I hope and pray that by the time the time of this publication, the four journalists abducted by kidnapers would have been released. On Sunday, the Chairma of the Council of Lagos State NUJ, Mr. Wahab Oba and Secretary of Zone D, Adolphus Okonkwo lost their freedom.

I wish I had answers, sadly all I can offer is advice that we deal with the demons of insecurity, heartbreak, rejection on a day to day basis, looking to God for help and asking our fellow men for support! The alternative is a world filled with a lot more Raouls and Mels!!

Now, although Bafana Bafana was eliminated in the group stage, the team was not disgraced: at least, it defeated a former world champion – France. Ghana too tried, but Asamoah Gyan’s costly mistake of missing a penalty kick robbed his country the honour of being the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Nigeria’s participation was a complete disaster.

In all my years in the US, I never read of a president “commissioning” a state project. Jonathan seems set to break the “Mugu record” laid by Obasanjo. Is this leadership, given that no Ministry or parastatal this year has an approved capital vote mid-July?

The introduction of the security services of another nation to Nigeria’s internal problems finally ought to tell us that the Nigerian police, the State Security Service, and the general infrastructure of Nigeria’s National Defence is no longer of consequence.

Let’s not deceive ourselves. The kidnappers of four journalists are known.
They are not ghosts, not spirits as the radio jingle tells us. But they are spirits because every human being’s core is spirit and that is why it beats the imagination that he has lost his sense of his cosmic brief, which is to give more than to take, to serve more than to be served.

“Mummy,” said Victoria, “it was actually nobody’s fault. Paul and Ire were playing with their toys when Ire suddenly got up and flung his toy train set against the wall. It broke into pieces at once, and before I could stop him, he ran to the wall, maybe to try get back the train.

When the general assembly met to ratify the impeachment of Lulu and co, it declined the ratification of the extension of the December date for elections into the NFF board.

I really do not know what is happening. Something is changing and we all must not ignore it. I don’t know if it is something in the air or something in our diet. Either way, some people had better taking a serious look into it or everyone would be done for.

Criminality and insecurity are turning Nigeria into a nightmare. From all indications, we are now moving one step over the edge into the abyss. This is not a statement of despair, it is a conscious acknowledgement of the cold fact. We are past midnight before dawn into the status of a failed state. And it is unclear if any person is actually in charge any more!!

It is now more than three days – at the time of writing – since three Nigerian journalists were kidnapped in Abia State on their way from a meeting in Uyo. Adolphus Okoronkwo, Silva Okeke and Wahab Oba, the Chairman of the Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, suddenly found themselves making headlines, in stead of casting them. It would be rather droll in its own way, if it were not so serious.

I am worried that growth of football will be the only victim. Finally, has President Goodluck entered into a plea bargain with the characters who squandered the goodwill of Nigerians? Has he accepted the apology and inadvertently dragged us as usual to several steps backwards?

WHEN Dr Goodluck Jonathan became Acting President, while Yar’Adua was still receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia, he acquired substantial powers and started to take bold decisions that moved the country forward.

Football is a victim. Its tormentors are the victors. The minor disagreements between the impeached Nigeria Football Association, NFA, bosses and those who have firmly grabbed the reins of football are part of the class fight for the sustenance of chaos in our football.

Last week, I wrote on those who are expected to transform Nigeria into a united and prosperous country from the amalgamation of unequal ‘nations‘ divided by ethnic, religious and political interests.