Author: Rareview

Tunde Rahman By Tunde Rahman BY the time the Department of State Services released Nigeria Labour Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, last Monday evening September 9, he had become contrite, remorseful and perhaps ashamed of his uninformed action. The labour leader was invited twice by the secret police and twice he failed to honour the invitation. As I learnt, during the second invitation, Ajaero even told the new DSS boss who telephoned him that he was traveling out of the country and could only honour the invitation on his return. What an insufferable arrogance! However, unbeknownst to him, at the behest of the police and Office of the National Security Adviser, which have been investigating him, the DSS had placed him on a ‘Watch list.’ For failing to honour the invitation...

Prof. Ahmed Bako By Prof. B. Chima Onuoha AS an academic that should have a better, broader and unbiased perspective on issues, and development activist, I deliberately avoid engaging in tribal and ethnic write ups. This implies that I hate ethnic profiling of any hue. While acknowledging that no ethnic group is perfect or infallible, the characteristics of all ethnic groups in Nigeria are in the public domain – particularly, those who struggle to earn their livelihood and those prone to entitlement mentality; those that embrace handwork, resilience and delayed gratification; and those idling away in their “whatever” belief or orientation, hoping that God will come down to solve their problems or give them wealth. For decades, some politicians, political jobbers, hatchet writers, ...

By  Ikechukwu Amaechi WHAT caught my attention when the flyer of the 50th inaugural lecture of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto surfaced in the social media late August was the theme: “The Igbo factor in the history of intergroup relations and commerce in Kano: Opportunities and challenges revisited.” The lecture, to be delivered by Ahmed Bako, a Kano-born professor of African and Nigerian history, triggered a sense of foreboding instantly because I guessed it would be a voyage in dog whistling, a pastime of ethnic irredentists across the country when dealing with their bête noire – Ndigbo. He proved me right. An inaugural lecture not only serves as an invaluable platform for professors to present their groundbreaking research, innovation, engagement...