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Voice of Emancipation: The Mirage of Nigerian Elections
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By Kayode Emola
If any country can be said to waste valuable resources in conducting elections, then most African countries would be high in the rankings, with Nigeria at the top of the list. And the agony of it all is that these elections, rather than highlighting the best of the best to rule the people, just recycle the same old men who wilfully destroyed the good fortunes of the country and brought development to its knees.
Many people like me born in the 80s or earlier witnessed the presidential election in 1993, the freest and fairest election seen in Nigeria. Voters didn’t have to be bribed to vote, and there was no secret ballot: every voter queued up behind their candidate and a tally was taken.
One would have expected that as technology has evolved, so also would the voting process, creating a seamless voting system that makes it easy for the electorate to choose their candidate. In Nigeria however, the reverse is the case: the voting system continues to be increasingly complicated, consequently disenfranchising millions of people and dispossessing them of their right and civic duty to elect their representatives.
The worst scenarios are those where a political party endorses a candidate who is a criminal. Rather than the government to stonewall this, it openly supports this criminality. This has a profoundly detrimental effect on the nation, yet we are all openly happy about it. No wonder Nigeria is the way it is.
How can we plant orange pips and expect to harvest apples? We cannot elect criminals and expect a harvest of good politicians. The place for criminals ought to be the prison, yet in Nigeria they are placed in government houses. People fear the armed robbers who attack us at night with guns, but cheer the day time robbers in the government houses who attack us with pen. Yet the latter are even more fearsome, for they steal not only our present but our future and that of our children and the children yet unborn.
The first and only election in which I ever participated as an INEC ad-hoc official was the 2011 elections and it cost the government over ₦97 billion. The turnout in that election was around 30%, with majority of ballot papers unused and wasted. Today, elections in Nigeria cost nothing less than ₦200 billion, with the outcome being only the production of the highest criminals in the country.
The election process could easily be simplified and digitised, increasing the numbers of people who have the opportunity to register and vote. However, the ruling class have their own agenda, so employ their manipulative skills to create obstacles for the electorate at every stage of the electoral process.
In the UK’s most recent local council elections, held in May of this year, I didn’t even remember to vote until about 9.30pm. I quickly picked up my voting card and went straight to my polling unit – 12 minutes’ walk or two minutes’ drive – to cast my ballot. I got there at about 9.43pm, just in time, as the polls close at 10pm, and within five minutes of my arrival, I had cast my vote for my preferred candidate. The whole process was entirely stress free, because the electoral system in the UK is designed to make voting a convenience rather than an uphill battle.
If we compare the Nigeria electoral system to other advanced systems of electioneering, one is led to wonder if the people ruling us are from an ancient civilisation in the midst of this world of modern technology. Successive governments have made it increasingly difficult for voters to participate in the country’s elections, thereby disenfranchising a lot of eligible voters.
Consider Australia, where, if you fail to vote, you will be fined $20 AUD (Australian dollars) for the first time, potentially increasing to $50 AUD for subsequent transgressions. We must therefore ask; how do they know those who have voted and those who have not? The simple answer is a better electoral setup ensures that eligible voters are captured by computer, from the comfort of their own homes.
One might also look at the UK, where there is nothing like a permanent voter’s card, yet elections are hassle-free, unlike Nigeria. Once a UK resident registers to vote in the local authority area in which they live, their details remain on the database. If you move house, you simply complete a form online stating your new address, and your details are automatically transferred to the relevant local authority area.
This stands in stark contrast to our experience: queueing up in the sun for days, with no guarantee of even being able to register to vote at the end of it, where voters are not given the opportunity to either register or pre-register for the voters’ card. The UK process does not require you begging to be registered or, as is true in in some cases, bribing officials to get you on the electoral register.
Given all these barriers to securing a voters’ card, not to mention the hassle of actually casting one’s vote in Nigeria, it is unsurprising that less than 20% of the population participates in electing the criminals who rule over us. One better way would be to create a system where people can register online, upload a photo and then collect their voter’s card from their local polling unit. However, politicians have a vested interest in retaining their offices, so endeavour to keep the voting system as obstructive as possible. In this manner, the electorate are dissuaded from taking part in the voting process, making it easier for those in office to manipulate the ballot.
Even though they are aware of this deliberate sabotage on the part of the Nigerian government, the Yoruba elders have failed to stand up for a better system, and instead have allowed this poison to infect us all. If care is not taken, we will eventually all be consumed. When we hear of votes in Nigeria elections being cast by citizens of Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon, know that these immoralities occur only because we have allowed it and continue to do so.
The eligible electorate is supposed to be comprised of those citizens of a country who are resident therein. Where they reside abroad, provision can be made for diaspora voting. People’s eligibility to vote ought to be based on their home address, however, as Nigeria has no means to verify who lives where, it is near impossible to ascertain if someone truly lives where they claim to.
As we step into a new dawn over Yoruba nation, we must improve the electoral process. An electronic system will enable everyone to register to vote from the comfort of their homes. Strict monitoring, potentially including the use of geo IP, will ensure that foreigners are not illegally participating in elections that are meant for citizens alone.
Above all, those who are criminals will be given their correct address: in prison, rather than the government houses. A wise king once said, righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach. If we don’t put those who engage in criminal activity in correct position – incarcerated – then Yoruba nation is fated to be even worse than Nigeria. We must all, therefore, do whatever we can to engender an environment where no eligible voter is disenfranchised of their civic duty. Those who seek to corrupt must be quickly weeded out before they pollute the entire system. By this, hopefully, we can then implement the advice of wise King Solomon and build a righteous nation that will benefit us all.
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US Lawmaker Weeps over Brutal Killing of Christians in Plateau
A United States representative, Anna Paulina Luna, has raised the alarm over what she described as the incessant attacks and killings of Christians across different communities in Plateau State by Fulani ethnic militia terrorists and Islamist extremists.
The US lawmaker, who made the allegations in a statement shared on her verified X account on Friday, accused both the state and the federal governments of not doing enough to protect Christians in the state from the regular attacks they suffer when the terrorists descend on the communities.
In a post titled, “What is happening in Nigeria right now?”, the US lawmaker lamented that thousands of Christians in Plateau were facing a mortal threat while security forces had struggled to contain the situation.
“Hundreds of Fulani ethnic militia terrorists descended on Christian communities across Plateau State.
“Thousands of civilians are under mortal threat while the Nigerian Army and security forces struggle to hold the line,” Luna wrote.
According to her, the attacks were preceded by a series of violent incidents targeting Christians and other civilians in the affected communities.
Giving some specifics, Paulina said a pastor and his church secretary were shot dead while they were on their way to church in the days leading up to the latest attacks, while five Christians were attacked in another incident while travelling in a vehicle.
“A pastor and his church secretary were shot dead on their way to church. Five Christians were ambushed in their car.
“A civilian guard was killed outside his own home. A man and his son were beaten and left in critical condition,” the lawmaker said.
The US representative also alleged that security agencies had never taken warnings and security alerts issued before the attacks seriously, questioning why they had not been followed.
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Food for Living: Pursue Passion More Than Profit (Pt. 2)
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Last week, we began discussing a grey and near-controversial topic, “pursue passion more than profit”. The topic cannot be exhaustive. Depending on who one is speaking to, different answers and understanding will be received because different things work for different people, and as they say, ‘different strokes for different people’.
It I worthy of note that a family man who is passionate about teaching or working in the non-profit space will be tempted to engage in business to feed his family. But someone with a stable financial background can afford to follow his passion and work as a teacher or in the non-profit space where the pay is not lucrative.
From a practical perspective, I currently work for the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. This is an agency that pays a good salary to the uniformed officers after they work for 51/2 years. In addition to the money they receive, there are countless hours of overtime, which doubles their income depending on how many hours they work. Some call it blood money because they can hardly get the same money in other institutions.
Why am I sharing this information? According to most of the officers; they basically work in the agency because of the money. Most of the officers are of the opinion that they can hardly make such money working in other private or public enterprises. The majority of these officers are not passionate about the job; they are just there to take care of their pressing bills. Some of them even have a timeline: they can work and then resign to start up their business or work in their areas of interest. This goes to tell you that they are trading their passion for profit, which is kind of work if looked at from a particular point of view, but then they are trading their joy and peace.
Let me share another example. In Nigeria, a popular artist, David Adeleke, aka Davido, is one man who followed his passion. This young man came from a wealthy background. He literally left generational wealth to sing. Many thought he was crazy. Davido’s father, billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, initially opposed his music career, but he eventually became fully supportive. Davido’s father went as far as having police shut down shows or arresting people involved when Davido left school in the US to pursue music in Nigeria. Due to his passion for singing, Davido had to fund his early career secretly and rebel against his family’s wishes before breaking through.
Once Davido achieved massive success and proved he could be successful in the industry, his father accepted his path and gave him his blessing. Davido once stated that despite making his own fortune, his billionaire father still surprises him with huge financial gifts, such as wiring him $300,000 after a major performance at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
I doubt that Davido would have become this famous if he didn’t follow his passion. Davido can be described as a man whose passion is stronger than power.
I had to share these two perspectives to give clarity on the relativity of passion and profit.
Let’s analyze the concept of passion and profit. If I may ask you, what is passion? What is profit? And what does passion and profit mean to you? According to Cambridge University, passion was defined as a very strong feeling, emotion, or deep enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. For example, someone can have a strong emotion or a powerful state of feeling like intense love, excitement, anger, or hatred for something or somebody.
Passion can also be a deep interest or hobby which gives someone a strong liking or enthusiasm for an activity, such as cooking, music, or sports. In romantic cases, it can be a romantic or sexual desire: An intense physical or emotional attraction toward someone. In the spiritual context, it can be understood as the Sufferings of Jesus: Historically and in a religious context, it refers to the suffering and death of Jesus Christ between the Last Supper and the crucifixion (the Passion of Christ).
Profit, on the other hand, is the financial gain that remains when total revenue from an activity or business exceeds the total expenses and costs incurred, according to Investopedia. There are different types of profit:
- Gross Profit: Revenue minus the direct cost of producing goods or services (COGS).
- Operating Profit: Gross profit minus day-to-day operating expenses, excluding interest and taxes.
- Net Profit: The final “bottom line” earnings left after all expenses, taxes, and interest are deducted.
Having given an overview of what passion and profit entail, let’s take a minute to understand the thin line between passion and profit. Just like authority is respected more than power, passion has more influence and is generally respected more than profit. No doubt, it’s good to make a profit in business, but in this context, I am referring to the human resource space or human capacity development
On the surface, people may respect someone for the money one has, but they will value a person who is more passionate about a cause than one who has money but does not believe in the message they are preaching. There’s a saying: human beings are more than money. Just like, it’s better to have a good name than to have money.
People generally follow a leader or someone who they can relate to rather than someone who gives them money but is careless about their feelings. One message I heard countless times from one of my revered mentors regarding my career was to pursue passion over profits. According to him, passion is stronger than power. He likened passion to a scenario where a woman loves a man who has less money compared to a man who has money but does not have the values and vision she represents. According to these sets of ladies, money is good, but love conquers everything because if tomorrow the money travels, the marriage is bound to hit a rock, compared to a scene where a lady loves a man for who he is and what he represents. Even when the money is out, the friendship will still thrive.
According to the opposing schools of thought, while passion is good, it is they also believe that hard work beats talent, especially when talent is not put to good use. So, even if one is passionate about a cause or has a talent that is yet to be developed, if one does not intentionally develop it, it will lie fallow. So, invariably, even if one is passionate about a cause, if they don’t have the strength to work on their passion, it’s advisable for them to focus on making money.
Here is my opinion: even though I subscribe to the position of focusing on or working for passion rather than for money, one must apply wisdom in navigating this tough terrain. One can decide to work for money and gather enough money to fund their passion because, at the end of the day, we all want to be happy, because happiness and fulfilment mean everything
In summary, while it is good to do what works for one and what is readily available, it’s imperatively important for one to strive for excellence and perfection, which can be found in passion.
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- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny and The Six Pillars of Success . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
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Police Detain Inspector over Ethnic Slur Against Igbo, Peter Obi
The Lagos State Police Command has commenced disciplinary action against an inspector following a viral video in which he was seen making disparaging ethnic remarks while travelling in a public vehicle.
The officer, identified as Inspector Osumah Frank, made what the Command described as “careless, inappropriate and uncultured remarks,” according to a statement issued on Friday, September 25, 2026, and signed by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi.
In the video, Frank, who was in police uniform, was heard making remarks about Igbo people and discussing the political ambitions of a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. He also made comments involving President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The inspector was further heard suggesting that police officers could collect money to frustrate a political candidate’s chances of succeeding.
Reacting to the video, the Command said the officer’s remarks were made in his personal capacity and did not represent the position or views of either the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against the officer in line with established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement said.
“It also wishes to make it clear that the statements made by the officer were made in his personal capacity and do not represent the position, views or official disposition of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force,” it added.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) Tijani Fatai, said police personnel are required to maintain professionalism and respect for members of the public at all times.
“All personnel are expected to maintain professionalism, civility, discipline and respect for members of the public at all times,” the statement quoted Fatai as saying.
He said wearing the police uniform came with a responsibility to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Force, adding that the Command would not condone any conduct capable of bringing the police into disrepute or undermining public confidence in the Force.
The Command reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and “policing with humility and integrity.”
The video, which circulated widely on social media from around September 23, had drawn criticism over the officer’s remarks, particularly those concerning Igbo people and his comments about police officers collecting money to frustrate a political candidate.
The police did not state the specific disciplinary measures being taken against Frank.






