THIS has been a very sad month for me. First I lost two people – a friend and an in-law – in the Dana plane crash. Then, last weekend, Angela Onyeador, a wonderful vibrant woman I’ve known since I was born, quietly passed away in an American hospital after a protracted illness.

A FRIEND sent me this woeful, whimsical little piece in which it is imagined what the plane that recently crashed might have said if it could speak for itself:

ELIZABETH II, the 86 year-old Queen of the British Isles and Beyond, has just completed six unblemished decades on the throne. And I was happily watching her spectacular, uplifting Diamond Jubilee celebration on TV in London last Sunday when there was a newsflash announcing the Dana Air plane crash in Nigeria.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to rename the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Moshood Abiola University has not had the desired impact. Abiola’s family is, of course, pleased and grateful.

HIS Excellency, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State, has just completed l00 days in office.

ST Vincent’s Clinic/Maternity in Kubwa, Abuja, is run by Catholic nuns – the Daughters of Charity. The essential work these selfless reverend sisters are doing is under threat because the building they occupy is due to be demolished to make way for a light railway line.

I’M on a bus in the United States at the moment, travelling from Washington to New York; and the ticket cost me next to nothing, but talk about value for money!

FORMER Delta State Governor, James Ibori, has just been jailed for l3 years in London by a British court…for defrauding the mostly suffering people of Delta State of nearly £50 million (N13 billion).

THE enormous outpouring of goodwill that President Goodluck Jonathan inspired during and last year’s election season has largely and gradually evaporated.

LAST week, while I was discussing the ongoing quarrel between the DG of the Securities & Exchange Commission (Ms Arunma Oteh) and the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Capital Markets (Hon. Herman Hembe), I said I was bored by the whole drama and made the following remarks:

I’M sorry if this sounds very irresponsible, shallow and cynical, but I’m totally bored by the so-called drama that is swirling around Ms Arunma Oteh, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, and Hon. Herman Hembe, Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Capital Markets Committee.

A FASCINATING and formidably well-researched new history book that is aptly titled, “London In The l8th Century: A Great And Monstrous Thing” has just been published in Europe. Written by a Professor called Jerry White, it meticulously catalogues the violence, hooliganism, dirt and chaos that characterised the British capital city 2-300 years ago.

A FOND farewell to James Udensi Akwari Iroha, OON, the iconic veteran comedy actor, scriptwriter and director who died earlier on this week.

LAST week, I said that President Jonathan should avoid caving in to demands for a Sovereign National Conference, SNC, largely because I believe that a massive talking shop at which religious and ethnic grievances are aired will generate more heat than light and possibly lead to the complete collapse of Nigeria.

CALLS for a Sovereign National Conference (SONACO) are widespread; and the will of the majority is supposed to be acted on within a democratic context. But – many of my friends will be very angry with me for saying this! – I think that President Jonathan should dodge the SONACO option, if he can.