IN 1935, an ambitious young man went to work for the Bata Shoe Company as an accounting clerk. It was a prestigious job. He had a head for figures, and was in fact quite precocious. He would work for Bata for some years, but he always had far-reaching plans, none of which, of course, included a slow climb in a Czechoslovakian company that was opening branches of shoe retail stores in Nigeria

ON Thursday, July 12, 2012, which was the last day for campaigns and publication of political advertisements by parties, the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, published an advertorial in some national newspapers signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Uroghide, wherein it alleged that Governor Adams Oshiomhole and governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, was not qualified to contest in the July 14, 2012 election.

Apparently not satisfied with a few things and determined to lift a falling Nigeria’s team sports minister, Bollaji Abdullai called a meeting of leaders of the federations here and urged to get things right.

IMPEACHMENT has become a reckless demagogue in our House of Representatives. Members who feel that they are not receiving enough attention on their request for constituency funds in the budget have threatened to impeach the President.

A MAJOR problem of Nigeria is the oil money. Oil money is extraordinary in that it does not come from any national effort, toil or sweat.

THERE is no free lunch anywhere,” my friend said to me. “Not even in Freetown,” he added. It was a joke but contained enormous wisdom. In our elementary economics which another respected friend of mine often derisively refers to as O.A. Lawal economics, we learnt the concept of cost as the opportunity given up.

I had, in a number of published articles in recent times, raised salient issues covering various aspects of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s approach to governance in Edo State. The Governor has failed to provide answers to the critical questions raised.

BECKONED to Serve’ is the autobiography of AlhajiShehuUsman Aliyu Shagari, the first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the American-style presidential system of government.

THE first principle of unalienable rights recognises that everyone is naturally endowed by their Creator with certain rights that cannot be infringed or given away. Amongst these rights are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

IN the advanced western economies, housing development is used as a good indicator of the state of health of the economy. It is also used to create employment and generate wealth because of the multiplier effect it has on the economy as a whole.

The first time I came across Mrs Diezani Alison- Madueke, the first female to be so appointed Minister of Petroleum in Nigeria, was in 2007 on the Lagos- Ibadan Express way. I was with TheNews magazine at the time and was travelling from Lagos to Akure, Ondo State capital to do a story on the governorship tussle in the election tribunal between Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his predecessor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu. The Madueke that I saw that day cried profusely.

Too many people are so busy querying God for not answering their prayers or not manifesting enough blessings in their lives. They think and believe that God is indebted to them.

AS a child growing up in the commercial city of Aba, Abia state in the early eighties, I knew the city had a lot of environmental challenges that appeared insurmountable at a time, despite several efforts by successive governments in the state to tackle them.

I AM not surprised that former Governor of Edo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for 18 months, Professor Oserhiemen Aigberaodion Osunbor, has not been able to demonstrate to the world that he has the capacity to rise above political parsimoniousness.

IN the last 15 years I have assumed the position of Political Leader of the people of Bakassi. On the account of my advocacy for the creation of the Bakassi Local Government, I was nominated into 1994 constitutional conference by General Abacha, it was at that conference that I and Chief (Dr.) Emmanuel Nsan with the support of Chief Tony Ani and Air Vice Marshall Emmanuel Edem including traditional rulers and the people made successful case for the creation of a Bakassi Local Governement.