Category: Column

Jul

05

2026

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By People&Politics

Gbajabiamila On The Crucifix

Column, Opinion

By FESTUS ADEDAYO The late Chief Joseph Folahan (JF) Odunjo left behind an allegory that perfectly mirrors today’s most notorious national scandal. It explains the infamy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila and allegedly self-appointed DG of Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, (PEAC) Adeniyi Adeyemi. Celebrated for his indigenous production of knowledge, Odunjo’s most imperishable legacy remains his role as a writer and educator. His iconic Yoruba children's literature, the Alawiye (Careful Explainer) series, served as foundational texts for primary school pupils from the 1960s through the 1980s. These books…

May

31

2026

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Three Years On The Saddle: The Governor Peter Mbah Scorecard That Is A Tall Order

Column

By NWOBODO ONYEKWERE Long before I joined the Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah team, I had once predicted, on record, that, by the time Governor Peter Mbah would be out of office in eight years, there would be no basis for comparison, between his government and any other before it, in Enugu, including the much vaunted Sullivan Chime regime! I didn't mince words; in fact I was, quite unusually , so unequivocal in my assertion that Chime's records "would be a child's play…" by the time Barrister Mbah would've ended his tour of duty as it were, as Governor. That I…

May

18

2026

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Like the Phoenix, Chijioke Edeoga Rises Again

Column, Politics

(As published in the Sunday New Telegraph of May 17, 2026) By SHEDDY OZOENE The decision by Hon. Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga to contest the Isi Uzo/Enugu East House of Representatives seat in the 2027 election has sparked intense debate within Enugu State and beyond. While some see it as a descent down the political ladder, others view it as a rare display of humility, resilience, and political realism. For context, Edeoga was the Labour Party governorship candidate in Enugu State during the 2023 election. The party swept most National and State Assembly seats and Edeoga came remarkably close to capturing…

May

03

2026

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Enugu: Are Gil Nnaji, Chinyeaka Ohaa In The Guber Race For Real?

Column, Politics

(Also published In Vanguard Newspaper of Saturday, 2nd May, 2026) By SHEDDY OZOENE Gilbert Nnaji has long been a familiar figure in Enugu politics. He rose through the ranks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—from local government chairman to member of the House of Representatives, and eventually a two-term Senator. Chinyeaka Ohaa, on the other hand, is a former Accountant-General of Enugu State and a retired Federal Permanent Secretary. He gained political visibility after his retirement, particularly in 2023, when he entered the governorship race on the platform of the PDP—a bid that ended midway. Today, both men have defected…

Apr

26

2026

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Is Ibadan Tinubu’s 2027 Strait of Hormuz?

Column

By FESTUS ADEDAYO Yesterday, Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, rallied Nigeria’s opposition political parties to Ibadan. According to him in his welcome address, the summit was to rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of Nigeria’s apparent descent into autocracy, “a pattern where the space for real political competition is disappearing.” Ibadan summit’s message is an echo of a famous proverbial phrase and song of late Yoruba broadcaster and actor, Papa Adebayo Faleti, in the classic film, Saworoide. Faleti warned the maximalists of Jogbo country, especially its ruler, Lapite, a corrupt and ambitious king who skips traditional rituals to rule selfishly…

Apr

12

2026

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Inside The Black Magic Pot of Nigeria

Column

By FESTUS ADEDAYO (Published by the Sunday Tribune, April 12, 2026) A huge social dynamite recently exploded in the discourse of black magic. With the 2027 elections and early political manipulations already holding our lives by the jugular, the explosion went unnoticed. One of Yoruba’s leading musicians, Saheed Osupa, real name Saheed Okunola, openly detonated the dynamite. On March 30, 2026, at a live performance marking the birthday of a Yoruba actor, the musician admitted that he uses traditional spiritual power to fortify himself and enhance his musical success. Osupa is a known Islamic faith adherent. Can anyone openly hoist…

Mar

31

2026

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Tinubu, Peter Obi And The South-East’s Dilemma

Column

In the South-East zone, the Tinubu reelection campaign train - driven by the governors, Senators and APC elite - is surely on the move. But the coaches that should carry the people are largely empty By SHEDDY OZOENE In political parlance, an echo chamber emerges when party members spend more time talking to themselves than in engaging with the people. They focus on showing loyalty to their leader instead of convincing skeptical voters. In that regard, the South-East, at least for the All Progressives Congress and the all-pervasive campaign for a second term for President Bola Tinubu, is very much…

Mar

19

2026

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Let’s Cut Tinubu Some Slack

Column

Let’s cut Tinubu some slack: Few months to the 2027 elections, there is no arrowhead for the opposition. They are not allowed to hold meetings, carry out membership registration exercise or even welcome new members into their fold. Yoruba irredentists are warning that anyone opposed to Tinubu’s ambition should steer clear of the Southwest. Yet, no whimper of protest. A once vibrant political nation has been hypnotised. Nigerian politicians have been castrated. Men of yesterday have suddenly become political eunuchs… Tinubu owns APC just as he owns Nigeria and the fear of Tinubu in the party is the beginning of…

Mar

17

2026

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That Al Jazeera Fiasco: Weep Not for Daniel Bwala

Column, Politics

By SHEDDY OZOENE I first encountered the torrent of criticism and negative commentaries before I watched the interview itself. Social media was literally on fire, with many people condemning Daniel Bwala for what they described as a dismally poor performance on the Head-to-Head programme on Al Jazeera. That was when I went online to watch a recording. In fact, I watched it twice, trying to understand what all the hullabaloo was about. What I saw, and the interpretation I drew from it, was quite different from the general reaction. At first, I assumed the Al Jazeera invitation had been sent…

Mar

15

2026

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In Defence Of Daniel Bwala

Column, Politics

By FESTUS ADEDAYO (Published by the Sunday Tribune, March 15, 2026) “I walked into the Governor’s Lodge, my feet languid and heart trembling. When you walk into that hallowed premises, you are not sure of your fate. On this particular day, even inanimate objects at the Lodge knew that the earth and heavens were in a warring mood. There was an unusual calm. The rats of the Lodge had lost their squeaks and the sparrows which occasionally flew over the Government House, stood still, as if in somnolence. Even the surrounding privileged trees, honoured to be grown in the power…