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Femi Falana’s ASCAB Backs NLC’s Protest Against Naira Scarcity

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National Chairman, Alliance on Surviving Coving and Beyond (ASCAB) and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana has thrown his weight behind the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over planned industrial action against the naira scarcity caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy.

In a recent letter titled, ‘Solidarity with the NLC For Planned Action Over to the Cash Crisis’, addressed to Joe Ajaero, NLC President, Falana lamented that two million Point of Sales jobs (PoS) have crumbled because of the naira scarcity.

He, then, said ASCAB would give all its support to NLC to call for members nationwide to sit at home from Wednesday, as a protest to challenge CBN over the hardship it has brought on millions of Nigerians.

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The statement read, “I am pleased to be able to send solidarity greetings from ASCAB to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). These are for the decision to call for action by your members over the lingering cash crisis. We hope that this action will be implemented, as planned, and as soon as possible, as we cannot overemphasise the trauma that the cash restriction policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is causing, especially to poor families.

READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Cash Scarcity: NLC, CBN Meet In Abuja

“We understand that many of the members of your member bodies have faced severe dally difficulties in finding cash to travel to work over the last two months. So calling for members of the public sector trade unions of NLC to stay at home is nothing less than necessary and practical advice.

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“For people working in the informal economy the cash restrictions have been nothing less than catastrophic. The whole POS business sector, for example, that employed approaching two million people, has now been put out of business. Markets and other areas of the informal sector have also been extremely affected by the lack of cash. Millions of poor people are now Suffering a further significant cut in their merger incomes.

“This means that millions of people now go hungry on a daily basis, whilst 60% of the population were merely multi-dimensionally poor before the cash crisis started. Like the lock-down and the closure of the boarders in 2020, this is another devastation forced on the mass of poor people by the Government.

“Millions of members of the NLC member trade unions are now suffering a further reduction in their living standards that they can afford. Over the last four years, since the minimum wage should have been last increased, prices generally have a least doubled- or putting another way, workers can now only buy half of what they could in early 2019.

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READ ALSO: NLC Protests: CBN To Flood Banks With Old Naira Notes

“This shows how important it is that the minimum wage is increased again, as soon as possible. In fact the International Labour Organisation (ILO) says that such minimum wages should be increased every year and this does in fact happen in most countries in this situation, it is catastrophic for most working familles that they have to struggle to find cash every day to travel to work, to buy food and to try and cope with the situation when any of their family falls ill, it is vitally important that the NLC has now called action over this issue and we hope that the promised action is carried through as soon as possible.

“The immediate prospects for working people do not look good. The president elect has promised that he will end the fuel subsidy in June. The National Bureau of Statistics recently said that the price of petrol has increased by over 50% in the last year. The price of diesel, now at well over N800 per litre, gives some indication of the likely impact of the end of the fuel subsidy. We hope that the NLC will take appropriate action to address this threat.

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“ASCAB provides its full solidarity for the action promised by the NLC which if anything is over due. We look forward to being able to assist with the pickets of the CBN offices in every state and providing any support that we can for the planned stay at home action from next Wednesday, 29th March.

“We look forward to future co-operation between ASCAB and the NLC.”

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Activists Push For Popularisation Of ‘Ogonize’, ‘Sarowiwize’ In Climate, Other Campaigns

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Human rights and environmental activists have pushed for the popularisation of words such as #Ogonize’, #Sarowiwize’; #Shikokize’, #Aigbuhaenze’,
#Awua’, #Brasinize’ #Adanegberize’, #Otogize’, amongst others, in the campaign for human and climate justice.

The activists, including Edo State former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana; Interim Administrator, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Rita Uwaka; Programme Manager, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Innocent Edemhanria; Comrade Cynthia Bright, Executive Director, Grassroots Women Empowerment and Development Organisation (GWEDO), amongst others spoke at a programme organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) with the theme: Birthing Words for Campaigns.

Speaking on the origin of the words and their usages, the activists said #Sarowiwize’ was derived from an environmental activist name, Ken Saro-Wiwa, which means ‘community mobilising for environmental justice; remembrance of hero in environmental justice,’ and that #Ogonize’ simple means ‘struggle for environmental justice.’

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Saro-Wiwa led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland by the operations of the multiple international oil companies, especially the Royal Dutch Shell Company, was tried by a special military tribunal for allegedly masterminding the murder of Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting, and hanged in 1995 by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.

According to the activists,
#Chikokize’, means a ‘collective struggle; struggle for impacted communities, mangrove and workers.’

READ ALSO: HOMEF Sympathizes With Niger Flood Victims, Charges Government To Be Proactive

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They explained that, #Aigbuhaenze, which was derived from a Benin word means: ‘Do not pollute the water or do not compromise the source or collective welfare for generations to come,’ while #Adanegberize, which was also derived from a Benin word means ‘care for each other even in the struggle.’

They further explained that #Awua’, was also derived from a Benin word, meaning: ‘it is forbidden – economic injustice is forbidden.’

According to them, #Brasinize’ was derived from an Ijaw word, meaning ‘leave the resources in the soil,’ while #Otogize’ was derived from a Yoruba word which means ‘enough is enough for oil extraction.’

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The activists, who emphasised the need for the popularisation of these new words, stressed that words, if appropriate applied, are powerful, and could drive authority to speedy action.

READ ALSO:Nigeria Not Dumping Ground – HOMEF Chides FG Over Plans To Import “Non-hazardous” Waste

In his opening remarks, Executive Director, HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, emphasised the need for activists to create new words in their campaign for environmental justice, saying these words can move authorities concerned to speedy action.

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According to Bassey, words can be obscure and can also mobilise for environmental struggle if appropriately used.

In his key note address, a language expert, and consultant for Oxford Dictionaries on review of lists of Nigerian English words for possible inclusion, Dr. Kingsley Ugwuanyi, described words as action and powerful.

When we speak, we are not just describing the words, but we are also acting in it. Because words are action, and words do things,” he said.

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The translator and lexicographer, English-Igbo dictionary, and English Language consultant & tutor,
iTutor Group, Taiwan, said
words could shift the struggle for environmental justice, revealing that if these words are repeatedly used for 10 years, they could be considered for inclusion in the Oxford Dictionary.

 

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Traditional Ruler, Police Partner FG Security Agency To Mop Up Arms, End Bnditry

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The Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha has partnered with the
National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Northeast Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu to curtail the menace of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.

Speaking when the Northeast Zonal Director of NCCSALW, Maj:-Gen. Abubakar Adamu (Rtd) paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday, the Emir said that the roles of the traditional rulers in fighting the proliferation of small Arms and light weapons in the country could not be overemphasized.

He promised that he would do everything within his power to support the centre in sensitizing the people on the dangers associated with the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons as well as putting an end to it.

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He seeks for the support and cooperation of all traditional leaders in the state to join the centre in tackling the menace of the proliferation of these arms and weapons in their various communities.

READ ALSO:Bauchi Begins Production Of Exercise Books, Chalks For Schools

Earlier speaking, Maj:-Gen. Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), said the collaboration with the traditional institutions and all stakeholders would go a long way in curtailing the menace of the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the country.

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The Zonal Director explained that the Centre was working in collaboration with all stakeholders in the country to mop up all SALW for onward destruction.

According to him, the Centre has been mandated by the federal government to prosecute any individual involved in the proliferation of illicit weapons in the country and is therefore seeking for more support and collaboration from all stakeholders in the country.

Similarly, the centre paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Dankombo Morris for more collaboration and synergy where Adamu explained that the visit was part of a sensitization tour to introduce the mandate of the Centre, which is focused on curbing the proliferation of SALW across the North East.

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READ ALSO:NILDS Organises Quiz Competition For Secondary School Students In Bauchi

He sought the continued support and cooperation of the Command to achieve the giant stride of mopping up all illegal weapons from circulation through collection and destruction.

Responding, the Commissioner of Police pledged to collaborate with the centre in the fight against the proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons.

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He further reaffirmed the Command’s readiness to work closely with the Centre to rid the State of illegal firearms and ensure public safety.

The centre also met with the Director, State Security Service, Barthalomew Omoaka, who promised to support the centre especially in intelligence sharing which he said was paramount in preventing the proliferation of these weapons.

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OPINION: Nigerian Leaders And The Tragedy Of Sudden Riches

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By Israel Adebiyi

It is my sincere hope that by now, the wives of the 21 local government chairmen of Adamawa State are safely back from their exotic voyage to Istanbul, Turkey, a trip reportedly bankrolled by the local government finances under the umbrella of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON). A journey, we are told, designed to “empower” them with leadership skills. It’s the kind of irony that defines our political culture, an expensive parade of privilege masquerading as governance.

But that is what happens when providence smiles on an ill-prepared man: he loses every sense of decorum, perspective, and sanity.

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I am reminded of a neighbour from nearly two decades ago, a simple man who earned his living as a welder in a bustling corner of Alagbado, in Lagos. One day, fortune smiled on him. The details of how it happened are less important than the aftermath. Overnight, this humble tradesman was thrust into wealth he never imagined. His first response was to remodel his one-room face-me-I-face-you apartment. He then bought crates of beverages for his wife to start a small trade. Nights became movie marathons, days were spent entertaining friends and living large. Within a short while, both the beverages and the money were gone. The family consumed what was meant to be sold, and before long, they were back to where they began, broke and disillusioned.

That, in many ways, mirrors the tragedy of Nigerian leadership. It’s the poverty mindset in leadership.

The story of my neighbour is a microcosm of the Nigerian political elite, particularly at the subnational level. When sudden riches come, wisdom departs. When opportunity presents itself, greed takes over. In the past years, since the removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent fiscal windfall that followed, all levels of governments, particularly both state and local governments have found themselves with more resources than they have had in over a decade. Yet, rather than invest in ideas that would stimulate production, jobs, and infrastructure, what we have witnessed is an epidemic of frivolities, unnecessary travels, wasteful seminars, inflated projects, and reckless spending.

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Across the country, the story is similar: councils and states spending like drunken sailors. Suddenly, workshops in Dubai, leadership retreats in Turkey, and empowerment programs that empower nobody have become the order of the day. The sad reality is that many of these leaders lack the intellectual depth, managerial capacity, and moral restraint to translate resources into development. Their worldview is transactional, not transformational.

Nigeria’s tragedy is not the absence of resources; it is the misplacement of priorities. Across the states, billions are allocated to vanity projects that contribute little or nothing to the people’s quality of life. Roads are constructed without drainages and collapse at the first rainfall. Hospitals are built without doctors, and schools are renovated without teachers. Governors commission streetlights in communities without power supply. Council chairmen purchase SUVs in towns where people still fetch water from muddy streams. This is not governance; it is pageantry.

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The problem is rooted in a poverty mindset, a mentality that sees power not as a platform for service but as an opportunity for consumption. Like the welder who squandered his windfall, our leaders are more preoccupied with display than development. They seek validation through possessions and patronage. They confuse spending with productivity. After all, these guarantee their re-election and political relevance.

Take for instance, the proliferation of “empowerment” schemes across states and local governments. Millions are spent distributing grinding machines, hair dryers, and tricycles, symbolic gestures that make headlines but solve nothing. In a state where industrial capacity is non-existent and education is underfunded, these programs are nothing but political theatre.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR:Nigeria @65: A Long Walk To Freedom

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Part of the reason for this recurring tragedy is the near absence of accountability. At every level of government, public scrutiny has been deliberately weakened. The legislature, which should act as a check on executive excesses, has become a willing accomplice. Most state assemblies now function as mere extensions of the governor’s office. Their loyalty is not to the constitution or the people, but to the whims of the man who controls their allowances. When oversight is dead, impunity thrives.

The same is true at the local government level. The councils, which should be the closest tier of governance to the people, have become mere revenue distribution centres. Their budgets are inflated with cosmetic projects, while core community needs – clean water, rural roads, primary healthcare, and education – remain neglected. In most states, local governments have been stripped of autonomy, no thanks to the governors, and turned into cash dispensers for political godfathers.

A functioning democracy depends on the ability of citizens and institutions to demand explanations from those in power. Unfortunately, Nigeria has normalised a culture of unaccountability. We applaud mediocrity, celebrate looters, and reward failure with re-election.

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Leadership without vision is like a vehicle without direction, fast-moving but going nowhere. Our leaders often mistake motion for progress. A road contract here, a stadium renovation there, a new office complex somewhere, yet the fundamental problems remain untouched.

When a government cannot define its priorities, it becomes reactive, not proactive. It responds to crises rather than preventing them. The consequence is that we keep recycling poverty in the midst of plenty.

Consider the fate of many oil-producing states that have earned hundreds of billions from the 13 percent derivation fund. Despite their enormous earnings, the communities remain among the poorest in the federation. The roads are not just bad but are deathtraps, the schools dilapidated, and the hospitals understaffed. The money vanished into white-elephant projects and political patronage networks.

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MORE FROM THE AUTHOR:[OPINION] Rivers: The Futility Of Power And The Illusion Of Victory

Visionary leadership is not about having a title or holding an office; it is about seeing beyond the immediate and investing in the future. It is about building systems that outlive individuals. Sadly, most of our leaders are incapable of such long-term thinking because they are trapped in the psychology of survival, not sustainability.

There is a proverb that says: “The foolish man who finds gold in the morning will be poor again by evening.” That proverb could have been written for Nigeria. Each time fortune presents us with an opportunity, whether through oil booms, debt relief, or global trade openings, we squander it in consumption and corruption.

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The subsidy removal windfall was meant to be a moment of reckoning, a chance to redirect resources to development, improve infrastructure, and alleviate poverty. Instead, it has become another tragic chapter in our national story, a story of squandered wealth and wasted potential.

When money becomes available without the corresponding capacity to manage it, it breeds recklessness. Suddenly, every council wants a new secretariat. Every governor wants to build a new airport or flyovers that lead to nowhere. The tragedy is not in the availability of money but in the absence of vision to channel it productively.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR:Union Gloves vs Corporate Fists: The Dangote–NUPENG Showdown

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Nigeria does not lack bright minds; it lacks systems that compel responsibility. What we need is a new civic consciousness that demands accountability from those in power. Citizens must begin to interrogate budgets, question policies, and reject tokenism. Civil society must reclaim its watchdog role. The media must rise above “he said, he said” journalism and focus on investigative and developmental reporting that exposes waste and corruption.

Equally, the legislature must rediscover its purpose. Lawmakers are not meant to be praise singers or contract brokers. They are the custodians of democracy, empowered to question, probe, and restrain executive recklessness. Until they reclaim that role, governance will remain an exercise in futility.

The solution also lies in leadership development. Leadership should no longer be an accident of chance or patronage; it must be a deliberate cultivation of character, competence, and capacity. The tragedy of sudden riches is avoidable if leaders are adequately prepared to handle responsibility.

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Ultimately, the change we seek is not just in policy but in mindset. Nigeria must confront the culture of consumption and replace it with a culture of productivity. We must move from short-term gratification to long-term investment, from vanity projects to value creation, from self-aggrandizement to service.

Every generation has its defining moment. Ours is the opportunity to rethink governance and rebuild trust. The tragedy of sudden riches can become the triumph of sustainable wealth, but only if we learn to manage fortune with foresight.

Until that happens, the Adamawa wives will keep travelling, the chairmen will keep spending, and the people will keep waiting for dividends that never come.

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