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OPINION: Escaping From Nigeria

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2025

By Lasisi Olagunju

When Christopher Columbus met the Tanio people in today’s Bahamas in 1492, he handed them a sword, they grasped it by the blade and had their fingers cut. To Columbus, that was enough proof that the Tanios lacked the right education and knowledge and therefore could be easily conquered.

Columbus wrote of that experience: “They brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks’ bells. They willingly traded everything they owned…They were well built, with good bodies and handsome features…They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane…They would make fine servants…With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

Before Columbus came with his sword, these people quietly ruled their world across present-day Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands. A large part of what we call the Caribbean today was their turf. They were a very good people in character and carriage. Their name, ‘Taíno’ itself means ‘good and noble.’ They made their modest contributions to the world of knowledge and, especially, to language. To English Language they donated the words ‘hammock,’ ‘canoe,’ ‘barbecue,’ ‘tobacco,’ and ‘hurricane’. There may be more.

They had their art and science. History and historians tell us that these people cultivated corn and yams, shaped fine brown pottery, spun cotton into thread, and crafted slender darts tipped with fish teeth and wood, deft weapons with which they defended their peaceful islands against their fierce, hostile neighbours, the Caribs, whose name endures in the Caribbean Sea. Robert M. Poole, a former editor of National Geographic and author of ‘Explorers House’ describes them as an “inventive people who learned to strain cyanide from life-giving yuca, developed pepper gas for warfare, devised an extensive pharmacopeia from nature, built oceangoing canoes large enough for more than 100 paddlers and played games with a ball made of rubber.” Yet, Columbus, the explorer and navigator from Europe, said they were ignorant, backward and weak and should be cheap food for the maggot of his sword. And that was because their knowledge was stale, their skills outdated.

Columbus visited on the Taíno not only the violence of the sword. His party also gave them slavery, diseases and other fatal afflictions beyond their knowledge and capacity to manage. They were so overwhelmed such that by the year 1550, just fifty-eight years after they encountered Columbus, the race was deemed extinct.

History teaches that those who fail to master the tools of their age become victims of it. What Columbus noticed and exploited was not total ignorance but tech and knowledge gaps; what he met were a good people, “inventive” but unfamiliar with iron and steel, the technology that defined power in that age of colonialism and conquest, of exploration and subjugation. Read ‘The American West: A New Interpretive History’ by Robert Hine and John Faragher. You may also read ‘Who Were the Taíno, the Original Inhabitants of Columbus’ Island Colonies?’ by Robert M. Poole in the October 2011 issue of the Smithsonian magazine. But as you read those texts and many more, think of our today and the Columbus in our lives.

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The weapon of power of this era is not steel but digital technology. Those who embrace it rule the world; those who don’t are ruled by it. The lesson from history is unmistakable: innovation ecosystems are not born, they are built to dominate. United States’ richest state is California. Its tech sector in 2024 generated $542.5 billion in direct economic impact. Check the history of its Silicon Valley, the role played in its rise by Stanford University, by the US military, the government and the organised private sector. If you read Christophe Lécuyer’s ‘Making Silicon Valley’ and J. A. Estruth in ‘A New Utopia: A Political History of the Silicon Valley, 1945 to 1995’, you would find that revolutions rarely begin by accident.

Here, while our village head keeps vigil over his guards, he leaves the children of the village unguarded. Millions are out of school; millions more who are in school are under-taught and under-trained because their teachers are hungry. Millions who managed to graduate are out there wondering what next. And they are all in the 21st century with the Columbuses of this age actively swording and enslaving them.

Nigeria routinely happens to its young. What does that mean? It is a shorthand for broken optimism. In the Yoruba cultural ecosystem, it is the world (aye), in its cosmic wickedness, at work. It is to say that the country’s realities have thrown their crushing weight at youthful hope and ambition. So, how will the victim of Nigeria escape Nigeria? There is only one escape route for the afflicted: make the appropriate sacrifices. And what are the votive offerings, items of appeasement: education, skills, jobs and character.

A lawyer and public affairs commentator, Eseroghene Mudiaga-Erhueh gave an offering in an edition of The Guardian last week. In beautiful, elegant prose, she cast a long look at what Nigeria has made of its young and declared that “today’s young Nigerian has two clear career paths: work legally and stay broke, or bend the rules and cash out.” It is a deep reflection on what life is for the youth of Nigeria – even for the not-so-young. The option that pays well and is profitable is the one that wears the jersey of crime.

“So true”, I told a Nigerian senator who shared the article with me. The writer was right; we can see it. The bird that won’t cut corners in Nigeria is the flightless creature outside, in the rain, drenched and hungry. The senator, in his response to the lawyer’s lamentation said it was “the Nigerian situation brilliantly encapsulated.” He was right.

In ‘The Problem of Poverty’ published in the November 1904 edition of the American Journal of Sociology, the author, Emil Münsterberg, German politician and jurist, tells us that it is in the nature of man to struggle against poverty and want. A man made poor by society, he says, “will either beg the means of subsistence from his fellows, or, if this fails, he will resort to fraud or force in his efforts to obtain it.” That is the dilemma of the law. Yahoo yahoo is a southern Nigerian affliction; youths who do it are, without shame, supported by their parents. The youths of the north who are not into begging (almajiri) are divided between banditry/mass kidnapping and commercial terrorism. The law has been unable to exercise its preventive powers over these crimes and the criminals. Prosecution has not worked, penalties have failed. And you ask why? “The history of poverty furnishes numerous proofs of the fact that the instinct of self-preservation is under all circumstances stronger than the fear of penalty.” That is Emil Münsterberg again. He says steps must be taken to anticipate the poor man’s instinctive action “by voluntarily supplying (him) with the means of satisfying his natural wants.” The society will be in self-deception if it thinks punishment is enough deterrence for crimes caused by deprivation.

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The bird of Nigeria sits on a tight rope. We can change service chiefs like diapers; we can employ marabouts to conjure peace and electoral victories. We can gag the bell and break the coconut of power on the head of the parrot. Nothing will work as long as poverty continues to pass seamlessly from parents to children, locking generations and generations in a continuous loop of deprivation.

Why are children born into poverty more likely to remain poor as adults? A Yoruba saying answers this sad, tragic question: Ìsé kìí mú oko l’áya k’ó má ran omo (poverty cannot afflict husband and wife and spare their children). I read a little of a 2024 book, ‘The Escape from Poverty’. The authors interrogate inter-generational perpetuation of poverty (IGPP) and its close correlation with child poverty and inequality. They conclude that “combating child poverty is key to ending inter-generational perpetuation of poverty, (and) ending inter-generational perpetuation of poverty is essential to reducing child poverty.” It is a cycle, and it is vicious. For us to have peace, it must be broken; but what does it take to break a cycle? James Clear, author of New York Times bestseller, ‘Atomic Habits’, says it only takes five minutes to break a cycle. The Gordian knot was proving difficult for Alexander the Great to untangle; he sliced it with his sword. The authors of ‘The Escape from Poverty’ list having or not having education as a key factor in determining whether a child will grow poor or not poor. They argue that breaking poverty cycles is not only a technical question but also a political one. Breaking the cycle of poverty in Nigeria requires more than slogans of renewed or recycled hopes, or doling out temporary relief measures; it demands deliberate investment in the transformative power of education, particularly digital education and skills acquisition.

We have history to guide us. In 1955, Western Nigeria dazed Nigeria with free primary education, the success of that leap created a super people. Other regions saw it, scrambled and copied it. In 2025, Nigeria fumbles with the matchbox; lighting the torch again has become one of the 12 impossible tasks assigned to Hercules.

Nigeria may be a bumbling behemoth but every cloud has a silver lining. I was at an Odu’a Investment Foundation’s digital education event organised for South Western Nigeria’s school children last Friday. Students from secondary schools from all parts of the South West, trained by the foundation, competed in a show of digital skills. They called it the Byte Busters club coding showcase. Restless Professor Seun Kolade of UK’s Sheffield Business School is the project director. In one short year, teenagers who once barely knew how to use a mouse displayed what the intervention empowered them to build: apps and AI tools, quiz platforms, CCTV and virtual school tours. I saw the Yoruba kitting their youths for a digital escape from the ravages of Nigeria and its suffocation. I saw problem-solving in structured, locally grounded ways. It is a quiet revolution. I saw nimble fingers ready to code their way out of the country’s frustrations. It was an eye opener.

“We are raising a generation of tech leaders…We are defining the future. We should have our own silicon valley in the South West; we have the talent,” chairman of the foundation’s advisory council, Ambassador Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu said as she marvelled at the genius showcased by the school teens plus the self-confidence they exuded. Her father did it in 1955; she is doing it in 2025.

Why do we need education at all? After all, people become presidents, governors and ministers without certificates. There have been so many sermons about teaching your children so that he will give you peace. So what will happen if a nation refuses to teach their children? They will become bandits and Yahoo boys and girls and their governors and senators will have no village or hometown to retire to; they will become homeless at home. Their country will tell horror stories like what our National Human Rights Commission announced four months ago: “At least 2,266 people were killed (by bandits and insurgents) in the first half of 2025, compared to 1,083 in the first half of 2024 and 2,194 for the full year last year.”

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The way to peace and prosperity is to build new ladders of opportunity for those historically left behind. The right education for our time must “teach the hand to work right, the head to think well, and the heart to choose rightly.” I do not know who to credit those words to. What I know, and sure of, is that from software development to remote service provision, the global demand for technology-enabled work grows daily. It should not be too difficult for Nigeria to know that a well-trained Nigerian youth population will compete and thrive beyond traditional boundaries; they will give the country peace of mind.

It is difficult to put a full stop to this without stressing that if children must be freed from the chains of penury that bind their parents, they must have the skills that sell today. The country will fall to the sharp edges of Columbus’s sword unless our home suckles success and kills failure. If nurtured through the keyboards, curiosity, and creativity of the Nigerian young, digital education will do for Nigeria what Silicon Valley did for California, a transformation of economy, of identity, of community, and of national purpose.

At the Ibadan event, I listened to retired Methodist Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu saying it his own episcopal way. Goats are curious because they were taught curiosity by their parents, Bishop Ladigbolu told his audience. He adds that what ram taught his own children makes them competent in locking horns (“èkó tí àgbò fi kó omo rè ní í fi í nkàn”). The education and skills which kittens got from their parent are what prepared and empowered them to jump walls (“èkó tí ológìnní fi kó omo rè ní í fi nf’ògiri”). The bishop dropped those deep Yoruba ancestral nuggets and added one more counsel: “K’á wo nkan re fi kó’mo wa…” (let us nurture our kids with noble skills). If you are wise, for this era, you would make the garment fit for this era. “Aso ìgbà ni àá dá fún’gbà.” The bishop was right. What kind of home sews loincloths, or even, nakedness for harmattan? That is what Nigeria has been doing for its youths. If this country won’t flow into extinction, it must redirect the course of its waters away from the desert.

“Àbá níí d’òótó, ojo kìí jé ká le ga.” The bishop again. And what does that mean? An attempt at translation here: Proposals are what lead to results; cowardice stunts. It is already getting late. Columbus wanted trade and its profits from the spice and silk of Asia. With his blade adequately whetted, he set out for his ambition in August 1492, he had more than Asia’s spice and silk. He got America’s federal capital named after him; he also had what has come to be known as ‘the new world.’ The explorer was successful because he had the requisite education; knowledge of Geography was his ‘digital’ skill. His life is a proof that with determination and the right education, it is possible to break any vicious cycle – and conquer the world. I enjoyed what Odu’a Investment Foundation showcased in Ibadan last week. Results come from attempts, the hesitant rarely grows.

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

Published

12 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

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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

24 hours 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.