Woman who cursed Seyi Tinubu, IGP released on N10m bail

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Olamide Thomas, accused of threatening Seyi Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through social media posts. The court set the bail at ₦10 million with one surety. Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the prosecution failed to provide evidence suggesting Thomas would evade trial. The surety is required to submit three years’ tax clearance and reside within the court’s jurisdiction. Both Thomas and her surety must also provide passport photographs and undergo address verification. Thomas was initially remanded on December 20 after pleading not guilty to three charges under the Cybercrimes Act. She allegedly posted a video in Yoruba making threats that caused fear of harm to Tinubu, Egbetokun, and Police PRO Muyiwa Adejobi. The case is scheduled for trial on February 18.

SYRIA AND NIGERIA AT HISTORY’S CROSSROADS

“Syria’s a classical case of a country that first died in the hearts and minds of its people long before the erosion started manifesting in the physical. It was decades in the making and it was obvious except to those who benefited from the rot. It is about the same thing in Nigeria with the country falling apart in the eyes of everybody except in the eyes of the ruling elite. The demise of a country begins with the erosion of its people’s sense of identity, purpose and connection to the homeland.“ SYRIA is an enigma. It has always been from ancient times including the era preceding the writing of the Holy Bible by some inspired persons. We will have to contend with time and space if we tried to explore the enigmas of that country in detail. In spite of its current travails, Syria remains a mystery notwithstanding its rich history, cultural diversity, and fractious, indeed, tumultuous politics. It might as well be that the aforementioned traits are the reasons for the mystery of that Middle East country. Well before Damascus, the capital of this historic country fell last week to the many rebel groups that besieged it, it had been losing territory inch-by-inch and day-by-day. But the loss of territory on its own does not necessarily lead to the demise of a country or to a regime change. A country or a regime dies faster when there’s a disconnect with the citizens. That was the lot of Bashar al-Assad who suddenly fled from Syria after his family had ruled the country with iron fists for more than half a century. Syria’s a classical case of a country that first died in the hearts and minds of its people long before the erosion started manifesting in the physical. It was decades in the making and it was obvious except to those who benefited from the rot. It is about the same thing in Nigeria with the country falling apart in the eyes of everybody except in the eyes of the ruling elite. The demise of a country begins with the erosion of its people’s sense of identity, purpose and connection to the homeland. The clear implication is that the decline of a country is not just a physical or economic phenomenon, but a psychological and emotional one too. There’s no doubt that a country’s strength and resilience are deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of its citizens. When people lose faith in their country, its institutions, and its values, the very fabric of that country is bound to unravel. This was, probably still is, the case with Syria. And it speaks to the situation in Nigeria today. Is our country at risk, given the manifest disconnect between Nigeria’s ruling elite and sections of its population, especially the majority of the younger generation who feel disaffected by the direction the country is headed? Is implosion inevitable given the obduracy of our rulers? Can it yet be headed off? Is anything being done now or has anything been done in the last 25 years of the fourth republic to salvage the country or are more grievous things being done to savage it? Time will tell. “…when a country dies in the souls of its citizens, as appears to be the case of Syria under the successive Assad family regimes, and as it seems to be applying to Nigeria, it leads or can lead to a range of negative consequences. It can trigger social unrest and violent agitations as happened in Syria that have led to the fall of the regime and an uncertain future for the country. Citizens become increasingly frustrated, resort to protests, unrest and violence as Nigeria has been witnessing…To many fellow citizens, the Renewed Hope mantra of the Tinubu regime is a bad joke.” Let’s attempt to speak to why the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the uncertainty about the future of that country should be of concern to Nigeria, Nigerians and their rulers. As in Syria but for different reasons, there’s a significant and growing loss of national pride because many Nigerians no longer feel a sense of pride and ownership of their country. It’s increasingly becoming a case of ‘us versus them’. As in Syria also there were things that hitherto held our people together in the past. Now there’s a disconnect from whatever is left of the things that could be considered as values and principles that used to define us. A significant portion of Nigerians are emotionally detached from the country, including from its history, culture, and traditions. You may do well to ask that teenager or tweenager (children in their 20s) next to you who is not an heir to a plum political office or to private wealth what they feel about our country. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, is a typical diaspora Nigerian who holds the citizenship of another country. She has been in a spat with Nigeria’s vice president Kashim Shettima over comments she made about Nigeria. She represents a typical diaspora Nigerian – acute frustration with the state of our country. It’s baffling that Shettima chose to interject in Kemi’s expression of frustration. My people would say that ‘onaghi adinma ka madu di ka ihe ejiri ko ya onu’. You don’t need to behave like a mad person just because someone said that you are mad. The only way Shettima can shame Kemi is for him to be an example of altruistic leadership in our country. For now we’ll ignore Kemi’s expressed Yoruba bonafide and her slur in distancing herself from a part of the country and their sectarian contribution to Nigeria’s lingering insecurity. Could this be a pointer that Nigeria is actually dying in the hearts and minds of its citizens? And when a country dies in the souls of its citizens, as appears to be the case of Syria under the successive Assad family regimes, and as

Presidency Reveals Why Tinubu Sons Were Included In FG Delegation To Qatar

The presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu‘s decision to include his sons among the delegation going with him to Qatar. President Tinubu’s sons, Seyi and Yinka, were among the delegation members to travel with the President on a state visit to Doha, Qatar. The Nigerian leader will visit the Arabian country for a business and investment meeting scheduled for March 2 and 3, 2024, but will be accompanied by 38 others, including his sons. Following the development, the President came under fire for including his sons in the delegation to Qatar for a state visit. Reacting in a post via his official X handle on Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital/New Media, O’tega Ogra, said the President’s decision was not a new thing and not uncommon. Ogra said that some world leaders take their children on state visits to educate them about world affairs and different cultures, and to maintain a semblance of family life, despite the demands of public office. The presidential aide, therefore, asked Nigerians to stop majoring in minor things and focus on relevant issues. He wrote: “It is not uncommon for children of world leaders to accompany their parents on foreign trips. In fact, it is the norm. Canadian PM Trudeau is known to travel with his family on official trips abroad. Same with UK PMs – even if somewhat muted. “From the public image and diplomacy angle, bringing family members can soften a leader’s public image and aid in diplomatic relations by showcasing a relatable, family-oriented side. “For some leaders, taking their children on such trips is a way of educating them about world affairs and different cultures. “Others do it to maintain some semblance of family life, despite the demands of public office, and for security considerations. “The Obamas, Clintons, Bushs, Trumps and others went on tons of foreign trips whilst in office with their families. “We really need to stop majoring in minors in the name of castigating everything.”