IN the heat of the global human carnage that was the Second World War, Britain’s famed politician and war-time leader, Winston Churchill, gave a significant new insight into the affairs of humankind.

THE recently held International Youth Day Conference in Abuja was an occasion for President Goodluck Jonathan to address economic, political and other issues with specific relevance to the Nigerian youths.

FIGURES from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, show that for 2012, the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, for the 36 states of Nigeria was about N555 billion, out of which the 19 states of the North generated N87 billion or 15 %; the South West generated N261.2 billion or 47%; the South-South accounted for N150 billion or 27% and the South East N45 billion or 8%. In other words, the South generated N 468 or 85 % of the total IGR for 2012.

FOR many football lovers, the mystery fire that gutted the NFF Glass House in Abuja, almost destroying the Accounts Department, has already been tainted as an act of man, not of God, although proper investigations will tell us which is which.

NIGERIA’S former military dictator, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida recently attained the age of 73, and he chose to celebrate it by dwelling on national issues such as states creation, insecurity, politics and of course general state of the nation. While I relished IBB’S interview in two newspapers, Thisday and Daily Trust, I however took exception to his view about state creation, mostly as it concerns the South East.

ALL truly concerned stakeholders, honest observers and indeed, dispassionate analysts, are already dilating on not only who takes the baton from incumbent Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, but how he/she will emerge as preparations gather momentum by the day.

THE most important preoccupation in town at this time of the year is the jostling for the 2015 general elections. Many political gladiators, their supporters as well as pundits are involved in the fray leading to the elections coming up early in 2015.

THE political prognosis for the build up to the Edo State 2016 governorship election promises different scenarios that could be interesting. Of course, the ways and methods of producing an acceptable candidate are unpredictable, especially as it relates to the choice of the most acceptable candidates by the two contending political parties, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

WE can never underestimate the evil in politics until we are victims; this is where the strain between loyalty and deceit is chaotic. Many equate deceit for loyalty but loyalty entails telling the truth and giving facts to promote societal good; unfortunately for “political bats and mosquitoes” blackmail is the bedrock to political ascendancy.

APPARENTLY, the conscience of this nation lies with our moral angels, the newspaper columnists, TV anchors and hosts of talk-show orgies that provide viewers with a daily dose of political pornography. Only in this country does one see these impatient anchors jumping out from the restraints of journalism and physically flanking their disagreements with political positions simply because they do not conform with their innermost convictions.

I RETURNED from a trip outside Lagos to discover this rumour making the rounds that; the Lagos state government has unbanned the operations of motor bike riders (okada), hitherto disallowed from operating along the major streets of Lagos. If the rumour is true, then, it is a jittery sign on the part of the APC, following from, the LASU school fees saga. Oshiomhole’s recall of sacked school teachers, the stumble at Ekiti and the decampment of Nuhu Ribadu to the PDP in Adamawa state.

RULES and principles are meant to help man maintain sanity and ensure civil behaviour. This is made very important because behavioural scientists posit that without order human beings, the animal called man becomes bestial, in fact, nothing short of a real beast. Look at the simple example of dressing. Human beings dress for the public not for individual selves or even the family.

THE ongoing military action in Gaza, Palestine, fuelled by the continued bombing by the Israeli authorities calls for serious appraisal in view of the precarious situation in the Middle East and indeed, global peace.

IT has been over 100 days since the forceful abduction of over 200 girls from their sleeping beds inside their school premises at Chibok in Borno State.

IT is baffling that Itsekiris and Ijaws are still folding their hands and watching while policies that ought to be beneficial to their people are confined permanently to office drawers. It hurts to know that the Delta State government is most insensitive to the transportation problem prevalent in the riverine communities of the state.