Opinion
Not The Change We Want

According to Selywn Hughes, “Real change is an inside matter. It begins at the core of the personality and works its way out”.
We may not recognize it or otherwise be cognizant of it. We may oppose it, or even try to accelerate it. No matter what our position may be, change makes its course in the evolution of human effort.
Heraclitus, a Greek Philosopher, will tell you that the only thing that is constant is change. However, change may be negative or positive. For almost eight months now, Nigeria has been experiencing recession, that is, a temporary decline in economic activity, trade and prosperity. And if we are not careful, it could get worse even to austerity measure. The government’s inconsistent economic policies over the year contributed a lot to this mess.
When President Olusegun Obasanjo came in 1999, the economy was in a shambles due to corruption but he assembled the best brains and fixed the economy. In fact, he brought Nigeria out of the quagmire except that along the line, he derailed.
Steve Covey says that it is not what happens to you or people’s actions that matter, but your reaction. Today, shipping companies are withdrawing from Nigeria as well as airlines due to unfavourable forex policies. It was alleged that foreign airlines found it difficult to repatriate their money.
It looks as if everything is stagnant. For us to start experiencing any meaningful change, the Presidency should as a matter of urgency, cut down on the cost of governance. It would amount to irresponsibility for the government to go on as usual. Allowances and salaries of our legislators should be slashed.
There is no justification for the jumbo allowances our federal lawmakers receive at this moment of economic hardship and distress when millions of Nigerians cannot afford three square meals a day. A Nigerian Senator is said to be the highest paid in the world, earning more than the American president. Yet, they claim to be representing us and our interest. What a bogus claim!
I, therefore, suggest that law making business in Nigeria should be made part-time. It is glaringly that ordinary Nigerians are really suffering in the midst of plenty.
John Quncy Adams says, “the great object of the institution of civil government is the improvement of the conditions of those who are parties to social contract and no government, in whatever form constituted, can accomplish the lawful end of its institution but in proportion as it improves the condition of those over whom it is established.”
What are we in actual fact changing when people are invariably being chained in one way or the other through economic recession? One needs to ask whether we are really honest with the way we are handling our economic matters at this crucial moment.
According to Thomas Jefferson, “the whole of government consists in the art of being honest”.
There is need to build every part of the country, whether East, West, North or South. It is an ugly sight to behold that most of the federal roads in the country are death traps. Precisely, the federal roads from Aba to Port Harcourt, Onitsha to Awka, Awka to Enugu etc are unmotorable. If we cannot change when circumstances demand, how do we expect others to change.
Just as Henry D Thoreau rightly observes, things do not change, rather we change. And in the words of late Nelson Mandela, “In order to build a nation, we must all exceed our expectations”.
Okoye writes from Port Harcourt.
Cornelius Okoye
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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