Kenyan activist and pan-African advocate Patrick Lumumba has condemned the continent’s chronic inability to deliver reliable electricity to its population.

Speaking at Lagos’ 2025 Independence Day Lecture and Awards Night, Lumumba warned that unreliable power infrastructure undermines Africa’s potential for economic advancement.

The prominent rights campaigner voiced exasperation over Africa’s struggle to maintain consistent electrical supply and questioned why such fundamental infrastructure remains inadequate.

“Electricity is not rocket science, yet for some reason we are unable to supply stable electricity.

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“Who cursed us? Who bewitched us that we cannot do what must be done? These are the questions,” Lumumba said.

He characterized the continent’s power situation as intermittent, observing that blackouts typically occur within sixty minutes in hotels and public facilities.

Lumumba argued that Africa’s industrial objectives and Continental Free Trade Area ambitions cannot materialize without dependable energy infrastructure.

The vocal academic maintained that Nigeria must take charge of Africa’s economic renaissance given its scale and natural endowments.

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“Nigeria should be the leader economically. When Nigeria debates with South Africa or Egypt over size of economies, I laugh,” he said.

He likened the competition to “a debate between two dwarfs as to which is taller.”

Lumumba stated Nigeria should aim for a two-trillion-dollar economy, asserting the nation possesses everything necessary to reach that milestone.

“What does Nigeria not have? Is the oil produced in Nigeria different from that in Saudi Arabia or Qatar?” he asked.

He contended Nigeria should spearhead continental energy integration through cross-border pipelines and infrastructure development but cautioned that constant complaints impede advancement.

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“We have allowed ourselves to be paralysed by analysis and lamentations. I want to see Nigeria grow in education and economy,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba highlighted Nigeria’s significance to Africa’s trajectory due to its demographic weight and intellectual resources.

“The reason why she (Nigeria) must lead is because out of every five Africans, one is a Nigerian.

“With 300 million people in her territory, and possibly 350 million if counted properly, Nigeria must rise to its duty,”

He condemned recurring strikes in academia, stating that Nigerian universities should draw African students and earn income through educational services. Lumumba also called for Nigeria to reestablish its national carrier, contending that aviation is essential for continental unity.

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“If there were no ASUU strikes, we would be coming to Ibadan, Nsukka and Lagos School of Business.

“How can Nigeria be a country without an airline? It can be done. Air Peace and Ibom Air show it is possible,” he said.

Lumumba advocated for eliminating visa requirements between African nations, particularly for entry into Nigeria, which he termed Africa’s spiritual center.

“I look forward to the day I come to Nigeria and am not asked for a visa,” he declared.

The campaigner reminded his audience that independence-era African nations were structured by design to encounter difficulties.

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“It is incumbent on us to remember that the post-colonial African states were designed to fail,” he warned.

He suggested former colonial powers in European capitals anticipate African breakdown to validate their expectations.

“The fact that we are celebrating 65 years of independence shows we have refused to fulfil their predictions,” Lumumba said.

He observed that other formerly colonized territories have achieved superior development, challenging Nigeria to champion transformation.

Lumumba cautioned that peace eludes much of Africa, referencing active conflicts and displacement crises.

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“Go to Sudan, there is war and 3.5 million internally displaced persons. Somalia is not at ease,” he noted.

He referenced turmoil in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Cameroon, and insurgency-affected northern Nigerian territories.

“The reality is an island in a sea of sorrow and desperation,” Lumumba said, urging leaders to move beyond perpetual complaints.

“Our young men and women are asking what we, the aged, will give them,” he cautioned.

He urged African governments to overhaul healthcare systems, economic structures, and governance to deliver a unified and prosperous continent.

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“We have lamented for too long and agonised for too long. The time has come to act,” Lumumba concluded.

Stock market participants in Nigeria gained N1.811 trillion during September 2025, driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s continuing monetary adjustments, which have boosted trust among investors.

Experts point out that the CBN’s recent cut in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 27% from 27.5% has heightened demand for stock investments, prompting shifts from fixed-income options toward equities.

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Reviewing activity at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) for the month, market capitalization—which reflects the overall worth of listed investments—rose by more than N1.811 trillion, reaching N90.580 trillion compared to N88.769 trillion at the end of August.

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The NGX All Share Index (ASI), a primary benchmark, also climbed 1.7% to 142,710.48 points from 140,295.50 points.

Observers attribute the uptick to revived enthusiasm for major large-capitalization shares. The recovery combined profit realization from prior declines with new investments in solid companies, as participants prepared for upcoming local and international events that could influence the market.

Overall mood was shaped by forecasts of company results, positive outlooks in specific sectors, and economic indicators, fostering a balanced yet optimistic environment.

On Tuesday, the NGX ASI ended higher, up 0.23% at 142,710.48 points, with market capitalization adding N445.2 billion to hit N90.58 trillion. Strong purchasing in stocks like ARADEL (up 9.82%), Fidelity Bank (5.26%), Nigerian Breweries (2.38%), and Transcorp (8.48%) propelled the gains.

That said, trading volume tilted negative, with 31 stocks declining against 28 that advanced.

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Analysts from InvestData Consulting Limited observed: “Looking ahead, the equities market appears poised for a cautious continuation of the recovery. Macro-economic factors such as domestic inflation trends, exchange rate volatility, and policy developments will remain critical in shaping market sentiment, alongside global cues such as crude oil prices and international risk appetite.”

By Sunny Igboanugo

She writhed and riggled as she struggled to change her position. The pain was obvious in that effort. She tried to speak, but no words came out. She could only gesticulate, pointing to her mouth, which appeared to have been worked on. A kind of surgery must have been performed probably by some maxillo-facial surgeons from evidence.

Then, her minders rushed to her attention in attempt to interpret her action. They must done this a thousand times and more in the tons of similar cases they must have handled given their actions. In this case, they must have done so many other times. “She cannot speak for now,” the lead consultant in charge, intervened. His own pains were equally obvious, even with the mesh of professionalism covering his entire conduct.

This was the scene at the Trauma Centre of the Nnewi Teaching Hospital, one of the centres of excellence for medical cases in the South East. Date was Thursday, September 11, 2025. Helen Anoyochukwu Nwoye, was one of the victims of the mid-day shooting at the Emeka Offo Plaza, a bustling market mostly for telecommunication components and assessories, located at Bright Street, inside the popular Onitsha Main Market.

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Two days earlier, on Tuesday September 9, men of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, otherwise known as Ocha Brigade, had stormed the market where they unleashed mayhem, leaving in their gory escapades sorrow, tears and blood. At the end of the deadly operation, five people were reportedly mowed down in a hail of bullets. The eerie incident was said to have resulted from an altercations between the operatives and the traders over the display of their wares.

Nwoye, was among the “lucky” victims of the shooting, given that she still has her life with her, though her health was obviously badly affected. There was no way of ascertaing from her the details of her own account given the state of her condition except for what is already in the public domain, but it was clear that she might never be the same again from the impact of that deadly episode.

Beside her also lay Chionye Okwukwechi, a middle-aged man, another of the victims. Like Nwoye, he was also clearly in pain. Again, there was also no way of determining his own details, particularly what he was doing at the point when calamity struck and how he was able to cheat death, as he struggled to sleep, apparently to mitigate his own ordeal.

For John Chuma Nwosu, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who came calling, it was a day to be with the victims, physically, psychologically, spiritually and emotionally, sharing their pains and sorrow. Beyond the financial succour he advanced to the victims and other patients at the hospital, he made a solemn vow – this will never happen in a state under my care!

Consoling the families of the victims, he expressed confidence that their wards would recover fully to the glory of God, adding that as a staunch Catholic, he had absolute trust that with the intercession of Mother Mary they would get the healing which they had come to seek in the hospital.

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“I can assure you that nothing will happen to them. You have already put your confidence in God. All of us that are here, we’re going to put you in our prayers. We say, ndo nu! Take heart, for all will be well. My name is John Chuma Nwosu. The meaning of Chuma is God Knows Everything. God knows we’re going to be here today,” Nwosu, who also doled out financial largesse to another victim – a spinal cord injury patient after praying for his recovery.

From every evidence, it was clear that Nwosu was so hit with the impact of what he saw in the hospital that it formed the core of his message throughout the day’s activities, which took him to the Abba Market in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state and during his visit to Igwe Robert Eze (Okofia v1) of Ukpo in the same local government, where he strengthened his vow that his government would do things differently.

At the palace of the Anambra foremost monarch, where he apologised for coming late, he had explained the reason for doing so as occasioned by his decision to visit the hospital first to commiserate with the victims of the shooting, which he said was a clear evidence of the bad governance in the state.

“I’m a man known for keeping time and never be late to scheduled occasions. But I had to rush to see our people, who were shot at Bright Street, Onitsha two days ago. Please accept my apologies. I’ve heard your admonitions in your prayers, where you told us to emulate the records of Nnamdi Azikiwe and M.I. Okpara. I hereby promise that we’re not only going to do that, we’ll even attempt to do more.

“This is what are contained in our seven-point agenda captured as SHEEEMS – where S stands for Security, H stands for Health, first E stands for Education, second E stands for Economy, and third E stands for Environments, while M stands for Markets and S stands for Social Welfare. Igwe regarding our social welfare – you know that science tells us that once a man gets to 50 years, he should go and check himself for such conditions like prostrate problems or anything. But you’ll be surprised that in the entire Anambra, there is nowhere you have a cancer diognostic centre. None.

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“That of UNTH has packed up. So, what happens is that people now resort to going to Lagos for diognosis. Either you go to the Duchess Hospital in Ikeja or Luth. But in Anambra State, in fact, the entire Eastern Region, there is no single cancer diagnostic centre.

“In that of Security, our governor has stayed for three years with Anambra suffering the worst form of insecurity for that period. In January this year, he went and brought people who cover their faces that nobody could identify or know where they came from. They cover their faces because they’re not from here. Igwe, I know you’re widely-travelled. I know there’s nowhere else in Nigeria that you see men carrying gun and covering their faces in the name of security.

“A visiting white man that sees that will be traumatised and will never come back. Even in Enugu State, you don’t have such a thing. But our strategy will be different. we’re going to use the conventional security, that is the police. We’re going to provide them with further enhanced training, particularly on how to engage with civilian community. we’re going to upgrade their salaries and allowances, pay them well in addition from what they get from the Federal Government.

“We’ll provide them with life-insurance benefits, so that they will throw everything in the job, knowing that if anything happens to them, their families would be provided for. These are the incentives they will need to work optimally. We will equip them with optimally also and provide them with functional equipment including brand new vehicles as opposed to the Tokumbo, which those the state government is providing now.

“Where in this world does a government buy used vehicles. How do you determine the cost of such vehicles. Government buys new vehicles not only for optimal functionality, but also accountability. You have to evaluate the value of those vehicles. When Peter Obi was in office, he was the one that gave Innocent Chukwuma, our son and brother the money to expand the INNOSON Motors factory by giving him one single order of N3billion and asking him to supply to security operatives, hospitals.

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“That’s how the companies you hear their names in Asia and other parts of the world took off. An individual doesn’t have the money to invest in such large capital-intensive concerns. You must be supported by your government. Ogun State has today opened an international cargo airport. Our brothers in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria and the world must be supported with incentives. They must be supported with such government interventions as tax incentives – five or 10 years tax-free incentives for their businesses.

“Today, since our governor came in, our people have virtually left the state – scattered all over the country. Many of those who used to do business in Onitsha have all relocated to Asaba. All these could be traced to poor or absence of insecurity that has ravaged the state. But we’re going to do things differently when we come in.

“As I told you, my name in John Chukwuma Nwosu from Odida Nnewi. I’m an ex-seminarian. I was a student of All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha. I left seminary school in 1981 after being Assistant Secretary to Cardinal Francis Arinze when he was the Archbishop of Onitsha and later Secretary to the Catholic Women Organisation. From there I went to read Computer Science at IMT and later Economics at University of Lagos.

“I own the company known as Jetlinks Limited, an ICT company of over 31 years, with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Nnewi, Ghana and Liberia. With my experience in ICT, we’ll use Artificial Intelligence-powered CCTV cameras, installed at strategic centres including our borders, back it with a strong control centre at the state capital.

“We’ll have them in the exit location around Ihiala, Onitsha Head Bridge, down to Amansea, Uga and scattered around other major cities around Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi. Thereafter, we shall advice our people to register and get their National Identity Number – NIN – I was managing the NIN database of NIMC (National Identity Management Commission) until recently. Once that is done, if you commit any crime, once the camera captures your face your identity is known immediately.

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“Igwe, what I’m saying is not political talks. It is already happening in Enugu State. Fashola achieved that in Lagos. Whoever lives in Lagos will tell you that you no longer hear shootings anyhow because people are being watched and the Operation Rapid Response is there. That is why Lagos is calm. But we’re going to even bring a stronger, more efficient and more effective model that is so airtight that nothing will escape.

“That is the way our economy must return. We must revitalise Anambra economy. If go to Asaba at the weekend, particularly Sunday night, what you see is like a carnival and like Dubai, because our governor, left security has deteriorated so much.” Igwe, this is our story. This is our promise. This is our mandate for the people.”

No doubt, to many ears, especially people from Anambra, Nwosu’s message is now like preaching to the converted. Last Sunday in Lagos, where he met with the creme of Anambra indigenes resident in the state, the question of insecurity took the centre of discussion.

Coincedentally, in another hall at the Colonades Hotel, Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, venue of the parley, House of Integrity Social Club, whose membership traverses not only was having their own gathering. It was the yearly New Yam Festival, otherwise known as Iri Ji. The implication of such a traditional ceremony being marked in Lagos, instead of the South East, adumbrated the sad picture of the Igbo story today.

In August 2024, the nation was seized with the sad news of how a group of gunmen abducted Patrick Agha Mba, Commissioner for Youth Development in Anambra State after killing his wife Chizoba. The Mbas were on their way to Abuja, the nation’s capital when they were attacked by the gunmen. Their mission was to attend the wedding of Adaora, daughter of Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State.

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The implications of that development, both in the optics and the relevance are as obvious as they are compelling. If the first family of a state by virtue of the the governor could not be comfortable enough to hold the marriage rites of their daughter – the first daughter of the state in Anambra due to insecurity, who else would?

Indeed, many had in past cried out at what considered a taboo when cultural activities, such as burials, marriages, chieftaincy rites, iri ji, amongst others were shifted to safer grounds of Lagos, Abuja and other towns. The practice was ended when the governor of Peter Obi, unleashed its arsenal against the hoodlums behind the crime and chased them out of town for the state to be declared as the safest in the country. Today the phenomenon has returned with greater intensity, with the selfsame Soludo, showing no evidence of possessing the clue to end the orgy.

Instead of finding the solution, the governor and his government, have worsened the situation by his own model of unleashing his henchmen, whose modus operandi, includes turning the guns they are supposed to use in protecting the society on the same people they were charged to protect, of which the Onitsha massacre has now become a demonstrable example. Tragedy!

Igboanugo, Director, Media and Publicity, John Chuma Nwosu Governorship Campaign Council of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

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