Opinion

An Unforgettable 2021

Published

4 years ago

December 29, 2021

As we prepare to transition to 2022, we are grateful for the friendships, strengthened partnerships, and progress accomplished toward U.S. and Nigerian goals this past year. On behalf of the entire U.S. Mission, I extend our warmest wishes for a healthy, peaceful, and joyous holiday season.
At the outset of 2021, we all had high hopes of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another variant has come to the centre stage of global concern. However, thanks to renewed global health collaboration efforts, vaccine development and distribution is gradually making headway.
At the U.S. Mission, we are fortunate to have dozens of our staff working side by side with our Nigerian counterparts to monitor and respond to the pandemic. The strength of our support is reflected in the over $130 million we have contributed towards the COVID-19 health response and the hard work of staff who provide expertise, technical assistance, and logistics support. So far, we have pledged 36 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nigeria — of which 18 million have been delivered to date, and the balance of 18 million will be shipped in the coming weeks. The pandemic has shown us how interdependent our world is. No one is safe until everyone is safe. Through robust global dialogue and ingenuity, we will continue to build global health security in the New Year together.
I firmly believe that, together, the world will overcome COVID-19, the same way that we have overcome other global health challenges. Together, we have brought HIV/AIDS to a point where epidemic control is within our reach. We achieved the eradication of wild polio virus as all of Africa is now certified as wild polio virus free. In Nigeria, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has invested more than $6 billion in the national HIV/AIDS response, where measures of our success include more than 1.6 million men, women, and children currently on HIV treatment. In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, we remain committed to completing the task of placing all people living with HIV on treatment and to strengthening capacity and commitment at all levels.
In fact, we have many reasons to remain positive about the progress made this year toward our shared goals. This past year, I had many opportunities to engage with Nigerians from all walks of life, from Kebbi to Akwa Ibom, and Ife to Jos. One common theme inevitably prevails – Nigerians seek a more secure living environment to raise and educate their children, earn a decent living, and strengthen their communities. We have done our utmost to address these concerns through a variety of mechanisms.
Countering violent extremism in Nigeria remains a top priority for both our countries. We were proud to support such efforts with the delivery of twelve Super Tucano aircrafts, which are already being employed to assist the Nigerian Air Force in their fight against violent extremist organizations. We have also worked with civil society, civilian law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections officials to combat insecurity, strengthen effective and equitable access to the rule of law and justice, protect human rights, and together create a safer Nigeria.
Nigeria is the United States’ second largest trading partner on the continent, and we seek ways to further deepen this vital economic relationship. During 2021, we strengthened this partnership in important sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, information and communication technology, and renewable energy. On this latter issue, together our nations recognized the impact of climate change. We welcomed President Buhari’s commitment to strive for zero carbon emissions by 2060 at the COP26 summit, as the United States agreed to slash methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Separately, we welcomed the arrival in Nigeria of well-respected American brands such as United Airlines and Burger King. United Airlines’ direct flight from Washington, D.C. to Lagos – already booked solid for weeks ahead – is a testimony to our strong economic and people-to-people ties.
Simultaneously, we worked with organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded West Africa Trade Hub to co-invest in existing rice and tomato companies to improve yield, resilience, and to create more jobs for Nigerians. Perhaps the most significant U.S. economic and development commitment in the past year was the launch of a five-year, $2.17 billion Development Objectives Assistance Agreement between Nigeria and the United States. As USAID celebrated its 60-year anniversary in 2021, we similarly recommit to our shared goal of a healthier, more educated, more prosperous, more stable, and more resilient Nigeria – this new agreement helps us get there.
In 2021, and despite the challenges of COVID-19, we were extremely gratified by the great number of high-level, in-person and virtual meetings between U.S. and Nigerian leaders, which touched on our shared political, military, civil society, and economic goals. During his visit to Nigeria, Secretary of State Antony Blinken articulated our shared policy goals, and met with civil society and tech innovators who are contributing to a stronger, more inclusive democracy in Nigeria. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, Commander of the United States Africa Command, General Stephen J. Townsend, and others also visited Nigeria and similarly underscored the Biden Administration’s commitment to partnering with Nigeria to solve global challenges and advance shared interests.
As we look forward to the coming year, we are proud to be breaking ground on a new, more accommodating, and modern Consulate in Lagos that reflects the centrality of Nigeria to our foreign policy goals and will better serve the Nigerian public. Finally, we look forward to continuing our robust, inclusive, and issue-based dialogue at the African Leaders Summit hosted by President Biden. This ongoing conversation remains so vital to Nigeria’s own democracy strengthening efforts as the 2023 presidential elections approach.
On behalf of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, I extend our appreciation for the friendships and partnerships which have formed throughout the year. We wish you a peaceful and prosperous holiday season and New Year.
Leonard, US Ambassador to Nigeria, wrote from Abuja.

By: Mary Beth Leonard

Opinion

Kudos Gov Fubara

Published

2 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.

The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people. He said, “our isolation is over.” That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.

The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.

Samuel Ebiye

Opinion

… And It Came To Pass

Published

2 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation.”

Tell it in Rivers State, publish it in the streets of Port Harcourt, so the daughters of the State could rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and know that Fubara is not vindictive”. And it came to pass that Rivers State emerged from one of the most delicate chapters in its political journey, the period of emergency rule that spanned from March 18 to September 18, 2025. It was a season that tested institutions, strained loyalties, and exposed the fragile balance between power and principle. During that time, the suspended Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara DSSRS, was widely believed to have suffered not only political setbacks but personal betrayal, allegedly from some top civil servants within the state apparatus. These were individuals expected to uphold neutrality and professionalism, yet were accused in public opinion of taking sides against the very government they served.

As the emergency rule ended and Governor Fubara resumed office, expectations were shaped less by policy and more by emotion. Many assumed that revenge would quietly find expression through governance. The loudest suspicion centered on the 2025 Christmas bonus of ?100,000 traditionally paid to each worker. The thinking was simple and cynical: a wounded governor would surely withhold goodwill. Some voices even mocked workers openly hoping that the governor would refuse to pay the bonus. To them, denial of the bonus would serve as proof of political strength and justified retaliation. In reality, such thinking revealed a troubling desire to see governance reduced to personal vendetta. Yet, it came to pass, the governor chose a path that confounded suspicion. Against all expectations, the 2025 Christmas bonus was paid.

That single decision quietly but firmly reframed the narrative. It showed a leader focused on governance rather than grudges, on institutional continuity rather than emotional satisfaction. The payment was not a favor, nor was it a concession; it was a statement that public administration must rise above personal injury. By honoring the bonus, Governor Fubara demonstrated that leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation. He made it clear that workers’ welfare would not become collateral damage in political disagreements. This action also served as a moral rebuke to those who celebrated division and hoped for punishment. Governance is not validated by the suffering of workers, nor is leadership strengthened by withholding entitlements. At the same time, the issue of alleged sycophancy and betrayal within the civil service cannot be brushed aside. If proven, such conduct deserves firm, lawful, and institutional correction. Civil servants are bound by duty to the state, not to political conspiracies or shifting loyalties.

However, justice must never be confused with revenge. The strength of governance lies in correcting wrongs without destroying the system itself. Governor Fubara’s restraint suggested an understanding that the future of Rivers State mattered more than settling scores. For workers, this moment carried an important lesson. Celebration should be rooted in good governance, not in the expectation of another’s downfall. Rejoicing in rumors of denial or punishment undermines the very stability that protects workers’ welfare. Public service thrives where professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability are upheld. Pettiness, gossip, and political scheming only weaken institutions and erode trust. History often remembers leaders not for the crises they inherit, but for the character they display in response. In paying the 2025 Christmas bonus, Governor Fubara chose legacy over impulse, maturity over malice.

And so, it came to pass that focus defeated revenge, governance triumphed over bitterness, and Rivers State was reminded that true leadership is proven when restraint is expected least but delivered most. Beyond the symbolism of the Christmas bonus lies a deeper question about the kind of political culture Rivers State intends to cultivate in the years ahead. Periods of emergency rule, anywhere in the world, often leave behind residues of suspicion, fear, and silent realignments. Institutions do not emerge untouched; individuals recalibrate loyalties, some out of conviction, others out of self-preservation. What distinguishes stable democracies from fragile ones is not the absence of such moments, but the discipline with which leadership manages their aftermath. River.

King Onunwor

Opinion

That Withdrawal of Police Orderlies From VIPs

Published

2 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk in a country where the majority of citizens are still under-protected.”

The Presidential announcement on the removal of police orderlies from persons in authority and their relations ( Very Important Persons ) last month came as a relief to many Nigerians who felt deprived of one major role of government ; security of lives and property.The higher population of Nigerians missed needed security because the VIPs and the VVIPs kept retinue of Police Officers totalling over 100 ,000 to themselves and their family members as if they are all that matter while some communities under attack of terrorists have no single unit of police station located there in. While many hailed the announcement , some said perhaps the government has just woken up to her major responsibility of securing the lives and property of all citizens while many expressed indifference on the note that it may be one of those pronouncements which come only in words but no action .Many keep their fingers crossed watching how it will play out , how Mr President will go about the implementation of the seemingly dicey policy .

Benjamin Franklin said “well said is better than well done ” It is sufficient today to say that many Nigerians including me are still waiting and watching to see how well and how long this return of the Police service to the ordinary people will go . Wishing hopes will not be crashed , It is note worthy, that the recent complaints by the VIPs of being exposed to attacks may in a way affect the action on implementation. Recently, at Senate plenary , another worrisome angle came up as Senator Abdul Ningi coming through a motion disclosed that he had only one police officer attached to him ( his office ) and that the officer was recalled the week before following Mr President’s directive . Senator Ningi said the withdrawal exposed him to high risks but underscored the angle that while his orderly was recalled , many other politicians , men and women in authority, business concerns foreigners and even children of some VIPs are still enjoying retinue of police protection ( officially attached to them ).

It’s note worthy also that the Deputy Senate President , Distinguished Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session revealed that the leadership of both chambers are already in discussion with President Tinubu on the need to exempt the law makers from the new policy . Senator Ningi may not be wrong . After all he emphasized he is okay provided that the removal of the Police Orderlies be done across board . Senator Barau noted that talks are on over the issue of law makers’ in line with international practice . Further details from the Presidency noted that Presiding officers will retain their police officers , others would have Civil Defense officers ( NSCDC) as orderlies while any other VIP who feels he or she deserves personal police protection should get clearance from his office . In the midst of all issues weighing in on the proper implementation , it becomes necessary to bear in mind that the decision hinges on the realization that Nigeria has peculiar security issues (of kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism.) and that majority of Nigerians are under protected.

More so, that if well implemented, Police officers will focus on core duties; even as 30,000 new police officers are to recruited to enhance security .That implementation must be made in a way that leaves no room.for selective treatment loss of confidence and controversies. Looking at previous attempts of implementation of this policy gives faint hope as several attempts consistently failed . Former IGPs like Tafa Balogun (2003), Ogbonnaya Onovo (2009), and Ibrahim Idris (2018) tried the policy but all failed due to political resistance from various angles. All the failed attempts were tied to lack of political will mostly due to the fact that the directives came from police chiefs, not the president. Selective Enforcement was another killer to the policy as partial implementation met resistance and later reversal . Egbetokun (2023) and Adamu (2020) saw minimal impact.

Further more entrenched corruption in the system saw Politicians and VIPs quietly regain police escorts due to ‘transactional economics”and pressure. Worse still the mindset of the police officers withdrawn didn’t help the policy Underpaid police prioritize VIP duties for extra benefits. Many wish President Tinubu’s move can break this cycle. As at today, he still insists the move is non-negotiable while stressing collaboration with states to upgrade training facilities. As citizens look forward to success of the policy without undue exposure of both sides, balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk. Talk fades ; action echoes. How the Presidency implements this policy. has much to tell on the governments stand on national / community security , choice of priority and the ability to stand uncomprised . The known goal is clear: The outcome is not yet certain. Fingers crossed , we await . Definitely , time will tell.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi.

s State stood at such a crossroads in September 2025. The temptation to rule with a long memory and a heavy hand was real. Yet, the choice made signaled a preference for healing over hardening. Leadership after crisis demands more than administrative competence; it requires moral clarity.

Governor Fubara’s decision reminded the state that authority is not best exercised through silent punishment or selective generosity. Rather, it is strengthened when rules remain rules, irrespective of personal injury. By keeping faith with workers, the government preserved an essential firewall between politics and public service. That firewall, once breached, turns governance into a battlefield where livelihoods become weapons. Rivers State narrowly avoided that descent. In doing so, it affirmed that institutions must outlive tempers, and governance must not mirror the bitterness of political seasons. This moment also invites sober introspection within the civil service itself. Allegations of partisanship, if left unresolved, corrode professionalism and weaken public confidence. A civil service that drifts into political camps loses its moral authority and operational effectiveness.

Therefore, reform, where necessary, should be guided by due process, transparency, and institutional review—not whispers, witch-hunts, or mob verdicts. Accountability strengthens systems when it is fair; it destroys them when it is arbitrary. The restraint shown by the executive places a corresponding burden on administrative leadership to restore discipline, neutrality, and pride in public service. For the wider political class and the commentariat, the episode serves as a caution against normalizing cruelty as strategy. The eagerness with which some anticipated workers’ suffering revealed a dangerous appetite for scorched-earth politics. When governance becomes a spectator sport where pain is cheered and deprivation is weaponized, society inches toward moral exhaustion. Rivers State has seen enough turbulence to know that stability is not sustained by triumphalism, but by restraint.

The lesson is simple yet profound: power is fleeting, but institutions endure; leaders pass, but precedents remain. In the end, the payment of the 2025 Christmas bonus was more than a fiscal act—it was a civic statement. It told workers they were not expendable. It told political actors that revenge would not be policy. And it told the state that maturity in leadership is not weakness, but strength under control. In a climate where many expected fire, restraint prevailed; where bitterness was predicted, balance emerged. Thus, Rivers State was offered a rare reminder that governance, at its best, is an act of discipline, and leadership, at its highest, is the courage to rise above provocation.