Public Affairs Analyst

On August 25, 2009 the Eaglet Coach dropped 15 players from the camp of the squad preparing for the 13th FIFA U-17 World Cup finals which Nigeria is hosting from October 24 to November 15 this year. Nigeria has won the competition thrice and came second once. In fact we are the defending champion. Coach John Obuh explained that the players were dropped based on performance as well as the results of the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) tests conducted on all the players recently. This was after initial denials by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Coach. A source said Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body. It evaluates age (in this instance, of football players) from the degree of fusion of the distal radius (in the wrist) and compares these findings with those of normal population of similar age. Is age-fraud a new occurrence in Nigeria or football worl...

The late Pan-Africanist, Tajudeen Abdulraheem was credited to use the slogan: Don’t Agonise, Organise! US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton also urged us to do same in her town hall meeting with Nigerians in Abuja on Wednesday, August 12, 2009. She challenged Nigerians in need of positive change to organise and use Information Communication Technology (ICT) to pursue their goal. Hillary reminded us of how President Barack Obama used ICT to mobilise millions of Americans to partake in the US electoral process. Yes we can and should use various platforms ICT offer to build the critical mass that can demand and get desired change we want. There is the internet which hosts a number of social networking sites like Facebook, Netlog, Blog, Twitters, E-mails, You-tube and Websites that can be used to sensitise and organise people. There is also the mobile telephone with facilities such as text messaging as well as the traditional mass media like radio and television. Going by the latest ...

Honouring people to whom it is due is a time honoured African tradition. In most African societies, respect for disciplined elders and successful people who have made their mark in the society is non-negotiable, and this is demonstrated in more than one way. Not only are such people greeted with reverence, their views are highly respected while they are also oftentimes, unsolicitedly, honoured with meritorious titles. Their sterling qualities and positive contributions to societal development have earned many the coveted crowns as kings or traditional and honourary chieftaincy holders. It is not only traditional communities that recognise and honour merit, excellence and greatness, our various religions do. In fact, every religious sect or faith be it indigenous or foreign, all have special titles they use in honouring their outstanding devoted and pious members. Apart from titles such as ‘ ’Aare Musulumi ‘’i.e. the President of Muslims and the “ Adini ’’ are honourary Muslim title...

The hen has come home to roost. A Yoruba adage says if lies travel for twenty years, truth will meet it in just one day and so Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the new Governor of Central Bank on Friday, August 14, 2009 put a lie to all the false claims of some of our megabanks about their state of health. Since that fateful day when five of the Nigeria’s banks Managing Directors and their Executive Directors were sacked by the Central Bank of Nigeria, I have followed the development with keen interest. To my mind, much of the analysis of the unfortunate development has failed to appreciate the political underpinnings of the entire issue. This is not the first time Nigerian banks will be in crisis. Right from the first republic, politicians have had dominant influence in the operations and misfortunes of our banks. Where are Africa Continental Bank (ACB), National Bank, Trade Bank, Gamji Bank and Societe Generale Bank today? All are defunct. Who were the people responsible for their dis...

On the 9th of August, 2009, I decided to play the caring husband by taking my wife to watch a comedy show which had been well advertised by major electronic media in Abuja: AY Live Abuja Invasion Comedy Show which is an annual gig by the enterprising and award winning comedian and entertainer, Ayo Makun. However the well attended show leaves much to be desired in terms of planning. The show which goes for N5, 000 for VIP seat and N3, 000 for popular side was supposed to start at 5 pm but did not commence until 6:30pm. Not only that; the hall was not opened to audience until 6pm while people were forced to queue like kindergarten pupils waiting for school assembly. When the hall was eventually opened, there was stampede as people surged to get in early in order to get a vantage point to seat. By the time the show started at 6:30pm, it was obvious that the organisers had sold far more tickets than the Sheraton Hotel Halls can accommodate as almost half of the audience could not get a sea...

Democracy can only have meaning when people’s supreme wish through the ballot box becomes inviolable and respected – Ayo Opadokun. History was made in Abuja on July 30, 2009 with the birth of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER). Sheraton Hotel was agog with people from all walks of life who came to be part of the epoch-making event. The role call of dignitaries include political juggernauts like Alhaji Iro Dan Musa who was the chairperson of the launch, former Governors: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lam Adesina and John Odigie-Oyegun; former House of Representatives Speakers: Ghali Umar Naaba and Aminu Bello Masari; President of National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Hajiya Ramatu Usman; Saida Saad; Prof. Awalu Yadudu; Senators Ben Obi, Nazif Suleiman, Olorunnimbe Mamora, Bode Ola, Ganiyu Solomon and former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbeh. Governors Raji Fashola of Lagos and Peter Obi of Anambra sent representatives. Civil rights activisits were not l...

I decided to borrow the title of this article from the famous British author, Jeffery Archer, because it is very apt for what I intend to discuss in this piece: the state of insecurity in Nigeria. That there is a breakdown of law and order in Nigeria is not an exagerration, what with the way criminals have held the nation by the jugular. The militants of the Niger-Delta were having a field day, bombing oil installations and taking people hostage; in the Southern Nigeria, kidnapping has become a flourishing business. In fact, according to Police Affairs Minister, Yakubu Lame, in a press report of July 23, 2009, an estimated 512 persons have been kidnapped in the last six month of this year with Abia State alone recording 110 cases. Armed robbery and cyber-crimes are uncountable. This year alone, there have been about three cases of religious riots with the recent Boko Haram sectarian violence being the worst. The earlier ones being in Bauchi and Niger states. Now on Boko Haram, there we...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apparatchiks are masters of political chicanery. When Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, PDP Chairman said the party will rule Nigeria for 60 years, many political observers thought it was a joke. In less than a year after making the statement, the party has shown that it meant business. PDP by fair or foul means had won virtually every court ordered re-run elections at whatever level except the senatorial re-run in Plateau State between Senator Gogwin Satti formerly of Action Congress and Ibrahim Mantu of PDP. There had been six gubernatorial re-run elections in Kogi, Sokoto, Bayelsa, Cross River, Adamawa and Ekiti States; PDP ‘won’all. The party lost Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial seats to AC and Labour Party respectively through judicial verdict. In order to make up for the loss, the Party decided to poach from the rank of other political parties. The poaching which was cloaked in the apparel of reconciliation has yielded bountiful reward for the ...