Even though it was tucked away in the middle of other highlights in the online edition of the Vanguard of August 19, the headline seemed sensational enough to draw attention.

There is a lot of irritating noise coming especially from the North-West concerning the need for the presidency to return to the North in 2015. This should be discarded as sound and fury signifying nothing.

It is said that when the time for an idea comes no force can stop it. For the Nigerian ruling class, the idea of a sovereign national conference, SNC, was viewed as treasonous just 20 years ago.

The other day, a friend narrated a story, which I found stranger than fiction; the story related to the travails of a family who lost a successful and illustrious breadwinner, who, incidentally, died without a Will. The family’s elders were consequently entrusted with the responsibility of efficiently managing the estate of the deceased.

Just in case public sector workers fail to get the point, the Federal Government went further to declare that “only actual earnings will be shared.” Again for those who might not understand the meaning of that statement, it means that the Federal Government will no longer dip into the excess crude oil to make up the difference between budgeted earnings and actual income. Typical of governments everywhere, the Federal Government failed to tell the entire story – perhaps because it might be too alarming. Yet, the truth must be told to enable public servants, at all three tiers of government, as well as creditors to government to prepare for the inevitable. And, what is inexorable?