Opinion

Rule Of Law Versus Presidential Directive

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

The former Editor of Manchester Guardian, Charles Prestwich Scott (20th October 1864 to first January 1932), is widely quoted as saying, “Comment is free but facts are Sacred”.This maxim is not only realistic but also in tandem with the remarks of Jesus Christ when He, said, It is written, in Matthew Chapter 4, verse 4 in the story of temptation as written in the Bible. As if that is not enough, Pan Africanist and Ghanaian Leader, Kwame Nkrumah, is quoted as saying, “A principle is either wholly kept or wholly abandoned and that any slightest compromise means the total abandonment of the principle. From the fore going, the remarks of Jesus Christ, Charles Prestwich Scott, and Kwame Nkrumah are all needed to build an egalitarian society, including operating constitutional democracy and Rule of Law.
It is for this reason a textual analysis of the recent Presidential Directive is needed to evaluate the order by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu with regard to recent political crisis in Rivers State. President Tinubu not long ago summoned a meeting in the Presidential Villa to broker peace between Governor Siminalayi Fubara, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and other stakeholders comprising the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, defected former Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, Chief Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief Adokiye Amesimaka, David Briggs, among others.The truce emanating from the all-important meeting states an 8-point guidelines and they are as follows: All matters instituted in the courts by warring parties should be withdrawn immediately, all impeachment proceedings initiated against Governor Fubara by Rivers State House of Assembly be dropped immediately, to recognise the leadership of Martin Amaewhule of the Rivers State House of Assembly and not that of Edison Ehie and by implication recognise the 26 Legislators who had voluntarily defected to the APC.
The resolution include payment of the remuneration and benefits of all 26 legislators and their staff must be re-instated and Governor Fubara henceforth should not interfere with the full funding of the state Legislature while the Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit, the Governor of Rivers State shall re-present the state budget proposal to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.

The names of all commissioners of the state executive council who had resigned their appointments should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval and lastly there should not be a caretaker committee for the LGAs in the state. It is worthy of note that the political crisis in Rivers State deepened when the Martin Amaewhule-led faction launched impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, suspended the majority leader, Edison Ehie, after which the hallowed chamber was burnt, accompanied by defection of 26 members to APC and demolition of the whole Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.
A scatting evaluation of the 8-point truce suggests a lopsided or one-sided truce in favour of former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for which Governor Siminalayi Fubara just signed. It is on record that the lopsided truce has attracted mixed reactions, outright and widespread condemnations for about two weeks..Ijaw Leader and Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, Former Commissioner for Works, Rivers State, David Briggs, Ann Ann-kio Briggs, Amabipi Martin and some environmentalists in Ogoni tribe have all condemned the one-sided truce. Besides, the 8-point truce has opened up serious legal and constitutional matters in Nigerian polity few months after legal tussles that characterised Election Petitions Appeal that ended in the Supreme Court as well as off season elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States.
It remains a puzzle that the 26 State Legislators who resigned were asked to return to their seats with full financial benefits and remunerations to be indemnified, but nothing was said to them to return to their former party, the PDP. Worse still, Governor Fubara was also asked to re-present 2024 budget proposal to the House of Assembly and the Commissioners who voluntarily resigned should be reconsidered by Governor Fubara to be re-represented to the Rivers State House of Assembly. At this juncture, one may ask, is Nigeria running a constitution democracy based on Rule of Law or Rule of Man or Presidential Directive as exhibited by the government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
The recent development of President Tinubu has called to memory the song of legendry singer, Sunny Oko-Sun, when he sang “which way Nigeria”This is because president Tinubu on the day of swearing in or inauguration swore an oath to govern, and rule by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For instance, section 109 sub section 1 (g) states that:(1) A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if-(g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected:Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.Truly, comment is free but facts are sacred.
It is also on record that the Edison Ehie-led group obtained an exparte order restraining Martin Amaewhule and Dumle Maol as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively while Amaewhule and Moal on the other hand went to another High Court of same jurisdiction to obtain another exparte order when the court orders have not been vacated.This is where the lamentation of American Essayists, Sylvia Pratt, who wrote in the famous poem, “Conversation Among the Ruined,” comes to mind, “which such blight wrought on our bankrupt estate, what ceremony of words can patch the havoc”. It is in-fact, appauling that Nigeria is declining from bad election, to courtocracy and rule of man in place of constitutional democracy.
The attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be drawn to the fact that he is not only taciturn but also evasive on Rale of Law but to build a virile society where the political class and leadership should not trivialise constitutional orders.I am glad that senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, had drawn the attention of President Tinubu to this fact. Surprisingly, the PDP has not been vocal enough.The fact that Independent National Electoral Commission should go ahead and conduct election into the Vacant 26 seats of Rivers State House of Assembly is not strong enough but to test the efficacy of the constitution in court. No PDP Governor has visited Governor Fubara; whereas opposition party.Former Vice President Atiku Abubaka has also not visited and identified with Governor Fubara even as Governor Fubara has not opened-up enough to meet his party–the PDP.
The gap in the truce brokered by President Tinubu has left many with the mindset that the drama gives an impression that the scenario is tending towards forcing Governor Fubara and the entire State to be APC State before 2027 elections. It is therefore pertinent to appeal to well-meaning individuals, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to intervene more than ever, now that the political impasse has not resulted in bloodbath. One thing is necessary; Rivers People should not gravitate towards ethnic lines but avoid ethnic bias. It may be necessary for the FCT Minister and his supporters to remember that crisis does no’ one any good but people,.no one, be it President Tinubu or FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike should not constitute themselves as an appellate court while Governor Fubara must talk out so that Rivers people can know their prayer points to present to God. It is welcoming that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has indicated to pay any price for peace even as both sides need to sacrifice pride and personal aggrandisement to engender peaceful co-existence.
Sika is a social/political analyst

Opinion

Beyond Physical Intimacy In Relationship

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Love is not sustained by sharing the same bed or displaying affection in public; it is preserved by the daily investment of trust, understanding, empathy, and meaningful conversations. Two people can be physically close yet emotionally distant, because lasting relationships are built not merely on intimacy, but on the consistent nurturing of hearts that remain genuinely connected.”

In an age where relationships are often measured by appearances, social media posts, and outward displays of affection, many couples are discovering a painful truth: physical closeness does not always translate into emotional connection. Two people can share the same bed, hold hands in public, and even maintain a seemingly happy home, yet remain strangers to each other’s deepest thoughts, fears, dreams, and struggles. This reality is captured in the thought-provoking message that emotional intimacy goes far beyond physical intimacy. While physical attraction may ignite a relationship, emotional connection is what sustains it. When emotional bonds weaken, relationships begin to suffer quietly, often long before any visible signs of trouble emerge.

One of the greatest misconceptions about love is the belief that affection alone is enough to keep a relationship healthy. In reality, genuine love requires much more than romantic gestures and physical presence. It requires understanding, communication, trust, empathy, and the willingness to be vulnerable with one another. Without these elements, couples may coexist rather than truly connect. Many relationships today are experiencing a silent crisis. Couples are spending more time together physically but less time engaging meaningfully. Busy schedules, work pressures, financial challenges, digital distractions, and personal ambitions have reduced many conversations to routine exchanges about bills, children, responsibilities, and daily survival. The deeper conversations that nurture emotional intimacy are gradually disappearing.

As a result, many partners feel unseen, unheard, and misunderstood. They may be present in the relationship physically, but emotionally they feel isolated. This emotional distance often creates frustration, resentment, and loneliness. Ironically, a person can feel more alone in a relationship lacking emotional connection than when they are physically alone. The danger of emotional disconnection is that it rarely announces itself loudly. Unlike dramatic conflicts or public scandals, it develops gradually. It starts when couples stop sharing their feelings openly. It grows when assumptions replace communication. It deepens when one partner feels consistently ignored, dismissed, or taken for granted. Over time, the relationship loses its warmth and vitality.This explains why some marriages and relationships that appear perfect from the outside eventually collapse unexpectedly.

Observers are often shocked because they only saw the physical togetherness, not the emotional distance that had been growing for years beneath the surface. Relationships do not usually break down overnight; they deteriorate through the accumulation of unresolved emotional gaps. Building emotional intimacy, therefore, requires deliberate effort. It is not a one-time achievement but a daily commitment. Emotional connection is built through consistent acts of attention, kindness, and understanding. It develops when partners genuinely listen to each other without judgment. It grows when people feel safe enough to express their fears, disappointments, and aspirations without fear of criticism or rejection. Trust plays a crucial role in this process. Emotional intimacy flourishes in an environment where honesty is valued and confidentiality is respected. When trust is broken, emotional walls quickly rise.

Rebuilding those walls requires patience, sincerity, and a willingness to heal together. Another important ingredient is empathy. Every individual wants to feel understood. Sometimes partners do not necessarily need solutions to their problems; they simply need someone who listens and acknowledges their feelings. A relationship becomes stronger when both individuals strive to understand each other’s perspectives rather than merely defend their own positions. Quality time is equally important. In a world dominated by smartphones and endless digital distractions, couples must intentionally create moments of genuine interaction. Simple activities such as sharing a meal, taking a walk, discussing personal goals, or praying together can strengthen emotional bonds significantly.

These moments communicate an important message: “You matter to me.” Respect also forms the foundation of emotional closeness. Partners who consistently speak respectfully to each other, even during disagreements, create a healthier environment for intimacy to thrive. Emotional connection cannot flourish where there is constant criticism, ridicule, or contempt. Perhaps the most important lesson is that emotional intimacy is not built by grand gestures alone. It is cultivated through small, consistent actions repeated over time. A thoughtful conversation, a sincere apology, a word of encouragement, or a genuine expression of appreciation can have a profound impact on the health of a relationship. Ultimately, the strength of any relationship lies not merely in physical proximity but in emotional accessibility. The question is not whether two people occupy the same space, but whether they truly know and understand each other.

Lasting love is sustained when hearts remain connected even amid life’s challenges. As society continues to grapple with increasing relationship difficulties, couples must remember that emotional intimacy is not optional; it is essential. Physical attraction may bring people together, but emotional connection keeps them together. It is built daily through communication, trust, empathy, respect, and intentional effort. When emotional intimacy is nurtured, relationships become more resilient, fulfilling, and meaningful. And when two hearts remain genuinely connected, love does not merely survive—it flourishes

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

Yahoo Culture And Nigeria’s Moral Fabric

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Quote “A society that celebrates wealth without questioning its source gradually breeds a generation that despises hard work, glorifies fraud, and ultimately destroys itself from within.”

Nigeria’s battle against insecurity is not limited to terrorism. Another destructive force—popularly known as “Yahoo”—has steadily eaten into the nation’s moral and social fabric. Internet fraud, which has become synonymous with “Yahoo” in local parlance, poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s image, economy, and future. The activities of internet fraudsters have tarnished the country’s reputation globally. As a result, many law-abiding Nigerians abroad or seeking legitimate opportunities overseas often face suspicion and discrimination because of the notoriety created by these criminal elements. Originally, Yahoo was merely the name of an internet search engine created in 1994 by Stanford graduates Jerry Yang and David Filo. In Nigeria, however, the term has evolved into a culture driven by greed and materialism. It has become a disturbing subculture with its own language and values.

Expressions such as “mugu fall, guy man chop” celebrate the exploitation of unsuspecting victims, portraying fraud as intelligence and deceit as success. Yahoo boys are notorious for flaunting their ill-gotten wealth. They parade expensive cars, spend lavishly, and often display arrogance towards elders and society. Their extravagant lifestyle has even been blamed for rising rents and increased cost of living in cities such as Port Harcourt. Following crackdowns in Delta and Edo states, there have been concerns over the growing presence of these elements in Rivers State. What is particularly disturbing is that many of these young men and women, some as young as teenagers, have no legitimate source of income yet live in luxury. Their actions have ruined businesses, impoverished victims, and in some cases pushed people into depression, heart attacks, and suicide.

Yet, they continue to operate openly with frightening confidence. The prevalence of Yahoo culture reflects the deep moral decay in society. Sadly, some families not only tolerate the illicit activities of their children but celebrate and pray for their success. Anyone who condemns the practice often becomes the target of abuse and ridicule. A Port Harcourt-based pastor once experienced fierce backlash from Yahoo sympathisers after speaking against the menace. Nigeria’s permissive environment has unintentionally allowed the practice to flourish. Weak institutions, compromised law enforcement, and families unwilling to question the source of sudden wealth among unemployed youths have all contributed to the problem. The virtues of patience, diligence, and integrity are steadily being replaced by greed and a desperate desire for quick riches.

Perhaps one of the greatest casualties of Yahoo culture is education. The value of years of hard work and academic excellence has been diminished. Many young people now dismiss formal education as a scam, while apprenticeship and vocational training are increasingly looked down upon. The obsession with easy money has encouraged school dropout rates and undermined the culture of honest enterprise. An even more disturbing dimension is the emergence of what many describe as “Yahoo Phase II”—a phenomenon associated with ritual practices and occult beliefs. Although stories surrounding these practices are often difficult to verify, reports of ritual killings, organ harvesting, and other horrific crimes have heightened public fears. Young people seeking wealth at all costs are said to subject themselves to bizarre and inhumane instructions from self-styled spiritualists, resulting in unimaginable tragedies.

Regardless of the myths and realities surrounding these claims, one fact remains undeniable: the pursuit of wealth without values has devastating consequences. Society is increasingly witnessing cases of substance abuse, mental instability, and mysterious deaths among youths whose lives are built on criminality and desperation. Nigeria cannot afford to remain indifferent while a generation is consumed by greed and moral bankruptcy. Combating Yahoo culture requires more than arrests and prosecutions. Families must instill values of honesty and hard work. Religious leaders, educators, and community leaders must consistently promote integrity. Government institutions must strengthen the rule of law and ensure that crime does not pay. Above all, society must stop celebrating wealth without questioning its source. No nation can attain sustainable development when fraud is admired, hard work is ridiculed, and criminality is rewarded.

The future of Nigeria depends on raising a generation that values character above riches and integrity above material possessions. If this dangerous culture is left unchecked, the consequences will be severe. But if the nation collectively chooses the path of morality, accountability, and industry, there remains hope that the tide can be reversed and the country’s dignity restored.

By; Confidence Adoo

Opinion

Good Health Through Socrates’ Prescription

Published

3 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “In an age of advanced medicine and endless health information, the greatest prescription may still be the oldest one: know yourself. True health begins when we understand our bodies, emotions, habits and choices.”

The 21st century has ushered in extraordinary progress in science, technology and medicine. Diseases that once claimed millions of lives can now be prevented or treated. Information is available instantly, while fitness applications, health trackers and modern healthcare facilities have become part of everyday life. Yet, despite these advances, many people continue to struggle with physical illnesses, emotional stress, anxiety, depression and lifestyle-related diseases. This contradiction raises an important question: Why are people becoming increasingly unhealthy in an age of remarkable medical advancement? Part of the answer may lie in the timeless wisdom associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates: “Know thyself.” Though spoken more than two thousand years ago, these words remain profoundly relevant today. They remind us that genuine wellbeing begins with self-understanding.

Knowing oneself goes beyond knowing one’s name, occupation or social status. It involves understanding one’s body, emotions, habits, strengths, weaknesses and aspirations. It means recognizing how daily choices affect physical, mental and emotional health. In many respects, self-knowledge forms the foundation of healthy living. One of the greatest health challenges today is the tendency to ignore warning signs until serious problems emerge. Many people neglect symptoms such as persistent fatigue, poor sleep, chronic stress, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. Because they are disconnected from their bodies, they fail to recognize that their health is gradually deteriorating. A person who truly knows himself pays attention to these signals. Such an individual understands which foods nourish the body and which habits undermine health. They recognize when rest is necessary,

when stress levels become dangerous and when professional medical attention should be sought. Self-awareness encourages preventive action long before illness develops. The same principle applies to mental and emotional health. Modern life is filled with pressures. Social media often encourages unhealthy comparisons, while economic challenges, family responsibilities and workplace demands create enormous psychological burdens. Many people suffer silently because they have not learned to understand or manage their emotions. Knowing oneself means recognizing emotional triggers, vulnerabilities and sources of stress. It involves identifying feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger or frustration before they become overwhelming. Self-aware individuals are more likely to seek support, adopt healthy coping mechanisms and maintain emotional balance.

Self-knowledge also promotes discipline. Many of today’s health problems are linked to lifestyle choices. Excessive consumption of processed foods, alcohol abuse, smoking, substance misuse, physical inactivity and poor sleeping habits contribute significantly to disease burdens around the world. Most people are aware of these risks. The challenge is often not a lack of information but a lack of self-understanding. Individuals who understand their motivations, weaknesses and tendencies are better equipped to resist harmful habits and develop healthier routines. In this way, self-knowledge becomes a powerful tool for self-control. Socrates also taught that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” While philosophical in origin, this statement has practical implications for health. Examining one’s life encourages honest reflection. Are we eating wisely? Are we exercising enough?

Are we sleeping adequately? Are we managing stress effectively? Are we maintaining healthy relationships? These are not merely philosophical questions. They are essential components of a healthy lifestyle. Honest answers can reveal habits that require improvement and inspire positive change. Ironically, while technology has made health information more accessible, it has also made self-understanding more difficult. Many people spend hours following social media trends and public personalities while paying little attention to their own health. They know more about celebrities than they know about their blood pressure, sleep quality or emotional wellbeing. A healthier society will require more than modern hospitals and advanced medications. It will require citizens who actively seek to understand themselves. Preventive healthcare begins with personal awareness.

Parents, educators, religious leaders, healthcare professionals and policymakers all have important roles to play in promoting self-awareness. Young people should be taught not only academic subjects but also emotional intelligence, self-reflection, healthy lifestyle habits and personal responsibility. Ultimately, Socrates’ ancient wisdom remains as relevant today as it was centuries ago. A person who understands himself is more likely to make healthy decisions, maintain emotional stability, build resilience and seek help when necessary. The journey to good health does not begin in a hospital, pharmacy or gymnasium. It begins within. As the world continues to confront complex health challenges, perhaps the most powerful prescription requires no expensive technology or medication. It is the enduring wisdom that has stood the test of time: know yourself. In understanding ourselves, we discover one of the surest paths to healthier, happier and more meaningful lives.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi