Professor Wole Soyinka has ridiculed the action of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who ordered traditional rulers to “stand and sit” during an event in Iseyin, Oyo State, two weeks ago. In a viral video Vanguard saw on Sunday, Soyinka told some monarchs at the rally that he was not in front of them and had no intention of barking at them to stand up and sit down.

He told them that there was no such thing and made them laugh. Recall that Obasanjo lashed out at some obas in Oyo for not standing up respectfully when called to the church Stage.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde invited former Nigerian leaders to implement a project, but the traditional rulers present did not give them a proper welcome, leading to a lack of respect towards them. He was furious.

Obasanjo’s actions continue to draw criticism for being an affront to traditional institutions and an insult to the Yoruba people, but the Nobel laureate also joined Nigerians in a recent video calling out his Egba relatives. I criticized him lightly.

“Your Highness, I assure you I will not bark at you to ‘stand up and sit down’. This is a sophisticated meeting,” Soyinka said in the video.

Meanwhile, the former leader said he stands by his actions in Oyo after his estranged wife, Taiwo, apologized on her behalf.

The development has escalated into a new grudge between the two sides, as their recent comments have led to a violent clash between them.

$15 billion, 200 billion Naira Of Oil Revenue Could Have Been Lost, SERAP Tells Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Responsibilities Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to “immediately investigate the severe allegations that there is a budget shortfall of more than US$15 billion in oil revenue and a budget of N200 billion for the rehabilitation of refineries.”

He called for the establishment of a presidential investigation committee. As documented by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), it is unknown for the period 2020-2021. ”

SERAP called on him to “name and shame those allegedly responsible for the disappearance and disappearance of public funds and ensure effective prosecution and full recovery of the proceeds of crime.”

In a letter dated September 23, 2023, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability.” regarding these serious allegations. Taking these important steps will end impunity for perpetrators. ”

You should know about these terrible revelations.”

“If we don’t investigate these allegations properly, bring the accused to justice, and recover the lost public money, the balance sheet will worsen, and the burden on the state will decrease.”

” the letter said. “It’s going to get worse,” it read in part.

“It will also discourage foreign investment, limit growth and development, and create cynicism, suspicion, and ultimately public distrust of the government’s ability to combat corruption in government officials. right.”

“Therefore, we ask that you take the recommended actions within seven days of receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we do not hear from you by then, SERAP will contact your government with a public interest request. We will consider appropriate legal action to compel them to comply with our demands.”

“NEITI’s findings suggest serious violations of the public trust, the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended), the National Anti-Corruption Act, and the country’s obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.”

“The allegations of corruption documented by NEITI are undermining the country’s economic development, impoverishing the majority of Nigerians and denying them opportunities.

There is a constitutional obligation to ensure accountability and accountability.” “According to the 2021 report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPDC) Government agencies, including the National Treasury, failed to remit $13.591 billion and $8.251 billion to the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPDC).” ”

“NNPC and NPDC failed to remit over 70% of these public funds. NEITI hopes that NNPC and NPDC will be investigated and the lost public funds will be fully recovered.”

It shows you that you might run out of money.”

In 2021, NPDC failed to remit $7.61 million earned from crude oil sales.”

“The report said that about N200 billion was spent on renovating the refineries from 2020 to 2021, but “despite the funding, none of the refineries will come online in 2021. I didn’t.” NEITI is calling to investigate the spending as it may be short on funds. ”

“Article 13 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) places a clear responsibility on the government to comply with and apply the provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution. Holds governments accountable for “eradicating all forms of corruption and abuse of power.”

“Under Article 16, Section 1 of the Constitution, the government has the responsibility to ‘ensure the maximum welfare, freedom, and happiness of all citizens, based on social justice and equality of status and opportunity.’”

“Article 16(2) further provides that “the material resources of the State shall be utilized and distributed to the fullest extent possible in the service of the common good.”

“Similarly, Articles 5 and 9 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption also imposes legal obligations on your government to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds and to promote sound and transparent administration of public affairs.”

“The UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party, obligate your government to effectively prevent and investigate the plundering of the country’s wealth and natural resources and hold public officials and non-state actors to account for any violations.”

“Article 26 of the UN Convention requires your government to ensure ‘effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions’ including criminal and non-criminal sanctions, in cases of grand corruption.”

“Article 26 complements the more general requirement of article 30, paragraph 1, that sanctions must take into account the gravity of the corruption allegations.”

“Nigeria is also a participating state of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), which aims to foster greater governmental accountability for the use of natural resource wealth through the creation of a set of international norms on revenue transparency“EITI also aims to tackle corruption, poverty and conflict associated with natural resource wealth. Nigeria must implement the EITI Standard, which sets out the transparency norms with which participating States, including Nigeria, must comply.”