The Nigeria/South Africa Palaver

By Adekeye Adebajo

I was recently visiting Lagos – the city of my birth – when I found myself feeling a sense of déjà vu as I watched South African mobs on television looting and attacking shops owned by Nigerians and other Africans. We have been here before. Nigerians were among those hurt in the horrific xenophobic attacks of 2008 when 62 people – mostly Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, and Malawians – were killed, and 100,000 displaced. More recently, in March 2017, South African vigilantes burned and looted scores of homes and businesses belonging to Nigerians in Rosettenville, Mamelodi, and Atteridgeville in Gauteng province, which they alleged were drug dens and brothels.

Having lived in South Africa for 16 years, one of my biggest frustrations is the failure of so many of its citizens to embrace an African identity and of the government to attract more skilled Africans to its shores in order to create an “America in Africa”. America’s genius has, of course, been its ability to attract the best and brightest from the rest of the world – trained at huge expense by these countries – and to turn them into American citizens or green-card holders.

A Warning For Foreign Minister And People Of South Africa

By Femi Fani-Kayode​

"I would appreciate them in helping us as well to address the belief our people have and the reality that there are many persons from Nigeria dealing in drugs in our country" – Dr. Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, South African Minister of International Relations.

Is this the sort of thing that ought to be said by the South African government when we are still in mourning and when we have not even buried our compatriots that were cruelly slain, bludgeoned to death and cut to pieces in the streets of South Africa?

* Femi Fani-Kayode

At a time when this irresponsible, insensitive, shameless, conflicted, self-hating, pitiful and mendacious creature that has been described as the foreign minister of South Africa should be apologizing to the Nigerian people for the mindless savagery and barbarity of her blood-crazed compatriots, she is pointing accusing fingers at their victims and the objects of their collective hate and seeking to demonise them. What have we done to deserve this? First, you kill us then you seek to justify it and demonize us!

P&ID, Christopher Butcher’s Long, Cruel Knife

By Jerry Uwah

Justice Christopher Butcher is a merciless and ruthless butcher. The British judge, who awarded a landmark sum of $9.6 billion as damages to an obscure Irish firm known as Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), is more ruthless than the butchers in Lagos abattoir.

*President Buhari 

The racist judgment Butcher handed down on Nigeria on August 16, 2019 in favour of his kinsmen would lead many of the 154 million Nigerians already living below poverty line to the slaughter slab. It would push millions more below poverty line and start them on the road to the slaughter slab.

President Buhari, Bring Back Education Glory

By Matthew Ozah

The fact that everyone confesses that education brings a brighter future and by extension shines a light on a nation does not make the most government give education the attention it deserves. Therefore, it is hard to over-emphasise the wretchedness and difficult position which the ruling government has made education become in recent time.

Notwithstanding the government’s continued flying a kite with a slogan that education is the light of a nation. Even inscriptions in some schools’ motto such as ‘Knowledge is power’, or ‘Knowledge is light’ among other signs depicting that education is indeed the key to unlock the future as well as eradicate poverty in the society do not sway politicians to do the needful on education.

Certificate Saga: Buhari Should Vacate Office Now – PDP

...Urges Judiciary To Uphold Justice

Press Statement

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reviewed the video of the media interview by the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and surmised that President Muhammadu Buhari should save the judiciary and the nation further troubles by immediately throwing in the towel and vacating the presidential seat following the official admission that he (Buhari) does not possess a WAEC certificate, contrary to his claims and disposition before the law.

Our party mocks the Buhari Presidency for pushing out the video wherein the Minister pleaded with Nigerians to pardon President Buhari over his false WAEC certificate claims.

WATCH VIDEO

PDP notes the deliberate ploy of Alhaji Lai Mohammed to appeal to sentiments, seeing that Mr. President had failed to defend himself before the Presidential petition tribunal.

If Sudan And Hong Kong Should Visit Nigeria Today

By Banji Ojewale

If Sudan and Hong Kong should visit Nigeria today, the world might not be in much shock at the outcome of the trip. I’m sure of two consequences.

First, we would be unprepared for them, despite the handwriting on the wall alerting us that we’ve been found wanting in the balances. In much of our post-independence history, we were never seen to be ready for events that came calling like a ‘‘thief in the night.’’ How do we handle nocturnal robbers? We don’t cuddle them. We cull them.

*Korean soldiers 

Secondly, flowing from the first, our leaders would misread the signs of the times and accord the strangers a most satanic, sanguinary and smoky reception. Ditto for the local ‘malcontents’ hosting them. Our leaders would chase them to the outermost and innermost parts of the land and mete out penalty outstripping their impudence that brought in Hong Kong and Sudan.

Why We Are Failing As A Nation

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

Asked how he was able to grow 15 times, independent Singapore with a GDP of $3 billion in 1965 to $46 billion in 1997 and became the 8th highest per capita GNP in the world in 1997 according to the World Bank ranking? Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore (as he then was) explained thus; a united and a determined group of leaders, backed by practical and hard-working people who trust them made it possible.

*President Buhari

The story of Singapore’s progress is a reflection of the advances of the industrial countries – their inventions, technology, enterprise, and drive. It is part of the story of man’s search for new fields to increase his wealth and well being, he concluded.

Is Nigeria Working?

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

If Nigeria is working, we will know! Those were the exact words of late Prof Chinua Achebe, Africa’s foremost novelist and distinguished intellectual. In other words, the citizens do not need any bogus claims by government’s megaphones to realise that there is an improvement in their country’s economy because it will automatically translate to an enhancement in their lives.

*President receiving a get-well card 

And as they enter the markets to procure their basic needs or engage service providers for some of those services they just cannot do without, they would certainly have direct encounters with the “improvements” their country is alleged to have witnessed.

But sadly, what they are still seeing everywhere are benumbing evidences of further deterioration and the attendant pains – a direct result of very poor management of their country.

Corruption: Ghana’s Tsunami

By Emmanuel Graham Nyameke

Ghana becomes second in the just ended AFCORRUP NATIONS COMPETITION.

Not too long ago did the nation formed a new institution to fight corruption. The institution is to prosecute those who champion corrupt acts in the country; but to our greatest surprise, Ghana becomes second in the corruption competition in Africa (AFOCORRUP NATIONS). Oh Ghanaians, is this what we envisage for our children? Hmmm! Even Nigeria now tries to erase that awkward name from her book but Ghana wants it.

Hardly do we experience earthquakes and tsunamis in our country. While some countries in the Asia continent are facing such difficulties and thousands of lives are being lost yearly. Corruption has become Ghana’s greatest natural disaster. In fact, corruption if it were to be a natural disaster like earthquake, it would have taken thousands of life, it not being so but a man made disaster has taken the glory Ghana should have. Corrupt people walk on the high streets free, eating and drinking what they desire while the poor man who as a result of hunger in the nation also caused by the corrupt people, have to spend some good time of his life in jail. One may wonder how judges pronounce judgement on those poor for stealing a goat but can’t do same to those selfish people who drain the economic-blood of Ghana. Shame on us all.

Capital punishment: there should be a law that will allow the wicked to be executed. We came second in the just ended African Corruption competition just because we have refused to execute those who are antagonist of the society. For a society to run well, all those who are evil must be cut off, even when it is your own child. It is by this that the society will be a place so conducive for living. There can only be a peaceful society when those who are evil are set ablaze. Those corrupt people among us are evil and the society cannot hold them.

How do we take our heads off this shameful title as a nation? Education, education, education! As a nation, if we want to eradicate corruption, then we must begin to educate our children. Let us inculcate in our children the culture of selflessness and love for our country which has been detailed in our national anthem. I must say that many Ghanaians are not citizens but see themselves as immigrants who have to make money to make better their home countries. If all Ghanaians see Ghana as their country, they would not treat her as we are witnessing.

Let us not politicize our state as the second corrupt country in Africa but come together with all our strength to uproot the roots of all corruption trees planted in our various institutions.

The Surge of Extreme Hunger In Africa

By Agbaje Ayomide

Over the past years, immense efforts have been made by the governments, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations and reputable international bodies to end hunger crisis and curtail food insecurity most African countries are confronted with. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, about 153 million people suffered from severe food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa.

Millions of people especially in the rural areas have died as a result of chronic starvation, and putting others at great risk of suffering from the famine in drought-prone areas while many have been displaced and become refugees in faraway regions in desperate search for food and to secure their livelihoods.

Liberia Dwindles In The Cesspool Of Misery Under George Weah

By Eshiaka J. Kromah

Liberia, Africa's second-oldest republic is going down into the dark epoch of history marked with the increase in household poverty, economic hardship and injustice under the ex-soccer star - George M. Weah. It is happening so rapidly as many struggle to comprehend this unexpected paralysis. In these times when the mass of the people stand to embrace quality change, there is no sign of effective policies being crafted to curtail the prevailing national enigma and miasma.

*George Weah 

Because of these pervasive national crises, which are direct results of gross incompetence and greed in the country’s leadership, both its political and economic institutions are fast diminishing on their objectives of serving the collective pursuit of progress of the ordinary people.

Open Letter To Ndigbo By John Nnia Nwodo

My Dear Ndigbo

My attention has been drawn to a recorded speech made by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, now streaming in the social media. The speech was ostensibly made in Germany ahead of a visit, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and I were scheduled to make to Germany for a meeting of Ndigbo. In that video, Nnamdi peddled unprintable lies about me and rebuked Igbos in Germany for inviting me and threatened that I will not leave Germany alive. I would have ignored this speech as I have ignored many of his previous abuses and deliberate falsehood previously broadcast against me.

*Nwodo

I had ignored them in the past not only because the distortions and falsehood were indirectly countered by the robust publicity of my activities and utterances which negated his representations but also because I thought it was indecent for a father and his son to be engaged in public disputations, especially when such disputations in our present circumstances will weaken our solidarity and portray us as a divided and unserious lot.

Yemi Osinbajo: This Silence Is Deafening

By Itunu Ajayi

The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria did not specifically ascribe a clear cut decision making role to the office of the vice president, so I will not wrap this piece around his office as Nigeria’s vice president. An office that has been described in some quarters as ‘spare tire’, “senior personal assistant to the president with fat salary’’, the description is endless.

*Osinbajo

As such I will not be addressing you much as VP in this piece due to your almost none existing role in the constitution, I will be talking to you as Yemi Osinbajo, a human being who has blood flowing through his veins and one that should have the moral justification and conscience to speak directly to President Buhari and express his displeasure at the killings in the country where it is increasingly difficult for people to travel from one town to the other.

Why Lateef Jakande Matters

By Ray Ekpu

Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, LKJ for short, deserves all the kind words heaped on him as he turned 90 on July 23, 2019. This self-made man who had no university education embarked on several transformational activities in furtherance of the goals of an educated society.

*Jakande 

He rose through dint of hardwork, perseverance and forensic engagement with the educated public to the Editorship of the Nigerian Tribune, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s newspaper. Jakande transformed the paper through robust but fair journalism into the scourge of political scoundrels and the nemesis of dictators and tyrants. He has done for Nigeria’s journalism, I believe, more than anyone living or dead. He was the one who, working with the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria which he founded, planted a journalism continuing education centre in Lagos called the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ).

When States (Nations) Fail

By Hope Eghagha

The high command of Nigeria Army and Nigeria Police must be or should be in deep embarrassment about the whole incident. The Federal Government also ought to be worried by the incident because it is one too many in our recent history. No credible steps have been taken so far to reassure the nation of order across.

There is an increased disrespect for law, order, codes of social behaviour and engagement. Perhaps the government and its institutions are overwhelmed by the depth and scope of atrophy which the nation currently battles with. Which itself is frightening. Whether by default or design there is a script for doomsday being acted out. Are the actors aware of the enormity of the challenge that we face? Is the nation going for broke?

Nigeria Collapsing Under Buhari – PDP

...Laments 43% FDI Flight

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reviewed the escalating insecurity, rising political uncertainties, biting economic hardship as well as prevailing tension in all parts of the country and alarms that the nation is collapsing under President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC).

*President Buhari 

The PDP is deeply worried that our nation, which was a prosperity hub and a reference point for democracy, personal freedom and good governance, now has all the trappings of a failed state with government, under President Buhari, being unable to guarantee any of its fundamental duties to the extent that citizens are now desperate to take their destinies in their hands.

Nigeria's Out-Of-School Kids: A Disastrous Time Bomb

By Safiu Kehinde

Gone are those days when the quest to be ranked among the educated elites in the country is our first priority. Farewell to those days when Nigerian parents put their farms and property for sale just to sponsor their child’s education.

Long ago, academic success such as graduation, promotion, and scholarship always call for a celebration just like wedding anniversary, naming ceremony and another owambe party. We were once a country that holds literacy with high-esteem. We placed so much value on education believing that there is no other profitable asset for the future than being educated. But presently, education in Nigeria has become a lost glory.

That Unprofitable Ministerial Screening In Nigeria!

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

Working as a political appointee in Nigeria is, perhaps, merely an exercise in extreme perfunctoriness. I doubt if those who accept these offices, those who offer them and those who “screen” and confirm the appointees, are driven by any vision at all, any objective to achieve for the progress of the country.

What is very clear is that whereas work for these officers is largely undertaken desultorily (with little or no intention to achieve any significant outcome), what appears to drive most of them is the opportunity to arrange or negotiate what might enter their private pockets from the public purse. It is at the point when there are funds to loot that one would be startled to discover that the Nigerian public office holder is, indeed, capable of being very zealous, thorough and focused, that he can conscientiously pursue a set goal and achieve it with amazing aplomb and precision.

UNILAG Crisis: The Devil Is In The Detail

By Banji Ojewale

…if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul, no wonder common man should rust—Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) English poet and author.

Evicted from Heaven for pride and rebellion against God countless thousands of years ago, the devil would hardly be expected to move in the mundane details of mortal man here on earth. But alas that has been his business, meddling in the affairs of puny man. He is everywhere man is: bedroom, market, school, politics, institutions, government, environment, mosque, church, heathen centres and even pagan or atheist abodes. He must order disorder where there is order, as he sought to do in serene and symmetrical Heaven. That is if you allow him.

The arch recidivist has also been at work at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Nigeria’s foremost institution ranking as the 12^th in Africa. He has cooked noxious menu ready to consume all the parties, including those we presume are our beautyful ones, by the standard of Ghanaian novelist, Ayi Kwei Armah. What is on the table that Nigerians must not take from the devil?

Lateef Jakande At 90: A Life Of Unparalleled Service To Humanity

By Lai Olurode

How is one to describe Pa Lateef Kayode Jakande (LKJ) at 90. May be, LKJ can be referred to as a man of many parts. In the words of that flamboyant politician of all time, Adegoke Adelabu, as quoted in Post and Jerkins (1973:33), who described himself as follows:

‘‘I am a living laboratory of my age … I am at once the cocoa farmer, the mercantile clerk, the civil servant, the petty trader, the transporter, the capitalist and the intellectual ( and now the politician) – all materials for the study of the social scientist.

*Lateef Jakande

LKJ could not be said to be radically different from this role cast as he shares many of these attributes which characterise a typical Nigerian politician – Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ayo Rosiji, Adegoke Adelabu and even Obafemi Awolowo. Though, from the start, LKJ’s objectives in life was clear – to devote his life to his profession of political journalism and book publishing.