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Nigeria: The Oil Curse. By Saad S. Khan Because dividing Nigeria into Muslim North with Hausa ethnic group and Christian South with Ibo and Yoruba communities is too simplistic. Nigeria is composed of 250 ethnic groups--- and the faultlines are not only ethnic but also linguistic, religious and geographic among various communities. Although the country has decidedly a Muslim majority but how to convince this to the Christians. Details
Advise from a Well-Known Nigerian Chief. By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde Nigerians, as educated and feisty and all-knowing as they are, are mostly gullible. The vast majority seem to enjoy the exploitation, the oppression and mismanagement that are meted to them. The average Nigerian is not up to telling the truth and would rather applaud and praise trivial achievements. And most are satisfied with the tokens and crumbs politicians dole out at periodic intervals instead of questioning them on how they amassed such wealth. Details
A Referee Has Power to Officiate? And INEC Acted Constitutionally? By Paul I. Adujie An Appeals Court in Nigeria has finally answered a vexing question and has therefore laid to rest, whether or not, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has the power or authority to disqualify candidates for elections in Nigeria. The five persons, Appeals Court decision was unanimous. A reversal on appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is highly unlikely! Details
The Imperative of a Buhari Presidency. By Hon. Lawal Garba With the monumental failure of the ruling PDP government, the imperative of a Buhari presidency could not be overstated given the suffering of Nigerians. Therefore, the choice today for us is to break ranks with the terrible chapter of regrets resulting from maladministration, corruption, mismanagement, right violations, mass deprivation and injustice, and join hands to install a transformative leadership in May this year that will abide by the ethoes of democracy, good governance, the rule of law, respect for fundamental human rights, social justice and general goods for all and sundry. Details
Buhari is Definitely Not the Answer. By Nafata Bamaguje The General's selling point appears to be the hype about his supposed moral integrity, which will supposedly translate to eradication of corruption. A trip down memory lane however tells us different. Under the late dark-goggled General, Buhari presided over PTF (petroleum trust fund), which was later revealed to be a cesspool of corruption. Details
2007: Aspirants And Other Matters. By Musa I El-Ghude I remember when in April 2002, Late Wada Nas of blessed memory told VP Atiku, and I quote: “Obasanjo will still look for more terms beyond 2007, so VP should be very careful. VP may resist the tenure elongation, but that will be a start to their disagreement. These may subsequently lead to his expulsion from PDP and to deny him some privileges as VP and to some extent declare his seat vacant”. This statement remain quite scintillated. Details
Let the People Judge. By Dr. Wunmi Akintide Less than a month from today, Nigerians would be going to the polls again in a 4 year ritual to pick our next set of leaders. I still have a premonition, however, that the election can still be canceled or postponed at the last minute. Regardless of what happens, I think It is time for us to revisit and to start brainstorming what ought to be the role of Government, and whether or not the PDP and their President and his estranged Vice President have met those criteria, given the reality of the ground today. Details
The Drowning Man from Iragbiji. By Samuel Ishola Agboola Due to the accidents in tenure that characterized our past democratic experiments coupled with the not too pleasant experiences under the various Military Juntas’ interregnums, Nigerians have not really have that opportunity to assess the set of people masquerading as their leaders Details
In Dire Need of Greening. By Muhammad Shakir Balogun And in a country where electricity supply is abysmal there’s no place to seek refuge from the blazing sun during the sweltering hot season. Recently in an clumsy attempt to salvage what remains of the public green spaces in the Nasarawa G.R.A. in Kano the government ended up adding insult to injury by constructing inherently unsightly fences around the tiny plots of grass largely taken over by flower sellers and their nurseries, and painted them an exceedingly gaudy white-and-bright yellow, and red. Details
Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency disappointed the expectations of Nigerians. For one thing, it did not advance democracy, and strengthen democratic institutions in Nigeria. A product of the military and the farm, two professions not renowned for honing political sophistication and progressive thought, he acts more like an emperor than a democratically elected president. Details
Why Does The Black Community Hate Nigerians? By Dr. Felix S. Odaibo For one reason or the
other, and with the widespread 'export' of "419 scam" and the deleterious
association between all and any Scam and Nigerians, these people hold back
friendship, understanding and support, instead, they sing stereotyped and
negative tunes about Nigerians, citizens of a country that had played and
continues to play significant leadership role in the emancipation and
stabilization of Africa over the years.
Details
Constitutional Indictment
And Political Purity.
By
Leonard Shilgba, Ph.D.
For sometime
now there has been a raging controversy about "indictment" of certain persons
and the implication for their political ambitions. I think there has been much
misrepresentation even by some legal minds (I mean lawyers) whose livelihood
derives from legal arguments and sophistry. I should urge you to carefully
examine the relevant portions of the living Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria on this matter.
Clearly then, the National Postal and Express Commission (NPEC) and its regulatory policy platform, known as, National Postal and Express Policy (NPEP), are progressive ideas whose time has come. It has clearly shown that NIPOST management is aware of the huge responsibility it must face in the ever growing world of free market economy, with clearly defined strategy and focus; and this may have informed its present stand and efforts as regards NPEC. Details
Are they Not Government Properties? By Mutiu Animashawun One hand builds infra-structures; another hand destroys them. Sometime in the late Seventies, cheap, crudely fabricated aluminum utensils flooded metropolitan Lagos. It turned out that the origin of aluminum was not from smelting or recycled plants-- there was none nearby-- but from the guard rails of the then just-constructed bridges mushrooming in and around Lagos. Gangs of thieves were seen removing rails night after night. It soon became difficult to distinguish construction workers from thieves in the broad daylight. Details
As Leadership Changes Hand in Niger Delta. By Maxwell James History testifies to these facts. Niger Delta as any challenged enclave in the world has not yet found it bearing simply because good leadership has eluded the region. Men of honour have not been in the vanguard of administering and championing its course. Details
Scaffolds of Primitive Corruption. By Emmanuel Franklyne Ogbunwezeh Under Obasanjo, some of the most sordid ironies were incubated and hatched to our discomfiture. The man empowered to catch thieves in this instance, metamorphosed into one of the greatest thieves ever to cross our firmament. Tafa Balogun was his name. This Police chief was an extra-ordinary thief. Obasanjo himself claimed to be conducting a war against corruption, while honouring history’s greatest treasury looter, Sanni Abacha, even though post-humously. Details
Education and Democracy: A Call to Action. By Sadiq A. Abdullahi Much has already been written about the problems and politics of education in Nigeria. The time seems to be right to shift attention to the implementation of educational policies. But how do we deal with the politics and personalities involved when there is so much corruption and distrust in Nigeria? Details
Why Does The Black Community Hate Nigerians? By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde Let’s start with Africans. Most Africans I have come to know or communicated with are suspicious of, and love to hate Nigerians. I don’t mean this at the individual level. I am speaking in collective or general terms. Every where I go, I hear Congolese, Togolese, Sierra Leonean, Liberians and South Africans and others speak ill of Nigerians. They hate the fact that Nigerians are “too aggressive,” “too dishonest,” “love to show off their wealth,” and are “always loud.” They associate Nigerians (and Nigerians only) with “419” even when their own nationals have been caught committing criminal offences. Details
Applying for American, German or British Visa. By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde Nigerians just want to get out of Nigeria. And in the process they will do whatever it takes. In doing whatever it takes, these embassies have taken to treating Nigerians badly -- as though they are diseased and less human. Dogs and cats in America and Britain are even treated far better than most Nigerians who visit these embassies. Details
This is A Moral Issue, A National Issue, An Election Issue! By Paul I. Adujie In 2002, Moslems opposed plans to host the Miss World Beauty pageant in Nigeria and a certain reference to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in an article in ThisDay newspaper written by a young reporter Isioma Daniel. There was also the famous Gideon Akaluka case. Akaluka was murdered, like Ms Olusesan because he was said to have desecrated the Holy Quran; in Lagos, Idi Araba, a Lagos suburb exploded because a Yoruba man allegedly urinated close to a Fulani mosque. Details
NTA’s Gross Professional Misconduct. By Jide Ayobolu The NTA like INEC that is being funded with taxpayer’s money is no longer an unbiased umpire but has become an instrument of vengeance in the hands of the power that be. Left unchecked it will become a threat to peaceful elections and a danger to democracy. Both public bodies have thrown overboard professional ethics, due process, equity, fair play, and justice. Details
PTDF: Obasanjo Goofed in his Response. By Nuhu Shuaib The circumstance surrounding the mismanagement of the PTDF is still a mystery to most of us. All efforts made at uncovering the truth have not yielded the desired result. Somehow, somewhere the truth is being covered by yet unknown persons. But as the saying goes, truth shall triumph over falsehood, it’s just a matter of time. Details
No Atiku No Elections? By Abubakar Atiku It is therefore considered appropriate at this point to call on the VP to reconsider his threat and be a democrat. This writer believes, the tacit acknowledgement by the presidency that the VP is a political colossus, the fear of whom is the beginning of wisdom, is no mean feat. Details
How could a President with that kind of profile have the effrontery to fire one Professor Osuji for bribing the Legislature to approve the budget for his Ministry? How could such a President have the audacity to fire a Mrs. Osomo for allocating some Federal buildings to be auctioned to her friends and celebrities and family members she knew were very close to the President and his first lady? How for God's sake could such a President have the audacity to claim he was the god father of transparent Government and the most credible advocate of honesty in Government. Details
Bayo Ojo And The Militarization Of Democracy And Rule Of Law. By Akinwole Ogunlola While all eyes are on President Obasanjo of Nigeria for any possible extension of his regime beyond May 29, 2007, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Bayo Ojo represents the most vicious and potent instrument that can single handedly truncate the forthcoming elections. Nigerians seems to have forgotten that in 1979 general elections, General Obasanjo used a legal instrumentality, through chief Richard Akinjide, who later became the Attorney-General under the Shagari Administration to impose Alhaji Shehu Shagari on the nation using the infamous interpretation of the twelve-two third of Nineteen states. Details
Lawyers and the Electoral Process. By Mamman Lawan Yusufari INEC must have taken advantage of the amorphous nature of the decision in ‘screening out’ the Vice President. His decision to challenge his non-inclusion in the list of the presidential candidates by filing a fresh suit is testimony that the Justice Kuewumi decision is equivocal. Details
Oil Block Theft: National Assembly Should Stop Obasanjo’s 2007 Licensing Round. By Ifeanyi Izeze Nigerians must rise up not only to condemn the broad day robbery but to stop it and maybe move to reverse earlier robberies especially in cases where it has been established that the intentions were not only fake but against our collective national interests. Details
Inside the Emperor’s Brain. By Hakeem Babalola By the time it’s your turn, you will have understood the meaning of babatoncracy, which has engulfed my empire. It is a mystery even to gods. I am mad and there’s no question about that. But you’re such a dummy as not to know I’m for the upliftment of this empire. Details
Edgar Hoover, Nuhu Ribadu And The Imperatives Of Selective Amnesia. By Ahmed Joe Our leader has had the good fortune of being a “democrat” of having only a gun –the surreptitious OBJ 006 at the moribund DICON named after him (apologies to Comrade Kalashnikov) but what would future Nigerian bloggers describe him as? Details
Atiku’s Clean Bill Of Health Over PTDF. By Musa Ilallah One must come to the conclusion that the attempt to paint Atiku as a corrupt official of government who had done so many bad things in the PTDF is therefore untrue, unfounded, malicious, null and void. It is just politics and nothing more. Atiku has been vindicated by the review committee report. The report has finally cleared him of any wrong doing. Details
Atiku/Obasanjo Feud: Oba Should Stop Dancing Naked. By Saint Azuh Over the past eight years, little by little, the Nigerian people have divorced themselves from Nigeria. An economic crisis seemingly without end has broken for many the link of confidence that tied them to society. Frankly, this situation cannot be said to be a matter of fatigue, nor malaise, but a veritable collective depression. Details
Atiku: In The Threshold Of History. By Ishaq Alhassan Qauranmata Vice president Atiku Abubakar is indeed man of the moment, especially as regards Nigeria’s match to the coming general elections. Whether you belong to the camp of those hell bent on scuttling his presidential ambition, or to the ‘no Atiku no election’ school, you cannot deny that the vee-pee is the issue of the moment. Details
Why Atiku Abubakar Will Lose in the April Elections. By Oluwaseun Fagbemi As a concerned citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I have a great stake in the future of my country. I wish the dreams of the founding fathers of this nation, and "the labour of our heroes past" to be fruitful. As a citizen, I am concerned who leads me into this future of a great Nigeria, through service of "our fatherland". May I tell you, Mr. Atiku Abubakar, you were tried in this service—to lead Nigeria as Vice President and you failed to give us the desired leadership. We are afraid of your self-seeking style. Details
Action Congress [AC] And ANPP Marriage Of Inconvenience. By Benjamin Ogbebulu Yar Adua according to report, is a man who is very conscious of the sufferings of the downtrodden masses of Nigeria and totally devoted and committed to providing dynamics and responsible leadership as currently seen in Katsina where he is currently the governor of the state Details
The Ultimate Contest of Two Katsina Titans for Aso Rock. By Chinnedu O. Eboh Alhaji Umar Yar'Adua, the Governor of Katsina State on one hand, and General Mohammadu Buhari, a retired Army general and former Head of State, on the other. Ideologically, General Buhari can be described as a right-wing reactionary who has contested, lost and is back to lose again for same post. Yar'Adua is a progressive democrat, indeed left of centre and best known for bringing about development of Katsina State. Details
So Obasanjo Stinks To High Heavens. By Jide Ayobolu One would not have thought that President Olusegun Obasanjo is also patently corrupt. This is a person that had carried on like Mr. Clean, even at a point he was on the board of Transparent International. In fact, when he came on board in 1999, one of the cardinal programmes of his government was the war against corruption. Details
Don't Let Them Do this to Us: A Message to Nigerian Youths. By Nnaemeka Oruh And when you go to assassinate a political opponent, or to hijack a ballot box and you make any mistake, you will be the one to be destroyed, and not the politician that sent you. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why the politicians do not send their sons and daughter? Or is it that they do not have any? Oh! their children are abroad! I pray we should use our senses and ensure they do not do this to us again. Details
BBC Hausa Service Celebrates 50th Anniversary. By Babandi Gumel The BBC Hausa Service marks the fiftieth Anniversary of its broadcast with series of programmes transmitted by the Service since its formation fifty years ago. Among the archives programmes included the first broadcast made on Wednesday the 13th March 1957 at 0930 GMT by Late Aminu Abdullahi Malumfashi exactly fifty years ago. The Late Aminu Malumfashi was known to be the first ever broadcaster of the BBC Hausa Service. Details
I am not trying to weaken the effects of colonization and slavery, but given the world around us and the impact that Nigerians have made, we should have been half-way down the road to self realization. Like Nigeria, many African nations have been liberated for more than 40 years now. Can somebody please hoot me when do we take a step in the right direction? Our problems in Africa and Nigeria go beyond colonization and slavery. Details
Open Memo To Nigerian Armed Forces, Police And Security Agencies; 2007 Elections. By Max Gbanite Nigeria’s checkered political history is replete with mis-management of power and electoral process resulting in the replacement of ‘politicians’ by ‘militricians.’ For instance, take a look at some excerpts of what your colleagues, starting with the current commander-in-chief wrote in their respective books while describing the truncation of democratization in Nigeria. Details
Atiku, Amala Cave Mentality, and Shadows. By S. A. Spinoza Atiku may not be your version of an "effective leader", but it is up to 'us' to decide, according to 'our' own will and according to the rulings of the courts and laws of the land, not according to the shadows of your Cave. Your fellow Amala cronies in the present National Assembly might have joined you in thinking that Atiku is insane and paranoid. Details
Buhari Campaign: One Problem Too Many. By Hassan S. Indabawa We have equally dwelt on how The Buhari Organization (TBO) has refused to leave the scene months after it was supposedly “collapsed” into the mainstream ANPP, and how its members have continued to make new enemies for their principal, Buhari. We have warned Buhari to beware of them, to ask himself why his personal ambition to become Nigeria’s next president is steadily losing the support of people who matter a lot, how he is so ill advised, and how he seems to be taking the wrong steps nearly all the time.
How Atiku Abubakar Failed Nigeria. By Fagbemi Oluwaseun In a recent newspaper publication, Abubakar maintained that, Obasanjo has failed Nigeria in all aspects of government. He however, failed to point out where he, as the Vice President had succeeded in all aspects of government. He then promised that if elected as the next President, he would 'reform' the reforms of the present administration and make life more bearable for Nigerians. Details
Vice President Atiku Abubakar Has Done No Wrong With Regards To The PTDF Funds. By Jide Ayobolu The money that was kept in ETB yielded profit and has since been returned to the coffers of the government. Hence, no money was lost in the PTDF fund scandal, much more importantly and he did not benefit directly or indirectly from the transactions. But the same cannot be said of President Obasanjo. Details
Gani Fawehinmi Versus Olu Onagoruwa. By Adebisi Obafemi In recent times both Gani Fawehinmi and Dr Olu Onagoruwa has been sparring on the pages of newspapers and books. These men aside from been legal luminaries and respected members of the society were good friends until the late dictator General Sanni Abacha became the Military Head of State in Nigeria and Dr Olu Onagoruwa accepted to serve in his corrupt administration as the nation’s Attorney General Details
Can a Community Develop Without Government’s Aid? By Abdullah Musa So in our own context, it is impossible to develop because development means different things to different people. The Yoruba press and clubs were vociferous in their attacks on the Northerners for their corruption when they held power. Recently a permanent secretary, who is their son, was being prosecuted for corruption, and the government being headed by their own kin, decided to discontinue the case. This act was acceptable to them. How then can the government be an agent for the development of society when there is no agreement on the set of values that are to guide the development? Details
Obasanjo's Interpretation of the Constitution: A Nigeria's Nightmare. By I used to be a cheer leader of Obasanjo, once upon a time, and few of my past articles on him have clearly confirmed that position. I began to have my doubts, however, and I have wondered aloud in many of my latest articles about his motivation for doing things or behaving so crudely and strangely on other occasions, as required in a Democracy. Details
Revolutionary Ademoyega’s Departure, Ends an Era. By Carlisle U.O. Umunnah From reliable sources, communication exchanges between Nzeogwu and Nigerians troops were intercepted by Biafran Secret Intelligent Services—SS-56 that serviced the Biafran Central Government at Enugu were filled with early warning information to Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu. Additional report shows that Nzeogwu and his 1966 group were most feared by Biafran Authorities. It was latter reported that Nzeogwu was short from behind during the war and not by enemy’s fire during the hostilities. Details
Wanted: Clear Response to Allegations of Looting Against Obasanjo on PTDFgate. By Senior Fyneface It was alleged with facts and figures that President Obasanjo diverted the resources of the PTDF to the running of the PDP particularly the funding of all the heinous crimes including killings committed before and during the 2003 general elections. The third term campaign was squarely funded from the PTDF accounts as alleged. Funds were taken from the PTDF accounts to pursue funny projects most of which are non-existent. These were substantial allegations which Nigerians expected a clear response from their leader. Details
A Borderless Prison. By Zayyad I. Muhammad The recent census figures show that the population of Nigeria has geometrically risen to 140 million, but public access to basic needs including water supplies has not; water scarcity and population growth are two correlating issues; it is no more news that millions of Nigerians are coping with scarcity of clean, portable and affordable water. Details
Emerging Leaders And Citizens As Catalysts. By Uche Nworah Perhaps this year (2007) would be Nigeria’s chance or perhaps not. A humble guess may probably reveal that majority of Nigerians would wish that the outcome of the April 2007 general elections should consolidate Nigeria’s slow but steady match towards national rebirth. If we miss this forthcoming opportunity, we may be leaping backwards into our darkest past, unable to finally take our place amongst the global community of nations as one of the re-emerging economies and stable democracies in the world. Details
Total Loss of Confidence in Professor Iwu and His INEC. By Dr. Wunmi AkintideFew are impressed with the belated assurances by the President and his handpicked Chairman of the so-called Independent National Electoral Commission, that the elections would be free and fair. The problems are compounded when the President and Professor Iwu now use the name of God in vain to support their honest intention to conduct a fair and free election. Details
Edmund Daukoru: An Emerging Godfather in Bayelsa State Politics. By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde There is already a crisis in the Niger Delta -- the crisis between the federal government, the oil companies and aggrieved communities and militant groups. We cannot afford to add more complications. We cannot afford, and must not encourage a situation whereby an individual goes about the state -- using his stupendous wealth and the power of his office -- to cause commotion and awaken negative sentiments that have been quiescent for a long time. Details
Give Me Your Sick, Your Brains With Your Money. By Farouk Martins, Omo Aresa However, many foreign businessmen claim that Nigeria is the best place to do business and get the highest returns on their money. Price of commodities hardly falls, real estate booms, and natural resources beaucoup. Details
Mass Investment In Oshiomhole. By Kola Ibrahim To me, Adams would have been another Hugo Chavez (of Venezuela) if he had not limited himself to the confine of Edo state; if he had courageously believed in the mass movement and support of the downtrodden which he had utilized for his eight year sojourn in the Labour House; if he had embraced a radically different, working class, anti-neo-liberalism and anti-imperialist socio-economic cum political views which would have made him to be the genuine vanguard of the masses Details
OAU Crisis: The Distortions Of The Registrar. By Raheem Kolawole I read with shame and dissatisfaction the advertorial of the Obafemi Awolowo University management published in punch newspaper of Monday 11th march this year. The said statement does not only represent nothing but concocted falsehood and a falsehood not corrected is capable of becoming the truth in the mind of unsuspecting public especially parents and guardians. Details
Struggling Hope From The Womb Of Despair. By Leonard Shilgba, Ph.D. The Niger Delta problem is a simple equation that can be solved by few steps and minimal application of axioms. Our Presidential candidates must not propose complex theories to a simple problem; neither should they create another bureaucracy to enthrone demi-gods whose patronage must be sought by sycophants for selfish satisfaction. We do not need a Ministry of Niger Delta. I am sorry if this assertion is annoying to some who propose differently. Let us consider some applicable axioms of hope on the Niger Delta issues. Details
Niger Delta Governors: Where Is Our Money? By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde The nine federating states of the Niger Delta have received more money than the next fifteen states combined. What have the governments in the Niger Delta done with their robust allocations? Where has our money -- billions and billions and billions of dollars -- gone? What happened to the people’s money? Where is progress in terms of quality and meaningful education; jobs with decent wages; abundant food that meets basic dietary standards; afford health care; environmental and personal security; and good governance. Whatever happened to all the billions and billions of dollars that have been collected by these governors the past 6-8? Details
Politics in Nigeria is big business. It confers instant prominence on quite a number of people who have little talent for other things. Those who today are at the helm of national affairs cannot contemplate life on the other side of the political fence. In some societies those who have lost out in the political game have other attractive options to fall back on but this is hardly so in the Nigerian society of today. Details
The Minister for Energy and the Ticking Time Bomb. By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde ThisDay Newspaper (03.12.2007) is reporting that the “Minister for Energy, Dr. Edmund Daukoru has warned that the Niger Delta was sitting on a time bomb with their present attitude of youths refusing to position themselves technically to reap from investments in the oil and gas sector but instead, choose to resort to violence.” Sadly and painfully, Daukoru got it wrong. He missed the point. Therefore, his warning is of no consequence. Details
Our Hospitals and Our Presidential Aspirants: A Wake Up Call. By Dr Rabiatu Hadi When will access to health service desist from being a privilege and become a right in my country Nigeria? I pray for the oppressors as well as the oppressed, But please God deliver us from the hands of our leaders because they are becoming agents of mass destruction, Make Nigerian masses healthy because we cannot afford treatment in Germany or England! Details
The verdict is out that indeed the Independent National Electoral Commission has no constitutional power to disqualify any candidate from contesting the election once his or her party had screened the candidates and submitted such names to the electoral commission just for the purpose of verification. It is so annoying to say the least that the organization that is vested with the awesome power to arrange, plan, organize and hold elections will be conveniently oblivious of this simple rule. Details
Aftermath Of The ‘Storm’. By Abubakar, Yusufu So those calling him a sick man are the ones who are sick. After all, only God can tell who is sick or not. I wonder how somebody can open his mouth and say that a human being created by God is a sick man. I am sure he has proven to those who say he cannot stand stress that all that is not true” I hope by now Mr. President will agree that a medical doctor can say when a man is sick. Details
NNPC GMD in $7 Billion Contract Controversy. By Senior Fyneface Nigeria is one interesting country where anything goes and it is taking casually as one of those things. If not, how can anybody explain that since the very serious allegation reported by some national media that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been fingered in the massive fraud and corruption that has drained the NNPC nothing has been said by either the accused person or the corporation. Details
The Politics Of Conviction And That Of Convenience. By Babandi Gumel The very way politicians of our time now play politics is entirely different from the past politicians. Even though you find some of the politicians lived with Late Malam Aminu Kano and Awolowo and knew their legacies who by nature should follow their own legacies yet they prefer to join the other band wagon new breed of politicians either for name and fame or for convenience to achieve their selfish objectives. Details
Law Of Torture And Confession, Prisoners Welfare And Rehabilitation. By Anthony Okosun How did the Nigerian penal system degenerate so badly? Billions of naira are voted annually for the maintenance of detainees and for the general running of the prison system and the police force. How much of that sum actually go into the system ? Nigeria's president Olusegun Obasanjo was himself a detainee not too long ago. However from all indications, it seems he has forgotten so soon, his own experience in detention. Details
OAU Crisis: Who Is To Blame? By Taiwo Ajayi Contrary to the self-absolving posture of the University Management at a press conference held recently at Osogbo where the Vice-Chancellor promised that an investigative panel already set up to look into the crisis will identify whether any lecturer actually violated the lecture free week and that such lecturers will be punished, the University Management did not even give students demand an hearing thus preparing the ground for the crisis. Details
Freelance Criticism Of Obasanjo's Blackmail Of Rahman Olusegun Mimiko Is Not Necessarily An Endorsement. By Dr. Wunmi Akintide Like so many Nigerians and Ondo State citizens around the world, I was naturally pissed off by the Obasanjo's indictment and characterization of Mimiko as a corrupt politician and his insinuation or incitement that Nuhu Ribadu, his attack dog and the EFCC would soon be after him to cut him down to size. To me what Obasanjo as President was doing was tantamount to hitting Mimiko below the belt in his holier-than- thou effort to project Olusegun Agagu as the Saint and his only horse in the gubernatorial race in Ondo State. Details
The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Challenges Ahead. By Salihu Mohammed Lukman One thing that must be placed in proper perspective is that external image of any organisation does not necessary depict its strength, capacity or even potential. The image of the NLC today is largely reflection of its role against the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. The capacity of the Oshiomhole leadership to spearhead the struggle against arbitrary price adjustments of petroleum products was the source of its relative popularity. Details
Safety of Presidential Candidates: Between Politics and Genuine Concern. By Ifeanyi Izeze “Umaru, there is this wild rumour that you have died as they said I too died in Accra, Ghana. So what do you want to say to people here”? Yar’ Adua replied: “I am very fine. Accept my apologies for not being with you in Abeokuta. I am very much alive and well”. Seriously speaking, nothing has generated such anxiety and genuine concern in the recent political history of the country like the speculated death of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Umaru Yar’ Adua. Details
Still on Census 2006: The Real Issues. By Marshall Ifeanyi Most critics cry foul over the figures which they believe were manipulated for financial advantages to some states accruing from the federation account, especially as regards the controversy over Lagos and Kano figures. A notion which is largely misconstrued as large population is not only the indices on which money is allocated to states. This group believes that with the influx of people on a daily basis into Lagos, the state’s population had grown astronomically in the last 15 years. Details
Nigeria: Phony Federalism Blues II. By Benedict Okereke The April, 2007 elections in Nigeria shall be a "do-or-die affair." Many have denounced this statement as ominous and un-Presidential. But, it is either that those that do not see the raison d'ètre for this outburst of the President have a disdain for the truth, or they are preoccupied with the moral question: must the truth be told even if it may go to jeopardize the electoral system? By the time we examine from the right perspective this "do-or-die" attitude of our politicians toward elections, culpabilty goes to the federal structure we operate through which whoever wins the Presidency literally controls the air we breathe. Details
Obnoxious and Dangerous Electoral Act (Amendment Bill 2007). By Anthony Okosun Why is it that Nigerians never learn from history. Even recent history. Why is the senate meddling and gambling with Nigeria's electoral laws. Remember the June 12 1993 elections won by the bon vivant, epicurean, sybarite, hedonistic and monstrously philanthropic Aare M. K. O. Abiola, annulled by the smiling and Machiavellian Ibrahim Babangida. Details
Namadi Sambo: Shedding His Excess Baggage. By Ishaq Alhassan Qauranmata It is no exaggeration to say that the current Kaduna state government has, in the last eight years, used the media very effectively to blow its trumpet. So much has been reported about “unprecedented development projects” that any attempt to criticize is dismissed simply as mischief or politics. To be fair to the government though, one must admit that it has positively touched the lives of especially some rural areas of the state. Details
Sexuality, Violence And Hiv/Aids In Nigeria. By Ejiro Joyce Otive-IgbuzorThis paper amongst other things showcases HIV/AIDS as a gender issue and posits that programmatic activities must focus on gender equality as a central theme in order to make an impact. It further establishes that just like gender, sexuality and sexual relations are socially constructed and are dynamic. In addition to exploring the various forms of violence perpetrated against women and girls, it highlights violence as both a cause and consequence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Nigeria. It concludes by recommending interventions to break the cycle of violence in order to control the epidemic. Details
The Myth and Reality of African Corruption. By Moses Ochonu Finally, with the number of headlines that the corruption problem in Africa routinely grabs, especially in the West, one might be tempted to think that Africans are corrupt by nature, or that they are more corrupt than other peoples. Many Westerners and some Africans actually believe this to be true, partly because every discussion of Africa’s economic and political predicaments devolves lazily into a discussion of corruption. It is false. Per capita (the volume of corruption vis-à-vis population), Africans are much less corrupt than other peoples. Details
Nigeria Among the Top 20 Nations in 2020? By Joachim Ibeziako Ezeji The year 2020 is already a mirage like the then much touted better life of year 2000 that came and passed, leaving many Nigerians worse than they met it. To really give meaning to any attempt for improvement or the attainment of any grace at what ever level today or in times to come, it is germane to remind the PDP government that public involvement is essential for reforms to be sustained, and institutional development must be embedded in broader political and governance reforms. Details
Nigerian Women And The Challenges Of MDGS. By Atayi Babs Opaluwah With the 2015 target year almost half gone, a penetrative gaze into the plight of the Nigerian woman and her counterparts in other parts of the world today will unearth an embarrassing degree of unfulfilled hopes and programmed failures garnished with a tinge of patriarchal laxity and ideological hypocrisy on the part of the women themselves. Details
On Becoming a Pastor: My Journey So Far. By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde Every Church needs the foolish and the gullible, the poor and the illiterates, the weak and the browbeaten, along with the hopeless. Otherwise, how else could Churches and their chief executive officers succeed? How else could pastors and reverends become multi-millionaires, with the ability to send their children and grandchildren to the best schools and hospitals and vacation spots in Europe and the Americas? Details
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