Election without political parties: Outlook towards 2027 (2), by Usman Sarki
“Democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience.” — John Dewey The reactions to my recent article, “Election Without Political Parties: Outlook Towards 2027”, have been several, and they raised important questions that deserve further examination. If political parties in Nigeria are losing […]
The new Neanderthals (2)
Herd mentality is a necessary concomitant of primitivism. Evidence from psychology indicates that certain personality types are prone or easily susceptible to herd mentality and obsessive attachment to blood and ethnicity, irrespective of their educational and socio-economic background.
Newly-weds and baby pressure
I was admiring this couple at their wedding reception, marvelling at how well-matched they were; not only in their good looks and easy smiles, but also in the way they reached for each other’s hand unprompted from time to time, as if ensuring that they were connected all the time. As the chairman of the occasion made his speech, they smiled at the same time, giggled at the same time, and as if on cue, they would turn to smile lovingly at each other. I was mesmerized by the sight.
The nationality question
What does it mean to be a Nigerian? This question may seem clearly resolved in the Nigerian constitution: anyone born, whose forebears as at October 1 1960, had roots in any portion of the land which as at January 1914 became amalgamated as the Union of the old protectorates of Southern and Northern Nigeria. Such a person is a Nigerian by birth and has every right pertaining thereto that affiliation guaranteed under the bill of rights. But there are cleavages in the national imagination that make this question increasingly unresolved and academic.
high cost of law-making
The pages of newspapers have been rustling, in the past few days, about what is so cheaply described as the “jumbo” remuneration of our legislators. It has been reported that they each make over two million naira or more a month, with all sorts of allowances. No one seems really sure because it appears that the salaries and details of other items of remuneration paid to our law-makers are the best-kept secrets outside Fort Knox.
From Russia with Love (1)
Exactly three weeks ago, I was in a state of quiet euphoria. Why? It was the 10th of August. A date I had been awaiting all year. Why?? For some, a birthday. A cherished wedding anniversary. Or their flight departure date to finally ‘check out’ of the shores of this land for a hopefully better life elsewhere.
