Octave

In Yoruba land, the birth of twins is a sacred event and a divine gift that transforms a home. As the late Kayode Fasola sang in his soulful melody,  “Ti mo ba bi ejire, inu mi a dun o” —if I birth twins, my heart will sing with joy. The arrival of  ejire , the twins, is heralded with the  oriki  chant:  “Ejire to wole, alakisa to so o d’onigba aso” —twins who enter the home, turning rags to riches, weaving prosperity into the family’s fabric. A mother’s name shifts from, say, “Mama Bola” to  Iya Ibeji , the revered mother of twins, her identity forever tied to this sacred duality. Yet, beneath this celebration lies a timeless Yoruba debate: who is the elder, Taiwo or Kehinde? Yoruba cosmology offers a vivid lens for this conflict. Taiwo, the first to emerge, bears a name meaning “the one who tastes the world” or  Tayelolu —“Taye is the Lord.” Taiwo is the scout, the pioneer sent to test the waters of existence. Kehinde, the second to arrive, is “the o...

In recent weeks, headlines have celebrated Nigeria’s removal from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) debtor list, with many attributing this milestone to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. While this is a significant achievement, the full picture of Nigeria’s debt profile—past and present—requires a closer look to help everyday Nigerians understand what it means for the country’s economic future. Let’s break it down simply, comparing the debt landscape before Tinubu’s presidency with today, examining state-level debt trends, and clarifying the current status with the IMF—all while acknowledging progress and the work still ahead. Nigeria’s Debt Before Tinubu: A Heavy Load When President Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023, Nigeria was grappling with a substantial debt burden inherited from previous administrations. According to the Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigeria’s total public debt stock in the second quarter of 2023 stood at N87.38 trillion (about $113.42 billion)...