President Muhammadu Buhari has openly commended the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for delivering what he called “visionary and trail-blazing projects” to the people, even in the midst of prevailing and challenging circumstances, occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said: “Your Excellency, well done! I am proud of what you have done for your State and your people.
‘‘You have made our great Party, the APC, proud too. You are a worthy example of promises made, promises kept.”
President Buhari, who is on a one-day working visit to the State today, January 13 and inaugurated five key projects in the State, described Governor Abiodun as the ‘‘performing Governor of Nigeria’s Gateway State.”
The President said that the Governor e is a worthy example of ‘‘promises made, promises kept.’’
According to the President, the lofty projects, including the Gateway City Gate, the 42-Kilometre Sagamu Interchange-Abeokuta Road, the 14km Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway and two Housing Estates for low, medium and high income earners at Kobape and Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, respectively, could not have materialised without the State government’s huge investment and commitment to security of lives and property.
‘‘This has made Ogun State one of the safest and most peaceful States in the country and investors’ destination of choice.
‘‘You (Prince Abiodun) have justified the mandate of the people of Ogun State. You have represented our Party very well.”
The President expressed delight that the 14km Ijebu Ode-Mojoda-Epe Road commissioned by him has been reconstructed into a modern expressway by the State government.
He noted that the impressive road would complement the Sagamu-Benin Expressway that the Federal Government is currently reconstructing; also due for commissioning this year.
“Just across the road is the 42-kilometer Sagamu-Interchange-Abeokuta Road which the state Government has reconstructed and equipped with street lights.
“That road enjoys a direct linkage with the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that the Federal Government is rebuilding and due for completion later this year.
“I am particularly impressed by the quality and standard of your road projects, and the creative way you have deployed resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate them.
“It is significant to note that the two road projects being commissioned today are federal roads. This is an example of constructive engagement, cooperation and collaboration between the States and Federal Government.
“These roads also fit well into our rail transportation masterplan that connects Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital to Kano, with Ogun State having more rail stations, along the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor.”
On the housing programme of the Ogun State Governor, the President commended its inclusiveness, saying that it is equally heart-warming that it cuts across different social strata, capturing the low, medium and high income earners.
Buhari admired the Gateway City Gate Project, saying: ‘‘it is not just a Park beautification project. It depicts that something new is happening in Ogun State, a welcoming entrance into the State Capital at the centre point of the State.”
He said that the project is also an ICON that depicts the joining of hands for building the future of Ogun State in togetherness.
“These lofty projects could not have materialised without your huge investment and commitment to security of lives and property.”
Responding to requests by the State governor to give priority to the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta and the Sango Otta-Idiroko Roads respectively, the President assured the people of Ogun State that these roads will receive Federal Government attention.
He said that the Federal Government would consider extending tax credit as funding option for the reconstruction of these roads, as done for the 100km Sagamu Interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro road.
Similarly, the President promised to consider the approval of the reconstruction of Sagamu-Ogijo Road by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited under the tax credit scheme.
The President thanked the residents of the State for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage in the Gateway State, which is his first visit to any State in the New Year.
“This welcome by the large crowd brings back the nostalgia of my first arrival on this soil as a young infantry officer in the Nigerian Army at the then Lafenwa Barracks in Abeokuta, not long after independence.
“The traditional hospitality of the people of this State has not waned a bit. Today, I am “Omowale” and very happy at this homecoming to meet my brothers and sisters whose goodwill I have always enjoyed.”
The President also congratulated the people of Ogun State for having such a focused, deliberate and inclusive Administration under the watch of Prince Abiodun, advising them to continue to support the governor for the successful implementation of the “Building our Future Together” Agenda of his Administration.
“The reward for success is more hard work to meet the increasing expectations of the people.
“When state governments deliver impactful projects, in consultations with stakeholders, like we have witnessed in Ogun State, the trajectory of our national development will be enhanced.’’
The President, who was conferred with ‘‘honourary indigeneship’’ of the State, said: ” it is with a sense of responsibility that I receive and cherish the honourary indigeneship bestowed on me as symbolized by the presentation of the key to the Gateway State by Governor Abiodun.
“I will leave Ogun State with fond memories and look forward to enjoying the privilege of my honorary indigeneship.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is set to unveil the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) huge Rice Pyramids in Abuja on January 18.
The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has confessed that the State has the highest number of Almajiri in the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed confidence that the nation will overcome the prevailing situation of insecurity in parts of the country.
Twitter Cannot Tell Nigerian Government What To Do Or Say, By Adaobi Nwaubani
The social media platform deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2021, and was then officially banned in the country two days afterwards. Despite a global outcry, the Nigerian government stood its ground, lifting the ban only after it was satisfied that Twitter had met certain stipulated conditions. The showdown lasted 222 days. My country has shown the world that it will not be tossed around by invisible controllers in Silicon Valley.
Twitter has a right to enforce its rules and regulations, of course, but there is a significant difference between President Buhari’s case and the infamous restrictions to the account of former US president Donald Trump. Buhari’s tweet – labelled hate speech by Twitter and deleted – was an official communication from the official account of the Nigerian president, while Trump was tweeting from his personal account.
No external group has the right to alter the official communication of a democratically elected government to its people. Nigerians have the right to hear whatever our leaders say to us, irrespective of how ill-advised their choice of words or how terrible their intentions might be. That same post – from which Buhari’s tweet was deleted – was broadcast in its entirety on various media platforms across the country through which the Nigerian people usually receive information from our government.
Twitter was also interfering in the laws of the land. While each of us might have our differing opinions on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Nigerian government in 2017 proscribed the separatist group as terrorists. IPOB fought to have this tag rescinded but lost the case in a competent court of law.
Therefore, as far as the laws of Nigeria are concerned, they are outlaws. And Buhari addressed them as such. Surely, Twitter would not delete a post threatening violence against ISIS or Boko Haram, even if it had been written by Trump? It is most likely that Twitter had no idea of this background.
The controllers in Silicon Valley clearly did not have enough understanding or context before moving to exert their power over who says what, when and how. They displayed the kind of ignorance of local affairs that has often caused foreign governments, charities, diplomats and many other international do-gooders, to bequeath African nations with more problems than they landed on our countries’ shores to solve.
A similar intervention by Twitter, when it verified the account of one group of organisers and not any of the others during Nigeria’s #EndSars anti-police brutality protests in October 2020, led to bitter infighting that eventually derailed the movement. At this rate, it seems to me that Twitter may be responsible for the next violent conflict in who knows which part of Africa.
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The Nigerian government is clearly unwilling that Nigeria should become one such arena. The conditions under which the ban was lifted include: “Act with respectful acknowledgement of Nigerian laws” and “appoint a designated country representative” – hopefully, someone with a rich comprehension of Nigerian politics and culture.
Twitter has also agreed to register in Nigeria, comply with tax regulations, and communicate directly with the Nigerian government to manage prohibited content that violates Twitter’s rules. That sounds more like it.
Like many Nigerians, I detest an authoritarian government. I have lived through a few and so appreciate the value of such human rights as freedom of speech. But, I also do not want a government that can be jabbed and prodded around at random by foreign fingers.
The multitude of activists and international figures who rushed to condemn the Nigerian government’s action against Twitter apparently meant well, but they should realise that this day and age breeds other kinds of authoritarianism that need to be tackled head-on. Nigeria, the giant of Africa, cannot have Twitter telling it what to do and say.
• Adaobi Tricia Obinne Nwaubani is a Nigerian novelist, humorist, essayist and journalist