Social media lit up on the activities of FCT Minister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike outside of his backseat driving escapades in Rivers State. The graduation of his son Jordan from Queen Mary University, London, with a master’s degree in law, was widely publicised. It drew flaks.

Fellow politician Omoyele Sowore fired shots. Then, citizen Dayo Adegoke offered a cost-benefit financial analysis showing opportunity cost.

It’s a dirty shame if ever there was one. But let us, the people, bring this royal brainwashing of foreign education home.

If 5,000 Nigerian families spend $50,000 per year on two children (I.e., $25,000 x 2 children per year), the forex outflow amounts to $250 million ($250,000,000) per year.

Calculations:

$250m × 5 years= $1.25 billion
$250m × 10years= $2.5billion
$250m × 20years = $5billion

Either way you look at it, the amount of money we spend on “educating” our children overseas is more than enough to build one Harvard University, one Yale University, one Princeton, one Columbia University, one Oxford, and one Cambridge, with enough change left over to overhaul, refurbish, revamp, and expand our crumbling Federal Universities, especially the Universities of Ibadan, UNN, Lagos, Ife (OAU), and ABU, Zaria.

We foolishly choose *NOT* to see that the money we are spending (today)* sustaining foreign universities (school fees = revenue, a portion of which is profit) is the same money that we can use to build our universities into the INSTITUTIONS that they ought to be.

We have a collective mental and spiritual problem. Much of our problem stems from amnesia, a collective forgetfulness about when we came. Until that ancestral amnesia is solved, our spiritual groping will continue.

I am not sure that politicians alone created this problem. Even if they made it, the people still must solve the issues. Dayo Adegoke.

1. Attention Panama Canal

Incoming US President Donald Trump is rattling the sabres on geopolitics. He wants to deploy American power to annex the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada. He says America should own these territories because of their strategic importance to world trade and the US economy.

Greenland is in Denmark, while Panama is an autonomous territory. Both have rejected Trump’s proposals.

What will happen to these territories from 20 January? Here is the brief on the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway that cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most important shipping routes in the world and plays a vital role in global trade.

The Panama Canal is 80 kilometres (50 miles) long and 43 meters (141 feet) wide at its widest point. Its maximum depth is 18.3 meters (60 feet), and ships up to 200,000 tons can pass through it.

The canal comprises a series of locks, which raise and lower ships between the different water levels. The locks are filled with freshwater pumped from Lake Gatun, an artificial lake created by damming the Chagres River.

The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 and opened for traffic on August 15, was a significant engineering feat that revolutionised global trade.

The Panama Canal is now one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. In 2021, more than 14,000 ships transited the canal, carrying over 420 million tons of cargo. The canal transports various goods, including oil, coal, grain, and manufactured goods.

The Panama Canal is a vital economic asset for Panama, generating significant revenue for the country. It is also an important strategic asset, allowing ships to avoid the long and dangerous voyage around South America.

The Panama Canal is a complex and fascinating engineering marvel. It is a testament to human ingenuity and a vital link in the global supply chain.

2. Choosing an Ohanaeze president from Rivers State

Rivers State’s turn to produce the next president of the Igbo socio-cultural and political group, the Ohanaeze, has brought forth debates about where those whose origins fall on the borders. Former Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro has received severe criticism for benefitting from Imo and Rivers State.

Critics point to his membership of significant bodies in Imo State. They insist he must remain an Imolite and not now claim to be from Rivers State.
Interestingly, the initial debate was whether to bother with Rivers State because of its lack of interest in and commitment to Ohanaeze matters. There are many contestants, and a new leader will emerge this weekend.

3. Congressman Tm Burchett raises alarm over US funding of the Taliban terrorist group.

Outrage on social media over Eric Chelle for the Super Eagles

Chelle, who hails from Mali, is the first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Nigerians are angry over the appointment of Malian tactician Eric Chelle as coach of the Super Eagles. They are poking holes from various angles.

1. His record. Chelle was coaching Mali to contest the same World Cup qualifiers for which Nigeria hired him. Mali sacked him for poor results: two losses, one draw, and one victory. One critic commented, “The NFF now hired him in the middle of the same qualifier where he was dismissed to pay him in dollars now to continue in Nigeria?”

2. Poor contract terms. His assistants will earn $5000 a month while he earns $50000. Many consider the terms beneath what a tested international coach would accept.

•⁠ A short-term contract covering the World Cup qualifiers. The qualifiers end in October 2025, before the AFCON in December (this is crazy). However, the playoffs will end in March 2026.

•⁠ ⁠He will earn $50,000 monthly.

⁠He’s coming with two assistants that will earn $5,000 per month.

•⁠ The NPFL coaches who assisted Austin Eguaveon will be retained in the setup.

Gboyega Adelaja: “How can a Malian coach our national team? NFF is downgrading football in Nigeria. Rather than raise the bar, NFF has lowered it. It’s a disgrace. NFF should engage a world-class manager, not a local champion. Chairman NFF should resign immediately. This is too low for Zero.”