My interview with Dr Ukpabi Asika, the late administrator of the then South Eastern State, must be one of my memorable ones if not one of my best. (His interview was one of the few I did in two parts).

One of my problems with some social commentators is the attempt to tie the destiny of Nigerian youths to bad governance of our leaders. If any critic has issues with politicians and government officials, criticize that official; shred him/her, if you like, but do not dampen the spirit of Nigerian youths.

As Nigerian politicians are busy preparing for the 2015 elections, perhaps the murderous gangs of insurgents are also busy perfecting the logistics of throwing their deadly weapons on their selected spots at the time of their choice. There is that simple theory that notorious insurgents have infiltrated everywhere.

Senator Anietie Okon – pioneer National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Vice-Chairman of Arik Air and a National Conference delegate – is a very distinguished Nigerian. So when he takes the trouble to make a point, I listen carefully and take him very seriously indeed.

TO all those born after the 1970s, towards the twilight of the 20th century, today’s opening will certainly sound Greek.

We must salute Femi Aribisala, the intrepid VANGUARD columnist, for his remarkable piece this week, titled: “WHY CHRISTIANS MUST STOP SUPPORTING ISRAEL AGAINST PALESTINIANS”. He spoke for our collective humanity, and sufficiently stoked our indignation against the Zionist state of Israel and the crimes it is currently committing against the Palestinian people, in the largest open prison on earth, the Gaza Strip.

IN our first part of this topic on Monday, we analysed the ingrained factors which stand between us and the much-desired abolition of the indigeneship factor from our body politic.

He was not a poet, and I doubt that he ever knew of a Welshman by the name of Dylan Thomas who famously enjoined his dying father not to “go gentle into that goodnight” but to “rage, rage against the darkness and the dying of the light.” Physics educationist by first training, lawyer after, and crusader for democracy and justice, he was inclined to think in more prosaic terms.

IT’S a very difficult thing to admit but it all looks now like murderous insurgency has become a routine part of existence in many parts of Northern Nigeria. And the new face of terror is female. But more of this later. What we should not forget is that there is a clear message the insurgents want Nigerians to understand by this precipitous steep in terror attacks.

OUR very own Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, may not be a Christian, but in 1972 he made a statement that resonates with the heart of Christianity. He says: “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.”