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OPINION: Nasir El-Rufai And The Philosophy Of Nothing

Published

10 months ago

March 16, 2025

By Festus Adedayo

Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai caused a mild stir last week. Though the resignation of his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and gravitation towards the Social Democratic Party (PDP) did not come as a shock, the ruckus that attended them has been instructive. Torrents of negative comments have been heaped up as reactions to his decamping. And they are expected. Brilliant politician, intelligent and renowned for his organizational ability, El-Rufai is one politician you would love to hate. Since 1999, he has been a factor, either for ill or good, in Nigerian politics. Many have glibly equated him with the proverbial species of rat Yoruba call the Eda. This rat is perceived, just like El-Rufai, to always be the central focus of mostly bad issues. Playing on the alliteration in this rat species’ name of “Eda” and cause, “da” as mutual causative factors, my people say the harbinger of every issue is always the Eda rat which often brings about the caused element (iyi). So, they say, the Eda is the rat that causes this (Eku t’o da’yi le ni je eda). With his eventual pitching of tent with the SDP and the resurgence of opposition activities in Nigeria in the last one week, what came to my mind is a philosophical concept called the beauty of nothing.

The “philosophy of nothing” is bothered about the nothingness in human existence. In articulating it, this philosophy tries to find out the role of nothingness in human existence, meaning, and the nature of reality. When you explore nothingness, you will be compelled to examine how “nothing” and “everything” intersect; how, from everything, you can get nothing and ultimately discovering that nothing is a fundamental aspect of something.

Asked why he left the APC for the SDP, El-Rufai blamed a system he alleged had gone to the sewers. He cited irreconcilable differences with the leadership of the APC and disappointment with the ruling party, as, in his words, in the last two years, APC had strayed from its progressive principles (as if the party ever had any). On what he would do in the SDP, he said, “I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and by-elections.”

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With all the deluge of comments that have attended El-Rufai’s decamping into the SDP, the clear implication, as said by the party he is leaving and the government he has since been exposing its rump, is that the ex-Kaduna governor will be bringing nothing and is indeed an emissary of nothingness. The Nigerian presidency and the ruling APC had dismissed El-Rufai’s capability to galvanize opposition to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027. In their words, he is driven by what they called “an inordinate ambition that is destined to fail”. My immediate take is that, when the president began his political peregrination in 2022 or so, many of us said similar thing about his journey. Today, we are wrong and he is right, sitting comfortably in Aso Rock and picking his teeth like his predecessor. So, which of them is God enough to assume that El-Rufai’s political journey is a potential disaster?

Martin Heidegger, a renowned German philosopher with legendary contributions to the philosophy of existentialism, may want us to see the El-Rufai decamping from another prism; from the concept of nothingness and “nothing” being a fundamental aspect of being. Heidegger argued that “nothing” is the condition that allows for “being” to exist. There is however beauty of nothingness. It implies that even though nothingness brings about a state of emptiness or void, paradoxically, in it can be found immense potentials which may give a deeper appreciation of existence. In this regard, nothingness offers opportunity for creativity, peace among chaos, and renewed perspective into a logjam.

Let us now relate this philosophy of nothingness with our Nigerian reality. Other than the occasional flash-in-the-pan of individual critique and criticisms of the APC-led Nigerian government, no one can doubt the fact that Nigeria drifts towards a totalitarian state. Either real or imagined, there are facts which tend to support the allegation that the instability in the two leading opposition parties in Nigeria were cooked by the present government. According to Adeseye Ogunlewe in a television interview last week, Tinubu is the Master of Nigerian politics. Of a truth, only a fool would take his power of assembling and dissembling in politics with a pinch of salt. Being an old warhorse of Nigerian street politics, with octopodal tenterhooks to the nooks and crannies of the streets and institutions, causing institutional rifts in opposition political parties may just be a prologue in the handy playbook of the Master. While the PDP and Labour Party are engaged in a destructive angling for individual selves’ jugulars, with a Babelian voice that points at total irreconcilability, some hidden hands are said to have unhinged the screw of peace and amity in those political parties.

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The above portends grave danger to Nigeria and her polity. Not minding whatever damage El-Rufai’s kind of politics might have done to political party politics in Nigeria in the past, we should look at his decamping from the above stated Heideggerian perspective. In the perceived nothingness of El-Rufai’s politics, Nigeria may benefit something in the opposition that El-Rufai’s SDP may bring to Nigerian politics. If you know the characters in today’s government and the APC very well, we might just enter the 2027 elections as a totalitarian state, with all the opposition parties mere scarecrows decorated by the APC government to pass off as opposition forces. As Heidegger argued, the El-Rufai “nothing” may just be the condition that will allow for our national “being” to exist.

While politicians may not agree with the above thesis as they benefit from the chaos of the polity, one thing it affords the people is a multiplicity of choice. In El-Rufai’s SDP, another choice is being handed over to Nigerians which must be adequately interrogated at every point.

My excitement at the potentials of SDP as a viable opposition suffered a momentary halt almost immediately that same last week. Adewole Adebayo, 2023 presidential candidate of the SDP had come on an interview session on a national television. I had heard of his trumped up brilliance from journalists who earlier interviewed him. At that interview session, gradually, Adebayo defrosted all those superlatives with which he was robed. By the time the interview session ended, in place of a huge turkey with huge feathers I expected to encounter, I was left with a species of hen Yoruba call “Adiye opipi”. This type of hen is known by a unique characteristic of featherless wings. Adebayo came across as this and much more. I saw a man who delights in a horse ride that takes place on the back of a cockroach. When you see such politicians, your mind races to a spent canister.

News

Edo Targets 2.2 Million Children For Measles, Rubella Vaccination

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Government says it is targeting about 2.2 million children aged between 0 and 14 years for measles and rubella vaccination across the state.

The Director of Disease Control and Immunization at the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Eseigbe Efeomon, who disclosed this during stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting in Benin City, said this would be done in collaboration with development partners.

Efeomon, while noting that the vaccination exercise scheduled to hold simultaneously from January 20 to January 30, 2026, across the 18 local government areas of Edo State at designated health facilities and temporary vaccination posts, said the campaign aims to contribute significantly to the reduction of measles and rubella in Nigeria.

He explained that achieving this target requires increased population immunity through sustained vaccination.

Dr. Efeomon stressed that only qualified and certified health workers would be recruited as vaccinators because the vaccines are injectable.

According to him, the vaccination strategy would involve fixed posts and temporary fixed posts, and vaccination cards would be issued to all vaccinated children as proof, which parents and caregivers are advised to keep for future reference.

He added that vaccination teams would visit schools, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, internally displaced persons’ camps and other public places, while children who receive the vaccine would be finger-marked to prevent double vaccination.

He reiterated that the overarching goal of the campaign is to drastically reduce rubella incidence nationwide and protect children from preventable diseases through effective immunisation coverage.

Also speaking, the World Health Organization Local Government Facilitator, Mr. Ajaero Paul, described measles and rubella as major causes of death and congenital abnormalities among children globally.

He said both diseases are preventable through the measles-rubella vaccine, which he described as safe and effective,

He added that sustained advocacy is critical to reducing child mortality and lifelong disabilities.

On his part, UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Health Officer, Yakubu Suleiman, emphasised that the measles-rubella vaccine is safe and effective for all children aged nine months to 14 years.

He stated that the government has fully paid for the vaccines, making them available at no cost to all eligible children in government health facilities across the state.

Suleiman explained that vaccination not only protects individual children but also safeguards communities from deadly vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and rubella.

He added that even children who had previously received the measles vaccine should still be given the measles-rubella vaccine and appealed to schools and other key stakeholders to support the campaign to ensure that no child is left behind.

News

Togo, Niger, Benin Owe Nigeria Over $17.8m For Supplied Electricity – NERC

Published

7 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Nigeria’s electricity regulator has disclosed that three neighbouring countries, Togo, Niger and Benin, are indebted to Nigeria to the tune of $17.8 million, equivalent to more than N25 billion at prevailing exchange rates, for power supplied under bilateral electricity agreements.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, made this known in its Third Quarter 2025 report, which reviewed market performance within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI.

According to the report, the international customers were billed a total of $18.69 million by the Market Operator for electricity supplied during the third quarter of 2025. However, only $7.125 million was paid, leaving an unpaid balance of $11.56 million for the period under review.

NERC also revealed that the same international offtakers had outstanding legacy debts amounting to $14.7 million from previous quarters. Of this amount, $7.84 million was settled, leaving a residual balance of $6.23 million.

When combined with the Q3 2025 shortfall, the total outstanding debt stood at $17.8 million, which translates to about N25.36 billion at an exchange rate of N1,425 to one US dollar.

The regulator identified the international electricity customers as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique of Benin Republic, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité of Niger Republic.

NERC stated that the three utilities collectively paid just $7.125 million against the $18.69 million invoice issued for electricity supplied in the third quarter, resulting in a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent.

This meant that more than half of the billed amount remained unpaid at the close of the quarter.

The commission explained that the electricity exported to the three countries was generated by grid-connected Nigerian generation companies and delivered through cross-border bilateral power supply arrangements.

By contrast, NERC reported a stronger payment performance among domestic bilateral customers. According to the report, local customers paid N3.19 billion out of the N3.64 billion invoiced for the same quarter, representing a remittance rate of 87.61 per cent.

The regulator further noted that some bilateral customers, both international and domestic, made additional payments to offset outstanding invoices from earlier quarters.

Specifically, the Market Operator received $7.84 million from international customers and N1.3 billion from domestic customers in settlement of previous obligations.

Beyond bilateral transactions, NERC disclosed that Nigeria’s 11 electricity distribution companies remitted a total of N381.29 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc and the Market Operator in the third quarter of 2025. This was out of a cumulative invoice of N400.48 billion, translating to an overall remittance performance of 95.21 per cent.

The commission said the figures were derived from reconciled market settlement data submitted as of December 18, 2025, as part of its statutory evaluation of the commercial health and performance of the electricity market.

News

Expert Identify Foods That Increase Hypertension Medication’s Effectiveness

Published

14 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide, contributing significantly to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Despite the availability of effective antihypertensive drugs, long-term control of high blood pressure is often challenging because of drug resistance, side effects, and poor adherence.

This has fueled growing scientific interest in complementary strategies that can enhance drug efficacy while minimising toxicity. One promising approach is the combination of conventional antihypertensive medications with herbs and spices in many kitchens.

Recent evidence suggests that augmenting modern antihypertensive drugs with foods rich in p-coumaric acid, a naturally occurring phenolic acid, may offer a novel and effective strategy for blood pressure control.

Phenolic compounds, commonly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood vessel–protective properties.

In a study, researchers investigated the combined effects of lisinopril, a widely used antihypertensive drugs and p-coumaric acid on hypertension.

They reported in the Comparative Clinical Pathology that p-coumaric acid enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

The study used an established animal model in which hypertension was induced in rats through oral administration of L-NAME, a compound known to suppress nitric oxide production and raise blood pressure.

Following the induction of hypertension, the animals were treated for 14 days with p-coumaric acid (at two different doses), lisinopril alone, or a combination of both.

Untreated hypertensive rats showed significantly elevated activities of key enzymes linked to high blood pressure such as ACE, arginase, acetylcholinesterase, and phosphodiesterase-5 along with increased lipid peroxidation, an indicator of oxidative stress. At the same time, levels of nitric oxide, a critical molecule for blood vessel relaxation, were markedly reduced.

By contrast, rats treated with a combination of lisinopril and p-coumaric acid experienced notable improvements. Blood pressure was better controlled; harmful enzyme activities were reduced, oxidative stress declined, and nitric oxide levels increased. These improvements were mirrored in the tissues the heart compared with untreated hypertensive animals.

They said that the findings suggest that p-coumaric acid may enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

This drug–food interaction model is particularly important in the circumstance of long-term hypertension management. Many patients rely on lifelong medication, and strategies that can improve treatment outcomes while reducing side effects are highly desirable.

The study also reinforces the growing recognition that diet is not merely supportive but can be biologically active in disease control.

The use of medicinal plants and plant-based therapies in the management of hypertension is deeply rooted in traditional medicine across many cultures. While such practices have often existed outside conventional healthcare systems, modern scientific research is now providing evidence-based explanations for their effectiveness.

While these findings are based on animal studies and cannot yet be directly translated into clinical recommendations for humans, they open the door to future research on dietary strategies that can safely complement antihypertensive drugs.

Further clinical studies are needed to determine appropriate dosages, safety profiles, and real-world effectiveness.

In the fight against hypertension, the future may lie not only in new drugs, but also in smarter combinations, where medicine and nutrition work together to deliver better, safer outcomes for patients.

Such nutrition to help maintain healthy blood pressure includes garlic, potatoes, walnuts,tomato and tomato products, legumes and citrus fruits (grapefruits and oranges).
(TRIBUNE)