Death and Politics

Also published in Daily Trust

Though politics generally involves intrigue, it is particularly intrigue-ridden in Nigeria due to the virtual absence of the rule of law, which makes power struggle often desperate. Aspirants and candidates jostling for power go to any length to get it, and those who manage to get it become even more desperate in order to retain it for as long as possible and at any cost. And even when they have to relinquish it, they still want to be succeeded by their chosen candidates to ensure the continuation of business as usual.

The Worth of a Nigerian Passport

Also published in Daily Trust

“These are to request and require in the name of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria all those who it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford him or her every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need.” Adorned with such a beautifully worded presidential note, Nigerian passport is presumably a very valuable booklet that is supposed to facilitate its holder’s movement around the world in dignity and respect.

The Okada Ban

Also published in Daily Trust 

The dramatic escalation of assassinations, armed robberies and other serious crimes by some unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen is gradually overshadowing the conventional traffic safety concern associated with the use of motorcycle for commercial transportation purpose commonly known as akada or achaba.

Constitution Review, another Distraction

Also published in Daily Trust 

Wondering what real value could the on-going constitution review add to the life of the average Nigerians in terms of alleviating their suffering, I find the whole process as yet another grand distraction designed to further distract Nigerians from the actual panacea to the country’s numerous predicaments, and in the meantime provide more manoeuvring space for the largely indifferent ruling elite.

Treachery and Conspiracy over Palestine

Also published in Daily Trust

My intention was to write on Ashura occasion, which falls today, in order to address the atheistic rituals, cult rites, heretic and savage practices conducted by some people on this day under the pretext of mourning the martyrdom of Hussein bin Ali; a grandson of the apostle of Allah, who (i.e. Hussein) was murdered over thirteen hundred years ago. However, the recent Israeli aggression on Palestinians made me change my mind to write on the aggression instead.

Buhari: The Dilemma and Politics of Dialogue

Also published in Daily Trust

General Mohammad Buhari (rtd)

When I learnt that Boko Haram had nominated Buhari among others to take part in their proposed dialogue with the federal government, I suspected that the whole story was a fabrication by some of Buhari’s political opponents to politically blackmail him as they have always done, hence I hardly gave it any attention. However, as the story continued to make headlines in various credible newspapers, it began to appear credible enough to deserve another look especially in view of the absence of denial from Boko Haram.

Agents of Death

Also published in Daily Trust

Though the entire northern part of Nigeria is engulfed in its worst social crisis ever, north-east in particular is increasingly proving particularly precarious, as it has been literally turned into an earthly hell of a sort. In addition to Boko Haram, there are many other criminals who are busy unleashing misery, distress and death indiscriminately among the defenceless and innocent citizens. And, also, there are some (perhaps few yet very active) members of the Joint Task Force (JTF). However, of all these agents of death, the elements among the JTF are particularly dangerous.

Nigeria and Foreign Intervention in Mali

Also published in Daily Trust

Ever since the takeover of northern Mali by some Muslim rebels, the country’s political turmoil has been getting worse, and the growing insecurity threatens to spill over to some other countries within the region and beyond, while some major western countries have been pushing for an international military intervention in order to sack the rebels, who are generally regarded as terrorists.

Final Notes by Mr Ragon Sallah

Also published in Daily Trust

I would like to congratulate you for having me as your ragon sallah on this occasion, because you had apparently hustled desperately before you finally managed to get me, which was quite obvious from the way you breathed a sigh of relief when you got hold of my horn, and indeed the way you (while dragging me) exuded the satisfaction of a victorious warrior dragging his handcuffed captive.

Re: Hajj and the Saudis (II)

Also published in Daily Trust

Inasmuch as I recognize Malam Adamu Adamu’s right to castigate the Saudis, which he is obviously obsessed with, I can’t make sense of how he often tries, in disguise, to refute some fundamental aspects of Islamic creed and practices under the pretext of criticizing their policies. Incidentally, from my personal experience with them, I believe that even if they are actually aware of his campaign they will not give a damn because they are probably too busy handling some more influential critics around the world.

The Married Woman’s Surname

Also published in Daily Trust

While searching for any pretext to justify their decision to deport hundreds of Nigerian female intending pilgrims back to Nigeria, the Saudis were reported to have cited some instances of inconsistency between the surnames of some married women amongst the affected intending pilgrims and the names of their husbands. By the way, I exposed the Saudis’ real reason for that action and indeed the reasons why they didn’t want to cite them officially, in my last week’s article entitled “Forbidden Truth in the Hajj Scandal” {Daily Trust, Friday, 05 October 2012}.

Forbidden Truth in the Hajj Scandal

Also published in Daily Trust

Much has been said about the detention and deportation of hundreds of Nigerian female intending pilgrims back to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia after they had arrived in the country to perform Hajj, which provoked the anger of many Nigerians and set Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on a diplomatic collision. However, what is particularly interesting is that, though both parties are aware about the actual reasons behind such measures, neither party is willing to address it out in the open, which makes it a forbidden truth of a sort.

Blasphemy and Protest

Also published in Daily Trust

                                  Blueprint

Ever since the advent of the apostle of Allah; Mohammad, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him more than fourteen hundred years ago, blasphemous campaigns have been launched against his perfect personality, undisputed infallibility, God-given purity and unparalleled sanctity. Nevertheless, they have often ended up strengthening Muslims’ passionate love and unwavering loyalty to him, as they have always led to the dramatic growth of the number of new Muslim converts anyway.

The Myth of America’s Freedom of Speech

Also published in Daily Trust

Having somehow managed to accumulate enough weight to influence international socio-political, economic and cultural trends, the United States and its western allies have literally imposed their so-called “western standards” as the yardsticks of measuring not only the quality of technological products but also the civility and sophistication of people’s cultures and religious beliefs.

Delu’s Dilemma

Also published in Daily Trust

Delu is a decent young lady raised by a devout Muslim family in a largely conservative society, where she goes through a very rigorous process of moral upbringing cherished by her family, school and the community at large. Furthermore, her religious decency gets boost following the religious renaissance, which brings about more reforms and culminates in the adoption of Islamic Shari’a by her state and many other states in the region.

Nigeria Wins World Cup in Dubai Prison {Video included}

The Dubai prison authorities have organized world football championship between prisoners of twelve countries serving various jail terms. Nigeria, which was equally presented by Nigerian prisoners, won the trophy after beating their arch-rivals; Cameroun 1-0 in the final match, which was attended by Diego Maradona, who presented the trophy to Nigeria.  

  

The match was preceded by a show on how police handles drug trafficking suspects.  

Riding in the Dark

Also published in Daily Trust

Even in more established democracies, where judicial systems are strong and efficient, nothing actually prevents and discourages corruption better than transparency in governance. This is because while judicial institutions only struggle to salvage what it is salvageable after the corruption has been committed and the damage has been done already, transparency prevents it before it actually happens.

Spiritual Guardianship

Also published in Daily Trust

Spiritual guardianship is a situation whereby a religious personality is excessively revered by his followers to the extent of regarding him as a middleman of a sort between them and God the Almighty. They literally look up to him as the yardstick of measuring the right and wrong irrespective of what their religious scriptures maintain. And they channel their prayers to God through him on the assumption that he is pious enough to intercede with God and get their prayers accepted.

Dear Sheikh Shekau

Also published in Daily Trust

            Abubakar Shekau

 

I suppose that you are in the right spiritual mindset and perhaps in the right mood to go through this letter having recently observed Ramadan fasting. I also hope you would bear with me for writing you in English instead of Arabic or Hausa, because the medium through which I can reach out to you is obviously English –speaking.

Welcoming Eid el-Fitr

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

The rate at which time flies nowadays is phenomenal, and it challenges us to set and pursue our order of priorities diligently and appropriately. The euphoria of welcoming the month of Ramadan has hardly died down when we begin to bid it farewell and welcome Eid el-Fitr (Sallah), which we look forward to celebrating tomorrow or the day after tomorrow as the case may be.

On the Adoption of Official Prayer

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

The recent adoption of the second stanza of the National Anthem as the official prayer at all public functions by the Federal Government reflects Nigeria’s much-talked-about religiosity – a religiosity which ironically does not reflect in the country’s leadership, and indeed hardly influences our individual and collective endeavors. I addressed this paradox last year in this column under the title “Nigerians’ Ironic Religiosity” (Daily Trust, Friday, 2 September 2011).

Trend Obsession

Also published in DAILY TRUST

Though it is quite natural for human beings to love and pursue new and trendy things all the time, it needs not to be excessive. Ironically, despite the grinding poverty that relentlessly unleashes misery all over the land, an average Nigerian is trend-obsessed.

Fasting Child

Also published in DAILY TRUST

In the spirit of Ramadan I suppose that the esteemed readers of this column may welcome a break from discussing heavy issues in favour of some light, though equally important, ones. In any case, in Ramadan we are supposed to focus more on spiritualities and other activities related to the month, and of course some light issues won’t distract anyway.

Ramadan Tafseer in Nigeria

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

This piece was originally written in Arabic by Dr Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemo, a learned Islamic scholar in Kano. And having found it very educative and relevant, as Ramadan is around the corner, I sought and got his permission (thanks to a third party) to translate it into English and share it with the esteemed readers of this column.

On Family Planning Controversy

The issue of birth control has always been controversial due to the religious and socio-cultural dynamics that influence people’s responses to it. Also many people suspect that it is part of a grand international conspiracy perpetrated by the world powers to reduce the populations of many other counties in order to perpetuate their domination over them.

Tears from the Diaspora

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

As Northern Nigeria increasingly turns into a sprawling battlefield at an alarming rate, the agony of its inhabitants in particular and indeed fellow Nigerians in general can’t obviously be overestimated, as no explanation, be it written, verbal or even pictorial for that matter can accurately describe it.

The Dynamics in Kleptomania

Also published in DAILY TRUST

The rampancy of the systematic looting of public resources by the increasingly remorseless Nigerian rulers in collaboration with their political and business associates, who together constitute the country’s thieving elite, underscores their suffering from theft addiction.  However, their peculiar case is perhaps beyond any conventional explanation and treatment particularly when viewed against the background of their purported claim to religiosity, being presumably (though largely self-acclaimed) practicing Muslims and Christians.

Controversy over Proposed FG, Boko Haram Dialogue

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

Apparently motivated by the massive amounts of money plundered by some officials through the defunct Niger Delta amnesty and rehabilitation program, it seems that some faceless and devious elements are trying to capitalize on the urgent need to create an avenue for dialogue between government and Boko Haram in order to achieve their personal interests at the expense of peace.

Slide into Demostocracy

Also published in Daily Trust print edition of Friday, 8 June 2012

 

My above coined term is designed to refer to the current constitutional amendment bill that literally seeks to blend democracy and some elements of aristocracy together in Nigeria; hence I give it the name “demostocracy” to reflect both concepts in a single word.

North: The Beginning of the Mess

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

About two hundred years ago, Sheikh Abdullahi bin Fodio; the renowned genius brother of the legendary 19th century reformer Sheikh Othman bin Fodio wrote a poem lamenting how the then elite of what now largely falls within northern Nigeria began to abandon the ideals of the Sheikh Othman-led revolution, which had entrenched social justice and indeed established a civilized and efficiently functional empire in the region and beyond.

On the “Qur’an birth” Controversy

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

A story recently published in some newspapers in Nigeria, and went viral on the Internet, that a baby was born clutching a copy of the noble Qur’an in his right hand, stirred up a controversy over its authenticity, scientific and religious explanations. Some doctors interviewed about the story rejected it outright on scientific grounds, while many non-Muslims rejected it or at least expressed doubt about it, apparently due to its allusion to the divine validity of the Islamic religion, which by implication necessarily means the invalidity of their religion(s).

As another Democracy Day Approaches

Also published in Daily Trust

I recently fallowed the live coverage of the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected French President; I was amazed by the apparent effortlessness with which the whole ceremony was conducted. Both the officials and the ordinary people at the scene looked at ease as though it was a mere birthday party for a family member. And even though it began to rain in the course of the event, as a result of which even the new President got wet, still the orderly atmosphere at the scene was intact.

Geopolitical Dynamics in the 2015 Elections

Also Published in DAILY TRUST

 

Even before the ordinary Nigerians begin to count the cost of their mistake of “electing” the majority of their current “leaders” including the President in 2011, for it might be too early, it is obvious that, political struggle for 2015 elections has already begun. And this by implication means that, the voluminous files of unfulfilled promises made by those “elected leaders” during the 2011 elections campaign have now been dumped in archives, as “more important issues” i.e. 2015 elections are now up.

The Price of Prejudice

Also Published in DAILY TRUST

 

My last week’s article in this column entitled “North’s Readiness for a Division” (Daily Trust, Friday, April 27, 2012) has elicited many interesting comments and equally provoked many emotional reactions some of which even accused me of treason against the north, collecting “brown envelops” or simply being “among those sponsored columnists” as someone put it.

North’s Readiness for a Division

Also published in DAILY TRUST

The sustained call for convening sovereign national conference SNC, by a growing number of particularly southern Nigerian elites seems to have created a crack on the hitherto uncompromising opposition from their northern Nigerian counterparts. This is quite evident in the statement/warning issued by The Arewa Elders Forum which clearly maintains that “The North shall no longer shy away from any dialogue or conference to negotiate the future of a united Nigeria, or even a divided Nigeria if that is the wish of its various component parts.”

Nigerian Diplomats and Compatriots in the Diaspora

Also published in DAILY TRUST

 

The adoption of what the federal government called “Citizen Diplomacy” in 2007 to guide Nigeria’s foreign policy was a reaction to the prevalent incidents of alleged abuse and persecution of Nigerians in different parts of the world. It was designed to primarily give priority to the interests of Nigerians abroad, as opposed to what was previously obtained; when the country’s foreign policy was literally like a candle burning itself to benefit others.

Resilience in Misery and Despair

...also published in DAILY TRUST,  6, April 2012

Inasmuch as I believe in the potential of the method of popular election to bring about good governance that guarantees political stability and economic prosperity hence social harmony, I am skeptical about the suitability of its outright and unconditional adoption by all societies regardless of their peculiar challenges. After all, last year I argued in this column about this point under the title: “Not Yet Ripe for Democracy” (Daily Trust, Friday 26 August 2011).

Fighting Corruption the Pot and Kettle Way

Also published in DAILY TRUST

It is quite ironic that, instead of curbing corruption, the bizarre exposures of extremely scandalous corruption cases perpetrated by Nigerian thieving elites have only made them more determined to plunder the country further, by devising more ways to perpetuate their crimes with impunity.