When Nigeria is mentioned, one of the first things that comes to mind is the notorious oil sector. Once the Nigerian oil sector is mentioned, the oil-producing- and until recently, restive Niger-Delta region comes to mind. Once the Niger-Delta region is mentioned, the Nigerian federal government’s Amnesty Programme initiated in 2009 to quench the fire … Continue reading »
Filed under Nigerian Affairs …
Morton Jerven’s “Poor Numbers” and Improving Statistical Capacity in African Countries
I don’t know about you but in the recent past, I had thought the debates in international development in this century had become rather stale. We had moved from Africa the “Hopeless Continent“, “Africa’s Growth Tragedy“, the continent of the “Bottom Billion” and the Trade vs. “Dead Aid” debate, to “Africa is Rising”, Africa “the … Continue reading »
Fuelling Poverty: a Film on the (Mis)Management of Nigeria’s Oil Wealth
I met Ishaya Bako during my last trip to Nigeria, on 13th January 2013 to be precise, at a lunch appointment with a friend in Wuse, Abuja. When I got to the Salamander Café by late afternoon, my friend was already there with Ishaya and three other people eating and chatting. I joined them, ordered … Continue reading »
Boko Haram Rejects Amnesty Offer: Now What?
“Mr Shekau said his group had done no wrong and so an amnesty would not be applicable to them. It was the Nigerian government that was committing atrocities against Muslims, he said. “Surprisingly, the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should … Continue reading »
Literary Icon Chinua Achebe Dies
The literary icon Chinua Achebe passed away, after a brief illness, in Boston USA. His seminal book “Things Fall Apart” published in 1958 propelled him to international fame and acclaim and is described as a “classic of world literature”. It has been translated into over 50 languages and it is a book I had read … Continue reading »
APC: The Game Changer?
“This is a new dawn for our generation. This is unusual. It is gratifying that they are here to see and share with us,” the middle aged man remarked with tears of joy when he saw the nine state governors trekking through the volatile Monday Market in Boko Haram hotspot, Maiduguri, shaking hands with fish … Continue reading »
“My Oga at the Top” ~ a Comic Relief
It all started with this video below, and the rest as they say, is now history. Within a few days, the video had gone completely viral in Nigeria and had become a meme of sorts — the butt of jokes. The hashtag #MyOgaAtTheTop is still trending in the Nigerian Twitter-sphere, over 48 hours after the … Continue reading »
Keep Talking, They Can Hear Us!
During the course of an interactive session with members of the Nigerian National Assembly (NASS) ad-hoc Constitution Review committee, at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, the NASS delegation alluded severally to the power of Facebook and Twitter in engagement on national issues. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, RT Hon. Emeka Ihedioha … Continue reading »
A Tribute to Nigeria’s Victory at AFCON 2013
While the euphoria of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2013 victory has subsided, this victory for Nigerians, no doubt, came just at the right time, when it was badly needed. Some pundits have even read deeper meanings into this victory as: a symbolic “turning point” for Nigeria’s fortunes in other spheres, as a rallying … Continue reading »
“The Need for Ownership of African Problems and Solutions” for (Y! Policy Hub)
“Africa’s story has been written by others; we need to own our problems and solutions and write our story.” Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda With these words, Paul Kagame did two things simultaneously: he earned a spot in the top-10 memorable quotes from the recently concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit 2013 at Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. More importantly, his remark … Continue reading »
