Amidst a gathering of minds at a momentous Strategic Forum On Achieving Safer Schools, orchestrated by none other than the Nigeria Police Force, Ribadu’s words ignited a fervent call to action.

The stage was set in the heart of Abuja, where the urgency of the hour echoed in the theme of the program: ‘Imperative for a safer teaching and learning environment for the future of Nigeria’s national development: the need for national collective action’.

The crescendo of voices from the security realm united to forge a powerful synergy against the relentless tide of security challenges that have engulfed the educational landscape, most notably the harrowing specter of mass kidnappings within schools.

With a conviction that reverberated through the air, Ribadu proclaimed, “Education, the bedrock of progress, shall not falter.” Against the backdrop of a nation’s aspirations, he declared, “As we tread the path toward a prosperous future, it is paramount that we extend our unwavering protection to the sanctuaries of knowledge—our educational institutions across every echelon.”

In the symphony of his speech, a resounding promise unfurled. “President Bola Tinubu’s administration stands unwavering, forging an unbreakable bond with local and state authorities to redefine the landscape of education,” Ribadu announced.

“Security, the guardian of potential, shall be amplified, weaving a protective tapestry around our schools. The very heart of education—teachers, students, and the crucible of learning itself—shall be fortified, echoing with the footsteps of progress.”

As Ribadu’s words reverberated, the impact of bandit incursions and armed invasions on schools was illuminated, particularly in the northern regions of the nation. The very fabric of education has been woven with fear, leading to a haunting decline in school enrollment.

Ribadu’s call to action transcended the boundaries of his words, a plea that resonated through the halls of the forum, compelling security agencies to embrace a new era of intelligence gathering and sharing—a vanguard against the encroaching darkness.

Amidst the luminaries that graced the event, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, emerged as a harbinger of hope. The Tinubu administration, he declared, is on a relentless crusade to shield students, cultivating an environment where learning thrives, unburdened by the shadows of fear.

In the hallowed halls of this gathering, a symphony of determination and unity unfurled, weaving a narrative of resilience against the backdrop of a challenging era. As the echoes of promises and proclamations reverberated, the nation stood at a crossroads, a future yet unwritten, where the safety of its students and schools would be forged amidst the fires of determination.

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The air is charged with uncertainty and defiance as the NARD President, Innocent Orji, unveils this shocking decision, leaving the nation on tenterhooks.

A palpable tension lingers as Orji’s words reverberate, revealing the intricacies of this bold maneuver. The protest may be paused, but the resolute industrial action persists, echoing a relentless call for change within the medical fraternity.

Orji’s voice emerges as a beacon of determination amidst the storm. As he declares the suspension of the protest, the declaration is met with a cautious pause—laced with the knowledge that this is merely a temporary ceasefire in the battle for justice.

“Hold your breath,” Orji seems to imply, “for our fight continues.”

In a defiant stand, the NARD President peels back the layers of their grievances, illuminating a grim reality that has plunged both doctors and the public into a state of suffering. Eight major demands form the heart of their strife, with a resounding chorus calling for the government to replenish the ranks of healthcare warriors lost to the exodus of medical professionals seeking greener pastures and the grim grip of death.

A revelation strikes like lightning, exposing the gaping wound in Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure—the dearth of doctors. With passionate conviction, Orji denounces this deficiency, a gaping void that cripples the nation’s health service delivery. He thrusts the burning question into the spotlight, daring anyone to refute their cries.

A damning inquiry pierces through the chaos, demanding answers from those in power. A ministerial committee’s recommendations have languished since February, a guideline poised to extinguish the brain drain that threatens the nation’s future. The reverberations of this inquiry shake the establishment, a challenge to the powers that be.

The storm, however, rages on. The government remains intransigent, showing no inclination to heed the doctors’ pleas. The strike’s fire continues to rage, illuminating the darkness of bureaucratic indifference.

As the planned protest fizzles into a tense calm, the nation braces for an uncertain future. The pause in the storm is but a fleeting reprieve, a lull before the tempest regains its fury. The clash between doctors’ valor and the government’s complacency churns, each seeking to bend the trajectory of the nation’s healthcare destiny.

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Brace yourselves for a seismic shift as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) takes center stage in a daring move that aims to not only boost efficiency but also unravel the baffling enigma of Nigeria’s tax collection system.

With fervor in his voice, Taiwo Oyedele, the mastermind behind this audacious plan, took to live television to deliver the news that could redefine Nigeria’s financial destiny. A former Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Oyedele’s words reverberated with conviction. “Enough is enough,” he seemed to declare, as he announced that the Nigeria Customs Service and 62 other MDAs will relinquish their direct collection of revenue.

But what does this mean for Nigeria? The implications are profound. In a nation where revenue collection plummets compared to global standards, where the tax coffers remain hollow while the cost of collection balloons, a solution has emerged from the ashes of bureaucracy. The age-old tale of MDAs stretching their capacities thin to dabble in revenue collection is reaching its climax.

“Why this costly circus?” Oyedele seemed to demand. MDAs were never designed to be revenue collection hubs, yet they bear this weight. It’s time to break the chains that shackle these agencies, to release them from the entanglement of fiscal tasks not meant for them.

Focusing on their core functions while entrusting the revenue reins to the capable hands of the FIRS, MDAs will experience a renaissance. Efficiency will surge, distractions will dissipate, and a sharper focus on their primary tasks will reignite their contributions to the nation’s growth.

Clarity emerges from the fog as Oyedele clarifies this audacious proposal. Customs, focus on trade facilitation and border protection. NCC, your mandate is telecommunications regulation. No longer straddling the taxing tightrope, they will hand over their revenue responsibilities to the FIRS.

But why this shift? Transparency, accountability, and efficiency are the cornerstones of this revolution. The collection process will become a beacon of clarity. The people will see what is collected, ensuring that every naira contributes to the nation’s progress.

And what of the elusive tax gap? Oyedele unveils a staggering revelation—a gap of around N20 trillion. The elite, those with the means to contribute significantly, evade their fiscal responsibilities, leaving the nation’s coffers wanting. The middle class and the elite must be held accountable, the master of the tax plan seems to insist.

Prepare for an era of renewal. Old taxes that strangle businesses will fade away, replaced by a streamlined system that unlocks more revenue while unburdening the economic ecosystem. In the realm of finance, a storm is brewing, a tempest that could sweep away the shackles of inefficiency and usher in a new era of financial prosperity.

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The archbishop and member of the National Peace Committee said candidates who are insisting on winning the next general elections at all cost are not democratic.

“For politicians, I will beg them. Enough of lies, enough of insistence that we must win because there are politicians who keep saying we must win this election, whatever it takes, we will win,” the cleric said on Channels Television live programme.

“That kind of language is not democratic; it is the language of those who are going to war. They use belligerent language very often in their campaign. That will not carry Nigeria into any better waters. We want a Nigeria that we can be proud of.”

Onaiyekan also said Nigeria’s challenge is not ethnicity and religion because both factors are by choice.

“Our problem is really not with ethnicity and religion. It cannot be with ethnicity because we really have no choice in the matter. I was born in Kabba. So, I’m a Yoruba man, not by choice but by accident of birth. And if it is like that for every Nigerian, it should not be an issue.

“As for religion, again, it is a choice that people make freely and therefore, it should not be an issue,” he said.

Onaiyekan blamed those “running the business of religion” for not doing the right thing and for having other motives at heart.

“The other aspect is when politicians, because they want to win elections, do all they can to manipulate religion, and they use it in order to get people to vote for them because they claim to be of a particular religion.

“It is possible to refuse to be manipulated by politician but when people decide on their own that they want to manipulate their own religious sentiments, there is nothing anybody can do about it,” he said.

Onaiyekan cautioned that religious differences should not lead to violence and tasked clerics to pursue peace and spread tolerance amongst their members and others who are of different faiths.

The cleric urged candidates in the next general elections to use the epochal event to turn the fortunes of Nigeria around for the better.

“We cannot continue as we have been going until now. And therefore, we should try our best and beg the Almighty God to make it possible for us to use the opportunity of a new election in 2023 to turn the nation around.

“This is the job of the politician but it is also our job. We should make sure that al those who may seem to want to create problems, who do not want anything to change, who are thinking of disrupting the elections, we should do our best to restrain their hands and the government should be seen to be proactive in this,” he said.

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“We hope that working together, in the next few days, we can put an end to this particular imbroglio in the Nigerian educational system,” ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, said at a meeting with the Femi Gbajabiamila-led House of Representatives.

Lecturers of public universities have been on strike since February 14, 2022, over poor welfare and unpaid Earned Academic Allowance.

Gbajabiamila had on Friday said the country would soon hear from President Muhammadu Buhari on the protracted ASUU strike.

Gbajabiamila, who met with the President at the State House for the second time in one week over the ASUU strike, said discussions with the President were fruitful, adding that Buhari would make known his decisions to the public after reviewing the lawmakers’ recommendations.

On Monday at a meeting with Gbajabiamila and other members of the green chamber, Osodeke said urged the lawmakers to work alongside university lecturers to end the imbroglio.

He said, “Please, let all of us work together to put a beautiful end to this end to this thing we have started, so that every Nigerian will be proud that we have universities we can be proud of.

“Once again, I want to thank you. I also extend our appreciation to the president for intervening, I want to appeal that in the future, we should not allow strike to linger. Strike should not go beyond two days.

“If the way the National Assembly has intervened, if we had done that long ago, or those in charge of labour and education had done exactly this, we would not be where we are today. We would not have stayed more than two or three weeks on this strike. There is strike all over the world — UK, US, all over — but they don’t allow it to last.”

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on Friday ordered the striking lecturers to resume duty immediately.

Meanwhile, Counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana, disclosed that the body would call off the strike soon.

“I am reasonably confident that the consultations between the House and the Presidency will yield positive results in the interest of the striking lecturers and the students,” he noted.

The Federal Government had last Tuesday registered two factional academic unions – Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), a move ASUU declared as illegal.

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