FORMER Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, revealed, yesterday, that he would contest the 2011 presidential election to give Nigeria a much needed change from the old order of corruption, insecurity and economic backwardness.

EXACTLY a fortnight from today, Nigeria will be marking its 50th independence anniversary from colonial rule. The motives of colonialism are usually wrapped in layers of religion and the alleged sacred duty of the Whites to spread civilization.

The relatively peaceful co-existence between a landlord, Mr John Olatunji, owner of a building located at number 9, Iyesi street in Ilogbo area of Morogbo, Lagos and his tenants turned sour last Tuesday following an attack on him by one of his tenants.

The worrisome developments in the Ogun State House of Assembly have sent shivers of discomfort down the spines of all those who have interest in deepening democracy in our dear country moreso, having regard to the fact that this is the year of our jubilee!

The detention of Hamza Al Mustapha along with other military and police officers has generated significant public interest for two main reasons: The personality of Al Mustapha and the perception in many circles that the incarceration is political.

It is possible to get away with anything in Nigerian if you can pay the bill. Police and even some Military officers are now rented for all manners of ridiculous or condescending activities including using them as temporary aide de camp to smart guys to impress their girlfriends, as recently exposed by some soft-sell magazines.

A widow, Princess Abiodun Folashade Omotade, who lost her husband in the ill-fated Bellview Air Crash of October 23 2005 has instituted an action at an Ikeja High Court against a businessman, Alhaji Safiriyu Kazeem, claiming N5billion as damages for a libelous publication in national daily on August 2 2010.

I’M in South Africa at the moment, attending a conference called “Planning Africa”; and it’s been such an interesting experience to not only listen to speakers who want our continent to thrive but to observe, at close quarters, how the country is getting along l6 years after Nelson Mandela was released from his lengthy incarceration to spearhead the dismantling of apartheid.

We have Oba of Benin, Asagba of Asaba, Obi of Onitsha, Emirs, Sultan, Shehu of Borno, Alaafin of Oyo, Ooni of Ife, all traditional rulers. In the Republican Constitution of 1963, like the independence Constitution of 1959, our cultures, norms and religions were adequately catered for. In the regions – we had Houses of Assembly with concurrent Houses of chiefs.

Front page report of a national newspaper on Friday 10 September 2010 with the caption:“Jonathan, Contest Election, Face Court Action; Atiku Group Warns President” refers. As a civil and political rights advocate and an active Nigerian, I feel constrained to respond to the unlawful threats issued by Atiku’s Group against the person and office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, before it spills off the cusp and unduly overheat the polity.