THE primary outcome of the 9/11 attack in the U.S. by terrorists affiliated to al-Qaeda is the intensification of measures to keep Americans safe and secure. Since then, a number of security breaches have occurred, but the country has been relentlessly putting other measures in place to guarantee the safety of her citizens. The call from people in charge of keeping America secure is that the task is something that should involve everyone, because when the terrorists strike, they do not discriminate in the choice of their targets.

By Pual Bassey I start by appreciating the Nigeria Football Federation for quickly stepping in to calm the nerves of coaches and players of the Golden Eaglets after they had been beaten by South Africa in the just ended CAF U17 Championship in Niger. I must confess that I was hit very hard by the […]

Over the years, both the Legislative and the Executive arms of government have consistently demonstrated their faith in the popular axiom that “he who fails to plan, plans to fail”; consequently, they have, always ensured that an Income and Expenditure plan is passed into law annually; nonetheless, inspite of their apparent loyalty to the concept of planning, public expectation for improved infrastructure and enhanced social welfare has, ironically remained unfulfilled, such that some cynics may suggest that our economic and social welfare couldn’t be worse even if we ignored the need for a formal plan of action.

Organisations, especially a global bank, in its legal battle with an individual, are generally assumed to be the aggressors. When Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Snr, 1809-1894, in exasperation, exclaimed that, “An organisation has no pants to kick and no soul to damn.

THE issue of deployment of troops for elections in Nigeria has been an enduring dialectic in the annals of our democracy. Many chroniclers of the crises that led to the truncation of our democracy in the First and Second Republics have often blamed military intervention on the use soldiers to manipulate elections.

A few years back, it was a common practice among members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to describe their political party as the largest in Africa. None of us outside the party bothered to authenticate the claim. Perhaps some people just believed it. But it was indisputable that the party was Nigeria’s biggest judging by the overwhelming number of elected political office holders produced by the party from the level of a local council to the presidency. Indeed, the PDP won the Presidential elections of 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

“If you believe that, you will believe anything.” That was my comment on five different occasions when Nigerian Heads of State, three military and two civilians have made categorical statements about their intention to depart. And each time, events have proved me right. I remain firmly convinced that “Skepticism is the first attribute of a good critic”, thanks to James Russell, Lowell, 1819-1891. It is always sad, when Presidents and Heads of State, in Nigeria make the same promises, at very critical stages in their tenure of office, just to buy more time, while planning to disappoint the people later.

The human ego is the undoing of our peace and on a personal level, its a character flaw we all have to work on if we are ever to live and live well. Let’s even just leave the politicians and religious figures aside and focus on our personal peace and well being.

Today, being the first Sunday in March, let’s take a break from politics or any national discourse and talk generally on what we are facing in the new world dispensation of “development”. The new styles, new outlook on life and by extension, new way of doing things, that sadly, may not conform with acceptable norms in a society.

It is doubtful whether a purist Muslim like Gen. Buhari would have appointed a woman to oversee the petroleum ministry, let alone support her for OPEC presidency. For unrepentant critics of President Jonathan, his support that enabled Mrs. Allison-Madueke to be both the first female minister for petroleum resources and the first female President of OPEC is nothing.