Celebrating the Nigerian Army @ 157: Need for Public Support. By Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd)

Surprisingly, it is a mixture of knocks and praises. Some people have a good understanding and full of commendation, while others are ill-informed and ignorant of what military service and life. Therefore, do not appreciate or understand the complexities and sacrifices of the military, let alone appreciate its noble contribution to our peace, security and national development. But the most worrisome aspect is the fact that some unpatriotic politicians, detractors and disgruntled elements who envy the successes and achievements of the leadership of the Nigerian Army, for some inexplicable reasons seems to be behind these campaigns of calumny. They are the ones fanning the embers of hatred, disinformation and false narratives about the Nigerian Army. Details

Npower Disengagement: Cons and Advice. By Manwu Samuel

Though, federal government believes that the program is a two years initiative and beneficiaries will be completing the duration by the time proposed for disengagement even as some have exceeded the stipulated time, I will advise that the federal government should leave them till when the recruitment team will have concluded the incoming batch recruitment process (let say till December, 2020). Details

What Kind Of Democracy Do We Need In A New Nigeria? By Otive Igbuzor, Ph.D.

Despite the progress that has been made since return to civil rule in 1999, there are huge challenges that are threatening democratic consolidation. The 1999 constitution still has a lot of gaps and has not been fully adapted to the federal structure of Nigeria. Experiences from the field of elections and judgements by courts indicate that there is the need for further electoral reform. Women participation in Nigeria is one of the worst in the world and fall far below the African average. There are threats to the civic space with intermittent attempts to enact laws that will restrict civil society organising and freedom of citizens. There are several examples of attempts to gag the press and punish outspoken citizens. Details

Lessons From The Murder Of George Floyd. By Anthony Akinola

The typical attitude of the average Nigerian to the murder of a fellow citizen is rather casual. The type of outrage that followed the murder of George Floyd-not jungle justice-will drum it to all that life matters. No one has the right to take the life of another. Details

Now That Retired Col. Dangiwa Has Woken Up. By Ibrahim M. Attahir, Esq.

I am not in a position to know whether retired Col Dangiwa was in Nigeria when Obj had no single Yoruba Muslim in his cabinet. A similar scenario was repeated during the presidency of GEJ. I can give many similar examples of lopsided appointments by the former Presidents. I cannot recall Col Dangiwa writing or otherwise calling for correction of such anomalies. Was it a design or coincidence? Details

Twenty-One Years Of Return To Civil Rule In Nigeria: Need To Go Back To The Fundamentals. By Otive Igbuzor, PhD

This is why I think that as we reflect over the past twenty-one years, we must go back to the fundamentals. The first thing to look at is leadership at all levels. You cannot expect the best from any society that puts forward its worst to lead. Merit must be returned to all spheres of life. Details

Foundational Restructuring of the Nigerian State. By Anthony Akinola

Nigerians are quite an intelligent and hard working people who can hold their own anywhere in a competitive world. Their nation, more than most in the world, is endowed with the attributes of greatness. The drawback to the greatness and unity of Nigeria, if one must be brutally honest, has been the historical imbalance between the North and the South. This social and economic imbalance was brought about by the dual approach to education in the former British colony. The advancement of education in the South can be credited to the  Christian missionaries who established various schools, while their activities were proscribed in the North for understandable religious and opportunistic reasons. Details

Of Deregulation, Public Value and National Interest. By Abdulwarees Solanke

Similarly, some public goods provision is therefore best left in the hands of the Private Sector Providers if they are not of very strategic significance, if the citizenry must be economically empowered or if the unnecessary bottlenecks must be removed. Details

Almajiri: Moving Forward. By Prof Abdussamad Umar Jibia

But is movement of almajirai from one state to another not against the teaching of this Hadith? Why are the scholars silent? Where is the NSCIA which quoted 1001 reasons from Quran and Sunnah to convince us to comply with social distancing and lockdown? Have we been compromised or are we afraid of some failed politicians? Details

The Sorry State of Nigeria’s Judiciary Among Others Makes Sowore’s Battle Cry for Revolution Inevitable. By Francis Adewale

It is as if the cancer has completely swallowed up the entire fabric of the nation. Cases involving the poor dragged on for years while those who can afford senior advocate can get quick justice. Many warned that this will sound the death knell of democracy in Nigeria. Every attempt to even build on free and fair election has been truncated by the judiciary. Details

China Dept--Trap: African Nations Must Plan Escape. By Monima Daminabo

Hence, even as the Nigerian government has severally given assurances of operating within safe limits in taking Chinese loans, not many Nigerians are convinced. So dependent on China’s money is Nigeria that this column ‘Penpoint’ had once asked if this most populous African country, had become a new satellite province of the Asian giant. Details

Restating  Rotimi On Regionalism And Military Rule. By  Anthony Akinola

On this note, Brigadier-General Rotimi deserves our respect, his views on national politics, even when we may not agree totally with them, also deserve our attention. They would be deemed to have come from the honest mind that he is. Details

Richard Akinjide In National Politics. By Anthony Akinola

When Chief Akinjide became Federal Minister of Education in 1965, quite a substantial number of students from his ethnic group benefited from federal scholarship for university studies. As would be explained later, this is not to say he was tribal or nepotistic . The point one is trying to make here is that it was a departure from previous years when members of that ethnic group were discriminated against in the distribution of federal advantages. Details

Mandatory Mass Vaccination Not Acceptable As Requirement For Post-Coronavirus Normalcy In Nigeria.  By The Livingscience Foundation Ile-Ife, And The Christian Initiative For Nation Building, Osogbo

Compulsory mass vaccination is now being seriously touted as the only way to close the COVID-19 season. As we shall be explaining shortly, we consider this not only unwarranted, but extremely dangerous both to public health and civil liberties; and even beyond. Based on previous precedents and current signals, it is evident that proponents of this idea would want to commence implementation in Nigeria and use their expected in route here to push the unpopular policy through in other nations where more serious resistance is envisaged. Details

Reflections on the dethronement of Muhammad Sunusi II. By  Adamu Tilde

This essay will attempt to discuss the rather short stint— but dramatic — days of the latter, and unburden the perplexed minds on some bewildering questions repeatedly asked: was MS-II misunderstood? Was MS-II a victim of what Chris Ngwodo called "the tyranny of tradition" Details

Crucial Role Of Big Data Analytics In The Nigerian Government. By Malik Kabir Mustapha

With a population of about 200 million people and a country in desperate need of economic and social development. Nigeria needs to integrate big data into running the government. With the popularity of cloud computing and IoT (internet of things), implementation and management will not be as difficult as it would have 10 years ago. Details