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Anti-graft battle: It’s no longer business as usual, says Soyinka

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President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption battle got a ‘pass mark’ from an unusual quarter yesterday. It was rated above average by Prof Wole Soyinka.

The literary giant, however, scored the President below average on the anti-terror war.

Soyinka spoke on the Bristish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programme, Hardtalk, anchored by Zeinab Badawi on Monday.

Appraising the anti-graft battle, Soyinka said:  ”We have this issue of corruption, which is… and I frankly despise those who try to trivialise it in Nigeria simply because they don’t like the face of the man who is behind it.

“But, it’s no longer business as usual in Nigeria because we have bankers who are on trial; we have legislators who are on trial and we have former governors who are on trial. Immediately they step out of the office, they are grabbed by the anti-corruption agencies. On corruption, as far as I’m concerned, he scored the best.”

On the anti-terror war, the literary icon said: “Take for instance, the issue of Boko Haram, if action had been taken at the beginning, and we are not talking about the time of the reign of Jonathan. When the first governor decided to make his state a theocratic state… that was when action should have been taken.

“The President of that time compromised because he was ambitious and he needed the support of the state governor. And when you start a theocracy, a movement will berth and killings will start. They start saying, that you are not holy enough’ and the killings start.”

He said the President should have learnt from the past by nipping in the bud the clashes between herders and farmers.

“Well, he is making progress, but then another problem has sprung up and that is where the problem is. Yes, he is very slow in responding. Buhari has failed in that respect.”

The Nobel laureate also defended his support for Buhari during the 2015 election, saying he was a better option to stop Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who, he said, was not doing enough to pilot the affairs of the country as President.

Soyinka said: “Gen. Buhari didn’t really win…, he won by default, because it was impossible to continue with Jonathan. Yes, I did use that expression, born-again democrat. The reason I used that expression is because when somebody compete in an election first time, second time, third time, fourth time and persists, he must believe in democracy.”

Justifying his support for Buhari, a former military head of state, Soyinka said: “First of all, Nigeria is not peculiar in that respect. We’ve had examples like that everywhere. We’ve had many military people doing that. So, the transition is not impossible.

“On the second circumstance, the fact that Nigeria has shown the military what a huge failure they were, makes it possible for one to identify the possibility of exception. In any case, I keep emphasising that Nigerians had difficulty of making a choice. Like I said, it was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Reflecting on his detention in the 60s and how he wrote on toiletries, Soyinka said:  “Yes, it was a solitary confinement. I was deprived of books – writing materials. So, I had to create my own world. So, toiletry paper became my template in which I could create the micro world in which I lived.

“They were supplying toiletries and they were so generous with it. Mostly, I was writing short, short pieces, mostly poetry. Somehow, I did get out. At a time, I have a book smuggled to me. Everything had to be hidden.”

The professor said it was high time the younger generation took the baton from the older generation, who he referred to as fogies.

He said: “I compare today with the dreams, aspiration that we had in those days when we considered ourselves as the ones going to lift the continent to world standard and make it competitive anywhere. But that has not happened.”

On this year’s presidential election, won by incumbent President Buhari, the playwright said: “It was one of the most depressed elections we’ve ever had. For me, it wasn’t possible for me to make a choice. I’m talking for myself. The simple reason is that the two candidates, they both had history. One is immediate, and the other is past, which made one to look for alternative.

“I want us to define the youth very carefully. There are some young people that will still compound or are worst than the rulers. I’m talking about those youths with fresh and good vision. I’m talking about those who felt ashamed of what Nigeria is today. Those who have traversed the world a bit and seen how things are done, and achieved in other countries. And analyse the problems of Nigeria, not contend to the old ideas. I’m talking about those youths that will get their priority right.”

When asked the chances available to the youth in Nigeria, where money plays a great role, Soyinka said: “When we started encouraging young people to come out, there was one person spearheading that movement and they could have come up with a consensus candidate.

 

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Lagos Female Lawyer Risks Jail Term For Failing To Produce Suspect

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A 29-year-old female lawyer, Ms. Peace Chidinmma Igbo, has been brought before an Ebutta-Metta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State for failing to produce a suspect she stood bail for.

According to a charge sheet,” That you Peace Chidinma Igbo ‘F’ on the 25th day of November 2024 at the Nigeria Police Force CID Annex Alagbon, Lagos did conspire together to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice by failing to provide one Sodiq Kazem which you stood bail for in a case of conspiracy, burglary, unlawful entry, stealing and given false information in a bail sum of (N1,000,000.00) One Million Naira at the Nigeria Police Force CID Annex Alagbon Lagos and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.


In his remarks, the complainant’s lawyer, Mr. Olu Akanbi, stressed that Miss Igbo should have known better than to put herself in such a situation.

Akanbi stated that Miss Igbo was protecting other individuals involved in the matter, essentially taking the fall for them.

“These individuals, who are being investigated by the police at the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Alagbon Annexe, are reportedly using retired and serving senior police officers to shield themselves and frustrate the investigation.

The lawyer extolled FCID police officers for their due diligence.

Mr Akanbi said as a legal practitioner, Ms Igbo’s actions over the matter have raised questions about her professional conduct. He further stated that Ms Peace Chidinma Igbo and Mr Sodiq Kazeem are both staff of Green Birch Tech Limited and are also conspirators with the other staff now at large.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to May 20, 2025, leaving Miss Igbo’s fate hanging in the balance.

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I committed to diversifying the economy and expanding revenue sources, not to punish Nigerians, Says Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday that recent government policies are not meant to punish Nigerians but are necessary interventions to prevent the economy from collapsing.

Tinubu made this known at the 55th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) in Abuja.

The president was represented by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.

Dangiwa was, in turn, represented by Dr Edna Tobi, Special Assistant for International Cooperation and Partnership in the Ministry.

The conference’s theme was, “Transform, Invest, Drive: Optimising Real Estate Finance and Taxation.”

It brought together stakeholders to deliberate on the intersection of real estate and fiscal policy.

The president said that the administration was committed to diversifying the economy and expanding revenue sources.

This, he said, informed the government’s drive to implement policies that enhanced income from taxation while upholding fairness and transparency.

“Our decision to reform Nigeria’s tax system and fiscal policy was deliberate and strategic,” he said.

“It was a courageous and bold move aimed at addressing the suffocating economic challenges facing the nation.”

Tinubu stated that reforms were tailored to create a more investment-friendly environment, particularly in the real estate sector, and to boost job creation and economic growth.

He acknowledged the critical role of estate surveyors and valuers in achieving these objectives and expressed the government’s willingness to partner with NIESV to deliver effective tax administration and revenue utilisation.

Delivering the keynote address, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji, described the real estate sector as a vital but under-assessed part of Nigeria’s economy.

Adedeji, represented by Chief Economic Adviser Prof. Mohammed Salisu,identified challenges such as informality, data fragmentation, and inconsistent valuation standards as obstacles to effective taxation.

“The Tax Administration Bill will provide clearer procedures and responsibilities for taxpayers, enhance compliance, and reduce inefficiencies and multiple taxation,” he said.

Adedeji called for the cooperation of NIESV in standardising property valuation methods and supporting the implementation of reforms.

NIESV President, Victor Alonge, described the conference as a milestone event, stating that the outcomes would help reposition land, housing, and infrastructure policy in Nigeria.

He assured that the institute would present a comprehensive communiqué to the government, containing resolutions and actionable policy suggestions to drive national development

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Things You Need to Know About Dr. Charles Akinola, the Newly Nominated Managing Director of SWDC

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….A Seasoned Public Policy Advisor and Development Strategist

Dr. Akinola has over 30 years of experience in public service, international development, and strategic governance, specializing in agricultural development, sustainable economic growth, and policy implementation across Nigeria and West Africa.

2. Holds Prestigious Academic Credentials from Global Institutions. He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan and a master’s in public policy & administration from Harvard Kennedy School, where he was an Edward S. Mason Fellow.

He also studied at Cambridge, Cranfield, and MIT, gaining advanced expertise in cross-sector partnerships, enterprise development, and conflict resolution.

3. Instrumental in the Formation of the SWDC and the DAWN Commission

Long before his nomination, Dr. Akinola played a key role in founding the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for regional integration. He was deeply involved in shaping the vision of the SWDC.

As Chairman of the Technical Committee under the Southwest Governors’ Forum, he led the review of the SWDC Bill and coordinated regional consensus on development priorities.

4. Former Chief of Staff in Both Federal and State Governments, He served as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State (2018–2022) and later as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola (CON), while also acting as Senior Special Assistant on Marine and Blue Economy to President Tinubu.

These roles gave him frontline experience in both subnational and national policy execution.

5. A Leader in Community Engagement and Sustainable Development, Dr. Akinola has worked with major oil & gas companies, including WAPco, designing sustainable livelihood programs across Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. His contributions helped establish the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs) as an industry benchmark for community development in the Niger Delta.

6. Active Global Policy Thought Leader.

He is a member of the Dean’s Council at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and was a Fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs. His thought leadership focuses on governance, economic innovation, and institutional reform.

7. Arts Collector

Dr. Akinola is a lover of the arts and culture, collects works of indigenous artists, such as Jimoh Buraimoh, Demas Nwoko, Tola Wewe, Nike Okundaye, among others.

*Career Highlights*

• Dr. Charles Akindiji Akinola is a Public Policy Advisor and Administrator whose work has traversed the agricultural and agribusiness, sustainable community economic development, international affairs, and development sectors, developing strategies that shape policy implementation.

• Dr. Akinola holds a Ph. D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan, and a master’s degree in public policy & administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

• He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Cross-Sector Partnerships from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and attended certificate courses in Enterprise Development and Management from Cranfield University, Cranfield UK, and in Negotiation, Mediation, and Dispute Resolution from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA.

• Until recently, Dr. Akinola was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine & Blue Economy and concurrently, Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister.

• He served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State between 2018 and 2022. During his tenure, he supported the Governor in developing and implementing policy objectives and strategic and operational plans of the administration.

• As Chief of Staff, the Southwest Governors Forum appointed Dr. Akinola as the Chairman of the Technical Committee to review the South-West Development Commission (SWDC) Bill and aggregated the position of the six Southwest States towards a joint memorandum to the Governors and subsequently to the National Assembly.

• He has worked with major oil & gas companies within and outside Nigeria including the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) / West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPco) covering Nigeria, Republic du Benin, Togo, and Ghana by designing and implementing programs that addressed issues of Sustainable Development and Livelihoods in the Niger Delta and West Africa region.

• He advised and collaborated with International Oil companies in the development of the New Community Engagement Strategy, premised on the Participatory Regional Development Model (2005), guided by the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs). The model was adopted as the industry standard in Community engagement and development by the joint ventures of the National Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Oil companies in the Niger Delta.

• In previous roles, Dr. Akinola was the Director General of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP) between 2011 and 2018. The OEDP was the strategic Think Tank, Policy Advisory, and Implementation agency domiciled in the Office of the Governor. Dr. Akinola played a central role in the activities leading to the establishment of the Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

• He was Chairman of the Osun State Planning Commission between 2011-2014 and in this capacity collaborated with leading development partners to deliver sustainable development in the State.

• Dr. Akinola was the Founder and Executive Director of Enterprise for Development International (EfDI) between 1999 and 2009. In this role, he coordinated EfDI’s varied consultancy assignments in community economic development in Nigeria, including the expansion of EfDI’s portfolio of development activities in the Niger Delta and the strengthening of local institutions.

• Between 2001 and 2005, Dr. Akinola was the National Coordinator of the Sustainable Tree Crop Program (STCP), a multi-agency, public-private sector effort to facilitate the improvement of smallholder agricultural systems based on tree crops in West Africa with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Chocolate Industry Worldwide.

• Between 1993 and 1998, Dr. Akinola was the Nigeria Country Director of TechnoServe, a US-based international development organisation that worked in 17 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

• He taught at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria from 1984 until 1989 and was on the training and research faculty of the Pan African Institute for Development (PAID) in Buea, Cameroon 1990.

• Dr. Akinola was an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and, subsequently, a Fellow at the Harvard Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs (WCFIA). His work focused on Innovation for Economic Development and Governance between 2009 and 2011.

• He is currently a member of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Dean’s Council.

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