The United States Supreme Court has sentenced the country’s President-elect, Donald Trump over hush-money payments made to an adult film actress. But he will avoid penalties for his conviction. Judge Juan Merchan, who sentenced Trump to an “unconditional discharge” today, January 10, rejected an attempt by his legal team to delay sentencing before the Republican leader’s inauguration on January 20. The decision means that Trump’s conviction will appear on his permanent record, but he does not face imprisonment, a fine, or probation – leaving him unencumbered to enter the White House. Trump, who previously served as president from 2017 to 2021, was found guilty in late May on 34 counts of falsifying business documents related to hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels, among other things. The US president-elect had denied any wrongdoing and said that he planned to appeal his conviction. Appearing virtually at today’s sentencing hearing, Trump said his criminal trial and conviction had “been a very terrible experience” and insisted that he committed no crime. “It’s been a political witch-hunt,” Trump said before the judge issued his decision. “It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election and obviously that didn’t work.” Prosecutors in the New York case had argued that the hush-money payments aimed to conceal allegations of a sexual relationship with Daniels that could have been politically damaging. The payments were made ahead of the 2016 US presidential election, which saw Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the White House. Trump, who pleaded not guilty in the case, has denied any sexual relationship took place. Prosecutors had argued: “it was important that Donald Trump was held responsible. “The judge himself said this was a unique and difficult case, but in the end, he decided that the sentence had to be an unconditional discharge.” Under New York’s penal code, a court can sentence a defendant to an unconditional discharge if it “is of the opinion that no proper purpose would be served by imposing any condition upon the defendant’s release.” Earlier, Trump’s lawyers had asked the Supreme Court to delay the sentencing “to prevent grave injustice and harm to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government.” They argued that a ruling last year by the top court that grants presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution means that some of the evidence should not have been presented in the case. But a majority of the justices on the Supreme Court said in a decision that the “alleged evidentiary violations” at Trump’s state-court trial “can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal.” They also said “the burden that sentencing will impose” on Trump’s responsibilities “is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing.” Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal his conviction. Now that he has been sentenced, Trump is free to pursue the appeal, a process that could take years and play out while he is serving his four-year term as president. “Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform after his sentencing.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has described the manner in which the Kano High Court ruled in favour of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero in the legal tussle over who is the bonafide Emir of Kano between Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero as “shoddy.” Delivering the judgment today, January 10, Justice Mohammed Mustapha accused the High Court of having acted unjustly by not notifying Muhammadu Sanusi about the hearing, thereby denying him the opportunity to present his case. “The conduct of the proceedings without notifying Sanusi amounted to a travesty of justice.” Justice Mohammed Mustapha ordered a fresh hearing in the legal dispute concerning the Kano Emirate, involving Ado Bayero and Muhammadu Sanusi II. Justice Mustapha stressed that it is the court’s duty to ensure fairness by allowing all parties in the Kano Emirate dispute to present their grievances. The Appeal Court went on to criticize the “shoddy arrangement” under which the Kano High Court ruled against Sanusi without giving him a chance to respond. “The principles of natural justice demand that no one should be condemned unheard.” As a result, the Appeal Court returned the case to the Chief Judge of the Kano State High Court, to be reassigned to another judge for an impartial and expedited hearing. Justice Mustapha however，did not award any costs against the respondents. The legal dispute between Bayero and Sanusi is centered on issues surrounding the leadership and governance of the Kano Emirate.
Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted an order restraining all commercial banks in Nigeria from releasing or dealing in all monies and assets up to $225.8 million due to Nduka Obaigbena from any account maintained by him. Obaigbena is the chairman and editor-in-chief of THISDAY Media Group and Arise News Channel. The court also blocked all commercial banks from releasing or dealing in all monies and assets up to the said amount belonging to Efe Damilola Obaigbena, Olabisi Eka Obaigbena and General Hydrocarbons Limited, an oil and gas firm in which all the three are directors and shareholders. Another order barring the banks from dealing in or releasing such monies and assets due to the company, its agents, privies, subsidiaries and sister companies with the banks up to the same sum was issued, according to court documents. First Bank of Nigeria Limited and FBN Quest Trustees Limited had on 27 December 2024 approached the Federal court to seek the orders in respect of a total claim of $225.8 million being alleged outstanding indebtedness on General Hydrocarbons’ account with First Bank as of 30 September 2024. The legal action pertains to “the loan facilities granted to the first defendant by the first plaintiff/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.” First Bank Vs Obaigbena: A background:- Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited, chaired by Jide Omokore, an associate of a former Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke, took a facility from First Bank in 2011. The $490 million loan was to fund the company’s operating and capital expenditure requirements for the drilling of four oil wells with proven reserves (together known as the Forcados assets) as well as its Strategic Alliance Agreement with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). The credit was secured with Atlantic Energy’s assets and rights through the agreement, while First Bank had charge over the company’s collection accounts. In the years that followed, the loan became problematic after Atlantic Energy defaulted in its repayment obligation. “In line with our commitment to address the legacy asset quality challenges, exposure to Atlantic Energy, our biggest NPL ( non performing loan), was written off in the second quarter,” Adesola Adeduntan, First Bank former CEO said in 2019. Writing off the N126 billion loan helped First Bank pared down its non-performing loan ratio to 14.5 per cent as of June 2019 from 25.3 per cent in the first quarter of the year, according to its earnings report. In a letter to Yemi Cardoso, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, dated 7 November 2024, Obaigbena stated how in 2020 he facilitated a meeting between Oba Otudeko, the then chairman of FBN Holdings and Mele Kyari, the managing director of NNPC Limited. “His problem was that the NNPC under the late Maikanti Baru, then GMD, NNPC had refused to sign the security documents for the now bad, non-performing loan to Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited (Atlantic Energy) for OML 26, OML 42, OML30 and OML 34 under separate Strategic Alliance Agreements between Atlantic Energy and NPDC Limited, claiming it was a fraudulent scheme to defraud the Federal Government by the then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.” The editor-in-chief of THISDAY Media Group noted that it was obvious during the meeting, which he claimed to be part of, that the facilities granted to Atlantic Energy by First Bank did not follow due process. “FBN was now faced with an unsecured and non-performing exposure of $718M and was on the verge of becoming a systemic risk to the banking sector. “It was discovered that FBN had given this loan recklessly without security as part of a scheme that funded Diezani Allison-Madueke and Kola Aluko, (details of these are still being investigated by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission“EFCC” and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency “NCA”),” Obaigbena further stated. According to the letter, Otudeko sought, Obaigbena’s help to help rescue First Bank from an imminently disastrous situation, causing the two agree to work together since the latter held an approved oil mining lease (OML) from ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua. Obaigbena said that the licence was then ratified by former President Muhammadu Buhari, resulting in OMLs 120 and 121 being granted to General Hydrocarbons in 2021. Following a series of meetings between First Bank and General Hydrocarbons, he said there was an agreement based on the fact that he held a valid OML award that First Bank would finance the optimum exploration, development and production of OML 120. Part of the terms, he added, was that General Hydrocarbons would share the profit equally with First Bank over eight years to help the latter “reduce the holes in their books” caused by their bad loans particularly the facilities availed to Atlantic Energy. “However, we made it clear that we are not Atlantic Energy and would never assume their obligations which was then being pursued by AMCON and EFCC and our central role was to assist FBN return to good standing with a totally different transaction structure as GHL has no nexus with Atlantic Energy.” The letter stated that First Bank sold its outstanding exposure as an Eligible Bank Asset (EBA) to AMCON at a discount to be paid off by its share of profit from the deal it earlier reached with General Hydrocarbons. It added that the lender agreed to a clawback provision with AMCON, meaning that in the event that the outstanding exposure was not paid, AMCON would recover the EBA from First Bank’s books The THISDAY newspaper editor-in-chief stated that First Bank, AMCON and General Hydrocarbons signed an outstanding exposure tripartite deed allowing Global Hydrocarbons to guarantee payment of a pending of a now discounted outstanding exposure of $600 million in naira on the books of the bank. The deal, he claimed, was in exchange for financing the optimum exploration, development and production of OML 120 by FBN. “Once GHL signed the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed effective 31st December 2021, FBN’s account which was then classified by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was now whole again having escaped a loan loss provision of 302Bn Naira against a profit of 151Bn Naira ultimately declared for the year ending 31st December 2021,” the document stated. “Had GHL not signed and guaranteed the EBA to AMCON, FBN’s loss for 2021 would have been 161Bn Naira, a whopping amount for the financial sector at that time, when the exchange rate was N400 – $1 having regard to the fact that this loan had been classified and non performing since 2015 (six years before).” Obaigbena alleged that the bank put stumbling blocks in the financing of the development of OML 120 in breach of the outstanding exposure tripartite deed. More than seventy utilisation requests made by General Hydrocarbons in respect of the facility took First Bank between seven and 67 days to pay instead of five days, he added, causing significant losses to Global Hydrocarbons.
“FBN’s reluctance to pay as at when due started soon after consultants appointed and working for FBN and AMCON started making demands of GHL for “fees” not connected with the transaction. Indeed, GHL told the consultants that this would amount to bribery and corruption (we have evidence).” “Since FBN got its way and avoided the 160Bn Naira loss following GHL’s signing of the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed and with its account now performing, FBN has failed, refused and/or declined to perform its obligations under the MOU and the Outstanding Exposure Tripartite Deed, contributing to GHL’s loss of the Blackford Dolphin drill ship for which we are currently facing claims of over $100M (One Hundred Million Dollars) now in Arbitration.” The document further noted that Global Hydrocarbons requested a $53 million facility from First Bank on on 28 August 2024, which was granted two months after by which time the lender “smuggled in a new variable of the appointment of an Independent Asset Manager” under a framework agreement that sought to effectively replace key components of the foundational MOU, unknown to the Tripartite Deed between AMCON, FBN and GHL and also unknown to the Petroleum Industry Act. Obaigbena alleged the framework document intended to give First Bank full control over OML 120. “Mr. Governor, we have been left with no choice but to go to court and arbitration to preserve our fundamental rights and our rights under the agreements in the face of FBN’s attempts to clubber and bully us out of existence,” he said. “We are seeking to enforce the provision of our MOU which allows us to raise finance independent of FBN when they fail to do so, for which they have failed abysmally. After over three and half years (3.5) years, all we have received from FBN is bad faith.” But on 27 December 2024, First Bank and FBN Quest approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, seeking among other things an order forbidding all the commercial banks in the country from releasing or dealing with all monies and assets up to $225.8 million due to the THISDAY editor-in-chief from any account maintained by him. Among other prayers sought by the plaintiffs was a similar order restraining the banks from releasing or dealing in all monies and assets up to the said amount belonging to Ms Efe Damilola Obaigbena, Ms Olabisi Eka Obaigbena and General Hydrocarbons Limited. The banks were also barred from dealing in or releasing such monies and assets due to the company, its agents, privies, subsidiaries and sister companies with the banks up to the same amount. On 30 December 2024, Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Lagos court granted the orders and adjourned the matter to 20 January 2025. Source: Premium Times.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has appointed the General Secretary of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Collins Edomaruse as Special Adviser on International Development Partners. Edomaruse is serving his second term as GOCOP General Secretary, which will terminate in October this year, 2025. He is Publisher/Editor-in-chief of METROWATCH online and a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (FNGE). The new Special Adviser had worked with THISDAY newspaper in many senior Editorial positions. He was Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor (Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles), and Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau. Popularly known as ‘General’ because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have remained unbeaten where he ranked the best among the Editors. Collins, from the Igbanke area of Edo State, attended Asaba Technical College, Delta State. He holds a postgraduate degree in Communications Studies. Edomaruse is a member of several other professional bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
A Catholic Christian priest with 17 years of experience, Dr. Echezona Obiagbaosogu, has officially stepped down from his clerical duties to adopt African traditional spirituality. Dr. Obiagbaosogu, who lectures in African Traditional Religion at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, said that his passion for traditional African beliefs and rainmaking practices influenced his decision. Repots have it that during the defense of his PhD dissertation titled: “Rainmaking and Control in Igbo African Medicine,” Dr. Obiagbaosogu highlighted the significance of Africa’s cultural and spiritual heritage, which he claims has been deeply affected by colonial legacies. “I’ve realized my true purpose lies in serving my people through our ancestral traditions,” he said. “I served as a Catholic priest for 17 years before resigning. My research topic focuses on ‘Rainmaking and Control in Igbo African Medicine: A Case Study of Isieke in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State.’” Dr. Obiagbaosogu recounted how his childhood experiences shaped his current path. His father, a Christian who valued traditional medicine, and his grandfather, a staunch traditionalist, nurtured his curiosity about nature and spirituality. During his academic research, Obiagbaosogu studied under a seasoned native healer to explore ways of reclaiming Africa’s lost cultural values. He also recalled founding the Society for African Culture during his seminary days, where he invited a rainmaker to demonstrate his craft, sparking his academic interest in the practice. “My exploration of rainmaking and other African traditions is not a rejection of God but an effort to connect with the divine more authentically.” Dr. Obiagbaosogu argued that African traditional practices contain significant scientific insights that are often misunderstood. “Magic evolved into religion, which has now transformed into modern science, including nanotechnology. The principles behind African magic are essentially scientific, yet they remain untapped.” He criticized Nollywood for its portrayal of African traditions, which he believes has damaged cultural values. Dr. Obiagbaosogu emphasized the need to document and modernize traditional practices for future generations. When asked about his departure from the priesthood, Dr. Obiagbaosogu described it as a deeply personal journey of self-reflection. “Life is about growth and finding alignment with one’s understanding of reality.” He refused to discuss the specific details of his resignation, but said that it is a necessary step in his personal and spiritual evolution.
Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, a football club founded in 1956, has signed an official contract with a United Kingdom-based young Nigeria-born footballer, Yaqub Usman-Malah. The official unveiling of the young promising footballer was carried out on Saturday, January 4, 2025. Yaqub, born in Nigeria in 2006, is a budding Nigerian talent with unquantifiable promise and potential. Prior to his official contract with Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, he was a student and a trainee player with the Brooke College Football Academy in the United Kingdom. At Brooke College Football Academy, Yaqub had an impressive goal average of 17 in 32 matches with no injuries in 116 training days, cumulating into 2, 270 minutes of on-field action. A clear testimony of his outstanding performance at the Academy was provided by the lead coach of the Under-17B team Yaqub played with. The lead coach, Tomasz Wasylik, described Yaqub as a ‘well-liked person’ and a role model to his teammates due to his professionalism and unmatched work rate. The Lead Coach said that Yaqub has played in National School Cup competitions against other colleges and programmes in the 2023/2024 session and is a good ‘tactical player’, ‘technically good” and can ‘play in multiple positions on the field’. Meanwhile, Yaqub’s father, Usman Malah has, in a statement today, January 8, 2025, said that he had no doubt that his son will live to the potential and promise identified by Coach Tomasz Wasylik of the Brooke College Football Academy and achieve greatness in his new club. “While looking forward to the display of his skills and boundless stamina, I wish my son, Yaqub, a successful career and a place in the halls of football greatness across the globe.”
The Governing Council of the University of Abuja has embarked on calming frayed nerves which developed in the process of search for a new Vice Chancellor from where Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi emerged as winner. She is the first female to become Vice Chancellor of the university. The Council, in a statement today, January 8, said that in a contest of 87 applicants with only one winner expected to emerge, the losers must exhibit great sportsmanship and maturity to accept the outcome. The statement, signed by the acting Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mrs. Islamiyat F. Abdulrahim, said that the Council is not unaware of complaints raised by some interested parties in the course of the transition process, which commenced as far back as March 2024 when the University initially advertised the position of Vice-Chancellor. “However, it is important to note that all such concerns and issues were considered and efforts made to resolve the issues amicably with the active involvement of major stakeholders in the University, including the Senate and the local branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). “That explains the wide and enthusiastic acceptance of the announcement of the new Vice-Chancellor within and beyond the University community. “Council appreciates that in a contest of eighty-seven applicants with only one winner expected to emerge, the losers must exhibit great sportsmanship and maturity to accept the outcome. “This is necessary for the University to forge ahead and allow the brand-new substantive Vice-chancellor who served in an acting capacity in the past six months, to unfold and pursue her vision for the University in an atmosphere of inclusiveness and enduring corporate harmony.” The Council, led by retired Air Vice Marshall Saddiq Ismaila Kaita, insists that it had complied with the extant laws and laid down procedures and processes in the appointment of the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University It said that contrary to the insinuations in some quarters, the Council, in making the appointment announced on 31st December 2024, strictly complied with the relevant provisions of the two main acts guiding the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of the University, “namely, the University of Abuja Act and the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003, NO 1 of 2007.”
“Kyari is a shining example and embodiment of the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda. I commend his commitment to creating new opportunities and ensuring the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s energy sector.” This is the verdict of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a message congratulating Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), on his 60th birthday today, January 8. The President commended Kyari’s diligence in transforming the NNPCL into a profitable organisation, adding that despite cynicism in some quarters, the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership has recorded notable achievements. Such achievements, Tinubu said, including the resuscitation of two refineries, an increase in domestic natural gas consumption and a boost in oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day.
Mele Kyari
The President applauds Kyari’s dedication to service and the professionalism he has maintained throughout his distinguished career at the NNPC, OPEC and as the first Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL. He prayed to Almighty Allah to continue to grant Kyari sound health, wisdom, and strength to serve the nation while mentoring the next generation of energy sector leaders.
I don’t know whether the title of this piece should be classified as a warning or an advice, for the reason that everything in the capital city of this abundantly blessed country, Nigeria, has become untouchable, even by those that have been branded middle-class citizens. As a matter of fact, citizens of the country, in general，have currently reached a stage in their lives in which they are not really sure where they are headed. I’m talking about the economic situation; their purchasing power has obviously nose-dived into nothingness and made them look like orphans. Since the federal government under President Bola Tinubu began its socio economic reforms immediately on taking over the power in May 2023, things have practical changed from good to bad and worse, and headed to worst. And the music that has continued to be played out at every oppotuned time is “things would get better soon.” It is however hard to believe that medical system would be so affected by the worsening purchasing power to the point where the poor and even not-so-poor are virtually boxed to the corner. Indeed, the worst thing that can happen to many Nigerians and which unfortunately is happening now, apart from hunger that has become the defining factor in their lives, is to fall sick, especially in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This is against the backdrop of the policy of the Administration to hike consultation and other medical fees in general hospitals. What is happening now is that a patient who goes to a general hospital for medical attention would have to obtain hospital card with N2,600 and pay consultantion fee of N1,500 for doctor to listen to him. If such patient is unlucky to be placed on admission, he is expected to pay the sum of N12,000 for a bed, not a room in a lodge, for a minimum of (compulsory) four nights. This is aside from medical or laboratory tests, drugs that he has to buy and many others. It looks strange that the Government’s general hospitals that used to treat patients with very low and affordable cost are now competing with private hospitals, to the point that the poor ones in our midst, who happen to fall sick are simply being told, Willy nilly, to quietly die in their homes. These are the people who even before the present economic hardships via Government’s reforms, could not afford three good square meals a day. With children school fees to be paid, with many mouths to feed everyday and other financial commitments, and with slave-like incomes, where would an average civil servant get the money to go to the government hospital for treatment of say, minor ailment? It is not surprising if very soon, the general hospitals will be empty of patients with traditional healers taking over their responsibilities to the poor ones，or deaths rising against the background of inability to fund their treatment in the hospital. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to increase Doctors’ consultation fees and bed fees in the hospital designated as general, if really such hospital is meant to take the financial burden off the shoulders of the people. The government at all levels need to be seen to be there to cussion the effects of excruciating living for the people and not squeezing them to death through uncountable taxes, levies, increased costs in what they are supposed to enjoy as bonafide citizens of the country. My honest advice therefore is that until government finds it benevolent to remove or reduce the fees in the general hospitals, people should try, please try not to fall sick.
Mele Kyari, a geologist and Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has dug his way into the tunnel of history. Within a space of two months, he announced the successful revamp of two refineries. In November 2024, Port Harcourt refinery came on stream. The following month, December, Warri refinery burst back to life. Both are not performing optimally, yet. But the journey has only just begun. Kaduna refinery is projected to begin production later this year. And if all goes well, a substantial percentage of the nation’s local petrol consumption would be sourced in-country. The implication on forex, job creation and economic reflation is enormous, positively. So what? Some Nigerians have asked this question. I won’t even tag them naysayers. There is a tincture of justification in their rage. But if such Nigerians did not rage against those who in the past brought the refineries – Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna – to ruins, they should not shudder at the celebratory dance of President Bola Tinubu and his laudation of Kyari and his team for achieving both the improbable and the impossible. After many years of redundancy, after several failed attempts to restream the moribund refineries with billions of dollars wasted in the fitful misadventures, someone has finally belled the cat. Such a person deserves a worthy pat on the back. Little wonder, President Tinubu was gushing at the news of Warri refinery cracking back to life. Here, I salute the wisdom of Tinubu in keeping Kyari on his job. Against a crude and virulently malicious campaign to get Kyari out of the way, Tinubu ignored the mob and renewed Kyari’s tenure. One of the missteps of the past was a high and volatile turnover of leadership at the nation’s oil and gas behemoth. Commonsense management will tell you that job insecurity, at any level, is antithetical to sustainable planning for long term goals. Fixing a refinery, especially one that has been rendered comatose for many years (with some bolts and parts gone rusty) is not a one-hour flight. It’s a long-distance haul, requiring patience, precision and meticulous planning. Had Kyari been shoved aside to fit the script of his ‘enemies’ and political mandarins seeking to give ‘wise’ counsel to Tinubu, these refineries would never have come on stream. In the stereotypical Nigerian way, the new management would have reviewed the contract, reworked the papers and even re-awarded aspects of the contract to another corporate. Herein is the wisdom of Tinubu in retaining Kyari highly commendable. As more Nigerians push for the refineries to attain 100 percent production efficiency, it is apposite to state what Kyari did differently. How did Kyari succeed where many others in the past failed woefully? Dateline: October 21, 2021, NAF Conference centre, Abuja: Kyari was Special Guest of Honour at the All Nigeria Editors’ Conference. He spoke off the cuff on the subject, “Insecurity as it affects the Oil and Gas sector.” He showed a good grasp of the malaise that has afflicted the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He, however, raised a banner of hope that under his watch, “things are now done differently.” He said issues of refineries not working, crude oil theft, among others, are all traceable to the Nigerian elite which include the editors and everyone present at the event. Kyari said that refineries had become comatose because the leadership elite had been doing things the wrong way over the years by relying on the builders of the refineries to come to Nigeria to fix the refineries. This model, he explained, does not happen anywhere because there are specialists whose business is to fix such refineries. They are not the builders but their job is to fix them when they break down. He called such companies EPCs (Engineering, Procurement and Construction). He gave an analogy: “You cannot ask Toyota to come down to Nigeria to fix your Toyota car. You give it to a technician. This is the error we have been repeating over the years.” He credited President Muhammadu Buhari for giving his management the free hand to do the right thing. “This is the first time in history that NNPC and its subsidiaries are allowed to do things the way things should be done. Now, I can confirm to you that we have taken responsibility and we will fix the refineries. We have started the process, contractors have been mobilised to the Port Harcourt refinery, while the same process for Warri and Kaduna refineries will be concluded by the end of this year,” he told a now excited crowd of over 200 editors, representatives of several government agencies including security agencies and the private sector. He got a standing ovation afterwards. Fast forward. Three years later at the twilight of 2024, two of the refineries had become operational once again all because Kyari walked a different path. It’s no magic. Just focussed, honest leadership. Kyari had been sincere as the helmsman of the NNPC even to his own hurt. The first NNPC honcho to open the ledger for public scrutiny. He did not only audit NNPC accounts, he got them published. And for once in ages, Nigerians got to know the assets, liabilities, strength and weaknesses of the company they own. Kyari has shown that he is a different breed of leader, a transformational leader who has used the same personnel at NNPC, in the same country, against the same headwinds to achieve milestones, some once thought unattainable. Retaining Kyari, a man he did not appoint, is one of the smartest decisions of President Tinubu. Kyari bestrides two worlds in Nigeria’s oil and gas history. The pre-PIA (Petroleum Industry Act) and the post-PIA, a delicate transition that required experience, emotional intelligence, industry knowledge, and leadership savvy. If the transition was a kind of exam for him, the geologist, earth scientist of crude oil marketer of renown simply aced it. He proved one thing: Nigeria’s challenges can be surmounted by Nigerians. He deserves all the Presidential plaudits and a green ribbon around his neck as a memorial of national honour.
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