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Voice of Emancipation: A Divided House

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By Kayode Emola

In his 2017 interview with the BBC, Philip Hammond, then in the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer of UK, stated that no divided nation can ever prosper. He was referring to the diverging views of the British public regarding Brexit. He called on the UK population to form a united front in order to negotiate the best deal from the EU. He recognised that if Britain were to have any chance of making the tough calls necessary during the negotiations, the country needed to come together and bury their differences, uniting in the common cause irrespective of how they voted in the referendum. I’m not sure if his call was heeded, but one thing was certain: the British people had made their wishes known through their referendum vote – they had decided to leave the EU and nothing could stand in the way.

There have been many different quotes about working in unison and how a divided house can achieve nothing but to destroy the work at hand. For instance, the Holy Bible recorded many examples where a divided house brings about failure. The very first one was the breaking of the singular language of mankind, meaning that every man on the project to build the tower of Babel had their language confounded. There are other similar instances recorded: the Lord Jesus Christ Himself stated that “A house divided against itself shall not stand”. The famous Old Testament Prophet Amos asks rhetorically, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?”

Nigeria, the giant of Africa, has been sick for a very long time. Rather than looking for solutions to the many problems plaguing the country, the leaders are constantly engaged in fighting the symptoms. This has been futile in remedying the downward trajectory the country has been facing. The Nigerian nation continues to face many challenges in seeking a united agenda because the country itself was started on a false premise, from its acquisition to its disposition by Britain. The union we now know as Nigeria can best be described as a sham marriage destined to hit the rocks, where no one is happy staying in the house yet everyone finds themselves trapped in the union.

The multitude of divisions in the country means that building unity would be near impossible, yet without unity prosperity cannot even be envisaged. There is no doubt that when Britain, as the colonial masters, was occupying Nigeria, it was subtly using a method of divide and rule to subjugate the people and keep them as one country. This it did well, to the enrichment of Great Britain, and though some of what they brought to the people was beneficial, nothing they did was in the interest of building a united country.

If it is difficult for nations that have cohesion to prosper, how much more so is it difficult for a divided nation like Nigeria to taste anything called prosperity. The country has and continues to exhibit all the indices of a failed state, one currently living on a life support. The only thing sustaining Nigeria is the resilience of its young population and their resolve to survive by any means necessary. Analysis shows that Nigeria can never work, despite the optimistic hopes of many people both within the country and among the international communities. The gross division that exists within Nigeria is beyond any country that I have ever known, and it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. In fact, every new day births a new kind of division, from the north to the south, and the east to the west. The greatest division, however, that I have seen in Nigeria is that of class: the division between the haves and the have nots is as far as the east of the earth is divided from the west.

One of the first questions an elderly woman asked me when I arrived the UK, around 2012, was, what is the major challenge in Nigeria, especially with violence reported all of the time? In her words, “There are a lot of religious crises which tends to be in the news every day.” I responded that, on the contrary, Nigeria doesn’t have religious crises and what has bedevilled the country is the continuous ethnic crises – what we now know as ethnic cleansing. I gave the example that for the Yoruba people, we have no problem with having people of mixed faith within the same family and we still dip hands in the same bowl to eat. Although the same cannot be said of some other tribes in the north, people in southern Nigeria generally take a moderate and measured approach to their faith. The northern oligarchs have been the ones provoking an ethnic division, indoctrinating their followers to term it as a religious fight. This they do knowing fully well that an average northern Nigeria person will willingly die for his faith in the belief that paradise will be secured.

If Nigeria cannot be resuscitated – and so it must seem, given that the country is now undergoing a prolonged period of coma – then the safest approach would be to begin the process of winding it down in a peaceful manner. This would avert the currently looming war, saving millions of lives. The country is now on the verge of borrowing $1.6bn to procure military hardware to fight insecurity. This is the most insane approach in addressing the root cause of the problem. There is no doubt that you don’t begin building a house when it is already raining – you do everything to get the house ready before it even begins to rain. Nigeria already has so much debt it is not able to service. Heaping more debt in an attempt to save a dying nation will not bring the nation back to life. Rather, it will inflict even deeper wounds on the country: critical infrastructures will be neglected, steering the country into further debt causing even more divisions.

If the divisions in Nigeria have costs the country so much already that it has become the poverty capital of the world, I do not believe the industrious Yoruba, Igbo and other tribes of Nigeria should kill themselves for the sake of maintaining the status quo. The talk of one indivisible, indissoluble union and how God formed us together as one nation, peddled by those who should know better, has finally fallen like a pack of cards, the lies unable to stand the test of time. The union of Nigeria was not negotiated with our forefathers, and so cannot hold any bearing on our generation. The Yoruba people, who represent the most populous indigenous peoples of Nigeria, must stand now to save their race and the other minority tribes from the impending doomsday ahead. The Yoruba people need to unite themselves in the face of this collapsed house called Nigeria. We must not allow the tragedy of Nigeria to overtake us due to our failure to prepare. We must leave behind every bickering and hesitation to focus on the task at hand, for only in so doing will we begin to set our eyes on the promised Yoruba nation.

The Yoruba people advocating for their own independent nation must now, as a matter of urgency, lay aside every form of bitterness towards one another. We must understand that to start and not to finish is worse than not to start at all. If we are to win, we must now do everything in our power to come together and find that common factor that unites us. In the face of a divided Nigeria, the only way we the Yoruba people can save ourselves and the coming generations is to remain united and focused on the task ahead. We must understand that failure is not an option, that the only way we can come out on the other side is if we come together to work as one. We must hold each other’s hand in fellowship with unyielding belief that one day the night will end and a new day will dawn.

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Opinion

Skills Acquisition: Way Forward for Nigeria’s Educational Development

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By Ayo Oyoze Baje

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways” – Robert Greene

As concerned Nigerians keep deliberating on the best way to navigate the twists and turns inherent in our education delivery system, if yours truly has his way secondary school students should be spending three days of each week for theoretical knowledge and two for practical skills development. These include skills such as tailoring/fashion design, hair dressing and carpentry. Others include building construction, painting, domestic farming, singing, acting, oratory and comedy.

This has become more expedient because in 2023, Nigeria ranked 100th out of 100 countries in Coursera’s Global Skills Report in terms of skill proficiency. Incidentally, the country also ranked low within the Sub-Saharan Africa, placed 12th out of 13 countries.In fact, other African nations such as Botswana and Cameroon outperformed Nigeria in the same report. This was an indication of a significant skills gap in the country. But recent indicators suggest an increase performance that should be built on. For instance, Nigeria showed the fourth-highest year-on-year growth rate for Professional Certificates enrollments on Coursera. This clearly suggests a growing awareness and participation in skills development initiatives which should be built on.

For instance, the unemployment rate in Nigeria stands at about 4.84% in 2025, according to Statista. com. This translates to an estimated 5.74 million people who are unemployed. Similarly, the youth unemployment rate is around 7.50% according to Trading Economics.

Given the current global influence of information technology, the expanding impact of Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the soaring influence of climate change. Others include the increasing need to ride the freaky waves of economic survival, and the stifling space for employment, not only in Nigeria but across the globe. Yet, the country is abundantly blessed with rare talents in different fields of human endeavour.

Mention names such as Silas Adekunle, known for his robotics expertise and the world’s first intelligent gaming robot or Riya Karumanchi, who invented a device to assist visually impaired individuals the importance of skills acquisition in the development of the talents of our youth gradually dawns on us.

It is a similar scenario when the name of
Hassan and Hussaini Muhammad, who created a way to convert petrol, water, salt, and alum into hydrogen cooking gas crop up. And out there there are other young Nigerian inventors such as Khalifa Aminu (FM transmitter), Muazzam Sani (remote-controlled car), and the team behind the smart walkway light and automatic irrigation. The importance of skills acquisition cannot therefore, be over emphasized.
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Put in its simple terms, skills acquisition is crucial for Nigerian students academic development, because it enhances their employability, as well as boosts entrepreneurship. In fact, it contributes to overall national development. According to experts on educational development it empowers students to be self-reliant, reduces poverty and unemployment, and also provides them with a global perspective.

The impact and import of students’s skills acquisition is amply deployed in Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun state. There, students are exposed to the practical aspect of whatever course they are studying such that seasoned professionals are invited to deliver the practical aspect of their theoretical knowledge.Such is the impact that engineering students have become problem solvers. They have constructed pavements, fences, designed and built solid infrastructure.

Furthermore, the Centre for Agricultural Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CATES) has come up as a key initiative at the same university. As a noble cause it was established to foster practical, solution-oriented approaches to agricultural and entrepreneurial development within the university and the wider community. The skills promoting aspect of it is that CATES focuses on areas such as poultry technology, aquaculture, cassava farming, and mushroom culture. It also operates a vegetable farm and a plantain farm on campus. All these explain why graduates of the citadel of knowledge become self employed, with several of them kick starting the process right from the University as undergraduates. All these boost their financial independence while they contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Skills acquisition therefore,
increases employability, more so in today’s competitive job market. Having relevant skills makes students more attractive to employers. These include skills such as digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving, which are highly valued across various industries.Entrepreneurship programs teach them how to start and manage their own businesses. This eventually, leads to economic growth and improved living standards with appreciable Human Development Index, HDI. By equipping students with practical skills, skill acquisition programs can assist to lift individuals and families out of the terrifying trap of poverty and ultimately reduce the unemployment rate for the country.

From the global perspective, many skills are transferable across borders. This is one good lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigerian students can latch on it to participate in the global economy through remote work or international collaborations. It also fosters confidence in students, assist them to adapt to the global socio-economic dynamics,while instilling a sense of accomplishment in them, thereby contributing to overall personal growth.

Of great significance, is that
a skilled workforce is essential for the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement. Overall, the skill acquisition programs contribute to building a more productive and innovative society. So Nigeria work on the report which highlighted specific skill areas where it lags, especially technology and data science.

Nigeria should also learn from countries that stand out for their high levels of skill acquisition and development. These include Northern European nations such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden which consistently rank high, along with Switzerland, Singapore, and Germany. These countries often prioritize education, training, and creating opportunities for their populations to acquire and utilize a wide range of skills. As rightly noted by Malcolm X: ” Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”.

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Opinion

The Unsung Patriots: When Integrity Stands Above National Honours

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By Sani Sa’idu Baba

Nigeria’s Democracy Day ought to be a solemn reminder of the sacrifices, resilience, and commitment of individuals who have stood tall in the face of tyranny and injustice. It is a day that should celebrate not only democracy itself, but also the patriots who have preserved its fragile flame. Yet, in what many see as a deliberate and politically motivated omission, several Nigerians of high calibre, unimpeachable character, and unassailable contributions to nationhood were left out of the national honours list announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

This omission is not a matter of oversight. It is a calculated decision that speaks volumes about the political insecurities within the corridors of power. One name that resonates profoundly in this discourse is Chief Dele Momodu, adopted son of the late MKO Abiola, a journalist, publisher, presidential aspirant, and fearless voice of the people for over four decades. Chief Momodu is a man who has not only chronicled Nigeria’s history but has lived and shaped it through his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and democratic ideals.

Let us be honest, this is not about merit. If it were, Chief Dele Momodu’s name would have featured prominently on that list. This is about fear, fear of principled rejection. It is about avoiding the kind of national embarrassment that befell the Buhari administration when internationally acclaimed writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie openly declined a national honour because she believed it lacked genuine integrity. Her rejection was not out of arrogance, but from a place of conviction, a deep sense of responsibility not to allow her name to be used as an endorsement of a government she could not, in good conscience, support.

President Tinubu’s government, undoubtedly aware of Dele Momodu’s outspokenness and principled stance, likely feared a repeat of such rejection. Because men like Chief Momodu would not want to accept such honours from those who have allegedly turned our hard earned democracy into a civilian dictatorship. For him, a national honour must be more than a political gesture, but a reflection of national values, a reward from a government that truly serves its people.

Chief Momodu has never been one to seek validation from the powerful. His life’s work has been about amplifying the voices of the voiceless, challenging injustice, and standing firm even in the face of exile and persecution. That is who he truly is. I believe that he will happily accept a national honour from a government that embodies the ideals of democracy not one that plays lip service to it. It’s only a matter of time!

This June 12, as we mark another chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey, we must also reflect on the kind of leadership we celebrate. It is not enough to decorate the loyal and the silent. True honour lies in recognising the bold, the honest, and the principled even when their truths are uncomfortable.

To Chief Dele Momodu, and others like him who continue to walk the path of integrity, your absence from the national honours list is not a dishonour. In fact, it is a badge of honour in itself. For in a time where sycophancy is rewarded, your principled silence, your steadfast commitment to truth, and your refusal to compromise, speak louder than any medal ever could. Nigeria sees you. History will remember you.
Your recent 65th birthday celebrations which was meant to be simple and low-key but turned into a well organised global celebration all in your honour speaks volumes.

May your integrity continue to inspire a generation that refuses to trade truth for personal gains.

Happy democracy day…

Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano

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Opinion

Nigeria’s Reforms Have Put the Country on the Global Economic Map

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By Abdul Samad Rabiu

As my country steadies itself, Britain, its Western allies and their companies should deepen this partnership

As ghosts of the 1930s haunt the global outlook, the scramble for trade deals has seized control of government agendas. The United States has leveraged its “tariff war” to secure better terms, driving both friend and foe to the negotiating table. British deals with the US and India have provided some refuge from the prevailing gloom.

Less reported – but with similar potential – was last year’s signing of the Enhanced and Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) between the UK and Nigeria , the former’s first such agreement with an African nation. Quiet in its arrival, the pact may yet echo louder.

As someone who has built multinational businesses across Africa, I know the vast opportunity the continent offers, and Nigeria in particular, which alone accounts for a fifth of sub-Saharan Africa’s 1.2 billion people. But I also understand the limitations we have often placed on ourselves when it comes to securing investment.

Lowering barriers to trade is crucial, and for that Britain’s ETIP looks prescient. However, investment and business potential will remain discounted as long as African nations cling to state intervention – from subsidies and price controls to exchange rate distortions – all of which have consistently bred dysfunction and economic instability. Fortunately, Nigeria has now decisively turned a corner, embracing market economics under a liberalising government.

In Morocco this week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated Britain’s position is shifting too. Setting out his strategy for Africa, he said British policy must transition from aid to investment. “Trade-not-aid” is no new idea – but it is the first time a British government has so clearly echoed the demand the African continent has voiced for years.

In making that shift, Nigeria is taking the lead for a continent to follow. So many Nigerian administrations I have known have been hostage to economic events, doubling down time and again on state intervention rather than having the conviction to reform. This administration is proving different. After two years of difficult reforms, Nigeria – under President Bola Tinubu – is now poised to fulfil the promise of its vast natural resources, rapidly growing population of over 200 million people, and strategic coastal location along the Gulf of Guinea.

First, the Tinubu administration removed a crippling fuel subsidy – the most significant policy reform in years. At 25 to 30 cents per litre, petrol in Nigeria was among the cheapest in the world. But the subsidy was bankrupting the government: by 2023, it consumed over 15 per cent of the federal budget – roughly equivalent to the proportion the UK spends annually on the NHS.

When President Tinubu ditched the fuel subsidy on his first day in office, criticism quickly followed. Prices, at least for the time being, have risen. However, statistics must be understood in light of the wide-ranging distortions the subsidy created.

Officially, fuel consumption in Nigeria has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent. But that is not because Nigerians’ petrol use reduced by this amount. In reality the country was subsidising the region, with cross border fuel smugglers profiting from arbitrage. The illegal trade was so blatant that on a visit to neighbouring Niger a few years ago, then-President Mohamed Bazoum even joked about it, thanking Nigeria for the cheap fuel. Though the move was politically unpopular, the subsidy had become unsustainable. Now, spending is being redirected toward development and infrastructure – laying the foundations for long-term growth.

Second, the country has moved from a fixed to a market-determined exchange rate. Previously, only select groups could access the official rate – especially those with political connections; the rest had to rely on a more expensive parallel informal market determined by supply and demand. But selling dollars at an artificially low rate only entrenched scarcity, a problem compounded by an opaque exchange mechanism that deterred foreign investment.

Every two weeks, we used to make the 12-hour drive to Abuja to seek dollar allocations for imports – camping out at the Central Bank for three or four days. Now, I no longer need to go. I’ve met the new Governor only once in two years – because I haven’t had to. Monetary orthodoxy has finally arrived, bringing with it the liquidity that both domestic and foreign businesses depend on to smooth trade and de-risk investment.

Third, the shackles of politics are being prised from business, bringing greater certainty, fairness and stability to the landscape. Five years ago, I woke up one morning to find that the port concession for a new venture of mine had been revoked. It turned out my company was outcompeting a friend of an official of the Nigerian Ports Authority. In the end, it took then-President Buhari’s personal intervention to save the enterprise.

Had I not been politically connected, the business would have folded – along with the 4,000 jobs it provided – at a time when job creation was, and remains, Nigeria’s most urgent challenge. Today, such connections are no longer necessary. The playing field is being levelled, flattening the political ridges and dips that once skewed the game.

Many of these reforms required political courage to withstand the force of criticism. Prices rose as distortions were removed, yet the administration held firm, even as vested interests co-opted public discontent for their own ends.

Indeed, many of the benefits of reform are still to be felt by the wider public. But economic fundamentals must be fixed before that becomes possible. That lead-time often tempts market reformers to reverse course, or avoid reform altogether. Now that Nigeria has made it through the toughest phase, its direction should be clear to investors.

For Britain, the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership with Nigeria was a strategic bet on reform, resilience and long-term reward. Nigeria is now delivering its part of the bargain. As my country steadies itself, the UK, its Western allies – and their companies – should deepen this partnership.

Abdul Samad Rabiu is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist

Culled from Daily Telegraph (UK)

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