NEWS
If ‘Obidients’ get power many heads ‘ll roll – Fani-Kayode
By Nwafor Sunday
Former minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has cautioned his political party members to embrace the ‘Obidients’, in order to finding lasting solutions to their problems.
He advised them not to ignore the Obidients, noting that if they (Obidients) get power come 2023, ‘heads will roll’.
The articulated Fani-Kayode, stated this in his article titled: ‘Who are these Obidients’?
Read his full article below:
“Let me make this clear from the outset. I am a member of the APC and a supporter of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“This contribution does not in any way derogate from that and my analysis is more of an academic and intellectual exercise than anything else.
“I am NOT a supporter of Peter Obi and I have NO intention of becoming one. I am however interested on what his supporters represent and stand for and that is the subject of this essay.
“They are worthy of my attention only because their rise and relevance in the political configuration of our nation, just in a matter of weeks, is meteoric and phenomenal.
“In order to counter and defeat them or to keep them in their place we must at least attempt to understand them and figure out how their minds work.
The following are my findings.
“Those that are the supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, are known as ‘Obidients’ and they are EVERYWHERE.
“Those of us in the larger political parties like the ruling APC and the opposition PDP, treat them with contempt and ignore them at our own peril.
“The truth is that they are far more dangerous to our collective cause as a ruling class than many of us can possibly conceive or appreciate.
“Only the discerning can appreciate this and know precisely where this whole thing may be heading.
“They may not have structures or elected representatives in the legislative and executive arms of Government but they have IDEAS and VISION coupled with a clear ideological and philosophical bent which can and will endure for far longer than mere political platforms and structures.
“Unknown to them as well as virtually everyone else, therein lies their power. As they say, an idea whose time has come cannot be stopped.
“Long after we are all gone they will still be here because structures and political alliances rarely endure but IDEAS and VISION last forever.
“Again they will outlive and outlast us all because they are not a political party in the true sense of the word but rather a growing national movement which scales and spreads across ethnic, religious, political and regional lines and traditional boundaries.
“They also represent a generational and paradigm shift which is increasingly attractive to many and they are bound tightly together by a common purpose, common cause and common objective: namely to rid Nigeria of the old order and usher in the new.
“That is really what they want to do and that is the primary and strongest source of their inspiration and motivation.
“They are far more dangerous to what the French describe as the ‘Ancien Regime’, the old political class and the entire system itself than anything we have ever seen before because most of them, bar their leader and a small handful of political tried and tested veterans and old war horses around him, are NOT politicians and have never ventured anywhere near the political arena or the circles of power.
“In the main they are an innovatively aggressive and frightful array and association of angry and determined young men and women who clearly have the courage of their convictions coupled with the audacity, fury, daring, rage and firm resolve of those that were involved in the Endsars protesters and the fiery footsoldiers that effected the 1917 Russian Bolshevik revolution led by Vladimir Iliyich Lenin.
“There is also something Rawlingesque and intimidating about them.
“That is to say they are like the late, great and mighty son of Africa and leader of Ghana, President Jerry Rawlings, who also led a successful revolution in his country in 1979 and who, on his second coming in 1981 when he toppled yet another Government said, “if there is no justice there can be no peace!”
“That is the spirit that is in the Obidients and that is what moves them.
“Yet though they do not like to hear it their chances of winning the presidential election next year, short of a miracle, are very slim and deep down they all know it even if they refuse to publicly acknowledge it.
“Despite that they are determined to fight to the end, hope for the best, work hard and give it their best shot and, of course, therein lies their victory.
“In this game courage is the key. As they say, ‘he who dares wins’. Again as they say, ‘fortune favours the bold’ and these young people are both daring and bold.
“That they can challenge the status quo and vie for the sacred and awesome power that has been shared by the two major political parties or their ancestral variants over the last 62 years is commendable in itself. I am not part of them but I certainly commend and applaud their efforts.
READ ALSO: Obidients are everywhere, they have ideas, vision – Fani-Kayode confesses
“They too have a right to fight for their rights and future and to be heard. They too have a dream and a story to tell and we must never begrudge them that.
“Yet if the truth be told they are not only interested in winning an election but, perhaps even more importantly, they are interested in making a profound and defiant statement, registering their protest against the status qou and the powers that be and triggering and engendering a full scale, comprehensive and all-embracing social, cultural and political revolution.
“They want a real and fundamental change and not a fake one. They want to pull the whole house and system down with everyone in it and rebuild a new one in their own image, with their own values and on their own terms.
“Most important of all they want to see the back of those of us that are in any way associated with the old order or that have been in Government or the corridors of power at ANY point in time over the last 62 years.
“That desire and sentiment is the force that is driving and propelling them and that is kindling their fire and swelling their ranks.
“They are like the Robspiers and the Marats of the bloody French revolution between 1789 and 1799 whose battle cry was “liberty, equality and fraternity”, who brought an end to the French monarchy, Royal family and nobility, chopped off their heads and established a proud and strong new order and proud Republic.
“Like Robspier’s tiny cabal of French revolutionaries they are led by a small cell of intellectual and idealistic hardliners and are bolstered, girded and supported by a volatile, massive and increasingly dangerous support group and power base who threaten violence and hurl insults at their perceived detractors at the drop of a hat and as a consequence of years of pent up anger and frustration.
“If they ever get power many heads will roll and many of today’s and yesterday’s leaders will run into exile or go into hiding.
“This is especially so of those who have something to hide or who have skeletons in their cupboards.
“That is what makes them so threatening and I repeat, those of us that are in the larger political parties or that are members of the existing and ancient ruling class underestimate them, ignore them and display disdain for their firm resolve and rising anger at our own peril.
“Most of my political associates, friends and colleagues across party lines tend to dismiss them with contempt.
“They regard them as being inconsequential and argue that they only exist on social media. I beg to differ. I see them in the streets and I see them in the Churches.
“I see them amongst my staff and amongst those that regard themselves as being amongst the oppressed and downtrodden. I see them amongst the professionals and those that are bankers, lawyers, doctors and artists.
“I see them in the North, West, East and South. I see them everywhere and not only on social media.
“I see them as being a very powerful and potent rising force which, if properly managed, will develop into a major political power over the next few years with a strong ideological and electoral foundation and massive structures.
“That is the potential that they have and that is how dangerous they can be.
“The sooner those of us that are in the larger political parties get off our high horses, display a little humility, try and understand their mindset, reach out to them, take them more seriously, appreciate their anger, restore their hope, make the necessary concessions and try and abate their rage and rising angst the better it will be for us all.
“They may not have today but if we do not play our cards right they may end up having tomorrow. May God help us all.”
Hundreds of pensioners in Benue State on Wednesday took to the streets of Makurdi to protest the non-payment of gratuities, pension arrears and the failure of the government to harmonise pension payments, lamenting that many retirees are dying due to hardship and lack of access to healthcare.
The protesters, under the umbrella of the Concerned Pensioners Association of Benue State, staged a peaceful demonstration and threatened to occupy the Benue State Government House if their demands continue to be ignored.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Pay Us Our Pension, Our Members Are Dying” and other messages demanding justice, the retirees expressed frustration over what they described as years of neglect and broken promises.
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Speaking during the protest, the association’s chairman, Akosu Orban, said pensioners had exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the state government without achieving any meaningful result.
“We have exhausted all avenues for dialogue and resolution with the Benue State Government over our demands without success. That is why we have decided to embark on this peaceful protest,” he said.
According to Orban, gratuities dating back to the year 2000 remain unpaid, while pension arrears owed to state retirees stand at 38 months and those owed to local government retirees have accumulated to 62 months.
He also raised concerns over the non-harmonisation of pensions, claiming that some retirees still receive as little as N2,000 monthly despite existing provisions for improved pension payments.
“It may interest you to know that some pensioners who retired many years ago are still being paid N2,000 monthly pension. If pensions were properly harmonised, they should be receiving up to N40,000 per month,” he stated.
The pensioners lamented that the prolonged delay in settling their entitlements has pushed many retirees into extreme poverty.
“Pensioners are dying on a daily basis because they cannot afford drugs and special diets required for age-related ailments. We have become scavengers, beggars and destitute in the land we served diligently,” Orban added.
The association accused the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia of failing to fulfil promises allegedly made during the 2023 election campaign to clear pension arrears and gratuities within 100 days of assuming office.
The retirees further alleged that they withdrew several court cases against the government after receiving assurances that outstanding payments would be settled on a first-retired, first-paid basis, only for those promises to remain unfulfilled.
Warning that their patience was running out, the protesters vowed to escalate their action if their demands were not addressed.
“We are hungry and angry. If our concerns are not addressed, we will have no option than to occupy the Benue State Government House until justice is done to pensioners,” Orban declared.
Responding to the protest, Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, said the current administration inherited pension and gratuity liabilities estimated at N300 billion.
He noted that the government was making efforts to settle the obligations despite limited resources.
“That is what we inherited, but we are doing our very best to pay what we can. They have the right to demonstrate, but government, in its wisdom, is doing its best,” Oglegba said.
The commissioner added that the administration had fully paid gratuities of workers who retired since it assumed office in 2023, while also working to reduce the backlog inherited from previous administrations.
The protest highlights the growing frustration among pensioners in Benue State, many of whom say years of unpaid entitlements have left them struggling to survive.
A total of 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks are expected to arrive in Lagos today as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to protect its citizens abroad.
The returnees, who form the first batch of those seeking voluntary repatriation, are being transported aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight scheduled to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:00 a.m.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, is expected to receive the evacuees on behalf of the Federal Government upon their arrival.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, who said the Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria in Pretoria, Ambassador Alexander Ajayi, would accompany the returnees and formally hand them over to Nigerian authorities.
The evacuation follows renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have left many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, fearful for their safety and seeking a return to their home countries.
According to the ministry, the ongoing screening exercise for Nigerians willing to return home voluntarily has been extended until Sunday, June 14, 2026, to enable more affected citizens to participate in the evacuation programme.
The ministry said the extension underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare, safety and protection of Nigerians living overseas.
It also assured that relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have made adequate arrangements for the reception, documentation and support of the returnees upon arrival.
The latest evacuation marks another chapter in the long-standing concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa, where Nigerians and other African migrants have periodically faced hostility, attacks and displacement.
Federal authorities have reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the interests of Nigerians abroad while continuing diplomatic engagements aimed at addressing the situation and ensuring the safety of affected citizens.
A coalition of civil society organisations, activists, labour groups and youth movements has declared June 12, 2026, a day of nationwide protest against worsening insecurity, economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions across Nigeria.
The protest, scheduled to coincide with the country’s Democracy Day celebration, is being championed by prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana and popular musician-turned-activist Falz, alongside several civil society leaders and advocacy groups.
In a joint statement released ahead of the demonstration, the coalition expressed concern over what it described as the growing suffering of Nigerians amid rising insecurity, inflation and poverty.
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According to the group, millions of citizens have little reason to celebrate Democracy Day as many communities continue to battle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The statement was jointly endorsed by Falana, National Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB); Hassan Taiwo Soweto of the #EndBadGovernance Movement; Yinka Folarin of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR); Falz and several other civil society advocates.
The coalition lamented that innocent Nigerians are being killed, abducted and displaced while many families continue to live in fear due to the worsening security situation across the country.
“The Nigerian people deserve a government that places the protection of lives and property at the centre of governance,” the coalition stated.
The group further demanded the immediate release of citizens currently being held captive by kidnappers and criminal groups in various parts of the country.
It also criticised what it described as inadequate responses to insecurity despite repeated assurances by authorities that the situation was improving.
According to the coalition, schools remain vulnerable to attacks, farmers face challenges accessing their farmlands and many major highways are still considered unsafe for travellers.
Beyond security concerns, the coalition highlighted the growing economic hardship facing Nigerians, citing rising fuel prices, currency devaluation, increased electricity tariffs and the soaring cost of essential goods and services.
The statement noted that food prices have continued to rise sharply, making it increasingly difficult for families to meet their basic needs.
It added that transportation costs have become unbearable for many citizens, while small and medium-sized businesses are struggling to survive due to high operating costs, unstable electricity supply and declining consumer purchasing power.
The coalition also expressed concern over stagnant wages and persistent inflation, arguing that workers’ incomes can no longer adequately support their households.
Explaining the purpose of the June 12 protest, the organisers said the nationwide action is intended to compel the government to take urgent and practical steps to tackle insecurity and implement policies that will ease the economic burden on citizens.
The coalition called on workers, students, traders, artisans, market women, professionals, unemployed youths, religious organisations and labour unions to mobilise and participate peacefully in the demonstration.
“The time has come for Nigerians to speak with one voice and demand security, dignity and a decent standard of living. Enough of the killings. Enough of the kidnappings. Enough of the hunger. Enough of the suffering,” the statement added.
The organisers described the planned protest as a democratic expression of citizens’ frustrations and a collective demand for a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.
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