NEWS
Soyinka Denounces Pyrates Confraternity’s Song on Tinubu
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
The political gyration for the 2023 general elections in Nigeria is assuming different dimensions with the new media playing a major role, which has thrown up ripples in several unexpected quarters.
The Pyrates Confraternity has joined the long of list of unexpected circles to sing and dance to the high-pressure rhythm of partisan politics.
Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka on Monday issued a statement dissociating himself from a one-minute video currently making the rounds on the Internet which tends to speak to the health of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
The music video shows people, presumed to be member of the Pyrates Confratinity, dressed in red and white attire dancing and chanting, “Hand dey shake; leg dey shake; baba wey no well, he dey shout Emi Lokan.”
Literally translated, it would mean “With an unstable hand; with an unstable leg, an unhealthy father is beating his chest, that it’s his turn to be Nigeria’s president.’’
Recall that Tinube put the phrase, “Emi Lokan,’’ into national consciousness on June 3, 2022, at a meeting of his party’s delegates in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He would have been making efforts to point out that with the investments he made in helping several politicians, including President Muhammadu Buhari into the offices they currently occupied, it has come to his turn.
Prof Soyinka in the statement titled, ‘Interim statement on a dubious political outing,’ averred that his attention had been drawn to a video clip of a dancing and chanting group, in red and white costume, purportedly members of the Pyrates Confraternity.
He stated, “The display acidly targets a presidential candidate in the awaited 2023 elections. Since the whole world knows of my connection with that fraternity, it is essential that I state in clear, unambiguous terms that I am not involved in that public performance nor in any way associated with the sentiments expressed in the songs.
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“Like any other civic group, the Pyrates Confraternity is entitled to its freedom of expression, individually or collectively. So also, is Wole Soyinka in his own person. I do not interfere in, nor do I attempt to dictate the partisan political choices of the Confraternity. I remain unaware that the association ever engages in a collective statement of sponsorship or repudiation of any candidate. This is clearly a new and bizarre development, fraught with unpredictable consequences.
“In addition, let me make the following cultural affirmation. I have listened to the lyrics of the chant intently and I am frankly appalled. I find it distasteful. I belong to a culture where we do not mock physical afflictions or disabilities. Very much the contrary. The Yoruba religion indeed designate a deity, Obatala, as the divine protector of the afflicted, no matter the nature of such affliction. This sensibility is engrained in us from childhood and remains with us all our lives. It operates on the principle of mortal frailty to which all humanity remains vulnerable.
“One of my favourite authors, about whom, by coincidence, I had cause to write quite recently, was CLR James, author of The Black Jacobins, Beyond A Boundary etc. I called him my ideological uncle. He suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, but remained alert, lucid and combative for decades after the onset of the disease.
“We interacted politically at the Tanzanian pan-African Congress, the Dakar Festival of Negro Arts, and a number of other cultural and political fora. We met frequently in his lifetime, dined together in restaurants, despite his challenge. It would be unthinkable, and a desecration of his memory to be part of any activity that mocked his affliction.”
He added that the public should expect more statements from him on the development, even as he promised to dig further into the issue, which he described as the strange, uncharacteristic outing of the association.
Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that Nigeria’s current minimum wage can no longer sustain a decent standard of living, as worsening economic realities continue to weigh heavily on citizens.
Obi made this known in a statement released on Friday to commemorate International Workers’ Day, where he highlighted the growing hardship faced by Nigerian workers amid rising inflation and the increasing cost of living.
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According to him, the value of wages has been significantly eroded by soaring food prices, transportation costs, and general economic instability, leaving many workers struggling to survive despite being employed.
He stressed that it is unfair that citizens who contribute daily to the nation’s development are unable to meet their basic needs, noting that the dignity of labour is gradually being undermined.
“The minimum wage today cannot guarantee even the most modest standard of living,” Obi said, warning that the situation could further worsen if urgent steps are not taken.
The former Anambra State governor called for immediate wage adjustments and comprehensive economic reforms aimed at improving the welfare of workers and stabilising the economy.
Obi also emphasised the importance of investing in human capital, stating that no country can achieve meaningful growth without a productive and well-supported workforce.
He urged Nigerian workers to actively participate in the democratic process by supporting credible and competent leadership that prioritises the well-being of citizens.
Obi concluded by calling for a fairer society built on justice, equity, and respect for labour, adding that empowering workers remains key to national prosperity.
In a compelling demonstration of how business can drive positive environmental change, leading cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has reaffirmed its leadership in sustainable development with its mentorship offer as a Corporate Supporter of the 2026 Accounting for Sustainability International Case Competition (A4SICC), held in Toronto, Canada.
A4SICC, a global platform that empowers students to develop practical solutions for sustainable business growth and the competition brings together top student teams from around the world to tackle real-world sustainability challenges, with winners receiving prizes of up to CA$10,000 and internship opportunities.
As part of the 2026 edition, student teams were required to select companies listed on the World Benchmarking Alliance’s SDG2000 and develop a compelling business case for nature, recognising that while businesses depend on natural capital to create value, they have also contributed significantly to nature and biodiversity loss. Dangote Cement, itself an SDG2000-listed company, participated actively by mentoring REMI Solutions, a student team from Ashesi University, Ghana.
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The DCP sponsored team—comprising Jamiu Olamide Afolayan, Afi Adwoa Asare, Grace Mawuli Uchechi Onwuaha, Edem Korbla Anagbah and Bartels Ataanga Atindana—benefited from expert guidance provided by DCP’s Group Head of Sustainability, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba.
Under this mentorship, REMI Solutions advanced to the semi-finals of the competition, emerging among the top teams from 132 entries submitted across 31 countries with its project addressing one of Africa’s most pressing sustainability challenges: the environmental, financial and safety risks associated with legacy mine waste, commonly known as tailings.
With global attention increasingly focused on responsible mining and the demand for critical raw materials, the team proposed an innovative circular model that transforms historical mine tailings from environmental liabilities into assets for value creation and ecological restoration.
Tailings storage facilities are costly to monitor and manage, and failures have, in extreme cases, resulted in severe environmental degradation, destroyed livelihoods and loss of lives—costing major mining companies over US$30 billion in damages and reparations worldwide.
To mitigate these risks, REMI Solutions proposed the reprocessing of historical tailings to recover residual minerals, alongside the rehabilitation of degraded heritage land using revenues generated from the reprocessing activities. Beyond mineral recovery, the model creatively repurposes tailings into value‑added products such as eco‑bricks and construction aggregates.
By integrating responsible resource recovery, environmental rehabilitation and commercial viability, the Solution demonstrates how ESG‑aligned investments can simultaneously deliver environmental protection and financial returns.
Reacting to the feat achieved by the REMI Solution Students team, Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak described the collaboration as underscoring Dangote Cement Plc’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic investments in education, research and youth-led innovation, while supporting global efforts to align business practices with nature‑positive outcomes.
Said he; “At Dangote Cement, our decision to support the Accounting for Sustainability International Case Competition is anchored in our belief that the future of sustainable business lies in the hands of informed, innovative and values‑driven young leaders. As a company whose operations are closely linked to natural capital, we recognise the responsibility to contribute meaningfully to global conversations around sustainability, climate resilience and nature‑positive growth.
“By supporting this platform, we are not only helping students translate academic knowledge into practical solutions, but also reinforcing the importance of embedding environmental, social and governance principles into core business decision‑making.
“This corporate support also reflects our long‑term commitment to education, research and collaborative partnerships as tools for sustainable development. The ideas generated through this competition—such as innovative approaches to responsible mining and circular use of resources—mirror the kind of thinking required to address today’s complex environmental and social challenges.”
Pathak pointed out that his Company is excited to play a mentoring role that bridges industry experience with youthful innovation, saying “we remain committed to nurturing solutions that create shared value for businesses, communities and the environment.”
Photo Caption:
Members of the DCP mentored REMI Solution team from Ashesi University, Ghana; (l-r) Jamiu Olamide Afolayan; Afi Adwoa Asare; Grace Mawuli Uchechi Onwuaha and Edem Korbla Anagbah
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has reacted strongly to a recent report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that a significant number of Nigerian university students are involved in internet fraud.
The EFCC had reportedly warned that cybercrime is becoming increasingly common among undergraduates, a development it described as a growing national concern requiring urgent attention from authorities, parents, and educational institutions.
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Reacting to the claim, Obi described the situation as deeply troubling, warning that Nigeria may be “raising a generation of fraudsters” if the trend is not urgently addressed.
According to him, if even a large fraction of the allegation is true, it signals not just a crime problem but a broader collapse of values and moral discipline in the country.
He stressed that young people do not operate in isolation, arguing that society, leadership, and institutions all play a role in shaping behaviour. Obi noted that when dishonesty appears to thrive without consequences, it sends the wrong message to the youth.
The former Anambra State governor also called for urgent reforms in governance, education, and value reorientation, insisting that integrity must be restored at all levels of society.
He added that the focus should not only be on condemning young people but on addressing the systems that influence their choices and actions.
Obi further urged leaders to set better examples, warning that a society cannot expect honesty from its youth if accountability is weak at the top.
The EFCC has continued to express concern over rising cybercrime cases in tertiary institutions, describing the trend as a threat to national development and security.
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