News

Chinua Achebe will weep for Nigeria today – Peter Obi

Published

3 years ago

October 1, 2023

Trends Admin

Peter Obi

Chinua Achebe will weep for Nigeria today – Peter Obi

…assures that there will be a Country

THE Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25th general election, Peter Obi has predicted that there will be a country, in reaction to the saying of the literary sage, Prof. China Achebe in one of his novels ‘There Was a Country.

But noted that if Chinua Achebe was to come to Nigeria today, he would weep bitterly for his country as comparatively, there was really no trouble with Nigeria four decades ago when the iroko of literature, Achebe wrote the book, *The Trouble With Nigeria*. “If Achebe was alive, he would have taken back the book. When he wrote it, there was no trouble. Now, there is real trouble in Nigeria.”

Addressing the audience inside the Arthur Lewis Auditorium, the venue of the occasion, The Chinua Achebe International Symposium and 10th Anniversary Memorial Celebration organized by The Chinua Achebe Foundation and African World Initiative anchored by the very able Professor Chika Okeke-Agulu, Director Programme in African Studies, Princeton University, New Jersey, United States, the former governor of Anambra State characteristically drew factual comparisons to drive home *the fact* that though Achebe was spot on in identifying Nigeria’s troubles as leadership-induced, the globally celebrated writer of *Things Fall Apart* would weep bitterly today if he came back to observe how far his dear country had deteriorated after 40 years of his warning for positive change.

Obi described Achebe, who incidentally taught him the English Language in his first year at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as a man whose works defined him as one imbued with communal awareness to put in great efforts to better the society.

Mentioning Achebe’s protagonists in his books, from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, through those of Arrow of God, Man Of The People, and so on, the LP standard bearer impressively summarised the characters in the books as sacrificing whatever it took, including their lives, to better the lots of their people.

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“This much he generously exemplified in the case of Okonkwo, who would not cave into the trampling on his cultural heads, but rather got deeply infuriated when the strings that held them together were cut in places, thereby letting in ‘mere anarchy’ upon the world, meaning beyond Umuofia. Take this home, a little scoop of palm oil and all five fingers of a hand are sure to get smeared. Obi drove home his point in categorizing Achebe as a man for the well-being of the people and society.

Obi re-echoed Achebe’s stance that _the problem of Nigeria is simply a failure of leadership. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, of the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership_ … Obi re-emphasized his unchanging belief that Nigeria’s problem is the cumulative effect of leadership failure over the years.

Obi in the usual way of buttressing his position with statistics, recalled that “40 years ago, university professors in Nigeria earned a monthly salary of N1,200 when the Naira exchanged at about $1.6. So, that was about $2,000. And that then brand new popular Corolla vehicles and Peugeot cars sold at between N4000 and N5000. “It meant that any university professor could decide to save his three months’ salary to purchase a brand new of those brands of car. Today, such brands cost as much as N38 million …and the same professors earn N400,000 per month. It will take the same professor eight years of saving every dime earned to be able to purchase the same brand of vehicle.”

“Forty years ago a million Naira was valued at $1.6 million. Today same amount is valued at just $1000. Even though our great father, Achebe would weep at the realities today, he was very right about leadership being the issue. Our country has been bedeviled by corruption. Stealing public money has left us where we are today.

“People say that fighting corruption is not easy but it is very easy. If you are in charge and you are not stealing, your wife is not stealing, your children are not stealing, those working with you will not have any reason to steal and you must have reduced corruption by over 50 percent.” Furthermore, he stressed that

“We can start thinking of a new Nigeria with competence, and capacity that is committed to fighting corruption. Is it possible to fight corruption? The answer is yes!”

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Obi recalled how as governor, he met a state that was ranked 27th out of the 36 states of Nigeria in Education but that with conceited efforts through handing schools over to missions and pumping funds into the sector to ensure every conducive atmosphere of learning, his state moved from that position to first and stayed there until he left office.

He also recalled how his administration cleared over N35 billion backlog of pensions and gratuities he inherited and never owed salaries, pensions, gratuities, and contractors and still left behind over N75 billion before vacating office. PO was clearly emphasising that with leaders of proven integrity, capacity, and competence Nigeria would come out of her trouble, the trouble the great man identified four decades earlier before departing three decades later.

Obi regretted that Achebe was left with the lamentation of a failed nation clearly expressed in his last book, *There Was A Country.* “So painful but I like to assure us Nigerians that There Will Be A Country. A country where leaders will be who they claim to be. A country where leaders will be of known identities, known parentage, where schools they claimed to have attended and certificates obtained would be accurately verified,” he concluded with the auditorium erupting in prolonged cheers.

While Obi dwelt on The Trouble With Nigeria, other notable speakers in the globally screamed event before him included HRM Igwe Onyido of Ogidi; Richard Joseph, Emeritus John Evans Professor of International History and Politics., Northwestern University; Toyin Falola and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities, University of Texas at Austin; Sonia Sanchez, Poet, Writer, and Professor; Chika Unigwe, Professor of Creative Writing at Georgia University; Obiora Udechukwu, Emeritus Dana Professor of Fine Arts, St. Lawrence University; HE Abena, P.A. Busia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ghana to Brazil, Professor Emerita, Ruthers University; Simon Gikandi, Class of 1943 University Professor of English, and Chair, Department of English, Princeton University; Anthonia Kalu, Professor of Cooperative Literature, African Studies, University of California-Riverside; Mr Oseloka H. Obaze, an author and Former Secretary to Anambra State Government.

Chinua Achebe will weep for Nigeria today – Peter Obi

News

MURIC Blasts Nigeria Over UNGA Stance on Palestine, Netanyahu

Published

9 hours ago

September 26, 2026

Trends Admin

MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Blasts Nigeria Over UNGA Stance on Palestine, Netanyahu

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has launched a scathing criticism of Nigeria’s conduct at the 2026 United Nations General Assembly, accusing the Federal Government of failing to give the Palestinian crisis the attention it deserves.

MURIC said Nigeria’s failure to include the Palestinian question in its position paper, coupled with its decision not to join countries that walked out during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address, was deeply regrettable.

The group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the allegations in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

MURIC described Nigeria’s performance at the international gathering as “shocking, woeful, deplorable and despicable,” arguing that the country should have taken a stronger position on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

According to the organisation, Nigeria failed to include the Palestinian question in its position paper presented during the UN General Assembly on Thursday, September 24.

The group further alleged that Nigerian delegates declined to join 77 other countries whose representatives walked out of the General Assembly chamber during Netanyahu’s speech.

MURIC: Gaza crisis cannot be ignored

MURIC said Nigeria’s position was particularly disturbing against the backdrop of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the international legal controversy surrounding Netanyahu.

“Bearing in mind the universal notoriety of the Israeli Prime Minister, the fact that he is now an international criminal who has been declared wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the horrendous crimes against humanity committed by Israel against the people of Gaza, we consider Nigeria’s performance at the international event as shocking, woeful, deplorable and despicable,” Akintola said.

The organisation also cited casualty figures which it said showed the scale of the devastation in Gaza.

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MURIC stated that more than 73,922 Palestinians had been killed, while about 174,995 others had been wounded.

The group said Gaza’s medical facilities had been stretched beyond their limits, while large parts of the territory had suffered extensive destruction.

According to MURIC, women and children constitute a substantial proportion of those affected by the conflict.

Food, water, electricity crisis

The Islamic rights organisation also raised concerns about what it described as prolonged shortages of essential supplies in Gaza.

MURIC alleged that Palestinians had endured shortages of food, water, fuel and electricity, with children and pregnant women among those affected.

The group further claimed that homes were still being demolished and that children in Gaza had been deprived of normal access to education.

“The people of Gaza had no food, no water, no fuel and no electricity for months. Children and pregnant women are among the Palestinian victims deprived of essential facilities. As we speak, hundreds of Gaza homes are being demolished. Gaza children cannot go to school,” the statement said.

‘Hold Nigerian government accountable’

MURIC called on Nigerians who are concerned about justice and human rights to scrutinise the Federal Government’s position on the Palestinian issue.

The organisation urged Nigerians to demand explanations for Nigeria’s diplomatic decisions at the United Nations, particularly its decision not to participate in the walkout during Netanyahu’s address.

“We charge Nigerians who believe in justice, fairness and the interconnectivity of humanity to hold the current government of Nigeria accountable for smearing the image of our great country, for mortgaging its future and for hobnobbing with capitalist imperialists who are bent on oppressing poor nations of the world,” Akintola said.

The group also called on Nigeria’s human rights community to publicly speak out over the country’s position on Palestine.

MURIC urges human rights groups to speak up

“We urge the Nigerian human rights community to speak up on Nigeria’s regrettable stance on the Palestinian question,” the statement added.

MURIC’s criticism comes amid continuing international debate over the war in Gaza, the humanitarian situation in the territory and the diplomatic positions adopted by governments at the United Nations.

The organisation maintained that Nigeria, as one of Africa’s major diplomatic powers, should pay greater attention to issues of civilian protection, human rights and the Palestinian question when taking positions at international forums.

MURIC Blasts Nigeria Over UNGA Stance on Palestine, Netanyahu

News

Keyamo: ₦70,000 Minimum Wage No Longer Enough as Cost of Living Soars

Published

23 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Aviation, Featured Keyamo

Keyamo: ₦70,000 Minimum Wage No Longer Enough as Cost of Living Soars

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has acknowledged that Nigeria’s ₦70,000 national minimum wage is no longer sufficient for workers to cope with the rising cost of living.

Keyamo made the statement at the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit, organised by XEM Consultants Limited in Abuja, where discussions focused on workers’ welfare, remuneration and the economic challenges confronting Nigerians.

The minister said economic pressures had substantially weakened workers’ purchasing power, making it necessary to consider an upward review of wages.

He urged the Federal Government and organised labour to find common ground in their ongoing discussions over workers’ pay, saying the government should meet labour “midway” rather than allow disagreements over the size of a proposed increase to stall negotiations.

Keyamo, who previously served as Minister of State for Labour and Employment, recalled the negotiations that led to the increase in Nigeria’s minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 in 2024.

According to reports of his remarks, he argued that the present wage was no longer sufficient to absorb the economic pressures facing workers.

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The minister’s comments came amid renewed pressure from organised labour for improved wages and measures to reduce the impact of rising living costs.

Reports indicate that labour representatives have cited figures as high as ₦500,000 in current discussions on a new minimum wage. The figure has been reported as a labour demand or opening position rather than an agreed new wage.

The debate is also taking place ahead of the expected review of the current wage framework. Reports from the summit said the current minimum-wage cycle, following reforms reducing the review period from five years to three, is due for review around 2027.

Keyamo also raised concerns about government spending priorities, particularly situations in which workers allegedly struggle to receive basic allowances while substantial resources are approved for official international trips.

He stressed the importance of workers to national productivity, arguing that the economy and government cannot function effectively without them.

Also speaking at the summit, Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero reportedly argued that the real value of workers’ earnings should be measured by their purchasing power rather than the nominal amount printed on their pay slips.

Ajaero called for salaries and pensions to be linked to inflation or a cost-of-living index, arguing that such a mechanism would allow workers’ incomes to respond more directly to changes in the prices of essential goods and services.

The labour leader also called for government intervention to cushion workers against the impact of higher food and transportation costs.

The latest statements from Keyamo and labour leaders have renewed attention to the gap between Nigeria’s ₦70,000 statutory minimum wage and the cost of meeting basic household needs, as preparations for another wage review gather momentum.

For many Nigerian workers, the emerging wage debate is increasingly centred not simply on the amount stated on their monthly pay slip, but on what that income can actually buy amid rising prices.

Keyamo: ₦70,000 Minimum Wage No Longer Enough as Cost of Living Soars

Entertainment

Jetour Takes Adventure Beyond the Road, Brings Solar-powered Borehole to Ibeju-Lekki community

Published

23 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Trends Admin

Jetour Takes Adventure Beyond the Road, Brings Solar-powered Borehole to Ibeju-Lekki community

Jetour Nigeria has taken its SUV adventure beyond the asphalt, combining a high-octane convoy through some of Lagos toughest coastal trails with a humanitarian intervention that delivered clean, reliable water to the people of Iwerekun Orile, Ibeju Lekki.

The automaker’s 2026 Africa Expedition last Saturday turned into more than a showcase of automotive power and off-road capability as the convoy of eight Jetour models arrived at the Roman Catholic Mission Primary School, Iwerekun Orile, to commission a new solar-powered borehole for the community.

The convoy, comprising the Jetour Dashing, X50, X70 Plus, X90 Plus, T2, T2 PHEV, X70 PHEV and flagship G700, departed Falomo Square, Ikoyi, after a road safety briefing by the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Escorted by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the convoy moved through Victoria Island and beyond the city’s urban landscape before tackling difficult stretches of the Coastal Highway.

The demanding terrain, characterised by swampy sections, rocks and uneven trails, provided an opportunity for the vehicles to demonstrate their off-road capability and endurance.

But beyond the adventure and display of automotive technology, the expedition took on a more significant purpose when the convoy arrived at the Roman Catholic Mission Primary School, Iwerekun Orile.

There, Jetour Nigeria commissioned a new solar-powered borehole, providing the school and surrounding community with access to clean and reliable water.

The intervention was greeted with excitement as schoolchildren, traditional leaders, farmers and market women turned out to welcome the visitors with cultural performances.

Jetour also distributed food items to households in the community, while pupils received books and refreshments.

A representative of Jetour Nigeria, Kemi Adeola, said the initiative reflected the company’s belief that its activities should extend beyond automobiles to making a positive difference in the communities it reaches.

“This is where adventure meets purpose,” Adeola said. “Our mission doesn’t stop at building capable vehicles; it lives in our pledge to drive tangible progress and touch the hearts of the communities we reach.”

The community’s traditional leader, High Chief Michael Oluwa, described the water project as an unprecedented development in the history of Iwerekun Orile and pledged that residents would protect and maintain the facility.

The head teacher of the school, Mrs Ariyike Bakre, also expressed gratitude to Jetour, describing the intervention as a lifetime gift to the school and community.

“This is my first time seeing a solar-powered borehole,” Bakre said, adding that the facility would make a significant difference to the children and residents.

She thanked Jetour for making it possible for the community to witness the commissioning of the project.

The expedition later ended at a beach lounge, where the drivers, organisers and participants relaxed over food, music and entertainment.

For Jetour Nigeria, however, the significance of the expedition extended beyond conquering difficult terrain. It demonstrated how an automotive adventure could be linked to community development, leaving behind not only memories of a demanding road trip but also a lasting source of clean water for Iwerekun Orile.