News

Outrage Over World Bank’s Report On Poverty In Nigeria

Published

8 months ago

April 28, 2025

The World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s poverty level has attracted widespread outcry, with some interest groups demanding urgent action to avoid a poverty-induced economic meltdown.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, at the just-concluded 2025 Spring meetings in Washington, D.C., United States of America, painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s economic outlook in the short to medium term.

Among the highlights was the downgrading of the country’s economic growth forecast, with an indication that the country’s economic policy reforms are largely ineffective in addressing inclusive growth. The institutions ended with a declaration that poverty rate in the country would increase by 2027.

Speaking to Financial Vanguard at the end of the World Bank/ IMF meetings economy observers and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, expressed embarrassment over Nigeria’s rating in the Spring meetings.

While outlining the key challenges they also made recommendations aimed at salvaging the economy from the looming danger predicted by the global institutions.

Meanwhile, commenting on the World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s economy, President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye, proposed some short-term interventions that could help shield Nigeria’s vulnerable population and make meaningful progress in the fight against poverty.

But while expressing concerns about the World Bank’s verdict, the ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) said it was unsurprised by the grim projections of the World Bank.

The Country Director, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, said, “ActionAid Nigeria is deeply concerned, yet unsurprised, by the grim projections from the World Bank’s April 2025 Africa’s Pulse report, which forecasts a 3.6 percentage point increase in Nigeria’s poverty rate by 2027.

“Governance remains Nigeria’s greatest obstacle. The World Bank has clearly highlighted the country’s poor performance on governance indicators such as government effectiveness, accountability, and political stability, which remain among the weakest in Africa.

Public institutions continue to fail in managing resources and delivering basic services, which is also widening the trust deficit between citizens and government.

”Institutions like the National Assembly, Judiciary, and others, who are supposed to hold the government accountable and ensure resources are available for the people, are rather making routine approvals and focus on issues that do not support the populace.

”While poverty deepened, the federal, state governments and lawmakers prioritised luxury over lives, budgeting billions for new SUVs and renovation of offices.

”President Tinubu’s administration has continued to sidestep meaningful structural reforms, pushing social protection rhetoric that barely scratches the surface, while ignoring the real cries of the people.

”So, the World Bank is right to raise the alarm, but Nigerians have been raising it long before now.
”Let it be clear: the current trajectory will only fuel further migration, brain drain, instability, and disillusionment. Nigeria is at risk of becoming the global capital of extreme poverty, despite being Africa’s largest economy.

”While the government may claim economic progress, the reality is that the rich are getting richer, benefiting from policies like those in the banking sector where profits have soared to N3.41 trillion, while the poor are getting poorer.

”This is not inclusive growth. Reforms must ensure that the most vulnerable benefit.”

It’s a sobering picture for Nigeria — Adeyanju

Also speaking to Financial Vanguard on the World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s economy, a human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, said, “The World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report for April 2025 paints a sobering picture for Nigeria, forecasting a 3.6 percentage point increase in poverty by 2027, driven by structural economic weaknesses, overreliance on oil, and national fragility.

”This projection highlights a harsh reality: Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy, remains a global epicenter of poverty, hosting 15% of the world’s extremely poor population, with over 106 million Nigerians living below the $2.15 per day threshold in 2024.

“Nigeria’s poverty crisis is both deep and multifaceted, characterized by income poverty, multidimensional deprivation, and stark inequality.

”Key data points illustrate the scale of the challenge: In 2023, 38.9% of Nigerians (approximately 87 million people) lived below the national poverty line, making Nigeria the world’s second-largest poor population after India. By 2024, 106 million Nigerians were in extreme poverty, reflecting a persistent upward trend.

“Inflation, driven by food and fuel price spikes, erodes purchasing power. ”The naira’s 40% depreciation in 2024 amplified import costs, disproportionately affecting the poor.

“Insecurity disrupts agricultural production, displaces communities, and deters investment, particularly in northern Nigeria, where poverty is most acute.

“With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force annually, weak job creation and entrepreneurial prospects drive unemployment and emigration, further entrenching poverty”.

All the signs of poverty, economic failures are present — CISLAC

Also speaking to Vanguard on the World Bank’s poverty rating for Nigeria, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Awual Rafsanjani said, “This report coming from the World Bank is not surprising to us because all the signs are there. We have been advising the Nigerian government to carry out better reforms, economic reforms to address poverty, inequality, and ensure financing for development, and block or reduce or minimize opportunities for corruption and embezzlement.

”There’s no way you can have this kind of tendency of reckless spending, looting, excessive borrowing for just personal consumption or diversion, and lack of productivity in the economy without adverse consequence. ”Even our trade and investment is not yielding the result it’s supposed to yield, and definitely this projection by the World Bank will not be a surprising thing.

“In most of our States, the governors and the leadership are not harnessing the resources in their States. Rather they embark on gigantic unproductive projects just for the sake of taking money away, not for addressing gaps in education, in healthcare system, and even in the infrastructure.

”If this kind of mindset is continued, there’s no way you can deal with the issues of poverty and inequality because if the whole idea of governance is to grab the resources, is to steal the money, is to institutionalize impunity and recklessness in governance, definitely you will continue to witness more Nigerians experiencing poverty”.

How Nigeria can avoid the poverty crises — NACCIMA

Meanwhile, NACCIMA boss, Oye, who is also the current Chairman of the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), has made some recommendations on how Nigeria can escape the World Bank’s poverty prediction saying, “The government should implement well-structured and targeted stimulus packages focused on vulnerable populations”.

Such measures, according to him, should include cash transfers, food assistance programmes, and direct support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to stimulate job creation.

He stated further: “Independent monitoring and thorough evaluation must be instituted across all processes to curb instances of abuse and corruption.

“Given that a significant proportion of Nigerians rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, there is a need for targeted investment in this sector. Subsidising inputs, providing long-term single-digit credit, and expanding training programmes can help increase food security and foster sustainable livelihoods.

“Expanding access to microfinance for small businesses, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs will promote self-employment and help reduce poverty.

“Facilitating favourable lending conditions specifically for women and youth is crucial, alongside the urgent development of youth-targeted capital to address the ongoing trend of the “Japa Syndrome”.

“Establishing robust vocational and skills training programmes for the unemployed and underemployed will enhance employability and support new entrepreneurs in high-demand sectors.

“Improving infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, will increase market access for farmers and small businesses, leading to increased incomes and, ultimately, poverty reduction.

“There is a need to introduce tax incentives for businesses investing in underserved regions and for those prioritising local employment.

“Public-private partnerships should be encouraged to finance economic development initiatives, leveraging combined resources and expertise for efficient delivery of social impact.

“Expanding social safety nets, which include unemployment benefits and healthcare access, will provide much-needed relief to those facing financial distress and support their pathways to recovery.

“It is vital for the government to act swiftly and decisively to restore peace and security, especially in rural communities, thereby creating a stable environment for agricultural productivity and investment.
“Nigeria should reduce its reliance on raw material exports and instead prioritise adding value through local manufacturing.”

Govt should address key drivers of poverty — Muda Yusuf

In a comment sent to Vanguard, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, said Federal Government should take bold steps to address the key drivers of poverty to prevent the gloomy prediction by World Bank from coming to pass.

His words: “This kind of statement from the World Bank can only be conditional, because if the government does the right things, then the situation will not be as gloomy as it has been presented.

“If the government is able to address the key drivers of poverty, then the poverty situation may not deteriorate beyond what it is. If anything, it could be reversed. We have seen it done in other countries like China, where a lot more people have been taken out of poverty because of the kind of policies and governance that are in place.

“So, I think it’s more about how effectively we are able to address the social issues in the country. Therefore, we should be looking at drivers of poverty and how to correct them

“The first, in my view, is to address the rising cost of living. These are essentially the costs of food, energy, transportation, logistics and many other basic things that the poor consume.

“It is the increasing cost of living that makes a lot of people drop into poverty. If we are able to moderate the costs, then many more people will be able to live above poverty. These variables I mentioned are the critical issues as far as the cost of living is concerned.

“The second major thing that the government can do to ensure that this gloomy prediction does not come true is to address the macroeconomic management dimensions of the drivers of poverty. By this, I mean how well the government is able to tame inflation through its macroeconomic policies. Inflation is the greatest enemy of the poor.

“So, this means that we should be worried about the growth of fiscal deficit, reducing the debt level and debt servicing commitments which often squeezes the fiscal space. We should worry about growing money supply which is also, many times, inflationary.

“The third point is that the government should address the issue of productivity because when we have an economy where productivity is an issue, it affects everybody – both the small and large businesses. Because productivity determines the ability to be able to create wealth, to create value. It determines how much effort we need to put in to achieve a particular outcome.

“So, we need to ensure that we create the environment that enhances productivity. And at the centre of that is government investment in infrastructure – energy, logistics, roads, railway system, power sector e.t.c.

“Then the structure of government expenditure, particularly the social sector investment, that is investment in education and health. This is happening already but we need to do a lot more.

“And to prevent more people from falling into poverty is the responsibility of all tiers of government – federal, state and local government have roles to play. If they don’t spend resources available to them in a way to alleviate poverty, then the poverty situation may get worse.

“Another point is to watch the population growth. There is a need to ensure proper sensitization of citizens to reduce their fertility rate without necessarily offending their religious or cultural sensibilities. We should find a way to deal with that.

“We need to address the issue of insecurity. The growing insecurity led may people into poverty because it has affected their cost of living. That’s why many of them have ended up in IDP camps. So, tackling insecurity is one key way of tackling the problem of poverty.

“And finally, is the issue of corruption. Corruption is depleting the resources that belong to the people. When we have situations where resources meant for the people, either at the local government level, state or federal level, are cornered by a few for their own selfish ends, then it contributes to poverty.

“Because the opportunity cost of the resources that have been stolen or diverted for personal goals means that a lot of key commitments of government to infrastructure, education or health will suffer.

“So, we should be looking at the drivers of poverty and looking at how we can address those drivers. If we can address them, then we will not end up in that pessimistic position as proposed by the World Bank.”

Stop playing politics with people’s lives — AAN

While making some recommendations on the ways out of poverty, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) called on the Federal Government to “Stop playing politics with people’s lives and fully strengthen and expand social protection, including universal cash transfers and food support for the most vulnerable”.

They also called for protection of smallholder farmers by tackling insecurity and ensuring access to markets, inputs, and tools to boost local food production.

They recommended further: “Scrap all non-essential public spending particularly the outrageous allocations to government officials’ lifestyles and channel funds to education, healthcare, and job creation; Stabilise the economy through transparent and people-centred fiscal and monetary policies that protect the purchasing power of citizens”.

Making his own recommendations, Adeyanju stated: “To reverse the World Bank’s projected poverty increase by 2027, Nigeria must implement transformative, inclusive, and sustainable reforms.

“Diversify the Economy: Reduce oil dependence by investing in agriculture and technology, supporting agribusiness and job creation.

“Improve public spending transparency and engage citizens in budgeting to enhance governance; Invest in security and conflict prevention to stabilize regions and promote economic activities; Increase funding for education and healthcare to improve productivity and living standards; Support small and medium enterprises through financial incentives and incubation programs; Maintain tight monetary policies and subsidize essential goods to alleviate cost-of-living pressures.

“The World Bank’s forecast of rising poverty in Nigeria by 2027 is a clarion call for urgent action. By diversifying the economy, strengthening governance, expanding social protection, and investing in human capital and security, Nigeria can not only avert the projected poverty increase but also chart a path toward inclusive prosperity.”

Small-scale businesses need to be supported — CISLAC

CISLAC’s boss, Rafsanjani, outlined a battery of measures for averting the economic dangers facing Nigeria.
According to them, “The government needs to be deliberate in terms of its trade and investment opportunity to get Nigerians to engage in both local and national as well as international businesses, so the Small-scale businesses need to be supported, improved so that people can be actually busy doing work, not relying only on the government job that is not even coming.

“So this means that the ease of doing business has to be properly implemented.

“The last issue that I want to also suggest is that agriculture has been a major preoccupation job for Nigerians in the past but because of the insecurity, the farmers are not able to go to their farms and produce food for consumption in the country and also be able to send it out and that also militates the poverty that we see around because when people cannot even farm, they cannot eat, they cannot really take care of their basic needs of just survival and shelter because of the fact that insecurity has made it impossible for them to work and then be able to produce food for the country.”

Govt not serious in addressing poverty — Global Rights

In her comments, the Executive Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, said, “Nigeria’s poverty gap has in the past three years risen exponentially and currently half of the nation lives below poverty line.

”I don’t think that the government has invested enough to reduce the current poverty level or even more importantly to prevent further decline. But should they be serious about addressing them and pulling Nigerians out of poverty, here are some obvious actions to take; ”Strengthen Social Protection Programmes: Expanding and enhancing social safety nets can provide immediate relief to vulnerable populations. For instance, the government has secured a $2.25 billion loan from the World Bank, allocating $800 million for a cash transfer program aimed at assisting up to 70 million Nigerians affected by recent economic reforms.

”Our worry is that like previous cash transfers, corruption and mismanagement will whittle away the $800 million. ‘However, more practical and sustainable steps to take would include investing in social safety nets like access to social security services for the unemployed, affordable housing, improving access to electricity, access to nutritious food particularly for children, ensuring the efficient and transparent implementation of such initiatives.

”Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving access to finance can also stimulate job creation. Again, such investment should include greater infrastructural capacity.

”For example, the electricity sector in Nigeria as it currently stands is inimical to development and cannot leverage industrial growth.

”Predictability is also essential for businesses to thrive. Policies need to be stable and predictable.
“Enhance Agricultural Productivity

“Investing in agricultural infrastructure, providing access to modern farming techniques, and facilitating market access can increase productivity and incomes for a good chunk of the population.

”Lessons can be drawn from countries like Niger, where strong growth in the agricultural sector is projected to reduce extreme poverty from 45.3% in 2024 to 35.8% by 2027.

”Apart from lack of access to modern farming techniques, the bane of agriculture in Nigeria is insecurity and the lack of an efficient transportation system. Deal with those two and more people would invest in agriculture”.
(Vanguard)

News

Foundation Offers Free Medical Serves To Edo Community

Published

9 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

As part of its campaign against extractive activities and promotion of healthy living in the Niger Delta region, an environmental think-tank organisation — The Ecological Action Advocacy Foundation (TEAAF) on Monday offered free medical services to the people of Gelegele community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The free medical services which included eye screening, sugar level and BP tests, general medical examination and counseling, etc, saw over 150 people benefitting from the free medical outreach.

The beneficiaries were also offered the appropriate reading eyeglasses and medications as the outcome of their tests required.

In her speech, Project Director, TEAAF, Ann Ajirioghene Offi, said though it was not the first time her organisation is taking free medical services to the community, the need to offer the current free medical services to Gelegele people arise during a dialogue with them where they narrated different health challenges to the representatives of the organisation.

A cross section of beneficiaries of the outreach

Offi, who described Gelegele as a Community of Particular Concern to her organisation, said the health challenges keep increasing by the day as a result of extractive activities, gas flares and negligence.

She said: “We have seen that there are a lot of health challenges in this community, and this is as a result of the location of the community, and the ongoing extractive activities in the community, most especially the gas flares in the heart of the community. The gas flare has resulted in a lot of health challenges in the community, according to our research.

“We felt it’s very vital for us to bring free medical services here going by the health challenges facing the people.

“The challenges keep increasing by the day as a result of negligence. Negligence in the sense that the health centre in the community is not functional as it ought to be, and from my observation, no medical equipment in the clinic to take care of people.”

Eyeglasses display displayed during the medical outreach for distribution.

One of the beneficiaries, Clement Eyenmi, expressed joy and appreciated TEAAF for the free medical services, saying “our people need an organisation as this to come to their aid.”

He lamented that despite his age, he’s already having eye challenges as a result of the gas flares in the heart of the community.

“In this our environment, and personally for me, I have an eye challenge as a result of this gas flaring in the heart of our community. But today, I was attended to; I was given a reading glasses.

“The oil company flares the gas but does not bother about the welfare of the people, or show concern about the environment. This is a major problem we have here.

Medical personnel attending to a beneficiary.

“What this organisation is doing today is what we expect the government and the oil company to do, but they will never do such,” he added.

Also speaking, another beneficiary, Bobby Ikinbor, also appreciated TEAAF for the free medical services, saying “we do not have a standard hospital here, so, today, as this organisation brings this free medical services, it is a relief to us. We appreciate the organisation.”

He added: “You see, at times when we have an emergency health challenge and we try to rush the person to the city, we have to pray because of the bad condition of the road. At times the emergency patient dies before we get to the city.”

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OPINION: Nigeria Deserves A President Donald Trump

Published

16 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

By Suyi Ayodele

“I spoke with AJ on the phone to personally convey my condolences… He assured me that he is receiving the best care in the hospital.” From wherever he then was, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu relayed that Anthony Joshua, the British-born boxer of Nigerian descent involved in a recent car accident, had told him he was receiving the best medical attention in Nigeria.

Yet, with something as ordinary as a headache, the same president routinely jets out of the country for treatment, sometimes to the United Kingdom, sometimes to France, sometimes to destinations left undisclosed. No one asks Mr. President why he can not stay behind and partake of that same “best care in the hospital” available at home.

Instead, we busy ourselves with tallying the number of days he spends abroad, and when the arithmetic is done, we move on. Nothing more is demanded; nothing more is explained.

So, if tomorrow a President Donald Trump were to bar Nigerians from travelling to the United States for medical treatment, we would promptly denounce him as a racist. Yet the very next day, we would assemble a cultural troupe to welcome home a medical tourist president, one who left Nigeria quietly, without telling us what ailed him, and returned triumphantly after treatment abroad.

That is our lot; the predicament of a people wedded to decay and decadence. And it is precisely this contradiction, this ritual of self-deception, that makes it easy for some world leaders to dismiss Nigeria as a disgraced country.

President Trump is a man many love to hate. And justifiably too. The man attracts ‘hatred’ for himself as if his mission on earth is to do what many consider ‘despicable.’

I, however, have a different opinion about the man who rules America at the moment. I see him as more of an American patriot than the brute many people project him to be. I don’t see anything wrong in a president asking non-nationals to go back and fix their own countries. That, to me, is the central message of the Trump Presidency. My understanding of his philosophy on governance is that citizens should hold their leaders accountable, rather than fleeing their countries.

This is one of the reasons I hardly argue about Nigeria and its numerous failing institutions with any Nigerian living outside the shores of the country, especially those who japa less than 20 years ago. My position is simple: if you know that Nigeria is being run by the best of men now, just pack your bags and baggage and come back home. A friend once asked me why I don’t see anything wrong in “the racist called Trump”, and I responded by asking him to come back home and enjoy our nationalist president. If farming is an easy venture, blacksmiths will not sell hoes and cutlasses. Those are the words of our elders.

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Three days into the New Year 2026, President Trump opened the New Year on a very good note for the people of Venezuela. Venezuelans, at home and in the diaspora, woke up that Saturday, January 3, 2026, morning to discover that they had no president. Trump, using the sophisticated American soldiers in the US elite corps, invaded Venezuela in the dead of the night and abducted, if you like, kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Surprisingly, the people rejoiced at the news!

The husband and wife were in bed when the American soldiers came calling. One can picture how startled they were when they saw the strange faces in their inner room. The shock, especially when Maduro had, less than a month ago, boasted that he was safe and secure and dared America to come after him, is better imagined! What if the couple were making out when the intruders arrived?

Hours later, Trump boasted of the feat as “an extraordinary military operation,” during which “air, land, and sea were used to launch a spectacular assault. And it was an assault like people have not seen since World War Two.” He then described the operation as “…. One of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history” as the Venezuelan military capacities were “rendered powerless”, and “…. the men and women of our military working with US law enforcement successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night.” Could this be the reason why our elders advise that when one’s mother’s co-wife is older, one must call her mother (Tí ìyàwó ìyá eni bá ju ìyà eni lo, ìyá làá pèé).

A great public speaker, Trump warned that “This extremely successful operation should serve as a warning to anyone who would threaten American sovereignty or endanger American lives.” He listed those to be warned to include Cuba, saying, “I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation. And we want to help the people. It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba.”

Trump is a consummate power wielder. He did not forget Colombia. It is a known fact worldwide that Colombia and drugs are Siamese twins. If President Maduro of Venezuela could be ‘captured’ because he was accused of importing cocaine to America, the Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, President Trump warned, should “watch his ass”, because “He’s making cocaine and they’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass.”

We must get this right from the start. No law permits what President Trump did in Venezuela. The invasion of the presidential palace and the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife are bad in all ramifications. America is not the world police. At least, the United Nations (UN), that toothless world bulldog, Charter does not permit such an infraction. The sovereignty of Venezuela was raped by Trump. The sanctity of the human person of President Maduro was violated. Oh, yes, I must add this: the solemnity of the bedroom of Maduro and his wife was desecrated! What if Maduro and his wife had slept naked, as most couples do?

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits any member state from using force against the territorial integrity (sovereignty) of an independent country. The Charter, in Article 51, only allows the use of force in self-defence, while Articles 24 and 25 permit only the Security Council to use joint or collective force against any independent nation that threatens world peace. So, where did President Trump derive the power to invade another country, pick up the incumbent president, and transport him to America in handcuffs, as he did to President Maduro of Venezuela?

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I have read many comments about the Trump Presidency. This recent action in Venezuela added fuel to the inferno of hatred for the American President. If Nigerians in the Diaspora in America were to choose who governs God’s Own Country, Trump would not have smelled the presidency. In fact, he would not have been elected as the mayor of any city. But unfortunately for the entire world, the American people, or, as someone argued, ‘the American skewed system’, elected Trump as president. Everybody, haters or lovers alike, would have to deal with that fact.

From day one, Trump never hid his identity. He never pretended to be a gentleman. He did not tell anyone that he would run America for foreigners. His ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) mantra is self-explicit. America would be for Americans, he promised. And he has lived up to that. That is honesty in its illiterate form! If you ask me, that is the type of president every nation deserves. No pretence, no diplomacy; all that matters is American interests. I wish Nigeria had such a President, the one who thinks, sleeps and dreams of Nigeria. We have been unfortunate with the selfish individuals that we have had as leaders. The present crop of transactional leaders is the very worst in our recent history.

If I were to choose a president for Nigeria, I would not think twice before picking a character like Trump. A man who places the nation’s interest above any other consideration is the man after my heart. This is what is lacking in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria. A nation that has no defined national interest is bound to be in ruins, like most nations of Africa.

Nigeria has the capacity, in all ramifications, to be great. What we lack is a president who is purposeful, courageous and above all, patriotic. We can imagine that our military became suddenly effective and efficient only after Trump ‘invaded’ Sokoto and cleared out a good number of terrorists. Yet again, nobody is asking what went wrong before the coming of Trump.

I have read so much about the sovereignty of Venezuela. I have no problem with that. But the one question I keep asking the proponents of national sovereignty is: at what time does the respect for a nation’s sovereignty stop? If, for instance, the sovereignty of Nation A threatens the peace of Nation B, what should Nation B do? Should it act in the interest of its own peace or fold its hands while the rudderless nation A acts anyhow?

If President Maduro was exporting drugs to America as Trump alleged, what should be the response of President Trump? I also find it curious that many who talked about the sanctity of the American judiciary in the case involving President Tinubu and the Chicago University certificate are the same set of people saying Maduro would not get justice in America! What a people!

After the ‘capture’ of President Maduro, the American President said that the US would “run” Venezuela. Many said that Trump was only interested in Venezuelan crude oil. Trump himself did not deny that. His press conference after Maduro had been taken into custody was clear enough. America had a huge investment profile in the oil sector of Venezuela. One of the responsibilities of President Trump, and this is applicable to all presidents, is the protection of the American economy at home and abroad. If the US investments are threatened in Venezuela because of the activities of Maduro, would Trump not be failing in his responsibility if he did not act in the name of sovereignty?

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Nnamdi Kingsley Akanni, a professor of International Law and Diplomacy, Rivers State University, in a 2019 paper on “The Concept of Sovereignty in International Law and Relations,” suggests that the concept of sovereignty may be a ruse after all. According to him, “The paper found that what third world countries enjoy is not sovereignty but ‘sovereignty on dictated terms’ of the so-called developed powers.”

The erudite scholar states further that at the end of the research exercise, “The paper also found that smaller States are not accorded protection from developed countries and that until that is done, the concept of sovereignty will continue to be elusive to smaller nations.” He then recommends “…that the UN should take proactive steps to give greater recognition and voice to developing countries as well as offering them the platform to assert their sovereignty in line with international law.”

What the scholar is saying here is that the concept of ‘sovereignty’ exists only when the developed countries are involved. When there is a conflict of interest between the world superpowers and any of the developing or ‘disgraced’ countries of the world, the principle of “Just War” applies. This is why Trump is going to get away with the Saturday invasion of Venezuela and the impending similar exercises in Cuba and Colombia, as the American President hinted.

If the UN wakes up today and gets its mojo back to interrogate Trump on Venezuela, the US can simply hide under the cover of the principle of ‘Just war’ as the invasion of Venezuela and the ‘capture’ of its president satisfied the jus ad bellum requirements of the ‘just cause’, just intention’; ‘just peace’; reasonable chance of success’; and ‘expected benefits outweighing anticipated cost.’. We don’t need a seer to predict that many drug-friendly leaders across the globe will think twice before making America their ‘depots.’ Trump took the American oath of office to protect American interests. This is why there has been no serious condemnation of the invasion in the US today.

The invasion of Venezuela is a lesson for third-world countries. The argument that Trump took that decision because of the last Venezuelan election and economic interest is noble in my opinion. That is what he was elected to do: protect America and its interests world over.

In Africa, in general, and in Nigeria in particular, let our leaders learn to develop our lands. Let those saddled with the responsibilities of paddling our canoes do so with utmost patriotism. And more importantly, let those who want to lord it over us do so through free and fair elections. Otherwise, we will all clap and celebrate should Trump decide to ‘capture’ and ship all undesirable elements with questionable character to America for trial. Venezuelans set the precedent on Saturday when they trooped to the streets in jubilation at the news of the removal of Maduro!1

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Oyo Traditional Ruler Suspended Over Alleged Illegal Mining

Published

18 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

The Oyo State Government has suspended the Sobaloju of Ofiki, Chief Jacob Sobaloju, following allegations linking him to illegal mining activities and breaches of Executive Order 001/2023, which governs mining operations within the state.

The state government said the action was taken to protect the public interest and preserve government-gazetted assets.

In a suspension letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and signed by the Director of Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Olajire A.M., the traditional ruler was accused of contravening the executive order and forest reserve regulations by allegedly issuing consent letters to mining firms without lawful authorisation.

The letter further alleged that Chief Sobaloju permitted mining activities within government-reserved forest areas and facilitated unauthorised mining operations, actions said to be in violation of extant laws and regulations.

According to the ministry, the monarch was suspended from the palace of the Onitọ of Ito with effect from Monday, January 5, 2026, pending the outcome of investigations.

The suspension was described as a precautionary step to ensure an unhindered and credible investigation process.

The correspondence, titled “Re: Complaint against Chief Sobaloju of Ofiki for violation of State Executive Order, Forest Reserve Regulations and encouraging trespassing of government gazetted assets,” stated that the allegations bordered on violations of Executive Order 001/2023 and unlawful encroachment on state-owned assets.

Chief Sobaloju was also directed to immediately cease all mining-related activities, including the issuance of consent letters, avoid interference with the investigation, and make himself available to investigators whenever required.

The Oyo State Government reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on illegal mining and related infractions, warning that any individual found culpable would be sanctioned in line with the law.