Author: Ozodinukwe Okenwa

Femi Adesina (OON), President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, is a great journalist who made name for himself writing weekly ‘kuli-kuli’ column in the ‘Sun’ Newspaper in Lagos prior to his Aso Villa baptism of fire. For the past eventful eight years he has been around defending his principal and making himself heard in the media. He would be remembered for his vitriolic essays and name-callings. As a professional journalist cum image-maker for an underwhelming President whose second four-year tenure ends in a month’s time Adesina must have seen it all and heard it all. Yet if service…

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When the deposed incarcerated Sudanese dictator, Omar Hassan Ahmed el-Bechir, was in power he was made to look invincible. He was not only arrogant but talked down to everybody. Transformed by absolute power and outspoken he became a power monster whose court was brimming with jesters and sycophants. Bolstered by the millions of Dollars he had stolen (some of which was found in his residence after his arrest!) el-Bechir was confident of himself believing supremely in the longevity of his tyranny. When the International Criminal Court (ICC) had indicted him in absentia for the war crimes his forces committed in…

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Never before in the history of Nigeria (especially since 1999) had a presidential poll and its verdict been thrown into an international controversy to the extent that even those of the same ethnic stock with the declared ‘winner’, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have had issues to settle with the outcome and the ‘president-elect’ himself. Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Bode George, and now the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State during the gubernatorial epoch of the late Michael Otedola, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu. The opposition to the Tinubu ‘victory’ is getting louder and deeper cutting across ethnic, regional and religious divides. The ailing…

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Penultimate week or thereabout the private telephonic conversation between the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the celebrated Winners Chapel presiding Bishop, David Oyedepo, was leaked to the public and it went viral on the social media. The online media platform, Peoples Gazette, was the first digital media outlet to exclusively report the story. It has continued to trend online ever since eliciting mixed reactions from Nigerians. Reacting to the leaked audio conversation the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide had made it clear that before the election took place almost all the candidates had sought his prayers.…

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The award-winning international literary lioness, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stirred the hornet’s nest recently when she published an open letter to the US President, Joe Biden, in ‘The Atlantic’ magazine. In the strongly-worded epistle the renowned author of ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun’ disagreed sharply with the congratulatory message extended to the controversial ‘President-elect’ of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Ms Adichie queried the US democratic wisdom in congratulating Tinubu when his victory was not only tainted but still hangs on the balance judicially. She added the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to the letter by interrogating the reason behind their…

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The Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is blessed with the gift of a sharp tongue but he often spews gibberish in order to be seen by his principal to be doing something, to be hard-working in line with his role as the chief propagandist of an underwhelming APC-led federal government. Minister Mohammed has a credibility deficit in the public opinion ratings because he paints white as black in defense of the indefensible. He has derogatively been described by critics as a ‘liar’, or better still, ‘Lie’ in place of Lai! The voluble Minister was recently in…

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There is something infinitely painful about death that when it strikes down a parent, relative, a friend or a child grief becomes our company for some time. Early last week my only surviving elder sister based in Benin City had called me to inform me of the passing unto glory of our elder brother, Sylvester Chukwuemeka Okenwa (Mekus). The sad news temporarily left me speechless, dumbfounded! Unable instantly to come to terms with that, I had asked Lovina to drop the line, promising to call her back. My wife and daughter were crying as I retreated to my study to…

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Lately the hashtags #TinubuForPrison, #I-Am-Drugified  and #TinubuTheDrugDealer had been trending online especially on Twitter. Ever since he ‘won’ the presidential poll of last February 25th the ‘President-elect’ has been subjected to all sorts of ridicule with his mountain of baggage coming to the fore. No ‘elected’ President in Nigeria’s history had ever suffered such snide remarks and consistent reminders of a sordid past. As the hashtags trended last weekend the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, had reacted angrily to the embarrassing tweets. Onanuga, the new Joseph Goebbels of our time,…

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Following the recently-held but hotly-contested presidential poll result the ‘President-elect’, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had jetted out of the country early last week. Reports online indicated that he was fagged out and was therefore seeking medical attention abroad. It has been confirmed officially that Tinubu is currently receiving medical treatment in Paris, France! The statement made it clear that he had travelled abroad to rest and plan his transition programme ahead of the May 29, 2023 inauguration. From Europe he would be heading to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (lesser hajj). Asiwaju Tinubu’s health condition remains a source of worry for many…

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Following the June 12, 1993 national crisis the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to power at the return of democracy in 1999. It led Nigeria for sixteen unbroken years! Olusegun Obasanjo (who was nearly liquidated in prison by the late demented despot, Gen. Sani Abacha accused of fomenting a phantom coup d’etat against the kleptocratic maximum ruler from Kano) became President and ruled for eight eventful years. He handed over power grudgingly (having failed spectacularly in his third term gambit) to the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. When the latter died in power his then deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, was made President…

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The Russian omnipotent President, Vladimir Putin, often projects the image of a strong leader with an intimidating academic and spying pedigree. He strikes one as a supremely confident macho man of power whose political career represents nothing but success from all indications. He is courageous, haughty, fearless and intelligent! For many of his critics, however, he is a bloody power-hungry dictator out to intimidate or overawe the international community and leaders forcing them to respect the Russian federation. For sure, Putin leads a super-power country armed to the teeth with multiple nuclear war-heads! Putin knows that with the stockpile of…

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Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the acclaimed President-elect, in all fairness and objectivity, has somewhat paid his political dues in politics in Nigeria. Right from his NADECO days in exile in the United States (following the protracted June 12 crisis triggered by the criminal annulment of the late Bashorun Abiola’s popular presidential mandate by the ‘militricians’ led by Generals Ibrahim Babangida and the late Sani Abacha) Tinubu had carved a niche for himself  as a democrat. Effortfully Tinubu became an enigma as he aligned himself with noble efforts of notable patriots and statesmen to fight the June 12 injustice necessitating exile…

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Lagos holds a special place in the Nigerian federation. The State of aquatic splendour is a mega city-state, a mini-Nigeria as it were. Lagos plays host to almost every ethnic and religious group in Nigeria. Like other city-states in our great nation — Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Sokoto etc — it is a melting pot economically and socially. From 1960, October, when the colonial imperialistic Union Jack was lowered for the last time at the Tafawa Balewa Square and the green-white-green national colours hoisted gloriously in its stead Lagos was the capital of the independent Nigeria. Decades later post-independence, however, following…

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Following the controversial conclusion of the presidential poll last February 25 the gubernatorial election slated for this weekend had been postponed. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu the postponement for one week became necessary because it needed time to reconfigure BIVAS machines which were used for the presidential election on February 25. The embattled INEC National Chairman must be seeking desperately to get it right in the governorship election hence his decision to put forward the guber poll for one week. Deep down in his heart the Prof. knows too well that he had messed up…

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Penultimate weekend millions of Nigerians frustratingly went to the polls to elect a new President and National Assembly members. Prior to the polls there was this artificial scarcity of fuel that caused commotion in many cities and towns. And above all, the Naira redesign policy that caused a serious crisis across the federation. Violent demonstrations followed the currency crunch in many cities forcing the Buhari regime to extend the deadline for the swapping of the old and the new notes. Now, critics and analysts who should know better had argued strongly that the two crises were tailored to scuttle a…

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The presidential poll held over the weekend in Nigeria had come and gone with winners and losers emerging. But controversies have trailed its outcome. Despite the hundreds of millions of Dollars spent to get the general elections right the ugly ‘demons’ of the past reared its ugly head. In spite of the promises of the law enforcement agencies, hoodlums still hijacked ballot boxes and others used guns to intimidate voters. Vote-buying and rigging still occurred in many places! According to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu the candidate of the misruling party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, BAT polled a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat…

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In terms of physical attributes, nay pigmentation, President Kais Saied of Tunisia is somewhat a special breed indeed. Almost featuring features of albinism the President could count himself lucky to be born and bred in Tunisia. Otherwise he could from infancy have fallen victim to sacrificial ritual money-making adventure of elements whose cupidity knows no moral limits. Elsewhere in Africa his kind could have been ‘meat’ for ritual-killing hunters desperate to hit it big in life by using the blood of albinos or hunchbacks to make big money! Kais Saied, the 61-year-old law professor had no prior political experience; he…

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Fellow countrymen and women, It has given me great delight to address you all today mere days to the historic presidential poll in our country. As you all know I am one of the frontline, nay leading, candidates in this election. The PDP national political machinery is behind me for the ultimate triumph. ‘Atikulation’ is on the march again. And this time, believe me, victory is assured! We have tried this presidential trajectory a record five times but I strongly believe our time has finally come. No one can afford to manipulate this year’s presidential poll this weekend. It is, therefore,…

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Fellow Nigerians, I come before you all this day as a humble servant as the presidential poll is just days away. This Saturday millions of you would be trooping to the polls across the federation armed with your PVCs and ready to do electoral justice to an election whose outcome would define and redefine our nation’s future. This particular election is crucial for many reasons. First, our great nation has not reached the very peak pof her potential. Second, we are challenged individually and collectively. In fact, our dear country is at a crossroads! This intervention is necessary to put…

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Early last week a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck cities and towns in Turkey and Syria. At the last body count close to fifty thousand souls had been lost to the gigantic trembling of the land with buildings collapsing and trapping residents inside the debris. It was one of the cataclysmic occurrences in recent memory. Before nature’s relentless fury a staggering fragility of human life is exposed. Horrible apocalyptic images emanated from the scenes. In the last body count close to fifty thousand souls had perished in the tremor of the ground! Video images of dead bodies, the wounded and children (some…

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Ninety years sojourning as a Homo sapien in this world is no mean feat. It is a remarkable existential accomplishment not given to every mortal. From every stretch of imagination it represents a glorious story of longevity! Again, when one spent these years, forty out of which spent seated on the ‘throne’ as an emperor, then life could not have been better. The average life expectancy of the average Cameroonian in particular and African in general is less than fifty years! Now, President Paul Barthélemy Biya’a bi Mvon (better known simply as Paul Biya) of Cameroon recently celebrated a milestone…

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Africa, ordinarily, is a blessed beautiful land in terms of good climate and natural resources. But her emancipatory trajectory, from time immemorial, has been replete with paradoxical systemic paralysis. A paradox accentuated by Adamic forces within more than those outside our shores. Historically the African conundrum is one fraught with progressive failure to keep a date with great destiny. A combination of factors had conspired to keep mother Africa down including those self-inflicted. Talk of the black gold, oil and gas; talk of coffee and cocoa, all deposited in our rich arable lands yet these natural resources have not translated…

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is a dour uncharismatic man who must have gotten the top banking job through political connection or patronage. Since the CBN came into being soon after our flag independence in 1960 no CBN Governor had been this clueless, this controversial. Emefiele inspires little or no confidence and no one in the banking sector considers him a stellar performer. Here is a man who as a technocrat wanted to be a wannabe politician by joining the crowded race for the APC primary election. He reportedly shelled out millions of Naira to be…

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Recently, a nonentity named Sharon Ogechi Okoroafor from Ngor-Okpala local government area of Imo state, had exposed her imbecility and poor home training when she sought to draw lurid attention to herself online. She had reportedly posted a controversial video message on TikTok informing whoever cared to watch or listen that she had graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, by the grace of God. And above all, by her private parts! “Omo, today is the final day. Nekede bye-bye, this stress ends today. Finally, I’m now a graduate of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede. It can only be God and…

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Last weekend in the UnitedStates of America a video footage of the brutality and violence that went with the arrest of an afro-American, Tyre Nichols, 29, went viral online upon its release by the US law enforcement authorities. In the video the young man could be heard screaming in anguish as the five black police officers kicked and brutalized him. He could be seen being pepper-sprayed and shot with a taser as he sought to run away for his dear life. It happened in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. What made the case very revolting and devoid of racial undertone…

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The Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah is a great man of God who is not afraid to tell truth to power no matter how unpalatable such interventions. Since the advent of the Buhari underwhelming administration in 2015 Bishop Kukah has not shied away from speaking his mind robustly intervening especially during Yuletide, Easter and New Year festivities. His deliveries have always been insightful and delightful to peruse. Bishop Kukah has proven to be a patriot and a religious leader who cares for the well-being of the brethren. He hates not the President but always points out…

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Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu CON, SAN (alias Aketi), the Executive Governor of Ondo State, is a great man whose academic profile leaves no room for mediocrity. As a lawyer and scholar he has been exhibiting certain gubernatorial quality seldom seen in Nigeria’s corrupted political scene. As Governor of an enlightened state like Ondo Aketi has proven to be a good democrat. He may not have performed miracles or wonderfully as the Chief Executive of the state but generally he has posted an above-average performance. Compared to many Governors in Nigeria (who got elected for the sole purpose of self-aggrandisement) Akeredolu’s APC administration…

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The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was at the Chatham House in London recently where he performed brilliantly. Appearing gracefully and presidential he dealt with the thorny issues of the day, issues bedevilling Nigeria as a troubled nation-state. He provided satisfactory answers to questions raised and gave an insight into his presidency. He made it clear he would dialogue with all agitators (separatists of all hue), fight corruption, rebuild the moribund power sector and tackle monstrous insecurity upon being elected as President. Obi, in his charismatic best element, bared it all, proving what patriots and ‘Obi-dients’ have been saying…

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Following the unprecedented pan-Nigeria presidential victory scored on June 12, 1993, the late billionaire business mogul, Bashorun MKO Abiola, the military gang in power then headed by the retired soccer-less ‘Maradona’, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, had annulled ‘Hope-93’ on flimsy incoherent reason of international narcotics peddling involvement of the acclaimed winner. The wild claim was never proven! Abiola was later arrested and imprisoned by the late Gen. Sani Abacha following his audacious efforts to reclaim the stolen mandate. As students in Benin City, decades ago, we had participated in bloody riots across the federation against dictatorship and for democracy. Many lost…

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Lady Diana Harry William The then Prince Charles and now King had to wait patiently for 70 odd years to ascend to the English throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, a few months ago. The waiting game was like eternity but Charles endured. The British monarchy has endured for centuries because little political role is attached to it. While the late Queen was (and now King Charles III is) the ceremonial Head of State, Prime Ministers succeeded themselves at 10 Downing Street in London. Lady Diana Harry William In an era of modern monarchy when Kings…

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