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“You may forward this to him to reflect on…if he’s redeemable!” A Tinubu minister from the South-West sent this message to a respected, elderly journalist now in his mid-70s. It was meant for me and the Oga did as instructed; he forwarded the message to me. I read what the big man wanted me to […]
Continue ReadingAccording to the young lady who sought my advice recently, a man offered to pay her five million naira if she agreed to have a baby for him. He often tells her that he is not a happy man because, although he is medically capable of having children, his wife adopted children, and he resents […]
Continue Reading“So, where is President Tinubu, my brother?” “What do you mean where is President Tinubu? He told you and everyone else that he is travelling to France and the UK on a working leave.” “What else is he doing? What work is he doing? “ “Don’t be rude my friend? Who are you to ask […]
Continue ReadingWhy did Bola Tinubu offend Nasir El-Rufai? He should have kept him. There are three principalities the Yoruba dread to offend: The first is Osó (wizard), the second is Àjé (witch); the third is the most dreaded, their name is Aláròká. How do I translate that into English? I cannot, but you will get to […]
Continue ReadingSince he was defeated in the 2015 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan has remained very visible in the public eye. Moreover, his unspent second term keeps hovering over the political waters. Because Jonathan conducted himself with dignity in the aftermath of his loss — even conceding the election to Candidate Muhammadu Buhari before the results […]
Continue ReadingNext to Oduduwa, the eponymous ancestor of the Yoruba, the most significant monarch in Yoruba antiquity is Oranmiyan (purportedly Oduduwa’s son? grandson?). He was as elusive as he was ubiquitous. He holds the record, perhaps, in human history, of being a monarch, three times over, in three different world historic locations during his elastic lifetime, […]
Continue ReadingIn the early hours of September 5, 2009, Nigeria and indeed the entire continent of Africa lost a titan, a man whose life was a testament to courage, unwavering principle, and indefatigable commitment to justice and democracy. Chief Abdulganiyu “Gani” Oyesola Fawehinmi, GCON, SAN, passed into the annals of history, leaving behind a legacy that […]
Continue ReadingLeadership at any level—religious, political, or traditional—comes with expectations. Certain positions demand a change in behaviour, appearance, and even speech. Some roles require one to stop eating publicly, to dress more conservatively, and to speak more cautiously. These are not just ceremonial adjustments; they are essential to maintaining the dignity of the office. Being a […]
Continue ReadingPoverty is not just a condition, it has become an industry. It is not an accident, not an unfortunate side effect of bad governance, but a deliberate strategy that fuels campaigns, builds empires, and sustains careers. Poverty is the most traded commodity in this country. Oil may fluctuate, the naira may collapse, investors may flee, but […]
Continue ReadingNigeria’s ex-international, Taribo West, stirred the hornet’s nest last week at the funeral rites of former Super Eagles’ captain and goalkeeper, Peter Rufai. In a viral interview, West blamed the Nigerian Football Federation and the Lagos State Football Association for abandoning Rufai and the family. West said inter alia: “What kind of nation is this? […]
Continue Reading“In all matters, one must consider the end” – Jean De La Fontaine, 1621-1695. “A man cannot be too careful in his choice of enemies”– Oscar Wilde, 1856-1900. Every active and deliberately controversial politician in a deadly political environment has two lives to protect – his real life and his political life. Occasionally, the two lives […]
Continue ReadingIn what irreverently humorous social media denizens are calling the battle between the “social media president” and the “Temu lawyer” (unflattering epithets to suggest that Peter Obi rules the Nigerian social media space while Deji Adeyanju is a baby lawyer who makes up for his inexperience through loud exhibitionism), Nigerian media law is about to […]
Continue ReadingHow would I ever forget 1983 in my life? My cousin (now of blessed memory) told us Chief Obafemi Awolowo said if he did not win the presidential election, he would relocate to the moon. After the disputed election, won by President Shehu Shagari, we gathered every night in our compound in the village to […]
Continue ReadingHe was just a municipal court judge in a US city. Some years ago, he was asked: “In your 38 years of sitting on the bench, is there a case you still think about today?” This judge looked up, and did not hesitate before answering yes, there was a case, and he told the story: […]
Continue ReadingThe copyright to the above title belongs to Khaleed Yazeed, a young journalist. He has written several reports about the way bandit kingpins are being enabled with a policy of appeasement that has only escalated their violence on innocent people, especially in Zamfara and Katsina States. This is what provoked Yazeed’s latest headline: “The chairman of Safana […]
Continue ReadingWhen people, through their words, attempt to distance themselves from both the good and the bad of the country, it often hurts my core. I have watched with disappointment as various postulations, such as those by Ms. Kemi Badenoch, have projected apprehensive attributes to the essence of the nation, Nigeria, putting the country in a […]
Continue ReadingYesterday, someone asked me to give my current impression of that coalition party called the ADC. I asked if the person knew the meaning of the idiom: a loud fart in a windstorm, or simply, a fart in the wind. That is my impression of the party that came loud and furious like Hurricane Katrina […]
Continue ReadingFrom a distance, Biodun Oyebanji exudes the aura of a quintessential *Omoluabi*, a man of virtue, humility, and grace. To the casual observer, he could almost pass for a saint. But proximity reveals a different reality: one that evokes the image of a Pharaoh ruling with an iron fist, cloaked in charm but driven by […]
Continue ReadingA self -anointed select pack of northern political hounds has found a favourite seasonal mascot for each election cycle. Former president Goodluck Jonathan has managed to find repetitive mention in each election cycle. Hardly any presidential election cycle passes without a loud speculation of Jonathan as a possible candidate. In each election season since after […]
Continue ReadingThe by-elections held across the country last Saturday in 16 constituencies across 12 states, in terms of the organization, the process and outcomes would seem to confirm one painful truth, namely that Nigeria’s democracy is still inchoate, tentative, fledgling, and that we are not yet anywhere near the target of democratic consolidation in Africa’s largest […]
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