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
Over the last few weeks, the political actors of Nigeria served us fresh drama. This time, the plot revolved around the ownership and purpose of some millions of dollars discovered in a flat in Lagos. Like any good thriller, it contained the elements of crime and corruption, heroes and villains, suspense, political intrigue, betrayal, and … Continue reading
Sometime last week, the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria visited the rarely remarked Otodo Gbame, a fishing settlement at the Lagos waterfronts. This foreign leader had gone there to assess what has become an emerging refugee crisis in the Otodo Gbame community and to offer them his encouragement. When we wonder why the West seems to … Continue reading
We should teach the children History, because we cannot determine our destinations if we do not know our origins. We should teach children what we know of history and not what we wish it were. We should teach them not just our personal history but also the history of all humanity: because everyone’s story matters … Continue reading
Every now and then, I catch myself somewhat frustrated by the contradictions that engulf Nigeria and its people. Nigeria is a great country, we say. Yet, my daily experience of governance, society, and citizenship continues to be negative. The more I travel the world and interact with the governance systems of other societies, the more … Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago, I received a bulletin email from Dr Aminu Gamawa, secretary of the newly constituted “Nigerian Bar Association Legal Profession Regulation Review Committee”. According to the email, this committee had been created to review “the current regulatory objectives and the regulatory architecture of the legal profession”. This is a good idea. … Continue reading
