THE beauty of science is that, it is empirical – smell, touch and see – so, we can deduce from our senses and observations. It is also logical. The science of Politics is not different; based on what we observe, we can reach conclusions. It is so everywhere, polls are conducted and most times, the results of the polls turn out to be the true position.

IN African culture, elders are the custodians of truth. They are the moral guide to the society and they do all in their wisdom to engender peace and preserve the interests of the larger society. Unfortunately, the various elders’ groups in Nigeria–in the East, West, South-South, Middle Belt or North -are different; they observe this rule in the breach. The most typical of them is the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) which has been in the news in recent times, for its strident pursuit of sectional and parochial interests to the detriment of the well-being of the larger Nigerian nation.

THE reason we’re gathered here this weekend is to find common ground and champion the cause for Ugborodo people. We are very saddened about the plight and the predicament Ugborodo is going through right now.

Some of us here today are not here for the interest of Ugborodo issues but for their own personal interest or gain and not until we change our perceptions or modus operandi, which by the way, waiting in the wing for bread crumbs to be thrown at us, Ugborodo will not move forward.

In the future, maps will not be documents you keep in the glovebox of your car or do battle with when hiking in the wind and rain, but living, breathing assistants that help you go about your day.

THERE is an African adage which says that it is the fly that refuses to heed advice that follows the corpse into the grave. Before the APC rally that took place in Ogoniland on Saturday, 25th January, 2014, elders from four Local Government Areas, under the aegis of the Concerned Ogoni Elders Forum, had advised Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to cancel the planned rally. The advice fell on deaf ears.

WITH INEC announcing the timetable for the general election, we expect that the different forces for the elective offices across the country will begin to mobilise. Delta is no different. For me and others who believe in our cause for equity and justice, we feel that as 2015 get close, the race for the tenancy of Osadebey House, Asaba will become more interesting. The truth is every qualified citizen has the inalienable right to aspire to any elective position, in saying that I believe that Delta state has obviously taken into account its multi-ethnic dimension by effectively evolving the rotation of political office including the office of the Executive Governor of the State in the current political dispensation.

ETHNICITY, nationalism and regional allegiance are socio-cultural ideologies. In Nigeria, as in most other parts of Africa ethno-cultural ideologies are much stronger than ethno-economic ones.” Furthermore, according to Mazrui, his favourite Nigerian example was “Obafemi Awolowo’s effort to move Nigeria a little to the left. When he looked to see who was following him, it was not the dispossessed of all ethnic groups in Nigeria who followed; it was his fellow Yoruba of all social classes and levels of income.”

TWICE in recent times, I have heard people say: “If Abacha were alive today, he would have been a hero.”
Not long ago, Gen. Sani Abacha was mentioned in respect of what would have been his response to the shenanigans from pro-homosexual countries of Europe, United States and Canada who have been threatening to withdraw their development support for Nigeria because President Good luck Jonathan signed into law the same sex prohibition Act 2013.

THE future of any nation is decided largely by the premium it places on the quality and life of its youths. The youths are the major part of the Nigerian population as shown by statistics and records, which conforms to the globally accepted view that the youths of today are the nation of tomorrow.

CHIEF David Oluwafemi Adewunmi Abdulateef Fani-Kayode (Femi Fani-Kayode, for short), former Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Minister of Culture and Tourism, and former Minister of Aviation, is truly a remarkable fellow. Whenever he speaks or writes, he poses an intellectual challenge as to where to draw the line between normality and abnormality. The instances are numerous, but his last outing: “The gutless eunuch and the lion king”, published in The Nation of Friday, January 17, 2014, raised critical issues which the psychiatric community must tackle in the interest of the nation.