Public Affairs Analyst

  Introduction Nigeria is earnestly preparing for her eight general elections in 2027. Ahead of that, machinery was set in motion by critical actors and stakeholders to play their part in the upcoming epochal event. The country’s judiciary had made profound statements on our last electoral act passed in 2022. The Supreme Court among other things said the Independent National Electoral Commission designed result viewing portal known as IREV is unknown to our laws and as such could not be basis upon which alleged electoral fraud of 2023 general elections could be based, INEC in February 2024 published its 526-page official report on the 2023 General Elections.   By December 2024, immediate past chairman of INEC Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says the commission has come up with 142 recommendations to improve the future electoral process. By February 2024, the National Assembly inaugurated House of Rep and Senate committees on electoral reforms. On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Presiden...

Anyone following my write-up on this page would have known by now that I am a man of culture and enjoys writing about my travelogue. I have visited many of Nigeria’s tourists’ sites and few others across the globe. Some of them bears recounting here. Remember that on this page last week, I wrote about my experience visiting, for the first time. the Osun Grove in Osogbo. I also visited the palace of Ataoja of Osogbo. In Osun State, I have also been to Ife Museum, the site of Oranmiyan staff as well as the Ooni of Ife’s palace. In Oyo State, I have visited the Agodi Garden, Ibadan University Zoological Garden, Captain Bower’s Tower at Oke Are, Mapo Hall built in 1929 and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. In Ogun State, I have climbed the Olumo Rock, visited Itoku Tie and Dye fabrics market. I have also been to Centenary Hall and Alake of Egbaland’s Palace and Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Mausoleum at Ikenne.   In Lagos, I have visited the first storey building in...

  From February 2 - 6, 2026, I was on an official visit to Osogbo. It was the longest I had stayed since I started visiting the Osun State capital. After a hectic work schedule, I decided to take a break to visit the Osun grove, one of the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nigeria. It was an epochal visit.   But before I share what I saw, let me give you a short historical background of Osun, the State of the Living Spring. Osun is one of the six states in the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Information gleaned from the official website of the state says that it is bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states, to the north by Kwara State, to the south by Ogun State and to the west by Oyo State. Named after the River Osun—a vital river which flows through the state—the state was formed from the south-east of Oyo State on August 27, 1991, and has its capital in the city of Osogbo. River Osun is symbolic because it serves both spiritual and tourist purposes in the sta...

  Me: “Hello, my pal. How are you? To what do I owe this august call in January?” My friend: “Jide, you’re not serious. When last did you call me too?” Me: “It’s true, amigo. I’ve been busy lately. Man must eat now. As you know, in Naija, no food for lazy man” My friend: “You’re right. Are you at home this weekend? We need to hang out. It’s been a while.” Me: “Ah! Wrong time! I am actually in the field doing research for one of my clients.” My friend: “So, what’s your field research about? Me: “It’s about the forthcoming June 20, 2026, Ekiti gubernatorial election.” My friend: “What about it?” Me: “We want to know how the election will pan out.” My friend: “Professor! Jide, please come down to my level o! You know say me I no know book like you.” Me: “Come off it, buddy. Aren’t you a varsity graduate?” My friend: “Anyways, I learnt there is now a direct flight from Abuja and Lagos to Ekiti without having to first go through Akure in Ondo State.” Me: “That’s ...

  Introduction Governor Siminalaye Fubara of Rivers State has become a cat with nine lives having survived two previous impeachment moves by the Rivers State House of Assembly. However, another plan is afoot to impeach the ‘gentle giant’ who rode to power on the back of his predecessor, former governor Nyesom Wike. Will he and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu survive this third attempt?   The Rivers State House of Assembly first made to impeach Fubara in October 2023. In order to thwart that move, some arsonists set a section of the Assembly on fire on Sunday, October 29, 2023. The second attempt was in March 2025 few days before President Bola Tinubu declared State of Emergency in Rivers State in which the suspension order affected the entire members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the governor and the deputy governor. The SoE lasted from March 18 – September 18, 2025. The second impeachment notice was communicated via a letter which was dated Friday, March 14, 2025 but...

  “ History will remember today not merely as an unveiling ceremony, but as the day Nigeria chose dialogue, transparency, fiscal realism, and strong Presidential commitment as the pathway to resolving long-standing governance challenges and achieving sustained progress.” – Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during the signing of the agreement between FG and ASUU on January 14, 2026. Last week Wednesday, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, signed a fresh agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The Guardian of January 17 said that in a defining move to end a 17-year crisis that has repeatedly destabilised Nigeria’s university system, the FG and the ASUU have finally signed a comprehensive agreement aimed at restoring stability, improving staff welfare, and safeguarding academic standards. The protracted conflict, marked by recurring strikes, inadequate funding, and unresolved welfare concerns, has repeatedly disrupted ...