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 […]
Not the Iran we thought it was: What has changed in the Persian Gulf, by Azu Ishiekwene
On paper, it looked like a mismatch. Iran is not only one of the oldest and most established places in the Persian Gulf but also at least 75 times the size of Israel, with a population nine to ten times larger. Size for size, it’s a modern-day David and Goliath match-up, with ancient history squarely on […]
A Tribute to Uncle Sam at 90, by Azu Ishiekwene
I encountered the relic of his presence long before I met Sam Amuka, known as Uncle Sam. Inside a room in the far corner of the old Kudeti PUNCH building, predominantly constructed of plywood and steel frames, there was a wooden armchair that had been a fixture in Uncle Sam’s office when he served as managing […]
Understanding the flight announcer, by Azu Ishiekwene
Boarding announcements were not an issue when I used to commute in Lagos by danfo, the ubiquitous yellow buses, or molue, the mass-transit lorries, which were improvised for public transportation. The conductors often had a melodious and entertaining way of calling passengers that was enjoyable to hear. They called out in a drawl, accompanying each announcement […]
Inside the Oval Office, Trump’s new Lair, by Azu Ishiekwene
The world has never been short of demagogues and fools, but the remedies have often matched the supply. In 1990, during President Nelson Mandela’s thank-you tour of the world, he was asked at the City College of New York, Harlem, NY., why he remained friends with Muammar Gaddafi, Yasser Arafat, and Fidel Castro. He replied that […]
Waiting for an African Pope, by Azu Ishiekwene
It’s nothing to laugh off, however tempting. If the movies imitate life, we may not be as far away from an African pope. It happened in The Conclave, a film by Peter Straughan released in 2024, based on the novel by Robert Harris. Through the intrigues, rivalries and scandals of the plot, Adeyemi, a Nigerian cardinal […]
When are you going to get a proper job? By Azu Ishiekwene
He didn’t say when his father asked him, but I wonder what the old man must think in his grave. Jonathan Power is now 83 and arguably one of Europe’s most widely published columnists. He was a young freelance journalist when his father asked him the question. Still, even if he had lived to see his […]
Rasool is Africa’s missed opportunity to tackle the bully, by Azu Ishiekwene
The question is not where US President Donald Trump has not touched in less than 100 days in office. It is how the world is coping with the shock and devastation of his touch and the trail of chaos it is leaving behind. Because of its vulnerabilities, Africa was never far from Trump’s reach. When the […]
Rivers State emergency rule: A different view, by Azu Ishiekwene
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers State on Tuesday surprised me for reasons different from those for which he has been severely criticised. The mildest criticism is that Tinubu’s failure to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to order was responsible for the crisis. The more severe criticisms […]
The thing between Godswill and Natasha, by Azu Ishiekwene
Many years ago, when my teacher said nothing sells like sex, crime, and money, I didn’t fully understand what he meant. Yet, over the years, I’ve repeatedly seen that a judicious mix of these socio-economic ingredients is a spellbinder. Apart from the tragic news about banditry, the suspense in Rivers State, and the heightened prostitution amongst […]
African lessons Zelenskyy may use in Ukraine, by Azu Ishiekwene
The live drama staged in the Oval Office on February 28 between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was such that Zelenskyy might never have rehearsed in all his former life as a comedian. Except that it wasn’t funny. It was unprecedented. You would need to go back 64 years to find anything […]
