THERE are optimists. Vice President Kashim Shettima is one. While many lament the negative effects of astronomical fuel price increases which have resulted in drastic traffic reduction on our roads, he sees the reduction as positive. In applauding this phenomenon, he posits that with the removal of fuel subsidy, the country may save over 15 […]

THE threat of the mighty United States of America, USA, on Tuesday, August 7, 2023  to invade little Niger Republic is not for its love of democracy, Nigeriens or Africans. It is basically in the nature of hawks to circle the sky looking for prey, especially chicks. There were American and French troops in Niger […]

Two different but related cries ring in my head. “Let the Poor breathe” and “I don’t want to die.” The first is the cry across the country as the masses are being suffocated by inflation and over 90 million poor get hungrier. The second is the plaintive cry of young medical doctor, Vwaere Diaso, whose […]

THE new military rulers in Niger Republic, the country which marked independence day on Thursday, August 3, 2023 have a Sunday ultimatum from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. It is that they give up power and restore elected President Mohammed Bazoum to power or face serious measures, including possible invasion. ECOWAS also […]

Violence was expected last Friday, July 28, 2023 when the Shia population in the country marked the Ashura Festival held worldwide by the Shiites. The prediction almost did not come to pass but for a last minute duel near the Wuse Market, Abuja when as usual, armed security men engaged the Shiites, and bullets flew. […]

EXACTLY 70 years separate the July 26, 1953 suicidal attack on Moncada Barracks by Cuban youths who wanted to remove the military from power, and this Wednesday’s coup in Niger Republic which removed elected President Mohamed Bazoum and restored military rule. The coup plotters, styling themselves as the National Council for the Safeguarding of the […]

Four female students of the Zamfara State College of Arts and Science, abducted by bandits six months ago, may know their fate this week. Their abductors have given the parents of the young ladies, one week within which to pay N12 million ransom or the victims will be married off. This may be an euphemism […]

I HAVE attended a few African Union, AU, Heads of State Summits and always came away with the impression that the agenda is always overloaded. But three things struck me about the July 16, 2023 meeting in Nairobi. First, its modest three-point objectives; fast-tracking the integration process in Africa; examining the Division of Labour among the […]

The firestorm among some Christian leaders in Western Nigeria over the lyrics of a new song by Gospel artist, Tope Alabi, is in its fourth week. She had sang in Yoruba that she is “Aboru Aboye” which translates to “I am a sacrifice which God has accepted.” This caused an uproar with some Christian leaders […]

The gathering of 32 European countries and their North American first cousins in Lithuania under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, is the clearest indication yet, that they want to put humanity on the path to another World War. British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, made a truthful summary of the July 11-12, 2023 NATO Summit […]