SOMEONE just sent me a fascinating article. Written by a US-based Zambian called Field Ruwe in January 2012, it is based on a conversation he had with a White man he met on a plane on New Year’s Eve, 2011.

The importance of the press cannot be overemphasized. There is hardly any aspect of human endeavour that is today not covered by the activities of the press – from the maternity ward to the mortuary; from agriculture to zoning; and, indeed, in every sphere of life, we see traces of the press.

IN the past two weeks, I have been travelling in Kano and Kogi states. Two weeks ago, we were back in Kano along with colleagues from other parts of the country, to see the fast paced developments of the past three years in the city.

That the Nigerian Army has problems is pretty obvious. Perhaps, the challenge extends to the entire armed forces, but the Army is the one that has been in the news.

If the tough guy posture of the President is borne out of an assessment of his strength in relation to his adversaries’ weaknesses, he may be on his way to breaking a world record for turning the tables against all odds. If, however, it is a gamble, he could come unstuck in more ways than he imagines. Either way, President Goodluck Jonathan has just adjusted his position right back to a place where his future could substantially determine the fate of the nation.