Archive for the ‘Social Relations’ Category

The “Babangida Must Go” Protests: A Missed Opportunity for Revolution

Posted: August 4, 2017 in Corruption, Government, Leadership, Social Relations
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The best chance of a revolution Nigeria had was initially led by young obscure student leaders at the University of Benin campus in May 1989; they staged a protest that became famously known as the “Anti-SAP Riots” spilt into Benin-City and rapidly to other cities in Nigeria including Lagos, Port Harcourt and Ibadan. The masses were firmly behind the student protesters and bought their persuasive message of obscene leadership corruption, thoroughgoing military repression and the rejection of neoliberalism that was mercilessly immiserating their way of life. The guns of the repressive military regime no longer frightened the masses, they had left nothing to lose. (more…)

When I Last Saw Simon Hughes

Posted: June 30, 2017 in Elections, Governance, Government, Social Relations
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Thursday, two weeks ago I had just come out of hospital after two-week stay there. As a resident of a Bermondsey, my brother wheeled me to the shops. As we got to the former Santander Bank premises on Southwark Park Road, the headquarters of the Simon Hughes Liberal Democrats Return campaign, we bumped into the man. Simon Hughes was all alone carrying a large cardboard box out of the headquarters and headed for a yellow painted black cab which he was driving. My brother and I greeted Hughes but he barely responded, he looked very unhappy. The June 8 elections had just ended and the former MP had lost. This was a very personal irony for me, a very difficult one. I did not want Simon Hughes to come back as my MP. (more…)

Why Evans the Kidnapper is King in Nigeria

Posted: June 28, 2017 in Corruption, Governance, Government, Institutions, Social Relations
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A “billionaire” kidnapper, Evans, is now the new icon shining in the dull skies of Nigeria. One may ask how a ruthless kidnapper can either be an icon or hero to millions in Nigeria? Because it is Nigeria. Claude Ake once stated that “Nigeria is the only country in the world where no one questions the source of one’s income.” The depth of the statement is far from casual or a mere observation. Amassing wealth in Nigeria, whether legally or illegally, has a highly regarded and venerated virtuousness of its own. In many cases the more crooked the source of income the better it is rated by the public. That is why you find young men who have legitimately worked very hard for their money blatantly lie that they made the same money by crooked means. How twisted can things get? (more…)

Muslim Hegemony Through Education

Posted: June 19, 2017 in Government, Power, Social Relations
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When I wrote the articles Getting Ready to Islamise Nigeria? (http://wp.me/p1bOKH-BE) and The Complaints: Getting Ready to Islamise Nigeria? (http://wp.me/p1bOKH-BT), it was taken by many as mischief with a keyboard or a pen. Muslims denied any attempts at an Islamisation of Nigeria and Christians compatriots said it was neither possible nor even thinkable. As I have said before the Islamisation of Nigeria will be ‘structural’ or ‘institutional’ not ‘martial’ as some unwittingly expect. Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) is now being completely removed as a subject from the national academic curriculum while Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) and Arabic Studies (AS) remain. Why not ban Use of English Language from the curriculum too? History was taken out some time ago. (more…)

Nnamdi Kanu is a Made Man: Made by Buhari

Posted: May 11, 2017 in Government, Human Rights, Justice, Leadership, Social Relations
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Today, on Nnamdi Kanu’s release he has become “cause celebre” supreme in Nigeria. He visits and is visited by an impressive list of the ‘high and mighty’ in the land. Despite his oppressive bail conditions which prevent him from undertaking any activism or agitation activities, Kanu’s persona is flourishing. Kanu has become an unlikely but genuine national icon of the “Igbo struggle”. Igbo leaders who shunned Kanu when his troubles began must now embrace him, expediency would not permit otherwise. Otherwise, Igbos and other Nigerians who saw him a mere nuisance cannot deny his current moment of greatness. Yet, Kanu’s greatness was a far too visible and predictable product of an unwitting incarceration by the government of Muhammadu Buhari; Buhari made Kanu [great] as foreseen in The Government Has Jumped Up Biafra (see http://wp.me/p1bOKH-pt). (more…)

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