When the delegates to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries gather in Asaba next month to elect the party’s flag bearer in next year’s Delta State gubernatorial election, the interest of President Goodluck Jonathan, whose name will not be on the ballot, more than anyone else, not even that of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the aspirants, will determine who wins the party nomination.

AS the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, handed out about 306 awards at the 2014 National Honours Award Ceremony in Abuja recently, critical newspaper editorials and other comments have trailed the process of selection of recipients who are mainly Nigerians. Yet this year’s national honours award was significant in many respects.

THE University of Benin, alumni and key stakeholders around the world are shocked over untoward and negative news about their institution and have all recoiled with disgust at the recent tyrannical and atavistic tendencies of the out-going Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Oshodi, who it is reported, recently took his personal feelings beyond administrative and academic ambits, with the assistance of the University Registrar Mrs Ogboghodo, carried out what could be described as administrative mob-lynching of an academic and administrative icon of the university, Professor Andrew G. Onokerhoraye.

Recently, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, re-organised the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, the territory’s agency vested with the responsibility of ensuring a clean environment in the nation’s capital city.

Tecla, a young Zimbabwean girl, was sold for a few cows by her father to help alleviate the family’s poverty. She was raped by her husband, became pregnant and contracted HIV. Her baby died soon after birth. Tecla was only 12 years old.

Now that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released its timetable and the primaries for governorship set for November 29, pundits are scrutinising the aspirants.

The incorporation of a commercial security outfit – the Izon-Ibe Security Company Limited- by the Bayelsa State government has, understandably, attracted a lot of positive comments from various quarters. Without doubt, it demonstrated the commitment of the Governor Henry Seriake Dickson administration to tackling the problems confronting the state head-long.

I WAS not surprised when on Thursday, October 2, this year, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa, Oba of Benin, adorned an illustrious son of Benin, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, JP, with the “Traditional Beads” for being a worthy son of the ancient Kingdom.

NIGERIA at 54 as a nation, has survived many challenges, including religious ,and ethnic violence that led to three years civil war, from 1966 to 1970.Nigeria has fared reasonably well, some will say; after all, today, we have mobile phones with communications technology growing and spreading very fast; we have more roads, many villages have become state capitals with dual carriage ways, more exotic cars on our roads, many private jet owners.

THE excellent performance of the Falconets in the recent FIFA World Cup was a source of pure unadulterated joy to many of us. I stayed up late into the night and watched all their matches, for apart from being good entertainment, those teenagers exhibited such flair and dexterity in a game previously monopolised by men. The wonder girl Aishat from Ikorodu mesmerised the opposition.

Two publications provoked this writing. Both publications say so much about how contemporary Urhobo politics has entered the doldrums and how if this trend is not immediately arrested we as a people in spite of our majority status in Delta State will remain political underdogs.

Following the publication in the Vanguard, on the issue of the so-called ‘withdrawal of Professor Emeritus’, I am forced to exercise my right of reply and to make some comments.

When Senator Pius Ewherido died prematurely in June 2013, the Urhobo people grieved and prayed that such a loss should not be their lot again. Unfortunately, just one year after, another Urhobo personage, General Patrick Aziza (rtd) fell to the Grim Reaper.

AS the Ebola virus grips an unprecedentedly wide swath of Africa, many are asking whether it is time to begin administering untested drugs and vaccines.

I HAVE followed the series of reactions trailing the disaster at the Synagogue Church of all Nations with a sense of shock and disbelief. It is as if some people have been waiting in the wings for the man of God to fail, forgetting that he is a mortal indeed, like the rest of us. No human can be God, so we must make our comments with a great sense of responsibility, in the spirit of fairness and objectivity.