Columns

For the first time in the nation’s 63-year-old history, some state governments officially announced that there would be no activities to mark this year’s independence anniversary. In other words, all celebrations connected with it were cancelled in those states. Even in states where the day was ‘celebrated’, events lined up for it were low key. At the federal level, there Read More

The popular view among stakeholders that IPPIS is killing the Nigerian university system is fait accompli. IPPIS stands for Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). It is a payment platform of personnel emolument, which the Federal Government of Nigeria adopted over 10 years ago to flush out ghost workers, enhance efficiency, and address the corrupt practices related to salary Read More

This text was published three years ago when Nigeria marked its 60th independence. Nothing has changed except for the age, now at 63, as the conditions remain the same. The text is therefore being reprinted today with only one change: @60 has been replaced by @63. Nigeria ought to be a great country. We have all that is needed to Read More

“As responsible individuals, we must exercise mindfulness in our social media posts and written communications. Parents, educational institutions, and religious organizations must educate our youth on the significance of respectful and sensible communication. Using profanity and reckless behavior in public shows a lack of proper upbringing, civic values, and ethical standards. While it is acceptable to disagree with traditional leaders, Read More

Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina is a man of so many outstanding parts – an academic, banker, investment and development expert, diplomat, visionary leader, technocrat, mentor, team player/builder/leader, boardroom guru, political economist par excellence, agricultural expert, farmers’ minister, an icon of corporate world, a private sector mover, the African development icon, the African development czar, a sage tearing away from the crowd Read More

This was first published by Daily Trust on Saturday, 17 November 2012. It encapsulates my mission and how I want to be remembered. I picked the title for this piece from the book written by Arthur Nwankwo when he felt former President Olusegun Obasanjo threatened him over a series of exchanges they had when the former president called for a Read More

On her 63rd birthday on Thursday, September 21, 2023, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was celebrated by family, friends, and well-wishers across the country and beyond. Many took to social media to felicitate with her, praising her selflessness and unwavering commitment to social responsibility projects and her love for humanity. Oluremi Tinubu is a renowned Read More

  This week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu participated in the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States of America. As a high-level representative of Nigeria, the President took part in the general debate under the theme, “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals Read More

Which of the two months of August and December is the most important in the south east region of Nigeria or Igbo-speaking parts of Nigeria? To the ‘outsider’ or non easterners, the answer is December for the simple reason that December 25 (Christmas Day) is a global Christian festival that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and south easterners are Read More

As mentioned in the first part of this piece, the 2006 Africa Fertilizer Summit in Abuja was a turning point for African agriculture. The Summit’s impetus birthed the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). As the first Vice President of AGRA, Dr Akinwumi Adesina led one of the boldest and most considerable global efforts and finance initiatives that Read More

It’s been a while since our last correspondence, titled, ‘Dear Max Air’, where I had observed that, “It is without any doubt, that Max Air has done considerably well, in plying northern routes mostly abandoned by other airlines. It is a no brainer to appreciate the fact that those routes are low revenue routes, compared to heavier and more consistent Read More

Nigeria has a lot of issues, for instance, who do you blame for immigration officers wearing slippers or flip-flops with their uniforms at the airport, or Uber drivers accepting trips and proceeding to charge you higher than the app for an offline trip? For us to get the country we want, we have to change our mindset—Osi_Suave In Armenia, in Read More

Nigeria’s opposition parties and their presidential candidates, namely, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, of the Labour Party, LP, have indicated their intentions to (within the 14-day period allowed) appeal last week’s ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, PEPT, affirming Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the duly elected Read More

Guest speakers at the just-concluded National Conference on Agricultural Journalism (NCAJ) have stressed the importance of agriculture in the attainment of food security, promotion of a safe environment, and engendering national development. The theme of the conference was, “Agricultural Journalism in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects”. The Chairman, National Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Adewale Kupoluyi, had unfolded the keynote speaker as Read More

Most of what I know about him came through friends and acquaintances. I only met him on a very few occasions and I would say he doesn’t know me. Nevertheless, Malam Hassan Ibn Jakduwa is a household name, an amiable and kind-hearted person whose benevolence is beyond measure, especially while in public service. He is, simply, a simple guy. This Read More

In Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs, we are told the story of Abdulfattah Jandali who ran a Mediterranean restaurant in California. He was a Syrian immigrant, balding and intelligent, with fierce eyes and round, wire-rimmed glasses. After coming to America, Jandali earned a PhD in economics. He got a job as a professor at the University of Michigan. He began dating a woman Read More