A party for Nigeria’s latest abductors, by Azu Ishiekwene
Nigeria’s main political parties are in the thick of their primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections. That politicians can still manage to hold primaries in the midst of a worsening wave of horrendous attacks on communities and kidnappings in parts of the country, not to mention the economic hardship, suggests we must be living in […]
What you might expect in 2026: A valedictory edition, by Azu Ishiekwene
This seventh edition of my special yearly forecast might be the last. I’ve enjoyed doing it – the hits and the misses – especially the big hits. From twice forecasting that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would lose (2019 and 2023, he’ll lose again in 2027), months before the election, to predicting that at least five […]
What’s the Cost of a Merry Christmas? By Azu Ishiekwene
By Azu Ishiekwene I intended to write about something else, but changed my mind halfway through. Apart from making New Year’s resolutions a habit, which nearly half of adult Americans engage in, another common feature of this time of year in many parts of the world is making predictions. It’s as hazardous as knowing a […]
Ahmed’s Fall, the Dangote Challenge and a Rentier System, by Azu Ishiekwene
It’s rare to find a multibillionaire who hasn’t had nasty battles. Yet, as battles go, the fight between Aliko Dangote, the founder of the Dangote Refinery, and the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, is among the most spectacular that Africa’s wealthiest man has had to fight in recent times. […]
Sam after five, by Azu Ishiekwene
If it seems like only yesterday when the founder of LEADERSHIP, Sam Nda-Isaiah, passed away, it’s because he is still here in the present tense. Yet you might disagree if you are looking for him in the wrong place. Let me lessen your confusion. If, for example, you still hope he’d call at 2.30 am to […]
A troubling message from Guinea-Bissau, by Azu Ishiekwene
None of the three Guineas is thriving, but in Guinea-Bissau, the country that sits on Africa’s map like a tongue of fire, recent events are twisting that nation’s fate into profound misery. Guinea Conakry is in the grip of a military dictatorship with a messianic complex, while Equatorial Guinea is led by an authoritarian civilian government […]
Habits that disgrace us are not Trump-made, by Azu Ishiekwene
There’s no need to obsess over what US President Donald Trump said about Nigeria being disgraced or his threat to attack fast, viciously, and sweetly with blazing guns. He has perfected the art of blowing hot and cold, perhaps more hot than cold. Yet, his unstable nature is rarely foolish; he’s a controlled bully, driven by […]
Editors and the missing part of Uzodimma’s trust story, by Azu Ishiekwene
When I saw the programme for the 2025 Nigerian Guild of Editors annual conference listing Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the keynote speaker, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Uzodimma has been in the press mainly for the wrong reasons. As one of Nigeria’s leading journalists and public intellectuals, Reuben Abati said on a […]
Why Is the Promise of 60 Years Unravelling? By Azu Ishiekwene
If the name of the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), its secretary, or convention date were the subject of a quiz, there would not be a correct answer because answers don’t exist. The best attempt would be an open-ended response: It depends. It either depends on who has the latest favourable court ruling or who […]
The log in America’s eye, by Azu Ishiekwene
Apart from tariffs, another word that the Trump presidency is fond of is genocide. First, it was South Africa. During South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House last May, President Donald Trump played a video suggesting that white South Africans were under genocidal attack. It was a fake video, of course, but Ramaphosa […]
Aparutu and his life coach, by Azu Ishiekwene
Putting it nicely, Aparutu is the Yoruba word for a joker, a clown. In August 1986, when I first arrived at the wooden, fabricated office of PUNCH in Kudeti, Ikeja, Lagos, for a vacation job, that was how the editor then, Alhaji Najeem Jimoh, referred to me: Aparutu. He wasn’t being mean or harsh. That just […]
