I have to tell this story to President Goodluck Jonathan for he is also the patron of Nigeria Olympic Committee.

THE countdown to July 14 – the gubernatorial election in Edo State – has started in earnest. This column is just two editions away from that day: July 5 and 12, 2012. Both editions shall be devoted to the search for peace in Edo State.

IT started like a joke when news made the rounds that some states were planning to pay pension to their elected ex-governors. The trend started in Kwara and since then, others like Lagos, Gombe and Kebbi have followed suit.

EARLY last week, one of the greatest beneficiaries of all that is good in Nigeria, David Mark, the Senate President, addressed a Senate retreat at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Given the state of things in our country, it was appropriate enough, that the theme of the retreat was “National Assembly and National Security: Securing the Future for Development”.

IN the same manner in which world’s greatest writers had shaped the world into what it is today, Nigeria must look at Alhaji Kola Animasaun as one great chronicler of the Nigerian polity whose thoughts had helped shaped Nigeria and at least, held it together.

A veteran journalist and columnist with Vanguard Newspapers, Alhaji Kola Animasaun, will be celebrated tomorrow in an epoch making event where his book, ‘Voice of Reason Vol. 2’ and his autobiography, ‘One Thousand Nine Hundred & Thirty Nine’ will be presented to the public.

Among the many vital requirements for good governance, the existence of openness and transparency in the manner Nigerian leaders manage our affairs is the most visible by its absence. An accountable leadership with a capacity to submit to the highest moral standards is absolutely essential as a requirement for the growth and development of our democratic system.

IF you ever wonder what goes on in the heads of our rulers, then you must be “grateful” for the answer you got on Sunday, June 12, 2012, from the President himself, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

POLITICAL leaders are by their very status newsmakers; none more so than the president of a country. But there are times when such leaders seem to enjoy more media attention than they normally do in the ordinary run of things.

MANY times I have hinted at what I call the ambivalence of Nigerians about corruption. Indeed, what I mean is that we are all hypocritical about our concern over corruption.