NEWS
2023: Archbishop Martins Prescribes Divine Guidance for Peace
By Tony Agbugba
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has urged all Nigerians to seek divine guidance in the quest for peace in 2023, to ensure that the New Year is free from chaos and anarchy.
According to the Archbishop, peace remains crucial and inevitable if the country hopes to reclaim its once enviable position as one of the most peaceful and also one of fastest developing economies in the world.
In a homily delivered at the 2023 New Year Mass which was also used to celebrate the 56th World Day of Peace held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, the prelate thanked Almighty God for the gift of the New Year and charged all Nigerians to play active roles in the forthcoming general election by ensuring that they vote in only God-fearing leaders who are capable of leading the country towards the path of prosperity.
While admitting that Nigerians went through very turbulent experiences in the year 2022, Archbishop Martins noted that what the country needs now are God-fearing leaders who will wipe away the tears of the citizens.
He equally assured the people that there was nothing too difficult for God to do as He can turn around seemingly hopeless situations for good.
“We need peace in Nigeria this 2023. Without peace, the forthcoming general elections would be a task in futility. I know many parts of the country are witnessing so much insecurity. That is why our security agencies must work round the clock to secure all parts of the country and ensure that all the criminal elements are brought to book.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that he will ensure that we have credible elections. I do not doubt that he means well. But he cannot do it all alone. We must all play our path by ensuring that we come out to vote for the right candidates and also make sure our votes count. That is a way of ensuring that our elections would be credible,” the prelate added.
He charged leaders of the various political parties to prevail on their supporters to adhere strictly to the provisions of the newly amended Electoral Act and avoid indulging in any form of electoral malpractices during the forthcoming elections.
On the recent shooting of Mrs. Bolanle Raheem by a police officer now on trial, Archbishop Martins, while condemning the act, said it was very sad that the police officer not only killed the deceased but also two of her unborn babies through his careless action on Christmas Day.
He added his voice to the clarion call for urgent police reforms, noting that such inhuman atrocities perpetuated by some men of the police force should no more be tolerated in a civilized society like Nigeria.
The New Year Mass also had in attendance the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, Prof. Pat Utomi, the gubernatorial candidate of the ADC party, Mr. Olufunsho Doherty and his deputy Governorship candidate, Mrs. Rosemary Giwa-Amu.
It was concelebrated by the Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu and four other priests, including the Cathedral Administrator Very Rev. Fr Paul Ijasan.
NEWS
Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
READ ALSO: CSR: Dangote Cement Fuels Education With Support Projects At Lagos Schools
He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt Chairman By Police
The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.