Values play a significant role when adopting learning approaches by individuals during their studies. Values are the baseline of the ethical compass and regulate people’s daily behavior. Values establish the ultimate goals one has to achieve and how to get them. Values guide every decision-making process. Values help someone define what is proper, correct, important, beautiful, worthwhile, or desirable. In essence, the “Results that Exposed our Values” can be interpreted in a few ways, all pointing to how our values are revealed through the outcomes of our actions and experiences. These outcomes can be in our academics, personal, professional, or…
Author: Richard Odusanya
Is democratization feasible in Africa? That is the million-dollar question that I wish to address. In this “recent wave of liberation” across the continent, Africa is rediscovering itself through intensifying struggles for DEMOCRACY. Thus, an overview of DEMOCRACY and good governance in Africa with regards to transparency, inclusiveness, and the fight against corruption. DEMOCRACY in Africa presents a complex picture, with both progress and setbacks. It is interconnected, with progress in one area often influencing the other. The quality of Africa’s democracies is, however, uneven; despite political changes, the entrenchment of democratic values remains shallow and compromised. However, some progress…
27 April in South Africa, reminds us of the immeasurable sacrifices made by individuals and nations to break them away from the chains of unjust segregation by a selected few. It reminds Africans of the efforts of their national heroes, particularly Nelson Mandela. He is regarded as a champion of freedom, not only in South Africa but the entire world. It is a day that not only marks the emancipation of South Africans from apartheid but also returned their essential human rights in 1994. The celebration is a reminder of the unity and diversity for all that was established on…
“Why has Nigeria, with all its natural wealth and human potential, continued to struggle while other equally endowed nations have advanced and prospered?” The room was charged with curiosity, frustration, and disbelief. How could a nation so richly endowed with natural resources, blessed with a youthful and talented population, and strategically located on the global map, stagnate—or worse, regress—for over six decades since independence? How could a country with such immense promise and a diaspora of highly skilled professionals devolve into a nation crippled by poverty, injustice, corruption, insecurity, and chronic underdevelopment? Following from the above experience at an international…
Natasha Akpoti was just a woman like Benazir Bhutto. Benazir, was a passionate, brilliant woman who loved her country, her people, her family and friends. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistani Prime Minister who was executed by the state of Pakistan. It’s difficult to describe Benazir Bhutto in words. She was a woman of so many faces; she was so many things to so many different people. Sometimes, I still look back and find myself humbled by the thought that I had created a ‘look’ for such an empowering woman, a great amazon and iconic global figure.…
Let’s begin with a ‘positive inference’ from our former President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo (GCFR), a Nigerian former army general and statesman who served as Nigeria’s head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 2007. Regrettably on several occasions, Obasanjo expressed serious reservations about issues of governance and its negative effects on the citizens of the countries in Africa. Obj posited: “Let me go back to the beginning where we got it wrong—the western liberal democracy, that is what the Europeans have. When you look at the western liberal democracy, it is a product…
Nigeria has, indeed, come a long way in its democratic journey. Notwithstanding its outward appearance, Nigeria’s democracy has consistently fallen short of true democratic principles. Despite close to 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, yet it oscillates between authoritarianism and hybrid regimes with manifest outright dictatorships, pervasive censorship, and an unstable political system that juggles a facade of democratic processes with repressive practices – which includes; widespread use of arbitrary arrest, detention, constant judicial harassment and miscarriage of justice. I am more worried about the legislative arm of government because of the principle of checks and balances and the enormous…
Building and operating domestic refineries in Nigeria is, arguably and intuitively, significantly more beneficial than importing ~cheaper, refined petroleum products. It is posited here that establishing domestic refineries would lead to substantial economic advantages like job creation, foreign exchange savings, improved product quality control, energy security, and a more robust domestic economy, even if initial costs might seem higher due to upfront investment in infrastructure development. In a nutshell, a refinery is a huge investment, especially for a country like Nigeria. (Globally, there is a surplus of refineries, and if you look closely, whether building a new one is a…
His Excellency, General Ibrahim Babangida GCFR, Dear Sir, It is with great respect and sincerity that we write this open letter to you following the release of your memoir, A Journey in Service, launched on February 20, 2025. The memoir has undoubtedly stirred up many discussions and emotions, providing a unique opportunity for you to share your perspective on the events of your tenure. However, as the book reviews the past, there remains one undeniable truth that continues to resonate deeply in the hearts of millions of Nigerians: the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election and the significant consequences…
Writing and reading play crucial societal roles, impacting various aspects of life, culture, and communication. Having the skills to communicate, read, and write is vital for social and economic development. It allows individuals to expand their knowledge and understanding of society…. In modern society and our globalized world, literacy is far more diverse than simply reading a book and understanding what we have read. Put succinctly, I am persuaded by the culture of writing and reading which is so important right now not only in books but also in what is written in posts. Writing conveys ideas that others can…
Eagles and lions are designed to do very different things. So pound-for-pound, the eagle has stronger muscles for flight and a stronger grip with its toes. The Lion has a stronger bite and stronger muscles for grappling, running, and leaping. Eagle symbolizes; loyalty, devotion, freedom, TRUTH, honor, divinity, hope, foresight and psychic revelation. Majestic and untamed, Lions personify nature’s grandeur. Their golden coats shimmer like the sun’s embrace, exuding power and prowess. Unsurprisingly, eagles can sometimes take down prey that is larger than themselves, but the bald eagle is a poor example. It’s a fish eagle, and catching fish is…
Welcome on board WT-2025. As we journey through this year 2025, may we all be blessed with the wisdom that is sufficient and similar to that of King Solomon to navigate its twists and turns. First, Let’s understand what wisdom is. Wisdom is the ability to make a good decision or judgement based on the knowledge, experience and understanding. In addition, wisdom can’t be given and is only grudgingly learned as exemplified by some of our offsprings. Furthermore, wisdom is the culmination of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Knowledge can be learned and judgement is a function of intelligence and…
Let’s begin on a personal experience with my meeting one-on-one with President Jimmy Carter. I was invited to a private dinner alongside ‘Waziri’ Abubakar Olusola Saraki, of the blessed memory, a Nigerian politician, who was the Senate leader in the Nigerian Second Republic, Nasir El-Rufai, the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and others at residence of the Ambassador by my friend, the then Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States of American Embassy, Mr. Tim Andrews in the early part of 2002. From my personal experience and observation at the dinner, I saw in Jimmy Carter,…
Living life in our beloved country, Nigeria, is unfortunately becoming harder by the day, no thanks to the prevailing and dire circumstances, which include corruption, profligacy, recklessness and the harsh economic realities. The examples of the recent revelation about Dele Farotimi (DF), Yahaya Bello and Betta Edu are clear evidence that Nigeria has more problems with corruption and abuse of office than we realise and admit. And that ignorance or pretence is even more crippling than the corruption that we all worry about. Put succinctly, our outer world mirrors our inside world, and we often find the truth too unpleasant…
At Independence in 1957, Ghana’s founding father Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah asserted that “the independence of Ghana would be meaningless unless it was tied to the total liberation of Africa”. The foremost Pan-Africanist went on to lead Ghana in playing a central role in the decolonisation process and liberation struggles across Africa. Nkrumah in his usual impeccable use of words with such calm precision became the motivation for Africa’s long move from the decolonisation era, and this generation of Ghanaians have carried on this enviable bequest – this time becoming a leading light in addressing Africa’s challenge of peaceful democratic transitions,…
Nigeria’s system rewards crooks and condemns the saints. That’s part of the reason for the impunity we all witness today. Profligacy, political instability, citizen alienation, terrorism, and violence define the Nigerian crime scene. Unarguably, Nigeria is a crime scene. Nigeria is a criminal enterprise for those in power and their friends in the corridors of power. But like the Evil Forest in Chinua Achebe’s magnum opus, Things Fall Apart, the Nigerian criminal enterprise kills a man on the day that his life is sweetest to him. Nigeria’s political landscape, from the Federal to the local levels, presents a reward system…
Let me start by congratulating former President Olusegun Obasanjo the Balogun Owu kingdom. Going through the Bible, I came across men like Daniel called the greatly beloved of God (Daniel 10:11); Abraham, a friend of God (James 2:23); David, a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22); Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo is another personality that is known to be a beneficiary of God’s benevolence. The former Head of state/President came from a Nigerian village Ibogun-Olaogun, Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria, to the pinnacle of power on the continent. Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military head of state between 1976 and 1979 and…
It is often said among the Igbos and the Yorubas that the wild cat must first be chased away before we blame the hen for wandering too far into the bush. But in the case of Nigeria and her dealings with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), we may have to actually first blame the hen for wandering away from the homestead before turning our attention to the wild cat – that is, if we can actually do anything to the wild cat. The Bretton Woods Institutions are monsters that developing countries must avoid at all costs if…
It is pertinent to begin by unequivocally positing that religion and spirituality are two different things. It would be a misnomer to call the organized religion prevalent in Africa today spirituality. African spirituality predates Christianity, Islam, and all other religions alien to Africa, Abrahamic or otherwise. As Prof. PLO Lumumba puts it, ‘Africans are spiritual because they believe and recognize that they are temporal beings and that there is a superior being.’ All over Africa, before the advent of organised religion, there had always been a belief in a superior being which is invariably referred to as a supreme being…
In preparation for the 64th Independence Anniversary, the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, had in September unveiled a new ‘national unity fabric’ as part of her Renewed Hope Initiative (apparently, the yin to the yang that is Renewed Hope Agenda). This fabric, we gather, will be worn across the country for the Independence Day celebrations on October 1st. According to the First Lady, the fabric is a symbol of national unity. While the First Lady is preoccupied with her ‘national unity fabric’, Nigerians, especially youths, are perfecting plans to take to the streets on October 1st in protest to demand…
Nation-building requires heroes. A nation without documented heroes or comprehensive documentation of the lives and times of their heroes and heroines, will not succeed in positively impacting as many young ones as are needed to berth a great country. So, essentially, a good number of the world’s most successful countries are endowed by the nourishment and talents of their diverse population which ultimately produces heroes. Heroes have always played a crucial role in binding societies, offering courage, sacrifice, leadership, and moral integrity narratives. Whether real or mythical, these individuals provide nations with a sense of history, identity, unity, and shared…
On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. The world’s largest and most luxurious ship, the Titanic was also one of the most technologically advanced. The ship had 16 watertight compartments designed to keep it afloat if damaged. This led to the belief that the ship was unsinkable. However, only four days into its maiden voyage, the Titanic struck an iceberg near Newfoundland, Canada. Her sinking two hours and forty minutes later at 02:20 ship’s time (05:18 GMT) on 15 April, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, making it one of the…
Happy posthumous 77th birthday to the great African leader, PAPA J. Jerry John Rawlings, a Ghanaian Air force Officer, aviator and politician who led the country for a brief period in 1979, and again from 1981 to 2001. He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the democratically elected President of Ghana. Gone but not forgotten, Rawlings’ enduring legacy remains indelible on his 77th posthumous Birthday. As an African patriot, I call us to remember our wakanda warrior, JJR. Rawlings is remembered for his efforts to combat corruption and promote social justice during his time…
It is important for us to seize the opportunity of the celebration of Eid Mubarak, “Blessed Feast/festival” to reflect on how the ideals and virtues of peace, harmony, brotherly love, selflessness, tolerance, honesty, fairness, justice and equity, taught by Islam and other religions, can be more extensively harnessed and deployed in addressing the developmental challenges and economic crises confronting our beloved country Nigeria. It is impossible to separate the present from the past to appreciate the extent to which mistakes of the past are affecting everyday life today. Albert Einstein once wisely said: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge…
As we mark the 31st anniversary of June 12, my mind strayed to the past as I recall the events of that fateful day and most significantly the years after the day. Please permit me to share with you the profound words of Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to by his initials LBJ, an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. Johnson emotionally posted: “our time we…
Let me share an example with the profound words of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. An American politician, statesman, conservationist, naturalist, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. Teddy profoundly posited: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. Teddy continued: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again…
Yahaya Bello is a chicken hiding under the costume of a Lion. ‘Chicken Hearted Man’ pretending to be a Lion. The story of Yahaya Bello is laced with controversies. The phrase “the chickens are coming home to roost” is well-known and often attributed to African American, anti-imperialist, revolutionary leader Malcolm X following the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. This refers, of course, to mean that the wrongs committed by an individual or political entity will likewise have a boomerang effect and come back to punish the wrongdoing party in a similar vein. First, Yahaya Bello is a PhD…
Let’s begin with the profound words of Bishop Mathew Kukah, Convener of the National Peace Committee. Bishop Kukah expressed his disappointment with the performance of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, stating that the ex-governor has been a “poor advertisement” for what young people can achieve. Mathew Kukah eloquently posited: “I feel very sad because Kogi has been on the front burner and Yahaya Bello, the governor, prided himself on being the youngest governor and being a representation of what the youths of this country can do if they are given the opportunity,” Sadly, Bishop Kukah continued: “I think he’s been…
To move beyond our collective pain to a place of healing, we must begin by addressing the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Nigerians just as urgently as we put in place strategies for civic and economic renewal. As such, Federal and state support is vital. But because we are a nation divided and federal action has been slow in coming, comprehensive actions at the local and state levels show the greatest promise to save lives and promote widespread healing. Interestingly, we had a semblance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a body assembled in South Africa in…
Looking at Africa’s future through the lens of progress, evidence, foresight, and optimism – although It’s difficult to predict the future with certainty, several African countries have shown great potential for development. Countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, and Botswana have made significant strides in economic growth, infrastructure development, and social progress. Remarkably, Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria are the top most powerful countries in Africa, according to US News and World Report’s 2019 power ranking. Several African countries, including Mauritius, Botswana, Cape Verde, Seychelles, and Rwanda, are known for good governance. These countries have made significant progress in political stability,…
