THESE are dangerous times for Nigeria. They are times that try a nation’s soul and it is the choice of the country’s leaders what they make of the times. The choice we make or that those who lead us make for us have grave implications for the continued existence of Nigeria as it was formerly known. I described Nigeria in the past tense, in the manner I did in the preceding statement, advisedly.

LAST Thursday, President Jonathan launched the National electronic Identification Card. The national ID Card project has been one of the most scandalous avenues of heist in Nigeria for decades. In cahoots with all kinds of crooked foreign businessmen, members of the Nigerian political elite have exploited the absolutely necessary need for a national identification system to fleece Nigeria of billions of dollars.

IF nothing is done by the government regarding claims of the World Teachers Union, the next 2014-2015 school year will be severely disrupted. The four stations and union confederations that had suspended their strike in April announced this at a press conference at the Labour House.

THE All Progressives Congress, APC, on Monday, August 18, 2014, published a full page advertorial in some national dailies entitled: “Why Diezani Alison-Madueke Must Resign Over The Missing $20 Billion Oil Money”. It was signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. In it, the party listed the reasons it is determined not to leave the issue of “missing” oil money alone, and why the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Madueke, must resign.

WHETHER you are a sadist or a masochist simply depends on your source of joy. All those who derive joy from the hurt of others are sadists. This is where a callous man would rape an innocent minor and still shoot her dead after the rape.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s hostage negotiator, Dr Stephen Davis, has done Nigerians a great favour and put his employer in a tight corner. Davis has broken the official taboo against naming names of persons behind Boko Haram, those who fund the ceaseless bloodbaths, abduction of adolescent girls as sexual slaves, arson and more.

Chief Samuel Olatunde Fadahunsi was 94 years old at his death on 12 August 2014. He was born in Ora, Osun State although his parents were from Ilesha, Osun State.

I GOT to know the late Alhaji Magaji Dambatta personally only in the last one year of his accomplished life. Of course, it is impossible not to have been aware of a rare titan who from a very young age, began a life that was entirely dedicated to God and his community.

In my article on the recent election in Osun State, provocatively titled “How APC Lost the Osun Election;” I was lavish in praising the INEC. I said: “Attahiru Jega is by far Nigeria’s best public-servant. He is yet again, the real winner of the Osun election; and he is doing a fantastic job transforming the electoral-process in Nigeria for the better and even the best. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Jega and his entire INEC team for the excellent job they have been doing.”

By HENRY BOYO Dealing with the excess liquidity challenge requires innovative approaches in view of the source of the problem.  One potentially enduring solution, which would avoid the creation of new money and boost the naira value in the foreign exchange market, relates to the allocation of foreign exchange earned from oil to the three […]