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AFRICA AND THE COUP CONUNDRUMS
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By Olubunmi Mayaki
The unfortunate overthrow of the democratically elected government of the President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum in a coup led by a certain Colonel-Major Amadou Adrammane.
Concerted efforts were made by ECOWAS leaders yesterday to resolve the political imbroglio but the talks collapsed when the junta announced the change of government.
Yet another African nation has fallen into the hands of a military coup.
I had discussed in a side talk at a forum recently with a group of political analysts of the sudden reoccurrence of coups in the African continent. I never knew another one was in the offing.
At this stage, Africans should be worried. Worried, because civil rule is being threatened once again by the craze for power by the military. A quick reminder shows that Sudan has been locked in crisis for some months now, which is a leadership tussle between the military leadership and a renegade group known as Rapid Safety Force, which is doing everything to wrestle power from the government. Efforts at resolving the crisis are yet to yield positive fruits. There are palpable fears that it is gradually snowballing into civil war. Unfortunately, African leaders seem not to have learned from the continent’s history.
It is easier to make the military a scapegoat. However, emerging issues from different African countries would, perhaps, show that much of the blames must be put on the doorsteps of African leaders. It is important, therefore, to look at why the men in uniform have suddenly decided to seize power at this time in the continent’s history.
One, the African continent has only been gifted with a few good leaders. Most countries in Africa are plagued with bad leaders, many of who know nothing about governance. These have led to years of underdevelopment of the continent. The migrant crises in the world today attest to the fact that Africans are the highest culprit. Africa is losing its best brains to other parts of the world to seek better opportunities elsewhere. The blame should be put on the doorsteps of African leaders for failing to do more for their citizens.
Two, most African leaders abandon their country’s constitutions as soon as they assume power. Therefore, ruling with the rule of law seems a mirage. Most governments are fraught with brazen violations of human rights and the Constitution. These often lead to one thing- crisis.
Three, African leaders are yet to be detached from the apron strings of colonialism. Foreign interests are destabilizing forces of the African continent. Why blame these foreign intrusions? They are manufacturers of weapons and they must look for markets for its ever-increasing weapon industry. It is pure logic that to sell the weapons there must be crisis. Are we still wondering why wars and crises fester in Africa?
Four, one of the major challenges of African leaders is the propagation of anti-people policies. Most policies in Africa only benefit political loyalists and elites. These breed elite conspiracy such that only those close to the seat of power or the ruling party enjoy government largesse. Many populists are thrown into untold hardships.
Five, corruption stays as a major challenge to African leaders. If we have bad roads, people dying in our hospitals, the collapse of educational systems, etc., many may not realize that they are the fingerprints of corruption.
Every opportunity in the seat of government creates an avenue to loot the country’s treasury. Of course, the bulk of the loot is stashed in foreign accounts. If we fail to tackle corruption, Africa will continue to play second fiddle in world affairs.
Six, there has been noticeable infighting among African leaders. Most of these fights are on how to share the country’s minimal proceeds from its vast wealth and resources. Anarchy can not be prevented when the commonwealth of a nation is shared by a few hands while others languish in abject destitution.
My postscript is a direct call to African leaders to allow democracy or civil rule to thrive on the continent. Every effort should be done for its populists to enjoy good governance.
If they fail to yield to the voices of reasoning the challenges we face as Africans will sadly persist.
A timely reminder that he who fails to learn from his past will become the victim of his history.
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
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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