I once wrote an article titled, ‘No, Your Excellencies’, to warn the chief executives at federal and state levels to be wary of the ‘yes people’ who populate the villa and the various government houses across the country. By Abdu Labaran I am again writing to advise their excellencies to beware of fair-weather friends, most politicians are anyway, but the known ‘hobby’ of this category of persons is not only to be with you but also seen to be with you for their benefit, not anyone’s or anything’s interest. Recently, I saw a video clip where a politician was swearing…
Author: TheStories
The headline ‘Why Nigerian Passport Is Nearly Not Worth The Paper It Was Printed’ is a polite way of saying ‘Why Nigerian Passport is almost useless in the eyes of the majority of the countries in the world’. The doubting Thomases should watch a previous programme by Mrs. Halima Umar of TRT Africa Hausa, where the ‘experts’ explain why. By Abdu Labaran Mrs. Halima Umar disclosed that a report by Henley and Partners, who conducted a global survey on national passports, ranked the Nigerian passport as the 12th weakest, above only 11 passports in the world, and the sixth least…
As the hands of the clock tick towards the first day of August, the hearts of many Nigerians, particularly the patriotic ones, are beating, or breathing with short, and in some cases quick breaths, for reasons that have bearing with the planned protest, scheduled to start on that day and date. Indeed, our constitution permits protest, but protests with a proviso, viz: it must be conducted peacefully and carried out in the manner of maturity. In reference to this particular protest, I have reservations with regards to the adherence to the word maturity. And my reasons are many. By Bala…
From 1966 to 1999, Nigeria was uninterruptedly governed by a military government, except for the short-lived return to democracy in the Second Republic, which was from 1979 to 1983. That period happened to be the period of radicalization and political indoctrination for some of us, yours truly. For the first time, some of us, yours truly inclusive, were exposed to the free world and freedom of the university, where we went through various processes of teachings, through repeated instructions and engagements with colleagues of varied ideas, attitudes and cognitive strategies or methodologies. We mingled with the good, the bad and…
“There is a serious improvement in security as most of the roads and highways previously closed due to insecurity have been reopened. Herders and farmers clashes have been resolved by the creation of the Livestock Ministry, and many farmers have returned to their farms,” Badaru stated.
Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) pair Ndi Nne, consisting of aunt and niece, Chinne and Nne, has emerged as the winner of the first custodian challenge in the ongoing No Loose Guard season. The duo clinched victory by finding the correct bottle in the challenge, held on Sunday night when all 28 housemates entered the house. By winning the challenge, the Ndi Nne pair is exempted from the first week’s eviction. They also have the power to influence nominations of other housemates for this week. This victory not only secures their safety but also gives them a strategic advantage in the…
Nollywood actress Destiny Etiko has expressed displeasure over the excitement displayed by fans of Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) despite the economic challenges Nigerians are facing. The ninth BBNaija season of the annual reality show started on July 28, featuring 28 housemates who appeared in duos. The ace actress, in a post on her Instagram page on Monday, wondered why people can be happy about a TV show when Nigerians struggle to survive. She lamented that people were hungry, adding that attention should be focused more on the country’s problems. She wrote: “E don red for our country and I still dey see some people dey happy…
Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has expressed his condolences to the family, government, and good people of Imo State over the demise of elder statesman and President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. He described the Chairman of Champion Newspapers as a good friend of long standing, dating back to the days of his military career and national football administration while the late Iwuanyanwu was the proprietor of Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club. Iwuanyanwu, according to the multifaceted leader, will be remembered for having contributed to their works, unifying Nigerians across tribes and religions, and fostering mutual understanding. “He tried…
I was not quickly drawn into the drama. Drama I call it because it was started by his colleagues in the Kanywood industry, many of whom appear not to be happy with his ‘runaway success overnight’.
The Sokoto Youth for Progressive Movement (SYPM) has announced its withdrawal from the national hunger protest scheduled for August 1, 2024. This decision comes after extensive consultations with key stakeholders and a thorough assessment of the current socio-economic and security situation in the state. The SYPM cited significant challenges in coordinating with other participating groups as a primary reason for their withdrawal. “Organizing a peaceful protest requires meticulous planning and coordination,” the Chairman of the group, Mustapha Buda. “Unfortunately, we’ve encountered substantial difficulties in aligning our objectives with those of other groups. This lack of a unified approach threatens the…