It is Thursday night. I am writing my article for the weekend. My phone keeps interrupting me. There is a flood of calls. I have always known, but now it dawns on me again, that I am the go-to person by many Nigerians for confirmation of news (mostly of the sad type) concerning Nigerian athletes […]

The National Assembly had stooped to singing  ‘On Your Mandate’ instead of the national anthem. They did it with glee, without a single lawmaker finding the revulsion to boo. That apparent dubious unanimity was ominous: to survive, we must stop a behemoth, our homegrown  Paul Biya, perhaps a Mobutu. Yet prominent opposition politicians were ducking for cover, […]

Just a week ago, President Bola Tinubu was hailed and nailed on this page over his score in his first two years in office as assessed by the 2023 Social Democratic Party, SDP, presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo. Adebayo had in his assessment of the two years spent by Tinubu in power scored him an F9 in governance […]

Many moons ago, when LMTS (Lagos Municipal Transport Service) used to rule Lagos roads, a senior in my secondary school entered a crowded bus. He had to stand up because all the seats were taken. It was not unusual and it was not uncomfortable. As he familiarized himself with the other occupants, he saw a younger student […]

There’s a part of my job that can swallow you whole. Journalists are brought up on a diet whose main ingredients are a deliberate blend of crime, sex, and money. Everything else is a side dish. That’s why if you follow what you read daily in the newspapers, on the radio or TV or any of […]

WHILE politicians nationwide were planning defections from their parties and shopping where next to berth, a major development on the security landscape took place. Last Monday, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed announced graduation of the first batch of 800 elite Special Operations Forces, SOF. The ceremony took place at Camp Kabala, in […]

To be a citizen of the United States, the universal super power, largest economy, the world policeman and God’s own country, is an opportunity millions across the earth would grab with both hands. So, to find a man who, as a right, does not want to be an American and has been fighting this for over […]

This tribute was written by Funmi Farotimi, a family friend  Bolaji Badejo is the first Nigerian Superstar,” I said to a friend “Badewho?” was the confused response I got. Long before the term “Nollywood” was coined to refer to the Nigerian Film Industry Bolaji Badejo acted the role of Xernomorph, the acid dripping villainous Alien in […]

“Shall we begin?” sounds formal and old-fashioned to many ears today, while “Should we start?” feels natural and contemporary. Yet both expressions serve similar functions, highlighting one of English’s most intriguing modal verb pairs. Understanding when to use “shall” versus “should” isn’t just about grammar. It’s about navigating social expectations, cultural contexts, and professional appropriateness. […]

Many Nigerians worried by the systemic looting of the national treasury heaved a sigh of relief when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established in 2003. The EFCC Act which was first enacted in December 2002 and later replaced by the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004, was a response to pressure from the Financial […]