The former U.S. president, Joe Biden, had barely spent a year in office when he hinted at his intention to contest for a second term, even though he would be 82 years old in 2025. The newly elected U.S. president, who is now 79 (in 2025), did not wait long after being sworn in for his second and final term before making statements that many interpreted as a desire to run for a third term—despite its clear unconstitutionality. This illustrates how the power of incumbency often comes with intense pressure and temptation, requiring extraordinary emotional intelligence to navigate the “banana…
Author: Bagudu Mohammed
A wave of celebration has swept through the North Central zone, particularly in Niger State, following the news that the long-anticipated North-Central Development Commission (NCDC) has been signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday, February 4, 2024. This landmark development was disclosed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session of the Senate upon resumption. He stated that President Tinubu had assented to the North-Central Development Establishment Bill to accelerate grassroots development. It is worth recalling that President Tinubu had earlier established the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the various regional development commissions, including the…
The top news this weekend is the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree in agriculture on Governor Umar Mohammed Bago of Niger State by the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. Although several events marked the university’s 33rd convocation and 42nd Founders’ Day celebration, which began on January 24, 2025—including the recognition of other awardees such as Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and Senator Musa Sani, popularly known as “313”—Bago’s honor this Saturday, February 1, 2025, by one of the nation’s top institutions presents a compelling story. It is fascinating to observe how FUT Minna has tapped into the…
The simplistic labeling of people as “dull” or “unintelligent” often feels inadequate and unjust, particularly when it dismisses those who may not excel in conventional areas like formal education or literacy. Intelligence is far too complex and nuanced to be confined to such narrow definitions. It is often a subjective oversimplification to describe someone as “highly intelligent” or “dull” without acknowledging specific strengths and contexts. Even individuals celebrated for their brilliance in certain domains can fail in areas considered basic or ordinary. For example, Bill Gates, the renowned billionaire and philanthropist, recently expressed his deepest regret: his divorce from Melinda…
There seems to be a deepening of political or democratic culture across all spheres of life, consciously or unconsciously. This is evident in the prioritization of votes or popular interests as the deciding factor in various situations or events. In essence, a growing interest among citizens—extending even to family levels—is being driven by decisions and actions that please, satisfy, or excite the majority, often at the expense of objective merit. This prioritization of subjectivity over objectivity reflects the profound influence of public sentiment. For instance, there is increasing pressure on celebrities, private business owners, public office holders, and other prominent…
There is a prominent perception or assumption that the Nupe people, the major ethnic group in Niger State, are highly educated, particularly in Western education. My attention was recently drawn to a social media post celebrating the group with immense pride as one of the most educated in Nigeria. This claim made me uncomfortable, prompting this examination of the factors behind such an assertion. This piece seeks to interrogate the foundations of this perception and consider whether the slogan or mantra of being “one of the most educated groups in Nigeria” truly aligns with the realities of the Nupe people.…
Although Western countries are not exempt from criticisms regarding their negative influences around the world, they have long enjoyed awe, respect, and recognition due to their significant contributions to making the world a better place—contributions that cannot be overlooked. Almost like a convention or unspoken agreement, there seems to be a consensus about the virtues, characters, philosophies, and actions deemed most noble, acceptable, and beneficial to celebrate, emulate, and encourage. Stories of such values have always been shared to inspire and contribute to the betterment of humanity. These narratives often center on personal noble values—values that hold no substitute as…
I once narrated a story about how communities in conflict with soldiers experience the other side of a soldier, which is often comparable to crisis situations, making many lose patience with accommodating them as soon as the crisis is over. Those who have witnessed conflict situations or violent protests necessitating military interventions to restore peace by enforcing curfews or mounting military checkpoints can attest that living with soldiers as civilians can be as hellish as war or crisis situations. These soldiers often make civilians, including women and children, do ‘frog jumps’ for petty issues such as gazing at them, throwing…
The news broke out this week, which is being widely circulated, that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has included a new set of 22 Nigerian words in its dictionary. This was acknowledged and interpreted by Dr. Kingsley Ugwuanyi, said to be a World Englishes/Nigerian English Consultant to the OED, as a reflection of the unique ways Nigerians express themselves and the growing influence of Nigerian English on global linguistics. Some of these words that have been newly added include 419, Japa, Eba, Yahoo boy, Abi, Naija, Suya, among others. Some words that were previously added include Tokunbo, Danfo, Jollof, K-leg,…
The statement attributed to Hon. Francis Ogbonna, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, revealing that all his five children are studying locally, sparked widespread admiration and approval on social media, with many commending his decision to pay only N35,000 in school fees while some of his commissioners spend as much as N2 million per term to educate their children abroad. This gesture has been hailed as an uncommon sacrifice, capable of inspiring other public officeholders to emulate his example and promote morality, fairness, and transparency in governance. One commenter even went as far as declaring Gov. Francis Ogbonna as his…
The Independent Newspaper’s January 1st, 2025 edition reports a staggering figure: the National Population Commission (NPC) registered over 10 million children under the age of 5 in just three months. This number encompasses both children registered at birth and those issued certificates later. However, this figure may be alarming only at face value, as it likely underrepresents the true number of births. Many children born outside government hospitals and primary healthcare centers may have gone unregistered, compromising the reliability of national birth rate data. According to UNICEF, Nigeria’s annual birth rate stands at approximately 7 million births per year. The…
