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In concluding my column last Thursday, I urged President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation in view of the EndSARS protests that had been hijacked by opportunistic criminals and the shooting of protesters two days earlier at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos. I was therefore elated when I received the Villa statement that the president […]
Continue Reading‘Soro soke, ki o se idajo ododo, ba talaka ati alaini gba eto won’ (Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy)—Proverbs 31: 9 When the army announced last week that beginning Tuesday it would commence ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’—not against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east but rather across the […]
Continue ReadingEvents of the past one week across the country have revealed the true character of the Nigerian police: It is an institution that still sees its role as basically to put down any form of dissent or resistance, including to glaring injustice. Even at the cost of human lives. Only a few days of protests […]
Continue ReadingAnyone who has followed testimonies (backed mostly by video evidence) from victims of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) knows it would take more than feeble press statements to change the orientation of those who have been conditioned to believe they are above the law. For years, members of this notorious police unit have operated solely […]
Continue Reading1960 was deemed ‘The Year of Africa’ because 17 countries on the continent secured their independence that year. Nigeria was among them. Outside Africa, the only other country to gain independence that year was Cyprus. As we mark our diamond anniversary, I am sure much will be written and said about Nigeria today. I can […]
Continue ReadingWhen in the closing prayers after the church service his Pastor declared that it would be a week of INCREASE, according to a man on Twitter, he said a loud Amen. But that was because he had no inkling that the increase he would encounter during the week would come from DSTV subscription, Pump price […]
Continue ReadingIn a badly divided polity, it is no surprise that a number of stakeholders have expressed opposition to the recently re-introduced National Water Resources bill in the House of Representatives. But in describing it as “another version of Ruga which objective is to create grazing areas in the 36 states of the federation for herders […]
Continue ReadingWith little more than six weeks to the Ondo State gubernatorial election scheduled for 10th October, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu should ordinarily be focused on his re-election bid. But as governors are wont to do on the eve of either their re-election or departure from office, Akeredolu decided to conduct local government elections last Saturday. In […]
Continue ReadingWhen it comes to elections, Nigerian politicians have always played by their own rules. It is therefore no surprise that many of them no longer believe in securing electoral victory with votes of the electorate. Now, they register their own political party or secure the endorsement of one of the numerous briefcase parties, get their […]
Continue ReadingIt is a measure of the collective amnesia that defines our country that Nigerians are hardly paying attention to what is happening in Lebanon. Perhaps more significant is the contrasting response from the two countries. A similar tragedy 18 years ago in Lagos actually claimed more fatalities, but no one was held accountable. In Lebanon, […]
Continue ReadingThe resurgence of killings in Kauru, Zango-Kataf, Kaura, Kajuru and Jema’a local governments in Kaduna State is not altogether surprising. My column, ‘Mass Murder on a Market Day’, followed the orgy of violence that led to the death of no fewer than 55 persons at the Kasuwan Magani weekly market in Kajuru local government in […]
Continue ReadingThree weeks ago, on 10th July, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Appropriation (Repeal and Amendment) Act, 2020 into law. At the signing ceremony, the president explained that although he had assented to the 2020 Appropriation Act on 17th December 2019, a revision became necessary as a “response to recent developments, in particular, the COVID-19 Pandemic”. […]
Continue Reading“It should be clear to the National Assembly that their incestuous relationship with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on which they have oversight responsibilities cannot continue. It is an open secret that many of our lawmakers are the leading contractors in some of these MDAs where they deploy their oversight powers as a weapon […]
Continue ReadingIf taking public money was considered such a big deal, according to Joy Nunieh’s account, her colleague confessed he would kill anyone at the instruction of Godswill Akpabio before bothering to ask why the person had to die. But Akpabio has countered that Nigerians must not believe that story until we seek clarification from “all […]
Continue ReadingIntellect is the virtue of ignoring one’s emotions’ attempt to contaminate one’s opinions. – Mokokoma Some of us have been restrained from making comments about the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mustapha Magu. There are several reasons for this, but most importantly, it may be wise for one to await […]
Continue Reading“Steve Manson’s magazine dealt in corruption: he attacked the rich, the powerful and the famous – and he made enemies. In a job like that, you couldn’t afford to have dirty secrets of your own. With the whole town itching for you to make a slip, it was like living in a goldfish bowl…” — […]
Continue ReadingI have not confirmed this report but we know that in Nigeria today anything is possible. The story goes that a lavish society wedding had just taken place and after concluding the legal and social rites, the couple retired to their house. At bed time, the wife withdrew from under her pillow a court injunction […]
Continue ReadingMy simple question seemed to have thrown the Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness, Dr Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, off balance. After a brief pause, he countered: “You are asking me how I feel when my people are being killed every day? We can spend a whole day discussing that. We are dealing with murderers, people […]
Continue ReadingOn 2nd October 2017, I used the metaphor of a cow with wooden leg to illustrate the story of Nigeria in a presentation titled, “A Nation on the Edge: Which Way Nigeria?” at ‘Platform Nigeria’. It is a programme of the Covenant Christian Centre hosted annually by Pastor Poju Oyemade in Lagos. The question I […]
Continue ReadingIn most countries, including those with high crime rates, men of the underworld avoid killing police personnel because it would bring too much trouble. In Nigeria, criminal gangs not only engage police in frequent combat, they sometimes target them for attack before carrying out their nefarious activities. The situation is so bad that on 23rd […]
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