Many years ago, when my son was completing paperwork for a job with the Lagos State government, he was required to fill out a form that included his State of Origin. He paused. It had been marked a compulsory field, and he wanted to know if not filling it would affect his chances. I said … Read more
It’s nearly 20 years since Mark Steyn wrote a non-fiction book, America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. Steyn, a Canadian newspaper columnist, could not have known that the kicker of this book title, which extolled America as the last bastion of civilisation as we know it, would become the metaphor … Read more
I can understand if many people outside the US wish to forget about President Donald Trump and get on with their lives. However hard you try, you can’t keep up with the chaos in the White House since January 20. It would be a defamation of the animal kingdom to call Trump a bull in … Read more
It’s hard to argue when U.S. President Donald Trump says that God saved him to save America. Not only is a rational argument often suspended or lost when God enters the matter, but Trump’s return as the 47th president defies logic. A leader’s job is never done. But how do you rationally explain Kamala Harris’s … Read more
On the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of the U.S., on January 19, 2017, I wrote an article I could easily write now. It was entitled “A Memory of America on Obama’s Last Day.” With minor edits, it’s worth repeating as Trump happens again as the 47th President of the U.S. … Read more
“Arsenal fans are currently over the moon, testosterone pumping – and why not? The story will not change in 2024… the odds are not in Arsenal’s favour… My forecast is that despite setting his ducks in a row, (Godwin) Obaseki’s candidate would lose in September. His biggest undoing would be the large army of political … Read more
Perhaps three will be the lucky number. After at least two previous failed attempts, a peace deal between Israel and Hamas might be reached by January 20 or in the early days of Donald Trump’s second term. Or… It’s a matter of perhaps, with a big P. Optimism is a rare commodity in … Read more
Veteran Nigerian journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Leadership Newspapers, Azu Ishiekwene, has gone down memory lane, recounting a near-physical confrontation he had with former President Olusegun Obasanjo during an interview. Ishiekwene in his latest column, “Back Story of Tinubu Interview,” reflected on his experience anchoring President Bola Tinubu’s maiden Presidential Media Chat on Monday. Ishiekwene was … Read more
Editor-in-Chief of Leadership Newspapers, Azu Ishiekwene, has revealed a near-physical confrontation he had with former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a past encounter. Ishiekwene shared this anecdote in his latest column, “Back Story of Tinubu Interview,” where he reflected on his experience anchoring President Bola Tinubu’s maiden Presidential Media Chat on Monday. Ishiekwene was one of … Read more
Apart from General Sani Abacha, I have met one-on-one with every Nigerian leader since 1992, from General Ibrahim Babangida. However, I have only participated in one televised live group media chat with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. If you have met Obasanjo before – whether for an interview or anything else – you might agree that … Read more