I AM returning to the sensitive issue of the 486 Northerners (mostly indigenes of Jigawa State) nabbed in Abia State on suspicion that they were members of the Boko Haram Islamic terrorist group. Both states are of particular interest to me.

I would have loved to start this column without commenting on the distraction that has become an African phenomenon.

Last year, on my SUNDAY VANGUARD page, I had published an article titled AVIATION MINISTER: TIME TO GO. Prior to that, I had also carpeted the former minister for incompetence – among other failures. The first article received a rejoinder from her Senior Personal Assistant, Mr Joel Obi. As usual, Joel Obi, disregarded the point of the article and went on to do what spokespersons for government officials do best – present half truths and outright falsehood as facts. I allowed Obi to expose himself and the Minister on my page because there was no doubt in my mind that truth will prevail. I knew that Ms Oduah would never last the distance as minister and that she would be out of office soon.

A Trade Group under the umbrella of Concerned Bureau de change operators recently published a full page advert titled “Appeal against Ploy to decimate BDCs and Destabilise the Forex Market”; the advert claimed that the Central Bank was planning to reduce the number of BDCs in Nigeria, despite their contribution to the economy.

On the Mount of Transfiguration, God the Father counsels that, henceforth, we should only listen to Jesus. He puts this to dramatic effect by having Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, appear to speak to Jesus. A bright cloud overshadows them and when it clears, only Jesus remains. Then a voice comes from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” (Mark 9:7).