I HAVE recently, on two occasions, praised Mr President for his new Niger Delta initiatives. And I’ve been amazed by the number of sour comments I’ve received.

By Donu Kogbara LAST week, I expressed the opinion that President Yar’Adua deserves  two hearty cheers…One “for possessing the humility and foresight to meet with Niger Deltan militant leaders and offer them an Amnesty deal in a bid to secure peace in a region that was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.” And the second “for recognising the […]

I AM very happy with Mr President at the moment and have decided that he deserves two hearty cheers.
One hearty cheer should be directed at Mr President for possessing the humility and foresight to meet with Niger Deltan militant leaders and offer them an amnesty deal in a bid to secure peace in a region that was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.

By Donu Kogbara LAST week, Chief E.K. Clarke, the veteran champion of Niger Deltan rights and a zonal leader I regard as a close friend and father figure, was kind enough to invite me to his residence to attend a reception he was hosting for Ateke Tom, the famous militant commander and founder of the […]

By Donu Kogbara CONGRATULATIONS to President  Umaru Yar’Adua for having the humility to meet and greet the Niger Delta militant leaders who have agreed to lay down their arms and disband private militias that have caused so much socio-economic disruption. Congrats also to the tough warlords of the creeks for giving peace a chance…and for […]

IN the past one month, two members of my extended family have been killed by the scandalously inadequate Nigerian healthcare system.

LAST week, I dedicated this column to (a): complaints about the crooked, shameless, power-abusing personalities who are dishonestly pretending to mourn the death of Gani Fawehinmi – a man of integrity with whom they had absolutely nothing in common and (b): complaints about the alarming number of Nigerians who steal from the offices and homes they work in…

Since the great Gani Fawehinmi passed away, the pages of newspapers have been filled to the brim with complimentary comments about his impressive personality, his lofty principles, his formidable intellect and his considerable achievements.

LAST week, I wrote in support of Lubna Al-Hussein, a Muslim Sudanese journalist who had launched a protest against the Islamic conservatives who rule her country because she and some of her girlfriends had been arrested for “violating sharia values” and for “dressing indecently” (ie, for wearing trousers in public).

Lubna has became a huge celebrity and has acquired legions of supporters both at home and abroad; street rallies are held in her honour in Khartoum; run an internet search on her name and you’ll come across thousands of references to her courage