Other than the usual congratulations, platitudes, expressions of joy and offerings of thanks to God I believe that as we celebrate our nation’s 53rd independence anniversary it is time for us to bare our minds in a candid and frank manner and to really sit down and think.

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, ordered the arrest of some senior civil servants in the state over their alleged involvement in the looting of the state treasury

The newly introduced electronic cash distribution system by world’s number one brand in retail foreign exchange, Travelex is already becoming the toast of registered operators of Bureau De Change (BDC) business in the country.

UNPRECEDENTED security clampdown on Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, yesterday took away the glamour and excitement that usually go with Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations.

Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and the House of Representatives Committee on Education, yesterday, disagree over 2013 capital budget performance.

A new school year is starting and this gives us the opportunity to take a look at how we prepare our children for an uncertain future. About 30 or so years ago, one of the political parties, the Unity Party of Nigeria, had a four-cardinal programme centred on free education, free health, full employment and integrated rural development. One thing that was noticeable then was that most politicians spoke about the first two items in the programme but said very little about the other two items. In some instances, the politicians could not remember what the other two items were when they were making public presentations.

The police in Taraba State, yesterday, arrested no fewer than 138 youths from seven buses and hauled them into detention following intelligence report that they have been recruited for a malevolent purpose

Former Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet has advised Nigeria to be cautions of Ethiopia ahead of the Fifa 2014 World Cup Qualifying Play-offs.

LAGOS State Police Command has smashed a notorious car- snatching syndicate on its wanted list, arresting three suspected members of the gang at Akala, Idi-Oro area of Mushin, Lagos.

ACTIVITIES marking the 53rd independence anniversary were, yesterday, disrupted in Ibadan, Oyo State, by protesting members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Zone D (Southwest) who blocked major roads in parts of the state calling on Federal Government and striking university lecturers to resolve their face-off.

The Golden Eaglets arrived Dubai in the early hours of yesterday into the waiting hands of His Excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Auwalu-the Nigerian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

BAUCHI State has for some time been featuring regularly in the news for the wrong reasons, especially those bordering on terrorists attacks. As if to compound the situation, stories of armed robbery have also begun to make the front pages. The frequency of these tragic occurrences leaves one with the impression that people in the state had become inured to them.

A special presidential change of guards by the Brigade of Guards, Nigerian Army yesterday climaxed this year’s celebration of Nigeria’s independence.

PUBLIC universities system in the country is heading for a total shutdown as members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, will tomorrow begin a nationwide strike to protest two months unpaid salaries by government.

EULOGIES continued to pour in yesterday as Nigeria marked 53 years of independence with eminent Nigerians offering suggestions on how to develop the country and make her great.