A specter hangs above Nigeria. It is the specter of war and violence. The election year 2015 draws very close, and closer still rises this spectre that will mark the coming year as Nigeria’s second annus horriblis. Since the election of the current President, Nigeria has been inundated by serial acts of extreme violence and subversion, coming mostly from the North.

How to communicate is not as easy as many imagine. Those who tend to believe that communication is just the transmission of messages from one source to another need to know that it is not that simple because no sane person is likely to transmit messages to other people for the sake of doing so.

I strongly believe that when the President, governors and other top public office holders regularly solicit for prayers and attend extracurricular religious programmes, superstitious emotionalism is being substituted for strategic thinking as the best approach to the challenges of leadership.

“There are things that I love – when mankind works together – helps each other – learns from each other – teaches each other – cries for one another – laughs with one another – builds with one another – heals one another – entertains one another – worships with one another. The unity of mankind. There is nothing so glorious.”

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. The churches, synagogues and other places of worship will be full. Many of those in the congregation tomorrow go to church only twice a year— the other day being Christmas. Many will make it a family outing and an opportunity for the kids to show off their new Easter dresses.