Category: The Nation – Nigeria

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State remains unified, strong and positioned for future electoral victories despite the recent resignation of former governor and ex-minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, former APC deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, has said.

He made the assertion yesterday in a statement in Abuja, while addressing the ripple effect caused by Sylva’s departure.

Sylva resigned from the ruling party on August 31, citing ideological differences and alleging that APC’s foundational principles had been ‘thoroughly and recognisably thwarted.’

Responding to the exit on behalf of state party stakeholders, Nabena said the party structure in Bayelsa remained intact, noting that about 90 per cent of members had resolved to stay back and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election alongside other party candidates.

‘We receive with deep reflection, the news of your resignation from the All Progressives Congress via your letter dated 31st August, 2026,’ Nabena stated in a message to the former governor.

‘As one who joined others to build the APC with sweat and resources, your decision after wide consultation with family, associates and supporters is a painful but principled one.’

Acknowledging Sylva’s contributions to building APC in the state, Nabena said the party had grown into an institution larger than any individual.

‘While we wish you well in your political journey outside the APC, the majority of us in the Bayelsa APC family feel contrary to your decision,’ Nabena added.

‘We make bold to say we will remain in APC where we have invested, sacrificed and built a solid political structure.’

Reiterating the commitment of the remaining leadership to protect their grassroots base, the Bayelsa-born politician dismissed suggestions of a mass exodus following Sylva’s departure.

‘We cannot abandon our people in the APC and jump ship. We will not abandon the ship for nowhere because the problem facing the country is not about the political parties, but leadership problems,’ Nabena said.

‘Politicians are not manufactured anywhere, but are recycled; hence, we will make sure we stay back and deliver our candidates in Bayelsa State.’

Despite the political fallout, Nabena offered words of respect for the former minister, acknowledging his long-standing role in the region’s politics and saying Sylva would continue to be viewed as a leader outside party lines.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic and security reforms were putting Nigeria on the path to recovery, urging voters to give the administration another term to consolidate the gains.

Sanwo-Olu, a two-term governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the economy and security would be the defining issues of the 2027 presidential election, arguing that neither economic growth nor national development could be sustained without security.

Speaking at the Freedom Online 7th Yearly Lecture at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu acknowledged that some of Tinubu’s reforms had imposed significant hardship on Nigerians, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy.

But he insisted that the policy was necessary to rescue public finances and redirect resources to development.

‘I will not stand here and tell you that it has been painless. It has not,’ he said.

‘Lagosians have felt it at the pump, at the market, and in the price of a bag of rice. But the measure of a reform is not whether it hurts. It is whether it heals.’

The governor, who spoke on ‘2027 Elections: Economy, Security and Nigeria’s Future,’ said recent economic indicators suggested that the reforms were beginning to deliver results.

He cited National Bureau of Statistics figures showing that the economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 3.89 per cent in the first quarter.

He also said Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen to $53 billion, while inflation had fallen to 15.9 per cent in June from almost 35 per cent in late 2024.

Sanwo-Olu added that formal remittances from Nigerians abroad reached $947 million in July, the highest monthly figure recorded.

‘These are not my numbers. They belong to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria, and every journalist in this hall can check them,’ he said.

The governor said the APC would campaign on the need to sustain the reforms and ensure that their benefits reached Nigerians more quickly.

‘For us in the All Progressives Congress, the position that follows is a simple one. We intend to stay the course, to deepen the reforms, and to make sure that the benefits reach, quickly and visibly, the people who bore the cost,’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu argued that the economic and security crises confronting the country could not be treated separately.

‘Poverty feeds insecurity, and insecurity strangles the very economy that would cure poverty,’ he said.

According to him, insecurity prevents farmers from accessing their farms, keeps children away from schools, discourages investment and disrupts businesses.

He warned that security would also directly affect the 2027 electoral process, as insecurity could restrict campaigns, impede the movement of electoral personnel and materials and discourage voters from turning out.

The governor said the Tinubu administration had responded with measures including expanding the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, adding personnel, and establishing new divisional headquarters.

He also cited the Navy Special Operations Command, decentralisation of police training and the deployment of Forest Guards and Mining Marshals.

Sanwo-Olu strongly backed the proposed establishment of State Police, saying bringing security closer to communities would make policing more effective.

Drawing from Lagos’ experience, he cited the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and Neighbourhood Safety Corps as evidence that community-based security could complement conventional policing.

‘Security works best when the people who pay for it and the people who depend on it can see, and hold to account, the people who provide it,’ he said.

He urged the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to complete the constitutional process for state policing.

His position was supported by former Ogun State governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, and former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who both stressed the importance of security to economic development.

Similarly, the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party Governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, called for a transparent election, adding that there can’t be economic growth without adequate security.

Sanwo-Olu, who will not contest the 2027 governorship election because he is completing his second term, made clear his preference for the presidential contest.

‘I will not disguise my hope for the outcome. I expect my party to win, and I expect a second term for President Tinubu to consolidate the Renewed Hope agenda,’ he said.

He argued that abandoning reforms midway would be costly to the country.

‘An unfinished reform is the most expensive kind,’ he added.

The governor also defended Tinubu’s democratic credentials, citing the recent Osun governorship election, which the APC lost to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

He said Tinubu congratulated Adeleke after the election, arguing that the development showed that the ruling party could accept defeat at the polls.

‘Under this President, the ruling party can lose a state, in the South-West, in an election year, and the sky does not fall. That is what a maturing democracy looks like,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

He urged political parties to avoid violence and respect electoral outcomes.

‘A mandate is only as strong as the process that produced it. No office in this land is worth the life of a single Nigerian, and no victory won by the wrong means is a victory at all,’ he said.

The governor said the 2027 contest would also be shaped by state governments’ performance.

He urged governors to account for increased allocations following the removal of the fuel subsidy, saying voters would judge them by the quality of roads, schools, healthcare and other services delivered.

‘Voters may not be economists, but they are excellent accountants,’ he said. ‘They know whether their State built the road it promised. They know whether the primary health centre has a nurse in it. They will bring that ledger with them to the polling unit.’

Sanwo-Olu also identified Nigeria’s youth population as both an opportunity and a security challenge.

He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, consumer credit initiatives and other government programmes as efforts aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.

He said failure to provide jobs and productive opportunities could worsen insecurity.

With the 2027 campaigns gathering momentum, the governor urged the media to scrutinise claims from all political camps.

‘I am not asking for a compliant press. A compliant press is of no use to a democracy; it flatters the powerful and abandons the public,’ he said.

‘I am asking for a rigorous press. Check the facts, mine included. Call out disinformation wherever it comes from, including from my own side.’

He warned that misinformation, doctored videos and anonymous social media accounts could pose a serious threat to the electoral process.

Sanwo-Olu said the ultimate test of 2027 would not merely be who wins the election, but whether Nigeria could deepen democracy while consolidating economic and security reforms.

He expressed support for Tinubu’s target of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030, saying ambitious targets were necessary to drive national transformation.

‘Let 2027 be remembered not as the election Nigeria survived, but as the election at which Nigeria came of age,’ he said.

Earlier, Otunba Daniel had said: ‘Nigeria cannot have a strong economy without security, and it cannot have lasting security without a strong economy.’

The Ogun Senator, who acknowledged that the nation was facing several challenges, said they were not enough to define the country.

‘But Nigeria must not be defined only by its challenges. We possess enormous potential: a young population, a dynamic entrepreneurial culture, a growing technology sector, strong financial institutions, a vibrant creative economy and businesses succeeding across Africa.

‘Our challenge is to create the conditions in which Nigerian ability can flourish at scale. Those conditions include security, infrastructure and opportunity.’

Kenya’s President William Ruto has ordered a crackdown on foreigners operating small-scale businesses, saying local traders and hawkers need to be protected.

His announcement comes amid growing debate about the increasing number of African migrants involved in Kenya’s vast informal economy.

‘From next week, all [foreign] traders doing those small businesses should close them,’ he said, also promising to fast-track proposed legislation to preclude foreigners from certain areas of trade.

Ruto said Kenya remained open to foreign investment, but argued that investors – including Chinese traders – should create jobs and expand production rather than compete with Kenyans in small businesses.

‘It cannot be that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop,’ he said in an address to small-scale traders who had come to meet the president at State House in the capital, Nairobi, on Wednesday afternoon.

‘We have made efforts to improve the economy, we have not improved investor confidence for hawkers to come to Kenya,’ said Ruto, who plans to seek a second term in election next year.

It is unclear how many foreign nationals are involved in small-scale trading or how many would be affected by the new crackdown.

Kenya hosts a large refugee population, some of whom live and work outside the country’s refugee camps.

Government figures show that Kenya had about 857,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers by the end of June, with nearly 14% living in urban areas.

Kenyan law recognises the right of refugees to work and operate businesses, although they are required to obtain the appropriate documentation. Refugees wishing to work or engage in a trade or business can apply for a special permit.

In Nairobi and other major towns, migrants from the region can be found working in barber shops and salons, construction, operating motorbike taxis and street vending, as well as selling clothes, food and household goods.

Some have fled conflicts or economic hardship at home, while others have moved to Kenya in search of better opportunities under the relatively free movement of people allowed within the East African Community, a regional bloc made up of eight countries.

The growing presence of foreigners has at times caused tensions with local traders and workers who accuse them of competing for scarce jobs and business opportunities.

In July, a video of a Kenyan man confronting a Burundian trader in Nairobi and accusing him of taking opportunities from locals sparked widespread criticism.

The clash also prompted Fred Ngoga, an expert on regional conflict prevention from Burundi, to appeal for the protection of his country’s citizens.

‘The majority of Kenyans are decent and good people who welcome their brothers and sisters from Burundi,’ he said at the time, adding that most Kenyans had rejected the hostility directed at the trader.

Kenya’s foreign ministry also sought to reassure Burundians and other East Africans living in the country following the incident.

While Ruto’s latest move is likely to prove controversial given Kenya’s status as regional economic hub, it also comes amid wider concerns about xenophobia elsewhere in Africa.

This year South Africa has seen a wave of protests about undocumented migrants – and tens of thousands of Africans there have opted to be repatriated voluntarily, some saying they have been the targets of intimidation and attacks.

The President of MAAUN Group of Universities, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has congratulated Vice President Kashim Shettima on his 60th birthday, commending his contributions to Nigeria’s development and describing him as an accomplished leader and bridge-builder.

In a congratulatory message, Gwarzo highlighted Shettima’s career progression from the banking sector to public service, where he served as Commissioner, Governor of Borno State, Senator and Vice President of Nigeria.

He said Shettima’s experience across different sectors demonstrated his capacity for leadership and effective service in various spheres of national life.

‘Your achievements as a banker, Commissioner, Governor of Borno State, Senator, and Vice President demonstrate your capacity for leadership and your ability to serve effectively in different spheres of public life,’ Gwarzo said.

The MAAUN president also described Shettima as a bridge-builder and advocate of peace, unity and development, saying his career and contributions provide a positive example for younger Nigerians.

Gwarzo said attaining the age of 60 was a significant milestone, particularly against the background of Shettima’s accomplished career and contributions to the country.

‘Attaining the age of 60 is a remarkable milestone, and it is particularly significant when viewed against the background of your accomplished career and contributions to the development of our dear country,’ he said.

He wished the Vice President continued good health, wisdom, peace and success, while praying that Almighty Allah would grant him many more years of impactful service and fulfilment in the service of Nigeria.

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) will host the IOC/BFN Badminton Technical Coaching Course Level 2 in Abuja

The event will run from Sept. 4 to Sept. 12.

The nine-day technical coaching programme is being organised to strengthen the capacity of badminton coaches and promote the sustainable development of the sport in Nigeria. The course will provide participants with advanced technical knowledge, practical coaching skills, and modern methodologies required for the effective development of badminton athletes.

The programme is expected to bring together selected badminton coaches and technical personnel from across the country for intensive theoretical and practical sessions.

The key areas of focus will include modern coaching techniques, technical and tactical development, athlete preparation, training planning, talent identification, competition management, and the application of international badminton standards.

The NOC, in collaboration with the relevant badminton authorities, remains committed to the development of sports through education, capacity building, and the continuous professional development of coaches and technical officials.

The IOC/BFN Badminton Technical Coaching Course Level 2 is expected to further enhance the quality of badminton coaching in Nigeria and contribute to the identification and development of young talents capable of competing successfully at national and international levels.

The NOC calls on all stakeholders in the sports sector to support the initiative as part of the collective effort to strengthen badminton development and promote sporting excellence in Nigeria.

While a secretary from the NOC, Abba Ado Gumel will coordinate the event, the President, Engr. Habu Gumel will officially open the ceremony.

The Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Adedayo Olawuyi, has urged the Federal Government to reduce aviation charges and taxes as intervention to make air travel more affordable.

Speaking as a panelist during the AeroWest conference in Lagos yesterday with topic: ‘The Real Cost of Running Aviation Business: Fixing Connectivity, Affordability, FX, Fuel and Border Friction,’ Olawuyi said domestic airlines require lower aviation charges because high charges increases the cost of tickets, and that tax reduction is a critical intervention needed to improve air travel affordability.

He explained that ticket prices reflect deep structural problems in the aviation industry as airlines sell tickets in naira, while their biggest expenses are in foreign currency.

He said this mismatch is what forces airlines to absorb significant losses.

‘How many of you would take a loan of 30per cent to invest in a business that gives you less than five per cent profit? That is a pressing issue for airlines in Africa, specifically in Nigeria, the cost of financing.

‘Consider the cost of training a pilot. Pilots today are in high demand and are not cheap to come by. We have airlines in this country with grounded aircraft because there are no pilots available,’ Olawuyi said.

The airline executive also said the absence of maintenance and repair facilities has forced additional foreign currency expenditures. ‘Consider maintenance: we have to send aircraft abroad because we do not have MROs in this region. We are also spending on simulator training for pilots, meaning we earn Naira but spend USD,’ Olawuyi explained.

On the issue of fuel prices, he said it represent another significant burden that airlines pass to consumers. He said airlines went from buying fuel at N900 in December 2025 to N3,000 in 2026. He said this illustrates the cost of operations which airlines have absorbed.

He said these expenses cannot be cut without compromising safety.

‘All of that must be covered. Why? Because safety must be paramount. While we are discussing connectivity as a solution to the problems we see today, it is not just the airlines alone that can solve the problem. Government needs to create an enabling environment for us.

‘We all focus on making money from airlines. As my boss says, the airline is the goose that lays the golden egg, and everybody wants a piece of it. But at the end of the day, if the goose dies, everything is lost,’ he said.

Olawuyi said no single entity can solve aviation’s challenges alone, saying: ‘There is not a single part of this puzzle that can be fixed by just one person. The government cannot fix it alone, the regulators cannot fix it alone, and the airlines themselves cannot fix it alone.

‘In the room today, we have tourism operators. You need connectivity to travel for business. So, all we are saying is that there has to be cooperation among all these stakeholders to improve connectivity within West and Central Africa.’

Addressed the financial reality facing carriers, he said: ‘Every airline is set up to make money. I would not operate a route today where I cannot sustain operations.

‘West Africa has many thin routes. Airlines must consider different aircraft sizes and types that will help them remain profitable on every sector they fly. It becomes challenging to operate on thin markets with an aircraft like a 737 when the maximum number of passengers available on that route is only four.’

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has launched an investigation into the recent flooding along the Airport Road corridor and Lokogoma District of the territory.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who made this known during a media chat yesterday, also warned that structures obstructing waterways and violating the Abuja Master Plan will be demolished.

He said that a high-level team comprising the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Director of Development Control are already assessing the affected areas.

The investigation, he added, would cover communities along the Airport Road, including Lugbe and Lokogoma.

Wike said the FCDA would determine whether the flooding was caused by natural factors or human activities, stressing that man-made causes would be addressed.

His words: ‘When I heard of the incident, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the Director, Development Control had to go to the place, not only at the Airport Road but also in Lokogoma.

‘ it is something that we have to investigate.’

The minister acknowledged that the recent downpour in the FCT had been unusually heavy but said preliminary findings indicated that violations of the Abuja Master Plan might have worsened the flooding.

He accused residents and developers of erecting structures without approval and blocking natural waterways and designated road corridors, particularly in Lugbe.

Wike vowed that the FCTA would strictly enforce the Abuja Master Plan and pull down any structure found to have been built along waterways.

He said: ‘From our studies, Lugbe has always been violating the Abuja Masterplan. All over the years, you see people building without approval and blocking where there is supposed to be a roadway.

‘As an administration, we are not taking it lightly.’

The minister also revealed that the administration was also taking disciplinary measures against officials found to have aided illegal development and encroachment on green areas and waterways.

According to him, a director in the administration was recently suspended in line with civil service rules for allegedly issuing unauthorised temporary approvals to commercial operators on designated green areas.

He said another official was also sanctioned for allegedly reallocating park lands under the guise of security clearing.

Wike dismissed claims that some structures marked for demolition had been legitimately approved by previous administrations, insisting that approvals obtained through influence or granted contrary to government policy would not protect illegal developments.

‘You got approval to do something wrong. Sometimes, it is under influence.

‘Government policy is that nobody should do anything on green areas. Now you go with the spirit that nothing will happen, and then when we come to enforce, you say you have approval. It is not going to be accepted,’ he said.

The minister also assured residents that ongoing projects awarded by the current administration, as well as inherited projects, would be completed before the expiration of the administration’s tenure.

Wike said 76 out of the 107 road projects awarded under the administration of President Bola Tinubu in the FCT had been completed.

He added that 10 others were scheduled for completion ahead of the forthcoming elections.

According to him, the administration has also completed 23 out of the 25 projects inherited from the Muhammadu Buhari administration and six out of the eight projects inherited from the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He said several abandoned projects dating back to the Olusegun Obasanjo administration had also been revived and completed.

The minister also defended the removal of fuel subsidy, saying Nigerians should demand accountability from state and local governments on how the increased allocations accruing to them are used.

He said the appropriate question was not whether subsidy should be restored but how the proceeds from its removal were being utilised.

The minister questioned the position of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the restoration of fuel subsidy, saying his views could not be relied upon.

On Rivers State politics, the minister said he remained actively involved in efforts to maintain political stability and sustain his grassroots political structure.

He said major political actors in the state had aligned under what he described as a ‘Rainbow Coalition’ in support of President Tinubu.

The minister expressed confidence that the opposition would be unable to mount a united challenge in future elections.

The co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Fola Adeola, has commended Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, and his wife, Mrs. Feyisola Abiru, for investing in the future of young Nigerians through the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, describing the initiative as a ‘worthy legacy’ built on service, selflessness and a commitment to humanity.

Adeola gave the commendation on Wednesday during a visit to the SAIL Innovation Lab in Ikorodu, where he inspected the facility and interacted with young beneficiaries of its various programmes.

Describing his visit as worthwhile, the renowned banker and philanthropist said the decision by the Abirus to commit their resources to empowering people outside their immediate family demonstrated a rare understanding of what it means to leave a lasting legacy.

‘Whenever we decide to commit to causes bigger than ourselves, we are building a legacy. What you are doing is for children whose parents you may not even know. For society to survive, we must care for others, particularly the less privileged,’ Adeola said.

He noted that the resources invested in such an initiative could easily have been devoted to personal comfort and luxury, but the Abirus had chosen to prioritise service to humanity.

‘The money used for this great cause could have been used to service a luxurious lifestyle, but you chose service and humanity above self. This is a useful endeavour,’ he said.

Adeola urged beneficiaries at the SAIL Innovation Lab to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the facility, stressing that the beneficiaries were fortunate to have such an initiative in their community.

‘Neighbours and those living around here are indeed fortunate. I hope they will maximize the great opportunities here,’ he added.

Drawing parallels between SAIL and his own philanthropic journey, Adeola recalled the establishment of the FATE Foundation in 2000, an initiative he founded to support aspiring entrepreneurs and promote enterprise development.

He described philanthropy as a noble ecosystem that may not always attract the glamour associated with conventional endeavours, but whose impact remains enduring.

‘It is a world of charity, a completely noble cause. It is a completely different ecosystem that is not ‘sexy’. Beneficiaries will always remember the pathway,’ he said.

Adeola expressed delight at witnessing the work being done at SAIL, saying the experience had left a strong impression on him. ‘I am glad I came here. I should have come here with my son and wife to witness this remarkable feat. May your kindness count for you,’ he said.

Addressing participants at the innovation lab, Adeola also shared his personal story of rising from humble beginnings to becoming one of Nigeria’s foremost bankers, entrepreneurs and national icon.

He recalled that his mother placed a tray on his head as a nine-year-old boy to hawk goods on the streets, an experience that shaped his understanding of resilience, perseverance and the power of determination.

He urged the young beneficiaries not to surrender to the adversities they may encounter in life, encouraging them instead to discover their talents and develop their gifts.

According to him, successful people do not possess two heads; rather, they distinguish themselves through discipline, determination and the willingness to make the most of their opportunities.

In his remarks, Senator Abiru described Adeola as his boss, mentor and a major influence on his professional and public-service journey.

Abiru recalled that he began his banking career at Guaranty Trust Bank under Adeola’s tutelage, spending 10 years in the institution and learning valuable lessons that have continued to shape his approach to leadership and service.

‘This inspiration you see here today was learnt from him. He is my pillar of inspiration, my mentor and guardian, even in public service,’ Abiru said.

Picture a scenario in which Nigeria succeeds. Where will you be standing?

Before we explore such a possibility, picture another playscript: where the Nigerian sits at a table to ‘brainstorm’ or ‘jawjaw’ with foreign diplomats of the British, French or American consulate.

Some wonderful imagery you have there, perhaps. Mine encompasses promising male and female Nigerians speaking from the left side, right side, or both sides of the mouth.

Like the proverbial prodigal who points out his ancestral home with the accursed left finger, these characters forget that no foreign ambassador operating on our native soil, was appointed primarily to advance Nigeria’s prosperity ahead of his homeland’s. No foreign consulate truly empowers Nigerians ahead of its own citizens. Every imperialist state, in the end, is driven by selfish interests.

Why, then, should Nigerians imagine themselves exempt from this universal law of international relations?

This is why we must all unite in uncommon wisdom. The Nigerian conversation must mature beyond endless criticism and caustic riposte: ‘If Nigerian happens to you, eh?’ or a penchant for anti-Nigerian maleficence.

Public discourse must surpass the malignant soapboxes of pessimism. Nigeria won’t prosper by our masterful lamentation and cataloguing of corruption, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, among other national or private disappointments; shall we commit to a more fruitful venture? No society succeeds simply because its citizens perfected despair.

Against this backdrop subsists the imperative for optimism. Consider, for instance, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s projection of a $1 trillion Nigerian economy by 2030. One trillion dollars is, no doubt, a figure so enormous that it immediately divides opinion. To some, it signifies bold leadership. To others, it is another populist gimmick in the tenor of the ill-fated Vision 2010 and Vision 2020, among others.

Yet, the question is no longer whether Tinubu’s government can build a trillion-dollar economy driven by expanded productive capacity in infrastructure, energy, maritime, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, solid minerals, petrochemicals and other non-oil sectors, or whether the projection is too grandiose or insufficiently ambitious.

For the average Nigerian, it has become more urgent to ask: Where do I fit into the economy that is being imagined?

If the Federal Government succeeds, even by a smidgen, in transforming Nigeria into a larger productive economy driven by manufacturing, technology, energy, agriculture, creative industries and private capital, where exactly do I stand? Where do you stand?

Entire generations have been conditioned to think only in terms of government performance, waiting for government to either disappoint or pleasantly surprise us. Yet, as Nigeria undergoes radical economic transformation, fortune won’t visit those who merely malign or applaud policy from atop their soapboxes, online and offline.

When China industrialised and opened its economy, millions smartly repositioned themselves before Europe realised what was happening. When the Gulf States transformed deserts into financial and logistics capitals, prosperity smiled first upon those who anticipated change rather than those who debated its possibility.

Are you merely observing history or set to profit from it? This is a more uncomfortable question because it removes us as citizens from the gallery of chronic lamentation and places us inside a more urgent narrative.

President Tinubu’s projected $1 trillion economy won’t be accomplished via public spending alone but through synergy with private capital; yet, Mr President must understand that beyond grand pronouncements and gestures of implementation, his trillion-dollar economy may be doomed to fail if it simply fetes the political and corporate business class, and locks out, as usual, average Nigerians. His grand and ambitious projections must be facilitated to accommodate every class of citizen. It mustn’t be hijacked by party stalwarts, henchmen and loyalists.

Again, this brings us back to the question: If the project succeeds, where will you and I be standing? I choose to answer this as a journalist.

For the average journalist, to profit from Tinubu’s trillion-dollar economy may forever be a mirage. If the ‘math is simply not mathing’ and the future looks bleak for you even amid such ambitious and monumental projections, it’s about time you looked inwards and took a more progressive, radical turn perhaps.

There is a profound, suffocating sadness in watching an estate that once produced giants get reduced to a gathering of hungry mice. The trillion-dollar economy should never be one in which journalists fight and fall over one another in the digital public square, jostling like market scavengers for crumbs of attention, while it should be the other way round. The jury is out on who is to blame, but I dare say that our fate would improve when we start approaching our duty as a witness and quit trading our skills like mercenaries.

Whether as commissioned apologists for crooked politicians, publicists for superficial entertainment celebrities, praise-singers for predatory banks, or digital mercenaries for murder convicts on trial, the modern Nigerian journalist has become a tragic caricature of the fringe player. Even those who parade themselves on late-night television as courageous truthtellers are often engaged in nothing more than a cynical audition. They do not rail against power structures from a place of deep, decolonial moral vision, but with the desperate hope that their principals in the opposition will, by some radical stroke of political fortune, grab state power and employ them as the new official attack dogs of the state. It’s often subtle and at times, brazenly perpetrated to the applause or attacks of the media audience.

If we must profit from a Greater Nigeria, then we must be liberated from economic distress. The latter has been responsible for the media’s professional and ethical rut.

Several reporters are trapped in a system that treats them with institutional scorn, salaries inadequate to foot basic living expenses, even while being viewed with inexplicable hostility by the very society they claim to serve. Many veterans, unless they secure patronage from the political class, hardly enjoy a storied twilight. Most are caught in a mad scramble for entry-level or mid-cadre public relations gigs and government media assistant roles.

It is a damning cycle. You spend twenty years and above chasing deadlines, breathing the dust of campaign trails, and ruining your eyesight under the flickering neon lights of poorly funded sub-editing pools, only to realise you cannot afford the simple decencies of life, let alone its finer graces. It doesn’t matter if you are excellent or mediocre at this craft; your fate is sealed in a concrete cell of poverty from which escape is a nightmare.

To cope with this terror, many swallow their pride and pretend. They mask their unethical acts as sacrifices made in pursuit of the public good. They tout themselves as patriots while holding the coattails of the shadiest politicians and corporate fraudsters. It gets infinitely scarier when this desperation is exploited by imperialist forces.

Enter any foreign consulate or embassy reception in Victoria Island, and you’d see carefully selected journalists, rights activists and intellectuals displaying a wild, unprompted diarrhoea of the mouth. Over coffee and pastry, glasses of smoothies and imported wine, they talk down on their own country, eager to prove their sophistication by dissecting the pathology of their homeland for the amusement of foreign diplomats.

The consulates, operating with the cold intelligence of old empires, exploit this pathetic penchant for disloyalty and easily conscript these broken ‘patriots’ into willing tools of discord, turning them into agents who spread institutional cynicism under the guise of ‘investigative journalism.’

Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone, has called for greater unity, cultural preservation and strategic networking among the Urhobo people, saying the nation can only achieve its full potential when its people work together and deliberately prepare the next generation for leadership.

Dafinone made the call during a visit to the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Engr. Michael Ogheneovo Orugbo, JP, KP, Okporua I, where he sought the monarch’s prayers, blessings and counsel on his continued service to Delta Central and the advancement of the Urhobo nation. The senator said his office remained open to traditional rulers and urged them to engage him whenever there were issues requiring his intervention at the national level.

Responding to concerns raised by the monarch on the need for effective representation and development, Dafinone said he regarded his Senate position as a platform to create opportunities for his people rather than a personal possession. He stressed that the people of Delta Central needed to benefit from his growing network in Abuja, particularly in employment, education, government contracts and other legitimate opportunities.

According to him, human-capital development has been a major priority of his representation, especially because first-term legislators often lack the financial and political leverage available to more experienced lawmakers. He disclosed that since his emergence as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character, his office had facilitated federal employment for some Urhobo people within two months, with more opportunities expected.

Dafinone said his approach was not limited to employment, explaining that he had also pursued scholarships, accommodation, contracts and other opportunities for qualified constituents. He assured the people that his office does not charge for assistance, warning that anyone attempting to extort constituents in his name would face consequences.

He also highlighted projects executed across Delta Central, saying he had deliberately ensured that interventions were spread across the district’s wards. He disclosed that projects had reached 83 of the 85 wards, with plans to cover the remaining two, while major interventions included a 53-bed student hostel at FUPRE, a railway halt at Egbo-Urhe in Ughelli South, a maternity ward at Ughelli General Hospital, an Accident and Emergency Ward at Sapele General Hospital.

The senator, however, said his ambition went beyond conventional constituency projects, stressing the need for landmark industrial investments capable of creating long-term economic opportunities for Urhobo. He disclosed that he had recently spent four days studying the situation at the Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja, and he is preparing a memorandum to be submitted to the Government for intervention.

Dafinone said the future of DSC required a comprehensive technical assessment to determine whether the plant could be revived as an integrated steel facility or whether its infrastructure could be transformed into a modern manufacturing and industrial village.

He said the objective was to establish the actual condition of the facilities, identify equipment that may have been removed and determine the financial viability of restarting production.

He also appealed to Urhobo traditional rulers and leaders to take cultural preservation seriously, particularly the documentation of the Urhobo language, traditional marriage rites, funeral ceremonies and the proper presentation of kola nuts. Dafinone said he had sponsored the Urhobo Language Competition for two consecutive years and would sponsor it for a third year, in honour of the late Senator Pius Ewherido , whom he credited with initiating the competition.

The senator expressed concern that some Urhobo cultural practices were gradually being distorted or replaced by traditions from other ethnic groups. He recalled an occasion where people at a traditional Urhobo prayer were asked to remove their caps, stressing that such developments demonstrated why cultural practices needed to be properly documented and transmitted to younger generations.

Dafinone further urged Urhobo people to redefine wealth around service, legacy and collective advancement rather than personal accumulation. He said his late father, Senator David Omueya Dafinone, left him a name and reputation that he was determined to uphold, adding that his personal ambition was to elevate the Urhobo nation and prepare a new generation capable of sustaining its progress.

The senator said his growing network in Abuja was one of the most valuable assets he could deploy for the benefit of his people, noting that relationships built in the National Assembly had made it easier for him to reach ministers, permanent secretaries and other key officials. He argued that returning for a second term would provide greater leverage because legislative experience and networks become significantly stronger with time.

Earlier, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom urged Dafinone to remain accessible to the people and focus on using his legislative position to attract opportunities to the kingdom and the wider Urhobo nation. The monarch stressed that the senator should not be judged solely by the amount of money distributed to individuals, but by the laws he makes, the networks he builds and the opportunities he brings home. He also called for stronger community engagement, greater support for gas-based industries and proper protection of community and industrial assets, particularly those connected to the steel sector. He urged Dafinone to work with relevant National Assembly committees and government authorities to ensure that Udu and the wider Urhobo nation benefit from the economic opportunities in their domain.

Dafinone said the future of Urhobo ultimately depended on unity, identity, mentorship and succession, stressing that the people could not afford to continue working at cross-purposes. He described Urhobo as one of Nigeria’s significant ethnic groups with highly educated, skilled and successful people across the world, but lamented that the people often appeared marginalised because they failed to work together.

He said, ‘Everyone cannot be the captain of the ship at the same time,’ adding that his present role was to help move the Urhobo ‘ship’ towards its rightful destination before handing over to the next generation.