Nigeria’s public discourse is once again ignited by an incident that underscores the pervasive abuses of power within the nation’s institutions. Human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi was arrested on December 3rd by officers of the Ekiti State Police Command. He was reportedly taken from Lagos, where the alleged defamation offence occurred, and transported to Ekiti State in what can only be described as a Gestapo-style operation. By December 4th, he was denied bail, sparking widespread outrage on social media and across the country.

Many Nigerians have raised important concerns. Some argue that defamation, the alleged offence in this case, is a bailable one, making the denial of bail particularly egregious. Others have condemned the Ekiti State judiciary for their apparent high-handedness, questioning their motivations in handling the case. Amid this uproar, there has also been criticism of Afe Babalola, a respected legal luminary, whose name is linked to the complaint. Observers are questioning how these events align with the image he has worked hard to cultivate over decades. 

While these issues deserve attention, they are secondary to a more alarming reality: Farotimi’s arrest appears to have been a flagrant violation of the rule of law. Reports suggest that the Ekiti State police command acted unilaterally, bypassing the Lagos State police in whose jurisdiction the alleged offence occurred. Farotimi was abducted in a manner that, to many, mirrors the modus operandi of criminal kidnappers. Nigerians should not simply move past this incident. This is the real conversation stopper, and it must be addressed before we even begin to examine the other dimensions of this case. 

If the alleged offence occurred in Lagos, does the Ekiti State Police Command have the legal right to arrest and transport the accused without coordinating with their Lagos counterparts? Furthermore, can officers from one state summarily move a citizen across state lines without adhering to proper legal protocols? 

I spoke to two lawyers for their perspectives. One categorically stated that the actions of the Ekiti police were without legal basis. According to this view, the alleged offence fell under the jurisdiction of Lagos State, and the Ekiti police should have worked in tandem with Lagos authorities if they had any reason to pursue the case. The second lawyer took a more cautious stance, arguing that the Nigerian Police Force operates as a single entity, granting any officer the authority to make arrests across state lines. However, even this lawyer struggled to justify the legality of transferring an accused individual to Ekiti for a crime allegedly committed in Lagos. Both agreed that Farotimi’s prior cooperation with Lagos State police—he had already been interviewed twice—made the actions of the Ekiti officers particularly unjustifiable. 

Equally troubling is the manner of Farotimi’s arrest. Reports indicate that the police used violent intimidation, assaulted bystanders, and confiscated mobile devices from individuals who had no connection to the case. If such conduct can be deployed against a public figure like Farotimi, one must ask: What happens to ordinary Nigerians who lack the protection of visibility and influence? 

This incident highlights a growing fear among Nigerians: that the line between state-sanctioned authority and outright lawlessness is becoming dangerously blurred. Criminal kidnappings have long plagued the country, leaving countless citizens traumatised and bereft. Now, it seems that agents of the state are replicating these tactics under the guise of law enforcement. If such behaviour is allowed to stand, it will mark a new low in the erosion of civil liberties and constitutional protections. 

This is why we must not simply move past this incident. The implications are too grave to ignore. A precedent like this, if left unchallenged, opens the door for more egregious abuses of power, eroding the trust that citizens should have in their law enforcement agencies. 

The optics of this case also deserve scrutiny, particularly for Babalola, whose reputation as a stalwart of Nigeria’s legal profession is now under question, since his petition was the catalyst for the case against Farotimi. However, the manner in which the case has unfolded risks undermining the very values Babalola has spent decades espousing. 

Why, for instance, was the case filed in Ekiti rather than Lagos, where the alleged offence occurred? Does Babalola condone the illegal actions of the police, including the assault and harassment of innocent bystanders? While he is not legally obligated to comment on police conduct, these questions speak directly to his public image. Silence in this context may be perceived as tacit approval of the police’s actions, which is a precarious position for someone of his stature. 

This debacle also serves to validate Farotimi’s criticisms of Nigeria’s judiciary and law enforcement agencies. In his book that is now the subject of interest, Farotimi decried the corruption and abuse of power that plague these institutions. The actions of the Ekiti police and judiciary in this case have inadvertently provided concrete evidence to support his claims. 

This is not just about Farotimi, though; it is about the broader implications for Nigerian society. The rule of law is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. When state institutions themselves flout the law, it undermines the very fabric of governance and justice. 

The damage to public trust is immense, but it is not irreparable. The first step in mitigating this crisis is the immediate release of Farotimi. Beyond this, there must be a thorough investigation into the actions of the Ekiti State Police Command and the judiciary’s handling of this case. Nigerians must remain vigilant and hold their institutions accountable. 

This is a moment of reckoning. It is not just about one man or one incident; it is about the kind of society we want to live in. Do we want a society where power is wielded arbitrarily, or one where the rule of law is upheld for all citizens? This is the question that should guide our response. Let us not simply walk past this.

Gili Malinsky

When you’re doing a job interview, whether virtual or in person, you’ll want to follow the appropriate etiquette.

“You want to make sure that you’re making good eye contact,” says Emily Levine, executive vice president at recruitment firm Career Group Companies, “that you’re reading the room in terms of when it’s appropriate to speak, when it’s appropriate and time to ask questions.”

Levine has interviewed “thousands and thousands of people” in her career, she says, often for A-list celebrities looking for personal assistants or chiefs of staff.

Here are Levine’s best tips for avoiding her top red flags in a job interview.

Don’t show up too early

To begin with, you’ll want to make sure you arrive at an appropriate time, especially if you’re there in person.

Arrive too late, and you risk missing part of your interview, wasting your interviewers’ time and making a bad impression. But “if you show up too early, it’s also too eager and might make the interviewer feel rushed,” says Levine. Ten minutes early is the “perfect” time to walk into your interviewer’s office.

“I recommend making sure that you are parked 15 to 20 minutes early in the building” as a precaution, says Levine. That will ensure you have enough time to find the suite or office number but that you’re not there long before the interview starts.

Present yourself as professionally as possible

Presentation is also key.

If you’re online or in person, “don’t chew gum, don’t have your sunglasses on your head” during the interview, says Levine. These are too casual and unprofessional.

If you’re in person only, make sure you don’t come in “smelling like cigarette smoke or wearing too much perfume,” she says. A lot of people are sensitive to smell and you want to make sure it’s not uncomfortable for them to be in the same room.

You want to leave “an impression based on your experience, not the way that you’re dressed or you smell,” she says.

Don’t divulge confidential information

Finally, regardless of your professional past, be strategic about how you talk about it.  

Avoid bad-mouthing previous employers, for example, or “divulging too much information that’s proprietary or confidential,” says Levine. Especially in her line of work, some of her clients make their employees sign non-disclosure agreements. When candidates tell her they’ve signed an NDA but still proceed to divulge confidential information about a previous employer, it’s a red flag.

Regardless of how private your employer was, spilling secrets gives the impression that if your interviewer hired you and shared proprietary information, in the future, you “would most likely do the same” with them, says Levine.

CNBC

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has provided designated contacts for bank customers to report difficulties experienced with withdrawing cash over the counter or at automated teller machines (ATMs).

On November 29, Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN urged bank customers to report any withdrawal challenges via designated numbers.

Prior to the directive, the financial regulator had asked banks to prioritise cash disbursement through ATMs or face penalties.

In a circular on Tuesday, jointly signed by Solaja Olayemi, its acting director of currency operations, and Isa-Olatinwo Aisha, its acting director of branch operations, CBN provided designated lines to help address customers’ challenges.

“Please refer to the various engagements and interventions from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the above subject aimed at addressing efficient and optimal currency circulation in the economy,” CBN said.

“As part of these ongoing efforts, we would like to draw your attention to the following directives and Guidelines:

“Deposit Money Banks (DMBs): DMBs are directed to ensure efficient cash disbursement to customers Over-the-Counter (OTC) and through ATMs as the CBN will intensify its oversight roles to enforce this directive and ensure compliance.

“General Public Reporting: Members of the public who are unable to obtain cash Over-the-Counter or through ATMs at DMBs, are encouraged to report these instances using the designated reporting channels and format provided below.

“This will assist CBN in addressing issues hindering the availability of cash and further improve currency circulation.”

HOW TO MAKE A REPORT

To make a report of a bank branch or ATM not dispensing cash, the CBN said affected customers are to provide the relevant details which include, “account name/name of the DMB/amount /time and date of Incident(s) amongst others via the following dedicated channels”.

“Phone Call: Designated phone number(s) of the CBN branch in the state where the incident(s) occurred,” the apex bank said.

“Email: or send an email of the incident to the designated email address for the state in which the incident(s) occurred.”

Below is the list of designated numbers and emails for customers to use:

The Cable

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a significant relaxation of visa regulations for Nigerian citizens, allowing tourists to apply for a visa without the need to submit their passports. Ramaphosa made the announcement on Tuesday during the opening of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Cape Town, an event attended by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

The change, aimed at facilitating easier travel for Nigerian tourists and businesspeople, includes provisions such as the introduction of five-year multiple-entry visas for eligible Nigerian business owners. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s spokesperson, shared the details of the announcement in a statement.

Ramaphosa highlighted that the simplified visa process is part of broader efforts to enhance economic cooperation and ease travel between the two countries. "We are committed to creating a favorable environment for business people and tourists from Nigeria to visit South Africa,” he said. “This includes offering multiple-entry visas for qualifying Nigerian business people, valid for up to five years."

The South African president also emphasized the need for removing barriers to greater investment and addressing challenges faced by businesses in both nations. Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria, Ramaphosa expressed optimism about the future of the partnership. “Our strong friendship lays a solid foundation for deeper economic collaboration,” he said.

He also noted that Nigeria hosts many South African companies, and South Africa remains open to Nigerian business, as demonstrated by the investments and operations established in the country. However, he acknowledged that more work remains to be done to address existing obstacles and improve the business environment further.

Ramaphosa commended the Nigerian government’s reforms aimed at strengthening the business climate, ensuring investor confidence, including for South African businesses. "We are continuously working to improve the ease of doing business in South Africa, creating opportunities for investors across various sectors," he stated.

Looking ahead, Ramaphosa emphasized that Africa’s development and the concerns of Global South countries will be a focal point at the upcoming G20 summit. “This will be the first time the G20 Leaders’ Summit is hosted on African soil. We aim to garner support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and champion an inclusive global agenda,” he said. "In shaping global discourse, we must ensure that no one is left behind."

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party has been elected president and will be the country's first female leader, results released by the country's electoral commission showed on Tuesday.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, is the current vice president. Her victory will extend SWAPO's 34 years in power since it led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.

She received roughly 57% of valid votes in the presidential race, according to a breakdown given by the Electoral Commission of Namibia.

Nandi-Ndaitwah needed to secure more than 50% of the votes to win.

"The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability," Nandi-Ndaitwah said after being declared president-elect.

She joined SWAPO in the 1960s when it was fighting for independence and has served in numerous senior roles including foreign minister in the democratic era.

Her main challenger in this election was Panduleni Itula from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party, who came second with roughly 26% of votes.

Namibians voted separately for the National Assembly. SWAPO won a majority there, securing 51 of the 96 elected seats. The IPC won 20 seats and will be the official opposition.

The IPC has said it will challenge the results in court, calling the electoral process "deeply flawed".

The Nov. 27 vote was marred by technical difficulties and ballot paper shortages, leading to a delay in results as voting was extended in some places.

Political analysts had said a SWAPO victory was uncertain due to growing frustration with high levels of unemployment and inequality, but that the party retained strong roots in rural areas and loyalty among older voters due to the national liberation struggle.

Analyst Rakkel Andreas said Nandi-Ndaitwah had managed to unite different factions within SWAPO and that her reputation had not been tarnished by corruption allegations, unlike other party members.

"She is a stateswoman. She has been in some form of leadership since we gained independence," Andreas said. "She understands the system."

Reuters

Dele Farotimi, Legal Practitioner, civil rights activist and member of Afenifere National Caucus was on 3rd December 2024 at about 11.00 am abducted and whisked away from his law office at Lekki, Lagos for undisclosed reasons by Policemen of the Rapid Response  Squad assaulting also other lawyers, workers and forcefully snatching their phones to prevent communications of the official terrorist attack.

According to a statement released last night by a Sunday Abutu identified as Ekiti State Police spokesman, members of the Ekiti police force came to Lagos to arrest Farotimi based on a petition of 'defamation of character and cyberbullying' by an undisclosed petitioner. Farotimi had issued a press release that Afe Babalola was behind a plan to abduct him to Ekiti State over allegations of defamation in his book. It is believed that defamation is not a criminal offense that warrants such manner of arrest.

Afenifere condemns this act of the Nigerian Police as illegal, crude, uncivilised and most unacceptable in a country that lays claims to democratic practices. Afenifere hereby calls for the immediate release of Dele Farotimi or that he be taken to court immediately as he is presumed innocent of all charges, the proof of which is the burden of his accusers no matter how highly placed.

Farotimi is a known critic of government, an anti-corruption crusader in the judiciary and advocate of equity and true federalism and should not be subjected to terror under the guise of interrogation for nebulous allegations by the security forces and other agencies of government. There are talks that the police and its sponsors are planning to use the instrumentality and the technicality of the law to detain and remand him in prison for 30 or more days.

Afenifere once again implores all believers in democracy and civil rights to rise against this habitual crude and uncivilised style of Nigeria’s law enforcement officers which are not quite dissimilar from those of criminal gangs with no regard for the rights of citizens.

Signed

** Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Afenifere Deputy Leader

** Justice Faloye

Afenifere National Publicity Secretary

.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange strikes as ceasefire violations mount

At least nine people were killed and three injured on Monday from Israeli strikes on two southern Lebanese towns, Talousa and Haris, as the Israeli military said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon.

Earlier on Monday, Lebanese authorities reported two additional deaths in Israeli strikes on other parts of southern Lebanon, including a state security member killed while on duty, bringing the day's death toll to 11.

The latest Israeli strikes came shortly after Hezbollah accused Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement and fired missiles on an Israeli military position in the disputed Shebaa Farms area in what the Iran-backed group called a "defensive warning strike."

Residents in Beirut also told Reuters they heard drones flying overhead at low altitudes late in the evening.

The exchange of fire put a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the two in an increasingly fragile position less than a week after it took effect.

The truce prohibits Israel from conducting offensive military operations in Lebanon while requiring Lebanon to prevent armed groups, including Hezbollah, from launching attacks on Israel.

The Israeli military reported no casualties from Hezbollah's two missile launches but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a "strong" response.

Hezbollah said its rocket fire, the first operation the group had announced since the ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday, was in retaliation for repeated Israeli violations of the truce.

Lebanese speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally who negotiated the truce on behalf of Lebanon, said Beirut had recorded at least 54 ceasefire violations by Israel since Wednesday.

Lebanon's official news agency NNA said Israeli forces fired two artillery shells toward the southern Lebanese town of Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district, while heavy machine gun fire targeted Yaroun. No injuries were reported in either incident, NNA said.

Berri urged the committee tasked with monitoring the truce to "urgently" ensure Israel halts its breaches.

"We are engaging through a mechanism with France, Israel, and Lebanon to investigate and address reports of violations," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, adding that early ceasefire periods are often fragile but had broadly succeeded in reducing violence.

DEADLY STRIKES

Lebanon and Israel have already traded accusations of breaches, and on Monday Lebanon said the violations had turned deadly.

One person was killed in an Israeli air attack on Marjayoun, about 10 km (6 miles) from Israel's northern border, Lebanon's health ministry said. Lebanon's state security agency said an Israeli drone strike in Nabatieh killed a member of its force, calling the incident a "flagrant violation" of the truce.

The Lebanese army said an Israeli drone struck an army bulldozer near the Syrian border, wounding one soldier.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions about the incidents in Marjayoun and Nabatieh but said it had targeted military vehicles near Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and near the Syrian border.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denied wrongdoing, accusing Hezbollah of moving weapons south of the Litani River in defiance of the agreement.

"Israel is committed to the successful implementation of the ceasefire, but we will not accept a return to the situation as it stood on October 6, 2023," Saar said in a statement.

Public broadcaster Kan reported that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who brokered the truce, warned Israel over alleged violations.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a "powerful blow" against Hezbollah, saying the group had made a "big mistake" by targeting Israeli territory.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Putin points to mass human rights violations, persecution of Church in Ukraine

Mass violations of human rights and religious freedoms are taking place in Ukraine, where the Church is being persecuted and historical memory is being abused, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a welcome message to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, the team of Emir Kusturica’s documentary "People of Christ. Our time," and the guests of the film’s Russian premiere.

"Created by our Serb friends, the documentary is a testimony of the tragic events taking place in Ukraine, which involve mass violations of human rights and religious freedoms, the desecration of historical memory, and the persecution of the Orthodox Church by the Kiev regime," the message reads.

The Russian president emphasized that an increasing number of people around the world were coming to understand the true causes of the conflict in Ukraine, unleashed by the Western elites, as well as the fact there is no excuse for crimes against civilians, ethnic and religious cleansings, terrorist attacks and punitive actions by neo-Nazis.

He pointed out that the documentary’s premiere in the Serbian capital of Belgrade had caused a wide public response because no one could be indifferent to reflections on what is going on honestly shared by people from various countries, including Serbia, Italy, Russia and Ukraine, with priests, poets, writers, teachers, TV hosts and young people among them. "It’s very important that the picture gives us hope and inspires confidence that we will be able to give an appropriate response to any challenge as long as we preserve solidarity and traditional spiritual and moral values bequeathed to us by our ancestors," the head of state added.

Serbian film director Emir Kusturica presented his documentary "The People of Christ. Our Time" in Belgrade in September. The film is dedicated to the fate of christianity in today’s world and the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Kiev authorities.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainians find new energy sources to beat blackouts as winter arrives

Standing on the rooftop of a 16-storey residential apartment building in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Valerii Pyndyk pointed to several rows of solar panels.

Pyndyk hopes the installation - one of the first of its kind by residents in Kyiv - will help about 1,000 families living in the building get through what could prove Ukraine's most difficult winter since the start of Russia's invasion.

"The idea was born when we had electricity cut-offs in summer. We - the housing association board - realised that if we had blackouts in summer, then in winter they will not be shorter but longer," said Pyndyk, 49, who heads the association.

The two previous winters of the war were already challenging, but Russia has now intensified its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with at least 11 major missile and drone strikes since March.

About half of Ukraine's generating capacity was knocked out and distribution networks were also damaged.

In Kyiv, daily blackouts of eight hours are common and people plan their days around when power is scheduled to be available, including waiting in cafes for elevators to work if they live near the top of high-rise buildings.

Some residents and businesses have rushed to install new generating capacity in an attempt to access energy independently of the central energy system.

"Overall in Ukraine there is a steady trend towards energy independence, starting from small (consumer) clients and ending with business," said Serhiy Kovalenko, CEO of Yasno, a leading energy supplier.

Analysts said strategies included more electricity imports from Ukraine's Western neighbours, purchases of generators and alternative energy sources including solar panels, batteries and small gas turbine generators.

Yasno, which supplies electricity and gas to more than 3.5 million consumers and up to 100,000 businesses, provides options that include solar panels and accumulating batteries and inverters.

"Demand is very high," Kovalenko told Reuters. "This autumn we installed up to eight megawatts, next year we will install up to 30-35 megawatts."

Eight megawatts is enough to supply around a dozen enterprises in this case, the company said.

SECURITY CONCERNS

Russia has damaged or destroyed all of Ukraine's thermal and hydropower plants.

In monetary terms, total damage to Ukraine's energy sector exceeds $56 billion, including $16 billion in direct physical destruction and over $40 billion in indirect financial losses, according to estimates from the Kyiv School of Economics.

The country has to rely increasingly on nuclear generation, which makes it difficult to balance the amount of electricity on the grid, especially during peak morning and evening hours when retail consumption jumps.

Ukraine has tried to defend its energy system by building protective structures, setting up mobile drone-hunting groups and working with partners to bring in more air defence systems.

But it still lacks sufficient resources to protect facilities across the country.

After each Russian strike, the government, energy companies, engineers and Ukraine's partners scramble to recover and rebuild what they can. Winter weather can complicate matters.

"If we have a cold winter, consumption will be much more than last winter. Last winter, maximum consumption was 18 gigawatts (GW), so this year we think that if it is cold... it will be 19 gigawatts," said Olena Lapenko, general manager for energy security at a Kyiv-based think-tank, DIXI group.

Once the lights go off, the immediate fix for many is to turn on the generators.

"We need this electricity... to bake bread, to make croissants, cakes... We took a lot of steps to be ready – we bought powerful generators," said Stanislav Zavertailo, co-owner of Honey confectioneries and Zavertailo pastry shops in Kyiv.

As his team refuelled an industrial generator at their production site, Zavertailo said electricity was driving up costs.

"One kilowatt-hour is five to six times more expensive than the usual one."

Generators work better for small- and medium-sized enterprises and offer only a temporary solution, analysts said.

Looking for ways to help bigger businesses, the government agreed with Ukraine's central European neighbours to increase imports to 2.1 GW at any given time from Dec. 1. But imports are also expensive, said Lapenko.

PUSH FOR CLEAN ENERGY

Dozens of financial programmes supported by Kyiv's Western allies have been launched to shift Ukraine's energy mix to a cleaner and more sustainable model. Legislative changes were also introduced to simplify equipment purchases and imports.

Solar panels have started to appear on roofs of private houses, residential buildings, schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

Pyndyk said the cost of the installation on his building was about 950,000 hryvnias ($23,000) and that the government and Kyiv municipality had offset about two-thirds of that amount.

He and his residents plan to install more panels on other buildings next year.

Official data showed that about 1.5 GW of new solar generation has been installed. But given Ukraine's needs and the scale of wartime damage to energy infrastructure, such changes are only the beginning.

"This problem is not only a challenge for this winter. Coal generation is outdated and we need to change something," said Lapenko of DIXI group.

"This is the prospect for three, four or five years to replace what was destroyed and gradually replace that outdated generation."

Tass/Reuters

Oxford University Press (OUP), the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, has announced Brain rot as its choice word of the Year, beating other words, such as the viral social media word “demure. However, the latter (Demure) is Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year.

They say it follows a public vote in which more than 37,000 people had their say, while their language experts created a shortlist of six words reflecting the moods and conversations that have helped shape the past year.

‘‘After two weeks of public voting and widespread conversation, our experts came together to consider the public’s input, voting results, and our language data before declaring ‘brain rot’ as the definitive Word of the Year for 2024,’’ they noted on Tuesday.

Other contenders for the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year award included “dynamic pricing,” “lore,” “romantasy,” and “slop”.

Brain rot

Brain rot is defined as a supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, primarily viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging” as well as “something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration.”

The term “brain rot” first appeared in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (1854), where it described the mental toll of trivial pursuits. However, the expression has gained fresh relevance in the digital age, especially in 2024, as social media platforms like TikTok have popularised it among younger generations such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha, a testament to the ever-evolving nature of language in the digital era.

According to OUP, usage of the term surged by 230 per cent between 2023 and 2024, reflecting growing concerns about the effects of consuming excessive amounts of low-value online content. This surge can be attributed to the increasing influence of social media and the internet on our daily lives, particularly among younger generations.

Why Brain rot

During Monday’s announcement, President of Oxford Languages, Casper Grathwohl, explained the selection of Brain Rot as the 2024 word of the Year.

“Looking back at the Oxford Word of the Year over the past two decades, you can see society’s growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about. Last year’s winning word, ‘rizz’, was an interesting example of how online communities increasingly form, shape, and share language.

“‘Brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life and how we are using our free time. It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year.

Mr Grathwohl noted the term’s widespread adoption among younger generations, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. “It demonstrates a somewhat cheeky self-awareness in these communities about the harmful impact of social media that they’ve inherited,” he added.

Other Publications that named its 2024 Word of the Year

Several notable publications, including Collins Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary, Macquarie Dictionary, and The Economist, have also announced their 2024 Words of the Year.

Collins Dictionary selected brat, an adjective redefined to mean “characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.”

Cambridge Dictionary chose manifest, which refers to imagining achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen,”

Macquarie Dictionary in Australia picked enshittification, a term describing “the gradual deterioration of a service or product, brought about by a reduction in the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking.”

The Economist, however, opted for kakistocracy, a word meaning “rule of the worst,”.

PT

Interview with Timi Oke

CO-FOUNDER and CEO, AGROEKNOR

Timi Oke is the co-founder and CEO of AgroEknor, a company exporting dried hibiscus flowers grown in Nigeria to global markets, including the US, Mexico and Europe. He secured his first agricultural trading deal through LinkedIn while still working at a bank in the UK.

How we made it in Africa editor-in-chief Jaco Maritz spoke to Oke about building the company and the opportunities within Nigeria’s agricultural industry.

Topics discussed during the interview include:

• How he landed his first commodities trading deal through LinkedIn
• The booming market for hibiscus flowers
• Key lessons from working with smallholder farmers to source hibiscus
• Breaking into the lucrative American market
• Other crops with business potential in Nigeria
• Why organic waste management and storage present major agribusiness opportunities
• Practical advice for aspiring agricultural commodity traders
• What he would do differently if he had the chance to start the company again

Interview summary

Nigerian-born Timi Oke has long been drawn to agriculture. While working at a bank in the UK, he actively used LinkedIn to explore opportunities in the industry. In 2012, his efforts led him to connect with an importer in Mexico interested in sourcing hibiscus from Nigeria.

Hibiscus, often touted as a superfood, is a flowering plant known for its vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms. Its dried petals are used to make hibiscus tea, a ruby-red drink prized for its refreshing taste and potential health benefits, including its ability to lower blood pressure. Beyond beverages, hibiscus has applications as a natural food colouring and an ingredient in jams, syrups, and desserts. It is also valued in the pharmaceutical sector for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and in the personal care industry for products like facial scrubs, masks, and hair care treatments.

Nigeria plays an increasingly significant role in the global hibiscus supply chain due to a preference for the country’s healthier, non-GMO varieties.

As Oke was still employed at the bank, his brother – a co-founder of the business – travelled to Kano, northern Nigeria, to purchase the hibiscus from aggregators who sourced it from small-scale farmers in the region. A third partner, whom Oke knew from the UK and who is originally from northern Nigeria, also helped with introductions.

Once the first order was completed and payment was received, Oke left his banking job and moved back to Nigeria to focus on the business full-time. He returned to LinkedIn to find new clients and also began attending food industry conferences. The business expanded rapidly, with volumes growing from 60 tonnes in the first year to 120 tonnes in the second, and 540 tonnes in the third.

The company raised some early capital from Oke’s mother and his partner’s father. “We were lucky that they bet on three young boys in their middle twenties who wanted to build a business out of hibiscus,” he explains.

The funds were used to set up a warehouse and hire experienced supply chain staff. “We went and we hired about two people who were very experienced in the supply chain … It is one thing to be able to source the hibiscus. It’s a totally different ball game … to move it from the north to Lagos, where the ports are in Apapa, and then get it on a vessel and get all the right documentation that allows your client to clear the goods stress free.”

Building direct farmer relationships

When AgroEknor started trading, it sourced hibiscus through aggregators who gathered the crops from smallholder farmers. However, relying on aggregators left the company with little control over the prices it paid for the hibiscus.

Oke realised that AgroEknor needed to work directly with smallholder farmers to address this issue. Over time, the company experimented with different ways of collaborating with farmers. Today, AgroEknor works with over 7,000 smallholders. The company has set up collection centres near the farmers and supports them in various ways to help improve their yields.

Entering the lucrative US market

Oke advises commodity traders to begin by targeting markets with less stringent import regulations to gain experience and learn the trade. While newcomers often aim for the EU or US, he warns that issues like errors in shipment documentation or fumigation can result in the destruction of an entire cargo at certain ports, particularly in the US – losses a startup cannot afford.

AgroEknor eventually entered the US, which Oke describes as particularly lucrative, with revenues often double those in other countries. The company focuses on retail-packaged hibiscus flowers and cordials for the American market, with Texas a key region for sales.

Exploring opportunities beyond hibiscus

While hibiscus remains AgroEknor’s main focus, Oke also sees opportunities in other crops grown in Nigeria and across the continent. “We tend to look at commodities where there is no major player already … So our priority is niche markets where the market leadership is for the taking.”

One crop Oke is enthusiastic about is fonio, a drought-resistant, gluten-free grain with numerous nutritional benefits. Cultivated in West Africa for thousands of years, fonio remains under-commercialised.

The company became interested in fonio after considering other crops that hibiscus farmers could grow. “You don’t need fertilisers for fonio, you can literally just throw the seeds of fonio on the ground and it will grow … It can grow on any type of soil.”

Oke mentions a recent article by Bill Gateshighlighting fonio’s benefits and notes that brewer Carlsberg has launched a beer made solely from fonio grains, without barley or bittering hops. He also points growing demand for fonio in certain European countries.

However, AgroEknor is primarily looking at fonio for the Nigerian market. “We are more interested in using fonio as a substitute for rice domestically because Nigeria imports rice and it’s just not practical.” Yet, Oke acknowledges one of the key challenges with fonio: its processing. The grain requires dehusking, which is a labour-intensive process.

He also sees potential in the sisal plant, a cactus-like species whose fibres are used in products such as rope, string, yarn, and bags. Sisal is increasingly found in composite materials for cars, furniture, and construction, as well as in plastics and paper products. AgroEknor has made small investments in sisal-related R&D activities. However, the company found that achieving profitable margins through value addition in sisal would require venturing into industrial manufacturing. As a result, AgroEknor has set the idea aside to focus on other opportunities.

The company has also been involved in ginger trading in the past. “We had a lot of clients in the global markets who wanted us to help supply ginger. And we looked at that value chain, but in all honesty, it was a value chain that already had very dominant players … And yes, opportunistically we would trade in it. But in the medium term, we’re not looking to build out a future value chain out of ginger because there are already big players who already control 80% of the market.”

AgroEknor is also exploring opportunities for crops beyond Nigeria. One of these is cloves, a high-value spice. “It’s not grown in Nigeria but it is grown in other African countries,” Oke notes.

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