Marcus Garvey once said that: “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State speaking not long after Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was invited to take over as chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was right on point when he said: “my boss Sheriff will destroy PDP.” The governor’s sense of clairvoyance some claimed, was not exceptional given the spectacular or controversial background of the former governor.

There are many reasons people go for pilgrimages. Some go because it is on their ‘wish to do list’—like education, marriage and children. Some go because it seems worldly and elitist as well as an escape from the doldrums and monotonies of the village life. Some go because they think it will enhance their self-esteem and earn them respect among their peers.

In U.S. presidential election, 270 is not just a number, it is the magic number – the Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency. And if the election was decided today, Hillary Clinton would win in a landslide. With about 80 days to the November 8 elections, all the scientific polls in America show that Clinton would conveniently secure at least 288 electoral college votes, with Trump guaranteed 174 while 76 toss up votes could go either way.

Jamaica. Bahamas. What happened to us? We became rich, and foolish? Before our athletes started running for inconsequential countries like Qatar, our teams at international meets had started having more officials than competitors. We once dominated the sprints and gunned for boxing medals. Now, we are in Brazil with one real sprinter , and only one boxer. Prayers are good.