OBI-DIENTS' ARE 'BUNCH OF HUNGRY, JOBLESS GUYS', SAYS OKOWA'S YOUNGER BROTHER

By Alexandria Dominic-Chukwu

Andrew Okowa, Younger brother to the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has described supporters of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), as ‘bunch of hungry and jobless guys’.

OBIDIENTS, SOYINKA, CHIMAMANDA AND THE CLIMATE OF FEAR

By Reuben Abati

THE “Obidients” – supporters of the mission and vision of Mr. Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential election had it coming. And now they are getting their “comeuppance” served in flagellating doses, from Professor Wole Soyinka, grandmaster in the art of dissent, debate and reasoning who has all it takes to sustain an intellectual fight in the public arena. In two high-profile television interviews in recent weeks – Channels TV and Arise News, and two published commentaries: “Media Responsibility” and “Fascism on Course”, Professor Wole Soyinka has reacted robustly to what he describes as a predilection for fascism on the part of the “Obidients.” Fascism also means dictatorship, tyranny, autocracy, intolerance, the unwillingness to entertain the other view, and the tendency to assume that one’s opinion is supreme and superior and that other human beings do not matter. Remember Hitler. Think Italy’s Benito Mussolini. Fascists simply want to have their way no matter what others think or suggest.

OCHI' IDOMA V AND THE TRADO-RELIGIOUS TRAPPINGS OF THE IDOMA PEOPLE

By Onjefu Okidu

Since the institutionalization of the Idoma kingship stool, no making of the paramount ruler of Idomaland has been as troublesomely controversial as the making of Ochi’Idoma V. So, so many angry comments have been made before, during and after the selection or “election.”

ODUMEGWU OJUKWU VARSITY HONOURS NIPR PRESIDENT, IKE NELIAKU

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CelestineOkaf11

President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and Chairman of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, was on Wednesday, honoured by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State as the institution's Climate Action Ambassador.

OF CORRUPTION MAGNATES AND STATE-JACKERS

• * Tinubu, Wike, Yahaya Bello And El-Rufai As Case Studies

By Steve Osuji

FROM CORPORATE MAGNATES TO CORRUPTION MAGNATES: We used to have corporate magnates and industry moguls. Men and women who were leaders and pace setters in various sectors of the economy. People who by sheer industry, zeal and brainpower led their corporations to acclaim and resounding success. We also had political leaders and godfathers. Men of stature who were shining examples of what good leadership ought to be.

OF GERNOT ROHR'S SAFETY AND NFF SHENANIGAN

By Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello

"Just before the Coach Scout - Gernot Rohr's exit from Nigerian Football......."

OF NIGERIA, FALSE FRIENDS AND TRUE DANGERS: A CALL FOR VIGILANCE

By Hassan Gimba

I have a confession. Vice President Kashim Shettima has never been my man. I have never quite taken to him. Not that I hate the man some want to see as the Cicero of our time. But it is also not that I exactly dig the man others prefer to see as overly ambitious. Despite his good performances, especially in delivering speeches and jibes, I have always viewed him with caution. Jibes. Hmmmmn! Perhaps I never saw his jibes, especially those aimed at prominent leaders, as funny—except for the ones about Ahmad Lawan as a tomato seller or Osinbajo as an agwaluma or ice-cream man. I just tended to be icy when it came to him.

OF OBASA, SEYI, YAM AND POUNDED YAM

By Steve Osuji

POWER MONGER: Muda is much in a haste. He wouldn’t wait for the pounded yam to be ready. He hurriedly began to munch his yam hot, hot, with palm oil and a sprinkling of pepper and salt.

Of Peter Mbah's Speech: PLACING ENUGU IN PERSPECTIVE

By Jude Ogechi Eze

March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election in Enugu State will go down in history as the fiercest political contest since the creation of the State some three decades ago. Not even the famous 1979 governorship tussle between the defunct Nigeria People's Party (NPP)'s Chief Jim Nwobodo and defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN)'s Chief Christian Onoh of old Anambra State could rival it. It came with a lot of intrigues, suspense, drama, misconstruction, propaganda and harsh realities, thanks to Peter Obi's unique innovative entrance into the national politics that birthed the OBI-dient movement and altered the usual colouration of electoral certainties across the strata. Not even former governor Chimaroke Nnamani could comprehend it, as he has been running rampage on Twitter (his newly found abode) trying to wrap his head around it.

Of Spirits And Rituals: ABATI'S GROWING REGRESSIVE MINDSET

By Steve Osuji

It’s corruption, stupid. Dr Reuben Abati is a public intellectual. Love him or not, his mind is first rate and he has operated in Nigeria’s publicshere over the past three decades as editorial writer, columnist and currently, television pundit/ celebrity of the intellectual kind. He has all this while, been immersed in public affairs both as an outsider and a participant observer in government.

OF TRUMP, PEACE DEALS AND THE DAY AFTER

By Azu Ishiekwene

US President Donald Trump may be getting ahead of himself with the encouraging signs that, following the ceasefire in Gaza, the world might have another opportunity to end the Middle East crisis, one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.

OF YAHAYA BELLO, EFCC AND MOB MENTALITY

By Dotun Oladipo

About two weeks ago, I joined Babajide Kolade-Otitoju on a Television Continental programme: “Journalists Hangout.” The programme provides perspectives to trending and topical issues in Nigeria and beyond, especially as they affect Nigerians. One of the topics of the day was the seeming face-off between a former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

OGBULAFOR, A GOOD POLITICAL LEADER.......David Mark

• * Says He Left A Legacy Of Excellence

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CelestineOkaf11

Former President of the Senate , Senator David Mark, has described the demise of the former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, as a huge loss to the party and to the nation at large .

OGBULAFOR, EX-PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, DIES IN CANADA

• * His Many Travails And Battle To Save His Health

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CelestineOkaf11

After nearly ten years of battling with what he had earlier revealed in 2016 was a cancer related ailment, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, a former National Secretary and later, National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), passed on in far away Canada, at the age of 73 years.

Ogun State: MATTERS ARISING FROM GOVERNOR, LG CHAIRMAN'S FACE-OFF

By Bolanle Bolawole

In many States of the Federation, the story is the same: State governors treat Local Governments as appendages and not the independent third tier of government that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) proposes them to be.

Ogun State: WHEN TWO ELEPHANTS FIGHT...

By Bolanle Bolawole

In my primary and secondary school days, it was common to see someone run to the staffroom to gleefully announce to the hearing of teachers: “Two fighting, Sir/Ma!” And teachers would send the reporter back to the errant students to report with automatic alacrity.

Ogurugu Uzo-Uwani Sea Port: A CASE FOR THE RESUSCITATION OF THE FAMOUS EASTERN RIVER PORT

By Chika Omeje

The first educated person to give us a glimpse of the economic outlook of Nsukka in modern history is the great Scottish explorer; Dr William Balfour Baike, in the 19th century. After sailing successfully up the River Niger and Benue in the Niger expedition of 1854; Baike celebrated his success in the following remarks:

OHANEZE BACKS N/ASSEMBLY CALL FOR REMOVAL OF SERVICE CHIEFS * But Buhari Insists: Power To Sack or Hire Resides With Me

By Uzoma Agbai (Society & Governance Reporter)

The apex Igbo cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, says it supports the call by the National Assembly for the immediate removal of the current service chiefs, whose continued retention it views as unhealthy and no longer useful to the nation's security interest.

Ohaneze Election: WHAT THE IGBOS NEED MOST IN NIGERIA.....Presidential Aspirant

By Musa Inuwa (Niger State Correspondent)

A presidential aspirant for the Ohaneze Ndigbo election and a security expert, Dr. Valentine Iheukwumere Oparaocha, has observed that what the Igbo man needs most is the security of their lives and businesses. He promised to pursue this objective if voted into power as the next president of the Igbo socio-cultural organization.

OHANEZE MOURNS IZOGU

By Uzoma Agbai (Governance & Society Reporter)

The Pan-Igbo Socio-cultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has lamented the demise of an illustrious Igbo son, Engineer (Dr) Ezekiel Izuogu, who passed-on on Monday, 19 July 2020.