BY BOLAJI AFOLABI

The out-going year has being a special one; variously described, and decorated with flowing and fitting epaulettes. To many people, 2024 is a year of elections. As though planned, about four-dozen countries in Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East conducted national and regional elections into various legislative and presidential positions. Elections held in the United States of America; Britain; Portugal; Finland; Uruguay; India; Mexico; Jordan; South Korea; Croatia; and Pakistan. Others included Dominican Republic; Belgium; Austria; Venezuela; Indonesia; Sri Lanka; Syria; North Korea; Romania; Bolivia; and Bangladesh. Less popular, and little known nations including El Salvador; Azerbaijan; Taiwan; Panama; San Marino; Solomon Islands; Bhutan; Palau; Tuvalu; and Mongolia also made the cut.

Africa is not left out. About twelve countries in the continent conducted presidential, legislative or local elections. In Comoros; aptly dubbed small archipelago off Africa’s east coast, President Azali Assoumani; former military officer who staged successful coup in 1999 won fourth-term election into the country’s highest office. The Frelimo Party, and Daniel Chapo won the presidential elections in Mozambique, extending it’s dominance to almost 50 years. In Namibia, the SWAPO party consolidated it’s total grip of power and governance by electing Ms. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the country’s first female president. Though Cyril Ramaphosa won re-election as South Africa’s president but his party, the African National Congress (ANC) failed to post outright majority, for the first time since Late Nelson Mandela emerged the “rainbow” country’s president in 1994. The ANC had to form a unity government; coalition with other political parties.

Elsewhere, history was made in Senegal, a country that prides herself as the home of democracy in Africa. Forty-four year old Bassirou Diomaye Faye became president in a largely one-sided elections. By this pace-setting feat, the country’s opposition leader who was released from prison few weeks to the elections, became African’s youngest (democratically elected) president. In Botswana, for the first time in 6 decades, an opposition leader; Duma Gideon Boko was elected as president. The development was a milestone as the country has being governed by one party in about 60 years. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda won with about 100 percent of the votes to extend his foothold for close to 30 years.

The December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana was unique in several ways. Regarded as West Africa’s democracy lodestar, the elections emerged as arguably the most predictable since the country transitioned to democratic rule in January 1993. Given the preponderance of economic, social, political, and development challenges, many people in various platforms, and handles had postulated victory for the opposition. Like most countries in Africa, Ghana, the 2nd largest cocoa producer in the world, was battling with pervading inflation; accentuating poverty; spiraling depreciation of the national currency; and escalating indebtedness. Also the nation got stuck with non-ingenious foreign borrowings; multifaceted corruption; disabling unemployment; decapitated infrastructure; illegal, mindless gold mining (famously called “galamsey”); leadership ineptness; and citizens unbelievability in government.

Little wonder at the end of the December 7 elections, a new dawn was opened in Ghana’s democratic odyssey. The National Democratic Congress, (NDC) defeated the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) in both the presidential and parliamentary elections. The NDC’s John Dramani Mahama recorded 6,328,397 (56.55 percent) as against NPP’s Mahamudu Bawumia who polled 4,657,304 (41.61 percent) to emerge as the president-elect. At the parliamentary elections, the NDC won 186, while NPP got 81 out of the 267 results declared so far in the 276-legislative body. The parliamentary result is historic and trail-blazing in many ways. The NDC did not only achieved the threshold of 139 seats to have majority but won 47 seats more, and thus became the first political party to achieve this enviable record. The NDC’s electoral triumph was comprehensive, and overwhelming such that Bawumia of NPP conceded victory while few of the results were just being declared by the country’s Electoral Commission headed by Ms. Jean Adukwei Mensa, who was appointed in July 2018, and allegedly accused of being pro-NPP.

The Ghana’s elections presents remarkable, and inspiring templates. The NDC’s candidate, former Ghana’s vice president (2009 – 2012) became president after the death (while in office) of John Atta Mills in July 2012. Mahama, like Goodluck Jonathan subsequently got elected for a 4-year term in December 2012, when he defeated the out-going president, Nana Akufo-Addo, who was the NPP candidate then. Mahama, by the way lost his re-election aspiration in 2016 to Nana Akufo-Addo. By that defeat, like Jonathan, Mahama became the first and only sitting Ghanian president to lose elections while in office. Mahama, whose late father; Emmanuel Adama Mahama was a former member of parliament, Minister and Adviser in Nkrumah and Liman’s respective government lost again to Nana Akufo-Addo in 2020, still as the NDC candidate.

NDC’s victory meant it avoided the negative honour of being the first party to be in opposition after three consecutive elections. Conversely, it denied the NPP of becoming Ghana’s first party to break the circle of eight years dominance. Thus, since 1992 when Ghana embraced democracy, no political party has won beyond 2 consecutive terms at the country’s presidential election. Bawumia, the 61 year old out-going vice president, and NPP candidate; Head of Nana Akufo-Addo’s Economic Management Team, and former Deputy Governor, Ghana’s Central Bank, arguably becomes the country’s first-sitting number 2 man to lose presidential elections. Mahama’s running mate; Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who was his former Education Minister made history as the first female vice president of the country. That she was picked as running mate; second time in two consecutive elections, is a measure of Mahama’s confidence in the capacities of the 72 years old retired academic, and his believe, respect for gender inclusivity in governance.

As expected, the thrills and frills of Ghana elections has generated reactions. Across the world, the effects and lessons of the polls keeps reverberating in public discourses within and outside Africa. Given the unique, and salient features and outcomes of the elections, many people in Nigeria have learnt their voices to it. The deluge of comments and opinions are far-reaching and encompassing. From policy makers to politicians, institutions, and individuals, many Nigerians are having “their say” on the matter. While few of the comments are logical, some lacked merit, and many are outrightly deceptive, cynical, and comical. They can be described as ego-tripping, and tongue-foolery.

One is happy that the opposition parties are sounding upbeat, and brimming with confidence that the Ghana-experience can happen in Nigeria in 2027. Few opposition leaders even pontificate that with Ghana’s NDC having similar logo-colour with the PDP, it is hopeful that the umbrella party have realistic chances of re-capturing political power in 2027. It is good to dream but such should be backed with very realistic, and focussed doggedness. Perhaps it is trite to reiterate that election winning goes beyond similarities of logo, and colour. The PDP; being the major opposition party should show the way to others in it’s group.

True Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections holds once every 4 years; like Nigeria but can one rightly equate party politics in both countries? On the writer’s first visit to Ghana in 2011, after interaction with different categories of people, it was evidently clear that our neighbors, though smaller in population and geographical size are ahead of our dear country in many ways. The reality is that in Ghana, politics is built on ideologies, and ingrained on members from generation to generation. Dramani’s long history with the NDC, and Nana Akufo-Addo’s stay with the NPP are obvious proofs of the party culture, focus, and discipline in Ghana. Party leaders and members are resolute to swim or sink with their respective parties not minding results of elections. Dramani, since he lost the presidential election to Nana Akufo-Addo in 2016, stayed with the NDC by frontally playing his role as the leader, and face of opposition. Happily, his consistency, reliability, doggedness, and commitment was rewarded by Ghanaians at the December 7 elections.

Do we have a semblance of similitude in Nigeria. Here, it is bad that almost all the political parties do not have known ideologies. Even where they have, are they followed with iron-cast resoluteness and believe? Political parties are mainly, and merely used as special purpose vehicles to gain power, and have access to the perks of office. The common, and easily noticeable feature among majority of our politicians is “jumpology.” They regal in shameless, rudderless, and unprincipled gale of defections from party to party after every election circle. Painfully, this disturbing trend has become normalized since 1999, such that very few politicians have not moved from one divide to the other. Sadly, unlike Ghana, politics here is driven by greed, selfish desires, and personal ambitions; which are most cases inordinate and self-seeking.

True democracy can only thrive where there is credible opposition that can effectively and efficiently check and balance the ruling party. Rather than making juicy comments, and salacious opinions about the reenactment of the Ghana political heroics in Nigeria, politicians should do the needful. In doing this, there must be sincere house-cleaning whence some politicians would have to go upstairs and assume advisory roles in their respective parties. Some would have to “sacrifice” their ambitions to various positions. Many should consciously imbibe the true meaning of politics as service to the people. True party discipline should be enthroned. Without operationalizing these, and more necessary fundamentals, expectations of the Ghana-experience will remain a vaunting ambition, and mirage.

* BOLAJI AFOLABI, a development communications specialist was with the Office of Public Affairs in The Presidency.

BY BOLAJI AFOLABI

Between the last week of August and mid September 2007, the writer was in the United Kingdom; first visit to the Queensland (or is it the Kingsland now, with the glorious passing of the legendary Queen Elizabeth?) for annual vacation. After few days of staying indoors to acclimatize to the weather-change which was occasioned by intermittent sprinkling of showers, my host, Mr. Adisa Ojo, a naturalized Briton came up with an idea as the weekend was knocking. Conscious of my passion for the round-leather game, he suggested we go out to watch any of the English Premier League matches at any of the stadia in and around London.

Being a confirmed, card-carrying, and fee-paying supporter of Arsenal FC, my host naturally had preference for us to watch his London-based club, who by the way were scheduled to play Portsmouth that weekend. As a soccer aficionado of sorts, who have no allegiance to any football club, the writer agreed with the proposal for few reasons. To have first-time experience at the magnificent Emirates stadium which had the imprimatur of iconic Arsene Wenger; opportunity to watch Nigeria’s Kanu Nwankwo, and his other African teammates including John Utaka, Sulley Muntari, Aaron Mokena, and two others; and enjoy the admixture of ecstasy, anxiety, passion, screaming, shouts, and singing usually associated with live matches.

Sunday September 2, 2007, we made our ways to the elegantly-looking, architectural masterpiece, and head-turning stadium. After over 90 minutes of beautiful football that was laced with players theatrics and taunting, Arsenal defeated Portsmouth three goals to one. While Togo-Nigerian born Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas, and Tomas Rosicky scored for the London club, Nigeria’s Kanu Nwankwo got the only goal; with assist from John Utaka for Portsmouth. As the match progressed, it was obvious that Kanu was the darling of Arsenal fans. Every of his touches, twist and turns, on and off the ball moves were enthusiastically applauded. For the visiting Portsmouth supporters, the former African footballer of the year was a genius. He joined the club at 30 years, played over 40 games in a career that ran from 2006 to 2012, and scored the “golden goal” that won the English FA Cup for Portsmouth. The club’s first and only silverware till now.

Game over, we settled for a sit-out at one of the relaxation spots around the popular Trafalgar Square. Within short space of time, the entire areas were filled up with people. Surprisingly, many of the players who barely an hour back were exchanging tackles and tantrums, made their ways to the square arms around each other with back slaps, hearty conversations, and youthful camaraderie. In the process, a young man moved towards us, requesting to join the table. After quick exchange of pleasantries, discovering we all are Nigerians, the trio had exciting, and exhilarating evening. It became more enticing and engaging when our “brother” mentioned the name of the subject of this article.

In the testimony of Daniel Umoh, a Swedish-based project engineer and systems developer, he encountered Mr. Hassan Taiye Ejibunu at the Ministry of Sports Development. On internship, he was one of the young men that Ejibunu always counsel, encourage, and support. The Akwa Ibom-born engineer reiterated that his life-story cannot be complete without the inclusion of Ejibunu. Noticing the writer’s inquisitive body-language, he called one Usman Abdullahi; another beneficiary of Ejibunu’s kind-heartedness. From his New Jersey, USA base, the Jigawa state indigene spoke passionately, and fondling about the impact Ejibunu had in his life while in Nigeria. The Infotech graduate who switched to the medical profession concluded that, “Uncle Ejibunu is a completely de-tribalized person who is always interested in the career progression of youths that comes around him.” Umoh added that, “he is always committed in touching people’s lives regardless of who you are, where you come from, and your status. He is a very good man.”

With such uncommon pedigree, unusual antecedents, and unparalleled commitment to human development, it was not surprising that staff of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development decided to organize a befitting send-forth for Mr. Hassan Taiye Ejibunu. He bowed out of national service after years of distinguished, and meritorious career in Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service. That staff members decided to honour him in such an elaborate and expansive manner aptly confirms that he was a man of the people, loved by the majority of workers. True, the owners of the Nuhu Musa Hall in highbrow Asokoro District in Abuja will be surprised with the quality and assemblage of guests that thronged the venue on Monday, December 22, 2024. The classy event was graced by personalities from within and without Nigeria. Not minding the preponderance of activities that crowds the yuletide season, dignitaries came in large numbers from Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan, Kabba, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, the United Kingdom, United States of America, and Abuja. The beautifully decorated hall was packed full with personalities from different walks of life who passionately identified with a man whose genial carriage, cheerful and cheery disposition, and amiable, accessible personality are easily noticeable at all times.

Instructively, the occasion was attended by the top management, and representatives of every of the other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies that Ejibunu served during his about three decade-long tour of duty. These includes Federal Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry; Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); National Commission for Refugees, Migration, and Internally Displaced Persons; Federal Ministry of Sports; Federal Character Commission; and Federal Ministry of Transport. Agencies which he had contiguous official schedules with; as Director in the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development were also at the event. These includes the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Nigeria Airspace Management Authority (NAMA); Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); and few others.

In their respective tributes, Ejibunu’s passion for excellence; commitment to integrity; consistency to transparency; resoluteness to the realization of set objectives; and undeniable quest for general well-being of people were variously highlighted. Leading a team of four Directors, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development eulogized Ejibunu’s “hard work, composure, selflessness, and doggedness. He was a very simple, direct, peaceful, and easy going person loved by all staff in the Ministry. No doubt, we are going to miss him.” For the Federal Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry where as Director, Weights and Measures he developed strategic framework which is not only operational but positively contributing to national revenue, “with no science background, he turned the department around, and within months it became one of the most strategic and successful departments in the ministry.” Similar views were expressed by agencies under the Aviation and Aerospace Development Ministry who confessed, and commended Ejibunu’s display of professionalism and excellence as their direct supervisor despite not being an aviation person.

Speaking further, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, former three-term member, House of Representatives describes Ejibunu as, “a good person through and true. He is at peace with everybody. Ever committed to community development. I recall that during my days as the representative of the good people of Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, he was readily available to give support, advise, and encouragement at all times. He was one of the few people who regularly calls to know how I’m fairing.” On his part, Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) C.O Oladele; who is a long-time friend of the celebrant said, “he is an extremely simple, courteous, and humble person. In our years of relationship which started as undergraduates up till now, I have never seen him angry. His love for people and their well-being is unbelievable.” On the sidelines of the epoch making event, Hon. Adedoyin Olamife, a former Deputy Governorship candidate at the last Kogi state Governorship elections, declared that, “my brother and friend is without doubt one of the very few extremely good people I know. He is full of empathy, and committed to friendship. He is selfless, and sympathetic to people. At various times, and in different positions, he has positively touched many lives.”

Hassan Taiye Ejibunu who logged over twenty years in public service, rose to the position of Director, Air Transport Management, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development. Though not 60 years old, but had to retire in compliance with the Civil Service Rules that one cannot be Director for more than eight years. There were whisperings at the event that he was allegedly denied promotion to the position of Permanent Secretary for some purported primordial and ethnic reasoning. To this, a friend of his declared that, “you know he is a deeply religious person who believes in the will of God for all things. I don’t think he is bothered by these actions. His faith and trust in the fulfillment of God’s purpose for him remains irrevocable.”

Ejibunu, who is fondly called “Perez” by his friends; after the fifth secretary-general of the United Nations (1982 to 1991); Javier Perez de Cuellar, have another moniker that as my egbon, and in strict adherence to Yoruba culture, the writer dare not put on print. The accomplished technocrat, and quintessential administrator was born on August 1, 1965 to the illustrious Ejibunu family in Kabba; headquarters of the old Kabba Province which consists parts of present day Kogi, Kwara, and Benue states, as well as being the political and administrative capital of Kogi West Senatorial District. An alumni of the Ahmadu Bello University, where he graduated in 1988 with degree in International Studies. He has two Masters degrees in International Relations, and Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of Benin, and an Austrian University. He has professional and graduate cerification from some institutions within and outside the country, as well as Fellowship and Membership of professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria. He is happily married to his heartthrob; Funmi, an accomplished educationist, and blessed with children who are making significant progress in their chosen careers and vocation.

* BOLAJI AFOLABI, a development communications specialist was with the Office of Public Affairs in The Presidency

By Tunde Olusunle

Our ambassadors in the national parliament on Wednesday December 18, 2024, spontaneously broke into a chant, serenading Bola Tinubu Nigeria’s President when he presented the 2025 draft budget to the bicameral body. *On your mandate we shall stand* gained ascendancy ahead of the 2022 presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). Today, it is probably at par with Nigeria’s national anthem in the circuit of the ruling political party. Recall the viral video of the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), when he performed to the rhythm on one occasion of his visit to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila a few months ago. The reflex resort of the congressmen to the “mandate” tune on that occasion was in reaction to Tinubu’s joke at the presentation of the budget for 2025. The President had erroneously announced that he was presenting a draft expenditure proposal to the “11th” assembly! He was promptly reminded that we are still in the 10th assembly, in 2024. Tinubu quickly humoured that it could just as well mean that the entire parliament had been reelected for the 11th assembly which begins in 2027.

Tinubu’s budgetary presentation had to be staggered by 24 hours for undisclosed reasons. Reports after the Wednesday December 18 eventual outing, however, suggested that the executive arm of government needed the 24 hours between Tuesday December 17 and the eventual presentation, for very robust, backstage engagements with the legislature. There were feelers to the effect that Tinubu’s budget would be expressly shut down because of his recent propositions on tax reforms which has not gone down well with sections of the country and their representatives. There are purported reports to the effect that while Members of the House of Representatives were advanced one billion naira each to augment the budgets for their “constituency projects,” Senators allegedly received a minimum of over 100 per cent more under the same nebulous heading. Such largesse should of necessity merit some singing.

While our parliamentarians decked in billowing robes and skyscraping headgears were clapping and caterwauling, giggling and guffawing that Wednesday December 18, 2024, deathly disaster struck in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State. The plan by a nongovernmental organisation led by Naomi Silekunola, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi which proposed to put smiles on the faces of a number of people this yuletide season, had gone awry. Silekunola and her team intended to gift 5000 children below 13 years of age with a cash gift of N5000 each and offer each of them a food pack. There was a stampede at venue of the programme at Islamic High School, Bashorun District, Ibadan. Poor planning which precluded adequate security cordon, the absence of a standby medical team, among others, precipitated the death of 40 children. Many injured people are still hospitalised.

As though an angel of death was on a yuletide prowl, Okija in Anambra State was its next destination. A magnanimous well-to-do, Ernest Obiejesi, under the auspices of his *Obi Jackson Foundation,* availed the community of a rice consignment to be shared amongst the womenfolk in the morning of Saturday December 21, 2024, for the commemoration of Christmas. The raw ration came in 10 kilogramme bags of rice, out of which many people received just handfuls in bowls and cups. In the ensuing melee, 36 lives were lost, bodies littering the scene. Many limbs were bruised and broken, they are being patched up in various hospitals.

Despite popular assumptions that the streets of Abuja are paved with gold, the Okija tragedy was replicated, real-time, right at the very heart of Maitama, abode of the *nouveau riche.* Still in the spirit of the season, the Holy Trinity Catholic Church arranged to distribute food items to the less privileged as Christmas knocks on doors. The Abuja Command of the Nigeria Police confirms that 13 people including four children died from the surging and trampling at the scene. Over a thousand people have been evacuated from the church, many of the wounded receiving medical attention at the proximal Maitama Hospital, just metres away from the church. Hunger for sure is a deconstructor of geography. Within four days in Nigeria this harmattan season, over 89 lives have lost while foraging for what to eat.

Instructively, a day before the Ibadan tragedy, loyalists and former aides of former President Muhammadu Buhari, flew to his hometown in Daura, to accord him an 82nd birthday surprise. Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), in Buhari’s regime, Mustapha Boss; Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, all visited a man largely credited with plunging Nigeria into its seemingly irrecoverable abyss. Femi Adesina, Buhari’s media minder also sang his boss’ praises on the occasion. He described him as *ore mekunu,* a friend of the poor, an ascription I found totally out of sync with the realities of his boss’s stewardship. Let’s hope Adesina is seeing on the streets, the hordes of Nigerians, instalmentally transmogrified into pitiable sub- *mekunus* by Buhari’s eight-year dysfunctional leadership. About 100 Nigerians perished in four day not because of a natural disaster, nor at the theatres of insurgency and military curtailment. They died looking for just that measure of rice to placate their growling stomachs. They died just hours and days after Buhari’s beatification by beneficiaries of his prodigal rulership.

Nigeria has been plunged into the worst economic situation in a whole generation, since the advent of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) at the centre. Poverty has never been as grim and piercing as we’ve witnessed beginning from Buhari’s coming in 2015. Poverty has been ruthlessly weaponised, the poor ready to dance to the drum of a currency note, even a scoop of peanuts. The indicators have determinedly and consistently pointed southwards these past decade. Inflation is spiralling towards the 35 per cent mark, the unaffordability of basic food items driving *mekunus* to assured Golgotha in cross-country scrounging, scrambles and stampedes. The same way Nigerians hustle to scoop petroleum products when a tanker falls to the ground, is the same way they throw decorum through perimeters when they are being insulted with sachets of pasta in the name of “palliatives” and “stomach infrastructure.”

The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, (NBS), is allegedly being bullied by the state to recant on its former announcement that *N2.3 Trillion* was paid out as ransom to bandits, criminals and kidnappers in the first 10 months of this year. The NBS which has belatedly announced that its systems were hacked, is in good company with the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC). INEC’s servers and terrestrial equipment are perennially compromised when election figures tend towards victory for the opposition. The President recently hailed the peaceful and transparent conduct of the presidential election in Ghana, recommending it as a model for Nigeria. Sadly, it should be the other way round. Other countries should take inspiration from the way we conduct our affairs in Nigeria.

Nigeria prides itself as the giant of Africa. Many African countries look up to Nigeria for guidance, for leadership. Our exploits in the liberation of countries like South Africa from apartheid, and the restoration of peace and democracy to neighbouring Gambia, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, are well documented. We recently offset our outstanding dues to the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), totalling over N150Billion. We do well at bragging and flexing our muscles, but fail where it matters the most. An essential characteristic of Ghanaian elections over the years, is the fact that the ruling party can be displaced by the opposition today. This allows the party so ousted to go re-strategise for the future. What do we do in Nigeria where election results are predetermined, where the electoral process is wholly corrupted, where true winners are intentionally dispossessed of their mandates and encouraged to seek redress in the judiciary? Didn’t a senior government official say in relation to Ghana’s exemplary election that a sitting government cannot be unseated in Nigeria? The stories of the backstage electoral thieveries anchored by INEC over the years will be told someday.

President Tinubu cancelled his official engagements for Saturday December 21, 2024, in honour of victims of the Ibadan, Okija and Abuja tragedies. Nigeria’s leadership must transcend the culinary indulgence and the merry-making occasioned by the yuletide to undertake very imperative introspection. There must be less dangerous, less dehumanising and less deathly avenues for lifting up the poor and indigent in our ranks. The President is celebrated as some economic whiz kid. Enough of the demeaning, insulting and dubious handouts always purportedly passed on to the less-endowed by ways of very opaque “cash transfers” and the “lorry loads of palliatives.” Can someone please show me a register of transfers to my constituents back home in my community? That scheme is wholly and totally a scam. Nigeria is not Somalia or Chad and similar countries ravaged by war and hunger, where the United Nations, (UN) and the Red Cross, drop dry rations from hovering helicopters into the hands of starving populations. Nigerians deserve a much, much better deal away from the most despairing *status quo.* Nigeria is too endowed to wilfully preside over the sustained pauperisation of its people.

*Tunde Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), teaches Creative Writing at the University of Abuja*