I was not born rich,and, in my youth, I never imagined I would be where I am today ….In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags… My dear good people of Nigeria…I want all of you to know that I am one of you and I will never let you down.

This is yet the most celebrated speech made by Steve Jobs. It was the 114th Commencement Address to graduating students of Stanford University on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories!

It was exactly seven years ago. I remember because I was pregnant. It was the first service of the year and the Man of God had asked that anyone who wanted the Lord to do something for them in particular should come forward speak their faith. Not usually given to such public displays I was surprised to see myself got up and made my way forward.

UPON gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria made the liberation and restoration of the dignity of Africa as the centerpiece of her foreign policy and played a leading role in the fight against the apartheid regime and others.

WHEN Chinua Achebe wrote his epic novel, THINGS FALL APART, in 1958 he probably only had at the back of his mind the general situation of the Ibo communities of his time. “Things” were not what he thought they should be. No, he did not consider the cultures of other communities in Nigeria.

I HAVE never for one moment believed that Nigerians have short memories. When they appear to be so, it is only by choice in order to suit their whims, and this means they know what they are doing.

It has been said that no nation can develop beyond the level of its education. In other words, education is the live-wire of any serious nation which aspires to attain the highest level of development.

Rather than hide his face behind a rock for lying under oath and committing forgery – two criminal felonies punishable by prison terms and made worse if the person involved is an officer of the court and federal law maker because both crimes undermines the very foundation of our justice system, Igbeke still speaks to the press from the underground through paid writers.

BRITISH politician, John Bright, now late, once wrote of Abraham Lincoln in the Cincinnati Gazette: “He was like a waiter in a large eating house where all the bells are ringing at once; he cannot serve them all at once and so some grumblers are to be expected”.

ERSTWHILE Director – General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. MI Tsiga, rtd, along with other prominent Nigerians, was honoured with the highest membership status by the Nigeria Institute of Management, NIM, on Monday, September 26, 2011. He was awarded the Fellow of the institute, the first NYSC DG to be so awarded.

“What is good coming to Edo State is that every time we come, something new is happening, there is progress not in terms of report but in terms of development” –Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank.

MY father once sent me on an errand to a professor’s office. That day, I was in an exceptionally good mood because I was with a friend who had managed to get the car keys from his father. With a car at our disposal, we were to cruise around town, visiting friends and checking out girls.

Over the years, one of the disturbing concerns of the 21st century especially in Nigeria is finding and nurturing purposeful leaders for socio-political and economic advancement.

The editorial comment of a national newspaper of Sunday, September 25, titled, “The Abuse of Honorary Degrees,” has left many admirers of the newspaper wondering what their motive is in such sanctimonious editorializing that clearly targeted some Nigerians for attacks based on spurious premises. Bereft of logic and sound reasoning, the editorial comment, which should be the newspaper’s official position on issues, presents a good case study in self-negation, contradiction and double-speak.

IN 1976, as cadets, we were just allowedto see the Flag Ship NNS Nigeria (Obuma) from our Cadet Training Ship or from the jetty where she was berthed.