By Dr Buhari Danmallam It is often insinuated that to be a qualified Nigerian politician, you must have the qualifications of a PhD in Lies and Deceit (Karya da Yaudara); Masters in Thanklessness/Ungratefulness (Butulci); Degree in Broken Promises (Karya Alkawali ko Rashin Sa); and some Diploma in Inhumane Relations (Rashin Daraja Jama’a), etc. In Nigeria, although there are exceptions though, the best of politicians is one who exhibits these attributes in the sphere of his politicking so much that when he says black, he actually means green. Also in Nigerian politics, disillusioned obedient servants have seldom been victims of politicians…
Author: Editor
By Hamza Suleiman Fatima Mustapha, a 42-year-old divorcee, is one among thousands of women who live under excruciating life conditions due to Vesico Vaginal Fisticula (VVF) across many communities in northern Nigeria. Her condition is worsened by growing stigma against people living with the health condition. Fatima, a resident of Maiduguri, the Borno capital and epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency, has been abandoned by family and other members of the community who have found it difficult to bear the stench oozing from her body. Her condition is caused by the uncontrolled discharge of urine associated with VVF. In medical…
In his address to the 11th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 20th April 2022, President Buhari warned the party leadership at the national and state levels not to impose unpopular candidates as the 2023 election approaches. He called on them to always follow due process in all the party processes as well as to develop robust mechanisms against corruption: “I call on all party members to abide by all extant laws, rules, and regulations and to leaders of our party to avoid the imposition of candidates that cannot win popular elections.…
By Victor Buoro Looking away from the established culture of loyalty to the state, exploits in public mandate delivery, and professionalism in service due to today’s mounting security challenges in the country, someone made a seemingly funny but ‘unkind joke’ about the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). This is coming amid the Police ‘mishandling’ of the recent bomb blast in Kano State which the Force rather preferred to cloak as a ‘gas explosion’ until the timely intervention of the Department of State Services (DSS). Obviously wanting to make light of the Kano tragedy, the dear friend teased that “if making wild…
By Lawalli Amadu ‘Yar-Akija “Our children must be educated. The education of the next generation is key to addressing numerous of challenges militating against societal growth, including insecurity and other social vices” Sen. Wamakko “Wamakko is relentless in giving opportunity to the less-privileged students to study and fulfill their dreams” – Professor Mukhtar Bunza “Wamakko is a Senator Without Borders. He touches the lives of the people far and near” – Mustapha Alkali This piece is the first in the series of elucidating performances of Senator Alkiyu Magatakarda Wamakko in the seven years of his stay at the National Assembly…
Hunger is ransacking every nook and cranny of millions of households in Nigeria. The report of the National Bureau of Statistics released in April 2022 indicated an astronomical increase in food prices by an average of 42% in the last year (BBC News). This figure is a conservative estimate as food prices skyrocketed to over 100% in many markets. The food crisis is caused by the poor food harvest of 2021, ravaging and deadly insecurity lurking in several farming areas, population explosion, low agricultural investment, and economic meltdown. As I am writing this piece, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projected…
Recently, while I was watching a television program with my children, one of my children asked me for my opinion on cohabitation prior to marriage. As a matter of fact, the referenced program is Nollywood film. In the film, the mother of the woman cohabiting with a young man demonstrated strong support for cohabitation. She was heard advising her daughter not to return to the family house, regardless of the outcome of her alleged imminent marriage to the boy. In any case, without appearing to be moralizing, I told my child that, given my convictions and the statistics available, I…
The presidential primaries of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was scheduled to hold on Saturday and Sunday May 29 and 30, 2022. On its part, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had planned to hold hers 24 hours later. As I began putting this article together on the eve of the primaries, a news break indicated that the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) had extended the deadline for the conclusion of the events by one week. Before commenting on the implication of that, let’s not lose focus of the main issue in this article which is…
By Chiedozie Egesi The hardy root crop could be part of the solution to the grain supply challenges aggravated by the Ukraine war Cassava is a shrubby root that can produce a good harvest even in hot, dry conditions that kill off other crops. Growing up in Nigeria, a staple of our family dinner table was a doughy dish called fufu. In the US or Europe, fufu would be called a dumpling. The difference is that dumplings, typically made with wheat flour in the northern hemisphere, in Nigeria are made from cassava flour. I think about this crucial difference as…
Sovereignty, this eleven lettered word, is a political concept. The concept defines dominant power. Or the supreme authority. Wikipedia says “it is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct or territory. That it entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states.” Sovereignty, as a concept in political theory, has a clear cut definition. The state or quality of being sovereign refers to a territory or geographical area that is self-governing, with recognition from other world powers and international bodies. It is autonomous and free from external control. Sovereignty means that territory has a symbolic body…