Lagos and Kano – On the Question of Population Might and Neglect. By  Aliyu Salisu Barau

This article is a disclaimer to a publication serialised in the Kaleidoscope column of The Guardian newspapers of Sunday, February 2008 and March 2, 2008. The title of the said article is, “Urbicide: Lagos and the Crisis of the Megacity” written by Samuel James. My diagnosis and prognosis of the publication reveal that it is a derivative of the author’s research findings: “Lagos, Nigeria – The Megacity Crises” submitted to the Institute of Global Leadership of the Tufts University. The article is riddled with signs of implosion that indicate that the author has not carried adequate research on the crises of megacity in Lagos. Details

Children Of Obasanjo, Abacha, Babangida Guilty, Pardoned and So. By Farouk Martins Aresa

You know, they know and I know that these children of the rich and powerful are guilty as charged, so what are we going to do about it? Nothing, e si oun a se!  We say that in my secondary school days in Ondo. It captures all these rigmarole about flexing muscles, power and hot air as if we do not live in Nigeria. As much as we enjoyed Obasanjo v. Atiku Show, we did not get much money back but got some know-how. Details

A Case for Food Supply and Hard Condition of Life. By Isa Muhammad Inuwa There is no gainsaying the fact that people in Nigeria are living in a very difficult condition of life, more so that presently, the world is engulfed in a serious and ravaging recession due to glaring scarcity of food stuff and an accompanying inflation which left currencies of many countries less valuable and their purchasing power much low, that one can only buy few things with much amount of money, which was the reverse case in the past. Details

The Punishment of Corrupt Ex-governors. By Tochukwu Ezukanma

To most Nigerians, the prosecution of these former governors for their alleged crimes is splendid. It demonstrates that the lawlessness that characterized military rule and the Obasanjo presidency is being assailed. It is a powerful testimony to the revival of judiciary independence in Nigeria, for long, emasculated by tyranny and corruption. It reinforces our faith in the democratic process, confirming earlier convictions, that if democracy is allowed to flourish in Nigeria, that we can evolve a just and equitable society underpinned by the rule of law. Details

Teaching and Learning in Higher Institutions: How Far Should We Go Online? By Mukhtar Bello

Recently, there has been a debate within the academic community on the role of the information technologies on teaching and learning in higher institutions. It is known that higher education provides students with the general ability to think critically and independently, and the specialist competences of their fields. Nowadays, higher education is facing increasing pressures to produce 'knowledge workers’, who can respond to perceived competition dynamics, and to maintain and improve quality standards. Details

Kannywood’s Struggle: An Inconsistent Contradiction. By Abba Anwar

Let me take my dear reader to the main issue at stake, in this text. That is film production and other related explanations. Allow me to go straight to the point and say films censorship was not first introduced in Nigeria or Kano state in particular. The Motion Picture Production Code (Popularly known as the Hays Code after its creator, Will H. Hays) was first published in March 1930. It was the first attempt at introducing film censorship in the limited states of America. Details

Nigerians Deserve Better-- Demand for Worldwide Boycott of British Airways Intensifies. By Dr. Sola Martins

If this account is true, then, the UK Border Agency and British Airways should be investigated for the mistreatment of the detainee in their custody. The law is quite clear that strict rules should be applied when restraining individuals subject to immigration rules. However, Nigerians seems to be treated harshly by the British authorities for many years without any action or protest. Just shortly after the May 2007 election, Nigerian Foreign Affair Permanent Secretary was delayed at Heathrow whilst he was in the United Kingdom to meet with his UK counterpart and there are horrible accounts of officials speaking to Nigerians rudely and using dogs to search their bags, something they would not do to the Americans or Saudi-Arabians. Details

Waiting for God, Waiting for Rawlings. By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

How many Nigerians live abroad? No one knows; no one knows, with any degree of certainty, the number of Nigerians who have lawfully emigrated within the last thirty years. Records are not kept, and even when they are, such records are not reliable because of a variety of reasons including, but not limited to the fact that false identities can easily be assumed. The government also does not know the number of passports it has issued to bona fide Nigerians; it does not know, and will never know -- from now until the end of time -- how many non-Nigerians have Nigerian passports. Details

A Letter from Freetown. By Bala Muhammad

No, it is not a belated April Fool’s article. I really am in Freetown, Sierra Leone, all last week, this week and next week. Beautiful country. Lush and green all over. Beautiful beaches. As Egypt is said to be a gift of the Nile, one can say without doubt that modern Sierra Leone is a gift of ECOMOG, the Nigerian-led West African troops that forcefully dislodged warmongers several years ago. Surprisingly, when one expected to see signs of devastation all over, there are not many signs of the brutal Sierra Leonean civil war of the mid 1990s. Details

BUK’s Dress Code. By Mukhtar Bello

I feel the author was too miser with the truth if not very rude. He was sentimental and clearly showed his hatred of Islam. There were no facts to support his arguments; he only intended to insult and instigate people. People of all beliefs agree on the need to decently cover themselves in public. Someone rightly said, “What would you think of a home that provided no shelter and no privacy? It does not take much to realize that if one were in the business of selling it, he would go bankrupt very quickly. Yet, amazingly the rules seem to be different when it comes to another basic need: clothing, especially women's clothing”.  Details

Atiku Abubakar and His Adamawa People. By Abu Ibrahim

In the last two years that I relocated to Adamawa for my quiet life and small business, I have seen all the scheming and deadly machinations of people who have nothing to offer to the society but delight in mudslinging and outright mischief all for their selfish ends. What I have to say has to do specifically with the person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Turakin Adamawa and his own people in Adamawa State. Details

Nigeria’s 2007 Elections: What Went Right? By Professor Maurice M. Iwu

What were the issues in the conduct of the 2007 General Elections? What were the challenges of the process? How did the established old order impact on emerging tendencies and dispositions in the general bearing of the elections? And how receptive was the environment to the infusion of new ideas in the system, even when it was obvious that the extant order held no redeeming prospect for the interest of the society? An attempt to answer the foregoing questions will help to provide valuable insight into the complex dimensions to the 2007 elections. Details

Nigerians: A People and Their Migration Pattern. By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

Aside from the old-Soviet Union, and perhaps, today’s Russia, I can think of no other country in modern times that has lived or is living far below its potential. No where on the face of the planet would one find a people as confused and flabbergasted about what to do with and about their country than Nigerians. For Nigerians, Nigeria has become a joke, a riddle, and a source of sadness and disappointment. Frankly, what to do with and what to do about Nigeria is one of the great mysteries of the modern era: a country once destined for greatness is today a brittle skeleton, a dust bowl. Details

What is National Interest? By Kabiru Inuwa Tsakuwa

In defending the former administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo against impeachments by the Ghali Na Abba led federal house of Assembly, one of the former head of states, stated that their action was purely based on national interest. They acted to safe guard the fragile unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria and are bound by a great sense of duty, patriotism and selflessness to ensure the survival of our country as one indissoluble and indestructible entity. Details

Nigeria: The Insanity of a Nation. By Menre Ayes

Thousands of Nigerians young and old, graduates and uneducated emigrate yearly to do odd jobs including cleaning toilets and streets in foreign nations. For every five surviving Nigerians abroad, at least one has died in the process of trying to travel abroad. In some cases, it would be easier for a camel's head to go through the eye of a needle than for a foreign embassy to grant a Nigerian's visa application. Thus leaving the Nigerian between the devil and the deep blue sea. Due to the severe unemployment problem and economic hardship at home, many youthful and skilled Nigerians venture to travel abroad by endangering their lives in high seas between Africa and Europe. Heaven knows how many make it and how many perish. A few fortunate Nigerians can afford and have the opportunity to travel out of their country by flight but only with the economy ticket. Details

Nigeria Food Basket Declining Into Basket Case. By  Farouk Martins Aresa

Make no mistake about it; food is a weapon and a powerful one at that. Nobody standing toe to toe with you holding a weapon can induce or order you to drop your weapon. It is nothing more than asking you to lie down and play dead while he blows your brain out for being stupid. If we surrender our seeds or eggs, our most reliable weapons, and replace them with exotic seeds “eunuchs” that can not propagate, we are bound to go for more as we run out. We either buy with our oil, on credit or reach out our hands like the Somali or Ethiopians begging for food while others satisfy their conscience on television and magazine displays. Details

Can Our Politicians Emulate Mallam Aminu Kano? By Babandi Gumel

Politicians, dignitaries and other important personalities from all walks of life converged in Kano to mark the 25^th Anniversary of the demise of a seasoned transparent honest principled politician who practiced what he preached in the name of the Late Malam Aminu Kano of the Blessed Memory. They all got together to extol and shower praises on the late politician for his sterling qualities which were very difficult to emulate by our present day politicians. Details

In Attendance at My Own Funeral By Aliyu A. Ammani

Probably I will still be alive as you read this piece. May be someone will read this piece after my death. The death of people, who were more than acquaintances to me, ignited the desire for a sober reflection on the phenomenon known as death. In the process, I became conscious of death so much so that I, figuratively, was in attendance at my very own funeral. I felt my dead body washed, wrapped in white clothing material, prayed over and lowered into the earth and covered with earth. Details

Babangida: The Early Years. By Max Siollun

Babangida was born to Gwari parents on August 17, 1941 in Minna, Niger State.  His parents were Muhammad Badamasi and Inna Aishatu Babangida.  He was the eldest of six children and was not born into an affluent environment.  Of those six children, four died as infants and his sister Hannatu is his only surviving sibling.  His father Muhammad was born in Wushishi in Niger State and later migrated to Minna.  In 1950 he began his primary school education at the Native Authority School in Minna where his classmates included another future Nigerian army General and Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar.  The two men’s relationship went further.  When Babangida's father died in Kontagora in 1955 and his mother also died shortly afterward, Babangida and his sister were sent to live with relatives.  They lived in the same household as Abdulsalam Abubakar.  Details

Critics, Commentators, and Gadflies. By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

What happened to Fela was a crime of the highest order. Nigeria should apologize and compensate his heirs. Beyond what was done to Fela, consider also what the entire Ransome-Kuti family went through: the harassments, the detentions, the inhumane and dehumanizing treatments. I cannot think of a single family, anywhere in Africa, whence so much humanity, sacrifice and loyalty to the nation and the state oozed. And to think that we folded our arms in spite of the family’s sacrifices? Details

Obasanjo In The Eyes Of PDP. By Max Gbanite

Obasanjo, was imposed on the party in 1999. Yes, party members have probably forgiven those that perpetrated such heinous act against them. The party has since witnessed imposition of party leaders in the past with clear bombastic-impunity, yet, out of fear of being blackmailed, killed, or kicked out of the party, members kept quiet as collaborators of evil.  Details

Dare Put Obasanjo, Babangida And Abubakar On Trial. By Farouk Martins Aresa

There has to be a pact cast in blood and stone between an outgoing Nigerian head of State and the incoming one: Thou shall not probe me. Also, a gentleman/military agreement to leave ex- head of state untouched, no matter what. Obasanjo stuck to it and never probed Abubakar or Babangida. That must be what Aliu is following. So who has the guts of Abacha to jail a former head of state or any aristocrats? Details

Nigeria: A Docile Nation. By Badamasi Ayuba Tarda

The return of partisan politics in 1999 after the brief tour of General Abdulsalami Abubakar was embraced with a lot of enthusiasm. Politicians were finally presented with the reward of the ‘spoils’ of a battle fought collectively and won by the media, a section of the intelligentsia, the organized labour, the social sector organizations, and some among the ‘chameleon’ politicians whose side of the battle was difficult to define. Today, I doubt if any of the spectrum of the coalition against ‘Abacha Tazarce’(Abacha’s self succession) would be comfortable with the turn of events in the nation. I doubt if the ‘schemers’ at the Jos convention of the PDP in 1998 are proud of the out come of their action. Who is responsible for what, is left for political analysts to analyse and for history to judge. Details

Role of the Youths in the Realisation of MDG’S. By Abubakar Magaji Buba

In the struggle for liberation and national development, the youths who form the chunk of the country’s population (about 48% of the youths ages between 15-30 constitute the labour force of the country and have rendered valuable contribution to its development.  In realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s),  a lot can be done by the youths to liberate people from the shackles of poverty and general under-development.  As pointed out b y the United Nations Development Project (UNDP), issues of self-reliance and nation building are seen as a process of enlarging peoples choices.  These choices ranges from the need to a healthy life, education, access to portable water and to have resources needed to improve one’s standard of living. Details

Nigeria: Who Really Cares?. By Abdulrazak B Ibrahim

Everything is wrong and no one seems to be genuinely doing anything about it. And so you ask, who really cares? From architecture to academics; ecology to economics and philosophy to politics, the looming danger is so apparent and threatening that even a primary pupil can tell you. We are so incapable of even the most ordinary civilized behavior. For example, littering the street is so common that we accept it as a normal way of life. How many polythene bags did you throw away yesterday? There is a very high chance that your vehicle has no trash can. Forget about the commercial vehicles. Details

The Many Woes of Satellite Towns in Nigeria. By Abubakar Magaji Buba

For instance, as part of the disadvantages of the demolition exercise by the then FCT administration is the mass exodus of criminals to satellite towns in Abuja, the repercussion of which includes an increase in cases of armed robbery, shop lifting, burglary, rape and a host of other criminal offences.  Moreso, because the police department have failed in its responsibility to provide security t its citizenry, residents are left at the mercy of vigilante groups who are mostly inexperienced and lack fire arms to physically confront the robbers in a gun duet.  Funny enough most of the armed robbers are residents of these satellite towns who in the day time appear to be responsible citizens, but put on a different mask at night. Details

The Rule of Law: The Challenge of the Nigerian Nation. By Andrew Onyearu

On assumption of office on 29 May 2007, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua expressed the view that upholding the rule of law was a corner stone of the manner in which his government will undertake the responsibility of governance.  On 27 August 2007, speaking at that year’s Nigerian Bar Association Annual Conference, he reiterated the view that a growing culture of disrespect of the rule of law appeared to be one of the greatest challenges that the Nigerian nation has to deal with.  He suggested, again, the commitment of his government to establishing a culture of respect for the rule of law and constitutionality which would endure.  In particular, he observed that Details

Corruption and Poverty: A Sure Way to Slow-Down the Pace of Development. By Abubakar Magaji Buba

Llike a plague, corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society and has caused untold hardship to the common man who seems to bear the wrath of his “rotten” environmental alone.  Corruption pervades all levels of government and even transcends to include a more informal setting such as the family, peer group and religious places of worship.   Where the syndrome of “nothing goes for nothing” obtains.  As a global economic blue-print, the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) in Nigeria by 2015 may not be possible considering the effect of corruption in our society.  In addition, the seven point agenda of the Yar’adua led administration which aims at re-positioning the Nigerian economy and boosting its image in the international community is also greatly threatened by the wild fire of corruption. Details

Millennium Development Goals: The Nigeria Situation. By Abubakar Magaji Buba

The millennium development goals (MDGs) is a set of eight point agenda adopted by 149 World leaders on how to stem the problem of poverty and its attendant horrors in the Least Developed Countries (LDGs) of the world.  The decisions to formulate a long term poverty reduction strategy was reached during the United Nations Millennium summit held in September 2000, in line with the International Development Targets (IDT’s) which aims at improving economic well being, social and human development and ensuring environmental sustainability and regeneration. Details

All Change In United Kingdom Immigration Law Effect On The Diaspora And Nigerians. By Andrews Solicitors

The news of the change of the law has been received with mixed feelings.  The United Kingdom government has offered a variety of reasons for this position.  Commenting through its Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith on 5 December 2007, that Government stated that it accepts that migration brings great socio-economic benefits to their country United Kingdom but that its people expect it to be managed robustly.  In introducing the new measures, the Government states that it expects principally to deliver a more secure border, a direct extension of the exclusionist policy that is implicit in United Kingdom Immigration law.  Generally, these measures include a new electronic checking system to count people in and out of the United Kingdom; a clamp down on illegal immigration; finger printing of visa applicants around the world before they are allowed to enter the United Kingdom and the introduction of identity cards for foreign nationals. Details

Nigeria National Assembly continued Probes’ Drama/rhetoric Aimed at Discrediting/Tarnishing PDP/Obasanjo. By Mazi Onigbo

Nigeria National Assembly continued Probes' Drama/rhetoric aimed at discrediting/tarnishing PDP/Obasanjo. There are persistent efforts by Cabal organized political pressure group to utilize bought over Nigeria Media through his cronies planted as Media Executives and orchestration/melodrama Probes' propagate Nigeria PDP political Party and Former President Obasanjo as being corrupt and to reduce him with his so called Party to abysmally nothing politically, while this, will enable the hijacking the Governmental machinery by the Cabal with his group but definitely such ill perceived attempt will fail. Details

Lack of Funding as an Obstacle to Solving the Power Crises. By  Zainab Usman

I am frustrated because although the problems of electric power generation in Nigeria are complex, they can be solved. I am angry because the present government is spending too much time on the past rather than concentrating on doing something now to address the problem. What the government needs to do is to tackle the generation, transmission and distribution problem in a methodical fashion. Details

Tribute To Late Mallam Aminu Kano. By Muttaqa Yusha’u Abdulra’uf

Thursdays, 17^th marks the 25 years after the demise of the late Mallam Aminu Kano. It is obvious that Mallam has left a vacuum that is so difficult to be filled by the present day politicians, his selfless service to humanity especially the class he identified with, that is the Talakawas accorded him an enduring respect. Although there are a number of pretenders who claim to be the apparent heirs to the late Mallam, albeit with a different world view often characterised with ulterior motives.  Details

Bridging the Gap Between the Rich and the Poor. By Yakubu Muhammad

The fact that Nigeria is the sixth richest oil producer in the world is a  good and at the same time a bad news to majority of Nigerians. It's good because it sends out a positive image of the country to the outside world to a point that its citizens are globally viewed and unknowingly rated as moderately rich especially now that among them is the richest African and the world's 304th richest man in the person of Alhaji Aliko Dangote.The bad side of the news is the real position of Nigerians' economic status notwithstanding the oil boom. It's indeed painful when you are introvertly suffering but extroverty considered lucky for having something you hardly benefit from. Details

Transforming The Semi-Democratic State. By Anthony Akinola

Most African states, including Nigeria, fall into the category of the semi-democratic state.  We have witnessed in recent months two national elections on the African continent which attracted the attention of the international community.  The Kenyan election of December 2007 resulted in violent protests in which more than a thousand people were reportedly killed, while Robert Mugabe’s tactics or attempts to rig the Zimbabwean presidential elections of March 2008 have kept the rest of the world waiting. Details

African Traditional Religion  (ATR) and its Global Contributions. By Sunday B. Agang

ATR is not a single religion as some people generally think. Since it is a way of life for the diverse ethnic and cultural groups of a vast continent one must also expect diversity in beliefs and practices. Generally speaking ATR is the religions of pre-Christian and Islamic Africa. It is ingrained in the diverse cultures.  Details

Who Killed Sheikh Ja'afar?. By Isa Muhammad Inuwa

Early morning hours of Friday April 13, 2007 Kano people woke up to receive the shocking and nerve chilling news of the assassination of renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmoud Adam, who was gruesomely murder by some heartless gun-happy night marauders, while he was prostrate right before God, leading a congregation in the Dawn Prayer. It is exactly one year now since that tragic incident, but the still, neither the Police nor the State Security Service produced an iota of clue or fact as to who was or were behind the murder of the Islamic scholar.  Details

The Slain Igwes and Babel of Police Investigations. By Uba Aham

Police authorities in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, recently announced the arrest of yet a new suspect in the gruesome murder of Barnabas and Blessing Igwe, a couple, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra state of Nigeria. The new suspect, known as Odogwu Anam and described as a dreaded underworld kingpin, was arrested by the police in Asaba, Delta state capital. The so-called Odogwu Anam reportedly pulled the trigger that killed the Igwes. Police authorities added that this suspect was arrested shortly after the gruesome killing, but surprisingly granted bail. Details

To Kwankwaso With Apology. By Abdu Isa Kofarmata

From 2002 when he was a governor to 2007 when he voluntarily relinquish his ministerial appointment to contest for the governorship in Kano state, Kwankwaso happened to be one politician that I daily criticized. Though in almost all my write –ups I always tried to make it clearly that my criticisms were not born out of malice or personal hatred but purely political and disagreement based on national issues as they affect our state. Kwankwaso’s persistence and notorious loyalty to the former president Obasanjo was the root cause for all his political tribulations, defeat and lost of relevance in Kano. Details