News

OPINION: Nigeria Does Not Need A Nationwide Protest Now

Published

1 year ago

July 29, 2024

By Dennis Otuaro

Peaceful demonstrations to convey felt needs are rights enshrined in our nation’s constitution, which also highlights ways and means by which such rights and dissents are disposed.

But are protests and demonstrations necessary at the time our national ecosystem is recovering from a grievous pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the great depression? I profoundly, with all sense of responsibility, do not think so.

In the apparently challenging circumstances this nation finds itself as it tackles headlong the triggers left unattended to in its 25 years of democratic practices, you would agree with me, that it is only germane that the present structural reforms put in place by the federal government, together with its many cushioning interventions are just the only way to get this nation out of the wood.

When the mandate to govern this nation was given to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you could recall he took it as a honor of a lifetime to serve in that capacity and immediately went to work to rebuild this county. We have as a result seen historic progress made in the area of clearing $16b about (18%) from the nations external debt, added $4b to the nations external reserves, cleared all forests backlogs owed to foreign airline operators, started the path to full local government autonomy to bring decision making closer to the people, the most essential victory of which was got at the Supreme Court, students loan to federal and state universities, and reliefs emergencies in liquidity and palliatives sent through the subnational governments in line with the federation principles.

Closing these yawning gaps together with the emergencies declared on oil and gas sectors where this government continues to bear the cost of variations in the unsteady fluctuations in the price of crude and its refined components, are critical to address balance of trade deficits, low manufacturing and production, producing to meet domestic demands, and decentralised aggregation and production network of small medium enterprises, which could mean the nation would earn forex and tax to pay back FG loans to meet capital and recurrent expenditures.

Given these strides and the almost visible signs of turning from the headwinds, I consider that the present attempt by the conveners of the August 1st protest to want to go ahead with their planned protest would be premature, counter productive, distractive and disuasive

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that there are persons who when they look at Nigeria in its present path to economic recovery, what they see is carnage, despair and darkness. They spread fears and lies for profit and power. They daily pray that this government fail to justify their misplaced idiosyncrasies and the concomitant effect is the avoidable gaps where they take advantage of the short term difficulties to create artificial scarcity, price gouging, food and double digit inflation. They only seek to use our people to fund their plot having failed in previous successive attempt to destabilise the federal government.

There is the hope however that governmental interventions would slice through the double digit and food inflation and provide more abundant life for the teeming number of our citizenry.

Be that as it may, We can’t soon forget how previous unhealthy demonstrations were hijacked and used to perpetrate unrest, properties worth billions of naira were destroyed, prison breaks became normative and very dangerous criminals were let back into society who soon became rapists, car jackers, kidnappers and killers. They foist back on society the very issues the present protest hope to achieve.

It is in this regard that I use this medium, as the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to appeal to all ex-agitators not to be part of any protests, and not to allow themselves to be used to settle political scores or be used to unleash destruction of government infrastructure.

In closing, I remember the words of the third century Greek philosopher Sextus Empiricus who said, “The mills of God grinds slow, but they grind exceedingly sure.”

Taken from this, Let me say no radical surgery to remove a malignant tumor is pleasant ab initio, but once it is removed, it automatically impacts the quality of life of the index case.

This should provide a renewed source of hope for us as we look forward to a greater, bigger, and better Nigeria

Dr Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme writes from Abuja

News

Edo SWAN Distances Self From Online Publication Against Enabulele

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

Editor

…demands retraction, warns member against unverified publication

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Edo State Chapter, has distanced itself from an online publication titled: ‘Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Shut Against Stephen Keshi.’

A statement signed by the Secretary of the association, Comrade Idahosa Moses, Edo SWAN said neither was it consulted nor involved in the “framing of the narrative presented by the online publication.”

Edo SWAN described the publication as misleading, sensational and grossly lacking in factual balance.

The statement partly reads: “SWAN finds the report inconsistent with the ethical standards and core values of the journalism profession.

“While Edo SWAN recognises and respects the sentiments expressed by Mr. Austin Popo, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Stephen Keshi Football and Vocational Training Centre (SKFTVC), concerning the challenges encountered in securing the use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for this year’s Stephen Keshi Memorial National Under-17 Soccer Tournament, it is imperative to state that such concerns should not be reported in a manner that imputes motives, assigns blame without verification, or portrays public officials as acting in bad faith.”

On allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, in the publication, SWAN described Enabulele as a “seasoned professional with a proven track record of integrity and dedicated service to sports development in Edo State.”

“Any insinuation that he or the Commission deliberately acted to undermine the memory and legacy of the late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi is not only unfair but also unsupported by verifiable facts.”

Edo SWAN, therefore, “strongly cautions the publisher of Popular News to desist from publishing unverified and inflammatory reports capable of misleading the public and damaging reputations.”

“The Association formally demands that the controversial publication be withdrawn immediately and that an unreserved apology be tendered to Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele.”

SWAN further “extends its sincere apologies to the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, who is also a Patron of the Edo SWAN Chapter, for any embarrassment or misrepresentation arising from the said publication, and assures him of its continued respect, support and cooperation.”

Edo SWAN, while stating that it “shares in the collective responsibility of preserving and honouring the legacy of the late Stephen Keshi—a national icon whose contributions to Nigerian football remain indelible—the Association, maintained that “this noble course must be pursued through constructive engagement, professionalism and mutual respect among all stakeholders.”

Edo SWAN, thereafter, warned “all sports writers in the state to avoid unverifiable reports and sensationalism, stressing that any member found culpable of professional misconduct will be decisively sanctioned in line with the Association’s statutes.”

News

Court Dissolves Petitioner’s Marriage Over Lack Of Love, Care

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin in Kwara State, on Thursday, dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Aminat Mustapha and Wahab Adeshina, following the petitioner’s insistence.

The petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to her husband following claims of lack of love and care.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while delivering ruling, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written to the court, accepting the divorce application made by his wife.

Aluko, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties, and ordered the woman to observe one month iddah (waiting period) before she could remarry.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the two children in the marriage, ages one and three, to their mother.

He ordered the father to pay a monthly sum of N20,000 for the children’s feeding and maintenance.

The court also held that the respondent will be responsible for their education and healthcare.

Again, the court held that the father has unrestricted access to his children, but at reasonable time adding that he should be notified before any decision is taken on his children.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and send same to the respondent.

News

Tinubu Embarks On Three-state Visit

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday on a working visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos.

This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.

While in Borno, the President will commission projects executed by the Borno State Government under Gov. Babagana Zulum, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of former Borno Governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and his bride, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, Tinubu will proceed to Bauchi State to condole with the state government and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the renowned Islamic cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi died on Nov. 27.

After the condolence visit, the President will travel to Lagos, where he will spend the end-of-year holidays.

During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to attend several engagements, including the Eyo Festival scheduled for Dec. 27.

The festival, to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, will honour notable personalities, including the President’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Lagos State governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.