Author: Nouman Ali

The Union of Concerned Academias (UCA) has defended the Federal Government’s decision to exclude some graduates of tertiary institutions from Niger Republic from the mandatory national service organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The organisation insisted that their exclusion stems from the lack of proper accreditation of some Niger Republic-based tertiary institutions.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, the Chairman of UCA, Dr Ayanlola Ayanyimika, described as ‘misleading and politically motivated’ claims by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Niger Republic Chapter, that some of its members were unfairly denied participation in the NYSC scheme.

Ayanyimika maintained that the affected institutions do not possess accreditation from the National Agency for Quality Assurance of Higher Education, the statutory body responsible for regulating higher education in Niger Republic.

He stated: ‘Let it be stated clearly and without ambiguity that the institutions being defended do not have accreditation or official recognition from the appropriate authority in Niger Republic.

‘Any claim suggesting otherwise is misleading and inconsistent with verified records.’

The UCA chairman commended the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education for what he described as a firm commitment to due process and the protection of Nigeria’s academic standards.

‘At a time when pressure is being mounted on government institutions, the insistence that no academic certificate will be recognised outside established regulatory procedures reflects responsible leadership,’ he added.

Ayanyimika also praised the role of the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Cooperation for providing what he called a verified list of legitimately accredited institutions in Niger Republic, noting that the move has helped counter misinformation circulating in the public domain.

Addressing the affected students directly, Ayanyimika urged the affected students to hold their institutions accountable rather than blaming the federal government.

Ayanyimika added: ‘Students should return to their schools and ask a fundamental question: why have these institutions failed to obtain accreditation from their own national quality assurance authority?’

‘The silence on this issue should concern every student.’

He recalled previous regulatory actions by the National Universities Commission (NUC), which had shut down illegal satellite campuses operated by some foreign institutions in Gusau, Zamfara State, describing such operations as a violation of Nigeria’s higher education laws.

According to him, international frameworks also support Nigeria’s stance, particularly the Addis Ababa Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States.

He said: ‘No institution can legitimately seek recognition of its certificates in a foreign country if it is not first accredited in its country of origin.

‘This principle is a safeguard against academic fraud.’

He stressed that the Federal Government’s insistence on proper accreditation verification before granting recognition for NYSC participation was both lawful and necessary.

‘No amount of pressure, propaganda, or emotional appeal can substitute for accreditation and academic legitimacy,’ he said.

He therefore called on NANS, Niger Republic chapter to act responsibly and avoid being used by institutions with questionable regulatory status, insisting that the core issue is not the denial of NYSC enrollment but the failure of some institutions to meet basic accreditation standards.

‘Nigeria’s education system must not and will not become a dumping ground for unaccredited qualifications,’ Ayanyimika declared.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the union to supporting government efforts to protect Nigerian students and uphold the integrity of the country’s education system, particularly in cross-border academic engagements with Niger Republic.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for piloting the petroleum sector to hit a production level of 1.84 million barrels in recent days.

Edun said this when the Commission Chief Executive, NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, visited the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday.

‘It is heartening that you can tell us that you are doing 1.84 million barrels per day. That is fantastic news. That is totally in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu. Clearly, you have started on a very good note. Please keep it up,’ Edun told the NUPRC boss.

The Finance Minister described the war in the Middle East as unfortunate but said President Bola Tinubu had mandated an increased production even before the crisis began. He therefore called on the NUPRC to push the industry harder to hit 2mbpd.

‘I wish you continued success. What matters is not just reaching certain heights but sustaining them. We don’t want any stopping along the way. The trajectory should be maintained, and of course, the magic figure is 2mbpd,’ Edun stated.

Responding to the Finance Minister, Eyesan assured of further improvement in the production figures. ‘We are doing 1.84 million barrels per day. That is a remarkable feat, but I am sure we will do more,’ she assured the minister.

The NUPRC chief executive attributed the prior dip in production in February to some unfortunate incidents on some strategic facilities as well as turnaround maintenance, but assured that all the issues have been fixed and production is ramping up again.

With regards to the 2025 licensing round, Eyesan said the Commission is now in the technical and financial stage.

She expressed optimism over the growth of the petroleum sector in the near future, especially because of provisions like the ‘drill or drop’ in the Petroleum Industry Act, which empowers the Commission to revoke leases of dormant acreages.

The NUPRC boss revealed that some of the acreages that were put on offer could see production as soon as a year, adding that indigenous companies were showing an impressive capacity.

Eyesan also noted that the Commission had fully complied with the Executive Order 9 of 2026, which directs the immediate suspension of the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund (FEF) deduction from profit oil and gas, alongside other management fees and the direct remittance of the same to the Federation Account.

A former Bayelsa State Governor and senator, Seriake Dickson, has received key figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP) into the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), signalling a fresh wave of political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.

The high-profile defection, which took place in Guzape, Abuja, saw Barrister Amanda Pam, a former ADC senatorial aspirant, lead a significant portion of the party’s structure into the NDC.

Also joining were Farouk Dantsama, a former Deputy State Chairman of the Labour Party, alongside a former SDP FCT Chairman, Hon Nurudeen Bisalla and other grassroots officials.

Speaking at the event, Dickson confirmed that the entire FCT structure of the SDP had been integrated into the NDC, including executives at the state, local government and ward levels.

He described the development as part of a broader national movement.

‘What you are seeing in the FCT is happening across the country. This is not a regional movement; it is national,’ he said, adding that the party remains open to Nigerians seeking an alternative political platform.

Amid the defections, Dickson expressed concern over developments within the opposition space, particularly the crisis in the ADC, and warned against alleged interference by state institutions in party affairs.

His remarks followed a decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete the names of a factional ADC leadership led by David Mark from its portal and suspend further dealings with all groups within the party pending the outcome of a case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

INEC, through its National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the action was taken to avoid prejudicing ongoing judicial proceedings.

Dickson, however, cautioned that even the perception of interference could erode public trust in democratic institutions.

‘A threat to one opposition party is a threat to all opposition parties. We stand united to defend Nigeria’s multi-party democracy,’ he said.

He stressed that political parties must be allowed to resolve their internal disputes without external involvement.

‘If there are issues in a political party, that is not the duty of the government. Parties should be allowed to sort themselves out without the involvement of state institutions,’ he said.

The former governor urged INEC to maintain strict neutrality, noting that its credibility depends not only on its actions but also on public perception.

‘INEC must not only be impartial-it must be seen to be impartial. Its image must be above board,’ he said, warning that any impression of pressure, inducement or manipulation could trigger a crisis of confidence.

Providing further insight into the NDC situation, Dickson said the party recently held its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was monitored by INEC without objections.

He noted that the party had previously taken INEC to court over registration issues and that the commission complied with the court’s judgment.

He added that key decisions and timelines were reached at the NEC meeting, with details, including the schedule for congresses, to be announced by the National Secretary and the National Working Committee.

Dickson explained that as National Leader, he does not handle the day-to-day administration of the NDC, leaving such responsibilities to the party’s appropriate organs.

On the state of Nigeria’s democracy, he warned against any drift toward a one-party system, stressing that the country’s political history is rooted in tolerance and respect for opposition.

He recalled that past administrations, including those of Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, upheld multi-party democracy and allowed opposition parties to thrive.

‘Leadership is not about doing whatever you can do. It is about restraint in the exercise of power for the public good and to protect our constitutional democracy,’ he said.

He also urged government institutions, including the judiciary and security agencies, to remain neutral and allow political parties to manage their internal affairs.

Dickson further encouraged opposition parties to explore legitimate avenues for collaboration, citing past alliances such as the cooperation between the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP) during the 1998 transition.

While expressing solidarity with the ADC, he emphasised the need for the party to resolve its internal disputes, noting that a stable opposition is critical to national stability.

He reiterated that Nigeria requires both a strong ruling party and vibrant opposition parties for democracy to thrive, warning that both real and perceived interference in party affairs could undermine confidence in key institutions ahead of future elections.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has been honoured with the Governor of the Year Award in recognition of his infrastructural strides and sustained commitment to good governance across the state.

The award was presented on Friday by the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, at the prestigious Face of Africa Leadership Honours, an event that drew prominent African leaders and stakeholders from across the continent and diaspora.

Governor Uzodimma, who was represented at the ceremony, received the award through the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, alongside the Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.

Both officials conveyed the governor’s appreciation for the recognition, describing it as a reflection of the administration’s deliberate focus on road infrastructure, urban renewal, and institutional reforms aimed at improving the standard of living for Imo citizens.

The event recorded a strong presence of Imo indigenes in the diaspora, who turned out in large numbers to celebrate what they described as a well-deserved honour.

Many attendees noted that the recognition further reinforces the state’s growing visibility on the national and international stage.

Organisers of the Face of Africa Leadership Honours stated that the award category acknowledges governors who have demonstrated measurable impact in governance, particularly in infrastructure development, transparency, and public service delivery.

The Face of Africa Leadership Honours remains a respected international platform dedicated to celebrating excellence in African leadership, innovation, and service.

The 2026 edition is especially significant as it marks the 10th anniversary of Triangle International Magazine, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, academics, and members of the African diaspora in a shared commitment to advancing the continent’s development.

The former Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission and member representing Ogun State, Hon. Kayode Oladele, has said that becoming the Governor of Ogun State is not a matter of mere aspiration but a process guided by party rules, popularity, and democratic legitimacy.

Oladele, who spoke on Thursday while receiving the leadership of Ogun West for Yayi Political Action Movement (OWYPAM) led by Mr. Sunday Odunaro, stressed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a well-established internal mechanism for selecting its candidates.

According to him, the governorship race within the APC is both a process and a popularity contest, noting that the party, as a progressive platform, operates within laid-down procedures recognised by law.

He added that the courts had consistently maintained that they have no business interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, particularly in matters relating to the nomination of candidates.

‘At this stage of party primaries, the leadership of the party has the final say on how its candidates will emerge in line with the Electoral Act. From ward congresses to the national convention, it is clear that the APC prefers the consensus approach and aspirants are expected to respect this policy,’ he said.

Oladele commended the group for mobilising support for Senator Olamilekan Adeola aka Yayi, who he said is being widely projected to emerge as the consensus candidate of the party in the forthcoming governorship primaries in Ogun State.

He described Yayi as a politician whose growing popularity has extended beyond Ogun West to other parts of the state, urging the group to expand its activities across all senatorial districts.

Oladele said, ‘The support base of Senator Yayi has grown significantly across Ogun State. He may become the first candidate to enjoy massive non-partisan support and possibly record the highest votes in any governorship election in the state.’

He urged the group to transform itself into a broad coalition that accommodates supporters across party lines, stressing the need for inclusiveness in the build-up to the election.

The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes also emphasised the need for unity among party members and adherence to party decisions, noting that discipline and collective resolve would be crucial to the success of the APC in the state.

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege Federal Constituency and other stakeholders have declared support for the aspiration of ex-Agege Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi to represent the area in House of Representatives on the party’s platform.

The move came ahead of the 2027 general elections, with party primaries expected to determine candidates for various elective positions.

The motion for the support for Egunjobi was moved on Friday at Capitol Road in Agege by Hon. Taofeek Adaranijo.

Adaranijo represented Agege Federal Constituency in the 8th National Assembly.

Speaking, the former federal lawmaker described the aspirant as a man of people who covered himself in glory during his time as Agege LG boss.

In his speech, he proposed a motion to the gathering to endorse Egunjobi’s aspiration, with the proposal gaining traction with the attendees.

‘Egunjobi has a record of performance while he was in the saddle of Agege Local Government. He improved the council infrastructure like never before. Under him our children in public primary and schools enjoyed free shuttle buses from homes to schools, and vice versa. Our maternities ceased to be mere consulting clinics while our council became the first in Nigeria to build and own a Computer-based Test centre,’ Adaranijo effused.

In reaction, the House of Representatives aspirant expressed gratitude to the party faithful for the confidence repose in him saying amidst cheers: ‘I don’t take this trust in me for granted. My promise to you, is to continue to make Agege my priority.’

He added that his aspiration was not self-motivated but a response to popular demand by his constituents.

‘This decision is not driven by personal ambition, but by consistent encouragement, widespread consultations, and the growing demand of our people-those who believe in the continuity of tested leadership and proven capacity,’ the former council chief stated.

On his legislative agenda, Egunjobi said he would prioritise consultations with constituents to ensure their needs are adequately represented.

‘I have served for eight years. I know what they want in my constituency. And before we do anything, we have to consult. We ask them what they want. We are going to do what the people want because we are going there to represent them at the Green Chamber,’ he added.

Present at the political gathering were: Immediate-past Chairman of Orile Agege LCDA, Hon. Johnson Babatunde,

Agege APC Apex leader, Chief Safari Adisa Adaranijo, Lagos House of Assembly member representing Agege 02, Hon. Jubreel Abdul Kareem, incumbent Orile-Agege Executive Chairman,

Hon. Akinola Idowu, and the first Executive chairman of Agege, Chief Owolabi Dada.

Other party leaders in attendance were:

Barrister Omofunmilewa Ade JOMBO, Elder Sunday Ajide, Alhaji Fatai Bisiru, Hon. Alaba Alase, and Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment Training, Hon. Afolabi Ayantayo.

Also at the occasion were past and present Councilors in the area, the incumbent Vice-Chairmen in Agege LG and Orile-Agege, representatives of Arewa and the Ndigbo communities, traders, artisans, and traditional leaders.

Loyalists of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, have put their 2027 ambitions on hold ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Most of them warming up for governorship, state and federal legislative elections, were said to have slowed down on their consultations after attending Wike’s political family meetings in Abuja.

They were said to have decided to wait for the directives of the minister before making their ambitions public.

It was gathered that the delay by the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to publicly announce his future political ambition was based on Wike’s body language.

Sources said Wike had foreclosed supporting Fubara for a second term, but was willing to return almost all members of the House of Assembly, who stood firm and supported him during the crisis between him and the governor.

Wike’s recent utterances compelled the Executive Director of Finance, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Boma Iyaye, to deny viral reports claiming that he was the minister’s favourite to replace Fubara.

The Minister, while hosting a pre-convention convergence of Rivers APC members in Abuja, rebuked the claims, describing them as false.

Iyaye, who was afraid not to fall out with the minister, immediately distanced himself from the report.

It was, however, gathered that Wike kept the choice of his preferred governorship candidate to his chest as he was said to be preparing to first secure the endorsement of the elders in his camp.

It was gathered that members of Wike’s political family further became cautious after the minister hosted them in his Abuja home under the auspices of the Rainbow Coalition.

The Minister reportedly insisted that he had not endorsed anybody, adding that he would support any candidate of proven character, despite his ethnic origin.

Wike was quoted as saying: ‘We have not endorsed anybody for any position. We are only saying that we wouldn’t be here today if members of the state assembly had betrayed us . We are here with this number of supporters because the assembly stood firm. I don’t abandon people who make sacrifices.

‘I have not promised anybody anything as it concerns 2027. I have not endorsed anybody for any position, from the Senate, reps, governorship or state assembly.

‘The only person I have declared support for in 2027 is President Bola Tinubu. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you to lose the little you already have . Those promising to sponsor you will disappear when the time comes.’

The minister reiterated that decamping to the APC was not a guarantee for a second term ticket.

He said, ‘Decamping to the APC is not an automatic ticket for a second term. You must show your report card.’

The minister described his Rainbow Coalition as unique in the history of the country, saying there was never a time the ruling party and the main opposition closed ranks to work together.

Wike said: ‘The Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State is the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria. It is unprecedented to have the ruling party and the main opposition party working together in the interest of our state.

‘Some people may not be happy that the two major political parties are working together under a joint coalition in Rivers State, but they can hug the transformer .

‘I don’t know how many states can have the two major political parties working together without fighting each other.

‘I can’t fall for any temptation or trap set by anybody. Nothing is secret in politics. We know all the things that are going on, but they’re of no effect.

‘Those of you sending people to preach ethnicity, it will not work . I will work with those who are sincere, not minding where the person comes from.’

Wike flayed some persons he said had started aligning with governors of other states to make one of them a governor.

He insisted that no governor from another state would bypass him to determine the political future of Rivers.

He said: ‘Those of you aligning yourselves with governors from other states, you’re wasting your time. No governor of any state can influence what will happen in Rivers State, as far as we are concerned, not even one . They will deceive you and abandon you.

‘For those of you who think you have money to spend, you just know that I’m prepared. That you come to my house everyday or follow me doesn’t mean that you can be trusted . We know those who can be trusted.

‘Some people, once you give them the opportunity, the next moment they will tell you to go to hell because they’re making money from the position , they forget that the money will finish one day, and they begin to look for how to get back .

‘Woe unto anybody we have given an appointment that now turns around to castigate us. You carry somebody who says, ‘ Come and work here , ‘ and suddenly they forget how they got their job , now everybody is their mentor

‘Please, nobody should send me messages asking whether I have endorsed anybody. I have not . When we want to do that , the elders will know, and it won’t be done in secret.’

WEMA Bank has won the SME Financier of the Year and Best SME Lending Product – Digital Bank awards at the Global SME Banking Innovation Awards 2026, in recognition of its contributions to expanding access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The awards, presented on March 12, 2026, celebrate financial institutions demonstrating innovation, institutional excellence, and measurable impact in SME banking while promoting global benchmarks for performance and entrepreneurship support.

The programme recognises organisations developing solutions that improve financing access and build sustainable ecosystems for small businesses worldwide.

Speaking on the recognition, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, said the awards reflect the bank’s sustained commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening Nigeria’s SME sector.

He noted that small and medium-sized businesses remain central to economic growth through job creation and innovation, adding that the bank has focused on providing solutions that go beyond traditional banking.

Oseni said the institution has deliberately built an ecosystem combining accessible financing, digital platforms, advisory services, and market opportunities aimed at helping entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses.

He added that the recognition affirms the bank’s efforts to empower enterprises and deepen support for Nigeria’s business community.

‘Small and medium-sized businesses remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy. They drive innovation, job creation, and sustainable economic growth. At Wema Bank, we recognize the immense potential of this sector and the challenges many entrepreneurs face in accessing the financial tools required to scale.

‘This is why we have been deliberate about building an ecosystem that goes beyond traditional banking and provides entrepreneurs with accessible financing, seamless digital solutions, advisory support, and market opportunities that help them thrive. These awards affirm our commitment to empowering businesses and strengthening the foundations of enterprise across Nigeria.’

A key highlight of the awards was Wema Bank’s MSME Instant Loan, which earned the Best SME Lending Product – Digital Bank honour. The lending solution offers a fully digital and collateral-free application process, enabling eligible business owners to receive prequalification and loan disbursement within minutes.

Executive Director, Retail and Digital Banking, Tunde Mabawonku, said the recognition underscores the bank’s focus on simplifying access to finance through digital innovation.

According to him, technology-driven lending models and digital capabilities are helping remove longstanding barriers to credit while expanding financial inclusion among entrepreneurs.

‘Beyond financing, the bank continues to support SMEs through digital banking solutions, payment and collection platforms, advisory services, and capacity-building initiatives delivered through its ALAT ecosystem. Its women-focused initiative, SARA by Wema, also provides targeted support designed to help female entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.

‘With more than 80 years of operations, Wema Bank said it remains committed to strengthening SME development through innovation, partnerships, and technology-driven solutions aimed at driving inclusive economic growth across Nigeria.’

It is a painful reality that we must accept: Nigeria is a very poor country, holding one of the world’s largest concentrations of poverty within a single geographic border. While the government works to make the nation more investor-friendly, we must now move to the next level: a holistic, home-grown ‘Marshall Plan’ to declare total war on poverty. We must transform this anti-poverty crusade into a clear path towards sustainable growth. Until this is done, we face a grim prospect: widespread poverty acting as a brake on the very political forces needed to drive national rejuvenation.

A debilitating price tag is attached to any system where politics is driven by hunger and ‘stomach infrastructure’ rather than propelled by programmes rooted in a clear philosophy. This is precisely why we lack the contest of ideas that has historically rescued nations from underdevelopment. Instead, we are left with a clash of personalities, all scrambling to drink from a diminishing trough. This is the unambiguous reality on the street, and it is becoming increasingly unavoidable.

Politics driven by hunger is always going to be obsessed with ‘sharing’. But what we really need – what we’re actually missing – is a pivot away from a consumption economy towards one built on production. It’s a tragedy that, on the eve of these elections, there’s no real alternative vision in sight. A flawed plan would be better than this void!

In this same Nigeria, the Action Group (AG), the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), and the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) – and later, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) – offered programmes that actually meant something. You didn’t have to agree with them, but they forced the electorate to look past their immediate needs and think about the bigger picture.

For example, the Four Cardinal Programmes of the UPN offered in 1978 still resonate today. Governments at all levels, starting from the local tier, would be well advised to revisit the UPN’s position on integrated rural development. That blueprint should be dusted off, updated and modernized, for it remains essential for transforming Nigeria’s rural economy. That this is being ignored by today’s contending forces is a stinging indictment of the entire political landscape.

The hard truth is that you can’t have real political loyalty in a system built on ‘stomach infrastructure.’ The two just don’t go together. Breaking this deadlock isn’t easy, but it’s a must; otherwise, we’re just spinning our wheels. We need a new way of doing things, something that blends old-school grassroots organizing with modern tech to get people behind a real economic plan. This requires a fresh crop of leaders to step up and lead the charge. In that sense, Seyi Tinubu’s City Boys Movement (CBM) is actually onto something. It still needs some work, but the movement shows it’s possible to break through the current mess.

I remain convinced that, in Nigeria, power is a ghost that never finds its rest. In this fated clime, our leaders don’t quit, they don’t resign, and they don’t retire. Like water reacting to heat, they merely change form: evaporating from one high office only to condense, heavier and more stubborn, in the next. They treat the seat of power not as a duty, but as an heirloom – installing their own children to occupy the spaces they once held. It is a revolving door for the elite that leaves the children of the poor outside in the cold, nursing wounds that never heal.

Still on ‘stomach infrastructure’, one might argue that it has deep cultural roots. Traditionally, people gravitated towards the compounds of ‘big men’ for sustenance. However, that practice belonged to a predominantly rural, agrarian past. Because our politics remains anchored in this hunger-driven dependency, it is clear the country has failed to make the vital transition from feudal-era relationships to a modern, productive economy.

This economic divide is the reason the ‘Ara Oko’ (villager) and the ‘Ara Eko’ (Lagosian) rarely cross paths. While the villager leaves his or her village – be it Ijebu-Jesa, my ‘Native Nazareth’ or elsewhere – simply to seek a foothold in the city, the Lagosian often departs only for a worthy sojourn abroad. Consequently, by the time the global sojourner begins sending foreign remittances back home, the rural migrant in Lagos is still struggling merely to make ends meet.

That may also be responsible for the profound distinction between being a ‘big boy’ and a ‘small man’. While the former possesses the vision and resources to make life truly worth living, the latter is often left merely to exist, adrift in a wide, wild world of struggle.

The staying power of men like Lamidi Adedibu, the late strongman of Ibadan politics, and former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State was no accident. It was built on a gritty brand of paternalism that knows a loaf of bread today beats a blueprint for tomorrow every time. They understood that, out on the streets, politics isn’t some high-minded theory; it’s a raw, daily struggle for survival. In that world, ‘stomach infrastructure’ becomes a social contract written in bread and salt.

The people measure a leader simply by how easy he is to reach and how quickly he can put food on a neighbour’s table. By keeping their feet in the dust and meeting the people exactly where they are, Adedibu and Fayose turned political loyalty into a shared lifeline. These men grasped the hard truth that the elites conveniently ignore: you cannot sell a ‘grand vision’ to a man whose stomach is growling.

Again, a hungry man is an angry man, and an angry man is only a heartbeat away from a harvest of violence. This is precisely why, were Adedibu alive today, he would remain the ‘Garrison Commander’ of the ‘amala’ politics of Ibadan and the wider Yorubaland. He was the undisputed master of the communal table; he understood that in our context, being physically present and sharing what you have counts for everything.

Fayose operates on that same frequency! ‘Alaafin Molete’ and ‘Oshokomole’ breathed life into ‘stomach infrastructure,’ and our political landscape has known no peace since. That’s why Fayose will be a factor in Ekiti politics for a long time because he speaks the language of the ordinary man. Bottomline, so long as the ‘street reality’ remains one of hunger, any leader who shows up in that moment of need will always hold the cards. As long as the economy remains stuck in a pre-industrial state, consumption-led ‘stomach infrastructure’ will persist, even when what the country truly requires is a pivot towards production.

Given our population growth rates, one could argue that this target is not ambitious enough. For the sake of social cohesion and sustainable growth, we must mount a defence against the politics of immediate gain. This requires a decisive, irreversible shift in how we conceive of development. We must move away from a shallow focus on ‘projects’ and towards development from the base, which is the true starting point of all national progress.

One might safely argue that issuing a single Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) – transforming a beneficiary into a functioning economic actor – is more vital than constructing a thousand flyovers. History supports this, stretching back through the centuries. The most striking example is found in the United Kingdom with the Domesday Book (1086). Originally commissioned to survey the land and formalize holdings, it laid the groundwork for secure property rights. This process eventually helped propel Great Britain into a formidable global power, fueling the Industrial Revolution and fundamentally altering the course of human existence.

The March 31 deadline the Federal government gave political appointees interested in elective offices to tender their resignations ended on a note of drama as some of them had a last-minute change of mind after initial plans to quit.

Sentry checks revealed, for instance, that in spite of the rebuttal issued by Bolaji Tunji, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on deadline day dismissing media speculations about the minister’s resignation as ‘fake news’, Adelabu had actually wanted to throw in his resignation in pursuit of the governorship seat of Oyo State before he changed his mind.

The minister was said to have been swayed by speculations that Oyo South Senator Sarafadeen Alli had been anointed by some powerful forces in Oyo State and Abuja. The senator’s growing popularity in Oyo was said to have rattled even the state governor, Seyi Makinde, who yesterday named him among Ibadan indigenes that were crowned as chiefs in absentia; a move seen by many as a ploy to force the lawmaker out of the governorship race. Adelabu was indeed hoping to meet with his boss in Abuja to know whether to quit or not. It is not clear if the meeting held.

But while the minister had a change of mind about his governorship ambition without a visit to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, it was not so with a popular former member of the National Assembly whose U-turn was made after taking a resignation letter to the SGF’s office.

The very popular ex-lawmaker, whose political appointment was made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently and was well celebrated by friends, family members and acquaintances, did not betray any political ambition while the celebrations lasted. But news went round a few days to the March 31 deadline that the lawmaker had resigned only to realise after consultations that the planned resignation was a real gamble.

The former lawmaker was said to have been reminded by friends that leaving certainty for uncertainty was a big risk, especially when the job at hand is not under threat, and with the chance to remain in office till May next year and the likelihood of continuing in office if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins his re-election bid.

The ex-lawmaker, who exuded confidence during the visit to the SGF’s office before wise counsel prevailed turned taciturn thereafter and refused to speak with the media.

To the flamboyant ex-National Assembly member from the Northeast, it is better to tread cautiously.