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OPINION: 24 Governors And Still Counting

Published

2 months ago

October 21, 2025

By Suyi Ayodele

Years ago, when the sun used to rise and set at its time, a powerful farmer lived. History has it that at his coming of age, the man boasted that he would have the largest farm in his neighbourhood. He was said to have also told those who heard him boast that he would not work harder than any average farmer to achieve the feat. His strength, the powerful farmer told his listeners, is that he would do what nobody would ever do.

And true to his boast, the man’s farm became the talk of the town. He cultivated virgin lands and acquired old farms from their owners. Some voluntarily yielded their plantations to him. Many others were forced to give up their farmlands by circumstances beyond their control. Not a few ‘recalcitrant’ farmers, who resisted the acquisition of their farmlands, died mysteriously. The situation got to a point that nobody was willing to share farm boundaries with the powerful farmer.

He became the only famer around. Other farmers ‘willingly’ turned farm hands on his plantation. At that point, the powerful farmer became a demigod. He decided who ate and who should go hungry. Even when a few others struggled to farm, the yields from their fields were too miserable. Yet, the harvests from the powerful farmer were bountiful. He sold, became rich and had in excess while others wallowed in abject poverty! The elders of the land knew something was wrong. They knew that the trajectory was no longer normal. They decided to act.

A powerful diviner was consulted. What came from the divination board was shocking. The Oracle revealed that the powerful farmer was not ordinary. Ifa disclosed that while the other farmers were relying on the strength of their hands, the powerful farmer did something esoteric.

According to Òpèlè, the powerful man consulted a sorcerer who made a charm that makes other people’s farm produce to reduce in size while that of the powerful man grew in leaps and bounds. That metaphysics is known as Ako. Ako, Yoruba metaphysics says it is twofold. One, the worse of the two, kills individuals and makes their ghosts work on the charmer’s farm. The other simply makes the other farmers’ produce grow wretched while the charmer’s produce prospers. In the case of the powerful farmer, Ifa said he combined the two! That was why those who resisted him died prematurely.

What was the solution? The divination said that if they must get rid of the powerful farmer, the people must make a sacrifice of all edibles and add what is forbidden for the powerful farmer to eat. Once the man sees the sacrifice, the divination said, he would lose all his powers. And what was that item? They asked. Ifa responded that the people should find out by themselves. After all, it is said that there is nothing as accurate as a self-applied divination.

The elders left and made arrangements for the sacrifice. All the edibles were added and the pot placed on the farm road the powerful man takes to his farm. But after about three attempts and nothing happened, the elders returned to their diviner. The message they got was that there was something they did not add. Ifa asked them to go and think deeply at home.

To solve the riddle, the elders took counsel and decided to prepare another pot of sacrifice. But this time around, they appointed some men to hide in the bush to spy on the man and his reaction when he saw the sacrifice.

The strategy worked. Early the following morning, when the man stumbled on the new pot of sacrifice, he laughed. He used his cutlass to check the items in the pot and laughed again. He then wondered aloud why the people would keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. In his arrogance, he said, loudly to himself: “But they tried this time around. The only thing missing here is a lizard.” He upturned the pot and left for his farm.

Those hiding in the bush heard him clearly. They went back and reported their findings to the elders. The next day, another pot of sacrifice was waiting. But this time around, various types of lizards were added. The people did not want to take any chances.

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When the powerful man got to the spot, he knew that something had happened to him. He did all he could to reverse the sacrifice. He chanted, moved to incantation; he did evocation and ended with invocation. All failed! The powers he had had been neutralised. The esikus (ghosts)of those working on his farm descended on him and clubbed him mercilessly. He was taken home half dead. His era of terror ended.

Our native upbringing does not allow a younger person to teach an elder the wisdom of life. But the name, Ajáléonílébotièléyìn (A-já-lé-o-ní-lé-bo-ti-è-lé-yìn) -he who plunders another’s house to fortify his own backyard – is instructive here.

It is also un-African for a child to say he has seen a lot when the elders are present. I subscribe to that native injunction. But it is equally safe for a child to say that the little he has seen is enough to teach a life-lesson.

If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is rejoicing today because all his political opponents are coming to his camp in droves, I will advise him to ask his diviners the implications. There is a reason why he should consult those who are wise why nobody names his child Ajáléonílébotièléyìn.

This story above is derived from the legend of Ajáléonílébotièléyìn. Our elders say that we should tell he who removes other people’s roofs to cover his own porch to remember the day a whirlwind will remove his own roof (E so fún Ajáléonílébotièléyìn pé kó rántí ojó tí ìjì máa jà tó máa gbé’lé tiè lo). When that time comes, they caution that there will be no place to take cover from the impending rain.

President Tinubu appears to be the luckiest man today in Nigeria. He should be happy about that. He has every reason to celebrate. His camp is also justified if the drums are rolled out in jollification. If the trend of defection continues, Tinubu will be contesting against Tinubu in 2027! But I don’t think President Tinubu should be happy because he is the only farmer whose farm harvest is bountiful!

Why do I think the President should not be happy? The story of Ajáléonílébotièléyìn tells me that. Names in my Yoruba background carry meanings. This particular one is not just a name but a legend. The wisdom of the name tells me that President Tinubu should not rejoice because he has no opposition to his painful rule over Nigeria.

Joy, in the African worldview, has a slender and delicate body. We call it ayò, abara tíńtín (the tiny-bodied joy) in my place. Why did those before us give joy such a contrasting name? The elders of that era argued that within joy lies defeat, and at times, sadness.

When one is happy, they caution that such a person should not be overjoyed like the proverbial striped frog (Akere) which breaks its limbs while rejoicing! The story behind ayò àkèré (the joy of the striped frog) will, however, not be told today.

At the last count, President Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC), has 24 governors in its kitty. Only God can tell if any governor will remain in the opposition parties before the 2027 general election. This is a great feat by the President.

The simple implication is that President Tinubu, today, appears unbeatable! But is that true? Is there a man who cannot be defeated? Is there any champion for life? When a man is too powerful for his enemies to handle, what do our elders ask us to do? The answer to this last poser is the experience of life as taught by the name: Ajáléonílébotièléyìn.

What President Tinubu is doing with the decimation of the opposition is exactly what the powerful farmer, Ajáléonílébotièléyìn did to his fellow peasants. He can only thrive for a while. Those who believe that President Tinubu is the master strategist should know that very soon, the sacrificial pot waiting at the three-footpath for the President will contain an item that Tinubu is forbidden to eat. It will happen because nature does not allow an individual to answer the name, we-have-come (Enìkan kìí jé àwádé)!

The president’s masquerade can dance alone for as long as he wants at the arena. It must surely exhaust all the stunts in its arsenal. Former Governor Raufu Aregbesola of Osun State hinted at that last week. We should pay more than a passing attention to the man known as Ogbeni! The whirlwind will surely come and blow off the roof of Ajáléonílébotièléyìn.

He cannot be the only one with a roof over his head. And because he had succeeded in the past in rendering other houses roofless, there will be no place of refuge from the impending inclement weather! Like they say on the street, everyone go chop breakfast! This is why I believe that it is too premature for Tinubu and his supporters to rejoice.

What the President and his APC are doing is not ordinary. The way the opposition bigwigs are rushing like Kwesi Brew’s poem, Lest We Be The Last, to the ruling APC can only spell doom for the nation. The end, like Brew’s poem, will not be palatable to the defectors of today. Tinubu himself will find out too late that there is nothing to the defections. His harvested ‘friends’ have enough forbidden edibles in their bags.

This is one of the reasons I consider Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State’s reaction to the gale of defections that has hit the PDP as the most metaphorical reaction so far to the epidemic of defections sweeping across our political landscape. Looking at how politicians, especially fellow governors, are falling over one another to join the ruling APC, Makinde quipped that he was not moved by the number of the people defecting to the ruling party.

He added that he would “only be moved when hunger defects into the APC.” That was classic; that was deep in all ramifications. The statement has generated a lot of negative reactions especially by the apologists of the ruling APC and the Dictator-General of Nigeria, President Tinubu, who, today, is the sole beneficiary of the harvest of defections.

Many have argued that it was ‘uncharitable’ of Governor Makinde to have mocked Nigerians for being hungry. Some said that it was ‘self-indicting’ and ‘insensitive’ to talk about poverty in the land. They argue that if indeed there is hunger in the land, Makinde is part of the people who inflicted that pain on the citizenry. I don’t hold the portfolio of Makinde’s publicist, and as such, I won’t defend him on that.

Beyond the emotional responses from those who felt that Makinde’s statement hit the raw nerve of the god of the land, we need to look at what the governor said and ask if he lied or not. We need to do this before we bay for the governor’s blood.

Going by the reaction from President Tinubu’s camp, it is established that those who are ready to have Makinde for supper over the statement agreed with the Oyo State governor that Nigerians are hungry. They equally admitted that poverty walks on our streets in a three-piece suit. Their only point of divergence is that Makinde cannot exonerate himself. That is a good enough argument. Truth is that no leader in the present dispensation is exempted from blame.

But what is the import of Makinde’s statement? Did he utter that statement in mockery or is it a statement uttered to demonstrate bewilderment? I have asked those gloating that “Tinubu’s strategy is working” by the gale of the defections hitting the PDP and the other opposition parties what exactly is the attraction in the APC. I have asked, without getting any convincing answer, what that fantastic feat of President Tinubu is drawing the opposition to his camp.

This is where I find Makinde’s statement very deep. Since May 29, 2023, when Tinubu took the oath of office, what has been the fate of the masses of this country? This is what I think the governor was trying to say. His argument is that those defecting to the APC either from the PDP or the Labour Party (LP), are not doing so because they are convinced that the APC government of President Tinubu has changed the lives of the people for the better.

Makinde, to my understanding, is saying that the only time he would give serious consideration to the madness going on in the political firmament is when hunger, the hallmark of the Tinubu administration, defects and relocates to the president’s camp. In essence, it does not make any sense that people will voluntarily move into the house of the one afflicting them!

That is logical enough and I am tempted to follow that line of reasoning. Something beyond the surface is behind the current mass movement of the opposition figures to the ruling APC. I am convinced that another Ajáléonílébotièléyìn is at work here.

It might not be that the present situation has anything to do with an esoteric measure; it could be that the President is arm-twisting the opposition. A former governor of one of the Niger Delta states was reported to have wept profusely while begging his successor to move over to the APC. The former governor was said to have told those who cared to listen that the power-that-be had threatened him with the anti-graft agency. And when a man’s hands are soiled, a little jolt will make him capitulate!

While, for the purpose of this argument, one can excuse the selfishness of the governors of Delta, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom States, all first-term governors, in abandoning the PDP for the APC for political survival in the hands of a mean political vampire, how does one justify the resignation of Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State from the PDP? What exactly do we say Governor Diri is looking for? Here is a man who fought gallantly to earn a second term in office now jumping ship! And yet, some brainwave-individuals would want us to believe that there is nothing fishy!

The President’s camp can rejoice at this winning streak. They can celebrate while it lasts. Every Ajáléonílébotièléyìn has something he is forbidden to eat. Tinubu lost Lagos in the 2023 presidential election. That means that he is not totally unbeatable. What was that forbidden edible the Lagos voters gave to him during that election? That is the missing link those who want the president out of power in 2027 should find. I don’t get how people call their affliction their saviour! Something is wrong, somewhere!

Just like Governor Makinde posited, my worry over this disastrous move to a one-party State is the implication of absolute power in the hands of a pseudo democrat as we have in President Tinubu. If this venture scales through; if Tinubu succeeds in the total annihilation of the opposition, the impending calamity will be worse than a tsunami! Nobody will be spared! President Tinubu can win the next round of elections; I don’t have any problem with that. My concern is that he should not, by any means, be allowed to win as a sole proprietor of Nigeria. That will be an unmitigated disaster!

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FULL TEXT: Gen Musa’s Inaugural Speech As Defence Minister

Published

13 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

Newly appointed Defence Minister, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), on Friday, delivered his inaugural speech as he assumed office, pledging to end the shedding of innocent blood and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

Here is the full speech:

FULL SPEECH: ADDRESS BY GENERAL CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA (RTD), ON HIS ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE AS MINISTER OF DEFENCE.

December 5, 2025

It is with profound humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I address you today in my new capacity as the Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Six weeks ago, I was in Kaki. Now, I am coming as the Minister. It can only be God. I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the trust and confidence you have shown in me.

I take that very seriously. For me, it is indeed a privilege and an honour, after serving 39 years in service, to come in and now be the Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The love Nigerians have shown us reflects that people believe we can turn the tide.

But it is not rhetoric. It is by action. We must, firstly as Nigerians, take ownership of the responsibilities and challenges we face in our country.

It is only us who can solve the problem. It is when we agree within ourselves that we can deal with this, that we will succeed. God is with us, and He has always given us the responsibility to succeed.

This responsibility is one I accept with solemn reverence and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our great nation, Nigeria. Let me also acknowledge the dedicated leadership of my predecessor and the relentless efforts of every one of you in this room.

When I was the Chief of Defence Staff, you gave me all the support, and I truly appreciate it. I want to assure you that coming back as Minister, we want to do more for your welfare, well-being, and the administration of the Ministry. I strongly believe in reward and accountability. You do well, you are rewarded. We take corrective measures to ensure we succeed. I don’t believe in “na so we dey do am.”

We must assess everything that we are doing and see whether we can improve it. I believe in fostering a positive workforce. We are going to listen to your challenges, and whatever we can do to address them, we will. But I count on you also to put in your best. You know your task ahead. You don’t have to wait until somebody calls you or asks you a question. Do what you are supposed to do, and that will make it easier for us as a nation.

The task of securing the nation is continuous, and I am aware that you have been holding the line with dedication. I commend you all. For decades, my life has been defined by uniform, by the ethos of service, and by sacred covenants to defend the territorial integrity and citizens of Nigeria. I therefore come to this role not as a stranger to our security challenges, but as a comrade who has been in the trenches both literally and figuratively. I’ve seen firsthand the bravery of our troops, the complexity of our threats, and the role of strategic coordination. Like I always say, no single individual can achieve this alone. No single service operator can do it. We must work as Nigerians, making Nigeria better.

Consequently, my core philosophy in ensuring the affairs of this ministry is simple: operational effectiveness through unified action and strategic foresight. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to operate in silos.

We cannot tolerate gaps between policy and execution, or between the ministry and the services. This ministry will be a powerhouse of strategic direction, enabling support, and relentless accountability. We must provide that support for our troops to continue to succeed. They are sacrificing their lives out there in the field—day and night, thunderstorm or windstorm—whatever the situation, to ensure that we, Nigerians, can go to bed and sleep well. We must continue to pray for them. We must continue to provide the necessary support.

Working as a team with other MDAs, Mr. President has made it very clear he will give us all the support we require and demands that we achieve success, which we have promised him. Within the first few weeks, we must show that we are committed: the ministry working inside, the troops working outside.

To translate this philosophy into action, my initial focus will rest on three interconnected pillars: enhancing joint operational strategy synergy. We will immediately begin a rigorous review of all theatre commands and inter-service operations. My door will be open, as always, to the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for frank discussions on equipment, training, welfare, and strategy. Mr. President wants us to present our challenges, with the promise that they will be addressed. So it is left for us to do the needful.
Our goal is to overwhelm the adversaries with seamless jointness, not just cognition.

Welfare and Morale as a Force Multiplier

We all understand the importance of morale to our personnel and staff. We must therefore prioritise the timely provision of all necessary kits, ensure prompt payment of operational allowances, and vigorously address accommodation and medical care for our personnel and their families. Those not injured are watching how we treat the injured. If they are not taken care of properly, they will not give their best, because they will be apprehensive. Especially those who have lost their loved ones—the families want to know what will happen.

It is our responsibility to take care of them. The aspect of actions that impugn their integrity is not acceptable. We must make payments seamless. We must treat them with respect. Anybody who is laying down their life for their country deserves the highest respect, and that is what we offer. I will be very critical about that.

Intelligence-Driven and Technology-Enabled Defence

The Ministry of Defence is the strategic brain of our national defence architecture. We must therefore leverage technology for intelligence, surveillance, and recurring service. We have partners and allies ready to support us. We will reach out to them to work as a team. We will also collaborate with other security agencies. Every Nigerian is vital to the success of Nigeria. We will foster a culture where data and intelligence drive our decisions, not just experience alone. I charge the Ministry to be a catalyst for innovation and efficient resource management.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I expect the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and urgency from all of us. We do not have time to waste. We will continue to hit the ground running. We must respect the human rights of Nigerians. If we make mistakes, we must take necessary action to make amends. I will always encourage candid advice and robust debates. But once a decision is taken, we must move as one united team.

There will be zero tolerance for corruption, indiscipline, or indolence. Our loyalty is to Nigeria and the Nigerian people. The President is the Commander-in-Chief; the bulk stops on his table. We must provide the support required to make Nigeria peaceful.

Shedding of innocent blood is over. Our children should go back to school. Our farmers should go back to their farms. Most of the challenges we face are not military solutions—they are issues of good governance, justice, equity, and fairness, which we will encourage. Both non-kinetic and kinetic solutions must work hand in hand. We cannot afford to fail Nigerians. Charity begins at home; if we have the mindset that we will succeed, we will.

To the Service Chiefs, I offer my full support and expect your utmost cooperation to move the Armed Forces to greater heights. To the Department Secretary and the Civil Service cadre, you are the institutional memory and the framework for our sustainability. I value your expertise and count on your diligence to translate our military objectives into actionable administrative and budgetary policies.

The road ahead is demanding and will be tough. Let us not take it for granted. But because we are Nigerians, we shall overcome. The threats we face are adaptive and complex, but I have absolute faith in the indomitable spirit of our Armed Forces and the capable minds within the Ministry. With the support and prayers we are receiving from all Nigerians, we cannot fail.

In closing, let me once again reaffirm my commitment to lead with fairness, firmness, and loyalty to our Constitution. The President is doing everything possible to ensure our success. We must play our part. The task ahead is enormous, but surmountable. We can win. We will win. The good people of Nigeria are looking up to us for results, and we must deliver immediately. I am not here to preside; I am here to lead, to walk, and to deliver alongside you. I cannot do it alone. I thank you all as I look forward to our detailed work and the tasks ahead.

God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.

— General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd)
Minister of Defence, Federal Republic of Nigeria

News

Malami Breaks Silence On Alleged Terrorism Financing

Published

14 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has broken his silence on allegations linking him to terrorism financing, dismissing the claims as baseless, misleading and politically motivated.

In a statement issued on Friday, Malami said he was compelled to respond after a publication suggested that he and several others had connections to persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers.

Malami described the claims as “unfounded, unfair and contrary to both my record in public office and objective facts.”

The former minister stressed that he had never been accused, invited, interrogated or investigated by any security, law-enforcement or intelligence agency within or outside Nigeria for terrorism financing or any related offence.

He said: “I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency—within or outside Nigeria—in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.”

Malami noted that even the retired military officer cited as the principal source of the publication admitted that he did not accuse Malami or the other individuals of financing terrorism, but merely referenced vague “business” or “institutional” connections allegedly linked to some suspects.

He said the publication misrepresented this clarification and was politically exploited to create damaging insinuations about him.

Malami warned that normal professional or institutional engagements must not be misconstrued as evidence of supporting terrorism.

“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust,” he said.

Highlighting his record, Malami listed several anti–money laundering and counter-terrorism reforms spearheaded during his tenure, including:

Establishment of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) as an independent entity

Enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022

Enactment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022

He noted that improved inter-agency coordination under these laws contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

“During my tenure, I worked to strengthen—not weaken—Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism,” he said.

Malami urged the media to exercise caution when reporting on sensitive national security issues, warning that careless publications can damage reputations and undermine confidence in state institutions.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and Nigeria’s international obligations, adding that he reserves the right to seek redress against any publication that misrepresents his role in the fight against terrorism financing.

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Otuaro Pledges To Expand PAP Scholarship As Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has expressed his unwavering commitment to expanding the PAP scholarship scheme.

The PAP boss made the pledge at a graduation reception for nine students who were awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by PAP in universities in the United Kingdom.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma, said the successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.

According to the statement, they graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.

Otuaro disclosed in the statement that 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.

According to Otuaro, the expansion of the scholarship scheme is aimed at creating more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.

Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.

He said under his administration, 7700 students have been so far deployed for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.

According to him, aince he took over, he has deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.

According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.

The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.

“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”

Otuaro, who congratulated the master’s graduates on their successful graduation, stressed that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.

He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.

“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.