BAT 2023

Amotekun. This issue has dominated recent discourse and media headlines. Distilled to its basics, it concerns how best state governments can assist with the safety and security of their residents. This is a matter of serious concern entitled to sober thought. However, it has been turned into a political tug-of-war. Fierce, often unthinking rhetoric, for […]

The Buhari administration has given Nigerians a most unusual and disturbing New Year Gift, in the form of a proposed increase in electricity tariffs, enforceable from April by the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) and to be completed by the end of 2021, with the full backing of the regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). […]

One of the major indications of the dysfunctional nature of the Nigerian social and political ecosystem is what can be best summarized in pidgin English as the “Na my brother dey there” syndrome. It is the politics of proximity by another name, the thinking by an average Nigerian that he or she is much safer, […]

I never thought President Buhari cared about posterity or how he would be evaluated when he leaves office because his actions now betray any reflection on the future. I also never thought he was a ‘’philosopher president’’ who ponders and asks ‘’why’’; again, because his actions have been that of a sciolist.   So, my […]

ON December 20, the United States government issued a statement, speaking through the US Department of State and US Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo, designating Nigeria “a country of particular concern” with regard to religious freedom and the freedom of thought and conscience. The statement opens with the patronizing declaration that “the protection of […]

“God has been so kind, the only way I can show my gratitude to Him is to use my resources to support those who are underprivileged. This I intend to do for the rest of my life. In a world full of conflicts, diseases, calamities and inequality, we all need to show the milk of […]

Now, my introduction to Professor Tam David-West was on this wise: I was brought up by a very strict, educationist father, who would not allow his seven children travel during holidays, particularly the long vacation at the end of the session. He had his own way of keeping us busy.   My town, Ipetumodu, in […]

Corruption in Nigeria has deprived generality of the people of the necessities of life; corruption is the stumbling block to growth and development, and it has inhibited personal advancement and made the country the laughingstock in the comity of nations. Before the coming of this administration, corruption was the official policy of the state, it […]

On September 11 this year, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, Nigeria’s Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister, briefed State House Correspondents, of Government’s plan to raise the Value Added Tax rate by 50 percent, i.e. from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent.   The recent decision to increase VAT rate, may not be very popular, as […]

The first Russia-Africa summit which held in Sochi, Russia, from October 23 – 25 2019,   has put Russia- Africa relations on the spot. During the summit, Russia welcomed 43 heads of state or government, along with dozens of business and community leaders. The Summit ended with the usual optics: it spawned $12.5 billion in business […]

It is said that the Supreme Court is not final because it is infallible, but that it is infallible because it is final.While I believe that only God is infallible everywhere, and only Nigerians are infallible in our democracy, I must accept that the judicial route I chose to take, as a democrat, has come […]

The recent Ochanja fire incident in Onitsha, in which a petrol laden tanker exploded into balls of fire after ramming into buildings in the Upper Iweka axis of the city, has brought untold grief to those affected but also untrammelled   compassion from several Nigerians.  Several lives were lost and properties worth billions of Naira were […]