HOPES of 2013 being a better year than 2012 are built mostly on fragments of antiquated promises, worsened by public officers holding the public responsible for their lethargic performances.

CATHOLIC Bishop of Bomadi, Hyacinth Egbedo hit headlines with his remarks at the funeral of General Owoye Andrew Azazi, former National Security Adviser. He blamed the death on the poor condition of the East-West Road and corruption. His audience included President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Henry Dickson.

NIGERIA came into being today, 100 years ago, when British colonialists merged two administrative entities –Northern Protectorate and South Protectorate. The journey since then has witnessed many landmarks among them the Civil War of 1967-1970.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan must have forgotten that construction of a second Niger Bridge was one of his 91 campaign promises. It took the visit of a delegation from the South-East to nudge to momentary wakefulness on the bridge.

NIGERIANS amaze President Goodluck Jonathan. They quickly accuse his administration of not delivering on his election promises. Where this does not stick, they alleged he is slow, so slow in addressing the country’s challenges.

SENATOR Smart Adeyemi was not exactly smart this time. Months after the Senate’s circuitous positions on amending the Constitution; he is blaming governors for frustrating the process.

TODAY is Christmas. It may just happen on millions of Nigerians who have survived one of the worst years of their lives – fuel scarcity and more scarcities. While Christmas used to be awaited with anticipations of the joys of the season, 2010 has been a year of unequalled challenges in the race for survival. Those who survived still bear the marks of a year of excruciating moments of doubts about the existence of governments or their purpose.

THE number of meetings Nigerians convene to save their country is impressive. What is disturbing is that these meetings achieve nothing, though some would argue that if things remain as they are, with all the meetings, they would have been worse without discussions about the future of Nigeria.

NEWS that some celebrated the demise of Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, in a plane crash, shows how dehumanised Nigerians are becoming either in pursuit of religion or politics. Why would anyone rejoice over the death of another, especially in such grueling circumstances?

THE bad news about the N2.37 trillion debt Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, now bears, is neither the weight of the debts nor the fact that its results would be in the red for some time.