Opinion
Casualty Of The Indigent
One day, Jesus was invited to the house of a rich man, and while he was there, a woman came in and broke a box of alabaster containing a very expensive perfume, and she anoited him with it; according to the narrative, the perfume was worth a year’s wage. His disciples were infuriated because they felt that the precious ointment could have been sold, and the proceeds given to the poor. But Jesus replied them saying: “You will always have poor people with you.”
That statement was made more than 2000 years ago, but it remains true even in 2023 because the poor could be found in the richest country while the super-rich is also found in the poverty capital of the world – Nigeria. According to the US Census Bureau, 11.6 percent of America’s population, which is around 37.9 million people, live in poverty. But more interesting data is that of the homeless population in the US, EU, and the UK. The data from the online digital research firm Statista indicates that there are about 583,462 homeless people in the US; and according to Shelter, a Humanitarian Agency, there are about 274, 000 in England alone as of January 2023. In the EU, a 2020 report indicates that about 700,000 people sleep rough in member nations.
Even though Nigeria’s poverty situation is in mega proportions, and there is a clear dearth of accurate data, I doubt if the homeless population of the country is anywhere near that of the West in spite of the size of our population. How do I know this? In nearly all communities across the country, the only seemingly homeless people are mentally challenged. But they also have homes, if they choose to go in some cases. It sounds good. Yes, it is good news, but something sinister is happening. Even though the indigent amongst us have shelter, they have no food.
So why are Nigerians rushing to these places? Why has Japa gathered so much momentum in recent months? The answer is not farfetched. These countries have several layers of safety nets to support those who find themselves in dire straits. They have such programmes as the social security system, food stamps, soup kitchens, and shelters that open in the evenings where the indigent can come in, get a hot bath, dinner, and a place to lay their heads for the night. But in Africa and in Nigeria especially, our system is completely different. For us, charity begins at home; and we are our brother’s keepers. Our own social safety net is embedded in our extended family system. No family can afford to see members of their family destitute. There is always a family house somewhere or a relative with a property somewhere willing to offer accommodation, even on a temporary basis.
The same thing applies to financial support for feeding. In fact, there are some families where someone who has been financially lifted sees his wealth as a means to save especially elderly members of his/her family from destitution. Some have gone as far as including members of their extended family on their payrolls. Unfortunately, there are those in our various communities who have actually abandoned their aged parents to die of hunger or to live through alms from the public. There are also those, who even though they are immeasurably rich would use their wealth as a tool of oppression, rather than a means to uplift the poor and needy. This is the primary reason why the poor are more charitable than the rich. Most of them have been there, and they know what it means to go to bed with an empty stomach. But the cashless policy has made it nearly impossible to reach out to the poor according to their financial ability.
Most of the indigents in our society are financially excluded, which means that they have no bank accounts or captured in any of the platforms that give access to the financial system, like the Bank Verification Number (BVN), or the National Identification Number (NIM). Life has dealt some of them a very bad hand. Most of them did their best in their time, but today, most of them are aged and infirm. Some are blind, some are lame, many others are terminally ill, and all they ask for is daily bread, but charity has suffered a casualty.
In a state where cash has become a precious commodity, a state where N600 is sold for N400 in Port Harcourt, it has become extremely hard to drop that N50 or N100 hoping other charitable people would do the same to support the indigent. It is a state where workers are unable to go to work due to the lack of cash, even those who manage to go to work struggle to come back because the cashless crisis is actually a cashless pandemic.
I recently came across this anonymous quote that: “Poverty exists not because we cannot feed the poor, but because we cannot satisfy the rich.” Our country is a case in point, where politicians continue to accumulate, even what they have no need for. They entomb themselves in their humongous mansions, built with our commonwealth which they stole while in public office, whereas health centres in poor communities have no drugs to dispense or any place where those who are down and out can go and eat at least one meal a day. But this should not come as a shock because most local government chairmen live and operate from big cities outside their local government headquarters. So how would they know if an indigent recently died out of starvation?
This past week, a neighbour related her encounter with an indigent lady who asked for food. When she took her to a buka (food vendor) on our street, with the plan to pay for a plate of rice for her, the lady further appealed to my neighbour that she would not mind eba (garri and soup) without meat. That singular appeal tells her life’s story in the face of the cashless crisis. It was possible she did not eat the previous day, and chances are that what is in front of her is an opportunity to eat her only meal for the day.
Interestingly, and to my shock, I am yet to see the hand of our mega Churches on the streets feeding the hungry. our Churches are conspicuously missing in action. Our Mega Churches are seating on billions of charity, flying in private jets bought with charity, whereas those for whose sake charity was given are dying of starvation. It ought not to be so.
By: Raphael Pepple
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
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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