News

[OPINION] Islam: Beyond terrorism and Boko Haram [Monday Lines 1]

Published

10 months ago

January 20, 2025

By Lasisi Olagunju

The United Arab Emirates has just held its Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Our president was there. A part of that event was the World Future Energy Summit which ended on Thursday last week. Saudi Arabia is holding a Smart City and Infrastructure Expo in September this year. It held one last year. When Muslim countries do things as these, they advertise Islam in the very best form. They make Islam attractive and beautiful.

Like Saudi Arabia, we have Islam here in abundance but we lack the sanity and prosperity of Saudi Arabia. Like the Western World, we have Christianity but the technological fruit of that faith eludes us. Saudi Arabia is busy building smart cities. It is working on NEOM, a $1.5 trillion digital city that is designed to make Dubai an ancient experience. The name NEOM is a blend of the Greek ‘neo’ (new) and the ‘M’ in the Arabic ‘Mustaqbal’ (future). The anglicized NEOM means ‘New Future’. The name tells the fecundity of the minds that conceived the idea. Saudi is building another wonder called Riyadh Smart City; and a third one christened Jedda Economic City. All these are being programmed to run on the most modern of science and tech ideas. To them, book is not haram; it is tonic that gives life. While they talk of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence; we loot and burn libraries here; we break bones over who becomes an oba or an emir and who should not – in a democratic republic.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are monarchies, yet they are modern in ways that challenge and shame our democracy. The Arabs use religion to make for themselves everything that makes the future a better experience than what today offers. Here in Nigeria, we pray for miracles. Life expectancy “refers to the number of years a person can expect to live.” The Vatican City has been the Centre of Christianity since the 4th century. Life expectancy in that city in 2024 was 84.16 years; in Saudi Arabia, it was 75.83 years; in UAE, it was 78.60. There is another Arab country called Qatar; life expectancy there in 2024 was 80.88 years. Like the Vatican City, Nigeria has Christianity in great abundance, just as it has a surplus of Islam like the Arab countries; yet, the number of years a person could expect to live in Nigeria in 2024 did not exceed 62.2 years.

Our president was at the UAE event. He must have seen the Muslim Arab country using 21st century brains to power its leap into the future. The rich who rode Rolls Royce there last year still ride their wonder on wheels. There are no fears of a government policy that will reduce them to jalopy drivers this year. The state won’t also fleece the poor to feed the rich. That country and others in its league leverage the best in technology to create hubs of innovative solutions to existential issues. Saudi streets are clean; its people are happy and resourceful. Yet, it is not a democracy and has no plan to be one. The UAE has the iconic Dubai as its poster of excellence. The country does not waste its time voting the worst to rule the best. Both countries are Islamic countries, but they do not breed Almajirai, Boko Haram and other variants of extremism that make lepers of their region and religion.

We cannot become those countries until we have blind laws that recognize no class, no ethnicity. We need schools, not temples of miracles. Saudi is a praying nation like us. Unlike us, Saudi Arabia does not insult God with laid-back demands. Saudi Arabia’s top universities are world class. Check their ranking; check ours. Everything that makes a nation fail itself is here. What we have here can only breed enlightened ignorance and unremitting want.

Saudi Arabia is attracting the best brains from all over the world to its universities. And the universities are not there as mere salary-paying loss centres. They are at the forefront of the country’s agenda for its emerging quantum revolution. What do we have in Nigeria.

At the last convocation of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, the institution’s pro-chancellor, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, delivered a withering verdict on the state of the Nigerian ivory tower. He said “the Nigerian university system has been replaced with ‘indigenized’ and ‘villagized’ universities. The hitherto national and international character of the system has been replaced with inbreeding. The staff profiles of federal and state universities – academic and non-teaching – reveal a shocking practice of father, mother, brothers, sisters and children working in the same system. Family dynasty has replaced the merit system.” Damn!

I connect very well with what Professor Oyeweso said. As an undergraduate, we had teachers from all over the world. There were foreign students just as children of the rich and the poor shared seats in lecture rooms. My university classroom experience was a lesson in classlessness. I shared the same class with an Akinrinade in an era when General Alani Akinrinade was one of the biggest names in the country. There was a Soyinka in my class. Governor Oladayo Popoola’s law-student daughter offered some courses that I also wrote in the same class. Yet, our Tigris and Euphrates flowed their courses in amity. The class that existed was the class of learning.

Today, when we tell our 1980s stories and the ones our fathers told us of the 1950s and 1960s, they mean very little – or naked nothing, to our children who have had zero positive contact with the Nigerian state. The mix of experience and status we enjoyed is missing today. Decay in public schools has driven the privileged abroad, or to private schools. The height of parents now determine how high the children can fly. Those stuck in public schools are daily plotting their escape. We cannot be well without casting down our castles of decay.

Despite their advancement in everything, the Arab world is still combing the world for more knowledge. Even our unusual country has been a destination for them. A delegation of the Association of Arab Universities was at the Arabic and Islamic Centre, Markaz, Agege, Lagos last week. Reports said they inspected the impressive digital technology and language laboratory, ICT Centre of the school. Why were they here? If you asked them, they would tell you that seeking knowledge anywhere is an obligation in their religion.

The black man wasted all the centuries of the past. We’ve wasted a quarter of the current century. The Renaissance of the 14th century influenced the Reformation of the 16th century. Both were the shock treatment that jolted the West out of its illiteracy and general backwardness. We need local versions of those two experiences to force a change here. We do not have the time.

A tiny country called UAE built adorable Dubai from a desert fishing village. Our president was there. We wait for the fruits of that visit. Saudi Arabia is using the fruits of Islam to build smart cities. We flock there for worship, business and leisure. Countries that emerged from the rubble of imperial Rome used Christianity to build the Western economies that continue to water our world. Here, we are using religion to cheat, to kill and plunder and cause confusion. The science that made Saudi and Dubai possible is sin to some mis-taught people. Our aspiration is not to gain the success of Saudi; we cannot build Dubai; we are far from where the West is, but we love the beauty of those places. And we strip our place here bare so that we can go there. Who really are we?

News

Parents Accuse FG Of Neglect As BEA Scholars Go Hungry Abroad

Published

7 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The Forum of Parents and Guardians of Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholars has issued a distress call to the Federal Government following what they describe as three years of systemic neglect of Nigerian students studying abroad under the BEA scholarship programme.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the group narrated harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation, they say, has now resulted in the death of a scholar in Morocco, with fears that more tragedies may occur.

This incident has sparked anger and renewed calls for urgent intervention.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the affected group shared harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation has escalated to the point where a scholar has lost their life in Morocco, raising fears of further tragedies.

The group revealed that the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) has consistently failed to pay scholars their full entitlements for three consecutive years.

In the current year, no stipend payments have been made to any BEA scholar since the beginning of the year.

Furthermore, in 2024, the monthly allowance was reduced from the stipulated $500 to $220, leaving students unable to secure accommodation, food, medical care, or basic utilities.

In 2023, scholars faced a two-month payment gap and an additional four months of arrears that remain unresolved.

The crisis reached a breaking point when Bashir Malami, a Nigerian BEA scholar in Morocco, passed away on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Malami’s death was attributed to his inability to access timely medical treatment due to the lack of funds.

The parents’ protest at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja yesterday highlighted the dire situation.

No reform can succeed if integrity is compromised, Tinubu tells Judges
They expressed their concerns about their children being “hungry, homeless, depressed, and slipping into medical crises.”

Many students are also facing challenges in obtaining visas and residency due to their inability to meet the financial requirements of their host countries.

Abang Matthew, representing the Parents’ Forum, expressed deep sorrow over the recent loss of their children, emphasising that their death was preventable. He attributed this tragedy to the government’s failure to provide adequate support to the scholars who were sent abroad.

The Parents’ Forum has come to the attention of many other scholars who are grappling with deteriorating mental and physical health. Simultaneously, parents in Nigeria are facing immense financial difficulties, resorting to borrowing, selling assets, and drowning in debt to support their children’s education abroad.

Over the past year, the Parents’ Forum said it has made repeated efforts to reach out to relevant authorities, including the Federal Scholarship Board, Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, National Assembly, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Despite these efforts, they alleged that they have not received any concrete response, even as the crisis continues to escalate.

In response to this urgent situation, the Parents’ Forum called on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly to take immediate action.

Their demands include the immediate release of all outstanding scholarship arrears, which amount to over 16 months unpaid.

Additionally, they seek the restoration of the original $500 monthly stipend as outlined in the award letters and signed agreements, as well as the establishment of a predictable and transparent payment framework to prevent future administrative delays.

The parents believe that the plight of BEA scholars is a national embarrassment and poses a significant risk to Nigeria’s future. They express concern that this situation could result in the loss of some of the country’s most talented young professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering, agriculture, diplomacy, and technology.

The Forum has gone beyond the press briefing and has also submitted a formal letter to the Honourable Minister of Finance, requesting urgent action to release funds to the Ministry of Education. These funds will then be used to make the necessary payments to the affected scholars.

The extended non-payment of scholarship stipends is not unrelated to the cash crunch plaguing the Federal Government, which has been conveniently overlooked in official quarters amidst the lean budget allocated to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government.

News

Electricity Workers Threatens Shutdown Over Staff Brutality

Published

7 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened a nationwide shutdown following an alleged attack on staff of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Imo State.

In a statement issued by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, the union said the action became necessary after workers on duty at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation were allegedly beaten, held hostage at gunpoint, and some abducted by armed police officers said to be acting on the orders of the state government.

According to the union, the police officers forcefully entered the control rooms, vandalised equipment and disrupted operations. Workers were reportedly held at gunpoint, assaulted, and taken to an undisclosed location.

The union said it has already directed its members to halt power supply operations in Imo State until further notice.

It further warned that it would withdraw services nationwide unless authorities took immediate action to guarantee the safety and protection of electricity workers across the country.

The statement read: “NUEE expresses deep shock and outrage over the level of gangsterism and unprofessional conduct displayed today by police officers acting on behalf of Imo State government.

“These officers forcibly invaded and vandalised the control rooms at Egbu 132/33KV Transmission Substation in an attempt to compel operators to grant an illegal outage.

“During the invasion, the officers allegedly disconnected power at gunpoint and held all staff on duty hostage, forcing them to open breakers under duress.

“They further unleashed violence on our members, beating, molesting and assaulting every staff member in sight. Personal belongings, including phones, laptops, and vehicles, were destroyed, while CCTV cameras were also vandalised.

“The police officers executed this brutal and barbaric assault on innocent workers and abducted them to an undisclosed location.

“NUEE strongly condemns this reprehensible act and demands the immediate release of our abducted members. We also call for a formal undertaking from TCN management, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Inspector General of Police to ensure the protection of our members.

“Additionally, we demand the immediate replacement of all staff property damaged or taken away, and insist that all assaulted workers be provided with full medical attention.

“Consequently, NUEE directs all members to stay away from the office until further notice, as we cannot continue to work under conditions of brutality, intimidation, and threats to life. Work can only resume when the safety of staff and property is fully guaranteed.

“Failure to address these issues promptly will leave the union with no alternative but to withdraw our services nationwide until adequate safety and protection are secured at all workplaces.”

News

Lecturers Threaten Fresh Showdown Over FG’s Unfulfilled Agreements

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

University lecturers have cautioned that a fresh confrontation with the Federal Government may be unavoidable, citing unfulfilled agreements and what they described as a continued lack of genuine commitment during negotiations.

The Abuja Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Adam Al-Amin Abdullahi, stated this while speaking with the press in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Chairman of ASUU at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, said the union was compelled to brief Nigerians because the issues at the heart of our struggle remain far from resolved.”

He recalled that ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) had considered the government’s proposals on 21 October 2025 and accepted them in good faith, despite their being extremely inadequate.

According to him, the decision to suspend the two-week strike on 22 October was taken out of respect for our students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and other well-meaning Nigerians.

“Nearly four weeks later, it is obvious that the Federal Government has not used the goodwill period effectively. The measures taken so far are inadequate and nowhere near addressing the fundamental issues. There is simply no sense of urgency.

“We believe that the best way to revitalise public universities is through sincere negotiation rather than propaganda. However, when agreements are broken, payments are withheld, or deception is employed in place of interaction, the Union has a moral and constitutional obligation to defend public education and safeguard its members.

“ASUU will not think twice about using every lawful tool at its disposal if the government continues to trivialise challenges that undermine the existence of public universities. In conclusion, we implore all Nigerians to persuade the government to take the necessary steps right away in order to prevent another preventable industrial crisis.

“The future of Nigeria’s public universities, as well as the future of our students, cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity. indifference, and political grandstanding,” he said.

A key area of contention, he stated, remains the issue of salaries and working conditions.

Ugoh noted that the government’s proposed adjustments were merely tokenistic, insisting they were insufficient to halt the ongoing exodus of academics. “These proposals cannot restore honour to the profession, nor can they keep our best minds in the system,” he said.

He acknowledged some recent actions by the government, including the release of certain third-party deductions and partial payment of long-outstanding promotion arrears. Still, he dismissed them as confidence-building measures rather than concrete steps toward resolving the core issues.

According to him, government officials continue to exaggerate these minor moves as major achievements, adding that financial data shows both federal and state revenues have grown significantly in recent years, contradicting claims of limited resources.

The union maintained that several critical matters remain unresolved, including full renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the release of withheld salaries for three and a half months, and the payment of outstanding wage awards and unremitted deductions.

“It is unfortunate that the Honourable Minister of Education has repeatedly made untrue public claims suggesting these issues have been resolved. Only a small fraction of what is owed has been released.”

“The combination of unpaid awards, withheld salaries, and chronic underfunding is crippling the university system. Students are suffering through prolonged calendars and disrupted learning. Lecturers are demoralised, and the quality of teaching and research is sinking.”

The Abuja Zone appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations, the National Assembly, and traditional rulers to demand transparency and accountability in the management of education resources. “Nigerians must reject false information and insist on verifiable evidence. This struggle is about the survival of public universities.”

While emphasising the union’s preference for dialogue, Ugoh cautioned that ASUU would not hesitate to act if necessary, urging Nigerians to pressure the government to act swiftly to avoid another avoidable crisis. “The future of our students and the stability of our universities cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity and political grandstanding.”