 Thank you for staying with us. You're still watching The Breakfast on Plus TV Africa. It's time to take global stories making headlines in our national dailies. And joining me to review the papers is Professor Kamilu Sani Faghe. He's from the Department of Political Science, Bagheera University, Kanu. Good morning, Prof. Thank you for joining us. Good morning, and happy Easter. Yes, happy Easter to you. Hope you've had a wonderful celebration. I mean, I know you're Muslim, but this is a good public holiday. Yes, it's a public holiday, and it's a very long one, weekend plus Friday, weekend, and now Monday, you know, to the stretch. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it's lovely for everyone just to reset. And then we get back into the walk poll tomorrow again. All right, let's move over to the papers. And we'll be starting with a daily trust this morning. The major headline on this one says, Kebi residents lose government, private warehouses. And the writers on this one says, palliatives not solution to hardship. And that has been said by the Biosa governor. Another writer says, cooker charges, tinnable on food and physical security. What do you think about this? I mean, people are taking matters into their own hands. They're moving into warehouses. We saw what happened a few months ago, where some people went to some warehouses in Abuja and looted it. Now, you're seeing another one happen in Kebi. Is this going to be what we're going to be seeing in a few months? Different states, different people going to loot warehouses because of the hardship. And even one of the governors is saying, you know, what palliatives is not the solution. And obviously, we need more lasting, sustainable solutions for the hardship in Nigeria. But I want to just get your take on this. What do you think about what's going on? You see, what is going on is an indicator to the government that the public is not happy with the situation. And the best thing for the government is to try to head up this unfortunate trend. If they allow it, it is likely going to happen in so many places. But it's a problem, which is not a copycat syndrome. You know, something happens somewhere and people will copy it in another place. So the thing is that the government ought to listen to the people. And I know that this issue of hardship is a reality. They shouldn't just be talking or calling on people to sacrifice the light at the end of the tunnel. And something has to be done. You know, the government has to be seen to be doing something immediately. And I've said this several times that the problem is that the government is in denial. They keep on denying the fact that the policies taken are what plunge the country into this situation. So it is not about, say, if the government will reverse its own position and address the situation. Otherwise, what we are seeing now might have been just a tip of the iceberg, which is unfortunate. And I think the leaders ought to think seriously about this situation. Okay. So I want to take another one, which is still talking about the hardship and the security. And this one is ACF. In fact, they're saying that we should, the Argentinians rather, since it's the Easter season, the Argentinians to pray for security and the economy. Now, this is on daily trust on the punch as well. There's another one there that just, you know, still talks about this. What do you think, do you think prayers is the case? I mean, I want to believe that Nigerians are one of the most prayerful people in the world. In fact, we have so many churches. We have so many mosques. We're quite religious people. Do you think prayer is the case? Because if we're thinking about prayers, I mean, all our prayers should have been answered by now. In fact, we would have had like one of the best nations in the world. But then we keep praying and we're not seeing actions. So is prayer supposed to be the key? Or we need leaders who can rise up to the challenge and say, you know what? We want to make Nigeria better. We want to ensure that we're giving good education to our kids. We want to ensure that there's great infrastructure in the country. We want to give good health care. We want to just make the lives and properties of Nigerians secured. You know, we want to make the economy thriving for everyone, for businesses to flourish. But then we all come together and say we're praying, we're praying, we're praying and nothing is being done. I want to get your take on this one. You said prayer is just a part of it. It takes more than a prayer. Yes, we are supposed to pray for a better situation. But at the same time, we have to work for it. Because whether you're in Islam or in Christianity or in any religion, you just don't sit down and pray without taking any action. So we have a belief that God helps those who help themselves. So we have to have a leadership that will take care of the poor by the home and take positive steps to address this situation. But say we just pray, we pray, we keep on praying, but people will lose hope. Because God will not send the solution directly to us. We have to also work in order to make sure we achieve what we want. So I think it's a combination of so many things. There should be prayer and there should be work. And there should be good leadership that will translate all this into positive action so that the lives of the people will be improved. So speaking about good leadership, on the punch, the major headline says Easter, governors, senators beg Nigerians say hardship would be over soon, hardship over soon. And the writers on this one says, Nigeria to greatness says, other governors preach love, condemn crimes. Another writer says, set deadline on war against terror. Cooker tells precedent. Pope seeks peace in Africa. So well, our governors and senators are begging us. Saying the hardship will be over soon. But I wonder when? Because this is, well, 11 months because now we're in April. So this is 11 months into the tenable lead administration. And for almost a year, we've been sacrificing, we've been taking on this hardship, and we've been hearing that things will get better. We'll soon start to see the dividends of all of the policies that have been put in place at the moment. But people are dying, people are hungry, people are still facing all of this hardship. So I'm wondering when, because if the governors and senators are coming and saying the hardship will be over soon, I expect to see a timeline. I expect to see agendas. I expect to see things that have been set aside and say, you know what? This is how we're going to achieve all of this. But I'm not saying that. So maybe you know more than me. I mean, you just tell me, what do you think? Are we going to be seeing this hardship over soon? Or is there something we have to bear for the next few months? Or yes, maybe. You see, the irony of it is that the people are now beginning to disbelieve by the leadership that is a trust gap between the people and the leadership. You know, it is called that the issues will be over very soon. One, there is a problem that is not concrete state taken to address the situation, which the people now believe. Secondly, the people believe that the leadership ought to live by example. They are saying people should sacrifice and there is no sign of sacrifice on the leadership. You know, we have said it over and over that, look, in a situation like this, there should be, you know, the attempt to cut unnecessary expenses. But the leaders are following on the people and the people are following in poverty. The people are following in poverty and the leaders are extravagant in terms of what they spend their budget and so on. And the sad aspect of it is that people don't believe that the governors and the senators and indeed the leadership are sincere in what they call it. Because now we have history. If you look at the majority of the governors who now call this, they didn't come to address to the people. They just sent the oppressed people to the eat, which means there is no concern, there is no empathy from the leadership that you know, to the followers. If you look at the story, virtually all the governors that say, they say accept the above theory that they are the ones who personally address their own people. But all the recent it's through their press secretary or whatever they call it. So what she means, they are not sincere in terms of that. But you know, what's her meaning? They have meaning is an ordinary meaning that you have it. And they have meaning who said it. And they have meaning when was it said. So if the person who just sent a parent person to address, if the governor for example, who just sent his press person and said address the people. People will not believe that the governments are the leaders are sincere. Because if they are, they should come out and address the people. And they should show them concrete state that they want to take in order to do it. And suddenly they should sacrifice so that when they call people to sacrifice the people who know that this is coming from the bottom of the leadership mind. Exactly, because if you're telling the Nigerian people to sacrifice, you should also be able to sacrifice with your cost of governance. I mean, I'll commend the president for saying no more foreign travels for the next three months. But I think three months is quite short. And imagine saving $5 billion in three months. Imagine what would happen if we say okay for one year or two years because we're trying to grow the economy. So you can't just ask people to sacrifice. Meanwhile, you're not trying to do anything from your own end. At the end of the day, we're all Nigerians. So if everyone needs to sacrifice, we should all sacrifice. If anyone needs to spend lavishly, we should all enjoy the dividends and spend lavishly, not just picking and choosing and saying, you know what, I'm okay to spend as I want and you have to be on the other side and just sacrificing so I can enjoy the lavish spending that you cannot. Anyways, I'm going to move over to another story. And this one says banks are Euro bonds foreign investors for 4 trillion Naira fresh capital. So as you know, the CBN had put out a directive for banks to recapitalize. In fact, it used to be 25 or rather currently it's 25 billion Naira, but now it's been moved to 500 billion Naira. In 2005, Saludo, when he was the CBN governor, moved it from 2 billion to 25 billion. And now we're seeing it move up to 500 billion because obviously 2005, the price of Naira to dollar is definitely different from now. And so we're seeing banks having to recapitalize, but it's been said that about 12 banks might not be able to. And so other banks are eyeing the Euro bonds for foreign investors to just come in and help them. What do you think about the 500 billion Naira recapitalization for the banking sector? You see, the thing is that we don't take lessons from what happened in the past. When the government told the central bank for recapitalization, we are in Saludo's time, many banks went down under. And now, how do you say the raising of it to now 500 billion? Like you said, about 12 will not make it, which means the industry will suffer. That is one thing. Secondly, those who think they are going to invite foreign capital investors to come, I think that is the standard I see. We know what happened, and we know we are now bearing the brunt of borrowing and borrowing. So I think the leadership in central bank ought to learn lessons from what happened and that they shouldn't be desperate to decline a further solution that you raise. What will it take when you raise it to 500 billion? You just say the capital has raised and you now put others down and now we invite others to come and we are literally engaging the economy to foreign investors because they will come with a very few amount of dollars and they will invest and they will wreck all benefits that they will get because by the time you do it, you are literally in a downgrading you are on to the economy. You are literally empowering others to come. Instead of, you know, the government to come out and see how do we now look at making Nigeria's better? You are investors and progress. You are now raising it beyond their capacity. You are now making it possible for foreigners to come and invest and still control the economy. And you know their interest is not in Nigeria. Their interest will be in the profit they are going to make and so we will be going down and up with several policies. So I think this to me is not a good policy it is something that at the end of it it will have more negative impact than positive contribution to our economy. Okay, staying on... Okay, now so I'm going to move over to the Guardian and the Guardian leads with all thefts possessed in Niger Delta despite militarization, private security. So we've heard of oil theft happening in various Niger Delta regions. You're seeing bunkering. You're seeing people just stealing. In fact, you even hear of ships or cargo ships being stolen like with so much crude. But what do you think about this? If we're saying that we want to be able to help the economy because if we're being honest, majority of our funds comes from crude. So if we're saying that we want to help the economy, why is there still oil theft happening? And why is that nothing? Because now we're seeing private security, we're seeing militarization in that region. But then they're still stealing. So who's giving them the papers? Who's sanctioning this? Who's doing what is necessary to curb oil theft? I'm just wondering, because if you have private security, you'd expect that it should be reduced by now, but it's still persisting in the Niger Delta region. So I'm just wondering what's going on. And at this point, isn't this a case of corruption? Because if, for instance, there is one boss there that is supposed to ensure that this doesn't happen and it's still happening. Is it that maybe his hands are soiled? That's just my question. Why do you think oil theft is still persisting in the Niger Delta region? Now you hit the nail right on the health is corruption. It's because of the corruption in the sector. That is why all these things we have been trying and there is no relative success in terms of addressing the situation. So I think corruption is the major reason where we are having it. And it is going to assist unless we have the political will to address the issue of corruption in that sector and in the economic sector in general. You know, instances when some ships were arrested and quickly they would set them on fire. You know, the official adder, the military or the security agencies would set it on fire. And the thing is they are trying to cover their own track so that immediately the evidence is destroyed. You cannot be able to now address, I mean investigate and find who are the culprits. That is one thing. Secondly, if the fact that there are scapegoats, you know, sacred goats in the sacred cows rather in the place. You know, the government was all its first security agencies. You know very well who and who are involved in that because of the impurity with which we conduct issues and corruption in Nigeria. That is why we cannot be able to resolve it despite the presence of private security agencies. After all, people having private security agencies is a contradiction. Why do we have our own security agents? And they are being paid by the taxpayers money and yet we now have private security agencies aside from that. Other countries, we are not the only ones producing oil. Other countries have been able to address this issue and they have said it like Saudi Arabia today in a barrel of oil is being stolen. They will see it immediately and they will take action. But here we are. Now we find that the finalists are done. We find so many things. And the ship, you come take on oil and boom. And in fact, I think one of, I don't know if anyone who said it but he said about 50% of Nigeria oil is being stolen. So how can you get that much of oil being stolen? And then the government said, it's an aware of who is involved. So I think the question is the gargantuan corruption that is existing in the area. So that is why we cannot and we are not able to address the problem. All right. Sustain on the Guardian. We have one here that says CSOs. That's the Civil Society Organization, right? Poor state of judiciary. What do you think about this? They say, you know, some of the judges are not well paid. And then even the judiciary is just in a poor state. What do you think about this one? The CSOs are right in the stadium and just lamenting about this. I think it's a reality that to me just poor is just one element. But it is also the corruption that is pervasive in Nigeria. That is why the judiciary is also weak. Because corruption is used by the EU judgment. And so some judges are willing to send judgment for that. Whether it is an election issue or even on private matters or on so many things. And the dangerous aspect of that is that so long as the judiciary is weak, the people will lose hope in it. And if they do that, it's an anarchy. I'm a recipe for anarchy. Because by the time people lose trust in our competence in the judiciary, what will happen is that they will take the load into their own hands. And we need to be dangerous for everybody in Nigeria. To not overwork for everybody in Nigeria. So I think that all of us in CSO is in the right direction. That the government ought to look into this situation. It is not just to give them a raise. No, it is to establish the judiciary as an autonomous and independent aspect of the government. So long as it is subservient to other ends of government, so long as corruption, we are going to have what I say. You know, people are losing confidence in it and trust. And we are going to see people taking the load into their own hands. Which is a dangerous thing for the country and for everybody in Nigeria. Okay, so Serapas asked the 36 state governors and the minister of the FCT to publish their everything they've done with the loans that they've received. And so on the Guardian, it says, sunny, weak, others get ultimatum to publish agreements accounts for 5.9 trillion and 4.6 billion dollar loans. What do you think about this with Serapas asking them to ensure that they publish this? In fact, this was one of our top 10 stories and I talked about accountability and transparency. And the fact that there is a, you know, trust deficit with Nigerians and the governments because we cannot trust you. We just feel like you're spending the money lavishly. And we can't really ascertain what all the loans are for. I mean, loans are good, but that's when you're trying to do something great with it. For instance, if you have a business, you're trying to expand. And so we're seeing, you know, this state governors getting loans, but we cannot really ascertain what it's for. And we need some level of transparency and they need to be accountable as well to be able to say this is what we're using this money for. And now Serapas is coming out and issuing an ultimatum that they have to do this. What do you think about what Serapas championing at the moment? Well, that is that is part of a democracy. You know, one of the framework of democracy in the issue of transparency and accountability of the leadership to the electorate. So what they are calling the CSO is calling, I think that is a right thing. And we need to have that one. After all, we have the freedom of information law that governments have to and the government or the leadership have to make this available to the public. Otherwise, if everything is shrouded in mystery, like the way we are seeing it, I know there will be so much corruption around the issue. You can not as a public leader, a public figure, but only and now refuse to make it known to the people. So I think that is a good step to put the leadership on their toes. And that is one good aspect of where the CSO is in general, that since other elements of the government this week, the legislature which is, okay, the legislature is supposed to exercise its own oversight function on the issue. And in addition, the judiciary is supposed to check this. But like we said earlier on, these are relatively weak compared to the executive arm. So I think it will need the CSOs to take this issue so that they do it on behalf of the people. Otherwise, we are not likely going to see the system responding to the young and aspirations of Nigeria. So I think we need strong CSOs and not only the court, but if they do, let the judiciary and whatever institution that is supposed to take action, let them take action to post the executive, to now reveal what they have been doing or how much have been borrowed and how much have been spent and where has it been spent and so on so that there will be transparency and openness and there will be accountability on all these things. Otherwise, we are going to have multiple updates and after the governor support, then we start rambling like what is up? Now when he is saying that he has inherited multiple updates, then the governor is in denial, the former governor is in denial, and he personalizes. So I think what the work setup is doing is a good thing and I will urge all other CSOs also to take such measures in order to compel the leaders to give account of what they have borrowed and how they are spending it. All right. Thank you so much. I just want to touch on nature news. I mean, you don't have to comment, but this one on nature news says why Abuja's smart city remains a dream 14 years after. And I'm just wondering why we take so long when it comes to projects. You know, they come and they sell these lofty ideas to you, but then executing them takes a while or doesn't even happen at all. Anyways, we want to thank you Professor for coming and just sharing your valuable contributions on the show. Thank you so much. Thank you very much for having me. All right. Enjoy your day. We've been sticking with Professor Kamili Sanifagi. He's from the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano. And we'll just be reviewing the papers. We'll go on a short break and when we return, we'll be looking at our first hot topic. Please stay with us.