By Azuka Onwuka
First they said the Christian genocide narrative was started by IPOB. That did not fly.
Then they said it was Peter Obi that was sponsoring it. That failed.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
US Bombings And Nigeria's Igbo Problem!
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
RE: The Screwdriver Salesman Behind Trump’s Airstrikes In Nigeria
By Franc Utoo
The story told in that New York Times article is not just wrong; it is an injury added to an open wound. It tries to turn survivors into suspects, truth‑tellers into propagandists and a decade of blood into a clever “narrative” to be managed by consultants in Washington and Abuja.
It will not stand.
*Trump
Who really asked America to wake up?
The article leans into a lazy, convenient fiction: that Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern was some side‑effect of Igbo separatist agitation or partisan games in Washington. That is a lie.
It was not drawn up in an office in Abuja or dreamed up in a back room in DC. It was born in the ashes of burned churches, homes, and in the dust of mass graves.
- It came from priests who have buried their parishioners by the hundreds, who have watched altars reduced to rubble and sanctuaries turned into slaughterhouses.
Xtian Genocide In Nigeria: The Screwdriver Salesman Distraction
By Tosin Adeoti
Recently, a narrative spread rapidly across Nigerian media and social platforms. It claimed that the reason President Trump and his advisers authorised airstrikes in Nigeria was information supplied by a “screwdriver salesman” in Onitsha.
The
story originated with a New York Times report and was
excitedly amplified locally by outlets such as The Cable and The
Nation. The framing was deliberate and dismissive. Emeka Umeagbalasi
was portrayed primarily as a man who owns a small shop selling screwdrivers and
wrenches in a market in the commercial hub of southeast Nigeria. The
implication was clear. How could someone like this possibly influence U.S.
foreign policy?
Monday, January 19, 2026
Road Trips In Nigeria, Crime Against Self!
By Ikechukwu Amaechi
When the Benin Bypass was commissioned in 2002 in the first term of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency, the idea was to make the life of motorists less harrowing. Before the road, built at a cost of N10.2 billion, was opened for public use, cutting through the Benin City traffic gridlock was always a nightmare. The 24-kilometre Bypass connects the Ore-Benin road with the Benin-Asaba end, thereby saving motorists who had no business in Benin the stress of getting stuck in traffic in the highly congested city with its litany of markets and very dense population.
Before the Bypass, it will take an average of about four hours to meander through Benin to Okada Town, just on the outskirts of the city, more time than it will take for those travelling from Owerri, the Imo State capital, to Benin or even from Lagos to Okada Town.
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Watchman Youth Ministry Provokes Intense Bible Reading Among Youths With Lamp And Light Bible Trivia
By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye
When the Watchman Youth and Children Ministry announced in 2024 that it was unveiling a project known as the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia, not a few wondered what they really meant by that. But as it turned out, they had set up some mouth-watering prizes for the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement (WCCRM) youths between the ages of 15 and 18 who would distinguish themselves by excelling in a quiz competition based on the Bible.
The competition would start in the various Watchman dioceses and
those who emerge the top winners would come to Lagos for the final stage which
would see the overall winner go home with a million naira, while the first
runner-up would be given N700, 000 and the person who took the third position
would get N500, 000. They would also be given a tablet (iPad) each.
And it happened just that way, igniting widespread excitement and enthusiasm among the youths (and even adults) towards the programme. The Youth Ministry was emphatic that the cash awards would be deployed to finance the academic pursuits and other forms of empowerment of these youths. It closely supervises their use to ensure that this objective is achieved. This it meticulously ensured in the first edition of the competition the previous year and have equally sustained the practice with this second edition of the programme which ended a few months ago. The remaining five finalists go home with N150, 000 consolation prize each.
Between the 17th and 30th of August, 2025, contestants from the various dioceses were in Lagos again for the second edition of the programme. This time, they were joined by contestants from Ghana and Benin Republic. The Watchman News visited their lodging place and was impressed to hear some of them who had participated the previous year confessing that even though they did not win the star prizes, the teachings and spiritual exercises they were made to undergo at the camp affected their lives very significantly. They were so excited to be part of the programme.
An analyst told the Watchman News that he sees the programme as a major revolution in the Watchman.
“Imagine a programme that would make the youths devour the whole Bible as if
they are preparing for a very important examination. You can imagine the impact
such an exercise would register on the youth’s spiritual life, even if he or
she did not win any prize,” he said.
After an intense session on the final day of the competition with Mr. Val Okafor as the “Quiz Master”, Miss Chioma Chukwudi from Onitsha Diocese of the Watchman emerged the overall winner, closely followed by Miss Divine Ekpaha from Uyo Diocese and then Master Christopher Ebubechukwu from Lagos Diocese.
A visibly impressed
Diocesan Overseer of Lagos, Pastor Protase Opara, stepped forward to the podium
with his wife, Mrs. Jewel Opara, to present the star prize of One Million Naira
to the winner. He told the contestants that by participating in the exercise,
they were all winners.
It was such a happy occasion as the winners took away their prizes cheered and celebrated by the happy audience comprising some Watchman pastors, parents of the finalists, representatives from the various dioceses and other Watchmen and supporters.
The National Director of
the Youth and Children Ministry and Producer of the show, Mrs. Carllister
Ejinkeonye, told the Watchman News that “the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia, is a
journey,” she is “very happy to embark upon.”
According to her, “Many of our youths could be seen now as ‘walking Bibles’, studying and discussing the Scriptures, discovering things they never knew were in God's Word. In fact many of them were surprised that they could sit down to read some of the Old Testament books they had been reluctant to open before.”
“It was glorious!” she continued. “Spiritual teachings, career and entrepreneurship seminars by professionals, guidance and counselling sessions were all arranged for them during this period with the aim of having them well prepared for the life ahead…”
“It was thrilling to follow through to the end to see the winners emerge. Let's be on the lookout when the show will be aired on TV and other approved platforms…,” Mrs. Ejinkeonye said.
According to her, “right now,” their minds are set on Season Three of the competition.”
“The youths are excited and eagerly waiting; many have set out strategies on how to study their Bibles deeply. All the Youth Ministry is asking is for more Watchmen to buy into this vision and mission and support us to make Season Three of the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia a reality,” she said.
Mrs. Ejinkeonye thanked the General Superintendent of the Watchman, Pastor A.C. Ohanebo, for giving his blessing to the project, the Diocesan Pastors for their support and the several other Watchmen whose support and encouragement have continued to fire their resolve to sustain the programme. She also appreciated the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia team for their special dedication and hard work that made the programme a success.
Pastor Emeka Onuchukwu doubles as the patron of the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia Project and the Executive Producer Lamp and Light Bible Trivia Show. He told Watchman News that his interest in the project was motivated by the awareness that “the greatest gift to the world is light” and that the “Word of God is the Light of the world.”
“I believe that as we make our children to study God's Word, we are establishing them in the light. Surely their path in life will be bright. They will prosper in all their ways. This is my conviction for supporting the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia. Let there be light!” he said.
Also, speaking to the Watchman News, Mr. Paul Igwe who directed the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia averred that the show has remained “a powerful and engaging tool for spiritual growth, especially among the youth.” According to him, it “combines fun, learning and healthy competition to deepen Biblical knowledge, encourages the retention of the Scriptures in the memory of these youths” and “builds confidence and love for the Word of God in a generation that needs strong spiritual foundations.”
Watchman News also reached out to Pastor Ethelbert Obi, the Project Coordinator of the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia. He is of the view that the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia is reawakening the interest of youth in the Bible and godliness and redirecting their interest from the world back to God.
“Planning the show,” he said “started in October 2023 and the first season was aired in 2024 with great success…” According to him, “lives have been transformed, youths have been financially empowered, and, most importantly, their knowledge of the Bible has deepened,” as a result of participating in the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia.
In a review of the two editions of Lamp and Light Bible Trivia held so far (published here), an assistant project coordinator and associate producer of the show, Mrs. Chinwengozi Nnabuihe-Okoro, stated that the term, Lamp and Light, was “taken from Psalm 119:105.”
“Watching that light shine through the competitive spirit of our community has been a true privilege,” she said.
She added that the show “has evolved into a cornerstone of our participants’ spiritual engagements, proving that the study of Scriptures can be as exhilarating as it is transformative.”
Pastor Sunday Balogun, a training supervisor of the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia is happy to report that the last two editions “witnessed a tremendous success as lives have been greatly transformed in the Bible Camps held [for the participating] youths] in the last two years.
According to Pastor Balogun, it was indeed encouraging that teens “left the camps with eyes off the trophy but glued to the Scriptures." "
So many
wept bitterly”, not because they were evicted and so could not clinch any
prize, “but for missing the Scripture fellowship due to the intense spiritual
hunger the camp had achieved in them," he said.
Despite looming challenges, the organizers are poised to execute an even more successful show with the "Season 3" of the Lamp and Light Bible Trivia. They are confident that given the resounding impact of the two editions held so far, more people would be eager to invest in this project that is aimed at achieving the spiritual reclamation of the youths in this fast decaying age and deepening of emphasis on the eternal Word of God as a great panacea to the many debilitating challenges many people, especially, the younger generation, is grappling with.
*Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye, a journalist and writer, contributed this story to the Watchman News (scruples2006@yahoo.com)
Monday, January 5, 2026
Review: Illuminating Minds With Divine Wisdom
By Chinwengozi
Nnabuihe-Okoro
*Mrs. Nnabuihe-Okoro
Friday, January 2, 2026
NNPC And Unremitted Billions Of Dollars
By Jide Oyewusi
If there is a company all Nigerians must focus all their attention on and demand a transparent accountability from if Nigeria is ever going to move forward or make any meaningful progress, it is none other than the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
This is because even before independence, Nigeria’s major foreign exchange earner has been oil and so with the establishment of the NNPC, the company on which the major tripod of nation’s resources stand was born. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) was established on April 1, 1977 and later transformed into a limited liability company in July 2022 following the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
Nigerians Caught Between New Tax Regime And High Petrol Cost
By Adekunle Adekoya
Happy New Year to all Nigerians, especially those who read this newspaper and this column. The year that ended about 48 hours ago was one hell of a year, by way of experience, particularly for those of us in Nigeria. On the political front, it was as interesting as ever, what with shameless defections from opposition parties to the ruling party especially by governors and legislators in opposition-controlled states.
Economically, it was only towards the end of the year that some relief, however palpable, began to manifest, with the price of rice, which is the staple most consumed by Nigerians, coming down. The downside on the dining table was that the cost of protein — eggs, fish and meat — refused to follow rice in the downward journey, thus posing a stiff challenge to many households, majority of whom just cooked the staples, mainly carbohydrates, without the protein to make the diet meaningful for the body. Nevertheless, we survived that.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Tinubu’s Tax Tragedy And The New Year
By Kenneth Okonkwo
Tax is generally regarded as a burden on the people. It is the compulsory contribution of the citizens to the development of their country. The citizens are expected to pay a proportion of their income to the government in trust, in return for the provision of needed infrastructure for economic and social development.
Tragic: A Nation Without Heroes Or In Need Of Heroes
By Owei Lakemfa
Nigeria is like an orphan. A country without heroes. The political leadership over the decades have been held in suspicion by a frustrated citizenry whose situation simply gets worse. The country does not seem to have heroes that generations can look up to or, can inspire.
*Tinubu
The famous German writer, Bertolt Brecht declared in his play Life of Galileo: “Poor is the nation that has no heroes, but poorer still is the nation that, having heroes, fails to recognize and honour them”. This was what the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the family of Michael Imoudu, the most famous labour leader in our history, on Saturday, December 20, 2025 stepped in to correct. They not just revealed that Nigeria has contemporary heroes, but that we have men and women whose life and sacrifices seem fictional. This was at the maiden Michael Imoudu Awards, MIA held in Lagos to commemorate the twentieth passing away of Imoudu, one of the most iconic figures in Nigeria history.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Traumatized Travellers, Broken Highways, And Coastal Road
By Ugo Onuoha
The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, stipulated that the security and the welfare of Nigerians, not some Nigerians, not many Nigerians, nor a majority of the citizens, should be the priority of the government of the federation. The provision was not optional in terms of adherence to it. It was not a plea to the conscience of the rulers to do good. It was not a request either. It’s the raison d’etre of every administration.
For the avoidance of doubt, we will reproduce aspects of the relevant constitutional decree. Yes, decree, because the prescription was made to be obeyed. It did not make room for any administration to offer excuses in lieu of compliance.
Why The CJN Must End Abuse Of Power In Judicial Appointments
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu
A Judge who takes advantage of the judicial office for personal gain or for gain by his or her relative or relation abuses power…. such abuse of power profoundly violates the public’s trust in the judiciary. Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Rule 8:3 (2016)
*Justice Kekere-Ekun-CJN
Eight and a half years ago, in May 2017, a viral audio clip circulated which was said to be a conversation between a male Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a female judge who, in the preceding year, presided over an election petition involving the Senator.
Monday, December 29, 2025
Don’t Let Food Poisoning Ruin Your Yuletide Celebrations!
By Sylvester Ojenagbon
The world over, a festive season is
synonymous with feasting. It is usually a time when kitchens work overtime, and
tables overflow with culinary abundance.
However,
for all the joy these lavish meals bring, they also usher in a period of
heightened risk for a globally common, yet utterly miserable affliction: food
poisoning.
The
problem of foodborne illness is common, cutting across continents and
development levels.
The World Health Organisation estimates that as many as one in ten people globally fall ill each year from eating contaminated food, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths, with children and those in low- and middle-income countries bearing the heaviest burden.
Friday, December 26, 2025
Deeper Life Retreat At 50: Beyond The Precincts Of Religion
By Banji Ojewale
At the time the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM, held its first Retreat in the premises of then National Technical Teachers’ College, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, December 24-28, 1975, the group, led by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, hardly discerned that it was scripting a narrative that would roll into a half-century milestone in the womb of time. But then, not everything connected to that era had to do with abstract history, even if we agree that making history matters. Events history admit must be substantive and possess the weight that turns a tide for the good of humanity.
For, what is a record in the annals if it doesn’t transform or usher in something new to enable man forsake the beaten path?
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
The Supreme Court’s Emergency Politics
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu
All judges are politicians whether they know it or not— Enrique Petracchi, former Chief Justice of Argentina, (2002)
Among lawyers trained in the traditions of the Common Law, judicial power is often mis-understood. In Nigeria, the 1999 Constitution divides the powers of the federation between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The first two are elected. Judges are not. In the elected arms, it vests the legislative and executive powers of the federation.
How Tinubu’s Inner Circle Is Misleading Him
By Dan Onwukwe
Presidents throughout history have relied on an inner circle of deeply trusted aides who, sometimes, work behind the scenes to shape their presidencies. These individuals often wield significant influence on policy and strategy due to their close relationship and access to the presidents. Some became more powerful than official Cabinet members.
In the United States, such notable aides include Harry Hopkins, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s shrewd adviser who became his most trusted confidant. He was fondly called “one-man State Department” during World War II. He lived in the White House and managed crucial programmes. Marguerite “Missing” LeHand was FDR’s Personal Secretary, and arguably the most trusted figure in his inner circle.
New Tax Law Goes Rogue
By Andy Ezeani
It is two days to Christmas. This, universally, is a season of goodwill. Already, President Bola Tinubu has retired to Lagos for his holiday. No one will begrudge him rest at this most fitting season to relax. Against the backdrop of unceasing flow of crisis and problems that have characterized his presidency, most of them self-inflicted, though, Tinubu can do with every peace and goodwill Christmas offers.
Before he left Abuja last Friday, December 19 2025, after laying the 2026 annual budget before the National Assembly, the President reportedly left appropriate messages of goodwill for the lawmakers at the National Assembly. That would be very characteristic of him in relation to the lawmakers.
Forgeries, Taxations And The Reign Of Rehoboam
By Ugo Onuoha
A little over three months into the presidency of Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on September 5, 2023, I wrote an opinion piece titled “100 days of Rehoboam” in this space and elsewhere. Rehoboam was a king of the divided kingdom of ancient Israel. He was the son of King Solomon and the grandson of King David, both of whom were also past rulers of a united Israel.
Rehoboam caused Israel to be divided through policies that inflicted pains on his people. He was reckless. He was proud. He was unfeeling. He took counsel from his scatter head fellow young men. He told the Israelites that the privations they suffered under his father should be regarded as a child’s play. And that while his predecessors chastised them with a whip, he would chastise them with a scorpion. And he verily proceeded to do so. Rehoboam and Tinubu share similarities and dissimilarities.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
No Xmas Dinner For The Fisherman
By Banji
Ojewale
Kotei chewed on the flameless cigarette between two fingers on his left hand, regretting it was the last he took from the pack. He wished the manufacturers could load more into the paper box. He wouldn’t mind the cost, as long as it reduced the frequency of his visits to Handzin Ayen, two streets away, for the stuff. This would also ensure he would not run out of the stuff too early. But there was a bigger worry: for years he had always failed his New Year resolution to quit the smoke.
Instinctively, Kotei holding a pack of cigarettes, would recite the legend: I promise not to smoke again. I won’t ever go to Handzi Ayen for the cigarettes, even if she asks me to come for them for free. I’m now going to smoke these ones as a parting shot. Thereafter it’s bye-bye. They go away from me. Depart with the departing year. You won’t go with me into the new one. So, help me God!
Friday, December 19, 2025
Between Farouk Ahmed And Bello Matawalle
By Adekunle Adekoya
What amounted to an earthquake occurred in the oil sector in the week ending today. Mallam Farouk Ahmed, Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, fell from his Olympian heights and his resignation from office was suddenly announced after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa Wednesday evening. In unclear circumstances, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, also resigned his job.
*Matawalle
The earthquake coming from Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries and operator of the largest single train refinery in Africa started with tremors on Sunday when Africa’s richest man accused Farouk Ahmed’s NMDPRA of economic sabotage, alleging that regulatory actions were undermining local refining capacity in Nigeria.
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