MAN is under the classification of animal and therefore, has the characteristics of selfishness – me, my family, siblings, clans, tribe, state, region, country, etc comes first. Even amongst siblings, when it comes to sharing of spoils, there is disagreement. In the family tradition, as soon as one becomes a man or gets married, one’s interests and decisions as it concerns the family are respected. How you run your family, how you fend for yourself and how you relate with friends and outsiders, is your own business, except, where issues concerning the whole family crops up, then you will be invited to offer your own contribution or views. That way there is peace in the society.

SINCE 2012 when Henry Seriake Dickson was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, February 14 has been a special day for the people of the State. Being the day he took the oath of office during which he promised to rule Bayelsa State with honesty, love and care, people often look forward to the day, to celebrate his achievements and Valentine’s day.

I AM of the view that Edo people are in for the best time ever in the history of the state. From all indications, the achievements of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, Professor Ambrose Folorunso Alli and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole may jolly well be child’s play if Mr. Godwin Obaseki executes all the plans and good intentions he has for the state in the next four years.

ANOTHER milestone was recently recorded in Lagos State’s quest to build a globally competitive State as the State Governor; Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode received the Certificate that admitted the State as one of the 100 Resilient Cities,100RC, in the world. Aside being a remarkable accomplishment, the feat is a further affirmation that recent strides of the current administration in the socio-economic transformation of the state across all sectors have not gone unnoticed. It is a common knowledge that, in the current political dispensation, Lagos has become a reference point when it comes to initiating and executing pacesetting innovative and strategic policies and programmes that are meant to uplift the living standard of the people.

AS the world educates and initiates her young ones as modern species more aggressively attuned to the flexibilities of modernity as working antidote to rigid political antiquity which is largely Africa’s bane, Africa, yes, Nigeria, has ingloriously glued itself to gerontocracy.

THE appointment of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State as chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum is a good development. First, he earned it as the most senior state governor of the PDP extraction in the present dispensation. Secondly, according to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who announced the appointment, Fayose deserved it as a committed party man. No one can fault this claim.

There is no gainsaying that the coming on stream of the Presidential Amnesty Programme greatly reduced the uncertainty and danger in doing business in the Niger Delta, which hosts the oil and gas exploration and exploitation on which the Nigerian nation depends for its economic survival. Comparatively, in the 2006/2008 period, a maximum of 800,000 barrels per day was attainable because of the strident dangerous environment in which the multi-national petroleum companies were working in the militants-infested creeks while the figure rose to a peak of 2.3 million barrels per day after the setting up of the Amnesty Programme. This increment of 1.5million barrels per day brought the nation’s oil and gas daily revenue to $120.45m.

THE need for ensuring and assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions has never been greater than now. In a dynamic age of constant changes, it is widely agreed that institutions must have clearly-defined missions that are relevant to the needs and aspirations of its stakeholders. Following this, the human capital at the helm of leadership in these institutions must have the courage to envision a future that realises the attainment of the defined mission of the institutions. In order to actualise the vision, however, leaders must be trained to possess both the hard and soft skills that are fundamental for success. This is where training becomes quite germane.

THERE are a few members in the National Assembly who have genuine reasons to be in the Assemblies to serve their people. They see politics as a call to national service. One such public spirited politician is Hon. Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo who represents Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

I am going to be completely honest: I am a huge romantic. I love love…and as such, I certainly adore the idea of a specific day being set aside to celebrate love. Unfortunately, though, I haven’t had much luck with Valentine’s Day!