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Nigerian universities come up in the news these days to announce either the inauguration of new dress codes or the revival of dormant rules. Fixating on appearance is not new in Nigeria, but the frequency—especially by academic institutions—in the past months is head-scratching. Hardly a month passes these days without some university or polytechnic issuing […]
Continue ReadingDuring the governorship and state house of assembly elections in March, the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) enjoined Nigerians to go ahead and collect any monies distributed by vote-buying politicians but still vote their conscience. Ideally, it should be shocking that a country’s president—especially one who came to power as an anti-corruption crusader—would shamelessly […]
Continue ReadingThe Nigerian Video and Film Censors Board Executive Director Adedayo Thomas said their agency is not taking any censorious action against Gangs of Lagos, a film directed by Jade Osiberu and streaming on Amazon Prime, because the law does not empower them to regulate online content. When I read that, I could not help but be […]
Continue ReadingIn March 2014, at a time Boko Haram terrorism ravaged the country, 12 northern Nigeria governors travelled all the way to Washington D.C. to make a case against President Goodluck Jonathan before his American counterpart Barack Obama. These governors, who got a chance to meet Obama’s National Security Adviser, Ms. Susan Rice, accused Jonathan of […]
Continue ReadingOnce again, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission imposed a heavy-handed fine on Channels TV, following a petition by an aide of Bola Tinubu. Ironically, the petition was based on some comment by the Labour Party vice presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed who, during a live interview, said something to the effect that swearing Tinubu into office in May […]
Continue ReadingIn retrospect, one should have expected that the ethnic attacks that blow up in Lagos State around election seasons would be intense this time round. First, this election was the first time since 1999 that another party came close to blowing the lid off the All Progressives Congress’ much-vaunted “structure.” From the traditional rulers to […]
Continue ReadingMonths ago, when the Independent National Electoral Commission announced its voter register listed a whopping 93.4 million potential voters, it was an exciting promise of how the elections would go. At the end of the day, the presidential election—which typically attracts more voters—ended up with an underwhelming figure. With all the raucous noise that the […]
Continue ReadingThe ethnic irredentists who regularly punctuate the atmosphere with the dog whistle of Yorùbá ro’nú are not sincerely invested in the gains of contemplation. If they were, they would deploy the same gusto to call for a reflection on the Yorùbá condition within this contraption called Nigeria. We would be asked to ponder if this is all […]
Continue ReadingThose whose understanding of Saturday’s presidential election is that the Labour Party played the “spoiler” for the Peoples Democratic Party miss the significance of the moment. As of now, the PDP is effectively dead and the LP is the new opposition party. The PDP presidential candidate might have won many votes, but they lost on […]
Continue ReadingElectoral choices in a democracy ultimately boil down to affirming one’s version of the truth that should reign in the nation. Casting one’s ballot expresses our vision of the country, individual or collective. While some people vote simply as a mundane exercise, many do so because they believe that the ballot conveys the truth of […]
Continue ReadingWhen the news story that the Supreme Court had gone rogue on critics of its recent judgments was first shared with me, my initial thought was that it had to be an internet hoax. I imagined it was impossible that a SC would ever single out individuals in the bid to justify itself. SC might […]
Continue ReadingSince the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate Bola Tinubu made his infamous speech about saboteurs trying to scuttle his election in Ogun State, recently the airwaves have been agog with conspiracy theories. Of course, he did not name anyone but he gave speculators enough homework when he lamented that the protracted fuel crisis and the […]
Continue ReadingIn one of those moments of comic relief only Nigeria can throw up, the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign demanded that anti-corruption agencies arrest their opponent, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over allegations of corruption by his former aide. In an electoral season, it is not unusual for party spokespersons to feign […]
Continue ReadingLabour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has reiterated his commitment to removing the subsidies on fuel. At the Channels Television town hall on Sunday, he called the monies “an organised crime” and promised they would not stay a day longer if he were elected president. All I can say to him for now is, good luck […]
Continue ReadingThe ushering in of the new year has hastened the countdown for Nigeria as it hobbles towards the biggest event that ever happens in respective African countries: elections. In terms of the high expectations that precede it and even its ability to momentarily remind people fragmented of their shared identity, elections in Africa are equivalent […]
Continue ReadingOn Sunday night presidential media aide released a statement to relay a Christmas Day event at the presidential villa. The otherwise routine release stated that the President, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), hosted the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mohammed Bello, and some residents of the nation’s capital. The statement contained the now tiring rant about […]
Continue ReadingIf you thought that the characteristic display of sloppiness, laxity, and an outright lack of acumen by the Department of State Services can no longer embarrass you, then you should read the submission of the judge that refused to grant their prayer to arrest and detain the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor over alleged terrorism […]
Continue ReadingIn June, the Lagos State Government announced a policy document to guide safe abortions of pregnancy. The move was surprising. Abortion is one of those Nigerian realities we pretend does not exist. Abortion is hardly legal in Nigeria, but people still get it. From skilled doctors in their private hospitals to unskilled drug dispensers in local […]
Continue ReadingSome of our fellow country people have made a nasty habit of finding justification for virtually every instance of vulgarism. Whether such vulgar act revolves around power abuse, lack of accountability code, ethical violations, or any other random act of indecency, these people will insist on its propriety. They can be so fiery in their […]
Continue ReadingAt first, the story of First Lady Aisha Buhari ordering the arrest and detention of a young man who had made fun of her physical appearance seemed improbable. I insisted to the person who shared the story with me that there had to be more to the account. There was no way Mrs Buhari would […]
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