If there’s one thing that has been lacking in our national character, it’s consistently having people in decision-making positions, who can speak up for the country, to ensure that we’re respected and treated fairly and with dignity.

In order to recognise and encourage students who did very well in its examinations, the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, inaugurated a scheme to honour this category of students. Its essence was to celebrate the best students in its examinations. This recognition brought along with scholarship and national honour from the students countries.

The immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has warned against any move that could curtail the autonomy of the CBN as guaranteed by the CBN Act 2007.

Unbundling of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is underway, according to the FCT Authorities. In this interview, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister, Hajia Jemilat Tangaza, speaks on efforts on the part of the FCT ministry to make the federal capital a better place for all.

Maroc ’88 still remains one of Nigeria’s painful Nations Cup outing considering the Green Eagles’ 0-1 loss to neighbours Cameroon in the final. Bright Omokaro, one of the few that donned the green and white jersey got a new name from the championship. He shares the euphoria and pain of that era in this interview with Ime Bassey. Excerpts:

The Archbishop of Kaduna Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Edmund Akanyan, yesterday, said the challenges confronting Nigeria were as a result of insincerity on the part of the nation’s leaders and disobedience of Christians.

JULIUS Agbo, a top bank executive was being welcomed home one evening by his wife and children after a hard day at the office. He was in the process of returning their warm welcome when suddenly, he collapsed.

Nigeria’s flag bearers in the 2012 CAF Champions League, Sunshine Stars of Akure were drawn over the week in Group A of the tournament alongside three north African teams but their coach, Gbenga Ogunbote believes all the teams in the group have equal chances of qualifying. Coach Ogunbote said that the two Tunisian giants (Esperance and Etoile du Sahel) and AS Chlef of Algeria will aid his team to rise to the occasion.

“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Chief Coach of the Nigerian Weightlifting Federation, Patrick Bassey is optimistic that his two lifters going to the London Olympics will end the long wait of Olympic medals from the federation.

Faith in anything takes a tremendous amount of willpower. Faith is the soil on which hope is cultivated and where both forces are present they can be harnessed to do the hitherto impossible. Contrary to popular perception believing everything will fail is in itself an act of faith if we take as true that what we believe we will receive.

A CATHOLIC priest, Rev. Father Mike Umoh believes that the growing trend of insecurity in parts of the country has more to do with politics rather than religion, stressing that the masterminds have consistently gavin the bombings and thekillings of innocent people across the nation a religious coloration, reports IDOWU OLAIDE.

Technical consultant of Heartland FC of Owerri, Christian Chukwu has advised that for sports to be fully developed in the country, the government should take its hands off from sports, particularly football organization and concentrate on the provision of facilities . In this interview with Sunday Vanguard Sports, the former Super Eagles coach said unless government washes its hands off the control of sports, sports will remain in its poor state. Excerpts:

How did a political party which brought so much hope and promise falter at the polls in a massively incongruous manner? What went wrong?

I wrote a book entitled; Why Christians Won’t Go to Heaven. Some Christians complained my book is too absolu-te. They said I should have written: “Why Some Christians Won’t Go to Heaven.” No, I replied. I mean no Christian will go to heaven. Christ-ianity is not a criterion for heaven. Last week, I wrote an article entitled “Christians Make Terri-ble Husbands.” Some self-righteous Christian husbands shot back saying I should have said: “Some Christians Make Terrible Husb-ands.” No! No! No! I mean “all Christian hus-bands.”