In Nigeria today, things have gotten so hard that everybody is experiencing one exasperating setback or another. Everyone, I repeat, everyone is affected, from the mighty to the tiny. The discomfort did not start just yesterday, it has been brewing over time. But analysts have concurred on the fact that the situation became exacerbated, according to the introduction of reforms by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who from day one, began with the abolishment of fuel subsidies. From that day, prices of everything began to fly through the roof. And now the sky, Nigerian air space, is fully…
Author: TheStories
We can say goodbye to anticipation, as the long wait is finally over. What would happen has happened. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate his administration’s capacity for efficiency, in the pursuit of his commitment to deliver on the promises he made to Nigerians. To this effect, the President has carried out a restructuring of some ministries and subsequent shake-up in some ministerial portfolios. By Bala Ibrahim The eight actions approved by the President are: 1. The renaming of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development.…
“The obsession with neoliberal capitalism and privatization is what is going to kill our country. They parcelled out the power system and sold it to themselves. We don’t have an integrated national power system anymore. We’ve been doing the same thing since the mid-1980s, and it’s getting worse and worse, but our rulers obey the Americans, World Bank and IMF, like slaves! No country has developed following their model, unfortunately”. Above is the reaction of a friend, to my article, titled, Grid collapse: Garbage in Garbage out. In summary, my friend is saying, that as far as the National Integrated…
Nigeria is again in the news for unfortunate reasons, this time related to drugs in high places. The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has alleged that the house of Senator Oyelola Ashiru, a senior member of the Nigerian Senate, serves as a warehouse for illicit drugs. Before this, the same Senator had accused the NDLEA of being the most corrupt and compromised government agency in Nigeria, calling for the establishment of a new organization to curb drug addiction and trafficking. Some time ago, while contributing to a debate on a bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness…
This morning, I watched with delight on Channels TV, an interview with Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Sardaunan Kano, my former teacher and an awesomely eloquent speaker. By training, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau is a mathematician. A man who was trained to have ways with figures. But nature added to him a special endowment- the gift of fluidity in speech. And he speaks with such eloquence and fluidity, multilingually. There’s a joke out there in Kano, where Mallam was a teacher, a technocrat, a Governor, a Senator, a Minister and now a powerful political leader, that, if you are not ready to change…
It is no longer news that the national grid has collapsed again. For the third time in less than one week, Nigerians have been pushed, pitched, or plunged into darkness. Whatever verb one chooses to use would not be an overstatement in attempting to describe the disgust and heightened horror visited on the nation incessantly. Like a curse, or what my people in the village would call the invocation of a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on the nation, the electricity supply in Nigeria today follows a pattern of one step forward, 10 or 12 steps backwards. According…
In the intricate tapestry of Nigeria’s leadership, few figures stand out as vividly as Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. A man of multiple hats, Badaru has navigated the complex world of governance, and business, and become a civilian with military strategy with the dexterity of a seasoned tactician. As Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Badaru’s unique journey—spanning from the founder of Talamiz Group to a two-term governor of Jigawa State —demonstrates a blend of civilian insight and military precision. By Abdallah el-Kurebe Building the Talamiz Empire: The Making of a Visionary Badaru’s business acumen blossomed when he established the Talamiz Group, a conglomerate…
The reader may have a different frame of mind regarding the meaning of “project,” but for this article, “project” stands for an enterprise purposely planned to achieve a particular objective. This article intends to focus on civil engineering projects, which the dictionary refers to as the erection or construction, extension, alteration, or repair of any work, which technically belongs to the field of civil engineering, including roadworks and the construction of bridges. Although politics may mean activities associated with the governance of a country or area, in everyday life, particularly in Nigeria when people say “politics,” what often comes to…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted multiple consignments of opioids concealed in shoe soles and hair attachments destined for the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus. The seizures were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, and at three courier companies in the state. On October 12, 2024, NDLEA operatives confiscated 2,118 tramadol pills hidden within 13 pairs of shoes intended for Cyprus. A follow-up operation in Enugu on October 24 led to the arrest of the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna, from whose home an additional 380 tramadol tablets, N968,880 in cash, and…
Late Modupe Temitope Oriyomi Ige Dada will forever be remembered as a beacon of selflessness, compassion, and dedication. She lived a life of purpose, both professionally and personally. As a highly accomplished investment banking professional with over two decades of experience, Modupe touched countless lives through her work and her enduring spirit of service. She was a woman of remarkable grace, strength, and immeasurable faith. Modupe was not only a dedicated professional but also a loving and caring wife, a nurturing mother, and a source of compassion for many. Her life was defined by her deep commitment to relationships—whether as…