Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has fired a salvo at Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to publicly account for the spending of an estimated N14 trillion collected as fuel subsidy savings.

The organisation also threatened to institute legal proceedings should the state governors and the FCT Minister fail to comply with the demand for transparency.

The N14 trillion represents a portion of the increased Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds shared among the three tiers of government since the removal of the petrol subsidy in mid-2023.

According to SERAP, the FAAC distribution for 2024 alone surged to N28.78 trillion, a 79 per cent jump from the previous year, with state governments’ allocations rising by 45.5 per cent to N5.22 trillion.

In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated October 4, 2025, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the group insisted that the savings must be spent solely for the benefit of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Failure to do so, SERAP warned, ‘would result in a morally repugnant result of double jeopardy on these Nigerians.’

SERAP urged public officials to invite anti-graft agencies – the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – to track and monitor spending, ensuring that the money is not diverted into private pockets.

The human rights group also expressed concern over the alleged mismanagement of the funds, stating that the spending details have been mostly shrouded in secrecy.

‘We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.

‘If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your state and the FCT to comply with our request in the public interest,’ the group added.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Sunday, congratulated Nigerian teachers as they joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate World Teachers’ Day.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1994 designated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day to recognise and celebrate teachers.

Speaker Tajudeen, in a congratulatory message issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Leke Olatunji Baiyewu, commended Nigerian teachers for their unquantifiable role in shaping the lives and careers of young people in society.

He stated that teachers and academics deserve public and private support to efficiently carry out their educational role in the lives of young Nigerians.

The Speaker, who was also a teacher before joining politics, described teachers as ‘co-parents and experts in nurturing and moulding young people into educated, civilised, productive, and patriotic citizens’ of any country.

While noting that teachers are critical stakeholders in the polity, the Speaker called for training, retraining, and better welfare, especially for the academic staff of educational institutions.

Speaker Tajudeen reiterated the commitment of the 10th House to using legislative instruments to enhance access to quality and affordable education for all Nigerians.

The Speaker wished Nigerians happy celebrations.

Some grassroots leaders in the OBIdient Movement’s Lagos chapter have turned their criticism towards Dr Yunusa Tanko, the national coordinator, accusing him of backing a disputed list for the state’s leadership council.

The pushback came in a statement released at the weekend by Obiasogu David and Hon. Bamidele Akpata, representing support groups, the Central Organising Committee, and other stakeholders.

They rejected a circulating list for the State Coordinating Council, saying it was allegedly put together without their input by a group of politicians close to Tanko.

‘The purported list of the Obidient Movement State Coordinating Council for Lagos state, now making the rounds, hit us with rude marvel. This isn’t because we lacked knowledge of and were not actively involved in the process of revamping and structuring the Obidient movement in Lagos state, which has been running for months.

‘But the eventual decision and choice of the leadership for the movement in the state were totally abrupt and surreptitious, and the source of the list and some of the names enlisted are unknown to any active Obidient in the state.

‘To give it a befitting context, a set of position-seeking political actors, for intents that raise doubts, met and drew up a list, wherein they shared positions with loyalists, branded it ‘State Coordinating Council’ and imposed on the ObidientMovement in the state.

‘Such a move slaps us, as well as every concerned and active member of the Obidient movement in the state, with sharp, irksome shock, especially considering its covert and manipulative manner.

‘Our unequivocal stand is that of utter disregard and rejection of the purported list. We resolve to ensure that the Obidient Movement, for which we laboured to pioneer and build in the state since March 2022, must not derail from its core principles of integrity, truth, democracy, transparency, and populism, the virtues our leader, Peter Obi, espouses.

‘We must, also, reiterate that the movement in the state is not a political structure for any politician to hire or hijack for self-aggrandisement or to further their political agenda.

‘We are a people-driven movement, built on sacrifice, resilience, and the conviction to rescue Nigeria and Lagos from decades of failed leadership. Therefore, it is imperative that the decisions and activities of the movement, especially a vital one as forming the leadership of the movement at any level, must be subject to and co-opt the core principles of the movement.

‘In view of this, we insist that the leadership of the movement must be constituted through wide consultation and popular consent of the active stakeholders of the movement, a process that is devoid of political gimmicks and the interference of self-willed politicians.

‘Such leaders of the movement must embody the values and qualities of leadership, be active members of the movement from the founding times, and above all, must be chosen by active stakeholders of the movement, especially the Obidient support groups.

‘We call on those who shared the purported list to withdraw it immediately. The national leadership of the Obidient movement must, as a matter of urgency, call for a meeting with stakeholders of the movement in the state to discuss progress’.

Every October 5, classrooms, communities and countries around the globe pause to honour the people who shape the minds and morals of every generation: teachers.

World Teachers’ Day is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a reminder that without teachers, no society can grow, no nation can thrive, and no dream can truly take flight.

As the world celebrates World Teachers’ Day 2025, themed ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,’ here are five interesting things to know about this important global celebration and why it matters more than ever.

1. Commemorates a Historic 1966 Agreement

World Teachers’ Day marks the anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, a groundbreaking document that established international standards for teachers’ rights, responsibilities, recruitment and training.

That recommendation was the first to recognise teaching as a profession essential to social progress and human development. It set the stage for the modern understanding that teachers deserve not just respect, but strong institutional support to do their work effectively.

2. Officially Established by UNESCO in 1994

Although the 1966 agreement was the inspiration, the first official World Teachers’ Day was celebrated in 1994, following a declaration by UNESCO and its partners.

The goal was simple yet profound: to draw the world’s attention to teachers’ vital roles in shaping minds, building nations and driving development. Since then, every year’s celebration has grown into a global campaign for better teacher welfare and recognition.

3. Unique Yearly Theme

Every World Teachers’ Day is guided by a theme that reflects a pressing issue or aspiration in global education.

In 2025, the theme ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession’ emphasises teamwork, mutual learning and the power of educators working together.

Past themes have focused on topics like teacher leadership, digital innovation and rebuilding education systems after crises, underscoring that teaching is both an art and a shared responsibility.

4. Global Celebration, but No Uniform Date

While October 5 is internationally recognized as World Teachers’ Day, several countries have chosen their own dates to honour educators, often tied to historical or cultural milestones.

For example: India celebrates on September 5, the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former President. Also, in Australia, as the day usually falls during school holidays, Australian states and territories celebrate on the last Friday of October each year instead.This variety highlights the universal respect for teachers, regardless of borders or calendars.

5. Attention to Teachers’ Challenges and Calls for Action

World Teachers’ Day is not only about celebration; it is also a wake-up call. Each year, UNESCO and education advocates use the day to highlight persistent challenges facing teachers worldwide like shortages of qualified educators, poor working conditions, limited access to professional training and low pay and job insecurity

UNESCO’s 2025 materials stress that ‘teachers are essential for achieving global education goals’ but warn that many still lack the resources and recognition they deserve. The day serves as both a thank-you and a reminder: teachers need more than applause; they need action.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in Edo State continued on Sunday as the faction (Legacy Group) loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Woke, elected its state working committee, headed by Barr. Nosa Ogieva.

Ogieva and 13 other members of the Edo PDP Executive who were sworn in during the party’s 2025 State Congress in Benin, promised to reunite members of the party, adding that PDP would soon begin to win elections again in the state.

While 11 of the members were returned unopposed, Tony Aziegbemi, Henry Tenebe and Victor Enoghama, were announced to have contested for Chairmanship, Secretary and Deputy State Chairmanship, respectively.

A total of 576 delegates from the 192 wards participated in the election.

Responding on behalf of the newly executive members, the state party Chairman, Barr. Nosa Ogieva, said their emergence marked a new chapter in Edo PDP.

He promised not to betray the party nor take it for granted, adding that his leadership would be repositioning and rebranding the party in Edo.

Ogieva sued for unity amongst the party members, maintaining that the loyalty of members is the bedrock of PDP.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Dan Orbih, said that the former Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, was responsible for the crisis in the party.

He alleged Obaseki quarreled with everybody he met in PDP, asserting that the poor performance of the party in the recently conducted by-elections showed how unpopular the PDP had become in Edo

Orbih urged the delegates to elect people with capacity that would reawaken the party in the state.

He carpeted an earlier statement issued by the other faction of the party, calling members to disregard the announcement for the State Congress.

He said ‘Just yesterday (Saturday), I saw a statement issued by some funny characters saying they are advising party members not to attend this event. Are you not here?

‘Those who don’t have any moral authority to speak on behalf of the party should keep their mouth shut.

‘As we prepare to elect our executive, I will appeal to you to vote for those with capacity to lead this party, not those who will sell out, not those who will deny members their legitimate right

‘As members of our great party. There is no doubt that PDP is going through a leadership crisis, both at the national level and several other states.

‘Let us not deceive ourselves for the first time in the history of our great party, we have elected governors of PDP and founding leaders, founding members of this party, leaving this party every day for one simple reason, failure of leadership.

‘Elected governors are living. Elected senators are living. Elected members of the House are living in Edo state, we know the root of our problem.

‘We had a united party where everybody related with one another as brothers and sisters, until Godwin Obasiki joined our party.

‘Obasiki destroyed our party. He sowed the seeds of discord, deep rooted seeds of discord in our party.

‘He sinned against the party. He sinned against the people. He sinned against the state.

Continuing, Orbih said ‘He came into the party and destroyed everything that was good in the party. Today, our party’s umbrella is shattered, torn, and we are here today to rebuild the party.

‘What used to put us together as a family was totally destroyed by obaseki. He fought every person except himself, and at the end, we are at a very disadvantaged position in the politics of Edo state.

Orbih described the other faction of the PDP as undertakers who he said were only praying for the party to collapse and then join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE in this report X-rays the implications of the repeated strike actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) against the backdrop of the current threat to embark on a fresh indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails by next week to attend to its cry of many years.

IT is no more news that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarks on industrial actions whenever it has unresolved issues with the Federal Government. It does so repeatedly just like many other trade unions within and outside the academic system in the country.

In the last 26 years – from 1999 to date -, for example, hardly would a year pass without ASUU going on strike that lasted several weeks.

In 2020 alone, the union went on strike for nine months – which happened to be the longest in the recent history of ASUU strike. Just two years later, the union also went again for another round of eight months. These were during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, which also witnessed three months strike in 2018.

Every time, ASUU’s claim has always been that it declared strike after exhausting all other legal means of getting government to address its concerns.

Ironically, ASUU’s concerns over the years are almost the same. It has been about pushing government to inject more money to develop infrastructure in the public universities, to increase staff salaries and allowances, improve their working conditions and so forth.

The union always accuses government of underfunding universities and underpaying workers, claiming the condition has led to gross depreciation in the standard of public universities and their products.

At a time in 2009, an agreement was reached between the Federal Government and ASUU on the best way to fix the gap. This effort resulted in drafting of the popular 2009 Agreement and the subsequent memorandum of actions.

Now, 26 years down the line, most of the critical issues in the original agreement are still unattended to by the government, except for those that required little or no fund to implement, such as the recent imposition of ban on the establishment of new universities and a few others.

On this, the union is consistently pushing pressure on government to attend to them else it would order members to stay off work indefinitely.

For the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, the union has equally on several occasions issued warning strikes, staged several protests on campuses and also engaged the media all with a view to reminding the government about pending issues between them. But till date, there has been no convincing response.

A fresh threat was issued on Monday September 29, giving government a 14-day ultimatum to address those issues, failure of which will compel the union to declare an indefinite strike.

On the current threat, ASUU’s National President, Prof Christopher Piwuna, expressed strong determination and readiness of the union to proceed this time on indefinite strike if government remains adamant on the matter.

He said the union has been patient enough with the current government and now has been pushed to the wall and needs to react.

But to the stakeholders, while ASUU is right in its demands and also has the right to use strike actions to pursue its course, students, parents, the country’s education cause the general economy are always the ones who suffer major consequences of such actions.

According to them, the repeated disruptions caused by strke affect academic progression, delay graduation, push up parents spending, and also create long-term effects on career prospects and students’ personal growth.

Faruk Olateju, for example, has just finished his undergraduate Law degree programme at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka. He got admitted to the university in 2018 for the five years course. By calculation, he is supposed to have done with his studies in 2023.

Though, the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the whole world to its knees for some months, prolonged Faruk’s stay on campus, the major cause of his additional two years was ASUU strike.

In 2020 alone, ASUU went on strike for nine months- the longest in the recent history of ASUU strike- and two years later, it went again for another eight months, totaling one year and five months.

Faruk, who had earlier in 2018 wasted another three months because of strike by the same ASUU, told Sunday Tribune in an interview that he would never wish that ASUU should go on strike again in the country.

According to him, whenever ASUU downs tools, the students bear the greatest impacts, because academic calendars are disrupted, graduation timelines are extended and many students lose opportunities, especially internships, scholarships or postgraduate studies abroad that are tied to strict timelines.

‘These are some of the opportunities that students tend to lose in the event of strike,’ Faruk stressed.

He also observed that ‘For the university system generally, the repeated industrial actions create uncertainty and weaken the global competitiveness of Nigerian graduates.

‘We also know that parents lose confidence in public education and this indirectly pushes people towards seeking alternative in expensive private universities or foreign institutions that many can’t afford, widening socio-economic inequality.’

Faruk emphasised that even though he may not be directly affected if ASUU should embark on a fresh strike as being threatened, he would wish such a strike is averted by all means.

According to him, it is difficult to be completely at ease when the future of thousands of students is at stake.

According to him, ‘The current strike notice reminds me of the uncertainty that always comes with every strike notice- the anxiety, the disrupted plans and the emotional torture that accompany such notices.

‘The 2020 and 2022 ASUU strikes really had a real impact on my academic journey as they extended my expected graduation timeline and disrupted my rhythm of learning, always having to pause on my reading or my learning every now and then.

‘So, the reading, the learning is not flowing as IT should and that alone HAS negative consequences.

‘Beyond the academics, strikes also affected the social impacts aspect of my students’ life, plans for law internships, professional programmes and even personal goals had to be rescheduled. However, that period taught me resilience, but it also reinforces how much instability can damage students’ morale.

‘Honestly, the repeated threat creates a climate of uncertainty. As a student, your mind won’t be at rest. You will be thinking that you will now be forced to go home again.

‘So, such instances become mentally draining because you cannot plan your life with confidence. Even when the strike doesn’t happen, the constant threats hang over students like a cloud. It reflects a deeper problem in the system.

‘While I recognize that ASUU has legitimate grievances about their concerns, I still believe that strike should not always be the weapon of choice.

‘We need more creative solutions, perhaps legal frameworks that enforce agreements, independent mediators with government and the union and more importantly demonstration of accountability on both sides. Students should not be the collateral damage in this struggle.

‘So, I hope both the government and ASUU can prioritize uninterrupted education for Nigerian citizens,’ he concluded.

Sharing the same view, the National Assistant Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Adetunji Olatunji Emmanuel, said no matter what, this proposed strike must not become a reality.

According to him, it is obvious that strike actions only inflict pains and suffering on the children of the ordinary Nigerians- the masses- who struggle day and night to send their children to school.

He argued that the politicians and government officials whose failures created the protracted imbroglio are actually not affected as their children are comfortably schooling abroad or in expensive private universities locally.

‘If their children were in our public institutions, he said, this protracted issue would have been resolved long ago.

‘That is why all Nigerian students demand that the Federal Government should, without further delay meet its obligations to ASUU and resolve all the outstanding issues.

‘We say enough of endless promises, excuses, and insincerity as we are tired of being victims of leadership irresponsibility.

‘On the part of ASUU, we also call its leadership to reconsider the weaponization of strike as the only tool of engagement moving forward.

Just like Faruk had observed, Adetunji said, ‘Every strike destroys our academic calendar, elongates our years in school, and diminishes the quality of our education.

‘The lecturers must understand that their struggle, no matter how just, should not become a weapon against the same students they claim to fight for.’

He declared that should the proposed strike become a reality, NANS as an umbrella body of all Nigerian students would have no option BUT to mobilize themselves for massive protests that would shut down the major highways, airports, government offices, and critical infrastructure across the country.

He said Nigerian students and their poor parents cannot BE faced with economic hardship, high inflation, all form of taxes in the face of low incomes and still have to suffer again just because of attenging public schools.

According to him, enough of government and ASUU wasting their future

For the National President of Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NPTAN) Alhaji Haruna Dajuma, his thought and perspective on the ASUUFG face off is becoming too embarrassing for the country.

He noted that parents have always been saying say no to ASUU strike as no parent is comfortable having their children at home when they supposed to be in school learning.

He, just like others, equally observed that the negative effects of strike actions outweigh the positive, with students bear the major brunt.

‘So, we cannot afford any strike again in Nigeria’s public universities,’ he emphasized, urging both government and ASUU to resolve their differences without disrupting academic calendar.

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ogbomoso North chapter, has called on governments at all levels to address the critical challenges facing private school owners and teachers across the country, particularly in the areas of taxation, welfare, and access to financial support.

In a statement commemorating the 2025 World Teachers’ Day, the Chairman of NAPPS Ogbomoso North, Pastor Wale Ojewumi, described teachers as ‘the true architects of our nation’s future,’ noting that their contributions to national development deserve greater recognition and support.

Ojewumi commended teachers, especially those in private schools, for their dedication, passion, and hard work in nurturing the minds of future leaders. He emphasized that private schools complement government efforts in expanding access to quality education and should not be seen as competitors to public institutions.

‘We’re not competing with the public sector; rather, we are working hand-in-hand with it to ensure that quality education is available to all, especially in areas where public resources are stretched thin,’ he said.

However, the NAPPS chairman lamented that private school proprietors are burdened by what he described as an automatic 25% annual increase in personal income tax, which he said negatively affects their ability to reinvest in staff and infrastructure. He urged the government to review the policy and make it more reflective of the realities faced by school owners.

Ojewumi also called for the establishment of a structured welfare system for private school teachers, including access to healthcare, pensions, and fair compensation, noting that many qualified educators work in private schools due to limited employment opportunities in the public sector.

‘Teachers should feel supported, valued, and secure in their roles, which will ultimately benefit the children they teach,’ he added.

He further appealed for government-backed financial support, such as grants and low-interest loans, to help private schools upgrade their facilities and sustain educational quality. Additionally, he urged the government to include private school teachers in professional development programmes to enhance their skills and teaching methods.

Ojewumi concluded by reaffirming NAPPS’ commitment to advancing education in Ogbomoso and beyond, stressing that investment in both public and private education is vital to Nigeria’s peace, prosperity, and progress.

‘Every investment in education whether public or private is an investment in our peace, prosperity, and future,’ he said.

He extended greetings to teachers across Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and Nigeria, applauding their unwavering service to nation-building.

Minister of Power and member of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adebayo Adelabu, has declared that it is his turn to become the governor of Oyo state in 2027.

In a viral video sighted by Tribune Online on Sunday, Adelabu, while addressing a gathering, said his ambition was not driven by selfish motives but by a genuine desire to improve the lives of the people in Oyo State.

Speaking in Yoruba, he said, ‘I have been on this political journey for quite some time. In politics, I have learned that one may not always get what one deserves in a single attempt – life and politics have both taught me this lesson.

‘I have paid my dues. I contested alongside Seyi Makinde in 2019 and again in 2023.

‘Today, I declare: it is our turn – it is my turn in 2027, as God has revealed it. Adelabu! Àwálòkàn! Penkelemesi Èmilòkàn!

‘We will begin our door-to-door campaign in earnest, and by the grace of God and our collective efforts, victory is not only possible – it is certain.’

This is coming a few months after Adelabu debunked insinuations that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would impose him on the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State as the party’s 2027 governorship candidate.

He maintained that the APC would conduct a primary when the time comes and that the best candidate would emerge without any form of imposition.

It was one of those viral moments that could have easily gone the wrong way, but not for Toyin Abraham.

Per Second News observed that the storyline came to life when she got dragged online for allegedly ‘doing oversabi’ at the wedding of Priscilla Ojo and Tanzanian singer Juma Jux.

Clips and memes flew across social media, with many poking fun at her exaggerated gestures at the star-studded event.

Instead of letting the ridicule linger, Toyin flipped the script in the most unexpected way.

She turned what could have been a stain on her public image into the title and theme of a brand-new movie.

That bold move is now being hailed as a classic case of turning lemons into lemonade.

This time, she’s taking full creative control, stepping into the director’s chair for the first time in her career. And the movie? Aptly titled Oversabi Aunty.

According to Toyin, Oversabi Aunty is more than just a comedy but a mix of chaos, drama, and valuable life lessons wrapped in one.

‘It’s my first big screen directorial debut,’ she said. ‘And I wanted to make it relatable, funny, but also reflective. Because sometimes the same thing that people mock you for becomes your strength.’

The timing couldn’t be more perfect. The film is set to hit cinemas nationwide on December 19, just in time for the festive season.

With Nollywood audiences craving laughter and escape during the holidays, Toyin seems to have found the sweet spot for maximum impact.

This debut also marks a new chapter in Toyin’s career.

For years, she has been celebrated as an actress who throws herself completely into her roles. Now, she is taking on the challenge of shaping not just her character, but the entire vision of a film. Industry watchers say it’s a daring but necessary move for someone of her caliber.

When Oversabi Aunty finally lights up cinema screens on December 19, it won’t just be about the laughs. It will be about a woman who refused to be defined by viral banter, and instead chose to turn her moment of ridicule into an unforgettable Nollywood debut behind the camera.

AS a paradigm for the contemporary travails of free thought and freedom of worship, the ongoing saga of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu would be infuriating if it were not so depressing. The Nigerian musician, an adherent of the Tijaniyya Sufi Islamic order, has been running the legal gauntlet since he was first arrested in March 2020 for circulating via WhatsApp audio messages that apparently elevated Ibrahim Niasse, a Tijaniyya Muslim brotherhood Imam, above the prophet Muhammad.

Even before his August 2020 arraignment before a Kano State Upper-Sharia Court, which eventually found him guilty of ‘insulting the religious creed’ contrary to the relevant section of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law (2000) and accordingly sentenced him to death by hanging, Sharif-Aminu was a dead man walking. Prior to his arrest by members of Hisbah, the state’s Islamic morality police, his family home had been razed to the ground by an incensed mob. From this standpoint, Sharif-Aminu’s fate was already sealed and his eventual conviction after a closed trial that was riddled with ‘serious procedural flaws,’ a mere formality.

It was on account of these irregularities, among them the fact that Sharif-Aminu lacked legal representation that, in January 2021, a higher court overturned his conviction and ordered a retrial. In August 2022, the Kano State Appeals Court affirmed the retrial order, following which, in November 2022, Sharif-Aminu, unhappy at the appellate court’s decision to allow a retrial, decided to take his case to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, praying the apex court ‘not only to free him, but also to declare Kano State’s death penalty blasphemy law unconstitutional.’

Africa in Transition

Ordinarily, then, last week’s ruling by the same court granting Sharif- Aminu’s lawyers ‘permission to file an appeal outside the legally prescribed timeframe’ bodes well for him, until you consider the following statement by Lamido Abba Sorondinki, counsel for the Kano State government, in defense of the original verdict: ‘This applicant made blasphemous statements against the Holy Prophet, which the government of Kano State will not condone. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s decision, we will execute him publicly.’ As if to avoid being misunderstood, he would go on to add: ‘Anybody that has uttered any word that touches the integrity of the holy prophet, we’ll punish him.’

We are afforded no other interpretation here. Mr. Sorondinki is daring his country’s ultimate legal arbiters: find in favor of Mr. Sharif-Aminu or watch us execute him. In other words, anything other than granting Sharif-Aminu’s prayer to free him-an outcome that is not guaranteed-and he is as good as dead.

Mr. Sorondinki’s statement, embarrassing and careless enough for a lawyer, never mind the appointed counsel for a whole state, is a reminder of everything that is wrong with the blasphemy charge originally preferred against Mr. Sharif-Aminu: the utter ridiculousness of it, and the reason why blasphemy laws have, for all intents and purposes, become a legal relic in most modern countries. Suppose, for the sake of argument, that the songs allegedly circulated by Mr. Sharif-Aminu via WhatsApp did indeed elevate Ibrahim Niasse over the prophet Muhammad; should that be enough to warrant or justify Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s execution? In a world of almost inexorable virality, are we also going to ferret out every individual who listened to, overheard, or came in contact with those songs one way or another and have them all executed? How many people are we allowed to kill simply for being exposed to an idea, image, or in this case, sound, that we disapprove of?

The difficulty in adducing justifiable answers to these questions, particularly under modern conditions where individuals living in close proximity and continuous interaction are bound to have not only different taboos, but conflicting conceptions and hierarchies of the sacred, is one of the many reasons why, over time, many Western societies have decided that prosecuting people for blasphemy is a fool’s errand. (Just to be clear, the modern idea is not that nothing is sacred; the modern idea is that you are not allowed to sacrifice the lives of others to propitiate your own idols.) The historical advance of reason has done the rest.

To say that progress in this regard has been uneven is an understatement. Nigeria is currently one of seven countries worldwide (the others are Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia) where blasphemy is punishable by death. According to Humanists International, at least eighty-nine countries continue to have blasphemy laws in their statutes. The United States International Commission on Religious Freedom pegs the number at seventy-one.

The variation in estimate does nothing to mitigate the seriousness of the problem, for as the situation in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria amply illustrates, blasphemy laws would be impossible without the prior popularity and acceptance of what Danish legal scholar Jacob Mchangama calls ‘the Fanatic’s Veto.’ This is the idea that perceived blasphemy against the person of the prophet Muhammad warrants a sentence of death executable by the same individual or group of individuals who leveled the accusation. In this way, blasphemy violence sprouts from and authorizes a condition of permanent fatwa in which ordinary citizens are permitted to instigate violence against their fellow citizens in retaliation for real and perceived slights. Under such circumstances, it is impossible to think and speak freely.

This conservative temper contextualizes the Kano State counsel’s open threat to go after anyone who ‘touches the integrity of the holy prophet.’ Mr. Sorondinki’s unfortunate words echo those of another Kano State dignitary, former State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who, back in August 2020, promised to ‘waste no time in signing the warrant for the execution of the man who blasphemed.’ At the time, both the Kano State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria expressed support for Mr. Ganduje’s position. Several Islamic clerics urged him to ‘do the right thing and not be distracted by activities of human right organizations.’

Not only does this explain the spike in blasphemy violence across northern Nigeria, it clarifies why no one is ever prosecuted for such violence and, most crucially, why, according to Amnesty International, ‘government officials rarely publicly condemn mob violence for blasphemy.’ Official silence operates more or less as a license to kill.

Various international human and religious rights organizations have repeatedly called for Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s release. Unusual for the institution, the European Parliament has twice adopted an urgency resolution exhorting the Nigerian authorities to ‘immediately and unconditionally’ release him. The leading defense counsel in the case, human rights lawyer Kola Alapinni, has argued that Sharia-based blasphemy laws across northern Nigeria violate the country’s secular constitution. Yet, if anything is clear from the statements of the authorities in Kano State, it is that they are merely going through the legal motions and would have Mr. Sharif-Aminu executed yesterday if they could.

The United States should put pressure on the Nigerian authorities to do the right thing and set Mr. Sharif-Aminu free. The offense for which he is being tried and has unjustly spent five years in detention has no place in a free society. It is the hallmark of inhumanity, and one that every decent nation has rightly disavowed.