Disempowering The NDLEA: Insider’s View The 2019 elections have come and gone. It has produced its victors and losers, no matter how illegitimate the ballot was. We did not even discuss several issues that plague Nigeria severely in the campaign season. Dividends of democracy? What we discussed was patrimonial-manias in the shape of the obtuse…
Yankius: You have human rights in Nigeria only if you have a lot of money and can beg very well. And that may not even save you. And do not forget, Nigeria has not had human rights since independence especially since 1966 and during colonial rule. Forget what you hear on telly or read in the papers; Nigerians are not too keen on human rights, they have not experienced it and the rights they have is where the governemnt and its clients have no reach – money is enough for them. And who knows if the nation is even ready for truth. Nigeria is torn up by tribal, religious and corporate interests and it is those interests that matter. What impacts have truth-backed exposes and scandals about corruption and misrule have on the government of Nigeria, despite democracy? None. Human rights is the noise of lawyers, the grandstanding of polititians and an intellectaul’s right to a seminar audient. That’s all. Finito. <a href="”> Read More…
Pirate-Captain Entities and Democracy There is a keen fascination among young men, most at leading schools and universities around the world, with the “captain-pirate” mode. Its germ is of rebellion or disobedience against the injustices and excesses of the status quo in society. It is not surprising. The literal meaning of a pirate and the…
Nigeria Needs Strong Social Movements Voting, votes and honest election results are not enough to prevent elected officials from misbehaving or misgoverning once they get into office. Constitutional checks and balances are not usually sufficient to check and balance the activities of those in power abuses of power as malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance. Such abuses…
The complete metamorphosis of the butterfly is a thoroughly adequate analogy for civilisation: the gradual progression from egg to slug to pupa to imago [the beautiful butterfly]. In the Nigerian context, it starts with the colonised state to the inexperienced independent nation-state to transitional nation-state to strong state. The furthest stage Nigeria ever go to…
Nations Trapped by the Guilty Accuser Syndrome Numerous factors are acutely responsible for the persistence and worsening of the phenomenon of corruption in many democracies. These factors include regulatory capture, lack of transparency, inappropriate political systems, vertical policy transplantations, the weak rule of law, harsh economic conditions, the absence of political legitimacy, etc. All these…
Reflections on the May Elections: The Relevance of Voters? Never underestimate the wisdom of the old saying, “what Britain needs is another good war”. Peace, jobs, wages, NHS are boring and appear to be responsible for the national malaise in British politics. Or are they? The May 5th local elections are over, and the June…
Fraternities are Viruses in Nigeria: Part 10 – Poor Imitators University campus grown fraternities (UCGF) have done either good or evil to the societies in their countries of origin (e.g. the USA) is debatable. In the American-formation, with no idealisation intended, their “honour codes” are both formidable and adhered to. “Honour among brothers” is a…
