Tag: saharareporters

The presidential family anywhere in the world are one of power, privilege and limitless opportunities. But Africa remains an exception, a ‘special’ case for reasons of power abuse and absolutism. Take just four examples from Senegal to Equatorial Guinea, Gabon to Angola. Nigeria may not be among the four but that does not mean that the presidential offsprings in our homeland are immune from power abuse or corruption. Mohammed Abacha is ’eminently’ qualified to be included in this list. The late tyrant Sani Abacha’s son was notorious during his father’s…

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“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common with unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” –Calvin Coolidge “To choose the right moment in which to act is the great art of men…” –Napolean Bonaparte I have been watching the fast pace with which the so-called country of Nigeria has been tumbling towards tragedy. I have been watching the…

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Although I have read about victimisation of journalists and repressive attacks on press freedom, last week added to my first-hand experiences of the travails of journalists, particularly some of us who have decided to ply the dreaded route of investigative journalism. It was hectic journeying to two states just to respond to invitations from two judicial institutions. One was to continue proceedings in a magistrate court in Kwara State and another was the invitation from the zonal headquarters of the police in Osogbo, Osun State, over reports written in 2018…

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Everywhere I go, they use Obafemi Awolowo as reference of and for all things. They point to his morality. They celebrate his achievements. They speak glowingly about him. They talk about him in awe. They have turned him into a god. No discussion ever takes place on any matter without him being referenced. Awo this, Awo that! Awo this, Awo that! I am tired of hearing his name. I am just tired of it. Before you say anything, they would bring up his name. Before you do anything, they would…

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Insecurity is as old as man. Mortals from time immemorial have devised several means to secure their lives and properties from assassins and bandits who are ruthless and could be fatal if their sinister demands are not met. Some of this awareness for security could be ideologically driven and violence could be deployed to achieve its purpose. The Irish Resistance Army was formed as a response by the Irish to resist British rule in their country. It secured the lives and properties of the Irish as it was used in…

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I lived in Nairobi, Kenya, for 11 years working for the United Nations on peace for Somalia. It meant I went into Mogadishu where I had earlier lived for two years (before the UN’s evacuation), on an as-needed basis. It used to be nice to take my children and visitors to the Nairobi National Park and once or twice, drive as far as Massai Mara to view wild animals. But in all these efforts, I never saw Amotekun (leopard). I wanted to record a close picture of majestic Amotekun in…

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The feeling rife everywhere in Imo State currently is of rue; the dolour is palpable on almost everyone, as it concerns what many have described the biggest daylight fraud of the moment. That fraud and the basis of the feeling is the recent verdict of the Supreme Court ousting Emeka Ihedioha as governor. That verdict by the Supreme Court is one that’s very remarkable, but hugely in a sense not impressive. Its remarkableness hinges on its judicial buffoonery; on its misapplication of justice by upturning the majority decision of the…

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All things considered, General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime is an anathema. General Buhari as President, continues to govern Nigeria as a nation where the lion is led by monkeys. Buhari’s attorney general of the federation Abubakar Malami, is one of the most infamous members of Buhari’s cabinet. Malami always search for a banana peel to step on. When he can’t find one to step on, he supplies his own. While we are yet to recover from his juvenile and primitive interpretation and application of court orders that granted Omoyele Sowore and…

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There were those who called him a mad man. Others wanted him kept away from their children to avoid corrupting them. After all he wore pants (underwears) not just in the inner sanctum of his home but sometimes very much in the public space. But he also did other things that were a menace to public morality and decency. He smoked Igbo or Indian hemp everywhere he went even though it was a criminal offence.  But all these, as bad as they were said to be, were not the apogee,…

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In my article of January 6 – a riposte to Isa Funtua’s prejudiced utterance on the Igbo — I wrote: ‘’Funtua’s statement reeks of corpulent arrogance, bigotry and acute sense of entitlement. It reinforces the stereotype that his section of the country bullies any region that does not kiss the ring of the caliphate.’’ I was not surprised that Arewa Consultative Forum reacted hysterically to the piece because the beneficiaries of the disequilibrious status quo will always seek to maintain it. It is common knowledge that swathes of territories in…

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