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As part of activities marking the 2025 Africa Copyright and Collective Management Day, the Audio – Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), in collaboration with NCC, WIPO, CISAC and MCSN recently hosted the Colloquium on Copyright Licensing for Public Performance.

Held at the UBEC Digital Centre, Abuja, the colloquium brought together regulators, rights holders, industry stakeholders, tourism operators, and members of the creative community to engage in a robust discussion on how copyright compliance can be repositioned as a strategic investment in business sustainability.

The event opened with a welcome address by the Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John Asein, who emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the government, creative industry operators, and collective management organisations to ensure effective licensing practices in Nigeria.

Delivering the keynote, DG, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Chief Obi Asika stressed the centrality of music to business growth: ‘Music is not free – it’s fair trade. We are connected and cannot be separated. Music contributes directly to your business success, and it is time for fair compensation, as happens everywhere else in the world. Licensing is never expensive – it’s about getting everyone into the net so the system works for all.’

Hospitality and legal expert, Chief Samuel Alabi, highlighted challenges and solutions in copyright compliance: ‘It is rather unfortunate that many prospective licensees are still dilly-dallying with compliance. Such practices only lead to prohibitive tariffs and litigation costs.’

Special remarks were also delivered by Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Chairman of AVRS; Pupa Oritz Wiliki, Chairman of MCSN; Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB); and Mr. Richard Esewhaye Ovie, Acting Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA). The international dimension was underscored by the participation of Dr. Moody Oluwatobiloba, Director at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

The hospitality and tourism industry were represented by Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, President of the Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA), and Dr. Aliyu Badaki, President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

From the Nollywood community, leading actors including Monalisa Chinda, Ejike Asiegbu, Makama Sani Muazu and Francis Duru lent their voices to the discussions, underscoring the importance of copyright compliance for the sustainability of Nigeria’s film and creative industries.

The Colloquium also featured two technical workshop sessions facilitated by intellectual property experts, Barrister Michael O. Akpan and Dr. Chinedu A. Chukwuji, who delivered practical insights on compliance and its business benefits.

In recognition of their immense contributions to advancing public performance compliance culture in Nigeria, plaques of appreciation were presented to the keynote and guest speakers, as well as to the workshop facilitators.

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has extended its Order of Interim Injunction against the United Bank for Africa (UBA), maintaining a no-debit restriction on 30 bank accounts into which withheld Osun State local government allocations were paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Justice Ladiran Akintola, in a ruling yesterday, extended the Order after hearing submissions from counsels present in court.

He explained that the extension was necessary to allow all parties in the suit No. 1/1149/2025, the Attorney-General of Osun State, the Osun State Local Government Service Commission, and United Bank for Africa Plc, to enjoy fair hearing.

Counsel to UBA Plc was absent, but counsel to the court-sacked APC council chairmen, led by Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, who had just filed an application for joinder, was present.

However, counsel to the plaintiffs, Musibau Adetunmbi, SAN, argued that he needed time to study the two applications filed by the ex-chairmen’s counsel.

He explained that the application for joinder and another one challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction were filed on Thursday and Friday respectively.

Adetunmbi, while citing points of law, insisted that the ex-APC council chairmen lacked the locus standi to challenge the court’s jurisdiction.

According to him, the ex-LG chairmen remained strangers to the case since their application for joinder had not yet been decided upon by the court.

On the need for extension of the interim order, Adetunmbi said: ‘I received the two applications yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday). I will need time to study them as well as reply on points of law.’

But counsel to the former APC local government chairmen and councillors faulted the description of his clients as strangers, arguing that they were directly affected by the court’s Interim Injunction of 26 September, 2025.

He contended that under the law, his clients had the right to be joined in the suit.

Gbadamosi, in the application filed on 2 October, 2025, also challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

Citing relevant authorities, he argued: ‘The court has no power in respect of a case in which its jurisdiction is being challenged to extend the order of life span that had expired.’

At the court sitting in Ibadan yesterday, further arguments were presented in the form of a further affidavit deposed to by a senior personnel of one of the 30 local government councils.

In her deposition, Mrs. Aluko Rachael Abidemi, Head of Local Government Administration in Boluwaduro Local Government, revealed that certain individuals were making attempts to siphon council funds in defiance of a subsisting court order.

She cited an undated letter addressed to UBA by two individuals-Mr. Adebayo Oyekanmi and Mr. Lasisi Gbadebo Oyebode-who claimed to be Chairman and Treasurer of Boluwaduro Local Government.

In the letter, they instructed the bank to deduct 15 per cent of the statutory allocation and pay it into the account of a private law firm with UBA.

Mrs. Abidemi, however, informed the court that the said individuals had no legal authority to make such instructions. She stressed that Mr. Oyebode was neither a staff of Boluwaduro Local Government nor its Treasurer, as the position of ‘Treasurer’ does not exist in Osun’s local government structure.

According to her, by the 2025 Guidelines for Local Government Administration in the state, only the Director of Finance and the Director of Administration and General Services are recognised as signatories to local government accounts.

She also identified the current officers holding those positions and tendered exhibits to confirm their status.

The claimants maintained that the matter of who the legitimate chairmen of the councils are remains sub judice before the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/CV/773/2025, and warned that disbursing the funds under the present circumstances would undermine justice.

Speaking with reporters after the sitting, counsel to the Attorney-General of Osun State, Adetunmbi (SAN), disclosed that a related case on the funds was already before the Supreme Court and had been fixed for hearing on 7 October.

On yesterday’s ruling, he explained: ‘The crux of the matter is to safeguard the money in issue pending the Supreme Court’s determination on Tuesday, 7 October, 2025.

‘Our contention is that even those who paid the money knew the matter was already before the court. They should have respected the Supreme Court by holding on to the money.

‘Let the Supreme Court speak, everybody will be happy, but for you to pay just like that is not acceptable.

‘As I earlier informed the court, there is a letter directing that 15% of the withheld funds from March to September – running into billions of naira – should be paid as legal fees to one individual.

‘In what manner? By what procedure? Without this preservation order, the rest of the money would have been gone by now.’

Commenting on the newly filed applications, he added: ‘They just served us with two applications. One was filed today, the other yesterday. I need time to react.

‘The court has extended the Interim Injunction for the preservation of the disputed funds.’

On the joinder application, the Attorney-General maintained: ‘We are going to oppose the joinder because nothing concerns them with this case.’

A group of wives of detained soldiers at the 7 Division Military Police Facility in Maiduguri Friday made a public and emotional plea to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, for presidential pardon for their spouses.

The women, who addressed journalists at the NUJ Conference Hall in Maiduguri, stated that some of their husbands (soldiers) have been held for months and years over various offenses without trial.

The women noted that the long absence of their husbands is taking serious negative toll and suffering on their families.

Speaking on behalf of the group, two women, Mrs. Rose Emmanuel David and Mrs. Abigail Jonathan, respectfully called on President Tinubu to grant their husbands presidential pardon, the same manner repentant insurgents are being granted pardon.

They appealed on behalf of their husbands with a deep reflection and repentance, asserting that the detainees ‘acknowledge their mistakes’ and seek ‘a second chance to serve their country with renewed loyalty.’

They also appealed to the National Assembly, the Borno State Governor, and all Nigerians of goodwill to lend their support to their plea.

The group hinged their appeal on the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programmes, stressing that, ‘It is important to remember that amnesty has been extended to repentant insurgents and bandits who once raised arms against the state.

These soldiers are Nigerians too-men who once risked their lives to defend our people and preserve our nation. They deserve the same mercy, so they can once again fight for peace, unity, and security.’

Coach Gernot Rohr has said Benin No 1 target is to win in Rwanda to stay top of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, which includes the Super Eagles.

Benin, under former Super Eagles coach Rohr, are now top of Group C of the World Cup qualifiers after South Africa were docked three points and three goals for fielding an ineligible player.

‘Our priority is to win our match in Rwanda,’ Rohr declared.

We’re doing everything we can to achieve that. Regardless of the results of other matches, we can keep our fate in our own hands. And that’s a real advantage.’

He further said he expects his team to play ‘like true cheetahs’ to achieve this target.

Meanwhile, Rohr will today announce the squad for their final qualifiers against the Super Eagles and Rwanda.

The coach will at 3pm local time name his squad for the crucial final qualifiers.

Reality TV star Tolanibaj has confessed to being over the nightlife scene and is ready to explore marriage.

In a video, she admitted to being forced to enjoy clubbing and the loud music and dancing no longer excite her.

TolaniBaj stated that she’s looking for excitement in her life and believes marriage might bring her the fulfillment she’s seeking.

She said: ‘I gotta start being honest with myself. I no longer enjoy clubbing. I keep forcing it, bruh. I keep forcing it. I wanna see if I can experience some kind of excitement. I need excitement in my life.

‘I’m tired of clubbing. I don’t wanna be outside doing what? What am I looking for outside if I have a partner? Like, what the f- be outside to get a shot maybe traveling or something but like i’m done forcing clubbing man i don’t feel like pretending to be having fun in the club anymore like’.

She humorously stated she’d consider getting married for a short period, just to see if she’d like it.

‘I think it’s time to get married yeah i want to see if i can get married for like two days just to see if i like it that’s a scary commitment y’all like how am i not sure that after one month i will not start saying yeah,’ she added.

In a moment of reflection on an event that shook the nation about 11 years ago, former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed the role played by former President Muhammadu Buhari in the effort to rescue the 276 girls adopted by terrorists from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State.

Speaking at the public presentation of ‘Scars’, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, in Abuja yesterday, Jonathan said his administration devised several ways to curtail the insurgency that defined much of his presidency, but with little success.

He recalled that in the process of trying to get them to surrender, the insurgents put forward former president Buhari as their preferred negotiator.

Jonathan said the development had caused him to think that Boko Haram insurgency would end as soon as Buhari became president

He said: ‘One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.

‘So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns.

‘But it is still there till today.’

Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.

He said: ‘If you conduct research and interview many people, you will only get part of the story but never the full story of Boko Haram. I was there.

‘Boko Haram started in 2009 when I was vice president. I took over in 2010 and spent five years battling the insurgency until I left office.

‘I thought that after I left, within a reasonable time, General Buhari would wipe them out. But even today, Boko Haram is still there.

‘The issue of Boko Haram is far more complex than it is often presented.

‘So, it’s a bit complex, and not a matter of a single story.

‘But I believe, as a nation, we have to look at the Boko Haram issue differently from the conventional approach.

‘I believe one day we’ll overcome it.’

The former president thanked General Irabor for the book, saying he always appreciates people who document events clearly.

‘That way, when we write our own accounts, we can borrow from such documentation.

‘I also believe that all the military officers involved in the Boko Haram saga should provide information about what the group truly stood for,’ he said.

Jonathan also said the issue of Boko Haram was beyond hunger, adding that his administration employed so many strategies which did not work.

He said: ‘If it was only about hunger-because we tried different options-I don’t want to sound like I’m defending my government. That will be left for history when we document our books.

‘But I believe we did our best. We set up different committees and tried various approaches during the five years I was in office.

‘I believe the late Buhari too must have tried his best.

‘I believe the government-luckily, with the Defence Minister here and the service chiefs represented-must adopt a slightly different approach.

‘God willing, we will be able to resolve this crisis.’

‘I’ll die with scars of Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction’

The former president described the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 as a permanent scar on his administration.

He added that he hoped some leaders of the insurgent group would eventually document their actions, similar to how key actors of the Nigerian Civil War wrote their own accounts, to provide clarity on the insurgency’s motives.

He said: ‘One of the major scars on my government-and it will remain on my face, as Bishop Kukah said, no plastic or cosmetic surgeon can remove it-is the issue of the Chibok girls.

‘It is a scar I will die with. But perhaps later, more details may become known, and that too has to do with Boko Haram.

‘What do they really want? Our chairman once raised the issue when he interviewed some of them, and they gave him certain perspectives.

‘But I pray that one day, some of the Boko Haram leaders may be literate enough to document what they have done, so that people will truly understand what they want.

‘It is similar to the story of the Nigerian Civil War.’

Jonathan urged the current administration to consider the carrot and stick approach to address the insurgency, which has lasted more than a decade.

Jonathan’s claim misleading, says Garba Shehu

Reacting to Jonathan’s statement yesterday, former presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, described it as misleading.

He said if Jonathan’s remarks were intended as a campaign message for a possible 2027 presidential run, then ‘he is making a false start.’

According to Shehu, neither Boko Haram’s founding leader, Muhammed Yusuf, nor his successor, Abubakar Shekau, ever nominated Buhari for mediation.

Instead, he noted, Shekau consistently denounced and threatened Buhari, given their opposing ideologies.

Read Also: Boko Haram never nominated Buhari as mediator, Garba Shehu tells Jonathan

He recalled that in 2014, Buhari narrowly escaped a bomb attack by Boko Haram in Kaduna, which left some of his aides injured.

‘Buhari’s campaigns focused on fighting Boko Haram and restoring security to Nigeria whenever he became president, putting him in direct opposition to the terrorist group’s leaders,’ Shehu said.

Shehu further explained that Buhari himself had denied knowledge of any such nomination when the issue surfaced in 2011.

Citing a statement issued at the time by then Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) secretary, Buba Galadima, he recalled that Buhari dismissed the report as ‘just speculation’ since nobody had contacted him directly.

Buhari, Shehu said, maintained then that as a patriotic Nigerian, he would only continue to pray for peace in the country.

The former spokesman clarified that the confusion arose after a Boko Haram faction, possibly sponsored by Buhari’s political opponents, staged a press conference in Maiduguri through one Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, who claimed the sect preferred Buhari and other northern elders, including the late Shettima Ali Monguno and Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, to mediate.

Abdulaziz’s claims, Shehu stressed, were swiftly disowned by Shekau’s loyalists, who said he had no mandate to speak for the group.

At the time, CPC’s publicity secretary, the late Rotimi Fashekun, had also lambasted the Jonathan administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for exploiting the alleged nomination for political gain.

Fashekun described it as ‘the latest gambit in the desire of the corrupt PDP-led government to divert attention from the massive looting of the people’s common patrimony.’

Fashekun insisted that Buhari had never been linked to any insurgency, portraying him as a ‘quintessential patriot’ while accusing the PDP government itself of complicity in Nigeria’s insecurity.

He cited Jonathan’s own admission that Boko Haram had infiltrated his government, a point echoed by then National Security Adviser, the late General Andrew Azazi, as well as revelations by the State Security Service (SSS).

‘Jonathan’s latest comments revive a long-debunked narrative and fail to recognise the true record of Buhari’s opposition to Boko Haram. To win in 2027, Dr. Jonathan should look for a better story to tell Nigerians,’ he concluded.

Irabor’s book road map to stable Nigeria -Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says the book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, will provide guidance and serves as a road map for the nation to build a safer future.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja venue of the book launch, said Irabor has demonstrated that ‘leadership in war is not solely about firepower but also about intellectuals’.

‘As Theater Commander, Irabor confronted an existential threat to our national identity with the desired determination and pragmatism.

‘Scars tells a story. It reminds us of pain, but it also proves that survival is possible. Therefore, the scars we carry as a nation are evidence of our resilience.

‘They remind us of the sacrifice of our heroes past, soldiers, displaced families, and communities,’ Tinubu said.

The President emphasised that the book encourages learning from past experiences to build a safer, more stable future.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to this vision, highlighting the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goal of transforming Nigeria into a nation of peace, opportunity, and unity.

Tinubu emphasised that security is central to his vision, highlighting efforts to modernise the armed forces with cutting-edge technology and platforms.

‘We are also streamlining intelligence gathering capability and deepening regional partnership to boost collective security.

‘We are investing in a whole-of-society approach to security so that peace is not only won on the battlefield but sustained in daily life with participation of the citizens.

‘Let all Nigerians be aware that we will not rest until we defeat all indices of insecurity,’ the president said.

New thinking needed to end Boko Haram, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria can only defeat Boko Haram insurgency when both the political and security leadership begin to think beyond the available narrative about the sect.

He added that documenting the experiences of those affected can help the country understand the issue and develop effective strategies to address it.

Obasanjo spoke as the Chairman of occasion at the public presentation of former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor’s book, Scars, in Abuja yesterday.

He said: ‘When in 2011, after Boko Haram had attacked the UN office here in Abuja, I went to Maiduguri to find out if there was Boko Haram, and what was it? Who were they? What are their objectives? What do they want? How can we satisfy them?

‘And I found out, yes, there was Boko Haram. I found they were not really aiming for anything political or anything seriously religious, but people that were looking for a better life, and any other thing attached to that is a better life for them.

‘Have we understood that? If we have, have we taken the steps that we should take? If we have, why is it that after 15 years, Boko Haram is now gradually becoming part of our life? Should we accept that?

‘If we do not accept it, what should we do? How much do we know?’

‘Even from the other side, and from this side, have we been active enough? Have we been proactive enough?

‘I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this . something that is now becoming a monster within our country.’

The former president noted that while Nigeria has faced various security challenges since independence, Boko Haram stands out for persisting over 15 years without resolution, largely due to a lack of proper understanding of the group.

FG will sustain dynamics of combating terrorism -Akume

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, says the present administration would sustain the dynamics in kinetic and non-kinetic approach in combating terrorism and other criminalities in the country.

Akume said this in his goodwill message at the launch of the book ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’ in Abuja yesterday. Akume’s goodwill message was read by Prof. Babatunde Bolaji, his technical adviser.

He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made tremendous progress towards a secured country ‘in which productivity shall spur us to a Nigeria of our dreams’.

Akume praised General Irabor’s distinguished service to the country, particularly as Chief of Defence Staff, which stands as a powerful testament to his patriotism, courage, and unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s unity and security.

‘At some of the most challenging moments in our recent history, when the fabric of our nation was threatened by insurgency and violent extremism, he stood firmly at the forefront, providing leadership that not only safeguarded lives but also strengthened the resilience of our Armed Forces and our collective will to overcome adversity,’ he said.

Akume described General Irabor’s new book as far more than a memoir, but ‘a vital reflection on our national journey and a contribution to the ongoing discourse on peace, security, and nation-building.’

According to him, by documenting the complex realities of the Boko Haram challenge and the lessons learned in confronting it, Gen. Irabor is enriching our national memory and equipping future generations with knowledge critical to building a safer and more united Nigeria.

Leah Sheribu, others a scar on Nigeria, says Bishop Kukah

The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, says Leah Sharibu and every Nigerian child unaccounted for in the war against Boko Haram is a scar on Nigeria.

Kukah said this when he spoke as the book reviewer at the official launch of ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

Rev. Kukah said: ‘Now, the issue of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls, these are what the author refers to as the scars. And in my view, as long as Leah Sharibu is unaccounted for, as long as any of the adopted children in Nigeria is unaccounted for, every child that is unaccounted for is a scar on the face of Nigeria.’

According to Kukah, military efforts alone would not end the Boko Haram insurgency, as the insurgents are driven by a willingness to die while soldiers fight to stay alive.

Kukah also criticised the narrative to label the insurgents as ‘Boko Haram,’ arguing that this approach misses the roots of the issue.

‘And I think this is where the Nigerian government has gotten it wrong. First of all, let’s not forget, we are the ones who gave them the name Boko Haram,’ he said.

‘They didn’t say that they are Boko Haram. We are the ones who gave them the name, and because we gave them the name Boko Haram, we have become comfortable. It has affected our strategy.

‘Boko Haram says their name is Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad. That is their name. And the English translation is that people committed to the prophet’s teachings for the propagation of jihad.

‘The challenge is what context of preaching?’

Charging political leaders to write biographies, Rev. Kukah said the nation was already in trouble and needed the way out.

He said: ‘First, the Nigerian military must be inspired by this book to also create a sense of urgency about returning to the barracks so that their honor, their integrity, their professionalism can be guaranteed.

‘Soldiers have written to say that they are often better off under civilian government than under military government.

‘However, the presence of the military in 36 states out of 36 states in Nigeria makes the notion of democracy an oxymoron.

‘We cannot be in a democracy and be surrounded by soldiers. Because increasingly, psychologically, people are beginning to think, see the military as an army of occupation.

‘It shouldn’t be so.’

He also charged the federal government to expand its concept of national security to cover all aspects of security, including food and health.’

Sultan faults Kukah’s claim

However, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubaker III, faulted Kukah’s claim.

He said: ‘I also want to correct a wrong notion that many non-Muslims hold about jihad.

‘Jihad does not mean a Muslim must kill a non-Muslim.

‘Jihad means ‘to strive.’

‘In every aspect of life, one strives to be the best they can be-to be a good Muslim, a good Christian, a good farmer, or a good engineer.

‘Jihad is not about killing non-Muslims; that is a misconception that has persisted for decades.

‘In addition, I want to clarify another issue. When Bishop Kukah spoke about Islamism, he may have used some words in a way that created misunderstanding, making Islam to appear negative.

‘But Islamism is not about seeking power for its own sake. Rather, Islam emphasises good governance in society.

‘Whoever is in power-take for example President Goodluck Jonathan-we gave him 100% support throughout his presidency.

‘Nobody said anything negative about him, and he himself knows that.

‘So, Islamism is not what some people think. It is not about seizing power; it is about promoting good governance.’

Sixty-five years after attaining Independence, Nigeria is still struggling to fulfill the vision of its founding fathers. The consolation is that there is now hope on the horizon for the country, from all indications, under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

The supposedly African giant has not been static since October 1, 1960, when Independence was restored after 75 years of colonial subjugation. Under successive indigenous leadership, much progress has been made across the sectors. But many errors have also been committed, which have limited the pace of development.

As a complex heterogeneous country, Nigeria has been assailed by multiple crises of nation-building bordering on identity, political and economic participation, legitimacy of government structures, and divisive distributive politics.

While the world powers predicted that by the mid-seventies, Nigeria would have become a medium-ranking power with a commanding influence in world affairs, the prediction has not been fulfilled.

The failure of Nigeria to live up to expectations, despite its vast natural endowment and huge human capital, has wiped smiles from the faces of its citizens. The sad turn of events has also denied Africa a clear and towering leader who could lead and strategically champion the cause of the continent on the global stage.

The journey of nationhood has passed through hills and valleys. There have been challenges and traumas; there have also been moments of jamboree and jocundity.

The future was bright in 1960, but within six years, Nigeria ran into turbulence. The battle for political control through foul means, ethnicity and monumental corruption on the part of the early leaders led to the collapse of the First Republic.

Up came the self-styled modernisers – the non-accountable power-thirsty soldiers – who toppled civilian authorities and pushed the bewildered country into a prolonged nightmare. Their methods were dictatorial. With the barrel of guns, they foisted on Nigeria a centralised system of government that was antithetical to the federal principle.

The 1966 military coup deepened the distrust and suspicion among the unequal regions. The Unification Decree marked the beginning of a prolonged journey in national comatose.

Up till now, the country has not fully recovered. The battle to keep Nigeria one was won, yet threats of secession by a certain ethnic group have not subsided.

The Nigerian brand of federalism is on trial, confusing, divisive, provocative, and fundamentally unjust. Indisputably, the country has paled into a poor, ethnically-segmented nation-state battling to survive a unitary system, aptly foisted by military interlopers. State and local government creation was lopsided, and the census could not be held due to the fear of rigging the head count.

There is a combative regression to the pre-independence battle cry for restructuring at a time developed countries expect the African giant to be a continental model of federal democracy.

The defective federal principle became an albatross. It was a skewed arrangement with an in-built, lopsided, and marginalising distributive process. This heralded colossal injustice and induced intense agitation. The major bone of contention was the over-centralisation and monopolisation of power by a distant central government to the detriment of pauperised and disadvantaged component units in the highly heterogeneous country.

Indeed, the notion of unity in diversity was displaced due to elongated perceived structural defects and institutional deformities, which denied the reality of peculiarities in a plural society.

The military perceived Nigeria as a fiefdom, and the bitter power struggle broke out among its top echelon. They pushed the country into an avoidable civil war in which thousands of innocent lives were terminated. Coups became monotonous, and the prospects of popular rule dimmed.

For 27 years, Nigeria was in the military cage. When the soldiers finally and reluctantly abdicated power in 1999, it was evident that they were not better than the civilian authorities they had illegitimately displaced. They were even more corrupt, promoting nepotism and stifling the growth as democracy.

In 1999, those who took over power were also created in the same military image. They had a faulty compass – a severely flawed constitution that lied to and against itself.

The ruling party at the beginning of the current dispensation was aptly called the party of generals for having the highest concentration of retired military officers of any other party. The ex-soldiers apparently thought it appropriate to assemble under the same umbrella to continue their jingoistic exploits. As Nigerians would say: they showed the country pepper. The then-ruling party boasted of retaining power for at least sixty years, confident that its jackboot tactics would fend off other parties from accessing legitimate democratic power.

It was a harrowing experience. Under their leadership for 16 years, the country bled. Oil, the acclaimed black gold and blessing, became a curse. Its proceeds were grossly misused through the inordinate personalisation of power. The refineries remained moribund, despite the allocation of huge funds into their turnaround maintenance (TAM). The government was comfortable with a curious fuel subsidy regime, which was mercilessly exploited by the barons who held the country by the jugular.

The country groaned. Life expectancy dropped abysmally. Basic amenities, including potable water, electricity, medical facilities and roads were in short supply. The quality of life among the citizens became abysmal. Youths deserted the country for an imaginary golden fleece in foreign lands. Many of them perished in harsh conditions while attempting to cross the Sahara Desert or the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in the search for scarce jobs.

Graft and sleaze multiplied. Foreign debt piled up. Foreign reserves were depleted. The manufacturing sub-sector collapsed. Nigeria became a laughing stock. People started having a nostalgic feeling about the constitutional order of the First Republic, saying that presidential democracy had failed.

As if the challenges were not enough to depress the soul of the nation, Nigeria started battling with insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, and other forms of violence.

Ethnicity and religion became the willing tools exploited by unpatriotic elements to fan the embers of disunity. There was stiff resistance to change and progress.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited the cumulative mess on May 29, 2023. It is possible that the problems he met were greater than the challenges he expected. But an experienced, competent, resourceful, and result-driven leader, he was adequately prepared for the job. The priority of the administration is to build institutions and erect lasting legacies, he has been telling his fellow compatriots.

But to turn adversity into prosperity, the Tinubu administration had to embark on reforms across the sectors. Like a surgical operation, this has been painful. Only a bold and courageous leader like President Tinubu can take the decisive step, which has now been twisted by the cantankerous opposition as the imposition of hardship on the populace.

Not afraid to step on toes in the national interest, the President removed fuel subsidy from day one, daring the economic saboteurs. He also dismantled corruption in the foreign exchange market. The review of the tax laws and strengthening of the revenue-generating agencies marked a clean break from the sordid past.

More funds are now being distributed from the Federation Account to the sub-national units. If governors and council chairmen can demonstrate commitment, patriotism and discipline by channeling the money to development, all will be well.

This is why the President urged the leaders at these tiers to wet the ground. It is puzzling to the common man, who is enjoined to be patient, that reform pains linger, and nobody seems prepared to understand the language of economic innovation that does not lead to food price affordability, no matter the macro-economic stability.

More than a year after rail transportation was decentralised, no region in the country has taken the bull by the horns. The agitations for restructuring have continued, but, paradoxically, certain elements of devolution are either being opposed or resisted. Examples are the council autonomy and the initial reluctance of some states to welcome state police.

A bridge builder and detribalised leader, President Tinubu has united the country through the exhibition of national outlook and promotion of inclusive policies and programmes. These are visible in the distribution of appointments and infrastructural projects, the establishment of regional commissions, and the promotion of cordial inter-governmental relations.

The signature infrastructural projects of the administration are road construction across the six geopolitical zones. Of more significance now are the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Badagry-Sokoto road, which will open many communities across the regions.

Infrastructural gaps have to be bridged. A thriving and buoyant economy has to be sustained by connectivity. This is why an effective and efficient transportation system is key.

As a corollary, reforms that can resolve the lingering energy crisis would be reassuring in light of the expected support for industrialisation or production, particularly the manufacturing sub-sector, which can yield the by-products of job creation, social progress, and high competitiveness.

For youths, the student loan scheme comes in handy. It prevents dropouts in tertiary institutions and rekindles hope about the ability of the system to offer and guarantee succour.

The Tinubu administration has fought terror with vigour and recorded outstanding success. The achievement has to be sustained.

To discerning minds, the restructuring that would restore federalism has begun. The prospects of state policing or multi-level policing may be the baseline.

President Tinubu is laying a firm foundation for a virile and better tomorrow. It is mobilising and planning for a better future.

There are still some issues that need to be addressed collectively. One of them is that the cost of governance across the tiers is huge, often wasteful, and unaccounted for. The current expenditure should not rival capital spending. The government’s spending should focus on productive activities.

Also, elections are still controversial with fraud, vote-buying, and violence sitting at the heart of polls. A special tribunal or court for the trial of electoral offenders is necessary. The ballot box should not be desecrated. Also, losers should be courageous to concede defeat, as done in some advanced democracies, instead of embarking on unnecessary post-election litigations that waste the time of the court.

If all election cases can be disposed of before the inauguration date, the nation would be the better for it

The question now is: where should Nigeria be in the next 65 years? Would it become a technological giant, a great federal democracy, a secured country, a self-sufficient nation, a united nation-state, and a world power?

Nigeria should plan. It should also not fail to avert failure in the implementation of its plans. A plan is not about its name but the results it generates in the long run. Africa’s most populous nation should unleash its human and technical endowments towards building a resilient future in which the citizens will stand very tall across the world. This is the time to roll up our sleeves to accomplish the task.

As Nigerians marked the historic National Independence anniversary on Wednesday, a clarion appeal has gone to both the Federal and state governments to urgently redouble their efforts and actions to tackle and reduce poverty in Nigeria.

This call was made by an elder statesman, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri in a statement issued in Lagos, Friday.

Onitiri appreciated the efforts of the Tinubu administration in revamping the nation’s already battered economy, but pleaded that both the Federal Government and states must redouble their efforts to bring the situation of poverty and insecurity under control.

He said with the plenty of revenues state governments are getting from the federation accounts presently, they have no excuse not to perform and give their people more developments and dividends of democracy.

In the statement titled: ‘Reminiscence And Expectations of Nigerians After 65th independent Anniversary’, the Elder statesman pointed out:

‘Most Nigerians claim there is nothing so far to celebrate except the Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to Onitiri, Nigerians are so easy to govern. What they want are good potable water to drink; uninterrupted light supply; good roads, employment for young graduates and others; enabling the environment for businesses to thrive; and good care for the elderly.

Onitiri commended the great efforts of President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in revamping the economic quagmire, ‘and taking us back on track.’

He urged all Nigerians to be patient with him and cooperate with the present regime to take us to the Promised Land.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, High Chief Olanrewaju Bashorun has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-injecting life into a once comatose Nigerian economy.

Seriki Bashorun, a.k.a Larry Bash, speaking while hosting an Independence Day Roundtable tagged, ‘Breaking Barriers and Unlocking Opportunities for Ado-Odo Ota Federal Constituency,’ held in Sango-Ota on October 1, 2025, said he was quite impressed by the manner the president has gone about fixing an economy that was once on the verge of collapse prior to his emergence.

‘There is no gainsaying the fact that the Nigerian economy is crawling its way back to full health from what I have observed,’ Bashorun said.

Adding that ‘This, I can attribute to the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was bold enough to embark on reforms that has helped to steer the economy back on to the path of sustainable growth.

He used the occasion to officially announce his intention to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives from the Ado-Odo Ota Federal Constituency in 2027, saying he had what it took to deliver the goods to an area that has remained largely under-developed despite it’s embarrassing wealth of human and natural resources.

He said, if given the people’s mandate on the platform of APC, he would do things differently and offer sound leadership that would enhance the quality of lives of the people in the constituency.

‘I am also using this opportunity to announce my intention to contest for the Ado-Odo Ota Federal Constituency seat at the National Assembly come 2027. Decades of delivering people-oriented leadership as a private individual without any public funds has adequately prepared me for the office I seek,’ he said.

‘I promise our people an enhanced quality of life if they give me their mandate. I assure them that their most pressing needs in the area of adequate infrastructure, empowerment and welfare will be promptly and fully addressed,’ he added.

The event drew representatives from youth groups, the elderly, students, politicians and the media.

The picture of school children lining the streets holding the green-white-green flags of newly independent Nigeria tells the story such pictures tell; a million stories, of contentment, happiness and hope in an endless tomorrow and a faith that the political leaders of the time would keep them safe, happy and progressive. Somehow the dream was truncated barely a few years after with the military coup of 1966, the power play, the counter coups and the three year civil war that brought the country to its knees.

As the then head of state, General Yakubu Gowon declared after the war, ‘No victor, no vanquished’. As it turned out, his promise of the three Rs; Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction was not only vacuous given the events that continues to date, it has been a promise not kept. It is often seen as contradictory and a mark of personal flaw that Gowon who claimed there were no victors and no vanquished in one breath promise the three Rs in another.

Most political analysts describe him as not only immature given his age (32 years at the time) also as one with weak sense of personal judgment considering that he had boastfully but tactlessly said that ‘Money was not the problem of Nigeria but what to do with it’ given the petro dollars that accrued to the country during the oil boom era. The extravagant exuberance of his time in government seems to have laid the foundation for the profligacy with resources that persists till date. The coups and counter-coups ushered in different military governments that violated the democracy that came with Nigeria’s independence.

A flawed military incursion into Nigerian leadership has been the albatross of Nigeria’s development. It’s been a case of one step forward and three steps backward. The military governments clearly corrupted the political class with some seeming authoritarianism that revels in lack of accountability and leading with little recourse to the core tenets of democracy.

Because political power is next only to that of the almighty God in any religion or language, Nigeria’s issues about development have been a product of the mismanagement of power given the dominance of the military goons that had seize power through undemocratic means for a better part of the 65 years since independence. The legacies left by the military dictators are at the root of Nigeria’s underdevelopment. In a way, it is not a misnomer to conclude that Nigeria’s political class has not been weaned from the examples the military left in their trail.

Nigeria has had an uninterrupted 26 years of civilian democracy. Even though there have been many developments in the economy across the country but many analysts believe that without military interregnums, the country might have made much higher progress. However, the Roundtable Conversation is not excusing the political class in any way because all political actors are adults and have the opportunity to make better choices. However, the military system of command and control, their total disregard for democratic processes keeps rearing its head in the politicians’ modus operandi.

That certain key sectors like education, health, gender equity and agriculture have received below United Nations’ benchmarks are all signs of political class that are disconnected from the people since 1999. In a way, politicians often display the nonchalance copied from the military. The need to please the people because of elections often does not matter.

The violence during elections in Nigeria since 1999 is surely a by-product of military leadership. Coups are not cocktail parties. They are planned and executed through violence and without recourse to the wish of the people. Nigerian elections have become one of the most litigious in the world because the political class bring with them the military mind-set of ‘merely grabbing power’ for its own sake.

The misuse of security agencies is one legacy of the Nigerian military. The violence during elections is often done under the supervision or protection of the military who are often invited to provide security during elections. When elections are won and lost, the elected leaders often revel in the extra security protection they can avail themselves which often includes soldiers. This right there is the zenith of the military mentality displayed by Nigerian politicians.

The Nigerian political space in the last 65 years has continued to suffer from military hangover. The violation of electoral laws with little consequences for the violators is one of the legacies of military rule that the politicians fin attractive. The ‘do or die’ mentality that often translates to violence from ward, state to federal elections might appear as non-issues but it has dented the democracy Nigeria practices.

On the face of it, this analysis might appear as though the military is to blame for the woes of Nigeria. The truth is that sometimes, solving any problem starts when the truth about the causative factors is told. If Nigeria must make progress, the political class must look in the mirror. Mind-sets must change; there must be introspection and a readiness for reorientation that reaffirms patriotism and commitment to the tenets of democracy as government of the people by the people and for the people.

Nigeria is blessed with rich national and material resources and there must be a willingness to maximize both. Nigeria at 65 must wean itself from the very destructive style of the military aberration in leadership. The political elite must realize the value in investing in the human capital that the country is blessed with. Political participation must be about service and not an opportunity for self-aggrandizement and influence-peddling that has stagnated development.

Despite the developments since 1999 in many sectors, the Nigerian story can be different with better focus by the political elite. Nigerian politicians must look beyond the immediate and begin to behave in ways to reassure the people in ways that can diminish the trust deficit in the political class. The political parties must be seen to be structured to be functional and viable. Taking excuses with the presumed nascence of Nigerian democracy is self-defeatist. At 65, Nigeria is no longer a baby.

The political parties must be run with standards befitting of the system we have chosen. The present style of fluidity must be discouraged because it makes the people very sceptical of a class without principles, oscillating between several political parties just for political expediency does not tell a good story about the integrity of our politicians. There must be clear ideological lines that political party members can be identified with as is the case in most developed democracies. There must be an inclusivity that caters to all demographics. For now, it seems to be about male dominance. The poverty index an underdevelopment challenges tells the entire story about Nigerian democracy.

The political party leadership must be inclusive in ways that no one gender dominates or has exclusive privileges. There should be a level playing field that affords every citizen the opportunity to participate in a functional democracy. For now, political parties appear as a male exclusive club in terms of party administration. Women still see themselves as outsiders with, ‘Women Wing tokenism’. Competent women and men must be allowed to try their chances at political party administration.

Political campaign funds must be strictly monitored in ways that no individual or group takes financial advantage of the system. For now, Nigeria has not got it right. The word; party chieftain, party financier, god-father etc., are all indicators of a flawed system of running political parties. There must be a structure that can moderate campaign funding returning power to the people.

Democracy being a government of the people, by the people and for the people must be run according to the rules of engagement and those who breach the rules must be made to face the consequences as deterrent to others. Presently, many people get away with blue murder literarily. Democracy without the rule of law will only produce a dysfunctional system that impedes development.

Make no mistakes about it, the journey has been very challenging and progress being recorded in some areas but we must evaluate whether the development is satisfactory given the human and material resources available to the country. The fact that other countries keep creating incentives to take out our resources an even our human capital must tell us something. The fact that citizens that were trained with tax-payers money can so easily seek jobs in countries outside Nigeria must tell us that only the best brains get to be ‘drained’.

Nigeria at 65 is no longer a toddler. It is time to stop and re-evaluate how far we have come. We can acknowledge the challenges of colonialism, slavery, coups and military incursions into leadership over some decades but we must have little excuses after 65 years. The human capital development must be an urgent priority as ideas and technology, now rule the world.

There must be a renewed effort to meet the UN benchmarks on key areas like health and education. Insecurity is affecting, foo security, investment and tourism. While we celebrate our anniversary, we must introspect and like legendary Achebe said, learn where the rain started beating us as a people. Happy 65th independence anniversary, dear readers.