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Nigeria Held Hostage: Wrestling a Nation Back from the Grip of Greedy Elites

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Nigeria Held Hostage: Wrestling a Nation Back from the Grip of Greedy Elites. By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Nigeria Held Hostage: Wrestling a Nation Back from the Grip of Greedy Elites.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Nigeria is a nation of contradictions though blessed with abundant human and natural resources, yet shackled by POVERTY, CORRUPTION and UNDERDEVELOPMENT. The tragedy of our country is not that we cannot work, but that there are powerful individuals and institutions who do not want Nigeria to work. Their power, wealth and influence are built on the back of our suffering. They thrive in chaos and instability. They profit from inefficiency. They grow fat when the common man starves. They will fight, tooth and nail against any reformer or institution that dares to fix this nation.

Nigeria Held Hostage: Wrestling a Nation Back from the Grip of Greedy Elites.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

The question before us is simple but urgent: HOW LONG SHALL WE, THE CITIZENS, ALLOW A CABAL OF SELFISH ELITES TO HOLD OUR COLLECTIVE DESTINY HOSTAGE?

The Economics of Suffering; Real Numbers Tell the Truth.
As of September 1, 2025, obtaining a standard Nigerian passport (a 32-page booklet with 5-year validity; now costs ₦100,000, while the 64-page version is priced at ₦200,000).
This represents a staggering 100 % increase from August 2024’s prices (previously ₦50,000 and ₦100,000), and what’s more, the minimum wage in Nigeria remains around ₦70,000 per month.

Adding insult to injury, NIN verification now costs ₦5,000 per passport applicant, a fee introduced in April 2023 under the guise of “STREAMLINING” the process; yet in effect, placing another levy on already squeezed citizens.

These realities crystallize the argument: the system is configured to extract maximum value from ordinary Nigerians; while offering insufficient service improvement or international mobility in return. It’s PURE PROFIT for those in power; PURE PAIN for the masses.

Compare this with Ghana, where a standard passport costs about ₦21,000 equivalent or Kenya, where it is less than ₦17,000. Even worse, the Nigerian passport ranks embarrassingly low in global mobility. The 2024 Henley Passport Index ranks it 95th out of 199, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to just 45 destinations, mostly small or developing countries. Our passport cannot take us freely to the U.S., the U.K., the E.U. or major Asian economies. WHAT THEN ARE WE PAYING SO MUCH FOR?

This is not just about passports. It is about a system where the government piles burdens on citizens while offering little in return. The elites and political class are insulated; they travel with diplomatic passports, fly private jets and educate their children abroad. Meanwhile, the ordinary Nigerian struggles under a system designed to exploit rather than serve.

The Architecture of Oppression.
We must understand that instability is not an accident in Nigeria; it is engineered. Those who loot the treasury, divert public funds and manipulate the system know that a stable, well-governed Nigeria would strip them of their illicit power.

The late Chinua Achebe, in his timeless book The Trouble with Nigeria, said: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Today, that failure has metastasized into a deliberate strategy of the ruling class. They deploy ethnicity, religion and regional divides as tools of distraction. While the masses argue over TRIBE and FAITH, the elites laugh their way to Swiss banks.

It is no wonder the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka once lamented: “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.” Nigerians cannot afford silence anymore.

Voices of Reason and Voices of Humor.
Even our comedians (those who make us laugh in the midst of pain) have captured the absurdity of Nigeria’s situation. The popular comedian I Go Die once quipped: “The problem of Nigeria is not witches and wizards from the village, but leaders who do not know their left from their right.”

His colleague Gordons, with his biting satire, declared: “In Nigeria, we do not need prophets to see the future; just watch our leaders and you already know tomorrow will be worse if nothing changes.”

These jokes may sound funny, but they carry the weight of truth. In a society where humor exposes the rot more sharply than government reports, laughter itself becomes a weapon of resistance.

Global Comparisons: Why We Lag Behind?
Let us compare Nigeria with countries that were once at par with us. In the 1960s, Nigeria and Malaysia had similar GDP levels. Today, Malaysia boasts a GDP per capita of over $12,000 (World Bank, 2024), while Nigeria languishes at about $2,200. Why? Because Malaysia built institutions that worked, while Nigeria allowed corruption to hollow out its systems.

South Korea, in the 1950s, was poorer than Nigeria. Today, it is a global economic powerhouse, home to giants like Samsung, Hyundai and LG. Meanwhile, Nigeria cannot boast a single globally competitive indigenous brand in technology or manufacturing.

The difference is not fate. It is leadership. It is policy. It is the deliberate choice of leaders who decided to build rather than plunder.

The Way Forward: Wresting Back Nigeria.
If we are serious about change, Nigerians must rise above TRIBALISM, RELIGIOUS SENTIMENT and POLITICAL MANIPULATION. The struggle is not North versus South, Christian versus Muslim or Yoruba versus Igbo or Hausa. The struggle is the PEOPLE versus the PREDATORS.

To wrest Nigeria back from their grip, we must demand accountability at all levels. Citizens must insist on transparency in public spending. Civil society must grow teeth, not just bark. The media must return to FEARLESS JOURNALISM, not BROWN-ENVELOPE COMPROMISE.

Above all, the Nigerian youth (the largest demographic force in the country) must reject apathy. As Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Silence is no longer an option.

A Call to Courage.
We must recognize that the enemies of progress will not surrender willingly. They will not hand over Nigeria’s destiny with a smile. We must be ready to wrest it back. This does not mean violence, but it does mean courage, persistence and collective action.

The passport issue is symbolic of a larger rot. If we cannot get something as basic as affordable, functional identification right, how can we hope to fix power supply, healthcare, education or security? Fixing Nigeria is possible; if we are willing to confront those who benefit from keeping her broken.

The great Nelson Mandela once reminded us: “Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.” Nigerians must summon that courage now.

Final Word: The Battle for Nigeria’s Soul.
This battle is not just about POLICIES or POLITICS. It is about the soul of our nation. Shall Nigeria remain a playground for greedy elites or shall it rise as a beacon of African pride and prosperity?

The answer lies in our hands. We must refuse to be divided. We must refuse to be silenced. And we must refuse to pay endlessly for passports that cannot even open the doors of opportunity.

To borrow the words of Gordons, “If Nigeria were a person, she would need urgent intensive care.” The time for jokes is over; the time for action is now.

Nigeria can work. Nigeria must work. Firstly, Nigerians must rise together to wrest her back from the grip of those who never wanted her to.

Nigeria Held Hostage: Wrestling a Nation Back from the Grip of Greedy Elites.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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FROM CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO REALITY: HOW DR. PATRICK UMOH IS BUILDING BRIDGES

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FROM CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO REALITY: HOW DR. PATRICK UMOH IS BUILDING BRIDGES By Pius Ukpong

FROM CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO REALITY: HOW DR. PATRICK UMOH IS BUILDING BRIDGES

By Pius Ukpong

Dr. Patrick Umoh is a man loved and adored by his people, not for grand speeches or empty promises, but for the way he truly listens. During his campaign across the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara  Federal Constituency, he didn’t just sweep through villages with a megaphone; he stood in crowded market squares and sat under shaded trees, hearing out farmers worried about their harvests, mothers anxious about healthcare, and youths yearning for opportunity.

Those heartfelt exchanges stayed with him. Now, his constituents see the impact: a new health center providing free check-ups, scholarships opening doors for students, and streetlights turning dark paths into safe routes. To them, Dr. Umoh is more than a legislator—he’s the one who understands their struggles and delivers change they can see and feel every day.

FROM CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO REALITY: HOW DR. PATRICK UMOH IS BUILDING BRIDGES
By Pius Ukpong

To those who know him, Dr. Patrick Umoh is widely regarded as a true man of the people and a dedicated project ambassador. His relentless pursuit and tangible efforts in his federal constituency have established him as a deserving son, an astute legislator, and a genuine representative. At the national level, he stands out as an ardent reformer and innovator.

Many affectionately refer to him as the “man of projects,” a title earned through his focus on delivering tangible benefits to his constituents rather than relying on empty rhetoric. Dr. Umoh is not one for slogans or self-promotion; he is a quiet achiever with a healer’s touch in modern legislation, steadfastly committed to improving healthcare access for all.

A symbol of resilience and a fierce advocate for social justice, equity, and freedom in all its forms, Dr. Umoh has transformed the lives of many in his constituency through financial grants and the provision of mobility aids. His efforts have brought hope and opportunity to those he serves.

As the Chairman of the House Committee on Health Institutions, Dr. Umoh is a trailblazer, pushing the boundaries of medical care and related technologies. His outstanding achievements and exceptional performance distinguish him as a leader of remarkable repute, building bridges and changing lives.

There is no denying that Dr. Umoh has carved a niche for himself through the significant strides he has made in his federal constituency. By delivering on his campaign promises, he has improved the quality of life for his people, demonstrating the power of collaboration, steadfastness, and resilience.

Dr. Umoh remains a champion of community engagement, fostering proactive partnerships and collective action. His commitment to his constituency is evident in his consistent efforts to address their pain points and meet their unique needs and concerns.

A compassionate representative, Dr. Umoh is highly visible in his advocacy for the less privileged, offering hope and inspiring change through diplomacy and strategic policies. His fierce advocacy, integrity, and influence have yielded significant results, including facilitating the employment of numerous constituents into the Federal Civil Service. These efforts have alleviated financial burdens, combated insecurity, and provided stable income sources, enabling his constituents to serve their country with dignity and pride.

As Chairman of the House Committee on Health Institutions, Dr. Umoh has worked tirelessly to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare sector, ensuring the equitable distribution of health facilities across the country and the provision of standard medical equipment in federal health institutions. Through his committee’s efforts, he has initiated citizen-centred healthcare projects that have had a profound and positive impact on healthcare delivery, not only in his constituency but nationwide.

Dr. Umoh has played a pivotal role in the health sector, contributing significantly to the monitoring, evaluation, and implementation of legislative agendas critical to healthcare reform. His innovative approach and foresight have earned him the respect of the Speaker of the House, who values the constructive feedback and steadfast support from the committees Dr. Umoh chairs.

Dr. Patrick Umoh stands out for his dedication to revolutionising the healthcare system, delivering measurable results, and making impactful contributions to the lives of his constituents. His thoughtful interventions during deliberations and sponsorship of key bills further underscore his commitment to public service.

Dr. Patrick Umoh’s dynamic and insightful leadership in the House of Representatives, particularly as Chairman of the House Committee on Health Institutions, serves as a testament to his capacity and capability to drive meaningful change. His competence in overseeing the implementation of various reforms emanating from the House of Representatives highlights his exceptional ability to transform campaign promises into reality, building bridges that uplift his constituents and the nation as a whole.

Dr. Patrick Umoh’s legacy is not etched in stone but in the lives he has touched, the communities he has united, and the futures he has secured. As the sun sets over his constituency, casting golden hues on the bridges he has built—both literal and metaphorical—his story continues to unfold. Each step he takes as a legislator, each life-changing legislation, adds another chapter to a narrative of hope, resilience, and dedication to his people, proving that true leadership is not about promises made, but promises kept.

Ukpong is a public affairs analyst writing from Uyo.

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Badaru’s Shameful Outing and Tinubu’s Second Term Bid

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Badaru’s Shameful Outing and Tinubu’s Second Term Bid* By Ali Ibrahim

*Badaru’s Shameful Outing and Tinubu’s Second Term Bid*

By Ali Ibrahim

In Nigerian politics, a bye-election is rarely accorded the gravitas of a general poll. It is frequently dismissed as a parochial affair, yet, in the eye of a keen observer, they function as a canary in the coalmine of a ruling party’s vitality. They are the microscopic fissures that presage a larger structural failure or success, the subtle tremor that warns of a coming catastrophic event. The recent bye-election conducted in Garki/Babura Federal Constituency in Jigawa State is one of such tremor which have presented an inconvenient and politically hazardous truth which the All Progressives Congress (APC) party never forget easily. This truth was the embarrassment in the person of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the Minister of Defence. Shamefully, the party now openly nurtures a profound vulnerability which constitutes a clear and present danger to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Badaru’s Shameful Outing and Tinubu’s Second Term Bid*
By Ali Ibrahim

However, the real facts of the election are not merely disappointing for the APC, but becoming nothing short of a categorical repudiation. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured a resounding victory by amassing 308 votes in comparison to 112 votes APC struggled to get. This numerical deficit of nearly a three-to-one ratio, is politically significant and defining in itself. However, the true moment of profound symbolic rupture occurred at the very epicentre of the Minister’s supposed influence: his own polling unit. For a former two-term governor of the state, and a sitting Minister of Defence to suffer such a comprehensive and humiliating defeat on his home turf, is not just a simple political setback; it is an unequivocal verdict on his evaporated political capacity. It is the electorate’s most potent form of communication, which declares its local influence to be not merely diminished, but utterly annihilated.

Evidently, this electoral defeat clearly goes beyond one man’s personal humiliation. It exposes a much more pernicious and destructive story of the powerful, nearly indisputable proof of activity at the highest levels of the Tinubu administration. A scandal of epic proportions is presented by reports and widely shared images of people who have been identified as Minister Badaru’s own political operators, his loyal foot soldiers, publicly celebrating the PDP’s victory. This is not the behavior of disheartened partisans, but a victorious celebration of people who have just accomplished a well planned mission.

A troubling question has been imposed on all patriotic minds by this blatant political drama: is the Minister of Defence, the same man entrusted with the sacrosanct duty of safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity, so politically consumed that he is now openly working for the opposition? The rational response to this is quite disturbing to understand. How can a Minister who cannot command the loyalty of his own men in a simple bye-election be trusted to command the loyalty of the armed forces in the intricate realm of national security? The level of cognitive dissonance is astounding, and a reassessment of national security is necessary.

To put this in a better perspective, it can be said that the long-standing suspicion regarding Minister Badaru actions has brought is political allegiances to question. His purported alliance and overt sympathies with elements of the PDP in Jigawa State have long been the subject of sensitive discussion within underground political circles. This electoral result provides concrete evidence of his men’s actual allegiances, and it speaks volumes about his own stand. It portrays a character whose interests are aligned on two opposing sides, revealing a political schizophrenic whose main focus is on a self-serving agenda of personal political survival rather than the party platform he purports to openly support. This duality renders him a liability of the highest order. It projects the Tinubu-led administration as a government that is not in full control of its own apparatus.

Unfortunately, this electoral irrelevance is in fact, the direct consequence of his underwhelming performance during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Jigawa State. How? It is no rocket science that Governments are judged by the tangible improvements they make and the legacy they leave, and the verdict on Badaru’s legacy has been delivered by the best language that matters: “the ballot.” The result showed that his constituent lacked tangible transformative impact, thereby destroying any electoral leverage he might have once possessed. The people have spoken, and their message is a unified rejection: “We are disappointed in Badaru.”

It is worthy of note to state that, this profound political inadequacy wouldn’t have been concerning enough if it was just confined to party alignment. But unfortunately, it is exponentially magnified by also reflecting in his current portfolio as the Ministry of Defence. At this point, the implications has shifted from merely politically damaging to existentially threatening for the country at large. His personality is one that can be termed “Transactional Politics,” a style of governance that views every public office, no matter how sensitive, through the prism of political interest and commercial opportunity that should be explored. This is a dangerous mindset that would not think twice in sacrificing national stability on the altar of political expediency. Under his watch, the Ministry of Defence has morphed from a strategic command post into what increasingly resembles a political bazaar, a arena for the trading of influence and the settlement of cronies, tilting it into a vegetative state of bureaucratic inertia and strategic confusion.

What many Nigerians failed to understand is that, the correlation between a weak, politically compromised Defence Minister and the escalating fragility of the nation’s security architecture is not coincidental. It is causal. It is a result gotten when the leadership of a ministry is so preoccupied with political survival and internal scheming, then, the single-minded sharp focus that is required to execute asymmetric wars becomes dissipated. The morale of the troops, who witness the political jubilation of their minister’s men for the opposition, inevitably suffers. Strategy becomes subjugated to political calculation. The procurement process, becomes vulnerable to manipulations that favour political affiliates over national interest. This is not mere speculation; it is the logical outcome of placing a politician of demonstrably low credibility and conflicted loyalties in charge of the nation’s most sensitive portfolio.

Therefore, it is even a big understatement to postulate that Minister Badaru is merely worthless to Tinubu’s administration. He is not a passive non-entity, but an active liability. He is a danger, a ticking, walking, talking vulnerability that can easily and ruthlessly be exploited by opposition in the run-up to 2027. It is comically laughable that the campaign advertisements virtually write themselves ready for use:
“If the President’s own Defence Minister cannot win his polling unit, Can you trust such a government to secure your home?”
Believe me when I say that this is a devastatingly simple and potent narrative that will resonate with many Nigerians who are already aware of the present state of insecurity and political hypocrisy in the country. Minister Badaru’s presence in President Tinubu’s cabinet is a gift to opposition parties. His inability to mobilise, inspire, or deliver his immediate constituency presages a catastrophic inability to secure a wider region for the second term for President Tinubu. A general who cannot hold his own fort has no business with being entrusted with the defence of an empire.

Consequently, for the APC to be revered as a truly dominant and purposeful ruling party, and for it to be taken seriously in its ambition to secure President Tinubu’s second term, the call for Minister Abubakar Badaru’s immediate resignation or dismissal is urgent and very imperative, not one to be seen as partisan malice. It is a necessary surgery in removing a rotting limb in order to save the body politic. A continual toleration of such a monumental and publicly demonstrated failure erodes the very foundation of the party’s credibility.

As a renowned political strategist who President Tinubu is, he needs to understand the level of this threat. Compounding the monumental tasks before him ahead of 2027 election, with an internal, self-inflicted wound of this magnitude in his party is an act of political suicide. However, removing Badaru, who is a proven failure and electoral liability, is not only just a good way of positioning Nigeria well for the next election, but also the only way to avert a catastrophic erosion for himself and the party’s base. Making a mistake to retain him, is to signal that political accommodation trumps electoral viability and national security.

At this present, the embarrassing bye-election should be perceived as a deafening shout from a small constituency. It must be seen as a warning that must be heeded on the national stage. The choice before President Tinubu is clear: succumb to the pressure of political accommodation and risk everything, or jettison a minister who has become the living embodiment of his government’s vulnerabilities. The fate of the second-term bid may very well depend on this singular, decisive act.

Ibrahim writes from Gusau.

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Grace Nation Thanksgiving and Annointing Service: You must be Consistent with God to Experience Supernatural Restoration – Dr Chris Okafor

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….Grace Nation international Women Convention ends with thanksgiving and Child dedication Service

When the hand of God comes upon you, everything you need to be great in life falls in places and every lost Glory is restored therefore you come into your total accomplishment in Life.

Speaking at the special thanksgiving service for the month of August and the final lapse of the Grace Nation international Women Convention that began a week ago, while declaring Prophetically as the Convention came a close, The Senior Pastor and the Generational Prophet of God Dr Chris Okafor said the Grace Nation international Women Convention has really impacted in so many ways in the life of all woman who participated. The Clergyman said many success stories will be evidential in the life of all the women that participated in the one week long International Congress because they have learned one thing or the other that will make them a better mother, Good and Committed child of God.

The Generational Prophet also prayed that by this time next year the international Women Convention will be glorious with more participants because by then the testimony that would have been recorded in the life’s of participants of the 2025 convention will be enormous and cannot be qualified as many will come to the 2026 convention with their miracle babies and diverse kind of testimonies.

Teaching on the Topic The Power and Secret of Supernatural Restoration with subtitles Restoration by the Prophet, The Generational Prophet Dr Chris Okafor emphasised that for a Man to be restored by Elohim, God will not come uninvited, someone must intercede on someone behalf, therefore God can restore you through your Prophet.

The famous Lagos Prophet continue that you need Divine connection to connect you to your place of restoration, Only the hand of God can give you a divine connection, and with the hand of God you will come to your place of restoration. Also when the hand of God is upon you, it guarantees the secret Path to your place of connection.

How to enjoy the power that connects you to your restoration, The Apostle of altars and the Generational Prophet said the only alternative is, you must be consistent with God in the days of your life, you must be a kingdom Sower, be a soul winner to the kingdom, be a kingdom partner with your substance, invest in the house of God, therefore with these level of commitment you will experience Supernatural Restoration The Generational Prophet Dr Chris Okafor remarked.

Earlier there were various Drama and different choreography cultural performance to round up the Grace Nation international Women Convention 2025.

Special thanksgiving celebration by the woman’s, the General August Born Thanksgiving procession, a special Child dedication and Annointing session that Climax the month of August and international women Convention Celebration.

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