Opinion

Most of the politicians whose names have been mentioned in connection with Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential election, either as a hopeful or an aspirant would readily tell you it is too early to talk about the next election. Don’t buy that.

Taiwan’s mass production of a long-range missile last month as part of the plan to modernise its military has once again underscored how large and real the Chinese threat of annexation of the island nation has become.

The breakthroughs achieved by science in developing highly effective vaccines against COVID-19 are nothing short of extraordinary. What once took up to a decade has been done in less than a year. This is primarily a result of remarkable international cooperation.

It is the bounden duty of every citizen to hold the government to account. In fact, citizenship is a call to duty – for the state. And there is no compelling duty which supersedes citizens subjecting their employees – the government – to scrutiny and constant vigilance. Criticising the government is within the rights of every citizen, and active citizenship demands taking the government through its paces. No government is without criticism, and none is too special for criticism.

Though barred from contesting the forthcoming presidential election Madougou is seen as a threat to the realisation of the ambition of the anti democratic forces in Benin Republic. Reckya Madougou’s candidacy for the April 11 election was said to have been rejected on the ground that she failed to garner required signatures of support from local mayors and lawmakers.

All party members and leaders should prioritise ensuring that the Caretaker Committee is able to complete the task of organising a National Convention where new leaders of the party will be elected. The first test therefore is whether the challenges leading to the dissolution of the Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC are being resolved by the Caretaker Committee. To what extent, are the resolution of challenges facing the party conforming to both democratic principles and progressive ideals?

Nigeria is a country where there is a chasm between the leaders and the led. The distrust of the ordinary Nigerian for political office holders is such that most Nigerians celebrate when their leaders encounter tragic situations. If the governor takes ill in some states, a substantial proportion of the electorate would wish death on their state’s chief executive.

John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, late President of Tanzania, tried to re-situate the philosophy of Africa, long after any attempt was made by any African in that regard. Magufuli’s philosophy was close to Marley’s and even Senghor’s and central to his thesis was raising and cultivating “Black consciousness,” reciprocal relationship with other continents as equal partners in the global project, as well as “an inclusive humanism,” all of which would open doors for Africa to integrate with and into “a civilization of the universal.”

History have it that “sachetisation” is not something that just began in Nigeria of Africa. The ‘sachetised’ products have long been part of Indian culture, which is believed to have pioneered the bite-sizing of consumers' products and commodities some 70 years ago, beginning with tea, of course, in small paper pouches tucking precious leaves just enough to make tea for two.

Let me join all Nigerians to congratulate Mr. Melvin Amaju Pinnick, the current President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, for his amazing victory at last week’s elections for a seat on the exalted Executive Committee of FIFA.

Also, one of the cardinal reasons advertised by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State for leaving the PDP was his claim that the party had no good plans for the South East region come 2023. Not long ago, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State alleged that members of the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP were more interested in perpetuating themselves in office than ensuring victory for the party in 2023.

When Tanzania's John Magufuli entered the presidency in 2015 he was known for his no-nonsense approach to fighting corruption. But that all changed once he settled into office, writes Aikande Clement Kwayu.

In the tome of liberation struggles, a few names resonate infinitely. One name that rings trenchant to this day is Ernesto ‘’Che’’ Guevara. ‘’Che’’ envisioned a world as recreated in the dialectics of Karl Marx – where those in the lowest rung of the social strata can command their destiny. Che fantasised about an ‘’international revolution’’ which would sweep across the world beginning from Latin America.

The Rivers State people should not be victims of naked, primordial politics by a governor who is more of an absolute monarch than a facilitator of development. Their interests should be of utmost importance to their leaders. The game of politics should not be taken too far – to the extent that it begins to undermine development.

The herder-farmer dispute has taken on acute and violent dimensions. It has cost too many innocent lives while destroying the property and livelihoods of many others. It has also aggravated ethnic sentiment and political tension. Despite the efforts of some of those in positions of high responsibility and public trust, the crisis has not significantly abated.

The decision of the Federal Government to convert the recovered sum of $4.2 million belonging to the Delta State Government cannot be justified under local and international law. In fact, the controversy surrounding the disbursement of the fund is totally unnecessary having regards to the precedent that has been established in the country.

On April 14, 2014, 276 Nigerian female students of the Chibok Girls Secondary School were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists. It was a very disturbing moment for Nigeria and the rest of the world. Most of the abducted girls were Christians.

It is a great honour and privilege for me to welcome you to the 2021 edition of the annual Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Lecture Series. Chief Awolọwọ was born 112 years ago today.

In the year 2008, I co-edited a book, African Women Can Lead, published by Kachifo Limited under its prestige imprint. The book is a collection of essays and presentations made for three editions of the Development and Leadership Institute (DLI)’s “Women in Politics and Leadership” programme. We chose the book’s title after a rigorous debate by the advisory board of the programme.

Today, we are at the brink again. In the last few months, tempers have run very high; reckless statements from ethnic champions have provoked all manners of reactions, which have subsequently led to the loss of human lives, and the property and livelihoods of many citizens. While this was fueled by the social media, the inaction of government has allowed many avoidable loss of lives to happen.

In 2008 the research topic for my 2nd Masters programme was titled “International Small Arms Regime And The State:” The focus was on Africa and Nigeria.

Let’s have a comic diversion today from weightier matters of our national life. Because what I want to discuss can only be comic, if not also idiotic and otiose.