Frankly Speaking

GENERAL BABANGIDA AT 85: Another tribute, by Dele Sobowale

”Nobody is worth being called a friend unless he is prepared to suffer attacks on account of defending you” – Anonymous Annual tributes to former military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, has become a ritual; shared by several highly respected individuals than most people realize. Despite the determined efforts by the June 12 opportunists, all they […]
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President Tinubu, thanks for restoring History, by Dele Sobowale

“We must therefore not shrink from accusing our friends or praising our enemies; nor need we be afraid of praising or blaming the same people at different times; since it is impossible that men who are engaged in public affairs should always be in the right; and unlikely they should always be in the wrong. […]

Government College Ughelli at 80: Call for celebration, by Dele Sobowale

“Every institution is the lengthened shadow of one man” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882.  The philosopher, known as “the sage of Concord”, made no attempt to distinguish between good and bad institutions – those that serve the nation well and advance social progress; and those which lead to destruction.  Most people alive in any era […]

Biodun Shobanjo at 80 Africa’s Oglivy, by Dele Sobowale

“True originality consists not in a new manner, but in a new vision.” Edith Wharton. “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” Herman Melville, Biodun Shobanjo has already been described as the Father of Advertising in Africa” by one of those who gathered last week to honour him after turning […]

GCU as metaphor for how Nigerians ruined govt colleges, by Dele Sobowale

Numerous are the streams that lead to social prosperity; but all of them spring from the same source and that is public education.  Gaspar Jovellanos, 1744-1811.   The British established five Government Colleges – Kings College, KC, Lagos, Government College, Ibadan, GCI, Government College, Umuahia, GCU, and  Government College, Ughelli, GCU — to complement the efforts […]

Honour Attah with street names, by Dele Sobowale

“No man was ever honoured for what he received, but for what he gave”— Calvin Coolidge, 1872-1933, 30th US President. It was twenty years ago, when the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, launched his book titled RESOURCE CONTROL. I was deeply honoured to have been asked to write the Foreword to that […]

Requiem for PDP, by Dele Sobowale

“All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies” – Dr Arbuthnot, 1667-1735, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 191.  Note: This article started on the day of the Ondo State election. The result was not surprising. “You can’t beat something with nothing”. PDP is now nothing. Obong Victor Attah, a former governor […]

The end of party politics in Nigeria, by Dele Sobowale

 Writing about the things that would destroy any nation, Mahatma Gandhi, 1869- 1948, listed them as follows: Politics without principles Pleasure without conscience Wealth without work Knowledge without character Business without morality Science without humanity Worship without sacrifice Bad politics, selfish, un imaginative and unpatriotic politicians will eventually ruin a nation – even if it […]

Sabotaging power installations is self-destructive, by Dele Sobowale

“Bitterness is like holding a piece of burning coal in your hand and hoping that it hurts someone else” – Nelson Mandela, 1913-2013 SABOTAGE, deliberate and planned, is increasingly becoming the most important factor in the frequent grid collapses Nigerians are experiencing now. Don’t get me wrong, the crimes committed against the people of Nigeria […]

MUDI AFRICA AT 30: From grass to glory, by Dele Sobowale

“Against excellence in another [person], there is no way of defending ourselves except love.” Johann Goethe, VBQ, p 51. This is the third time I have fallen in love with an artist/philosopher long before meeting him. The first and ever abiding one was Uncle Sam; the second ever green Victor Attah. This one coming so […]

Kaduna: Peace restored investment destination once again, by Dele Sobowale

“No peace can last or ought to last which does not recognise and accept the principle that governments derive all their powers from the consent of the governed” – US President Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 185. Kaduna State, until a few months ago, was grouped with Katsina, Niger, Benue and […]

Nigeria where it no longer pays to work, by Dele Sobowale

“How can productivity work in a place where you have ten people clustering an office, no electricity, trek to about 11-storey building. Labour punches the button to work no matter what” – Dr Tommy Okon, Trade Union Congress, TUC Dr Okon has captured only a fraction of the miseries of millions of “employed” Nigerians. Before reaching […]

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