Boycott the boycottables (3), by Eric Teniola
This week, we continue the narrative on boycott of elections in Nigeria On December 21, 1964, the Central Working Committee of NCNC rejected the 61 unopposed candidates in the North. Secretary F. S. McEwen said, “We do not regard these seats as won by the NPC,” adding that the party had decided on a “course of […]
El Rufai ‘insults’ Osinbajo – déjà vu
ALL is not well between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the man widely referred to as the “unofficial vice president”, Mallam Nasir el Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State. Proof: after a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held on 17th September, 2015, el Rufai showed up in Osinbajo’s office and both took a photograph, all smiles; and splashed them all over the internet. Purpose: to debunk the “rumours” making the rounds that they had exchanged insults. To confirm the story further, a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) a couple of days ago tabled as an item for discussion/resolution the “face-off” between Osinbajo and el Rufai.
Nigeria’s 55 years of nationhood
OUR country marks its 55th independence anniversary today. In a very fundamental sense, Nigeria’s story is also the story of my life, because I was born in the very last month of colonialism in our country, on September 5, 1960.
All hail this toddler @ 55?
IT would be uncharitable to say that Nigeria has made no progress since independence. That would be wishing away all the massive expansions to our highways, airports and seaports; plus the fact that at independence, we had only a single university but we now have a multiplicity of universities and other tertiary institutions. We also built a befitting National Capital, which is now far removed from the susceptibility of enemy attacks from the sea, air and land.
Nigeria in the year 2030: A new narrative
OUR obsession with the drama and intrigue of politics has relegated discourse on policy and national development to the background. We all know what Saraki is accused of but how many of us can detail his agenda as Senate president? What were his plans to reform a body which in the eyes of the average Nigerian, is merely a retirement home for former governors or for privileged, would-be influential Nigerians, all barely present (or awake when they are physically present)?
EBISAN: Proudly Nigerian!
TWO days to another October 1 independence anniversary, and all is bleak and depressing on the Nigerian front. No self-congratulatory messages. No stadium march-pass and celebrations. All we are getting is a steady diet of prison-rations: “Nigeria is corrupt.” “The treasury is empty.” “Recession is knocking at the door.” With all the attendant political hullaballoo; you get the impression that even the very country called Nigeria is going to be probed and sent to jail.
