For years, pro-democracy activists sold the idea, indeed fought on the idea, that the democratic alternative was the only means by which a free people must organize and govern themselves. Freedom ultimately comes when we have a voice in the affairs of our community, and in the larger space of the nation through effective representation: the kind of representation in the Assembly of the people gathered to determine the ways and means of our national governance.

ARCHBISHOP Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie has condemned the outrageous wardrobe allowances reportedly earmarked for the nation’s legislators, saying that the proposed national change will be impossible when National Assembly members live in contradiction to the moral, social and political aspirations of their fellow citizens.

It tasted sweet on some lips while it lasted, that dish of defection. There were two parties in the main, and so there was only one other to defect to. It was, of course, bitter to the side on which the defection took place. And so, the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party was the gain of the All Progressives Congress. The applause rose from one side to the other.

There was a hit song in the 80s that had a refrain which went something like this: ‘Now that we’ve found love what are we going to do with it?’ This song came to my consciousness each time the APC members went from one comedy of error to another in their quest to acquire or consolidate power. Substitute the word love with power and you will have the APC scenario which has found power but is fumbling so terribly with it.

By Francis Ewherido Before the historic decision of the United States Supreme Court legalizing “same-sex marriage,” 38 of the 50 states had already legalized same-sex marriage, so the decision was not entirely shocking. There had also been waves of opinions questioning the relevance of the marriage institution, while some overreached themselves by advocating its scrapping […]