In French, “Assizes” means lawyers having sittings to decide cases. When cases are decided on material benefits to members of the assizes as against duty to a nation then Nigeria is about to be conquered by materialism and in turn headed to breakdown of the system of trust.

SOMETIME in 2010, the Abia State government after thorough examination of her civil service discovered that it was fraught with fraudulent employment procedures and ghost workers.

When a man has many children, numerous grandchildren and a lot of descendants but just seven out of those children are erring, I don’t really think it’s something to lose sleep over.

THERE is always a season for everything which includes time for sowing and reaping. And currently, Nigeria is in a season of different scandals. The Oduahgate, involving N255 million bullet proof cars; All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership and the G7 governors, including the disruption of the meeting of G7 governors on the purported order of Inspector General of Police; Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s rift with President Jonathan, Senate and the missing N500 billion SURE-P fund, retired Col. Nyiam resigning from the confab committee after an altercation with Comrade Governor Oshiomhole, the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike, kidnapping, crude oil theft, and so many other issues on the front burner of our social and political life occupy the front pages of our national dailies.

In an article published in the Vanguard of Tuesday November 12, 2013 and entitled ‘Money-Laundering Nigeria’s Future’, one Mr. Femi Aribisala made claims to the effect that the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, had asked Nigeria to account for $100 billion revenue which had accrued to the nation in 2012.

At an informal gathering a few months ago, discussants attempted a comparison between President Goodluck Jonathan and some of the governors in the break-away new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP). While some argued that the President and the governors are birds of the same feather as typical of Nigerian politicians, others insisted that there is obvious uniqueness that defines their individualities.

After more than three months of extensive deliberations, consultations and dialogue on ways of unraveling the root causes of insurgency in Northern Nigeria and how to achieve lasting peace within the region, the Tanimu Turaki-led Peace and Dialogue Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan finally submitted its report.

I was with the All Progressives Congress train that went to Kano Government House to invite Governor Musa Kwankwaso to join the league of progressives in the country, determined to bring about the change we need.

IT is an unfortunate reality of our times that many Nigerians have become experts at disapproving. Indeed, they are lacking in the simple yet humane act of giving credit where it is due. A major case in point is the often unreasonable denigration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GEJ, by bitter men and women of yesterday who have nothing positive to offer the nation today.

At inauguration, Governor Seriake Dickson clearly spelt out the strategic value of the Restoration Agenda of his administration.

The world witnessed a playing style exhibited by our own U-17 boys team at the recently concluded FIFA event that has not been seen since the inception of the competition at that level.

The idea by those behind the ‘leaks’ was ostensibly to dehumanize and demonize the nominee to the Supreme Court before the American public and in the court of public opinion. But at the end of the controversial hearing, the nominee was confirmed and he got the job. Before that nominee assumed his position in the court, he spoke addressing many issues including what he considered the planned, coordinated, orchestrated and well funded effort by some people to find him guilty even before trial. He described it as an attempt at ‘hitech lynching’.

It was a rare gathering in Ondo town last weekend, as the nation’s decision makers joined the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo, in marking his 7th year on the throne and his 60th birthday.

It was a notoriously crowded field. Yet as they gathered at a Town Hall meeting, only two gubernatorial candidates were on the raised platform.

Perhaps 50 years ago, it would have been awkward and superfluous to ask this question. In the late 60s through the 70s and earlier part of the 80s, marriage was seen as what a man and a woman go into for the rest of their lives; it was very odd to hear of separation and divorce.