Public Affairs Analyst

I had other plans for Tuesday, September 15, 2015. However, I woke up to see the electronic invitation sent by my sister from another mother, Ms. Angela Agoawike, inviting me to the launch of the “Year of Action to end Violence against Children”. Angela is a communication consultant to the United Nations Children’s Fund better known as UNICEF. As a father, children issues are dear to me. Thus, I altered my original plan for the day and headed for the International Conference Centre venue of the launch. By the time I got there, the entire place was filled to the brim. The parking space was at a premium. In fact, I had to park my car outside of the venue. The entire ICC premises were swarming with children (pupils and students) and adults alike. The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, was there in person, likewise the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Ishaq Bello, clerics, representatives of donor agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (some of whom mounted...

Each time there is positive news on Nigeria, I like to celebrate it. Yes, the nation faces enormous developmental challenges in virtually all facets of human endeavours. Yet, it is not all negative news about my fatherland. We are a great nation of good people. The sad thing is that a handful of bad people give the country a poor international image. Nigeria is a giant, not only because it is the most populous African country, it is also a ‘Goliath’ in the sphere of entertainment. By this I mean in music, acting and sports. On this page, I have previously saluted the immense achievements of our music icons, our Nollywood artistes and our sports men and women. It is time again to celebrate our sports ambassadors. Kudos to Team Nigeria’s contingents to the 2015 Afrobasket in Rades, Tunisia as well as 11 th Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. It would be recalled that our teams to the two competitions did the nation proud by coming first and second respectively. It was a sweet rev...

From Wednesday, September 9 to Saturday, September 12, 2015, I was in the Canaan City of Calabar, the capital of Cross River State on an official assignment. It was a two-day retreat organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the heads of the Department of Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society better known as VEP across the country as well as its partners in National Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Voter Education and Publicity. I was a resource person at the event. The retreat was mainly to appraise the commission’s voter education strategies and contents in the lead up to the 2015 general elections as well as chart the way forward.   It was not my first time in Calabar. I have been there several times. However, the city has never ceased to thrill me. This was why, this time around, I took more than a casual interest in understanding what makes the Canaan City tick. I took time off the busy programme schedule to move round the town and ob...

The frenzy generated by the 100 days of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the last week or so is palpable. So much is expected of the government who swept into office on the mantra of change. Though the President said he never committed himself to 100 days landmark celebrations, his media aides nonetheless took over the media space to highlight some of the quick wins or milestones that the new administration has achieved in its first 100 days. For instance, Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity informed us in an opinion article published in many of the print media that a new sheriff is in town. That piece is full of sound bites. ADVERTISEMENT Adesina recounted inter alia the bloody nose being given to Boko Haram in the North-East, the rallying of leaders of other neighbouring countries to deploy a Joint Multinational Task Force, the openness displayed about government finances and the welfare package instituted for states that couldn...

The title of this piece is a copyright from Aisha Falode and her team of co-presenters of “Amazons”, a magazine programme on African Independent Television. The phrase was the topic of the episode aired on Friday, August 28, 2015. I watched the fascinating edition and therefore decided to share my perspective on the issue with a wider audience. In the episode, Nigerian designer wives was the ascription given to married career ladies who are trendy, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan but deficient in culinary prowess. They are women who are well-read but lack the ability to manage the home front. They rely heavily on house-helps to clean and cook thereby outsourcing crucial matrimonial duties. ADVERTISEMENT Ace actress, Funke Akindele, in one of the recent episodes of her highly entertaining TV drama entitled “Jennifer’s Diary” featured a character that best describe Aisha Falode’s Nigerian designer wife. The lady couldn’t cook nor do any household chore and only tried to do them ...

“Some of those who sponsored the President’s election have not done any other jobs apart from holding public offices. Yet, they provided private jets and funds with which the President campaigned across the length and breadth of Nigeria. He should let Nigerians know where they got money to buy private jets and the several billions of naira spent on his election”   - Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, on August 5, 2015. One of the main pillars of President Muhammadu Buhari campaign in the lead up to the 2015 presidential election is anti-corruption. In fact, many Nigerians voted for him based on their belief that he will fight corruption to a standstill. During his tenure as Military Head of State between January 1, 1984 and August 27, 1985, Buhari launched War against Indiscipline (WAI) and set up military tribunals to probe the administration of Alhaji Shehu Usman Shagari whom ...