I have always wanted to write on forgiveness since this column started, but never did. The opportunity came when I was chosen as the guest speaker at this year’s “A Day with the Archbishop” to mark the St. Valentine Day in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. The topic: The Importance of Mercy in a World Searching for Love. Since forgiveness is a major component of mercy, I spent time reflecting on it. It then occurred to me why I have been unable to write on it. Writing on forgiveness is just as difficult as forgiving unless you are a hypocrite.

You’ve got to love the social media, especially if you are no longer in your ‘active’ years and the phenomenon has grown on you as opposed to the other way round. The amount of creative work out there is simply amazing. A Nigerian friend who lives in the US said to me: “Nigerians are either very creative or very idle”. To which I added “or both”. According to him, most of the stuff he gets are from his Nigerian contacts. We seem to be able to reduce every situation we find ourselves in to words and graphics and in a language that is simple but profound; hilarious but serious. I received one of such messages last week that I wish to share because it describes the situation we find ourselves in very aptly. Here goes….

Operatives of the Lagos state investigation Bureau have arrested a 46-year-old land agent for been in possession of a phone of an MTN staff who was murdered on his way to work. It was learned that, the suspect identified as Abidioun Fabore, was nabbed after police investigations revealed that he was using the smart phone of David Olatunji Olawunmi who was murdered around tipper garage bus stop in Mowe.

As they sailed on the turbulent tides of the sea off the coast of Cote D’Ivoire, several thoughts ran through the minds of the 18 crew members on board MT MAXIMUS, a Saudi-Arabian ship. Perhaps, some of the thoughts could have been when they would return home to their loved ones , having spent six months on the sea.Then, an incident that punctured their thoughts and truncated the sailing escapade occurred, with the unprecedented invasion of some armed pirates right inside the ship!

I think I’m beginning to hate my father. He is too rude to me all time. He shouts at me and doesn’t seem to regard me at all. I can’t find happiness when he is around me . I have two brothers: one bigger and one smaller. Whenever my bigger or smaller brother does something, he always turns their fault on me. He doesn’t let me play games or watch TV. My brothers have mp3s, TV games but I have nothing . Are you sure I’m his child. I’m 19.

The lady of my dreams is in love with another man. I don’t know what to do. I really like her and I think she likes me. The problem is that she is dating someone. The bigger problem is that she is dating my friend. I cannot come between them because I’m the one that settles their love issues. What do I do?

My parents fight all the time and this is becoming embarrassing. I cannot invite my friends to my house when my parents are around because it really bothers me that something can break out between them and you can imagine my shame. Why is my own case different? I visit my friends at their homes and even spends weekends with them but none of my friends can come to my place. It’s not that they don’t want but I cannot let them because my parents are always fighting. How do I stop my parents fighting?

I think a shameful thing has happened to me. I have a crush on my best friend’s brother. I’m 18 and he is in his 20s. I’ve known him and my best friend since I was 10 and I started to like him when I was 12, just because we talk to each other so much and make each other laugh. There was a time where I was at my best friend’s house and she went to have a shower and I was outside and he came outside and we talked and started laughing and playing basketball and having a good time. I just haven’t ever met a guy like him.

The nation was caught in the web of political confusion in 2009/2010 following the protracted illness and consequent long absence of late President Umar Yar’Adua without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly, so as to enable the then Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to steer the ship of state in an acting capacity. Nigeria was in a fix. Then came the Senate with the Doctrine of Necessity, a novel term at the time in our political lexicon. The Doctrine of Necessity is the basis on which extra-legal actions by state actors, which are designed to restore order, are found to be constitutional. It is used to define and validate extra-constitutional issues and actions that fall outside the purview of the constitution, but which are necessary to preserve political stability, as it did for Nigeria at the time.

In July 2015 when a notorious kidnapper who had terrorized the South-East/South-South regions of the country, Henry Chibuzor, AKA Vampire, was arrested by the DSS and paraded by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, many thought that it would be the end of a suspect who was accused of abducting over 200 prominent citizens and killing some of them after collecting ransom for their release.