Opinion

Nyesom Wike, The Ugly Face Of Nigeria’s ‘Democracy’

Nyesom Wike, The Ugly Face Of Nigeria’s ‘Democracy’

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is a cantankerous old fossil – irascible, quarrelsome and testy, no doubt. Whether as a local government chairman, chief of staff, minister or governor, he is bad-tempered, cranky and grouchy; a man not only at war with himself but perpetually with others. Such behaviour is totally unbecoming of a leader. Leadership demands a healthy dose of humility. But as governor of Rivers State for eight years, Nyesom Wike was at war with everyone, abusing all who dared cross his path. With him, every criticism, no matter how constructive is a…
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Former IGP Arase: Why Nigeria Truly Needs State Police, By ‘Tope Oriola

Former IGP Arase: Why Nigeria Truly Needs State Police, By ‘Tope Oriola

Former Inspector General of Police, Dr Solomon Arase, presented an interesting perspective on the issue of state police during a 25 June address at the Nigeria Bar Association Benin Branch Law Week 2024. Arase rose to the pinnacle of policing in Nigeria. While legitimate questions may be asked about the performance of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) while he was in office, his views undoubtedly deserve serious attention. It is also intrinsically worthwhile and beneficial for the robustness of the debate to hear from those who have been at the helm of our current policing architecture. The address was posted…
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Valentine Ozigbo: As Anambra People Coalesce Around A Leader

Valentine Ozigbo: As Anambra People Coalesce Around A Leader

By Tochukwu Ezukanma On a bus ride from Enugu to Awka, I sat next to a lady, a high ranking civil servant in the Anambra State government. She was on her way to work at Awka. She is one of the many civil servants that did not relocate from Enugu to Awka at the creation of Anambra State. So, she travels to work from Enugu to Awka every work day. It was about 11am, and she was still on her way to work. I asked her why she was going to work so late, and seemed so unperturbed about it.…
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Anioma State Best Alternative for Ndigbo

Anioma State Best Alternative for Ndigbo

By Emmanuel Onwubiko The debate surrounding the creation of new states in Nigeria is not new. For decades, marginalised regions have called for equitable management and distribution of resources to enhance the welfare of their people. The call for Anioma State, championed by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North's senatorial district, is a compelling proposal that seeks to address historical imbalances and promote fair representation, especially for the Southeast geopolitical zone. Historically, the demand for Anioma State dates back to the 1950s, initiated by the people of Aboh and Asaba (Aniocha, Oshimili, and Ika) divisions in the Western Regional House…
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The Priest As Political Provocateur

The Priest As Political Provocateur

By TUNDE OLUSUNLE When Hyacinth Iornem Alia, a priest of the Catholic church declared his intention to contest for the 2023 governorship in Benue State, his interest resonated with the people of the state. Back in 1991 under the eternally endless "Third Republic" transition programme of the General Ibrahim Babangida administration, an older priest of the same denomination, Moses Orshio Adasu, contested the governorship of the same state. Adasu ran on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) one of the two political parties established by the Babangida regime at the time, won the election and was inaugurated on…
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MICHAEL IMOUDU INSTITUTE: Insulting Our Heroes Past

MICHAEL IMOUDU INSTITUTE: Insulting Our Heroes Past

By TUNDE OLUSUNLE Saturday June 22, 2024 will mark the 19th anniversary of the departure of Michael Athokhamien Omnibus Imoudu, the legendary, veteran Nigerian labour leader. Born in 1902, Pa Imoudu as he is popularly remembered and revered, exceeded the full century mark in age, living up to 102 years. As far back as 1931 when he was just 29, Imoudu got involved in labour union activities as a member of the Railway Workers Union, (RWU), at the time. He became President of the union in 1939, and spearheaded the advocacy for higher wages, de-casualisation and improved working conditions. Renowned…
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Paradox Of Tinubu’s Democracy Day Speech

Paradox Of Tinubu’s Democracy Day Speech

By SHEDDY OZOENE "Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.” – Walter Cronkite For the second time since his inauguration last year, President Bola Tinubu has made a show of the Democracy Day, and using it as a reminder to the public of his democratic credentials as an activist, protester and a man who deployed the media in setting the nation's political agenda. The last one was even more so, as he virtually raised the dead heroes of Nigeria's Democracy, with an uncommon outpour of encomium. It all started 31 years ago, when the…
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A Banner With Many Stains

A Banner With Many Stains

By SHEDDY OZOENE  Let me state upfront that I was not one of the people excited about Nigeria's change to the old national anthem. When,  in 1978, the military, in a rather whimsical manner, replaced that national anthem with the one that we used till last month, they did not offer any plausible explanations. And there is none either for its reintroduction on May 29, except, perhaps, to shake the ground as another mark of President Tinubu’s 1st anniversary in office.  In any case, none of the two is particularly inspiring and only a few people have bothered to attach…
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One Year Of Doing Things Differently: The Peter Mbah Story

One Year Of Doing Things Differently: The Peter Mbah Story

He arguably comes across as the Governor with the best scorecard in 365 days. Ndi Enugu can attest to this truism. The Enugu space today tells lucid testimonies of the place of commitment, dedication, capacity and competency in transformational leadership. And such is the remarkable Story of Peter Mbah. I had a near 30 minutes private dialogue with His EXCELLENCY Peter Ndubuisi Mbah three days after he was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Enugu State in 2023. Interestingly I have elected to pen this Tribute in Profound Leadership in his honour exactly one year after that incisive dialogue.…
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Tinubu’s Best-forgotten First Year In Office

Tinubu’s Best-forgotten First Year In Office

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI  Asked last December to comment on Bola Tinubu’s performance as President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces since May 29, 2023, Prof Wole Soyinka, first black man to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and one of the most fervent cheerleaders of the Tinubu presidency, said he will only do so on the administration’s first anniversary. “Well, you know, something you may have noticed about me is that most heads of state, when they take office, I always leave them alone for about the first year… because they need time. I know when they come in, they…
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