Digital Artworks and NFTs on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

NFT of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR of Nigeria minted on the Algorand blockchain.

Price: 100ETH

Digital animation version price: US$20, 000.

The Algorand Foundation held an event in Abuja last week for Nigerian developers.

The digital artworks by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, who has been featured in local and International art exhibitions in Nigeria and Japan since 1983.

He was the curator of the first Art Against AIDS Exhibitions in Nigeria in 1993 held at the National Museum and National Arts Theatre in Lagos where all his artworks were sold. 

He is the author of "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: My Eyewitness Account of the 2015 Presidential Election" and other books distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers.

His new books include, "Barack Obama and the American Dream" and "The Political Phenomenon of President Muhammadu Buhari".

He is currently producing the "Lagos in Motion" documentary film since 2016.

He met President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was invited to his birthday in 2001 as the Governor of Lagos State at the Lagos State House on the Marina, Lagos.

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#President
#PresidentTinubu
#Buhari
#Nigeria
#America
#Obama
#NigerianDream
#AmericanDream
#presidentialelection 
#books
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#documentary

Speech By Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria

Africa: Speech Delivered by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria on 27 May 2023 at Abuja, Nigeria PRESS RELEASE

Speech Delivered by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria on 27 May 2023 at Abuja, Nigeria

The African Development Bank was ranked last year by the Washington D.C.-based Center for Global Development as the “Best Multilateral Development Bank in the World”

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 30, 2023/ -- PROTOCOLS Your Excellencies, I wish to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his personal invitation to me to attend the ceremonies for the swearing-in of the incoming President-elect, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Congratulations Mr. President on Nigeria’s 7th consecutive democratic transition. Congratulations to the incoming President and Vice President. I wish to thank the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chairman, and members of the Presidential Transition Council, for inviting me to speak at this inauguration lecture for the incoming President of Nigeria. It is such a great honor, to share my views and perspectives, as the nation gets ready to have a passing of the baton between H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari, and the incoming-President, H.E. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is your turn! I wish to congratulate you Mr. President for your stewardship of Nigeria for the past eight years. Thank you very much for all your strong support for me, as President of the African Development Bank Group. Without your strong support for me in 2015, and then in 2020, I would not have been President of the African Development Bank. There is a saying that “anyone that is sent on an errand must come back and report to the one who sent him or her.” Mr. President, you sent me on an errand, and I am here to give you a report. I am pleased to let you know that the African Development Bank was ranked this year by Publish What You Fund as the “Most Transparent Institution in the World.” The African Development Bank was ranked last year by the Washington D.C.-based Center for Global Development as the “Best Multilateral Development Bank in the World”. Dear Mr. President, as you leave, you can take pride that the mission for Africa is being well executed. I wish to congratulate the incoming President, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who will take over the mantle of stewardship of Nigeria tomorrow. I am delighted that my very dear friend and brother, President Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya was invited to deliver the inauguration lecture. He was a great leader for Kenya. I am sure he must be wondering why there are two Kenyans on the same panel. Well… I lived in Kenya for close to ten years. I remember, one day when then President Goodluck Jonathan visited Kenya and I accompanied him as a minister, as the two Presidents were introducing members of their delegations, President Jonathan said, “Meet Dr. Adesina, Minister of Agriculture”, to which President Kenyatta responded, “Yes, Adesina is the Kenyan on loan to Nigeria as Minister.” We all laughed! Thank you, President Kenyatta, for your incredibly insightful and excellent speech. Your Excellencies, The election of a new President always elicits hope. Nigeria will be looking to you, as President Tinubu, on your first day in office, with hope. Hope that you will assure security, peace, and stability. Hope that you will heal and unite a fractious nation. Hope that you will rise above party lines and forge a compelling force to move the nation forward, with inclusiveness, fairness, equity, and justice. Hope that you will drastically improve the economy. Hope that you will spark a new wave of prosperity. And hope must be brought to the present, as hope deferred makes the heart grow weary. Your Excellencies, The starting point must be macroeconomic and fiscal stability. Unless the economy is revived and fiscal challenges addressed boldly, resources to develop will not be there. No bird can fly if its wings are tied. Nigeria currently faces huge fiscal deficits, estimated at 6% of GDP. This has been due to huge federal and state government expenditures, lower receipts due to dwindling revenues from export of crude oil, vandalism of pipelines and illegal bunkering of crude oil. According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, Nigeria now spends 96% of its revenue servicing debt, with the debt-to-revenue ratio rising from 83.2% in 2021 to 96.3% by 2022. Some will argue that the debt to GDP ratio at 34% is still low compared to other countries in Africa, which is correct; but no one pays their debt using GDP. Debt is paid using revenue, and Nigeria’s revenues have been declining. Nigeria earns revenue now to service debt—not to grow. The place to start is to remove the inefficient fuel subsidies. Nigeria’s fuel subsidies benefit the rich, not the poor, fueling their and government’s endless fleets of cars at the expense of the poor. Estimates show that the poorest 40% of the population consume just 3% of petrol. Fuel subsidies are killing the Nigerian economy, costing Nigeria $10 billion alone in 2022. That means Nigeria is borrowing what it does not have to if it simply eliminates the subsidies and uses the resources well for its national development. Rather, support should be given to private sector refineries and modular refineries to allow for efficiency and competitiveness to drive down fuel pump prices. The newly commissioned Dangote Refinery by President Buhari—the largest single train petroleum refinery in the world, as well as its Petrochemical Complex—will revolutionize Nigeria’s economy. Congratulations to Aliko Dangote for his amazing $19 billion investment! Your Excellencies, There is an urgent need to look at the cost of governance. The cost of governance in Nigeria is way too high and should be drastically reduced to free up more resources for development. Nigeria is spending very little on development. Today, Nigeria is ranked among countries with the lowest human development index in the world, with a rank of 167 among 174 countries globally, according to the World Bank 2022 Public Expenditure Review report. To meet Nigeria’s massive infrastructure needs, according to the report, will require $3 trillion by 2050. According to the report, at the current rate, it would take Nigeria 300 years to provide its minimum level of infrastructure needed for development. All living Nigerians today, and many generations to come, will be long gone by then! We must change this. Nigeria must rely more on the private sector for infrastructure development, to reduce fiscal burdens on the government. Your Excellencies, Much can be done to raise tax revenue, as the tax-to-GDP ratio is still low. This must include improving tax collection, tax administration, moving from tax exemption to tax redemption, ensuring that multinational companies pay appropriate royalties and taxes, and that leakages in tax collection are closed. However, simply raising taxes is not enough, as many question the value of paying taxes, hence the high level of tax avoidance. Many citizens provide their own electricity, sink boreholes to get access to water, and repair roads in their towns and neighborhoods. These are essentially high implicit taxes. Nigerians therefore pay the highest ‘implicit tax rates’ in the world. Governments need to assure effective social contracts by delivering quality public services. It is not the amount collected, it is how it is spent, and what is delivered. Nations that grow better run effective governments that assure social contracts with their citizens. Your Excellencies, We must rebalance the structure and performance of the economy. A very common refrain in Nigeria, with every successive government, is “We need to diversify the economy.” But is it so? The economy of Nigeria is one of the most diversified in Africa, with the oil sector accounting for only 15% of the GDP, and 85% is in the other sectors. Nigeria’s challenge is not diversification. Nigeria’s challenge is revenue concentration. This is because the oil sector accounts for 75.4% of export revenue and 50% of all government revenue. The solution, therefore, is to unlock the bottlenecks that are hampering 85% of the economy. These include low productivity, very poor infrastructure and logistics, epileptic power supply, and inadequate access to finance for small and medium-size enterprises. Nigeria must also shift away from import substitution approach to export-focused industrialization. Nations do not thrive through import substitution; they thrive from export-bound industrialization. Your Excellencies, For faster growth, Nigeria must decisively fix the issue of power, once and for all. There is no justification for Nigeria not having enough power. The abnormal has become normal. Nigeria’s private sector is hampered by the high cost of power. Providing electricity will make Nigerian industries more competitive. And it is not brain surgery. Take two examples: Kenya and Egypt. With the support of the African Development Bank, Kenya, under President Kenyatta, was able to expand electricity access from 32% in 2013 to 75% in 2022. What an incredible achievement within 10 years! Today, 86% of Kenya’s economy is powered by renewable energy. And in one project—the Last Mile Connectivity Project—the Bank’s support allowed Kenya to connect over 2.3 million poor households to electricity—that is over 12 million people provided with affordable connection to grid power. In 2014, Egypt had electricity deficit of 6,000 megawatts, but by 2022 it had 20,000 megawatts of surplus power generation capacity. Amazing! I commend the Government of Nigeria on the recent commissioning of the several power projects. But there is still much to do. Nigeria should invest massively in renewable energy, especially solar. The African Development Bank is implementing a $25 billion Desert-to-Power program to provide electricity for 250 million people across the Sahel, including the northern parts of Nigeria. Your Excellencies, For inclusive development, Nigeria must completely revive its rural areas. Nigeria’s rural areas are forgotten and have become zones of economic misery. To revive and transform these rural economies, we must make agriculture their main source of income, a business and a wealth creating sector. To be clear, agriculture is not a development sector. Agriculture is a business. The development of Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones will transform agriculture, add value for agricultural value chains and attract private sector food and agribusinesses into rural areas. Special agro-industrial processing zones will help turn rural areas into new zones of economic prosperity and create millions of jobs. The African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development are currently supporting the implementation of a $518-million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones’ program in 7 states and the Federal Capital Territory. We are ready to help expand this to every state in the country. We are equally ready to help revamp agricultural lending institutions to help modernize the food and agriculture sector. Your Excellencies, The best asset of Nigeria is not its natural resources; Nigeria’s best asset is its human capital. We must invest heavily in human capital to build up the skills Nigeria needs to be globally competitive, in a rapidly digitized global economy. We must build world class educational institutions, and accelerate skills development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as in ICT and computer coding, which will shape the jobs of the future. Your Excellencies, There is an urgent need to unleash the potential of the youth. Today, over 75% of the population in Nigeria is under the age of 35. This presents a demographic advantage. But it must be turned into an economic advantage. Nigeria must create youth-based wealth. We must move away from the so-called “youth empowerment programs”. Youths do not need handouts. They need investments. The current banking systems do not and will not lend to the youth. Special funds, while palliative in approach, are not systemic and are also not sustainable. What’s needed to unleash the entrepreneurship of the youth in Nigeria are brand new financial ecosystems that understand, value, promote and provide financial instruments and platforms for nurturing business ventures of the youth at scale. The African Development Bank and partners including Agence Francaise de Developpement and the Islamic Development Bank launched the $618 million I-DICE program to develop digital and creative enterprises. They will create 6 million jobs and add $6.3 billion to Nigeria’s economy. Your Excellencies, The African Development Bank is currently working with Central Banks and countries to design and support the establishment of Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks. These will be new financial institutions, run by young, professional, and highly competent experts and bankers, to develop and deploy new financial products and services for businesses and ventures of young people. Several African countries plan to establish Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks. Nigeria should establish the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank. Your Excellency, Mr. President-elect, Nigeria’s economy needs to soar! You have an opportunity to make history. History by building a resurgent Nigeria. A united and prosperous Nigeria. It is Nigeria’s turn! I wish you all the best for success. May God bless—and help you. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). SOURCE African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

VIDEO: FOR THE RECORD: FAREWELL SPEECH BY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

FOR THE RECORD: FAREWELL SPEECH BY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

My fellow Nigerian brothers, sisters and friends of Nigeria.

2. I address you today, in my last assignment as a democratically elected President of our great and well-endowed nation, with a deep sense of gratitude to God, a great deal of appreciation to the Nigerian people and a modest sense of fulfilment.

3. Today we mark and celebrate another peaceful transition of power from one elected government to another in our steady march to improve and sustain Nigeria’s democracy.

4. This year we witnessed the most keenly contested Presidential Elections since the first Republic and this demonstrates that our democracy is getting better and more entrenched with each election.

5. We must as a nation improve and sustain gains we make in the electoral process, on an incremental basis for Nigeria to take its rightful place among Nations.

6. Our democracy provides for, allows and encourages seeking redress for perceived injustices, enabling some candidates and political parties that did not agree with the results to go to court.

7. Irrespective of the outcome of the various cases, I urge all parties involved to accept the decision of our courts and join hands to build a better Nigeria.

8. I salute the doggedness and resilience of all the Presidential Candidates and their political parties for believing in our judicial system by taking their grievances with the election results to court.

9. In the course of the campaigns, we had argued and disagreed on how to make Nigeria better but we never disagreed or had any doubts that Nigeria has to be better.

10. As your President, I call on all of us to bring to bear the strength of our individualism, the power of our unity, the convictions of our beliefs to make Nigeria work better and together with one spirit and one purpose.

11. To my brother, friend and fellow worker in the political terrain for the past ten years - Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu -, I congratulate you on the realisation of your dream, which was propelled by a burning passion to put Nigeria amongst the leading nations of the world.

12. You have indeed worked for this day and God has crowned your efforts. I have no doubt that your passion for excellence, reliance on competence, fairness in relationships, commitment to equity, loyalty to the country and desire for Nigeria to be globally relevant would come through for you, under God’s guidance, as you lead our country to levels higher that I am leaving.

13. You are the best candidate among all the contestants and Nigerians have chosen well.

14. The last eight years have been an exciting experience in my desire and commitment to see a Nigeria in which public goods and services are available, and accessible within a united, peaceful and secure nation.

15. Fellow Nigerians, on the strength of your overwhelming support for me and my political party, I started this journey with a great deal of promise and expectation from you. I never intended to be just politically correct but to do the correct things that will make meaningful impact on the lives of the common Nigerian.

16. This high expectation was not misplaced because, like the ordinary Nigerian, I had grown tired of watching the country progressively moving away from the path of correctness.

17. To ensure that our democracy remains resilient and our elected representatives remain accountable to the people, I am leaving behind an electoral process which guarantees that votes count, results are credible, elections are fair and transparent and the influence of money in politics reduced to the barest minimum. And Nigerians can elect leaders of their choice.

18. We are already seeing the outcome of this process as it provided an even playing field where persons without any political God-Father or access to money defeated other well-resourced candidates.

19. The Nigerian economy has become more resilient due to the various strategies put in place to ensure that our economy remained afloat during cases of global economic downturns.

20. You would all recall the supply chain disruptions and economic downturn that the world witnessed between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deftness of our response to the pandemic still remains a global best practice.

21. Furthermore, we increased the ability of the poor and rural Nigerians to earn a living, provided more food for millions in our villages and gave our women opportunities to earn a living.

22. Young men and women in urban centres were also supported to put their skills into productive use. Our administration also provided an enabling environment for the private sector to engage in businesses for which their return on investments is guaranteed.

23. The private sector proved a strong partner in our drive to build a resilient and sustainable economy as evidenced by the growing number of turn-key projects in various sectors of the economy.

24. In the course of revamping the economy, we made some difficult choices, most of which yielded the desired results. Some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which I sincerely apologised to my fellow countrymen, but the measures were taken for the over-all good of the country.

25. Mindful of the need to ensure adequate infrastructure to drive economic growth, we completed age-long projects and processes notably amongst which are the Petroleum Industry Act, completion of some power projects, completion of the second Niger bridge and various important roads linking cities and states.

26. Our battle to ensure that all Nigerians live in a safe and secure environment has achieved considerable results. As I complete my term in office, we have been able to reduce the incidences of banditry, terrorism, armed robbery and other criminal activities considerably.

27. To sustain the gains made so far, I call on all Nigerians to be more vigilant and support the security agencies by ensuring that our values defined by being your brothers’ keeper govern our actions.

28. Up-till now, I still grieve for our children still in captivity, mourn with parents, friends and relatives of all those that lost loved ones in the days of the senseless brigandage and carnage. For all those under unlawful captivity our Security Agencies are working round the clock to secure their release unharmed.

29. Fellow Nigerians, you know how dear the desire in my heart is, to rid the country of corrupt practices that had consistently diminished our efforts to be a great country.

30. I did pursue this commitment relentlessly, in spite of the expected push back. I am happy that considerable progress had been made in repatriating huge sums of money back to the country and also taken over properties illegally acquired from our common wealth.

31. To improve service delivery, we began the implementation of a number of reforms aimed at producing an Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-oriented (EPIC) Federal Civil Service and the results are beginning to show.

32. On the international scene, Nigeria’s influence continues to grow as exemplified by notable Nigerians occupying headship and leadership positions in renowned global bodies.

33. Our democracy is built on and continues to thrive on the principles of separation of powers. The leadership and members of the National Assembly deserve my appreciation for their patriotism which did not detract from their roles as a check to the executive arm.

34. I also want to use this opportunity to express my appreciation to a good number of Nigerians who provided their support and encouragement to help me navigate the exciting journey in moving Nigeria forward.

35. I cannot and will not forget the millions who prayed for me during my illness in my first term of office. I am constantly praying for you and for Nigeria to thrive in peace.

36. As I retire home to Daura, Katsina State, I feel fulfilled that we have started the Nigeria Re-Birth by taking the initial critical steps and I am convinced the in-coming administration will quicken the pace of this walk to see a Nigeria that fulfils its destiny to be a great nation.

37. I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015.

38. I thank you all. And may God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election, published by Lulu and Amazon.

There is an Epidemic of Stupidity in Nigeria

In the House of Stupidity

Stupidity is: instead of addressing the national emergency of medical doctors going on strike nationwide, the President, Vice President, President-Elect,  Governors, opposing presidential candidates Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi among the legions of other Nigerians were celebrating and salivating over the ego trip of a young female celebrity chef breaking the Guinness Records for cooking for 100 hours and then gloating over her sexuality; when Americans were celebrating the unprecedented historic academic achievement of LMU valedictorian, Obioma Somtochi Ugorji, the young Nigerian student  who emerged as the 2023 best-graduating student of Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, USA. It is good Peter Obi has congratulated him.

Every achievement deserves celebration, but it is stupid to be dancing when your house is on fire. 
Will a mother abandon her child having seizure in ER to go and cook for a birthday party?

There is an epidemic of stupidity in Nigeria from the street to the Office of the President.
After "In the House of Dogs", the title of one of my new books should be "In the House of Stupidity".

There is widespread of cases I call Illogical, Irrational and Unreasonable Mentality (IIUM) among the majority of Nigerians, because as you can see from the abnormalities of the last general elections and banalities of the people, they have issues with being logical, rational and reasonable in their behaviours. 
Common sense is not common in Nigeria.

Majority of the artistes who were jumping on the bandwagon of the "Obidients" political movement of Peter Obi before the presidential election on February 23, were in Abuja on Thursday May 25 celebrating and performing at the Renewed Hope live concert for the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu after collecting millions of naira.

#Nigeria
#President
#Vicepresident
#presidentelect
#governor
#doctors
#strike
#celebrity
#chef
#elections
#presidentialelection
#Februsry
#May
#Buhari
#Tinubu
#PeterObi
#Atiku
#Obidients
#stupidity
#dogs

#books

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

New Nigeria on Pinterest

www.pinterest.com/nigeriansreport

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

Video: President Muhammadu Buhari commissions the Dangote Refinery

 

President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR commissioned the Dangote Refinery at Ibeju Lekki, Lagos on Monday, May 22, 2023.

It is Africa’s biggest oil refinery and the world's largest simple-train refinery.

1. It is located in Ibeju, Lagos, Covering a land area of approximately 2,635 hectares.

2. World’s Largest Single-Train 650,000 barrels per day Petroleum Refinery with 900 KTPA Polypropylene Plant.

3. The Refinery is powered by a 435 MW Power Plant.

4. At full capacity, it can meet 100% of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products and also have surplus for export.

5. Designed for 100% Nigerian Crude with flexibility to process other crudes.

6. Self-sufficient marine facility with ability for freight optimisation. Largest single order of 5 SPMs anywhere in the world.

7. Diesel & gasoline from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications.

8. The refinery design complies with World Bank, US EPA, European emission norms and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms.

9. It incorporates state-of-the-art technology.

10. It is designed to process large variety of crudes including many of the African Crudes, some of the Middle Eastern Crudes and the US Light Tight Oil.

11. About 65 million cubic metres of sand dredged, costing approximately €300 million, using the world’s largest dredgers.

12. Over 1,200 units of various equipment were bought to enhance the local capacity for site works.

13. Dangote Group bought 332 cranes to build up equipment installation capacity.

14. Also built is the world’s largest granite quarry to supply coarse aggregate, stone column material, stone base, stone dust & material for break water (10 million tonnes per year production capacity).

15. In a bid to bring over dimensional cargoes close to the site directly, Dangote Group had to developed a port and constructed two quays with a load bearing capacity of 25 tonnes/sq metre.

16. Constructed two more quays in the port with a capacity to handle up to Panamax vessels to export, two quays to handle liquid cargoes.

17. The port will have 6 quays, including a roll-on/roll-off quay.

18. In the course of the civil works, 700 piles were drilled on some days, with total number of piles up to 250,000.

19. It has 177 tanks of 4.742 billion litres capacity

20. Dangote is one of the few companies in the world executing a Petroleum Refinery and a Petrochemical complex directly as an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor.

21. Training of 900 young engineers in refinery operations abroad. Mechanical Engineers trained in the GE University in Italy. Process engineers trained by Honeywell/UOP for six months.

Nigeria Daily: There is No Life Insurance Policy in Nollywood

 https://twitter.com/nigeriadaily/status/1658099965514661890?t=1oEgRQxxtcd8rGZ5ipGPSw&s=09

The last time I signed a contract as an actor with insurance was in 1996 for a Nigerian action movie. Segun Arinze, Regina Askia, Emeka Ike and other top actors were in the cast.

I have written and published an article on the importance of insurance policy for Nollywood.

Ibinabo Fiberesima addressed it during her tenure as the President of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). But I have not heard about it again.

There are no regulations for professional contracts for the cast and crew by both the AGN and Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN). So, they don't have any insurance policy.

There is too much opportunism in Nollywood and disregard for professionalism. And the opportunists feel offended and upset when you ask for professional ethics in the Nigerian film industry.

-  Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,

Why Corruption Cannot Stop in Nigeria

Majority of Nigerians don't mind if their government is corrupt as long the President, governors and other public officials share the loot.
They call it You Chop, I Chop.

That is why corruption cannot stop in Nigeria.

Incorruptible people are the most endangered species in Nigeria.

Read my book, "In the House of Dogs" to see how corruption became the popular lifestyle of majority of Nigerians.

It is distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers.

See The 100 Most Influential People of 2023: TIME100

Time Magazine

See The 100 Most Influential People of 2023 | TIME100

Source: time.com

Published: April 2023

All people in this work:

Ali Wong - Actor

Angela Bassett - Actor

Aubrey Plaza - Actor

Austin Butler - Actor

Colin Farrell - Actor

Drew Barrymore - Actor

Jennifer Coolidge - Actor

Jerrod Carmichael - Actor

Ke Huy Quan - Actor

Lea Michele - Actor

Michael B. Jordan - Actor

Natasha Lyonne - Actor

Pedro Pascal - Actor

Shah Rukh Khan - Actor

Zoe Saldana - Actor

Kylian Mbappé - Athlete

Lionel Messi - Athlete

Patrick Mahomes II - Athlete

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter - Entertainer

Doja Cat - Entertainer

Steve Lacy - Entertainer

Bella Hadid - Model

Padma Lakshmi - Self

Thom Browne - Self

Wolfgang Tillmans - Self

Joe Biden - Other

Happy Birthday President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

 

Happy Birthday to His Excellency, President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,the cofounder and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the national ruling party of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He holds the highly esteemed traditional leadership titles of the Asiwaju of Lagos and the  Jagaban of Borgu kingdom in Niger State, Nigeria.

We wish you many happier returns for the day with all thanksgivings to Almighty God for beautiful long life and more prosperity.

Cheers!

"Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's feats are bold and exceptional; from business to governance and politics ... a true hero of democracy, a light that cannot be concealed!" - Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, 8th Assembly, House of Representatives, Abuja

"Asiwaju Tinubu has become a political pillar and leader, not only in Yoruba land but in Nigeria." - Gov. Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State (2003-2006 & 2014- ), Ado-Ekiti

"Asiwaju's pragmatism in politics are his very good sense of judgment in identifying and nurturing exceptional leaders. Tinubu's leadership role is a guide to the young and old." - Vice President-Elect Kashim Shettima, Governor of Borno State (2011-2019) , Maiduguri.

Asiwaju Tinibu was the 12th Governor of Lagos State from May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007.

On his assumption of office as Governor of Lagos State in 1999, Asiwaju Tinubu inherited a state that was practically bankrupt. The country’s commercial nerve centre was one of the worst victims of the previous one and a half decades of military dictatorship and neglect.

Public infrastructure had disintegrated abysmally. Delivery of social services had collapsed in virtually all sectors. The environment was in chaos as Lagos was routinely described as one of the dirtiest cities in the world. The state was largely dependent on insufficient financial allocations from the centre as she lacked the capacity to generate adequate revenue internally to meet her numerous challenges.

The public sector was demoralized and ill-equipped, psychologically and logistically, to effectively perform its functions and achieve set objectives. While the citizenry was alienated from the state and thus demotivated from paying taxes or the ones they paid being stolen making the state technically bankrupt, the organized private sector had little or no incentive to partner with the government in meeting the immense developmental challenges of the Mega City.
Assembling a team of accomplished technocrats, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration drew up a Ten-Point Agenda, which it began to systematically implement for the re-vitalization and re-invention of the state. The total budget size of Lagos State at the inception of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration in 1999 was a little over N14 billion,  while the state’s Internally Generated Revenue was approximately N600 million monthly. Yet, the monthly public sector wage bill was N800 million. The implication was that Lagos state was entirely dependent on allocation from the Federal Government, which was grossly insufficient to meet the huge challenges of re-building a state that had been neglected and allowed to decay for over two decades since the federal capital was moved to Abuja in 1991.

Eight years later under Asiwaju’s astute guidance, Lagos had become financially viable and autonomous of the federal government; lives and property had become more secure; public infrastructure was being aggressively modernized and expanded; there had been a dramatic improvement in the quality and efficiency of public health care, education, the environment, water supply and public transportation; Lagos was attracting new investment in diverse sectors on a daily basis despite the depressing national economic climate.

 The new Tinubu Square.

Lekki - Ikoyi Link Bridge.

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration from inception drew up a clear and focussed Action Plan for the state in conjunction with critical stake holders including the Organized Private Sector, civil society groups and the public service. The result was the evolution of the Ten-Point Agenda focussing on Education, Health care, Job creation/poverty alleviation, Power and water supply, Public transportation/Traffic management, Physical Planning/Environmental renewal, Infrastructure renewal, Justice/Law and order, Food security and public sector reforms.

Tinubu’s visionary adminisration re-structured the machinery of government creating new ministries such as Housing, Physical Planning Sports and Youth Development as well as Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for more effective policy implementation. Asiwaju Tinubu brought seasoned and accomplished technocrats into government as Commissioners and Special Advisers in their areas of expertise. Through meticulous planning and disciplined implementation, the Asiwaju Tinubu Administration grew the budget size of Lagos State from N14.200 billion in 1999 to N240.866 billion in 2007. It is significant that at no time under Tinubu’s stewardship did budget implementation performance fall below 60%. In a similar vein, the Tinubu Administration consistently maintained an annual budgetary ratio of at least 60-40% in favour of Capital over Recurrent expenditure to ensure rapid infrastructure development.

The futuristic Eko Atlantic City under construction on Victoria Island.

A first class financial strategist, Asiwaju Tinubu, through creative and innovative financial engineering, took Lagos from a yearly Internally Generated Revenue of N14.64 billion in 1999 to N60.31 billion in 2006. By March 2007, the state had achieved a monthly Internally Generated Revenue of N8.2 billion.

This impressive revenue performance achieved by the Tinubu Administration in Lagos State did not happen by chance or luck. It was due to carefully thought out and effectively implemented policies such as the introduction of the Electronic Banking System/Revenue Collecting Monitoring Project, computerization of the revenue collection process, introduction of Electronic Tax Receipts, re-organization and professionalization of the former Board of Internal Revenue now the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, tax administration reforms and the creation of robust data base of tax payers.

Lagos State under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu became a pace setter in sound and innovative public sector financial management. In September, 2002, for instance, Lagos State was the first government in Nigeria to raise funds from the Capital Market for infrastructure development. This was in recognition of the fact that long-term funds were necessary for long-term projects. The state raised a N15 billion Floating Rate Redeemable to prosecute such development projects as roads construction, millennium housing, water works, construction and rehabilitation of courts, waste management projects and millennium class rooms among others. The bond has since been fully redeemed and other states and even the federal government have copied the Lagos State model. Again, in 2003, the Tinubu Administration invested N3.84 billion in Celtel (now Airtel) and by the time the state divested from the company in 2006, a surplus of N19 billion had been reaped, which was invested in the provision of infrastructure. As a result of its financial ingenuity, prudence and discipline as well as extensive public sector reforms for improved service delivery, the lasting legacy of the Tinubu Administration in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007 are still there for all to see.
They include:
Massive roads construction, dualization and modernization across Lagos State such as Kudirat Abiola road, Oregun; Awolowo road, Ikoyi; Akin Adesola road, Victoria Island, Adeola Odeku road, Victoria Island; Agege Motor road; Ikotun-Igando road; Yaba-Itire-Lawanson-Ojuelegba road; LASU-Iba road, Ojo; Ajah- Badore road, Eti-Osa; Oba Sekumade road, Ikorodu; Adetokunbo Ademola road, Victoria Island and the ongoing expansion and modernization of the Lagos-Epe Expressway as the largest concessioneering project of its size and compexity in Africa among several others.

Reconstruction and upgrading of the Lagos Island Central Business District including the modernization of 16 roads in the area and the historic Tinubu square.

Upgrading of the buildings and facilities at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to world class grade; expansion and rehabilitation of old General Hospitals in Lagos, Gbagada, Epe, Isolo, Ikorodu, Badagry, Agege and the Island Maternity; building of new General Hospitals at Mushin, Shomolu, Ibeju-Lekki and Isheri-Iba as well as upgrading of existing health centres to full fledged hospitals at Ijede, Ketu, Agbowa and Agege among others.

Provision of free health services for children under 12, the aged above 60 and free ante-natal care for women; Free eye screening, eye treatment, eye surgery and provision of free eye glasses popularly known as ‘jigi Bola’, free treatment for maleria, tuberculosis and leprosy, free Limb Deformity Corrective Surgery, free Cleft-Lip Corrective Surgery and the introduction of the Quarterly Eko Health Missions that provides free medical services including free heart surgeries to local communities.

Elimination of mountains of refuse that used to deface and disgrace Lagos through the introduction of community-based Private Sector Participation (PSP) in refuse collection and disposal, expansion and modernization of land –fill sites, construction of Transfer Loading Stations, establishment of waste-to-wealth facilities in Ikorodu as well as re-organization, modernization and re-equipping of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

Massive construction of new drainage channels as well as the creation of Drain Ducks as well as the Emergency Flood Abatement (EFAG) to clear existing drains and respond to flooding.

Rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools in all Divisions of the state through the Schools Rehabilitation Programme, massive construction of school furniture and equipping of laboratories; provision of free education in all public primary and secondary schools including payment of WAEC/NECO fees as well as all internal examination fees to ensure that indigent children do not drop out of school.

Construction of 6,000 housing units such as Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, Ibeshe low income housing scheme, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan Estate, Lekki, Ayangburen Phase II, Ikorodu, Gbagada Medium Housing Scheme, Amuwo-Odofin Housing Scheme, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Phase II, Ojokoro Millennium Housing Scheme, Alaagba low income housing scheme as well as the Oke Eletu and Oko Oba low income housing schemes among others.

Massive construction of rural roads as well as rural electrification and water supply schemes; construction of micro water works at Onikan, Ikeja, Iwaya, Igando, Oworonsoki, Atan, Bariga, Isolo, Shomolu and Iponri among others to improve water supply in Lagos state.

Construction and equipping of new High Courts, computerization of court registries, enhanced welfare for judicial officers to stregthen the rule of law, establishment of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) to provide free legal services to indigent persons and the establishment of the Citizen Mediation Centre as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

Establishment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for enhanced traffic management; establishment of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to plan and manage an integrated transportation master plan for Lagos; initiation of the revolutionary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme that has transformed the face of public transportation in Lagos State; construction of 55 bus stop shelters; construction of 25.9km of median barriers to enforce lane discipline and improve travel time on major high ways; fabrication and installation of 50,000 units various types of traffic signs to improve road safety; installation of at least 63 functional traffic lights at major road intersections among others in the transportation sector.

Initiation despite stiff opposition by the federal government of the first successful Independent Power Project (IPP) by any state government generating 260MW of electricity from Ikorodu to the National Grid.

Completion of such abandoned projects as Teslim Balogun Stadium and the new Government House at Alausa as well as finding a permanent solution to the erosion and perennial flooding of the Bar Beach by constructing an enduring shoreline defensive barrier.

Creation of 37 new Local Development Council Areas bringing the total number of Local Government Areas in the state to 57 in order to accelerate grassroots development. He successfully sustained and nurtured them to maturity despite the fierce opposition of the Federal Government that illegally withheld N24 billion of the state’s Local Government Statutory Allocation for two years despite a Supreme Court directive to the contrary.
In 2007, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu successfully handed over the mantle of the state’s leadership to Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who has continued to build on the firm foundation laid by his predecessor. In the just concluded general elections, Asiwaju Tinubu’s influence was a critical factor not only in his party’s retention of power in Lagos State but also its success in recovering the states it had earlier lost in the South West in the 2003 and 2007 elections.
For his excellent performance as the Executive Governor of Lagos State of Nigeria (1999 – 2007), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu received several awards.
These include

Best Governor in Nigeria for Y2000 by the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce;

Y2002 Best Practices Prize in improving the living environment, awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works and the UN Habitat Group;

Y2000 Best Computerized Government in Nigeria Award by the Computer Association of Nigeria.

Citation by the New York based World Trade Association on June 12, 2002, as the symbol of progress in Nigria. The only other recipient in Africa was President Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

Y2003 Green Crystal Award for enhancing the value of the environment by Clean Up Nigeria

Winner of the Health Care Award for Y2002 as the producer of the best health service in Nigeria

Presidential Merit Award for technological development by the Nigerian Society of Engineers

Y2001 National Literacy Award for outstanding contribution to mass literacy in Nigeria

Y2005 and Y2006 World City Awards for exemplary performances in health care delivery, environmental renewal and youth development.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has won several awards for exemplary leadership qualities and commitment to humanity. Among these are:

One of the ten winners of Y2002 Outstanding Alumnus Award of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); He was the first African outside North America to be accorded this honour

2001 distinguished Alumnai Award by his Alma Mata, Chicago State University

Distinguished Service Award for exemplary leadership by the Lagos State Economic Summit Group (LASEC)

Recognition for distinguished service to Nigerian women by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)

Lagos State University MBA Y2001 Merit Award for contribution to academic excellence in Lagos State

Certificate of commendation by the National Conference of Black Mayors

Award of Excellence by the Nigerian Society of Engineers

Silver Jubilee special award by the University of Jos for his commitment to the growth of the university

Exempary award for thoughtful leadership and outstanding public service by the Lagosians Club of Chicago

Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by the Abia State University in recognition of his immense contribution to democracy, good governance and development of Nigeria.

Hilda Adefarasin: Farewell Mother of Nigerian Women

Farewell Mother of Nigerian Women

Mama Hilda Adefarasin will be remembered as one of the greatest women in the history of Nigeria.

She was a household name among all women in the 1980s..

Mama has chosen the International Women's Month for her transition to eternal glory at the grand old age of 98 years.

I wonder if there are still great women like her in Nigeria. 

We should have an annual Hilda Adefarasin Prize for outstanding women in leadership.

Hilda Adefarasin (9 January 1925 – 5 February 2023) was a Nigerian women's rights activist who was the president of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS). She left her nursing profession in 1969 to concentrate on professional activities of the NCWS. In 1971, she was the council's treasurer and in 1987, she became the President.

#Women 

#womensmonth

#HildaAdefarasin

#internationalwomensmonth

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria : Citizens’ Participation in Good Governance in Nigeria

 

PRESS RELEASE

Citizens’ Participation in Good Governance in Nigeria

The Catholic Church continues to insist that government has a constitutional and statutory duty of protecting human rights and securing basic justice for all

ABUJA, Nigeria, February 16, 2023/ -- A Communiqué issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the CSN Resource Centre, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja, 11 to 17 February 2023. 1. PREAMBLE We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, held our First Plenary Meeting for the year at the CSN Resource Centre, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja, from 11 to 17 of February 2023. Having prayerfully reflected on issues affecting the Church and the Nigerian State, we now issue this Communiqué: 2. INDICES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE The Catholic Church continues to insist that government has a constitutional and statutory duty of protecting human rights and securing basic justice for all. Society, as a whole, is responsible for building up the common good, and the role of government is to guarantee the minimum conditions that make human rights and justice possible. If the primary purpose of party campaigns is to win elections, then the justifiable end is good governance. Chapter IV of our Constitution on Fundamental Rights is very clear on what constitutes an aspect of good governance, namely, protection of the rights to life, human dignity, liberty, fair hearing, and so on. Despite the many failures of our leaders to ensure good governance, we still nurture and sustain the hope of a democracy that will usher in a renewed era of social justice, equity, peace, and prosperity. These fundamental rights are further enhanced in the rights that are enshrined in Chapter II of our Constitution, such as the rights to health, education, basic amenities, et cetera. Unfortunately, these rights are not justiciable and cannot be enforced in the law courts, thereby leaving the enjoyment of these rights to the whims and caprices of the people in power. As shepherds, we call for a legislative review of Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution, in such a way as to make the provisions justiciable and enforceable. This will go a long way to nurture and sustain good governance. 3. SOME CHALLENGES FACING OUR COUNTRY i) Worsening Insecurity in our Nation Increased insecurity has continued to haunt our nation. The Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen militia, bandits, and the so-called unknown gunmen have continued to unleash terror in different parts of the country. Some communities have been sacked and their inhabitants displaced as a result of the activities of some criminals and some government security agents. Hundreds of lives have been lost in very brutal circumstances and many more have been maimed. Some of our Church personnel have been victims of abduction and killing. Kidnapping for ransom is on the increase such that nowhere seems safe. Highways, homes, and even the sacred precincts of worshipping centres are not spared. We condole with all the bereaved and pray for the eternal repose of the deceased. While we continue to call on governments to stand up to their primary responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians, we enjoin all to strengthen security measures in their homes and institutions. We call on all citizens to be law-abiding, and vigilant, and to shun all forms of violence and criminality. ii) The Challenging Economy in our Nation and its Effects on the Citizens Our crumbling national economy has continued to make life difficult and hard for our people. As the value of the Naira continues to decline, the high cost of goods and services, including food items, continues to soar. Still more, the flawed implementation of the cash swap policy, which resulted in a cash crunch, has added to the ordeal, hunger, anger, and frustration of the people. Again, on account of the persisting fuel scarcity, our people spend many hours in long queues under harsh conditions trying to buy fuel at exorbitant prices. As a result of high unemployment and hard-biting economic conditions, many of our brothers and sisters wallow in abject poverty, and many either flee the nation in search of better living conditions or resort to crime and begging to survive. This situation is further compounded by the growing debt burden that is mortgaging our future and that of upcoming generations. We, therefore, urge Federal Government and its relevant agencies to immediately increase the circulation of new Naira notes and make and implement adequate monetary and other relevant policies that will reduce the suffering and hardship experienced by our people. We admonish those who collaborate in hoarding the new currency and petroleum products to desist from such a dastardly act. We laud the citizens for their bravery in the face of the hard situation while we thank the President for approving the extended use of the old N200 notes. Furthermore, governments need to provides enabling environment for the creation of more jobs by both the government and the private sector. 4. CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION AND GOOD CHOICES Participation is at the core of the realization of the common good, which good governance serves. Indeed, citizens’ participation is a key element of a good governance structure. We, the Bishops, have continued to voice out the need for Nigerians to be more involved and be part of the decisions over what happens in our society. As enshrined in various sections of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the right to political participation is a human right. The Church teaches that responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in the political process is a moral obligation (CCC, nos. 1913-1915). One of the potent instruments of participation in the political life of a country is the choice of its leaders. In the face of the daunting challenges facing our nation, we should not give in to hopelessness and despair, or compromise our values in such a manner as to come up with leaders who are neither intended by God nor truly elected by the people. We, as citizens, must learn to make the right choices for good governance to thrive and be sustained. We, therefore, urge one and all to be more conscious of the kind of choices that they make in their life, especially, as we approach another critical period in our political history. 5.  THE GENERAL ELECTIONS 2023 The 2023 General Elections are around the corner. As we wrote in our recent Pastoral Letter on the 2023 Elections in Nigeria, “these upcoming elections provide us with yet another opportunity in our national history to choose leaders capable of governing for the common good” (p.1). This is now the time to reject evil, greater or lesser, and wisely choose good and capable candidates at all levels. Our votes are precious; we must use them well. We encourage all eligible citizens to come out en masse to vote for God-fearing, honest, vibrant, and transparent leaders for a better Nigeria. We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials to ensure that their conducts in the entire electoral process are transparent, honest, and beyond reproach. We continue to enjoin the Commission to make sure that the newly adopted technologies for accreditation, transmission, and collation, are transparently and sincerely deployed and not manipulated to give false results.  We equally call on the law enforcement agents, whose primary duty is to enforce law and order and ensure the protection of persons and materials during the elections, to efficiently and professionally carry out their responsibilities without fear, favour, or partiality. In the same manner, we advise our youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs and agents of disruption and violence before, during, and after the elections. We, at the same time, enjoin voters to ensure that proper counting is done before the transmission of the results. One ugly and unfortunate phenomenon that has characterized the electoral contests in our nation is that of vote buying and selling, aimed at frustrating and compromising the free choice of the people. We vehemently continue to condemn this practice and urge all politicians and the electorate to avoid this unlawful and sinful practice and embrace the values of human dignity, integrity, and decency in order to have free, fair, and credible elections. We acknowledge the important role of both national and international observers in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and the promotion of its greater openness and transparency. We call on all those engaged in this task to eschew every trace of bias and partisanship in discharging their duties. The Judiciary is an important institution in the settlement of electoral disputes in our nation. The significance of this role has continued to rise to the point that it seems no election is complete and determined without the pronouncement of the courts. Unfortunately, this role sometimes results in the abuse of judicial power and office wherein unconscionable orders are made, which mock the electoral process and the general will of the electorate. No doubt, this not only compromises the essence of democratic competition but also leads to loss of confidence in the Judiciary. We, therefore, encourage all judges and lawyers to, once again see themselves as ministers in the temple of truth and justice, and work to make the Judiciary the ‘last hope of the common man’. 6. THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN GOOD GOVERNANCE The media have a crucial role to play in entrenching good and democratic governance, by providing the necessary information that empowers the citizens not only to engage the political class in debates on the issues that affect their lives, but also, to exercise their democratic choices and make informed decisions about public issues (Inter Mirifica, nn.3-5; Communio et Progressio, n. 87). The Media also function as watchdog by engaging in investigative journalism, which holds political officials and the citizens accountable in the use of public patrimony (Aetatis Novae, n. 14, par. 2). We call on the Media practitioners and owners, not only to seek but to speak the truth with a clear conscience, desisting from the sensational journalism presently being promoted, largely through fake news, violence, inflammatory and divisive remarks. We also urge all citizens to be very discerning and circumspect about news being peddled in the social media. (Pope Francis, Letter to SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communications, 2022). Furthermore, we call upon Governments at all levels to ensure free and independent media that will help to achieve good governance and responsible citizenship. 7. NEWS FROM THE CHURCH We thank God for the successful visits of the Holy Father to the Democratic Republic of Congo, (31 January to 3 February 2023) and South Sudan (3 to 5 February 2023). We hope and pray that these visits will have lasting impact not only on these two nations but on the entire African Continent. In the same vein, we pray for an end to the war in Ukraine and other parts of the world.  We equally pray for the victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. With gratitude to God for a life well spent, we remember our Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, who passed on 31 December 2022 and was laid to rest on 6 January 2023. May he continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen. Since our last Plenary Meeting in Orlu, Imo State, in September 2022, the Church in Nigeria has been blessed with two additional Diocesan Bishops, Most Rev. Michael Kalu Ukpong, Umuahia Diocese (installed on 2 February 2023) and Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, Warri Diocese (ordained and installed on 9 February 2023). We felicitate with them and pray for the grace to shepherd the flock of God entrusted to their pastoral care. In the same vein, we thank the Holy Father for creating Wukari Diocese on 14 December 2022 and congratulate Msgr. Mark Maigida Nzukwein, appointed as its pioneer Bishop. We look forward to his Episcopal Ordination on 13 April 2023. We equally received with joy, the most recent announcement of the Creation of Aguleri Diocese with Most Reverend Denis Chidi Isizoh as its first Bishop. Furthermore, we rejoice with Most Rev. Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo and the entire Faithful of Abeokuta Diocese on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Erection of their Diocese. Likewise, we are grateful to God for Most. Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, and the pioneer Bishop of Abeokuta, who recently clocked 25 years in the Episcopate. 8. CONCLUSION: PRAYING FOR FREE, FAIR, AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA Providentially, the General Elections 2023 fall within the Season of Lent, which summons us all to repent of our sins, to retreat from our evil ways, and to amend our personal and corporate lives (Matthew 6:1-8; 16-18).  Prominent in the Season of Lent is the demand for more intense prayer, and fasting not only from food and drink but also from the evils that destroy human and social life.  In the spirit of the season, we continue to pray as we say: God our Father, grant us the wisdom to identify what is good and the courage to make the right choices.  As we keep our eyes open and our minds alert, inspire in us the will to vote solely for the common good of our nation; fill our electoral umpires with the spirit of patriotism, justice, and fairness; enable us to embrace and usher in a new dawn in our country Nigeria, where citizens’ participation becomes the hallmark of institutional accountability and economic emancipation.  We pray God to bless us with leaders with integrity and nobility while we hope and work for a brighter, more peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.  Mother Mary, Queen of Nigeria, intercede for us. Amen. Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru UGORJI                    Archbishop of Owerri                                                                                                                         President, CBCN          Most Rev. Donatus A. OGUN, OSA Bishop of Uromi      Secretary, CBCN                                                                                                                Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). SOURCE Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)