Opinion

Ladoja And Characterization Of Ibadan People

Ladoja And Characterization Of Ibadan People

By Kehinde Olaosebikan Today, Ibadan is abuzz with history as the world converges on one of Africa's largest traditional cities for the coronation of H.E. Senator Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. The momentous occasion is of great importance not only to Ibadan people or Oyo State, but also represents a milestone, an altitude in traditional institutions across Nigeria. As a trailblazer - the first former governor, former senator and a sitting king to be made a King, the coronation of the new Olubadan marks a new height in traditional institution and royal matters. The expected…
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Quickie Republic: Short Thrills, Long Pains

Quickie Republic: Short Thrills, Long Pains

By FUNKE EGBEMODE It all started with Lux soap. The housekeeper said she bought a pack of six bars for N5, 400. My 92-year-old father gasped. ‘For just soap? Was that for a carton or two cartons?’ I told him, it was for just six bars. ‘Where is this country heading now?’ That is a frequent question my father asks these days. The old man just cannot understand today’s prices of anything. How can he? He bought his brand new Vauxhall Chevette E for N4,800 and now his soap costs N5,000! Of course, he is confused. I told him I…
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Fubara And The Witches

Fubara And The Witches

FESTUS ADEDAYO Three Nigerian “witches” just got beaten by a midnight downpour. They are, Siminalayi Fubara, Nyesom Wike and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in ascending order. Last Thursday, September 18, 2025, there was an initial apprehension in Rivers State over whether its reinstated governor, Fubara, was “coming home.” An earlier excitedness over the end of emergency rule got momentarily dampened. Apprehension however dissolved when Fubara’s nemesis, FCT Minister, Wike, proclaimed that indeed, Fubara was coming home. The frenzy over Fubara “coming home” was similar to "It's coming home!", a phrase taken out of the 1996 song, “Three Lions”, composed for England…
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Ibas Takes His Inglorious Leave As Fubara Returns

Ibas Takes His Inglorious Leave As Fubara Returns

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI It is no longer a matter of conjecture. As Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, haughtily disclosed on August 30, President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, announced an end to the six-month emergency rule he imposed on Rivers State on March 18. Unlike the emergency rule proclamation which he made via a national broadcast, the president ended the ill-advised political manoeuvre via a statement he personally signed, expressing satisfaction that the inglorious measure had achieved its objectives. Claiming that it would have been a colossal failure on his part not to have made the proclamation,…
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Soludo: A Governor And His Indiscretions

Soludo: A Governor And His Indiscretions

By SHEDDY OZOENE When Professor Chukwuma Soludo indicated interest in becoming governor of Anambra State, there was so much excitement in the air.  Here was a globally respected economist, a technocrat of uncommon intellect, and one of Ndigbo’s brightest stars—armed with credentials that promised to redefine governance in the state. His rise from a respected academic to Presidential economic adviser under Olusegun Obasanjo, and later, Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, put him head and shoulders above other aspirants. When one adds his “Dubai-Taiwan” vision, one would appreciate why the imagination of the people who are famous for their high business…
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That Idiotic Anti-el-Rufai ‘Protest’ in Owerri

That Idiotic Anti-el-Rufai ‘Protest’ in Owerri

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI As an Igbo, ever mindful of the country’s chequered political history, when the news filtered in on Saturday that former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, a scion of the Muslim North and major opposition politician, had been whisked away from the venue of the Odenigbo Lecture in Owerri, my first reaction was, not again. For maximum effect, the story added that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, was cautioned by the protesters. Not again because of the irascibility of Nigerian politicians and the herd mentality of their minions.…
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Enugu State Vs Sujimoto: Issues In The Contract Scandal

Enugu State Vs Sujimoto: Issues In The Contract Scandal

By TUOYO BRIKINS The storm surrounding Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited and the Enugu State Government has gripped national attention. What began as a bold initiative to build 22 Smart Green Schools has now spiraled into allegations of a ₦5.7 billion fraud, a wanted CEO, and urgent questions about Nigeria’s contract management culture. Being a publisher of a platform on the built environment #RealEstateNews and having managed built environment facilities for a multinational corporation, I could relate. At the heart of the controversy is a troubling contradiction. Sujimoto presented a bond from Jaiz Bank to secure the project, yet the state…
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Wike’s Rants: Beyond The Bounds Of Decency

Wike’s Rants: Beyond The Bounds Of Decency

By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI The conduct of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, in the public space is quite unbecoming. It is not enough to dismiss him as unhinged as many are wont to do because to do so is to ignore the fact that for whatever it is worth, he is a Nigerian political elite, a member of the privileged club that makes the authoritative allocation of our collective values. In any sane society, such privileged position demands some level of politesse and dignity in public conduct. But the reverse is the case here. Wike’s actions, at any given…
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A Call For Scrutiny: Why Ekiti NASS Members’ Assessment Must Be Called To Question

A Call For Scrutiny: Why Ekiti NASS Members’ Assessment Must Be Called To Question

By Sunday Olajide Holding elected representatives accountable is a cornerstone of democracy. In principle, the initiative by the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to assess the performance of the state's National Assembly members, is commendable. However, as it stands, this exercise is fundamentally flawed. A closer examination of its methodology, its apparent misunderstanding of legislative roles, and disregard for the realities of government funding reveals that the assessment risks producing a biased and misleading report. The Problem with Methodology: A Confluence of Biases The…
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Rising Profile of Governor Seyi Makinde: A Possible Contender for 2027

Rising Profile of Governor Seyi Makinde: A Possible Contender for 2027

By Peter Fowoyo As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the political landscape is already shifting, with new alliances, zoning arrangements, and early calculations shaping the direction of the race. One figure whose name continues to dominate conversations within the opposition space is that of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. Popularly known as GSM, the two-term governor has become one of the most formidable voices in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and, increasingly, a potential presidential contender. The recently concluded PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, which zoned the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to the…
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