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Igbos contributions to Nigeria’s development

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I respect, admire and love Igbo people of Nigeria for their resilience, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. It is said that if you go to any community in Nigeria and you can’t find an Igbo person there, please don’t stay because such environment is either too dangerous or barren. The Igbos are the most itinerant people among the ethnic groups in Nigeria. They hardly stay in the South East region where they occupy five states of Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Anambra. Sizeable population of Igbo people can be found in Delta, Rivers, Edo, Kogi, and Lagos states. As I hinted on this page last week, I was in Abia and Imo State from May 28 – June 1, 2026. I was on official assignment to God’s own state of Abia. In the course of that visit, I visited Aba, Isiala Ngwa, Umuahia, Owerri and Oguta. Sincerely speaking, the south east region is undergoing massive infrastructural transformation. The road networks in particular are being upgraded and expanded thereby reducing travel time among ...
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My four-day peregrination in God’s own state

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  Last weekend, from Thursday, May 28 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, I was in Abia State on an official assignment. I flew from Abuja to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri and did the 1 hour 30 minutes trip from Owerri to Umuahia by road. It wasn’t my first time in the state whose moniker is” God’s own State” but I haven’t been there in about 15 years. Meanwhile, I have heard so much about Governor Alex Otti’s magic in the state and looked forward to seeing things for myself; after all, it is said that seeing is believing! Information gleaned from the website of the Abia State Ministry of Information shows that Abia State   was created on August 27, 1991, following the division of the former Imo State. Its capital is Umuahia, while Aba is its commercial nerve center. The area now known as Abia has long been a center of commerce, craftsmanship, and agricultural production. Aba, the state's major commercial city, has been a beacon of entrepreneurship since colonial t...
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Nigeria’s growing number of political dynasties

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  Wikipedia says “A political family (also referred to as a political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics, particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple siblings may be involved. Last Monday, May 25, 2026, I was on Real 99.3 FM, Abuja to discuss this phenomenon on the radio station’s breakfast show. The conversation examined the growing trend of political succession within influential Nigerian families, its implications for democracy, meritocracy, youth participation, and the future of leadership in the country. Like I said on the programme, building of political dynasties is a global practice that is now spreading in Nigeria.   For instance, in India, three members of the Nehru–Gandhi family (Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi) have served as Prime Minister of India. Rajiv's wife Sonia Gandhi and son, Rahul Gandhi, served as the President of the Indian Nat...
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Imperative of improved security and welfare for Nigerians

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  Nigeria is on the march again to have its eighth general elections in this Fourth Republic. Party primaries are underway in the 22 registered political parties, with the All-Progressives Congress, the ruling party, leading the pack. The party held its House of Representatives and senatorial primaries on May 16 and 18, respectively. Today, May 20, the party will hold its State House of Assembly primaries. Lesson from the APC primaries conducted so far shows that we still have a long way to go in our democratic journey. The party obviously needs to improve its internal democratic process. Amid the preparations for the next elections is the growing insecurity and dearth of welfare for the citizens. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as altered, said the security and welfare of citizens shall be the primary purpose of government. Unfortunately, past and present governments have failed to deliver on these two desiderata for good governance. I hate to speak ill of ...
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State of play of Nigerian politics

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  Politics is the authoritative allocation of values, according to David Easton. Harold Lasswell in 1936 said, “It is about who gets what, when and how.”   As I predicted in January this year, 2026 is a year of high-wire politics. This is because Nigeria is preparing for its eighth general elections in this Fourth Republic, which started in 1999. Recall that we have a quadrennial electoral process where general elections are held every four years. We have successfully had polls in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. The eighth one is scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027.   Gradually, the political temperature of Nigeria is heating up. A lot has happened since January that I need to bring you up to speed on. It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu, on February 18, 2026, signed the sixth Electoral Act into law. The passage of this piece of critical legislation was deliberately delayed by the National Assembly for whatever selfish reason(s). Niger...
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Tasks before Nigeria’s new ambassadors

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  Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been buzzing with activities in the recent past. Since November 2025, the ministry has been involved in nomination of career ambassadors and the induction of about 65 ambassadors recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu. In March 2026, in adherence to the president’s charge for all minister and aides nursing political ambitions to resign, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar was among those who voluntarily resigned. We learnt he wants to vie for the governorship seat in his home state of Bauchi.   And just last week, President Tinubu upgraded Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu to the substantive position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. She’s the third female to occupy that prestigious office after Dr.   Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (2006) and Prof. Joy Ogwu (2006–2007). Information garnered from the website of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs says “Nigeria, as a significant player o...
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Phone conversation with Hafeez, my politician friend

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Hafeez: “Hello, Jyde O, happy birthday in arrears. I learnt your birthday was yesterday.” Jide: “Thanks, my dear brother.” Hafeez: “How’s work, and family?” Jide: “Lafiya lau” Hafeez: “Who taught you Hausa?” Jide: “Commot there! You think because you’re a Hausa man, only you can speak the language?” Hafeez: “My paddy, there is no time to check the time. I called you for two things. First is to greet you on your birthday. Second, I am contesting for the position of senator in the next general elections, and I need your financial support. You know politics is capital-intensive.” Jide: “Hafeez, financial support from a struggling man like me? What do I have to offer a ‘big’ man like you? You’re a banker and well-connected in government circles.” Hafeez: “My friend, every kobo counts. Haven’t you heard about crowdfunding before? Remember, that’s how POTUS, Barack Obama, was able to fund his election in 2008 and reelection in 2012.” Jide: “My dear brother, I know, but the ...
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