Category: OP-ED

Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, has described as illegal the newly launched South-West security outfit codenamed, Amotekun. The chief law officer, acting on behalf of the Federal Government, strongly posited that “no state government, whether singly or in a group has the legal right and competence to establish any form of organisation or agency for the defence of… Read More

Before the official launch of Amotekun in Ibadan, Oyo State, last week, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, held a meeting with South-West governors represented by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.  At the end of the meeting, the police endorsed the security initiative. By virtue of section 318 of the constitution, the word “government” is said to include… Read More

There is always a huge political risk and danger whenever erratic, embattled, and paranoid leaders assume the responsibility of “protecting” their ethnicity in a multicultural country. The simultaneous emergence of Nnia Nwodo and Nnamdi Kanu (who were both erratic and paranoia) as leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Indigenous People of Biafra respectively was thus unfortunately a bad omen for Igbos… Read More

After 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigerians are yet to experience true liberty, transparency, economic opportunities and other dividends of pristine democracy. The indicators of democracy are hardly visible, and where visible they are mere travesties.  According to American political scientist, Larry Diamond, democracy consists of four key elements: a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free… Read More

These are the official figures of the March 9, 2019, gubernatorial election in Imo State: Emeka Ihedioha (People’s Democratic Party) 273,404 votes, Uche Nwosu (Action Alliance) 190,364 votes, Ifeanyi Ararume (All Progressive Grand Alliance) 114,676 votes, Hope Uzodinma (All Progressives Congress) 96,458 votes and Ikedi Ohakim (Young Progressive Party) 527 votes. The public did not make up or manufacture these… Read More

“This new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the North as willing tools, and the South, as conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us, and never allow them to have control over their future.” – Sir… Read More

The late Dr Bekololari Ransome-Kuti had lived a life of activism. As a young medical doctor in the 1980s, he was in the forefront of the campaign of the Nigerian Medical Association for quality health care for the Nigerian people.  He was also involved in the pro-democracy struggle under the defunct military junta. When Miss Abosede Folasade Wagboje informed her… Read More

Last year October, about a week after the nation space that we have generously agreed to refer to as Nigeria, celebrated her 59th independence from colonial rule, I found myself at the Athens Democracy Forum, Athens being of course that former nation-state that claims the honour of pioneering a system of governance that we all today celebrate under the name… Read More

It bears repeating that the primary function of a government is to protect life and property of citizens. Needless to say today Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to live. Nigerians have become inured with inundated daily headlines of horror stories and gory pictures of dismembered bodies of innocent citizens. Buhari has squandered the opportunity… Read More

The inimitable Fela Anikulapo Kuti in his timeless song ‘Confusion break bones’, made very instructive remarks, which I consider apropos for the time we are in. He said, “When I say confusion, everything out ‘of-ee’ control, when everything ‘out-ee of control-ee’, e go be say, it pafuka-oh (pafuka na quench)”. With both the United States and Iran now exchanging missiles… Read More