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When the much-anticipated ‘Odigbose – The play ‘ made its debut at MUSON Centre, Onikan, on October 17, 2026, it did not disappoint.

All the elements of African theatrics combined to give vent, colours, vibrancy and true meaning to the historic narrative of the theme of the dramatic production based on the slave trade story.

The Agip Hall, venue of the premiere, on that fateful Saturday night, welcomed a mixed gathering made of Nigerian and international audience; all lovers of theatre, music, dance and rich entertainment, to its bowels.

The cosmopolitan audience was held spellbound by the historic and stage presentation nuances of ‘Odigbose – The Play’, written and directed by Wanle Akinboboye; renowned tourism investor and developer. He is also the creator of the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort brand, an award-winning African-themed resort, known for its promotion of a mixed blend of African cultural heritage and hospitality motifs, amidst a splash of elegance and modern opulence.

The dramatic piece penned and directed for live theatre by Akinboboye, took the subdued audience back to happenings between the 16th and 19th centuries. An unravelling of the tragic moment that is better forgotten in the history of Africa.

An era of betrayals, enslavement, suffering, and pains inflicted on an innocent generation and people by brutish and heartless slave merchants, who offered all forms of inducements to the unsuspecting leaders to betray the trust and confidence of their people in selling them out for peanuts to the merchants who subjected them to some of the most inhumane treatments under harsh conditions, weathers and environments.

For Akinboboye, who has added another stripe to his growing armour of creative ferment and investment in humanity, ‘Odigbose – The Play’, was more than an historic and entertaining piece.

It was a creative and literary work that explored an alternate narrative from the perspective of an African, who knew the pains and sufferings that his forebears were subjected to and has through the years committed himself to not just repudiating it but reversing it by investing in the promotion of the best of Africa through his Continent Building and Motherland Beckons platforms and of recent, IPADA Initiatives.

He noted on the night that the dramatic piece was inspired by his desire to reverse and correct what he described as the misrepresentation of the African side of the story by outsiders.

Akinboboye noted that for centuries the story of the transatlantic slave trade had been told by others, adding that with ‘Odigbose’, Africa was reclaiming its voice.

According to him, ‘Africa tells its own story, in its own rhythm, with its own tears and its own truth, with its author, director, cast and crew within its hallowed soil.

‘The story of the African slave trade has been told by outsiders in different ways, often misrepresenting the African side of it.

‘A wrong impression has been presented that it was our kings who were willingly selling their subjects to the white men, but with this play, we try to correct that impression.’

He described most of the slaves from Africa soil as prisoners of war, not just slaves as painted by the slave masters and their European collaborators.

‘The white men supplied weapons to the African kingdoms and set them against one another to buy prisoners of war.

‘They knew that no one would willingly hand over people, so they brought arms and weapons of war so that armies could go to war and they could have prisoners of war,’ he said.

Produced by Atunda Entertainment, Akinboboye’s musical and entertainment productions company, ‘Odigbose – The Play’ premiere, was a truly African theatre, with rich display of music, songs, dance, choreographed movement, pageantry, and costumes, as well as poetic and oratory display.

The premiere was under the auspices of Motherland Beckons – IPADA Initiatives in conjunction with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

As expected, the members of the audience were thrilled, entertained, educated and inspired by the production, describing the evening as well-spent and a fulfilling one.

Tunde Babalola, renowned Nigerian award-winning scriptwriter, who is also the screenwriter for the film version of ‘Odigbose’ currently under production, said, ‘It was a tremendous experience for me because I last watched that play about 20 years ago when it was staged at his Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos resort, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. I based my film adaptation screenplay on that stage play I saw then’.

”Bravo to the cast and crew, bravo to Wanle Akinboboye and bravo to Atunda Entertainment Productions for staging such a great production.”

Eniola Adejare Fabamwo, a justice with the Ogun State High Court, described Odigbose as an interesting and thought-provoking performance.

She shared her reflections on the importance of historical awareness and the value of theatre in preserving cultural heritage, saying: ‘The play was interesting. I came across the invitation online, and being a lover of history, especially historical theatrical performances, I was naturally interested in attending.

‘What particularly surprised me was that a production of this nature, staged at such a prestigious venue, was being offered to the public free of charge. I consider this a commendable initiative and appreciate the organisers for making it possible.

‘The history of the slave trade has always been of particular interest to me. Understanding our past is essential to appreciating our present and making informed decisions about our future. Historical productions such as this bring events beyond the pages of books, presenting them in a manner that is both engaging and instructive.

‘I would particularly encourage young people to attend performances of this nature. While social and recreational activities have their place, we should equally make time for cultural and educational events that broaden our knowledge and deepen our understanding of our heritage.’

She commended and expressed appreciation to Akinboboye for the production: ‘I thank Wanle Akinboboye for this initiative and acknowledge the efforts of the cast and production team. The performance was colourful, engaging and provided valuable insights into aspects of the slave trade and its historical significance.

‘I hope that more opportunities will be created for the public, particularly the younger generation, to experience historical and cultural productions of this nature.’

Jani Ibrahim, an engineer and national president, NACCIMA, said that history has been corrected. ‘Tonight, history has been corrected for the past, present and future generations. We are no longer in the dark about what actually transpired during the slave trade. I want to thank Wanle Akinboboye especially for this great historic achievement,’ he said.

For the Daramolas (husband and wife), it was a great evening: ‘We enjoyed ourselves. It has been a great evening.’ The wife added; ”we saw Odigbose. I cried a little (laugh). The drums. The story of our people being taken away, it touched us.’

Abayomi Davies, an art enthusiast and music teacher, said that he was impressed by the cast. ‘Their comportment on stage, the line delivery, it was so real like the play was actually taking place in real life. And that is essentially what a good cast injects into a stage play.’

‘The part that impressed me most was the wrestling match. There were so many people on stage all at the same time, yet everyone had their significance and they all played their various roles very well,’ Lilian Okechukwu said.

”Also, the love scenes looked very real. Are you sure those two are not deeply in love in real life?”

Wasiu Babalola, a professor with Atiba University, commended the historical presentation, saying; ‘There is no better time to tell our stories than now. And we must tell it in our own way. In our own younger days, we learnt about the slave trade from films like The Roots, the story of Kunta Kinte produced by the West.

”But now our children use the Internet to get the information. So, we have to tell this story in a manner so they will understand what actually happened.’

According to Babalola, a professor of Hotel Management and Tourism, ‘When you say Odigbose, it means you are leaving. It is bye-bye forever. Now we are saying Odigbose. And that word now has more meaning to our tradition: that despite all we faced, we are still here.’

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has inaugurated the Diving Governing Board, headed by Kamil Shoretire, the Permanent Secretary, following concerns over safety and a regulatory gap in the sector.

BusinessDay gathered that the move will help to strengthen the enforcement of safety regulations and protect workers engaged in commercial diving operations across Nigeria.

Annah Daniel, Head of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, in a statement on Saturday, said the move will ensure effective implementation of the Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018, and address safety risks associated with offshore, inshore and inland water diving operations.

Maigari Dingyadi, the Minister of Labour and Employment, described the inauguration as a significant step towards strengthening the regulation of commercial diving and eliminating longstanding safety gaps in the sector.

He said the expansion of Nigeria’s maritime activities, oil and gas exploration, port development and underwater engineering had made the safety and welfare of commercial divers a national priority.

‘As Nigeria’s blue economy expands rapidly through maritime investments, oil and gas exploration, port developments, and underwater engineering, the safety and welfare of our commercial divers have transitioned from being a peripheral concern to a top national priority,’ the Honourable Minister said.

Dingyadi, who described commercial diving as one of the most hazardous industrial occupations, added that ‘the sector had faced regulatory gaps, inadequate standardisation and unacceptable risks to human life over the years.’

He said the inauguration of the Board was intended to bridge the gap between the existence of safety regulations and their effective implementation.

‘However, a legal framework is only as effective as the institution driving its implementation,’ he said.

The Minister charged members of the Board to ensure strict compliance with the Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018, stressing that diving projects must not commence without the required medical fitness certification, approved operational plans and competent personnel.

He also tasked the Board with working with recognised training institutions, including the Nigerian Navy Diving School and accredited civilian centres, to establish transparent certification pathways for commercial divers and address reliance on unverified foreign credentials.

Dingyadi further urged the Board to establish a transparent register of approved diving contractors, supervisors, instructors and medical examiners to eliminate unqualified operators and improve accountability in the industry.

He reminded the board members that their responsibility extended beyond regulatory compliance to protecting the lives of Nigerian workers engaged in hazardous underwater operations.

‘You carry the heavy responsibility of ensuring that every diver goes to work and returns home safely to their families,’ he said.

The Minister assured the Board of the Ministry’s administrative and logistical support, urging its members to establish clear operational guidelines and ensure strict enforcement of safety standards.

‘We expect you to hit the ground running, institute transparent operating guidelines, and restore absolute discipline and safety to the nation’s commercial diving sector,’ he added.

Earlier, Kamil A. Shoretire, the Permanent Secretary, described the inauguration as a critical step towards the effective implementation and enforcement of the Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018.

He explained that the regulations were developed as subsidiary legislation under the Factories Act, Cap F1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to address emerging workplace safety challenges and strengthen protection for workers in high-risk environments.

Shoretire said the Ministry had continued to discharge its statutory responsibility for occupational safety, health and welfare through the enforcement of the Factories Act and its subsidiary regulations, as well as advocacy, stakeholder engagement and other promotional activities.

He noted that workplace machinery, equipment, materials and operational methods had changed significantly with advances in science and technology, making it necessary for regulations to respond to emerging occupational hazards.

‘It is in realization of the limitations of the Factories Act that would arise over time that provision was made in Section 49 of the Act empowering the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment to issue regulations as the need arises, for securing the safety, health, and welfare of workers in our workplaces,’ he said.

The Permanent Secretary stressed that strict compliance with the diving regulations was essential to preventing accidents, injuries and fatalities associated with hazardous diving operations.

‘The importance of this Diving Governing Board inauguration, therefore, cannot be overemphasized, considering that diving operations are commonly in use in various workplaces in Nigeria, and constitute very hazardous and high-risk operation due to the risks that may be associated with diving in confine spaces,’ he said.

He warned that failure to observe prescribed safety measures could result in occupational illnesses, deaths and extensive damage to plant and equipment.

Shoretire therefore called on stakeholders across the economy to comply strictly with the regulations, noting that effective implementation would help prevent workplace accidents and improve safety standards in the diving sector.

The Diving Governing Board is expected to provide strategic oversight for the implementation of the regulations, promote standardisation of training and certification, and strengthen compliance with safety requirements governing commercial diving operations in Nigeria.

Man has come a long way from the days of Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller who developed a style of travelling to the animal world to draw lessons for men and women. History has a bouquet of his jungle stories and their morals: The ant and the grasshopper (You can shape your tomorrow today); The boy who cried wolf (It’s the lie you’re used to which will be remembered, not the truth you only tell once); The fox and the grapes (One can’t accommodate what’s beyond your reach; you will despise it).

Modern novelists also write to instruct or entertain us, some from forest life, like Nigeria’s Daniel Fagunwa (Ogboju ode ninu igbo irunmole, 1936) and the Englishman George Orwell (Animal Farm, 1945), with others strictly seeking inspiration from the world of human beings as Professor Tunde Ope-Davies has done in his work, Winds Against My Sails.

Ope-Davies dispenses with creatures of the thicket to relate his account; but he also proffers great precepts not virtuously different from those we receive through the writers who commune with the woods. Either way, the readers are enriched, hugely tutored to change perceptions as they reap a harvest of predictable and unexpected twists in the tale.

We have plenty of them in the work of Ope-Davies (Opeibi), a professor in Digital Humanities, Digital Cultures, English and Discourse Studies at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, beginning with a tell-tale autobiographical title for a work of fiction. About the Author back cover section of the book conceals the dark days of the author’s own headwinds. But critics wouldn’t consider it unreasonable to look at Professor Wale Jones in the novel and apply poetic license to unveil him as the alter ego of Opeibi, himself a heavily garlanded don like his creation.

Jones, the main character, leaves rustic Jadesore to embark on what the author calls the Voyage of Life. The name of his village challenges the ambitious to venture out for breakthroughs eluding them. Yet, it doesn’t reveal that you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. Wale gets the delicacy alright; but it is at the expense of much travail, trauma and toil.

There are near-death experiences; there are fatalities; there are several heartbreaks as well as betrayals; missed opportunities that present no second chances are also recorded; we equally learn of juvenile escapades that could have shortened the life of the hero; there is a battle over the choice of a marriage partner; a time of abandonment by family, friends and loved ones is also shared; we read of days of hunger when biscuits and mint sweets miserably cater for hunger; there’s story of an absentee father; when he’s home however, he fails to model virtue as he engages in nocturnal drinking orgies with friends in the presence of impressionable children; there are assaults of ill health and threats of death at childbirth.

To be sure, some of these are occasioned by poverty. Not all, though. How about the struggles Jones encounter even after the young man has crossed the threshold, in a manner of speaking, and he begins to get local and global recognition denied peers and mentors? The winds against his sail don’t cease in the ivory tower. They are personified by Katakiti, ”who had remained at the same rank for years. To watch Wale, once his student, rise above him was a bitter pill.” There’s also a season of character perfidy when Wale Jones is accused of being ”too friendly with female students” and ”selling a colleague’s textbook to students, a practice the university had outlawed.” Wale attributes all what he’s facing to ”politics of the system.”

Rightly, the blurb concludes that Wale’s faith in God and ”an unyielding spirit of perseverance” are the steps he mounts to overcome the winds of adversity.

So, like Karl Marx, the legendary German co-founder of Scientific Socialism, whose bronze memorial he gazes at in an unnamed European city, Professor Jones becomes ”a man who faced his fires and emerged remade,” ready to change his defective system as Marx attempted to.

Now, in view of an opening poem that predicts ultimate victory for the voyager ”Because He that stillest the noise of the Seas”, is with the explorer, it may be tempting to dismiss Professor Ope-Davies’ Winds Against My Sails as a simplistic literary contraption primed from the beginning for a happy end, regardless of the protagonist’s tumultuous killer adventures. That would be an unbalanced ruling that misses the Olympian plot of Opeibi’s epic. He brings his story under a roof of sweeping flashbacks, critical commentary, history (ancestral and contemporary), objective philosophy, Biblical theology, all of which reveals the author’s catholic mind.

These are carried by a language rich in fluid prose. metaphor and semiotics.

Let’s examine, for instance, Opeibi’s capture of ‘dust’ to take the readers through their own semiotic journeys. as it were. It first appears as ”chalk dust” in Chapter One. Later, he says ”Dust rose like spirits over the playing fields…” And when Wale Jones got the new birth in Christ, we saw the dust called to action again: ”…he bent his knees on the dusty ground and gave his life to Christ.”

Thus, in the literary construct of Professor Ope-Davies’ world, there’s a sustained imagery of the lowly dust and chalk, both of which appear to have sentenced Wale to limitless and hopeless penury. Once, the lecturer is seen collapsing ”at the foot of a chalkboard.” But, to get into Divine embrace wherein is final liberation, Wale must align with ”the dusty ground” and look up to God from that lowly position. He must stoop to conquer.

Is Ope-Davies testing the waters of fiction with Winds Against My Sails after a string of acclaimed nonfiction publications, including the biographical Kumuyi: Defender of the Faith, which he wrote with co-members of the Editorial Board of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry?

This is a heuristic quest with the possibility of turning in a new-look Tunde Ope-Davies.

Lagos hospitality and lifestyle businesses are increasingly looking beyond social media visibility for customer retention, repeat patronage and technology-driven engagement. This

was a central theme at Awari Business Connect (ABC) 2026, where Awari unveiled an

expanded technology platform designed to connect consumers with the businesses and

experiences shaping the city’s lifestyle economy.

Held on October 16 at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the event

brought together entrepreneurs, hospitality operators, tourism stakeholders, technology

companies, creators, and government representatives to explore growth opportunities in

the city’s expanding lifestyle sector.

Formerly known as the lifestyle discovery and media platform Lost in Lagos, Awari is evolving into a technology ecosystem that helps consumers discover places, events, and experiences while equipping businesses with tools to attract, engage, and retain customers.

The event showcased this evolution through product demonstrations, industry conversations, and announcements, including a partnership with the Lagos State Government’s tourism authorities and the introduction of the Awari Loyalty Network

(ALN).

Speaking at the event, Tannaz Bahnam, founder and chief executive officer of Awari, reflected on the company’s 16-year journey and its evolution alongside Lagos’ growing cultural and commercial influence.

‘For 16 years, we have been learning how people explore their cities and what businesses need

to reach them. As the world increasingly looks to Lagos for its art, music, fashion, food, culture

and creativity, Awari brings those lessons together in a new way.

‘We are moving from helping people discover where to go to building an ecosystem that helps

them experience more of their city and helps the businesses behind those experiences grow,’ Bahnam said.

Awari Business Connect is about connection because our restaurants, stores, creators, and

entrepreneurs are what make a city worth discovering. In many ways, you are Awari.’

The platform’s expanded capabilities address a challenge facing businesses across

restaurants, hotels, entertainment, wellness, retail and other lifestyle categories: turning

consumer interest into transactions and lasting relationships.

Oladapo Bolarinwa, head of Technology and Co-Founder of Awari, explained that the

platform was developed to address these challenges by bringing discovery, engagement and

business tools into a more connected environment.

‘Businesses are constantly competing for attention on conventional social media platforms,

where their content sits alongside influencer posts, entertainment and breaking news. Even

when customers show interest, businesses still have to manage enquiries across different

channels before that interest translates into a transaction.

‘Awari is designed to give businesses a more intentional environment where customers can

discover their offerings and engage with them. By bringing visibility, promotions, ticketing

and loyalty tools together, we want to help businesses move beyond being seen to building

stronger customer relationships and encouraging repeat patronage.’

Through features including Awari Social, Explore and Ads Manager, businesses can

showcase their offerings, publish promotional content and reach potential customers. The

platform also features Ask Awari, an AI-powered discovery tool that helps users find

recommendations and information, and Awari Assist, designed to help businesses manage

customer enquiries and facilitate transactions.

Additional capabilities, including bookings, ticketing, promotions, customer insights and

loyalty incentives, support the broader objective of connecting consumer discovery with

business growth.

A key announcement at ABC 2026 was the introduction of the Awari Loyalty Network,

scheduled to launch in January 2027. The platform is designed to connect corporate loyalty

programmes, lifestyle merchants and customers, creating opportunities for consumers to

redeem loyalty benefits across participating businesses. For merchants, the network offers

a potential route to reach new customer segments and encourage repeat spending beyond

their individual establishments.

The event also highlighted Awari’s partnership with the Lagos State Government’s tourism

authorities, reflecting a shared ambition to strengthen Lagos’ position as a global lifestyle

destination. As the city attracts growing attention for its hospitality, food, fashion, music,

arts and entertainment, collaboration between government and private-sector businesses

will be important in improving the visibility and accessibility of its diverse experiences.

Through ABC, the company aims to create a platform for practical conversations,

partnerships and technology adoption among the businesses contributing to Lagos’ lifestyle

economy. The 2026 edition reinforced the importance of connecting discovery with

customer experience and retention, while demonstrating how technology can support

businesses as they compete in an increasingly dynamic market.

Ope George, Lagos Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, has said that Nigeria requires coordinated policies and sustained collaboration to transform its food ecosystem beyond production to processing, storage, transportation and sustainable consumption.

‘Food systems transformation is a critical development priority, with far-reaching implications for food security, nutrition, employment, economic growth and household welfare,’ he said at the recent South-West bi-annual food systems transformation strategy review and validation of the draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The Commissioner said that the effectiveness of any strategy was measured by its implementation and impact, adding that the bi-annual review provides an opportunity to assess progress, identify gaps, address emerging challenges and agree on practical measures to accelerate results.

He said that as a major centre of consumption, commerce and distribution, Lagos has strong food supply linkages with other parts of Nigeria, including the Northern states. ‘This interdependence underscores the importance of collaboration between food-producing and food-consuming regions to address challenges such as post-harvest losses, transportation costs, storage limitations and market inefficiencies.’

He added that the collective goal must be to strengthen food value chains, improve market access for producers, enhance food availability and build a more resilient and sustainable national food system.

Abisola Olusanya, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, identified human capital development, infrastructure, technology and financing, and risk management as critical pillars for achieving sustainable agriculture and food security in the South-West, Nigeria.

‘We see human capital development as a key level that cannot be toyed with. We see infrastructure as being very critical. We see utilisation of technology as almost impossible to ignore,’ she said.

Olusanya explained that Lagos, though the smallest state by landmass and largely covered by water, remains Nigeria’s most densely populated and largest market city-state in sub-Saharan Africa. With high disposable income despite the high cost of living, any product brought to Lagos will sell, making market organisation imperative.

‘We are the largest market city-state. When we know we cannot feed ourselves, we must play on our strength to demystify our weakness. A lot of food comes into Lagos, but how is this food organised? How do we attest to quality, price and origin?’

Clementina Ebere Okoro, national convener, Food Systems Transformation, said the bi-annual review assesses implementation of the 78 priority actions adopted since 2021, including school farms for home-grown school feeding and homestead gardens agreed in March 2024.

She stressed the need for convergence of food, health, and transport systems, food-based dietary guidelines and nutrition labelling to ensure food and nutrition security.

The road to 2027 is no longer a distant political calendar event. It is here. The gladiators are already in the arena, squaring up, guarding territories, testing alliances and deploying strategies that leave little doubt that the coming general election will be a winner-takes-all battle. In Nigerian politics, there is no prize for second place.

The entire political atmosphere is charged, tense, and transactional. The old cliché says all is fair in war and politics. But in a constitutional democracy, not all should be fair. There is supposed to be an umpire – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – whose constitutional duty is to checkmate excesses, guarantee a level playing field and protect the sanctity of the ballot.

What we are witnessing, however, suggests that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), both at the federal and state levels, is not leaving anything to chance. Its body language, its control of public infrastructure, its relationship with security agencies and its apparent tolerance of anti-opposition actions at the sub-national level all point to a deliberate strategy to shrink the political space.

Politics is visual. Visibility creates viability in the mind of the electorate. Take Lagos as a case study. Lagos is arguably Nigeria’s most politically competitive state, with at least five major parties jostling for the presidency, governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly. Yet, a tour of the city – from train stations to shopping malls, from Third Mainland Bridge to Ikeja, from Alausa to Lekki – shows a near-total dominance of the ruling party’s billboards, posters and insignias.

There is no law in Lagos that forbids opposition parties from erecting billboards. But billboard politics in Lagos comes with unwritten terms and conditions. Cost, approval bottlenecks, and political considerations determine who gets prime locations.

Even where opposition parties manage to hoist posters, their materials often do not survive 48 hours. Area boys tear them, security agents remove them on ‘environmental’ grounds, or they are simply blacked out overnight. The effect is psychological – to render opposition parties non-existent in the public consciousness. If people do not see you, they assume you are not contesting.

This is not unique to Lagos. It is a national pattern, only with local variations. In Abia State, reports indicated that the government fixed N200,000 for presidential billboards, N150 million for governorship, N100,000 for Senatorial, N50,000 for House of Representatives and N20,000 for State House of Assembly campaign materials before candidates could advertise.

In the Federal Capital Territory, there were unconfirmed reports in August 2026 that the Minister, Nyesom Wike, fixed campaign boards at N750 million. While both Abia and the FCT authorities denied or downplayed these figures, the perception they created was enough: politics is being priced beyond the reach of many. The figures cited are based on media reports and political claims and were not independently verified for this analysis.

What is happening fits perfectly into what political scientists call Machiavellianism – a doctrine propounded by Niccolò Machiavelli, the Florentine diplomat, in 1513 in his book ‘The Prince’.

Machiavelli argued that the end justifies the means. In its crudest political application in Nigeria, it translates to: It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. A ruler may lie, deceive, manipulate, and be ruthless, so long as it keeps power. Morality is weakness in politics. What matters is result, not method. Keep your friends close and enemies closer. Use people as tools and Power must be retained at all costs.

The signs of a Machiavellian political actor are clear: manipulative, cunning, always ten steps ahead with a hidden agenda, devoid of conscience, able to commit political evil and sleep soundly because it favours his interest.

Since 1999, Nigeria’s electoral cycles have increasingly displayed these traits, but the road to 2027 appears to be its peak. The doctrine is no longer hidden; it is practised openly.

Machiavellian politics in Nigeria is not just about posters. It is about money and the selective application of law.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has repeatedly stated that vote-buying is a crime under the Electoral Act. Yet, in reality, vote-buying has become institutionalised. In off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo, Edo, Ondo and Osun, observers documented open cash distribution at polling units. Voters are given money, made to swear an oath, or asked to snap their ballot as evidence of compliance.

Whether the money eventually reaches the voter or is diverted by middlemen is a different discussion, but the culture of monetised elections has come to stay.

Similarly, the law appears to have two versions. One for the ruling party and another for the opposition. The most glaring example is local government elections. Across Nigeria’s 36 states, irrespective of which party controls the state, the ruling party in that state sweeps 100 percent of local government chairmanships and councillorships. Not 80 percent, not 90 percent – 100 percent. In a democracy with genuine competition, that is statistically impossible without manipulation.

No discussion of Machiavellian politics in Nigeria today is complete without examining the role of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Wike remains a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but serves in an APC-led federal government. He openly declares that he will work for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election while still influencing who becomes what in the PDP. Many opposition figures believe such dual loyalty cannot exist without tacit approval from the Presidency. It is the classic Machiavellian tactic: infiltrate the enemy camp, sow confusion, and keep it perpetually in crisis.

As a result, less than three months to the election, the PDP does not know who its presidential candidate is. INEC’s list, signed by its Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, shows 18 candidates. It lists President Bola Tinubu for APC, Atiku Abubakar for ADC, Peter Obi for Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seyi Makinde for Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Sandy Ojang Onor for PDP, while another faction led by former Minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki claims former President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate. The matter is in court.

If the court overturns Sandy Onor’s candidacy close to the election, how will a replacement campaign nationwide? That uncertainty is itself a strategy – keep the opposition in court, not on the campaign trail.

Political actors and civil society groups point to four recurring methods: Police Summons and Criminalisation of Opposition: Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and ADC leaders were summoned by police for alleged criminal conspiracy and incitement; El-Rufai remains in detention till date.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described it as a coordinated assault on civic freedoms. The APC responded that no one is above the law. The pattern, however, shows that opposition figures are far more likely to face high-profile police invitations than ruling party figures facing similar allegations.

Restriction of public space

In Osun, Abia, and Akwa Ibom, opposition parties accused Governors Ademola Adeleke, Alex Otti, and Umo Eno of revoking leases of campaign venues, deploying police to seal rally grounds, or denying use of stadiums. Governments denied political motives, citing security or unpaid fees. But the timing, always close to major opposition rallies, raises suspicion.

Legislative and electoral friction

In the National Assembly, opposition lawmakers walked out over moves to make electronic transmission of results optional rather than mandatory. For them, it was a deliberate weakening of transparency safeguards introduced in the 2022 Electoral Act.

Human rights and civic space

Human rights organisations warn that clampdowns, arbitrary arrests of activists, and intimidation of journalists create a chilling effect that damages Nigeria’s democratic credentials.

To be fair, governments at federal and state levels deny all allegations of stifling opposition. Their counter-narrative rests on four pillars: First, that they are merely enforcing the law. Corruption investigations and police summons are not political, but legal duties. Second, that opposition is crossing from dissent to sabotage, spreading disinformation and inciting chaos that threatens national security.

Third, that opposition parties lack coherent policy alternatives and rely on constant lamentation and victimhood to remain in the news.

Fourth, that many reported incidents are actions of overzealous local officials, area boys, or state-level actors, not a centrally coordinated federal directive.

These defences cannot be dismissed entirely. In some cases, opposition figures do weaponise allegations to avoid legitimate accountability. But when the pattern is nationwide, simultaneous, and benefits only one side, the ‘isolated incident’ explanation becomes less convincing.

This concern was recently echoed by Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde. Speaking in Uyo during the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidency South-South Town Hall meeting, Makinde noted that before 2023, APC had no foothold in the South-South, but after winning the presidency, began a systematic drive to capture the zone by stifling opposition.

‘I can tell you they are doing everything possible to ensure that the opposition does not unite,’ Makinde said. His statement underscores a fear among opposition governors that federal might is being used to coerce defections and weaken structures.

History teaches us why Machiavellian monopoly is dangerous. The collapse of the First Republic in 1966 was precipitated by a combination of ethnic rivalry, electoral fraud, and the suppression of opposition. When a ruling party believes it can crush all dissent, it closes channels for peaceful change, leaving extra-democratic forces to fill the vacuum.

Nigeria is too large, too diverse and too complex to be governed as a one-party state. A democracy without a viable opposition is an autocracy in disguise. It breeds apathy, fuels agitation, and in worst cases, invites military incursion under the guise of ‘correcting’ the polity.

If in 2027, Nigerians go to the polls feeling that their voices do not count, that opposition has no say, that whatever government says is truth – even when it is obvious that government has made mistakes and then claims its voice was cloned or generated by artificial intelligence – then we have crossed a dangerous line.

We would have built a democracy where the masses have no say, where institutions are captured, and where government never comes clean.

Machiavellianism may win elections, but it does not build a nation. It creates fear, not legitimacy. It creates compliance, not consent.

The 2027 election offers Nigeria a choice: continue down the path where the end justifies any means, or return to the foundational principle that democracy thrives on competition, dissent, and respect for the opposition.

INEC, the judiciary, security agencies and the media must rise above partisanship. The ruling party must realise that allowing opposition to breathe is not weakness; it is strength. And the opposition must realise that unity, not litigation, is its only antidote to Machiavellian capture.

Otherwise, we risk a victory that costs us our democracy.