politics

image of Guinea-Bissau's ousted president and military leader on a backdrop of the country's map

A Troubling Message from Guinea-Bissau

“He started well, under the rallying cry of ‘Embaloism,’ which was supposed to rid the country of corruption, poor governance and instil discipline. He also attempted to rebuild confidence with regional allies and powerhouses, including Nigeria, and subsequently reached out to Portugal and the IMF to repair the country’s badly damaged economy…However, it didn’t take long before Embaloism gave way to ‘Embalomylitis,’ a condition that has left citizens poorer and poorer, eventually ranking 177th out of 191 on the UN Human Development Index”

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the insecurity plaguing nigeria

Habits That Disgrace Us Are Not Trump-made

“If this was Matawalle’s idea of soft power, or the new meaning of non-kinetic engagement, then he should return to his farm in Bakura. His performance was deserving of nothing less than a caning on the rostrum where he was receiving that salute…The second embarrassment was the departure of the NSA Malam Nuhu Ribadu-led reconciliation team to the US, leaving Nigeria like thieves in the night”

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An illustration of the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, against the background of the Guild of Editors logo

Editors and the Missing Part of Uzodimma’s Trust Story

If trust is broken, electoral integrity is undermined, and confidence in politicians and public institutions is eroded, it’s mainly because journalists, in this case, Nigerian journalists, have hypocritically blamed everyone else but themselves. This was music in the ear of politicians, who mostly erupted in applause and laughter, but a body blow to journalists who grinned or raised uncomfortable eyebrows across the hall

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A pig with naira sign in his eyes and a fist full of naira notes

What Will They Eat When They Finish the Money?

We are also not told of the extent of scrutiny by the Senate committee – only that the committee was so impressed it may well have approved the N140 billion for three months blindfolded. But the details provided in the LEADERSHIP report of Friday, October 3, capture the elephant in the room. It gives details of the three-month budget, with an imprint all over of the type of concession typically made when parties are in an overwhelmingly delicate position behind closed doors

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cartoonised image of armed bandits

An Unusual View of Banditry

To speak Lawalese, the Zamfara State governor or any governor in Nigeria’s North West, who is interested in tackling insecurity, might need more than executive authority to succeed. They would need, in addition to state police (which I support fully), to understand the social psychology of the enemy they’re dealing with. Otherwise, we might be worse off in two times twenty months or whatever time Lawal might need

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image of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan dressed in his normal cap, and another in a Hausa cap, side by side

Why Jonathan Won’t Contest, Whatever the Courts Say

Not that he cannot throw his hat in the ring, damning any legal consequences. Or because 10 years after he left office, life seems better retrospectively than it was. Whatever anyone might say, when Jonathan looks in the mirror, his incompetent five-year record looks back and responds with the question, Can this be true? The former president cannot believe his good luck

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