ALLISON AKENE AYIDA (86) is the fifth secretary to the Government of the Federation. He served between 1975 and 1977.On January 27 1987, he gave a convocation lecture at the University of Jos. Some of the issues he raised at the lecture are still relevant in today’s Nigeria. The lecture is hereby reproduced.

A breakdown of the newly commissioned cadet officers on geo-political basis revealed that 165 are from the North-west, about four times as many as those who were picked from the South-south (42)

A FEW weeks ago, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, was in the news for strenuously pleading with the National Assembly to revoke the independence of our central bank as established under the CBN Act 2007. She is obviously among those who believe the apex bank has been arrogated too much powers for its own good.

NIGERIANS generally like Whitemen. They see Whitemen as rich, coming from an orderly civilised society who are here to help Nigeria. The smile of welcome starts from the airport, “welcome oga, wetin you bring for me?” Nigerians expects the Whiteman to dole out money any and every time, afterall he has dollars and pounds and euros.

LAWAL Musa Daura, a native of Daura in Katsina State is the current Director General of the Directorate of State Security Serrvice, DSS, an organisation he had retired from before President Muhammadu Buhari who is also from Daura recalled him in 2015.