WHEN an organisation no longer knows what to do, it starts grappling with everything. That is when the loss of one genuine purpose leads to the pursuit of a dozen pseudo purposes. That is also when the organisation begins to work at cross purposes with other organisations.

Finally, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s Petroleum Resources minister until six months ago, seeks to be understood by Nigerians. The former highflying minister, one of the most influential in the Goodluck Jonathan administration, seems to be begging Nigerians for forgiveness, or at least for some slack in their criticism (or is it hatred of her guts?). Of course, Madueke did not actually ask Nigerians to forgive her. Those are not her exact words, but the intention is quite clear in the series of conversations she has had in the last couple of weeks with celebrity journalist, Dele Momodu. She seems to have come to a belated realisation of that Achebean warning to all misguided leaders that nobody wins a war against their own people.

By Tabia Princewill  As a former student of the Sorbonne University in Paris, who also lived not too far from the location which was savagely attacked a few days ago by extremists hiding behind the false cover of religion to strike fear in the hearts of the world, I am deeply traumatised and affected by […]

That was one of the issues I looked at; we can’t keep using overage players. We used over-age players for junior championships, I know that. Why not say it? It’s the truth. We always cheat. It’s a fact. When you cheat, you deprive the young stars that are supposed to play in these competitions their rights.”— NFA Chairman, Anthony Kojo Williams, in 2000.

In just six months, the government’s anti-corruption policy has gone off the rail. During the election, candidate Buhari made this pledge: “Whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will face the music.”