Metro
Sermon: A Climate of Darkness
By Babatunde Jose
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is no leader who closes the door to someone in need, in hardship, and in poverty, but that Allah closes the gates of heaven to him when he is in need, in hardship, and in poverty.” ‘Amr ibn Murrah reported:
Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1332
Many analysts and watchers of the ‘Nigerian Drama’ have come to the inescapable conclusion that Nigeria is what it is today because its people have chosen to live in mediocrity and like Simon Kolawole said, “we readily adjust to sub-human conditions; throwing up our hands in surrender and gleefully describe rotten banana as ‘ripening’.”
A race of docile citizens, we have become accustomed to suffering and smiling. Nothing shakes the Nigerian. Pushed to the wall, he would not push back. The most complacent people on earth, we have been described as the happiest people, despite our living in horror and bondage. We seek solace in the Quran and the Bible, some in our traditional religions when faced with the daily hardship that has been wroth on us by our irresponsible leaders and our unquestioning attitude. Not content with accepting our miserable lot, we crown our tormentors with high chieftaincies and accolades when they pass. The ‘Baba ke’ syndrome is a definition of a crazed people who have sold their birth rights, freedom and mortgaged their rights to good living. The Managing Director of AMCON recently said that the majority of recalcitrant obligors owing N5trillion are ‘big men and women’. The worrisome aspect he said, “unlike what happened in other climes, was that these obligors still manipulated their way to emerge as members of the national assembly, ministers, chairmen and women of big organisations and pro-chancellors of universities.”
We acquiesce and joyfully participate in rigging elections, accept rigged elections and hail those responsible for our pauperization as ‘honorable’. They allocate questionable fat salaries and allowances to themselves and we accept; they then squander our patrimony in the name of ‘constituency projects’ and we also accept. For how long will we wait at the ‘gate of hell’?
In other climes people would have taken the leaders to account, not here; the land that flows with the proverbial ‘milk and honey’. For decades we have lived in perpetual darkness. What did we do, we resort to self-generation of electricity through the importation and improvisation of generators. It is said that there are more generators in Nigeria than motor vehicles.
According to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the nation had spent about N2trillion on funding legislators’ community projects since year 2000 without commensurate development at the grassroots. This money could have paid for the $5billion Mambilla Power project which was conceived in 1980 but still a 39-year work-in-progress. Long after its conception China embarked on the Three Gorges Power project on the Yangtze River, in 1998 and it went into service in 2012. The Three Gorges Dam has been the world’s largest power station in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW) since 2012. In January 1975, construction started on the Itaipu Power project on the Parana River. Jointly owned by the Paraguay and Brazilian governments, the project was completed in 1984 and in 2007 its operating capacity was expanded and today it is the world’s largest power project producing 14 Giga watts. Both projects did not take ‘thy kingdom come’ to execute. What then is wrong with us?
To transmit and distribute the little electricity that we produce is a problem; hence communities are placed under a ‘climate of darkness, some for months and others for years. My area in Apapa was once placed under darkness for 7 months because of a faulty transformer; can you imagine that? In that area, we had a cluster of 4 supermarkets, a bakery, and other shops and of course Jay Kay Pharmacy, not to talk of Guest houses, offices, residences and a petrol station. It was a harrowing and expensive experience. In the end after taking the matter to the highest level, it took just a day to replace the transformer. This is the kind of country we run. Some communities have been left in darkness because of less serious and fixable problems.
Narrated Ma’qil, I heard the Prophet (saws) saying, “Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise.”
Yet it is said that we have spent $60 Billion on the power sector in two decades. The current power situation does not lend credence to this. If it is true, our people have not reacted to it with any protestation. Rather we continue to buy more generators. In the absence of robust and reliable data on the actual cost of purchasing fuel for generators nationwide, a report by the Good Governance Initiative, a non-governmental organisation advocating uninterrupted power supply in the country, said Nigerians spend N3.5tn on fuelling their generators annually. Equally sad is the fact that government and its agencies make provisions for generators and fuelling in their budgets.
On May 29, 2019, power generation stood at about 3,000; yet we are the largest economy in Africa, while South Africa and Egypt are trailing us. But on the single index of electricity, they are better than us. That is why our economy is weak and it contributes to our poverty problem.
Nigeria is called the second poorest power supply country in the world. Still, there could always be a bright future. The main idea is to concentrate on the renewable sources of energy which can drastically change the situation and promote better energy output for the country: And a resolve on the part of the leadership to do the needful as regards our power problem.
It is interesting to know that electricity was first produced in Lagos Nigeria in 1896, exactly 15 years after its introduction in England; it is however sad and lamentable that 123 years after, the country lives under a ‘climate of darkness’.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever is appointed over the affairs of people in any way and he conceals benefit from them, Allah will conceal benefit from him on the Day of Resurrection.” Source: Musnad Aḥmad 21504
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, received a rousing welcome from her supporters and residents of the Ihima community of Kogi State, despite the government’s ban on rallies and processions.
As early as 8am, her supporters from the five local government areas of Kogi Central Senatorial District that Akpoti-Uduaghan represents flooded the Ihima community of Okehi Local Government Area (LGA) to welcome the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker.
Several local musicians took turns entertaining the people who attended the celebration while they awaited the arrival of the female lawmaker.
It did not, however, take long before the embattled senator arrived at the place in a white helicopter, eliciting applause from her teeming, jubilant supporters.
“Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed. I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” the lawmaker told her supporters and constituents.
“We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”
Her return comes hours after the Kogi State Government banned public gatherings and processions, citing security threats.
This was followed by the imposition of a curfew in the area by the Okehi Local Government Area chairman, Amoka Monday, and a warning from the police for her to cancel the event.
Despite the warnings, the lawmaker told the crowd of supporters that no one can stop her from coming home.
“Nobody and nothing can stop me from coming home. I’m an Ebira woman; this is my land. I’m the daughter of the late Jimoh Abdul Akpoti. I know my roots; I’m not a bastard, and I’m not afraid of anybody,” the PDP senator said.
Operatives of the Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos under the leadership of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Adegoke M. Fayoade, have arrested a suspected cult member and members of a human trafficking syndicate.
A statement by the Zonal Public Relations Officer, CSP Ayuba Ummah, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), stated that intelligence at the disposal of the AIG about the criminal activities, hideout and plans of suspected members of EIYE FRATERNITY terrorizing Ijebu-Ife axis of Ogun State led to the deployment of the Officer-in-charge of Zonal Dragon Squad II (ZDS-II) led by DSP Akeem Adeyemi and team for a discrete operation.
While noting that investigation is on-going and suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation, the statement detailed the situation and the process of arrest as follows:
“On 19/03/2025, the hideout of the said cult group was raided while planning an attack where one Orekoya Abayomi ‘m’ aged 54yrs was arrested as others escaped through nearby bush. He led the team to his residence where the following items were recovered:
1. One (1) locally made Single Barrel Pistol,
2. Six (6) Live Cartridges,
3. Twenty-One (21) Voter’s Cards with different names (suspected to be fake) and
4. One (1) Emerald Pump Action Gun with Breach No. 1335.
“Subsequently, a syndicate of human traffickers led by one Stella Edem operating in Ipaja/Ayobo area of Lagos State was bursted on the 22/3/2025, by Operatives of Zonal Intelligence Response Squad (ZIRS) led by SP Francis Kpoughul as they stormed their base at Command Meran Area of Lagos, where one Stella Edem ‘f’ and Susan Michael ‘f’ were arrested.
“Stella Edem ‘f’ confessed to the crime adding that she was introduced to one Anabel ‘f’ who is based in Mauritania by Rosemary Isaiah Otobong ‘f’ who has been prosecuted for the same offense and is currently serving jail term in the Nigeria Correctional Facility. She added that Anabel contracted her to recruit young girls below the age of 22yrs to be used as sex workers in Mauritania and that she is being paid *Fifty Thousand Naira (₦50,000.00k) as commission on each young girl sent to Mauritania. She confessed that among other girls she recruited is her 19 year old daughter citing that she has so far recieved over a total of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦500,000.00k) from Anabel.
“Her accomplice Susan Michael ‘f’ confessed to have being contracted by Stella Edem to recruit young girls to serve as domestic staff in Mauritania but upon questioning and further inquiries she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers hence she withdrew from the said bussiness adding that the only girl she sent to Stella Edem was rejected due to age and body size and it was at that point she felt something wasn’t right.”
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has congratulated the Muslim faithful on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fast, and called for sustenance of the spirit of sacrifice, which was exhibited during the holy month for Allah’s intervention in the affairs of the nation.
The Corps Marshal, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), stated this in his Sallah goodwill message to mark the end of the 2025 Ramadan fast.
Corps Marshal Mohammed maintained that Ramadan fast is one of the pillars of Islamic religion and a period of spiritual rejuvenation which makes it mandatory for Muslims to abstain from food and drinks during the daytime from dusk to dawn throughout the month. This he said nurtures the spirit of love, sacrifice and good neighborliness which should be sustained beyond the festivity in order to attain greater national cohesion, patriotic spirit and peaceful coexistence among the diverse people of the country.
While advising Nigerians to celebrate with care, the Corps Marshal stressed the need for motorists to display great patience, love and compassion for one another, not only during the Sallah celebration but beyond the festivity. He restated the commitment of the FRSC to provide safer road environment during the festive period, saying the massive deployment of officers and men across the commands to manage traffic along the major corridors, especially at the identified black spots is geared toward ensuring free and safe movement during the celebration and everyone must adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.
“I call on all Nigerians to join the campaign to make our roads free and safe not only during the celebration, but beyond it by avoiding speeding, overloading and use of one way,” the Corps Marshal stated
Shehu commended the personnel of the FRSC for the initiative and sacrifice they make in creating safer road environment despite the challenges posed by recalcitrant drivers who disobey traffic rules and regulations without consideration to others, reassuring them of Management’s commitment to initiating policies and programs that could address their welfare needs, especially in the area of improved working and living conditions; capacity development and regular promotion exercises in rewarding excellence.The Corps Marshal further expressed appreciation to the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the necessary logistics and moral support to inspire sacrifices among the personnel, saying Management will not rest in its oars in reciprocating the gestures through increased productivity and improved service delivery by the Corps,” he added
While praying Allah to guide and protect this nation towards peace, stability and development, the Corps Marshal enjoined all Nigerians to embrace the lessons of the Ramadan fast and work towards making the nation’s highways safe for all for enhanced socioeconomic activities.
“As the lead agency for road traffic management and safety administration in the country, the FRSC will continue to improve on its technological innovations for improved traffic management system in the country and everyone must recommit to the campaign to restore sanity to our roads,” the Corps Marshal said.
It would recalled that Eid el fitri celebration is the festival to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslims who embarked on the one month spiritual exercise during which they abstained from food and drinks as well as sexual intimacy from dusk to dawn. It’s also one of the periods of the year with heightened human and vehicular movements which necessitate special operations by the FRSC to ensure free and safe road environment for all road travelers throughout the holiday period.
In the event of a crash or any emergencies, members of the public are enjoined to call the National Emergency line: 122 or report directly to the studio of the FRSC National Traffic Radio, 107.1fm for prompt response.
