Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy will be done.” Thy will be done prayers are prayers for the grace of God. Therefore, we need to tell God again and again: “Thy will be done in my life.” “Your will is the best for me.” “As long as it is Your will, I am satisfied.”

The throne established to address our needs is the throne of grace. It is not the throne of deliverance but of grace. Thank God for the blood of Jesus through which we come: “Boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

Paul’s Thorn

There was a thorn in Paul’s flesh. That thorn was not of God but of Satan. Nevertheless, that which was of Satan served the good purposes of God. That thorn was inconvenient for Paul. But it was for his benefit.

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

What the devil thought for evil, God overruled for good. This is the 50:20 rule enunciated by Joseph concerning his evil brothers:

“As for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”(Genesis 50:20).  

Thus, our troubles often turn out to be prefaces for blessings. Troubles are sometimes sent to teach us to pray. Anything that makes us call upon the name of the Lord is a blessing in disguise.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Our troubles are making ways for us. Our troubles are mountains that must be made low. Who are you, O great mountain, before the people of God you must become a plain in Jesus’ Name.

Paul, in his ignorance, assuming that what is bad is bad for him, prayed that the Lord would remove the thorn in his flesh. But it was in the interest of Paul for the thorn to be there, for the Lord knew that the abundance of revelations He had given to Paul would go to his head.

In short, Paul prayed fervently against his own interest because he did not know what he should pray for as he ought to. Instead of praying that the thorn in his flesh be removed, Paul should have prayed for the grace to bear the inconvenience of the thorn.  

How often do we ask for things according to the flesh instead of according to the spirit? How often do we ask the Lord to remove what is for our benefit instead of asking for the grace to go through His refining process?

Tell God: “Let me gather up the fragments of my life, that nothing be lost.” (John 6:12). “Let me not reject what You have in store for me.” “Prepare me for the great things You have planned for me.” “Let every valley be exalted. Every mountain and hill be made low. Let the crooked places be made straight. Let me see the glory of God.” 

“Let me see the kindness of God. Let me see His lovingkindness, His compassion, and His mercy.

The reproaches of our enemies often help to hide pride from us. When we get a particular blessing, we need another blessing to preserve it. That is why the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22).

God’s response to Paul’s prayer shows that though God always accepts the prayer of faith, He does not always answer according to what we want. God answers prayer in the spirit of the prayer and not in the letter.

What God sometimes gives in wrath He often denies in love.

Sufficient Grace

Jesus told Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you.” What is this grace that is sufficient in our adversity and tribulations?

Grace is the love, mercy and goodwill of God towards us. The knowledge of this is often sufficient to enable us to bear and endure any and everything because we know that God is aware of what we are going through and that He will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear.  

Therefore, let us thank God for this assurance:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let us thank God that the grace of God is for all seasons

Let us thank Him for His enabling grace. This means we are often called to occupy positions for which we are not qualified. Peter was a fisherman. That was his area of specialisation. But Jesus did not call him to be a fisher of fishes. He called him to be a fisher of men.

Looking at the tasks of an apostle, Paul asks:

“To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Christ is our sufficiency. Our sufficiency is of God.

“Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

You were a nobody but God has made you somebody. You are not able but God will enable you. There are only 200 of you but God will use the few to defeat a great army. “Nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6).

“Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10).

Thank God that even though you are not qualified, nevertheless you are called.

Look at Paul. A proud man; opinionated; and a murderer. Nevertheless, called to be an apostle by the will of God. He was a bad preacher, unlike Apollos. Nevertheless, he was called.

He says: “Last of all (Jesus) was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:8-9).

Nevertheless, God qualified him.  

Promise of Grace

The grace of God can be something of a promissory note. God says, in effect, “I will deliver you from this problem but not today. In the meantime, I am assuring you that this problem will not be allowed to overwhelm you.”

Thank God for this assurance. God says:

Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10).

Thank God that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. The weaker the instrument God uses, the more prominently His power is seen and acknowledged. Thus, it is out of the mouth of babes and suckling that God has ordained strength. This is that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of man.

“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Ephesians 3:10). 

“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

Why must I pass through the waters? Why must I walk through the fire? You will understand later.

“And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” (John 13:2-7).

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Grief has long thought to be a human trait, but other animals – from killer whales to crows – also appear to suffer loss when a companion dies.

Last week, a female killer whale was spotted off the coast of Washington State pushing the body of her dead newborn calf. The orca, known as Tahlequah, was observed doing the same thing in 2018 after another of her calves died in infancy. On that occasion, Tahlequah pushed the body of her offspring for 17 days, continually retrieving it and preventing it from sinking – an incredible feat given the fact that killer whales can travel an average of 120km (75 miles) a day. 

Whales are not the only species known to carry the bodies of their deceased young. In 2021, Edinburgh Zoo reported that one of their chimpanzees, Lianne, had given birth to a stillborn baby and was refusing to let go, carrying the infant around with her within the zoo enclosure. Other highly intelligent mammals, such as dolphins and monkeys, have also been observed behaving this way.

"It's hard to see this behaviour without thinking of it through the lens of grief, partly because, as humans, if we lose someone we want to cling on to that person in some sense," says Becky Millar, a researcher specialising in the philosophy of cognitive sciences at Cardiff University.

"It seems to be a very literal manifestation of that kind of urge to retain bonds with the dead loved one."

According to Millar, what's notable about these cases is that these animals don't treat the deceased infant in the same way that they would treat a merely immobile, but live infant. This suggests that it's not just a matter of them not understanding that their infant is dead. 

"There is some sort of tension where the animal isn't quite able to let go," says Millar. "It's like they're trying to grapple with this new world that they're faced with and trying to come to understand that loss." 

There are signs that both humans and animals undergo this readjustment period. For example, Millar points to the fact that animals often search for their companions after their death, while humans also engage in what are called search behaviours following a bereavement, where they scan the environment for any sign of the deceased person.

In 1999, an elderly female elephant at an Indian zoo reportedly died of grief after a young elephant she had befriended died during childbirth

Sometimes this behaviour can continue long after the death. Famous examples include that of Greyfriars Bobby, a terrier who spent 14 years guarding his owner's grave in Edinburgh, Scotland,  and Hachiko, an akita dog that continued to wait for its owner at a train station in Japan long after his death.

There are also anecdotal stories of animals displaying acute distress after the loss of a close companion. There are reports that upon seeing their babies eaten by killer whales, for example, sea lion mothers wail pitifully in apparent anguish.

There are other examples too. In her book How Animals Grieve, anthropologist Barbara King also describes accounts of cats, dogs and rabbits crying and searching for their companions, and horses gathering around the grave of a member of their herd.

In 1999, an elderly female elephant at an Indian zoo reportedly died of griefafter a young elephant she had befriended died during childbirth. The elderly elephant, Damini, was seen to shed tears over her friend's body, before she lost all interest in food and eventually starved to death.

In 1972 Jane Goodall, an English primatologist who has studied chimpanzees in the wild for over 60 years, observed one young chimpanzee known as Flint showing signs of what in humans would be called clinical depression when his mother died. He stopped engaging in social interactions with his group, refused to eat, and eventually died a month later. 

Even birds grieve, it appears. Austrian zoologist and ethologist Konrad Lorenz once described the response of greylag geese to losing their mateas "roughly identical with those accompanying human grief". The geese hung their heads dejectedly, lost interest in food, and became indifferent to the world around them.

There isn't just anecdotal evidence. Empirical studies also support the theory that some animals, at least, feel emotions akin to grief. Laboratory studies, for instance, show that infant primates faced with the sudden loss of their mother go through phases of grief characterised by wailing and crying, followed by a gradual detachment from the world. They no longer play with others, ignore new and exciting objects, and eventually curl up into a ball.

In another study, it was found that female baboons who had lost a close relative had increased levels of stress hormones, a response that is also seen in humans following a bereavement.

Whether these behaviours truly count as grief depends largely on how you define the concept of grief

Some animals even appear to display ritualistic behaviours after a death, similarly to how humans would hold a funeral. Elephants are known to visit the remains of family members and strangers alike, touching and stroking their bones, and standing for long periods beside the skeleton in a manner akin to a vigil. Chimpanzees are also known to clean the mouths and bodiesof the deceased animal. There's even anecdotal evidence that crows, magpies and ravens gather around the dead of their own, sometimes placing leaves or twigs close to the carcass. 

"I was riding my bike with a friend some years ago, and there was a circle of four or five magpies surrounding a dead magpie," says Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

"They were surrounding the corpse with their heads down, sort of lightly pecking at it. Then one flew off and brought some twigs and leaves. Another did the same, and then it was almost like a chorus where they stopped, slightly lowered their head, and flew off."

However, whether these behaviours truly count as grief depends largely on how you define the concept – a philosophical question that is hotly debated. In a recent article on the subject, Millar says that unlike sadness, which is usually fleeting, grief tends to be protracted, lasting for months or years. Another important element of grief is that it also seems to encompass many different emotions. "You might feel sadness, but perhaps also other emotions too like anger or even hope," says Millar. 

Grief also seems to involve a complex process of coming to recognise your loss and its implications. 

"Even if you explicitly know that someone has died, there might be another sense in which the loss hasn't yet been integrated into your world and into your habitual patterns of behaviour and thought," says Millar.

Some philosophers argue that true grief requires further cognitive capabilities that animals lack

"So you might want to lay out a plate for them on the table, or you might still anticipate the sound of their car coming into the drive at 6pm, or that they'll be sitting on their favourite sofa and so on. In some sense you expect them to be there, even though you know that that person has died."

Some philosophers argue that, while some animals undoubtedly feel distress after losing a companion, true grief requires further cognitive capabilities that animals lack. These include the ability to understand the permanence of death, and a recognition that the individual will not be present for future events and milestones in your life. 

However, Millar points out that this definition doesn't just exclude animals, it also excludes children and some adults. 

"I don't think all human grievers grapple with the nature of mortality, or project themselves to a really distant future as part of their grief. Young children who suffer a bereavement are probably not able to fully comprehend their loss at that stage, but it would seem wrong to say that their grief is lesser."

In her article, Millar defines grief as more about learning in a more practical sense how to live in a radically changed world. She believes that this practical process of adaptation is something that could be open to animals as well, given that it doesn't require highly cognitive, intellectual forms of understanding. Ultimately, Millar believes that many animals are capable of feeling grief. 

"I think that other animals can share their lives with one another in quite a rich way and their whole patterns of behaviour can come to hinge upon that other animal," says Millar. So when their companion dies, they too are forced to undergo this kind of protracted process of comprehension and relearning of their world." 

BBC

The United States government has repatriated $52.88 million to Nigeria from assets linked to former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and her associates. The agreement was signed Friday in Abuja between Nigeria's Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi and US Ambassador Richard Mills Jr.

The recovered funds will support two major initiatives: $50 million will fund rural electrification projects through the World Bank, while $2.88 million will support counter-terrorism training programs across Africa through the International Institute for Justice.

The assets were seized as part of a larger corruption investigation involving Alison-Madueke and Nigerian businessmen Olajide Omokore and Kolawole Aluko. US authorities found that between 2011 and 2015, Omokore and Aluko paid bribes to Alison-Madueke in exchange for lucrative oil contracts. The proceeds, exceeding $100 million, were laundered through the US to purchase luxury real estate and assets, including a 65-meter superyacht called Galactica Star.

The case was pursued under the US Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. Justice Minister Fagbemi praised the US government's cooperation and requested similar support for pending repatriation cases, citing Nigeria's urgent need for the funds.

The Nigerian government has implemented oversight measures to ensure transparent use of the returned assets, including regular reporting requirements for both the World Bank and IIJ projects.

Alison-Madueke, who left Nigeria in 2015 and is believed to be in the UK, faces ongoing criminal charges in Nigeria alongside Omokore and Aluko for related corruption allegations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

John Azuta-Mbata, a former senator, has been elected as the new president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization.

Azuta-Mbata, who represented Rivers East Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate from 1999 to 2007, was elected during a meeting held in Enugu State on Friday. Alongside him, other executives were also elected to oversee the organization’s affairs for the next four years.

Azuta-Mbata succeeds Fidelis Chukwu, an Imo State native, who had been serving as president-general since December 2024. Chukwu had completed the tenure of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on July 25, 2024.

Iwuanyanwu, a prominent figure from Imo State, assumed the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo following the death of George Obiozor in 2022. Both Iwuanyanwu and Obiozor were also from Imo State.

The presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo rotates among the states in the South-East and Rivers State. The current turn to lead falls to Rivers State, paving the way for Azuta-Mbata’s election.

Born in January 1960, John Azuta-Mbata holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. During his time in the Senate, he served on several key committees, including Defence, Works and Housing, Women Affairs, Finance and Appropriation, and Information.

In 2005, Azuta-Mbata, alongside two other lawmakers, was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over an alleged N55 million budget bribe scandal. However, in 2019, after 14 years of legal proceedings, the case was dismissed.

S.E. Aladetoyinbo of the Abuja High Court ruled that the ICPC’s case lacked sufficient witnesses to prosecute the charge, leading to the discharge of Azuta-Mbata and his co-defendants.

With his election as the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Azuta-Mbata steps into a pivotal role in championing the interests of the Igbo people across Nigeria and beyond.

Gunmen have killed 21 people in an ambush targeting a joint team of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC) and local vigilantes in Baure village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The attack, which occurred on Tuesday at around 4:30 p.m., was confirmed in a statement on Friday by Abubakar Aliyu, the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command. According to Aliyu, the victims were ambushed while returning from a condolence visit.

“Police operatives from Safana Divisional Headquarters responded promptly to the incident and restored normalcy to the area. Sadly, 21 persons were fatally shot,” Aliyu said. He added that efforts were ongoing to track down the attackers, with updates to follow as investigations progress.

Eyewitness reports suggest that the death toll could be higher, with claims that 25 people may have been killed and many others still missing.

A witness who spoke anonymously described Baure as a stronghold of bandits and alleged that the attackers took advantage of a local market day to ambush the vigilantes and terrorize villagers.

“They laid an ambush on the road and opened fire on the vehicle conveying the vigilantes, killing many. They also trailed people to their homes, killing scores. From the headcount so far, over 15 people have been confirmed killed, while many others are still missing,” the witness said.

Another source reported that some of the victims were from neighboring LGAs, including Charanci, Burji, Jibiya, and Kaita. “We rescued over 20 people during the attack. So far, 25 people have been confirmed dead, and many are unaccounted for,” the source added.

This incident comes months after a similar attack in June 2024, when bandits killed 26 people in the Gidan Boka and Dan Nakwabo communities of Kankara LGA. That attack also claimed the lives of four police officers and two KSCWC members.

The latest ambush highlights the persistent security challenges in Katsina State, where bandits continue to wreak havoc on local communities.

Five killed in Israeli strike on southern Lebanon, health ministry says

Five people were killed and four wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Tayr Debba in southern Lebanon on Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it had conducted an airstrike on vehicles loaded with weapons used by Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.

The army said it "continues to be committed to the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, is deployed in the southern Lebanon area, and will work to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens".

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a U.S.-brokered 60-day ceasefire that calls for a phased Israeli military pullout after more than a year of war, in keeping with a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict.

Israel launched an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon last September, following nearly a year of cross-border hostilities ignited by the Gaza war, pounding wide areas of Lebanon from the air and sending troops into the south.

The conflict began when Hezbollah opened fire in solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas after Hamas launched the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US hits Russian oil with toughest sanctions yet in bid to give Ukraine, Trump leverage

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration imposed its broadest package of sanctions so far targeting Russia's oil and gas revenues on Friday, in an effort to give Kyiv and Donald Trump's incoming team leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine.

The move is meant to cut Russia's revenues for continuing the war in Ukraine that has killed more than 12,300 civilians and reduced cities to rubble since Moscow invaded in February, 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a post on X that the measures announced on Friday will "deliver a significant blow" to Moscow. "The less revenue Russia earns from oil ... the sooner peace will be restored," Zelenskiy added.

Daleep Singh, a top White House economic and national security adviser, said in a statement that the measures were the "most significant sanctions yet on Russia’s energy sector, by far the largest source of revenue for (President Vladimir) Putin’s war".

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, which explore for, produce and sell oil as well as 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, many of which are in the so-called shadow fleet of aging tankers operated by non-Western companies. The sanctions also include networks that trade the petroleum.

Many of those tankers have been used to ship oil to India and China as a price cap imposed by the Group of Seven countries in 2022 has shifted trade in Russian oil from Europe to Asia. Some tankers have shipped both Russian and Iranian oil.

The Treasury also rescinded a provision that had exempted the intermediation of energy payments from sanctions on Russian banks.

The sanctions should cost Russia billions of dollars per month if sufficiently enforced, another U.S. official told reporters in a call.

"There is not a step in the production and distribution chain that's untouched and that gives us greater confidence that evasion is going to be even more costly for Russia," the official said.

Gazprom Neft said the sanctions were unjustified and illegitimate and it will continue to operate.

U.S. 'NO LONGER CONSTRAINED' BY TIGHT OIL SUPPLY

The measures allow a wind-down period until March 12 for sanctioned entities to finish energy transactions.

Still, sources in Russian oil trade and Indian refining said the sanctions will cause severe disruption of Russian oil exports to its major buyers India and China.

Global oil prices jumped more than 3% ahead of the Treasury announcement, with Brent crude nearing $80 a barrel, as a document mapping out the sanctions circulated among traders in Europe and Asia.

Geoffrey Pyatt, the U.S. assistant secretary for energy resources at the State Department, said there were new volumes of oil expected to come online this year from the U.S., Guyana, Canada and Brazil and possibly out of the Middle East will fill in for any lost Russian supply.

"We see ourselves as no longer constrained by tight supply in global markets the way we were when the price cap mechanism was unveiled," Pyatt told Reuters.

The sanctions are part of a broader effort, as the Biden administration has furnished Ukraine with $64 billion in military aid since the invasion, including $500 million this week for air defense missiles and support equipment for fighter jets.

Friday's move followed U.S. sanctions in November on banks including Gazprombank, Russia's largest conduit to the global energy business, and earlier last year on dozens of tankers carrying Russian oil.

The Biden administration believes that November's sanctions helped drive Russia's rouble to its weakest level since the beginning of the invasion and pushed the Russian central bank to raise its policy rate to a record level of over 20%.

"We expect our direct targeting of the energy sector will aggravate these pressures on the Russian economy that have already pushed up inflation to almost 10% and reinforce a bleak economic outlook for 2025 and beyond," one of the officials said.

REVERSAL WOULD INVOLVE CONGRESS

One of the Biden officials said it was "entirely" up to the President-elect Trump, a Republican, who takes office on Jan. 20, when and on what terms he might lift sanctions imposed during the Biden era.

But to do so he would have to notify Congress and give it the ability to take a vote of disapproval, he said. Many Republican members of Congress had urged Biden to impose Friday's sanctions.

"Trump's people can't just come in and quietly lift everything that Biden just did. Congress would have to be involved," said Jeremy Paner, a partner at the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed.

The return of Trump has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow's invasion but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price for Ukraine.

Advisers to Trump have floated proposals that would effectively cede large parts of Ukraine to Russia for the foreseeable future.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the new sanctions.

The military aid and oil sanctions "provide the next administration a considerable boost to their and Ukraine's leverage in brokering a just and durable peace," one of the officials said.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Moscow comments on latest US sanctions

US President Joe Biden’s only legacy will be the “mess” he leaves behind, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said in response to Washington announcing new oil- and gas-related sanctions on Moscow.

The sweeping US Treasury measures target two major petroleum producers – Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz – as well as their subsidiaries and entities providing various services, including insurance and transportation.

“Some people leave a mark on history, while others manage only a mess,” Zakharova told Russian media.

In addition to major oil and gas producers, the US has targeted more than 30 oilfield service providers, insurance companies, and over 180 vessels used to deliver Russian oil. That so-called “shadow fleet” has continued to operate after the US and its allies banned Russian ships from obtaining insurance in the West and tried to impose a price cap on oil sales, to no effect.

Gazprom Neft CEO Aleksandr Dyukov, LUKOIL head Vadim Vorobyev, Zarubezhneft head Sergey Kudryashov, Tatneft head Nail Maganov, Bashneft CEO Vladimir Chernov and Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev have also been added to the US blacklist.

The latest sanctions come in the last 10 days of President Joe Biden’s administration. Another measure announced by the Treasury, stipulating that the US will be able to go after “any person determined to operate or have operated in the energy sector” of Russia, is scheduled to take effect at the end of February, weeks after President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The US and its allies have imposed tens of thousands of sanctions on Moscow in multiple rounds since 2014, when a Western-backed coup in Kiev prompted Crimea to rejoin Russia by referendum and led to a conflict between Ukraine and the Donbass republics. The number of measures surged after the launch of Russia’s special military operation in February 2022.

Reuters/RT

Underlying the definitions of bullying in dictionaries is power imbalance. To bully someone is to direct aggressive behaviour at them, to intimidate or threaten them, to act cruelly towards someone, or to coerce them. For one to do these, there must be a power dynamic that makes the person at the receiving end vulnerable. Such a tilt of strength can either be embodied by an individual with a disproportionate physical or social power or a group of individuals converging on a weaker party to diminish them. Since the word “cyber-” got appended to bullying in Nigeria, it has acquired a new meaning that has virtually subverted the logic of power that underlies it.

Now, and no thanks to the police’s tendency to meddle in every matter in which a “big man” cries about being inconvenienced with public embarrassment activated by a previously unknown entity, a supposed victim of bullying these days is frequently someone who can commandeer the resources of the state. If you have enough clout to send the police on your errands, can you really claim to be a victim of cyberbullying?

Let us begin with the now infamous case of the singer Burna Boy (Damini Ogulu) at whose behest a singer cum comedian Darlington Okoye (Speed Darlington) has been reportedly incarcerated for months. As the story is told—and which Burna Boy has not denied—Speed Darlington is in jail because he taunted Burna Boy about his association with disgraced artiste Sean Combs (aka P Diddy). In December, the court ruled that his arrest and detention constituted “a gross violation” of his constitutional rights to dignity, liberty, expression, and movement. Despite a direct court order, the police have refused to release him. That makes you wonder, is Burna Boy really a “victim” if the police can sacrifice institutional integrity for his sake?

Meanwhile, the same insinuation Speed Darlington made about Burna Boy has been hurled at several US celebrities who as much as took a photograph with P Diddy. None has asked a man to be incarcerated indefinitely because they got butthurt. Please note that these are people whose reputation far outpaces that of an arriviste like Burna Boy. Yet, they will not take that track because they are self-assured enough to understand the price of celebrity. Unlike the quintessential African “big man”, they are also sensible enough to realise that power should have a more productive function than to abuse others cheaply.

Then, there is the case of Olamide Thomas, who was arrested and incarcerated for cursing the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu. This was another case of the police torturing logic just to satisfy a big man with small feelings. They claimed the curse “placed Seyi in fear of death, violence or bodily harm”. That would be hilarious if were not tragic. How does the law assess the effectiveness of a curse? If curses worked the way people who watch too many Nollywood films think they do, something should have happened to Seyi long ago, given that people have been cursing his father (and their family) since 1999! I am genuinely curious as to why Seyi would be so unsettled by curses that it would compel the police (and the court) to overreact to superstition.

Add to that the ongoing case of bloggers, Precious Eze, Olawale Olurotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami, hauled before the Federal High Court in Lagos for “acts of cyberbullying” (some reports describe the allegation as “cyberstalking”) against the CEO of Guaranty Trust Holdings, Segun Agbaje, when they published uncomplimentary remarks about him. I am by no means defending those bloggers (who have long pulled down the publications anyway), but accusations of nepotism, power play, and self-enrichment are so commonplace in Nigeria that accusing a CEO will not elicit as much as a gasp. They certainly do not warrant holding people in custody for upward of three months. The police cannot fight cyberbullying with judicial bullying, sorry.

Even more laughable is the amended charge against them that states their alleged offence can potentially cause “a breakdown of law and order in the Nigerian banking system”? How can anyone cause a breakdown in law and order within the banking system when that sphere is not an extricable part of regular life? The officers who came up with that idea will surely have a profitable gig doing comedies in their police uniform. If they must know, the operational deficiencies and the decline of the high standards for which GTB used to be known (and renowned) will result in “a breakdown of law and order in the Nigerian banking system” faster than the opinion of a blogger no one would have otherwise read.

Add to the growing list of police overreach the case of Abraham Daniel, a former minister at Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja. He was recently summoned for questioning regarding an “investigation” into “cyberbullying”’ following his accusations against his former principal, Pastor Paul Enenche, for reneging their “gentleman’s agreement.” While the police summons appeared civil enough, it is still intimidating, especially given that the issue at stake is a matter of personal differences between two individuals who should resolve their matter privately. If one party can get the police to act on his behalf even in a petty issue, can he still be “cyberbullied”?

These cases are worrisome because they show a growing pattern of judicial abuse that began under the previous administration and is becoming gradually routinised. Do not forget that under alleged civilian President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the DSS arraigned a man for treason in the courts for, among other spurious offences, insulting the President. Buhari’s wife also had a young man stalked, arrested, detained, and later charged to court for basically calling her “fat”. What astounded me most was that the police spent six months tracking the guy before they apprehended him. If they demonstrate a similar diligence toward their responsibilities to Nigeria, the country will not be so insecure.

Look at all the spheres all the supposed victims of cyberbullying represent—popular culture, politics, industry, and religion—and understand why this pattern is worrisome. Figures representative of virtually every sphere of our socio-political life are one-trick ponies whose only recourse is to use their clout with the police to perpetrate abuse. That is not good for society by any measure. Even worse, at the rate the police are going with their trivialisation of the law by filing sensational charges over minor issues, they will turn every rabble-rouser into an anti-establishment hero. We should properly delineate what constitutes “cyberbullying” (or “cyberstalking”) so that it stops being exploited by anyone who has some money in their pocket and can purchase justice.

No matter what you think or how you feel about any of those people standing trial for cyberbullying, we should not be so numb that we fail to ask if the issue is about legal protections against malevolent speech or just an increasing pattern of intolerance for human rights. When people who have commensurate power say nasty things against each other on social media, the police never swoop in to “investigate”. Regardless of how vicious the exchange by the warring parties gets, the police never take sides to lament “injurious speech” that therefore warrants filing charges of cyberbullying, cyberstalking or even criminal defamation. It is when the matter becomes a case of the top dog vs an underdog that they become animated. Their conduct calls into question the whole idea of “bullying” as an act of aggression and intimidation. If bullying (cyber- or wherever else it takes place) is about a powerful person preying on a weaker party, what constitutes it when the supposed victim is the one who can afford to hire the police?

Punch

If you've ever had the unfortunate experience of saying the wrong thing at a staff meeting or a friend's housewarming party, you know just how easy it is to bungle small talk.

The commonplace interaction can be tricky to navigate, but is incredibly important to master. Small talk can help you bond with an evasive CEO or hard-to-please in-law.

This year, CNBC Make It interviewed dozens of experts about what to say, which questions to ask, and what key mistakes to avoid if you find yourself in a room of nonfriends.

Here are 12 of their best pieces of advice.

1. Don't try to be cool or deep

Every long-lasting connection, whether it be personal or professional, probably started with a benign comment, speech trainer John Bowe wrote for CNBC Make It.

Instead of focusing on saying something "deep" or "cool," just make an observation about your surroundings. Saying "Do you know anyone here? I thought I'd know more people" or "What do you think of the venue?" is a risk-free way to get the conversation started.

"None of these openers are likely to win you the Pulitzer, but exchanging pleasantries doesn't mean you're being shallow or false," he says. "You're putting yourself out there. If your words aren't wildly original, so what?"

2. Tweak the boring questions

Just because your question is low-risk doesn't mean it has to be boring. There are easy ways to transform seemingly canned questions into more interesting inquiries, says Nicholas Epley, a psychology professor from the University of Chicago.

"It might seem hard to reframe questions in a way that's vulnerable, but it's actually pretty easy once you start looking for it," she says.

Epley suggests the following swaps:

• Instead of "Are you married?" try, "Tell me about your family."
• Instead of "Do you have any hobbies?" ask, "If you could learn anything, what would it be?"
• Instead of "Where did you go to high school?" ask, "What advice would you give a high schooler?"
• Instead of "Where are you from?" ask, "What's the best thing about where you grew up?"

3. Focus on the other person

It's easy to get caught up thinking "Am I being awkward?" or "Does the other person like me?" These inner commentaries can distract from actually engaging with the other person Bowe says.

"You've asked this person for their attention; now give them yours," Bowe says. "Concentrate on what they're saying and try to intuit why they're saying it."

Concentrate on what they're saying and try to intuit why they're saying it.

4. Use 'support responses'

People who are good at small talk use "support responses," Matt Abrahams, a Stanford University lecturer and communications expert, wrote last year.

When someone is telling a story, a person adept at small talk will respond in a way that shows they want to know more. Let's say a co-worker is talking about their annoying roommate. The opposite of a support response is a "shift response" which is when you direct the conversation back to yourself.

A support response would be to ask about how they met their roommate or how long they've lived together. A shift response would be to talk about your own bad roommate experience.

5. Nod more

Being good at small talk usually means having a high emotional intelligence. One thing those with a high EQ understand is that body language is just as important as spoken words, Abrahams says.

"People who have a higher EQ are more open in their posture, they are nodding more," Abrahams says.

6. Match the other person's energy

Another mark of a person with high emotional intelligence is they are able to read the vibe of a conversation and match that energy. This tool, called mirroring, can be helpful during small talk.

Take note of the other person's tone and facial expression. If they are excitedly telling you about their day, your response should reflect that sentiment.

7. Validate the other person

Small talk isn't the time to deliver hard truths. Regardless of whether you agree or relate to another person, you want to make them feel heard and seen.

You can do this by asking them more questions about themselves, Abrahams says, and giving more "backchannel" responses, like "uh-huh" and "I see."

8. Avoid controversial topics

Small talk is also not the time to solve the world's problems. Abortion, banned books, vaccines — all these topics are taboo and best avoided.

"If you gravitate towards those topics later on, great," Bowe says. "But for starters, aim for something simple and close at hand that you and the other person can observe together."

... for starters, aim for something simple and close at hand that you and the other person can observe together.

9. Prepackage some questions

Veteran TV journalist SuChin Pak has interviewed some of the biggest pop culture icons including Britney Spears and Oprah. It's rare, she says, to not know what to say to someone. When it happens, she has a "secret" for making small talk that anyone can use.

Her biggest tip for keeping a conversation going no matter the setting? "Always have a few questions in your back pocket that work for everyone," she told CNBC Make It.

Her top two favorite questions to ask new acquaintances are: "What do you want people to get out of what you're doing?" and "How did you start doing X?"

10. Ask for advice

An easy way to flatter someone while making small talk without offering up an outright compliment is to ask them for advice.

A series of studies from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania found that we like people who ask for our guidance more than people who wish us well. This is we tend to think, "They were smart to ask for my advice because I am smart."

The topic doesn't have to be profound. Let's say you're moving apartments soon. An easy way to make conversation and flatter the other person is to ask someone "How did you decide on which movers to use?"

11. Don't interrupt an ongoing conversation

Don't hop into any conversation, Bowe says. If someone is telling a very animated story, it's best not to chime in. "First, wait for a lull," he says. "Then once you have someone's attention and, ideally, receive a non-verbal go-ahead, that's your chance."

12. Put your phone away

Phones are constantly notifying us with items that aren't very urgent. You can probably go an hour without checking who texted you or the latest breaking headline. It might be smart to silence your notifications before entering a situation where you need to be present or attentive.

"If you're talking to someone, talk to them," Bowe says. "Don't stare at the floor or look over their shoulder at another person. Put your phone away. Be present and give them your full attention."

CNBC

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced that Nigeria’s rebased gross domestic product (GDP) will include data on illegal economic activities such as prostitution, drug dealing, operations of illegal refineries, etc. The updated GDP figures, scheduled for release by the end of January, aim to provide a more comprehensive picture of the nation’s economy by capturing both formal and informal sectors.

Speaking during a sensitisation workshop on GDP and consumer price index (CPI) rebasing in Lagos, Moses Waniko, technical assistant to the statistician-general, explained that the exercise would reflect economic realities previously omitted from official records. “Illegal activities such as sex work and drug peddling are real contributors to income generation in society, even though they lack legal backing,” he said.

Waniko emphasized that GDP rebasing involves recalculating the economy’s size using updated prices and weights, a process critical for accurate economic planning. The year 2019 was chosen as the base year due to relative economic stability compared to the shocks experienced in 2020-2022.

Inclusion of Hidden Sectors

Aside from illegal activities, the rebasing exercise will also cover modular refineries, the digital economy, the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), domestic households employing labor, pension fund administrators, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and quarrying activities.

Waniko highlighted that these inclusions are essential for understanding the distribution and contributions of various sectors to the economy. “The size of the economy will be bigger after the rebasing,” he noted, adding that this could lead to changes in key economic indicators such as the tax-to-GDP ratio, debt-to-GDP ratio, and per-capita income.

Challenges in Measuring Illegal Activities

Baba Madhu, assistant director at the NBS, acknowledged the difficulties in capturing data on illegal economic activities. “For example, drug peddling and prostitution are illegal here, but they contribute significantly to incomes,” Madhu said. “The challenge lies in how to quantify and validate this data without legal frameworks supporting these activities.”

The NBS had previously announced plans to rebase the GDP to account for structural changes in the economy and align with international standards. The last rebasing was conducted in 2010, and moving forward, the exercise will occur every five years.

With this comprehensive rebasing, Nigeria seeks to reflect its true economic size, including contributions from previously untracked sectors. The results are expected to support better policy formulation and more accurate development planning.