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Frank tackles British envoy over call for Nigerians to be proud of the presidential election

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A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Thursday challenged the UK as Nigeria’s former colonial masters to allow Nigerian develop at its own pace rather than telling them to accept outcome of an election that cannot be accepted in their own country.

A statement credited to the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had described the recent presidential and National Assembly democratic election in the country as fascinating.
She was quoted in media reports to have also called on Nigerians to be proud of the 2023 general election despite observed hiccups.

Frank chided the UK for encouraging corruption in Nigeria or telling Nigerians to be proud of an election that has been adjudged fraudulent by both local and international observers.

“UK as former colonial masters of Nigeria should allow Nigerians to develop at its own pace rather than telling them to accept what cannot be accepted in their own country.

Frank called on Laing to urgently apologize to Nigerians for apparently putting her stamp of authority on an election that has been adjudged fraudulent and having not been conducted in line with due process of law but with the selfish whims and caprices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He called on Nigerians to reject the call in its entirety, because it came from somebody who incidentally is not concerned about their welfare.

Frank said: “Our attention has been drawn to a tendentious statement credited to the outgoing UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing to the effect that “despite setbacks”, Nigerians should be “proud” of the recent Presidential and National Assembly elections.

“This statement coming from the representatives of the British Government in Nigeria could be described as an insult upon injury.

“We have waited for her to deny or dissociate herself from the media report that quoted her to have said Nigerians should be proud of an election where their wish was thwarted by INEC.

“But up till now, no such rejoinder has been published in the media nor the website of the UK High Commission in Nigeria.

“Nigerians have been robbed and you are telling us to be proud. The outcome of the election continues to make Nigerians bitter and angry because their mandate was stolen.. What aspects of the election does she wants Nigerians to be proud of?

“It appears that Laing is unaware that most local and international election observers including her counterpart in the U.S. and even Chatham House (a UK body) identified massive irregularities during the elections and faulted INEC.

“The Commission on its part admitted that it did not adhere to the Electoral Act 2022 and its own guidelines during the conduct of the elections. Yet she asks Nigerians to be proud of such a sham.

“A US Senator has called on the American President not congratulate the President-elect because of the highly compromised election process. Yet she says Nigerians should be proud.

“We dare say that it is because of appointees like Laing that UK has not been getting real facts about the true situation in Nigeria.

“Her comment during the visit to Lawan is a complete diplomatic fiasco bordering on total deviation from her brief as a diplomat.

“We call on her to immediately apologize to Nigerians over the highly unprofessional, undiplomatic and unfortunate remarks credited to her in the media.”

Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, insisted that Laing and officials like her are among those who encourage corruption in Nigeria by helping corrupt elements to warehouse their ill-gotten wealth in the UK to the benefit of the UK’s economy.

He said: “In the first place, her farewell visit to Lawan was not only misplaced but shows her condescension and support for illegality.

“This is a man who never contested the APC Senatorial primary election but was illegally awarded a ticket by the courts to return to the 10th Senate.

“Yet, Laing who has been in Nigeria and is abreast with all these issues of illegalities surrounding Lawan chose him as one of those derserving of her farewell visit.

“It is most unfortunate that Britain appears to condone and allow proceeds of crime from Nigeria to be invested in buying properties in their country but yet they will turn around to say Nigerians are corrupt.

“They are not afraid to enter the UK but scared to go to the US because they know their stand concerning proceeds of corrupt.

“America is stopping corrupt elements and cancelling their VISAs. Let the UK show a list of Nigerians looters they have banned from their country.

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Don calls for international appreciation of northern Nigerian Literature

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Professor Abel Joseph,
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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Professor of African and Post Colonial Literary Studies, Abel Joseph, has called for International Appreciation of Northern Nigerian Literature for global literary canonisation in view of its contributions to the literary world and historical antecedence.

The Don who is of the Department of English and Literary studies, Federal University Lokoja, disclosed this while delivering the 17th Inaugural lecture series of the university on Thursday in Lokoja.

Speaking on the topic: “Weaving the tapestry of northern Nigeria fictional imaginaries from the provincial to the pluriversal”, the professor described Northern Nigerian literature as a treasure trove of voices and narratives.

He said that in order for the Northern Nigerian literature to find its space within the global literary canon, there must be strategic, deliberate and sustained efforts in terms of collaborations involving authors, publishers, translators, educators, and policymakers.

He advocated for the introduction of Northern Nigerian literature and cultural studies into educational curricula of tertiary institutions if not nationally, at least in the Universities in Northern Nigeria.

“In practical terms, regional literature modules or Courses can be introduced and integrated into existing literature programmes in the Departments of English and Literary Studies.

“Through this, students would be exposed to works from the region to provide a richer perspective of what constitutes the Nigerian literature” Prof. Abel hinted.

He advocated Investments in translation initiatives or projects to make the literature accessible to a wider audience adding that translating works for indigenous languages can break down language barriers and enable global readership.

He also called for organization of literary festivals and events to encourage participation in international literary festivals, book fairs, and events.

“These platforms provide opportunities for authors to present their works and engage with imternational audiences and network with publishers, translators and fellow writers.

Prof. Abel Joseph also called fort the establishment of a Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies in Federal University Lokoja to midwife a project to canonize Northern Nigerian writers.

He stressed that the FUL could live up to the general and statutory expectations of a “Centre of Learning aware of, and vibrantly responding to emerging ideational values and their nuances for research, Pedagogy, and innovation.

“In this center, scholars can research on significant historical and archaeological aspects of Nigeria’s fast disappearing cultural ethos”, he said.

The Don held that the Center would further secure for the University that capacity for knowledge production and the possible canonisation of Northern Nigerian literary writers.

“Same in much the same instances that, for example, Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Nigeria (Nsukka), Benin, Obafemi Awolowo, have succeeded in canonising Nigerian writers like Achebe, Clark, Soyinka, Okigbo, Okpewho, Osundare, lyayi, Ojaide, and a host of others.

“It would help rein in other gifted but neglected Nigerian Writers from within the immediate valance of central Nigeria and beyond”, he said. (Ends)

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Food Crisis: Obi raises f alarm over terrorists, bandits effect

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The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 General election has expressed apprehension over looming hunger and famine acasioned by tye activities of bandits and terrorists. That have continued to deny farmers access to their farms

Obi who was reacting to publications and the international agency’s warning on the matter, said the alarm should be given adequate attention.

Writing on his X handle the LP standard bearer said “I just read on the daily this morning, about the concerns being expressed by stakeholders in our agriculture sector over the worsening food insecurity in Nigeria.
“I have remained consistent in public voicing out my worries over this growing food crisis, which has even continued to claim the lives of our fellow citizens.
“I do believe that the urgency required to address these issues cannot be over-emphasized.

“The report this morning reads, in part, “The number of food-insecure Nigerians increased significantly, from 66.2 million in Q1 2023 to 100 million in Q1 2024 (WFP, 2024), with 18.6 million facing acute hunger and 43.7 million Nigerians showing crisis-level or above crisis-level hunger- coping strategies as of March 2024.

“While the above report gives an understanding of the present and impending food crisis looming large on the nation, the present realities show that we are already in a worse situation than is presented in the report.

“An earlier similar report by Cadre Harmonise stated that about 31.5 million Nigerians are projected to face acute hunger by the June-August of this year.

“What is now very worrisome is that many Nigerians have lost their lives in their quest to find food, reflecting a very acute level of hunger not yet captured in the media. We are gradually descending to the level of the survival of the fittest, where, driven by hunger and a quest for survival, one loses every sense of order to do the unthinkable.

“With the recurrent bandits and terror attacks on farmers, many of them have abandoned their farms. It is reported that in a state like Sokoto, farmers have paid an accumulated sum of N3 billion in ransom to bandits, others pay as high as N100,000 to bandits to gain access to their farmlands. About 165 farmers have reportedly lost their lives to insecurity this year alone.

“It is, therefore, a matter of urgency, for the government to solve the problems of insecurity in the country. This will in turn reduce the problems of food insecurity when farmers safely return to their farms. A New and hunger-free Nigeria is Possible.

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Slain Soldiers: Tinubu at funeral, announces death benefits, scholarship for children

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President Bola Tinubu has led top government officials, including service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to the funeral rites for the soldiers gruesomely murdered in Delta State at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
At the commencement of the rites, prayers were rendered for the repose of the souls of the slain soldiers.
It would be recalled that 17 personnel, comprising four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in Delta state during a peace mission
Tinubu at Burial of Slain Soldiers
President Tinubu use the ocasion to confer national honours on the 17 slain members of the Nigerian Army who were killed in Delta State on March 14, 2024.

This was as he announced the provision of housing facilities for the surviving family members and scholarships for all their children to the university level.
He also directed the payment of death benefits to the family members within 90 days.
He announced these during the burial ceremony of the slain servicemen at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The President, who arrived the venue exactly 4:10pm, was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
State governors on his entourage include: Abba Yusuf (Kano), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Hope Uzodinma (Imo) and their Bayelsa State counterpart, Duoye Diri.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla were present to pay final respects to the fallen heroes.

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas led members of the upper and lower chambers to honour the slain military personnel.
The slain military personnel responded to a distress call after a communal land dispute when they were gruesomely murdered.
The beheaded corpses of the slain soldiers were later recovered from a neighbouring river, while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.

The Defence Headquarters later released the list of 17 military personnel killed in the attack.

The Defence Headquarters said 17 personnel including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion were killed.
Authorities in Nigeria have continued to condemn their brutal murder
Tinubu had described it as an attack on the nation and gave marching orders to security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the attack. The President also said the slain military personnel will be conferred with national honours.

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