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
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
Part A: Background In 2007, Wole Soyinka wrote the very scathing essay: “The Crimes of Buhari”. In the essay, Soyinka reviewed General Buhari’s 1985 regime, and highlighted the features of that era: Buhari’s imperial attitude; repression of free speech, selective enforcement of decrees, and partisanship towards the core political elite. The most damaging accusation against … Continue reading
Ayo Sogunro 