One by one, three Nigerian former military rulers, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, arrived at Babangida’s Hilltop Mansion in Minna, Niger State, last Sunday. So did former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Aliyu Gusau. The Minna meeting had every trapping of African witches assembling at the coven. Like owls, a pervasive symbol of African witchcraft, did they fly to and perch on their Minna assembly nest at nocturne? Yoruba attribute the kind of powers this trio had/have to witches. They eat the head from the arm and masticate the heart from the liver. In any case, age…
Author: Editor-in-chief
By 7.30pm tonight, it will be exactly the 37th posthumous anniversary of the killing of Jamaican reggae music lord, Winston Hubert MclnTosh, popularly known as Peter Tosh. Born October 11, 1944, if he were alive, Peter would be 80 years old next month. Thirty seven years ago, reggae music and indeed the world, lost Tosh, the iconic maestro, poet, philosopher and a staunch defender of African rights. Three gunmen, led by Dennis “Leppo” Lobban, one of Tosh’s ‘boys’ who he sustained as part of the communal Rastafarian injunction of brotherly co-existence, had stormed his house at Barbican Road residence, St…
Sigidi nsere ete, o ni ki won gbe Oun rodo loo we. When the effigy wants to perish, it will insist on being taken to the river for a bath. An effigy is made of mud. It is an object that, though, has hands and legs, but it is motionless. If the effigy now insists on having a swim in the river, isn’t that a perilous thought? Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition is no longer a rumor. Naturally, as a citizen of Nigeria who also possesses prerequisite qualifications, I agree that he has committed no crimes through his aspiration to…
I listened to a live Radio program on a leading local Radio station based in Ibadan this morning and I was glad I did. Some of us who have been dedicated to the duty of speaking truth to the happenings in Oyo state have been given names and asked questions about what special interest we have that is beyond that of the ordinary citizen of the state. We have been asked severally, if we have personal grudges against the Governor of the state or if we were just playing politics. I can understand most friends, who, out of genuine love…
No doubt, photographs evoke metaphors, imageries and diverse interpretations. Imagery was evoked in my mind as I read President Bola Tinubu’s remarks during his recent adventure to China. He spoke while addressing Nigerians living in that country. “Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices. But, can we help it?” the president said cavalierly like a cruel surgeon about to dissect a patient to whom he had neither empathy nor any iota of feeling. We had thought…
When a married man is unable to perform his duties on ” za oza room”, he’s deemed to be an Okobo, the impotent,in Yoruba Land. There is an interesting analogy about the Okobo. It goes like this, the Okobo, instead of doing the needful with his newly wedded bride, will choose to thread needles. ” Ohun a ni ki okobo bo, ko le boo, igba abere lo nbo lookun”. I saw a piece which centred on Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent News Letter. The title of the piece in itself aroused curiosities but I must admit that I didn’t have the…
Words, surely have tastes. No wonder when someone made a statement which is considered sour or unfitting of them, people wonder if they chewed the words before spewing them. The call for full Legislative Autonomy by the Nigerian Speakers Forum, as amplified by its Chairman and Speaker of the Oyo state House of Assembly is ridiculous to say the least. I have my issues with the Forum in general because of their willing submission to manipulations by the state Governors. They have been docile and powerless all this while, toeing whichever path their Governors chose, even if such a path…
Last week, August 27, 2024, was the 39th anniversary of the coup that toppled Gen Muhammadu Buhari, erstwhile GOC 3rd Armored Division of the Nigerian Army. On that day, Fatima Gumsu, daughter of military despot, Gen Sani Abacha, who is also wife of Yobe State governor, Mai Mala-Buni, sparked a debate. It led to a comparative assessment of military autocracy and civilian dictatorship. Gumsu had posted a photograph of her father in full military regalia on Facebook. On the photo, Gumsu merely wrote, “Baba na” – my father – with an emoji of “Love”. In the photo, Abacha was flanked…
Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South) has expressed profound gratitude to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakunlehin on his elevation to Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland alongside five others. This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas, and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan. Senator Alli, who was among six prominent individuals elevated by the revered monarch, acknowledged the honour as a significant milestone in his life. The lawmaker expressed appreciation to the Olubadan, saying the elevation further deepened his resolve to serve Ibadanland and its people diligently, while ensuring the rich…
In Ancient Rome, the noble ruling class had a strategy for taming the masses whenever they were agitated. The masses who were always common people were referred to as the mob by the ruling class who were referred to as Nobles. Any time there were agitations and discontents within the common men against the Nobles, some days of games were quickly announced, during which time, free food and drinks were given to the common men. The only popular game that served the purpose of distracting the masses of Ancient Rome was a fight to the death between gladiators ( slaves…