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OPINION: For Tinubu And Sanwo-Olu [Monday Lines 1]

Published

6 months ago

June 9, 2025

By Lasisi Olagunju

“When lions battle, jackals flee.” Isaac Newton wrote that to his bitter rival, Gottfried Leibniz. It was a barbed remark on their feud over who between them invented calculus. The more you read of the mutual respect those two had for each other, the more you wonder why they ended their respective careers in very bitter, reckless animosity; the more you also ponder over the cost of that fight and whether it was worth the troubles.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos are two big men who are not equals. One is the boss, the other the boss’s boy. They are not equals, so, there cannot be a rivalry between them over feats and achievements. But they fight; and it is right here in the open. I’ve heard people demanding to know what they are fighting over. We do not know. Let no one talk about Lagos speakership. The sack of Mudasiru Obasa, which was as abortive as Dimka’s coup of 1976, was just what it was – a symptom; it was a reaction to something; there was an underline cause. What was it?
Sanwo-Olu and his boss are no Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz and so their fight couldn’t be over who takes the priority on a matter designed to help humanity. If there is a delectable Queen Cleopatria somewhere, I would have drawn a parallel between what is unfolding in Lagos and what unfolded between Rome’s Octavian (Augustus Caesar) and Mark Anthony. But there is no seductress in the mix, I will, therefore, not deliver to age what it is no longer capable of tweaking.

So, what did Sanwo-Olu do? Or what did he not do? Both sides are not talking. All we’ve seen was an ungracious rejection of a friendly gesture; the snub of a handshake by the more powerful potentate. We’ve also seen a convenient skip of the junior power where he ought to speak.

Politics is a fast-paced game. You slept yesterday at the war camp and woke up today to news of a ceasefire. But the wise knows that political feuds inflict invisible wounds. They use that to explain why political wounds never heal and wars never end even when you read texts of forgiveness consequent upon atonement for unknown sins and apologies for unstated crimes.

Some people are happy, clinking glasses over the power buffetings in Lagos. They drink to the health of the feud; they wish it greater vigour; they wish its fire is unquenchable. These are people who do not like Lagos and its politics at all and who have been their victims. They see the fight as the elixir that would cleanse the land of all its sins and cure it of its sicknesses. They talk of power and its excesses. They point at Akinwumi Ambode, the man who was brought low so that Sanwo-Olu could ride high. They remember Babatunde Fashola who escaped breathlessly simply because he was like Coca-Cola, more popular and successful than the parent company. They point at a Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos who serially used three deputy governors in a tenure of eight years. If I were the president, I would also look at this unedifying statistics and repack my big and small intestines.

A leader should be very careful on the way he treats his people, particularly, the companions who look up to him. There was an Orangun of Ila who bulldozed his way to power with charms, and then elevated the humiliation of his principal chiefs to an art. An Ila historian wrote that the king’s “humiliating treatment (of the chiefs) reached intolerable proportions when he frowned at seeing the Iwarefa (the kingmakers) in decent attires. When a chief made a new garment, he was obliged to excise the breast and patch it with a rag.” But every reign, no matter how glorious or inglorious, must come to an end. How did it end for that oba? He didn’t die on the throne. His character gave him a fate which made him farmer outside power. Ó fi’gbá ìtóòrò mu’mi nínú oko (he drank water with ìtóòrò melon calabash on the farm). I suggest you read ‘The Orangun Dynasty’, a very rich 1996 book on the history of the Igbomina stock of the Yoruba, authored by Ila Orangun’s very first university graduate, Prince Isaac Adebayo; check pages 40 and 41.

A leader is a masquerade; he must not tear his own veil. When a leader makes and unmakes subordinates, he rends his own cover. “Ènìyàn l’aso mi” is a Yoruba expression which, in English means “people are my clothes; they are my covering.” As a Yoruba proverb, it emphasizes the importance of people in people’s lives. Whatever cloth the masquerade wears is that ‘thing’ that makes the wearer an Egungun. He must protect it because it is his store of power. But my people say power is like medicine; it intoxicates. A researcher adds that “ultimately, the accumulation of power becomes dangerous even to its owners.” Is that why someone saw “a link between mask and menace”?

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So, when we interrogate the use of power by the one we have come to call Lagos, we should always remind him that the costume is the sacred adornment which people see, respect and venerate in the masquerade. For a leader, his principal boys and girls are his costume, they are his cover. He needs them when harmattan comes with its fury. And harmattan will come whenever the masquerade repairs back to the grove when the festival is over, and it will be over.

Even lions, kings of the jungle, place great value on strong bonds within their prides for survival and well-being. There is an old Irving King song on this: “The more we get together/The merrier we’ll be.” That song emphasizes human interconnectedness; the support embedded in community.

Jackals are opportunists, and they are many in this Lagos fight. Newton’s feuding-lion imagery is an evocation of the themes of strength, of hierarchy, and of consequence. It defines the strained relationship of one big expert with the other big man. The other part of his proverb ‘bombs’ the miserable jackals, minions who lurk around the battlefield, who thrive in chaos and on scraps from the feuding powers.

American novelist, Herman Melville, says a thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. We should not live our lives as if we exist only for ourselves. Public ‘spanking’ of a governor for unknown and unsaid sins is petty. A president should have snubbed rebuff as his option of engagement. If I were him, If a ‘boy’ offended me, I would just ‘face front’ and concentrate on delivering the Chinaware I carry unbroken. If your load is a pot of palm oil, avoid stone throwers.

But the president is not pacifist me. He enjoys fighting wars after wars. He is like Sango who desperately desired a fight but found no one to fight. Sango looked round and pounced on the wall and wrestled with it. There was also an Aare Ona Kakanfo who itched for a battle and could get none. He stoked a rebellion at home against himself and by himself violently put it down. Because of this and many more like it, the man was nicknamed Aburúmáku (the wicked one who refuses to die).

Are there no elders again where the feuding feudal lords come from? I read texts calling for propitiation. Why not? Appeasement without reason may look stupid but Napoleon Bonaparte settled it long ago when he said that “in politics stupidity is not a handicap.” Borrowing lines from Ulli Beier, I would say that now that men appear to have failed to stop this war with reason, women should be called upon to come and kill the fire. Our mothers are like Osun, “the wisdom of the forest; the wisdom of the river. Where the doctor failed, she cures with fresh water. Where medicine is impotent, she cures with cool water.”

The first lady should therefore step out, open her Bible (KJV) to Mark 4:39 and read to her husband: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

If she does that, I will be encouraged to give the president two lines from William Shakespeare: “Come, wife, let’s in, and learn to govern better;/ For yet may England curse my wretched reign” (2 Henry VI, IV, ix, 4).

If our president’s reign won’t be cursed for wretchedness, he should prioritise the people’s welfare over serial petty fights with his boys. Nigerians are panting at home and reeling in pains at work; on the road, they groan. They are not entertained at all by presidential beer parlour brawls like Musician Ayinla Omowura’s last fight. You don’t become king and still keep trysts with crickets. No.

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Senate Confirms Ex-CDS Musa As Defence Minister After Five-hour Screening

Published

11 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence following a rigorous five-hour screening by lawmakers.

During the confirmation hearing, Musa faced tough questions on recent security lapses, including the withdrawal of troops from Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, shortly before the abduction of schoolgirls on November 17.

The incident sparked national outrage.

Musa assured the Senate that he would immediately set up a full-scale investigation into the troop withdrawal once he assumes office.

He also vowed to probe the recent killing of a brigade commander in Borno State, Brigadier General Musa Uba, and other attacks targeting military officers.

He said, “It is very unfortunate and really painful. I want to assure Nigerians that we will not stand by and have terrorists have the capacity to do such.

“We are going to go after them fully, working together with all the security agencies and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (of government). We are going to investigate fully.

“The Armed Forces have a way, and then from the defence, we are going to make sure that we continue with the oversight over their activities.”

The nominee highlighted gaps within the armed forces and called for enhanced funding, strengthened community engagement, and coordinated inter-agency operations.

He also emphasised the need to protect schools through the Safe Schools Initiative and a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and banditry.

The screening session saw moments of tension in the chamber.

Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) suggested Musa be allowed to “take a bow and go,” prompting protests from lawmakers, including Senator Garba Maidoki (PDP, Kebbi South).

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, intervened, urging a thorough screening and noting that Nigerians and the international community were closely watching the process.

Musa, nominated on Tuesday by President Bola Tinubu following the resignation of Defence Minister, Badaru Mohammed, on health grounds, pledged to prioritise the protection of lives and national territory.

“I pledge to do my best to ensure that Nigeria is secure and safe.

“We need the support of everyone, every Nigerian, working together as a team, because it’s going to be a team effort.

“The enemies we are dealing with are evil forces that don’t mean well for this country and have no respect for human lives… If we don’t work together, we will allow them to perpetrate the evil acts they have been doing,” he said.

His confirmation comes amid heightened concerns over nationwide kidnappings, insurgency and mass abductions.

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NUC Gets €3m Loan To Start ICT Projects In Varsities

Published

12 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

This initiative, known as the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project, aims to upgrade digital infrastructure, strengthen ICT capabilities, and promote digital literacy in these institutions.

The National Universities Commission says it has received €3m as the first tranche of the $40 million loan secured from the French Development Agency to support Information, Communication and Technology projects in 10 selected universities across the country.

Executive Secretary of the commission, Abdullahi Ribadu, announced this during the inaugural meeting of the 13th NUC Board on Wednesday at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Ribadu noted that since he assumed office about a year ago, the commission has pushed forward initiatives centred on research, entrepreneurship, digital transformation and skills development across Nigerian universities.

“We have secured $40 million loan from the French Development Agency for the ICT Blueprint Project in 10 selected universities. We have strengthened – only yesterday, the director confirmed to me that the first tranche of €3m has been deposited in our CBN account to kick-start the process.

“We have strengthened internal financial management, expanded access to university education through the licensing of new private universities, and approved new programmes and units.

“We have also supported the take-off of publicly funded universities, expanded open and distance learning centres, and continued system-wide quality assurance exercises. Currently, the 2025 Accreditation Exercise is ongoing.

“These priorities continue to form the foundation of the Commission’s direction, and I am seeking your support in advancing them,” he said.

Ribadu assured the board of the commission’s full cooperation, saying the management stands ready to draw from the members’ expertise.

“We will rely on your wisdom to guide us as we carry out our duties. I am confident that your collective experience will strengthen the commission’s capacity to guide the Nigerian university system at a time when higher education continues to evolve.

“We also look forward to using your networks to help advance projects and partnerships that will benefit the Commission and the entire university system,” he added.

On his part, Chairman of the 13th NUC Board, Emeritus Professor Oluremi Aina, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his sustained support for the university sector.

He said the board is assuming its mandate at a time of transition for higher education, with global standards rising and expectations increasing.

Aina outlined five central pillars that will guide the Board’s work, covering performance evaluation, improved university rankings, digital literacy, research and institutional reforms.

He said, “As we settle into this assignment, but permit me to present what I call five pillars that I believe will help guide our stewardship. One, evaluation of NUC performance.

“We must examine in detail the Act that buffered and laid the foundation for the NUC. We also need to be conversant with the various amendments to the act, its vision and mission, guiding principles and ethics.

“Then we must study the commission’s operational challenges and landmark achievements. Going forward, we should compare ourselves against global standards, not sentiments, not history, and where we fall short, how we fall short, and why we must adjust boldly. Two, aligning with the renewed hope agenda of the present administration, the president has made education a pillar of national rebirth with the establishment of the fund and other initiatives.

“The signal sent to the world is that Nigeria is ready to reset and rebuild. Through our assignment, we must lead other key stakeholders in the higher education sector. In pragmatically resolving the naughty and nagging agitation of the academic staff union and other university unions.

“Advancements must also be made to enhance digital literacy and especially the use of artificial intelligence, AI, as tools to strategically reposition the universities nationally and internationally. Overall, it will also be a priority for the 13th board to work with the management for radical improvements in both the global and webometric ranking of our universities.”

He added, “Three, identifying and dismantling obstacles to university quality. Governance deficiencies, fund constraints, research stagnation, et cetera, must no longer be accepted as normal. Our duty is to reform and make progress, not to manage decline.

“Four, reviewing existing funding and exploring new channels for sustainable funding. Nigerian universities cannot thrive on ingenuity alone. The board must intensify the research for alternative funding sources. Strengthen utilisation and explore emerging and local opportunities.

“And five, investing in the welfare and capacity of NUC staff and regulatory infrastructure. The system cannot overperform its operators. Credible accreditation and monitoring require strengthened conditions of service and protected regulatory independence.”

Aina added that the board would fully leverage technology in its operations.

“We will seek to leverage technology to ease our burden through the adoption of digital platforms for the advancement of our collective objectives. And I have a charge for the board.

“This board, in whom I am well-pleased, carries with it the weight of expectations and aspirations of the Nigerian people,” he said.

Earlier this year, the French Development Agency provided a €38 million credit facility to the National Universities Commission to support the digital transformation of 10 federal universities in Nigeria.

This initiative, known as the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project, aims to upgrade digital infrastructure, strengthen ICT capabilities, and promote digital literacy in these institutions.

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Satguru Maharaj Pledges To Facilitates Kanu Release If…

Published

12 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The founder of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj Ji, has vowed to get the incarcerated leader of the proscribed Igbo group, Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, released if the Biafra radio and sit-at-home order are stopped.

Maharaj Ji stated this while speaking in an interview granted to his temple’s in-house radio on Wednesday.

According to him, the IPOB leader was culpable of the terrorism charges levelled against him, and anyone guilty is liable to a death sentence.

He said, “We are, however, grateful that the matter has been put on hold in the sense that, by the accusations, it is always going to be death, looking at the level of crimes attached to him, with the way and manner the constitution is written. Anybody who is accused of doing such a thing (terrorism) is sentenced to death. It is only out of grace that Kanu was able to escape.

“So now it has to be by political settlement before he (Kanu) can be released, and it will be addressed in so many ways. For anyone advocating for his pardon, they have to take positive steps. In other words, they must not do so with empty hands; they should stop the Biafra radio wherever it is. Secondly, the sit-at-home order should be stopped, and the judgment should be accepted while the Igbo elders go behind the scenes to analyse and explain to the President.

“Today, the Igbos have been brought to the central realms of politics by Tinubu. And the Northern caliphate is not happy about it. They are not excited about the commission they were given…They should stop the propaganda that the East is about to be Islamised. When those are done, I know how to watch it out, Kanu will come out. I will help facilitate his release.“

The cleric joined the likes of Abia State governor, Alex Otti, activist Omoyele Sowore, and other South-East leaders to intensify efforts to secure the release of detained Kanu through a political arrangement, assuring residents of the region that “all hope is not lost.”

On Tuesday, Otti met Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, after visiting Kanu in the Sokoto prison facility, where the IPOB leader is serving his sentence.

Otti’s meeting with the President is believed to be part of ongoing engagements aimed at securing the release of the detained Kanu.

Recall that Kanu bagged a life sentence instead of the death penalty after the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, handed down the sentence on counts one, two, four, five, and six.

The judge also handed Kanu a 20-year jail term on count three, with no option of fine, and a five-year jail term on count seven, with no option of fine.

Justice Omotosho delivered the judgment after convicting Kanu on all seven counts of terrorism offences.