If whites own the businesses including the mines, run management, own the lands and the economy, how do you blame poor African immigrants for the state of the black South Africans?

You see, the 360-member House cannot bow to the 108-member Senate, so rather than the dog being treasurer to the tiger; it is better for each to hunt on its own

THE International Women’s Day marked this Wednesday, March 8, was like a whirlwind. Across the globe, humanity felt the strength of womanhood. Women went on strike in various countries to press for fundamental rights, and as part of a consciousness that women can change the world.

MANY Nigerians are angry. They discovered that their prized garri, the cassava flakes staple food they assume proprietorial ownership over, is being imported from India! The outrage seems justified as we produce eighty percent of world cassava (Manihot Esculenta) across 33 of our 36 states. Also, we are the world’s largest exporter of cassava.

THE Babangida military regime which shot itself into power on August 27, 1985 was a deceptive one. Early in its life, it asked Nigerians to debate whether to take or reject an International Monetary Fund, IMF, loan and its enslaving conditions. Nigerians overwhelmingly rejected the loan. General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in a nationwide broadcast, acknowledged the decision of the populace. But he went on to get into bed with the IMF.

ROBERT Gabriel Mugabe, the Pan Africanist and internationalist who was elected Zimbabwean Head of State thirty seven years ago, was 93 this Tuesday February 21. He had for decades championed the slogan “Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans.” Under this, he got the economic control of his country transferred from the minority White racists, to the majority Black population. This was more impactful on the land issue which his neigbours in the Region; Namibia and South Africa are still grappling with, without any solution in sight.

If Saro-Wiwa had a quiet, reflective side, Ilenre was it, often, you could see them together in Lagos; in those days, if you ran into Ilenre, Saro-Wiwa was not likely to be far away, or Ilenre could tell you what part of the world his bosom friend could be found

TURMOIL. That is South Africa’s state of mind. The manifestation of this, is violence at all levels; from the streets and campuses, through xenophobic attacks to last week’s battles in the hallow chambers of Parliament. The country is caught between Post-Apartheid Reforms that have in a quarter of a century, failed to deliver promised change, and implementation of the core principles of the 1955 Freedom Charter, a document which has been largely, side-stepped.

NIGERIA at the African Union, AU, Assembly rolled out its fearsome arsenal; diplomatic, political and economic in a contest to win the leadership of the Peace and Security Commission, PSC. The Giant of Africa which has been in economic recession, must have expended quite some money, at least for travels and estacode across the continent campaigning for its candidate, Ms. Fatima Kyari Mohammed.

THERE are heated debates in Africa and in diplomatic circles across the globe over the January 31, African Union, AU, Assembly’s decision that African countries carry out a collective withdrawal from the Hague-based International Criminal Court, ICC. Although the decision is technically non- binding but it carries a lot of weight and may sound the death knell for an international body that is essentially, a neo-colonial institution with 34 African countries as members.

THERE is a lot of heat in the country. Nigerians debate anything and everything. The views are varied and can differ so much that there can be a long debate and disagreement on the colour white. However, on one point are all agreed; there is hunger in the land. But even on this, there are differences in reaction. There are those organising rallies to drum support for the government to tackle the problem. There are others holding rallies on the same issue against the government demanding that it delivers on good governance including affordable food.

IT had been a hard choice; Africa electing a new chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to run the continental body. The option had been forced on her after the chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former liberation fighter from South Africa resisted pressures to stand for a second term; opting to contest the Presidential elections in her country.

NEVER have I come across an institution that has fought so hard to be born, like the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, Okerenkoko. It was conceived by the Jonathan administration along with eight other universities. But while others like the Federal Universities in Oye Ekiti, Dutse, Otuoke, Lokoja, Wukari, Dutsin-Ma, Kasere and Ndufu-Alike were born, learnt how to crawl, stand and run, the NMU’s delivery has been delayed.

POWER is transient. Despite this ancient and eternal truth, transition of power from an incumbent to a successor can be quite complex. Very few can be as seamless as that in Mauritius on Monday January 23. Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, 86, told his fellow citizens that his age can no longer bear the weight of his office. He called his 55-year old son, Pravind Jugnauth, who is also the Finance Minister and handed over to him. This is a father-to-son deal which is usual in a monarchy, not a ‘democracy’

I TOOK no Philosophy course in my undergraduate days in the University of Ife – now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, – but I got to know Dr. Oladipo Fashina quite well.