Ending South Africa’s xenophobic attacks
The xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments in South Africa is not new, but its persistence makes it an increasingly explosive issue. Each cycle of violence against foreign nationals chips away at the country’s moral authority and threatens the very ideals upon which post-apartheid South Africa was built. Since the end of Apartheid, South Africa has […]
Giving our infants a good start
The first 1,000 days of life—from conception to a child’s second birthday—are the most important stretch for our nation’s future. Science is clear: during this short period a child’s brain grows rapidly, reaching about 80 per cent of its adult size. That makes these years a unique and irreversible window of opportunity. The care, nutrition […]
Reviving leprosy care in Nigeria
Uzuakoli Leprosy Colony is a symbol of overall national failure. Established in 1931 by Methodist missionaries in the Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, it once grew to house over 800 residents by 1936 and became the foremost leprology centre on the African continent — pioneering the Dapsone treatment that discharged thousands of patients […]
Waiving JAMB for NCE admission unacceptable
The recent decision by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to grant admission waivers to candidates seeking the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) without sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is, on the surface, a “compassionate” response to a genuine crisis. Colleges of Education have been bleeding enrolment for years. The intention […]
To protect our democracy, INEC, Judiciary must be free
Nigeria’s democracy is not dying loudly. There are no soldiers on the streets, no formal suspension of the constitution. The damage is quieter and, for that reason, far more dangerous. It happens through manipulation of processes, selective application of rules and the steady capture of institutions that were created to keep power in check. At […]
Whither the fuel subsidy savings?
When President Bola Tinubu declared the end of the fuel subsidy regime in May 2023, Nigerians were asked to absorb immediate pain in exchange for a promise. The savings, estimated at several trillions of naira annually, would be redirected into healthcare, education, infrastructure and social protection. Nearly three years later, that promise has not been […]
