Politics
Nigeria and the politics we play!
Nigeria and the politics we play!
By Abiodun Komolafe
The founding fathers of politics in Nigeria came with some ideals girding them. To begin with, one would discover that almost all of them were lawyers while those who were not lawyers were people with discernible convictions. Also, political parties or organisations at the time were always with a sense of direction, to the extent that no two parties were the same in their aspirations and/or the philosophies they believed in. Without doubt, the whittling down of these qualities gave rise to the mumbo jumbo being witnessed, currently, in Nigeria’s political firmament. Unfortunately, Nigerians felt unperturbed.
Once upon a time, Nigeria was not used to having fraudulent people, especially, in her decision-making positions. But how come they have now become thorns in her flesh? Take for instance, when political hoodlums realized that they could help themselves through the instrumentality of terror and violence, they hijacked the process and created for themselves a vibrant specific political space with juicy benefits to boot. Unlike the First Republic where hoodlums were put into their positions according to the dictates of the social stratification and the ranking of social statuses, these days, the texture of our politics has become so frighteningly rough and evil-permeable that a gangster can nurse the governorship ambition of a Nigerian state. These are issues Nigeria’s political class ought to have addressed long ago. But they couldn’t! Well, it’s not that they didn’t understand how to go about resolving them. It is frustratingly annoying that they’re also products of the confusion. Hence the difficulty in speaking to them!
When Obafemi Awolowo was arrested and eventually sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for treasonable felony, had Nigeria’s activists woken up to their calling and suppressed the trumped-up charges, Awolowo would not have been unjustly imprisoned. Of course, Nigeria would most certainly have escaped the mess into which she was eventually – and, conveniently, too – plunged. Awolowo went to jail and Nigerians went about their daily activities as if nothing had happened. As fate would have it, only the grace of Gowon saved the sage!
When Adisa Akinloye and ‘men of like minds’ from the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) went on a spending jamboree in London, Awolowo was the first to warn Nigerians of the economic calamity waiting to happen. Again, Nigerians behaved as if they were untroubled. Instead of sitting up to salvage the situation with unrivalled dexterity, the then President Shehu Shagari-led government chose lampooning the ‘old man’ as a hobby. Regrettably too, Nigerians ignored the warning! Since the old man had no power; and, since the society was gullible, economic depression had its way! Not long after, ‘austerity measures’ hit the country like a plague. Still, the society did nothing! Of course, that sounded the death knell for a government that was already on edge! Tantalizingly, ‘austerity measures’ have kept expanding, in different sizes and colours.
When the Wole Soyinkas of this world founded the Pirates Confraternity, there was a set academic standard which must be met before a prospective candidate would become initiated. That’s why conversations with any member of the Confraternity at the time were always laced with impressive delicacy and skill. Again, that was then! Gradually, the low-life popular culture of hooliganism took control and ‘Fadeyi Oloro’ usurped the functions of the 70-year-old Confraternity!
When on February 1, 1971, Adekunle Ademuyiwa Adepeju was shot and killed at the University of Ibadan (UI), the then General Yakubu Gowon’s regime was almost brought down because no calamity of that magnitude had ever befallen Nigeria’s university system before that time. To a typical Hausa man at the time, it was merely ‘nufin Allah ne’. So, ‘life continues!’ The Ibos simply thought that it was a Yoruba boy who was killed. Since the 23-year-old undergraduate was not from their tribe, ‘life’ also ‘continues.’ That’s not all! Half of the Yoruba population were not even as knowledgeable as to have understood that no Nigerian, let alone a university student, should be killed. But the elite shouted and Gowon was scared! Unfortunately however, after a time, some never-do-wells emboldened the Head of State. They advised Gowon to merely apologise to the nation, condole with Adepeju’s family on the loss, and assure them that government would look into it, which the junta did! But what has become of the Student Union Building named after the fallen hero? It is doubtful if students of this prestigious university still remember that a Kunle Adepeju was mowed by an unknown police officer in Nigeria.
Time it was in Nigeria when academic journals from Nigeria’s foremost universities were being accorded international recognition. Now, one even wonders whether Nigeria’s academics even have the time to sit down, think and write, let alone get them published in internal journals. The worst part of it is that lecturers are now promoted as professors, not based on their publications, what they do, or international recognition. No! It’s because they have been around for too long, marking time in the Departments; or belong to a cult; or something like that!
In 1972, the Nigerian Students Loans Board was established with the core mission of catering to the financial needs of Nigeria’s indigent students. At the end of the day, the rich and the elite hijacked it for their children while those for which it was originally intended were left gasping for breath. Unfortunately, those children who illegally benefitted from our commonweal have not even deemed it fit to give back to the society, which is one of the worse things. They are either in the UK, USA or Canada, making merry, thereby forgetting their humble beginnings. As such, the opportunity they had was never reproduced so that other people can have what they had.
Well, I have argued elsewhere that a tyrant is a tyrant to the extent that people believe the man is using the frontiers of his ambition and power given to him legitimately. That’s when a tyrant can be seen to be acting. But then, what is missing, centrally, is the control. The tragic truth is that, due to lack of control, those who hitherto had no business in politics came into it and impose their own values. The depth and impact of this tragedy can be felt from our mystifying and super-lifting an individual, simply because he spends a token of our commonwealth to build a substandard road for us, and commissions it with nearly the same amount of the cost of construction. What’s more? Every new and incoming government campaigns on the anvil of the most heinous crimes and dysfunctions of the incumbent government with a view to securing the votes of the masses. However, if one doesn’t have the understanding of the dynamics of power and how it relates to human beings, one is most likely to be offered a seat on the table of mammon in a way that’s likely to make one become a tyrant. And, as we know, when warped values become part of the majority, it becomes a problem.
May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!
*KOMOLAFE wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State ([email protected])
ADC Condemns Intimidation Campaign Against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogun State Chapter, strongly condemns the ongoing intimidation and smear campaign targeted at our party leader and Interim National Secretary, *Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola*, by opposition forces in the South West region.
It is unacceptable and undemocratic that as he exercises his constitutional and political right to campaign across the region, elements of the opposition resort to harassment and attacks instead of engaging in issue based politics. Such actions are a direct assault on democracy, free expression, and the spirit of fair political competition.
The ADC calls on security agencies and all relevant authorities to guarantee the safety and freedom of movement for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and all our party leaders nationwide. Democracy thrives on inclusivity, tolerance, and fairness not intimidation.
We urge our members and supporters to remain steadfast and law-abiding, as the ADC will continue to pursue its vision of a just, democratic, and prosperous Nigeria.
*Signed:*
Honourable Muhammed MJG GKAF
*Publicity Secretary, ADC National Media Frontiers, Ogun State*
Primate ELIJAH AYODELE: The Seer, And the Country That Listens
By Femi Oyewale
Ejigbo, Lagos — When Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele steps onto the pulpit of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church each week, he does more than preach: he convenes a national conversation. For decades, the clergy has issued blunt, often headline-grabbing prophecies about presidents, markets, and disasters — pronouncements that are dutifully copied, debated, and digested across Nigerian newsrooms, social media, and political corridors.
Primate Ayodele is best known for two things: the regular release of New Year’s and seasonal “warnings to the nation,” and a large, loyal following that amplifies those warnings into national discourse. He publishes annual prophecy booklets, holds prayer mountain conventions where journalists are invited, and maintains active social media channels that spread his messages quickly beyond his church gates. In July 2025, he launched a compendium of his prophecies titled “Warnings to the Nations,” an event covered by national outlets, which Ayodele used to restate concerns about security, governance, and international affairs.
Ayodele’s prophecies have touched on lightning-rod topics: election outcomes, the health or fate of public figures, infrastructure failures, and international crises. Nigerian and regional press have repeatedly published lists of his “fulfilled” predictions — from political upsets to tragic accidents — and his followers point to these as proof of his accuracy. Media roundups in recent years credited him with dozens of prophecies he argued had been realised in 2023 and 2024, and his annual prophetic rollouts continue to attract wide attention.
Impact beyond prediction: politics, policy, and public mood
The practical effect of Ayodele’s ministry is not limited to whether a prophecy comes to pass. In Nigeria’s politicised and religiously engaged public sphere, a prominent seer can:
• Move conversations in electoral seasons; politicians, commentators, and voters listen when he names likely winners or warns about risks to candidates, and his claims sometimes become part of campaign narratives.
• Shape popular expectations — warnings about economic hardship, insecurity, ty or public health influence how congregations and communities prepare and react.
• Exert soft pressure on leaders — high-profile admonitions directed at governors or ministers often prompt responses from the accused or their allies, creating a feedback loop between pulpit pronouncements and political actors.
Philanthropy and institution building
Ayodele’s public profile extends into philanthropy and church development. He runs INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church from Oke-Afa, Lagos, and his ministry periodically organises humanitarian outreach, scholarships, and hospital visits — activities he frames as evidence that prophetic ministry must be accompanied by concrete acts of charity. Church events such as extended “17-day appreciation” outreaches and scholarship programmes have been widely reported and help cement his appeal among congregants who value spiritual counsel paired with material support.
What makes him unique
Several features set Ayodele apart from other public religious figures in Nigeria:
1. Productivity and documentation. He releases extensive, numbered lists of prophecies and compiles them into booklets — a tactic that makes his predictions easy to track (and for supporters to tally as “fulfilled”).
2. A blend of national and international focus. His pronouncements frequently move beyond parochial concerns to name international actors and events, which broadens his media footprint.
3. Media-savvy presentation. From staged press events to active social accounts, Ayodele understands how to turn a prophecy into a viral story that will be picked up by blogs, newspapers, and TV.
The public verdict: faith, influence, and skepticism
To millions of Nigerians — and to his core following — Primate Ayodele remains a pastor-prophet whose warnings must be taken seriously. To others, he is a media personality whose relevance depends as much on spectacle and circulatory power as on supernatural insight. What is indisputable is his role in magnifying the religious dimension of national life: when he speaks, politicians, congregants, and newsrooms listen. That attention, in turn, helps determine which social and political questions become urgent in public debate.
Looking ahead
As Nigeria heads into another cycle of elections and economic challenges, Ayodele’s annual pronouncements will almost certainly return to the front pages. Whether they are read as sober warnings, political interventions, or performative theology, they will continue to shape conversations about destiny, leadership, and the kinds of risks a deeply religious nation believes it must prepare for.
Politics
BABATUNDE OLAOGUN STORMS LAUTECH; GIFTS DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WORKABLE TOOLS
BABATUNDE OLAOGUN STORMS LAUTECH; GIFTS DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WORKABLE TOOLS
In a remarkable display of commitment to academic excellence and community development, Hon. Babatunde Olaogun, a distinguished alumnus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), has gifted the Department of Business Administration with state-of-the-art workable tools such as stationery items which includes several reams of A4 papers, detachable whiteboards. permanent markers, temporary markers among others things.
Olaogun also added that as part of his commitment to ensuring that students of the department enjoys first class academic infrastructure, a contemporary projector facility would be delivered to the department in no distant time courtesy of his humble self to further enhance ease during presentation of seminar and projects.
The donation ceremony was graced by eminent personalities at the department, including Prof. (Mrs) Ojokuku, Prof. Adegoroye and Dr. (Mrs.) Akanbi who warmly received Mr. Olaogun. The trio of the reverred academics thanked Mr. Olaogun for his commitment to good causes and urged him to continue doing even more good for the university, Ogbomoso in particular, Oyo State and the entire nation at large.
In their goodwill message, Prof. Ojokuku and Prof. Adegoroye also counseled Mr. Olaogun to stay focused and not be swayed by naysayers who may seek to tarnish his reputation. They further encouraged him to carry along, students of Public Administration from LAUTECH, with a view to a availing them practical skills and knowledge essential for their success in their future endeavors.
The Department of Business Administration is thrilled to receive this donation and looks forward to leveraging these tools to improve academic outcomes and produce highly skilled graduates.
Mr. Olaogun’s gesture is a shining example of the university’s alumni community’s commitment to supporting and nurturing the next generation of leaders.
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