Opinion

Empowerment: Pathway to Emerging a Hero

Published

7 years ago

October 26, 2019

Eric

By Tolulope A. Adegoke

“Your greatest self has been waiting your whole life;

don’t make it wait any longer.” – Dr. Steve Maraboli

“(EMP)loy POWER for incre(MENT)= EMPOWERMENT!”

-Tolulope A. Adegoke

You are far greater than you have ever imagined or ever dreamed of being. And no matter what you are experiencing in your life right now, trust that all is good and unfolding in your best interest. It may not look pretty, but it is exactly what you need to learn for you to grow into the person you have been destined to become. Everything occurring in your life has been perfectly orchestrated to inspire your maximal evolution as human being and bring you into your true power. Learn from people, learn from your conscience, and learn from life – this, will empower you and take you to where you are meant to go. Truly, everything has your highest interests in mind, because everything (that is, both good and bad) are working together for your good- Romans 12:2 reveals that: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 further reveals that: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Within this write up, you will discover many answers to life’s most important questions. I pray you find many truths and gain much insight into the way the world, the people and the Word works, and how to succeed with and within it. Ultimately, the answers you are seeking already lie deep within your heart. There is nowhere else to look. Yes, my words may prompt openings for you and serve to help you remember what you already know at your core. But do not doubt that there is, a treasure trove of wisdom, power, and love slumbering within you-waiting to be awakened by your most courageous part. Isn’t that incredibly inspiring to know? You already are everything you have always wanted to become. You simply need to do the inner work required to remove the blocks that have been covering- and denying-your original (divine) nature.

What then is EMPOWERMENT? How can you maximize it for your desired change of levels?

The word EMPOWERMENT is the combination of three cogent words as stated here: EMPloy POWER for increMENT – which simply means to Employ POWER for Increments (that is, to be MORE). To Employ means to engage or make use of something, while POWER equals to ABILITY (to do). Increment is a degree by which something is made larger or greater. It could also be said to be ‘the action or process of INCREASING especially in quantity or value. It is something gained or added. We can therefore, say that EMPOWERMENT is the Engagement of the Ability (that is, what it takes) or techniques to Increase in value or quantity.

EMPOWERMENT is the intentional act of yielding to a course, for a cause to being better or transformed from zero to HERO, from nobody to Somebody, from nothing to something, from insignificance to Significance, from raw to refined, from talents into Skills, from mere Skills into Value, and from Values to REWARDS!

Empowerment is the awakening of the Giant that lies within us as individuals for the deliveries of possibilities. It is an infinite exercise of working tenaciously to become better at something or to become a Master, by intentionally subjecting one’s self to learning at the feet of Masters the ‘HOW’ to becoming the ‘WHAT’ or the THAT or ‘WHO’? To become ‘WHO’, then you must understand the ‘HOW’?

We must understand that Learning has its ‘Curves’ and ‘Costs’. The Costs of EMPOWERMENT are:

Discipline
Working-Inputs
Sacrifice
Execution
Gratitude

Discipline: This is the first rule of Empowerment (Learning). We find so much human errors in our societies today due to lack of DISCIPLINE. Discipline means depriving one’s self of his or her comfort (zones) by passing through what is required for the next phase in life in order to become better and greater at something or become a leading example in a specific area of life. There is no great man in life who is truly great that has not adopted discipline as a lifestyle. Discipline means subjecting one’s self to authentic obedience at feet of an instructor or mentor or instructions or rules.

Here, you are under instructions or tutelages set by conscience or by (man)-whatever that is learned must be adopted as a lifestyle to be more or become greater. There are values and virtues that are built either consciously and unconsciously, physically and spiritually during this processes. Among others, the following below are the pillars of Discipline:

Time Consciousness & Management
Appreciating the Costs of Values
Understanding Price-tag on Values
Humility
The Power of Quietness or Silence (To listen swiftly and talkless and think smart
Sleepless
Reading and Studying
Meditation
Financial Management (Saving More)
Embracing the Company Mentality (Shunning the ‘Crowd’ Mentality): Crowd means Everybody, while the word Company means just a selected few who aligns with your Purpose, and at the same time maximizes your effects.

Working-Input (Within): This simply means Working Within the boundaries of Knowledge by Wisdom for depth in Understanding. Another word for it is Input. In the process of learning or empowerment, there is usually a curve, where you ultimately surrender what you ‘think you know’ for things you need to know to be soaked into your being. The more you accumulate knowledge, the more soaked you get. It is a process of chasing after Knowledge for Excellence, so as to be chased by Success in return at every point of execution or delivery (that is, working-out what you have learned or acquired. This also a point of yearning after ‘Clarity’ which is one of the DNAs of MASTERY or ‘Understanding’. This is the process of studying and meditating on it for deeper REVELATIONS and at the same time to removing the ‘blocks’ that have been covering- and denying-your original (divine) nature, thereby rediscovering your authentic self- it is Revelation that gives Understanding.

If you do not want your life to end in ‘RED’ (danger), you must READ and STUDY! Revelation comes first before ELEVATION! Knowledge is LIGHT, and LIGHT is LIFE!

There are many people with stature, volume and age, yet lack LIGHT (Understanding)…It is light that separates a dullard from a GENIUS! It is Light that separates a pupil from the Master. The light you carry matters in life – it is what determines your levels in reality, it determines your level of Command in core aspects of life, being that you have gained Mastery, you have become a MASTER!

Light is CLARITY, it is MASTERY (and this is the state of the authentic). This is the time to avoid any pattern of distraction so as to enjoy and engage the light that you are about access from this write-up for Peak Performances to deliver possibilities in People, Corporates and Nations at large.

Relentless Commitment to Daily Growth is key for global relevance. I refer to it as the White-Belt Mentality – this is when you Write on a journal daily, Meditate, Focus, Reflect, Ponder, and Handcraft your days intentionally for positive out-comes. If Knowledge is POWER, then learning is your Super-Power! Knowledge isn’t just power as people say, it is the application of Knowledge that guarantees profit! Empowerment improves you enough to be irresistibly NEEDED, that is, when you are loaded with relevant contents that solves problems, you will be a force to reckon with, even if they do not like you as a person, but the solutions you carry will make you attractive enough to be their only CHANCE of survival!

The fact is, anybody can be Empowered; in fact, everybody needs EMPOWERMENT – the more we learn, the more fit we are to Lead others and EARN. Any zero can become a HERO, and any HERO can become a greater HERO! That is why great are not relenting in being better to be greater – they all want to be MORE – they are not satisfied with little, they are expanding so that the people under them can become more and better as well (that’s why their brands of solutions are simplified, accessible and affordable).

The day you become satisfied with little is the day you start becoming little! Never settle for convenience over destiny! A lot of destinies are hanging on your shoulders for survival; if you refuse to dare for more, it means that you are only living for yourself alone – there are destinies attached to your values, virtues and presence on Earth! To be consistently more, you need to seek KNOWLEDGE per time regardless of your age or level of attainment in life. That is why you have the Company of people you keep who are wired to charge or spur you up to being better and as well maximize your effect. We also need to maximize our connection with the internet, a wise user of a computer puts his or her system on Auto-Update, why? to get updated, upgraded with the latest versions of software online for maximum outputs on the computer and efficient deliveries of services through it. As human beings, we get upgraded, updated by Knowledge through Wisdom for Understanding and maximum deliveries so as not to be stuck in yesterday! The Knowledge or anointing of yesterday is not enough for today! Today is today! What you have acquired today with sweat may become obsolete tomorrow if you fail or refuse to upgrade to the latest version of thoughts, reasoning, and know-how.

Sacrifice: This is definitely not a strange word to a majority across the world, especially the great minds who are great mines. Sacrifice simply means ‘to surrender what you have in order to secure or receive what you NEED! It means surrendering WHAT you are so as to become WHO you desire to become! It also means surrendering WHAT you are in order to become WHO you desire to be! It simply means surrendering where you are so as to arrive at WHERE you desire or need to be. Therefore, sacrifice means letting-go of your WANTS in order to have your NEEDS met! Children (little minds) gives offerings, while Kings (great minds) offers SACRIFICES! We give up ‘WHAT’ we WANT when we NEED POWER! Power is a necessity in this journey of life in order to fulfil destiny or divine purpose. For every Sacrifice, there is a Scar (this Scar connotes the Costs of the Sacrifice). The scar is what decorates your being, it tells your stories in your glory. I would say that, ‘Do not envy Success…kindly envy SACRIFICE! The volume of Sacrifice determines where you would surface (that is, appear), either at the Peak or beneath. Sacrifice is the covenant requirement for every next level of greatness. It cracks the code for each levels of greatness and unravels mysteries, it shakes the Heavens and causes Divinity to intervene in Humanity!

Execution: This simply means ‘To Work-It-Out! It is the process of giving birth to the Knowledge acquired through the volume of light (Understanding) that we carry or have received. This is the Out-put of what has been Put-into you over time (that is, engaging the Knowledge which you have been soaked with). This is where Knowledge turns into formulas through Understanding (Light) by Wisdom. This, is where you make it happen on the field called REALITY…We gather Ability through Knowledge, and we transform it into REALITY based on the level of Understanding which we have or carry, then profit from it by Wisdom! When life tells you NO! Ask yourself, What AM I capable of? Winners does not quit or make excuses, Winners only EXECUTE continuously till they get it right! The likes of Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gate among others had their share of trying moments, their moments of pain which they burned as fuel to acquire the gains we all celebrate today. These ones didn’t give up on the Light they carry or carried, rather, they illuminated or keep illuminating the world by continuous practices. Though, they may have failed or fail severally, but there is always a Bounce-Back-Power for every true Winner, which is fostered by Strong-Will or DETERMINATION.

Majority across the world are not usually interested in the ‘HOW’ (Process), but in the ‘WHAT’ (Results or happenings). For example, WHAT happened? WHAT did he/she do? WHAT did he say? WHAT did he give? WHAT did or does he/she has to offer? etc., because majority are only interested What has been or is achieved, they are not interested in knowing the HOW (PROCESSES or Cost) of what it took or takes to be WHAT or WHO. Only a few with great depth would ask ‘HOW’ he/she made it, or HOW he won the Election…the steps he took, the people he aligned with, the Sacrifices he offered, the Disciplines he adopted as lifestyle, the ‘helps’ rendered that attracted divine assistance or intervention, the favors he requested, the sleepless nights, the hours of Meditation, his Think-tanks (technocrats).

Small people wants summaries, and only want to live on survival, they do not have time to ‘go and grow through’ the processes of becoming…they only want their cakes NOW, just like ESAU in the Holy Bible who sold his birth-right because he was hungry and in a haste just to satisfy his belly without bothering to have an understanding of what it would cost him to lose the treasure that lies with his being!

The point of execution is always an opportunity to show-case what you have been cooking through the tool of Knowledge. It is an opportunity to show-off and show up! It is an opportunity to tell the world that I AM HERE-though, I have been here, but it has been behind the scene. Cooking is the right application of HEAT! It is therefore time to serve your MEAL (Products or Solutions) to the world!

Execution is the process of giving birth to what was conceived in the process of learning, just like a pregnant woman who has been pregnant; it is natural to expect her to deliver after nine months of carrying the fetus (baby) in her womb. The same thing goes to you and I; it is time for us to deliver the future, because it lies within us. Ideas are FUTURE conceived within us, packaged as information, encrypted in the Knowledge that man absorbs to deliver his generation at every point of need during execution. Being pregnant is not enough, delivery is a must! The same goes to learning; being soaked with Knowledge is not enough, but Execution (putting it into good use) is what is expected of all true learners. The Holy Book reveals “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:19). This means that, everything, everyone is waiting for you to show up and deliver the FUTURE (Treasures or Solutions) that lies within you as a deliverer, which has been deposited in you for your generation(s). If you do not show up (Manifest), your generation may be bounded or be in bondage for years; just like Moses (a Jew) who grew up in Pharaoh’s Palace (in Egypt); he assimilated the doctrines, he was soaked in the Egyptians traditions (knowledge) for years, but after so many years that the Israelites had been in bondage, God called Moses at the age of 70 (years) to deliver his people (the Israelites) with the Light which had been deposited into him for years – all this while, before Moses showed-up for the Israelites, they were all in the captivity of the Egyptians. So, if you do not show up (that is, birth the Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding of the Skills, Values, Virtues that you have been soaked with and nursing over the years), you might be holding your generation(s) to ransom! You may not get it right at first, be free to try again, again and again; there will be a day that you will get it right and gain from the rewards that comes with it (through the pains which you have burned as fuel through determination and strong-will) Get up, go to work and work it out! Destinies are waiting on you; your generation is waiting for you to show up! Take responsibility like David took against Goliath!

The anointing upon your life isn’t just a blessing, but responsibility on your shoulders to birthing solutions that will deliver you generation, even the ones yet unborn. Therefore, instead of being a container of blessings, I charge you now to be a channel, so that these solutions can flow through you unto others. Execute and Excel!

Gratitude: This is a state of the authentic, it is a state of bliss, it is a natural force or lifestyle that preserves, perfects our outputs(efforts) and blessings. Gratitude means Gr(eat)ATTITUDE which means- an attitude that is exclusive to only GREAT Minds who have the depth to look back at what they were and the Mighty hands that picked them up to arrive at where they are at the moment. Small minds make small People-Small people are not usually grateful, they complain about everything, they don’t have clear minds and are not free in spirit. Gratitude is an attitude that when adopted as lifestyle takes us to great altitudes in life. The first step of GRATITUDE is- ACKNOWLEDGING The Maker, God Almighty in all things. Secondly, CELEBRATING your teachers or mentors who have invested time and energy to impart you with the Light (Understanding) that they carry. Thirdly, Celebrate and Appreciate your Supporters (they believed in you when others couldn’t, even when you thought you couldn’t, these ones inspired you could, then you did it! Lastly, Celebrate Yourself for being dedicated and tenacious toward the achievement of Success. Take a break, travel, rest well, eat well, have fun, then go back to study for the next phase or level of Success. Re-engage the formulas for Success, that is, the Costs of Empowerment again and again to be More and Greater and Better!

Re-examine your life

It is very important that you know and understand where and why you need improvement, then go after relevant Knowledge that treats or solves your weak areas…An unexamined life is not worth living! A dis-empowered life will remain an imprisoned life-it is not worth living. Maximize every condition you go through to be better and for the well-being of Mankind. Be responsible, even in tough-times…never lose your head in tough times, never lose your heart at all times. Empowerment builds your VISION.

VISION is powered by the following sights:

Eye-sights
Insights
Hind-sights
Fore-sights
Mind-sights

VISION enlightens and opens you up to illuminate Mankind, thereby translating them into the True light from darkness. You are an embodiment of treasures/solutions; I charge you to UNLEASH! I charge you to Man-i–fest! Any determined zero can become The HERO! I trust that this write up in has briefly explained the ‘HOW’ to you with relevant examples towards becoming POSSIBLE where you have been described IMPOSSIBLE! you must therefore read, study and follow the teachings in it to the end. You will become an ABILITY on motion in the delivery of possibilities (of) Peoples, Corporates and Nations! It is your vision(s) that determines the extent or size(s) of your mission. Friends, we are on a mission, I encourage you to power your vision by Light. Psalm 119: 130 reveals: “The entrance of the words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” To me, the word simple connotes HUMILITY.

You are on a journey to global relevance that will culminate to you emerging the greater HERO you desire to become in your generation! Simply drop your pride and enjoy the ride to your heroic destiny! The world needs the hero they can believe in. You do not need to be a demi-god to be a hero, you just need to believe that you are one- God gives GRACE to the humble. It’s all within you! You are an embodiment of treasure, please do not call it trash! Dreams comes through, only when you work it out! You can be far better than the exemplars you look up to. Yes! You can be greater!

Thank you all for reading.

Tolulope A. Adegoke is an acclaimed “globalpreneur”, with the mandate to enrich lives and provide the professional, spiritual, academic and leadership empowerment needed to birth, maximize and sustain possibilities in peoples, corporates and nations. He is a prolific writer, frequent keynote speaker and proven spoken word poet, among others, having written countless articles in diverse reputable fields and honoured many public invitations.

He is also a Senior Administrator.

E-mail: adegoketolulope1022@gmail.com

globalstageimpacts@gmail.com

Opinion

A Vindicating Truth: A Factual Presentation on the Supreme Court’s Intervention in the ADC Leadership Matter

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Eric

By Comrade IG Wala

To All Nigerians, Party Stakeholders, and Lovers of Democracy,

In the life of every great political movement, there comes a moment where the noise of confusion meets the silence of the Law. For the African Democratic Congress (ADC), that moment arrived on April 30, 2026.

For months, the ADC was held in a state of judicial paralysis caused by a lower court order that froze the party’s activities. This order did not just affect a few leaders, it threatened to delete the ADC from the Nigerian political map and disenfranchise millions of supporters ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Today, we present the facts of the Supreme Court’s intervention to ensure that every Nigerian, from the city centers to the grassroots, understands that Justice has spoken, and the ADC is alive.

The Three Pillars of the Supreme Court’s Ruling:

1. The End of Paralysis (The Status Quo Order)!

The Supreme Court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, was clear and firm: the Court of Appeal’s order to maintain a “status quo” was improper and unwarranted. The apex court recognized that you cannot freeze a political party indefinitely without a trial. By setting this aside, the Supreme Court rescued the ADC from a leadership vacuum that was being used to justify de-recognition by INEC.

2. The Restoration of Administrative Legitimacy.

By nullifying the appellate court’s freeze, the Supreme Court effectively restored the David Mark-led National Working Committee to its rightful place. This means that for all official, administrative, and electoral purposes, the ADC now has a recognized head. The party is no longer a ship without a captain; the doors of the headquarters are open, and the party’s name remains firmly on the ballot.

3. The Order for a Fresh Trial on Merits.

True to the principles of fair hearing, the Supreme Court did not simply gift the party to one side. Instead, it ordered the case back to the Federal High Court for an accelerated hearing. This is a victory for the Truth. It means the court is not interested in technicalities or stopping the clock, it wants to see the evidence, read the Party Constitution, and deliver a final judgment based on the Right vs. Wrong.

Note: I will drop the 7 prayers made to Supreme Court by ADC in the comment section.

A Message to Our Members and Supporters.
To our members who have felt a sense of fear, apprehension, or a lack of confidence in the Nigerian courts, let your hearts be at peace.

It is a delusion to believe that gross injustice can simply walk through the doors of our highest courts unnoticed. This matter is currently one of the most publicized and people-centric cases in Nigeria. In such a bright spotlight, the Judiciary acts not just as a judge, but as a shield for the common man.

The Law is not a tool for the crafty, it is a searchlight for the Truth.
Inasmuch as they say the Law is blind, it sees with perfect clarity the difference between a lie and the truth, between right and wrong. The Supreme Court’s refusal to let the ADC be strangled by procedural delays is proof that the system works for those who stand on the side of justice.

Our confidence is not in personalities, but in the Process. We are returning to the Federal High Court not with fear, but with the armor of Truth.

The Handshake remains strong, the vision is clear, and our participation in the 2027 elections is now legally anchored.

Stand tall. The ADC has been tested by the fire of the courts, and we have emerged not just intact, but vindicated.

Signed,
Comrade, IG Wala.
02/04/26. — with Shareef Kamba and 14 others.

Opinion

The Police is Your Friend and Other Lies We No Longer Believe

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Eric

By Boma Lilian Braide (Esq.)

There was a time in Nigeria when the phrase The Police is Your Friend was not a national joke. It was a civic assurance, a symbolic handshake between the state and its citizens. It represented the ideal of a civil security architecture built on trust, service, and protection. Today, that once reassuring slogan has decayed into a bitter irony. It no longer evokes safety; it provokes fear. It no longer signals partnership; it signals danger. What should have been the soul of Nigerian civil state relations has become a cruel parody of our lived experience at checkpoints, stations, and on the streets.

The Nigerian security apparatus has undergone a transformation so profound that it now resembles a predatory machine rather than a protective institution. The sight of a police patrol vehicle, which should ordinarily bring comfort, now triggers anxiety. Citizens instinctively brace themselves, not for assistance, but for extortion, harassment, or violence. We are not merely witnessing isolated incidents of misconduct. We are watching a pattern of state enabled brutality unfold in real time, a pattern so consistent that it feels like a televised execution of the social contract. In this grim theatre, the Nigerian state often appears not as the protector but as the principal aggressor.

On Sunday, April 26th 2026, the quiet air of Effurun in Delta State was shattered by the crack of a service pistol. What should have been an ordinary Sunday afternoon became the final chapter in the life of twenty-eight year old Mene Ogidi. A viral video, barely two minutes long, captured the horrifying scene. Ogidi sat on the dusty ground, his hands tied behind him with a rope. He was unarmed, exhausted, and pleading in his mother tongue for a chance to explain himself. Standing over him was a man in plain clothes, a man sworn to protect the very life he was about to extinguish. Assistant Superintendent of Police Nuhu Usman raised his pistol and fired two shots at close range into the body of a restrained, helpless citizen.

This was not a confrontation. It was not a crossfire. It was not a struggle for a weapon. It was an execution. A daylight assassination carried out by a state paid officer who felt so insulated by impunity that he performed his violence in front of a digital audience. The collective outrage that followed was not simply about one death. It was the eruption of a nation that has watched this script repeat itself far too many times.

Barely days later, in Dei-Dei Abuja, another life was cut short. A National Youth Service Corps member was shot inside his father’s compound. Authorities described it as a mistake during a crossfire, but the silence that followed spoke louder than any official explanation. These tragedies are not anomalies. They are symptoms of a deep institutional rot, a rot that has turned the badge into a license for violence rather than a symbol of service.

Extrajudicial killings in Nigeria represent a direct assault on the fundamental right to life and the presumption of innocence. When a law enforcement officer assumes the roles of accuser, judge, and executioner, the very foundation of the state begins to crumble. In the case of Mene Ogidi, the Delta State Police Command admitted that the officer acted in gross violation of Force Order 237, the regulation governing the use of firearms. This admission is significant because it reveals that the problem is not the absence of rules. The problem is the collapse of discipline, the erosion of accountability, and the entrenchment of a culture of impunity.

Between 2020 and 2025, Nigerian security agencies were implicated in nearly six hundred violent incidents against civilians, resulting in more than eight hundred deaths. The Nigeria Police Force accounted for over half of these fatalities. These numbers paint a disturbing picture. The institutions funded by taxpayers to provide security have become one of the greatest threats to their safety.

The psychology behind this brutality is rooted in the absence of consequences. When officers believe that nothing will happen after they pull the trigger, the threshold for using lethal force drops to zero. In the Effurun case, reports suggest that the suspect was even transported to a station after the initial shooting, only to be shot again. This level of cruelty reflects a complete dehumanization of the citizenry. The victim is no longer seen as a person with rights. He becomes a disposable suspect. This mindset is a legacy of the defunct SARS unit, whose methods and mentality continue to shape policing culture. Rebranding SARS into SWAT or the Rapid Response Squad means nothing if the same men, trained in the same violent ethos, continue to operate with the same predatory instincts.

The Nigerian police system has evolved from a flawed institution into what many citizens now describe as a state sponsored cartel. The Zero Tolerance mantra often repeated by the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has become a public relations slogan that evaporates at every checkpoint. The immediate dismissal and recommended prosecution of ASP Usman and his team may satisfy the public’s immediate hunger for justice, but it does not address the deeper institutional vacuum that allowed an officer to believe he could execute a restrained suspect without consequence. If accountability only occurs when a video goes viral, then we are not being policed. We are being hunted by a uniformed gang that is occasionally caught on camera.

This raises critical questions. Where were the superior officers? Where was the Area Commander while this culture of execution was taking root? Command responsibility in Nigeria remains a myth. Until a Commissioner of Police is removed for the actions of their subordinates, there will be no internal incentive to reform. The decay is structural. We are recruiting frustrated individuals, training them in aggression rather than professionalism, and unleashing them on a population they are conditioned to view with suspicion and contempt.

The mistake narrative used in the Abuja NYSC shooting reflects this tactical incompetence. A professional force does not mistake a youth corper in his bedroom for a combatant. Nigerians are effectively subsidising their own endangerment, paying for the bullets that cut down their brightest young citizens. A nation cannot survive this level of uniformed recklessness. The state has lost its monopoly on violence to its own agents. When police officers fear the citizen’s camera more than they respect the citizen’s life, the system has failed.

Five years after the historic 2020 End SARS protests, the systemic reforms promised by government remain largely unfulfilled. Only a handful of states have implemented the recommendations of the judicial panels or compensated victims. The National Human Rights Commission reported in July 2025 that it had received over three hundred thousand complaints of abuses. This staggering figure reflects the scale of the crisis. While the current Inspector General has introduced new regulations to align the Police Act of 2020 with operational realities, the gap between a gazetted document in Abuja and a patrol team in Delta remains vast.

The solution to this bloodletting must be radical and structural. First, police oversight must be decentralised. Relying on Force Headquarters in Abuja to discipline an officer in a remote community is inefficient and ineffective. Each state should have an independent, citizen led oversight board with the authority to recommend immediate suspension and prosecution without interference from the police hierarchy.

Second, Force Order 237 must be overhauled to strictly limit the use of firearms to situations where there is an immediate and verifiable threat to life. Under no circumstances should a restrained or surrendering suspect be shot.

Third, Nigeria must address the mental health and welfare of police officers. Men who live in dilapidated barracks, earn inadequate wages, and operate under constant stress are more likely to lash out at the public. However, poverty cannot be an excuse for murder. Welfare reform must go hand in hand with strict accountability.

Finally, justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. The trial of ASP Usman and others like him should be public, transparent, and swift. It must serve as a deterrent that resonates in every police station across the country. The era of secret disciplinary rooms must end. Nigeria must invest in technology driven policing, not only in weapons but in body cameras and digital accountability systems. When officers know they are being recorded, hesitation replaces recklessness.

A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION

The era of Orderly Room secrecy must end. Nigeria must decentralise police disciplinary trials, moving them from closed sessions in Abuja to open, civilian led inquiries in the states where the abuses occur. A National Firearms Audit is urgently needed. Every officer must account for every round issued, and any missing ammunition should trigger automatic suspension for the entire chain of command.

The National Assembly must fast track the Victims of Police Brutality Trust Fund, ensuring that compensation becomes a legal right funded directly from the budgets of offending commands. Nigeria must stop being a nation of post script outrage. Command responsibility must become law. If an officer under a Commissioner’s watch executes a handcuffed suspect, that Commissioner must lose their job alongside the shooter.

The blood of Mene Ogidi and the NYSC member in Dei Dei is a stain on our national conscience. It is a reminder that as long as one Nigerian can be tied up and shot without trial, no Nigerian is truly safe. Silence is no longer an option. Waiting for the next viral video is no longer acceptable. The time to demand change is now.

Opinion

Kwankwaso-Obi Anti-Coalition Alliance and the Perception of the North

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

Let’s not sugarcoat it, what is unfolding is not just political maneuvering for 2027, but a carefully calculated roadmap to 2031. Anyone who believes Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is acting out of patriotism or prioritizing Nigeria above his personal ambition is simply ignoring the pattern before us. His willingness to deputise Peter Obi is not born out of ideological alignment or national interest, it appears to be a strategic move aimed at one target weakening Atiku Abubakar and ensuring he does not emerge as president in 2027.

Kwankwaso’s real calculation seems anchored in 2031. He understands that as long as Atiku remains active and contesting, his own presidential ambition struggles to gain traction, especially in the North where Atiku’s influence remains deeply rooted. By positioning himself in a way that could undermine Atiku now, he potentially clears the path for himself later, when he can conveniently lean on the “it is the turn of the North” narrative with stronger moral leverage. This is not about helping Obi win, it is about ensuring Atiku is completely removed from the equation.

It is also important to state plainly that Kwankwaso is fully aware of his electoral limitations in this arrangement. He knows he cannot significantly attract Northern votes for Obi beyond a few pockets, even within Kano State. And even there, the good people of Kano are far more politically aware and discerning than to be swayed purely by sentiment. This makes the entire proposition even more questionable, if the electoral value is limited, then the intention behind the alliance becomes even clearer. It suggests that even if he joins an Obi ticket, it is not driven by a genuine commitment to Obi, the Igbo, the South-East or Nigeria but by a broader personal calculation.

Northerners must understand that this is a long game, and every move appears deliberately designed. Kwankwaso seems cautious not to overtly confirm growing suspicions that he is working, directly or indirectly, to the advantage of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Yet, many are beginning to connect the dots. The belief that there is an underlying alignment is gaining ground, especially when actions repeatedly result in one outcome, a divided North that weakens its collective electoral strength, a repeatation of 2023 in a different style. The alignment of Kwankwaso’s political godson and the governor of Kano Abba Kabir Yusuf with Tinubu only fuels this perception, suggesting a dual-front approach: one operating directly and visibly, the other indirectly and subtly.

This is not the first time such a pattern is being observed. Many Northerners still recall similar dynamics from 2023, and recent developments have only intensified the conversation. In fact, within just the last 24 hours, the level of criticism and open dissatisfaction directed at Kwankwaso across Northern Nigeria has been unprecedented. What was once dismissed as mere suspicion of a quiet alliance is now, in the eyes of many, being confirmed by actions seen as disruptive to any meaningful coalition.

For Kwankwaso, this moment carries significant weight. The long-circulating “sellout” label, which many had hesitated to firmly attach, now appears to be finding a resting place in public discourse. Should he once again position himself outside a collective Northern arrangement, that perception may become permanently entrenched.

The implications for the North are serious. Voting Obi because of Kwankwaso, which is unlikely, could fracture an already consolidated political base, reduce its bargaining power, and ultimately produce outcomes that do not reflect its true strength. The North has never historically rejected a dominant figure like Atiku in favor of a subordinate position, nor has it embraced a configuration where its most established candidate is sidelined. The idea that the region would choose Kwankwaso as a deputy while overlooking Atiku as a president is not just improbable, it runs contrary to established Northern political behavior.

What is at stake goes beyond individual ambition. The North is fully conscious of the stakes and increasingly resolute in its direction. There is a growing determination to stand firmly behind its own Atiku Abubakar, to protect its collective political strength, and to resist any arrangement that appears designed to divide it. The signals are clear, the North has decided, and it will not fall into what many perceive as calculated traps, whether from Kwankwaso or from forces seen as working against its cohesion and democratic leverage….

Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com