Opinion

Reflections On Nigeria, The North And Stability.

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2024

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By: A G Abubakar

What If There Were A Dangote Halal Bank, A Bua Sunnah Bank And Halal Finance Institutes Across The Region?
It would have been less agonising to avoid the grim statistics and the facts behind them when dealing with the challenges across the 19 states that constitute the geographical North. But, that would amount to playing evasive; akin to bringing a case before a law court but avoiding putting a “face” on the accused.

The insidious culprits in this case are the growing cases of insecurity and deprivations that have almost succeeded in pushing the region into a socioeconomic cul-de-suc with a concomitant potential to pull the nation down. A dire situation now that could only be avoided, if and when, the elites, industrialists and governments at the state and local levels in the region, should come together, as a matter of urgency to forge a common front against insecurity and economic hardships to shield the masses from being galvanised by mass discontent and as a consequence resort to the unorthodox. Currently, the North as it is ,is the North no one wants.

The other parts of Nigeria may not be immune from such a crisis, but those in the North dwarf them in terms of scale, intensity, and ideological content. In actuality, if the North were to be an independent state, it would nearing a failed one by now, especially given the increasing number of ungoverned spaces, the rising propensity to resort to self-help, the breakdown of law and order and the dwindling national capacity to address them effectively.

Insurgents and Gunmen in the Midst
By last count, experts believe that there are about thirteen (13) armed groups operating in the North alone. More than half of them are thought to be ideological Jihadists with territorial ambitions. They include the well-known ones like Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State in the West Africa Province) Al’Ansarudeen, Jama’a Islamiy, the Qur’aniyun, and lately the Lakurawa which is believed to be a franchise of the JNIM (Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin) and also an affiliate of the Al-Qaed.

The Lakurawa, though the “new kids on the block” has been determined to have its roots in the Sokolo/Kebbi enclaves of Nigeria where the ancestors of the group’s founder, Amadu Kofa (Amadou Koufa), came from decades ago. Though founded and incubated in Mali, the Movement kept touch with Nigeria and parts of Niger Republic. Records indicate that communities in these regions had cause to enlist their support in the fight against bandits and cattle rustlers before also becoming a violent group, too. The group was pushed out of the country about a decade ago, only to take advantage of the recent diplomatic friction between Nigeria and Niger to stage a comeback. This time around more deadly.

The terrorist formations comprising armed bandits, kidnappers, and highway robbers have been multiplying by the day. Most are identified by their warlords who bear names and/or sobriquet like Buharin Daji, Ado Alero, Ali Kachalla, Yellow, Sububu (Kachalla Halilu Sububu Seno), Alhaji Karki,Dogo Gide, Bello Turji etc.

Today, only four (4) or five (5) states out of the nineteen (19) in the northern part of the country are relatively safe in terms of life and property. They include Kano/Jigawa, Gombe/Bauchi, and, to a lesser extent, the FCT and Nasarawa. Boko Haram/ISWAP is still very active in parts of Borno,Yobe, and Adamawa, while bandits are having field day in Taraba. The armed herdsmen and kidnappers basically considered economic terrorists have taken over large swatches of LGAs in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi states The Lakurawa has added ideological dimension to the crisis.

Niger and Kaduna States are hosts to both economic terrorism and jihadists in such enclaves as Birnin Gwari, Kwantagora, Shiroro, Mokwa and others. The Ansaru Islamic group along with Boko Haram/ISWAP, Mourabitoun, the Qur’aniyun cells maintain heavy presence in the zone making life terribly challenging for the numerous communities.The neighbouring states of Kwara (Kaiama, Baruten etc) and Kogi (Okene, Obajana axis) have equally been infiltrated.

The Benue/Plateau region and parts of Taraba and Southern Kaduna states have been grappling with herdsmen and farmers clashes aside from the ethno-religious crisis that have been going on for decades and still sustaining. Inter-religious, inter-tribal, and inter-cultural tensions are frequent occurrences with far-reaching consequences for both life and property.

The Devastations.
Recent studies by such respected firms as the Nigeria based SB Morgen (SBM Intelligence), and Nigeria’s Beacon Security and Intelligence Ltd, provided insight into the gory impacts of terrorism, insurgency and banditry across the North and their concomitant socioeconomic deprivations. For the period between July 2023 and June 2024, the SB Morgen research indicates that 7,568 people were kidnapped for ransom. Out of this, 1,056 were killed. And, over a billion naira paid in ransom. The trio states of Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna topped the kidnapping list.In fact, except for Enugu, the top ten (10) kidnapping-prone states in the nation are in the North.

Thousands of lives have been lost, aside from the psychological trauma visited on the citizens by the numerous insurgency groups, and the picture of the devastation in the North becomes clearer in both physical and mental senses. Physically, it has been difficult for people to undertake traditional economic activities like farming and commerce in the affected areas. Physical infrastructure like national power grid and rail lines have not been spared either. Mentally, through radical preaching by the insurgents, a huge segment of the society has been instigated against the government and its policies (financial inclusion) and social safety nets programmes.

Successive governments have been trying to address the crisis of existential resistance in the region, but so far, the impacts have been minimal. The combo of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches (amnesty, de-radicalisation, etc) didn’t seem to work well. Maybe it’s high time to factor in other root causes to the crisis, namely poverty and ignorance. The panacea for the two should revolve around education, financial inclusion (including the resuscitation of the SMEs), and the re-positioning of the nation’s security architecture for efficiency and effectiveness. The masses, the Northern industrialists/elites, and the government should target the challenges in tandem; joint targeting.

Breathing life into the moribund but critical sectors.
From various sources, including casual observations, it is apparent that the industrial base of the North has totally collapsed. The famous Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, and Plateau industrial enclaves have all gone under over the last three decades or so. Agriculture and livestock have not been left out of the regression.

The textiles, leatherwork, oil mills, and bottling ventures have become “ghost towns.” For instance, it has been estimated that over 145 textile related businesses have shut down by the end of 2015, during which over 50,000 direct jobs were lost and millions more affected indirectly. A development that precipated poverty, which incidence has since gone beyond 70% (NESG,2019) in such states like Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, etc. The poverty challenges coupled with low literacy levels, among other factors, became enablers of insecurity in the region.

Both the formal and the non formal educational systems in the region have suffered from years of neglect by successive governments.This is in addition to some existing pockets of resistance by sections of the society in the North even by the turn of the 21st century. The Nomadic Education Program and the Almajiri Schools strands had but literally been kept on the back burner. The neglect, the tacit resistance, and lately the insurgency/ terrorism have generally devastated the educational system measures in the Northwest and Northeast regions, thereby rendering millions of kids to poverty and radical manipulations.

In fact, statistics from the UNICEF showed that 16 m out of the 20 million out-of-school children are from the North. This is in addition to over 67% of the womenfolk in the region who can not read or write. In short, they are illiterates (curtesy former VP, Osinbajo, WIMBIZ, ’24).

The rich Northerners should invest more
The Forbes listing for 2023/24 top 10 billionaires in dollar terms in Nigeria have many Northerners featuring prominently. Dangote maintains the first position in both Nigeria and Africa. He comes in with $15.3 billion. Abdulsamad of Bua comes second with $7.6 billion. People like Muhammad Indimi of Oriental Energy Resources (OER) with over half a billion dollars and TY Danjumma of South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPERO) equally made the list. The question has this achievement impacted the regions’ well? Well, not much, except for bragging right or a psychological massage that the region still matters. For, over 80% of individuals living among the quartet in the region survive on less than 50 cent a day. A scenario that may qualify as one of the morally repugnant income inequality in the world today, with disconcerting consequences.

The national financial inclusion rate, according to Access the Access to Finance firm (A2F, 2023), stood at 67%. The North East and North West have 47% each signifying low inclusion due to poor earning capacity and/or aversion for conventional banking. May be that explains the fact that since the collapse of the Bank of North, none of the current
major banks in Nigeria has its national Hq in the North. This is aside from the nominal shareholdings in the banking sector by the region as a whole.

The call here is to the governments at all levels to pay a renewed and greater attention to education and
agriculture as it joins hands to defeat the threats of the existential insecurity across the region. The initiative in this respect should include the establishment of the Islamic Finance Institute (IFI) by the relevant state governments.

Individuals like Aliko Dangote, Mangal,and Abdulsamad Rabiu should increase their commitments to socioeconomic cause by establishing an alternative banking system. A system that is compliant with the people’s faith. In short, a banking system that meets the Islamic tenets. After all, the pursuit of wealth should be underpinned by the search for eternal redemption and salvation. Life on earth is a short one.

Dangote, in a fit of emotion arising from his perceived threat to his refinery and indeed business, said he is 67 years old, and so he had lived a larger part of his life. What he was doing therefore was not for himself but for the good of the nation and posterity. He went further to offer the refinery to any interested buyer. Besides, he said, people don’t take wealth to the grave. Aliko, like most rational beings, has come to terms with the effemeral nature of existence. The vanity of life. The same thought may once in a while cross the minds of his younger “cousin” in business, Abdulsamad of BUA Group and the others.

They can use their wealth to uplift the very society that gave them the opportunities to be what and who they are today. They may have been doing that through their various corporate humanitarian Foundations, but they need to extend the same to cover banking services, especially the Islamic brand. Truth, is their immediate constituency and catchments have been financially excluded. The federal government’s attempt at financial inclusion has not registered great success in the region due to a mixture of poverty and religious belief that abhors interest bearing financial systems.

Appropriate Banking System to leverage Government Initiatives. It would be interesting to see Dangote and Abdulsamad each floating halal (islamically permissible banking) bank to compliment government interventions that seek to break resistance to developmental processes in parts of the North. Private investors along with the government can open up the SME sector through the promotion of financial empowerment and inclusion schemes. This is regardless of the likelihood that banking may fall outside of their current core business interests. For a fact, an economically empowered region like the North has the potential for being the bedrock for their long-term business interests in view of its market size. Venturing into the banking space may, therefore, engender a win-win relationship. Besides, the required capital outlays for the advocated regional banks won’t dent their net worth of billions of dollars.

The CBN recently prescribed a new recapitalisation for banks depending on their categories. These include, the international, national, and regional, which capital base was put at N500 billion, N200 billion, and N50 billion, respectively. Merchant banks should have N50 billion while Non-interest banks need N20 billion for those with national spread and N10 billion for regional ones. To the duo, Aliko and Abdulsamad can conveniently foot such bills with ease. They can opt for foreign partnership to access global best practices and also reduce the initial financial outlay.

So let the North and indeed relevant parts of the nation have two halal banks floated by the duo. So let there be a Dangote Halal Bank (DHB), BUA Halal Bank (BHB), and even Indimi Halal Bank (IHB) to complement the not too solid ones currently on ground. Lesser known individuals can equally do the same. The relevant governments in the region should equally establish Halal Finance Institutes to provide the needed manpower and other cross-cutting support services. This should deny radical ideologues the sustained dangerous hold on the people.

The tripartite approach involving the governments, private investors, and millions of faithfuls shall be a game changer in North’s drive for stability and development and invariably the nation at large. Charity, they say, begins at home.
A.G.Abubakar agbarewa@gmail.

Opinion

Ben Okezie Kalu: The Lawmaker in Our Hearts

Published

3 months ago

December 20, 2025

Our Reporter

By Kassim Omomia

We have watched Ben Okezie Kalu the deputy speaker of the House with all admiration. He exudes humour, humility and hardwork.
Kalu did not catch our glimpse from the wrong side but from a prism of competence, dedication and above all patriotism in his legislative duties. Even though we may not have a full grasp of Okezie’s elementary political life up till his ascension to the exalted office of Deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, but it is on record that he served extremely well and meritoriously when as a first time member of the House of Representatives he was chairman Media and Publicity committee, doubling as spokesperson and image maker.

Okezie stirred the House public outlook to the approval of Nigerians and the outside world,comparing that unit of the Nigerian bicameral legislature he managed its image to world parliaments, like the US Congress and the British House of Common,among others. At home, the House of Representatives earned “the Peoples Parliament” accolade “.
Recalling Okezie’s past,the nostalgia breeds excitement and a continuous commitment to legislative and representatives’ service to his people and the country.

Albeit these well delivered services, his underscoring accomplishments were reinforced by his promotion and advancement to the post of Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, a divine elevation to yet, many exalted offices to come.Kalu qualifies to be governor, and Vice President, even the President of this great country ,if young men are roundly supported for such enviable positions.

Notwithstanding, his Bills , motions are not watery but of immense value to democratic governance, systemic reforms and overall growth and welfare of Nigerians. Call it democratic dividends, the Bende constituents have never had it so good, until now. Similarly his quest for a people’s constitution brings to fore his worthy contributions in the current alteration of the1999 Constitution exercise which he midwife’s for the House of Representatives. He speaks continually about a people’s inclusiveness in people’s document. He speaks about equity, justice and fairness for all. He’s concerned about security, a community policing strategy where states look critically into domestic security and policing. Okezie speaks for all: about good life for Nigerians, not only the Abia people he represents.

Curiously, I have also come in good terms and stead with his leadership style, especially his legislative prowess in presiding, either as Speaker in Chair or Chairman at the Committee of Whole”,a serious and critical aspect of legislative business, where reports become laws made by the parliament. At this critical level of legislative engagement, Ben Okezie Kalu has performed extremely well ,surpassing past deputies. This scoring is without prejudice or gainsaying but with all modesty.

I have written about parliamentary activities,from plenary to investigative hearings, to deliberations and considerations of reports , either in Committee of Supply for money issues -budgets etc, since 2000. I have also been privileged to sit for longer periods listening from the gallery, deliberations at the “Committee of Whole’, a tedious and significant session of legislative processes and never seeing a deputy speaker as pragmatic and intelligent like Kalu. it takes a Chair that is not lazy but with dexterity, humility, patience and resilience to succeed in any report consideration at the “Committee of Whole”.And one former deputy speaker who comes close to Kalu in assesment was Hon Lasun.But with this current Deputy Speaker, the magic wand to navigate these trying moments where every member appears uninterested in their legislative function, is unprecedented.

Two manoeuvres that beat my imagination and exhibit Kalu’s superb style is his smooth management of deliberations and final consideration of the 2025 Electoral.Amendment Bill and the passage of the 2026-2028 MTEF and FSP, on Thursday December 18 2025, few moments to the 2026 Budget presentation by President Ahmed Tinubu to the joint session of the National Assembly.

His mental alertness, understanding of the subject matter, his assessment of the mood and psyche of the members and his strategic demeanour coupled with the patience and resilient approachas well as his humility, diplomacy in getting an unwilling session sit for hours, unknowingly to the members that they had sat for so long and passed a record two critical national assignments, still leaves even the members amiss how it began but ended well.

For over two weeks now, there have been several adjournments to consider the Electoral amendment Bill. The constraints at times point to the inconsequential number of members in session , or when there’s a seeming quorum, inertia and unwillingness sets in.
According to checks, members’ lacklustre attitude in these ending times, come from failed promises from the executive branch such that it was gathered that the lawmakers were adjourning for the yuletide break without cash -backings.This development not only worries the legislators who are at a loss over how to satify their insatiable constituents during the Christmas festivities, but has resulted to the lethargy displayed by them in carrying out their statutory duties of law making . Fears are that, the members may not chorus “on your mandate we stand”, going forward, especially on 19 Friday December 2025, when the President presents his 2026 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly
While the outcome of that session is awaited, the success gained in the House of Representatives for completing and finally passing the MTEF/FSP in record time and upon which premise President Tinubu submits the 2026 Appropriation Bill, after the Senate hurriedly put out their own since Tuesday evening,underscores the goodwill the deputy speaker enjoys from his colleagues,expectedy due to his humility and resilience,such that in over six- unstoppable hours, he successfully managed a tensed session to effectively pass the MTEF and Electoral.amenment Bill. This is all kudos to a young PAN- Nigerian legislator in our hearts

That Ben Okezie Kalu displays an uncommon leadership acumen, which promotes unity and which with he won the hearts of all who sat in plenary on that faithful Thursday 18 2025,is an understatement . This is so because all the lawmaker at that Thursday session,wether Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba,Edo, TIV ,Idoma,Gbagy and of course Ibo were in sync with, aligning with his master stroke with which he chaired that earlier unpredictable session that later became a huge success. I have a dream that Ben Okezie Kalu shall accomplish more in his political career, given his character, competence and leadership capacity.

He will excel beyond this time, tide and position. Ben Okezie Kalu is the lawmaker in our hearts and qualifies for our award as ‘ A Legislature- Exemplar’ even as we watch him deliver again during the final voting of the alteration to the 1999 constitution ( As Ammended) in the days to come.

Kassim Omomia of the Bigeyeonline writes from Abuja

Opinion

MAKING THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR WORK FOR CITIZENS: NUPRC RESCUE MISSION

Published

3 months ago

December 17, 2025

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By James Itodo

The Nigerian oil and gas sector, since its discovery, exploration, and exploitation at the turn of the century, has become the goose that lays the golden egg, likened only to the much-sought-after bride.

This is because oil, and later gas, remained the main economic sustainer, accounting for virtually all the revenue utilised for the economic sustainability and stability of the country—a nation driven by a monolithic economy.

Various attempts at sustaining its viability failed because those reforms lacked the necessary ingredients and the political will of their drivers to succeed. Moreover, the temptation of the enormous amounts generated, and the ease of generating this revenue, became stronger than the moral responsibility and patriotic devotion of the country’s leaders, causing various rulers to rely completely on oil while abandoning or ignoring agriculture and every other means of generating revenue, including all forms of diversification and integration.

The present Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) was born out of necessity: first, to inherit the abnormalities of the past; and second, to set in motion reforms aimed at effectively repositioning the sector. Key among these is strong political will and the appropriate sensitisation of the country’s political leaders to look beyond oil and gas revenue and think towards diversification.

To carry this out effectively, there is a need to build trust and confidence on the fulcrum of accountability and transparency.
So far, the verdict has been positive. The basic recipe for repositioning and bringing about a volte-face in the sector is now present: accountability and transparency.

A new era, based on a better concept of transparency and accountability, is enhancing the effective repositioning of the Nigerian oil and gas sector, which will work for the overall benefit of all citizens and indeed residents.

Today, Nigerians are now seeing the oil and gas sector as a blessing, with transparency and accountability becoming the fulcrum of operations at the NUPRC.

There is no doubt that, for decades, Nigeria’s oil and gas sector was a cesspit of abhorrent and odious corruption, coupled with mismanagement—a centre of graft, earning the moniker “resource curse.”
Instead of bringing blessings to the country, it became an avenue for self-aggrandisement and self-enrichment at the detriment of national interest, economic growth, prosperity, and development.

As a whole, the sector’s opacity and lack of accountability led to widespread corruption, where the few who had access to this national wealth enriched themselves and their families—buying choice houses at highly exorbitant prices in prime cities of the world and sending their children to schools abroad on ear-splitting school fees, all with our common patrimony—at the expense of the country. This resulted in environmental degradation and human rights abuses, leaving citizens with little to show for the country’s vast oil resources, world oil production status, and its derived and associated wealth.

However, a new dawn has emerged with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) leading a rescue mission to reposition the sector with renewed vigour, intentionality, and patriotic commitment under the leadership of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, who has turned the NUPRC into a beacon of hope for Nigerians.
Unambiguously, the NUPRC’s commitment to transparency is demonstrated through its proactive disclosure of key industry data—which had previously been shrouded in obscurity—including production figures, revenue streams, and contract awards.

The demystification and openness of this key information have greatly enhanced the fostering of trust and confidence among stakeholders, including local communities, civil society organisations, and international partners.
Another signature reform is the strengthening and implementation of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), which ensures that oil and gas revenues are transparently tracked and accounted for, thereby reducing corruption and ensuring that revenues are channelled for the overall benefit of all citizens.

Projecting the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu-led administration, the NUPRC has also prioritised increased utilisation of local content development, bringing on board many more Nigerian companies to participate in the oil and gas value chain, thereby creating more jobs, stimulating economic growth, and empowering local communities.

The sector’s transformation is an unequivocal demonstration of the power of transparency and accountability.
Daily, Nigerians are beginning to see oil and gas resources as a direct blessing rather than a curse, with a sector and operators poised to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve living standards.

However, this is just the beginning; the journey is far from over, and the best is yet to come—for all of us.
While Nigerians holistically embrace these reforms, they must also continue to demand transparency and accountability from their leaders, while the NUPRC’s efforts must be supported and sustained to ensure that the sector remains a catalyst for national development.

There is no doubt that the oil and gas sector can be a powerful catalytic tool for poverty reduction, wealth creation, and economic transformation. This can be imminently and necessarily achieved when the NUPRC continues in its commitment to transparency and accountability, predicated on the resilience of Nigerians, who will look forward to a brighter future where their natural resources work for them, not against them.

It must be a collaborative and conscientious responsibility of all Nigerians not only to support the NUPRC’s efforts and reforms targeted at transforming the oil and gas sector but also to demand consistent transparency and accountability from our leaders, as this will ensure that our natural resources benefit all Nigerians, securing a brighter future for Nigeria and Nigerians.

Itodo writes from Abuja

Opinion

Chief Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN to Receive Ivaaniyange Chieftaincy Title

Published

3 months ago

December 10, 2025

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The Tiv Supreme Council has announced that former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kaase Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, will be conferred with the Ivaaniyange chieftaincy title.

The title, according to the Council, recognizes individuals considered to have made notable contributions to the advancement and welfare of the Tiv people.

Chief Aondoakaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, currently serves in various public and private sector roles, including Chairman, Endowment Fund Raising Committee at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. He also provides advisory support on foreign investment, entrepreneurship, and agricultural development. He is associated with the West African Rice Processors Association (WARIA) and the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN).

He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association.

Associates describe him as a supporter of youth development and educational advancement. According to persons familiar with his philanthropic activities, he has supported scholarship initiatives and facilitated opportunities for several indigent beneficiaries over the years.

The Tiv Supreme Council stated that the new honour acknowledges what it views as his years of service in legal, governance, and agricultural sectors. The Council expressed confidence that he will continue to contribute to community development following the conferment.

Chief Aondoakaa previously received a traditional chieftaincy title, Tsar-U-Tiv Mba Sha Nasarawa, from the Mutual Union of Tiv People in Nasarawa State in 2008.

He has participated in various international engagements across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Africa, representing Nigeria in official and professional capacities. He has also been recognised with awards by different organisations for what they described as service and excellence.

Chief Aondoakaa is a practicing Catholic and is married with children.

The formal conferment of the Ivaaniyange title is expected to hold in Makurdi on a date to be officially issued by the Council.