Category: Opinion

From William Bascom, American folklorist and anthropologist, I got a Yoruba story. It is here retold, substantially in my own words, in some areas using his words: A certain Chief Lowa was careless with his tongue. Every priest has a priest; Lowa’s own warned him to be careful so that his mouth would not disgrace him. Chief said he had grown taller than disgrace; he was too surefooted to be put to shame. Because he had money and medicine in super abundance, he thought there was nothing he said or…

It is God who gives babies. It is the God-assigned duties of parents to nurse and nurture those babies into adulthood. It is a long journey, onerous task to grow babies into adults. Every parent, every aunt and uncle knows that that long journey is bumpy, painful and lonely. Many times we stumble. Many times we get it right. Occasionally parents fail, sometimes woefully. Sometimes because they did not do the right thing at the right time or failed altogether to do anything. Sometimes, circumstances just work against both parents…

The United Nations General Assembly UNGA, a global program usually held in September of every year to review and brainstorm on development on the developing and amd underdeveloped countries, particularly the third world countries is scheduled to commence soon with Nigeria in full participation.   This is coming at the backdrop of the grand launching at UNGA 77 of the Internal National Financing Framework INFF , a program that will guarantee the provision for funds and financing for the development outside the public funds by the Nigeria’s SDGs leadership, under…

No doubt, photographs evoke metaphors, imageries and diverse interpretations. Imagery was evoked in my mind as I read President Bola Tinubu’s remarks during his recent adventure to China. He spoke while addressing Nigerians living in that country. “Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices. But, can we help it?” the president said cavalierly like a cruel surgeon about to dissect a patient to whom he had…

Nigeria is at the moment in a precarious position, teetering like a heavy toddler due to the instability of its monocrop economy. The country’s heavy dependence on crude (not even refined) petroleum exports exposes a cumulative effect of defective political economies and the complacency of the ruling elite _“who have been trained as to how not to think”._ It also reminds one of the stage-like observations of Robert Nester Marley, that _“in the midst of water, the fool goes thirsty”._ Nigeria’s reliance on oil can be diversified, but the elite’s…

I had a crush on this girl, about 30 years ago. Her mother sells puff puff that tasted deliciously; it takes about an hour to trek to her mother’s shop and you needed like N20 to hike a bike. I had just N10 that mama spared for me to pay for my Arabic class, to have a taste of puff puff and a glance of my crush, I trekked to her abode. All sweaty and gummy body, I would reach her place, order puff puff and sit by the fireside…

On a day like this, I remember the cradle days of life where your neighbors were your parents in absentia; where the street was the melting pot of innocence and soulless fantasies; where the exploits of great men and women were re-echoed in proud symphonies.   Just like yesterday, I remember the simplicity that accompanied life where dogs were admirable pets of men and not guards of men.   I still remember with no feelings in my groin the nakedness of girls around me. The only time a girl will…

Do you know this slogan “Anguwan Masaba mai wuyan ba kashi?”   Agreed, because Manarakis is poor, everything became suspicion; this that; otherwise even an unfunctional, unimpactful politician is out there with a Honourarium Doctorial without any demand for debate. Worth a World!   My brother has a radical approach to anything before him, he is a fearless person, a no nonsense to the core and he could be ready to stand-up for his words.   I could remember vividly how the issue of Nupe Language teaching started. Adamu Idris…