Nigeria

By Abdullahi Yusuf Tela

Introduction 

In many societies, women are constantly reminded of their roles as wives and mothers. They are saddled with the responsibilities of producing and nurturing children and caring for the home. Over the years, however, women have embarked on a struggle aimed at affirming their identities while at the same time doing all they can to transform the societal, cultural, or traditional perceptions of their gender. Women are striving very hard to change these perceptions through education and by creating awareness.

Female writers have significantly helped by making the female characters in their works more prominent. They aim to have female characters that are powerful and outspoken. This is because women in most male writings are often illustrated as subservient. 

In 1966, Flora Nwapa broke the silence of women by publishing her first novel, Efuru, inspiring other female writers. These women used literature to explain the state of their societies, either good or bad, and the importance of female existence in society. These feminist writers include Zaynab Alkali, Buchi Emecheta, Mobolaji Adenubi, and Hilary Rouse-Amadi.

Notably, Azizah, like other female writers, has been able to outline the following feminist angles in her book, A Sackful of Wishes.   

Cultural Feminism:

Cultural feminism celebrates human attributes in women. It focuses on the feminist virtues by celebrating the positive sides of women. In A Sackful of Wishes of Azizah Idris M., Inna Binta, Hadiza’s mother, is a character who portrays aspects of cultural feminism. Inna Binta is a calm, reserved woman who faces a lot of tragedies as a new bride to Mallam Musa. She is hated and manipulated by her co-wife, Mairo Lauje. Inna Binta’s character shows a woman with patience despite the confrontations she faced from Mama Mairo. Cultural feminism believes that there is strength in a woman’s silence. They see the strength in women in the face of oppression. 

Hadiza’s mother, Inna Binta, could endure hardship from her co-wife or return to her parents. Binta remains strong even when Mairo Lauje makes her evil plot to charm her into never staying in Mal Musa’s house. 

Despite all the plots, Binta says, “It’s okay, I can do that . . .as long as she lets me stay with you. You are worth it.”

It is evident from the above quote that Binta, as being put in the cultural feminism, wanted peace for herself, her husband, and her children; that was why she heeded Mama Mairo’s deal. At this point, the cultural feminists view the mother’s strength as crucial. “Mothers have to be strong to take on both roles, loving, protecting, and counselling in turns” (Ngcobo 536).

Marxist feminism: 

The Marxist feminist approach propounded by Karl Marx is embedded in this work. The author portrays Hadiza Musa as someone who earnestly wants to earn for herself and feed her children. When she faces hunger, starvation and poverty, Hadiza immediately engages in a skilled job to take care of her children. She was into plaiting people’s hair and got an immense reward in cash. Hadiza becomes her own woman, independently sourcing and feeding herself and her children. 

It should be noted that Marxist feminists connect the oppression of women to social exploitation and oppression. A Sackful of Wishes by Azizah Idris M. majorly portrays an oppression of the female gender. According to Sotunsa, Marxist feminists believe that male domination is one of the societal ills, and gender oppression must be overcome to overcome societal ills. Hadiza resists the dominance of her husband, AR, whom society believes she needs to bow to. In the text, Hadiza says:  

“I want to start a business.” 

“I don’t have enough money, but I have skill in weaving hair. So, I’m going to start making people’s hair, I want your permission.” (129)

When her husband, AZ, decides to stop her, Hadiza says:

You can’t stop me, you know. You don’t feed me, nor clothe me, you don’t know how I buy my detergent or my body cream or provide the needs of Maahir. You just go out and come home. Some nights, you would try to come near me. Why do you think I got the money for those perfumes and creams that make me feel smooth and appealing to you? You either man up and hold on to your responsibilities or you let me start a business. (129)    

Fortunately for Hadiza, she wins the battle to make people’s hair after Umma Sala, Abdurrazak’s mother, intervenes.   

In portraying her bizarre situation, Hadiza was quoted as thus: 

I resorted to selling two of my wrappers from Mahir’s naming gifts to buy some foodstuffs since I was so heavy, I could not plait my customers’ hair at this stage. I found it difficult to sit for long. They did not sell for much. I saved some of the cash because I knew my situation, and I could need it anytime. I bought some spaghetti and vegetables. My sisters came to check on me the next day. We ate and chatted, and I even gave them some transport fare. Nobody would think things were amiss in my house. (141) 

Another portrayal of Marxist feminism in the text is in the character of Umma Sala, Abdurrazak’s mother. Umma is the boss of the house because her husband, Abdurrazak’s father, is not earning much, and she’s making money with her food business. 

As it turns out, Umma took over control of the house. With her business as a food vendor and other small businesses, whenever she did something in the house, she billed it to Baffa. Whether he had it or not, he would pay when he got some money. 

Radical Feminism: 

A Sackful of Wishes by Azizah Idris M. portrays richly a form of radical feminist approach. Radical feminists view society fundamentally as a patriarchy in which men dominate and oppress women. According to Shulamith Firestone, radical feminists seek to abolish the patriarchy in a struggle to liberate women and girls from an unjust society by challenging existing social norms and institutions. This struggle includes opposing the sexual objectification of women, raising public awareness about such issues as rape and violence against women. 

The central character, Hadiza Musa, exhibits a taste of radical feminism as a woman who mysteriously falls in love with a man so obsessed with her that Hadiza rebels against her husband’s oppressive behaviours. The radical feminism inked in the work portrays Hadiza as a woman who stays firmly and fights against starvation, rape, humiliation, and disrespect from her husband and, subsequently, his. Hadiza Musa rebels to the extent that she leaves her husband’s house several times out of her mother’s frustration and anger. 

Hadiza states that: 

I was fed up with my life. I was just twenty-five years old, but I had seen the difficulties of a sixty-year-old’s lifetime. I did not put on fancy clothes, nor did make-up appeal to me. I had forgotten how to laugh heartily, my soul was a wreck, my spirit in shambles. I was a walking time bomb waiting to explore. The things I bore in my chest were unimaginable. I had a sackful of wishes that I craved, that I needed to explore but could not do that because I was a coward. There, that’s it. (172)

Her rebellious act makes her stand tall against society, which tends to make her return to her horrible marriage. With the assistance of her brother, Yusuf, Hadiza can take the matter to court. She perseveres despite the intricacies of her husband, Abdurrazak, until she finally gets a favourable judgment dissolving the marriage.  

Conclusion

A Sackful of Wishes is one of the many texts that portray the difficulties, hardships, pain, angst, and oppression women experience in their marriages. It is one of the works that uses a feminist approach to fight for women’s freedom and free them from society’s shackles. 

Thus, it is evident from the text that there still exists a repressive and hostile environment against women. The text shows how young Hadiza faces and traverses through oppression and pain from her psychopath husband and his mother. 

Abdullahi Yusuf Tela wrote via abdullahiyusuftela@yahoo.com.

By Kabir Fagge Ali

Nigeria’s oil industry was recently thrown into chaos following disputes that erupted between Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group when the former accused the Dangote Refinery of producing substandard diesel and operating without proper licensing.

As stated by the NMDPRA, the diesel from Dangote’s refinery contained unsafe levels of sulfur, suggesting it was inferior to imported products. In response, Dangote countered these claims by presenting laboratory tests proving his diesel’s superior quality and compliance with international standards.

Dangote emphasised that the NMDPRA had previously accredited his refinery’s in-house laboratory, which added credibility to his defence—going ahead to criticise the reliability of the NMDPRA’s testing methods and called for an investigation into the standards of fuel testing laboratories in Nigeria.

During a visit by leaders from the House of Representatives, Dangote demonstrated the refinery’s production capacities and dismissed allegations of receiving special incentives. Industry analysts confirmed that although the refinery is in the pre-commissioning stage, it is already producing fuel.

This controversy brings to light critical issues surrounding energy security, monopoly, and the potential benefits to Nigeria’s economy as we understand the importance of energy security to national economic stability and development.

For Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, ensuring energy security is essential for economic growth, industrialisation, and the overall well-being of its citizens. Recent changes, such as removing fuel subsidies, have underlined the importance of a robust and reliable energy sector.

Energy security can be viewed through both long-term and short-term lenses. Long-term energy security involves investments that support sustainable economic development and environmental needs. Short-term energy security focuses on the immediate availability and affordability of energy.

It is often noted that energy security encompasses availability (geological), accessibility (geopolitical), affordability (economic), and acceptability (environmental and social) considerations. These address concerns related to the depletion of fossil fuel reserves and environmental impacts.

The Dangote Refinery represents a significant step towards improving Nigeria’s energy security. By reducing the country’s reliance on imported refined products, the refinery aims to enhance energy independence and stability. This shift is expected to alleviate some economic burdens, particularly in light of recent subsidy removals, as I mentioned before, that have led to increased fuel prices and higher costs of goods.

However, there are concerns about monopoly and regulatory oversight. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian government deserves a commendation for collaborating with the Dangote Refinery to address these challenges. Nevertheless, the government and the Dangote Group must work together to ensure that the benefits of this refinery extend to Nigerian citizens.

The Government should ensure that this collaboration includes fair pricing agreements and transparent operations, ensuring that the refinery’s products are affordable and accessible to the populace. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the removal of the subsidy has led to a decline in economic growth, with the country’s GDP contracting by 1.92% in the first quarter of 2023.

The Dangote refinery is a welcome development for Nigeria’s energy security. The refinery, which is expected to be one of the largest in Africa, will have the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels of refined petroleum products per day. This will significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, thereby reducing the country’s energy costs and increasing its energy security.

Energy security is a critical component of Nigeria’s economy, and the Dangote refinery is a step in the right direction. By reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products, the refinery will help to conserve foreign exchange, reduce the pressure on the naira, and increase the country’s GDP.

Furthermore, the refinery will create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and increase government revenue. However, the Dangote refinery’s dominance in the Nigerian energy market has raised concerns about an energy monopoly.

The NMDPRA has expressed concerns about the refinery’s potential to dominate the market, leading to a lack of competition and high consumer prices. Aliko Dangote has countered that the refinery will increase competition and reduce prices, as it will provide an alternative to imported petroleum products.

Despite the concerns about energy monopoly, the Nigerian government and Aliko Dangote have agreed to collaborate to ensure that the refinery benefits the Nigerian economy. The government has provided incentives and support for the project, while Dangote has committed to ensuring that the refinery operates transparently and competitively.

While the Dangote refinery is a significant development for Nigeria’s energy security, the country still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Nigeria needs to diversify its energy sources to include renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower.

This will reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce its carbon footprint, and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Although concerns about energy monopoly need to be addressed, the collaboration between the government and Dangote is a positive development. However, Nigeria must diversify its energy sources to include renewable ones to ensure a sustainable energy future.

Kabir Fagge Ali, a youth corps member with PRNigeria Centre, wrote via faggekabir29@gmail.com.

By Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi

In every society, old age is a phase of life that carries a certain gravity, a reminder of the inevitable passage of time that each of us must face. Seeing an elderly person struggling with tasks that once came easily to them can evoke a deep sense of empathy and respect. 

It is a poignant reminder that no matter how strong or capable we may be today, the years will eventually catch up with us all. This awareness has shaped my interactions with the elderly, fostering a profound respect for them, regardless of their status or achievements. 

When I see an elderly man striving to complete a task that his body can no longer manage, it fills me with quiet sorrow, not because of his struggle alone, but because I recognise that one day, I, too, will face similar limitations. It is this awareness that guides my actions. If an elderly person asks me to stop doing something, no matter how important it may seem, I will stop. Not out of fear but out of respect for the years they have lived and the wisdom they have gained.

This respect for the elderly is not just about acknowledging their age but understanding the value of their experience. They have seen more of life than we have, and their words often carry the weight of that experience. Disregarding their counsel or disrespecting them is not only unkind but short-sighted. It ignores the fact that one day, we, too, will seek the respect and kindness of those younger than us.

Recently, I came across a disturbing video of Sarkin Gobir, a respected elder, who had been subjected to unimaginable cruelty by bandits. The sight of this old man, who had lived through so much, being treated with such brutality shook me to my core. It wasn’t just his status as a leader that made the situation so tragic, but his age. The mere fact that he was an elderly man should have been enough to shield him from such violence. Yet, these bandits failed to see the old age in him, or perhaps they saw it and chose to ignore it, driven by their evil.

When I later heard that Sarkin Gobir had passed away, my heart was heavy with sorrow, not only for his death but for the fate of those who wronged him. They had deprived an old man of his dignity in his final days, and in doing so, they had invited darkness upon their souls. Without Sarkin Gobir’s forgiveness, they are condemned to live with the weight of their actions. And indeed, peace will elude them for the rest of their lives, for they have committed an unforgivable sin against a man who should have been revered, not harmed.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of treating the elderly with the respect they deserve. We are all moving towards that stage in life; how we treat those already there will reflect on us when our time comes. If we are harsh and unkind, we cannot expect to be treated differently when we reach old age. But if we show respect, kindness, and understanding to the elderly, we pave the way for our future, ensuring that we will be treated with the same reverence when our hair turns grey and our steps grow slow.

In conclusion, the reverence of old age is not just a societal expectation but a moral imperative. The elderly have earned our respect through their years of life, and we must honour them for who they were and who they are now. We must remember that we are all on the same path, and one day, we will be the ones relying on the kindness and respect of others. Let us hope that by respecting the elderly today, we will secure the same respect for ourselves in the future.

Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi wrote via prof4true@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for Civil Servants met on Friday to discuss the new minimum wage template and concluded that the effective date for implementation would be July 29, 2024.

This decision was outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) issued after the meeting in Abuja, which was seen by our correspondent.

The Committee, led by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, also recommended that the wage award, which had been discontinued by the government, should be paid up to July 28, 2024.

In explaining the decision, the Committee noted that the government considered the country’s economic situation before finalizing these recommendations.

The MOU stated the need for the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to create appropriate salary templates for other salary structures.

It further stated that the Federal Government should take measures to alleviate the challenges faced by workers due to the recent increase in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), including considering tax waivers and other incentives.

However, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have criticized the decision to backdate the implementation of the new minimum wage. Benson Upah, Head of Information for the NLC, described the move as unfair and unacceptable.

Timmy Etim, the National Vice President of the TUC, expressed disappointment.

He recalled that the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had promised workers on May Day that the new minimum wage would take effect from May 1, 2024, and said it was unfair for the government to change that commitment.

“The government should have stayed true to its word. Deviating from May is already questionable, but backdating it to July is particularly unfair given the economic challenges,” Etim stated.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is focused on delivering tangible results and making a positive difference in the nation’s infrastructure, food and energy security, education and long-term economic stability.

At a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, the President emphasised that he is not in office for personal gain but to serve the country.

”I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” the President, who was a former senator, told the meeting after a session of banters and handshakes with former parliamentary colleagues.

The meeting was attended by 16 former presiding officers, including former senate presidents, former speakers of the House of Representatives, former deputy senate presidents, and former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Gombe State Internal Revenue Service’s weekly training, with the aim of strengthening staff members for service delivery, is taken to heart.

The training, which is a weekly activity in the service, is well-received by the staff members. Their dedication and submissiveness during the training are quite commendable.

The Gombe State Internal Revenue Service, focusing on improving staff efficiency through consistent training, is indeed second to none.

These sessions, led by the Human Resources and Intelligence Department, seem to be making a significant impact on the staff’s commitment and performance. The continuous dedication to training will probably enhance the overall service delivery in the state.

By Nura Jibo

In March 2020, Thwaites, the world’s biggest and riskiest glacier (moving ice) in Antarctica—bigger than Borno, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Gombe combined—broke away due to climate change warming the water beneath it.

The impact of the meltdown of this moving ice, which raised the sea level by 0.05% in March 2020, caused a catastrophic flood disaster globally that brutally affected towns and villages such as Magarya, Hadejia, Ringim, Dabi, Auyo, Kafin Hausa, Miga, etc.

The Thwaites (moving ice) is already on the verge of total collapse because its outflow speed has doubled in the past 30 years. Every year, it loses 50 billion tons of its body mass into the oceans and eventually inside the rivers and dams (NERC, 2021).

Within ten years (2009 to 2019), the Thwaites’ melting accelerated, making it change direction at a speed greater than 10 kilometres per annum. Its tongue, or rather ice tip, had already lost its integrity via melting, which made it weaker due to the effect of climate change.

In 5-10 years, the rapid melting of the Thwaites would swamp vast areas of troughs and low-lying coastal and drylands around the world, including Borno, Jigawa, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Benue, within a few decades (Jibo et al., 2020; Fred, 2024).

On December 13, 2021, and February 15, 2023, a group of American Geophysical Union and British scientists met at a global conference to discuss this catastrophic climate change disaster in Antarctica that affected the world’s oceans, rivers, and seas very terribly. They concluded that the Thwaites would most likely collapse within the next five years. Their reason is that this glacier “sheds billions of tons of ice into the ocean, contributing about 4% to the annual sea level rise.”.

Indeed, the total collapse of the Thwaites in the next five to ten years is a recipe for a global, unprecedented disaster that could wipe away several cities, towns, and villages, including the Vanuatu Islands and Pacific and African dryland states such as Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, and Benue, to mention a few.

If the Thwaites collapse and melt completely, the sea level will rise by two feet. This would wipe out several regions and damage several countries worldwide.

Certain islands across the globe, such as the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and the Maldives, would be completely wiped off of the map (Henry, 2023). 

Nonetheless, this isn’t the only thing that would happen if Thwaites collapsed. Changes in ice-shelf flooding would increase an unprecedented flow rate of 120 kilometres of underwater mountains.

As of today, climatologists and meteorologists have envisaged that the melting of this glacier would also likely destabilise the structure of the entire earth’s crust, not only its surrounding glaciers and ice shelves but also causing the global sea level to rise by an additional ten feet. 

Indeed, scientists at the AGU, Yale School of the Environment, and NERC that are conducting a study on Thwaites said that the glacier “is hanging on by its fingernails” and humanity needs to prepare themselves for the coming years (Henry et al., 2023). 

Therefore, as humanity commiserates with the entire people of Maiduguri over the early warning signs of the Thwaites along Nigeria’s drylands, it is very likely that it has already passed a point of no return unless there is drastic intervention. As Fred (2024) asserted elsewhere, “It is too late to prevent its collapse, but others say we could have 200 years. But it certainly could be beyond its tipping point, and we have to be prepared.”

The Thwaites climate change paradox:

It is a scientific fact that a polluted cloud doesn’t rain itself. It tends to grow bigger, and in the end, it bounces sunlight out to space. The effects of fossil fuels and terrible human activities in industries have caused global air pollution and depleted the ozone layer very badly. This singular man-made negative contribution to the planet has caused mankind to make a huge mistake in driving home environmental pax Africana and global environmental regeneration (Jibo, 2024).

Indeed, Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, and Benue will struggle to cope with the torrential rainfall runoff that will engulf the entire River Gongola through the River Benue via Opalo and Imburu, passing through Kiri, Mada, and up to Jigawa along the Bare and Sabara tributaries.

A map obtained from the Google Earth platform has shown some “promise” over this interesting water body mass run-off.

The other three paradoxical impressions given by the Thwaites are as follows:

The shattering of the ice.

Ocean melting.

Losing grip on seamount.

According to Pettit et al. (2021), there are already signs of fractures propagating along weak zones of the Thwaites. This is aggravated by the melting down of the seabed due to warming, and the entire ice could be gone by 2030 or even before that time.

Nura Jibo MRICS has been a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Designated Contact Point (UN-DCP) on Climate Change for 14 years.

By Uzair Adam

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has dismissed reports that it has reinstated the previously suspended cybersecurity levy on banks.

The levy, which mandated Nigerian banks to collect and remit a 0.5 percent charge to the National Security Adviser’s office, was suspended earlier this year following a directive from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Despite the suspension, rumors surfaced suggesting that the CBN had reintroduced the levy. In response, the apex bank clarified the situation in its recent Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade, and Exchange Policy Guidelines for the 2024-2025 fiscal years.

The circular, published on September 17, emphasized that the cybersecurity levy, suspended in May 2024, remains inactive.

The CBN also addressed other misrepresentations of its policy document, noting that some media reports incorrectly linked past policy positions to current circumstances.

The bank reiterated that the guidelines should be seen as a compilation of previous policies up to December 31, 2023, and not as new directives.

The CBN reassured the public that it would continue to offer clear policy guidance for the benefit of Nigeria’s economy and urged media outlets to verify information before publication.

By Uzair Adam

Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first Non-Interest Bank, has been recognized as the 2024 Global Most Promising Islamic Bank by the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA).

During the Global Islamic Finance Summit and awards ceremony held in the Republic of Maldives, Jaiz Bank outshined two other nominees in the same category to win the prestigious award.

Professor Humayon Dar, Chairman of GIFA, stated that Jaiz Bank was chosen after a thorough evaluation based on multiple criteria set by the GIFA Awards Committee.

The bank was recognized for its exceptional growth potential, innovation, and financial performance, which helped reinforce its leadership in the industry.

Haruna Musa, Managing Director/CEO of Jaiz Bank, expressed his appreciation upon receiving the award.

He noted that the recognition in accordance with the bank’s strategic vision to become one of Africa’s top non-interest financial institutions in the next five years.

He also revealed that Jaiz Bank had previously won GIFA’s Most Improved Islamic Bank Award in 2020 and 2021.

The Global Islamic Finance Awards, known for celebrating excellence and innovation in the Islamic finance sector worldwide, remains one of the most prestigious honors in the industry.

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD

Nigerians appeared to have tried several options without a glimmer, so the option to try the youth is now gathering momentum. This call comes at the heels of the ten days of the recent controversial protest. Two other options were weighed during this protest: military takeover and alliance with Russia.

 Nigeria’s (or even African) history didn’t support the clamour for a military takeover. In the 64 years since Nigerian independence, military rule (according to my arithmetic) lasted 31 years, but at best, the military—once seeming the panacea—didn’t proffer any solution.

In another desperation to find the nexus, some protesters fly Russian flags. One interpretation of this antics is that they want Nigeria to cut any ties with the U.S. and most of Europe by proposing a shift of alliance to Russia. According to this argument, Western economic policies haven’t benefited Nigeria, so perhaps a different geopolitical alignment will.

However, aligning with Russia, an equally extreme approach, is not guaranteed to yield better outcomes. Has this group of protesters heard about the Scandinavian Economic Model? This model seeks to strike a balance between the capitalist extremes of the U.S. and the state-centred economies of Russia, offering a suitable middle ground for us. Instead of Russian flags, these protestants might have flown those of Sweden, Finland, or Denmark.

The search for a better headway began in 2015 when Nigerians, for the first time, voted for a leader based on integrity and record antecedent, putting aside money, politics, and tribal loyalties to some extent. However, by the end of President Buhari’s first term, the public began to have second thoughts. After his two terms, something unthinkable happened: many staunch supporters turned critics, and now, a year into Tinubu’s presidency, the failure of seasonal veterans is sealed, hence fueling the growing clamour for young leaders.

This urge for youth takeover is a more realistic option. The youths have become tired of being used and “dumped.” given that most of those who vote are youths, they now want to take a leading role by floating a political party exclusive to the youth.

The youth proponents argue that the youth have energy, time, and health. To boot, youth leadership is characterized by pressing the button; their hands are always close to the button, just waiting for a slight opportunity to press it.

This argument came to the forefront during f-PMB leadership, when he appeared to be going too slow, hence nicknamed Baba go slow; one of my friends opined that Nigeria then was in dear need of young leaders’ vitality, speed, and urge to get us out of the mud. According to my friends, a young leader would have made several decisions faster in tune with the situation and public yearning.

However, there is a crack in the foundation; one problem with youth is unity and cooperation; we always find that we want to help fellow youths whenever the need arises. Several youths aspire to different positions in this country, but the first people to boycott them are fellow youths; it will be their fellow youths who begin to mock them. This is a similar dilemma the women face. Women worldwide decry exclusion, but when a fellow woman tries to compete with men, it would be the fellow women that bring them down. This internal counterproductivity must be addressed for the current movement to get hold.

In addition, those who side with veterans criticize youth leadership with haste, which often leads to regret; this category argues that sound decision-making comes from experience—something older leaders have in abundance. They believe leadership is a process, not an event, and that wisdom is forged through trial and error.

 By and large, if the current movement sees the light of day, to slow down the haste and reduce mistakes, please let the old guards deputize the new crops.