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Full Text of President Tinubu’s 2023 Democracy Day Speech

Published

11 months ago

June 12, 2023

Eric

TEXT OF DEMOCRACY DAY NATIONAL BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU ON JUNE 12, 2023.

1. Fellow Nigerians,

2. It is exactly three decades today that Nigerians went to the polls to exercise their inalienable right to elect a President of their choice to lead the transition from military dictatorship to a representative government of the people.

3. The abortion, by military fiat, of the decisive victory of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the June 12, 1993, presidential election, up to that time, the fairest and freest election in the country’s political evolution, turned out, ironically, to be the seed that germinated into the prolonged struggle that gave birth to the democracy we currently enjoy since 1999.

4. In rising to strongly oppose the arbitrary annulment of the will of the majority of Nigerians as expressed in that historic election, the substantial number of our people who participated in the struggle to de-annul the election signified their fierce commitment to enthroning democracy as a form of government that best ennobles the liberty, the dignity of the individual and the integrity as well as the stability of the polity. The fierce opposition to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the unrelenting pro-democracy onslaught it unleashed was the equivalent of the battle against colonial rule by our founding fathers that resulted in the gaining of Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

5. Just like the anti-colonial movement, the pro-June 12 vanguard demonstrated, once again, the enduring validity of the 19th century historian, Arnold Toynbee’s eternal postulation, that civilization and societies experience progress as they are forced to respond to challenges posed by the environment. The unjust annulment of a widely acknowledged free and fair election was a challenge that elicited resistance by a resurgent civil society, leading ultimately to the attainment of our ‘second independence’ as exemplified by the return of democratic governance in 1999.

6. Fellow compatriots, we celebrate a day that has remained a watershed in our nation’s history, not just today, but for every June 12, for the endless future that our beloved country shall exist and wax stronger and stronger, generations of Nigerians will always remind themselves that the democracy that is steadily growing to become the defining essence of our polity was not gifted to us on a silver platter.

7. We can easily recall the sacrifice and martyrdom of Chief MKO Abiola, the custodian of the sacred mandate that was so cruelly annulled. He sacrificed his life in unyielding, patriotic defense of the ideals of democracy as symbolized in his choice, by his fellow countrymen and women, as their duly-elected President. There was an easier choice for him. It was to forgo the justice of his cause and opt for the path of ease and capitulation in the face of the tyranny of power. To his eternal credit and immortal glory, Abiola said no. He demonstrated the time-tested eternal truth that there are certain ideals and principles that are far more valuable than life itself.

8. Everyday, on this day, down the ages we will recall the several other heroes of democracy such as Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief Abiola, who was brutally murdered while in the trenches fighting on the side of the people. We remember Pa Alfred Rewane, one of the heroes of our independence struggle and Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (rtd) who were silenced by the military junta while in pursuit of democracy. They gave their yesterday for the liberty that is ours today.

9. The point is that we must never take this democracy for granted. We must forever jealously guard and protect it like a precious jewel. For, a people can never truly appreciate the freedoms and rights democracy guarantees them until they lose it.

10. We have traversed the dark, thorny path of dictatorship before and those who experienced it can readily testify to the unbridgeable gap between the dignity of freedom and the humiliation and degradation of tyranny. True, rancorous debates, interminable wrangling, ceaseless quarrels, bitter electoral contestations may be perceived by some as unattractive features of democracy. But they also testify to its merit and value.

11. This year, we held the seventh in the cycle of elections that have become sacred rituals of our democratic practice in this dispensation since 1999.

12. That the polls were intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land. It is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed. But the beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections.

13. Those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph. Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man.

14. For Chief MKO Abiola, the symbol of this day, in whose memory June 12 became a national holiday, democracy is eternal.

15. It is about rule of law and vibrant judiciary that can be trusted to deliver justice and strengthen institutions. It has become imperative to state here that the unnecessary illegal orders used to truncate or abridge democracy will no longer be tolerated.

16. The recent harmonization of the retirement age for judicial officers is meant to strengthen the rule of law, which is a critical pillar of democracy. The reform has just started.

17. The democracy that will yield right dividends to the people who are the shareholders means more than just freedom of choice and right to get people into elective offices. It means social and economic justice for our people. To the winner of June 12, democracy offers the best chance to fight and eliminate poverty. Thirty years ago, he christened his campaign manifesto, ‘Farewell to Poverty’ because he was convinced that there is nothing divine about poverty. It is a man-made problem that can be eliminated with clearly thought out social and economic policies.

18. It is for this reason that, in my inauguration address on May 29, I gave effect to the decision taken by my predecessor-in-office to remove the fuel subsidy albatross and free up for collective use the much-needed resources, which had hitherto been pocketed by a few rich. I admit that the decision will impose extra burden on the masses of our people. I feel your pain. This is one decision we must bear to save our country from going under and take our resources away from the stranglehold of a few unpatriotic elements.

19. Painfully, I have asked you, my compatriots, to sacrifice a little more for the survival of our country. For your trust and belief in us, I assure you that your sacrifice shall not be in vain. The government I lead will repay you through massive investment in transportation infrastructure, education, regular power supply, healthcare and other public utilities that will improve the quality of lives.

20. The democracy MKO Abiola died for is one that promotes the welfare of the people over personal interests of the ruling class and one where the governed can find personal fulfillment and happiness. That is the hope MKO Abiola ignited throughout our country in 1993.

21. On this year’s Democracy Day, I enjoin us all to rededicate ourselves to strengthening this form of government of free peoples that has been our guiding light these past 24 years. In particular, those of us who have been privileged to be elected into public offices at various levels in both the executive and legislative arms of government must recommit ourselves to offering selfless service to the people, and delivering concrete democracy dividends in accordance with our electoral promises.

22. On my part and that of my administration, I pledge anew our commitment to diligently fulfilling every component of our electoral pact with the people – the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.

23. We shall be faithful to truth. Faithful to equity. And faithful to justice. We shall exercise our authority and mandate to govern with fairness, respect for the rule of law, and commitment to always uphold the dignity of all our people.

24. On this note, I wish us all a happy Democracy Day celebration and pray that the light of liberty shall never be extinguished in our land.

25. Thank you all and may God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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African Countries Working Against Air Peace, Allen Onyema Laments

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Eric

Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has lamented that African countries are frustrating his airline with exorbitant airport charges to prevent it operating seamlessly in the region.

He laid the accusation at the 48th Annual General Meeting and exhibition of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) in Lagos.

The airline chief, however, exonerated Ghana from the negative aero politics.

According to him, all other African countries where Air Peace operate, have continued to employ means of exorbitant airport charges to frustrate the private Nigerian flag carrier from operating into their market.

Onyema said while these African airlines operate flights into Nigeria without limitations, the reverse has been the case as their home countries write to Air Peace not to fly into their country.

He said whenever Air Peace challenged these negativity in court, the countries would reluctantly allow Air Peace to operate but afterwards use exorbitant airport charges to frustrate the airline.

He narrated: “It took us four years to get approval to fly into a West African country but their airline has been coming into Nigeria for many years. When we eventually started flying, they wanted to chase us away with exorbitant airport charges. They told us to pay $12,000 per landing. We cannot implement SAATM in a lopsided way and expect it to work.

“Some countries we fly into send us bills running into millions of euros. When we ask them how we incurred the bill, they won’t respond. We made payment and after making payment, they told us the account we paid into no longer exists and we need to make a fresh payment. I have never seen a country as welcoming as Nigeria but we are being stigmatised in other countries.”

He also disclosed that another African country asked Air Peace to pay 4 million euros as charges incurred, but when asked how they arrived at the charges, they got judgment to enforce the levy in a French court.

The Air Peace boss said the advantage Air Peace has over other airlines is that, it is flying people from other states in Nigeria to London via the Lagos airport, thereby saving passengers over N200,000 they would have paid on local destinations after arriving at Lagos airport.

“We studied to find out why Nigerian airlines failed on the London route, we know the issues and we addressed them. It is not totally the fault of Nigerian airlines. If I didn›t go to the media to expose what Gatwick and other airlines were doing to us, we would not have lasted on the Lagos-London route for two weeks,” he said.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, through his representative Hassan Tai Ejibunu, Director of Air Transport Management, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said the theme of this year’s AGM and exhibition, “Unlocking Africa’s Economic Potential: Travel and Tourism as Catalyst for Intra-Africa Business, Investment and Trade,” is apt.

Keyamo said the theme is in sync with the visionary thought of African leaders to integrate and facilitate trade and investment among the 55 countries of the African Union and eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in the continent, through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He said the five-point agenda, which are in tandem with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinbu, are to “Ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s rating by ICAO, support for the growth and sustenance of local businesses whilst holding them to the highest international standard in the aviation industry, improve infrastructures in the aviation industry, develop human capacity within the industry and Optimise revenue generation for the federal government.”

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Sunil Taldar Named Airtel Africa CEO to Retire As Ogunsanya Retires

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Eric

Airtel Africa Plc has named Sunil Taldar as the next Managing Director/CEO, disclosing the retirement of incumbent Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun “Segun” Ogunsanya, who is due to retire effective July 1, 2024.

Ogunsanya, who joined Airtel in 2012 and led the Nigeria Operations for nine years before becoming Group CEO in 2021, played a pivotal role in maintaining double-digit revenue growth and introducing innovative products across the African continent.

Building on his achievements as CEO, including the launch of the company’s first Sustainability Strategy, Ogunsanya will assume the role of the inaugural Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation. The foundation, a separate legal entity independent of the Airtel Africa Group, will focus on digital inclusion, financial inclusion, access to education, and environmental protection.

Upon his retirement, Ogunsanya will provide advisory support to the Chairman, the Airtel Africa Board, and the CEO for a 12-month period. Simultaneously, Airtel Africa announced the appointment of Sunil Taldar as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer to succeed Ogunsanya. Taldar, who joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as Director – Transformation, will begin the transition to the CEO role alongside Ogunsanya. Following a transition period, Taldar will be appointed to the Board as an Executive Director and assume the role of CEO on July 1, 2024. At that time, Ogunsanya will step down from the Board and retire from the Company.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Segun Ogansanya for his commitment and significant contribution to Airtel Africa plc as Chief Executive and before that as Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria, our largest market in Africa.

“I am pleased Segun has agreed, following his retirement, to assume the new role as Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation, where he will bring his visionary leadership to this new philanthropic initiative to advance development and prosperity across Africa. Segun will retire from the Board with our very best wishes and sincere appreciation for everything he has achieved.

“The Board is delighted to appoint Sunil Taldar as the Group’s next Chief Executive Officer. His industry experience, strategic vision, constant customer focus and proven record of delivery will enable him to deliver our strategic objectives and to lead the Group in the next stages of its development.
In respect of the transition period, Segun continues to lead the business very effectively as seen in our financial results. Given that Sunil Taldar has already joined the Group, we are confident that we will have an orderly leadership transition and handover of responsibilities.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Airtel Africa plc

It has been a privilege to spend over 12 years of my career at Airtel Africa and I am proud of what we have delivered for customers across Africa.

We continue to transform lives. Now is the right time for me to handover to a new leader who can build on Airtel Africa’s strengths and deliver on the significant opportunities ahead as I pursue my renewed interest in the empowerment of Africans through digital and financial inclusion in a different capacity beyond the boundaries of for-profit organizations. This has been my ambition after a successful career spanning over 35 years in Banking, FMCG and Telecommunications”.

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Midoil, Ikosi/Ejinrin Host Communities Set up Forum, Hold Inaugural Meeting

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

In a bid to actualise the setting up of a refinery to further enhance the production and distribution of petroleum in the country, and also facilitate the building of more affordable houses to bridge accommodation gap, Midoil Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited, and its sister company, Serenecity, has inaugurated a forum with its host communities of Ejinrin, Sekungba, Arogbo, Ererufu, Mogo-Olowu, Lumodan, Ododugba, Agiden, and Jagirin.

The stakeholders, including Midoil and representatives of the host communities have since held their inaugural meeting at the Ererufu Community Townhall in Ikosi/Ejinrin Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, where matters of cordiality were raised and discussed.

Speaking to The Boss, the Executive Chairman of Midoil, Mrs. Elizabeth Omolara Akintonde (JP), said “The Forum was set up to promote cordial relationship between the management of Midoil Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited and its host communities of Ejinrin, Sekungba, Arogbo, Ererufu, Mogo-Olowu, Lumodan, Ododugba, Agiden, and Jagirin.”

Addressing the communities, and other invited guests present, according to a statement by the Media and PR Consultant of Midoil, Mr. Gbenga Onayiga, and made available to The Boss, Chief (Mrs.) Akintonde noted that the Forum would provide a veritable platform for unfettered interaction with representatives of the communities and the company henceforth.

“This day, April 18, 2024, is quite remarkable for all of us as we hold our inaugural meeting to solidify our cordial relationship towards a common objective. This Forum will enable all concerned to deliberate on matters that will bring further developmental ideas and job creation to you, our Host Communities, Ikosi/Ejirin LCDA and Lagos State at large,” she said.

She reiterated the need for inclusivity in the planning and execution of the multi-billion Dollar project which would change the landscape of the area while appealing for the cooperation of all stakeholders.

According to Chief (Mrs.) Akintonde, “the Midoil 3 in 1 investments pursuant of its human capital development would provide massive employment and reduce poverty in Ikosi/Ejirin LCDA and Lagos State.

“In this light, we have directed contractors handling the Refinery and the Serenecity Construction Projects to patronize indigenes (in particular the women folks of the host communities) in the supply of basic building materials.”

The Midoil Chairman also promised to secure slots for youths from the host communities to pursue relevant technical courses at higher institutions of learning in Lagos State, to prepare them for absorption by the company when the Refinery commences production.

Introducing the contractors for the projects, Chief (Mrs.) Akintonde urged the community leaders to be good hosts to ensure a seamless and speedy execution of the landmark project.

The event also featured the inspection and familiarisation tour of the refinery location at Sekungba/Ejirin, with one of the stakeholders, UNILAG Consult, accompanied by security agencies and contractors that will be handling the fencing of the 364 hectares of land.

In attendance were Representatives of the major host communities led by their traditional rulers, including the Baale of Sekungba, Chief Solomon Omotayo; Baale of Arogbo, Chief Adesanya Oyenubi and Baale of Ererufu, Elder Gabriel Lawal.

The CEO of Gidi Real Estate Investment Limited, Mr Tobi Akerele, whose company is amongst the new investors in the Midoil 3 in 1 Investment Opportunities, other investors and stakeholders was also in attendance.

The company’s newly appointed Architect, CORNELIAN MELIRATE LIMITED led by its Senior Partner, Ms Jane O. Udoukpo, Midoil Legal Adviser, Harris-Isa, Omoloju & Co as well as the Legal Adviser of Ererufu, Arogbo and Sekungba communities, Barr T.A. Ogunlana were also present.

Others include friends of the company, Mrs Kofoworola Olowolagba and the Midoil Toastmaster, Mr Bennet Ogbeiwi.

Responding to the Chairman’s address, the communities’ youth leaders expressed confidence in the Midoil projects and the Board of Directors.

They pledged to give their utmost support to all consultants, contractors as well as keep the company in prayers at all times.

It would be recalled that on March 1, 2024, Midoil concluded the first phase of groundbreaking, involving Midoil Serenecity: A City Within a City.

Consequently, the 2nd Phase of Midoil 3 in 1 Investment, the Modular Refinery Ground Breaking & Foundation Laying ceremony for the fencing and Entrance Access of the Refinery Land will take place on July 12, 2024 at Ejinrin/Sekungba, Lagos State.

The purpose, according to Chief (Mrs.) Akintonde, is to stop the incessant sale and encroachment of the land by unscrupulous “Omo Onile.”

Incorporated in April, 2012, Midoil Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited is poised to distinguish itself as a leading and reputable refining and petrochemicals company with the capacity of refining 100,000 barrels per day.