Opinion

The sonorous songstress, Onyeka Onwenu, has just passed, but my duty here is to add the human angle to the legend of the goddess. Onyeka Onwenu, inimitable singer, ace broadcaster and classy actress took no prisoners in all her undertakings. Back in 1986, in the early days of the defunct …

Protest is all the rage in Nigeria today. Democracy allows for peaceful protest, but it is well-nigh impossible for overzealous state agents and sundry nefarious elements not to conjure up violence to complicate matters. In this wise, the demons of death are on the loose, arranging mayhem and spreading damnation. …

The late Emeritus Professor Akin Mabogunje was a quintessential scholar-practitioner whose work had a profound impact on Nigeria’s development. His commitment to excellence and rigorous training enabled him to produce groundbreaking work, demonstrating the importance of continuous learning and expertise in achieving impactful research and practice. This article explores Mabogunje’s …

[email protected] 0807 552 5533 Those threatening to stage nationwide protests are badly heating up the polity. The government that is fretting about it is also helping to make a bad situation worse. Everyone, therefore, is in a panic mode. Many will die before they see what is going to kill …

“Unlike the stomach, the brain doesn’t alert you when it’s empty.” – Arabic proverb. There are many tales about how the tortoise got its cracked back. One with various versions stands out. It is the one in which the tortoise had two geese as friends. In the Buddhist scriptures, the …

Monday, 29 July, 2024 Nigeria is a drama, an entertainment. Listen to the ‘Wahala’ singer, Portable, as he wonders why anyone would want him to join this week’s proposed protests. Yes, he admits that he joined protests in the past. But he says that was when he was poor. “Now …

Any government can easily undermine its credibility if it sends mixed signals on essential policy issues or initiatives, flip-flops from one policy or strategic direction to another, and turns essential socioeconomic frameworks into a yo-yo game. The outcome and resultant consequences have  been consistent: a total erosion of integrity and …

July 28, 2024 Without moving his body, African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina, waltzed his tall frame in a dance last week. He danced to the rhythm of Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’s trending song track, Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche. A rhythmic refrain track …

July 28, 2024 All of a sudden, President Bola Tinubu is running from pillar to post. The febrile fear with which his presidency tries to stave off the proposed August 1 hardship protest is baffling. It seems to remind one of the biblical verse in Genesis 4:7 which says, “If …

[email protected] 0705 263 1058 When two elephants fight, the grass, they say, suffers. But when cabals fight, and fight dirty like the NNPC and Aliko Dangote are doing, what happens? Dogs eat dogs and chickens gnaw at each other’s intestines. Can of worms explode in the open and cupboards full …

Nigeria is currently experiencing a significant economic downturn, largely attributed to two major fiscal decisions: the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates. According to Charles Soludo, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the current administration had little choice but to eliminate fuel …

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is not a stranger to adversity or its more sinister cousin, sabotage.  One of the bitterest battles he has fought in the last 25 years – the cement war – was against his kinsman and founder of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu. Folks close to both …

No patriotic Nigerian should be delighted at the grave challenges facing the 650 barrels per day Dangote Refinery in Lagos. The challenges make efficient operations very difficult. Though Nigeria is a major oil exporter, the refinery commissioned early last year is now compelled to import crude from Brazil. The Nigerian …

Besides the trending old lyrics from Mike Ejeagha, “gwo gwo gwo gwom”, another issue that gained traction on social media platforms was the trademark diatribes from Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu. In his statements, he portrayed Mr. Peter Obi as an incurable anarchist without any …

[email protected] 0807 552 5533, 0803 251 0193, 0705 263 1058 Last week, Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) stirred the hornets’ nest when a letter addressed to the Lagos State branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria hit the newsstand. Dated Friday, July 19, 2024 and signed by its Head of Operations, …

 JUL 23, 2024 Last week’s update by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), reported that 103 Nigerians were officially confirmed dead due to rampaging cholera outbreak across the country. According to the Centre, it recorded a total of 3,623 suspected cases in 34 states and the Federal …

*Isaac Megbolugbe is a former practice leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, retired professor, Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University, and a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He resides in the USA. “Nigeria has refused to leverage her endowment to step into national unity and greatness”. Professor Tunji Olaopa “The …

Monday, 22 July, 2024 An old friend reviewed the ways of this government and said he thought Bola Tinubu should be afraid of the Greeks. “Yes, especially if they come with gifts,” I added to my friend’s warning. He smiled; I nodded. In that short conversation, we had just gone …

Nigeria is a complex and multifaceted country that elicits various thoughts and viewpoints. Yet, there is some order in disorder. My recent journey through books about contemporary Nigeria or autobiographies of Nigerians brought this reality to light. I have read many books, and in the spirit of Barbara Tuchman, I …

[email protected] 0705 263 1058 The Supreme Court decision that federally-allocated funds be paid directly to the local governments (LGs) has raised serious concerns about whether we are actually practising Federalism and, if we are, what variant of Federalism. The apex court’s decision was at the instance of the Federal Government …

July 21, 2024 Last Wednesday, Nigeria’s upper parliament became a grammar class where semantics, syntax and structure are examined. His Excellency, the Senate President of Nigeria, Godswill Obot Akpabio, suddenly became an emergency interpreter and lexicographer. Akpabio’s interpreter’s dilemma reminds me of Field Marshal Gerald Templer. A senior British Army …

The age-long challenge of ‘information overload’ is beginning to affect us in this part of the world and our leaders at all levels are exploiting it to prevent people from deepening understanding of the multifarious challenges they daily ignore in the context of their primary responsibility – security and welfare …

Introduction Reading Emeritus Professor Akin Mabogunje’s autobiography, almost two years after his passing, was a transcendent experience that embodied memories, reflections, and emotions. The intersectionality of our connection – our shared experiences, his mentorship, and our friendship – made it feel like an out-of-body experience, filled with a sense of …

Professor Andrew G. Onokerhoraye’s autobiography, “The Riches of His Grace,” is a captivating and eventful life story that offers a thoughtful reflection on the author’s experiences, challenges, and triumphs. The book is a testament to the riches of God’s grace, which has been abundant and lavish in the author’s life. …

Over the years, I have written about Obi on his birthdays, a tradition stemming from my annual tribute to Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu while he was alive. I celebrate individuals deserving of recognition, those who understand that a person’s worth is not measured by wealth amassed but by the positive impact …