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Nigeria in a new Middle East, by Suleiman A. Suleiman

Nigeria in a new Middle East, by Suleiman A. Suleiman

It was bemusing to read in the news that Nigeria has joined the Red Sea Alliance, an ostensibly “maritime security” coalition cobbled together by Saudi Arabia, along with 12 other predominantly Muslim countries in tow. The announcement exposes our current approach to foreign policy: episodic, sentimental, and reactive rather than deliberate and strategic. It has […]
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Thoughts on the National Conference – 1

Thoughts on the National Conference – 1

Like people on sickbeds, Nigerians are once again getting ready to toss from side to side, without asking if the problem is with the beds or themselves. Pity.

Do we need a National Conference, sovereign or not? The answer is neither “yes” nor “no” for the simple reason that we have failed woefully as a nation to raise a set of politicians who would make any form of government work. We had tried three forms of government since independence – parliamentary, military and presidential. None of them had been able to develop this nation to its full potentials – not at the national, regional or state levels. None.

David did not kill Goliath (4)

David did not kill Goliath (4)

Who does not like the story of David killing Goliath with a sling and a stone? Who is not impressed with Elijah calling down fire from heaven to incinerate the prophets of Baal? But all that is old wine that should not be put in the new wine-bottles of Jesus Christ. David ostensibly offered to kill Goliath in order to become the king’s son-in-law. But Jesus says: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it.” (Matthew 16:25). When the Zebedee brothers wanted Jesus to emulate Elijah, he rebuked them, maintaining the spirit in them is not the spirit of Elijah

Sleeping with the eyes open

Sleeping with the eyes open

There is no better time to applaud the spirit and stoic determination of Harrison Okene, the 29 year-old man who survived two-and-a-half days trapped 30m (98ft) deep in freezing seawater. Although the incident occurred in May 2013 , it has only been widely reported in the last couple of days and his survival has captured the imagination of experienced deep Sea divers and lay people alike

The age of power

The age of power

Some people think strength is power under control, others say power is the ability to control and effect change. I believe power is the ability and even privilege to determine a course of action and then influence the result. The sad truth is that most people feel themselves to be at the mercy of fate, of reality. They feel powerless and emotionally, financially and spiritually impotent. It takes many years to actually become emancipated from this very depressing mindset and step into a realisation that power has been there for the taking and the using all along. I am not preaching a motivational message to give people a feel good burst of adrenaline; I am stating a fact that is becoming truer for me the older I get. Is power spiritual or political manipulation, gross abuse of authority, position and wealth or is it just a simple acceptance of responsibility, possibility and eventuality? I believe the latter to be very true.