NEWS about events in Edo State have dominated the air waves and captured the front pages of newspapers in the last few weeks. Unfortunately, they have been, generally, news of negative happenings and fatalities, such as the accident involving the convoy of the State Governor, the murder of his Principal Private Secretary and the death of a number of people during the demonstrations on the security situation and against the purported conspiracy between INEC and the PDP to rig the forthcoming election in the State.

One of the wise sayings that never fails to intrigue me, is the tale about the tortoise, that was picked up by a superior force, he begged his captor to allow him a minute of freedom. When this was granted, the tortoise on being let down, went about unearthing and scattering the bushes around.

The recent revelation by the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Azazi, that the Boko Haram ongoing onslaught against innocent Nigerians is a result of the undemocratic nature of the PDP is a long awaited revelation from a courageous officer, and a brother of Goodluck from the same region.

THE tragedy of Nigeria is that many of those who pollute the nation’s environment with their writings do not have the tools of their trade.

Born poor in Adamawa State, the chances were that he would die poor and powerless, but he refused to get used to it. He walked barefoot for 20 kilometers to get a good education

HOW time flies. Today, Henry Seriake Dickson has spent 100 days at the Creek Haven as governor of Bayelsa State. Since the former police officer and lawmaker representing Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency at the National Assembly has achieved so much within this short period, the expectation of many analysts is that he should celebrate it with pomp and pageantry.

IT was the late John F. Kennedy, the 35th American President who once said: “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation”.

One may recall that recently most cases being prosecuted in court by ICPC and EFCC have suffered one set back or the other and even faced outright dismissal due to the tardiness with which they were handled. For example the case against the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was thrown out because the ICPC rushed to court without obtaining the primary evidence (bank statement) needed to commence prosecution or indict him.

IT was Professor Wole Soyinka who once suggested that Nigerian politicians seeking elective or appointive positions should first be subjected to psychiatric examination.

THE recent re-appointment of Mr Patrick Ugbe as Commissioner and his deployment to Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has further confirmed the sincerity of the administration of Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State in building up reforms in the sector.

How time flies. On May 25, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson will be 100 days old at the Creek Haven as governor of Bayelsa State. Since the former police officer and lawmaker representing Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency at the National Assembly has achieved so much within this short period, the expectation of many analysts is that he should celebrate it with pomp and pageantry.

IN the runner-up to Nigeria’s government announcement of the controversial removal of subsidy on petroleum products on the New Year day, the former French finance minister and head of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Mrs Christine Largarde flew into Abuja.

IN African folklore, countless myths are surely evoked at the mention of an old witch. The wailing of this dark creature is, for instance, taken as portentous, a signpost to evil. So, at its shriek cry in the middle of the night, no true mother waits to be reminded to hold her suckling closer, lest the baby is found dead at dawn.

FREEDOM of expression is essential in every civilised society so long as it does not harm individuals’ character or malign institutional reputations through false and misleading information. It is a fact that violation of freedom of expression is violation of the right to freedom of association and assembly.

IT was a case of tears, sorrows and blood for the nation as the news filtered in that Christian community members at the Bayero University, Kano became casualty of the attacks by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.