Uncategorized
The French Invasion Of Nigeria By Proxy
By: Richards Murphy
Nigeria has indeed seen tough times, tough times that have lasted over six years, with accompanying wanton destruction of lives and properties running into billions of naira. While it is argued in some quarters that the Boko Haram crisis has some international sponsors, I nonetheless think there is more than just foreign sponsorship of the activities of the sect.
In my opinion, there is an international conspiracy to either destroy the economy of Nigeria, or payback for constituting a hindrance to a grand plot.
As a first, Nigeria is surrounded by former French colonies, called francophone countries. These countries share borders with Nigeria, especially the Northeast, where the activities of the Boko Haram sect is domiciled. But curiously, it was observed that Boko Haram terrorist often get their supplies from these countries especially Chad and Mali. That is not the catch. The catch is that there is a strong presence of French troops stationed in these countries.
For instance, in Mali, there are over 3,000 French soldiers under the auspices of Operation Barkhane, a task force, dedicated to tracking Islamist rebels against the wider sub-Saharan area.
But this is the same Mali that hundreds of Boko Haram members stayed at training camps with Malian militants for months in Timbuktu, learning to fix Kalashnikovs and launch shoulder-fired weapons, under the full glare of Operation Barkhane. It didn’t stop there, in Chad, Operation Barkhane has 1,200 troops stationed in that country. Yet, activities of Boko Haram terrorists and roving bands of Chadian deserters and former rebels who have made the region south of Chad their base of operations continued, all in the full glare of Operation Barkhane.
Let me digress to give some foundation for the continuous presence of French troops in its former colonies. In some quarters, it is stated that the francophone countries entered into an agreement with France to provide security against a coup. So mainly the presence of French troops in these countries is to provide cover for their various business interests somewhat. And part of these activities is ensuring a steady supply of crude oil. But the usual cover story they would tell you is that the presence of French troops in Africa is part of a global mission to tackle militancy across Africa.
However, there have been some reactions to France’s deepening engagement in West Africa. Some people say that rather than preventing terrorists from coming to this part of the world, they attract them. According to a Chatham House expert, Paul Melly, France wields a level of influence in sub-Saharan Africa that it cannot command anywhere else in the world. Analysts used to refer to the “vested interests” that France had in West Africa in the post-colonial period, and how Nigeria constituted a stumbling block in its quest for outright dominance in Africa.
However, the odd angle to the whole counter-terrorism narrative as propagated by France is suspect. Suspect in the sense that on three occasions, France has called for a Boko Haram summit. The first was in 2014, tagged the Paris Security Summit, which saw leaders from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, and Benin agree to share their technical know-how with Western allies France, as well as the U.S and Britain to defeat Boko Haram. Did anything come out of the summit? The answer is a huge no. Instead, Boko Haram activities thrived, they acquired more and more sophisticated weapons that are suspected to have been moved through intermediaries from some of the neighboring countries.
In 2015, French President François Hollande offered to host a summit of countries fighting Nigeria’s Boko Haram armed Islamists on a visit to Cameroon, as a follow-up to the 2014 summit. This again didn’t yield anything tangible. In 2016, there was another summit, where leaders of Lake Chad countries along with French President Francois Hollande, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond gathered in Abuja to discuss a way of defeating Boko Haram. Nothing tangible was achieved.
This is what happens when you follow the story, only to find the most cynical of intentions from every player involved, and indeed the regional politics and geopolitics of West Africa as a whole. Second is the political and economic chessboard in West Africa, where a few interested parties stand to gain from Boko Haram’s ongoing attacks and destabilization of the entire Nigerian state. For example, Chad sees in Nigeria potential oil profits as it expands its oil extraction capabilities throughout the Chad Basin. Of course, major oil companies, not to mention powerful western nations such as France, have a vested interest in maintaining their profits from West African oil.
Today, France’s dominant role continues as its port of Le Havre is the final destination for the unrefined oil extracted from under the feet of West Africans. Are we getting somewhere? Is it now clear why French troops stationed in these francophone countries have continued to turn blind eyes while Boko Haram fighters continue to set up camps, train and launch attacks in Nigeria? Your guess is as good as mine. Like I mentioned earlier, the interest of France is the business. For them, since Chad is drilling oil from the Lake Chad basin and the final destination is Le Havre, the insurgency has to continue so the oil can continue to flow. But for how long the French deceit will last is left to be imagined.
Murphy is a forensic psychologist and contributed this piece from Calabar, Cross River State.
Uncategorized
NDDC At 25: Cross River’s Cynthia Oloko, 19, Emerges Second Place Winner At Miss Niger Delta 2025
...Deputy Governor, APC Chairman, and Senators Celebrate Her with Generous Cash Gifts
Miss Cynthia Iyowogoga Oloko, a 19-year-old from Cross River State, has emerged as the first runner-up (second place) at the Miss Niger Delta 2025 beauty pageant. The event, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Cynthia, a final-year student of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, where she studies Human Anatomy, competed alongside nine other contestants representing the nine states of the Niger Delta—Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
Crowned with the title “Pride of the Niger Delta”, Cynthia received a cash prize of ₦7.5 million for placing second in the pageant.
In recognition of her achievement and the pride she has brought to Cross River State, several political leaders and dignitaries extended their support. The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Rt. Hon. Dr Peter Odey, gifted her ₦3 million, the APC State Chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, Esq., JP, contributed ₦1 million, while the state’s two Senators jointly supported her with another ₦3 million—bringing her total cash reward to ₦14.5 million.
According to the organisers, all nine contestants underwent intensive training and were empowered with skills and starter kits to help them become self-reliant and impactful in their communities.
The Miss Niger Delta pageant is designed not just as a beauty contest, but as a platform to empower young women across the region. It aims to nurture leadership, entrepreneurship, and community development among participants. The initiative is rooted in the belief that empowering women is key to building stronger families, communities, and society at large.
Many past participants have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs and community leaders. The programme, sponsored by the NDDC, is part of its commitment to identifying and nurturing young talents in the region.
This year’s overall winner received a brand-new car and ₦10 million, while the second runner-up (third place) received ₦5 million. The remaining six contestants each received ₦1 million as a consolation prize.
Miss Cynthia Oloko was born in 2005 to Engr. and Mrs Cosmas Oloko Ekawu. She attended Trailblazers Academy in Gwarinpa, Abuja. Her hobbies include swimming, running, networking, and travelling. She aspires to build a career in entrepreneurship and politics, with a strong passion for leadership and community development.
Congratulations Miss Cynthia
The Chairman of Yala Local Government Area, Cross River State, Hon Dr Fred Okem has dissolved all revenue agencies operating in the Council with effect from 31st December 2024.
Hon Dr Fred Okem, Chairman Yala Local Government Area
This was contained in a release on Monday 6th January 2025 by the Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Unah.
The Chairman also cautioned that anyone who flouts the directive would be handed over to the security agencies for proper action in line with relevant laws.
The local government helmsman is expected to reposition the revenue agencies with the aim of boosting internally generated revenue in the council for adequate measures towards the development of Yala in line with the People First Agenda of the State government.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, Ms. Grace Ike, has been named Nigeria’s Media Personality of the Year 2024. This prestigious recognition was conferred by the Editorial Board of Good Governance Today Nigeria at a grand ceremony held at the National Merit House, Abuja.
NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike
In addition to the honour, Ms. Ike was inducted into the Good Governance Today Nigeria Hall of Fame—a testament to her exemplary contributions to leadership and professional journalism in Nigeria.
The award acknowledges Ms. Ike’s uncommon leadership qualities and her unwavering commitment to advancing journalism as a tool for national development. Her selfless service to humanity, her state and the nation has made her a beacon of hope and inspiration for many.
Speaking at the event, the organiser and the managing editor of Governance Today , mr Sylvester Abudu Omose commended Ms. Ike’s visionary leadership and her remarkable strides in reshaping the landscape of journalism in Nigeria. Her relentless dedication to using journalism to advocate for transparency, justice, and public enlightenment was described as both inspiring and transformative.
“Ms. Grace Ike’s achievements transcend the ordinary. She has redefined what it means to serve humanity through journalism. Her work exemplifies the power of the media in fostering societal progress and governance,” the board stated.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Ike represented by one of her media aides, mr Ademola Adepoju expressed her gratitude for the recognition and attributed her success to the collective efforts of her team at NUJ FCT Council and the support of stakeholders in the journalism community. She reiterated her commitment to promoting ethical journalism and upholding the values of truth, accountability, and service to humanity.
“This award is not just a recognition of my efforts but a call to do even more. Journalism is the lifeline of democracy, and we must continue to use it to uphold justice and transparency for the betterment of our society,” Ms. Ike remarked.
The event was attended by dignitaries from the media, government and civil society, who lauded Ms. Ike’s achievements and pledged continued support for initiatives that promote good governance and ethical journalism in Nigeria.
As Ms. Grace Ike steps into the Good Governance Today Nigeria Hall of Fame, her legacy as a leader, journalist, and advocate for humanity continues to inspire a new generation of professionals committed to making a difference in their communities and the nation at large.
