Author: Abiodun KOMOLAFE

Whenever a section of the society wants to embark on something new, it’ll first fly a kite. To sane minds, flying a kite is like testing the waters. If the society is gullible enough to ‘collectivise, objectify, even sacralise’ it, then, it becomes the norm. Unfortunately, societal norms tend to grow organic; and continue to evolve that, very soon, people may not even remember their origin. Such is the interim national government plot by some political gladiators in Nigeria. While it is no longer in doubt that the call has again added flavour to the political vocabularies available to the…

…says ‘call for interim national government is an invitation to anarchy’ A call has gone to the Federal Government of Nigeria to jettison any plan for an interim national government and begin arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the acclaimed winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election. The Bishop of Ijesa North Anglican Diocese, Rt. Revd (Dr.) Isaac Oluyamo, made the call recently, during the special Thanksgiving service to mark his 60th birthday. At the event, which was held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Okeluse in Ondo State, Oluyamo said that anybody calling for the installation…

Nigeria is preparing for another round of population census rendezvous. Thanks be to God! But, if, at least, we must learn from past experiences, then, the primary question is: is the 2023 Census necessary? If one may also ask, when was the last time Nigeria held a census and how effective have previous exercises been? Or, must we fulfil the ritual of population headcount in Nigeria just for its sake? From the look of things, one may safely conclude that the National Population Commission (NPC), the body saddled with conducting censuses in Nigeria, has become an association created for political…

Oftentimes, intrigues exist in political matrixes. Concepts such as political mass participation, collective demands, group identity and determination, and collateral damages could all mean different things to different people. It only depends on which side of the divide the definer pitches his or her tent. This unrestricted latitude and privilege to operationalize concepts and political ideas (especially in Nigeria) with ‘sidon look’ response from the masses breeds complacency on the part of the political gladiators. The salient issue, however, is that a little divergence from the standard definition or central course gnaws on both the integrity and legitimacy of the…

In the choice of a fitting title for this piece, the late Professor Tai Solarin, one of Nigeria’s foremost educators and social activists, readily came to mind. May the labour of our heroes’ past not be in vain! That said, the title of the write-up suggests an overview of an anticipated journey and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Metaphorically, a rough road suggests an onerous means of achieving arduous set goals. However, the good news is that it keeps the journeying people awake and at alert all the time, because the road is not smooth. Coming to Bola Tinubu,…

There is a Yoruba adage, which says that ‘ogbon odun yii, were emii ni.’ (The wisdom of this year is foolishness in the course of time). Talking philosophically, when one relies on an older matrix to work in the present, one’s failure is likely to be like Atiku Abubakar’s. Why? The dynamics of the present may certainly not be exactly the same with the past. In fairness to posterity, the mindset of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and, of course, its presidential candidate – as Nigeria approached the last presidential election – was that the North was still the (typical)…

Democracy is a political paradigm, albeit, with a specific ideological undertone; and the ideological tone refers to the attributes of democracy. Indeed, that distinguishes it from other ideological classifications. Making it simpler, democracy is different from, say, monarchy in that, while the former embraces and encourages all to participate in a political system, the latter is reserved for the privileged family. In other words, it is family-specific, hereditary and it is essentially the government of the few. So, it’s either one belongs or one doesn’t! Lest we forget, the evolution of democracy has its rich history in a rebellion against…

Talking seriously, Democracy as a concept was alien to Africa, and by implication, Nigeria. Largely, right from inception, democratic norms and values were never assimilated and internalised by Africans. At best, its definition and perception were conveniently based on assumptions. So, it meant different things to different people who thought differently! Needless to repeat that there was no conscious effort on the part of the elite leadership – partially or deliberately – to teach the people its real meaning because it was antithetical to the process of maladministration that had gained currency in the land. We need not forget that,…

To start with, election candidacy ought not to be an impromptu decision. For inspiration, we may have to turn to the Western civilization for succour. After all, our social structures and institutions are patterned after theirs. In the United Kingdom, as in other saner climes, young men and women who participate in school politics – and are interested in running governments – are provided with the ample chance to express themselves in an enabling environment; and they follow through till they graduate from these schools. It’s like a recruitment centre; and they eventually form the bulk of the grooming pool.…

The love Nigerians have for Bola Tinubu obliterates the hatred that anybody may possess for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Otherwise, his recent visit to Osun State wouldn’t have been such a huge success. To this end, the immediate past Governor Gboyega Oyetola and other members of the party in the state deserve commendation for the laudable feat of February 2, 2023. Well, the general belief is that politicians will always come up with promises but, at the end of the day, nothing happens. Be that as it may, what Tinubu said in Osun brought along with it a higher…

The sole essence of a man or the sum total of his personality profile is to be located in his character! In Bola Tinubu, as in other humans, the attributes of this character are consistent. Therefore, no matter what the naysayers may say, once one is able to reach him, Tinubu has such a large heart that he gives to people compulsively. Of course, whether he becomes Nigeria’s next president or not, those good deeds are to his credit! Unfortunately, none of the other presidential candidates currently jostling for the key to Aso Rock Villa could come near half of…

Without being immodest, the structure of political campaigns in Nigeria has shown that Bola Tinubu’s dexterity and mastery of the game of politics is actually solid. The organisation of his campaigns, the strategy and the choice of the places he has been going, either for consultations or campaigns; and the responses he has been getting, have all been fantastic. Indeed, these are good signs of a man who actually plans to win. Except one is also stretching the truth, the followership and the enthusiasm with which Nigerians have been thronging the campaign grounds to welcome the All Progressives Congress (APC)…

On January 26, 1998, I authored an article, entitled ‘Lessons from the Dead’, in one of Nigeria’s foremost newspapers. In the piece, I attempted to eulogize the late Mother Theresa of Calcutta for her avowed commitment to the advancement of global development as well as her giving an everlasting face of honour to humanity. As a member of staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) later that year, I came to a striking realization that ‘Catholics are made, not born!’ As a writer and public affairs commentator and, much later, as a leading member of the production crew of…

This is the Year 2023! As the New Year comes, it is customary for people to look towards new things. Unarguably, an improvement over the present has always been the desire of human beings. The same goes with nations, which collectively look forward to improving their lots. Just as human beings make predictions, nations also make projections. With a particular reference to Nigeria, to say that her present situation is revealingly appalling is not an overstatement. So, she needs prayers for the cure of her maladies and the betterment of her future! As Nigeria approaches the 2023 general elections, it…

In his book, ‘Emergency Politics: Paradox, Law, Democracy’, Bonnie Honig urges democracies to “resist emergency’s pull to focus on life’s necessities (food, security, and bare essentials).” According to him, “these tend to privatize and isolate citizens rather than bring us together on behalf of hopeful futures.” To start with, it is an undeniable fact that no society develops if and when the forces inhibiting survival instinct far outweighs the idea, fantasy and the pursuit of development. It is also a fact that this has been the bane of Nigeria’s development and her evolution to a nation-state. They are perpetual pulls…

The Resident Pastor and the National Superintendent of Kingsway International Christian Center, (KICC), Pastor Femi Faseru has charged Nigerians to ask politicians critical questions before making their choices in the 2023 General Elections. Faseru made the charge on Saturday in Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State while speaking at the 2022 Diocesan Summit of Ijesha North of the Anglican Communion. The cleric, who incidentally is a son of Ijebu-Jesa, urged Nigerians to critically engage politicians who are vying for one post or the other on how they intend to change the fortunes of the nation, if voted into power. He challenged politicians to…

Jokes apart, I am a fan of Nyesom Wike, the current Governor of Rivers State. He is visionary and a revolutionary. He is also bold and sincere! Like Rauf Aregbesola, the amiable former Governor of Osun State, Wike has the capacity and a bias for action. He is also a listener’s delight! The governor is a role model for how to be a good leader, especially when matters involving politics in a terrain like ours come to the fore. A man with a big tent and a sterner stuff, Wike speaks truth to power without fearing any foe or minding…

There is a need for a society to exist, to be conscious of its existence, and to have a vision. The values of the society determine the type of politics it gets. The type of politics it gets determines the profile and approach of governance obtainable within the given society. And the kind of governance determines whether or not a nation will be built. To put it bluntly, while a society’s vision determines its development, the society dictates the type of politics that is doable, and the kind of governance pattern feasible, because politics is not something that serves itself.…

By nature, development ‘belongs to those who know it, not those who have it or can buy it.’ It is like a picture, which one keeps working on. Parochialism, on the other hand, is a cultural entrapment. It is evil! With it at work, extant philosophies are laced with the cultural sentiment that a people cannot develop beyond their social thoughts. Once the ruling paradigm in the public administration is ‘awa-n-tiwa’, the society is doomed, with the social thoughts and concomitant expectations most certainly not extending the frontiers of knowledge or the ideas of development. Embracing parochialism lends itself to…

One of the greatest shortcomings of Nigeria’s existence is that she has never evolved into a nation. The amalgamation of territories, imposition of the colonial masters, the unfortunate intervention of the military and its attendant maladministration of the civil society, and the corruption-infested politicians have not given the country that opportunity to realize its potential. To be honest, it is because Nigeria’s handlers have different motives and an opposed understanding of the concept of development that her journey to nationhood has remained an illusion. As we know, there is no generally acceptable interpretive understanding of the concept of development. For…