How many times have we heard the expression “Nigeria won’t break up”? This clichéd expression has become the chorus of Nigeria’s ruling elite; an elite that will not raise a finger to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria if it becomes necessary to do so. Like every bankrupt ruling class, ours never ceases to find an opportunity to proclaim its commitment to the country and her unity. One such opportunity offered itself a few days ago during the Inter-Denominational Church Service to mark the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations at the National Christian Centre in Abuja. The Armed Forces…

The Yorubas are an ethnic group of West Africa. Worldwide, they number about 45 million, with 35 million in Nigeria. They constitute about 21% of Nigeria's population. Along with the Akan, Hausa/Fulani, and the Igbo, they are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. There are also significant Yoruba populations in Benin and Togo.  The Yoruba are of interest, because of the contribution Yoruba slaves  made to the culture of the Caribbean and Latin America, in particular of Cuba and Brazil. Nearly all the slaves brought to the Americas came from West Africa, and none had a greater influence…

He is simply not the one he claims to be. Beneath the facade of his alluring rhetoric lies the stinking debris of pure cruelty. To many residents of the hollow universe called Federal Capital Territory, a space the perpetually dishonest ruling elite fraudulently christened CENTRE OF UNITY, it should by now be clear beyond doubt that Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Minister for FCT, is not in any way a friend of the poor. To say that Nigerian leaders are incurably wicked is to risk scorn for hammering on the obvious. By this time last year, the country was about ending a…

One of our readers succinctly stated "With your awareness of the problems in Nigeria and the role, the leaders play, why not formulate and initiate a workable solution for change, even a small one." In other words, he wanted to know what needs to be done to make the Nigerian leaders responsive to their citizens' needs, since most Nigerians complain so much about their leaders. Surprisingly, this reader is failing to realize that the reform has to start with an average Nigerian in making their governments responsible, responsive, reliable, dependable, defensible, most especially it should start with Nigerians that reside outside the…

Once again the United States of America (USA) has shown that its own brand of democracy is primarily based on exchange of ideas, debates, dialectics, and dialogue especially with respect to her internal affairs. This is reflected in her handling of the “fiscal cliff” and gun control issues. Yes, it may not always be the case in international affairs where force was used especially under the Republicans, who had destroyed great World civilizations in Iraq, Afghanistan etc.  The difference between a democrat’s approach and a republican approach is that the democrats believe you do not kill your enemies to be…

If there was any lingering doubt that campaigns for the 2015 presidential election have started in earnest, that doubt was erased with the emergence last week of the Jonathan 2015 campaign posters. The audaciousness of that action and the feeble response from the Presidency to the effect that the president is “pre-occupied with working to fix Nigeria and did not want to be distracted by undue politicking about 2015”, are all too typical of the People’s Democratic Party’s brand of democracy. For those who cringed and raged about the appointment a few weeks ago of octogenarian, Tony Anenih, a man…

One of the most frightening things about the Jonathan administration is the president’s palpable lack of appreciation of the problems that confront us and “the fierce urgency of Now”. This phenomenon rears its head at every opportunity the president has to reassure Nigerians that he has the capacity to lead the country out of its current morass.    It is clichéd now to refer to the president’s response when asked last June why he was unwilling to declare his asset publicly as a mark of his commitment to fighting corruption. The president told a bewildered nation that he didn’t “give…

Femi Aborisade Department of Business Administration and Management Studies The Polytechnic, Ibadan   Monday, 31 December 2012 Mr. Mohamed Dahiru Abubakar The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Louis Edet House Area 11, Garki Abuja    Dear Sir, APPEAL FOR PROTECTION I hereby appeal to the Nigeria Police Force for protection on the ground of persistent vicious attacks by armed men. My family and I have been attacked twice, in barely one month – first, on 22 November at about or between 12.40am and 1.00am, and the second on 29 December 2012 at…

Dear Honourable Minister, As you read this letter, I have a feeling you are most likely wrapping up preparations for the commemoration of your 1000th day in office as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). If you are the type who sticks to dates, January 10, 2013, is it. Congratulations sir! Indeed, you deserve no less. In a steadily diminishing country like Nigeria, where bootlicking and patronage determine who gets what and thus transform individual lives from poverty to criminal riches in a twinkle of an eye, you would no doubt be the object of envy. Not a…