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Opinion

Friday, 20 January 2023 05:24

In search of Biafra - Dare Babarinsa

The Biafran War would not go away from the national memory. It is important that we continue to remember that we fought a war for 30 months and one million deaths later, our problem remained unsolved. Those who fought in the war and triumphed over Biafran actually believed that their sacrifices had created a new Nigeria. I don’t know which is worse now; the crisis and insecurity of 1967 when the war started and the crisis and insecurity of 2023 when officially Nigeria is not at war. When the Civil War started, at least most people had an idea where…

Friday, 20 January 2023 05:23

Why we love expensive rituals - Azu Ishiekwene

In over two decades since Nigeria’s return to constitutional democracy, this is the longest politicians have had to campaign before a general election. And that is a good and bad thing. It’s good because it is giving politicians a longer runway to meet more citizens and also for citizens to have more time to engage them on what they plan to do if elected. But as a number of politicians – especially those of the Nigerian variety will tell you – it’s also a bad thing because it will make them spend more and leave them near exhaustion at the…

Thursday, 19 January 2023 05:53

2023 elections: To be or not to be? - Bola Bolawole

Finally, the magical year 2023 is here with us! This is the year many believe will make or mar Nigeria. It is election year and elections in Nigeria are fought like wars. This year’s election will not be different; more than that, it promises to even be more “bloody”, if I am permitted to use that word metaphorically because some of the major actors are desperadoes on account of the fact that this may be their last, and or best opportunity to achieve their heart’s desire. So, they are likely to throw everything they have into the duel and be…

Thursday, 19 January 2023 05:51

Tinubu vs Atiku’s òjóró cancel òjóró - Abimbola Adelakun

In one of those moments of comic relief only Nigeria can throw up, the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign demanded that anti-corruption agencies arrest their opponent, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over allegations of corruption by his former aide. In an electoral season, it is not unusual for party spokespersons to feign some indignation just to get in the news. What is entirely laughable about this occasion is that the APC campaign also gave anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, and the Conduct of…

Tuesday, 17 January 2023 05:59

Sympathy for the algorithm - Barry Eichengreen

With hindsight, 2022 will be seen as the year when artificial intelligence gained street credibility. The release of ChatGPT by the San Francisco-based research laboratory OpenAI garnered great attention and raised even greater questions. In just its first week, ChatGPT attracted more than a million users and was used to write computer programs, compose music, play games, and take the bar exam. Students discovered that it could write serviceable essays worthy of a B grade – as did teachers, albeit more slowly and to their considerable dismay. ChatGPT is far from perfect, much as B-quality student essays are far from…

Monday, 16 January 2023 05:34

Political, cultural or economic restructuring: Which comes first? - Justice Faloye

Roger Amos in his book, The Blueprint of Black Power made the statement that Culture, the way we do things, is tied to Politics, the way we organize to do things, and Economics, the means used to achieve things. So can we really have political restructuring that will empower Nigerians without tangible economic and cultural restructuring? Some political restructuring advocates will say let's get the political restructuring that we have been on for decades first, then we would restructure the rest. Like Kwame Nkrumah landmark statement, "Seek ye first the political kingdom and all else will be added upon you".…

Sunday, 15 January 2023 05:28

Okon succumbs to the Orò cult - Tatalo Alamu

As the war of attrition with Okon raged on in the snooper household, snooper was also thinking of a final solution to contain the mad Calabar boy’s menace. Last Friday, Okon recorded a significant success in the civil war when the dining room section of the house fell to his rag tag secessionist army, apologies to the late Ojo Maduekwe a.k.a Ojo Onikeke. Since Okon has refused to cook for some time now giving as an excuse the fact that he was on some important national assignment, snooper had wanted to settle down to some fast food brought in from…

Sunday, 15 January 2023 05:27

The god of Nyesom Wike - Festus Adedayo

Last week, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and his entourage were in Ahoada area of the State, on a mission to flag-off a road construction. Then a drama was staged. It was skillfully perfumed by a sweet-smelling fragrance which disguised its heretics. As the governor sat to the panoply of songs and fawning political chicanery often entertained visiting political bigwigs with, an unnamed traditional ruler sauntered out to speak. You would think it was a typical narrative at a religious gathering where congregants are regaled with ludicrous and unverifiable claims. So, the natural ruler was handed a microphone and he…

Sunday, 15 January 2023 05:26

Understanding the creative force of our love for God - Taiwo Akinola

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life ~ Jude 1:21. Introduction: It’s that time of the year again when many people demonstrate their keenest interests in increasing their personal growth, productivity and impacts on earth, beseeching the throne of God with prayers and fasting, just to break through the limits of the past and make the new year better than ever. Sadly, however, too many good people simply relive the “same year” many times over, year-in year-out, till they grow old and die. They shrink their dreams to…

Sunday, 15 January 2023 05:24

Article of faith: Don’t celebrate the coming of the new year - Femi Aribisala

Jesus says to His disciples: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matthew 5:13). How does a believer lose his flavour? When he behaves just like the world. He becomes worthless as far as the kingdom of God is concerned. Therefore, Paul counsels: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will…

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Sunday, 15 January 2023 05:22

Pain, humanity and the torture of surviving - Anita E. Eboigbe

I thought I was going to die and had already begun to make peace with it. Not even in a frantic ‘save my life’ way but with more resignation to the fact that there were only a finite number of things I had control over and the pain was not one of them. Second by second, pain jolted through my body from different angles — hard pain passing through freely and so palpable that it felt like if I reached inside my body, I could pull it out. It was the middle of the night and on the way to…

Friday, 13 January 2023 05:28

Why they shoot friends and spare the enemy - Azu Ishiekwene

Her funeral rites would have begun on Wednesday, January 11, but were postponed because her family, along with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is awaiting an autopsy report. As of the time of writing, the matter had faded from the headlines and a new date was yet to be announced. Obviously, the autopsy would serve the legal purpose of demanding justice for Bolanle Raheem, given that legal subterfuge can sometimes undermine evidence and change the strongest of cases in favour of injustice. Hopefully, Bolanle’s assailant, Drambi Vandi, will have his day in court – a right and privilege he denied…

Tuesday, 10 January 2023 05:48

A professor’s analysis of the growing ‘japa’ syndrome - Bola Bolawole

Babafemi Badejo is not a stranger to this column. Today he takes a look at the ”japa” syndrome walloping Southwest Nigeria especially as well as regaled us with his findings on a latest trip across the border to neighbouring Benin Republic. Are we making progress in this country or are we regressing? Read on: “Mr. Rufus and Mrs. Esther Sami were our treasured neighbours until the cold hands of death snatched the kind and supportive Mrs. Sami on October 9, 2022. I could not but attend her funeral at Imaka, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria on November 25th and 26th, 2022. Imaka is…

Monday, 09 January 2023 05:32

2023 campaigns: Time to shelve dangerous rhetoric - Hassan Gimba

Is it not enough to know the evil to shun it? If not, we should be sincere enough to admit that we love evil too well to give it up – Mahatma Gandhi I wrote this on 22/10/2018. The only change is in the headline where I changed 2019 to 2023. Now that the primaries are over with about 99% of the registered political parties having concluded their primary elections and names of candidates that emerged finding their way to the Independent National Electoral Commission, all eyes are on the two major parties – the ruling All peoples Congress (APC)…

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