Category: OP-ED

The 2023 presidential poll in Nigeria promises to be an interesting electoral contest featuring giants and lilliputians. Giants like the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and APC’s Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And lilliputians like the Ebonyi state Governor, Dave Umahi, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, ex-Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim and a host of other undeclared candidates. Since President Muhammadu Buhari would not be participating in the poll (having served out his second uneventful tenure) the race would be crowded. Yet, in the end what matters most is our collective ability to use…

Lagos being one of the largest economies in Africa and known to be center of excellence should always espouse policies that would be enduring and sustainable. Against this backdrop is the news making the rounds regarding the purchase by Lagos state govt of some trains from the city of Milwaukee in the state of Wisconsin, USA. This city, with an estimated population of 575,580 people had rejected these same set of trains for their rail system eleven years ago due to apparent structural and operational deficiency. In effect, the trains…

My wife occasionally jokes that my stressful, high-strung lifestyle could mean I’ll die before her. I’ve hardly paid any attention, until recently. Three weeks ago, we both visited a friend who lost his father on New Year’s Day. The deceased was over 90. We went in company with my friend and neighbour who also came along with his wife. We met two other friends at the home of the bereaved family. Before we departed, the five men — including our bereaved friend — took pictures. I didn’t make anything of…

Nigeria’s political space has been bustling with life since the visit of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to the seat of power to announce his presidential ambition. Ever since that visit, the political atmosphere has worn a new look.  National discourse now centres on politics and the media are filled with all kinds of narratives. The cacophony of noise from spin doctors and social media warriors has been deafening. Yet this is just the beginning. The tempo will naturally increase in the days ahead…

Often times, I have told Nigerians that the Buhari led APC government is the greatest political heist and sham that has ever occurred in Nigeria’s checkered history. Yet, some Nigerians believe that I am just politicking and bad-mouthing President Muhammad Buhari’s APC government simply because I belong in the opposition. Far from that, as I am known by many within the ranks of PDP as one that espouses truth, transparency and accountability when it comes to governance and public affairs; no matter who is involved.  I have had reason to…

A few days ago, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the governor-elect of Anambra State, released the list of members of his transition committee. In that list were names of very distinguished Nigerian men and women from all walks of life and beyond the geography of Anambra State. The quality of the membership of that committee to be headed by Mrs Oby Ezekwesili has set the entire South-East buzzing for the right reasons. For many, Soludo even before being sworn in has offered a dizzying peep into what to expect from him as…

Mahatma Gandi during his days said; “Behaviour is the mirror in which we can display our image”. Today, cybercrime and drug peddling is now an automatic indictment of both the average Nigerian and Nigeria’s character, just as our comatose international image lies critically at the selective mercy of western propaganda.  Nigeria, a country where a retired ‘DIG’ Sen. Nuhu Aliyu of the blessed memory, a one time Senator from Niger State once stood in the Senate Chambers and said, “There are armed robbers in this chamber.” He pointedly said that…

Nigeria was designed as a recycling institution that only has a place for political hegemony. The system only enriches hoodlum politicians whose destructive interests are placed above those of citizens. Rebranding of corrupt politicians has an effect on how the Nigerian system operates. People have been deprived of the dividends of democracy, and for long the oppressors always use divide and rule to deceive oppressed people. Nigerian youth have been living with unfulfilled lives, and ahead of 2023 election, deception has been sold out for public consumption. Meanwhile, Nigerians have…

In his article, “Osinbajo’s Road to Abuja: The Untold Story,” Olawale Olaleye told how Yemi Osinbajo ‘defeated’ Bola Tinubu to become Muhammadu Buhari’s vice-presidential candidate. According to the story, early in 2015, as soon as Buhari became the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu set up a committee to come up with a way to justify to the nation his inevitable choice as Buhari’s running mate. That was because the Buhari-Tinubu ticket would have imposed Muslim-Muslim candidates on Nigeria. One of the committee members was Yemi Osinbajo,…

On Friday, February 5, 2021, the Supreme Court brought joy to many landlords across the land when it delivered a landmark judgment which buried the ago-long antics of some tenants who hide under the technical rules of justice to frustrate landlords from reaping the fruit of their sweat and investment over many years. It is the case of Pillars (Nigeria) Ltd. v. Desbordes (2021) 12 NWLR (Pt.1789) 122. It has become almost established in Nigeria to have situations whereby tenants deploy legal gymnastics to battle their landlords, either against lawful…