GOVERNANCE FAILURE IN KWARA AND WHY APC MAY LOSE THE STATE

By Tope Musbau

There is heightened tension in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, resulting from the feeling of foreboding failure, frustrations and despair.

While, many other States of the federation that are at the centre of governance are busy counting their gains and beating their chest believing that they will have a landslide victory in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, and indeed any other election, party men and women of the APC family in Kwara State are hiding their faces in shame and despondency because the state governor, Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has performed abysmally poor, and seems unredeemable, because he has earned for himself the unenviable reputation of a serial failure in Kwara state, even after spending seven solid years with nothing to show for it.

Lean years of total governance failure, characterized by ineptitude and inability of his government to perform its basic functions, leading to a collapse of the rule of law, economy, and social services.

Little wonder then at the level of insecurity and the widespread criminal activities, and general avoidable violence witnessed in the state.

For those seven years, the governor has failed to provide essential services such as healthcare, education, sanitation, and infrastructure, resulting in dire living conditions for citizen, choosing rather to mismanage the economy, leading to localized hyperinflation, unemployment, poverty, and a significant decline in the standard of living, occasioned basically by widespread corruption, cronyism, and nepotism, eroding public trust in government institutions.

Unfortunately, inspite all entreaties from well-meanining individuals and party men, Governor AbdulRazaq has consistently remained adamant, unfazed, and unwilling to hold public officials accountable for their actions, as he himself is culpable, leading to impunity and further governance decay.

A system of state sponsored repression pervades, limiting citizen’s right, occasioning outrage, and loss of public trust and confidence in his government.

Obviously, Governor AbdulRahman, has woefully failed to deliver on campaign promises, but has instead replaced them with excuses, poor performance in office, and perceived corruption thereby eroding the trust of the electorates.

His lack of clear or convincing policy direction has led to voter disillusionment, while the lack of people based leadership is generating internal conflicts, and disconnect between party leaders and the electorate, undermining the party’s appeal, leading to inadequate messaging, ineffective use of media, and poor voter engagement affecting grassroots mobilization and support.

It is becoming clearer by the day, that a strong, well-organized, and effective opposition can capitalize on the incumbent governor’s weaknesses and sway voters.

Unfortunately, Governor AbdulRazaq is unlike most of the other Governors, much money has been coming into the cofers of the state government, both from the federation account and the state internally generated revenue.

For instance, in the past two years, Kwara State disbursement from the federation account has been consistently above 110 Billion Naira, which has grown from N42.87 billion in 2022 coupled with a huge about 5.7 Billion monthly IGR, giving no room for his excuses and terrible failures.

Governor AbdulRahman has been in office since 2019 and has failed to implement various initiatives aimed at improving the state’s economy, infrastructure, and social services.

His failure to invest in revenue-generating infrastructure, promote efficient tourism and agriculture, and provide job opportunities for the youths has greatly undermined the security of the state, dwarfing its growth and sustainable development, making Kwara State perpetually a state historically heavily reliant on federal allocations.

An ineptitude Incarnate and corruption Connoisseur, Governor AbdulRazaq’s visionless leadership of over seven has done kwara state much damage and fostered evil, erasing all past gains and driving it back to the coldroom of regression.

A resolute accountability avoider, and master of evasion, Governor AbdulRahman’s inability to inspire development has become a significant threat to the survival of the APC in Kwara state, especially when the state’s current situation is compared with the past or with neighboring states who are not collecting such huge amount from the federation disbursement.

His inability to inspire development in the last seven years has indeed become a clear threat to the survival of the APC.

It is certain that the state may reject the APC if AbdulRahman is seen to be backing any candidate.

Here lies the urgent and crucial imperative and a patriotic call for an independent and neutral progressive minded person to step forward to lead, and as well rescue the APC and align it with the performing strides of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the centre.
A stitch in time, saves nine!

Musbau wrote this piece from Tanke, Ilorin.

Africa’s Endless Leadership Curse: Why West, Central and East Africa Remain Trapped in Under Development.

George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

“Decades of independence, trillions in natural wealth; yet Africa bleeds under recycled leaders, weak institutions and visionless governance.”

Introduction: The Paradox of Plenty.
More than six decades after independence, Africa remains a continent of contradictions; endowed with immense natural and human resources yet crippled by poverty, corruption and political inertia. From Nigeria’s REVOLVING-DOOR LEADERSHIP to Cameroon’s LONG-STANDING DICTATORSHIP under Paul Biya and Uganda’s near FOUR-DECADE RULE by Yoweri Museveni, Africa’s story reads like a broken record of promises betrayed. The tragedy is not that Africa lacks talent or resources. It is that it lacks visionary leadership and institutional accountability. As the late Chinua Achebe wrote in his classic The Trouble with Nigeria (1983), “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” That timeless diagnosis captures the state of most African nations today, a leadership vacuum sustained by GREED, TRIBALISM and a CULTURE of IMPUNITY.

The Mirage of Independence.
When NIGERIA GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1960, it was seen as the BEACON of BLACK HOPE and a nation destined to lead Africa into a new era of prosperity. Similarly, UGANDA and CAMEROON emerged from colonial rule with optimism and promise. Yet, independence merely replaced white rulers with black elites who preserved colonial structures of exploitation.
Since 1979, Nigeria has witnessed over a dozen leadership transitions (from Shehu Shagari to Muhammadu Buhari and now Bola Ahmed Tinubu) yet none have broken the chains of poverty, insecurity and infrastructural decay. Over 200 million Nigerians still share less than 5,000 megawatts of electricity, an amount that powers a single suburb in Johannesburg or London.
Cameroon’s story is even more tragic. Paul Biya, who became president in 1982, is now 92 years old and remains one of the world’s LONGEST-SERVING heads of state. He has ruled mostly from Switzerland, earning the nickname “the ABSENTEE PRESIDENT.” Meanwhile, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who seized power in 1986, has altered the constitution twice to abolish term and age limits. Under his regime, dissent is criminalized, opposition silenced and political offices turned into hereditary possessions.
According to Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, Nigeria ranked 145th, Cameroon 154th, and Uganda 142nd out of 180 countries and there are proofs that corruption remains INSTITUTIONALIZED not INCIDENTAL.

LEADERSHIP without VISION: The Heart of the Problem.

Africa’s political elite mistake longevity for leadership and charisma for competence. In advanced democracies, continuity means institutional strength; in Africa, it means autocracy. Angela Merkel ruled Germany for sixteen years and left behind a legacy of stability, innovation and fiscal discipline. By contrast, Biya and Museveni’s combined 81 years in power have produced neither industrial transformation nor human capital development.
Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, a respected Kenyan scholar, once said, “Africa is a continent of rulers, not leaders; men who love power more than they love their people.” This statement reflects the psychological foundation of Africa’s crisis, leaders see power as PROPERTY not RESPONSIBILITY.
In Nigeria, leadership recycling has reached absurd proportions. The same politicians who failed in the 1980s still dominate public life today under new party labels. The result is a stagnant political system where innovation is suffocated and accountability absent.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, once observed, “You cannot continue doing the same thing and expect different results. Africa must reform its governance if it must progress.” Yet, the message falls on deaf ears.

The Economic Tragedy of Political Greed.
Africa’s natural wealth is staggering. The continent holds 60% of the world’s arable land, 30% of mineral reserves and 12% of global oil reserves. Nigeria alone has earned over $1 trillion in oil revenue since the 1970s. Yet, the World Bank’s 2024 data shows that over 90 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty. Uganda’s GDP per capita hovers around $1,100, while Cameroon’s remains below $1,600.
Why this paradox? African leaders have chosen CONSUMPTION over PRODUCTION and LUXURY over LEGACY. National budgets are bloated with political overheads while critical sectors like education, health and research receive crumbs. In Nigeria, lawmakers earn one of the world’s highest legislative salaries, with over ₦300 billion spent annually on the National Assembly, yet public schools and hospitals crumble.
In Uganda, billions are spent on presidential security and propaganda while citizens struggle with inflation and unemployment. In Cameroon, decades of centralized power have turned state institutions into extensions of the presidency. Economist Jeffrey Sachs put it bluntly: “Africa’s greatest tragedy is not poverty but the failure of leadership to convert resources into opportunities.”

The Colonial Hangover.
Beyond politics, Africa’s backwardness is rooted in psychological colonization. Many POST-INDEPENDENCE LEADERS INHERITED COLONIAL MENTALITIES; VALUING FOREIGN VALIDATION OVER DOMESTIC INNOVATION. The West and more recently, China, continue to exploit this dependency through AID TRAPS and DEBT DIPLOMACY.
In the Central African region, Chinese loans have financed infrastructure projects that often end in debt crises, while Western corporations plunder resources in exchange for political patronage. The African Union (AU), which should serve as a continental watchdog, has become a gentleman’s club for autocrats. It condemns coups but tolerates constitutional manipulations and rigged elections.
Professor Ali Mazrui once noted, “Africa is the only continent where political independence preceded economic independence.” This imbalance explains why Africa remains economically enslaved despite political sovereignty. Without economic liberation and institutional autonomy, political freedom is a mirage.

The Regional Breakdown: West, Central and East Africa’s Failures.
The uneven development across Africa reflects the different degrees of dysfunction in its regions.

West Africa: plagued by COUPS, TERRORISM and ECONOMIC INSTABILITY. From Mali to Niger and Burkina Faso, military takeovers reflect citizens’ frustration with civilian incompetence. Nigeria, despite being the regional giant, faces WIDESPREAD INSECURITY, INFLATION and GOVERNANCE COLLAPSE.

Central Africa: dominated by DYNASTIC RULERS like Biya (Cameroon), Nguesso (Congo) and Obiang (Equatorial Guinea). These regimes suppress dissent, rig elections and loot state coffers with impunity.

East Africa: projected as stable but largely AUTOCRATIC. Museveni’s Uganda and Kagame’s Rwanda showcase controlled democracies where opposition is tolerated only in theory.

According to the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance (2024), the West, Central and East African blocs score the lowest in rule of law, participation and accountability. Citizens’ rights are routinely violated and media freedom is heavily restricted.
The cost of this failure is staggering. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that Africa loses $88 billion annually to illicit financial flows, mostly driven by corruption and capital flight; money that could have built schools, hospitals, industries and done good for its nations.

The Second Liberation: A Call to Conscience.
Africa’s first liberation freed it from colonial rule. The second must free it from corrupt elites and intellectual laziness. Change will not come through foreign aid or borrowed policies but through citizens’ awakening and institutional reform.
The new generation must rise beyond ethnicity and partisan loyalties. Youth must understand that democracy is not about voting every four years but about holding power accountable every day. Civil societies, journalists and reform-minded leaders must form coalitions that challenge the old order.
As Nelson Mandela declared, “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great; you can be that great generation.” That call is urgent now more than ever. Africa cannot continue to romanticize its potential while squandering its future.

Final Word: The Courage to Lead.
Africa’s tragedy is not a curse from the gods; but a self-inflicted wound. The continent’s leaders have consistently failed to build nations beyond their tribes and ambitions. Until leadership becomes a duty, not a privilege (until institutions become stronger than individuals) Africa will remain a giant crawling on its knees.
History has shown that no nation develops by accident. LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY and VISION are the engines of progress. From Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew to South Korea under Park Chung-hee, nations have transformed through discipline and purpose. Africa must learn this lesson or remain a byword for failure.
As George Omagbemi Sylvester concludes,

“Africa is not cursed; it is simply cursed by those who rule it. Until the throne becomes a place of service and not self-worship, our liberation remains incomplete.”

Meet the Young Entrepreneur-Actor, Awe Peter Oluwafemi, Owner of Boldness Lounge

The Nigerian entertainment industry continues to welcome fresh and passionate talents, and one of the latest names making waves is Awe Peter Oluwafemi, popularly known as Fmboldness. The fast-rising actor and entrepreneur from Ewu-Ekiti, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, is already carving a niche for himself in Nollywood.

Fmboldness officially began his acting journey on October 3rd, 2024, under the mentorship of respected filmmaker Kayode Adebayo, fondly called Kay Alubarika. Interestingly, his introduction into the industry came through Azeez Tijani Cinematography, who connected him to Alubarika, opening the door to what is fast becoming a promising career.

Beyond acting, Awe Peter is also the proud owner of Boldness Lounge, a popular relaxation spot that reflects his vision, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. His venture into the hospitality sector demonstrates his belief in hard work, innovation, and providing value in multiple industries.

A graduate of life and persistence, Awe Peter’s educational journey began at St. Boniface Primary School in Ewu-Ekiti, after which he attended Ben Folarin College, Ado-Ekiti, before completing his secondary school education at Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi-Ekiti. In 2005, he was given an admission to study Mass Communication at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos.

In addition to his acting and lounge business, Fmboldness also runs a transportation company, further showcasing his versatility and drive as a young Nigerian entrepreneur committed to growth and community development.

Speaking about his journey, Awe Peter described his experience in Nollywood as “an exciting adventure filled with learning, passion, and purpose.” He credited his boss, Kayode Adebayo, for guiding him and helping him discover his potential as a performer.

“Acting has always been my dream. I thank God for the opportunity and for meeting the right people like Alubarika and Azeez Tijani who believed in me,” he said.

With his determination, humility, and bold vision, Awe Peter Oluwafemi (Fmboldness) is definitely one of the new faces to watch out for in the movie industry. His story is one of talent, ambition, and boldness, a true reflection of his name. After proving himself in numerous movies he has featured in since the day he joined, Awe is definitely a resourcesful actor to watch out for in 2026.