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OPINION: Buhari’s Dilemma, Naira Fall, Nigerians’ Suffering & National Security Question
MEN make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better”, postulates Harry S. Truman.
Nigerians had high hopes. Nigerians believe basic amenities of life would be readily available. Nigerians were sure health institutions in the country would be better off. The people of Nigeria were certain they would not go to bed in hunger as three square meals would be made available. Millions of Nigerians had belief that house rents payment would be easily affordable. Electricity supply, the masses were sure would have improved and be more constant.
Graduates of Nigerian tertiary colleges were hopeful that securing jobs after school completion would be a walk-over. Farmers were bold enough to agree that they would have access to soft loans to produce food in large capacity to guide against food insecurity in the county. Market women resolved in their several meetings to make prices of food affordable to Nigerians.
Nigerians were joyful that they would be able to sleep with their two eyes closed, not afraid of hoodlums or armed robbers invading their homes. From the East to West, North and South of Nigeria, everyone was certain Naira, Nigeria’s currency would appreciate in the Foreign Exchange Market (Forex) soon as the nation witnessed new administration.
Nigerians had all of these high expectation since on May 29, 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power as Nigeria’s leader, the people saw in him: a firm leader going by his antecedent as a military ruler of Nigeria from 1984-1985; an incorruptible personae, a disciplinarian who would be willing to go extra mile ensuring sanity in politics and economy, which are the core promises he made to Nigerians in his manifesto before all of us entrusted our collective destinies in his hands by overwhelmingly voting out Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and had All Progressives Congress (APC), an opposition party take over the reigns of power. During the election, many Nigerians died in the process, as some of them became victims of gun shots, party-rivalry attacks, stray bullet.
In short, Mr. President rode to power on the wings of Nigerian lives who sacrificed themselves, faced all odds, queued long in the sun, kept vigil on ballot boxes so they are not stolen by hooligans: all in their sorrows, tears and blood. So what did Nigerians get in return for all these sacrifices? Empty promises, disappointment, regret, inflation, sufferings; more joblessness, shattered dreams, unfulfilled aspiration, propaganda and deceit in the most alarming rate ever in Nigeria’s history. It is akin to dancing on dead Nigerians’ graves. Many of them are wishing if the earlier young, vibrant, energetic and resourceful Buhari whom they knew as a military leader in the 80’s could be reincarnated into this 21st Century by his vibrancy. Alas, veils have fallen off Nigerians’ eyes since it is now realized that Buhari of the 80’s is not the same as Buhari of this 21st modern Century. As at today, Buhari is 73 years old, an old man that has obviously lost the energy, vigour, strength, ingenuity and profound thinking capacity of the 80’s.
There comes a time in the life of every man when that man looks himself straight in the mirror and tells himself the truth. At Mr. President’s age of 73 years, if he continues in this path as at present, it is either he his not telling himself the truth by looking closely in his appraisal-mirror of performance or gullible to the high-praise of political sycophants whom General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retired) also a former Nigerian military ruler described in his recent tweeter handle as glutton, hungry politicians with voracious appetite whose main visit to Aso Rock, seat of power is to consume food. IBB, as fondly called captured it in these words: “I strongly believe our Politicians are well fed. Aso Rock is Not A Place to Feed Nigerian Politicians.” A popular adage in Nigeria says “A fool at 40 is a fool forever,”, then how do you describe someone at the age of 73years?
It is becoming more crystal clear daily that there are some political wolves in the corridor of power whom Mr. President must have seen as harmless, political sheep that would not wrongly advise, guide, inform him of the pulse of Nigerians’ expectation; rather these same politicians are not only misinforming, misguiding but seems set to rubbish earlier legacies of Buhari’s accomplishment in the 80’s through his lackluster political performance as being witnessed by all and sundry today.
Regarding Nigeria’s Naira fall to over N300, which has for the first time almost brought the nation’s economy down on its knees due to oil reliant to an all time shame, the words of Douglas MacArthur, an American great philosopher, a five-star Army General and a former Chief of Staff of the United States who died April 5, 1964 in Washington DC readily comes to mind. He said: “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the need of others. He does not set out to become a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”
Yes, Buhari has been a true leader standing alone. Yes, Mr President has had the confidence to make tough decisions. No, he has not had the compassion to listen to the need and suffering of the masses. Nigerians damned all odds across ethnicity, social barriers, political affiliations to elect him their leader by seeing through the prism of his unquestionable integrity, but the equality of his actions buoyed by his non-compliance to his own electoral promises, willful desecration of his own Oath, now cast shadows of doubt on his economic prowess to save Nigeria from the woods.
Godwin Emefiele, a former Chief Executive officer and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc has been Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) since June 3, 2014. He brought in various economic theories, fad, ideas and policies. On the long run, right under Mr President eyes, Emefiele has found it so difficult to ‘arrest’ the rising of Nigeria’s Naira in Foreign Exchange Market to the extent that One United States Dollar now goes for over N300 in the open market. Under Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari’s predecessor, the then CBN Governor, now Emir of Kano State, Sansusi Lamido Sanusi, ensured Naira exchange to a Dollar was stable at N150. Today, Nigerian politicians due to economic orders handed down to the nation’s financial institutions by CBN; majority of them have literally been buying-out dollars everywhere, anywhere they found it the country, which they now keep at home to avert the slamming hammer of CBN regulations.
These realities have brought untold hardship to majority of Nigerian homes, with money becoming further scarce in circulation as Buhari’s anti-corruption drive steep lower into the standard of living of the masses. Unlike Buhari who had military background, Emefiele would have imprinted his name in the Hall of Infamy at the end of his tenure as ‘one of the worst economists with bad policies that worsened the value of Naira.’ Mr President, it is time you wake up from this slumber that is obviously blowing weird air on Nigerians. Do the right thing: give a deadline to the CBN Governor to put into pragmatic use sound economic policies that would ensure Naira is strong, stable and higher in value compared to other currencies in the Foreign Exchange Market.
Just like every other Nigerians, it is needful that I tell you this Mr President. Great that you are all out fighting Nigeria’s economic saboteurs, corruption, political thieves that have stolen the nation’s wealth by bringing them to justice, blocking all loopholes in the Federal Civil Service to avoid financial waste, having Treasury Single Account (TSA) an initiative which requires that government revenue collection is put into single account to centralize control on effective cash management. But have you asked yourself of what effects are your economic drives on the people you are leading as being guided by the CBN Governor?
Emir of Kano recently said Mr President needs urgent help economically to steer the nation. He also accused Emefiele not to be in denial of being able to artificially hold up the currency. His words: “Let’s stop being in denial, we cannot artificially hold up the currency. President Buhari needs help on the economy. CBN Governor should devalue the Naira. Our economy, the biggest in Africa is in danger of a long slump unless the government confronts slowing growth.”
Another former CBN Governor, Charles Soludo carpets Buhari’s economic direction which he described as ‘Old Buharinomics.’ While delivering a lecture recently in Lagos under the title ‘Avoiding the mistakes of the last Buharinomics’, Soludo said: “There seems to be a perception of the sense of nostalgia, a thing about the command and control regime battling with what is required in a competitive market economy worldwide. The element of the old Buharinomics that we need to change include Fix Exchange Rate, Fix Capital Control, Import Bans and Forex Rationing.”
In his reaction, Emefiele in a grand-standing way to impress Mr President that his economic policies are good and rebuff criticisms daily enumerated by other economic experts so as to keep his job, he recently states during 49th Annual Bankers’ Dinner hosted by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CBN) in Lagos that “My economic policies are bitter pills with long term benefits. While it is too soon to articulate the benefits, the economy is headed in the right direction. The CBN will always act in good faith in pursuing price and financial system stability. The CBN had instituted many polices, including the Treasury Single Account (TSA), restrictions of foreign exchange (Forex) for the importation of some 41 items, financial bailout for some states and capital controls. I insist that the Naira will not be further devalued and we have been implementing fixed exchange rate regime instead of flexible exchange rate.” Except Buhari takes urgent step to re-write this wrong economic policies, else his administration economy will eventually go down in ruins, as Nigerians are now coerced to swallow the bitter pills of Emefiele’s clueless economic daftness by way of harsh inflationary realities.
On National Security, Mr President should answer the following posers in truth and honesty: Do you have an empirical data of how many Nigerians that goes to bed daily on empty stomach? Do you know the sufferings most businesses in Nigeria are going through without steady electricity supply? Do you have a track record of how many graduates that are jobless yet walking the streets daily in search of non-existing jobs? Have you a collation of how many Nigerians that goes to work daily without any salary to pay their bills by month end? Do you know how many underage girls in Nigeria today that have left secondary schools or still in high schools but have taken to prostitution to help their families eke out a living so they would not die in starvation? Can you give us details of how many Nigerians literally ‘sleeping’ outside various foreign embassies in Nigeria in search of visa to run away from effect of your anti-people economic policies? The hypothetical questions are limitless. Without doubt, Buhari is presently in dilemma.
NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes
By Pius Olasanmi
In the twilight of the Obasanjo administration, when Nigerians were still capable of being outraged, when Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of refineries was a buzzword that still held some mysticism to bamboozle citizens, during a conversation, a certain man said something profound. The man said, “As a businessman, if I were the owner of these refineries, knowing that they are three decades old, I would take the last money I have, hire bulldozers, raze them to the ground, and obtain loans to build new ones.”
When we pressed him further on why he would engage in such waste, he explained that repairing the refineries is the real waste. He explained that even if the TAM were honestly carried out, a thirty-year-old refinery would never compete favourably with a new one that would integrate contemporary technology. Operating at its best, such a refinery would never be comparatively more efficient. It is therefore pointless to have spent another one naira on the refineries at that point.
A few months later, I had a conversation with a then-lawmaker on an entirely different matter. I mentioned that the National Assembly has failed by not crafting legislation that would criminalise and punish public office holders who foist wrong decisions on the country. The logic: a public office holder need not steal to be punished, wrong decisions should attract penalties for an office holder who opts for the worst of all options when there are less injurious ones.
These established premises speak to the ongoing nauseating efforts at revisionism by those who wrecked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its previous iteration, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Notably, this campaign to rewrite history is traceable to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, the disgraced immediate past Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL and his hirelings. They have suffocated the news and the public opinion space with even more lies than they spun while in office.
The Saint Kyari campaign is anchored on convincing Nigerians that the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries were fully functional when he was booted out of office. So brazen is the campaign that one of its talking heads challenged the group chief executive officer (GCEO), Engr. Bayo Ojulari, to “inform Nigerians categorically what happened to the functioning refineries he inherited from his predecessor, Engr. Mele Kyari.” The effrontery.
We have not forgotten so soon the charade that followed the baffling claim that Nigeria has spent $2.8 billion on the repair of the refineries, while they are not churning out even a single litre of refined product among them. Saint Kyari and his goons played all manner of tricks, all of which embarrassed President Bola Tinubu, who had counted on ticking off the return to productivity of the refineries as part of his achievements, only to realise that he was deceived into celebrating phantoms. Tragic.
Lest we forget, 200 trucks were arranged as props in a well-directed video clip to celebrate the re-streaming of the Port Harcourt Refinery. The disappointment. Nigerians were to learn from several reports that the Port Harcourt refinery was not producing and was instead using old, stored petroleum products to load trucks. Worse still, the Kyari crew was passing off sanction-tainted Russian-sourced crude oil refined in Malta as locally refined products. More insult was piled on the assault on our collective sensibility with the lies that the Port Harcourt Refinery exported semi-finished products. Brazen.
Meanwhile, Kyari and his hirelings called those who pointed out or protested these glaring scams all manner of names. They hid behind industry technicalities and jargon to create the impression that those of us who knew Nigerians were being robbed did not understand what we were saying. The point remains that a $2.8 billion investment can potentially build a refinery with a capacity of around 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). Of course, the actual capacity of such a refinery will depend on various factors, including the complexity of the refinery, the technology used, and the location. That is the amount that Kyari’s regime at the NNPCL took and did not give Nigerians refined products.
Fast forward to Kyari’s sack and the appointment of Engineer Bayo Ojulari, who has demonstrated that things can indeed be done differently. Kyari’s exit was expectedly followed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) going after him and his associates. The extent of the theft is better understood against the backdrop of N80 billion being found in the bank account of one of his associates. They went on the run.
Perhaps because the EFCC was biding its time on securing international warrants for the arrests of these characters on the lam, they have become emboldened. They have decided to fight back and rewrite the story of their participation in the greatest fraud against Nigerians. Engineer Ojulari’s renewed mindset, which is entrenching a semblance of the transparency Nigerians demand, became their natural target. The demons that once roamed around the corporation came out with malevolence. They started spinning stories of corruption to tarnish the incumbent who refused to hide their crimes. The objective: bring Ojulari down. But alas, he is winning the war as it stands.
His innocence is proven, and it is glaring that those who want him out are mere charlatans who can no longer ply their corrupt wares because of the impact of the new reforms. Corruption in the NNPCL is in its final throes. The fake news being unleashed against the incumbent leadership is akin to corruption’s last kicks as reforms in the sector strangulate it and its practitioners. The reforms must take place in the NNPCL, whether the industry demons like it or not.
As a parting shot, Kyari and his associates would do well to prepare their defence. In addition to accounting for the $2.8 billion they laundered in the name of repairing the moribund refineries, they must also answer for the poor decision to fix that which is irretrievably broken. Awarding contracts for Turn Around Maintenance of 59-year-old refineries that a right-thinking person had suggested should be demolished almost twenty years ago, when they were only 30 years old, is criminal. Trying to deceive Nigerians that the fake repairs worked is treason.
Olasanmi is a public affairs analyst writing from Lagos.
GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND
Set to Rise elegantly against the Lagos skyline, is the Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites. According to Adejuwon Ademola, The General Manager of the Development company, it is more than just a residential building
“it’s a lifestyle statement. Standing 17 floors high in the heart of Victoria Island, this revolutionary masterpiece of modern architecture will offer a panoramic 360° view of Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi, transforming every apartment into an exclusive penthouse experience for the world’s most discerning elite.”
Developed by Dumarco Construction Limited, a globally acclaimed company with decades of delivering complex, high-value projects in the highly regulated petroleum, oil, and gas industries, Grandis 5Star brings unmatched international safety standards, uncompromising quality, and timeless elegance into Nigeria’s luxury property market.
> “When you live in Grandis, you’re not just buying a home—you’re investing in peace of mind, world-class safety, and an effortless luxury experience that will remain pristine for decades,” says Adejuwon A. Ademola, General Manager of Dumarco Construction Limited.
The Gold Standard in Safety and Quality
Dumarco’s roots in the oil and gas sector mean the company operates to some of the strictest safety protocols in the world. Every stage—from conceptualization, design, construction, to long-term maintenance—follows internationally accepted procedures and quality assurance measures. Cutting corners is simply not in Dumarco’s vocabulary.
> “In the oil and gas industry, there’s no room for compromise. We’ve brought that same discipline and zero-tolerance for mediocrity into property development,” says Ademola. “That’s why Grandis will be one of the safest and most enduring residential developments in Nigeria.”
To ensure transparency and prevent (project complacency), Dumarco deliberately separates the developer, contractor, and consultant roles, engaging only the most competent professionals in each respective field. Dumarco’s project team includes globally recognized contractors such as Julius Berger, Cappa & D’Alberto, and Elalan, Migliore Construczione & Tecniche (MC&T) and their partners VENCO IMTIAZ CONTRACTING COMPANY (VICC) based in Dubai, UAE, Business Contracting Limited, alongside leading consultants like Morgan Omanitan & Abe, LAMBERT, and James Cubitt.
Grandis – Investments, appreciation, returns and profitability
Our selection process for the location of the project alone was pains-taking and completely thorough scientific process. Top professional companies were employed to conduct a scientific data acquisition and analytical survey of the entire Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Eko Atlantic before a project site is selected. Analyzing and acquiring areas developmental charts and trends, studying and gathering historical and present sale prices, rental charge and occupancy rates over a 50 year period from every individual street before the selection of the location of any of our developments especially true for the Grandis Project
He adds,
“Our clients and residents can be rest assured that the location of Grandis has been scientifically proven through all existing data to provide our clients with a 100% occupancy rate, highest developmental location, highest rental income and investment returns. ”
The Grandis Experience
Located minutes away from international corporate headquarters, embassies, and landmarks such as Eko Hotel, Radisson Blu, and the Radisson Red, Grandis offers unmatched convenience for professionals, diplomats, and high-net-worth individuals. Every residence is designed for both indulgence and efficiency, with high-grade finishes, smart-home systems, and private amenities that ensure seamless living.
From sunrise over the Atlantic to the glittering Lagos night skyline, residents will enjoy uninterrupted luxury, supported by discreet and highly trained staff, advanced security systems, and a design that prioritizes comfort and privacy.
> “We designed Grandis for people who want everything—security, elegance, convenience, and the assurance that their home will look as spectacular in 20 years as it does on day one,” Ademola notes.
A Legacy That Lasts
With its combination of visionary architecture, peerless safety, and meticulous maintenance planning, Grandis is built to remain iconic for generations. Thanks to Dumarco’s meticulous approach, the building’s service charges are expected to remain low while its value and appeal continue to appreciate over time.
In a market often marred by shortcuts and substandard practices, Mr Ademola says
Grandis stands as a beacon of what luxury living should be—safe, spectacular, and built to last.
“Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites — Where safety meets sophistication, and every detail is designed for a life well-lived.”
He added
Website -www.dumarcoltd.com
Project website – www.26idowutaylor.com
Email [email protected]
Tel / WhatsApp +234 9077777883
GM – Adejuwon A. Ademola
Tinubu Overhauls NTA Leadership: Media Powerhouse Rotimi Pedro Takes Helm as DG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a major shake-up at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), appointing renowned media executive Rotimi Richard Pedro as the new Director-General in a move widely seen as a bold step toward modernising the state broadcaster.
Pedro, a Lagos native, brings nearly 30 years of expertise in broadcasting, sports rights, and marketing communications across Africa, the UK, and the Middle East. A trained entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, he also holds an MSc in Investment Management and Finance from City University Business School, London.
In 1995, Pedro founded Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which rose to become one of Africa’s leading sports content providers—distributing premium events such as the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and CAF competitions to audiences in over 40 countries.
His career highlights include top roles at Bloomberg Television Africa and Rapid Blue Format, as well as advisory work for FIFA, UEFA, Fremantle Media, and the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB). At the AUB, he was instrumental in securing exclusive pan-African free-to-air media rights for all CAF competitions.
Alongside Pedro’s appointment, Tinubu named Karimah Bello from Katsina State as Executive Director of Marketing, Stella Din from Plateau State as Executive Director of News, and Sophia Issa Mohammed from Adamawa State as Managing Director of NTA Enterprises Limited.
Industry insiders credit Pedro with building commercially viable broadcast platforms, driving sponsorship growth, and delivering world-class content to African audiences. His appointment marks one of the most significant leadership changes at NTA in years—signalling the government’s intent to strengthen the broadcaster’s competitiveness in a fast-evolving media landscape.
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