This week, as Nigeria observes “Democracy Day” and civil society honours the memory of victims of violence, we are once more compelled to reflect on the value of the Nigerian citizenship. Clearly, Nigeria is not getting better. In fact, it has worsened steadily since October 1, 1960. Thanks to modern technology, this fact is often … Continue reading
Sometime in 2016, a security officer at a Lagos immigration office spoke to me discreetly, suggesting that I advice a fellow visitor not to wear ‘that type of dress’ next time, or he may embarrass her. A few weeks later, at a bar in Lagos, a friend laughed nervously about the risks in leaving her … Continue reading
Sometime in January this year I was in my hometown Abeokuta. I was interested in seeing how governance had fared and a close friend had driven me around the town, showing me the modernisations. New flyovers decked major intersections, revamped roads gleamed under the sunlight, and pedestrian bridges brimmed everywhere. It was an impressive makeover. … Continue reading
Several days ago, on a trip from the Lagos mainland to the Lekki peninsula, I saw a sprawling heap of trash by the Obalende junction. It seems absurd to call garbage ‘unkempt,’ but this one did look neglected. It was even more surprising that the waste oozed, spilled and piled around and out of several … Continue reading
The advent of election season in Nigeria is, for a sane observer, a tortured exercise in the suspension of disbelief. For those few months, the drama of political convenience opens across the country, wiping off whims of informed politics. A cast of zany characters determined to ingratiate their way into favours with Aso Rock crops … Continue reading
The continuing mystery of President Buhari’s illness and the handling of the saga by his aides is more evidence that Nigeria’s political system works almost independently of the individual nominally in charge. If we had a responsive and functional political system in Nigeria, the independence of the system from political actors would be a good … Continue reading
For some reason – one I suspect is connected with my recent articles on the Nigerian political system – I have had several young Nigerians, people in their 20s and 30s, send me messages proposing or requesting ideas on the reform of Nigeria’s political system. Some of these ideas include organising an exclusive ‘youth’ party … Continue reading
