Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the wordpress-seo domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/bcm/src/dev/www/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121 Nigerians | Page 23 of 44 | Zikoko!Nigerians | Page 23 of 44 | Zikoko!
From battling with traffic to hustling for fuel in long queues, Nigeria is definitely not for the faint-hearted. This is why the government needs to take our mental health seriously.
If you’ve ever wondered how seriously the government is taking the issue of our mental health, here’s what we know.
Nigeria’s current mental health law is six decades old
Nigeria enacted its first mental health legislation, the Lunacy Ordinance, in 1916. The law was then revised in 1958 to include the imprisonment of mentally ill people. However, it’s sad to see that after six decades, nothing has changed about how Nigeria engages with mental health issues.
There have been many failed attempts
The National Assembly introduced a Mental Health Bill in 2003 but dropped it after six years of no progress. A new bill was introduced in 2013 as part of the National Policy for Mental Health Services Delivery. The aim was to establish the foundations for delivering care to people with mental, neurological, and substance addiction difficulties. Again, this bill failed to pass.
The latest mental health bill was introduced in the National Assembly in 2021 and has been passed. But President Buhari needs to sign it before it becomes law. We can only hope that this doesn’t end up in the dustbin as well.
Nigeria desperately needs this new law to pass
Mental health care in Nigeria is a catastrophe. Approximately 80% of Nigerians with mental health needs cannot access care due to factors like lack of funds, facilities, personnel, and even cultural and religious superstitions about mental health. The common solutions for mental illnesses are almost always spiritual remedies.
Just like everything in Nigeria that has nothing to do with the enjoyment of politicians, mental health care is also highly underfunded. The mental health budget is roughly 3.3% to 4% of GDP, with over 90% going to a few neuropsychiatric hospitals. It also doesn’t help that the primary funding for these hospitals are from the government’s health budget.
Mental health patients are also not spared. A 2019 report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that thousands of mental health patients face prolonged detention, physical and sexual violence, or forced treatment, including electroshock therapy.
If there was ever a time to update Nigeria’s mental health policies to reflect that we’re in the 21st century, it’s now.
As if the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, hadn’t already surprised Nigerians enough for one week with a rare presidential town hall at Chatham House, he also granted a rare interview with BBC Africa.
Hosted by BBC correspondent, Peter Okwoche, the eight-minute interview caused a flurry of conversation online.
The BBC Interview of Tinubu is to trick you to believe he is alert. But an interview like that will – 1. Have cuts and breaks to re-take a question. 2. Aides around to help with answers 3. Tele-prompters Then at the end it will pass through a thorough editing process.
Tinubu had some interesting things to say in this interview. Let’s get into the tea here:
“Insecurity has actually reduced”
We saw evidence of the Tinubu-Buhari bromance in the candidate’s response to a question about insecurity. According to Tinubu, insecurity in Nigeria has actually reduced as the four states and 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) with “foreign jihadist flags” are long gone.
But how sure is Tinubu of this fact?
Although the Buhari administration has made significant progress in kicking Boko Haram’s ass in the northeast, its sister group, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) is still causing problems. ISWAP attacked the Kuje Prison in Abuja in July 2022 and has a dominant presence in Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, and even the South-West. Let’s not talk of the bandit attacks that have been happening across Nigeria’s North-West with thousands of people killed and more displaced.
“The West is not yet comfortable enough to sell arms to Nigeria”
Ladies and gentlemen, the above statement is a big lie.
The U.S. is careful about selling arms to countries like Nigeria that have questionable human rights records. However, they’ve still come through for us in recent times. This includes the delivery of 12 Tucano fighter jets and the approval of a deal that’s $1 billion worth of arms.
“I’m different. I’m Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
For Tinubu, voters should choose him as the next president of Nigeria just because he’s different and he’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
But what makes him so special? Tinubu took the pains to explain his track record as the governor of Lagos State, and how he raised Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from ₦600 million to ₦5 billion a month.
“I inherited great real estate and turned the values around”
Tinubu can’t escape questions about the source of his wealth. When he faced it again during this interview, he said he made his fortune through investments
He said, “I inherited great real estate and I turned the values around. I’m not denying my wealth. I was the most investigated, the most accused governor in the opposition for eight years and up till 2007.”
Well, Tinubu definitely has a bulky bag of accusations. These range from drug trafficking in the US to a ₦100 billion tax evasion, fraud, and a money laundering court petition for one of his consultancy firms, Alpha Beta.
Clearly, Tinubu needs to start showing some receipts — if he can find them — to prove his innocence if indeed he isn’t guilty.
Navigating life as a woman in the world today is interesting. From Nigeria to Timbuktu, it’ll amaze you how similar all our experiences are. Every Wednesday, women the world over will share their experiences on everything from sex to politics right here.
This week’s #ZikokoWhatSheSaid subject is a 49-year-old Nigerian woman who lost a leg after an okada accident. She talks about waking up to find a stump where her leg used to be, what it’s like to lose a limb and what she thinks about how people treat amputees.
Where should we begin?
In 1991. My mum had sent me on some errand to the market. As usual, I flagged an okada and jumped on. More so than now, we used okadas to go everywhere. They were fast, one was always outside your gate, and they don’t call price like now. They were quite affordable. I didn’t even think about it twice.
It couldn’t have been up to five minutes later that a private car almost ran into us, and the okada had to swerve out of the way. That’s the last thing I remember until I woke up in the hospital. They said I fell off the okada, and it ran over my leg while the rider was trying to brake. He must’ve accelerated instead. I thank God because he saved me from being conscious and experiencing the trauma and pain. Newspapers ran my story.
You didn’t feel the pain?
Oh, I did. But when I woke up days after, they’d already done all the surgeries and pumped me with painkillers. I can only imagine how painful it would’ve been when the machine actually crushed my legs.
Both legs?
Yes, but my left leg was salvaged through some bone restructuring at Igbobi. My right leg took the direct impact, and unfortunately, my knee was crushed. One of my greatest regrets is that it wasn’t somewhere lower. I would’ve been able to use a prosthesis right away.
How did your knee affect that?
The knee is a major joint that helps you move your legs properly — sit, stand, walk, anything really. It’s hard to replicate with prostheses, and in the 90s, it was hard and expensive to get such advanced ones.
I’m so sorry
Yep. So I was stuck in a wheelchair, which back then, wasn’t very lightweight.
Let’s circle back to when you woke up for the first time at the hospital
When I woke up, no one told me my leg had been cut off. Although I sensed everyone was behaving weird, I honestly didn’t feel anything amiss for some days. I was heavily drugged and barely sentient.
Why didn’t your family or the doctors tell you, and didn’t they need your prior permission?
I was unconscious for about four days, and according to them, they needed to amputate to save my life. The giant wound had gotten infected. My bones were unsalvagable anyway, and I was a minor, so my parents could make the decision on my behalf. They chose to save my life despite the costs.
How did you find out then?
One day, my missing leg started throbbing — what I now know as phantom leg pain.
I started feeling small pain in the knee that was no longer there, and the ghost of my toes was twitching. The sensations were barely there, but they were uncomfortable, so I tried to move the leg. There was nothing there. I think I almost fainted when I touched it and felt… nothing.
Damn
It was just a slight aching discomfort at first. Over the next few weeks, it progressed to severe pain, intermittent tremors and muscle spasms. The doctors said it was mixed signals from my brain and leg nerves trying to get used to the missing section. It was also another consequence of an above-the-knee amputation.
Tell me about readjusting
The story gets a bit darker. I stayed a month under close observation at the hospital because amputations, especially large ones like mine caused by an accident, are high-risk. The list of possible complications was endless; one of them being that my body, helped by my brain, could decide to attack me from within because they’re confused about the missing set of muscles and nerves.
I also bled more than expected during the surgery and had an infection on the incision, so they couldn’t stitch the stump immediately. I had tubes in my skin to drain the infected fluids, which had to be changed regularly.
They told me I could get a blood clot in any of my limbs which might break loose and travel to my lungs or brain. If it went to my lungs, I’d have trouble breathing; if it went to my brain, it’d cause a stroke. Thankfully, none of those happened. The infection eventually went away. They stitched and bandaged me up then added a cast.
What happened next?
Two months of aggressive physical therapy in a nursing facility. I had to learn things like how to breathe differently and cough regularly, to prevent lung infection, and there were a lot of sleeping instructions to keep my arteries from hardening. Then the massages and wearing a compression sock. It was the most painful experience I’ve ever had to date.
The hospital bills, and everything that came after, including buying a wheelchair, put my parents in a debt they never recovered from — they both died before they could even finish repaying. We went from being safely middle class to lower class. We had to squat with different family members because we could no longer pay rent and barely afford to eat, after paying for the monthly therapy. I moved with my parents into my paternal aunt’s house — my mum was miserable there — and my older siblings had to stay with my grandparents until they moved out on their own.
But my family thought it was important that I learn to be as mobile as I could at that early stage. They were very vocal about me not growing up to be a liability, and I’m grateful to them for that now, even though I wasn’t so much then.
I was a teenager. I was angry and frustrated. My secondary education was delayed for a year because of the accident, but I didn’t even want to return. To be honest, I wonder why I never considered suicide — probably because they’d banged it in our heads that I’d go straight to hell — because that’s how sad I was. Even though my schoolmates did their best to be nice when I returned to school, I was filled with bitterness and resentment.
The student body and PTA contributed money to pay for my SS 3 fees and WAEC registration, a total of about ₦600, and I had all my classes in the principal’s office. In hindsight, that was such a heartwarming show of humanity, and I’m grateful for that kindness.
That’s really sweet. What happened after school?
I got an average result but didn’t continue school until three years later, in 1995. My self-esteem was completely gone. I stayed home, mostly in bed, and only went out when the family forced me to go with them to church or my mum made me assist her in selling biscuits and drinks in front of my aunty’s house. I hated selling with her the most because people would always stop to say something pitiful to me.
What are some of the things you hate people saying to you?
There’s nothing I hate more than being referred to as “disabled”. I honestly don’t know why, but the word sounds derogatory. I suppose it’s better than “crippled”, but still, can’t I just be identified by my given name. What’s the point of names if we’re so obsessed with labels?
I also wish people wouldn’t immediately judge my abilities. “But you can’t do that”, just because they can’t imagine someone missing a leg doing certain activities.
Or when people just want to help you with EVERYTHING. At least, ask me if I need help first. But I think what makes me feel bad the most is when people say stuff like, “You inspire me” or “You’re so brave” because it’s really like they’re saying, “How could you live with yourself like this?” and it can get depressing quickly.
I hear you. So you went back to school after three years?
I started volunteering at an NGO for people with disabilities, to get away from my aunt’s house during the day. A centre opened two streets away, and I just started going there. It was hard because I had to wheel myself along the main road, enduring stares, ignorant comments and bullying. People gave me alms I didn’t ask for on some occasions. I also practically had to sneak out of the house at first. But I just wanted to be somewhere with people who looked like me.
It was an informal school, where they had classes for people aged 10 to 20, doing everything from reading and writing to art and crafts. They also tutored the beneficiaries on normal school subjects. I worked as a sort of teacher’s assistant, mostly running errands, for free.
After some weeks, they started giving me lunch — a simple plate of jollof rice and meat. And some months in, they helped me get a small scholarship to take computer courses and Microsoft certification exams. That’s all the formal education I’ve had since then. Most of the work I do today is advocacy within social organisations like that one.
Did you make friends?
I had friends from before the accident who drifted away because of my self-sabotaging behaviour. Now, my strongest relationships are the ones I make at work. I have many fellow amputee friends, and constantly surrounding myself with them boosted my sense of self. However, I married a non-amputee when I was 36 — a man I met in church — but we separated six years ago. Even though it wasn’t on good terms, we’re friends today, and we support each other in raising our 11-year-old daughter.
You prefer the terms “amputee” and “non-amputee”. Why?
These are medical terms — I had an amputation, so I’m an amputee; you didn’t, so you’re not an amputee. If you had to use a label, use those instead of saying someone is disabled vs ablebodied, which are ableist terms. I’m still ablebodied because I run, bike, swim — things I couldn’t do before the amputation.
How do you feel now? Do you still get sad?
Finally getting a prosthetic leg when I turned 30 helped. It was exciting that I could finally wear matching shoes again.
I’ve learnt that life is a constant struggle with depression regardless of what lemons it throws. Nigerians don’t know what it means to be sensitive and discreet, so it’s not enough that they point out every time I gain weight, they must also have something to say about my prosthetic leg. Children are especially direct and inquisitive about it. Today, I feel happy most of the time. I have a better perspective on life, so I don’t think too much about things I can’t help — except late at night, when I can’t help the thoughts flying in.
I’m glad you got a prosthesis!
I’m not sure I’d have ever got better mentally without it because it changed my life and was a giant boost to my self-esteem. It came with it’s own struggles, of course. I had to work for a long time to find one that’s not only comfortable but can also do everything I want to do. It cost as much as a good car, so I also had to spend months applying for a grant to get it. And I’ve had to replace it a couple of times since then because, like any gadget, they get faulty.
Even though I lost my leg 32 years ago, I still have phantom sensations to this day. Before I go to bed at night, I get a pins-and-needles feeling, like my leg is asleep, and I can feel my foot. It’s annoying because I know my leg isn’t there, and I don’t want to feel it. But I’d rather have that sensation than pain. Some people who’ve lost a limb are in pain their entire lives. I’m grateful for small mercies.
After keeping a track record of constantly dodging important campaign events the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, did the one thing we thought he could never do — attend a presidential town hall…
…in Chatham House, London.
Nigerans were confused when they heard the news on December 5, 2022, and they wondered why Tinubu would leave all the presidential town halls in Nigeria to attend one overseas.
Well, if there’s anything we know, it’s that a Tinubu show is never boring. Here are highlights of what went down during his Chatham house appearance:
“My birth, academic records are consistent”
Tinubu took advantage of the outing to throw a comeback shot at all the haters doubting the genuineness of his birth and academic records. According to Tinubu, his date of birth and transcript clearly show March 29, 1952. Of course, this is easy to say, considering his birth certificate can’t be found in the first place.
He also boasted of Deloitte training him as an accountant and Mobil attesting to his outstanding performance. There was no one there to remind him Deloitte already denied his record as an employee:
Deloitte LLC just declared that Tinubu never worked for them.
Oba of Benin | David Hundeyin | Drug Lord | Nnamdi Kanu | Channel | Istanbul | Israel Adesanya pic.twitter.com/RArTkcJ2nk
Really, can you say Tinubu is at an event if he hasn’t tackled his fellow political rivals? Definitely not. As he was verifying speculations concerning his Tinubu surname, the BAT dared his critics to request a DNA test, saying that “one of them (a presidential candidate) has been accused of not being a Nigerian.”
In case you’re wondering who it is, look no further than this guy:
PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar
In 2019, the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA) filed a lawsuit against Atiku Abubakar for vying for the presidency in the 2019 elections, since he was born in Jada, Cameroon before it became a part of Nigeria. However, the court dismissed the suit in February 2022 and called EMA a “busy body”.
The APC team strategy
Instead of continually making gaffes whenever he speaks, Tinubu decided to take the easy way out by making his homies answer questions for him.
People online were already disappointed that Tinubu was handing down important questions about his future policies to his minions team to answer, but it got even worse when he asked Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to answer the question on security. This is a governor that terrorists have killed over 400 people in his state in the span of six months.
“I don’t do live interviews because I’m marketable”
During the town hall, a journalist had the courage to ask Tinubu why he’s not been granting requests for interviews and debates in Nigeria. To that, Tinubu replied that he sees himself as a “marketable individual”, and thus, he would not be used to make money.
Most people considered the Chatham outing was one without gaffes. But Tinubu still managed to create a new word while trying to pronounce “magnificent.”
It’s another BANGER!!!!
See international disgrace, Tinubu left local match with Arise TV to go and disgrace us in Champions League in London at Chatham House.
Social media influencer and former special assistant to Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, decided to take his opposition of Tinubu to the streets of London in front of Chatham House. His supporters engaged in a shouting match with Tinubu stans. Omokri and his supporters shouted “Tinubu, drugs, Tinubu, heroine,” in an apparent dig at the APC presidential candidate. Tinubu’s supporters, who held placards, chanted, “Tinubu for President.” They also sang, “On your mandate, we shall stand.”
President Buhari went into Aso Rock Villa in 2015 with a promise to change everything bad about the country. Nigerians, at this point, were tired of the rising level of insecurity, corruption and the dwindling state of the economy. Also, the combination of an ex-military general with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) seemed like the perfect answer to tackle all our problems.
However, it’s been seven and a half years, and the headaches we suffered before have become migraines under the current administration.
With only six months left for Buhari to leave Aso Rock Villa, many Nigerians are starting to wonder if they got what they ordered.
Unemployment
Unemployment was one of Nigeria’s biggest problems in 2015, and Buhari promised to tackle it by creating three million jobs every year. When he became president, the unemployment rate was 8.19%, but has now climbed to a record 33% under him. No wonder insecurity is getting worse and the people who can afford to japa are running out of the country.
Insecurity
This is one of the significant issues that hit the nail in the coffin of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) government. With the deadly attacks on public places becoming more frequent, Nigerians wanted nothing more than to kiss Jonathan goodbye. Buhari capitalised on this and promised to crush the preparators completely. But it’s been seven and a half years and the situation isn’t any better.
In Jonathan’s era, one dollar was equivalent to ₦196, and many of us, including Buhari, cried about the country’s economic state. Buhari promised to return the naira to its glory days, and Nigerians believed him. Unfortunately, the naira has been going in the opposite direction of its glory days and lost even more value under Buhari.
The president’s administration has also left millions of Nigerians poorer. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 133 million Nigerians currently live in poverty which is a sharp contrast to seven years ago when Nigeria was described as the largest and fastest growing economy in Africa. We were sold dreams of a revitalised economy, but the only thing we’ve gotten is debt and high inflation rates.
Corruption
President Buhari is the kind of man whose reputation precedes him, and for those of us who weren’t born in the military era, we heard many tales of his fight against corruption. But have you seen the level of corruption by public officials under his administration?
One would expect these officials would at least face severe penalties when caught but, more often than not, their crimes are swept under the rug and forgotten. So maybe Buhari’s hate for corruption was nothing but an old wives’ tale?
Medical tourism
Before he won, Buhari promised to upgrade the health sector to stop Nigerian leaders from taking wasteful medical trips abroad. However, since he came into power, he’s become a tourist, flying overseas to treat cases such as ear infections despite having over 200 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists in Nigeria.
Clearly, despite his promises, President Buhari found it challenging to fulfil many campaign promises. Perhaps, he got there and realised the job was harder than he thought it would be, or maybe he just wasn’t the guy for the job.
The Nigerian Voter is a series that seeks to understand the motivations that drive the voting decisions of Nigerians — why they vote, how they choose their candidates, why some have never voted, and their wildest stories around elections.
This week’s subject of The Nigerian Voter is Umar, a tech freelancer in his early twenties who refuses to vote because none of the 2023 presidential candidates are worthy of his standards.
Have you ever voted before?
No, and I don’t plan on voting anytime soon.
What made you take this decision?
I don’t think Nigeria has gone forward over the years, except when Yar’Adua came on, but he died too soon. I don’t see the point in voting when I know whoever is coming in is going to be the same as, or worse than, the last government.
How did Yar’Adua stand out for you?
It was the models he had in mind — his seven-point agenda felt so packed and comprehensive. One could see how he was trying to unify Nigeria with the peace treaty with the Niger Delta boys. He was a man who tried to make Nigeria function as a single unit. I feel every candidate should be able to transcend every form of tribal bias that Nigerians have come to accept.
Were there any other factors that stood out for you?
Honestly, trying to sign the peace treaty with the Niger Delta was a huge step because the Niger Delta was, and still is, a huge revenue point for us. I also feel that as Yar’Adua went on, he would have addressed the issues of education, power, and some other issues.
I believe if we have power as a country, it’ll drive industrialisation and production, which is what the success of an economy is all about. What can you offer other parts of the world in exchange for money? I feel he’d have solved all these during his time.
Others that came after him haven’t lived up to that. Look at Jonathan’s time, for instance. People felt they were enjoying his tenure, but he just ended up eating away all of our reserves. Nigeria is still a young country compared to the United States, or the United Kingdom, so we can still get it right but with the right orientation. We need a Nigerian who can think of the future and not just the present. We also need a president who can sacrifice for this country.
I’m curious about what you think of Buhari
Buhari was very sluggish when he came into the office. He had contested in three elections before he won but choosing his cabinet took a long time. You don’t start to find soldiers when you’re already on your way to the battlefield. You’re meant to know who can do what, with their administrative capacity and what not.
However, I believe he was trying for some time, and then came the issue of his health. I feel that after he came back from his medical trip to the UK, that was just the end of Buhari’s government.
What does your dream president look like?
The first characteristic has to be a good track record of good governance. Whoever you’ve managed or whichever portfolio you have, I’d ask myself — was this person a visionary, or was this person just following orders? Some people make it to the top, but they still have nothing to offer.
This is part of the reason I believed in Buhari at some point, because of his track record in the military regime. But then, we saw that he couldn’t replicate what he did in a democracy, because it’s trickier. And if I’m to be very honest, Nigeria isn’t ready for democracy. We’re very unruly and we’re always trying to cut corners. I feel that democracy is made for people with a sane orientation, people that follow rules.
So, you don’t think you’ll ever vote?
Eventually, if I ever see someone who truly has Nigeria at heart, then I know I’m going to vote. The frontrunners right now all have bad records. These are people I know I don’t want to vote for, so I just choose to stay neutral.
What do you have against the frontrunners?
Let’s start with Peter Obi. The people of Anambra can fully attest to whether he did good work in the state or not. Now, I feel he’s made the election saga turn into a tribal game. I don’t believe in that, as I’m from the North-Central.
With Tinubu and the system of thuggery in Lagos, I fear how the country would be if he becomes president. Nigeria would be in ruins. Atiku is the least favourite for me because that man has nothing to offer Nigeria.
But Peter Obi seems aligned with your positions. Why not him still?
I don’t think he left Anambra in a good state. And as for him leaving money in his cabinet when he left office, how’s that a good thing? How can there be famine in the land and you’re saving all the farm produce? Some of these things don’t make sense. I feel it was just a ploy to gain followers for when he runs for the presidency. The person I’d choose as president is Babatunde Fashola. If he says now that he’s running for the presidency, I’ll definitely get my Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and vote for him.
Why does Fashola deserve your vote?
I was in Lagos when he was governor, and I believe he’s someone who would be able to manage Nigeria’s resources adequately. I feel he has the administrative ability to rule the country.
When he saw a gap in the transportation system and commuting wasn’t all that easy, what did he do? He introduced the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system. During his time, Lagos was as clean and as safe as could be. What else do I need asides from security, good roads, and an effective transportation system?
Have you considered candidates from lesser-known parties?
The problem is they’re not frontrunners. In Nigeria, it’s mostly a two-party system if we tell ourselves the truth. This is the first time we can see someone from a smaller party as part of the frontrunners. I also feel if there was a candidate that was from a smaller party, had a good track record, and also had the same hype as Peter Obi, I’d vote for him.
Since you’re not voting, are you willing to live with the consequences of whoever becomes president?
Even if I had a candidate in mind and I vote, and others don’t have the same mindset as me, he wouldn’t win. I believe Nigeria is going to get it right someday. Even if I leave the country, I’d most likely just study and come back. If I wanted to japa, I’d have done it long before now. Nigeria would be better if we know that all the tribalistic madness can be done away with. But with the high level of illiteracy in the country, I doubt that’ll happen anytime soon.
I know that no one man can change Nigeria alone. Whoever becomes the next president, we’d all be here to enjoy the rewards or suffer the consequences.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has a track record of suing Buhari every three market days. The organisation has dragged the president to court over the embezzlement of ₦1.4 trillion meant for oil refineries, and for his failure to publish the repatriation details of Abacha’s $23 million loot, amongst others. The list of lawsuits is endless and SERAP isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon.
The latest lawsuit from SERAP concerns Buhari’s failure to investigate the missing trillions of naira in ecological funds from all levels of government from 2001 to date. The organisation is also demanding punishment for the suspected perpetrators of corruption and mismanagement of the funds.
But what’s so important about this ecological fund and how could the missing trillions have helped us? Let’s go to school for a bit.
What’s the ecological fund?
The ecological fund is an emergency or intervention fund set up by the Federal Government in 1981 to address ecological problems in the country. Just think of it as a piggy bank for whenever Nigeria has some serious environmental issues.
Beneficiaries of the fund are the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), or any other projects on the approval of Mr President.
The third option should give a clue as to where the money went to.
How much did we have in the fund?
According to reports from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Nigeria set aside a total of ₦548 billion for the 36 states between 2012 and 2021. However, only ₦277 billion showed up in the fund while ₦74 billion was sent to state governments for their climate needs.
So what happened to the remaining ₦197 billion?
How could the funds have helped Nigeria?
Nigeria’s most pressing ecological problem is floods. In 2022, the country experienced its worst flooding crisis in ten years. These floods claimed over 600 lives and displaced 1.3 million people. Victims in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps suffered from respiratory diseases, as well as cholera and diarrhea.
These funds could have been useful if well utilised for proper healthcare, faster drainage of the floodwaters, and even better grounds for IDP camp facilities.
One thing is sure — if there’s a lack of accountability with public funds, more climate disasters will definitely happen. That’s what SERAP is trying to prevent.
To be taken for granted in a relationship is one of the shittiest things ever. People who do that to their partners deserve running stomachs in standstill traffic.
The worst part is most people don’t know they’re being taken for granted until they’ve gotten to their breaking point. Then they’re like, “Wait. Shey this person dey whine me ni? I don’t deserve this rubbish.”
To avoid getting to this point, here are some of the signs you should watch out for.
They’re ungrateful
Common ”thank you” never comes out of their mouths when you do favours or sacrifice things for them. They don’t even realise you’ve done something important, and that’s the beginning of the problem. If they don’t acknowledge you for the great partner you are, that’s a red flag.
They barely communicate with you
The fact that they don’t think you’re important enough to talk to consistently shows they’re definitely taking you for granted.
They don’t give a shit about anything you do
They have no interest in participating in your life. They don’t try to do the things you love or share in moments that are important to you. Even something as simple as your office gossip, they’re not interested.
They don’t spend time with you
They’re always doing their own thing and hardly ever find quality time for you. When you try to create time to spend together, they come up with silly excuses like “I’m busy” or “I’m tired”. Busy kill you there.
They refuse to compromise
It’s always about them. They’re set in their ways and are never willing to compromise on issues, big or small. This shows you’re not an important factor to them.
They don’t include you in their plans
You wake up one morning to find out your partner got a new job. Ahn ahn, from where to where? When did they apply? When did they go for the interview? You don’t have this information because they didn’t think of you as important enough to tell it to.
Now that you know, what do you do?
Talk to them
Try to speak with your partner about it. Open your mouth and tell them everything from A-Z. Let them know how serious it is. If you’re dating a sensible person, they’d be willing to listen.
Set boundaries
If they’re willing to change, set rules and boundaries for the relationship. Set specific days for quality time, agree to try out each other’s hobbies once a month, etc.
Do your own back
If they persist in not making time for you, including you in plans or communicating, do the same to them. Let them know what it feels like. Maybe they’ll sit up. First to do no dey pain o.
Cheat
I’m just joking, please. Don’t let me be the end of your relationship.
End the relationship
They’re not willing to change, so what are you still doing there? End the relationship, please. There’s no time for nonsense.
After reading the Peter Obi manifesto ladies and gentlemen I’m here to boldly tell you that:
-PO has nothing new to offer Nigerians -PO doesn’t understand how government works -PO’s understanding of economic is very elementary Lastly, – PO is very dull and confidently empty
But, what exactly is the content of this document?
Introduction of a state police system
Obi plans to put in place policies that would implement the principles of a state police system in the Nigerian constitution. But these could create some problems.
The Senate is already hostile against state policing due to fears that officers will become errand boys for governors who may also neglect to pay them well.
This could become an issue as Obi needs a National Assembly aligned with his interests and plans for the country to succeed. But how many Labour Party candidates are likely to win seats in the National Assembly in 2023?
According to the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Labour Party is contesting for only 78 seats out of the 109 seats in the Senate. It also doesn’t help that most of the vacant slots will favour Obi’s rivals more, as there are no Labour Party candidates in key states like Kebbi, Katsina, Lagos, Borno, and Ekiti.
Hourly national minimum rate
Peter Obi’s answer to Nigeria’s low minimum wage problem is to introduce a minimum rate based on one’s productivity per hour instead of the current ₦30,000 per month.
It’s not hard to know where the inspiration for this came from, as Western countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States all run a minimum wage per hour system.
The plan creates a semblance of fairness, as workers would get paid based on how much time they work. The more hours you work, the more money you get to put in the bag.
Also, this section of the manifesto mentioned the “criminalisation of non-payment of salaries, wages, pensions, entitlements, benefits, and violation of collective bargaining agreements,” which means the law will start frowning at horrible bosses who delay payment of workers.
This is how we imagine every worker would feel if that happened:
Equal pay for politicians and civil servants
Obi intends to implement a Common Regimentation Emolument Structure Table (CREST). This is a policy that’ll enable elected politicians and appointed officials to earn the same as civil servants.
But are the National Assembly lawmakers interested in earning the same paycheck as civil servants?
The move from consumption to production
“Consumption to production” has become a catchphrase of the Obi campaign. We’re not surprised the idea appeared in his manifesto. How does he plan to make it happen for Nigeria?
Re-skilling youths in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field for the nation’s economy. This is needed given that most students in Nigeria don’t feel the need for STEM. This is due to the slow rate of curriculum updates, and poor funding, especially in rural areas.
Venture capital fund for young entrepreneurs
Apprenticeship system for technical skills.
The rise of a “Green Army” whose mission is to use the $3 trillion from international climate finance to create economic growth and employment for youths.
But how does he intend to do that? That definitely wasn’t specified.
Multiple exchange rate system
In his manifesto, Obi expressed his feelings about Nigeria’s current exchange rate system. Here’s what he had to say:
While these problems are true as Nigeria currently has rates from the Central Bank and black markets, we’re still waiting on Obi to give us a solution to the problem.
The Afro-centric diplomacy
Obi also plans to protect the rights of Nigerians abroad through Afrocentric diplomacy. Compared to Nigeria’s current foreign policy which only seeks to promote relations among member countries, his Afrocentric policy has benefits. This would help to both protect Nigerian citizens abroad as well as promote their businesses.
This would be done by rebuilding Nigeria’s military power, establishing leadership roles in African affairs, and even using our top position in entertainment to enhance economic strategies.
Nigerians don’t really care about car names and models. We just call them whatever we like. Check out these hilariously Nigerian names for cars we hear everyday.
Big daddy or Big for nothing (Toyota Camry)
This is just an unfair name because it’s giving “Segun GTBank” caller ID vibes, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the car.
Evil spirit (Honda Accord 2011/2012)
Nigerians got this one right. A car can’t look this sexy without a sprinkle of ogbanje. Such a befitting name, if we’re being honest.
End of discussion (Honda Accord 2003/2005)
This was the first car version of “drops mic”. Maybe it’s old-fashioned now, but you’d turn heads if you drove this to a party back in the days.
Discussion continues (Honda Accord 2006 – 2010)
The end-of-discussion vehicle realised it still had much more to say. So Nigerians had to invent “Discussion continues”.
Ijapa (Volkswagen Type 1)
Not only does this bad boy look like a tortoise, it moves like one too. We don’t need to say much more. It’s hard to believe this car made you a baller once upon a time in Nigeria.
Pencil (Toyota Camry 1999)
You’d think this car got its name from its shape. Nope. It’s the headlights. Apparently, the car was launched at a time when people were obsessed with headlights.
Muscle (Toyota Camry 2007)
This is what you get when Pencil puts on some weight (or “goes to the gym”). Nigerians saw the result and christened it “Camry Muscle”. Such creativity!
Regular (The 1980 Mercedes Benz 200)
The name is a little misleading with this one. Not only is this car giving October 1st, 1960, but you were a baller if you owned it back in the 80’s too. It was the ultimate status symbol.
Christmas season is here, and I’m excited for all the food I’ll eat this period. I’m doing this thing where, for 12 days of December (any 12 consecutive days before Christmas), I’ll make a different thing to eat and drink. I want you to join me, so I’ve written a list of the 12 recipes we’ll be trying. Let me know how it goes.
Day 1
Turkey and plantain pepper soup
I made this meal after a long ass day at work, and after eating it, I felt instant relief. I no longer wanted to throw hands at my colleagues or cry out of frustration. This is exactly why you should use this recipe to start your Christmas holiday; it’s deliciously soothing. After a long work year, it’s exactly what you need. Don’t try it when the weather is too hot sha.
The normal fried rice you cook at parties with a twist. This one is a bit more festive and includes coconut and pineapple. Before you open your mouth and say, “Who puts pineapples in fried rice?” Try it first.
Time to open the Zobo that’s been in your fridge for a few days, and use it to make a unique martini. I’m not a fan of Zobo, but I’d gladly drink it when mixed with vodka.
I believe the liver is one of the most delicious parts of the cow. If you disagree with me, argue with the cow. Instead of the usual hard chicken piece, small chops should include peppered cow liver. It’s that delicious.
On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, fiiiiive chicken pops! Nigerians have found a way to make chicken pops better, and it’s by adding yaji pepper to it. They can be eaten alone or with fries, yam chips or anything you want honestly. They can be addictive, so good luck.
We don’t have winter in Nigeria, but you can put on your AC, or sit in front of a fan, and have this hot drink while watching a cliche Christmas movie. It’s Milo with a bit of alcohol inside.
The fluffiness of hot puff puff mixes so well with cold vanilla ice cream and makes it so sweet. If I had my way (and a fast metabolic system), I’d eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In case you don’t want to buy puff puff…
I’m actually begging you, take a break from that pack of Chivita and try something different today. The watermelon and pineapple mocktail is a really sweet drink that can be made in minutes. Make it in a large batch and just drink it over the week — or in one day, if you’re like me.
Go back and read the name of the recipe again. If you ever want to taste happiness, try this recipe. The Christmas holiday is for eating all sorts of junk food in the name of celebration, and this ice cream, is the right place to start from.
Mkpafere soup looks like oha soup but tastes different. Just put back the ingredients you’ve brought out for the okra soup you want to make, and start preparing for Mkpafere. I promise you’ll love it. If you have money, add prawns inside.
The Bee’s Knees is a cocktail made with gin, lemon and honey. It’s actually kinda sweet, and that’s why you’d love it. Plus, the name is weird; the weirder the name of the drink, the better.
Dear Nigerians, the moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially announced the date for Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) collection.
When’s the collection?
INEC has given us exactly five weeks for PVC collection — from December 12, 2022 to January 22, 2023.
But Nigerians aren’t too pleased with the time period, as most feel the window is too short.
You held our PVCs for soo long and now you give barely 5 weeks for millions of people to collect PVCs registered this year. This is an obvious plan of disenfranchisement. @inecnigeria for once allow God use you. Do not be a clog in the wheel of the progress of this country
@inecnigeria, what are you people hiding? Every time giving very limited time! After holding citizens' PVC for so long, it’s 5 weeks the commission is giving for collection? You guys could understand Nigerians are not dafts!.
Voters can collect their PVCs at registration centres between December 6, 2022 and January 15, 2023.
After January 15, you’d have no choice but to go to an INEC local government office to pick up your PVC until January 22. Take it from us, you don’t want to wait until that time because the queues will be crazy.
What time can citizens pick up their PVCs?
Citizens can pick up their PVCs between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day, including Saturdays and Sundays.
What happens if there’s an error?
Despite the review process of the controversial voter register being closed, INEC has got you covered. Electoral officers will be available to assist registrants with complaints during the PVC collection at help desks.
Many people tend to couple up once the Christmas season starts. And it’s not just because of love. One reason is they’re not going home for Christmas, so they want someone to spend all their time with. Here are eight other reasons.
You’ll have someone to take home
Every time you visit your family, they ask when you’ll marry. If you date in December, you’ll have someone to take home for the Christmas holiday. Your family will think it’s serious and stop harassing you about marriage. Only you and your December lover will know the truth.
Shared Uber fare
Uber and Bolt prices are so high in December that you’ll be tempted to just buy your own car. But if you date someone during this period, you’ll have someone to share the fare with (as long as you go out together). And if they’re rich enough, they’ll pay the entire thing.
They’ll always have your time
From the second/third week in December, most workplaces would’ve closed for the year. If you date someone now, they’ll have your time. No more I’m busy chasing KPIs.
You can date an IJGB
You get the opportunity to have a sweet Christmas romance with an IJGB who’ll spend foreign currency on you. You won’t have to worry about an eventual long-distance relationship. Because you both understand the relationship is just for the holiday. In January, they can peacefully return to their country, and everybody will be okay.
If no one else gets you a Christmas present, your December partner will. And that’s a good enough reason to date this Christmas.
You’ll have someone to take pyjamas pictures with
You won’t be tensioned by other couples’ cute pyjama pictures because you’ll have someone to take yours with. Even though the relationship is only short-term, people will still “awww” under the post. And that’s what matters.
No dating stress
There’s less pressure because no one needs to worry about the relationship’s future. You do everything based on vibes and enjoy the relationship for as long as it lasts.
You won’t attend events alone
Just in case your friends are coupled up or busy with other things, you’d have someone to go to events with. And both of you can do those annoying couple things like feed each other food, take cute pictures, kiss, etc.
Love Lifeis a Zikoko weekly series about love, relationships, situationships, entanglements and everything in between.
Geraldine* (55) and Felix* (61) were childhood friends who lost contact for 35 years. They talk about reconnecting on Facebook, overcoming initial family disapproval and valuing companionship over traditional gender roles in marriage.
Geraldine: We attended the same secondary school in Onitsha, Anambra State, in the early 80s, but only became friends in Class 5. I can’t recall all the details now, but we were preparing for our final exams, and we just became close.
Felix: I remember walking her home every day after school. Of course, I had to stop at the junction before her house so her neighbours wouldn’t see me and report to her parents. It was innocent, but how do you want to explain that?
Did you have feelings for each other at this point?
Geraldine: I became fond of him, but I definitely couldn’t tell him. Girls weren’t that open back then. My heart told me he liked me, but he wasn’t saying anything. I kept waiting for him to talk first. It didn’t happen till almost 35 years later.
Wait. What? Please explain, sir.
Felix: I liked her then too, but I knew I’d be moving to Lagos after school, so it didn’t make sense to start what I knew I couldn’t finish. Which father would want to give their daughter to a secondary school leaver?
Geraldine: We were walking home from school one day when this man just told me out of the blue that he’d be travelling to Lagos soon to work with his uncle. I felt betrayed.
Ouch. What did you do?
Geraldine: What could I have done? I just said okay, and within a week, he’d left Onitsha. This was 1984. There were no phones then, and he never sent a letter, so we lost contact.
Felix: Again, I didn’t think we had a future together. I just decided to focus on making something out of myself.
So, what happened next?
Geraldine: I stayed back in Onitsha for a couple of years. I didn’t further my education, so I traded okrika (thrift clothes) to survive and care for my ailing father, who fell sick sometime after Felix left. I think my dad being sick for so long affected my marital prospects. No one wanted to “inherit” their father-in-law’s medical bills. He eventually died in 1995 when I was 28.
Two years later, I moved in with my elder sister in Lagos and continued selling clothes around her home in Surulere.
Felix: I worked with my uncle for about five years in Alaba market, where I learnt to sell electronics. Or I tried to learn. I was terrible at it. My uncle grew tired and wanted to send me back home, but his wife — God bless her soul — convinced him to put me through university instead. I eventually got admitted into the Yaba College of Technology in 1992, to study office management.
I kept a relationship with one of my uncle’s customers who liked me, and he helped me get a job at one of the federal ministries when I finished around 1996. That’s where I met my first wife, Edith.
You weren’t always married to each other?
Felix: No. I met Edith in 1997, ironically, the same year Geraldine moved to Lagos. I still thought about her [Geraldine] once in a while, but we weren’t in touch, so there was no way I would’ve known she’d moved.
Geraldine: Abi, you’re just saying that because I’m here?
Felix: Honestly. Anyway, I got married in 1999, and we had two children in quick succession. I think God just wanted me to have those children to remember Edith, because she died in 2001.
Oh my. I’m so sorry
Felix: It’s God’s will. She was involved in a hit-and-run. It was really painful, but I had to be a man for our young children. People expected me to remarry immediately, but I didn’t want to go through marriage again. My sister lived with me then, so she helped raise my children.
In 2019, I moved my family to Port Harcourt when my office transferred me there, but I soon became lonely. I didn’t really know anyone there, and my children were in university. My sister was long married and had left us for her husband’s house. So, I became active on Facebook. My son had created a profile for me the year before and taught me how to use it, but I didn’t really pay attention then.
That’s how I opened Facebook one day and saw the app had suggested Geraldine as someone I may know. I was shocked. She’d obviously changed, but it was her name, and I saw she attended our secondary school.
Did someone say destiny?
Geraldine: I was so surprised when I saw his friend request. Of course, I accepted immediately.
Were you still in Lagos then?
Geraldine: Yes. I stopped my clothes business in 2010 when I became a full-time minister at a church. I also left my sister’s place around that time, to live at our church’s headquarters before transferring to the Agbara branch in 2014.
You didn’t mention marriage
Geraldine: Marriage didn’t come. Men came, but they either wanted to sleep with me or the relationship didn’t just work out. I was bothered about it, but I kept believing I’d get married one day. Faith in God was the only thing I could hold on to.
I watched my church members get married and have children. I even helped many of them settle their marital issues, but I was as single as ever. People mocked me, but I was stubborn. I can cry inside my house, but outside, you’d swear I had no problems. Why give people a reason to mock me even more?
My family members talked too, but will I marry myself? It didn’t stop me from visiting my mother in the village during the festive seasons. I know I must’ve been the topic of gossip, but that’s their problem.
Wow. It must’ve been tough
Geraldine: It really was. I remember one time I was trying to settle a fight between a couple who were members of my church. The lady was really angry, and I was trying to calm her down when she said something along the lines of, “Mummy, you can’t understand how marriage feels unless you’re inside it”. I just smiled and changed the subject.
Felix: Some people just don’t know how to talk.
So, back to you reconnecting on Facebook
Felix: We started chatting and exchanged numbers. For a couple of weeks, we just talked about everything that’d happened since we last saw each other. But I knew God had given me another chance with her, and once we started talking regularly, I was already thinking marriage.
Geraldine: He told me about his feelings for me from way back in secondary school, how he had been widowed for 18 years, about his children. Everything. Then, about two months since we started talking, he said he wanted us to get married. I was 52, and I wanted to marry, but I wasn’t that desperate. This was someone I hadn’t set eyes on in about 35 years.
When did you decide to give him a chance?
Geraldine: He actually came to Lagos just to see me. This was a month after he said he wanted to marry me.
Felix: I’m too old for games. I hadn’t given marriage a thought for so long, and I knew I wanted to do it for the right reason — companionship, not just someone to take care of the children. I came to see Geraldine and stayed for two weeks. A friend of hers hosted us, and I got the opportunity to fall in love with her again.
Geraldine: He still has the sense of humour I remember. Those two weeks helped us get reacquainted.
When did marriage happen?
Geraldine: My family and church members were understandably excited when they heard I’d be getting married. I didn’t even need to announce too much, people did the announcement for me — you’d think I was one celebrity. Some naysayers from my village even carried rumours that I was to be his second wife, not knowing he was a widower.
We travelled down to my village in December 2019 for the traditional rites and did the church wedding in March 2020 just before the lockdown. Then, I relocated to be with him in Port Harcourt.
How’s married life?
Felix: Honestly, it was rocky initially. My son was a bit disrespectful in the beginning. He schooled in a university here in Port Harcourt, while my daughter schooled in Lagos, so he lived with me. I guess he thought she was coming to take his place. I had to speak sense into him. He later chose to live with his friends.
Geraldine: I was worried I was coming between him and his children, but my husband wouldn’t hear it. Thankfully, I have a good relationship with my stepdaughter, and my stepson eventually came around.
It was also difficult to get used to being accountable to someone after living alone for so long. But it helps that he’s more experienced in marriage matters. We stay alone and basically live like friends. I enjoy his company, and I really enjoy being married to him.
What’s something being with each other has taught you both?
Felix: Companionship is even more important than whatever rules we attach to marriage. Maybe it’s because I’ve been single for a long time, but it doesn’t matter whether she cooks or I cook. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and I want to enjoy every minute I have with the person I love.
Geraldine: Sometimes, waiting is good. I’m completely at peace, and we’re both old enough to overlook things that may have led to fights if we were younger.
How would you rate your love life on a scale of 1 to 10?
Felix: 10. I’ve been given a second chance at love, and I’m grateful. Geraldine: 10. I’m happy. That’s all.
Award-winning visual artists, Gbenga Adeku, Dotun Popoola and Samuel Anyanwu are converting Nigeria’s plastic, metal and textile waste into beautiful art and getting global recognition for their work.
By Gabriella Opara, Bird story agency
Artwork by Uzoma Samuel. Photo Credit: Uzoma Samuel
A typical workday in the life of Gbenga Adeku starts with sorting through materials in his studio. Then, he digitally sketches out his concepts and collaborates with contract workers to bring them to life. Based in Osun State, Nigeria, this visual artist transforms plastic waste into something valuable.
Adeku didn’t have this perspective on plastic art seven years ago. He’d recently completed his fine and applied art degree at Obafemi Awolowo University but chose to be a freelance illustrator because it paid more at the time. However, a chance encounter with Dotun Popoola, a metal sculptor, sparked his passion for plastic art.
“Dotun Popoola made it easy for me to transition from being a freelance illustrator to a full-time studio artist. His roadmap was inspirational because he is big on art that solves problems. I was keen on that. Seeing him do a lot with metal motivated me to do a lot with plastic,” said Adeku.
In 2018, Adeku started a full-time career as a professional upcycle artist. After the International Breweries Plc’s Kickstart initiative awarded him a grant, he founded his studio, Orinlanfiju, with his father, Segun Adeku.
“I read an article about how a PET bottle might survive 300 to 400 years before it breaks down and realised that plastic is present everywhere, including the air and our food. I concluded that upcycling is a better approach, to take the waste and turn it into something of higher value,” he said.
Adeku has been creating upcycle art for four years.
“I used to collect PET bottles and other recyclables at events. After setting up my studio, I started purchasing used plastics from local women. It’s quite affordable, a dozen for a penny, so I get a lot. My group and I collect, sort and use heat to reshape them. We experiment a lot; some ideas work, some don’t. But most often, we get interesting results, even if we have to spend months working on each part,” he said.
A recent collaboration with Nike will help transition Adeku’s signature art of ants and fishes to merchandise.
“Fish signify aquatic life, whereas ants stand for terrestrial life. Because ants rely on waste to sustain their economy, I think they are environmentalists. They work hard every day to find things along the way; an ant is never broke. It gets around barriers. Nigerians are extremely resilient, like ants. This idea rubbed off on Nike when they decided to open their flagship store in Nigeria. The idea of ‘Just Do It’ syncs with my art,” he explained.
Gbenga Adeku and guest at his art exhibition. Photo credit: Gbenga Adeku
Dotun Popoola, a metal sculptor, has a similar viewpoint on his work. He recycles abandoned metal to protect the environment.
“I like what I do. It contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals to protect the environment. My metal sculptures are a protest against environmental decadence. They’re a call to repurpose and upcycle the vast amount of trash endangering the earth,” said Popoola.
There’s a distinction between recycling, repurposing and reusing. As an upcycler, I give dead things a meaningful new life while preserving the earth. I feel like I’m one of the people saving this environment while making art, playing my role powerfully,” he added.
He asserts that raising young people to be change-makers and environmentalists is another way to protect the environment. Explaining his passion for mentorship, he said:
“Over the years, I’ve tried to encourage young visual artists in Nigeria and around the world. I had ten outstanding sculptors exhibit in my studio in October. I chose five top ones, some of whom will go for residency in India, and another, in the USA. That I can make a difference in their lives is a fantastic privilege. I see it as contributing to society, which is one of my core values.”
Elsewhere, Uzoma Samuel Anyanwu, who grew up in a home of tailors, had first-hand experience with the effects of fabric waste. To solve the problem, he quit his job as a full-time photographer to become a textile artist in 2012.
Anyanwu, who describes himself as an experimental artist, combines his abilities as a visual artist, photographer and upcycler to produce portraits on canvas using fabrics. He views it as a lifelong endeavour rather than merely a studio practice.
“Fabrics have long been the object of my attention. I’ve been tinkering with them since I was a baby. My mother was a seamstress, and she taught my siblings and me the trade. Many individuals view my work but don’t grasp its fundamental concepts. I’m pleased they love my work, but I also use it as an avenue to educate them about climate issues,” he said.
A decade after he started, Anyanwu is still struck by the amount of fabric waste he can get his hands on. With studios in Lagos, Owerri and Port Harcourt, he gets discarded fabric from fashion houses, tailors and markets.
“We can’t use them all up at once. The sacks of fabric we receive last us for a year or two, and we never throw them away because they’re always useful to us,” he explained.
Sourcing for fabric is easier than he thought because discarded pieces are everywhere.
“We approach some people, and some approach us. Some offer us large quantities for free, others sell them to us at low cost. The highest I’ve paid for a sack of fabric pieces is ₦8k (appox. $18). We usually get them in bulk towards year-end because that’s when tailors sew Christmas clothes, and everyone wants something trendy. Old fabric get thrown out; new ones leave pieces behind.”
Uzoma Samuel with one of his fabric art pieces. Photo Credit: Uzoma Samuel
His work as a fabric artist is a community endeavour. The amount of work it takes to find fabric, learn about them, classify them, draw and make his collage art keeps his studios busy all year long. Because of how time-consuming the work is, Anyanwu outsources some of it to contract staff, which sometimes includes his neighbours.
“Telling stories is my profession. I spend a lot of time researching each fabric’s backstory to ensure I accurately convey it. I have to hire individuals on an hourly, daily or weekly basis, depending on the workload of each project. My assistants, mentees and interns participate. I occasionally ask my neighbours and relatives for help, and we all work together,” Anyanwu said.
Despite the months and years required to source art materials, one thing that drives these visual artists is the desire to see a cleaner, waste-free environment.
Like a bad dream, the pink lips fashion trend is one that rears it’s ugly coloured head every so often — with people conveniently forgetting the potential harmful effects of pink lip scrubs and balms. Who doesn’t want shiny lips, right?
Ikeja Underbridge is probably the melting pot of every lip-colouring-practitioner to ever exist. Here’s what a pink lips adventure would look like there.
Completely trust the words of a stranger
Does it matter that you just met someone on the streets who claims they can “help you get pink lips”? Of course not. We definitely need to be more trusting. Who knows. They might even have a dermatology degree.
Be more diligent than you were in school
The seller will probably tell you to apply the colouring cream every morning and night. Set an alarm so you never miss it. This is Operation Pink Lips. No slouching is allowed.
Never run out of colouring cream
It’s a forever contract now. You think you can just stop one day and expect your lips not to revert to their original colour? Please.
Make money
Look for how to earn your own $200k so you can afford the bondage lifestyle you just subscribed to.
Ignore any voice of reason
The people telling you to be careful of harmful chemicals, don’t they understand fashion?
Be okay with looking “strange”
You may end up looking like someone doing a terribly bad blackface impression, but you shouldn’t let such a small risk stop you.
Start writing your GoFundMe bio
We’re not saying you’ll need it o, but just in case the chemicals in your colouring cream want to start acting up. Be prepared.
Go forth and slay
Like the bad — potentially medically-unwell — bitch you are.
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, shifted some of the blame to governors of the 36 states. The minister said the governors should stop spending borrowed money on unnecessary projects and spend on projects that fulfill the basic needs of the people instead.
Agba said, “We appeal that governors should concentrate on building rural roads so that the farmers can at least get their products to the market.”
But are state governors really to blame? Or is this simply a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Let’s first understand the state of Nigeria’s poverty.
How’s Nigeria’s poverty level looking?
133 million Nigerians have been classified as “multidimensionally poor” by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Now that we understand the poverty level, who’s to blame?
Agba has already called out governors, but the Federal Government is in the driving seat of the public policies that determine Nigeria’s poverty level. Here are some examples:
Border closure
In August 2019, Nigeria closed the land borders shared with neighbours like Chad, Cameroon, Benin, and Niger. This closure shut down the movement of goods between the countries and badly affected trading activities.
Buhari said he closed the borders to prevent the smuggling of goods, especially rice, into Nigeria. But a bag of rice that used to sell for ₦23,000 before the closure now sells for as high as ₦43,000. The border closure clearly just caused more suffering for Nigerians.
Why should there be hardship allowance, entertainment allowance, and even wardrobe allowance for people whose salaries already run into millions of naira? No wonder Nigerian lawmakers have been known to be one of the highest-paid in the world.
The Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)
The MPR is one of the measures the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) uses to stabilise prices in an economy. It’s the rate the CBN lends to commercial banks, and the commercial banks lend to their customers.
In order to reduce Nigeria’s inflation rate, the the CBN raised the MPR from 11.5% to 13% in May 2022 and 14% in July 2022. The result? The 18.6% inflation rate in June 2022 increased to 21% in October, the highest rate in 17 years. And what happens when you don’t have the money to buy essential goods? Poverty.
In the end, what Nigerians care about is that all levels of government coordinate their efforts and seriously start pulling Nigerians out of poverty.
If you haven’t noticed already, typical Nigerian offices are mini Nigerian governments — everyone’s trying their darnedest to be the top players of the game.
To play office politics and win, you need a particular set of skills, and we’ve got you.
Embrace passive-aggressiveness
God forbid you’re upset and are actually upfront about it. You want to lose your job? It doesn’t matter if Amaka asks you for a document you’ve already sent 200 times before, or your oga keeps fixing pointless meetings. Hug passive-aggressiveness. It’ll save you.
Just smile
Especially if you have nothing to be happy about. Do you want to be accused of having “low energy”?
Do oversabi once in a while
Forget whatever you believe. Eye service is very important in a Nigerian workplace. How else do you want to show you carry the work on your head?
Learn to keep quiet
You want to be visible, not known as the office “radio without battery”.
…and mind your business
Don’t go about announcing how you saw oga looking for ants inside his secretary’s mouth, or how Banke was watching “Blood and Water” with office WiFi.
But not all the time sha
Not when you need people to know you helped oga prepare the presentation everyone’s raving about. Blow other people’s trumpet too. Everyone likes whoever makes them feel good.
It’s all in the balance
Be serious, but not too serious. Your boss needs to know you’re working, but your colleagues shouldn’t hate you for being too excellent. Figure it out.
Keep your personality at home
If you’re an introvert, better borrow a sprinkle of extraversion when it’s time for work. If you’re an extrovert, learn to hold your mouth small. You don’t want your superiors to think you’re hoarding the spotlight.
And finally, don’t care about money
Because aren’t you working because of “passion”? Don’t join others to agitate for a salary increase. Even if you get promoted, don’t even mention salary. Use the “employee of the year” award you’ll get after following these rules to buy bread at the market.
On November 30, 2022, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a new national language policy. The gist of the policy is Nigerian students from primary one to six must be taught only in their mother tongue.
According to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, the chosen native language will be the dominant one spoken in the community. When the policy is implemented, Nigerian students won’t use the English language until the junior secondary school level.
Who asked for this?
The government is implementing this policy to promote and preserve our culture, as some of it is already lost.
Although this policy appears to be a step in the right direction, Nigeria has over 600 indigenous languages. So, what are the implications of this policy?
It may cause confusion
Nigeria is a diverse country and people, regardless of their tribes or language, settle down in different parts of the country. It’s normal to see Igalas in the West or Igbos in the North. But with this new policy, is an Igala boy in Ogun State supposed to learn Yoruba to understand what he’s being taught? Doesn’t this already put him at a disadvantage despite his abilities?
Students will thrive
Some children, unlike others, speak and understand their native tongue even more than the coloniser’s language. This new policy gives them a chance to shine.
Subjects that have always seemed alien to them will suddenly make more sense, and they can finally feel more comfortable and perform better in their studies.
A headache for the parents
Many Nigerian parents are particular about their children’s spoken English because it’s proof they’re not wasting the school fees. But now, the government is going to turn their world around with this new policy.
They’ll probably have to pay for after-school lessons for their children to understand English before secondary school.
Even more headache for the teachers
As already noted, people of different tribes live and work in other parts of the country, including teachers. So should teachers of other tribes be allowed to teach students with the bits and pieces they know of the community’s language? Or should they relocate and lose their source of income?
While the government’s goal to preserve culture through language isn’t a bad idea, it looks like another poorly thought-out policy decision. Much funding has to go into teachers’ training and the provision of books written in the mother tongues. Also, students will face a painful shift when learning in English when they get to secondary schools and higher institutions.
This policy looks like it would create many unnecessary issues for students and teachers and that’s why it doesn’t even have an implementation timeline yet.
Election season in Nigeria isn’t only about who can hold the biggest rallies or make the most eye-catching promises, it’s also about who can throw the biggest insults.
That’s why it’s not a surprise that the camps of the presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, have been at each other’s throats lately.
How did the argument start?
Tinubu struck the first blow during a rally in Delta State on November 25, 2022 when he accused an unnamed candidate of always giving the wrong statistics. He also stated that mentioning the person’s name would be a disgrace to him.
Even though he didn’t mention anyone’s name, anyone following the campaigns closely would know which presidential candidate loves dishing out statistics:
It’s… Peter Obi [Leadership News]
The chief spokesperson of the LP’s Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Yunusa Tanko, then cut Tinubu down to size by saying he’s “someone who cannot even identify his own mother”. He also challenged Tinubu to show up for an open debate with Obi. He was confident the former Anambra State governor would win and humiliate Tinubu.
It didn’t take long before the APC flung its own dirt when Tinubu’s campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, told Obi not to expect his candidate to debate with him based on “ideas in his head”.
According to Keyamo, there are some key documents Obi should reveal to Nigerians if he ever wants an intellectual faceoff with the BAT:
A release of Obi’s manifesto for scrutiny.
A comparison of his achievements as Anambra State governor versus Tinubu’s achievements as the governor of Lagos State.
A list of current associates he mentored in politics as the governor of Anambra.
Names of any political party Obi has helped to form or partner with which he still belongs to today.
While it’s obvious Keyamo used some of his points as a cheat code for Tinubu — given his track record of infrastucture in Lagos and godfatherism — his point on Obi’s manifesto is indeed one that has caused some concern for voters as he’s yet to release his manifesto.
What’s the update on Obi’s manifesto?
In October 2022, a document believed to be Peter Obi’s manifesto trended on social media. But the candidate announced later that day that the document wasn’t his manifesto but an earlier draft copy under review.
Weeks later, he’s still not released a final version of his manifesto. His failure to release one stands out because he’s the only major candidate yet to do so. Candidates of the APC, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and even the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have all dropped their manifestos.
What’s taking so long?
According to LP’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Katch Ononuju, the manifesto is still being “fine-tuned”, as the party is trying to be careful not to plagiarise other party manifestos.
He also told Nigerians not to worry about the manifesto, as it’s not a “big deal”, since what Obi would have written as a manifesto has been said in interviews anyway.
Are manifestoes a big deal?
Unlike Nigeria, countries in other parts of the world don’t play with their manifestos. In Mexico and even Bhutan in South-Asia, political parties are required by law to submit a copy of their election manifesto to the electoral commission before general elections. Citizens can only access these manifestos with the approval of the commission.
Why should you care about manifestos?
In all this, you must be asking — why should you care whether manifestos are released or not?
The answer is quite simple — for accountability. If a politician makes a set of promises and it’s properly documented, it makes it easier for us to hold them by the neck when they fail to deliver.
So even though we know Tinubu is just looking for an excuse not to debate anyone in public, the question still remains — where’s Obi’s manifesto?
If you’re thinking of dating a gym bro, wait first. Before you make your decision, read about the pros and cons of being with a gym lover first. I’ve listed seven important ones below. If you’re already dating one, well…I don’t know whether to say that I’m happy for you, or to say sorry. Whichever one applies to you.
Pro: He’ll do all the heavy lifting
You don’t have to worry about changing the water dispenser ever again. He lifts heavier than that in the gym. When you both go grocery shopping, you won’t have to worry about carrying the bags.
Con: He’ll use soreness as an excuse to not do anything
Ask him to wash plates, and it’s, “My body hurts from all the weights I carried at the gym. I really pushed myself.”
Pro: He’ll never get tired in bed
All that cardio gives him great stamina to last long during sex. He won’t start breathing heavily after two minutes just because of small thrusting and moving around.
Con: Forget about morning sex
No early morning sex for you because your gym bae will be at the gym from 5:30 a.m. No late morning or afternoon sex either because he’ll be too tired from the gym. Sigh.
Pro: It’s easy to get them presents
Just buy him the latest gym supplement, a new gym bag or workout clothes and shoes, and he’ll love you forever.
Con: Money for dates will go to gym supplements
Instead of taking you to nice places, he’ll spend all his money on pre-workout and whey protein supplements. Na wa o.
Pro: He’ll never get tired of you sleeping on his arms
The weight of your head is nothing compared to the dumbbells and barbells he carries every day. Even if your whole body is on his arm, he won’t feel it.
Con: He has muscles but can’t fight
With all his big muscles, there’s a high chance he can’t fight. So you can’t even threaten anybody who tries to mess with you by telling them, “My boyfriend will beat you.” It’s like having a pet dog that can’t scare intruders.
Pro: He’ll help with your fitness goals
You’ll never slack with your fitness goals. He’ll help you stay on track with your diet and make you follow them to the gym.
Con: He’ll talk and talk about gym stuff
He’ll use every opportunity he gets to talk about gym-related things. Every five seconds, you’ll hear about reps and gains. What about gains in the bank account or the holy spirit?
Pro: They’re always cooking
Gym bros cook a lot because their meals must be made in specific ways to fit their diets. So you’ll never have to worry about hunger because he’ll cook for both of you. I’m not saying it’ll be sweet sha.
Con: He’ll try to make you join annoying diets
He’s depriving himself of things and wants you to join him in his suffering. Tayo, I don’t care about having a flat stomach. I want to eat shawarma.
Pro: He’s very nice to look at
His hot gym body is always nice to look at and touch. Yes, please, flex those muscles for me.
Con: Other people think so too
As you’re staring at his lovely body, thinking how you can’t wait to be all over that, somebody else is doing the same. And because he’s a man, he’ll cheat.
Pro: He can lift you up
He’ll lift you up without stress. Whether it’s during sex, when your feet are hurting, or when you want to see the stage at a concert and everyone’s blocking you.
Con: Pillow fights become dangerous
You can’t play certain games because one hit from him will send you to the emergency room.
It’s normal for people to date outside their tribe, country, race, etc., but that doesn’t always mean it’s easy. As a Nigerian, if you end up marrying someone outside of your country, there are certain things you’d have to explain. Such as…
Why agbo jedi jedi is taken after eating too much sugar
Nigerians take agbo jedi when they get stomach aches from eating too much sugar. A non-Nigerian won’t understand why you’re doing this instead of taking drugs. Just leave me and my agbo, please.
What you mean when you say, “Are you mad?”
Having to explain that “Are you mad?” isn’t you asking if they’re upset can be so annoying. They’re there saying, “Oh no. I’m not upset”, meanwhile, you were asking if they’re okay in the head.
Why there’s soup inside an ice cream container
As Nigerians, we have the skills to know when an ice cream container has ice cream and when it has soup. But your non-Nigerian partner may not, so they’ll have to deal with the anxiety of not knowing which is which. And that’ll be stressful for your relationship.
Why you say “omo” 500 times a day
How do you want to tell someone “omo” is an expression used in every situation? It’s just something you say.
Why you say, “Sorry, please, excuse me,” before asking for anything
They won’t understand that Nigerians get upset over every small thing, so you have to apologise in advance and be extra polite.
Why you run away when strangers want to ask for directions
When random strangers (most especially older adults) approach you in Nigeria, there’s a high chance they want to use jazz (witchcraft) to collect all your money. But how do you explain that to a non-Nigerian and not sound like a crazy person?
Why olive oil is the answer to everything
They’ll tell you they have a headache, and when you want to rub “anointing oil” on their head, they’ll look at you funny. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, anointing oil is the answer to all our problems.
Why you have to say, “Put it on my head”
Imagine your partner asks where to put something, and you say, “Put it on my head”, and they actually try to do just that. You now have to go through the stress of explaining why you said the phrase in the first place. Abeg, it’s too much wahala.
Why you say parlour instead of living room
You’ll say, “Please, can you help me get my book from the parlour? And your partner will look at you confused as hell.
Why Nigerian events have different tickets for VIPs and regulars
Concert tickets abroad all have the same price. Not here. If you date someone who’s not Nigerian, you’d have to explain why the same concert sells tickets for ₦20k and ₦5m. The problem is, even you don’t know why.
Why you use feathers to clean your ear
There’s a sweet feeling that comes with using feathers to clean your ears instead of cotton buds. Not many people can relate.
Why gospel songs have to be played while doing chores every Saturday morning
Your partners won’t understand that playing gospel music while doing chores on a Saturday is a tradition in most Nigerian households. Such music is what makes the chores enjoyable.
Why we have to eat rice and stew on Sundays
At some point, your partner will ask why you guys are eating rice and stew for the 7th Sunday in a row, and they won’t understand that it’s tradition.
A member of Nigeria’s first family is trending on social media over the mistreatment of a young Nigerian over the past few days. The attention she’s got has come with various taunts, public outcries, and even different forms of body shaming against her and the Nigerian government.
The person in question is none other than the First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari.
If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t understand what’s happening here, let’s break it down for you.
What’s the issue?
On June 8, 2022, a final-year student of the Federal University Dutse, Aminu Muhammed, commented on the First Lady’s weight gain.
The English translation of the tweet is, “The mother has gotten fatter by eating the masses’ money.”
When you compare the Aisha Buhari of 2015 to her in 2022, you can’t exactly help but notice some changes.
Muhammed’s friends said he made the tweet out of frustration of sitting at home during the eight months of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). We all know idle hands are dangerous.
Five months after that tweet, Muhammed was arrested by some security agents, subjected to severe beatings, and taken to an unknown destination in Abuja. We don’t need a rocket scientist to figure out who’s responsible for his issues.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time regular Nigerians are getting in trouble with political figures over their online activity. Let’s recall some sad examples.
Ganduje vs Tiktokers
This year, two young Tiktokers, Mubarak Muhammad and Nazifi Muhammad, decided to make Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, a muse for one of their videos. They mimicked Ganduje for selling public plots of land in Kano. Ganduje didn’t like it and initiated legal steps.
Weeks ago, a magistrate court convicted them of defamation and they were punished with 20 strokes of the cane and ordered to sweep the magistrate court for one month.
Goodluck Jonathan vs Shola
In 2020, police officers detained a Twitter influencer popularly known as Shola and denied him access to lawyers for two months.
All he did was operate a parody account of a former president, Goodluck Jonathan, on Twitter. The former president didn’t find it funny and reported him to the authorities.
The insult? Saeed called out Masari for masterminding the impeachment of the Speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly, Aliyu Muduru.
Masari’s involvement in Muduru’s removal remains unclear because 23 out of 34 of his fellow members booted him. But for Masari to have reacted strongly to the accusation, maybe Saeed was right after all.
The Nigerian Voter is a series that seeks to understand the motivations that drive the voting decisions of Nigerians — why they vote, how they choose their candidates, why some have never voted, and their wildest stories around elections.
This week’s subject of The Nigerian Voter is Kachi*, a businessman in his late 30s who told us about his wildest election story and who he wants to become Nigeria’s next president.
Have you voted before?
I voted for Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011 and 2015.
Why him?
I believed Jonathan was the man to take us forward with our economy. I also never saw Buhari as an option, especially with his military history and everything else.
How would you define your past voting experience?
I voted in Abuja both times. 2015 wasn’t so interesting, but 2011 was fun. We gathered in a primary school and there was no violence. We all stayed and counted the votes in our polling unit and Jonathan won it. I can also remember that was when the smart card reader was introduced and it was a new technology for us. That was the first time we got Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) too.
What’s your favourite thing about Nigeria’s electoral system?
I think it’s the introduction of new technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and others. I think if perfected, they can stop electoral fraud and ensure a better experience for voters.
What’s your least favourite?
I dislike the fact people have to travel to polling units where they registered to vote. I should be able to vote from wherever I am. If I registered in Abuja, but I’m currently in Anambra, I should still be able to vote from Anambra instead of going all the way back to Abuja. It’s a big inconvenience.
Any wild election stories?
I can’t say I had a crazy experience that happened to me personally. But I remember one incident that happened to my colleague in Edo State when we served as election observers for the governorship election in 2020. She was taken by some hoodlums who thought she was an INEC staff. It was crazy. It took like two days for the police to find her.
Wild
Election observers aren’t allowed to interfere with the process of an election by voting and I was observing with an NGO at the time.
How come you didn’t vote in 2019?
I had major bone surgery around the elections and wasn’t fit to vote.
Sorry about that. Are you voting in 2023?
Of course, my vote will be for Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. I believe he’s the most experienced candidate at this time. During his tenure as vice president in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, he was basically responsible for Nigeria’s economic gain as the head of the National Economic Council (NEC).
That administration recorded the highest level of growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria. Obasanjo attested to Atiku being solely responsible for this. He also presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings a few times when Obasanjo was abroad, not like now when Buhari travels with his full powers without handing over responsibilities to Osinbajo.
Is that the bar?
Atiku has also presented a sound manifesto that calls for restructuring and devolution of powers in Nigeria. This is something I support because I know the job of fixing Nigeria isn’t for one man only. I know whoever is clamouring for restructuring should have the political will, and Atiku has it.
He’s been pushing for restructuring since 1999. The PDP has also been pushing for restructuring in one way or the other. The messiah system of governance won’t work. Allow other regions to develop themselves. Buhari decided to run Nigeria as a one-man show, and look where that landed him. Our local governments are doing almost nothing and our state governors are nothing but money sharers. All the tiers of government need to work hard to develop Nigeria.
Are you mobilising people to vote?
Yes, I’m using my influence on social media to get people to vote. I’ve also bought some campaign materials for my constituency and around Abuja metropolis to be shared. I’m giving my staff an election bonus to be able to travel to their various local government areas to vote.
One unfortunate feature of Nigerian elections that has refused to go away is violence in varying forms. It’s the kind of baggage no one wants, but everyone has to deal with it because some people still treat elections as do-or-die.
What’s happened now?
On November 27, 2022, unknown people set fire to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The incident happened around 10 a.m.
Did anyone get hurt?
Fortunately, no one was hurt in the attack. But INEC lost some materials, including:
Unknown number of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC)
340 ballot boxes
130 voting cubicles
14 electric power generators
Large water storage tanks
Office furniture
We’ve seen this before
On November 10, 2022, arsonists attacked INEC offices in Abeokuta South, Ogun State and Ede South, Osun State. You can’t help but notice the sad trend in these events.
Over the past three years, similar attacks have occurred in different parts of the country: Abia, Rivers, Anambra, and Imo. According to the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, about 50 INEC offices have been attacked by arsonists in 21 states.
What does this mean for the 2023 elections?
The electoral process is sabotaged
One of the critical things needed for a free and fair election is the availability of important things like PVCs and ballot boxes. The attack on the INEC office in Abeokuta South destroyed 65,699 uncollected PVCs. This creates a problem for INEC to reproduce new cards which we can’t say always works out. If those PVCs aren’t replaced it would deny some Nigerians their rights to vote.
Political apathy
Attacks on INEC offices are designed to heighten tensions and keep voters away from polling units because they seem unsafe. Nigeria already has a big issue with low turnout of voters and apathy caused by threat of violence will only make it worse. After all, who wants to be an unwilling martyr?
Hopefully, the Nigerian security forces will take appropriate measures to secure INEC offices better and find a way to arrest the criminals. The fate of the country being decided at the polls depends on it.
If you’re a Nigerian student feeling discouraged from pursuing a tertiary education because you can’t afford tuition fees, we have good news for you! You’ll soon be able to get a student loan from the government with zero interest!
How’s this possible?
The Student Loan Bill provides public university students with financial assistance through the creation of a Nigerian Education Bank. The Senate and House of Representatives have passed the bill, sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. We only need President Buhari to sign it into law.
However, as it is with everything concerning Nigeria, getting your credit alert from the government won’t be without some critical conditions. We compiled the most important things Nigerian students should know before applying for a loan if the bill becomes law.
You have to secure admission into a public institution
It goes without saying that you can’t access a student loan without being a student. Only Nigerian students who have gained admission into a public university, polytechnic, or college of education are eligible to apply.
To private university students, the government said:
Your family must be broke
This loan scheme wasn’t made for rich kids. To qualify, you and other members of your family must earn less than ₦500,000 per year. You probably sleep like this every night:
No loans for previous debtors
If you, or even your parents, are yet to pay up on previous government loans, you’re definitely ineligible to apply for a student loan. The government isn’t playing with its money.
No loans for those guilty of exam malpractices
If you have ever cheated in an exam and got caught, no loan for you.
No loans for druggies
If you have a criminal record for using banned substances like cocaine and weed, don’t even bother applying.
How can one repay the loan?
For those lucky enough to secure the bag, you’ll start repaying the loan two years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. The government will deduct 10% of your salary every month and remit it to the Student Loan account.
How can you apply?
To get started, you have to submit your application and a cover letter explaining why you’re the best fit for the loan via the student affairs office of your institution. You should have the cover letter signed by the head of the institution and the student affairs office.
But remember, nothing happens until this guy signs the bill into law.
Living with a baby is the ultimate mental health test because life can never be peaceful with them in your house. I’m talking about the babies that are about to become toddlers (10 months to 1 year), those ones are the worst. If you’ve ever lived with a baby (whether it’s yours or someone else’s), you’ll relate to these things.
They wake up and immediately cause chaos
They do this by crying the entire house down. How do you wake up and just start crying for no damn reason?
They’re always trying to hurt themselves
Look away for one second, and they’re on the verge of falling down the stairs and breaking their necks. They can’t see that their tiny legs can’t go down the stairs; all they see is a fun little adventure.
You’d be surprised what their poo smells like
How can one tiny human being produce such a foul smell? Blood of Jesus.
They sleep and wake up whenever they like
What’s their business if it’s 2 a.m. and you’re tired? As long as they’re awake, you have to be awake.
The house is never tidy
Their toys are all over the place all the time. The day isn’t complete if you don’t mistakenly step on one of them and cry in pain.
Get ready for your things to be destroyed
You’ll be searching for your phone, only to find out that they’ve put it in the toilet.
They communicate by crying
You always have to play the fun game of “Guess why I’m crying now.”
They always do crackhead things
Why do they think it’s okay to cover themselves in Vaseline, for God’s sake?
There’s wahala if they don’t get their way
Don’t give them what they want, and the floodgates of tears will come pouring down. Either that or they throw tantrums by throwing themselves on the floor. Who are you hurting, dear? Yourself.
Just hours to the planned November 26, 2022 resumption of operations on the Abuja-Kaduna railway corridor, the Federal Government announced a postponement. It’s not the first time the government has postponed a planned resumption since terrorists attacked the railway corridor in March.
But more than the government’s erratic announcements and postponements, Nigerians remain worried about the safety of the corridor.
You and your entire family should ride on it to and fro for one week and we will know it is now safe.
Even though all the hostages from the train attack are back home, the terrorists who kidnapped them haven’t been arrested. The only person the government has managed to arrest is a journalist who negotiated a ₦2 billion ransom for the terrorists in exchange for hostages.
There have been reports of illegal NIN enrollment offices across the country, and terrorists can use them to bypass identification safeguards. The heightened insecurity in Kaduna also doesn’t help, as terrorists killed 645 people in the state in the first half of 2022 alone.
When the Abuja-Kaduna railway corridor eventually reopens do you trust the Nigerian government to protect the lives of passengers?
It seems like Nigerians aren’t the only ones concerned about the 2023 elections, even our colonisers have taken some interest as well. Considering that our immigration rate to the United Kingdom has increased to 64% in one year, it’s not exactly surprising.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has warned all political parties and officials that Britain would be “watching very closely” to see who’ll mess up and commit electoral fraud or sponsor violence. The punishment? Visa restrictions that’ll stop them from flying to the UK.
But is this enough to stop Nigerian politicians from misbehaving? The UK can do more to pepper our politicians should they dare to tamper with the elections and we have some ideas.
Ban all UK hospitals from attending to Nigerian politicians
Medical tourists like the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and others like them should be banished to the Nigerian medical trenches if they do so much as sneeze on our votes.
Seize all their foreign assets
Nigerian politicians love showing off their wealth with assets abroad, and the UK is a favourite destination. It would be a shame if the UK government seized everything election riggers own in their jurisdiction, from apartment buildings to the smallest toothbrush.
Deport their children
Who says it’s only politicians that need to pay for rigging elections? Even their children studying at Cambridge and Nottingham need to pay for their parents’ misdeeds.
Public humiliation
The UK always threatens visa restrictions for election riggers before Nigerian elections but we never hear about the people affected. Maybe it’s time for them to start naming offenders on their blacklist so we can more loudly shame them in public. We have some rotten tomatoes that need to be thrown.
Remember the very first time you walked into the gym? Then I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to these memes.
You told yourself for the 97th time this year, that you’d go to the gym and build a fitness lifestyle. But even after buying new gym clothes, your friends still didn’t believe you’d actually do it.
But you prove them wrong and make it to the gym for the first time ever the next Saturday.
You’re excited and hopeful about this new fitness journey you’re about to embark on.
Going to a party alone can be the ultimate ghetto. Do you know how annoying it can be when you only know the celebrant of an event? If you’ve ever been to a party alone, you can relate to this.
You wake up in the morning and wonder why you agreed to go to this thing in the first place.
You hate that none of your friends can make it because they don’t know the person celebrating.
But oh well, what can you do? You have to go.
You’re dressed and ready to go. Looking like a sweet snack, you step out of your house.
You’ve gotten to the party, greeted the celebrant and now you’re just sitting in one corner, pressing your phone.
Boredom wants to finish you. You wish you could just go home, but you haven’t spent up to ten minutes.
You’re looking at everybody having fun with their friends, gisting, laughing and dancing. Mscheeew.
The celebrant offers you a drink and you gladly take it. Being bored and sober isn’t a good combination.
As you’re sitting jejely on your own, a stranger decides to walk up to you and try to toast you. As if this day couldn’t get any worse.
You’re on your fourth drink.
You stood up to dance, but everyone on the dance floor is grinding.
Omo
The alcohol in you says, “Fuck it”, and you get on the dance floor. You see a group of people dancing by themselves and decide to join them.
Before you know it, one foolish person is trying to dance with you.
What rubbish!
You decide to go back to your seat and have another drink.
Now, you’re bored again.
But you’re also drunk.
You decide it’s time to go home before you do something foolish in front of people you don’t know. Time to order Uber home.
You’ve gotten home, and now, you’re gisting your friend everything that happened. Never again.
Just three months to the start of the 2023 elections, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, started a beef with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It wasn’t about electoral violence or vote buying but rather a new feature of the 2023 elections.
The APC national chairman believes Nigeria isn’t ready to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for elections because we have unresolved network and power supply issues.
But what exactly is the BVAS, why’s Adamu pressed about it and why should Nigerian voters care about its existence?
BVAS eliminates voter identity fraud
The BVAS is an electronic device that exists primarily to authenticate the identity of voters. It has a fingerprint and facial detection sensor to limit voter fraud which is a big problem in Nigerian elections.
BVAS is an upgrade on the smart card reader which was used to authenticate voters with only their fingerprints in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. Unlike the smart card reader, BVAS also helps INEC officials to electronically upload election results from the polling units.
The smart card reader is being phased out in 2023 [Source: Daily Post]
What are the benefits?
According to INEC, BVAS is the solution to all problems regarding electoral malpractices. In 2018, for instance, there were cases of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) being cloned and sold on Alibaba Express before the 2019 elections.
With the BVAS, such occurrences would no longer be the case, as every voter can be accurately verified and accounted for. It also makes PVC selling unwise, as party agents can no longer rig an election with the use of fake or illegitimate PVCs.
But how efficient is this BVAS?
BVAS may seem like the answer to INEC’s prayers, but it’s not flawless. The device needs a steady 4G data connection to run seamlessly and we all know how erratic data connection is in Nigeria.
BVAS malfunction caused hitches during the Anambra governorship election in 2021. The glitches forced INEC to extend the voting time by an extra hour and a half. Using BVAS also caused challenges during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election of February 12, 2022.
Does BVAS help Nigeria in the long run?
BVAS is a welcome addition to Nigeria’s electoral process as it eliminates voter identity fraud which is a big problem. But it still doesn’t completely address identity fraud issues as we recently saw with scores of underage voters on INEC’s register.
So, what if it verifies an illegitimate voter or allows a voter to cast his or her votes more than once? That defeats the purpose of the device to completely eliminate identity fraud.
No one can convince us Nigerian politicians don’t have secret theatre degrees. They’ve mastered the art of putting on great shows, from dancing to leading live bands to even producing tears on cue.
Unfortunately for them, we’ve become used to their theatrics and can now tell when they’re trying to take us for fools.
Still, it’s interesting to laugh at these performances when Nigerian politicians have tried to exploit us with their tears.
Chidi Lloyd
The launch of the new naira notes dominated news headlines on, November 23, 2022, but it wasn’t even the most dramatic thing that happened on that day. During the commissioning of the Akpabu-Omudioga-Egbeda project in Rivers State, yet another politician went, ‘Lights, camera, action”.
A former Rivers State House of Assembly member, Chidi Lloyd, broke down in tears, and apologised for his behaviour towards Nyesom Wike who’s the state’s current governor. For those who don’t remember Lloyd, he stood against Wike’s administration and broke the head of his colleague, Micheal Chinda, with the House mace during a commotion inside the State Assembly complex.
What moved Lloyd to tears was that Wike approved the project in his hometown despite their beef, and that should just make you shake your head for Nigerian politicians. Wike now has Lloyd’s undying devotion, and tears, for doing his job.
Ben Ayade
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has cried in public so many times that some people call him the “Cry Cry Baby Governor”. His first public display of tears was in August 2016, when he saw the living conditions of Bakassi returnees whom he donated ₦3 million.
Ayade cried again on January 17, 2017 and May 21, 2020, when he abolished the taxation of low income earners. Does he know he’s supposed to be the governor and not the town crier?
Saka Audu
Remember this man?
The 2020 lockdown period showed many Nigerians the government’s true colours when officials hoarded COVID-19 palliatives in different warehouses. The people, in return, responded to this wickedness by looting the warehouses.
Saka Audu was the Kogi State Commissioner for Health at the time and he put his theatre degree to great use during a press conference. He repeatedly shed tears and made the government out as the victim of the situation.
Clearly, the only lesson to learn here is a teary-eyed Nigerian politician should never be trusted.
Muhammadu Buhari
Two days before the 2011 presidential election, Buhari organised an event to mark the end of his presidential campaign. In case he’d not done enough to convince voters during the campaign, the former military general put in an Oscar-worthy performance and wept about the state of the country.
He eventually won the presidential elections in 2015 and 2019, so maybe tears work sometimes.
Atiku Abubakar
In 2019, support groups bought Atiku the presidential nomination form of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). And perhaps to take a leaf from Buhari’s page, Atiku got emotional and cried over the love and support he got.
He went a step further to promise us salvation from our terrible state. The tears didn’t work this time and he lost, so maybe for the 2023 elections, he can try to add wailing to the performance.
The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
This week’s subject on Abroad Life is a tech bro who was tired of life in Nigeria without income and power supply, so he decided to continue his education and find work in Canada. He shares his difficulties with managing expenses and making friends as an international student.
When did you decide to move abroad?
In 2019, a family member kept telling me about Canada and the opportunities I could get there, including a post-graduate work permit after school and higher chances of permanent residency than in most other countries. I wasn’t obsessed with it in the beginning, but a year later, I started to compare the pros and cons of living in Nigeria versus abroad. I realised I could build my tech skills, work, and get my master’s degree at the same time. Being in a country that works will also help, considering the power issues in Nigeria and all.
I should’ve applied in 2020, but after much procrastination, I applied in June 2021 and got admission two months after, in August.
What challenges did you face in Nigeria?
It started when I applied to study electrical engineering at a university and was given physics instead. I didn’t like it, but I had to study it for five years. It made me resent the whole system. Fast forward to a year after school in 2019, I got interested in tech and started learning software engineering full-time through paid online courses. But it wasn’t easy because of the power issues. There was hardly ever light where I lived in Lagos, so I always had to pay for a workspace. At that time, I wasn’t even working. My parents always wondered when I would get a job, but with my degree, I couldn’t get jobs that were good enough for me.
So, Canada. What was the relocation process like?
I had to get the necessary documents and secure my medicals. The visa application wasn’t so difficult because we had an agent “running” it for me, but you see the medicals? I was traveling to Abuja literally every week to get it sorted. I also had to bring proof of funds. The entire process took like four months to complete. You have to be highly meticulous when filling out your papers, otherwise, you could be made to restart the whole process. Plus, I’m a big procrastinator, so the process took so long.
When did you arrive in Canada?
Late in January 2022.
Did you experience any culture shocks?
Yes. Especially with respect to titles. No adult here cares about your “ma” and “sir”.
Also, I’d say making friends is hard here. In Nigeria, it’s easy to get people to help you with one or two things, but not here. You’re just on your own most of the time, and it’s dangerous because what if there’s an emergency? It can be a very solitary life here.
Don’t Nigerian communities offer assistance?
You’d be shocked that some Nigerians don’t want you to succeed. They’d rather not tell you about the system so you can suffer the way they did when they first arrived. It’s hard to find someone who’s loyal or trustworthy enough to call your friend, even among fellow Nigerians.
Can you share some of your experiences on this?
I was part of an Afro-Caribbean society when I first arrived, and I made friends with a Nigerian called Dapo. I remember wanting to learn tips on how to survive in Canada and always asking him questions, but he never made time to explain things to me. He was always busy and never picked his calls. Imagine how that felt for a new immigrant with no family here. I had to find my feet on my own.
What would you say are the benefits of living in Canada?
There’s a system that works for everyone. Even if you didn’t go to school, you can find a job that would pay the same thing as someone who went to school. School is almost a luxury or second thought here because it doesn’t affect your income level. I can also get drugs at a subsidised rate here. They allow students to ride public buses for free, using a card that’s valid until September 2023.
What are the disadvantages?
Managing finances and running costs is hard for a student. My rent is $900 a month. I earn $300 a week as an admin assistant in a call service company ($15 for 20 hours per day), and it’s not always assured. Some days, there may be no work, so I won’t get any money. I also pay taxes of $100 every month. The only thing helping me is that my parents send me money that covers some part of the rent. It’s hard to save because as I receive my income, it goes out almost immediately.
Getting a job was also very hard. It took nearly two months before I got one in Canada. This is because many international students are applying for the same jobs. I even had a friend who waited six months before getting a job.
How are you juggling work with school?
It’s not an easy task. I’ve had some sleepless nights. Most times, I have to discuss my class schedule with my manager so they can create a work schedule based on the days I’m free. Sometimes, I’d go to work in the morning and then have an afternoon lecture. I know some people who work overnight. You also need to be careful and set out time to cover up for the days you didn’t read, so as not to slack on your academics.
Would you ever return to Nigeria?
Yes, I definitely will. I miss the air and warmth of Nigerian people in Nigeria. Here, friendship seems forced. But I’ll return only after I’ve got my master’s degree, perfected my software engineering skills, and made some money. Nigeria is not the place you want to return to without a good job.
How much money do you think you need?
The way Nigeria is going, any amount of money I call right now may not be sufficient in the next two months or so. I don’t want to be too specific, but hopefully, I’ll return in the next four to five years or so, when I’ve made some millions.
Before you dream too much about your japa plans, you should know there’s such a thing as a visa interview, which determines if your japa dream will become a reality.
In other words, you can do everything right, but your village people can still jam you at the interview. Not on our watch, though. Take note of these clever answers to all the most-asked questions.
“Have you been to this country before?”
Yes, I have, actually. In my dreams. That’s why I’m here to make my dreams a reality. Please, help me.
“What will you do if you run out of money there?
Nigeria has taught me how to hustle. I run out of money here, so it’s nothing new. I also like fasting. It’s my best hobby.
“Do you have health insurance for this journey?”
I don’t really used to fall sick like that.
“How long do you plan to stay?”
As long as God is on the throne. Besides, only God knows my tomorrow.
“Do you currently have relatives or friends in this country?”
It’s not a secret that Nigeria is a telenovela series, with twists, mysteries and turns at almost every point. Unfortunately, these plot twists never bring Nigerians the happy endings we want and at this point we’re tired of our character development arc.
On October 26, 2022, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced its plans to redesign the naira to combat counterfeiting and manage inflation. Nigerians weren’t too pleased by the news and even the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, didn’t like it. But at least we had hopes that maybe the makeover would be impressive.
Okay, what happened next?
When President Buhari unveiled the new notes on November 23, 2022, let’s just say the designs looked… interesting.
Is it just us or do they look like someone’s tie and dye project?
What did Nigerians say?
Nigerians were more disappointed than outraged, as these new notes looked like someone ran them through Snapchat filters.
During an interview on Channels Television, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, claimed the CBN spent about ₦218 billion on the new designs.
While we can’t say how accurate Sowore’s figures are, we know producing these new banknotes must be expensive. But could this money have been spent better? Let’s look at some alternatives.
ASUU
There’s a saying amongst federal university students that, “Every generation experiences an ASUU strike.” It’s funny until you wake up one day and realise you’ve been in 100 level for two years. Just this year alone, federal universities were on strike for eight months. If some of the redesign fund was injected into the education sector, we’d have a better system.
Flood victims
Climate change is ruining the environment, and Nigeria is already feeling the brunt of it. This year, we faced one of the worst flooding disasters in our history, with over 600 deaths and 1.3 million people displaced. Unfortunately, the federal government’s response to this has been underwhelming. The victims would have appreciated some of the money the government used to redesign the banknotes.
Fix bad roads
“I’m going to repair bad roads,”has become a mantra for politicians. But once they get into power, they wash their hands off their campaign promises and pick them up four years later for another campaign.
We can’t say we’re shocked at the government’s decisions so far. We can only hope that with the coming 2023 elections, we’ll vote for people who can address the challenges Nigerians really care about.
If we asked you to describe the 2023 presidential election campaigns, what word would you use?
Whichever word just ran through your mind, we know it doesn’t rhyme with “boring” or “dry”, because the campaign season has been entertaining.
Millions of Nigerian voters have picked their candidates for the 2023 presidential election, but we won’t know who has more supporters until February 2023. But because some people want to see the future, they’ve been organising polls to frame the picture of what will happen. These polls represent the most dominant public opinion and we looked at five of the biggest polls to see which candidate is leading.
The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, ended up with 13% each. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) finished lastwith only 3% of voters rooting for him.
Tinubu finished the poll with 16% of voters in his corner and Atiku finished in third place with 9%.
Fitch Institute Research — Bola Tinubu
Obi’s flawless record as the winner of presidential polls ended when Fitch Solutions, a research company, released its own report and crowned Tinubu the most likely winner.
However, Tinubu’s projected victory wasn’t without a comma as Fitch also projected it would cause social unrest in Nigeria especially due to his choice of another Muslim as vice-president.
We2Geda — Peter Obi
When We2Geda asked 15,438 registered voters across Nigeria in September 2022 who they plan to vote for, 51% of them crowned Obi. 25% of them ended up in Atiku’s corner and Tinubu had to settle for 19% of respondents.
Further analysis also showed Obi remained a favourite in four geopolitical zones: North-Central, South-South, South-West, and South-East, while Atiku was the poll leader in the North-East and North-West zones.
Nextier — Peter Obi
When Nextier polled 2,000 Nigerians in rural areas, they also crowned Obi as Nigeria’s next president. Nextier excluded the home states of the leading presidential and vice-presidential candidates in conducting the poll.
Who’s the winner?
After much deliberation and collation of facts, the winner of the 2023 presidential election polls is… Peter Obi!
But how effective are opinion polls on Nigerian elections?
Polls aren’t considered a big deal in Nigerian elections, but facts don’t lie and neither does history. In 2010, 53% of people from the NOI poll believed that Jonathan would win the 2011 election, and he did. Buhari also won the NOI poll of 2014 with 32% and later became president in 2015. He also won the NOI poll of 2018 ahead of the 2019 election and look who’s still our president.
If the history of polls tells you anything, it’s that they can be very reliable. However, it’s still nothing but a waiting game until Nigerians elect their new president on February 25, 2023.
Dwin, The Stoic is popularly known for his heartbreak songs. Every time, the man sings about how one Nigerian woman has broken his heart and he’s trying to recover. Since he’s so experienced in the field, I asked him to give his fellow brothers advice on how they can know a Nigerian woman is about to break their hearts.
This is what he said:
They stop using “we” and “us”
They start making plans for themselves. It starts with going to dinners and the movies without you, then it turns to full-blown trips, and before you know it, she has walked out of your life.
She doesn’t steal your food anymore
Nigerian women like food, especially the one that’s not their own. Just know the relationship is over when she stops stealing your fries or pinching from your chicken.
She doesn’t wear your clothes anymore
You come back home and see that your favourite t-shirt is still where you left it. Problem. If you can’t relate to tweets like, “My girl is stealing my hoodie, and it’s so annoying,” just know you’re a single man.
You’ve slept off in the living room without any covering, and the air conditioning is blasting at 16 degrees. If she sees you and leaves you to die of pneumonia, my brother, she’s no longer your girlfriend. She’s your roommate.
She starts getting annoyed by everything you do
Even the way you breathe starts to irritate her. If you mistakenly blink at her the wrong way, she’ll look at you with so much disgust, like you just farted. God, abeg o.
She’s always on the phone
She giggles and blushes every time she’s on the phone. What exactly is so funny? See, just know she’s laughing into another person’s arms.
She no longer insults you
Nigerian women show their love through insults. When you see she no longer calls you “Big head” or “Ode” or says, “You’re very foolish. Get out”, just quickly pack your load out of the relationship because heartbreak is coming.
Once you start noticing these signs, and then, she says, “We need to talk”, just run. Don’t wait for anything or ask any questions. Run.
By the way, come and listen to Dwin’s heartbreak songs and other jams at Z! Fest this Saturday.
In the past, Nigerian politicians used to get away with selling voters pipe dreams and empty promises. But the campaigns for the 2023 elections have shown us Nigerians are no longer gullible and are willing to ask questions. This is why Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), is again under public fire.
What has he done now?
On November 22, 2022, at the inauguration of the first drilling of crude oil in Bauchi State, Tinubu made some promises. But the one that’s got everyone talking is his promise to recharge the Lake Chad. Supporters of rival candidates have ridiculed his plan on social media, but there are important things you should know about the Lake Chad before you take up arms.
What makes the Lake Chad special?
The Lake Chad, once called the epitome of productivity, was one of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies and the world’s sixth-largest inland water body. In the 1960s, it used to have an area of 25,000 square kilometres with about 135 species of fish. Nigeria shares the Lake Chad with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
How important is the Lake Chad to Nigeria?
Because of how large and rich the water body was, the lake provided a means of livelihood and food for about 30 million people who lived around it. Unfortunately, the water levels began to shrink, and today, it’s reduced by over 95%. The effect of this change has been devastating.
Hmmm, how?
Loss of livelihoods
The lake provided a source of income for people who depended on farming, fishing and cattle herding. But with the water source almost gone, herders battled daily loss of livestock, and farmers and fishermen found it virtually impossible to work.
Insecurity
The loss of income in the areas around the lake pushed many people into a life of crime. Cattle rustling, banditry, and farmer-herdsmen clashes have become the order of the day. About two million people have been displaced from their homes, and over five million people suffer and die from malnutrition.
The blowback over Tinubu’s promise shouldn’t be that recharging the lake is unnecessary, it should be about if he, or whoever becomes president, can address the problem once in office.
