Awake, O Judiciary!

 By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa

On Friday March 3, 2023, the nation waited with bated breath for the Supreme Court, the crowning glory and head of Nigeria’s judicial system.

The apex court is populated with leaders of the judiciary, starting from the Honourable the Chief Justice of the Federation, who also heads the National Judicial Council. It had been a long wait indeed, essentially because on February 8, 2023, the Supreme Court gave a lifeline to the suffering masses of our people when it issued an order for the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes to continue to circulate alongside the new notes. But the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria would have none of it, insisting that the old N500 and N1000 notes were gone forever as they had ceased to be legal tender.

No Vuvuzela For President Buhari On His Victory Day!

By Banji Ojewale

South Africa based- Nigerians now returning from the home of vuvuzela are coming back with a mixed reaction. They are meeting a nation whose president has just been ‘vindicated’ by a competent tribunal over claims by the opposition that he wasn’t eligible for the office. Their old hosts are used to taking up the local instrument as both a weapon of intimidation and celebration. 

*President Buhari

South Africans reach out for their 2 to 3-feet long plastic horn to make raucous noise at football matches in support of their national teams. It was popularised during the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. The myth is that its beastly emission–some 120 decibels– can conjure victory for their club or national side. Or it can cudgel opposition to concede goals for their players to win the day. To their grief, these didn’t happen nine years ago.

Second Term: Can Buhari Reinvent Himself?

By Banji Ojewale

…we will continue to engage all parties
that have the best interest of Nigerians at heart.
Our government will remain inclusive
and our doors will remain open.
That is the way to build the country of our dream – Muhammadu Buhari, after being announced winner of 2019 presidential poll.

*President Buhari 

In our traditional winner-takes-all approach to elections, and with Nigeria more sundered now than at any other time in our history, the only sane path to follow in order to heal poll-inflicted wounds and distrust and draw all back into the common ground, is a resort to an inclusive government President Buhari is talking about. He has also pleaded with his party members and supporters to be reticent in excitement.

Nigeria: Youthful President? Whitewashing 2019 For 2023 Mirage

By Paul Onomuakpokpo

With the obvious dominance of the two major political parties and the imminent abortion of a third force, the dream of a youthful president this year is gradually receding.

*Durotoye, Moghalu and Sowore

But those who have surrounded this year with the halo of an epochal period for an inevitable break with the nation’s trajectory of geriatric presidents have obviously given up too early. After all, the next president would only be declared after the election of February 16. So, it is still a possibility that some future political circumstances could throw up a youthful president this year.

Nigeria: Unacceptable Presidential Debate!

By Banji Ojewale

Let a hundred flowers bloom, and a hundred schools of thought contend —Mao Tse-tung (1893-1976) founder of modern China.

Organizing a presidential election debate to prepare us for informed choice in Nigeria’s poll in 2019 without the face of tomorrow is a failed enterprise from the takeoff point. Two of those capturing that future, Tope Fasua of Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC) are among those being shut out of the debate. That amounts to denying the future a say in our affairs. That’s disastrous, because a loss of those who stand for the next generation and a vote for the jaded geriatric age is a dirge for democracy and society.

The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) and its electronic media partners, Broadcasting Organisations  of Nigeria (BON), are shortchanging the people by aligning with the establishment forces to disallow these renaissance politicians a voice.