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Governance & Grievance – A PERSPECTIVE. written by O’tega OGRA
Published
10 months agoon

Governance & Grievance – A PERSPECTIVE. written by O’tega OGRA
O’tega ‘The Tiger’ Ogra
@otegaogra
·
It is disheartening to see various discourses on the proposed demonstrations by some turn into ugly narratives that should never have a place in our national space. Here are my thoughts, and feel free to engage respectfully…
1. It is every Nigerian’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression
2. The Nigerian state also has a constitutional obligation to guarantee every constitutional right of every Nigerian, including free movement, safety, and security.
It is also the right of hundreds of millions of Nigerians to choose not to join any protests as many have chosen – and all parties must respect this. Asserting one’s rights should not lead to the denial of another’s.
3. If you claim you want to have a peaceful demonstration yet have allowed some actively involved in your protest to use your platform to mobilise people publicly in the name of causing destruction and chaos, you are also responsible for whatever chaos they cause.
4. To the protest leaders, can you confidently say you have a grip on the behaviour of those you have sought to join you in the protests? To those who have chosen to join the protests, can you confidently say you are fully aware of the plans—seen and unseen—of those mobilising you to demonstrate?
5. Even worse, if you haven’t come out to openly condemn and dissociate your protest platform from calls for the destruction of regular Nigerians’ livelihood and violence against the Nigerian people and state, it could mean you consent to your protest platform to be used for chaos – directly or indirectly.
6. President Bola Tinubu @officialasiwajubat is aware of the pains Nigerians are facing due to global economic shocks and local policies that have been put in place to secure a prosperous future for Nigeria.
7. Mr President listens—just as he has been listening since Day 1 of his presidency. He has shown a willingness, never seen at this level before, to return to the drawing board where policies may have been unpopular.
7. Today, the numbers speak for themselves—foreign reserves have not been depleted despite paying off over USD7.5bn in outstanding obligations/backlogs. The frivolous and sometimes unconstitutional use of the CBN’s way and means to borrow money from the CBN and mortgage our meagre revenues while putting the nation further into penury is no longer the case. Now, spending is mainly tied to earnings.
8. We are also seeing the rate of inflation slowing considerably.
Families can now breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy more disposable income, thanks to initiatives such as the student loans scheme and credicorp. These programs alleviate the pressure of making immediate bulk payments for everyday expenses. Additionally, the P-CNG Initiative is driving down commercial transportation costs by providing free conversion kits, enabling the use of more affordable CNG fuel for commercial vehicles. These are all in addition to other programmes like I-DICE, NIYA, and various MSME support programmes/interventions. The number of taxes is being reduced by at least one-fifth, with some out of the way already. Imports of critical food items have been exempt from levies for a period of time. What more?
On the security front, we have successfully reduced incidents of internal insurrection and kidnappings. Over 5,000 of our fellow Nigerians have secured their freedom, and an impressive number of terrorists and insurgents (over 11,000) have been either neutralised or captured. Our tactical operations will persist until Nigeria is entirely safe. We trust in the protection of our brave men and women in Uniform who courageously risk their lives daily, even leaving their loved ones for extended periods, to secure our freedoms. Institutions like the EFCC actively pursue those exploiting gaps in our system to undermine the country. Whether it’s the former CBN governor accused of misappropriation, customs officials arrested for accepting bribes to sabotage the economy, or fraudulent individuals tarnishing the image of hardworking young Nigerians worldwide, rest assured, your day in court is approaching. Justice will prevail.
10. The country is experiencing a resurgence in FDI, particularly in the energy/oil & gas sector, thanks to the new presidential directives (40, 41, 42), which plug some of the gaps in the PIA. As you may already know, NNPCL now operates as a fully commercial enterprise whilst regulatory functions have been removed and clearly defined under crucial regulatory agencies – NUPRC and NMDPRA, who regulate the petroleum value chain and all local and international players, including NNPCL. Total Energies/NNPCL JV has signed the Final Investment Decision on the USD550m Ubeta Gas Development project on the back of executive directives 40,41, &42. More are to be announced in due course. The international scene is more confident than they have been in recent years about coming back to Nigeria.
11. Foreign companies leaving? Yes, some are, but we must not ignore that many of those leaving failed for years to invest in the value chain of their businesses or did not adopt suitable approaches to the local markets. Others were following a global trend to cut down their scale in markets such as Africa. However, for every company that leaves, their businesses have been taken over by other foreign investors who see the opportunities in Nigeria or local investors who have built the capacity to operate in this environment. The high exchange rate may not be ideal, but what about the opportunities presented? Countries like Indonesia and Vietnam, with exchange rates between 12,000 to 25,000 in their local currencies to the dollar, have used similar opportunities to push their countries to become two of the fastest growing in the world spurred by increased productivity, value addition, and exports, which a weaker currency provides. Nigerian companies that add value and are export-focused are already taking advantage of this.
12. President Bola Tinubu is unwavering in his commitment to bringing governance to the grassroots. President Tinubu’s administration has secured local government financial autonomy through the successful Supreme Court case brought by the AGF, implemented policies to support unemployed youth like the out-of-job social safety stipends, and increased FAAC allocations to states for further development investments. His focus is firmly on stabilising the economy to ensure a secure future for all our children. President Bola Tinubu is resolute, focused on his job, and won’t be swayed. Every eligible Nigerian will have the opportunity to judge his performance at the ballot box in three years. This hard-fought democracy gives every Nigerian the power to hold all leaders accountable.
Know This: President Bola Tinubu is not beholden to any special interests, and despite expected resistance by some ‘Hands of Esau’ who cannot get their way, and trying to rile up the polity, he will always put the interests of Nigerians first
13. Again, it is your constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful assembly, but in this case, where some mobilisers have come out on various platforms to say they aim for destruction and chaos, how do you guarantee your objectives are aligned? How do you now convince or guarantee the hundreds of millions of non-protesting Nigerians that those of you who choose to protest are simply out to air your voices and not to cause violence or destruction as has been pushed by many within your midst?
The choice is yours. Think about it and decide if you are in support of violence against our communities or for us to join hands in moving the country forward. Where do you stand?
God Bless Nigeria. #NigeriaWillSucceed.
Otega O
#TheTiger #Nigeria
#TheTiger #Nigeria #FreedomOfAssembly #RespectEngagement #Constitutionalrights
#PeacefulProtests #ConstitutionalObligations #NationalUnity #PresidentBolaTinubu
https://x.com/otegaogra/status/1817722963325567291?s=46&t=-WT1A6V3jj52Bil8fk9JSg
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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

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Retired, Not Tired: Buratai’s Fitness Routine Sparks Motivation Nationwide
Published
5 hours agoon
May 28, 2025
Retired, Not Tired: Buratai’s Fitness Routine Sparks Motivation Nationwide
After years of distinguished service at the helm of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd) is redefining what life after uniform looks like—with energy, discipline, and a commitment to personal wellness.
Recent photos of the former Chief of Army Staff in the gym, widely shared on social media, show a man who has swapped combat boots for training shoes but not his signature resolve. Relaxed yet resolute, Buratai continues to lead by example—this time, in the pursuit of health and balance.
In a caption accompanying the viral images, Buratai emphasized that his workout routine isn’t just about staying fit—it’s about celebrating a life of service with renewed purpose. “This gym walk-out is about more than exercise; it’s about enjoying the fruits of a long, honorable career,” he wrote.
The message has struck a chord. Admirers across the country have commended his discipline and positivity, lauding his transition from top military leadership to a model of healthy living in retirement. For many, Buratai is not just a retired general—he’s now a wellness ambassador.
His journey offers a powerful reminder: retirement isn’t the end, but the beginning of a new chapter—one where growth, self-care, and inner peace can thrive.
Photos and full message available on his verified Facebook page:
Read more here
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16hgxtnhXu/
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TRUMP, MALEMA, RAMAPHOSA AND THE OVAL OFFICE GRILL by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
Published
3 days agoon
May 25, 2025
TRUMP, MALEMA, RAMAPHOSA AND THE OVAL OFFICE GRILL by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
It was quite a show at the Oval office in the White House a few days ago when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with American President Donald J. Trump to discuss bilateral issues and world affairs.
It began with Trump’s unsubstantiated and frankly asinine allegation that the white Boers of South Africa are being subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
This is not only false but also painfully absurd.
Sadly it did not stop there. Trump went on to assert that Julius Malema, the inspirational charismatic and colourful M.P. and leader and founder of the South African Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is a hate-filled black supremacist and racist and a cold-blooded murderer and ruthless terrorist whose intention it is to kill every white person in South Africa.
Needless to say these allegations are baseless and false. The Americans are attempting to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. It is nothing but yet another well-crafted but unsubstantiated mendacity.
Even though Malema is very vocal and highly controversial he does not strike me as a hater of whites but rather as a hater of injustice, oppression, persecution and institutional racism.
He is a man with a social conscience who speaks for the poor, the weak, the vulnerable and the oppressed and who has constituted himself into a major thorn in the flesh of the political establishment and the ruling elites in South Africa both white and black.
He is very eloquent, well-informed, well-read and quick off the mark and these qualities, coupled with his obvious courage and strength, make him a formidable adversary which every person of class, rank or privilege in his country has every reason to be wary of.
He also speaks a good deal of sense and his passion for truth, justice and equity for the black majority population of South Africa and commitment to the emancipation of the African continent from the forces of imperialism and neo-colonialism cannot be denied.
To millions of South Africans Malema is a deeply courageous, insightful and profound man and possibly the greatest post-Mandela hero and rising star that their nation has ever known.
To add to this millions of Africans (including Nigerians and Zimbabweans) who live in South Africa regard him as a loyal and trusted friend who has always spoken up for them and sought to protect them from the rabid xenophobia that most black South Africans suffer from and who has a strong and commendable Nkrumaist Pan-African vision.
For Trump and his White House to attempt to disparage such a man that brings so much to the table and that has done so much to restore the self-respect and dignity of black South Africans and Africans all over the world simply because he sang an old outdated, pre-independence, apartheied-era, anti-Boer war song at his political party rally is uncharitable and unkind.
To turn down the lights of the Oval office, watch a film on him on television for four good minutes and make him the centre of discussion at a bilateral meeting between the Presidents of two of the most respected nations on earth only proves the fact that he is no longer only an African phenomenon but also a global brand and a rallying point for blacks from all over the world.
To that extent Trump has inadvertently elevated his profile rather than diminish it.
Like in the case of the Biblical Joseph, what Trump meant for evil, God meant for good.
Yet perhaps the most shameful thing that Trump did on that day was not what he attempted to do to Malema but rather the following.
He presented a picture to Ramaphosa and his delegation of what was purportedly “1000 white South African graves with white crosses on them of white South African farmers” that were supposedly “dispossessed of their land by black terrorists” and “murdered in cold blood”.
Contrary to the American Presidents assertions it was later confirmed that the picture was NOT of the graves of white farmers in South Africa but rather of a burial ground in a completely different country called Congo!
One wonders how the President of the most powerful nation on earth could make such an egregious and monumental blunder and indulge in such deceit and doublepeak all in an attempt to humiliate the South African President.
Sadly it didn’t stop there. Trump literally ambushed Ramaphosa, lectured him, bullied him, spoke down to him, accused his Government and people of heinous crimes, kept interrupting him when he attempted to speak, mocked his role as a peacemaker in the Ukraine/Russia conflict and sought to utterly humiliate him.
To behave in this unacceptable manner and indulge in such mendacious falsehood is below any President let alone the most powerful one in the world.
I see the hand of Elon Musk, who himself is a South African and who has not hidden his contempt and disdain for the ANC-led South African Government and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu, whose Government has been accused by South Africa of genocide and indeed taken to the International Court of Justice and to the International Criminal Court both at the Hague, in all this.
Both must have thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle!
Yet the truth is that even if his predominately white right-wing MAGA base in America may have been excited and thrilled by his proverbial lynching and carpeting of a helpless and whimpering black President at the Oval office it has also alienated a lot of black and particularly African Trumpers like yours truly who have always refused to regard Trump as a racist but rather as a man who was specially chosen, prepared, raised and anointed by God to destroy the American Deep State, to terminate the Godless agenda of the globalists, to stop the wars of the world, to put God at the centre of affairs when it comes to politics and governance, to re-establish and re-instill the Christian virtues and values that America was built on, to break the back of the unholy, Luciferean trinity and anti-Christ philosophy of Obama, Clinton and Biden in world affairs and American politics.
I sincerely hope that we do not end up regretting our support for him but if he continues in this way that support shall undoubtedly dwindle.
Why do I day this? Consider the following.
First it was “let us grab Greenland, Canada, Mexico, the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal and rename the Gulf of Persia”, then it was “let us turn Gaza into an American Riviera”, then it was “let us wage a tariff war against the nations of the world”, then it was “let us alienate and abandon our European allies”, then it was “let us provoke China”, then it was “let us go to the three richest nations in the Middle East and compel their Kings to invest trillions of dollars in America and even give us a new presidentiel jet”, then it was “let us bring the little African leader who leads a country with the largest and most properous economy on his continent to the Oval office, humiliate him before the world and bully him into leaving our white brothers in South Africa alone” and the latest is “let us stop foreign students from attending Harvard University because the authorities of that school have refused to bring to an end the pro-Palestinian
demonstrations that are taking place on campus”.
These actions are increasingly troubling and whether we have hitherto admired, loved and prayed for Trump or not we cannot support a confirmed bully and racist. That would be ungodly.
We cannot support a man that finds it difficult to empathise with the suffering of others or that is fast losing his humanity. That would be incorrigible.
Trump needs to retrace his steps, divest himself of these glaring and obvious symptoms of meglomania, obsessive vanity and extreeme narcissim and get real.
God did not deliver him from the hands of his enemies and make him President to do this sort of nonsense but rather to make America great again and to make the world a better and safer place. If he fails to do this God will leave him, remove him and replace him with another.
Back to the episode at the White House.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s responses to the grilling were equally embarrassing and frankly disappointing.
Most western commentators have described his disposition, body language and reaction as “weak”, “cowardly” and “cringeworthy” and I am constrained to concur.
No President should bow and tremble before another no matter how rich and powerful the latter may be.
In the African context Nelson Mandela would not have done so and neither would Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Jerry Rawlings, Thomas Sankara, Ahmed Ben Bella, Muammar Ghadafi, Patrice Lumumba, Gamal Nasser, Sani Abacha, Ibrahim Babangida, Kwame Nkrumah, Muhammadu Buhari, Robert Mugabe, Samora Machel or Ibrahim Traore.
This ritual of inviting foreign leaders to the Oval office like King Hussein of Jordan (who literally had to bow and lick Trumps posterior), President Vlodomer Zelensky of Ukraine (who was insulted, rubbished, humiliated and finally thrown out) and now Cyril Ramaphosa (who was forced to watch an embarrassing scene about his country on television) and belittling and denigrating them must stop.
The humiliation of the South African President particularly was painful for me to watch because of the frightful history of his country and the terrible atrocities and apartheid system that the white Afrikaaner Boers subjected the black Africans to for hundreds of years.
They went through all that and now they have to suffer this in the hands of yet another white man.
This same white minority that oppressed and enslaved them in their own land for hundreds of years control 80% of the economy and own 90% of the land in their country today despite the fact that they only constitute 8% of the population.
These are the people that Trump is claiming are being subjected to genocide and is offering asylum in America.
These are people that in the main and in the past have regarded black Africans as being “no better than animals”.
These are people that practised apartheid and that described black people as the biblical “hewers of the wood and drawers of the water”.
These are the people that once regarded a black man as being a quarter of a human being and that not only refused to have legal inter racial sex or marriages but compelled black people to live in shanty towns that were little better than concentration camps and subjected them to pass laws much in the sane way as the Israelis are subjecting the Palestinians to such inhumanity and degradation today.
If a Nigerian leader had been treated like this at the Oval office and I was in the room believe me all hell would have broken loose and Trump, his VP, his Ministers, his team and the American White House Press Corps would not only have got more than they dished out and bargained for but they would have been given a curt history lesson about the past and present atrocities of their nation and a thorough and precise lecture about the matter at hand.
I am a Trump supporter but in all matters my nation and continent must come first.
I despise the way he bullied Ramaphosa and I hope and pray that if he or any other foreign leader tries this with any Nigerian leader that I am in the room.
The days of talking down to African Presidents are long over.
More importantly the days of cowardly, weak, subservient, spineless, grovelling, corrupt, compromised and ignorant African lichspittles and
quislings who call themselves leaders but who lack self-esteem, self-respect and pride in their people and who have no shame or dignity, who are hopelessly compromised, who have no knowledge of world affairs or world history, who are pawns of the neo-colonialists and imperialists and who have sold their soul and destiny of their nation to the western powers are long over.
This fact can be confirmed by what can best be described as the “Traore spirit” that is blowing into all the nooks and corners of our continent today.
As much as I love and support Trump his attitude and policy on Africa and Gaza leaves much to be desired.
He needs to do better and he must understand that the Palestinians and the Africans, though facing challenges, are far more resilient than his people ever were and come from a far older and greater civilisation than his country ever did.
We may not have their money and power but we have God.
Their time is now but tomorrow belongs to us. That God that put them up there and established their hegemony and empire shall remember us.
We too shall rise and at that time all men shall say that the rejected stone has become the corner stone, that the Lord uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise and that in truth all things are possible with God.
(Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is the Sadaukin Shinkafi, the Wakilin Doka Potiskum, a former Minister of Aviation and a former Minister of Culture and Tourism)
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Power, Protocol, and Papal Grace: The Inside Story of How It All Went Down in Rome By Bianca Ojukwu
Published
5 days agoon
May 23, 2025Power, Protocol, and Papal Grace: The Inside Story of How It All Went Down in Rome By Bianca Ojukwu
There’s something about the Vatican that strips away titles and trappings. In the shadows of St. Peter’s Basilica, under the searing Roman sun, global leaders, power players, and everyday pilgrims become equals—bound by reverence and ritual.
I should know. I was there.
On my last trip to the Vatican—during the funeral of Pope Francis just weeks earlier—I had witnessed something unforgettable. As President Donald Trump arrived and a crowd of dignitaries swarmed to greet him, a sharply-dressed, no-nonsense priest cut through the noise with a firm:
“Scusi. This is St. Peter’s Basilica, not the White House. Kindly take your seats.”
Boom. Order restored. And a reminder: here, no one upstages the moment.
So when I returned for the Installation Mass of Pope Leo XIV, I knew I’d be witnessing not just history, but human theater—with the Nigerian delegation right in the mix.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leading the delegation, arrived in good time—early enough to soak in the atmosphere, greet dignitaries, and observe the ancient rites. As we settled into the square, I spotted Peter Obi and Kayode Fayemi, former governors and political heavyweights, already seated. After the President had taken his place, I went over to greet them—and in a rare gesture of statesmanship, they chose to accompany me to pay their respects to the President.
What followed was a surprisingly warm and humorous exchange. Far from the icy tensions back home, Tinubu welcomed them with ease, smiling, laughing, and trading quips like old friends reunited at a family function. They soon returned to their seats—but that moment, however brief, spoke volumes about what’s possible in Nigerian politics when the ego is set aside.
But Rome doesn’t care who you are. The sun showed no favoritism. Under the blazing Vatican heat, everyone—presidents, pilgrims, priests—sat exposed. The square is merciless. People faint. They’re carried off in stretchers. It’s part of the experience.
One man, seated directly in front of me, collapsed mid-Mass. Paramedics were far off, and panic briefly rippled through the crowd—until Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, leapt into action. He darted to the vestibule and returned with a cold bottle of water that was used to revive the man before medics arrived.
Meanwhile, the President—stoic and composed—sat through the entire three-hour liturgy, standing and kneeling as required, skipping only Communion. Afterward, he lingered. He chatted with Nigerian priests, seminarians, posed for selfies, and shared laughs, showing none of the fatigue one might expect.
And oh—that suit.
Tailored to perfection, the President’s power suit turned heads across the square. The cut, the stride, the confidence—it was presidential flair meeting ecclesiastical ceremony. He walked up to greet the new pontiff with grace and gravitas.
So yes, Vatican ’25 wasn’t just a religious event—it was a convergence of power, humility, diplomacy, and humanity.
From protocol to personal moments, this was history not just witnessed, but lived.
And for those of us lucky enough to be there, one thing is clear:
In Rome, you don’t just attend a Mass. You become part of a moment that echoes through eternity.
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