Owei Lakemfa

Louis Ogbeifun points oil workers, labour towards tomorrow, by Owei Lakemfa

Louis Ogbeifun points oil workers, labour towards tomorrow, by Owei Lakemfa

Life is in flux and labour in Nigeria is caught in its crosswinds. To navigate the strong currents of change, and produce a compass, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone, turned to the union’s 2003–2005 president, Louis Brown Ogbeifun. They asked the 71-year-old former manager, Employee Relations of […]
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The Presidency needs a dispute resolution mechanism

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 […]

The orphans of coronavirus

The orphans of coronavirus

By Owei Lakemfa THE victims of the coronavirus, COVID-19, are not only those who contracted it. Not just those who lay helpless in hospitals, homes and isolation centres hoping to survive or waiting for death. They are not only the doctors and nurses, pharmacists and technologists, radiographers and medical workers who in a universal war […]

Nigeria’s siamese twins of justice

Nigeria’s siamese twins of justice

By Owei Lakemfa NO two other judges in Nigeria have stood and fought jointly for justice, including taking military dictatorship head-on, like Justices Yaya Abiodun Olatunde Jinadu and Isiaka Isola Oluwa. They believed that a judge should not only be upright and fearlessly dispense justice, but should not be answerable to administrative powers more so […]

Africa shall have its day

Africa shall have its day

By Owei Lakemfa AFRICA, the continent from which humanity fanned out and which begat modern civilisation, is marking its Day on Monday, May 25. It is Africa’s most significant day for it was on that day in 1963, they consciously came together as a people after centuries of divisions, enslavement and colonisation. The meeting in […]

The Nile that unites should not divide

The Nile that unites should not divide

By Owei Lakemfa SUDAN on Tuesday refused to sign agreements that will enable Ethiopia start filling the waters of its $4.6 billion Renaissance Dam from July. But Ethiopia had made it known over the years that such objection will not stop its completion of the dam which began in 2011. Egypt had threatened military action […]

General Buhari was more democratic than President Buhari

General Buhari was more democratic than President Buhari

By Owei Lakemfa President Muhammadu Buhari was Military Head of State from 1984-85. His claimed principles including a zero-tolerance for corruption and fierce patriotism in that era partly propelled his return as a two-term elected – not necessarily democratically elected – President. He encapsulates Karl Marx’s assertion  that: “History repeats itself; first as a tragedy, […]

A souless, leaderless world

A souless, leaderless world

The world is cowed by COVID-19. But not tough Jair  Messias Bolsonaro,  former military officer and current Brazilian President. To him, the virus does not exist; it is a mere “fantasy”  and media “trick” with which humanity is being duped to abandon traditional camaraderie for impersonal social or physical distancing. But if there is the remotest possibility that […]

Fellow Nigerians and governors they do not deserve

Fellow Nigerians and governors they do not deserve

By Owei Lakemfa GOVERNOR David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State, 56, is a billionaire of 26 years standing. Therefore, when such a wealthy man who should be busy looking after his billions like a herdsman tenders to his cows, decides to make the big sacrifice of governing a people, he will not tolerate slackness or […]

Look not upon me, because I am Black

Look not upon me, because I am Black

By Owei Lakemfa TEDROS Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Ethiopian microbiologist who heads the World Health Organisation, WHO, is simultaneously engaged in perhaps the two biggest battles in his 55 years on earth. He is leading humanity’s fight against the treacherous COVID-19 virus, and a battle to remain in office against the expressed wishes of the United […]

Governance not based on personal relationships

Governance not based on personal relationships

By Owei Lakemfa IN the last 10 days, our country has been forced to its knees by horrendous massacres such as the over 100 killed by bandits in Katsina, Sokoto and  Plateau states and the steep rise in COVID-19 casualties, including the infection of dozens of health workers. Tragically, these have not been the focus […]