The appeal by Mrs Ogakwu to the Police must occur to most observers of the nearly concluded elections as strange indeed. Every election before now had always been preceded by announcements about restriction of movements on election day by the Nigeria Police. Stern warnings are given to violators that they will be dealt with if they failed to comply. Yet, in every election, some individuals, with the obvious complicity of the police violate the restrictions to cause havoc.

When the Olusegun Obasanjo-led government announced in 2004 of a revamp of the pension system in Nigeria, millions of pensioners across the country heaved a sigh of relief. They danced, clapped and sang praises of the then president for his thoughts towards their plights.

I never met Uche Chukwumerije on the personal level, but I met his former wife, a classic Onitsha beauty who was also a former national athletics champion and educator. I was told by those who knew them well that they were well-matched in most things, and that they also drifted as many things also drift.

Due to the unsavoury experiences Nigerians have had because of incompetent political leadership at various levels over the decades, there is a seeming consensus amongst them that politics is a dirty game. This negative perception of politics, which I disagree with anyway, has discouraged many well-meaning Nigerians from active participation in politics.

That Anglican church, that was my church in the late 70s and 80s had prayer sessions on Wednesday mornings. And the congregation more than once, had to do more than praying. Shrills and wails of the “mother of the parish” were familiar to some and when they pierced the serenity of the sanctuary , even fervent prayers had to be aborted.