Those who should know tell us that people fall into poverty every hour in our country! That’s a lot of people in a year! But it’s hardly surprising given that our minimum wage as it stands, barely sustains borderline poverty. It is therefore clear that our minimum take-home pay can no longer take anybody home, as the popular saying goes.

Those in my generation who grew up in the South-West and attended Awolowo’s elementary schools would be familiar with D.O Fagunwa’s books. They were fascinating books. The escapades of valiant hunters in one of the books captured imaginations. So did the mushy love stories in another. One particular book, ‘Ogboju Ode’ (‘Brave Hunter’) went beyond the classrooms into homes and even playgrounds as we recited portions that captured our fertile minds. Even today, some six decades after, I can still recite some portions.

I recently received an email requesting for some information on Tunde Agbabiaka, the man we his friends used to call ‘Afroguard’ after one of his publications.

In just about six months, most of the election noises would have quietened. And the country through INEC alone, would be about 150 billion Naira poorer. The noises would shift to the courts where another undisclosed amount would be expended.

The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo used to intervene in national discourse from time to time. He was not afraid to speak truth to power.

The image of the herdsmen that I grew up with is not the image kids of today have. Today’s herdsmen carry AK47. They kill. They burn down houses. They take over communities. They have heightened religious and ethnic distrust in the country.

The throne of a viable democracy stands on four sturdy legs. They are the Executive, the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Press or the Four Estates of the Realm as they are sometimes called.

Lunch at Ikoyi Club. I had just finished attending the 70th birthday colloquium of Ray Ekpu, an accomplished and consummate journalist and was in an upbeat mood. Ray was Editor of a Sunday paper about the time I was Editor of a Sunday paper.

The last two weeks have been quite busy in the country. We have witnessed political defections; real and simulated. We have witnessed political mergers; real and simulated. We have witnessed court summons; real and simulated.

Whoever celebrates a private birthday at Harbour Point? This was the question that first came through my mind immediately I got the invitation card for Dr Kofo Odusote’s 70th birthday party. Especially when the invitation card made it clear it was not an ‘Owambe’ party.