society
Tinubu’s Caribbean Detour: How Nigeria’s Resources Are Funding Private Deals with the Chagoury Empire
Published
2 weeks agoon

Tinubu’s Caribbean Detour: How Nigeria’s Resources Are Funding Private Deals with the Chagoury Empire.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent trip to Saint Lucia and Saint Helena, before jetting off to Brazil, raises serious red flags about the true intent of his foreign excursions and the reckless use of Nigerian public resources for what appears to be a deeply personal, profit-driven mission. This was no ordinary diplomatic voyage. Behind the carefully staged optics of international relations lies a trail of covert dealings, shady business alliances and questionable loyalties; all pointing toward one family: the Chagourys.
At a time when Nigeria is gripped by unprecedented economic despair, runaway inflation and mass disillusionment, Tinubu’s trip to these obscure Caribbean islands (countries with little or no diplomatic or economic value to Nigeria) has ignited outrage. The big question on every concerned Nigerian’s lips is simple: Why Saint Lucia and Saint Helena, and what business does the Nigerian president have with the Chagoury family there?
The Chagoury Connection: A History of Shadows
The Chagoury name is no stranger to Nigerian politics. The Lebanese-Nigerian family, headed by Gilbert Chagoury, has long held deep roots in Nigeria’s corridors of power, with business interests spanning construction, telecommunications, real estate and oil. They were especially cozy with the late General Sani Abacha and Gilbert was once convicted in Switzerland for laundering money on Abacha’s behalf, a conviction that was later dismissed after a settlement, but not before it left a lasting stain.
So, when Bola Tinubu, a man whose personal and political wealth has always drawn suspicion, decides to “stop by” Caribbean nations where the Chagoury family has financial interests, red flags fly. According to diplomatic insiders and corroborated travel logs, the stopovers in Saint Lucia and Saint Helena were less about bilateral relations and more about consolidating private real estate deals and financial instruments tied to the Chagoury empire.
Nigeria’s Resources, Private Gain
It is alarming that a democratically elected leader would use Nigeria’s public resources (planes, staff, security details and state funds) to bolster private foreign investments. These trips were not publicized in official state bulletins, nor were they announced through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a clear breach of transparency. What is worse, no known Nigerian delegation or bilateral agreement was signed in either Saint Lucia or Saint Helena. No trade discussions, no tourism development pacts, no diaspora meetings. Nothing.
What did occur, however, were high-level meetings between President Tinubu’s inner circle and Chagoury family representatives to negotiate the expansion of their real estate projects, allegedly tied to offshore holdings where Nigerian interests may have been used as collateral.
This sort of deception is precisely what erodes public trust and deepens the legitimacy crisis Nigeria faces under Tinubu’s administration.
A Nation Bleeding While the President Shops for Property
Back home, the reality couldn’t be more tragic. Fuel prices are unaffordable, unemployment is skyrocketing, insecurity is swallowing entire communities and naira continues its freefall. Nigerians are forced to tighten their belts while the president gallivants across the globe in what appears to be a luxury real estate and business expansion tour.
Veteran journalist and public affairs analyst, Jide Olatunji, puts it bluntly:
“This is the worst form of political deceit. At a time when Nigerians are selling their household items to buy food, their president is busy striking private business deals with convicted foreign oligarchs. It is an insult to national dignity.”
Foreign Trips, No Foreign Results
Since assuming office, Tinubu has made more than a dozen international trips. From Paris to Doha, Davos to New York and now to these remote Caribbean islands, the president has spent more time abroad than many foreign ministers. Yet, there’s very little to show for it in terms of foreign direct investment, trade partnerships or international support. Every trip is heralded with pomp but ends in nothing but vague photo-ops and empty communiqués.
Even within the National Assembly, grumbles are beginning to surface. A ranking senator from the South-South region, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, lamented:
“We can’t keep watching our president turn Nigeria into a private logistics company for his global empire-building. These trips are excessive, unnecessary and expensive.”
Democracy or Kleptocracy?
This latest episode is a continuation of a disturbing trend: the personalization of governance. Bola Tinubu appears to treat state apparatus as an extension of his private estate; echoing the “Emilokan” entitlement mentality that powered his controversial election. Whether it’s installing loyalists into key institutions, bypassing due process or embarking on business-centric diplomatic charades, Tinubu is shaping Nigeria into a dangerous cocktail of crony capitalism and authoritarian kleptocracy.
Facts and Figures: The Burden on Nigerians
Cost of Presidential Trips: It is estimated that each foreign trip by the presidency costs Nigerians between ₦2.5 billion to ₦4 billion, including aircraft operations, logistics, accommodations and security.
Foreign Reserves Depletion: Nigeria’s foreign reserves dropped to $32.1 billion in June 2025, the lowest in over a decade yet the president flies to islands with no fiscal relevance to Nigeria.
National Debt: Nigeria’s public debt has crossed ₦101 trillion, with interest payments consuming over 90% of government revenue.
All this, while Tinubu entertains a billionaire family known for laundering stolen Nigerian funds during the Abacha era? The insult could not be deeper.
A Message to the Presidency: Enough!
Nigerians must not be passive. Civil society organizations, the media, opposition parties and religious leaders must demand a detailed breakdown of all Tinubu’s foreign trips/destinations, expenses, outcomes and justifications. We cannot allow a presidency that sells economic reform at home while pursuing private profit abroad.
In the words of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka:
“The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.”
Silence is no longer an option. Nigerians must demand accountability. We must ask why the presidency is more accountable to Chagoury’s bank than to the Nigerian people.
Final Word: This Is Not Governance
What Tinubu is doing is not leadership. It is exploitation. It is manipulation. It is, quite frankly, a betrayal. Nigerians deserve more than presidential charades designed to mask private transactions. They deserve leadership rooted in transparency, vision and patriotic sacrifice.
If Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes Nigeria is his personal estate, then we must remind him: Nigeria is a democracy, not a family business.
And if the Saint Lucia-Saint Helena trips were indeed innocent, let him prove it with documents, agreements and visible benefits to Nigeria.
Until then, this remains a deceptive trip cloaked in executive fraud and a disgrace to the nation and a tragedy to its people.
Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester
Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
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Apostle Suleman To Singles: Investigate Before Going Into Relationship To Avoid ‘It Is Well’
Published
8 hours agoon
July 18, 2025
Apostle Suleman To Singles:
Investigate Before Going Into Relationship To Avoid ‘It Is Well’
For a single lady seeking a relationship, the key is to investigate before fully committing to it. This involves understanding oneself, the other person, and the potential dynamics of the relationship to ensure a healthy and compatible match, counsels servant of God and General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
The revered Christian leader says it is crucial to assess the compatibility before making a serious commitment.
“Be careful of uninvestigated relationships,” Suleman warns. “Be careful of red flags. Somebody says I like you and both of you just started dating. Before you know it, it develops; you rush in and rush out. Investigate. There are some questions you need to ask.”
Apostle Suleman counsels that singles seeking life partnership must focus on self-love, personal growth, and building strong foundations in advance. This, he suggests, includes understanding self needs, values, and desires. “Embrace your individuality, spend time getting to know yourself, and exploring your passions. Anybody you try to impress you lose. Be yourself. Be yourself and be happy. A man has been married, he has got kids and the woman passed away and he wishes to remarry. Under the Scripture, you are very free to marry him if you like him. He’s a widower. But investigate what killed his wife, not what he told you about her fate. Go behind him and investigate.”
Referencing the relationships of olden days, Apostle Suleman posits that marriages in the past often lasted longer due to factors like strong family values and a greater emphasis on commitment. Divorce was less common, he says, because potential couples sought to know each other’s families’ stories before committing themselves.
“Are you aware that our parents’ marriages lasted longer? Do you know why the marriages lasted? It is because in those days, once you brought a lady home to your parents, they would go and investigate her family. But many of you are in a relationship, planning for marriage but you do not know the parents. All you do is just say this is my mother, this is my father. Whether they rented them you’re not aware. And you take it like that. You don’t understand how many of them are married, how many of them still have their marriages standing. You don’t investigate what rules in the family, what reigns in the family, what is common in the family. You have to investigate.”
Speaking from the Scripture, Judges 14; from Verse 5, the cleric says when Samson was ready to get married, his parents went to the family of the spouse. Also, in Genesis 24; 13, 14, 15; he says “when Abraham’s servant met Rebecca, he asked her ‘whose daughter are you?’ They said bring him home. And when he got to their house, she began to ask questions from everyone; she said ‘this person who is he? Please tell me about their family’. So investigate because once you’ve entered, it is for life. When there’s a crisis in your marriage they will never tell you to leave, they will only tell you to pray. Whether he breaks your leg, pray. He’s not giving you food, pray. He has another lady that he’s going out with, pray. He’s not taking care of the children, pray. To avoid ‘pray’, this is the time to make a decision.”
Concluding, Apostle Suleman stated that, “as a man, to avoid the complications of your woman, investigate in order to avoid ‘hmm it is well’. “There are two types of ‘it is well’. There’s ‘it is well’ and there’s ‘hmm it is well’. Citing an encounter, the seasoned preacher spoke of a young man who approached him and said that his wife told him that ‘it is well’ and he didn’t understand and he was scared. The man of God said he asked the man which of the ‘it is well’ did the wife say to him and he said it was ‘hmm it is well’. “I told him instantly that there was a problem! So, if it is just ‘it is well’, there’s no problem. But if it’s ‘hmm it is well’, just start begging, don’t say any other thing.
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Give Peter Obi and the Igbos a Chance to Rebuild Nigeria
Published
18 hours agoon
July 18, 2025Give Peter Obi and the Igbos a Chance to Rebuild Nigeria
By Frank Anagu | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
In today’s Nigeria, one man stands out for his integrity, vision and track record; Mr. Peter Obi. Among all the political leaders in Africa today, Obi is seen as one of the most credible, honest and disciplined. Sadly, he continues to face tribal attacks and political opposition not because of what he has done wrong, but simply because he is an Igbo man.
Many of those fighting him are not attacking his ideas or his character; they are fighting his tribe. This tribal mindset is holding Nigeria back and dividing the people, even when the country is crying for real leadership, economic direction and national unity.
Let us forget the lies and tribal gang-ups and focus on the truth. Nigeria needs healing, and it needs a man like Peter Obi to start that healing process.
The Ghost of 1966 and the Burden Placed on the Igbo People. To understand this tribal hate, we need to go back in history (to January 15, 1966) the day of Nigeria’s first military coup. Till today, many Nigerians wrongly believe the coup was an Igbo agenda. The truth, as now confirmed by General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), is that it was not an Igbo coup.
IBB himself made it clear in his official book and interviews that no single tribe was responsible for that military action. Unfortunately, the media and politicians of that time blamed it all on the Igbo people, placing a heavy burden on them that has lasted for decades.
This false belief led to hatred, marginalization, and violence against the Igbos. It has continued even now in 2025, as we see in how Peter Obi is being treated in the political space, not based on his performance or vision, but simply because of his tribe.
It is time to bury that lie once and for all. The Igbo people are not the enemy of Nigeria. In fact, they are some of the most industrious, peaceful and development-focused citizens of this country.
Labour Party Crisis: A Shameful Show of Selfishness. Look at what is happening inside the Labour Party, the political party that gave Peter Obi a platform in the 2023 elections. Instead of supporting the party to grow stronger and challenge the old ways of Nigerian politics, people like Julius Abure, Lamidi Apapa and Arabambi are fighting each other publicly.
They are acting like children in front of the whole country; dragging the name of the party in the mud. These are men who should be building a strong opposition party for the sake of Nigeria’s poor, but instead they are fighting over money, power and positions. What will they be remembered for?
Do they not realise that this selfishness is exactly what Nigerians are tired of?
Their actions show clearly that many of Nigeria’s so-called leaders put personal interest above national interest. This is not about Peter Obi alone. This is about the future of our country. Nigerians are watching and history will not forget those who betrayed the people’s hope for personal gain.
Northern Nigeria: Time to Return to the Spirit of 1960. To our brothers and sisters in Northern Nigeria, we say this with love and respect; it is time to go back to the drawing board where Nigeria began. It is time to remember the spirit of unity, mutual respect and national cooperation that our founding fathers had.
Do you remember the great alliance of 1937? That was when Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and leader of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), joined hands with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the secretary of the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC), which later became the National Council of Nigerian Citizens.
That partnership formed the very foundation of Nigeria. It was built on unity, love and the dream of a better Nigeria and that dream led us to independence on October 1st, 1960.
Where is that spirit today? Instead of working together like our fathers did, many politicians now promote division, hate and tribalism. This must stop. It is time for the North to reject those using tribalism for personal gain and embrace true nation builders like Peter Obi.
Peter Obi Is Not an Igbo Project, He Is a Nigerian Project. Let us make something very clear: Peter Obi is not an Igbo project. He is not running for office to promote one tribe over the other. He is a Nigerian project. He is a symbol of competence, accountability and transparency.
When he was Governor of Anambra State, he did his best in the state without borrowing money. Atleast, He paid salaries, renovated schools, upgraded hospitals and saved money for the next government. He proved that good governance is possible in Nigeria.
Today, the same old politicians want to stop him not because he failed, but because they fear change. They fear someone who cannot be bribed or controlled. They fear a man who speaks the truth and lives by it.
We the people must not be afraid. We must stand up and demand a new Nigeria. We must stand behind Peter Obi (not because he is Igbo) but because he is credible, focused and capable.
We Must Break the Cycle of Lies and Hate. The lies against the Igbo people have been exposed. Even before IBB published his book, many Nigerians (including Femi Fani kayode) continued to falsely blame the Igbos for Nigeria’s problems. These are outdated tactics that no longer work.
The truth is out. Let us not allow old lies to divide a new generation. We are wiser now. Nigeria’s future must not be built on bitterness, but on justice, fairness and truth.
A Call for Unity and Support in 2027. As we look forward to the 2027 general elections, this is a call to all well-meaning Nigerians especially our Northern brothers and sisters to support a leader who has the vision, the record and the clean hands to rebuild Nigeria.
Support Peter Obi and let us build the Nigeria our fathers dreamt of a Nigeria where:
Tribe doesn’t matter.
Religion doesn’t divide us.
Corruption is punished.
Youths have jobs.
Schools work.
Roads are safe.
And leadership means service not stealing.
This is what Peter Obi stands for.
Final Words: History Is Watching. Everyone fighting against progress today should know one thing, history is watching. What will you be remembered for? Did you build or did you destroy? Did you unite or did you divide? Did you stand for the truth or sell out for money?
Peter Obi is standing for the truth. He is standing for a new Nigeria. He is standing for all of us North, South, East and West.
Let us give him the chance. Let us break the chains of tribalism. Let us rebuild Nigeria together.
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We Are Not the Enemy: A Letter to South Africa from One African to Another. By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Published
22 hours agoon
July 18, 2025
We Are Not the Enemy: A Letter to South Africa from One African to Another.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
There is a storm brewing on the southern tip of our beloved continent; one not caused by nature, but by man. In township corners, across social media reels and in political podiums draped in national flags, an uncomfortable message continues to echo: “Operation Dudula, Foreigners must go.”
Let’s ask the question the cowards will not: who really are the enemies of South Africa? Is it the foreign national who sells tomatoes on the street, or the political elite sipping imported wine while corruption ruins the soul of the nation?
In a recent viral Instagram reel, yet another South African citizen laments the presence of foreign nationals, blaming them for unemployment, rising crime and economic stagnation. The message is emotionally charged and undoubtedly reflects the frustration of the average citizen who feels abandoned, beneath this fiery rhetoric lies a dangerous illusion: that foreign nationals (especially African migrants) are the root cause of South Africa’s problems.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Real Source of the Pain. Let’s be honest: the pain South Africans feel is real. Youth unemployment is above 60%. Basic services often fail. Corruption, crime, and poverty are rampant. But who created these problems? Foreigners?
No.
It was the politicians who promised “a better life for all” and then built palaces for themselves. It was the corporate barons who loot pension funds. It was the system that failed to reform after apartheid ended—a system that now feeds on division to hide its incompetence.
Instead of holding the powerful accountable, the people are being told to look sideways; to blame Zimbabweans, Nigerians, Congolese, Somalis and Mozambicans. This is not just sad; it is intellectually dishonest and morally dangerous.
Divide and Rule: The Old Colonial Tactic. Repackaged, Let us not forget: the first Europeans to colonize Africa didn’t do so with armies alone, they did so by dividing us. Zulu vs Xhosa. Igbo vs Yoruba. South African vs Nigerian. They turned brothers into rivals.
Now in 2025, that same method is being repackaged. South African politicians (especially populists like Gayton McKenzie and others like him) use foreign nationals as scapegoats. They say “they take our jobs”, “they commit crimes”, “they’re illegal.”
Ask any honest economist and they’ll tell you that most foreign nationals in South Africa CREATE their own jobs. They run salons, spaza shops, taxi services, catering businesses, tailoring shops. They hustle, just like the average South African. They are not stealing jobs. They are surviving.
The Cost of Xenophobia. Xenophobia does not just hurt the foreigner, it stains South Africa’s soul.
In 2008, 2015, 2019 and again in recent years, we saw the brutal scenes: machetes drawn, businesses looted, people burned alive. These are not just headlines. They are human tragedies.
What did South Africa gain from these attacks? Did the economy improve? Did unemployment drop? Were the hospitals suddenly functional?
No.
All that happened was blood in the streets and shame on the continent.
According to a 2023 UNHCR report, more than 140,000 African migrants in South Africa live in fear of physical attacks. Children don’t go to school. Families sleep with one eye open. And for what?
To distract the people from the true cause of their suffering: failed governance.
The Pan-African Dream Is Dying. Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Nelson Mandela and Thomas Sankara all dreamed of a united Africa; an Africa without borders, without hatred, without tribal or national division. Today, that dream is being poisoned.
When South Africans attack Nigerians, Zimbabweans or Somalians, they are not protecting their country; they are burning down the very bridges we need to build the Africa we deserve.
Africa will never rise if we continue to fight ourselves. No nation can isolate itself into prosperity. We either grow together, or we collapse together.
Who Are the Real Criminals?
Let us talk about crime.
Yes, there are criminals among foreign nationals; just as there are criminals among South Africans, but every society has both SAINTS and SINNERS. You don’t condemn an entire nationality because of a few bad actors. That’s not justice; that’s prejudice.
Let’s talk facts.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), more than 85% of all arrests and convictions are South African nationals. Foreign nationals make up a very small percentage of actual criminals and even smaller when you factor in economic contribution.
Now let’s talk about white-collar crime. The biggest scandals in South Africa’s history ( Eskom looting, Gupta state capture, Steinhoff fraud, VBS bank collapse) were all masterminded by South Africans. Not a single foreigner was needed to pull off those billion-rand crimes.
So, again, who are the real criminals?
The Contribution of Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals bring more than just their sweat and skills; they bring their cultures, their flavors, their music, their resilience. Nigerian doctors in Limpopo save lives every day. Zimbabwean teachers educate children in Eastern Cape. Somali traders bring goods to rural areas where no one else wants to go.
According to a 2022 report by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), foreign-owned businesses in South Africa contribute nearly R20 billion annually to the informal economy. That is not THEFT. That is VALUE.
Yet, many of them live under threat; discriminated against, demonized and harassed by both citizens and police.
A Message to South Africans. Brothers and sisters, I say this not with bitterness, but with love: WE ARE NOT YOUR ENEMIES.
We come here not to conquer but to contribute. We run from war, hunger and collapsed governments to places like South Africa because we believe in its promise. We believe in ubuntu; that African spirit that says “I AM BECAUSE WE ARE.”
Let us not allow fear and propaganda to destroy that spirit.
The solution to your suffering lies in BETTER GOVERNANCE, FAIRER ECONOMIC POLICY and YOUTH EMPOWERMENT; not in burning down a Somali-owned shop or blaming a Nigerian Uber driver.
A Message to African Leaders. We foreign nationals are not just victims; we are also failed by our own governments. Why do so many Africans risk their lives to flee to South Africa? Home has failed us.
So this is also a call to our own leaders; Nigerian, Zimbabwean, Congolese, Ethiopian: fix your countries. Stop looting. Stop silencing opposition. Stop selling out to foreign powers. Your failure forces your citizens to flee. And that exodus becomes fuel for xenophobia abroad.
Finally: Africa is bleeding from within. The hate we show each other only deepens the wounds left by colonialism and corruption.
South Africa, you are a giant (but even giants can fall) especially when they forget their brothers.
We must reject the politics of DIVISION and embrace the vision of UNITY. The future of Africa does not lie in border posts or deportation vans. It lies in the hands of young Africans, working together, respecting one another and rebuilding this continent from the ground up.
Let us rise; not as South Africans or Nigerians or Zimbabweans; but as Africans, together.
Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester
Pan-African writer, political commentator, and human rights advocate
Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
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