Osun The Beautiful: The musical opera of our future politics, by Owei Lakemfa
There were the beautiful political party dresses, worn with pride as their wearers danced in the streets displaying fantastic dance steps. I wondered where these textiles were made. In Nigeria? If so, ‘kundus’ (kudos) to the procurers. What I do not wonder about is who paid. Doubtlessly, not the mass of those clad in them; hungry […]
The unravelling of Nigeria
By Owei Lakemfa The Federal Government on Thursday announced that the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, was responsible for the June 5, 2022 massacre of 40 worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. Not unexpectedly, it gave no evidence, did not state how it came to that conclusion, did not […]
There is such a thing as a bad peace
I AM not a pacifist. Not all who seek peace are pacifists. There is such a thing as a bad peace, which is the silencing of the gun even if the terms are not favourable.
The country lies drained in the valley between party primaries
By Owei Lakemfa This is one of the most engaging seasons in the life or history of this country; when Federal and state governments and our political leaders at all levels are engaged in succession politics which can also slide into secession politics. This is the season of party primaries and nothing else matters. This […]
Peace is costly, but far cheaper than war
The European Council met this Monday, May 30, 2022 on the Ukrainian-Russian War, made the same old arguments, declarations, threats against those who do not support Ukraine, imposed additional sanctions on Russia, and returned to the comfort of their homes.
The road to destruction is straight
By Owei Lakemfa The Kings Assembly Pentecostal Church, in Port Harcourt announced that it would be handing out food packs to the needy from 9am on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Envisaging a large turn-out in Nigeria’s oil-rich city, the church wisely picked a mini-stadium as venue. What, however, it did not envisage, was a mammoth […]
Three new Presidents in an old, skewed world
IN our skewed world infected with conflicts, growing inequalities and the right of might over right, we produced three new leaders in the last three weeks, none of which has promised to take a different direction.
Aregbesola: Governance as festival of the mass
By Owei Lakemfa WITNESS to history. Animated discussions. Banters. Back slapping. Roaring laughter. Seeming riot, but orderly. Various groups, including the elderly and children. Then the crowds burst into songs and dances. They herald the arrival of the host. He is clad in white with a traditional white dog-eared cap. He flashes his white teeth, […]
Three murders in three continents, same justification
Three murders in three continents, same justification
We love Buhari, but he shouldn’t stay a second longer
By Owei Lakemfa MANY of us love President Muhammadu Buhari, so we cannot wait to see him leave office on May 29, 2023. This primarily is because he has done his best for the country. But as all honest Nigerians can see, his best is not good enough. It is like piling a load even […]
In search of the government
By Owei Lakemfa MISSING. I am on my way to the police station to report that the Nigerian Government is missing. The absence of government in the country is glaring. A week ago, I thought it was on sabbatical. Midweek, I concluded that with terrorists, bandits, criminals and some ministers acting with impunity, the government must […]
United Nations’ Guterres: Chief servant of many masters
THE tours through Europe and Africa from April 26, 2022, by Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, raised once again the powers, importance and relevance of the world body.
Government on sabbatical
By Owei Lakemfa We may never know what happened. But let me tell you what we know. On Sunday, April 24, 2022 in Owerri, the Imo State capital, there was a traffic snarl and unfortunately, officers of two Federal security agencies, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, NSCD, were […]
Jesus lost elections, so can Bishop Kukah lose to Buhari
By Owei Lakemfa WHEN a government like that of Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, is doing very well, it is manifestly immoral for a Bishop to divert its attention, especially with unsolicited homilies. That is the problem I have with Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Archdiocese. He has […]
Veto: UN dribbles self in search of relevance
THE United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, deliberations and resolution on the veto power that was held on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, was two years in the making but was all hot air without substance.
When unarmed people stopped a bloody coup
I WAS invited by the Venezuelan Embassy in Abuja, along with some diplomats, civil society activists and journalists on Thursday, April 14, 2022, to watch a documentary on the aborted military coup 20 years ago. The documentary centred on the bloody coup and how the populace in their millions marched on the coup plotters holed up in the Miraflores Presidential Palace.
