Following years of uncertainty and a global pandemic that has proven to be one of the most challenging events in history, the global community forged on, prepared to tackle what lay ahead. Looking back on the year that is about to pass, there were numerous achievements, high points, successes, failures and experiences. It has been a year of many firsts and year of laughter and sadness. For many, 2022 is a year that is indeed more than ordinary.
In a few days time, the year 2022 would have ended across the world and people will speak of a new year with fresh expectations and resolutions. As we continue to extract the possible from the impossible, putting the year in perspective, it will be recalled that COVID-19 which exposed us all to an international public health crisis, countless deaths, compulsory stay at homes, engendered the depths of human resilience and ingenuity.
As 2022 began, our world began to reconnect, COVID restrictions were being lifted across many countries. As a result many international meetings could be held in-person or physical attendance. These includes, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda in June 2022, the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, the Conference of Parties (COP 27) in Sharm El Sheik Egypt in November, and of course the recently concluded World Cup in Qatar.
In Africa, a slew of coup d’état began in Burkina Faso in January that removed the country’s president Roch Kaboré from power. The Burkinabé military cited the government’s failure to contain activities of Islamist militants within the country as a reason for the coup. The following month, Guninea Bissau’s president Umaro Sissoco Embaló announced a failed Coup d’état, stating the coup was a “failed attack against democracy.” By September, another coup took place in Burkina Faso removing Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba over his alleged inability to deal with the country’s Islamist insurgency.
The world was thrown into turmoil when Russia and its President Vladimir Putin declared a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. It was not enough for Putin that he had annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and supported the seizure of territory by separatists in the Donbas region. So far, over 15 million people have fled Ukraine as refugees, the largest refugee since World War II according to UNHCR. It is a well known fact that Ukraine’s infrastructure has been damaged and a considerable size of Ukraine’s territory is in Russian hands.
At home in Nigeria, as political activities was building up to the 2023 General Elections, President Muhammdu Buhari performed a duty that went down very well with most well-meaning Nigerians: he signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 into law. Given the tortuous journey the crucial piece of legislation went through, it was a memorable historic moment.
The electoral legislation among other things will ensure we cut off many forms of human interference that have always resulted in stolen elections in Nigeria. Among other things, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) which has stoutly fronted the technological reforms of our electoral process, now has legal backing to transmit results from the polling units to its national portal where all Nigerians view it live. Certainly technology is the way to go in curbing the usual ballot box snatching by thugs.
The following month, Nigerians were left astounded when on March 28, 2022 an Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked by bandits in Katari, Kaduna State. Eight persons were killed, several people were injured, and 62 passengers were kidnapped. The kidnapped persons including the elderly, women, the sick, and infants were subjected to untold hardship by the bandits. The victims were eventually released in batches, the last batch in September.
By early May, while the world was still reeling from Covid-19, an outbreak of Monkeypox began when the first Monkeypox virus is reported in London. By the end of the month in Nigeria, political parties were busy with their primaries, in line with the schedule of activities approved by INEC. Bola Ahmed Tinubu of The All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged as the party’s Presidential candidate while Alhaji Atiku Abubakar emerged as the candidate of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In early September, Liz Truss is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after winning the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election. She became the third woman after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May to hold the position in the nation’s history. Two days later, the world was thrown into mourning as Queen Elizabeth II died after 70 years and 214 days on the throne, the longest reigning British monarch ever.
She was one of the most influential figures of the 20th and 21st centuries. The majestic and pageantry of her burial, as well as the outpouring of love for her by the British and across the world was an indication of the force of her impact and the dignity and decency in public life which she represented throughout her reign. The baton has since passed in line with tradition to her son, the then Prince Charles II, Prince of Wales, who is now King Charles III.
Still in the UK amid a government crisis, Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister following the resignation of Liz Truss after 50 days in office. He thus made history as the first person of color to be Britain’s Prime Minister. The following month in Nigeria, the Central Bank unveiled new 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes ahead of a December 15 launch date. One of its reasons was massive hoarding of banknotes with over 85 per cent of currency in circulation outside the banks’ vaults. The new currencies have since stirred debates and controversies with many for and against its introduction.
Arguably the climax to the end of the year, Argentina won the FIFA World Cup a third time, after 36 years, and the star of the team’s performance was Lionel Messi. In what analysts have called the best World Cup ever, hosted by Qatar, Messi wrote his name in gold as one of the greatest footballers in history. This was indeed one World Cup in which history was made on all fronts, with Morocco finishing in the Fourth place, the first African country to go as far as the semi-final in the history of the World Cup. While Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament, the appearance of Davido as part of the troika that sang the tournament’s theme song, “Haya Haya” was somewhat of a consolation.
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