Infantile Infantino should exit for trying to sell the World Cup, by Owei Lakemfa
Gianni Infantino, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, FIFA President who stole into office about a dozen years ago on the back of a coup against Sepp Blatter, may be on his way out. He has become like an orphan caught with his hand in the till. The 2026 World Cup had been quite successful. It […]
Isolating Nigerian workers with hunger
By Owei Lakemfa TWO meteors hit humanity early this year. The coronavirus variant called COVID-19 which has so far claimed some 640,000 lives. The virus forced humanity into physical and social distancing; lockdowns and pin downs in what would otherwise have been an unreasonable wrestling match between billions of humans and a microscopic organism. The […]
Racism under pandemic skies
By Owei Lakemfa I HAVE in recent days thought more about homo-sapiens, and revalidated my firm position that irrespective of location, colour, status, gender, creed or greed, humans are one. It gladdened my heart that irrefutable scientific evidence shows that humans share over 99 per cent of the same DNA. My recent thoughts were triggered off […]
The fruitlessness of an Okonjo-Iweala leadership of WTO
By Owei Lakemfa I FIRST met Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during the Obasanjo administration at a conference organised by the newly emergent Due Process Office headed by Mrs. Obiageli (Oby) Katryn Ezekwesili. Okonjo-Iweala was Minister of Finance, so I asked her how much oil Nigeria was producing daily. Conference Chairman, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (now Governor of Kaduna […]
Joints, disjoints and dislocations in the Buhari government
By Owei Lakemfa MY primary concern in the running soap opera on the “investigation” of Ibrahim Magu, the erstwhile acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, is public safety. The filming of the drama with the Aso Rock Presidential Villa as main location, had begun with a vehicle suddenly blocking the armed convoy […]
Men who gave humanity a humane face
By Owei Lakemfa CHRIS Otokito, 37, is not known in Nigeria. He is not a famous actor, singer, boxer, businessman or millionaire. However, he has been honoured at least thrice within three weeks by the British establishment on the two prevailing universal issues: the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter, BLM, protests. He and […]
Nuts and bolts of governance
By Owei Lakemfa I AM surprised that organisations that want to be taken serious said they are surprised that the President Muhammadu Buhari government, in the midst of crushing poverty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the immediate increase of fuel litre from N121.52 to N143.80. I am surprised that they are surprised. I will be […]
No apology after fifteen million murders
By Owei Lakemfa KING Philippe of Belgium descends from his heavenly throne this week to sign a letter to President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, acknowledging for the first time in 113 years, Belgium’s genocide in that country. Philippe danced round the subject of his country’s massacre of over […]
One with President Buhari is a majority
By Owei Lakemfa A MAN, Victor Giadom, virtually unknown in the country, arose one day and declared himself the Acting National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC It all seemed a joke as the media tumbled on each other trying to unravel the identity of this person that appeared to be an impostor. It […]
Africa and the global struggle for racial equality
By Owei Lakemfa NIGERIA under President Muhammadu Buhari has no known Foreign Policy. Under him, our diplomats use the constitutional provisions on Foreign Policy, as compass to navigate the seas of diplomacy. However, this is not due to a lack of knowledgeable people as demonstrated by the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, ARCAN. […]
Prisoners by choice
By Owei Lakemfa GROWING up in the Nigeria of the 1960s and ’70s, there were things that were unpleasant or dreaded by the populace. One is going to the police station. It was usually not a pleasant experience as both the accused and the complainant believe they have to part with some money. It was […]
Boris Johnson: Towards the re-colonisation of Africa
By Owei Lakemfa ANGER erupted across many parts of Africa this week against the racist Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson, whose eight-year call for the re-colonisation of the continent trended in the social media. I am not sure Boris was prepared for the onslaught against him as the events that led to the […]
America is too big to fall, but can implode
By Owei Lakemfa AFRICAN American, George Floyd was, until Africa Day, May 25, known only to a handful of people; mainly his family, friends, co-workers and neigbours. But his murder so shook the world that it displaced news of the coronavirus which has infected over seven million people and claimed more than 400,000 lives. In […]
June 12 was not a date, it was history
By Owei Lakemfa WHEN the military regime led by the cunning General Ibrahim Babangida once again postponed civil rule elections to June 12, 1993, it was unaware it was setting an historical date that will eventually consume it and disgrace the military out of power. It was part of the generals’ hidden agenda of organising […]
Taking analgesics for another person’s headache
By Owei Lakemfa THE last of five Iranian ships carrying petroleum products to Venezuela berthed safely this week after repeated United States, US, threats to militarily stop them. The first ship, Fortune, had arrived on Saturday, May 23, escorted by Venezuelan Navy to ward off possible American attacks. It was followed by the vessels, Bella, […]
The Presidency needs a dispute resolution mechanism
By Owei Lakemfa THE Buhari Presidency last Friday, May 29, composed songs of praise to mark its fifth year in office. In a child-like manner, its image-makers taunted perceived enemies and insulted Nigerians who do not think the administration should be celebrated. I am one of those who see no reason for any celebration in […]
