Is this what “E mi lokan” truly means? Squandering billions of public funds to indulge President Bola Tinubu’s appetite for luxury while millions of Nigerians suffer under the economic hardship his administration has brought upon them?

Last week, amidst reports of Chinese companies seizing Nigeria’s valuable national assets abroad over defaults in contract agreements, and worsening living conditions, an Airbus A330 aircraft, costing $150 million and reported to be the new presidential jet, made a bold landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The week before, it was reported that the presidency had taken delivery of a fully-optioned Cadillac Escalade, worth about $500,000. When you add the presidential yacht purchased last year for around N6 billion, it becomes evident that Tinubu, who has repeatedly asked Nigerians to endure his harsh economic measures, shows no intention of curbing his indulgence, despite preaching austerity to the public. His message to Nigerians questioning this extravagance seems clear: whether in the air, on land, or at sea, he will not be denied his desire to live lavishly at the expense of the nation. After all, as he told us during the elections, he bought his “E mi lokan” (It's my turn) with his own money. If Nigerians cannot understand that this is what his presidency is about, they can, as far as he is concerned, take a running jump off a cliff.

But while Tinubu’s bluntness on this issue might be appreciated, what is truly galling is the clumsy, unsophisticated, and ignorant attempts by some of his aides to justify these purchases. The most common defense is that, despite the dire economic situation, the president should not be deprived of the means for decent and safe air travel, fitting for Nigeria’s status in Africa and the world. This suggests that the planes already in the presidential fleet are not suitable for the president's use and should be mothballed.

One presidential aide even displayed his ignorance by claiming that the purchase of the A330 jet will save the country money in maintenance costs because it is relatively newer than the others in the fleet, which have been consuming significant funds due to their age. However, had the aide done proper research, he would have realized that a plane's condition depends on its maintenance, not necessarily its age. Regardless of age, all planes must undergo mandatory checks like the C and D checks when due, whether the aircraft has been used or not, and these checks involve significant costs. Moreover, if the A330 is operated by a foreign crew, the costs will not be substantially lower, if at all. Therefore, claiming that the new presidential jet will reduce maintenance costs is either ignorance, deception, or both.

Another influencer, aligned with the administration, defended the purchase by comparing Nigeria’s situation to that of the United States, noting that a new plane for the U.S. president costs around $4 billion, so Nigerians should not complain about the $150 million spent on Tinubu’s A330. However, many Nigerians see this as comparing apples to oranges, as Nigeria and the U.S. are not comparable by any measure.

When we consider the billions allocated for renovating Dodan Barracks in Lagos into a luxurious residence, as well as the Vice President’s residences in Lagos and Abuja, it becomes clear that the Tinubu administration is engaged in a contradictory and cynical deception regarding its calls for Nigerians to endure the harsh economic policies.

What is evident from all this, and what Nigerians must come to terms with, is that Tinubu assumed power with a mission to build and consolidate a personal economic and political monopoly, making all Nigerians beholden to him. This aligns with his “E mi lokan” declaration, which is unfolding before our eyes. Nigerians should not expect Tinubu to deny himself the luxuries and perks of the presidency he fought so long to attain.

Likewise, Nigerians should not expect any relief from the prevailing economic hardship, as the resources needed to develop education, healthcare, and other essential services will be diverted to build the economic and political empire Tinubu has long coveted. Nigerians must accept this as a fait accompli because it is Tinubu’s time to fulfill his destiny, and he will pursue it with ruthless determination, whether Nigerians like it or not. The only relief they can expect are the paltry “palliatives” thrown their way periodically when they cry out.

** Gadu can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 08035355706 (Texts only)

Ashton Jackson

Constantly putting others before yourself can be noble, but the people-pleasing trait may come with some toxic pitfalls.

If you ever catch yourself feeling emotionally drained — like you're never able to say "no," or you'll lose your status as an exceptional employee, for example — you might be in trouble, according to Hailey Magee, author of the self-help book, "Stop People Pleasing and Find Your Power," published in May.

"I define people-pleasing as the act of putting others' needs, feelings, wants and dreams first at the expense of your own needs, feelings, wants and dreams," Magee recently told the Harvard Business Review's "HBR IdeaCast" podcast. "So it's not just being kind and generous, but it's sacrificing yourself in the process of doing so."

Magee, who also works with clients to help them moderate their people-pleasing tendencies, said the trait usually shows up in three ways in the workplace:

1. Being unwilling to express your needs, like time off or an extended deadline after adding more to your workload.
2. Picking up the slack for your colleagues on an assignment or group project, tiring yourself out in the process.
3. Giving in to societal pressures, like code-switching as a person of color or being soft-spoken as a woman.

The trait is a common one: In a 2022 YouGov survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 49% of respondents said they're definitely or probably people pleasers. Professionals who identify as "givers" at work — or often ask the question, "What can I do for you?" — tend to be well-liked by their bosses and colleagues, according to Wharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant.

But it can be at their own expense. "When we're giving through the lens of people-pleasing, outside we may seem easygoing or happy or flexible. But inside, we usually feel resentful or overwhelmed or overworked," said Magee.

How to kick the habit when it turns harmful

People-pleasing isn't inherently bad. You just need to recognize when it's having a negative affect on you, Magee said. Pay attention to moments when you find yourself going over and beyond for others, and how you feel physically or emotionally after doing so.

"So many of us have this habit without being fully aware of it, and so it really helps when we can draw our attention to, OK, when am I people pleasing? What are the signs that something isn't working for me?" said Magee.

Once you're aware of your tendencies, you can create a new habit of removing yourself from the situations that compel them. Try developing a "personal policy" around your emails and other messages, author and leadership coach Melody Wilding wrote on LinkedIn in February: Give yourself a grace period before you respond to anything that isn't truly urgent.

Maybe you stop accepting meetings after 2 p.m., to guarantee yourself time to finish each day's tasks. Or, use "strategic silence," as Wilding put it: Intentionally stay quiet in moments when you'd otherwise raise your hand for extra work or to assist someone else. You'll train your brain to think before acting, and give yourself a stronger sense of control, she wrote.

You probably don't need to stop helping others at work altogether. If you have some extra time to assist someone, and you aren't already feeling burnt out or overwhelmed, doing so can make you feel happier and strengthen your workplace relationships. But don't make it the norm, Magee warned. 

People-pleasing "usually harms us more than it helps," she said. "It does actually benefit your workplace for you to be able to show up rested, balanced, and not feeling this subtle lurking resentment toward your workplace and your colleagues."

 

CNBC

Over 100 property owners in Lafiaji community, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, are planning legal action against the Federal Government as they are being issued demolition notices to evacuate their properties for the Lagos- Calabar Highway construction.

This was made known in a statement titled, ‘Being the text of a press conference addressed by Property Owners and Residents of Lafiaji Community, Eti Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State on the distortion in the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway by arbitrary deviation from the long-established right of way by the Minister Of Works and the threatened unlawful demolition of their property at Lafiaji Community, Eti Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State,’ on Tuesday.

The property owners accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of altering the original right of way to shield prominent politicians.

In the statement, they claimed that they followed due process in acquiring their lands, adding that in the acquisitions of their plots of land and in building their property, they were well informed about the Right of Way, clearly marked, beaconed, and established for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and, therefore, ensured that they did not encroach on or trespass to the established Right of Way.

The statement read in part, “In the acquisition of our plots of land and development of our respective homes and property, we obtained requisite consents of the Lagos State Government to our deeds of assignments, had our respective survey plans hewed from the approved Ojomu Family Layout Plan, and obtained all the necessary building approvals and development permits from the relevant agencies of the Lagos State Government.

“However, there are those who, overtime, have built on the said Right of Way and constructed huge estates crisscrossing same in the illusion that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would never be built, without any valid legal title to the land on which they built; or with government officials-assisted fabricated certificates of occupancy with embossed survey-plans (the area coordinates of which truly are that of lands adjacent and proximate to the Right of Way, but which are passed off as that of lands situated within or covered by the Right of Way, to obtain certificates of occupancy). These persons also either did not obtain valid building approvals and development permits from the relevant agencies of the Lagos State Government or were assisted by corrupt officials of government to obtain doctored documents.

“As an outcome of the recent visit of the Honourable Minister of Works and Federal Controller of Works to the communities affected by the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, especially regarding compliance with the enforcement of the Right of Way, valuation of affected landed property, service of removal and demolition notices, and compensation, the Honourable Minister of Works and the Federal Controller of Works decided to deviate from the scrupulous implementation of the Right of way by specifically directing surveyors of the Federal Government of Nigeria (Ministry of Works) on the project to establish a fresh Right of Way, create a new alignment and  alter the road-course  into the area where our clients’ plots of lands and houses are situate, an area which was not covered by the long established Right of Way.”

The project, designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passes through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, before culminating in Cross River.

But the coastal highway has been a subject of public scrutiny and controversies since the government commenced construction in March.

In May, Umahi disclosed that 750 houses on the path of the highway had been marked for demolition but owners of affected property were displeased with the government compensation, claiming it did not match their investments.

According to them, the compensation is grossly inadequate and there is the need for the government to review the payment.

The founder of Leisure Games, Olanrewaju Ojo, who got N1.3m compensation, told The PUNCH that the amount was what he could generate in a week.

He said, “This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do with this? I will make this in a week.”

Stakeholders and experts also condemned the road procurement process, stressing that the contract awarded to the construction company was shrouded in secrecy and bypassed the proper procurement process.

The Lafiaji community residents noted that they wrote protest letters to President Bola Tinubu and the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, amongst other public officers, to seek redress.

“Surprisingly, our relief was short-lived as the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works subsequently resumed in our community to mark our buildings afresh, and to inform us that our property and homes are still very much within the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway course and that the new alignment had not been jettisoned as far as our lands and property were concerned.”

Petrified, they stated that they immediately embarked on an investigation, visiting the Lagos State Lands Bureau, Lagos State Office of the Surveyor-General, and the Federal Ministry of Works, Lagos.

They posited, “We have discovered to our chagrin that the Honourable Minister of Works has disregarded and rebuffed the clear directive of the President of Nigeria, as far as our lands in the Lafiaji Area is concerned. From our findings, we make bold to say that the Honourable Minister of Works has an improper and less than patriotic reasons for arbitrarily directing a departure from the long-established Right of Way for the construction of the Coastal Highway, in the Lafiaji Area.

“This is the reason, from our findings, the minister has found it difficult to follow the presidential directive in the Lafiaji Area. We discovered that amongst some huge housing estates that allegedly have sprung up illicitly on the long-established Right of Way are Ocean Bay Estate and others. The developers of these estates and some of the owners-occupiers of buildings therein are alleged to have strong political connections, ethnic ties, and social links with the powers that be.

“Therefore, the Minister of Works, in an unabashed display of nepotism, as alleged, “ruled” that the property and buildings in these estates are too valuable to be demolished, and that demolishing them would attract huge compensation from the Federal Government. In consequence, it is being alleged that the Minister of Works directed that the Right of Way be altered away from the established path and the said estates and that this new alignment be made through our lands which were never established as the original Right of Way.”

They asserted that after deciding to alter the Right of Way, the Minister of Works found a pretext for their actions by labeling their property as shanties to create the false impression that they were unlawful settlers and illegal occupiers.

“It is our considered but firm position that the decision of the Minister of Works to change the Right of Way and, therefore, the course of the Highway is an abuse of power and unlawful exercise of ministerial discretion. The Minister has no latitude of executive prerogatives to do what he has directed should be done. We dare say that, after the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has specifically directed a reversion to the old, long-established Right of Way, the adamancy of the Minister amounts to an act of ministerial lawlessness!

“As a result of the action of the Minister of Works, we are now being confronted with the prospect of being rendered homeless. The landed properties affected are not just realty investments but also the homes of many of us. Some of us currently are overseas and, therefore, are in no position to vacate and yield up possession of our property for demolition within the unreasonable time we were unconscionably given to flee our abodes.

“We appeal to Tinubu to call the Minister of Works to order and direct him to abandon his whimsical and capricious new alignment for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway at Lafiaji, Eti Osa Local Government Area, and revert to the original long-established Right of Way, as the President had earlier directed.”

The Federal Government had in June said it had rerouted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway path to avoid any possible damage to subsea cables belonging to telecommunication companies.

The government also said it had reduced the project’s size from 10 lanes to six as a cost-saving measure for the legacy project.

Umahi, who made the announcements at a meeting with contractors on Tuesday in Abuja, also said the government had disbursed a total sum of N10bn as compensation to property owners affected by the demolition necessary for the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

This was as it announced that the first 47km of the project would be open to the public by May of next year.

The legal practitioner representing the community, Jiti Ogunye, said there were so many obstacles involved in proceeding to court on the part of prospective litigants because of the need to reform the judicial process.

He said, “The rules of court are one of the major obstacles, and our courts are congested because our justice dispensation infrastructure is small. However, we want to give it the best shot we can give it because right and morality are on our side, and if we fail, it will not be that we did not try but the system is hostile to success.

“Hence, if we are left with no other choice and if push goes to shove, we will go to court.”

A resident, Bonojo Olalekan, said over 100 property owners were affected by the rerouting.

In a brief call with the Federal Comptroller with the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukorede Keisha, she referred our correspondent back to the Honorable Minister of Works.

She retorted, “I said you should go to the Honorable Minister.”

Also, several attempts to reach the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, Orji Uchenna Orji, through calls and texts were not responded to.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Environment has announced a 21-day public display of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

This was disclosed on the agency’s website on Tuesday.

It stated, “Public display exercise on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Section 1 (0km – 47.5km) By Federal Ministry Of Works.

“Following the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act CAP E12 LFN 2004, which makes it mandatory for proponents of all new major developmental activities to carry out EIA for their proposed projects, the Federal Ministry of Environment hereby announces twenty-one (21) working days public display for information and comments on the draft ESIA report for the above-stated project submitted by Federal Ministry of Works.

“This display is to enable the public to make inputs that shall facilitate informed decision taking by the Ministry on the proposed project.”

The report noted that the project required an ESIA due to the potential environmental and social impacts associated with its construction to comply with international standards and Nigerian regulations.

“The ESIA is a crucial tool for identifying, assessing, and mitigating the potential negative impacts of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project while maximising its benefits. Alongside the ESIA is the preparation of a Resettlement Action Plan for the Highway. A Resettlement Action Plan is essential for a highway due to the potential for involuntary resettlement.

“The ESIA aims to ensure the project is developed and implemented sustainably, protecting the environment and benefiting the local community. The primary goal of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is to identify, assess, and mitigate potential negative impacts on the environment and society.”

The report further noted that the highway was a significant infrastructural development spanning over 700km and divided into nine sections.

It added, “Work will begin with Section 1, which spans from 0km to 47.5km in Lagos. Section 1 includes development activities related to transportation, coastal resort facilities, hotels, and recreational facilities in national parks and marine parks.

“The project’s impact assessment has a phased approach to demonstrate a commitment to environmental and social considerations. This ESIA report specifically focuses on Section 1, providing a foundation for subsequent sections. The ESIA evaluates the environmental and social impact of a plan, policy, program, or project before deciding to proceed with the proposed action.

“It covers various aspects, including the environment’s physical, biological, socio-economic, and health elements. The ESIA will describe project activities and identify potential impacts on air, water, soil, vegetation, wildlife, land use, and affected individuals and assets.”

 

Punch

According to a recent report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the prices of essential food items such as beans, tomatoes, and eggs have skyrocketed over the past year, with increases exceeding 200%.

The report, titled “Selected Food Price Watch for July 2024”, reveals that the average price of 1kg of brown beans (sold loose) reached N2,444.81 in July 2024. This represents a staggering 262.98% increase from N673.53 recorded in July 2023, and a 6.63% month-on-month rise from N2,292.76 in June 2024.

Similarly, the price of a dozen medium-sized agricultural eggs rose by 217%, from N1,006.64 in July 2023 to N1,935.69 in July 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 12.11% from N1,935.69 in June 2024.

The price of 1kg of tomatoes also saw a significant jump, increasing by 203.57% year-on-year, from N557.96 in July 2023 to N1,693.83 in July 2024. However, on a month-on-month basis, the price decreased by 26.43% from N2,302.26 in June 2024.

The report further highlighted that the average price of 1kg of white garri (sold loose) surged by 167.98%, from N429.89 in July 2023 to N1,151.79 in July 2024. Additionally, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber rose by 234.23%, from N539.41 to N1,802.84 during the same period. Despite this, the price of yam tuber decreased by 10.82% on a month-on-month basis, from N2,021.55 in June 2024 to N1,802.84 in July 2024.

On a state-by-state basis, the report noted that Rivers State recorded the highest average price for 1kg of brown beans at N3,070.96, while Adamawa State had the lowest price at N1,532.23. The highest average price for 1kg of tomatoes was found in Osun State at N3,000, whereas Kaduna State recorded the lowest price at N761.45.

For 1kg of yam tuber, Kwara State recorded the highest price at N3,894.08, while Adamawa State had the lowest at N742.95. In terms of garri, Gombe State had the highest average price for 1kg of white garri sold loose at N1,624.72, while Taraba State reported the lowest price at N892.98.

This sharp rise in food prices underscores the growing economic challenges facing Nigerians, as inflation continues to impact the affordability of basic commodities.

The state of Nigeria's teaching hospitals is a dire reflection of the broader challenges plaguing the nation's healthcare system. Established to serve as centers of medical excellence, these institutions are now themselves in critical condition, grappling with issues that threaten not only the lives of patients but also the economic stability of the nation.

The problems are multifaceted. Hospitals like the University College Hospital in Ibadan and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital face severe shortages in medical equipment and staff. The absence of functioning MRI machines, outdated mammography equipment, and unreliable power supply are not just inconveniences—they are life-threatening deficiencies. This situation is further compounded by the exodus of qualified healthcare professionals, who leave in search of better opportunities abroad. This brain drain exacerbates the already critical shortage of doctors and nurses, leaving the remaining staff overwhelmed and overworked, leading to increased medical errors and compromised patient care.

The economic implications of this healthcare crisis are profound. With teaching hospitals unable to provide adequate care, those who can afford it seek medical treatment abroad, draining the country's scarce foreign exchange reserves. This "medical tourism" not only depletes national resources but also underscores the widening inequality in access to healthcare within the country. Those left behind—unable to afford treatment abroad—suffer in a system that is failing them.

The solution to this crisis requires a multifaceted approach. First, there must be a substantial increase in funding for the healthcare sector. This funding should prioritize the procurement and maintenance of modern medical equipment, ensuring that hospitals are equipped to handle the diagnostic and therapeutic needs of patients.

Second, addressing the power supply issues is crucial. Hospitals cannot function without reliable electricity, and the current reliance on expensive generators is unsustainable. Investing in alternative energy sources, such as solar power, could provide a more stable and cost-effective solution.

Furthermore, the government must take immediate steps to stem the brain drain. This could be achieved by improving the working conditions and remuneration of healthcare professionals, ensuring that they are adequately compensated and have access to the necessary tools to do their jobs effectively. Additionally, the recruitment of new staff should be expedited, particularly in institutions like the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, where no significant hiring has occurred in over a decade.

Finally, there needs to be a reevaluation of the management and operational structures of these teaching hospitals. Clearer lines of accountability must be established to ensure that funds allocated for healthcare are used efficiently and transparently. The involvement of private partnerships, as seen in some hospitals, should be explored further, but with stringent oversight to prevent exploitation and ensure that patient care remains the primary focus.

In conclusion, the current state of Nigeria’s teaching hospitals is a national emergency that requires immediate and sustained action. Without intervention, the cycle of decline will continue, with devastating consequences for the health and well-being of the nation. It is time for the government, healthcare professionals, and the private sector to come together to revive these critical institutions, ensuring that they fulfill their intended role as centers of medical excellence and not symbols of a failing system.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach for the Super Eagles.

Labbadia’s appointment is coming after 73 days since the NFF has maintained a deafening silence on who will take over the rein of leadership in the county’s national football team.

With an official statement issued Tuesday morning, the German is set to be the Men’s senior football team’s 37th coach since the creation of the team in 1949.

This decision was said to be endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee after the recommendation from the Technical and Development Sub-Committee of the federation.

“The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect”, Mohammed Sanusi, NFF General Secretary, affirmed.

However, despite the hush agreement, the NFF has failed to indicate the duration or any other contract details for coach Labbada.

Born 8 February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia had a distinguished playing career, winning two caps for the German national team and claiming the German Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.

He has also coached several prominent teams, including Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, and Bayer Leverkusen, and holds a UEFA Pro Licence.

Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr.

Notably, Höner guided the team to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr led Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

Herculean task

Labbadia’s first task will be to prepare the team for two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic on 7 September in Uyo and Rwanda on 10 September in Kigali.

With the Super Eagles also in an unpleasant position in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Labbadia will be expected to turn around the national team’s fortunes

Four additional matches will follow in October and November to conclude the qualifying campaign.

 

PT

Israeli military says hostage rescued from Gaza tunnel in 'complex operation'

Israeli special forces have recovered an Israeli hostage from a tunnel in southern Gaza in "a complex rescue operation", the military said on Tuesday, more than 10 months after he was abducted by Hamas-led gunmen.

It said 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel who worked as a security guard on a kibbutz near the Gaza border, had been transferred to hospital and his condition was stable.

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel but gave no details of the operation, citing the security of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces.

A military official told Reuters that soldiers were operating in the area where Alkadi was found, navigating a complex underground system where hostages were suspected to be held alongside militants and explosives.

"Farhan was found by the troops when he was alone, and was rescued from the tunnel," the official said. "As part of the preparations for the operation, lessons were learned from previous events and encounters with hostages."

Israeli media quoted Alkadi as saying he had not seen the sun for almost eight months, and that another hostage who was with him for two months had "died next to me".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he had spoken with Alkadi, commended the troops for the rescue and said Israel would work "tirelessly" for the return of all the hostages.

"We do this in two main ways: through negotiations and rescue operations. Both ways together require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas," he said.

During the phone conversation, Netanyahu told Alkadi he was "so happy to speak with you". Alkadi replied: "I thank you for this work, that you have reached a situation in which I see my family and am here. You truly did sacred work. There are other people who are waiting."

The operation was hailed by Israeli leaders, desperate for good news almost a year into a grinding military campaign against Hamas during which pressure has mounted on the government to do more to bring over 100 hostages back home.

'MIRACULOUS'

President Isaac Herzog said the rescue was "a moment of joy for the State of Israel and Israeli society as a whole".

Israel's Hostage Families Forum called Alkadi's return "nothing short of miraculous" but that military operations alone will not free the remaining hostages "who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror.

"A negotiated deal is the only way forward," the group said in a statement. "We urgently call on the international community to maintain pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release all hostages. The remaining hostages cannot afford to wait for another such miracle."

As the rescue was confirmed, Israeli television stations showed a military helicopter landing at a hospital as medical staff and ambulance stood by waiting to receive Alkadi.

"He is in good condition. He is now going through tests," his brother Hathem Alkadi told Channel 12 TV, saying Qaid had lost a lot of weight in captivity.

"We are happy we saw him and saw him alive, first and foremost. He asked about his family, if his kids were OK and his mother was OK."

Alkadi was taken hostage in Kibbutz Magen, one of a string of Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip stormed by Hamas-led fighters in a cross-border incursion on Oct. 7.

More than 250 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in the attack, in which some 1,200 people were killed.

Alkadi's rescue leaves 108 Israeli and foreign hostages still in Gaza but around a third of these are known to have died, with the fate of the others unknown.

The operation followed the rescue of four Israeli hostages in June.

There has been little progress reported from talks to agree a halt to the war in Gaza and the return of the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

 

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian attacks on Ukraine kill six in second day of major strikes, Kyiv says

Russia launched missile and drone attacks targeting scores of Ukrainian regions and killing at least six people, officials said on Tuesday, a day after Moscow's biggest air attack of the war on its neighbour.

Three people were killed when a hotel was "wiped out" by a missile in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said. Five people were injured and one person was still missing after the strike, Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region that includes Kryvyi Rih, said on Telegram.

Separately, three people were killed in drone attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

Three people were also injured in the Zaporizhzhia region and four were hurt in a missile strike on the northeastern region of Kharkiv overnight, local authorities said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Ukraine would retaliate against Russia for its attacks. He asked allies to consider joint air defence operations and provide long-range capabilities after Russia pummelled Ukrainian energy infrastructure with more than 200 missiles and drones on Monday.

During Tuesday's attack, Ukraine downed five out of 10 incoming missiles and 60 out of 81 drones, the air force said.

The Ukrainian air force lost track of 10 more drones that have likely come down somewhere on its territory, it said. One more crossed into Belarusian territory.

The Russian defence ministry said its forces had carried out a high-precision weapon strike on Ukraine overnight, the Interfax news agency reported. Moscow denies targeting civilians since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, although thousands have been killed.

Several Russian military bloggers said Moscow's attacks were an "act of retaliation" for Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's western Kursk region - the first such action since World War Two.

In the capital Kyiv, the military administration said air defences had shot down all incoming targets aimed at the city. There were no casualties and two small fires caused by debris were put out by the emergency services, local authorities said.

 

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia targets ‘critical airfields’ in Ukraine – MOD

Russia has carried out precision strikes against air bases in four regions of Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Tuesday. Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were among the weapons used, Moscow confirmed.

Air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine overnight Monday into Tuesday, and the media in Kiev reported explosions in Khmelnytsky, Sumy, Krivoy Rog, and Rovno Regions.

The attack targeted “critical airfield infrastructure facilities in Ukraine,” using “long-range air-launched precision weapons, including Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, and attack UAVs,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. 

“All designated targets were hit,” the military added, without elaborating.

Tuesday’s strike followed the “massive high-precision attack” on Ukrainian infrastructure supporting Kiev’s military industry, carried out overnight Sunday into Monday. Attack drones, ballistic and cruise missiles shut off electricity to much of Ukraine and targeted air bases in Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk Regions that were storing Western-supplied weapons and aircraft, Moscow said.

According to Ukrainian media, the strike was the biggest since the conflict began, involving over 230 missiles and drones hitting targets in 15 regions. 

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed on Tuesday that Kiev’s armed forces had used F-16 fighter jets to shoot down incoming missiles during the large infrastructure strike overnight on Sunday. 

“As part of this huge attack, we shot down some missiles and drones with the help of F-16s,” Zelensky told reporters, describing this as “a very good result.”

While thanking the US and its allies for sending Kiev the jets, Zelensky noted that “this is not enough, we don’t have many of them, and we still need to train pilots.”

Several NATO countries have promised up to 80 of the US-made fighters, but only about ten have been delivered so far, according to Ukrainian media. A handful of airfields in Ukraine can accommodate F-16s and Russia has been striking them repeatedly over the past month.

The Kremlin has said that the jets won’t make a difference on the battlefield and will be destroyed just like the other Western hardware provided to Ukraine since the start of the conflict.

 

Reuters/RT

Beyond the protests, there are a number of issues the government should pay attention to:

One, though the protesters might have different motives, they seem all united by alienation from the government and even the state system. Rather than use blackmail and strong arm tactics, the government should use credible opinion polls to articulate and aggregate the various grievances against it and the state – and then evolve sustainable strategies on how to address as many of them as it can. Boxing shadows or creating enemies where they do not exist will only exacerbate the legitimacy crisis around the government. It will be a mistake for the government to believe that it can successfully stifle speech using intimidation and blackmail. Our history shows that such a strategy has a very short shelf life – as Buhari in his first coming as a military dictator and Abacha – can testify to. In his second coming – as a civilian President- a coalition of those Buhari disdained as a dot in a circle and those Femi Adesina called ‘wailing wailers’, fought back in their own ways such that even before Buhari completed his eight year tenure, he openly complained that he was tired, and would, on leaving office, want to be as far away as possible from Abuja and politics. The truth is that citizens, in the face of oppression by those who wield state power, often adopt asymmetric strategies to fight back. This can range from misinformation, caricature and outright fake news. In this age of social media where anyone who owns a mobile phone can be a publisher, citizens are especially empowered to fight back oppression. I believe that for a government which currently has a low social capital owing to the harsh effects of its economic policies, its policy somersaults, propaganda and non-inclusive style of governance, what it needs is more friends and less enemies. It needs to find a way of winning over the hearts and minds of as many Nigerians as possible.

Two, while it is not unusual for a relatively new government to start on a wobbly note, the government, for now at least, seems confused on what it wants to achieve. For instance, while it said it wanted to implement the Orosoanya report (which recommended the merging of ministries and departments and abrogation of some) it also runs the largest cabinet of 48 Ministries and recently created another – the Ministry of Livestock Development. Similarly, while the Tinubu government initially seemed desirous of moving away from the cantankerous mode of public communication of the Buhari era, by appointing the very urbane and affable Mohamed Idris as the Minister of Information and Ajuri Ngelari as the government’s Spokesman, it also contradicted this by appointing the vile and self-confessed ethnic irredentist Bayo Onanuga as Special Adviser on information and strategy. By so doing, it negated  what would have been a new and courteous approach to public communication  to complement the commendable bridge-building efforts by the wife of the President, Remi Tinubu and a few others in the government. Similarly, some of the policies of the government raise confusion on whether Tinubu wants to be remembered as a great Nigerian President or simply wants to be more popular than the late Obafemi Awolowo in Yorubaland.

Three, Tinubu should be mindful of two key features of Nigeria’s democracy since 1999 which has always backfired but which our politicians remain funnily crazily attracted to: these are god-fatherism and clannishness. With the exception of Tinubu in Lagos, nearly all political godfathers invariably fall out with their political godsons, raising questions of why politicians remain fixated on selecting and bankrolling their successors. For clannishness and ethnocentrism which Buhari took to a previously unseen level, and which Tinubu seems eager to match, if not better in the negative, this also usually boomerangs. For instance, some of the most vicious critics of the Buhari government were Northern Muslims who were supposed to be the beneficiaries of his clannishness. Similarly, even before the protests started on August 1, many Yorubas, openly say the clannishness in Tinubu’s mode of appointments and governance “does not represent who we are”. In fact, that many of the faces of the protests are from the Yoruba ethnic extraction is enough to warn the government that Yorubanization of political life will not be enough to buy Yoruba adulation. If anything, it will likely backfire because there is a spark of the divine in all of us which makes most people to abhor injustice. Besides, clannishness attracts odium to innocent members of an ethnic in-group even when they are opposed to the leader’s nepotism.

Four, the protest has now shown that no part of this country has a monopoly of providing poor leadership to the country. In fact, that the protest was organized under the banner of #EndBadGovernance is instructive. At least for now, there seems to be a consensus that the Tinubu government is grossly underperforming. And since most Nigerians appear to believe that the fundamental problem of the country is “squarely that of leadership” (apologies to Achebe), the use of innuendo to blame the North (which has produced most of the country’s leaders), has now come under critical scrutiny. In this thinking, there is always the unproven assumption that the leadership problem of the country would be solved when the South, in particular, the “progressives” (a moniker appropriated by South-West politicians when they were in the opposition) come to power. So far it has not happened under the Tinubu presidency. Even the “reforms” embarked by the Tinubu government are mere uncritical rehash of the policies implemented by the Babangida government between 1986 and 1993 when the country adopted the IMF/World Bank supported structural Adjustment Programme, and which only succeeded in further impoverishing the country and emasculating the middle class. Alan Greenspan, who served for five terms as chairman of the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve Bank (August 11 1987 to January 31 2006)   – the equivalent of our Central Bank- was famously quoted as saying that he owed his success during his tenure to the fact that he always did the opposite of the advice he received from the two Bretton Woods institutions (i.e. the IMF and the World Bank). Tinubu should seriously consider that approach. It may amount to committing class suicide for him. But that would be the surest way of putting himself on the path of being a great Nigerian President.

Jideofor Adibe is a professor of Political Science at Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

The world is running out of sand.

About 50 billion tons of sand and gravel are extracted annually, most of which is used for construction activities. This is a problem for two reasons. First of all, it’s not sustainable. Secondly, if we continue to extract sand at this rate, it will end up causing irreversible damage to the environment. 

For instance, loss of sand from oceans, rivers, and beaches can lead to excessive flooding and degradation of marine ecosystems. It threatens coastal communities, and infrastructure. Plus, sand mining near aquifers can lower water tables, affecting water availability for humans, land animals, and agriculture.

“The issue of sand comes as a surprise to many, but it shouldn’t. We cannot extract 50 billion tonnes per year of any material without leading to massive impacts on the planet and thus on people’s lives.” Pascal Peduzzi, a researcher at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), toldBBC.

A new study suggests China may have found a solution to the sand mining problem. The Chinese have been using artificial sand made by crushing rocks and leftover materials from mining for many of their construction projects. This simple technique has allowed them to drastically reduce their dependence on natural sand without slowing down their massive construction projects.

China’s shift from natural to artificial sand

In the last 40 years, China turned itself from a developing country to an economic superpower, and rapid urbanization has played a key role in its development. However, the fast-paced urbanization has caused massive depletion of its natural construction material reserves — including sand.
For instance, some reports suggest that over 40 percent of cultivable land in China is degraded because of uncontrolled sand mining, pollution, and erosion. This problem was first realized in 2010 when the country witnessed the dwindling of many of its natural sand reserves. It caused a sharp rise in the prices of sand used for construction purposes.

In the following years, the Chinese government also began to take action on illegal sand mining activities to prevent the exploitation of sand reserves. This further increased the price of sand and forced the construction industry to look for budget-friendly alternatives, and this is when some of them adopted manufactured sand (also called, artificial sand).

This technique involved using machines to crush and sift rocks or mine tailings (mining waste) into smaller particles with properties similar to that of natural sand. Since this process doesn’t involve mining or extracting sand from rivers and beaches, it is both cheaper and more eco-friendly.

Rise of manufactured sand in China  

The study authors developed a monitoring system that allowed them to examine the sand use pattern in China from 1995 to 2020. Their analysis revealed many surprising facts. For example, the Chinese have been producing artificial sand since the early 2000s, but it became popular in 2010.

2010 was also the year when the supply of natural sand in China reached its highest level. However, the next year’s supply of manufactured sand overtook that of natural sand, becoming the primary sand type used for construction activities.

In the following years, production of artificial sand continued to increase by 13 percent annually. In 2020, the use of natural sand reduced to the extent that it accounted for only 21 percent of the total sand supply, witnessing an 80 percent downfall, compared to 2010. 

“China’s overall sand supply surged by approximately 400% over the study period, yet the proportion of natural sand dropped from ≈80% to ≈21% due to the increasing use of manufactured sand,” the study authors note.

“The percentage of manufactured sand in the Chinese market could now be close to 90 percent. The shift from natural sand to manufactured sand is a miracle for a country that has completed such massive infrastructure construction,” Song Shaomin, a professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, toldSCMP.

We don’t know how accurate these claims are, but the use of artificial sand in China proves that it’s a promising solution for reducing dependence on natural sand. Other countries can also consider this approach to protect their natural sand reserves from degradation. 

However, further research is required to understand whether artificial sand production can work in other geographies. Also, it’s important to know its limitations and effects on the environment as it relies on waste products from mining activities.

This study is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

 

ZME Science