Opinions

The world over, non-governmental organisations, NGOs, are agencies or social movements that open up the liberal political space, engender equalisation of opportunities, improve the circumstances of disadvantaged peoples and institutions and hold governments to account.   Ordinarily, NGOs are expected not to be profit-oriented and are supposed to be independent of the control of government. […]

William Hazlitt in his book says  ” the least pain in our finger gives us more concern and uneasiness than the destruction of millions”. Selfishness is the key here. The whole activities of man on the surface of the earth is to employ every possible means to  outdo his neighbour criminally towards achieving his own […]

It had looked like it would never come even after the letters had been written and the relevant documents submitted. But after months of controversy, scheming,  intrigues, accusations and counter-accusations between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the promoters of the opposition merger All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last […]

All through last week, radio channels in Lagos with phone-in programmes were jammed with conversations regarding the reported ‘deportation’ of 67 Nigerians of Igbo extraction from Lagos to the East, Onitsha, to be specific. The incident was made to look like a very terrible development, where states now have the legal authority and machinery to […]

Very often we say it is unimportant where the next president comes from, what should be paramount is his ability and capacity to deliver democracy dividends. But we are compelled to tag along with the whims and caprices of self-appointed godfathers, men of means and ways, who have turned power houses by virture of straying […]

No topic has generated as much interest in the ongoing bogus constitution amendment process as the issue of local government autonomy. That we have embarked on wholesale amendment 14 years after we were handed a constitution by the military high command is a measure of the instability in the polity. A constitution or the process […]

The increased electricity tariff by the Federal Government, under the new tariff regime otherwise known as Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO), without any corresponding improvement in power supply to warrant such an increase, is unfair to Nigerians and provocative. It is inappropriate, insensitive and anti-people; a sad commentary on Nigeria, coming amid the recent disclosure by […]

“They should allow him (President Jonathan) to devote his time to work for the country to achieve results. Even if he wants to contest, I think it should be based on performance. Let your credentials be established. Let people see what you have done and that will qualify you to re-contest.” Umaru Dikko In the […]

The kidnapping of a British national last Wednesday in Lagos by unidentified gunmen is one more example of the odium kidnappers are bringing upon the country and which accounts for the nation’s low international rating as a tourist haven and destination for foreign direct investment. The steady flow of bad news about Nigeria hurts badly; […]

A Pastor once told his congregation: “Next week, I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17.” The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the Pastor asked for a show of hands to know how many people had […]

The recent crisis in River state is still causing some reactions and fallout in the political cycle and among the growing army of critics and public commentators. The involvement of both parties in the dispute and their level of culpability has been extensively debated and analysed by public commentators and some prominent citizens who are […]

Last week Nigerians round the world witnessed the unfolding drama of the purported validation of child marriages by the Nigerian senate. To the horror of well meaning Nigerians, diasporans and even foreigners, the headlines “Nigerian Senate approves child marriage” went viral and led to an immediate frenzied widespread but largely uncoordinated response ranging from public […]