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OPINION: Deaths And Destructions At Home, Emotional Investment Abroad: Are We So Cursed?By: A G Abubakar

Published

6 months ago

March 18, 2026

Nigerians, including intellectuals and technocrats, often spend hours passionately debating developments in the United States and other distant corners of the world. Granted, Nigeria is part of the global community and cannot be insulated from international affairs. However, the intensity, emotionalism, and sometimes blind partisanship that characterize such engagements are both puzzling and troubling.

Even more baffling is that this fixation is often displayed by individuals presumed to possess high levels of learning, exposure, and analytical sophistication—people who, by virtue of their training, should ordinarily lead rigorous conversations about the urgent problems confronting their own society. It is a troubling paradox: a people who struggle to confront their immediate and existential challenges yet remain deeply preoccupied with events unfolding thousands of kilometres away. The imbalance is striking.

In a society grappling with security crises, decaying infrastructure, economic hardship, and uncertain futures for millions, one would expect sustained attention to domestic realities. Instead, the national attention span on matters affecting personal safety, community stability, and development is astonishingly short. Worse still, such attention often lacks depth, creativity, and analytical rigour. Critical thinking appears scarce, while ethno-religious emotions, masked under pseudo-intellectualism, increasingly dominate social discourse, public debate, and even governance.

This raises uncomfortable questions. Could this phenomenon be linked to the harsh material conditions in which many Nigerians live? According to recent multidimensional poverty indices, over 60 percent of the population—about 139 million people—experience poverty not merely as lack of income but as deprivation in education, healthcare, and living standards. When daily survival becomes the central struggle, long-term reflection and strategic thinking may become luxuries.

Or perhaps the explanation lies partly in how both the old and young have been educated. The system has largely failed to consistently produce critical thinkers and problem-solvers; instead, it has unleashed onto society a cognitively underprepared cohort of “educated illiterates.” The science of learning suggests that successive generations typically surpass their predecessors in cognitive development, but this trend appears to have stalled—if not reversed—in the current one. Countries like Nigeria are particularly affected. Where literacy levels hover around or fall below fifty percent in some regions, sustained critical engagement with complex national issues is, understandably, constrained.

Education is not merely the ability to read and write; it is the foundation of analytical reasoning, civic consciousness, and the discipline to distinguish between what is urgent and what is merely interesting. Yet, Nigeria’s foundational education system falls woefully short of this ideal. Evidence of this failure is stark. A report on primary-level learning proficiency across 47 African countries indicates that only 9.5 percent of Nigerian pupils attain minimum competency in reading and mathematics by the end of primary school. The implication is sobering: a vast majority are being advanced through the system without the basic tools required for meaningful learning, critical engagement, or informed citizenship.

Others may point to the powerful influence of religion. Nigeria is one of the most intensely religious societies in the world. Faith traditions provide meaning, comfort, and moral guidance to millions. Yet when religious identity becomes the dominant lens through which people interpret political and global events, emotional attachments to distant conflicts can overshadow engagement with local realities.

Perhaps, as some might cynically suggest, the Creator simply made it so for reasons beyond human comprehension. Whatever the explanation, one cannot escape the conclusion that Nigerians appear to suffer from a peculiar condition—a persistent tendency toward misplaced priorities.

Nothing illustrates this more vividly than the fascination with distant geopolitical conflicts. In recent times, public discourse across Nigeria—especially on social media—has been saturated with passionate debates about tensions involving the USA, Israel, and Iran. Opinions are fiercely expressed, allegiances declared, and timelines flooded with emotional arguments, and often oblivious of the fact that more than fifty percent of the information is either manipulated, AI-generated or outright fake.

Yet at the same time, terror continues to unfold within Nigeria’s own borders. Communities in the North-East live under constant threat from Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks. Villages in Benue and Plateau endure cycles of ethno-religious violence and armed herdsmen attacks. Rural communities across several states are repeatedly assaulted by bandits and kidnappers. Oil theft in the Niger Delta drains hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude daily, depriving the nation of vital revenue. In parts of the South-East, weekly “sit-at-home” orders have paralysed economic life and normalized a strange form of protest that punishes ordinary citizens.

These crises have had profound social and economic consequences. Tens of thousands have been killed, and over 3.9 million people have been pushed into IDP camps across the country, according to the United Nations. Economic activities such as agriculture and commerce have been severely disrupted, with some communities experiencing up to a 50 percent drop in output. Oil theft alone is estimated to cost the nation an average of $10 billion annually. Also an estimated, 2,000 settlements have been sacked, destroyed or brought under the control of terrorists, and insurgents across parts of the country – basically ghost villages.

Yet despite their devastating impact, these crises rarely command sustained national outrage or deep intellectual engagement. Deaths in places such as Woru, Nuku, and other rural communities quickly fade from public conversation. The massacre of over 160 innocent people and the kidnapping of more than 300 others—events that should provoke national soul-searching—are increasingly treated as routine occurrences. Tragedy has become normalized.

Instead of confronting these challenges directly, many Nigerians appear to prefer the soothing path of distraction or evasion. Idle hours—created in part by unemployment and underemployment—are often spent debating the problems of distant societies, as if an elixir. Social media platforms have become the primary arena for this phenomenon.

Here, the young and old, the educated and the uninformed, the politically active and the indifferent converge in endless debates about foreign affairs. A substantial proportion of online discussions among Nigerians revolve around international controversies rather than domestic issues. These debates are often driven by emotion rather than evidence. Individuals who show little interest in local governance or civic responsibility suddenly become fervent analysts of Middle Eastern geopolitics, American elections, or European conflicts.

Meanwhile, real crises unfold at home. Indeed, this collective distraction creates conditions in which grave security failures occur with insufficient public scrutiny. While public attention was fixated on tensions involving Iran, the US, and Israel, insurgent groups reportedly attacked and dislodged several military formations across parts of the North-East.

These incidents occurred in parts of Borno and Plateau States. In Borno, more than six military bases across several communities were overrun. Among the casualties were Lt. Col. U. Farouq, Lt. Col. S.I. Iliyasu, and Major U.I. Mairiga, alongside dozens of civilians. The tragedy occurred only a few months after Brig.-Gen. M. Uba paid the supreme price in Damboa. In Kanam LGA of Plateau State, terrorists ambushed and killed several military personnel including two commanders; Lt. H. Hassan and Capt. AU Hajji. Many civilians also lost their lives. The bloody week ended with a coordinated attack on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during which several neighbourhoods were bombed, causing dozens of fatalities, injuries, and wanton destructions.

Yet national attention remained largely fixed on distant conflicts. Only months earlier, it was the Russia–Ukraine war dominating conversations. Before that, other global controversies occupied the same mental space. The pattern is unmistakable: Nigerians repeatedly immerse themselves in the politics of other nations while their own house burns.

History offers a fitting metaphor. When the Roman Emperor Nero allegedly played music while Rome burned, it symbolized the dangerous folly of leaders and societies distracted during moments of crisis. Nigeria risks becoming a modern version of that ancient tragedy—a nation absorbed in peripheral matters while existential threats grow at home.

This is not merely a cultural curiosity; it is a national problem. Societies develop according to the priorities they set. Nations that progress are those whose citizens focus their intellectual energy on solving local problems, strengthening institutions, and demanding accountability from their leaders, instead of getting hooked on social media apps/platforms. A full-time chat culture of “sharing,” “forwarding,” and “posting” on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, etc, often without even reading them. It’s a new opium.

For Nigeria to move forward, a fundamental shift in public consciousness is required. Citizens must refocus their attention on the urgent realities confronting their communities. Personal responsibility must replace passive spectatorship. Communities must demand security, accountability, and effective governance. Intellectual discourse must prioritize solutions to domestic challenges rather than emotional engagement with distant conflicts.

Authorities must also rise to the occasion. Governments at all levels have a duty to address insecurity, strengthen institutions, expand education, and foster civic awareness. Leadership must guide the national conversation toward constructive engagement with Nigeria’s real problems.

Nigeria’s tragedy is not merely that it faces many problems; every nation does. The deeper tragedy is that its people have gradually become conditioned to live with those problems while investing their emotional energy in the crises of others. A society that treats its own disasters as routine but becomes animated by distant conflicts has clearly lost its sense of priority.

No nation has ever risen by obsessing over the problems of others while neglecting its own. Progress is built by citizens who confront their realities, demand accountability from their leaders, and devote their intellectual energy to solving challenges within their borders. Until Nigerians begin to do this consistently, insecurity will persist, institutions will remain weak, and development will continue to lag behind promise—descending into global ridicule and disdain, a reality many Nigerians who travel abroad can attest to.

The choice before the country is stark. Nigerians can either continue down the path of distraction—arguing passionately about foreign wars while their own communities bleed—or awaken to the urgency of their national condition. A people who refuse to focus on their own house should not be surprised when it collapses around them.

History is unforgiving to societies that ignore warning signs. If Nigerians fail to reorder their priorities, the verdict of the future will be harsh: that a nation blessed with immense human and natural resources allowed itself to drift—not because it lacked solutions, but because it lacked the collective seriousness to confront its own problems.

The time to refocus is now. Otherwise, the question “Why are Nigerians like this?” may one day be replaced by a far more painful one: “How did we allow it all to slip away?” – our nationhood, our global respect as a Black race, and even our personal integrity.
A.G. Abubakar
agbarewa@gmail.com

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Gov AbdulRazaq Lauded Over Conferment Of Sadauna Of Ilorin Title

Published

13 hours ago

September 16, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been hailed for the conferment of the prestigious Sadauna of Ilorin Emirate title on him by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR.

Giving the commendation on Tuesday in a statement in Ilorin, the state capital, Alhaji Yakubu Garba Gobir, who is the Sarkin Gobir and Madawaki of the Ilorin Emirate, described the recognition and honour on Governor AbdulRazaq as well deserved, timely and apt, giving his huge contributions to the growth and development of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State as a whole.

Gobir specifically commended the Emir of Ilorin for conferring this distinguished title in recognition of the qualities and contributions of the new Sardauna, noting that it is a solemn call for greater responsibility, leadership, loyalty and devoted service to the Emirate and its people.

He added: “The title of Sardauna occupies a position of profound significance in the history, heritage and traditions of the Ilorin Emirate. I commend His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, the Emir of Ilorin, for conferring this distinguished title in recognition of the qualities and contributions of the new Sardauna.

“The title embodies courage, leadership, loyalty and devoted service to the Emirate and its people. Your elevation is therefore not merely a mark of honour; it is also a solemn call to greater responsibility and continued service.

“As a fellow title-holder in the Ilorin Emirate, I am particularly delighted to welcome you into this distinguished circle of traditional leadership. I am confident that you will bring to the office the same qualities of leadership, dignity and unwavering commitment to public service that have distinguished your tenure and career.

“At a time when our Emirate and our State require men and women of character, wisdom and courage to advance the interests of our people, I am certain that you will make a meaningful contribution to the enduring unity, progress and development of the Ilorin Emirate.”

Gobir offered prayers for a successful, impactful and enduring tenure for the new Sadauna, adding:
“May Almighty Allah grant you wisdom, sound health and strength, and may He make your tenure as Sardauna of Ilorin a source of lasting honour to you, your family and the entire Ilorin Emirate.”

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FG Commissions KWASU ICT Centre To Enhance Graduates Employability

Published

14 hours ago

September 16, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin.

The wife of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned a TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative-backed ICT Experience Centre at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.

It would be recalled that KWASU is one of the six tertiary institutions selected for the pilot phase of this intervention, with one institution representing each of the Nigerian six geopolitical zones.

Represented at the commissioning on Tuesday by the wife of the Vice-President, Nana Shettima, Tinubu said the project is a testament to the federal government’s commitment to advancing education, digital inclusion and enhancing graduate employability.

“The TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative ICT Experience Centre we are commissioning today represents opportunity, innovation, knowledge, and the future of young people in Kwara State and beyond.

She said: “This initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which places emphasis on youth empowerment, education, innovation, and economic transformation. Mr President is committed to creating opportunities that will equip Nigerian youths with knowledge and skills required to thrive in a modern and competitive world.”

Senator Tinubu said the facility was designed as a modern technology centre equipped with ICT laboratory, interactive digital display, conference facility, and exhibition spaces, adding that it would be an environment for learning, creativity, research, and technology advancement.

According to her, the ICT centres had been commissioned at the Ekiti State University on May 28, University of Cross Rivers State on September 4, Anambra State Polytechnic on September 10, adding that the Centres at Kaduna State University and Taraba State Universities would be commissioned soon.

“The next phase of this intervention will cover 15 institutions in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe, and Zamfara states which construction is currently ongoing. This expansion demonstrates the administration’s commitment to ensuring that more Nigerian youths, irrespective of their locations, have access to digital learning opportunities,” she said.

She encouraged the students to take ownership of the facility, maximise the opportunity it provides, and use technology positively to enhance their lives, community, and the nation.

In his speech, the Executive Secretary of Tetfund, Architect Sonny Echono, said the centres are being established across selected Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, with the Kwara State University, Malete proudly hosting the facility in the North-Central Zone.

“Through practical training and digital skills acquisition, TETFund seeks to enhance graduate employability, foster innovation and position Nigeria to participate more effectively in the global
technology-driven economy,” he added.

Echono also said that the ICT Experience Centre is designed to equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Robotics and Software Development.

He added: “The Centre being commissioned today is one of the foremost ICT Experience Centres being delivered across the country, and the third to be commissioned this year. The Centre is equipped with modern digital devices, Computer systems and relevant software to facilitate training, practical learning and skills development. The facility is appropriately furnished and
fully air-conditioned, with supporting power and municipal infrastructure.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Shaykh- Luqman Jimoh, said the new facility represents vision, belief, and an investment in the Nigerian youth to better shape the future of our
nation.

The Vice Chancellor described the ICT Experience Centre as an investment in human capital, in innovation, in entrepreneurship, and, most importantly, it is an investment in the future of Nigeria.

“This Centre will provide opportunities for our students to develop practical digital skills and engage with contemporary technologies. Importantly, it is our hub for interdisciplinary engagement.

“This ICT Experience Centre is therefore a timely, critical, and strategic infrastructure that will definitely enhance research, teaching, learning, entrepreneurship, and community service. This intervention is at the core of what this university seeks from partners and donors: synergies that add value and impact on today and the future,” he started.

KWASU Vice Chancellor also assured that the ICT Experience Centre would be put to maximum use for the benefit of students, researchers, and the University
community, adding that the “KWASU community would engage with the facilities in this Centre, we will use it. We will explore, experiment, learn, and innovate in i

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2027: Violent ;Kaduna as ADC, APC Supporters Trade Accusations….APC Calls For Police Investigation into the Vandalisation, attacks on its Office

Published

14 hours ago

September 16, 2026

Our Reporter

By Hassan Agboola

Tension is mounting in Kaduna State ahead of the 2027 general elections, following renewed exchanges between supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and groups backing the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
The latest development came on Tuesday when ADC governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru, addressed supporters in Kaduna and, according to an account of his remarks, declared that the party was prepared to respond to attacks against its members.
Ashiru was also quoted as saying that it was Governor Uba Sani, rather than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was responsible for the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

However, available public records show that El-Rufai’s detention followed proceedings before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with the commission stating that his continued custody was based on a court-issued remand order.

The controversy over El-Rufai’s detention has nevertheless become a major political issue in Kaduna and beyond. The ADC has repeatedly criticised the handling of the former governor’s case and alleged political persecution, while other political actors have made different claims about the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Rising political temperature

Ashiru’s emergence as the ADC governorship candidate has added another dimension to the political contest in Kaduna. He defeated other aspirants at the party’s governorship primary in May 2026 and is now preparing for another governorship contest after previously representing the PDP in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
The political atmosphere has been further complicated by disagreements within the ADC and accusations from different groups over the party’s leadership and candidates.

A Southern Kaduna political group, for instance, recently questioned Ashiru’s candidacy and the choice of his running mate, allegations rejected by an ADC official.
The situation has also produced incidents involving ADC supporters and security personnel. In one recent incident, police dispersed an ADC solidarity walk in Kaduna, while the party subsequently accused opponents of attacking its members and warned that political violence could escalate ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former governor remains an important factor in the emerging political contest. El-Rufai was taken into custody in February 2026 after responding to an invitation from the ICPC. His family subsequently demanded his release, while the anti-graft agency maintained that his detention was authorised by a court.
Since then, the issue has increasingly featured in political statements by the ADC and its supporters, with the party accusing the Federal Government of political persecution and calling for the former governor’s release.
The development has created a new political fault line involving the ADC, the APC-led Kaduna State Government and supporters of the former governor.

While allegations have been exchanged over who is responsible for political violence in Kaduna, the competing narratives should not be confused with established findings. The ADC itself has recently rejected the suggestion that it has a monopoly on political violence and accused unnamed opponents of introducing thuggery into the 2027 political process.

With the 2027 election campaign yet to fully commence, the increasingly combative language from ISA Ashiru and his supporters has raised concerns about the possibility of further confrontation.
The immediate challenge before the political parties, security agencies and community leaders is therefore to ensure that political disagreements do not degenerate into violence, particularly in a state with Kaduna’s history of politically and communally sensitive conflicts.
As at the time of filling tid report the All progressive congress, APC , Kaduna state in a statement has condemned the attacks on its office and called for police investigation
Certainly. I’ll retain the substance of the report while correcting grammar, tightening the structure, and presenting it as a clean newspaper hard-news story.
Writing
APC Condemns Violent Attacks on Members, Party Offices in Kaduna
The Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned alleged violent attacks on its members and the vandalisation of party offices and properties in the state.
The party also called on the police and other security agencies to investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
In a statement, the Kaduna State APC Publicity Secretary, Sani Dan-Azare, alleged that some of the party’s members and supporters had been attacked, while some party and support-group offices were vandalised.
He also alleged that vehicles belonging to some party members were damaged during the incidents.
The APC described the attacks as unacceptable and urged security agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents.
The party called on its members and supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that they should not resort to retaliation or take the law into their own hands.
The APC said it remained committed to peaceful political engagement and urged all political actors in Kaduna State to conduct their activities within the bounds of the law.
It further appealed to security agencies to strengthen security around party offices and other sensitive locations to prevent further incidents.