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Nigeria and the politics we play!

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Politics

Nigeria and the politics we play!

By Abiodun Komolafe

Nigeria and the politics we play!

 

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])

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Banwo & Ighodalo Threaten Legal Action Against APC Chairman Over Defamatory Allegations

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Banwo & Ighodalo Threaten Legal Action Against APC Chairman Over Defamatory Allegations

Banwo & Ighodalo Threaten Legal Action Against APC Chairman Over Defamatory Allegations

Renowned Nigerian law firm Banwo & Ighodalo is preparing to take legal action against Jarrett Tenebe, Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, over allegations described as defamatory and unfounded.

In a formal letter dated December 18, 2024, senior advocate Abimbola Akeredolu (SAN) accused Tenebe of making libelous claims against the firm’s founding partner, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. The allegations stem from a December 17 interview on TMC TV/Radio, during which Tenebe alleged that Mr. Ighodalo “stole 21 government vehicles” from the Edo State Government.

Despite a prior demand for an apology and retraction in a December 11 letter, Tenebe has reportedly failed to comply. Banwo & Ighodalo has now issued a three-day ultimatum for him to withdraw the statements or face formal legal proceedings.

In a related statement, the Team Asue Media Organisation (TAMO) categorically denied the accusations, labeling them a calculated smear campaign intended to discredit Mr. Ighodalo. The statement, signed by TAMO spokesperson Erhabor Emokpae, emphasized that Mr. Ighodalo has an unblemished record of public service. It further clarified that Alaghodaro, a private-sector-driven initiative chaired by Mr. Ighodalo, is committed to driving economic growth and investment in Edo State.

TAMO underscored Mr. Ighodalo’s integrity, noting that he has personally funded his expenses throughout his 16 years of public service, including his tenure as Chairman of Alaghodaro. The allegations of vehicle theft were described as baseless and absurd, with no evidence to substantiate them.

Banwo & Ighodalo has reiterated its commitment to pursuing all legal remedies should the defamatory statements not be retracted. The firm condemned the misuse of misinformation for political gain, warning that such actions undermine public trust and damage democratic institutions.

“We call on all parties to adhere to the principles of truth, integrity, and decency in public discourse,” the firm stated.

Should Tenebe fail to meet the ultimatum, the case is expected to proceed to court, with further developments anticipated in the coming days.

 

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Edo LG Chairmen Reject Suspension, Urge Adherence to Court Judgments By Ifeoma Ikem

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Edo LG Chairmen Reject Suspension, Urge Adherence to Court Judgments By Ifeoma Ikem

Edo LG Chairmen Reject Suspension, Urge Adherence to Court Judgments

By Ifeoma Ikem

 

Edo State local government chairmen have denounced their alleged suspension by the State House of Assembly as illegal, urging the governor and lawmakers to respect court rulings affirming their tenure and authority.

Edo LG Chairmen Reject Suspension, Urge Adherence to Court Judgments
By Ifeoma Ikem

On December 17, reports emerged that the Assembly suspended all 18 council chairmen and their deputies following Governor Monday Okpebholo’s petition alleging gross misconduct and insubordination. The petition cited Section 10(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law (2000) as its basis.

However, the chairmen, through their legal counsel, Ogaga Ovrawah (SAN), contend that this provision had been declared unconstitutional in a judgment by the Edo State High Court in Suit No. B/257OS/2024. The court established the chairmen’s tenure as a three-year term commencing September 4, 2023.

The council leaders also referenced a Supreme Court judgment voiding state governors’ and assemblies’ authority to interfere with local government administration. They emphasized that their suspension contradicts existing judicial rulings and remains a legal nullity.

A recent interim order from the Edo High Court further restrained the government from obstructing the councils’ operations, assets, and funds. Despite being served notices of these judgments, the chairmen argue that the governor and assembly acted in defiance of the judiciary.

The embattled chairmen called for the governor to withdraw his request to the Assembly and for the lawmakers to rescind their resolution, warning of potential constitutional crises if the orders are ignored.

They urged security agencies to enforce court rulings, safeguard local government properties, and ensure the continuity of governance.

“The rule of law must prevail,” they stated, pledging to remain committed to their constitutional duties.

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Kaduna Governor Uba Sani Restores Abacha Family Lands Revoked by El-Rufai

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Kaduna Governor Uba Sani Restores Abacha Family Lands Revoked by El-Rufai

Kaduna Governor Uba Sani Restores Abacha Family Lands Revoked by El-Rufai

 

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has reinstated two parcels of land in Kaduna city to the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha. The lands had been revoked two years earlier by former governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The reinstated properties include one at No. 9 Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, measuring 2,284 square meters (Certificate of Occupancy No. 30575), and another at No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna, measuring 3,705 square meters (Certificate of Occupancy No. 11458).

Reuben Atabo (SAN), the Abacha family’s lawyer, disclosed that the lands were initially revoked in 2022 under Governor El-Rufai’s administration, citing contraventions of terms under the Land Use Act of 1978. The state government had published a notice on April 28, 2022, announcing the revocation of various plots, with Sani Abacha’s name listed as No. 34 among affected title holders.

In response, Atabo filed lawsuits at the Kaduna State High Court, seeking to address the embarrassment caused to the Abacha family name and pursue other claims.

Governor Uba Sani, in two letters dated December 10, 2024, reinstated the titles to the Abacha family through Mustapha Haruna, Deed Registrar, on behalf of the Director General of Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS). The letters, addressed to Mohammed Sani Abacha via the family’s legal counsel, required the title holders to pay outstanding ground rent fees.

The move marks a reversal of El-Rufai’s decision and restores ownership of the disputed lands to the Abacha family.

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