The Petroleum Industry Bill and the Quest for a New Nigeria
By Obadiah Mailafia LAST week, Thursday July 1, the Senate finally passed the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. A milestone in the history of our legislative affairs. Too many interests had repeatedly scuttled it over the years. According to the auditing and advisory firm, KPMG, previous attempts in 2009, 2012 and 2018 failed “because of […]
The NDDC and the tragedy of a nation — An addendum
The truth of the matter is that the tragedy that has befallen the Niger Delta region is largely aided by the indigenes themselves
China and the New Imperialism
Britain in particular achieved world mastery through conquest of the high seas and acquisition of colonies. Through sterling and the gold standard, Britain also became the treasury and creditor of the world. The rise of the young American republic and the toll of two world wars spelt the death-knell of British Empire.
The NDDC and the tragedy of a nation
FIRST of all, let me put my cards on the table: I am a friend of the Niger Delta region. Some of my dearest buddies come from that region. Chief Edwin Clark is like a father-figure to me; a mentor, counsellor and confidante.
Genocide and the open wound of our moral conscience
I congratulate Vanguard newspapers for devoting several pages last week to interrogating the ongoing genocide in Southern Kaduna. They have become the moral conscience of our nation. Elderly women have come out naked to protest thekillings of their husbands and children. In our culture, when women do that, it is a curse on the land and […]
Run, Ngozi, Run!
ON May 14 this year, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo of Brazil, announced that he will be stepping down by 31 August, a year before his mandate is due to end. A distinguished diplomat, he was elected to the post in May 2013. Mechanisms have been set […]
Genocide and religious freedom
By Obadiah Mailafia Freedom of worship is one of the most sacred rights of humanity. Human beings are creatures of faith. In the midst of antiquity, they worshipped the wind, fire and lightning out of dread, fear and trembling. The ancient Egyptians were the first to come up with idea of one Supreme Being whom […]
Cecil Rhodes, Woodrow Wilson and the revenge of history
By Obadiah Mailafia THEY don’t teach history in our schools anymore. Today, we have a generation of Nigerians that do not know where they came from, let alone where they are going. Those who took decision to expunge history from the school curriculum are traitors. History is the queen of the human sciences just as […]
When government goes for broke
By Obadiah Mailafia Our government is broke. And it’s official. The Minister of Finance, Planning and Budget recently revealed that during Q1, revenues stood at N950 billion while debt-servicing obligations stood at the staggering magnitude of N943.12 billion. This means that 99 percent of revenue is being committed to debt-servicing alone. Economic science as we […]
Who is Afraid of the Middle Belt?
By Obadiah Mailafia Last week a bill was presented to the House of Representatives, entitled “Geo-political Zones of the Federation Bill 2020”. It was sponsored by Kpam Sokpo (PDP, Benue). It aims essentially to enshrine the Six Geopolitical Zones in our Constitution, with “North Central” being renamed “Middle Belt”. The Six Geopolitical Zones were first […]
There is nothing like Farmers-Herders clashes
By Obadiah Mailafia THE National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, was recently quoted as saying that Fulani own Nigeria and will rule our country forever. He also revealed that their organisation had trained between 5,000 and 100,000 “vigilantes” that are being deployed throughout the states of the federation. He asserted that […]
