Last week, President Bola Tinubu finally showed Nigerians where his sympathy lies in the long-drawn battle between the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, and his estranged godson and governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara. Apart from the President and his benefiting All Progressives Congress (APC) party goons, everyone else knows who the aggressor is and who the victim is. However, for political convenience and expediency the APC and its supporters and sympathisers are pretending not to know that while the victim is being vilified, the aggressor is being enabled and empowered. If not for anything, because a weakened and…
Author: Charles Okoh
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the death sentence of one Sunday Jackson of Adamawa State by hanging for murder. According to the report, sometime in 2015, Jackson, 29, a farmer and student from Dong Community in Demsa LGA of Adamawa, was working on his farm in Kodomti Community in Numan LGA when a herdsman, Buba Ardo Bawuro, casually herded his animals into his farm to feed on his crops. When Jackson challenged him, he pulled out a knife and attacked the farmer. In spite of his injuries, Jackson was able to overpower him, seized the knife and stabbed…
The recent sexual harassment scandal that rocked the National Assembly and the scurried reaction to banish Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senator representing Kogi Central, to as far away as possible from the Senate only exposes that supposedly hallowed chamber to public ridicule more than it did to silence her. Can the Senators convince themselves that they have been fair enough to Senator Natasha, who had accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment? Which is by far a more serious allegation than the issue of abuse of privileges and rules for which they, with the speed of light, sent…
Last week Thursday’s show of shame by the former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, when he forcefully took over the premises of the state’s legislative chamber, is to say the least troubling. Obasa’s conduct last Thursday was the culmination of his melodramatic reactions so far, to a development that is simply a vote of no confidence in him by the very same members of the Assembly he has presided over for 10 years as the longest serving speaker in the state. On 13 January, Mr Obasa was impeached by a two-thirds majority of the House…
Last week, former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, finally released his long expected autobiography on his role in office and his personal life. Expectedly, of all that was said at the launch which was witnessed by all the living former presidents and heads of state, except Muhammadu Buhari who was represented, the issues around his annulment of the 1993 presidential election won by the late Moshood Abiola, remains the most controversial and would continue to haunt him for as long as he lives. The cancellation of that election which was adjudged the freest and fairest of elections ever conducted…
Friday’s announcement of the death of Pa Ayo Adebanjo came as a rude shock to most Nigerians. For a nonagenarian, death can come at any time but Pa Adebanjo was rarely reported as being ill and was very active until his death. He was very active and spoke so clearly, intelligently and never showed signs of any of those debilitating ailments associated with older people. Pa Adebanjo cannot be said to have died young at 96, but if there is one Nigerian badly needed today, more than ever before, to guide us to building that united nation that has remained…
Last week, Thursday precisely, there was a report that the Federal Government was tinkering with the idea of a policy change from the current 6-3-3-4 education policy to a straight 12-4 model. The difference being that it will be a straight 12 years primary and secondary education without interruption and four years tertiary education. Of course a lot of people were not impressed by the report, because even though it was later debunked, the half-hearted denial did not do much to dissuade the general feeling that indeed something along that line is still being planned, even though it is still…
A monolithic economy, we are told, refers to an economic system that is heavily reliant on a single industry, sector, or commodity. Nigeria is never short in supply of seminal works on how to avoid the inherent and imminent consequences of over-reliance on a mono-product economy. We know that our over-reliance on oil has made our economy vulnerable to fluctuations in that industry. All efforts to diversify the economy have failed largely because of corruption and the lack of political will to see these through. Agriculture, which is a low hanging fruit from which we can at least feed ourselves…
Dear Coach, congratulations on your appointment as the new coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. To say your appointment shocked a lot of Nigerians is stating the obvious but knowing Nigerians for who we are, we have taken you as one of us. You are welcome and in a very safe environment. I dare say you cannot find more hospitable, charming and friendly people anywhere in the world than in Nigeria. This boisterous characteristic of the average Nigerian has continued to attract friendly and not too friendly hosts wherever we find ourselves. However, generally speaking, I make bold to…
As the nation struggles to attain greatness and development, there is the need to get not just all hands on deck but more so, those with integrity and proven track records to chart a course for the nation and as well provide the desired leadership in every sector of the economy to attain our collective goal of placing this nation on the trajectory of greatness, not just on the continent but globally. That Nigeria’s problem can be situated squarely on the failure of leadership cannot be contested. It’s this lack of leadership that continues to weigh down on all efforts…
Last week’s crowning of Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman as African Footballer of the Year by CAF, making him the sixth Nigerian player to receive the award, is very instructive and a lesson for many budding football talents, especially those living outside of their home country of origin. Lookman is talented and level-headed. He is very professional in his approach to the game and from indications his parents’ influence in shaping his life has gone a long way to making him who he is. I must confess that I have never had any close contact with him but from his conduct on…
Last week, world football governing body, FIFA, granted oil-rich Saudi Arabia the hosting right of the World Cup for 2034. This is coming shortly after Qatar successfully hosted in 2022. This decision, like that of Qatar, has sparked controversy due to concerns over human rights in Saudi Arabia. Critics argue that the country is using the tournament to launder its image and distract from its human rights record. The bidding process was also criticized for lacking transparency. Saudi Arabia was the only country to submit a bid, and the decision was made through an online FIFA Congress with minimal media…
Nigeria is a federation that operates a unitary system of government. An arrangement that both in operations and characteristics is difficult to find elsewhere. We copied democracy elsewhere but ours in operation and character is without rival, it’s simply unique to us. Everything novel or in practice elsewhere we copy, we simply adulterate. We are taught in elementary government that democracy stands on a tripod; the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. We are told that the distinct and independent nature of these three arms of government are made to ensure checks and balances for effective governance and maintenance of rule of…
One of the greatest threats to the existence of Nigeria is the ugly tendencies of wanting to view everything concerning us as Nigerians through the narrow prisms of tribe, religion and politics. This unfortunate situation has become even more exacerbated by the shameful twist of hate, fear, violence and mutual distrust which have now come to form part-and-parcel part of our politics of late. It’s not as though some of these unfortunate negative tendencies have not always been part of our existence but, they have never been this bad where nothing is taken lightly anymore. Today, people are so edgy…
A week ago, precisely last week Sunday, Nigeria’s Chidimma emerged as the first runner up at the 73rd Miss Universe contest held in Mexico. Adetshina was just a step away from achieving the feat of her compatriot, Agbeni Darego, who had won the Miss World pageant in 2001. The final moments of the event at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, announced early Sunday morning saw Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women stood poised to claim the crown. Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua. The…
It is befuddling to contemplate that months after the commencement of production by the Dangote Refinery we are still neither here nor there in our effort to enjoy the benefits of locally refining our God-given resource, crude oil. Only one word can best explain this conundrum, corruption. For many years, we tried to no avail to have one functional refinery. Year after year, billions of dollars have been spent turning around and maintaining what has never been in use. Timelines and deadlines have been issued to fix at least one refinery but the brutal reality is that the refineries were…
The Northern elite are the major problem facing the North. This has never been in doubt. The problem of the region has now come full circle and confronts the very same elite that created it and until they clean their own mess, nobody from outside that region can do it for them. Since the independence of Nigeria, especially since this dispensation from 1999, the North have held power more and have literally come to see governance as the prerogative of the North alone. But to what use have they put this stronghold on power to benefit the region and the…
Last week, a supposed honourable member of the House of Representatives, Alex Ikwechegh, suddenly gained national notoriety for exhibiting all that is wrong with our society. He attracted attention not for his contributions to advancing or improving the cause for which he was supposedly voted for but for an unbecoming attitude for which our so-called big men and politicians have come to be known. For most elite politicians, humiliating, harassing and intimidating the very people they are supposed to represent is a part of their new status, as ‘big men.’ For Ikwechegh and his likes, there will always be a…
One of the greatest challenges that confront the youth population in the country today is the abuse of drugs and other substances. The problem of drug trafficking and abuse in the country is pandemic and at an alarming proportion. The corrosive effect of both the trafficking and consumption in our society today is such that a cosmetic, peripheral or haphazard approach to fighting this scourge would only amount to a waste of time and resources. The fight has to be holistic or systematic, intentional, aggressive and all-encompassing. In other words, our attempts to snatch the lives of millions of our…
For once, the world would have its gaze on the African continent to see what the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) would be on the disgraceful conduct of the Libyan Football Federation and its government during the botched second leg AFCON qualifiers between the North African nation and Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Having played the first leg in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Nigeria, three days earlier, the ill-mannered Libyans had in their usual cunning nature orchestrated what they planned well ahead of time to look like an ill-treatment in Nigeria just so they can execute their…
One inestimable and precious lesson which lots of men have refused to learn is the fact that nothing on earth lasts forever. If as the bible says there’s for everything on earth time and season, how is that so many still find it extremely difficult to come to terms with this timeless, unimpeachable reality of life? The one single reason why many otherwise great men fall is because they simply find it hard to realise that life itself is transient and therefore, everything therein on earth will come and go. Power comes and goes, Kingdoms rise and fall, man comes…
Nigeria was 64 last Tuesday. On that day in 1960, expectations were high and the country’s founding fathers had lofty dreams about a nation that was destined for the top with all the resources, both natural and human. However, 64 years later, it has been a dashed dream thus far. In 64 years, leadership has completely failed the nation. Myopia and greed have left us in the middle of nowhere like a ship in the sea with incompetent crew and no compass. You would think that given our present realities we would have learnt a lesson or two but, no,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have with recent events, proven to those who never believed in its abilities to properly prosecute financial fraud offenders without bias, that it has outlived its usefulness. An anti-graft agency that seems only out to diligently hunt and prosecute small fries while bungling high-profile cases involving men and women of means certainly cannot provide the much desired check on economic and financial crimes that hold this nation hostage. At the outset of the agency, incidentally under Nuhu Ribadu, who is the current National Security Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there were…
It is difficult to talk about the menace of insecurity across the country and not risk sounding like a broken record. We have complained and wailed about the seeming half-hearted or total lack of will to end the reign of terrorists, bandits and armed non-state actors in the last 10 years. We hit an all-time low during the lackadaisical reign of President Muhammadu Buhari. For Buhari, the fight against insecurity was tainted by religious bigotry and ethnic sentiment. Buhari’s government spent more time making up excuses for murderers and defending mind-boggling wanton raids, destruction and killings across the country for…
The northeastern state of Borno has been ravaged by several disasters, especially in the recent past. For a state that has been held captive by the activities of Boko Haram insurrectionists and is still struggling to cope with the number of internally displaced persons arising thereof and the debilitating effect of the economy generally, these should be more than enough trouble for any state to bear. According to Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, the severe impact of the insurgency has led to the loss of over 300,000 lives, the destruction of numerous classrooms, and hundreds of other facilities. Prof.…
They have always told us that politics is dirty but nobody informed us that there are also mad men in politics and that in politics indiscretion and sloppiness are virtues. It is sad that perhaps, because of the stupendous wealth and power politicians wield, there is something that makes some of them absolute nut cases, insensitive and unreasonable. Former Edo governor and one-time NLC president, Adams Oshiomhole, has consistently proven that wisdom indeed does not come with age. A man can be 100 years old and yet lacks wisdom. Oshiomhole has shown that the older he gets the more reckless,…
Indeed all is not well. Gradually, we have enthroned, crowned, institutionalised and entrenched absurdities as a way of life. In fact, doing normal things now looks abnormal while those who practise abnormalities are now looking like those with virtues worthy of emulation. At what point did this descent to anomie become validated and acceptable? Today, it is acceptable and normal not to have petrol to buy from the filling stations but right in front of the filling stations are touts brandishing petrol for sale to motorists. As it is now, it’s more normal now than driving into a filling station…
Insecurity remains the biggest challenge and one of the major reasons we are where we are today. Insecurity is the major reason we are experiencing food scarcity and the very high cost of living. Insecurity is a major factor militating against our march to industrialisation and development. Insecurity is retarding our planned development of tourism as a major money-spinning sector to boost our dwindling foreign exchange earnings. Insecurity is the reason lots of intending investors are looking elsewhere to invest. Insecurity is second only to corruption as two of the biggest challenges facing Nigeria today. Sadly, the approach of the…
On July 25, this year, a true Igbo son and a totally detribalised Nigerian, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, embarked on that inevitable journey which all mortals must one day travel. He has quit this stage of betrayal, hatred, jealousy and evil. For Chief Iwuanyanwu, it was an eventful 82 years on earth and a life spent touching souls in several diverse spheres of human endeavours. Like every human, Iwuanyanwu is not without his own shortcomings, but if there is one Nigerian who believed in the strength in the diversity of the country and used it to benefit and to uplift…
Last week we tried to call the attention of the Federal Government on the need to take the clear message which some Nigerians sent across from the streets during the #EndBadGovernance protest across the country as a guide or feedback to understanding what really agitates the people or how the people on the streets perceive governance at all levels. We had argued and warned against seeing the action of the people as a revolt or call for regime change, which often tends to be a smokescreen for hunting down opposition or perceived enemies of governments. This is more so, given…
