Biden-Trump Debacle: Nigeria Must Not Entrench A Gerontocracy

 By Olu Fasan

Two significant events hit the world from America recently. One is positive, the other negative. The positive is the criminal convictions of former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son. Both are unprecedented: Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a felony, and Biden Jnr is the first son of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime.

*Trump and Biden 

That suggests no one is above the law in America. However, the negative is the disastrous presidential debate between Biden and Trump. Both the positive and negative events have relevance for Nigeria. That relevance is worth exploring. But my focus here is the nerve-racking debate.

Nigeria: As Wike Plots To “fail” Ireti Kingibe

 By Ikechukwu Amaechi

The  Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is a cantankerous old fossil – irascible, quarrelsome and testy, no doubt. Whether as a local government chairman, chief of staff, minister or governor, he is bad-tempered, cranky and grouchy; a man not only at war with himself but perpetually with others. This is not the quality of a good leader even if the person is dubbed “Mr. Projects,” whether deserved or otherwise.

*Kingibe and Wike 

Leadership demands a healthy dose of humility. But as governor of Rivers State for eight years, Wike was at war with everyone, abusing all who dared cross his path. With him, every criticism, no matter how constructive is a definite no-no. His entire worldview is governed by the “us against them” mentality and in pursuit of this cock-eyed philosophy of life, he takes no prisoners, which explains why barely two months out of office, he was engaged in a war of attrition with his successor and anointed political godson, Siminalayi Fubara.

Addressing The Food Crisis

 By Juwonlo Dahunsi  

Our nation is at a critical juncture where the impact of economic crises, global challenges, tumbling currency, insecurity and climate change is affecting the ability of many citizens to feed themselves. The figures are striking. As of March 2024, the food inflation rate increased by 40.01 percent, which is about 15.56 percent higher than the March 2023 rate.

With the complexity and interdependence of the factors responsible for the current food crises, our approach to addressing them must go beyond the conventional means. We need a more agile approach to address the current food crises. An approach that can quickly adapt to our changing circumstances and effectively address the complex factors contributing to the crises. For this approach to be viable, it has to be rooted in three pivotal elements. 

Patriots In Kenya, Fascists In Nigeria

 By Andy Ezeani

Those in Nigeria who look towards the youths of the country, against the backdrop of the recent happenings in Kenya, and expect a similar redemptive stance need to be fair to young Nigerians. It is an entirely different hemisphere. Kenya is not Nigeria. And Nigerians are not Kenyans.

The tendencies of the political leadership in Kenya and Nigeria may be quite similar but the two societies retain their differences all the same. In standing up to brute force and putting their lives on the line to oppose an economic policy of the government, which they believe will only lead the society to turmoil and further grief, the youths of Kenya did what their counterparts in Nigeria would also do, under normal circumstances.

Presidential Jets And The Rest Of Us

 By Nick Dazang

There is an apocryphal story animating the social media. And it is doing so with a frenzy. It is to the effect that the Presidency had since allegedly acquired two jets via the Chagourys; and that the jets were being allegedly configured in lieu of their delivery to Abuja.

Even though this story appears outlandish and not in consonance with the latest reports in the mainstream media, namely, that the Presidency is considering auctioning some of the aging aircraft in the presidential fleet to make up the money to buy a new one, the said exaggerated story speaks eloquently to two salient and concerning issues.

Borrowing Is The Opium Of Nigerian Governments

 By Dele Sobowale 

“The DMO said as of March 31, 2024, the country’s domestic and external debts stood at N121.67 trillion ($91.46 billion). Nigeria’s debt rose by N24.33 trillion within three months – from N97.34 trillion ($108.23 billion) in December 2023 to N121.67 trillion ($91.46 billion).” Channels Television.

Nigerian government leaders, Presidents and Governors, are addicted to loans the same way drug addicts cannot kick the habit; and become increasingly hooked. What Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala persuaded Obasanjo to do in 2004, that is paid off Nigeria’s external loans was so alien to our government leaders that one late former Governor called her “stupid”.