Inside prisons crime rings: How inmates run operations from behind bars
Last month, a text message landed on Odion Akagbosu’s phone late at night. It was short, cold and terrifying. “Someone wants you dead. He sent us to kill you, but I don’t want to kill an innocent soul. Comply with me or I will not show mercy.”
The Seventh National Assembly: A reflection
The Seventh National Assembly finally came to a close last Thursday. The legislative journey which began on June 6, 2011, took off on an impressive note. In the House of Representatives where I chaired the Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream, there were high and low moments but the House obviously gave a good account of itself.
Buhari’s inaugural speech: As seen by the world (1)
“The fact that this has happened in Nigeria in the manner in which it has – particularly if we take Nigeria as one of the leading countries on this continent which must lead by example – this is a very perfect example. It is encouraging to us. We are very happy,” Zuma said in an interview with a national TV.
Speech, Spark, Strides
NOTHING compares to a presidential inaugural speech, whether in America where its first President George Washington delivered the first on 6 April, 226 years ago, in New York City, America’s first capital, or our domestic adoption of it as we swear in our Presidents. The best part of an inaugural speech, in the hands of the politician, is that he can explore the fact that the law does not require the speech, so there are no limits to what it may rule in, or what it may rule out.
‘I BELONG TO EVERYBODY AND I BELONG TO NOBODY’:
Nigerian society has actually transformed President Muhammadu Buhari, a ‘converted democrat’, setting aside the memorable military bloody reign of terror; still displaying that military orientation with a resounding powerful, very concise, heavily loaded Mission Statement in 1,863-1,916 words. He avowed to serve as the President of all, irrespective of political, ethnicity, or religious affiliations, detached from being categorized as a religious zealot, Buhari philosophically stated, Friday, May 29, 2015, 1:39:34 pm, “Having just a few minutes ago sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to keep my oath and serve as President to all Nigerians. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.”
Of Inauguration Speech and Ominous Signs
The inauguration speech of a new President is unique in a number of ways and for a number of reasons. It is the first after a campaign and thus provides the newly-elected President an opportunity to articulate, in a bipartisan (non-partisan) manner, his vision of development for the nation. It is one speech regarded as being from the heart of the man-of-the-moment, knowing that the speech-maker is no longer under the debilitating pressure represented by political hustings.
