SIMON Kolawole’s “A Lesson Or Two From Super Eagles” in ThisDay of Sunday February 17, makes the connection between politics and excellence. The Super Eagles, according to Kolawole, exemplified the relevance and wisdom of decision made on the merit of what is the case.

I have been reliably informed that the Nigeria Football Federation has concluded arrangements to hold a pre-season Match Commissioners seminar in Abuja this week. What this tells me is that the March 9 kick off date of the Premier league may be a reality after all.

BEING from AbiaState, I come from the Niger Delta. At least, that is what the legislation that established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says, though those from the “True Niger Delta” (Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and, to a lesser extent, Akwa Ibom) would laugh at those of us from Abia, Imo, Edo and OndoStates with the question: “How many oil wells do you have?”

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, one of the most efficient and least appreciated parastatals, in the country today, recently disclosed that “overall growth in real GDP in 2012 was 6.61 per cent, which is a decline from the 7.43 per cent recorded in 2011”. There are several inferences to be drawn from that statement alone. But, only two will be addressed here.

In apparent response to the Action Congress’ admonition that the nation’s economy was “gradually grinding to a halt”, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, unexpectedly painted a brighter economic picture, and sought to clarify popular misconceptions on the issues of our external reserves and the alleged discrepancies between reported reserves balances of the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Regrettably, however, the canvassed positive indices of GDP growth and claims of fiscal prudence are not corroborated by the ugly reality on ground.