Even before the Nigerian civil war, my father had always advised that if anyone offended us, we should resist the temptation to invite a soldier to fight for us, maintaining that if we invited a soldier to fight for us, he would beat up all those we wanted beaten up but when there were no more people to beat, he would pounce on us.

I am a strong advocate of a national conference to redefine the foundation of Nigeria. That much is evident through my humble efforts on these pages. So, how come I am being skeptical when President Goodluck Jonathan grants an opportunity for a conference?

EXPECTEDLY, Dr. Femi Okurounmu, chairman of the 13-person Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, was especially effusive about the committee’s assignment.

Over lunch at the Ocean View restaurant on a humidJuly afternoon in Lagos, my good friend YinkaOdumakinsought to add a little spice to our dismal discussion of “Project Nigeria”: he had it on good authority, he said, that President Goodluck Jonathan would soon surprise and confound the forces arrayed against him by acceding to the call for a national conference.

For the third time in as many years the national Independence Day celebrations usually marked with pomp and ceremony were held in the relatively safe confines of Aso Rock Villa. Eagles Square, venue of the event in Abuja since the movement to the Federal Capital, is now a no-go area for such matters even though the states still manage to hold relatively public celebrations at parade grounds and parks.