Tag: Dare Babarinsa

In Kogi, it is raining Sahara, by Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

It is good and commendable that after many weeks of hesitation, the Federal Government decided to intervene in the dispute between the Kogi State Government and Dangote Industries Plc over the ownership of the Dangote Cement Factory in Obajana, Kogi State. Since Dangote opened the cement industry in Obajana in 2002, that town has never slept until Governor Yahaya Bello intervened and tried to put the town to sleep. Anytime you get there, no matter the hour of the day or night, the industrial town is always awake. I am…

The journey of Sisi Abba By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

Young Nigerians may not understand the enormity of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first Premier of the defunct Western Region (now Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Oyo states). The territory he superintended extended from Badagry in the West to Asaba in the East. He changed our lives. On May 9, 1987, he died. His legacy is imperishable. I had the opportunity of seeing Awolowo at close quarters for the first time in 1983. He was the presidential flag bearer of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), for the…

Bola Ige and the war of the fathers By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

Today is the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Chief Bola Ige, first elected Governor of old Oyo State (now Oyo and Osun) and deputy leader of Afenifere. He was then the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, serving in the government of his friend, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It is interesting that close to this 20th anniversary, Chief Bisi Akande, one of Ige’s closest collaborators released his robust autobiography, My Participations, to tell Ige’s side of the story, especially as it pertains to Afenifere, the mainstream Yoruba…

Akande and his hidden treasures By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

There is something truly amazing about Chief Bisi Akande, the son of a palm-wine tapper who became a qualified accountant at 22. At 60 in 1999, he was sworn in as the second elected Governor of Osun State, taking the baton from the last military administrator, Brigadier Theophilous Bamigboye. Four days into his tenure, Osun State workers embarked on a general strike, paralyzing the city of Osogbo and subjecting the new Secretary to the State Government, SSG, to serious harassment. Four years later, Akande’s tenure ended in controversial circumstances when…

DARE BABARINSA, NIGERIAN NAVY AND KANO NAVAL BASE By Jibrin Baba Ndace

Emporium Reporters

On Thursday, September 9, 2021, one of Nigeria’s foremost journalists, Dare Babarinsa’s weekly column in the Guardian Newspaper focused on the Nigerian Navy, with a tittle “Our Navy’s NNS Absurdity.” For those who may not be familiar with this writer who has been plying his trade long before some of us were born – Babarinsa is a journalist, columnist, historian, author and politician, who has, for more than four decades, remained consistent in commenting on national and international issues. A 1978 graduate of University of Ife and University of Lagos…

Even God will not do it – By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

Last week, Nigerians marked four anniversaries. One was the anniversary of the creation of states in 1967 by the military regime of then Lt. Colonel Yakubu Jack Gowon. The second was the anniversary of the return to Civil Rule in 1999. The third of course was Children’s Day. The fourth was the anniversary of the creation of the stillborn Republic of Biafra. I am more concerned about this discourse about the creation of states in 1967.   Gowon came to power in a turbulent period. Those who brought him to…

Time to take back our mosques By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

In a rare public confession, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, in a trending video, confessed that he had no option than to recognise that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in his primary duty of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians. Today, Gumi, like millions of other Nigerian Muslims, would go to the praying grounds to offer thanksgiving to Almighty God and mark the end of the Holy month of Ramadan. It is interesting that policemen and soldiers would guard many mosques across the country, especially in the old North. Such is…

DEBBY AND THE TROUBLE WITH THE FAMILY BUSINESS By Dare BABARINSA

Emporium Reporters

The sudden death of President Idris Deby Itno of Chad is bad news for Nigeria. For many years, he has been our stanch ally in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group. On many occasions he had joined his troops in battle against various rebel groups. Chadian military announced on Monday that Debby died in battle against Chadian rebels of the Front for Change and Concord who had been fighting for years to topple his perennial presidency. After more than 30 years in power, Debby finally ended his journey…

Shehu Garba needs some education By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

It is interesting that the Presidency finally found its voice concerning the security situation in Ondo State. In recent months, Ondo State has been at the centre of grave insecurity in the South West. It was here that a first-class traditional ruler was kidnapped and killed. It was here that the daughter of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere, was also killed in an attempt to kidnap her. It was here that Chief Olu Falae, once the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and who almost won the…

Saga of a living ancestor By Dare Babarinsa

Emporium Reporters

It is interesting that even now people of Ile-Ife still refers to Baba Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi in the present tense. It is as if one day, he would be sighted at Oke Itase or any of the many sacred sites in Ile-Ife, the city which the Yoruba people believe is the Land of the First Dawn. Aderemi was the Ooni of Ife for 50 momentous years. Forty years ago when Chief Bola Ige was the Governor of old Oyo State, the Ooni passed on to the land of the ancestors.…