Nigeria Needs a Fearsome Electorate
Courtesy Tope Asokere

Nigeria Needs a Fearsome Electorate

Nigeria Needs a Fearsome Electorate

Nigerians have, with habitual ease, allowed corrupt leaders and kakistocrats to enter positions of power and govern them. Either through coup d’état or fraudulent ballots. Then the resultant dissatisfaction they leave for even worse leaders to manage next time around. The cycle of corrupt leader to bad leader to worse leader has thus become a solid and stable equilibrium in the nation. Escaping, it seems unlikely. Most Nigerians wonder without end how to break the habit. Or bad elections end in order for good leaders to come into power. Then leaeders can foster best governance possible in the society. All by itself, this is a very mistaken expectation. (more…)

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Solo Mansion Communities in Nigeria

Solo Mansion Communities in Nigeria

Development in Nigeria is a narrow focus on brick, mortar and tarmac constructions with imported technology gadgets thrown in. The masses appreciate and brag about by the developers. Livelihoods, human development, life protection, and life preservation. These and other aspects of developments in Nigeria are yet to kick-in as development objectives or indicators.

Furthermore, the brick, mortar and tarmac constructions the residents often elevate to mythical and unspoken dimensions as development achievements. Such thinking is a habitual turn of mind. It has not evolved beyond pre-Independence expectations of development in developing nation ever-pregnant with hope. (more…)

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Nigeria’s “Tale of Two Election Day Silences”

There was considerable peace and “silence” during the 2015 Nigerian general elections yesterday. It was good news that apart from the “I am above the law” behaviour of some senior politicians there might have been no incidences of chaos or violence at all. The inefficiencies of (Independent National Electoral Commission) INEC would have usually caused alarm but Nigerians demonstrated they can be patient, tolerant, well-behaved and disciplined in the face of delays, procrastination and uncertainty like any other nationals. Really! Nigerians silent when they would usually vex and “rake”? (more…)

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A Response to “The Real Poor Nigerians”

http://opinionriver.com/real-poor-nigerians/

Your piece is poignant and well written but discomforting to read, because it exposes issues of the “pitiful helplessness” and their resignation to it. The state is not going to help them. Instead the state wants to take their land, bulldoze their shanty towns, arrest them for trading without a permit etc. The poor have to survive often very desperate conditions. Even when they turn to crime it does not work out too well for them. The females do not have enough money to look good as prospective sex-workers and males soon get the message that they are easy to catch when they go on robbing missions. Yet, morality does not work very well on an empty stomach, soft and safer crimes are adopted. (more…)

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A New Kind of Thanks: To Goodluck Jonathan

After the the image-shattering debacle of the #BringBackJonathan2015 campaign, a new kind of thanks to a national leader has emerged. Many people especially the sycophants, spokesmen and usual suspects are queuing up to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for swiftly taking the courage to order the pulling down the sacrilegious campaign posters. Would it have been better if he left them hanging in public places? The western media would have “atomised” him with ease. Other projects have not been dealt with nearly as swiftly #BringBackOurGirls in particular. (more…)

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