Category: Opinion

Monday Lines 1 ‘An Enemy of the People’ By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

“The water is poisoned! The whole of the water system is tainted and absolutely unusable for its purpose,” Thomas Stockmann, medical doctor, accomplished scientist, informs the people around him. He is employed to look after the health of the people and the public baths, the mainstay of his town’s economy. It is in the course of that job that he makes a scientific discovery that the baths are dangerously polluted, and that they spread typhoid. And he says so.   Dr. Thomas Stockmann is the protagonist in Henrik Ibsen’s 1882…

Monday Lines 2 Tinubu, Atiku and the Lion’s share By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

Adrian Louis is a witness to what popcorn does in a movie theatre. The American poet’s poems are apparently for Nigeria, a nation in eternal transition: “We gave them corn which, once popped/ into miniature buttered clouds/ gave us the opportunity to watch ourselves: / bloodthirsty, slow-thinking and grunting.”   We need lots of popcorn as we go into the new year. An Atiku Abubakar vs Bola Tinubu spar started last week over where the next president should come from and who the person should be. Tinubu’s man, George Akume,…

UBEC: Working the Talk to Achieve Basic Education in Nigeria, BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF

Abubakar Yusuf

To achieve Basic and Junior Secondary Schools Education, a lot of efforts is needed routinely towards attaining laudable initiatives been put in place by the leadership of the agency, under Dr Hamid Bobboyi. Aside funding and Infrastructural development, manpower development has been a corollary towards ensuring the SDGs Goals 4 is realizable.   Moving gradually towards decades of action tagged by the United Nations sustainable development goals as 2020-2030 Agenda, that is geared towards the realization of all needed requirements by developing and underdeveloped countries towards attaining SDGs Goals, both…

Kemi Badenoch: Shettima as flutist with ‘gègè’ on his neck, By Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

This past Monday, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, held the fèèrè (flute) and blew it admirably. However, bystanders listening to the rhythm of his flute didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. Moyo Okediji, Assistant Professor of Art at the Wellesley College, Massachusetts, in his “Art of the Yoruba” Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, (Vol. 23, No. 2) described the flute held by Shettima as a symbol of the trickster god Esu, also known as the divinity of the crossroads. According to Okediji, Esu was so powerful that he…

Cry not, North, Smell the Coffee and Act (2), by Hassan Gimba

Emporium Reporters

The North and its leaders seem happiest and satisfied when led by the nose. As in every election cycle, vote seekers would come and put a black liquid in a syrup bottle and, with fanfare, tell you they have gotten “crude oil” so we can re-elect them or that they should elect leaders based on tribe or religion. Because we have become so allocation-dependent, sheer laziness has become our lot because of the easy money that the monthly allocation has become to us. Our brains have frozen in time. We…

Tax Reforms: A Double-Edged Sword for Nigeria’s Economy By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Emporium Reporters

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced his ambitious tax reform agenda, it was clear that he intended to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal framework. The reforms, targeting personal income tax, corporate tax, and value-added tax (VAT) distribution, are undoubtedly bold and necessary. But like any sweeping policy change, they come with both promises and pitfalls. As someone deeply invested in Nigeria’s socio-economic progress, I see these reforms as a double-edged sword—a tool for much-needed transformation, but one that requires careful handling to avoid cutting too deeply into the fabric of our fragile…

California Explores Investment Opportunities in Nigeria, seeks stronger Ties

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) is seeking strategic investments and partnerships in Nigeria, emphasizing knowledge transfer, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability.   During a high-level meeting in Abuja with Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr. Toks Omishakin, Secretary of CalSTA, highlighted California’s commitment to fostering ties with Africa, particularly Nigeria.   Hon. Dabiri-Erewa stressed the importance of capacity building as a tool for economic growth and brain circulation, urging the collaboration to focus on training programmes aimed at equipping Nigerians with technical expertise…

Transforming Nigeria’s Digital Landscape: Dr. Aminu Maida’s Pioneering Leadership at NCC, By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria is boldly reimagining its digital future. A key milestone in this journey was the establishment of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. Led by the dynamic Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, the Ministry has served as the backbone of President Tinubu’s agenda for technological and economic transformation.   One of the ministry’s critical collaborators is the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), helmed by the innovative Dr. Aminu Maida, who serves as the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO. Appointed in October 2023,…

Osun 2026: Crossroads and consequences (2) By abiodun KOMOLAFE

Emporium Reporters

For those who care to know, the July 16, 2022 event marked a political Armageddon for some individuals in Osun APC. On that fateful day, their political obituaries were written; and for some, there’s no resurrection in sight. However, to honour their political memories, the party must rediscover its winning formula. This won’t be an easy task, but as the saying goes, “when there’s a will, there’s a way.” So, it is doable!   At a time like this, APC must develop a comprehensive Programme of Hope, similar to the…

Hon. Abiodun Akinlade: A Visionary Leader Transforming Owode Yewa with Strategic Initiatives

Emporium Reporters

Although the bill to establish the National Institute of Agricultural Research and Entrepreneurship in Owode Yewa, Ogun State, is still subject to the approval of the Nigerian Senate and the presidency, Hon. Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade must be commended for his visionary leadership and transformative initiatives. Representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Hon. Akinlade has consistently demonstrated a commitment to sustainable development, positioning his constituency as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and national progress.   Owode Yewa: A Strategic Location for Regional Development   Owode Yewa’s strategic location along Nigeria’s first international…