Opinion

OPINION By Hassan Gimba Things are happening fast, and in an ever-changing world, keeping track of them is becoming increasingly difficult. This is not particular to Nigeria alone, as we have seen many global shifts that may ultimately spell peace for the beleaguered, even though others may have the potential to exacerbate fragile peace. Russia/Ukraine axis may see peace, but Gaza may enter another phase. However, the revelation that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a sponsor of many global terrorist activities, including Boko Haram, may help us solve that aspect of our security problem. And who knows, perhaps even banditry and other separatist agitations? The Donald Trump administration’s resolve to stop funding many charities may be a blessing...

Image courtesy: Realnews OPINION By Ibraheem A. Waziri ON February 20, 2025, Nigeria marked a pivotal moment in its historical and literary landscape with the launch of *A Journey in Service*, the autobiography of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the nation’s former Military Head of State. Held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel’s Congress Hall in Abuja, the event drew an illustrious crowd:  President Bola Tinubu, former Presidents Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan, alongside business magnates Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu. Beyond the fanfare and the nearly N17.5 billion raised for the IBB Legacy Centre—mistakenly dubbed a presidential library in early reports—the memoir’s released, reignites a profound discussion about autobiographies. Far from bei...

L-R: Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof Chinwe Okpoko, Guest lecturer, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, UNN, Prof Johnson Urama, High Chief Jacob Ugwuanyi, HOD Mass Communication Department, Prof Michael Ukonu, Prof Chioma Anosike, Department of Biochemistry (lady) after the courtesy call at Vice chancellor’s office By Obinna Ezeobi I was the visiting intellectual. The place was packed to the brim, everyone looking intently and eager to listen to my lecture. I had to make it memorable. I had to make it reverberate across the university community and beyond.The date was Thursday, February 20, 2025, and I was at UNN to deliver the 14th Jackson Annual Lecture organised by the Department of Mass Communication, UNN, with the theme “Local Content, National Developmen...

OPINION By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu “THE judiciary,…. has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of the society; and can take no active resolution whatever. It may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment.” — *Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist, No. 78.* In January 1983, a suspicious fire incident did considerable damage to NECOM House, the high-rise building in Lagos that housed the headquarters of the country’s telecommunications monopoly, then known as the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, NITEL. Alhaji Shehu Shagari was in power as elected civilian president.  The belief was widespread that the fire was the handiwork of “senior officials in the building (who) had been under inves...

Valentine Obienyem OPINION By Valentine Obienyem ANYONE interested in observing the various shades of sycophancy should take the time to examine Reno Omokri’s antics. Simply because of the prospect of an appointment, he has shamelessly resorted to bootlicking President Tinubu and his wife, Remi. As if that were not enough, Reno has now turned his attention to licking Seyi Tinubu’s boots. Seyi, who is young enough to be his son! At this rate, it is only a matter of time before Reno begins bootlicking Seyi’s own son. Recently, he cited Trump as an example of presidents working with their children to justify his sycophantic position that Seyi Tinubu should even become the number two man to his father. However, just because Trump did something does not make it a universal standa...

By Paul Ejime OPINION MOST African countries make a ritual of adding the word “Independent” or “Autonomous” to the name of their electoral commissions. In reality, their election umpires are anything but, even where the national constitution guarantees the so-called independence. The “indefinite suspension” of Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) by Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai over actions deemed “disruptive to public order and stability,” is the latest case in point. According to an Executive Mansion statement on 15 January 2024, her suspension follows an investigation into recent protests by aggrieved NEC workers regarding “administrative decisions taken by the NEC chairperson without proper consultation.” Madam Brow...

OPINION By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu ON 22 August 2024, Olukayode Ariwoola, the penultimate Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) retired from the bench and transitioned into a published author. At a well-attended event in the Abuja, the former CJN beamed at the public presentation of his autobiography. Published under the title Judging with Justice, the book was ghost written by Olanrewaju Akinsola (the author better known as Onigegewura). Laid out in 13 chapters and 496 pages, the author tells his story in the first 250 pages. The remainder of the book is dedicated to testimonials from the author’s colleagues in the judiciary, lawyers, friends, peers, and family members. The story reveals the son of a doting and committed dad who appears to take family and his faith seriously. Judg...

OPINION A lovely piece of poem by a blunt and courageous poet that will make your day....  Prof Niyi Osundare boldly lampoons and ridicules Judges and Nigerian judicial Council (NJC) in this illustrative poetry; which captures the mood of the moment.  A POEM by Prof. Niyi Osundare My Lord, Tell Me Where To Keep Your Bribe Do I drop it in your venerable chambers    Or carry the heavy booty to your immaculate mansion Shall I bury it in the capacious water tank     In your well laundered backyard Or will it breathe better in the septic tank      Since money can deodorize the smelliest crime Shall I haul it up the attic     Between the ceiling and your lofty roof Or shall I conjure the wall...

OPINION By  Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN The Tax Reform Bill strikes at the heart of devolution of powers in Nigeria. The implications of the Bill are evident from the revenue side, but it has wider significance. The resistance to the Bill is not just about the distribution of tax revenue. The underlying issues are more sensitive and political. These issues challenge the very nature of federalism in Nigeria. This is a most opportune time to take up the debate. I cannot understand why the Federal Government should act merely as a collecting agency to distribute revenue to the states! The Federal Government has far more important constitutional responsibilities to Nigerians. VAT is simply a sales or consumption tax applicable at the state level, certainly not federal. Consumption and...

Photo credit: PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images) By Ali Elias This intriguing case story, titled, “From The Archive”, is published as received and is especially compelling in light of the ongoing legal clash between Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi, a battle that has captivated public attention. Please read on.  “Gani Fawehinmi was the best legal mind of his time. But he was not even the best in his university days; truthfully, he had ordinary pass in his law degree, not even a Third Class degree. He could be classified as “Let My People Go” in those days. After Gani left the university and passed out of law school, there was nothing ordinary again in his life. He became the best in everything he touched. He wrote lots of legal books and journals in Nigeria. He visite...