Article
Amotekun: Nigeria’s Unresolved National Question, Socio-Political Logjam and Revolutionary Way Forward
By Comrade Ayo Ademiluyi
With the statement credited to Abubakar Malami , the Attorney General of the Federation under the current Major General Muhammadu Buhari-led regime wherein it ascribed illegality to the ” Operation Amotekun ” initiated by the Governors of the six Southwestern Nigeria, there is no let up of agitations by Yoruba nationalist of subjugation by the Northern elite and hegemony.
A lot of questions abound. What does the Operation Amotekun represent for the mass of the working people in the Southwest and across the country? Is there any prospect for working people in supporting Operation Amotekun? What is at really behind the intra-class in-fighting among the ruling elite over Operation Amotekun ?
First of all, all sections of the ruling elite, across regional divides including the Southwestern Governors all share in the blame for the collapse of education, healthcare and infrastructure that have made life a daily nighmare in Nigeria. Soutwest Nigeria , once reputed for high education and healthcare quality have become a ghost of its past. Years of salaries of workers are unpaid , unemployment is at fever pitch and industries have folded up.
The herdsmen crisis and the increase in kidnapping is a direct result of collapse of governance. However, as time as proven, the ruling class make a fortune out of the daily crisis that bedevil the working people.
The Operation Amotekun , in reality , is more a less a tokenism . 120 vehicles were procured for the purpose of “policing” six states. When broken down, 20 vehicles for each state!
There is a counter-argument that the vehicles are for the purpose of policing interior forests and routes. The next question is that : considering the mileage of roads and forests , how can 20 vehicles be able to secure the forests?
The next poser is : what about the remuneration of the hunters and “operatives” of the Oodua People’s Congress who will be used for the exercise. The monthly stipend of N13, 500 was the promised pay!
It should not suprise anyone that the pay is below N30,000 minimum wage , recently enacted into law. Many of the Southwest Governors are yet to implement minimum wage.
The next poser is how do you want to sustain the N13, 500 pay ? It is more a less a flash in the pan .
HYDRA-HEADED MONSTER OF NATIONAL QUESTION
Nigeria, till date , is a creation of Anglo-American imperialism for the purpose of extraction of raw materials for use of their advanced capitalist economies. Despite the flag independence about six decades ago, Nigeria is still being maintained as a neo-colonial economy for the purpose of sustaining the advanced capitalist countries.
Without any democratic consultation of the ethnic nationalities lumped together to make up Nigeria , imperialism left Nigeria in the hands of a pliant Hausa-Fulani oligarchy after flag independence at the wake of the sixties.
Despite the regionalism of the First Republic, the centre which is the hands of the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy holds the commanding heights of the economy. While there has not been a monolithic North, there has never been a monolithic South. This explains the Uprising of Isaac Adaka Boro of the Niger Delta Republic and the agitations of Joseph Tarka for a Middle Belt Republic.
The struggle for control of the centre saw the ambitious Awolowo in gaol and a rotten alliance across the Niger between Akintola and Tafawa Balewa. By the mid-sixties, the Nigerian contraption is on the brink. A young officers of bullets and blood called a “revolution” was sufficient to ignite a succession of explosive events that led to the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970.
Years of military rule has opened up to civil rule with practical no fundamental improvement in the living conditions of the working people.
Each section of the ruling class employ the sharp ethnic and religious divides among the working masses in Nigeria in their battle for control and power.
The 2019 general elections was laced with heavy ethnic profiling amidst Voters’ apathy. The Muhammadu Buhari-led regime has bared its fangs repressing activists and democratic rights in the employment of strong-arm tactics to hold on to power amidst degenerating legitimacy.
Operation Amotekun, despite being a tokenist measure is feared by the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy at the centre as a preparation of armament by the Western elite in the coming battle for power. At this stage, it is all what it is : a fear.
Alliance of the Northern and Western bourgoeis elements have kept the Eastern elite perpetually out of power. Good luck Jonathan, from the Niger Delta section is an accident of history. An alliance of the primordial Northern and Western forces knocked him out of power, albeit riding on the false slogan of ” change”.
All the nationalist mobilisation of the working people in the Southwest to queue up behind their Governors must be seen the way it is : a grand deception to employ ethnic vitroil to distract attention from the burning issues of today: education , healthcare , workers’ welfare and genuine solution to security.
However, there are Divisions among the elite of the Southwest in approaching the developing situation. While Tinubu , the bride of the Northern elite in the Southwest is keeping mum in order not to lose face, the traditionalists in Afenifere are crying foul. Some have argued that Tinubu represent a political reincarnation of Akintola in Southwest bourgeois politics. His empire built for a decade is about to collapse as the free-for-all battle for power tears the ruling class apart. That is why an outspoken Kayode Fayemi says the All Progressives Congress cannot be sustainable beyond 2023.
The permanent solution to the national question crisis does not lie with any section of the ruling elite. Nigeria is a prison house of nationalities that can only be forced open by a pan-Nigerian united revolutionary mass of workers and youth linked together in arms across their ethnic and religious divides against their class enemies , who are on the same page , despite their false ethnic and religious shades. The task of building such a united revolutionary mass movement is the task of today.
BUILDING THE UNITED REVOLUTIONARY MASS MOVEMENT
Going forward, with the weakness of left and revolutionary forces in popular mass organisations including the labour centres, students’ movement and professional groups including the NBA, NMA , how can the much-needed united revolutionary mass Movement can be built?
The key lies in building revolutionary nucleus organisations within these mass popular organisations.
This is the urgent task facing the left and revolutionary movement today. Nucleus organisations are needed to be built in trade unions, Students’ unions and professional associations , including NBA, NMA, etc to recruit and train cadres to reposition the popular organizations as constituent forces in the building of a united mass revolutionary struggle against all sections of the ruling elite.
What must be prioritised is the aggregation of genuine revolutionary forces both on the industrial and political plane to essentially wrestle POWER from all sections of the ruling elite.
AYO ADEMILUYI, lawyer and Revolutionary Activist
Author Profile
Latest entries
NewsFebruary 21, 2025NLM Rejigs Leadership Structure, Says It’s time for Leadership by Productivity
NewsFebruary 20, 2025NLM FCT Chapter Postpones General Meeting, Cites Incomplete Structural Formation
NewsFebruary 20, 2025Comr. Okolofo Sunday salutes Hon. Zakari Dauda on his commendation
Business and EconomyFebruary 13, 2025FG, Afreximbank Assess Nigeria’s Readiness for Africa Energy Bank Commencement
Article
Tribute to My ‘Mother’ and a Global Trailblazer: Celebrating Ms. Arunma Oteh @ 60
By Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Ajia,
As we celebrate the 60th birthday anniversary of my dearest ‘mum’ Ms. Arunma Oteh, I am overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and admiration for a woman whose life has been a beacon of Hope, Excellence, Resilience and Integrity .
adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Ms. Arunma Oteh’s life is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, vision, and resilience.
Born in Kano Nigeria, her academic journey began with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She then scaled the heights of education, earning an MBA from the prestigious Harvard Business School. These were the stepping stones to a career that would leave indelible marks on Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
Her illustrious career spans decades of service at institutions like the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, and FSD Africa. At AfDB, she rose through the ranks, assuming pivotal roles, including that of Treasurer and Vice President for Corporate Management. Her expertise and leadership turned challenges into opportunities, paving the way for sustainable financial growth across the continent.
In 2009, Ms. Oteh was entrusted with the monumental task of leading the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as its Director-General. It was a turbulent time for Nigeria’s capital market, but she embraced the challenge with unmatched determination. Her reforms eradicated entrenched abuses, restored investor confidence, and laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
Her leadership was not without resistance, as she confronted powerful interests that sought to undermine progress. Yet, with resolute commitment, focus, integrity, and the support of reform-minded leaders, she navigated these challenges, leaving behind a reformed and revitalized capital market.
Ms. Oteh’s appointment as Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank in 2015 underscored her global stature. Managing a $200 billion debt portfolio and advising Sovereign Wealth Funds, Central Banks, and Pension Funds, she exemplified financial expertise at the highest level. Beyond her technical brilliance, she championed inclusive economic policies that benefited emerging markets and underserved populations.
Her legacy at the World Bank extends beyond numbers; it is a story of transformational leadership and unwavering commitment to empowering others.
While her professional accolades are monumental, what sets Ms. Oteh apart is her personal touch. To me and many others, she has been a mother—providing guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support. Her mentorship has been a compass in my life, teaching me the values of integrity, hard work, and service.
Her ability to nurture talent and inspire excellence is unparalleled. Through her mentorship, she has raised a generation of leaders who are now making meaningful contributions in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
Ms. Oteh’s story resonates with people from all walks of life. She embodies the principle that our background does not define our future, but our choices do. Her life is a beacon of hope for those striving to overcome challenges and achieve greatness.
As an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), a recipient of the “Distinction In Public Service” award, and one of Forbes’ “Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women,” Ms. Oteh is celebrated not only for her achievements but also for the values she represents—integrity, resilience, and Excellence in service . Now a leading best seller on Amazon for her new book ‘All hand on deck’
On this special occasion of her 60th birthday, I celebrate Ms. Arunma Oteh for her unquantifiable contributions to Nigeria, Africa, and the global world. I honour her for the lives she has touched, the systems she has transformed, and the legacy she continues to build.
Ms. Oteh, your life is an inspiration, your achievements are a testament to excellence, and your mentorship is a gift to us all. As you celebrate this milestone, I pray for continued blessings, good health, and strength to keep shining your light on the world.
With deepest gratitude and love
Ajia, is the President/CEO, Funab Group of Companies Ltd, a Security expert and a Politician
Author Profile
Latest entries
NewsFebruary 21, 2025NLM Rejigs Leadership Structure, Says It’s time for Leadership by ProductivityNewsFebruary 20, 2025NLM FCT Chapter Postpones General Meeting, Cites Incomplete Structural FormationNewsFebruary 20, 2025Comr. Okolofo Sunday salutes Hon. Zakari Dauda on his commendationBusiness and EconomyFebruary 13, 2025FG, Afreximbank Assess Nigeria’s Readiness for Africa Energy Bank Commencement
Article
Odinkalu’s Call for GTBank Boycott: A Fight for Press Freedom and Accountability in Nigeria
By Abdulrahman Aliagan, Abuja
By suppressing press freedom and allegedly using state apparatus to detain journalists, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), led by its Managing Director and CEO, Segun Agbaje, finds itself at the center of a growing controversy.
adsbygoogle || []).push({});
com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Odinkalu’s condemnation stems from the three-month detention of bloggers Precious Eze, Olawale Olurotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami reportedly orchestrated by GTCO following unfavorable reports about the company. The case highlights a dangerous trend in Nigeria: the gagging of journalists and the erosion of press freedom, fundamental pillars of any democratic society.
GTCO is embroiled in allegations of unethical financial practices, including declaring questionable profits of over N1 trillion, evading tax payments, and managing unauthorized accounts. Instead of addressing these accusations, GTCO allegedly retaliated by targeting journalists who dared to report on the company’s activities. Bloggers like Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami were detained on charges of cyberstalking—a broad and often abused provision under Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act.
According to Odinkalu, the bloggers’ detention is a calculated move to create a chilling effect on the media and deter critical reporting on corporate malpractice. “GTBank has procured the police to detain these bloggers since September 2024 on flimsy charges of cyberbullying and conspiracy,” he tweeted. “This is a blatant abuse of power and an attack on press freedom.”
Odinkalu criticized GTCO’s deployment of a high-powered legal team, including three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), to pursue its case against the bloggers. “On October 23, GTBank showcased a team of 10 lawyers whom it has retained to oppress these poor journalists,” he noted, describing the legal strategy as disproportionate and oppressive.
He further revealed that the police investigation into the case lacked substantive evidence, with the investigating team recommending the bloggers be used as “scapegoats.” Such actions underscore the imbalance of power between wealthy corporations and individual journalists or bloggers, who often lack the resources to defend themselves.
Odinkalu’s call for a boycott of GTBank resonates beyond the immediate case of detained bloggers. It highlights broader issues of accountability, transparency, and press freedom in Nigeria. GTCO’s alleged financial misconduct—including accusations of tax evasion and questionable account practices—remains unaddressed by regulatory authorities like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“This lack of accountability emboldens corporations like GTCO to suppress dissent and intimidate whistleblowers,” Odinkalu remarked. “If GTBank fails to stop this assault on press freedom, citizens should stop banking with it.”
The detention of journalists reflects a troubling trend in Nigeria, where press freedom is increasingly under attack. Journalists face harassment, intimidation, and imprisonment for exposing wrongdoing, creating a hostile environment for investigative reporting.
By targeting journalists, GTCO is not only silencing dissent but also undermining democracy. A free press is essential for holding corporations and governments accountable. Without it, corruption and abuse of power flourish unchecked.
Odinkalu’s call to action has sparked conversations about the role of civil society in defending press freedom. Advocacy groups like the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) have already initiated legal proceedings to compel regulatory bodies to investigate GTCO’s alleged misconduct. However, more collective action is needed to protect journalists and ensure accountability.
The GTCO case exposes critical gaps in Nigeria’s regulatory and legal frameworks. The misuse of cybercrime laws to target journalists underscores the need for legislative reforms that protect press freedom and prevent corporations from exploiting vague legal provisions.
Odinkalu’s call for a boycott is a powerful reminder that citizens have a role to play in demanding accountability. By withdrawing their patronage from institutions that undermine democracy, Nigerians can send a clear message: the suppression of press freedom will not be tolerated.
The ongoing detention of journalists by GTCO is a litmus test for Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and justice. It raises urgent questions about the balance of power between corporations and the press and highlights the need for systemic reforms to safeguard press freedom.
As Odinkalu noted, “GTBank forgets that we are also customers.” The boycott call is not just about GTCO; it is a clarion call for all Nigerians to stand against corporate impunity and defend the principles of transparency, accountability, and freedom of expression that underpin a democratic society.
Aliagan is the Managing Editor of Time Nigeria Magazine, President of the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ) and Public Analyst based in Abuja
Author Profile
Latest entries
NewsFebruary 21, 2025NLM Rejigs Leadership Structure, Says It’s time for Leadership by ProductivityNewsFebruary 20, 2025NLM FCT Chapter Postpones General Meeting, Cites Incomplete Structural FormationNewsFebruary 20, 2025Comr. Okolofo Sunday salutes Hon. Zakari Dauda on his commendationBusiness and EconomyFebruary 13, 2025FG, Afreximbank Assess Nigeria’s Readiness for Africa Energy Bank Commencement
Article
In the matter of GTBank’s persecution of poor bloggers
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu
By the time Muhammadu Buhari ran for a second presidential term in 2019, it seemed clear that the judicial process in many parts of the country had been actively co-opted in the intimidation of civic opponents of the government, both real and imagined.
adsbygoogle || []).push({});
googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Steven was a compelling activist and amplifier of the crisis of human security in Southern Kaduna under former governor, Nasir el-Rufai. For this, el-Rufai arranged the abduction of Steven from his residence in Rivers State on 8 May 2019. From there they bundled him into interminable detention in Kaduna on the imagined crime of criminally defaming Cafra Caino, an acolyte of the governor who was also Chair of the Kajuru Local Government Council.
For this invented crime, el-Rufai had Steven charged before a Magistrate in Kaduna who refused him bail even when the crime was clearly a misdemeanor. Steven renewed his application for bail before the Federal High Court in Kaduna where the presiding judge, Peter Mallong, incredulously ruled that his suit was “an abuse of court process” because the Magistrate had previously refused bail. Turning judicial precedent on its head, Peter Mallong held that the decision of the Magistrate was binding on the Federal High Court.
Gloria Ballason, who argued Steven’s case, was also my lawyer when el-Rufai sought to also abduct me in circumstances that would have been not dis-similar to what he did to Steven. On the eve of the presidential election in 2019, el-Rufai went public with claims of a massacre of scores of Fulanis in Kajuru, a community against whom he appeared to have an implacable beef. The following morning, I publicly rebutted his claims. The security services were pointedly unable to support his claim.
After the 2019 elections, el-Rufai instructed my prosecution before the Magistrates Court in Kaduna on fanciful charges of incitement and injurious falsehood. The case did not even have a charge number. The magistrate called up the case on two successive occasions and, when I did not show up, decided the time was ripe to issue a warrant for my abduction. Contrary to my entitlements under the Nigerian constitution, even bothered to bring the charges to my attention. It seemed as if the entire objective from the beginning was to set me up for abduction.
Informed off-record about the case by sympathetic law enforcement agents subsequently, Gloria Ballason first issued filings objecting to how the court had chosen to proceed. Thereafter, she instituted proceedings before Peter Mallong’s Federal High Court in Kaduna against el-Rufai and the police arising out of these facts alleging breach of my constitutional rights.
One year after the case was instituted, in October 2020, Peter Mallong issued his decision. He claimed that the affidavit in support of my court processes sworn to by a litigation clerk in the law firm of my lawyers, was incompetent because the deponent was someone other than me. It was as if he had never heard of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules which allowed for what the litigation clerk did. As a result, Peter Mallong said, my case was incompetent and his court lacked jurisdiction over it. After holding that he lacked jurisdiction, however, Peter Mallong went on to “dismiss” my case.
The judgment was manifestly crooked on the face of the record. A judge can only dismiss a case that they have had the opportunity to consider but a judge cannot consider a case over which s/he lacks jurisdiction. So, a judge who rules that he or she lacks jurisdiction cannot thereafter decide to dismiss the same case. That is exactly what Peter Mallong did. Having accomplished such crookedness, he then went on to award punitive costs against me.
It was this kind of casuistic and crooked jurisprudence that emboldened el-Rufai and his ilk to routinise the persecution of Nigerian citizens by abduction under cover of law. I was lucky. Steven Kefas was not. Gloria Ballason’s tenacity and an international campaign eventually enabled to Steven to make bail after 162 days in pre-trial detention in Kaduna prison.
According to Steven, while he suffered prolonged pre-trial detention for an imaginary crime framed against him for being a government critic, he witnessed kidnappers caught in the act being released without charges. Steven’s explanation is that: “What the oppressive elites do in Nigeria is that they will hire rogue lawyers to help them draft all manner of petitions to get critics and ‘enemies of the government’ abducted and locked up….”
This appears to be the perfect description for what is happening in an ongoing case involving the prosecution of Precious Eze, Olawale Olurotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami before the Federal High Court in Lagos. The accused are all bloggers who run different platforms as citizen journalists or aggregators.
On 19 September, 2024, Country Hill, a law firm acting on behalf of Guarantee Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and its CEO, Segun Agbaje, wrote a petition in which they complained against the accused for what they called “acts of cyberbullying, criminal extortions (sic) and conducts (sic) likely to cause a breach of public peace” arising reportedly from material published on their blogs about Guarantee Trust Bank (GTBank). Importantly, the complaint omitted any mention of the sums that any of the suspects allegedly extorted or sought to. Subsequent investigation by the police showed clearly that upon the material being brought to their attention by intermediaries, the suspects had voluntarily pulled down the publications complained of.
Acting on this petition, nevertheless, the police promptly arrested and detained Precious Eze and Olawale Olurotimi, both of whom have been held in pre-trial custody since then. By the date you read this, each of them would have been in pre-trial custody for over 91 days. That is more than double the maximum duration of 42 days of pre-trial custody allowed by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
It took the police just four days to conclude investigation. Michael Abu, the Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) who led the investigation into GTBank’s petition, wrote in his report of 23 September 2024 with reference to Precious Eze and Olawale Olurotimi that “these types of people be used as scapegoat” and recommended that they be “charged to court for the offence (sic) of conspiracy, cyberbullying, attempt to extort money through fraudulent means and conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.”
On 14 October, the police re-arraigned them. Ten days later, the amended charges filed against them included six counts of cyberbullying and two each of conspiracy and extortion. To prosecute them, GTBank secured the “fiat” of the Inspector General of Police to instruct a high-powered team of ten lawyers, including three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). This is a classic example of “oppressive elites” capturing the criminal process for destructive purposes against poor citizens.
Until now, the people who orchestrate these kinds of travesties and their judicial and legal co-travelers have enjoyed earthly impunity. Judges like Peter Mallong made this possible. The one lesson, however, of the Dele Farotimi case is that citizens now have the wherewithal to make these kinds of perversion of the legal and criminal process costly for those who orchestrate them.
In this case of Precious Eze and Olawale Olurotimi, that should be even moreso, given that the travesty is procured at the instance of a commercial and corporate actor. We are both citizens and customers. In this dual capacity we have the muscle to resist the determined conspiracy of politicians and corporates who seek to muzzle and destroy an informed and responsible civics. It is not too late for GTBank to retrace its steps.
A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu
Author Profile
Latest entries
NewsFebruary 21, 2025NLM Rejigs Leadership Structure, Says It’s time for Leadership by ProductivityNewsFebruary 20, 2025NLM FCT Chapter Postpones General Meeting, Cites Incomplete Structural FormationNewsFebruary 20, 2025Comr. Okolofo Sunday salutes Hon. Zakari Dauda on his commendationBusiness and EconomyFebruary 13, 2025FG, Afreximbank Assess Nigeria’s Readiness for Africa Energy Bank Commencement
NLM Rejigs Leadership Structure, Says It’s time for Leadership by Productivity
Share this StoryBy Abdulrahman Obaje The Nigeria Liberty Movement (NLM) …
NLM FCT Chapter Postpones General Meeting, Cites Incomplete Structural Formation
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje The Nigeria Liberty Movement has …
Comr. Okolofo Sunday salutes Hon. Zakari Dauda on his commendation
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje Comr. Okolofo Sunday a friend …
FG, Afreximbank Assess Nigeria’s Readiness for Africa Energy Bank Commencement
Share this StoryAhead of the commencement of operations of the …
Nigeria’s Oil Production Reaches 1.53m bpd in January, Meets OPEC Quota
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje For the first time since …
Senate charges FG to include North East in the Super Highway Projects
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje The Senate Thursday, February 13, …
STEM: Delta government pledge robust partnership with private organisations
Share this StoryThe Delta government has assured that it will …NLM set to take Nigeria by storm, embark on constituting an 80-men media team
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje The Nigeria Liberty Movement, NLM …
NLM say power will come to son of nobody; as Kuje residents embrace it will high enthusiasm
Share this StoryBy AbdulRahman Obaje Honourable Alhaji Suleiman Yunusa, National …
Dangote Crashes Ex-depot Petrol Price to N890 Per Litre
Share this StoryBy Our Reporter The Dangote Refinery has announced …