THE subject for today is Electricity. When it comes to considering whether this is a lesson in Physics or English Language, the latter will be easily preferred, given the fact that this writer has two left hands on issues of electricity.

FROM the lessons of Social Psychology, it is clear that nothing should be written-off as totally wrong because even a dead clock is correct twice everyday. All those who hate war with passion must wait till they see how war reconstruction efforts turned Hiroshima from a ghetto to an ultra-modern city after it was reduced to rubbles by the bombs of the Allied Forces in Word War II.

BEGINNING from this New Year, we shall bring your way, at least occasionally, some reactions of our esteemed readers. You will also be adding value to this Column by adding your voice from time to time. We can be reached on E-mail: joligien@yahoo.com, josefomorotionmwan@g-mail.com; and phone +2348036608970 (restricted strictly to text messages).

IF it is true that morning shows the day, it is also true that our approach to governance must be a strong determinant of what we get out of government. There can be no better time than now for proper introspection with a view to moving forward.

IN most of the policies we dish out, we are only clever by half. A case in point is the recent Federal Government pronouncement on the partial restriction on the importation of many products into Nigeria. Henceforth, there are items that cannot come into the country through the land borders. Such can only be brought in through the seaports. Meanwhile, the authorities are silent on whether those commodities can come in through the airports.

GOVERNMENTS have become too reactionary perhaps as a result of their ignorance of the enormous power of the press.

THE outgoing year 2016 has been unique in several ways. It was principally the year of inconclusive elections; when re-run polls brought forward from the previous year could not be concluded in single shots. The harder they tried, the more the elections became hanging.

WE knew it was coming but we did not know that it would come so soon – that an incumbent African leader would lose an election; and if he ever lost, that he would relinquish power peacefully.

THERE must be an outbreak of Keynesian economists in Nigeria. Suddenly, they are showing up on the idea of our tolling policy.

John Keynes (1883-1946) was a classical economist who had a soft spot for full employment. For him, the people must be employed, even where it meant getting them into what might ordinarily look like the absurd cycle of pit digging:

WHEN certain things happen, we just wonder whether we have not yet arrived at the 21st century. Nigeria, like every other country, is supposed to be mutually inclusive – excessive gains on one side would be deprivation on another.

THE Distinguished and Honourables: Some of the ideas here may be repugnant to you but with the deep spirit of altruism, which is your hallmark, it will be less difficult getting you to subdue your individual interests for the greater good of the larger society.

WE have had to challenge a few prayer points, particularly those that run contrary to conventional wisdom. It is common among the Pentecostals, to be asking God to make them lenders and not borrowers.

IN times of increased problems, people would look at every direction for possible solutions. By mid-1970s, the city of Lagos had become so clumsy. That was when Tai Solarin (1922-1994) was asked to offer a view on how some sanity could be infused into Lagos. Solarin did not hesitate an inch before saying that anyone intent on reclaiming Lagos must enter into an aero-plane flying over Lagos; bomb down the entire city and begin to rearrange it.

FROM the 1914 amalgamation, Nigeria has sought to remain a united country. At first, it was fondly called unity in diversity.

IS it still necessary to remind ourselves that in government, what people intend is usually different from what they bring about? In trying to evaluate governmental action, we ought to consider likely, even if unintended, consequences.