Can you quantify the cost of death? Nobody can. The only thing is that you can talk of mortality rate. You can’t compare anything with death. If people die, it’s only…. It affected me personally. I have friends, I have relatives that died because of this strike.

As one approached the residence of one of the factional chairmen of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Alhaji Lateef Salako, a.k.a. Eleweomo, one needed no soothsayer to tell him he was entering into a lion’s den.

On August 19, 1998, some individuals decided that the G-34 group which piled pressures on Nigeria’s maximum dictator, Sani Abacha, before his death, should form the nucleus of a political party. A few disagreed. But today, that party is the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.

Chief Michael Johnny, a human rights activist, says recent actions of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), amount to criminality which should not be condoned. Johnny speaks against the backdrop of the bombings for which the group claimed responsibility.

Justice Paul Nwokedi turned 85 recently. Upon his retirement from the Supreme Court, he became the pioneer chairman, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC. Justice Nwokedi was at a time chairman, Nigerian Law Reforms Commission, a position he held for four years. The octogenerian speaks with BASHIR ADEFAKA, at his GRA residence in Enugu, recently. Excerpts:

THE expansion of the Lekki – Epe expressway has been riddled with controversy since the concessionaire, Messrs Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) announced its intention to commence tolls collection.

For Olisa Agbakoba, law is not about making money any more.It is about improving the society.
Well, he can afford it.
In a society where the fog of poverty, need (and even want) have conspired to make those with sight appear blind, it should be consoling that some members of the public would continue to demonstrate a commitment to the Nigerian project in whatever capacity they can.

Dr Mathias Oladehinde Shoga is a medical doctor, indeed a surgeon. He, along with other like minds has assumed responsibilities for carrying out surgery on children with cleft lips, among other assistance to school children and women through his primary constituency, Rotary Club International.

Peter Ntephe has a probing intellect and a limitless appetite for knowledge. He is also an example of the “10,000 – Hour Rule” theory promoted by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers. Gladwell claims that greatness requires enormous time. Appointed Chief Executive Officer of ERHC Energy in April 2010, Ntephe has been involved in the company’s management since 2001.

He is the best in his trade. He almost single-handedly re-sold Olusegun Obasanjo to both the political, intelligence and military elite in1998. For a man who hardly talks but whose dexterity is unique, it is very difficult to read the mind of General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd).

FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, recounted his experiences in prison when he declared that he knew from the onset that he was going to come out of incarceration alive, but was not sure when and how.

Chief Olufemi Lateef Okunnu, was 34 years old when he became federal commissioner for works and housing. In just about seven years, he brought his radicalism to bear on the administration of General Yakubu Gowon.
In this two part interview, you will read about the administration of General Gowon and how the cabinet meetings were conducted. For a 33-year old army officer who became Nigeria’s head of state, it is interesting that he surrounded himself with, perhaps, the best brains of that era without prejudice to their age.

Life said to be in stages. Let’s look at yours as a case study.You want me to go into history but I will be very brief? My name is Senator Munirudeen Adekunle Muse. I was born in Lagos, precisely on the 7th of May 1939.

Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has his own way about things. Sometimes you wonder if his status as a state governor is either yet to catch up with him or he remains just his own person – this relates to his sense of simplicity in appearance and approach to issues.
In this encounter, Amaechi, whom many say is turning Rivers State into a huge construction site, spoke about the issue of militancy and how his administration was able to succeed and return life back to Port Harcourt city. Hear him: I am more assured of destroying them because I have the federal government, I have trained soldiers, I have the Navy, I have the Air Force and I have the Police. These are young boys who are not even up to 100,000 holding everybody to ransom.”

Alhaji Liad Tella, former National Concord chief and MD, The Monitor Newspaper, is currently National Commissioner, National Hajj Commission. He spoke to BASHIR ADEFAKA on how he became a journalist against his wish.