“Majority of Nigerian youth sit and do nothing…” “We are going to give them red card” | Read the top 10 quotes from last week

A stolen mace from the Senate, a blistering criticism by the President that some Nigerian youth as sitting and doing nothing, all in one week.

Muhammadu Buhari

“About the economy, we have a very young population, our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. This is a very conservative one. More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free”

Bashir Ahmad

It took time but there was a defence by the presidency’s media team, led by a youth, the president’s personal assistant on new media:

“PMB has always applauded and celebrated Nigerian youths who excel in different areas of endeavour, from sports, to academia, and other realms. And he will continue to do so, because he values the youth and knows that they are the fulcrum on which the future of the country rests”.

Atiku Abubakar

That defence was dead on arrival. It only spurred retweets and likes for views countering the president’s narrative from those likely to be his main challengers next year:

“I will never refer to Nigeria’s youth as people who sit and do nothing. They are hardworking. I should know, I have thousands of youths working for me all over the country who have been the backbone to our success.

Kingsley Moghalu

“Dear Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian youth are not waiting for handouts. They are making the most of what has been left for them which is nothing… We must refrain from asking our youth why their feet are dirty, when we don’t even give them shoes”

Sabi Abdullahi (For the Nigerian Senate)

Buhari’s comments overshadowed the other major big news from Abuja where the mace was stolen on live TV. The Senate’s official response was direct:

“Some hoodlums led by suspended Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, walked into the Senate plenary and seized the symbol of authority of the Upper Legislative Chamber, the mace. This action is an act of treason, as it is an attempt to overthrow a branch of the Federal Government of Nigeria by force, and it must be treated as such”

Ovie Omo-Agege

TV and amateur footage clearly show the thugs coming into the Senate chambers behind Senator Omo-Agege but he denied any wrongdoing:

“We are aware of several media reports suggesting that Senator Omo-Agege personally removed or encouraged anyone to remove the mace of the Senate. This weighty allegation is not true at all”.

Obiageli Ezekwesili

In other Abuja news, the Red Card movement launched in the Federal Capital:

“No longer should we be the kind of people that will mislead young people to think that politics is dirty, that they should not be part of it. We have made out mistakes but you people must not make the same mistakes. Citizens are tired of bad politics, bad leadership and failed governance. But we are going to give them red card”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

If there will be a #MeToo movement in Nigeria, you bet Ms Adichie will be having a say in it, with literature but also personal experience:

“There was a powerful man in the media who I knew could help with this book launch. And so I found my way to his office in Lagos and I told him about my book… He was pleased, warm and then he got up from his desk and walked around to where I was seated, and he stood behind me, and in a move that was as swift as it was shocking, he slipped his hands under my buttoned-down shirt, under my bra and squeezed my breast”.

Oluseun Onigbinde

Is Nigeria losing her professionals to countries which hold better futures for them?

“This is a time in Nigeria when people who earn 600(thousand naira) in this country are so eager to migrate. It’s really hard to be hopeful, every random professional now on their way to Canada”.

Arsene Wenger

With two doubles and only Invincible champions, Arsene Wenger, for 22 years, has not been a random manager. But after a string of years being on the sidelines and set to have his worst domestic season, he will call it quits with the Gunners at the end of the season:

“To all the Arsenal lovers take care of the values of the club. My love and support forever”

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