Let’s begin this column this week with a testimony. Someone I am familiar with went on a business trip and she got so exhausted and became worried about how she would board the plane to fly for about 14 hours to return to Nigeria . Suddenly, she found herself singing praises to God while waiting on the long queue to check in.

As if Nigerians need to be told that the country has slipped into recession, it has been felt many times over. The ordinary man on the street would have confirmed that many months ago. It is a fact that to many Nigerians that Nigeria has never been out of recession.

There are false prophecies in the bible. They are intended to dilute the impact of the more radical prophets. Everything points to the scribes and the priests as the architects of these distortions, since they are often pilloried by the radical prophets. Jesus confirms this by accusing them: “You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6).

A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit the continent of Asia specifically New Delhi, India with my family. Though we had visited Singapore earlier India was an entirely new experience. It was interesting to see the different ways both men and women would greet everywhere we went.

But before we identify those Ironsi promoted when and why, I should point out that Dr. Mbadiwe, Minister of Trade, who was among those pencilled down for assassination by the coup plotters, had a lucky escape. Having killed the Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the dissidents went after Mbadiwe. No one knows precisely how Mbadiwe did it, but he eluded his would-be assassins and hid in the State House, residence of Dr. Azikiwe who was away in London for medical treatment.