Nobel laureate and renowned playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has picked holes in President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast on Sunday for not addressing what he described as the violent crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protesters by security forces.
Soyinka who raised the observation in a statement on Sunday, expressed his concern over Tinubu‘s deliberate omission of the police brutality which he said the President should have addressed.
“I set my alarm clock for this morning to ensure that I did not miss President Bola Tinubu’s impatiently awaited address to the nation on the current unrest across the nation,” Soyinka said.
“His outline of government’s remedial action since inception, aimed at warding off just such an outbreak, will undoubtedly receive expert and sustained attention both for effectiveness and in content analysis.
“My primary concern, quite predictably, is the continuing deterioration of the state’s seizure of protest management, an area in which the presidential address fell conspicuously short.
“Such short-changing of civic deserving, regrettably, goes to arm the security forces in the exercise of impunity and condemns the nation to a seemingly unbreakable cycle of resentment and reprisals.
“Live bullets as state response to civic protest – that becomes the core issue. Even tear gas remains questionable in most circumstances, certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest. Hunger marches constitute a universal S.O.S, not peculiar to the Nigerian nation. They belong indeed in a class of their own, never mind the collateral claims emblazoned on posters.
“They serve as summons to governance that a breaking point has been reached and thus, a testing ground for governance awareness of public desperation. The tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches in parts of the nation, and for which notice was served, constitutes a retrogression that takes the nation even further back than the deadly culmination of the watershed ENDSARS protests.
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“It evokes pre-independence – that is, colonial – acts of disdain, a passage that induced the late stage pioneer Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera BREAD AND BULLETS, earning that nationalist serial persecution and proscription by the colonial government.
“The nation’s security agencies cannot pretend unawareness of alternative models for emulation, civilized advances in security intervention.
“Need we recall the nationwide 2022/23 editions of what is generally known as the YELLOW VEST movement in France? Perhaps it is time to make such scenarios compulsory viewing in policing curriculum.
“In all of the coverage that I watched, I did not catch one single instance of a gun leveled at protesters, much less fired at them even during direct physical confrontations.
“The serving of bullets where bread is pleaded is ominous retrogression, and we know what that eventually proves – a prelude to far more desperate upheavals, not excluding revolutions.
“The time is long overdue, surely, to abandon, permanently, the anachronistic resort to lethal means by the security agencies of governance. No nation is so under-developed, materially impoverished, or simply internally insecure as to lack the will to set an example.
“All it takes is to recall its own history, then exercise the will to commence a lasting transformation, inserting a break in the chain of lethal responses against civic society.
“Today’s marchers may wish to consider adopting the key songs of Hubert Ogunde’s BREAD AND BULLETS, if only to inculcate a sense of shame in the continuing failure to transcend the lure of colonial inheritance where we all were at the receiving end. One way or the other, this vicious cycle must be broken.”
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Soyinka says Tinubu’s speech failed to address police brutality against #EndBadGovernance protesters
Police nab ex-convict, others for killing PoS operators
The Ekiti State Police Command says its operatives have arrested an ex-convict, Omowaye Ayodele, and two other suspects – Ojo Temidayo and Busarí Lookman, who confessed to killings and kidnappings of Point of Sales operators in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
This was according to the state Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale in a statement issued by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, and made available to journalists on Sunday.
The CP said the three suspects, upon investigation, narrated their roles in the death of a woman, Aina Adeyemi, who was robbed and shot dead at the Federal Polytechnic Satellite Campus area in Ado Ekiti.
He stated that Ayodele confessed that “himself and his gang members have attacked and robbed different Point of Sale operators at different locations in Ado Ekiti such as Bawa Estate Area, Better Life Area, among others.”
He stated that after Adeyemi was killed by a gunman riding on an unregistered Boxer Bajaj motorcycle, the command “immediately deployed the Rapid Response Squad operatives to the scene. Investigation by the command led to the arrest of one of the suspects, Ayodele.
“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to having taken part in the commission of the crime and mentioned Temidayo and Lookman as accomplices.
“Ayodele said that Lookman robbed and shot the victim while himself and Temidayo were standing beside the road very close to the crime scene to monitor the environment and to describe the victim to Lookman who carried out the operation.”
The CP said Lookman “confessed during interrogation that he shot the deceased victim and robbed her of N155,000. He also mentioned one Sunday Onyema who is currently at large.
“According to him, the money was handed over to Ayodele, who in turn gave N50,000 to him. Temidayo, on his own, confessed that he is an Indian hemp seller and a fraudster.”
The police boss said the suspects are “currently undergoing investigation and shall be arraigned accordingly, while effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing member of the gang who is allegedly in custody of the arms they use for their operations.”
The ex-convict, Ayodele, who completed his jail term in May 2024, was a member of the syndicate that kidnapped a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Prof. Femi Olaofe, from his residence on July 9, 2024.
Olaofe’s corpse was exhumed from a shallow grave and deposited in a morgue.
Protest: There is hunger in Nigeria, take action – Gov Fintiri tells Tinubu
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has challenged President Bola Tinubu to act fast in addressing the grievances of Nigerians.
In a statewide broadcast Sunday afternoon, Fintiri stressed that it is not enough for the President to tell Nigerians that he has heard their cries. According to him, Nigerians should not wait endlessly for necessary actions.
The governor, who spoke on the #EndBadGovernance protest in Adamawa State, commended residents for conducting themselves peacefully, even as he stressed on the need for the Federal Government to heed the calls of the people.
He said, “The protest might be unpopular especially because of the way it was carried out in some states, but the message is clear and the demands are genuine. None of us can deny that there is hunger and general poverty.”
He added that as leaders of the people, those in government must, at all times, not only listen but aldo act.
“The lesson we must derive from the protest is the constant reminder that it is not enough to tell the citizens we have heard. We must be seen as doing the needful in providing solutions to citizens’ concerns,” the governor said.
TVN reports that after the first two busy days of protests on August 1 and 2, especially the state capital, Yola, protests have almost completely fizzled out in Adamawa State.
No violence incident has been recorded in the state.
Protest: There is hunger in Nigeria, take action – Gov Fintiri tells Tinubu
Niger Delta, a privatised, sacrifice zone, says environmentalist
A renowned environmentalist and Director Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey, has described the Niger Delta region as a privatised and sacrifice zone.
Bassey blamed the poor state of the Niger Delta environment on the Federal Government and international oil companies.
Speaking on Friday at the Niger Delta University during a two-day discussion with the theme, ‘School of Ecology Recovering Oil Sacrifice Zone,’ he stated that the focus should be on how to stop and eliminate pollution in the world sacrifice zones.
Bassey stated, “My take or initial conclusion of what we are going to do today and tomorrow is that the Niger Delta is a privatised and sacrifice zone. The entire region has been privatised.
“The gold mines of South Africa, the gas fields, the phosphate fields of Togo and Western Sahara. These are all sacrifices.
“The lands are sacrificed, the people are sacrificed and all the revenue goes to fill the corrupt politicians.
“These become clearer to us when we realise that for a fact rather than being owners of the land, we are the land.”
He averred that every action taken towards the sacrifice of the territories is an investment towards reinventing an involvement that will consume them.
His expectation, he disclosed, is that they will all conclude to halt the spread, of the expansion of sacrifice zones in the Niger Delta, in Nigeria, in Africa and the world.
He added, “This is exactly what has happened. Our creeks, our rivers, our streams, our coastal areas, and our swamps have all been privatised by oil companies and Nigerian government agencies.
“How has this been done? 66, 68 years of oil extraction in commercial quantities in the Niger Delta has seen the complete pollution of our water bodies by oil spills. Evidence that the Niger Delta has been privatised and sacrificed stares us in the face.
“The first evidence that no one can dispute is the report of the United Nations Environment Programmes Assessment of a good environment which was released in August 2011.
“The second documented evidence is the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission Report, which was published in May 2023.”
Bassey lamented that the UN report showed that all the water bodies in a spill environment have been contaminated with hydrocarbons with high concentrations of benzene in drinking water.
He explained the reports indicate that the spilled crude had gone five metres deep, and currently more than 10 metres deep as the reckless extractive activities continue unabated.
He noted that whether there is a new oil spill or not, the sacrifice continues, saying the Bayelsa State report was appropriately titled, “An Environmental Genocide.”
He enthused, “How many of you have seen that report? How many have heard about the report? Can I see your hands up? My goodness! Look at that, just a few people?
“The Federal Government has not even acknowledged the existence of that report and the Bayelsa government has not said anything about that report.
“That report showed that if you are in Bayelsa, you have been contaminated by toxins and heavy metals more than 1,000 times beyond acceptable limits.
“I mean it’s scandalous; nowhere in the world has this ever happened but it has happened here as an example.”
On his part, the Head of the Department, Environmental Management, Charles Oyibo,
said that the lecture will help the students to be better informed and spur them toward greater environmental awareness in the near future.
Oyibo added that the collaboration with HOMEF is an eye-opener to them in grappling with issues of the environment.
Gombe NBA condemns looting during #EndBadGovernance protest
The Nigerian Bar Association, Gombe branch, on Sunday condemned the activities of some bad eggs that hijacked what was meant to be a peaceful #EndBadGovernance protest in the state.
Our correspondent reports that they unleashed terror on business premises and looted their belongings.
Expressing the branch’s misgivings about the incident, the Chairman, Benjamin Sati, wondered why business premises around the Government House were not spared.
Sati said, “The said bad eggs also wantonly destroyed government buildings meant for public use and looted valuables.
These acts were not only barbaric but also uncivilised and condemnable.
“It is unfortunate to mention that those buildings affected shared the same neighbourhood with the Government House roundabout that had the presence of heavily armed security personnel and no reported caution or arrest of the said bad eggs was made.”
Sati urged the state governor Muhammadu Yahaya, to inaugurate a panel of inquiry to punish perpetrators and compensate those who lost valuables.
“We, while sympathising with the government and people of Gombe State for the said dastardly avoidable destruction, we call on the governor of the state to cause an inquiry into the said criminal act with the aim of bringing the perpetrators to justice and compensating the affected persons and or businesses.
“May Gombe State and our country succeed under a more peaceful atmosphere,” Sati added
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Wife of popular Ogun pastor, Fola Achudume, dies at 55
The wife of Apostle Lawrence Achudume, the General Overseer of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Rev Fola Achudume, is dead.
She reportedly died early in the morning of Saturday after a brief illness. She was 55 years old.
The Assistant General Overseer of the church, Pastor Adeoye Adeyanju, reportedly broke the sad news during Sunday service in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Adeyanju noted that Rev. Fola Achudume died in the early hours of Saturday.
“At this juncture, I want to announce to VLBC members, everyone, and friends that early hours of yesterday, our mother, Rev. Fola Achudume, has gone to be with the Lord.
“She will be 56 on September 6,” he said.
A close family friend and Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Ogun State, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, also confirmed the demise of the marriage and leadership coach to our correspondent.
Oladunjoye described the transition of Achudume as the worst news of the year.
He said, “Unfortunately, people that I called have confirmed this worst news of the year, it is a family that I am very close to, and I am already on my way to their house to register my condolence. So hard to believe! So saddening! My consolation is that she has gone to join the saints. “
IBEDC boosts community engagement with 18,000 interactions
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company has set a new standard in community engagement among electricity distribution companies, recording over 3,000 monthly interactions across its franchise areas.
This achievement, according to IBEDC underscores the firm’s commitment to building strong relationships with its customers and the communities it serves.
The acting Managing Director of IBEDC, Francis Agoha, highlighted the importance of these initiatives in a statement on Sunday.
He said, “IBEDC’s Distribution Transformer Managers and Executives play a crucial role in this effort, engaging with customers at various community levels, including Community Development Committees and Community Development Associations. These interactions are key to addressing customer needs and concerns directly at the grassroots level.
“Complementing the efforts of DT Managers and Executives, IBEDC’s Communication Officers organise larger community and stakeholder sessions with leaders, groups, and residents. These sessions aim to educate customers, gather feedback on services, and resolve complaints effectively.
“We are committed to building trust and maintaining open communication with our customers. Our extensive community engagement efforts reflect our dedication to understanding and addressing the needs of the communities we serve. By regularly engaging with our customers, we can continuously enhance our services and meet their expectations.”
Agoha also emphasised the significance of customer feedback in improving service delivery.
“Listening to our customers is vital. The insights and feedback we gather through these engagements help us pinpoint areas for improvement and implement solutions that benefit everyone. Our goal is to foster a customer-centric environment where every voice is heard, and every concern is addressed promptly.
“IBEDC’s proactive approach to community engagement sets a new benchmark within the industry, demonstrating that effective communication and customer satisfaction are central to its operations. The company remains steadfast in its commitment to building strong, positive relationships with all stakeholders, ensuring the provision of reliable and efficient electricity services”, he said.
Tax agency orders MDAs to pursue Kaduna electric debt
The Kaduna Electric Distribution Company has come under heightened scrutiny as the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service instructed Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to process all outstanding liabilities owed by the company.
The Executive Chairman of KDIRS, Jerry Adams, gave the directives in Kaduna on Sunday.
The Punch Online reports that the directive followed the recent disconnection of the Kaduna State Government House by Kaduna Electric over an alleged N2.9 billion debt.
However, Adams said KDIRS invoked Section 3, Subsection 2 (b) and (c) of the Kaduna State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law, which mandated the collection and enforcement of taxes, levies, fees, and rates due to all MDAs and local governments in the state.
According to him, the sealing of the KAEDCO head office was due to a N600 million tax liability.
“However, other levies, fines, and rates owed by the company remain unresolved. Consequently, KDIRS has directed the following state MDAs to submit their outstanding liabilities for enforcement:
“Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), Kaduna State Water Administration Corporation (KADSWAC), Kaduna State Water Regulatory Commission and Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA),” he added.
Adams reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to equitable taxation while emphasizing that the Service would not impose excessive tax burdens on the poor but would target tax-evasive and non-compliant organizations and high-net-worth individuals.
“The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service is dedicated to ensuring fair taxation and will take necessary actions against entities that fail to comply with tax laws, irrespective of their status,”he said.
He added that KDIRS remained open to dialogue with KAEDCO and all relevant stakeholders to resolve issues amicably.
Adams noted that development highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing investment incentives with strict enforcement of tax compliance in Kaduna.
D’Tigress beat Canada to reach first Olympics quarterfinals
4th August 2024
The Nigerian senior female basketball team, D’Tigress, on Sunday, beat their Canadian opponents by 79-70 to reach their first-ever quarterfinals of the Olympic games in Paris, France.
Details later…
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BREAKING: D’Tigress qualify for first-ever Olympic quarterfinals
Nigeria women’s basketball team D’Tigress have qualified for the quarter-finals of the event at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Nigerian ladies reached the last eight after defeating Canada on Sunday.
More to follow…
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