I was kidnapped in Port Harcourt in 2015 and released two weeks later. When I fled to London to recover from this harrowing nightmare, Nick Kotch and his wife, Veronique Tadjo – a truly wonderful couple – reached out to me and embraced me with a tenderness that moved me to tears. I will never […]

In his usual bluster, U.S. President Donald Trump at numerous hustings in 2024 promised to get a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine in just one day if elected president. In fact, he boasted that President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since […]

Any foreigner who visited Nigeria last week and saw the front pages of the national newspapers on May 29 would think President Tinubu had turned Nigeria into a Nirvana or a modern-day El Dorado. The presidency took front and inside-front pages to blandish Tinubu “achievements” in his two years in office. But while the advertorial was […]

Whether you’re applying for college, graduate school, or a dream job, your written application materials often serve as your first impression. A compelling personal statement or cover letter can be the difference between standing out or being overlooked – there is a lot of competition nowadays. These documents provide a crucial opportunity to showcase not just […]

Nigeria: When laws are flouted, not enforced The contrast with Nigeria is stark. Though Nigeria has a democratic constitution with a bicameral National Assembly and state houses, its executives often sidestep the laws. In March 2025 President Bola Tinubu shocked observers by declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspending the elected governor, deputy […]