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On July 17, 2023, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) officially confirmed the first anthrax case on a mixed livestock farm in Suleja, Niger state, since news of the outbreak in Ghana in June 2023.
Suspicions first arose when the animals, a total of eight in number, started showing several symptoms of the disease, for instance, blood discharge from their eyes, anus, ears, and nose. A Rapid Response Team was sent to the farm to collect blood samples from the sick animals, and after several tests were run, it was concluded to be a case of anthrax. However, unfortunately, all the infected animals died.
Currently, investigations are ongoing to trace the source and spread of the infection, but in the meantime, we will tell you everything you need to know about this disease.
What is anthrax?
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis that can infect both humans and animals. This disease can be found worldwide except in Antarctica; however, unlike diphtheria, it isn’t contagious but spreads through spores. These spores are highly resistant and can survive in the soil or environment for decades making the control and eradication of the disease difficult.
Skin: This typically happens through direct contact with infected animals or animal products like wool, bone, or hair. The infection occurs when the spores get into a cut or scratch on the person’s skin.
Inhalation (lung): This is the deadliest form of the disease, and it’s usually a result of breathing in the bacterial spores.
Gastrointestinal: This type of infection results from eating infected, undercooked meat.
What are the symptoms to look out for?
Anthrax symptoms generally appear after 1-7 days, but in some rare cases, it can take up to 42 days for skin infections and 60 days for lung (inhalation) infections. Some common symptoms of anthrax in humans include:
For skin infections:
Blisters or bumps that cause Itching
Sores on the face, hands, arm or neck that become covered by a black scab
For lung (inhalation) infections:
Chest discomfort
Fever
Fatigue
Breathing difficulties
Nausea
Coughs and headaches
For gastrointestinal infections:
Sore throat
Diarrhoea or bloody diarrhoea
Fever
Abdominal swelling and pain
Fainting
However, the people more at risk of contracting this disease are veterinarians, people who eat dead animals, healthcare workers, farmers, abattoir workers, cattle rearers, hunters, and importers of skin and hides.
Antibiotics can be used to treat this illness. Nonetheless, it’s always best to take preventive measures; as such, animals should be vaccinated against anthrax from the get-go. Other preventive steps that should be taken are:
Ensuring clean water supply for livestock
Do not kill sick animals if there’s a chance they might have been infected
Wear protective gear like hand gloves and facemasks when dealing with sick animals
Report cases of your animals bleeding from their eyes, ears, or other openings to the veterinary authorities.
What has the government done so far?
In response, the government has quarantined the infected farm in Suleja, Niger state and deployed 50,000 doses of anthrax vaccine for the other animals. There are also plans for the state-wide vaccination of animals and the sensitization of farm owners on detecting anthrax symptoms and preventive measures.
If you suspect cases of anthrax infection in animals or the people around you, you should immediately call the FMARD hotline at +234 811 097 2378 or the NCDC hotline at 6232.
It’s no longer news that fuel is the latest luxury item, with a new announcement on July 18 of yet another price hike. While President Tinubu and his team have to figure out how to deal with growing discontent, we decided to create this quiz to test your knowledge of the fuel price hike. Feeling confident? Give it a shot.
The Nigerian Senate, also known as the Red Chamber, on July 19, resolved to remove age limits for jobseekers. If the executive agrees to this, job adverts in Nigeria will be mandated by law to no longer include age requirements. Employers will also not be allowed to screen job seekers based on age.
Online, there have been mixed reactions to this news. Some have hailed the move for removing barriers to employment, while others say it’s a smokescreen that shies away from addressing the root causes of unemployment.
Background
At the plenary on Wednesday, the Senate adopted a motion. It had the title “Age Requirement Pre-condition for Employment in Nigeria, Urgent Need for Intervention.” Abba Moro, a PDP senator from Benue South, sponsored this motion.
Moro argued that age limits were discriminatory and violated Chapter 4, Section 42(2) of the Nigerian Constitution. The section touches on the right to freedom from discrimination.
Moro also cited the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a UN agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice. He argued that economic discrimination fell short of the ILO’s standards.
In Moro’s words, it was pathetic “that a graduate in Nigeria who could not get a job upon graduation and decided to back to school with the hope that a higher qualification, vis-a-vis a second or Masters Degree, could give him a better employment opportunity is thrown into a career paradox when upon completion of his Master’s Degree he comes out to find that he is now above the age of employment and therefore not employable by the sole reason of his age.”
He added, “It is ironical that a graduate in this country can serve in the National Youth Service Corps programme at age 30 but cannot be gainfully employed after that on the fact that he/ she is now above 30 years, a situation that is a flagrant breach of his fundamental rights.”
Moro noted that this discrimination created a breeding ground for age fraud within the Nigerian Civil Service and beyond.
What else should you know?
The Senate is asking the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Productivity, and other related agencies to dissuade private employers from turning away people based on age. It also wants the ministry to develop policies that grant equal access and treatment in the workplace.
All of this remains tentative. But if it passes into law, older Nigerians of employable age might heave a sigh—even if temporary—of relief.
Names not only give us an identity, but they also reflect deep personal, cultural, and familial ties.
While most names are given to children by parents at birth, some are created due to the individual’s choice to change their name. And with errors in some documentation, the need to change names might arise to help clarify name order. It can even correct alphabetical inconsistencies in the letters that make up some names.
Even with religious indoctrination, adopting names that reflect our religious values requires some legality in validating identities and representation.
For example, if you are a Christian and get baptised as Mary, you might want to adopt it as a legal name. If you are a new Muslim convert, you might want to adopt a name that fits your religious identity. And if you practise traditional or other spiritual practises, you might want to reflect these beliefs in your legal name.
But how do you go about changing your name? What’s the process like? In this article, you’ll learn about all the requirements.
These are all popular reasons people change their names
If you need to change your name, it can’t be done on a whim. There are certain requirements:
Age
Only 18-year-olds can change their name under the law, as that is considered the age of adulthood. Children and teenagers under 18 need a parent or trusted guardian to change their names.
Citizenship
Only Nigerian citizens can change their names in the country. Foreigners in Nigeria must first gain Nigerian citizenship before being eligible for a name change.
A compelling reason
One must have a legal and compelling reason for changing their name. If you apply for a name change because you committed a crime, your application will be rejected.
Also, name choices that are profane or tribalistic in nature are turned down as well.
Financial stability
If you owe any financial institution money, bury this idea of a name change. Anyone who wishes to change their name would have to be clear in all financial institutions, not bankrupt, and not have any financial liabilities against them.
The process of changing your name
Now that you know the requirements, here are the procedures:
Swear an affidavit
The first step is to swear an Affidavit of Change of Name, often called a “Deed Pool”. This can be done by walking to a nearby High Court and going to the Registry department to complete the task.
Your affidavit should be written in your own words and state that you have changed your name. The affidavit should include the reason for your name change, as it will be used to document your old name.
Publicise your new name
After the affidavit is signed, it is a must that everyone (i.e., the public) know that you now bear a new name. This is done by publishing your new name in any legacy newspaper like The Nation, Guardian, or Punch. You should double-check that your important documents match your new name.
Get your name listed on The Gazette
After publication, one should apply to the Civil Registry’s Paperwork Department of Publication, requesting that your new name be printed in Nigeria’s official gazette. A fee of ₦5000 or more is usually charged for this. Print a copy of the page indicating your altered name once it appears in the Gazette.
Apply for new official documents that bear your new name
When your new name has been published in the Official Nigerian Gazette, you must apply for new official documents that reflect your new name. A copy of the Official Gazette showing the name should be attached to your application.
What documents do I need?
A signed court affidavit confirming the name change. It should not be older than one year.
A newspaper clipping that reflects your announcement of your name change. This should also be less than a year from the date of the advertisement.
You must submit the declaration/advertisement you typed (in the form above).
Two passport-sized pictures of your most recent appearance.
A demand draft for the publishing fees, as well as extra copies if needed.
A letter of attestation from a credible source.
An official announcement of the adjustment.
A statutory declaration (Affidavit) is a document that shows your new name on official records. You can complete the process by waiting for the new name to be published in the Nigerian Gazette.
A copy of the Official Gazette, which includes your name. This is attached to the new document application paperwork.
The chief registrar should be addressed in your application letter.
Personal information such as your date and place of birth, marital status, and address.
Where can I change my name?
You can simply visit the registry department of any High Court near you. To make the process faster, you can go to the National Civil Registration Office. It is located at Sokode Crescent and Michael Okpara Street in Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja. Applications for a name change usually range from 5-21 days.
How much does it cost?
The only expense of the process is the newspaper publication, which costs an estimated N5,000. There are no additional fees for the publication.
In Nigeria, changing names is not a one-day process, and there is no specified time period for completing all the required steps. You will need to be patient and determined. Also, before making this decision, carefully consider the other changes you will need to make, such as your international passport, national identification, financial or banking names, and certifications.
Today’s story, however, takes us back to the late 1940s, when a women-led resistance movement fought against the British colonial system of multiple taxation on women and led to the dethronement of a king.
This is the story of the Egba Women’s Tax Revolt.
Egba women were indelible forces of anti-colonial resistance [UNESCO/The Republic]
In Colonial Nigeria, government revenue (in the Southern Provinces) came from two sources—import duties (a tax collected on imports and some exports by a country’s customs authorities) and railway freights.
Under import duties, the real “moneymaker” for the British was trading German liquor and spirits, and Germany was the epicentre of World War I (1914-1918). Before 1901, liquor duties were three shillings, but by 1901, it increased to as much as six shillings! This resulted in liquor being a scarce commodity during the war.
The high liquor import duties and shipping difficulties caused revenue from that sector to drop drastically. Which ultimately affected the government’s pockets.
Undated photograph of German soldiers posing for a picture while drinking beer [Beer and World War 1]
At this point, Lord Lugard was extremely desperate to get the nation’s finances in order. He had to plead with the British colonial office formally to impose direct taxation on the Yorubas, but the British government took its time to give any kind of approval.
Even though there was no word from the British, the native rulers felt pressure from the colonial government to generate revenue no matter what. This led to indirect taxation known as the ‘sanitation fines’ in April 1917.
The “Sanitation Fines” and How This Affected Egba Women
As the name implies, sanitation fines were monetary penalties one had to pay for not keeping their environment neat and tidy. To make up for the government’s lack of revenue, they needed to catch offenders, summon them to court, and make them pay fines—and market women or rural women were always the easy targets.
These women had to pay fines of up to five shillings, with an additional eight shillings for court summons, making it thirteen shillings. Sometimes the courts could even decide to inflate prices by close to thirty shillings.
The “offences committed” were usually very mundane, like not sweeping the front of their compounds or setting up water pots outside the house with no covers (which could cause mosquito breeding).
The sanitation fines turned out to be a successful revenue scheme for the British. In the Native Courts alone, they made up to £1.6 million from 1.9 million sanitary case offences. It encouraged British colonial officials to further impose stricter taxes on women.
The “Independent Woman” Mode of Taxation
After much deliberation, the British Colonial Office introduced the official method of taxation for Abeokuta on January 1, 1918. This was with the approval of the Secretary of the Native Authority, Adegboyega Edun. But right from the start, there was something not quite right with this new tax.
Adegboyega Edun [Nairaland]
The model was for every adult to pay an average of 5 shillings per head. Based on the number of adults in a household, the head of the compound was given an amount that the family must pay. This happened to exclude women, as they had to pay a totally different amount of tax altogether.
This was entirely different from the model of taxation in other parts of the country, which didn’t recognise women as different from men. In that model, “tax for every household will be £1, including the wife, and £10 per annum for additional wives.”
Despite several complaints, the British Resident bluntly refused to change the system. Women were more prevalent than men in the population, which made the taxation spread wider, and he knew that if he increased the men’s taxes, they may cause ‘wahala’ and riots.
Ironically, despite his efforts to reduce mayhem, the people were not at all pleased with the taxation system. The income of the people was not considered. They still had to pay customs dues and shop licences, and forced labour was still in practice. This led to the Adubi War of 1918.
How the Adubi War Solved Tax Problems for Men But Not Women
On June 13, 1918, 30,000 Abeokuta residents protested their displeasure by destroying railway and telegraph lines south of Abeokuta. Neighbouring Yorubas from the French colony of Dahomey also joined the fight, as they also protested against forced army recruitment for World War I.
Three thousand British soldiers were used to suppress the revolt, after which 1,000 Egba civilians and 100 soldiers were killed.
Despite the bloodshed, the tax scheme was modified. Men who earned less than £40 per year were now required to pay five shillings a year, with women paying two shillings and six pence. Those above £40 paid 1% of their income in taxes, while landlords were taxed 5% of their rental income.
However, this modification did not favour women. Women expected the government to make the market favourable for them as traders so that they could also profit, but there were no gains whatsoever.
Market women were charged as much as £3 for sheds. Those who couldn’t afford it and made use of ‘illegal’ spaces had to pay fines. The industries they could profit from were also limited, as they included only trading foodstuffs, imported goods, and local textiles. And these problems continued until World War II (1939–1945).
Egba women are unhappy over the multiple taxes [Getty Images]
In the words of the women’s representative to the Oba, Madam Jojolola, “The women all complained that they derive no benefit from the government. We make no profit on the goods we sell, and yet we have been called upon to pay taxes…”
The Rise of Women Through the Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU)
The AWU – a combination of market women and the Christian Abeokuta Ladies Club (ALC) – emerged in 1945. Although initially a social club for middle-class women, it morphed to respond to the unending taxes on women and ultimately the brutality of colonial rule. They felt they could do this by uniting both working class market women and middle class women as one.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was its first president, and the Alake (King) of Egba land in Abeokuta, Ademola, was its first patron. Grace Eniola Soyinka also joined Funmilayo’s leadership.
Portrait of 70 year-old Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti[Obioma Ofoego/UNESCO]
The Soyinka Family in 1938. Wole Soyinka’s mother and father, Grace Eniola Soyinka and Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, with Wole, Tinu, and Femi. [Wole Soyinka]
To end the taxation regime, they wrote proposals to the Alake of Egba for the following:
Replacement of the flat rate tax on women with taxation on foreign companies;
Investment in local initiatives and infrastructure, including transportation, sanitation and education;
The abolition of the Sole Native Authority and its replacement with a representative form of government that would include women.
Alongside these proposals, they heavily fought the colonial government with different kinds of resistance tactics. Many women stopped paying their taxes altogether, and they either got fined or jailed. The AWU also wrote several petitions to the Alake between August 1946 and May 1947, but to no avail.
This eventually provoked the Egba Women’s Protests or Revolt.
The Egba Women’s Revolt
Egba women were indelible forces of anti-colonial resistance [UNESCO/The Republic]
From Mid-October 1946, Ransome-Kuti and women from the AWU started to hold mass protests outside the king’s palace to demand the removal of direct taxation. The response was brutal, with police deploying tear gas and beating up the women.
But despite the obstacles, these women didn’t relent. They released a document in 1947 called “AWU’s Grievances”, which contained all their accusations against Alake and the Secretary of Native Authority. Ten thousand women then held another demonstration outside Alake’s palace, which lasted two days, while insulting Alake with different songs.
Alake’s response was an empty promise on tax suspension. More women got arrested and assaulted, including Funmilayo.
On December 8, 1947, over ten thousand women camped outside Alake’s palace and refused to leave until every woman arrested was released. They stood resiliently and remained until December 10, when they released the women.
Thousands of women come to show support for Funmilayo Ransome Kuti and the detained women. [Ransome-Kuti Family Archives]
However, the women didn’t get their demands met until three years later, in January 1949.
The British removed the Alake from the throne, the tax was removed, and four women were established in seats of power.
It is worthy to note that both the tax and the Alake later returned, but for a while, the women won.
The Impact
It is sad to see that market women are still being taxed without inclusive consideration in 2023.
A Nigerian marketplace. [Google]
In an article by TechCabal, market women are revealed to make little profit on their income as a result of various taxes for the local government, Lagos State agency officials, Kick Against Indiscipline officers (KAI), etc.
In July, the Nigerian Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) announced the Value Added Tax (VAT) Direct Initiative, a way for the federal government to collect Value Added Taxes (VAT) from market women and reduce multiple taxation.
Will the VAT be effective? Will it lead to another women’s revolt? We’ll see what becomes of this.
Trigger Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence and abuse against women, including murder. If you are sensitive to these themes or have experienced trauma related to these topics, please be aware that this story may be triggering. For more information or support, please visit here.
A quote by the women’s rights activist Zainab Salbi goes, “It seems that violence against women has been tolerated for so long that the world has become numb to it”. Unfortunately, this rings true particularly in Nigeria, as every year we see countless cases of violence and abuse that claim the lives of women, yet mere hours later, society carries on as if nothing has happened.
On July 17, 2023, popular Nigerian punter Benjamin Best, also known as Killaboi, confessed to the murder of his girlfriend, Augusta Osedion. According to him, he “mistakenly” stabbed her to death during an argument and fled the scene out of fear.
But what makes this case even more disturbing is that, in Killaboi’s Instagram confession, possibly seeking public sympathy, he described the relationship as toxic and disclosed his ongoing battle with suicidal thoughts since the incident.
Unfortunately, we are all well aware that if we were in a society that worked, Killaboi should already be facing the full force of the law.
Now, women are again being reminded that the world isn’t safe for them. Let’s take a look at a few women who had partners who brutally murdered them in the previous year.
Ogochukwu Anene, January 2023
On January 11, 2023, news broke of how Ogochukwu Anene, a mother of five, was allegedly beaten to death by her husband over a loaf of bread. According to their first child, an argument broke out when Ogochukwu asked her husband, Ndubisi, why he finished the bread without leaving some for the children.
In a fit of rage, the man responded by beating her with a mirror, which resulted in her bleeding internally, and she died a few days later in the hospital. Unfortunately, there have been no tangible updates on whether or not Ndubisi paid for his crimes.
Nana was a 38-year-old woman allegedly murdered by her 56-year-old husband, Aminu Abubakar. A statement from the Police Headquarters in Yola revealed that Aminu had heard that Nana had plans to get married to another man the next day, and in a jealous fit, he hit her on the head with a pestle, causing her to fall unconscious. She was later proclaimed dead.
Aminu was arrested by the Police of the Shagari Divisional Headquarters, and investigations are ongoing.
Esther Aya, January 2022
On January 8, 2022, Ovye Yakubu allegedly beat his wife, Esther, to death during an argument over fixing a window net. According to a family member, Ovye attempted to stop the carpenter that his wife had hired from fixing the net, but she persisted on the carpenter finishing his job. This enraged the man, who resorted to assaulting his wife, leading to her death.
Evelyn Alifiya, February 2022
Evelyn’s husband, Joseph Wisdom, strangled her before the police discovered her body on the apartment floor on February 23, 2022. Reportedly, the couple had been having issues for a while, and Joseph had constantly threatened to kill his wife.
However, arrangements were being made by Evelyn’s family for her to leave the house, but things came to a head when she found a gun in Joseph’s bag. She had plans to report this to the police, but he found out and killed her before she could.
According to the FCT Police Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, the husband has been apprehended, and hopefully justice will be served.
Itunu Chigozie, March 2022
Itunu, pregnant with a child, died after a series of assaults from her husband, Bonus Emmanuel Chigozie, who works as a Master of Ceremonies (MC). Reportedly, Itunu was abused repeatedly during the four-year marriage. On March 10, 2022, after being allegedly assaulted again, she was rushed to the hospital, but neither she nor the baby survived. And Emmanuel has neither been arrested nor prosecuted for his crime yet.
Mercy Samuel, April 2022
Mercy was a 23-year-old mother of two who lived with her husband, Matthew, in Jos. However, she died brutally at his hands when he allegedly ripped open her stomach and disembowelled her during an argument. He also took her phone so she couldn’t call for help, and although she was found and rushed to the hospital, she eventually died. Matthew is still on the run and has yet to be found.
Osinachi Nwachukwu, October 2022
Osinachi was the voice behind the hit gospel song “Ekwueme”, which captured the hearts of many churchgoers. However, she tragically passed away at 42, and it was revealed that she had been a victim of domestic violence for many years.
Despite what her husband and manager, Peter, initially led the media to believe that she died from lung cancer, the late Osinachi’s first son disclosed that his mother died from the injuries she had sustained from the abuse. Peter had allegedly kicked her in the chest, which resulted in a blood clot that eventually led to her death. Currently, Peter is being remanded at Kuje Prison and is awaiting judgement.
According to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), 2,543 cases of abuse were reported between January and September 2022; about 2,340 were women. Also, according to a 2020 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), about 81,000 women and girls died worldwide, with an intimate partner or family member being responsible for 58% (47,000) of these deaths.
Clearly, if there has ever been a time to be angry, it’s now. Nigeria and Nigerians need to change at the core of our being; we must be empathetic towards women and their struggles.
One sad trend that can be noticed when issues like these arise is how the victims are blamed and excuses are given for the man’s actions.
Women don’t deserve to die because you think they’re “rude”, “loud”, “immoral”, or “materialistic”. When cases like this happen, it’s not the time to tell or advise women on how to be “better” daughters, friends, wives, or girlfriends.
From birth, much energy is put into educating girls on how to survive in “a man’s world”. But, it’s high time that society channel some of that energy into teaching boys to be better humans.
There’s no fun way to announce this, so let’s just rip out the band-aid. In breaking news, the Daily Trust reports that fuel price has increased in Abuja to ₦617 per litre.
It’s all anyone is talking about. Fuel is currently the number one trending keyword on Twitter.
This isn’t pretty news for many Nigerians who looked forward to renewed hope when President Tinubu was sworn into office.
A tale of two eras
At his inauguration, Tinubu went off-script and announced the removal of the fuel subsidy. This announcement, in more ways than one, signalled the start of a new era. For context, the average retail price of fuel in April was ₦254 per litre.
At the time of the announcement, Tinubu was greeted with applause by some Nigerians. Exactly 50 days later, not many people are applauding him, as painful realities have set in.
Granted, the removal of the subsidy was a foregone conclusion. All the leading presidential candidates promised that it would be gone. A decades-long experiment that amounted to trillions of naira finally led Nigerians to see that it was no longer sustainable. However, there have been continued debates on whether Tinubu’s approach was the best.
Tinubu’s early moves in office suggested he was undertaking neoliberal economic reforms, which he was implementing all at once. These include the unification of the exchange rate and the widening of the tax base. While he was lauded in several quarters for the boldness and swiftness with which he undertook them, there were fears that all these measures implemented in one go could exert pressure on the economy.
KPMG, in its economic snapshot for June, noted: “We are of the opinion that while these reforms and adjustments are bold and indeed necessary to maintain long-term macroeconomic stability, the timing could be adjusted to allow households and businesses to adjust.
“However, the government appears to have decided on a strategy to push through all its difficult and needed reforms all at once and as fast as possible while it is still easier to do… This approach has, however, had mixed success across countries.”
Reduction in fuel consumption, increase in fuel price
On Monday, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) announced that fuel consumption has declined since the removal of the subsidy. Not surprising since people are now rationing fuel due to the increase in cost. But by just how much has consumption dropped?
“In January, consumption was 62 million litres per day. In February, 62 million litres per day. March was 71.4 million litres per day. In April, it was 67.7 million litres per day. May had 66.6 million litres per day. By June, it was 49.5 million litres per day. In July, it’s 46.3 million litres per day.”
Farouk noted that the new figure of 46.3 million litres per day represented a 35% reduction compared to the 65 million litres per day before the subsidy removal.
A drastic reduction in the demand for fuel should ordinarily result in a fall in the price of fuel. On the contrary, fuel price is going up.
One possible explanation for this is the exchange rate. Nigeria imports its refined crude using dollars, and with the naira falling relative to the dollar, it will reflect in the prices. We can only hope the price will reduce when Dangote’s refinery begins operations, which is still projected for year’s end.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) raising petrol prices in Abuja from ₦537 to ₦617 per litre will signal other independent marketers nationwide to follow suit. The price of petrol varies across states. Prices are expected to be higher up north than down south due to transport and logistics costs.
Renewed hope vs renewed worries
In an earlier report about Tinubu’s economic growth plan, we noted that the euphoria Tinubu earned in his early days in office would eventually run out. This was echoed by political commentator Feyi Fawehinmi when he said, “Tinubu’s early moves have all been plucking low-hanging fruits. But you still have to credit him for bothering to pluck them… [He] will eventually run out of easy wins; the test starts then.”
Between the labour unions clamouring for an upward review of the minimum wage, a running court case disputing his right to be president, and millions of Nigerians feeling the economic crunch, Tinubu is in a race against time to deliver the renewed hope that he promised. Whatever ace he may have up his sleeves, now’s the time to play it.
On July 15, 2023, a Twitter user (@daveshewrote) publicly called out Caleb University, a private tertiary institution situated in Ikorodu, Lagos, for attempting to suppress students from discussing an incident involving robbery, saying the school is “wanting to die it”.
so armed robbers entered caleb university just last night, robbed the female hostel, injured some students and now the school wants to die it? wetin we no go see for nigeria
A Caleb University student, who wishes to remain anonymous, informed Citizen that a robbery took place in one of the wings of Susannah Hall Girls’ Hostel in the early morning hours of Saturday, July 15, 2023.
The source who shared his account based on anonymity for fear of backlash by the university’s management, says the event unfolded as a girl sighted one of the robbers when she went to the bathroom at midnight. “She panicked and tried to run back to her room, but her roommates locked her outside, probably to protect themselves from the robbers. Because of the girl, people were alerted to the robbery situation,” the source shared.
The incident didn’t end there. The girl was reportedly attacked and quickly taken to the clinic, while some security personnel were allegedly assaulted.
Caleb University’s Media and Publication Specialist, Olawale Adekoya, also revealed to the media that three phones and one laptop were stolen (with the laptop retrieved) at the Hall. “The statement was circulated through a WhatsApp broadcast message,” our anonymous source corroborated.
Was there a second robbery?
From the anonymous source and social media user, we learnt that the robbers allegedly returned a second time on the same night to Elisha Hall, another female hostel in the school. The source also claimed that a riot started in the boys’ hostel because they wanted to “chase the robbers away and help the girls out.”
they are getting robbed in elisha hall right now please tag goverment authorities!!! pic.twitter.com/AlKZbthODQ
A Caleb history of robberies and culture of silence
July 15 is not the first and only day of robberies and student suppression at Caleb University.
A 300-level student shared with @Daveshewrote that there had been fires and riots in the school in the last two semesters due to multiple phone and laptop thefts that had been “successfully died down” or covered up by the school.
Even while Citizen tried to investigate deeper into the issue, we experienced a lot of roadblocks from students (and their siblings) who refused to talk for fear of backlash from school authorities.
But why all the need for secrecy? Students aren’t allowed to speak on certain issues about the school. This creates a culture of fear, with students fearing suspension or expulsion.
Our anonymous source states, “People caught not obeying the ‘school’s code of confidentiality’ are usually suspended or expelled.” He goes further to share with us that talking to us is to his detriment. “I just want to finish my degree and get out of here,” the source added.
Any word from school authorities?
Through the school’s security statement, students are informed that security personnel are working closely with police authorities to investigate the incident and apprehend the culprits.
He also circulated on WhatsApp a series of “truths” about what “really went on” in Sussanah Hall, most of which our source has claimed to be “lies.”
Citizen also contacted the university’s spokesperson for comments and to answer some of our specific questions. We, however, haven’t gotten any response at this time.
On July 13, 2023, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security in the country. This was announced by Dele Alake, the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, during a stakeholder meeting on agriculture and food production value-chain held at the State House in Abuja.
Why was a state of emergency declared in the first place?
The primary reason behind this national emergency is the recent inflation caused by the fuel subsidy removal. This fuel price-driven inflation has increased the price of food items, making it even more unaffordable for many Nigerians.
However, with the declaration of an emergency, an intervention plan with initiatives to ensure food security, affordability and sustainability was also launched. Some key points from this intervention plan are:
Release of fertilisers and grains to households
Dele Alake revealed that this would cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on farming households.
Increased security for farms and farmers
A security tracking website revealed that more than 350 farmers in Northern Nigeria were killed or kidnapped in 2022, contributing to the country’s looming food insecurity. The intervention plan promises to implement new security measures allowing farmers to work without fear.
There will be a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources
This collaboration will ensure irrigation for farmlands which will facilitate food production all year round. Moving away from seasonal farming will guarantee that there will be no more farming downtimes and will regulate the fluctuations in food prices.
The main goal of this board will be to continuously assess and regulate food prices and strategic food reserves, which will help stabilise certain food items like grains. Stakeholders such as the National Commodity Exchange (NCX), National Seed Council and Research Institutes, NIRSAL Microfinance bank, smallholder farms and crop associations, and others will be involved to ensure the successful implementation.
Activation of land banks and river basins
About 500,000 hectares of land suitable for farming will be provided to increase the country’s food output. Additionally, there will be 11 river basins to ensure the continuous planting of crops even in the dry season.
Improvement of transport and storage facilities
The removal of fuel subsidies led to increased fuel prices, which is one of the major reasons behind the high costs of food items. To help with this issue, the government is exploring other means of transportation, such as rail and water transport.
But to get professionals’ views on Tinubu’s intervention plan, ZikokoCitizen reached out to some experts, who shared their thoughts.
Here’s what they had to say:
Dr Emeka Ejikonye, a specialist in Public Budgeting, thinks very little of the proposed intervention plan so far. With Ejikonye’s “humble take”, “The policy initiative is a continuation of the utter mockery of the art of governance, which his predecessor’s administration dragged to the lowest ebb in the annals of the history of governance in this country.”
He believes the priority right now should be a complete reform to guarantee the wise use of public funds, which can be achieved by plugging the leakages. Ejikonye says, “Otherwise, the large chunk of the money he’ll push into the administrative system will continue to be diverted into the private pockets of our top-level civil servants and elected officials.”
On the other hand, Gbolahan Olojede, an economist, believes that the intervention plan is a good policy direction. According to him, “As far as policy is concerned, it’s a fantastic one.”
Olojede also highlights that “We’ve not been producing enough food, and our farm produce is centred around seasonality, hence the price fluctuations. And the policy addresses this, as it’s mentioned that additional land will be put into cultivation and we’ll be getting rid of seasonality in farming through irrigated farmlands. Additionally, mechanised farming will be encouraged, and the government also speaks of storage facilities as part of its intervention.” Nonetheless, Gbolahan points out that the role of electricity in extending the shelf life of crop products should have been addressed in the intervention plan.
Although Olojede doesn’t have much criticism, he emphasises the need for adequate implementation. “The right stakeholders should be engaged, and the Chief Executive Officers in the agricultural spaces should also be used to champion the initiative. The involvement of the President and Special Advisers alone isn’t sufficient.”
This intervention plan, Olojede believes, will help the country become food secure and generate more revenue from exports.
