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Political Manipulation Not A Straw To Grasp At For U.S. Politicians

Published

5 years ago

July 3, 2020

John Okeke

Facing COVID-19, the common enemy of mankind, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has always ignored facts and fabricated stories, in an attempt to slander China by the pandemic. What he did was totally immoral.

In fact, behind his lies are over 2.56 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 125,000 deaths in the U.S., as well as the disappointment and harsh criticism of the U.S. public displeased with the White House’s incapability to respond to the pandemic.

This further exposed the cruelty and hypocrisy of Pompeo who tried to divert attention, pass the buck, find a scapegoat, and politicize the pandemic. The fundamental reason for his practices is that he always puts private political gains above the lives and health of the American people.

To combat the disease calls for sincerity and concrete actions. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have always put people and their lives in the first place, and spared no effort to save lives. China has always informed the international society about the development of the epidemic in an open, transparent and responsible manner. It’s universally recognized that China has broadcasted its pandemic response to the world without reservation. Till today, Wuhans streets and squares are broadcasted live on a livestreaming channel of Xuexi Qiangguo, an educational application developed by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Besides, China also issued a white paper titled “Fighting Covid-19: China in Action” that faithfully records the five stages and 126 important moments in a timeline of China’s fight against the epidemic. The truth is that China has always acted with a keen sense of responsibility, employed extraordinary measures to deal with an extraordinary emergency, and made every effort to safeguard people’s lives and health. The truth is that China did everything possible to treat each and every patient, from an infant only 30 hours old to a centenarian. The truth is that China has delivered an anti-epidemic performance that is able to withstand the test of time and history.

Passing the buck will not help the U.S. relieve its pandemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 20 million Americans could have possibly contracted the novel coronavirus, and according to U.S. media, over one third of the COVID-19 deaths in 31 states came from nursing homes. Facing the severe pandemic, some U.S. politicians who had always preached democracy and human rights, are on the contrary “making” enemies and have no interest in curbing the spread of the virus or protecting the lives of Americans.

The lies fabricated by Pompeo, which are unscientific, contradict common sense and go against justice, have been repeatedly nailed. He slandered that China spread the virus to the world, but statistics from multiple countries, including Canada, France, Russia, Australia, Singapore and Japan indicated that most of the cases in relevant countries were not from China.

A recent article titled “Why Is the United States Exporting Coronavirus?” published on New York Times noted that the United States, with the largest number of coronavirus cases in the world, is now consciously spreading the pandemic beyond its borders by continuing to deport thousands of immigrants, many infected with the coronavirus. According to the article, the government of Guatemala reported in late April that nearly a fifth of the country’s coronavirus cases were linked to deportees from the United States.

The tracing of viruses is a scientific issue that calls for researches by scientists and medical experts, and the conclusion shall be drawn in a science-based manner with facts and evidence. The University of Barcelona recently detected the presence of the novel coronavirus in waste water samples collected in March last year, and many European studies also found similar situation. Global scientists are still working hard to trace the source of the virus.

Seeing the collapse of the fabricated story that the virus came from China’s Wuhan, Pompeo is still unwilling to stop his farce, continuing to chattering about his lies. What he has done is both ridiculous and pathetic.

The “crimes” placed on China by Pompeo exactly revealed the value orientation of some U.S. politicians on the pandemic as they sought for private gains, acted with low efficiency and showed no responsibility.

The Economist pointed out that Pompeo has a long history of talking nonsense, adding that his China-baiting is an obvious effort to distract from White House’s struggles with the pandemic. The Washington Post said that Pompeo’s blatantly public politicization of foreign policy and the pandemic renders him the least impressive and effective secretary of state in memory. “Pompeo is behaving like yet another run-of-the-mill political hack in Trump’s employ — tone-deaf to ethical impropriety, fixated on Trump’s political interests and lacking credibility in his official capacity.”

Political manipulation is not a straw to grasp at. As a country with the world’s most developed and maturest medical technologies, the U.S. is still not capable of controlling the pandemic, which is saddening and confusing, and worth introspection of American politicians.

Lives are the most precious. American politicians had better stop the buck-passing trick, abandon the philosophy of “political interests first”, and put pandemic response and saving lives in the first place.

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Featured

NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC

As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.

Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.

Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.

But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.

As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.

Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.

Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.

Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.

As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.

Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.

Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.

As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.

We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”

To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.

To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.

And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.

Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.

The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.

Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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