TODAY’S s essay is dedicated to Justice Oyemade of the High Court of Justice of the old Western Region and other people of courage who may be few and far apart, but who still steer the affairs of our Judiciary.

THERE was no way that Professor Maurice Iwu would have been a credible electoral umpire. His naked political adventurisms before, during and even now after his sojourn as the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) suggest that he could not have been an unbiased umpire.

OUR former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo claims he was tricked by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bode George to attend his grand thanksgiving service to mark his release from prison.

FOR the Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi pride went before a fall. When in the middle of February Egyptian youths decided to send their long time leader, Hosni Mubarak, packing Ghaddafi, it was, came out to say he felt sorry for Mubarak.

THISDAY’S February 10, 2011 report on the Senate Confirmation meeting on President Jonathan’s choice for ICPC Chairman provides a perspective on legislative decision making on anti-corruption legislation. In that report the reasons for the Senate’s rejection of the President’s nominee were given.

Faster than we ever think or visualize.

I have been reminded that though we are celebrating the second anniversary of the awards, it should have come three months ago.

THERE is hardly a better word for the phenomenon than tragedy. The two organs of the Federal Government created to construct and maintain federal roads nationwide have, in their abject failure to deliver on their mandates, thrown the nation into untold misery, and oftentimes mourning.

My attention was drawn to a rejoinder by a Lagos based communication outfit, who described our above article as untoward.

The title of our discourse is cloned from the book of Daniel, Chapter 5, Verse 25. According to the biblical story, Belshazzar, king of Babylon and son of the infamous Nebuchadnezzar, was enjoying a feast with his lords, princes, wives and concubines to celebrate “the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone.”

Future historians writing about Nigeria might be forgiven for observing that the slave trade in the country lasted until 2011 – the year David Mark was the President of the Senate. Mark is ably supported by the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the GMD of NNPC, whose tenure had been elongated – probably to help get the atrocious bill passed as it is. The country’s number three citizen might eventually have an accomplice in the Federal Government – if the Presidency signs the bill before May 29, 2011.