Yet to convince Nigerians of his sincerity on how the funds generated from the removal of the subsidy on petrol would be deployed, President Goodluck Jonathan is being buffeted by a confetti of opposition.

Subsidy removal will free N1.2 trillion in savings part of which can be deployed in providing safety nets for poor segments of the society to ameliorate the effects of the subsidy removal
–President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dr Bukola Saraki, the immediate past governor of Kwara State, and the senator representing Kwara Central in the Senate, recently spoke with journalists in Ilorin, on the state of the nation. State Correspondent, DEMOLA AKINYEMI, was there. Here are excerpts from the parley.

Hon. (Comrade) Joseph Iranola Akinlaja is a member of Federal House of Representatives, representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency. Before he delved into active politics he was a labour leader of note. He rose to the position of deputy national president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Secretary General of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG. After that, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD an affiliate of NUPENG) made him their Grand Patron/Technical Consultant. He is currently national deputy chairman of Labour Party and deputy chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, and member of other key committees

Last week, it was about the riddle of political stability and economic prosperity.
Today, and as this administration, which came to power on the crest of massive goodwill, continues its push for the removal of the subsidy on petrol, the riddle is about the chicken and the egg.

Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, Economics Nobel Prize Winner, 2001, in “Undoing the bankruptcy of capitalism”.
In part one of this review of the MTFF, it was pointed out that the authors, ably led by our Federal Minister of Finance, were merely indulging in semantic and cosmetic changes. Multiple-year economic plans are as old as the Gowon administration. Until now, they were called Medium Term Economic Plans, MTEP. And none has worked from the 1970s till now. Is there anything in the MTFF which is so radically different as to induce confidence in its pronouncements?

EUPHORIA has its place, as Libyanswould find out soon. When a man rules a country absolutely for 42 years it is not easy to do without him whether he was booted out of office, he died or was killed.

Dr Bernard Harris, the first Africa-Americanastronaut to walk on outer planet who visited Nigeria and other African Countries recently to encourage our children and stakeholders in the sector on the need to revamp the continent’s passion for science and technology has served as an example to Africans at home and in diaspora to think on what they can offer their country.

Between political stability and economic prosperity, one must come first!

The two are not mutually exclusive.

In Nigeria’s case, the puzzle is whether we should pursue economic prosperity with a long term view of enthroning political stability; or vice versa!

In those pleasant days when Nigerian schools still taught kids anything worthwhile, Romeo and Juliet, was every secondary school student’s favourite love story –irrespective of gender. The name given to the nation’s latest attempt to re-introduce fiscal discipline should induce in those old enough to remember when budgets were sacrosanct the quip, “What’s in a name?”