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Food for Living: Nigeria on the Verge of Electoral History
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By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
It is that time of the year again. The whole world has set its compass on Nigeria because of its presidential elections. The Nigerian election is important to the global world because it is the most populous black nation in the world with a population of about 250 million. But it is sad to note that despite the country being blessed with huge human and natural resources, she’s yet to take her position in the comity of Nations.
Nigeria is regarded as the giant of Africa for many reasons chiefly among them are her population and economy. She is considered the biggest economy in Africa with a Gross Domestic Product of $452 billion. With the level of human and natural resources at its disposal, one will begin to wonder why the citizens are suffering? Well, the answer is not far-fetched, there’s poor leadership, and this is why today’s Presidential election is very crucial to every Nigerian.
With joy and fulfilment I write this article knowing that the time has finally come for Nigerians to wake from their sleep to take what rightly belongs to them. Yes, Nigerian youths have finally risen from their slumber to possess their possession.
It’s obvious that since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, she’s yet to get it right. The case of Nigeria is like moving one step forward and three steps backward. When we think we have got it right, we hit the rock again. With so many coups which set the country backward and the Nigerian Civil War which claimed about a million lives, Nigeria has never remained the same again. Since then, there seems to be bad blood, distrust, and hatred against the Igbo because of the civil war. The feelers are like the Igbo caused the war, and as such must pay for it.
This singular act made a certain group of leaders in the North to make it difficult for the Igbo to get into a sensitive position not to talk of the Presidency. Since Nigeria returned into Civilian administration in 1999, the Igbo have not had the opportunity of producing the President and Vice President. This, and more are reasons there’s so much agitation in the Southeastern part of the country.
This is why the 2023 Presidential election is taking a new dimension because for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the majority of the youths in the six geo-political zones are in alignment for change of government. The last time we saw such voting participation was in 1993 when Chief M.K.O Abiola energized Nigerians with his Social Democratic Party (SDP) with a message of hope tagged “Hope 93”. He was able to win sympathy despite having a Vice Presidential candidate who is also Muslim. The election was adjudged to be the fairest in Nigeria, but quite unfortunately, the election was annulled by the then military regime headed by Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for reasons best known to him.
Since then, Nigerians have been crying for good government. The bad government in Nigeria has caused Nigerian youths incessant strikes in universities, lack of jobs upon graduation, poor health facilities, little or no infrastructure and most importantly insecurity in the country. This bad government has dominated Nigeria for a while and made the citizens lose trust in her leaders. This lack of trust divided the citizens along religious and ethnic lines. The leaders on their part weaponized poverty and toyed with the ignorance of gullible Nigerians, using religion and tribalism to separate the citizens.
The closest to change in Nigerian came in 2020 during the #EndSARS protests when the youths revolted against bad government. The government was smart and technical enough to know that they are losing money and if the protests and riots are not being controlled, it will cause more harm to the government, they therefore, organized security agents and thugs to cause mayhem on the peaceful protesters and attributed it to the youths. The security agents fired bullets at the innocent protesters. However, the youths sent a clear message; ‘we shall meet at the ballot soon’ and that’s the message the country is about to witness.
You may be wondering what led to this change. Well, the answer is not far fetched, Nigerian youths and progressive thinkers have seen the man who will lay the foundation which will usher the country into the promised land. The man is no other than the former Governor of Anambra State, H.E Peter Gregory Obi. It’s important to note that Peter Obi was Governor of Anambra from November 2006 to May 2007 and from May 2007 to March 2014. He later joined the Labour Party in May 2022 when he sensed that he might not be able to get the party’s presidential ticket due the “monetary politics at play”. He was dismissed as a little fly with no structure to run a presidential campaign that can upstage the two dominant parties; the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressive Party (APC). These big parties fail to understand that the youths are the floaters who decide the election, and they were gradually behind the candidacy of Peter Obi. Several people made mockery of him and his party, but he never doubted himself. He continued to spread his message of hope to Nigerian youths by telling them this is their election and that they are running for election through him. His message penetrated the minds of the youths who have since been looking for a messiah to liberate and salvage them from their suffering. Peter Obi was smart to speak the language of the youths using his verifiable track records as Governor and the message resonated well with the youths.
It’s interesting to note that, a couple of years back, Peter Obi has been speaking on a Christian socio-political platform which advocates good government, “The Platform”. His message inspired the participants who were mostly youths.
By the time Peter Obi left PDP, his message had already infiltrated the town, and people were beginning to buy into his ideas and vision. Peter Obi based his campaign on character, competence, capacity, trust, and verifiable record. This, according to him, is what youths should look out for in a candidate. He further told them to hold him accountable when he becomes president.
Such audacity seems to be strange to the citizens. They haven’t seen such before and they immediately keyed into his campaign by taking it personal and began organizing rallies, sensitizing people, and supporting with whatever they can. While this was ongoing, the big parties were gradually beginning to see something different. From dismissing Peter Obi’s party as three people tweeting in a room who are only popular on social media, to a fringe party which might get sympathy votes. It’s now crystal clear to them if all goes well, the Labour Party is likely going to win Southeast, South-South and North Central, then Southwest will be a battleground between APC, PDP and Labour Party.
Peter Obi picked Yusuf Datti-Ahmed as his Vice-Presidential candidate and majority of Nigerians loved the combination because they represent a new breath of air for Nigerians. Both are accomplished technocrats, who made their name and money before getting into political office and have remained so after they left politics.
Now, let’s talk about the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; he has been contesting the Presidential election since 1993 when he stepped down for Chief M.K.O Abiola. In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo nominated him to be his Vice. They later had a misunderstanding which later made Obasanjo use scathing remarks against him as a corrupt man. That stigma has been with him ever since, and many youths and progressive minds believe he is old and as such should leave the stage for the energetic candidate like Peter Obi. Former Vice President Atiku picked the Governor of Delta State, H.E Ifeanyi Okowa, who is Christian as his Vice-Presidential candidate, but at the end of the day, the youths are the ones that will decide the election.
For Bola Ahmed Asiwaju, his biggest albatross is his health. Majority of the citizens feel he’s very sick, corrupt, and old and as such he might not be able to deal with the rigorous duties associated with the office of the President. The idea of picking a Muslim as his Vice-Presidential candidate also affected his chances of winning the election. This is because Nigeria is usually divided along religious lines so isolating the Christian didn’t go well with them.
The interesting question on the minds of the citizens is what’s the possibility of Peter Obi winning the election. Before I state my permutation, it is important to note that to win the Presidential election, a party must win 25% in 24 States. Here are my thoughts. If Atiku can pick more 25% in the South, he becomes the President
If Obi can pick at least 25% in 6 States in the North, he becomes the President
If Tinubu can pick 25% in 8 States in the North, he becomes the President
Finally, pay attention to curve balls. The unexpected might win. Twisters and disruptors are the candidates to watch. Peter Obi will do very well in the south. Tinubu might win the south.
From the look of things, APC will struggle in Oyo and Osun and will take Ekiti, Ogun, and Ondo.
PDP will make a strong showing in Osun and may take it. Edo is definitely a Labour Party state.
APC will struggle in Kwara and not make a dent in Delta, Akwa Ibom- for presidential, Cross River, Bayelsa, and Rivers
Wike is a major handicap for APC in Rivers and is more of a liability than an asset.
Labour Party will do very well in Benue, Taraba, and Plateau.
PDP is holding down NE as Governor Shettima is a boy scout beside Atiku.
Kogi is shaky and can go either way. The Gov of Kogi is a liability and loose head.
Labour Party will take the whole of Southeast, and Soludo will be embarrassed. APC is already unraveling in the region with the suspension of Orji Kalu hours to the election. It may struggle to have a good showing in Ebonyi, but it won’t be enough to shake Labour Party in that region
Kano will be split between Kwakanso and Gadunje, further weakening Asiwaju’s chances, and PDP will take Northwest because of Tambuwal.
The power of incumbency is shaky for APC as the money redesign policy, BVAS, and other policies have shown that the incumbent president is going for legacy rather than being a party man.
Overall, I see a tie or a very slim victory for either Obi or Atiku. In the case of a tie, Obi will decide the presidency. The prayer is to avoid the courts as they have lost credibility and may not do justice in the event of their deciding a winner for us. This is the most colourful election ever, and I wish you all well.
In conclusion, will the youths and progressive minds come out to vote and defend their votes? Is Peter Obi going to make history? This will be a very interesting election and a lot is at stake, especially as President Muhammadu Buhari is appearing like a man who wants to redeem his name by giving the country a credible election. How far this will go will be tested at the polls. For now, I’m wishing all the candidates success, especially H.E Peter Obi. Amen.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government’s continued escalation of the cost of public education, describing the recent increase in fees for Federal Unity Colleges and the reported approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for West African Examinations Council WAEC and National Examinations Council NECO candidates from 2027 as cruel.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, Atiku noted that education remains the greatest instrument of social mobility and the surest pathway out of poverty for millions of children from humble backgrounds, adding that every additional financial burden imposed on parents translates into another child being denied the opportunity to learn, dream and contribute meaningfully to society.
“Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Depending on the methodology and age group measured, between 10.5 million and about 15 million Nigerian children and young people are already outside the classroom. Any government confronted with such a national emergency should be investing aggressively to bring these children back into school. Instead, this administration is choosing policies that will inevitably swell those numbers,” he said.
He warned that increasing fees in Federal Unity Colleges while imposing significantly higher costs on WAEC and NECO examinations would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income families, whose parents are already making impossible choices between food, healthcare, transportation, and education.
“The same administration whose policies are progressively narrowing access to public tertiary education continues to project the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of its flagship achievements. Yet a university loan offers little comfort to a child who has already been priced out of secondary education or cannot afford the qualifying examination required for admission. A government cannot credibly claim to be expanding access to higher education while simultaneously erecting financial barriers that prevent millions of young Nigerians from ever reaching the university gates.
“Genuine educational reform begins by making education affordable from the primary and secondary levels, expanding the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensuring that poverty never becomes the reason a child is denied the opportunity to learn. A government that truly believes in education invests in classrooms before it invests in loans.
“No nation has ever taxed its way into educational excellence. Countries that aspire to economic greatness invest more—not less—in education during difficult times because they understand that human capital is the engine of sustainable development. Nigeria cannot build a globally competitive economy while systematically pricing millions of its children out of classrooms”, he added.
Atiku therefore called on President Tinubu to immediately reverse the increase in Unity School fees and the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee, and convene an urgent stakeholders’ dialogue on sustainable financing for public education.
“By the grace of Almighty God, I remain confident that Nigerians will reject policies that punish their children and make education the exclusive preserve of those who can afford it. The African Democratic Congress is committed to restoring education as a public good, not a privilege.
“An ADC-led government will not permit this unjust and punitive increase in examination fees. Instead, we shall reverse policies that place education beyond the reach of ordinary families, expand access to quality education at every level, increase the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of background, has a fair opportunity to learn, excel and fulfil his or her God-given potential,” he added.
The Vanguard
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
To be successful, everyone needs to be effective and efficient in all they do. Success does not come from nicety, speech articulation or fine diction, spotless dressing, connections, good proposal or even from having a good product. Though all these factors might play a role, a business man must not only be efficient in their business, they must also be effective.
These words, effective and efficient no doubt, are so closely related, however there’s a thin line of difference between the two. If you stay with me for awhile, you’ll understand.
One might be wondering what the difference between being effective and being efficient is. According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, a prolific and exceptional ghost writer, efficiency is the ability to do something well without wasting energy or effort, whilst to be effective is simply to do something well. Let’s talk a minute to explain how this works. One can be efficient and not effective, and one can be effective and not efficient. But a truly great mind is both effective and efficient. When one is efficient, it means that he can do the work within the shortest possible time. This may be because he has done it over and over again, and have mastered its nitty-gritty.
There’s a saying, if someone can’t explain something to a six-year-old child, that person doesn’t understand the subject very well. I agree with this saying because when someone understands something, he/she won’t go through stress explaining it, and will spend minimum time doing it. Whilst for someone who is effective, he knows the issue or has a subject matter expert on the business very well. He can literally do it when he wakes up from sleep without rehearsing. So, in summary, an effective person saves time, while an efficient person explains better.
As progressive beings, we must be proactive with not only our life, but also our business, career, and whatever we find our hand worthy of doing. By doing so, people will appreciate us and support us. In business, one of the best forms of advertising is referral. When one’s work is exceptionally good, he doesn’t need too much advertising; his work will speak for itself. For instance, anyone who may have used the product might say ‘I have used this product or service, and I can guarantee its effectiveness’. Another person might say ‘the staff are very efficient, professional, and great at customer service’.
All these are great reviews. Trust me, one doesn’t need too many reviews to believe in the authenticity of what people are saying. They can sense a genuine review devoid of sentiments and vested interest. So, imagine a case where there’s no review, one might have a challenge in believing the durability and effectiveness of the product/service.
As a business owner, one must be intentional with respect to how he treats his employers and customers. What most uninformed business owners don’t know is that when you take care of your staff, they will in turn take care of your business. When the staff are happy, they’ll treat the customers well, and when the customers are happy, they’ll in turn tell the world. Do you see how effectiveness and efficiency work in a company?
In a similar way, if one is consistent in publishing articles every week like I do, opportunities are bound to arise soon when there’s alignment. As a business owner, I can authoritatively tell you being good at what you say you do is a currency. Nobody likes shady or dirty work. I can also tell you people are ready to pay for premium services provided you can deliver.
Let me share a personal experience with you; two months ago, I visited my home country – Nigeria, for a business opportunity. During my meeting with some established institutions, I had to submit proposals to them. But because I wasn’t proficient in writing proposals, I had to hire a consultant to do the job for me. Not only did I hire a consultant, I also flew him for business meetings because I trusted his judgment, and guess work, it paid off.
Imagine, if I had to do it myself, I doubt if the work would have been given the kind of positive attention it attracted. Why am I sharing this information? When one is good at what they do, it won’t take long for them to be seen when the right opportunity comes.
Being efficient and effective does not only apply to our professional lives, it’s also applicable in our personal lives. In the world we currently live in, things are governed by perception. When people see how effective and efficient you are, they will be inclined to associate with you, but when you appear like an unserious person, they will find it hard to recommend or refer you for business opportunities.
So, today, take stock and ask yourself if are you an effective and efficient person; if your company is effective and efficient. If your answer is no; ask yourself what you can do to make you and your company effective. The answer will set you on the right path to success.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Delta State security outfit – SafeCity Security Service – in collaboration with operatives of the State police command, have arrested a wanted notorious bandit, Abubakar Usman.
His arrest followed the kidnapping of one Mrs. Blessing Chiedu, a native of Umunede Kingdom, who was abducted on July 2, 2026, along the Ani-Ifekide Farm Road, Ubulu-Uku. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N100 million from her family.
Spokesperson for the SafeCity Security Service, Harrison Gwamnishu, disclosed this in a post on X on Wednesday
According to Gwamnishu, upon receiving the information, he escalated the matter, and the Delta State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Asaba, led by CSP Osakpolor, swung into action.
He said using their Hydra Tech Surveillance System, a coordinated rescue operation was launched, Mrs. Blessing Chiedu, a native of Umunede, was successfully rescued alive and unharmed along the Ubulu-Unor/Ashama Road.
After her rescue, he said the team immediately launched a manhunt for the fleeing kidnappers until the early hours of Wednesday when their surveillance system located the gang to their hideout in the Ogwashi-Uku/Adonta Forest of the state.
“A gun battle ensued, during which our combined team overpowered the criminals. One of the most wanted suspects, Abubakar Usman, was successfully captured, while other members of the gang escaped into the forest with their firearms.
“Investigations reveal that Abubakar Usman and his gang have been responsible for several kidnapping operations across Igbodo, Umunede, and surrounding communities, where they have extorted millions of naira in ransom from innocent families,” he said.
