Much has been said about the Nigerian resilience; our ability to adapt and make the best out of any given situation. Everywhere you turn you see evidence of Nigerians making ‘lemonade out of the lemons’ that life and our awkward socio-political situation continue to throw at us. Indeed, the average Nigerian is described as ‘industrious’ and hard working.

Another weekend is here. We all look forward to it and though the Sallah holidays were more than adequate as people travelled out in droves, not many looked forward to returning to the daily grind on Wednesday if the truth be told. It is with a sigh of relief that we welcome the weekend with open arms.

AS an adjective satellite, “Olympian” means, among other things, “great” or “majestic” in bearing—which makes it perfectly applicable to the national psychology, our self-deception as the Giant of Africa prior to Nigeria’s dismal performance at the recent London Olympics.

I LIKE to think of myself as a student of human nature and, having travelled widely, I can confidently say that there is a level on which most citizens of the world are fundamentally similar – identical, even – regardless of their racial origins, nationalities, financial circumstances, spiritual convictions, etc.

Many Nigerians will not understand the sudden change in the popularity of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government after the celebrated victory in the 2011 election. Many believe that if elections are held in many progressive states in the country today, the ruling party would suffer reverses more humiliating than the Edo State case.

Sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi surely means well for our sports but he simply doesn’t get it. While lamenting on our failure at the 2012 London Olympics, the minister assured that Nigeria will win five gold medals at the next games in Rio de Janeiro and that the next Sports Festival in Lagos, the Eko 2012 Games will be the springboard for good performance in the next Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

FOR residents of Abuja, the past week has been particularly difficult. Before you could pronounce FCT, we returned to a regime of queues for petroleum products in the city. At a point, the black market price for the 4 litre jerry can reached over four thousand naira.

WE have just emerged from a gubernatorial contest in Edo State. The election is being adjudged as free, fair and credible(?). For fear of being labelled a sadist, one is forced to join the bandwagon and admit that even if the election was not an outright success, it was perhaps a lesser failure than its forebears.

THIS article was published on Thursday October 17, 2002 shortly after the International Court of Justice ceded Bakasi Peninsula to Cameroun. Prof Walter Ofonagoro, who is making a presentation today at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island Lagos, called my attention to its validity even today. I am hereby granting his request that I should republish it unedited. Thank you. O.N.

JIHAD as an Islamic concept must be one of the most misunderstood- all thanks to those practitioners of a muscular form of Islam who believe the one and only way to propagate their religion is through the sword.

YOU really do have to wonder who assists President Goodluck Jonathan in terms of his engagements with the public. It is possible that he chooses what he says, when and where he says it, and why.

THE notion of Diaspora attained public policy relevance during the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency. Nigerians who had emigrated to the United States were engaged by President Obasanjo to become partners with government in the promotion of the nation’s development.

I HAVE to return to the topic of our disastrous outing in the just concluded 2012 London Olympics for two reasons. One, the culprits in this national disgrace had resorted to their trademark blame-game.

In democratic countries where utmost respect for the rule of law prevails, constitutional violations not only receive condemnations, but are also visited with serious sanctions. Indeed, even when social evolution overtime makes earlier constitutional and legal provisions redundant, the judiciary will still mete out existing sanctions provided in the constitution for such infractions. We note, for example, the inability of the terminally ill Mr. Tony Nicklinson to willfully put an end to his suffering, without the jeopardy of a life sentence for anyone who facilitates his suicide, according to English law.

HERE’S my opinion: President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan cannot, should not and WILL NOT resign. My reason is simple.