Category: Opinions

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

Hypocrisy and sycophancy are part of the social problems associated with our decadent society. Apart from pretending shamelessly to ‘love’ God or Jesus Christ more than the Jews or the prophets of yore, we have turned worshipping the immortal one into a billion-dollar spinning business venture week in week out! Our so-called bishops are riding in private jets, ranked among… Read More

Power is an elixir that is highly intoxicating especially in the African continent where in most countries politics is the most lucrative business. The continent sometimes referred to as the ‘Dark Continent’ has the highest number of sit-tight leaders in the globe. These leaders having tasted the trappings and lure of power find it an impossible mission to groom successors… Read More

It was Thursday, January 2, 2020, at about 2:30pm, I had met with the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Bori Division and later with the Area Command in Bori. I needed to brief them on the planned Ogoni Day activities and assure them the event will be peaceful as usual. Thereafter, I left for Port Harcourt. At the police… Read More

January 15 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Nigerian Civil War and the official end of the short-lived Republic of Biafra. It is unlikely there will be any national event to mark the occasion other than the annual Remembrance Day ritual, which has become nothing but a cash cow for those involved in organising the ceremony. But… Read More

When I made up my mind to celebrate New Year in Abu Dhabi – capital city of the United Arab Emirates – very late in 2019, I knew I’d be courting emotional troubles once again. Having gone through harrowing self-inflicted emotional trauma by visiting Dubai – another major commercial hub of the same emirate – a few years back, there… Read More

The National Universities Commission has finally unbundled Mass Communication into seven separate degree programmes. The implication of this is that from the 2020/2021 academic session, what used to be Mass Communication in Nigerian universities would be recognised as seven programmes. The seven new programmes may be domiciled in a faculty, school or college of communication and media studies depending on… Read More

This is not a tribute in the usual sense the word is used and as suggested by the title of this piece. Rather, it is an aspect of a story that has not been told in full, but which—I have now been persuaded—should, at least, be elaborated in some areas—for the benefit of the younger generations of the Nigerian Left.… Read More