News
Soyinka Warns FG Over Ruga Settlement
Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has warned the Federal Government against the proposed establishment of Ruga settlements across the country for herdsmen.
He warned that the move, if not checked will set the country on fire.
Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday at the launch of United Nations’ Solutions 17 SDG programme, Soyinka berated the federal government for the idea, which he warned will cause Nigeria to explode.
According to him: “Ruga settlement is going to be an explosion if not handled with care. But why do we not take our policies from good models? This is not the way people and countries deal with issues of cattle.
“I travel everywhere. Ruga settlement has to be handled in a way that is logical, comprehensible to the environment. When a cattle walks up to the window of my house in Abeokuta, a house which is located in a residential area, then there’s a problem.
“When cattle go to Ijebu Ode and eat up their plant seedlings and so on and you expect people to be quiet?”
He declared that the handling of the herdsmen issue by President Muhammadu Buhari is enough to make him lose re-election.
“President Buhari deserved to have lost the last election for the lackadaisical attitude he took to the issue of cattle rearing in the country.
“People have been killed in hundreds just because of the failure of Leadership at a critical time. And the cattle herders have been given a sense of impunity. They kill without any compunction, they drive away the farmers who have been contributing to the food solutions in the country, the cattle eat their crops and then you come up with Ruga.
“I think that there is going to be trouble in this country if this Ruga thing is not handled imaginatively and with humanity as a priority.
“Any country where cattle takes priority over human life is definitely at an elementary stage,” he maintained”
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
2025 Grammy: Your achievement is historic – Sanwo-Olu congratulates Tems
Peter Obi congratulates Tems on Grammy win
Electricity, telecom tariffs increase unconscionable, should be stopped – Shehu Sani
Know The Airlines, Departure And Arrival Terminals In Lagos Airports By Ayodeji Awokunmi
Know the Airlines, departure, and arrival terminals in Lagos Domestic Airports
Dissecting Caritas CEO’S ‘Public Relations Thoughts And Deeds’ By Stanley Olisa
-
Business1 week agoSA billionaire Johann Rupert maintains Africa’s richest man record, Dangote New position revealed
-
News1 week agoUvisuals Studios and Ark and Rainbow Development Foundation screens short film – LOTUS
-
Entertainment1 week ago‘Eezee Concept vowed to destroy my career’ – Mercy Chinwo
-
News1 week ago15 feared dead in Enugu fuel tanker explosion
-
Politics1 week agoInsubordination: Gov Okpebholo suspends FEWMA boss, Ahmed Musa Momoh indefinitely
-
News1 week agoFour arrested in Anambra for burning 74-yr-old woman to death
-
News6 days ago2027: I’m not against coalition – Peter Obi
-
News5 days agoLAGOS BEGINS 3-DAY FREE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN 19 RIVERINE COMMUNITIES
Pingback: 85th Birthday: Prof. Wole Soyinka Denies Attacking Buhari - Gatekeeper