Opinion

The Oracle: Local Government Autonomy As Panacea for National Development (Pt. 4)

Published

4 years ago

February 4, 2022

Eric

By Chief Mike Ozekhome

INTRODUCTION

Last two weeks, we took a break from this series to discuss a burning national issue. Today, we continue with our discourse on this all important matter. The most fundamental rationale for creating local governments anywhere in the world is to employ it to take responsibility for the development of the area directly and also contribute indirectly to the development of the nation. However, this fundamental rationale has been neglected over the years. On this note, we shall continue our above discourse.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY: THEORY VS. PRACTICE (Continues)
Three National Conferences have so far been convened to discuss the political and constitutional future of Nigeria, with the local government system being discussed in all conferences. The most protracted debates on the system of local government were at the 2014 National Conference, where participants were provided the ample opportunity of discussing varying political and constitutional issues. The conference recommended scrapping the SJLGA and replacing this with a state Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) with representatives from local government and a chair nominated by the State Governor. However, it also recommended a two-tier government structure – federal and state – with states able to create as many local governments as they wish. While the abolition of the SJLGA would restore financial autonomy of LGs and improve their viability, the two-tier government surrenders the autonomy of local governments. This two-tier government recommendation cannot survive, as local governments remain a fundamental aspect of democracy, serving as the most potent instrument to encourage and bring about local participation and to spread democratic values.

ROLE OF NULGE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has played a major role in the fight for restructuring the local government system of Nigeria. In its supervisory role, NULGE has observed the following defects threatening the continued existence of local governments in Nigeria.

The 1999 Constitution is fundamentally flawed in its provision for interventionist policies of the Federal and State governments on local government administration.

So far, the perceived “third tier” government has not materialized in Nigeria.

The ineffectiveness of local governments is caused by the factors of inadequate resources, including inappropriate fiscal base, the usurpation of the right to raise internal revenue, and the manipulation of the state joint local government account.

The creation of Local Council Development Areas or Centers aims to enhance State control over local governments, rather than aiding democracy and independence.
The appointment of Caretaker Committees to run local governments is manifestly unconstitutional and goes against the autonomy of local governments.

There is the urgent need for constitutional protection of local governments from the dictatorship control of Federal and State governments.

LGs ARE MERE ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
A close perusal of the functions of Local Governments as listed in the Fourth Schedule to the CFRN, 1999, reveals that Local Government Councils are more or less administrative units of a State Government. For instance, item 2(d), which refers to the functions of Local Councils, provides that:

“The functions of a local government council in the government of a state as respects the following matters…and such other functions as may be conferred on local government councils by the House of Assembly of the State” (emphasis supplied).

THE 1976 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS
This provision grants State governments unfettered discretion to decide on what local governments within their States can or should do, or to usurp some of the specific Local Government functions set out in item 1(a)–(k). The reform of 1976 attempted to accord financial autonomy to local governments. Financial autonomy is the ability to generate revenue, allocate financial and material resources, impose local taxation, determine and authorize its annual budgets without external interference etc. In the 1976 reform, it was envisaged that democratic federalism would start by extending popular participation to the unit of government closest to the people, i.e. Local Government. This would require a workable degree of financial autonomy recognized by the Constitution. However, section 162(3)-(8) CFRN, 1999, denies financial autonomy of Local Governments. It states:

“(5) The amount standing to the credit of local government councils in the Federation Account shall also be allocated to the States for the benefit of their local government councils on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

(6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.

(7) Each State shall pay to local government councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its total revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

(8) The amount standing to the credit of Local Government Councils of a State shall be distributed among the Local Government Councils of that State on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of the State.”

By making States act as trustees and intermediaries or “middlemen” for the revenue of their Local Government Councils, these sections subject Local Governments’ funding to the discretion, whims and caprices of their respective State Governments and State Houses of Assembly. The creation of the contentious State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA) under section 162(6) CFRN, 1999, has frustrated attempts to establish the third tier and autonomous status of local governments. Expectedly, State governments continue hide under the cloak of SJLGA to waylay at source, funds meant for LGs under section 163 of the CFRN, 1999. They thus control the affairs of their Local Government Councils, thereby undermining and reducing their impact, functions and contributions to national development, especially their immediate Constituencies and environment.

STATE GOVERNORS’ SKEWED SYSTEM OF ELECTION OF LG PERSONNEL

Another serious challenge faced by local government is the process of election. The Constitution empowers the State Governors to conduct Local Government elections. This is a significant challenge as the Governors can and have easily turned this into a process of selection and favouritism, backing and putting in power perceived loyalists, ‘yes-persons’ and bootlickers who are in favour of their government. In several States, a Governor’s political party usually wins virtually all the Chairmanship and Councillorship positions during election. This is to demonstrate the popularity of the Governor and his political party in the State, even if the governed are dying of starvation and destitution. This brings about a situation where unqualified candidates are elected to run the affairs of Local Governments, making it a near impossible task to achieve local development of the grassroots, let alone national development.

FURTHER CHALLENGES FACED BY LGs
The reality is that in Nigeria, there is little or no evidence of the impact of the local government system at the grassroots. Corruption, inefficiency, incompetence, lack of funds, poor and inadequate working equipment and undue interference by the state governments in the affairs of the local government councils have characterized the operation of the local government system in Nigeria. Arugu and Eke described the Nigerian situation more graphically thus:

“… The local governments in Nigeria have not been very effective due to the fact that they are very much dependent on the state government. This dependence on the states continues renovated and culminates in whittling down activities of the local government system thus rendering them ineffective, shadows of government and ghost environments. Thus, the major challenge bedeviling the operations of local government areas in Nigeria remains local government Autonomy – a system of governance that can make them truly autonomous…”

The local units of governance which formed the nucleus of present Nigeria have not only been undermined but are now undergoing major constitutional assault. With the exception of the 1976 local government reforms, which attempted to restore the sanctity of local governance, political restructuring has tended to further downgrade the importance and place of local government administration. However, despite these many assaults, the principles of democratic inclusiveness and grassroots participation have so ensured that the Local Government system still survives. Local Government is fundamental to the democratization process, as it remains the most potent instrument to mobilize people for local participation and to spread democratic values.

WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY IS CRUCIAL
Local government autonomy is advocated for due to several reasons, some of which are:
Autonomy develops the system and helps in educating the people in the rural areas to acquire knowledge of the political system.

Strengthens democratic decentralization of power and puts power in the hands of citizens at the grassroots level governance, in addition to delivering development
Enables capacity building of people in rural areas in the form of economic empowerment through job creation and payment of salary and emoluments; freedom from external control of allocation whose excess can be channeled into the economic system of the communities concerned.

Makes the working environment functional and less threatening to the survival of the system. Local government employees in most of the states of the federation are today being owed salaries and retirement benefits. Creating a functional working environment will give the workers a sense of job security and motivation which will encourage them to put in their best.

Guarantees more money in the hands of local governments to deliver services to citizens since autonomy weakens the over-concentration of power in the state. Local contractors can thus rely on this tier of government for payment of contract sums, instead of the State and Federal governments. This also develops their capacity to handle bigger and more complex projects in the future.
Minorities, no matter the size of their population, are, with autonomy, involved in the political equation and process of electing or making the Councilor or Chairman of their Local Government.
Gives greater capacity to engage in and execute projects that are dear to the hearts of the people, such as construction, grading, maintenance of federal roads in the rural communities, primary health centres, repairs of bridges and culverts, building of primary schools, as well as provision of improved seedlings, aquatic and agricultural enlightenment services to farmers
Enables LGs make decisions that enhance and enrich the cultural base of the communities. Under this, internal communal conflicts could be amicably resolved by Local Government Councils through ADR mechanics, without recourse to litigation, to the states or federal governments. Chieftaincy, land and kindred matters as well as issues bordering on Community Development Unions (CDUs) can be easily tackled with powers bested in the local councils through autonomy (To be continued).

FUNTIMES

“Obesity is not because it runs in the family. It is because no one runs in the family”-Anonymous.

“Yesterday a visitor shocked me….
I offered him juice and he was like I will drink it after eating..
Excuse me! After eating what?????”-Anonymous.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“The real cost of corruption in government, whether it is local, state, or federal, is a loss of the public trust”. (Mike Quigley).

Opinion

How Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza (PT, mNSP) Became Kano’s Healthcare Star and a Model for African Women in Leadership

Published

4 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

My dear country men and women, over the years, I have been opportune to watch numerous speeches delivered by outstanding women shaping the global health sector especially those within Africa. Back home, I have also listened to towering figures like Dr. Hadiza Galadanci, the renowned O&G consultant whose passion for healthcare reform continues to inspire many. Even more closer home, there is Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza, my classmate and colleague. Anyone who knew her from the beginning would remember a hardworking young woman who left no stone unturned in her pursuit of excellence. Today, she stands tall as one of the most powerful illustrations of what African women in leadership can achieve when brilliance, discipline, and integrity are brought together.

Before I dwell into the main business for this week, let me make this serious confession. If you are a regular traveler within Nigeria like myself, especially in the last two years, you will agree that no state currently matches Kano in healthcare delivery and institutional sophistication. This transformation is not accidental. It is the result of a coordinated, disciplined, and visionary ecosystem of leadership enabled by Kano State Governor, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf. From the strategic drive of the Hospitals Management Board under the meticulous leadership of Dr. Mansur Nagoda, to the policy direction and oversight provided by the Ministry of Health led by the ever committed Dr. Abubakar Labaran, and the groundbreaking reforms championed by the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board under the highly cerebral Professor Salisu Ahmed Ibrahim, the former Private Health Institution Management Agency (PHIMA) boss, a man who embodies competence, hard work, honesty, and principle, the progress of Kano’s health sector becomes easy to understand. With such a strong leadership backbone, it is no surprise that individuals like Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza is thriving and redefining what effective healthcare leadership looks like in Nigeria.

Across the world, from top medical institutions to global leadership arenas, one truth echoes unmistakably: when women lead with vision, systems transform. Their leadership is rarely about theatrics or force; it is about empathy, innovation, discipline, and a capacity to drive change from the inside out. Kano State has, in recent years, witnessed this truth firsthand through the extraordinary work of Dr. Fatima at Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital.

In less than 2 years, Dr. Fatima has emerged as a phenomenon within Kano’s healthcare landscape. As the youngest hospital director in the state, she has demonstrated a style of leadership that mirrors the excellence seen in celebrated female leaders worldwide, women who inspire not by occupying space, but by redefining it. Her performance has earned her two high level commendations. First, a recognition by the Head of Service following a rigorous independent assessment of her achievements, and more recently, a formal commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board acknowledging her professionalism, discipline, and transformative impact.

These acknowledgements are far more than administrative gestures, they place her in the company of women leaders whose influence reshaped nations: New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern with her empathy driven governance, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with her courageous reforms, and Germany’s Angela Merkel with her disciplined, steady leadership. Dr. Fatima belongs to this esteemed lineage of women who do not wait for change, they create it.

What sets her apart is her ability to merge vision with structure, compassion with competence, and humility with bold ambition. Staff members describe her as firm yet accessible, warm yet uncompromising on standards, traits that embody the modern leadership model the world is steadily embracing. Under her stewardship, Sheikh Jidda General Hospital has transformed from a routine public facility into an institution of possibility, demonstrating what happens when a capable woman is given the opportunity to lead without constraint.

The recent commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board captures this evolution clearly: “Dr. Fatima has strengthened administrative coordination, improved patient care, elevated professional standards, and fostered a hospital environment where excellence has become the norm rather than the exception”. These outcomes are remarkable in a system that often battles bureaucratic bottlenecks and infrastructural limitations. Her work is proof that effective leadership especially in health must be visionary, intentional, and rooted in integrity.

In a period when global discourse places increasing emphasis on the importance of women in leadership particularly in healthcare, Dr. Fatima stands as a living testament to what is possible. She has demonstrated that leadership is never about gender, but capacity, clarity of purpose, and the willingness to serve with unwavering commitment.

Her rise sends a powerful message to young girls across Nigeria and Africa: that excellence has no gender boundaries. It is a call to institutions to trust and empower competent women. And it is a reminder to society that progress accelerates when leadership is guided by competence rather than stereotypes.

As Kano continues its journey toward comprehensive healthcare reform, Dr. Fatima represents a new chapter, one where leadership is defined not by age or gender, but by impact, innovation, and measurable progress. She is, without question, one of the most compelling examples of modern African women in leadership today.

May her story continue to enlighten, inspire, and redefine what African women can, and will achieve when given the opportunity to lead.

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

Opinion

Book Review: Against the Odds by Dozy Mmobuosi

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

By Sola Ojewusi

Against the Odds is an ambitious, deeply personal, and unflinchingly honest memoir that traces the remarkable rise of Dozy Mmobuosi, one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and controversial entrepreneurs. In this sweeping narrative, Mmobuosi reveals not just the public milestones of his career, but the intimate struggles, internal battles, and defining moments that shaped his identity and worldview.

The book is both a personal testimony and a broader commentary on leadership, innovation, and Africa’s future—and it succeeds in balancing these worlds with surprising emotional clarity.

A Candid Portrait of Beginnings

Mmobuosi’s story begins in the bustling, unpredictable ecosystem of Lagos, where early challenges served as the furnace that forged his ambitions. The memoir details the circumstances of his upbringing, the value systems passed down from family, and the early encounters that sparked his desire to build solutions at scale.

These foundational chapters do important work: they humanize the protagonist. Readers meet a young Dozy not as a business figurehead, but as a Nigerian navigating complex social, financial, and personal realities—realities that millions of Africans will find familiar.

The Making of an Entrepreneur

As the narrative progresses, the memoir transitions into the defining phase of Mmobuosi’s business evolution. Here, he walks readers through the origins of his earliest ventures and the relentless curiosity that led him to operate across multiple industries—fintech, agri-tech, telecoms, AI, healthcare, consumer goods, and beyond.

What is striking is the pattern of calculated risk-taking. Mmobuosi positions himself as someone unafraid to venture into uncharted territory, even when the cost of failure is steep. His explanations offer readers valuable insights into:
• market intuition
• the psychology of entrepreneurship
• the sacrifices required to build at scale
• the emotional and operational toll of high-growth ventures

These passages make the book not only readable but instructive—especially for emerging

African entrepreneurs.

Triumphs, Crises, and Public Scrutiny
One of the book’s most compelling strengths is its willingness to confront controversy head-on.

Mmobuosi addresses periods of intense scrutiny, institutional pressure, and personal trials.

Instead of glossing over these chapters, he uses them to illustrate the complexities of building businesses in emerging markets and navigating public perception.

The tone is reflective rather than defensive, inviting readers to consider the thin line between innovation and misunderstanding in environments where the rules are still being written.

This vulnerability is where the memoir finds its emotional resonance.

A Vision for Africa

Beyond personal history, Against the Odds expands into a passionate manifesto for African transformation. Mmobuosi articulates a vision of a continent whose young population, natural resources, and intellectual capital position it not as a follower, but a potential leader in global innovation.

He challenges outdated narratives about Africa’s dependency, instead advocating for
homegrown technology, supply chain sovereignty, inclusive economic systems, and investment in human capital.

For development strategists, policymakers, and visionaries, these sections elevate the work from memoir to thought leadership.

The Writing: Accessible, Engaging, and Purposeful

Stylistically, the memoir is direct and approachable. Mmobuosi writes with clarity and intention, blending storytelling with reflection in a way that keeps the momentum steady. The pacing is effective: the book moves seamlessly from personal anecdotes to business lessons, from introspection to bold declarations.

Despite its business-heavy subject matter, the prose remains accessible to everyday readers.

The emotional honesty, in particular, will appeal to those who appreciate memoirs that feel lived rather than curated.

Why This Book Matters

Against the Odds arrives at a critical moment for Africa’s socioeconomic trajectory. As global attention shifts toward African innovation, the need for authentic narratives from those building within the system becomes essential.

Mmobuosi’s memoir offers:
• a case study in resilience
• an insider’s perspective on entrepreneurship in frontier markets
• a meditation on reputation, legacy, and leadership
• a rallying cry for African ambition

For readers like Sola Ojewusi, whose work intersects with media, policy, leadership, and social development, this book offers profound insight into the human stories driving Africa’s new generation of builders.

Final Verdict

Against the Odds is more than a success story—it is a layered, introspective, and timely work that captures the pressures and possibilities of modern African enterprise. It challenges stereotypes, raises important questions about leadership and impact, and ultimately delivers a narrative of persistence that audiences across the world will find relatable.

It is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of African innovation, the personal realities behind public leadership, and the enduring power of vision and resilience

Opinion

Redefining Self-leadership: Henry Ukazu As a Model

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

By Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN

In a world filled with talents and unique gifts, nurturing oneself for an impact-filled living becomes one of the potent metrics for assuming how one’s life would unfold – either in the nearest or far future. I am sure the question you may be curious to ask is ‘what is the important quality that has shaped the life of every individual who has unleashed their ingenuity?’ Apparently, our society is filled with numerous people, who missed the track of their life. Their iniquity is boiled down to one thing – failure to lead oneself.

Realising how important it is to be your own leader has been the springboard for every transformative life. Notably, this also becomes the premise for appreciating and celebrating Henry Ukazu for setting the pace and modeling self-leadership in this era, where self-leadership is under-appreciated by our people. Self-leadership itself engineers purposeful and impactful living, turning individuals to sources of hope to others.

This is exactly what Henry Ukazu symbolises. The name Henry Ukazu is akin to many great things such as ‘Unleashing One’s Destiny,’ ‘Finding One’s Purpose’ and ‘Triumphant Living.’ Regardless of the impression one have formed about Henry Ukazu, one thing you cannot deny is his ability to be pure to nature and committed to his cause. Henry Ukazu is one of the rare people who still believed in the values of the human worth and has committed every penny of his to ensure that every human deserves to live the best life.

The trajectory of Henry Ukazu’s life is convincing enough to be choosing as an icon by anyone who chooses to climb the ladder of self-leadership. Oftentimes, Henry Ukazu always narrate how he faced the storms of life when birthing his purpose. He takes honour in his struggles, knowing full well that every stumbling blocks life throws at him helped in building himself. If not for self-leadership, he will not found honours in his struggles, let alone challenging himself to be an example of purposeful living to others.

Without mincing words, Henry Ukazu’s life has been blessed with the presence of many people, with some filling his life with disappointments, while some blessing him with immeasurable transformations. Surprisingly, Henry Ukazu has never chosen to be treating people negatively; rather he would only choose the path of honour by avoiding drama and let common sense prevail. That’s one of the height of simplicity!

Dear readers, do you know why today is important for celebrating Henry Ukazu? Today, 3rd December, is his birthday and with all sincerity, Henry Ukazu deserves to be celebrated because he has chosen the noble path, one filled with honours and recognitions for being an icon of inspiration and transformation to the mankind. As Henry Ukazu marks another year today, may the good Lord continue shielding him from all evils and guiding him in right directions, where posterity will feel his role and impacts!

Many happy returns, Sir!