WE gathered in Abuja. A crowd of activists, academics, unionists, diplomats, students, lawyers and conscientious Nigerians. We were complemented by a platoon of ambassadors. It was Saturday March 12, 2016. The mood was sombre; tinged with the painful realisation that we were gathered to strategise against the monarchical elite of a brother African country who had decided to covet the riches of a sister country.

JACOB Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of South Africa came visiting Nigeria last week, bearing messages of hope and African renaissance. The Zuma story is one that teaches Nigeria how to handle its citizens and the fact that human beings if given the opportunity, can excel. Zuma was five when his father died, and his poor mother, a domestic worker found it difficult to feed him. He did not go to school, and by fifteen was working; he was essentially a herd boy in the mountains of Nkandla, South Africa where he looked after the cattle and livestock of families in the area.

I TOOK Donald Trump for a joker when he declared his intention to run for the American Presidency. I assumed the Apprentice was bored making deals, and wanted time out to engage in publicity stunts. I thought he would spice up the Republican primaries, but that not even he, would take himself serious. In any case if he were to, I assumed the American populace would get tired of his antics, shove him aside and get on with the serious business of looking for a new president.

OUR country is a secular state, but the Nigerian spirit teaches us to stand up for justice, defend the weak, the repressed and the oppressed. Nigerians are so fair-minded that even in football, if our national team is not playing well, we sometimes switch support to the visiting team. We are also quite religious; the Holy Books teach us to be our brother’s keeper.

THE people of the Niger Delta are “one people from the same tree.” This is a basic fact, but it assumes far greater significance when this open secret is revealed by HRH Omoba Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko, the Olu of Warri, leader and symbol of the Itsekiri Nation.