THE Coalition of Northern Leaders (made up of chairmen of the ten committees of politicians, professionals, academics and businessmen) leaders have met and issued what I choose to term as a “three-point agenda”.

Once upon a time, the rising tide of people living in poverty was called a “time bomb”. Not anymore, both time and bombs are here with us. Read on.

In mid February, President Jonathan requested National Assembly approval for a loan of $7.9bn from motley of International Development Banks. The funds, according to Mr. President, would be dedicated to the completion of various pipeline projects.

The House Committee Chair on the Capital Market – and I do not know if this is not a duplication of functions that should normally be under the Financial Services committee or if it’s a sub-committee under the general rule, but nonetheless – Herman Iorwase Hembe, is looking to be L’Homme fatale and nothing more, in the drama playing out at the chambers of the House this past week.

It is now obvious that South Africa over- reached itself when it decided on the first day of March 2012, to deport 125 Nigerians on account of what is generally regarded as a rather flimsy reason that they possessed fake yellow fever inoculation certificates.

It must be remembered that official corruption has been a leitmotif in governance at all levels since independence in 1960. Major Chukwuemeka Nzeogwu, leader of the first military coup in Nigeria, cited corruption as one of the main reasons why the army decided to wrest power from the government of Alhaji Tafawa Balewa. Since then, coup plotters had been using it as their number one excuse for taking power by force.

There is a school of thought that says a human being is a sum total of all his life’s experiences. We are shaped by the things we go through and whether we express our feelings or not we are changed by the emotions that are there. The world we live in does not afford anyone the liberty of being transparent.

“Fresh evidence shows that Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) used Halliburton bribe money for the 2003 campaign that gave former President Olusegun Obasanjo a second term in office. Our investigations show that a significant portion of the $180 million bribe was given to the party through the presidency [emphasis mine], which doled out the money using cheques”. NEXT ON SUNDAY, July 5, 2009.

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Reacting to our piece above, some readers agree that it’s time for our government to tackle seriously, the issue of upgrading the facilities our international airports in the country, in order to attract good business. FAAN, especially, had quite some bashing for the structures and facilities that it provides at our airports.

Jumoke Adenowo is the founder of Awesome Treasures Foundation(ATF)- a faith based non-governmental organisation that identifies and develops transformational leaders to positively help in achieving the Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs).

THE bus was going from Lagos to Benin and it was waylaid by highway robbers. They got on the bus brandishing automatic weapons. “This is a stick up,” declared the leader of the gang in a menacing tone designed for maximum effect. “Is there anybody here who has been paying his tithes? If you have been paying your tithes raise your hand.”

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has spoken: (a) no more “torture”, and (b) no more “road blocks”. While the first proscribed practice is accepted as barbaric and pronounced as criminal in every civilized country, the second is adopted as normal police action against crime, and established as standard operational procedure, “s.o.p.”, especially in isolating a scene of committed felony.

Again, we have been shown how very little respect is given to a Nigerian simply because we do not stand up for ourselves and take the bull by the horn.

No doubt, Benue State purse must have felt the pinch of an ostentatious civic reception for President Jonathan penultimate Thursday in a show of political solidarity in the glare of daunting challenges confronting the nation.