“Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.”– Aristophanes

After receiving a thunderous applause for the very inspiring/moving sermon he had just delivered, it was time for this man of God to bless members of his church for the new year.

Of what use is free education when the quality of teaching and learning is severely compromised by poor funding and haphazard planning? Instead of free-education-in-the-ocean-of decay, Okorocha should have invested heavily in upgrading educational infrastructure and provision of better welfare packages and on-the-job training for teachers.

Last week, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs, Senator Dahiru Kuta publicly asserted that civil service jobs in Nigeria now go to those who can bribe their way through. Senator Kuta named 3 federal bodies involved in the reprehensible act.

THE ENTRY OF Ayo Oshitelu into sports reporting was bound to bring one or two changes into the art of sports writing. Very seldom had the Ivory Tower released a choice product from its dizzy heights straight into the “Arena” of sports.

All tennis buffs look forward to the Grand Slams or the Masters Series where supreme tennis athletes enter ‘the arena’ to showcase their immense skills, sometimes defying the freezing cold, or gusty winds, or whatever it is the elements might throw at them.

The year 2013 has arrived with such certainty that it is hard to ignore. Much as I do not like odd numbers, I have a positive feeling in my spirit that this will be a great year indeed. With the turn of a new year, come new resolutions, new responsibilities, new dreams, new schemes and new life. People resolve to make changes in their personal life, career and environment. When will the leaders of this nation of ours resolve to make a turnaround for its citizens?

The beautiful thing about a new day, or a new book, or a new friend… or a new year; is the promise of opportunity. What I could not achieve yesterday perhaps I will achieve today. It’s a chance to do it all over, begin on a new journey of discovery but this time with the benefit of hindsight (for the serial slipper uppers *wink*)Long story short—a clean slate— upon which to write anything our hearts and minds can imagine.

LAST week, I told you about the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) study – which was published in the Washington Post. Having analysed the Quality Of Life in 80 different countries, it concluded that Nigeria is the worst place to be born in.

As many attempts has been made by the political leaders of the North to forge unity in order to bring power back to the North in 2015, the question is being asked, why the Northern political leaders want power so desperately?. The answer is that the ‘North‘ is so used to having an exercising ‘political power‘ that it feels unfulfilled without it. It is a matter of fact that since independence, power (headship of Federal Government) has resided in the North for more than three quarters of the period.