Nigerians are as usual, being entertained to the soap opera called budget defence. The 2025 episode is living to its billing. Already, a Senator has staged a walk out on his own committee. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun sat in the National Assembly, NASS on Thursday, January 16, 2025 to present the police budget. The problem that … Read more
I am a member of the foreign relations think tank, the Society for International Relations Awareness, SIRA. Its membership is made up primarily of retired ambassadors, Emeritus Professors, academics, former Permanent Secretaries, political scientists and lawyers. There is just a sprinkling of other professionals such as the military and trade unions. About four years ago, … Read more
Ghanaian President Nana Akuffo-Addo’s last day in office was January 6, 2025. His country’s economy had crumbled at his feet. Even when newly sworn-in President John Dramani Mahama had not been adjudged an effective leader, Ghanaians see him as a sort of saviour. For them, anybody or group but Akufo-Addo and his cronies, … Read more
Anthony Ijaola Ayinla Asiwaju was unaware when he delivered his inaugural lecture on December 12, 1984 that it would change his life forever. More importantly, that with that step, he was transforming our consciousness of the seemingly inanimate colonial boundaries of Africa into the living things that they are in reality. The lecture … Read more
The New Year 2025 promises to be full of conflicts, most of them avoidable. The hottest spot might be in the Middle East where fierce proxy conflicts are going on with Israel at the centre. Only the naïve would think that the wars Israel has been involved are entirely fought by it, whereas that country … Read more
Olamide Abiodun Thomas is a nurse. She went out with some protesters in October, 2024 to commemorate the ‘EndSARS’ mass protest against police brutality in which a yet- unverified-number of young people were murdered. The nationwide protests organised by youths which began on October 8, was brought to a brutal and bloody end on … Read more
The highlight of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government Summit of December 15, 2024, was the formalisation of its break up. Three of the 15-Member countries, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic which are now ruled by military regimes, had given notice of withdrawal. Some … Read more
Dr Yusufu Bala Usman was, in the 1980s, a lion in the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU. His roar could be heard across the country. He was a domineering academic and political figure with followership in the country. His reputation had been boosted when, in 1976, he and fellow radical academic and historian, Dr Olusegun … Read more
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu flies the world like a mother bird in search of food for the hungry in its nest. He is a tireless traveller traversing the world, signing strings of trade agreements to shore up a troubled economy. He has embarked on 33 foreign trips in 18 months, visiting 18 countries. His … Read more