THE relevance for a paradigm shift in Nigerian polity cannot be over emphasised. Like three-time Presidential candidate, Rev. Chris Okotie stated in his article in The Guardian of January 7, 2014, political alliances have never augured well for the country. That is why he has been canvassing for a paradigm shift since he joined the political process in 2002.

IN this era of Jonathan bashing, the easiest path of heroism is to rain invectives and abuses on the man we elected to be our President. This could come in the form of an open letter, facebook postings, editorial write ups, articles or commentaries on news reports, in print and electronic media.

To some of these opponents, the new law is repressive because, according to them, nobody is supposed to suffer any discrimination on the grounds of his/her sexual orientation and they have even expressed fear that the Act will cause untold violence, persecution, and prejudice in Nigeria.  Others among them have even described millions of Nigerians who support the criminalization of homosexuality and same-sex marriage in Nigeria as barbaric and slaves to tradition, religion, and morality.

IT is an old story in Nigeria-the story of ‘political farmers’ who routinely hijacked every incentive or initiative introduced by the government for Nigerians in the agriculture sector. From fertilisers to soft loans; from the east to the west and the north to the south, the real farmers were always schemed out of projects or programmes meant to encourage agriculture activities. That was the order of the day for well over four decades until the Jonathan administration came on board; or so, the Federal Government says.

The chatter is fast-paced and the laughter infectious in the studios of Lagos radio station Wazobia FM.

FOR some time now, the governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. If he is not abusing or making jest of the President of the Federal Republic and the First Lady, he is probably on a roadshow with the leaders of his new-found political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with brooms in hands sweeping away in frenzy, perhaps, unwittingly their own shadows.

THE revocation of right of occupancyand compensation therein in pursuance to section 28 and 38 of the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978 put the record straight for Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. On the 24th December, 2013 Governor Oshiomhole gave a notice in exercise of the power conferred upon him by section 28(1) and 38 of the Land Use Act, 1978 and by virtue of all other laws enabling him as Governor of the State to revoke the Right of Occupancy granted in respect of all the parcel of land on the Right of Way(ROW), from Okpekpe to Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State containing an area of approximately 73.750 hectres (182.236 Acres)440,718.583 metres.

“I define tenacity of office as a political Monstrosity whose characteristics are an Inordinate and shameless love of power

IN some of the national dailies recently was a statement credited to the former minister of Finance and Economic planning, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu decrying the state of infrastructure in Abia state after 22 years of its creation.

IN ACCORDANCE with the Nigerian political timetable of its fourth republic, 2015 is a year of democratic renewal except in few states where the arrangement is altered for justifiable reasons by the judiciary.

Most Nigerians who were at the venue of the 2013 GLO/CAF Awards in Lagos on June 9 or those glued to their seats at home, watching the ceremony live on television, had a common mindset:

A country that specializes in exporting what it does not produce and importing that which it produces.
One of the world’s largest producer of crude oil, that does not refine its own petroleum products and has to import petroleum products.
The world’s largest producer of cassava but does not produce starch or ethanol.

THESE are heady days for the imperious traditional ruler of the Nigerian financial system, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who for all intents and purposes can best be described as the Emir, rather than governor, of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Kano-born prince, who has made it very clear that his only ambition in life is to become the Emir of Kano, has been conducting himself in the most unprincely manner ever seen in a CBN governor. And being the kind of person he is, he will forever brag about how he took on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, rubbished him in public while supposedly serving as part of his government, and nothing happened!

THE idea of the social contract is one of the foundations of the American political system. This is the belief that the state only exists to serve the will of the people, who are the source of all political power enjoyed by the state. The people can choose to give or withhold this power from the state.

ACHIEVEMENTS may be viewed from diverse prism depending on the parameters employed and the benchmarks set. Success in one clime could therefore pass off as failure in another. But in all of human history and civilization men that evolve ideas and visions that shaped the future of their worlds beyond their generations have never gone down unnoticed and are proudly admitted into halls of fame. Delta beyond Oil programme, which has conferred on the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan the rare privilege of the architect and pioneer of a Nigeria beyond Oil philosophy and initiative, is one such pragmatic initiative of a leader of modern Nigeria.