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
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
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
I have previously written on our “classthink” mentality in Nigeria. Classthink explains why those of us who are members of the educated middle class often overlook the circumstances of poor Nigerians when discussing government policy. We weigh government policy from the perspective of our immediate environments. If the policy works for us, then it is … Continue reading
This is Part 1 of the article series, “The Hierarchy of Nigerian Policy”. Read Part 2 here. The best way to understand the class structure of Nigerian society it is to think of the country as a corporate setup. One with several levels of participation and authority in the affairs of the company. This is … Continue reading
Last week, the world was treated to the leak of what has come to be termed as ‘the Panama Papers.’ It was the story of a systematic money laundering service involving public officials and politicians around the world. A few African politicians such as Bukola Saraki and James Ibori, were affected, but these ones had … Continue reading
I have not had electricity in a while. This trivial point had escaped my notice because—like some Nigerians—I have created the illusion of uninterrupted power through the combination of a generator, an inverter and the occasional beeps of DISCO light. The current fuel situation has forced reality on me. I now face the sobering challenge … Continue reading
