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The Deceptive Tactics of IPOB
By Emeka Jerome
All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near –Sun Tzu
In the words of the revered war strategist Sun Tzu, deception is a critical component of war execution.
Echoing Sun Tzu’s teachings, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has refined the craft of deception, using a tapestry of falsehoods to advance and achieve their objectives. This treatise will highlight how the group has continually employed deception as a weapon of war to deceive gullible members, keep the public attracted to them and deepen its presence in the south east. No doubt, IPOB’s ascent to prominence was founded upon a bedrock of deception right from its inception. Spearheaded by Nnamdi Kanu, the emergence of IPOB was an outgrowth of the supposedly reformed Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), a pro-secessionist group that had already seen its power wane and was known for its cunning activities and propensity for violence.Although IPOB came into being in 2012, Kanu had already garnered a significant following due to his inflammatory broadcasts on Radio Biafra, a responsibility he had taken on as a member of MASSOB. Recognising that the decline of MASSOB could spell the end of his influence, Kanu, aiming to secure both relevance and financial gain, intensified his facade of advocating for Biafra’s freedom. He accomplished this by spreading propaganda against the Nigerian Government and fostering optimism among the susceptible members of the public. By rebranding and emerging as a new entity, IPOB projected an image of a fresh movement seeking self-determination while carefully avoiding associations with MASSOB’s past activities. His strategy worked because in no time, Kanu assumed command over the sphere of IPOB’s operations, rapidly ascending to its helm.
When IPOB started its brand of agitation, it was cheered on. Nnamdi Kanu became an overnight messiah. The poor vulnerable uneducated market apprentices became his ardent followers. He exploited them. Kanu adequately deployed his expertise of Radio Biafra to deceive. By broadcasting incendiary messages and misinformation, he manipulated emotions and perceptions of the public to IPOB’s advantage.
The false narratives he propagated about the Nigerian Government’s actions and intentions fuelled anger and frustration among his followers. The use of hate speech and derogatory language against Government, portraying them as oppressors and enemies of the people painted a one-sided narrative of victimhood which generated sympathy for their cause, making it difficult for their followers to critically assess the situation. By leveraging international media attention, IPOB amplified their narrative on a global scale. Sensationalized headlines and stories about their activities played into their strategy, allowing them to maintain the façade of a legitimate movement fighting for self-determination while downplaying or omitting their more radical actions.
The group while orchestrating actions that provoked responses from the Nigerian Government, created martyrs and gained international sympathy. Most of their tactics aimed to paint IPOB as a peaceful movement unjustly oppressed by a hostile government, thus diverting attention from their own aggressive activities. Ironical!
Unsurprisingly, Igbo diaspora across Europe and America began to join IPOB. Politicians back home were consulting its leader, Kanu. His house became a Mecca of sorts. Kanu got emboldened and then, combative. He became proud and dictatorial. His words were feared. He aspired by every means to be like Ojukwu, famed for his lionic roars. Kanu had disciples. Within this newfound position, Kanu artfully manipulated the collective sentiment, leveraging deception to foment hostility towards the government under the guise of championing the elusive cause of Biafran freedom. His financial resources began to significantly swell in different hard currencies. He skillfully garnered financial support from both the rich and the poor under the ploy of rallying donations to fuel the secessionist agenda. Simultaneously, as his personal coffers grew richer, he persistently peddled false hope to his followers, deceitfully and heartlessly portraying himself as their champion in the struggle. Kanu became bolder and went ahead to establish a military Wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). Operating ostensibly to counter Fulani herdsmen in the South East or so we were told, the ESN initiated a series of assaults designed to stoke the flames of ethnic conflict and destabilise the nation. Paradoxically, the reported activities of Fulani herdsmen have notably diminished, however IPOB’s actions in the region has remained persistent.
In what initially appeared to be a child’s play in the beginning, soon transformed the South East into a breeding ground for violence, marked by a surge in assassinations, bloodshed, intimidation and various forms of mayhem. Security agencies sent to the zone to restore order became targets for annihilation. The group’s orchestrations have, indeed, in the spirit of Sun Tzu’s teachings, harnessed deception’s formidable power to its advantage. Recognising that Kanu, a Nigerian based in London and his group held the potential to plunge the country into anarchy if left unchecked, the Nigerian government took proactive steps. It proscribed the group and went a step further by extraditing Kanu back to Nigeria. This was to ensure he faced charges for the chaos and destabilization he allegedly caused in the Southeastern region. In response, the group members protested and began issuing out senseless sit-at-home orders every Monday. Doom awaited whoever dared to come out on days meant for the so called sit-at home. Even school children were not spared. The young and old met same fate. For each day sit at home order was enforced, millions of naira was lost. Trading, economic, educational activities were halted. The sick does not dare to go to the hospital. Regardless of the protests voiced by the local inhabitants, IPOB ruthlessly dealt with anyone who dared to defy their directives, ironically targeting the very individuals they professed to champion and liberate. Deception at the highest core! For the people, the snake they nurtured in their bosom has now turned around to bite them.
With Kanu now in custody and facing legal proceedings, his disciple Simon Ekpa, in faraway Finland, capitalized on his mentor’s influence to achieve his own rise to prominence. Recognising the opportune moment for him to also cash out, Ekpa launched a deadlier faction called the Autopilot and afterwards the Biafra Government in Exile. He continues to give false sense of hope to liberate Biafrans while using them to swim in millions. Same as his mentor, it has now become unmistakably clear that IPOB’s motivations are primarily driven by financial gain. Under the pretext of calling for the release of Kanu, he dishes out orders to for sit-at-home, organises fundraising frequently with the false and deceptive narrative of using the money to fund ESN. How laughable. Ekpa became more vicious. The South East is currently in a mess. Sit-at-home orders stretches for weeks with zero considerations of how it negatively affects the poor residents. Meanwhile the person issuing out the directive is doing so from the comfort of his home abroad.
IPOB’s skillful use of deception as a strategic weapon of war becomes even more apparent when considering recent developments. They are now attempting to distance themselves from the autopilot faction of IPOB led by Simon Ekpa. IPOB is doing double speak. At one instance, it wants to distance itself from Sit-at home. At the other, it states that though it started it, Simon Ekpa is not implementing it its own way. But at least, it was Kanu and IPOB that started it. They are in agreement. While they vehemently deny that the Eastern Security Network (ESN) engages in combative and violent activities, this assertion contradicts the evidence provided by the numerous arrests made and the ongoing campaigns carried out by the military and other security agencies. As the number of arrests increases, IPOB intensifies its efforts to disassociate itself from these individuals, seemingly attempting to detach their image from these actions. Yet, in ironic twist, they continue to advocate for the release of these very individuals they claim not to be affiliated with. The contradictory stance of denying membership while concurrently issuing press releases about the detention of their members raises questions about the veracity of their claims. It is as if they are performing a delicate balancing act, trying to maintain an image of innocence while supporting those apprehended.
Furthermore, Simon Ekpa’s frequent calls for a sit-at-home protest have created a conundrum for the group. In light of the public’s skepticism and widespread condemnation, they appear to be shifting blame onto Ekpa’s faction, using this as an opportunity to once again deceive the public into believing that they are the virtuous side. But it is evident as daylight that in a larger context, IPOB’s insistence on non-violence stands in stark contrast to past actions. During the EndSARS protests, Nnamdi Kanu’s directive to his followers to burn down Lagos demonstrated their potential for incitement. The ensuing chaos and destruction following this directive were widely observed. Their claims of nonviolence also clash with their association with the Ambazonian secessionist group in Cameroon, an entity known for its aggressive tactics. The inconsistency is further highlighted by their clashes with the Army and Police in the South East. These confrontations raise questions about their true intentions and undermine their assertions of nonviolence. In the face of these complex and often contradictory actions, IPOB’s manipulation of information and narratives emerges as a deliberate and sophisticated strategy to shape public perception, rally support and maintain a facade of innocence even as evidence points to a different reality.
Another strategy being deployed by IPOB is the sustained misleading narrative that all rival factions other than its own are sponsored by the Federal Government or its agencies. This claim is distorted and contradicts the evident struggle for supremacy between Kanu and Ekpa. It is important to note that Kanu broke away from MASSOB. Ekpa is only traversing a similar path. Why then is Kanu angry and propagating falsehood for the purpose of deception? At the moment, the times are not good for the IPOB. It is in dire straits and fight of its life. It is in a big struggle as its days are numbered. Sooner than later, like its predecessor Biafra-Republic-agitation-associations, will become extinct and go into oblivion. This is not a false prophesy. It is a matter of time. Again, like the South East elite and governments, IPOB has got a wild cat for a pet and it turned to feed on it. All is not well with Kanu and IPOB. They have both crumbled and crawling. There is fire on the mountain and IPOB is in disarray. It is struggling. Kanu is in detention. His IPOB is in shatters. Disorganised. Only vultures have surrounded him. Everything is wrong. There is leadership tussle. IPOB has broken into factions. There is Simon Ekpa autopilot. There is Chika Edozien Directorate of State (DOS). IPOB is in a big fight over its finances. Kanu’ s younger brothers want to control it. In Germany, Italy, London, France among others IPOB huge funds is at the heart of a fight. Some accounts have been blocked. Others are objects of litigation. Kanu is worried. He is losing control. There is a bigger fight among Kanu’s legal team. No cohesion. Some feel entitled. There’s contest over who is the lead counsel. Some lawyers who never had addresses or any profitable ventures have found rest in IPOB. Some who couldn’t have won the simplest civil cases in a customary court are cashing out on IPOB and fleecing Kanu. Poor him.
While IPOB burns, Southeast also burns. Eastern Security Network, unknown gunmen, kidnappers, hostage takers, warlords, combatants, killers, marauders, blood suckers, violent vigilantes have taken over the region. Only a reign of terror is visible. IPOB is helpless. Simon Ekpa, from far away Finland is fueling the crisis. Violently forced sit-at-home order is enforced by those IPOB struggles to deny are not its members. In the absence of Kanu, Ekpa has tried to mimic him in voice, attitude and carriage. The kill-them-order, has accentuated. Ekpa tries to outdo Kanu. Ironically, Kanu is in denial. He and IPOB are desperately denying that Ekpa isn’t their member or working for them.
A time was when Kanu publicly called for attacks on Nigerian Soldiers and other law enforcement agents including the police. Kanu called for violent attack of fulani herdsmen. He called many Igbo politicians names. He called them Efulefu. What has Ekpa done differently? IPOB is just intelligent by half. Now, the organisation and Kanu want Monday sit-at-home cancelled but used for Economic Empowerment Day (EED) and call/march for his unconditional release. Any difference? Whether as sit-at-home or EED or call for Kanu’s release, is it not the same? Double speak! The new plan is even more dangerous. It will bring Kanu’s faction of IPOB into confrontation with Ekpa’s. Then blood will flow. A bird that leaves the ground and perches on the anthill is still on the ground. This is an Igbo adage. Kanu claims IPOB is not responsible for the dastardly acts in the South East. But he has not denied tasking ESN to be bloody. Even now, he tries to deploy the ESN for certain accomplishments. Initially, we were told ESN was fighting Fulani herdsmen. But is that still true? We were told it was about Buhari. Is he still there?
There is another angle we are ignoring. Kanu has never denied not to have committed most of the things he is accused of. His very dull infantile defence is that he did that in the UK, a jurisdiction not covered by Nigeria. Fact is that Kanu and his cohorts have injured the South East, Ndigbo and humanity. History will not judge him right. He may pontificate and grandstand. He may look for scapegoats and point accusing fingers to “innocent” persons and places. He has destroyed his homeland. He has destroyed Igbo culture, value and ethical discipline. Igboland is in ruins, the type never suffered during the civil war. While IPOB thinks or believes that its tactics are superb and impregnable, they are rather self-destructive. The tactics have not only impeded peace in the South East but inhibited the resolution of the crisis and perhaps, encouraged the continued incarceration of Kanu.
At the end, Ndigbo will understand the essence of the current agitation. They will understand that it is a complete ruse. It is a manipulative deception; a heist organised by some negatively ambitious young men who, in their desire to be rich, started a variant of 419/Yahoo Yahoo. It worked for them. They got the money and attention of the vulnerable. They used intimidation, harassment and fear mongering to actualise their aim. The bone of contention among IPOB leaders is about how to keep and share the booty. The one behind the bars wants to maintain a control from detention. The money is so huge to be left in the hands of others. Kanu is voracious for money. IPOB is rich and the funds cannot just be left like that. The agitation is no longer about Biafra or Ndigbo. It is about Money, Women and Power. It is an ego fight among select narcissists. The IPOB leaders do not want the Igbo followers to know this. It will not be good for their narrative and end goal. It will deflate the deceptive tactics. Keeping the propaganda and fake news alive is the best they can do. The deceptions work, at least, for now. But the lies will definitely die someday. There is a short span of life for lies and deceit. Sooner than later, light and knowledge will come upon Ndigbo. May that day come. And quickly too.
Emeka Jerome, writes in from Umuahia, Abia State.
Eight people died and nine others were injured in a crush during an evangelical gathering in Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.
Saturday’s tragic incident happened at a school where prominent Burundian preacher Chris Ndikumana was appearing at the event attended by thousands of people.
Eyewitnesses and the police said a wall at the exit gate collapsed as worshippers jostled to leave the venue as the preaching ended late at night, with some being trampled in the crush.
Neither Ndikumana nor the event organisers have publicly commented on the incident.
“There were so many people and everyone wanted to leave at the same time,” a teacher said.
“It was late at night,” the teacher from the Senior Technical School of Kamenge, the venue of the gathering, added.
In a statement, police said King Khaled Hospital in Bujumbura recorded six deaths – five females and a male – with four others being treated there. Two other deaths were recorded at a military hospital, where five patients were treated.
The police said two people showed physical injuries, with the rest having no signs of trauma, suggesting suffocation as being the main cause of death and injuries.
Ndikumana, whose YouTube channel has more than a million subscribers, leads the Kanguka (Wake up) ministry and often attracts huge crowds for his services in several African countries.
Some of his followers believe he can cure diseases through prayers.
Crushes during religious events are not uncommon on the continent. At least 20 people died in 2020 in neighbouring Tanzania during an outdoor religious service as attendees rushed forward to be anointed with blessed oil.
In 2022, 31 people died in Nigeria’s southern city of Port Harcourt where a church was handing out food to the poor, some of whom had waited there overnight.
The same year, at least 29 people, including 11 children, were killed in a crush in Liberia after thieves targeted worshippers leaving a large evangelical gathering.
US Strikes Hit Iran in Honour of American Soldiers, Says Trump
President Donald Trump said the latest strikes by the US hit Iran “very hard”, adding that the attacks were “in honour” of three US soldiers killed in recent days two in Jordan, one in Iraq.
In the early hours of Monday local time, US Central Command (Centcom) said it had launched a “new wave” of strikes for the ninth consecutive night as explosions were heard across Iran.
The US said it had targeted military sites and communications networks to “further diminish” Tehran’s attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it had responded with a “surprise attack” in Syria and targeted US aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba airport.
Elsewhere in the region, Kuwait’s armed forces said they had intercepted Iranian drones.
On the US strikes, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities had been hit including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
There were also Iranian state media reports that two oil tankers had exploded as the vessels tried to cross the strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the tankers were going through what it called an “unsafe and hazardous southern route” of the strait and “exploded and were brought to a halt”. Centcom disputed the claims.
The IRGC added that the strait “will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas” as long as the US strikes continue and that it will respond with a “punitive operation”.
Over the weekend, the US confirmed that a service member had been killed after an Iranian attack in northern Iraq on Saturday.
That news came after the US said a separate attack on a base in Jordan on Friday had killed two soldiers there. The two have now been identified by the Pentagon as Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25.
A third serviceperson was declared missing after the attack in Jordan, and US officials say “unidentified remains” have been found during the search process.
As the strikes continued over the weekend between the US and Iran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US “always remains open to a diplomatic solution”.
He also said “the world has to decide whether or not it’s going to allow an international waterway to be under the control” of Iran, saying Tehran was using the crucial shipping route as leverage.
His comments come as a preliminary deal made in mid-June to stop fighting has unravelled, with negotiations for a permanent peace making little progress after Trump declared the agreement was “over” on 8 July.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board on Monday announced the commencement of the 2026 selection and placement of qualified candidates into state and technical colleges nationwide.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of NABTEB, Dr.
Mohammed Aminu, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja.Recall that 15,290 candidates had earlier registered for the entrance examination, while 13,848 candidates eventually sat for the test nationwide.
10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 per cent, obtained scores of 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.
22 per cent, scored at least 70 per cent.Aminu said the exercise was a critical stage in the admission process designed to ensure that qualified candidates are fairly and transparently placed into technical colleges across the country.
The statement partly read, “Today’s exercise marks one of the most critical stages in the admission process into our Technical Colleges. It is the bridge between assessment and admission, ensuring that qualified candidates who sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination are fairly, transparently and appropriately placed in accordance with the admission guidelines approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.”
The NABTEB registrar stressed that admissions would be guided by merit, equity, accountability, transparency and the Federal Character Principle.
He urged members of the selection committee to discharge their responsibilities with integrity and impartiality.
“The success of the National Common Entrance Examination can only be fully realised when it is followed by a transparent, credible and objective selection and placement process.”
Aminu also highlighted improvements in the conduct of the examination, noting that NABTEB successfully deployed computer-based testing, enhanced digital result processing and an AI-powered aptitude placement system to improve efficiency and transparency.
He described technical colleges as centres for innovation and entrepreneurship rather than institutions of second choice.
According to him, strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training remains critical to producing skilled technicians, artisans and technologists capable of driving Nigeria’s industrialisation and economic diversification.
The registrar commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for championing reforms aimed at repositioning technical education through increased investment in skills development, stronger industry partnerships and digital innovation.
He also called on governments, school administrators, parents, communities and development partners to intensify advocacy for technical education and encourage more young Nigerians to embrace vocational skills.
The Federal Government has in recent years intensified efforts to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a major pillar of its education reform agenda.
The Ministry of Education has expanded enrolment into Federal Technical Colleges, introduced a revised TVET curriculum, strengthened partnerships with industries and increased investments in skills acquisition to address youth unemployment and bridge Nigeria’s skills gap.
The National Common Entrance Examination, conducted annually by NABTEB, serves as the gateway for admission into Federal and participating State Technical Colleges, where students receive competency-based training in engineering, construction, ICT, agriculture, hospitality and other vocational trades aimed at meeting labour market demands.
ActionAid Urges FG to fund Safe Schools Declaration
Amid rising attacks on schools, ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to fully fund and implement the Safe Schools Declaration while strengthening community-level security in rural and newly threatened communities to protect learners.
The call was made by the Board of Directors of ActionAid Nigeria during its annual General Assembly convened to review the state of the nation.
Reading the text of the press conference at the weekend in Abuja, the convener of the General Assembly Ohio Akoudo Ifiabor, expressed concern over the increasing attacks on schools, noting that between May and July 2026 alone, at least 124 schoolchildren and students were abducted in Oyo, Borno and Zamfara states.
It described the attacks as a growing threat to education and the safety of learners, adding that many abducted children and teachers in other states remain in captivity.
While commending the rescue of 39 pupils and six surviving teachers abducted in Oyo State, they urged the Federal Government to treat the rescue of all remaining abducted children and teachers as a national emergency.
It called for a visible, coordinated and adequately funded rescue and protection operation with clear timelines and regular public updates.
The organisation also urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to move beyond reactive military responses by adopting a comprehensive security strategy rooted in community intelligence, trust and accountability.
The assembly further commended the renewed legislative push for state police, the Federal Executive Council’s approval of comprehensive reforms to the National Youth Service Corps and the introduction of a community-level flood forecasting system ahead of the rainy season, but stressed that Nigerians were yet to experience tangible improvements
They called for the speedy passage of legislation establishing state police, while ensuring safeguards against political abuse and a sustainable funding framework that would enable all states to effectively provide security.
The organisation observed that although Nigeria’s external reserves had risen to about $51.5 billion, the country’s public debt had increased to N156.28 trillion, with $11.6 billion budgeted for debt servicing in 2026.
It also cited the World Bank’s warning that 79 per cent of Nigerians remain poor or vulnerable to poverty and the National Bureau of Statistics’ June inflation figure of 15.91 per cent, saying rising food prices, petrol costs above N1,100 per litre and the N70,000 minimum wage had further worsened living conditions.
On flooding, ActionAid noted the recent projections of 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory had been placed on high flood alert, with more than 14,000 communities, about 5,000 health facilities and over 10,000 schools at risk between July and September, and called for urgent efforts to safeguard lives and property.
Among its recommendations, ActionAid called on the Federal Government to improve debt management, block revenue leakages, strengthen social protection programmes, adequately fund primary healthcare, review the proposed sugar tax to protect small businesses, ensure reductions in ex-depot petrol prices are reflected at filling stations, and intensify flood preparedness across the country.
The organisation also reviewed the country’s democratic environment ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing reported cases of vote-buying, voter intimidation, accreditation failures and inconsistencies during the recent Ekiti State governorship election.
It urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to address the irregularities observed during recent elections and strengthen voter education ahead of the 2027 polls.
By Ebuka Ukoh
Across West Africa, cities are expanding faster than infrastructure. Wetlands that once absorbed floodwaters have been built over. Natural waterways have narrowed under unplanned development. Drainage systems designed for smaller populations now serve millions more people. Climate change has intensified rainfall, but poor placement has multiplied its consequences.
Lagos State, like several others this year, was on the national news diet. You can trust that it was for the wrong reason.
Every rainy season, we say the same things: “The rain was too much.
” “Flood everywhere.” “It happened unexpectedly. What do we do now?” Then, perhaps the waters recede. The television cameras leave. Relief materials are distributed. Promises are made. Committees are formed.Whenever another rainy season arrives, the story begins again. It may be time to admit an uncomfortable truth. Floods do not merely reveal the force of nature. They reveal the society we have built.
As communities across Nigeria and Ghana mourn the lives lost, families displaced, businesses destroyed, and livelihoods washed away, our first responsibility is compassion. I grieve with those who have lost loved ones, homes, farms, businesses, and the memories attached to them.
No editorial can restore what has been lost. I pray that those affected find comfort, strength, and the support needed to rebuild their lives.
Our second responsibility is honesty. Flooding is not new to West Africa. Climate change has increased the intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall, but heavy rains alone do not explain why disasters repeatedly become humanitarian tragedies. Human decisions often determine whether rainfall becomes an inconvenience or a catastrophe. Across West Africa, cities are expanding faster than infrastructure. Wetlands that once absorbed floodwaters have been built over. Natural waterways have narrowed under unplanned development. Drainage systems designed for smaller populations now serve millions more people. Climate change has intensified rainfall, but poor planning has multiplied its consequences. Floods are becoming disasters because exposure and vulnerability have increased alongside the rain.
Water exposes what already exists. It exposes blocked drainage systems. It exposes buildings constructed on waterways. It exposes poor urban planning. It exposes projects existing in budgets but never fully materialise on the ground, drainage systems left unfinished, and environmental regulations enforced selectively rather than consistently. It exposes weak enforcement of environmental regulations. It exposes neglected infrastructure. It exposes governments that prepare only after disaster strikes. And it exposes citizens who sometimes contribute to the very conditions that later threaten their own communities. That is why floods are not only environmental events. They are governance events. They are public health events. They are development events. And they are moral events.
The United Nations estimates that climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe globally. Across West Africa, rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage infrastructure, informal settlements in flood-prone areas, and changing rainfall patterns have significantly increased flood risks. Nigeria has repeatedly experienced devastating floods over the past decade, including the nationwide floods of 2022 that affected millions of people and caused widespread destruction. Ghana, too, continues to face recurring floods that disrupt lives and livelihoods, particularly in densely populated urban areas. These tragedies should no longer surprise us. They should educate us. Too often, our response begins and ends with government.
The government carries an enormous responsibility and should be held accountable. Citizens rightly expect functioning drainage systems, effective urban planning, early warning systems, emergency shelters, enforcement of building regulations, and disaster preparedness. Leaders should be judged not only by whether or not they visit disaster sites, but also by how effectively they reduce the number of disasters that become national tragedies. Compassion is not measured by the number of condolence messages issued after floods. It should be measured by the number of lives protected before they occur. But the government cannot do everything.
Flood resilience begins much closer to home. It begins with us. Every rainy season, countless drainage channels become clogged with plastic bottles, food containers, nylon bags, and household waste. Refuse dumped into gutters does not disappear. It waits. Then, when the rains arrive, it returns to us as floodwater. Environmental responsibility is not merely an environmental issue. It is an act of protecting human life. Families also have responsibilities. Many households prepare for weddings. They prepare for funerals. They prepare for Christmas. Far fewer prepare for emergencies.
Every family should know what to do when floodwaters begin to rise. Parents should teach children basic flood safety. Families should identify safer locations, protect important documents, maintain emergency contacts, and know which elderly relatives or neighbours may need assistance during an evacuation.
Preparedness saves lives. Communities matter too. Strong communities do not wait for disaster before organising. Residents’ associations can coordinate drainage cleanup before the rainy season begins. Community leaders can identify vulnerable households. Volunteers can check on older adults, persons living with disabilities, and families who may struggle to evacuate quickly. Disaster resilience is built long before disaster arrives. Schools have responsibilities. Do students know what to do during severe flooding? Do schools have evacuation procedures? Do they monitor weather alerts? Can parents be reached quickly during emergencies?
The same questions should be asked of hospitals, churches, mosques, markets, universities, and businesses. Preparedness should become part of institutional culture rather than an afterthought. There is another lesson these floods should teach us. Poverty magnifies disaster.
The wealthiest families rarely lose everything to floods because they often live in safer neighbourhoods, possess stronger buildings, have insurance, and recover more quickly. The poorest frequently live where land is cheapest, often in flood-prone areas lacking adequate drainage, waste management, and resilient infrastructure.
This means flooding is also a justice issue. Climate hazards do not affect everyone equally. They punish vulnerability. That is why reducing flood risk requires more than sandbags. It requires reducing poverty, improving housing, expanding access to insurance and strengthening public infrastructure. Planning cities around people rather than political convenience. This is where governments must move beyond promises and camera lights.
Disaster response should not end with distributing relief materials for the evening news. Families need temporary shelter. Children need to return safely to school. Small business owners need support to rebuild. Farmers need assistance restoring livelihoods. Communities need functioning roads, drainage, healthcare, and clean water. Recovery is measured months after the cameras leave. Not while they are still recording.
There is also a lesson for faith communities. Churches and mosques often become places of refuge during disasters. They should also become places of preparedness. Faith leaders can educate congregations about disaster readiness, encourage environmental stewardship, organise volunteer response teams, and support affected families long after public attention has faded. The media also has a responsibility. Too often, flood coverage ends when the water disappears. Yet recovery takes months and sometimes years. Journalists should return after the headlines fade to ask whether displaced families have been rehoused, whether promised relief has arrived, whether damaged schools have reopened, and whether governments have fulfilled their commitments. Accountability should not end when the cameras leave.
Perhaps the greatest lesson is this. Floods do not discriminate. They do not ask whether you voted for the ruling party or the opposition. They do not ask your ethnicity. They do not ask about your religion. They do not recognise national borders. The floodwaters that overwhelm communities in Ghana carry the same message as those that devastate communities in Nigeria. Nature is impartial.
Our preparation has not been. If there is hope in this tragedy, it is that every flood teaches us something. It teaches governments where infrastructure failed. It teaches engineers where cities need to be redesigned. It teaches communities where solidarity matters. It teaches families where preparation was missing. It teaches citizens that every plastic bottle thrown into a drainage channel has consequences far beyond a single household. The measure of a society is not whether floods come. No nation possesses that power. The measure is whether fewer people die the next time. Whether fewer homes are destroyed. Whether children return safely to school. Whether families recover more quickly. Whether governments learn. Whether communities organise. Whether citizens accept that caring for public spaces is also caring for one another.
The floodwaters will recede. The grief will not disappear so easily. The question is whether our memory will last longer than the water. Because if we forget these lessons once again, the next flood will not simply be another natural disaster. It will be another reminder that we failed to build the society we already knew we needed. Floods are often described as acts of nature. In truth, the scale of their destruction is often an act of policy, planning, preparation, and collective responsibility. Rain will continue to fall. The question is whether we will continue building societies that turn rainfall into mourning. The floodwaters will recede. What must not recede with them is our resolve to build differently.
Mr Ukoh, a PhD student and coauthor of Built By The Ancestors, writes from his base in New York, the United States.
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Army Commissions Ten Unit SNCOs Quarters in Gusau
ShareFrom Ifeanyichukwu Nwannah, Gusau. In a continuous effort to improve the welfare and living conditions of Nigerian Army personnel, the...
Zenith Bank Recognised As Africa’s Best Bank & Nigeria’s Best Bank At The Euromoney Awards For Excellence 2026
ShareBy Gemini Zenith Bank Plc has been named “Africa’s Best Bank” and “Nigeria’s Best Bank”, the latter for the second...
OPay Unveils Tech Engine, Eyes One Billion Users
ShareFinancial technology giant, OPay, has pulled back the curtain on the complex engineering infrastructure driving its payment ecosystem, revealing a...
NAICOM Lauds Senate on Passage of National Insurance Regulatory Commission Bill
ShareBy Tony Obiechina, Abuja The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has commended the Senate leadership for the successful passage of the...
AU Constitution Must Be Reviewed to Empower Sanctions Against Xenophobia And Other Forms Of Discrimination
ShareBy Isaac Asabor The AU derives its authority from the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which outlines the powers...
Dangote Refinery Resumes Petrol Loading in Naira
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed gantry loading of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol,...