National Issues
Pampering Of Fulanis Didn’t Start With Buhari – Don Reveals
Olutayo Charles Adesina, a Professor of History from the University of Ibadan, has attempted to provide answers to some nagging questions threatening peaceful coexistence in Nigeria, particularly why the ‘Fulani Question’ has continued to remain topical issue.
The University Don, who is also an elder brother to Chief Femi Adesina , President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman, said, “the Fulani people have remained the most pampered in the history of Nigeria”.
The don gave these submissions while featuring on a weekly Radio Show, Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio in Ibadan, the state’s capital on Monday evening.
The don said that it should not be surprising to anyone that almost all the other tribes are against the Fulanis because of the general belief that the group is being ‘favored and pampered’.
Adesina submitted that this was not created by the President Muhammadu Buhari led-Administration but as a result of the administrative deficiency and favoritism on the part of Nigeria’s British Colonial Masters.
He said further that the problem started when the colonial administration created cattle routes from the North to the South, which led to the ‘grabbing’ of lands from the original and indigenous owners thereby causing disaffection between those affected and the Fulanis.
He stated that the British Colonial government pampered the Fulanis through the indirect rule system practiced in the North, which led to the immediate success of the practice there.
He said, “The British did not take away their privileges, and when you retain certain privileges, you appear invincible while in the South some of our traditional rulers were rough handled by the Colonial Administrators”.
He described the relationship between Fulanis and Yorubas specifically as ‘age long’ dating back to years before 1800. He said that the Fulanis migrated across the Sahara to settle down among the Yorubas.
He said there was an existing symbiotic relationship between Yoruba farmers and the Fulani herdsmen that was bilateral – where goods and products were exchanged while adding that the significant point of the relationship was the period when the Yoruba farmers invited the Fulanis to their farms after the harvesting of their farm products in exchange for manures via cow dung.
According to him “Over the centuries, we have seen the relationship between the herdsmen who came from across the Sahara, to Yorubaland and at the beginning of the raining season, they moved back to the edge of the Sahara. It was the farmers that used to invite the Fulani herdsmen after harvest to come to their farms so that the cattle dung will serve as manure for the farmers”.
He, however, opined that political, population, religious pressure can be said to be responsible for the frequent skirmishes among the two tribes.
“Our people in the South West of Nigeria really need to study their neighbors and understand them. Specifically, I do not think we Yorubas understand the Fulanis. They look fragile, harmless and friendly. But we really need to understand them. I will not say more than that.”
While answering a question on the issue of the South West Security Network Codenamed Amotekun, he described the establishment of the security outfit as a good development.
He commended the concerted efforts of the governors in the six South Western states for giving the people a sense of security. He added that the teething problems being encountered by the security outfit at the initial stage will be not last for long.
The Professor, however, charged the Governors to provide more support for the security outfit in order for them to perform their assigned duties better.
When asked about the continued non-prioritization of the study of History as a subject in Nigerian secondary schools specifically, the Professor responded “we have never stopped agitating that History as a subject to be studied in schools should be given top priority. The attitude of successive administrations to this is disappointing. This is why our culture and value systems are being eroded. Because if you do not know where you are coming from, you will not know where you are and you will not be able to plan for where you are going. The future of the country is being affected by this. Even our children are not interested in knowing their history any more. And without a sense of history, there is no sense of mission or direction.”
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of ₦1.578 trillion to the Federal Government, state and local governments for the month of March 2025, underscoring ongoing efforts to sustain intergovernmental financing and fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.
This development was contained in a communiqué issued after the FAAC meeting, and made public by Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, on Saturday.
According to the communiqué, the total distributable revenue of ₦1.578 trillion was made up of ₦931.325 billion from statutory revenue, ₦593.750 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), ₦24.971 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and ₦28.711 billion from exchange difference earnings.
FAAC revealed that the total gross revenue available in March stood at ₦2.411 trillion, signalling a strong revenue performance. From this amount, ₦85.376 billion was deducted for the cost of collection, while transfers, interventions and refunds accounted for ₦747.180 billion.
Further breakdown of the report indicates that the gross statutory revenue of ₦1.718 trillion received in March represented an increase of ₦65.422 billion when compared to the ₦1.653 trillion recorded in February.
The disbursement reflects the continued dedication of public financial managers and revenue-generating agencies who are working relentlessly under challenging economic conditions to ensure that government at all levels is adequately funded to meet the needs of the populace.
Observers and analysts view this steady growth in revenue as a positive trajectory, albeit with the understanding that transparency, accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds remain key to achieving lasting socio-economic impact.
National Issues
Gbenga Daniel Seeks End to Immunity for Governors, Calls for Constitutional Amendment
Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the misuse of constitutional immunity by state governors and their deputies, calling for an urgent amendment to the relevant section of Nigeria’s constitution.
Speaking on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, the former governor of Ogun State (2003–2011) argued that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which shields sitting governors and their deputies from both civil and criminal prosecution, has been widely abused.
Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution grants immunity to the President, Vice President, governors, and deputy governors while in office, effectively barring legal proceedings against them throughout their tenure. However, Daniel insisted that this provision has been misused to avoid scrutiny and justice.
The senator’s remarks have stirred renewed debate about constitutional reform and accountability in public office, especially at a time when governance and transparency remain major concerns in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Daniel’s call adds to the voices of other stakeholders who have advocated for a more accountable leadership structure and a constitution that upholds justice irrespective of office held.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum regarding Senator Daniel’s comments.
TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025
Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.
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