There are many people who think that there is nothing good happening for them in their lives, careers, endeavours, pursuits or families. They see themselves as never-do-wells! They see themselves as failures! I want you to know that you do not merely exist on earth by accident. Your being alive is not mere coincidence. Don’t see yourself as someone that is created and abandoned to suffer. Don’t see yourself as a failure. You matter to the Almighty God.

Some young male readers of this column, and some older people too, were a bit upset that in the piece with the title above, some members of that church’s youth fellowship tried to trivialize the role of the man in the society by telling their pastor – guest speaker that too much responsibility is laid on the man.

Some of the women who contested shared their challenges with us at Baobab. We also had a programme in which they expressed their concerns, even before the 20ll general elections. One of the issues they pointed out was intra-party politics. This is actually about the intrigues that go on within political parties, and how they are short-changed, sexually harassed, etc. as women. The challenges are quite enormous.

In 2001, while travelling to Atlanta, USA, to attend the annual CNN world news report conference, I changed flights at Gatwick Airport, London. While there, one British ‘area boy’ snatched my brief case and ran into thin air. With confidence, I went to the police desk at the airport to make a complaint. The officer there virtually ignored me after murmuring something like “the public announcement you have been hearing repeatedly that everyone should hold on tightly to his luggage is not for fun.”

Specifically, memories of the traumatic years of 1985 to 1993 have faded because of the solvent of time, whereas Obasanjo’s failures (and successes) are more vivid in our imagination due to the fact that his tenure ended just four years ago, in 2007.

One of the few lessons I learnt in my early years in the United States was the popular saying that “Politics ends at the border”. Once the US was engaged in hostilities with another country, every patriotic citizen of America was expected to stand solidly behind the President and Commander-in-Chief, C-I-C, of the armed forces. It is my strong belief that America started losing wars when that solid defence broke down.

On Thursday, a friend of mine called to verify that I was in Enugu for the South-East Economic Summit. I had been billed on a panel with Dr. Okey Ndibe on the “Diaspora.” He saw this on the website of the planning committee for the summit. He wanted to be certain that I was there. First, it was news to me. I was neither aware, nor had I been contacted about the summit.

The recent article by Benson Idonije – who writes in the Guardian — on music in the history of Nigerian radio, brought back memories of the man who may be said to have played the leading role in that development.

I STILL consider at6hletics as one of the finest sports. Its rules are simple. Its head try to follow them to the letter. The mishap that Usain Bolt had in the 100m final is a regular occurrence. The high profile of the one involved resulted in the comments that have trailed false starts and taken the shine off the final.

The bad news of attack on the United Nations Building in Abuja was followed by another worse tale of deadly clashes in Jos. The story is the same inspite of efforts by security forces to stop the terrible acts of terrorism.

Biologists tell us that playis serious business—a dress rehearsal for the real challenges an animal is likely to face later in its life. If they are correct, then a sports festival is something more than fun and games.

LAST week, I wrote about the recent United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report. It was based on a scientific study – the most detailed to ever be conducted in the Niger Delta region; and it accused Shell and the Nigerian government of failing to protect my Ogoni homeland from chronic pollution.

A dangerous dimension has been introduced into commentaries, in the wake of the controversial suspension of Justice Isa Ayo Salami. A coalition of Odua groups last week railed against their faceless but eternal bête noir, the “Hausa-Fulani oligarchy”, as being behind Justice Salami’s travails.

I had a rare opportunity to interview the highly celebrated political scientist and author, the Chicago-born Professor Francis Fukuyama on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 during his visit to Nigeria as a guest lecturer at a conference organized by Muregi Associates.

The bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja by a suicide attacker (it was clearly a suicide attack) has resurrected the South South People’s Assembly, SSPA, or at least some of its elements.