouts of the Chinese medical team because they are the guests of the CCECC.


But Yigao told reporters on Monday that the team came into the country to specially help CCECC fight the disease and protect its employees.


“The team had a telecast meeting with the minister of health and some doctors around the country and shared their experience in China on how they’re fighting the virus and the meeting was very positive,” he said.


“They are here with us and have continued to teach our staff how to protect themselves because protection and prevention are more important than the treatment.


“Most of the workers understand the situation now and they know the risk, so they follow the proper procedures and cooperate with their instructors.”


He said the medical experts would be heading home as soon as the ban on commercial flights to China is lifted.


Yiago praised the Nigerian government for its reaction to fighting the disease, saying the CCECC would like to build on the strong mutual relationship between Nigeria and China.


He said that CCECC would continue to give quality support to the Nigerian people in all areas
“Right now, commercial flight to China is not open, but when flights are open again, we’re considering the team going back to China,” he said.


“In a big country like Nigeria, it can be a bit difficult to control a pandemic because you will have to make all the people of such a large country understand that it is serious and real thing.


“I think Nigeria is taking this very seriously and you can see it in the implementation of the lockdown and the suspension of international flights etc.


“And like other companies in Nigeria, we will do whatever we can to help the country, like building treatment centres and training people on how to handle the virus.


“We understand the COVID-19 pandemic challenge in Nigeria because we are based here and have a lot of employees and we do believe, that with efforts from the government from the people, we will win this war.


“I hope the people of Nigeria understand that we need the help of all peoples across the world to win this fight against coronavirus.”

Residents of Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State in their thousands took to the streets of Sapele town, in protest against the additional 14 days lockdown by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to curtail further spread of Coronavirus in the state.

The governor had on Tuesday 14 April, 2020 in a broadcast, extended the lockdown in the state for another 14 days and imposed a dusk to dawn curfew (7pm-7am).

Irked by the governors lockdown extension, some Sapele women This in their hundreds took their protest to the streets of the town, as early as 7:30am demanding an end to the lockdown.

The women were later joined by other residents of the town including artisans, tricycle and motorcycle riders and others

One of the protesters, Mrs. Oke James, who spoke to journalists, said they prefer to come outside and die than to be locked indoor, “we have stayed inside for two weeks we can’t go to the market, we can’t go anywhere, we are hungry, we will not accept this”.

“We are hungry and we don’t want food, let us go out and fend for ourselves. We want to go back to our normal lives, we are tired of sitting at home.”

Another protester, Oritsemeyiwa who spoke with our correspondent, said the government is very insensitive to the plight of its people.

Oritsemeyiwa, an unemployed youth further added that, since the lockdown started, he has been going round begging to survive.
“As it is now, I have no money anywhere. How to survive for the next 14 days is what I am thinking about.”

Others, who spoke were Sapele-Okpe Community leader Dr. Vincent Ekariko, and Mr Aderopo Peters, a doctor, demanded immediate release of food items, saying Deltans are hungry.
“If you say people should stay at home, tell me, what will they eat, while the leaders stock their home with foodstuff, no water, no electricity, no food for the poor ones, what do you want them to do? They should stay at home and die?” Dr Ekariko asked.

Sapele Local Government Chairman, Hon Eugene Inoaghan, who tried to pacify the crowd with loads of security men was openly rebuffed, with the crowd chanting “We want freedom, we want freedom” however there was pandemonium when the chairman left, with the crowd openly confronting security men with stones, an action that led to burning of tyres and wood.

When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed the protest, saying that many injured and that the protesters have been dispersed.

Yesterday was not entirely a good day for the El-rufai’s on twitter yesterday, as the son to the governor of Kano State, Bello Rufai, threatened to gang-rape the mother of a twitter user he had a brawl with. The brawl originated from a comment the person made on the post of El-Rufai where he suggested that Trump, the American president, was incompetent. In response, the twitter user called El-Rufai an hypocrite for addressing the American competent as incompetent while he sees nothing wrong with the administration of Buhari.

The comment apparently did not sit well with Bello Rufai, who took no chill pill, in calling out the twitter user and threatening him with gang-rape of his mother. Twitter users who reacted to the tweets kept tagging the mother of Bello to give a response to the tweet, and eventually when she responded, she supported her son’s word and claimed all is fair in war and love.

Since then, the El-Rufai’s have been under a barrage of criticism from twitter users who felt uncomfortable with the language usage. Some even demanded that the Son should be immediately reported to necessary authorities because he his a potential rapist. The criticism went on till some minutes ago, when the wife of El-Rufai posted on her twitter page that she has read the post and has corrected her son for such uncouth statement.

Her tweet reads thus;

“ When I posted the tweet below, I assumed it was just the usual Twitter gbas-gbos. Having read the tweets chronologically, I have had conversations with Bello. Never ever should sexual abuse be employed as ammunition in public/ private exchanges, no matter the provocation.

Comrade Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has told African Union (AU) leaders to withdraw the African Union’s Anti-corruption Champion Award conferred on President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, or he would lead a protest in the next AU meeting in Addis Ababa.

Frank had in a statement made available to journalists on Monday said it had become necessary in view of what he described as President Buhari’s lack of integrity, credibility and honour in administering the affairs of the country since May 2015.

The activist wondered why Buhari was selected for the continental award in view of his high level of compromise, while other African leaders with solid integrity, untainted credibility and unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption like Paul Kagame of Rwanda and John Joseph Magufuli of Tanzania were not chosen.

He maintained that Kagame and Magufuli remained shining examples of integrity in the continent, stressing that the President was least deserving of the award, as all facets of the Nigerian nation had become infested with excruciating and growing corruption under his leadership.

While describing corruption under the fight for spread of COVID-19 pandemic as outrageous, Frank said, “Recall that the AU at its 30th Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2018, presented to the President Muhammadu Buhari, a continental award as the African Union’s Anti-corruption Champion.

“The award among others was meant to spur leaders of the continent not just to fight corruption in their respective countries but to engage in impactful projects which were hitherto unfortunately hampered by corruption in the echelons of national governments across the continent.”

He said that he sincerely believed that the choice of Buhari to receive the award was fueled by the regime’s propagandists and lobbyists whose only intention was to commit the AU to supporting a supposed anti-corruption crusade by President Buhari.

“Let me inform you that the choice of Buhari for the Award was not only a misplaced venture but an unpardonable aberration as events back in Nigeria have since shown that rather than fight corruption in which basis he was elected in 2015, the regime has turned out to be an Enabler-In-Chief for wanton corruption.

“Be further informed that the propaganda anti-corruption edifice build around Buhari has since unraveled to reveal a cesspit of monumental corruption being perpetuated by officials of the regime against the people of Nigeria.

“The credentials of Buhari as a man without integrity and honour are well known both within Nigeria and the international arena.

“For instance, Nigeria has been on the downward slide in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) published yearly by the Transparency International (TI) since Buhari took over the affairs of the country in May 2015 till date. The evidence for this is just a click away on any of the internet search engines.

“Besides a plethora of regime officials indicted for corruption in the country, TI’s annual reports from 2015 to 2019 and a recent letter by the Chairman, Finance Committee of the United States of America (USA) Senate, Mr. Charles Grassley, would bring to fore any evidence required by Your Excellency in this regard.

“In addition to the above, it is self-evident that some top officials of the regime have since been sacked for corruption related atrocities – when the regime could no longer bear or cover up their financial improprieties – while many still exist that are sleaze personified.

“In view of the forgoing, the AU will be doing the continental organization of eminent and respected African leaders a great service by retracing your steps (which you were led into by error), redeem the global image of the AU and strengthen its resolve to eliminate governmental corruption from the African continent, by relieving Buhari of the unmerited award.”

He called on the leadership of the AU not only to withdraw the award it wrongly bestowed on Buhari but to also apologize to Africa for their poor and unwarranted action, stressing that if the award was not withdrawn, he would be left with no other option than to mobilize and lead a massive protest against, what he said was an underserved award at the next summit of the AU in Addis Ababa.

Constituents, mainly students, from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, have threatened to recall the Senator representing them in the National Assembly, Mr. Ben Bruce.

The aggrieved constituents accused the “common sense” senator of neglecting them and having no plans for his constituency, which comprises Nembe, Brass and Ogbia local government areas, Bayelsa State

Leaders of student bodies for the three local governments made their grievances known yesterday in a statement.

The statement was signed by Samuel Tari (Nembe), Ambrose Joseph (Brass) and Mark John (Ogbia).

They lamented that the senator was not in good relationship with his people and had continued to shy away from his constitutional responsibilities.

Besides, they said since he was elected, Bruce had not visited his people.

They said: “Since Bruce became a senator, he has failed to look into the basic needs and challenges currently bedeviling the East Senatorial District, such as education, as most of our students cannot access good quality education.

“He has failed to attract a single project to the district in terms of infrastructures, roads and others. He has continuously and deliberately ignored efforts by the people to create a working relationship that will bring out purposeful leadership for our people.

“He is yet to fulfil any of his campaign promises; painfully, he is an Abuja- based senator. He refuses to visit his constituency, except only once when he visited his hometown and couldn’t even stay for up to four hours.

“Sincerely, we are tired, other places are enjoying the benefits that come from having a national representative. Our case has been a curse rather than a blessing. We are just like a district without a senator. This is why we are intended to change that narrative”.

The student leaders gave the senator a 10-day ultimatum, to amend his ways or face consistent protest and the recall process.

“We are, hereby, giving him an ultimatum of 10 days, starting from 21st August. If he fails to meet with us, we shall take our protest to the National Assembly.

“We will mobilise all the students, our mothers and our fathers. We will initiate his recall process. Our people deserve a better treatment from him. We request to have a town hall meeting,” they said.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has once again declared that the quest for the actualization of Oduduwa Republic, will soon be a reality and nothing can stop it.

Writing on his Twitter page on Friday morning, Fani-Kayode claimed that many groups in Yorubaland are supporting Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM) and described the cause as “honourable”.

He tweeted: “Glad that many groups in Yorubaland are supporting YOLICOM in their quest for Oduduwa Republic.

“The quest for self-determination and the yearning for freedom is a legitimate right and an honorable cause.

“It cannot be successfully resisted in perpetuity. God will deliver!”

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom
said he would be needing no fewer
N60bn to turn Benue into London.

Ortom made this statement on
Wednesday during a phone-in
programme monitored by DAILY POST
on Harvest FM, Makuurdi.

According to the governor, the past
administration led by Gabriel Suswam
looted over N109bn from the state and
he had been working round the clock
to recover it.

He said, “he past administration stole
over 109 billion, if I recover just 40
billion (which is the difference of all
salaries and arrears of salaries in Benue
state,) I’ll finish the issue of salaries and
develop Benue into London.

“I wanted to be paying half salary
every month but Labour leaders said,
instead, I should pay full salary in
every 2 months. And that is what I
have been doing.”

The Chairman of Arewa Youth
Consultative Forum, ACF, Shettima
Yerima on Thursday maintained that
the quit notice asking Igbos to vacate
the North on October 1 stands.

Addressing reporters in Kano, the ACF
Chairman said Igbos who were willing
to remain in the north were welcome
but that the order was sacrosanct.

According to Yerima, “We stand by our
notice to Igbo but those who are
interested in Nigeria can stay. But for
those who are not interested, you can
go.

“Our mission is for peace; the unity of
Nigeria is being threatened by the
current agitation from the Igbo and we
want to make sure that those who are
interested in Nigeria stay but those
who are not interested should go.

“The purpose of town hall meeting in
Kano is to review the early stand took
and we are collecting views of people
here from the north-west. We will also
move to north-central and north-east
on whether to maintain our position or reconsider it.

“We don’t have the right to force the
people to go. So, we are using peaceful
means because don’t have police and
army.”

The animosity between Nigeria’s security agencies and their unwillingness to share intelligence are hampering effort at effectively combating the Boko Haram insurgency in the country’s North-east, the United States government has stated.

It stated this in the Country Report on Terrorism 2016 published by the US Department of State’s Bureau for Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism.

For instance, the report said the failure of the State Security Services, SSS, which is primarily saddled with investigating cases of terrorism, to share information with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, makes it hard to investigate terrorist financing.

“While the Nigerian military had primary responsibility for combating terrorism in thenortheast, several government agencies performed counterterrorism functions, including the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and the Ministry of Justice.

“Counterterrorism activities of these agencies and ministry were ostensibly coordinated by the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA). The level of interagency cooperation and information sharing was limited and at times hindered overall effectiveness.”

The report also took a swipe at the EFCC and the Ministry of Justice for their apathy in prosecuting financiers of terrorists, observing that while it is political will to confiscate properties of known terrorists or their financiers, bureaucratic processes cause delay.

The report also stated that the military’s gain against Boko Haram appeared to have slowed down recently and the military has been incapable of exacting its control over recaptured territories.

“Despite gains made by the MNJTF, much of its reported progress was merely duplication of failed efforts carried over from the end of the last dry/fighting season. The Nigerian military was unable tohold and re-build civilian structures and institutions in those areas it had cleared,” it stated.

An Igbo group known as Igbo
Renaissance Agenda, IRA, on Monday
warned that if anything happens to the
leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra, IPOB, Nigeria “would not
survive it, even a minute longer.”

The group issued the warning while
reacting to a recent call by Arewa
youths asking the Acting President,
Yemi Osinbajo to arrest the IPOB leader
for what it termed “threat to national
security”.

Reacting to the call, IRA, in a statement
by its Coordinator, Jude Ndukwe and
Secretary, Amaka Ekwo, described the
call as “hypocritical and callous.”

The group warned that the era of the
North “lording it over Nigerians and
cowing the rest of the country into
silence was long over.”

IRA noted that rather than been
“obsessed” with Kanu, Arewa group
should “face the cankerworm and work
assiduously to tackle the menace of
terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy,
disease, laziness (a vice that makes them threaten to acquire properties of
Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their
region”.

Clainig that the ultimate target of the
Arewa youths was to see to the failure
of the Acting President, IRA said, “They
are looking for ways of pushing
Osinbajo into making monumental
errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they would turn
around to say he lacks the capacity to
lead thereby using that alibi to create
chaos that could see him ousted and
have any of their kinsmen replace
him.”

The statement reads, “Following the
call last week by the Arewa Youth
Assembly to the Acting President to
arrest the leader of the Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu,
for what they termed “threats to national security” arising from his
movements in parts of his country, we,
the Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA,
wish to state that such calls are not
only hypocritical and callous but also
prove that the real enemies of Nigeria are the several Arewa groups being
used to achieve some sinister agenda
by their elders.

“We are alarmed that while the
dreaded Boko Haram and Fulani
herdsmen terrorists designated as the
most dangerous and fourth most
dangerous terrorist groups in the
world respectively are having a field day killing innocent Nigerians almost
on a daily basis especially the latest
one in Maiduguri where oil explorers,
university lecturers, staff of NNPC and
our security agents were mowed
down in cold blood, some still missing while some others were kidnapped,
the concern of Arewa groups is an
Nnamdi Kanu who is non-violent,
never kidnapped anyone, nor
requested for ransom from anybody
unlike terrorist groups from Arewa’s enclave.

“While the Arewa controlled military
and other security forces keep
releasing dangerous terrorists into the
society in the name of de-
radicalisation, they also empower
them by giving them huge sums of money in exchange for kidnap victims
thereby compromising the general
safety and well being of law abiding
Nigerians.

“The non-prosecution of a good
number of these criminals and their
funding by Arewa-led government
agencies in the name of ransom
payment have the unimaginable
propensity to embolden the them to carry out the kind of brazen attacks
they did in Maiduguri and other places
in recent days. This should be the
concern of any reasonable Arewa
group.

“Rather than face the cankerworm and
work assiduously to tackle the menace
of terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy,
disease, laziness (a vice that makes
them threaten to acquire properties of
Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their region, they are so obsessed with the
legendary Nnamdi Kanu who has
always conducted himself peacefully
everywhere he goes.

“We know the main objectives of the
Arewa youths and their elders. We
know that their other target is
Osinbajo. They are looking for ways of
pushing Osinbajo into making
monumental errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they
would turn around to say he lacks the
capacity to lead thereby using that
alibi to create chaos that could see him
ousted and have any of their kinsmen
replace him.

“Our message to the Arewa youths and
their elderly sponsors is simple: we
dare anyone to touch Nnamdi Kanu
and see if the nation would survive it
even a minute longer.

The National Council on Information (NCI) has recommended the “setting up of a Council to regulate the use of social media in Nigeria”.

The recommendation is contained in a communique issued at the end of Extraordinary Meeting of NCI on Hate Speeches, Fake News and National Unity held on Friday in Jos.

In the communique made available to journalists on Sunday, the Council recommended the use of stringent measures in checking conventional media and their programmes.

The Council, presided over by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, noted that Social media has no address as such vetting and editing posting in social media might be difficult.

The Council recommended that Information managers at the state level should open a website to counter report of any misinformation posted by the social media as quickly as the hate speeches, misinformation and fake news are posted.

It recommended immediate killing of whatever postings on social media assumed or presumed to be hate speeches or fake news or misinformation by the information managers in various states.

The Council noted that social media might take over the 2019 elections because Nigerians had come to rely more and believe the social media over the conventional media.

It directed the Federal and State Ministries of Information to use jingles to promote peace and come up with cartoons on the TV and Newspapers telling the dangers of fake news and hate speeches.

“The collaboration must start with National Orientation Agency and the state governments,” the Council recommended.

The Council underscored the need to start talking to those responsible for law and enforcement of justice to address the issues of citizens taking laws into their hands.

The body also emphasised that “the welfare of the people is paramount, people well fed will listen to their government”.

The Minister said the careless incitement to violence and the level of insensitivity to the multi-religious, multi-ethnic nature of the country must not be allowed to continue because it is detrimental to the unity and well-being of our country.

The truth is that when Buhari returns home some people will prop him up and pretend that he is well enough to be President until he falls sick and goes back abroad again.

I am convinced that Femi Adesina has
now finally lost his mind. In his latest
essay he compared Buhari to David.

What on earth is Davidic about Buhari?
David was a Spirit-filled believer and a
heroic and courageous child of God
whilst Buhari is a son of perdition and
a tyrannical servant of satan.

Femi also said Buhari could have “cut
off the heads” of his opponents,
meaning he could have had them
assassinated. Gosh. Poor Femi.

He has just made a cardinal spiritual
blunder the consequences of which I
have no doubt that he will deeply
regret. I knew that he was frustrated
but I never knew he was a man of
blood.

I never knew that he and his leader
believed in murder as a tool of
governance. God will see to it that they
pay a terrible price for even thinking of
taking the life of their detractors and
political enemies both in this life and in the next.

The truth is that God alone gives and
takes life and whether they like it or
not He guards His own jealously. No-
one is intimidated by Femi’s implicit
threat.

He ought to be mindful of the fact that
whilst he and his associated are
planning to take someone elses
precious life they may end up losing
your own. Examples of that are replete
in the Holy Bible.

Abishai and David’s other strong men
were courageous and righteous men
who undertook a noble cause, shed the
blood of evil men and fought against
tyranny.

That is not the case with Buhari’s cabal.
They are the opposite. They are the
darkness that seeks the darkness. They
prey on the weak, they destroy the
young and they slay the old, the
vulnerable and the weary.

Buhari has no Abishai’s around him. He
has no Joab’s and no Prophet Samuel’s
either. He only has Absalom’s, Haman’s,
Judas’, Dalila’s and Ahitophel’s.

That is the tragedy and the weakness
of his Presidency. That plus the fact
that he does not fear God and he does
not respect the rights of the Nigerian
people.

Finally Femi wrote “when Buhari
returns home some people will bury
their heads in shame”. He is wrong.

The truth is that when Buhari returns
home some people will prop him up
and pretend that he is well enough to
be President until he falls sick and goes
back abroad again.

It is called “corspsocracy” and it is
defined as the rulership of the living by
the dead.

The path of blood is a dark and
unpredictable one. I advise Femi not to
take it.

Leader of a coalition of Arewa youth groups that gave Igbo in the North October 1 deadline to vacate the region, Yerima Shettima has stated that the idea behind the quit notice is working perfectly.

According to him, the groups decided to come with the quit notice to make leaders in the Southeast sit up and tell Nigerians their position in the call for separation by leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

He said right now, Igbo elders and youth leaders had maintained they want to stay in Nigeria, denouncing Biafra, which according to him, was the main purpose of the quit notice.

Shettima who spoke with Sun said, “To God be the glory you can see that after this madness of quit notice everybody sat up.

“For the first time, we saw the governors being compelled to come forward to say look we are not part of Biafra, we do not believe in Biafra.

“That is a plus to Nigeria. On the issue of organization, such as Ohaneze, the Ohaneze Youth Council met with us three days ago and told us they don’t believe in the Biafra struggle.

“‘We are Nigerians and we believe in a country called Nigeria and we want to be part of it but we are thinking of restructuring.’

“That is a plus to Nigeria. To me ordinarily we would have been honoured for what we did. It should have been celebrated as a nation that there is that awakening of consciousness in our country.


“The government on their part sat up under the leadership of the Acting President. You could see meetings going on to save the country. We want the country to remain together and on that note we will be making adjustment.

“Based on the meeting of the south east governors, jointly with Ohaneze and other organizations, even before the Ohaneze Youth Council met us, I said we will review our position on the quit notice and we are working on that.”

The Oodua People’s Congress on Thursday lashed out at the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, for allegedly making uncomplimentary remarks about a former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and other prominent Yoruba leaders.

It however said it supported the aspirations of all self-determination groups who pursued their aims through non-violent means.

A statement by the National President, OPC (Reformed), Dare Adesope; and the National President, OPC (New Era), Rasaq Arogundade, also said the two factions had fused.

It stated that the OPC remained committed to the restructuring of the Nigerian nation and to the attainment of a just and egalitarian country, in which all federating units and constituent tribal units would have a sense of belonging.

It said, “The OPC also supports the genuine aspirations of all self- determination groups who pursue their aims through non-violent means.

“The Nigerian constitution and several international charters, to which the country is a signatory to, recognise the right to freedom of association by anybody, whether individual, corporate or institutional.

“However, in supporting such agitations, we must not shy away from rebuking Nnamdi Kanu for the aspersions he has been casting in the direction of our revered leaders. Kanu’s repeated condemnation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and others is condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

It added, “The idea of respect for elders might be alien to Kanu and his ilk, but it is a fundamental part of the Yoruba culture and tradition and we cannot afford to overlook such transgressions.

“We therefore use this medium to warn Kanu and other such individuals who are fond of making careless comments in relation to our leaders; that OPC will no longer sit back and allow this bunch of nonentities to disrespect our leaders or to use them to score cheap political scores.

It added that the OPC was also committed to the promotion and furtherance of democratic principles in Nigeria, adding that it would continue to support the entrenchment of democracy, rule of law and all the attributes of a sound democracy.

Even as his domestic approval ratings hit an all-time low, US president Donald Trump can take comfort in his growing popularity in some parts of Africa’s most populous nation.

Though his xenophobic, white nationalist views have no doubt alienated many Nigerians, his nativist and Islamophobic rhetoric has energized others. Indeed some see Trump as a political icon. Even though Trump has said little to nothing about Nigeria, these groups see in him a powerful figure sympathetic to their aims. It goes without saying that Nigerians’ reaction to Trump’s 2016 election victory was muted compared to their response to president Barack Obama’s historic 2008 win.


Over the course of his presidency, however, Nigerian goodwill toward Obama faded, hurt by his decision not to visit Nigeria, his support for gay marriage, and perceived unwillingness to supply arms to the Nigerian military. Former president Goodluck Jonathan even accused the Obama Administration of clandestinely supporting president Muhammadu Buhari’s candidacy, claiming U.S. actions during Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election amounted to interference.


69% of Nigerians still view the United States favorably, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center poll. This reservoir of goodwill—combined with Trump’s robust social media following and his ambivalence about contentious issues like human rights—suggests Trump might receive a warm welcome if he decided to visit Nigeria. A U.S. presidential visit is long overdue: the last was by George W. Bush in July 2003.


Growing Social Media Footprint
So how big is Trump’s Nigerian fan base? In the absence of public polling, one quantifiable metric of Nigerian interest in Trump is the number of people following him on Twitter. Over 700,000 Nigerians tune in to Trump’s tweets: over 2% of his 32 million followers, according to TweepsMap.com. His Nigeria-based Facebook is another useful metric of his popularity: between October and June it more than quadrupled, says analytics firm SocialBakers.com.