Last week’s decision by the federal government of Nigeria to declare a state of emergency on food security has had many Africans wake up to the realisation that the situation is really bad.
Author: Editor
The 21-year old Kamal Usman recently become a media sensation across Nigeria after a trending viral video of him appeared on the social media writing with his mouth. ASHENEWS met with Usman Ibrahim, Kamal’s father, who said his family migrated to Kagara town in 2020 as a result of incessant bandit attacks on Uregi village (where they hail) in Rafi local government area of Niger state, where Kamal had completed his primary school education prior to the migration.
Who has not had an old car before? The type of car that makes you become a friend to the mechanic? This is because when one issue is resolved, another rears its head, necessitating you to visit again. Sometimes the problem may be those of “rings”. Repair them and the gearbox seeks your notice. Pacify it, the brake pad packs up. Change it; the shock absorber begins to get shocked.
Our political parties have poor records of appreciating the architects of their electoral fortunes. It is part of the tragedy that has led to the lack of culture and tradition in our political parties as necessary institutional pillars of democracy. Here are some pieces of evidence.
A mirror verse in one of the holy books averred that “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Philosophically, in life endings are better than beginnings, and sticking to a noble course is better than standing out. This is the best description of Barrister Boss Mustapha CFR, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Nigeria who had a good ending to his tenure.
In the last week of May this year, Niger State bid farewell to an exceptional leader and trailblazer, Mary Noel-Berje, who served as the Chief Press Secretary to the Former Governor of Niger State and current Senator, Abubakar Sani Bello. Her tenure was nothing short of remarkable.
New and continuing governments of 2023 are over one month old across Nigeria. At all levels, first term and continuing administrations ought to have begun bracing up for the task of delivering on their mandate to their people. ElectedElected officers, particularly those in their first term, will soon realize, if they have not already, that pre-inauguration impressions of leadership are nothing compared to the realities of governance on the ground.
In these strange times, the story of the Nigerian State is daily written in the crime pages of our newspapers and broadcasts. One set of stories that is emerging repeatedly is the dismantling and theft of the country’s infrastructure. This week, it was reported that thieves have removed and stolen the recently installed airfield ground lighting systems at the domestic runway (18L/36R) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The runway lights are critical because they help pilots to do landing and take-off safely at night, or in low visibility conditions. As these are highly specialized lights with specific use on runways, the thieves must have access to security zones and band have knowledge of where they can sell them. It was only in November 2022 that the runway was reopened for 24 hours flight services after the successful installation of the ground lights.
Last week, some of the road fittings installed on the newly inaugurated Second Niger bridge were vandalized by robbers. Specifically, the metal expansion joints are removed and sold as scrap metals by the robbers. This problem has been on-going in Lagos for years where similar joints and metal reinforcement for bridge safety are regularly removed and sold compromising the integrity and safety of the bridges. Railings and crash barriers from manholes meant to reinforce bridges from vibrating, as well as protect vehicles from falling from the bridge are also removed and sold.
Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see the formation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet. Who and who make the final list of ministers nominated from the thirty-six states, including Abuja, the federal capital is what is on the burning plate of his next line of action and the APC family.
Of the 21 military, paramilitary and other allied security agencies in the country, only five have persons from the North Central, Southeast and South-South as their Heads, a research analysis by PRNigeria has shown.