In 2008, I wrote two articles titled “WHEN GENIUS FAILS”. The first was about the former Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Dr Ndidi Onyuike warning about the imminent collapse of the Stock Exchange that year. It happened as predicted. The second was related to the crisis in the banking sector even as Professor Soludo was pretending that all was well with the banks. Today, everybody knows better. Where are OCEANIC, INTERCONTINENTAL, BANK PHB etc today? This article also might have been titled “WHEN GENIUS FAILS -3” and it would have been appropriate because the Federal Minister of Finance is no longer the highly respected figure she was in 2003-2005. Her return is shaping out to be some sort of personal disaster for her for many reasons – mostly political.

Balewa’s control of the national government placed the Northern region at an advantage over the other two regions because NPC, the party representing its interests, had power over federal revenue and other important national institutions. Expectedly, the NPC used its dominant influence to determine, in favour of the North, developmental projects to implement, where to site such projects and contractors that would execute them. Northern political leaders wanted power at the centre desperately out of conviction that the NCNC and AG, if allowed to control the federal government, would likely allocate more resources to the Eastern and Western regions at the expense of the underdeveloped Northern region.

Strangely, in Nigeria, 206 years after the 1807 abolition of slave trade by Britian and 15 years into the yearly remembrance of victims by the United Nations, the business has taken a new twist with two forms— internal and international— booming. Focus has shifted from energetic men preferred by Europeans for labour on plantations, to women and teenage girls as young as eight.

H er firm resolve to end a long family history of hereditary ailments landed her in the world of natural health science. UK-trained Information Technologist turned natural health advocate, Liome Engele, is the Director of Business Development at Laserderm Clinic, a dermatology and cosmetology clinic set up by British medical consultants in Lagos. In this interview, Liome takes us through her journey into the vast world of natural health science and also passes her judgement on Nigerians’ attitude towards skincare among other issues.

The litmus test for any successful relationship or association is growth. I have always believed that a good relationship calls us up higher, we rise to become better, because of the nurture and encouragement we receive. Some people bring out the best in others but there are some extraordinary people who can bring out the best in you when you are at your worst. Kindness and humility is a very rare combination; they go hand in hand but they are not easily found. Now if you go one step further and add generosity to that combination you would get an accurate description of the subject of my thoughts this week.

Happy Independence Anniversary. Maybe I should have said that last week, but then there were many things I should have said last week that I didn’t.

I don’t know if Nigeria will survive this but I hope and pray she does. The impunity of gunmen is getting more scary. Could it be that our leaders are running out of ideas on how to go about it? Is President Jonathan losing the battle against the menace of terrorism?

Finally, the final piece in a jig-saw has fallen into place. Several years ago, over 30 to be exact, I had done an extensive tour of some Southern African countries that included Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and Rhodesia.

Production Quality: Contemporary Afro Pop music videos are among the most edgy visual content you could hope to see. From their flamboyant costumes and dance steps, to the props, set design and special effects, the creative effort that has been invested to achieve a product of international calibre can be clearly seen.

Fifty three and counting…. Make I talk true ehn, warts and all; I am PROUDLY Nigerian, where else in the world will you find such an eclectic mix of the good, the bad and the ugly? Where else in the world does obscene opulence reside side by side and comfortably so, with abject poverty?