It’s been a week since Saudi authorities deported nearly 170 pilgrims, aside many more that had earlier been kept in camps, back to the country for no other reason than that they were women. For that is what the whole episode boils down to: The unequal treatment of people on account of their sex.

IN the last few weeks since what I here call Central Bank of the Few under Lamido Sanusi announced its intention to introduce N5,000 bill into the economy, Nigerians have variously cajoled, begged, pleaded with and even threatened the Bank and its management against the planned introduction.

As for labelling critics of the President, so-called pestle-wielding cynics, self-appointed activists, idle/idling twittering children of anger distracted by social media- those Abati now see as confused alaseju (busybodies)- as for labelling this group of Nigerians who might in the long run turn out to be Jonathan’s best friends, alaseju, Dr. Abati got it wrong.

LET’S just say last week was the week of choice for President Goodluck Jonathan and his media team to take on their critics, real or imagined. The President’s remark that he was the most criticised president was prime news.

JUST when you think this government will quit its inanities and get hold of itself, it comes up with another foolishness that leaves you convinced that it’s yet to know in what direction it wants to go.