Providence brought me within a few miles of the American seat of power in Washington around the Fourth of July, the day all Americans celebrate their independence.

We have had many thrilling moments in this World Cup. We have seen extra-ordinary skills from extraordinary talents. As we salute those skills, we must also pause to appreciate the hours of devotion and discipline that have produced those inspiring achievements.

I am still trying to understand the loss of Dr Olukayode Fayemi in the gubernatorial election of Ekiti State and it is not because ‘I am involved’ by lineage. As a bystander, and as a professional journalist, I am involved and therefore curious.

Everybody is misunderstood at some point by someone, somewhere. I have heard people described as aloof and arrogant simply because they are shy and withdrawn. People who have to deal with myriad of issues under pressure are often seen as hard and unfeeling, only to find in a different setting, that they are actually sensitive and caring. In a world of instant coffee and instant news, instant judgements come a dime a dozen.

A couple of weeks ago, we all woke up to find that our favourite newspapers were off the newsstands. This was something we had not seen for a while, and it took many of us by surprise. Many reasons flew around; many of them too preposterous to mention here.

Themortal body of Monsignor Pedro Ayodele Martins, the first Nigerian chaplain of the Nigerian Army, the oldest Lagosian to be ordained a priest, and the oldest priest in Africa, was finally laid to rest last week in a week long ceremony that involved the entire Arch Diocese. It also had many former residents of 1004 Estate and ex-military officers in attendance. He was aged 103. He was also a priest for over 70 incredible years.

His voice was strong, assured and cultured on air; the voice of a veteran. And he is a veteran, having cut his tooth—and his voice— in the old days when FRCN was still NBC, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, fashioned after, and nurtured by the BBC. In the days when voices were trained and diction was important; when there was a strong awareness that whatever was said on air had implications beyond the moment. His wary, ambivalent answers to certain explosive questions on the state of the nation, betrayed this training. It also betrayed his disposition which is usually deliberate, logical and rarely judgemental.

The Nigerian main nationalities represented by their delegates at the on going conference took brinkmanship to a new height last week. The North reportedly set the tone when it published its stance on thorny issues of the conference.

You had to be strong not to be moved by some of the pictures Sky News Television beamed to the world last weekend.

The whole world focused on Nigeria last week. It started with the sudden realisation— as if woken from a deep slumber— that the over two hundred girls abducted had not been traced, let alone rescued, and ended with the World’s Economic Forum where the potentials of Nigeria— and Africa were highlighted.