IT is exactly 60 years today November 18, 2009 when armed British colonial policemen opened fire on defenceless coal miners in the Iva Valley mine in Enugu. In those moments of collective colonial insanity, the colonialists within minutes murdered 21 Nigerian workers and injured 51.

At the end of the tournament, the Spanish coach embraced the Swiss national coach, Dany Ryser.

It was always going to be problematic. That much was certain- from the moment the Federal Government made its offer of ‘amnesty’ to those we’re now obliged to call former militants of the Niger Delta. How, some had asked, do you give amnesty to an individual never found guilty of a crime?

THE world without Israel was heathen, gentile, who “were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).

A Bill in the House of Representatives seeking to convert citizens who have lived in a state for 10 years into indigenes is said to be enjoying the cold attention of legislators. Sponsored by Hon Gozie Agbakoba, it says that any Nigerian who has lived peacefully in a state for 10 unbroken years and fulfilling all his civic obligations shall be entitled to privileges of an indigene, including scholarship, appointments to public office and voting and being voted for.

Adokiye says he has licences, he has documents, now he has people who have come out to say “we have more. We will testify”The former commissioner for justice laughed at a suggestion by Taiwo Ogunjobi, one that says this team will be our next U- 20(?) our Under-20 at age 40?, he asked. He wants the sports, education and youths ministries to come together and evolve an enduring system that will guarantee the evolution of our youth. He wants more.

Our Government and Organised Labour are once again for the umpteenth time in about five years embroiled in what may best be described as an unending petrol price control war, which was ignited over two decades ago with the drastic devaluation of the naira and increasing product prices.

‘THE Amanze Obi phenomenon is not an attempt at myth-making or at praise-singing, but a realistic effort to present an otherwise misunderstood personality, Amanze Obi.” This was how my friend, William Amanze Obi, and I used to rhapsodise about an article I was supposed to write on him more than 20 years ago.

The gradual descent into anarchy and increasing escalation of violence occurred and grew out of control probably because the leaders of those two countries, at the time it mattered most, failed to put nation above self-interest until there was no nation to lead anymore.

NASS is short for National Assembly. I am inviting you to the National Assembly tomorrow. For the avoidance of doubt, tomorrow is Monday, November 16, 2009. The National Assembly? It’s a big complex where you have, making law for our governance, 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives.

WHEN Odumegwu-Ojukwu sneezes, the nation catches cold. That is to be expected. General Ojukwu showed his paces in war. He led one of the most famous wars of the late 20th century. General Ojukwu led the people of the former Eastern Nigeria with its majority Igbo population in a war in self-defence when they became targets of a genocidal rage.

I always knew I would one day be forced into making a comment or two about sports although I had decided to reserve any expression of my feelings, exciting or depressing, to myself. I was sure that I would mostly be assailed by the latter anyway, so why bother.

Every passing day, events unfolding in the run-up to 2011 are lowering hope for a credible political process that is deemed democratic.

The year is fast moving towards the end, and to the glory of God we are still here. It is such a pleasure to know that we overcame. I really do want you to know what this season means to you all. It is really not a religious thing.

THIS is the moment that we have all been waiting for.I know how it feels especially for those who are passionate about Nigeria’s football.
Tension will take the greater part of them. In Mozambique, Tunisia will be playing to sail on to 2010 World Cup. In Kenya, Nigeria will be struggling to win and hope that Tunisia gets stuck.