Fashawe mum’s prophecy on Atiku
THE emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential Candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has compelled me to re-read a book on him by a colleague Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo (1960-2017).
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On the Spot with Eric Teniola
Alaafin of Oyo: Coping with a disintegrated empire
ON October 15, IKU BABAYEYE IGBAKEJI ORISA, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo was 80. He is the Emperor of a lost Empire which in the 18th century occupied the whole of south west, part of north central and stretched to parts of the Republic of Benin and Togo.
Read More Allison Akene Ayida’s story
CHIEF Allison Akene Ayida was born on June 16, 1930. He attended King’s College, Lagos, 1952, Queen’s College, University of Oxford, England, 1956, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, England, 1957; assistant secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, 1971-1975, chairman, UN Commission for Africa, secretary to the Government of the Federation and Head of Civil Service, 1975-1977. He died on October 12, 2018.
Read More Mohammed Haruna on the electoral process and violence (2)
THESE include internal problems like lack of professionalism, relatively poor pay, or in some cases, no pay at all, and bad management. The threats also lie in external problems like a stagnant, if not regressive economy, a decaying infrastructure, widespread illiteracy, ethnic and religious divisions in society and over dependence on imports for plant and machinery and other inputs in an economy with a volatile foreign exchange regime.
Read More Mohammed Haruna on the electoral process and violence
WHEN my friend Mallam Mohammed Haruna presented a paper on Electoral process and violence on February 7, 2002, little did he know that 16 years after he would be implementing his proposals as a National Commissioner at INEC.
Read More Sadly, we lost the war
ON Tuesday March 20, 1984, the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier General Babatunde Abdulbaki Idiagbon (1943-1999) launched the National Consciousness and Mobilisation Crusade. That was over 34 years ago during the tenure of Major General Muhammadu Buhari as Head of State. Brigadier Idiagbon was the number two man during that regime.
Read More The Zambia in us
Paying back these debts is putting huge pressure on Zambia’s finances; the biggest item in the budget used to be education
Read More Segun Agagu : Five years after
I LOST a friend Oluwasegun Kokumo Agagu (1948-2013), five years ago. To honour his memory, I attended his fifth memorial lecture at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, September 13. The lecture was organised by members of the board of Trustees of Segun Agagu Foundation made up of Dr. Deji Adeleke (Chairman), Chief Pius Oluwole Akinyelure, Marie Ekpere, Prince Yemi Adefulu, MFR, Mr. Kayode Fawole, Alhaji Kashim Imam, Ms. Solape Adefala, Dr. Olumuyiwa Aliu, Mr. Akin Aruwajoye, Mr. Kayode Falowo, Mr. Femi Agagu and Mr. Feyi Agagu-the first and only son of Dr. Segun Agagu.
Read More The once elegant Joseph Wayas
DR. Joseph Wayas (77) is the first Senate President to act as President of Nigeria. That was in 1983 following the absence of President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (93)and his vice, Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (1932-2017)who both travelled outside the country.
Read More As others see us
I WANT to share with you the conclusion in 317 page book titled, Making Africa Work. The book was authored by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and three others. The other authors are Mr. Dickie Davies, a retired Major General in the British Army, Mr. Greg Mills, who is an adviser to several African Presidents and Mr. Jeffrey Herbst, president and CEO of the Newseum and the Newseum Institute, Washington, DC and also the president of Colgate University from 2010 to 2015.
Read More Kofi Annan and his likes in Nigeria
OF all the books written by or on Kofi Atta Annan (1938-2018) none is more controversial than the 442 page book, The Best Intentions by Mr. James Traub, a New York Times magazine journalist, who enjoyed unprecedented access to Mr. Annan and his top aides for three years from 2003-2007.
Read More Shehu Musa on code of conduct for political parties
ON November 19 this year, it will be 10years that the Makama Bida, Alhaji Shehu Ahmadu Musa, CFR, (1935-2008) passed on . He worked almost his entire life in the public service culminating in his appointment as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by President Shehu Shagari in 1979. His last appointment was as INEC Commissioner. He was a quintessential public servant.
Read More From the Hills to Marina Lagos (2)
IN attendance at the enthronement were the deputy governor of Ondo state, Chief Agboola Ajayi, Ondo state Commissioner for Information, Mr.Yemi Olowolabi and those who made the enthronement possible, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, Mr. Wole Okunfulire, Mr. Gbola Akinola, Sir Olu Okeowo, Dayo Egbeyemi, Otunba Solomon Ayodele Oladunni and others. Also present were Bishop Ephraim Adebola Ademowo and his wife, Mrs. Ranti Ademowo, the Bishop’s mother and his wife Professor Motunrayo F. Olumokaye, who is from Ondo city in Ondo state and the Bishop’s elder brother Henry Kole Olumokaye who is the Olu of Onisere in Idanra local government.
Read More From the Hills to Marina Lagos
ON Monday July 30, I witnessed the enthronement of the Right Reverend Dr. Humphrey Bamisebi Olumokaye as the 8th Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). It was a colourful ceremony held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos and attended by sixty-two Bishops from all parts of the country and many clergy men from different denominations.
Read More Shonekan on political parties and the Media
TILL date Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan (82) had the shortest tenure as Head of State of this country. He assumed office on August 23, 1993 and was overthrown on November 17, 1993. Recently, he spoke in Abuja on political parties, the media and the integrity of the electoral process. He declared: “The end result is that rather than seeing themselves as adversaries, both the political parties and the mass media should henceforth see themselves as partners in progress in our march to building an enduring democracy. Perhaps, our starting point is to first have a working idea of what democracy is and what it is all about in a federal setting like ours.
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