Author: Zainab Suleiman Okino

LESS than two years into President Bola Tinubu’s first tenure, everything about him and all decisions now revolve around politics and politicking toward his reelection in 2027. Not that he ever took his gaze off that all-important year, the year of final consolidation, of crowning glory for a man who has been in the trenches since the 1990s. In recent months, three governors have defected from the PDP to the ruling APC: Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, and Peter Mbah of Enugu, with Douye Diri of Bayelsa State waiting in the wings. Abia State governor…

IN the past, society placed considerable value on decency, particularly for women. The reverse is the case today. A combination of Western influence, social media, the internet, and our digital world is redefining what constitutes modesty, decency, and morality. That same society now appears obsessed with undressing women in public arenas while cheerleaders upload such incidents on social media, making them viral within moments. The people who watch, share, and make ordinarily private videos go viral are members of this society, who then turn around to preach moral compass and decency. Two recent cases—Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger, and…

WHEN the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was formally presented to the public on July 2, there was palpable excitement in the air as it was perceived as a possible replacement for the floundering and lacklustre opposition represented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), whose members have been defecting in droves to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Nigerians waited to see the reenactment of the 2014 merger of three major political parties—Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)—that formed the APC. That coalition later won the 2015…

WHAT played out at the APC national policy summit a fortnight ago can safely be described as a theatre of the absurd and a public display of the arrogance of power. A government is elected (or is it selected?) to serve a four-year term, and less than one year into their tenure, what seemed like subtle calls by jobless hangers-on coalesced into full-scale campaigns and endorsements everywhere until the “victor” was crowned at that summit. Welcome to the APC government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who “won an (s)election for a second term” even before the whistle for the electioneering…

I WAS pleasantly surprised to learn the other day that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) was involved in uncovering some infractions at the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship programmes. First, the thought of fraud in a newly established government agency given the mandate of ameliorating students’ financial burden is scandalous. I said to myself, ‘there you go again, nothing good can come out of this country’. After hearing of NOA’s intervention to expose the fraud, it gave me some comfort: although there will always be light-fingered people dipping their hands in the collective cookie…

AT the public presentation of Sule Lamido’s autobiography “BEING TRUE TO MYSELF” penultimate week, one could mistake the gathering for the formation of a new political party. The convergence of eminent personalities from both the governing party and opposition parties mirrored the ongoing political defections to the APC, which has become a national pastime. Nigerians from diverse backgrounds united to solidarise with, identify and support Lamido, the former governor of Jigawa state, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s political godson. The atmosphere blended rural sensibilities, Jigawa locals with urban sophistication and political elite, befitting a “village prince,” as…

AFTER failing to unite and in the process, handing over victory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on a platter of gold in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar have been grandstanding and upbraiding the government of the day. This posturing serves as partial fulfillment of their role as opposition figures or perhaps stems from fear of political self-immolation. They are everywhere and comment on everything—talk of seeking relevance when the battle is over. They trade blames, without pulling punches even when unnecessary. Meanwhile, they have since abandoned their political parties, the vehicles they rode to candidacy, leaving…

WHEN the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Adeola Ajayi advocated for self-help and communal approach to insecurity and crimes such as raids on vulnerable communities leading to unprovoked deaths, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, he ignited a heated debate about whether his suggestion invited anarchy and mutually assured destruction that could plunge the country into technical warfare. However, DG Ajayi was not pioneering this perspective. In 2022, General Theophilus Danjuma reiterated the same position at a public event in his home state of Taraba, echoing his earlier 2018 statement responding to widespread violence that left destruction and misery…

ON March 20, 2025, I and three other media personalities from Nigeria embarked on a trip to Beijing, China to join 30 other media heads from eight countries for a seminar of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries. It turned out to be a voyage of practical discovery of the Chinese experience, totally different from the Western-inspired narrative. The event was organised by the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) and sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. Facilitated by the China Embassy here in Nigeria, the seminar was conceived, among other goals,…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set forth an ambitious vision for Nigeria’s economic transformation—a $1 trillion economy by 2026, with projections reaching $3 trillion by decade’s end. This bold declaration, made at the 29th Nigerian Economic Summit, outlines a roadmap centred on revitalising agriculture, bolstering manufacturing, promoting made-in-Nigeria goods, and supporting local manufacturers through indigenous sourcing of raw materials. While the timeline has sparked scepticism about its feasibility, there exists a statistical mechanism that might just make this economic utopia achievable: the rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has signalled its intention to…

A LEADER may not have all the answers, but their thoughtful approach and composed response to criticisms, cries of marginalisation and demands from various quarters can help diffuse tension and foster more constructive dialogue. Whether we call it politics, diplomacy, or clever manoeuvrings, if it calms frayed nerves, it achieves vital, albeit symbolic and intangible goals: rebuilding trust, soothing emotions, and creating space for constructive engagement. President Bola Tinubu appears to be that kind of leader, adept at displaying political symbolism. The January visit of Ogoni leaders to the president left an indelible mark because of his profound message that…

THROUGHOUT Nigeria’s recent history, security agencies have faced persistent criticisms for their apparent inability to share intelligence effectively among themselves. This lack of cooperation has often been blamed for their failure to prevent criminal activities, particularly those perpetrated by insurgents and bandits who continue to terrorise various communities across the nation. However, a significant shift in this narrative has recently emerged, marked by an unprecedented acknowledgment from an unexpected quarter. In a remarkable turn of events, Governor Lawal Dauda of Zamfara state, a member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), publicly commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for…

SOMETHING quite remarkable and sublime, yet a powerful testament, capable of setting the tone for a discourse on national cohesion happened recently at a rather innocuous book launch of a professional colleague. The book also has an unusual title, Personal Non Grata, a personal account of the author, Ismaila Omipidan’s life and experiences from relative obscurity to limelight. The title of the book is as intriguing as the audience. The event’s significance lay not just in its content but in its audience – a diverse assembly of Nigerians that resembled a national unity summit. The gathering brought together individuals from…

BEYOND their playful rivalries over jollof rice and football supremacy, Ghana and Nigeria share profound historical, cultural, and political trajectories that have shaped West Africa’s development. As Britain’s most significant colonial possessions in West Africa, both nations emerged from similar experiences under indirect rule, which leveraged existing traditional power structures while introducing “modern” administrative systems. The post-independence stories of these two Anglophone giants mirror each other in remarkable ways. Both countries experienced the euphoria of independence in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with Ghana leading the way in 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah, setting a precedent for Nigeria’s independence in…

IN the face of unimaginable adversity, Alice Loksha and Ganiyat Popoola’s unbroken spirits shine like beacons of hope. Alice was a nurse working with UNICEF when she was kidnapped by boko haram militants in March 2018 in Rann, Borno State. The attack occurred at an Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp where she was providing humanitarian assistance. During the same attack, two other aid workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – Hauwa Liman and Saifura Ahmed Khorsa were also kidnapped. Sadly, both ICRC workers were later killed by their captors. Alice’s story came back to the limelight…

WHEN the Supreme Court delivered its landmark judgment on financial autonomy for the 774 Local Governments (LGs) in July 2024, many believed salvation had finally reached the grassroots. The verdict was expected to empower LGs to make decisions and take actions without seeking approval from state governors, potentially ushering in much-needed development to this long-neglected tier of government. How wrong we were. The office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, George Akume, established an inter-ministerial committee to enforce and implement the Supreme Court’s verdict. However, recent weeks have revealed that governors have already devised ways to circumvent…

IF the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Ex-Governor Yahaya Bello tango were a contest, the latter would have won in a knockout blow that sent the anti-corruption agency to the canvas, hitting so badly that it may never recover, at least not soon. However, while the EFCC reels from this misadventure, the joke is on the nation and all who had invested emotionally in the agency, hoping it would stamp out or at least reduce corruption in the public sector and give Nigeria a better global image. This latest debacle has further exposed the current government’s inability or…

WHETHER we accept it or not, all is not well with the engine room of Nigeria’s economy. The petroleum industry sector, like other public sector administrations in Nigeria, remains shrouded in opacity and subject to meddling, contrary to established global protocols. From all indications, there are obvious contradictions in the inner workings between the presidency and the managers of the nation’s cash cow, leaving a stunned nation in the dark. For ordinary Nigerians, it’s hard to accept that fuel subsidies have returned, even at the exorbitant official price of N617 per litre (before the new hike) that unfortunately was never…

ON July 18, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) held its 2024 policy meeting to determine modalities for admissions into tertiary institutions. However, the process was overshadowed by an age controversy. It began when the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, reiterated his concern about underage students writing exams preparatory to becoming undergraduates, a point he had raised during the last Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination (UTME). Almost all the tertiary education administrators at the event unanimously opposed the minister’s suggestion of an 18-year minimum age, forcing him to temporarily reverse and defer the proposal. Ultimately, a minimum age…

UK Labour Vs Nigerian LP A DAY after the UK election, results were announced, and the Labour Party gained the majority. The government transition moved swiftly. Ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took responsibility for the Conservative Party’s devastating blow, moved out of 10 Downing Street, and that same day, Keir Starmer, the new leader, moved in. Both visited King Charles for ceremonial blessings, as tradition demands. There was no drama, no committees, no dissenting voices, no daggers drawn, no open expressions of blame, and no threat of legal battles. Such an elegant and simple system based on understanding—Britain has no written…