Let us not forget that we celebrate the Black History Month in February of every year. African Spirituality and Emancipation is an article posted in Otedo.com of which I have read and learnt some historical backgrounds about how slaves in the west were given a religious belief for a new life in cultural history. Though contrary to theirs (religious lives) at home and at exportation, the slaves were to cope with the realities of their time. I guess any reader will appreciate what I saw in this article too. It can make you cry, agree or disagree with the slave owners and missionaries…

The existence of many small parties in Nigeria along with a mega party is one of the major reasons why democracy in the country is not thriving as it ought to. This condition does not allow for a level playing field. If the condition continues like this PDP will be in power for ever and Nigeria would continue its roller coaster rides.  Therefore the decision for the minority parties to join hands is a noble idea.  There are many advantages to be gained by forming a second mega party. The new party would have a large pool of good candidates…

On January 24th, 2013, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, the former World Bank Vice President for Africa Region and former Minister of Education under President Obasanjo (OBJ), delivered a thought-provoking Convocation Lecture at her alma mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on the topic “The Wealth and Poverty of a Nation: Who will restore the dignity of Nigeria?” Unfortunately, the key messages of the lecture have been overshadowed by one sentence:  “Furthermore, it is happening back to back with the squandering of the significant sum of $45 Billion in foreign reserve account and another $22Billion in the Excess Crude Account…that the Obasanjo…

This is the introduction to my forthcoming book, the Science of love. The book is still being edited (from its present unwieldy 1200 pages down to a manageable 1000 pages). I thought that you might gain some insights into religion, philosophy and the mission of science from this introduction. Please buy and read the book when it comes out later this year.  (From now on I use my full Igbo name, Ozodiobi and drop my Christian name, Thomas. I reclaim my traditional role as the high priest of Amadioha, of the Umuamadioha clan and stop pretending that I am a…

Nigerians are outraged, justifiably so, at the shenanigans of the country's judiciary which led to the ridiculously light sentence and eventual freedom last month of a man who pled guilty of robbing the country's police pension scheme of billions of naira. The facts of the case speak for themselves. John Yakubu Yusuf, a former assistant director in the federal civil service, and six others are implicated in the theft of N32.8bn ($218ml) of police pension fund. They go on trial on a 20-count charge. Under a plea bargain agreement with prosecutors, Mr. Yusuf pleads guilty to three charges, including the…

There appears to be no agreed definition of a politician. Some said it is one who seeks or holds public office; others said it is a person who is in politics to gather personal gains; yet some people said it is a person who is engaged in the business of government etc. The means of engagement is either through personal appointment based on merit/qualification or election via political party membership. Independent candidates could also be engaged in politics to hold public office and be described as politicians. Whichever way, there are three perspectives to the concept of a politician; these…

Ejike, after our phone conversation the other day and your pointing out that you are reading Chinua Achebe’s “There was a country”, and mentioning what he said regarding the Nigerian Air force killing hundreds of market women in our Afo Umuohiagu market in February, 1969, I decided to reread the book. I began at page 212 (where he talked about the killing in our town) and read to the end, including the appendixes and then from page one to page 212. In other words, I read the entire book. I must tell you that performing this exercise (it kept me…

There has been a hue and cry about the collapse of public institutions and infrastructure in Nigeria, particularly since the visit to the Police College Ikeja (PCI) by President Goodluck Jonathan. Gradually, as it always happens,  the pictures will soon fade from our memories, and we'll move to other matters. Those who are hoping that things will improve at PCI, or that someone would actually be held responsible, would wait in vain. The most we can expect  is the "retouching" of the college and things will return to the status quo ante. Of course, nowhere has the vicious attack by…

"Money and Corruption Are ruining the land, Crooked politicians Betray the working man, Pocketing the profits And treating us like sheep, And we're tired of hearing promises, That we know they'll never keep."  –Ray Davies. Once upon a time in America, a man named Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. He replied: "Cos that’s where the money is". It was an uncomplicated philosophy which served him well until he was caught and marched off to prison. Today, Mr Sutton would not have risked incarceration. Now, were Mr Sutton to be a Nigerian, he would have had the choice…