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OPINION: Inside the Oval Office, Trump’s new Lair

May 29, 2025

By Azu Ishiekwene

The world has never been short of demagogues and fools, but the remedies have often matched the supply. In 1990, during President Nelson Mandela’s thank-you tour of the world, he was asked at the City College of New York, Harlem, NY., why he remained friends with Muammar Gaddafi, Yasser Arafat, and Fidel Castro.

He replied that he didn’t think it was the business of any country to choose South Africa’s friends. These people stood by South Africa in its hour of need; why should he betray them now?His interlocutor turned tail, and Mandela received a standing ovation.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher preached “constructive engagement” to dismantle apartheid. In response to her duplicity in 2004, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, pointed out to her that “constructive engagement” favoured England, particularly the Prime Minister, whose son, Mark, was involved in gunrunning and coup plots on the continent. Thatcher had no response.

Castro v. Bush

Castro accused President George Bush of a “pirate mentality. ”And he wasn’t being flippant. One of Africa’s worst kleptocrats, Joseph Desire Mobutu, worth $5 billion in the 1980s, visited President Bush in 1989.

Despite Mobutu’s appalling record, Martin Meredith in The Fate of Africa, quoted Bush as saying on the South Lawn of the White House, “Zaire is among America’s oldest friends, and its president – President Mobutu – one of our most valued friends. We are proud and very, very pleased to have him with us today.”

Like Castro, President Olusegun Obasanjo is also reputed not to suffer fools gladly. Stephen Sackur, anchor of the BBC programme HARD talk, might recall when, in response to what Obasanjo perceived as a rude question, the former Nigerian president asked Sackur if he could pose that question to his prime minister.

In the lion’s den

There is a long list of leaders who confronted bullies without flinching. This quality, which is in demand more than ever before, is falling short, as shown by recent high-profile encounters in the White House since President Donald Trump’s second term. The White House, especially the Oval Office, has become for high-profile visitors what the lion’s den is to straying goats.

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s antagonistic exchange with Trump, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is the latest target. Almost from the moment the first live footage of the visit began airing, it was clear that Trump wanted only one thing.

He wasn’t interested in resetting trade talks or bilateral issues. He wasn’t interested in repairing ties between South Africa and the US or hearing first hand the other view about the so-called genocide against white farmers. He wasn’t interested in conciliation. He was interested in only one thing: having Ramaphosa for lunch. And he did, which was painful and difficult to watch.

‘How did you get my number?’

From Trump’s question about “how did you get my number?”, gestures that suggested he valued the presence of the golfers in Ramaphosa’s entourage – Ernie Els and Retief Goosen – more than the president, to dumping piles of fake documents on the South African president and converting the Oval Office into a cinema while Ramaphosa was still speaking, Trump displayed utter contempt and disregard for his visitors.

The encounter made Zelenskyy’s visit appear like a lovefest. Some have argued that it reflects more poorly on Trump and the US that the hosttreated his guest so shabbily, raking him over the coals with fake and discredited materials, than on Ramaphosa, who kept his smile and rational stance. That is partially correct, but more than anyone else, Ramaphosa has himself to blame for the shambolic treatment.

Yellow flags

There were more than enough yellow flags beforehand. From the Executive Order in February, stopping all US financial assistance to South Africa, to the accusations of “white genocide”, to the expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, and the offer of “refugee” status to white farmers, Trump, mainly instigated by Elon Musk, has never disguised his misguided displeasure against South Africa.

The country’s decision to drag Israel to the ICJ over the war in Gaza and its leadership role in BRICS (which could potentially curtail the influence of the dollar), of course, were also unspoken sources of Trump’s anger.

If a war foretold does not take the disabled person by surprise, how could Ramaphosa have ignored these yellow flags and decided to visit the lair with a golfing picture book as a peace offering, instead of a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner, the perfect sacrifice?

Success. What success?

The South African president has described the visit as “a great success. ”Perhaps that would be correct if he were describing his narrow escape. There is no readout or evidence of the “reset” Ramaphosa requested. As of today, the fake video of the crosses on the roadside, supposed to be memorials for about 1,000 murdered white South African farmers, is still playing on the X handle of the White House. Nothing has changed.

If Ramaphosa believes the visit was a success, his opinion has divided his country as much as it has a largely subdued continent. Femi Badejo, a diplomat and professor of Political Science, used the metaphor of a safari to describe the response across the continent. “If a lion grabs an antelope,” he asked me, “what do you think will happen to the rest of the herd?”

South Africa is not just another African antelope; it’s a leader in the pack. Although many African diplomats are publicly spinning Ramaphosa’s visit as measured and dignified, behind the scenes, they are scandalised at the possible fate that awaits them – and the continent – especially with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expiring in September.

Who’s next?

For many reasons, primarily economic, the Africa that once stood up to bullies or was even deemed worthy allies has become a thing of the past. The Egyptian leader, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, may receive red-carpet treatment at the White House due to that country’s strategic importance to the US, just as Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traore, Russia’s poster boy, may get flowers in the Kremlin. The others, grappling with internal security challenges, discontent and fragile economies, are on their own as they struggle to navigate a hostile and deeply divided world.

It would be a long time before another leader from the continent visits the White House, that is, if Trump has not closed half of the US embassies in Africa before he marks his first year in office. If, at this time, African leaders cannot find good company among themselves, they may as well learn to sit at home.

Ishiekwene is Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book, Writing for Media and Monetising It.

Anyanwu: PDP NEC Is Illegal, I Won’t Step Down As Secretary

James Orji

May 29, 2025

Embattled National Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Samuel Anyanwu has double down on his stand that he will not quit his position.

“I will not step down” as PDP National Secretary Anyanwu said on Wednesday few hours after a botched attempt by the party’s National Executive Council, NEC to remove him as its scribe.

The magazine reported that the PDP NEC would have removed Anyanwu on Tuesday but for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which insisted that he’s the legal National Secretary of the party.

The Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC had on Monday informed the fact-finding Committee set up by the party, to find out the position of the commission on the controversial, that it has recongonised Anyanwu as the authentic occupier of the position. The Committee which was led by Governor Kefas of Taraba state also had as members Governors of Zamfara and Enugu states.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital Anyanwu said he was not ready to vacate his position, saying whatever decision taken at the PDP is illegal, noting that those that wants him out are the ones fueling the crisis in the party.

According to him, the trouble makers are some key leaders of the party and not the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike who he scribe as his ‘friend.”

He explained that his tenure has not lapsed since he was elected into the position in 2021, saying the trouble makers in the party are the ones ‘demarketing’ it and trying to destroy the PDP. H

Anyanwu message for his political opponents si that there is no “vacancy” for the PDP National secreatry position.

He said, “There is no vacancy in the office of the PDP national secretary,” he said.

“I was elected in October 2021 as the national secretary of this party. According to the zoning arrangement, it was zoned to the south and micro-zoned to south-east.

“Just like every other state in the south-east, the national secretary position was zoned to Imo state. Every state in the south-east has a representative in the national working committee.

“But assuming that I am no longer the national secretary, for instance, whoever will replace me must come from Imo state.

“I will not give in to anybody trying to mess up my career. It took me time to build my reputation.

“I have been a two-time local government chairman and two-term assembly member, went to the senate, ran for governorship twice, and I am now the national secretary.

“Each time they talk about people demarketing the party, all these PDP leaders who go on national television are the ones destroying the party.

“Instead of saying things that build the party, they are saying things that will destroy and demarket it, and then accuse the minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, just because he’s my friend.”

The magazine reported that Anyanwu has rejected his party’s position that he’s no longer the National secretary, that Sunday Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader of the party has been appointed in his place.

FG’s Fresh Borrowing: “Nigeria Is Being Run Like Ponzi Scheme” – Atiku Abubakar

Ayodele Oni

May 29, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the Federal Government not to sell Nigeria into debt slavery, going by spate of borrowing by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Reacting to the announcement by the Tinubu-led APC government to pursue fresh external and domestic loans, Atiku described it as “a reckless and dangerous move that threatens the future of Nigeria and generations yet unborn.”

He stated that “Despite national outrage, this administration is pushing ahead with plans to borrow $21.54 billion, €2.19 billion, and ¥15 billion — an equivalent of over $24 billion, which is more than 60% of Nigeria’s total foreign exchange reserves.

“This borrowing spree will raise our total public debt from ₦144.7 trillion to a crushing ₦183 trillion. This move comes while Nigeria’s debt burden is already at alarming levels.

“As of December 31, 2024, public debt stood at $94 billion (₦144.7 trillion).

Since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, public debt has jumped by 65.6%.

“Under the APC-led administration since 2015, public debt has ballooned by 1,048%, from ₦12.6 trillion to ₦144.7 trillion. The debt-to-GDP ratio has exceeded 50%.

“The debt-service-to-revenue ratio is over 130%, meaning the government now spends more on repaying loans than it earns.

“This is not just unsustainable — it is immoral. The Tinubu administration is borrowing money not for development but to service existing loans, fueling a debt spiral that leaves nothing for infrastructure, education, healthcare, or jobs.

“This addiction to borrowing, entrenched under the APC-led administration and now accelerated by President Tinubu, has turned public finance into a Ponzi scheme — borrowing to pay debt, then borrowing again to pay interest.

“Nigeria is now caught in a vicious cycle that mortgages the future to pay for the past. We warn that this is economic sabotage in plain sight.

“We demand that this reckless borrowing plan be halted immediately. We call on lawmakers, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to take urgent action to stop this looming catastrophe. Nigeria must not be sold into debt slavery.”

Tax Reform Has Changed Structure Of Economy – President Tinubu

Ayodele Oni

May 29, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Tinubu has put up stout defence in support of his administration’s tax reform saying it is affecting Nigeria’s economy, leading to a rise in the nation’s tax-to-GDP ratio.

In a statement marking the second anniversary of his administration on Thursday, Tinubu said the reforms were not only about raising revenue but about changing the structure of the economy.

“One of our most impactful achievements has been our tax reform agenda, which is already yielding results,” the President said.

He noted that Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased from 10 per cent to over 13.5 per cent by the end of 2024. He attributed this rise to changes in tax administration and policies.

“We are eliminating the burden of multiple taxation, making it easier for small businesses to grow and join the formal economy. The tax reforms will protect low-income households and support workers by expanding their disposable income,” he said.

The President said that essential goods and services—such as food, education, and healthcare—would now attract zero per cent VAT. He added that rent, public transportation, and renewable energy are exempt from VAT.

“We are ending the era of wasteful and opaque tax waivers. Instead, we have introduced targeted and transparent incentives supporting high-impact manufacturing, technology, and agriculture sectors,” Tinubu said.

He said the reforms also focus on creating a tax environment that accommodates digital jobs and remote work.

Through new export incentives, Tinubu said Nigerian businesses are now in a better position to compete in the global market.

The President also mentioned the implementation of the National Single Window project, which he said has reduced delays in international trade.

“To promote fairness and accountability, we are establishing a Tax Ombudsman, an independent institution that will protect vulnerable taxpayers and ensure the system works for everyone, especially small businesses,” he stated.

Tinubu said a new national fiscal policy is being introduced to guide taxation, borrowing, and spending.

“This strategic framework will guide our approach to fair taxation, responsible borrowing, and disciplined spending,” he said.

“These reforms are designed to reduce the cost of living, promote economic justice, and build a business-friendly economy that attracts investment and supports every Nigerian.”

President Tinubu’s Mid-term Speech To Nigerians

James Orji

May 29, 2025

Below, the full text.

Fellow Nigerians,

As we mark the second anniversary of our administration, I salute your resilience and undaunting spirit. Two years ago, you entrusted me with the sacred responsibility to lead our nation at a time of historic challenges. Together, we have faced these headwinds with courage and determination.

The economic and general situation of the country I inherited required that we redirect the country’s affairs with a bold and new vision. I immediately implemented two necessary policies to stop our country from further drifting into the precipice. It was apparent that if the federal government and the other two tiers of government must remain viable and cater to the citizens’ welfare, we must do away with decades-long fuel subsidies and the corruption-ridden multiple foreign exchange windows. The two were no longer sustainable and have become a chokehold on our nation’s neck, strangling our nation’s future.

While our administration has implemented the reforms to restore and reinvigorate our national economy and strengthen our social fabric as a strong and united country, I must thank my fellow citizens for your unrelenting support and belief in the grand vision we share to uplift our nation and renew our collective hopes and aspirations.

We are halfway through the journey that began 24 months ago. Today, May 29, 2025, offers our administration the opportunity to share again how far we have gone and our progress in steering our country along the critical path of socio-economic development.

When we embarked on this journey, propelled by a burst of hope and abiding faith in Nigeria’s unity and progress, I made a pledge before God and fellow countrymen and women to confront Nigeria’s challenges head-on by rebuilding trust, fostering prosperity, and restoring our nation’s economic health. Today, I proudly affirm that our economic reforms are working. We are on course to building a greater, more economically stable nation.

Under our Renewed Hope Agenda, our administration pledged to tackle economic instability, improve security nationwide, reduce corruption, reform governance, and lift our people out of poverty.

While implementing the reforms necessary to strengthen our economy and deliver shared prosperity, we have remained honest by acknowledging some of the difficulties experienced by our compatriots and families. We do not take your patience for granted. I must restate that the only alternative to the reforms our administration initiated was a fiscal crisis that would have bred runaway inflation, external debt default, crippling fuel shortages, a plunging Naira, and an economy in a free-fall.

Despite the bump in the cost of living, we have made undeniable progress.

Inflation has begun to ease, with rice prices and other staples declining. The oil and gas sector is recovering; rig counts are up by over 400% in 2025 compared to 2021, and over $8 billion in new investments have been committed. We have stabilised our economy and are now better positioned for growth and prepared to withstand global shocks.

In 2025, we remain on track with our fiscal targets. Gross proceeds per barrel from crude oil are broadly aligned with our forecasts as we intensify our efforts to ramp up production. Our fiscal deficit has narrowed sharply from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024. We achieved this through improved revenue generation and greater transparency in government finances. In the first quarter of this year, we recorded over N6 trillion in revenue.

We have discontinued Ways & Means financing, which has been a major contributor to high and sticky inflation. The NNPC, no longer burdened by unsustainable fuel subsidies, is now a net contributor to the Federation Account. We are also achieving fuel supply security through local refining.

Our debt position is improving. While foreign exchange revaluation pushed our debt-to-GDP ratio to around 53%, our debt service-to-revenue ratio dropped from nearly 100% in 2022 to under 40% by 2024. We paid off our IMF obligations and grew our net external reserves by almost 500% from $4 billion in 2023 to over $23 billion by the end of 2024.

Thanks to our reforms, state revenue increased by over N6 trillion in 2024, ensuring that subnational governments can reduce their debt burden, meet salaries and pension obligations on a timely basis, and invest more in critical infrastructure and human capital development.

One of our administration’s most impactful achievements is our bold tax reform agenda, which is already yielding results. By the end of 2024, our tax-to-GDP ratio rose from 10% to over 13.5%, a remarkable leap in just one year. This was not by accident. It results from deliberate improvement in our tax administration and policies designed to make our tax system fairer, more efficient, and more growth-oriented

We are eliminating the burden of multiple taxation, making it easier for small businesses to grow and join the formal economy. The tax reforms will protect low-income households and support workers by expanding their disposable income. Essential goods and services such as food, education, and healthcare will now attract 0% VAT. Rent, public transportation, and renewable energy will be fully exempted from VAT to reduce household costs further.

We are ending the era of wasteful and opaque tax waivers. Instead, we have introduced targeted and transparent incentives supporting high-impact manufacturing, technology, and agriculture sectors. These reforms are not just about revenue but about stimulating inclusive economic growth.

There is a deliberate focus on our youth, who a friendlier tax environment for digital jobs and remote work will empower. Through export incentives, Nigerian businesses will be able to compete globally. Our National Single Window project streamlines international trade, reduces delays, and enhances Nigeria’s competitiveness.

To promote fairness and accountability, we are establishing a Tax Ombudsman, an independent institution that will protect vulnerable taxpayers and ensure the system works for everyone, especially small businesses.

Most importantly, we are laying the foundation for a more sustainable future by introducing a new national fiscal policy. This strategic framework will guide our approach to fair taxation, responsible borrowing, and disciplined spending.

These reforms are designed to reduce the cost of living, promote economic justice, and build a business-friendly economy that attracts investment and supports every Nigerian. Together, we are creating a system where prosperity is shared, and no one is left behind.

We have breathed new life into the Solid Minerals sector as part of our efforts to diversify the economy. Revenue has increased phenomenally, and investors are setting up processing plants as the sector dumps the old pit-to-port policy and embraces a new value-added policy.

We have also repositioned our health sector despite all odds.

Over 1,000 Primary Health Centres are being revitalised nationwide. An additional 5,500 PHCs are being upgraded under our Renewed Hope Health Agenda. We are establishing Six new cancer treatment centres. Three are ready. We offer free dialysis services in pilot tertiary hospitals and subsidise the service in others. Under the Presidential Maternal Health Initiative, over 4,000 women have undergone free cesarean sections. Lastly, we have expanded Health Insurance Coverage from 16 million to 20 million within two years.

As a result of our bold and deliberate policies, the economy is growing stronger again. Real GDP rose by 4.6% in Q4 2024, with full-year growth of 3.4%. This is one of the strongest in a decade.

Without a responsive and reliable national security infrastructure that can protect lives and properties, our economy will not perform optimally, and those who seek to harm us will impair and disrupt our way of life. Our administration is committed to the security and safety of our people. For our government, protecting our people and their peaceful way of life is the utmost priority.

Since I assumed our country’s leadership, our administration has improved collaboration among security agencies, increased intelligence-driven operations, and better ensured the welfare of our armed forces and security personnel. I use this opportunity to salute the courage and everyday sacrifice of our service men and women. We may not always witness the tremendous efforts they make to keep us safe, but we benefit every day from the results of their dedication. Even if we do not thank them often enough, they willingly face danger so we can go about our lives freely and without fear.

Our military, police, and intelligence agencies are committed to always responding to emerging security threats and new challenges because it is the patriotic duty they owe a grateful nation.

Amid the new security challenges, we can report some successes. In some areas of the northwest, hitherto under the control of bandits, our gallant armed forces have restored order, reducing and eliminating threats to lives and livelihoods. With the success achieved, farmers are back tilling the land to feed us. Highways, hitherto dangerous for travellers, have become safer. Our security agencies have succeeded many times in rescuing the abducted citizens from the hands of their tormentors. I promise you, we shall remain vigilant, as I told security chiefs during the last meeting to up their game and collaborate to end this plague of evil men. Every Nigerian deserves to live without fear.

Outside of Security, we have prioritised human capital development as a central pillar of our national development strategy.

To this end, we have significantly expanded access to quality education through infrastructure investments and the student loan scheme to support indigent students in tertiary institutions. Through the Renewed Hope Health initiative, our administration has begun equipping health facilities and deploying skilled personnel to unserved areas. We are also strengthening our response to public health threats and implementing targeted social investment schemes.

Our youth empowerment initiatives include access to funds, skill development, and creating employment opportunities. Through our MSME support, we empower the next generation and bridge inequality. In our mission to empower the next generation, we have taken bold steps to place young Nigerians at the heart of national development. Nowhere is this more evident than at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), where the current management is making giant strides. NASENI has embraced a digital-first approach, introduced real-time dashboards, and implemented end-to-end e-procurement through its Unified ERP System—setting a new governance benchmark for public institutions.

Through bold, high-impact programmes like Innovate Naija, Irrigate Nigeria, the Asset Restoration Programme, and the Renewable Energy and Innovation Park in Gora, NASENI drives inclusive industrialisation at scale. From assembling electric vehicles and reviving idle assets to launching Africa’s most advanced Rapid Diagnostic Kit Factory and training female drone engineers through the NASCAV programme, these initiatives are creating jobs, restoring dignity to work, and opening up a future of possibilities for our youth. This is the movement we promised—a government of action powered by the energy and innovation of young Nigerians.

Agriculture and food security are top priorities of our Renewed Hope Agenda. We have launched aggressive initiatives to boost local food production, support farmers, and stabilise food prices. We have also invested in mechanised farming by procuring thousands of tractors, other farming tools, and fertilisers.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the federal government has continued with major road construction and rehabilitation projects across all geopolitical zones, from the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, the 9th Mile-Oturkpo-Makurdi Road, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Lokoja-Benin Road, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Oyo-OgbomosoRoad, Sokoto-Badagry Road, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Second Niger Bridge Access Road to Bodo-Bonny Road among hundreds of ongoing road projects across the country.

We have launched initiatives to improve electricity generation by upgrading generation and transmission infrastructure and investing in off-grid solar energy to power our homes, business premises, industries, schools and hospitals.

In the spirit of democracy and national renewal, we are preparing to welcome the world to Nigeria soon for the Motherland Festival. This landmark gathering will spotlight our rich heritage, dynamic creative industries, and the vibrant energy of our people. It will showcase Nigeria’s beauty through tourism, culture, and innovation, inviting the world to rediscover our nation.

The Nigerian diaspora plays a vital role in our national transformation. Their expertise, investment, and global perspective are key to shaping the future we seek. In recognition, the government has introduced policies like the diaspora bond and the non-resident Bank Verification Number to make it easier for Nigerians abroad to invest, engage, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s progress.

The Motherland Festival will bring together voices from across the continent and the diaspora in a decisive moment of unity and purpose, affirming that Nigeria is not only a leader in Africa but a committed global partner ready to engage, inspire, and lead.

Once again, I acknowledge the sacrifices many Nigerians have made and continue to make as we reposition our country, not just for today but for generations yet unborn. Our journey is not over, but our direction is clear. So is our resolve to tackle emerging challenges. By the Grace of God, we are confident that the worst is behind us. The real impact of our governance objectives is beginning to take hold. The future is bright, and together, we will build a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria that we can all be proud of.

Thank you all, and May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Atiku’s Mid-term Score Card For Tinubu: You Have Failed; Nigeria Now World Poverty Capital

James Orji

May 29, 2025

Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, says the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inflicted pains and hardship on Nigerians within two years in office.

The former vice president said the situation have never been so hard on Nigerians, saying previous administrations in the country did not make Nigerians suffered as the incumbent.

The former PDP presidential candidate made the remark on his Facebook page on Thursday noting also that the Tinubu administration has failed to be accountable to Nigerians as it has failed to show responsible leadership.

Abubakar spoke as President Tinubu marked two years in office as Nigeria’s leader and Commander-in-chief. The administration has rolled out the drums to celebrate its mid-term, saying it has done its best in terms of transforming the country citing the milestones it has achieved in the areas of security, infrastructure amongst others.

As part of the events marking his two years in office, president Tinubu has commissioned some projects , including the multi-trillion naira Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway.

According to the former vice president the country has never been this bad, saying government officials have abandoned governance, and are now living ostentatious lifestyles at the expense of Nigerians.

He said while many Nigerians are struggling to survive officials in Tinubu’s government “are living in excess and approving budgets that benefit the elite”, the administration has set new records by making the country the world capital of poverty, considering the number of malnourished children in the country.

“This government has not only deepened poverty across the country, but it has also set new records in wasteful public spending. At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive, government officials are living in excess and approving budgets that benefit the elite at the expense of the common man. It is sad that apart from being the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria has under this administration emerged as the unenviable position as the capital of malnourished children in Africa having beaten Sudan, a nation that is at war,” Abubakar said.

The poverty level in the country has worsen as the administration is only making the rich to be richer at the expense of poor Nigerians without any concrete efforts to bridge the gap of poverty, a situation that dragged Nigerians to the 18^th position in the Global Hunger Index, GHI in 2024.

He said, “According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, our country is one of the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, occupying the 18th position,

Policy after policy under this administration has targeted the poor while providing relief and advantage to the rich. From healthcare to education to identity management and basic public services, Nigerians are now faced with class-based systems where the wealthy enjoy VIP treatment, and the rest are left behind.”

Abubakar accused the administration of making life more difficult for Nigerians, saying Nigerians are now being charged for some essential services that are supposed to be provided free of charge. According to him, the government has also increased its appetite for loans, considering that the total debt stock in the last two years has risen significantly, with the an indication that more funds will still be borrowed locally and from foreign creditors, adding that the nation’s debt crisis under President Tinubu has worsened, noting that there’s no justification for government to borrow.

“Just two weeks ago, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) hiked its fees by 75%, introducing VIP protocols for services that should be a basic right of citizenship. In education, public university fees have been raised far beyond the reach of poor families, with no adequate support mechanisms in place.

“Even more troubling is the scale of borrowing under this government. When President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at approximately N49 trillion. In just two years, that figure has skyrocketed to N144 trillion — a 150% increase — with more foreign loans now being requested, which could push the debt to N183 trillion.

“While the federal government racks up debt, state governments have shown more discipline, reducing their debt levels from N5.86 trillion to N3.97 trillion. The implication is clear: the federal government, under Tinubu, is the primary driver of Nigeria’s current debt crisis.

“President Tinubu’s justification — that new borrowing is needed to fund the 2025 budget and soften the impact of fuel subsidy removal — is both weak and dishonest. It was the reckless and insensitive way his government removed the subsidy that created much of today’s economic hardship in the first place,” Abubakar said.

May 30 Biafra Day Lockdown: Police Warns Enforcers

Suleiman Anyalewechi

May 28, 2025

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Ahead of the lockdown scheduled for May 30, 2025, by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, the Anambra State Police authorities on Wednesday moved to checkmate the activities of enforcers.

The Source reports that IPOB, penultimate week, in a statement from its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, declared May 30 as Remembrance Day for all Biafran heroes and heroines ,and those who lost their lives in the over 30 months of Biafra/Nigeria civil war of 1967 to 1970.

According to Powerful, on the said day, there will be no movement of persons and goods, all markets, schools, public and private offices, banks and others will be closed from 6 am to 6 pm in all the five States of the South East region.

The group called on all residents of the region to ensure a complete observance of the lockdown order.

But a statement on Wednesday issued by its spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga SP, noted that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu has directed the deployment of operatives to some known flashpoints with a view to preventing any unlawful enforcement of the sit-at-home order and or any other activities capable of compromising the security of the State.

According to Ikenga, the Commissioner also directed operatives to intensify surveillance efforts across the State to avoid any illegal gathering.

His directives are coming against the backdrop of the arrest of a suspected enforcer of the scheduled lockdown ,Friday Obeta

Obeta ,who is suspected to be a staunch member and informant of IPOB was said to have been arrested in Nnewi.

A motorcycle, branded t-shirt, and an operational identification card of IPOB were some of the items recovered from the suspect, the police stated.

On further interrogation, Obeta, according to the police admitted being both a member and informant of the separatist group.

His arrest, which was effected by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the State Command, was sequel to the receipt of actionable intelligence.

The statement noted that Obeta was arrested while putting finishing touches to the group’s enforcement plans of the declared sit-at-home order.

The Command further informed that the suspect has equally made some useful statements that are assisting in its investigations and apprehension of other members of the group.

This is just as the Police Authorities appealed to parents and guardians to caution their children and wards to avoid engaging in any activities likely to breach the peace of the state.

It, however, expressed its readiness to deal decisively with any persons or group(s) that threatens the fragile peace of the State under any guise.

The HIV Surge Among Young Women and the Urgency for Collective Healing

The Source

May 28, 2025

By Abraham Amah

The revelation that over 73,000 young women in Imo State have tested positive for HIV, as confirmed by the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, is not just a health emergency—it is a social, moral, and national alarm bell. This figure, stark and unsettling, underscores a deep rot festering beneath the surface of our cultural, economic, and institutional frameworks. When the future mothers of a nation are threatened by a preventable disease, the very soul of that nation is in peril.

This disturbing trend is not isolated to Imo State alone. Similar reports have emerged from other geopolitical zones, indicating a growing and perhaps deliberately ignored epidemic. It reveals a potent mix of poverty, ignorance, broken health systems, unchecked sexual exploitation, and the disintegration of moral and family structures. What we see is not just a failure of government or health policy, but a societal collapse of protective values.

Sex hawking, often glamorized or hidden behind euphemisms like “runs” or “coded runs,” is no longer a mere urban social ill—it has metastasized into a silent killer. These young women, mostly between the ages of 15 and 29, are often victims of circumstances beyond their making: broken homes, economic despair, peer pressure, social media glamorization of sex work, and lack of reproductive education.

One cannot separate this development from Nigeria’s broader economic disillusionment. Youth unemployment, underemployment, and a lack of viable livelihood alternatives have led many into transactional sex as a means of survival. It is a painful truth: for many young girls, HIV is the cost of eating today. This is not a narrative of immorality but a testimony of systemic failure.

The stigmatization of sex workers and HIV-positive persons further complicates the situation. Many fear seeking help, testing, or treatment due to shame and discrimination. As a result, transmission continues unchecked. This is where the state, religious institutions, civil society, and traditional authorities must rise above condemnation and embrace compassion and realism. Shame has never cured a disease—education and empathy have.

To stem this tide, there must be an urgent national mobilization for sexual health education at all levels. Curriculum at secondary and tertiary institutions must include practical, relatable sex education—focusing not just on abstinence but on consent, protection, consequences, and choice. Silence has bred ignorance, and ignorance has led to death.

Philosophically, we must re-examine what kind of nation we want to build. Are we content with building megacities while the souls of our children are decaying in backrooms? Are we truly advancing if our youth—the carriers of our tomorrow—are consumed by diseases of today? This is a moral crisis wrapped in an epidemiological blanket.

Cosmically, every generation stands at an existential fork. For Nigeria, this may be one of them. If we cannot protect our daughters, sisters, and future mothers, we are not just failing them—we are dismantling the future of our country. Our collective energy must realign from blame to healing, from shame to solutions, and from apathy to action.

Remedial action must include the strengthening of health infrastructure for free, confidential, and accessible HIV testing and treatment centers in every local government area. NGOs and state governments must also distribute free condoms, conduct mobile sensitization drives, and create peer support groups. Prevention is cheaper than treatment, and education is cheaper than funerals.

Economically, the government must rethink its youth empowerment strategies. Skill acquisition centers must not be mere campaign slogans but functional platforms offering real, scalable alternatives to sex trade. Access to startup grants, business mentorship, and digital employment can help re-route many from high-risk lifestyles.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) must partner more dynamically with influencers, religious leaders, and local champions to destigmatize HIV and promote behavioral change. There must be national campaigns that speak the language of the streets—not sterile bureaucracy, but raw, relatable reality.

Religious and traditional institutions must shift from fire-and-brimstone reactions to proactive roles in healing the moral fabric of society. The pulpit and the throne room must stop pretending the streets don’t exist. Real leadership means guiding both the saint and the struggling.

Finally, the federal government must declare this surge in HIV among young women as a national emergency. It is not just about disease control—it is about national survival. A country whose womb is infected cannot give birth to a healthy future. The time to act is now.

In the words of the African proverb: “When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches.” Nigeria must save her roots—our young women—if we are to stand tall as a tree among the forests of nations.

Elder Amah is a Public Affairs Analyst and Commentator

Decomposing Human Bodies Found In Enugu Native Doctor’s Compound

Suleiman Anyalewechi

May 28, 2025

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Enugu State Police Command is working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a soak away pit containing several dead bodies in a native doctor’s compound in Umumba Ndiagu Community, in Ezeagu Local Council of the State.

Levi Obieze, popular as Ezeani, is said to be on the run after the community’s security outfit unearthed decomposing human bodies in the soak away pit in a corner of his exquisite palatial country home.

The soak away and other facilities within the compound of the billionaire native doctor were said be filled with bodies of several victims allegedly buried alive for ritual purposes.

The bubble burst on Monday, May 26, 2025, following the abduction of a 13-year old girl by men suspected to be working for Ezeani ,and the subsequent rescue of the girl in his expansive compound.

According to accounts by some locals, the young girl had gone with her father to fetch some fire woods with which they wanted to use in frying garri.

On their way, they were met by two men who were pushing their motorcycle.

The men were said to have pleaded with the father of the teenage girl to lend them his cutlass for the repairs of their motorcycle which they claimed had developed a fault.

The girl’s father after obliging them the cutlass, was subsequently asked by the men to assist them in pushing the motorcycle under the pretext that it would only start when pushed.

However, while trying to assist them in starting the motorcycle, one of the men grabbed his daughter, and sped off with the teenage girl.

“One of the men requested the father of the little girl to assist them with his cutlass to use, in fixing their supposedly faulty motorcycle ,which the man obliged.

“They told him again that the fault will require pushing the motorcycle ,and also requested for his assistance.

“It was in that process that one of the men grabbed the girl, jumped on the motorcycle, and sped off”, one of the community members revealed.

“A search and rescue effort embarked upon by the community’s vigilante group, following the alarm raised by the father of the kidnapped girl led to her discovery in the native doctor’s residence.

“Some residents were said to have reported ,hearing the loud cry of distress from the native doctor’s compound ,a development which prompted the search team into storming his residence.

“His efforts at stopping the search party from entering his compound was however rebuffed ,leading to the rescue of the abducted girl ,as well as the shocking discovery of the decomposing bodies on the soak away pit.”

It is however not yet clear as to the whereabout of Ezeani as some reports indicated that he may have escaped ,together with his four wives,

His palatial residence,has reportedly been demolished ,allegedly on the directives of the Chairman of Ezeagu Local Government Area ,Chief Vita Ndu.

The directive was said to be sequel to the visit of the Council Chairman, and other Enugu State Government officials ,including the member representing the area at the State House of Assembly.

Although the Enugu State Police authorities were yet to react officially to the development, a source close to the Command stated that the Commissioner of Police Rufus Giwa, who has equally visited the area, has ordered for a full scale investigation.

The source also informed that some persons believed to be associates of the native doctor are presently in custody, assisting the police in their investigation.

Buhari Urges Nigerians To Embrace Ongoing Reforms

Ayodele Oni

May 28, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigeria’s that the ongoing reforms embarked upon by President Bola Tinubu’s administration will achieve result.

Appraising the mid-term programmes of the present administration, the former president said that as the party and the government celebrate, the country should be reminded that leadership is a continuous journey.

In a message signed by his media aide, Garba Shehu, Buhari called for steadfast support for the APC government as it marks its second year in office, explaining that reforms would achieve success gradually, not overnight.

He warned that necessary reforms and desired changes must not fall victim to some domestic politics.

He expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the administration to curb poverty and inflation, which he said have hit the poorest families the hardest, adding however that the task of reducing poverty and inflation, which is immense, must not be left only for the government.

“The private sector and all of us as citizens must join in all ways we can.”

He urged Nigerians to remain optimistic and stay confident about the country’s future.

“Our expectations from our governments should not get heavy,” President Buhari said in the conclusion of his message.

“I am wishing President Tinubu heartfelt congratulations on his two years in office. May you keep leading with wisdom and care.”

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