Impact

By Atinuke Odjenima

Dear Business Leader,

Today’s article is inspired or triggered by my friend who walked up to me on Monday with a very concerned face asking me “Atinuke”, I feel I am not engaging my mentor enough to leverage on the access I have to him for this project (a world record setting one). His question to me popped up ideas in my head almost immediately as if I had thought about it before, whereas, I hadn’t. I still don’t know how it didn’t take me no time to suggest two ideas which I immediately came up with and I reeled it out to him. He agreed with me it was an idea worth trying.

Later at night at around 12:30am I got a chat from him requesting that I go together with him as a team to go propose the idea to his mentor. Because I was impressed at his promptness to act on the suggested idea, it’s the kind of energy I like, trust me, I immediately pushed forward my schedule for the day and accepted to go with him because for me, it’s time to see the possibilities of putting the idea to work as I just don’t talk, I try always to back up my thoughts, words and ideas with action.

Fast forward to the next day, he picked me up in his car, got to the island and met with his mentor. Another amazing thing he did there again was he allowed me to present why we came- the idea and voila! His mentor gave us all we asked of him without wasting time, even I was impressed and happy with myself. On our way back to my office, he was just thanking me so much for the idea and the manner I presented it. I was quick to point it out to him that, it really wasn’t about me, it’s actually about him, the kudos should go to him for asking the right questions, because it’s mostly likely that I wouldn’t have ordinarily come up with such idea if he hadn’t asked such a quality question. This to me means that there are answers right inside of us that only asking the right questions can bring them out.

Questioning probes the mind and challenges the brain to function! As it is commonly said that the right questions will bring about the right answers. You know, the truth is, as simple as asking the right questions sounds, it isn’t always so easy. It requires some level of humility and a way of thinking that will produce asking the right questions.

Guys this isn’t just a gist about my friend and I or about how we visited his mentor but much more about how we lead everyday to get the result that we desire, which asking questions is one of those ways we must explore to get results we want.

My friend let’s call him Dimma, a leader in his own status, (one that I respect his clarity of vision, the grace and guts at which he grinds towards his mission), was humble enough to ask a question or better said, seek for help by asking the right question. As a leader unlike the old misconception of leadership, that a leader must know it all. In this life no one knows it all why then is this pressure on leaders? Are leaders not humans too? How can one person know it all, just because they are privileged to lead?

To lead effectively is not about knowing it all or about providing answers, it is even much more about asking the right questions from the right people. Asking the right questions unlocks insight and perspectives from within you and also from those around you, it fosters critical thinking and problem solving that develops creative solutions just as you could see what the outcome of my friends’ question led to. Asking questions shows that you (as a leader or not) value the contributions of those around you.

When you ask the right questions, you are able to gather more information that improves decision making, it also demands from you to think differently or think outside the box as it is commonly said which helps you identify problems and proffer solutions.

Maybe, your question to me now is Atinuke, how then do I ask the right questions?

Funny enough they are words we’ve been using but possibly we haven’t just been using them effectively in ways that delivers results for us. It’s the 5 Ws (what, why, where, when, which and how) I am sure you already know them but this time you’d now begin to use them more productively.

What: Clarifies the issue, need, task, or idea. It prevents assumption or vague thinking. Define your objective, the topic, issue/problem. Be clear on what you want to achieve or learn

Why: Uncovers motivation, purpose, urgency, or values. Why drives conviction and meaning. Understand the reason and be specific, ask precise and focused questions

Where: Explores and identifies context, location, direction, setting or impact. It helps with planning and positioning.

When: Brings awareness, to timing, deadlines, or seasonality. Determine ‘’when’’ as it helps with urgency and planning.

Which: Promotes comparison, evaluation, and choice-making. Encourages prioritization and alignment. Specify the options, alternatives, or choices.

How: Shapes process and execution. Understand the method, process, or approach. This question turns vision into action. It transforms an idea into a plan.

So, in conclusion, ask open-ended questions, probing questions, reflective questions and challenging questions and avoid assuming you know the answer or context. In your conversations with self or others, approach with a curious mindset, be humble enough to seek to learn and understand. Avoid leading questions, phrase questions neutrally to get unbiased answers and avoid influencing the response and ensure to tailor questions to the particular situation. By asking the right questions, you can unlock your own full potential and also that of your team to get better results and achieve greater success.

Till next time you read from me, I am rooting for you as your Transformational Growth Catalyst.

Atinuke Odjenima

Love is all I have.

Part 2 of this essay can be found here.

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft was without a doubt, a woman before her time. Mary Wollstonecraft was a female intellectual and crusader for women rights in the 18^th century, a period when Europe severely scorned both. It wasn’t till the 20^th century (and only after World War 2 at that) that her ideas would begin to have a major impact. Those ideas, having made their impact in the developed West in the 20^th century, continue to have an impact in the 21^st century in the developing world including Nigeria. Because of these developments, she is widely considered as the founder of the feminist movement.

The work she is best known for is titled Vindication of the Rights of Woman published in 1792. The text, to put it mildly was radical for its time. In the main, it argues for the education of women and for gender equality. The main reason it asked for the education of women was that education would end the subjugation and dependence of women on men. Vindication of the Rights of Woman truly swam against the currents of its time. It made the above arguments at a time when women had few legal rights, were excluded from public life, constrained by social norms and conventions from entering most careers, and given little education beyond what was needed for managing domestic affairs.

Mary Wollstonecraft would write another best-seller titled Vindication of the Rights of Men in 1790. It sold out in three weeks. In it she lauded what history has come to regard as the Protestant ethic: the virtues of hard work, frugality, modesty and self-discipline. She also championed Enlightenment ideals like reason, progress and liberty.

Unfortunately, Mary Wollstonecraft would pass way at the awfully young age of 38 from the complications of childbirth. She had only just gotten married in the last year of her life. Her daughter would grow up to become Mary Shelley, the famous author who would pen the all-time horror classic Frankenstein, at the tender age of 18. It is sad that Mary Wollstonecraft didn’t live to see her daughter arguably achieve greater renown than herself.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

There is possibly no greater personification of the Enlightenment, that era in the 18^th century celebrated for its achievements riding on the back of reason, than Immanuel Kant, having giving the movement its name. Like all Enlightenment philosophers, Immanuel Kant believed in, and was committed to freedom, open government and individual rights.

He believed that he should be free to use his reason to enlighten the public and openly criticize established powers but fell short of endorsing revolution, even in the face of tyrannical and oppressive government. In this last point he differed from John Locke, whom we met in part 2. Locke believed that subjects are released from their obligation to obey once the powers that be breach the social contract.

Kant believed that revolution was never justified under any circumstances because rebellion was destructive of the legal order. He however, also believed that no government was above moral law and therefore it must act in a manner consistent with moral law. He believed morality derived from reason, which he believed every rational person possessed thus making morality universally accessible and leaving no one with an excuse for not acting morally.

In terms of political arrangements, Kant favored a limited constitutional state where political power is regulated by laws consistent with morality and where the civil rights of persons are protected from the arbitrary exercise of power, including that of the ‘great unthinking mass’ of people. By this last statement, we understand Kant to be critical of direct, participatory democracy as practiced in ancient Greece, which he likened to despotism. He much more preferred a representative democracy as is commonly practiced today.

In an extraordinary feat of farsightedness, Kant proposed that all nations unite in a world federation committed to perpetual peace, an idea that was embodied with the creation of the United Nations (UN). His ideas and works in contemporary times also play a key role in the shaping of international law and multilateral agreements.

Thomas Paine (1737-1809)  

Thomas Paine is in many ways the antithesis to Immanuel Kant whom we discussed above. Where Kant would not condone revolution under any circumstances, Thomas Paine made his name on the back of two revolutions; the American revolution that led to its independence from Britain in 1776 and the French revolution that got underway in 1789.

Thomas Paine arrived in America from England in 1774 virtually unknown. He arrived with very strong ideas about the inherent corruption of the monarchy system and that America should break completely from Britain and found a new republic where the people are sovereign. Shortly after the revolution got underway, Paine penned a powerful pamphlet called Common Sense that turned him to an overnight sensation.

It is impossible to exaggerate the impact of Common Sense. It is reputed to have sold about 500,000 copies at a time when America’s population was 2.5 million. In it, he would push ideas with force and clarity, urging the American revolutionaries to strive for the universal principles of freedom, equality and democracy. His pamphlet on the French Revolution, The Rights of Man sold in even greater numbers than Common Sense.

At the core of both pamphlets is Paine’s belief that the only legitimate basis of sovereignty is the people, thus rendering monarchy and aristocracy to be illegitimate forms of government. He also believed in the principle of natural rights and considered it a yardstick against which to determine the legitimacy of any government.

Paine also believed in the civilizing influence of commerce. He believed in the power of well-regulated markets to harmonize competing interests, integrate society and promote human well-being.

Paine like Kant would also show himself to be impressively farsighted, in his case favoring a system of taxation to limit inequalities of wealth and to fund public welfare, social insurance, free public education for the poor and pensions for the elderly; ideas whose time would not come until the 20^th century and continue to have a huge impact in the 21^st, in increasing parts of the globe.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831)

Friedrich Hegel was a philosopher of astonishing scope who aspired to explain everything from Newtonian mechanics to modern politics. It probably won’t be surprising then to know that his theory of politics was all-encompassing, embracing everything from the family, morality and custom to the market, law and government.

Given the all-encompassing nature of his theories, it is rather strange that he is remembered more for his philosophical method called the “dialectic”, than for any other the theories that this method produced. In fact, it would seem that the greatest effect of the dialectic was the effect it had on the young Karl Marx who considered himself a Hegelian in his youth. Marx would eventually make the dialectic to the school of thought that he eventually built that bears his name.

Having spent all this time on the dialectic, it behooves us to spend some time getting acquainted with it. Essentially, the dialectic involves the reconciliation at a higher level, of two ideas which at a lower level seem to be in conflict.

Despite the relative non-impact of Hegel’s theories, he did make important contributions to the theory of natural rights in the form of a critique. He criticized natural rights theorists for talking about individuals and their rights in the abstract, independent of their social context. The problem he saw with this was that moral ideals and legal rights that are not embedded in local customs and habits tend to be perceived as alien and have little or no bearing on actual behavior.

This does not mean however, that Hegel accepted tradition and custom for tradition and custom’s sake. He believed that we should seek what is rational in our traditions and customs, and that we may have to dispense with the parts of our traditions and customs that are not rational, particularly if they are constituting a stumbling block to future progress.

James Madison (1751-1836)

American founding father and later President, James Madison is recorded by history to be the ‘Father of American Constitution’. In preparation for his role of prime architect of that great document, he read about 197 books on ancient and modern federal republics, many of them by ancient Greek and Roman authors.

One book though, probably stands taller than the rest and that is Spirit of the Laws by Montesquieu from which he borrowed the concept of the ‘Separation of Powers’ and enshrined it in the American constitution. Readers are no doubt familiar with this concept, where government is divided into the three branches of the executive, legislative and the judiciary, each with its own powers to check and balance the powers of the other branches. Thus any nation whose constitution is adapted from the American constitution and that includes the Nigerian constitution is ultimately being influenced by the ideas of James Madison.

Madison’s overriding aim in designing the constitution was to empower democratic majorities while safeguarding the rights of minorities. He achieved by carrying out the following measures:

• He divided society into many cross-cutting factions so that no stable majority could oppress a minority.
• He divided sovereignty between national and state governments.
• Utilizing the ‘Separation of Powers’ concept he divided governments at each level internally into branches to engender competition among politicians in order to prevent conspiracies against the people.  

His work has not escaped criticism. For instance, it has been said that the dispersal of sovereignty leads to political gridlock. Dispersal of sovereignty has also been blamed for making the issue of accountability complex. It was also noted that Madison’s constitution made no provision for political parties.

This to modern eyes might seem very strange. Political parties are necessary for governing because without them there could be no stable cooperation among the branches of government and thus no capacity to govern. On the flip side, he existence of parties undermines the concept of Separation of Powers. Where one party controls two or more branches of government, checks and balances are inevitably weakened.

Madison wouldn’t let the attacks go unreplied. In response to his major critics, Madison along with Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury (Finance Minister) and John Jay, another Founding Father authored The Federalist Papers, which is widely considered to be the greatest political treatise to come out of America. The Federalist Papers is a collection of about 85 essays.

All 3 authors make use of the pen name Publius, an ancient Roman name, probably of some great political theorist. As a result, it isn’t officially known who wrote what but scholars generally believe Hamilton wrote the bulk of it – about 51 essays and supervised the publication. Madison is believed to have written 29 and John jay 5, but the most complex and profound essays are generally believed to be written by Madison.

Having already adapted the American constitution. Nigerian politicians may just find some pearls of wisdom in The Federalist Papers.

The Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), 𝐌𝐬. 𝐔𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐨 𝐀𝐤𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐨 paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐤𝐮𝐦𝐞, in Abuja on Monday, July 21, 2025.

During the meeting, H.E. Sen. Akume congratulated the newly appointed leadership of the Commission and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to accelerating development across the South-South region. He urged the team to execute their mandate with diligence, innovation, and integrity, emphasizing that their appointment reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s confidence in their capacity to transform the region.

The visit also featured the formal presentation of appointment letters to the Commission’s leadership team, marking the official commencement of their duties.

With renewed energy and support from the highest levels of government, the South-South Development Commission is set to usher in a new era of sustainable growth and regional prosperity.

By Festus Ogunseitan

Religion has become the biggest issue in Nigeria, outweighing several other factors. Solving it will resolve many issues for Africa because Nigeria is seen as a giant and a symbolic trigger for the continent.

Some time ago, precisely in 2023, Binos Yaroe, a Senator on the Senate platform, suggested a bill to regulate religion, particularly Christianity in Nigeria. The bill proposed setting a ceiling on the performance of General Overseer duties and monitoring religious systems, including making financial matters publicly controlled—similar to what exists in the Western world.

There was a similar bill earlier, sometime during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which was instantly rebuffed by a cross-section of the Pentecostal church. They vehemently complained that the plan was a ploy to control the faith of the people and to hijack Christianity in favor of the Islamic religion, thereby turning Nigeria into a religious state. A key player involved in the suggestion was subsequently indicted, restrained, and barred from performing his statutory duties.

Religion in Africa has done more harm than good to millions of its citizens—particularly the youth—and has marred the image of the continent on the international stage.
Most crimes stemming from religious intolerance—between Christians and Muslims, Boko Haram, and terrorism—remain unresolved to this day.

There are also community-level conflicts leading to arson and murder, especially from the Islamic religion in the North. Individuals accused of desecrating the holy prophet or showing contempt for his name are often subjected to capital crimes like murder—actions that should never be condoned, as is still common in many areas of the North.

Another crime rooted in religion is the destruction of properties due to religious intolerance, especially in remote areas of the Middle Belt such as Benue and Kaduna, where both faiths coexist prominently.

Today, many international crimes committed by Nigerian youths abroad are first cultured and hatched in our worship centers. Many of these youths are indoctrinated to prioritize money over hard work, as numerous churches are centered around miracles of sudden wealth without effort or integrity.

If religion has now become what it is today—worship places turned into ritual sites, centers of extortion and exploitation of the poor, hubs for money laundering, complicity with corrupt politicians, sites for the abuse of women and young girls, and platforms for perfecting evil plots—then something urgent must be done by the government. As a Yoruba adage says: “No one opens their eyes wide for a log to poke into it” (A kii laju si’le, ki kolobo wo nu e).

The entire social media space is now agog with the damage caused by religion, especially in how it affects our youth. Bad indoctrination into the love of money, miracle-obsession, idleness, and fraud continue unchecked in worship centers, simply because the authorities consider religion a sensitive issue. Sadly, the consequences are embedded in our future through tens of millions of innocent youths who are members.

Nigeria is a secular state, and the government has the right to ensure individuals can practice the religion of their choice—while making sure that no institution within the country assumes superiority over the state. In fact, the Christian scriptures in Romans 13:1 say:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Therefore, the current government has a mandate to reform many aspects of religion in Nigeria—particularly within the Christian and Islamic faiths. It must introduce moderation to curb the unchecked policies, practices, and principles of religious organizations and foster peaceful coexistence for future generations of Nigerians.

The aim should be to create a responsible system—free of extortion, deception, and financial exploitation—one that works with the government to empower the poor through the values taught in scripture: industry, integrity, and transparency. This way, more citizens can rise above poverty, feel secure, and be part of a Nigeria that attracts global respect, where the diaspora would be proud to return and build a united, strong nation free of hatred and oppression.

The new government, with its team of erudite players, is currently working on several of these reforms—starting more explicitly with the economy, power, petroleum, and infrastructure. Yet, the damage caused by religion continues to pile up—manifesting in economic sabotage, the mental indoctrination of youths, youth crimes centered around the love of money, and rejection of government policies. Something urgent must be done before this growing evil becomes an international stigma that threatens Nigeria’s stability, unity, and peace—making it appear lawless.

The current fracas among Pentecostal leaders, made global on social media, reveals deep contradictions in doctrines, standards, and a complete absence of a responsible central authority to moderate them. In such a worsening situation, if control is not urgently enacted by the government, a greater evil looms—one of uncontrollable magnitude that would affect future generations and may become impossible to reverse.

Today, we hear of “miracle money,” international migration without visas, sales of oils, miracle keys, and handkerchiefs promising quick wealth, alongside fake prophecies and testimonies that mislead the public. Then there is the exploitation of confused and gullible citizens, who are daily defrauded through religious gimmicks and heresies promising blessings that never materialize.

Sadly, many of these trends include senior faith leaders—who should be role models—yet are found writing books full of heresies, placing their members under the bondage of fear and guilt to extort them financially, leaving no room for alternative survival. Religion has become evil.

To curb this trend, we must first understand its scope and magnitude. The control measures needed should go beyond setting term limits for religious leaders. A more robust approach would involve creating teams of experts from both religious and secular backgrounds to participate in religious conferences and forums across different faiths.

These groups would review activities of religious institutions, including their curriculum, mission and vision, modes of service, doctrines, publications, and practices. Their goal would be to align teachings with the core tenets of the Bible and the Quran. Financial records—income and expenditure—must also be scrutinized and regulated to ensure transparency and sanity.

In any normal situation, the curriculum of any organization should reflect its foundational principles. For Christianity, that foundation is Jesus Christ; for Islam, it is Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, a church’s curriculum should reflect the Bible’s teachings.

Experts in scripture should develop a standardized curriculum that all church leaders must follow if they wish to establish a worship center. The government must then monitor these activities—especially financial ones—through its agencies, without fear or favor, as finances are at the heart of many religious inconsistencies and crimes.

Religion should now focus more on humanity and its realities, and less on spiritual rituals. The emphasis must shift from money-driven miracles to teachings about character, responsibility, and integrity.

God’s words in scripture center on love, peace, and truth. Christianity preaches love. Islam preaches peace. Traditional religions preach truth. Each doctrine should be limited to these ethical codes.

The government’s regulatory body must ensure that any worship center being established upholds these values—not wealth, fame, or power. All holy books affirm that God does not call only a select few, but calls everyone to repentance and good character, to lift others up and support the less privileged.

Religion should be a partner to government efforts, helping to achieve justice and equity through the fear and knowledge of God.

By Festus Ogunseitan

This piece comes to a necessity on the heels of recent public strifes and quarrels among ministers of gospel particularly in the christian faith against one another where the scripture is differently interpreted to suit oppossing opinions.

 While some interprete the scripture to suit dynamic current trends,as a process of civilisation, others interprete it in the conservative realm of the original scripture. The preponderance of any message is the originality and ingenuity of the messenger.

Should the work of God be studied in school, in Bible colleges and in missionary Schools or is it by the Calling of God with provisions of inherent spiritual gifts, endowments and commensurate passions?

The word of God is not literature that is learnt in schools and is graduated with degrees, it is life, spirit, power, prophesies, of judgements, convincements, convictions, a pilgrimage and a disciplined character worthy of emulation and for societal transformation, of fear of God and of world peace.

So, doing God’s works by studying it in Seminary colleges, Bible schools or in Missionary schools produce results different from being called to serve by God..

All the Prophets and Apostles in the holy books were called, and so they did the work exactly as they were instructed, empowered for exploits, monitored, disciplined and directed by the anointing of the Holy Spirit without the nursing of ulterior motives other than  to gain eternity..

Prophets like Elijah were not educated, yet he was known for great exploits in Israel till today for the most onerous miracles he did like praying rain from falling for years and calling down fire on mount Carmel.

However, Apostle Paul who was educated also did so much exploits for Jesus Christ because he was called and anointed for exploits. The man Bar-Jesus was only hungry for power but was not called, so he thought he could buy the power of god with money but he was rebuffed and rejected.

Most people in the work of God today who are not called are in the image of Bar- Jesus buying and selling the power of God in the church. Only the called have the heart of God to break through the evils of life to the end.

As the bible puts it in, Romans 8:30; And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified.

In the contrary, those who attended Schools like seminary, bible colleges and missionary choose the work as a job need, to belong, to acquire more knowledge, for ego, for research purposes, for earning a living, to own a vocation, passion for righteousness, as a family profession.

But people who learnt to do God’s work are only able to acquire knowledge often short of anointing. They dont usually enjoy the leading of the holy spirit for sanctified consecrated lives,  they lack the gifts for exploits, power for miracles, gifts of discernings and grace for healing. Since they were not called, Holy Spirit can not be available to monitor or to discipline them.

 As a result, the jobs of accademic ministers of God are  subject to errors, poor conscience, poor judgements,and poor public perceptions, evaluation, general disaffections complaints and strifes as it is mostly carnally done.

Today, a mixture of both the Called and the academic ministers hold forth the work of God as the church today massively expands spiritually in one side and in the other side it is for material exploits but, only by their works that they can be differentiated.

Bible in admonishes: “Bible, King James Version 1John 4;1; Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

While those who are called are endowed for the work with the required gifts, power and anointing, the academic struggle with manipulated prophesies, fake miracles and  twist scriptures for make beliefs.

The danger is that human beings do not work alone but as complements, there is always the place of influence, and one is influencing the other with the air of gospel today massively stinks of vileness and perdition.

By Festus Ogunseitan

THE MAN WIKE in the politics of Nigeria – fighting and dancing to power shows him as the future “Emilokan” of Nigeria for the South East region.

Politics in Nigeria, a multiparty system in a multiethnic and multireligious nation is obviously not bread and butter.

Nigerian politics dated back to her independence days of the patriachs; Ahmadu Bello, of the North, Nnamdi Azikwe of Eastern region and Obafemi Awolowo of the Western region when Nigeria was just three regions.

The trends of political events since independence had been stories of upheavals, disagreements, conflicts, civil wars and military interventions. It was never a story of calmness and continuity.

In its early years after gaining independence in 1960, The First Republic was established in 1963, and was short-lived, ending with a military coup in 1966. The nation then experienced a prolonged period of military rule, punctuated by the devastating Biafran War (1967-1970) and subsequent attempts to transition back to civilian rule.

The Biafran war of over three years led by Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu caused a serious setback for the people of the Eastern region morally, and socially and in areas of reintegration to the nation.

At the end of war in 1970, Nigeria government began to express a lost of trust and confidence in the Eastern region politics and it has not been the same with the region who produced the first President of Nigeria through Nnamdi Azikwe.

Different political dispensations subsequently passed bills for rotational presidency, for power shift and for equation to enable power equity at the central seat of Nigeria but after sixty years of independence, aside Nnamdi Azikiwe being a ceremonial president, the South East has only succeeded once in producing Nigeria’s leader, once in the person of Goodluck Jonathan from Bayelsa State.

Even with military incursions, apart from General Aguiyi Ironsi’s ill-fated 6 month rule, the South East had not been lucky to rule nigeria possibly and partially by virtue of recurring fear of secession from the nation.

Many years into democracy in Nigeria, a convention in Geneva held by the United Nations rules out incursions by military junta globally to ensure civilian peace, functional  human rights and freedom, peace and advocacy and it provides sanctions against nations under military rules..

Against all these, yet, the battle for the mantle of President had continued to elude the South Eastern region as an igbo man could only vie for second or third fiddle in the same manner of lost confidence and trust and that subsequently led the igbo  youths back boiling for dissolution of Nigeria, cesession plans, self government and for a renewed creation of Biafran nation.

The game of politics in Nigeria however is naturally and technically  not of exclusive zonal rotation, a representative must go through screenings and campaigns to compete with others from other Zones and to fight for the position of power to win all other contenders, the office of the president is competitive, it goes through the national ballots, never given a la carte, it is not a serve yourself buffet. It means for a candidate to win, he must be truly democratic, intelligent with records of performance, competent, strong mentally and emotionally.

That informed the 2023 electioneering campaign for a first time, when the youths of South East went out with a height of enthusiasm to chose a representative who had featured as a credible actor in the politics of Nigeria with an outstanding record and impeccable character that would win the hearts of diversified Nigerians and not only of his people.

So, a one time governor and an industrialist par excellence, in the person of Mr Peter Obi, was put forward and widely supported across the nation, Youths group recruited him on basis of not too young to rule agenda.

Religious groups recruited Christians for him, daring monopolistic politics .

The Ohaneze Ndigbo went out en masse to ensure that recurring scourge of discrimination, maginalisation and calumny against Ndigbo was a thing of the past.

The hottest chase in the history of Nigerian politics, but it was as well peaceful, well conducted, relatively and free and fair.

Included in the support for Ndigbo was a pan African cultural, political group, the Yoruba Afenifere under the coordinating wing of late Yinka Odumakin who came forward to show support for the Igbos in the spirit of Southern region support claiming they had suffered enough undue maginalisation.

Unfortunately for Peter Obi, and for the Labor party which he represented, he came third. Tinubu won and became the new President.

The politics of South East then went a milestone backward with key players cross carpetting from losing political parties to the winning party APC.

Conspicous was a gameplayer among giants, a political juggernut from the South East zone, erudite, a politician of timber and caliber, an audacious and resilient leader who had always moved forward steadily in all dispensations with attitudes of effontery and against dictatorship in politics, a man of unbending loyalty to his political party the PDP ( People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria.)

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, former State Governor of the Rivers State and a one time Federal Minister of Education. His tenures in all his assignments have been known for achievements and developments yet controversial because of the complex nature of Nigerian politics..

As the former Governor of Rivers State, Rivers state witnessed a lot of transformations.

 In 2023 Nyesom Wike intended to vie for the post of the President of Nigeria in  the primaries of PDP with power transiting  to the South under the legislated zonal rotation system but he was dissapointed via a conflict of interests with the very powerful former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar from the North who was also interested in the same office despite that it was a South’s turn.

Wike was not cowed, nor moved, neither was he caged, he kept talking sanity, educating people in and out of his political party on sanctity of practice among the PDP with resilience and effontery and threatening to wreck havoc against the success of his party unless the truth is told.

The in-house altercation was an unusually dramatic time in the history of elections, as Wike stood bold on one end and Atiku, the Turaki of Adamawa stood equally firm on the other end, holding on to the Northern creed of born to rule.

Subsequently, at election, the situation  spoilt chances for PDP at the verdict as many members availed to lack of respect for rule of law by Atiku and refusal to bow to sanctity to break off from PDP in a way that showed support and  loyalty not just to Wike, but to true democracy and against the politics of born to rule, ethnicity and money power.

The resilience of Wike sent a message to the country, and to the whole world against corrupt leadership, rights oppressions and power monopoly, particular of the age-long northern oligarchy through absolute resilience, effontery, confidence, sacrifice and competence of one man.

That also shows that we can change our world, and we can end all forms of nepotism, oppressions and money politics for the actualisation of truth and righteousness in our nation.

Wike was honored for his bravery, intelligence, erudition, truth, sacrifices, risks taking, and faith and was rewarded with a portfolio in the cabinet of the ruling party being the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he continues to exercise the same control without fear or favor and winning wars against his own people of the South-East in ensuring that the masterplan of the FCT which hitherto had been made impossible by the uncontrolled migration, is made a reality against all odds.

For what he is doing presently in Abuja and for all his previous detribalised work ethics, he is much hated among many of his own family and friends who would rather see  things from the ethnic point of view, than see from national perspectives.

Nevertheless, haters, the whole eyes of the nation, and of the international minds are watching and recording the man Wike in the eyes of the storm, and posterity is also watching him.

The Bible talked about the stone that the builder rejected which has become the pillar of the house.

Many Nigerians are seeing the antecedents of Wike and his tall, strong, resilient, outspoken and un-comforming personalty as a steady goal getter,  similar to the same found in Emilokan of Nigeria whose unique personalities made Lagos what it has become today and now working Nigeria through the same transformations.

Will Wike become the arrowhead of South Eastern politics to in future, notwithstanding  though being a rejected stone for now?

Let us leave the time to tell.