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By Dakuku Peterside There is an epidemic of mob justice in Nigeria today, and the frequency at which they occur shocks our shared sensibilities. The ubiquitous nature of jungle justice across all parts of Nigeria leaves any discerning mind to wonder how low we are falling as a nation. Every week, we are served on ...
Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) has obtained the required regulatory approvals to acquire 71.69 per cent stake in Honeywell Flour Mills Plc (HFMP), formerly a portfolio company of Honeywell Group. The company made this known in a statement by its Corporate Communications Officer, Mrs Modupe Thani, on Saturday. The company also acquired a 5.06 ...
By Dakuku Peterside. The people are the bedrock of democracy. The supremacy of the people and the democratic institutions over and above individuals, no matter how well placed or wealthy, is at the core of democratic principles. Behind this democratic collectivism lies the individual’s inalienable rights and privileges that assume equality of all before the ...
By FEMI ADESINA Last week on this platform, focus was on the fact that adversaries of the Muhammadu Buhari administration were hiding behind the smokescreen of insecurity to vent their spleen. We stressed that security was everything, and noted that while robustly confronting the monster of insecurity, President Buhari was equally taking giant strides on ...
By Dakuku Peterside There is some optimism, founded or unfounded, that Nigeria will be witnessing credible elections in 2023. This air of optimism is hinged on many factors, including the recently signed electoral act amendment bill with clauses that will ensure that votes count and electronic transmission of results. Even though this amendment was not ...
By FEMI ADESINA Security is everything, nobody can dispute that. You have to be alive to enjoy every other thing government is providing; roads, rail, bridges, airports, food security, in fact, everything. That is why whenever you hear President Muhammadu Buhari talk of the priorities of his administration for the country, he starts with security, ...
By Dakuku Peterside Democracy thrives with the rule of law. The fundamental principle is that the law is always supreme and must be the guiding spirit of all actions in public life. Those who fail to abide by the letter and spirit of the law get punished. If a law is found wanting or repressive, ...
By Dakuku Peterside Each passing day, terrorists and bandits are getting bolder and more strategic in their attacks in Nigeria. Nigerians are so used to the terror that it takes a terrorist’s act of great intensity and maximum impact to get our attention. Recent events mark a watershed in terrorists’ activities in Nigeria. Terrorists invaded ...
By Femi Adesina Haters of God and humanity struck on Monday, bombing the Abuja-Kaduna train. They then proceeded to open fire on passengers of the immobilised coaches. It was premeditated murder from the very bottom of hell. See the toll of the carnage. Promising lives, cut short. Destinies terminated. Hopes and plans, ruptured. People who ...
By Dakuku Peterside Leadership can come from anyone, anywhere, anytime, but this skill and attribute crucial in moving an organisation or nation forward is in short supply in Nigeria. Whenever we spot good leaders, it behoves us to find out why they got it right and use these to critically evaluate where we missed our way. ...
By FEMI ADESINA Have you ever met a religious bigot before? Pray that you don’t. It’s not an interesting experience, irrespective of the faith the bigot professes. A bigot is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, and is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people who don’t share what he believes. ...
By Dakuku Peterside Within the last three weeks, three significant events happened. First, during the constitution amendment, the National Assembly rejected five gender bills, and as expected, our womenfolk were enraged. The world celebrated women’s day, and this year the campaign theme was “Breaking the Bias”. Nigerian women from all backgrounds and social strata mobilised in their ...
By FEMI ADESINA A story broke last week that you would think would be everywhere, topic of discussion on both traditional and new media. But not a murmur, nor a whisper. In fact, mum was the word in many quarters. What was the story? The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international and independent, ...
By Dakuku Peterside Last week this column focused on the legacy of elected political office holders as we wind up a political era and transit to a new one. This week, we will focus on political appointees. After nearly three and seven years respectively of service to the nation, it is time to reflect on ...
By FEMI ADESINA It’s obviously not the easiest of times in our country currently, what with severe fuel scarcity exacerbating the other existential challenges we have been coping with. In some areas, there’s no fuel, no electricity, thus translating to severe energy crisis. Yet some other people have children, wards, dependents, relations in Ukraine, currently ...
By Dakuku Peterside The beauty of democracy lies in the transient nature of political power. The fact that power is contested periodically and those who wield power submit to such a contest in a free and fair election, where other candidates struggle for power with them, is the essence of democracy. This mechanism ensures that elected ...
By Femi Adesina A man with empathy for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. He loves them deeply, and they also love him to bits. That is President Muhammadu Buhari for you. It is often said that the man already has at least 12 million votes waiting for him in different parts of the ...
By Dakuku Peterside The debate about politicians being among the best actors on earth is as old as humanity. What makes acting in politics so attractive is its subtle nature, emotional appeal and the interplay between human perception, real-life challenges, and human vulnerability. At the centre of all political drama is symbolic and connotative communication, ...
By Femi Adesina This year, the long wait for Godot will come to an end. The second bridge over the River Niger will be commissioned, and put to use. And what a dream come true it would be. Last December, a friend had travelled from Lagos to the South East for the Christmas holidays. When ...
By FEMI ADESINA Every Thursday, we hold what we call State House Press Briefing at the Press Gallery of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The intention is to keep the public up to speed with the activities of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Last week, our guest was Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum. In almost ...
By Dakuku Peterside Society is constantly evolving, and nothing is ever constant. This constant change is a feature of human nature and endeavours. The old passes away, the new takes over, and the circle continues. For it is in this eternal change of ‘scene’ that humanity lives forever. In all facets of our existence, humans ...
By FEMI ADESINA The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is an interventionist agency created for the development of the oil producing region of the country. Well, it is meant to be an interventionist agency, but one thing is crystal clear. Despite hundreds of billions of naira invested over 20 years, the true intervention has been ...
By Dakuku Peterside Symbols, like gestures, are central features of organised human society. They are crucial for constructing or interpreting meanings and ideations. Few universal symbols permeate all cultures and communities, but most symbols found their usage and resonance within specific societies. Humans across generations have used these symbols to communicate meaning and essence ,shape ...
By FEMI ADESINA Soccer-loving Nigerians were heartbroken last Sunday when the Super Eagles of Nigeria could not fly higher than the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the second round match of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament holding in Cameroon. Nigerians were full of expectations. The Super Eagles players were confident. President Muhammadu ...
By FEMI ADESINA On August 27, 1985, he was taken out of Dodan Barracks, the then seat of government, in Ikoyi, Lagos, by those who had overthrown him in what was popularly called a palace coup. President Muhammadu Buhari was not to return to a place that was his abode for 20 months, and from ...
